


The Vessel of Odin

by Silverlineage



Category: Ragnarok Online
Genre: Angels, Child Abuse, Demons, Dominance, Explicit Sexual Content, Gangbang, Implied Sexual Content, Inappropriate Humor, Love, Love Confessions, Multi, Multiple Orgasms, Multiple Pairings, Multiple Penetration, Multiple Sex Positions, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Submission
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-14 08:03:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 194
Words: 1,417,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16036340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverlineage/pseuds/Silverlineage
Summary: A young girl with a mysterious past is forced through various events pre-determined by unknown forces. She will encounter new friends and companions in her travels. Hardships and challenges will appear around every corner. Enemies old and new will make themselves known. Does she have what it takes to find out exactly what her life was meant to be?*Story is in progress. Currently up to 194 chapters and being brought over. Will be updated as story updates in time.*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Author Notes**
> 
> This is a Ragnarok Online fan fiction. I have been working on this story for a very long time. Here is a brief summary of what it contains.
> 
> Various MvP Monsters do have a back history and will eventually be tied into the story.
> 
> Much of the various lands, towns, and cities are featured solely around the game.
> 
> The time this starts is right as Transcendence/Rebirth is available and may go through to where third classes appear.
> 
> There are quite a few areas of this story that are not related to the game, itself, but are interwoven. As you read, you will understand. :)
> 
> I am constantly updating my story and adding on to it. Will it come to an end? Only time will tell! I thank anyone that takes the time to see what I have written.

Today was the day at long last. She woke up from her bed and looked around her room slowly. The usual knickknacks she collected were stowed away and packaged carefully inside her pack. She went over to the wall and collected the bow she spent all her time in crafting. It was a fine bow. It wasn't the strongest one out there, but it did the job. It was upgraded by the local smiths to a point that it would do a bit more damage than most. She had spent months finding the right monster cards to place into it, and she had worked it into a nice piece. The cards she used in the bow would slow down the monsters she attacked, helped her add more damage to her attack, and added a boost to her arrows when they struck true in a critically wounding way. She picked up some items and crafted as many arrows as she could out of them. She glanced around once more and picked up her pack. As she prepared to leave, she counted the zeny that she had, which was the currency throughout the land.

"Not much at all. I'll need to hunt and sell what I find," she sighed. She walked over to the only mirror she had in the room and brushed out her straight, waist length, brown-blond hair. Her soft, deep brown eyes blinked back at her under thick, yet neat, dark lashes. Her small mouth seemed to frown at her, though she was smiling. Her skin was tanned to a point that it was noticeable, but that was all she needed. She could be quite stunning to look at, if she applied blush, or even some rouge, but she never bothered with it. She always hated being the center of attention, anyways.

She straightened out the traditional two-piece Huntress garb and seemed to nod at her appearance. The cloth was actually sturdy cotton with leathery pieces of monster hide stitched in, and it was dyed orange and brown. She had a very gentle figure for it, and it flattered her form. Her toned, flat belly was showing, but the leather skirt covered over the darker shade of heavy brown cotton shorts underneath. Her chest strained lightly inside the upper piece of the outfit, but the leather stitching balanced it out. She had thought of dying her garments white, but she was told that white wasn't a proper color for hunting. She would have stood out too much. Sturdy boots protected her feet, and a small, purple ribbon clung to her hair in the form of a cute bow. She was hoping to upgrade her armor whenever she found the funds, but it was hard to do.

She whistled, and her falcon flew over to her. It hovered over her protectively before gently landing on her shoulder. The extra leather padding on her shoulders kept the claws from sinking into her skin. The hunting falcon was a common breed, and she had to rent it the moment she was able to. The feathers were a deep brownish gold. The eyes of the falcon were stark yellow and exceptionally sharp. She considered it the only friend she had, and it was exceptionally protective of her when it had to be. She gave a final yawn to remove the sleep from her. Then she stretched and walked out of the room.

She was quite happy today. She decided she would go out and spend the day finding herself a pet. She didn't know what kind, but she would go for any type. She wouldn't have even thought of a pet, if it wasn't for the Novice she saw with a pink, jelly-like Poring. She didn't want to travel alone anymore, and she knew that a pet would make it easier on her. She knew her falcon could be seen as a pet, but it didn't feel the same. She needed something that could show more affection to her. Thinking back, she wasn't always alone before. A few memories of old friends came up, and she frowned, pushing them away.  _Now was not the time to think about them. It's been three years now, and it was still quite painful to think of them. Those times were gone._

To refocus on other things, she made sure she bought herself a small meal for the road, as she started her journey to anywhere she could travel. She found herself going to the main city of Prontera, since it was closest to the town of Izlude that she was staying at. She stopped to see what she could find at all the Merchant shops that lined the main road sides. Not finding anything of interest, she moved on, but she did stop and buy pet food for her future pet, hoping it would be the kind to eat it.

"Now to hunt for something to sell," she sighed and walked onwards. She found her way out of the city and made her way to one of the smaller towns called Payon. She knew the town quite well.  _I became an Archer here._  Once again, the memories that came up were painful when they reappeared, and she fought back tears. She forced them away once again, as she refocused on why she was here and regained her composure. She always got hurt thinking about the happier times of her life.  _The sooner I got a pet to help distract my thoughts, the better._

She saw other adventurers walking into a cave, and she followed them. She recognized the cave as a holding for the undead, and she crafted several Silver Arrows in case she had to fight. She moved forward, making sure her falcon was ready for battle. She inched her way into the cave, dodging new adventurers and old ones alike. She always kept to herself and didn't truly trust anyone. She killed whatever attacked her quickly and skillfully, ignoring the lesser creatures that couldn't touch her if they tried. She made her way deeper into the cave.

She paused, as she spotted an undead girl in a red dress approaching her. It wasn't truly a dress, but almost like a long, red pullover with gold markings on a darker red under-dress that ended in billowing pants. She wore basic shoes, and she wore a large red hat with a long yellow talisman tassel stitched on the front of it. She had her long, black hair tied back into a braid. The pale face was emotionless, as the monster started to bounce sharply towards her. She recognized it as the Munak. She thought before she attacked the pitiful thing.

"Undead girl...not really a nice form of pet," she sighed and watched the body crumple with a squeak and fade away to dust. Collecting the braid that was left behind, she set it into her pack. Merchants accepted Munak hair, since they used it to make the hair for dolls. More undead girls followed after that, and she collected what she could from them. She paused when one dropped a diary. She picked it up and looked at it.

"Strange...why would one drop something like this? I can't even read it!" she wondered. She decided to find her way out. She stopped when an undead boy in a blue fighting outfit bounced over to her. He was wearing a blue button down vest that fit over a darker blue tunic. It appeared to be rather loose, and a set of loose pants completed the outfit. A set of shoes adorned his feet, not that he would have needed them. He also had long, black hair pulled back, but it was in a shorter braid. Like the Munak, he also wore a giant hat, but it was blue like the rest of him. The talisman tassel on the front, however, was ripped in half. She recognized that one as the Bongun. She paused and killed it quickly. She watched his form crumple into a pile of dust silently, and she collected the bit of braided hair that was left behind.

"Undead boy...interesting. I don't see many of them around," she thought, as she found her way out of the cave. "Is the diary meant for one of them?"

She found her way out of the cave and decided to ask around with the diary in her possession. She stopped and ate something while she traveled. As she took the diary out to look at it, a traveling Knight stopped up next to her. He was riding on a large, yellow bird called a Pecopeco, and he pulled the reins around its beak to stop it.

"What's that you have there?" he asked curiously. "I think I've seen that before."

"Oh...I found a diary, and I don't know what to do with it," she smiled. He remembered what it was for and explained to her that there was an old woman in the city of Comodo that was looking for a diary much like the one she had. He gave her the location of where to find the old woman, and he nodded as he left, wishing her luck.

"Funny...some people can be so kind, and others wouldn't even care," she sighed, as she got up and made her way to the unknown town. The Kafra Agent in the town of Payon was able to transport her, since she had enough funds.

As she got there, a flurry of fireworks startled her when she entered. She set her jaw and found her way over to the old lady. She learned that the old lady was actually the grandmother of the Munak that was killed. It was a bit odd to her, since Munak was a monster, but she didn't argue with the old lady. The diary was read aloud, and it was so sad at what it revealed! The grandmother then took the diary, and asked if she had a strand of hair from Munak. She wanted some form of a keepsake with the diary to ease her heart.

"Yes..." she said softly. She handed over a lock of Munak hair, and a new book was given to her. This one was blue in color, when the diary she gave over was red.  _It even had a heart on the latch!_  She was instructed to show it to a Bongun so that he would find peace and happiness. It was actually something to help a random Bongun come to her side. She blanched. _I have the opportunity to get a pet already?_  Now she thought. _What did a Bongun eat?_  She stopped by a Merchant stand and sold what she didn't need before heading back to the cave in Payon. She stopped by a local Pet Merchant along the way to pick up an incubator. On asking what a pet Bongun would eat, she was shown the pet food. A larger stock was quickly purchased.

She made her way back to Payon and back through the cave system. She went down to the area she found the diary at. She killed any Munak that attacked her, yet she paused when a boy approached her. When she reached for the book, he attacked her right away. She killed him and thought carefully on how to approach this.

"No...something tells me I will know when to take out the book," she thought aloud. She killed several more Munaks and found another boy. He attacked her, and she killed him quickly in defense. She sighed and shook her head. Not once did she feel the urge to use the taming item. She sat down on the ground to rest and got out something to eat. As she sat there, a shadow loomed over her. She turned quickly and found another boy standing over her. As she stood up, he remained still.  _Why wasn't he attacking me?_  Then she thought and remembered that, on various occasions, certain monsters wouldn't attack her, and she always wondered why that was. On a closer study, she saw he looked a bit more than a boy, and she blinked in wonder.  _His body was built far better than the others, and his muscles were still highly defined. It was as though he had a lot more time to develop before his death. His hair seemed a touch longer, too. How could that be? Even his clothes appeared to be in better shape._

She realized that he was studying her as though wondering about something himself. Even as he bounced in place, he was confused.  _There was something about her that I liked._  He couldn't place the feeling. She pulled out her book without thinking and showed it to him. He paused and looked at it. She swallowed. _Was my effort in vain?_ Very slowly, he took the book and gazed it before becoming an egg. An intense joy overcame her, as she bent down to pick it up. Then she thought, as she held it.  _Should I hatch it now? Or should I wait?_  She made her way out of the cave and outside. She walked along until she found a secluded area. She hatched the egg there with the incubator and fed her new pet when he looked hungry.

He watched her curiously, not wanting to leave her side. She had sparked something that he felt was gone. He wanted to know why. Something had pulled him to her, and it puzzled him. He bounced slowly next to her, as he watched her sort through her pack. He studied her, as she decided what she needed and didn't need. She was different, he knew that. Even though he was enthralled with the company of the other undead monsters, and always attacked adventurers on sight with them, he didn't want to attack her. He had attacked other intruders in the past and won, but he encountered her when she was defenseless. When he saw her sitting there, his instinct to attack was there, but he didn't. He had seen her kill others, and he felt no remorse.  _It was as if they deserved to die for attacking her._ Why he felt like this, he had no idea. He only knew that it was ages ago when he last felt the urge to protect another.  _Maybe even care for her..._

She yawned and stretched, feeling tired. She looked at her new pet and smiled.  _Should I refer to him as a companion?_  She chuckled to herself and wondered why she would think such a thing. She knew she was looking for a pet to be like a companion to keep from being lonely, since she always traveled alone, but she was starting to think of him as something a bit more. He was a pet, yet the way he watched her made her wonder. _Why didn't he attack me when I sat there defenseless?_  She knew he was somewhat shy of her, since he had just been received, but that was fine. _In time, I will get to know my new pet, and he would learn to know me. Then I can decide what to really think of him._

"I should think of a name for you. However, I think I'll wait until we know each other better," she said aloud. The Bongun seemed to nod at this, and she looked at him with surprise. _He understood me and agreed with me? Most pets would either shrug indifference, or even ignore new owners the moment they met them._  She found it rather intriguing.  _Maybe this one was truly different than the others I've seen before._ She kept watching him curiously, and she handed him another piece of pet food when she saw signs of him being hungry. After he ate, she got up and decided to hunt something.

He followed her around obediently and watched how she hunted. He seemed to wince when she got hurt, and felt relieved when she drank a potion when she needed to Heal herself. She fed him when he needed to be fed, and he was amazed that she seemed to have no loss of stamina when she hunted.

As the days went by, he began to appreciate how she worked, and he really liked how she tried to avoid others. Yet, he felt stupid when he was referred to as a pet and had to perform simple tricks. He knew he was a pet, but he didn't like being called a pet. He didn't mind it when it came to others asking about him. It was only when she introduced him as a pet that he felt upset about it, but he resolved to put a stop to it when he was able to learn more about her.

As nightfall came about on the seventh day he was with her, he started to see the exhaustion set in for her. She sat on the ground and made a small camp.

"I should get a room, but the towns are always so crowded!" she sighed. All he could do was watch her. He saw her falcon still hovering in the air before alighting to a branch, as she took out a small blanket to curl up in.  _Did she always sleep alone? Why does she allow herself to sleep on the ground? Doesn't she have any friends?_  He started to make a list of questions to ask her. He watched her as she slept.  _Why were these feelings coming up now?_

He was getting hungry, and he saw the bag of food. Normally she gave it to him, but it was right there.  _Why not?_  He bent down and started to eat. At the sound of a small gasp, he looked up and saw her looking at him.

"How are you able to do that?! Others never did that!" she asked with a smile. She had awoken to the sound of him eating, and she was simply in shock of what he was doing. He realized that she wasn't mad, but was rather amazed.

"Hungry..." he said softly. Her eyes widened. _He was talking to me already! It was far too soon for him to start talking, wasn't it? I only had him with me for a week. It usually took up to two months with others, from what I was told._ She wasn't going to complain with this stroke of luck. She had learned long ago that some things happened for various unexplained reasons, and that it was best to simply go with it.

"Then eat. I will get more food in the next town. I still don't know what to call you. I am not sure if you even had a name before."

He looked at her silently again as though in thought.  _What made me think that he had a previous name? He was someone long ago, wasn't he? Maybe he already did have a name. Would he remember it?_

"Keltin," he said softly. She blinked at him.

"Keltin? Is that your name?" she asked with a soft smile. His voice sounded stern, yet extremely soothing when he spoke to her. _It wasn't an undead voice at all!_  It almost sounded as though he didn't want her to be afraid of him. He looked at her and nodded while he bounced. Then she was surprised again when he stopped bouncing.

"You?" he asked.

"Sarine. That is my name."

"Sarine..." he whispered before falling silent and went back to bouncing. She never knew what her last name was, and she always said that she preferred to keep it simple that way if others asked. She nodded and smiled again. He tilted his head, as he watched her lie back down to sleep.  _Would I ever be able to sleep? Could I even try?_


	2. Chapter 2

She woke with a yawn, as she sat up to stretch, and lay back down on the ground again. She was a bit relieved that she didn't have nightmares this past week.  _I normally had nightmares when I slept alone._ She wondered if getting a pet was the best thing she could have thought of. As she found herself still somewhat drowsy, she realized that something was different. Looking over, her mouth dropped, as Keltin had curled up beside her, and he was pressed to her back with his eyes closed. She didn't know if she should wake him, or if she should let him sleep more.  _Did undead even sleep?_  Carefully, she moved to face him a bit more, and she pushed a tendril of black hair away from his pale, white face. Then she paused.  _What am I doing? This is my pet! But, he doesn't act like one..._

As she was lost in her thoughts, he blinked his eyes open and looked at her. They were a startling blue with specks of black. _Why did his eyes look so clear?_ It almost made her dizzy with excitement.

"Sleep?" he asked her. She smiled and shook her head.

"No. I need to kill more things and sell what I can get from them to get more money. I didn't have enough to afford a room. Besides, I like sleeping outside. I never felt right indoors. I never liked crowds, either."

"Okay," he nodded. He continued to watch her and something made his stomach flutter. It was the same feeling he had long ago when he met a girl, but this one had a fire to her that the other never had. He wanted to learn more about her. As he tried to think back to the other girl, the memories were hazy.  _Will I remember even more later on?_  Only time would tell. He watched her get up, and she gathered her things. He found himself wanting to help.

"You don't need to do that!" she laughed, as he started to pick up various things for her. He looked at her again and seemed to shrug. He watched her falcon hover over her, as she started to head off into town. He followed her purposely as he always did. As they got closer to the town, she said, "You mustn't do anything odd in town. I don't want anyone to say or try anything weird, you know? You are different from the others I've seen. Just remain as you are now, and we should be fine."

He didn't quite understand, but, in the town, he saw another Bongun with a human. On studying what they did, he understood what she meant.  _What I felt and did was not like the other pets. Remaining silent and at her side was all I had to do._  With each time he got fed, he became more confident in her. Soon, he would want to start a decent conversation when the time was right. After she had purchased what few provisions she could, he followed her around outside. He watched her hunt down various creatures, as they traveled. When she ran out of arrows, she made more with what she had. He started to admire her.

She hunted deeper in the woods, and he followed her. Hearing voices, she had moved to turn back around to avoid them, but found someone blocking her.

"Well, now, what do we have here? A little Hunter girl?" a Rogue said with a grin. "Hey, boys! Come and look at what we have!"

"What did you find, boss?" a gruff voice asked. Two others came over to show themselves as another Rogue and a Thief. The Rogues were wearing red vests that were opened in the front. Tight, tattered jeans with ripped ends completed the outfit. The Thief was wearing the common brown tunic and pants. It helped them to blend into the crowds.

They leered at her, and her heart quickened. She sent her falcon away for safety, since she was already discovered, and she didn't want to risk it getting hurt. Little did she know that it would hover close by, but it seemed to know that she would be safe. She took out her dagger now. It wasn't much, but it was the only other weapon she had for close combat. If she tried to set her traps, they knew how to disarm them. What really scared her was that they appeared to look like they dealt with Archers and Hunters before. They laughed at her, and the leader lunged. As he moved to grab her, Keltin jumped in front of her and blocked the attack with a move that reminded one of steel bars for arms. Keltin pushed him back and readied himself again. His eyes were locked on his targets, and he was ready to attack.

"What the hell is this?!" the Rogue hissed.

"Leave her alone..." Keltin growled with narrowed eyes. Sarine stared at her pet with wonder. As the others attacked, he did the same thing to them. He started to remember that he was one of the skilled ones in his past and did this for training. When one tried to get behind him, he punched the intruder in the face. Another got kicked in the gut. He finally ran up to the leader and delivered several punishing blows in lightning quick recession that only a Monk could do when alive. The leader was flung back and crashed into a heavy tree. Keltin set himself in front of Sarine without breaking a sweat. He didn't even have to use his full potential to knock back the thugs. He braced himself to attack again. The moment the men tried to attack, his muscles were set like taught coils and were ready to release even more of a punishing blow. That gave the men the idea that they wouldn't win this battle.

"Beaten up by a girl's  _pet_?! We'll never be able to live this down!" the leader groaned, as they ran off. Keltin stood tall and watched them leave, his large hat pulled down over his eyes. The yellow talisman, torn but still long and attached to the front of it, was wavering slightly. When they were out of sight, he turned and looked at her. She took a step back with a quickened breath of amazement and fear.

"Who are you? Who did I tame? Are you really a pet?" she asked softly to keep the fear from coming through. "Are you something else?"

"I don't know. Can't let them hurt you..." he said, as he looked at her. He refocused his energy on talking now. He wanted to talk normally to her at long last.

"But, pets don't do that! I know some do, but they never attack like that! They only attack to a certain extent, or cast a spell, but it was always the owner that attacked first! I mean, I know that some pets defend their owners when they are attacked, but he didn't even get a chance to try to even scratch me! I didn't even plan on attacking him! You did that all on your own, since I was trying to defend and not attack. This was as though you were something else. Maybe even someone else."

"Then I am not a pet. I will be around others. Not around you," he said, as he turned to face her, his face softening considerably now. "I don't want to be a pet around you. It makes me feel stupid to think of being your pet!"

"But, you are undead! And you're a boy!" she said. "You shouldn't even be talking to me like this! Pets can't have a normal conversation with their owners! It's just...it's not done!"

She looked at the sky and whistled for her falcon to come back. It screeched with a form of relief and landed on her shoulder. Looking back at Keltin, she caught him grinning at her.  _What was he smiling about?_

"I was eighteen when I died. Far from a boy," he chuckled.

"Why are you saying these things?"

"Because I can."

"Well, you can't around others."

"I know. You should hunt more so we can build up more funds," he said calmly.  _What was this mood now? He was telling me what to do?_  She looked at him with a small frown, and he seemed to wince. He had an age old pride that was coming back now. He was used to ordering others around from his ranking in the past. It was a right that he had earned from before he died. She was bringing out more and more human-like qualities from him, and he was starting to get into an old routine. He was determined to break it as of now. Without another word, she put away her dagger and got her bow and arrows ready for use.

"If I'm lucky, I should have enough to get a room. Either that, or I'll just sleep outside. Not that it matters," she sighed.  _I want companionship. I don't want to feel stepped on._ He bit his lower lip. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings by telling her what to do. Watching her kill and loot things, she started to head back to town.

"Wait," he said. She paused and looked at him.

"What?"

"Not this town. We can go to another. I'm sorry for how I'm acting towards you. I promise you, it won't happen again. It's something that happened long ago. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said softly. Looking at him, she remembered the Rogues and nodded.

"Yes. Another town, then. The only problem is that another town is too far away. It has to be this one. And I accept your apology," she said with a soft smile.

He felt relieved about that. He didn't want to make her feel bad around him. He followed her into the town of Izlude. He was slightly protective of her as others watched her, but he realized that she ignored the looks. As long as she didn't show she cared, she was left alone. Still following her, she chose to sleep outside again. She had purchased enough for a few days to keep herself from going hungry, and she found a spot well off the normal path before the sun set. She found a nice stream to gather water from, and he watched her with a show of protection. He helped her unroll the bedrolls, and she beamed at him. He felt elated at this, and he silently vowed to himself to never make her unhappy ever again.

"So, do we sleep?" he asked.

"Yes. It seems like a safe enough spot," she nodded.  _Well, it should be with all the traps she set around!_ He had watched her place various traps around her little camp, and, if anything happened, they'd know. She started to brush out her hair, and he bounced over to her. She gave him a sleepy smile and yawned. As he watched her, he found he couldn't tear his eyes off her form.  _Could I really be attracted to her? But, I'm dead..._

She had unrolled the blanket the bedroll had and laid down on it. Her curves were simple, and he already he felt drawn to them. He shook himself and started to look at the fire.  _I can't do this! It's not right!_  He had to clear his mind. As he stared at the fire, his memories started to come back.  _A fire was how it started. The fire had burned everything down!_ He never realized that he started to shake and whimper.

"Keltin! Are you all right?" she asked, as she got up and went to him.

"The fire! I remember it now. It killed everyone around me. My village. My family. I couldn't stop it...!"

"Come here," she soothed, and he let himself get pulled away from the fire. He was trembling like crazy, as she pulled him down to hug him.

"They were gone! All of them!" he panicked.

"I'm here, Keltin," she whispered. She hugged him close and cradled him. He found himself weeping and clinging to her. She continued to hold him and rock him. It was what he needed. After a while, he started to calm himself, and he realized where he was. He moved slightly to look at her. She watched him slowly, and he managed to push himself away. He pulled her hands into his. She was surprised that his hands were warm and only slightly calloused.  _It was almost as though he wasn't even dead._

"Thank you. It's not easy reliving old memories. Especially those," he whispered. She gave a soft smile and nodded. She was in awe at how clearly and intelligently he spoke now.  _Most pets couldn't talk like this, since they either didn't have the proper vocabulary, or never wanted to try. It took months for most of them to form a clear sentence._ All Keltin did was focus and will himself to do it.

"It's all right. I understand. If you ever want to talk about it, then I am here," she whispered back. He gasped and squeezed her hands before hugging her close. Then he slowly leaned away from her with his head down. His eyes were covered by his hat now to hide his face. He was still fighting off tears.

"I don't know why I feel like this. I don't know..." he muttered, his voice cracking with emotions. Carefully, she pulled him into another hug. He found himself holding her tightly against him, as a few tears fell and got absorbed into her tunic. She rocked him while he grieved from the memories and let him ride out the worst of the storm. After the sadness left, a new feeling took place. It was powerful. It was intense.

Normally, Sarine had a mental shield over her mind to hide her emotions. She had no need of it, since the only one that ever required it was no longer with her. There was no one else that she knew of who was so in tuned with her emotions than the one she lost. But, now she wondered how Keltin was reacting to her. From what she could tell, it was just her presence and not what she mentally felt. That made her a touch relieved, and she sighed a bit from it.

The feel of her so close made him all the more protective now. She had no idea as to what to think of it herself.  _He reminds me so much of the only other man that was forced out of my life! How could this be possible? Was it even possible?_  She felt his soft breathing on her face, and she shivered. As his mouth moved closer to hers, a trap sprung. They both jumped at it, and she stood up with her bow in her grasp now.

"What the hell is this?!" said a familiar voice. It was the Rogue leader that tried to get them earlier in the woods. He was trying to regain his lost status and failed miserably. She grumbled and kept her bow ready. Her falcon even woke from roosting and swerved its head at the intrusion. She glanced up and seemed a bit reassured that her falcon was ready to attack, too.

"What do you want?" she asked with a low growl.

"N-nothing," he stammered, as Keltin crouched low to attack. He got free of the trap and fled. She replaced the trap and shook her head with a small mutter. He went over to her silently and put his hands on her shoulders. Looking up at him, she smiled.

"Maybe the town was safer after all?" he asked.

"I'll see about renting a room tomorrow," she agreed. Helping her get into the bedroll, he remained awake to guard over her.


	3. Chapter 3

When she woke up in the morning, she found herself waking up in his arms. At first, she was surprised, but she felt safer than she ever thought possible. There was only one other time that she felt so safe, but that time was long ago. She found herself trying to move against him a little more, and his arms tightened around her. At the feel of her moving, he asked softly, "You are awake? So early this morning?"

 "Yes," she replied. He turned her slowly to look at her, and he smoothed her hair back. She managed to smile at him.

"Why did I meet you?" he whispered.

"You never attacked me," she whispered back.

"I couldn't attack you," he sighed and pulled her close. "I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself, if I did."

She found his scent pleasant. _It almost reminds me of a light musk._

"I should hunt a bit and get some loot to sell so I can afford a room."

"Yes. That would be good. I think I'm running low on food, too."

"Oh, how the expenses are piling up!" she groaned.

"But, are they worth it?" he smiled. She looked at him and nodded.

"Yes. Very much so."

"Then let's go," he said, as he helped her up. He didn't let her go at first, but he knew he had to. When he wasn't bouncing, he was easily half a foot taller than her. She seemed to cling to him, too, and that didn't help him any better. He started to tense at it, and she looked at him.

"Are you all right?" she asked. He managed to force a smile and started to help her gather her things. She watched him for a moment before rolling up the bedroll. He came up behind her and gave her another squeeze. She found herself leaning into him. He gasped a little and trembled with a form of desire. It was incredibly hard to ignore.

"Do you think you can rent a room now?" he asked, as he tried hard not to grimace. Looking at him, she paused and blinked her eyes.

"Why would I do that?" she asked. He breathed deeply and tilted his head back. His eyes were closed with silent meditation to regain control. She gave him a shy smile. The rest of the camp was quickly put away, and they headed into Izlude. He followed her in his usual, slow bouncing motion until they got to the inn. She paid for her room, and they walked into it. He secured and covered the windows, as she locked the door. When she got in, she twirled to face him and said with a small giggle, "I'm taking a shower. No peeking!"

He grinned at her, but stopped at a pecking at the window. The moment he was distracted, she snuck into the bathroom to shower. When he opened the window, her falcon swooped in to almost survey the room before flying back out. The falcon was rather leisurely when it did this, as though it was purposely keeping him distracted to buy Sarine time. Watching the bird leave, the window was locked and covered again. He stood solidly on the ground again, and he turned to see her walking out of the shower wearing only a towel. He paused, as he looked at her, his breath quickening.  _The clever bird had easily distracted me while she showered._

"Damn bird..." Keltin sighed, but he chuckled all the same.

"You should shower, too. Even you could use it," she smiled. He blinked at her and smiled. Nodding, he started to undress.

"Not here, silly! Go in the other room!" she giggled, and he shrugged.

"Does it really matter at this point?" he asked.

"Yes! Go on," she urged. He glanced at her and started to undress again. She pouted and pointed to the bathroom. He gave up with a sigh and walked into it. Letting his braid out, he chuckled, since it was something he hadn't done since before he died. He had to admit, the hot water was something he hadn't felt in ages. He found a remaining towel when he was done and dried off. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he redid his hair back into the short braid it was in, and he walked out. He saw her busily going through what she had and crafting arrows. When she looked up, she paused. His skin was pale and mottled with scars to show he was a true warrior before he died. He was incredibly fit and well-muscled, like she thought he was. Without his massive hat, he looked far more innocent than he already was, but he still had that stern look of determination that all true adults had. He had seen murder and bloodshed, and he wasn't afraid to fight if he absolutely had to. He was a truly honorable warrior.

"Um..." he paused, as he watched her.

"You look well..." she started, but then she faltered. She was still wearing her towel. His blue eyes specked with black roamed over her simple, yet curvy body the towel hid, and all resolve was gone. He removed his towel, as she removed hers, and he almost pounced onto her. The items she had on the bed were cleared off quickly, as they fell to the floor with a single move of an out-stretched swipe of his arm. He pulled her onto the bed and gazed at her. Her heart was pounding in her chest.  _What was I doing?!_  Finally, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. She couldn't help herself when she started to respond to the kiss. It was far too long that this happened to her, and she found herself being pushed gently down onto the bed. She could hardly believe what was happening, but at the same time she didn't want it to stop. He pressed himself onto her even more, and she found herself groaning with a desperate, wanting need. He recognized this and trembled for control.

"I'm not your first?" he whispered, as he kissed down her neck. As much as he wanted her to be his first, it wasn't to be so. The girl from his past was that, but it was so long ago that he figured that Sarine could easily be that again in this new life.

"No. I had one other, but he was killed..." she shivered with a soft sadness. At the sound of her voice, he could tell that she was still hurting from it.  _I'll need to act carefully to keep her from losing this new focus on me._

"Then we have both lost others. I...I'm sorry..." he gasped, as she pressed even more against him. She wanted to forget the memories. She wanted to help him forget the pain he was feeling, too. She knew how to do that now.

"Let's think of something else," she sighed. His mouth covered hers, as he gave a sharp gasp at the feel of her around him. He fit into her almost perfectly, and she started to cry out with sharp whimpers. Covering her cries with his mouth, it was hard for him to keep in control, and he found himself moving faster. When she cried out her release in his mouth, he cried out with her. Pulling her close against him, it was all he ever wanted. Closing his eyes, as the pleasure continued to run through him, he heard her sigh. Looking at her, he smoothed her hair back. Pulling him down to her, he cried out when he ground himself into her. She let out a small cry of her own, as he released deeply into her with small spasms of pleasure pulsing through him.

Almost collapsing onto her, he panted. Gathering her up into his arms, he pressed his forehead into her neck. Her arms came up around his back, and her hands started to caress his shoulders. He sighed and pressed into her more.

"More than a pet now?" he chuckled.

"Yes. Of course, this means that I will need to find more monsters to kill. Rooms can be expensive!" she giggled. "It's hard to find rooms, as it is."

"I'm sure there are places that we can stay in other than rooms. Some places are known to be abandoned. If anyone tries to sneak in..."

"If they do, I wouldn't care," she smiled and kissed his forehead. Smiling as though he was in complete bliss, he closed his eyes again. He felt complete in her arms. There was nothing more that he would have ever wanted. He felt her breathing even out into sleep, and he closed his eyes to rest with her. He couldn't really sleep, though. He was far more protective of her than ever before, and his senses were honed to listen for anything that might disturb them. For the better part of an hour, he lay in the bed with her. He listened for anything that would spark him to action. She roused herself at his small mutter and asked with a whisper, "Are you all right? Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? I'm fine, my love..."

"What?" she looked at him a bit startled.

"Well, it's true," he smiled, as he sat up to gaze at her.

"I...I don't know what to say..." she blinked.

"You don't have to say anything," he whispered, as he kissed her deeply and thoroughly. He rolled to have her lay on his chest, and he kept his arms around her. He had a smile on his face for the first time since he died. She was simply amazed at how warm he was.  _The shower had worn off long ago, and it was as though he was truly alive._ She had to admit to herself that she was too comfy to move.

"I have to get more supplies, but I don't want to leave," she sighed. He squeezed her and looked over at her belongings.

"How much do you have left?"

"A few days' worth. It should be enough. I have enough food for you, too. More food for you than me," she smiled. "I heard that, if pets ran out of food, they started to shy away from their owners. I'm not sure about you, though."

"I'm not exactly much of a pet, am I?"

"No. You are a companion. An equal to me," she smiled radiantly and looked at him, as she ran a hand over his chest.

"That is what I always was. That's how it will always be," he grinned, as he moved her onto her back with a quick roll to take her again. She gave a soft cry, as he moved inside her. He kept himself steady, but it didn't last and he gave into her the moment he felt her release. They both panted softly and rested against each other.

"I love you," she whispered, as she looked at him. At her words, he looked at her and kissed her desperately while holding her tightly to him. After a long while, he looked at her again with a deep, passionate joy.

"There is something I want to do, but I need your help. In my pants pocket, I have something worth a small fortune. I need you to sell it for me. When that's done, buy yourself a diamond ring with the funds you get from it. I know it's a lot, but you should have enough to combine your money with what you get from the sell to get a ring. I hope I'm making myself clear. I hate rambling on!"

"What are you trying to say?" she looked at him with a half-smile on her face. He managed to tear himself off her to get to his pants. He pulled out a three karat diamond and gave it to her. She blinked at this, since Bonguns normally didn't have something like this.

"Sell this with me. I had found it a long time ago before I died, and I had kept it with me ever since then. I was saving it for something important. This is it. I want to show the world that you are truly taken, and, if people ask where your husband is, you can lie to them."

"All I have to do is say he is dead and always with me. That I couldn't dream of wanting to be with another, and I would be betraying myself if I did. You are undead, you know."

"I think that will work very nicely," he smiled and gave her a gentle kiss.

"When did you want to go?" she asked, as she sat up in the bed.

"We should go now before the shops close," he said, as he started to put on his clothes. Smiling, she ran a hand over his scarred back before bending down to pick up her dress outfit. The next thing she felt was him pressing against her from behind. She turned and poked him in the chest to make him laugh.

"Not now! We have a few errands to run, don't we?" she smiled. He put his arms around her with a chuckle.

"I know we do. Doesn't mean we can't have a little fun, right?" he chuckled and kissed her forehead. She shook her head at him, and they separated to dress. They ate a little quickly, and she took the diamond from him. He followed her to a shop to sell it, but there was no jeweler in Izlude that sold the diamond ring she needed.

"Oh, look! A Bongun!" a woman said. Keltin did a little trick for her to make her happy, and he grumbled when she walked away. Sarine giggled and sighed at him. She knew he didn't like it. With his own sigh, he knew he hated to play as the pet, but what could he do? She went over to the Kafra Agent and chose the town that sold the ring she wanted. They would warp back to get to their room when it was purchased.

In the town of Prontera, they wandered around until they found the wedding supply store. Once she bought the ring, she did a little shopping to buy a somewhat expensive meal. He noticed that she was a bit cautious of where she was. _It was almost as though she was hiding from someone._ He disregarded it, since she was like this with everyone in each town she went to. If he was with her a few years back, he would have found out that this was a lot more serious than he thought. She went back to the Kafra Agent in town and had just enough money to head back to Izlude. Back in their room, the door was locked, and he stood on solid ground again. She set up the meal on the table, and he sat next to her.

"Normally, you would be eating pet food," she smiled, as she watched him eat some meat. He smiled back and shrugged. Normal food tasted all the same to him, and that actually made him wonder. She pulled out a couple pieces of cake, and they fed each other. At the end of the meal, he took out the ring and slipped it on her finger. They kissed each other fully and deeply.

"I vow to protect you for as long as you'll have me," he smiled.

"I vow to always be at your side," she blushed.

"You are now mine, wife?" he whispered to her.

"Always, husband," she breathed, as he kissed her again. She could hardly believe what had happened, but she didn't want it to be any other way. He took her to the bed, and they both undressed. Once under the covers, he held her tightly to him. It was all they wanted at that moment. When she fell asleep on him, he found himself falling into a deep sleep right after her.


	4. Chapter 4

They woke up just before dawn. They gathered their things and dressed. They wanted to waste no time in getting on the road and were soon out of the town. Walking along, they saw other adventurers attempting to get started.

"I was like them once," she smiled, as she pushed a strand of blond-brown hair from her face. "A bit older than usual, but I always thought of being an Archer."

"Really? I was a Monk before I died," he said, as he bounced along beside her.

"I thought you were from how you protected me in the forest. I remember when I first got my bow. Of course, now I am still trying to get better ones. I heard a really good one is found off of undead archers in the old grave site of Glast Heim, but I need to work up to getting there. Most of the time, I find myself killing things in other areas. I do wish to get stronger in skills. It would make me feel like I accomplished myself."

"I was the same way when I tried to train. I wanted to work harder on myself. But, when the village caught fire..." he faltered, as the memory hit him. She stopped in her tracks and put her hand on his arm. He looked at her and smiled before pulling her close to hug her. He released her when they heard others coming up the road, and he followed her silently. She gave him the occasional piece of pet food, but they mainly shared the meat when no one was walking around them. She killed whatever she could find, as they walked, and they kept as much loot as they could. It wasn't much, but every little bit helped.

"It's getting late, isn't it?" she frowned.

"Yeah. We should rest soon," he said. It was nearing dusk, and she nodded.

"Okay. We'll set up a camp in the trees, and I'll put traps down."

Helping her do that, the camp secured, he pulled her down onto the bedroll with him. They had made sure to keep their camp well-hidden and fairly disguised among the foliage. They didn't even try to build a fire, since the weather was so warm. Giggling a little, as he hugged her tight, he started to kiss her. When the kiss became deeper and more wanting, he started to move a hand under her top.

"There's a camp over here!" a voice shouted. Keltin swore and stood up to bounce softly in place. She grumbled and sat up to fix her top quickly. Her bow was now in her grasp and ready to defend herself with.  _How was my camp found out?!_ Her falcon spread its wings from the branch it was on and made ready to swoop down on anything that would try to attack her.

"Who is there?" she called out warily. A scrawny man came out and stood on the edge of the enclosed clearing. He had dark red hair and light green eyes. He appeared to be a Mage of sorts by the long robe he wore. Another came out to stand next to him, and she judged this one to be a Thief. Both young men looked at her. The Mage was studying her rather intently, and it was as though he knew exactly where her camp was hidden.

"Ah, hello! We're sorry to disturb you. Um, we sort of can't find the town nearby. We don't want to be a bother, but could you share your camp with us? We got lost, and we can't find our way," the Mage said.

"And what do you plan to do in the morning? Stick to my side?" she asked. Keltin stayed close to her. He didn't like them.

"Oh! You have a pet! What's its name?" the Thief asked.

"His name is Keltin. What are your names?" she asked. "And mind the traps around the perimeter, please. They are ready to go off."

"Traps? Oh! Well, I'm Malore," the Mage said, as he came over to sit down.

"I'm Blent. Nice to meet you," the Thief said.

"I'm Sarine, and this is Keltin. You are both welcome to my camp, but I am not sure what will happen in the morning."

Keltin had no need to sleep, so he stayed up the whole night watching them. He had eaten enough before she slept, and he kept watch over their loot, too. In the morning, she woke up and had some meat. Feeding Keltin a piece of pet food, the other two were still sleeping.

"I say we should go," he whispered to her. "I don't feel right about them."

"Yes. It would be best, too, I think," she agreed. As she got up to stretch, the Mage woke up. Keltin grumbled at the ill luck, but she shrugged and started to roll up the bedroll. Malore nudged Blent awake, and they both stood up.

"Thank you for the hospitality," Malore said.

"Of course. You two take care now!" Saline said with a smile, as she started down the road. She didn't give them a chance to ask if they could join her in her travels. Keltin sighed, and he stayed close to her.

"Did they try anything?" she asked him.

"Funny you should ask. The Thief tried to get into your bag, and I moved over to him. Spooked him back to his spot and back to sleep. His friend didn't bother to budge, though. He snored like a saw on a log all night," he chuckled.

"I don't think I'll be able to trust any Rogues or Thieves. Just bad luck with them," she shook her head at it. He gave her a squeeze before they got into Izlude again. She was forced back here a lot lately from all the ill luck with people she had been having. She made her way into town discreetly, knowing that no one had truly seen her with him. She didn't want to be found out or stopped for any form of conversation. Heading to a local shop, she sold her loot and made her way to an inn quickly to get a room. Once that was done, she went around and purchased new supplies. Back at the room, she set her items on a table and began to go over them. Keltin came up behind her and started to massage her shoulders.

"Need this?" he grinned.

"Mmm. Why do you do that?" she sighed and leaned into him. He just smiled and continued to work on her. The windows were blocked, and the door was already locked up tight.

"Should we continue where we had left off last night?" he asked, as he bent down to kiss her neck. She gave a soft groan and leaned into him more. He pulled her off the chair and got her clothes off quickly. When she went to remove his, he stopped her.

"What is it?" she asked softly.

"Let me show you how much I love you..." he whispered, as he kissed her. She gave a gasp when he moved his mouth down her chest, and he moved her over to the bed to lie her down on it. For an hour, he tormented her with pleasure, forcing her to cry out time and time again. When she thought she could take no more of it, he had removed his clothing and took her with such a violent movement that it awakened her senses all over again. He fought with his own pleasure to keep it down, but, the moment she cried out in fury, he released hard into her.

She was too weak from pleasure to focus, and she couldn't move. He pulled her to him and cradled her against him. It was solid bliss in his arms, and exhaustion was setting in. A half hour later, a sharp knock on the door was done, and she bolted upright. Adrenaline coursed through her system quickly, as she jumped out of bed.

"Of all the times for this...!" she scowled, as she dressed.

"Who the hell is that?!" Keltin hissed, as he got his clothes on quickly.

"I don't know! Just be calm, love," she whispered. They kissed again before he went back to his bouncing stance, and she finished dressing. Another knock was heard, and she opened the door. She found Malore standing there. Rubbing her eyes as if waking from sleep, which was partially the truth, she looked a touch annoyed. Then she asked, "Can I help you?"

"Oh! I thought I saw you come in here a while ago. Fancy that! Being in the same town and all," he smiled. In truth, he was simply drawn to where she was and decided to check up on her. She was now thoroughly pissed that he tracked her down.

"Ah, yes. Look, I was in the middle of taking a nap. Could you maybe come by later?" she asked. Keltin was glaring a touch over her shoulder, but it was hidden by his hat.

"Like in a date later?" Malore asked with a sly grin. She sighed and showed him her diamond ring. His cheeks went crimson.

"Long story short, I love him and that's all that matters. And he can easily beat you up, if he finds out you are bothering me. Have a nice day!" she said, as she closed the door on him. Once it was secured, she grumbled, but Keltin was laughing.

"I love it!" he said. He walked over to hug her tight.

"I think we should leave here. I know I paid for the room, but I don't want to be seen around that guy," she grumbled and rested in his arms. "If he finds out about you, things could be really rough. And I'm still exhausted..."

"I know," he sighed and kissed her. She kissed him back, and he groaned slightly. He picked her up and pressed her against a wall.

"We should pack our things," she said between his kisses.

"I know..." he mumbled back. What he wanted was a place all to himself with her. Thinking of where he could go with her, he gasped when she put her legs around his waist to pull him even closer. He couldn't help it. He pushed his pants down and pushed up her skirt before pulling down her under shorts to take her right there on the spot. She clung to him, and he found himself crying out with her when the pleasure hit hard.

"Husband," she whispered, and he kissed her.

"Yes, my wife?" he asked lovingly.

"We should leave here before we are discovered."

"I know," he said again with a sigh and let her down. They fixed up their clothes and packed their things quickly.

"Maybe we should just find a nice spot in the woods to call our home? It would be horrid for others to find out that I'm married to a dead man."

"Well, they can't say anything about it, can they?" he grinned. As her pet, he was the last one that others would think of attacking unless they attacked her first. It was rare that a pet could defend its owner and do so with such deadly efficiency. It was likely that he was the only one that could do that. The moment the last item was in the bag, she walked out of the room with him bouncing behind her.  _I really need to find a way to keep myself safe with him. Our sudden marriage to each other would be hard to keep down._

As she walked out of the town, she didn't feel as though she was being followed. Heading into the nearest forest, she started hunting the creatures around there. He followed behind her and helped attack any that got too close to her. When the sky turned darker with the colors of sunset, they found an abandoned cave not far off the main path. She realized that some of the large, purple bears, known as the monster Bigfoot, carried jars of honey. She could live off the stuff, and so could Keltin. The monsters were rather docile, if left alone. Only if they were provoked would they attack, and they were quite abundant. The other monsters around them had the same temperament.

"You think we found our little place? Occasionally head to town to sell things, even? Maybe rent a room with a bed every now and then?" she smiled.

"I think that any form of privacy you and I get is more than enough for me," he smiled lovingly and helped her set up the small cave as a form of base camp. It was out of the way, the town was less than a mile out, and it was rather easy to remain hidden where they were. The weather didn't even seem to affect them much under the bedrolls.

"Even this place won't be permanent," she sighed, as she cuddled into his arms.

"I know. No place is, unless we get a house," he thought aloud and chuckled. "Maybe we should start pricing around for one?"

"With the money I make, I barely have enough to survive! I'd be luckier finding a way into a desert tomb and killing things down there. And, even then, that's risky of itself!" she snorted. "Not to mention crowded by others."

"Then you have to keep training, don't you? To take those risks?" he thought, as he held her. "And you know I'll be with you the whole way."

"I know you will," she smiled and leaned into him more. This was all the two of them needed. As she slept, he stayed up to watch over the camp.


	5. Chapter 5

Near the middle of the night, he gently woke her up. He heard something that didn't sound right, and she readied her bow. They didn't see anything, but Keltin knew something was wrong. He bounced alongside her softly.

"What did you hear?" she asked him, signaling to her falcon to ready an attack.

"I heard voices. I didn't recognize them, though," he frowned.

"Let's pack up and move on, then. Sometimes, this is why it's hard to live in the wilds."

Nodding with agreement, he watched her pack up her gear. When she finished and turned to leave the cave, he had suddenly jumped in front of her to block an attack. She blinked and didn't see anything, but a Thief was soon out of hiding.

"Damn it! I almost had it!" he growled.

"You are not wanted here," Keltin said with a heavy frown. The Thief just dropped his jaw at what was said to him. Sarine narrowed her eyes.  _Yeah, I don't like Rogues and Thieves one bit._ Now that he was spooked and gone, she looked at him with a frown of her own.

"Where do you think we can go?" she asked.

"Let's see how far the next town is, shall we?" he asked, as a reply. She nodded, and he bounced alongside her, as her falcon circled over them. After several hours' worth of travel with minimal rest, she felt like a wreck. He wanted to do something for her, but she really needed sleep. When the land gave way to desert, he grinned.  _The town of Morroc wasn't far off._ The moment they sighted the town and stepped in, she went straight to an inn. He followed her and realized that, the moment she went to the bed, she was asleep.

Smiling and shaking his head, he bolted the door and secured the windows. Her falcon was in a deep sleep, as well, and roosted on a chair. He could easily sympathize with the bird. _It was much too hot outside right now._  Then he undressed her, as well as himself. Moving her under the covers, he held her close. He watched her while she slept, and then thought of something.  _Couldn't we get a home here? Sure, the place was a desert, but it wasn't close to any major cities._  Thinking that they could even visit those tombs she spoke of, surely those weren't far off. He'd have to plan for it with her. Several hours went by, and she woke up with a jolt.

"Hello, sleepy head," he grinned. She smiled and closed her eyes, as she rested against his chest with a soft blush.

"I don't remember anything. What did I do when I came into the room?"

"Oh, you just fell onto the bed and started snoring. I made sure everything was secure and taken care of for you. All is well."

"We could both use a shower."

"Really? Well, do you think we still need to take separate ones?" he teased her. She made a face at him, and he kissed her. Kissing him back, she moved away from him and darted into the bathroom. Grinning, he moved from the bed to follow her. He did pause at the doorway when she started setting the water. On seeing her, he trembled and whispered, "I'm so glad that we found each other."

"I am, too," she said softly. He moved over to her and gave a small groan, as the hot water hit him. But, to be with her in the water was a whole new sensation completely.  _It was completely sensuous._  Every pleasuring movement with her seemed to be overkill with the water bearing down on them. If there was any time he thought there could never be enough pleasure, it was right there in that shower. He lost count of her cries, as well as his own. When they were finished, it was well past dusk.

"That is something I hope we do more often," he said weakly, as they had dragged each other back to the bed. "Better than training!"

"You think so?" she was not much better than he was. He pulled the covers over them both to rest. When her belly rumbled, he grinned.

"I guess we need to find some food?" he asked. She made another face at him, and he kissed her deeply. Moving to take her under the covers was simple. Her cries were covered in the shower, but now they were covered by his mouth. They were spent far too quickly, and they reclined next to each other. All thoughts of food were gone with the exhaustion.

"You know, now that I think about it, I may have a house in Payon," he said, as he thought aloud. "Long ago, that is."

"Payon? Well, I do know that an old village was there, and I did find you in the cave near there. Are you sure you want to go back to see that place? It might bring back some disturbing memories, won't it?"

"Yes, it might. But, if I can find us the house, I'm sure I can find the deed. Do you think we can we look tomorrow?"

"I should have enough to get us there with the Kafra Corporation. We can take a look," she smiled and leaned into him. Wrapping his arms around her, they both rested like that.


	6. Chapter 6

Getting up early in the morning, they shared a meal and gathered up what they had. Going to the Kafra Agent, they were soon standing in Payon. She watched her falcon fly off to hunt, and she gazed out at the forested town. He paused, as he recognized many parts of the town, and she put her hand on his arm in comfort. She was suppressing a lot of painful memories, too.

"I think I know where it is," he said and started to push her gently in the southern direction. They came to a two-story house in a far corner of the town. It looked rather secluded with a healthy bunch of trees surrounding it. With careful inspection, it was clearly deserted. He rushed her inside, and they closed the door. He bounced along the walls until he found a loose plank. Opening it slightly, he pulled out a yellowed parchment that was almost crisped with age.

"Is that it?" she asked, as she walked over to him. As he stared at the paper, more memories hit him. How he grew up and the faces of his family. The tastes and familiar smells of the house filled him. He looked at her with an intense joy.

"Get me something to write with?" he asked. Looking through her bag, she found something for him, and he wrote down a few sentences before signing his father's name with a small bit of excellent forgery. Then he put his own name down and gave her the paper.

"Sign it with your name, but put my last name of Tao," he instructed. "You can be the heir to the house, since you have the deed."

She looked at him with a smile, and they kissed deeply. She signed her name next to his, and they both looked at each other.  _This was now our wedding document, too._

"We need to go to the village Chief. Come on!" he said. Nodding, she took the fragile document and let him push her in the right direction. When they found the Chief, she approached him with a smile. He looked at her oddly under his face mask and then to Keltin. He was sitting on the ground with his hands in his lap in an Indian style position. His blond hair was swept back neatly, as he studied them.

"What have we here?" he asked in a strong voice.

"I have the deed to a house here. I would like to claim it," Sarine said and handed him the deed. He studied it and seemed baffled.

"No one has lived in that house for over fifty years! But, this is the deed to it! Well, I guess it's all right. People do say that the house is haunted. But, if you want to live there, then good luck and welcome to Payon!" he said and handed her the deed back. Now he looked over at a nearby guard to nod and update the town board of a new resident. Smiling gratefully, she nodded and left with Keltin.

"Haunted?! We'll see about that!" he growled, as he pushed her into the house. The door was locked, and they both wasted no time in starting to clean. He found a broom and started to sweep, as she went around wiping down the dust on the counters. When the first level was done, they went to the second story. She took the bed sheets off the beds and took them outside to air out and wash. He worked on the floors and watched her bring in the clean sheets to set back on the beds. A thorough examination was done, and she mended the minor tears in them. There was still much to be done with other small repairs, but she sat down with exhaustion when the majority of the work was done.

"We still have a lot to do," she sighed.

"We did very well, love," he said lovingly and pulled her into his lap.

"Yes, we did," she chuckled and rested on him. He kissed her forehead and there was a sudden knock on the door. Moving from his lap, he let her up, and he bounced next to her when she answered it. Several people from the village were there with house-warming gifts.

"Oh! Thank you!" she smiled and invited them in.

"We had no idea another was living here until the Chief told us with a town meeting. Did you find the ghost?" a lady asked.

"Um, not yet. I have Keltin, my pet Bongun here. So far, I have nothing else to see," she frowned. He grimaced at being called a pet, but there wasn't much that could be done for now.

"Well, if you see the ghost, don't say we didn't warn ya!" an older man said. They stayed for an hour to gossip and left with more small welcomes to the town. It was well past dusk, and she closed all the windows. When he covered the windows, a Whisper ghost appeared. She turned and equipped her Silver Arrows, but Keltin stopped her.

"What are you doing in my house?" Keltin asked the ghost. It paused and seemed to swirl. Not answering, he looked at her and nodded. It gave a howl and moved in to attack her. She killed it and found a surprise.  _It dropped a card._  She stared at the card in her hand. It was as though an old dream had finally come true.

"A card...!" she breathed. Keltin watched her curiously.

"What does it do?" he asked.

"It will make it harder for monsters and people to hit me! I was searching for this card for ages!" she said with excitement. He thought and reached into his pocket to bring out his.

"My wedding gift to you," he said with a smile. She blinked at him and stammered. She would need to find a clip to place his card in. It would help her knock back enemies when she attacked them, and it could give her some leverage in a fight.

"I...I don't know what to say!"

"Well, you can use it now, or save it for later."

"I need to get a clip or a proper accessory. Why are you giving it to me?"

"I have no need for it. I can knock back others easily already," he grinned and pulled her close. Leaning into him, she thought.

"I'll need to save up to reinforce my garment."

"I'll help you save up," he winked at her. She blushed at him and kissed him. A small smile formed, as he held her before he started thinking.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I want to know about you. As much as you can tell me. Can you tell me how you grew up? What your life was like?"

"Oh..." she paused and frowned. "Well, my parents weren't very encouraging of me. They wanted me to stay in the home and become a housewife. You know the type. Get married to a wealthy man and raise kids. When I told them I wanted to become an adventurer and explore the world, they yelled at me. Only when I was finally able to escape was I able to gain my freedom. I haven't gone back since. I don't really remember how I escaped them, in all honesty. I was about fourteen at the time, if I remember correctly."

"How awful!" he said with shock. "Surely, you can tell me other things?"

"I will need to go to the Kafra Agent, then. I can take things out of storage, since we have a house now, and I can set them here. I can explain, as I put them away. It will help me save money, too. Can we do this now?"

He nodded, and they went out to track down the nearest Kafra Agent. There was something that didn't add up with the story of her past. It was almost as though she was purposely skipping over various details, or not fully telling him the truth, but he didn't want to upset her any further. He was sure the truth would all come out in time.

Finding the Kafra Agent was easy, since she was near the southern edge of town. Accessing Sarine's storage was quickly done, and she pulled out an old bow, a photograph in a red frame, and two letters. He was curious, but he waited until they got back to the house. Once there, she set up the frame on the table for him to see. The bow was set down on the table next to the frame, and the letters were placed in front of the picture, but on the table.

The photograph showed her with six others that appeared to be much farther along in adventuring than she was. All of them looked carefree and happy. But, he noticed that she was standing next to a Blacksmith, and the guy had his arms around her.

"When was this photo taken?" he asked.

"It was taken a month before I became a Huntress," she said.

"Him. Was he the one you were with before?" Keltin asked, as he pointed to the Blacksmith. Even though it was a photograph, Keltin was already quite jealous of him.

"Yes. His name was Howard," she swallowed, as the old wound was still there. A finger traced over the picture, and she blinked away tears. "I loved him very much. It's been a good two years since he died."

"I see," he said with a frown. "Tell me about him?"

"All right," she said and took a deep breath. "I was still an Archer when I met them all. They were all misfits in their own right, you see. There was the Assassin, Eremes Guile," she said, as she pointed to him. "He was a silent one! But, he was very loyal and always offered to assist when needed. He was also very caring when it came to his friends. The Wizard, Kathryne Keyron, was very wise, and she always loved to prove that no one was better than anyone else.

"The Priestess, Margaretha Sorin, was exceptionally loving and caring to any and all. The Knight, Seyren Windsor, was brash at times, but he would never abandon his friends for any reason. He sort of adopted me as his little sister. There is the Huntress, Cecil Damon. She didn't really like me at first, but then sort of adopted me as her little sister, too. And then there was Howard Alt-Eisen, the Blacksmith. He was in a class of his own. He never swindled anyone. He was the kindest and gentlest man I ever knew.

"But, Howard had an inner gift that only happened with me. You see, he had the ability to feel my emotions to a point that he knew exactly what I was thinking of, in a way. We had that connection. That sort of bond. But, there were times that my emotions got to be too much for him to handle. In return, I had to learn how to create a mental wall around my emotional feelings. Kathryne and Margaretha helped me with that. I was able to start hiding the most of what hurt him, and it made it a lot easier on him. Of course, with the mental shield up, he wouldn't know what emotions were going through my head. Seyren was able to see how I felt, since he was like my brother, but it was Howard that reacted to it. Most of the time, Howard would overreact. I haven't used the mental shielding in quite some time. Never really needed to after...after he was torn away from me..."

"Now I have to wonder how everyone met," he said with a soft smile, as he took all of this in. As she spoke and pointed at each one, he nodded. Eremes was in all black clothes that appeared to be of heavy cotton to keep from making any sound, and the fabric was in a tight, criss-cross pattern over his chest. His hair appeared to be exceptionally long, bluish-black in color, and flowing out at the tips. His eyes appeared to be a dark grey in color, much like the clouds before a storm. He was exceptionally handsome in his own right. Kathryne had short, blond hair, green eyes, and a very pretty face. Her dress appeared to be blue, came down to her ankles, and her cape covered most of her body.

Margaretha had deep blue eyes and exceptionally long blond hair tied up at the base with wild loose strands framing her face and body. She was simply beautiful in her own gentle way in her slender, red gown. With the way she was standing, it was hard to see how provocative the slits in the dress were, as the dress was known to be a bit revealing. Seyren had short, white hair with light blue eyes. A well-built suit of armor was all he needed to wear. He seemed to have a classic grin on a rather handsome and rugged face, as though he didn't have a care in the world.

Cecil was also blond with long hair and had blue eyes, but her eyes weren't dark like Margaretha's. She had a very lean build to show how hardened she was at hunting, but she didn't have a falcon. Her garments currently matched what Sarine had on now. Howard looked far too gentle to be a Blacksmith, and even his eyes showed how joyful he was amidst light-green locks of hair. His eyes were a startling bluish-green color like the ocean. The typical Blacksmith style was a loose, half-open white shirt over loose blue jeans. As Keltin gazed at the youthful picture of Sarine, he had no idea how beautiful she was as a teenager. Her innocence and youth was like a beacon for any and all to enjoy.

"I'm not really sure how they all met. I never asked, but, as to how I met them, it was all by chance. I had just gone into the town of Geffen to see if I could enter the tower there. I think I was fourteen at the time. It wasn't long after I escaped my parents, actually. Anyways, monsters tended to flock below it, and they were offering rewards for certain monster items at the time. Still being an Archer and learning how and where to hunt, I had no idea what I was getting into. Just as I was about to head down below, a group of adventurers stopped me. It wasn't them," she said quickly. "Just another random group. They made fun of me, saying that I wasn't strong enough to head down there. When I asked them where I could go, they said to go home. When I countered with why they were so mean, they...well..."

"It's okay," he said with comfort and gave her a squeeze.

"One of them was a Merchant, and the other was a Mage. They ganged up on me, as the Swordsman who was with them simply laughed and watched. I was beaten down and shoved against a wall. Just as the Swordsman was about to stab me with his sword, Howard showed up with the others. He chastised them and told them that, if they wanted to fight, he was more than able to help with that. He even pulled out this massive red axe he had, and he looked like he was going to swing it at them! It even made this weird sound like it was a warning to any that stood against him! The three of them left, and I was laying there on the floor in a crumpled ball. I heard Cecil say that they should go, but Howard didn't move. He said to wait. Then...he...he dropped his axe, sat on the ground, and held out his arms to me. I...I didn't know what else to do..." she paused and took another deep breath.

"Go on," Keltin urged her gently once again.

"I pulled myself into his arms, and he just hugged me. That was when the others realized that I was something special to him. After that, they just accepted me as one of them. Cecil started to realize that I saw her as a sister from the questions I was asking her. Seyren immediately claimed me as his younger sister right away. I saw Eremes as a brother of sorts with how protective he was over me. More like an overly protective brother in fact. It was as though he knew me from somewhere, but I can't recall to this day, really. Kathryne was a form of a sister, as well, and Margaretha acted like a mother figure in a sense. It was like, a great big family to me."

"Do you know what happened to them? You said that Howard was dead. How did you know that he died?"

"It was a year after I became a Huntress. Howard and I were falling in love by this time. We were so close that we couldn't bear to be apart for any longer than a day. I was about seventeen then, so he and the others had cared for me for a good three years prior. We heard that there were special rewards given in the town of Lighthalzen. There was nothing else given, and we had to apply in person. When we got there to the Biological Laboratory, we saw other young adventurers there, too. Apparently, it was a training experiment that would last a whole year. We didn't even know how long it was for until we applied for it! They left that part out. I was the only one that didn't qualify to join them."

"Why was that?"

"I don't know. All that I did know was that Howard was devastated. He would have to be apart from me for a whole year! Once he signed the contract, it was binding, in a way. And he was far too honorable to simply break off a contract. It was something he couldn't do. So, the night before he was to separate from me, we...gave ourselves to each other. I promised him I would let no other man touch me for as long as he lived. Even beyond that, if I could help it."

"Well, you've kept that part of the bargain," he said with a soft smile.

"Yes. I was told that I could write him letters, so I wrote him every day that I could. But, six months in, I got this letter from him," she reached for one of the letters to show Keltin. "As you can see, it explains that he has not received any letters from me, and he wanted to know why! He's questioning my love for him here. I sent multiple letters after that, but then...exactly six months later...I got this one."

Keltin pulled up the second letter to read, and he was in shock. _It was a death certificate for Howard. He had died in the experiment._  Keltin looked at her and whispered, "Oh, Sarine..."

"If I had known that this would have happened..." new tears started to form, and he realized that she still loved that man dearly.

"You need closure. How strong do you think you are?" he asked with a sudden sense of urgency. "What do you know about this place now?"

"Definitely not strong enough to confront anything that may be in that laboratory right now," she said sadly. "The last thing I heard was that monsters took the place over. Very strong ones. The building has been abandoned for a long time, apparently."

"Tomorrow we start training. We need to get into that lab!" he said. She looked at him with surprise. "You need to find out what happened. Why didn't your letters reach him? What really happened? Why did he die? We need to find out."

She nodded a bit and trembled. He looked at the bow and asked about it.

"That was the first bow I ever had. I just kept it as a keepsake. They helped me make it to train with. As you can see, it's made for killing plant monsters. I was hoping to upgrade it and maybe swap out the cards within it. I heard it was possible. I wanted to pull it out from the Kafra storage, since we have a house."

Nodding, he helped her to the bedroom and sighed.  _I reopened an old wound, and now it was going to stay open until we know what happened._ Securing all the windows and doors, he crept into the bed beside her and slept by her side.


	7. Chapter 7

The next three months were grueling. He had to be her voice of reason when her periods would start from how severe her mood swings would get, and he found it puzzling that she never got pregnant. He judged it was because he was a monster. There were also several nights that passed that she would find him taking her in sleep whenever he dreamt of his past. In his dreams, she replaced the girl he lost in the flames, and he needed her right after to ensure that she was well. Otherwise, they trained from the early morning hours to late at night when they could.

She trained long and hard with him at her side. He did find it odd that her falcon seemed to glare at any Hunters that were around them. It was only the males that were glared at, but he didn't really think anything of it. He wondered why that was. She even gave small shudders at any with blond hair. That had him concerned, but her smile kept him from asking. When she finally felt she could train no longer, they both thought that it was time to go to the laboratory. Catching the airship to Lighthalzen was easy. Confronting her fears from long ago was not. He stayed close to her the whole time, not only for comfort, but also for support. They walked up to the laboratory and found it locked.  _There had to be another way inside._

On looking around the town, they found their way over to the slums of the city. Calling her falcon to her, it settled on her shoulder, as she went to someone that could help her inside. Doing what he asked of her, she was led into the main research offices. It was here that she searched around and found the keys and codes needed to open and start up various machines. As she found the badge that would grant her access to the main lab, she paused at a mysterious pile of letters that was carelessly tossed in one corner of the room and covered in dust. She walked over to them and read the front label of one of them. Her mouth dropped, and she started shaking. Keltin rushed over to her side to find out what she found.

"My...my letters!" she said with shock. _All of them were unopened. Howard didn't get them, because no one bothered to give them to him!_ Rage set in her mind, as Keltin gathered them up quickly and cleaned off the dust.

"We need to keep these with us. It's your proof to show that this place was so horrible, and I think we'll need them," he said. He began to assort each one by date.

"I can't possibly carry them all!" she said, as she looked at the stack. There were at least over four hundred there, since she was writing letters once a day and more if she could.

"I'll carry them," he said calmly. He tucked them all under his hat. She stifled a giggle, and he grinned. Nodding to him, they made their way into the laboratory.

The place was old and musty. Dust covered everything. The only thing that puzzled her was that the floor looked like it was constantly walked on. As she rounded a corner, she paused in shock at the spectral figure of a blond girl with short hair looking at her. Mist seemed to pour out from her figure, as a pause was given back.  _Have I seen this girl before? Why did she look so familiar?_  Clearly a Merchant from the heavy dress and front pouch she wore, she gave a battle cry and raised an axe to charge at her.

"No!" Keltin cried out and jumped in front of Sarine. A couple of quick shots with the bow and several swoops from her falcon made the ghost-like girl vanish with defeat.

"She seemed so solid!" she said with a bit of shock. A research paper fell to the ground and she looked at it. "Armeyer Dinze. Oh, no..."

"What?"

"This was one of the adventurers I saw at the sign up!"

"What does the paper say?"

"Let me see..." she narrowed her eyes in the dull light to read. "Subject took to the serum well. Signs of radical emotional duress followed with strains of nausea. Subject's next treatment is...radiation poisoning from advanced strength enhancements? Oh, no...Howard...!" she fought back tears, as Keltin hugged her.

"We aren't done yet. Come on," he urged. Nodding, she regained her composure and continued to fight her way to one of the stairs that led down. Strange flies tried to attack and bite her, but fell quickly to her arrows. A strange man in red approached her in flame retardant gear, and she killed him quickly. Right at the stairway entrance, she paused at the sight of another man in a red suit. He appeared to be a Rogue. Then she stared, as the man simply changed into a woman! The thing turned to look at her with a smile.

"I am Gemini. You are trespassing," she said, as she turned back into a male.

"How...how can this happen?!" Sarine asked with horror.

"I didn't want to be separated from my lover. They made me one. I am whole!" the man cackled, as he turned back into a woman. "Now you die!"

She threw her traps on the ground, as the creature ran towards her. Keltin helped her attack and hold back the enemy, as her falcon struck down from above. It was a bit of a battle, but she prevailed in the end. When the thing was defeated, she found a shiny red stone and a couple powerful healing potions that fell from the pockets of the monster. She would need to find out about the stone, and the potions would likely be needed later. What she didn't know was that this particular monster didn't die. Instead, it fled the area to recover. Sarine checked her arrows, and they descended the stairs.

When they got to the bottom, they realized they had one more floor to go through.  _We have to reach the center of the room._

"Fly Wings?" Keltin asked. These were the wings of a fly monster that let her Teleport around a place at random to escape danger quickly. Fly monsters were constantly hunted for their wings. Nodding to him, they started to Teleport around the floor. It was a good thing they did. She saw ghostly figures of Swordgirls, more Merchants, Acolytes, Mages, Thieves, and Archers. All of them were duplicates of each other, and it tore at her how such a place would do such a thing.  _It was as if there was no regard for human life!_ When they reached the center, there was one exceptionally powerful Swordgirl with long, dark-blue hair in the way with her own personal group of duplicates.

"I am Egnigem Cenia," the girl said, as she drew her sword. "You will die!"

There was no other choice but to run for it. There was no way Sarine could take her on by herself even with Keltin. They made it down the elevator, and the girl just stared down at her, as she left the floor.

"I feel badly for you..." Sarine cringed, as the elevator started to go down.

"Not all is as it is anymore! Remember that!" Egnigem screamed at her before stomping off to kill anyone else that dared to pass her.

"What did she mean by that, Keltin?"

"We'll soon find out, won't we?" he muttered under his breath. It was rare for him to be nervous. He was nervous for her. When they reached the bottom, they found themselves on a mound of ruined machinery. The place was misty and stank of death. She swallowed hard, and Keltin moved in front of her.

"What happened down here?!" she hissed with fear.  _It looked as if someone, or something, tore the place to shreds. It was as though fires and explosions happened throughout this part of the building._  She noticed that there was still power in the upper levels, but, down here, there was no functionality at all.

"Not sure. Put up that mental wall that you told me about. If Howard is still alive down here, I don't think I'd want him to find you right away in case he's like one of them up there. Right?" Keltin asked. "We don't want to be surprised, if we can help it."

"True. I don't know how he would be after all this time, if he's questioned my love for him," she nodded and focused to bring her mental wall into place. She had to focus a bit more, but it would take more time to practice with it to get it back up to full strength. _It had been several years since I last used it, after all._ She would have to start practicing again in case someone else had his ability. She would never know if it would happen or not.

"Fly Wings!" he hissed, as an arrow launched at her. A crazed duplicate of Cecil appeared screaming at her. With barely any time to think, they Teleported around until they found a rare corner with nothing there.

"They...they looked different!" she stuttered, as she sunk down. Her falcon chirped at her and looked at Keltin.

"They look altered. Stronger..." he had never seen such of their like before!  _Even the outfits looked different._  He never saw transcendent people before, since they were few and far between right now, and she had no idea that it was possible to even become something new.  _It was as though they had been forced through so much and then killed off at their peak._  Trembling now, she slowly tried to move and approached a hallway. Moving slowly, bit by bit, she started to round a corner. Then she heard something running up towards her left side.

Before she had a chance to turn around, she heard a rather familiar whirling sound before she found herself getting slammed in the gut from the handle of an axe. She felt several of her ribs crack with the blow, and one of her lungs was punctured from it. After that, she was shoved into a wall with Demonic force, and she crumpled to the ground. Her falcon screamed with surprise and landed on a piece of pipeline near her. It wasn't going to leave her unless she ended up dead, and she was already losing focus from the pain.

"What...?" she blinked, as she struggled to breathe.

"SARINE!" Keltin screamed, as he ran to her side. The figure that hit her paused at the sound of her name. Keltin stood up and stared hard at the figure.  _It was the ghostly figure of Howard._  Mist was pouring out from him, though he was fairly solid. He had a small group of clones behind him that resembled the rest of her previous family of friends. He stared at the girl on the ground and rage infused him.

"Ho...ward..." she whispered, as she saw him and struggled to hiss out what she was trying to say. "I...am...so...rry..."

He paused at her broken words. Behind him, the other five originals of her friends appeared with their own support clones of each other, but he raised a hand to stop them. Sarine's breathing started to shallow. The mental shielding over her mind shattered. It caught Howard off guard, and he stammered. He had forgotten that he could feel her so strongly, and her thoughts began to enrage him. Then he focused on Keltin, and he growled. He was furious that this one was protecting her. It was as though he meant nothing to her, and she had clearly moved on.

"Potion, Sarine! POTION!" Keltin screamed. She just looked at him and coughed up some blood. Swearing, he pulled off his hat to wipe off the blood at her mouth, and the letters tumbled out onto the ground. Howard stared at them with disbelief. All this time, he thought she never wrote him. Now he was shaking. He could see how old they were and covered with bits of dust. _It was as though they were simply tossed aside long ago._ Keltin saw him looking at the letters, and he ground his teeth together.

"Kel...tin..." Sarine whispered, as her consciousness started to slip.

"The people here never gave you her letters! She found them in their offices, and I helped her carry them here, since she wanted to know what happened to you! For the whole year you were trapped she's worried about you! Two of those years she spent alone after she learned you had died! Now you hurt her, and she's dying!" Keltin was full of despair. Howard looked at Margaretha with a look of pain. The others looked at Sarine, and a change took place.  _They remembered her._  The letters brought back their memories. Ordering their followers away, they moved closer. Keltin got into a defensive stance, and they paused as he said, "I won't let you hurt her! Back away!"

Margaretha rose up her hand and smiled warmly with tears in her eyes. That was when he backed down. She Healed Sarine right there on the floor with her strongest skill. Breathing better with mended ribs and a repaired lung, Sarine looked up at Howard. He was so used to killing anyone that stepped foot in the place from his vengeance that he nearly killed the one thing he truly loved in his life. He did find her familiar after he struck her, but he also remembered the lack of contact. He likely would have finished her off, if it wasn't for the letters. Now that he felt her emotions again, he knew she was incredibly fearful of him. He did almost kill her, after all. There was only one way to show that he meant no harm now. He dropped his red axe, fell to his knees, and opened his arms to her like he did when they first met.

"Howard!" she cried, as she moved to him. Keltin watched with a bitter-sweet taste in his mouth, but this was the closure she needed. Howard gasped and realized that he could still speak. He needed to now.

"Sarine..." Howard whispered softly, his voice full of grief and relief at the same time. "You need to transcend to get stronger. It was what we did."

"Why?! What did they do to you?!" she cried out and started sobbing.

"We can't leave! We are bound here..."

"You have to leave! This place is evil!"

"We know!" he said, as he tilted up her chin. Being the original from the clones, he was far more solid than the others. Tears were forming in his eyes, as he struggled to speak now that the memories came forth. "I...was planning to marry you once I left here alive..."

"Oh, Howard...!" she bawled out even more. "I've let...no other man...touch...me...!"

A slow moan left him, as he continued to hold her.  _Her emotions were so intense now!_ He just kept hugging her tight, as she vented her grief. He looked at Keltin and sighed, as he struggled to speak to him. Swallowing down his sorrow, he asked, "Are you her pet?"

"No. Husband," Keltin grounded out. Howard seemed surprised, and the others looked at him with confusion. Slowly, Keltin explained how she met him. Howard thought and looked at Kathryne for more insight.

"She is a monster purity magnet," Kathryne mused. She crouched down to look at Sarine even more closely now. She was able to sense many things when she was able to study them long enough. "She brings out the most human qualities in others and in other monsters. Remember that she was like this long ago, too? That is why we remembered her when the letters were shown to us. Since we were all so worried about her, we thought she purposely wanted no contact with us. These letters proved us wrong. Just by her being here has proved us wrong. We should have never doubted her to begin with. We...knew her for so long, and we should have known that she was being kept from us as we were being kept from her. But, she has a real purpose now. It is still unclear to me, though."

"We should protect her again!" Seyren said, as he brandished his sword.

"We are hunted..." Eremes said softly in his deep voice. "But...can we protect?"

"She needs to transcend first!" Margaretha said quickly. "Transcend and come back to us! We will wait here for you!"

"Little sister," Cecil said with a hollow tone of sorrow. "take this to aid you."

"Big sis..." Sarine said with a soft hiccup, as a pure white bow was handed to her. She gazed at it in shock. The fabled Rudra bow was now hers. It was something she was always begging to have out of jesting. Now it was freely given to help her where Cecil could not. Fresh tears fell again, and Howard hugged her all the more tightly, his own chest heaving with relief now that he knew that she always loved him and was safe. Pressing kisses to her forehead, he didn't want to let her go.

"I'm going to try and leave with her..." Howard said. The others argued softly to each other, but it was Keltin that spoke out.

"Howard. I respect what you were, and who you are now. But, how do you plan to protect her when you are more ghost than physical form? Won't your bloodlust return?"

"Not while I am with her," he said, as he hugged Sarine even more. "These letters...I am going to read them. I want everyone to listen in. Please stay longer with us. When I am done reading them, I will help you leave safely with her. I doubt I can leave here on my own."

Keltin nodded, and the small group crowded around. The first letter was found in the pile, opened, and slowly read out. Letter after letter was read. It was as if time stood still just for this moment. Sarine and Howard took turns reading the letters. It was a very emotional thing for them both, and they comforted each other as they went through them. As the letter reaching the half-way point of the pile was pulled, a clone approached them.

"Intruders!" the clone of Eremes hissed.

"Take care of it," Eremes, himself, answered in a rather deep, yet soft tone of voice. "We are not to be disturbed..."

"Wait!" Sarine called out. "Who is the intruder?"

"Some Wizard. How should I know?" the clone rasped.

"Let me look?" Keltin asked. The clones couldn't really hurt him, as he was a monster like them, so the clone just shrugged. Normally, he couldn't leave Sarine's side, and he blinked that he was able to for this moment. It would have made him question it further, but there was too much at stake right now to ponder it. A few minutes went by, and Keltin was back.

"Remember the Mage that took shelter with us a few months back? It's him," Keltin said with a bit of a smirk.

"Oh. How did he even get this far by himself? But...since I know of him, anyways..." Sarine frowned. "Scare him a little? Maybe?"

"We'll chase him out," Seyren grinned, as he called his support group. Margaretha went with him to help. Kathryne motioned to Keltin and passed him a small scrap of paper. Pocketing it, he nodded and would read it with Sarine when they were at a safer place.  _Likely back at the house in Payon._ A few moments later, after the screaming and stomping melted away, they came back, and the reading started again.

The last letter was finally read, and Howard hugged Sarine even tighter.

"I'm so...sorry that I...ever doubted you...!" he rasped through his own tears.

"You didn't know! They kept me from you!" she wailed, as he held her.

"But, now we know what happened," he whispered in her ear. "Find the way to transcend. Ask someone powerful for help, if you can. If I can escape this place...then I will. I'll find you. I promise."

"Howard..." she whispered. He looked at Keltin, and the Bongun looked away. A kiss was soon planted on her mouth to express the love that was kept from her and would soon be fulfilled. As Howard picked her up carefully and stowed away his axe with a skillful move, Keltin nodded to follow them. The powerful monsters forced the others back with glares, since they held all of the power in the place. Their will was always obeyed. When they got back to the elevator with the mound of scrap metal, the Wizard was there staring at them.

"You!" Howard snarled out at the man. The Wizard saw Sarine in his arms and stammered at this.

"How is she still alive?! What's going on?" Malore asked, as he stood up shakily. He knew she was here and thought she was in danger.  _Why wasn't I being attacked now? Why wasn't she being attacked, either?_

"Sarine..." Howard whispered, as he looked down at her. This was where they would have to say farewell for now. He gasped at her sadness, and she was forced to put up the mental shielding again. Hugging her now, he knew they would find each other again.

"How-How..." she swallowed and bit back the urge to cry. He gave a soft gasp at his old nickname and pressed his face against her neck to keep his tears back. Eremes leered at the Wizard and used his skill of Cloaking to turn invisible. The others were preparing to attack the moment she was out of the way.

"I love you..." he whispered.

"I have always loved you," she whispered back. Right in front of the Wizard, he kissed her hard and deep. Her arms tightened around his neck before he pulled away to press his forehead to hers. It was easy to keep the bloodlust at bay, and Keltin realized that he spoke the truth. _As long as they were with her, they were in control of themselves._ But, that was about to change quickly.

"I'll read your letters every day. Every hour..." he smiled.

"I think we need to leave before he wets his pants," Keltin said with a grin.

"Do I know you?" Malore asked, as he studied her more. Of course, he knew who she was, but he didn't want the monsters to think that he knew. On looking at the Bongun and the diamond ring she wore, he acted out with disgust. "You love monsters?! Of all the things you could choose to be with, you chose monsters over a real man?!"

"It's time!" Seyren snarled, as he pulled out his sword. Kathryne cast the spells of Sight and Quagmire.

"Go, my love!" Howard hissed and threw her at the elevator. Keltin was not far behind, as it started to head up.

"HOWARD!" she screamed.

"I'LL FIND YOU!" he howled at her and went to attack the Wizard. The bloodlust was back now that she was away from him. Bawling her eyes out at the top of the elevator, Keltin pulled out a Butterfly Wing and blew on it. It was a far more powerful version of the Fly Wing. It was able to take the user back to the last place they called home. It transported them back to Payon in front of their house.

"Howard!" she cried, and he helped her into the main room. Holding her there, he pulled out the scrap of paper given to him by Kathryne. She sobbed on his shoulder, and he rocked her until she was able to focus again.

"I was given this by Kathryne," he said softly, as she calmed down. "It says, 'In order to transcend, go to the town of Yuno and leave all of your money and possessions behind. But, take just enough money to make a donation to read the great book, and then take the stairs down in the hallway opposite of the book. Find the Heart of Yggdrasil and let it lead you to where you need to go. I have never been there, but I have overheard others that were there before. This has been written down to help me remember.' She included a map, too."

"Yuno?" she said, as she dried her eyes.

"Yes. We are to go to Yuno."

"Can we go tomorrow?"

"Yes. We can go tomorrow," he held her so tightly now, and he finally understood how she brought out the most human of emotions in monsters. But, there was one thing that worried him.  _What would happen if they got out of the laboratory with their bloodlust? They were powerful monsters in their own right, and they all had the skill to Berserk. The skill quadrupled their power and speed on top of any skills they had already. They could cause massive damage to anything and anyone in that Berserked state. They would have to constantly be at Sarine's side to keep from forgetting who they were!_

"I love you, Keltin," she whispered, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I have never stopped loving you," he whispered back, and he kissed her desperately. He moved her into the bedroom and closed the door, thus providing a much needed end for the day.


	8. Chapter 8

Before heading to Yuno, they had to find out how much the donation fee was. After learning it was over a million zeny, she was a bit worried.

 

 

 

"We'll build up the money. Don't worry. We can do this," Keltin reassured her. They went to the main city of Prontera and looked around at all the various shops. She stopped and noticed someone that tried to harass her before on several occasions. It was a Hunter with blond hair and green eyes. He appeared to be searching the area for her. She scowled, and Keltin looked at her questionably. Instead of answering him, she pulled him down another street to get as far away as possible. Not sure why she did this, he simply accepted it. _She had her reasons for doing things, and I'm not going to fight her._ As she walked with Keltin, she paused at the sight of a Lif running towards her.

"Oh, my!" Sarine said, as the Lif approached her and soon hid behind her. The Lif had green hair, pale skin with a touch of green to it, and a flowing white dress. Bright green eyes glistened with tears, as she peered out from behind her.

"Luna! Luna where are you?!" an Alchemist cried out. The woman appeared to be fairly strong in her own right, and her cart proved it being the elite type with gold engravings and oak wood. On seeing her Lif, she paused and looked at Sarine. Keltin studied the Alchemist. Her dress color was a dark yellowish-orange, and her hair had a slight, red-brown tinge to it. Her eyes were a deep green in color. She appeared to be a bit pretty in her own right, but nothing compared to his Sarine.

"Are you looking for her?" Sarine asked, as she moved slightly to show the Lif hiding behind her. "Why did she run from you?"

"I ran out of pet food to feed her with," the Alchemist said sadly. "I purchased monster feed by mistake! Please, Luna, eat this!"

The pet food was tossed to her just in time, and the Lif ate happily. Purring now, she walked back over to her creator's side.

"I've never seen a pet like her before," Sarine said curiously. Even Keltin was curious now and moved to take a closer look.

"She's not a pet! She is my Homunculus," the Alchemist explained. "I created her."

"Huh?! How did you do that?" Sarine asked.

"It's complicated. But, I do owe you my thanks for keeping her safe. My name is Karla. Pleasure to meet you!"

"I am Sarine. This is Keltin," she said, as she introduced him. He was pleased that she didn't call him a pet anymore. She had agreed not to when she had let it slip one other time a month ago. She just said his name now. He didn't care if others referred to him as a pet, but he decided to go with his gut feeling this time and put a stop to it completely.

"Oh! Can he do any tricks?"

"He can, but I don't ask him to do that anymore. He's more of a traveling companion to me now. I don't really like to think of him as a pet, you see," Sarine blushed.

"I actually find it degrading to be asked to do tricks," Keltin said. Sarine looked at him questionably with a smile, as this was the first time he spoke to another normally. He chuckled and winked at her. Karla's eyes went round.

"A pet isn't supposed to say that!" Karla argued.

"Well, I'm not exactly a pet. I never was. And, you are likely the first one that I'm talking to normally about this other than Sarine," Keltin said with a small smile.

"Wow! So, no one else knows?"

"Nope. You are the first. Try to keep it discreet, okay?"

"You have my word of honor! So, what brings you two to Prontera?"

"I need to transcend. I have to raise over a million zeny just to see the Book of Ymir. That is the only way to find the path of rebirth and transcending," Sarine sighed.

"Really? I was actually working on that, too! Since you helped me, I'll help you. It will take a bit longer, but I'm sure we can both do this together. Will you join me?"

"Sure!" Sarine was thrilled. With Karla's Merchant skills, her loot will be sold much higher to the shops.

"Well, where do you want to go?" Karla asked.

"That's just the thing. I'm not sure where we can go."

"Excuse me, but I think I can help you both out," a passing Priest said, as he looked at them both. He had dark brown hair, blue-grey eyes, and a Holy aura around him. He was wearing the usual dark brown overcoat with a lighter tunic and darker pants underneath it. His shoulders appeared to have red designs over it, as well as the cuffs of his sleeves. "I am also trying to raise the funds to transcend. I know where we can go. With your help, we will be able to work together."

"Oh?" Sarine asked, as she tilted her head at him. "I am Sarine. This is Keltin."

"I'm Karla, and this is Luna."

"My name is Lloyd. I have the ability to eradicate mobs of monsters at once. All I need are blue gems."

"You mean these?" Karla asked, as she pulled out a box containing a hundred of them. "I was going to sell them, but, if you help us, I'll give them to you."

"Um, yes! Those will work perfectly!" Lloyd said, as he stared at them with delight. "We will need more, though. A lot more."

"Karla, where did you get them?" Keltin asked her. Lloyd paused, as he heard a pet Bongun speak clearly and intelligently.  _How was this possible?_

"I got them from a girl in Yuno. She was selling them like crazy! I got the last box, but she said she would get more to sell, if I get to her tomorrow. Think we can wait?"

"Actually, why don't we go into the Biblian area near Izlude? The monsters drop those gems quite a bit, and we can sell the loot, too. If we all work together, I'm sure we can get pretty far," Sarine suggested. "I've never been all the way down there, and it could be fun! We can get to know each other better, too, and work together to see how we respond to each other."

"Sounds good! I'll clean out my cart," Karla said and went to go track down a Kafra Agent to do so.

"Um, I'm not really the buffing type of Priest," Lloyd started.

"You can Heal and Bless, as well as Agility us, right?" Sarine said with a smile.

"Yes. I can do that."

"Then you can help us."

They laughed, and Keltin suggested they also visit the Kafra Agent to make sure there was nothing else she needed to store, since they weren't at the house. Lloyd was still puzzled by Keltin's intelligence.

"How is he so smart?" Lloyd whispered to Sarine.

"He's special," she smiled and walked off to find Karla.

"I'm special," Keltin grinned and bounced off after her.

"All right. He's special," Lloyd chuckled and followed them. His long robe trailed the ground slightly, as he walked. After making the stop at the Kafra Agent, they had to take a boat to the skull-like island from Izlude. Once they got there, they found the cave heading down.

"Okay. Ready?" Sarine asked. Blessings and Agility boosts were given to them all, and Karla had her Lif put into a stasis known as Rest. Luna would have been attacked relentlessly here, and she didn't want her Homunculus hurt. Setting the little embryo into the safety of the cart, they walked inside the dungeon.

The first thing they smelled was the salt of the sea. Then the brine of shellfish. They ignored the monsters around them that didn't attack them first, killing the usual tentacled Hydra if they were attacked. They resembled green barnacles with pink tentacles coming out the top of them, and they could attack with a long range. They couldn't move, though, so it was easy to pick them off at a distance.

Sarine did most of the attacking, and Keltin did most of the blocking and counterattacking. When they reached the third level in the dungeon, the mermaids known as Obeaunes were waiting to attack. They had pink skin, and their hands were webbed. Their tails had yellow scales, and their hair was like tentacled strands that they used as whips to attack with. They had a rather intricate form of accuracy.

Equipping some Wind Arrows, she made short work of them. Lloyd Healed as needed, and Karla started a stockpile in her cart. Any blue gems found were given to Lloyd. As they were about to descend even deeper into the cave, one mermaid remained at the entrance to it. As Karla was about to raise up her axe to attack, Sarine stopped her.

"Something is different about this one. Hold on," she said. Lloyd had a question on his face, as he watched Sarine approach the mermaid. There was a nasty cut on her tail, and she was clearly in pain.

"Lloyd, can you Heal her, please?" Sarine asked him. Keltin was crouched down with Sarine and looked at his love.  _Was this another monster like myself? But, a creature like this couldn't be tamed!_

"Are you sure?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes. Please?" Sarine asked again. Karla watched with surprise, as Lloyd Healed the Obeaune. A sigh of relief was given, and then the mermaid shocked them all. The Obeaune reached forward and hugged Sarine. A faint memory came back to Sarine that she used to do this with monsters when she was younger.  _Not only would they not attack me, but it was also the same monsters that I couldn't let the others attack. It was odd, but none of the monsters I helped, or got helped by, joined up with me before. If anything, they didn't attack me, and they escorted me until another area was reached. Kathryne had also mentioned this down in the Biological Laboratory. This monster was different, though._

The Obeaune whispered something in a language that Sarine couldn't understand. Keltin looked at her with surprise and said, "I know what she's saying."

"What is it, Keltin?" Sarine asked. She couldn't quite understand the language the mermaid spoke. She sounded very crude, but Keltin heard it clearly. He wondered how that was so. Maybe it was the universal language of monsters, and he judged that was it.  _Since I'm still a monster, in a sense, I'm able to understand their language, as well as human language._  He would make this handy in the future.

"What does she want?" Karla asked curiously.

"She wants to come with us and help us," he said slowly. Karla and Lloyd looked at each other and back at Sarine. The Obeaune spoke softly to Keltin. On repeating what she said about Sarine being a savior and a monster protector, Karla now realized why her Lif ran to Sarine.  _What did all of this really mean?_  She asked Keltin, and he looked at her with a light smile, as he explained, "Sarine is known to bring out the most human qualities in monsters. It's why I am so special. Apparently, this Obeaune is, too. But, I was tamed like a normal pet. I don't understand this myself."

"Neither do I," Lloyd said. "But, the gods give their gifts in amazing ways. Maybe, you were the trigger for this?"

"It's possible. To tell the truth, her previous love was transformed into a monstrosity from the Biological Laboratory in Lighthalzen," Keltin explained, as Sarine kept comforting the Obeaune. Karla had heard about the experiments that happened and wanted to know more.

"Really? Who was he?" Karla asked curiously. Keltin went over to them to discuss the delicate subject. Sarine was still exceptionally emotional over Howard.

"His name is Howard Alt-Eisen. She knew him and the others before they were transformed. She found him again, and he almost killed her...but..." Keltin paused with a sigh. "he and the others remembered her. He still loves her."

The two party members were in silent shock. They had heard rumors of a girl that was protected and kissed by a powerful monster in that dungeon. Apparently, Malore was able to escape, started gossiping about it, and the news spread like wildfire. They had no idea that it was true, and that Sarine was that girl.

"She is very special," Lloyd finally said. "She is able to bring out the most good in something considered so evil. I am honored to have met and traveled with you both."

"Same with me!" Karla said with a smile. "If it wasn't for Sarine, my Lif would have left me. Come on! The Obeaune can travel on my cart!"

"You're not really her pet, are you?" Lloyd asked with amusement.

"If you want the full truth, I'm her husband," Keltin grinned. That shocked them both again, and Sarine simply smiled. She carried the Obeaune to the cart to set her down gently. He saw the look on Sarine's face, and he grinned all the more at her.

"That part was uncalled for, Keltin," she giggled.

"But, it's true!" he grinned even wider and hugged her.

"We have work to do," she smiled, and he kissed her forehead.

"Yes, dear," he smirked.

"Don't take that tone with me!"

"Yes, dear."

"Stop it!"

"Yes, dear."

By now, Lloyd managed to blush a bit at the short and sweet argument, and Karla was tittering with laughter.

"I never would have thought it," Lloyd said with amusement.

"No one else knows. The two of you are the only ones," Keltin warned softly. "Others simply wouldn't understand. It would be too much for them."

"No, they wouldn't understand. And now I understand why monsters see you as they do, Sarine," Lloyd mused, as they went down to the next part of the dungeon.

"Really?" Sarine smiled. They paused, as the levels below were flooded with water. The Obeaune sang softly, and they all felt an urge to get into the water. They paused in surprise, as the water was like air now. Karla and Lloyd looked at Sarine with surprise. A small shrug was all she could give them.

Descending down the steps, she paused at the sight of the underwater life before them. They killed any of the antenna-eyed Swordfish and other creatures that attacked them. Several Mermen approached them, and they were killed quickly. The loot started to stockpile in the cart. Healing and Blessing as needed, Lloyd's own stockpile of blue gems started to increase. Casting Sanctuary on the ground, the group took a small break. Sarine's falcon chirped, as it settled on her shoulder, and she stroked its back comfortingly.

Laughing and talking of what they planned to do next, Sarine turned, as a solitary Merman approached them. She took her time to study him. Instead of a full fish tail like the Obeaune, he had a set of scaly legs with webbed feet, and the rest of the tail appeared from his back. A monstrous, unblinking fish head with a mouth full of teeth behind a set of large, pink lips finished the overall look. The lips of a Merman were quite prized, as they were used for various recipes and magical components. The Merman watched her carefully before moving closer. A massive spear was held in both gloved hands.

A warm light within the Merman's eyes was all Sarine needed to know that he meant no ill towards them. Keltin bounced over to him and started up a conversation. Coming back, he confirmed Sarine's suspicions.

"He's joining us. As to why, he feels a need to protect us," Keltin explained. Karla and Lloyd were once again in a form of silent surprise. The Merman and the Obeaune seemed to whisper to each other in their own language, and they settled to a point that they were ready to advance with the others.

"Very strange," Lloyd said. He knew that something miraculous was happening. _It all seemed to be centered around Sarine. A Bongun for a husband? Monster companions?_  Something was afoot, and he wanted to see this through to the end.

"You're telling me!" Karla agreed with him. She was just as curious to find out what was going on. They went over to the ruined area that had stairs going even deeper into the dungeon. Once again, Sarine paused, as a purple and white monster that resembled a seahorse came up to them. It was identified as the monster, Marc. Moving about her form playfully, she laughed and managed to give it a soothing stroke on its back. Settling with the Merman and the Obeaune, the Marc seemed to nod its head for them to continue. There was another Swordfish that joined them, and a flapping, silver, flounder-like fish called a Phen was next to move with them.

"Amazing," Lloyd chuckled, as they descended. A crowd of Mermen were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. The group attacked as one. After the short battle was over, and the loot was gathered, Lloyd realized something.

"So much easier with the help!" Sarine giggled, and Keltin hugged her.

"I just realized that any monster that joins us is like a pet," Lloyd said. Sarine looked at him, and even Keltin was curious. "Very interesting..."

"How is that?" Karla asked, as she handed him the blue gems.

"I can't bring myself to harm them," he explained. "It's like they gain pet-like qualities. Allies to us and that's it. It's like they now belong to Sarine."

"That is very odd," Sarine agreed. "I never thought of it like that before."

"Howard isn't a pet or a regular monster. I have to wonder what will happen, if he does manage to break free. Don't you?" Keltin asked.

"We'll find out when we get to that point. Won't we?" Sarine said, as they started walking again. What they found was an old sunken city. Killing anything that tried to attack them, the Merman and the Obeaune explained what the city was like before it sunk. Keltin translated for them the whole time, and they were amazed at what the place once was. _It was an older temple dedicated to Odin._ There was another elsewhere on a mountain far off. This was a smaller temple that had sunk from an earthquake.

Keltin was always a devout Warrior of Odin in his life, and he said this to the others. This seemed to please the Obeaune and the Merman immensely. The Marc, Swordfish, and Phen swam around the group in a protective circle, as they moved. They clearly wanted nothing to attack them. They all paused, as a floating, puffer-fish like monster appeared to move with them. It was green on top with a bright pink underside. Two stalks were on it. One held an eye, and the other held a Venus flytrap-like mouth. It was known as a Deviace, and their teeth were quite prized as valuable loot. Even their cards were hard to come by and quite prized.

As they approached the main area of the ruined temple, they cleared the area of monsters. Advanced Mermen, known as Stroufs, were here in a vast quantity. They actually carried around weapons that were tridents. They even sparked lightning, but that was from the Stroufs channeling their power to it much like that of an electric eel. They rode around on an underwater wave, and they had the full tail like the Obeaune. They had well-built upper bodies to show that they knew how to fight, and massive beards to show how old they were. They were harder to kill, but the tridents they got from them would sell for a good price to passing Knights and Crusaders. They managed to reach the steps to the main entrance of the temple when a single Strouf moved in front of them. As he raised his trident to attack, another killed him from behind.

"Touch not the Vessel of Odin!" the Strouf hissed, as he killed his brethren. Sarine stood there stunned.  _Was that what I am? What's going on?_  Karla and Lloyd stood there as stunned as she was. Keltin regained himself faster.

"Explain please!" he urged.

"It is not for me to explain, young Bongun. That is for Valkyrie to explain," the Strouf said. He was quite different from the other Stroufs, being larger and far more regal looking in both stature and wisdom. Sarine realized that Keltin was different in looks from other Bonguns, and, as she noticed the other monsters with them now, they looked different from the others around them, too. She was speechless.

"You can speak our language effortlessly?!" Lloyd asked with amazement.

"Yes. A very few select monsters can. I see you have been finding others to aide you. I shall join you, as well. However, the temple is sealed below. It is uninhabitable to both human kind and monster kind alike. I am different from the others, as I still protect the temple and believe in the Will of Odin to this day. All monsters that still know the Will of Odin will be like myself and the young Bongun. Vessel of Odin, do you have a current residence?"

"I do, but there is not much water to be found there, as it is above ground," Sarine said softly. The Strouf seemed a bit concerned with this bit of news. He would be able to breathe in air just fine, since his body was adapted to it, but he knew that a safer residence would need to be found. He was already thinking of finding an island.

"There is a lake close by, but, if there are other monsters to be found like us, then we will need a better place," Keltin said. "Especially if they require territories."

"I shall search the oceans with their help," the Strouf gestured to the other water monsters with them. "You have questions, Vessel of Odin?"

"I do. A lot of questions," Sarine frowned and looked away. "But, I'm afraid you cannot answer them."

"I can answer one question of yours. That is all I am permitted to answer," the Strouf said. Keltin and the others looked at Sarine with concern.

"Why was I chosen?" she asked softly.

At this, the Strouf chuckled, as he said, "Our Lord Odin has his reasons. That is something only Valkyrie, or one of his messengers, can answer. I will tell you this. You bring out the good in everything around you. It is a gift you have had, since you were young. Since you were born, in fact. It is a gift carefully nurtured by your friends. However, I believe you may have had hardships in your family?"

She blinked in surprise that he knew this and nodded.

"From what I know, her family was quite cruel to her," Keltin muttered.

"That is most unfortunate, yet it is something that is well known for families to be jealous of others with rare gifts. But, others have helped you? Became like family?" he asked. With a deep sigh, she sat on the ground and explained to him what happened to herself and her friends in her youth. Lloyd and Karla went through the loot and kept back any monsters that got too close with Keltin's help. When Sarine's sad tale ended, the Strouf looked grieved for her. He was clearly not expecting this at all, as he said, "This is horrible news indeed! But, they remembered you? They regained their most human thoughts?"

"Yes. Yes, they did," Sarine said with a small swallow.

"Then there is hope yet! We shall find an island dedicated to those you find. Valkyrie may know of a way to bring your friends and loved ones back. You will need to ask her."

"My friends and I are trying to raise money to see the Book of Ymir."

"You need money to see the great book? I think I can help. I do know that there is cave that holds immense wealth within it."

"Yes. I have heard of it. It's a very dangerous place with powerful dragons that rest there. I have seen some of what they can yield from others I have briefly met, and I do know there is a lot of wealth to be found there, but I am not ready for such a place yet," she said with a shiver. The Merman in their group came up to the Strouf and made strange gurgling sounds. Then he left quickly to ensure that what he wanted to get was still there.

"Where is he going?" Lloyd asked, as he placed more loot in Karla's cart.

"He knows of something that may be of help. We will wait for him here," the Strouf replied. Keltin nodded and helped Sarine to her feet. Hugging her to show comfort, it didn't take long for a dragging sound to be heard. The Merman brought over a small chest containing more than enough wealth to cover the three humans with their donation money.

"Wow!" Karla said, as she ran over to it. "But, I heard that we can't have any excess money on us when we go to transcend!"

"Leave the excess in the chest," the Strouf suggested. "Think of it as a portable bank."

"You said that you have a house. Right, Sarine?" Lloyd asked.

"I do," she said. "It was Keltin's house, and he gave it to me. We found the deed."

"Wow!" Karla said with amazement.

"Why don't we store our stuff there? I'm sure the house will be protected," Lloyd said. "That way we won't have to continue to pay the Kafra Corporation, and we can save some money, too."

"Sounds like a very good idea," Keltin nodded. "Are we ready to go back?"

"Yes. Let's go back," Sarine said. The chest was picked up, and the other monsters were ready for transport. Lloyd could have Warped them to town with his Warp Portal skill, but they agreed that Butterfly Wings would be better until he had the location down. Keltin passed out the Butterfly Wings, and they were back at the house in Payon. The chest was brought in, and the money was divided. The monsters found their places in the house to relax. The Marc, Swordfish, Phen, and Deviace needed to be set in a tub filled with water and salt for them to breathe, so space was cramped for them. The Strouf would likely help them find other ways to move. He was naturally able to summon up a small wave of water, and that helped him move around. The water even seemed to cling to him in such a way that he left no puddles in his movements. Lloyd and Karla managed to use the Kafra Agent to get to Payon from the cities they ended up at, and they arranged to always come back to Payon from this point forward. They both looked around until they found Sarine's house and walked inside.

"Everything must be left behind. I don't know about Keltin, though," Lloyd said, as he removed his armors and items.

"I'll be fine," Keltin said. "If there's a problem, I'll explain myself."

"I'm sure you will!" Sarine said with a smile.

"I'm going with you, too," the Strouf said.

"How? Won't it seem awkward?" Karla asked, as she looked at her cart. She'll have to give it back to the Kafra Corporation and rent it back. They'd hold it for her, though, and keep everything in it safe. She would lose the luxurious cart, but that was inevitable. As she worked on her skills again, she would be able to gain it back. She took out her most valuable items to keep in the house, and this included her Lif. Luna was in embryo form and would be safe until Karla could re-summon her back to her side.

"I must be there in case there is a problem," the Strouf explained. "I have my reasons."

"I won't argue with that! Oh, won't you be transported to other areas to transcend to?" Sarine asked with a frown. "I think that happens with transcended people."

"If that happens, we will make our way back here," Lloyd said. "We were all meant to meet up. This I know. Don't worry! We will all meet up again. What was the required donation amount?"

"I heard it was one million, two hundred, and eighty-five thousand zeny," Sarine said.

"Well, with our combined loot sold, and, with what's in the chest, we have over ten million zeny!" Karla said. "We are very well off for now."

She looked at her falcon and gave it a loving caress. _It served me well._  Releasing her falcon to the sky, it would travel back to the breeder to aid other adventurers in need. But, instead of flying to the breeder, the bird vanished in the distance when it was out of sight. Now it waited for another time to approach her in a different way.

"All right. Shall we go to Yuno?" Sarine asked. They were all in agreement. Heading to the Kafra Agent, they had gathered enough to be teleported to Yuno. Walking up to the building that housed the book, they paid their donation fees and walked up to it. On reading it, they learned about the Heart of Ymir and that it was stored close by. It was also in the book that they learned they needed to speak with Valkyrie, a warrior maiden of Odin, who would assist with the transcendence. There was more, but they felt no need to read any further yet.

"I have the note from Kathryne. Here is the map on it," Keltin said, as he brought out the scrap of paper. Lloyd gave them all Agility boosts to walk through the pathways quicker. As they moved through the halls, they saw other adventurers doing the same thing. They did pause to look oddly at the Strouf. The Strouf paid them no mind. His concern was for the Vessel of Odin. When they finally reached the Heart of Ymir piece, it was locked away in a massive machine. When they went to gaze at it, they were transported to Valhalla almost instantly.

The place was a floating hallway in the sky. They were in awe, as they stood there. For some reason, Sarine felt that she was home. It baffled her slightly. There was already a line that was formed to see Valkyrie, so they had to wait their turn. As people gave strange glances to the Strouf, and to Keltin, they moved forward silently. Karla went first. Then it was Lloyd. Sarine saw them briefly revert back to their childhood youth after talking to Valkyrie and vanish. When it was her turn, Valkyrie paused at their approach.

Valkyrie was dressed in the whitest of armor, and she hovered in the air on a massive double-set of white feathered wings. Her hair was long, blond, and braided back with loose strands flowing over her ears. A massive, golden trident tinged with red was in her hands, and she looked as though she could use it as easily as she held it. She was very beautiful. Her smile was warm and welcoming. Then she looked at Keltin and gave a small frown.

"Pets are not allowed here," she said softly.

"I am not a pet," Keltin said back calmly. She look at him with surprise and then at the Strouf. Confusion set in.

"Keltin was found as a pet, but he is in fact her Guardian," the Strouf explained slowly. Keltin glanced at him, as he had never known his own reference before. "She is the Vessel of Odin. The one sent by Lord Odin, himself, to come to us and be our Savior."

Valkyrie opened her mouth to speak, but then time seemed to stand still. A harsh cry filled the air, and a raven descended.

"Huginn!" Valkyrie said with surprise. A knowing look went from the raven to Valkyrie, and the large, black bird landed on Sarine's shoulder protectively. Sarine actually gave a small look of surprise. The way the bird sat on her shoulder reminded her of her old falcon. Then the thought was pushed aside neatly, and she forgot about it in full.

"Odin's messenger has come to show proof!" the Strouf said with joy. In a dream-like trance, a heavy, deep, old, and regal male voice went through their minds.

_:The Vessel has been found and chosen! She will be identified by a new Mark! She will need a safe place to rest with those she has found! Valkyrie shall assist, if necessary!:_

Valkyrie's eyes went round.  _Odin had decided to contact us in his own way, and he has commanded me to aid this one._  At this, Valkyrie reverently asked, "What is your command, My Lord? Speak, and it shall be done!"

_:Watch over her! Help her grow! She will be Marked now and forever known as my Vessel! Huginn! Let it be done!:_

The raven cawed and placed himself over the back of Sarine's neck. Sarine couldn't move. She was too stunned to resist. The Strouf pulled back her hair to expose the nape of her neck. Once the skin was exposed, Huginn landed on it fully and stretched out his wings as far as they could go. She screamed, as the skin was seared and branded with Odin's Mark.

"Sarine!" Keltin said, as he moved to her. The red and gold trident was placed in front of him. Valkyrie had to keep him from her until the branding was done. Gasping from the pain, Sarine endured it rather quickly. The raven seemed to sink down into her skin, as though to merge within her. The elaborate imprint of a raven spreading its wings was now present on the back of her neck. If anyone questioned her, she would show the Mark.

"As for you, young Bongun," Valkyrie said, as she lowered her trident. "you are, indeed, not a pet. You are her Guardian. I acknowledge you."

"I..." Keltin looked at her with awe and shuddered, as she placed her hand on his forehead. He felt a new form of power surge through him.

"I will lend you my strength and wisdom to protect her, as she grows and matures. All monsters collected will recognize you as a friend and protector to the Vessel. Any that attack her will be culled with your help and those you find. Now, take this," Valkyrie said, and she pulled a stark, white feather from her one of her wings to give to him. "Go to the Temple of Odin in the mountains when she is strong enough. Seek my Sister who guards the plains. Show this to her, and she will aid you. She will know it has come from me, and that her assistance is needed."

"Thank you, Valkyrie," Keltin said.

"As for you, Strouf," Valkyrie said, as she touched his forehead gently. "May you guide and protect the Vessel as you have done since finding her. I grant you two abilities. The first ability is to protect all of the places she lives at, as well as those that dwell around and on the lands she calls home. This will be needed."

"I will guard her various homes with honor, Valkyrie. What do I tell the others when I see them?" the Strouf asked. "Or will they know offhand?"

"They will know what must be done on gazing at you. Fear not, Strouf. I shall grant you a new name to show your ranking in monster society. Your new name is Storm Caller. Your second ability is to cast the spell needed to create massive Ice Storms to attack with," she said. She suddenly gazed up to the heavens and nodded. "An additional spell is also granted to create Ice Walls to defend with. Use them well."

"Thank you, Valkyrie. I will use these new skills with honor," Storm Caller vowed.

"Now, Sarine Tao. Vessel of Odin. Now you shall remember everything as a dream, as the Goddess Urd records your memories for safekeeping!" Valkyrie said, as she rose up her arms and stretched out her wings. A brilliant, white light enveloped Sarine quickly, and she started to shrink in size and stature. As Sarine reverted back to her child self, time resumed. The Mark on the back of her neck stayed there as a permanent calling to any and all that doubted her. It would grow with her and be evenly formed.

"Keltin Tao," Valkyrie said to him, as he went to Sarine.

"Yes, Valkyrie?" he asked.

"She must visit all of the strongest monsters in the world. You will know why when she approaches them. You will need to find an island to house and protect the monsters you befriend. My Lord Odin has informed me of the first place she needs to train at. Take her to the land called Poring Island, and have her start training there. Here is a map for you to show you how to get there safely. There are monsters there that will join you," Valkyrie said.

"Should I assist?" Storm Caller asked.

"Not for her training. Her Guardian will be enough."

"Keltin?" Sarine asked with a tug on his sleeve. She was much shorter than him now and looked a lot cuter. She gave a small blush when he looked at her. Her new outfit was a bulky suit that was dyed pink. A normal Novice suit was a light tan in color, but it looked the exact same. Her outfit resembled a sleeveless top that was tucked into shorts. A small flap of protective metal hung off her belt in the front. Large, protective gloves covered her hands, and heavy-looking shoes covered her feet. She was now wearing an advanced Novice suit and looked simply adorable in it.

"Yes, Sarine?"

"I need to go potty," she whispered to him. They all laughed, and Valkyrie sent them all back to their house. Once Sarine was cared for, Storm Caller had the Marc, the Obeaune, and the Merman start searching for islands. It would be the only time they would be able to leave Sarine's side safely, thanks to Valkyrie's help. Once they found a new place, they would likely be bound there unless they traveled with her.

"I will let you know what they find," Storm Caller promised.

"Good. Sarine, shall we start training?" Keltin asked gently.

"Yah!" she said with delight. She was given a knife and a shirt by Valkyrie before they left, and she put them on under her Novice suit. Her other garments had to be left behind at the house and wouldn't have suited her at this time. She would be able to wear them again when she retrained and advanced herself.

"You look adorable!" Keltin said with a smile. He knew he was still her husband, but he would overlook that while she was so young.  _When the time is right, I will be her equal again. Right now, she needed a protector. She needed her Guardian._  He took some money from the chest and made sure the equipment from Karla and Lloyd was still safe. Storm Caller would watch over the house now, and he felt much more secure knowing this. Potions were gathered, and some grapes were found to use to replenish any spiritual energy she would need for her growing skills. A knock on the door made him pause, and he opened it. A smile formed on his lips, as he let Lloyd and Karla in.

"Sarine!" they both said at once.

"Hey!" she laughed and realized that they had already become the Acolyte and Merchant classes that they needed to be.

"We are going to team up and work together. When you become an Archer again, we'll get back together. What happened with Valkyrie?" Karla asked, as she adjusted her pouch.

"I am the Vessel of Odin. I think," she thought. "I have a picture on my neck now, too!"

Showing them the raven tattoo, Lloyd stammered and pointed.

"It's powerful! It glows!" he said. "You really ARE the Vessel of Odin!"

"Yah!" Sarine agreed with a cute nod of her head.

"We will wait here for you!" Karla said.

"Actually, you both should start training," Storm Caller said. He looked far more massive and powerful, since Valkyrie blessed him.

"Wow! You look different!" Karla said.

"Do I?" Storm Caller asked. "Well, my name is Storm Caller now. I was given special skills to protect the Vessel's home. And I will protect you both, as well, if you stay here, since you are her friends. You are both honorable, so it's fine."

"We want to wait for Sarine. It would only be proper," Lloyd said.

"If you insist. There are beds ready for you both, if you are tired and need to nap," Storm Caller said with a grandfatherly sigh.

"Come on, Sarine. We should train now. They will wait for you," Keltin said.

"Okay!" she smiled and waved to her two friends. Keltin led her to the Kafra Agent, and they went to Prontera. Following the map to Poring Island, he realized it wasn't really an island. It was just a land filled with various Porings. When they stepped onto the grounds, an orange Drops, a pink Poring, a light blue Marin, and a green Poporing were already waiting for them. They resembled drops of colored goo with big eyes and mouths.

"Oh!" Sarine giggled, as they snuggled around her legs. Petting each one, she looked up when a Mastering approached them. It was twice as big as a regular Poring, just as pink, and had its own set of Poring followers. Bouncing over to her, it made funny faces to make her laugh to show it was a friend.

"Okay. We will have to train on the others. Is that all right with you all?" Keltin asked them. The Poring group looked at each other and murmured in their language. The Drops bounced over and pulled a few Butterfly Wings out of her pack, since they couldn't Warp to her current residence. The Poring clan vanished to let them train in peace. As she trained and started to relearn what she lost, an Angeling flew out of the bushes to confront her. It resembled a pink Poring with wings and a halo.

"Hi, human!" Angeling grinned.

"Sarine! Look out!" Keltin said and jumped in front of her. "Angeling, stop!"

"Eeek!" she squealed, as Keltin blocked it.

"Knock it off!" Angeling huffed. "I want to see the human!"

"Why?!" Keltin growled.

"Curious?" Angeling seemed to smile innocently. A mob of various Porings appeared behind it and readied to attack. Now Sarine got a touch angry and huffed.

"No!" Sarine said. "Be nice!"

"Huh?" Angeling said with a bit of surprise.

"Be nice to Keltin!" she frowned and stomped her foot.

"Listen, kid. You don't understand exactly who you're talking to," Angeling argued, as it bounced closer. "Or do you?"

"Neither do you, Angeling!" Keltin snapped and turned to Sarine. Having her turn around, he pulled back her hair to reveal her tattoo. Angeling stammered, and the mob behind it shuddered as one. Now Angeling recognized Keltin as her Guardian, and respect was shown instantly when it trembled with regret.

"The...the Vessel of Odin! At long last! Oh, how I feel so ashamed!" Angeling wailed. "I'm so sorry that I thought of attacking you!"

"It's okay. You didn't know," Sarine smiled and walked over to it. Keltin watched her hug and comfort Angeling. Snuggling into her, it whistled towards the bushes.

"Deviling! Get Ghostring! The Vessel of Odin has come!" Angeling called out.

"Really?" Deviling appeared. It was a black Poring with devil wings and black horns. It had its own mob of dark blue evil Porings, and small black demons with pitchforks called Deviruchi followed it around.

"Huh?" Ghostring said, as it appeared. It looked like a light blue floating Poring with a sheet over it. A mob of Giant Whisper ghosts swarmed around it.

"It's the Vessel! We need to help her!" Angeling said. Deviling saw the tattoo of the raven and nodded. The three monsters gathered together and vanished to Warp to her house in Payon, since they had the ability to do so.

"The house is going to get full rather fast. Questions are going to have to be answered," Keltin mused and shook his head. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Almost done training!" she said. She had received an added blessing from Valkyrie. The harder she trained, the more she grew. It was as though she was regaining her years within hours.  _Was it like this with the others, too?_  He wouldn't have doubted it with how they were already in their next training stages.  _Apparently, anyone blessed with Valkyrie's power of transcendence had this ability._

"It went this way!" a voice was heard.

"No! It went this way!" another argued.

"Hide, Sarine!" Keltin hissed at her, and they moved to sit in the bushes. It wasn't long for a Rogue and a Wizard to appear.

"Do I know them?" Sarine asked, as she pulled up her dream-like past life. Keltin set his jaw and held her in his lap. He knew them.  _The Thief and Mage team from before. The same Mage that turned Wizard and saw them in the Biological Laboratory before he got his ass handed to him from Sarine's old friends._

"It's Malore and Blent. Bad people, remember?" Keltin whispered.

"Oh, yes! I remember now! What are they doing here?" she asked.

"Probably hunting the ones we just saved."

"Bad men!" she hissed. "We should go."

"Yes. Let's go," Keltin nodded. He started to pull her away, and he paused.  _Our escape route was blocked!_

"Malore! Look who I found!" Blent jeered out. Malore walked over and gave a look of surprise. He wasn't expecting her at all.

"Well, well! The monster lover! And you're tiny now, aren't you?" the Wizard's grin was devious. He hadn't planned to try and track her down yet, and it was pure luck that he found her in this vulnerable state. Keltin set her down and rose up into a defensive stance.

"Let's have some fun!" Blent grinned and pulled out a branch dripping with blood. Keltin hissed at it instinctively.

"Where did you get that?!" Malore said with surprise and awe.

"Stole it off some Lord Knight in town. He was boasting that it was called a Bloody Branch. It summons far more powerful monsters than a normal Dead Branch when it's broken. Should we see if it's true?" Blent sneered. Being Malore's best friend, he was all too eager to help his friend gain back some form of respect.

"No!" Keltin hissed and bent quickly to gather up Sarine in his arms.

"Oh, come now!" Malore said, as he cast an Ice Wall to block Keltin's escape. "Let's see if you can defend her!"

"Stupid heads!" Sarine shouted from behind Keltin when he shoved her back behind him. "You're both stupid heads! Big stupid heads!"

"What?!" Blent growled, as he leaned forward to strike out at her. Keltin blocked him with a masterful skill and sent him reeling with an uppercut. Malore tried to strike him with a powerful Thunderbolt spell, but he missed. Keltin moved quickly to kick Malore, but Blent had other ideas and dropped the Bloody Branch. Then he stepped on it to break it. Malore managed to dodge Keltin, and then he stammered at Blent. His mouth dropped at the powerful misting ghost that appeared behind him. A massive red axe was raised and poised to strike down. Harsh memories quickly came back, as he paled in fright just from the odd noise the red axe made when swung. He had no idea exactly how powerful the call of a Bloody Branch was until now.

"B-Blent..." Malore stammered and pointed. _Howard found his way out of the Biological Laboratory with the power of the Bloody Branch. It was as though some twist of fate was right there when it was needed most._ Keltin was thinking furiously now.  _Was this why Valkyrie told us to come to Poring Island? Did she know that Howard was going to be summoned? No, Odin told her to tell us to come here! Odin knew!_

Sarine whimpered and hid behind Keltin. Howard Berserked and made short work of the two that called him. The clones summoned behind him pinned them down, but he raised his hand up to keep them from finishing them off. Howard then turned towards the whimpering sound that was so achingly familiar and recognized Keltin. Then he saw Sarine crouching behind the Bongun with fear. The bloodlust vanished quickly, and his eyes went warm and welcoming. She was too young for her emotions to affect him right now, but he could tell she was afraid by the quivering frown on her face.

"Sarine..." he whispered. He let his red axe fall to the ground, and he dropped to his knees. Holding out his arms to her, he waited. Very slowly, the dream-like memories came back, and she peered out from behind Keltin's protective form.

"How-How!" she cried out his old nickname to him and jumped into his arms.

"Sarine! I'm here! It's okay!" he whispered, as he hugged her tight. "Did they hurt you?! Did they do anything to you?!"

"No. They wanted to, though! I called them stupid heads, because they were being mean and...and stupid!" she said in her awfully cute and youthful voice. He grinned at her innocent cuteness before turning to glare at the men.

"You would dare to hurt her?!" Howard snarled. His eyes went from lovingly warm to ice cold with hatred, as he stared at them.

"How-How? Don't hurt them now. Kay?" Sarine asked, as she tugged on his somewhat solid collar. At first he didn't respond, but she kept tugging on his collar.

"Why not?" he asked roughly without looking at her.

"Um...because they're stupid heads?" she asked. First he smirked at the remark as though trying not to laugh. Then he couldn't help himself, as he laughed uncontrollably, taking in great breaths.  _She was so cute right now!_  Crushing her to him while he finished laughing, he sighed. Keltin was laughing with him and seemed to groan at how cute she was. The two men pinned down by the clones were just in awe that a powerful monster was being so human.

"Valkyrie said she is the Vessel of Odin. Other monsters are saying the same thing," Keltin said with a soft smile. At this, Howard looked at him through ghostly locks of light-green hair, and she blushed at him.

"Are you serious?!" he asked with amusement. "Are you really the Vessel of Odin, Sarine? You can tell me!"

"Lookit!" Sarine grinned and moved out of his embrace to pull her hair away from the back of her neck. He saw the raven tattoo, and his mouth dropped. When the other clones saw it, a change came over them. They held down the two men even rougher.  _Something was going to take place._ Blent started to pay careful attention now. He felt awful. He was supposed to be keeping an eye out for this particular person, and to know that he tried to harm her shamed him. If he had succeeded in hurting her, his Guild would have taken turns tearing out pieces of his hide. He was likely going to be punished, as it was. Malore had no clue as to what was going on.

Howard coughed and tried to speak. Then his body was racked with pain. Sarine let out a small whimper, and now Keltin was concerned. Yet, she didn't move. Something had taken possession of her mind and put her current mind to sleep. Only when it was mentally secured did she turn to face Howard. What Keltin saw in her eyes wasn't her. _It was something far more ancient and powerful. It demanded respect. It demanded to be obeyed._

"Sarine...?" Keltin asked. For now, his concern was ignored.

"Separate from your darker side, Howard Alt-Eisen! Do this now!" Sarine commanded. The voice that came from her was far more ethereal. It was almost like Valkyrie's voice, since it came from Sarine, but it had a sterner commanding ring to it that had a touch of maleness to it. Howard screamed, as his form started to split into two. Once it was completed, Howard was reeling from the elation of finally being free of something. The darker version of Howard hissed, but couldn't move. He was seething with hatred at everything around him.

"I'm free...?" Howard blinked.

"As for you," she said to the darker version of Howard. "in order to keep to the Balance that all must obey, you are to replace him in the Biological Laboratory and carry out the vengeance of all humans you seek! However, there is a price for this freedom."

The hiss from the dark Howard was clear.  _What was the price?_ Keltin moved to check on Howard, as he finally sat up to stare at his darker self.

"Howard?" Keltin asked.

"Wait," Howard muttered. "I'm fine."

"When I finally come back to the Biological Laboratory, you will not attack me. You will keep other people from following me. I must help the others that were friends once. Furthermore, when you are sent back, you will tell the others what happened. You will have them protect the letters that were sent in the past. After I assist the others and leave, should we meet again after that, you may attack me as though you never knew me," Sarine's entity said.

The dark Howard liked the idea and nodded.  _I will assist her this once and do as she commanded._ There was a power that he sensed from the girl, and he would not argue with it. But, he understood what the entity was saying.  _After this one was helped, I will be free to attack her if I wanted to, should we meet again when this was done._ She turned to look at the new, lighter Howard and smiled with approval. The new entity had to speak out as though it was Sarine speaking to fool the darker Howard. Sarine's current body was not strong enough to hold off an attack, and she needed strong allies around her to assist, if needed. It was why the entity within her did not say who it was. Now that her attention was on the lighter Howard, she said, "Howard Alt-Eisen. You are free of your vengeance and now able to accompany me in a pet-like form. You may choose one clone to summon to assist you."

"One?" Howard asked, as he stood up. He looked at Keltin, and the Bongun shrugged. "May it be one at random for a short time? With the ability to re-summon should I need a specific one to suit my needs?"

"That sounds acceptable," Sarine's entity nodded. "It shall be done."

"Wait! Who are you?" Keltin asked quickly.

"You will find out in time," Sarine's entity whispered secretly with a smile. Looking to the two men, she frowned. The entity knew the Wizard was someone else completely, but it was not the right time to disclose the information.  _That would come forth in time when it was needed._   _Right now, the secret would be kept._  As it was, there were two others present that needed to be addressed, and she continued, "Malore Peterson. You shall remember nothing of this event. Blent Worthson. You shall report everything you see to your leader. But, remember this. I have had serious problems with Rogues and Thieves in the past. You MUST approach with caution in the future!"

Blent nodded, and Malore simply fainted. Howard didn't like the sound of her having issues with Rogues and Thieves. He'll want to know more, if he remembered to ask. After everything was done, the dark Howard vanished with his clones, and Sarine fell to the ground in a dead heap of unconsciousness.

"SARINE!" Howard and Keltin screamed as one. They both gathered her up and looked at each other with concern and mild jealousy.

"She's still breathing. It's like a deep sleep of sorts," Keltin frowned.

"Is she done training here?" Howard asked.

"Yes. She's ready to approach the Archer Guild again," Keltin responded.

"Let's go. Quickly!" Howard urged. A glance at the two men was given by Keltin. Blent saw one thing in the Bongun's eyes, and it sent a shiver down his spine.  _The Bongun would literally kill for her, if he had to, and the knowledge was plain as day._

"Be on your guard should we meet again. I would strongly advise that, if someone was sent for her, it should be one that we've never met before!" Keltin hissed out, as a Butterfly Wing was used. Blent could only nod, as the trio vanished, and he moved to wake up his unconscious friend with a nudge.

Back at the house, Angeling was busy talking to the others. When Sarine was carried in, an explosion of concerned questions started. Karla and Lloyd were both in shock at Howard's appearance, yet they knew he wouldn't hurt them. Keltin and Howard told how it happened and what happened as quickly as they could. Storm Caller rose up his trident, and the questions ceased for him to explain.

"So...Lord Odin's messenger, the raven, Huginn, is able to speak through her. He is the very one that branded her and gave her the Mark of Odin. It could also be that he is simply living inside her, as well, since he did merge down into the tattoo. I am sure that his brother, the other raven messenger, Muninn, may make an appearance soon. We shall have to watch for Muninn's appearance," Storm Caller mused.

"Is she going to be okay?" Karla asked. Lloyd moved up to Sarine and Healed her. He glanced up at Howard, but he felt no need to be afraid. A small groan came from Sarine, as she blinked her eyes open.

"I'm home?" she asked with wonder.

"Yes, Sarine. We're home," Keltin smiled.

"How-How?" she looked at Howard and reached for him to hug tight.

"I'm here. We have a lot of work to do, you know," Howard smiled and hugged her back. She hugged Keltin next and looked very happy to see them both.

"Kay!" she was ready to start. She was oblivious to what had happened, as that was the way youth tended to work. Distraction was a child's best friend right now. It was actually something else, but they wouldn't know until much later.

"We'll watch you become an Archer!" Lloyd said.

"Awww! I wanted to see you become an Acolyte!" Sarine pouted.

"Darned! If I knew, I would have waited!"

"It's okay, kids! Come on, Sarine," Howard said gently. Keltin laughed. He realized that Howard had to do this before when Sarine was an Archer.  _We'll likely be talking later on in the night after Sarine fully grew up, or later on, since she was growing swiftly with her training._  Walking to the Archer Guild was easy. They were in the same town as it, so it was just a short walk away. Howard agreed to stay outside, but he'd watch through a window. His appearance would raise some questions, and they weren't ready for that yet.

As Sarine walked in, the Guild Master raised his eyes.

"I know you! You were reborn, weren't you?" he asked.

"Yah!" Sarine grinned. Keltin bounced next to her calmly, as Karla and Lloyd watched.

"Well, that's enough for me. I bet Valhalla was nice, huh?" the Guild Master smiled. "Here is your new gear, but that's all I can really give you. I bet you'll be an awesome Archer like before! Just remember what we taught you, and you'll do very well!"

"Thank you!" Sarine said, as she put on the gear. It seemed to be a bit more advanced to show she was a reborn Archer. The one-piece heavy cloth jumpsuit was dyed pink instead of the usual blue. There was an armor piece strapped on over her heart with a vertical cross-wise belt. Heavy gloves would protect her hands from the sting of the bowstring for now. Grinning at Keltin and her friends, she walked out, and Howard scooped her up to hug her.

"Congratulations! Let's get you all training!" Howard said with a grin.

"You aren't going to wait at the house?" Keltin asked with a smile.

"Heck no! As if I would want to miss this most important position in her life? Never! Besides, I can't really leave her side. Storm Caller seems to be different, though," Howard said, careful to keep his language cool with the current kids.

"Thought so," Lloyd chuckled.

"Should be easy, huh?" Karla laughed. "Maybe we should find pets?"

"No need!" Angeling said, as it appeared with Deviling. "We are helping you!"

"Nice!" Lloyd grinned, as he pet Deviling between the wings. "You'd think that I'd partner with Angeling."

"Nah. It'll be fun to throw off the other humans!" Deviling gave a fanged smile. "Let's have some fun!"

"Where do we go?" Sarine asked in Howard's arms.

"Well, we could build up your bow skills and dexterity first around Prontera. We'll need to find a lot of Poporings," Howard said, as he thought aloud.

"Just head back to where you found me!" Angeling suggested with a grin.

"Good idea!" Keltin smiled. As they left, a lone Rogue appeared from the shadows along a wall. Removing the skill to Stalk, as he didn't think he would be seen, he moved stealthily to the house. As he tried to peer inside, Storm Caller came up to the window to approach him.

"You are not allowed entry!" he said, as he slammed down his trident. He purposely let the end of it rattle the walls. The man used his skill of Back Slide and gaped before remembering why he was truly there.  _I have a mission I need to accomplish._

"Wait! I'm here for the Vessel of Odin!" the Rogue stammered, as Ghostring appeared behind him. For some reason, it appeared to look a touch larger than it used to be and far more dangerous. Even when it summoned its Giant Whisper mob, they looked far more imposing.

"Then why did you sneak up to the house?!" Storm Caller questioned.

"I didn't know it was inhabited! Here! Show this to the Vessel when she comes back!" the Rogue hastily tossed a note on the ground to show he was being serious. "I was just going to enter the house and leave it on the table! I swear!"

Storm Caller watched him carefully and looked into his eyes.

"Very well. You speak the truth. Now leave here!" the Strouf ordered. Ghostring let him leave and hovered over the note. Storm Caller picked it up and read it silently before saying, "We will have guests tonight. Let us prepare the house, shall we?"

Ghostring gave an affirmative sigh and vanished with its mob. _The Cat Hand Guild leader, himself, was coming to visit._ Storm Caller also knew that Sarine would be fully grown by tonight with how fast her training was going to go.  _This would be an interesting night._


	9. Chapter 9

Once Sarine was strong enough from killing Poporings, some Fire Arrows were purchased. When she asked why, Howard smiled gently and said, "Well, big sis, Cecil, hunted these plants called Geographers. They sprout like weeds outside of Einbroch city. Remember?"

He was actually enjoying himself, as he watched her grow up again. It brought back a lot of memories that touched his soul all over and warmed his heart. Keltin was watching everything with a relished joy.

"Oh, yah!" Sarine nodded. Lloyd and Karla were enjoying the company of their monster friends. Training went fast, though slow, since it was the three of them working together. The three of them grew quickly, as they trained. The blessing of Valkyrie to the reborn was extremely potent. Lloyd would make some extra money charging for his buffing services to others, if they were rude. If they were polite, he would simply cast Bless and Agility on them to be done with it. Karla sold all of their loot that she stored in her cart. She couldn't wait to finish training to become the next level in her class. As a Creator, she would be of greater value from the bombs and healing potions she would make. Then she would be a very formidable person. Lloyd would be able to help them out even further when he was able to kill off hordes of evil monsters in the undead realms.

When they entered the city of Einbroch, Howard paused, as a rush of memories hit him. With a smile, he explained that this was the city that he became a Blacksmith at. He showed them the sights and ignored the strange looks that people gave him. Even the points and stares at Angeling and Deviling were ignored. Finally, a young man approached them demanding to know how such strong monsters were allied to Sarine and her group.

"We wanted to join her," Angeling said with a smile.

"She makes me feel so happy that I don't want to kill you!" Deviling grinned.

"Sarine is the one that makes me feel human again. Don't hurt her," Howard warned. He turned his ghostly, misting back on the young man and followed Sarine to the northern exit of town. The young man was in shock at how intelligent the monsters were and quickly ran to tell anyone that would listen to him.

"She has enough Fire Arrows?" Keltin asked.

"Yes. And she has the first bow she used for this place," Howard said with a smile. It was the specialized bow designed to specifically kill the plants around Einbroch. It was the same bow that she showed Keltin when he had asked about her past. As they were leaving, a Rogue appeared in front of them. This one was a woman, and, instead of jean pants, she had on jean shorts with fishnet tights and high heels.

"I mean you no harm," the Rogue girl said. "Take these and use them. They will help you out with your training."

Sarine blinked and looked at Howard. He shrugged and took the strange books from the Rogue girl. When she vanished to Stalk off, he took a closer look at them. He stammered.

"How did they get these?!" Howard asked.  _The books revealed how to boost their training skills to new heights._

"They'll be used when the time is right. Come on!" Keltin grinned.  _There were six books given to us. It would be plenty for them all to work with._ On stepping out into the field, other adventurers paused in shock at the group. Deviling and Angeling shouted with glee, as they started to attack everything in sight. Howard took out his massive, red axe and started to uproot the biting plants quickly. Keltin protected Sarine and helped her attack whatever she was attacking. Several times, adventurers tried to attack the monsters in Sarine's group with no success. They were pet-like, as Valkyrie said they would be.

When the kids felt that they were training harder than normal, the books were given to them. It upped their knowledge of fighting drastically to a point that it became easier again. After a couple hours went by, more adventurers came out of town to train. On seeing the strong monsters, they decided to try their luck against them.

"Stupid!" Angeling grinned, as it constantly dodged the attacks from other people by casting the spell of Safety Wall on itself.

"That tickles!" Deviling laughed, as arrows bounced off it.

"Will you just leave us alone?!" Howard snarled. He really wanted to knock the teeth out of the people attacking him, but he forced his control to keep calm.

"Hey!" Sarine said shrilly, as another killed the plant she was trying to kill. At her shrill cry, Howard glanced over with a growl of protection. A simple 'sorry' was given before it happened again! She pouted and frowned at this.

"Leave her alone!" Keltin snapped at the imposing male Archer.

"What? Why should I? She's hogging all the plants with you stupid monsters!" the Archer pouted. "We don't have a chance to kill them! You monsters shouldn't even be here!"

"What did he say?!" Deviling paused and looked at the Archer.

"He called us stupid!" Angeling hissed.

"Oooh! That makes me so mad!" Deviling bounced with anger.

"We should find Arch-Angeling! Then a lesson will be taught!" Angeling growled.

"That's a good idea! Let's find Arch-Angeling! We'll be right baaaack!" Deviling sang out and bounced off with Angeling. Normally, they would be bound to Sarine and unable to go very far. However, Valkyrie accepted their search for the elusive Arch-Angeling and released them momentarily from Sarine's presence. She was paying very close attention to her while she was growing up. The Archer paled and ran off to the safety of the town.

"Are they really going to find Arch-Angeling?" Keltin asked Howard.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did," Howard admitted. "Since the idiot's gone, keep her training. I'll be on lookout."

Keltin nodded and continued to help Sarine. When she felt she had trained as far as she could go, Angeling and Deviling appeared with another in tow. It was another Poring-type monster that was light blue with wings and a halo. And it looked even more mad than ever. On seeing Sarine, though, it paused before bouncing over to her to snuggle her.

"It  _IS_  the Vessel of Odin! Oh, thank goodness you're safe! Don't worry! I'm here now!" Arch-Angeling said with excitement. "Who picked on you?! I'll teach that human a lesson! Lemme at 'em!"

"It's okay now!" Sarine laughed and petted the top of its head under the halo. "Come on! I get to become a Sniper now!"

"And I'll be a Creator!" Karla said.

"I'm gonna become a High Priest!" Lloyd said.

"You two are okay," Arch-Angeling said, as it studied Sarine's friends.

"You would be better to help protect her home for now. If something happens to her, we can call on you," Keltin advised.

"Hmm. Yeah, I can do that. I'll get to you if anything happens!" it agreed. It Teleported away after accepting another pat on the top of its head.

"Arch-Angelings are very rare to find," Howard said with amusement. "I doubt that anyone would want to pick on you now!"

"Better not!" Angeling said with a grin.

"We'll squash them!" Deviling said with glee. As they were walking back into Einbroch, a small force of guards stopped them.

"What's going on?!" Keltin asked. One of the guards seemed surprised at the question.  _Pets weren't supposed to talk unless spoken to._

"We can't let you in for the safety of the town!" the squad leader barked out.

"Ridiculous!" Howard said with disbelief. "We have hurt no one!"

"Not yet you haven't!" the squad leader huffed.

"Let the Vessel of Odin into the city!" Angeling demanded.

"You'd better dooooo it, or Valkyrie will get maaaaaad!" Deviling sang out gleefully. The guards stammered, but the squad leader was determined.

"Hah! No such thing!" he taunted. At this, Sarine turned around and pulled her hair away from her neck. When the tattoo of the raven was shown, the guards stammered again and dropped their weapons quickly, as they knelt to the ground. They were all honorable by doing this. Only the squad leader held his composure to prove how tough he was.

"It's a fake! Anyone could do that!" he said. Then Sarine started to cry out with a sharp whimper. Howard's mouth dropped at her cry and went over to her. He easily ignored everything else around him. The moment Sarine showed any form of discomfort, he had to help her.

"It burns! Make it stop burning!" she cried out, as she started to rub the Mark. Lloyd tried to Heal her with no effect. Karla started to rummage through her cart for something that could help her, but couldn't find anything that would work.

"Sarine!" Howard said with concern. Keltin stopped and looked up at the sky. At his upwards gaze, the others looked up at once. Valkyrie descended from Valhalla to hover over Sarine. When she appeared, the burning sensation that Sarine had gotten faded away. Now Valkyrie glared at the humans blocking the path into the city. At her descent, every person within the city quickly flocked to the small gathering.

"My Lord Odin has decreed for me to protect this one and to prove her status at all times! This is the Vessel of Odin! Who dares to say that she is not?!" Valkyrie demanded. All of the guards in the squad pointed at their stunned leader.

"I...I didn't know!" he stuttered.

"She showed you the Mark, did she not?!" Valkyrie brandished her trident.

"Well, y-yes, but..."

"But nothing!" Valkyrie shrieked, as a freak storm started to close in. A small tug on her armored skirt brought her angry gaze down to Sarine.

"He knows now. Please don't hurt anyone," Sarine said with a form of sadness in her eyes. "Everyone is going to question me, you know. All you have to do is prove I am who I am, right? No need for a fight or needless violence."

The guards were silent at this gentle plea for forgiveness. Keltin stood with Howard silently. Angeling and Deviling bounced silently in front of Lloyd and Karla. Seeming to nod, Valkyrie withdrew her trident, and the storms ceased.

"You are wise beyond your years. Very well. My anger will be pulled back. For now," Valkyrie's voice rang out. "Know this! The Vessel of Odin has spared your lives! Do not doubt her! She is going to be your Savior and has proved it this day!"

At first there was silence. Then a small cheering started before it became a deafening roar of approval. Valkyrie floated silently, as she looked at the other two humans with Sarine.

"So, you both are companions to her? Hmm. You are both very honorable. Very well!" Valkyrie rose up her trident and blessed both Lloyd and Karla. "Lloyd Fennel. You are now gifted with the ability to give a far more powerful Heal and bestow your powers twice as long as others! Karla Dantor. You now have the ability to concoct your potions faster than any other and do twice as much damage and healing with your potions! You three are ready to come back to Valhalla. I shall bring you there, and thus you shall return here!"

Lloyd and Karla were in complete shock at the blessings and were in even more shock when they found themselves in Valhalla with Sarine. Howard gaped in amazement at the place and watched Sarine with pride. Keltin had been here before, but it would always make him feel pride to be in the very place he was training to be a Warrior of Odin for. Howard was already transcended, but it was all forced from Lighthalzen. He was actually injected with something that forced the change and never got to see this place. Even Angeling and Deviling were surprised at where they were and had their eyes lowered with complete respect.

Once again, Sarine felt like she had returned home, and the feeling still puzzled her. She shivered and pushed the sensation aside for now. Sarine, Karla, and Lloyd went to their respective Warriors, agreed to the vows to use their new skills for good, and received their new garments to show they were now fully transcended. With their new skills and bodies given to them, Valkyrie made good on her word and Warped them back to where they were in Einbroch. The entrance to the city was now opened, and a cheering crowd led them in.

"Now there is too much publicity!" Sarine sighed, as she straightened out her new fur-lined vest and shorts. Making sure the zipper on the top was all the way up, she sighed, as it still seemed to strain against her chest much like her old Hunter top did. A small blink came from her, as Howard gave her the Rudra bow that she was keeping safe.

"It's time to use it, right?" he grinned. She smiled warmly, and her new beauty took his breath away. Keltin cleared his throat, and Howard scowled. They were going to have to have a chat with each other soon. Keltin was her husband. Howard was supposed to have been her husband, but he was torn away from her. Something was going to have to give, and they both knew it. They didn't want to start a scene in front of her.

"Later," Keltin said with a forced smile. A sharp nod from Howard was given back, and their demeanors returned to neutrality. They would need to start planning on having Sarine start looking for various strong monsters. The Kafra Agent sent them back to Payon free of charge. Once there, Sarine looked up at the sky. The messenger raven, Muninn, descended from the heavens and gave a sharp cry, as he transformed into a powerful falcon to assist her. The traditional advanced falcon headgear was now on his head, and a red scarf was looped around his neck to show he was a falcon assisting a Sniper. He appeared to be twice as large as any other falcon known in existence due to his status. She raised her brows with surprise, but she laughed when the new falcon landed on both of her shoulders rather possessively. He bobbed his head at her and warbled happily. He was clearly relieved to find her and able to assist her now.

"Now Odin will know everything that happens!" Keltin gave a small groan.

"As it should be!" Storm Caller said, as he welcomed them into the house. "A small island has been found and secured. A house is already on it, and we can go there when you are ready. A Kafra Agent has taken up a small residence there to assist us. I heard about what happened in Einbroch. The Kafra Corporation takes news like this very seriously, and it will not take long for this house to become overwhelmed with fanatics wanting to meet the Vessel of Odin. While we are away from here, defensive measures will be set up to keep anyone, or anything, from breaking in. I have requested that the island remain discreet, and the Kafra Agent taking up residence there has agreed."

"Oh, dear!" Sarine said, as she put a hand to her mouth. "I don't want to be swarmed by others! Yes, we will need to leave immediately, then."

Keltin couldn't stop staring at her, and Howard was no better. She had developed into a stunning beauty, thanks to Valhalla's transcendence and Odin's Mark. It was as though her true body was given to her. Her brown-blond hair, once straight, now had a voluptuous, curly streak through it making it fuller and added more character to her. Her eyes still held her dark lashes, but seemed more sultry in depth and clarity. Her eyebrows, once a touch thick, were now slender lines to add more definition to her looks. Even her soft, dark brown eyes had faint flecks of gold and green within them reminding one of a tigers' eye gemstone. Her lips were full and lost a bit of the frown to them to become far more seductive when she smiled. A faint, natural blush stained her cheeks to highlight her face even more.

Her skin was now a creamy, pale brown with a perfect tan. Her figure still held the simple curves she had before, but was now lean, toned, and perfectly formed. She was a touch taller, since her legs were even lengthened to accentuate her body. She now had a super model quality figure benefiting the Vessel of Odin status. Women were going to be jealous of her. Men were going to want her. Keltin and Howard glared at each other again, but wouldn't do anything now. The time was coming for a confrontation soon.

Lloyd walked into the room and seemed to pause at the sight of Sarine, as though seeing her truly for the first time. Then he saw how Keltin and Howard were staring at each other. _One could only feel the sparks of jealousy fly!_  Clearing his throat, the three of them looked at him. He blinked and regained his composure, as she looked at him.

"I suggest we start training to get used to our new skills. Sound good to everyone?" he said slowly so that it would sink in.

"Of course!" Sarine said. Even her voice was now a charming, dulcet tone that could easily spark the fire of any man that heard her. It was quite a contrast from the cute voice she had earlier in the day from her transcendence.

"I am so grateful that she is not a Dancer!" Howard grunted.

"Ehm...I'm not going to comment on that," Keltin muttered back.

"We have everything ready to move. I will keep a watch on this house to ensure its safety. This is our home, too, should we be needed in the main land," Storm Caller said. With a nod, Sarine moved to walk into the main room. The three males watched her leave the room, and they seemed to cough. Storm Caller just gave a short chuckle, as he moved into the same room with Sarine and the others. He was clearly immune to her.

"Is everyone here?" Sarine asked, as the group gathered. At their nods, Storm Caller moved to the center of the room to show where he needed to be. He gestured to the others on where to stand around him.

"We are ready, Valkyrie," Storm Caller said. A circle appeared around him, and everyone moved into the transportation circle. Valkyrie materialized in the air above them.

"This circle will remain intact and will only work for the Vessel of Odin and her companions. Once this Warp circle is complete, I will no longer be needed to make it function again," Valkyrie said. They all nodded. Within seconds, a white light enveloped them all, and they vanished to the island home.

It was a good ten miles around and had various environments for the monsters that would need it. Arch-Angeling was already making territories, as were the water monsters. Sarine was impressed with the house.  _It was almost like a mansion._  There were plenty of rooms for those that liked to live indoors. The Kafra Agent had stationed herself in the main hallway with a bedroom just beyond it. Apparently, the Kafra Corporation needed to be everywhere possible.

"This place is perfect! There's even a flower garden in the back! How lovely!" Sarine said, as she gazed out the window. Keltin and Howard glared at each other again, but stopped when she hugged them both.

"Sorry, Sarine," Keltin sighed, and she smiled softly at him. At Howard's apologetic gaze, she just gave a loving smile back at him.

"I love you both so much!" she said and planted a kiss on each of them. Keltin was kissed first before Howard, but that didn't matter. What did make him and Howard pause was the sensation that they fit with her. That they belonged with her. It was something they didn't experience before, and they refocused quickly when she said, "Don't fight over me! Please don't! I'm sure that we can work something out. Can't we?"

"Were we that obvious?" Howard sighed.

"I wouldn't have needed for anyone else to tell me what was going on with the way you two glare at each other now!" she joked. Keltin just pulled her close to hug her tightly before letting Howard do the same.

"We will need to figure out when to get the others," Howard said.

"We will get them when I am strong enough," she nodded.

"Oh, Vessel of Odin, I had forgotten to tell you. The leader of the Cat Hand Rogue Guild wanted to have a word with you tonight," Storm Caller said, as he approached her.

"Really? We should head back now, then," she nodded.

"I'm going with you!" Arch-Angeling said.

"And we want special names!" Angeling said.

"Yeah! We want names!" Deviling bounced over and looked up at her.

"Okay!" she laughed and sighed. "Names will be given when we get back."

"Fine!" Deviling said, as it bounced away.

Howard pulled Sarine towards him to hug her tightly.

"I guess you are coming, too?" she asked demurely.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," he chuckled.

"You and me both!" Keltin smirked.

"Name me!" Arch-Angeling demanded.

"All right! Since you are coming with us, it would seem proper. You will be named Justice," she said. "Will that work?"

"Justice. I like it!" Justice said, as it bounced. "I am the one that kicks the butt of anything that will harm you!"

They all laughed, and Keltin thought of names for Angeling and Deviling.

"Defender for Angeling, and Vengeance for Deviling. What do you think?" he asked, as Sarine hugged him.

"I like it!" she agreed.

"I do, too!" Angeling said. Defender bounced off to give Deviling its new name, and she was Warped back to the house in Payon with Keltin, Howard, Justice, and Storm Caller. Setting up some tea and cakes on the table, it wasn't long for a knock to be heard on the door.

"I got it," Howard grinned, and he purposely Berserked himself to show a bit of force. As the red lightning sparked off his ghostly form, he even summoned a clone to help him. The clone that showed up was that of Eremes. A grin was given, as the clone Cloaked to surprise attack, if needed.  _It was perfect._ When the door opened, the leader of the Cat Hand Guild dropped his mouth in surprise for just a moment. When the leader was still speechless, Howard gave a grunt of irritation and asked, "Yes?"

"I am here to see this 'Vessel of Odin'," the leader grounded out.

"And what is your name?" Howard grounded out evenly, as he glared at the rugged faced man. The Rogue was actually a Stalker. His transcendence showed that he was exceptionally powerful. His upper vest was a fur-lined purple tunic instead of the red tunic, and he wore brown pants instead of jeans with an overlay of the same purple fur-lined cloth. The overlay on his pants resembled the bottom half of a robe that was opened in the front to reveal his legs. He had an odd touch of a cat-like appearance to him with his movements. He was built to be hard as rock and even more so.

"My name? It's Ripclaw," the man grunted. Howard narrowed his eyes and reached for his axe, but Sarine's gentle touch on his shoulder calmed him. Moving to press herself against Howard's side a bit provocatively, she moved her body under his arm neatly and pressed her head against his chest. He tensed at the feel of her body against his, and he just barely forced down his want of her.

"Let him in, please," she said with a smile. Howard managed to grin before he nodded and let her move from him. Ripclaw let his eyes appraise her form silently. Keltin didn't like it. Howard was too busy watching the other Rogues, and he failed to notice the glance. If he did notice, it wouldn't have ended well. She moved gracefully with a single fluid motion and settled herself down in a chair, draping herself over it cautiously.

"So, you are the Vessel?" he asked, as several of his guards walked in with him. They eyed Justice, as it bounced and stared at them. Jumping into her lap, it settled itself protectively there. Keltin could only grin now. Howard was simply watching the Rogues and waiting for any of them to try something.

"Yes. What of it?" she asked evenly. Her dislike and mistrust of Thieves and Rogues showed here and now. She would talk to Ripclaw, as he was a Stalker, and would show him a sense of neutrality. That much was clear. To further prove who she was, she pulled her hair back and showed them the Mark of Odin that was tattooed to the back of her neck. It brought small gasps from the other Rogues, as she proved her status. With that done, she flipped her hair back neatly and settled back in the chair. Ripclaw's demeanor changed instantly.

"I apologize if any members of my Guild tried to harm you in the past," he started.

"Save your speeches, please. Just tell me what you need. I'm going to be very busy soon, as it is," she said with a mild touch of annoyance.

"I trust my agent gave you the books?"

"As you can see, she did. And you have my thanks."

"Good. Well, the reason I'm here is that, long ago, my Guild swore an oath to uphold the Order of Odin. We have been waiting for one like yourself to finally come along so that we may safeguard you from the shadows and help defend you should something go wrong."

"Well, as you can clearly tell, I have not had such good luck with Rogues and Thieves in the past. You would have been better off letting one of your Thieves become an Assassin in order to get close."

"Yes, and, as much as I want to change the past, I can't."

"Shouldn't we all wish for such things?" she murmured softly. Justice snickered in her lap. Howard gave a twitch of a grin.

"True. However, I do feel partly responsible, since Blent was a part of my Guild and caused a good portion of the mistrust. He is currently under surveillance and is on a temporary leave. I shall ensure that what he pulled will never happen again."

"It was not just him. However, please do thank Blent for freeing Howard Alt-Eisen from a place that trapped him for a long time. It has made things a touch easier for me," she said, as she looked at Howard, and they shared a gentle smile between them that made Ripclaw's brows rise with a touch of surprise. Keltin smiled, as well, as he watched the other Rogues. Looking back at Ripclaw, she continued. "There were other Rogues and Thieves that I had encountered in various forests from before. All of them would try to grab at me or insult me. If it wasn't for Keltin, I would have likely been much worse off."

She seemed to go quiet now to let this information reflect on them. Howard had returned to watching the others, but swerved his gaze right back to her from what she said and then to Keltin who confirmed what was said. Now he was a touch pissed off, and it was starting to show. He remembered that it was mentioned back on Poring Island when he was first summoned. He would want more explanations later on.

"Hmm," Ripclaw thought.  _This was a very delicate situation now._  The tables were turning against him very quickly. "I can track down these cretins and give them the justice you deserve? To gain a portion of your favor?"

"Why do you need my favor?" she asked lightly. Howard started to smile slightly, as she was showing a bit of an edge now.  _That usually meant that she didn't like them at all even more._

"Well, there is a war coming. We need to ally with you to not only defend you, but each other, too. We need to work together."

"A war?" she frowned and looked at Storm Caller, as he moved to her side.

"He is correct, Vessel of Odin. A very ancient war where both humans and monsters are threatened. We will all need to join forces at one point or another. But, I feel it is not quite that time yet," Storm Caller explained. The Rogues seemed a bit surprised that a monster could speak so clearly.

"Very well. When the time comes, I do hope that we can call each other friends," Ripclaw nodded, as he rose to leave.

"Just so you know, Ripclaw," Sarine started, her voice a bit breathy to deliberately catch his attention. Both Keltin and Howard tensed at the sound of it. "If ANY Rogues or Thieves from this point forward, whether a part of your Guild or not, try to cause harm to me..."

"Yes?" he asked. He paused at the doorway for her to finish speaking.

"I will see that they are 'taken care of' in my own way," her eyes darkened just a touch to show that she was serious. "I don't like Thieves or Rogues. It is rare that I find a Thief that is able to show any form of kindness, and they tend to become Assassins. Do not cross me. Ever."

Howard was grinning from ear to ear now. He could sense his invisible summoned clone standing right behind the Guild leader, should something go wrong.

"Understood!" Ripclaw nodded. Without another word, they were gone.

"Want them followed?" Howard asked.

"If possible, yes. I want to make sure they are leaving me alone for now," Sarine nodded, as she spoke. Keltin went up to her to hug her, as Howard's cloned helper followed the Rogues easily. It got as far as the Kafra Agent to watch them leave before reporting back. Then the clone vanished, as well.

"Back to the island?" Storm Caller asked.

"Yes, please," she said, as she got up, still holding Justice. Within moments, the house was safeguarded against break-ins, and they were Warped to the island home. She felt safer here, and her friends were there to greet her. Letting Justice bounce off in its happy way, she told them how it went, and they laughed at how she reacted in the end.

"Wow. Ripclaw. He's actually legendary for not fearing anything," Karla said.

"We trained a bit while you were gone. Karla needed to bring out Luna again," Lloyd said. A smile returned to Sarine's face at the sight of Luna, and she gave the Homunculus a hug. She was starting to feel even more at home now.

"All right, I think I need some rest. I'll see you all in the morning!" she smiled and went up the stairs. Howard and Keltin looked at each other before trying to keep each other from racing up the stairs.


	10. Chapter 10

In the bedroom, they both paused at the sight of her reclining on the bed. Her body was still confined in her tight, fur-lined leathers. She looked over at the two beings that she loved most in her life. Stretching out on the bed, she sighed.

"I think it would only be fair to wait until I am properly married. Don't you think?" she said, as she thought aloud. "I am rather pure right now. Surely you both understand?"

"But, I'm your husband!" Keltin argued.

"True. But, I want to give Howard a chance. I know there is a way for him to become human again. I think it lies with Valkyrie's Sister in the fields of Odin's Temple. I want to do this. I want to wait. Can you both wait with me?"

"Damn it, Sarine! You are going to kill us both!" Howard sighed and seemed to glare at Keltin. "I only had her for one night before I got pulled away from her! I can only imagine how many times you've had her before she transcended!"

"Hey! That's not fair!" Keltin frowned.

"Boys! Please!" she frowned and sighed. "I think I need to sleep alone."

"NO!" they both responded at once. Howard knew she may still have nightmares, and Keltin simply didn't want her to sleep alone.

"At least sleep between us," Howard said.

"We'll wait until you are ready," Keltin added.

"Even if it's until I get to marry you," Howard sighed.

"But, won't it seem awkward to be married to two men?" Keltin asked.

"Well..." Sarine said with a sigh. "I'd rather love two men than none at all. Does that make sense? I just feel that you both are meant to be with me."

"We'll be at a constant conflict for your attention," Howard frowned.

"I have enough for both of you. Please, just work with me on this? Please?" she pleaded with them gently. "I do love you both!"

"I will wait for you," Howard relented.

"Same here," Keltin grumbled.

"Thank you. Now, who wants to be my pillow?" she smiled with a teasing gleam in her eye. Keltin and Howard looked at each other.

"Me!" Howard said first.

"Damn it!" Keltin swore and took the left side of the massive bed. Howard took the right side, and Sarine snuggled between them. It didn't take long for her to start breathing evenly in the form of sleep. It was when they started talking that her consciousness was roused just enough to listen in.

"She was really tired," Howard mused. He moved his somewhat solid, ghostly hand through her hair. "A lot happened for her today. She'll be better in the morning."

"It looks like you've done this before," Keltin said, as he watched him.

"Well, when she was an Archer, we would have to sleep out in the forests. Easier to hunt and train that way. She was so young at the time, you know? So, she would sleep snuggled like this against me, and sometimes Seyren or Eremes would rest like you are next to her. Sometimes with a blanket draped over us to help. It was mainly to keep her warm on those cold nights. Rooms were expensive at times with a big group of people. It was easier to sleep outdoors. It was definitely cheaper and a lot more fun."

"Yeah, she always preferred to sleep outside rather than inside," Keltin agreed, since that was what happened when he first got with Sarine. "You really did think of her as a form of family, didn't you?"

"Well, I saw her as my soul mate. An extension of myself. The moment I saw her curled up in that frightened little ball and beaten up by those...those..." he swallowed and took a deep breath to release the anger that started to build. After that, he let his head recline back before looking at Keltin again. Swallowing hard again, he said, "Anyways, when I hugged her that first time, I just knew that she was destined for me. I never thought of wanting to be with another until I saw her. There was just no reason to think of other women. I kept myself busy with my trade. I knew I was older than her, but I didn't care. I just knew she was for me."

"When did the others realize it?"

"The moment I hugged her to me, they knew. I never did that with anyone else."

"What was your past like, and how did you meet the others?"

"All that? Heh. You have a while?" Howard mused with a chuckle.

"All night, Howard. Take your time and spare no minor details! I want to know everything you can tell me. And why do you have green hair?"

"Hah! My hair? Fair enough. I, myself, had a pretty hard childhood and became a Merchant to not only make more money, but to know that, should something happen, I would have enough money to pull myself out of a bind. As for my hair? It's a family trait from my Father's side. Or a family joke, I should say. Father was the one that said our hair was the color of money and that's why real Merchants have green hair. Go figure, eh?

"Anyways, my family was derived of Merchants, so it seemed only natural for me to become one. My funding became the bread and butter of the family, since I did so well, and that was how we all managed to survive. When they tried to use me and steal from me, I couldn't have that anymore. If there was one thing I hated more than anything, it was swindling! So, I became a Blacksmith, announced I was going to see the world, possibly become famous, and maybe come back. Never went back there ever since, and I doubt I ever will. Last I heard of them, they still live to this day in the same town, and they keep boasting and bragging how I was going to come back and make them all rich. I even made my axe by myself, and they wanted me to sell it to make money for them! Until they realize what they've done to me, I refuse to step one foot back in that house.

"As to how I met the others, well, here it goes. You could say that I was the very first one of the group. I met Seyren first in Izlude. I had just learned how to repair weapons, and he had a broken sword. I fixed it, and we got along fairly well. After that, we just decided to travel together. We both had awkward backgrounds. He came from a poor, yet noble born family. His family wanted him to take the path of the Crusader. He wanted more adventure and chose that of the Knight. His family was appalled, and he didn't care. We traveled together for a good month and were like brothers. Still are to this day, actually. You'll see when we free him.

"It wasn't long after that when we met Cecil in Einbroch. She was training in the very Geographer fields that Sarine trained in earlier today. She ran out of arrows and bought some stuff off me. Seyren took a liking to her, but realized it was more of a family liking. I saw her as a sister, too. In the end, we just hooked up and made an awesome team. Her background was much like ours. She had a bad childhood and wanted to make a difference in the lives of others to encourage them to follow their dreams. It was what she did when she stepped out of her house and made her way into the world we all live in."

"Sounds fascinating," Keltin grinned. Howard laughed and sighed.

"After that, it was a few months later that we ran into Margaretha in Prontera. She had just become a Priestess and was looking for a good group to travel with. We hit it off with her very well and learned that she actually had an exceptionally good family life. She just didn't like the arranged marriage they tried to give her. The guy was a creep! She became a Priestess, since that was what her heart longed for. She didn't want to be married just yet. She felt that she had a much higher calling then. So, we took her into our little family fold and beat up the guy when he tried to claim her. It was fun!"

"I wanted to kick the crap out of Ripclaw for looking Sarine over."

"He did?!"

"Yep."

"I'll mess him up the next time I see him!"

"Nah. Let him throw the first punch so we can finish it off! So, who did you meet next?"

"That would be Kathryne. She was a royal pain in the ass, if you tried to think that you were better than anyone else. She hated it. Caused too much pride and lack of focus. It was mainly why she left her family. Nothing but snobs with nothing good to say about others. When we first met her in Geffen, she and Seyren had an argument that would have made the dead rise up from their graves to tell them to shut up!

"I found it funny as hell and made no efforts to keep myself quiet. At first, Kathryne ignored us, because of Seyren. Then she started talking to Cecil and Margaretha. After learning Seyren's true nature, which was complete loyalty and humbleness underneath the brash overlay, she decided to join us. Took her a week to really decide, since she kept bumping into us in Geffen. Of course, Seyren was against it, naturally, but the rest of us got the better of him. After a while, he found out she really wasn't so bad when he curbed his attitude around her."

"Which leaves Eremes?"

"Yes. Eremes. We found him drinking in a bar alone in Morroc. He had just finished a mission and was celebrating by himself. At least we think it was celebrating. Or he was trying to forget something. It was one of the two, since he was drinking so much, from what we figured. Anyways, we got him a couple more drinks to share with him to show we appreciated hard work and effort. That was when he started to learn about us and us of him. We learned from him that he came from a bit of a slummy area in Morroc and became a Thief to survive. When he learned that he could become an Assassin, he went that route, as it seemed to call to him. It was odd, since, well, I honestly don't know much about his past. He always kept it to himself and only told us what we needed to know, in a way.

"We started talking even more, us more than him, since he's a naturally quiet man, and he actually talked us into letting him join up. It was rather funny, now that I think about it. He was so quiet afterwards, but we always knew we could count on him no matter what the situation was. He was, and is, a very valuable friend and a rare person to boot. It was also his quiet determination that pulled us through when the times got rough. In many ways, he was the silent rock of cement that we needed."

"So, he was like a mediator at times?"

"At times, yes. He was the one that just agreed and yet disagreed with everything and everyone. Most of the time, he was an emotionless killer of monsters and people he didn't like. He could be a rather scary man, if you crossed him! But, when we all saw Sarine..."

"When you saw her? How did that come around?"

"I'm sure she told you how we all met at Geffen, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Here is how we met from my point of view. I've been with the others for a good few months. Almost a year, if I remember it right. All of us had horrific pasts and improved on them. We all had that in common. Margaretha suggested we head back to Geffen, since she needed more bottles. As to why Geffen, no idea. We could have gotten bottles anywhere. Anyways, we all agree, since we're bored as hell. That's when we learned of the rewards being offered for the monsters living under the tower. Not bad, we can make some money, right? So, we walk into the tower and down the first set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, the first thing I hear is talking and whimpering. That never makes me feel right. And this whimpering it just...it tore at me, you know?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay, so you and I are on the same page. Anyways, I walk forward first and find these three men beating up on a small Archer. An Archer! It was an older Mage, an older Swordsman, and an older Merchant. They looked like they were almost ready to advance themselves. But, it was just the fact that they were picking on her with no shame! She was just fourteen years old, too! Course, I learned that later, but that's beside the point. The others didn't feel comfortable with it, either. Now that I think about it, Eremes seemed to be the most pissed off. It was like he was ready to kill them!

"So, I did the first thing I could think of. I pulled out my axe and confronted them. I yelled at them that if they wanted to fight someone then to fight me. When they saw the others ready to fight, too, they backed off and ran. Of course, Seyren chased them a short distance, and Kathryne shot a Jupitel Thunder ball at them. And Margaretha cast Silence on them. And Eremes stalked them until they were gone, but Cecil was the only one that acted like she didn't mind what was going on. It...unsettled me somehow. So, she wanted to move on, but I didn't."

"Why did Cecil not like Sarine?"

"I think it was because she was another bow user. Sometimes, they can get touchy like that. Territorial or something. Likely thought she was going to be replaced."

"Makes sense."

"But, when I got close to Sarine and heard her crying...I saw how they hurt her, and I just...they were lucky that I didn't turn around and kill them while I still had the chance!"

"Well, if we ever see them, I'll help you out!"

"Thanks! I'll remember that! Anyways, she was whimpering and crying. I didn't know what else to do, and she was afraid of me after what happened. She was afraid of everyone. That was when I realized that I was able to feel her emotions. No one else has ever had this effect on me. Her fear was so bad that it started to affect me! So, I dropped my axe, I fell to my knees, and held out my arms to her."

"Like you did when you saw her after all this time."

"Yes. Exactly like that. So, she seemed to give out this whimpering cry, crawled into my arms, and I hugged her close. I told her she was safe and that nothing was going to hurt her anymore. It was right then and there that I knew she was to be with me. That's when Cecil realized that it wasn't just because Sarine was an Archer that I stopped. It was because I had fallen in love with her. This poor, pathetic, beaten up Archer girl had stolen my heart faster than I could think! The others understood this, too.

"But, just to let this out in the open, I don't know why, but Sarine felt so...light at the time. And she looked a lot thinner than most of the girls I had seen on the road. It...did scare me a little, and I had resolved to put some weight on her as quickly as I could. I just thought that she was so new to adventuring that she was forgetting to eat! So, after Margaretha Healed her, and after she gained confidence in us, she joined us."

"I thought only six people could join up at once?"

"I don't know how, but she fit right in. It was as though she was an extension of me, and the others knew it. She told us how her background was with parents that didn't approve of her. Hardly wanted anything to do with her and the like. Just wanted her married off, and she fought them before running away. She was a misfit like the rest of us. And, on top of it all, it was just the fact that she held so much passion for everything that she did! We all saw her as an extension of ourselves. And...when we were approved for the experiment and she wasn't...it killed us all inside. It felt as though something was purposely keeping her safe from it. On top of that, we always worried about her day after day when she was forced to leave us."

"You think it was Odin protecting her?"

"It's possible at this point."

"There is something else I wanted to ask you."

"Ask away!"

"I think I've heard the name Margaretha before from the Prontera Church. Some adventurers were talking about her, and I overheard when they were in the Payon caves," Keltin started and glanced at Howard, as he chuckled. "All right. Spill it!"

"Ha-ha! You know the skill called Redemptio?"

"Yes."

"She was the one that discovered it when she used it on all of us when we died! She sacrificed herself, brought us back, and we used a Yggdrasil leaf on her to bring her back. That was when we got swarmed in Glast Heim. You have to love those Abysmal Knights!"

"Wow," Keltin said. "You've seen quite a bit, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I have. Now, what about yourself?" Howard asked with a grin.

"Oh, you don't want to know about my life!"

"Come on! If we're going to be close buddies, because of Sarine, then it's only fair. I told you about me, now it's your turn!"

"It's almost dawn. Are you sure?"

"Why not?"

"Gah! All right, fine!" he sighed, and Howard grinned. "Of course, my full name is Keltin Tao. I was born a little over fifty years ago around dawn. I died when I was eighteen. I was a very powerful warrior Monk once, and I have regained those skills thanks to Valkyrie and Sarine. Being a devout Warrior of Odin was something I had always dreamed to become when I was a child, and I made sure to gain that status. It was considered an honor, and I was at the very top in my ranking class. It took me fourteen years to accomplish all of my training."

"Really?! I'll be damned!" Howard whistled. "You started training, since you were four years old? They start you off that young?"

"Yeah. I was trained in all forms of close combat. Of course, I ended up falling in love with a girl and was arranged to be married. Technically, she was my first. But, that was before the destruction. Like I said, I was only eighteen when the fire hit the village. I still don't know how that fire started. I'm starting to think it was sabotage of some kind. It's hard remembering how the fire burned away everything you've ever known and loved. I saw my girl burn in front of me. Saw the village burn. Luckily, my house was on the very outskirts of the village center long ago, but I wasn't there.

"I was shopping for a wedding gift. At least, I think I was. It's hard to recall. I found my girl in the shop with me, and she wanted to help me pick out something for her. I never realized how spoiled she was at the time, but I was proud to have her by my side all the same. She was the most desirable girl in the village, you see. That was when I heard the explosion. I think it was an explosion. It started from one building and quickly spread within seconds to the one I was in. I...I watched the fire start on the roof, and it spread so fast! I saw her catch fire. When I knew that all was lost, I had to try and save myself.

"By the time I looked at her, there was nothing left of her. In the end, I died of smoke inhalation. Trapped in a building with no way out and lack of air flow...there was just no way for me. Likely how I got my scars when the building collapsed on me. That and brutal training, too. The main village collapsed into the ground after that. That is how the cave systems were formed over the old village center. Next thing I know, I hear a jingling bell, and I came back to life like this. At least four decades had passed from what I could tell. The clothing was something I didn't recognize, and it took me awhile to understand the local gossip. There was always a new influx of adventurers that were sent down to help keep the newly formed undead in line. From what I overheard from them, they were also looking for the jingling sound that constantly had me enthralled. Apparently, if it stopped, the attacks would stop, too."

"A jingling bell?" Howard asked.

"Yeah. Some yellow, furry, cat-like demon wanted to play and thought it was fun to bring back a bunch of people that died. I forget what that monster is called at the moment. It was painful at first. I was just some mindless thing that attacked anything that was out of place. That jingling bell was in constant control of my thoughts and actions! Then I managed to wander away from the jingling sounds, and I started to become more of myself. Another ten years had passed by from what I knew, and I had finally started to try getting closer to the surface. It was as though something was pulling me to try and find my way out at long last.

"That was when I saw Sarine sitting there defenseless. I had the urge to attack her, but I didn't. There was something about her that...it called to me. It made me want to be with her. The other girl I knew in the past, I was with her, because she admired me and she was beautiful. But, Sarine...well...she had a calling to my soul that set it on fire in a completely different way! I just...I had to be at her side. Even when she gave me that diary that labeled me as a pet, I just didn't know what else to think when I took it."

"You were her trigger to become the beacon for monsters!"

"Well, that's obvious now! But, before, I just knew I had to be with her. That was it. No matter how. Yes, I had to learn how to be with her as a pet would, but now I don't feel attached to that rule anymore. If I starve, I'm still with her. I eat the same food as her. I sleep with her. I love her. It only seemed natural for her to marry me. We never got it done officially. As if anyone would marry a pet to a human! It was more like my word and hers with a diamond ring. Our own solemn vow. Then we signed off on the deed to the house in Payon together, and that was that. The deed to the house is our wedding contract, in a way."

"Well, you and I both had crappy pasts. Welcome to the family!"

"Ugh. Thanks, Howard!" he said sarcastically, and Howard laughed. "That does bring up a question for me. How did you transcend, if you were trapped in the Biological Laboratory?"

"Drugs and forced training. We were medically engineered and forced inappropriately into our new roles. I became a Whitesmith, Eremes became an Assassin Cross, Kathryne is a High Wizard, Margaretha is a High Priestess, Cecil is a Sniper, and Seyren is a Lord Knight. Once we mastered our skills, we were supposed to have been released. Instead, they injected us with a final 'treatment'. It was a radiation that was designed to destroy our bodies to the point that we died, yet still lived like this. I'm starting to think that it was something else they injected us with. They made us into weapons of war, and their project turned on them when we revolted. We were too strong for them to control."

"And how did you feel after seeing those letters for the first time?" Keltin asked.

"I'll tell you...but first, let me build up to that. The night that Sarine agreed to give herself to me...I swear, I relived that moment night after night in that hellish place. It was the main thing that kept me going, really. And she had promised that she'd write me to help give me peace without her. When her letters never came, I just...I wanted to scream! To cry! To find out if she was all right! I tried to break out so many times, but they just drugged me up to keep me from trying to escape. Even Eremes tried to escape, but kept failing. We figured that, if one of us got out, it would make everyone better, but we were always caught. So, I managed to sneak out a letter by chance. I just knew it would reach her and it did. I felt that it did.

"When I still got no response, I gave up. I thought she moved on while I wasted away in that experiment. When I died from that last lethal dose, all I could think of was killing everyone and everything that ever hurt me in life. So, that's what me and the others did. I forgot who I was completely. Then when I saw her, I didn't even recognize her at first. I was filled with so much rage that I just hit her with the handle of my axe first to injure her before I tried to do any form of a killing blow just to watch her suffer. Then you called out her name. With that, it made me pause in thought. It brought out a distant memory that I knew her. That she was important to me long ago. It was only after I saw her on the floor and heard her voice that I recognized her. Then when I felt her emotions, I just knew it was her.

"Then I saw you defending her, and it made me jealous. Who the hell were you to her?! Was I nothing now? I was starting to get even more enraged that I didn't know what else to do! The only sensible thing to do was to finish her off myself and hold the others back. I wanted to be the one to end the pain and suffering that I was forced to endure for so long. And then, when those letters fell out from your hat, and I saw them...I realized how much I still loved her. She had never forgotten me. She actually came back for me personally..."

"Howard," Sarine said, her eyes glistening with tears. The two of them were stunned.  _How long was she listening for? The whole night? Just now?_  As Howard was about to say something, her mouth planted on his for kiss that deepened the more it was there. When she pulled away for him to catch his breath, she moved to Keltin and kissed him just as deeply.

"Sarine," Keltin sighed after the kiss. "How long were you awake for?"

"All of it," she admitted. "I was going to fall asleep, but then you two started talking about the past, and I just...I had to listen."

"Well, you know we both love you. And I know you're married to Keltin, though not official, it still counts," Howard said with a sigh. "But, how can you be married to me, too?"

"My marriage to Keltin is secret, save to those who are close. And I trust that Lloyd and Karla will keep the knowledge to themselves. It is not uncommon for some to have multiple husbands or wives. And, besides, I doubt that the two of you can complain, since I believe my, eh, appetite, has grown," she chuckled. They both looked at each other and back at her.

"And you want us to wait until you get married to me?!" Howard hissed.

"I think it would make the appetite stronger. Don't you?" she purred and reached up to caress his ghostly face. Howard's body tensed with desire at the touch.

"Damn you, Sarine!" Keltin said with a grimace.

"Come now, Keltin! In this new body, I haven't had another yet. I want to make sure that, when I'm ready, I'll be able to handle it. I don't want either of you to gain the upper hand!" she argued. "Think about it for a moment!"

"She drives a hard bargain!" Howard grumbled.

"No kidding!" Keltin sighed. "But, we said we would wait before, and we'll wait again. We'll need to train you relentlessly to reach that other Valkyrie!"

She giggled and pulled them down into the bed with her before mumbling, "We have about three hours to power nap. Rest with me now, please?"

Howard was about to complain before he yawned.  _I got suckered in!_  Keltin was already closing his eyes. Within minutes, the three of them had fallen asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

She woke up first. Keltin was sleeping rather deeply, and she glanced up at Howard's ghostly form. She still couldn't believe he was with her again. Rising up carefully, she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his mouth. Hands shot around her waist and pulled her underneath his form, as he turned with her. He moved so fast that it was as though a trap wire was sprung.

"It's been far too long," he whispered tantalizingly into her ear.

"Keltin is sleeping still. Should I wake him?"

"Not yet," he groaned softly and planted a desperate kiss on her mouth. His body had pinned hers down even further. "You expect us to wait? How in the hell are we supposed to do that? Especially when you look like this!"

His hands roamed over her bared sides and up to the sides of her breasts. The soft mounds that were strained in the fur-lined leather heaved upwards, as she gasped. His mouth roamed down her throat to caress the tops of those mounds that revealed themselves just over the fur. His teeth moved to lightly bite at the zipper to lower it just a bit so he could have more of an advantage with her. A soft groan came from her before her own hands moved to trace up his ghostly back. His breath caught in his throat, and he forced himself to pull away. Looking down at her, his breathing was hard and strained. She was no better than him. Vivid memories of that last night long ago came back in a rush, and she was already starting to sweat with wanting for him. They both knew how much they missed each other.

"We should wait..." she whispered.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?!" he said in a rushed breath.

"Howard..." she whispered softly. Her hand caressed his cheek, and he kissed her fingers. "Do you remember our first kiss?"

"Remember it?! I relived it so many times!" he shuddered and gazed at her, as he tried to keep himself in control. "We were together for practically a year and a half and returned to Geffen. You were almost a Huntress."

"Yes," she said with a smile.

"I took you outside to an area with an air-bound gazebo. I held you in my lap, and we watched the sunset. You said it looked beautiful."

"Then you said it wasn't as beautiful as me."

"It was at that moment that we kissed," Howard said with a smile.

"And then Seyren caught us and became flustered," she giggled.

"We need to find them, Sarine. We have a few of those books left."

"We will find them, How-How. We will," she reassured him, as her hands trailed over his form again. "I missed you so much! I..."

He didn't let her finish. His body pressed down on hers, and his mouth claimed hers possessively. Her arms pulled him down harder, and he crushed her to him in his own embrace.

"Why the hell did you agree to marry the Bongun?!" he snarled in his kiss.

"Because he...reminds me...of you! In so many ways!" she responded back.

"How?" he demanded to know, as his mouth moved over her neck.

"He's protective. Determined. Loving..."

"Not to mention jealous and feeling left out!" Keltin said, as he woke and looked over. Sarine blushed hard, and Howard swore when he pulled himself off her. She fixed her zipper back up and worried her lower lip.

"She started it!" Howard said, as he pointed at her.

"I had a feeling she would have," Keltin said, as he watched her. "She should be punished for doing this."

"What?!" Sarine said, as she sat up.

"Sarine, love, do you remember certain things that I did to you that made you pass out?" he grinned wickedly. Now he sat up and made ready to pounce.

"Keltin! You wouldn't dare!" she hissed.

"Okay. I have to know what this is all about," Howard said with a grin.

"Hold her down!" Keltin growled. Sarine shrieked, as she was quickly pinned. Her shorts were removed, and she was trying hard to keep from laughing. The moment Keltin started to use his hands and his mouth, her body heaved from pleasure. Howard raised a brow, as he never thought to try this particular thing before. After she released, he looked at Howard and gestured for him to try. A grin on the powerful ghost-like face now, they switched places.

"No! Not that..." Sarine whimpered, and she was ignored. They both continued to do this to her until she finally complained that she had nothing left to give out. After laughing, Keltin put her shorts back on, only to find himself shoved onto the bed.

"Now, dear husband, do you remember what I did in retaliation to this?!" she spat out a hissing growl with her own wicked grin. Howard never saw this side of her before, and his jaw dropped. Keltin stammered, as she yanked his pants down and started to caress him with her delicate hands. His body stiffened, as he surrendered to the pleasure her mouth soon gave him. She worked on him until he was a slurring mess and unable to function. It didn't take long for him to pass out. After that, she fixed up his pants. Then she eyed Howard with a seductive smile. Now it was his turn to stammer.

"Wait!" he said, as he rose up. She rose up with him and cornered him against the wall. A harsh breath over his ghostly neck was enough to make him lose control.

"Why wait?" she grinned, her body pressing against his even more. Her slender fingers moved to the heavy, ghostly belt, and she felt it give. Even though he was in a ghost-like form, he was also incredibly solid right now. _He was never a true ghost._ He gave a warning growl, but he lost his train of thought when her mouth left a trail of wet kisses over his flat abdominal muscles. When she finally found what she wanted, a grin formed, and her tongue slowly moved to caress what her fingers felt.

His body went rigid. This was new to him.  _Her mouth was warm, hot, and wet._  Her tongue traced and molded to him, as she took him down her throat and back up. He couldn't hold back, and he finally released with a shout while his hands moved to work through her hair. He found himself releasing again and yet again before he finally pushed her away forcefully to raise her up and kiss her hard. He still wanted her.

"I can't wait, Sarine," he groaned, as he moved to pin her against the wall and lifted her up in his arms. "I simply can't!"

"Yes, you can," she moaned back, her hips pressed against his hard length. "I...I want you to have me in flesh in blood..."

"This is flesh and blood!" he snarled, as he pulled her hips into his. He heard her gasp, and he grinned. In this ghost-like form, he was able to simply move through her clothing. _There was no need to break her body open yet. That could wait. This could not._ She cried out with surprise, as he moved inside her. He thrust harder until she clung to him and sobbed out her release. He let himself go with a small shout and crushed her to him.

"How-How!" she whimpered.

"Mine!" he snarled softly, as he held her quivering body tight. "You've always been mine, Sarine! Always! Always mine..."

Keltin was still out cold from the pleasure she gave him. Hard panting was all she could do, as she tried to recover. When she was able to speak again, she pressed her face into his neck and said, "I know, Howard. I know..."

"You were mine the moment I held you in my arms," he whispered. She shivered, and he squeezed her to him in a protective hug.

He lifted her chin and kissed her again with a possession that she relished. One that he always gave her after a hard battle took place as a form of victory. After the first kiss he gave her, he would always kiss her shamelessly in public. She vaguely remembered the first time he kissed her like this in front of the others. It had caught them all off guard. When the kiss was done, she whispered, "Howard..."

"What?" he nuzzled into her neck. He was still holding her tight to him, as she was pressed against the wall.

"I heard that Comodo was the town for Dancers, right?" she gave a mischievous grin. He looked at her with a grin of his own.

"What are you getting at, you minx?"

"I think I need to learn how to properly dance. At least, just enough to exercise my body when I need to. What do you think?"

He was still inside her and thrust up, making her gasp. Not saying anything, he let her ride out another release with him before he finally pulled away from her.

"I think that would be appropriate," he grinned and let her kiss him before fixing his pants back up.

"Should we tell Keltin?" she smile,d and he shook his head.

"No. This has to be for us alone right now. Maybe we can 'experiment' after our marriage, but this should be between us. It's been too long, hasn't it?"

"It was a very long time, How-How. So very long, and I have missed you so much..."

He brushed a forming tear away from her face and held her to him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead in the most tender of ways possible before holding her close.

"I'm here now. And I'm here to stay."


	12. Chapter 12

They managed to get downstairs with Keltin fully alert. From the way everyone was snickering at them, it was quite apparent that they all knew.  _And obviously heard._  Blushing hard, Sarine went outside. Howard just whistled slightly, and Keltin seemed to shrug. Karla had to walk over to Sarine with a grin.

"So, how was it?" she teased.

"Shut up!" Sarine said even more flustered. "Nothing really happened!"

"Uh-huh!" Karla teased again with a laugh. "So, which one of them was pounding you against the wall?"

"Shhhhh!" Sarine hissed out. "Keltin doesn't know!"

"Really?!" Karla whispered with surprise. In hushed tones, Sarine told her what happened and there was stunned silence.

"So, yeah. Nothing else happened," Sarine grounded out.

"Okay. Wow. Yeah. Nothing else happened," she nodded. A bit of relief showed on Sarine's face, but that vanished when Lloyd walked out to join them.

"I thought you were waiting for the wedding night?" he grinned. A groan escaped her, as her face went red again.

"I didn't have sex, okay?!" she finally blurted out before stomping away.

"They did 'other' things," Karla explained. Lloyd colored with embarrassment and chuckled a bit nervously. Letting everything finally cool down, Howard walked over to Sarine and kissed her cheek.

"It's time to train. We'll head back to Einbroch, so bring some Fire Arrows," he said. Keltin appeared next with Justice and Storm Caller.

"It's time to continue," Storm Caller said lightly. He still had a bit of laughter in his tone, and that just made Sarine color up again.

"It's okay," Keltin grinned. "They're all going to have to get used to it, eventually. Let's just get to training."

"Yeah. Sure," she sighed and was stopped short by Muninn swooping down to land on her shoulders. A form of a squeeze was given in comfort, and it actually made her feel better.

"Let's just hope the place isn't crowded," Karla said.

"Hopefully not," Lloyd agreed. "I want to get strong enough to take us to a special place. We'll have to walk there, though. I lost my Warp Portal to get there when I had to transcend."

"What place is that?" Keltin asked.

"Where else? Nifflheim!" he said happily.

"The land of the dead?! That place is insane!" Karla squealed.

"Not with me in tow. Why else do you think I needed the blue gems?" Lloyd chuckled. "We can get fairly rich quick there."

"Lord of Death is there," Howard said to Sarine. "You will need to speak with him."

The group paused and stared at her with surprise. Sarine sighed and nodded.  _I have to start looking for the stronger monsters when I'm strong enough, too._

"Well, what are you all looking at me for? Let's get to training!" Sarine said and moved towards the Kafra Agent. The others nodded to each other, and the Warps were made. Walking through the town, people pointed at her in remembrance, and items were literally thrown in front of them to use. Muninn had his claws settled on each of her shoulders and warbled with curiosity, as Karla helped pick up the items.

"Wow. Celebrity treatment?" Karla said with amazement.

"I'm not thrilled with it," Sarine sighed. "I'd rather be anonymous. Now people are going to come around and try to either challenge me, or single me out."

"Let them try it!" Howard hissed. Keltin moved towards her and gave her arm a squeeze. She looked over at him with a soft smile. In that moment, a familiar cracking sound was heard, and he gasped. Now he just had to figure out what was broken.

"Look out!" Keltin screamed. A Dead Branch was used in the town. It wasn't as powerful as a Bloody Branch, but Dead Branches could summon any monster from anywhere in the world. It was heavily frowned on to use a Dead Branch in a city. It was the one rule that was strictly enforced, and her appearance had everyone distracted. A horrific screech was sounded in the form of a roar. The flapping of wings was now heard, as the monster landed in the middle of the crowd of people. It was a Gryphon. The massive front end of the monster was a white eagle head with dark brown feathers along its chest and shoulders, and the forelegs were the talons of the eagle with white feathers from the forelimbs down. The back end was a gray-brown lion with a heavily muscular physique. The tail swished around with irritation and anger, as it screamed again. It was searching for the one that summoned it. Any bystander was at risk.

"Stop!" Sarine commanded before Howard could attack. The Gryphon screeched and started to hover in the air to attack the closest people around it. The one that broke the Dead Branch was already apprehended and taken away. She approached it slowly with her hands up. On seeing her, it swooped to attack. Then Muninn screamed at it and slammed down on the Gryphon's head with an Assault, sending the monster falling to the ground. Now the monster was wounded and even angrier than before!

"Sarine!" Keltin hissed, as he moved to help her. She rose up her hand again to signal for him to stay where he was. The crowd of people watched in silence and a form of awe. Sarine slowly walked up to the Gryphon carefully, as her falcon descended to land on her shoulders again. She had nearly forgotten that her falcon was one of Odin's messengers and quite able to protect her despite her commands.

The Gryphon seemed to cower a bit, unsure of what to do now. It finally recognized her for who she was and felt ashamed. It squawked weakly and tried to look for a way out, as it didn't want to be punished by Muninn again.

"It's okay," she soothed and rested her hand on its beak. A shiver went through the monster, but then it calmed down. "See? You're fine. You're forgiven. You didn't know."

A weak chirp was given before it finally rested its head on her arm, since Muninn's claws took up both of her shoulders. She gently caressed over the feathers and even where the feathers turned into fur. A small clucking sound was given to show all was well, and that she was accepted. It leaned into her scratches even more and sighed. Muninn seemed to nod to the others to show that everything was fine now.

"That's right. Her falcon..." Howard started, but Keltin warned him to keep silent. They didn't want to cause a scene, and the Whitesmith nodded.

"Go to my island home. That is where the others are, okay?" she smiled warmly. The Gryphon didn't budge. It understood her perfectly, but couldn't talk back. When she started to walk away, it followed her calmly. People started to giggle when she pouted and crossed her arms. Howard walked up to her and winked at the new companion. The Gryphon studied him and showed a sign of respect that it recognized Howard as a much stronger monster and a devoted protector, as well.

"Looks like we have a stubborn one, eh?" he grinned and reached over to tousle some of the feathers. The Gryphon clicked again and chirped with thanks.

"Shush! Oh, what am I going to do?" she sighed, as the Gryphon nudged the middle of her back. She turned and scratched under its beak. It gave a soft chirp to show it really liked that. When the crowd applauded that she 'saved' the town again, the Gryphon was a touch spooked. When nothing happened to it, it was calm again. A heavy sigh was all Sarine could do, and Keltin looked at Howard.  _She was right about the extra commotion from the public._

"She hates crowds," Keltin muttered to Howard.

"All too true. Let's get her out to the field quickly!" Howard muttered back, and he gestured to the others to quicken the pace. Lloyd cast Agility on them all to get them moving faster. Once out in the field and out of the city, it was easier for her to breathe.

"Let's get this over with," Sarine grumbled.

"Love, what's wrong?" Keltin asked. Howard watched her and stared back at the city.  _Why did everything have to turn sour now?_  He thought back on what she liked and didn't like even more. He was clearly concerned for her.

"Oh..." she sighed and seemed to sag a bit. Justice looked at the Gryphon, and they went over to guard her protectively.

"Large crowds make her feel insecure. And, I bet the bit from this morning also has her a bit put off," Howard sighed. "She was always like that. She doesn't like to be the center of attention. Never did."

All Sarine could do was nod. It upset her and flustered her all at once. A pause was given, as she looked on the ground to find a Metaling coming up to her. It resembled a Poring, but it was made of metal and quite alive. Various mechanical parts hummed and turned within it, and a tiny metallic smokestack puffed out bits of steam. It bumped against her to show it was a friend, and she smiled. A small pat on the top of the metallic lump showed it was accepted. Given a Butterfly Wing, it vanished to head to the island home. The Gryphon snorted and leapt into the air to start hunting the plants. Training was finally under way.

The plants sprouted back up like weeds, as she attacked them. Lloyd managed to Silence them to keep them from Healing each other. Karla had Luna stay within the distance of the cart, since she was still too weak to help attack. Unlike a pet that couldn't be attacked, a Homunculus was able to get attacked back. Keltin and Howard worked with Sarine by pulling up the biting flowers and killing them. When a Geographer sprouted right up from under Sarine, she moved to attack it, but paused when it Healed her.

"Oh!" she said with surprise. The Geographer then attacked another one that sprouted up near her. Keltin saw this and laughed.

"I guess plant monsters count, too?" Howard asked, as Karla was brought over to carefully uproot the good plant and place it on the cart.

"Apparently they do!" Sarine chuckled. Her mood finally returned to normal. Unfortunately, it was going to be short-lived.

"Over here!" she heard someone shout. As she looked up, she froze at a small group of adventurers pointing at her.

"Shit!" Howard snarled, as he moved in front of her.

"Not again!" Keltin groaned, as he prepared to defend her. The Gryphon roared and swooped down from above to frighten the people off rather quickly. When they were scattered and gone, it flew over her to circle protectively.

"At least we have air support!" Lloyd smiled. The Gryphon continued to circle the area around them, as they trained. They were able to stay to one section of the area, since the plants grew back so fast. If anyone tried to sneak in, Justice was there to land a powerful Lightning and Fire spell called Lord of Vermillion on them to chase them off. If they evaded Justice, then the Gryphon swooped down onto them to fully chase them off.

"I think we are done for now," Sarine said with relief. "We should be able to start seeking the stronger monsters tomorrow."

"I hear that," Howard said. "Do you think we could help the others now, though?"

"Well..." Sarine hesitated. They didn't touch the special books, since they were only trying to advance various skills for her. She knew she wanted to help her friends, but she was also not strong enough to head down to where they were.  _Would it even be possible? It had been too long that they have been trapped._  "Do you think I'm strong enough? I barely had enough training to get there before!"

"I'll protect you," Keltin said.

"Me, too," Howard nodded. "I'm sure that, with you being the Vessel of Odin, you should be granted access this once to help them."

"It would just need to be the two of you. I don't think anyone else should come," Sarine said softly. "We need to keep the suspicions down."

"We understand," Lloyd said.

"We will wait for you!" Karla nodded.

"I'm going!" Justice said quickly. The Gryphon seemed to pause and go still to symbolize that it was going to stay behind. Sarine smiled softly and nodded.

"I'll take us there through the Kafra Agent. We can walk to the Biological Laboratory from there," Howard said. The Gryphon stomped a clawed forefoot. It wanted to carry them there, and it would wait for them back at the island. It was quite obvious that they would use a Butterfly Wing to get back. Muninn chirped and seemed to nod to her. He knew that Sarine would be able to reach her friends now and would be able to free them.

"Well, of course, you're coming with!" she laughed and scratched her falcon's head. Muninn warbled a bit and bobbed his head.

"Wouldn't it be faster to take the Kafra Agent?" Karla asked. The Gryphon seemed to huff and stomped a clawed forefoot again.

"Apparently, Kafra is not an option," Keltin chuckled. "We'll go with it like this for now. We'll be fine."

"We'll meet you back at the island!" Lloyd said. He Warped himself and Karla back.

"All aboard!" Justice said, as it jumped onto the Gryphon's back. Sarine settled herself between Keltin and Howard. She couldn't tell them that she didn't like heights, but she felt incredibly safe between them. She knew that she would be fine, if she kept her eyes closed and pressed into them when she felt uneasy. Howard sat in front of her, and Keltin settled behind her. Justice settled in Sarine's lap. With a powerful leap into the air, the Gryphon was soon bound for Lighthalzen, as the others went back to the island.


	13. Chapter 13

They landed outside the broken pipe that would take them into the laboratory. She was very shaky after the flight, but she knew she was safe. She hugged the Gryphon before it took off to wait at the island home. Looking at Howard, Keltin, and Justice, they all nodded.  _It was time to venture into the depths of the Biological Laboratory once again to save her extended family._  Howard and Keltin took the lead, and Justice followed behind Sarine. She was clearly nervous, but she felt much safer, too. A sudden commotion was heard behind them, as Defender and Vengeance appeared to bounce over to them.

"You're not gonna go anywhere without us!" Vengeance cackled.

"Let us help!" Defender insisted.

She looked at Deviling and Angeling with a smile and a nod. Then she asked, "How did you get here without me?"

"Storm Caller had the Gryphon get us!" Defender said.

"Well, in that case, if you both insist, you are coming with!" Keltin grinned. In that moment, a pink Safety Wall was cast over Sarine when a ghostly Archer appeared to attack. Of course, the Safety Wall didn't do much, since it was more based towards sword attacks, but it alarmed them quickly to block the arrows.

"Good timing!" Howard hissed, as his axe slashed into the other ghost-like Archer causing it to fall to the ground and vanish.

"No kidding!" Keltin said, as he held off a Swordgirl. "I think Fly Wings are in order!"

"Leave it to me! No more bug parts!" Justice giggled. Being pet-like to Sarine, wherever Sarine had to Teleport, they instantly Teleported with her. Picking up Justice, she held the Arch-Angeling close. They all stayed in a tight group, as Justice Teleported them around to where they had to go next to head down the stairs. When they went down the steps, they were encountered by the powerful Swordgirl with her group of duplicates. This time, she stammered when she saw Howard. Narrowing his eyes, he made a gesture for her to leave, as he Berserked himself. When she saw the red sparks fly off him, she bolted with her support group.

"Couldn't I have saved her?" Sarine asked with a frown.

"No. As much as I want you to save everyone here, many of them have chosen their fates through other means. I'll tell you as much as I can when we leave here. Just remind me at some point," Howard explained. Sarine nodded and let Justice Teleport them around to the central part of the room. Normally, she would not be strong enough to head down at this point, but Muninn had already foreseen that she would be able to this once. She descended with the others without any problems. On heading down, Howard felt his darker side approach. On remembering the bargain from before, they would be kept from being followed. At the sight of the darker Howard, most of the clones kept out of sight. Howard had no more power here, and it was all transferred to the darker part of him.

Those that did attack had failed. Howard was too fast for them, and Keltin stalled them while Justice kept casting its strongest magic attacks. Defender kept Sarine safe and Healed, as Vengeance harassed the clones and led them astray. Arrows were switched around, if they had no effect, and Sarine let them fly while Muninn Assaulted from above. It seemed like ages, but they finally reached their destination. He led Sarine to where the letters were, and that was where they found the others. Apparently, the darker Howard told them that they were coming, and they were waiting for them.

They were ready to instinctively attack on seeing her, but Sarine turned to reveal the Mark of Odin. Her hair was pulled away, as the raven tattoo burned into her neck again. She whimpered, and it didn't take long for Huginn to come back out and possess her. Turning again, she faced each one and called out their names.

"Seyren Windsor! Margaretha Sorin! Eremes Guile! Cecil Damon! Kathryne Keyron! Separate from your darker selves! Do this now!" she called out in her ethereal voice. Keltin watched silently, as each one screamed in pain. Very slowly, the darker parts of them separated from the lighter parts. Once it was done, Sarine stared at the darker doubles.

"All of you are bound here to carry out your unfulfilled vengeance in order to keep the Balance intact! You may attack me the next time you see me. Here is your price for this new freedom! You are to never leave this place, unless summoned by powerful means!" Sarine's voice slammed into the darker halves and forced them to vanish away. "As for the lighter halves, you are all now pet-like and bound to me. You may summon one clone at random to assist you, as Howard Alt-Eisen is able. The next step here is to go to the fields of Odin's Temple to find the Sister of Valkyrie in Valhalla. She roams the fields there. Until then..."

Sarine's eyes rolled up, and she collapsed. Keltin panicked and rushed to her side with Howard. Justice bounced around, threatening to attack everything, as Defender kept casting Safety Wall on her. Vengeance watched the darkness of the room, as the old companions regained their freedom. Only after Sarine was secured did Keltin move to gather up the letters that were on the ground to put back under his hat for safety. They were important, and he refused to leave them behind.

"Free?" Eremes asked with wonder, as he stood up tall.

"We are! We are free!" Margaretha said happily.

"Oh, little sister! Is she okay?" Cecil asked.

"She's tough! She'll be fine!" Seyren said.

"We need to get out of here. We no longer have any power here," Kathryne warned. Howard looked at each one of them and nodded. A Butterfly Wing was quickly used to take them back to the island house.

Once there, Storm Caller already had the house arranged for them, and the Gryphon was seen circling around the island. Sarine was Healed when she came around, and her old friends were introduced to the new ones. What Sarine didn't know was that Seyren kept finding himself gazing at Karla. There was clearly something about her that he liked, and it was far more than a family feeling. It baffled him completely. It was the same feeling that Lloyd got, as he looked at Margaretha. After much talking and explaining, all of them were finally able to start relaxing and deciding on their next plan of action. They settled on the porch, as the weather was quite nice.

"So, how is this supposed to work now? Since we aren't pets, do we just follow you around and not have to worry about being out one at a time?" Seyren asked.

"You know, that actually makes a lot of sense, doesn't it, Keltin?" Sarine asked him. The Bongun thought with a smile.

"It does. I am the only one that was caught as a pet, so any of you can accompany her freely. This way, I don't need to stay behind or miss anything," he mused.

"Which explains why you are the perfect Guardian for her," Margaretha smiled.

"And never able to leave her alone," Lloyd chuckled. Keltin blushed and shrugged.

"Where do we travel next?" Eremes asked.

"Well, I don't really remember what happened after I showed you all the Mark," Sarine admitted. "I seem to black out each time."

"You said we had to visit with Valkyrie's Sister in the fields of Odin's Temple," Kathryne said. "That is what we need to do."

"I did?" Sarine asked.

"Yes, you did, little sis," Cecil nodded.

"Then that is where we will need to go next," Sarine said.

"Tomorrow," Howard said.

"Of course, tomorrow!" Seyren said with a wave of his hand. "Sarine needs to rest now. Can you imagine the looks on people's faces when she shows up with us? It's going to be rich!"

"Oh, I can only imagine," Howard said with a roll of his eyes. Sarine grumbled and sighed. Keltin smiled and rubbed her back with affection.

"You do look good!" Cecil grinned at Sarine. "The outfit looks great on you!"

"Howard and Keltin were wondering what I'd look like in a Dancer's garb," Sarine said with a small smile. Howard cleared his throat, Keltin coughed, and the others laughed.

"Well, if we hit Comodo, then I'm sure it could happen," Margaretha grinned.

"You know, we could visit the town of Amatsu," Kathryne thought aloud.

"NO!" Howard and Sarine said together. Then they looked at each other with surprise. This was something they didn't know about each other yet. They never bothered to question their pasts about each other out of respect and love. There was simply no need to.

"Why not? Amatsu is beautiful this time of year! It's springtime, so the cherry blossoms are in full bloom," Seyren said before looking at them both funny. "Wait. Howard, weren't you from Amatsu? I thought you told me before."

"Yes, I was," Howard glowered.

"You were?" Sarine asked. "So was I!"

Everyone went silent. It was Howard that asked the first question, "Where at?"

"Um..." Sarine hesitated and looked away. Howard watched her carefully, and Keltin frowned. He never fully asked about her past. He simply accepted her as she was.

"Weren't there rumors of an Emperor's daughter that ran away? Or got kidnapped? Something like that?" Karla finally asked. "I know the whole thing was a bit fishy, since the Emperor never really had children. All speculation, but that's what I heard some time ago. It was a few years ago that rumors of him even having a daughter started up, actually. It was odd. Only because she would have been a teenager by the time the gossip started."

Sarine colored up, as small gasps of surprise came out.

"You're royalty?!" Howard asked with surprise.

"I didn't want anything to do with my family!" Sarine said quickly. "They wanted me to be what they wanted and not what I wanted! I couldn't...I couldn't find happiness! I couldn't be who I wanted to be! So, I ran away. Somehow, that is. I'm not really sure. It was my fourteenth birthday, and I made a wish to be free. Next thing I knew, I went to sleep that night, and then I was somewhere else the next morning."

"We had royalty with us the whole time...damn!" Seyren said with amazement.

"Which explains why we protect her," Eremes said softly, as he tried to remember something that happened before. He was now starting to wonder if there was a connection with something he did in the past. He always felt he knew her from somewhere, but it was so long ago that he had to think hard to remember. He lost much of his memory from the experiments. The drugs he was given had also played a heavy hand in it, too.

"No, that's not it. Even before when she was with us, she had something precious. Her parents never saw it," Kathryne mused.

"Please, Sarine," Howard said as he moved towards her now. "why did you really run away? You can tell us."

"It's like I said, How-How. I couldn't be happy. I know I said how my parents wanted me to marry and have kids. That was a bit of a lie. I was kept locked away in a hidden room. I was crying all the time. I was only seen by servants or guards and never my parents. The only time my parents ever visited me was on my birthday! I never had a real chance to grow. I was being constantly brain-washed, and I hated it!" Sarine said sadly, as the memories came forth. "All I know was that I prayed for some form of a miracle, and then it was granted to me."

"Wait," Eremes said, as he looked at her carefully before pointing at her. "You were the girl I stole away as my mission before I met the others!"

"Huh?!" Sarine asked, as her gaze met his. Howard now realized why he had never seen her in the village.  _She was locked away her whole life? What a horrible and miserable life she was given!_ Then he remembered how the palace was usurped by a fraud. He would have to force himself to remember more later.

"I was commissioned by an older lady to steal a girl from inside the palace and to get her out. I was told it was important," Eremes said.

"I knew it," Sarine said, as she leaned against a wall. "I knew my Grandmother had something to do with my escape. She always told me that my place wasn't with the family. She was only allowed to see me on my birthdays, as well, to make sure I was all right, but her visits were always monitored. She knew that there was something more to me. But...I was always trapped and couldn't find out for myself."

"Sarine," Howard whispered, as he moved over to hug her now. "Were you ever able to see a boy running around with the guards long ago? Maybe selling armors or other random things that they would need?"

"No," Sarine choked back a sob, as he held her. "I was locked away since birth, from what I know. From what I can remember, that is. All I can remember was falling asleep and then waking up in a place for young Novices. Even though I was fourteen, the Novice Center accepted me as though they were expecting me. I didn't remember anything else. Excuse me, Howard. Just a moment."

Howard nodded and let her go only to watch with surprise, as she ran over to Eremes to give him a bone-crushing hug. The Assassin Cross had his eyes wide in a rare look of surprise. And it was in that moment that everything he could have ever forgotten about her came back in full. Her hug felt like he was being embraced with red hot ropes of desire, and she had no idea that she had that effect on him. He couldn't say anything now. He would need to talk to her alone the moment the opportunity became available. There was too much that he needed to explain, and, if he simply started talking for long lengths of time, it would shock his friends. He was known for being the quiet one in the group, and the one that held the rarest of tempers and emotions. He was best known for his patience. He would patiently wait for the right time and opportunity to seek her out.

"Sarine..." Eremes said with a soft whisper.

"Thank you, Eremes, for accepting the mission and giving me a whole new life!" Sarine said. A quiet, controlled chuckle was all that was given, and the hug was returned in full. He found himself savoring her closeness, and he forced out his will for inner self control.  _Now was not the time to react the true way I wanted to._

"Now that I truly know you, and how you are with us, I am very glad to be a friend and protector of yours. I will never betray you," Eremes promised in his deep, yet quiet tone. He was fighting with everything he had right then and there to keep from running off with her. He won that battle for now. Everyone did miss the blink that Kathryne made. This was the first time that she heard Eremes say more than four words in a sentence. No one else caught it.

"I knew you never would," she smiled and kissed his cheek before getting pulled back over to Howard. Keltin smiled and Howard moved Sarine to rest between them. She tucked an arm around each of theirs and felt quite content.

"So, Howard, exactly what happened with your family? I know you told me, but I'm sure the others would like to know," Keltin inquired with a chuckle. Seyren gave a bit of a grin and glanced at Lloyd and Karla. Howard colored up a bit, but he realized that his past was nowhere near as bad as Sarine's was.

"If you absolutely must know," Howard started.

"Oh, yes! Please tell us!" Seyren said sarcastically and laughed when Kathryne smacked his armored arm. When Margaretha smacked him upside the head, he winced.

"I was born into a family of Merchants, but they didn't do so well. I decided to expand my skills and, naturally, they were against it. When I started to do better than them, they resolved to start taking over half of my savings and stated it was for family use only. At first I was fine with it. Then I noticed they were simply buying things just to buy them. Not because they needed it. Then they swindled the stuff for other stuff," Howard grumbled.

"And that is why you hate swindling so much, because it was done to yourself," Sarine said with a frown. "I am so sorry, Howard."

"I was the only honest one out of them. I was hoping my younger brother would have broken the chain, but my Father suckered him in. It was hopeless after that. Only if they realize that what they are doing is wrong and apologized to me...only then...would I even think of going back to see them. Amatsu is a beautiful town. It just harbors dark memories," he sighed. Sarine started to think back on her past dream-like life and gave a soft blink. Then she shook with a sudden realization. Then she paled. Keltin looked over at her with a frown, and Howard quickly darted his gaze to her face.

"I..." Sarine started with a hesitated swallow. "I never saw Amatsu. I...never had a window to look outside my room..."

"WHAT?!" Howard asked incredulously.

"It's true," Eremes said with a small grunt. "She was in a windowless cell. Dead candles were everywhere as her source of light."

"Oh, Sarine!" Howard said with horror. "You...you never left that room at all, did you?"

Now the others were looking at her with shock. Sarine just burst into tears and shook her head. He crushed her to him and Keltin started thinking.

"They...my parents...only checked...on me...every year...to see...if I lived...or died..." she gasped, as the realization struck her, and Howard swore violently at this news. The others stared with gasps of outrage and horror. Seyren was absolutely livid now.

"If we take her back there, only the guards may recognize her. She should see her birth town at least once. Shouldn't she? Maybe even her grandmother to thank her?" Keltin asked, as he thought hard.

"No," Eremes sighed, as he fought down his own rage. "I was strictly informed that she should never go to visit any family. Or be seen by patrols. And...after hearing this...from her...would we even want to take her back?"

"Well, she should still see the town, if not the palace! Maybe we can disguise her?" Margaretha asked. "Would that work?"

"With the show from Einbroch? It won't work!" Karla argued. "But, maybe she could wear a disguise mask of some kind? I have a few of them when I was fighting goblins!"

"They'll recognize me, though," Keltin grumbled. "Unless I act like a stupid pet."

"Don't degrade yourself," Howard said with a low growl.

"Screw this! She's going to Amatsu, and I'll Sword Bash anyone that tries to touch her!" Seyren snarled. Now everyone looked at him. When he got like this, he was serious. Eremes was deep in thought now and had his eyes closed in concentration.

"Same here!" Cecil said. "Little sister. You deserve to see your hometown. We will go tomorrow. All of us."

"All of us?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes. And, if her family dares to try and take her back, we'll be there," Cecil said with determination. "No one will get past us!"

"As if they could try to separate us. We are all like pets to her now. Remember?" Keltin said with a sneaky looking grin on his face.

"Oh, yes..." Howard grinned back.

"But, we can be taken away!" Lloyd said.

"Hmm," Seyren thought. "Looks like you two need pets."

"Huh?" Karla asked, as she fed Luna. Lloyd looked at him strangely.

"Sarine, is it possible for us to be temporarily transferred to another?" Keltin asked. The others watched Sarine to see what her answer would be. She had calmed down enough to respond to him now, and Howard rocked her gently in his arms.

"I don't know," Sarine said, as she thought aloud. "I'm not sure how it works. But, I have heard that most pets will defend an entire party group, if needed."

"We were doing just that while you were training," Keltin said.

"Looks like our problem is solved," Seyren grunted.

"Not quite," Eremes said softly, as he opened his eyes to look at them.

"Huh?" Margaretha asked. She looked at him for an explanation.

"Sometimes, pets can be controlled. Even though we aren't classified as them, we still bend to their rules. We should visit Valkyrie's Sister first," Eremes said.

"Wow. This is the most you've spoken in a while. In fact, ever!" Kathryne chuckled. The Assassin Cross just shrugged and gave a touch of a smile. Now the others caught on to what she noticed, and Seyren actually found himself chuckling.

"This is important. We must help each other and Sarine," Eremes said.

"Very true," Howard agreed.

"With luck, we can become human again. That's the safest bet," Eremes added.

"Luck? More like a miracle!" Seyren mused. Howard gave Sarine a kiss to her forehead and looked out the window.

"It's dusk. Is anyone tired? Or is there something else we should do?" Howard asked. An odd look of pain came over Sarine's face, as the Mark burned on the back of her neck, and she whimpered. She looked up at the sky, as the shining light of Valkyrie descended from Valhalla. Hovering over her, the others watched curiously.

"Why did you call?" Valkyrie asked.

"Where exactly in the field is your Sister located?" she asked. Valkyrie's eyes went round, as it was Sarine's entity that spoke.

"Huginn!" Valkyrie said, as she recovered. "You feel the need to see her now?"

"As quickly as we must. Time is of the essence. I have uncovered some disturbing news in these memories. They must be addressed."

"What news?!" Keltin asked with desperate concern. Sarine turned to face them all with a frown. "Please! We need to know!"

"This girl...this Vessel...she was intended to be used as a sacrifice of sorts. From what she was able to tell, that is."

It was as if the world stood still. Time had stopped for a full ten minutes, as this was revealed and silently digested.

"WHAT?!" Howard finally bellowed. "HOW?!"

"Calm yourself," Huginn said, as her hands were raised. "She does not know of this and will not know until the time is right. She does not remember, but, as I peered through her memories, I found one that stood out. It was on the eve of her fourteenth birthday when her parents came to visit her. The same night that Eremes Guile rescued her. Her parents commented...more like the Empress commented...that her time to see her destiny was dawning upon her. That she would be given over to a creature, and that one life would save millions. As to who this creature is, I do not know for sure. Only that this one lived below the Amatsu training grounds."

"Incantation Samurai," Valkyrie said, as she glowered. Seyren Berserked. After he did, so did the others.

"How do you know this?!" Lloyd asked. His own rage was quite apparent.

"In the past, he has made deals with town leaders for one life in exchange for him to not raze a village. Since he has been denied this and has not attacked anyone yet, I am sure that her parents realized that his deals were all lies," Valkyrie said lightly. "He is bound to his location. I must bring this to my Lord Odin's attention."

Muninn screamed to show that the information was already given.

"Incantation Samurai will need to be approached. There is some good in him that can be salvaged," Huginn whispered. "But, we need protection. Keltin, the Vessel's Guardian, may be threatened. He will need more of your power, Valkyrie. With him being tamed as a pet, he is still very susceptible to their rules. If he is forced into his egg form, he will be in danger. Also, should he be removed from pet status, if something does happen to the Vessel of Odin, he will be able to take command of the monsters to have them assist him to find her or help her."

Everyone looked at Keltin, and he stammered from it. Valkyrie nodded and lunged at him. He screamed, as her tinted red, golden trident slammed into him and pushed upwards into his chest. Howard was horrified when the diary used to tame the Bongun was ripped from him and destroyed with her free hand.

"You were never meant to be a pet, Keltin Tao!" Valkyrie said, as her trident twisted harder into him. "From now on, you will have the ability to become human, as well as monster, when she needs you most!"

As Keltin screamed with intense pain from the trident, Valkyrie was leaning into him and whispering something to him. He could barely understand what it was, and he screamed again when a flash of white light seeped into his body from the trident. When the trident was ripped away from him, he coughed and trembled. Heaving hard, as the pain was simply gone and there were no wounds, he looked down at himself. He was alive again and trembling all over.

"How...?" he started to ask, as he looked at his hands. His skin color was no longer pale, white flesh, but a touch darker with a tanned overtone like it was when he was alive.

"You now have three forms," Valkyrie said, as she hovered over him. "Your living form is here to throw off others. Your undead form will be accessible to help accompany the Vessel of Odin. It will also be needed for places where the living cannot go, and to help infiltrate defenses, as many will believe you are a pet, when we know you are not. Now, let your final form to champion her to assist her in true battle come forth!"

A sudden rage filled the living Bongun, and he screamed. A brilliant white light surrounded him and expanded. His clothes changed from blue to stark white. Sharp, bright jolts of sparking light flew from him. An unearthly wind constantly blew around him. When his eyes opened, they were as white as his clothes. Once the power was shown, it faded, and he became his original undead self. Everyone stared in awe and shock at what Keltin can do now.  _Valkyrie gave Keltin her Rage to use in battle._

"I approve," Huginn said softly and turned back to Valkyrie. "Where is your Sister?"

"She is currently roaming the fields of my Lord Odin's Temple at random. It is hard to keep track of her. She always keeps guard."

"Very well. We shall find her soon."

With that said, Valkyrie went back to Valhalla, and Sarine collapsed. Howard was right there with her, and he picked up Sarine to carry her to the bedroom. Keltin was following after them. He didn't feel any different. If anything, he felt a bit more free than he ever thought possible.  _Stronger, too._  Like he could take on anything and everything that tried to threaten those he cared for and loved.

Howard placed Sarine on the bed and gave her a gentle kiss. A soft groan was heard before she opened her eyes.

"Why do I have to be the damned Vessel?!" she pouted and frowned.

"If you weren't..." Howard started then stopped himself.  _She'd still be locked away in a windowless room or even dead by now. It was time for the subject to be changed._  Keltin caught Howard's glance and knew exactly what needed to be done.

"Howard," Keltin said, as he sat on the bed with them. "I think we need to take her now."

"What?" he asked, as he looked at her.

"I'll go first. Then you."

"But...!" Sarine pouted, and Keltin just smiled and rubbed up her arms.

"I know you wanted to wait for Howard to become a human. But, let's face it, Sarine. Do you honestly want to wait that long?" Keltin grinned.

"I do!" she pouted and looked at Howard. "What do you think?"

"I'm in favor of Keltin," Howard chuckled.

"Oh, come on! This may be the only chance I get to have a real wedding tradition happen! Can't either of you work with me on this?" she pleaded.

"If you didn't have sex in your past life, then yes. I can see how working with you would be reasonable. But, you did have sex, so it would only be fair to do this now. And, it's not like we waited before we agreed to be married," Keltin reminded her.

"Not fair!" she pouted. "Well, I am not letting it happen! You two can find other means, if that's what you want."

"Ew!" Howard grimaced, as he looked at Keltin.

"You're disgusting!" Keltin jumped up and went towards the wall. "But, you are right. It's your body, and we are gentlemen. I'm not going to force you."

"Neither will I," Howard nodded.

"Good. Now, will you two please stay here?" she asked, as she got up and moved into the bathroom. Howard watched her move, and he growled.

"Are you going to shower?" Keltin asked, as he watched her form.

"What of it?" she countered, as she closed the bathroom door. "I need one!"

"Oh, this is torture!" Howard complained. "How in the hell are we supposed to let you do this?! It's hard enough being alone in the same room with you!"

"Go downstairs?" she called out with a grin and started removing her top in the privacy of the bathroom. The sound of her shorts falling soon followed.

"We'll wait!" Keltin growled and lay back on the bed. "She's horrible."

"You know, I'm a bit of a ghost in the body..." Howard grinned.

"NO!" Keltin scowled at him. "If I can't touch her, neither will you!"

"Damn. Good thought though, eh?"

"Oh, sure. Great thought. For all I know, you two could have done something and I wouldn't have known!"

"Eh...how would that be possible?" he asked, as he looked away casually.

"Wait. What?" Keltin sat up to glare at him. "Oh, you bastard!"

"Shit!" Howard swore, as the secret was out. "I didn't break her!"

"But, now you...!" Keltin said before he swore violently. "Screw it! I'm not waiting! I've waited long enough, as it is!"

Howard was right on his heels, as they burst into the bathroom. What they saw made them pause.  _Sarine had just stripped herself nude and was in the shower._ The faint outline of her simple, delicate, yet lean form was all they could see through the thin shower cloth. They started to sweat, and it wasn't from the steam.

"Who is it?!" she shrieked, as she peered out. "Oh, come on! Get out! Both of you!"

"Sarine," Keltin said, as he walked over to the shower and rested against the wall. "Did you and Howard do anything while I was out cold this morning?"

"What?" she asked, as she looked at him through the filmy cloth. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"I think you do," Keltin growled. "I promised to wait for you. Then you turn around and let Howard do that?!"

"It wasn't supposed to have happened!" she finally caved in and trembled, hugging herself. "I'm still intact! It's like he just...he slipped past everything!"

"But, now how do I feel about this?" he responded back. Howard just sighed and leaned against the door.

"Keltin..." she sighed.

"I'm your husband!" he argued.

"You know what? You're right. Howard, you are going to have to wait a bit longer. Keltin, come in here with me. Now!"

Howard looked over at Keltin with a smug grin. The Bongun looked back with a rueful chuckle and winked.

"You planned this, didn't you?" Howard grinned more.

"You know I did," Keltin gave a wolfish smile. "What you did only helped it along. Oh, there's something I need to tell you before I forget about it."

"Are you getting in here?!" Sarine shouted over the water.

"In a moment, dear! I'm undressing!" Keltin replied, as he spoke carefully to keep with the running water. "Howard, you can become as solid as a human. Not truly human, but the ghost part of you will fully solidify. The others can't."

"What?!" he asked incredulously. "How?"

"Valkyrie grumbled it to me, as she ripped the diary out of me. You'll have to wait for more strength to stay solid with Valkyrie's Sister's help, but you can focus all of your current strength now on becoming more solid and becoming something close to actual flesh. It will take some time, but practice makes perfect. Try it," Keltin said, as he finished stripping off his clothes. His white flesh changed back to his living pink flesh tone right before Howard's eyes. Even his hair had changed from black to dark brown. A wink was given, and he slipped into the shower to surprise Sarine.

Howard walked back into the bedroom and took a deep breath. Focusing on his hands, he watched them slowly start to solidify more and more. When he lost focus, they reverted back.

"It worked!" he said with surprise. A glance back at the bathroom was given, as he heard a sound of pain from Sarine's body being opened. The sounds of pleasure taking place took over. He couldn't stop the tense, jealous feeling he got now.  _Sarine is mine._   _I mean, I do like the Bongun, and I truly do appreciate him, but this was a girl that I found first. I loved her first. Now I'm going to have to share her with another._ It was starting to eat at him.  _She wasn't even truly married!_ Yet, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Keltin was like another version of him.  _Only older. And more dead._ He grinned at that thought, as his jealousy melted away, and he began to think about how to incorporate him into the marriage.  _Maybe add an extension to their last name? It could work._

Refocusing on becoming solid, it took a bit more concentration. He knew it would have to suffice until they reached the plains of Odin's Temple. _With another blessing from Valkyrie's Sister, it should be all right._

"Howard Alt-Eisen," a commanding voice whispered behind him. Swerving quickly, he found himself in the presence of the Valkyrie from Valhalla. Once she had his attention, she continued, "I have been watching you, and I see your plight. So, for tonight, my Lord Odin has granted me the power to make you fully human again. Also, you will not need an added blessing from my Sister, as you will become far more solid the next time you focus. As long as you keep the focus in the back of your mind, you will remain in your solid state."

"I...thank you," he said with surprise.

"Furthermore, I give these to you with my Lord Odin's blessing," she said and held out her hands. Howard blinked, as he took the scroll and the set of three rings from her outstretched hands. On a closer inspection of them, he gasped. _A wedding document?! Wedding rings?!_

"There are three rings here!" he said, as he looked at her. She was gone as silently as she appeared. Coughing now, he gasped when his ghostly form solidified into full human flesh. The feeling was complete elation and something he actually missed.

"The hell?!" Keltin asked, as he pointed at him. He had a towel around his waist and gaping at him. "How did you do that so fast?! And why can't I see through you?!"

"Valkyrie paid me a visit and made me human for now," Howard grinned and tossed a wedding ring to him. "And these are courtesy from her and Odin."

Keltin caught the ring, and his jaw dropped. Then he walked over to the document to read it. Setting it down carefully, he blinked a few times and took a deep breath to remove the shock, as he looked around. Then he thought about something and grimaced.

"I feel dirty. Other beings are watching us," he muttered. Howard burst into laughter, and Sarine walked in wearing a towel.

"What's going on?" she asked. Keltin showed her the rings and the document. Then he had her put his ring on his finger, and he kissed her gently. She was stunned.  _Why was all of this happening now?_ Then she noticed Howard, and she gasped.

"I'll be downstairs!" Keltin said, as he managed to dress and slipped out the door to give Howard the privacy he deserved. It was just as well. Howard's gaze was locked on Sarine.

"It appears that Valkyrie granted me my wish," Howard whispered softly after Keltin left.  _Keltin was giving us a small wedding night._ He'd have to thank the Bongun later.

"Why? Why now? Why here? I don't understand..." she said, as she gazed back at him. Howard walked up to her and switched the basic diamond ring on her finger to her new wedding ring. The ring she got with Keltin would be stored away securely and hidden. It was just as important as the letters, and he refused to see it lost or sold off.

"Be my wife," Howard whispered, as he gazed down at her tenderly. "As much as I want you to myself, I do see a lot of myself in Keltin, too."

"A wife to two men..." she paused and shivered. "I don't know what to think."

"Didn't you say that you'd rather love two men than none?" he smiled. "The three of us have been blessed by Valhalla, itself. What more is there to think about?"

She watched him take her hand to help him slip his wedding ring on, and she gazed back up at him. He tugged off her towel, and she slowly removed his white, fur-lined tunic. It hung down, still attached to his pants by suspenders that were clasped at the ends of the tunic, and those were removed next. A sharp gasp was all he gave as her hands moved over his chest. His ghostly flesh was now a solid tan like it was from before and almost matched hers. His tan was a touch darker from being in the sun more. His muscles rippled from constantly carrying the giant red axe and from forging. Honest, hard work had honed his body to perfection. His breathing quickened, as she traced over his skin as though copying his very form all over again. His body was always perfectly formed to her. Keltin had a marvelous body with a very fluid form and posture, but it was Howard's body that always secretly impressed her the most. He wasn't too bulky or too thin. He was simply perfect to her.

"I suppose there is nothing to speak further about. Isn't that right, husband?" she said with a small smile. "I was looking forward to wearing a dress, though."

"We can still have a small ceremony when we get back from Odin's Temple," Howard chuckled and gasped again when her hands roamed over his shoulders. He missed her so much that it was starting to show. "Oh, Sarine..."

"Two years away from you...actually three years," she whispered with a touch of pain in her tone. His pants were loosened, and they fell to the ground. He moved quickly to remove his shoes and pull the rest of his clothing off himself before reaching for her. Letting her get pulled to him, she simply relished the feel of his nude body against hers.

"So long ago, Sarine. I should never have left you alone," he growled, as his mouth came crashing down on hers. There was no time for anything else. He was impatient right now, and so was she. They dragged each other to the bed, and he pulled himself up just a bit to lock his eyes with hers as he made her his all over again.

She cried out at the passion of it and released instantly. He gave several quick thrusts before grinding himself onto her and into her with his heavy release. She trembled and whimpered out softly, "How-How..."

"Mine!" he growled, as he pulled her closer. "I'll never let anyone else have you!"

"But...Keltin..." she whimpered, as his mouth roamed over her neck.

"Right now, you're mine," he muttered thickly in correction, as he ground himself into her again. She cried out with him again and heaved her chest upwards to press against his. Her mind was spinning with thoughts.  _Keltin could never be like this. He was possessive in his own slow and romantic way. He proved that in the shower. It was Howard that always showed this intense, possessive, animalistic side of himself that only I knew. Our first time was almost exactly like this. Slow to start. Passionate to a point that it hurt until desperation set in, and we simply couldn't wait any longer._ Howard moved her arms up, and his hands moved up them to lock his hands in hers, as he took her yet again. Finally, he felt sated enough to pull her up to rest against him.

"How long do you have? Until you turn back?" she whispered against the hollow of his throat. He loved the feel of her against him and would never get enough of it.

"Only this night," he responded back. Then he was hard with desire again when she rose herself up to sit upright on him.

"What do you think of this?" she crooned, as his hands rested on her hips.

"Keltin seen this yet?" he growled.

"No," she giggled.

"Then I love it!" he snarled and bucked into her hard. Tossing her head back, she cried out until he gave in. He pulled her down to him to kiss her hard.

"Where do you think we should have the ceremony?" she mouthed against his mouth amidst the kiss. "Any places you have in mind?"

"Dunno. Don't care right now!" he grinned, and she poked him in the side to make him laugh. "All right, well, do you have an idea?"

"I was thinking of Hugel. It is right before you head towards Odin's Temple, and it is widely known for the Hunter Guild there."

"Hmm. What about Einbroch and the Blacksmith Guild?"

"Einbroch is too smoggy," she frowned, and he chuckled.

"True. But, I don't think you would mind that much. Or do you?"

"I just wouldn't mind something nice," she shrugged.

"You'll get something nice after the wedding," he chuckled and shivered, as her finger traced down his chest.

"That may be true," she agreed. "But, I also want more, you know?"

"No, I don't know," he admitted. In response, she moved her hips in such a way that he swore and bucked hard into her. After their release, she panted a bit and sighed.

"What is it, love?" he kissed her forehead.

"What should we do," she sighed. "if I become pregnant from this night?"

He paused at the question and finally just pulled her close.

"In all honesty, I would be the happiest man in the world!" he chuckled and hugged her tight. "Nothing would please me more than knowing that you would be the mother of my child. And I'm sure that Keltin would be too stunned to think that you could be carrying his, too."

She blinked at what he said, and she tittered a bit. Then she sighed and mumbled, "I have to wonder now..."

"What?" he asked, as he looked at her.

"Nothing. The odds would be against me right now, I think. But...I haven't really had any form of a monthly cycle, since my transcendence, come to think of it. I know it's only been a couple of days, but you would think that, while I was growing, something should have happened. Right? Or do you think I'm wrong?"

"What?!" he looked worried now. "That shouldn't be right!"

"I don't know what it means, either," she said a bit sadly, and she licked her lips.

"We'll need to ask, if anything is wrong," he pursed his lips in thought. A knock at the door diverted their attention.

"Who is it?!" Sarine asked, as she pulled the blankets over them.

"Just me!" Keltin shouted.

"Oh. Fine! Come in!" Howard called out. Watching Keltin walk in and shut the door, he broke the news about Sarine's issue. Keltin stammered and tried to think hard.

"From what I know, I didn't have her until now as a human. It's never been noted on sex between a human and a monster before. I know it's possible with demons, as I have heard of the Zealotus monster. That's a demon-human hybrid, also known as demi-human. Mainly between an Incubus and a human," Keltin said, as he thought aloud. "But, it could work with any demon. I'm sure it could work with other races, too, depending on what kind. I'll ask Valkyrie about it, if we see her again. Maybe."

"Oh," she blinked at this. For some reason, she felt that something else was amiss. As though there was another issue about a pregnancy long ago, but it escaped her. When Keltin started talking again, the thought vanished, and she refocused on him.

"That's really all that I know of," Keltin frowned.

"Well, we'll have to research or go to a doctor," Howard nodded.

"Let's see if Valkyrie's Sister knows anything first," Sarine suggested.

"Makes sense. So, how was it?" Keltin smirked. Sarine blushed and hid her face against Howard's chest. He grinned at her blush.

"Long overdue," Howard said with a grin. Keltin laughed at that.

"Well, if it makes any difference, I had to wait fifty years compared to your three!" Keltin grinned. "Think about that!"

"At least I know nothing can fall off!" Howard taunted back with a grimace. Keltin actually took a bit of an offense to that, but he didn't retort at Sarine's soft smile.

"Stop comparing!" Sarine giggled. "Why do men always have to compare things?!"

"Well..." Howard started, as he looked at Keltin and bit back a reply.

"I will NOT comment on that!" Keltin said firmly.

"It's a guy thing," Howard finally said.

"I can go with that!" Keltin agreed. Sarine just laughed and shook her head.

"You know, I could easily start making comparisons of my own," she started.

"NO!" the two of them said at once, and she laughed even more.

"This is going to be tough," Keltin grumbled. "Do we have to make schedules on who gets to be with her?"

"Then again, I did hear the odd rumor here and there on what three people could do together," Sarine grinned. "You'd be amazed at what one can hear on the docks of Alberta."

"Later!" Howard said quickly. "Much later, thank you!"

"She might be onto something," Keltin grinned back.

"Oh, come on!" Howard groaned and leaned back. She tickled his side, and he caught her hands amidst bouts of laughter. Another set of knocks were heard on the door, and Howard pulled her further under the covers to hide her. Keltin got up to open the door and found Seyren there with a massive grin on his face.

"So, how are the little lovebirds?" Seyren grinned. Then he saw Howard in human flesh, and his jaw dropped. Keltin had told him earlier, but he had to see it to believe it.

"I told you he was turned human for tonight," Keltin said smugly. "You know you were curious! You didn't believe me, did you?"

"The hell I didn't!" Seyren flustered.

"Do you mind?! I'm not done!" Howard sat up to further hide Sarine's form in the bed. "This is pretty rude of you."

"And I did the same thing last time, remember? I have to keep up with the tradition of walking in on you. At least I knocked this time," Seyren smirked.

"Absolutely horrible!" Sarine grumbled.

"He did knock this time," Howard agreed. Sarine gave him a look that set him laughing.

"So, what are you here for?" Keltin asked, as he sat on the bed.

"I'm here to let you know that everyone is heading to bed. And to stop shaking the ceiling. We were getting pretty annoyed," Seyren grinned.

"Get out!" Howard said irritably. Seyren barked out laughter and went to his bedroom. Keltin got up and closed the door to look back at them.

"How much time do you have left, Howard?" Sarine asked, as she sat up.

"Not much, considering how much time has already passed," Howard sighed, as he pulled her close. "It's only for tonight."

"You should shower with her. Trust me. It's worth it," Keltin said, as he started to get ready to sleep. "Showers always feel nice with her."

"Want to join us?" Sarine asked. Both Howard and Keltin looked at her with raised brows. Then they looked at each other.

"As long as we don't compare," Keltin said. Howard could only start laughing, as Sarine giggled and looked at them both.  _Keltin really was like Howard when it came to his attitude._

"I think it would be fun," she said, as she moved to kiss Keltin fully and hug him tight. "I do love you both so much!"

"And, with my time being human dwindling for now, it may be best to keep her happy and loving, right?" Howard chuckled, as he got up.

"So, how do we plan to do this?" Keltin asked as he undressed.

"Why don't we just play it by ear?" she whispered to him seductively and moved into the bathroom. Howard glanced at Keltin and grinned.

"I call first!" Howard said quickly and followed her.

"I'm going to have to be faster around you!" Keltin grumbled, as he followed him.

"Not too fast, please!" she laughed.

"Hey!" Keltin colored up. Howard laughed heartily at that, and the sound of the shower was the last thing heard for quite a while.


	14. Chapter 14

The next thing she remembered was waking up in the bed lying between them. Howard's human flesh had dissipated long ago while they slept, and Keltin was still human in sleep. Sarine could only wince at how sore she was, and then she blushed at the remembrance of how the shower went. She couldn't believe what ideas the two of them came up with.  _They truly were more alike than they seemed._

"Morning," Howard whispered, as he pulled her close. On seeing he was in his ghostly form again, he grumbled and pouted.

"Don't be mad. We'll get this taken care of today," she promised. He gave a weak smile, but pulled her close to kiss her thoroughly.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered back. He nuzzled her gently and simply held her. Everything was peaceful until a hard knock on the door spooked Keltin out of his sleep. Howard groaned and pressed his forehead against Sarine's.

"H-huh?!" Keltin said groggily, as he looked for his pants. "I swear, if it's Seyren..."

Howard just chuckled and got out of the bed. Once he put his clothes back on, they became ghostly again. They waited until Sarine was dressed before they opened the door. Seyren's grinning face was there.

"When you're human, I'm going to punch you and enjoy it!" Keltin growled.

"Well, good morning to you, too," Sarine smiled and gave Keltin a deep kiss. That snapped him out of his mood, and he hugged her. Seyren just laughed at them both and led them down the stairs where food was being prepped.

"Breakfast!" Karla sang out and served up some fruit bowls.

"Awesome!" Sarine grinned and sat down.

"So, what is on the agenda today?" Lloyd asked, as he speared a piece of fruit.

"We visit Valkyrie's Sister," Margaretha said, and she served up some juice.

"Thank you!" Sarine said, as she ate.

"Little sis," Cecil said when she sat down next to Sarine. "I am concerned about something. I want to talk about it with you."

"Yes?" Sarine looked at Cecil. Keltin and Howard both glanced at them.

"How has your body been since the transcendence?" she asked. Apparently, she had overheard their conversation last night through the door. She heard Keltin talking and wanted to find out exactly what was going on with her sister.

"Um..." Sarine paused.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't been feeling right, either!" Karla frowned.

"Oooh!" Margaretha blinked and looked at Kathryne.

"It will take a couple months for everything to work out," Kathryne said quickly.

"What about...um...?" Sarine paused, as Howard walked over to her.

"Valkyrie made me human for last night," Howard said softly. He put his hand on Sarine's shoulder. Sarine put her hand over his. It was Lloyd that saw the wedding bands first. Then he glanced over to Keltin and saw a wedding band on him.

"How is that possible?!" Lloyd pointed at the rings. "Three?"

"Valkyrie gave them to us," Keltin explained. "She married us with Odin's blessing."

"Awww!" Cecil pouted. "I wanted to see her in a dress!"

"We can see about having a ceremony after Odin's Temple is done!" Howard said.

"I'll marry you," Lloyd and Margaretha said together. Then they glared at each other and started to argue about it.

"You can both do it together!" Sarine said with a smile. That made them both smile and nod with approval.

"Oh, I want to show you guys something!" Karla said, as Lloyd and Margaretha started to work out a list on who could say what at the wedding. "I trained a bit more last night!"

"Something exciting?" Keltin asked. Eremes looked over at Karla with a soft smile, which she returned in her own secret way. He helped her train while the others slept by using Dead Branches that she had been storing. He would use them so she could attack the monsters that appeared. That way, the monsters were focused on him. The two of them had started to grow close without anyone noticing. Eremes had his own reasons for trying to get close to Karla. _It was mainly to try and get past the thought of losing Sarine again._

"In a way. Just something I learned," Karla grinned. That caught everyone's attention. She went out to the flower garden and started to grow mushrooms and herbs.

"That's...nice," Seyren shrugged. He had been watching Karla from the moment he saw her. He was quite taken by her beauty, but he wanted to see what else she could do. He was also unsure of how to approach her. Then she pulled out an Acid Bottle and a Bottle Grenade that she had made. She was lucky to have purchased the books for them long ago just to prepare for something like this. She only lacked the potion books now.

"I need a monster to summon a mob or something that I can demonstrate on," Karla said. Eremes had an idea and took out a Dead Branch.

"Allow me," Eremes said, as he broke it. Karla grinned and readied the bottles. A rogue Merman appeared and attacked him.

"ACID DEMONSTRATION!" she screamed, as she hurled the two bottles. The Merman was a charred dead corpse, and the land around it looked like a bomb went off when the smoke was gone. Everyone went silent with awe. Seyren finally broke it by running up to her and hugging her. She was completely surprised by this.

"I love you!" he said, as he squeezed her. Eremes narrowed his eyes.

"Wow!" Karla said, as she started laughing.

"Do you know what this means?!" Seyren said with excitement.

"You found a girl that can use a skill to get through that thick skull of yours?" Howard grinned. Sarine punched him lightly, and he hugged her.

"Moron," Seyren rolled his eyes. "It means that we now have an edge against the big monsters that we have to see! They see that on a minion, and they'll have to work with us!"

"Very true," Keltin said. "Or, Sarine shows them her Mark and they join, anyways. Sometimes, force is not the answer."

"Force should never be the answer, regardless," Sarine frowned. Howard kissed her forehead and cuddled her. They all started to make their way back into the house now, and Seyren was still carrying on with Karla.

"But, seriously, Karla, if we get through this, I'll marry you!" Seyren said with a grin.

"What?!" Karla asked, and he laughed.

"What's with everyone wanting to get married now?" Lloyd asked with a grin.

"Maybe it's time?" Howard chuckled.

"Is there anything wrong with wanting a woman that can be so intimidating that you want to be on their good side the whole time?" Seyren countered.

"Um, that's a Dominatrix. Which I'm not!" Karla said with a small giggle.

"Oh," Seyren seemed to pout. "But, I'm serious!"

"You know, you say this and you haven't even asked me out on a date or anything," Karla said, as she started to make more bottles. She winked at Eremes, and he seemed to understand that she was joking.

"I'll work on that!" Seyren said.

"Just let me know when you start to have sex so I can walk in," Howard said bluntly. Sarine gasped and punched him hard. His somewhat solid form was able to take some of the blow. Karla looked at him and colored up. Seyren burst into uncontrollable laughter. Eremes rolled his eyes and moved to lounge in a corner of the room.

"That's horrible!" Sarine frowned.

"What?" Howard grinned and shrugged.

"You will do no such thing!" Sarine hissed and shook her head.

"You lost points," Keltin teased and snatched up Sarine into a hug.

"I'm on a point system?!" Howard said in shock. "What the hell is this now?"

"It's a guy thing!" Seyren managed to say after his fit of laughter. "I walked in on Howard just last night!"

That made Karla color up even more, and she excused herself to check on Luna. Bringing the Homunculus back down the stairs, she settled to sit down.

"Men!" Kathryne growled and shook her head. Storm Caller seemed to roll his eyes, as he watched them all. Lloyd looked at Margaretha, and she gave him a shrug. She was used to this sort of banter, and it was normal for her.

"Save your guy stuff for taking Sarine to Amatsu!" Cecil said, as she smacked Seyren upside the head. "This includes your ego!"

"Ouch!" he winced. "Oh, fine. But, I'm telling you, Karla, I will marry you!"

"Sure, sure," Karla rolled her eyes, as she tended to Luna. "Why now? You had no interest in me until I showed you my skill! And you've known me for less than a day!"

"I'm attracted to power?" Seyren grinned and shrugged.

"If that was the case, you would have asked  _me_  out," Kathryne grumbled.

"But, you're like a sister!" Seyren complained.

"Seyren, you just want a mother figure," Eremes grinned from where he was watching from a corner. "I'm sure I could lift a pacifier from an Orc Baby somewhere..."

"Shut up!" Seyren colored.

"Maybe a set of giant panties?" Eremes goaded on.

"That's not fair!" Seyren pouted.

"I think it's time to leave," Sarine said to change the subject.

"Oh, good! Let's leave and not talk about this ever again!" Seyren agreed.

"At least until we're human," Eremes chuckled.

"Never again!" Seyren warned. Karla seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and Eremes winked at her. Sarine caught it and found herself smiling. Howard looked at her curiously, and she whispered what she saw to him. He blinked at her as though he didn't hear her right before grinning. _This was going to become interesting._


	15. Chapter 15

They had the Kafra Agent send them to Hugel. While there, Sarine stocked up on various arrows, and Howard had Karla buy some new bows for her. He wanted to try to upgrade them when he was able to, and Karla was thrilled to help out in any way she could. The crowd of people watched Sarine make her way towards the eastern exit of town with the powerful monsters in her company. Justice was with them, and the others stayed back on the island. The Gryphon flew down before they left and gave the crowd of people a shock.

"What is it?" Sarine asked, as she gently scratched the Gryphon on the head. It chirped and snuggled into her. When she still looked puzzled, it lowered its wings for her.

"It wants you to ride on it," Keltin said. He blinked, as he didn't understand the Gryphon before last night. He figured that it must have been something that Valkyrie did when she changed him. He had decided to be his undead self and act like her pet to stay close while she traveled around to avoid suspicion.

"I don't think anyone else can ride you, though," she frowned. It seemed to snort as though not caring about anyone else, and Howard grinned.

"Up you go, my love," he muttered and placed her on its back. A stretch of its wings was done to make sure she was comfortable, and it warbled. With the Gryphon happy, the crowd of people watched with amazement when they left. It wouldn't be long before other adventurers would appear to try and track them down.

Seyren and Howard moved into the lead to guide them to the temple. Justice was in Sarine's lap, and Keltin was soon seated behind her. Margaretha and Lloyd were walking on either side of her, and they were casting their protection spells. Karla was walking in front of the Gryphon with her deadly bottles ready to toss at a moment's notice. Cecil and Kathryne were walking near the back of them to attack from a distance. Eremes was Cloaked and moving ahead as far as he could to scout for them.

Sarine found it a bit difficult at first to ride the Gryphon. It wasn't used to walking for long distances, and it had to maneuver itself a certain way to adjust to her weight of using its forelegs and talons. Keltin held on to Sarine's waist to help steady her, as the Gryphon seemed to hop along roughly. It didn't want to fly with her, since it knew that she couldn't leave the others on the ground. After a bit more practice, it got a good walking-hopping stance going that seemed suitable.

"What's that?" Sarine asked, as she pointed at a strange girl in black. Her skin was pale, and she appeared to have a set of black, stick-like wings. Her eyes gave off a dark red glow, and she had long black hair. She seemed to waver in her stance as she moved towards them.

"That's a demoness called a Skogul. Not many monsters are male or female, as you can see. These are the exception. Porings are hard to tell unless you ask. She appears to be coming closer, doesn't she?" Keltin's arms tightened around her. The group paused, as the Skogul approached quickly. Instead of attacking, the monster looked at them and seemed to wave.

"She's a friend!" Howard said, as he nodded to her. It didn't take long for the Skogul to take up an area behind Seyren, and she even pointed to another monster in the distance. This one looked like a man dressed in black with a set of red wings and a devilish face. The wings actually lacked the usual webbing, and they looked like odd spikes coming out of his back. His hands appeared to be holding a wicked set of spikes, but they were his fingers. He hopped over and watched them.

"It's a Frus," Keltin muttered. Howard confirmed that it was another ally, and the Frus took a spot behind Howard. Other Skoguls appeared, and they were dispatched fairly quickly. Muninn screamed, as he soared high above her to scan the landscape. He spotted one area that seemed suspicious and flew over to Eremes to report it with small visions. Nodding in his Cloaked form, he ran back to the group to inform them.

"Sarine's falcon has detected an unusual group of adventurers a mile off from us and gaining. What do we do?" Eremes asked. He was careful to refer to Muninn as simply a falcon.  _If anyone found out it was actually Muninn then a scandal may have broken out in the townsfolk._

"I think we should kill them!" Seyren snarled.

"Let's just keep moving. If they catch up with us and cause trouble, then we will deal with them. No need to stop just to see if they want to cause problems," Sarine said with a frown. Howard nodded and beckoned for the party to move. As they walked, another monster joined them that Keltin recognized as a Breeze. It looked like a tiny tornado of wind as it moved, and it angled over to them quickly to help protect them. They had almost reached the temple gateway when the other group found them.

"There they are!" someone shouted.

"Oh, great!" Sarine groaned.

"What's that?!" Karla said, as she pointed to a black Poring that was set in a square shape instead of the usual rounded one. It even had a little devil tail. It's face held two white dots for eyes and a roundish mouth that always appeared to be open. It had white wings like an Angeling and was making their way towards them at a fast pace.

"It's a Skeggiold! And it looks fairly pissed off!" Howard said.

"No. It's a friend," Eremes said, as he Uncloaked. "It looks like it wants to play with the others...if they don't play nice."

It approached Sarine and bounced happily. Justice jumped up and down with joy, and the two seemed to talk in their own tongue.

"Skeggiold wants the name Doombringer. Can we? Huh?!" Justice asked, as it bounced up and down. Sarine laughed and nodded. With a bit of focus, two duplicates of itself appeared, and Doombringer was ready to play. The Frus and the Skogul got ready to attack, if they needed to, and the Breeze started to pick up some rocks within itself to chuck them to show it was ready to help attack, too.

They started to move across the bridge when the other party started running up to them.

"Wait! Take us with you!" a Knight said.

"Party is full," Seyren growled.

"Oh, come on! Don't be like that! You can squeeze us in!" a Wizard begged.

"He is the leader of this party, not me," Sarine said with a small smile.

"But, he's a monster! Monsters can't be in the party! There are only three of you!" the Knight pointed out. "We can work together!"

"It doesn't matter. He makes the rules," Sarine countered lightly.

"Yeah, so beat it!" Justice said. "You're not needed!"

"You'll just hold us back," Keltin said with a grim look. "You're not strong enough to be here, anyways. It's only obvious!"

"Go back the way you came. I'll even Warp you back, if you like," Lloyd said.

"Hah! They're probably weak!" a male Sniper shot out. At that, all of the monsters turned to look at him. Eremes Berserked, drank down a Poison Bottle, and Cloaked.

"They just pissed him off. Good luck guys!" Howard said with a grin.

"Huh?" the Sniper said before Eremes Uncloaked behind him and did the skill of Sonic Blow to him several times in the back. After the fifth time, which was simply overkill, he decided to leave him for dead. A cold stare from his ghostly face now focused on the other two, and he Cloaked again. As the Wizard casted Sight to reveal him, he was already wounded and on the ground. All that was left was the Knight.

"Eremes! Come here, please?" Sarine called out. The Assassin Cross was mildly upset that he was called off the hunt, but he appeared at her side.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" he asked. They were all very careful to refer to her as the Vessel while in monster territories. They knew that it could change later in time, but it was safer like this for now. They didn't want her real name revealed to keep her from being tracked.

"I think you taught them a lesson. If they follow us, you can finish them off, okay? Besides, save some fun for Karla," she winked. Eremes blinked and then smiled. As the Knight tried to run after them, Karla tossed two of her bottles at him. The Knight didn't stand a chance.

"They'll be fine," Margaretha said with a chuckle. Karla found Eremes walking a little closer to her now, and she even leaned into him a bit. Luna was riding on the cart, which now looked like a wood cart with a panda bear doll, and she was smiling.

Howard slowed up his walking to be with Sarine.

"I miss you," he muttered, as his hand moved to hold hers. She smiled and squeezed his hand gently to show that she knew how much he missed her.

"I miss you, too, love. We're almost there," she said.

"And I miss you, too," Keltin grinned.

"Shut up!" Howard grimaced. "Sarine, I honestly don't know what you see in him!"

"I see you," she winked. That caused a bunch of snickering throughout the group, and he flustered. Pulling her over to give her a quick kiss, he made his way back up to the front of the group to continue leading them.

"He's annoying," Keltin smirked.

"You can be, too," Sarine giggled and watched him color up.

"Hey, Eremes! Scout ahead?" Seyren asked him. Eremes nodded and moved his hand over Karla's quickly before he Cloaked to run off. Sarine giggled, and Karla looked back at her with a smile of knowing. She slowed up a bit to talk to her.

"So, when did it start?" Sarine asked, as Keltin listened in.

"Um, last night it started. I was feeding Luna, and he started asking questions about her. Then he started asking questions about me. After that, he agreed to help me train a bit more, and we sort of...grew on each other, I guess. I was a bit surprised that he would take an interest in me, but he says I drew him to me. Do you know what that means?" Karla asked.

"It's like what happened to me with Sarine. She just called to me, somehow, and I couldn't bear to be without her. Likely the same thing when Howard saw Sarine for the first time. I think they call it love at first sight," Keltin grinned.

"Oh!" Karla said, as she blushed. "Well, Eremes is very handsome."

"What about Seyren?" Sarine asked.

"He's much too brash. Yeah, he's cute, too, but he seems to want to be with me for the wrong reasons, you know?" Karla said. "If he was really interested in me, he should have acted sooner. Yeah, I saw him watching me, but he didn't approach me. It was as though he was trying to figure out how. But, he comes off as being very brash. Doesn't he?"

"That sums up Seyren in a nutshell!" Kathryne grinned.

"He always thinks all of the girls out there like him," Cecil agreed.

"As long as he's being talked about," Margaretha giggled.

"Howard, they're talking about me back there!" Seyren puffed up.

"Careful, Seyren. Your head might explode, and you need that to think with!" Howard grinned. "Oh, that's right! You don't need to think anymore, do you? So I guess you don't need that stuffed up, egotistic brain of yours."

"Shut up!" Seyren growled and was likely going to retort back before stopping at the sight of Eremes running back to them. When Eremes came to them like this, it meant something important was up.

"Monster mob ahead! Skeggiolds! Travel carefully!" he hissed. The party got into a defensive mode and carefully started to traverse the grounds, as it became more rocky and less grassland. A glowing blue sphere of light appeared and made a beeline towards them.

"Plasma! Various ones live out here!" Keltin hissed, as the Gryphon braced to defend its riders. The blue Plasma flickered and attacked. It stood no chance. Tossing the blue gem it dropped to Lloyd, they continued on.

"Keltin, how do you know so much about these monsters?" Sarine asked.

"You know...I don't know! I just know as they appear!" he said with surprise.

"Likely comes with being a Guardian," Kathryne said.

"Must be," he agreed. As they reached the top of a hill, they paused to look at the scene below them. They saw a bunch of Valkyries in warrior dress attacking a group of people. The Skeggiolds reported were assisting in the attack. The party didn't last long.

"Keltin," Sarine whispered to him. "go down to them and show them the feather that Valkyrie from Valhalla gave us. They can't attack you."

"Or me," Howard said. "Come on, Keltin. I'll help you out."

Keltin nodded, gave Sarine a kiss, and Howard gave her another one right after. They walked down to where the Valkyrie mob was, and the feather was presented. That made one of the Valkyrie maidens suddenly swerve at Keltin with shock and surprise. After a short conversation, Keltin pointed at Sarine. The solitary Valkyrie warrior followed them, as the others spread out to look for more intruders.

"So, you have come?" the warrior Valkyrie asked, as she finally approached. Her voice was hardened from centuries of fighting and upholding the Order of Odin. She was hovering in the air on a set of black wings. A long, tattered red cape that showed years of battle trailed behind her. Her blond hair was bundled up and held under a winged helm. A massive spear that constantly secreted mist was her weapon of choice and held in her right hand. Her other hand was free, yet was held in a gauntlet that resembled a massive clawed hand that also acted as a shield. Her body armor was a short dress made of a rare silver metal. Her boots were meticulously crafted with the same metal.

"Yes. I am the Vessel of Odin. I was told to find you," Sarine said with a nod.

"And these others with you?" her spear was thrust at Lloyd and Karla.

"They are my friends and assist me with my missions. They were blessed by the Valkyrie from Valhalla when they were about to transcend."

"I see. I can sense they truly were blessed by Valhalla. They are worthy," the warrior Valkyrie nodded respectfully. The Mark of Odin burned on the back of Sarine's neck, and the warrior Valkyrie looked up, as her Sister descended from Valhalla.

"It has been a long time," the Valkyrie from Valhalla said.

"Yes, it has, Sister," the warrior Valkyrie said with a nod. The Mark of Odin burned on the back of Sarine's neck again, and she whimpered when Huginn took over.

"It is time for our next plan of action," Huginn said. It caught both Valkyries off guard.

"Huginn! What is your will?" the Valkyrie from Valhalla asked.

"The ghostly monsters here were human once and need to be restored. What must be done to see this through?" Huginn asked.

"Well," the warrior Valkyrie said, as she looked them over. "as more monsters are brought to our cause, they will become more solid. Eventually, they will regain their human status. They were experimented with the genetic make-up of these monsters, and only these specific monsters can remove it. As for the Whitesmith, since he is obviously wed to the Vessel of Odin, and a fierce protector, I will grant him the ability to become human at night only. Or, human for a whole day once a month. What say you, Whitesmith?"

Howard thought about it and optioned for the once a month. Nightly would be nice, but, if there was an emergency, he may not be strong enough to help. For one day, they could rest and resupply if needed.

"Would it be possible to have it so that the others can also become human once a month? Like myself? This way, we can actually have a day that we can all enjoy together?" Howard asked. The others looked at him in awe, and the Valkyries nodded at his insight. It would be done as he asked.

"He is very honorable," Huginn smiled. "And, by the way..."

Keltin and Howard listened, as did the others.

"Yes, Huginn? Speak to us!" the warrior Valkyrie insisted.

"This body will not bear children until all of the monsters needed are gathered."

This was both a horror and a relief to them. They would need to travel everywhere they could to become human, anyways, but they were in shock that Sarine's fertility would also be placed on hold.

"Understood," Howard said quietly. Keltin swallowed and nodded.

"You are not pleased by this news? Why?" the Valkyrie from Valhalla asked.

"It's hard to explain," Howard started. "One of the main goals in a human's life is to find someone to love and to raise a family out of love. I was hoping to start a family while doing this quest. Now that I have learned that it cannot be done until the quest is over...it's a relief that children will not be in the way, but I also wanted to experience being a father."

This caught the warrior Valkyrie off guard, and she started talking to her Sister in a rapid language of older dialect. Coming to a decision, they both looked at Sarine.

"Huginn, please hear us!" they both said at once and started talking quickly in their language again. The look on Sarine's face was thoughtful the whole time, as they spoke. When they finished, there was silence.

"I understand what you say," Huginn started. "However, our Lord Odin cannot allow it, at this time. He has his reasons, but I shall see what I can do. Maybe a blunder can happen in time. However, I would trust in our Lord Odin's wisdom in this decision. He does see things that can happen before they do. He must know that something may happen to the Vessel in the future. Perhaps, after it has passed, something can be done."

Howard swallowed and glanced at Keltin. The Bongun seemed to shrug. They were both uneasy that something may happen to Sarine, but their next goal was clear.  _They had to go around and collect various monsters. That meant a lot of traveling._

"I have a request, as well," Eremes said. The Valkyries and Sarine looked at him intently now, as though waiting for him to speak his mind.

"What is it you wish?" Huginn asked.

"I wish to be wed to Karla," he said. Seyren sputtered, and Karla was simply speechless.

"It shall be done by tonight!" the Valkyrie from Valhalla nodded with a smile.

"The same shall apply to her when it comes to having children," Huginn said. Then Sarine's body slouched, and Keltin caught her before she fell off the Gryphon. It crooned to her and nuzzled her form until she woke up. The Valkyries looked at each other and smiled.

"Gryphon! We see that you are aiding the Vessel of Odin much now. May you be blessed with the ability to always be there when needed and to transport her quickly without fail!" the Valkyrie from Valhalla said, as she raised her trident over the Gryphon. "Your new name is Windwalker! Bear the Vessel of Odin well!"

The Gryphon screamed, as it grew five times larger in size. Its talons doubled in size and strength to carry off any, if needed, in the air. Its forelegs adjusted for long-distance walking, and its front talons were made to retract into its feet like its back paws so they wouldn't be hindered while walking. Even its eyes could now pin-point the tiniest pebble from a thousand feet up in the air when it flew. It gained a golden glow to its fur and feathers to show it was important to the Vessel of Odin. Windwalker bowed its head to them with respect.

Only then did the Valkyries embrace each other. The Valkyrie from Valhalla ascended back to the heavens. The warrior Valkyrie nodded and gave Sarine a flute and a flower.

"The flute will call one of my maidens to aid in battle. Only one maiden may appear to help you at a time. The flower will call myself to aid, but only as many times as the number of petals! There are six petals here. Each time I am called, a petal will vanish. The only way to gain another flower is to meet me here in person. However, there may be times that you call me that the need is worthy, and I may replenish the petal used. Do not waste it!" she warned. The flower was beautiful in both color and form. It only bloomed in Valhalla. The flute was made of carved marble and looked easy to play.

"Thank you, Valkyrie! We will not fail you!" Sarine said. The warrior Valkyrie nodded and raised her misting spear over her head.

"I bless you to always be courageous and quick witted in any battle! Go, Vessel of Odin! Your destiny awaits you!" the warrior Valkyrie shouted out, as she drifted back over to her maidens to lead them over the fields.

"Back home now?" Lloyd asked. Seyren was grumbling, but he knew he'd get over what happened.  _When I become human again, I'll have all the women I ever wanted._ There was only one problem. He actually did like Karla. He just had to be too brash with her, and he lost her. He never regretted anything like this before.

"He'll live," Howard mouthed to Karla, and Eremes just shrugged with a smile. In truth, Eremes was working up a plan in his mind already.  _And it had nothing to do with Karla._ He did like her, there was no doubt about that. But, he knew there was some unfinished business elsewhere that he had to settle first. Sarine nodded to the others and to the new monsters that joined them. The time had come to head home.


	16. Chapter 16

When Storm Caller saw them all, he nodded, as the explanations were given to him on what was going on and what needed to happen.

"Good. I checked on the house in Payon, and another Guild meeting with the Rogues is requested. I suggest we head there now," Storm Caller said.

"Ugh! Do we have to?!" Sarine asked with disgust. She just got back and was really looking forward to snuggling down with her husbands.

"It would be wise," Storm Caller sighed.

"We'll be there," Seyren grinned. "I want to see this leader for myself!"

"I'll stay here," Karla said. Eremes nodded to her and looked relieved.  _She'd be safer on the island._ Lloyd decided to stay, as well. All of the others were going with Sarine. They went through the Warp and stationed themselves around the house. Howard sat down with Sarine at the table, and Keltin positioned himself behind her. Margaretha went into the kitchen to start cooking something up. Kathryne and Cecil decided to make use of the target dummies just outside the door. Seyren and Eremes decided to wait just inside the door to spook them, if something happened. Eremes even Cloaked, as a security measure. Storm Caller moved to another room and would not appear, unless he was needed to assist them. There were enough present that it would be easier for him to be a backup defensive now, and he had some mild cleaning up to do from the dust.

They waited around for an hour. Starting to think that he wasn't going to show up, they heard Cecil and Kathryne stop attacking the training dummies. That was the signal to show that others were coming. Cecil and Kathryne opened the door for the Rogues and let them enter. Several of the Rogues were already pale at the sight of them.

"I see your forces have grown," Ripclaw said with appreciation.

"That they have," Sarine said with a shrug. "To what pleasure do I owe for your visit this time? Hopefully, it is nothing serious?"

"The town of Louyang needs your help," he started. "There is an old city underneath it, and an army is building."

"There are armies building under every city, practically," she frowned. "Why Louyang specifically? Why is that city so important to you?"

"In truth, our Guild has an outpost there."

"Well, I'll make a deal with you," she said with a sly smile. Howard looked over at her, and so did the others.

"And that is?" Ripclaw asked.

"I will help you with Louyang, if you help me with Amatsu," she purred.

"An interesting concept! Give me some time to think about it, and we will get back to you."

"Agreed," she said. Rising up from her chair, she moved to settle in Howard's lap. Grinning, he put his arms around her, as Keltin smirked and moved to sit in her now abandoned chair. Ripclaw's mouth dropped with a rare look of surprise at this.

"How is this possible?" he had to ask.

"They are my husbands," she said lazily.

"Husband?" he asked. Keltin seemed to glare at him. Howard just pulled Sarine closer into a more protective embrace.

"No. Husbands. You heard me correctly the first time," she said, as she watched him carefully. Keltin continued to glare, and Howard gave a bit of a protective growl.

"Monsters as husbands?" Ripclaw said again to be sure. Sighing, as she shook her head, she leaned over to plant a passionate kiss on Keltin before turning to do the same thing to Howard. Looking again at the stunned Stalker, she grinned.

"Yes. My husbands," she seemed to purr. "I have such an appetite."

Seyren smirked before clearing his throat. That caught the other Rogues off guard, since they didn't notice him there. Eremes Uncloaked by where Howard and Sarine were sitting, and that made them falter even more.

"How...?" Ripclaw asked with disbelief. He watched Howard rise from the chair with her in his arms. He loved to carry Sarine around.

"If you must know," Sarine started slowly. "they were all old friends of mine. They were human once, and they have gained a chance to become human once again."

"Can you tell me?" Ripclaw asked with pure fascination.

"Do you have the time?" she countered.

"Plenty," he nodded and took a seat. The other Rogues found places to sit and listen. Howard sat back down with her in his lap, and she started to explain her difficult past. Margaretha, Kathryne, and Cecil stood in the kitchen to listen, as Eremes and Seyren took their places by the door again. A couple of hours had gone by when she finished, and Ripclaw was speechless by the whole thing.

"I see now why you want to have Amatsu looked into," he started. "and why you have such powerful followers."

"And you can see why Howard and I love her so much," Keltin said, which startled the other Rogues. "As well as why everyone protects her."

"Yes, that, too," Ripclaw agreed. "I shall keep all of this discreet, and I shall have several of my agents look into the history of Amatsu."

"That would be helpful. Thank you," Sarine said softly. "I need to know as much as I can. I need to find out why I was treated so poorly."

"Sarine, we need to head back," Eremes said gently. She looked over at him and smiled warmly. He not only wanted to get back to Karla, but he knew that Sarine was getting upset. He wanted to help her get away from the Cat Hand Guild. Storm Caller emerged from the other room and startled the Rogues again, but there was nothing for him to say to them at this time. He was simply ready to leave with Sarine.

"Of course, Eremes. We will leave now," Sarine nodded.

"Leave? Isn't this your home?" Ripclaw asked.

"We have another home far from here. It wouldn't help to have Payon swarming with monsters now, would it?" she winked. He nodded with agreement and signaled to the Rogues that they were leaving. She did reach over to grab the portrait and the two letters that she left in the house to take back to the island, and Storm Caller took them from her. He would keep them safe until they were needed. After they left, Sarine was Warped back to her island home. When they did get back, she asked Storm Caller what he thought about the whole thing.

"I think you should hold off on visiting Amatsu until you have a few more stronger monsters allied with you," he suggested. "I also think that Louyang can wait. The town is not under attack yet, and we will get to Louyang in time. I'll commune with Valkyrie, and we will decide who will be needed to help you."

"That actually sounds better," Howard agreed, as he hugged Sarine close.

"Oh," Storm Caller said. "your one day of humanity is tomorrow to set the monthly clock going. Valkyrie has confirmed it."

The ghostly monsters looked at him with amusement. Eremes looked over at Karla, yet it was in the same direction as Sarine. Already, his mind was working on something that still needed to be done. Looking back over at Storm Caller, he studied the Strouf in more thought.

"Are you serious?" Eremes asked carefully.

"Yes. I had a vision, and it will be so. Plan your day carefully," he suggested.

"We are going to Comodo," Seyren grinned. "I think that would be the perfect place to spend our first day as humans. What do you all think?"

"You just want to try and get laid!" Kathryne snorted. Howard barked out laughter, and Seyren colored up.

"Not true! I just thought that gambling would be nice. And I thought that Howard and Keltin wanted to see Sarine dressed up like a Dancer, anyways," Seyren said smoothly. Margaretha giggled, and Lloyd smirked a bit.

"What?!" Keltin asked, as Howard suddenly shut up.

"He has a point," Sarine giggled. Eremes had a touch of a smile on his face, as he looked at Karla with a thoughtful look in his eye.

"Next month, we shall have to go to Jawaii..." Eremes grinned.

"Oh!" Karla blushed. "I've always wanted to go there!"

"Comodo first. Then Jawaii," Seyren said. That seemed to work out.

"I never had a real vacation before," Sarine smiled. "It is a popular honeymoon spot, anyways. I've never been there, either."

"Then it's settled!" Howard grinned, as he kissed Sarine's cheek.

"We'll have to have a ceremony first," Keltin said.

"Let's get you guys married before we go to Jawaii," Margaretha said. "I know Valkyrie already married you, but a ceremony is still needed. That way it will seem more official."

"That can work," Lloyd agreed. Margaretha gave Lloyd a smile, and he blushed before looking away. Sarine's eyes went wide, and she pointed at them.

"You two! What is going on?!" she asked. Margaretha blushed now and looked away to keep silent. Seyren started to snicker.

"Let's just say, hypothetically," Lloyd said quickly. "that there was a distinct reason that we all had to meet up again."

Howard started giggling. Sarine frowned at him, and Keltin pulled her away from Howard to hug her.

"I wasn't done!" Howard scowled.

"Too late!" Keltin grinned, as he kissed Sarine's cheek.

"I'm going to bed," Karla yawned. Eremes looked at her and got up to walk with her. Howard grinned and waved to them.

"I'll walk in on you later," Seyren said casually. Karla glared at him.

"You will do no...such...thing..." Eremes warned with a hiss.

"I'll have to hang up a couple of my bottles above the door, won't I?" Karla mused. Eremes snickered and put an arm around her. Seyren stammered, and everyone whooped with joy when Eremes planted a kiss on Karla's mouth. Even Luna was jumping up and down joyfully. Karla was elated, but she realized it was a rather chaste kiss.  _It was as though he was holding back._   _Was there something wrong?_  She wasn't sure at that moment.

"Now I feel out of place!" Howard grumbled, as Keltin kissed Sarine. He managed to pull her away from the Bongun and planted a kiss on her.

"Is it my turn now?" Seyren joked.

"I can let you kiss my massive, red axe, as it's knocking teeth down your throat!" Howard growled jealously. Seyren barked out laughter now.

"Boys!" Sarine warned. "You can be protective later. It's bedtime now."

"Yes, dear!" Keltin grinned. Howard grinned now and looked at her.

"Don't you start that again!" Sarine scowled.

"Yes, dear!" Howard and Keltin said together.

"Ooh!" Sarine pouted and marched up the stairs.

"I claim first!" Keltin grinned and ran up after her.

"Fast learner! No fair!" Howard said, as he followed after them. Seyren chuckled and moved to sit in a chair. Kathryne and Cecil joined him.

"Everyone is falling in love," Kathryne mused.

"Yes. Such bonds are rare. Aren't they?" Cecil smiled.

"Maybe we'll find some new friends in Comodo," Seyren thought.

"Anything is possible. You just want to impress the Dancers," Kathryne teased.

"What?! No! I mean...if it happens..." he admitted. He laughed when they both punched him. They were all too much like family. Glancing over, they watched Lloyd and Margaretha discussing different points of views on how to kill monsters. Then they all giggled when Lloyd placed his hand in hers. Margaretha went silent, looked at the others, and chuckled when they looked away.

"Love is in the air," Lloyd smiled.

"As long as it is mutual," Margaretha agreed. Looking at each other, they smiled silently in a quiet form of understanding.


	17. Chapter 17

Upstairs was a different matter. Sarine was reclining between her husbands with exhaustion. The other two were no better than she was. Clothing was draped over each piece of furniture like a rite of passage. Keltin was already sleeping. He was trying to build up his stamina, but it was going to take some time. Howard was leaning over Sarine and whispering to her softly to keep from waking Keltin.

"Wonder what Karla and Eremes are doing?" he grinned.

"Oh, you! Likely the same thing we just did," Sarine blushed.

"Or can do again?" he said lovingly, as a hand came up to caress her.

"Mmm," she sighed and stretched under his touch.

"Shower with me?" he asked, as his hand moved lower.

"Ah!" she gasped, as he worked his way inside her and helped her release. Now that she was all sweaty, she thought it would be a good idea. Lifting her from the bed, he carried her into the shower and started it up. Watching her form move behind the cloth sheet, he was soon joining her with a wave of need.

"Sarine..." he whispered, as he kissed her hard. He would never be able to get enough of her.  _This was the woman I was destined to be with, and I'll be damned if anyone tries to take her away from my side!_  He pressed her back against the wall of the shower and steadied her, as he started to thrust hard into her. When she moaned and shouted her release, he joined her and pulled her fully into his arms.

"Are we really going to go to Comodo tomorrow?" she mumbled against his shoulder.

"It looks to be that way, doesn't it?" he sighed and sat on the floor of the shower with her. She snuggled into him, as he cradled her. A soft blink was all she gave, as his ghostly skin became solid when he coughed lightly.

"Midnight to midnight?" she giggled. He just grinned, and they soon got into a licking game to remove the drops of water when they splashed on their skin. It soon turned into a tantalizing game of teasing, and it quickly rose into a torrent of mad desire. It didn't take long for them both to cry out their passions together. A bit later as he held her, she snuggled into his warm chest. Just by hearing his strong heart beating, it was starting to relax her.

"I love you, Howard Tao-Alt-Eisen," she smiled dreamily. They had to carefully incorporate Keltin into the marriage, and it was easier this way.

"And I love you, Sarine Tao-Alt-Eisen," he whispered with complete happiness.  _This was how it was supposed to be._ When the water started to turn cold, he swore, and she giggled. Drying each other off turned into another frenzy of uncontrolled passion, and it took them a bit longer to recover.

"I don't want to move," she pouted.

"Then don't move," he chuckled, as he picked her up tenderly.

"Why do you spoil me?"

"Because you are my goddess," he grinned. "You deserve to be worshiped with only me and Keltin to shower you with love. And lots of kisses!"

She squeaked with protest, as he started to kiss her face and nuzzle into her neck. Laying her down on the bed, he pulled her close. She yawned, and he smiled.

"Where do you think we will go in Comodo?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm sure that Seyren will have a few ideas," he grinned. She made a face at him, and he laughed softly. A deep kiss was given to her before they both drifted to sleep.

What neither of them did know was that another was watching the whole time. This other was jealous. Exceptionally jealous. Slipping out of the room now, another room was entered as a plot slowly started to unfold.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, everyone was in an uproar on being human again. It had been so long that Margaretha was actually weeping with a profound joy. Lloyd was giving her the silent comfort that she needed. Cecil and Kathryne were comparing skin tones to see if there were any changes. Seyren was testing his strength to see how much of a difference there was. Eremes was in the constant company of Karla, their wedding rings quite apparent with Luna singing happily while she ate. Howard was watching the others, as he rested against the wall with Sarine and Keltin. Sarine was quite content between them both.

"So, what is your agenda for today?" Storm Caller asked.

"We are going to Comodo!" Seyren grinned.

"Can we all go together?" Lloyd asked. "I don't think we all can be together at once."

"Valkyrie fixed that," Eremes said quietly.

"That she has," Keltin grinned, as he became human. Then he paused, as his clothing became that of a true Monks' garb. Sarine laughed happily and hugged him.

"I guess Valkyrie gave you a bonus for today?" Howard chuckled.

"Apparently so," Keltin mused. "I need to test my skills really quick."

As he walked outside, he paused. He suddenly felt stronger. Kathryne's mouth dropped, as a white light enveloped him and changed him even more. He was now a transcendent Champion. New skills opened up to him within seconds, and Storm Caller smiled in knowing.

"Valkyrie has decided to make sure that Keltin was on the same level as the rest of you. You are all transcended. In a way, we monsters may become the same the more we assist the Vessel of Odin. It was only fitting for Keltin, as well. His monster form will revert back when he chooses, but this will be his permanent human form," Storm Caller explained.

"Wow!" Keltin grinned. Looking down at himself, he studied what he was wearing. Instead of the usual open Monk brown long coat, which exposed his chest with the somewhat tight brown pants, his long coat was buckled in and sleeveless with a hood. He still wore the pants, but the design was far more elaborate and mostly white cloth. The back of the hood was red, and his chest was still exposed. His pants were a touch looser and still brown. He had no fur lining his clothes, and neither did Lloyd or Margaretha. Apparently, that was a class thing from the Acolytes. Sarine definitely approved of her husband's new look.

"Keltin, I am officially far more attracted to you now!" Sarine said in a husky whisper. She found him to be several times more handsome than he ever would be. Grinning, he walked up to Sarine to kiss her passionately, and Howard grumbled. A wink was given to the Whitesmith when he was done, and Howard pulled Sarine against him again. Keltin stretched out his muscles before walking back outside.

Now it was time to test his skills. Within seconds, he called up five Spirit Spheres, charged himself with them, summoned five more Spirit Spheres, used the skill Critical Explosion, and then he looked at Seyren. Getting into a fighting stance, he motioned for the Lord Knight to try and attack him. It was time to test out what he had.

"All right!" the Seyren grinned. Valkyrie did grant one monster skill to Sarine's older friends, and that was the monster skill of Berserk. The Knight class did have a skill that closely resembled it, but this one fully replaced it. Seyren Berserked himself and pumped himself up with Aura Blade and Concentration. After that, he readied himself before charging right at him with his weapon drawn. Keltin countered him with several powerful kicks, blocks, and punches before letting his final hit take effect.

"ASURA STRIKE!" Keltin screamed, as he launched himself at him quickly. Sarine watched with wide eyes, as Seyren was slammed against the wall. Howard snickered at first. Then he burst into laughter!

"Not funny!" Seyren growled, as he pried himself from the wall. The strike had left a faint impression of him there. Storm Caller sighed, as he would have to fix that when they left. Margaretha and Lloyd simultaneously Healed him at once, and Seyren waved them off with irritation to show he was fine. When he rested, he would quickly regain his health.

"Rematch?" Keltin grinned under his large blue hat, the half amulet wavering slightly. It was the one feature that didn't change about him, since Bonguns were known to give up their hats at times on defeat.

"Not right now," Seyren grinned. "Plenty of time for that later, right?"

"Sure. I can smell a chicken when I see it," he snickered. Howard was running out of breath with laughter, and Sarine was trying to help him stay alive. Even Eremes was grinning, and Karla was just speechless at the whole thing.

"Little sis is fairly protected now!" Cecil grinned.

"I'll say I am!" Sarine agreed. Now that they were all solid, it was easier to see what they were wearing. Kathryne straightened out her fur-lined blue cape and short skirt dress. Her shoulders were bare under the cape and gave a revealing cleavage. Adjusting her boots, she looked over at Eremes. Despite the usual black clothing and his bone-like front armor that revealed his chest being the only new thing about him, he was able to keep an arm around Karla easily. He lacked the fur to show his transcendence like Keltin. The bone armor was all he needed. His eyes were closed, as though trying to figure out something. He was always like that, though. Opening one storm-grey eye, he gave a glance to Howard.

The Whitesmith's hard chest was heaving with recovery from laughing so hard. The furry lining was only done to where the sleeves would be, and the vest-like half tunic was stark white. It was a perfect complement to his tight blue jeans. The red suspenders that held the bottom of his tunic to his pants seemed to neatly compliment him. His torso was almost fully revealed this way, too, and they were snugly pulled tight against his skin. Even his jeans had small bits of fur lining them around his ankles to make them look tattered at the ends. Heavy work boots covered his feet, but were easy to move in. A slender belt with a massive buckle finished the outfit. He managed to keep an arm around Sarine a bit possessively, as she now leaned against Keltin with loving affection.

Cecil frowned, as she looked around, her garb matching Sarine's completely with the fur-lined top vest with the zipper front, and tight leather shorts with fur lining the bottom of them. The fur on the top seemed to only loop around the sleeveless parts and along the collar. She had on gloves that were lined with fur on the sides that went up her arms, and those went over a set of cloth-like gloves that left the tips of her fingers exposed. As with Sarine's top, a zipper closed up the front, and it was all the way up to the fur-lined collar of her top.

Her eyes rested on Margaretha, her once slender red dress now much fuller with higher slits in the sides. It seemed a bit more modest, as more white showed on the top of the dress and less cleavage was revealed, but a bit more of her legs were revealed. Margaretha smiled at Lloyd, as his garb was dark underneath with an overcoat of white. His collar split at the top to reveal a Holy rosary that graced his throat. He looked over at Karla with a wink. Her dress was still short, her cape billowed out a touch behind her, but her boots were fur-lined to show her transcendence. The top part of her dress was split enough to show a drastic cleavage.

"Well, what are we all waiting for?" Seyren asked. His own armor looked heavier than a normal Knight's did, and his cape was longer. He even had a fancy tassel of sorts hanging from his groin, and a small cross was emblazed on the front of the armor. Another small cross was on the belt buckle he wore. He lacked the fur lining of transcendence, as his armor was his proof. He looked far more regal than a normal Knight. They all looked at each other again and smiled as one. Sarine's falcon chirped at her, and she smiled.

"You can rest here. You've done a lot, and I should be safe," Sarine smiled. He warbled softly, as though agreeing, and settled to roost by a warm window.

"Think that's wise?" Kathryne asked.

"We're just going to Comodo, right? We're not fighting anything. Let's go," Sarine smiled. Storm Caller had informed the Kafra Agent in the home, and she sent them off to Comodo. When they got there, the fireworks spooked Sarine once again, and Keltin hugged her in comfort. Howard kept an arm around her afterwards, as the crowd of people stopped from watching a Bard and a Dancer to look at them with surprise.

"It's them! From Einbroch!" a woman shouted, and a cheer erupted.

"Oh, no!" Sarine flustered. Other Dancers started to swoon at the powerful men, but it was only Seyren who was grinning. Howard and Eremes were taken now. Karla felt around in her cart for her bottles, but Eremes only tilted her face up to kiss her. That was all the girls needed to show that he wasn't interested in them.

"Good idea!" Howard chuckled and pulled Sarine close to kiss her.

"Damn it!" Keltin scowled, as he soon did the same. Sarine just blushed and hugged them both close. This was going to spark a widespread confusion, but they didn't mind.  _It just showed that they weren't interested in anyone else._

"YOU!" a High Wizard male walked over to them pointing. It was Malore.

"Oh. You. Hi," Howard said with a roll of his eyes. Keltin grumbled a bit, as the man had transcended. He would have congratulated him, if they were on better terms. Sarine made a quick evaluation of what he wore. His shoulders were red with a high collar that seemed to jut out in front of his face. It attached to a dark brown cloak that ended in pointed ends, much like that of a circular bats' wings. It seemed to latch closed in the front, and fur lightly lined along where the sleeves would be. A tan and white tunic seemed to go over his waist to cover his hips lightly around his pants, and they were both held in place with a slender belt. The somewhat loose, light tan pants were comfortable and lightweight for very easy movement. Dark brown gloves that left his fingers free, and light tan protective shoes with darker brown upper tops finished his outfit.

"How are you all human?!" Malore hissed. Already the crowd hushed. The connection that these were the same monsters from Einbroch, and that they were all human, suddenly dawned on the people. It didn't take long for the whispers to fly. Kathryne growled and moved in front of the group. He stammered, as she suddenly barreled him with insults at how stupid he was for thinking he was better than anyone else and how he should be humbled that he was still alive to this day. She further chastised him on how true men were supposed to be around others, and that he held no respect for life. As she kept on hurling insult after insult at him, Keltin could only grin at Seyren. Now he understood why Kathryne was a pain at first. In truth, Kathryne was pushing all the attention from them to Malore to turn the situation against him.  _It was working._

"Well?! Answer yourself!" she finally shouted at Malore.

"Um...but...you were a monster! You tried to kill me!" he countered back.

"Well, at this rate, I probably should have! Here you are making a scene when all we wanted was a nice walk in town!" she hounded him. Muttering an apology, he quickly walked off under her icy stare. Huffing a bit, Cecil walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I think he's gone," Seyren grinned.

"Serves him right!" Kathryne muttered. Howard was just chuckling the whole time. _It was likely that the crowd of witnesses wouldn't feel very comfortable around Malore any time soon. Kathryne's ploy worked perfectly._ The one thing that did break the silence was the Bard singing a soft melody. Sarine looked over at him and smiled softly, as she turned towards him.

"I know that song! I think," she thought aloud, as she walked over to him. He was strumming softly on the guitar, and she recalled her past dream-like life.

"Do you know the song? It was sung for royalty in Amatsu before," the Bard said, as he picked up the pace of the song. Howard's face paled at what was said. Keltin made ready to snatch up Sarine, if something went wrong. Yet, Sarine slowly started to sing with him. Howard had never heard her sing before. It was a beautiful, sultry voice that caught him up in a dazed whirlwind of desire. She could never sing like this before her transcendence. Keltin was speechless at the pure, flawless tone she gave out. Eremes had his mouth dropped. It was not only her voice, but the song, too. He recognized it from when he rescued her. Karla looked at him worried, and he looked down at her.

"She was singing this song in her sleep long ago..." he whispered to her, as a quick explanation for his action. "It's a lullaby to ward off harmful dreams and to make good dreams come true. When I rescued her...she was singing this..."

Karla looked over at Sarine with worry. She had never seen this side of her friend before.  _It would make sense for Sarine to know the song from her lineage._ Luna tugged on Karla's cape and was fed, but she knew the Lif was worried, too.

"Beautiful song, isn't it?" the Bard smiled. "You have a beautiful voice. It's a shame you're a Sniper."

"And what's wrong with being a Sniper?" Cecil countered with a small frown.

"I chose to become a Sniper a long time ago," Sarine said gently to remove the ugliness of the situation. Seyren was watching her silently with a smile. This was his little sister to him, and he was prepared to jump in to defend her, too, should he need to.

"You know, I'm sure we could make you even prettier with a bit of makeup!" the Dancer smiled. "My name is Coraline. This is my brother, Donnie. We are having a show tonight. Can you dance with us?"

"My name is Sarine. As for dancing...well..." Sarine hesitated. The Dancer was wearing a two-piece bikini suit dyed red, and a light scarf was over her shoulders. Her hair was dark brown, long, and braided up to keep out of the way of her dancing. The Bard was wearing a full traveling suit with a small cape, and he had short, dark brown hair. They almost looked like paternal twins and even sounded alike. It would have made sense that they would have chosen a class that would allow them to always work together in harmony.

"I would be honored, if you could sing and dance with us!" Donnie smiled.

"Howard?" Sarine looked at him for support. He was still stunned by her voice. It had an effect on him that he never knew existed, and it took a couple pokes from Keltin to snap him out of it. The look on his face now could only mean one thing.

"No!" he suddenly said, as he gathered her up. "No one else is going to hear your voice!"

"But, she can dance?" Coraline asked. Howard growled jealously. It was as though he already had a rare gem, and it was appraised to be even rarer.

"I'll take that as a 'no'. Sorry, guys," Keltin smiled. He wouldn't have minded to see her dance and sing, but Howard was right. _If others saw and heard Sarine on a stage, then it would be even more difficult trying to protect her._ It was already getting to that point, since there were those that did hear her sing in the crowd. They started to protest.

"No, no, NO!" Howard grumbled at the protesting crowd, and Sarine hid her face in his chest. Keltin sighed and gave a small shrug.

"Well, if you don't want her to sing and dance for you," Coraline seemed to pout. Howard turned to face her in a way that made her brother stammer. Eremes nodded to Karla and walked over to Howard. He placed a hand on his shoulder and softly whispered into his ear, which was an amazing feat considering how deep his voice was. Howard grumbled something in mild protest. Once again, Eremes whispered to him calmly and softly.

"Well..." Howard sulked in defeat.

"She'll dance and sing," Eremes nodded. "as long as it is for no one else."

"Yay!" Coraline said gleefully. Howard gave Eremes another look and crushed Sarine to him. He still didn't want it to happen.

"We'll arrange for a private showing right now. Let's go to the stage," Donnie smiled. Seyren glanced at the small crowd gathering and grinned. _Like hell was this going to be a private showing!_  Kathryne looked over at Margaretha with a frown. This wasn't how she wanted to spend her day. Lloyd seemed to shrug and felt Margaretha slip her hand into his. That symbolized that they were a couple and not to be bothered with.

"It will take us about three hours to get ready," Coraline said, as they reached the stage. "You all can do what you like while we get her ready. Oh, what are your names?"

They all introduced each other casually, as they made way to leave, but Howard stayed behind with Keltin.

"I'm not going anywhere without my wife!" Howard growled.

"My wife, too, so I'm in full agreement with you," Keltin said, as he found a seat.

"Two husbands?!" Coraline asked with disbelief.

"It's a long story," Sarine smiled. She looked over at Karla and handed her any excess items that she didn't need for safekeeping, but she did keep her Rudra bow and a couple arrow quivers on her. One never knew when she would need them.

"You can tell me while I get you ready!" the Dancer sang out. Donnie started to tune up his guitar. When Sarine was led away, Eremes whispered to Karla with a smile and gave her a soft kiss before Cloaking and walking off.

"Where is he going?" Seyren asked her. Cecil looked over and tilted her head with confusion. It normally wasn't like him to walk off on his own.

"He's going to make sure the town is safe and find me a nice gift," Karla said with a smile. "He's so sweet!"

"I'm sure he is," Seyren smiled, but it was a forced one. He knew Eremes well enough to know that he wasn't just going to look around the town. _When the Assassin Cross said he was going to look around the town, it meant he was on a personal mission._ He wasn't sure if he should let Howard know, since it would make him paranoid, so he had to keep this knowledge to himself for now. When he glanced over to Cecil to see her grim look, he nodded.  _At least I'm not the only one to catch what was going on._


	19. Chapter 19

In the dressing room, Coraline was working on Sarine. Various silk garments were pulled out and easily covered over what Sarine was already wearing. Sarine was adamant that she would not remove her Sniper clothing, no matter how bulky it would look on her. She had managed to tell Coraline the short version of how she got Howard and Keltin as her husbands. She left out the parts about Valkyrie, and informed Coraline that the tattoo was just a birth mark.  _The less she knew, the better for now._

 "So that's how you got two husbands! Amazing! Okay, here we go!" the Dancer smiled, as she pulled out a robe that resembled a silk linen sheet and wrapped around the whole form. It covered over the Sniper clothing easily and didn't show any form of bulkiness.

"It's beautiful!" Sarine smiled.

"I have a couple of these, so you can keep this one. It's a Heavenly Maiden's Robe. There's even a spot for a card, see?" Coraline smiled. "Here! Put this on!"

A rouge colored lipstick was applied thinly with a touch of blush. Looking around in her drawers, she pulled out a set of Elven Ears to finish the look.

"Wow..." Sarine blinked, as she looked at herself in a mirror.

"Still missing something...Oh! Here!" Coraline smiled and pulled out a golden tiara to place on her head. The original bow in Sarine's hair was nothing special, and she placed it in her pack to keep for later.

"Are you sure?" Sarine frowned.

"Yes! Now you look gorgeous! Oh, put these on, too," Coraline said, as she gave her a set of earrings. "Wow! You look like a true queen!"

Sarine was stunned, as she looked at herself in the mirror now. The woman looking back at her was simply stunning and beautiful in every way, shape, and form. She could only say one thing. "Amazing..."

"I need to get back with Donnie. I'll be right back!" Coraline tittered, jumped up, and ran out. Sarine took this time to study the room she was in. It was a rather stately dressing room that was only handed out to the most elite in the Dancer class. Drawers and closets filled the room up completely. There were no empty spaces seen on the walls at all. If there was a space, it was filled up with mirrors and racks of clothing for costumes. Glancing at the boudoir table in front of her, as it was packed with makeup and jewelry of all kinds, she finally looked at herself in the mirror again. Her eyes widened at the sight of Eremes Uncloaking behind her.

He had to maintain his control, as it was important. She was stunning to him. Simply stunning now, and he was secretly pleased that he was the first to see her like this. It was going to take every bit of self control that he had acquired in his life to talk to her the way he needed to right now. He moved slowly towards her to let her speak first.

"What?!" she swiveled around in the chair she was sitting in, her eyes wide with complete surprise.  _What was he doing here?_

"I have a confession to make..." he whispered in his deep, yet quiet voice, as he walked over to her and pulled up a chair to sit by her. His long, blue-black hair seemed to frazzle neatly at the sides to resemble a black cape down to the middle of his back, and it framed his figure perfectly. Once settled, he leaned a bit away from her. His arms were now draped over the armrests of the chair, as he rested like that. His long, lean form appeared completely relaxed, as though he had never moved from that spot for ages. He was a complete mystery to her, and she always felt the suspicion that she knew him. She just could never figure out where. Other than him stating that she was his last mission back at the island home, which finally clarified how she felt she knew him, there was still something else that eluded her. All of that was about to be revealed now.

"Confession?" Sarine whispered back, as she watched him with wide eyes. His dark, storm-grey eyes regarded her tigers' eye gemstone eyes with a hidden form of wary intelligence. His exceptionally handsome face was calm, as he gazed at her now. He took in a quick breath of control at the very sound of her sultry voice.

"You...should never have gone to Howard...or to the Bongun. You should have belonged to me," Eremes said lightly. "I was the one that saw you first. I was the one that rescued you from your fate. You...should have...belonged...to me..."

She blinked, as his hand came up and lightly moved a curly strand of brown-blond hair away from her face to tuck behind a newly pointed ear.

"Why are you saying this now?" she asked, as she struggled to regain her composure. He hardly ever spoke to her, or to anyone, and, even then, it was a few short sentences at the most. She had never seen this side of him before. She doubted that anyone ever did. Even when he helped teach her when she was younger when they traveled together, he was very short in what he said and mainly used body movements. Karla was likely never going to see this true side of him, either. He just smiled softly and leaned close to her.

"I never told anyone. But...before I rescued you, I looked down at you. There was just enough candlelight in your room to show your face," he said a touch softer in his tone, almost like a deep whisper. Her eyes widened even more, and her breath quickened.  _Why am I reacting like this at his very closeness now? What was going on?_

"You...saw me?" she breathed. He nodded, as he chose his next words carefully.

"What I'm going to reveal to you...will be new to your ears, in a sense. I heard...at the time...that you were going to be sacrificed to a monster. A very powerful one. But...it was not to be a true sacrifice. You were to be removed completely from the world and simply held in a far more secluded place. Incantation Samurai was actually supposed to have been your jailer. The deal was made with him on the day you were born. The Empress, your mother, noticed your beauty right away, and it was known to Incantation Samurai all that time. However, he would not care for an infant, and it was agreed that, when you came of age, you would be given over to him. Although...something tells me he would have demanded for you at any age, if he knew how you were being cared for...

"The Empress was, and is still, very vain. She could not handle another taking her out of the spotlight, if you understand my meaning. Your parents had to make it seem like a sacrifice to save face to the others. They knew Incantation Samurai wasn't going to kill you. The Emperor, your father, appeared to have known this from the relief in his eyes. Come to think of it, the Emperor was silent the whole time. As though...he wanted to speak, but he couldn't. Strange. Anyways, yes, it is known that Incantation Samurai was known to accept sacrifices in his honor, but you were...are...special.

"You...were far too beautiful. So much that the Empress of Amatsu was jealous. She wanted you dead, but the others did not. She kept you away from everyone. She kept you out of the sunlight. She didn't want you to mature properly. She thought that your dark isolation would make you ugly and homely. She even thought that you would end up dying and simply let the problem resolve itself. Yet, every year, you just got far more beautiful. And you always seemed to find a way to survive by a very slim chance.

"When the time came to rescue you, your grandmother contacted me discreetly and told me how to find you. She told me all of these things. She warned me to take you far away and to protect you. To never let you be hurt, as you had a very important destiny. To never leave you alone. I promised her this. Yet...at the same time, I failed. No matter how many times I tried...I still failed..."

"If you're talking about the Biological Laboratory, there was nothing anyone could have done," she whispered, amazed that he was talking to her at such length and extent.

"True. They had sensors, so I couldn't escape. I was caught every time."

"You tried to escape?" she did remember that Howard had mentioned this to Keltin, but she thought she misheard him due to how exhausted she was.

"Constantly."

"What of Howard?"

"Howard agreed to try and distract the guards to have me get out. If anyone could get to you at all, it would have made him feel better and everyone else, too. Every attempt failed. Howard started to go insane, and then he sent out his letter to you. Then, when we received no response from you...we both had our doubts that you were waiting for us. Eventually, the others felt the same. We thought you moved on from us."

"That wasn't true!" Sarine said with pure sadness, and she couldn't help the tears that started to form. She frowned and shivered. He sighed heavily, as he fought back the urge to hold her and won. He hated to see her cry. He always had.

"We know it wasn't true. When we saw that you came back for us with the Bongun, we had a feeling of what happened. Even when the letters were read. But...there is something more before all of this," he said, as he brushed away one of her tears and watched her.

"What do you mean?"

"Think back to when you were rescued. Do you remember waking up? Do you remember gazing at me?"

"I...I don't know..." she admitted. "I'm not sure..."

"Try to remember," he soothed. Taking a deep breath, she focused a bit and narrowed her eyes, as she struggled to pull up the memories.

"I...I remember feeling lifted up."

"Yes. Go on," he urged.

"I think...no!" she gasped.

"Yes. So, it is true. You saw me."

"But...how can I be sure? You were just an outline! I was over your shoulder! It was so dark, and nearly everything looked black to me!"

"It only seemed that way to you, since you were not used to the moonlight or any other light than that of candles. But, do you remember this?" he asked, as he pulled out the dark red sash that he wore as an Assassin. He wore a much brighter red one now. She gazed at it with wide eyes. She definitely recognized it, but still had her doubts.

"Any Assassin could have worn that," she said softly.

"But...would any Assassin remember a promise? A promise that was made to you on that night? To always protect you and keep you safe? To make sure that you would never be locked up again? The same Assassin that gave you the softest and lightest kiss on your lips to seal the promise?"

She was trembling now, as he leaned over to brush away another tear. Then she started to shake.  _Why didn't I remember this before?! Why was he bringing this up now?_  She watched him place the old sash away, and she gasped to try to get ahold of herself. Yet, there was one question that came up that forced the others out.

"Why did you leave me with the other Novices, then?" she whispered.

"You were too young for me, and I thought that a few days with you simply learning how to fight and recover without me would be enough. I never expected you to start wandering off on your own. Apparently, they said that you healed rather quickly and learned even faster than your body recovered within those few days. I tried to track you down, but you were already gone. So, I did the next thing I could do," he sighed and leaned back in the chair. "I went to Morroc to drink. To forget about you. Next thing I knew, the five of them appeared. So, I figured it would be best to travel in a group. Keep my mind off of you. I forced myself to forget, and it was easy. I liked them, and their company is always addictive."

"But...in Geffen..." she said softly.

"Yes. In Geffen," he replied, as he leaned forward again. His arms were folded somewhat over his chest. "I heard your voice. I remembered you. But, it was Howard that ran ahead before me. He was the one that stopped the fight and claimed you. I was...pissed...to say the least."

"Oh, Eremes..." she whispered with a shakiness to her voice.

"I did the only thing I could do to keep my promise to you," he sighed softly. "I killed the three men that hurt you."

Her mouth dropped with shock at this news.  _He killed for me. He actually killed for me._ She wouldn't have believed it if it came from anyone else.

"Why?" it was all she could ask.

"They hurt you. It was reason enough," he shrugged. "And, now that I know that man out there, the High Wizard, was harming you..."

"No!" Sarine said quickly.

"Why not? We all saw how he was when you left the lab that first time. It only seems fair," he moved to stand in a fluid motion. Turning to leave, he hissed and stiffened, as Sarine ran up behind him and put her arms around him. His eyes closed, as he struggled to remain calm. The very feel of her hands on his chest and holding him were like molten coils of desire. It was the same feeling he got when she hugged him back at the island home. The very feel of her embrace gave him a rush and had all of his memories of her come back with such sharp clarity once again. He was starting to fight an inner battle.

"Don't do it!" she begged. "Please, don't do it!"

"Sarine..." he growled out with warning, fighting with the urge to turn around in her arms. "Why shouldn't I?"

"It...it would raise too many questions!" she said in a rush. "And...and Karla wouldn't like it! I know it would upset her!"

"Karla?" he asked, as though hearing the name for the first time.

"Yes, Karla! Your wife!" she was clearly shedding tears now, and she couldn't stop them from falling. She felt him shudder and sigh. She was pressing herself even more into his back, and it was quickly undoing him.

"Karla...yes...her. I think I love her. I'm not sure anymore. I don't think I was ever sure. But..." he turned quickly in her arms to face her, catching Sarine by surprise. He tilted her face up to his. "I have always loved you first. And...I  _know_  I love you now!"

She couldn't stop him when he kissed her. His tongue moved to invade her mouth, as though he was battering down her defenses. He gave her the scorching feeling that hot coals were pressed on her mouth, as well as within, and she let out a soft moan, her eyes closing now. It was a desperate kiss. A branding kiss. One to let her know that it would happen again. He has never kissed Karla this way. He couldn't bring himself to go past that point. In a way, he knew that he would never get past that point after this. Pulling himself back and pushing her away was all he could do. He was gasping now. The intense feeling of belonging with her took root, and he trembled. It was a sensation that he fit.  _That I was meant to be with her._  No other woman ever made him feel this way before or made him go through such lengths to be so close. Keeping her back was all he could do for now. _Until I caught her alone again..._

"Eremes...?" she asked with a panting breath. She didn't know why he stopped, but she knew he had to. He knew he had no choice in it.

"The next time we are alone..." he whispered softly, as he regained his control. "I may not be in so much control."

"I...I understand..." she nodded. He brought out a burning wave of desire that she didn't know existed. It was a blazing inferno that she had to squelch on her own.  _I can't tell my husbands about this._ She didn't want one of her dearest friends to be out-casted. She wouldn't be able to bear it.

"Now, I need to get Karla a gift. Do you suggest anything?" he smiled, as he gained more of his control back. He was still trembling, but it was easy to hide.

"Yes," Sarine said, as she sat back in the chair a bit shakily. "She loves dolls. She has been collecting them. She told me this when we found a doll off of a Poring when we were training after our transcendence."

"Good. Can you tell me the ones she needs?"

"I know she has a Poring doll now. She did tell me that she has a Chonchon doll and a Rocker doll already. That's all that I know of."

"I saw someone selling a Baphomet doll. I'll get it for her. I'm sure the Merchant still has it. Thank you, Sarine. Oh..."

"Yes?"

"Fix your lipstick. I...smudged it a little..." he said with a wink. She blushed, and he laughed softly. She had truly never seen him like this before. She doubted anyone had ever seen this side of him before. She liked it. He Cloaked and left the room quickly. Turning to look at herself in the mirror, she paused.  _My skin is hot and flustered. My body is peaked with desire._  She was still shaking from the kiss Eremes gave her.

"What did he do to me?" she whispered to herself with amazement. She truly had no idea that such pleasure existed! Keltin gave her that slow, romantic craving that she needed. Howard gave her the raw, powerful, animalistic sex that drove her wild. But, when it came to Eremes...already he made her like a red hot poker of raw passion and lust ready to brand him and seal him as hers. Just by being near him now made a tiny flame become a raging bonfire within herself. She knew that only he would be able to extinguish that raging inferno to bring her back under control.  _I don't want to hurt Karla. I'll have to make sure that I'm never left alone again._  Now she hugged herself and whispered, "Oh, Eremes..."

Already she felt denied of sexual release.  _How could that be?_  She had to calm herself down. It likely wouldn't be long for Coraline to come back for her. Then Sarine paused.  _Why hasn't she come back for me?_ Fixing her lipstick quickly, she went to the door and opened it to find the Dancer about to open it herself. Sarine just blinked at the odd stroke of luck.

"Oh! I'm sorry it took so long! A large crowd of people started to come in, and Howard got all mad, and it was just a big mess! Anyways, we managed to separate the crowd from your friends, so it should be all right. Come on! We need you to be properly choreographed so you can dance properly with me and the other girls. Okay?" Coraline said, as she grabbed her hand. "Oh, you poor dear! Why are you so hot?! This place must be far too stuffy for you! Come on, you'll cool off quickly in the back room."

"Um, okay?" Sarine muttered. She was pulled into the back room to start learning how to dance. It took another painful hour to learn this, but it was soon done and she was finally ready. When she took a peek through the main curtain, she paused.  _The place was filled, save for a ten spot radius from the front row where my friends and husbands were._

Howard was definitely pissed off. Keltin didn't look too happy, either. Seyren was just grinning and waiting for the show to start. Karla was holding her new Baphomet doll in her lap with Luna. Margaretha and Lloyd were sitting side by side. Cecil and Kathryne had small frowns on their faces, as they waited for the show to start. Eremes was sitting next to Karla and watching the stage intently. Then his eyes met Sarine's, and a shock of knowing went through them both. She saw him smile with a soft nod, and her heart fluttered with a wave of mixed emotions. He easily picked her out amidst the distractions of the rest of the world. Her husbands couldn't do that unless they were fully focused on her. Eremes simply knew where to find her.

Quickly, she darted back behind the curtains and trembled.

"Oh, my! You have the first show jitters. Don't worry, it happens a lot! Just remember your moves, and you'll be fine," the dance director said, as she positioned the girls. "It's show time! Let's go!"

"I don't know if I should go through with this," Sarine admitted. The other Dancers just laughed and said she would do fine. The stage darkened, and the crowd got quiet. When the curtain lifted, the show started.

Howard's mouth was dropped when he gazed at his wife's beauty. Keltin was quickly scanning the sides of the stage to make sure that no one would try anything stupid. He couldn't afford to have anything happen to her when she looked like this. Even Seyren was a touch speechless by Sarine. The only agreement anyone could come up with was that Sarine stole the show by a milestone.

As she twirled and sang, her lithe body moved with an undefined grace that the other Dancers didn't have. She seemed completely ethereal in her movements. Eremes had his eyes locked on her form, yet he was in full control of himself. He was already making silent mental notes of who whistled at her in the audience and vowed to kill them, if they tried to get close to her after the show.

Sarine danced and sang to the beat perfectly. In truth, she had a lot of fun with it. When the song and dance ended, and the stage went black, there was an uproar for an encore performance. The moment the encore was done, and the curtain dropped, Howard jumped onto the stage and ignored the protests of the others. He literally shoved the other girls aside until he found Sarine in the dressing room.

"Howard!" Sarine said with mild irritation. "You shouldn't be here!"

"Like hell I shouldn't!" he growled and pulled her to him, a kiss planted on her mouth. "I'm getting you out of here. Take all of this off!"

"What?" Sarine asked, as she looked at him.

"I just...I don't want you walking out of here like this and making a bigger spectacle of yourself. I knew this was going to happen, and I knew that it was going to be a mess. But, Eremes just HAD to talk me into it..."

"How-How. I'm fine. See?" Sarine smiled lovingly, and he sighed.

"No more of it, though. I was really worried. I lost you for three years, and even three hours away from you is painful enough!"

"Oh, Howard," she whispered and hugged him close, as he crushed her to him.

"And she's fine, right?" Keltin smiled and waited for her to move to hug him tightly. When Coraline walked into the dressing room, she was smiling until she saw the two men in the room. Now she was frowning.

"You were wonderful! Oh, dear. We can't have men back here. Shoo!" Coraline said with a wave of her hands. When Howard gave her a glowering look, she trembled.

"I'm her husband! I have every right to be here!" he growled.

"Howard!" Sarine scolded and poked him in the sides to make him laugh. He was always ticklish for her alone, and she used this to her advantage. Keltin chuckled, but was still incredibly protective of her. When Howard saw that she was wearing her Sniper clothing under the silk gown, he showed immense relief. Keltin took the robe from her, since it was hers now, and the jewelry with the Elven Ears were given back to Coraline. The makeup was rubbed off to a point that it wouldn't make her so stunning, but it would never help. They knew what she was like with makeup now, and the image would never go away.

As they walked out of the dressing room, she felt a presence behind her and instinctively knew it was Eremes. He was whispering so softly in his deep voice that she had to strain to hear what he was saying.

"Storm Caller contacted me. There is a powerful monster here called Tao Gunka. It is a stone based monster that needs to join us. It is located in one of the caves west of here," he whispered. Howard nodded to show that he heard it.

"So much for our vacation," Keltin sighed. Sarine smiled and kissed his cheek. She heard the faintest of sighs behind her before it was gone. She felt horrible that she couldn't tell her husbands about what happened. _Howard would blow it out of proportion, and Keltin would confront Eremes to know everything from the source. It was better this way at the moment._

When they got out of the theater, Howard shielded her from all the young men trying to get her attention, and Keltin glared at anyone that got too close. Her friends formed a tight circle around her, and more than one person gave pause when they saw Karla tossing and catching her explosive bottles. However, it was inevitable for a young Mage to try and cast a few spells over them to thwart them.

That didn't last long when Eremes had him pinned to the ground. His katars were ready to slice into his neck. Only when the soft pleading of Karla and Sarine reached him did he withdraw his weapons and Cloak again. He had the ability to use both daggers and two-hand katar weapons. It made him all the more deadly.

"Should have killed him," Howard grumbled. A small stifle of laughter from the poke Sarine gave his side stopped his mood completely. An arm around her now, they managed to make their way into the western cave system.

"I'll scout ahead," Eremes said softly and darted off. A loud, screeching roar was heard, as Windwalker landed to join them from outside the cave. Sarine was placed on the Gryphon's back, and they started their search for the elusive Tao Gunka.

"Do you remember," Howard started, as he matched Windwalker's pace. "how I would raise you up onto my shoulders and you would shoot arrows from there?"

"Oh, yes!" Sarine laughed. "Only when you realized I was too heavy did you have to stop. It was fun while it lasted, though!"

"I only tried that twice with you," he grinned, as they walked. "After nearly throwing my back out the second time, it was decided for you to walk."

"Too bad we didn't do that when I was just transcended," she sighed.

"Damn! We could have, huh?" he pouted.

"You're quite good at carrying her around in other ways," Keltin snickered. Seyren barked out laughter, and Howard gave the Bongun a knowing grin. As they came to a corner, a naked female monster with red and green snakes for hair riding a giant turtle approached them. She was riding the turtle with the help of two massive sticks that came up out of the shell, and she was reclining against them. Her snakes covered most of her body, as she studied them. She gave them a smile and a wave.

"It's a Medusa. She is going to join us," Keltin said. Sarine nodded, as the Medusa took up the back of the group. Seyren found himself grinning at this particular monster, which resulted in a sharp smack on the back of the head by Kathryne to remind him of what they were doing. Killing anything else that got in their way, they came to a fork in the cave system.

"Do we separate from here?" Sarine asked.

"No. We stay together," Seyren said. They all agreed. When it came to decisions, he naturally took the lead. As they explored further, Medusa let out a hissing noise.  _Tao Gunka was coming._ Sarine readied her bow, as she heard the grinding stone monster approach. A strange laugh echoed throughout the cave. When it finally emerged, it was very strange to look at. It had three floating stone pot heads with a main central stone face that was the monster, itself. One could say that the three floating heads were just distractions. Seyren prepared to attack, as did the others, but Sarine slowly moved off Windwalker's back and approached the large monster. Her tattoo burned on her neck making her whimper, and Huginn emerged forth to speak out to the monster.

"Tao Gunka! Hear me!" she commanded. The monster paused and seemed to settle down. The moment that Tao Gunka calmed down, the others did the same. She continued with Huginn's commanding voice, "A war is coming. We need your assistance. Join us! Valhalla needs its Warriors once again! It is time!"

"I...join..." the monster nodded.

"Then separate from your darker self to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact!" Huginn commanded. Tao Gunka howled with pain, as its darker duplicate emerged then vanished. The others were in shock, as the same thing had happened to them.  _Was this what was supposed to happen now?_ Tao Gunka vanished to the island home, and Sarine collapsed.

"That was easy enough," Howard muttered, as he caught her.

"Now what do we do?" Keltin asked.

"Let's head home," Lloyd suggested. That seemed to work for them. After Sarine woke, she nodded with the decision. As they turned to leave, Malore was standing a short distance away. He had tracked them down. He saw the show from the very back of the crowd, and his desire to have Sarine to himself was peaked.

"I have a better idea," he drawled, as he leaned on his staff.

"Not you again!" Kathryne snarled. "What is it this time?!"

"Let me have a date with Sarine, and then you can leave," Malore grinned.

"I will not let you have a date with my wife!" Keltin snarled.

"That goes second for me!" Howard said darkly, as his axe was pulled out.

"You will not hurt Sarine!" Margaretha glowered.

"Little sis is happy with us!" Cecil said, as she readied her bow. Windwalker hunched up and prepared to leap onto him, as Medusa prepared to cast her skill of Stone Curse. Malore was going to rise up his hands to attack when a dagger neatly slid up to his neck.

"You touch her...you die..." Eremes said with a twisted smile on his face.

"Eremes!" Sarine said with a soft gasp.

"I think he should die," Seyren said thoughtfully. "He's done nothing but harass us at every turn. Tell me, Sarine, did he do anything to you in the past? It's obvious that he knows you, right? What can you tell us?"

Keltin informed them of what happened long ago near Morroc with his friend, Blent, and what happened at the hotel room there. Eremes's grip tightened on the dagger blade when he heard what happened to Sarine on Poring Island. Malore swallowed. Then he looked up at the ceiling of the cave and cast the spell of Heaven's Drive. The walls quickly shook, as the floor rose up. The ceiling was weak here, and he took this moment to bolt away from the Assassin Cross's grip. Eremes wanted to dart after him, but something made him stop. Something felt incredibly wrong, and now he needed to find out what it was. Then he noticed the crumbling pebbles that started to happen right over Sarine's head.

"Look out!" Karla said, as the ceiling started to cave in.

"NO!" Howard said, as he moved to protect Sarine. Eremes was quicker and rushed to her side with a Back Slide skill. He pushed her out of the way and moved her towards the back of the cave, as the ceiling collapsed down. It was just her and Eremes on the other side of the rock wall now. He was panting from how fast he moved, and Sarine was in a slight state of shock.

"Sarine!" Keltin shouted.

"NOO!" Howard screamed again. "Sarine! Are you all right?! Do you have a way to get home?! Anything on you at all?!"

"Howard!" she screamed, as she knelt by the cave in. "I'm out of Butterfly Wings! I have no Fly Wings, and I don't have a Creamy card to let me Teleport, either!"

Heavy swearing was heard on the other side. Karla was fretting, since she had everything in her cart, as she had agreed to hold onto them for Sarine while she danced.  _At least I had agreed with Sarine to not take her bow._ Seyren's voice soon rounded the group together, and he quickly spoke out. "Eremes! Watch over her and see if there is another way out! If there isn't, we'll blast through the rocks eventually!"

Eremes was about to reply when a heavy laugh was heard behind him. As he and Sarine turned, the darker form of Tao Gunka was there. Now, it was rare that Eremes screamed, shouted, or raised his voice. But, when he's caught by surprise, it overruled his carefully constructed focus. What approached him now had clearly done just that.

"TAO GUNKA!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. More heavy swearing was heard, as relentless hacking at the rock wall was done. But, this was actually a much weaker monster compared to the Assassin Cross. Despite that, massive damage could still be done to Eremes, since he was human again. If he was a monster, then this Tao Gunka wouldn't have had a chance to even attack.

"I'll back you up!" Sarine said, as she let her arrows fly. She was concerned now. _Muninn was at the island all this time._ She didn't think that she would need his help, since it was supposed to have been a simple visit to Comodo.  _Next time, he would be with me, regardless._ Muninn was in a deep sleep at the moment, or he would have seen this and flew to her aid. Eremes nodded, Berserked, and drank down a Poison Bottle. With his attack boosted now, he made short work of it with her help. Using the skill of Sonic Blow, he did rapid fire attacks in incredibly short bursts of speed. The monster didn't stand a chance. But, it did leave a mark on him. Only after he picked up what the monster left behind did the injury show, and he fell to his knees with shock. Sarine watched the monster vanish in defeat and gasped when Eremes collapsed, as he clutched at his chest. Running up to his side, she helped him rest against a wall.

"It...hit the left side...of my chest...! I thought it...missed..." he gasped, and she saw the heavy bruise forming. Several of his ribs were cracked. She had no healing potions on her, but she remembered one thing.  _My Rudra bow would allow me to Heal him._

"Eremes! How is he?!" Margaretha asked through the wall.

"The monster is defeated, but he's hurt! I have the Rudra, and I'm going to Heal him!" Sarine said. The Healing power was far too minimal, and her energy to use it wasn't very good, but she was able to get Eremes back to a point that he wasn't in any danger. Exhausted now, she fell to her knees by his side. He was still in pain, and she knew it. She continued to Heal him whenever she could until he was finally able to stop her.

"You've done enough. Thank you," he said with a smile. His ribs had mended, somewhat, and now it was easier for him to breathe.

"You're welcome," she smiled back.

"I'm just glad that it wasn't any stronger."

"Same here! But...why did Malore do that?! I mean...why?"

"Isn't it obvious? He's jealous."

"Oh, please!" she rolled her eyes.

"I'm jealous, too," he admitted. She blinked and looked at him. The fire was back in her. The slow, burning passion that was still smoldering since the dressing room had now become a raging inferno once again. Trembling, she got up and walked away. On seeing her turn, it reminded her of the twirling spin she did in her dance. He lost his careful focus and rose quickly to his feet. He was soon behind her, and he reached out to snatch at her hand. She found herself twirled around rather expertly, pulled to his chest, and quickly kissed.

"No..." she whispered weakly, as he kissed her again. She wanted him to stop, but she was too weak from Healing him to fully voice it.

"I can't...stop it..." he muttered between his kisses. "I've waited for...so long...for this...for you..."

"Howard," she whispered with worry. She managed to push him back enough. "He's working his way through the wall! He will be here with Keltin! At any moment!"

"There is that to consider. Isn't there?" he grumbled and walked back to the rock wall, as he called out for his voice to carry. "I'm going to scout for another way to you!"

"We'll keep working on this wall! We got most of the rubbish out! We have to remove the boulders! We'll catch up when it's clear!" Kathryne said.

"Where is Sarine?!" Howard demanded. Keltin started to punch at the rocks to clear them out. "Where is she?!"

"She's safe! She Healed me with the Rudra!" Eremes shouted so he could be heard.

"Good! Keep her with you!" Keltin said, as he cleared out a small boulder. With that settled, Eremes used his skill to Back Slide over to Sarine. Picking her up, he was moving quickly through the cave systems. Once he judged they were far enough away, he found a dead end and set her down.

"We'll be safe here. I'll kill anything that comes over to us," Eremes whispered.

"Okay," she nodded. She could easily take care of herself in the caves now that the darker Tao Gunka was defeated, but it would likely find a way to come back. All strong monsters had that ability. Curling up against the wall, the cave was damp and cold. She was starting to shiver and soon felt Eremes wrap his arms around her when he settled by her.

"Sarine..." he whispered, as he tilted her face to his and kissed her passionately. This would likely be one of the few times he could do this, and he didn't have much time.

"Please, Eremes...don't..." she moaned softly, as his mouth moved where his hands pulled clothing aside. His hands moved between her hips, and the pressure of his fingers through her shorts made her release quickly from the raging inferno searing through her senses. The cry she made for him was his undoing.

He shifted his clothing aside, pulled her shorts off, and simply took her right there. He moved her to settle on him so that he would take the brunt of the cold floor. It didn't bother him at all, since he was boiling over with desire. It only took a few quick thrusts for him to finish inside her and hold her to him. She was gasping for air, as he was simply stunned. Karla was a very sensuous woman, and it drew him to her. But Sarine...she was a wildfire of lust and desire. She was a powerful magnet and would be to any man she would ever meet.

Still sitting on him, her body was shaking. She never released so hard that it took her this long to recover. Every move she made on him hurt and forced them both to release again. It was as though they were bound together permanently through passion, lust, and desire. Her body felt like molten lava on his, and he had the same reaction that she did. After the fifth explosion of passion ripped through them, they knew they needed to find a way to split up.

"We need...to separate...quickly..." Eremes whispered, as another round of pleasure rolled over him. "They...are surely...on their way..."

"On the count...of three..." she gasped at the pleasure with him. "One."

"Two," he said.

"Three!" they both said together, as she pulled herself up, and he pushed her off. Finally separated, they managed to have just enough energy to fix up their clothing and sit apart with a foot between them. They were still stunned by each other. Even more was the unusual warmth in the air now. It was as though a minor heat wave had spilled from them and was now slowly dispersing from the coolness of the cave. It had to make Eremes think on why that would have happened. Pleasure and passion finally started to edge off to a point they could start thinking again. It hurt him to separate from her, since he wasn't done with her. He just couldn't risk it now with the others trying to get to them.

"You should have been mine..." Eremes finally said softly. "I should never have left you alone at the Novice Center."

"Not much can be done now," Sarine said with a soft frown. "Why did you marry Karla, exactly? Do you really love her? I'm unsure from what you said in the dressing room."

"At first, it was to help me try to keep my mind off of you. To try to ease the pain of seeing you with Howard and Keltin. Instead, she reminded me of you when you were younger. And she is very determined with her work. In a way, she was like me when I started out," he said, as he rested. "It was refreshing at first...but a bit of flaw, too."

"Really? I never actually learned much about you at all," Sarine admitted.

"Truly? Well, allow me the pleasure of telling you about my life," he smiled. He lightly put his hand over hers and then withdrew quickly when the passion returned. Gasping at it, she folded her hands in her lap, as he did the same. It made no sense at all as to why it was happening. Just the fact that he was opening up to her like this was a miracle in itself. He always kept to himself. With a deep breath, he said, "I was born in Morroc, of course. My parents were too poor to fully support me, so I had learned at an early age how to be a Thief to survive. When I came of age, I became a full Thief and was able to help out around the home. Mainly, I stole items off the monsters and sold what I found. I didn't believe in stealing from people, and the people in town didn't have much to steal from, anyways. It was like this for a few years. Everything seemed to be going well..."

"Seemed?" she asked. She shivered from the dampness of the cave now that the heat wave was fully gone. He managed to move a touch closer to her to share some of his body heat safely without touching her. He was still retaining most of the heat that she gave him, and, even in that short of a distance away from her without touching, he was able to warm her considerably. He refocused on the story of his life again.

"Yes. Seemed," he nodded. "It only lasted a few years until an illness hit the town. Both of my parents were taken with it."

She gasped, and he gave her a soft smile. "I'm sorry, Eremes."

"It's all right, Sarine. It was so long ago," he sighed. "After they died, I didn't know what to do. I probably would have succumbed to starvation, if it hadn't been for an Assassin that found me and took me under his wing. After a couple of years working and living with him, he told me he was the leader of the Assassin Guild, itself. After passing his tests, I became an Assassin. Before long, I was doing missions for him and for others."

"How many missions did you do?"

"Too many to count," he chuckled. "But...he finally told me that it was time for me to find my own path. So, I hired myself out as a mercenary and bounty hunter. A notice was sent to me from Amatsu a couple years later requesting for my services specifically. I had a rather interesting reputation by then, and only the wealthy were able to afford my killing expertise. Needless to say...you were my last true mission."

"Oh," she frowned.

"I was approached at dawn that day," he said softly. "She was in a massive robe with no guards. Your grandmother, that is. As I hid in the shadows, she stated that I had to rescue you and keep you safe. She told me all about you and how you were growing up. She said that she had no money for me, as it was all stripped from her, but that the rewards would be boundless. Endless even. Without even thinking, I accepted it. Just thinking of a child suffering was cause enough, since I, too, was a child that suffered much. That was one thing that no one else knew about me. I always helped a child in need.

"In the middle of the night, I Cloaked and infiltrated the palace. I followed the guards around until they stopped at your door. That was when I heard...them. Your parents. They were talking about how to...remove you. Now that I think about it...your father never spoke. It was the Empress that did all the talking. I recalled this earlier when I remembered. Strange..."

Sarine went silent, as she trembled. When he looked at her with concern, she smiled softly and whispered, "I'm still listening. Keep going."

"When they left, and the door was closing, I slipped in. After seeing what light you had from the candles, it only made sense as to why they wanted you gone. A candle's light held no bounds to the beauty you were becoming," he said with a light smile. Sarine blushed and looked at the floor of the cave.

"When exactly did you make the move to take me out of the palace walls?" she asked. He thought, as he listened for the others. Hearing no footsteps yet, he nodded to show he was going to continue.

"I waited until the dead of night. Once the guards were sleeping outside the door, since, obviously, nothing ever happened there, I prepared to remove you from the room and went over to your sleeping form. I put you over my shoulder. It was easy to escape with you after that. You were incredibly light. That likely meant that they weren't feeding you properly?" he asked, as he watched her. When she nodded, his eyes narrowed, but he continued, "When we were leaving Amatsu, I saw you open your eyes, and you looked at my scarf. The moon was full that night, and it was the easiest thing for you to see. You weren't used to seeing such a color, since you were practically in constant darkness. That was when you asked who I was."

"I did ask? It's so hard to remember!"

"Yes. You asked. I said I was a friend. You said you never had friends before. You were scared. You had never been outside. That...shocked me. To be honest. I...I promised right then and there to keep you safe. To protect you. And, if I had known at the time..." he looked at her with a rare touch of hesitation. "to love you."

She was stunned speechless by his words. As she thought, she asked, "And then what?"

"You wanted a form of proof. So...I brushed my lips against yours. I told you I was taking you to a safe place to help you grow and get stronger. I said I had some important business, and that it wouldn't be long for me to come back and to wait for me. I dropped you off at the Novice Center, and they said they would take care of you despite how old you were at the time. You had fallen back into a deep sleep by then. Sarine...why did you leave the Novice Center and not wait for me?"

"I...I thought it was all a dream. Some crazy and wonderful dream that came true! I wanted to start right away on having an adventure! I was much older than the other Novices, and they knew it. None of them really talked to me or tried to become friends with me. In a way, I thought I would find you. In the end...I had forgotten about you," she frowned and trembled. "If you hadn't left right away...if you..."

"Hush now," he finally moved close to her and filled the gap between them, his arms around her in a protective hug. The pleasure between them had finally smoldered for now. "The past is done now, right? Nothing can be changed. But...we have now. The truth. The future. Yes, I know, we have others. But, we can work together to make things work out. I know we can. Right?"

"We...we can try. I suppose," she gave a weak smile and blinked at something that sounded like footsteps, but it was only dripping water. A silent nod to each other was all they had to do. He pressed a kiss to her forehead like he used to do when he let her snuggle against him on cold nights. Now she realized why he did it. _Why he was so caring to me._  Seyren simply saw her as a little sister and always helped protect her, but she didn't know why Eremes, the quietest and most mysterious one of the group, showed so much affection to her. It was also why he always offered to watch over her when Howard had to make money for the group with his smithing skills.

They were never truly alone, as one of the other girls was with them, too, but just for him to have that moment to be with Sarine was plenty enough for him. It was when Howard started to get more intimate with her that the jealousy started.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked, as he gently pushed a lock of hair away from her face. It was such a gentle, tender move that she found herself blushing.

"Well," she whispered to him. "when, exactly, did you kill the three men that hurt me long ago? Can you tell me?"

"Let me think," he said with a tight smile at the memory. "You remember how I said that I followed them after Howard claimed you?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Well, of course, I came back after they ran off. Later that night, I waited until you all were asleep in the forests outside of Geffen. Then I went through the town bit by bit until I found them. I ambushed them in their own beds while they slept in a room at the local inn there. We were long gone by the time they were reported dead."

"In a way, I am relieved that I will never have to see those three again. But...I am saddened that their lives were cut so short."

"If it helps," he said carefully. "I had caught wind of one guard talking to another saying they were looking for those very three men. Apparently, they were harassing other young females of various sorts all day. And, they were wanted for various assaults. It was only a matter of time before they were caught and sentenced to some form of punishment. I knew that such a punishment would not have lasted long. Likely a forced service in the Prontera Knighthood. They simply would have done it again and been much more careful about it. Needless to say...they died quite painfully and silently when I took out their throats."

She gasped and now thought of the other poor girls that were harmed. Now she didn't feel so bad that the men were killed. The next thing she saw and heard was Howard rounding the corner in a panicked frenzy.

"SARINE!" he yelled and ran over to her. Eremes nodded to her and released her. Getting up, she bolted over to him.

"Howard!" she cried out. She ran to him, and he crushed her to him.

"I doubt we'll be coming back to Comodo anytime soon!" Keltin growled and gave Sarine a crushing hug when it was his turn. Eremes got up slowly, not minding the excess Healing from Margaretha and Lloyd at all. Walking up to Karla, he gave her a soft kiss and a squeeze to show he was fine. That was all that she needed.

Then he gave her a full Oridecon stone, an odd stone filled with gems, and an old Purple Box that the darker Tao Gunka dropped on defeat. On opening the box, she pulled out a Dead Branch. He grinned at her, and they made plans to start stocking up on them. They knew that many adventure parties held 'Dead Branch Parties' for celebrations, and it would be a nice surprise for the group.

"Howard," Sarine said softly.

"Yes, love?" he asked, as he gathered her into his arms.

"Eremes told me about his past," she said with a soft smile.

"He did what?!" Seyren asked incredulously. "I've been trying to pry that out of him ever since we first met! He would only tell me the boring parts!"

"Really? Anything important?" Keltin asked.

"Well...he killed the three men that hurt me long ago," she said. The entire group looked at Eremes with shock. He had kept this from them all this time.

"They hurt her. It was reason enough," he shrugged.

"Apparently, those same three men were wanted for assaulting other girls, too," she said. Howard hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head.

"At least we won't have to run into them," Keltin nodded firmly.

"So, eh, what else did he tell you?" Seyren asked casually.

"Say nothing else, please..." Eremes smiled lightly.

"Apparently, nothing else was of interest," Sarine chuckled.

"Not fair!" Seyren grumbled. Howard grinned at Eremes, knowing that this was an old way of putting Seyren in his place.

"Let's go home," Lloyd said. All were in agreement, and the skill of Warp Portal was cast to take them back to their island home.


	20. Chapter 20

When they got back, Storm Caller was waiting for them to tell him everything. Muninn settled on her shoulders and nuzzled her.

"I'm never leaving you here again!" she whispered, as she kissed the top of his helmeted head. He seemed to blink at her with a questioning look, and she pointed to Keltin who was busy explaining what happened. She felt Muninn's talons grip her shoulders rather tightly. _Never again will I be left behind._  He should have foreseen her attack, but he was sleeping. He will be far more vigilant in the future. Howard kept a hand on her back to rub with comfort, and she leaned into him.

"I see," Storm Caller said with distress, as he thought. "As for the Bard and Dancer you all have met, we will be seeing them again, and they may join us at a later time. As for this High Wizard, Malore..."

"The next time I see him...he dies..." Eremes promised.

"As long as I talk to him first," Storm Caller said with a grim smile.

"Yeah! Me, too! I want to 'talk' to him, too!" Justice growled.

"No, Justice. I seriously want to talk to him and find out his motives. He may be a pawn for something. How else would he have known that the cave ceiling was weak? A stroke of luck? Or guidance by something else? We must know the enemy to defeat the enemy," Storm Caller said wisely. "It's a proven fact."

"That may be true, but he deliberately tried to kill us," Seyren grumbled, as he sat in a chair. "That puts four strikes against him in my book."

"Fine. If I see him again, I'll catch him..." Eremes sighed, as the personal mission was mentally added. That made Storm Caller nod, and Sarine went to walk outside. Keltin watched her and was about to join her, but Storm Caller called him over to discuss the monsters they would need to find. Howard was the one that followed her in the end. She was sitting on the beach and watching the sun go down. Her legs were gathered up to her chest, as her chin rested on her knees. Plopping down next to her, he pulled up one knee to lean on it.

"What are you thinking of, love?" he asked her, as he watched the sunset.

"It just sucks," she frowned. "that sometimes things don't go as planned. You know?"

"Tell me about it," he sighed and shrugged. "I was hoping to do some gambling with you at Comodo. Fat chance now!"

"Yeah," she seemed to shrug back at him. Her falcon swooped up into the air to scan the island in a lazy circle with Windwalker.

"I find it very odd that the darker form of Tao Gunka was waiting for you and Eremes," he thought aloud. "It's as though it knew what was happening."

"Well, we were in its domain. It would have been a matter of time for it to find any of us. We were just lucky that it wasn't as strong as you and the others."

"Yeah. And, with Eremes being human for now, well, that would have sucked. Lucky you had the Rudra, huh?"

"Oh, yes!" she smiled, and he hugged her.

"Seriously, though. What did he tell you?" Howard asked curiously.

"Due to Eremes not wanting me to spill my guts about him, it's only fair that I say nothing!" she smiled. "You know how I am about keeping my word."

"Aw, c'mon!" he grinned.

"Nope! I swore to secrecy when he asked me not to tell."

"Well, I'm glad I can count on him to protect you when I'm not there."

"Me, too," she nodded and leaned against him. He put an arm around her with a form of contentment. As they watched the sun set over the ocean, a Cloaked Eremes was watching them. Swallowing hard, he turned to head back to the house-like mansion when a bright light stopped him. Time seemed to stop around him, as Valkyrie descended from Valhalla. He was still Cloaked, but she was able to see him easily.

"Eremes Guile. I need to speak with you discreetly, as I will have a mission for you in the future," she said gravely, as she hovered over him.

"I'm listening," he said rather silently, as he rose a brow at her.

"The Vessel of Odin is not to go to Amatsu."

"I know that."

"She will be forced to go regardless, then. Very well, here is another mission for the future. She will be caught again. Only you can break her out of her old prison."

"I see," Eremes frowned. He didn't like the thought of Sarine being in danger at all. Glancing up at Valkyrie, he waited for her to speak again.

"As a reward, I will give it to you in advance. I will answer any question you desire."

"Any question?" he asked, as he thought. "Very well. There is only one on my mind."

"Speak and it will be answered."

"Sarine..." he looked at her frozen form with Howard. "I always wanted to know. Was she supposed to have been mine?"

"Yes. She was supposed to have been destined for you," Valkyrie said with a sad smile. He turned to look at her quickly, his mouth dropped.

"What?!"

"Yes. She was truly destined for you."

"I see..." he whispered. At this news, he felt his own tears fall for the first time since his youth. The last time he ever cried was when his parents died.  _She was supposed to be mine! And now this?!_  At a gesture from Valkyrie, he was forced to look at her through tear-stained eyes.

"Since fate has twisted itself on you, there is only so much that I can do. But, Lord Odin has decreed that, at certain points in time, you will have opportunities to properly be with her," she said before stiffening and looking up at the sky. A silent nod was given, as she continued. "Maybe...even a permanent way. The path to that is still uncertain. My Lord Odin has just ordered that he will give you a further reward for my mission to you. When you rescue her, he will give you ample time to spend with her in his own way. He will not say how, or when, but that it will be done when the time is right."

"And Karla? Sarine's husbands?" he asked with a sense of relief and joy.

"They will not know. I will tell you a future prophecy, and it will explain why she is destined for you. It will also help explain things to them, should you be found out," Valkyrie said gently. "You and the Vessel of Odin are to bear twins that will house the spirits of Huginn and Muninn. They will bear no likeness to either of you to save you the brunt of suspicion, should you not be permanently together, but each child will take up the professions that you both bear. Only after they are born will she bear children for her husbands with another set of twins. Of course, things may go differently, as the future always twists and turns, but it will be from you that this prophecy will happen. You and the Vessel of Odin are to give Huginn and Muninn another chance to walk the realm of mortals. Muninn can still retain his falcon form, and Huginn can still reside in the Vessel of Odin, but a part of their souls will be physically human in form."

"Twin sons?" he asked with amazement.

"Yes. They are to be the generals in the war ahead. That is why the monsters must be gathered quickly and without fail."

"How soon will Sarine be forced to Amatsu?"

"In due time, but it will be some time off still. Please show no eagerness for her to be captured. The hardship will be horrific for her, to say in the least. As they say, 'Some seeds can only sprout when placed through catastrophic circumstances.' Most seeds cannot grow or germinate without going through the hardship of a fire, or a form of disaster. I do hope you understand what I am trying to tell you. Certain things will happen to her that even I cannot control. These things happen to force her to grow stronger. She must advance and evolve to work with any new situations to make things workable for everyone else."

"I understand. I accept your mission, Valkyrie."

"I bless you, Eremes Guile, to be able to detect any danger that happens to the Vessel of Odin before it happens. And I further bless you to always find a way to be with the Vessel of Odin when no others are able to."

He knelt before her, as she waved her trident over him. Then she was gone and time had resumed. Rising now, he was still Cloaked, and he judged he still had some time to spend with Karla. Feeling far more relieved than before, he smiled at Sarine's form. _Soon she will be mine again, even if the time would be fleeting. I will never leave her alone, and I will love her with every fiber of my being._

Howard had pulled Sarine into his lap and had his arms around her, as they watched the sun finish setting. The stars slowly started to come out bit by bit, and they started to point out the various constellations. When Keltin finally joined them, the sky was lit up with stars, and he sat with them. Sarine beamed at him, and Howard sighed with a soft chuckle.

"So, what do we do now?" Keltin asked, as he handed them a bowl of fruit and cheese. Eating hungrily, Sarine shrugged.

"I only have until midnight before changing back into a monster. Then it's a month long wait for the next time I become human. Unless I practice becoming solid, of course. What do you want to do, Sarine?" Howard asked, as he fed her a strawberry.

"I honestly don't know," she admitted, as she thought aloud. "Normally, we would all be around a campfire and roasting something by now, if memory serves me right."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Margaretha said. She was already dumping sand on the ground to show where the fire was going to go. Seyren was bringing out firewood. Eremes was collecting stones to make a ring for the fire, and Karla was simply delighted to be a part of this event by clearing a spot for everyone by the fire. Lloyd brought out some chairs, as Cecil started to hang some meat over the new fire pit. Howard chuckled and carried Sarine over to a chair to sit in his lap, as Keltin sat next to them. Kathryne lit the fire easily, and they all sat down in the chairs provided to them.

"So, what do we plan to do about Malore if we see him again?" Karla asked. She was tending to Luna when the Lif started to show signs of hunger.

"I will catch him," Eremes shrugged with his hand in hers.

"I say we brand him as a coward!" Seyren grumbled.

"I don't know. Some guys like pain," Howard mused. Seyren gave him a small glance, and Howard gave a knowing grin.

"Ew!" Sarine muttered, and he grinned a bit wider.

"What do you think, little sis?" Cecil asked Sarine.

"He's a stupid head," Sarine grumbled. Howard stammered and burst out into laughter, as he hugged her. She grinned at him, and Keltin smiled widely.

"Stupid head?" Seyren asked with a wide smile of his own. "I haven't heard that one in ages! Brings back a lot of memories."

"It's what she called him and Blent when she transcended," Keltin snickered.

"Wow!" Karla said, as she laughed. Eremes was smiling softly, and he winked at Sarine. When she blushed and looked away, he chuckled.

"That's...actually very cute!" Lloyd grinned, as he checked on the roasting meat.

"Well, what else could I say at the time? Oh! I know! How about what I can call him now? Well, let's see..." Sarine thought before starting to list off a series of swear words that she could have easily called Malore now as an adult. This had Howard laughing even harder, and Seyren was amazed at a few words that he had never even heard of. Cecil started cackling like mad and even listed off a few things with her. Eremes blinked at Sarine and gave one of his rare, wide smiles. Karla covered the ears of her Lif with a mocking scowl. Lloyd struggled to keep from laughing out, as he shook his head.

"Thanks! You just updated my inventory of insults," Kathryne giggled, as she started to mentally think of ways to use them.

"You are such a Harpy!" Seyren teased.

"Well, you aren't exactly prince charming," she teased back.

"What?! I am exceptionally handsome!" he boasted.

"Maybe to a wandering Savage monster," Eremes snickered. Seyren sputtered, as Sarine tried to get Howard to breathe. Keltin was laughing as hard as Howard was, and Margaretha was simply clucking her tongue at all the insults.

"If you want more swears, we should visit Alberta. The docks were one of the few places I got mine," Sarine giggled, as she rested against Howard's chest. He groaned, as his chest hurt now, and he wiped away tears of laughter.

"Sarine, you're gonna kill me one day!" he grinned and kissed her forehead. The meat was ready, and they all started to eat.

"So, this is what you all did?" Keltin asked.

"Yes," Eremes nodded. "Fun. Isn't it?"

"Very!" Karla smiled and fed Luna a piece of pet food. After they ate, they all reclined a bit more in their chairs with contentment, as Sarine reclined further on Howard.

"I was so lonely, you know?" Sarine whispered. The others paused to look at her with signs of concern and understanding.

"We tried to get to you," Howard said gently. "What else could we have done? I didn't even know you were sending me letters."

"Speaking of letters," Keltin said, as he pulled them out of his hat.

"You carried them the whole time?" Sarine asked with amazement.

"Why not?" Keltin shrugged.

"Little sis, please tell us what you did while we were trapped," Cecil said.

"You sure you want to know?" Sarine asked.

"Yes! Tell us!" Seyren nodded.

"Well, if you insist," Sarine smiled. Howard stretched himself out a bit more for her to get comfortable. Eremes had his full attention on her, and the others soon did, as well. Taking a shaky breath, she let it out nervously.

"Take your time," Howard whispered and kissed her gently. She nodded.

"Where do I start?" she thought aloud. "Okay. I got it. After I left Lighthalzen, I went to the town of Gonryun. I honestly had no idea on what else I could do. For a month, I just...I wept. I was so scared. I hadn't been alone since we had all met in Geffen, and for a while I just wanted to curl up and die. Even though I wrote a letter every day, as I promised, it still hurt. But, something forced me to keep going. To keep living. So, I kept writing the letters, and that became my focal point.

"When Howard's letter reached me six months later, it was by sheer luck. I was in Prontera, and the local Kafra Agent had flagged me down. On reading it I just...I wanted to..."

"It's okay," Howard whispered, as he hugged her. "Just tell it like a story."

"Okay," she nodded, feeling better in his embrace. "I was devastated. What else could I do? I started to write letters twice a day. As many as I could when I could. When I got the death certificate, I was in Prontera again. I...I went back to Gonryun. For two months I didn't want to do anything. I simply let myself decay inside. I barely ate. I hardly slept. I felt dead to the world. But, once again, something forced me to keep moving. So, I became a living shell. I trained, ate, and slept without feeling. After two years of it, I finally snapped out of it by noticing a Novice with a pet Poring. The Poring was helping the Novice attack and would never leave the Novice to fight alone. It was completely loyal and loving. It was the Novice's friend.

"That was when I decided that I was going to get a pet. I was tired of living alone and being lonely. At least I would have a form of companionship, and I would never feel like I had to fight alone anymore. Yes, I had my falcon, but a pet just seemed more companion-like."

"I'm glad I saw you when I did, then," Keltin said gently, his hand reaching for hers. "If things were different, and if you met me sooner..."

"No need to get emotional!" Seyren barked out with annoyance. "It's the past and it's done! We are all together again from before. Keltin, drop those letters in the fire, and we can all move on. We don't need the emotional baggage of the past."

"No," Howard said sternly. "Those letters belong to us. They helped us remember her. They are far too important to simply destroy."

"He's right," Eremes said, as they all looked at him. "They cannot be destroyed."

"I will take them," Storm Caller said, as he approached them. "I will keep them safe."

"Thank you," Keltin said. He handed the stack of envelopes over to him. Howard motioned to the powerful Strouf, and Sarine's diamond ring was given over now. A nod was given, and the Strouf went back into the house with them.

"What else happens now? Anything else we need to talk about?" Karla asked. Kathryne thought and looked over at Keltin to motion to him. She had a few questions on her mind.

"Yes?" he asked, as he turned to look at her.

"Did you and Storm Caller decide on what monsters to find next?" she asked.

"Oh! Yes, we did!" he nodded. "These aren't very powerful monsters, but we need to find a location called Geffenia which is located under Geffen Tower. We need to recruit the Succubus and Incubus to our cause. There are other monsters there, too, that may be able to join us. After that, we will need to head into Geffen Tower. It may just be easier to go into the tower first to recruit the powerful monsters, Dracula and Doppelganger, and then go into Geffenia, since that level is farther down below than them."

"Doppelganger," Sarine said, as she thought.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Something about that monster...I can't quite seem to remember," she frowned. "Oh, well. I'm sure it will come to me, eventually."

"Doppelganger is a male demon that resembles a Swordsman," Keltin said, as the information naturally came to him. "He's located on the third lower level of the tower. Dracula is a level above him."

"We can take Dracula," Seyren grinned.

"Just the darker side when it appears," Sarine corrected him, and Seyren made a face. They all giggled and laughed.

"Sarine, there is something I was curious of," Howard said.

"What is it, love?" she asked.

"When the darker form split from the lighter form of Tao Gunka, you mentioned something about keeping a 'Balance'. At least Huginn did, that is. What is that about?" he asked. The others nodded that the statement had them curious, as well.

"I will answer that for you," Storm Caller said, as he approached them. "The Balance is the universal rift between humans and monsters. If you remove an exceptionally powerful monster from a certain area, it makes those monsters more vulnerable to human invasion. Or, the monsters have no control in that area and can run amuck on human society.

"Those powerful monsters are placed there as a form of not only respect from the other monsters, but also a form of control to the humans that invade their territory. Also, the stronger monsters ensure that the lesser monsters cannot stray to other areas. The stronger monsters instinctively claim their own territories and force the monsters that live with them to remain within that area to help defend it. So, all we need are the 'good' aspect of the monsters that protect compared to the 'bad' which only destroy.

"For example, when a new territory is made, say the Biological Laboratory, it created a whole new hierarchy of monsters. Take the strongest ones out completely and there would have been an explosion for control. To us, you all are the 'good' aspects of the monster. Your more human and protective qualities are needed here. Your darker monster forms were the 'bad' aspect of the monster, itself. The more animalistic and destructive qualities are needed there."

"I see now!" Kathryne said with a new form of understanding. "That is why our darker forms had to remain in the Biological Laboratory!"

"Yes. This way there is no change in the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed on all," Storm Caller nodded. "However, lesser monsters that hold no power always appear in vast numbers. Take the Merman for example. Or even the Gryphon. You can even use myself as an example. We always appear in the land, yet bound to our destined territories. Yes, there was no stronger monster that I had to obey, but it's instinctive to remain where I originated. Getting back to the point, there is always bound to be at least one 'good' version of us where the others are considered 'bad'. The Vessel can easily tame these monster variations by showing them the Mark of Odin on her neck, or by simply being in their presence.

"At least one monster of that type will be able to join us to prove that it is now a 'good' monster, and it also shifts the Balance slightly so that you do not have to search for the right 'good' monster should one not be found right away. Sometimes, the only way to find a 'good' monster is with the Mark of Odin. Luckily for me, I found the lot of you and knew who she was, as well as the others here. Sometimes, a simple act of kindness is all you need to do to know you have a 'good' monster with you. Such as your case with the Obeaune. Or, with the case of the Gryphon, the monster can be summoned with the power of a Dead Branch, and then let it recognize who you are. You all need to collect these 'good' monsters and bring them here where they will help with the war ahead and further help with your return to human form."

Everyone nodded now that they understood exactly what needed to be done. When he had finished explaining, he made his way back into the house.

"I've actually been collecting Dead Branches. We'll need to collect more. Since, what Storm Caller said is true about getting Windwalker, it will be much easier to get the monsters faster and with less travel time!" Karla nodded.

"How many do we have?" Eremes asked.

"About twenty of them now. I know the Nine Tail monster in Payon has them, and some of the plant-type monsters throughout the land drop them, too," Karla nodded.

"We will need to recruit Zealotus in Glast Heim, and a few others from there after Geffen is done. She will be crucial in our forces," Keltin informed them. "There is a lesser known version of Dark Lord. More like a shadow version of him now, since his truly original version is trapped in another dimension. I honestly don't know if there even is a 'good' version of him, since he is supposed to be pure evil."

"Yes, I have heard of that," Margaretha agreed.

"What about the demon monster, Baphomet?" Karla asked, as she remembered her doll. Her Lif had pulled the doll out to play with it.

"We can find him roaming the Hidden Temple or even within the Clock Tower in Al De Baran. It may be easier to go into the Hidden Temple, since there will be other monsters there that we can recruit," Keltin explained.

"Baphomet," Sarine whispered to herself. She suddenly jumped up, as the Mark glowed on the back of her neck, and she whimpered from the pain of it. The others were alarmed, as Huginn emerged when she turned towards the ocean. A large, monstrous figure with a fanged, goat-like head and cloven feet appeared on the sand. Massive, coiled horns adorned his head, and he could easily use them to help plow things out of his path when he charged. A large sickle was carried in the demon's massive, clawed hands. A slash over his left eye was seen from a battle he lost to long ago. His body was covered completely in brown and orange fur, and the stink of sulfur radiated from him.

She rose up her hands to force the others to calm down, as the demon lowered his head to look at her. With a heavy snarl, he shifted his massive muzzle to look over the others at the small campfire. A harsh snort nearly blew out the fire pit, as he glanced down at Sarine.

"It can't be..." Howard gaped.

"I was wondering when you were going to show," Huginn mused.

"You know I have been watching and waiting in my own way," Baphomet growled in his incredibly deep and Demonic tone.

"As I have been growing and learning."

"I know you have been going around and finding others to assist."

"It is the inevitable will of our Lord Odin. The Vessel has been made known at last."

"So I see. Odin has good taste," Baphomet chuckled, as he sat down. "However, due to my nature, I cannot join you fully. At least, not now. Things always change, as we all know. But, right now, I simply cannot at this time. I was granted permission to come here to tell you myself. As a powerful demon, it is something that I can do. But, it was only this once. So, as I said, right now I cannot help with your battles."

"I did have my doubts," Huginn sighed. The others were staring speechlessly. Storm Caller watched cautiously from the house, but he knew the history of this particular demon. He was honorable to an extent.

"Since I cannot fully join you, I give you my son to take my place and to call on me when it is needed most," Baphomet rumbled, as he opened up a clawed hand. A tiny miniature of him was there. And he wasn't happy.

"Aw, Dad! Do I have to?!" the Baphomet Jr. grumbled.

"Yes. You do! And, if you fail, I'll kill you and replace you with another!" Baphomet snarled. His son cowered and jumped out of his father's hand to move swiftly up to where Sarine was standing.

"I'll behave," the Baphomet Jr. swore.

"You will do more than behave! Promise me that you will do everything you can to protect the Vessel of Odin, and that you will ONLY summon me when all else fails!" Baphomet snarled. "If you summon me for something stupid, I'll kill you!"

"I promise!" his son shouted to him.

"Actually," Huginn smiled. "why don't you let me do the summoning of you? Just for my own reasons. I vow not to summon you, unless the need is absolutely dire."

"Hmm," Baphomet mused, as he rose up from the sand. "Very well. I give this to you, then. It can only be used once, unless the situation is worthy of a second chance. Son, serve the Vessel of Odin well."

"Yes, Dad!" his son nodded. A small, hollow blow horn was given to Sarine to call him with should the time come. Nodding, it would be given to Storm Caller for safe keeping. When Baphomet turned and left the island, Sarine collapsed in a dead heap.

"It wasn't me! I swear it!" Baphomet Jr. squealed. Howard got up and quickly went to her side. Keltin sighed, but he nodded.

"We know it wasn't you. This always happens when she's possessed by Huginn. Nothing anyone can do. But, it's also her weakest area. She will need to be protected when this happens," Howard said sternly. "Remember that."

"Gotcha!" Baphomet Jr. said with a nod, as he thought. "I'm hungry. I'm going to find something to eat."

"Storm Caller can help you," Keltin said as he went to help Howard.

"Who's that?" the little demon asked.

"That's me," Storm Caller said, as he went to check on Sarine and collect the horn from her. The little demon stammered and pointed.

"HOW DID YOU GET SO BIG AND POWERFUL?! That's not fair!" he said, as he jumped up and down jealously.

"Valkyrie from Valhalla helped with that. Maybe, if you are good to the Vessel of Odin, she will help you, too," the Strouf said. Thinking on that, he seemed to nod and moved swiftly into the house.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events," Seyren grinned. Eremes suddenly stood up once Sarine was awake and motioned for everyone to listen to him.

"I need to make this clear..." he started to get everyone's attention. "And...yes...what I am going to say will be...a bit more than usual. It's quite important."

The others now gave their complete attention. He relayed to them of the mission that Valkyrie gave him. Howard just stared at him with complete horror. Sarine was stiffening in his arms, and Keltin was just as speechless as the others. Not only of his mission to protect Sarine, but just the fact that he was talking so much!

"Captured?!" Seyren snarled.

"Listen to me," Eremes said softly. "I had been fighting on whether to speak out or not. Since I have, it is important that you all know.  _Only I can save her_. The rest of you cannot. Valkyrie, herself, has made this crystal clear to me."

"It...makes sense," Sarine said with a nod. "You did rescue me before. You would know the layout of the palace best. And...should it happen again, I will always know that help is coming, and that I will not have to despair."

"But why?!" Keltin growled.

"Valkyrie mentioned to me..." Eremes sighed, as he watched the dying fire. "She mentioned this. 'Some seeds can only sprout when placed through catastrophic circumstances.' There is only so much that can be done...before something needs to be forced to grow."

"Sarine!" Howard hissed, but she put a finger to his lips with a smile.

"I needed to know this. How do you think I would feel, if I was trapped as you were with no way of knowing that help would be coming? I'd likely have killed myself! Do I want to be captured again? Of course not! And, from what Eremes said, it may happen again, as it came directly from Valkyrie. Am I upset? Of course, I am! But, I am here NOW, and I am not going anywhere. We are forewarned, therefore, we will take measures to make sure that I will not be captured. That is all we can do."

With that said, the whole topic seemed to get placed on a back burner of sorts. Howard nodded and crushed her to him. A glance up at Eremes was given, as he moved to his chair.

"I want a promise from you, my friend," Howard said lightly to Eremes.

"Anything, my friend," Eremes vowed, as he sat down to listen to him.

"If any of those bastards in Amatsu so much as misplace a hair anywhere on her," he hissed. "I want them dead! Slaughtered! Should I have to walk into that place, I want to be practically slipping on blood!"

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded with complete agreement.  _I would have said the same thing._ He knew he had to say something to them. If he hadn't, they would have gone into their own tirade of terrors to track her down. He felt something smile with approval at his conversation, and he knew that Valkyrie accepted his decision to inform the others. Muninn relayed the conversation to her personally. It showed he was trustworthy and not afraid to show his honor when it was needed. Closing his eyes, he felt a blessing seep through him, and he smiled softly.  _I have been granted the ability to call on the warrior Valkyrie from the plains of Odin's Temple._   _It was a one-time gift to help protect Sarine when the time came. The Valkyrie in Valhalla is built more for defense than fighting, so it would be best this way._

"Howard! That's just disgusting! Slipping on blood?!" Sarine looked at him with disbelief, and Seyren could only grin at the thought.

"Well, if I could rescue you, my axe would be plastered with their brains and guts! Ouch!" he grumbled when she pinched him.

"A well-timed Fireball would do the trick, too," Kathryne grinned.

"Oh, and we need to make sure to slow them down so that Seyren can keep up with them!" Margaretha nodded. Seyren sputtered, and Eremes grinned.

"Well, you'd think that all that heavy armor would be rusted out by now! How do you use the toilet again?" Cecil asked with a hint of a grin.

"Stop it!" Seyren growled and made a threatening gesture.

"He absorbs it?" Keltin asked.

"Nah. He has a special baggy for that, I think," Howard thought.

"Must be hard to clean, eh?" Lloyd chuckled.

"Well, he can't wear diapers anymore. He gets a rash!" Kathryne giggled. Eremes snickered and shook his head. Karla kept her mouth shut, but was failing in keeping quiet.

"Oh, you all are awful!" Sarine frowned, and Seyren huffed. "It's quite clear that he has a trap door with a trick lock!"

"HEY!" Seyren said, as he looked at Sarine with a profound look. Everyone burst into laughter after that. He was actually used to them doing this. He enjoyed it and always got them back in his own way. Such as walking in on them unannounced, which he was making plans to do tonight.

Now that the fire had died out, Sarine yawned and stretched in Howard's arms. Snuggling into his chest, he balled her up into his lap.

"All right, so what is the agenda for tomorrow?" Keltin asked.

"I need to go to Al De Baran and collect some books for my Alchemy. I need supplies, too," Karla said. Blinking when Sarine sat up, she motioned to Keltin to bring her the potions and the odd stone that they had gotten from the laboratory on their first trip there. Nodding, he got up and retrieved them for her.

"Karla, I found two potions and a strange stone. I have an idea about the potions, but I have no clue about the stone for the life of me!" Sarine frowned. Keltin gave Karla the items, and she stammered.

"This yellow potion and red potion...they are very slim! Slim potions are like the concentrated forms of normal potions. They heal more and are lighter to carry. I was going to make various potions just like these. White potions are always the best. It's why I've been collecting the herbs from the plants I found. When I get the books, I'll know what I will need to make them. As for this stone," she blinked, as she studied it before her mouth dropping. "It's a Philosopher's Stone! I can use this to make Luna even better when the time comes! Oh my! May I keep this?"

"Sure! I have no need for it," Sarine smiled.

"Oh, thank you! This will help her out so much!" Karla beamed and placed it right into her cart. She truly had been searching for the stone for some time.

"Al De Baran...tomorrow it will be," Eremes nodded.

"We can check out the Clock Tower. I'm sure that there are monsters we can recruit in there, right?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes," Keltin nodded, as the information came to him. "There are Alarms, Clocks, the Clock Tower Managers, and Owl Dukes. However, the last one can only be reached through the upper portion of the tower with a specialized key. We may have better luck attempting to find it in Glast Heim where it is more abundant. There are other various forms of monsters, there, too. If we manage to kill a Clock Tower Manager, we will get a series of keys that will let us into the basement. They also drop the keys we need to access the upper floors. In the basement, we will find Bathorys, Jokers, and Whispers. On other lower levels, we can find the more advanced version of the Hydra monster known as the Penomena. There are also three Demonic swords known as Tirfing, Mysteltainn, and Executioner that we'll need to find and recruit. We will want to see if we can get to them as quick as we can. They will be helpful."

"You are so cute when you relay information!" Sarine said with a giggle. She leaned over and kissed him passionately. Howard just watched with a rather astonished look on his face, and he glared when Keltin moved to pick her up off his lap.

"I'll tell more tomorrow!" he grinned and made a face at Howard's glare. He started to take Sarine into the house.

"Get back here!" Howard scowled. "You are going nowhere without me!"

"Nope!" Keltin grinned, as Sarine waved at him over his shoulder.

"Damn them!" Howard grumbled, as he got up to follow them. The others laughed and decided to break the camp up. It was quick work to clean up, and they all made plans to do this a lot more often.

"It has been so long since we did this," Cecil sighed, as she walked into the house with Seyren. "So many memories have come back!"

"It has. It feels good to do this again," Seyren said. "I felt somewhat, oh, complete. This was sorely needed. Didn't you feel a form of completion, too?"

"Yes, I did," Cecil smiled. "Although, I will admit one thing."

"What is that?" he asked.

"Just knowing that little sis felt so alone all those nights. Not able to be with us. That she was having such a hard time being so lonely, and with her thinking that we...thought that she...abandoned us..." she frowned. Seyren sighed and nodded before giving her a big, brotherly hug. It was rare when Cecil cried. She truly did love Sarine like a little sister, and, after hearing this come out, it touched her in a way that she could only grieve over it. Eremes had soon walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder with quiet understanding.

"She will not be left alone anymore," Eremes vowed. Cecil only smiled and wiped away the excess tears.

"Just...knowing that she...she was alone almost her whole life..." Cecil struggled to talk now.  _Oh, how I want to kill Sarine's parents for isolating her alone in darkness!_

"I will say one thing," Eremes said gently. Seyren and Cecil both looked at him.

"What is that?" Kathryne asked, as she came over to them to listen in.

"I am going to request three things to have on me at all times. Candles. Potions. Food. Candles to light for her when I rescue her again so she has no need to be in darkness. Potions to heal her quickly, should there be any damage to her. And food to give her, as her parents never fed her properly throughout her life," Eremes said softly.

"WHAT?!" Seyren shouted at the last part. "They didn't feed her?!"

"She was half her normal weight when I found her before. She was also incredibly thin when we found her in Geffen, too, remember? I can only imagine what would happen now, if she was caught," Eremes said. "I doubt they will feed her anything."

"Oh!" Karla's mouth was dropped. "I'll prepare potions the moment I get my books!"

"I have a couple cookbooks in the Kafra storage still," Kathryne said. "I can prepare some food with them. In fact, I'll pull those books out now!"

"I can get candles from the Prontera Church," Margaretha nodded.

"I have this...looming feeling of dread now. For Sarine," Eremes frowned. "It's...suffocating to say the least."

"How so?" Lloyd asked.

"Ever since I accepted the mission...it feels like a timer started to count down. An hourglass has turned. Each grain of sand...feels like a pound of pressure on me," he winced.

"Hmm. Tell us when the pressure starts to turn dire. That will likely be our signal to tighten our defenses," Seyren suggested. Eremes nodded and plans were started on how to keep Sarine safe from this future threat to her life.


	21. Chapter 21

By the time morning came, Sarine was stretched out between her husbands. She was very warm, and it was starting to get uncomfortable. She had agreed to wear Howard's tunic and Keltin's large pants in case Seyren tried to walk in on them, and that was the main reason as to why she was overheating. It was easier to be nude between them with the way they warmed her so much, and she felt the need to peel back the covers to move.

Keltin had pulled her over to him in sleep, and she woke practically in his arms. Blinking awake, she got up slowly to keep from waking either of them to head into the toilet part of the bathroom. After that, she started to stretch out her limbs to help cool herself off. She found herself pausing, as she thought she saw something out of place. It caught her eye, and she turned to face a small corner of the room.

"Who is there?" she asked lightly. Not getting an answer, she frowned. _Something, or someone, was watching me._ Narrowing her eyes, she silently called over Muninn and used the skill of Detect. Her mouth dropped, as she revealed Eremes in a crouched position in the corner.

"I forgot you had that skill," he chuckled quietly, as he straightened up.

"What are you doing in here?!" she hissed at him.

"At first, it was only to check on you. Now...you are addictive to watch," he admitted. No longer human, his ghostly form poured mist out from every crevice of his body. She blinked at him in both outrage and amazement.

"You...would watch me?!" her mouth dropped. "And my husbands, too?"

"At times. Mainly just you. Karla is sleeping and has no need of me. How else am I to help keep you safe, if I cannot know what is going on?" he smiled.

"But...Howard and Keltin will wake up at any moment!" she whispered.

"What do you think Cloaking is used for?" he chuckled and quickly moved for her. She was too stunned to resist him when he planted a hot-blooded kiss on her lips. He sparked her passion like a lit match, and it sent an explosion of lust through her. When he pulled away, she gasped for air. He was no better, but able to recover a touch quicker now.

"You are crazy!" she hissed. He just chuckled, as his form encased her against a wall.

"Hmm. You should be wearing my clothes," he grumbled and slowly started to push off Howard's white tunic. She blinked at him and gasped.

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"What about Karla?"

"Karla? My dear, sweet Sarine..." Eremes said with a light smile and a sigh. "Karla won't let me touch her. She wants a true ceremony. Yes...we are married. However, you see, it matters not. You...were...are...my first and only at this point in time."

"But..." Sarine was losing her argument. "my husbands..."

"Yes. Your husbands. When it should only be...me..." he tensed, as his hands now moved to remove Keltin's pants. He wasn't even touching her skin now, and they were both sweating with prolonged bouts of pleasure.

"H-how is this p-possible?!" she asked, as she whimpered from his very presence.

"You...were meant to be mine..." he said. He started to tug off his clothes.

"But...Howard..." she was trembling. A small chirp made them both swerve to look at her falcon. At first she noticed nothing different, but then she saw the eyes. _The eyes were like that of a raven's._ Muninn understood the situation and was granted permission to help.

_:I glow. More time. No glow. No time.:_  Muninn whispered in their minds, and his body started to glow. Time seemed to slow down considerably at first. Now everything seemed to stop in place, as though time was completely frozen.

"Thank you!" Eremes said in a rushed whisper. Muninn seemed to wink, as he settled down to sleep. The glow around his feathers was quite bright now, but, in time, they would dim to nothing. That would be the signal that time resumed.

"He made us a timer?!" Sarine was amazed now.

"I had better use it wisely, then. Or should I say...we?" Eremes grinned, as the last of his clothing fell to the ground. That was when they both paused. Muninn was granted the ability to make him human again for this moment. Sarine had never seen him nude before. His body was wiry, lean, and tough just like she thought it was. The moment he moved closer to her, he was forced to pause. Their very presence to each other was searing heat. Finally, he moved swiftly to pin her against the ground and take her. She screamed out her passion, her body arching from the intense heat. He shouted after her, collapsing right onto her. He was just as powerless against the heat, and he could only cling to her as she was to him.

She was whimpering in his embrace now. He struggled to pull her up to sit on him and barely succeeded. She arched on him, and they both cried out again. His hands were clamped in a vice-like grip on her hips. Neither of them had experienced such a heat wave between two people before. Every gasp of air she took was pure torment. Every touch that they did to each other was exquisitely painful, yet pleasuring at the same time. It was an overkill of pleasure that they did to each other. It was the same pleasure that assaulted them in the dressing room and on the floor of the cavern. Only this time, it was a full explosion of searing heat.

"This...can't be..." Sarine managed to choke out her words.

"What?" Eremes hissed out, as he moved quickly to sit on the ground with her in his lap. Still locked within her, they both cried out at the movement, and he crushed her to him to help ride out the pleasure.

"This...shouldn't be happening...so much..." she gasped in his embrace. His mouth found hers and another harsh bout of pleasure ripped through them.

"Valkyrie...she said you were...to be mine..." Eremes breathed out, as he kissed her again. His mouth found her neck, and she arched back as pleasure rocked them again.

"She...she did?!" she gasped when the wave ended.

"Yes!" he grounded out, as he managed to breathe again. "But...fate twisted on us...changed it..."

"Because I left...the Novice Center?" she was trying to calm down, but it was impossible when she was this close to him. Every touch he did to her was agonizing pleasure. Even to him, she was like holding molten lava once again. If they were in a bed, it wouldn't have lasted very long. They would have ended up on the floor, since the heat would have been far too much.

"You...shouldn't...have...left...!" he snarled, as he thrust into her sharply, forcing them both to cry out again, but at a much sharper pitch. The pleasure finally started to ebb away. They were both quivering intensely, as they held each other. Aftershocks coursed through them at a constant pace, and they were both whimpering from it.

"Eremes..." she trembled uncontrollably.

"Say...you love me...Sarine..." he whispered to her, as he nuzzled her neck.

"Why?" she trembled from another aftershock of pleasure.

"Because...you know you do..." his mouth found hers, and a kiss of possession and branding lust was given to her. Holding her close like this made him want to never give her up. He would never be able to be like this with any other woman.

"I..." she hesitated and looked at Muninn.  _The glow was dimming out._

"Please...Sarine..." he whispered, as he tilted her face up to his.

"I love you...Eremes..." she whispered, and he kissed her deeply, grinding into her a final time and letting the pleasure course through them again. On crying out with him, the last of the passion between them had finally run its course.

"I had better dress..." he whispered, nuzzling under her chin.

"Of course. I'll...likely take a shower," she whispered.

"Next time, I'll shower with you," he chuckled.

"Well, I need to shower to explain why I'm so hot," she smiled softly. "Howard and Keltin are so alike that they even think the same! I need to be able to explain my heat wave to them easily. The shower will help with that."

"True. Until tomorrow morning? Or...any time presentable?" he whispered, as he kissed her passionately and full of loving possession.

"If that is what happens now," she said with a small shrug. They managed to break away from each other with a sharp gasp, and she watched him dress swiftly. His human form changed back into his monster one, as he moved. He helped her into the shower, and he kissed her deeply one last time before Cloaking. He made his way out of the room after that. At a glance at Muninn, the glow was completely gone now, and she heard Howard waking in the other room. The steam from the shower had started to cloud up the small room quickly. It would help explain why the area was so hot. Letting the water soak into her hair, as she started to scrub herself clean, she didn't even realize that Howard had stepped in behind her and hugged her.

"Hey!" she scowled, and he chuckled, planting a kiss on her mouth.

"I missed you," he whispered to her, as he helped her wash off. His form was that of his monster form, but he had been practicing and showed her that he was able to become solid to a point. The misting seemed to pull back into his skin most of the way.

"Wonderful!" she said excitedly, as she hugged him. "Do you think the others can do that, too? You think they can?"

"Unfortunately not. Since I am your husband, other than Keltin, and I am needed to protect you as much as possible, only I was given the ability to do this. However, it requires absolute focus to do so."

"Practice makes perfect?" she said, as she turned to face him, her hands running over his chest. He shivered and quickly lost focus.

"Cheater!" he growled and pulled her close to kiss her. "Why are you so warm?"

"Shower, remember?" she chuckled.

"No. I know what a shower feels like with you now. You are at a point that warm turns to hot. Why is that?"

"Well, if you must know," she sighed. "I was overheating in bed being between the two of you, and I had to get up. Apparently, it's best to sleep naked between you two. It warms up pretty fast. Especially in the spring. I dread the summer!"

"Really?" he asked. It was one of the main reasons she had left the bed to begin with, so it was a partial truth.

"Should have told me, too," Keltin grimaced, as he stepped into the shower.

"Oh, dear!" she giggled.

"Well, since we are both here," Howard chuckled. "any ideas on what else we can do?"

"I had a very interesting idea in mind," Keltin grinned. Sarine burst into laughter before she was silenced by them for the next hour.


	22. Chapter 22

On heading down the stairs in their proper clothing, Keltin was guiding a very weary Sarine to the kitchen.

"We need a bigger shower," Howard mused, as he helped her into a chair.

"I'm so sore!" she complained, as she struggled to get comfortable.

"Bigger shower is definitely needed," Keltin agreed. He looked up to see Eremes coming down the stairs.

"Is she all right?" he asked with a light smile of amusement.

"Eh, we overworked her," Howard explained. Eremes chuckled and started to prepare a form of breakfast for them. He had moved away from her quickly, since a touch of the passion they shared earlier started to come back. She knew he wanted her again, and she wasn't any better. They both knew their relationship had to remain secret.

"Here," he said gently, as a bowl of fruit was placed before them, and he moved off to eat in a corner. Keltin lifted the bowl to help feed Sarine.

"So, how's Karla?" Howard grinned.

"Honestly...I wouldn't know," Eremes sighed. "I can't be with her...until a proper marriage is done."

"Oh..." Howard now felt bad for him. "That sucks."

"Tell me about it," Eremes agreed and then shrugged. "Can't be helped. I will respect her wishes. It is what she wants."

"At least Eremes respected someone's wishes," Sarine said lightly and made both of her men fluster. She gave mild glares at them, and they frowned.

"It wasn't my fault!" Keltin scowled. "He started it!"

"Don't get into that now!" Howard grumbled.

"Get into what? What did I miss?" Seyren grinned, as he came down the stairs. Their human forms were quite done for now, and he couldn't wait for the next chance to become human again. He thought he heard some form of juicy gossip, and now he wanted in.

"You missed absolutely nothing of interest!" Howard growled out, as he chewed on an apple. Eremes did walk over to the stairs to help Karla down gently and handed her a small bowl of fruit. A light kiss was given to her, and she sat down. He moved back to the corner he was at to watch the others. Seyren moved about the kitchen to start preparing some meals for the road.

"Seyren is being a housewife?" Keltin snickered. A wave of giggling happened, as Seyren grumbled. Sarine giggled again, and he grinned at her.

"Actually, he was one of our main chefs," Cecil said, as she walked into the room.

"He gave me my cookbooks," Kathryne nodded.

"That reminds me," Seyren thought, as looked at Eremes.

"Yes?" the Assassin Cross asked.

"What drops that really rare cookbook again?" Seyren asked. "The best one?"

"The highest grade cookbook is owned by Maya Purple in the area of Ant Hell. It's also called the Ant Nest," Keltin said, as the knowledge came to him. "We will need to recruit him and Maya, his mother. Both are strong monsters."

"I didn't ask you!" Seyren grumbled. Eremes shrugged, since he wouldn't have known, anyways. Keltin made a face at the Lord Knight just to see him scowl.

"Well, we need to go to Al De Baron first. I need my potion books," Karla said, as she fed Luna. "They are very important."

"Maya," Sarine thought, and she suddenly rose to look out a window. "How deep is this island? As in, how much land is below us?"

"About a good five miles," Storm Caller said, as he appeared from another room.

"We will need to make tunnels for the monsters that need to be underground," she said softly. "Can that even be done?"

"Tao Gunka has started on that. It does take more work, though," Storm Caller said. Sarine nodded and looked at the others silently. Margaretha and Lloyd were the last to come down the stairs, and they looked around.

"What is it?" Eremes asked Sarine.

"Something just...it doesn't feel right," she admitted.

"What doesn't feel right?" Howard asked with concern.

"Well..." she started before seeing Baphomet Jr. approaching her slowly. He was told that she would not remember him, since it was Huginn that saw him and not her.

"Hi! I'm Baphomet Jr., and my Dad showed up yesterday. He told me to join you in his place for now," he said calmly. Then he skittered up to her and snuggled into her leg. He was careful to keep his scythe out of the way to keep from hurting her. She smiled and leaned down to scratch behind his shoulders. That made him start purring with surprise.

"Feel good?" she giggled.

"Don't stop! Keep going!" he grinned, and she picked him up to cuddle him.

"Aren't you supposed to hate that?" Seyren smirked.

"Hey! If I can get any form of attention from a hot chick, do you think I'm gonna let it pass by?" the demon grinned and purred even more when he rolled on his back in her arms to let her scratch at his belly. A lazy grin was on his face now, and he seemed to snicker at the others.

"That little bastard!" Howard glowered. "He's making me jealous!"

"Well, my job's done here!" the demon laughed and snuggled into Sarine again before jumping out of her arms and skittering off. She was blushing at what happened, and she burst out into laughter when she figured out what just happened.

"What was that all about?" Keltin asked.

"He...that little Baphomet Jr. took away my odd mood!" she sighed and rested against the counter with her arms crossed. "He knew I was feeling worried about something, and he was able to let me be reassured."

She was the only one that heard the fully jealous grumble coming from Eremes. Still blushing, she turned away from the others and took a deep breath. She knew what was wrong.  _I want Eremes again, and I can't let them know._ What was even more was that she knew he was the same way to her.

"Sarine?" Howard frowned.

"I need some fresh air," she whispered and moved to walk out onto the beach. Howard looked at Keltin before getting up to join her. Walking over to her, he saw her staring out over the ocean in deep thought. He put his arms around her, and she leaned into him.

"What's wrong, Sarine?" he asked. "You can tell me."

"I just feel...overwhelmed. You know? So much is expected of me, and, after what Eremes said last night about me getting caught again..."

"Hush, now," he whispered and turned her to kiss her. "If you need a break, then you need a break. I had no idea what was going to happen, either. Hell, I shouldn't even be here right now, if you really think about it!"

"Howard, stop it!" she gasped and shivered not wanting to remember that.

"Like you always told us before. Things happen for a reason. Right?" he chuckled. "Yeah, I'm pissed at what Eremes said. But, you were also right. We needed to know. You will be safe and everything will be fine."

"I hope so, How-How," she whispered. He brushed away her tears and kissed her again. He crushed her to him and felt the urge to simply take her on the spot.

"Excuse us," Seyren said, as he cleared his throat. Howard had one of her legs wrapped around his waist and was ravishing her. He gave out a small growl, as he looked over at his friend before pulling her back into another kiss.

"What?" he grumbled through the kiss.

"Everyone wants to go to Al De Baron, and we really can't leave without Sarine. We're all monsters again, and we can only go with her. And, if we do find a monster, we'll have no idea what to do," Seyren said calmly.

"It's okay," she whispered to Howard, and he groaned, kissing her again.

"Not okay," he grumbled possessively.

"Howard, stop hogging her," Keltin grinned. Howard looked over at him, muttered something that was clearly a swear word, and sent Sarine into a laughing fit. Still being hugged by him, he picked her up to carry her back into the house. When they got inside, Sarine was set down, and everyone was ready to leave. As they made their way to the Kafra Agent, Sarine moved slightly to touch Seyren's shoulder.

"Hmm?" he asked, as he turned to look at her. Then he paused at the worried look in her eyes. The signal for something they had done a long time ago when the need was there was silently given. Nodding to her, he would make time to speak to her when he was able to.

"Diary time?" Cecil smiled at Seyren, as she moved close to mutter clearly.

"Oh, yeah," he muttered back. When she was younger, and very troubled, she didn't want to say anything to anyone. He was the only one able to pry things out of her when he got her alone, and, being her big brother figure, he always listened and kept her secrets safe. To this very day, there were things she told him that he never revealed to anyone else. It made up for every bad joke that anyone would ever say about him.

"You would think she would be talking to Howard or Keltin," Cecil frowned.

"Old habits die hard. You and I both know that," Seyren chuckled, and she nodded. "And, since I'm her brother now, it would only seem best."

"I'll make sure the others are distracted later," Cecil promised. Giving her a brotherly hug, they found themselves in the town of Al De Baron when Sarine was Warped.

"Everyone here?" Sarine asked. She knew her friends were there, but Windwalker, Justice, Defender, Vengeance, and Doombringer had to come along. The four Poring-type monsters were huddled together, and Doombringer was bouncing with excitement. Windwalker went to curl up a short distance away to wait until it was needed.

"Vessel of Odin!" Justice said, as it bounced over to her.

"Yes, Justice?" she asked, as she leaned down to pick it up and hold it.

"Doombringer knows of an even STRONGER monster like us!" it said with excitement. The others now looked at Arch-Angeling with curiosity.

"Really? Who?" she asked.

"Pori-Pori! Who else?" Justice giggled. Seyren and Howard blanched in their expressions. A nervous cloud seemed to move through them all.

"Pori-Pori?" Sarine asked with confusion.

"Pori-Pori," Keltin whispered, as he walked over to her. "It resembles a regular Poring, but is almost like their god. It has incredibly powerful spells and is quite difficult to kill. It isn't really found anywhere, though."

"Not unless we caaaaall for him!" Vengeance snickered.

"What?" Sarine asked, and Justice jumped down from her arms. Howard grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back into the safety of the others, as the Poring-type monsters gathered into a circle to start summoning. They started to hum and bounce in place.

"Pori-Pori! Pori-Pori! Pori-Pori! BRING IT ON!" they all called out together. Then they repeated the chant in their own language. A charge was built up into the air, and a brilliant white light slammed down into the center of their circle. A little pink Poring was sitting there smiling and looking around with expectations.

"Oh, great and wise Pori-Pori!" Defender started. "We have called you to see the Vessel of Odin! She's the one in the middle there. See? Right there!"

Pori-Pori jumped out of the little circle he was summoned in and scooted up to her with blinding speed. Keltin tried to block him, but he was far too fast and jumped over him. He stammered, as Sarine was knocked to the ground. The others prepared to attack, but Sarine was laughing.  _He was tickling her!_

"S-stop!" she gasped out in laughter. He was purring now and nudged under her hair to see the Mark before finding a spot on her shoulder to ride on.

"It's so...small?" Howard gaped.

"That's Pori-Pori's traveling size. He will get bigger when he attacks!" Justice said.

"He?" Seyren asked.

"Yah! Oh, we're all guys. Right?" Defender asked the others. Agreements were made all around. "Hard to tell sometimes. Ha-ha!"

"Gender reference is appreciated," Sarine chuckled, as Keltin helped her to her feet. Pori-Pori was happily perched on her shoulder, and a sudden wave of solid protection enveloped her. Then he moved to bounce on her head like certain hats were able to do.

"Do you want a name?" Sarine asked Pori-Pori. He shrugged.

"He likes his name Pori-Pori. Just call him that," Justice nodded.

"Pori-Pori hat!" Vengeance laughed. "Good disguise!"

"That will definitely work," Cecil smiled.

"I feel...so much stronger!" Sarine breathed.

"Keep Pori-Pori with you at all times," Eremes advised. "He will help us when the time comes to protect you."

"Oh! Of course!" Sarine grinned and waved to Karla, as she went to get her books. Finding a small spot out of the way, they were definitely looked at by others around them, but they paid no heed. As far as anyone knew, it was another group of people with odd misty forms. The monsters acted completely unlike true monsters would, and it had everyone fooled rather neatly. The powerful Poring-type monsters were mistaken for pets, too, even though they were powerful monsters of their race. Many thought it was costumes. Apparently, word about them hadn't quite reached this area of the world. Margaretha chatted with Lloyd calmly, and Sarine sat at a small table with Howard and Keltin. They talked about what they would do in the tower, and they joked about small things until Karla got back. She was going through what she needed now.

"Okay, I'm going to try and make some potions. What do I need here?" she went through her books and frowned. "Drat! I'm going to need some money. I forgot to buy some ingredients! I need Witched Starsand to make the white slim potions!"

Eremes chuckled at her from he was sitting at. He decided to sit at a table that wasn't too close to Sarine, but was easy to watch her in case there was a problem. Karla Warped back to the island home quickly, came back with Lloyd's help, and she went to purchase what she needed from various Merchants that were set up near the Alchemist Guild.

Seyren walked up to Sarine and tapped her on the shoulder. Howard looked at her with disbelief, and Keltin was puzzled.

"Now would be the time to talk, if you need to talk," Seyren advised.

"Would it be safe here?" she asked, as she stood up.

"Talk about what?" Keltin asked.

"Keltin, you ever have that phase in time that you needed something or someone to talk to that wouldn't talk back? Something that just listened?" Seyren asked.

"Like a wall," Howard grinned.

"Shut up!" Seyren snapped.

"No, but I get the idea," Keltin frowned. "Why would she want to talk to you?"

"He's her wall," Howard snickered. At that, Sarine pressed a kiss on his lips, said she'd be right back, and did the same for Keltin. Howard was surprised that she would feel the need to confess certain things to Seyren after all this time, but he forced himself to back down on this one.  _It was something she did when she was younger, and it was better that she talk to someone than no one._ He also knew that he reacted far differently to her emotions, and Seyren was always the one that got situations under control a bit better, since he couldn't fully react to her emotions. He knew in time that certain things needed to be kept secret, and, if he was more like a brother to her, then she would be talking to him, too. He didn't see how Eremes looked a touch uncomfortable. Eremes wanted to Cloak and follow them, but it would arouse suspicions. He would have to talk to Sarine about it later.

Moving Sarine to a table not too far away from the others, but just enough that they couldn't be overheard, Seyren sat next to her. Cecil looked over with understanding and prepared to distract, if needed. Sarine carefully moved Pori-Pori off her head and let him scoot off to join the others for now. Muninn even seemed to nod from where he was perched at and leapt off to hunt to give her some privacy.

"I'm ready to listen," he said gently.

"Seyren," she whispered with a touch of pain. She finally let the mental barrier crash down for him just enough to keep Howard from being alerted to her, and his eyes widened at the sadness she was bottling up. Now he was clearly concerned.

"Sarine! What's wrong?!" he frowned. She let the tears fall, and he pulled her into his lap to hug her. Shifting himself now to hide her, the last thing he needed was for the others to get involved. "Tell me! Everything will be fine."

"Have you ever...realized something that...that should have happened...and it didn't turn out...the way it was needed?" she struggled to put the words together.

"Constantly," he agreed, as he thought about Karla.

"When Eremes...talked to Valkyrie about the mission...he...found out..." she paused, as more tears fell. "um...well..."

"What did he find out?" he asked carefully.

"I...was to be...with him..." and now all of her tears broke free, and Seyren swore with his arms around her. Now he knew why she had to keep everything bottled up.

"Do the others know?" he asked after she calmed down a bit.

"N-no...but..."

"Good. Don't ever let them know. Has Eremes, well, been with you since?"

Her sudden silence was his answer, and he sighed, shaking his head. Swallowing, she cleared her throat to explain to him, "Muninn made it happen once. And...when I was trapped in the cave with him from Tao Gunka..."

"Hell!" Seyren growled. "As much as I want to punch him in the face now...!"

"No! Please don't!" she whimpered, and he hugged her again. "We talked about it. Came to terms with it. You see..."

He listened with silent amazement at what Eremes confessed to her in the dressing room at Comodo. She didn't reveal the life of the elusive Assassin Cross, but only the mission about her. When she finished, Seyren sat back in quiet thought.

"At first, I'll admit, nothing would have made me feel better than to punch him in the face. Now, I'm glad I didn't. And I'm glad we all have met him. All right. Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone. I'm really glad that you didn't tell Howard."

"How-How wouldn't have understood so much," she agreed.

"Feel better?"

"Yes. Much. Thank you, Seyren."

"As much as I don't want to talk to Eremes..." he sighed and knew it was going to happen, anyways. "I'm just surprised at how he confronted you and talked to you!"

"I know, right?" she asked, as she dried away the rest of the tears and smiled.

"You always said that things had to happen for a reason. I'm not going to complain about this one."

"Yeah."

"I know Eremes is likely going to approach you about this, so I'll approach him first. I never told you, but, when you had to complain about someone, they always had an idea that it was about them. So, I would tell them that everything is fine and not to worry. It's the same thing I'm going to tell Eremes. He'll understand. So, if you see me walk up to him, don't worry. I promise to keep everything safe, and I'll even draw attention to myself, if necessary."

"The jester of the group?"

"Always for my sister," Seyren grinned and kissed her cheek before giving her a big hug again. "Why don't you talk to Cecil about these things?"

"You know how big sis is. She likes to get vengeance on things that hurt me."

"Very true," he chuckled and released her. Carefully replacing her emotional mental wall, she was ready to approach Howard again. Walking her back over to Howard, he gave a nod to show that everything was fine now. Then he walked over to Eremes and tapped him on the shoulder to talk to him. Sighing, Eremes got up to follow him to a different table to talk.

"So, she told you?" Eremes asked, as they sat together. Seyren positioned himself as though he was just engaging in small talk to keep the suspicion out.

"Yes, she did. She was bawling her eyes out," Seyren grimaced.

"What?" Eremes asked with his eyes wide.

"I'm only going to say one thing," he muttered lightly. He watched Sarine with Howard and Keltin to make sure they weren't looking over. "I understand what happened now. I won't say a word or do anything, since Valkyrie is, apparently, on your side. I just want to know why."

"Sounds reasonable," Eremes nodded and told him of the prophecy. Seyren glanced at him at the mention of twin boys being the reincarnation of Huginn and Muninn.

"Are you serious?" he asked slowly.

"Very."

"I won't get in your way. But, there is something that bothers me," Seyren muttered.

"And that is?"

"With the way Sarine is now...and the way she was then. I have to wonder how those guards are going to see her. Especially if they were used to no one getting in their way."

Eremes stiffened with rage at the thought and trembled with self-control. That satisfied Seyren completely.

"Now that I know you love her, then I don't mind what happens between you two. Just make sure they don't find out," Seyren said with complete confidentiality. Eremes nodded, and they both shook hands.

"I will confess something to you," Eremes said. This caught Seyren surprise. "You may find it...important."

"I'm listening!" he said.

"I may annul my marriage to Karla."

"Why?" he asked. This caught him off guard.

"I will never love her as much as I love Sarine."

"Then why did you marry her?"

"Mainly to help keep you off her back," Eremes sighed. "But...in all honesty...she had qualities that I found endearing in Sarine. That and I kept trying to...forget about Sarine at the same time. I was...hasty...to say the least."

"Well, have you had sex yet?"

"No. She wants a ceremony."

"Damn," Seyren whistled.

"Sarine is my first. And I want her to be my only."

"What will you say to Karla?"

"Nothing yet. Things may change in time. You will know when the subject comes up."

"Whatever you say," Seyren shrugged.

"If something does happen...promise me you will look after Karla."

"That goes without saying! I'll do everything I can to make her feel better and restore her confidence in us," Seyren promised. Eremes now looked up with a light smile, as Karla had finally come back with a cart-load of equipment. He helped her set it up, and the others gathered together to watch her make her first set of potions. More herbs were gathered from the island home when she ran out, and she frowned when a few of her potions failed. She kept going until she ran out of supplies, and she had a decent number of potions to store away.

"I don't know of a place where herbs can grow wild unless I make them," she frowned.

"I know a place! It's on the way to Nifflheim. When we get there, I will memorize the location," Lloyd smiled. "I need to do that, anyways. One of the safest areas."

"Okay! Well, here, Eremes. A few potions that you requested," Karla said, as she handed him several white slim potions.

"Thank you, Karla," he said softly, as he pocketed them.

"Lloyd, can you make a quick run to Prontera and get some candles from the Church?" Margaretha asked quickly, since she couldn't leave Sarine's side.

"Of course. What for?" Lloyd asked.

"For Eremes's mission," she said seriously.

"Enough said," Lloyd said quickly. "I'll be just a moment!"

While they waited for Lloyd, Kathryne tried to make some recipes from the cookbooks she had. One of the people in town recognized Sarine's group, and word was now spread. Many were concerned at monsters in their town, but they realized that they were special. On learning that Sarine was the Vessel of Odin, all thoughts of monster attacks were gone. If anything, her group was now a popular curiosity. A small crowd of people gathered around to lightly study them in awe. When they saw Kathryne trying to cook, they found themselves giggling with mild amusement.  _A monster trying to cook?_ Many had to see it for their own eyes.

"Ugh! These cooking appliances are crap!" she growled, as she tossed the basic cooking sets aside. "I need something better!"

At this, Sarine got up from the table and went up to the small crowd to ask, "Does anyone know of better cooking equipment? Anyone at all?"

"Try this!" a young Archer girl said, as she came up to them and gave over several professional cooking kits. "I got them when I was at the Orc Village! The Orc Ladies drop them quite a bit when they get defeated, so I have plenty."

"Thank you!" Sarine said with a smile and handed them to Kathryne. With them, she was able to successfully make a Peach Cake and a Shiny Beef Marinade. Handing them to Eremes, she also managed to make a Red Mushroom Wine to give to him.

"Not much, but every bit helps, right?" Kathryne smiled.

"Always. Thank you," Eremes nodded. Lloyd had then returned and gave over seven extremely slender white candles that were guaranteed to shine brightly for a good two hours each. Nodding to Lloyd, he motioned that he was prepared if anything happened.

"Are we ready to enter the tower?" Sarine asked. Everyone agreed. Pori-Pori jumped onto her head, and Muninn placed a clawed foot on each of her shoulders to show how massive he was before launching off to hover over them. Windwalker rose up from where it was to nudge her, and she moved onto the Gryphon's back. The other Poring-type monsters formed a circle around Windwalker, and the others made an outer protective circle with the humans in the center. It was the same formation they were in when they walked out of Hugel.

Keltin moved behind Sarine to sit with her, and the others nodded. They were ready. She leaned into him, and he placed his arms around her with a kiss to her neck. As they walked into the tower, Pori-Pori jumped off her head and cleared the path for them from all of the floating books. Once he had done enough, he jumped back up to her and settled down.

"He's wanted to do that all day!" Justice grinned. She smiled, and Keltin pointed at a floating book hurling towards them. Its pages were filled with sharp teeth, and a single eye was embedded in the cover.

"Rideword. It's an enchanted book. It wants to join us," Keltin whispered to her. Nodding, as the book floated over her now, it helped attack anything that got close. As his arms wrapped around her waist protectively, she leaned into him more.

"Do you think you can shift human for a moment?" she asked.

"If I do, then I may lose my ability to draw attention away from you. I should stay in my original form for now," he whispered. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason," she said coyly, as her hands rubbed over his legs. He gasped and trembled for control.

"What has gotten into you?" he asked, as he held her all the more possessively.

"I...I don't know," she frowned. That made him start to worry.

"What do you mean by you don't know?" he asked now with new concern.

"I just...felt like...um..." she couldn't explain it. _What did come over me? I wasn't like this! I never acted like this when I was training before! Did I?_  The party stopped when a strange blue-gray monster approached them. It looked like a flying puffer fish that breathed out dust instead of air.

"It's a Punk. Appears to be friendly," Keltin whispered, as the monster joined them. After that, he turned Sarine to face him more.

"What?" she asked.

"What's wrong?" he asked again. Now Howard noticed something, and he moved over to her side as he was concerned.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Nothing is wrong!" Sarine whispered.

"Not true! You were trying to get close just a while back, and I want to know why!" Keltin asked. "You never did that when we trained before."

"Is this true?" Howard asked, as he colored up a bit.

"Oooh!" Sarine fretted and hid her face in her hands. "Why can't I just show a little affection now and then only for it to be portrayed as something wrong?!"

"What? That's all?" Howard looked at Keltin with a grin. "You should know that when she gets frisky to help her out a little!"

"Oh, please!" Kathryne rolled her eyes.

"It was quite natural when she was traveling with us! Wasn't it, Seyren?" Howard grinned at him. "You were glancing at us quite a bit."

"Oh, shut up! You know that stuff shouldn't happen during training!" the Lord Knight grumbled. "It's rude!"

"So, she's done this before?" Keltin asked.

"Constantly. Especially when she was developing. Poor Howard didn't really know what to do over half the time," Margaretha clucked her tongue.

"Well, I don't have the body of a woman!" he countered. Sarine was still hiding her face and blushing horribly now. Finally it all came to her as what it was.

"It's just urges. That's all," Sarine sighed, as she tried to refocus again.

"Oooh! I know what you're talking about! Say nothing more!" Karla grinned. "Keltin, just do a little bit of heavy petting, and she'll be fine."

"Heavy petting?" Keltin asked with confusion. Eremes blinked at Karla, but said nothing. She was never like that with him, and it only made him wonder if they truly were a match for each other now. Remaining silent, he continued his walk.

"Eh, foreplay to an extent," Howard explained. Keltin's eyes went round, and Sarine was just trying not to laugh.

"Riding on Windwalker?! Are you nuts? We'll get bucked off!" Keltin hissed. The Gryphon turned to look at him and gave a small wink before settling back to get ready to walk.

"I don't believe this," Sarine sighed. "Well, the mood is gone."

"If it happens again, then I'll know what to do," Keltin said. She just smiled and shook her head, as he gave her a squeeze. As they approached the stairs to head up, they paused to make sure that everyone was ready. Then they started their ascent. They found other Mages, Wizards, and Sages training here. Practically everything was weak to the element of Fire, so it was easy for them to be attacked with Fire-based magic and items. On seeing her appear with the others, several adventurers Teleported away in case her party attacked on sight, which they didn't. Others begged for help, which were either ignored, or just given a few buffs and sent on their way. When the begging got more insistent, Sarine started to show her disapproval.

"I hate beggars!" Sarine sighed.

"You and me both!" Kathryne grumbled.

"Hey! Can I join you?" a Mage asked.

"Party is full," Seyren grumbled and looked at Sarine.

"We can't Teleport. We'll end up splitting up," she frowned.

"Want my advice?" Eremes grinned.

"No, we aren't killing anyone," she smiled. He gave a mocking frown, but winked all the same. Seyren chuckled, and Howard muttered that maybe he should kill them.

"I like his idea," Cecil grinned.

"I challenge you to a battle!" a Wizard said in the distance. "I've been following you since Hugel! I need some payback!"

The whole party turned as one. It was the Wizard that encountered them when they sought the warrior Valkyrie.

"No friends?" Eremes hissed. The Wizard cast Sight, but it was Keltin who jumped off Windwalker's back and approached him.

"A Bongun? Please!" the Wizard grinned. Then Keltin activated his humanity and became his Champion self. The Wizard's jaw dropped.

"Go back the way you came. Or I will hand your ass to you," Keltin growled slowly and clearly so the Wizard could hear him.

"Like hell you could! I can take you with my eyes closed!" the Wizard boasted and prepared a spell. Keltin was faster. Much faster. He called on the power of Valkyrie's Rage, and his form glowed stark white. Glaring at the Wizard with solid white eyes, he braced himself first. Then he ran up to him and did a series of punishing uppercuts and dropkicks. The Wizard was out cold within seconds. A Butterfly Wing was dropped on the Wizard's body to use when he came to, and Keltin turned to face the others. As the light dimmed, he moved to sit back behind Sarine. Something wicked gleamed in her eye, and he saw it.

"I think I understand what they were saying," he grinned, as he hugged her. Pori-Pori was still bouncing on her head and seemed to chitter something out. Keltin understood him and laughed, as he nodded with a wide grin, "Okay, you get the next one!"

Pulling Sarine close, as they started walking again, he planted a full kiss on her mouth and held her tightly. He looked up, as several Alarms came up to them. They resembled large, walking Cuckoo clocks with a man's face in a mask at the top where the bird came out. One arm was a clock pendulum part, and the other appeared to be a mix of flesh and machine. Even the legs appeared to be the same way. As they moved to attack them, it was easy to clear them out.

"Friend! Over there! Hurry!" Justice said, as he bounced up and down. A solitary Alarm was being attacked by its peers once it made itself known.

"Oh, dear! Come on!" Sarine said, as they rushed over to help it. Pori-Pori jumped off her head and moved with blinding speed to assist. A massive explosion was heard when he attacked and was casting Heal on the Alarm when they finally got there. Unfortunately, an adventurer was one of those that Pori-Pori attacked, since the adventurer tried to attack Pori-Pori!

"I'll take care of him!" Margaretha said, as she rushed over to the Mage's side. Casting Heal several times did the trick. He coughed a bit, as he sat up now. Dark green eyes opened, and Sarine studied this one. He appeared to be in his early twenties and wore the usual tan and white Mage robes. He pulled out a set of glasses to wear, and they heightened his features immensely. His hair was a dark reddish brown and a bit long to be past the ears, but that was all. He could have almost been Karla's younger brother in appearance, but all humans had a trait to look like each other when not related at all.

"Thank you," he said in a light, youthful tone. "I didn't mean to attack the Poring. I was trying to go after the Alarms. I didn't realize what happened until it was too late."

"It's fine. And, so you know, this isn't just a Poring. It's Pori-Pori," Sarine smiled. The Mage's mouth dropped, as he saw Pori-Pori bouncing happily on her head.

"Yeah!" Justice said, as he bounced over.

"So pay your respects!" Defender added.

"Or he'll get maaaad!" Vengeance grinned.

"I am so sorry, Pori-Pori! I had no idea!" the Mage stammered. Pori-Pori jumped down from Sarine's head, bounced over to him, and spat out something at his feet to show his apology was accepted before heading back. He picked up an actual Poring hat and everyone laughed. Then Pori-Pori looked at Keltin and spat out a sword. On holding it, he stammered. It was the Grave-Keeper's sword that he could use with his original Bongun body.

"Thank you! I had no idea that you had this!" Keltin said. Pori-Pori bounced a bit on his head and back to Sarine's.

"What is your name?" Karla asked the Mage.

"My name? Oh, it's Mitchell," he said. "Mitchell Anderheist, at your service."

"Well, it's good to meet you! What do you plan to be when you are ready to turn?" Kathryne asked. He blinked at how she was studying him now, and he blushed.

"Me? Oh. Well, I wanted to become a Sage. I got tired of everyone wanting to prove that you couldn't do something when it only takes a little self-control to do it, you know? On top of that, it makes no sense why others think they are better than anyone else when anyone can reach the same position with hard work! I hope to show that anyone can do anything with the right focus and training."

"Can we keep him?! Pleeeease?" Kathryne begged. Seyren started laughing.

"Mitchell, we would be honored if you joined our party," Sarine said with a smile.

"Really?! Are you serious? I mean, if it's too much," Mitchell said with excitement.

"You have proven to us that you are loyal and not wanting to do harm to others. You will fit in perfectly with us. However, there are conditions," Keltin said.

"Of course!" Mitchell said.

"You will see things that no others are allowed to see, and everything must be kept a secret. There are some things that many people simply wouldn't understand," Lloyd said. "Walk with me, and I will explain."

With that said, Keltin reverted back to a Bongun to equip his new sword. Mitchell only saw him as a Champion and was surprised. Then he was even more surprised when Keltin kissed Sarine. Then his jaw dropped when Howard moved to kiss her, as well.

"That is one of the secrets," Kathryne winked.

"I figured!" Mitchell nodded. Then he blinked, as Eremes moved over to Karla and gave her a soft kiss before Cloaking to scout ahead.

"Many things can happen in this group. You see, the monsters here used to be human at one point. Let me tell you how it happened," Lloyd started, as he talked with Mitchell. Letting them talk, Sarine settled back into Keltin's embrace. She was actually resting by the time they reached a portion of the floor containing the Clocks. Waking a bit, she studied what they looked like, and Keltin studied them with her.

The Clock looked like an ancient wall clock with an old man's face and beard. They didn't attack them, if they didn't attack first. Vengeance helped Mitchell attack them to build up his training a bit. When one approached them suddenly, he panicked.

"I can't attack that one!" he said fearfully.

"That means that it is an ally and one of us," Keltin said with a light smile.

"Really?" he blinked.

"Yes. Our main mission is to go around to all of the dangerous places and gather up the monsters that are intended to join us," Sarine said, as she watched the Clock take its place with them. "It's important for this to happen."

"I see," Mitchell said.

"Do you have any friends?" Kathryne asked, as she neatly killed off a mob of Clocks for him when he helped her.

"Not really. Too book-wormy, you know?" he blushed. At her smile, he stammered a bit and looked ready to faint.

"Your Harpy stare is going to kill him!" Seyren teased.

"At least I'm nice to look at!" she countered.

"When it comes to hearing you screech, I have to wonder! Ouch!" he warded off a few punches from her. Mitchell chuckled and continued to train, as he walked with them. As he learned more and more from them, he started to feel as though he fit in with them. _It was as though I belonged._ Other Mages and Wizards saw him with them, and they would stammer with jealousy. If any of them tried to attack him out of spite, Pori-Pori was there to quickly send them running. Even Muninn harassed any of the other adventurers that tried to get too close to them. They weren't honorable, and he didn't want them around.

"So, you are the Vessel of Odin?" Mitchell asked Sarine after he learned it from Lloyd. She nodded and revealed the tattoo on the back of her neck. He paused as he saw it, and he stammered with a form of recognition.

"What is it?" Keltin asked him.

"You need to go to Yuno and reveal that tattoo to the Professors and Sages there! That's all that I can say to you!" Mitchell said quickly. "You'll find out more when you get there."

She looked at Howard and frowned. They would have to discuss it with Storm Caller when they saw him again. Howard moved to walk next to Sarine, and he kissed her passionately. She leaned into him, and Keltin muttered until she kissed him in the same manner.

"Why do two guys kiss her?" Mitchell whispered to Cecil.

"She's married to them," Cecil responded with a smile. Eyes wide now, he simply nodded and kept walking with them.

"So, do you have a lucky lady in your life?" Kathryne asked.

"Don't flirt with him! You could be his mother!" Seyren grumbled. Howard laughed and leaned on Sarine, as they walked.

"I'm not flirting!" Kathryne grumbled.

"It's all right! I'm not seeing anyone, actually. Never found anyone interesting enough, and I never thought about being with anyone. Always studying," Mitchell smiled. Then he blushed shyly, as Kathryne moved to walk closer to him.

"The Harpy moves in for the kill!" Seyren teased before wincing, as Cecil smacked him upside the back of the head.

"Rather a Harpy than a walking sewage tank," Kathryne muttered.

"My armor is kept very clean!" Seyren growled out.

"The trap door must be working again," Sarine nodded. Seyren made a face at her, and everyone laughed. They paused, as a massive, machine-like monster appeared before them. It seemed to be holding a large metal key-like stick, and gears were working in a synchronized unit on it. As though it was deep in thought, it hovered in front of them.

"C-Clock Tower Manager!" the Mage blanched.

"It's a friend," Keltin said lightly. The monster moved over to Sarine as though to confirm who she was, before vanishing to wait at the island home.

"Should we go to the upper levels?" Sarine asked.

"Not yet. We should explore the rest of this area to help Mitchell train more," Kathryne said. "He needs to transcend! He hasn't even become a Sage yet."

"Very well," she nodded. As they prepared to move forward, they stopped. Baphomet appeared in front of them.

"B-B-B-B-B..." Mitchell was stammering so badly now that Kathryne simply smiled.

"Excuse me," Sarine said, as she dismounted off of Windwalker. Muninn landed on her shoulders, and Pori-Pori continued to bounce on her head.

"Be careful, Sarine," Keltin whispered.

"Baphomet!" she said with a wave.

"Vessel of Odin," he rumbled and knelt down to see her better. "I was curious as to what you were doing here."

"Finding monsters, as you can plainly see. And gaining new allies. Your son is back at the island home," Sarine said.

"You sound different. Oh. Huginn is not talking to me. Very well, then," Baphomet grumbled and sat down. "There was something I needed to ask you."

"Oh?" Sarine frowned, as she sat down, as well. The others moved closer to not only protect her, but to settle down. When Mitchell saw that there was no threat, he was able to calm down, as well. It was only now that he saw how important Sarine truly was.

"I understand that there will be a time that you will come under attack?" Baphomet asked carefully. He had received the news from Valkyrie, herself, and he came out to specifically search for Sarine while she was here.

"Valkyrie has stated that there will be such a time," Eremes voiced out, as he Uncloaked. "Only I can save her. She gave me the mission to protect Sarine."

"I see. Then, to you, I give you this," Baphomet dropped a small chip of his nail into Eremes's hands. "Burn it, and I shall come to help. If you cannot burn it, then drop it on the ground in something hot, if possible. If the Vessel of Odin comes to harm, or is killed, then all will be lost. I must remain here to uphold the Balance of things, as well as elsewhere. But, I will come, should the situation prove to be dire enough."

"Hopefully, you will not need to be summoned at all," Eremes nodded.

"That would be best," Baphomet agreed. He suddenly turned, as an adventuring party approached him and prepared to attack.

"Need some help?" Seyren grinned.

"No. I will handle this," Baphomet snorted. "You need to head back."

"Of course," Sarine said. Lloyd made ready to cast a Warp Portal, and he found himself Silenced. Margaretha hissed and looked around for whoever dared to do it.

"What the hell?!" Kathryne snarled and looked over at the adventuring party.

"Here!" Karla tossed Lloyd a green potion to remove the effect, and another Warp Portal was cast. They went into it quickly, but the attacker ran in before Lloyd did to seal it. At the island home, the offender was apprehended quickly.

"Malore!" Sarine said with shock. The High Wizard just grinned.

"So, this is where you live now? Or should I say, where we live?" he giggled.

"You sick bastard!" Keltin snarled and changed into his Champion form. Mitchell was kept back by Kathryne, but it was Pori-Pori that jumped off of Sarine's head to move swiftly in front of Malore.

"Hah! A tiny Poring? Is this all you have?" he sneered.

"Oh, dear! He just insulted Pori-Pori!" Justice snickered. Now the High Wizard looked down at the tiny Poring and stammered, as he grew three times larger.

"Take him outside. Afterwards, I'll talk to him," Storm Caller said, as he appeared. Malore stammered again at the Strouf, and he screamed when Seyren grabbed him to toss him outside where the other monsters were waiting.

"You know him?" Mitchell asked, as he watched the beating from a window.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sarine grumbled. Keltin started to refer to the various times they met him and what he did.

"Huh. To Sages, he's what one would call a 'wandering problem'," Mitchell mused. Kathryne started laughing, and Margaretha giggled.

"He's going to become a negative part of society, if I have my way," Eremes grunted.

"Patience! I'm sure he will not step one foot in this house, or near us, by the time we are done with him," Karla chuckled and tended to Luna. After the beating was done, everything seemed quiet. That was when they heard Storm Caller asking questions.

"Why do you keep trying to attack the Vessel of Odin?" he asked Malore. Pori-Pori kept him pinned down neatly.

"Why? Why you ask?" the High Wizard reeled, as he focused on talking. "Maybe because I've wanted to go on a date with her ever since I saw her?"

"That's it?" Storm Caller asked with a frown.

"Yes! That's all I want! If I went on a date with her, then I wouldn't have to follow her around! I thought I had a chance with her when we first met. She lied to me about being with a man! She's...she's screwing a monster! I mean, it's sick!" Malore growled.

"I am a man," Keltin said, as he walked up to Malore and crossed his arms in his Champion form. "Valkyrie blessed me to become human again whenever I wanted. So, yes. Sarine is having sex with me."

"But...but you were a frigging Bongun!" Malore shouted. He coughed, as Pori-Pori jumped on him and weakened him again.

"Yes. I am still a Bongun. But, there is a difference between us. I love her. You don't. Get over it and move on," Keltin growled. "If you want to fight, then fine. I'm right here."

Sarine was in Howard's embrace, and she became furious. She bolted out there and glared at the High Wizard.

"Stop this at once!" Sarine said, as her tattoo burned, and she gasped out a whimper. Huginn emerged forth, and she stared hard at Malore.

"Huginn. What is your will with this one?" Storm Caller asked.

"Huginn?!" Malore said with disbelief. "A messenger of Odin?!"

"That's right, human!" Huginn snarled. "I've watched you grow throughout your life. There is only one thing I have to say to you. You are not honorable."

"He is not?" Storm Caller frowned. Huginn was actually referring to something else about the High Wizard. The way he was acting was not honorable. There was a reason for it, but it couldn't be said. All of it would be found out, as time unfolded.

"Hardly worth our time. Yet, his persistence is a crucial aspect of himself. You say that, if you go on ONE date with the Vessel, you will leave her alone?"

"That's all I've ever wanted!" Malore grounded out.

"Denied," Huginn smirked. "Two reasons for this. First, her husbands, yes she has TWO husbands, will slaughter you before you ever get the chance. The second reason is simple. You are not ready for her. You will never be ready for her. Your best bet is to go to the town of Hugel and look for a girl there. You will find one. Only then will you understand why you will never be ready for the Vessel. She is not part of your destiny."

Pori-Pori moved off his back now to let him up, but remained close in case he needed to be clobbered again. Huginn actually knew that Malore was far more than he seemed. He still knew that Malore was harboring a massive secret, and that his destiny was quite entwined with Sarine's, just not in an intimate way. This would only help push it along to ensure that he would be seeing Sarine again. He would become vital in gaining a crucial ally.

"Hugel, you say?" Malore said, as he regained himself and stood up.

"Yes. Go to Hugel. If you go there now, you may find her."

"Fine," Malore sighed. "But, seriously, not one date?"

"If you don't leave now, then you won't be leaving this island alive," Huginn warned. "Do not ever cross paths with us again in this manner."

Malore shivered, as multiple sets of eyes watched him leave. It was doubtful that it would be the last time they ever saw him after this. He was one that refused to give up. It was exactly what Huginn planned on.

"Jerk!" Keltin said, as he caught Sarine when she fell.

"I want to kill him!" Eremes hissed.

"Eremes," Storm Caller said. "should he try anything else, I fear that his death may be the only solution. He has caused us all much grief, and Huginn said he is not honorable. I fear what would happen, if he discovers exactly where our island is located. It could prove disastrous, if word gets out about us."

"You may have to kill him...Eremes..." Sarine whispered softly, as she came to. "Only if he tries this again."

Eremes looked over at her in such a way that Keltin was ready to question it. Yet, he stopped himself, as Eremes did know her a long way back, and he was one of her best friends. A nod from the Assassin Cross was given, and he made his way into the house.

"Are you all right?" Keltin asked, as he hugged her.

"I'm fine," she smiled. "I'm just glad he's gone."

"So am I," Howard said, as he knelt down to them both. "How long were we gone for?"

"Not long at all. Do you have other things you need to do?" Storm Caller asked.

"Not necessarily. Maybe we should take a week-long vacation," Keltin thought.

"You think we can?" Sarine frowned.

"I think it's deserved," Howard smiled. Kathryne came out to them and sat on the ground. She looked a bit tense, because she wanted to ask for help.

"Sarine, I really want to help Mitchell train. He's so close to becoming a Sage, and then he has to train further to transcend. Surely you can help him?" she asked.

"Hmm. Pori-Pori!" she called to the powerful monster. As he approached, he jumped and snuggled into her lap.

"Would you like to help Mitchell train?" she smiled. Pori-Pori seemed to bounce and glanced over at Kathryne. They both laughed when he seemed to shrug.

"I think they only care about you," Howard grinned.

"True. They only go where I go, anyways. Pet-like as always," Sarine sighed. "I have an idea. Let's all go back to Einbroch. I'll sit back in the Geographer fields, and he can finish his training there. The plants are weak to Fire, and we've already been there. Sound good?"

"That can work!" Kathryne smiled. "And later, can we go to Yuno to watch him change? It shouldn't be too long!"

Sarine laughed and agreed. Happily, Kathryne got up and went inside to relay the news.

"She really likes him," Howard mused.

"Maybe she found her love at first sight?" Sarine chuckled.

"Anything is possible," Keltin nodded. Helping her up, they made their way back into the house. On learning what was going to happen, everyone was ready to help their new friend. When they reached Einbroch, it was nearing sunset, and most of the crowds were gone. There were a few townsfolk that recognized them and welcomed them back. Smiling, she thanked them, and the party moved out into the fields.

They found their way back to the area they were at before, and Sarine sat on the ground to rest. Howard let her lean against him, and Keltin sat on the other side of her. As Mitchell trained, they talked about what was going to happen in the future. She paused when a strange, dwarf-like creature hopped up to them.

"It's a Giearth. Ground based monster. It appears to want to join us," Keltin said, as he nodded to the monster. It bounded over and started setting up sleep traps around them to protect them. She giggled, and it bowed to her.

"Clever monster!" Howard grinned. Then the Giearth turned and pressed something into Sarine's hands before going back to setting up traps. She blinked and opened up her hands with delight. Howard laughed at what it gave her.

"Oh! Thank you!" she beamed and put on her new Elven Ears. Then she blinked at the card she was given next, and Howard chuckled.

"Um...wow..." Keltin blinked, as he gazed at her.

"You know those things make you look incredibly sexy now, right?" Howard grinned. She seemed to shrug, and the movement was so sultry and sweet now that it nearly drove him mad with desire. When Kathryne approached them with Mitchell, it wasn't a moment too soon. They went back to the island home quickly.

"When did you want to go to Yuno?" Sarine asked sweetly.

"Eh," Mitchell asked, as he noticed her new ears.

"Stop staring at my wife," Keltin chuckled. Mitchell blushed and coughed.

"I want to go now!" Kathryne said.

"It's dark already! Surely you wouldn't want to go in the morning?" Sarine frowned.

"A few Professors are still awake. Lots of night classes, you know," Mitchell said with a shrug. "The school is always open."

"Nice ears!" Seyren grinned. "Lloyd and Margaretha went to bed. Karla is asleep, too."

"I thought all of your pets had to be with you?" Mitchell asked.

"They can stay here. They aren't true pets. Only when I go out in the world do several of them need to be with me. Any monster can stay here without any issues. It's when I travel out there," Sarine explained.

"Oh! So, other monsters can't go with anyone else?"

"No. Only with me," she sighed.

"That's too bad. Anyways, did you all want to watch me change in Yuno?" Mitchell asked. "It shouldn't take that long."

"Hmm. It is pretty late," Howard frowned. "But, I think we can squeeze it in."

"All right!" Kathryne grinned. Seyren chuckled and rose up from his chair. Then he glanced at Eremes. The Assassin Cross had his head down.

"Anything wrong, Eremes?" Seyren asked.

"Not yet," he replied softly. "I'm just...feeling weighed down...a touch more..."

"That's not good!" Seyren growled. Howard and Keltin looked over at him questionably, and Cecil was able to whisper to them. Now they were alarmed.

"No. It's fine. I will know when the time is dire," Eremes nodded, as he moved to stand. "Regardless, I am going with you all."

"It's fine," Sarine smiled, and Keltin gave her a squeeze.

"I'm going, too," Cecil nodded. "I'll go ask the others."

"Wait! I should walk in on them! That's my job," Seyren grinned. Howard laughed and watched him go up the stairs. A few short moments later, a shout was given, and he ran back down the stairs as an angry Margaretha was throwing things at him.

"You horrible excuse for a man!" Margaretha screamed, as she chased him.

"I didn't know you were doing that! How was I supposed to know?!" Seyren argued.

"You didn't even knock!" Margaretha said shrilly. "And, as for going with Sarine, fine. You could have said so outside the door!"

"There was no need for that, Margaretha!" Lloyd said, as he came down hastily.

"Nonsense! He barged in on us!" she said.

"We weren't even doing anything," Lloyd smiled.

"It doesn't matter! He has a bad habit, and I intend to break it! Come here, Seyren! I'm not done with you!" she growled.

"Hey!" Sarine frowned. Howard was simply dying with laughter. Margaretha looked at Sarine and started to tell her how she and Lloyd were playing a quiet game of cards. Then Seyren simply had to break the door down to get in. That was when she started throwing anything she could at him. She was going to go even further until they all saw a sleepy-eyed Luna come down the stairs. She tottered over to Seyren and gave a quick kick to his shin before heading back up the stairs. Seyren winced and stared at the little Homunculus with pure shock.

That set Howard off on another laughing spree shortly followed by everyone else.

"What the hell was that for?!" Seyren gasped out with a form of embarrassed anger.

"All right. I guess that means that Karla is staying," Sarine managed to speak out after laughing. Keltin was giggling with Cecil at what happened.

"I'll stay here, too," Lloyd said. Margaretha was going to go with the others.

"Okay. Let's get you to become a Sage. I'll show off my Mark to them later," Sarine said. "This is your moment."

Pori-Pori streaked over and jumped back on her head. Windwalker landed and let her get on its back. Muninn made ready to follow her. It was going to be a quick trip to town and back. The Kafra Agent was woken up, and she sent them off to Yuno.


	23. Chapter 23

When they got there, it was clearly nightfall. With not many people out and about, it was easier to move around. Mitchell led the way to the building that housed the school for Sages. There was one thing that they failed to notice in the darkness of night. One of the Yuno guards spotted them and identified Sarine. He knew her from long ago, as he was one of the guards in the palace when she was growing up. He was released on the night that Sarine disappeared, and he was eager to see if he could get his job back by reporting her in. Already, contacts were being sent out and requested to come forth.

In the school, Mitchell had taken his tests and had become a Sage. They waited in another room for him to finish to help keep a low profile. They were looked at curiously, but nothing was thought of. Muninn was actually protecting them by altering the thoughts slightly in the minds of others around them. He didn't want Sarine and her party to be apprehended by the Professors there, or questioned by anyone that didn't need to know about them. Kathryne was thrilled when she saw Mitchell come back out to them, and she promised to start helping him train first thing in the morning. On their way out of the school, they stopped at the group of guards that approached them.

"What the...!" Eremes hissed. He recognized the armbands they wore.

"We have come from the palace in Amatsu!" the Captain spoke out. "We request that you hand over the daughter of Empress Emilia this instant!"

At first, everyone was silent. Then Howard took out his massive red axe, Berserked, and charged into them. Sarine was kept on Windwalker at all times, as the others defended her.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Howard screamed, as his axe cleaved a guard in half. Kathryne watched Mitchell run back to the safety of the school, and she started to cast her spells. Cecil was reacting quickly to anyone trying to come up to her from any side, her arrows flying, and Margaretha was Healing and casting her protection spells.

"I'm trying!" Keltin grounded out. He was in his Champion form and holding guards back. The group was purposely overwhelmed to cause distractions at all sides. Pori-Pori was quickly circling Windwalker and attacking anyone that got too close. It was inevitable for the one guard with Rogue skills to get close, run up, and stab Sarine to a point that he was able to use his skill of Intimidate. With that done, he was able to Teleport away with her.

"SARINE!" Howard screamed.

"Why didn't we Teleport with her?!" Seyren shouted, as his sword ran a guard through. He blocked another attack, and beheaded another guard with a quick swing of his blade.

"Pet-blocking abilities..." Eremes fumed. Keltin looked over at him and nodded. Being the Guardian of Sarine, all of the monsters had to obey him now, since she was missing. He gave Eremes permission to go after the Vessel of Odin right then and there. It was the only time that Eremes, in his monster form, would be able to move about freely. Eremes wasted no time. He went to the startled Kafra Agent and had her Warp him to Amatsu. Keltin looked over at Muninn, and he took off in flight after Sarine.

After the surviving guards ran off, Howard didn't even stop for a break. He gave a wild-eyed look at Keltin, as he grounded out, "Home?! Or Amatsu?!"

"As much as I..." Keltin heaved his chest and remembered what Eremes told them.  _Only the Assassin Cross could save her._  "Home. Eremes can get us later, if he needs us."

Once they got back to the island home, they told Storm Caller what happened, and the Strouf was enraged that the Vessel of Odin was taken.

"An outrage! We should assist in her rescue!" Storm Caller growled.

"Eremes is already on it. We will wait for him," Keltin said. All the Strouf could do was nod. None of them could do anything at this point. Howard moved to look out over the ocean, and Keltin joined him. They stared out at the waves in silence.

"I'm not going to look back," Howard muttered, as he sat down, his back rigid. "Not unless I know that Sarine is there."

"I know," Keltin said, as he sat down, as well. Tears fell from them both, and it wasn't just from the way the wind howled in anguish.


	24. Chapter 24

When Sarine was attacked by the guard, two oval-shaped, white pills were slipped into her mouth. She swallowed them down without knowing. Both pills caused her to become instantly Stunned and Silenced. They were genetically enhanced by researchers in Lighthalzen, and she had no way to know how Amatsu royalty had gotten them, much less what she had swallowed to cause her ailments. She was hauled through the town silently with the help of other guards that were waiting in the shadows and taken into the palace. All that kept her going was that she knew that help was coming.  _That Eremes would save me once more._

They took her into the throne room and dropped her onto the floor. Being unable to move, all she could do was lay there. She wouldn't have been too worried, but it was the next voice she heard that would send chills down her spine. Her heart fluttered with disgust and fear. Memories rushed back to her of her childhood abuse, and now she wanted to vomit.

"Good job," Empress Emilia crooned. "Lift up her head to see me."

As they yanked back her hair to raise up her head and lifted up her body, she saw her mother after five years. Her face was older and plastered with makeup to make it look young. Her body was a touch smaller, as she appeared to be rapidly aging. Her body was covered in heavy silks to hide the fact, and her eyes were black and beady.

"Too pretty. A shame. If she was ugly, then I would have let her go. Oh, well," Empress Emilia mused. _Of course, it was a lie. She would never let me go._  "It's a good thing that Markus is sleeping. He would object to what was going to happen next."

"What do we do with her gear?" a guard asked.

"Strip her naked and put it all in the treasury. And what is that ugly thing on her neck? Get rid of it! As long as she lives, I don't care what else happens to her. Put her back in her room and double the guards. I want Incantation Samurai contacted in the morning."

"Yes, your Royal Highness," the guards said in unison and dragged Sarine off. A Cloaked Eremes was watching the whole thing, and he looked grim. _Remove her Mark? How?_  As much as he wanted to get to Sarine, he needed to find the treasury first. He watched them toss Sarine carelessly into her tiny, windowless room, and the guards followed her in with a bit of eagerness in their stride. What he heard next was the sounds of undressing and sudden sounds of pleasure. His knuckles went white with rage at this, but he had to be patient.  _I'll get my revenge shortly._  Following the guard that carried her gears, he was led to the treasury. It was here that he killed the man silently and took them back. He made sure her clothing and weapons were in one piece. He nodded to himself when they were.

On a further glance around the room, he picked up a few new weapons and extra armor. A couple money bags were next. As he was leaving, he paused at the sight of an exquisite doll, and he gasped.  _It resembled Sarine as a child, and it was made with a lot of care and love. It appeared to be purposely hidden away behind other pieces of armor._ He picked it up and decided to give it to her when the time was right. With that being enough, he went back to Sarine's room and paused. Wizards were there and casting Sight in small shifts. But, they did pause, as guards went back and forth to let them in. Waiting for his chance, he slipped in silently with the next guard. What he saw infuriated him.

The few candles there were lit, and it was clear that no one even bothered to scrub the room clean after she was gone. The same candle bits and melted wax parts were there in picture-perfect accuracy with the only difference being a layer of dust. The guards had her on her belly and spread out on the ground. As one raped her, the other would try to slice the tattoo off her neck. In retaliation, the tattoo would become ethereal, and they would only succeed in slicing off her skin. A puddle of her blood was already pooling out from the cuts on her neck. Her hair was cut short to keep the job easy.

He had enough. If it wasn't the sight of her in danger, the scents of unworthy males also added to his fury. She was dying from blood loss, and the crushing feeling he got finally hit him. _It was a timer to how long she lived._ He Berserked, drank a Poison Bottle, Uncloaked, and slaughtered the guards. He didn't do it as neatly as he always did. He ran them through with his katars, disemboweled them, and then dismembered them. Gasping now from the crushing weight, he called on the warrior Valkyrie.

As she appeared, a brilliant light lit up the room for her to see what was going on and why she was summoned. She said nothing at first until her eyes landed on Sarine. She trembled, and her rage built until she finally gave out an unearthly scream of vengeance. Her scream shook the walls and rattled the door. A shuffling was heard outside the door now.

A Wizard opened the door and saw the warrior Valkyrie hovering on black wings there with Eremes moving over to Sarine. As the Wizard tried to close the door, her misting spear stabbed through the door and impaled him. Then the door was kicked open to dislodge the corpse into the wall.

"Everyone! Here! DIES!" she howled. As she was about to continue her attack, a crushing weight filtered throughout the room and freed Eremes of it. Sarine's life was no longer in danger, but the crushing presence seemed to manifest itself somehow. The warrior Valkyrie paused and gasped.

"Lord Odin!" she whispered. Eremes watched, as Sarine's form was lifted and cradled like a long-lost daughter by something invisible and clearly powerful.

_"CALL FORTH BAPHOMET!"_  a heavy, regal voice sounded out like a bugle from every corner of the room. Eremes nodded and took the piece of fingernail out. He tossed it to the ground where it fell in a pool of hot wax and blood. It ballooned out and shattered into a cloud of black smoke. Baphomet's crouching form came through the smoke, and he barely had enough room to move around from how he was hunched over and squatting towards the floor. It was a feat that Baphomet didn't tear apart the room when he was summoned. His scythe glinted in the light of the candles and the warrior Valkyrie's glow. At first, he thought he was summoned through a Demonic ritual from the way the room was. Yet, even the demon recognized the presence of Odin, and respect was due instantly. He bowed his head to show he was listening and ready for action.

"Odin," he rumbled. Then he saw Sarine's form and what was done to the back of her neck. His eyes took on a terrible shade of red.

_"LOOK AT HOW THEY DESECRATED MY VESSEL!"_  Odin's voice railed throughout the room. The tone was sorrowful and angered.

"They will all die tonight!" Baphomet promised. With that said, the demon looked at the warrior Valkyrie and nodded with a heavy snort. Baphomet slammed through the shattered doorway. The wood around the door smashed out to give him room, and he howled with rage. The guards didn't stand a chance. He rose to his full height, and the roof of the palace caved in to make way for him. The warrior Valkyrie summoned forth her battle maidens to make sure every hallway got covered to slaughter anyone in their path. It was here that Muninn flew in to land in the room that Sarine was in, and he screeched with pain at her form. Very slowly, Eremes watched her form turn in the air for her back to be at the ceiling, and Sarine vomited out the two pills that caused her to be constantly Stunned and Silenced. It was painful to watch. After the pills were removed, she screamed and tried to curl up into a ball. Her neck was on fire from where they sliced her skin through. Fresh blood started to drip with her movements.

Eremes tried to go up to her, but Muninn flew in front of him to keep him back. Odin wasn't finished yet. Her body was turned slowly to be on her back, and she screamed again when her body was purified and made new. Only then was she set down, and the heavy presence of Odin focused on Eremes.

_"I GIVE YOU MY VESSEL TO PROTECT! YOUR TIME WITH HER STARTS NOW!"_  then Odin's presence was gone, and Sarine's form lay on the cold ground. Muninn moved to settle in the room among a batch of old candles. It was the only place that he could roost. A sharp gasp was given when Eremes became human. Now there were only two things on his mind.  _I must see to her needs and get her to safety._

"Sarine!" Eremes said, as he moved over to her swiftly.

"No!" she screamed and kicked out at him.

"It's me, Sarine! It's me..." he soothed. A pained eye opened to look at him, and she burst into racking sobs. He was about to start moving to hug her tight, but something carefully took him over. He started to do what he needed to do first. He gathered her up into his arms quickly and set up the white candles around them to light up. Then he took out the potions to heal her neck. He massaged one of the potions onto her scalp, and her long hair was restored again. He took out the food next and set it aside. Then he gathered up the two pills she had vomited to pocket them. Only then was he released by whatever guided his movements. Now he crushed her to him, ignoring the tears that fell, as he whispered, "Oh, Sarine! I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...! We protected you with everything we had..."

"Eremes..." she whimpered in his embrace. "they...those guards..."

"They're all dead!" he snarled, as he held her even more. "Every one of them that touched you! Dead!"

She couldn't say anything else now. The shock of everything was finally taking its toll on her. He trembled with her, as he held her and came to a conclusion.  _I can't stay married to Karla now. There was simply no way that I could ever give her what she truly needed. My life is with Sarine, and I'll have to let the others know at some point._  When Sarine's belly rumbled, he reached for the Shiny Beef Marinade first to feed her carefully. When that was eaten, he let her drink down the wine. Lastly the cake was fed to her. With her hunger sated, he kept holding her until she was able to move.

"I don't want to be here," she whispered.

"I know," he said, as he hugged her. His passion for her was rising, and she felt it. She was starting to respond to it.

"Not here. Please...not here," she begged weakly. He nodded and had to move with her now before it consumed him. She was still too weak to walk. Looking around, he found a tattered cape to cover her with, as he carried her out to the main hallway. The warrior Valkyrie, her battle maidens, and Baphomet had definitely left their mark on the place. Undoubtedly, the royals were taken far away by now. Muninn flew behind them to survey the damage. Eremes stepped over bodies and pools of blood. She said nothing at all and kept her eyes closed. There was no need to say anything. He took her out of the palace and up to the tree on the hill within the village. He wanted to be far enough away from the palace, but close enough to ensure its destruction. He was already quite pleased with what he saw.

Turning her carefully, he let her see the destruction of the palace unfold. The warrior Valkyrie and her battle maidens were moving about and crashing in walls to kill the most sinful of the guards. Baphomet was simply razing the place to tear it down.  _It would take weeks to build the place back up to its former glory._  Muninn glowed to slow down time to a complete halt, since other reinforcements from other neighboring cities would come to help in due time. This was the moment that Eremes was waiting for. He removed the tattered cape and discarded it swiftly. He wanted no part of that room around her anymore.

He gazed at Sarine's face. The moon was out again, and his hand moved to gently trace over her contours.

"Eremes..." she whispered. The passion was a raging inferno again. As he moved to kiss her, she stopped him.

"What is it?" he asked. She looked up at the tree and shivered.

"This place is special. But...it is also binding from what I know," she whispered.

"Why else do you think I brought you here?" he asked with a smile.

"My body is new..."

"I'll be gentle," he promised and quickly moved to seal the gap between them. She moaned from the heat he gave her, and he tugged off his clothes at a fast pace. When he was ready for her, they locked eyes with each other. He carefully thrust forward, and she arched back to cry out her pain. His hands locked on her hips, and he waited for her pain to subside before building up a rhythm with her. They were both sitting on the ground, and she arched even further to lay back on the warm grass. Leaning away from her, he struggled to contain himself, and he finally gave in when she cried out.

He cried out her name and pulled her up to him to kiss hard. After that, the raging fire of pleasuring pain hit them again. They rode out each wave together, as he crushed her to him. They didn't know how long it lasted. By the time it was finally over, they were both resting against the massive tree. She was nestled against his neck, and his arms were possessively around her waist.

"What happens now?" she asked.

"I will annul my marriage with Karla," he sighed.

"I see. What then?"

"I may be forced to explain why to the others. That my heart...simply belongs to you."

"Oh, Eremes..."

"What else can I tell them?"

"But...if they find out about us..."

"Well, whether they find out or not, I cannot stay married to Karla."

"I'm sure she will understand that."

"I will talk to her when I see her again."

"I'm sure you will."

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered back. He kissed her gently and pressed his forehead to hers. Closing his eyes, he let himself enjoy her company. At a glance to Muninn, he knew it was time to get her home. Grimacing a bit, they both managed to separate with sharp gasps. He would never fully understand why it hurt so much to part from her after their joining, yet at the same time, he had a feeling that he already knew.  _It was hard enough to be apart from her, as it was._  At the same time, he felt it was something more, but he would think about it later.

"Here," he said, and he gave her back the gears that were taken from her. Smiling, she dressed and re-equipped her bow and arrows. After he dressed, he looked back at the palace. The warrior Valkyrie, her battle maidens, and Baphomet were gone already.  _Their job was done._ His form shifted back to his monster one, as Muninn's glow wore down, and the falcon landed one massive set of talons on each of her shoulders to perch there protectively. Pressing his head to her cheek, she reached up to caress him gently. He would never leave her unprotected again as long as the Empress of Amatsu lived. A glance at Eremes was given, and a Butterfly Wing was used to take them home.


	25. Chapter 25

When she emerged on the island home, it was well into morning now. As she walked into the house with Eremes, the others were in an uproar with questions. They had all stayed up through the night waiting to see if they would be needed to help with the rescue. She rose up her hands first to quiet them. The first thing on her mind was to see to her beloveds.

"Where are my husbands?" she asked.

"They are outside," Karla said. Sarine nodded and went to the door.

"I need to speak with you," Eremes said to Karla. She blinked, but nodded and made her way upstairs with him. Muninn moved from Sarine's shoulders to perch at a window again. She was safe on the island, and she needed to console her husbands to let them know she was well. Moving outside, Sarine saw Howard and Keltin sitting and watching the ocean. Walking up to them silently, she sat between them. Her mental barrier was cracked, and a heavy amount of her sadness was starting to hit Howard.

"You're home?" Howard asked lightly in a wavering tone.

"Yes," she trembled.

"We missed you," Keltin shivered.

"I know," her voice broke, and now her tears fell. Howard quickly gathered her up to hug her, and she leaned back a bit to let Keltin hug her, as well.

"So worried..." Howard whispered through tears.

"I want to know...what happened..." Keltin forced out.

"Soon. All will be told," Sarine whispered. Another long moment went by like this. Both of her beloveds were holding her and just grateful that she came back to them alive. When it was enough, her mental barrier reformed. They both rose with her and helped her back into the house. The moment she walked in, she noticed that Karla was saddened, her wedding ring gone. She wanted to comfort her friend, but it would have to wait.

"What happened in Amatsu?" Seyren asked first. "We all need to know."

"Gather around, and I'll tell you," Sarine said. When they all seated themselves, Muninn surprised them by landing in the center of them on the table and focusing on a wall. A dream-like image appeared, as though he was projecting everything on the wall for them to keep her from needing to speak. Even though the falcon wasn't there, her entire capture and torture was recorded, as he was a messenger of Odin. Gasps of rage and sadness erupted at what happened in the windowless room. Muninn did make a blur around Sarine's body in the images to keep her modesty intact. Seyren gave a snicker of contentment when he saw how Eremes took care of the guards in the room. Silent awe was given when Odin made his presence known. Then even more hisses of outrage and justice were given with what the warrior Valkyrie, her battle maidens, and Baphomet did.

Sarine was looking away the whole time. She couldn't watch such things happen to herself. A light touch to her shoulder was given by Eremes. He wasn't watching it, either. He simply couldn't. The last thing revealed was Eremes wrapping Sarine in a cape, stepping over severed bodies, puddles of blood, and finally carrying her out of the palace. Howard was only a touch pleased, since he wanted body parts and pools of blood everywhere in the end. Then the image on the wall faded, and Muninn fluffed out his feathers to leap off the table. The falcon knew what was coming now.

"BASTARDS!" Seyren howled, as he slammed a fist on the table.

"They did...such things to her..." Karla stammered.

"These were the pills used to catch her," Eremes said, as he took out the two white, oval-shaped pills and set them on the table. Howard looked at them and took out his axe. Standing now, he rose it up into the air, and the others around him quickly backed away from the table. Keltin pulled Sarine away quickly, as Howard crushed the pills with the flat part of the deadly blade. The pills were now shattered and destroyed along with the table.

"Howard?!" Margaretha asked.

"Those were the same pills used on me when I tried to escape!" Howard spat.

"They came from Lighthalzen?!" Eremes hissed.

"The Empress has quite a bit of explaining to do. Doesn't she?" Storm Caller said with his rage carefully hidden. He was already planning to take what was left of the pills and burn them to ashes to ensure their full destruction.

"I don't want to go back there. Not now," Sarine whispered.

"Of course not!" Keltin said and pulled her close to hug.

"Not until we get more support," Cecil said.

"Such things..." Mitchell whispered and looked at Sarine. "Why did your own mother let such things happen to you?!"

A silence fell over the room now, as there was simply no answer to the question.

Silent tears fell from Sarine's face now, as more shock seemed to come through, and Keltin moved her into his lap to comfort her as he sat down.

"Karla...I'm sorry..." Eremes said with his head down.

"It's all right. I figured it wouldn't have worked out between us. As long as we are still friends, right?" Karla said with a soft smile. Seyren blinked and looked away. He still wanted to be with Karla. He'll have to be very careful with her now, if he wanted her acceptance, and he did promise Eremes that he would take care of her.

More silence followed before Storm Caller cleared his throat for their attention.

"As much as it grieves me, as well, I would suggest that, for today, we remain on the island. Tomorrow we should start again," he suggested.

"Sounds fair enough. This was a huge blow to us all," Seyren nodded.

"We will prepare for tomorrow," Kathryne nodded. With that said, Howard gathered up Sarine from Keltin and carried her to the bedroom with Keltin following soon after. Eremes watched from the corner of his eye, as he rested in a corner of the main room. A light smile was on his face. He loved her and nothing was going to get in his way when it was his time to be with her. _It also meant that it was time to say something to Howard and Keltin._ He looked over at Seyren, and the Lord Knight looked back at him. His face was grim, but he understood what was going to come next. They would wait for an hour before approaching the three of them.

In the bedroom, Sarine was placed on the bed and compressed by her husbands. She wept again, and they comforted her. Nothing was said between them. Nothing was needed to be said. Their actions were all that she needed to know that everything was over.  _She was safe. She was loved. She was protected. It was all that she needed._

They took turns undressing her carefully before they undressed themselves. Then they each took turns proving to her how much they loved her. When Howard finished, Keltin took over. That was how they settled it for the next hour. Only after she was fully exhausted did they stop and rest with her.

"You know that even more monsters are going to be protecting you now, right?" Howard sighed. "You won't be able to travel anywhere alone after this."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Sarine responded, as she stretched. Keltin pulled the covers up over them just as Seyren knocked on the door.

"We're busy!" Howard called out.

"Oh, come on!" Seyren shouted back and knocked again.

"I'm going to hit him!" Keltin swore, as he got up to put his pants on. He had remained in his Champion form for Sarine, and he got ready to punch Seyren in the mouth when the door was opened. He only stopped when Eremes was there instead.

"Hi," Eremes said lightly. "Can we come in?"

"Well...we're kinda busy right now," Keltin started.

"Good. We'll be quick," Eremes said, as he walked in past him. Seyren grinned and walked in behind him before Keltin could close the door. Muttering softly, the door was closed, and the Bongun glared at them both. Two chairs were pulled up and set in front of the bed for them to sit in. Keltin sighed, got into the bed, and let Sarine settle between him and Howard again to help keep her calm.

"Guys, I don't know how to break this to you," Seyren sighed.

"We know that he broke up with Karla," Howard said lightly. "Tough break, man."

"It was my decision," Eremes sighed. Howard now gave him his full attention.

"Why?" Keltin asked. "Why do that? I thought you were happy with her?"

"I was...but...it was simply lying to myself," Eremes got up and paced the room now in slow, even strides. That signaled that what he was going to say next was going to be a touch problematic, and he was trying to figure out how to start it.

"Eremes! You don't need to do this!" Sarine said, as she sat up slightly. Now Howard looked at her with concern and back to Eremes.

"I have to, Sarine. I can't...keep up the lies..." Eremes whispered.

"Wait. You didn't do anything with Sarine, did you?" Howard asked.

"I love her, Howard. How could I not?" he countered.

"Oh, no!" Keltin groaned.

"Wait, Howard!" Seyren said firmly, as the Whitesmith prepared to bolt from the bed to punch out the Assassin Cross. "Hear me out first!"

"You have thirty seconds!" Howard growled. Seyren nodded to Eremes and gave an apologetic nod to Sarine.

"It's okay. I know it must be said," Sarine frowned. Seyren gave in full detail what he was told by Sarine. Howard's rage first burned hard, but then it cooled off considerably on hearing of how Eremes rescued Sarine the first time and Valkyrie's prophecy.

"Needless to say, I also wanted to punch Eremes in the face. BUT, Valkyrie has decreed this prophecy. Eremes also made a promise to her in the past. What more is there for us to say?" Seyren asked. "If he is destined to do this, what right do we have to get in the way?"

"I wondered why Sarine was so light when I found her..." Howard frowned.

"Yes. They didn't feed her properly..." Eremes nodded. A wary glance from Howard made him stop. They didn't want to upset Sarine further. Then the Whitesmith groaned, as he sorted out what needed to be done. He knew that everything was truthful.  _Monsters never lied. Not even to each other. Joking was one thing, but outright lies couldn't be done._

"I just...it's hard enough with Keltin!" Howard finally sighed.

"I am willing to negotiate," Eremes said calmly.

"Three men? One girl? I mean...now I feel sorry for her!" Keltin frowned.

"He doesn't have to be married to her, you know. He just said he's willing to negotiate," Seyren shrugged. "That's more than I would have expected."

"True. But, just knowing this...shit!" Howard swore. "I'm not going on a point system, and I'm not drawing lots!"

"Don't worry. I will have my time with her, as it will be given. I will not overstep my boundaries with any of you," Eremes promised.

"Just be glad I like you!" Howard grumbled.

"So, what do we do now?" Keltin asked.

"First of all, Seyren, you need to leave," Howard said. He quickly moved to put on his pants and escort the Lord Knight out.

"Awww! Come on!" Seyren complained.

"Nope! We need to talk to Eremes now. Your time is done. Thank you for keeping me from punching his lights out! Bye now!" Howard said, and he pushed Seyren out the door with a form of delight. Once the door was closed and locked, he turned to look at Eremes.

"What?" the Assassin Cross asked.

"Well, as long as you are the last one I will be forced to accept," Howard sighed. "it's time for you to show us your stuff."

"My what?" Eremes asked with a raised brow.

"I thought you said no comparisons!" Sarine said with dismay.

"This is a guy thing!" Keltin smirked, as he rose from the bed.

"I will...do no...such...thing," Eremes said slowly.

"Are you going to be so modest?" Howard frowned.

"Oh, please, you guys! The next thing you're going to suggest is to see how each of you make love to me!" Sarine said, as she rolled her eyes.

"That's not a bad idea!" Howard grinned.

"Thanks for the idea, Sarine!" Keltin laughed.

"What?!" Eremes said with disbelief.

"Oh, no!" Sarine frowned and hid her face in her hands.

"I think it's fair," Howard said, as he moved to sit by her now.

"I'm leaving," Eremes grumbled. Then he found the way out blocked by Keltin.

"We are all her lovers. Think of it as a little club?" Keltin chuckled.

"Sarine...you're right. They do think alike," Eremes sighed. She grumbled a bit miserably, and Howard kissed her forehead.

"What do you say, Eremes? Yes, it'll be a bit awkward, but you actually learn a few things," Keltin chuckled. "It's all between us, anyways."

"Well..." Eremes looked over at Howard with amusement now. "I would be lying...if I did say I wasn't curious...but...I do warn you both. The way I am with Sarine...you would both be a bit...envious..."

"Oh, really?" Howard huffed a bit. "All right, then. If you shock us, I'll have to see if Valkyrie can be contacted."

"Why?!" Sarine countered, as she glared at him.

"No sense for Eremes to love you and not be married to you!" Howard chuckled.

"So soon? After Karla?" Eremes frowned.

"Hmm. You're right. Just hide your ring?" Howard shrugged.

"Enough! I won't do this!" Sarine frowned. Howard gestured to Keltin, and he moved to let the Champion Bongun sit with her. Eremes watched Howard pull up a chair to sit in and gestured for Eremes to do the same.

"I will sit back here...thanks. I may have an...effect...on her soon," Eremes said with a light half-smile. He pulled the chair back as far away from the bed as possible to watch.

"What?!" Sarine freaked until Keltin moved to pull her close. She stammered, but soon fell prey to his romantic advances. He kissed her fully and deeply, letting his hands roam over her skin causing her to whimper softly. When he claimed her, it was incredibly gentle and full of intense passion. Even as she moaned, he kept a constant pace to keep her pleasure heightened and full. When she arched under him, he thrust hard into her, making her cry out sharply at times. He was truly trying to build up his stamina and was lasting much longer than usual.

Eremes couldn't bring himself to stop watching how it was done. He knew he spied on Sarine before, but he purposely avoided as much of her love making as possible. There was a lot about love making that he truly didn't know. As much as it was disturbing, he realized that Keltin was right about one thing. _It was awkward. Incredibly awkward._  Yet, he began to understand why they were doing this.  _There would be times that I may end up walking in on either of them. There couldn't be any form of hesitation, if there was an issue in the future._

When Keltin finally cried out in completion with her, he carefully moved off of her to let her rest. After about ten minutes, he got up, put on his pants, and tagged Howard.

"You're up!" Keltin chuckled and sat in Howard's seat.

"No..." Sarine begged, but Howard simply smiled and sat on the bed to gaze at her. Leaning forward, he let her watch him remove his pants and slip into the bed. Very slowly, he built up her desire with soft caresses before claiming her with an animalistic fury that made Eremes raise his brows with surprise. Howard pushed Sarine up to the wall above the bed and growled while he took her, forcing her to cling to him for balance.

"He loves to show off," Keltin grinned, as he stretched out in the chair.

"Really?" Eremes frowned a bit, as he watched the bed again. He felt his blood boil, as Howard brought Sarine to a soul-wrenching cry of passion with him. Just hearing her voice made him start to want her! Howard gasped for air, as he helped her move a bit away from him. A moment later, he had his pants on, and he was walking towards Eremes. Leaning against a wall now, he crossed his arms.

"Give her a bit, and then she's all yours," Howard chuckled.

"You will get jealous..." Eremes gave a hint of a smile.

"Prove it!" Keltin grinned.

"Watch," Eremes muttered softly. "if you dare..."

Howard watched Eremes moved over to Sarine slowly, his ghostly clothing slipping off his body neatly. Moving to her bedside, he paused when she looked at him. The moment their eyes met, the room started to heat up instantly.

"What the...?" Howard whispered incredulously.

"How is he...?" Keltin started to ask out with amazement.

"Sarine..." Eremes whispered, his body starting to sweat with desire for her. Even though the ghostly mist poured from him, it was clearly evident that he was tense with want and lust. She was quickly becoming the same way. Would the bed even last with them?

"Please...Eremes...don't..." Sarine whimpered. "You know how it is..."

"I know..." Eremes sighed and struggled to take another step forward. It was becoming even more painful, as the pleasuring heat started to build up even further. She was gasping and gave a soft moan, as he reached out to touch her. The moment his fingers caressed her face, the simple touch set fire to her skin. She cried out and gasped at it. He was fighting with it, too. He didn't even see the other two shocked men in the room. It was just him and Sarine now.

"Please...Eremes..." she begged, whimpering with a plaintive need.

"Ready?" he asked with a soft whisper. A sharp nod was given, and they both took in deep, gasping breaths of air. As quickly as he could, he jumped onto the bed, and she hissed from the scorching heat he bathed her in just by being so close. He was dripping with sweat already, and she was no better than he was. Gathering up his strength, he moved swiftly, pulled her onto him, and sat up with her in his lap. She screamed out with the painful pleasure, as he shouted with his and clung to her. His arms crushed her to him, as they rode out each wave with harsh gasps. Every movement they did was agonizing torment to each other, and, when he finally did manage to thrust hard into her, they both screamed again when the fire consumed them. Only after that did the fire finally die down between them. The aftershocks rocked them like mad. Gasping for air while he clung to her, he was finally able to recall where he was.

Looking over at the other two, he could only grin. _They were speechless at what they just witnessed._ They had no idea that such pleasure could have possibly existed. Sarine could only rest, as she panted for air against his neck, and she whimpered when he struggled to pull her closer to hug her tighter. He finally managed to gasp out at long last, "Told you...so..."

Howard was the first to snap out of it before Keltin, and he struggled to find the right words. Keltin was still in a form of shock at what he witnessed.

"How in the HELL did you pull that off?!" Howard demanded. Eremes just gave him a quiet chuckle, not quite ready to let Sarine leave him yet.

"Um...exactly what was that?" Keltin asked.

"Think...pleasure...akin to pain..." Eremes said. "This is why...I had to leave Karla. I couldn't...feel this...with any other..."

"Well, apparently not!" Howard sighed. "I'm jealous now!"

"Warned you..." Eremes gasped again.

"Yes, you did warn us. All right, you're in," Keltin grumbled. "I want to feel that!"

"No. You don't," Eremes said a bit roughly. He grimaced when Sarine managed to pull herself off him with a sharp gasp. Covering her up with him in the bed, he was still sitting up and sweating hard. He was tempted to push the blanket off, but decided against it for now.

"Why shouldn't we?" Howard asked.

"It's draining. Very hard to deal with at times," Eremes said, as he leaned back against the bedside wall and crossed his arms. "You see how hard it is for me to approach her like that."

"True. Still, just to see her like that with you! Man!" Howard groaned. "It's draining just to watch!"

"So, when did this all start happening?" Keltin asked.

"When she hugged me for thanking me for rescuing her," Eremes admitted. "Before we went to Comodo."

"I see," Howard nodded. A sudden blink was given, as the wedding document that hung on the wall glowed, and a ring fell on the bed. He swore, as Valkyrie honored their little bet.

"Welcome to the club?" Keltin grinned. Eremes leaned forward now and picked up the ring in wonder. Howard got up to read the wedding certificate and stammered.

"Tao-Alt-Eisen-Guile? What the hell?! That's a mouthful!" he frowned. "How are we supposed to push this little bit around?"

"We don't say it?" Eremes shrugged, as he glanced down at Sarine. Looking at the ring, he sighed and placed it on his finger.  _There was no way to fight it now._

"Well, I think she's done," Keltin smiled and then frowned a bit. "The Empress is still alive. Isn't she?"

"Undoubtedly," Howard grunted and looked out the window in thought. "At least she has other concerns now."

"I should have killed her when I saw her on that throne!" Eremes hissed. Sarine whimpered softly, and his hand moved quickly to rest on her back. He winced from the pleasuring pain there, but she needed the comfort.  _She wasn't exactly asleep right now._  At his touch, she gasped and moaned. That forced her to pull away and stagger from the bed. Keltin got up to help her, and she pushed him away quickly.

"Why?" Keltin asked.

"I'm...just too hot right now," she said, as she took a deep breath.

"Really?" Howard smirked, as he walked over to her to hug her. Then he let out a gasp at the heat she contained. It was then that she gave him a look that that set his senses on fire. A strange growl came from her, and she tackled him.

"Sarine?!" Keltin gaped. He never heard her make such a sound.

"What the hell?!" Howard hissed, as she stripped his pants off him quickly. He was gasping and sweating now from the intense heat that was trapped inside her. Keltin just watched in amazement when she moved onto him, and Howard cried out sharply.

"This is new..." Eremes said with shock. She rode the Whitesmith with a passionate fury, as the pleasuring fire consumed him. She actually wore him out, and, for the first time ever, he was passed out on the floor from an overkill of pleasure. Then she rose up from him and went to Keltin. The Champion Bongun stammered and tried to stop her.

"Sarine!" Keltin whispered with amazement.

"Let me show you...what true pleasure is!" she smiled and planted a fiery-hot kiss on his mouth. Forcing him to the ground now, she rode him like she did Howard, letting him scream out his passion with her. Only after he passed out, did she look back to Eremes.

"I see..." he mused and rose from the bed. He hissed from the fire that burned boldly between them now, and she gasped from it.

"I just feel this urge!" she whispered.

"Then we need to squelch it. There is no need to incapacitate those that want to protect you," he frowned and looked at the bathroom. "You need to cool off. Quickly."

"How?" she winced, as he moved closer. Bolting at her now, he swept her up and moved her into the bathroom to the shower. Setting the water for cool when he put her in, he went in with her and gasped at the constant heat. Remembering what Howard did to her before, he decided to give it a try. He picked her up, slammed her against the wall of the shower, and started to take her with his own form of animalistic fury.

She screamed, and the water actually turned to steam at first when it touched them. He gave out a cry when he released hard within her and pulled her to the floor of the shower. Holding her tightly to him, he let the water shower over them until the fire was completely out of her. Whimpering softly, she let him kiss her and move her onto the floor of the shower to take her with remarkable slowness. He was using the techniques he learned from the others and was passing with flying colors.

He brought her to an agonizing cry, and he chuckled.  _The water was definitely helping us out here. I wouldn't be able to do this with her, otherwise._ Moving for her to sit on him, he brought her to another peaked cry, and this time he joined her. Pulling her tightly into his embrace, he kissed her passionately and held her.

"Incredible..." he sighed and nuzzled her.

"The water feels good," she said with a smile.

"It does. Doesn't it?" he nuzzled her.

"I feel bad for what I did to them."

"Well, they did want to know."

"Should we wake them?" she asked. He smiled and kissed her again before grimacing at their separation. The water was shut off, and now they towel dried each other. He kept a towel around his waist, as she wrapped hers up to cover over her chest.

Walking over to Howard, he nudged him with a foot.

"Wh-wha?!" the Whitesmith stammered, as he blinked awake. A hand came up to rub at his forehead from the pressure of getting off the floor. "I feel like I was hit with four-ton monster and razed with hot coals!"

"Take a cold shower," Eremes suggested. "When you're done, we'll wake Keltin."

"Did she really...?" Howard looked at Sarine, and she was blushing.

"I don't know what came over me," she sighed.

"All right. I'm showering. We are definitely talking about this when Keltin is awake!" Howard said adamantly. Eremes nodded and sat in a chair. Sarine moved to sit in his lap, and they waited for Howard. Nothing needed to be said now. He just held her close and felt incredibly accepted now.  _Was this what I was missing in my life? Why didn't I pursue this sooner?_  Of course, he knew the answer.  _I wouldn't have been understood. Things would have gone out of perspective. Nothing would have worked out, if it was at any other time._

"Can I see your ring, Eremes?" Sarine asked.

"Why?" he asked.

"Just trust me," she smiled. He smiled at her and showed her the wedding ring. Then he blinked, as she took it off his finger. She smiled at his confused look and whispered, "I want to put it on you. I want to show how much I love you by doing this."

That made him look at her with a form of silent wonder, as she slipped it back onto his finger. He kissed her passionately and hugged her with a sigh. This was why he loved her.

When Howard got out, he had a towel around his lean waist, and he nudged Keltin.

"Hey! Monster boy! Get up!" Howard grinned. Keltin blinked awake and shook his head. Eremes chuckled softly from where he sat with Sarine.

"What happened?" Keltin asked.

"Sarine burned us both. Go take a cold shower and come back out," Howard chuckled.

"She what?" Keltin asked. Then he saw her sitting in Eremes's lap, and he sighed. "Fine, I'll shower. One moment."

They watched him leave the room, and Howard sat on the bed. Looking at Sarine, he opened his arms to her. Eremes smiled at her and let her go to him. Nestling in Howard's arms now, he kissed her and sighed.

"Three of us now, huh?" he mused. "A Champion slash Bongun, a Whitesmith, and an Assassin Cross. I bet a good joke could be made from this, eh?"

"Don't you even dare..." Eremes chuckled.

"You know that you're going to have to spill your guts to us about your past," Howard grinned. "It has to happen now."

"It is inevitable. As long as Seyren doesn't find out. Or anyone else," Eremes advised.

"Oh, this is going to be good! I'll finally have something to kick Seyren's ass with!" Howard grinned again. "I feel overjoyed!"

"Oh, boy," Sarine sighed, as she rolled her eyes. That made both men laugh. When Keltin walked out with a towel around his waist, Howard let her get hugged by him. Then Howard looked at Eremes.

"Well, now that we're all buddy-buddy here," Howard chuckled.

"Fine. Here is the story of my life," Eremes sighed. He started out slowly, and they listened. There was a touch of astonishment, as they learned how his parents died, and of the Assassin Guild leader taking him up. It was the same thing he had told Sarine back in Tao Gunka's cavern. When he finished, Howard picked it up quickly to explain his back life in a bit more detail. Then Keltin picked it up when Howard was done. No one needed to ask Sarine about her life, since it was now well known to them.

"At least we all had poor starts to life," Eremes shrugged. "That much is common with all of us. It is what bonded us all together."

"Very," Howard agreed.

"Is this where you say 'welcome to the family'?" Keltin asked. Eremes laughed softly.

"Nah! He was already part of the family!" Howard grinned. Sarine giggled at this.

"Right. Anyways, should we all get dressed and head downstairs?" Keltin asked.

"I don't think we need to. We'll wait a bit longer," Howard chuckled. At the sharp knock on the door, he scowled. Getting up, he opened the door to reveal Cecil.

"Cecil! What is it?" Keltin asked as he looked over Howard's shoulder.

"It's Karla. She's very upset. Can I come in?" Cecil asked.

"Umm..." Howard hesitated.

"Let her in," Eremes sighed. "Not much to say now."

She paused at the sound of Eremes' voice, and she gasped at his attire. Then her eyes trailed to the new ring on his hand.

"Explain yourself!" she demanded. Howard pulled her into the room and sat her in a chair. In a slow and careful tone, he told her what Seyren told him.

"Valkyrie?" Cecil blinked. "She said this prophecy?"

"Yes," Eremes sighed. "I...I couldn't hurt Karla."

"I see now why you had to give her up. I'm sorry for doubting you," Cecil said.

"I still care for her. I just...I can't give her what she needs. It is what I told her. She also felt this. I am sorry that she is still hurting," Eremes frowned.

"Well, Seyren is trying to make her feel better. She's actually starting to open up to him," Cecil smiled. "He's keeping his brashness at bay, and that's saying a lot! Even Kathryne is surprised at how he is acting towards Karla. He must really like her, if he's going through such lengths to make her feel comfortable."

"Maybe things will work out with them now," Sarine said softly.

"Anything is possible," Keltin agreed.

"I will need to tell the others about this. They do need to know," Cecil said.

"Let Seyren do it," Eremes suggested.

"All right. I'll tell him to do that," Cecil nodded. Giving Sarine a hug, she nodded to the others before heading out the door.

"I guess the cat is out of the bag?" Howard grimaced.

"It was inevitable. Before this, Muninn would slow time for me to be with her," Eremes shrugged. "It was surprising when he did it."

"He did?!" Keltin frowned.

"Remember how she was hot yesterday morning?" Eremes winked.

"I knew it!" Howard growled and tensed. "I knew something wasn't right!"

Sarine winced a bit and looked away before moving to stand by the window to get some air. Keltin looked at her, and the others did, too, as she rubbed at her head when it started to pound. She was starting to feel dizzy, and her muscles were cramping up something hard. When she started to get chills as though trying to fight something off, Howard stared at her.

"I don't feel good..." Sarine frowned, as she shivered.

"Sarine," Howard whispered with horror, as his eyes widened with recognition. "When those pills were forced on you, how long ago was it?"

"I think it was right after I was caught. Just last night. I...remember swallowing something, but I never knew what it was. I...couldn't speak or move after they were given to me. Why?" she asked, as she tried to focus. Her head pounded again, and she gasped.

"A side effect from them was a massive headache bordering on nausea and muscle spasms!" he hissed. "It normally occurred within the same day of taking them! I didn't think it would hit you, since you puked them out, but now I have to wonder! It could be that the effects were simply delayed...but..."

The others looked at him with shock before looking back to Sarine, as she started to cough violently in harsh retching sounds. Eremes was at her side in an instant and moved her to the toilet where she got violently sick. Howard swore and didn't even bother to put on his pants when he ran down the stairs, keeping with the towel. Yelling was heard, and Lloyd followed him back up with Margaretha.

"Where is she?!" Lloyd said, as he entered the room.

"In here!" Eremes shouted. A special drug called Panacea was taken out and administered to her first. When nothing happened, Healing was administered next. When there were still no signs of improvement, Lloyd gave Margaretha a worried look.

"Howard!" Eremes hissed. "How long did this last with you?"

"The rest of the day! Don't you remember? A full twenty-four hours had to pass after the drug was given. And they only gave me one of those pills! She had two of them!" he responded with a sad tone. "I don't know what will happen with two pills that were in her system for any amount of time."

"And you destroyed them, so we can't see how much was digested..." Eremes sighed.

"So, for the rest of the day, she'll be doing this?!" Keltin said.

"I'm afraid so. Like I said, I don't know about two pills at one time. It could be longer than a day, for what I know. She won't be able to eat anything until this is out of her system," he nodded. "All we can do is keep a bucket nearby and let her rest. Since she did get them out of her system before she could digest them fully, it could be sooner, though. I'm not sure."

Eremes was pissed off to a whole new height.  _The Empress must have known that this was going to have happened. Or did she? And what would Incantation Samurai have thought when this happened, if he was to be her jailer?_

"What is it, Eremes?" Margaretha asked, as she watched him.

"I need to speak with Incantation Samurai," he said with narrowed eyes.

"But, we can't leave without Sarine!" Keltin frowned.

"She is out of commission right now. You are in charge," Eremes countered back to him. Keltin hesitated and looked at Sarine's weakened state.

"He won't believe you, unless the Vessel is there," Storm Caller said, as he brought over a cold washcloth for Sarine's forehead. Sarine vomited again in the toilet and gasped from the pain of it. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, and she couldn't function right. Howard was hurting just by watching her. He knew the terrible effects of those drugs all too well, and now he was being forced to watch the same thing happen to the love of his life.

"All we can do is make her as comfortable as possible," Lloyd sighed.

"There is no way to be comfortable," Howard growled, as his muscles twitched with a form of control to keep from punching the wall. "She'll be a mess for the next few hours."

"How is she?" Karla asked from the doorway. She saw Eremes and paused, but she forced herself to go in. She knew from the start that things weren't right between them. She had already known that this was going to happen. It always helped to know that he was going to be her friend, regardless of anything else.

"Not good," Howard grimaced and told her what was going on. Karla's mouth dropped with horror. Then she remembered something and pulled out a Yggdrasil Berry. The large, yellow fruit was bursting with exotic scents and never spoiled. It was famous for completely restoring anyone that ate it to full life and vigor. It was a miracle fruit and extremely hard to come by, since it could only be harvested off the roots of the Yggdrasil Tree, or from special plants that shimmered with different colors.

"Have her try this!" Karla said and tossed it to him. "I found it killing a special plant that turned different colors!"

"It's a Yggdrasil Berry!" Eremes blinked with wonder.

Howard blinked at the rare fruit and nodded. He would try anything at this point. Bringing it over to Sarine, he held it under her mouth.

"Eat this, love. It may help you," he whispered. A small gasp at the scent of the fruit sent her reeling. Something was fighting within her, and she quickly moved to bite into the fruit. The moment she swallowed a piece, she felt some of the dizziness fade. She ate more and more of it until it was gone. Only then did she feel a form of relief. She still had the headaches, but the vomiting was gone.

"Headache still..." she whispered, as she leaned into Howard now, her body weak from the onslaught. He carried her to the bed and smiled gratefully to Karla.

"Thank you," he said.

"Well, I know that none of you would want me to go through that!" Karla smiled and watched Luna walk over to the bed to climb up into it to snuggle with Sarine. Then Pori-Pori and Defender barged in through the doorway and settled onto the bed protectively.

"Eremes," Storm Caller said, as he placed the cold compress on Sarine's temple. "why do you feel the urge to visit with Incantation Samurai?"

"Hmm? Why wouldn't it be obvious? Incantation Samurai was to be her jailer. Not her sacrificial alter. He is needed soon. Maybe even now," Eremes responded.

"Really?" Storm Caller mused. "Maybe we were wrong about him."

"If he saw her like this, how do you think he would act ?" Karla wondered aloud. That made everyone in the room look at each other.

"We could set a trap," Lloyd thought.

"With her as bait?! Are you mad?!" Keltin hissed. "In her condition?"

"She could ride Windwalker to an extent," Howard thought. Muninn flew into the room from the opened window and perched by Sarine. A soft chirp was given, as he looked at her.

"What do you think, Muninn? Should we try to see Incantation Samurai?" Eremes asked. At this, the falcon seemed to make a soft chirping noise and spread out his wings as though trying to make the movement for them to gather around. Then they all blinked, as they heard his pleasant, dream-like voice.

_:Those here. Shall go. Soon. I help. Hurry!:_  the heavy voice filtered out.

"He's going to take us there?!" Keltin whispered.

"Find out who else needs to go! Like he said, hurry!" Howard hissed. Eremes nodded, gathered his clothes to dress in the bathroom, and was soon down the stairs. Howard and Keltin gathered up their clothes to dress in the bathroom, as well, before moving to Sarine's side. Howard gathered her up carefully, and she winced with pain. They dressed her slowly in the bathroom and carried her back out. Seyren, Kathryne, and Cecil were soon there in the bedroom. Mitchell had to stay behind, since he still had to train to be of further help, and Storm Caller had to stay behind, as well. Storm Caller always had to stay behind. When Eremes nodded to them, Muninn spread out his wings and transported them all out of the room.


	26. Chapter 26

They appeared in a place that was a massive underground shrine. It really resembled a large dojo. Sarine was gasping for air, as the headaches rocked her again, and Howard tried to calm her the best that he could.

"She needs a place to rest," Eremes frowned, as he looked at her.

"Where can she rest?" Keltin grimaced.

"I think I can help you," a strange girl said, as she approached them cautiously. "Is that the one that was supposed to come here?"

"If you mean Sarine, then yes. But, she's wounded," Howard said carefully.

"Oh, no! It was agreed that she would come here unharmed! This is not good!" the strange girl said. She was wearing a dark purple kimono with light pink flower print. It had long, flowing sleeves, and she had long locks of black hair. A wide sash tied it together, and thong sandals were on her feet. She was actually quite pretty. As she turned, the back of her head revealed a grotesque set of purple arms and a hideous face that stared out at them.

"You're a Miyabi Ningyo!" Keltin said, as he pointed at her. He had reverted back to his Bongun self to throw off the other monsters that appeared. She turned and smiled.

"Yes! I am to be the one that will help tend to the girl. Sarine, that is. We were never given her name. It was odd, to say the least. There is a room prepared for her. Follow me, please!" the Miyabi Ningyo said. "I am the personal servant to Incantation Samurai."

"Do you have a name?" Kathryne asked.

"Me? Not really. But, you can call me Doll, if you like. It's what Incantation Samurai does on occasion," she said, as she led them to an inner chamber. She glanced up, as a strange masked man stared at them. He had a massive jug of liquor on his back and was holding a feather quill in his hand. He appeared to be constantly drinking from a clay bowl.

"That's odd. Why is a Tengu here?" Doll asked with a frown. "And...and why can't I move away from her?! What is going on?"

"Doll, we are sorry," Eremes whispered. "But, have you noticed that most of us here are monsters, too?"

"Huh?!" Doll frowned. Then she paused. Tilting her head, she walked over to Sarine and moved her hair away from her neck. As though drawn to the tattoo, she gazed at it in silent wonder. She wasn't sure what it was, but it called to her.

"She is the Vessel of Odin. She has been poisoned by the Empress of Amatsu. We had to bring her here to see Incantation Samurai. The warrior Valkyrie from Odin's Temple and Baphomet have already razed the palace to the ground when she was caught again," Keltin said calmly. "Most of the inhabitants are dead."

"Vessel of Odin? Oh, dear!" Doll said, as she looked at the Tengu. He moved over to Sarine's bedside and refused to budge. Doll looked at the doorway entrance as the monster, Shinobi, peered in. The masked man was able to revert into a shadow puddle to move, and he looked like an over-armored ninja warrior.

"Shinobi! What are you doing?" Doll asked. He shrugged and pointed at Sarine. The clattering of a skeletal warrior soon walked in wearing ancient armor and holding a rusted gun.

"Antique Firelock," Keltin nodded. A clatter of its skull was given, as it moved to stand with them. Another monster called The Paper appeared. It resembled a Demonic sheet of white paper with paper claws, a Demonic face, and razor-sharp edges. The bottom of it appeared to be a coiled paper spring that it used to move about on. It seemed to grin and sided with them now.

"This is too weird!" Doll admitted. "But...I feel as if I belong with her!"

"That is what her Mark does. It calls to those that are worthy to be at her side to protect her," Keltin said. "It's what it did to me."

"You are a Bongun, right?" Doll asked.

"Yes. I am also her husband. As are these two here," he pointed to Eremes and Howard. As he pointed to Eremes, Karla's eyes widened with amazement. Eremes sighed and gave a light shrug.  _She was bound to find out, anyways._

"Oh, this won't do! Incantation Samurai..." Doll hesitated. "he wanted to be with the girl, himself! To protect her and care for her!"

A small growl came from Howard. Seyren smirked. Doll suddenly glanced at the doorway, as a small, barefoot child with long, white hair came in. The boy was wearing a black kimono that he was constantly readjusting, as though fidgeting with the straps that wrapped around his waist, and a massive scroll sat on his back. Pitch black eyes looked out from a handsome, yet youthfully boyish face that signified possession. His skin was incredibly pale from living underground for so long, yet held a slight tan from being outside before his possession long ago. The group paused and readied themselves in case a fight broke out, but it was Keltin who reverted to his Champion self and walked up to him.

"Incantation Samurai?" he asked. The boy looked up at him, since he was less than half of Keltin's size at only three and a half feet tall, and gave a small grin, as a massive spectral form now appeared to float over him. The armored ghost wore ancient Samurai garb, carried two massive katanas, and red eyes glowed out from the armored skull. The ghost seemed to fade in and out, but the massive swords remained solid to show that they could be used and were the main source of attacking power. Yet, as he spoke, it was with impeccable clarity.

"Yes. I am he. Is this the one?" the boy spoke for the ghost, his voice incredibly youthful despite the body's age. The boy's body was simply trapped in time and unable to grow up due to his possession by the powerful spirit.

"It is, but she is poisoned," Keltin said.

"What?" the boy frowned and moved to her bedside. A hand was placed on her forehead and jerked back. "HOW?! This was not part of the deal!"

Very slowly, Keltin explained what happened during her life and what happened at her second capture. Rage was building in Incantation Samurai the whole time, as Keltin spoke. Then a sharp glance was given to Sarine when she groaned. The room spinning again for her. Incantation Samurai's eyes widened, as he saw the Mark of Odin on her neck when she turned to face the floor with a retching cough. They had kept her hair out of the way to keep it from getting in her face in case this happened again.

"She's going to vomit!" Howard hissed.

"I thought the Yggdrasil Berry was enough!" Karla said, as she searched for another one.

"Temporary fix, then," Eremes hissed.

"Here!" the boy said and gave over the berry that he had. "I never wanted her hurt! She's special! And, now that she is the Vessel of Odin, she's even more special! I should have...I just...IT'S NOT RIGHT!"

Incantation Samurai screamed out with a furious vengeance. The boy panted with rage. Seyren blinked at how protective the boy was.  _He truly was supposed to have been her jailer. It even sounded like he cared for her, even though this was the first time Incantation Samurai ever saw her._ He was absolutely furious at how she was treated.

"You're telling me," Howard grumbled, as he fed Sarine the fruit after she vomited. A sick groan came from her after she ate it, and she fell back into the bed.

"I was supposed to keep her safe! I was..." the boy hissed. "What needs to be done now? What can I possibly do now?!"

Sarine whimpered, as the tattoo burned and Huginn came forth. She sat up and moved to wearily look at the boy.

"Incantation Samurai! I am Huginn! The Vessel of Odin has need of you! Split from your darker side so you can join us! Do this now!" Huginn commanded.

"NO!" the boy screamed, as the spectral ghost railed with pain. At first, Incantation Samurai was afraid that his spectral ghost was going to be severed from the body to kill him. At what happened to him next made him realize what was going on. A darker duplicate emerged from his body and vanished away. After it was done, the boy was shaking, but the ghost above him was feeling a profound sense of relief.

"Now your darker half is set to roam these halls, and you can join the army that is building to fight the coming war! The Balance remains intact! You are now pet-like and able to accompany the Vessel of Odin should you wish to join her travels! This body..." Huginn grimaced. "is in so much pain! There is only one known cure for it that I can sense."

"What is the cure?!" Howard hissed out.

"Get her the water from the Yggdrasil Tree, the Water of Life," Huginn whispered, as he withdrew. Sarine lay on the bed in an unconscious heap now.

"I have that!" Karla said, as she frantically went through her cart. "I needed it to make Luna! It's actually dew that was collected from the Yggdrasil Tree in the early morning! I have some left over! Here!"

A few precious droplets were spread onto Sarine's lips, and the dew seemed to sink into her skin. All they could do was wait.

"The Yggdrasil Berry was a temporary fix, only because it was from the same tree! Hopefully the water, itself, will do the trick," Eremes sighed.

"How is she?" the boy asked.

"Not sure. We'll find out soon. We need to go back. Are you ready?" Keltin asked. Incantation Samurai nodded. The Miyabi Ningyo, Antique Firelock, The Paper, and Shinobi nodded, as well. A Warp Portal was made by Lloyd, and Keltin carried Sarine through it with the others following behind him.


	27. Chapter 27

At the island home, Mitchell was talking to Storm Caller before rising up with alarm at the new monsters that came back through the portal. Storm Caller smiled slightly and moved over to Incantation Samurai to speak with him privately. The boy was looking around curiously before pausing at the sight of the massive Strouf. Walking outside to the beach, they were able to talk at length.

Sarine was taken back up to the bedroom and settled on the bed. Howard kept everyone but Keltin and Eremes out, promising that, if anything changed, they would know. Pori-Pori was a touch upset that he was left behind, but he stayed on the bed with Sarine. On learning that Incantation Samurai was there, he sped out the door to check him out. Muninn was now perched above the bedside and watching Sarine closely.

"How long do you think she'll be out for?" Keltin asked.

"I don't know," Howard admitted.

"Look!" Eremes hissed and moved to her, as she blinked awake.

"Um...guys? What happened?" she coughed and sat up. Relief went through them all, as Eremes was the first to pull her close and cradle her gently. They explained what happened, and she blanched when she learned of the new monsters there. Then she shivered. "Incantation Samurai?! He's here?!"

"It's all right," Keltin soothed. "It was actually better than we thought it would be."

A knock was heard on the door, and Keltin moved to open it. The boy walked in with the massive ghost looming over him, and he walked over to Sarine. On gazing at each other, he moved his hand over hers.

"I'm sorry," he started. "that this whole mess had to happen. I should have just asked for you the moment you were offered to me. I didn't know how they kept you."

"Why are you like this?" Sarine frowned.

"Well, in truth, I was to not only be your jailer, but your best friend. It can get lonely down there. I know my past isn't in the best interest of others. I know I've done things before, but even monsters can feel remorse. Especially if they have no control over their actions. I am a centuries old ghost in the body of a small boy that stumbled on my ancient contract. I had time to think on quite a few things. I do know for a fact that I will be right there with you when you go to find the other monsters," the boy said.

"My best friend?" she mused.

"Well, in this body, I can't be a lover!" he smirked. That caused a small chuckle throughout the others. "I just wanted a companion that I could relate to. I knew that you were different the moment your mother approached me. But, now that I've seen and heard what she's done to you, and how she truly is...if I see her, I'll slaughter her!"

"My sentiments exactly," Eremes nodded.

"Thank you, Incantation Samurai," Sarine smiled and leaned down to place a small, innocent kiss on his mouth. A massive blush formed on the boy's face, and he stammered shyly.

"Now THAT is cute!" Keltin chuckled.

"Shut uuup!" the boy frowned and wiped it off in a pure child-like fashion. That made Sarine laugh, as the ghost took possession of the boy again.

"Really cute!" Howard agreed.

"That was the boy's response. This is how  _I_  thank you for that!" he grinned and moved swiftly to plant a kiss on her mouth that would have done shame to any other man. After that, he made a face to the other shocked men in the room and hummed, as he walked out the door. On the way out, he blinked, as he had a sensation that the kiss was natural. It made him feel like he belonged with her, and the sensation puzzled him. He was likely going to have to think about it later on. Sarine was simply stunned and swooning from the kiss she was given.

"Sneaky bastard!" Howard growled.

"We'll have to watch him around her," Keltin could only chuckle.

"Now I know how you both feel," Eremes grunted.

"Huh?" Sarine asked, as she came to. That made them all laugh. She was incredibly tired from her ordeal with the drugs, and they made no effort to force her about. Howard laid back in the bed with her and Keltin. Eremes made himself comfortable to lean against a wall. The Assassin Cross never really needed a bed to sleep on. Just by being in the same area as Sarine had made him drowsy with comfort. Within the hour they were all sleeping.


	28. Chapter 28

Two hours later, Sarine woke with a headache. Something was still wrong, and she didn't want to wake them. Moving as quietly as she could, she started to gasp when the room tilted and spun. She had to get outside and as far away as possible. Being nightfall, everyone else had already retired to their rooms. Running down the stairs and for the door, she stumbled into a chair, gasping with the pain. Finally getting outside, she ran a bit more before tripping over herself and vomiting on the spot. What scared her was that the stuff she vomited out was nearly a solid black in color.

"Sarine?" the childish voice of Incantation Samurai whispered. A harsh gasp was heard from him, as he fumed. The pattering sound of feet left and came back. "Here!"

A glass of water was given to her to rinse out her mouth with. What she had vomited was the poison that was collecting in her body that the Yggdrasil dew had soaked up. It couldn't pass through her system, so it had to come out the only other way. Vomiting a bit more, the boy moved over to run a hand over her back. She spat out what was left of the current bile and gasped, curling up on herself. Tears fell from how painful it was, and the massive ghost kept watch over her. She was trembling uncontrollably, and she whimpered from the pain.

"So...painful..." she whimpered.

"Why aren't the others with you?" he asked.

"I didn't...want to wake them. Didn't want to worry them," she said weakly. He moved to hug her, as she let out more tears.

"It's okay. You can cry. It's okay now. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you," he soothed, and she finally put her arms around him, as her body racked with sobs. When she was done, she hiccuped and moved to throw up more bile. He kept soothing her the whole time, as her body kept purging itself of the poison.

"What is going on?!" Eremes hissed, as he Uncloaked. He woke to find her gone from the bed, and he had slipped out after her.

"Her body is still purging the poison out. Apparently, this is the only way to do it, and she didn't want to worry you," the boy said. Eremes swore and moved to crouch by Sarine's side. He did blink at the stuff she was vomiting out, and it made him wince for her. She was trembling even more now, and he sighed. After another bought of vomiting, she finally started to feel more like herself, and she was able to sit up. The only thing she worried about was that she had no idea if the poison was fully gone or not. She rinsed out her mouth and looked at Incantation Samurai with complete appreciation.

"Thank you," she said and hugged the boy again.

"Hey! I'm supposed to be your best friend! It's what I do!" he smiled. She smiled and then blinked at a sudden memory from her past life. Gasping now, her hands went to her mouth.

"What is it, Sarine?!" Eremes looked at her.

"Doppelganger! I remember now!" she whispered with sadness.

"Doppelganger?" Incantation Samurai asked.

"Yes! Oh, no..." she fretted. "I made myself forget about him! All six months of it!"

"What?" Eremes asked with confusion.

"Can you wake Keltin and Howard? Bring them out here? It's important!" she asked. Eremes nodded, and he ran back swiftly to the house. Within moments, they were there and crouching at her side.

"You should have woken us up!" Howard scolded, as he sat down to pull Sarine into his lap. "When Eremes said you were gone and outside, I almost panicked!"

"Shut up!" the boy hissed. "Let her talk!"

"What a mouth on you!" Keltin grinned.

"What is it about Doppelganger?" Eremes asked, as he leaned against a nearby tree to listen. Howard now settled himself to listen to her.

"I remembered when you told me you were my best friend," Sarine said with a weak smile. "Well, Doppelganger was the same way."

"Oh?!" the boy asked.

"Yes. It was a year after I found out that Howard had...well...perished in Lighthalzen. In my training mind, I had decided to try to train in Geffen Tower again, regardless of what happened before. I couldn't let it stop me. So, I managed to find my way to the third level below the tower. I wasn't even thinking. I was just focused on constantly training. When I stopped to rest, I heard a commotion going on, and I saw a group of people ganging up on Doppelganger. I didn't know who he was at the time. All I saw were a bunch of bullies picking on a Swordsman, and he was in serious trouble. So, I got up and helped him out."

"Are you serious?" Howard grimaced. He did hug her and comfort her when she mentioned Lighthalzen, and she leaned into his embrace with a sigh.

"Yes, How-How. Like I said, I didn't know at the time. It was only after the fighting was done that I realized what he was. I sort of apologized quickly and ran off to train elsewhere in the area, but he saw me leaving. He came up to me and sort of watched me train for a while at a distance. When I paused to make more arrows, he came up to me and thanked me for helping him. I told him he was welcome, and then he started talking to me."

"Wait," Keltin said. "You were simply talking to Doppelganger like nothing was wrong? He didn't try to attack you at all?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I was talking to him normally. He was curious about me."

"So, it really started with him! Not Keltin!" Incantation Samurai said. "But, you were always special, so I doubt it would have mattered."

"Maybe. Anyways, he wanted me to stay with him, and he promised to help me train. I had nothing better to do, so I agreed. Before I knew it, six months had passed. He was simply my best friend by then, and we stuck together like glue. It was when I said I had to train elsewhere, since the monsters weren't strong enough anymore. That was when he got upset. He said he was jealous that I could go wherever I wanted and he couldn't. Then...he made me promise to forget about him, and he said that monsters couldn't be friends with people. And, as much as it hurt, I promised. But, I did promise that, if I ever found a way to help him, then I would remember him. Now I have finally remembered."

"Because, as the Vessel of Odin...you can help him escape where he is..." Eremes said with a light smile. "Only best friends?"

"Only best friends," she nodded. "He saw me as someone he could relate to. Just like you wanted, Incantation Samurai."

"Call me Sammy," the boy said. "It's easier that way and sounds more friend-like."

"Okay, Sammy," she laughed and hugged him.

"We should get Doppelganger, then," Howard thought.

"And Dracula," Keltin added.

"Oh, Doppy will be so confused!" she chuckled.

"Doppy?" Eremes asked. She made a face at him, and they all smiled.

"When do you want to go?" Howard asked.

"We could go now," Sarine suggested.

"Now? Are you feeling well enough?" Keltin asked.

"Better than before," she nodded, as she stood up and winced a bit.

"Are you sure?!" Eremes hissed.

"She said she's fine!" Sammy grumbled. "Besides, I want to meet this Doppy so I can tease him! I'm curious to see how he is."

"My gut is just weak from purging. I'll be all right," she said with a smile. That seemed to suffice, and they helped her up. In truth, she had a longing to see Doppy again. She truly missed him now, and she wanted to get to him quickly. Pori-Pori streamed over to her and jumped onto her head to bounce. Sammy blanched at the strong monster and blinked again at Muninn, as he swooped over them to join them. They started walking into the house and paused to talk softly to each other to make some quick plans.

"Should we wake up anyone else?" Keltin asked.

"Nah! We should be fine like this," Howard nodded.

"Oh, no you don't!" Seyren grumbled, as he got up from the chair he was waiting in. "I'm coming with you!"

"Damn!" Howard grumbled.

"I woke up from the commotion in the kitchen earlier. If I knew it was Sarine, I would have been there to help her. What happened?" Seyren asked.

"She was puking out the rest of the poison from what we can tell," Sammy nodded. That made Seyren grimace, and he helped wake up the Kafra Agent. Keltin filled him in on what Sarine told them about Doppelganger, and Seyren became highly curious of it. Right after the Kafra Agent warped them to Geffen, she went back to bed.


	29. Chapter 29

When they got to Geffen, it was nightfall. Howard pressed a hand to the small of Sarine's back, and she smiled at him. The place brought back a lot of memories now, and she was grateful to have her friends and loved ones back in her life. Moving into the tower, they were unopposed. It was much too dark for anyone to see them, and anyone would have thought it was just another group of adventurers. Sammy moved a bit more in the center with Sarine to hide who he was, and it was easy. The large ghost that inhabited him was able to retreat into the small body of the boy to hide away.

Following the pathway down to the lower rooms of the tower, she paused.  _We reached the place that Howard rescued me. The same place that we first met._ Howard moved to pull her close and kissed her roughly. He wanted to do more, but it would have to wait. Eremes chuckled and Cloaked to walk ahead and scout. As they walked onto the first lower basement floor of the tower, she paused. Pori-Pori jumped off her head and started to clear a path for them. There was one Poison Spore that hopped over to them and seemed to dance.

On studying the monster, she saw that it was a giant purple mushroom. The upper cap on it had a huge mouth that it used for eating, and there was a smaller face on the main stalk that it used to communicate with. It moved to bounce with them, and Seyren chuckled when a bright red fly came to buzz around them protectively.

"Hunter Fly and Poison Spore," Keltin grinned. Both monsters were sent back to the island home, and they continued on. On reaching the entrance to head down lower, they nodded to each other.

"Let's find Dracula," Sarine said. Keltin had them form a protective circle around her, and the ghostly Samurai grew out to his full height over Sammy's head. Walking with her now, Pori-Pori jumped off Sarine's head again and started to clear the path before them. A ghostly blue horse appeared before them, and the head of it shifted to look like a skeletal reaper.

"It's a Nightmare," Keltin mused, as it trotted over to them to help. Another monster appeared with a spindly black body and a jack-o-lantern head. It jumped over to them and was recognized as a Jack. With them sent back to the island home, Pori-Pori seemed to suddenly veer off into the distance.

"After him!" Howard grumbled. Seyren led the group, and they saw the tiny Pori-Pori beating the pulp out of Dracula.

"Stop this at once!" Dracula growled. "What are you doing?!"

Pori-Pori seemed to have him cornered now, and Sarine walked forward to study the powerful monster. He was definitely a man in the form of a strong, and very solid, ghost. Bats swarmed over his form, and he appeared to be immaculately dressed. A stately beard adorned his pale-skinned chin, and a heavily ruffled shirt was tucked underneath a flowing black overcoat. His feet appeared to be the only part of him that faded in and out to show what he was. On her approach, he bared his fangs, but he paused when she turned to reveal her Mark.

"Oh, good. He stopped. I was getting ready to help kill him," Seyren muttered, and the others could only agree. Pori-Pori backed away now that Dracula was focused on Sarine. A form of recognition took place in Dracula's gaze, and he seemed stunned.

"Who are you? Do I know you?" he asked, and she let out a small whimper when Huginn possessed her. Her back stiffened, as she narrowed her eyes with purpose.

"Dracula!" she said, as she turned to gaze at him. "I am Huginn, and I embody the Vessel of Odin! Hear me and obey!"

"Huginn!" he said with amazement. Then he noticed the others with her.

"It is time to join the massing army! In order to keep the Balance, your darker part will be split from you! Do you understand?" Huginn asked.

"As long as I get full details when we are done here," Dracula said.

"You may speak to the Strouf called Storm Caller when you are sent to the island base. Now! Separate from your darker self, Dracula! I command you!" Huginn shouted out. A heavy screeching sound came from Dracula, as his form split in half and formed into a copy of himself. "You are now pet-like and can accompany the Vessel of Odin as she travels, if you wish! Your darker self will stay here to keep the Balance intact!"

The darker part of Dracula vanished away, as the lighter side of Dracula seemed to blink and gasp for air. Coughing now, he looked at Sarine with wonder, as Huginn fell silent and she collapsed. He felt that he could finally think properly again and was amazed at the sensation.

"Is she all right?" Dracula asked.

"She's fine. It happens when Huginn possesses her, apparently," Sammy shrugged and walked over to him. Then Incantation Samurai spoke elegantly, "Shall we get acquainted? We must collect Doppelganger next."

"Him? If you insist. It is good to see Sarine again. I had forgotten about her, but I do remember her now. Doppelganger always spoke of her to me, and I did all I could to protect her while she stayed here, too. I am relieved that she is well," Dracula nodded with a soft smile. They waited until Sarine woke up, and she did give a hug to Dracula to show she did remember him, too. After that was done, they checked themselves before starting to descend to the next level. With Pori-Pori back on her head, they all started to fill Dracula in on various things. Once they got to the lower level, Sarine looked around anxiously. She didn't see anyone else around them, which was a bit relieving. They paused, as a doll with blond hair attached to a series of strings came up to them. A small Whisper ghost approached them, too.

"A Marionette and a Whisper Ghost," Keltin chuckled. When they both vanished, the search for the elusive Doppelganger began. A small Deviruchi approached them, and it was sent to the island home, as well. She started to get impatient.

"Where do you remember seeing him?" Howard asked.

"He could be anywhere!" Sammy frowned. She did the only thing she could do. She started to call out for him. Eremes frowned at this, but it seemed to be the only other way to do it.  _If anything else was attracted to her call, it would end up dead._

Doppelganger was still a bit further off, and he was patrolling the area with his small group of Nightmare helpers. He resembled a youthful Swordsman in exact replica and detail. He did have the ability to appear as other things, but he liked making others think he was another human.  _It was easier to get close to them to kill them._ Dark blond hair and blue eyes looked out from a rather handsome face, and he ignored the sound of his sword scraping against the ground on occasion.

His armor included a loose belt over hard, leather pants, and a hard leather top with reinforced metal shoulders. Heavy gloves protected his hands, and heavy boots protected his feet. A cloth tassel hung from the base of his shirt to stop against his knees. It was truly traditional Swordsman dress. The only few ways to tell that he wasn't human was that he had a darker shadow aura that constantly enveloped him, his eyes looked like he never got any sleep, and the center of his pupils held a dark red light that resembled smoldering coals.

He blinked, as he thought he heard someone calling for him.  _Now why would someone do that?! Did they want to die?_  Then he paused at the voice again, and he gasped. There was only one person in the world that called him that name, and now his heart started to pound. The voice sounded much more mature now, and it made him long to hear it even more.

"Sorry Sari?" he asked with silent disbelief. His voice was a touch deeper and rougher than a human's voice and didn't suit his current form at all. He turned towards the sound again to focus. At another cry for his name, he trembled. Then he moved towards the voice at a quick walk. Then he sprinted. Then he ran. His Nightmares were left scrambling behind him, and they soon vanished away when he outdistanced them.

"Doppy!" she called out again.

"Sorry Sari?! Is that you?!" he called back out to her, as he got closer.

"Doppy!" she cried out happily and pushed past the others to run to him. When they saw each other, they ran faster towards each other. When they finally reached each other, he grabbed her, pulled her into a hug, and spun her around.

"Sorry Sari!" he breathed out in harsh gasps, and they both laughed. Collapsing to the ground with her in exhaustion, he had a massive grin on his face. He was still hugging her tight as though it was a dream come true.

"Doppy," she sighed, and he looked her over now. He was amazed at how much she changed. She was absolutely far more stunning now than she was back then. It took him a moment to regain his thoughts.

"I told you not to come back here!" he finally said. The only thing was that he was still grinning and catching his breath.

"Did you ever think I would decide to stop listening to you, Doppy?" she giggled. "Besides, you only told me to not come back until I found a way for you to travel with me. At least, that's what I promised you. Well, guess what? I found a way for you to travel with me!"

"You know that's not possible," he frowned. "So stop lying."

"She's not lying, Doppelganger," Seyren said, as he approached them. At his voice, Doppy sat up in shock. Looking at the group with her, he let his eyes rest on Dracula.

"How the hell are you here?!" he asked pointing at Dracula.

"She found a way for us to travel, old friend," he shrugged.

"How?" Doppelganger demanded, as he looked at Sarine.

"Like this," she smiled and pulled back her hair to reveal the back of her neck. He looked at the Mark and started to cough, as pain hit him. He looked at her with concern when she whimpered softly, as Huginn emerged. When she looked at him, the pain in his body got worse.

"Doppelganger!" Huginn commanded, as she rose to stand fully. "The time has come for Odin's Warriors to band together for a coming war! In order to keep the Balance intact, you will now separate from your darker self! That self will stay here while you come with us! Separate now! I command you!"

Eremes watched Doppelganger pull himself to his knees and scream out in pain, as his form became two. When the darker side of him vanished away, she looked down at him.

"You are now pet-like to the Vessel of Odin! You may accompany her wherever she wishes to travel!" Huginn said with a sharp nod. When Doppy looked at Sarine again, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed. Keltin was there to grab her quickly to hold her. Once Doppy caught his breath again, he stood up with amazement.

"Wow," he said, as he studied himself. "Free to go with her, huh? Okay. I'll buy that. Now who are all of you guys?"

Once they introduced themselves, he nodded. It was when Howard, Keltin, and Eremes labeled themselves as a husband to Sarine when he stammered. Then Howard chuckled and said, "Yes, there's three of us. Can't be helped."

"She has three guys?" Doppy asked. Then he looked at her, as she came to, and asked, "Did you become a slut when you left here?!"

"You jerk!" she growled and moved to hit him. He dodged her easily, since Keltin was holding her back, and Doppy laughed, as Howard struggled not to laugh with him.

"We have some time before we have to go back. Can you tell us how she met you in your terms? And why do you call her 'Sorry Sari'?" Keltin mused.

"Hmm. Should I tell them?" Doppy grinned.

"You may as well. They'll get it out of me somehow," she shrugged. They all found places to sit down, and Doppy sat next to Sarine.

"Here is how it went. I'm busy trying to kill off a few humans that were deliberately trying to attack me. Unfortunately, they were a bit stronger than I thought they were, and I bit off more than I could chew. Next thing I know, arrows start flying out of nowhere, and I found myself in the clear. When I look over, I heard someone say 'Sorry!' and caught her leaving in the distance looking flustered. Now I'm thinking, why would someone help me?! Much less a human girl? Of course, I go to investigate. I'm not one for thinking of humans as friends, but she helped me out whether she wanted to admit it or not.

"When I finally learned her name, I asked her why she said she was sorry."

"I said I didn't realize what was going on, and that I didn't know who or what he was at the time," Sarine nodded. "I didn't realize that he could take care of himself."

"Eh, I'm telling the story. You be quiet!" Doppy smirked. "Ow!"

"That's what you get!" she said after she punched him in the arm.

"Geez! Do you guys get rough or what?" he snickered.

"You have no idea..." Eremes gave a light smile. That made Doppy blanch, and Howard started laughing with Seyren.

"Back to the story," Doppy grumbled with a touch of jealousy. "Anyways, I decided to accompany her around, and I started helping her out by ordering the weaker monsters to move closer to her. When she found out what I was doing, I told her I was trying to thank her for what she did. Then she suggested I just become her friend. After that, whenever someone tried to attack me, she would lure them off and say 'Sorry!' before going to train again."

"And that's why you call her Sorry Sari?" Sammy grinned. "You know, I was supposed to have been her best friend."

"Really? Why not you?" Doppy asked.

"Things didn't turn out the way they should have. Sarine knows more about that," Sammy said. "There are still some things that I don't know about."

"Things didn't turn out? What things?" Doppy asked, as he looked at Sarine.

"Um..." Sarine frowned. "there was a lot that I didn't remember, and it was only just a bit ago that I remembered you. There is a lot that you still don't know."

"Well, I want to know everything!" Doppy said. Her falcon landed on her shoulders and looked at him before looking at a large tree. Doppy blinked at the size of the falcon and swore that they never got so big.

"That's Muninn, just so you know," Keltin whispered to Doppy.

"What?! No way!" Doppelganger said with awe. His gaze moved to the picture image being shown on the tree. Like Muninn did back at the island home, he was going to show the others certain things about her life to keep her from explaining it. Doppy, Sammy, and Dracula were mesmerized, as they watched Sarine's life. They only saw her past on how she grew up, escaped from Amatsu, met the others, and what happened at Amatsu not long ago. Doppy's mouth dropped when he saw the torturing and razing at Amatsu, and he trembled with barely controlled rage. Sammy had never fully seen the extent of everything, and he started to breathe in and out in harsh gasps. Saying he was livid was a far cry from what he wanted to be.

Eremes had sat close to her and was letting Sarine hide her face in his chest, as they both looked away from the images. After it was done, Muninn flew up into the tree to perch there.

"I'LL KILL THAT EMPRESS IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" Sammy screamed out his vow, the skeletal ghost howling with fury after seeing the images. "She had NO RIGHT to do those things to you!"

"That's...Sarine...I...I..." Doppy whispered with shock and absolute dismay. "If I knew that would happen...if I knew of your past...I never would have told you to forget about me! I would have demanded that you stayed with me! I..."

"Unforgivable!" Dracula snarled out. "I'll have my bats find her and pull her out of hiding! Then I'll drain every last drop of blood from her!"

"It's okay, guys," Sarine said softly. "Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? Don't worry?!" Doppy hissed. "That's a crock of shit thing to say, and you know it!"

"Doppy..." she looked at him, and he paused. She was crying.

"Sorry Sari," he muttered and yanked her out of Eremes's arms to hug her. An inhuman snarl escaped his lips, as he spoke again, "No one is  _ever_  going to treat you like that again! No one is! I'll slaughter anyone that tries to touch you like that!"

Seyren whistled a bit, and Howard raised his brows.

"Doppelganger, what is Sarine to you?" Keltin asked lightly.

"To me? She's my best friend! Why would she be anything else?" Doppy asked.

"You didn't kiss her or anything?" Seyren smirked.

"What? No!" Doppy said quickly with a touch of defensiveness and frowned. "Why would I do that?"

"No reason!" Keltin grinned. He was in his Champion form and reverted back to being a Bongun before his very eyes.

"You're a monster, too?!" Doppy asked with amazement.

"Yep!" Keltin nodded. "I was the one that married her first like this. Then Howard got back together with her, since he was supposed to have been with her, and, finally, Eremes did, since he had rescued her in the very beginning. Doppelganger, why didn't you try to attack her? I didn't attack her, since I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Was it the same feeling for you?"

"You know," Doppy admitted, as he glanced down at Sarine. "I did feel the urge to attack her, but then it kinda went away. It was as though I knew I didn't have to attack her. Almost like...like I knew I could trust her!"

"When I was first told about her, I knew she was special," Sammy nodded. "It's why I had agreed to take her into my domain to protect her. It was simply instinctive to protect her and keep her safe."

They all paused, as Doppy's darker half managed to appear and made ready to attack them on sight. Doppy braced himself to move in front of Sarine, but he paused when Pori-Pori jumped off her head and scooted over quickly to beat the living snot out of the darker side. His jaw dropped at how much damage was done in with only a few short moves. The battle was over in seconds. What puzzled him was the odd feeling he was looking at himself, but the sensation vanished as quickly as it appeared on the defeat.

"What is that?!" Doppy demanded.

"Meet Pori-Pori!" Seyren chuckled.

"No...frigging...way!" Doppy said. Pori-Pori bounded back over to Sarine and spat out a card and an odd headgear. Howard used his skill of Identify and found the headgear to be a headband with spikes on it called a Spikey Band. Then Pori-Pori went to bouncing back on her head happily as though he never left.

"You got a card?!" Howard grinned. "Oh, wait! I have one, too! Comes from being a monster, I guess."

"I already gave her mine," Keltin chuckled.

"Okay, when we get back home, we pool our cards together for her," Seyren nodded.

"Do you know how powerful she's going to be with these?" Howard grinned.

"She's strong already by having us," Eremes shrugged. "A few cards are nothing...bragging rights maybe."

"She's the Vessel of Odin and needs all she can get," Sammy nodded.

"Why am I being spoiled?!" she sighed, and Doppy laughed.

"You know, Sorry Sari, I will tell you a secret," he grinned.

"What secret?" she blinked. He bent low and whispered to her. She blushed hard and dropped her jaw with surprise.

"I thought you deserved to know that," he said, as he continued to hug her.

"No! No way! Uh-uh!" she said, as she tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

"You know it, too!" he chuckled. "You're the same way!"

"No!" she said again sternly. She frowned and shook her head at him.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Nothing at this point it seems," Doppy shrugged. "Anyways, shall we go? I'm anxious to get out of this Hell hole and see the world after so long."

"You are crazy!" she hissed.

"What did you tell her?" Eremes asked lightly.

"If I told you guys, you wouldn't understand," Doppy said.

"Don't tell them anything!" she warned.

"Oh, you can tell us anything!" Keltin nodded.

"We promise we won't get mad," Howard vowed. "or say anything mean."

"Well, since Sorry Sari here won't let me tell you, I'll have to show you," Doppy grinned and planted a hot kiss on Sarine's surprised mouth. Howard sputtered with rage, as Seyren barked out laughter. Eremes and Keltin looked at each with narrowed expressions. When he finished kissing her, he grinned again. He did blink, as he felt that he belonged with her after the kiss was done. He had secretly kissed her before in her sleep, and this was the first time he got this sensation. A wider grin showed on his face now, and he chuckled, as he said, "And THAT is how I'm thanking her for coming back to me!"

"Why is it that everyone has to kiss my wife?!" Howard steamed and hissed.

"You do know that she's married to three men," Eremes said a touch dangerously.

"I know. But, I figure it may be the only time I get to do that, so I figured, why not now?" he laughed. "Better now than never!"

"I kissed her, too," Sammy giggled.

"I am going to mess you up later!" Doppy growled.

"Whoa!" Seyren said, as he moved over to them. "Ah, okay! Let's go back home before Sarine becomes an object and gets overly pissed!"

Dracula was just chuckling the whole time, as a Butterfly Wing was used to take them all back to the island home.


	30. Chapter 30

The moon was still in the sky, yet it was low to the horizon when they got back. Doppy was just in sheer awe that he was finally free of the tower and was taking in the sights with a prolonged sense of joy and relief. As Sarine glanced at all of her friends and loved ones, she sighed. Then she realized what she needed.

"Guys," she said to get their attention. "as much as you are all going to hate this, I really need a few minutes to myself. I'm starting to feel smothered."

"What?!" Doppy said with a form of hurt.

"We can't leave you alone!" Howard frowned.

"Why now?" Keltin asked.

"Please, guys! Please!" Sarine said, as she rose up her hands. "As much as I love you all in various ways, please understand me this once. I'm feeling crowded inwards. It's getting hard to figure out where I'm going now. Just a little bit of time to myself. Please?"

"Let her go outside. She's safe here. We will watch from a distance," Eremes nodded. He understood what she needed, as he was the same way at times. Small grumbles were given all around, but they relented. Taking Pori-Pori off her head, she set him on the ground for him to wander off. Smiling softly at the others, she turned and made her way to the beach.

When she got up to the largest dune, she sat on it with her legs crossed. Listening to the waves, she closed her eyes in silent meditation and enjoyed the salt-sea air. Only now that she was alone, did she lower her eyes to her lap, remove the quiet wall that shielded her emotions, and let the tears fall silently. So much was happening so fast, and it was overwhelming her. The stress was starting to get to her. She knew she always cried when she was alone. Now she was crying because she simply didn't know what to do.

She held her face in her hands, as her body trembled. She suddenly gasped when a strong set of arms went around her, and a kiss was pressed to her forehead.

"You're not supposed to cry, Sorry Sari. We gave you time alone, but you're not supposed to cry," Doppy whispered, as he hugged her and rocked her. "Why does my Sari cry? Why does she cry?"

His familiar, soothing tones in his rough voice made her cry even harder, and he glanced up at the three men that now towered over her. He glanced over at the boy with the skeletal ghost, and he grimaced.

"Why is she crying?" Keltin asked with a worried frown.

"She's stressed out," he finally said, as the others sat around her silently. "Whenever she got stressed out, she cried. It...it happened a lot when she tried not to talk about her friends. You guys, that is."

"Why is she stressed? I've never seen her like this before," Keltin admitted.

"Think about it..." Eremes sighed. "Look at her life from before and how it is now. How else would she react?"

"Too fast," Howard suddenly said, as he felt her emotions and struggled not to react to them. "Everything is going so fast now."

"Much too fast," Doppy agreed.

"Well, we can't slow it down," Sammy frowned.

"Doppelganger, I need to know," Howard sighed. "How do you feel about Sarine?"

"Why do you want to know?" Doppy said defensively.

"Because, depending on your answer, it may shed some light on a few things," Howard said carefully. A small growl came from Doppy, but when he felt Sarine tremble in his arms, he squeezed her to let her know that everything was going to be fine. He continued to gently rock her against him to keep her as calm as possible.

"When I first met her, I just saw her as someone I could spend time with. Someone that I could dwindle away the idle hours with. When three months passed by, I realized that I was starting to really like her. I was spending practically every day with her, anyways. I protected her in that tower. I helped her forage for food and stuff. When she left to restock in town, I always waited for her to come back, and she always did. Come to think of it, I was waiting for the day when she would leave and not come back. But, she never did that. She always promised she would come back, and she kept her promises. When she said that she was getting stronger than the monsters around her, I offered to let her fight me, but she said no. She couldn't fight anyone that she...that she cared about..."

"And when she left?" Howard asked lightly.

"I told her that I wanted to go with her, but I couldn't. I was bound down! I...I was so pissed that she wanted to leave! So, I told her to go, but to forget about me. That monsters and humans couldn't be friends, anyways. I was hoping that it would make her reconsider, and it did for another three months. But, in the end, she said she would come for me when the time was right. Practically a year went by, and I forced myself to forget about her. But...I missed her. I missed her so badly!" he finally admitted with a trembling sigh. "And, when I heard her voice calling for me, I thought it was a dream! Then I saw her, and I...I just couldn't stop myself from running to her! She was...is...the best thing that ever happened to me."

"And how do you feel about her now?" Eremes asked with a sigh.

"I...I..." Doppy whispered.

"Just say it!" Keltin grounded out.

"I love her! There. I said it," he whispered and hugged her tighter.

"Damn it!" Sammy hissed and frowned.

"Oh, not you, too!" Keltin groaned.

"No, it's not like that," Sammy muttered. "This body is a child's body. It will always be a child's body. It's just that I never got the chance to experience anything like you guys have. I was the one who was supposed to have protected her first!"

"I thought the almighty Incantation Samurai was supposed to be a big baddy that didn't care?" Doppy chuckled. "Killed out of spite and razed villages?"

"Yes, yes, I always got that reputation. Most of it was by my own fault, but it's easy to want to undo certain things. I should have demanded for her the moment I found out about her," Sammy grumbled. "I would have given her a much better childhood!"

"She is not safe while the Empress lives," Eremes growled.

"That's a definite!" Keltin nodded sharply. Sarine managed to sit up now and looked out over the ocean. Her mental wall came back up, and she sighed. Her eyes were still damp with tears, but she felt a lot better. She smiled at Doppy, and he smiled back, as he moved away from her slightly to give her a bit of space. Very softly, she started to sing her childhood song, and her voice drifting over the wind. Doppy was stunned, as he heard her. He never heard her sing before. Sammy recognized the song and hummed with her. When she finished singing, she pulled her knees up to her chin and rested like that.

"Why didn't I see it before?" Doppy asked himself, as he watched her. "The answer was right there in front of me the whole time."

"What answer?" Howard asked.

"Happiness," Doppelganger whispered. "Pure bliss. I thought it was out of reach, but the answer was right there in front of me in the form of an unaware Huntress helping out a monster. A monster that should have been rightfully defeated."

"What was the secret you told her back there?" Keltin asked.

"If you must know," Doppy sighed. "it was that I liked her, and that she liked me. That I knew we both missed each other, and that we needed to kiss and make up."

"Well, the kiss part happened," Howard grumbled. Keltin gave a small grin, as he looked over at Sarine. He could tell she was exhausted.

"She needs sleep," Keltin mused.

"I'm fine," she slurred before opening her eyes wide. Her hand went to her gut, and she moved quickly to vomit again. Doppy hissed and pointed at the black sludge that came out of her. It looked oddly familiar, and he snarled with outrage.

"What the hell?!" Howard snarled, as he watched with disbelief.

"I thought the poisons were gone?!" Sammy said bewildered.

"What poison?!" Doppy demanded.

"She was given drugs during her capture. She got them out, but they are still having an effect on her! We gave her the Yggdrasil dew, but she's still vomiting poison!" Keltin said.

"Only a certain element of Fire can get rid of what's left," Doppy frowned.

"Fire?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. I've heard of this poison before. It was a long time ago from the occasional Alchemist that wandered through the tower. Poisonous mushrooms and shining plants were being harvested, and I was listening in to why they were needed. It's a poison that stays in the body for long periods of time, and it causes random effects when compressed into smaller forms. I only saw it used a few times by Wizards that were trying to expand their powers, but I do know that Fire needs to be used to destroy it.

"The only time the Fire is effective is when the poisons start to become known, or are discovered the moment it happens. The Fire won't work at any other time. I don't know how Fire could be given to her, though, since it must be built up from within her body somehow, and that is something even I don't know how to do," he admitted. Eremes gave a twitch of a smile, and the other two grinned.

"We have an idea. Eh, Doppelganger? Come over here for a second," Howard gestured.

"Why?" Doppy asked curiously.

"Ehm...have you ever seen humans do it? You know...sex?" Keltin asked.

"Well, I've stumbled on them from time to time before just to catch them off guard for fun. Why?" he asked again. When he looked at Sarine again, he paused. Eremes was standing away from her, and her eyes were locked on his. Sammy hissed at the air, as it suddenly heated up to a scorching wave within seconds, and he was forced to back away. Now Doppelganger understood why he was told to stand away and did so quickly. His jaw dropped at the sheer force of heat that radiated out between Eremes and Sarine now. She was covered in sweat and panting hard. Eremes was no better, and he was forced to shed off his ghostly clothing before helping Sarine with hers.

Doppy had never seen her naked before, and already he was grinding his teeth together with jealousy. Even when she was covered in sand from the beach, it did nothing to hide her curves. When she let out a sharp scream with Eremes, it made him wince at the feeling that it should be with him instead! He gave a sharp look at Sammy and found the boy's eyes wide with a form of amazement. Apparently, he never personally saw how pleasures of the flesh happened, but Doppy was sure the ghost knew all about it. A glance over at the other two men was given, and he paused, since they were watching his own movements the whole time.

"Jealous much?" Howard gave a slight grin, as he walked over to Doppelganger. Doppy gasped in his reply and forced himself to keep quiet. Keltin just gave a knowing nod to him.

"How do you both do it?" Doppy asked just as Sarine and Eremes gave out a final shout before riding out the waves of pleasure.

"We manage," Howard grumbled. "I was supposed to have been her husband first. Or so I thought. Apparently, it was Eremes who found her first. Then he lost her, and I ran into her with him in my group. So, I got with her first. Then we were forced to separate at Lighthalzen. Then she apparently met you and had to leave you. Then she met Keltin and arranged a marriage with him in secret. Then they came back to Lighthalzen to find us and managed to free us later on. Only then did Eremes realize that he still loved her and remembered her after I married her with Keltin. After she was rescued from Amatsu a second time, he was able to marry her. It's...a very odd family circle."

"And you only do things with Sorry Sari, right?" Doppy asked with a lewd chuckle.

"Only with Sarine! Don't be disgusting!" Keltin shuddered.

"Hmm. Think you can accept one more into the odd family circle?" Doppy asked casually. Howard now glared at him, and Keltin glowered. Eremes was still clinging to Sarine, but he didn't look very pleased, either. Sammy managed to blink when it was finished, and he remembered the kiss he shared with Sarine. Something kept telling him that he belonged with her, but he didn't know what it meant. After seeing this act of love, it made him realize that it could have been through this that he was to belong with her. It was a lot to take in, but he wasn't ready to talk about it now. Glancing over at what Doppy just said, Sammy thought to himself.

"Now why would you ask something like that?" Howard growled.

"Fight each other," Sammy suggested, as he sat down. "If he manages to beat you all, then he earned his place."

That made them look at each other.  _How would they do this?_

"Keltin first...then Howard...then me," Eremes said lightly. This did make Doppy shudder with a form of fear. All of them were stronger than him, but he did have a few tricks he could do to catch them by surprise.

"When can we do this?" Doppy asked. He watched Eremes start brushing sand off Sarine to start helping her dress. She seemed to be completely cured of whatever ailed her now. That did bring some relief to him. He averted his eyes, as Eremes started to dress. Another glance had his eyes on the ocean and the horizon. The sun was starting to come up, and he trembled with anticipation. As a demon, the urge to fight and prove himself was always there.

"Let's do this now," Keltin said, as he rose up and nodded. Then he changed into his Champion form. He withheld the Rage, since this was just a test of skills to him.

"Shit!" Doppy hissed. _I forgot that the Bongun could do this!_

"I will be the judge," Sammy nodded and made himself comfortable to watch.

"I don't know about this," Sarine whispered, as Eremes helped her finish dressing. Keltin looked over at her and moved to her side.

"Love, think of it like the fight I had with Seyren. Remember how we just tested skills?" he said, as he ran his fingers under her chin to tilt her face to his.

"I know. But...doesn't this seem one-sided? He knows he's not as strong as you. Any of you," Sarine frowned. "I really don't like it!"

"Sorry Sari, it's fine. I'll be fine. I promise," Doppy vowed. She nodded, and Keltin planted a kiss on her before moving away from her to face Doppelganger. She blinked, as Eremes sat a bit in front of her, and Howard moved to sit with her, too. She still didn't like it at all. She hated it, but they wouldn't listen to her. She had to go with it for now. Sammy ran into the house to grab a chair and was followed by Kathryne, Cecil, and Seyren on his way back. As they gathered their own chairs to set up to watch, Margaretha, Lloyd, and Karla were soon joining them to find out what was going on.

"Who are all of you?!" Doppy growled.

"My friends," Sarine said with a smile, and he looked at her with shock. She introduced him to each person, and he blinked. He looked back at her with wonder and moved over to her to crouch down at her side.

"Ask me anything," he whispered. "Anything at all."

"Why?" she asked.

"Just please...something. Anything," he insisted.

"One thing, then," she nodded, as he pressed his forehead to hers, and she moved to whisper softly into his ear. "Don't use my image to turn the tide."

"I couldn't become a female, anyways," he chuckled softly and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"So, you're Doppelganger?" Storm Caller asked, as he came over. Doppy stared at the massive Strouf and glanced at Dracula. He gave a nod.

"What is this all about?" Karla asked, as she settled by Seyren. The Lord Knight put his hand on her shoulder gently and told the others how Doppelganger was important to Sarine. With that said, they nodded with understanding.

"What did I miss?" Mitchell asked, as he walked over to Kathryne. She told him what was going on, and he stammered at seeing Doppelganger. No one noticed Muninn land silently in a tree nearby and readied himself to watch. He was going to send everything he saw to Odin.

"Enough of this!" Doppy frowned and looked at Keltin. "Are you ready?"

"Whenever you are," Keltin grinned. He wasn't going to use his Rage. That was reserved for emergencies and for protecting Sarine. Doppelganger activated his Two Hand Quicken, and Keltin buffed himself with Spirit Spheres and strength enhancers. Sarine watched them circle and finally lunge at each other. Doppy ducked under Keltin's attack and struck him in the chest with a fist before forcing him back with several well-aimed swings with his sword. Keltin used his Asura Strike skill to force Doppy back, but he took the brunt of the attack easily.

Now Keltin was in trouble, as he had to regain himself. If he used his Rage, he would have no issues with this. His Rage was a constant bottle of sheer power. Swearing softly, Keltin was forced to constantly block him over and over again with no breaks. It was just a matter of time when Doppy found a weak point in his defense and broke through it. He Stunned him with an uppercut and sent the Champion Bongun flying back to land on the ground. It would likely be the first and last time that Keltin will ever be defeated. If he did bring out his Rage, Doppy would have likely been killed. No one was supposed to be harmed too badly.

"Point for Doppelganger!" Sammy said. The others applauded, and Sarine went to Keltin. He gave a weak smile at her, and she helped him up carefully to settle away from the area to where she was sitting. Margaretha Healed him, and Keltin settled his head in Sarine's lap to rest.

"All right," Howard growled, as he rose up. Walking over, his misting, powerful form quickly Berserked, and he took out his red axe.

"Be careful!" Sarine called out. Doppy just grinned and readied himself. To the others, the speed was incredible with the attacks and counters. But, to Doppy and Howard, the speed was normal. When Howard swung, Doppy was quicker. The Whitesmith was too slow to respond and was laid out even quicker than the Bongun. The only difference was that Howard had more stamina and was on his feet just as fast again. Doppy circled him and moved towards Howard's side. He jumped back when Howard swung his axe down to attempt to cleave the demon in two, and Doppy ran back up to him to strike a solid blow against his side.

Hissing with anger, Howard tried to Stun him with a Hammerfall skill and failed miserably. Doppy grinned like a madman to rush in and gave another calculated strike against his back. Hit and miss happened for the next thirty minutes with Doppy winning without even a scratch on him. Keltin was rested by then, and Sarine helped Howard to where she was to rest and Heal. Just like with Keltin, it would likely be the last time Howard would be defeated. What none of them knew was that Sarine was getting upset more and more by watching them fight. She didn't want any of them to fight over her, but she kept it bottled up inside.

"My turn," Eremes whispered and gave Sarine a soft kiss before rising up. Now Doppy was unsure.  _Eremes was the swiftest one out of all of them and likely the most deadly._ But, there was an ace up his sleeve. When Eremes Cloaked, Doppelganger could sense where he was. All demons and stronger monsters had the ability to sense invisible enemies, and he was no exception, since he was both a demon and a strong monster. He remained still to make it seem like he had no idea where Eremes was. The moment the Assassin Cross got close to strike, Doppy was ready to jab him in the gut with his sword and pushed him back. Then Eremes chuckled and said, "Well played."

Then he nodded and Berserked. Now they stalked each other, and Doppy pulled out another instinctive move. He shifted into the form of his old mentor. He had the ability to peer into the minds of his foes and become the one thing that mattered the most in their lives. Eremes paused with shock at first before narrowing his eyes, and he yelled as he attacked. Laughing with his Demonic voice, Doppy teased him and taunted him with words of failure. Just as Eremes was about to lose it, Sarine stood up and screamed. That stopped everything completely. Both Doppy and Eremes looked at her with surprise. Sammy looked at her with confusion now.

"S-stop...STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Sarine screamed, as she burst into tears. Howard stammered and rose up to her, but she turned from him. Doppelganger lost the form to become himself again, and he rushed to her side.

"Sorry Sari!" he said, as he moved up to her.

"No!" she cried out and shook her head. "I don't want this! I never wanted this!"

"Sarine?" Seyren asked, as he rose from his chair.

"I'm not some...some stupid thing! Some spectacle to be with! I'm not a prize to be won!" she shuddered inwardly.

"Sorry Sari, it's not like that at all!" Doppy said with disbelief.

"Wait," Eremes frowned. "I know what she means."

"Tell us!" Kathryne frowned.

"Think about it. Doppelganger is fighting to prove his worth. Why should he? To impress us? Yes, in time, it would be best to fight each other to test our strengths and weaknesses. But...like this?" Eremes sighed.

"It's...degrading," Sammy frowned in thought. "I see now. I don't know what else I can possibly say about this."

"Don't follow me!" Sarine said sharply, as she walked away from the group. They stared after her in disbelief, but it was Storm Caller that rose up to calm the others. Looking up at the sky, he watched Valkyrie descend to speak with them. Odin had watched everything through Muninn and sent Valkyrie to do his bidding.

"Doppelganger! Please come forward," Valkyrie said. A blink in wonder now, he nodded and walked over. He looked in the direction that Sarine went, and his chest hurt with sadness. He never meant for her to get so upset.

"What is she doing?" Karla whispered to Seyren.

"I don't know. Just watch," he said back to her, as he sat back down. Lloyd and Margaretha watched silently with their hands joined.

"Know this! Having a demon in one's group is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, since a demon never sleeps and will always be loyal to those that are befriended. Yet, a curse, since a demon has never been human before and will not fully understand what is to be expected. But, where love is concerned, loyalty can conquer over unruly behavior. Do expect Doppelganger to be overly possessive! That is a demon's nature in the end!" Valkyrie sounded out. She looked down at the demon and pointed at him. "My Lord Odin has decreed that you are to carry his Wrath into battle and be the Vessel of Odin's last line of defense! He has watched you fight and is impressed with your skills in battle! After what happened with his Vessel before, he wants no mistakes at any point in the future! This is our Lord Odin's decision! Do you understand this, Doppelganger?"

"Yes," he said with amazement. The others watched in silent awe, as Valkyrie's hand moved to touch Doppelganger's forehead. He winced and gasped.

"You are now blessed to have twice the speed, twice the stamina, twice the strength, and twice the defense of any known demon that you encounter!" she said. "When you fight, you will attack without mercy! Should you stomp on the ground, you will shake the earth and Stun those that oppose you! You will never let up until the enemy is destroyed around the Vessel of Odin! Furthermore, should you attack several enemies at once, they will all share the same damage that one gains within a circular radius around you!"

A gasp ripped through everyone. Doppelganger was now officially as strong as the others here. Possibly even stronger. His form changed to be much taller, fuller, more muscular, and far leaner than he already was. His hair grew a bit longer with more of a lighter, silvery-blond complexion. His face even became a bit longer and more masculine, yet narrow with the way his chin pointed a bit downwards. His eyes remained the same dark blue with red pupils, but he lost a bit of the sleepless look to them. He looked more like a man than a boy now.

His Swordsman armor changed and now appeared to be a cross between a Lord Knight's and a Paladin's armor. His chest plate became a solid, silvery metal, and he lost the tassel that hung below it. His arms were covered in the same silvery metal. All of the leather he wore was easily replaced, too. He no longer wore the heavy gloves, and his hands were free of restraint. A set of long bracers were there to cover over the back of his hands.

He lost the belt and gained a reinforced groin area instead. The silver armor looked like the same rare silver metal that the warrior Valkyrie would wear. His boots became silver metal greaves, and they were exceptionally form fitting to his feet. His legs were encased in the same silvery metal armor, and, as he looked closely at it, all of the armor could be taken off easily and put back on just as easily.

Then his armor became gilded with gold and engraved with the markings of a raven in flight on his chest and back to show that he was now officially a true Warrior of Odin. One could even tell what the elaborate engravings were under the shadowed form of his Demonic presence. Even his sword changed to have nasty curves jutting out like a rippling flame. On a closer inspection, his sword would cause random ailments on whatever it sliced up. A harsh hiss came from him now, as he accepted all of the changes easily. Power was something every demon wanted. He was no exception to the rule.

"Wow..." Mitchell gaped. Doppy smirked at him and looked up at Valkyrie.

"A bonus is to be granted, as well! You will become a duplicate of yourself and attack as one, should the tide start to appear overwhelming!" Valkyrie said, as she pulled her hand from him. An inhuman snarl came from Doppelganger, as he glared at the others. The power rush was invigorating, but it only lasted a moment before he calmed down. Then he blinked, as something was dropped into his hands. A small, gentle smile touched his lips now, and he put on his new wedding ring. He would always wear this for as long as he lived.

"So much for that!" Howard groaned. A glare from Doppy quickly quieted him. The moment Valkyrie was gone, he turned to face Eremes. Doppy was now taller than the others at seven and a half feet in height and definitely more muscled.

"I honor and welcome you. We will need to all talk together soon. Find Sarine," Eremes nodded. "She will need to be comforted."

"One hour!" Keltin grinned. Doppy smirked at that and looked at the sun. When he spoke, there was a slight echo added to his rough voice that symbolized power, and his voice finally matched his form perfectly.

"Two hours," Doppy mused.

"One and a half!" Howard growled.

"Two. Hours," Doppy hissed. At that, Howard grinned and shrugged. A rather inhuman sound came from him, as he took in a deep breath. Catching Sarine's scent, he took off after it. He was gone in seconds.

"I'm not going to piss him off anytime soon!" Seyren grinned. Karla was just amazed at what she saw. Keltin was worried about Sarine, but he wasn't going to cross Doppelganger right now.  _The demon was clearly the strongest in the group and the one with the shortest fuse._ Even Eremes was a touch amused at the demon. _In a way, we were alike._ When Sammy sighed and started to head back to the house, the others took the hint and followed him.

Sarine's scent was filling Doppy's senses, and he picked up the pace in his stride. When he finally saw her, he slowed down and stopped completely to watch her. Tears were streaking down her face, as she stared out over the ocean. Her hair whipped about wildly, as she faced it. Closing her eyes to shed more tears, he realized that she was hiding the fact that she was crying. When she finally collapsed to her knees, he moved to comfort her, but was spotted quickly. She turned and opened her fantastic tigers' eye gemstone facets to him, and he was mesmerized.

"Why?" she whispered, as she gazed at him now. The changes made to him caught her completely off guard. Then she saw the ring on his finger, and she grimaced.

"What? What is it, Sorry Sari?" he asked. He took another step forward.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me?!" she hissed, as she looked at him. "Do you have any idea how draining it is for me to be with so many?!"

"It's not anyone's fault that they love you as much as I do!" he countered. "You just...you draw everyone to you!"

"You think I want everyone I meet to marry me?!" she cringed. "I just...I just really need friends..."

"And you have friends! All around you, if you look! Valkyrie was the one who gave me the ring. She gave me new skills to protect you with. She enhanced me. Odin wants me to protect you, too! It's now even proven with what he did to my armor! What more can be said to that? How could I even say 'no' to this?"

"Maybe...just once...if someone asked how I felt..." she whispered sadly.

"And how do you feel?" he asked, fighting the urge to simply run up to her and make her his. More tears fell, as she faced the wind. Her scent was driving him mad with desire. She let out a small whimper, as she refocused. Then she stood up and bolted away from him. Snarling at her reaction, he ran after her swiftly and gave out an inhuman growl when she used her skill of Wind Walk. She sped away quickly, but he was able to keep up with his enhanced speed. The ground zipped past them to the point that sand turned to grass. When he finally got close to her, he pounced on her. She let out a scream, as he rolled with her to a stop.

She tried to pull away, but he pinned her neatly and buried his face against her neck. Forced to rest now, she breathed hard and gasped with surprise when he let out a savage hiss. The he paused. He could sense she was afraid. That wasn't his intention at all.  _I don't want her to fear me._ She would never need to fear him after what he was going to do with her. Now he moved to leisurely breathe in the scent of her skin, and he moved his mouth over her neck. She stretched out under him, as this was something that she really liked, and he seemed to sense it. He clearly wanted her. There was no doubt about it.

"Doppy...please..." she begged weakly before he pressed himself against her more.

"I...am going to taste every part of you," he whispered, and she moaned. "You can't tell me you don't want this! That you haven't wanted this! You want me! Admit it! You want me as much as I want you right now!"

She couldn't say anything from the way he dominated her senses. She arched under him, as his hands moved over her waist to rub at her exposed belly. Kissing every inch of her skin that he could reach, he started to tug off her top before finally working the zipper. She tried to fight him at first before he gave a harsh growl and locked his mouth on her neck. She cried out, and it paralyzed her just enough for him to swiftly remove her shorts. His own upper armor was next to come off, revealing a massively rock hard chest that was far too lean and wide for a normal humans' chest.

He was only too happy to have grass underneath them instead of sand. It made everything easier for him to keep her comfortable. When he moved to take off his lower armor, she tried to escape him again, but he caught her ankle and hauled her back to him with her belly against the ground. Tossing the lower armor aside quickly, he kept a hand on her ankle to secure her. She tried to kick him away with her free foot, but he moved swiftly once again to pull her closer and thrust sharply into her.

She cried out with surprise, and he raised her up even further to pull her to her hands and knees. Giving out a husky growl, his hands clamped over her hips, and he pulled her back even more into him. Now that she was locked to him, he removed her boots to make her completely naked like he was. Leaning over her, he planted his mouth on her neck, and she screamed out in furious passion. His chest now pressed hard against her back, he mounted her to show how wild of a demon he truly was. Letting out a muffled, dominating roar, he bucked harder into her and moved one hand up to her shoulders to steady himself. It didn't take long for her to cry out even sharper, and he lifted his head up to give out a Demonic roar of triumph when he released. She continued to whimper and moan, as he held her there to let her ride out the pleasure before pulling her down to the ground with him. Now that her scent was clearing away from his senses, he was able to think again.

He tilted her face to his, kissed her hard, and locked his arms around her. She resembled a frail doll in his arms, and he was exceptionally gentle with her now.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why did you want this?"

"Because I never wanted this with anyone else. You are the only one I have ever done this with. And, I will admit that there were several times during your stay with me that I snuck a kiss from you in your sleep."

"What?!" she asked. He laughed and pulled her tighter to him. She poked him lightly, and he grinned. The he remembered why she was crying earlier, and he winced.

"I hope I didn't upset you too much," he sighed.

"I think you made up for it," she giggled. "If anything, I'm sorry for overreacting."

"Oh, no. You had every right to. And...you're right. No one ever asked how you felt. I'll make it known to everyone when we get back."

"It's just...everything seems to go the way that everyone else wants. Yeah, all of this is about me, and that it's supposed to make everything better for me...but nothing seems to be going  _for_  me."

"Like I said, I understand," he nodded and moved his thumb over her jaw line. Leaning down to kiss her skin there, he started to give out a soft, rumbling purr. That made her blink at him, and he grinned with a shrug.

"Didn't you do that sound before?" she asked. "It sounds so familiar!"

"I did," he nodded. "It was cold in the tower one night about a month after we met, and I saw you shivering. I pulled you close and let you snuggle into me. That was when you first heard me purr. That was also when I first started to desire you."

"I don't remember that!" she blinked at him. "I think I can recall a sound like that now, but...wow. I was such a heavy sleeper at the time."

"You were sleeping. I didn't know how else to keep you warm."

"And, when did you start stealing kisses?"

"About another week after that. I had felt you move against me in your sleep, and you were making odd rambling movements from a bad dream. So, I gave you a kiss like this," he moved to kiss her rather deeply and gazed at her. "After that, you seemed to settle back down. You were always a pretty deep sleeper, now that you mention it. Mainly slept deeply when I had to leave to patrol. You always came back around when I got back, though."

"I see," she sighed and looked away.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I...I always found you sort of cute. But, you never really gave me any other signs when I was there. I knew that it was to keep others from knowing, but it would have been nice to know how you really felt about me. I didn't want to leave your side, but you never said anything else about me, much less your real thoughts about me."

The rumbling purr became a harsh growl, as he thrust into her sharply again, forcing her to cry out. Emptying himself into her again, he pulled her close.

"Never again...!" he rasped in her ear. "Never again will I ever hide my true emotions from you! You will know everything that comes through my mind!"

"Doppy..." she whispered, and he kissed her thoroughly before sighing. "What do you want to do now?"

"I said I wanted to taste every part of you," he growled and ran his tongue up her neck. "I meant it. Every. Single. Word."

She gasped and writhed now, as he moved his tongue leisurely down her neck, along her shoulders, then down her chest, and only paused to worship her breasts one at a time. Stretching out as she struggled to breathe, he moved his mouth over her arms, possessed each of her fingers, and moved towards her belly. She quivered and moaned, as he worked his mouth down her legs, to her toes, and made her expose her back to him. Running his tongue up her spine sent delicious chills through her, and she cried out when he sucked hard at her throat. A rather possessive growl escaped him as he did this.

Moving his mouth back down, as he turned her onto her back again, he grabbed each of her legs and pulled her up to finally taste between her thighs. She cried out over and over as he brought her to release, never giving her any rest or a chance to pull away. This was something he had been wanting to do to her since he decided he liked her long ago, and he was going to relish every bit of it. He wasn't going to rush this at all.

Delving his tongue in her deeply and ravishing her inner walls, he heard her scream and worked with the instinctive movements her hips gave. The rumbling purr he was giving off worked like a constant vibration, and she finally gave out a soul-wrenching cry of painful release. It thrilled him to hear it so much that he kept it going for several minutes. He loved how she squirmed and cried out for him! When her voice started to go hoarse, he paused to give one final lick to her to feel her shiver.

After that, he moved to thrust sharply in her again, forcing her to release yet again. His Demonic blood strove to dominate and possess her.  _This was MY female! This was MY mate!_  There was only one last thing to do now, and that was to prove a point to any demon that approached her in the future. He was bathing her in his scent from his constant licking, but it wasn't enough. His scent would vanish on her after a couple of days. He needed to do something that would be far more permanent.

After he spent himself again, he pulled her up and nuzzled into her throat. She was a gasping mess of sensations now. She swallowed and whispered, "What is it?"

"I want you...to take a drop of my blood...and swallow it," he rasped, as his mouth moved over her throat.

"What?" she asked weakly.

"It will prove...to all the other demons...that you...are not for their taking," he explained with a muttered growl. His hot breath left trails of fire over her skin. She couldn't respond to him. In truth, she clearly didn't know what to think of his offer.

"Why?" she finally breathed.

"To protect you better," he whispered, and his mouth moved over hers to kiss possessively. The heavy rumbling sound reached a higher pitch, as he released in her again. She whimpered out her release with him and cried out when he moved his mouth back to her neck to suck on her skin there. She cried out again and bucked hard onto him in retaliation, as he worked with her to bring them back to another heavy release. Weakened now, she could only nod. He was doing this to protect her and mark her in a way that other demons would know that an even far more powerful demon protected and claimed her. If they tried to touch her, they would be forced to answer to him first. He would also know where she was at all times. By him doing this to her first, he was safeguarding her far more than she knew.

Moving over to grab his sword, he lightly pin-pricked his finger to let a droplet of red-black blood appear.

"This much is all you need," he whispered. She paused at the small droplet and let him rub his finger along the inside of her mouth. With that done, he moved to kiss her and let his blood mingle with hers. She moaned at the taste of his blood, since it tasted like nothing she ever experienced before. It was a heavy, musky taste that wasn't overpowering at all. It was this taste that was going to lightly line her senses for the rest of her life to show that he branded her as his. His scent would be on her breath, in her very being, coursing through her skin, and lightly mingling with her own scent now. She was his, and he was hers.

They gazed at each other in silent wonder. He looked up at the sky and judged he had about thirty minutes left before the others would try to find him. His scent would be undetected by them, since they were already a part of her. Even further was that they were humans once before, and they would be unable to detect his branding unless he told them of it. He may even tell them to do the same thing to her. It might make an even stronger form of protection for her. They were monsters for now and able to do this.

"Now what?" she breathed, as she rested against his chest. He flexed his muscles, as he caressed her. The beach grasses were soft underneath them, and he was glad they stopped at this particular area. He would have to remember it.

"Soon we'll have to go back," he growled. The marks of suction he left on her neck were now very apparent, and he grinned.  _They wouldn't like that, but...oh well. I'm a demon. They could simply piss off._ Then he glanced at the horizon over the ocean, and his keen eyes detected something.  _A small boat was heading to the island._  When he tensed, she looked up at him.

"What is it, Doppy?" she whispered.

"A possible attack!" he snarled. A heavy, Demonic growl ripped from his throat. It sent a protective and thrilling chill of excitement down her spine. When she told him what his growls did, he grinned and kissed her again, momentarily forgetting about the boat, as she replaced his senses and thoughts. He wanted her again and quickly took her. His appetite was insatiable for her. He knew he would never stop wanting her.  _Ever._

After they both released, he was able to lightly force her away from him. When she moved from him, she glanced over at his nude form and blinked a bit.  _I had no idea that he had such girth and length to him!_ She blinked and forced down a blush, as she moved to stand now. Getting up with her and dressing quickly, he gathered her in his arms and ran back to the house. When he got there, Howard was a bit surprised that they got back early, but, at Doppy's report, the others moved quickly to the shoreline. He pointed out at the boat, and Storm Caller went over the waves to investigate.

"So, how was it?" Keltin grinned.

"I marked her as mine to keep other demons from wanting her. It will have no effect on any of you, but you may want to do the same. I'll tell you how to do this later," Doppy promised. This made Eremes pause in thought, but it was Howard who noticed the loving marks done on Sarine's neck. He stammered, as he pointed them out.

"They're just hickies," Seyren grinned. "A hickey only shows how rough one is to another. They'll fade in a couple days."

Howard swore, and Lloyd chuckled before he Healed Sarine. That made the marks go away, and Howard did feel better. He returned his attention to Storm Caller, as he guided the boat back to the island. What was in the boat caused a hissing uproar. It was Malore, and he had passed out at the bottom of the boat from dehydration.

"What the hell?! Him again?" Howard fumed.

"Calm yourself. We shall revive him and see what he was doing out here," Storm Caller said. Eremes shook his head with disgust. Doppy looked at Sarine confused, and Keltin told him who the man was and what he did. Doppelganger instantly decided to kill him, if the man was trying to cause them harm.

Pori-Pori seemed to watch them bring in the man with confusion and followed them into the house. The other monsters waited outside for any commands. A makeshift cot was set up in their main entryway, and Keltin sat in a chair for Sarine to sit in his lap. She was incredibly exhausted now and was resting weakly in his embrace. Howard and Eremes were on either side of her, but standing in case they had to react quickly. Doppy was standing behind Keltin with his arms crossed. He clearly didn't look amused.

They watched Lloyd and Margaretha Heal Malore, and Storm Caller poured a light amount of water into the High Wizard's mouth. When the man woke, he stammered.

"What are you doing here?" Storm Caller asked.

"Um...well, I went to Hugel, and I did find the girl, but...but I just couldn't keep Sarine out of my head! I...I had to try and find her!" he admitted.

"Can I kill him?" Doppy asked. Malore blanched at the sight of Doppelganger and stammered. "I really, really want to!"

"I'm first!" Eremes hissed.

"Nah. Fight him!" Sammy giggled. Malore blinked at the child and then gaped up at the massive ghost that loomed from him. "If he wins, he goes freely! If he loses, he dies!"

Doppy didn't like the thought of the High Wizard winning. Then he started to snicker darkly. Sarine frowned a bit and looked up at him.

"What is it?" Howard asked with a hint of a grin.

"I'll go last!" Doppy chuckled. "I want to see how he holds up against you three first."

"Oh, Doppy," Sarine sighed weakly, and he moved to her side to let her cuddle him. "You know you'll just tear him to pieces."

Malore's mouth dropped at the kiss they shared, and Keltin smiled softly at them. Then Keltin kissed her afterwards followed by Howard and Eremes.

"How...?" Malore asked, as he trembled with rage. "How can you love monsters and not me?! How?!"

"These monsters..." Sarine said, as she looked at him evenly. "are far more human than you will ever be."

The stronger Poring-type monsters bounced in, and Pori-Pori jumped into her lap to snuggle her. She was soon mobbed by Defender, Justice, Vengeance, and Doombringer in a playful way. This got her laughing, as they all managed to neatly fit on her person somehow.

"These are from the others!" Justice giggled and spat out monster cards for her. She blinked in amazement at them all.

"I'll need to find good equips for these!" she said with excitement.

"We'll help you!" Defender said happily, as he snuggled her.

"Do you screw them, too?!" Malore hissed. That brought out a sharp, Demonic snarl from Doppy, and the High Wizard paled. It was at this moment that Doppy breathed in Malore's scent and made a discovery. _A very interesting discovery._ He was going to need to test it later. Right now, he was pissed off and had to invoke his challenging wrath of vengeance.

"THAT," the Doppelganger hissed. "is EXACTLY why you will NEVER find a place with my Sorry Sari! I...am going to  _enjoy_  killing you!"

Malore just pissed off the most powerful demon currently in existence. The silence was intense, but Howard, Eremes, and Keltin were all grinning. Sarine showed no emotion on her face. Unlike her recent objection to her loved ones fighting, Malore was someone she didn't love or care about. She simply didn't care what happened to him anymore, since he was warned multiple times to stay away. She dropped her eyes from Malore now and didn't bother to look at him again. Storm Caller just sighed and looked down at Sammy.

"Do they fight?" the Strouf asked. Sammy gave a rather evil grin, as the Samurai ghost seemed to howl with laughter.

"Yes. They fight. The battle will take place at sundown tonight," the child said with narrowed eyes. "I will personally see to it!"


	31. Chapter 31

A makeshift dungeon was constructed under the house. Malore was placed into it, and Pori-Pori and Doombringer stationed themselves as guards. The cell was placed far enough back that he couldn't try to attack them through the iron bars created. Tao Gunka had reinforced the walls and floor to be solid stone. There was water and food placed nearby for him in case he needed them. They weren't so cruel to keep him from basic needs. They wanted him to be strong for the fighting ahead to make him think that he had a chance.

Upstairs in the bedroom, Sarine was in a deep sleep in the bed on Howard's bare, ghostly chest. He had focused to keep himself solid for her, and it was what she needed. He had his arms wrapped protectively around her, and Keltin was reclining on the bed just out of reach in his original Bongun form. Eremes was leaning against a wall, and Doppy was sitting in a chair by the door. A rather easy setting was quickly formed, as though it was completely natural.

"Four husbands," Eremes mused.

"Don't remind me," Howard grumbled lightly.

"When do we get to kill the bastard in the basement?" Doppy hissed.

"At sundown. How do you want to do this?" Keltin asked.

"I'm going last," Doppy reminded them.

"Maybe the same order?" Eremes asked.

"Possibly. So, Doppy, this is how it works. We'll go over our lives, then you go over yours. Deal?" Howard asked. Doppelganger thought and then nodded.

Keltin went first and talked up to the point when he found Sarine. Howard explained his life next to the point that they got to their new island home. Then Eremes spoke out his life and what happened within it. Keltin took over again to further explain her training, finding the others, her transcendence, and how they got back with the others. Doppy was in quiet thought the whole time he listened, and he was finally able to piece everything together.

"So, Howard started off the group. Eremes was the last to join," Doppy said to clarify on how Sarine fit with them all in their lives.

"That's it in a nutshell," Howard nodded.

"Makes sense now. She didn't tell me of her past at the time. I guess that, when one is tortured like that, they wouldn't want to remember," Doppy sighed.

"True to a fault," Eremes nodded. "She still doesn't want to remember. At least...we can help her forget when she needs it most."

"Oh, that reminds me," Doppy said and told them why she was so upset earlier.

"We never listen to her?" Keltin frowned.

"We never asked her of her opinion on things," Doppy corrected him.

"That...brings new things to light..." Eremes said in wonder, as he started to piece his own experiences with her together. "It explains so much now..."

"I want to say something really quick," Howard said.

"Yes?" Keltin asked. The other two looked over at him.

"Since we are all a group now, and we all love her, I say we make a pact. Right here. Right now. No matter what happens, we will all back her up and each other up. We will never falter on ourselves, or for her. We live for her, and, if need be, we die for her. We all lost her once before, and almost again from the second Amatsu incident. I don't think any of us will want to lose her again," Howard said solemnly.

"No, we don't," Doppy nodded. "I'm in."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded.

"I won't let you guys down," Keltin said. "Let's work together and keep this promise to each other for as long as we all live."

When Sarine blinked awake, Howard rose up a hand to quiet them, as he kissed her back to sleep. When she was safely sleeping again, he cleared his throat.

"However, from now on, we will ask what she thinks. Agreed?" he asked. They all nodded. "And, with that settled, Doppelganger, it's your turn to tell us how your life started."

"You all sure?" he mused. The agreement was in full circle. Nodding, Doppy settled to talk, but a sharp knock on the door interrupted him. Sarine jerked her head up from sleep and groaned at the sharp headache.

"Who is it?!" Howard growled. Doppy got out of the chair and opened the door to find Seyren standing there.

"Sorry, but Storm Caller insisted I come up here to see if anyone was hungry," he said apologetically. A sharp hiss came from Doppelganger, but Sarine voiced that she was actually starting to get hungry. That cooled off the demon's anger considerably, and Seyren nodded.

"What's being served?" Keltin asked, as he got up to walk over to him.

"The usual. Meat, bread, fruit, cake, and some juices," Seyren said.

"Bring up what you can," Eremes said. "I'll help."

They both went downstairs and came back up with a few platters.

"Mind if I eat with you?" Seyren asked.

"Of course not!" Sarine smiled, as she pulled a piece of meat out to eat.

"What is the idiot doing down there?" Howard asked, as he chewed lightly.

"Oh, mumbling about how he was going to get even with all of us. The usual bull he spits out," Seyren sighed. "It's annoying."

"Like what?" Doppy grumbled, as he tore into a roast.

"Stuff like he's the most powerful man alive and blah, blah, blah!" the Lord Knight shrugged. "He's refusing to admit that Pori-Pori handed him his ass last time saying it was just a fluke and dumb luck. So, Pori-Pori handed him his ass again to shut him up!"

That made Doppy chuckle, and the others laughed sharply. Sarine was completely absorbed in rebuilding her strength, and Eremes was making sure she had all she could eat. Keltin poured her any juice she needed, and Howard was thinking the whole time.

"What are you thinking about?" Keltin asked Howard.

"I was just thinking on why Sarine was told she couldn't have children yet. It all makes sense," Howard sighed. Sarine paused to look at him with surprise.

"True. But, let's not get into that now," Eremes advised. Howard nodded and looked over at Sarine. She was staring into her cup of grape juice and trembling. Keltin took the cup from her before she spilled it and hugged her.

"What's wrong?" Doppy asked defensively. Eremes mouthed the word 'Amatsu', and Doppelganger stiffened. Keltin hugged her even tighter, as she struggled not to let her emotions overcome her and failed. Howard was starting to get flustered and began to start panicking. He didn't want to have her emotional wall to shatter, and now he was trying to figure out how to make her happy as quickly as possible.

"Sarine," Seyren sighed and had an idea, as he growled out suddenly. "Damn it, Howard! Look at what you did!"

"What did I do?!" Howard hissed. He knew where Seyren was going instinctively and gave a quick wink to Doppy. A blink given in response, Doppelganger remained silent.

"You made her cry!" Seyren growled.

" _I_  made her cry?! I did not! Your smell made her cry! Ugh! Did you cut one?!" Howard stammered, as he pushed the blame back onto Seyren, and he moved to open a window. Keltin snickered softly.

"I most certainly did not!" Seyren flustered, as the tables were quickly turned on him.

"Yes, you did! I smell sulfur, and it's not Doppy! He's obviously much cleaner than you," Howard smirked. "At least he takes off his armor!"

"What are you talking about?!" Seyren growled. "My armor is always clean."

"Sure it is. Was that before or after you forgot to wipe your ass?" Howard sneered. Doppy smirked now and cracked a grin.

"Oh, that's it!" the Lord Knight glowered before pausing at Sarine's soft giggle.

"Hmm. Smells like he did die now that you mention it..." Eremes said with a light grin. "Are you sure you don't need the giant panties? I can still make that run to Orc Village for the pacifier...maybe a nursing bottle..."

"No you don't!" Seyren said quickly.

"You sure? I can swipe a baby's bib, too," Eremes continued.

"No!" Seyren growled.

"Huh. I knew that babies complained. Now I see what you mean!" Keltin grinned.

"Oh, cut it out!" Seyren grimaced. Doppy had a knowing smile on his face now that Sarine was starting to laugh.

"Oh, look! It's baby Lord Knight Seyren Windsor! What a cute little thing he is! Oh, yes, you are!" Keltin continued with little baby sounds.

"I am not a baby!" Seyren pouted.

"Uh-oh! He's pouting! Looks like no presents for him this year," Howard grinned.

"I'm not hearing this anymore!" Seyren grumbled and gave a light smile, as Sarine was laughing again.

"You know that all babies are afraid of the Boogey Man," Doppy chuckled.

"I'm not afraid!" Seyren puffed out.

"Prove it!" the demon grinned.

"Later I will!" Seyren promised. "Right now, there is a Boogey Man down in the basement that needs some roughing up!"

"Oh, that's right, huh?" Howard grinned. Seyren gave Sarine a light pat to her shoulder, as he collected the dirty dishes and walked out of the room.

"I see now," Doppy chuckled. "I like him."

"He's like a big brother to her. Always was and still is," Howard nodded.

"All right, so, what do we do now?" Keltin asked.

"Sarine? What do you think?" Eremes asked.

"Well, I would love to hear about your life, Doppy. I never learned much about you," she blushed at Doppelganger. He gave her a small grin and a nod.

"Sit in my lap and I'll start," he agreed. Nodding, she moved to settle in his lap, as the others relaxed around the table they ate at. Stretching out his broad, yet lean chest, she got comfortable easily. His armor was almost like a second skin. Not fully metal and contained a leather-like consistency. He could easily feel everything that Sarine did to him, too. It could only have come from Valhalla. Now he thought and smiled, as he said, "Where do I start? Of course, I am the Doppelganger demon, as everyone knows. Not really born, I just sort of, well, exist. I wandered the lands for quite some time before I was tricked into being trapped in Geffen Tower. Needless to say, when I was summoned by a group of skilled Wizards, they told me the tower was a place of safety. It was not. It became my prison.

"They really only wanted me there to be some form of power balance, much like Odin's Balance for monster life. Not only that, but they would send various humans down there for survival tests. Of course, I took offense to it and started to kill off any that dared to brave the grounds I was bound to. After that, I simply attacked anyone that got too close to me in outright vengeance. That was about, oh, four hundred years ago. The only time I ever didn't attack a human was, well, Sorry Sari. You could easily say that her small act of kindness has tamed me. I will never hurt you, Sorry Sari."

She blushed, as she felt his arms go around her, and she snuggled into his chest. He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. He would rather hurt himself than bring himself to harm her, and he already knew he would slaughter anything that tried to harm her.

"You're over four hundred years old?" Howard asked.

"Give or take a decade," he shrugged.

"And I thought that I was old at over fifty," Keltin grinned.

"Ah, well, no one is perfect," Doppy flashed his white teeth with a grin.

"I never realized that I was the first one you didn't attack," Sarine frowned. "I am curious as to what would have happened if those thugs didn't stop me from going into the tower now. It makes me wonder."

"Likely wouldn't have met us," Eremes nodded. "Or, maybe you would have. Likely by me scouting."

"Then I would have had a fight with Eremes over you," Howard mused.

"And, if I saw her first, I wouldn't have let any of you take her away," Doppy thought aloud. "I would have fought you all back."

"I'm just glad that things happened as they did, both good and bad alike," Keltin sighed. "I would likely never have met her."

"Things always happen for unexplained reasons," she nodded. She got pulled up by Doppy to be kissed, and he let out his rumbling purr with it. That made the others blink and drop their mouths. They never heard a demon purr before.

"A purring demon?" Eremes asked with fascination.

"I normally only did that after a good fight. Now, it just seems natural to do that with her," Doppy shrugged. "All demons can purr."

"I'm sure it has quite a few added benefits?" Keltin snickered. At Doppy's wide, wicked grin, he tossed back his head with laughter. Sarine blushed horribly, and Howard chuckled.

"Interesting..." Eremes grinned.

"Now I want to see how it works," Keltin admitted.

"Sarine?" Eremes asked to show he wanted to know her thoughts. He was being very careful to include her in all of their decisions now.

"I think I still need to rest a bit more. Maybe later tonight?" she asked.

"Sounds fair," Doppy nodded.

"We can do that. He can watch us, and then we can watch him," Howard agreed.

"Watch?" Doppy asked with a raised brow.

"It's not too bad. Oh, how did you mark Sarine?" Eremes asked curiously.

"Ah. That. Yes. I had her swallow a drop of my blood. It lines my scent and taste throughout her system. If a demon tries to grab her, they'll hesitate when they smell me. If they try to do anything with her blood, I'll know, since my blood is in her, too. It's something that demons are able to do. I will also know exactly where she is at all times this way to guarantee her safety," Doppy explained.

"You think we can do this?" Keltin asked.

"Actually, I don't want you all to do this," Sarine admitted.

"Why not?" Eremes asked.

"Think about it," she started. "Both of you were human once except for Doppy. Keltin has the ability to become human now. I doubt any of you would have much of an effect on me. But, since Doppy is a solid demon, what would he do if he suddenly tasted the rest of you on me and it didn't agree with him?"

She brought up such a valid point that the men looked at Doppelganger now.

"She's right," Doppy said slowly after thinking about it. "I would literally go berserk with an uncontrollable rage. I would do everything I could to secretly remove your brandings. Maybe even go so far as to drink as much of her blood as I could to purge it, and then have her drink mine in turn. It could be quite disastrous for everyone."

"Well, I think with one husband branding her, it should be enough. Our rings do let us Teleport to her when she is in the right area," Howard said. "Come to think of it, why didn't I think of using the wedding ring to reach Sarine in the Comodo cave in?"

"Likely a bit pre-occupied on her being separated from you," Eremes shrugged. "And the rings were new. May have been easily forgotten."

"Regardless," Sarine said to bring the subject back up. "I'd much rather have one husband able to brand me, since Doppy is my last line of defense, anyways, and it would only make the most sense."

"Who are you, and what did you do with Sarine?!" Keltin frowned. She burst into laughter and blushed even more.

"She's fine," Doppy chuckled and easily picked her up to cradle her in his arms. "Now, I would like to check on the Boogey Man in the basement. What do you think?"

"There is something odd about Malore that I can't quite place," she said with a frown. "It's like...he intentionally tries to test me or do something to prove his point across. It's really weird. Even when I first met him, it was like he purposely found my camp, and then, even in town, he purposely found my room. I made sure to be completely discreet and unnoticed by everyone. It made no sense!"

"You're right," Keltin nodded. "Then it was him down in the Biological Laboratory. Coincidence? Maybe. But, at Poring Island? Then Comodo? And then at the Clock Tower? It's as though he's purposely trying to keep up with you!"

"Well, I think we need to get some answers," Howard nodded. Eremes was silent in thought before moving in front of the door to block them. Being the way he was, he was used to studying and evaluating others with cold, hard precision. He knew things from the past that he never brought up for certain reasons. Now was the time for certain things to finally come to light. Especially since he finally remembered those certain things after being drugged long ago to forget about them.

"Eremes?" Sarine frowned.

"I think I know him," the Assassin Cross frowned.

"Oh? Do tell us!" Howard nodded. Eremes looked at Sarine and clearly didn't want her to see the High Wizard until he got the message out. He was also slightly pissed that this man was able to detect Sarine when he personally taught her everything she knew about being discreet and undetectable. He took it as a personal challenge and an insult to his intellect.

"You remember all the clones you saw in upper levels of the Biological Laboratory, right?" Eremes asked. "Of the younger generation?"

"Yes," Sarine nodded.

"I have a feeling that he is not Malore at all. I think he is actually Laurell Weinder. A Mage that was able to escape the Biological Laboratory by agreeing to give over his free will and earned his right to live," Eremes said carefully. Within Sarine's mind, Huginn could only chuckle to himself.  _This was the secret about Malore, and now it was discovered. It would only be a matter of time before another discovery about him would lead to a far more powerful ally that was needed. Then that one would be readily recruited._

"Wait, what?!" Howard frowned.

"Unlike us," Eremes said slowly. "the younger generation didn't have someone waiting for them. They didn't have true friends or family. We all marked that we had no family, but Sarine marked down that she did, and that, in truth, we were her family. I saw this when I ransacked one of the main offices to find anything I could to help me escape long ago. That check mark against family was what saved her life."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Howard asked.

"They knocked me out and made me forget what I saw. Only now I remembered, and it pains me to know that it took this long for that stuff to wear off!" Eremes growled.

"If you ransacked the office, why didn't you find my letters?" Sarine asked.

"That is something even I'm not sure of. It's possible that it was a completely different office that they were in," Eremes said softly. "If I found them, I definitely would have confiscated them without a moment of hesitation."

"I see," she frowned, and Doppy pressed a kiss to her forehead to comfort her.

"From what we all knew, Sarine was...lost to us at the time. Or so we all thought," Eremes sighed. Sarine made a motion to be put down by Doppy, and she ran over to Eremes to let him hug her tightly. Keltin frowned, as he thought.

"You're telling me that the younger generation is still out there?" the Bongun finally asked. "Alive and well?"

"Yes. I think that our little High Wizard knows exactly where they are. And...I would not be surprised if he is trying to bring them here," Eremes said, as he had to focus off of Sarine and back to the subject at hand. "This...could be very disastrous. Egnigem Cenia, the Swordgirl, gave over her life completely to the project. Yet, I know she lived and escaped. She left one powerful clone of herself to attack others with. It was the same with the others. They all left their most perfect clones behind as replacements for the researchers to make copies of. However, I think it was only Egnigem's that survived all of their experiments, which would explain why only basic duplicates of the others remain. The Merchant girl, Armeyer Dinze. The Thief girl, Wickebine Tres. The Acolyte boy, Errende Ebecee. The Archer boy, Kavach Icarus. All of these young children had a lot more life than us, older people. They survived the experimental last drug and were able to leave, while we were bound to our clones and trapped."

"And you think that High Wizard we have down there is the Mage from that place?" Howard growled. "If you're right, I'll kill him!"

"Undoubtedly," Eremes nodded. He looked down at Sarine and found her pulling his head down to kiss him passionately. Hugging her tightly to him now, he was fighting on giving in to her or not. Right now, he was keeping his wits about him.

"Three boys and three girls. Just like with the rest of you," Doppy mused in thought. "If he was experimented on, and that last drug was made with demon blood, it has me curious. I did smell something odd about him. Something that could only be detected by true demons like me. Just as Sarine was branded with my blood, he was branded with something else..."

"What are you getting at?" Keltin gave a hint of a smile.

"Sarine," Doppy grinned wickedly now. "I want to have sex with you in front of Malore to see how he reacts."

"What?!" Sarine said with disgust, as she glared at him now. Eremes blinked at him and narrowed his eyes. He didn't like where this was going.

"Trust me. If he has any demon blood, I'll know for sure this way. I promise, he will not touch you, and he will not see you naked in any way. I'll position you at an angle, and he'll just watch me take you. You see, all demons get insanely jealous if another has fun. If he just gets jealous to be jealous as a human would, then I'll know he doesn't have demon blood in him. But, if he starts to show signs of being a demon..."

"The Priests can exorcise him and maybe cure him!" Eremes said, as he understood now. Doppy nodded and looked at Sarine.

"Hold on," she said. "I want to do something, then."

Eremes froze at a strange gleam in her eye that he never saw before. She went to her pack and grabbed it to take it into the bathroom. She closed the door to look at herself in the mirror. Sighing that she was missing a few things, she straightened out her Sniper tunic and walked back out to them.

"Anything wrong?" Howard frowned.

"Um, I need some jewelry," she said carefully.

"Oh?" Keltin frowned.

"I'll ask the others," Eremes nodded and darted down the stairs. When he came back up, he announced the Karla was going to do a quick shopping trip for them with Lloyd, and that he was told to wait. Nodding, she smiled and settled on the bed.

"What are you planning, Sorry Sari?" Doppy smirked.

"Not saying!" Sarine smiled, as she crossed her arms over her chest. A knock on the door was given, and Karla walked in.

"Sarine! What do you need?" Karla asked. Sarine giggled and pulled her friend close to whisper in her ear. That sent Karla laughing heartily, and she quickly walked out of the room.

"Talk. Now," Eremes demanded.

"No," Sarine said sweetly. "We wait."

"I'm getting nervous," Keltin admitted.

"Not often does she pull us through hoops," Howard smirked. "Oh, Eremes, tell Seyren and Storm Caller what you told us so they know."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded and went back down the stairs. Ten minutes later, he was back with Seyren following him.

"I don't like it!" the Lord Knight growled. "I want to approach him now!"

"No. You will wait until I do it first," Sarine said levelly at him. That made Seyren blink, and he glanced at the others. There was an odd touch of dominance in her tone, and he was caught off guard at his willingness to obey to what she ordered.

"She's the boss right now," Doppy grinned.

"Speaking of which," she chuckled. "Doppy, lay down on the bed with me?"

"If you insist," he grinned and stretched out his long form for her. She moved to sit on him and he gasped, giving out a warning snarl.

"Seyren, you can leave now!" Sarine smiled. That made the Lord Knight come out of his mild stupor before grumbling, as Howard shoved him out the door with a form of glee.

"What are you doing?" Eremes asked with a hint of an amazed smile.

"Trying to figure out the best position to piss off Malore with," she giggled. Doppy hissed, moved up quickly, and positioned her on all fours. Bending over her now, he gave a savage grin. Howard had never seen her in that position yet, and he got intensely jealous. Eremes tensed and trembled with desire.

"I think we have a winner," Keltin smirked. A knock was given on the door and Doppy released her after giving a kiss to her neck. Eremes let Karla in, and Sarine pulled her into the bathroom to close the door.

"Help me out?" Sarine asked, as she started to undress. Another knock was on the main door, and Doll was soon in the bathroom, too. She asked what was going on, and Sarine told her what she wanted to do.

"I got this, Karla," Doll said. "Seyren is asking for you."

"Oh! Okay!" Karla smiled.

"So, is Seyren treating you well?" Sarine asked, as Karla turned to leave.

"Sarine," Karla smiled warmly and turned to face her. "I just want to let you know that I'm not mad about Eremes. It was like he was purposely holding himself back, not only for me, but for himself, too, and it made no sense. I mean...I thought we had a connection, but I also knew that something was missing. That something just wasn't there. Like a spark, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Sarine nodded, as Doll started to undress her. Taking out the Heavenly Maiden Robe, Doll started to dress her up in it. Without the Sniper gear underneath, it was going to have a completely different look on her now.

"So, yeah, I was sad when Eremes said he wanted to break the marriage, but he also said that he couldn't really give me what I needed. I understood that. I knew he'd protect me and love me to an extent, but he wasn't truly my match," Karla sighed. She decided to stay and took out the sparkling gold circlet she purchased with the earrings. Doll took them and started to dress up Sarine with an expert skill.

"I never expected to have so many husbands. I just thought that I would only get one. But, back then...I honestly didn't think that I would have anyone," Sarine frowned.

"Well, you deserve them all! You're going to be our Savior! And, yes, Seyren is being an absolute gentleman with me now. It's...he's really sweet! Oh, that reminds me! There was a flyer in town stating that if anyone knew the Vessel of Odin to report to the Prontera Castle! Apparently, the King wants to meet you!"

"Really?!" Sarine said with amazement. "Let Storm Caller know."

"Right!" Karla nodded and carefully walked out of the bathroom to keep the guys out of it. Sarine heard Karla giggle and laugh, as she didn't answer their questions, but she did hear them gasp when she told them of what was expected in Prontera.

"Don't move!" Doll ordered, as she applied the small amount of rouge to her lips and a touch of the blush. Sarine was still wearing the Elven Ears, and now the jewelry was placed on her. Her hair was touched up again to adjust to the Elven Ears.

"How do I look?" Sarine asked.

"Stunning! Am I done now?" Doll asked.

"Yes. Thank you," Sarine nodded. When Doll left, she also ignored the remarks from the men, and Sarine just sighed. Turning to look in the mirror now, she touched up a few strands of hair before taking a deep breath. Leaving her Sniper garments in the bathroom, she would change back into them when she was ready to go elsewhere. Walking out of the bathroom brought a sudden wave of silence to her husbands.

The gown she wore truly did fit her differently from how she wore it in Comodo. Now that the Sniper gear wasn't underneath it, a lot more was revealed. It crossed over her chest, over each of her breasts and attached behind her neck. Another strap went down along her spine to attach to the bottom skirt and helped accentuate a very provocative cleavage. Her belly and thighs were neatly exposed just enough to draw attention to them. Her long, perfect legs were high-lighted by the creamy gold garment, as it dangled between them. Her arms were bare, and a set of matching high-heels adorned her feet. The jewelry and makeup she wore was simply an overkill statement to show off her stunning beauty.

"Um..." Keltin blinked, as the others were in as much shock as he was.

"I think," Sarine said slowly and demurely in her dulcet tone. "that, if this doesn't make Malore's possible Demonic blood show, then he simply won't have any."

Doppy had never seen her like this before. He was fighting every instinct his blood was giving him to snatch her up, run away with her, and mate her with everything he had within himself. At a glance to the others, he was suddenly at her side giving them looks of challenge for competition. He even went so far as to give out harsh snarls in his Demonic tongue that were literally dares for them to even try it. What he didn't know was that the blood he gave to Sarine let her understand everything he was saying. She found herself musing softly to herself, and she decided to reveal this knowledge when the time was right.

"Well, we all know that he's a demon," Keltin grinned, as he snapped out of his stupor. That made Doppy blink, and his attitude completely changed. He gave a sheepish grin and shrugged. He remembered they were also Sarine's mates and had an equal right to be with her.

"Sarine," Howard said with a warning growl. "Malore will definitely try to be with you when he sees you like this, you know."

"Which is why," she breathed out seductively, as she moved close to him. "I will have my husbands with me to kill him, if he tries anything."

Howard let out a harsh breath of controlled desire. He wanted her now. When he moved to pull her close, she twirled away from him expertly with a Dancer's movement and smiled. Eremes was just staring at her the whole time, as he took controlled and measured breaths. Narrowing her eyes now, she looked at Keltin and smiled.

"Eh..." Keltin blinked at her smile.

"Would you be so kind as to take me down to the basement?" she crooned.

"Ah, yeah! Sure!" Keltin grinned, as she took his arm.

"Doppy?" she called out to him leisurely.

"Yes?" he asked, as he struggled with his instinct again.

"Shall we have some fun...and play?" she chuckled. Doppy gave out his inhuman snarl for an answer. As she walked down the stairs, Lloyd dropped his cup at her appearance. Mitchell was talking to Kathryne when he saw her and fainted at the sight of her. Seyren was grinning the whole time, as he turned to face her.

"What are you going to do?" the Lord Knight asked.

"I'm going to test a theory," Sarine said in her own form of a sultry purr. Doppy gave several sharp breaths of control. Howard was starting to sweat, and Eremes was doing everything that he could to remain focused. Keltin was just barely holding his own grounds, and that was because he was so close to her.

"And what theory is that?" Seyren asked casually, since she had no effect on him at all.  _Oh, how I love being her big brother!_

"How far would Malore go to prove that I should be his?" she said with a slight hint of a wicked grin. Margaretha clucked her tongue and flicked Lloyd's ear to get his attention again. Cecil snickered, and Kathryne was forced to haul Mitchell into a chair. Seyren moved to follow Sarine, but Karla stopped him to pull him close and whisper in his ear. A surprised smile on his face now, he thought for a half-second before escorting Karla and Luna outside for a nice walk on the beach. He wanted to prove to Karla that Sarine had no hold on him, and this was the best thing to do. He put her before Sarine. He would find out how it went later.

Eremes chuckled softly and silently congratulated his friend. Then he refocused on Sarine and followed her down to the basement door. Doombringer saw her first and bounced with excitement followed by Justice and Pori-Pori. They would be close by if anything happened and be ready to stop it.

"Remember. Do not move towards him," Howard warned. She nodded and approached the cells carefully. Malore was waiting right at the bars of the dungeon he was in to see who was coming over. The grin on his face vanished to stunned surprise when he saw her approach him. She stopped at the safe distance mark and smiled. Then he saw how she was dressed, and desire quickly set in. His blood started to surge, as he studied her as she studied him.

"I had to see you for myself," she said casually and had Keltin step away from her. "Why exactly did you come back?"

"You are who I want," he started before he paused. Something was wrong with her scent. He didn't quite notice it the first time he saw her on the beach, since his senses were off from dehydration, but now he noticed a definite change. He blinked and shook his head. When he looked up again at her, he saw her reclining against Doppy's powerful form in his armor. One hand was moving up his chest, as her back was leaning against him, the other was placed on his leg. She was easily two and a half feet shorter than him, since he was seven and a half feet tall. Doppy had both of his hands on his hips. There was a smirk of satisfaction on his face that sent Malore's mind spinning with rage.

"I am who you want?" she asked with a frown. "Why did you come to my camp that first time? How did you even know where to find me?"

"Because your scent..." Malore said with a heavy breath. "it was so easy to follow! You were appealing..."

"How was she appealing?" Doppy growled out with a glare that invoked a challenge for his female. "Speak, you weak-minded idiot!"

"She is mine!" Malore suddenly hissed, his eyes narrowing, as the demon blood injected in his veins so long ago started to emerge. "She was supposed to be mine! I picked her out, since her scent called me to her! I couldn't do anything with Blent there, and I knew her pet monster would have stopped me, too!"

"Doppy," she whispered in her sultry tone, and he looked at her now. Turning to face him now, she ran her hands over his armored chest, and she felt him tremble with a dangerous form of control. Pulling down his head to let his cheek rest against hers, she whispered something to him that transformed him into a lusting beast. In front of everyone there, he pushed her down to the floor on all fours, carefully moved the gown aside, and shifted his lower armor around quickly. Then he started thrusting hard in her, making her cry out sharply.

Her other three husbands were watching with jealous amusement, but their attention was focused on Malore. His face reddened with a dangerous level of envy.

"It's not easy, is it, Laurell?" Eremes said, as he glared at the High Wizard.

"What would you know?" Malore countered before gasping at the name he responded to. Swearing now, he tried to cast his spells at them, but they were all out of his range.

"So, it's true," Howard mused, and he forced himself to ignore the heightened cries and sharp roars of release. "You younger ones did escape while we older ones died and became trapped. You left us to die!"

"You...you didn't make it?" the High Wizard asked now, as a sense of knowing started to come into play. "But...we didn't know! Surely one of you got out!"

"No. None of us did. If it wasn't for Sarine, we would still be down there in that Hell hole," Eremes growled. "You didn't really recognize us, since you were all in another level. We hardly ever met."

Doppy, finally being sated for the moment, fixed up his armor and Sarine's gown before pulling her against him to stand.

"Sarine would have been one of you all, if she qualified," Howard said lightly.

"She was there?!" Malore frowned.

"Yes, I was. I was a Huntress at the time. I was forced to leave them behind," Sarine said. Doppy moved to carry her in his arms with a touch of possession. He gave another look of challenge to the High Wizard, and Malore hissed in response.

"What demon blood did they inject you with?" Doppy finally asked.

"Why does she smell different?! Answer me that first!" Malore spat.

"I branded her as mine specifically for such times like these," the demon smirked. Then he gazed at her lovingly and ran a hand along her body and up to her chin.

"I don't know what they put in me. But...I challenge you for her!" Malore hissed. Eremes knew that demon blood was put in Malore, yet he wasn't quite sure about the type. He now remembered, from what he saw in the lab reports, that demon blood was injected into them all from that last lethal dose. He was about to voice it, but at the mention of the challenge, he withheld it. The information would come out in time. On looking at Malore, Doppy gave out a dark laugh and moved to gaze at Sarine.

"What do you think, my love?" he asked her.

"As much as I want to watch the others tear him to pieces, I feel it is only fair that you answer the challenge. I do want to see how much Valkyrie enhanced you," Sarine smiled and turned to Malore. "There is, however, one question I have for you."

"What?" the High Wizard asked.

"What would you have done, if we released you?" she asked.

"Heh! Wouldn't you like to know?" he scowled. "I would have likely given word of your location, and this place would be mobbed by adventurers looking for a good fight!"

"Thought so. Husbands? Private talk," she said, and Doppy moved her away from the High Wizard's range of hearing for them to talk privately.

"What's on your mind?" Howard asked. She gestured for him and pulled him close to kiss while still being held by Doppy. He shivered for control when she caressed his cheek.

"Bait. Use him as bait when he is defeated. Surely the others are somehow linked to him and will try to find him?" she mused. Howard grinned before kissing her roughly, and he only stopped when Doppy gave a warning hiss. He was in a challenging mood now and could only tolerate so much. Then she frowned and said, "Why aren't you and Eremes reacting like Malore? If you have demon blood in you, why don't you wish to be with me like he does?"

"We are your husbands. We already have you," Eremes smiled softly.

"Very true," she nodded and paused, as she looked at Eremes now. "So, demon blood was used on you?"

"I...do know that demon blood was used on us, but I'm trying to remember what types. When the information comes to me, I will let you all know. The drugs they used on me to wipe out my memories was incredibly powerful stuff. Just give me time to remember, and I will tell you what I know," Eremes promised. Howard couldn't remember much from the Biological Laboratory days, so he would trust Eremes and his insight for now. Keltin grimaced, but he nodded. Doppy couldn't smell any demon blood on the others, since the blood was dormant while Malore's was completely active.

"All right," she said, and Doppy carried her back to talking distance with Malore.

"Your challenge is accepted," Doppy sneered, as he pulled Sarine over his shoulder. "We fight in one hour. Be ready."

The High Wizard nodded and started to prepare, as Sarine was carried out of the dungeon basement. Eremes was now focused on trying to remember what Demonic blood was given to them.  _I have to try to remember!_

"What did she whisper to you before you pushed her to the floor?" Keltin smirked. Sarine blushed softly, and Doppy moved her off his shoulder to hug her.

"That she loved me," Doppy smiled, and he got a congratulatory pat on the back from the Bongun. Howard gave her a soft smile, and Eremes chuckled. When they got out of the basement, Sammy blinked at the sight of her and seemed to swoon.

"Focus, Sammy!" Keltin chuckled and leaned down to tell him the change of plans. Sammy laughed and went outside to start arranging a specialized arena. This area would be good for training against each other. Tao Gunka had already cleared out a large, half-mile spot of sand and raised up a stone floor. The Poring-type monsters started to push around stones to build a large ring, and other various monsters were working with the sand and dirt to make a large bowl-like shape appear for seating arrangements. Shinobi started hauling over various pieces of wood, and that was worked with to make basic chairs and benches. All of the monsters worked together to build the arena quickly and with careful planning. Sarine was impressed and gave each one of them a hug of affection when it was done.

"I think we are ready," Howard chuckled, as he led Sarine to a special booth that was made just for her and her husbands. There were small flowers planted around it, and Doll brought out a series of soft cushions for Sarine to relax on.

"Now this is overdoing it!" Sarine laughed.

"Of course not!" Doll said. "You are the Vessel of Odin! Your comforts are always our number one priority!"

"And you are royalty," Eremes smiled. Doppy set Sarine down on a cushion, and she blushed softly. From where she was, the wall of sand was highest to keep the competitors from accidentally attacking her. The arena was also shaped so that she could hear everything clearly from the slightest whisper, and she could voice herself easily to be heard without much strain. Lloyd and Margaretha would be stationed in a section of the arena to Heal and buff, if needed.

"You know, this would be an excellent training ground for those that do want to advance their skills, or just to challenge others," Sarine thought. "If anything, Malore did bring up a valid point. We will need to find a new source of income, and I think this might do it."

"You do have a point," Storm Caller said when he approached. He dropped off a few pitchers of water, juice, and cups for them. "When we go to Prontera to see the King, it will be mentioned. I will go with you."

"Of course, you will. Have we heard from the Cat Hand Guild?" she asked.

"Not yet. But, we still need to head back to the Clock Tower to collect a few monsters. We will also need to go back into Geffen Tower to find Geffenia," he said.

"I can take you all to Geffenia," Doppy said. "That's easy."

"Then it's settled. That is what we will do tomorrow. When that is done, we will go to Prontera Castle," Sarine nodded. With that decided, Doppy moved to recline next to Sarine, as Howard, Eremes, and Keltin sat in chairs around her. Muninn now perched above her easily and watched everything with his keen vision. As the sun set, the arena floor lit up with small flames for light. She was delighted with this. She also noticed that, on the opposite side of the arena where she sat, another balcony was being constructed to be built like hers for honored guests. It would make sense to have at least one other luxury balcony. It would be good for royalty and high-paying people who wanted the special treatment. As she mused to herself, she remembered something and said, "Oh, Doppy."

"Hmm?" he smiled.

"Before I forget, I want to see your wedding ring."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"I have my reasons," she smiled. He chuckled and let her see his ring. When she slipped it off his finger, he looked at her with a hard frown. Then she put it back on him with a loving gaze and whispered, "I wanted to be the one to put it on you."

"I..." he blinked. Then he kissed her hard, and the others chuckled. After he kissed her, they saw Incantation Samurai go down to the arena floor and raise up his arms, as the other monsters gathered to watch.

"For our very first challenge!" he shouted to let his voice carry easily. "We have Malore Peterson, also known as Laurell Weinder, fighting to challenge Doppelganger for a right to be with our Vessel of Odin! Let the combatants approach the main arena floor!"

"Good luck," she breathed, and Doppy kissed her passionately again before leaving her side. Howard sat with her now and let her recline against him. If she laid down on him, she would still be able to see the arena floor perfectly. Malore was soon seen walking from the house to move onto the arena floor. Then she saw the others walk from the house to settle in the chairs. There was excitement in the air now, as this was going to be what the main form of entertainment was from now on.

"I am Incantation Samurai and your judge!" Sammy said stoutly to Doppy and Malore. "There is only ONE rule! All battles until defeat, winning, or death stay in the arena at all times! If either of you try to attack outside the arena, you will be disqualified! Agreed?"

"Agreed!" Malore hissed.

"Fine," Doppy hissed, as he gave out a heavy Demonic growl.

"Go to your respective Priests to receive your buffs! You have five minutes!" Sammy said, and he moved to get up into a specially designed high stool that towered up the wall. Sitting down now, he was enjoying himself immensely.

"Vessel of Odin," the Baphomet Jr. said, as he trotted over to her.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Um, I kinda need to see my Dad when we go back to Clock Tower," he said.

"All right. We will get you when we are ready to leave," she nodded. Snuggling her lightly, he trotted off to find a good seat. She shrugged at the others, and they would need to find out what was so important about it. Her gaze moved back to her Demonic husband on the arena floor. Sammy held up a white flag in one hand a red flag in the other. When they both fell to his sides it gave the signal to start.

Malore casted Sight, Quagmire, and Jupitel Thunder quickly. The Quagmire's green fog did slow down Doppy for a moment, but then it lost effect. The lightning ball from the Jupitel Thunder missed completely. Taking out his sword, he activated his Two Hand Quicken, and then shocked everyone with a Bowling Bash skill to deal a heavy blow and knock the High Wizard back. The skill of Ice Wall was used by Malore to keep Doppy at bay, but the demon tore through it like nothing.

"I will NEVER let you touch my wife!" Doppy hissed, as he charged forward now. Another set of Ice Wall spires blocked him, as Malore retreated to the opposite end of the arena. He let loose the skill Storm Gust to cause damage and freeze Doppy. The attack only hurt him mildly. He didn't freeze. That caught Eremes's attention right away. As Malore let loose the skill of Thunder Storm, it did minor damage. Eremes suddenly figured it out and whispered it to Sarine, Howard, and Keltin.  _Odin had secretly blessed Doppy's armor with high elemental resistances and the ability to keep him from being frozen at any time._  It was quite clear that Odin was taking no chances at all with his Vessel's last line of defense.

On realizing this himself, Malore saw he had already lost. All he could do was hold back Doppy with more Ice Walls and Storm Gusts. He tried to let off a skill called Heaven's Drive, which was the same spell he cast in the Comodo caverns, but Doppy seemed to ignore it. When the earth shifted under him, he just leapt over the jagged spikes. The battle finally came to a close when Doppy stomped on the ground to Stun the High Wizard. Then Doppy's sword came out, and he quickly ran the High Wizard through.

"Doppelganger wins!" Sammy shouted to the crowd, and the roar of approval was apparent. Doppy grabbed Malore by his hair and raised him up to face Sarine for judgment. Then he looked at Sarine and asked, "Does he live? Or does he die?"

"For now...he lives," Sarine said with a nod. "We have future plans with him. Keep him in a weakened state at all times, but don't kill him."

Pori-Pori bounced over, as Margaretha Healed him just enough after Doppy pulled his sword free. Malore was Silenced by the blade and couldn't resist when he got dragged back to the dungeon. Doppy wanted to kill him, but he would respect Sarine's decision.

"You're sure about keeping him alive?" Howard asked, as he nuzzled Sarine's neck. She nodded and reminded him of the others that may be lured to him.

"We will always watch over him!" Justice vowed. After accepting a pat on the head, he bounced off to watch over the prisoner.

"We should make other dungeon cells so the prisoners can't help each other," Sarine thought aloud. At that, the construction would be done.

"We should go to the Payon house. I'm sure that it would be nice over there, and we need to show it's still lived in," Keltin suggested. She nodded and smiled. Doppy walked back over to them and chuckled.

"Hey, Doppelganger," Eremes said.

"Hmm?" Doppy replied.

"How would you feel...if I had a go with Sarine now?" Eremes asked casually.

"I would have to say no," Doppy smirked. Sarine frowned and watched them both. The mental wall in her mind was silently being reinforced now, as she listened to them. With each remark about her being said, it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide her emotions. Keltin grinned and rose up to intervene before Howard started to join them. As they argued in their own way as men usually did, she started to tense up and withdraw herself from them. When she got tired of listening to them, she rose up to see about moving back to the house. It was the only way she could keep her emotions under control, but, as she got up, she was not unnoticed.

"Where are you going?" Doppy asked, as he looked over at her.

"Oh, I don't know. Not that it matters, I guess," she sighed.

"What?" Howard frowned.

"Apparently...I don't have a choice," she shivered. Eremes hissed and winced.

"No, you do!" Keltin said quickly.

"But, I won't in the end. So...why would it matter?" she said softly. Doppy just watched her with amazement, as she started to walk away again. The men were stunned at what happened. Muninn chirped softly and flew off his perch to follow her. He knew she was reaching a breaking point and needed the comfort. She had bottled herself up even tighter and managed to walk away from them undisturbed. Not looking back, she made her way to the beachside and stood there to watch the waves. She trembled, as she felt rather alone now. After another moment of silence, she whispered to herself, as her voice started breaking, "What good am I...? What good am I, if I can't even bother to protect myself, much less keep a bunch of men from arguing? What can I do to get my point across? Apparently...nothing..."

She fell to her knees, hugging herself tightly. Muninn landed next to her and pressed his back against her. She found herself hugging him, and her mental wall shattered completely. She sobbed out her frustrations, as the tears fell now.

_:You matter. Trust me.:_  Muninn said in her mind.

"No, I don't! I'm a Vessel of Odin with a tattoo and that's it! I'm just...I'm just a label! My parents didn't want me! My husbands just fight over me! I have nothing more to give anyone!" she cried out in vented frustration. Eremes was Cloaked and listening in for the others close by. At her hurtful sobs, his chest felt as though it was punched inwards. _I had promised her that everything would matter to her now. That she would be included in all of our decisions from this point forward. What could I, and the others, do after this?_  He made his way back to them quickly to report what was said. Muninn kept an eye on the Assassin Cross as he left, and then looked up at the sky.

_:You are. Important. Not. A label.:_  Muninn warbled softly and nuzzled her.

"But why...do I have to feel so used?!" she sobbed now, her body shaking. A sudden crushing force of pressure surrounded her, and she gasped when she was lifted from the ground with Muninn. Pulled up into the heavens now, she found herself in a place much like Valhalla, but the hallway was empty. Looking around, she shivered, and Muninn looked at her carefully.

_:Follow me.:_  he prodded her mind. Still shaking like mad, she took in several deep gasps of air and followed the falcon, as he seemed to hop over the ground with his wings spread. He carefully lead her up a set of stairs and up to a regal chair. In the chair sat a tired-looking old man in old fashioned noble attire of heavy silks, furs, and small bits of armor. He had an intricate crown on his head of thick, grey hair, and his forehead was furrowed with wrinkles. He had a metal patch over his left eye, a heavy grey beard, and an air around him that signified intense power. The way he watched her was like a father to a daughter.

"Odin...?" she whispered with a form of awe.

"My daughter. My Vessel. Come to me?" he asked in a deep and warrior-like voice. Tears fell from her now, as she realized only one thing.  _I am home._  Crying, she leapt into his lap, and he hugged her gently. He let her cry out everything she needed to right there. When she was done, she was gasping for air like crazy, but he waited for her to calm down.

"Why?" she asked. It was all that she asked. It was the one question that always raged in her mind. He gave a light chuckle, as he patted her back.

"Because you must," he said lightly. "I cannot be in the world of mortals. I can make small appearances, but I cannot actually roam freely through it. To do that would upset the Balance that was so carefully placed. I needed one who was able to do so in my stead. When you were born, the alignment of the stars was perfect. Your purpose down there is to be my voice and presence for those that doubt who I am and what needs to be done."

"But...my husbands..." she whimpered.

"Ah, yes. Four now, right?" he chuckled. "I know they are a handful. I see them! I know! But, I do have a gift for you to help keep them in line."

Blinking at him now, she looked at the small black box in his hand that simply seemed to appear for him, and she opened it up. She pulled out an arrow that shone with a solid light.

"What is this?" she frowned.

"This is called a Sacred Arrow. Unlike other arrows, it will never run out for you, but you must use it wisely. It will help you when you feel defenseless, and it will always reappear when you use it. As for your husbands, when you have this arrow ready to use, your speed will be faster than theirs. Your power will be greater than theirs. You could say that they will end up being your assistants in the end."

"But...Odin...I mean...Daddy..." she sighed.

"What is it?" he frowned, though pleased that she readily accepted him as her natural father. She frowned, and he gestured for her to speak.

"It's wonderful that you are giving this to me, but it doesn't solve my problem."

"Oh? Explain it to me?"

"I just want them to know that my opinion matters, too! I want them to know that, if I mean something, then I  _mean_  it! I don't want my opinion to be second guessed. I just...I want them to know that I matter. I love all four of them. Honestly, I do. And I told them before, and they did understand, but then it was like they forgot that I existed again! I just...I get so tired of hearing them fight over me! I hate it when they fight over me! Even if it's just a show of strength...even if it's in play or training. I just...I can't take it. I don't like watching them fight over me at all. It just...it hurts."

Seeming to frown at this, he looked down at Muninn who confirmed what she said. He called forth the warrior Valkyrie and the Valkyrie from Valhalla. Both Valkyries paused at where they were, and then stared at Sarine in Odin's lap. On seeing that she was crying and stressed to her limit, they instantly knew why she was with her father.

"My dear warrior maidens," Odin started. "what would you do to have someone you love know that everything you do matters and they agree, yet suddenly forget what was said? Or if you have a choice to do something, but are ignored, and you just want to at least be given a choice to speak out and be heard, yet was denied the ability?"

"Fight them!" the warrior Valkyrie said quickly. "Beat it into them!"

"Show them that they can't live without you!" the Valkyrie from Valhalla said.

"And, if they don't listen?" Odin asked.

"You make them listen," the warrior Valkyrie nodded.

"Or you go silent until they have no choice but to relent and find out what else can be done," the Valkyrie from Valhalla said.

"My daughter, my Vessel's four husbands are making her cry. She loves them, but they are doing the very things we are talking about. What can we do to fix this?" Odin asked.

"I will give her my power and fury to put them in their place!" the warrior Valkyrie said.

"I shall give her my knowledge and insight to make them see what they did wrong!" the Valkyrie from Valhalla said.

"And, I shall give you a stunning Light to overpower anything should your Guardian and my Wrath feel overcome! It is truly called the Light of Odin. The Light I give you should only be used in dire circumstances, and you can only use it once a day. I will give you one chance to use it twice when you go back for today to prove yourself to them. And, I will allow you to create several duplicates of yourself, but you cannot control them separately. They will mimic your movements and do the same attacks you do. I would suggest," Odin grinned. "that you use them with your Light of Odin. Also, the Light does not kill. It simply rips the opposition of strength and will. And, just so you know, there are titles to your husbands. The Bongun monster is your Guardian, as we both know. The Whitesmith is your Armor, since he can withstand the most damage in battle, much like a shield. The Assassin Cross is your Weapon, since he kills for you regardless of the situation. And, of course, Doppelganger is my Wrath, as well as yours, to be your last line of defense should all go wrong."

"Daddy," she whispered with a soft smile. "may I have one other request?"

"Just one!" he smiled.

"I would like the ability to instantly Teleport to my enemies in battle to deal my attack and reappear where I was. Preferably behind them. This way they will have no idea what hit them!" Sarine smiled. He laughed and granted her the ability. He was pleased that his Vessel wanted a way to protect herself should all else fail. The arrow he gave her would likely be used as an emergency weapon like his Light. He knew she would not use such weapons unless there was no choice. Muninn bowed and waited for Sarine to be released by him. Then the Valkyries touched her to lend her their power. Seeming to breathe a sigh of relief, she turned to face Odin.

"Do not fail me, my daughter, my Vessel. I am always watching over you," Odin said. He sent her and Muninn back to the island. When they got there, it was as if time hadn't moved. Very carefully, she built up her wall again to hide her emotions. Smiling now, she watched Muninn fly up into the air to follow her back to the arena. Seyren was talking to her husbands now and paused, as he saw her walk into the arena. When she stood there in the center, it was Doppy that came down from the balcony and approached her first.

"Sorry Sari?" he asked lightly.

"From now on," Sarine said gently. "if no one asks for my opinion on anything, I will fight the one that started the issue. If any of my loves fight, then I shall fight the winner. I. Will. Not. Be. Ignored. Anymore."

The demon's mouth dropped at the wave of power that seemed to flow from her when she trembled with control to keep her mental barrier up.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"Odin helped me," she whispered. "Gave me advice. A new weapon. A few new skills to help myself should anything else fail. I am his Vessel, and I am now the strongest one here. He also...called me his daughter. And, for the first time in my life, I felt that I had finally found home. But, that's beside the point. I am here, since he said I had to be here for him, and that I should not have to stand by and listen to the lot of you argue any further. So, yes, he helped me, and now I am back here."

Her other three husbands were staring at her in disbelief, as they stopped behind Doppy. They had never seen her so outraged and pissed off before. Seyren wisely kept his mouth shut and moved to sit in the arena stands to oversee what was going on.

"He called you his daughter?" Howard said with amazement. She nodded to him.

"Sarine," Keltin started, and she rose up her hand to silence him.

"He said you all had special titles, and now I will tell them to you. Some you all know, others are new. Keltin. You are my Guardian. Howard. You are my Armor. Eremes. You are my Weapon. Doppy. You are my Wrath. But, so help me, if any of you piss me off like this again, you will ALL feel my true anguish!" she hissed with her eyes narrowed. The wall she had so carefully built up around herself to hide her emotions was starting to crack, as all of this was coming out. Howard trembled, as he started to feel it, but he did nothing.

"And what would you have us do?!" Doppy growled, yet his voice was concerned. "What would you have us do to make it up to you now?"

"Simple," she gave a hint of a smile, as she faced them. "You and Eremes will fight. I will fight whoever wins."

"No!" Eremes hissed. "I won't do that! I could never fight you!"

"Then promise me this! The  _only_ time that you all will fight each other is to improve on your skills! Not over me!" she said, and now the true pain hit her eyes. "Do you know how  _painful_ it is to watch that?! To watch me being fought over?! I understand that there are four of you, but there is only  _one_ of me! It hurts to watch those I love fight and bicker over me. It hurts so badly! And to be even further ignored..."

Howard gave a choking gasp, as her carefully built wall shattered now, and he hung his head at the heartache and severe sadness that flowed from her. Keltin ground his teeth together, as he was unsure of what he could even do now. Eremes had his arms crossed and his eyes closed in thought. Doppy was tensing now, since this was the first time he ever came across this situation in his life.

"What will you have us do?" Eremes whispered. "We all love you. We all want to be with you. We try so hard..."

"I know, Eremes. Just don't...don't talk about me like I'm not there! You said that my opinion mattered, right? What happened back there?! Why else would I have walked off like I did? You all ignored me! You just went back and forth over who was going to...to sleep with me!" she hissed out. "You thought it was just some sick joke!"

Tears fell from Howard's face now, though he remained silent. He was far more in tune with how she felt than the others were when she was this emotional. Seyren could only see it on her face and feel just enough to know what was going on, but it was Howard that truly felt it from the heart. It was why she couldn't fully go to him with any of her problems. The sadness and heartache he felt from her was ripping him to shreds now. Keltin gave out several deep breaths, since he was naturally her voice of reason, and it was hard on him, since she spoke the truth. Eremes knew she was pissed, and now he knew exactly why.

"It was not a joke," Doppy sighed. "I just...I'm a demon. I'm possessive! It's in my nature! How am I supposed to fight against that?!"

"Is it in your nature to be put in your place, then?" she asked. Howard suddenly looked at her in shock, as her emotion shifted from sadness to rage.

"Sarine, no, please!" Howard begged, as he knew he wouldn't be able to bear watching her fight like this. "Don't...please..."

"I'm sorry, How-How," she swallowed, and he winced at his nickname. "How am I supposed to know that this won't happen again?"

"You will have to trust us," Eremes said, as he looked at her.

"I vow from now on," Doppy said. "I will never falter on anything when it comes to you. You will always come first before me. I get so carried away, and I...I'm sorry. I know now how hard it is for you. It's hard for me, since I've never done this before. It's hard on them, too, but you are right. You are only one woman. You can only do so much."

"Thank you, Doppy," she finally said, and she moved to hug Howard first, since he was in tears. She let him cry with her until he was calm. Then she moved to Keltin to let him feel at ease with her again. After him, she moved to Eremes to show that he was forgiven. Lastly to Doppy to show she still trusted him. Howard did move to hug her again, since he had taken the brunt of her emotions. When her emotional barrier was put back into place, he was able to breathe easier, and he hugged her tighter.

"What would you like to do now?" Doppy asked her.

"Well, since Seyren has watched this whole thing unfold, and is my brother, in a sense, it would only be suitable for me to fight him and the lot of you watch. Don't you want to see what I can do now?" she asked sweetly. Howard finally gave a twitch of a smile, as he glanced at Seyren. Keltin grinned and waved for Seyren to come down. When Seyren walked down to the arena, he noticed the others walking up to the balcony to watch.

"What do you need?" Seyren asked, as he approached her.

"Well, Seyren, I would like you to fight me," Sarine smiled. She saw Doppy talking to Sammy and heard him laughing.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked. Sammy started to signal that another fight was taking place now.

"Afraid you'll hurt me?" she frowned.

"Yes," Seyren said. He spotted the other monsters and friends coming back to filter in the arena seats to settle. Karla smiled and waved at him.

"Well, if you're afraid of showing me what you've got," Sarine sighed.

"I'm not going to fight you," he said.

"Why not? Because I'm a girl?" she asked.

"Because I don't want to hurt my sister! Okay?"

"Fine. I'll just see you as a chicken. A great big chicken!" she grinned. She knew exactly how to press his buttons and started doing so with glee.

"Don't do it, Sarine," he warned. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he Berserked. She giggled and danced away.

"Chicken!" she grinned. Sammy watched from his judging chair and grinned, as he waited for the fight to truly start.

"Now listen here!" Seyren shouted at her. "You cut this out right now!"

"Stupid head!" Sarine grumbled and moved to stomp off.

"What did you call me?!" Seyren sputtered and finally charged after her. Then she turned and had an odd smile of satisfaction on her face. An unearthly wind seemed to billow about her form, which seemed to shock her husbands. It was the same wind that formed around Keltin when he let out his Rage. Before Seyren knew it, her form seemed to blink out and reappear behind him. As he stopped to turn, he paused when her form split into four duplicates of herself. Then she screamed, and all four duplicates called down a brilliant white light that shot down from the heavens and penetrated to his very core.

The Light of Odin has finally made an appearance. He screamed bloody murder at the top of his lungs, as intense, crushing pain filtered out through every bone and pore of his body. He was flat on his back by the time it vanished. It sapped him of his strength, and he couldn't move much less focus. Her duplicates vanished, and she reappeared where she was before appearing behind him. Then she turned to look up at her husbands in the balcony. All four of them had their jaws dropped.

"Don't piss me off anymore!" she frowned and stormed out of the arena. Karla, Lloyd, and Margaretha ran in to check on Seyren. Sarine called out to them. "He'll be fine! Just give him a moment to snap out of it! He's not dead! He's just weakened!"

When she got to the house, she went straight into the bedroom to change back into her Sniper gears. She felt much better now, and she even started humming a small tune, as she set her jewelry, Elven Ears, and robe into her pack. She rubbed off a good majority of the rouge on her lips so that a very faint amount was left. When Howard ran in, she gave him a cheerful smile and waved. When he moved to hug her, she stopped him with a shake of her head to simply show that she wasn't ready yet. She moved about the room some more to put some odd things away, and then she moved to hug him when she was ready.

He said nothing. He couldn't say anything.  _She single-handedly kicked the crap out of Seyren. She could easily take care of herself, if she had to._

"What are we good for, if you can do that?" he muttered, as he pressed her head against his chest. He heard her sigh, and she squeezed him lightly.

"I can normally only do that once a day. All of my skills are very limited. I will still need all of your protection, How-How. Odin, Daddy, that is, told me that, for this once, I can call on that twice, but just for today to prove a point. The first time was to show you what I can do. The second time is to defend myself, I think. I shouldn't have to, but I can."

"Well, you definitely proved your point!" he grimaced. He felt her tremble, but it was out of laughter. Now he found himself smiling. "You called him a stupid head, and he got mad. That is classic! I forgot how much he hates to be called names by you!"

She laughed a bit more now, and he hugged her even tighter. Doppy, Eremes, and Keltin filtered in soon after, and the mood seemed much lighter now.

"Did you see him?!" Keltin said, as he crowed with laughter.

"You really knocked him out," Eremes chuckled.

"I doubt he will be able to look at you decently for a while," Doppy frowned.

"Well, he always thought he was better than me, to an extent. But, please, in all seriousness, don't upset me anymore. I don't want to have to feel like I did around you all. It's not supposed to be that way. Right?" Sarine said softly. Howard nodded and kissed her passionately. When she was given over to Doppy to kiss next, the door opened. She blinked at Seyren, as he managed to walk in and sit in a chair rather roughly.

"You called me a stupid head!" he frowned sadly. Howard struggled to keep a straight face, and even Eremes smirked.

"Oh!" Sarine said and moved to hug him. "I'm sorry! I was only trying to get you to fight me! I didn't have any other choice."

"But, why did you have to call me that? You never called me that before! You call people you don't like that!" he pouted. She made a face at him and hugged him again, as Howard burst into laughter. He made a teasing face back at her, and she smiled.

"I will always love my brother!" Sarine giggled, and Seyren finally managed to smile. Doppy chuckled a bit, as he moved to sit by the door.

"What was that you hit me with?!" Seyren finally asked.

"The Light of Odin," she smiled. All eyes were now on her. "Yep! He gave that to me, and both Valkyries blessed me to help defend myself! And I got the Sacred Arrow, too!"

"WHAT?!" the Doppelganger gaped. "The Sacred Arrow?! How?!"

"He said I needed it," she said evenly.

"That arrow..." he gasped with a knowing fear. "Just...don't use it on me, okay? It can literally kill me!"

"What?" Sarine asked with shock.

"It can destroy any demon it touches! It can incapacitate me for who knows how long!" he said. "It...obliterates evil! And me, being a demon..."

"Doppy," she sighed and moved to sit in his lap. "You know that I would never hurt you, right? Why do you think I wanted to pick on Seyren instead of you?"

He blinked, as Seyren huffed a bit.

"You would never hurt me?" Doppy shivered.

"I love you," she continued to say to Doppy. "Just like you can't hurt me, I can't hurt you. I could never do that to you."

He had to kiss her then, and he did. Howard quickly escorted Seyren out of the room. That was when the guys looked at each other and then at her as if wondering how they were going to proceed. Finally, Keltin said, "How do we do this?"

"Um, can I decide the list this time?" she asked.

"Maybe we should have just let her do it," Howard smiled.

"True," Keltin agreed.

"Heard and noted," Eremes said with a grin.

"Make your choice," Doppy nodded.

"Okay. Eremes first. Then Doppy. Then Keltin. Then Howard," she said.

"Why me last?" Howard frowned.

"You said I could make the choice!" she chuckled. His head hung low, but he agreed to it. Then she walked up to him and whispered in his ear. That made him grin and feel a lot better rather instantly. He kissed her cheek, and she blushed.

"I'm fine with it now!" he chuckled. Eremes smiled and watched Sarine undress and get on the bed. When he approached her, the heat sparked as lust and desire started off in waves.

"I see now," Doppy mused. "why she chose him first."

"You think?" Keltin asked, as Eremes struggled to get close to Sarine.

"Yes. I'm going to learn how he does this with her," Doppy smiled and now locked his eyes on anything that could give him a clue. The others paused and watched Eremes remove his now sweat-filled clothing and stagger forward. Sarine was already sweating like crazy, and it seemed to take forever for them to finally join. Doppy hadn't lifted his eyes once from them, as they struggled with each other before finally crying out in fury. He waited for what seemed like an hour for Eremes to finally move from her, but he was used to biding his time.

He gave a twitch of a grin, as he watched Eremes settle weakly along a wall to regain his strength. He didn't learn anything of the secret to making heat, but he was horribly turned on and quite eager. Howard tossed Eremes a towel to cover himself with, since his clothes were still damp. Even though Howard and Eremes were powerful monsters with ghostly bodies, they were still incredibly solid and more human than others realized. They weren't even truly ghosts.

"Thanks," Eremes sighed and wrapped it around himself. Sarine watched Doppy remove his armor with sharp movements before he paused and took a deep sniff of the air to pull in her scent. He did give a bit of a smug grin, as the others gave shrewd looks at his size with disbelief.  _I'm a demon and damned proud of it!_  With this new confidence in mind now, he moved over her with an inhuman silence and paused again to let her move her hand over his chest. He tensed and let out a growl of impatience before he moved to start licking her skin clean of sweat. She was still burning hot with flames of passion, and she screamed when his mouth reached her thighs. When he started to give the rumbling purr, Keltin had a rather wide grin, as Sarine's cries got sharper. Howard gave a small mutter of jealousy, and Eremes gave a light chuckle.

He forced her to ride out her releases over and over again until she started to go hoarse before moving her to her hands and knees to finally claim her. She arched her back, as he furiously took her. The heat within her clearly affecting him before he howled his release. His hands locked on her slim hips, as he rocked her, forcing her to whimper and moan. When he finished and pulled away from her, she was a gasping mess. He caught the towel thrown to him with a smirk, and he put it on while he moved to rest by the door.

Keltin thought to himself, as he was still in his original Bongun form, and undressed. He heard her gasp softly when she saw him, and he smiled gently. When he moved over her, it reminded her completely of their first time together all over again. He took her with a slow, gentle passion that rose quickly into a fury of torment.

She clung to him, as he continued to move with her, the fire within her heightening the sensations to a whole new level. When she cried out her release, he wasn't far behind her, and he practically squeezed her in a tight hug. After the tremors of release died down, he took her once more, but they both didn't last long after that. Holding her close for a moment longer, he kissed her deeply before managing to separate from her. He caught her hand and kissed it before kissing her again with the love he always held for her.

Howard tossed a towel to Keltin, as he moved off the bed, and he undressed swiftly. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he looked over at the love of his life. He couldn't believe his predicament now, but he wasn't going to let it stop him. He couldn't let it stop him. Even now as he approached her, he wanted her more than ever, and it was eating at him like the fire that burned and scorched through her. She gazed up at him so lovingly, it made his heart ache. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and she was going to prove it.

He let her reach out and lightly trace the muscles on his chest. Then his shoulders and down to his arms. He trembled as though each touch burned and etched into his skin. He didn't feel himself move over her. He didn't feel himself lock her into a kiss that almost deprived them both of air. He didn't even realize he was starting to take her. She enveloped his senses so much that he could only give himself to her. He finally realized what was going on when he lifted her to place her against the wall to claim her madly. She cried out, as she worked with him, and he started to groan. Before long, he was crying out with her, and he held her against the wall when he released hard. The force of it had him clinging to her, as his body trembled fiercely. Yet, he knew he still wasn't done.

Resting his head against her shoulder, she moaned when he started again. His arms held her up even higher, as he thrust deeper within her. He finally shouted with her at another release, and he fell to his knees with her in his arms. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist. She could feel him throbbing within her, and she tightened everything she had around him making him cry out again in another release. She moved her hips again, and he had no choice as he gave in again. After a final time, he swung them both onto the bed to rest and gasp for air.

When several minutes passed, she finally came around and felt Howard pull her against him. Keltin was soon in the bed and reclining on her other side. Eremes was still resting against the wall in his corner, and Doppy was sitting by the door with his feet up on another chair.

"Let's just do this from now on," Doppy chuckled. Soft giggling bubbled from her throat, as the others laughed lightly. Howard was soon sleeping, and Keltin had his eyes closed now. She was incredibly tired, since she didn't get much sleep at all, and, for the first time in a long while, she was able to sleep with a smile of pure bliss and contentment.


	32. Chapter 32

Several hours later, she woke with a soft sigh. Howard and Keltin were still sleeping, and, on glancing at Eremes, he was still asleep along the corner of the wall, as well. Doppy was in silent meditation from where he was at the door. On looking at the window, she judged it was a couple hours before dawn. Carefully moving to rise up from the bed, she felt strong hands assist her and move her from the bedside. At the scent that reached her, she knew who it was.

"Thank you, Doppy," she smiled, and he chuckled. He never needed sleep, so it was easy to help her. A kiss was pressed to her mouth, as she was cradled.

"You're welcome," he whispered. "What's wrong?"

"I need to use the toilet," she chuckled. Nodding, he helped her get there without any need of lights. It was easier for him to see in the darkness of night rather than in sunlight. When she was done, she gestured for him to join her into the bathroom, and the door was silently closed. She lit a candle so she could see him, and she smiled at him.

"Is anything wrong?" he asked. "You really should go back to sleep. You haven't been sleeping enough lately."

"I know," she sighed and watched him sit on the ground to talk to her better. A light smile on her face now, she moved to press her chest against his back and wrap her arms around him in a hug. He gasped and placed his hands on the floor, tensing at her very touch. A slow hiss was all he could give, as she traced over his chest and up to his neck muscles. Another slow touch of her fingers moved up to his hair to rub his scalp. The very feel of her fingers moving through his hair brought out a calming and erotic sensation to him that was impossible to ignore. He even started to purr, and he suddenly snapped out of it when her hands moved away.

"Sorry Sari!" he warned, as he hissed out the name he gave her.

"Hush, now, Doppy," she murmured seductively in his ear. "I'm going to try something with you. And...I don't want you to move...a single...muscle..."

His eyes opened wide, as his chest flexed with forced control.

"No promises!" he growled out.

"Not so loud, or you'll wake the others," she smiled, as a finger traced under Doppy's chin. Her hands moved on either side of his shoulders, as she slowly walked around him to face him. He was only wearing a towel while she was still nude, and she pulled it off him. He had to squeeze his eyes shut, as he braced against the ground to fight against his instincts of grabbing her and having his way with her. Then he let out a startled gasp, as she started to lick and taste his skin. He paused in a small form of shock at what she was doing.

She worked first on his upper chest and then downwards. She couldn't afford to be thorough, since he was longer and leaner.  _There simply wasn't enough time for it._ On reaching his sex, she was barely able to take him all into her mouth. He leaned back on his elbows now, his head facing the ceiling as he struggled to remain quiet. She continued to work on him with her hands and mouth until he was showing signs of losing control. Then she moved onto him and slammed herself down on him.

He gave a small, gasping cry of release, as she moved herself on him. When he released again, she pulled his head close to hers to kiss. Then she moved her mouth to his neck to bite down. He lost any form of control he had. The pleasuring bite did nothing to his skin, but it sent a fiery path of lust to his very core. He grabbed her and started to move her faster on him. She gave out hissing whispers of release and managed a voiceless cry when he bit down on her neck. The only difference was he bit with enough pressure to break her skin.

He usually wasn't the type to like human blood. He knew what it tasted like when adventurers bled on him as he attacked them. He found their blood foul and detestable. Not Sarine's. It was a potent elixir that tasted unlike anything he ever had. Even more was the fact that it was lined with a drop of his blood. It excited him in such an erotic way that he lost himself in her. Moving harder and harder into her, he couldn't hear her small pleas and cries, as he worked on the wound at her throat, swallowing mouthful after mouthful. She gave out a silent cry of deep release, and he swallowed several more mouthfuls of her blood. It was only when she was dead weight in his arms that he finally came to and stopped. Small droplets of her blood now trailed down his chest, and he gasped when he regained control again.

"Sarine?" he whispered, as he pulled away from her neck to look at her.  _She was unconscious and pale. Her neck still dripped blood._  Swearing in his Demonic Tongue, he quickly grabbed a towel to put around her and then one around his waist. Another was grabbed to press against her neck, and he sped silently out of the room with her.

Sniffing around in the hallway, he stopped at the door that reeked with a Holy aura, and he knocked hard on the door. Hearing a soft gasp of surprise, he heard shuffling movements until the door was opened. Lloyd stood there in his pants and tunic with sleep in his eyes, but, when he saw Doppy standing there covered in blood and carrying Sarine in his arms with a bloody towel around her neck, his eyes widened with complete and absolute shock. Margaretha peered over his shoulder, and she gasped.

"Doppy! What happened?!" Margaretha asked with horror.

"Help...me...!" Doppy begged. They both pulled him into the room and put a pillow on the floor to cushion Sarine's head. On removing the bloody towel from her neck, they had their mouths dropped in shock at the wound. Then they Healed her quickly, and Margaretha ran down to the kitchen to get some fluids for Sarine.

"What did you do?!" Lloyd hissed. He was wearing a long robe now and glowering at Doppy as though he was a small child. Needless to say, Doppy felt very much like one.

"It was an accident!" Doppy said quickly. "She woke up, I was the only one awake, she did things to me, and I lost control!"

"Have you done that with anyone else?" Lloyd asked.

"Never. This is the first time it ever happened," Doppy admitted.

"All right. Ugh, this is harsh," the High Priest sighed. "Since you didn't know this one time, it's fine. Only if she pulls through! I wouldn't go talking about it to the others, though. They might get mad at you."

"As if I would go so far!" Doppy snorted. Margaretha returned with juices and water. They slowly started to nurse Sarine with a straw of flavorful apple juice. After an agonizing ten minutes, Sarine was able to start drinking on her own, as she came to. Her body recovered quickly with the intense Healing. A sigh of relief seemed to wash through them, as she was going to be okay.

Doppy moved into the bedroom to clean up any evidence of what happened, including himself of her blood, before spotting Muninn watching him from a corner of the bathroom. The falcon clucked his beak, as though chuckling.

_:Secret safe. Careful. She heals. Help her.:_  he prodded into Doppelganger's mind.

"I will. Thank you," he nodded. He moved swiftly back to Lloyd's room, and Sarine looked up at him with amusement in her eyes.

"I know you didn't mean it," she said softly. "In a way, I brought it on myself. Let's just make sure we have some strong potions and water handy next time."

"Next time?" Doppy hissed. "I'm afraid to touch you now!"

"Doppy," she sighed. "Tell me you didn't enjoy that."

A twitch of a grin on his lips now, as he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy it. It was the most erotic thing he would ever remember, and he knew he would want it again.

"I want to catch another two hours of sleep," Lloyd said wearily.

"Thank you, Lloyd!" Sarine said, as she got up. She was still a bit shaky, and Doppy picked her up. Gathering up the bloody towel, he looked at her.

"What do you think?" Doppy asked.

"I think we can both use some fresh air," she mused. Nodding to her, he sped back into her room to grab his sword, and then he sped outside with her. Finding a rock that could make sparks on steel, they found a secluded spot to safely dispose of the towel. Using the stone to shower sparks onto the towel, he kept at it until the sparks caught on the soft fabric and burned it away to nothing.

Placing the rock in a place he would remember in case he needed it again, he gathered her up in his arms. Then he sped back into the house to her room with her. He dampened a towel to carefully wipe off any excess blood from their skin and quickly disposed of the towel in the same manner as the first. Putting a fresh towel on her, he didn't want anything to seem out of place. Muninn helped them by having more towels appear in the bathroom to recover what was lost. Setting her down for just a moment, Doppy ran into the kitchen to grab several pitchers of water and a few cups to put on the table for her in the morning. Finally feeling secure with her, as he gathered her back up into his arms, he finally relaxed with her. The others were still asleep, and he sat in the chair by the door with her in his lap. Holding her close, she nestled into him.

"What now?" he asked.

"I know for a fact that, when we go back to Geffen Tower, there is a specific spot that Howard wanted to have me in," she smiled.

"Oh?" he asked. She nodded and told him in depth of what happened when she first met Howard. He heard the story before, but not from her aspect of it. She yawned and rested her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. When he learned that Eremes had disposed of the thugs later that night, he grinned. When she stopped talking, he looked down at her and smiled gently. She had fallen asleep against his chest. She was the only one that he would ever let sleep on him.  _She is everything to me._ Holding her close now, he let her sleep the rest of the night away.


	33. Chapter 33

Four hours later, he felt her move against his chest, and he kissed her awake. She was incredibly thirsty from the blood loss, and he quickly leaned over to the table to pour her some water. In the end, he gave her the whole pitcher of it. She still felt a bit sore from the multiple matings from her husbands, but it was to be expected.  _I'm only one woman after all._  Howard woke first and glanced around to find Sarine in Doppy's embrace.

"Sarine?" Howard frowned.

"Sorry. I had to use the toilet and didn't want to wake you. I was also a bit thirsty, so he had these ready for me. Likely from all the sweat with Eremes. Doppy helped me and let me sleep on him," she smiled. Finishing off the water, she put the cup on the table and moved towards Howard. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, tugging off her towel.

"We have a few things to do today, don't we?" Doppy grinned.

"Just five minutes!" Howard growled, as he pulled Sarine up to his chest. Moving her onto him, she arched herself, and he didn't even last for another minute. Crying out sharply with her, he pulled her down to kiss her hard.

"Well, that was a nice sound to wake up to!" Keltin snickered and reached for her. Sarine giggled and blushed. Howard rolled his eyes at him, as the Bongun took her quickly.

"I do believe that Doppy is right. We have to get to the Clock Tower today and bring Baphomet's son with us," Sarine stretched and groaned now, as she rose from Keltin's embrace. Eremes moved swiftly to pluck her from the bed and carry her into the shower to get her laughing. Ten minutes later, she was finally dressed with the others and heading down the stairs.

Lloyd was pleased to see her looking better from last night, and a glass of orange juice was put in front of her. Drinking it down, she finally asked who was going with her to the Clock Tower. She wanted to start getting everyone ready.

"We should all go," Cecil said.

"I could use the training," Mitchell nodded.

"Well, where you go, I go," Kathryne said with a smile. Mitchell blushed.

"What a Harpy! Ow!" Seyren grumbled, as Karla pinched him. Eremes chuckled and Keltin grinned. Sarine went over to Keltin and leaned on him. He remained in his Bongun form just for her. He put his arms around her, and she kissed his cheek.

"Are we ready?" Doppy asked, as he folded his arms over his chest.

"I think we are," Eremes nodded.

"Then let's go!" Howard grinned. Sarine's falcon swooped down to land on her shoulders. Pori-Pori scooted over to hop on her head.

"Aren't you supposed to be watching over Malore?" Sarine asked Pori-Pori.

"I will watch over him," Storm Caller said. Nodding, she paused, as Windwalker swooped down to let her climb on its back. Now that they were ready, the Kafra Agent warped them to Al De Baran.

When they got there, a startled crowd paused at the massive Gryphon swarmed by powerful monsters. At first they thought it was an attack. When they saw Sarine riding the Gryphon, many realized who she was and started to cheer. Seyren led them with Howard into the Clock Tower, itself, and they moved swiftly through the floors.

"Where is Dad?" Baphomet Jr. asked anxiously.

"I'm not sure," Sarine frowned. "Can't you locate him?"

"That's a good idea!" Baphomet Jr. nodded and started to sniff the air.

"I'm getting a feeling that we are getting close," Doppy muttered.

"I'll scout ahead as much as I can," Eremes nodded, and he Cloaked to run off.

"Something feels different now, doesn't it?" Howard frowned. Sarine started to worry. Baphomet Jr. jumped off Windwalker's back and started to run down a narrow hallway. They followed him quickly and paused at Eremes running back to them.

"Big battle! He's losing!" the Assassin Cross hissed.

"Oh, no!" Sarine whispered, and they moved forward.

"DAAAAD!" Baphomet Jr. screamed, as he saw his father being pummeled by several strong adventurers. Baphomet clearly didn't want his son to see this, but there was no choice.

"Come no closer! Gah!" the massive demon hissed, as he fought off attack after attack. His son just looked on with horror at what he was seeing. One of the adventurers, a Lord Knight, saw them watching and pointed at them. The High Wizard with him nodded and shot a Fire Ball at them. It was supposed to be a warning to not intervene.

"Sarine!" Howard shouted.  _It was aimed right at her and the Gryphon!_  Doppy moved quickly in front of it and blocked it with his armor. The Fire Ball barely had an effect on him due to the high elemental resistance he had.

"Now I'm pissed off!" he snarled. "Sorry, Baphomet! They just tried to attack the Vessel of Odin!"

"WHAT?!" Baphomet snarled and was filled with new life, as Lloyd and Margaretha Healed him. Keltin let out his Rage, as he went straight for the High Wizard that sent off the Fire Ball. Sarine pulled up the marble flute to her lips and called a Valkyrie maiden to assist them. Kathryne, Cecil, and Seyren called out their summoned clones to join the fray. Karla started tossing her bottles left and right, as Mitchell helped support Kathryne's spells. The battle was now one-sided, and the other party was fully wiped out. When it was over, the Valkyrie maiden vanished, as well as the other clones.

Baphomet let his son come up to him and gain the comfort in knowing that all was fine. Then the massive demon looked at Doppy and studied him closely.

"I'm Doppelganger," Doppy said with a smirk.

"Really? Now that is an interesting concept," Baphomet chuckled.

"Are you all right?" Sarine frowned, as she moved over to the giant demon's side.

"I am fine now," he nodded and looked over at the defeated party. Turning his back on them, he looked at her. He blinked a bit when he smelled Doppy on her, and he gave a small grin that she was branded. He liked that idea.

"I came here, since your son was concerned for you. I also need to get into the basement of the Clock Tower to recruit more monsters. I have heard that there were other monsters in the upper levels, too," Sarine explained.

"In thanks, allow me to escort you. I will take you to the upper levels first. Hmm," he said, as he looked at Mitchell. "You will need to be extra careful."

"I am protecting him," Kathryne nodded. Cecil giggled at her, and she smiled. Baphomet made a Warp for them, and they went through it to the upper level. Once there, his presence made the lesser monsters scatter. When Sarine urged Windwalker forward, a floating monster in gold approached her. Keltin moved behind her quickly to let her know what it was.

"It's an Elder. Mainly a magic caster," he whispered. She studied how it had a long, white beard, a golden, key-like collar that rose up like a set of antennae, and the long robes swirled with what was left of its magical body. Red eyes blinked out from the hood, and swirls of glowing orbs moved over it. It bowed to her and vanished.

"It looks so odd!" Sarine giggled.

A blue cloaked owl-man approached them next and appeared to be wearing a top hat and a monocle. Leaning on an umbrella, it bowed cheerfully to her.

"That's an Owl Duke," Keltin chuckled. When it vanished to the island home, Baphomet took them to the basement areas of the Clock Tower. One level was filled with water, and a strange, purple, barnacle-like creature moved up to them. It had tentacles and seemed to pulsate with each movement.

"That looks like fun to fight," Howard grinned. "Especially with Kathryne, because of her skirt! What? It was a joke!"

"Your husband is a pervert!" Kathryne said with a hard blush, and Sarine frowned at Howard. When she shook her head, Eremes could only snicker.

"Howard lost more points!" Keltin smirked.

"Oh, shut up!" the Whitesmith scowled. Sarine sighed, as Doppy and Eremes grinned.

"What monster was that, Keltin?" Sarine asked.

"Penomena," Keltin chuckled. When it vanished, Baphomet led them to another area in the basement of the tower. Once here, the massive demon lead them towards the center of the area. On pausing, a strange creature in the form of a large card appeared. It looked like a woman trying to rip herself out of it and was having a hard time.

"What a strange looking monster!" Sarine said with awe.

"That's a Joker," Keltin nodded. A blink was done, as a flying witch in a purple robe and hat appeared flying on a broom. She looked like she was constantly sneezing and zoomed around them.

"That's a Bathory," Karla chuckled. She would need to come back here to have Luna beef up on them, and Seyren started to help to get it started. She also needed the Witched Starsands they dropped for her slim potions. At a clanking sound, they all looked up to find three Demonic swords heading towards them.

"There are the demon swords," Keltin nodded. "Tirfing, Executioner, and Mysteltainn."

The Tirfing resembled a floating saber blade with a gaping, fanged mouth in the blade, itself, one large eye within the blade, as well, and blood constantly oozed from the handles. The Executioner had the Demonic part in the top of the handle, and a face leered at them. A small chain moved up and down the blade, as it floated in place. The Mysteltainn was a regular sword, and the blade appeared to be broken at the end where it was dragged, but the chain, itself, was the demon. It had a set of chain legs that dragged itself everywhere it went. The center of the blade appeared to have a massive eye that stared at them in an unblinking manner, yet it was actually a massive gemstone.

The monsters were sent to the island home, and Sarine moved to approach Baphomet.

"Thank you for your help. Now I must go to Geffenia to find the monsters there," she smiled. "A lot of time was saved because of you."

"I wish to thank you for helping me. Take this," Baphomet rumbled and gave over his card. She blinked with astonishment, but he simply chuckled. A heavy breath was given, as he looked at Doppelganger.

"Yes?" Doppy asked, as he moved to stand with Sarine.

"I would be lying, if I didn't say that it would be interesting to fight you," Baphomet mused. "Just to test our strengths."

"We have constructed an arena on the island for such things," Sarine smiled.

"Really? I'll need to stop by and visit, then. Soon," Baphomet nodded, and he made another Warp for them to leave.

"Thank you," Sarine said, as she moved up to place her hand on his clawed finger. A small laugh was given, and he watched them leave.

"Soon..." he sighed after they left. "Soon, I may be forced to join you after all."

"You are correct," Odin said. He moved out of the stone boulder he was hiding in. "She will need all the help she can get. She is my daughter, my Vessel, after all."

"Is that so?" the demon said with surprise. "I should have gone, then."

"Let us see how the King reacts to her on her return from Geffenia. There is one there in Prontera that may cause her problems."

"Is there?"

"Yes. The Captain of the Royal Guard. He will be...difficult to ignore."

"Is she to marry him?"

"Thankfully, no. But, he will never leave her alone, once he notices her. That is something that her husbands will need to tend to. She is only destined to be with the ones she is with now. Any others, well, could possibly kill her. Things could always change, as the future does twist and turn, but, right now, she is at her limit."

"How?"

"The strain of them. She already started to show signs of it, and I had to bring her to me once. If I have to bring her to me again, I may never want her to go back. She does belong here, but I want to keep her safe up there."

"Such is the way children are," Baphomet agreed.

"Until we meet again," Odin nodded and vanished.

"Until then," the demon rumbled and moved through the caves.


	34. Chapter 34

Back in the town of Al De Baran, a small crowd gathered to cheer them off to wherever they were going to next. It was still daylight, and Baphomet's help had them make excellent time. On getting into Geffen again, there were more adventurers out now, and they all gasped at the odd group. Ignoring the stares, Howard and Seyren led them into the tower. When they came to the spot that Howard met Sarine again, he stopped Windwalker and looked at Sarine.

"Howard?" Sarine frowned.

"I have to do this," Howard growled. "How many people are walking through here?"

"Not many. Why?" Eremes asked. A grin formed on his face, as Howard plucked Sarine off the Gryphon and took her into a darker portion of the hallway. Seyren snickered, and Doppy thought with amusement.

"You know that, if you do this, I get to do the same thing, right?" Doppy stated.

"Fine!" Howard grumbled, as he muffled Sarine's cries. Windwalker easily blocked anyone trying to view with its massive size and girth. Kathryne and Cecil giggled, as Margaretha seemed to sigh. Seyren whistled softly and glanced at Karla. She was tending to Luna and waiting patiently.

"What are they doing?" Mitchell asked.

"They're having sex," Doppy grinned. That made Mitchell blush and keep his mouth shut. Keltin gave a look to Doppy, and Eremes couldn't stop the escaping chuckle that emerged. Doppy smirked back, and they continued to wait. It didn't last much longer, and Howard brought Sarine back over to them. He placed her gently on Windwalker's back.

"Feel better?" Doppy grinned.

"Much!" Howard grinned back. Sarine was still recovering. He had never gotten her so much before, and it was an overplay of passion.

"I'll lead you to where I first met her down below," Doppy smirked.

"There's the Payon cave, too," Keltin thought.

"I should take her back to that dressing room in Comodo," Eremes chuckled. Sarine was blushing the whole time, and they all laughed. They made it through the first two levels of the tower easily, and it didn't take long for Doppy to find the right spot where he saw Sarine walking away when she first moved into his life.

"Okay, Sorry Sari!" he grinned and moved to lift her off of Windwalker's back.

"Are you serious?" she hissed. In response, he placed his mouth over her neck, causing her to gasp. He moved her into a nearby abandoned ruin, and the party waited patiently once again. Mitchell ended up blushing again, but Kathryne helped him train on the monsters that got too close to them.

"You'd think she'd have enough!" Seyren grinned.

"Quiet," Howard warned. Eremes was scouting the area and keeping other adventurers at bay. He even went so far as to lure the dark Doppelganger nearby to another adventuring party, and it worked to chase them off. A few more minutes went by when Doppy was seen carrying Sarine back to them. She was completely worn out now, and Keltin carefully helped to get her back on the Gryphon's back. She gave a weak sigh, and the Bongun gasped.

"Sarine! What happened to your neck?!" he freaked at the bite mark there.

"Shit," Doppy growled.

"You did it again?" Lloyd said to him incredulously and Healed Sarine. At the looks the others gave Doppy, the High Priest cringed at what he said.

"What happened again?" Howard said in rather quiet tone. Seyren whistled and moved Karla a few steps back. Keltin blinked and glared now. Eremes narrowed his eyes at Doppy and flashed his katars. Wincing, Doppy sighed and told them what happened earlier in the morning.

"You almost killed her?!" Eremes hissed.

"How could you?! And not tell us?!" Keltin spat.

"Stop!" Sarine said wearily. "Just...don't fight over me! Stop it..."

"Sarine," Howard whispered and rushed to her.

"It's okay, How-How. Listen," she pulled him close and whispered to him. He tensed at first, but then he started to give in. Little by little, she got him to break.

"But, to have him drink your blood?!" he fretted. She got a look in her eye that made him stammer. Grabbing him by the hand, she pulled him into the ruins where she was just with Doppy. Pressing him against the wall, she faced him.

"You know you want to try it," she chuckled, and she pressed herself against him.

"Sarine," he hissed. Then he paused, as she took out one of her normal arrows and scratched her neck open with it.

"Try it," she whispered. He blinked.

"What?" he asked, as he watched a droplet form from the scratch and slowly start to make a path down the curve of her neck. He gasped at the desire to taste it and blinked again in surprise.  _What was coming over me?!_

"Come on, How-How," she smiled softly.

"Sarine..." he whispered. He tensed when her hand moved up to caress his cheek and draw him to the scratch. Little did she know that the Demonic blood coursing through his system was dormant.  _Until now._ The scent of her blood drew it out just a touch for him to lick up the droplet, and he felt her shudder with lust. Then his mouth latched onto the wound, and his arms wrapped around her form, as she gasped with pleasure. A portion of that single droplet of Doppy's blood in her system worked its way into Howard now and woke the dormant Demonic blood in his system completely. Nothing was going to be done yet, since she wasn't in any danger, but the demon that was forced to give over the blood was now aware of her, and of Howard, once again. The demon that became aware of her now desired her and decided to see if more could be learned about her.

After two small mouthfuls were drawn, he forced himself away. _I had no idea how potent the merest taste of her blood was!_ Gasping, he forced down the Demonic part in his monster blood and regained control of it instinctively.

"Do you see now?" she asked softly.

"All right. I see now," he said.

"Told you so..." she smiled. He grinned and kissed her hard. He knew she was a bit weak now, so he gathered her into his arms. It was only a few minutes that went by when he was seen carrying her back out. The new wound was on her neck visible for all to see now, and Lloyd Healed it. Giving her some juice, she sipped from the cup and looked at Howard, as she asked, "Now do you understand?"

"Ugh..." Howard said, as he shook his head. He still couldn't believe how good her blood tasted. Giving a glare to Doppy now, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Limit yourself to two mouthfuls, okay?" Howard grumbled. That made Doppy laugh, and he promised to do just that. He did give an odd glance to Howard now. He smelled the Demonic blood in his system, and Howard only gave a short nod that he knew and had it under control. Doppy seemed to wince, but he would trust what Howard felt.

"What did you do?" Keltin asked Howard.

"She...made me taste her blood," he sighed.

"What?!" Keltin frowned.

"Later at home!" Sarine shuddered, as she drank more juice. "Doppy, can you please tell us where we need to go? The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can rest."

"Are you all right?" Doppy asked with a frown. _She normally had a rather even temper._ Her testiness was new, and he was extremely concerned. He thought it could be his blood doing it, but he had a rather intense, bloodthirsty temper.  _This was different._

"I'm just...drained now," she sighed. Margaretha handed her more juice, and Cecil frowned. Seyren was watching Doppy the whole time, and the demon seemed to glare back at him before leading them to the stairway down.

"There's nothing here," Eremes mused. The stairs led to a dead end.

"To others," Doppy chuckled and kicked in a loose stone. Then the stairway dropped down to the land of Geffenia. "Others would need a special Warp. I know a shortcut."

"Clever," Keltin nodded and held Sarine upright.

"Sarine?" Howard whispered.

"So tired..." she sighed.

"How much blood did you take?" Margaretha asked Doppy.

"I controlled myself this time," he replied and refused to say anything more.

"More juice!" Margaretha said, and Sarine was given more to drink. When they descended to the lower level, two monsters were waiting for them.

"Sarine, look! It's a Mini Demon and Fake Angel. See?" Keltin asked. She was struggling to stay awake. The blood loss had a definite effect on her. Mini Demon resembled a red Deviruchi holding a scythe. Baphomet Jr. instantly went over to start making friends. Fake Angel resembled a golden-haired cherub with white wings and a white toga, but the eyes were black to show it wasn't a true angel. Pointing up to a ledge, an Incubus and a Succubus were making their way towards them.

Incubus looked like a rather handsome blond man in leather bondage gear. The horns on the side of his head were straight up so they gleamed in the weak light, and his black wings flexed, as he walked over to them. He gave Sarine a flirtatious wink. She was too drained to notice, and he felt mildly insulted. He would likely try again later. Succubus looked like a ravishing blond in pink baby doll lingerie. Her horns were curled inwards, and her pink wings fluttered seductively, as she walked up to them in a strutting manner. Seyren gave a grin to her, and Karla smacked his arm. He gave her an apologetic look, and she shook her head. She was warned that Seyren still had a touch of brashness to him, so she expected this.

Eremes was watching Sarine, and he noticed she was getting more and more sluggish.  _She even looked a touch paler than usual._  Moving over to her, he paused only when he heard the sharp playing of a violin. A Violy walked over to them resembling a blond girl with purple skin. She appeared to be in some sort of a performer's suit that frilled out at the skirt with a red bow hanging from her neck. The end strands of the bow were so long that they fell down the front of her uniform. She played the violin expertly and moved to stand with them.

"What's going on?" Howard asked.

"The monsters are coming to us. They must know that Sarine is weak," Keltin whispered. He continued to hold her and tried to keep her focused.

"Let them keep coming," Doppy nodded. They waited a bit longer, and a black armored horseman appeared carrying a massive sword and various spears. A small flag even wavered in the wind above him on a pike, as the black horse moved towards them.

"Abysmal Knights are here?" Howard frowned. Abysmal Knight charged down to join them, and he pointed his sword to a large, red figure looming towards them.

"Bloody Knight?!" Keltin hissed. The massive figure was covered in blood and armored from head to toe. His shield resembled a face with spikes coming out of it, and spikes even jutted out from all of his joints. Giving a rumbled form of greeting, there appeared to be nothing else of interest here.

"We'll need to come back when she's better. I memorized this place, so it will be easier to get to," Lloyd said. This would make things much easier, and they went through Lloyd's Warp to get back to the island home. Doppy swiftly moved Sarine into the bedroom and laid her on the bed where she passed out into a deep sleep.

"Where is she?" Howard asked.

"Quiet! She fell asleep," Doppy growled.

"Already?" Keltin frowned.

"Hmm," Eremes frowned and went downstairs. He came back up with a Yggdrasil Berry. "Not many left. Try to wake her and have her eat this."

"Are you crazy?" Keltin asked.

"She should not be so weak," Eremes said. Howard took the fruit from him and went over to Sarine. Taking out a knife, he broke up the fruit into small pieces and slowly managed to wake her enough for her to eat them. The effect was instant. She was sitting up and chewing on the fruit now, feeling much better.

"We'll need to get more of those fruits," Doppy thought aloud.

"What happened?" she whispered, as she put a hand to her head.

"A lot of blood loss, apparently," Howard grumbled and pulled her to him. She blushed, and he sighed before grinning at her when she kissed him.

"There is still a lot of time left, isn't there?" she smiled.

"The day isn't over yet," Eremes nodded.

"We should go to the Payon house," Keltin advised. She looked over at Doppy and smiled, as he was rather curious about the house. Howard gave her another kiss and carried her downstairs to see the others.

"You are planning on going now? Good. I think a Royal Guard of Prontera is in Payon and may have just arrived. We should all go," Storm Caller nodded.

"Wonderful," Howard said, as he rolled his eyes, and Sarine giggled.

"My house isn't very big, so I'm not sure who wants to go," Keltin frowned.

"Your house?" Doppy frowned. Keltin told him how the house belonged to him and how he gave it to Sarine. That made him nod.

"Can't we simply add on to the house?" Eremes mused. That made Sarine blink, and she felt her tattoo burn, as it glowed. The Valkyrie from Valhalla appeared before her. She smiled and looked up expectantly at the powerful figure.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" she asked.

"Would it be possible for monsters to travel from here to the house in Payon without my assistance? But, only to the house in Payon in order to protect it?" Sarine asked.

"That would be tricky to do," Valkyrie said, as she hovered in the air. "But, as Storm Caller is able to do so to protect your home, it will be allowed. However, they cannot leave the house radius of five hundred feet, unless you are with them."

"We can build a fence around the house to help judge distance," Keltin said.

"There was one more thing," Sarine nodded.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" Valkyrie asked.

"Would it be possible to enhance all of the monsters that come here? Sort of like a monster transcendence? We have built an arena outside, and we may be using it for funds and human skill enhancement," Sarine smiled. That made Valkyrie smile, and she nodded. _It would be very beneficial for the war ahead with this done._  She disappeared to start enhancing the monsters that were there currently.

"I wonder how she will work with the monsters we find," Howard grinned.

"I think she'll find a way," Sarine giggled. Valkyrie reappeared before her and nodded.

"It is done. As you find the monsters, I shall enhance them from Valhalla and send them here for you. Be well, Vessel of Odin!" Valkyrie rang out, as she vanished. Howard gathered up Sarine in his arms and told Storm Caller of what happened. That made him smile, and he agreed that the house in Payon could easily be altered. He was very pleased at the strength boosts that would be given to the monsters.  _It would definitely help with the war._ The Warp to the Payon house was done, and the monsters started to flood the outside of the house to start altering it.

At first, people thought the house was under attack. But, when they saw Sarine directing them on how she wanted it to look, they watched with awed fascination. Keltin was soon directing them on where the weak points of the house were to have them start strengthening those areas first to support the building.

"Sarine Tao?" the Chief asked, as he walked up to her purposefully.

"Oh! My last name is actually Tao-Alt-Eisen-Guile now, but how can I be of assistance?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

"What is going on here?" he asked sternly once again.

"Well, it appears that I am the Vessel of Odin," she smiled softly. The masked man stammered, and she showed him the tattoo on her neck. A fist was pressed to his chest as though he was caught off guard. That was enough for him, and he ordered the crowd of onlookers to back away. Payon was known for honor, and the Chief was no exception to the rule. Whistling now, Seyren started to pull out several long planks of wood for a fence to be built. It wasn't long before other villagers started to help out. It was incredible to see monsters and humans working together to fix up the old house.

"What do you want us to do?" a young man asked.

"Here," Sarine said, as a sheet of parchment paper was laid out. Other men appeared, and they blinked at her with astonished looks. Then they saw her husbands, and they got a vibe from them that she was not to be messed with. She laid out the design with the way she wanted the house to go, and construction was quickly underway. Keltin made some adjustments to keep the house looking traditional. He wanted it to flow with the town. It took the rest of the day, but the house was finished with everyone's help.

The ordinary two story house was now three stories tall with large, airy balconies for flying monsters, as well as a flat portion of the roof for monsters that needed to land and defend the house. Her bedroom was expanded with a massive balcony added. The bathroom was extensive, and there was plenty of room for her and her husbands. Reclining on Doppy now, as they rested on the new porch outside the front door, she watched the last few fence posts get placed around the house.

"Done!" Eremes nodded, as he sat with her.

"I never thought the house would ever get worked on," Keltin chuckled.

"Hmm," Sarine thought.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"We may need to set up a special Warp to go to the arena when it is ready. I don't want people to know the location of our island home or our Payon home. Maybe we can set up something with the Kafra Corporation," Sarine thought aloud. "They are responsible for assisting adventurers of all types with contests and quick teleportation. I'm sure they would work with us, if the arena we built was used for training. What do you think?"

"Let's do that when we are ready," Howard said. A blink was given, as Storm Caller moved over to her to hand her the picture of her and the others from long ago.

"Where would you like to put this?" Storm Caller asked.

"You still have that picture?!" Howard said.

"Oh?" Doppy grinned, as he looked it over. "Wow. You were a beautiful Archer."

"She was stunning," Eremes corrected him. She blushed, and Howard called over Seyren, Cecil, Kathryne, and Margaretha. They all looked over the picture with fond memories.

"I want to autograph it!" Kathryne giggled.

"You know, that could give us more income," Sarine chuckled and explained how many celebrities would autograph pictures. Even monster cards went for a high enough price, if they were valued and hard to find.

"Not sure if autographs would go with monsters, but it would be nice to try," Cecil nodded. "I know that, after a long time, cards do regenerate. At least, I think so!"

"We'll do that once the arena is working out," Margaretha agreed.

"We should all take another picture," Seyren said. "Later on, of course."

The sun was finally setting, and chairs were set up on the porch now. Drinks were served by Doll, and Sammy approached Sarine.

"Sammy?" Sarine asked to see if anything was wrong.

"I just want to hang out with you," he said, as he pulled up a chair to sit by her with. She smiled and leaned back into Doppy more. As she was starting to relax, she felt Sammy poke her hand. She looked at him, and he pointed to the entrance of the gate. A Paladin on a Grand Pecopeco was making his way towards them. The bird looked like an advanced version of the Pecopeco with large, colorful plumes in its tail, and a much bulkier build to withstand more damage. It had full armor on its body, and even its helmet had a set of horns on it to help it ram into things in battle. Eremes frowned and looked over at Howard. The Whitesmith shrugged and watched the man come forward.

"I am looking for the Vessel of Odin. Um, is the Vessel of Odin here?" the Paladin asked. "Hopefully?"

"Speaking," Sarine said in her dulcet tone. She felt Doppy tense, and she gave a light smile. She watched the Paladin move closer.

"I'm sorry, but it's hard to see you," the Paladin said. Kathryne rose up and lit the fire pit at his feet. He jumped back, and now he stammered at seeing the powerful monsters there. Then he saw Sarine. He stood there in shock. He was expecting to see a monster of some kind. He wasn't expecting a beautiful woman. The firelight gave her a stunning look, and he trembled when she watched him intensely. Managing to build up his confidence again, he dismounted the Grand Pecopeco and walked over to her.

As Sarine studied him, she noticed he had beach-blond hair, a fine physique, and deep green eyes that studied everything around him. His armor looked a lot more regal than a Lord Knight's. He had more insignias on his armor along the shoulders, chest, and along the inner arms by his elbows. A heavy collar plate circled his neck for extra protection, and his cape flowed behind his back. He lacked the tassel that a Lord Knight would have, and he walked with an air that showed he was of a rather high status.

"Vessel of Odin," the Paladin started. "The King of Prontera has commanded that I find you and invite you to the palace right away!"

"Well, you found her," Doppy said with an inhuman hiss. That made the Paladin pause, as he now fixed his eyes on the demon's glowing red pupils. Eremes smirked and Cloaked unnoticed to move alongside the Paladin quickly.

"Are you going to invite her?" Eremes asked, as he Uncloaked next to the Paladin. That made him fluster, as he was caught off guard.

"Um, yes! Right!" the Paladin forced himself to say, and he walked up to Sarine. A quiet smile was on her face, as she watched him, and he gave her the envelope with the royal invitation. It was fairly heavy, but it was just the fabric that made up the invitation.

"Thank you. And don't mind them. They're just my husbands," she chuckled.

"Just your husbands?" Keltin grinned, as he was still in his Bongun form.

"True," she muttered, and she reached for him to hug him close.

"Your husbands are monsters?! And how many do you have?" the Paladin asked.

"Four!" she beamed. Howard and Eremes moved to stand with her, as though to prove a point. "And I am not accepting any others!"

"Thankfully," Doppy grinned. She kissed him gently and felt him tense his arms around her, as she looked back at the Paladin.

"Thank you for your invitation. Unfortunately, I feel I may be rather busy soon, as it is," she giggled. Doppy's arms tightened around her to comfort her.

"When will you be able to appear in Prontera?" the Paladin asked.

"At some point tomorrow, we will be there," Storm Caller said, as he moved out of the house. The Paladin stammered at how powerful the Strouf looked, and Sarine chuckled. Then Doppy stood up and carried Sarine with him.

"Wait!" the Paladin said.

"Yes?" Sarine frowned.

"What type of monster are you?" the Paladin asked.

"I'm human," Sarine said. "But, if you mean Doppy, well...his full name is Doppelganger. He's been enhanced by Valkyrie."

"I'm a demon and damned proud of it," he smirked. That made the Paladin blanch and draw his sword. A heavy snarl was heard from Doppy now, and Sarine frowned.

"You beat the crap out of me in Geffen Tower long ago! I want revenge!" the Paladin growled. "I can beat you now!"

"I wouldn't fight him. There is a darker version of him in Geffen Tower. Take on that one. Trust me. Don't fight him here," Eremes warned.

"If you fight my husband, I will fight you, as well!" Sarine hissed. Howard looked over at her and then back to the Paladin. "You did your job. Eventually, the time will come when you can openly fight him in an arena, should all go well. Wait until then."

"I'm sorry, but I can't," the Paladin said. "I vowed to fight him the moment I saw him again. With him being here, it's a sure sign that I'll win!"

"Hold her," Doppy said to Howard and handed her over. "I'll be fine, Sorry Sari."

The others were watching everything on the porch, and Karla whispered to Seyren. A snicker was given back, as they watched Doppy approach the Paladin calmly. Then the Paladin noticed Sammy, and he paled as the massive Incantation Samurai ghost floated over him. The judge was present, and the fight could proceed. As the Paladin started to attack, the battle was over. Doppy simply side-stepped and smacked his sword against a weak link in the Paladin's armor, breaking it completely. Now that the Paladin was defenseless, he was run through.

"Doppelganger wins!" Sammy said. Lloyd walked over to the Paladin and Healed him. Doppy moved back over to Sarine and nodded to her.

"I could repair your armor for you, but it will cost you," Howard grinned.

"Forget it! I'll go to the repairman in town!" the Paladin grumbled, as his pride was hurt. He was stumbling around, as he was now Confused, and he leaned on his Grand Pecopeco for balance. "I already have no idea what I'm going to tell the others."

"Just say you found the Vessel of Odin and to watch for monsters on the horizon," Sarine smiled. "No need to get out of proportion or to describe me. They will all find out who I am soon enough. Why spoil the surprise?"

The Paladin looked over at the stunning Sniper girl in the arms of the powerful Whitesmith monster. Hopping back onto his Grand Pecopeco once he regained his balance again, the brilliantly colored bird trotted off with him.

"The night is still young. What do you want to do now?" Howard smiled.

"Keltin," Sarine crooned to him in her dulcet tone. "since this was your house first, want to help me break in the bedroom?"

That made everyone pause, and Keltin smirked before quickly snatching up Sarine to take her upstairs before they could react.

"Not fair!" Howard shouted after them.

"Time for some fun?" Doppy grinned.

"Heard and noted," Eremes chuckled and moved up the stairs with them. That made a round of chuckles and giggles move about from the others still on the porch, and it wouldn't be long for them all to join into the house for a night of sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

The Paladin had his armor fixed on the way to the Kafra Agent and went to Prontera right after. On approaching his station, he paused, as the Captain of the Royal Guard approached him.

"Your mission was successful?" he asked. The Paladin studied his Captain's powerful, long frame. His black hair was clipped short so it appeared to be spiked over his brow. The longer bangs were drooping down over his forehead neatly. His intelligent black eyes watched him carefully. Also a Paladin, he was ranked at the top of every list in the Kingdom of Midgard as one of the most powerful fighters.

"Yes, Captain Lockheart. It was. The Vessel will be here tomorrow," the Paladin nodded. "That's what I was told."

"Good. Take the rest of the night off, Max. Oh, what was the Vessel like?"

"Sir," Max swallowed and looked away. "It would be best to see for yourself."

"Come now! A monster, as always?" the Captain grinned. "Ugly and hard to look at?"

"With all due respect, sir," Max said. "Oh, to hell with it! I'm going to be frank and talk out of line here! Garrett, she's human and the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life!"

"What?" Garrett asked. "Surely you don't mean that!"

"Sir, you know how I am with women. All those other girls that I showed you? Forget about them. This one is just...just...she's perfect! There isn't a single flaw on her! And, get this, she has FOUR husbands! All of them the most powerful monsters I have ever seen! And yet, they are also so...so human! It made no sense!"

"A perfect girl?" Garrett mused.

"Sir, one of her husbands is Doppelganger, and he was...well...advanced, somehow! He looked nothing like he should, but I knew it was him! He kicked my ass in two moves by breaking my armor, and then he ran me through with his sword like nothing!" Max hissed.

"WHAT?!" Garrett blinked with surprise. "Are you sure?!"

"Sir," Max sighed. "have I ever lied to you in all of my years of service to you? Or all the times we hung out as kids together?"

That made Garrett blink and frown. A deep breath was taken, and he dismissed the man. Moving to look up at the night sky, his eyes narrowed.  _I'll have to see this perfect girl and her husbands for myself to be the judge of that._


	36. Chapter 36

Sarine woke up and moaned softly, as she stretched, since her body was practically on fire with pleasure. When she moved, she felt herself being reached for and held tightly. On opening her eyes more, she was gazing into Keltin's blue eyes flecked with black. Smiling, he kissed her hungrily and held her close.

"Morning," she whispered.

"Actually, it's about noon now," he chuckled.

"Wow! We need to get a move on, don't we?" she said, as she sat up. The bed was as vast and as spacious as the room, and all four husbands could have slept on it easily with her. There wasn't much furniture now, but, when the funds came in, she wouldn't doubt that both homes would improve. A treasure vault was actually built, but it was on the island home for safe keeping. Eremes was reclining in a corner of the room, and Doppy was relaxing in a chair by the door. Howard was already up and dressed. Keltin helped her up and grinned, as she winced a bit.

All of them took their time with her and wore her out. It was Howard who drained the rest of her stamina in the end, and he enjoyed being the last one.

"Howard," Eremes said, as he looked over at him.

"Hmm?" Howard responded.

"Why...do you always want to be last now?" Eremes asked with a slight smile.

"Eh, that's my secret. Thanks," the Whitesmith grinned.

"Oh, come on," Doppy smirked.

"No, no. You all have your little quirks. This one is mine," Howard insisted. Sarine looked at him lovingly, and he moved over to her to kiss her roughly. Then he nodded to Keltin, and they helped her dress.

"I am a bit thirsty," she sighed. Doppy had a glass of water ready for her, and she drank it down. More was given when she wanted it until she was done. After that, she was taken down the stairs where everyone was waiting.

"Is it time for Prontera?" Storm Caller asked.

"I believe it is," she nodded.

"I will wait here until you meet with the King. I have been granted the ability to go straight to you wherever you are in the world, thanks to Valkyrie. This will be beneficial for us," Storm Caller said. "It will be safer this way, as I will only be called on when needed. You may also think of me as your last measure of defense, as well."

"Good," Sarine said with a smile. The others were clearly approving of this. On approaching the Kafra Agent, they were sent to Prontera the moment they all gathered with her.

When they all got there, the place appeared deserted. It didn't make any sense, since it was daytime, and the place should have been bustling with people. They had agreed to leave Windwalker behind, as the Gryphon's massive size may have caused alarm. As they moved through the town, she coughed.

"What is it?" Doppy frowned.

"My throat is dry again," she winced. "I need something to drink."

"Any water or juices?" Howard asked quickly.

"None," Lloyd said. "I thought she had enough to drink before we left? Isn't that what you said? Hmm. Your body may still be recuperating."

"I can make a potion really quick!" Karla said.

"No, it's fine. There's a pub here, isn't there?" Howard asked.

"Yes," Eremes said. "I know where it is."

"Doppy," Sarine whispered. She felt a bit weak from dehydration.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Carry her," Eremes whispered, as he Cloaked to run off. That made Doppy snarl with alarm, and he scooped up Sarine into his arms quickly. Seyren moved to scan the buildings silently, as Howard took out his axe just in case. Keltin remained in his Bongun form and stayed close to Sarine. When Eremes returned, he was a bit more relaxed. When he noticed she was looking around to make sure the streets were fully empty, he smiled.

"Found out why no one is here. All of the people are attending a town meeting of sorts. We are fine. I found the pub. This way," he motioned with his head. Doppy continued to carry Sarine around, not minding it in the least. When they reached the pub, he set her down, and she walked in first.

It was just their luck that most of the Royal Guard was there. With no people to apprehend, they were taking a small break. On her opening the door, all eyes were on her. Then their mouths dropped at the party of other people and monsters that walked in with her. Finding a few empty tables, Doppy sat down first and pulled her into his lap for her to get comfortable. Eremes, Howard, and Keltin sat down after that, and the others claimed nearby tables. Doppy hissed at the whispers from the others, and it started to cause an alarm.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Captain Garrett asked sternly, as he walked over to them. "We don't prohibit monsters in town!"

"Really?" Sarine crooned, as she looked at him. His mouth dropped in surprise at how stunning she was. "If that is the case, I will leave with my husbands and the others I have brought. Then you will have to explain to your King how you ordered the Vessel of Odin to leave his beautiful city."

"You're the Vessel of Odin?" he breathed. A small smile appeared on her lips, as her tigers' eye gemstone eyes gazed at him. Then she pulled her curly, blond-brown hair away from the back of her neck to reveal the Mark of Odin. Tossing her hair back, she reclined on Doppy, and he glared at the Captain.

"And who are you to address my wife so callously?" Howard growled. The ghostly Whitesmith was on the verge of Berserking, but she lightly touched his cheek. It cooled him down again. He was still pretty ticked, but he was able to focus.

"I am Captain Garrett Lockheart of the Prontera Royal Guard," he said.

"You mean, Garrett 'Bull's-Eye' Lockheart?! The Bull's-Eye himself?!" Mitchell stammered. "You're a legend!"

"Not so tough to me," Doppy grinned. Sarine gave him a look that just made him grin and shrug. "I could take him!"

"Are you the one that fought my Sargent?" Garrett asked.

"What of it? He was warned not to fight me, and then made some bogus excuse that I kicked his ass a long time ago. So, I figured why not? I kicked his ass again!" he grinned. "And I'll do it again and again and again!"

"Doppy, hush!" Sarine frowned. "Captain Lockheart, please, I only came here for a drink of water. Then I was going to go straight to the King."

"Here," Eremes said, as he got her a glass. As she was about to drink it, it suddenly shattered out of her hand. Howard was now up and out of his seat, as well as the others. A Gunslinger was responsible for it and had a small pistol raised up high.

"Monsters don't belong in this town!" he grounded out, as he prepared to shoot again. Sarine now stood up tall, as her temper flared.

"ENOUGH!" Sarine screamed, as a bright light suddenly crashed down from the heaven's to penetrate to the man's very core. She kept screaming until the Light was gone, and the man was on the ground unconscious. Then she turned an angry eye to the Captain and trembled with uncontrolled rage. Those that hadn't seen the attack before were gaping with shock.

"Sarine!" Howard said with concern and carefully moved over to her to put his hands on her shoulders. Whispering to her now, he managed to move her off the brink of wanting to kill the man completely.

"Make no mistakes!" Sarine suddenly hissed, as another glass of water was brought to her. "What you have just seen was the Light of Odin. It was given to me by Odin personally, and, on top of that, he called me his daughter!"

"What?!" Garrett said again with his mouth dropped.

"Don't cross me! Not only my husbands can mess you up!" she seethed and drank down the water. Kathryne gave a sniff at the Captain, and Cecil was checking out her bow. Seyren was glaring at him the whole time, as Karla was going over her acid bottles. Margaretha and Lloyd were busy reviving the injured Gunslinger to send him on his way.

"Allow me to escort you to the castle," Garrett said quickly.

"Fine," Sarine said with a bit of a glare. More water was brought to her, and she drank it down swiftly before she gestured to the others. She was ready to leave.

"Um, can we wait a bit? I'd really like to order something," Mitchell said.

"Oh?" Sarine asked, as she became bit more relaxed.

"We left in such a rush, you know?" he frowned.

"Are any others hungry?" she asked, her concern swiftly going to her friends.

"Very," Lloyd nodded. Nodding, she had Doppy sit back down, and she reclined on him. The others sat with her and relaxed again.

"We'll get you whatever you need," a waitress said and moved about the room.

"Put it on my tab," Garrett said to the waitress. "and make sure no one disturbs her or anyone with her! And get that Gunslinger to a holding cell for interrogation! He broke a rule by attacking someone in town. Regardless of the situation, it's against the rules here!"

"Yes, sir!" several Knights and Paladins said in unison, as they moved quickly. When she was served a small platter of food along with the others, they tucked in. Garrett was amazed at how the monsters around her truly did seem like they were all just travelers from another place. _They acted as though they were human. They laughed and joked. Talked and gossiped._  It was hard to grasp on what was going on. Yet, the more he watched her, the more he desired her. It was completely unexplainable, and various thoughts seemed to move through his mind of their own accord. He ended up taking a deep breath to force himself to get back under control.

"Vessel of Odin," Garrett finally said, as he approached her.

"Yes, Captain?" she asked, as she sipped from a cup.

"I am sorry, but I find it hard to grasp that a beautiful girl like yourself would find the company of monsters better than humans," he started. Eremes looked over at him and glared darkly. Howard tensed with a form of concealed rage. Keltin frowned and hid his darkened gaze under his massive hat. Doppy was only kept calm, since Sarine was in his lap and able to keep him under control. If she wasn't there, he likely would have run Garrett through on the spot out of spite to make himself feel better.

"Really? Look around you! I have human friends and monster friends. And, on top of that, some monsters here were human once, you know. Some are trying to become human again, and this is one of the ways that they can do that. These six here," she gestured to the powerful ghost-like monsters. "were all my friends before the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory incident. I rescued them."

"You mean to tell me that these were the very candidates from that disgusting experiment?!" Garrett asked in shock.

"And I would have been one, too, if I was accepted. I was declined," Sarine frowned. "I had to go back to them to rescue them, and, since I am the Vessel of Odin, it allowed me to do that. I couldn't bear to know that my friends were suffering when I found out what happened!"

"I see," Garrett said.

"I was originally her first pet. Then Valkyrie changed a few things about me," Keltin smirked. He was able to shrug off the foul mood Garrett just gave him. He had to help keep Sarine calm. Staying neutral always helped.

"Oh?" Garrett asked. Keltin moved, kissed Sarine softly, and approached the Captain. He noticed that the Bongun didn't bounce like the others did. Then the Bongun became his Champion human form and crossed his arms. Garrett was stunned with surprise once again. Eremes cracked a small grin from where he was reclining on the wall. He was making sure that no one would get close to Sarine.

"I'm her Guardian and her first husband. Remember that," Keltin grinned and moved to sit down again, not bothering to change back. Sarine giggled at him and blushed. Doppy kept his eyes on every other man in the room, as though silently daring them to try and take the woman off his lap. Sarine felt him tense, and she leaned back into him to calm him down.

"A pity," Howard mused. "I see cracks in all of their armor. For a nominal fee, I could repair them. If they wanted me to."

"A monster can fix my armor?" a Knight chuckled. "All right. I'll pay you fifty thousand zeny. Fix it."

"Anyone have any steel?" Howard asked. Karla brought a heavy length of steel out of her cart, and he collected the money first. Then he repaired the armor back to its flawless state. The Knight's eyes went wide, and Howard chuckled. When it came to being a Whitesmith, he was the best of the best in his class. The other guards decided to get their armors repaired, as well, and Howard made short work of them. When it was done, he stretched and felt better at performing his trade so well. Then he grinned and said, "I'm a Whitesmith, by the way, so I can also upgrade weapons. But, all weapons are subject to breaking."

"Payments could be given after the upgrade?" Sarine suggested. "If they don't pay, you keep what you upgraded until they are able to provide the payment?"

"Good idea! Oh, Karla, do you still have the items we got from Hugel? I'd like to try something," Howard grinned again. Eremes chuckled and continued to watch the others calmly. He studied where each man sat and where they moved.

"Here," Karla said. She passed over the bows that were purchased before. Then she gave over the Pharacon needed to upgrade them with, as they were the weakest of the bows, but rather abundant from the Goblin Archers that carried them. Someone was selling quite a few of them, and all of them were purchased. Taking them from her, Howard started to work on them swiftly. When one broke, he swore and started on the next one. When he got one higher than another, he'd set it aside to work on a different one. When he finally refined a bow as high as it could get, he grinned and turned to Sarine with a loving smile.

"One of my few wedding gifts to you," Howard chuckled with pride. Sarine stared at the Composite Bow, now highly refined, and able to carry up to four monster cards. She leapt off of Doppy's lap and into Howard's arms to kiss him fully. Laughing now, he hugged her tightly.

"Well," Doppy grinned and got up to slip something into her hand. "I know you snagged one off my darker self, but just so I uphold myself, too."

She blinked at his card and pulled him close to kiss now, as Howard laughed again. Eremes grinned and moved over to press his card into her hand to get kissed, as well.

"I already gave you my card!" Keltin frowned, but she pulled him close to kiss, anyways.

"Oh, here," Howard snickered and gave over his card. He got kissed again, and that caused a round of retorts. Laughing, she pulled each one close to kiss to sate them. Garrett was just amazed at how she handled them all. In a way it started to rankle him, because he wasn't included. Refocusing on his tasks at hand, he reminded himself that he had no time for women and that it was best this way. Then he realized he was lying to himself.

"Are you all finished?" he finally asked. "I'm sure my King has waited long enough."

"You're jealous!" Doppy hissed with a grin.

"I am not!" Garrett hissed back and composed himself. Light whispers were now being spread around the room by his guards, and he glared at them. When the pub door opened, Max walked in and stared at the gathering there. Clearing his throat, he refocused on why he came into the inn to begin with.

"Sir!" Max called out, as he walked over to the Captain. "The town meeting has finished. Is everything okay here?"

"You told me before, but I didn't believe you. You're right. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen! Is our King ready to meet her?" Garrett whispered.

"Yes, sir," Max nodded. He was a touch nervous from the others there. Garrett noticed that right away. _It was exceptionally rare for Max to be so anxious._

"Our King is ready for your audience," Garrett announced to Sarine.

"Are we done here?" she asked in Doppy's arms. Everyone seemed to nod at once. She drank down one more glass of water and nodded. With that done, the guards moved out first to line the streets and to hold anyone back, if needed. She walked out of the pub, and people were filtering out again. This time it was to look at her. Doppy held her protectively, and the others grouped around her in unison. She didn't see the one that always harassed her before and relaxed a bit more. When she looked up at Doppy, he looked down at her with a warm, gentle smile. She knew right then that, if the one that harassed her before even tried to get close, he'd get skewered. Then the crowd gasped, as Windwalker screamed and landed. Garrett had never seen a Gryphon like this before, but he paused when Doppy placed her on its back. Her falcon settled himself on her shoulders, and he stammered at the sheer size of the bird. When Muninn swerved his head to study Garrett, he felt himself being judged by something powerful. The eyes of the bird seemed to stare straight into his soul.

Only when the Gryphon started to walk, did the falcon turn away. He blinked, as he heard something sounding like a chuckle in his mind. _Was I going crazy?!_  He moved to the front of them to purposely lead them to the castle. Doppy hissed at anyone that stared at him for too long. Howard was ignoring the crowds, and he constantly checked on Sarine. Keltin was riding with her on Windwalker, and he was shielding her from the attentive crowd easily in his human form. They did pause when a black and white cat wearing a big, red bow ran over to them quickly and jumped into her lap.

"It's a Wild Rose!" Keltin chuckled. It purred and snuggled into Sarine. Petting Wild Rose now, it stopped purring briefly, as it was enveloped in a white glow. Its form became much larger. The claws seemed to sharpen and lengthen. Even its fur got much more feral-looking in texture. It yawned and exposed a nasty set of sharp teeth.

"Valkyrie's work?" Sarine asked Keltin, and he nodded. Wild Rose gave out a heavier, deeper purr now and snuggled into her more. Laughing a bit while Windwalker stretched out its wings to cover over her when they folded inwards now, she was completely shielded by the crowd. Keltin gave a fond scratching to the Gryphon's back, and a soft warble was given.

They made their way into the palace and led down the long hallways. When they reached the throne room, Sarine dismounted from Windwalker, as the King sat there in astonishment. Wild Rose was sent back to the island home to keep it from getting false reactions. Muninn moved to fly up onto a beam near the ceiling to observe everything and record it. Garrett made his way up to the throne and whispered in the King's ear. Then he was given the motion to stand away from him.

The King sat in a regal throne of gilded gold and plush, red velvet cushioning. A regal crown of gold and gems sat upon his brow purposely. Heavy silk clothes with velvet lining in deep purple and gold colors adorned his figure to show his status. A royal red robe lined in white fur sat about his shoulders, and he held a scepter across his lap. He did have a sword near him to show that he could use it, if he needed to. He was not old royalty, but he was respected and well received by his people. On gazing at Sarine, he caught his breath momentarily before rising to his feet to receive her elegantly.

"Vessel of Odin! I welcome you to Prontera!" the King said joyfully. Sarine simply nodded, as servants and maids paused to gape at her beauty. Howard tensed up with protection for her, and she ran a hand over his chest to calm him.

"Thank you," she nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you, as well. May you please tell me as to why my presence was required here?"

"In truth, we are having a difficult situation in our sewer systems. I was hoping you could help us," he said. "We normally have adventurers help us, but it's taken a turn for the worst, you see. It's hard for many to report back accurately with the issue."

"Oh?" she frowned and looked at those in her group.

"There is a massive bug infestation down there, and it's starting to affect the city. I promise, you will be well rewarded when you come back," he said. "I will do what I can to compensate you. Or, if you have anything you desire, I'll see what I can do."

"I do have something in mind," she mused. "and it will be beneficial to us both. May I approach you?"

"Surely!" the King agreed. Walking up to him now to talk to him, Garrett took his time to study her slender form. He still couldn't believe how perfect she was. He never believed in love at first sight. He couldn't believe it. Yet, now, it happened to him. _How could I let myself get so weak?!_  He looked at her again and judged that, with a touch of lipstick and blush, she would be even far more stunning than she already was.

"Don't try it," Eremes whispered to him from a distance. "We know you are...interested in her. Don't let yourself get pulled in."

"Pulled in?" he asked the Assassin Cross.

"She...is not destined...for you," Eremes warned. "Forget her."

"I doubt it would be that easy," Garrett sighed. "His Majesty may force me to be close to her to offer protection at all times."

"That would be difficult," Eremes nodded in agreement. "But...just remember this. Not all monsters...need to sleep..."

A sharp gasp was given at the warning, and he turned to look at the Assassin Cross, but he found himself standing alone.

"A novel idea!" the King said. "An arena! We could even get the Kafra Corporation in on this to give prizes should bets happen."

"That would be a grand idea! I would only request that I keep up to a certain amount of zeny for private funding. The rest can be divided between the Kafra Corporation and the Kingdom of Midgard," Sarine said.

"Oh, yes! We will definitely work something out. Where will you be staying?"

"I have a house in Payon, and it leads to another home on an undisclosed island for safety reasons. We can have a Kafra Agent Warp those that wish to see the arena straight there. If you like, we can even arrange a meeting for you to come by," Sarine smiled.

"I can arrange that now," Storm Caller said, as he appeared next to her. The King stammered a bit, but rose up his hand to show that all was well when his guards lowered their spears. They rose them back up when they were sure that all was well.

"Storm Caller! You should have warned me that you were coming!" Sarine frowned.

"I do apologize, Vessel of Odin, but I simply appear at your side when I need to, it seems," Storm Caller sighed. "Anyways..."

For the next hour they went over all of the details that the arena would hold. The King was pleased that such an event would take place, and he would agree to finalize the decision once the situation in the sewers was under control.

"Captain Lockheart!" the King called.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Garrett said, as he knelt down by his throne.

"You are to join the Vessel of Odin on her quests, and see to it that all of her traveling needs are met. Report to me, if anything else happens," the King said.

"Of course, Your Majesty," he nodded. Eremes let out a hiss of dismay and whispered to Howard, Keltin, and Doppy. Small glares were given in the Captain's direction now, but would not be voiced. When Sarine moved back to them, Howard growled.

"You do know that he likes you, right?" Howard grumbled.

"Why, of course, I do! That's what is going to make this so fun!" Sarine giggled. Doppy tossed back his head and laughed at her. Eremes just smiled and shook his head. Keltin crossed his arms and gave a smug grin. Howard just growled about it. Sarine jumped up onto Windwalker's back, as Muninn landed on her shoulders again, and Seyren moved over to her.

"I want to punch him in the face!" he grumbled. "I don't like how he's looking at you, and I'm your brother. It's my right to kill him, if he touches you!"

"Seyren!" she laughed and looked at him. "Like I told Howard, this is what's going to make this so fun!"

Seyren scowled and got pulled back by Karla. A knowing wink was given between the two girls now, and the group started to move. Cecil looked over at Garrett and frowned. Margaretha whispered to Lloyd and looked back at Garrett.

"What are you all whispering about?" Garrett finally asked.

"We know you like her," Seyren growled, as they walked out of the palace.

"I have no time for women!" the Captain growled.

"Maybe men?" Doppy snickered. That made the Captain spin around only to have the demon right in his face. He wasn't nearly as tall as Doppy, since he was a foot shorter than him, and glared hard as he was forced to look up into the demon's eyes. Doppy's red pupils glared back at him, and he pulled his lip back to sneer at him with challenge.

"Please!" Sarine growled. "Doppy, get over here! Captain, please control yourself and move to the front of the group! I will not be demoted to a babysitter!"

Doppy gave out an inhuman snarl that sent chills down Garrett's spine. After glaring at each other a moment longer, he moved to the front of the group again to walk. He did give a bit of a grin when he heard Sarine start to hiss out her anger at Doppy. At his Demonic snarl, there was suddenly a bit of silence. She had pulled him to her to kiss him in such a way that he was actually stunned for a moment. Snickering was soon given out, and everything was normal again.

They walked out of the castle area, and she smiled when she watched a bunch of Novices train. Muninn leapt off her shoulders to hunt. She paused when a Lunatic jumped into her lap and seemed to hide there from her falcon. The white, rabbit-like monster soon glowed to be a bit more massive, faster, and trickier to hit.

"What a cute Lunatic!" Karla beamed. It seemed to purr now, and Sarine giggled. A blink was given, as a Creamy fluttered over to her. It was a giant, pink butterfly, and it fluttered over Windwalker's form. A soft glow enveloped it, too, and it grew twice as big and twice as fast. Sarine paused with surprise when a card dropped from it to her, and she smiled with delight.

"There's your Creamy card," Eremes chuckled.

"Use this," Karla said, as she pulled out a purple clip. Putting the card into it, and locking it in place, Sarine put the clip on her belt loop so she could now Teleport at a moment's notice.

"What are you going to put in your bow?" Howard chuckled.

"I'll think of something," she smiled and snuggled into Keltin's chest. Windwalker's wings folded in a bit more to shield her, as she started to kiss Keltin passionately. It didn't take long for him to turn her towards him to grind her onto him now. As she put her legs around his waist, the kissing got far more urgent in response. He let out a silent gasp, as he clung to her, and he was forced to stop only when he heard the Captain talking to someone to grant them access to the sewers. He gave a soft scowl, and she giggled.

"Not fair," he growled.

"Save it for tonight. Or even later," she chuckled. He didn't want to wait. When Windwalker moved its wings to stretch them, Howard glanced over and grimaced. Then he walked over to them.

"Next time, I'm riding the Gryphon's back!" he growled. Sarine giggled, and Keltin raised a brow at him.

"Fight you for it?" Keltin chuckled.

"Only if I fight the winner," she reminded them.

"Eh, okay, no fighting," Keltin said quickly.

"How-How, you can ride with me on the way back to the castle," she said.

"That works," Howard nodded. She had her mental shields carefully in place, and she wasn't going to let them shatter again. Pulling Howard close, she planted a heavy kiss on his mouth that left him a trembling mess. Smiling softly, she winked at Eremes. A grin was given in reply. Doppy was busy watching the Captain. Muninn landed on her shoulders again to rest. Lunatic and Creamy were sent back to the island home. As they were about to descend into the sewers, the Captain stopped her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know what is down there, but I will do my best to protect you," he said. She smiled, and her four husbands glowered at him.

"I appreciate your honesty, but, as you can see, I believe I will be well protected," she said in her dulcet tone. "If anything...you should worry about yourself..."

At first he was confused. Then he noticed how Howard had pulled out his massive, red axe to prepare to descend. Eremes readied his katars and poisoned them. Keltin quickly readied himself with several Spirit Spheres. Doppy just seemed to grin and hiss, eager to kill whatever was down there.

"I see. Very well, then," he nodded. Seyren gave him a cold look.

"I just want you to know that she's my little sister. If she's hurt, I'm coming after you!" the Lord Knight hissed. Sarine blinked in surprise. She had never seen him like this before. Doppy snickered at Seyren's words. The Captain gasped at the warning, and he simply nodded.  _I have to prove myself to them to show I'm trustworthy._

When they got into the sewers, Kathryne wrinkled her nose. Howard muttered something about smelling Seyren, and the Lord Knight glowered at him. Lloyd was quickly looking around and paused, as a brown juvenile Thief Bug skittered up to them. It glowed softly, as it became faster and a bit stronger. It was then Teleported back to the island home. They worked their way through the sewers, finding the right paths to move to. Eremes Cloaked and scouted ahead to lead them properly. When they descended, larger, brown female Thief Bugs were there, and one skittered over to them to glow with enhancement before vanishing away.

A blue bat flew over to them to hover now. It was the same type that usually appeared with Dracula, and it seemed relieved to find them.

"It's a Familiar," Keltin nodded. The bat glowed with enhancement before vanishing away like the others. A small, white, rat-type monster squeaked over to them. Keltin said it was a Tarou. After it glowed, it vanished away. Killing anything else that ran into them, they descended another level. Now, large, green male Thief Bugs moved to swarm and attack them. As they killed them off, one remained to assist them. It glowed, and that one vanished.

They continued to fend them off, as they worked their way deeper into the sewers. When they finally got to the base of the sewer system, Eremes remained Cloaked to scout around swiftly. While he was looking around, a larger rat with a bluish tinge to its fur, known as a Cramp, hopped over to them to glow and vanish. What Eremes later found was astonishing, and he called them over. A giant Golden Thief Bug was the cause of the problems. It had a gold colored carapace that resembled a heavily armored shell, and a set of jaws that rose up over its head and over its back. Since it wasn't attacking them, Eremes chucked a rock at it to force it to follow him. It hissed and charged at him, as he led it over easily. As Garrett was about to draw up his sword to attack, Sarine was already there holding up her hand to stop him.

"What?!" he asked with confusion. Her Mark glowed on the back of her neck, and she gave a soft whimper when Huginn emerged.

"Golden Thief Bug! Stop!" she called out, her heavy ethereal voice acting like a stunning blast to the bug. It skittered with confusion and looked at her now with a different light.

"What's going on?" Garrett whispered.

"Huginn is talking! Be silent!" Eremes warned.

"Huginn?!" Garrett whispered with awe.

"A war is coming! You must come with us!" Huginn commanded. "Now you will separate from your darker self to uphold the Balance as Lord Odin commands!"

Golden Thief Bug squealed in pain, as its form started to separate. It kicked out in anguish before it finally stopped. The darker form vanished away, and the lighter form seemed to tremble. Walking up to it now, Sarine placed a hand on the bug's head. It seemed to shuffle a bit as though to get its bearings, before twittering at her expectantly. Then she rose up and straightened her back.

"Garrett Lockheart!" Huginn said, as she looked at him now. "Heed me now!"

"Yes! Of course!" he nodded.

"You are not intended to be with the Vessel of Odin. Do not force yourself on her. If you do, you can likely kill her."

That brought a round of gasps from everyone there. At a raised hand again, they all quieted and waited for further news.

"I understand," Garrett nodded.

"Furthermore," she said, as she faced him. "should you continue being persistent, you may find the chance you seek. But, it would be at a high price. As to what the price is, there will be no way to tell until it happens. However, marriage is not an option for you. At this time, it would be best for you to take your attentions off of the Vessel."

Howard didn't like what he heard about Garrett having a possible chance. Doppy didn't like it, either. Eremes was in constant thought, and Keltin was thinking of ways to keep her away from the Captain. Doppy was there to catch Sarine when she fainted.

"What happened?" Garrett asked.

"When Huginn possesses her and lets her go, she faints. Happens every time," Keltin sighed. He looked around and noticed that the bugs seemed to have died down all over the sewers.  _The threat was averted._ Golden Thief Bug glowed with power, as it grew even more massive now. Spikes jutted out from its back and joints. It became faster in its movements, and Margaretha commented that she even saw some poison dripping from the mandibles. Garrett was stammering with disbelief.

"Are you ready to head back to the island?" Howard asked it. Golden Thief Bug shook its head. It wanted to stay with Sarine a bit longer. The Gryphon warbled, and the two looked at each other. Then Golden Thief Bug went over to Howard to drop a gold bar, a golden headgear, a golden bell, a gold mace, and a rare Emperium stone in his hands. Then it gave over a card. Twittering, it accepted a pat on the head with acceptance. When Sarine woke up, she beamed at the new gifts and thanked it kindly. Windwalker warbled and preened its feathers to pluck out a rare spear called a Gisarme, another spear called a Pole Axe, a rather soft feather used to make things, and its own card. Howard chuckled and had Karla put them in her cart.

"Are we ready to go back to Prontera?" Lloyd asked.

"Sure," Sarine nodded. Golden Thief Bug twittered with excitement, since it was going, too. It had never been outside of the sewers before and wanted to see what it was like.

"Can we walk out of here?" Howard frowned. Sarine stifled a giggle, since he wanted to ride back with her.

"Shouldn't be too bad of a run," Seyren smirked.

"Let's go," Doppy grinned. Keltin kissed Sarine gently, as he put her on Windwalker's back. Howard jumped up to join her, and they were soon covered with a set of wings. As they walked through the sewers again, Garrett was frowning.

"What's wrong?" Karla asked him.

"Just what are they doing?" he asked.

"Likely heavy petting or sex," Doppy mused. That made Garrett swallow his curiosity and continue to lead the way. Soft giggling was soon heard under the wings.

"Howard!" she whispered to him. "You're making me laugh! Stop it!"

"As if I care?" he grinned and pulled her close before tickling her again.

"Howard!" she pleaded and laughed now.

"What are you guys doing?" Keltin grinned.

"He keeps tickling me!" Sarine said.

"Howard, the whole reason why you're there is to keep her quiet, remember?" Doppy smirked. "I know making her scream is fun, but you're missing the point."

"Really? And what would you be doing if you were here?" Howard countered. That made Doppy think and grin wickedly.

"No ideas!" Sarine said.

"I ride the Gryphon next time," Doppy chuckled.

"Oh, look at what you started!" she pouted.

"Hey," Howard chuckled and kissed her. "We are all doing this for you."

"Some of us are actually trying to walk here!" Seyren grinned.

"Well, some of us are trying to get laid!" Howard snickered.

"Shut up! Show off!" Seyren growled.

"Can you walk a bit more upwind? I think I can still smell you," Howard growled. "When was the last time you took a shower?"

"What?!" Seyren frowned. "You're not going to start this again, are you?"

Garrett found himself grinning now. It was easy for him to forget that he was with a group that was mainly comprised of monsters. The talking finally ceased when Sarine ground herself against Howard and pulled him into a kiss that made him start sweating. When they reached the surface and started to walk back, Howard grumbled when Windwalker came to a stop.

"What's going on?" he asked. The Gryphon lowered its wings for them to see. A group of Rogues were stopping everyone on the path for a toll. Sarine turned in Howard's lap, and he put his arms around her protectively.

"I recognize him!" Sarine whispered, as she spotted the leader. "Keltin! That's the one that tried to attack me that first time! Remember? You were able to stop him!"

Eremes narrowed his eyes, and he Cloaked. Howard growled, as Doppy grinned to wait and see if blood would be spilled. Keltin snickered and reverted back to his Bongun self. Golden Thief Bug moved off into the bushes to wait and see if it could ambush them when the time was right. The moment Sarine said she was attacked before brought out a wave of protective vengeance. They all wanted to help her get even.

When the Rogues turned their attention to them, the leader stammered at the sight of the Captain of the Royal Guard. Then he grinned when he knew the man was outnumbered. As they moved closer, they paused at the sight of the giant, majestic Gryphon. As the leader looked at the stunning Sniper on its back, he stammered and pointed. Then he saw the Bongun and remembered everything that the two of them did to him.

"You guys?! Do you know how many weeks it took for me to get my dignity back?!" the Rogue leader growled. "I'm gonna have so much fun getting payback in the next few minutes!"

"And, do you know how many seconds it's going to take for me to kill you?" Eremes hissed in laughter, as he Uncloaked. His katars were already at the Rogue's throat.

"Stop! It is my duty to see this man apprehended and taken to court!" Garrett said. He already knew that it wasn't going to happen.

"Not today," Doppy growled. "That man tried to hurt Sorry Sari! He dies now!"

The others were already taking out the other Rogues easily. Kathryne brought down Meteors and Fire Balls, as Mitchell assisted her. Lloyd and Margaretha were buffing and Healing everyone. Cecil aimed her arrows true to strike down her targets and was setting traps to slow them down. Seyren had Berserked and was taking down everyone within his reach.

Eremes continued to keep the Rogue leader pinned, as his small group got torn to pieces. Keltin was waiting to defend Sarine, if it was needed. Doppy was laughing with Demonic glee, as he ran through and hacked apart any Rogue that got too close to her. Howard was simply holding her and watching the others attack. He did flash his massive, red axe to cause hesitation, if anyone tried to approach her. That gave Keltin enough time to beat the crap out of the Rogue that got too close. When it was over, Garrett walked over to the Rogue leader.

"So, you're the one they call Picks? Well, we've been after you for quite some time!" Garrett said. "It was just a matter of knowing when you would show up to get caught."

"I'll be out in only a few weeks!" Picks growled. Then he shouted, as Golden Thief Bug pounced out of hiding and scared him so hard that he fainted. Chittering happily, it seemed to dance a bit on its large, spindly legs.

"You did very well!" Sarine chuckled, and it moved up to her side. The others were busy gathering up the other Rogues to tie them up. Guards were called from the castle and were on their way now. Priests were called for, too, to Resurrect and Heal the dead and wounded. Eremes casually walked over to the unconscious leader's mouth and moved a hand over Pick's mouth before the guards reached him. He smirked when a black liquid moved down the Rogue's throat. Without hesitation, he moved away now feeling better.

"I should have killed him!" Doppy growled.

"Don't worry. He's going to have a rather...fun night..." Eremes grinned.

"Hmm?" Doppy smirked. An empty poison bottle that contained a rather weak poison landed in Doppy's hand, and he grinned wickedly.

"Hope he sleeps well," Eremes chuckled, and Doppy laughed.

"Eremes!" Sarine called to him. A glance up, and he was at her side instantly.

"Yes, my love?" he smiled. She pulled him close and kissed him hard. Giving in to her, he hugged her tightly. He would never stop being amazed at how much she dominated his heart.

"Now," she smiled. "what was that bottle you gave to Doppy?"

Eremes smirked and told her and Howard what it was. Sarine gasped, and Howard crowed with laughter. Keltin found out soon after, and he grinned.

"Will it kill him?" Keltin asked.

"Let's just say..." Eremes chuckled. "he'd better have a spare set of pants. Otherwise, he will be wearing really dark brown ones for a while..."

They all laughed, and they started the trek into town again. Sarine was still on Windwalker's back with Howard's arms around her. People gaped at Golden Thief Bug, but the gazes were ignored. When they reached the palace, the guards stared at the monstrous bug, but, at Garrett's command, they left it alone. They did move the Rogues into holding cells for interrogation the moment they were received.

When Sarine's party approached the King, he stared at the size of the bug. It chittered and let Sarine lean against it after she moved away from Windwalker. Muninn leapt up into the air to explore the castle from the outside.

"That was the creature that was in the sewers?!" the King asked with amazement. "Why does it not attack us now?"

"Golden Thief Bug here is our ally. There is a darker aspect of it in the sewers now to help maintain a Balance," Sarine nodded. Storm Caller appeared and moved over to the King to carefully explain how the Balance worked. While he did that, Howard moved over to Sarine to put his arms around her and hug her close.

"I see now! It makes perfect sense," the King nodded. "In gratitude, I will definitely see what I can do in order to get the arena working! However, it may have to wait until tomorrow. I would love to hold a feast in your honor, and, please, stay the night in the castle. I will have rooms ready for you to rest in."

"With all due respect," Sarine said. "I would much rather go back to my home in Payon. I feel more secure there."

"Just one night?" the King asked. Eremes looked at her and winked.

"Well, I suppose one night should be fine," she nodded.

"Excellent! A feast and a grand ball shall be done! Send out the word!" the King said happily to his attendants. Sarine gave another pat on the head to Golden Thief Bug before it vanished with Windwalker to the island home. With that done, Sarine and her party were escorted up to one of the top floors of the castle, and several rooms were open to them. As she walked into the room that was destined to be hers, she found herself marveling at the sheer elegance of the place. In another room, Karla was getting mental design plans for the houses.

"What do you plan to wear tonight?" Keltin asked her, as he sat in a chair.

"I did bring my gown and such from the island home," she winked.

"That will do nicely," Eremes nodded.

"We'll have to keep an extra eye on you, then," Doppy frowned.

"At least the arena will start up and give us something to do during the downtime of finding monsters," Howard thought. "Start helping us turn a tidy profit, too."

"I am dancing with you first," Eremes chuckled.

"Darned!" Keltin sighed. "Me next!"

"I'll go last," Howard mused.

"I guess I'm third," Doppy chuckled. A knock on the door was given, and Doppy opened it, since he always sat by it. He made sure to do this to ensure that nothing would get past him without a fight. A startled maid glanced up at him, and he gave a wolfish grin. That combined with his glowing red pupils made her squeak and run off in fright.

"Doppy!" Sarine frowned, as he laughed. He moved over to Sarine and pulled her close to hug her. Howard could only laugh at everything.

"It's the demon in me," he snickered.

"You are all demon. So, that is not an excuse!" she chided.

"I'll go find her," Keltin sighed. He shifted into his Champion form and walked out into the hallway. On finding her, he learned that everyone was to wear dresses and tuxedos. When he explained to her that monsters couldn't do that, she understood, but something told him that the tuxedos would be provided, anyways. When he walked back into the room, he explained what it was about.

"You could wear a tux," Howard grinned at Keltin.

"Hell no!" Keltin frowned. "I'll be a Bongun. I'm not getting into a tux!"

"You mean, you don't want to look even more handsome for me?" Sarine frowned. "I'm going to be getting into that dress, you know."

"I'll try wearing a tux," Keltin said with a sigh of defeat.

"I don't think a tux would fit me," Doppy chuckled. "My body is far too different from an average human body. It will be better this way, if something goes wrong."

"I'll be busy scouting the place, if I can, and watching over Sarine," Eremes nodded.

"I will be escorting you around with Keltin," Howard added. "And I'm a monster right now, so a tux won't work on me."

"What is it like outside?" Sarine asked.

"Let's check!" Keltin grinned and moved to open a curtain. Sunlight poured into the room making Doppy grimace for a moment, but then he was better. It was just nearing dusk. Muninn swooped in and landed on a chair to preen himself. A knock on the door was heard now, and Keltin answered it this time.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Here are your tuxedos! A dress is here, too!" the maid said. She gave over the pressed clothes. Howard snickered with Doppy, and Eremes gave a small grin.

"We just need one tux, and a dress is already brought. Thank you," Keltin nodded.

"Um, may I be so bold as to say that you're really cute?" the maid blushed. At that response, he chuckled. The maid gasped soon after when Sarine moved over to hug Keltin from behind him and let her head rest easily on his shoulder.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! Cute? He's downright gorgeous! And he's all mine," she snickered. Turning to her now, he kissed her fully and looked back at the maid. The poor girl now saw the ring on his finger and gave a nervous look.

"Sorry about that. Thank you for the compliment, but, as you can see, I'm happily married. Enjoy your night!" he said with a smile. The maid blushed again out of embarrassment, nodded, and walked away.

"I'm going to hurt her!" Sarine scowled, as he closed the door.

"Darling, you know that the situation fixed itself the moment you appeared," Keltin grinned. She was still upset and stomped her foot on the ground, as her hands made small fists.

"If she says anything else to you, I'll...I'll...I'll slap her!" Sarine pouted. Doppy looked over at Howard with amusement. Even Eremes raised a brow. They never saw Sarine get jealous before. They all agreed that it was very cute.

"I'll make sure she doesn't cross your path anymore," Eremes nodded.

"Okay," Sarine sighed and grabbed her pack to move into the vast bathroom to change. Looking over at the tux, Keltin groaned and started to try putting it on. She heard him scowling, as they teased him on where things went. She giggled to herself, removed her Sniper garments, took a quick shower, and dressed in the robe. Putting on the Elven Ears, jewelry, and makeup now, she styled her hair the best that she could on her own.

When she walked out of the bathroom, four sets of eyes were on her like they were before she met Malore in the dungeon, and she blushed. Keltin was in the tux, and she noticed a few things were out of place. She walked over to help him fix it up a bit.

"I told you it didn't sit right!" Keltin muttered to Howard. A grin was given in reply.

"There you go. All fixed," she said softly. A knock on the door was given, and Doppy opened it. Seyren was there and had Karla on his arm. The Lord Knight couldn't wear the tux, due to his monster form, but Karla was wearing a lovely dark blue evening dress that had lightly ruffled sleeves and ruffles lining the dress. A daring cleavage was given to her, as well.

"Oh, Sarine! Let me help you with your hair!" Karla said, as she walked over. Sarine chuckled and sat down, as Karla started to help set it to rights.

"I am a bit nervous," Sarine admitted.

"Well, the ball is for you," Seyren grinned.

"If she faints, she comes back here," Howard muttered.

"I'll block the door," Doppy nodded.

"She'll be fine," Eremes grunted.

"Don't worry. We are all here for you," Keltin nodded. Sarine smiled at them and rose up from the chair when Karla was done.

"Are we ready?" Sarine chuckled nervously.

"Let's go!" Karla said with determination. Mitchell saw her approaching down the hallway, and Kathryne pinched him to keep him awake. Lloyd and Margaretha moved behind her, but Margaretha stopped her for a moment to fix her hair again. Cecil double-checked Sarine's makeup and got ready to help escort her down the stairs. When they got there, a servant did a double-take at Sarine's stunning beauty. Coughing a bit now to clear his throat, he announced her to the crowd of people below.

"It is our greatest honor to introduce you to the Vessel of Odin!" the servant shouted out, and Sarine descended the stairs. Garrett was drinking some weak wine when he looked at her and spat it out. His men looked over at her and were just as speechless. A whole hush had descended on the crowd, as she made her way down the steps and to the table where she would be at. It was so quiet that the sound of her slippers made echoes in the room. Doppy gave out a hiss, but relaxed when Sarine sat down in his lap to recline with his arms around her.

After that was done, the guests started to come around and went back to dancing, drinking, and feasting. Others went right over to her to start asking her questions. Most of them she declined. Others were frightened away by a glare from Howard or Doppy. The few that she did answer mainly talked about what she did and how long she did it. When she started to feel overwhelmed, Keltin was there to cheer her up. Even Seyren made a few threats to people when they got Sarine flustered. After a couple hours, she felt uncomfortable.

"I really need to use the toilet," Sarine sighed. "All that water finally caught up to me!"

"I'll take her," Eremes nodded. "I'll Cloak and watch over her."

"Makes sense," Howard grinned. Eremes moved to her side and escorted her up the stairs. Keltin remained there, and the others were able to link to him to keep from following her around. The rooms were built rather close upstairs, so it wasn't an issue for them to be in separate rooms. Leading her to where she had to go, Eremes had studied the floor plans of the castle extensively. Then he Cloaked when she got to the room she needed to be. He did blink, as he spotted Garrett walking over to wait for her. Eyes narrowed, he decided to wait and see what he would try to pull. He wanted to catch the man red-handed.

When Sarine got out of the bathroom, she knew that Eremes was close. Taking that comfort, she moved over to one of the many windows to gaze out at the night sky. The moon was out and shed a soft light over her features.

"You look beautiful tonight. You know that?" Garrett said, as he walked over to her. Gazing at her from the corner of his eye, he looked out the window.

"Oh. Well, thank you," she nodded. "I should be getting back. My husbands worry if I'm not there. I really don't want to keep them waiting."

"Sarine," he said, as she turned. "Why on earth do you love monsters?"

"Captain..." she frowned.

"Call me Garrett," he insisted.

"Garrett," she sighed and turned to look at him with sadness in her eyes. "They are not all monsters. They are far more human now than they ever were before."

"But, Sarine, think about it!" Garrett said, as he moved closer to her now. "Shouldn't you be with a man? A true human?"

"Keltin is a man when he wants to be," Sarine reminded him.

"But, four husbands? You should only have one!"

"And who would I choose?" she asked. "I love them all so much, you know. In fact, if it wasn't for Eremes, I would still be trapped in Amatsu. Yes, you heard me right. Eremes rescued me. For the first fourteen years of my life, since I was born, I was locked up in a dark room with only candles for light and barely fed. Do you want to know who did that to me? My Mother, Empress Emilia of Amatsu! My Father did  _nothing_ but watch me suffer! After I escaped with Eremes, I was given the chance to see daylight for the first time in my life, but he left me on my own for three months, and I was gone when he tried to come back for me! I had forgotten about him and ventured forth on my own. I'm still not sure how I survived those three months on my own, though. Maybe in time I'll remember. Like everything else, but, regardless, I did survive.

"And, it was in Geffen Tower that Howard rescued me from a group of bullies that could have easily killed me when I was an Archer. I had forgotten who Eremes was, but he had joined Howard's group by pure chance! All of them were my new family, and they took care of me while I finished growing up. When I was forced to be removed from them with the Lighthalzen incident, I went back into Geffen Tower and found Doppy. This happened after I received a death certificate about Howard a year later. I actually helped Doppy in a fight without realizing it, and we became best friends for six months. He made me promise to forget about him until I found a way to help him get out of there, and I did. I didn't get back to him until almost a year later. And, if it wasn't for my idea to get a pet and come across Keltin when I did...I don't know. I may not be who I am today.

"With Keltin's help, I went back into Lighthalzen and saw the others. They weren't dead. They remembered me. They knew me. They thought I abandoned them, and I proved them wrong. It was when I transcended that the Mark of Odin was given to me by Huginn, himself. Muninn is actually my falcon. Yes, he's my falcon! I didn't ask for it to happen, but it did! So, I went back to Lighthalzen, rescued my friends, and then freed Doppy from that tower. Valkyrie from Valhalla, herself, blessed my marriages to my current husbands! You have a problem with my marriage? Bring it up to her! I can call her for you! And, I swear, if someone else ever tells me that I should change my life now, I would tell them to shove it! I don't regret a damned thing that has happened so far, and I  _never_  will!"

Garrett was completely stunned at how she told him about her life. _She was royalty and treated like dirt. She gained powerful friends through trial and error. She gained her place in the world through hard work and effort._ He admired her now. As she stood there watching him, her eyes were blinking to keep the tears from falling. It was hard for her to talk about her past. She could only tell him the short version at this point, since it was still so hard for her to talk about it.

"I'm sorry, if I upset you," he said.

"No, don't be. I have to get used to saying it. But, I will say this," she frowned. "Eremes saved me a second time from Amatsu when I was captured recently. You heard how the palace was destroyed and needs to be rebuilt? That was from Baphomet and the warrior Valkyrie with her maidens from the fields of Odin's Temple. They razed the place to the ground after I was...raped...by those guards...and...they tried to...remove my Mark..."

Garrett moved over to her to comfort her, but stopped as Eremes Uncloaked and had his katars at his throat.

"You...have done...enough..." Eremes hissed with warning. "Leave. Now."

Garrett nodded and turned to walk away. He paused to look back once to find Eremes holding her while she wept. As he walked down the hallway, he paused at the massive falcon perched on a chair. The falcon saw the whole thing and looked very upset.

"Muninn?" he asked.

_:Why? Why her? Not before. Right?:_  Muninn asked, as he chirped. Garrett blinked at the words in his mind, but he reminded himself that this was a powerful being. Refocusing on what was said to him just now, he sighed with frustration.

"I've never felt so drawn to anyone before! And already she has so many! And after that, I just...I don't know," he admitted and slumped into a chair. Muninn fluttered down to the ground to peer up at him.

_:You hurt. She hurts. Should talk. Eventually. But. Her mates. Love her. You fight. Prove yourself. At arena.:_  Muninn nodded.

"Prove myself at the arena by fighting them?" Garrett asked.

_:Yes. Gain trust. Balance. No love. Just peace. Too many. Kill her.:_  Muninn sighed.

"Too many what will kill her?" Garrett asked.

_:Mates. Too many. Too stressful. See? Why continue? Why hurt?:_  he asked.

"Because...I love her," Garrett sighed and hung his head down. Muninn flapped his wings to gain his attention now.

_:You can't! Kill her! Stop now! Be brother! Uncle! Cousin! Anything! Not lover! Please!:_  Muninn said frantically.

"If I could change how I felt, then I would. But I can't. I'll fight them at the arena just to show that they can trust me. Maybe enough to let me be alone with her for a little while, but that would be all."

_:No! I protect! I warn! Don't touch. Her. Or. I kill. You!:_  Muninn glared at him now and sent a shiver of fear down the Paladin Captain's spine.  _I was just told not to touch her or Muninn would attack me._ If that wasn't a warning to him, then he was blind. And he mentally chose to be blind.  _I have to be with her even if it was just once._  His mind was made up.  _I'll lay low until the time was available._ Nodding to Muninn respectfully, he left to go patrol the city. He had to get away from Sarine's presence for now, even though it killed him to do it.

Muninn flew over to Eremes to report what was said. The Assassin Cross was still holding Sarine, and he blinked with rage. Squeezing her now, he knew he would have to tell the others. Only one thought raged in his mind.  _The Captain wants to kill her._   _Well, not really kill her._  But, just to know that he wanted her for himself was enough to make him that much more pissed off.

"Get the others!" Eremes hissed to Muninn. The falcon nodded and flew off. It didn't take long for Howard, Keltin, and Doppy to appear. Muninn let the others stay in the ballroom without Keltin, as this was important. He didn't want the others to feel the need to come over right now. When her husbands saw Sarine, they demanded to know what happened, and Eremes rose up his hand. At this they quieted, but Doppy was livid.

"Tell us what happened!" Doppy snarled.

"It was my fault," Eremes admitted. "I saw Garrett and decided to let him talk to Sarine. I shouldn't have."

"What was said?" Howard glowered. Eremes repeated everything to an extent, and even further of what Muninn just told him. Sarine whimpered, and Eremes hugged her tighter.

"He dies TONIGHT!" Doppy snarled out.

"No," Sarine sighed. "Let him die honorably in the arena."

"And, if he lives? He'll be able to have time alone with you!" Keltin growled.

"No, he won't. Should he live, he will be trusted to an extent, as Muninn said. But, he will never be trusted to be alone with me," Sarine said softly.

"I don't like it," Doppy grimaced.

"What is there to like? We'll always have to be with her, and we are, anyways," Howard said. "We'll just have to be closer."

"And I don't sleep at night," Doppy nodded. "I can escort her at any time."

"I don't need sleep, either, in my normal form," Keltin thought aloud.

"Neither do we as monsters," Eremes mused.

"Then it's settled. No one gives Garrett any odd looks. Let him try and fail," Sarine said. The men grumbled, but they agreed. Taking her back out to the main room now, the others were curious on what happened. Not wanting to cause a stir, they just showed that everything was fine. When it was time for the real dancing to start, Keltin got up and offered his hand to Sarine. Eremes chuckled, since he said that he would dance with her first, but he shrugged.  _No need to start a scene here._  Smiling now, she moved to Keltin, and he started to dance with her. Seyren soon had Karla on the floor, and Kathryne had Mitchell dancing with her. Lloyd and Margaretha even joined in. It was easy to forget about the trouble with Garrett now with all the dancing.

Cecil was reclining in her chair with contentment. She was one of the types that didn't like relationships. Sarine never truly knew why. Keltin spun Sarine around, and she found Eremes taking over. Laughing a bit, as he did a few dips to her before twirling her around, he relented at Doppy's approach to take over. The demon wasn't used to dancing, so he did his best. Sarine smiled at him, and he finally just picked her up a bit to move at his own pace. When it was time for Howard, the music had gotten a bit slower, and he chuckled. Doppy relented and let Sarine pass to him in a twirling spin.

Holding her close, he pressed his mouth to whisper in her ear, and his warm breath sent exciting shivers down her spine.

"Do you really save the best for last?" Howard chuckled.

"I did love you first, How-How," she smiled. "Of course, I love you all equally, and you all satisfy me in your own ways. Don't worry. I'll always love you regardless of anything else. I can promise you that."

He pulled her closer to kiss her deeply and kept up with the rhythm. Outside, Garrett was dealing with a bunch of questions from his men.

"What do you mean you left her there?! Go back in there and get her! We all know you have the hots for her!" a Knight frowned.

"It's not that easy," Garrett sighed. "You try to confront a group like that and be told that, if you tried to be with a girl, you'll end up killing her!"

"Hah! Sir, I'm sorry, but I think they have you duped! They're just jealous as hell. Just get back in there and show them what you've got! You're the Bull's-Eye! You can do this!" a Paladin cheered him on.

"I don't know," Garrett frowned and remembered what Muninn said. The falcon sent real fear to him. It was something he couldn't ignore.

"I never knew you for one to give up, sir," Max frowned.

"She's dancing on the floor right now! I bet if you hurry, you can get a dance out of her!" one of the Knights said, as he rode up on his Pecopeco. That made Garrett blink and wonder what she was like at dancing. Unable to resist, he ran off to the castle, ignoring the cheers from his men behind him. When he got there, he saw her expertly dancing with Keltin. As he approached her, the crowd pulled away from him to clear a path. Doppy and Howard growled and made ready to get up, if they had to. Keltin suddenly looked up, and his eyes narrowed. Eremes scowled when he appeared and Cloaked.

"May I have a dance?" Garrett asked calmly. She looked over at him and suddenly blinked, as Eremes Uncloaked in front of her.

"Request...declined," Eremes hissed.

"It's just a dance, Eremes," Sarine sighed.

"Sarine..." Eremes warned. She moved to gently kiss him, and he gave in to her.

"You are being watched," Keltin growled. Eremes Cloaked now and backed away. Garrett bowed to her, and she gave a curt nod. The music got a touch faster, and he pulled her into a gentle spin.

"Where did you learn how to dance?" he asked with amazement.

"I got a little training in Comodo," she nodded.

"I see," he mused.

"What exactly are you trying to pull?" she asked, as she noticed they were heading towards the windows. When he stopped dancing with her, he leaned down quickly to kiss her only to find a sharp katar blade in front of his face.

"I knew it!" Eremes hissed and pulled Sarine away. The crowd hushed now and moved away from them. Doppy, Howard, and Keltin were quickly at her side.

"What is wrong with you?!" Keltin growled.

"Are you so daft that you don't understand a warning when it's in front of your face?!" Howard snapped. Seyren started to move over to them, but Karla kept him back to protect her, since she was defenseless.

"I'm going to enjoy slicing you limb from limb!" Doppy hissed.

"Really? Is that a challenge?" Garrett growled.

_:STOP!:_  Muninn screamed, as he cried out a falcon cry. Everyone in the room heard it. When he landed on the ground, Garrett backed away quickly. The others did, as well. The bird's form started to morph and grow. A heavily muscled, lean warrior with slightly curly, shoulder-length black hair, striking yellow, bird-like eyes, and a sharp, beak-like nose glared at Garrett. Black with gold highlights like feathers appeared in his armor. The armor only appeared to cover over the top of his shoulders and down his arms in rings around his muscles leaving his chest and abdominal muscles bare. The armor also covered over his feet and up his legs in the same ringlet pattern over his arms. Armor fashioned in the form of a raven in flight was over his groin and around his waist. It almost reminded one of hunting armor at a distance. A spear was in his hand, and it sparked with the elements of Lightning and smoldered with Fire.

What was shocking were his facial features. He bore an uncanny resemblance to Sarine once one got past the rest of his bizarre bird-like features, and it actually surprised many. Now he said angrily with a hiss in both voice and mind, " _I am Muninn, brother to the Vessel of Odin! How dare you, Garrett Lockheart! I warned you! You chose to blindly ignore my warning like I knew you would! Now you pay the price!_ "

"Brother?" Sarine whispered. Muninn turned to look at her, his smile warm and kind as he winked.  _Home._  She felt that feeling again, and she couldn't help it now. She ran to his side to hug him. He hugged her back tightly, as she wept tears of relief.

" _You should have known you had family looking out for you,_ " he chuckled.

"But...Amatsu...who are they, then?" she frowned.

" _Adopted parents that should have taken much better care of you. At least, one of them was supposed to. You have no idea how much I wanted to intervene and take you to safety! But, Father Odin forbade it. Things had to happen. Even Huginn, who resides within you to protect you further now, can only do so much._ "

Howard just stared in awe at the powerful warrior in front of him. Eremes was just glad that someone was finally here to knock some sense into Garrett. Doppy was wondering how strong he was. Keltin was smiling with happiness for Sarine.

"Muninn," Sarine sighed. "I...I really want to go home."

" _To Payon?_ " he asked.

"No..." she breathed.

" _Sarine, if you go 'home' then you will be forced to leave everyone behind. This includes your friends and loved ones. I don't think they would want that._ "

She winced and didn't want that, either. She trembled, and he squeezed her in a protective embrace before focusing his yellow eyes on Garrett.

"What happens now?" Garrett asked.

" _In order for you to make up for your crime tonight, you must find Sarine's foster mother, the Empress of Amatsu. Once you find her, you must kill her!_ " Muninn hissed. " _Should you still want to be with Sarine when that is done, you will have to fight her husbands in the arena. If you defeat them, then you must fight me._ "

That brought a gasp from everyone in the room. As Garrett was about to respond, a crushing weight filled the room, and Eremes hissed with recognition. Sarine blinked, as Odin appeared in the middle of the dance floor. Holding his arms out to her, she gasped with joy and ran to him, letting him catch her up into a hug. Whispers started to float around the room, but Muninn calmly walked over to her and gestured for her husbands to walk over, as well.

"Daddy! What brings you here?" she asked after the hug.

"I have business right now. A few new rules to announce and someone to berate," Odin said, as he gave a glance to Garrett. The Captain swallowed and hung his head.

"Daddy," Sarine frowned, but he smiled at her. Raising up an arm, a wall of mist appeared. Very slowly, a large form started to appear out of the mist. Garrett stammered, as Baphomet filled the mist, and the massive demon looked around questionably. People started to scream, as they moved towards the exit, but it was Odin that sent a calming feeling over them to let them know that they were in no danger.

"WHO DARES?!" Baphomet roared.

"Always with the roaring, old friend?" Odin frowned. On hearing his voice, Baphomet looked at him and cracked a grin.

"To what do I owe the...pleasure...of being summoned here?" the massive demon growled out, his attitude changing completely for now. He set the end of his scythe into the ground to lean against lightly, as he crouched down to get a better look at him.

"I have a few new rules about to set into place, and I want you to hear them," Odin said. The massive demon nodded with respect. At this, Odin summoned forth the warrior Valkyrie and the Valkyrie from Valhalla. Storm Caller was there, as well, to bear witness.

"My Liege!" both Valkyries said at once.

"All pay heed!" Odin said sharply. "The demon, Baphomet, currently travels through Clock Tower and the Hidden Forest Temple! He shall have a new domain, and that is my daughter, my Vessel's island!"

"Heard and agreed!" the Valkyries nodded together. Baphomet was amused now, and Storm Caller simply absorbed the information calmly.

"Friends of my daughter, my Vessel," Odin said, as he looked over at Margaretha, Seyren, Cecil, and Kathryne. "I have need of my daughter, my Vessel, and her husbands at this time. To keep you all here, you shall become human for the rest of the night!"

A small dream-like blink went through them all, and they gasped with happiness at their brief humanity again. Garrett's mouth dropped, as he honestly didn't believe that they were human at one point. Baphomet nodded to Odin, and he was transferred to the island home to explore it at his whim. He hadn't officially joined them, but he was now able to treat the island as a new territory. It was more than he could have hoped to have achieved with his status.

"What about us, Daddy?" Sarine asked curiously.

"We are going home for a little bit, and you will return with your husbands here. I have important things to talk about with you," Odin nodded. Doppy's brow raised with curiosity, as the others were just amazed that they were going to go to another place. Muninn transformed back down into his falcon form for Sarine and prepared to fly with them.

"Hmm," Doppy thought, as he looked at the Paladin trying to edge towards the exit casually. Odin moved his single eye to glare at him now.

"Garrett Lockheart!" Odin called out to him. "Don't think that I've forgotten about you! Go find her foster parents! Find out what truly happened and bring them to justice! Go!"

Garrett nodded and quickly walked out of the palace to rouse his men. When he left, Odin turned to look at the King of Prontera, and he nodded respectfully to the man. The King nodded back with the same respect, and a crushing force moved about the room again. When it was gone, Sarine, Odin, Muninn, and her four husbands were gone with it.

"Karla, would you like to dance?" Seyren chuckled. Karla had never fully seen him like this in his human form, save the one time at the campfire, and she smiled with a nod. He gathered her in his arms and prepared to dance with her.

"You're not wearing a tux!" Cecil grinned.

"Well, you're not wearing a dress!" he countered back. She made a face at him, and they laughed with a new bought of happiness.


	37. Chapter 37

In Odin's realm, Sarine never felt so happy. Howard was simply amazed at the structure of the place. Eremes was itching to explore, but he knew that this was not a normal place for exploration. Doppy was very impressed with the place, and Keltin was just a touch nervous of what Odin wanted. Muninn hopped over to the throne, as Odin sat back down in it.

"My daughter, my Vessel. Listen well. I brought you and your husbands here to explain a very special tactic that you have with them. You know the Light I gave you?"

"Yes, Daddy," she nodded.

"Every time you use it, it gets stronger. It also becomes a part of you more and more. You will notice small changes in your body and in your temperament. Also, your husbands will gain added benefits with these changes and will be able to support you. As for the current status, I will need to inform you all of what you can do with my daughter, my Vessel."

"We are listening," Howard nodded.

"Keltin, her Guardian, please step forward," Odin urged. Keltin was still in his human form and in the tuxedo. He blinked as the tuxedo vanished to become his Champion clothing.

"Um, thanks?" he grinned. The others chuckled.

"As her Guardian, you can protect her from mainly all attacks at her, as you have proven in the past. However, the next time she does her Light, activate your Rage. You will be able to project the Light in other ways," Odin chuckled. That made Keltin's eyes light up with new ideas. Odin gestured to Howard next.

"Yes, Sir?" he asked.

"You are her Armor, and Armor is like a shield. You have the Golden Thief Bug card, yes? Good! You have the ability to project any defenses at her. Such as, with the Golden Thief Bug card, you can take its ability when activated in a shield and encase her with it! Of course, she will not be able to be touched by any magic both good and bad, and you will have to trade out various shields or defensive type cards to protect her, yet it may be good to practice."

"Oh!" Howard blinked.

"Also, you have a very excellent way of defending her, too! As her Armor, you can activate your Armor to be like the Monk's 'Steel Body' skill, and I will allow you to use the skill of Provoke to lure enemies at you to keep them off of her," Odin added. Howard blinked and smiled.  _I truly was her Armor now._

"I never would have known," Sarine mused.

"Of course, you wouldn't! Now, will her Weapon step forward?" Odin asked.

"Here," Eremes nodded.

"You know the flames of heat you make with her? If you focus off of the pleasure and more on the pain, you can project that pain onto others. Also, you can make a fairly intense heat wave that could create fires in various areas. Do so with caution. As an added bonus, you will both be immune to the element of Fire in that state."

"Truly?" Eremes whispered with wonder.

"Oh, yes! In fact, any can become immune to their element when it is invoked. Also, all of you will be immune to each other's elements, too. Remember this! It will be beneficial. Now, will my Wrath step forward?" Odin asked.

"Right here," Doppy grinned.

"You are mine and her Wrath. Not much else to say there! But, should she fall under severe attack, do not be worried if you suddenly fall into an uncontrollable wave of fury and destruction. However, there is a downside. There is a chance that you could injure your friends, too. So, make sure that he has a clear path away from friends and allies alike."

"I could hurt Sarine?" Doppy frowned.

"No, not her. Just everyone else," Odin explained.

"Oh. That's easier to deal with, then," he grinned.

"Hey!" Keltin frowned, yet he chuckled at him. Doppy shrugged and chuckled right back at him, as he grinned even more.

"Now, there is a skill that all of you can do together," Odin hinted.

"What is it, Daddy?" Sarine smiled.

"When she calls forth her Light, and the four of you are circled around her, you can each create an Elemental Shield of protection around her. Her Guardian is Ice. Her Armor is Earth. Her Weapon is Fire. Her Wrath is Wind."

"You would think that I would be Fire," Doppy frowned.

"Her Weapon naturally makes Fire with her. You are swift and can cut through the enemy like snapping twigs off of trees," Odin explained. That made sense to Doppy, and he nodded.  _I'm going to be cutting down enemies, anyways, so it definitely suits me._

"But, Sire," Keltin frowned. "what do we do about Garrett?"

"Ah, yes. Garrett Lockheart," Odin frowned. "The strain of another husband would be too great on my daughter, my Vessel. Especially at this time. He may find a way to be with her once, but, if he is with her once, he will try other ways again. In truth, I am finding him to be a bit of a fly on the wall. Try to squash it, and it simply escapes to land again. It almost reminds me of one I know well, in fact. I will have to look into it. Regardless, you will need to be rather inventive with him. I can only wish you luck."

"These new skills will definitely help in the fighting ahead. Thank you, Sir," Eremes nodded with respect. "We will protect her with everything we have."

"I will have to send you back now. And do be warned. Garrett Lockheart is waiting down there for you. He will be leaving in the morning to find the Empress," Odin said lightly.

"Thank you for the warning," Howard growled out. Muninn hopped back over to Sarine to fly up to her shoulders and roost. She ran a hand through his wing feathers, and he pressed his head into her cheek. As the crushing weight went around them, they found themselves back in the ballroom. Eremes and Howard grinned, as they were human with the others now.  _Odin had granted all of us an extra night._

As Muninn flew up to roost in the rafters, Sarine got drawn in by Howard to be kissed. Seyren walked up to them and was informed of what was said. He was surprised and couldn't wait to see everything back at the arena. As Sarine was talking with her friends, she paused, as Garrett was walking back up to her. They were expecting him and glared at his approach.

"Don't you know when to quit?" Keltin scowled.

"Apparently not," Garrett shrugged. Eremes narrowed his eyes and moved over to Sarine. She put a hand in his, and he looked at her with a light smile.

"What do you need?" Sarine asked, as she looked at the Captain.

"Does it seem so obvious?" Garrett replied. Doppy hissed, but then paused when Eremes moved to look at Sarine. She gasped when the spark of fiery lust was ignited, and the heat wave consumed them. It was completely unintentional and caught them off guard.

"Shit!" Howard hissed. "Not here!"

"What the...?" Garrett blinked, as he was forced to back away.

"Pull them apart!" Keltin growled.

"I'm on it!" Doppy grinned and moved swiftly. As the raging heat started to filter throughout the room, Sarine found herself suddenly picked up and hauled her off to their guest bedroom in a fast blur of motion.

"NO!" Eremes hissed, as he was gasping for air. After another moment, he ran after them. Doppy purposely lured him away from the others with Sarine.

"What was that?!" the King asked.

"Sorry..." Keltin sighed, as he was now sweating. "They have a rather odd ability to make a heat wave happen for no reason."

"That's...just not possible!" Garrett hissed out. He had to retreat back to his quarters to remove his armor quickly. He was starting to cook in it.

In Sarine's guest room, Doppy had withstood the heat of the fiery lust and had her locked in his arms. Every time she tried to escape him, he crushed her harder against him.

"Please, Doppy!" she begged, as the Fire raged through her. Only Eremes could help her squelch it right now. "I...I need to go back to him!"

"Not out there," he hissed softly. "It's too dangerous."

"Give. Her. To. Me," Eremes growled out. He was still radiating heat in waves.

"Nope," Doppy snickered and moved into the bathroom with her. Eremes charged in after them and found himself standing in the shower. Cold water soon hosed them all down. When the steam finally lifted, Sarine was shivering, and her dress was now too damp to wear.

"Thanks, Doppy," she grumbled, as she stripped out of it. Eremes looked at her and back to Doppy. The sight of her dripping wet now sparked something new.

"Howard told me some...interesting things..." Eremes grinned.

"What things?" Doppy snorted. At a slight whisper, Doppy chuckled and reached for Sarine. When she cried out in outrage, they had both silenced her for the next hour.

Downstairs in the ballroom, Howard was starting to get worried. When he saw them finally appear with Sarine in her Sniper gear, he narrowed his eyes at how she looked out of breath with wet hair.

"You guys didn't!" he scowled.

"We had to toss her in the shower," Eremes grinned.

"Damn!" Howard growled.

"It was fun," Doppy teased. Sarine gave a warning look to him, and he sat back in the chair. The party appeared to be clearing out now, and she sighed.

"What now?" Keltin asked.

"I really want to go back to Payon," she sighed. "Castles are nice, but far too wealthy looking for my type."

"We haven't even made use of the bed! We'll go right back in the morning," Howard said. She gave him a look, and he stammered.

"Well, you do have a point," she mused. That gave him a sigh of relief. He truly did want her opinions to matter, and he almost blew it. Kathryne walked over to them with amusement in her eyes.

"Yes?" Eremes asked.

"When are we leaving?" Kathryne asked.

"We leave in the morning," Sarine smiled.

"Oh, good. Maybe I can coax Mitchell into finally sharing a bed with me," she snickered. Howard barked out laughing, and Seyren looked over with a grin. One final song was played, and it was a rather fast tune. Sarine jumped up and started to dance to it. The others were quick to join in. When it was done, they all laughed, and the King approached them.

"I do hope that, besides all of the other atrocities of the evening, you did enjoy yourselves?" he asked. "It is important to me. I try to make everything perfect."

"Oh, very," Sarine smiled.

"Good! That pleases me. I must retire for the evening. I trust you will find your rooms?" he asked. Eremes assured him that their rooms would be found, and the King then moved up the stairs to his chambers.

"Don't you find it odd that he never mentioned Garrett?" Keltin asked. "Or that she was Odin's daughter? Isn't that a bit strange?"

"I think Odin may have had something to do with it," Eremes muttered. "I doubt he would have wanted a scene. He may have wanted Sarine introduced as his daughter in another way, if you think about it."

"That is possible," Sarine nodded.

"Shall we?" Doppy grinned and offered his arm.

"I want a back rub," she mused.

"I'll give her one first!" Keltin grinned.

"Drat!" Howard snickered. As they all moved up the stairs, Seyren looked over at Karla. She looked over at him expectantly.

"Will you walk with me?" he asked her.

"Of course," she nodded and got up to place her arm in his. Luna was reverted back to an embryo to keep her safe before she came down to dance, so she wouldn't have to worry about her Homunculus. As they walked through the halls, he suddenly turned to look at her.

"Karla, how do you feel about me?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh! Well, I think you are much sweeter now than when I first met you. I do like your company quite a bit," she smiled.

"That's good to hear," he smiled softly. "Um, I have a question I have been wanting to ask you. I've been trying to find the right way to say it without sounding too brash."

"Okay."

"Have you ever been with another man before?"

"Oh, no! I simply couldn't do that. I want to be properly married first before such a thing would even be thought of."

"Why didn't you do anything with Eremes when he was married to you?"

"Oh. Well...I knew I liked him, but, I didn't fully love him. He was the same with me. We were drawn to each other, but we didn't quite...fit? If you see what I'm saying now. There was no real connection between us, and I wanted more time before deciding to fulfill the wedding night part."

"I see. Karla..."

"Yes, Seyren?"

"Will you marry me?"

The question caught her off guard, and she looked at him with amazement. She was completely speechless and simply didn't know what to say. He just kept gazing at her with his light blue eyes through locks of stark white hair. She stared back at him with her deep greens through her own locks of dark red-brown, and she didn't move to stop him when he bent down to kiss her. Her eyes closed, and she trembled. When he pulled away, she took a soft intake of breath.  _Why am I acting this way around him?_

"Why are you asking me?" she finally managed to ask.

"Because I love you. From the moment I first saw you, I simply knew," he said with a smile. Her mouth dropped and a gasp escaped her. There were no lies in his words.

"Oh, Seyren! Yes!" she cried out happily, and he gathered her up in his arms to kiss her deeper and far more passionately than before. She had never been kissed by Eremes this way. He was always far more reserved with his kisses, and he always seemed to stop just before crossing a border. Seyren simply charged over any obstacle in his path. When the kiss was done, she was breathing hard and she realized something. _A special spark was there._  Something that she never experienced with anyone else.

"I know...that what I'm going to ask next will be against everything you ever wanted," Seyren admitted. "But, I have to ask."

"What?" she asked.

"Will you sleep with me tonight?" he asked in a form of a whisper. She froze up at first, a bit nervous of the question.

"I...I don't know," she admitted.

"I promise to be very gentle," he whispered, as his hands moved to hug her closer. "I have never been more attracted to any other woman in my life."

"But, Sarine..."

"She is my sister and has no hold on me," he chuckled.

"Can I think about it?" she asked.

"Of course," he smiled and continued to walk with her through the halls. When they finally reached her bedroom, he leaned down to kiss her cheek and went to move away, but she kept hold of his hand.

"Aren't you going to escort me inside?" she smiled. A soft blink of surprise was given before he nodded. Opening the door for her, she led him in and closed the door, locking it behind them. He looked at her with a bit of shock.

"What are you implying?" he gave a soft grin.

"Um...can you help me undress? I can't reach the buttons on the back," she said.

"Do you know what you are asking?" he muttered.

"You promised to be gentle. Right?" she said with a blink of her eyes and smile.

"That I did," he nodded. "But...are you sure?"

"Yes. I am," she nodded. Very slowly, he turned her around and started to undo the buttons on her dress. When the blue silk fell to the floor, he forced himself to calm down.  _Her body was absolutely beautiful._ When she moved to help him with his armor, he guided her on how it was removed and set aside. She marveled at his muscles and found herself blushing. She had truly never gone this far with anyone before. When she was with Eremes, he always seemed to lounge away from her in a corner. They never once undressed in front of each other, much less let the other attempt it. She thought he was simply respecting her wish of wanting to be married first, so she never questioned it. It was a completely different situation now, and she was hesitating. Seyren noticed this right away.  _I need to coax her._

"It's all right. Touch me if you want. Hug me. Kiss me. I'm only going at the pace you want to go with," he said. With a trembling hand, she started to feel up his chest and paused when he gasped. On noticing the power she had over him, she got bolder. She felt up his arms. Then his back. Then his belly. It took everything he had to remain calm for her. She paused at the hard length of him that tried to escape his briefs, and he chuckled.

"Seyren. Can you...touch me?" she whispered. Smiling, his hand moved to tilt up her face to kiss her before lightly trailing down to fondle and caress her breasts. He let his hands move over the smooth skin of her back. He felt the quickening of her heartbeat, and he heard her sudden gasp of air when he put his arms around her. He knew she was nervous, and he forced himself to slow down.

"What do you want now?" he asked, as he ran his thumb under her chin.

"I...I honestly don't know," she admitted.

"Then, will you let me help you feel good? Will you let me show you how much I love you?" he whispered. She nodded, and he had her lay back on the bed. Moving to sit next to her, he removed the sheer panties she wore to expose her naked beauty. He marveled over her and knew he had to take his time with her. Now he lay next to her slowly so she wouldn't get alarmed. Kissing her softly and gently, he let his hand move between her legs and placed a finger inside her.

She gasped at it and looked at him in silent wonder. Kissing her again, he moved his hand now and let her start to experience the wonders of sexual pleasure. When she moaned and writhed, he probed deeper with his finger, working with her to have her give her first release. She was stunned by it, as she gasped for air.

"What...about you?" she asked. He chuckled and kissed her again.

"Are you ready for me?" he asked. "I won't do anything unless you're ready."

"I...I don't know..."

Nodding silently, he kissed her and moved his mouth down her body. She cried out and arched her back instinctively, as his hot breath and tongue left a heated trail over her skin. When he got to the juncture of her thighs, he worshiped her with his mouth, and she cried out at the shock of it. Grabbing her hips to steady her, he worked with her new passions until she gave out a solid cry of pure bliss. After that, he removed his briefs and stood over her.

When she glanced at him, she was a bit frightened. Eventually, she found a form of solid protectiveness in the way he gazed down at her.

"Are you ready for me?" he asked again in a soft whisper. This time she gave a soft nod.

"Yes," she whispered weakly.

"Are you sure?" he asked carefully, as he lowered himself over her. She nodded again, and he opened her legs a little wider. He carefully eased himself into her and gasped with forced self control. She cried out with pain when he finally moved completely into her, and he waited until the pain died out.

"Seyren..." she shivered with a gasp at the new feeling that hit her.

"I love you," he whispered again, and he kissed her desperately when he built up a rhythm with her. She whimpered and clung to him, as he moved within her. He was constantly holding himself back now, and, only when she finally cried out with release, did he thrust sharply into her to shout out his. They remained locked like that for several minutes before he carefully eased himself down at her side.

"I love you, Seyren," she whispered. Smiling now, he held her close, not pushing her to do anymore. A blink was given when two rings and a wedding document appeared on the bed in a soft, glowing light. They stared at them in silent wonder. He finally reached for them and placed her ring on her finger.

"I vow to protect you and love you for as long as you'll have me," he smiled.

"And I vow to love you and always be there when you need me most," she smiled, as she put his ring on his finger. After that, they could only gaze at each other with the love they held. A feeling of intense joy now went through them both, and they giggled together.

"How do you feel, Mrs. Windsor?" he chuckled.

"A bit overwhelmed, Mr. Windsor," she chuckled back, and he moved to take her again out of pure love and bliss. A sudden knock on the door made him scowl. She blinked at him and covered herself up in the bed. He grabbed a robe from the bathroom and slipped it on, as he opened the door. When the knocking got rougher, the Lord Knight scowled with irritation.

"Hi!" Howard grinned. He was dressed in his own robe.

"You asshole!" he hissed before barking out with laughter.

"It's only tradition," Howard snickered.

"How did you know?" Seyren asked.

"Well, when Sarine is sleeping and someone else is screaming, you get a hint," Howard laughed. Karla blushed, and he waved to her. Then Howard saw the wedding document and the rings with a touch of surprise.

"Yes, we got married," Seyren sighed. "It happened after we were done. The rings appeared for us, and we said our vows as we put them on each other. My guess is that it was Valkyrie. Much like what she did for you and Sarine."

"Congratulations! I'll let the others know in the morning. Have fun!" Howard grinned.

"Yeah, yeah! Now beat it!" Seyren laughed and closed the door to lock it. The Whitesmith started laughing down the hall to his own room.

"Tradition, huh?" Karla grinned.

"Um, to an extent," he said. Laughing, he removed his robe and joined her in the bed again for the rest of the night.


	38. Chapter 38

In the morning, they all met outside the castle, and Howard was already sharing the good news. Seyren and Karla were congratulated, and Eremes even gave her a kiss on the cheek to show how happy he was for her.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to go home," Sarine sighed. The others nodded. Karla put her hand in Seyren's misting one, since his human form wore out with the others during the end of the night.

"Less than two weeks, and we are human again for a whole day! Oh, I can't wait!" Kathryne sighed, as they walked. Muninn flew down and landed on Sarine's shoulders to look around. Plans were already being made on where to go next.

"Cecil, can I ask you a question?" Mitchell asked. "Kathryne told me a bit about you all last night, and I'm curious about this."

"All right," she nodded.

"Why don't you like relationships?" he asked. The group paused to look at him. Doppy had no idea, so he just seemed to watch. Keltin didn't know, either.

"It's okay!" Cecil smiled. "I'll explain. You see, when I was much younger, I thought I had someone. But, it turned out he was just using me to get what he wanted. It sort of scarred me that way. Ever since then, I've been rather cautious of men."

"Do you prefer women now?" Doppy snickered. Sarine smacked his arm.

"What?! Ick! No!" Cecil frowned. "I just don't trust men with relationships. That's all. I still like men. I'm just...wary. It's just something I don't need right now."

"I think it would be funny, if Garrett went after you!" Seyren grinned.

"What? That pig? Hell no!" Cecil shuddered. As they continued talking on their way to the Kafra Agent, they never noticed Garrett leaning against a wall and listening in. Normally this would be beneath him, but he didn't want to be seen by them leaving the city in search for the elusive Amatsu Empress. Their conversation did strike a chord with him though.  _Use Cecil to get close to Sarine? No._   _It was not honorable._ Discarding the thought, he jumped on his Grand Pecopeco and made his way towards the Kafra Agent again. Then he paused, as he was in range of them again, and he was forced to slow down to keep out of their line of sight.

"Big sis, what do you plan to do with your life? You are missing out on a lot!" Sarine chuckled. "You'd be surprised at how fun a relationship can be!"

"What? Constantly pummeled all over and drooled over? No thanks! You can have that, little sis!" Cecil grinned.

"It's not that bad," Karla admitted. Cecil blushed, and they all laughed.

"Sister? Likely sister friends, then," Garrett mused.  _Maybe, if I couldn't have the main prize, I could have the second prize. It would technically keep me close to them._  It was something he would have to think about.

"Where do you think we should go next?" Margaretha asked.

"I'm thinking Glast Heim," Sarine nodded.

"Glast Heim? Why there?" Keltin asked.

"Zealotus," Sarine grinned.

"Ooh!" Doppy grinned. "She'll be fun to pick up, since she's a Dominatrix. Make sure you have a whip with you."

"Why?" Sarine asked.

"She loves other women with dominant characters. I heard about her a long time ago. Since you have the four of us under you, it will be a plus, but she will want to see you whip us. I'll let you do it to me," Doppy smirked.

"Are you sure?! I mean...I don't want to hurt you!" Sarine frowned. He just laughed and scooped her up to carry her. He loved the squeak she made for him.

"Hey, Seyren, don't you like the Dominatrix types?" Howard mused.

"Eh," Seyren started and looked at Karla. "I make exceptions!"

"If that's the case, I guess I could learn how to use a whip," Karla snickered. That made him stop and stare at her.

"You would do that? For me?!" the Lord Knight gaped.

"You opened me up to a whole new world! Sky's the limit you know!" Karla laughed.

"YOU BROKE KARLA!" Howard howled out and started laughing like mad.

"Shut up!" Seyren growled. "I didn't break her!"

"I'll break you later," Karla grinned at Seyren. That made him gape. Cecil started laughing with Kathryne, and Margaretha clucked her tongue.

"I am very thankful that I am with you," Eremes chuckled to Sarine. She gave him a wink and an air kiss to send his mind spinning with desire, and he grumbled. Garrett was still amazed at them. _Even as monsters again, they didn't lose their human qualities at all._ Then he blinked when Muninn swerved his head to look over at him in silent reproach. Garrett looked away, and, when he looked back up, they were already sent off by the Kafra Agent to Payon.

"Guess I better head to Amatsu and find a lead of some kind," Garrett sighed. Going up to the Kafra Agent, he was quickly Warped there.


	39. Chapter 39

In Payon, Sarine was overjoyed to be home. She relaxed on Doppy while he lounged on the front porch. Howard and Keltin were making sure she had water on hand, and Eremes was resting against one of the main support beams. It was a couple hours that went by before the discussion on what to do for the day came up.

"I wonder how Coraline and Donnie are," Sarine pondered aloud.

"You want to go to Comodo?" Eremes asked with a hint of a grin.

"Maybe," Sarine frowned and shrugged.

"You know he's going to want you in that dressing room," Howard snickered.

"True. Then it will be Keltin's turn in the Payon caves," she grinned.

"We could go there now," Keltin said.

"Not yet. I know I said Glast Heim, but I think I want to visit Comodo first. Who would like to come with me?" she asked, as she moved off of Doppy's lap.

Keltin got up and went into the house. Everyone walked out including Sammy.

"I want to see everything! I missed out on Prontera," he frowned. She kissed his forehead lightly, and he blushed.

"Are you going to dance again?" Karla asked.

"Maybe," Sarine smiled. Muninn landed on her shoulders and nuzzled her. She smiled and cuddled him back.

"I'm getting jealous over a bird!" Howard grumbled. She laughed, and Muninn preened his feathers as though making a statement. Rising up, she stretched carefully, and they went to the Kafra Agent to Warp there.

Once in the town, a small crowd gathered, as they recognized her from her last performance. It didn't take long for Coraline and Donnie to run over to her.

"We got stronger!" Coraline laughed. "Oh, we missed you! We thought you would never show up! Especially after what happened when you were last here!"

"Indeed," Donnie chuckled. Both of them had transcended from their previous classes. Coraline had become a Gypsy with a far more revealing bikini, but she had on a silken billowing set of pants. Donnie was now a Clown with a far more decorative and elaborate outfit with puffy shirt sleeves and puffy pants. He could have resembled a court jester.

"I missed you both so much, too!" Sarine smiled. "Would you two like to join us?"

"Oh! Donnie! We should!" Coraline giggled.

"I don't see why not. Nothing's really happening for us right now," Donnie nodded. "As a Clown, it's always been my destiny to spread the joy of music. Same with my sister. We will happily join you and entertain when needed."

"Darned! I need to transcend already," Mitchell pouted.

"When we go to Glast Heim, we will help you train," Sarine promised. That made him feel better, and Kathryne put a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"We should get you all dressed up again! I have a new dress I want you to try on," Coraline giggled. "It'll be fun!"

"Another show?" Howard groaned.

"I haven't seen her perform yet," Doppy smirked.

"Wow! Who are you?" Coraline asked.

"Her fourth husband," Doppy replied.

"Fourth?!" Coraline asked Sarine.

"Um, long story?" Sarine chuckled.

"Tell me! Come on!" Coraline giggled. They all had to get to the stage area, since most of them were monsters again and couldn't go far from her. They were able to attach to Keltin to sit in the main theater. Eremes grinned and Cloaked to follow her. Seyren grinned, and Howard pouted jealously. Doppy was simply amused by everything. Sammy was enjoying himself and waiting eagerly, since he had never experienced this before. His Samurai ghost was waiting patiently in the boy's body to avoid any suspicion.

In the dressing room, Sarine was carefully undressed and slipped into a sparkling light purple gown. She was convinced to leave her Sniper clothes off of the gown, since it wouldn't fit over them. It was far too slender. It was strapless and sleeveless, as the rest of the dress fell to the floor to barely cover her feet. There were slits up the sides of it that stopped at each side of her hips. She blinked at what she looked like in the mirror. She was given Crystal Pumps to wear, a crown, earrings, and she used her own Elven Ears. Makeup was applied again, and Coraline just glowered with envy.

"Why are you always so pretty?! Ooh! And four husbands! So lucky! How do you manage them all? Oh, well! I have to get with the dance instructor to see what we need to do. I'll be right back!" she sang out, as she slipped out the door.

"Right," Sarine sighed and looked at herself in the immense and overdone room once again. At a light chuckle, she turned to see Eremes, and she smiled softly.

"Beautiful. Perfect," he whispered, as he walked up to her now. "But, the gown is iffy. I would have gone with a gold one. To match your eyes...and your hair..."

She gasped, as he pulled her close. The searing heat flared out from them now rather easily. He was learning how to work with it. It was slowly getting easier to bear. Kissing her deeply, she moaned. Then she cried out when he laid her out on the ground. His very nearness seared her skin all over in a heated wave. He removed her panties first and set them aside. It was easy for him to maneuver the dress and his clothing around to start taking her. He hissed with ecstasy, as she molded to his form, and he had to roll with her so she could sit up on him.

Moving quickly, he sat up with her, as the fires finally reached their peak, and he shouted with her while they clung to each other. Each searing wave that poured out from them wreaked havoc on the makeup in the room. She wouldn't know what to say to Coraline when she found out, and that was going to be an interesting conversation at the same time. He managed to find a breath of air, and he whispered, "Sarine..."

"Huh?" she responded, as a wave of fiery pleasure rocked them.

"I want...to taste your...your blood..." he moaned through the waves of passion.

"Why?" she gasped, as she trembled. He shouted out another release from the movement and gasped with her.

"Please..." he whispered.

"A knife?" she asked softly. Nodding, he managed to reach for the one along his belt, and she arched her neck to the side. With careful movements, he made a small scratch on her skin and put the knife back. Then his mouth locked on her neck, and she screamed. She heaved with him, as he squeezed her tightly to him. Her blood moved drop by drop down his throat. He only pulled away to cry out, as he finally released harder than ever inside her, and she screamed from it again. He was forced to rest for a moment to regain his breath with her.

When she thought he was done, he moved his mouth back over her neck, and she released again with him. This was a whole new type of pleasure with him now. The elemental Fire seemed to seep out with her blood, and, as he swallowed, the Fire was consumed within him. He moved his mouth away and growled out sharply at a final release with her before the passionate heat finally managed to die out. Gasping and trembling, they clung to each other carefully, as they caught their breath again. The pleasuring aftershocks were rocking them constantly.

Just like with Howard, the somewhat Demonic force in his blood woke up slowly to gain awareness. When it was able to carefully glance out through the eyes of Eremes, Sarine was seen and secretly coveted. The force that flowed through Eremes's blood, powered by a portion of Doppy's single droplet would wait and grow stronger before making an appearance. Unlike Howard's Demonic blood, Eremes had a different form of blood in his system, and it was able to hide easier undetected.

He took out a potion to carefully rub it on her neck and had her drink the remains to Heal her. With that done, they gasped at their separation and looked at each other. He was smiling, and she was, as well.

"Not so bad, was it?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Unfinished business?" Sarine chuckled.

"I think it's safe to say that it's done now," he nodded. Still gasping for air, and the room still stifling hot, he fixed up his pants and kissed her deeply before Cloaking. He left just as Coraline was about to walk into the room. Sarine put her panties back on, fixed up her dress, and smiled, as the Gypsy gaped at the heat in the room.

"It never gets so hot in here! Look at the makeup! Look at your hair! Oh, dear! This simply won't do! And your dress is ruined!" she cried.

"Do you have a gold dress like this one?" Sarine asked.

"Yes! Here!" Coraline said and pulled out another dress like the one Sarine was wearing, but gold in color. When Sarine switched the dresses, Coraline admitted that the gold looked far better on her than the other one. Taking her to the dance studio to rehearse, the girls helped fix up her hair, and they worked on their routine for the next two hours.

Up in the main town, Garrett had found his way in from Amatsu. He had learned that the Empress had traveled here to hide, and he was hot on her trail. As he walked around the dormant volcano, he spotted an old Dancer resting on one of the massive boulders.

"Young man? Can you help an old woman out?" she asked him.

"Maybe. I am a bit busy," Garrett said.

"Oh, it will be nothing," the old Dancer smiled sweetly. "I will make it worth your while. It's nothing you can't handle."

"All right," he sighed, as his honor to assist took over. "What do you need?"

"Just something to eat. I have been dancing for a while and am quite famished!" she said. Thinking of what he had with him, he pulled out a bowl of noodles to give her that he got before he left Amatsu. Thanking him, she gave him a vial of water.

"What is this?" he asked.

"It's a love potion!" the lady giggled. "It will always work! If it doesn't, just come back to me with the one you want to love you, and I'll fix it. I promise!"

"Hmm," Garrett thought, as he looked at the clear fluid in the vial. He shrugged and pocketed it. Heading back to the town, the old Dancer smiled knowingly and waited. Once he got to the main part of Comodo, he learned of a new performance happening. Thinking he could use a quick break, he paid the entrance fee and found a seat in the back row. As he looked around, he paused at the group in the front center and gasped.  _It was Sarine's party._ The falcon didn't notice him yet, as he was perched on top of Cecil's shoulders and watching the stage. When he didn't see Sarine, he judged that it may be her getting ready to perform.

Smiling at his timed luck, he watched the curtains rise, and the Dancers move out. In the center stood Sarine, and the crowd was awed by her voice and beauty. The dancing they did was perfectly choreographed, and Garrett was amazed once again. Thinking that he may be able to find her alone after the show, he carefully made his way down one side of the theater to the back. At first, he was met with resistance, but, after showing off who he was, they let him in.

He was led to the dressing room that Sarine would be coming back to, and he sat down to wait. The room had cooled down significantly, but he wondered why the makeup looked a touch melted. Looking around a bit more, he saw a glass of water that was brought in for her to drink after the show. Taking out the vial, he studied it before dumping the contents into the glass. There was no awkward smell or color in the water at all.

"Let's see what happens," he mused, as he sat back down and waited some more. When he heard Sarine singing in an operatic tone, he trembled.  _Why am I like this with her? What am I even doing here?! Drugging a girl to like me? This isn't like me at all!_ Yet, he knew that it may be the only way to get her to talk to him rationally. When the singing stopped, and the cheering crowd died out, it didn't take long for the door to open and for her to step in.

At first, she didn't notice him there and went to the water. Then she paused and twirled to glare at him. He was mildly stunned at how perfectly she turned, and he quickly regained himself.

"What are you doing in here?!" she hissed.

"I just wanted to talk," he said calmly.

"Couldn't you have waited out there or something?" she asked.

"I couldn't. Your mother was traced here. To Comodo. It's the only reason why I'm here, and I couldn't wait for you out there, since a crowd is out there. I didn't want to cause a scene. Especially around your husbands."

"She's...she's here?" she asked, as her heart started to race.

"From what I know, she is. Then I learned of a performance, and I saw you. I took this chance to come and find you to tell you personally."

She glanced her tigers' eye gemstone eyes at him, and he studied her with his piercing black ones. Huffing a bit, she nodded.

"Well, your message is delivered. Thanks," she nodded. Reaching for the water now, she swallowed it down and put the glass back on the table. At first, there was nothing. Then her eyes widened when she felt a fiery pain race something fierce through her gut. She gasped and clamped her hands on her belly, as she fell to her knees from the pain. Her strength was sapped.

"What?!" Garrett hissed.

"Poisoned?! Did you...poison me?!" she whimpered, as her muscles started to spasm in sharp blasts of pain. She tried to vomit, but it wouldn't work. Cold chills now moved through her body, and she slumped over unconscious.

"Damned old woman!" he hissed and moved over Sarine quickly to carry her up and out of the dressing room. Out in the theater, Muninn was concerned. She should have been back by now, and he chirped out his worry. That was when Doppy gasped and doubled over in pain.

"Doppelganger!" Howard hissed.

"SARINE! FIND HER!" he howled. "Someone's attacking her!"

"Shit!" Howard snarled, and everyone quickly moved as one. Muninn took to the air and saw her being carried away towards the volcano. Giving out a piercing cry, he alerted the others. They ran in the falcon's direction and paused at the sight of the old Dancer talking to Garrett. He had Sarine in his arms.

"I can fix her! Give her to me," the Dancer crooned.

"What? No! Give me the antidote you witch!" Garrett hissed.

"Yes. Give her the antidote," Eremes growled, as he Uncloaked next to the old Dancer. "Especially since you are Empress Emilia of Amatsu!"

Garrett's mouth dropped. He didn't know what the Empress looked like. Eremes did and was able to reveal her. She had traces of the thick makeup on her face, and that was what gave it away. Now Howard gave an ice cold glare at the Paladin.  _Garrett willingly took a poison from her to give to Sarine. She tricked him._ Cecil wasted no time and knocked several arrows to let them fly at the Empress. She cackled and dodged them easily, as she started to run. What she saw next would make her stammer.

"Hello, Emilia," Sammy grinned with his arms crossed. The skeletal ghost hovered over her menacingly. His solid black eyes stared unflinching into her beady black ones.

"Incantation Samurai?! How?!" Emilia said with shock.

"Hmm. Now what was our agreement? Oh, yes! You deliver the girl to me, and you get to keep your soul. But, from what I understood, she was to be in perfect health. What. Is. That?" Sammy growled, as he pointed to Sarine's unconscious form.

"It's...it's just cursed water with ground up cursed rubies and a small, um, touch of Stun powder! That's all!" Emilia said frantically.

"And now she's unconscious? I think you're lying to me," Sammy snarled quietly in a dangerous way. Emilia was now surrounded by Sarine's friends and had nowhere else to go.

"You kill me, and she'll die!" Emilia spat.

"What is the antidote?" Sammy said again.

"Hah! You'll never know!" she growled.

"Fire," Doppy hissed, as he was kneeling from the pain. "Fire is needed to burn it out of her system. It's...the same poison that had her retching for hours from before. Only it's in liquid form. It's stronger. More potent. My blood in her...I can feel it fighting back! We have to make her vomit out what's in her now before it's too late!"

Emilia's mouth dropped at how powerful Doppelganger was. Now that the cure was revealed, Sammy made a skewering motion with his hands. The ghostly swords rained down on the Empress and ripped her to shreds. She was finally no longer a threat.

"She can't vomit!" Howard hissed, as he moved to Sarine's unconscious side.

"Let me handle this!" Coraline said. She quickly went to her friends' side to help her. Sticking a finger down Sarine's throat did the trick, and the foul water came up.

"Who knew that would come in handy? And to think that you always did that when you thought you were fat!" Donnie snickered. Coraline glowered at him and backed away from Sarine as Eremes picked her up. Looking at the others, they nodded, and he sped off with her into an abandoned hut for privacy. When the muffled shouts of pleasure finally ceased, Doppy was able to stand, but he was a bit unsteady. Keltin moved to help him get to a chair to sit down. Eremes brought Sarine back out, and she could barely move.

"Get me her Sniper clothes," Eremes said to Coraline. The Gypsy nodded and ran off to get them with Donnie following her.

"We never leave her alone after this," Howard vowed. "Never!"

"And what about you?!" Cecil scowled at Garrett. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Frowning, Garrett admitted to what happened and why he was there. With stammered shouts, Doppy was ready to slaughter him on the spot, but Sarine gave a weak whimper to divert his attention. She didn't want anyone to fight around her when she was this weakened.

"He didn't...know..." she sighed, as she breathed painfully. Doppy was wincing in time with her. "He...should meet with...Malore..."

"Why him?!" Howard growled. Any rage he had would quickly vanish at the sight of her tears of pain. He gasped and moved right to her side. Eremes let him hold her, since he was weak himself now from all the Fire that moved through him. Doppy was grimacing. Just by looking at him, they could tell that he was feeling her pain.

"Just...trust me..." Sarine whispered. He pressed her head against his neck to comfort her. Nodding, he looked over at Doppy. The demon seemed to shrug and watched Sammy burn the Empress's body to ashes, as he hissed out curse after curse. When that was done, Sammy moved over to Sarine to feel her forehead.

"She's dehydrated and too warm. She's feverish," he frowned. Lloyd walked over, but Sammy shook his head. "Healing her won't help. She has to fight this out on her own. She was poisoned twice. She's cured of the poison, but now her body has to heal on its own."

"How do you know?" Doppy asked.

"I was supposed to be her jailer. Now that she is, in a way, completely delivered to me, I know how her body is to keep her healthy. You could say I'm a bit of a personal doctor for her now," Sammy nodded. "You have your blood lined in her body, and that may be what saved her from becoming completely susceptible to the poison's attack. For that, I thank you."

"You're welcome," Doppy said with a nod.

"All right, so you monitor her health. Looks like you'll be coming on a lot more trips with us," Keltin smiled gently. Sammy smiled and looked over at Garrett.

"I didn't know...why I let that...that..." Garrett hissed and kicked a rock hard for it to slam into a fence post. "I never let myself get this way! Ever!"

Muninn landed on the table and warbled. Garrett looked at the bird and frowned.

_:Love hurts. Yes? Always hurts. Look now. Price paid. Almost killed. Yet, saved. You see? Careless. But, avenged. Need another. Not her.:_  Muninn whispered in their minds, as he spoke to Garrett. Howard grimaced, but he sighed as he cradled Sarine.

"Another girl? For me? But who? Yes, I know I saw what happened and that I didn't give her over. But...I love her! I just...forget it. I'll go back to Prontera. I'll just go back to patrolling the city," Garrett sighed. "I don't even think I can do that, though. My King ordered me to help with her travels! I'll figure something out. I guess..."

"Wait," Cecil frowned, and he looked at her. "I'll make you a deal."

"Huh?" Seyren frowned.

"What deal?" Garrett frowned even more.

"I know you want little sis," Cecil said carefully. "and I know you can't have her. But, it's obvious that you do care about her. I know I'm not her, but, would you be willing to give me a chance so you can be around her?"

"You?" Garrett said with shock. "I overheard you in town! You said I was a pig!"

"You heard that?" she grinned. "Well, I do think you're a pig! A real porker at that! But, that's my deal. Take it or leave it."

"But, I don't love you!" Garrett said.

"At this point, does it really matter?" she countered.

"Cecil, why are you doing this?" Howard asked.

"He did help us kill that woman by tracking her down!" Cecil pouted. "And...everyone is always telling me to get into a relationship..."

Seyren finally started to grin, yet he looked at Garrett awkwardly.

"How about this," Garrett sighed. "I'll fight you all one by one at the arena. I need to prove my trust with you all somehow, anyways. If I lose, I'll either die, leave, or, well, accept Cecil's offer. I guess."

"But, if you win?" Keltin asked with a frown.

"You'll want a chance to be with Sarine. Won't you?" Eremes growled.

"Yes. I would," Garrett admitted.

"No deal!" Doppy hissed.

"Stop..." Sarine sighed. "No...no fighting..."

"Sorry Sari," Doppy frowned and went to her side now.

"If...he wins...fine. One chance. No more. But...can't marry him..." she said weakly.

"Sarine!" Keltin frowned.

"If it will...make him realize...that I'm not...for him...in the end...why fight it?" Sarine asked. "Cecil...is truly better...for him..."

Cecil blinked at this and looked over to Garrett. He looked back at her and back to Sarine, as he nodded.

"If I win, I'll see for myself if I am to be with you or not," Garrett nodded. "Should it be that we are not meant for each other, then...Cecil?"

"As much as I shouldn't, it would be for little sis," Cecil frowned.

"You don't have to do this!" Kathryne growled.

"It's fine, you know. I'll just be used like I was before. To let him be close to little sis. I'm used to being used," Cecil said.

"Wait! Stop it! I can't do that to you!" Garrett said, as he ground his teeth. "I am a man of honor! I will not use you to be with your sister. If I find out that I am not to be with her, and I go to you, it will be for you. Not for her. I promise you that. I swear on my very name that I will not use you in any way, shape, or form. I will turn all of my attention to you and simply see her as a sister, too."

"Why can't you just do that now?!" Howard said with frustration.

"Because I just can't! I don't know why, either," Garrett sighed.

"Oh, well. At least I'll get to fight you," Doppy chuckled.

"Maybe, if you win, you won't be with Sarine, but with Cecil?" Eremes asked. Garrett blinked at that and looked at Cecil. The Sniper was truly starting to like him, and she could see that he was clearly fighting something within himself. She wanted to help him any way that she could. At first, she wasn't sure of her feelings. Now she simply knew.

"Could you do that instead?" Cecil asked hopefully.

"I can't guarantee it, but I will definitely consider it. I just...I feel this massive urge to just try and be with Sarine. I mean, the Vessel of Odin," Garrett said.

_:Wait. I ask.:_  Muninn whispered in their minds and looked up at the heavens. Closing his piercing eyes, he seemed as still as a statue before shaking himself awake.

"What did you find out?" Keltin asked.

_:He fights. Earns trust. Wins? Don't know. But. Cecil. He likes. Starting to. Cecil, too. Likes him. What happens? Can't say. Need time. Always time. Arena. Is answer. To everything. Right now. Could change. Not sure.:_  Muninn whispered mentally. Cecil looked at Garrett with surprise that he was starting to like her, too.

"Then we shall have to go to the arena," Seyren said with his arms crossed.

"We have to let Sarine heal first," Sammy said. Looking up, they saw Coraline running back to them with Sarine's Sniper clothes and gears. Huffing and out of breath, she smiled.

"Where to?!" she grinned, as Donnie appeared just shortly behind her.

"Payon and then the island home. Let's go," Keltin nodded.


	40. Chapter 40

When they got to the island home, Sarine was burning up even more with her fever. She was taken right to her bedroom and laid out on the bed. Her clothes were removed, and a light blanket was put over her. Cold water was given to her in small doses, and a cool cloth was put on her forehead. She was breathing in painful, shallow gasps, and Eremes was worried now. Doppy was managing the pain subconsciously, since it was so constant right now. Sammy was right there at her side to continuously monitor her health. His look said everything.

"She shouldn't have to go through with this," Eremes frowned.

"What else can we do?" Doppy growled out, as he sat in a chair by the bed.

"I'm worried," Keltin admitted. "She's...she's never been sick like this before."

"Damn that Empress!" Howard spat. His hand was in Sarine's to not only give comfort, but to monitor her heartbeat. A bucket was brought over in case Sarine needed to vomit, since most fevers led to that point. Sammy kept nursing water to her to keep her hydrated. She was sweating quite a bit, and he was very concerned.

"Muninn, isn't there anything you can do?" Doppy asked the falcon. The large bird landed on the ground and morphed back into his human form. Walking over to his sister's bedside, he leaned down to put his hand on her forehead. Then he reached under her neck to touch the tattoo. A harsh whimper rose from her, as Huginn emerged.

"Ah! Help me, Muninn!" Huginn cried. "I...I can't see!"

Now Muninn took action and leaned down low to hiss, " _What is wrong, my brother?!_ "

"I'm blocked! The body is in pain inside! Yes, the poison is gone, but there is something else here! I can't...focus..." Huginn sighed and retreated back into her now unconscious form.

" _Get the Priests! Gather all of the monsters that can Heal! Quickly!_ " Muninn urged. Doppy was up and out the door with Eremes, as Keltin made space in the room. Lloyd and Margaretha appeared in the room with Angeling, Arch-Angeling, Pori-Pori, Garrett, and Karla. Keltin and Doppy appeared soon after, and Sammy was already at Sarine's side looking at Muninn intently. It was clear that Muninn knew something that he didn't.

"What do you see that I don't?!" Sammy asked.

" _The fever is blocking my brother from emerging! This means that this illness is far more severe and not a natural one! Everyone! Heal her at once! Sammy! Watch her health!_ " Muninn pleaded. Garrett gasped and moved over to Margaretha and Lloyd. Karla made ready with her strongest white potions. Keltin had the ability to Heal in his Champion form and changed to it. On a count to three, the Healing started, and Sammy watched over Sarine's body. When he rose up his hand to stop them, Sarine woke with a harsh, retching cough, moved to the side of the bed, and vomited hard.

"Good thing we left a bucket there," Doppy sighed, as he grimaced with her pain. Tears fell from her eyes now when she laid back on the bed, and Muninn carefully moved the others out of the room. Looking at Sammy, he nodded for a result.

"Hmm. Fever has broken finally, it seems," Sammy muttered, as he put his hand on her forehead. "She needs more fluids. No one take any more blood from her for a week! She needs to rebuild what she has lost! We will need to take this week off from everything until she is better. We can't strain her body, and she can't have any form of stress."

"Fine," Doppy nodded. "We can arrange a tournament among us to test our skills. That way Sarine can watch, and it will give us something to do. Also, if the Kafra Corporation starts to advertise us, we can start testing how the arena will start to function."

"An excellent notion!" Storm Caller said, as he replaced the cloth on Sarine's forehead. Collecting the bucket to empty it, he gave it to Doll. A new bucket was set down just in case it was needed. Sammy left to head down the stairs to start instructing on the preparations of various meals and soup broths for her to speed up her recovery. When it was only Sarine and her four husbands in the room again, her eyes fluttered open, and she groaned. Keltin returned back to his Bongun self to help comfort her.

"Sarine?" Howard whispered, as he looked at her.

"How-How?" she whispered back.

"I'm here," he clasped her hand again.

"What happened?" she asked. Very gently he told her what had happened. She trembled at first, but then smiled when she learned of her false mother's death. "I'm glad, then. Can you help me sit up?"

Howard removed the cool cloth from her head and nodded to Eremes for help.

"Easy..." Eremes whispered, as he helped. Her head pounded hard, but then it went back to nothing. She sighed hard and shivered. Keltin gave her some water, and she eyed it suspiciously.

"What happened?" Doppy snarled.

"The stuff was given to me in a glass of water," she trembled. "There was no taste or smell to it. I didn't know what happened until I drank it."

"I got this water for you personally," Keltin promised. That was enough for her, and she drank it down. When nothing happened, she sighed with relief.

"She didn't trust you..." Eremes frowned. "Bring her juice next."

Grape juice was brought, and she drank that down with no problem. More water was brought to regain her trust, and it worked.

"I'm sorry, Keltin..." she gasped, as he hugged her close.

"It's all right. I understand how you would be suspicious of it. It's okay," he kissed her forehead and let her relax now.

"We are going to arrange a massive tournament to let this week go by. You need to be fully rested before we can continue our travels," Eremes nodded.

"Sounds good," she nodded weakly. Storm Caller came up to them and announced that a Kafra Agent from the head Kafra Corporation itself would like to speak with them.

"Grant her access here and bring me downstairs?" Sarine asked.

"No. You are not moving from here yet. We will escort the Kafra Agent up here to you," Doppy growled. When he moved downstairs, Keltin moved by the door. Howard found a nightgown for her to wear and helped her dress in it to be a bit more presentable. It was a pretty, soft blue color and was held up by straps to make it look elegant. A bit of talking was heard, as Doppy brought the Kafra Agent back with him. The blue-haired Kafra woman walked in, wearing the traditional brown dress with a white apron. Her head was adorned with a white ruffled band that signified the Kafra Corporation, as well. With the air she held herself with, it was clear she was an important lady in the Kafra Corporation. Her introduction to them would confirm it, and Sarine reclined a bit more in the bed to listen to her.

"Hello! My name is Pavianne, and I am the main Kafra Headquarters lady in charge. I would like to set up the arena with you," she said in a confident tone.

"I am Sarine Tao-Alt-Eisen-Guile, the Vessel of Odin," Sarine responded from the bed. Doppy hissed and startled the poor woman, as he moved to sit by the door.

"Um, I am sorry for being so curious, but who are these beings to you?" she asked.

"They are my husbands. Yes, yes, I know that it's only one man to a woman, but Valkyrie blessed the marriage, herself. Take it up with her, if you don't approve," Sarine sighed. Keltin chuckled in his Bongun form, and he shifted into his Champion form to startle Pavianne, as he moved closer to Sarine. Howard looked over at the Kafra woman to study her silently before turning his attention back to Sarine. Eremes didn't even look at the Kafra woman from where he reclined on the wall, as he kept his eyes on Sarine.

"I see," Pavianne said, as she cleared her throat. "Anyways, how did you want to work the point system with the Kafra Agency? Or the funds?"

"Point system," Keltin snickered. That got a small grin out of Howard. Eremes and Doppy looked over at them curiously. Howard moved slightly to whisper to them, and that got them chuckling ruefully.

"Old joke," Sarine explained. She suddenly sat up a bit, squeezed her eyes tight, and started breathing harshly with a slight bit of coughing.

"Sarine!" Howard hissed. He helped her through it with his gentle whispers. Eremes frowned, and water was given to her now. Once the coughing fit passed, she reclined in the bed again. Doppy gave a soft growl of protection, but calmed down when he saw she was fine. Keltin was extremely concerned, but she smiled at him softly before looking back at the Kafra woman to continue talking to her.

"Sorry," Sarine sighed. "I was heavily poisoned not long ago and recently had a fever break. I am still recovering."

"Oh! Who poisoned you?" Pavianne asked.

"My Mother," Sarine grumbled. "One who claimed was my mother, that is. Don't worry. She's dead now."

"I see," Pavianne trembled a bit.

"As for funding," Sarine said, as she went back to the current task. "I would like to build up ten million zeny a day. Once that goal is reached, all other proceeds will be divided evenly between the Midgard Kingdom and the Kafra Corporation. The more adventurers that show up, the more money will be obtained, of course. So, the margin can always increase or decrease. If we do not hit our goal, then no excess proceeds will be given. Depending on how much money is made when the day is done will also decide how much will be donated to both the Kafra Corporation and the Rune Midgard kingdom. The more we make, the more you get, so to speak. If we make more than ten million zeny, then half of what we make over the ten million mark will be donated. If we make double that, we may keep an additional twenty percent for ourselves and donate the rest. The same will be done, if it's more."

"I understand. Would it be possible for ten percent of the proceeds not met be subject for being divided, should the ten million zeny mark not be met?" Pavianne asked.

"Hmm. I think that can work," Sarine nodded. Keltin was writing everything down for her, and she smiled at him.

"Now for the point system?" Pavianne asked. Howard snickered again, and Sarine elbowed him lightly. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and let her talk.

"This is what I was thinking. Spectators can watch in the stands, but the admission fee is five hundred zeny per person. Any monster or human can be gambled on in the form of points. Each adventurer should have a total of a hundred points to manage when they first appear and register. Each monster and adventurer, based on skill and age, will have a certain amount of points to bet on. I would say ten points from a Poring up to, oh say, an Obeaune. I'll have to let you work on the monster point system. Regardless, depending on who wins, they will double the points bet on, or lose them on defeat. Even members of the audience are free to bet, but it would be less, since they aren't the ones fighting. They fight the monsters, they can bet more, since their lives are at risk. If they run out of points, it will cost a hundred thousand zeny to gain another hundred points. Points cannot be redeemed for zeny, but for prizes provided by the Kafra Agency. As to what prizes you wish to offer, that will be up to you.

"However, the only time true zeny is to gambled on is if there is a fight between any of my husbands, any of the stronger monsters that assist me, or even myself, should the need be. The minimum amount of zeny allowed to bet has to be five million zeny. Just to challenge one of my husbands, or any of the others mentioned, must have a million zeny deposit and a contract explaining that the arena is not held responsible for any damages the challenger may receive.

"Also, there is a specialized booth, other than mine, that is above the arena floor, and to rent that booth for a whole arena day is five million zeny. If they only wish to rent it hourly, it would be a hundred thousand zeny an hour. The ones renting the booth will be given royalty treatment. Royalty that does come to visit will not need to rent the booth, as they will be instant guests. Of course, if the booth is rented out when royalty comes to visit, we can probably make a specialized expansion so the renter is not forced out of the booth at any given time. Hmm, maybe it would just be better to make a royalty area above the booth to make it easier. I'm sure it could be done.

"Should someone wish to fight myself and my husbands together, that is a fifty million zeny fee plus deposit and contract, and I cannot donate it to either Kafra Corporation or Midgard Kingdom. That is like a personal bet. I truly want to discourage anyone trying to fight me with my husbands. They will simply not win. On top of that, I can only fight once a day only. If someone else wishes to fight me after I have already fought, they will need to wait until the next day. My husbands will not allow me to overexert myself. Should anyone wish to challenge the stronger monsters, or the more important monsters that constantly aide me in battles, there will need to be a five million zeny donation plus the million contract fee, as I stated before."

"I understand, and I do like this!" Pavianne nodded. Keltin had written up everything while it was said, and handed her the parchment. "We should have contracts written up for each challenger as disclosures. I'll get those worked on, and I look forward to working with you! We will have a Kafra Agent stationed in each major city, and we will begin advertising right away."

"I still have more monsters to find, so that will give more of an incentive to returning challengers," Sarine kept explaining, and Keltin took up the parchment again to keep writing. "The only one that cannot be challenged will be Sammy, or Incantation Samurai, as he is our main judge. However, should one wish to challenge him, it will be his choice to consider it. It will also be his choice if the money won should go to excess proceeds or straight to my funding without a split share. The same shall go for any other judge. I also know that Baphomet will be making rare appearances here, and, should one want to fight him, must pay ten million zeny, plus the million zeny deposit and contract. However, should any monster say that they will accept a battle free of charge, it can be done. Some may state that to show off their strength, and I do like them to have fun, too.

"If a challenger simply wishes to use the arena to fight another challenger, it can be rented at fifty thousand zeny per hour, or per battle, depending on how the fight goes."

"When it comes to Baphomet, why double the amount to fight him?" Pavianne asked.

"Baphomet is a respected demon, in his own right," Sarine said softly. "It may be rare that he appears. He is not one that is fully able to be recruited to my side. When he appears, he simply appears. I will not tell him to fight, nor will I expect him to if he visits. He is a very special cause, and I will respect what he wishes to do in the end."

"Makes sense!" Pavianne nodded. Doppy even nodded at her insight on Baphomet.  _It was all true._ Keltin finished up the parchment and handed it back over to Pavianne again. When she left, Sarine had another breathing fit, and Howard soothed her until it was over.

"I've never seen her like this," Keltin frowned.

"None of us have," Howard frowned. "She never got sick before."

"Actually...there was one time that I did get sick like this," Sarine sighed sadly.

"Tell us," Doppy said.

"We need to know," Eremes nodded.

"All right. I was still trapped in Amatsu. About ten years old, if I remember it right. There was a large fever outbreak in the village, I think."

"I remember that! It was an epidemic," Howard frowned.

"Yes. It reached into the castle. Everyone caught it, including me. But...no one bothered to care for me. I almost died that week. They had apparently forgotten about me. It was near the end of the week that they opened the door and found me near death. A doctor was actually called for. He came in to give me the antidote, and then he left. No orders to bathe me. No orders to feed me. Nothing else. It was a miracle that I found the strength to even feed myself! It was like...they just didn't care..."

Doppy saw nothing but red now, as he turned quickly to glare out a window.

"Sarine," Eremes said with narrowed eyes. "did anyone ever bathe you?"

"Once a month, if that. Just a bucket of cold water. All I had were rags to wear, Eremes. You saw me!" she said. "Didn't you?"

"Not fully. You just had a thin blanket over you, and I carried you away in it. I was...horrified...at how light you were, though," he sighed.

"Stop!" Howard growled and crushed Sarine close. "She has help now, and she's never going back to that place! Ever!"

"I wonder where the Emperor is," Keltin said aloud with a heavy frown. That made Doppy swear so violently that Sarine trembled.

"He may know more," Eremes hissed.

"Will she be safe with him out there?" Howard growled.

"There's something that doesn't add up," Doppy suddenly frowned, as he thought aloud. "The grandmother told Eremes to save her. Eremes, when you saved her a second time, the Empress said something about her husband not liking what was going to happen, from what Muninn showed us. He knows something more than we do!"

"We'll have to find him," Howard grumbled.

"Put out a bounty for him?" Eremes asked. Sarine just listened to them. She didn't know what to think now. A knock on the door was given, and Doppy answered it to let Seyren in. Muninn came in after him and reverted back into falcon form. As Muninn perched over the bed, Doppy told Seyren what was discussed.

"Well, that's just wonderful!" the Lord Knight growled. "Now we have to find this father of hers? I thought Odin was her father?"

"Adoptive father. We need to find him," Eremes corrected. Muninn chirped in thought and seemed to shrug.

"Where would we even start?" Seyren grounded out.

"Let me find him," Garrett said, as he appeared. "I'm sorry that I overheard you, but I know I can help. I have a way of flushing out the enemy. I can get with my men, and we can begin a search party."

"Can we even trust you?" Doppy sneered.

"Fight me now and find out," Garrett said with a glare back at him. Sarine had a third breathing fit, and Howard soothed her with his voice. Wincing from the pain in her chest now, she leaned back against the pillows. What Doppy found odd was that he couldn't feel her pain. _Something was clearly wrong in her system. The last time I felt her pain was when her fever broke. There was something else within her that was causing this._

"Where is Sammy?" Keltin asked.

"May I try something?" Garrett asked. "I promise not to hurt her."

"Fine," Howard frowned. At this point, he just wanted her to stop hurting.

"Devotion!" Garrett cried out, and his life force went to Sarine. She gave a gasp at the sudden influx of health and blinked her eyes. Howard just stared in wonder at it.

"What is that?!" Doppy asked with amazement.

"It's one of my skills. I can take any wounds she gets for a small amount of time. Let me see something," Garrett frowned, as he studied how his life force affected her. "I think I found the problem."

"What?!" Keltin asked.

"Unfortunately, I can't fix it. I can only lend her my strength this way when she needs it most. The poison was purged, but it left some scarring along the insides of her lungs. It will take a few days to heal properly," Garrett frowned. He renewed his skill on Sarine again so she could breathe easier, and then he paused in recognition, as he studied her again. "This scarring...wait! It's not from the poison! Only an intense illness could have caused this! You've been sick before, haven't you?"

"Yes," she whispered. Keltin told Garrett what she told them, and the Captain was appalled at her treatment.

"I need to see this. I need to see the proof," Garrett said. At this, Muninn hopped onto a table and stared at a wall. Garrett watched the images with disbelief now, his jaw dropping while her life was exposed to him. When it came to the second capture of Amatsu, Eremes and Sarine looked away. When the images faded, Muninn flew back to his perch.

"Your judgment?" Howard asked in a soft mutter.

"Unbelievable..." Garrett finally breathed out and trembled with rage. "I've never seen anyone so...so cold to a child!"

"Now you see why we are so protective of her," Doppy growled out.

"I do now," Garrett nodded and renewed his skill again on Sarine before turning to Muninn. "Do you have any leads I can go on to start searching?"

_:Amatsu.:_  the falcon replied.  _:All start. Amatsu.:_

"I'll remain here the rest of the day to help monitor her. It's the least I can do. Sarine, I need to ask you something. Since your first sickness, have you ever had any other problems breathing?" Garrett asked. "Anything else that was like this?"

"No. I recovered, but was weak for a year. They didn't really care much for me then. Never cared about me ever, really. I guess even after Daddy purged my body, certain things couldn't be changed," Sarine sighed.

"Odin purged your body?" Howard asked.

"Yes. To remove the pills from my body, he had to do it. The purging made my body new again, in a way," Sarine chuckled.

"Sorry, guys," Eremes chuckled.

"Aw, man!" Keltin grumbled.

"So we each had her in a new body? I had her first. Then she transcended, and Keltin had her. Then she was purged, and Eremes had her," Howard counted it off.

"Now it's my turn. When will the next purging happen?" Doppy snickered.

"Well, let's see," Sarine frowned.

"No! You will not get caught again!" Keltin growled. Garrett was just a touch amazed by their interactions.

"I'll have to ask her daddy for a favor when she's better," Doppy grinned.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Sarine sighed.

"Why not?' Doppy frowned.

"Think about it. If you had me as a virgin, and then the others wanted me, how would you react? Wouldn't you think I was all yours?" she asked. Doppy stopped and thought about it before swearing softly.

"Good call," Garrett chuckled.

"Oh, shut up!" Doppy growled with his arms crossed. Sarine gave a weak smile and started to breath painfully again. Garrett renewed his skill on her, and she coughed.

"It really doesn't last that long, does it?" Keltin frowned.

"No, it doesn't. I need to talk to Sammy," Garrett frowned. Doppy moved out of the room quickly and brought the possessed boy back with him.

"What is it?" Sammy asked.

"Sarine has scarring in her lungs and has breathing fits. When I use my skill of Devotion on her, it gives her the strength to breathe without pain. Is there a way to remove the scarring? She was sick once before, apparently," Garrett explained.

"What do you mean she was sick before?!" Sammy growled. The story was told to him by Keltin, and the boy hissed. Moving to her side quickly, he put his hand on her chest to feel her lungs. He was in complete doctor mode right now, and he focused for anything out of the ordinary. He now gave a rather intense look of frustration.

"Do you feel it? It's right under her throat and down the center of her chest," Garrett said. "That is where I can sense it."

"I...I can't detect the scarring!" Sammy scowled.

"That's gotta be the blockage!" Doppy hissed.

"Huginn did say that he was being blocked!" Howard blinked, as it all came together.

"The Empress said she used cursed water, cursed rubies, and Stunning powder. The poisons were just a catalyst to irritate the scarring and cause the fever again. This means that she knew that Sarine still hadn't fully recovered from it. I wouldn't doubt if she was the one that caused the illness in the first place," Eremes growled. Howard looked over at Eremes and back to Sarine. He couldn't believe what he was hearing now. Sammy was at a loss of what to do. Since he couldn't detect the illness, he didn't know how to try to cure it.

"Get Lloyd and Margaretha! Keltin, can you make Holy water?" Doppy asked, as an idea formed in his mind. "I want to try to exorcise the illness with my blood."

"Yes, I can! I'll make some with them now!" Keltin nodded and moved downstairs. He was still in his Champion form and did have the ability to make the precious water. Doppy explained what was done and what was needed to Lloyd and Margaretha when they appeared. Bottles were brought out, and the water purification started. There was a fresh water lake in the flower garden outside the house and that was the best place for the water to be gathered.

Only after a hundred of the bottles were filled and converted into Holy water did they stop to rest. Several of the bottles were brought to her, but Sarine paused.

"Doppy. Your blood is in me. What will this do to you?" Sarine frowned.

"I'll manage," he smiled, lay back on the bed with her and gave a rare, nervous chuckle. "This...is going to sting."

Clasping her hand in his, she reached for the first bottle and drank it. Doppy sputtered, as the cool water started to cleanse her system. He let out a roar of pain, and she held his hand tighter as another bottle was drunk down. With this one, she gasped and vomited out a strange red sludge tinged with black.

"It's working! That's some of Doppy's blood and scarring," Sammy whispered, as he monitored her. "How much of his blood was in her?"

"Just a drop," Howard said with a heavy frown. Sammy blinked with surprise, but watched Sarine force down another bottle of Holy water. Doppy screamed again, and she vomited out more of the sludge, but there was a lot less of it now.

"He'll have to brand her again when all of this is done, though. I think his blood will definitely help her in the future, if something like this happens again. I can see the rest of the scarring now!" Sammy said. "Sarine! One more bottle!"

Nodding weakly, she drank down another, and Doppy groaned, as the last of his blood was purged from Sarine's system with the rest of the scarring poisons. Muninn let out a warbling chirp of joy. His brother was free again.

"We need to let her heal normally now. She won't have any more breathing problems," Sammy nodded. "She needs rest."

"It's over, Sarine. It's okay now," Howard whispered and kissed her forehead.

"She's not giving birth!" Doppy growled, as pricked his finger on his sword to place a drop of his blood into Sarine's mouth. She gasped again at the taste of it, and Doppy relaxed, as he felt his blood line throughout her form once more. Reclining on the bed, he had to rest with her. The Holy water she felt purging her system had sent out incredibly sharp jolts of pain through him to a point that it drained his strength, as well.

"So, it stung?" Keltin grinned.

"Oh, no. It was like a fresh, spring breeze," Doppy said sarcastically, and Keltin laughed. Doppy removed his upper armor and had them place Sarine over his chest. He wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible, and this was one of the best ways to do it.

"Have...Garrett speak...with Malore..." Sarine said, as she finally fell into a deep sleep on Doppy's chest. Howard looked over at Garrett and then to Sammy.

"I'll take him!" Sammy grinned and motioned for Garrett to follow him.

"Garrett," Eremes said, as he was leaving. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," the Captain nodded. "Just trying to do my part."

"Maybe...you won't have to fight us..." Eremes mused.

"Bullshit! I'm still fighting him!" Doppy grinned. That made Garrett chuckle and wave, as he followed Sammy to the basement. When he got there, Sammy stopped him, and Pori-Pori bounced over to him.

"A Poring for a guard?" Garrett mused.

"Careful of what you say. This is the legendary Pori-Pori. He can kill you in one move!" Sammy cautioned. "Eh...he looks pissed."

"What?!" Garrett's jaw dropped. Pori-Pori winked and scooted over quickly to him with a speed that he could barely follow. In one tackling leap, he was slammed against the wall and Stunned. Bouncing away, he chittered happily.

"He wanted to prove a point," Sammy grinned.

"Point...taken..." Garrett grunted. He pulled himself free and Healed himself. Stunning never lasted long with him, and it was how he was able to survive for as long as he had. Walking properly again, Pori-Pori bounced over to where a safety line was drawn in the dirt on the stone floor. Garrett was stopped at the line.

"We don't trust Malore. He's been trying to be with Sarine ever since he saw her a few months ago," Sammy said and carefully explained what Malore tried to do. Now he finally understood why Sarine was also so closely guarded against others.

"Am I fighting yet?" Malore grunted in his cell. "I'll do what I can to be with her, you know. And that means anything!"

"Why?" Garrett asked. "You know it's a losing battle! Why do you continue?"

"Who are you to judge me?!" Malore growled, as he was the bars of the cage. "They're just keeping me here now, because they know that I'll be telling people all about this place!"

"Actually, it's because of your past connection with Lighthalzen. The arena was made known to the Kafra Corporation, and adventurers will be here for that strictly. We decided to advertise to make money, and all the monsters that were found so far have been upgraded for arena battles. The same will be done for any future monsters found and brought here. You gave us the idea," Sammy grinned. That made Malore's jaw drop.

"Lighthalzen?" Garrett frowned.

"Yes. That place. My real name is Laurell Weinder. I was a participant when I was there as a Mage," Malore admitted. "I changed my name when I escaped with the others. As for a bond between us, I honestly don't know. It could be possible."

"Hmm. Why are you being so neutral now?" Sammy frowned.

"My main plan was to expose the island. There is no need for that now. I don't even know where the others are that did escape, other than the older ones that are here," Malore sighed. "I just...I just want to be with Sarine! Just once!"

"That's the same way I feel," Garrett frowned. "But, I have more control over it now."

"But, at first you didn't, right? You would do anything to be near her?" Malore grinned in a knowing fashion. "It's likely why I'm here like this now. I'm trapped, but I know she's close. So, I'm happy, in a way."

"A very sick way," Garrett growled. "Don't you want to be free? To see the world again? To be able to walk around without confinement?"

"What is the world without Sarine?" Malore countered back. That made Garrett pause with a sudden thought. At first he was going to respond with nothing unusual, but a strong thought moved through his mind that she was everything to him and more. He was speechless.

"You have seen enough. As for you, Malore, you will be asked to fight others when the arena is working. Should you win enough, you may gain more freedom. Just no time with the Vessel of Odin, due to how you attacked her in the past," Sammy said.

"Fine by me," Malore shrugged. Pori-Pori bounced over with a tray of food and pitchers of water. Justice bounced over carefully with a bucket of hot water and soaps for him to bathe. Garrett was at least pleased by the fact that they took care of their prisoners here. On reaching the main floor of the house, Cecil approached him.

"What is your agenda?" she asked.

"Find Sarine's adopted father and get answers. After talking to Malore down there, I have some serious thinking to do," he sighed.

"When do you plan to come back?" she asked. He looked at her now, and he actually started to find her rather beautiful. He was so blinded by Sarine before that he hadn't noticed exactly what Cecil was all about. There was something about her that drew him to her.

"Soon," he promised and took her hand to kiss it. That made her blink, and, for the first time in a long time, a blush formed on her cheeks. Smiling, he released her hand and let her back away.  _At some point, I'll want to know more about her._ As he moved away, she grabbed his hand to pull him back to her. On moving to question her, he paused when she kissed him. Slowly, his arms moved around her, and she did the same to him. Gasping a bit from the shock of it, he chuckled.

"You had better come back!" she grumbled.

"I promise. I will," he vowed. That made her nod, and she pulled away from him to walk away. Seyren was watching them, and he had a bit of a smile on his face now. Even Kathryne was showing small signs of acceptance. Just by seeing this and knowing this made him feel elated.  _Was this what it felt like to belong?_

"You should tell us of your life as you grew up," Seyren said, as he walked over to him. "As it stands, one day out of the month, my friends and I can revert to our human forms. We plan to have campfires on those days and just reminisce and relax. It's something we all did before being transformed. We have a little over a week, roughly, before the next time it happens. You should be with us."

"I'll definitely plan for it!" Garrett said, a bit surprised at the invitation. "I'll report anything I find about the Emperor of Amatsu to you."

"I look forward to hearing it," Seyren nodded, and they shook hands.

"Just one question," Garrett said. "How are you all so human?"

"It's Sarine. She brings out the most of human qualities in monsters. With that aspect, we remembered her and were able to join with her again," Seyren said. Garrett nodded now and smiled. That made more sense to him.

"I'll start my search now. I should be back in about three days, more or less. If more, then it means I'm hot on the trail," Garrett said. A sharp nod was given to him, and Seyren watched him leave with the Kafra Agent's help. Mitchell was thinking of something and made an odd sound. Kathryne looked at him curiously with the others.

"Hmm?" Seyren said, as he looked over at the Sage.

"I was just thinking," Mitchell said. "We got an Emperium, didn't we?"

"Yes. From Golden Thief Bug," Cecil nodded.

"We should make a Guild," Mitchell smiled.

"A Guild? For what?" Seyren frowned.

"To take a castle! Rare things and items come from the chests daily there, and special monsters are found in the dungeons. Monsters that you simply can't find anywhere else," he said. "Practically every city has numerous castles that we could easily take! Even one castle per city could give us enough time to do what we need before we move on to the next."

"That...makes sense," Margaretha said, as she thought.

"But, if we make a Guild, we will be open to attack! Won't we?" Kathryne frowned.

"Not really. It would make us a bit more noticed, and anyone that tries to get in would need to prove their worth," Seyren mused. "But, what would we call our Guild? We would need a good name and nothing too fancy or stupid."

"We can call it Odin's Avengers!" Coraline said, as she looked at him. Donnie looked at her with a weird look on his face. Storm Caller had taken a bit of time to bring the brother and sister up to speed on exactly who Sarine was and how she was important. Donnie held a lot more respect for her now, and it showed.

"Odin's Avengers?" Karla asked.

"Well, think about it," Coraline grinned. "We work with the Vessel of Odin. She's Odin's daughter, too, right? We avenge her, if something happens to her!"

"That does seem to make sense," Lloyd shrugged.

"Let me run this by the guys upstairs," Seyren chuckled and dropped a kiss on Karla's lips, as he walked past her. On approaching the bedroom, he knocked on the door, and Keltin let him in. He explained Mitchell's idea of a Guild, and Howard found it to be a wonderful idea.

"We should make the Guild when we are human. Was a name decided?" he asked.

"Odin's Avengers. Compliments of Coraline," Seyren chuckled.

"It has an...odd...ring to it," Eremes blinked.

"True, but we do avenge her when we must," Seyren shrugged.

"That's a fact," Doppy thought. "I don't know if monsters can join it."

"I'm sure that Valkyrie will find a way," Keltin thought. "All right. When you guys turn human we'll do it."

"Why a Guild?" Eremes asked.

"Mitchell brought up a valid point. Certain monsters can only be found in the dungeons of certain Castles. Monsters that we simply can't find anywhere else," Seyren said. "On top of that, rare treasures can be found daily."

"Sarine will need to be the Guild leader," Doppy frowned.

"Very true," Eremes nodded.

"When she wakes, we'll tell her," Keltin nodded. After Seyren left, Howard got up to look out the window at the arena below. He saw a Kafra Agent appear and station herself.

"They waste no time," he whistled. Keltin looked outside and grinned, as Eremes did the same. Doppy managed to lean upright slightly and smirked at what he saw. _Already, adventurers were starting to line up in a rather eager manner._ At his movement, Sarine stirred. She was still sleeping on his chest.

"What's going on?" Sarine yawned. Howard blinked at her and chuckled. He told her what Seyren said about a Guild and what was going on outside. She smiled softly and gestured for help to get out of the bed.

"Are you sure you should be moving so soon?" Keltin asked.

"I'll be fine, if you go slow with me," she nodded. "I need a shower, though. I'm covered in fever sweat."

"A bath," Eremes corrected and went to go draw one for her.

"Haven't had you in a bath yet," Doppy grinned.

"Wait until I'm better, please?" she asked with a soft frown. He nodded gravely to her with understanding. Eremes found the large, porcelain tub and started to draw heated water into it. Howard found a bar of soap and other shampoos for her hair. Keltin got some fresh towels for her, and Doppy helped undress her and placed the nightgown aside. They each took turns scrubbing her down carefully and drying her off. Then they dressed her in her Sniper gear and helped her down the stairs. Doppy finally carried her when she almost stumbled.

"Up already?" Seyren frowned.

"The arena is already drawing crowds. We should go out there to examine the ones coming in," Sarine said. That got everyone's attention, and they all moved outside. Storm Caller remained inside to monitor the house and surrounding areas. It wasn't long for the money to start coming into the vault. The treasure chest from Biblian was down there and quickly filled up again. What was even better was that the three Demonic blades set up their residences in the treasury to attack anyone that tried to break into it. They could easily look like normal weapons and revert to their true forms thanks to Valkyrie's blessing. Their appearances weren't fully enhanced yet, but, if enough people tried to break in, anything could change with them.

Doppy carried Sarine to the arena and up to her balcony. Doll had just finished setting up heavy, dark red, silk curtains that could be drawn closed for privacy. Many adventurers spotted her and gasped at the monsters with her. Keltin was still in his Champion form in case Sarine needed quick Healing, and he ignored the onlookers until she was resting in Doppy's lap. More cushions were brought up from the house, and she blinked. Already, new purchases were being made with the money being brought in.

"Karla had to take some money to start buying new furniture in Prontera," Seyren chuckled, as he walked over to Sarine to sit with her. Muninn flew up onto his perch above her to watch with amusement.

"Really?" Sarine giggled.

"It's good to see that you're better," he smiled and patted her knee.

"Thanks, Seyren," she smiled. Seyren grinned and moved to find a seat to share with Karla. Sarine called Doll over and suggested special seats made for her friends. She nodded, and they would be made when the arena was closed. Keltin did move down to the Kafra Agent quickly to inform her of Sarine's illness, and that she was not ready to fight at this time. Once he was back up to Sarine's side again, he settled in a chair near her.

"I want to fight her!" a young Knight said, as he pointed to Sarine.

"She's not ready for fighting at this time," the Kafra Agent said cheerfully. "She was wounded and recovering. You can set up an appointment for next week, or fight someone else."

"Glad I told her when I did!" Keltin chuckled. Sarine just frowned and snuggled into Doppy's chest. Glowering at the Knight, he set Sarine into Howard's lap and he rose up.

"I'll take his challenge for her!" Doppy shouted at the Kafra Agent. "Free of charge!"

That made the Knight stammer at the powerful demon. The crowd cheered, as the first fight was going to be done. Sammy went into his judging chair, and people shrieked when they saw exactly what Sammy truly was. The ghostly skeletal Samurai hissed, and Sammy held up his hands for attention and silence. It was quickly given.

"Do you accept his challenge?!" Sammy called out to the Knight.

"Um...well..." the Knight stammered.

"Do you forfeit?" Sammy countered.

"No!" the Knight shouted out.

"Very well! Ladies, gentlemen, and monsters of all kinds! I am your judge, Incantation Samurai! There are three rules! All battles until won, defeat, or death must remain in the arena at all times, as per the contract! Anyone who leaves the arena is disqualified! Any outside assistance disqualifies the fight! Do you both understand these three rules?" Sammy asked.

"Yes!" the Knight said.

"Whatever!" Doppy snarled.

"Begin!" Sammy shouted, and the crowd went wild. The Knight never had a chance. Doppy grinned sadistically and changed his form into the Knight's father. Stammering now, Doppy insulted him and humiliated him to catch him off guard. Then he ran up to him and smashed his armor to pieces. As the Knight tried to attack, he stomped on the ground to Stun him. Then he ran him through.

"Too bad I can't fully kill you," Doppy smirked and withdrew his sword. Lloyd ran up to the Knight and Healed him before he died on the arena floor.

"Doppelganger wins!" Sammy cried out. The crowd cheered, and the Knight was carted away to the loser's circle. On getting back to Sarine, she kissed him deeply and chuckled, as he cleaned off his sword.

"You avenged me?" she smiled.

"Always. I may as well stick to the future Guild's name," he grinned. Howard laughed, and they watched the lineup of arena fights. They all laughed and snickered, as someone actually called out Pori-Pori. That fight lasted ten seconds. Another had challenged the Gryphon, and that lasted about five minutes.

"Wow. Rather short battles," Keltin mused.

"These challengers are stupid," Doppy growled, as he let Sarine recline on him.

"I'm sure one of them may give someone a run for their money," she smiled, and he kissed her gently. Fortunately, no one was dumb enough to challenge any of her husbands after the display that Doppy did. The arena was about to close when the sun set, but one last challenger made his way in. She blinked, realized that it was Blent, and said so to the others.

"Blent?" Keltin sneered.

"The Rogue from Poring Island that summoned me?" Howard glared.

"Let's see who he chooses," Doppy smirked. The Kafra Agent approached them and told them that Keltin was challenged.

"If he loses, we should find out why he came here," Sarine mused.

"So, toss him in the dungeon with Malore?" Howard chuckled.

"I wonder if his Guild knows..." Eremes pondered aloud.

"At least he'll have someone to talk to," Doppy smirked.

"This will be fun!" Keltin grinned and shifted into his Bongun form. He kissed Sarine deeply, and she wished him luck. He bounced casually down to the arena floor and faced him.

"About time!" Blent chuckled. Then he paused when Keltin stopped bouncing.

"Just so you know," Keltin grinned. "Malore is in our dungeon. If you lose, you join him. It's been decided."

"What?!" Blent asked. "You're lying!"

"Why else haven't you seen him around? Besides, I'm sure Sarine, the Vessel of Odin, would need to speak with you about the Cat Hand Guild, anyways. Right?" Keltin chuckled.

"Shit!" Blent hissed and looked at Sammy. Incantation Samurai heard everything and grinned wickedly.

"Are you ready to fight?!" Sammy shouted.

"Yes!" Keltin said. He shifted into his Champion human form in front of everyone.

"What?!" Blent stammered.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Sammy giggled. "Fight!"

"Wait! This isn't fair!" Blent shouted.

"Don't hold back!" Keltin growled out. Now his form went to the pure white fury of Rage that Valkyrie granted him, and he glared with stark white eyes. "You challenged me, and I came to fight! Don't you dare disappoint me!"

"Fine!" Blent shouted and charged him. It was a dead end move to begin with. Keltin slammed a fist into his gut and ripped into his body with several punishing kicks and punches. When it looked like Blent was airborne, Keltin jumped into the air and dealt the deadly skill of Asura Strike. Blent's body caved in, and he bounced along the ground. He came to a halt against the wall of sand in a slow, skidding motion. Margaretha ran over to him and had to cast the skill of Resurrection on him before Healing him. The crowd was quiet at first until Howard whooped with joy. Then the crowd roared and cheered for Keltin, as the Rage faded back out. When he was a normal Champion again, he glared at anyone else that dared to challenge him. None bothered to after that fight.

Humming softly, he nodded to Sammy, as Blent was grabbed by Seyren and Lloyd to be taken to the house after Sammy told them what was to happen. Keltin went back up to Sarine. She kissed him passionately, as her hands moving over his exposed chest, and he gasped.

"Think you can handle us all?" Eremes chuckled, as he closed the curtains to the booth.

"Possibly. Just...be gentle with me?" Sarine blushed.

"With your Fire, Eremes?" Howard asked.

"I can contain it. When she's weak like this, it won't come out. It's how it was when I took her after she was purged. Only after I claimed her did the Fire come. It's as if...it knows she is not strong enough for it," he nodded. Muninn warbled and carefully flew off his perch through the opened top of the balcony.

"Interesting," Doppy chuckled. With her cries covered by the cheering crowd, they were easily able to wait out the stream of people while they left through the Kafra Agent. If any tried to get to the house, Storm Caller was ready with Pori-Pori and Justice to drive them back. Even Windwalker had to carry people off and drop them off at the arena.

Blent was moved into one of the cells under the house, and the cells were built in such a way that it was far enough that prisoners couldn't assist each other. However, they could see into the other cells from the circular pattern they were in. This allowed them to at least converse with each other. Malore saw who was in the cell across from him and gasped with disbelief.

"Blent?! What the hell are you doing here?" Malore hissed.

"Malore?" Blent asked wearily. "Oh. I challenged that Bongun to a duel, and he kicked my ass. I should have known there was a reason he was seated above the arena."

"What of your Guild?" Malore asked.

"I don't know. Don't care right now," Blent winced, as he moved to sit on the floor, and he leaned back against a wall. He did blink when Pori-Pori bounced over with food and drinks for him to push through the bars.

"Don't piss that one off," Malore warned with a grin.

"Just a Poring. Why?" Blent asked. Pori-Pori watched him with a wink and moved through the bars to clobber him before heading back out to guard.

"Meet Pori-Pori!" Malore grinned and laughed, as he snacked on some cheese.

"WHAT?!" Blent freaked, as he pried himself off the floor. "But that's...it's just not possible! How in the hell did Pori-Pori appear?"

"Don't know. But, it's here! And it only likes Sarine, apparently. Be nice to it, and it tends to ignore you," Malore shrugged.

"Man," Blent frowned. He still hurt, and he studied what was on the tray. Finding something he could use, he plucked a slim white potion off the tray to drink down. Feeling better, he sighed. "What happens now?"

"We wait until someone comes for us. Or until we fight in the arena. I don't mind."

"What? Are you serious?"

"At least you have a Guild that will look for you."

"Actually, I don't anymore," Blent admitted.

"What?" Malore now looked at him across the way from his cell.

"I...I quit the Guild just today. I wanted to come here to fight, and Ripclaw forbade it. So I quit it," he winced. "He warned me, and I ignored the warning."

"You idiot!" Malore hissed.

"I know!" Blent sighed.

"Well, not much can be done except to wait until they come for us. I've been here a couple of days already. It's really not bad."

"Not bad? To not be able to walk around and have your own will? Wait. You're still obsessed over the girl, aren't you?!"

"Point for you, old friend!" Malore grinned.

"You're mad!"

"Madly in love!"

"Wait! What's that?" Blent hissed, as he rose up. Muninn flew down from where he was perched at to shift up into his warrior form. Malore paled at the power that resonated from him now, and Blent stared with fascination.

" _Laurell Weinder, why do you still insist on being with my sister, exactly?_ " Muninn asked in both voice and mind.

"Laurell?" Blent asked, and Malore winced.

"I'll tell you later. As for you, who are you?" the High Wizard asked.

" _Answer me first,_ " Muninn smirked.

"All right. I just feel as though I have to be with her once to see if I belong. Even then, I dunno what will happen," Malore admitted.

" _Very well. I am Muninn,_ " the warrior whispered. That made both men pale with complete and absolute shock and fright. " _Sarine is not of this world. She is the true daughter of Father Odin, and she is my sister. I will kill whoever I must to protect her. Remember that. As for you, Blent Worthson, Ripclaw is being advised as to where you are. He will be here in about a week or so, and he has ordered for you to remain here in our safekeeping. You should relax and enjoy your time off from the Guild._ "

"I'm not going back to them!" Blent growled.

" _If you want to help Laurell, then you must. One of his colleagues is in that Guild. The one that Ripclaw prizes so highly as his First in Command knows Laurell quite well._ "

"You mean Jasmina? She's said nothing about her past!" Blent said.

"That's how it was with me, remember? Let me tell you a story, Blent," Malore sighed. He told him of the experiments that happened in Lighthalzen, and the Rogue was in shock. When he learned that Jasmina may be one of the participants, he paled.

"I always wondered why she got offended when people asked about her past. Why she always went quiet and became distant. I never knew," Blent sighed.

"We all took a vow of silence when we escaped and changed our names. I was quite scared for my own safety, and I remained hidden for a long time. Only when I knew the place was destroyed from the inside did I come out of hiding. Then I met you a couple years later. Then a couple months after that, we met Sarine. I just learned that she was rejected from the Biological Laboratory project, or I would have seen her there. She must have arrived just after I was admitted. Or before I got there. Oh, well," Malore sighed.

"But, what of the others you knew?" Blent asked.

"You know those powerful ghostly guys and gals out there? They were part of the experiment, too, and I didn't know that they died while we lived. They stayed trapped there, and it was Sarine that saved them. Apparently, they are trying to become human again, and she is the key to that, somehow. Anyways, I'm tired. I'm going to sleep now," Malore yawned and fell asleep right there.

"Always like that," Blent sighed and looked at Muninn.

" _Expect changes to happen. If not now, then soon. You were allowed to leave the Guild by Ripclaw to come here and report for him. He knew this was going to happen, as you did, too, in your own way. Things are slowly unfolding, and more is yet to be revealed. You will be treated as a guest of sorts, and we shall work with you, if you work with us._ "

"What of Malore?"

" _He is still unpredictable. He must remained locked up until his obsession with my sister can be controlled. I must take my leave now. I will be back to check on you when the occasions present themselves,_ " Muninn said before shifting into his falcon form and flying off.

"You really picked a winner!" Blent grunted to Malore's sleeping form, and he curled up to fall asleep the best he could.

Upstairs in Sarine's bedroom, she was congratulated by everyone for a job well done. Smiling, she yawned a bit with exhaustion.

"We weren't too hard on you, were we?" Keltin asked.

"Oh, no! You all were fine," Sarine smiled.

"Good," Eremes nodded.

"We'll take it slow the next few days," Howard chuckled.

"Until you get better," Doppy grinned. She blushed, and they all laughed. Laying back in the bed between Howard and Keltin, Eremes moved to recline against a corner, and Doppy settled himself by the door. The end of the day couldn't have come soon enough.


	41. Chapter 41

The next six days were the same. She woke in the morning, had breakfast with everyone, and went to the arena to watch the daily fights. Karla monitored the money coming into the treasury, and she started to make purchases for the two homes. The one in Payon was to be kept elegant and modest. The one on the island was going to be the true show of wealth. The monsters had remodeled the house slightly to make it more like the one in Payon for space, but regally done like a wealthy mansion on the outside. Since Sarine was royalty, they wanted this house to reflect it.

All of the rooms were remodeled. Her bedroom was no exception to it, either. It was just as large as her Payon bedroom, and the bathroom was just as spacious now. It was also far more airy in looks and feel. The tub was even upgraded to resemble a roman spa with small seats. It was a wonderful improvement. There was still room for the house to expand, but they weren't worried about that now.

She hadn't bothered to check on Blent, since Storm Caller told her there was no need to for now. She was constantly being challenged in her weak state by various challengers, and the Kafra Agent always declined them. If they got stubborn, Doppy was there to swiftly prove a point. It was something that he enjoyed doing. At the end of the sixth day after they all went to sleep, Sarine woke in the middle of the night. She didn't do this while she was healing, and Doppy was only too happy that she was going back to something that he could help her with.

"What is it?" Doppy asked, as he lifted her carefully from the bed.

"Toilet," she smiled. He nodded and took her there.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. He opened up one of the newer windows to let in some moonlight so she could see. When she finished, she moved to his side.

"A lot better. I really need to rest more, though."

"How much better?" he asked, as he pulled her into his arms.

"What are you doing?" she chuckled.

"Going crazy," he sighed and pressed himself against her.

"Why?"

"I...I want to taste you again," he breathed over her neck. "Everywhere. Everything. Will you let me?"

"You want my blood, too?" she breathed.

"Only if you want to give it."

"I think...maybe a mouthful would be safe," she admitted. That brought a grin to his lips, and he kissed her hungrily. He pulled her down to the ground to lay her on the fur rug that was newly purchased earlier that day. He slipped off the nightgown she wore, and his armor was soon moved aside. Gasping, as he leisurely licked over her skin, he wasted no time to move his tongue between her thighs. Arching herself, she hissed out her release silently. He raised her hips up to lick deeper, letting his rumbling purr do most of the work.

She clung to the furs now and kept releasing over and over again. After that, he finally moved his mouth to hers to kiss her desperately. Even when she tasted herself on him, she didn't care, and it aroused him even further. He wanted more of her now, and he shivered.

"I want to try something. I'll give you a potion right afterwards," he whispered.

"What?" she asked, as she reclined on the fur. Taking out a small dagger, he smiled.

"I want to nurse from you, Sorry Sari," he said. She blinked with confusion. He moved to lightly pinprick each of her nipples and her jaw dropped. Then her eyes went wide when he moved to suckle from her, drawing the blood out gently to nurse. The sensation was new, and she arched herself towards the floor. He moved to her other breast and pushed himself into her now. Moving from one breast to the other, they both gave themselves to the pleasures of release. When the bleeding stopped, he looked at her.

"What?" she asked, as she gasped for air.

"I want to taste you again, but with blood. Will you let me?" he asked.

"You want to...to cut my insides?" she asked with amazement.

"I promise you, you will be fine," he vowed. Closing her eyes for a moment to digest what he wanted, she finally looked at him and nodded. The small dagger taken up again, he removed himself from her and placed the dagger in her. She winced a little at the small, but careful, cut given. When the dagger was put aside, he moved his mouth over her and gave out a sharp groan at the new taste of her blood. He used his tongue to staunch the wound, and he felt her release several times, as he worked on her. When the blood was gone, he pushed himself back into her and released hard with her.

Finally feeling sated, he pulled her close to rest with her. Kissing her deeply now, he held her tightly to his chest and nuzzled her.

"Doppy..." she sighed, as she rested in his arms.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" she whispered, as she rested her head on his chest. Her body was flush against his.

"For letting me make you mine tonight. For doing this with you. For coming into my long, dreary life," he whispered, as he trailed his fingers over her skin. "It was so monotonous, you know? Always the same thing. Never any variety. But, when I met you, I just knew that things were going to start changing. That things were going to be different. You brought a small ray of light to my life that I never saw before. And...when you left me...I...felt that I lost it. I never want to have that feeling again. I never want to lose my place at your side. I promise, Sorry Sari, I will never leave you. I will never break my promises to you. I will always love you. I will always protect you."

"Doppy," she breathed and lightly touched down his chest, making him gasp with renewed desire. She moved herself onto him, and he hissed with control. She took up the dagger and lightly opened her neck with it.

"Sorry Sari," he trembled. "What are you doing?"

"Come here, Doppy," she smiled and pressed his mouth to her neck. Groaning softly, his mouth locked there, and she whimpered in instant release. He bucked hard into her, as he fed on her blood, but he was very careful to moderate it. After a sudden bout of pleasure that lasted for a whole minute, he pulled his mouth from her neck to collapse on the fur with her. Managing to fumble around for a potion, he rubbed it on her neck and then had her drink the rest. Gasping now, he found himself chuckling.

"Amazing," he smiled.

"What?" she asked. She traced up his chest, as she rested in the crook of his arm.

"You always catch me by surprise now. I love that about you," he grinned.

"And I love everything about you," she smiled and yawned, as exhaustion started to set in again. He kissed her deeply and dressed her back into her nightgown before taking her back to bed. Watching her fall back to sleep, he went into the bathroom to clean it up and dress back into his armor. Taking up the small dagger, he set it on one of the tables in the room and out of the way. He relaxed by the door again and made himself ready to meditate.

"You cheat, you know?" Eremes whispered with a smile on his face.

"Huh? Oh. You were awake?" Doppy frowned, as he looked up.

"For most of it. You are the luckiest one, since you don't need to sleep. I would love to have her to myself for a while again," he sighed. "Come to think of it, huh. I don't need sleep, if I focus on being more monster than human. I should have thought of this before! Ah, well."

"Hmm. Maybe we can suggest it to her that, on the day you turn human, she has an hour with each of us alone?"

"That could work. Maybe other arrangements can be done," Eremes mused.

"We can definitely ask," Doppy nodded.

"So, how much blood did you take from her?"

"Oh? Um...not much at all. She'll be fine."

"I wonder what Sammy would say..."

"I said she'll be fine! It's been almost a whole week, anyways, and he said to wait at least a week!" Doppy growled. Eremes laughed a bit and nodded.

"I find it humorous," Eremes pondered.

"What?"

"That Howard and Keltin are alike. In many ways, we are the same in attitude."

"Oh?"

"We don't like to recline in beds. We keep to ourselves most of the time."

"We'll both kill for Sorry Sari," he chuckled.

"That we will. I have killed for her."

"I know. I saw the images, and I heard what was told from Geffen Tower. I do have a secret that she doesn't know of."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I don't want her to know, either."

"You have my word."

"One night, in the tower, I was watching her sleep. I had to move off to patrol a short ways away when I heard intruders were around. When I came back, I saw some Knight about to kick her awake. I ran over to him and killed him before he could touch her."

"You did?" Eremes frowned.

"Yes. There were quite a few other times that it happened, too."

"So, we have both killed for her."

"There was one man that was planning on raping her while she slept. He didn't last five minutes after I got to him," Doppy glowered. Eremes looked over at him with a frown.

"How many did you kill for her?" Eremes asked.

"About twelve men. Women tended to leave her alone, if they saw her. It was always the men. It's why I always worried when she went to town. I didn't know if she was going to be attacked. There was one night she wanted to sleep in town, and I convinced her not to. Promised I would always protect her. Then, when she left that fateful day, I just...I wept. I never wept before in my life, and I just couldn't help it. Demons don't cry, but we can weep. I was worried sick about her. I didn't care if I was defeated constantly after that. I had lost my fire. My will. After three months, I had just been defeated again, and I heard someone say it was the easiest kill they ever had. That snapped me out of it. When that one came back to defeat me again, he left the tower in pieces by the time I was done!"

"I wouldn't doubt it!" Eremes muttered with a harsh frown.

"After that, I doubled my effort and forced myself to forget about her."

"Like myself," Eremes blinked.

"Hmm?"

"When she left the Novice Center, and I couldn't find her, I had to force myself to forget about her, too. Only I chose to drink rather heavily."

"Really? I'll be damned! We really are alike!" he grinned.

"All in the past," Eremes nodded. "But...when you saw her again?"

"I swear," Doppy sighed, as he leaned back in the chair. "I heard her voice, and I didn't recognize it at first from how she had transcended. Then it was the name that she called out that I heard. Only she ever gave me that nickname. Then I recognized the tone in her voice. It hit me like a sack of bricks. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! So, I ran to her, and when I saw her I just...I felt as though a piece of me had finally come back."

A quiet chuckle from Eremes gave Doppy the confirmation that it was the same feeling all over again for the Assassin Cross. Then Eremes said, "She could easily have the whole world under her thumb. You know, that reminds me of something...important..."

"Hmm?"

"I wonder when her birthday is," Eremes mused. That made Doppy grin, and Muninn hopped over to them from his perch.

_:Two days. Careful. Birthdays. Bring hurt. Be careful.:_  Muninn warned before hopping back over to his perch to sleep.

"Two days?!" Doppy hissed.

"When we turn human," Eremes frowned. "But, birthdays hurt her? Wait. Shit!"

"What? Spill it, man!" Doppy frowned.

"I remember when I found her, it was her birthday. The Empress was telling her that, as she promised, each birthday would be a reminder of when she was going to go to Incantation Samurai. That was it. No gifts. No cakes. No joy. All bad news."

"Shit," Doppy snarled. "We'll have to tell the others. We'll have to approach it carefully with her. I don't want her to feel awful."

"Come to think of it, she was given a slice of cake that day. The Empress was telling her to eat it. Sarine said it tasted bad, and she didn't want it. Of course, I couldn't say anything...but it makes me wonder now. It was pushed away from her. I'm sure that, if we give her cake, she'll be fine with it. But...it really makes me wonder..."

"I swear...if she was being poisoned by that bitch..." Doppy seethed.

"I wanted to be the one to tear that bitch in half!" Eremes snarled. "Sammy got lucky!"

"What?" Howard asked, as he blinked awake.

"Shit," Eremes sighed. Doppy laughed lightly, as the foul mood suddenly vanished.

"All right, what did I miss?" Howard growled. He got up carefully to keep from waking Sarine and walked over to them.

"Muninn just told us that her birthday is in two days. The day you all get to be human," Doppy said. Howard's mouth dropped.

"But, to her, birthdays are not good," Eremes said and told him what he told Doppy.

"You're right. Shit!" Howard frowned. The other two chuckled at the swear, due its sudden popularity. "We'll think of something."

"Wouldn't it be lovely, if Garrett found the Emperor and brought him here during her birthday?" Doppy mused. Both men glared at him, and he grinned.

"That would just be the icing on the cake!" Howard scowled lightly.

"Wouldn't it?" Eremes smiled.

"So, how often do you guys stay up at night and talk without me?" Howard grinned.

"This is the first time," Doppy admitted.

"Really?" Howard asked.

"Yes, really. Now I'm tired," Eremes said.

"Oh, bullshit! You are NOT going back to sleep, because I'm awake!" Howard hissed. Eremes cracked a grin and shrugged.

"What do you suggest?" Doppy grinned. Howard moved over to Keltin to wake him silently, and told him what was being discussed. He was up in an instant.

"Wake the others quietly and let them know of what needs to happen in two days. At the campfire, we'll have the surprise party. Come to think of it, Eremes, we never knew her birthday, did we?" Howard frowned.

"You know what? I had forgotten about it all that time," the Assassin Cross frowned. "We never bothered to ask her, and I had forgotten what day it was when I rescued her. We had quiet celebrations for each other, but never for her."

"Well, no more of that! Mark a calendar after it happens," Doppy nodded.

"Right! Let's see, it's March fourth right now. March sixth is her birthday. I'll mark it down later," Keltin nodded with agreement. "Now, we just need to think of what she would want as presents. She never really asked for anything."

"That will be a tough one to figure out, won't it?" Howard sighed.

"I think I'll just ask her," Eremes shrugged. Then he remembered the doll he found in the Amatsu treasury and smiled. "Never mind. I know what I'm giving her."

"I'll figure something out. I'm going to go pound on some doors," Doppy snickered.

"Save Seyren for me!" Howard grinned. Doppy grinned back, and they all started to filter through the house. As Doppy went to go wake Lloyd and Margaretha, Howard rapped on Seyren's door. When he got no answer, he knocked harder.

"What? Oh, come on!" Seyren growled, as he found Howard there.

"Not so fun when it's done to you, eh? Just wanted to tell you that Muninn said that Sarine's birthday is on the day we turn human. Two days away," Howard smiled.

"Is it really?!" Karla smiled.

"But, it could be a disaster, too," Howard frowned and told them what normally happened on her birthday.

"Oh!" Karla frowned.

"Not good," Seyren frowned. "Surprise party?"

"Yep. At the fire pit in two days. We can't say anything," Howard nodded.

"Agreed. Now get out of here so I can finish up with my wife," Seyren winked.

"Sure. Oh, Karla! I hope he's letting you come first!" Howard laughed, as Seyren shoved him out the door and slammed it. Karla was barking out laughter before she went quiet from Seyren's advances. Still laughing, he went down the stairs to find Cecil and Kathryne talking about what they were going to get her.

"It's hard to leave here without her," Kathryne frowned.

"Tell Karla what you want, and I'm sure she'll find it," Howard said.

"Good idea!" Cecil smiled.

"Up so early?" Sammy frowned. They told him what was going on, and he thought. "I don't really have anything that I can give her. I already gave her my card. Oh, wait! I didn't! I can give that to her!"

"You're figured out, then," Howard nodded.

"Come to think of it, little sis needs mine, too," Cecil mused.

"And mine. And Margaretha's I think," Kathryne nodded.

"Same with Seyren," Howard thought. Cecil and Kathryne produced their cards to set aside, so they wouldn't vanish when they turned human, and Cecil went to get Seyren's and Margaretha's cards.

"Make her another good bow, Howard. I have thought of an awesome present we can give her," Kathryne grinned. "Or get the one you made for her, since it's empty."

"Oh?" Howard frowned.

"We put what cards we can into the bow!" Cecil said, as she came down the stairs and over-heard. "We'll make it awesome!"

"Not mine," Sammy said. "She's not strong enough for it."

"Right," Howard nodded.

"Mine can help her, since she can gain back health by chance, but it will lower her self-healing rate," Cecil thought aloud. "I wonder if I can get my clones' card..."

"Summon one, and we'll just see if we can kill it off?" Howard asked.

"Outside!" Kathryne nodded. Eremes came down the stairs, and they told him what they were doing. He nodded and went out to help. Normally, supporting clones couldn't carry cards or weapons. With them, it was different.

"This is cheating," Doppy snickered, as they wiped out Cecil's clone. "Fun, though! But, it's still cheating!"

"It's for her birthday!" Cecil grumbled. Random clones were summoned and dismissed when they were the wrong ones needed. When another clone of herself appeared, it was killed off quickly. A few more had to be summoned to give over what they needed.

"Finally!" Howard grinned, and he picked up the card. "Adds fast attack to the weapon."

"That's what mine does! And she has two of them. One from me, and the other from my darker side," Doppy grinned.

"What's going on?" Mitchell asked groggily, and Kathryne filled him in. He made himself ready to help support.

"Well, think one from you, one from the clone, one from Cecil, and one last one?" Eremes thought. "We can figure out what to put in the last slot later."

"Mine can break a weapon or armor," Howard thought. "My clones', I think, can reduce attack speed, but increases damage."

"We want her to increase her attack speed. Not remove from it," Kathryne mused.

"My card can let her Cloak in a garment. My clones'..." Eremes paused. "adds to critical attack, if I remember correctly."

"Summon your clone?" Doppy grinned. Eremes nodded and began to summon his random clones. When a clone of himself came up, it was killed quickly. Eventually, they all decided to just try and collect the cards from all the clones after more random summoning. They figured it would be best to get as many cards as possible. After an hour, they had all the cards they needed. They even started up a nice collection of weapons and armors, too.

"We should make her an awesome set of armor!" Margaretha said, as she came to join them. She definitely wanted in on this!

"You think we should?" Cecil asked.

"I think that's a good idea," Doppy nodded.

"We'll need Karla's help. And Coraline's help, since she can wear practically the same stuff that Sarine does. She can even help us upgrade the armors at the local smith when we're ready," Kathryne said. Lloyd went to grab Karla, Coraline, and Donnie to fill them in on everything. They walked down the stairs to join them in their own eager fashions.

"We'll keep Sarine preoccupied," Howard grinned. "Oh, I found this on me."

Howard pulled out a nasty black sword with spikes coming off it from all sides.

"It's a Mysteltainn sword!" Lloyd said with amazement.

"Sarine can't use it, but I know Seyren can when he's human," Howard thought.

"Give it to Garrett," Cecil said.

"Why him?" Howard asked.

"Please?" Cecil frowned. Then Howard grinned.

"Tell you what. You keep him off Sarine's back, and you have a deal," Howard said. She agreed to it readily. Then he blinked and said, "Huh! I have other weapons, too!"

"Same here," Eremes pondered.

"We all do! We'll pool them together and put them in the treasury. I'll grab Seyren," Cecil said and walked off. It wasn't long for her to bring a stuttering Seyren down.

"It's so early!" Seyren grumbled. "I let Karla go to keep you guys off my back, and now you're dragging me downstairs, too!"

"We can only do this once a year for Sarine! So suck it up and put any new weapons you have on you in the treasury!" Kathryne growled. That made him blink and he huffed.

"I'll have you know that I have no new weapons or armors! Wait...damn! I do?!" he said with amazement. "How is this possible?!"

"It comes from being a monster. Come on," Howard grinned. He made his way to the secret treasury chamber. It was located outside the house and cleverly hidden by rough patches of grass and rocks. Kicking over a stone activated the stairs to appear going down. It was all Doppy's idea to build it like this, since it was nearly the same thing done for Geffenia's entrance. Once in the treasury, they started to set up the items they carried along the walls. They chuckled at the three Demonic weapons around the room. They guarded the place constantly. They had already chased out quite a few people that tried to break in.

"We'll need to build weapon and armor racks," Keltin said.

"That can be done easily," Sammy said, as he set a massive katana sword, called a Masamune, down. Then he thought and decided to keep it on him. One would never know if he would need it later.

"Lloyd should have this," Eremes said as he removed a Holy dagger, called an Exorciser, from his person. The Assassin Cross could use it, but he actually preferred katars.

"I'll make sure he gets it," Margaretha said, as she took it from him secretly.

"Or should Garrett get it? Don't you have staves, Margaretha?" Cecil frowned.

"Oh, I do! Okay. We'll give it to Garrett!" Margaretha said, and she pulled out a Quadrille mace and a Grand Cross mace. "Kathryne, give this Sage's Diary and Apocalypse Book to Mitchell? I'm sure they can help him!"

"Sure!" Kathryne said.

"What's going on?" Lloyd asked, as he found his way in. They told him what was happening, and he blinked at the sight of the mace given to him.

"Awesome bows!" Coraline grinned. "You think we can start storing the rarer whips and instruments here for us?"

"That would be a wonderful idea!" Margaretha nodded.

"I have an idea," Keltin said. "Instead of a birthday party, we'll just give gifts to each other. This way, everyone gets something, and, if it catches on, we'll tell the truth."

"That can work!" Doppy grinned. Eremes was nodding at the thought.

"Let's do that!" Howard said. They spent another hour simply organizing what they had and talked about how to distribute them.


	42. Chapter 42

Upstairs in the house, Sarine woke up in a cold sweat and in complete fear from an intense nightmare that was so realistic that she couldn't stop shaking. She had dreamt of being caught in Amatsu again, and that she was alone on the cell floor. On waking up, she gasped and looked around only to find herself alone. Now she realized why she had the nightmare. It didn't take long for her to panic. Getting up now, she moved downstairs, but found no one there. Storm Caller had decided to check on the house in Payon a moment ago, so she had just missed him. Trembling with intense fear now, and thinking she was abandoned, she checked all the rooms to find them empty. Even Muninn was gone, since he was scouting the island.

"All of them...gone..." she whimpered. She looked around again, as she went back into her bedroom. The emotional barrier she kept in her mind was gone now. There was no need for it, as there was no one there to hide her emotions from. Finding the dagger that Doppy had used on her earlier, she picked it up. Heading to the balcony, she pulled back the curtains and opened the windows.  _I can't be alone again. The pain was too hard to live with._ Raising the dagger to her breast, she took a deep breath. If it wasn't for the glint of the dagger blade in the moonlight, Muninn would likely have never spotted what she was about to do next.

He screamed at the top of his lungs, and it pierced over the whole island. Howard blinked and looked up towards the exit of the treasury. The sensations of fear, loneliness, and rage suddenly filtered into his head at such a level that he shook from the ferocity of it. He almost fell to the ground, but he leaned against the wall to catch himself.

"SARINE!" he screamed and ran out shortly followed by Doppy, Eremes, and Keltin. The others stared after them in alarm and shock.

"Hurry!" Eremes hissed, and Doppy sped past them quickly. They barged into the bedroom and saw her standing in the open balcony with the dagger hovering over her heart. The point of it was ready to slip between her ribs. She looked so frail in the pale blue nightgown that she would have been beautiful to gaze at if the situation wasn't so horrid. She didn't even turn to see them, and that brought them all to a new form of shock.  _It was as though she was entranced..._

"STOP!" Howard screamed, and she finally turned to look at him with trembling disbelief. Keltin was simply in too much shock at what he was seeing to say anything or do anything. He had never seen her like this before.

"Sarine! What happened?!" Eremes asked. Doppy tensed now and narrowed his eyes, but he found nothing hiding within the room that could have caused her to do this.

"I had a...a bad dream...and everyone was gone when I woke up..." Sarine said, her eyes out of focus from the fear she still held. "The house was empty...and...I thought...I thought I was alone again..."

"No!" Howard said with a gasp. Doppy watched her, as her form trembled, and the dagger came dangerously close to slipping through her skin. He ran over to her and knocked the dagger out of her hand before pulling her close. As Howard watched this, his mind became completely linked to hers with her fierce emotions. It was starting to rip into him, and he was losing focus as tears fell. Now something forced itself up within in him, and he hung his head when he fought for control. Her fear was too much for him to bear. He was fighting a losing battle, as he hissed out, "Give her...to me..."

"She's about to hurt herself!" Doppy argued. He kept one of his arms around her arms to keep them pinned at her sides to keep her safe. His other arm was around her waist to pull her back to his chest in a purely Demonic show of protection.

"Give...her...to...me..." Howard glowered now, as he felt her fear and rage getting stronger. More tears fell from his face now, as he trembled with the forces she was giving out. It was feeding something in him. He was starting to react to it even further, and his eyes started to glow the same dull red as Doppy's, yet the glow got far more intense with each passing second. The thought that she was in danger took over. He needed to reach her, and it didn't matter to him on how she got back into his arms.

"Doppelganger...!" Eremes hissed. "Give her to him!"

"What is he doing?" Doppy asked with amazement. The Demonic scent of Howard's blood was now out in full. He actually found himself cringing from how strong it was.

"We were all injected with a lethal dose in the end, and it killed us! Remember how I said we were injected with demon blood?! I...I couldn't say anything at first, since I couldn't remember much, but...!" Eremes hissed slowly, as he watched Howard, and the memories of what happened returned in full. "He's...very in-tuned with her emotions. He always was! None of us could ever understand it, but now...he's feeling her right now...and her fear is...it's feeding something...in...him..."

"Doppelganger..." Howard warned again, as his chest heaved with rage, and his voice became something of a whispering gasp of air. His back straightened out, as he glared at the demon in sudden challenge. The demon blood coursing in his veins was starting to overpower his natural scent, and Doppy was curling back his lips in response to the challenge. Sarine was marked with Doppy's blood. He instinctively saw her as his. Then he regained focus to push the instinct aside.  _Now was not the time to reveal it._

"You'll hurt her!" Doppy hissed.

"Doppy..." Sarine sighed weakly and trembled with fear. "Let me go to him..."

"What?!" Doppy frowned and lifted her up protectively in his arms.

"I'll be fine..." she said. Howard Berserked now, as he trembled even more, and ground his teeth together. He was dangerously close to losing full control.

"Doppelganger!" Eremes hissed out again in panic. "Howard's Demonic blood...it's actually stronger than any of ours! He was injected with the blood of an incredibly strong Demonic monster called Naght Seiger! He was the only one that had the strength to contain it! The last time it reacted with him..."

"What happened?" Doppy hissed again.

"It's how the Biological Laboratory was destroyed from the inside!" Seyren grounded out quickly, as he walked smartly into the bedroom. "Release her now to him, or we're all dead! He'll destroy this house! You have to give her to him now!"

This news made Doppy's mouth drop, and he trembled. Carefully, he placed her on the ground before looking back at Howard. Doppy was starting to feel protective over her again, but that was going to change rather quickly.

"Now...LEAVE...!" Howard hissed, as a Demonic snarl ripped from him with enough force that Doppy's eyes rose with alarm. For the first time in his life, he felt bullied into place within demon society.

"Out!" Seyren said, and he grabbed Keltin by the hood of his Champion form. Eremes led Doppy out of the room. Once Howard and Sarine were alone, he bared his teeth to try and control the force raging within him.

"How-How..." Sarine said weakly, as she frowned. Tears fell from her face, as her body shook with fear and rage. "Don't be...a stupid head..."

That snapped the force back under control instantly. He gasped, as the red glow faded from his ocean-green eyes, and he started to cry. He forced himself to move, and he snatched her up in his arms. Then he crushed her to his chest. Her arms snaked around his neck to pull herself closer to him, and he could only sit on the ground with her in his lap.

"Why?!" he trembled, as she cried with him. "Why did you...you almost...why?!"

She couldn't answer him yet, and they had to let the emotions vent out before they could start thinking clearly again.

"How-How..." she whispered softly, as she trembled hard. There was a sense of relief in her voice that he was there with her.

"Why...?" he asked again a bit weaker, as he still held her.

"I...I had vowed to myself..." she gasped, as she trembled in his arms. "That if I...if I ever found myself alone again...I didn't...I couldn't...live with myself!"

"Oh, Sarine..." he wept now, hugging her as tight as he dared.

"I couldn't...do it again...I simply couldn't..." fresh tears fell now, and she found herself getting kissed hard. The taste of tears mingled in it, as sorrow turned to lust. Right there on the balcony, he ripped off her nightgown and removed his clothing swiftly before claiming her. She screamed in his mouth, as he shouted in hers at the furious force of the release. After it was done, they were completely weakened. All he could do was continue to hold her tightly.

"I promise..." he hissed out. "I will NEVER leave you alone again! Ever!"

"How-How..." she whimpered, and he kissed her again.

"Never...never ever..." he whispered and kissed her even deeper. She moaned, as he started to move slowly in her, working up the passion and the pleasure bit by bit. She arched and stretched under him, as he moved his hands along her curves. When she started to whimper and pant, he moved faster. Clinging to him now, she cried out with him, and her body tightened around his when he thrust hard in her to empty himself again. Gasping with her now, he held her close and rested. He nuzzled her and shivered with her at a small spasm of pleasure.

"Never?" she whispered.

"Never," he vowed and hugged her tight.

"Good," she panted.

"Sarine," he sighed. "what was your dream about?"

"I...I don't want to talk about it," she whimpered.

"You have to tell me. Please?" he gazed into her eyes and moved a strand of blond-brown hair from her face. "Please tell me..."

Running her hand through his light green locks of hair, she sighed, and he hugged her tight. She shivered, and he rocked her against him.

"I...I was in Amatsu..." she shuddered. "I was alone...in that cell...and...it was so lonely! I was so cold...I felt so abandoned..."

"Now I see why you got so scared when you woke up alone," Howard swallowed and kissed her gently. "I'll make sure you are never left alone again."

She trembled, and he refused to let her go. Finding the strength to carry her now, he moved them both over to the bed, and he pulled the covers over them.

"I'm afraid to go to sleep..." she whimpered.

"I'm not leaving you for anything," he promised. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Promise?" she shivered.

"I promise," he said and kissed her forehead gently. When she snuggled into his chest, the door cracked open, and he called out weakly, "It's fine now!"

"What happened?" Keltin asked the moment he walked in. Eremes and Doppy walked in next to stand over the bed. They stammered at what Howard told them about her dream and what she had vowed to do to herself, if she was alone again.

"Someone is with her at all times from now on!" Doppy snarled.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. Keltin frowned and turned away.

"Keltin? What's wrong?" Sarine frowned.

"I couldn't do anything..." he said.

"It's called being human," Eremes sighed.

"Is it?" he frowned. "To look at something that you want to stop, but can't?"

"Yes," Howard winced. "It's a hard thing to do. All you can do is watch and think of what you want to do. Then you think of how it will affect her when all of it is over."

"That's right," Keltin swallowed. "It's easy to be blinded by fear. Isn't it?"

"Very," Eremes nodded.

"I have to know," Doppy grumbled, as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Eremes, how did you know that Howard had the demon blood of Naght Seiger? And why can't I detect any form of demon blood in you? Weren't you given demon blood?"

"Remember how I said I ransacked the main office for clues and was forced to forget about it?" Eremes asked. "That's how I found out. Now that I can remember everything again, I can finally reveal what I found out about ourselves. I have the blood of the powerful monster, Ifrit. Since Ifrit is more of a Fire Elemental, I only have the ability to call on the Fire that you feel. Ifrit is not truly a demon. I never figured out how to do it until I finally encountered Sarine like this, and she sparked it. Normally, as a true monster, which my darker side is, I should have more of the Poison element in my system than Fire. All of that was transferred to my clones and my darker side. As for the Fire now, it's there, none the less. I may be the only one that doesn't have true demon blood, but I can still react as one, since Ifrit is a fairly evil monster by himself."

"And Seyren? The others?" Doppy frowned.

"Seyren actually has the blood of Baphomet. Baphomet won't know about it, until Seyren starts to emit it. It takes a lot for us to show off the demon blood in our systems. The only thing I can think of is that the blood injected in us is dormant. That may also be why you couldn't detect anything on us at first. Kathryne has the blood of a powerful Demonic entity called Entweihen Crothen. It doesn't really move, but it's insanely powerful in magical attacks. Cecil was given the blood of the powerful demon, Beelzebub. That's a demon from Hell, just so you know. As for Margaretha, she has the powerful Demonic blood of a demon called Fallen Bishop Hibram. A man possessed by a Demonic essence, in a sense," Eremes explained.

"These demons...they're all very powerful! How in the hell did Lighthalzen get them?!" Doppy hissed. "How was that possible?"

"Expeditions," Howard said drowsily. Sarine was listening silently, as she was nestled in the crook of his arm. He had her so close to him that it was more of a protective stand point.

"Quests and journeys for adventurers, really," Eremes nodded.

"And the younger ones in Lighthalzen?" Keltin asked.

"Lesser demons that were more common, in a sense. At least, I think that's what they have. I didn't get to read much on it, but they were still being tested, and the results weren't there. We'll need to make a trip to Lighthalzen, if you want to find out more," Eremes frowned.

"No," Sarine whimpered.

"Of course not," Howard whispered and kissed her forehead.

"You are right about something," Doppy said to Eremes.

"Right about what?" Eremes asked.

"I didn't start detecting the Demonic blood in Howard until she let him drink some of her blood back in Geffen. It's like it became active then," Doppy said.

"I don't know if mine awakened, since it's not truly a demon. I haven't felt anything off or strange, since I took some of her blood in Comodo. It's something to think about," Eremes said. "I only hope that it's not as destructive as it could be."

"You drank her blood, too?" Howard asked.

"Yes. In the dressing room," Eremes grinned with a shrug. Doppy chuckled at this. Keltin looked over at Eremes with surprise. A knock was heard on the door, and Keltin answered it. Seyren was standing there looking concerned.

"Is she all right?" Seyren asked, as he walked in.

"She's fine now," Howard nodded.

"Are you all right?" Seyren asked him.

"He's fine," Sarine sighed. Eremes pulled him aside and whispered to him of what actually happened. He further told him of the Demonic blood in their systems. Doppy watched Muninn fly in and perch by the bed to warble at her. Sarine looked over, and he hopped onto the bed to press his head against her cheek.

"She..." Seyren was about to hiss, but Eremes clamped his hand over the Lord Knight's mouth to keep him quiet.

"Shut up!" the Assassin Cross hissed. "It's over and done with!"

"All right, all right! I'll tell the others. There's enough night time left for sleep. I'll see you all in the morning, and I'll tell the others what you told me about the Demonic stuff," Seyren said, as he pulled the hand away. Doppy saluted him when he left and watched Muninn move back to his perch to rest. Keltin undressed, moved under the bed sheets, and felt Sarine pull him close. With an arm each around Howard and Keltin, she felt reassured enough to finally fall back to sleep. Howard closed his eyes shortly after, and even Keltin succumbed to sleep.

"She tried to kill herself..." Doppy sighed softly.

"What would you do, if you found yourself alone again in her condition?" Eremes frowned, as he leaned back against his corner. "Yes, it's a stupid thing to do, but she's been hurt too many times when she was alone."

"True," Doppy grunted. "We'll have to have one of us with her at all times from now on. It will have to be a given."

"Like I said before..." Eremes said quietly. "heard and noted..."

Doppy watched the man's head sag a bit, as sleep finally claimed him. With a sigh, the demon relaxed against the chair. Meditation was always his best friend, and he slipped into that.


	43. Chapter 43

When Sarine woke in the morning, it was with a sudden jolt, and she whimpered with the fear that she was alone again. On turning her head, she saw Howard looking back at her with frown of concern.

"How?" she whispered.

"I promised I wouldn't leave," he said, and he pulled her close, as she started to sob with relief. Raising himself up to cradle her gently, he kissed her forehead and held her close.

"Is she all right?" Doppy asked, as he got up from the chair.

"She's scared," Howard sighed.  _Her mental wall was still down._

"Of what?" Doppy asked.

"Being alone," he replied. He kissed Sarine gently and wiped the tears away from her eyes. Keltin was up shortly after and was hugged by her. Then she moved to let Doppy hug her and reassure her that she was always loved.

"Sarine? Are you feeling all right now?" Eremes frowned. She moved to have him come to her to get hugged tightly and kissed fiercely. Closing her eyes and knowing she wasn't alone, her fears diminished, and her emotional wall was carefully rebuilt. Howard felt immense relief now and gasped with it.

"I don't know how you do that, but I'm glad you can!" Howard said, as he shook his head. "I become so entwined with your emotions..."

"I know," she frowned, and he hugged her again. A deep kiss was given to her, and she snuggled into him.

"It looks like the arena is filling up. Shall we go there and have breakfast served to us?" Doppy asked. "We need to get our minds off of this. What do you think, Sorry Sari?"

"I think that would be nice," she smiled. Howard dressed, and they helped dress her in her Sniper gears quickly. Keltin then dressed and moved off the bed. Eremes picked up the shredded nightgown and smirked at Howard.

"What can I say? It was pretty, but it's better off of her!" Howard grinned. She poked his sides to make him laugh, and Doppy picked her up to carry her. On taking her downstairs, the others were informed of what had happened and swarmed over to her. She smiled to show that she was all right now, and she suggested they all have breakfast at the arena. Doll was all too happy to serve them, now that the area for Sarine's friends was built just below the balcony. A similar one was made for the guest side, and it was rentable at a hundred thousand zeny an hour in the form of VIP seating. It worked beautifully, and money was still pouring in.

"I need to do a bit more shopping!" Karla winked.

"Oh, can I go with you?!" Coraline grinned. Then she blinked, as Medusa came up to her on the turtle she rode. She was enhanced for her snakes to be far more massive, and her body was leaner and stronger. She even had the ability to Stun when she sang. Motioning to Coraline, she handed over two powerful whips. One was a red Flame whip. The other was a blue whip called Sea Witch's Foot that had the power to freeze enemies.

"Wow!" Karla grinned. "Those are some awesome weapons!"

"Oh, my gosh!" Coraline blinked, as she accepted them. Then Violy played her violin, as she approached Donnie, and gave a pleasant wink. She was twice as fast and even twice as strong as she was before now. She gave him a basic violin that could hold up to four cards, and a guitar called a Bass guitar was given over for him, too. He blinked and looked up at the swift flying False Angel, as it dropped a whip with a carrot on it to Coraline. Both brother and sister were in amazed shock.

"Looks like we'll have to go to the other monsters and see what they have, eh?" Seyren grinned to Cecil. "The more to fill the treasury, the better!"

"I'll do that later," she nodded.

"I'll upgrade those later for you," Howard nodded. "We may need to get more of them, though. I don't want to break them and not have any back-ups for you."

"Okay!" Coraline nodded again. When they got to the arena, the crowd cheered for them, as they made their way to the balcony. Already a fight was going on between a Swordsman and the powerful Ghost Ring. Sammy waved at Sarine, and she waved back to him. On looking back at the fight, Ghost Ring summoned forth its band of enhanced Giant Whisper ghosts, and they all clobbered the Swordsman.

"Ghost Ring wins!" Sammy claimed.

"When can we fight her?" a Monk asked, as he pointed at Sarine. "I've got money to burn! Surely she's strong enough by now!"

"I still do not think she is ready," the Kafra Agent said politely. Sarine was glad that the Kafra Agent was stationed in a way that she could be heard easily.

"Actually," Sarine said, as she stood up. Howard looked at her with a raised brow. "who here wishes to challenge me?"

Several adventurers stepped forward.

"I see. Well, I can only fight once a day, due to my nature. If you all want to fight me today, then let us do this. You all fight each other. I will fight the winner. Agreed? Just remember, the winner still needs to pay the necessary fees to fight me as agreed," she asked sweetly and smiled. Her beauty and sultry voice caused an uproar in them, and the challenging threats now went to each other.

"Clever!" Eremes grinned, and he kissed her gently.

"Are you sure you're strong enough?" Keltin frowned.

"I should be all right," Sarine smiled and hugged him before reclining on Doppy's chest again. The demon loved to be her personal pillow.

"What did I miss?" Karla asked when she reached Seyren.

"Not much. Just a bunch of people challenging Sarine!" Seyren grinned.

"Then I got here just in time!" Karla smiled. She told Seyren what she got, and he was grinning. As they watched the challengers fight each other, Sarine sighed in Doppy's lap.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked.

"I'm bored," she frowned. Howard gave her some juice. She drank it down quickly, and Eremes gave her some fruit. Smiling with appreciation at them, Sammy called out the final winner. Keltin looked over and Doppy hissed.

"A Champion. Be careful," Keltin said.

"If he messes you up, I'll mess him up!" Doppy snarled.

"I'll be fine!" she beamed and kissed each husband deeply before walking down to the arena. The Champion had beach-blond hair, a marvelous physique, and an ego that could have swallowed the whole island twice.

"Wow! Such a babe up close!" the Champion grinned.

"Aren't I?" she asked. Her tigers' eye gemstone eyes focused on him. Then she smiled. His mouth dropped at how truly stunning she was now.

"Um, if you aren't doing anything later..." he started.

"My four husbands would eat you alive, if you finish that sentence," Sarine giggled and stepped away from him, as she gestured to the balcony. When he glanced up at them, he saw Doppy pulling out his sword and making ready to jump down with the others, if he kept up the flirting. They wouldn't tolerate it.

"You mean...those guys up there are your husbands?! All of them?!" the Champion's jaw dropped, as he pointed to the balcony.

"Why, yes! I have such an...appetite..." she winked.

"But...but they're like the strongest ones here!" the Champion glowered. "I'll replace them! All of them!"

"They may be strong..." she smiled. "but...I'm stronger than all of them combined. And now you will be the first to truly witness it in front of everyone. Now come! Show me what you can do!"

He was having second thoughts now. He had no idea what he was up against.

"Just a girl. I can do this!" he growled.

"I am not just a girl," she said, as she narrowed her eyes. "I...am the Vessel of Odin!"

That got him stammering. He never listened to local gossipers. Now he knew he was screwed when he recalled what he heard about her.

"Ready?!" Sammy called out. She blew him a kiss, and Sammy blushed.

"Um, yeah! Yeah!" the Champion said, as he psyched himself up.

"Fight!" Sammy cried out. Sarine watched him buff himself up, and she waited. When he moved to charge, she smiled, and an unearthly wind billowed around her again. Then she appeared behind him.

"What the...?!" the Champion hissed. She activated her duplicates and looked up to the heavens. She screamed and called down the Light of Odin. The Light of Odin slammed into the Champion, ripping into his core. He screamed at the searing pain of it, and he was in a crumpled ball on the ground when the Light of Odin receded. Her duplicates vanished, and she reappeared where she was originally standing.

"The Vessel of Odin wins!" Sammy cried out. At first the crowd was speechless at what they all witnessed. Muninn called out to her and landed on her shoulders to nuzzle her, as she made her way out of the arena.

"That's my girl!" Howard shouted, and the crowd started to cheer. She chuckled, and Muninn went to his perch, as she was pulled close to Howard.

"I don't think that anyone would dare to challenge you after that," Eremes smirked.

"And that's the whole idea," she nodded. Keltin hugged her next, as he watched the other Champion get carted off to the loser's circle. It was likely the first time the man had ever lost a battle in his life.

"I want to challenge her tomorrow!" a Lord Knight said.

"No, I want to!" a Stalker said.

"Fight it out?" a Thief suggested. Sarine blinked in surprise.

"Guess it's true. Humans don't learn from their mistakes," Doppy snickered, as he got up to shout. "I'll fight anyone today who still wants to fight Sarine tomorrow!"

That made the bickering stop, and the challengers stared at him speechlessly. Doppy grinned and studied each human carefully.

"Actually," a Paladin stepped out of the crowd, and Cecil gasped, as she recognized him as Garrett. "I challenge you! All five of you up there! Right now! I insist on it!"

"What?!" Howard hissed. "How dare that stupid son of a-!"

"Hush, How-How," Sarine frowned, as she interrupted him.

"On one condition," Eremes hissed out.

"What?" Garrett frowned.

"After this is over, should you win or lose, you will see us all as friends. You're a good man, Garrett. I don't want to have to kill you," Eremes frowned.

"You are all good men in your own right, as well. But, it is my right to challenge all five of you," he nodded and dropped several money bags to the ground that totaled up to fifty-one million zeny to show he was paying the full price up front.

"We will let you choose who to fight first, then," Sarine said sadly.

"Garrett! No!" Cecil cried out. "Please don't!"

"I'm sorry, Cecil. But, I have to," Garrett sighed. "Oh, Sarine! I found someone who wants to talk to you soon."

She went rigid now, and Keltin hugged her, as he growled at Garrett.  _He did it. He found her adoptive father._ It was silent knowing, and she shivered with the shock of it.

"I'll kill you!" Doppy snarled out with rage.

"You'll have to wait your turn. I'm not fighting you first," Garrett grinned.

"I'll rip your heart out of your chest!" Doppy swore.

"Doppy, come here," Sarine frowned. He turned to look at her with a smoldering gaze, but he obeyed her. Moving into his lap, she held him until he calmed down. When he still seemed to growl, he lost the battle when she ran her hands through his hair. She knew how to calm him instantly, and she was putting the knowledge to good use. Pulling him into a fiery kiss, any anger he had left was gone. When he was able to think again, he sighed and apologized for the look he gave her. He vowed to himself right then and there that he would never give her such a look of hatred ever again. She forgave him, and he felt intense relief at this. Giving her a gentle smile now, she continued to kiss him to keep him calm.

"He knows he's going to fight a losing battle. Regardless of who he chooses. Why is he doing this?" Eremes frowned. "And why did he say all five of us?! Sarine can't fight now!"

_:For show. Impression. Demonstration. Not coward.:_  Muninn whispered.  _:Fights me. First. He knows. Defeat. Purposely. For Cecil.:_

"So, he's going to fight a losing battle just to..." Eremes blinked and grinned now. "Let him do it, then."

"I challenge Muninn!" Garrett cried out. The crowd paused, as the falcon flew down to the arena floor. The Kafra Agent was in shock, as Muninn was not on the listings. As the falcon shifted into his warrior form, Muninn looked at the Kafra Agent.

" _No one else may challenge me. This is a battle of honor. He fights for the right to be with my sister, the Vessel of Odin! I was supposed to be last, but he challenged me first! Let it be so! Incantation Samurai! Start the fight!_ " Muninn said. Sammy nodded and gave the signal.

"I know I'm going to lose," Garrett said.

" _I have foreseen it,_ " he nodded. " _Fight honorably!_ "

"I will!" Garrett hissed and accepted the buffs from Lloyd, as Muninn got his from Margaretha. He finished using his own defensive skills, and Muninn launched himself at him with his elemental spear of Lightning and Fire. As Garrett did his Grand Cross and Shield Chain skills to do damage to Muninn and himself, the battle was over when Muninn's spear went through his gut and out the back of his spine. Lightning and Fire seared through the Paladin's body at the same time, and Garrett coughed up blood in his death throws. When Muninn yanked the spear out of him, Garrett collapsed to the ground in defeat. Cecil screamed from the stands, and Kathryne rose up to hug her while she sobbed.

On withdrawing his spear, Muninn hissed in pain from the combination attack. They were both a very deadly and effective set of skills he used. If Muninn had waited another second, he would have been defeated. In one move of desperation, the battle was decided right then and there. _All a fight can take most of the time was one move._ Doppy proves that every time and hardly ever needed a second move.

" _It was close. You are honorable,_ " Muninn nodded. He accepted the Healings from Lloyd and Margaretha, as he helped Garrett up when he was Resurrected.

"I just spent my life savings on this thing!" Garrett sighed, and Muninn smiled. Looking up at Cecil, Garrett only had eyes for her, and she found herself running down to him. He hugged her, as she ran into his arms.

"You idiot! You could have been killed!" she cried. "I saw you get killed right there! If it wasn't for Margaretha...oh, you jerk!"

"I know. But, I did it for you," Garrett sighed.

"What?" she sniffed.

"I purposely let myself lose so I wouldn't have any more desire to be with Sarine. It worked. I'm all yours now," Garrett smiled. She kissed him hard, and the crowd cheered. Howard was smiling and holding Sarine close.

"One freed from your spell. Now we have to deal with Malore," Eremes sighed.

"That won't be easy," Doppy grunted.

"Only time will tell now," Sarine nodded. "But...I am worried."

"We'll deal with it when it happens," Howard promised, and he pulled her into his lap. Moving to sit on one of Howard's legs and one of Doppy's legs, she rested on them both. Doll came up and served them lunch, as Violy served the guest balcony with music. She didn't find herself to be that hungry and only had some juice. Sarine blinked when a note was handed to her, and she found it to be a rather risqué love note. Doppy gave an inhuman snarl and stood up to pinpoint who it was in the crowd. When he found it to be Donnie playing a prank, he smirked and made a signal to fight in the arena. When Donnie sputtered, Eremes grinned.

"Sick bastard," Doppy grunted, as he sat back down for Sarine.

"Would you expect any less?" she mused. Then she blinked when Doll appeared before them. She seemed a bit concerned, and it caught Keltin's attention immediately.

"A young man wishes to speak with you. May I bring him here?" Doll asked.

"Hmm. Fine," Howard said. Eremes hissed at the Sniper that came up to them. He had brown eyes and lank brown hair that lightly pulled over them. He looked like he had seen and done quite a bit, which was the nature of his past. He wasn't very tall, but he made up for it in his stature, as he approached them.

"You!" Eremes hissed.

"Yes. I am Kavach Icarus," he said, as he sat down easily. "I understand that Laurell was found. I want to see him."

"Do you know who we are?" Howard growled.

"Wait...can it be?!" Kavach said with amazement.

"If you stay, you will be imprisoned!" Keltin frowned.

"Why?" Kavach asked.

"Malore can't stand to be away from Sarine," Eremes growled. When Kavach finally focused his eyes on Sarine, her beauty took his breath away.

"Better lock me up, too, then," he sighed. At the scent of Doppy's blood on her, he winced. His Demonic blood surged in him, and he was able to force it back.

"Challenging me?" Doppy snarled.

"Stop it!" Sarine muttered.

"Sarine, is it?" Kavach whispered. "I remember you now. I saw you with the others long ago. In truth, I had no idea what was going on. Imprison me, if you must."

"How did you know of Malore?" Eremes asked.

"There is a slight bond between us. The demon blood given to us was from the same demon, so it lets us keep in contact with each other, somehow. I still have control of mine with the others, but Laurell never fully grasped his," Kavach chuckled. "In fact, I doubt that the Acolyte did, either, now that I think about it."

"Wait, you mean you have telepathy?" Eremes asked.

"Yes, if that's what it's called," Kavach nodded. When he saw the others in the stands near the balcony, he blinked in recognition at them. "I didn't know you all were trapped."

"You've been reading Laurell's mind, haven't you?" Keltin frowned, as he started piecing things together. "To know where to find us?"

"In a way. Mainly in dreams. Expect the others to arrive in a month or so," Kavach nodded. He blinked at the powerful Strouf and stood up.

"If you will follow me?" Storm Caller asked, as he moved over to them. "A cell has been prepared for you. Should you be trustworthy, you may gain more access to the island. It is for safe keeping for now."

"I understand," Kavach nodded. Glancing over at Sarine, he swallowed. "I didn't believe how beautiful Laurell made you out to be. Now I see that some dreams do come true."

She blinked at him with astonishment. Doppy snarled dangerously at him. As much as Kavach wanted to respond, he stopped himself to reign the demon blood back under control.

"Wait! What demon blood was given to you?" Eremes asked. "I read about it briefly, but I want to make sure that it was true. All that I saw was that lesser demons were tried, but, if it was just one, then the notes I saw were outdated."

"The demon in our blood resides in a tower and can only be summoned with four keys. Each held by powerful monsters. I'm talking about the demon, Thanatos," Kavach winked and moved to walk off behind Storm Caller.

"Thanatos!" Howard blinked.

"You're still stronger," Eremes mused. "as am I and the others. Still, Thanatos is a powerful demon when confronted."

"How-How..." Sarine sighed, and he hugged her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"One more day, and then we are all human. It will be an interesting sight," Eremes mused. "We'll have to plan our day carefully."

"Um..." Sarine paused.

"What?" Keltin looked over.

"I don't think I ever told anyone..." Sarine sighed.

"Your birthday?" Eremes grinned. She blinked at him in surprise. "Yeah. We know."

"It's why we weren't there when you woke up. We were working on something for you," Keltin sighed. "We didn't mean to leave you alone for so long like that."

"But...my birthdays are always bad!" Sarine frowned.

"And that's why we wanted to make it better!" Howard smiled and hugged her again. "You'll be turning...oh, twenty?"

"Yes," she blushed, and he kissed her. "I was seventeen when I gave myself to you."

"That you were," he chuckled.

"Robbing the cradle, eh?" Doppy smirked.

"Don't judge me!" Howard growled, and Sarine blushed again. "Besides, I cared for Sarine for three years of her life! After she became a Huntress, we started to get quite intimate."

"I wish I got intimate with her when I had the chance," Doppy grunted. Sarine frowned at him and hugged him.

"Well, at least you didn't have the honor of watching," Eremes sighed.

"Oh, stop it, guys!" Sarine pouted and stood up now, as though ready to leave. "If you all are going to be like this, then I'm going back inside."

"But, the arena's not over!" Doppy pouted back.

"Well? You guys going to get over the past? Or is there going to something else that I need to worry about?" Sarine frowned. Howard felt her mental wall shiver with control.

"No!" Howard said, as he stood up to hug her. "Everything is fine. Right guys?"

"Yep!" Keltin nodded.

"Fine..." Eremes chuckled.

"I'll deal with it," Doppy smirked.

"Good. I'm glad to see it all worked out," she smiled. Her mental wall stabilized at that, and Howard could only give a small smile of relief.

"Totally!" Keltin agreed.

"Yes, dear," Howard snickered. When she tickled his sides mercilessly, he was laughing hard and soon gasping for air. Doppy had to restrain her playfully, and he nuzzled her neck.

"Only ticklish with her. Amazing..." Eremes grinned.

"I know, right?" Howard giggled boyishly and reached for Sarine. "Only with you. And to think you discovered it by accident!"

"I remember how it all happened, too! You were ignoring me to purposely make me mad. You said I looked cute when I was mad, and everything I did wouldn't get your attention. So, I poked your side to get your attention, and you started laughing. So I poked you again and again until you were on the floor," she grinned. "You didn't ignore me anymore after that."

"Seyren was speechless, since he saw nothing like it. Then he tried it and nothing happened," Eremes chuckled. "If anything, he got a lot of teasing jibes back."

"Only with you, huh?" Keltin grinned.

"Yes," Sarine nodded.

"You know, I was wondering something," Doppy thought.

"What?" Keltin asked. Howard was getting even with Sarine by tickling her and planting kisses all over her face by the time he looked at Doppy.

"Howard has a powerful demon in his blood. We know this and how I reacted to it. What would happen with the two down below now?" Doppy asked. "Would they react the same way that I did to Howard? Should we test it?"

"NO!" Sarine and Howard both shouted together.

"Um, okay!" Doppy frowned. "It was just a thought."

"I don't ever want that thing to come out!" Howard hissed, and he pulled Sarine to him even closer. "That thing...once it's out, I can barely think straight. It's almost like it controls me! I barely had any reign on it last night."

"I see," Doppy frowned again.

"Trust me, Doppelganger," Eremes sighed. "We were lucky that he didn't attack Sarine."

"I would never hurt her!" Howard vowed. "Never."

"I think I'm done seeing the arena," Sarine said, as she looked away.

"Sarine?" Sammy asked, as he walked up to them. "I'm taking a break. What's going on? Why is everyone upset?"

"Hmm..." Eremes frowned and told him what Doppy suggested.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Sammy screamed at Doppy in his childish voice.

"It's not going to happen!" Doppy hissed out.

"It had better not!" Sammy hissed.

"Stop!" Keltin growled and looked over at Howard comforting Sarine.

"I'm taking her to the house," Howard grumbled and rose with her.

"How-How?" she whispered.

"What?" he asked gently. She whispered to him, and he blinked at her with a smile, as he said, "Okay. We can do that instead."

"Do what?" Keltin asked.

"She wants to see the flower garden," Howard grinned.

"Oh?" Eremes smiled. Sammy was being called back to judge the next fight, and he pouted. He wanted to be with her now.

"I shall take your place," Storm Caller nodded to Sammy. "You deserve a break."

"Thanks!" Sammy said, as he trotted off after them.

"Wait up!" Doppy said with a small frown. He was quick to catch up with them. When they got to the garden, Howard sat down with her in his lap. The others filtered around her, and they settled on the few benches and chairs there. The flower garden was filled with massive, colorful flowers that one could easily sit inside of. A clear lake was in the center, and the entire place gave off a calm, serine feel. Sammy started to get some ideas on the place. He noticed the area calmed her significantly, and it was something she would definitely need.

"We need to find the monsters around Mount Mjolnir. They would work very well here, as well as the powerful monster, Mistress. She's a wasp, and she's needed," Keltin thought.

"Really?" Sarine smiled. "We will have to plan to find her."

"Are we going to Glast Heim soon?" Doppy asked. Sarine thought and looked at Howard. He looked back at her and kissed her forehead.

"I think we will wait until my birthday is over. This way, everyone will be monsters again, and I'll know I am at full strength," she said. "I don't want to be caught out in the open in a weak state. I know I'll be protected, but it's good to be cautious."

"Sounds good," Eremes nodded.

"I want to go!" Sammy pouted.

"You are always going to come with us now," Keltin nodded. "You help us keep her healthy! That is important."

"Oh! Well, there was something I had forgotten that I could do," Sammy blinked.

"What's that?" Doppy asked. Sammy used a powerful Heal skill on her, and she laughed.

"You had that and never told us?!" Howard gaped.

"It's been awhile since I had to Heal anyone. Give me a break!" Sammy grinned. The floating ghost over Sammy's head appeared to be laughing. Then the ghost looked at Keltin and seemed to be speaking to him. Keltin paid close attention, and he blinked, as he understood what the ghost was saying.

"I see," Keltin frowned.

"What?" Eremes blinked with amusement.

"Incantation Samurai wants to see Sarine dance now," Keltin grinned.

"Oh?" Howard mused.

"I'm not going to argue with that," Doppy grinned.

"You heard him?" Sammy asked Keltin.

"It's my duty, as her Guardian, to understand every monster around her to best assist her," he grinned. Sarine leaned over and gave him a hot, fiery kiss that made him gasp and sent his heart racing. He growled when she pulled away with a wink.

"No touching!" she giggled. She moved to stand in the center of them. They made a circle around her to watch. Slowly she started to raise up her hands into the air and swing to an invisible beat. The sound of a violin was soon heard, as Violy appeared to make a nice tune for her. She giggled her thanks. Then she smiled as Incubus and Succubus appeared to attempt to help with another form of a beat.

"A monster band?" Howard chuckled.

"Anything can happen," Eremes grinned. Incubus started to sing when he couldn't do a beat, and Succubus made a backup song behind him. Violy studied how they sang and fitted her violin playing to it. Sarine danced much faster now to keep up with the beat. Doppy's gaze was locked on her form. Howard coughed a bit and cleared his throat. It was in that moment that something rose up within Howard, and he glared a touch at Doppy. Eremes noticed how Howard seemed to tense with the same form of challenge from Sarine's bedroom that night not long ago.

"Howard?" Eremes looked at him.

"Hmm?" the Whitesmith responded with a touch of a scowl, as though hating the name he was called. It clearly didn't fit with him.

"Are you all right?" Eremes asked.

"Just dandy," he growled.

"Sarine," Eremes said quickly, and she stopped dancing.

"Huh?" she asked.

"Come to me," he said.

"What?" Howard frowned.

"Keltin, back away slowly!" Sammy hissed.

"What's going on?" Keltin whispered. Sammy pulled him back and told him a power-play of demons was about to take effect. He could sense it and didn't want the Bongun hurt. He wasn't a demon, and he may be too weak to defend himself.

"Doppy!" Eremes hissed. "Back away!"

"Why should I?" Doppy snarled and looked over at Sarine.

"What's going on?" she asked, as she now stood tall. Then she noticed that Violy and the other monsters were gone. She blinked and wondered what could have happened. Muninn landed on her shoulders and screamed.

_:Wake up! No hurt! Please!:_  Muninn begged to them.

"Now who would need to wake up?" Doppy snarled and looked at Howard. Then he froze. Howard was fighting for control again. Muninn landed on the ground in case he had to shift forms, but Sarine ran up to Howard to hug him tight.

"Please, How-How..." she whispered, and he trembled, coughing even harder. His arms crushed her close, as he gasped.

"I will never hurt you!" he whispered. "No matter what tries to possess me!"

"We'll make you human again, and you won't have to go through with this," she promised. That made whatever he was fighting off furious. He screamed, as he fought it down. Eremes hissed and tried to figure out a way to pull Sarine from him. Then she shocked them all by hissing out in Demonic Tongue for him to either gain control of himself, or she would be forced to do something nasty. The threat only infuriated the demon within Howard that much more. The demon within him wanted to claim Sarine as a mate and refused to be dominated.

"She...she spoke Demonic?!" Doppy gasped. Then she turned to look at him with a smile. It was a chilling smile, as though she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Your blood gave me the ability, Doppy," she smiled.

"Sarine?" Keltin swallowed. He looked at her helplessly.

"I'm sorry, Keltin. I'll make it up to you. I promise!" she said. "Right now, I need to focus on How-How. I don't want that thing to wake up in him again."

"What are you going to do?" Doppy asked.

"Doppy, you mentioned something a while ago that no one wants us to do," she said. Sammy's mouth dropped along with the others. Doppy narrowed his eyes.

"Sarine..." Howard whispered. He was still fighting with the Demonic blood in his system now. Switching to her Demonic Tongue, she hissed that there were two other demons locked up under the house that he needed to meet. The blood of Naght Seiger rose with challenge, and Howard hissed. His eyes weren't glowing yet, but he threw Sarine over his shoulder and glared hard at the others.

"Is this necessary?" Doppy frowned. Howard gave a challenging glare.

"You coming or not?!" he snarled. Doppy growled in reply, and they all quickly turned to find Seyren standing there with Margaretha, Cecil, and Kathryne.

"What are you doing?" Seyren asked Howard calmly.

"Introducing myself properly," the Whitesmith growled out. A bit more focus was given, and his pupils finally started to glow a dull red. Keltin realized that they were speaking to the demon within Howard. He swallowed at this, and he didn't know what he could possibly do to help Sarine. He felt completely useless.

"You can't wake up!" Margaretha said. "We saw what you did before!"

"And I helped you, didn't I?!" Howard hissed.

"Put down little sis, and we can talk about it," Cecil said calmly. It had taken everything that she had to keep Garrett back with the others. They wouldn't have understood what to do.

"And why should I put her down? She came to me," Howard smirked. "Besides, I don't plan to hurt her."

"And what do you plan to do?" Eremes asked with narrowed eyes. Sarine gasped, as a hand came up to caress her rump, and Howard hissed out his laughter.

"Why, I plan to impregnate her!" he grinned.

"That's not possible! Odin said her body is infertile now!" Doppy argued. Keltin moved to say something, but Sammy stopped him. The massive ghost told Keltin that Howard would only listen to those with demon blood right now.  _Anything that I said would be ignored._  Keltin frowned and tensed. He hated not being able to do anything. Muninn was still on the ground and glaring at the Demonic figure in Howard now. Then Keltin realized that Muninn couldn't do anything, either.  _Sarine would be in too much danger, if he tried._

"Sarine!" Kathryne whispered.

"I'll be okay," Sarine said, as she kept up her mental wall. "As long as I show no fear, he'll be fine."

"We can only hope," Seyren growled.

"Now, my dear, where are these others?" Howard drawled.

"I will lead you," Doppy grunted.

"Fine," Howard snarled. Then they all blinked at how fast the two of them ran now. They had forgotten that, when the Demonic blood awakened, they had a massive power rush. Howard kept up with Doppy easily, as they ran back towards the house. Sarine kept her eyes shut the whole time. When she opened them again, she was in the basement. She was placed on the ground by Howard, as he approached the cells, and Doppy quickly snatched her up. Howard swerved to face Doppy, as he hissed out, "Traitor!"

Now Malore and Kavach were at the bars of their cells. The Demonic blood they possessed rose up quickly with their own form of challenge. It was ignored.

"I branded her!" Doppy snarled, as he backed away to the exit quickly. "I protect her! You need to give up your control!"

"Foolish little...one!" Howard hissed. His pupils started to glow brighter.

"Howard!" Sarine gasped, as she could practically see the outline of the demon he received the blood from. Naght Seiger was a skeletal humanoid with the right side of him being blue flames and the left side being red flames. A crown of thin gold was on the skull's head, and a heavy, red overcoat seemed to keep all of the flames contained within it. Heavy, spiked gauntlets lined his flaming arms, and metallic spiked shoulder plates lined his shoulders. Metal leg plates covered his knees and most of his legs. The two different fires moved through the metal, as though they were being contained to form a set of makeshift hands. The demon was fully awake now in Howard's blood, and the two in their cells cowered quickly. Blent was watching the whole thing with disbelief in his cell.

"Doppelganger..." Howard hissed out now. He took in the other demon's scent, his voice now much rougher. "Give...me...back...the...one...that...calls...me...!"

"No!" Doppy snarled and fought back in retaliation. On the demon's full appearance, he got stronger.  _I can take on Howard now. Valkyrie had blessed me to be twice as fast, twice as strong, have twice the stamina, and be twice as defensive as any known demon I encountered._ But, there was something that made him hesitate.  _Howard was also my friend. I can't hurt Howard._  The four husbands had made their own little pact with each other. Doppy was taught by Sarine that it was important to respect friends and to keep promises. All he could do was use Sarine as a lure to get Howard away from the house now before he tore it down.

"Give...her...over...to...me...!" Howard hissed with irritation. The glow in his eyes was at full peak. The ghostly visage of Naght Seiger was practically solid now, as it enveloped Howard's form. Blent was in a complete state of shock. Kavach and Malore were cowering in the back of their cells, completely bullied into place just by Naght's presence alone. Blent moved quickly to snatch up a spoon from his plate and jam it into the lock of his cell. At the movement, Howard turned to him and howled at the interruption.

The next thing seen was a misting blue ice sword that came at him and sliced the cell door clean off its hinges like nothing. It left the metal chilled and covered in frost. Blent shouted and used his skill of Back Slide to avoid getting crushed by the heavy door, as it crashed down. He knew that Stalking wasn't going to help now. He ran quickly past Howard, avoiding getting attacked again by the smoldering red fire sword this time, and the attack a mere inch away from his skin. Any more than that, and he could have lost an arm or worse. He ran over to Doppy now to try to help him.

"Give her to me!" Blent shouted. "I'll run with her! I'll get her far away!"

"No!" Doppy snarled. "You're not fast enough! Just run! Get the others!"

"Where are they?!" Blent asked, as he dodged another attack. The blue sword left a searing black streak lined with frost against the rock wall.

"The garden behind the house! Go!" Doppy hissed, and he blocked an attack with his sword. Blent ran quickly and Stalked when it was safe to do so.

"How-How!" Sarine cried out, as her mental wall collapsed. The fear and rage once again filled Howard's mind, and the Demonic image of Naght Seiger howled with fury. He saw Sarine as his mate. Now his mate was being kept from him.

"Shit!" Doppy snarled. He snatched up Sarine and ran with her up the stairs and through the house. Now he ran out the door and towards the ocean.

"NOOO!" Howard bellowed, and the Demonic figure surrounding him belched out blue and red flames. He ran swiftly out the door and left the house. Storm Caller had left the arena right after the fight was over to watch what was going on, and now he quickly started to fix up the damages. He knew he would be of no help now, and she was safer with Doppy. Dracula had offered to take up the judging until Sammy was available again.

"Come and get her!" Doppy snarled and had to drop Sarine to the ground quickly to defend against the blades from the stronger demon. Blent brought the others to where they were, and Seyren's mouth was dropped at what he saw.  _Doppy was fending off Howard easily now. Sarine was on the ground in tears._

"Sarine!" Eremes whispered. "Run! Just run!"

"Eremes...!" Sarine gasped and looked at Keltin. He nodded to her to run, as well. Getting up to her feet rather shakily, she used her Wind Walk skill and ran with a burst of speed.

"MINE...!" Howard screamed. Doppy was now ignored, and he gave chase. Doppy collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. He was dripping with sweat and snarling. It was the first time he found himself truly fighting for his life, ever since he left the tower. He relished the challenge.

"Doppelganger!" Sammy said, as he approached him.

"I'll be fine! I'm just pissed that I couldn't...defeat him!" Doppy hissed. "I want to fight him again! I know I can beat him!"

"No!" Seyren said. "He's too unstable! The only way it would be possible is if he learns how to grasp the Demonic blood."

"Kavach said he knew how to do it. We'll ask him later," Eremes said. He looked out in the direction where Sarine and Howard had run off. He knew that Howard would never hurt Sarine.  _If he did, then he would have a lot to answer for._

Sarine was running at top speed and started to veer towards the middle of the island. Howard was hot on her trail, hissing and snarling the whole time. He was actually leaping over the ground like a wild beast. Her scent was like a fiery trail to him, and he would not give up on her. She reached a forest path and made it into the forest, itself. As she reached the central part of it, she stumbled and screamed, as she tripped over a loose rock. Falling and stumbling even more now, she tried to get up, but the pain in her ankle was too much. If she continued to walk on it, she'd just injure it more. She screamed again when Howard ran up to her and grabbed her injured ankle to pull her to him. Now in pain and fear, she was gasping and sobbing.

"Mine..." he hissed, as he pulled her to him. When he noticed she was in pain, he snarled and studied her body. On seeing her swelling ankle, he touched it lightly, letting the demon's skill of Full Heal take effect, and she blinked.  _The pain was gone. My ankle was Healed._  Any bruises and scratches she got from her fall were gone, too.

"How...?" she blinked, as she trembled.

"You...are...mine...!" he snarled and crushed her close.

"You have no right to make me afraid of you!" she screamed out, as she trembled and sobbed. He ignored the threat and kept his hands locked on her.

"Mine...!" he growled again and kissed her with a hunger that was never like him before. It didn't take long for her to be stripped nude. She didn't try to run when he undressed himself, and he leaned over her to possess her. She cried out with him, as he moved himself as deep as he could into her to lock her to him.

"What...are you doing?" she gasped.

"Brand...you..." he hissed now. He moved his finger to his mouth to run over one of his own teeth. He did it just enough to get some blood drawn. She gasped and trembled, as his bleeding finger pressed into her mouth. She had never tasted Howard's blood before, and she groaned as he moved within her. His scent completely overpowered Doppy's before they both seemed to mingle together throughout her body. Gasping when he moved his finger from her mouth now, he took in her scent to appreciate it more.

"What...what now?" she shivered.

"I...will...get...you...pregnant..." he hissed, as he bit into her neck. She cried out when his teeth sank into her skin just enough to give him something to taste while he took her. She clung to him, as he emptied himself into her over and over again. She didn't focus on the demon clinging around his form. She focused on the fact that this was her husband. Beneath all of this was a man that she loved fiercely, and she didn't fight him when he moved off her to position her on all fours. When he released hard into her, she screamed. He didn't budge from her, as she gasped for air. Leaning over her in the same manner that Doppy did, his mouth found the wound at her neck, and she screamed out her release. After several minutes of it, he finally relented and collapsed onto the ground with her. As he finally rested, she felt something strange happen in her belly. Disregarding the feeling as something else, she trembled. Now that the demon was spent, the Demonic hold on Howard was released, and he was shaking with what just happened.

She had kept her eyes tightly shut through most of it. Now she heard crying, and she turned quickly in his arms to embrace him, as she whispered, "How-How?"

"Oh, Sarine...I...I'm sorry...!" he gasped through tears, and he managed to pull her onto him to hug her tightly. His heart was hammering in his chest, and she rocked him.

"It's okay, How-How...it's okay..." she soothed and hugged him back just as tightly. He felt weak now and completely disgraced. When he saw that they were alone in the forest part of the island, it made him feel a bit better.

"Did I...hurt anyone...?" he whispered, as he hugged her.

"No. If anything, you just chased Doppy around, since he had me," she managed to smile, relieved that the ordeal was over. "No one was hurt."

"Good..." he gasped and then blinked in thought. "I chased you?"

"Yes. Apparently, I'm pretty important to you. You kept saying that you were going to get me pregnant."

"Really?" he asked with confusion. He started to feel more and more like himself now that she was able to reform the mental shielding to hide her emotions from him. "I remember nothing since the garden. I remember fighting with the demon within me and then...nothing."

"Well..." she trembled and told him everything that happened. He shivered at what happened in the dungeon and moved over her quickly to look at her directly when she told him that he branded her.

"I did what?!" he gasped. Running her hand up his chest and up to his chin, she gave one of the warmest smiles he would ever remember.

"I'm okay. See? And besides...I actually sort of like the taste of your blood," she smiled. He blinked with a wince from a sharp pain and now looked at his still bleeding finger. He had torn a pretty nasty gash open from his own tooth. He had no idea that he was still wounded until now.

"I don't know," he whispered. Then he stared at her, as she pulled his hand down to put that bleeding finger into her mouth. He didn't know what was happening, but he looked at the bite mark on her neck, one that he just did not long ago. He bent down and locked his mouth on it. She cried out lightly, and he shoved himself into her. He was amazed that he could actually taste his scent through her blood now. Doppy's was still there, but it was nowhere near as potent as his was. It was an erotic turn on for him.

When he pulled away from her neck after his release, she was taking in deep breaths of air. Looking through his clothes, he found his emergency pack, pulled out a potion, and shared it with her. When he sat up with her in his lap now, they just held each other. Hearing something coming close, he pulled her into his chest to cover her as much as he could.

"Howard?" Eremes whispered, as he Uncloaked.

"It's over," Howard sighed. "I'm glad that I...that I didn't hurt anyone."

"You're telling me," Eremes said with a smile, as he sat down.

"How is Keltin?" Sarine whispered.

"You will need to comfort him. He feels a touch inadequate with us now. I don't blame him in the slightest," Eremes said. She trembled, and Howard frowned.

"Let's get you dressed, and we'll go back," Howard said. She nodded, and, as she stood up, Eremes paused at the strong scent of Howard that moved through her.

"I can smell demon blood now," Eremes blinked. She gasped, and Howard moved in front of her. Eremes rose up his hand to show that he wasn't challenging.

"My blood...it woke up the demons in you both..." she blinked. "It...it wasn't like this before, was it?"

That made them both look at her in silent wonder.

"No. It was Doppy's blood in you that did it," Howard said. "Your blood was untainted until he branded you. His blood infuriated mine. I remember now. In the ruins of Geffen Tower when I tasted your blood..."

"Oh, no!" she whimpered.

"It's okay," Howard said softly and held her. "We talked about it just the other night, remember? You were probably too exhausted to recall. Besides, you kept me from hurting everyone. Nothing is destroyed. You said I Healed you, too. As long as you are with us, then nothing will go wrong."

Eremes watched them now in thought.

"What is it, Eremes?" Sarine asked, as she watched him. He got up, took out a katar, and pricked his finger on it. Then he held his bleeding finger to her.

"Take my blood, too," he said. "I don't have true demon blood, but you may as well, anyways, just in case."

She blinked and looked at Howard. He nodded to her slightly. Leaning towards his hand now, she drew his finger into her mouth. Eremes gasped, and Howard winced at the heat wave that surrounded them now. Pulling his hand away quickly, he gasped and fought down the Fire. The Fire wasn't as strong as it normally was, but the thought was abandoned.

"Undress, Eremes," she whispered. He barely heard her, but he nodded. Howard released her to go to him, and he didn't move, as the staggering heat enveloped the whole area now. He winced again and looked down at the two of them before thinking. It wasn't as hot as he remembered it.  _Maybe I'm protected by the Demonic blood in my veins?_   _It was possible._  On watching them, he started to think, and he leaned down to whisper to Eremes. Eyes wide now with the suggestion, he glanced up at the Whitesmith with a grin. For the next hour, her body was shared between the two of them. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, they gave her space to relax.

"Who would have thought it?" Howard grinned.

"That our blood would merge perfectly in hers? Not me," Eremes grinned back.

"I...should see Keltin..." Sarine sighed. Howard looked at her and to Eremes.

"I'll get him," Eremes nodded and moved to dress swiftly before running off.

"Are you sure?" Howard frowned.

"Yes," Sarine said, as she sat up. "I don't want him to be left out anymore. He needs to be included in this."

"I see," Howard nodded. "He has three forms, you know."

"I will not touch his Rage form. I will only work with his monster and human forms. That should be enough," she smiled. He nodded and they looked up, as Eremes brought Keltin back with him.

"Sarine!" he said and moved to hug her close. She clung to Keltin now and kissed him to show that she was fine. Howard got up to start dressing, but she stopped him.

"Wait," she whispered. Blinking, he frowned, but nodded.

"What?" Keltin asked.

"Keltin," Sarine said, as she was moved into his lap. "I want to taste your blood."

"What?!" Keltin frowned. Eremes leaned against a tree and listened.

"I know," she sighed. "It's not like me. But, I think it will help protect me even more."

"What about what you said to Doppy?" he asked.

"I know," she said again. "But, Howard branded me when his demon took over, so there isn't much that I can say to Doppy until I see him again."

"Why my blood? I'm not a demon," Keltin frowned.

"You're right. You're not a demon. I just...I don't know..." Sarine finally admitted and tears formed. "I only wanted...I wanted to include you in everything! I just..."

"Sarine..." Keltin gasped and hugged her tight.

"She doesn't want to exclude you," Howard said, as he crossed his arms over his chest, glad that her mental shields were still up. "She doesn't want to make you feel inadequate."

"She really is thinking about you right now," Eremes nodded.

"I see. At least this makes it better. All right, Sarine. What do you want me to do?" Keltin asked. She nodded and told him to change into his Bongun form first. After doing that, Eremes walked over to prick his finger on the katar before moving back to the tree to lean on. Keltin blinked at the black droplet of blood that formed and watched Sarine lightly place her mouth on it to take it in. That simple movement made him wince with desire.

"Change human?" she asked. Gasping, he nodded and shifted. The blood turned from black to red, and her mouth moved to possess this now. Groaning with disbelief at how much he wanted her now, she pulled her mouth away from his hand and moved to pull his pants off him. Helping him undress, she had him lay back and they both cried out when she moved onto him. He was so lost in her, that he never saw her gesture to Howard to start working on him with her mouth. Eremes raised his brow with surprise at this. After Howard was spent and resting on the ground, she gestured for Eremes to come to her. Blinking with a smile on his face, he helped her expose himself, and he gasped. The intense heat wave washed over them again. She hadn't done this to him yet, and he was simply overwhelmed with the sensations she gave him.

For the next ten minutes, Keltin and Eremes struggled with her before they all gave in. Keltin rose up to pull her close, and she ran her hands over his chest making him gasp. Her hands moved to run up his neck, through his hair, and he crushed her to him. Then he locked his mouth on her neck, and she whimpered. He couldn't bite down.

"Not strong enough," he growled. In truth, he was instinctively keeping himself from hurting her. Eremes moved quickly to carefully place a light cut on her skin, and Keltin locked his mouth on the wound. She cried out, as he surged within her. The blood from Doppy, Howard, and Eremes in her now mingled with Keltin's, but didn't do much. If anything, he was just branded with the rest of them. Howard had his eyes closed in a mild form of sleep, but his eyes snapped open at the sound of someone approaching. Eremes fixed up his clothing, Cloaked, and moved to search. A discussion was heard before he came back.

"Who?" Howard glowered.

"Blent," Eremes hissed. "He thought someone was being...attacked."

"Oh," Howard grinned and snickered. "Sent him on his way?"

"In so many words," Eremes nodded. They both looked over, as Doppy approached them. He paused at first on scenting her, but then he mused, as he realized that it didn't bother him.  _Their blood seemed to merge into a form of harmonic balance within her, and that seemed to strengthen the fact that she was not for others._

"All right. So, I'm not pissed. Cool!" he grinned and that brought a form of relief to the others. "Is it my turn yet?"

Howard laughed, and Sarine groaned with exhaustion. Eremes snickered, and Keltin kissed her passionately before releasing her.

"Why not? Just try to go easy on her," Keltin said, as he moved to gather up his clothes. The moment he was out of the way, Doppy dropped all of his armor and tackled her. As she cried out with renewed pleasure and screamed when he fed off her neck, Howard managed to dress himself and gathered her clothes up.

"I want to learn how to control it," Howard sighed. "I know that, if I can, then I can be even better at protecting her."

"We'll talk to Kavach later," Eremes nodded. "He seems to have it down."

"Does he?" Keltin frowned.

"He does. The younger ones tended to learn faster. We will confront him when she is ready," Eremes said. Howard nodded and looked over at Doppy, as he roared his release. A growl erupted from Howard's throat, and he coughed to squelch it.

"Shut up!" Doppy snarled. "You'll get your chance to fight me again!"

"Was that what I said?" Howard asked. "I'm still trying to make sure I understand it myself! This is pretty new to me."

"Of course!" Doppy grinned. He gave Sarine another hug before moving from her to dress back up in his armor. Keltin Healed Sarine of her wounds along with himself and the others. Then they helped her dress, and Howard picked her up to carry her in his arms.

"You sure you can hold her?" Keltin asked.

"I can carry her," Doppy grinned.

"No. I got her," Howard frowned. Eremes just chuckled, as they walked back with her at an equal pace. Sarine just clung to Howard's form gratefully. Her face was pressed into his neck with complete comfort. She sighed, and he looked down at her.

"I haven't really eaten anything yet," she admitted.

"What about lunch?" Eremes asked.

"I just had something to drink," she frowned. That made them look at each other.

"Walk faster?" Keltin asked. They nodded and doubled their pace. When they approached the house, Eremes ran into the kitchen and prepared something quickly.

"How is everything?" Margaretha asked.

"She just went through all of that on an empty stomach!" Eremes grumbled. Blinking, Margaretha quickly helped him, and Sarine was set down at a table in Howard's lap. The others were seated around her. She started eating, and that made them relax.

"You're all right?" Seyren asked, as he sat with them.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. I can still feel it, but it's not as bad as before," Howard sighed. "I think, as long as she is safe, I can contain it."

"That's a relief," Cecil nodded and smiled, as Garrett pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"One of us now?" Doppy mused.

"Glad to be a part of the group. I'm only doing my job, anyways, as I am ordered to by my King," Garrett chuckled.

"Well, tomorrow we are still monsters. The day after, we will become human as though we were never in Lighthalzen. Can't wait!" Kathryne grinned.

"Neither can I!" Mitchell smiled, and she smiled at him. Sarine was barely focusing on what was being said. When she finally had enough to eat, she started to drink the water and juices put in front of her. Only when she pushed the last empty glass away, did she give a small burp and she blushed.

"Don't worry," Howard grinned and kissed her cheek. "You don't eat enough, as it is!"

"And Seyren has more gas than all of us put together," Eremes snickered.

"What's this now?" Seyren pouted. Karla clucked her tongue and paused in thought. Then she freaked and ran up to her room.

"What happened?" Keltin asked. She was stammering when she came down the stairs with Luna and giving her attention now.

"I, um, forgot to bring her back out after the dance all this time!" Karla winced. Luna seemed to give a small 'humph' sound and moved out of Karla's embrace. She walked over to Seyren and kicked him in the shin, since it was his fault she was left in her stasis for so long.

"Hey!" Seyren frowned and then was forced to move, as the Lif kept trying to kick his shins over and over again. "Stop it! It wasn't my fault!"

"In a way, it was," Karla blushed and managed to pull her angry Lif away. "It's okay! We promise not to do that again! I'm so sorry!"

Sarine was giggling and hiding her face against Howard's neck. She lost it when Luna stuck her tiny tongue out at Seyren and snuggled into Karla's neck.

"I will not compete with you!" Seyren frowned. "You have to sleep at some point!"

"Seyren Windsor!" Karla frowned. "You will  _not_  threaten my Luna in any way!"

"I was not threatening her! When she sleeps, I'll be with you! I wasn't going to threaten her!" Seyren said quickly. Eremes cracked a grin, and Garrett was laughing softly. Lloyd had his hand on his forehead, but he was grinning. Coraline and Donnie were snickering like crazy.

"Um, Garrett," Sarine managed speak out.

"Yes, Sarine?" he asked.

"When they turn human, we were going to form a Guild. Did you want to join it?" she asked. "Since you're like a brother now, it might be good."

"Hmm," he thought. "Give me some time on that one. I'm not sure if I can, because of my position with Midgard."

"Understood!" she nodded. They all looked at the doorway when Blent walked in. Eremes narrowed his eyes at first, but the Rogue sat down.

"Can I join your Guild?" Blent asked. "When you make it? I no longer have the Cat Hand Guild. I had to quit it in order to fight in the arena."

"We should bring it up with Ripclaw first," Howard said.

"I want to fight Ripclaw. He looks like fun," Doppy snickered.

"It's been awhile since he fought anyone, really. It would be interesting to watch," Blent chuckled. "I am worried about Malore, though. I honestly don't know what we can do for him."

Muninn flew into the room and landed by a window. He looked relieved. Sarine smiled and moved from Howard's lap to lightly embrace the bird to show she was fine.

_:Demon blood. Good. Bad. Is both. Be careful. Others. Will fight. Steal you. Must be. Always. Protected.:_  Muninn whispered to them all.  _:I watch. Carefully. For you.:_

"Of course," Sarine smiled and kissed the top of his helmeted head.

_:You need. More. In Payon. Wolves. One wolf. Helps. Vagabond. Find him. Soon.:_

"Vagabond?" Sarine blinked.

"Vagabond Wolf is a dominant male wolf in the lower parts of the Payon forests. We can also try to find him in the Hidden Forest Temple. Maybe we can ask Baphomet for help?" Keltin frowned. "Then again, Eddga is in the Payon forests, too. Maybe we can set up a trip of sorts?"

"It's possible," Doppy thought. "Maybe tomorrow we will go there to collect more monsters. The Hidden Forest Temple is one of the few areas that has a lot of them."

"Sounds like a plan," Howard nodded. "I think there are a wide variety there, too."

"I'd like to collect more Dead Branches," Karla sighed and then blinked. "I'm going to make a quick run to town!"

"I'll go with you," Mitchell said.

"Same here!" Lloyd nodded, as he approached her. "We have a few things we need to get. And we need some more supplies here."

"Oh?" Kathryne blinked.

"I'll go with them," Garrett smiled. "I have something I need to buy, also."

"What are you getting?" Sarine smiled.

"A surprise," he grinned and lightly moved to her to kiss her cheek. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine, and we'll be back in no time."

She blinked at the kiss that Garrett gave her, but she smiled. On turning around, he forced a casual look. Inwards, he knew he had not fully gotten over Sarine.  _The urge to try to be with her constantly was gone, though._ He'll have to be exceptionally careful right now. Eremes watched him closely, as he moved to the Kafra Agent. He didn't like that move one bit. When they left, Sarine moved back into Howard's embrace. He locked his arms around her and pulled her legs up to cradle her fully. Pulling his face to hers, she got him into a deep kiss. Now he was completely enthralled with her, and he started kissing her back in a far more intense way.

"You know," Seyren frowned. "there are people still here."

"So?" Howard grumbled and kissed her again.

"This is the same stuff you pulled from before," Seyren continued.

"Not my fault Karla loves a Lif more than you," Howard grinned.

"Take that back!" Seyren pouted.

"Nope!" Howard chuckled and kissed Sarine again.

"Hmm," Doppy mused. He watched everything before trying an experiment. He hissed out something in his Demonic Tongue, and Howard turned to face him to retort before pausing. He blinked and looked at Sarine with confusion

"Our own secret language, eh?" Eremes grinned, as he heard it, too.

"Did I just hear you right?!" Keltin frowned.

"You all understood that?" Doppy grinned.

"What's going on? What did you say?" Seyren asked. Kathryne and Cecil were now curious, and Margaretha was listening in.

"I told him not to hog her and to share with me," Doppy snickered. Sarine blushed, and Howard kissed her again in retaliation before rising up with her to take her upstairs.

"Oh, no you don't!" Doppy growled and moved after them. Keltin and Eremes looked at each other, seemed to shrug, and moved up the stairs with them. Seyren just chuckled and waited for Karla to come back. Sammy walked in and motioned for Blent to follow him down to the basement to talk with Storm Caller.

Upstairs, Sarine was too exhausted from the ordeal she had to go through. Howard and Keltin reclined with her in the bed, and she couldn't stay awake any longer once she was snuggled between them. Within minutes she fell asleep.

"Rather tired, isn't she?" Keltin sighed.

"I'm about to be the same way," Howard yawned.

"Well, rest if you need to. Think a couple hours would do?" Eremes asked.

"Sounds about right," Howard nodded and felt Sarine snuggle into him more. Just by feeling that, his eyes closed, and he was out like a light.

"Hmm..." Doppy thought.

"Hmm?" Eremes asked.

"Kavach?" Doppy asked.

"Kavach," Eremes nodded. Keltin was already falling asleep, but he did rouse himself just a bit as they were leaving.

"Find out what you can and be careful. Got it?" Keltin muttered.

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded. Doppy moved down the stairs to the dungeon first, and Seyren got up to follow him.

"Going to find out some secrets?" he asked.

"That's the plan," Doppy grinned.

"Good," Seyren nodded. "How is Sarine?"

"She is asleep with Howard and Keltin. A couple hours should be fine for her to rest properly. Then, should there be anywhere she wants to go, we'll go," Eremes said, as he walked up behind them. He Cloaked and moved ahead to give the cell occupants a surprise visit first.

"I want in on this," Kathryne said, and Cecil walked with her.

"Where is Margaretha?" Seyren asked.

"In her room praying," Cecil said. "She really worries for Lloyd."

"They should just have sex and get married," Doppy snorted. Cecil stifled a giggle, and they walked into the dungeon. Blent was moved to a newer part of the dungeon area that was now treated like a secured guest area. The other two were placed in cells further apart. Malore was sleeping, but Kavach was awake. The moment Doppy snarled, he was at the bars of the cell.

"Hi, there..." Eremes said when he Uncloaked in front of him, catching him off guard in front of the cell. He almost tripped over himself, as he backed off.

"Aah! Don't do that!" Kavach growled.

"How do you control the demon blood in you?" Eremes asked lightly.

"It takes patience. Focus. Why?" he asked.

"Our Whitesmith was the one you saw in here not long ago. The demon slumbers now, but will wake up again. How can he commune with the demon? Or...whatever you do," Doppy grumbled. "to make the demon blood work with you."

"It's different for everyone," Kavach explained, as he moved to sit on the ground in the cell. "Since I know what demon is in my blood, I can only tell you this. I don't really have much control, to be completely honest. We were only given parts of Thanatos's strength. Enough for us to recognize each other and talk telepathically through dreams, but that's about it. We don't commune with the demon, himself. Not all of us have such luck, but we did gain various attributes. Let me think now. Laurell is able to pick up scents a bit better than us, so he was able to track down things better. Wickebine was able to be faster in battle. Egnigem was the most headstrong and the natural leader of us. I think Armeyer was able to move things heavier than normal. Um...as for me, I gained advanced hearing, so it was easy for me to ambush whatever I was hunting. I don't know if Errende got anything. He was the weakest and didn't get much at all. I don't recall, if he did."

"Really?" Eremes mused. Now it made sense as to how Sarine was always found by the High Wizard. _Her scent was easy to follow._ "You remember all of that?"

"Yeah, I do. Tell me," Kavach said. "what demons were you guys given?"

"I'm Doppelganger. The same one from Geffen Tower, just enhanced by Valkyrie. She appeared to personally enhance me for Sarine's cause," Doppy grinned. "Odin fixed up my armor to take more damage and to be nearly immune to elemental magic."

"I have the blood of Ifrit," Eremes nodded. "Howard has the blood of Naght Seiger."

"Naght Seiger?!" Kavach hissed. "That's who that was?!"

"Yes," Kathryne nodded, as she approached, remembering what she was told about the Demonic blood put in them. "I have the blood of Entweihen Crothen. Margaretha has the blood of Fallen Bishop Hibram."

"I have the blood of Baphomet," Seyren nodded.

"I have Beelzebub," Cecil said, as she stepped forward.

"Such powerful demons..." Kavach hissed. "No wonder you all didn't survive properly. We were all shared with the demon, Thanatos. It was all they would give us. What of the girl?"

"Sarine? You heard her before. She was rejected," Eremes said.

"No, she had demon blood in her, too! I smelled it!" Kavach said.

"Oh. Yeah. That," Doppy grinned. "I had branded her as mine. Now, she's branded by Keltin, Eremes, and Howard, too. It's pretty hot."

"I see," Kavach frowned.

"But, I think I know how Howard's demon can be controlled," Eremes thought aloud.

"Oh?" Kathryne blinked.

"The moment Sarine was put in danger, Howard focused fully on her," Eremes thought.

"That explains it! He called me a traitor when I picked her up in here. I think...Naght Seiger believes that Sarine is his mate!" Doppy blinked. "That's why he completely ignored me and went after her! He chased her like a male demon would after a mate!"

"He...did mention about wanting to get her pregnant. Didn't he?" Eremes thought aloud. "If Sarine is hurt around him..."

"It could be bad!" Cecil hissed. "But, she's fine now?"

"Sleeping with Howard in bed," Doppy nodded.

"I am worried about something," Eremes whispered.

"What?" Kathryne asked.

"What will happen now, if other men try to get to her while Naght Seiger is awake?" Eremes asked. "How pissed off would he get?"

"Think of me on a very...very...bad day..." Doppy snarled.

"True. But, if she fights in the arena now," Cecil started.

"And someone manages to hit her..." Kathryne whispered.

"Or if she loses," Seyren said, as he picked up on what they were getting at.

"She can't lose!" Doppy snarled. "And I won't let her get hurt!"

"We don't know that," Eremes frowned. "Too much to think about..."

"Well, we'll just need to make sure that little sis never loses or comes to harm," Cecil nodded. "We'll work something out."

"Right. Ouch!" Doppy hissed, as he fixed his back.

"What is it?" Eremes asked.

"Just a pinch. Wait..." Doppy blinked. Then he bolted out the door. Eremes growled and followed him quickly. The other three were close behind. Doppy opened the door to the bedroom and hissed. Keltin was against a wall, apparently trying to stay as far back as possible. On seeing them, he grumbled.

"What is going on?" Eremes growled.

"Bathroom. They're both in there. We were all asleep. Next thing I know, Howard starts coughing, and then he screamed. Then his demon woke up, grabbed Sarine, and shoved me off the bed! She convinced him to go into the bathroom for privacy. How did you know something was wrong? He didn't hurt her! Just me!" Keltin hissed.

"Then I felt you get kicked..." Doppy growled. "Shit! Am I going to feel you guys, too?! What a pain in the ass!"

"At least we're here!" Eremes scowled. "We'll have to wait."

At the sound of Howard roaring, and Sarine screaming, they judged they wouldn't have to wait long. Eremes wouldn't let Kathryne, Seyren, and Cecil in, and he told them he would let them know what happened. Then he closed his eyes and calmly waited for ten minutes to pass. Doppy sat by the door, and Keltin Healed himself to keep the pain off him. Eremes finally moved to knock on the bathroom door.

"It's fine," Howard said weakly. Eremes opened the door and sighed, as he moved to sit by them. Sarine had a bite mark on her neck and was panting. Howard was hugging her tightly and trembling. He felt completely weakened by this.

"We need to get this to stop," Eremes sighed.

"Tell me about it," Howard winced. "At least I was able to remain conscious through it this time. It was...bizarre. To say the least."

"Really?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. All that Naght Seiger wants to do is make her pregnant! I honestly don't understand it," Howard sighed.

"I do," Doppy said, as he walked in to sit with them. "When a demon claims a mate, the first thing they want to do is start reproducing. Create a new family line, so to speak. If I had that chance with Sarine, that's what I would have done. May end up doing that once she's fertile again. There is also a special name for it, but I forget what it is. It's not often I get to talk to other demons as strong as I am."

Sarine seemed to blush, and Howard sat up with her to hold her close. Keltin walked in and stammered at the wound on her neck. Healing her now, she looked at him.

"Are you all right?" Sarine asked.

"I'm all right. I was very worried for you, though," Keltin frowned. He sat next to Howard to be close to her. When she hugged him tight, he shivered and hugged her back.

"Sarine, do you recall what happened?" Eremes asked.

"All I know was that I jolted out of sleep when Howard screamed. Then I saw...I saw Naght Seiger's image over him. He demanded to know why I wasn't pregnant yet! I told him that Odin said I was not to be fertile until a certain time. When I mentioned Odin, he paused and seemed to laugh. Then when I said I was his daughter, he laughed even more! The next thing I knew, he glared at Keltin and kicked him off the bed. Then he said that he was going to get me pregnant whether Odin liked it or not! I...I convinced him to pull me into the bathroom for privacy. I didn't want him to hurt Keltin anymore," Sarine shivered.

"Pregnant. All I wanted to do was get you..." Howard found himself laughing now and rested his head on her shoulder.

"What's so funny?" Eremes asked.

"Remember when we first learned that Sarine was going to be infertile? And how I said that I was a bit upset about it? And now, here is my Demonic blood trying against all odds to do it! I mean...I don't understand what's going on," Howard sighed.

"Apparently, even demons need families, too?" Sarine smiled. He looked at her and gently kissed her forehead with a sigh.

"Where are your clothes, Sarine?" Eremes asked.

"All over the room out there. Hopefully not in pieces," she sighed.

"I'll go look," Doppy said, as he got up to search. When she heard swearing, she winced, and Howard groaned. They knew what that meant all too well.

"Does anyone know how to stitch or sew?" Keltin asked, as Doppy dangled a torn up set of shorts in front of them.

"I'll ask one of the girls," Doppy grunted and moved out of the room.

"I'm sorry, Sarine," Howard muttered against her hair.

"I'd rather clothes than lives, How-How," she smiled.

"Very true," he sighed. "I just...I don't want it to keep happening! What am I supposed to do every time it happens?"

"We deal with it together," she said confidently.

"Margaretha will stitch them back together," Doppy said, as he walked back in.

"Good," Howard sighed.

"We'll figure something out," Eremes nodded.

"What happens now?" Keltin asked.

"Well, I'm a bit awake now," she sighed.

"Same here," Howard nodded.

"The arena is still going on," Doppy grinned.

"I need to wait for my clothes," she frowned.

"Don't you have your gown?" Eremes winked. She blinked and smiled. Howard let her move from him now, and she retrieved her pack to pull out the gown, the jewelry, and the makeup. Taking them out, she thought before putting them aside.

"I need to take a quick shower," she sighed. "I feel really dirty, and I don't want to put on a nice gown to get the inside covered in dirt from the forest."

"I'll help you," Eremes grinned. Howard gave a cough, and Eremes paused to look at him with alarm, as he prepared to protect her.

"Just kidding!" Howard snickered.

"Asshole," Eremes chuckled and got up to help Sarine. She laughed, as he stripped and moved into the water with her. As he kissed her, she suddenly felt ill. She gasped and clung to him as the room spun. He rushed her to the toilet where she got sick, and he winced.

"What?" Doppy glared. "What just happened?!"

"Is she poisoned?" Keltin asked.

"What is it now?" Howard frowned, as he watched her.

"I'm not sure this time," Eremes admitted.

"I'm fine," Sarine whispered, as she sat back, shivering a bit from the violence of it. Keltin got up and brought back some water for her to rinse her mouth with. Doppy got up and called for Muninn. The large falcon moved over to her carefully and chirped.

"She got sick," Howard sighed. Muninn blinked and looked over her carefully. On pausing around her midsection, he clucked, closed his eyes, and moved his beak to the sky as though in communion with something. Then he opened his eyes and looked at her.

_:Is fine. Nothing serious. Give time. Likely stress.:_  he nodded. Yet, he knew there was something else. He was simply forbidden to say anything at this time.

"If you say so..." Eremes frowned. Muninn gave Sarine a soft nuzzle and moved to the other room to fly out the window.

"Are you feeling better?" Keltin asked.

"I am. Maybe it was just something I ate?" she frowned.

"I don't think so. It could be stress, like Muninn said. Still need a shower?" Howard asked. She nodded, and Eremes moved her back into it, but he was far more careful with her now. He took her gently, and he wondered why the passionate Fire they shared didn't come out. He figured that it was likely because she had gotten sick, or just the fact that he was in the water with her. He could only think it was the latter. When she moved from the shower with his help, she felt much better. They all dried her, and that made her laugh. She started to show them how she dressed in the garment. She giggled, as they tried to make it fit on her. When Howard tried to help her figure it out, she started giggling even more.

"So, this goes here," Keltin said.

"And this here," Howard grinned.

"No tickling me!" she laughed, as they continued to work on the dress.

"A thought just occurred to me. A good thought," Doppy grinned.

"What?" Eremes asked with a light smile.

"We have Coraline and Donnie here. Shouldn't we stage a show of entertainment in the arena? Depending on how many people show up will depend on if Sarine dances or not," he suggested. "Or, I'm sure it would be fun, anyways."

"That would be a good concept! Some of the proceeds can go to support Comodo's Dancers and Bards this way. We'll talk to Coraline," Sarine nodded.

"I don't think you should be performing, though," Howard sighed. "Especially if you're still getting sick. Challengers may take it as an advantage."

"I always liked to dance and sing. Oh! I never told any of you. On my fifth birthday, my Grandmother introduced me to the harp! So, I know how to play it. For the whole day, she would sit with me and teach me how to play various instruments. Of course, my Mother never approved, but my Grandmother would convince her that it was harmless. After my birthday was over, the harp was taken away. But, I'm sure that I would know how to play, if one was given to me," she thought. Just the thought of Sarine plucking on the strings of an instrument in her stunning gown was enough to make them stare at her.

"I'll find one," Eremes nodded.

"I know the monster, Lady Solace, from the tower of Thanatos drops a harp," Keltin said, as the information came to him.

"All the others are still in town," Doppy frowned. He got up and went to Muninn to tell him what was going on. The falcon seemed to chuckle and was soon off to deliver the message. Ten minutes later, he was back with the message delivered.

"Are you hungry?" Howard asked Sarine, as she finished putting on the makeup and jewelry. She felt her belly rumble, and she sighed.

"Yes," she nodded. Doppy picked her up and moved to take her downstairs with the others following behind. Sitting down in a chair with her in his lap now, Eremes informed Kathryne, Seyren, and Cecil of what happened, as Keltin started to find food to give her. Sammy finally walked in from the arena, now that it was closed, and sat in a chair. He looked a bit exhausted, but he was happy. Howard seemed a bit relieved that Sarine wouldn't have to go out there now.  _I don't want those challengers gaping at her._

"Good fighters out there!" he grinned and looked at Sarine. "What's wrong with you?"

"What? Well, I got sick earlier," she asked. As Sammy moved to get closer, Muninn flew in from an open window and chirped at Sammy. The boy looked over and smirked.

"Ah. It's nothing," Sammy grinned and moved to sit back down.

"What's going on?" Eremes frowned.

"It's fine. False alarm. All stress," the boy nodded. They all looked at each other, and Sarine frowned.  _What was going on?_

"Here," Keltin said, as he placed a bowl of fruit in front of her with a couple glasses of juice. Eating heartily now, there was still an uneasy feeling in the room. That vanished quickly when Karla and the others finally got back from town.

"We're back!" Karla giggled, and Seyren kissed her without Luna interfering. "Sorry it took so long. We had to travel to various cities to find what we needed. We need to put these down, and we'll be right back."

They headed into the treasury, and Sarine looked over at Howard.

"Yes, love?" he asked.

"You should get your cart from the Kafra Agent when you become human. I wonder what it still has in there," Sarine grinned.

"We should all clear out our storages!" Margaretha said with a touch of excitement at the thought. She came down the stairs with Sarine's mended Sniper gear.

"I'll take that. Thanks," Eremes nodded, as he accepted them.

"Only tomorrow is left!" Seyren sighed and sat with them. "Oh, Howard, we talked to Kavach down below."

"What did he say?" Howard now had his full attention on him.

"Apparently, it's different for everyone to master the demon blood," he said.

"Yes. Kavach doesn't really have control, but he has a portion of Thanatos's strength," Eremes said. "I think he just knows how to work with it instinctively. He gained an attribute to help him out, but that's about it."

"Well, Howard's demon just wants to get Sarine pregnant," Doppy snorted. "It really makes me wonder if that's all it will take to keep it under control."

"Well, Daddy said that I am to be infertile until all the monsters are gathered," Sarine shrugged. Sammy bit back a chuckle and got up to look outside.

"Wait a minute," Eremes growled and moved over to Incantation Samurai. Muninn chirped to get his attention and bobbed his head up in down. Eremes was in shock now.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"I..." Eremes started before Muninn warbled to speak directly to him. Wincing now, he hissed out a groan.

"What is it?" Howard asked again a bit quietly.

"They wanted to wait until we turned human, but..." Eremes blinked again. "Sarine, you're pregnant."

The entire room went quiet. She had her mouth dropped in shock.

_:Father Odin. Had idea. Keep Howard. Demon. Safe better.:_  Muninn nodded.

"My demon...her..." Howard blinked.

_:Your child. Yes. Part demon. But, yes. Your child.:_  Muninn chirped and ruffled his feathers. Sarine couldn't believe what she was hearing. When Karla got back into the house with the others from the treasury, they paused at the odd and awkward silence in the room.

"Well," Doppy grinned. "looks like you won't be fighting in the arena for a while now!"

"But...but..." Sarine was shaking now.

"What happened?" Karla asked.

"Sarine's pregnant!" Seyren grinned. Karla's mouth dropped with Lloyd's.

"My demon won," Howard frowned and shook his head in shock.

"Sarine?" Keltin frowned, as he watched her. Tears fell from her face, as she shook from head to toe. Shock was quickly settling in.

"Hey," Eremes walked over to her.

"I need...to lie down...I think..." she whispered and tried to move. The room spun, and she got sick right there on the floor.

"Oh, no!" Howard said, as he got up.

"I have her!" Doppy hissed. He waited until she was done and moved her swiftly into the bedroom. Storm Caller waited patiently for everything to die down before calmly cleaning up the mess. Then he looked at Sammy.

"Yes?" Sammy asked.

"This could be a touch disastrous," Storm Caller sighed.

"What do you mean?" Seyren asked.

"With her being with child, various missions could be delayed now. I do see Lord Odin's reason behind it, but, now, think of what will have to be done," Storm Caller frowned. "With a child in tow, the danger could be even worse."

"Then we will work together to stop the danger," Eremes nodded, as he moved up the stairs. Keltin seemed to smile and shrug, as he followed with Howard close behind. With Sarine in the bed now, Doppy was pacing.

"What's on your mind?" Howard asked, as he moved to sit on the bed with Sarine.

"Demonic children grow faster than human children. She was impregnated just today when normal humans can take up to a week! Even two weeks! Something tells me that she was impregnated when she ran from you earlier today. I don't know how a Demonic pregnancy will work with her. I think it would be like Zealotus, but I'm not sure. We'll just have to find out," he frowned. Sarine's head was still swirling from everything moving far too fast for her to initially grasp. She still hadn't gotten over the thought that she was actually pregnant.

Then she remembered that she did feel something odd happen after Howard's demon finally had her in the forest area of the island.  _Doppy was right! I must have felt the pregnancy take place and didn't realize it. I had pushed the thought aside to tend to Howard._  When she managed to voice this, Doppy muttered under his breath, and the others were in shock. Howard was still lost in thought until he blinked and moved to head downstairs. A moment passed by, and Eremes suddenly gasped. as his form solidified and became human. Howard came back up in his original humanity and gathered Sarine up.

"Campfire! Come on!" Howard grinned.

"What did you do?" Eremes asked.

"I asked Muninn to ask Odin if we could all be human tonight to celebrate Sarine's pregnancy. Tomorrow we'll be monsters. The next day we'll be human. Odin apparently agreed with me," Howard chuckled.

"Awesome!" Keltin grinned and moved to help Howard with Sarine.

"Nice call," Doppy grinned. As Howard carried her outside, the chairs were being set up already. Garrett was a bit pleased to find this gathering, and his eyes rested on Sarine, as she was curled up in Howard's lap. Coraline and Donnie were new to this, as well, and were all too happy to start helping out. Seyren stocked up the wood, and Karla cleared the ground. Doppy wasn't too sure as to what he could do, but he saw Cecil struggling with the food. Moving now, he helped her out by taking up one of the platters, and she thanked him. He easily saw her as a sister and accepted the small pat to his arm.

Eremes helped arrange the stones around the fire pit, and, once the food was arranged, Kathryne lit it up. Keltin moved to sit with Howard, and Doppy did the same. After scouting around a bit, Eremes joined them. Cecil sat with Garrett, and he put an arm around her. Lloyd and Margaretha sat hand in hand. Kathryne sat with Mitchell with their elbows touching. Karla sat in Seyren's lap with Luna eating happily to one side.

"Looks like we are the only ones without relations!" Coraline moped.

"True. Ah, well, things may change eventually," Donnie grinned.

"Love does come to us in mysterious ways," Lloyd nodded.

"Thank you for making us human, Howard," Cecil smiled.

"I figured it was a joyous celebration. Right?" Howard asked Sarine. Then he blinked. She was still in a bit of shock from everything.

"Too fast for her," Eremes frowned.

"Well, not much can be done about it," Keltin sighed.

"Hey," Howard nuzzled her gently. "Want to help me clean out the Kafra storage?"

She blinked as though struggling to hold onto his voice, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Closing her eyes to focus a bit more, she sighed, as she whispered, "Make the spinning...stop..."

"Spinning?" he frowned.

"Just dizzy," she whispered. Doppy blinked and thought. Then he whispered to Howard.

"You sure?" Howard frowned. Doppy nodded. Motioning to Eremes, he whispered over to him. Eremes paused in his own thoughts at what he was told.

"Hmm," Eremes thought before letting Howard prick a finger on a katar.

"What are you doing?" Seyren frowned.

"Something to help her, apparently," Howard sighed and placed his bleeding finger into Sarine's mouth. At the taste of his blood, the world slowly came back into focus again, and she sighed with relief.

"You see," Doppy started. "most demons share a very strict bond. When they start to have children, they need to reinforce that bond daily. Blood bond ritual, that is. I know it's rather common with very strong demons. From what I know, the female would suffer, if the blood bond isn't there, but it's not always required. If the male is out hunting, the female could get by on her own. It just helps her out to keep her focused."

Margaretha gasped, and Lloyd shrugged, as he asked, "It's a Demonic child in a sense. What do we know about demons?"

"Apparently not much," Eremes grumbled.

"At least Doppy is here to help us," Keltin nodded.

"Only with what I do know. There is a lot out there that I still don't know," Doppy admitted. "I haven't been able to hang out that much with other strong demons. Being trapped for a long time can really suck."

"Is little sis okay?" Cecil frowned.

"I'm feeling much better now," Sarine smiled and sat up at long last. Keltin Healed Howard's finger, and he watched Howard carefully get up and set Sarine into Doppy's lap. Heading over to the Kafra Agent, he got his old cart back with everything he had stored in the storage, itself, and brought it over to her. It was the highest cart available, the same one Karla had when she first met Sarine, and it showed how powerful he was as a Whitesmith.

"Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?" Howard smiled. Sarine blushed. The others went to the Kafra Agent to withdraw all of their older items to go through together.

"Karla!" Eremes grinned and handed her a mass amount of Dead Branches.

"I think I know what we are doing tomorrow!" Karla beamed.

"Awesome!" Coraline grinned. "There's over a hundred of them there!"

"Hmm," Seyren grinned and pulled out a spiked shield. "I forgot I had this!"

"You know," Garrett chuckled and got up to check on the Kafra Agent. What he brought out was a massive spear with a lightning bolt tipped at the end. "I honestly wasn't sure what to do with this Zephyrus spear. Think I can store it here?"

"Sure!" Sarine smiled and looked over at Howard, as he gave Donnie a few things to sneak into the treasury. The Clown was all for it and was given other items, too.

"Those are for your birthday," Howard grinned, and she blushed. "How are you feeling, love? Are you feeling better?"

"Much," Sarine nodded.

"Lloyd," Margaretha blushed and presented a Blessed Holy Robe to him.

"Maggie!" he blinked, as he took it from her. "Um...oh, dear."

"Maggie?" Seyren grinned.

"You will  _never_  call me that!" Margaretha glowered.

"Yes, ma'am!" Seyren swallowed. Cecil laughed and pulled out a massive bow made of moonstone. Smiling, she winked at Sarine and gave it to her.

"Are you kidding me?" Sarine said in shock.

"Two cards can go in it. It's a bit heavy, but I think it's a wonderful baby shower gift," Cecil smiled. They hugged each other, and now Kathryne pouted. Looking through her storage items, she pulled out a feathered muffler, called a Falcon Muffler, to give to her. Not being shown up, Cecil pulled out a series of cards that worked together for Sarine. Sarine just started laughing, as the baby gift war started.

"I think I have something," Eremes grinned and started to sort through his items. He pulled out a brooch that held a spot for a card in it.

"Well, I have nothing," Keltin grinned.

"I have you. That's plenty," Sarine smiled and kissed him gently.

"Hmm," Doppy thought. "Garrett. Here."

A full plate armor was given over to him with a slot for a card. The Paladin stammered out his thanks. Such armors were rare, and he was impressed with it.

"I think the rest needs to be saved for the day we turn human," Seyren grinned.

"All too true," Margaretha nodded.

"Wait. I have one more thing," Howard grinned and pulled out a Ballista bow for Sarine. "I had it socketed for you."

"Um...wow..." Sarine blinked at the bow, and she found herself blushing. "I don't know what to say!"

"Wait until your birthday!" Howard grinned and kissed her deeply. "I know I have more stuff here. Mostly just a lot of materials to make weapons with."

"Really?" Sarine beamed.

"Yes. I've been trying to make my own weapons to sell off to others," he nodded. "It was something I've always wanted to do."

"Try to make something now, and we can sell it at the arena tomorrow," Doppy grinned. "Extra profit always comes in handy."

"You sound like a Merchant!" Howard laughed. "Let's see..."

He pulled out two Star Crumbs to make the weapon exceptionally strong. A Flame Heart was retrieved next. It was a heart-shaped red stone to imbue the weapon with the power of Fire. Pulling out ten rubies and four full Oridecon next, he set up the rare Emperium anvil. He then pulled out a few of the Oridecon hammers that he would need to forge with.

"Need a Bless?" Lloyd grinned.

"And Gloria for a luck boost. Every little bit helps right now with what I want to try making," Howard nodded. Lloyd walked over to him and cast the spells. Forging now, Sarine watched with fascination. She had never really seen him work that much before, and she gasped, as he successfully crafted a weapon called a Fist.

"A Monk's weapon," Doppy grinned.

"Here, Keltin. I have enough to try and make a whole elemental set, if you want," Howard grinned. "You want me to?"

"Try it!" Keltin chuckled, as he tried on the new weapon. Howard nodded and grabbed the same items, but this time he grabbed a Mystic Frozen. It was a light blue crystalline stone, as it resembled a ball of crystallized ice, and it would imbue the weapon with the power of Ice. Lloyd cast the spell of Gloria again, and Howard was able to forge the Ice Fist.

"Two more," Howard grinned and pulled out the golden colored stone called a Great Nature, and that appeared to be in the form of a flower, to imbue the weapon with the power of Earth. He tried to forge it, and it failed. Swearing now, he tried again and was successful. The last stone he pulled was a green Rough Wind stone that was in the shape of a lightning bolt to imbue the weapon with Wind. He tried to forge it and failed. Swearing at the loss, he had just enough for one more try. Attempting again made him grin, as he got it.

"Nice!" Keltin grinned at his new arsenal. "Should you try to upgrade them?"

"Hmm," Howard thought. "Not yet. I know the forger in Payon can get them up to four times safely. It's random with me. Go through him first."

"Right," Keltin nodded and put his new weapons away.

"What else can you forge?" Sarine smiled.

"Knives, daggers, axes, hammers, clubs...pretty much anything but bows, whips, katars, and instruments," Howard nodded. "I can upgrade any weapon, though."

"Can you make me a Fire enchanted Claymore?" Garrett asked. Howard looked through his cart and frowned.

"I'm ten steel short," he sighed. Then he grinned and was able to forge what he needed out of coal and iron using a few smelters he had. Once he had them, he pulled out two Star Crumb, a Flame Heart, a cracked diamond, sixteen full Oridecon, and the twenty steel he needed. Lloyd cast his Gloria, and the forging went underway. He grinned when the weapon was made and handed it to Garrett. The Paladin whistled and smirked, as he put it with his other sword.  _The men in Prontera were going to be exceptionally jealous._

"Make me a set?" Garrett chuckled.

"I need more supplies," Howard sighed. "We'll need to see who is willing to sell what they have to us."

"Here," Karla chuckled and gave over the steel and other forging items she had. "I have no use for them. It's not much, but I held onto them, anyways."

"Thanks! Not enough to make another Claymore, though. What drops steel? I may be able to forge more, but it helps to know," Howard asked Keltin.

"Hmm," Keltin thought, as the information came to him. "Iron scorpions, Steel Chon Chons, High Orcs, and a few other varieties. As we come to them, I'll tell you. It may just be easier to collect the iron pieces to refine the iron and collect the coal for you to make the steel."

"Damn," Howard muttered. "I'll forge what I have here. I may have to go to Geffen to the Blacksmith Guild there to pick up some more forging equipment."

"You could also have people bring you the materials to forge with," Eremes chuckled. Howard mused at that idea and nodded.

"You know," Sarine smiled. "we should set up a forging station for you by the arena. This way you can make weapons and sell them between fights."

Howard blinked at her, moved to her side, and kissed her thoroughly. Eremes snickered and went to talk to Storm Caller. It was soon underway with construction. Cecil got up to check on the meat and judged it was ready. When it was passed around, Sarine blinked at hers and felt nauseous. She winced at the scent of it, and held the meat away from her as though it was spoiled. Keltin looked at her concerned, and Eremes was puzzled.

"Sarine?" Doppy frowned.

"It...doesn't smell right," she admitted. Doppy thought and sighed.

"Does anyone have a rather rare piece?" he asked.

"Rare?" Keltin blinked.

"Yes. She won't be able to eat meat that's fully cooked right now," Doppy grinned. "Her demon baby won't like it and may make her sick."

"Ugh!" Howard winced. "I'm sorry, Sarine."

"It's okay, How-How," she smiled and gave him her share of the meat. Another piece of meat was quickly seared on the outside, but still pink in the center. That sufficed for her.

"Truly Demonic, eh?" Eremes mused.

"I had no control over myself!" Howard grumbled, as he ate.

"It's fine!" Sarine said, as she finished. "I'm still hungry."

"I'm on it!" Keltin nodded and moved into the house to grab a fresh platter of meat to cook quickly over the fire.

"Do you think that, with Howard becoming human, this is why Naght Seiger has been adamant on Sarine becoming pregnant?" Seyren asked.

"Because he knew he'll be lost?" Karla blinked.

"It's possible," Eremes nodded. "All demons have their own ways of doing things. He probably knew when Howard kept shifting human."

"Hmm," Howard thought and glanced at Sarine while she ate. "Now I have to wonder what my child is going to look like."

"Still your child," Doppy grinned. "I'd be more concerned on what my child will be like. Can anyone even try to guess?"

"Don't remind us!" Keltin grumbled. Doppy barked out laughter.

"As long as the child turns out to be good in the end," Garrett said.

"Don't even think about hurting my child!" Howard growled out in a hissing, protective manner. That made everyone blink, but they agreed. _It would be Howard's child after all, and he will punish it, if needed._ He was going to be an overly protective father, and he was already proving to be just that. Sarine paused in her eating and took a deep breath. It almost felt as though a growth surge happened in her womb. Blinking a bit, she took another breath, and everything went back to normal.

"Sarine?" Keltin asked, as he looked at her.

"I'm fine," she reassured them. "How fast do Demonic children grow?"

"Not so fast, but you may be showing in a couple weeks. Why?" Doppy frowned.

"No reason," she smiled. Sammy walked out of the house and paused, as he looked at Sarine. Moving to her side now, he felt her head and her belly.

"What is it?" Howard asked now with full concern.

"It's my first time working with her like this, obviously," Sammy admitted. "There are...twins...I think. Hold on."

"Twins?!" Sarine gasped. Doppy looked at her with his mouth dropped. Eremes now watched her with amusement. Keltin just gaped at her. Howard was going back into the shock of fatherhood with a vacant stare.

"Yes, twins. A boy and a girl," Sammy thought, as he felt some more with both hands on her belly now. "Both are extremely healthy."

"Doctor Incantation Samurai," Seyren grinned. Donnie started to pluck at his guitar happily at this news, since he and his sister were the same as twins. Garrett could only smile at the good news. Lloyd and Margaretha looked at each other and smiled. Cecil started to look through her stuff again to see if she had another gift, and Kathryne started to do the same. Mitchell was just in awe of everything.

"How-How?" Sarine frowned and tried to revive him.

"Twins..." he muttered. "Having twins..."

"He's gone," Sarine sighed, and Seyren laughed. She even tried poking his sides and nothing happened. Eremes chuckled, and Keltin was considering on casting a Heal on him. Doppy was the one that snarled at him and snapped Howard out of it.

"Touch my children..." Howard growled then paused. Shaking himself out of his stupor, he hugged Sarine tightly. "Twins!"

She laughed, and he kissed her hard.

"Now you do know that you can't complain if we hog her when she starts having our children, right?" Keltin grinned. "It would only be fair."

"I know, I know," Howard grinned. "Sammy, how did you know?"

"Well, as Demonic children seem to grow fast, I noticed two separate heart beats. It's why Sarine paused when she did. The pregnancy took full hold, you see? The developing children did form, but they had a mild growth spurt. I couldn't tell if it was twins, at first. Since this is Sarine's first pregnancy, they weren't detected right away. Now that they grew more, I was able to notice that there were twins. I'll monitor her daily to make sure that nothing goes wrong," Sammy nodded. "So, if I say she needs something, then she needs it!"

"Congratulations," Garrett nodded. She smiled, and Cecil moved over to give her a sisterly hug. Sarine hugged her back and got a hug from Margaretha, too.

"What do we do now?" Seyren asked. Karla blinked in thought and pulled out a Dead Branch. Seyren grinned and liked her idea.

"Should we use one?" Karla winked.

"Protect Sarine," Eremes said with a smirk. Sarine was lifted off of Howard's lap and set in a chair a bit out of the way. Sammy stood in front of her, and Doppy stood in front of Sammy. Keltin buffed himself, and the others readied themselves. Karla gave the Dead Branch to Seyren, and he grinned. Then he snapped it. A massive creature half man and half dragon appeared before them. His left arm appeared to be the form of a dragon's maw, and a single wing was on his back on the same side. He had bandages covering his malformed arm in various places, and he appeared to be in a constant form of pain when he moved. His skin was green and scaled in various places along the dragon side. He hissed, as he lurched forward to attack.

"Mutant Dragonoid!" Keltin hissed.

"Stop!" Sarine said, as she was quickly in front of the monster. The half dragon hissed again before he paused to sniff at her. Nodding to him, she held out her hand carefully, and he leaned forward to take it with his good right arm. Looking at her with green-black eyes through long, black locks of hair that fell down his back, he came to a silent form of understanding. He hissed again, and she smiled with a nod.

Then he blinked as though shaking himself free of something. After that, he glowed. His form grew twice as large and twice as muscular. The dragon maw on his left hand seemed more developed, and it even dripped poison off the fang-like finger nails. His wing stretched out and seemed to create a Stunning effect when he flapped it. He pulled her close to hug her, and she hugged him back. When she stepped away, a lightly fanged grin was now given to her, as he nodded to her. He set out to claim territory right after that. There was something about him that Sarine clearly liked, and she hoped to find out in time. Unknown to her, Mutant Dragonoid was thinking along the same thoughts about her. He was going to make sure to station his territory close to the house to protect it.

"That's no fun!" Karla pouted. Sarine was moved back to her chair by Doppy to be protected again. "What's the point of trying to kill a monster, if she's going to befriend them?"

"It's the Huginn in me," Sarine giggled, and they all laughed.

"Try again?" Seyren grinned.

"All right," Karla nodded and handed over another Dead Branch. Pori-Pori came out from the house to bounce over and wait for this one to snap.

"Want some fun?" Keltin grinned. Pori-Pori winked and bounced in place. The Dead Branch was snapped by Seyren and a rogue Skeggiold appeared. It died quickly by Pori-Pori and the others within seconds. When they found a card from it, they all laughed with surprise.

"Nice!" Doppy grinned, as he gave the card to Sarine.

"The rest we save for tomorrow," Karla winked. It was a good thing she said that, since Sarine yawned. Howard smiled and scooped her up into his arms to take her into the house.

"I guess that's a wrap?" Donnie grinned.

"So cliché!" Coraline grinned. Eremes approached them and asked them what they thought of providing entertainment for the arena. They both enjoyed the idea immensely and would contact their Guilds in the morning. Heading into the house, Eremes went into the bedroom to find Howard undressing her. Her Sniper gear was handed over, but set aside. A soft gown was pulled out, and she was dressed in it. Sarine pulled Eremes close to kiss him, and he hugged her tight.

"Don't worry. Howard's kids will be treated like my own," Eremes vowed.

"Good," she smiled and yawned again. He carried her to the bed to rest with Howard, and he nodded to Keltin, as he made his way in. After that, Eremes moved to his spot along the wall. Doppy was next to take up his place by the door. Within the hour, silence filled the room in the form of sleep and meditation.


	44. Chapter 44

Four hours into the night, which was a good hour after Howard's body shifted back to his monster form, he blinked awake from a coughing fit.

"Oh, hell no..." he hissed, as he coughed even more. Doppy jerked his head up and looked at him with a frown.

"Don't do it!" Doppy snarled. Howard coughed even more and didn't even have a chance to scream when Naght Seiger took over. The demon's form smothered over Howard's completely without a fight. At first, Naght was ready to attack Doppy, but then he remembered one thing.  _We are evenly matched now._ He did have one thing that he could do to prove superiority to get his way. He had experience in Demonic traditions, and he was older. Much older. He moved from the bed smoothly and confronted Doppy. The two demons stared at each other silently and started hissing at each other in their own Demonic Tongue. In the end, Doppy was put in his place. Nodding with his defeat, he growled, "What are you going to do?"

"Mate...her..." Howard hissed with his bright red pupils, and he turned to face Sarine's sleeping form. There was an odd form of gentleness in his gaze. It was something that made Doppy pause at first before trying to get him to see reason.

"She's pregnant," Doppy snorted. At this, Howard's form turned and looked at him, as though he hadn't heard him right. Then he moved quickly to carefully lift her from the bed.

"Huh?" Eremes blinked awake and saw what was going on. He moved to intervene, but Doppy stopped him with a shake of his head. He waited until Howard took Sarine out of the room before explaining why Eremes was stopped.

"Not yet," he growled. "As much as I want to stop him, it's not safe in the house. He won't hurt us. He wants time alone with her."

"Doppelganger?" Eremes asked.

"He's good. I'll give him that," Doppy growled out. "He pretty much talked me down in various ways. Status and such. I'll give him an hour. Then I'll go after him."

"I'll follow him," Eremes muttered.

"Not too close. He can sense you," Doppy said knowingly, and Eremes remembered his own battle with Doppy before. Nodding with understanding, he watched Howard's enveloped form move with Sarine out of the house. At a safe distance, he Cloaked and followed them.

Howard carried Sarine swiftly to a far corner of the island that was still uninhabited by monsters and set her down here. At the feel of the chill breeze, Sarine shivered and woke up.

"What? Where am I?" she panicked and looked up. Her mouth dropped at Naght Seiger's ghostly form over Howard's body.

"My...mate..." he hissed, as he moved over her.

"Wait!" she said quickly. She placed a hand over her belly and took several deep breaths to keep herself calm. That made Naght stop and look at her.

"What...?" he hissed.

"I just...can I talk to you? Normally? Is there a way? Please, if I am your mate, surely I have this right?" she asked. Naght seemed to blink. It wasn't often that he was asked such a thing.  _In fact, it was the first time._ The Demonic presence sank back down to such a depth that only Howard's pupils glowed a dull red like Doppy's. It was the same way he was when he first appeared to talk to her.

"Better?" he asked. "I grow impatient."

"Please, Howard," she whispered.

"I am not that name!" he snarled. "Call me by my real name!"

"Naght," she whispered softly now. That sent him trembling, and he gasped.

"You know who I am?!" he blinked.

"Yes. I was told who you are. Why did you want me to become pregnant? I'm bearing twins now. A boy and a girl. From you."

"Twins?!" Naght frowned and now moved closed to sniff her skin carefully. Then he grinned and laughed roughly. "Good. My bloodline will survive then."

"But, why?" she frowned.

"For over a thousand years, I have been locked away in a tower," he hissed. "A cell at the top of several floors filled with traps and designs to stop any that tried to reach me. At first, it was a human tower. I made it into a base for me to build an army. But...something went wrong. There was a lesser that was just below me that attempted to usurp me. In my own rage, I sealed the tower. In the end, I did make up my differences with the one that attempted to betray my trust, but I still believe that it may be short-lived. I won't know. Demons and minions from all over were able to join me when I called. I never had a short supply when it came to an army.

"But...none could leave. Any could come in, but none could reach me. Tales of my tower started up, and it became a proving ground for human warriors. They gave up after multiple failures, and my tower was forgotten. However, recent events from somewhere revealed my tower once again. When the humans reappeared after so long, they were finally strong enough to reach me...and defeat me. I was overwhelmed, to put it bluntly. I couldn't leave, but they were able to take what they could from me. They...stole...from me. The blood that made up my essence was taken for their purposes. Yet, it was through this stolen part of me that I have been granted freedom outside my cell! And then I find you..."

"I, too, was locked up in a cell. No windows. Barely enough light from candles," she said sadly. "It was rare that I got any form of light."

"You jest!" Naght said with disbelief.

"Can you read my mind?" she asked.

"Open it to me," he said. Since he branded her, and Howard was naturally in tune with her emotions, it would be easy for him. Nodding, she did just that by letting her emotional wall drop, and he scanned through her memories. Several hundred feet off in the distance, Eremes was watching with complete shock.  _She got Naght Seiger to talk to her normally. She got him to treat her like an equal. She really did bring out the most human of qualities in everything._

"You see?" Sarine asked, as he pulled away, and she reformed her emotional wall.

"That..." Naght started and flared out his full form again in fury. "Slaughter...all...of...them...!"

"No!" she said, as she ran up to hug Howard's chest tight. He gasped at the shock of it, and she continued to hold on.

"Why...?!" Naght snarled.

"Because the one that did that to me is now dead!" Sarine cried out. At hearing this, the rage was cooled, and Naght's form faded back down. She felt Howard's arms move around her tightly with a raw strength that wasn't there before.

"Never again!" he growled.

"I know," she nodded. "I do have one other question for you, Naght."

"What?"

"How can you be in this body, if your true body is at the tower?"

"That's a difficult question to answer. But, for you, I'll try," he nodded. "When my blood was infused into the body of this one, it took some time for me to feel out the body. Once it was easy to infiltrate, it didn't take much to take it over. Much like how it is now. You could say that my essence can travel from one body to the other. My awareness, you see."

"Can you...feel things in this body as well as yours?" she asked.

"I can to an extent," he nodded.

"Have you ever wondered," Sarine said carefully. "what it would be like to experience the pleasures of a man?"

"Mating you feels good enough," he grinned. "Why?"

She swallowed, pulled his head down to hers quickly and planted a kiss on his mouth. It caught him by surprise, but he didn't pull away. He did kiss her the first time he was with her, but he never actually felt it like this. He was too intent on impregnating her. In the next few minutes, they were both undressed, and she had him on his back on the sand. The feel of her mouth on him had him groaning harshly, and, when she moved onto him, he was sitting up to take her hard. Pressed against his chest, she moved her mouth to his neck, and he roared with release at her innocent bite. Holding her there when she whimpered, he panted from the force of it. He found himself kissing her again and wincing at another hard release.

"Nice?" she managed to smile.

"It's...different," he chuckled. "But, I prefer the old fashioned way."

"I'm sure you do," she nodded. "Tell me, Naght. If you had a chance to separate from Howard's body and be in your own, would you?"

"Well," he blinked and frowned. "I never gave it any real thought. I do know that I will want to be every part of our offspring's lives. I am partially their father, anyways."

"Well, what will happen if Howard becomes fully human again?" she asked.

"I..." he growled and hissed. "I will not be denied from them! Or trapped in that infernal place away from you!"

"Naght!" she whimpered, as he hugged her tightly.

"Husbands be damned!" he snarled. "You are rightfully mine!"

"I beg to differ," Eremes growled his challenge when he Uncloaked.

"Eremes!" Sarine whispered, as she looked over at him.

"Ah. The scum of Ifrit," Naght grinned. "Not even a real demon, either!"

"Take that back!" Eremes hissed, as his scorching heat seared outwards.

"Why? You think I really care? Besides, I doubt even you can hear me!" Naght laughed cruelly. Then the image of the fiery elemental of Ifrit appeared around Eremes's form, as his own eyes seemed to glow. Ifrit looked like a flame in the form of a man up on top and a rising flame along the bottom. His upper form was powerfully built, and his eyes glowed a brighter yellow than the rest of his body.

"How about now?! You think you're the only strong one out there?!" Ifrit hissed, his voice making Eremes's voice appear to sizzle and spit. "You're not the only one that has claimed that one as a mate!"

"Impossible!" Naght snarled and moved Sarine off him to stand up.

"Please! Stop!" she cried before gasping and hugging herself.

"What?!" Naght stopped quickly and ran to her side.

"No!" Ifrit hissed and was at her side, as well.

"Please...don't..." she gasped, as she moved aside to vomit. Howard's form winced, and Ifrit's form died down into Eremes's body.

"Pregnant. I had forgotten," Naght sighed.

"To share a mate?" Ifrit growled.

"Four males already share her! I will not share with you!" Naght growled.

"We should separate from these weak shells. Fight each other without them!" Ifrit hissed. "Maybe then, we can see who is the strongest!"

"Perhaps. Then the others will want the same!" Naght spat, and he leaned over Sarine's form to soothe her. "She is all that matters."

"Of course, she is!" Ifrit growled. Then they both looked up when Muninn landed and shifted his form to that of his warrior one.

" _You both are at fault! Look at her! The stress will hurt her and make her lose the children! Stop your bickering and work together!_ " Muninn urged.

"Work with you?!" Ifrit growled at Naght.

"Weakling," Naght hissed back at Ifrit.

"Stop..." Sarine begged, as she hugged herself. "I love you both and the men you possess! Please...just stop it!"

"She...?" Ifrit paused.

"Loves us?" Naght frowned.

"One who loves monsters..." Ifrit whispered.

"Muninn," Naght growled and looked at him. "can Odin help us?"

" _Let me ask,_ " Muninn nodded and looked up to the sky. After several minutes, he looked back at them with a frown. " _It is possible, but you both must learn to work together first. It may be until after the children are born that you both may get what you desire._ "

"After the offspring are born," Naght thought aloud. "So be it."

"We should not possess so much. Does it not drain you?" Ifrit asked.

"It does. But, I want to be with her, too. Fine. I will try not to possess unless the time is needed. I will watch and wait for the right time," Naght nodded. With that said, both powerful creatures relinquished their control, and Howard screamed, as he collapsed to the ground. Eremes had sunk to his knees and was trembling all over with the chill of the cold. All of his body heat was gone, and it shocked him a bit.

" _See to my sister!_ " Muninn urged and produced potions for them both. He didn't have the ability to Heal them. Then he gave them both his memories of what just happened before shifting back into the falcon form to fly off. They both downed the potions quickly and noticed Sarine was shivering and trembling like crazy.

"Sarine!" Howard cried out, as he moved to her side. She was still struggling to breath, and Eremes tossed him a knife. Cutting open his finger, he pressed the bleeding wound into her mouth. Whimpering now, she was able to regain herself, and he hugged her tight.

"Get her dressed and yourself, too," Eremes said, as he stood up. Collecting his knife, he closed his eyes to think hard. He had never been possessed by Ifrit before in this manner. Now he was worried of what would happen if the others came around. After Howard managed to dress, he helped dress Sarine. Once that was done, he lifted her into his arms.

"Wait," she whispered.

"What?" Eremes asked.

"Don't move," she said, as she squeezed her eyes tight.

"I just gave you my blood!" Howard frowned.

"I know, but this is just nausea from the pregnancy," she sighed. Nodding, he sat on the ground with her until she was able to move again.

"Ifrit came out of me," Eremes winced. "I had no control of it..."

"Now you know how it is with Naght and I," Howard grumbled.

"And, on top of that, they both want her as a mate! What are we going to do?" Eremes sighed. "I don't want them to fight each other! Ifrit will make me fight you!"

"I need to rinse out my mouth," Sarine sighed. Eremes pulled out a small red potion to give to her. It was a bit of a waste, but something was better than nothing. Using it, she felt a bit better, and she struggled to stand. Howard helped her, and she looked out over the ocean in a particular direction.

"What are you looking for?" Howard asked.

"Naght's tower. It's in that direction," she said, as she pointed south-east of them. "He let me see some of his memories in exchange for seeing mine."

"What?" Eremes asked.

"Are you serious?" Howard frowned.

"Naght...he truly does see me as his mate," she whispered. "And, I know for a fact that I will not be doing any fighting in the arena while I am pregnant. If even one thing happens to me, then all of you will Berserk."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded.

"As if I wanted you to fight to begin with!" Howard growled and hugged her tight. "The sun is starting to come up. We should head back."

"Why do I always lose sleep now?" she frowned and rested her head on his shoulder. He gathered her up in his arms to carry her, and Eremes led the way back. They paused when Doppy approached them, and they told him what happened.

"She loved Naght Seiger as a man?!" Doppy asked with amazement. "That says more than I could even imagine!"

"How?" Eremes frowned.

"It shows," Doppy sighed. "that he does love her. Normally, demons hate being anything associated with humans. But, if she was able to talk to him and make love to him like another human, then it shows that he is willing to do anything for her. And I do mean anything."

"Naght said that he would try to keep from possessing me unless it's needed," Howard nodded. "He also explained how he can focus out of his tower."

"Ifrit came out of me and claimed that he wanted Sarine as a mate, too," Eremes grumbled. That made Doppy's mouth gape, but it was Sarine that caught their attention.

"Need sleep..." she sighed. "and I'm hungry now. Oh, I'm starting to hate being pregnant! I was so happy at first, but now all these mood swings are getting to me!"

That made Howard blink, but he gave a soft smile and kissed her forehead. Then he paused, as Naght added his speed to Howard's.

"Naght," Howard sighed. "Thanks."

"Huh?" Eremes asked.

"Naght gave me his speed to get Sarine to bed. Try to keep up!" Howard grinned, as he suddenly ran with a burst of speed. Eremes swore and ran after him. Doppy was just amazed.  _The demons were working with the humans now._  Grinning, he knew that nothing was going to stand in their way after this.

Back in the bedroom, Howard set Sarine into the bed, and he reclined next to her. Keltin was asleep through the whole thing, and Eremes woke him to tell him what happened.

"I slept through all of that?!" Keltin hissed. He looked over at Sarine, and he paused. He knew she wasn't happy.

"I'm hungry," she sighed. Eremes moved down the stairs to get something for her.

"Sarine," Keltin said, and he looked at Howard to gesture for her.

"Here," Howard nodded and let the Champion Bongun hold her. On shifting back into his Bongun self, he felt her sigh.

"What's wrong?" Keltin whispered to her. He felt her tense, as he held her, and she whispered to him. Now that he was in his more familiar form, her true emotions were trying to come out. He looked up at the others. He recognized what she needed. "You guys. Out."

"What?" Doppy frowned.

"Tell Eremes to wait on the food for a bit. Howard, you have the ability to feel her emotions, and she's about to give me all of them. I don't want you in here while she vents. Outside. Go," Keltin ordered.

"But..." Howard blinked then paused. Sarine was getting ready to cry.

"Human women have a tendency to build up hormonal emotions while they're pregnant and when having their periods. I know about her periods. I'm sure you do, too, and I've seen pregnant women while traveling with her. You aren't ready for these emotions. Especially now during her pregnancy. Get out of the room for ten minutes. You'll know when to come back in. If not, then I'll call for you," Keltin said again. Howard nodded and rose up to wait in the hallway. When Keltin looked at Doppy, the demon smirked and walked out as well.

"Why?" Sarine whispered, as tears started to fall.

"They aren't here now," Keltin whispered, and her mental wall finally shattered under the strain of it all. She had maintained her composure for so long that she finally had to either vent or snap. Keltin was there for her the few times it happened during her training and before going to Lighthalzen. When she felt she couldn't do it anymore, he was there to help her through the emotional fits. He was there for her now. He just held her and stroked her hair.

"It's just...it's so hard...and I feel...so alone...!" she gasped, and he sighed, as his hand moved through her hair to give her a form of comfort. Letting her complain, vent, and cry was all he could do until she was finally finished.

"I know it's hard. I know you're only one person. But, we are all trying to make it better. Aren't we?" he asked soothingly once she was able to hear him.

"No," she pouted. "I just feel like it's getting worse!"

"Oh, don't be like that. Remember during training? Remember the few times this happened? And you're not alone! Besides, who was with you before you met me?"

"How-How and the others."

"That's right. And who was with you to help you when they were gone next?"

"Doppy was."

"See? And after that?"

"You."

"So, why do you think you're doing this alone? We all want to help you and make sure you're protected and loved. So, don't think you're doing this alone! Didn't you always say that things happened for a reason?"

"Yes."

"So, why are you having problems now? Are you stressed? You never cried with me when you were stressed. You vented, but you never cried."

"I couldn't get stressed with you," she admitted. "It was all just emotional baggage. Especially during my periods."

"Especially during those," he nodded. "And, I'll still be here to take that emotional baggage during your pregnancy. Right?"

"Yeah," she smiled weakly.

"Feeling better now?" he asked. She nodded, and he kissed her passionately. Calling the others back in, Howard took a deep breath, as he walked into the room. Tears stained his face, and now he knew why Keltin told him to leave the room.  _If she saw me react to her, it would have only made it worse._  Sarine put up her mental emotional wall again, and the Whitesmith walked over to her.

"Keltin was right. I wasn't ready for that. Wow..." he said, and she leaned over to hug him tight and wipe off the rest of his tears. "I knew your periods were bad when I had to experience them, but this was just a whole new level! And, it was Seyren that you ended up talking to when you didn't have Keltin!"

"It's going to get worse," Keltin sighed, as he lay back in the bed.

"How?" Howard asked.

"Labor pains," he grinned. Howard stammered and looked over, as Eremes appeared with a plate of lightly cooked meat, cheese, and fruit. Doppy walked in next with some pitchers of water. Sarine smiled and had Howard sit on the bed in a way that she could recline between both him and Keltin. Howard moved to rest his hand on her belly, and she blushed lightly.

"After this, you're sleeping more," Eremes said, as he started to feed her.

"You know, I could go for something cold," she blinked. This made Keltin pause, since she was never one for cold treats.

"Cravings?" Howard frowned.

"Already?" Eremes paused.

"I'm not sure if we have anything," Doppy frowned. "I'll check."

As she ate and drank, Keltin thought. Howard looked at him curiously.

"The only thing that I can think of is an ice cream cone. That may be the best thing to have. The monsters that can give us ice cream cones are the Carats in Glast Heim. They tend to give it over rather quickly, as well as a few other things," Keltin said, as the information came to him. Eremes moved down the stairs to let Doppy know what to look for. Keltin looked up at them when they came back with an ice cream cone. It had a scoop of chocolate over a scoop of vanilla. She didn't know what it was.

"We only had one. Here," Doppy said, as he gave it to her. Smiling now, she began to eat it with relish. When that was done, she blinked.

"Um, now I want something spicy," she sighed. "Or hot. I think..."

"Hot and cold?" Howard frowned.

"Her twins!" Eremes hissed. "It's their natures!"

"Ugh," Howard groaned. "All right, all right. What do we have that's spicy?"

"I think Kathryne can make something. Hold on," Doppy snorted and walked out of the room. She frowned at first, but then she winced when she heard Kathryne screaming at being woken up, followed by the sound of a dull explosion. Then Doppy's deeper voice rang out explaining what was going on. More talking was given at length, and soon the sounds of something being made was heard. Doppy came back in with Kathryne, and Sarine was handed something called a Bomber Steak. Sniffing it, she ate with the same gusto as the ice cream.

"I'll make sure to have more meals made for her. Sorry for the Fire Ball, Doppy," Kathryne sighed. "It's not often I'm awakened late at night. I honestly thought you were Seyren!"

"If it wasn't for her, I would have taken it as a battle invitation," he grinned. "And you thought I was Seyren?! I feel disgusted!"

Howard laughed at that, and Kathryne apologized again with a soft giggle.

"Um..." Sarine frowned.

"What now?" Keltin paused.

"Something in-between," she said.

"What?" Howard blinked. "What do you mean something in-between?"

"Are you having triplets?!" Kathryne asked.

"No! No," Sarine shook her head. "It's just a craving I want."

"Let me see what I have," Kathryne sighed and went back to her room to search. They didn't have to wait very long, and a small juice container was given to her.

"Mastela Fruit Wine," Eremes chuckled. "Good one!"

"Are you sure that wine is good for her?" Howard frowned.

"It's a weak wine. It should be all right," Keltin nodded. On sipping it down, Sarine finally felt drowsy and fell into a deep sleep on Keltin's shoulder.

"Wow," Howard blinked.

"I guess she's done?" Eremes chuckled and removed the plate and empty juice container from the bed to set aside. They thanked Kathryne, and she said that the others had found someone selling a whole stock of good cooking materials. She further told them that she would have the dishes ready to give out, now that they knew what she needed. She left to head back to her room after that.

Howard and Keltin set Sarine fully onto the bed, and they were just amazed at the deep sleep she was in. She didn't even mutter when they nudged her by accident.

"She never slept like this before," Howard mused.

"A pregnancy does different things," Keltin chuckled.

"She could react differently to any of us," Eremes said.

"Hopefully not too much differently. She did sleep deeply when she was with me in Geffen Tower long ago. This is likely just from her pregnancy," Doppy grumbled. "I would hate to realize that she can get enraged easily, if she's pregnant with my children."

"You are no longer part of this conversation!" Howard snapped, and Doppy laughed. Keltin grinned, and Eremes shook his head.

"Should we try to sleep now?" Keltin asked.

"Yeah," Howard nodded, and they got comfortable. Eremes moved to recline in his usual corner, and Doppy set up by the door. A light tapping was heard on the door, and Doppy snarled. Howard sat up in the bed and crossed his arms, while Keltin simply listened. Eremes cracked an eye open with a frown. At the door was Mitchell, and Doppy snorted.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I need some advice," Mitchell sighed. Howard groaned and lay back in the bed. Keltin just blinked and muttered. Eremes chuckled and moved to walk out the door with Doppy to keep from waking Sarine.

"What is on your mind?" Eremes asked.

"Kathryne has been...well...demanding lately. I like her. Seriously, I do. But, it's like, she's not letting up. Yeah, I started sleeping in the same bed with her, and it feels natural. But, now she wants more, and I'm getting uncomfortable. I'm not ready to move to that next step," Mitchell sighed. "I honestly don't know how to tell her."

"Have you kissed her yet?" Eremes asked.

"On the cheek," he blushed.

"And what do you know about sex?" Doppy asked.

"Oh, I know everything! Don't get me wrong!" the young man blushed. "I just...I want to go slower. If I rush, I might make a mistake."

"There are no mistakes when it comes to mating," Doppy grinned. "You just make it more fun! Sometimes, mistakes lead to new things!"

"Easy for you to say, since you're a demon!" Mitchell grumbled. That made Doppy chuckle, and Eremes thought.

"Have you let Kathryne know how you felt?" Eremes asked.

"I tried," he frowned. "She's so possessive, in a way."

"That's Kathryne," Eremes sighed.

"Mitchell?" Kathryne frowned, as she stepped forward.

"Oh! Um, hi!" Mitchell smiled nervously, as he turned to face her.

"I heard what you said. I'm sorry," she said. "I just...I never met another like you before, and I'm just afraid of losing you."

"Kathryne, you should know that that's not going to happen," he sighed. The other two looked at each other and slowly backed away into the bedroom to let them talk. "You are an amazing woman to me. I just need you to ease up a bit. I haven't been in a relationship before, and neither have you. We both need to go slow. Right?"

"I know. I just see the happiness the others have, and I want to get up there with them!" Kathryne sighed. Mitchell noticed the others had left, and he pulled Kathryne back into their bedroom. Taking a deep breath, he pulled her close and kissed her. Wrapping her arms around him, she blushed when he was done.

"Please, Kathy. For me, let's go slow. Okay?" Mitchell smiled.

"Okay, Mitt. I'll try," she nodded. He kissed her again a bit deeper this time and had to admit that it felt really nice. Then he realized why she wanted to be with the others on their level. But, he wasn't ready to reach that point.  _Not yet._ Pulling away from her, he smiled and held her tightly to him.

"Soon," he said. "Not now. But soon. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. Smiling and giving her another kiss, they went back to bed.


	45. Chapter 45

Activity didn't start in the house until late in the morning. Storm Caller was busy going over the food inventories and making lists of what would need to be collected. Sammy was in the treasury going over how much money they had. Seyren had just finished pleasuring Karla when they finally came down the stairs first. Storm Caller gave Karla the shopping list for the day, and much of it was new furniture.

"Wait!" Kathryne said, as she came down the stairs. "I need these, too!"

"Oh?" Karla asked, as she looked over the recipe ingredients. "Why?"

"Sarine started to have odd cravings last night. Spicy stuff. Cold stuff. Even stuff in-between. I need to see if anyone is selling better cook books and other things to cook with."

"I'll look for you," Karla nodded.

"Unusual cravings!" Seyren mused.

"They think it's the nature of the twins," Kathryne nodded. That made Seyren blink and grin. A moment later, Lloyd and Margaretha came down the stairs to sit at the table. Then it was Cecil and Garrett.

"Love birds yet?" Seyren grinned.

"Not yet," Garrett chuckled. "We're taking it slow."

"Makes sense!" Mitchell said, as he came down the stairs to give Kathryne a kiss on the cheek and sat down.

"How is little sis?" Cecil asked.

"She's having cravings," Kathryne giggled. Cecil blinked at this news, and she smiled.

"Coming through!" Keltin said, as he escorted Sarine down the stairs. "She's famished! What do we have?!"

"Ugh," Sarine frowned. Howard set her down carefully. "This chair is cold!"

"I'll fix it," Doppy snorted and placed her in his lap.

"Irritable this morning," Eremes sighed. "Likely the demon twins."

"What was that?!" Sarine growled.

"Nothing, dear," Eremes mused and moved into the kitchen. He whispered to Karla to try to get ahold of some ice cream, and she nodded, as she wrote it down on her list.

"Why is it so hard?" Sarine frowned. Keltin moved to her side to soothe her calmly, and Howard was resting his forehead in his hands.

"I can tell you something that's hard," Doppy snickered and winced when she elbowed him. He did pause at how strongly she was able to jab at him.  _That was unlike her._

"You know what I'm talking about!" Sarine growled. "This...this pregnancy! Why am I acting like this? I just...I don't know..."

"It's not that bad," Keltin soothed softly. Cecil's eyes were wide open at the shock of how severe her moods were. Even Margaretha was concerned.

"Sarine," Howard said with a small sigh. Then he leaned forward to pull her towards him and kiss her passionately. That silenced her and made her blush. "From now on, every time you start up, I'll just kiss you and make you happy!"

"What?" she blinked, and he kissed her again. Doppy started laughing, but stopped rather quickly at Keltin's look. She sighed and winced.

"Sarine?" Eremes frowned, as he looked at her.

"Oh, boy. Um, take her outside so I can talk to her," Keltin said. "Now!"

"Yes, sir!" Howard grumbled and helped take her outside. On coming back inside, he winced at the onslaught of emotions that tore through him when her wall came down. His hands were in fists, as he struggled to keep from running out to her.

"Wow," Seyren said with genuine concern. "This...is bad."

"Keltin..." Howard gasped, as he fought back the tears. "has to take the brunt of her venting each time. I can't do it."

"Of course, you can't!" Doppy sighed. "At least she feels better afterwards."

"I know," Howard muttered and sat wearily at a table. Eremes could only watch, and he winced when he heard Sarine screaming. Yet, Keltin's soothing tone controlled her again, and the emotional wall was put back up.

"I think she's done," Doppy thought aloud.

"Finally," Howard gasped, as he wiped off the tears. Sarine walked back in shaking, and she went straight to Howard. He crushed her to him and shivered with her.

"I'm sorry!" she gasped, and he hugged her tightly. "I don't mean it!"

"Not your fault," he whispered softly. "It's all right, sweetheart. It's fine."

"What can we do?" Doppy frowned. "This obviously hurts her."

"I got it!" Karla grinned and had Luna fetch something out of her cart. "Eat this Sarine! Trust me! You'll feel so much better!"

"What?" Sarine blinked at the chocolate bar given to her. She never had chocolate like this before. The only time she had it was in the ice cream given to her last night, and she didn't realize what it was. On tasting it, she marveled at it, and ate it quickly. Her foul mood quickly dwindled to nothing, as the powerful stuff did its magic.

"Do you have any more of that?!" Keltin demanded.

"I have a few. I'll pick up more when I look for food stuffs," Karla grinned. "Chocolate always works wonders when I get depressed. It's awesome stuff!"

"I have a recipe for Chocolate Mousse Cake with enough ingredients. I'll make a few of them," Kathryne nodded. "Just for her!"

"Mmm!" Sarine sighed and leaned back against Howard blissfully.

"Yeah. We need more chocolate!" Howard chuckled.

"I'll be sure to get more," Karla chuckled.

"Please do?" Eremes smiled. She nodded and added it to the list with the ice cream.

"We should only give it to her when she gets bad like this. Too much of a good thing can be bad after a while," Margaretha nodded.

"Does this mean I'm bad for you?" Lloyd teased. She gave him a look, and he chuckled, as he rubbed his hand over hers.

"So, how far have you two gotten?" Seyren grinned.

"That's not your concern," Margaretha growled at him. Donnie and Coraline came down the stairs and announced that they were going to Comodo to recruit for the arena performances. Storm Caller nodded and wished them luck. Sammy moved over to Sarine to monitor her health, and he frowned.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"They are developing quickly. She may end up showing by the end of this week," he frowned. "Naght Seiger is a very powerful demon, and I am worried for her health."

At this, Howard got up and carried Sarine with him outside. Turning, he gestured for Sammy to follow. Eremes blinked and Cloaked to follow them, keeping far enough away to avoid detection. Outside at a safe distance from the house, Naght Seiger possessed Howard to an extent. He actually asked Howard if he could find out more, and the Whitesmith agreed. They were slowly working together to keep Sarine calm.

"Explain," Naght said, as Howard's pupils became the dull red pits to show he was listening. "What is going on with my offspring?"

"You know you are a powerful demon," Sammy started slowly to keep from angering him. "The children in Sarine are twins, as I'm sure you know. A girl and a boy. They are developing at such a pace that they could rip her open, if they get too big with accelerated growth. Her body needs to adjust to the changes naturally."

"Is there a way to slow them down?" Naght asked with genuine concern.

"I'm not sure. Even if we could see about slowing down their growth by half, it will help her immensely. I'm sure her body will adjust to them growing as they are now, but it will take a while for her to heal internally. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

"Yes, I do. I thought that, with her being Odin's daughter, there would be some way that everything would have worked out," he admitted.

"The children will be a third Demonic, because of you, and human the rest from Howard and Sarine. But, because of your power, they will grow quickly," Sammy nodded.

"What will happen to me?" Sarine frowned.

"You shouldn't be getting mood swings or cravings until your second month. Even the third month! You see how this is making you act now?" Sammy sighed. "It worries me."

"We will be cautious," Naght vowed. Sammy nodded and headed back to the house. Naght turned with her in his arms to look out over the ocean.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I was thinking about what you said," he muttered, as he stood with her, his back straight, and his form fluid. "I think it would be best for me to separate from this body when the time comes. It would be nice to hold you in my own arms."

"Really?" she blinked, as he cradled her to him.

"Of course, I won't want to give you up," he grinned. She smiled and leaned into him more. He let out his own deep, Demonic purr, and she blushed.

"Do all demons purr?" she asked.

"Only when fully content. Something I haven't felt...ever," he mused. "I can see now why everyone loves you as they do."

She blushed softly again, and he kissed her deeply. He grunted lightly when her hands came up to massage through his hair. Nuzzling into her now, he slowly relinquished control back to Howard. A sigh escaped him, as he kissed her again under his own control.

"How-How?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he smiled.

"Is it easier now?" she asked.

"Much," he nodded and hugged her tightly. Eremes Uncloaked and walked over to them. She looked over at him and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Eremes asked.

"Better. The chocolate helped," she nodded.

"I'm going to kiss Karla when I see her!" Howard said.

"Not in front of me!" she frowned, and he laughed, as he kissed her. Then she blinked and gasped in shock.  _Did I feel something move so soon?!_

"What?" Eremes asked. She pulled Howard's hand over her belly, and he frowned. Then his mouth dropped at the small kick he was greeted with.

"Moving? Already?!" Howard gaped. Eremes put his hand over her belly and swore. _They were growing quickly. Sammy was correct in his diagnosis._

"Sammy is right," Eremes frowned. "By the end of the week, you'll be showing. We need to find a way to slow them down, or you'll be giving birth at the end of the month. That would be too much of a strain on you."

"I don't know what to do," she sighed.

"It's okay. We'll think of something. Until then, we'll keep you happy and healthy," Howard said, as he kissed her forehead. "Should we go back?"

"Yeah," she nodded. Carrying her now, he looked at Eremes with a silent look of worry. Eremes was the same way. When they brought her back into the house, Eremes held up his hands before they could ask questions and told them what happened in verification to Sammy. When he said the twins were moving, Sammy was right at her side with his hands on her belly.

"It's true," Sammy frowned. Then pulled his hand away in surprise. "They kicked my hand! That's a strong kick!"

"What?!" Sarine asked with a grin.

"They did! They can sense me, and they kicked me away! Little buggers!" Sammy grinned and tried again. Already the twins were claiming hearts. He was exceptionally concerned at the fact that they were moving after only one day.  _That shouldn't have happened. All of the stress she was going through was clearly advancing their growth._

"Can I?" Seyren chuckled and she nodded. As he felt over her belly, he swore at a sharp kick to the palm of his hand. She giggled, and he looked at her with amazement.

"Demonic children," Doppy grinned and placed his hand on her belly. At a kick to his hand, he laughed. "They are already becoming aware. It's actually a bit natural."

"Is it?" Sammy asked.

"Yes. Especially with powerful demons. Children can hear inside the womb and react, if they can. Even in the state they are in now, it's a trait that cannot be ignored. They will know who all of us are when they are born," Doppy nodded.

"Amazing," Howard mused.

"But, it is only one that is really reacting to us," Doppy grinned. "Likely the boy. The girl may be more closely in tuned with humanity. The boy will be a bit more Demonic. It's a natural trait. Although, I could be wrong."

"Interesting to know," Eremes nodded. Keltin felt her belly next and chuckled at the feel of them. Then Howard blinked, as Naght insisted to feel for himself. When he placed his hand over her belly, the offspring within her instinctively knew him and moved around. He chuckled and let Howard have control back. The others were in shock at it.

"May I?" Ifrit hissed from Eremes, and Sarine blinked at him. Nodding lightly, he felt them and seemed to twitch a grin. A mild heat wave came out from him, but it wasn't overbearing to show he was in a good mood.

"Who are you?" Seyren frowned.

"Ifrit," Eremes hissed, as he turned to face the Lord Knight. Garrett blinked, pressed a kiss to Cecil's cheek, and quickly left to go outside. His Paladin nature would normally make him attack the demons on sight. He didn't want to do that, since they were also his friends.

Howard watched Eremes warily at first before settling back down. An uneasy truce was carefully built between them until Ifrit was gone. Then things started to settle down completely. Doppy chuckled and looked at Sarine. Her jaw was set, and something was clearly bothering her.

"Sarine?" Keltin asked carefully.

"I'm okay!" she said quickly. "It's just a lot for me to take in right now."

"If you say so," Keltin nodded. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"I'm fine," she smiled, and Howard pressed a kiss to her forehead. Eremes was shivering a bit now, since his body heat was gone, and she gestured for him to come close so she could hug him. Normally, this wouldn't bother Howard at all. He was used to this. But, Naght was a different story all together. Jealousy overcame him, and he quickly pulled her away.

"What?!" Eremes frowned.

"Huh?" Sarine blinked.

"I won't let you touch her!" Naght hissed, as he possessed Howard quickly.

"What about our truce?!" Eremes growled.

"To hell with it!" Naght sneered.

"Stop it..." Sarine whimpered and struggled to breathe normally. She was trying to focus on remaining calm. She was failing. "Just...stop it, please..."

"Guys!" Keltin growled, as he tried to help her. Doppy was up next to try to calm down Naght, but it was too late.  _The fighting mood was there._ She felt nauseous again, and Sammy gasped as he ran over to her. Then he paused, as he realized something.  _The negative energy she was receiving was feeding the children and forcing them to grow. The anger and rage was being absorbed. If panic set in, it would be even worse._

"STOP!" Sammy screamed. "Stop fighting!"

"Why?!" Naght hissed. Sarine winced, as her belly started to show the start of her pregnancy. Margaretha gasped and moved to help her, but Sammy stopped her.

"Negative emotions," Sammy said carefully. "Look at what they are doing."

Naght looked at her and paused with shock. Doppy was wincing in tune with Sarine's pains from the growth spurts, and he managed to keep others from noticing. It wasn't time for them to know that he could feel her like this. Normal aches and pains were one thing. He could handle that.  _Pregnancy pains were another._  Now that she was the focus point again, she started to feel depressed, and the pain of sudden growth hit her again. There was only one thought running through her mind.  _I can't do this!_ She did the only thing she could think of. She activated her Teleport clip and vanished.

She knew that it was going to cause uproar. She knew that it was going to cause a mass search for her. But, she had to get out of the room quickly. Appearing on a beach at the eastern part of the island, it was here that she bent over and vomited. All of the nutrients that she had were now gone. Her health was in danger. Coughing out what was left, she whimpered and placed her hands over her belly. The growing stopped, but now she had to deal with the painful aftermath. She looked almost four months pregnant, and the tears started up in her eyes, as she gasped for air.

"Sarine?!" Garrett said, as he ran to her. He saw her appear in the distance and couldn't believe his eyes. When he saw her vomit, he became concerned and moved over to her.

"Don't...come near..." she warned. "Negative emotions...make them grow..."

"What?" he asked. He looked at her belly now, and his jaw dropped.

"Just...go back the way you came. Please. Before they find you," she whispered.

"Like hell I will!" he growled and got into a defensive stature. She gasped and threw up again. Garrett turned to look at her and frowned. Then he looked up into the sky, as Muninn landed by her and shifted into his warrior form.

" _I will keep her safe now. You go back to the house. The last thing we need is an all-out war,_ " Muninn advised calmly. " _Go now._ "

"We'll be getting one shortly," Garrett grumbled, as four figures appeared with the help of their wedding rings. Nodding to Muninn, he quickly moved out of the way and out of sight.

"Sarine!" Keltin said, as he moved to her. Muninn quickly drew up his spear to stop them from getting closer. The spark of Lightning and flicker of Fire stopped them in their tracks.

" _Let me talk to her first, please! When I am done, I will let you all speak with her,_ " Muninn said. They paused before nodding. At the size of her belly, they all grimaced with complete understanding of the situation. Muninn looked at Howard, as though warning him of what was to come, and the Whitesmith winced with the knowledge. But he wasn't going to budge. Muninn moved to Sarine's side and carefully soothed her. He removed the negative thoughts that plagued her body, and he helped her regain herself in a rather smooth manner. He simply rubbed his hand over her back in a brotherly way, and he whispered to her of all the good things she had to give. She started to breathe easier, and even the twins settled down. She was calmed to such a point that the twins seemed to revert in growth so that she no longer showed. The crisis of her health was averted for now.

Howard blinked and gasped, as Naght took over to try and intervene, but then Sarine took down her mental wall when she started to break down. He never experienced this wave of emotion before. He only felt her fear and rage when she first fed him the emotions to come forth, and the other time to show she was in danger. Now, she was revealing the pain and hardship of her pregnancy. Since Howard was linked to her so emotionally, Naght felt every bit of what Howard was feeling. It stunned him hard.

"Howard?" Eremes frowned, but Howard shook his head. He didn't want to explain what was going on in his head right now. He wanted Naght to understand what he had to go through.

" _Put up your mental shielding. I will make sure that no more fighting happens around you. Keltin has done well, too, hasn't he? Doppy will have to learn to keep his thoughts to himself, should they get out of hand. Everyone is trying for you. I promise to help keep you happy and healthy,_ " Muninn said gently, as he continued to rub her back.

"Okay..." she whispered weakly. Regaining more control of herself, she was able to shield her emotions again. Naght relinquished his hold on Howard. He had to think rather carefully now. He finally saw into her mind in full, and he felt the brunt of her emotions to a point that he truly understood what she was going through.  _He felt her suffering._  Howard sighed and winced at everything, but he was glad the demon finally understood.

"Sarine..." Eremes whispered. Muninn rose up to glare at the four of them.

" _She almost lost the children!_ " he growled. " _You need to control your demons. Or does Huginn need to reprimand them for you?_ "

"No!" Howard growled and sighed. "Naght understands what she is going through now. He is rethinking on various things."

"If Ifrit or Naght tries again, I think Huginn should talk to them," Eremes nodded.

"I'm trying," Doppy frowned.

"I'm doing all I can, too," Keltin sighed. Muninn nodded and carefully helped up his sister. Giving her a potion, he let her rinse out her mouth.

" _She threw up everything she had from the stress of her body. I'll give her back to you, but, please. No. More. Fighting. If not for her, then for me. I will attack the lot of you, if this happens again!_ " he warned. The four men blinked and looked at each other uneasily. They were dealing with her brother now. They knew what he was capable of. Then she whimpered, as the tattoo glowed on the back of her neck, and Huginn emerged.

"Not only him, but me! Do you have any idea how hard this is?! I'm not even in my own physical form, and I already want to kill the lot of you! I'm the one who's going to have to help her go through the labor pains!" Huginn growled.

"I'll be feeling the pain, too," Doppy frowned.

"That may be so, but heed this. She still has a mission to complete. If she dies, then everything is lost! Keep her happy, and no negativity! Every depressed, upset, or angry emotion that filters through her feeds these twins. And when they grow, they grow fast. You saw what was happening, and Muninn may not be able to reverse the growth again. Ifrit and Naght Seiger! I command you both to come forward! I may as well speak to you both now!" Huginn commanded. "So, come out and face me!"

"Huh?!" Naght said, as he was suddenly pulled into Howard's body.

"What?!" Ifrit growled, as Eremes's body flooded with heat.

"The two of you will listen and obey! I am Huginn! I will not separate you now, but I will limit your access! The moment the two of you start to reveal negative emotions, you will both be ejected from the bodies of your hosts! Do you hear me?!" Huginn grounded out.

"Yes," Naght and Ifrit said at the same time.

"If you fight this, then you will kill the one thing you are both striving to protect! Since you both agreed to what I have said, I will allow you both to listen and watch what happens while your hosts are human tomorrow. There may even be times that you can come forth while they are human. Remember! It's the Vessel's birthday. There is to be no fighting or negativity towards anyone or anything. No one can allow the Vessel to die. Father Odin's gift of fertility is something he could easily take away. This body can reject the children. If she rejects even ONE child, she will likely never be able to conceive again! So remember that!" Huginn threatened. That made the strong monsters shudder with rage, but they remained vigil. They knew who they were dealing with now, and they would not allow anything bad to happen from this point forward. When Sarine collapsed, Muninn caught her carefully.

" _The two of you, Ifrit and Naght Seiger, remember. She is very fragile no matter how much power she holds. She can still die. She loves you both and her husbands, too. She must be able to share her love equally. If she cannot, then she will end up feeling hurt and betrayed. Remember this, and take it seriously,_ " Muninn warned.

"I understand," Ifrit nodded and relinquished control of Eremes.

"I will try and contain my anger," Naght nodded and released Howard. Once that was done, Muninn let Keltin approach Sarine and cradle her carefully. Nodding now, Muninn became his falcon form again and flew off. When Sarine came to, she shivered and moved to stand away from everyone to look at them all.

"Are you all right?" Howard asked, and she moved to hug him. Then she moved to Eremes to give him back some warmth. Doppy was next, and finally Keltin.

"I feel a bit woozy," she admitted. "I really need to eat something again."

"We'll get you something," Keltin said.

"I can carry her," Doppy said. The others nodded, and he scooped her up easily. "You'll be fine. We'll take care of you and everything you need."

"I know," she nodded.

"And, I think I just thought of the perfect birthday gift," Keltin grinned.

"Oh, dear," she sighed, and the others laughed. She was happy now, but also exhausted. As they talked among each other on the walk back, Doppy glanced at them, and they chuckled, as she had fallen asleep being carried.

"Wow," Howard said.

"We'll get her something to eat," Eremes nodded.

"Everything tires her out so fast now. We need to be much more careful with her," Keltin smiled. "I'm starting to think that this is part of her pregnancy."

"No fighting for her in the arena! If anyone challenges her, I'll take them on," Doppy growled. "I don't want her fighting while she's pregnant."

"Don't you do that, anyways?" Howard grinned.

"I'll always enjoy it!" Doppy smirked. Eremes chuckled and went into the house first to keep the others quiet and to tell them what happened. Garrett was sitting with Cecil again, and he blinked that Huginn put the strong demons to rest for now. Seyren was frowning at the whole thing, but he forced a lighter mood when Doppy brought in Sarine. The ground rule was simple.  _No negative thoughts around her while she was pregnant._ They couldn't risk another episode like this happening again.

"Huh?" Sarine blinked, as she woke with a yawn. Doppy chuckled warmly and sat down with her in his lap to support her. Howard nodded to Eremes to get her something to eat. Keltin was going to work on his gift for her and went into the treasury.

The moment the fruit bowl was placed in front of Sarine, she managed to pick at it a little. Her stomach was still upside down from everything. Howard frowned and took out his axe to run his finger along the edge of it. Showing his bleeding finger to her, she yanked on his hand to put the wound into her mouth.

"Um, wow?" Howard blinked.

"Hmm," Doppy frowned, as he watched her. Margaretha had to turn away for a moment, but she knew it was to help Sarine.

"What is it?" Eremes frowned.

"Howard," Doppy said carefully. "take her upstairs to the bedroom."

"Why?" he frowned. Doppy leaned over and whispered to him. Howard stammered and looked at him with disbelief.

"Trust me," Doppy said with a slow nod. "It's needed."

With his finger still in Sarine's mouth, he moved to carefully lift her up and carry her into the bedroom. Keltin came back from the treasury and frowned when Sarine wasn't there. Doppy gestured to him, and he moved over to the demon. Then Keltin blinked and whistled when Doppy whispered to him.

"What is it?" Eremes frowned. Keltin glanced at the others nervously and whispered to him what needed to be done. Eremes hissed and blinked at Doppy's small grin.

"What?" Seyren asked.

"Can't tell you. It's too...odd," Eremes frowned.

"Oh, come on!" Kathryne said.

"Surely you can tell us?" Margaretha asked. Karla and Lloyd had already left for Prontera. Cecil looked at Garrett with a frown.

"Fine," Doppy growled. "She needs to drink some of his blood as replacement nourishment. Her body is too weak for normal food at the moment."

That made everyone go silent, and he simply grinned.


	46. Chapter 46

Up in the bedroom, Howard had sat Sarine down on the bed. She still had his finger in her mouth, but it was already closing up. Gazing at her, he pulled his finger away from her and kissed her hard. She whimpered, and he hugged her tight.

"Sarine," he whispered. "I want you to do something."

"What?" she whispered back.

"I'm going to cut myself, and I want you to drink some of my blood. It will strengthen you," he said. "Doppy thinks our twins need it."

"But...How-How..." she whimpered.

"I know you need this, too. Look at what you did down there! Don't worry. I'll be okay. You let me do it to you. Now it's time for you to do this to me," he smiled. Undressing himself quickly, he helped her next. Making sure he had a knife, he set it in the bathroom first. Then he took her into the bathroom to set her on the fur rug there. Pulling her close, he kissed her gently, and he grunted when her hands moved over his chest and shoulders. Refusing to give in to himself wanting to push her against the ground, he had her sit on him with her legs around his waist. Pulling her close, he shivered as need for her started to set in.

Gasping at it, he kissed her harder, groaning at the strain from the very feel of her around him. Reaching for the small knife he put close by, he carefully scratched open his skin along the curve of his neck. He cried out when her mouth locked on there, releasing hard into her. Tensing with each swallow she did, he gave in to her over and over within her. When her tongue pressed against the wound to try and open it wider, he screamed and released so hard that she cried out with him. Clinging to each other now, they rode out the pleasures that rocked them with shivering gasps for air. A few minutes later, he was able to pull up a potion to them so he could drink it down and heal his skin.

"Are you okay, How-How?" she asked. He gave a weak smile and held her.

"How do you and Eremes do it?" he sighed, as he pressed his head against her neck. "I can barely last against something like that!"

"Pleasure and pain?" she chuckled throatily. "At least you get a general idea."

"I'd get you back, but I won't risk it. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better. I think I may need this more often than I would care to admit."

"Well, I'll have to make sure to drink more water, then," he chuckled. She nodded with a soft, warm smile. He kissed her again, hugged her, and cradled her close. Her belly finally felt like it was able to digest again, and she moved his hand over her womb. The movement was slow now, and he just grinned a fatherly grin.

"What?" she asked.

"Twins!" he chuckled. She laughed, and he pressed his forehead to hers. "What do you want to do now?"

"I wouldn't mind watching the arena. I figure that, when Karla gets back, we can wait until the arena is closed and do the Dead Branches there. This way I'll be at a safe enough distance, and I'll be able to befriend any monsters needed that are summoned," she smiled.

"That is a very good idea!" Howard smiled back. "Want me to help you get dressed?"

"Not just yet," she whispered and leaned into him. "I'm really comfortable right now. Is...is this okay?"

"Everything is perfectly fine for you," he said tenderly and held her. Stroking her hair and her back, he just held her. When he felt her give all her weight to him, he paused to find her asleep. At a light tapping on the door, he gave the okay to enter, but to be silent.

Eremes walked in as quietly as he could and sat down with him. Howard told him what she suggested with the Dead Branches, and it was agreed to quickly.

"She sleeps so much now," Eremes sighed.

"I'd rather her sleep than get sick," Howard frowned.

"Heard and noted," Eremes agreed. "I'll let the others know what is going on. Figure an hour would be good?"

"That should work," he nodded. Saluting each other, Eremes walked out of the room. It was actually a little over an hour when Sarine finally woke up with a light stretch. Howard had drifted off here and there with her, so he felt rested, too.

"Did I fall asleep?!" she gasped.

"It's all right, love," Howard smiled and kissed her gently. "You needed it."

"Oh. Did anyone look for us?"

"Eremes did. I told him what you suggested, and he liked the idea, too."

"Good," she smiled. Her belly rumbled for real food, and Howard helped her up. Dressing her first and then himself, he placed the knife in the bathroom carefully out of sight. After that, he led her down the stairs. When she came down the stairs, it was to a bakery. Everyone was trying to make things for her. Failed recipes were tossed aside, and successful recipes were put away. She blinked at it, and Howard grinned when Karla showed him where a bunch of his new forging stock was.

Setting Sarine down at a table, Doppy was right there to let her sit in his lap. A large roast was set in front of her, and she tucked right in. The blood she drank from Howard substituted for her need to have rare meat. It was a big relief to everyone. Howard was given a pitcher of water to drink down. When she was done, she finally felt full. Of course, she didn't decline the chocolate milk given to her to drink.

"Better?" Doppy smiled.

"Much," she nodded.

"Are you sure you want to go to the arena?" Sammy frowned. Dracula was substituting for him while he was with Sarine. He was actually enjoying the job of being a judge.

"I think it will be all right. As long as no anger is directed at me, then I should be fine," she nodded. He thought about it and nodded.

"We'll chance it. But, if anything happens, we must remove you," Sammy warned.

"Heard and noted," Eremes said. The Miyabi Ningyo walked over to her and lightly cleaned her up. She needed to look presentable to the public.

"Incubus and Succubus have been a great help with the guest balcony! We could really use more help, though," Doll frowned. "Would it be possible for more recruits?"

"After my birthday tomorrow, we will see about going to Glast Heim. I'm sure we can find others there," Sarine said. Doll nodded and removed the dirty dishes in front of her.

"Ready?" Doppy asked, as he moved to carry her. She nodded and frowned.

"I should walk," she said.

"Do you feel you can?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," she nodded. Setting her down, she linked her arm in his and in Keltin's. Keltin was happy to finally see her doing so well. Sammy did walk up to her and press a hand to her belly. He felt much better. _The twins' growth had slowed just like we wanted._

"Heading to the arena?" Seyren chuckled. "I'll leave a note for Coraline and Donnie so they'll know where we are."

"Are you feeling better?" Mitchell asked Sarine.

"Much better, thanks," she nodded. Kathryne gave Doll a couple chocolate dishes and a few others in case Sarine got hungry. Storm Caller moved up to Sarine and frowned.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"The Cat Hand Rogue Guild's leader, Ripclaw, would like to talk to you soon," he said. Sarine frowned, but Storm Caller quickly added something else. "It's nothing serious. He just wants to check up on you."

"Oh. All right, then. How soon?" she asked.

"He is willing to wait until after tomorrow. He needs to contact Blent, anyways. I just wanted you to know," Storm Caller nodded. Nodding to him, the others sighed with relief. They didn't want her feeling any form of negativity. Eremes will warn Ripclaw when he saw him. Storm Caller had refrained from telling her that Malore was demanding to see her. _That would have caused an unneeded uproar._

As they walked to the arena, Eremes moved in front of them and rose up his hand to stop them. Looking up, Windwalker landed to confirm what he heard.

"A civilian has wandered away from the arena and is close by," Eremes sighed. "It's as though they simply never learn!"

"Oh, dear," Sarine sighed and let herself get swept up by Howard. She got placed on Windwalker's back and shielded by the Gryphon's wings. The monsters knew that she was carrying children, as they were made aware by Muninn, and he explained to them as to what protection she needed right now. Sarine blinked, as Pori-Pori bounced over to join her on the Gryphon's back, and she laughed. Eremes smiled, as he knew the monsters were focused on keeping her happy.

"I'll go with Windwalker to the arena. You guys find the idiots and send them away!" Howard grumbled. "She doesn't need the stress!"

"I'll go with you," Keltin nodded. Eremes and Doppy nodded to each other and spread out to search. Pori-Pori and Sarine were making funny faces at each other in the form of a game now, and Howard found himself laughing at it. Pori-Pori was incredibly clever.

"You know, Pori-Pori," Keltin grinned, and the monster looked at him. "you could sit in Sarine's lap, and, if anyone says that they want to challenge her, you could mishear as you."

That made Pori-Pori bounce with joy and chittered with agreement.  _The challenger would become too flustered and an easy defeat._

"Just save one for Doppy, eh?" Howard grinned. Pori-Pori stuck out his tongue, and Howard laughed. Even Keltin laughed at the motion.

"It's a shame that you can't talk in human speech, Pori-Pori," Sarine frowned. "I know that some monsters can. I would have thought that you could from how powerful you are."

"Actually, I can," Pori-Pori grinned, his voice being exceptionally deep due to his power status. "I just know that body language works best. I'll only talk to you from now on, though!"

Keltin stammered, and Howard had his eyes wide with amazement.

"Oh!" she smiled.

"Think of it as an early birthday present!" Pori-Pori nodded and snuggled into her.

"Thank you!" she smiled and beamed now.

"Clever!" Keltin said with a chuckle.

"She'll be in a good mood for the rest of the day!" Howard grinned. Pori-Pori winked at him and continued to snuggle Sarine.

"So, what do you like to do?" she asked, as Windwalker lowered a wing to show that they were at the arena. "What makes you happy?"

"Beating up humans, pie, candy...oh, did I say beating up humans?" Pori-Pori giggled. She laughed and hugged him, as she moved off Windwalker's back to sit down at the balcony. Howard moved behind her to let her recline on him, and she blinked, as Doll brought up some new furniture to replace the odd bench that was there. Having Howard get up with Sarine for the furniture to be removed, the replacement was a vast improvement. The new red and gold, luxurious, royalty made love seat was now in place with a bunch of plush cushions there. The ordinary chairs were replaced into the forms of small thrones that matched it in likeness. As an added benefit of the love seat, it could have the main seat pull out into the form of a small bed for resting on, if needed.

"Wow," Keltin grinned.

"It was only suiting according to what Karla has said," Doll nodded. "Upgrades will be made at the guest balcony now, too, but not as overdone as this."

Sarine blinked again and saw that all of the arena stadium seating was being upgraded.

"Can we afford all of this?" Sarine asked.

"These are gifts from Midgard Kingdom," Garrett said, as he approached her. "Thanks to the arena, funding is flowing in like water. His Royal Majesty declared that his visit will be in three days, and he had decreed that everything must meet his specifications."

"Wow!" Sarine blinked, and Pori-Pori watched Garrett with interest, as he settled in her lap. Then Pori-Pori moved up to Sarine's shoulder and whispered to her. She looked over at Pori-Pori and smiled softly with a giggle.

"Did it just talk to you?!" Garrett blinked.

"Yes. He only talks to me now, as an early birthday gift," Sarine blushed. Keltin chuckled, and Garrett figured out it was to keep her happy.

"Clever, isn't he?" Howard grinned, as he let Sarine snuggle into his chest.

"Very. I'll have to watch my back on you!" Garrett joked.

"I should fight him again!" Pori-Pori said to Sarine. Garrett blinked that the voice was so deep for a Poring-type monster.

"Oh, don't do that. Then that would upset me," she frowned. Pori-Pori made such a funny face at her that she burst into small giggles. Howard giggled with her and kissed her cheek. Keltin found himself chuckling.

"I think I'll challenge Arch-Angeling, Angeling, Skeggiold, and Deviling to a funny face contest! You can be the judge! Want to do that tomorrow, as a birthday present from us?" Pori-Pori asked. "I promise that it will be fun!"

"I would love to do that!" she smiled.

"Damn! He's already thinking of ways to keep her happy!" Howard said with amazement. "I wouldn't have thought of such a thing!"

"We should have just asked for their help from the start," Keltin sighed. Garrett was in too much shock at what the monsters were doing for her now. She pointed to Sammy, as he walked to the judge's chair to relieve Dracula, and Sammy waved to her with a grin. She saw her friends move to the chairs below her balcony, and they were in awe at the upgraded seating. All of the chairs were plush and made of solid trunk wood.

"I want to challenge her now!" a challenging Stalker said, as he pointed at her. On cue, Pori-Pori winked and jumped down from the balcony.

"Pori-Pori? Okay!" the Kafra Agent smiled.

"No! I meant..." the Stalker frowned, as Pori-Pori bounced. "Humph! Pori-Pori? That monster's a legend! This is just a Poring! Whatever. I'll do it!"

"Fight!" Sammy grinned. The Stalker got his ass kicked in one round. Pori-Pori bounced on his gut several times, made a face at him, and bounced back over to Sarine. She was giggling the whole time and hugged Pori-Pori when he came back. Keltin nudged Howard slightly, and they looked over to find Doppy and Eremes escorting a younger adventurer back to the Kafra Agent. Storm Caller appeared at the arena, and several challengers gaped at the sight of him. He moved over to the Kafra Agent and explained that Sarine was not eligible for fighting due to her new condition. The Kafra Agent blinked and nodded with understanding. When he left, he nodded to Sarine and her husbands before going back to the house.

"So, who was that guy?" Keltin asked, as he referred to the adventurer.

"The guy thought he could pick a fight with something," Eremes grunted, as he sat down in one of the new chairs.

"Yeah. Me!" Doppy growled before curbing his attitude when he sat down. "Nice chairs!"

"Compliments of the King of Prontera," Keltin chuckled.

"Really?" Eremes mused. They watched a High Wizard come up and attempt to challenge Sarine. Doppy's gaze smoldered with hatred at this.

"She is currently with child and not eligible for fighting," the Kafra Agent said calmly. "Please choose another."

"Oh, come on! I waited my whole life to battle someone like her!" the High Wizard wined. "I want a challenge!"

"I'll take him in her place!" Doppy called out, as he stood up. The High Wizard stammered and decided to wait until she was ready to fight again. No one wanted to stand up to Doppy. He was far too ruthless in the arena, and that was the point he was getting across.  _No one was allowed to fight Sarine at this time._  She looked up, as Muninn perched on the new ledge available for him, and he bobbed his head at her.

"It's good to see you, too!" she smiled. Looking down at the arena again, she watched the next fight between an Archer and a powerful Mastering. The Archer was able to defeat the Mastering, and the monster was Teleported away before it was killed. That was to show the monster was fully defeated. Then she blinked when a Monk challenged the Arch-Angeling. Justice grinned, as he approached the arena, and clobbered the Monk in three moves.

"Fun stuff," Doppy smirked. She smiled with agreement and frowned when she was challenged again. Pori-Pori bounced off her lap and started to head down to the arena.

"There's Pori-Pori taking up the challenge!" Sammy grinned. "You did point at Pori-Pori, right? You must have!"

The Lord Knight stammered, as he pointed at Sarine, yet Pori-Pori was in her lap.

"Clever," Doppy grinned. The fight was over before it started, and Pori-Pori was back in her lap and snuggling.

"I should do this more often!" Pori-Pori giggled.

"Did he just talk?!" Eremes hissed.

"Only to Sarine," Howard grinned. Doppy laughed now at what was being done to keep Sarine happy. Pori-Pori winked at them and beamed.

"Hmm," Sarine thought aloud, as she gave a sultry smile on her face.

"What?" Howard grinned.

"I have this urge to dance," she giggled.

"Really?" Doppy grinned.

"We're back!" Coraline grinned. "We got approval for random shows to be done, and other girls will be here in a couple of days."

"Good. Just in time," Eremes chuckled. "Make some music for us?"

"Definitely!" Donnie smiled. He started to strum his guitar and tap a beat with his foot. Pori-Pori bounced off Sarine's lap to let her up so she could dance a bit with Howard. Then she started to sing as she danced. She was truly in a good mood now, yet her voice was sultry and started to make Howard sweat, as he danced with her. The song she sang was about lust and desire, and Eremes was gaping at her. Donnie simply grinned a bit wickedly and kept with the beat, as she wriggled her hips to the tune he made.

She didn't know that Coraline started to sing and choreograph with her, or that the rest of the audience was in shock at the free show they were getting. Succubus was soon at her side to sing with her and dance. She was even using Incubus as Sarine was using Howard to keep up with the dance. If they had Zealotus with them, it would have been overkill. Doppy was grinning wickedly the whole time. Keltin was just stammering at the whole thing.

She moved her body over Howard's like he was a living pole. The effect was immediate with him. She easily pulled and moved him into the dance she did, as though he was entranced. Doppy knew it was the Demonic blood in her system now.  _Only something like this would happen at random._ When it was over, she pulled Howard into a kiss that shook the arena to a roar of approval.

"I think we have a show!" Coraline laughed and clapped.

"Huh? Oh!" Sarine blushed, as she didn't know she was being watched by the crowd, and Howard laughed. Succubus blew her a kiss and stood with her to one side now. Incubus snickered, winked at Sarine, and went to see if the guest balcony needed any assistance. Seyren was staring at her with amusement, and Garrett was grinning like mad. Sammy was just in a daze and snapped out of it at the roar of the crowd. Lloyd was chuckling and looking away, as Margaretha was just clucking her tongue and smiling. Cecil and Kathryne were teasing Mitchell, since he was blushing like crazy. Donnie was just whistling, as he strummed his guitar, happy to have been able to participate in such a thing. Eremes was planning to be the pole next time, and he grinned at the thought.

"You had better teach me that song and dance!" Karla hollered from where she was. Sarine giggled and waved to her. Succubus tiptoed over to Sarine and whispered to her. Blinking at her, she smiled. They started to talk at length of other dances they could do, and Howard just groaned, as the talk got into more risqué things.

"I would much rather see her happy than mad," Doppy snickered.

"True," Howard sighed, as he sat down. Sarine sat down with him, tilted his face to hers, and engaged him in a kiss that shook him to the core once again.

"Eremes," Keltin grinned, and the Assassin Cross rose up to gently escort Coraline and the monsters out of the booth. Coraline blushed, and Donnie walked with her to the seating below. Muninn flew up a bit to land on the top of the curtain rods, as they were pulled shut. One of her husbands was ready to block anyone that tried to peer in as they each took their turns with her. By the time they were finished, a few fights had passed, and Keltin was holding her in his arms on the love seat. Howard had a small wound on his neck, and Keltin Healed him.

"I love you all," she smiled with exhaustion. Each one voiced out their love for her, and she felt completely at ease. Doppy handed Howard some juice to replenish the loss of blood.

"Are you hungry?" Keltin asked her. She nodded, and a Spicy Curry was placed in front of her. Eating it quickly, a dish called Lutie Cold Noodle was placed in front of her, and she demolished that. Then she was given a chocolate drink. The others ate small bits of meat and fruit. She had to eat the full meals for the twins.

"I feel so much better," she smiled, and Keltin kissed her forehead. Pori-Pori bounced back into her lap, and he started to talk to her about things they could do when the arena was over. He was full of ideas, and her men were amazed.

"So, yeah, we should explore the island more. There could be more to it!" Pori-Pori bounced. "Both above ground and underground!"

"That would be a good idea. Have the others found anything?" Sarine asked.

"Well, other than an old cave system that Tao Gunka found below the island, a neat set of ruins are here! They are at the northern part of the island," he said.

"Another cave system?" Eremes asked. Pori-Pori just nodded to him, as he would only talk to Sarine. She smiled at this and cuddled Pori-Pori.

"We'll have to check that out," Doppy grinned.

"After Glast Heim," Sarine said. Keltin nodded. "Are you all right, How-How?"

"I'm in a state of bliss!" Howard grinned. He couldn't be further from the truth. She blushed at him and looked back at the current fight between a Swordsman and the Merman. The Merman had gained the skill to freeze others and then use the skill of Brandish Spear. The fight was over after it started.

"Valkyrie really pumped them up!" Doppy whistled.

"Did Valkyrie do anything to you?" she asked Pori-Pori.

"Nah! I'm strong enough!" he grinned. Then the crowd hushed, as a Demonic roar sounded throughout the island, and Baphomet charged up to the arena. Sarine smiled, rose up with Pori-Pori in her arms, and waved to him.

"Vessel of Odin!" he rumbled, as he approached her. He was pleased that he could see her at eye level. He blinked, as she seemed to be glowing.

"Baphomet! I am pregnant with twins!" she smiled.

"Really?!" he said with awe. Now he realized why she was glowing. "And who is the lucky father, if I may ask?"

"I am. And Naght Seiger, since it's his blood in my system, too," Howard chuckled.

"What?!" Baphomet said with amazement. Howard let Naght come forth, and his form billowed out with the demon's form. The crowd was now hushed with fear and amazement.

"The...children...are...mine..." Naght hissed before dimming back down for Howard to talk normally for him. "I convinced Odin to let me impregnate her."

"I see," Baphomet mused. "And you curb your hate for her?"

"Only for her," he nodded. They moved into their Demonic Tongue to talk to each other at length before Baphomet was satisfied with everything. Mainly, it was only to catch up on what he missed since the last time he saw her.

"Well, congratulations," Baphomet nodded. Naght cracked a grin before letting Howard gain control again. He coughed a bit before sitting back down.

"Don't forget about me!" Ifrit hissed, as he appeared from Eremes.

"Interesting," Baphomet grinned. Then he looked at Seyren oddly, as the Lord Knight looked back at him. Then he looked at the others to study them.

"They all have demon blood," Ifrit hissed. "The Lord Knight has yours, you know."

"What?" Baphomet growled and looked down at Seyren.

"It's true," Seyren nodded. Baphomet was now a touch pissed off, but Muninn warbled for his attention to explain how Sarine's condition was affected by negative emotions.

"We will talk later. Maybe," Baphomet rumbled. Seyren nodded with understanding. Karla frowned, but Seyren put his hand on hers to show it was fine. No one wanted to upset Sarine. Ifrit sank back down into Eremes, and he shivered. He'll never get used to the feeling of his body heat being stripped from him each time. Unknown to any of them, Baphomet willed his blood in Seyren to wake to a point out of curiosity to see if it could be done. He seemed to chuckle to himself that he could keep an eye on Sarine this way.  _The Lord Knight will now be my link, and it would be known in time._  Through him, Baphomet learned that it was going to be Sarine's birthday the next day, and he mused at this.

"So, what brings you here?" Sarine asked pleasantly.

"To see what idiot wants to fight me!" Baphomet snickered. No one stepped forward, save for a Champion who accepted the challenge.

"Is there to be a charge?" the Kafra Agent asked quickly. Baphomet was confused at first, but Keltin explained to him what she meant. The massive demon found it amusing that humans would willingly pay to die, but he was impatient to fight.

"For this first battle, no," the demon snorted.

"Do you accept the challenge, Baphomet?!" Sammy asked.

"Yes!" Baphomet hissed out. The crowd was pleased, since it was going to be a rare fight. Sarine watched with a bit of concern, but Pori-Pori got her laughing with a funny face.

"And the challenger accepts, as well?!" Sammy asked to keep the crowd pleased.

"Yes!" the Champion nodded.

"Since this is Baphomet's first fight, we shall wave the fee, as he requested! Fight when ready!" Sammy grinned. Baphomet withstood the Asura Strike and slashed down with his scythe. Baphomet Jr. was in the stands cheering his father on and hissing at the challenger. Baphomet stomped on the ground to Stun and then delivered a massive killing move, effectively ending the fight. Margaretha ran down to the arena floor to Resurrect the Champion and send him to the loser's circle. The crowd went wild, as Baphomet roared his victory and then glared at anyone else that would dare to challenge him again.

"I look forward to the next challenger!" Baphomet rumbled and moved over to stand by where Sarine's balcony was. Sarine smiled and rose up to speak with him.

"Would you like to feel the twins?" she smiled.

"They move already?" he chuckled. Pressing one hot clawed finger over her belly, he grinned at the kicks they gave him.

"They are very demanding," she sighed.

"As all demon kind can be," Baphomet snorted. "I am not sure if I'll be here tomorrow for your birthday, so I have a gift for you now."

"Oh?" she blinked with a smile. He gave over a special sword called a Holy Avenger and a War Axe. On top of that, he gave her a Yggdrasil Berry. Howard looked at Seyren with a touch of surprise at how Baphomet knew about her birthday, and the Lord Knight shrugged. He didn't feel Baphomet awaken his Demonic blood.

"For you to do with as you please," he rumbled.

"Thank you!" she beamed. "They shall be used wisely."

"I must go now. I'll see you soon," he nodded. She nodded back, and he walked off to explore the island.

_:You are. Daughter. To him.:_  Muninn warbled and chirped.

"Really?" Sarine blinked. He nodded lightly. She smiled in wonder of it, and Howard gave a slow whistle at the War Axe.

"I think Karla should use that. Your axe is stronger," Eremes grinned.

"True," Howard chuckled. "You know, I never really told you about my axe. The red axe I always have. I named it the Vecer Axe. You recall the noise it makes when I swing it?"

"I think so," Sarine nodded. "I know I heard it when you first came to my rescue long ago and...well...in Lighthalzen..."

"You know I didn't mean that..." he sighed and kissed her deeply.

"I know. But, as you were saying about the warning?" she asked with a soft smile. He hugged her close and chuckled.

"It's a warning to those around me to buzz off!" he grinned. She laughed, and he kissed her again. It was getting close to sunset now, and the arena was starting to close up.

"Should you try to make a few things?" she asked.

"Nah. The arena will be closed tomorrow for your birthday, and I'll have plenty of time to try to build up stock. I'll let you watch me!" he grinned.

"I do like to watch," she nodded. He smiled and hugged her tight. She sat down with him and sighed. He looked over at her, and she started to appear exhausted.

"We have another hour before the arena is over. Do you want to sleep until then?" Eremes asked her. "You look like you need it."

"I think..." she paused, as a yawn erupted from her.

"I'll lie down," Howard chuckled and stretched himself out on the love seat. A couple soft cushions were set for his head. The front of the love seat came out to form the makeshift bed for them. Wearily, she let them help her stretch out over him. Once her head was nestled over his heart to listen to his heartbeat, she was asleep.

"Asleep already," Keltin sighed.

"She needs it," Howard said. He gently moved her hair from her face in the form of a soft caress. Pori-Pori positioned himself carefully in front of her in case anyone tried to point at her to fight her. Doppy snickered at it and looked down at the arena floor. As the fights progressed, time passed quickly.

"There should be newer challenges for the arena," Eremes thought aloud.

"We should include special night shows that are double in price," Howard mused. "It will be harder for others to fight each other in darkness. What do you guys think?"

"Sounds cool," Doppy nodded. The arena started to light up with spots of fire around it now that the sun had set. It was just enough light for the crowd to find their way, as they started leaving. Pulling the curtains closed now, Doppy stood up to block the entrance into the booth effectively in case anyone tried to disturb Sarine. Eremes was a touch amazed that she slept through the crowd's banters.

"I've never seen her sleep so deeply," Eremes frowned.

"She slept like this in Geffen Tower," Doppy grunted, as he blocked a male Archer from trying to look into the balcony booth.

"You didn't mark her in the tower, did you?" Keltin asked.

"I should have, but no. I didn't," he said.

"Wow," Howard blinked, and the others looked at him. "The twins are kicking me rather hard! Are they growing?"

"Let me get Sammy," Eremes said and Cloaked to make his way to him safely. Within minutes, Sammy was there at her side. Pori-Pori jumped down from her and moved to harass the crowd into leaving faster.

"Such a deep sleep!" Sammy mused, as Eremes Uncloaked to watch carefully. The boy placed his hand carefully on her belly and paused to monitor her.

"What do you think?" Howard asked.

"They aren't growing. Just active now. All demons are more active at night, usually. She's fine," Sammy nodded. "Twins are healthy as ever!"

"Good," Eremes nodded.

"We just wanted to make sure," Keltin smiled.

"I know!" Sammy grinned. "I want to make sure she's fine, too. I am a bit concerned of her sleep right now. How long has she been asleep like this for?"

"A little over an hour. When the crowd disperses we were going to wake her," Howard said. "It seems to be a side effect of the pregnancy."

"Hmm," Sammy frowned.

"What?" Doppy growled.

"This sleep is almost like a form of unconsciousness, but it isn't. I don't like it," Sammy admitted. "Naght, if you're there, can you help me evaluate her?"

Howard took a deep breath, as his eyes glowed a dull red. Carefully, Howard ran a hand over her form under Naght's control, and Sarine stirred lightly under his touch.

"This is odd," Naght frowned. "I was resting, and, now that I'm here, she's responding."

"Your blood is now affecting her!" Doppy growled.

"Apparently," Naght said. "when I am away for too long, her body goes dormant. I will need to make brief appearances when she needs to be active."

"Makes sense, since you need to check up on your children, anyways," Keltin nodded. "But, now, it does make me think."

"Come to think of it," Doppy mused with agreement. "the only time she slept deeply in the tower with me was when I had to patrol without her."

"She never really slept so deeply with Howard, since he was always with her. Wait, Howard was gone for one day to do some work for someone to help raise funds. She slept then, and none of us could wake her! Only when he came back to check on her, did she finally wake up! I think we found her pattern," Eremes mused.

"She never slept deeply with me, since I was always with her," Keltin nodded.

"So, since she's bearing mine and Howard's children, the both of us need to be present while she needs to be awake," Naght said. "Otherwise, she could be craving sleep from her pregnancy. I don't recall her being this tired from Howard's memories. Her condition could have shifted over to be for the pregnancy now. What do you think?"

"It appears to be that way," Sammy nodded.

"Huh?" Sarine said, as she woke up. "Ah! My head..."

Sammy examined her and said it was just from the rush of blood from waking from the deep sleep. When she was asked if she needed anything, she admitted that she was thirsty.

"Let me handle it," Naght said, as he rose up to cradle her. "I need to talk to her about this, anyways, and she needs my blood."

"Very well," Eremes nodded. They cleared a path for them and blocked several people that tried to get too close. Once Howard had a head start, he made his way with her to an area that no one could reach unless they had Demonic blood to help them. He had found a small rocky incline along the island's rock wall that had just enough room for them, and it overlooked the ocean beautifully.

"Howard? Naght?" Sarine frowned.

"Sarine, it's all right," Howard smiled and hugged her tightly. "Naght just wants to talk to you for a bit, and he didn't want anyone to disturb us."

"Oh. Okay," she nodded.

"Sarine," Naght whispered, as he kissed her deeply. "My soul. My mate. Listen to me. Howard and I must be present around you together, or you may slip into a deep sleep that will be hard to awaken you from. We think it's part of a pregnancy craving that you need sleep. I'm sure that, after your pregnancy, things will be fine. But, I do want to show you something. I want you to close your eyes and focus on me."

"Okay," she smiled and closed her eyes. What she saw surprised her. She saw Naght sitting in his throne high up in the tower. Candles were all around him, and he was alone in the massive chamber.  _It was just like a prison._  When she saw him, she noticed that he looked exhausted.  _Even upset._ Then she gasped when he looked up and saw her.

"Even...demons...can...love..." he hissed out, as he gazed at her.

"Naght!" she cried out. She opened her eyes to find herself back in Howard's arms overlooking the ocean. He kissed her long and hard right there. In the kiss, Howard's mind reeled at the praising word of thanks given to him for introducing Sarine into the lonely demon's life. Naght further told Howard that he would never separate the children from him, since they were his, too. He would also consider the others as part of the pregnancy due to her branding. He had thought very hard on all of this. Naght was already accepting the four men, and even Ifrit, as a form of blood brothers. It was going to be the only way to fully accept them around her. Since Sarine had their blood in her system already, he knew it would easily work out, and their blood would be in the twins, too.

Howard understood now, and they mentally shook hands. When the time came for Naght to separate from Howard, he would see Naght as a true brother. Then a laugh erupted from him. Howard was told by Naght to try and visit his family so he could come out and redecorate their home in Amatsu with their blood.

"Maybe. Not now," Howard grinned.

"Hmm?" Sarine asked, as she rested against him. Howard told her what Naght wanted to do, and she giggled. "You know, we should see them. Maybe after I talk to my adoptive father. I...I still don't know how I am going to react when I see him."

"You'll be fine," he nodded in silent knowing. "I'm sure he won't try anything."

_Naght already had plans on what he was going to do, if something was tried._

"I'm so thirsty," she frowned.

"Drink from me, then," Naght whispered. He brought out the axe to open his throat a touch for her. "You need this."

"From you?" she blinked. He nodded and pressed her close to the wound. The moment her lips touched it, he hissed from the pleasure. She had never drank Howard's blood with Naght present. Her shorts were pulled down in such a way that they could have been ripped off, but were in one piece. His pants were unbuckled and pushed down, and she gasped when he lifted her up to move into her against the rock wall. Naght fully emerged from Howard to experience this now. With every swallow she did with her lips to the wound at his neck, he released in her. His blood was so rich, now that Naght was aware, that she didn't want to stop. But, she remembered how she was after a while when they did this to her, and she pulled herself away from him to cry out with him.

"Mine...!" he hissed, as he kissed her, sharing the taste of his blood with her. He released in her again before he finally let her go, but it was only to place her on the ground on all fours. He mounted her hard now, and she cried out her passion with him when he rocked her. Growling, he pulled her back up against his chest to let her rest. Her hand reached up to feel up his chest before finally settling along his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her, as though to shelter her from everything around them, as the Full Heal skill took effect to remove the wound at his throat.

"I did...love How-How...first..." she smiled weakly. Naght's image faded back down into Howard to give him full control again, and he kissed her deeply.

"I know," he said. "And I have always loved you. You were the one that stole my heart. You still have it. You'll always have it."

"There are still times that I think of how you never got my letters...and..." she started, but he gently hushed her. He kissed her deeply, forcing her to forget about those times.

"It's over and done," he whispered and kissed her again, turning her fully to show her that everything was fine now. Hugging her tightly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"So much has happened in such a short time," she sighed.

"I know it has. But, all for the better. Right?" he smiled. She nodded and let him fix up her shorts, as she helped with his pants. "We need to get back. Hold onto me."

Clinging to him now, Naght helped Howard reach the solid ground of the island again. The crowd was long gone when he finally reached the others with her, and Karla was busy bringing out the Dead Branches. Pori-Pori bounced over to Sarine and snuggled into her happily. Cheering her up now, she smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of his round-jellied top. Pori-Pori seemed to go into a stunned state with a big grin.

"Did you just break Pori-Pori?" Sammy grinned. "Sarine wins!"

"Oh, please," Sarine laughed. Pori-Pori winked at her. With her preoccupied, Howard pulled Doppy, Eremes, and Keltin aside to tell them what happened. They blinked, as Naght was going to think of them as blood brothers, and they all agreed that it would be for the best. Ifrit was pleased with this conclusion and decided to do the same. _It was for Sarine's health and for her love, too._ They also knew it would keep her calm during her pregnancy.

"Dead Branch time!" Karla giggled, and Sarine was moved to the safety of the balcony. Howard sat with Sarine on the bench. Naght was now paying apt attention to her in case something was to go wrong. Storm Caller was there to assist with any new monsters that appeared and needed to find their place. A circle was made to kill off any unneeded monsters. Seyren took the first branch and snapped it.

A massive Chimera appeared. It resembled a creature with a body of a lion crossed with a bear, and it walked forward on massive knuckled-paws that were wrapped in linen. The back legs were those of a goat. A fan of snakes that also served as its tails wavered about. The monster had coarse, brown fur all over it. As it roared, Sarine called out to it soothingly. Looking up at her, it whimpered, and she smiled. It recognized her instantly and bounded up to see her like a playful kitten.

"Oh!" she smiled. It nuzzled into her, and a glow surrounded it. Its body grew larger and gained the skills to Stun and External Bleed anyone it attacked. It purred now, and she scratched behind its ears. Looking over at Storm Caller, it understood what it needed to do, and wandered off to set up territory.

The next branch was snapped, and a small robotic Venatu appeared. It looked like a metallic dome with a single focus lens in the middle with spindly legs, and two machine gun arms strapped to it. It seemed to chirp and whir, only pausing to focus on Sarine as she smiled. The guns disarmed, as it skittered up to her to assess her as the new master, in a way. Giving small whirs and coos, it glowed and gained the ability to launch rocket missiles that would give random status effects. Making more odd noises, it wandered off soon enough.

Another branch snapped, and a Dimik appeared. It looked like a larger version of the Venatu, but its gun arms were strapped inside itself until needed. It also had more of a humanoid head attachment. It prepared to attack until Sarine called out to it. Deeper clicks and whirs were given as it heavily stomped up to where she was to assess her. Once she was verified, it glowed and gained the skill to do random elemental attacks.

Keltin told her that the Venatus and Dimiks normally came in elemental versions of each other. Blinking, she judged there would be four more of them they would need to find, as they came in Neutral, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Water types. The stripe on the Venatu had showed blue for Water. This Dimik's stripe showed yellow for Wind. She nodded at this knowledge and smiled. They would have to plan to find the others in time.

"Ready?" Seyren smiled. She nodded, and the next branch brought forth an Apocalypse monster. Cecil blinked at the size of the robot.

"What's with all the robots?!" Kathryne grumbled. The Apocalypse focused on her and moved its massive, bulbous, white body towards her. Three faces constantly spun on its head, and it made an odd humming sound, as it started to move to attack her. One face showed an eerie green light from the eyes to show that was the true face. Sarine shouted at it to avert its attention to her. Then it paused, as it assessed her from where it was. It glowed and grew larger in form and stature. A far more metallic sheen embossed it to give it the ability to Blind the enemy if it moved in the light a certain way, as well as a much faster attack. Looking over at Kathryne, it seemed to hum out an apology of sorts before it wandered off.

Another branch snapped in half, and another monster was summoned. It was a small monster called a Mimic, and it was a demon hidden inside a brown, wooden treasure chest. It creaked and now moved to attack Seyren.

"Up here!" Howard shouted. It looked up with confusion at Howard and paused when it saw Sarine. The little demon within seemed surprised when the entire chest glowed. The chest looked far more regal with rich, gold designs with small gems and diamonds inlayed on it. The wooden box appeared to be covered in red velvet now, and the little demon inside grew twice as vicious. It moved up to where Sarine was and tossed out a card, an Old Blue Box, and an Old Purple Box. When Sarine beamed with complete appreciation, it tossed out something else that Howard caught. He Identified it as a Rosary with a spot for a card. That was unexpected and would be used well. The Mimic seemed to laugh and quickly moved off to help guard the treasury. It would fit in well there.

The next branch brought out the larger version of the Mimic, which was the Ancient Mimic. The chest was larger with metal stripes over yellow wood, but two clawed hands helped to pull it along. When the chest opened, it revealed rows of sharp teeth, and it blew steam when it breathed. Sarine made a movement to catch its attention, and it quickly moved up to where she was to study her. As it paused, it glowed to have the wood appear as solid gold bars, and the metal appeared to look like pure silver. The small nails that would have been in the silver seemed to be embedded with diamonds. The clawed hands became more transparent to hide its nature, but the attack it would give would be three times as deadly as it already was. Just like the Mimic, it tossed out a card, an Old Blue Box, an Old Purple Box, a present called a Gift Box, and a cloak called a Manteau with a spot for a monster card. After that, it spat out a set of shoes for her before leaving to guard the treasury.

"Shoes?" Sarine blinked. Howard used his skill of Identify and grinned.

"Not just any shoes! Fricco's shoes! They'll increase the value of potions when used on you!" he laughed. She was amazed, and he tossed them to Karla to hold on to, since he didn't have his cart. He pocketed the cards for now and would put it with the others later.

Seyren took the next branch to snap, and a bare-chested Isis was heaving in front of them. Her upper half was that of a purple-haired, voluptuous woman, and the lower half was a purple snake. Her arms had gold bands on them as a form of decoration. When her straight, shoulder-length hair was moved aside, large hoop earrings of gold were seen. She hissed and prepared to lash out until Sarine called to her.

"What?" Isis asked, as she looked up with her chest heaving. Sarine waved, and Isis quickly moved up to her.

"So, you can talk?" Sarine smiled.

"Yesss. To an exsstent," the Isis hissed.

"I am the Vessel of Odin. It is an honor to meet you," Sarine smiled.

"What?!" the Isis blinked and saw the tattoo on the back of her neck. "It should be my honor to ssserve you! When we find Osssirisss, I will introducssse you to him."

"Sounds good," Sarine nodded.

"Normally, the Isis is a pet. Not this one, though!" Keltin chuckled.

"Who are you?" Isis asked.

"My name is Keltin. I'm a Bongun," he said. His Champion form reverted back to his original state. "As you can see!"

"How did you do that?!" Isis demanded.

"Talk with Storm Caller, the Strouf down there," Howard pointed to the powerful Strouf. Isis was amazed and paused, as her form glowed with power. Being a magic user, she now had the ability to call down the skills of Meteor and Lord of Vermillion.

"My magic! How?!" Isis hissed. "I've never felt ssso ssstrong before! Thisss feelsss incredible! It'ssss like my magic tripled!"

"Valkyrie blesses those that are to be with me. Also, you have a chance to test your skills in the arena when it is open against other adventurers," Sarine chuckled.

"I look forward to ssstunning mortal men with my looksss before I kill them!" she cackled. Sarine laughed, as Succubus quickly moved over to talk to Isis and make a definite acquaintance. Watching the monsters move off, Sarine started to feel good. Things were moving along much more than she realized.

"Hey, Karla," Seyren grinned and whispered to her. Karla's mouth dropped, and she smacked him. "Ouch! It was just a joke!"

"Ooh, I'll get you for that!" Karla growled. "I will NOT experiment! You pervert!"

That made Margaretha sputter with startled laughter, and Kathryne's mouth dropped. Cecil moved to chuck a rock at Seyren's head, but Garrett pulled her arm down, since he was grinning at it. Everyone else was laughing, but Howard was laughing the hardest.

"I didn't mean it!" Seyren whined.

"Just wait until we find Zealotus! I'll have her teach me some things to keep you in line! Mark my words!" Karla grumbled. That had Howard laughing even harder, and Sarine was blushing, as she kept trying to get her poor husband to breathe. Doppy was no better than Howard, and Eremes was just shaking his head with a rare, wide grin. Keltin was just grinning, as Seyren now had to control his wife. Seyren did just that by kissing Karla senseless and making her blush. Luna had other ideas and started to kick at his shins.

"Oh, come on!" Seyren said, and that started another uproar of laughter. Karla finally let out a sigh and gathered up Luna to comfort her. A tiny tongue was now stuck out at Seyren, and Sarine started laughing. Howard pulled her into a hug and whispered that Naght saw that whole little thing.  _He was now seriously considering of seeing everyone as family now._  She blinked and smiled, as he kissed her. When it started to get more intense, Eremes cleared his throat with a smile. Howard looked over at him and shrugged. Sarine blushed and pulled Eremes close when he was about to move off to kiss him in the same manner.

"No fair!" Doppy frowned.

"Then get over here!" Sarine giggled and kissed him next. Then it was Keltin to appease them all. Howard claimed her again to hug her tight.

"Five more branches, and then we take a break. Sound good?" Seyren, asked, as he rubbed his shins. Agreement was done all around, and a branch was snapped. A clone of Kathryne appeared and quickly started to attack.

"Finally!" Karla growled and tossed her deadly bottles at it. The others attacked on sight. When it died, the next branch was snapped, and a tiny little Picky appeared. It was a little pink baby Pecopeco, and it chirped angrily.

"How cute!" Sarine beamed, and it looked up at her. Chirping now, it flapped its little wings and made its way up to her to snuggle and coo.

"Another pet monster. Not bad!" Keltin laughed. The little bird glowed a bit to be stronger and faster. Setting the Picky down, she let it wander off.

Another branch pulled up and snapped to reveal a grown Pecopeco. The bird let out a startled squawk and looked up when Sarine called to it. Running up to her now, it pressed its beak into her arms and closed its eyes. She smiled and scratched over its head. The bird glowed to be able to carry her away when it was around and to run much faster than any mounted Knight could. Windwalker landed nearby, and the Pecopeco moved over to the Gryphon to talk to it in their language. It seemed to like how it could possibly be used as a mode of transport.

"Here goes," Seyren said, as he snapped the next branch. A floating girl with long black hair in a purple robe appeared. Her red eyes looked around, as she floated with uncertainty at first. She wasn't sure whether to attack or kill herself.

"It's Sohee!" Keltin smiled.

"Up here!" Sarine called to her. Sohee looked up at Sarine and gasped, as she made her way up to her. Floating in front of her now, she trembled.

"Is it true? Are you the Vessel of Odin?" Sohee asked.

"Yes. I am," Sarine smiled. Sohee seemed to sigh with relief and hugged her. Tears of relief fell from her eyes. As she did, her form glowed to be a little taller and quicker in movement. Should she attack, it would be far more deadly and would give the ability to cause Bleeding. Sarine was very concerned at how Sohee was so upset.

"What's wrong?" Howard asked.

"You need to go into the caves as quickly as you can! The demoness known as Moonlight Flower is there, and she...oh, it's horrible!" Sohee cried.

"Moonlight Flower?!" Keltin hissed. Howard looked at him curiously. "That's the creature that raised me from the dead!"

"A Bongun?" Sohee asked.

"Yes, but more evolved, since I love Sarine, the Vessel of Odin. I belong with her now, and I am her husband," Keltin nodded.

"Husband?" Sohee blinked. Keltin gestured for her to come with him so he could introduce her to Storm Caller for things to be explained. She nodded and went to talk to the massive Strouf to find out more.

"Sarine?" Eremes frowned.

"We should help those down in the caves," Sarine frowned and placed a hand over her belly. "We need to plan to get down there!"

"After Glast Heim or before?" Doppy asked.

"After. The more help we get the better," she nodded.

"We could pick up Eddga on the way. We need to find Vagabond Wolf, too," Keltin said, as he came back. Storm Caller had taken Sohee aside to talk to her.

"That would be good," Sarine nodded. Howard placed a hand over her belly to make sure that everything was well before nodding with her.

"One more, and then we take a break!" Seyren said.

"Good!" Doppy nodded. The last branch was snapped, and a Harpy appeared. Her head was bird-like with a human face, her arms were wings and her lower half was that of a nasty taloned bird. Her bare chest moved in harmony with her wing beats, as she studied which one to attack first with a clawing of her talons.

"Hey!" Sarine said. Harpy squawked and looked up at her before flying over to study her. Then the monster glowed, and her flying speed doubled, as well as her attack. Giggling now, Harpy flew off.

"We summoned Kathryne's sister! Ouch!" Seyren growled, as Kathryne smacked him. She was waiting for him to make a comment.

"Seyren, you are intolerable!" Karla growled. "Just for that, I'm glad I picked this guy up! It was being sold in town, and I was lucky to find it!"

He stammered when she pulled out a Bloody Branch.

"Karla!" Howard gaped with wonder, since he was able to get to Sarine with the power of it. Sarine now focused her attention on it and moved down to the arena floor. Howard was concerned when she whimpered, but then found Huginn in position.

"Use it!" Huginn commanded. Karla blinked and nodded, handing it to Seyren. The sharp snap echoed throughout the arena, and a cold breeze filtered over the group. Mitchell stammered and backed away, as Coraline and Donnie readied to defend themselves. Lloyd cast his buffs over everyone with Margaretha, and Cecil notched her bow. A howling breeze that chilled to the bone swept over the arena as the Knight of Windstorm, more commonly called Stormy Knight, made his appearance.

Many called him Jack Frost's ugly brother, and it could have easily been true. His body was blue and coated with ice. Antlers were on his head, and his face resembled that of a grotesque fanged reindeer. A bright red nose colored his face, as his white eyes glared at them all. He had on red boots, a red cape, bore an ice sword and a heavy shield that resembled a face. The ice on his shoulders resembled spiked shoulder pauldrons.

"At least we won't have to find him," Keltin chuckled, and the others agreed.

"Stormy Knight!" Huginn called out. "I am Huginn, a messenger of Lord Odin, himself! Hear me now! I command you!"

"Yesss?" the powerful monster breathed out. He was going to attack, but found himself blocked from doing just that. Something powerful was here, and now he knew what it was.

"A war is coming for humans and monsters to work together! It is time for you to take your place with the Vessel of Odin! Separate from your darker self, so the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed stays in effect! Do this now!" Huginn commanded. The monster screamed, as his form separated in two. The darker form vanished now to keep to the Balance, and the lighter form remained to help them.

"Free?" the Knight of Windstorm gasped.

"You can now accompany the Vessel of Odin wherever she travels in a pet-like manner! Remember this!" Huginn nodded, and Sarine collapsed into Howard's arms.

"Pet-like?" the monster asked. Storm Caller and Sammy walked over to him, and Dracula was soon following them. They started to talk at length with Stormy Knight to explain how things worked. Howard cradled Sarine until she came to.

"I'm worried," Sarine sighed in Howard's arms.

"How?" Keltin frowned.

"All of this is starting to happen so fast again. I don't know if I'll get any rest," she sighed and ran her hand over her belly. Eremes blinked and looked over to Howard. Doppy frowned and thought.

"So, Seyren," Howard called to him.

"What?" Seyren said, as he came over to them.

"Are you really a pervert?" Howard grinned. Eremes blinked and smiled.

"No!" Seyren frowned. Then he noticed Sarine. The hidden message was passed.

"Are you sure? You really seemed to like that Harpy," Howard said.

"I did not! Looks too much like Kathryne. Ow!" Seyren grumbled, as Kathryne hit him upside the back of the head.

"Take that back!" she growled.

"Why?! It's true!" Seyren muttered.

"Sorry, but I don't kiss Harpies," Mitchell chuckled and pulled Kathryne close to kiss her. Laughter and awws were given to them now.

"You just did! What?" Seyren frowned at Karla's tapping foot.

"Do I need to remind you of what my Acid Demonstration can do?" she growled.

"No, dear!" Seyren grinned.

"Because, mark my words! I will!" she threatened. Luna stuck her tongue out at Seyren again, and Sarine started to laugh.

"Luna seems to put him in his place," Keltin winked. At that moment, whenever Seyren tried to talk, Luna would stick out her tongue at him to shut him up. Sarine was starting to laugh even harder now. It was just too cute.

"So, what do we do now?" Sarine smiled, as she regained her composure.

"You could speak with me?" an older man asked, as he approached them in a richly woven kimono with the royal colors of red and gold. A green silk sash was wrapped around his waist to hold the kimono around him. His black hair was clipped short on the sides, and a top knot decorated his head. His face was neatly groomed to show a lightly graying mustache, and he held a strong, regal stature. Highly intelligent dark brown eyes studied her with an affection that he had wanted to share with her for so long. Sarine's adoptive father finally made his appearance, and he was aching to tell her the truth of what happened.

Her eyes widened, as she had never truly seen him before. He always stood behind her mother at a distance. Panic set in, and she went to shield her belly instinctively. Keltin moved swiftly to try to block her line of sight.

"Shit!" Doppy hissed and moved in front of her protectively.

"Stop!" Sammy said to stop the man from approaching.  _Her health was at risk again._

"You should have told us you were here!" Eremes hissed at the man. "She can't take any surprises like this!"

"What?" her adoptive father asked with confusion.

"She's pregnant and in a very delicate state!" Sammy scolded. He gestured for Howard to take her to another part of the island to calm her down.

"Pregnant?!" the man asked. "How?"

"I will explain," Storm Caller sighed, and he moved over to talk to him. The man blinked at the Strouf with surprise. As they conversed, Howard was running with Sarine in his arms quickly to a place a bit far off. She was nauseous again, and he let her go to vomit. The one thing he was relieved at was that she didn't cough out his blood.

"Sarine..." Howard sighed and ran his hand over her back. Glancing back, as Naght sensed Eremes, he gave a look that clearly meant not good. Eremes frowned and ran back to talk to Seyren to get his help.

"How is she?" Karla fretted.

"She got sick," Eremes sighed. "Listen. Sarine needs to be cheered up. Now. Before her pregnancy is affected. Any ideas at all that you can think of?"

"I have one," Seyren said, as he looked at Karla. "You and I need to make a mock fight. A big one. The more comical the better."

"Seriously?" she frowned.

"It's for Sarine's health. She's my sister, you know," he winked. "And you do what you do best! I know you can!"

Luna blinked at him when he spoke to her and stuck out her tongue. Grinning now, Seyren nodded and carefully pat her on the head. She accepted it to show that she understood. Karla smiled and nodded.

"How do you want to do this?" Karla asked. She loved him even more now that she knew what he put up with to keep Sarine happy. She had no idea until now.

"Luna, will you be so kind as to run after me to kick me?" Seyren grinned. Luna seemed to smile. Karla fed her quickly to keep up her strength, and Eremes took that chance to smile and move back over to Howard. Signaling to him, Howard nodded.

"Sarine, I'm sure it won't be that bad," he sighed and gave her a potion to rinse out her mouth with. Using it gratefully, she shook her head.

"Howard," Sarine frowned. "I don't remember any kindness from him! All he did was watch what my Mother did, and he didn't do a thing about it!"

"Stop it!" Seyren shouted, as he was backing up to them. A fierce little Luna was walking towards him and trying to kick him. "I said I was sorry to her!"

"You just couldn't leave it alone, could you?!" Karla grumbled. "I said no!"

"I know you said no! Luna, stop it! Ouch!" Seyren grimaced, as the Homunculus landed a direct shin kick. When he tried to talk, she stuck out her tongue. Sarine started to smile. Howard chuckled and pulled Sarine close.

"That's right, Luna! Get him!" Karla grinned.

"That's not fair! Stop motivating her! Ow! Quit it!" Seyren growled. Luna crossed her arms and looked at him determined.

"You haven't learned your lesson!" Karla said.

"I have! I have! Never again will I call Kathryne a Harpy! She's related to one! Ouch! All right! I'll stop!" Seyren said. Sarine started to giggle now, and Luna stuck out her tongue at Seyren again. That got her laughing.

"And?! What else have you learned?" Karla frowned.

"No experimenting! I promise!" Seyren said. Luna stuck out her tongue again at him and went back to Karla. Howard was snickering, as Sarine got her good mood back.

"All right," Howard managed to laugh out, as he hugged Sarine. "What do you want to do? We will do whatever you want."

"Well," Sarine said, as he squeezed her. "I suppose I'm well enough to talk to him now. I am hungry, though."

"Here," Eremes said, and he handed her a Meat Skewer. She blinked and smiled, as she ate it hungrily. "Can you walk?"

"I should be all right," she nodded. She looped an arm around Howard and Eremes, as they led her back. Seyren was wincing on wounded shins, but it was worth it. He kissed Karla on the cheek and pat Luna's head. He was clearly grateful that the ploy worked. Karla did give him a slim white potion, and that let him walk normally again.

"Are you all right?" Keltin asked, as he ran up to her.

"I'm all right now," Sarine smiled. "Is he still there?"

"Yes," Doppy nodded. Taking a deep breath, she nodded that she was ready. They led her back to the arena where her adoptive father was waiting. When she saw him again, there was a look of intense sadness in his eyes now. It was as though he had no intention of hurting her at all. Chairs were brought down from the arena stadium and set up so she could sit in Howard's lap. Doppy, Keltin, and Eremes sat around her.

"I'm listening," Sarine said softly.

"I'm going to start from the beginning," he said gently. "My name is Markus Chin, twenty-fourth descendant in the Chin Dynasty line of Amatsu. It is true that I am currently the Emperor of Amatsu. Amatsu was made to be a peaceful town on both the outside and the inside. And, yes, the town was just that. However, I was unmarried. I wished to have a child of my own that I could raise and pamper as I pleased. None of the women I had met over the years suited my standards. It is hard to find honor as ancient as mine, and none other would have suited my tastes. For years, I prayed for the day when a child would be given to me. That was when a cloaked messenger appeared on the doorstep of my fortieth birthday in the beginning of spring. I remember the day quite well.

"The messenger was in all black. Almost like feathers, now that I remember it. His voice was powerful and commanding. He made me vow to protect the child he was going to gift me with, as she was going to become a beautiful woman with a very important destiny. I vowed and was given you."

_:He speaks. True.:_  Muninn said, as he flew down and shifted into his warrior form. Markus gasped and pointed. Muninn simply smiled and nodded. " _Yes. I am the very one that gave my sister to your hands, as Father Odin, hers and my Father, had instructed. I may be Odin's messenger, but he did create me to assist him. It is easier to call him my Father this way. I simply wanted to let you know that both myself and my brother, Huginn, are watching over her now. Please. Continue your story._ "

"Sarine was...Odin's..." Markus cringed and shivered. He never knew.

"Muninn?" Sarine frowned. Muninn walked over to her to rest a hand on her shoulder to show all was well, and he moved behind her protectively to watch Markus speak. The older man regained his composure quickly, as most important men do.

"Very well," Markus nodded. "There was much joy when Sarine came to us. For the first two years of her life, everything was perfect for her. There were odd rumors that started to float around that a daughter was given to me. It was a bit hard to cover up the fact when she would cry for my affections. I couldn't let the public see her yet, though. Thieves would likely have tried to steal her away for ransom. So, I placed her in a special room. It was not devoid of light. It was a nursery for her with all the toys and staffing she would need to keep her company. I spent all of my free time with her, and I even made time to spend with her. The instant she called for me, I was right there at her side the moment I was able. She was the center of my life. My Mother, her grandmother, always enjoyed to come over for visits, and she became very close with her. Even the guards played with her. It was truly the best time of her young life.

"As for when that woman came in to play," Markus winced. "The night was clear, but there was no moon or stars out. It was a very...odd night, now that I recall. A beautiful woman came to the palace and sought me out. When I saw her, yes, I was moved by her. When I tried to talk to her, she just laughed, told me her name was Emilia, and that now I was her husband. She wrongfully claimed herself as Empress at my side! I was outraged, but she spread an intense smoke throughout the palace. My Mother was not there to fall under the enchantment, thankfully, but Emilia was quite upset that Sarine would not fall under it. What upset her even more deeply was that she saw that Sarine was far more beautiful than her, and, now, with me under her spell, I couldn't do a thing. I saw everything, though. It tore me apart."

Sarine gasped and clutched at her belly. Howard ran his hand over hers to calm her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Doppy hissed and reached over to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. She managed to smile at Doppy and regained herself. Keltin watched her closely with Eremes, and Muninn remained vigil, as he listened. He saw everything that had happened, but he could not interfere. Even Huginn was pissed at her treatment when Emilia did such things to her.

"Please...continue..." Eremes whispered.

"Of course," Markus nodded. "When Emilia established herself in the next week, Sarine was ordered to be a lost cause, and that was when she was trapped in that windowless room. The only reason as to why she didn't remember my kindness or fatherly ways, was because she was simply too young to recall. I could do nothing, but I did gain some solace in the fact that I was able to see her on each birthday. And each time I saw how thin she was...how pale and unhappy she was...oh, how it pained me to see her so...discarded! I had promised the one that gave her to me, Muninn, that is, that I would take such excellent care of her, and I couldn't! Every time I tried to fight against the spell I was under, I simply became even further lost within it. It drained me of my strength to resist it. There was nothing I could have done, if I tried. All I could do was keep my hope alive that it would all be over.

"When I learned that Sarine was to be given to Incantation Samurai, I was already agreeing with it. Anything to get her away from Emilia at this point! When the sickness came, I was outraged that no one saw to her! I would have given her the best doctors and treatment, if I had my will! But...that woman...she stopped everyone from properly seeing to her. After a week, my Mother finally had a doctor see to Sarine to at least give her a proper antidote to the fever. It was a miracle that Sarine survived it."

"I see now," Sammy said, as he walked forward. Markus blinked, and his jaw dropped at who was speaking to him. The massive Samurai ghost hissed out a misting breath, as it hovered over the boy's body. "I knew she was special the moment Emilia told me of her. I wanted to get to her right away, but Emilia said to wait until she was of age. If I knew of her treatment sooner, I would have demanded for her instantly."

"And I would have told you everything, if I could have," Markus nodded and sighed. "As for the rest, well, my Mother knew that I couldn't do anything. So, she did something. And, for that, I thank you, Eremes Guile. If it wasn't for you getting Sarine out when you did..."

"It's fine..." Eremes smiled lightly. "I always helped children in need..."

"Always a good thing," Markus nodded. "When Sarine was found gone, the guards were released due to poor abilities. Emilia was furious, but decided that what was done was done. It was one less thing she had to worry about, and, if Sarine turned up again, then she would be dealt with. Then, just these past few weeks, Sarine was found and reported. I was told to wait in the bedroom. I was so afraid for you, Sarine! Most of the guards were replaced by ones that were only loyal to her, other than the ones that were enchanted and forced to do her bidding like myself. I knew you were in danger, but there was still nothing I could do.

"When the palace became infiltrated by that Valkyrie and her maidens, loyalty turned into panic. Then when Baphomet appeared to reign terror, I knew the palace was done for. It was just a shame that Emilia survived it. I was hoping she would have died in the attack. I got escorted out immediately through a secret escape route. She had been escorted out the same way. So, instead of her falling victim to the justified attack, it was all of her men. Luckily, all of the guards she enchanted were with us. It cost her quite a bit of strength to hold such a spell. She always had her guards do her biddings outside of the palace. She couldn't risk a guard dying under her enchantment. It may have weakened her, in the end. After we returned to the palace, she told me to oversee the palace reconstruction, and she took off to find you. A few days later, I felt something lift, and I knew that she had finally died."

"I claimed the kill!" Sammy grinned wickedly. "I cornered her with the others and cut her down like the wretch she was!"

"The next thing I knew, many of my old servants returned within the last few days. They felt that it was safe to return. We had no way to show how we felt to you. Even the enchanted guards felt horrified at how they had to act towards you! I knew you likely saw me as evil as Emilia was from how I could do nothing. I'm...so sorry...Sarine..." Markus finally started to cry. "My...daughter..."

"Father!" Sarine whimpered, and Howard let her run to him. He hugged her, and they both wept. It was a good few minutes of reconciling, and her friends felt relief that this part of her life was finally mended.

"You...used to call me Papa," he said, as he tried to recollect himself.

"Papa?" she frowned.

"Yes. I always had made time to see you as often as I could. As I said before. Look," he said, as he brought out an old portrait of her when she was younger. Howard looked at it, as the portrait was passed around, and he blinked.  _She was an extremely beautiful child._

"That was me?" she blinked, as she was given back the portrait to give back to Markus. Everyone was stunned at how she looked in the past as a two-year-old girl.

"Yes. I always kept it with me. Emilia may have controlled my actions, but she never controlled my emotions. I always brought it out to see you when I knew it was safe to do so," Markus said gently. "When Garrett found me to tell me where you were, I just had to come and try to make amends. I spent the last two days preparing for this very moment."

"I...I'm glad he did find you," she smiled and looked at Garrett with a very approving look in her eyes. Garrett blushed and said he just did his job. Cecil kissed him deeply for helping her little sister.

"Markus," Sammy said.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I have an idea in mind that I would like to help Sarine with, and I know you can help me," Sammy smiled and walked over to him. He had Markus bend down to keep it secret from Sarine, and he whispered lightly to him. Markus chuckled.

"Once the funds are in and rebuilding is underway, I will definitely see what I can do for you!" Markus grinned. "I'm sure I can set a few things aside for now."

"Thank you!" Sammy grinned back and whistled, as he walked back a bit.

"Now, I would really like to know who your friends are so I can welcome them to Amatsu properly. Especially since tomorrow is your birthday, and I really would like to celebrate it like it should have been done all those years ago," Markus smiled. Sarine blinked and gestured for each friend to rise up at introduction. Yet, it was dark now, and it was hard to see them without proper lighting. When Howard, Keltin, Doppy, and Eremes were labeled as her husbands, he was intrigued.

"I know. Four husbands," she smiled.

"And which one got you pregnant?" Markus smiled.

"I did," Howard nodded, his ghostly form becoming a touch more solid with a bit of focus. Only then, did he recognize Howard with the help of the firelight.

"Howard Alt-Eisen?! From the Alt-Eisen Merchant family?" Markus blinked with full recognition. "You know it's the hair. Only that family has a run of green hair."

"Yep," Howard sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it."

"Then I need to tell you this, as you deserve to know," Markus frowned. "Your family is currently held in the Amatsu jails."

"For what?!" Howard blinked now, as Sarine gasped.

"They tried to swindle me with bad building supplies for the palace," Markus sighed. "They knew the wood was hollow and could not support the roof."

"Oh, hell no!" Howard groaned. "You know, I left them because they tried to swindle me for money. Now they had the gall to do it to you?!"

"They did," he muttered. "When the beams they provided had snapped, they claimed 'no refunds'. So, I had to imprison them."

"All of them?" Howard asked.

"Even your mother when she tried to sell us something called a 'warranty' in exchange for your father's and brother's freedom," he said.

"I'm gonna kill the lot of them!" Howard growled. "I TOLD them not to touch royalty or...or...damn it!"

"How-How?" Sarine blinked. He shook his head and walked over to her to place a kiss on her cheek. He had to try and keep calm for her.

"I will give you a chance to talk to them. I know you are not at fault, since I knew how you were as a boy. I even hinted to you that I had a daughter. I liked you," Markus grinned. "Do you remember me telling you about Sarine?"

"You did tell me that, didn't you?!" Howard blinked with amazement that he didn't remember it until now. "And I was ready to see her when that fraud showed up. I was denied the chance after that. It was rather...strange. Now that I think about it. Like I had forgotten..."

"Howard," Eremes said. "what do you want to do about your family?"

"Let them rot?" Doppy grinned.

"They should pay for their crimes," Keltin agreed.

"Well...I won't be stepping back into the house, so I won't be treading on my own promise. I suppose I can talk to them. Damn! I honestly thought that Timmy would have followed my advice!" Howard sighed. He was still wondering how he could have forgotten about Sarine as a child, but he pushed the thought aside for now. _My family issues had to come first._   _I can try to recall my childhood youth another time._ Naght was already agreeing with him and would help him try to remember. As Howard now refocused on the present, Naght started to sort through his memories as extensively as he could.

"Timmy?" Sarine asked.

"My younger brother," Howard said.

"If I may make a suggestion," Sammy said. "Undoubtedly, I should go with you all to Amatsu. But, do NOT reveal Sarine's affiliation with royalty to them. If you do, they may try to lay claim to the Amatsu treasury."

"Good point!" Keltin nodded.

"They can have the treasury! It's empty, and we have no funds to finish repairs," Markus frowned. "With the palace being damaged, it hurt what visitors we had. Trade is bad, too."

"Um, Papa? How much do you need?" Sarine smiled.

"What?" Markus asked.

"How much do you need? We run an arena daily, and it generates millions each day from the monsters that fight in it," she smiled.

"I am so happy to have found you again!" Markus said and hugged her the way he wanted to for all those years. "We are short by fifty million zeny."

"I'll get it!" Karla grinned. "If you let me see what you have in the palace, I'll see about helping you with new furniture. Garrett, you do know that it's likely your life savings that's going to help Amatsu now, right?"

"Hah! At least it will be going to a good cause! However, I'll talk to my King in Prontera, and we will generate special funding for Amatsu," Garrett said. "I'll do it first thing in the morning. I'm sure we can work something out, since it is well known of the attack that happened. He will see it as a 'positive action' for the people of Midgard."

"That's brilliant!" Kathryne said. "And we get to become human tomorrow for the day, too! I'm sure that Sarine would love to see Amatsu in the daytime."

"I would," Sarine admitted.

"Maybe we can go to Jawaii when the day is over?" Karla asked.

"I think it can be squeezed in," Seyren grinned.

"Human for a day?" Markus asked.

"Let me explain about us," Seyren said. As he talked to Markus of what happened to them in Lighthalzen and how they met Sarine, Muninn walked up to Howard and whispered to him. Howard swore violently and glanced at Sarine cautiously to make sure that she wasn't paying attention. He didn't want her to get stressed by what he was told.

"Are you shitting me?! Is he really going to...?" Howard growled. Muninn nodded and shrugged. Eremes looked over, and Howard whispered to him what Muninn foresaw. A glance was stolen to Garrett, and Eremes seethed.

"Over my dead and poisoned carcass!" Eremes hissed. When Doppy and Keltin caught wind of why they were pissed, they clearly showed their displeasure with dark glances.

"We'll play it by ear. No negativity around Sarine right now," Howard said. They all had to agree. Muninn reverted back to his falcon form and flew off.

"So, you see, that's why we are like this," Seyren said.

"I had no idea," Markus admitted. "But, you will all be human again tomorrow? And with the monsters collected, you will all become human permanently again?"

"That's the plan," Seyren nodded.

"I am honored to know that Sarine has such wonderful companions, and that I can open my home to you all," Markus said regally.

"Is it my turn yet?!" an old lady shrilled out.

"Gramma?!" Sarine blinked. When the little old lady in a brown kimono walked over, she chuckled. Sarine gasped and ran over to her to get hugged. Eremes walked over to them now, and he nodded to her with complete respect.

"It's about time things started to get back to normal!" the old lady said shrilly. "Howard?! Where is that Merchant?!"

"Whitesmith now," Howard said, as he approached her. "What can I do for you?"

"Your brother sold this to me for ten thousand zeny!" she grumbled and took off a necklace to show him. Howard picked it up and studied it.

"It's a fake!" he growled.

"Ooh! I knew it!" the older lady scowled.

"Mother? You bought something from them?" Markus asked with disbelief.

"Only Howard ever sold me something good! And at a reasonable price, too!" she sighed. "I miss your bargains. You always had the best stuff."

"Hmm," Howard frowned and looked at the others.

"Give me a moment!" Karla said, as she went into the treasury. Coming back out, she gave the older woman fifty thousand zeny.

"Thanks," Howard said. "Refund plus interest. I'll dispose of this thing for you."

"Thank you, young man. I heard you are married to my little Sarine. Good for you! And you are giving me grandchildren! Welcome to the family! All of you!" she said sweetly.

"I am also married to her," Eremes said with a soft smile. "In fact, your granddaughter has four husbands. Be prepared for...a lot...of grandchildren."

"Oh!" the old woman breathed and pressed her hands to her heart. "You all better get busy! I want to see them before I wear out!"

That brought out laughter from them all. Then the elderly grandmother brought Sarine her harp with the help of a few guards.

"Oh, Gramma! You remembered!" Sarine smiled.

"Always for my favorite little grandchild. Play for us!" the elder lady beamed. Markus smiled and remembered that he adored her playing when he couldn't voice it. The others gathered around to listen. Sarine softly plucked the strings on the harp with such a skill that Sammy found himself blinking with amazement. Each string was plucked with such skill and precision that Donnie took up his guitar to start playing with her. Coraline started to sing softly with it. Violy walked up to them and started to use the violin. When the song ended, they all applauded her and she blushed.

"Don't forget to use this!" her grandmother said, as she handed her an Oriental Lute. Sarine laughed and started to play this now.

"How does she do it?" Howard asked with simple amazement.

"She was, and is, a very special child. All talents were open to her. Apparently, they still are due to what she is," Markus nodded with pride. Donnie blinked at the skill she used when she played, and how the tune dipped and turned with an expertise as though she did this all her life.  _It was something a Sniper shouldn't possess. Much less a female when they should only know the skills of a Dancer and not a Bard._  It made him start to question his own skills at playing instruments.

"I want to gather some people I know," Donnie said gently when she was done. "I want them to hear that tune. We may be able to do something for the arena to raise Bard awareness. Just like with the Dancers. I know you mentioned it to us before, but I want to find more Bards that are of a higher class. Maybe even the Bard Guild leader, himself."

"That would be a delightful idea!" Sarine smiled.

"There is something that I do need to address," Howard said lightly to show it was important. He motioned for Doppy, Keltin, and Eremes to come forward.

"Yes?" Markus asked, as his attention fully on them now.

"In Lighthalzen, we were touched with Demonic blood," Howard said carefully. "Doppy is truly Doppelganger from Geffen tower, but enhanced by Valkyrie and Odin."

"I will not hesitate to cut down anyone that harms Sarine," Doppy growled out. Markus nodded at this and made a mental note.

"Only Eremes and I have the ability to call out the demons that were given to us. Doppy's blood triggered them. Keltin is a Bongun, so he is not Demonic. However, he does have the Rage of Valkyrie, and that can be triggered, if it must be done," Howard continued. Keltin was in his Champion form currently, and he shifted back to his Bongun state to show this. Then he went back to Champion and brought out the Rage of Valkyrie. His clothes became stark white, and his body glowed brightly with the white-hot fury that he contained. Blinking his solid white eyes, he nodded lightly. Markus was amazed by this and watched, as Keltin pulled it back to change back into his Bongun form.

"Are you sure?" Eremes whispered to Howard.

"We must," Howard nodded. "Markus, I have the blood of the imprisoned demon, Naght Seiger. Eremes has the blood of the powerful Fire Elemental, Ifrit."

Markus blinked, and his mouth dropped, as their forms released the Demonic forces within them. Howard's pupils were a brilliant red under the hazy form of Naght Seiger. It was the same with Eremes and Ifrit. Sarine's grandmother was just watching with amazement. Both powerful monsters looked at each other and seemed to nod, as they faded back inwards enough for them to speak out through the two men.

"I am Naght Seiger, and I have claimed Sarine as my mate. She is carrying not only Howard's children, but mine, too, since my blood is intermingled with his. If anyone hurts her, they die," he hissed. "Whether they are friendly or not!"

"When the time comes, the same will go for me!" Ifrit hissed through Eremes. "I am Ifrit, and I will defend her, should anything happen!"

"I understand," Markus said. "In that case, Naght Seiger, what do you recommend be done with Howard's family? Surely you can see Howard's thoughts?"

"I can see his thoughts clearly, there is no doubt in that. I do admit that it is a delicate case. Normally, I wouldn't care if they all died. But, since they do belong to Howard, let him speak with them and find out where they stand. If they prove unworthy, it may be best to let them find a new place to live. Or, mark them as untrustworthy. We do not want them to live with us here, or anywhere near my mate. It would be hazardous to her health, and to the health of the children," Naght said carefully.

"Justified words," Markus nodded. "Very well. I shall make arrangements for them to be spoken with. What time do you think would be necessary?"

"As fast as possible," Howard growled, as Naght let him speak.

"Would you like to approach them now?" Markus asked.

"Bring them to the arena," Sarine said. "If they want to fight, they'll be in the right place. This way, they can be properly addressed."

Naght started to hiss out his laughter, and Doppy grinned wickedly.

"You will not be with them!" Ifrit grounded out.

"No. I'll be watching from the safety of the balcony. Papa can be in the guest balcony, and Sammy will be in the judge's chair. It will be...a court decision based on the judgment of monsters. Monsters don't tell lies. Do they, Keltin?" Sarine smiled.

"No. They don't," Keltin chuckled.

"They shall be brought here within the hour. Mother, did you want to see this? Or did you want to head back home?" Markus asked. "It may be unpleasant to watch."

"As long as I know I can come and go as I please, I'll head home," the elderly woman nodded. "I'll probably want to come back to see my grandchildren."

"You are always welcome here!" Sarine beamed.

"Good!" she said and kissed her granddaughter on the cheek. Storm Caller escorted her to the house, but she didn't leave right away. They ended up talking about days gone by when they got there instead of her heading home right away.

"How-How," Sarine whispered to him. He walked up to her and planted a hot kiss on her mouth to show how much he loved her. Markus clearly approved of him, and he was glad that the two of them found their way to each other.  _Howard may not be royalty or of noble standards, but Odin and Valkyrie approved him._ That was more than he needed for consent. _They were chosen to be together by the will of the gods, themselves. If anyone complained of their union, they would answer to the higher authorities that wanted them together._

"Stay on the balcony!" Howard warned and kissed her again before handing her to Doppy to escort her up. On sitting with him, she blinked to find Howard joining her. He had decided to wait with her until they showed up. Keltin sat with her on the love seat, and Eremes sat down to one side, shivering after Ifrit released his hold. She did reach for Eremes to help give him back some body heat, and he appreciated it greatly. Howard placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a loving smile. She knew he was a touch nervous, but she also knew that he had friends that would support him.

Looking down at the fire-lit arena, she blinked, as she saw three people move from the Kafra Agent there to the center of the arena grounds. Amatsu guards were filtered around them, and Markus sat in the booth at the opposite end. She felt Howard tense, and she moved a hand up to rest over his to help calm him. A scribe moved to sit with Markus to record what was going to happen. The arena seats were removed from the arena floor and placed back where they were, as the others watched and bore witness. Muninn reverted to his falcon form and flew up into the air to watch from above. When Sammy looked down at the guilty ones in the arena, Muninn whispered what their names were. He was now ready to judge.

"Anthon Alt-Eisen! Wendy Alt-Eisen! Timothy Alt-Eisen! The three of you have been brought here to face your judgment in the case of false negotiations of selling faulty materials to the Amatsu populace! How do you plea?!" Sammy shouted. Howard's form misted silently, as he saw the members of his family standing there.  _They hadn't changed a bit. All of them were Merchants still and never bothered to advance themselves._

His father still had the short, darker shade of green hair, but now it appeared that he was starting to bald and thin out at the front. The slight build of a Merchant was apparent, but he did nothing to enhance his muscle mass properly. He looked rather thin and lanky. On top of that, he had a nasty smirk on his face that showed up whether he was wrong or right. He seemed to give off a vibe that one either mistrusted him, or was too gullible to know him.

His mother had short, brown hair that ended at her shoulders, a rather plump physique from lazy living, and a scowl on her mouth completed her main features. She was also a Merchant, but she would rather let the rest of the family do all the work. She had no mindset to strive towards true goals. His brother was inheriting her figure of lazy living, but he had his father's hair, if thicker in growth, and the same smirk on his face.

Howard looked nothing like his family, save the lighter green hair. Even his eyes were different. Theirs were more brown, and his own were the green-blue of the ocean. Even his muscle tone was, obviously, quite different. He was far more muscular from the constant want of hard and honest work. His face was also very different, since he had the look of someone that loved what he did, and he didn't look disgusted with others. Turning away from them, he felt Sarine's hand in his, and he squeezed it. He loved her fiercely, and he was not going to let his family get the better of him. He simply couldn't. Focusing on becoming more solid, he didn't want to startle them.  _Yet._

"We're innocent! Not our fault that they didn't check where it came from! Let's just put all this behind us and go home!" Anthon said with irritation now. He was used to walking away from failure. This was a first for him to get put in his place.

"Father," Howard said, as he crossed his arms up in the balcony. His voice carried over easily around the bowled shape of the arena.

"Howard? Is that you?!" Wendy exclaimed. "Well, I'll be! It's been almost six years, since we last saw you! Have you come to bail us out?"

"No," Howard frowned. "I came to help judge you."

"Man, Howie! You look like you've been through Hell! What happened?" Timmy asked.

"Too much. And I don't want my wife to hear it," Howard growled.

"Wife? Well, where is the little lady?! We should welcome her to the family!" Anthon grinned. "Surely she has some form of lucrative ancient history to her name!"

"Does she have a dowry?!" Wendy asked with excitement. "Is she rich?!"

"No," Howard said quickly to cut them off. "She had a hard life, and I love her for who she is. Not for how much money lines her purse."

"What a waste, then! A pretty girl and no wealth?! Didn't I teach you better than that?" Anthon frowned. "Money is what keeps our family going!"

"What you taught me," Howard growled, as he tensed. "was that swindling others is a dirty, inhuman, and disgusting way of life!"

"It's a natural way of life!" Anthon argued.

"For you. Not for me. I'm a Whitesmith now, Father. I make my own life with my own rules. I heard you were all imprisoned for swindling royalty. Amatsu royalty itself! Have you no shame?! I warned you all that this was going to happen!" Howard argued back. "I told you that you would all get caught! Look at you now! You've been caught!"

"How-How," Sarine whispered, and she stood up to hug him tight. He reigned himself back for her sake and for his children's sake. He gave her a loving kiss to show that he was calm again. Timmy caught a glimpse of her in the light of the fire, and he gasped at her beauty.  _My brother found her? Without money? Without any need or show of wealth?_

"You don't know what true hardship is!" Anthon frowned.

"I don't know?" Howard now glared at him. Doppy carefully pulled Sarine back down to shield her from the anger. Eremes rose now to stand a bit off to study the family with a frown. "Father. What do you know of the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory experiments?"

"That they happened?" he replied.

"Oh! Those poor people! I hope they sued for all that corporation had!" Wendy said.

"Idiots," Howard grinned and shook his head. "You never paid attention to what happened, did you? You never got any form of information from town rumors or gossip?"

"Wait. Howie...were you one of them?" Timmy asked with confusion.

"Finally. Someone gets it," Howard sighed.

"What did they do to you? Oh, boy! I bet we can get a great settlement out of it!" Anthon whooped. "We'll be able to move into a new place and expand the business!"

"Father, I destroyed the place from the inside when they injected me with the Demonic blood of Naght Seiger," Howard hissed with careful control. "They. Killed. Me."

"What?" Anthon blinked.

"I don't believe it," Howard gave a short laugh. "You care more about money than the life of your own son..."

"Howie?" Timmy asked. Then he gaped, as Howard released his solid state for his form to start misting over. Anthon did a double take now to see exactly how serious it was.

"This is what they did to me, Father!" Howard said. "They ripped me apart and put something else in me! Do you want see the demon they gave me? I'll even let you meet him! Considering that he's been waiting to meet the lot of you!"

"Oh..." Wendy blinked fearfully now and gasped, as Naght Seiger emerged from him. Timmy was shaking, and Anthon had his mouth dropped with amazement.

"You...fools...should...not...live...!" Naght hissed. He hovered and brandished his red and blue misting swords. "You...want...hardship...?!"

"No, Naght!" Sarine gasped and clutched at her belly. At her cry, Naght reverted back down quickly to turn and hold her. Doppy was clearly concerned now. He felt the pain of her belly, as it stretched slightly to show the twins were affected. Naght had to keep the anger down, and Doppy's small glare showed just how bad it almost became. Sammy also glanced over with a glare of his own, as he monitored her health. Naght cringed back lightly, as he caught Sammy's look, and he took a deep breath to control his rage.

"It's all right. It's okay," he soothed and kissed her forehead. "I just wanted to scare them a little. I'm not going to hurt them."

She just gasped with a hard shuddering whimper, as he soothed her and stroked her back. Another soothing whisper was given to her, and she was able to breathe in better. Calming her down now, he reigned in his anger, as he turned to face them. His pupils showed the dull red glow of Naght, as he studied their quivering forms.

"I...I didn't know!" Wendy fretted. "My poor boy!"

"I doubt you mean that for Howard's sake!" Naght hissed. "A death certificate was sent out. Did you not get it? His wife got it and grieved for him for two years!"

"I saw it, but I didn't believe it," Anthon admitted. "I thought...I thought it was a joke."

"Howie tried to warn me what was going to happen, but I just didn't care," Timmy said. "He sent me some type of letter before he went in. To contact me, I guess. He wanted me to try and change. I just disregarded it as a joke, too. I was so happy with what I had..."

"Material possessions are a love/hate relationship," Naght nodded. "But, you see where Howard ended up, because his family turned on him."

"That's a load of bull! Howard left us!" Anthon growled.

"He left, because you all were killing him!" Naght growled. "I studied his life extensively over the past few days! He tried to get you all to stop, and you wouldn't! You kept at it! And now...you've lost a son for good. None of you will change."

"I'll change!" Timmy said.

"Actions speak louder than words, boy!" Naght hissed. "Always remember that!"

"I promise!" Timmy shouted. At this, Naght let Howard regain control, and he leapt down to the arena floor with an inhuman smoothness. Sarine watched in the safety of Doppy's embrace, and Keltin kept whispering that everything was going to be fine. Eremes watched with a stony silence, but his gaze softened when Sarine's eyes met his to show that he was very protective of her right now. When she was still unsure, he walked over to squeeze her and reassure her. Once that was done, he went back to his spot to watch.

"Son?!" Anthon blinked. Howard stopped ten feet in front of them. Now they saw the hardened muscles of honest work. The Whitesmith garb that adorned him proved what he was under the misting of his flesh. Taking out his red Vecer Axe, he leaned on it.

"Timmy," Howard said calmly. "if you really want to change, then you need to renounce the Swindler's Code."

"Don't do it!" Anthon warned. It was a code that was handed down in the family, and he honored it with everything he had. Howard had never agreed to it, since he found it vile. When Timothy came of age, he was sworn in. Even his mother was part of the disgusting tradition to harm others. Wendy was just in tears that one of her sons was actually considered dead.  _One of my boys was now transformed into something else in front of us._  Markus was watching everything with fascination, as his scribe recorded everything down for their books.

"I renounce it!" Timmy said. "All of it! Every last bit of it! I will now work hard and honestly to let myself grow!"

"Now," Howard said, as he watched his brother carefully. "can you hold up to it? Can you hold up to your vow? If you can, then great. I congratulate you. But, if you fail..."

"What?" Timmy frowned. Then he gasped, as Naght and Howard both spoke out as one.

"I...WILL...FIND...YOU...!" Howard and Naght hissed together. Then Howard spoke alone. "As for my Father and Mother, I suggest a town service done with honest, hard work. If they fail in this, then you may punish, as needed."

"It has been recorded," the scribe said.

"Howard Alt-Eisen. Since you are married to..." Markus paused. "a beautiful woman in her own right, and are the most honorable of your family, I would like you to go through your family home and take what you need from it. What you don't need, you can leave behind."

"Oh, no you don't!" Anthon growled.

"It's the will of Amatsu, Father. I can't fight with the law. I'm not like you," Howard shrugged and nodded to Markus. "It will be done in the morning!"

"What do you want your brother to do?" Markus asked.

"Let him partake in the Blacksmith tests when he is ready," Howard nodded.

"It shall be done," the scribe notated. Sammy even nodded at this. As Howard turned to leave, Sarine screamed, as Anthon lunged at him. He didn't make it. The Light of Odin slammed down into the older man, knocking the wind out of him. Markus was gaping at the whole thing, and Howard just glared at what happened with disbelief. _My father tried to attack me?!_   _Sarine just saved me from killing my own father!_

"What...what hit me?!" Anthon muttered, as he came to.

"My wife hit you!" Howard growled. "As you were going to hit me! Be lucky, Father, because, if you succeeded, I would have killed you myself!"

Sarine was gasping after it was done, and she was clutching at her belly. Eremes was at her side, and she coughed hard. Doppy led her over the back railing to where she vomited. Howard gasped and now ran up to help her. Timmy was just stunned at what he just saw.  _Howard's wife beat the crap out of our father, one of the most unbeatable men I ever knew._ Seyren was now approaching the arena, his face a shroud of complete anger.

"Get Howard!" Doppy grimaced with a touch of pain on his face.

"Sarine!" Howard whispered, as he walked up to her carefully.

"He...he tried to...! I couldn't... let him..." she whispered, as he hugged her tightly. A potion was handed to him for her to wash out her mouth with. He carefully ran his hand over her belly and winced. _The children had grown slightly._

"It's okay," Howard whispered and kissed her forehead. "It's all right now. It's over. It's done. It's okay..."

All she could do was tremble and nod. She didn't hear Seyren shouting at the family for nearly harming Howard and Sarine. She didn't hear Garrett voicing out that the King was going to hear of such blasphemy. All that she knew was that Howard was with her, his hand on her belly, and her other husbands were there to help her recover. They shielded her from all the shouting and anger that happened down below now. Doppy finally picked her up to carry her back to the house. He swiftly took her up the stairs, and the others were in pursuit. Once she was away from the negativity, she felt better almost immediately.

"What is going to happen tomorrow?" Sarine smiled softly, as she was set in the bed. She stretched out carefully and yawned.

"We'll go to Amatsu in the morning and check out the house I lived in," Howard nodded. "I know I do have a few things of value that, hopefully, are still there."

"I think I would like to see How-How's house," she blushed. He chuckled, as he removed his tunic and boots to slip into the bed beside her. Keltin was soon next to her, and Eremes was leaning into the corner of the room.

"Are you thirsty or hungry?" Doppy asked. She did throw up earlier, and he was concerned. On thinking, she did nod her head, and he went down the stairs.

"What will happen to your brother?" Keltin asked Howard.

"Hopefully, he'll learn from all of this and make himself a better man. If he doesn't, well, I'll likely never be able to forgive him," Howard frowned.

"We shall watch him closely," Eremes nodded. Sarine sighed, and Howard looked at her with a smile. He moved his hand over her belly again. At his fatherly look, she blushed at him.

"What?" she smiled.

"Twins!" he grinned, and she laughed, as he kissed her forehead. She pulled him into a kiss full of love and trust, and he held her close. Keltin could only laugh at it. Being in his Champion form, she rolled over slightly and pulled him close to kiss him next. Then she sat up and held her arms out to Eremes for him to move onto the bed and kiss her fiercely. When Doppy came in the room, he set the food onto a table and moved to scoop her up to kiss her with a demanding passion before setting her down to eat. The others sat around the table with her and ate, as well, to keep her company.

"What is your house like?" Sarine asked, as she ate a strawberry.

"Hmm," Howard thought, as he poured himself some water. "Think of a small, three bedroom house with just enough space to move around. Then you have my house."

"Sounds...cramped?" Eremes chuckled.

"Very," Howard sighed. "I did board up my room before I left. I wonder if they had enough curiosity to pull the boards down."

"Maybe to pawn the nails?" Keltin asked.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Howard nodded. A knock on the door happened, and he blinked. Doppy got up to answer it to find Seyren there.

"We need your help, Howard," Seyren growled.

"What happened?" Howard asked, as he turned to face him.

"Your brother was found in the treasury..." Seyren started.

"WHAT?!" Howard freaked. Sarine blinked and tried to focus on eating again.  _I can honestly think of no reason as to why such people like that can exist!_

"Needless to say," Seyren smirked. "he found the Demonic swords far too pretty to leave alone. Same with the Mimics."

"Oh!" Sarine hissed, as she pressed a hand to her belly. Howard was scooping her up to comfort her quickly, and he placed his hand over hers to feel the hard kicks. Doppy blinked, as he felt them, but kept quiet. He still didn't want to admit that he could feel the twins right now, and it was starting to make him think about certain things.

"Not growing. Just active, since it's nightfall. All right," Howard whispered. He kissed her soundly and looked at Seyren. "Imprison him down below with the others."

"That's just the thing," Seyren sighed. "He wants to talk to you before we move him."

"Ugh..." Howard grumbled.

"I want to go with you," Sarine said.

"I don't think you should," Doppy said gently.

"Why?" Eremes asked.

"Because. He's my husband. As well are all of you. Except for you," she said to Seyren, and he grinned. "I want to be there to protect him, if I have to."

"You did the Light of Odin already," Keltin said.

"So? I want to see the treasury. I haven't been there yet!" Sarine smiled.

"All right," Howard nodded. "At the first sign of trouble, you're out of there."

"How-How," Sarine sighed. "you forget where you are and who I am. Do you honestly think that the monsters that guard the treasury are going to let me come to any sort of harm?"

"She has a point," Eremes chuckled. Doppy smirked and watched Howard slip his tunic and boots back on. He clearly didn't want to confront his brother.

"She does," Seyren laughed. "Come on. He's likely still flopping on the floor where the Ancient Mimic has him pinned down."

"Oh, dear," Sarine frowned. Keltin helped escort her down the stairs, and Sammy came up to her to feel her belly.

"Hrmph," Sammy muttered the odd sound. "They grew. No matter what happens, don't use the Light of Odin anymore."

"Huh?" Howard frowned.

"When she fights, it feeds them. If she has negative energy, it feeds them. Anything that causes rage feeds them! It's crazy! Hey! Where are you all going?" Sammy asked.

"Howard's brother tried to rob the treasury, apparently," Doppy growled.

"Idiot!" Sammy muttered, and his massive Samurai ghost looked at Keltin to hiss something to him. Sammy frowned in thought now.

"Sarine," Keltin frowned. "I was just told that Timmy may start attempting to have some sort of affection for you."

"Over my dead body!" Howard snarled.

"If he can try to get past me!" Doppy hissed.

"Boys, please!" Sarine sighed. "I'm pregnant and pissed now! If he tries anything with me, he's going to get a slap in the face!"

"I'm not gonna feel bad for Timmy," Keltin grinned. Seyren laughed and led them outside of the house to the hidden area where the treasury was. Margaretha and Lloyd were there to Heal Timmy once he accepted it.

"How did he even find out where to go?" Sarine frowned.

"He followed me," Karla grumbled, as she walked up to them. "I came here to see what funds I could give Markus. He threatened me to not say anything and to lead him in here. So, I did. I had my bottles, but I decided to let the monsters take care of him for me."

"He did what?" Seyren asked quietly. It was common knowledge to them all that any question asked quietly was fully concealed rage. Howard moved to Sarine's side quickly to comfort her and rest a hand on her belly to shield her from the negative emotions. As long as he was there, she was fine. The three Demonic swords were hovering around Timmy's body, and now Howard could see why he was drawn to them.  _Valkyrie had definitely upgraded them even further than what they were before._

Tirfing's blade now had a resemblance of polished and sharpened crystal. When it closed its single eye and mouth, the seams merged perfectly into the blade. The handle used to be dripping with blood. Now it looked like encrusted rubies over gold. When the monster revealed itself, the rubies oozed blood to show they were wounds.

Mysteltainn's blade resembled carved black onyx with a black diamond center just below the hilt. The chains appeared to be solid gold around it. When the sword rested along the wall, it looked like it was just pulled from a treasure chest and left to lie on the ground. There were even small diamond bits embedded in the hilt to make the Demonic blade seem even more valuable and alluring to touch. It would easily fool anyone.

Executioner's new look resembled a gold blade with a black onyx hilt that merged around the head of the Demonic hilt. The chain that wrapped around it appeared to be gold embedded with diamonds. The horn-like hilt guards appeared to be twisted gold. The normal red part of where the blade met the hilt appeared to be studded rubies and other precious gems.

All three Demonic blades were truly made for the treasury now and designed to fool anyone that came in for the real treasures. If they had to be tested to be seen as actual treasure, Timmy was the guinea pig, and the test was a success. The Mimic and the Ancient Mimic moved over to Sarine protectively. Howard walked over to his brother lying on the ground. Timmy stirred, and Howard rose up his hand to keep the swords at bay.

"What was your point by coming here?" Howard asked carefully.

"To...see...her!" Timmy pointed at Sarine. It was hard for him to talk and move now, so he had to make do with what he could at the moment.

"She's pregnant with my twins. Why?" Howard asked again.

"I...like...her!" Timmy grinned.

"Why did you want to see me?" Howard growled.

"You...bring...her!" Timmy said again.

"You haven't changed a bit!" Howard snarled now and stood up. Then he looked at Seyren and nodded. "You can have him. He threatened your wife. I'm taking Sarine back to bed with the others. She needs to sleep."

"Timmy," Sarine frowned. "you have just lost the chance to finally understand your brother. I'm sure you know this. If you come near me, you will be killed."

"Maybe!" Timmy grinned again. "But...you...don't...know...me!"

"But, I do!" Huginn scowled out after she whimpered. She turned to face him with a look of irritation. She nodded for Lloyd to Heal Timmy and lift him up to look at her. "I am Huginn! You have now angered me! I inhabit the body of the Vessel of Odin!"

"What?!" Timmy freaked.

"You are not worthy or honorable in my eyes!" Huginn hissed. "You have too much greed and selfishness within you! The only way to redeem yourself is to change the ways of your own father. You change him. You change yourself. Until then, you will continue to wallow in the lies and filth of your past and present! Howard Alt-Eisen! Imprison him with the others below the house! Maybe he'll learn some form of respect that way, but it's doubtful!"

"Of course, Huginn," Howard nodded and caught Sarine when she fainted.

"What?!" Timmy whimpered, as he asked the same question again.

"I was hoping that Huginn would say that I could mess you up for threatening my wife!" Seyren seethed out. "Instead, I'll make due by beating the living shit out of you before I toss your ass into the cell!"

"No, Seyren," Karla frowned and moved over to him to put her hand on his arm. "Not with Sarine in her condition."

"Damn it all!" Seyren growled. Karla pressed a kiss to his lips, and he sighed.

"If I'm still mad at him later, I'll toss a couple bottles at him," she winked. That made him chuckle, and he nodded. Sammy moved over to Timmy now and glowered. Then he paused, as Pori-Pori bounced in. The powerful Poring-type monster was worried about Sarine and went to study her. On seeing her unconscious, he was clearly not happy.

"A Poring? Please!" Timmy grinned. Everyone held their breath, and Pori-Pori looked over at him slowly. Within seconds, Timmy was slammed against the wall and had to be Resurrected by Lloyd. The sword monsters seemed to laugh at this, and Seyren was simply dying in his own hysterical laughter. Now he felt better that Timmy got beaten up somehow.

"Don't piss off Pori-Pori, little brother," Howard grinned, as Timmy came to.

"Vessel of Odin?" Pori-Pori frowned, as he nudged her leg. She gasped, as she finally broke out of her faint and whimpered. Pori-Pori quickly jumped into her arms and snuggled her. She hugged him tight, as tears fell from her eyes. Eremes frowned and crossed his arms to think.

"What's wrong?" Keltin asked. He went to move over to her, but it was Sammy that pushed him back. Doppy glared at Timmy and curled back a lip to snarl.

"The children grew a touch. She's feeling the pain now. Take her to bed and let her sleep," Sammy said. "As for you, Timothy Alt-Eisen! Your cell awaits!"

"But...!" Timmy frowned before gasping at the massive ghost that loomed over the small boy. Then Timmy looked at the monsters that leered around him. He was far outmatched.

"Come along!" Margaretha said, as she gestured for him to walk in front of her. "I need to sleep at some point, too! I may be a monster now, but I do like to sleep when I can."

Timmy pouted, but he sagged his head in defeat. Sammy went and talked to Storm Caller to have a different entrance made so that the dungeon could be reached outside the house, too. That was done rather quickly. They didn't want Timmy to see the interior of the home at any cost. No one wanted him to get any ideas. The house didn't have a full show of wealth yet, so it wasn't very impressive. The darkness of night also helped hide most of the interior, as well as the exterior, but the tunnel created would help serve as an emergency exit, as well as a more secured entrance below the house. With this done, Timmy was led to the house and down to the dungeon below. He was placed in a cell adjacent from the others.

Kavach looked up from his cell and frowned, as the monsters left. He was reclining in a rather plush chair, and he set down the book he was reading to pass the time. It was truly made to be like a small guest room of sorts, as he had done nothing wrong and agreed to being contained. Malore had slightly less than adequate furniture, but that was because he was still under full quarantine. Instead of a plush chair in his cell, it was a hard, wooden stool.

Blent's cell had matching furniture of Kavach's cell, as he was being treated as a guest of sorts, too. He assisted Sarine during her attack and showed that he was trustworthy. Several other cells had luxury furniture. There were also small beds and privacy stalls set up in each cell for sleeping and bathroom needs. The holding cells for true prisoners had basic mattresses on the ground to serve as beds to at least provide a minimum amount of comfort. Timmy was set up in a cell much like Malore's. Blent watched Timmy get set up in a quarantined holding cell, and he got curious as to why this one was being held against his will.

"Who are you?" Kavach frowned.

"I'm Howard's younger brother, Timothy," he shrugged.

"Wait," Blent said from his guest room-like cell. "you're the brother of Howard, the one that has the blood of Naght Seiger?! What are you doing in here?"

"Eh, I saw the treasury?" Timmy grinned.

"Idiot!" Blent sighed. Now he realized why Timmy was in a holding cell.

"The only real treasure is the girl. There is nothing else of interest here," Malore sighed. "Everything else is worthless. Simply worthless."

"Never mind him," Kavach sighed.

"No, no, I want to know more," Timmy said. For the next hour, it was told to him who Sarine was, what she was to the monsters, and how the others were placed around her. A good portion of her past was revealed now, and most of Timmy's questions got answered. It was a lot to absorb, but he managed to do it.

"So, as you can see," Kavach shrugged. "she is everything."

"Apparently so," Timmy said and yawned. "Right. Well, I guess I'll have to see what happens tomorrow."

"Likely nothing until the day after," Blent nodded. "Rest well, guys!"

"Yeah. Sure," Timmy sighed and laid back on the mattress. It was a touch hard from being on the ground, but he didn't mind it. He actually slept on worse when he was doing errands for his father. There was a light blanket nearby, but it was warm enough that it wasn't needed. When his eyes closed to sleep, a figure moved quickly and silently back into the house and up the stairs where Howard was waiting for a report. Sarine was sleeping deeply with Keltin in the bed now, and Eremes Uncloaked to reveal what he found.

"I'll tear him apart, if he touches her!" Howard growled.

"I'll tear up what's left!" Doppy snarled out inhumanly.

"Maybe Ripclaw will have an idea on what to do with him?" Eremes asked.

"It's possible. We can ask when we see him," Howard nodded. Then he gasped with Eremes, as their flesh became human. Smiling now, he went to go lay back down with Sarine.

"It's about time!" Eremes sighed.

"I'll wake you all up, if something interesting happens," Doppy nodded. When they went silent, Doppy slipped into meditation to keep the hours passing by quickly.


	47. Chapter 47

About four hours in, Sarine woke with sharp pains in her belly. Doppy was right there by her side and woke up Howard in case he needed help. Howard told him to get Sammy, and he cradled Sarine gently on the floor. Sammy came in quickly to press a hand to her belly.

"Anything?" Howard asked.

"They are hungry!" Sammy said. "Feed her!"

"But..." Sarine gasped.

"Here," Howard said, and Doppy cut Howard's wrist open. "Easiest way, right?"

"Doppy?" Sarine blinked.

"It's okay," Doppy soothed. Sammy was just in shock on what was happening, but he judged that Demonic children needed it. When he left the room, Sarine placed her mouth on the bleeding wrist offered to her, and Howard took a deep breath of control. When she drank enough, he drank a potion and helped to lift her off the ground.

"Feeling better?" Howard asked.

"Yes," she nodded, as the babies settled down again, content with nourishment.

"Should I give her some of mine?" Doppy asked.

"Next time. Maybe we can all take turns doing this," Howard nodded. "Less of a strain on me, and blood is a form of food for her."

"I love you both so much!" Sarine said, and they each took turns kissing her. Leaning into Howard now, she trembled with joy that he was human again. Looking over at Eremes, she winked at her two husbands, and they watched her sneak over to him and kiss him soundly awake. It caught Eremes off guard, and he actually slid to the ground with her in his arms.

"Cheater!" Eremes laughed and hugged her.

"I had to make sure you got kissed, since you're human now," she smiled.

"Very true," he nodded and nuzzled her.

"Are you still tired?" Doppy asked.

"A little," she nodded. Howard went to place her in the bed, and Keltin moved his hand over her in sleep to pull her closer. Then he groaned and started taking off her shorts with expert motions. The other three men watched with complete surprise.

"What is he doing?" Howard gaped.

"Something...he used to do before..." she chuckled, as she quickly helped him. "Whenever he dreams of his past...he ends up wanting me in sleep..."

"Really?" Eremes blinked. While Keltin still had his eyes closed, he slipped into her and rolled to have her on top of him. Only then did he open his eyes and gaze at her to pull her down to kiss deeply. He hugged her before letting her sit back up on him.

"Dreaming again..." Keltin whispered.

"I know. It's okay," she smiled and worked with him now. When they both cried out with release, he pulled her down to help her dress again and hugged her tight.

"Explain!" Howard said. Keltin sighed and looked strangely distressed.

"Keltin had a girl in his past," Sarine started for him. "You all know this, right? Well, when the fires started, she was burned to a crisp in front of him. Completely gone. What his dreams do now is replace my image with hers."

"Ouch," Doppy winced.

"So, you see why I have to make sure she's okay," Keltin shivered.

"That's rough," Howard frowned.

"There was one time she wasn't there, since she had to use the bathroom. I didn't know what to do, and I almost started tearing the place apart to look for her," Keltin said.

"I understand your pain," Eremes nodded.

"Thanks, guys," Keltin said, as he sat up now, a bit more awake. "Human now? Nice! Well, I don't think I'm going back to sleep anytime soon."

"Apparently, none of us are," Doppy smirked. Sarine sat up and rubbed her hands over her belly with a slight wince.

"Sarine?" Howard said, as he ran his hand over her belly with her.

"I feel so famished!" she frowned.

"I'm on it!" Eremes nodded and sped down the stairs with Doppy.

"Because they're growing now, they need more," Keltin nodded. "All right, I'll clear off the table. You have her, Howard?"

"Yep!" Howard nodded and scooped up Sarine to set her in a chair. A quick flurry of movement revealed Pori-Pori jumping into her lap to snuggle.

"Happy Birthday!" Pori-Pori said.

"Oh!" she gasped and snuggled him back.

"That's right!" Keltin grinned. "When do you want to celebrate it?"

"Why don't we wait until Amatsu is over and we get to Jawaii? This way we can celebrate in style?" Sarine blushed.

"That can work," Howard grinned. Eremes brought up a small breakfast feast for them, and Doppy surprised her with a small chocolate cake.

"A small birthday surprise," Doppy chuckled. "We were hoping to have our own little private birthday party with you."

"Oh!" Sarine blushed. Pori-Pori bounced out of her lap to check on the dungeon down below, and Howard thought.

"Eremes, did you get them?" Howard asked.

"One moment," Eremes nodded and left the room. Setting the cake to one side for later, they started eating. When Eremes came back, a few of the small boxes that Howard had Donnie hide away were brought to be placed on the bed. Then he set aside a few other boxes that came from the others. After that, he sat down to eat with them. She looked at Howard curiously, but he just smiled and placed a few slices of cheese on her plate. After the meal was consumed, they had the cake, and she had never felt so much joy in her life. When she started to tear up, Howard rubbed his hand over her back and smiled lovingly.

"Thank you," she smiled. "All of my other birthdays were so awful, and...I think this made up for it."

"It's not over yet," Eremes reminded her.

"True," Sarine nodded.

"I think it's time I gave her my presents. Do any of you mind?" Howard asked.

"Go on," Doppy nodded. "Long overdue, anyways."

"It's time," Eremes said.

"It's now or later. I say now," Keltin nodded. Howard nodded and pulled his boxes off the bed. She looked at him with a questioning look, and he sighed.

"Sarine," Howard said softly. "I was going to give you these when I saw you again after Lighthalzen. You could say that they were supposed to be engagement gifts and wedding gifts."

"How-How..." she blinked, as he handed her the first box. When she opened it, she gasped and pulled out a diamond ring.

"I was going to ask you to marry me with that," he smiled. Swallowing, she took up the next box to open, and her mouth dropped.  _It was a Whisper card._

"I know you have a couple now," Howard chuckled. "It took me a while to find one, though, and I knew how badly you've been wanting one! Here."

Taking up the last box, she opened it and gave out another gasp. The box revealed a frozen rose, a witherless rose, and an empty red frame.

"How-How?" she asked questionably.

"I was hoping that our wedding portrait could have gone in it. Then the roses would have always been there to symbolize our love," he sighed. Her heart soared, and she jumped up to hug him. Then she pulled him close and kissed him hard.

"If you need the bathroom, I don't believe we mind," Eremes chuckled. "But, when you're done, we each have our own gifts for her."

Howard nodded and lifted her up to take her into the room for a small bit of privacy. Eremes and Doppy told Keltin to go next, and he nodded. Keltin moved to the bed and pulled his box off of it. When Howard brought her back out, she was still kissing him deeply. A moment later, he chuckled and set her down on the chair.

"Sarine, it's my turn," Keltin smiled. "I had to have Karla find something for me. And I think it would be more fitting for when you try to impress royalty and wear your robe. I was a bit surprised at what Karla found, and I really approve of it. I hope you like it, too."

Sarine took the box from him and stammered at the small, solid gold, and stately coronet she took out. Then she blinked, as she took out the brooch that Eremes gave her and found Keltin's card in it so she could start using it. Doppy whistled with appreciation, and Howard grinned. Eremes chuckled and watched Sarine drag Keltin into the bathroom.

"Who's next?" Howard grinned.

"I thought you always liked to go last?" Eremes smiled.

"Well, with her being pregnant with my kids, I figured it was only fair to let someone else go last. I am spending more time with her than any of you. It only makes sense," Howard said. Doppy nodded, as it was reasonable.

"Howard, can you please tell us why you always wanted to go last?" Eremes asked.

"You won't like it," Howard frowned.

"Really?" Doppy mused.

"Sarine told me..." Howard sighed. "she saved the best for last."

"What?!" Eremes blinked.

"I'm sure she only told me that when I was upset at being last! She told me that she loves us all equally, and that we all do things to her that satisfy her every whim," Howard said carefully. "You know she loves us all the same."

"Huh," Doppy smirked. "I can see how she would say that to you. You do tend to blow things out of proportion."

"I do what now?!" Howard frowned.

"See?" Doppy laughed. Howard rolled his eyes, and Eremes grinned, as Keltin brought Sarine back into the room. Eremes took the last box off the bed. It was his gift to her, and he chuckled. He knew what he had to say.

"I'll go last," Eremes winked.

"I think I'll go last," Doppy snickered.

"You told them, didn't you?" Sarine frowned at Howard.

"They asked!" he said.

"Told them what?" Keltin asked. When they told him, Keltin laughed at it.

"I love all of you equally! If I was able to have you all at once, then I would!" Sarine frowned. "How-How just tends to over-exaggerate at times."

"Wait, what?!" Howard asked. The others burst into laughter. She pulled Howard into a loving kiss that made him forget his outbursts, and he hugged her tightly.

"Eremes? Can you get me your present next?" Sarine smiled. That made Eremes smile softly, and he nodded.

"Mine...may be a bit painful. But, I think I need to give it to you now," he said. She looked at him, and Howard set her down. "When I rescued you from Amatsu the second time, I ransacked their treasury. I intend to give back what I took, as I didn't know at the time what was truly going on. But, I found this."

He presented to her his box. She slowly took it and opened it. She pulled out the doll that so closely resembled her as a child. She gasped at it in wonder.

"Papa...he was speaking the truth! He...he did care about me!" Sarine blinked back tears. "I...never realized it...!"

"I can see now why this was hidden away," Eremes nodded. The other three were in shock at it.  _The doll bore her exact likeness as a toddler._ Sarine leaned forward and swept up Eremes in a kiss that left them both gasping for air.

"I'll put this somewhere safe," Doppy said.

"Thanks..." Eremes said, as he picked up Sarine to take her into the bathroom.

"Wow. The likeness is just...wow..." Keltin blinked. He studied the hair and eyes of the doll. It was like a living picture was staring right at them.

"No one takes this from her again!" Howard growled.

"Right," Doppy nodded and went to give it to Storm Caller. When he got back, Eremes was still with Sarine in the bathroom. Howard was talking to Keltin about small games he would play with Sarine when she was first traveling with them on the road. Doppy sat down to listen in to find out more about her past life.

"I remember when she was bored, and I would let her ride on my cart while we walked," Howard chuckled. "She was the only one I would do that with. Seyren always got pissed when he saw I was giving her rides, but I just shrugged him off. She would always start up games of what the clouds looked like, too. I also remember that there were things that she asked that seriously made me wonder how she grew up. I told her what grass was. How the world worked. Just the little things that a child should have known. When I asked how she was schooled, she admitted she never went to school. We took turns teaching her after that."

"It's a good thing she ran into all of you when she did," Keltin nodded.

"You're telling me!" Howard sighed and looked up, as Eremes brought out Sarine. She was flush and smiling with the passion he gave her. Doppy looked at her now and scooped her up into his arms with an impatient growl.

"Does she get a present?" Keltin asked.

"Yeah. Me!" he grinned. That made Sarine giggle, but he did give over the spiked headband he had on him to her, and a sword called a Zweihander. Howard whistled, as he looked the sword over before Doppy carried her into the bathroom.

"What did I miss?" Eremes asked.

"Howard was telling me how all of you taught Sarine when she was growing up with you all," Keltin nodded. "I never knew her past with you guys."

"I actually did teach her some..." Eremes smiled.

"You did?" Howard blinked.

"Yes. When you all were sleeping, and she was awake. I taught her how to find her way around at night," Eremes grinned. "She was a rather...intelligent pupil..."

"Really?" Keltin blinked. "That does make sense how she knew where to camp."

"Yes. I taught her that. How to avoid others. How to defend her camp. How to keep others away from her, if needed. Where to find the best escape routes. Life-saving strategies at times. All of it," Eremes nodded. "She learned from me quickly."

"I always wondered why she would study your posture and attitude sometimes," Howard mused. Keltin blinked and now had to wonder what she would have looked like.

"She did?" Eremes grinned.

"Yep! It was sort of funny, really," Howard snickered.

"I do...miss those times. You know?" Eremes sighed.

"I know," Howard sighed back with agreement. "But, we have new times and new children to teach when they're born. So, we have that to look forward to!"

"Very true!" Keltin chuckled.

"I am curious," Eremes frowned. "What will we find in your house?"

"I don't know," Howard admitted. "I'm just hoping my room is still in one piece. It has been over five years, since I was last there."

"True," Eremes nodded. "Anything of importance?"

"Maybe an old family photo. Some money and something else I was working on. Maybe some smithing materials. Nothing else, really," he shrugged.

"Speaking of photos and portraits," Keltin smiled. "should we get one done in Amatsu? You all were talking about getting another one done, and I think it would be an awesome birthday present from all of us."

"I like that!" Howard grinned.

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded. "I'll tell the others."

They all looked at each other and let out quiet bouts of laughter when Doppy roared over Sarine's cries. Howard was grinning in thought now.

"He really did give himself over as a present. Didn't he?" Keltin snickered.

"Well, if it keeps her happy..." Eremes shrugged. They blinked at Doppy, as he walked out without Sarine. He looked tense and a touch irritated.

"Howard. She needs you," he muttered. Howard frowned and got up to walk to her side in the bathroom. She was reclining on the ground, and he sat with her. As the door closed, Doppy was whispering to them that there was someone else she wanted to be with, and it made him slightly nervous for her. Now they realized why Doppy was anxious.

"Hey," Howard whispered, as she looked up at him.

"Can I talk to Naght?" she asked. Blinking at this request, Howard nodded, and Naght came forth. With his pupils glowing a dull red, he pulled her into his embrace.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to be with you for a bit," she smiled. That made him smile with a silent form of wonder, and he placed his hand over her belly.

"They grow fast," he sighed.

"I know," she smiled and rested her head against his neck. "I have been doing some thinking. Quite a bit, actually."

"Oh?"

"I don't think you should separate from Howard."

"Why not?"

"I already have four husbands in the form of men. With you in Howard's body, it does simplify things, you know? I don't fully have to share myself with another. You're already here. I...I know that you want to hold me for yourself, but...it's so draining on me to be with the others. It gets...hard on me sometimes."

"I see..." Naght frowned. "But, I know he is human now, and I shouldn't be able to do this. I just have to ask myself. What will happen when his humanity becomes permanent? Will I still be able to see my offspring when I need to? I know that Huginn said that I would be able to do this at times, but I do wonder about the future."

"When that time comes, we will know what will happen. Right?" she blinked at him before giving a soft frown. "I just...it's so draining..."

"Hush," he whispered and gently kissed her. He felt troubled now. When he heard odd mutters in the other room, he paused, as Muninn made his way into the bathroom.

_:Go. Arena. Quickly!:_  Muninn urged and flew back out. Sarine was dressed in her Sniper gears, and he moved into the other room. They were preparing to leave already. Howard took over long enough to dress, and he made his way outside with her followed by the other three. When they got to the arena, they paused, as Odin stood there.

"Daddy!" Sarine smiled, and Howard released her to run to him. He hugged her, and she had him feel the children growing within her. His touch calmed the twins down significantly and settled them. He even slowed their growth down a bit to help her.

"I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, myself. Howard Alt-Eisen! Will you step forward, please?" Odin asked. "I need to speak with you."

"Yes, Sir!" Howard nodded. Naght relinquished his control, since he was no longer needed at this time, but things were going to change.

"I understand that there is a touchy situation. I am going to allow something to happen for one hour. If it feels right, then we'll see about making it happen again when the opportunity arrives. Are you ready?" Odin asked. "Just brace yourself."

"Um, of course," Howard said a touch puzzled. Sarine gasped, as Odin lifted a hand up to Howard's heart and focused. An inhuman scream erupted from Howard now, and Naght Seiger was severed from him. Then the demon was pulled to stay put in the arena. Eremes's jaw dropped. Doppy was hissing with amazement. Keltin's eyes were wide with shock.

"Naght Seiger! Are you well?" Odin asked with amusement. Howard was gasping for air, but then he paused at the sight of the massive red and blue demon floating next to him.

"Amazing..." Naght hissed, as he looked around. "I...am...free...?"

"Not quite. Just for an hour so you can be with my daughter, my Vessel," Odin winked. Sarine swallowed and was gently released from Odin's embrace. She walked up to Naght with wonder, and he gazed down at her.

"Only...one...hour...?" Naght asked.

"Yes. Come back here when you are done," Odin nodded. "We will wait."

Naght looked down at Odin and muttered in Demonic softly. Doppy smirked a bit and even blinked, as Odin nodded to allow it to happen this once. Then Naght returned his full attention to Sarine, and he thought to himself.

"Naght?" she whispered. The demon reached down quickly, pulled her up to him, and was gone within seconds. He took her back to the oceanic overhang on the cliffside, dug his swords into the ground here to keep them out of the way, and held her tightly. She didn't say anything else now. Nothing needed to be said. His hands trailed freely over her form and rested over her belly to silently check on the twins. A harsh purring came from him with the contentment of it all. Then he looked at her.

"Sarine..." he hissed.

"Yes?" she smiled. He handed her a book that was called an Old Card Album. A random monster card was contained in it. Blinking, she opened it and pulled out the card of the strong monster Detardeurus, also known as Detale. The monster was a large, red dragon that roamed the very center of the dragon caves and was, quite literally, their chief. Right after the card was removed, the album disintegrated from age. Normally, stronger monster cards shouldn't even be found in the books, but Naght had forced it to happen with Odin's help this once. He asked to give her a special birthday gift, and Odin was pleased with the idea.

"Happy...birthday..." he chuckled. She gasped and hugged him tight, pressing her lips against his flaming skull. Purring more now, he just held her.

"Thank you," she whispered, as he hugged her closer.

"This...is...nice..." he sighed. "You...sure...about...Howard...?"

"It's easier to talk to you that way," she admitted. He seemed to laugh. "and it's a bit easier to be with you in other ways..."

That made him pause before one of his hands moved to slide between her legs. She gasped, as he rubbed her there, and had her whimper out her release. Then he set her on the ground, and he pulled her shorts off her. She turned to get on all fours for him, and he simply pressed his hips against hers to let his very essence fill her. She cried out, as he claimed her, his hands locked on her hips. Bellowing out his release, as she screamed hers, he held her there. He let her ride out the pleasure with him. Once it was done, he pulled her up to him to cradle.

"Mine..." he growled and moved to pick up her shorts to hand to her. Still trembling from the sheer power of the release, she managed to dress herself in his arms, and he squeezed her gently. Looking out at the ocean now, his deep purr resonated throughout her body. It calmed and soothed her to a point that she started to feel drowsy. He sensed it and seemed to chuckle, as he shifted her weight in his arms.

When he looked down at her, she was sleeping quite deeply now. He had forgotten that she needed Howard there, as well, to fully stay awake. _Her pregnancy sleep took over._ Looking up at the open sky, he enjoyed the silent knowledge of being able to see the stars again. It had been so long that he noticed the change of various constellations. Looking out over the ocean, he saw the sun starting to rise up. _It was time to get back to Odin._

"Why...?" he hissed, and he hugged her sleeping form close. "I...love...you..."

At that statement, he looked up to find Muninn flying overhead. The falcon called out to him and landed on the cliffside ledge. Then he shifted into his warrior form to speak at length.

" _Why must you remain in the Whitesmith for now?_ " Muninn asked.

"Yes..." Naght nodded. "Why...?"

" _Like she stated. Being with so many is hard on her. She has two men at once with you being linked to Howard. It would drain even more with just one of you at a time. At least, you should wait until your twins are born. Same with Ifrit and his child with Eremes. It will be easier on her._ "

"I...hate...the...tower..." he admitted, as he gazed up at the sky. "I...long...for...freedom..."

" _To be with my sister. I know. Father Odin, knows, too. It is why he let you be free for now to see what it would be like and how she would react. He has decreed that on the nights that Howard is human, like tonight, you will be able to be free to interact, as needed. But, do be warned. While you are here, your tower is unguarded. In a way, it is like Baphomet. Baphomet can move between areas to patrol. Father Odin may be able to do the same for you, but you will lose your link with Howard when you appear. He may be able to have another form of link appear, but that is uncertain. Only so much can be revealed to me, at this time. When you go back to the tower, your link of possession will return to him. That much I do know._ "

"Hmm..." Naght thought. "I...do...like...Howard..."

" _Then you should talk to him, demon to human. Shall we go back?_ "

"Fine..." Naght sighed. He really didn't want to, but he knew he had to. _Odin was likely far more terrifying than I was, if his requests weren't respected._ He gathered up his two swords easily while he held Sarine, and he positioned her to rest on his arms so he could hold the swords. Moving far swifter than most demons, he found his way back to the arena with Sarine's form still sleeping deeply in his embrace.

"Is she all right?" Howard asked.

"Sleeping..." Naght nodded. "We...must...speak..."

"Very well," Howard nodded. When they approached each other, Sarine finally stirred and turned to press herself against Naght's chest. Both demon and human chuckled at the action. Naght's hand rested against her belly, and Howard's did the same. In response, the twins kicked actively to signal that they recognized their fathers.

"Amazing..." Naght hissed.

"I know. Twins!" Howard grinned. Naght seemed to laugh and sigh.

"What...do...you...think...?" Naght asked.

"About what?"

"About...us...separating..."

"It would be nice, but, at the same time, we must think about Sarine. I enjoy my freedom as much as you do. And, I think for the coming months ahead, it may be needed for us to remain linked. At least until the twins are born."

"Muninn...said...the...same...thing..."

"I'm not going to argue with Muninn. Maybe we can try to get to your tower? Fight our way through it?"

"Too...dangerous...for...Sarine..."

"True. But, what if she was just with us and didn't fight? Would that be okay? Or you still don't think so? I want you to tell me of your thoughts on everything, but I know that you talk a bit too slowly, too."

"Feel...with...your...mind..." Naght said. Howard nodded and took a deep breath. When his eyes closed, Naght moved his hand over Howard's forehead and lightly touched his temple to pass forth his thoughts. Howard winced at first, since he was sensitive to Sarine's emotions, and this was just as strong in a way. However, the touch was needed, and he couldn't sense them without it. Once he pushed past the emotions, he was able to hear Naght a bit more clearly. It was unfortunate that he couldn't do this with Sarine. He learned that Naght truly did fear for Sarine's safety, especially with the children growing within her.

On the mental suggestion of Sarine having full protection with her most powerful guardians, Naght seemed to give the impression that he could see that. It would make him feel better about it. The image of Baphomet moving from place to place appeared, and Howard understood that Naght could gain that ability. He was now informed of how the tower would be unprotected. Howard frowned, as he thought of how to help him.

"An alarm system, maybe?" Howard mused with his eyes closed. "Perhaps something that can tell you if adventurers get close to the room you are at, and that would help you appear?"

Naght seemed to like that idea. _It would help maintain the Balance that Odin wished for, and it would give me time to prepare._ He first thought of an alarm for every five levels of his hundred level tower. Then Howard thought every twenty instead. That way he wouldn't have to constantly count through the lesser levels. Then a sharper alarm when the last ten levels were about to be breached could be sounded. Naght did think that could work.

The mental link broke when Sarine shifted again in Naght's arms. When she started to whimper, Naght placed his hand over her forehead and glanced at what emotions started to run through her mind. A snarl turned into a hiss of hate at the sensation of fear, and he had Howard wake her up as he growled, "Wake...her...!"

"Sarine?" Howard whispered, as she blinked her eyes. She frowned, and he hugged her tight. Even Naght placed his arms and aura around the two of them. It took her a moment to calm down, but then she was able to speak.

"Bad dream," she sighed.

"Tell me?" Howard smiled with encouragement.

"Bad memories of Amatsu," she whispered. Howard frowned and kissed her deeply to erase them. A sigh of relief seemed to escape her, and Naght started purring.

"Nightmare...? How...?" Naght rumbled.  _We were with her. She shouldn't have had a nightmare at all._ It puzzled him greatly.

"Not sure. As long as we're here with her now is what matters. It could have been from what happened not too long ago. Let's not dwell on it," Howard said lightly.

"Done..." Naght nodded. Howard kissed Sarine again to comfort her and reassure her.

"Feeling better?" he asked. She nodded, and they all looked over, as Odin approached them. Naght seemed to chuckle, as Howard nodded with respect.

"Daddy," she smiled.

"My daughter. My Vessel. Do you feel better now?" Odin asked. "What do you think of having Naght Seiger with you as a separate entity? Do you think it is a good idea?"

"I do. I think, after the twins are born, Howard and Naght should be able to be separated. I do love Naght as much as the others," she nodded.

"We shall have arrangements done. Now, my daughter, my Vessel, I do long to hear you play for me. Will you play?" Odin smiled and revealed the harp her adopted grandmother brought to her. She beamed at him, and a chair was produced for her to sit on.

"Of course!" she smiled. She looked up and saw Eremes, Doppy, and Keltin walk over to her. They moved to surround her, and she felt incredibly protected and loved.

"The others will wake soon," Doppy said.

"Not until I hear her play," Odin said. "Come and join us! Naght Seiger! You may be as you are until she is done playing."

"Play...for...a...long...time..." Naght chuckled. That had them all laughing. Sarine pulled the harp to her, and Howard had her sit in his lap. Very slowly, she started to pluck on the strings of the harp, and the soothing melody filled the air. Eremes closed his eyes, as the melody of it calmed and eased his mind. Keltin was smiling at her the whole time. Doppy was simply admiring the tune. It was one he would never get enough of. Once she was done playing, Naght rested his hand on her shoulder before leaning down to rest it on her belly to feel the twins once more. She smiled up at him, and he seemed to sigh.

"It is time for you to merge back with Howard Alt-Eisen," Odin nodded. Naght rose up and wielded both of his swords to show he was ready. Sarine moved from Howard's lap and stood away from him to watch Naght being forced back down into his body. Odin focused slightly, and the merging was complete. Howard was grunting with the pain and gasped when it was done. Sarine walked over to him, and he hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Daddy," she smiled at Odin. "Naght isn't so bad on his own after all. And I would like to see him again soon."

"It shall be arranged. When Ifrit has you pregnant with his children and with Eremes Guile's children, it shall be done the same way," Odin nodded. Eremes gave a quiet chuckle and nodded. He would eagerly await that time, but in a patient way.

"We plan to go to Amatsu today," Keltin said.

"Interesting things will evolve on her birthday. Use caution," Odin said. This made Doppy frown, but he nodded. They would be at her side as much as possible. They knew she would want to explore the town, and they would need to be vigilant.

"She will be with us," Eremes nodded. That made Odin nod back.

"Until the next time I see you, my daughter, my Vessel," Odin said. She hugged him again, and he simply vanished. Looking over at her husbands, she smiled. They all felt completely rested and ready to tackle the day.

"Watch the sunrise with me?" she asked.

"Of course," Howard chuckled.

"I'll be a touch off in the shade," Doppy said.

"Why in the shade?" Keltin asked.

"Sun too bright?" Eremes asked.

"At first, it can be. I've been locked up in a tower for over four hundred years, remember," Doppy sighed. "I'm still trying to get used to sunlight."

"Light does take some time to get used to," Sarine nodded with agreement. She could easily relate with him. Doppy moved quickly and scooped her up to kiss her and carry her back to the house. On reaching it with the others, he sat down with her in his lap. The others sat with her now, and she sighed contentedly.

"Are you hungry at all?" Eremes asked.

"I think I could use something, if that's all right," she nodded.

"I'll be right back," Eremes nodded and moved into the house. He came back out with a bowl of fruit and a plate of cheese. Howard moved a table up for easy access for them all to snack on it. Keltin went inside and brought out glasses of juice for them.

"Thank you," Sarine smiled.

"Anytime," Keltin chuckled. "So, what was Naght like?"

"Naght?" she blinked and blushed. That made them all laugh lightly. "He was sweet."

"Only to you," Eremes grinned.

"He gave me an Old Card Album, and I got this card from it. He told me happy birthday," she smiled. Doppy looked at the card from the monster Detale and whistled before showing the others.

"Wow!" Keltin blinked.

"Let's see," Howard said, as he studied it. "Gain protection from being frozen and when attacked. It will also allow you to be able to nullify magic around you for a short time. That's crazy! This is a very powerful card!"

"I know, right?" Sarine giggled.

"Do you still have the Old Card Album?" Eremes asked.

"No. It sort of turned to dust after I pulled the card out," she frowned.

"We'll have to make a secret chamber in the treasury to store your cards," Doppy thought. "As well as our other important things that need to be protected."

"My thoughts exactly," Eremes nodded.

"I can work on it," Storm Caller said, as he was given the card. "I shall place all of your important items into it, as well. Maybe we can store the more important items in a completely different location. I will speak with Tao Gunka later today."

"Thank you," Sarine smiled.

"Are you well, Vessel of Odin?" Storm Caller asked.

"Yes. I am doing much better now," she nodded.

"A word of advice when going to Amatsu," he said. "I have foreseen this, and Muninn has confirmed it. The big tree is a place of safety, yet also a place of danger. Be careful when you approach it during the daytime hours."

"Hmm," Eremes thought, as he closed his eyes to think.  _Odin made the same premonition, but only told them to be watchful as the day unfolded for them._ "She will be watched over carefully at all times."

"I want you to help me with my house before we explore. Can you help me with that?" Howard asked her. "I want to get that place done."

"Sure!" Sarine smiled. "Like I said before. I want to see How-How's house."

He chuckled and leaned over to kiss her forehead. They watched the sun come up slowly, and Storm Caller refilled their fruit and cheese dishes, as well as their juice. Seyren was the one to come down the stairs first, and he paused as he saw them all outside.

"What did I miss?" he asked.

"Odin let Naght separate from Howard for an hour," Doppy grinned. "It was fun."

"I missed that?! Why didn't you wake me?" Seyren growled.

"It was a special present just for me," Sarine smiled. "You'll get to meet Naght in person soon. We may be going into his tower to help free him."

"Really?" Seyren blinked. "Make sure we're monsters."

"Well, duh!" Howard rolled his eyes.

"How-How!" Sarine frowned and poked his sides to make him laugh. Eremes chuckled, and Keltin grinned. Doppy snickered and let Sarine get up to keep tickling Howard.

"S-stop!" Howard gasped. He was soon on the ground laughing uncontrollably. Only when he was nearly out of breath did she relent, and he was still giggling when he pulled her close to hug tight. She was grinning a touch wickedly at him.

"Remember how you said that whenever I acted up you were going to kiss me? I'll just tickle you!" Sarine grinned. "I think that's perfectly fair!"

"Not fair!" Howard growled out playfully and started to tickle her. She laughed, and the others didn't realize how ticklish she was, either. Only when she pulled one of his hands over his belly to feel the twins moving did he stop and smile.

"I think the others are waking up," Seyren chuckled and moved back inside. Howard moved to sit back in his chair and pulled Sarine down into his lap, his hand still on her belly.

"Twins," Howard whispered to her, and she smiled at him. He still couldn't believe it. It didn't take long for the porch to become populated with people. Breakfast was served up, and Garrett approached her.

"I'm going to head to Prontera real quick to speak with my King about Amatsu," he said. "I'll likely meet you all there. And happy birthday, Sarine. I'll give you my present later."

"Okay," she smiled. Eremes watched him warily from where he sat, but did nothing. He still didn't fully trust him. Seyren wondered why Kathryne and Mitchell weren't down yet and decided to find out. His sharp yell was soon heard, as he was running down the stairs.

"Seyren Windsor!" Kathryne growled, her face red. "Get back here!"

"What?! All I did was knock on your door!" he said.

"Knock? You kicked it in!" she hissed.

"Seyren?" Sarine frowned. Karla had Luna in her arms and was now watching her husband carefully. Margaretha and Cecil were frowning at him.

"Kathryne, it's okay," Mitchell smiled. "We were only making out."

"But..." Kathryne stammered, and he kissed her right there on the spot. Seyren just blinked and started laughing.

"If he interrupts us in our room, then it's only fair for us to continue where we left off in front of him. This way Karla can be the one to punish him later for having to watch us make out in public," Mitchell smiled. Kathryne blushed, and Karla now glared at Seyren.

"Oh, come on!" Seyren pleaded. Sarine giggled and hid her face against Howard's neck. Doppy was grinning widely at the chaos, and Keltin just seemed to whistle and look away. Eremes had a light smile on his face.

"I think it's time to go to Amatsu," Sarine smiled. Howard looked at her, and he knew she was nervous. He was, too.

"Are you sure?" Keltin asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. Karla looked over at her and nodded before turning to glare again at Seyren.  _The Lord Knight was going to be kept on his toes today._  Lloyd and Margaretha packed up a nice lunch, and Karla went into the treasury to bring up some money to take with them as a donation. Eremes thought and made sure he had the items he took from Amatsu from before with him. As for the doll, there was no need to bring it. It was given back to Sarine. Coraline and Donnie came down the stairs, and were quickly readied for Amatsu. Muninn landed on Sarine's shoulders, as she rose up with others now.

On approaching the Kafra Agent, Sarine nodded with the others. They were all Warped there without another thought to spare.


	48. Chapter 48

Amatsu was beautiful with large, pink cherry blossoms in bloom now. Sarine just stared in wonder at her place of being received and swallowed. Howard pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Welcome to Amatsu," he smiled. She hugged him tight, and he hugged her back.

"So, where is your house? Let's get that taken care of first," Doppy said.

"Good idea," Howard nodded. "This way."

He led them all into a back ally of sorts until they came to a quaint looking house. It looked nice on the outside, but, on the inside, it was a mess. Boxes of fake parts were stacked along the walls of the place. He found notes in his father's writing about who the easiest ones to scam were, and they were littered all over a table. Howard's eyes hardened at it, and he went towards his bedroom. He was amazed that the boards were still in place.

"They didn't touch them?" Keltin frowned. Seyren walked around carefully and paused when a floor board creaked.  _It sounded hollow._  Eremes walked over, and they started to pry the board up. As they did that, Howard and Keltin worked on the door to his old room. Doppy held Sarine close, as she looked around. The house was once beautiful, but time and neglect have made it appear to be a hovel.

"It's such a shame," she frowned.

"I know," Doppy agreed. Howard called Sarine over once his room was cleared to walk into, and she went to him with Doppy. She blinked at how sparse his room was. It was more than sparse when she took in the full view. It was completely empty save for some broken chairs and piles of dust that settled in the corners.

"Damn them!" Howard hissed. "They took down the boards and took out what they wanted before boarding it back up! I'll kill them!"

"How-How," she frowned, and he moved to kiss her. He had a feeling that something would have happened, anyways.  _My bed is gone. My desk is gone. Even the tables are gone._  But, there was one thing that remained, and he was thankful that it was still in place. He went to the closet and reached into an old hole in the wall that was undetected with a loose board. He had made this little nook himself when he found out his family was swindling him.

"It's still here! They missed it!" Howard grinned and carefully pulled out a bag of zeny, several various Blacksmith tools, and a carving. Looking at the carving, he remembered what it was and who it was for. He was shocked at himself for forgetting all about it. He brought it over to Sarine. Holding it out to her, she blinked and took it.

"What is this?" she frowned.

"It was something I was making to give you when I first heard about you," he smiled. "I never had the chance to give it over."

"Oh! A doll?" she smiled, as she studied it further.

"Yeah. Just something for you to play with and dress up. I'm...a bit surprised at myself for forgetting about it. But, it's yours," Howard nodded. She blushed and studied the crude carving. Then she blinked, realizing that, if he did give it over to her and saw her then as a child, their relationship would have blossomed even more fully then than it did now. _I did belong to Eremes, but I also belong to Howard._  Things happened for a reason, and she was simply elated that it happened the way it did for her husbands to have come into her life.

"Not much, is it?" Doppy grinned.

"That doesn't matter! He made it with his own two hands at such a young age. I want to keep it as it is," Sarine smiled and hugged Howard close. "Thank you."

"There is nothing else here of value to me," Howard smiled. She whispered to him what she realized, and he pulled her close to kiss her intensely with his hand on her belly the whole time through the kiss. It was when Eremes approached them with a stern look that he broke the kiss and wondered what he had to say.

"Howard," Eremes said, his eyes narrowed with anger. "Come and see this."

"What?" Howard asked, as he walked over to where a plank was pulled up from the ground. He gasped at what he saw. _Richly decorated toys were here._ Then he looked at Sarine and blinked with shock.

"Apparently," Seyren growled. "your father knew what the Empress was. These toys belonged to Sarine. They are all engraved with her name."

"What?!" Sarine freaked and clutched at her belly.

"No!" Howard hissed and hugged her tight. "It's okay. You're fine. Don't worry..."

"It's possible that they could have been stolen. He was selling false supplies in the palace and may have stumbled on them," Keltin said.

"That is also true. But, we will need to take them back to Markus," Seyren said, as he started to gather them up. He remembered how Anthon didn't like the fact that Howard would be going back into the house. He judged that the older man knew that this little treasure trove would be found and confiscated. Doppy reached down to help, and Howard was comforting Sarine, as he was being comforted by her. They needed each other right now.

"We'll find out what happened," Howard whispered to Sarine and kissed her forehead. "We'll find out. I promise."

All she could do was nod. Naght came out for a moment to survey the house before placing a hand on her belly to comfort her and the twins. That helped immensely, and she was able to focus again.

"Let's go to Markus," Eremes said. They all nodded and walked out of the house. Howard looked back at his childhood home and then looked away. He was done with it now. Sarine looked at him, and he kissed her hard and deep. He was planning on having her in his old room, but, with the furniture gone, it lost all meaning. _There is simply no reason to be in that house anymore. I have the most valuable things that I collected as a child, and Sarine now has the carving I made for her. The house is done._

"The palace," Sarine whispered. It was still under reconstruction, and the guards stopped her. Keltin frowned and was ready to intervene, but he paused. One of them recognized her. A well-seasoned veteran of the guard. He had the other guards back down quickly. He also remembered her when she was younger, and he was one of the many guards that came back after being driven away by Emilia. But, there was another reason that he knew her so well. He was actually her personal guard when she was little. For some reason, he seemed familiar to her, and she was trying to place his face.

His black hair and deep brown eyes started up an old memory for her. A slight beard was growing, but it was kept neatly trimmed. Something kept telling him that she could trust him. When she finally pinned down the memories of him, she trembled, and her jaw dropped.  _He helped me when I was younger. He was there for me when I needed him most. He kept me warm, gave me company, protected me, and fed me for the first three years of my torment before he was discovered and forced to leave._ Now she knew that she could trust this man with her life, and she would insist that he return to her side.

"Your Highness," the guard said, and the other guards shuffled around nervously that they had even thought of stopping her. "Your father, my Emperor, awaits you. It's okay now. I promise. I have been waiting for you to come back for so long!"

Sarine blinked, as she never knew kindness from the guards before. But, at the sound of his voice, she knew that he was telling the truth. It cemented the fact that she could still trust him after so long. Howard looked at her oddly, but she showed she was fine. She didn't want to go into full detail of her hard past and had to act as though she was uncertain. Finally, she swallowed and asked, "Do I know you? I think I do. I'm not sure."

"In a sense, you should. Things are much different now. You'll see," the guard smiled warmly. "Everything is the way it should have been long ago. We are even reconstructing the place to look completely different. And that old room of yours? It's torn down. We will never have a place like that ever again. As to how I appear familiar to you, I used to play with you in the nursery and guarded you as you slept. I was your personal guard long ago, and it saddens me constantly that I wasn't here to protect you. It...does my heart good knowing that you have come back to us. I was afraid that you would have never come back."

Howard kissed her gently to remove the old memories, and Eremes moved in front of her now. He nodded to the guard with a touch of respect.  _We would definitely want him to guard her again._ Doppy looked back and found the others walking with them. Seyren informed them on what was found in the house, and they were all appalled. Cecil was taking in every new corner of the palace as though expecting to be attacked. Instead, the atmosphere felt different. It was peaceful and calm.  _There was no malice. Nothing felt hostile._ Yet, Sarine couldn't shake the feeling that something was still there.  _That something felt unfinished and pushed aside._  She was just glad that she was with her loves now, as they made their way to the throne room. The room was still badly damaged, but repairs were underway, slowly but surely.

"Sarine," Markus said, as he got up from the throne to move down to her. She was still a bit scared, and he couldn't blame her. "I am so sorry of the memories you were forced to endure here. It was never my intention to let you have such a horrible childhood! Please...as the Lord of the Palace, Emperor, and your adoptive father, please...give me and Amatsu another chance."

"Papa..." she said weakly, and Howard let her go to him to get hugged. Markus gave out a soft, heart-felt sigh, as he gave her the protective hug he always gave her before her entrapment. It was something he had been longing to do, and it gave him a feeling of relief when he was able to hug her like this again.

"Sir," Eremes said, as he approached him.

"Yes?" Markus asked.

"I did take a few things from the treasury when I went after Sarine the second time. I found a doll there, and I had given it to her," he said. "It is currently being kept safe with us."

"So, you saved it!" Markus breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you! Yes, please keep it safe with her. It already makes me feel better now that I know that it won't come to harm."

"I gave it to her as a birthday present," Eremes nodded. "As for the other things..."

He dropped the two money bags first. The various armors and weapons were revealed after that. Markus smiled a bit, since Eremes had good taste in what was chosen.

"I'll give you the Meteoric armor. You can have your Lord Knight use it. I would like you to go back into the treasury and lift one of the candles off the wall. In the room, please take out the katar set, Bloody Roar, for yourself, and two of the Sniper suits. I'm sure you can use them more than my men can," Markus said. "As for the elemental swords and spears you have, I'm short on weapons. If you can please put them back, my guards will make use of them."

"I will do so immediately," Eremes nodded and moved off.

"I will send a platoon of my men to help with the crowd control at the arena," Markus said. Glancing up, Garrett appeared with three of his men.

"Sir!" Garrett said, as he nodded. "His Royal Majesty from the Kingdom of Midgard in Prontera has set up a relief fund for Amatsu. A portion of the proceeds we gain from the arena will help in the funding. His Royal Majesty, himself, would like to meet with you and discuss political matters soon."

"I shall make the proper arrangements," Markus said.

"Markus," Seyren said to be on equal terms with him.

"Yes?" he asked.

"My name is Seyren Windsor, and I have adopted Sarine as my little sister, in a way. We were introduced to you last night, but I wasn't sure if you fully remembered us. Night time can be a bit tricky to see us when we are monsters. Anyways, we went into Howard's house of birth. They removed all of the furniture from his room, but he had hidden his valuables and they were safe. We also found these under the floorboards in the main room..."

Markus looked at the toys, and his mouth dropped.

"What happened?" Doppy asked.

"We had them in the treasury! They must have been stolen during the renovations!" Markus said furiously. "We were so busy trying to rebuild, that they could only have been stolen from the treasury then!"

"So, I was right," Keltin sighed sadly.

"It had to have been Timmy..." Howard scowled. "We found him in our treasury, too. I bet he thought he could find something else. Luckily, we had three Demonic swords disguised as royal treasures, and they beat the royal crap out of him! The Mimics were there, too. He is currently locked up in our dungeon on the island until we can figure out what to do with him."

"I will inform my scribe so it can be recorded," Markus nodded.

"How-How..." Sarine sighed, and he hugged her close.

"It's okay..." Howard whispered and kissed her forehead.

"Well, since you found them, I was going to give them to you as birthday gifts. I don't have much else to offer, since all of the money is going to repairs," Markus sighed.

"It's okay, Papa. Just knowing that I can come here peacefully and enjoy being with you again is plenty enough for me," Sarine smiled and now moved to hug him again. Markus kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly to him. His heart was still aching, but it was with relief.

"It feels so good to hug you again, my daughter," Markus sighed. "I'm so glad that I am finally able to be with you the way it should have been. And don't worry. I still plan to make time to see you, if you need my assistance. That is something I will always do for you."

Then he blinked, as the twins kicked at him. Chuckling, he placed a hand on her belly to feel them, and they kicked at his hand again. He was clearly overjoyed at her pregnancy.

"They are only a few days old," she sighed.

"Really? They grow so fast!" Markus frowned.

"Demonic children," Howard shrugged. "Mainly Naght's side."

"And I just realized that you're human," Markus chuckled.

"Yeah," Howard laughed. "For today. Then it will likely be another month, unless Odin has other plans. He does that, apparently."

"Little sis," Cecil smiled and walked over.

"Papa, let me introduce you to my friends and extended family once more," Sarine said. She introduced each one of them now again to him so he could see them clearer. At the arena, as Seyren had told him before, it was hard to see them since it was nightfall. Now he could properly put names to faces. He had some ideas on how he could have them help him out even further, and he started to address them.

"Margaretha and Lloyd?" Markus asked.

"Yes, sir?" Lloyd asked, and Margaretha locked her attention on him.

"Would it be all right if you took a quick look at my wounded? I would appreciate it," Markus said. They both nodded and were led to the infirmary. Karla brought up her cart filled with supplies and money. She was led to the treasury. Seyren offered to help train the guards for a bit, and he was led to the training grounds. Eremes came back with the weapons and armor that were granted to him. Noticing the others were helping out Markus, he mused on what he could do before deciding to scout around to see if anything else needed repairs. Keltin was asked to help Seyren with training, since he could Heal in his Champion form, and he went to assist. Kathryne and Mitchell went to help the cooks in the kitchen. Cecil decided to check out the archery grounds. Howard was asked to help with his smithing expertise.

"Of course," Howard nodded. He planted a kiss on Sarine's mouth and knew that Doppy would watch over her.

"I think I would like to explore," Sarine smiled. Doppy nodded, and she linked her arm in his. Taking her outside, they started to walk through the town. She took everything in closely, as it was her first time to truly see Amatsu. When she moved to look at what a candy seller had, Doppy was looking over a few weapons. She didn't realize that he wasn't walking with her now, and she blinked when she had found her way to the large tree. Gazing up at it in the daylight, it looked so peaceful and seemed to belong there.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Garrett smiled, as he walked over. Sarine blinked at him and looked away. She didn't see Doppy anywhere, and she forced herself to remain calm. Now she wondered why he was away from her side.  _He shouldn't be able to do this unless it was on the island home!_  Refocusing on Garrett, she gave a small smile.

"Yes, it is," she nodded.

"I was thinking of giving you your birthday present tonight, but, would it be all right if I gave it to you now?" he asked. "I'm not sure if I can give it to you later."

She got a touch nervous, but she nodded. Moving over to her, he bent down to whisper in her ear, and he snatched her hands, as she tried to back away.

"No!" she hissed, and he pulled her into his arms. Then he kissed her deeply, as he had been longing to do it for so long.

"I know this will cause some strain," he said. "but I have to."

"Cecil..." she whispered.

"She'll be mad, but, after it's done, there will be no more reason for it."

"My husbands will kill you."

"I'm aware of it. But, I'm a bit more prepared now."

"Just please...don't..."

"I'm sorry," he sighed and kissed her again. "I'll be seeing you again soon."

When he left, she trembled and hugged her belly. His kiss felt completely wrong to her.  _He wasn't meant for me._  Whimpering now, as she fought down the urge to vomit, she tried to focus on other things.

"Sarine?!" Doppy called out for her. "Sorry Sari!"

"Doppy!" she cried out, and he ran to her side. He paused when he saw how upset she was.

"What...happened?" he asked slowly with a snarl.

"I need...to talk...to Seyren...please..." she whispered. He frowned and hissed. He didn't want to leave her alone. Spotting Muninn flying overhead, he called the bird down. A warble was given, and Seyren was fetched. The Lord Knight ran over to them quickly.

"She says she wants to talk to you," Doppy frowned. "Why?"

"Think of me as her living diary. Just give me a few minutes with her. If it's important, I'll tell you what she told me," Seyren said. Doppy blinked, but he nodded. Walking away, Seyren sat by Sarine now and pulled her into his lap. She was shaking hard and trying to figure out how to talk. He was in shock at how upset she was, and now he was trying to comfort her.

"I'm trying to think positive, since it's my birthday," Sarine said. "What I'm going to tell you...promise me that nothing will be done until tomorrow."

"Hmm," Seyren frowned, but he nodded. "I promise."

As Sarine was trying to build up the courage to speak through her sadness and rage, Doppy had found Howard talking to Eremes. At his approach, Howard looked at him. Eremes quickly noticed that something was wrong.

"Where is Sarine?" Howard frowned. He had just finished repairing the last of the armor.

"With Seyren. She's talking to him. She was upset when I found her by the big tree. She had wandered away from me," Doppy growled.

"What?!" Eremes hissed. "Anything could have happened!"

"I don't want to wait for Seyren to say anything to us!" Howard growled.

"Wait. I can listen in with Ifrit's help, if we get close enough," Eremes said.

"Naght can help me, too," Howard thought.

"Same here, since I'm a demon. Let's go," Doppy nodded. They all made their way to the tree and stopped at a short distance away. Howard paused. Sarine's emotional wall was down. Now he hissed for control, as he fought back the emotions.

"Control it!" Eremes whispered. Seyren suddenly looked up and stared in their direction. Baphomet had truly activated his blood coursing through the Lord Knight's veins, and he figured it was likely when they last talked at the arena that it happened. He wouldn't have been able to sense them in his human form, otherwise. He sensed the three of them in the distance and grumbled.

"Sarine, you have three husbands here," Seyren frowned.

"Great..." she sighed, as she wiped away tears. "They may as well come over. Have them get Keltin, too. Maybe it's better that they hear this with you."

"All right, you guys! I can sense you there! Baphomet apparently woke up my blood, so get Keltin and come over here!" Seyren growled out sharply.

"What?!" Eremes blinked. Howard swore. Doppy smirked and ran off to get Keltin. When the two of them came back, the four husbands walked over to Sarine and sat down.

"Promise me..." Sarine sighed. "it's my birthday, and this is my wish. Nothing is to be done on what is going to be said. Wait until tomorrow. I want it to be as though nothing happened. Grant me my wish. Please..."

"Granted," Doppy nodded.

"Done," Eremes said.

"Of course," Keltin said.

"Fine..." Howard frowned.

"You already have my promise," Seyren said. "Now, will you please tell us what is going on? Why are you so upset?"

"Garrett...gave me my birthday present..." Sarine whispered. Howard hissed and fought down the emotions she was giving out from rage and sadness. "He...he said he hasn't fully gotten over me. And then...he kissed me..."

Eremes saw nothing but red, and Doppy was already making plans on how to skin Garrett alive. Keltin was forcing himself to keep the Rage down, and Howard just sat there breathing hard. Seyren wanted to punch the tree, but he didn't, since the tree was special. He punched the ground instead, and he felt his fist sink into the earth with the force of the punch.

"I know we promised...Muninn warned us of this..." Eremes hissed. "Shit...!"

"You're telling me," Doppy growled.

"But, nothing until tomorrow?" Keltin glowered.

"Sarine..." Howard sighed sadly. "Come here..."

"How-How..." Sarine frowned and moved over to him. He clung to her, as they both wept out the vented frustrations.

"Why did you make me promise?!" Howard suddenly cried out.

"Because!" Sarine gasped, as she clutched her belly.

"That's why!" Eremes growled, as he moved to help comfort her. Howard placed his hand on her belly, and Naght, though furious, gave his comfort, as well. Already, battle plans were in motion.  _Garrett would need to be fought by each of us._ They thought it was over, but, apparently, it wasn't. Even Naght was thinking about challenging Garrett, himself, from this outrage. Keltin forced himself to remain calm for her sake.

"I'm chaining you to my wrist from now on!" Doppy growled. When Sarine was able to put up her emotional wall again, Howard just continued to rock her. He was going to honor her birthday wish, as much as he hated to do it.

"Guys, say nothing around Garrett with the others. We'll treat him as normal," Seyren sighed. "He'll know tomorrow when we approach him."

"He'll be lucky if I don't run him through tomorrow as my way of saying 'good morning'..." Doppy growled and then curbed his anger for Sarine. Then he blinked, as Justice, Doombringer, Vengeance, Defender, and Pori-Pori bounced over to her.

"How did you all get here?" Seyren asked.

"Windwalker brought us!" Defender giggled.

"We want the Vessel of Odin to have our present now!" Vengeance grinned.

"Yep, yep! It's time for it!" Justice nodded.

"Vessel of Odin, will you be our funny face-off judge?" Pori-Pori asked in his deep voice. That brought a small smile to her face, and Howard blinked with surprise.  _This was what they had planned all along. They were waiting for her to start feeling upset before starting their contest. It would put all of us in a good mood and help us forget about Garrett. We need to get our minds off of him to keep from alerting the others._

"Okay," Sarine smiled. At a count of three, the five Poring-type monsters started. Sarine started giggling like crazy at the faces they made, and Keltin was laughing. Even Doppy was chuckling, and Eremes had a quiet smile on his face.

"Oh, I can do better than that!" Seyren grinned.

"You're just funny to look at!" Vengeance snickered.

"Oh, yeah! No need to make a funny face!" Defender giggled.

"That's not funny!" Seyren said. Howard even started chuckling, as he held Sarine now. The memory of what happened was suddenly gone when Pori-Pori sucked in half his face and then looked at Seyren to challenge him.

"That...is...awesome!" Eremes laughed hard now.

"I can't do that!" Seyren growled. Sarine just started laughing hysterically with Howard, and Keltin was no better than the others. Doppy was grinning now, and the other four Poring-type monsters did the same face to up the ante. Not to be outdone, Pori-Pori blew himself up and bugged out his eyes. When the others did the same thing, it ended in a stalemate.

"We'll do more of this later," Pori-Pori grinned at Sarine and moved to snuggle into her lap. "I'll think of more funny faces, too!"

"Clever guys!" Keltin grinned. Eremes was actually wiping tears out of his eyes from laughing so hard. Howard was coughing, as he tried to breathe.

"Eremes is laughing?" Doppy grinned.

"Quiet..." the Assassin Cross grinned back. Seyren was still laughing a bit and looked up when Karla came up to him.

"What's so funny?" she asked. Then Pori-Pori bugged out his eyes, and she found herself laughing at it. Luna was giving a smile and tilted her face at Seyren.

"That's what's funny!" Seyren grinned, as he got up to hug his wife. He wasn't going to say anything to her until tomorrow. That was when the news of Garrett would be told. They all got up now with the monsters in tow with them. They made their way back to the palace, and Eremes moved to kiss Sarine deeply before walking off to scout. He was going to find Garrett. He promised not to hurt him and not to say anything to him around the others to avoid suspicion, but he didn't promise not to say anything to him alone. He found Garrett talking to his men, and he waited patiently for them to leave. Then Eremes approached him.

"Idiot," Eremes growled in his deep, yet quiet voice. Garrett suddenly looked up at him with surprise. "Be warned. Today you are safe. Sarine...made us promise. It is her birthday. But, tomorrow...be on your guard. You will...not...be safe..."

"I understand," Garrett said. "Sarine said the same thing."

"Then why did you do it? I thought the arena was enough!"

"The arena made it so that I didn't always want to be with her! I thought...I thought it did the trick, too. I care about Cecil. I love her, even. But...I still have this crushing feeling to be with Sarine, too! It sickens me..."

Now Eremes took a closer look at Garrett and hissed.  _The Paladin was speaking the truth. He wanted nothing to do with Sarine at all now. He wanted to see her as a sister. Something else was forcing him to do everything._  Eremes looked away and leaned against a wall near him to think.

"I should feel sorry for you. For now, I do. But, tomorrow...you have sparked the anger in us all. I'll tell them later of this...but...do be on your guard. Tonight, you will still be a friend. But...tomorrow..."

"I will be seen as an enemy. I know. I hope that everything is finally settled tomorrow. I really...I don't want to leave you guys. I feel like I belong."

"Yes. I know. You fit with us well. Then...we shall see it as a test of skills. However, I would suggest that Cecil and Sarine to not be present for it."

"I can understand that," Garrett nodded. They both shook hands, and Eremes left him alone. Garrett now had until tomorrow to come up with a plan on how to defend himself and how to attack them. It was a long time since he had to do such a thing, and he knew he was going to have to do some heavy training later tonight when everyone was sleeping.  _Doppy was likely going to be the hardest one to deal with._  And he was sure that Muninn was going to have a go at him again, too.

_:Why?:_  Muninn asked, as he flapped down to land by him.

"I wish I knew, Muninn," Garrett admitted. "I honestly thought I was done with it! But...I'm not, apparently. Can you check?"

_:One moment.:_  Muninn said, as he gazed up at the sky. What he found out made him flap with irritation.  _How could I have missed this?!_

"What is it?!" Garrett asked.

_:Loki! Loki's fault! All his! Not good!:_  Muninn squawked.  _:Loki wants. Vessel. For himself. Is prankster. Forces others. I have. Seen. Tomorrow. You win. All battles. Sarine. My sister. Vessel. She hurts. Will hurt. Please! Fight Loki! Fight him! With everything! You have! You must!:_

"Loki?!" Garrett breathed and winced. It all started to make sense now.  _I'll have to fight Loki's urges through me. This meant that Loki was going to make me win the battles tomorrow. Loki would be guiding my movements and actions to be with Sarine._  He was just glad that Sarine was pregnant. Yet, he knew that, if it happened once, it could happen again. He'll have to resist the urges. But, now he had to wonder.  _Why was I chosen to be used as a pawn for Loki?!_  Then he remembered one thing about the stories of the gods. _They would do anything to get their way. Even use others, if they had to._

_:Yes, Loki! Not good!:_  Muninn seemed very upset now and took off into the air. Garrett watched him fly off and now had to find a different course of action quickly.  _I'm safe today, and I'll finish the day with my new friends. When the day is over, I'll have to leave for Prontera. Likely for good._

"Sorry, my friends. I'll treat today as the best day of my life. I won't let anyone get harmed over me anymore," he said. Then he felt something tickling through his thoughts. The fiery-hot images of Sarine moaning for him and wanting him filtered into his mind. He scowled and pushed them aside. _Who can I talk to about this? The answer is simple. No one. I'll have to see what tomorrow will hold for me. Loki will give me no peace, and I'm afraid that the meddling god will control my movements. It was already proven at the tree. I had no intention of kissing Sarine. Loki controlled my actions. If it happened once, then it would happen again._ He cringed at his weakness, but he was only human.  _What more can I expect, much less do?_

Back at the palace, Markus was arranging to have a group portrait done of Sarine and her friends. Keltin and Doppy were going to be included, and it took a bit of moving about to get them all fitted right.

"Where is Garrett?" Cecil frowned. Eremes looked at Seyren, and the Lord Knight sighed. Eremes moved to whisper to him, and Seyren's eyes bugged out.  _The Paladin wanted nothing to do with Sarine?!_  Then Muninn landed on Seyren's shoulders to tell the husbands what he found out. Howard's eyes squeezed shut, but there wasn't much that could be done now. At least they all knew what was going on.  _Garrett was not at fault._ Sarine wasn't told of this, since it would have hurt the twins. When Eremes whispered to Seyren again, he grimaced. Then he nodded that the Paladin truly wasn't at fault for his actions.

"Get him," Sarine said softly to Eremes. "I do still see him as a friend today."

"Sarine," Eremes sighed, but he nodded. Leaving quickly, he found the Paladin pacing about. At the mention of a group portrait, Garrett blinked.

"Are you sure you want me to be a part of this?" he asked.

"Don't worry. Muninn told me everything. No matter what happens...you will not leave us. This is clearly not your fault," Eremes nodded. Garrett showed a form of relief in his eyes. He clasped Eremes's hand like a brother's and took a deep breath.

"It hurts. It really does. But, at least I know that I can try to keep from being Loki's pawn. Let's get this portrait going," Garrett nodded. When they reached the others, Cecil pulled Garrett to her, and he gratefully put his arms around her.

"What is it?" she frowned.

"Bad news," he admitted. "Nothing about you or anyone else, though. It's fine."

"All right," Cecil nodded and kissed him passionately. The kiss he shared with Cecil felt right and very natural. The one with Sarine felt off. He already knew that he wasn't meant for her. He also knew that Loki didn't care. Sarine was placed in the center with Muninn in her lap. Her husbands were centered around her and kneeling, as the others were pulled in around them. For an agonizing thirty minutes, the portrait was quickly sketched and painted by the fastest and best painters in Amatsu. When it was done, the portrait was revealed, and everyone was pleased.

"We will hang this up at the island home," Sarine smiled.

"Pictures do nothing for you," Doppy grinned and pulled her close to kiss her.

"Can we go to Jawaii now?" Karla asked. That made them all giggle and laugh.

"Yes, we can go to Jawaii!" Sarine laughed. Howard scooped up Sarine and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"You think we can each have an hour with you?" Eremes asked. "Alone?"

"Hmm," Sarine smiled. "I think that can be arranged."

"I'll go last. Only because she is pregnant with my children, and I may want some extra time with her," Howard said. That seemed to work fine for them. It also made a bit more sense.

"Heard and noted," Eremes smiled. "I'll go first."

"Humph," Doppy snorted. "I'll be second."

"Third for me!" Keltin grinned.

"We should go swimming first," Sarine smiled. "I think they sell bathing suits there."

Just thinking of her in a bathing suit made each one of them blink and grin.

"Of course, we do get a say so?" Howard snickered.

"I already had one in mind," Sarine said with a soft grin. That made him start to sweat. Doppy was now urging them all to get to the Kafra Agent, and Sarine waved to her papa, as she was leaving with them.

"Be safe!" Markus waved back. "I'll see you when I can!"

"I love you, Papa!" she cried out.

"I love you, too, my daughter!" Markus said with a smile. Several townsfolk gasped at what they heard, and the news would start to spread like wildfire. Markus was simply proud of it now and wanted the world to know, anyways.


	49. Chapter 49

When Sarine got to Jawaii, she was amazed at the beauty of the tiny island getaway. A small hut was rented for her, and two others were quickly claimed by Seyren and Margaretha. They agreed to take turns with the others, since there wasn't much housing. Storm Caller appeared, since the huts were now like a temporary sense of home, and he agreed to watch over their belongings. Sarine and the girls went to pick out swim suits, and the guys went to find their swim suits. Her husbands were getting used to their new, yet temporary attire, and they lounged at a table over-looking the ocean.

"This feels...odd..." Eremes frowned, as he donned black swim trunks.

"You're telling me," Doppy grumbled in his yellow swim trunks.

"It's not that bad!" Howard grinned in his purple swim trunks.

"It beats getting bored at the arena," Keltin laughed, as he stretched out in his blue swim trunks. He was clearly enjoying himself.

"You should take off your hat," Doppy smirked. He leaned up and adjusted the umbrella for a bit more shade to cover the fact he was a demon. He also needed to shield his eyes a bit from the sun. He would need to see about getting something in the future in the form of sunglasses for his eyes. He recalled seeing them before on other adventurers. Karla was already informed, and they would be purchased when she saw them for sale. Not only would they hide his glowing pupils, but he truly wasn't used to so much sunlight.

"Never!" Keltin grinned. The four of them were well-muscled, but it was Doppy that naturally looked the buffest. Being a demon, it was the way he was. As the four of them relaxed in chairs to wait for Sarine, they didn't realize that they were being watched.

"What a hunk!" a black-haired girl said.

"Which one? The one in the Bongun hat? Or the really muscled one that looks kinda dark?" the blond-haired girl in the hot pink bikini asked.

"I want that one!" the red-head grinned. "You and Crysta can have the others."

"But, Minnie! Crysta's not good enough for any of them!" the black-haired girl said with a pout. She adjusted her grey bikini slightly.

"Who is the leader here, Lila? You? No! It's me!" Minnie said. She tossed her red hair and blinked her green eyes with a show of pride.

"Oh, pooh!" Crysta sighed with a frown. She combed out her shoulder-length blond hair. "Just because you're a Dancer, Minnie, doesn't mean that you get everything you want!"

"Hah! I have the best body here!" Minnie said. Her dark red bikini highlighted her large breasts and toned thighs neatly. "You can always go back to Blacksmithing, Crysta. Nothing wrong with that."

"As if I care," Lila pouted. She pulled back her black hair into a small ponytail. She was a Rogue and had a bit of her own attitude when it came to power plays. Her body wasn't as well-endowed as Minnie's, but she had a lean tone to her. Crysta had a somewhat flat chest, but only because she had a touch more muscle in areas due to her cart-hauling and smithing. She was constantly working out in that sense. She wasn't as lucky as others in bust size, but she was fine with it. She never complained about what her body looked like.

"I'm going to turn their heads! Just watch!" Minnie snickered. She carefully strutted now to prove a point and walked right past the men. They didn't even glance up from the table they were looking at. Not willing to be proven falsely, she moved past them again. Once more, they didn't notice her.

"Ooh! Look! They didn't bother to look at her! That's a first!" Lila grinned.

"Um, excuse me," Minnie said cutely, as she tapped Doppy's shoulder. He tensed with rage. He only let Sarine touch him. When the other guys touched him, it was a brotherly feel and readily accepted. Even if one of the other girls that lived with them touched him, it would have given off a family-type vibe and would have been tolerable. This girl simply felt dirty, and it pissed him off. He didn't even look up at the girl.

"What?! I didn't give you permission to touch me!" he snarled angrily. That made her go pale, and she stammered, jerking her hand away.

"Doppy," Howard grinned knowingly, yet he didn't bother to look up, either. "She was only trying to get your attention. What can we help you with?"

"Um, I was just wondering if any of you were looking for a cute girl to be with?" Minnie asked cutely, and pressed her breasts together to over-exaggerate her cleavage. Eremes rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his defined chest. A light frown formed on his face, as she looked over to ogle him, and he kept his eyes at the table.

"Listen," Keltin said with a sigh. He also kept his eyes averted. _She had nothing to offer me, so why look?_  "We are all married. We have no interest in anyone else."

"But..." Minnie pouted. "aren't I cute? Surely you won't be missed for a little while? We'll have a great time!"

"We. Are. Married. Now beat it!" Doppy hissed without looking at her still. Minnie stammered, but wouldn't back down. Her friends were watching her, and she had to snag the attention of one of them at least.

"What do your wives have that I don't have?!" Minnie asked.

"Wives?" Eremes chuckled in his deep, yet soft voice, his eyes closed in thought.

"We are all married to one woman," Howard grinned now, as he looked at Doppy.

"She has far more to offer than you ever will," Doppy snickered and grinned at Howard. They were purposely pissing off the girl now by not looking at her.

"No offense, but I'm sure you'll make some guy very happy in the end," Keltin smiled and looked towards the ocean, not even bothering to pass his eyes over her.

"Girls!" Minnie called out, and her two friends came over to her to help back her up. "These guys are married to one woman! That's not possible!"

"Is it?" Sarine crooned with a smirk of her own. She was watching the whole thing and was not happy. She walked over to her husbands in a white robe. All four of her husbands looked at her and tensed when she dropped the robe to reveal her impossibly perfect, flawless body. Her perfect tan and toned muscles gave off that same aura of perfection. Her long, golden, blond-brown hair sprung back with a soft wave of curls that gave her face a frame that held immense depth. When she smiled, it was seductive and enticing. She outclassed the Dancer by leaps and bounds. Minnie stammered, as Howard now moved to study the gold bikini she wore, and Doppy moved to hug her close. Running her hand up Doppy's chest made him grin before he kissed her, and Minnie pouted with jealousy.

"We approve!" Keltin grinned. Eremes's eyes locked on her with definite approval. Placing an arm around Doppy's waist and another around Howard's waist, she smiled with a form of complete contentment.

"I thought you would," Sarine smiled with her dulcet tone of voice holding a soft edge of possessiveness now, and she moved her tigers' eye gemstone eyes to the three girls. "These four men are my husbands. I love each and every one of them dearly. They are not up for grabs. If I see you around them again..."

"Sarine!" Howard hissed and pulled her away from them with Doppy's help. Then he muttered, "No fighting! It's your birthday! Come on, let's go swim!"

"I'll hurt them!" Sarine hissed. She glared at the girls over his shoulder.  _She meant it._

"No, you won't," Keltin said, as he moved with her, blocking her gaze easily with his own body so she would look at him.

"They are nothing to you," Eremes said, as he followed them.

"They have nothing to impress me with. I didn't even have to look up to see them to know that!" Doppy snickered. He moved into the water with her and the others. That made Sarine smile, and he smiled back warmly to her. Once submersed in the water, he pulled her close to cradle her and purr in her ear to show how much he loved her. That made her sigh with defeat, and she knew he was going to protect her. She knew they would all protect her. Minnie and her two companions just had their jaws dropped at how easily they were brushed aside. They were known to be head turners. This was a huge blow to them.

"They...they ditched us!" Lila pouted.

"This has never happened before!" Crysta cried.

"We'll get even with them!" Minnie vowed. As she turned, she found herself facing Seyren and Karla. Luna was an embryo for now and waiting in the cart.

"If you touch her, I'll hurt you! That's MY sister! I'll be watching you three very closely!" Seyren growled. "What say you, wife?"

"Come now, husband! I want to swim!" Karla smiled in her green bikini, and she patted Seyren's back, as he straightened out his darker green swim trunks.

"That's my sister, too!" Cecil hissed, as she walked out in her dark blue bikini. "Don't even think that you'll get away with anything, if you try something!"

Garrett was still getting used to his pale blue swim trunks, and he simply waved to the girls while he walked with her. Cecil glowered at them and grabbed Garrett's hand to show he wasn't single. He pulled her close and chuckled to show that he only wanted her.

"Look at all of these guys! They're gorgeous! It's not fair!" Lila whimpered. Donnie appeared in his white swim trunks, and Coraline appeared in her black bikini. No one would have guessed that they were brother and sister, but that was fine by them. Donnie wouldn't have been interested in them, anyways, and made no notice of them at all. Margaretha appeared in her modest one piece swim suit of dark pink, and she pulled out Lloyd in his swim trunks of pale orange. He actually had a rather remarkable build he was hiding under the High Priest robes.

"I feel so naked!" Lloyd shivered.

"And is that so bad?" Margaretha teased. Her figure was actually quite voluptuous, but it didn't affect him in any other way at all. They had a special relationship that mattered more on intellect than physical appearances. He made a face at her, and they both laughed, as they headed to the water. Kathryne appeared soon after in a dark brown bikini, and Mitchell was in dark brown swim trunks. He kissed her deeply, and she blushed. When they all got to the water, they started to enjoy themselves.

"Aah!" Sammy said, as he relaxed on the beach in his black kimono. He was a bit upset that he missed Amatsu, but he was happy that Storm Caller was able to help bring him here. Taking the massive scroll off his back to place near his side carefully to keep it close, he stretched himself out and put his arms behind his head. The ghost that always loomed over him had retreated back down for now to avoid suspicion.

"Children aren't allowed here!" Minnie retorted.

"Children? Oh. Hah!" Sammy grinned with his eyes closed, not even bothering to look at them to spite them. "Whoever said I was a child?"

The three girls stammered at the massive ghost that appeared to float over the boy to wave his swords menacingly, and they ran off a short distance. Snickering, the ghost went back down as though nothing happened.

"What the hell was that?!" Crysta freaked.

"Calm down, girls! We will claim one of those men!" Minnie said.

"I'm starting to think we should look for another set of guys," Lila said.

"Don't give up on me!" Minnie said. "I'm sure they have a room somewhere. Let's find it! We may be able to find something of hers that we can use to our advantage!"

"I don't know. We could be found out," Crysta frowned.

"They're all swimming! Come on!" Minnie said. Lila shrugged, and they went to the huts. They found out which one belonged to Sarine, and they were confronted by Storm Caller when they snuck inside. He struck his trident on the ground and startled them. Minnie's mouth gaped at the massive Strouf.

"You don't belong here," the Strouf said. "and you are all up to no good."

"But...but..." Minnie stammered.

"We're house cleaners!" Crysta grinned. Lila was already making her way to the door. She knew they were all going to die, if they lingered for too long.

"Liars!" Storm Caller said, and an ice storm started to brew up in the hut. "Get out now before I hurt you all!"

They screamed and ran out of the hut quickly, and the door slammed shut behind them by itself. Running back to the beach, the three of them pouted. Then they looked at the water and stammered, as Sarine lifted herself out gracefully. She flung her head up slightly to expertly flip her hair to get some water out, and it sent droplets of water everywhere. She was a picture-perfect goddess. Moving to a nearby table, she poured herself some water to drink. She was feeling much better now. It wasn't going to last very long.

"You're no better than any other girl!" Minnie finally said, as she confronted Sarine. "You're a fake! No one can look this good! Nobody!"

"You...would dare to...?" Sarine blinked and narrowed her eyes. She turned to face the girl now. Howard ran out of the water when he spotted the scene. The others paused in their swimming and made ready to help, if needed. Muninn was scouting overhead and watched the whole thing from the air.

"Morons!" Eremes hissed and ran out to help Howard. Keltin and Doppy were at her side in an instant, and they were ready to pull her back, if they had to.

"Stop!" Sarine hissed, and the four of them backed down. "Let me handle this!"

"What? Need a bit of man-power?" Minnie smirked.

"And you are no better with your two friends?" Sarine growled.

"That's my opinion! Don't judge me!" Minnie screeched.

"And you would have every right to judge me?" Sarine asked.

"It's my right! I'm the most beautiful girl here!" Minnie crowed.

"I doubt that..." Eremes grinned. Minnie blinked in shock.

"Sure, she's the most beautiful. But, Sarine is the most stunning!" Keltin smiled.

"She's beautiful inside and out," Howard said gently.

"She is the only one I'll ever be attracted to!" Doppy snarled out.

"You don't even know who I am. Do you?" Sarine frowned.

"As if it matters! Likely just some common whore!" Minnie grinned. That made Sarine pause, and Seyren saw his sister tense from where he was in the water. The hammer just came down, and he moved to get over to her as quickly as he could. The problem he had was he was out swimming in the ocean and was fighting the tide. It was going to take some time to reach her. Sarine braced herself as though ready to scream. If she called down the Light of Odin, it would enhance the growth of her twins.

"I...am the Vessel of Odin, you bitch!" Sarine hissed. That made time freeze around them. Sarine was fully pissed off now, and her chest heaved with a form of instinctive self-control. She wanted to call down the Light of Odin, but she also knew she was in a public place. She chose the second option to prove her point. Minnie blinked, as Sarine flipped her hair back and showed off the elaborate tattoo of the raven on the back of her neck. Then Sarine turned to glare at her, and her hair moved neatly back into place.

"Sarine!" Sammy said. He got up swiftly and ran over to her to feel her belly. His scroll swung onto his back neatly when he grabbed it. "Don't fight! You must not fight!"

"Why not?!" Sarine snarled. Eremes narrowed his eyes at the red-head, and he knew he didn't need his katars to kill her if he had to.

"Your twins will suffer if you fight," Sammy said with a heavy frown. Then Minnie paused.  _I was assaulting a pregnant woman?!_ She had now fully hit an all-time low. No girl would ever want to try and put a pregnant woman on the spot. To do that would show how truly shallow one was, since it could hurt the unborn child if the mother became too stressed. She would be called out for harming a child and branded as someone that hated children. Sarine's belly was flat enough to fool anyone, but, when Minnie studied her again, she saw the slight formation of a growing womb. She felt disgusted with herself now and wouldn't admit it. Pride was something she lived by, and now it was stung hard.

"My twins..." Sarine hissed and put her hands over her belly. Howard moved now to quickly hug her close, his hand pressed to her belly to comfort her.

"Idiots!" Doppy snarled out at the girls. "She's pregnant AND she's Amatsu royalty! I should kill you off for her!"

That made Minnie blink even more.  _Royalty?!_   _If I didn't back down now, then who knew where her guards were! I could be taken to prison!_

"Doppy!" Sammy warned. Doppelganger growled, but curbed his anger.

"You...are going to harm her pregnancy..." Eremes glowered at the girls now. "I suggest...you leave here. Go elsewhere in Jawaii. If we cross paths again..."

"Eremes," Sarine sighed, feeling tired. She didn't want to be around the girls anymore, since the argument only went nowhere and simply drained her strength.  _I'm going to let my husbands handle them now._  He looked over at her and pulled her close to kiss her. He was going to make her forget about the three girls now. He was a hundred percent focused on his wife, and he had to make her feel better.

"I'm taking her to the hut," Eremes said. "One hour as agreed."

The other three men nodded, and Sammy looked at the three girls with irritation. Only after Sarine was carried off, did the others glare at the girls fully. Doppy and Sammy were able to attach to Keltin now to keep from following her. The girls wanted attention, and now they got it in full. Just not the type of attention they wanted. Muninn would see to it that they could move freely when it was Keltin's turn to be with Sarine, and Odin allowed it to happen when it was needed. Sarine needed to be with her husbands when she needed them.

"What possessed you to try and challenge her? Especially in her condition?!" Sammy asked Minnie. "Are you trying to show how much of an idiot you are?!"

"I didn't know she was pregnant! I just...oh, don't talk to me!" Minnie huffed and moved to stalk off. She blinked, as Doppy's massive, lean frame blocked her escape, and his dull red pupils glowed fiercely with anger now when he finally glared at her. That scared her. She didn't know he was Demonic, and it was why he always kept his head down and his eyes averted. And that was despite the fact that he did so just to piss her off. If there was one thing worse than bullying a pregnant woman, it was an overprotective husband. And, to make it worse, there were three overprotective husbands that were now bearing down on her!

"I should kill you!" Doppy growled with an inhuman snarl. "It's a good thing I don't want to dirty my weapon! I can still rip you to pieces with my bare hands!"

"Stop!" Seyren growled and pulled Doppy back, as he finally made his way over to them. He was still trying to catch his breath from the hard swim he had to do. "I'm sure they've learned their lesson! Is Sarine all right?"

"The children grew a bit from her anger," Sammy sighed. "She'll feel the pain soon."

"Damn it!" Howard growled at Minnie. "See what you've done?! You really need to think before you act! My children...my twins! Stupid bunch of kids! Threatening my wife!"

"What?!" Minnie hollered, as she realized who the father was now. "I'm not a kid! I'm over twenty years old!"

"You are kids to us!" Keltin growled. "We are far older than you in many ways!"

"How?!" Crysta countered to help her friend. Lila was ready to try and jump in, too. The three of them tried to stick together when they could. The one thing that made them falter was that Seyren was there, and Sammy was grinning rather wickedly.

"I am over fifty years old," Keltin muttered, not really wanting to say he was a Bongun monster. That made the girls blink with shock. When Howard growled, Seyren shook his head to have him keep Naght out of this for now.

"My name is Doppelganger, and I'm the demon from the Tower of Geffen," Doppy grinned wickedly, not caring about what they thought. "I'm over four hundred years old!"

"And I am Incantation Samurai! Over a thousand years old!" Sammy grinned, as the ghost emerged from him again. "You called me a child earlier? HAH! You are all children to us! Now go home before we change our minds on letting you live!"

Minnie squeaked and backed away. Lila was just stunned at what she was seeing and hearing. Crysta cowered and gasped. Keltin glared at the girls under his large Bongun hat. That effect alone was enough to send them running.

"If I see them again..." Doppy hissed.

"We won't," Keltin grinned and sat down on a chair. "Trust me. We won't."

And he was right, since they were struck down by Muninn, as he flew over them. While the girls were Stunned, he removed their memories of Sarine and what had happened in Jawaii. Odin had foreseen something that Minnie would have tried, and it would have angered him to such a level that she and her friends would have been torn to pieces by him personally if it became a reality. Minnie would have gained the idea to pose as Sarine and create a false tattoo on her neck. Odin could not allow that to happen at any cost. No one may desecrate his Mark and wear it in false pretenses, or attempt to pose as his Vessel.

After the girls had their memories safely removed, they were taken far from Jawaii and set down in Izlude. False memories were implanted that they went to Izlude to sunbathe. It would be here that they would meet the men that would marry them and keep them out of Sarine's way. Odin made plans to have them in other places wherever Sarine went so they would never cross paths again.

In the hut, Eremes had carried Sarine to the bedside and lay her down on it. She was in a bit of pain now from the growth of the twins, and he rested his hands on her belly gently. She sighed and leaned back against the bed. Storm Caller nodded to them and moved outside to block the entrance to the hut.

"We won't see them again. I promise you," Eremes vowed.

"If you say so," she frowned. He leaned over and kissed her deeply, pulling her as close as possible to him. This was his hour now, and he was going to use it for all it was worth. He studied her belly, and he noticed it grew by an inch. That was a bit alarming, but he was going to make all of her pain go away. With his hands, he carefully massaged her and smiled greatly when she stretched out. She loved massages, and he always got complimented that he gave the best ones. He knew she needed this after the stress she just endured.

Working his hands over her arms and shoulders, he had her move onto her belly carefully to work on her back. Undoing the upper part of the bikini, he had her moaning, as he worked deeper into the muscles to remove the tenseness from earlier. Removing the lower part of the bikini now, he continued to massage over her rear and down her legs. When he got to her feet, she let out a gasp, as he worked out a small cramp. Moving her onto her back again, he worked back up her legs to her thighs. Then up to her chest. Bending down, he worshiped each breast with his mouth, and she moaned. He removed his swim trunks and set them aside now.

With the heat not coming out due to her condition, he was able to take his time with her. Moving over her now, he thrust hard into her, enjoying how she arched for him. She cried out in release, but he wasn't done. He pulled her up to him and kissed her deeply. When she tightened herself around him, they cried out together when he released.

"Cheater..." he whispered. She smiled, and they kissed again. She pushed him onto his back and moved herself on him now. He placed his hands on her hips, and they both cried out again. Sitting up with her, he pulled her close and kissed her intensely, finally resting against her. He tensed when she ran her fingers up his muscled arms and up to his shoulders. He blinked slowly and ran a hand up her back.

"Hmm..." she thought.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked, as he comforted her.

"Now I know how jealous you all get of men looking at me," she sighed. "Maybe you all shouldn't wear swim suits anymore."

He laughed softly and kissed her cheek before hugging her. "I doubt it would have mattered. Besides, why else do you think that I taught you how to keep to yourself? I knew this was going to happen."

"Oh?" Sarine smiled. He gave her such a warm look that she had to kiss him, and she did. Hugging her tight, he judged he had another thirty minutes left.

"Don't worry. Like I said before. My heart belongs to you. No one else will ever sway me. As long as I am always included in your life, I will never betray you or bend to another's will," he vowed. "Then again, I'll never leave your side, anyways. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life and beyond that!"

"Eremes!" she breathed, and he hugged her tightly. "I...I am so happy you are in my life! I don't want you to ever leave it!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he smiled greatly for her. He would only reveal this side of himself for her. No one else would ever see him in this state of bliss.

"I love you, Eremes," she whispered, as she rested against his shoulder.

"I love you, too, Sarine," he chuckled and took his time to study the room. It was a bit richly designed with the bed being walled off in a way, but not fully from the one hut room. It looked smaller on the outside. A fireplace was set up along the side of the wall with couches and a table in front of it. A small, yet decent kitchen was there with a place for eating. A bathroom was lightly walled off, yet still open to the room, since it was made for couples. It was a little getaway room and had all the basic comforts that one would need.

A knock on the door was given, and they both dressed in their bathing suits.

"Eremes..." she whispered.

"Don't worry. I only have eyes for you," he promised and kissed her deeply. When he opened the door, he found Doppy waiting.

"My turn!" he grinned.

"I got her happy, but she's still worried," Eremes whispered.

"Muninn took care of the girls. They will never bother us again," Doppy nodded. That made Eremes give a sigh of relief. _Something bad must have been foreseen, if Muninn had to do something._ He wasn't going to question the issue. As Doppy walked in, Sarine was sitting on the bed looking restless. Looking up at him, she smiled.

"Hey, Doppy," she smiled.

"Sorry Sari," he chuckled and removed the swim trunks quickly to recline with her. He clearly didn't like the bed. She giggled and ran a hand over his chest.

"The bed is comfy, isn't it?" she asked.

"For you maybe," he grumbled. "And what are you doing with that on?"

"If you don't like it then take it off me!" she countered. That brought a grin to his face and it was removed swiftly, and remarkably, in one piece. Lifting her from the bed, he took her to one of the couches to recline with her on.

"Better," he grinned.

"You do know that people will be sitting here," she giggled.

"They can piss off," he smirked, and that got her laughing. Pulling her down to start licking over her skin, she started to cry out when he attacked her thighs. His hands reached up to torment her breasts, and, as she cried out again, he moved to have her sitting on him. He wasted no time in making her his now, and he relished every cry she gave for him. Only after he roared out his fulfillment when she screamed, did he pull her down to rest on him.

"I love you, Doppy," she whispered. Shivering now, as his hand worked up her back, he smiled in the form of lazy contentment that only she could give him.

"I love you, too, Sorry Sari," he chuckled softly. "You are the only one for me."

"Really?" she asked, as she rested against his chest.

"Mmm hmm," he said. "You helped me when I needed it. That's more than anyone would ever do for me in a lifetime. I would have loved to have been there to watch you grow up after your transcendence, though."

"Why is that?"

"I wanted to be the one to punch out Malore's face when he tried to get you!"

"Oh, Doppy," she laughed softly. "I think you would have killed him."

"Likely should have," he grumbled. He closed his eyes when she pressed herself against him more. He was clearly starting to enjoy himself, and he frowned in thought.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Why didn't I do this sooner with you?" he sighed. "Instead, I sent you away to forget about me. This is what I really needed. Right here."

She blushed when he wrapped his arms around her. She moved her hands up his neck and started to massage his scalp. He gasped and purred now, since this was one of the many things that he enjoyed getting from her.  _Only she is allowed to touch me. Only she is allowed to give me pleasure. No one else was allowed to do anything to me. I forbid it. This is my mate. My wife. My love. I killed for her, and I'll do it again in a heartbeat. I want to kill the three girls out there, but the others will keep me from doing it._  He knew it would have also hurt her, and he couldn't have that.

"Love me, Doppy," she whispered, and he was quick to obey her. He moved hard inside her, and she cried out, as she rode him. Letting out an inhuman roar at his release, he pulled her close again, as he sat up with her. Moving her hair away from her neck, he clamped his mouth down, and she screamed out her fury. Her nails dug into his shoulders for balance. That got him pumped up even more, and he soon had her sobbing by the time he released hard inside her. Licking over where he bit her, he noticed a potion appear on the table. Eremes was Cloaked and figured it would be needed.

"Bastard!" Doppy smirked. A soft chuckle was heard, as he Uncloaked and sat on the chair by them. He gave a small shrug, and Sarine giggled.

"Just needed to make sure she was all right," Eremes winked. The potion was used on Sarine's neck, and she blushed.

"I'm fine, Eremes. How is Keltin doing?" she asked.

"He's silently waiting his turn," he grinned. He didn't tell them that they were ignoring other girls. It was getting to a point that he was getting ready to simply remain Cloaked, but he didn't want the others to feel the brunt of obsessive flirting. Most of the girls would back off once they pointed to their rings. The more insistent ones were driven off with a Fire Ball from Kathryne, or a glare from Sammy.

"Well, considering my hour is up now," Doppy sighed. Sarine kissed him passionately, and he hugged her tight. Then he helped her to the bed and let her dress in her bikini, as he donned the trunks. Eremes chuckled, and they left the room to leave her on the bed. It was less than five seconds for Keltin to walk in with relief.

"What's going on out there?" Sarine asked, as she watched him.

"The place is getting crowded out there now," Keltin said. It was partially the truth. "Howard is getting impatient, but he'll be fine."

"Oh," Sarine smiled. "Maybe I should go outside?"

"You'll be fine here. It's my turn, anyways, right?" Keltin said lovingly. He reverted to his Bongun form for her. Removing the swimming trunks with the rest of his clothing, since his monster form had its own set of clothes, he moved onto the bed to kiss her. She did miss him and hugged him close. Letting him remove the bikini from her, he ran his hand up her body. Then he moved over her and kissed her passionately. She quickly moved to sit up on him, and she stretched, as he pulled her down onto him.

"I missed you," she sighed when he ran his hands up her sides.

"I missed you, too," he said and gasped, as she moved her hands up his chest to his neck. When he started to move with her, she started to give in from her recent bouts of pleasure, and he rolled to have her on her back. When she clamped her legs around his waist, he cried out, as he gave in to her. Trembling as he held her there, his hands moved lovingly along her sides again, and he thrust sharply into her. She cried out again, and he was the same in his release. Pulling himself to her now, he stretched out alongside her and cuddled her.

"I love you, Keltin," she smiled, and he kissed her.

"I love you, Sarine," he grinned and held her close. "I will never want anything more than this. It's all I've ever wanted."

"Really?" she smiled.

"Always," he chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I will never abandon you."

"Promise?" she sighed.

"I swear it!" he growled out playfully, and he lightly tickled her to make her laugh. Right after she became a giggling mess, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I am a bit hungry," she admitted. Nodding to her, he got up and pulled out a prepared plate of meat pieces and cheese. Setting it on the bed for her, he poured a glass of juice for her and brought that over, too.

"Here," he said and gave her the glass.

"Thanks," she said, and she drank it down. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really," he said. "I'm actually doing pretty good right now."

"If you say so," she smiled. She giggled when he did pick up a piece of meat.

"Then again," he grinned, and she smiled at him. When the plate was cleaned off, he took it and refilled her juice. They shared the drink and talked about what the night was going to bring. She was fairly curious as to what was going to happen.

"A campfire?" she smiled.

"Well, it is still your birthday. At the same time, everyone decided to give each other gifts, too. Just in case you didn't remember. We didn't want to pressure you about it. This way everyone can have wonderful memories today," he chuckled.

"Oh!" she smiled. "I definitely would like that."

"Well, it's going to happen. Then we likely would have surprised you with it."

"I'm glad it's turning out this way," she smiled and blinked at a knock on the door. Keltin put on his clothes, shifted into his Champion form, got into his swim trunks, and Sarine dressed in her bikini. When Keltin opened the door, he saw Howard. Sarine frowned, as he looked stressed, and she moved over to him quickly.

"What happened?" Keltin asked.

"These girls are getting on my nerves!" Howard growled. Then he paused when he saw Sarine glowering. He winced and muttered to himself.

"I'll handle it," she said.

"No!" Keltin said. "No, you will not. You stay here."

"Nonsense! I need to give them a run for their money," she grinned. "How-How, escort me out there. I know you need an hour with me, but I want them to know that none of my husbands are there for them."

"I don't know," Howard frowned. She moved forward and kissed him deeply and full of love. That made him groan with complete need now, and he knew she wasn't going to let him touch her until this was done. Grimacing with a sigh of defeat, he just nodded.

"All right," Keltin said with a smile. "We'll be with you."

"Good," Sarine said. With her arms looped around both Howard's arm and Keltin's arm, she was led down to the beach. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Doppy ignoring the advances from a brunette with long hair. When the girl tried to touch him, he growled at her with disgust.

"Hey, Doppy!" Howard grinned. That made the demon look up and smirk.

"What are you doing with my husband?" Sarine glowered. That made the girl freak. "Did he not tell you he was married? Get away from him!"

"But...but..." the girl pouted.

"Don't make me kick your ass!" Sarine hissed. Then the other girls moving around Eremes paused. The Assassin Cross gratefully got up and walked to Sarine's side. Doppy did the same. When they both stood behind her, they crossed their arms and glared protectively over her shoulders. Sarine moved back a bit to let them lean against her lightly, and both Eremes and Doppy placed an arm around each of her hips, as she kept her arms linked in Howard's and Keltin's. All of their wedding rings were quite apparent now.

"What is going on?" the brunette asked.

"These four men are my husbands. Yes. I have FOUR husbands! If you don't like it, then transcend and talk to Valkyrie, since she was the one that made it happen!" Sarine growled. Then the tattoo burned on the back of her neck, and Valkyrie descended from Valhalla.

"What the-?!" the girl freaked.

"Whoever has any objections to their marriage, step forward NOW!" Valkyrie demanded, as she raised her trident. She was waiting for this moment. Seyren grinned and kissed Karla. Cecil giggled, and Garrett was just staring in amazement. The girls that tried to get with Sarine's husbands tittered nervously and backed away. Lloyd and Margaretha watched silently, and they could only sigh with relief that this was all going to stop. Kathryne and Mitchell raised brows to each other and looked back at the girls. Donnie and Coraline were thinking of making up a song and dance about this.

"Idiots!" Sammy growled and moved to check on Sarine's belly. "They're fine now. Haven't grown much."

"Who is fine?" the brunette asked.

"My twins," Sarine growled. That made the other girls blink and back off completely. Valkyrie hovered over Sarine protectively, and she looked over when the manager of the island walked over. The moment he heard a commotion was going on, he had to be there to stop it.

"Is there a problem?" he asked. Then he gaped at the sight of Valkyrie.

"Yes, there is! The Vessel of Odin and her husbands are being bombarded by others that wish to do them harm!" Valkyrie said. The manager stammered, apologized, and promised that it wouldn't happen again. She glared down at him, and then looked around at the others there. Nodding to Sarine that she would be watching closely, she returned to Valhalla.

"I do hope that this problem will be resolved? I wouldn't want to have to contact my Papa from Amatsu. He is the Emperor there, you know. If he has to send his guards over here, then this island will not be very pleasant," Sarine frowned at the manager. He stammered and agreed without any objections. Now that he knew she was royalty, and blessed by Valkyrie, he was going to step up the service for her. If they were harassed any further, then the ones harassing them would be moved to another part of the island.

"Finally!" Doppy growled. "Maybe some relaxation at last!"

"No kidding," Eremes grumbled, as he moved to sit down. Sarine walked up to him to kiss him and did the same to Doppy.

"How much time did you have left?" Howard asked Keltin.

"About five minutes. It's all right. You can have your time with her now," Keltin chuckled. Sarine kissed Keltin deeply and giggled when Howard scooped her up to take her back to the hut. Nodding to Storm Caller, as they walked into the hut, the Strouf moved back outside. Howard wasted no time in removing his swimming trunks and her bikini.

"How-How..." she smiled, and he hugged her close, relishing the feel of her body against his. He trembled when her hands roamed over his back and along his shoulders.

"You are the only one for me," he gasped when her hands moved up to run through his hair. "The other girls...no comparison to you. You have my heart. You have everything that belongs to me."

"I would hope so. I am bearing your twins after all," she chuckled.

"Twins!" he grinned and ran his hands over her belly. They kicked at his hands, and he gave a fatherly smile.  _My twins. My children._ He kissed her deeply and hugged her tight to his body. Her form molded to his perfectly, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

"I love you so much!" she said, as his kiss got deeper.

"I will only love you," he whispered and picked her up to carry her to the bed. Then he paused and braced her against the wall. She giggled with him, as he readied her for him. They both gasped when he took her, and her legs moved to clasp around his waist. He shouted when he gave in with her. He needed her so badly that he had no strength to hold back. Still bracing her against the wall, he groaned and pressed into her hard.

"I've been wanting you," she admitted, as he pulled her from the wall to land with her on the bed. He cuddled into her and sighed.

"And I've been wanting you," he smiled, as he kissed her forehead. "I'm glad that Valkyrie came down when she did. Naght was threatening to make an appearance."

"Oh, dear! As much as I would have loved to have seen it, I know it would have caused a bigger mess," she giggled. "Lots of screaming and panic."

"Tell me about it," he sighed. "Then I'd have to explain  _that_  to the manager."

She laughed, and he could only smile. Kissing him passionately now, the twins kicked sharply in her belly, and she gasped.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I think they're hungry," she sighed. Pressing his hand to her belly now to confirm it, he got up to the kitchen and found a small knife. Moving back to the bed, he positioned her onto him with her legs around his waist. Giving a careful scratch to his neck, she moved her mouth over the wound, and he released instantly into her. Gasping with each swallow she did, the pleasure tore through him at each drawn gulp. After three swallows, she pulled away.

Then he looked at her and trembled.  _He wanted to taste my blood._  Smiling at him in silent knowing, she let him scratch her neck open with the knife, and she cried out when he locked his mouth on her neck. They worked with each other, as he pulled two mouthfuls before drawing back to kiss her roughly. Resting against each other now, they sighed. Then they blinked, as a couple potions were dropped on the bed.

"Damn you, Eremes!" Howard growled before sighing.

"Can't have you both bleeding everywhere," Eremes chuckled, as he Uncloaked. "Doppy felt the pains from Sarine. Funny how he can feel pains from her that he doesn't cause. I came to check in on you two. Glad I did. They were just hungry after all?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I don't think it's enough, though."

"May I assist, Howard?" Eremes asked.

"Hmm? May as well," he nodded, and he drank down some of the potion. He rubbed the rest on his neck to close the wound. Giving the other potion to Sarine, he rubbed the potion on her wound and had her drink it down. Picking up the knife, Sarine was passed to Eremes and positioned on him in the same manner as Howard with his swim trunks pulled down. Letting the knife draw blood on his neck, Sarine moved to feed off him now, and he shouted at the release. Clinging to her while he tensed with each ragged swallow she did, his heart was pounding by the time she pulled away. Gasping as he grabbed a potion, he closed the wound and drank it down.

"I feel better now," she admitted, and Howard took her back.

"Good," Howard said and held her tight. "Thanks, Eremes. I don't want to become a pale corpse anytime soon. Hey!"

Sarine started tickling him and got him laughing. Eremes chuckled and got up to pull his swim trunks up as he left. He needed Karla to make more potions for them, and that was what he was going to do now. They watched him leave, and Howard ran his hands over her belly again.

"They grew, didn't they?" she frowned.

"Yeah, they did. Likely why you were hungry. It's okay, though. They didn't grow by much. You're fine," Howard said, as he kissed her. He tasted remnants of Eremes's blood, and it made him blink.

"What is it?" she asked.

"The taste of his blood," he frowned. "It's not overpowering, but it's not displeasing, either. Almost like an acceptance. It's a strange feeling."

"Well, you did drink my blood when his blood was in me. I wouldn't doubt if a small portion of the twins was part of each of them, too, you know," she blushed.

"Very true. Which is why all of our children are going to be well protected," he nodded. "I'm really glad that Sammy can monitor the growth of our kids."

"Yes. That helps us out a lot!" she smiled. "We'll need to get another portrait done with him in it. He really wanted to come to Amatsu with us."

"You're right. We'll have to work on another portrait soon. And I'm glad he doesn't need to be your lover," he smirked.

"I don't want another one, thank you!" she clipped out. He grinned and kissed her deeply now before hugging her tight.

"Neither do I," he admitted. "Hard enough, as it is."

"I know," she nodded. "At least I know I will never be alone."

"Never!" he vowed and kissed her hard. "Never be alone!"

"How-How..." she sighed and kissed him back. He sighed and continued to hold her. Unsure of the time, he figured if they were needed, then someone would knock. Instead, Eremes had appeared before them again, as he Uncloaked, and he started setting some potions on the table. He grinned, as Howard scowled at him for the intrusion. He didn't mean to keep doing this, but it was for Sarine.

"What is it like outside?" Sarine asked.

"It's almost sunset," Eremes said.

"How-How," she smiled at him. "I would love to watch the sunset. Will you join me? I would really like to see it with you."

"Of course," Howard smiled and kissed her gently. He dressed her and himself before he and Eremes led her outside where the others were waiting around a small campfire. She laughed, as Donnie started up a tune to play, and she started to dance with Coraline. She was enjoying herself now that she wasn't fighting off others. When the dancing was done, she was hugged by Keltin, and she leaned into him. Then Cecil called to him to start figuring out how to get the gifts for her. Now that Sarine was mildly left to fend for herself, she moved to gaze out over the waves to watch the sun set into them.

"Well, hello there!" a male voice said out of nowhere. She blinked and looked over with a frown. Three men were making their way towards her. One had dark brown hair and a fairly weak physical appearance. He was a Gunslinger, but she wouldn't be able to tell. Another had dark blond hair and appeared to be built like Howard, which suggested a Merchant of some type. The last one had dirty blond hair, and the way he stood reminded her of a Monk. All of them were wearing black swim trunks and had brown eyes.

"I'm married," she said lightly with her dulcet tone and looked back over to the setting sun. That didn't deter them at all, and they simply walked closer to her.

"To us, maybe?" the Gunslinger grinned. "My name is John."

"I'm Marty. So lovely," the dark brown haired man slathered.

"Andy here. Why don't you come with us? We'll have some fun!" he snickered.

"Sure. We'll have some fun!" Doppy snarled viciously, as he came up to them from behind, his chest flexing his rock-hard pectorals. The three men turned and gaped at him.

"Doppy," Sarine smiled seductively. The sound of her voice made Andy wince.

"Come to me, my wife," Doppy said with a grin, as he gestured to her.

"Of course, my husband," she crooned and walked over to him. He easily lifted her up with one arm to prove how strong he was, and then he glared at the three men.

"Piss off!" he hissed, as his dull red pupils glowed menacingly.

"Oh, to hell with that!" Marty said.

"I can beat you!" John growled.

"We all can at once!" Andy said, as he flexed his arms.

"Three on one?" Doppy snickered. Howard had made his way over and glared at the three men. The intruding men seemed to be a bit envious at how Howard seemed stronger than them, too. They weren't used to being out-classed in their builds.

"Sarine," Howard whispered. Doppy let her go to him, and she kissed Howard deeply. The men blinked with surprise.

"I thought she was married to him?!" John stated, as he gestured to Doppy.

"Oh. I'm married to four men," Sarine smiled. "And I'm pregnant with my Whitesmith's twins."

"Always your Whitesmith," Howard grinned and kissed her lovingly. Doppy looked over at Howard's comment and thought to himself. Then he chuckled at an idea he'd put to use later.

"She's pregnant?" Andy blinked.

"Four men?!" Marty gaped. Eremes and Keltin soon walked up to Sarine and glowered at the men. Doppy gave a bit of a grin and flexed again to prove a point.

"Yes. And they are all transcended like myself. Are any of you transcended?" Sarine smiled coyly. That made them blink, and they tried to make up excuses as to why they hadn't bothered yet. As a demon, Doppy got impatient.

"Screw this!" Doppy sneered. "I'll get my armor. Be right back, kiddies!"

"Doppy!" Sarine giggled, and he let her hug him tight before looking over at Sammy. The ghost came out of the boy, and the men stammered even more.

"Is there to be a fight? Oh joy! I'll judge it!" Sammy grinned and moved to feel Sarine's belly again, as he thought. "You don't fight. Stay happy and calm. Got it?"

"Yes, doctor Incantation Samurai," Sarine winked and kissed his forehead. He blushed and grinned, as he went to talk to the others.

"Who are you?" John asked.

"I am the Vessel of Odin. Who did you think I was?" Sarine smirked. That made the men drop their jaws.

"Too bad they aren't fighting in the arena by arena rules," Keltin grinned.

"Doppelganger...may end up killing them..." Eremes sighed.

"Doppelganger?! That guy is Doppelganger?!" John hissed.

"Well, of course, he is! What? You thought all humans had glowing red eyes and were over seven feet tall?" Sarine smiled. When Doppy came back wearing his armor and bearing his sword, the three men gaped.

"Who's first?!" Doppy snarled inhumanly. "I've been itching to fight all day!"

The three men looked at each other then back at him. Sammy walked back with the others to watch the fight. The three men tackled Doppy together, and all the demon did was turn with a slicing wave of his sword. None of them stood a chance, since they weren't properly armored. Keltin seemed to wince at how stupid they were.

"Doppy wins!" Sammy grinned, as Lloyd and Margaretha Healed the men.

"Rematch!" John said. He was blinking his eyes from being Blinded.

"Not fair!" Andy hissed, as he was Confused. Marty couldn't say anything, since he was Silenced, but he did glare.

"The arena is closed right now," Sammy giggled. "But, you can go there tomorrow! I'm sure one of them will be willing to fight you!"

"You should have died!" Doppy snarled. "Challenge me again! I dare you!"

"Doppy," Sarine said gently. He looked at her now and went over to her, forgetting about the humans. When she called, she always became his first priority. Letting her run her hands up his armored chest and through his hair, he gasped at the sensations.

"What do you want to do?" Howard asked her.

"I think it's time for us to go back home. We can finish my birthday there," Sarine said, as she kept Doppy calm. They nodded, but Seyren walked up to her.

"Can we check out the bar first?" he asked. That made her smile, but she knew she wouldn't be drinking, due to her pregnancy. Eremes gave a rueful chuckle, and Howard growled. He wanted to go home. Keltin wasn't going to drink, but Doppy did muse at the idea. The demon gave her back over to Howard, since he was reaching for her to check on the twins.

"All right. One hour of drinking for those that want to. Then we go home," Sarine nodded. That made them a bit happy, but Howard wasn't going to let Sarine out of his embrace. That was fine by her. Eremes nodded and asked if anyone wanted to dress. He mentioned that he was going to inform Storm Caller of their decision. Sarine wanted to dress to be less revealing, and Howard took her to the hut to help her. Her husbands dressed soon after, and they walked out feeling a bit more relieved. They would wear the swim suits at the island home, since they were purchased.  _It would also be better, as it wouldn't be a tourist attraction._ When they got to the bar, Seyren was already getting drunk, and Karla was just sighing at him.

"He's impossible!" Karla frowned, but she did laugh when she saw Mitchell and Kathryne sharing a shot of something stronger. Sarine sat by a window in Howard's lap, and he kissed her lightly. She didn't like the place, and he kept a hand on her belly. She was also starting to get hungry again, but she didn't want to eat in a bar.

"Hello, pretty lady!" a drunk man said, as he walked up to her. "Wanna dance?"

"No thanks," Sarine said. She wrinkled her nose at the stench of booze on him. Howard was just disgusted that the drunk was hitting on her while she was sitting in his lap. It was starting to piss him off severely.

"Aw, c'mon! I'm a good dancer! See?" he grinned, and he tossed a hand through his muddy brown hair, as he tried to twist. He fell over when Keltin slammed a fist into his face. Eremes looked over with wide eyes, and Doppy barked out laughter at it. Howard winced for the man, but felt no pity for him at all.

"Leave my wife alone!" Keltin hissed. That made Sarine blink. Keltin normally wasn't the violent type, and she was quickly concerned for him.

"Did you drink something?" Howard asked with a grin.

"No. Just tired of this place!" Keltin growled. "It's too stressful on me. Always having women hounding me after telling them no. Protecting Sarine from idiots all the time. I'm tired of it! All of it!"

"Keltin," Sarine smiled and moved to hug him tightly. He was able to relax now, and, when the man tried to stir to get up, Eremes and Doppy were dragging him out the door to have him sleep it off in the sand. They got back inside, and Howard was ready to leave with Keltin. Sarine had finally admitted her hunger, and they wanted to get her home. They were now concerned for her and wanted her to eat in peace.

"We're going. We'll meet you back there," Howard said.

"Really?" Lloyd frowned.

"I'm tired of Jawaii," Keltin said. "I doubt I'll be coming back for a while."

"I see," Lloyd nodded. "Want a Warp back?"

"Please?" Sarine smiled. Lloyd nodded and made the Warp for them. Sarine and her husbands went through, and the relief was clear on their faces when they got back home. Storm Caller was already there, and he had finished transferring various things from the huts back to the island home. Doppy pulled Sarine into his lap when they moved to the porch, and she snuggled against him gratefully. _It felt good to be home._

Several meals were brought out, and Sarine was finally able to eat normally. She was practically living off of the blood that her husbands gave her. It was enough to get by, but not as nutritious as she needed. When she was full, she lay back against Doppy, and he placed his arms around her. She gave a small sigh of contentment, and Doppy kissed her forehead.

"Feel better?" Eremes asked.

"Much," she sighed. Howard leaned over to feel her belly and smiled, as the twins were finally calmed down. They could have been sleeping for all he knew. When the others started to filter through, they all laughed, as Karla had to support Seyren's drunken form. Lloyd and Margaretha showed up last before the Warp was gone.

"He just wouldn't stop!" Karla sighed. "I didn't expect to marry a dirty drunk!"

"I am not drunk!" Seyren grumbled and hiccuped. Sarine giggled. When Sammy approached Howard and whispered to him, the Whitesmith scowled.

"What is it?" Sarine frowned.

"Presents may have to wait, love," he sighed. "Those three idiots are demanding a fight at the arena."

"Can I kill them?" Doppy asked her.

"If they are at the arena, it's arena rules, dear," Sarine sighed. "But, if they try to attack me, then all's fair play, you know."

"Like hell will they attack you!" Eremes growled. Sarine smiled and reached over to hug Eremes to her. He muttered roughly under his breath, as he hugged her back tightly. Doppy scowled, but then he grinned wickedly when Pori-Pori scooted over to them. Sarine looked down and smiled.

"Vessel of Odin? Can I take care of them for you? I did tell you that my most favorite thing to do was beating up humans!" Pori-Pori asked her in his incredibly deep voice. Keltin chuckled now and felt immense relief that he wanted to help.

"It's three of them. Think you can?" she smiled. He winked at her and scooted off to the arena. Sammy gasped and ran after him to judge the fight. Keltin just grinned a bit wickedly now.  _Those men didn't stand a chance._

"Should we watch?" Doppy smirked.

"Nah. We'll hear the screams," Howard grinned. Eremes had Sarine in a breathtaking kiss, as he molded her to him. They did pause to laugh, as the screams from three men were heard. Pori-Pori was called a Poring, and he always took offense to that. When the men were sent off by the Kafra Agent, they went to Izlude. That was where they would meet up with the three girls sent there earlier and would end up marrying them.

Sarine gave a yawn of exhaustion, but she knew the night wasn't over. A fire was built up, and now it was time for the presents to start. She was awed by the gifts given to her, and she simply couldn't believe the bow presented to her by them. Doppy's card, Cecil's clone's card, and Eremes's clone's card was in the bow now, and there was one empty slot left for a card of her choosing. The bow, itself, was upgraded as high as possible by Howard, and it was the same bow that he gave her before. Then Eremes presented her with a highly upgraded Muffler garment with his card in it so that she could Cloak.

"I...I don't know what to say!" Sarine blinked back tears. Then she gasped, as the others gave over their cards to her, and she trembled with happiness. When the gifts were given over to the others in a gift exchange, there were gasps of happiness and delight all around. Sammy ran up to her and pressed his card in her hand. She blushed and pulled him close to press a chaste kiss on his lips. That made him blush really hard, and everyone laughed.

"Vessel of Odin? Can you finish judging our contest?" Pori-Pori asked, as he bounced over with Defender, Justice, Doombringer, and Vengeance.

"Oh, dear!" she laughed and nodded. When the faces started, laughter filled the air at what they did to out-do each other.

"Howard!" Keltin whispered to him, and the Whitesmith looked over.

"What?" he asked.

"I just realized what the fourth card should be for Sarine's bow!" Keltin grinned with excitement. "It came to me just now, but we'll need to find the monster!"

"Really?! What's the monster?" Howard asked. Eremes was still holding Sarine, but he was listening in on the conversation. Doppy glanced over at them, as well.

"The strong monster, Atroce. It resembles a giant walking wolf and roams the areas outside of a city called Rachel. I also heard that Sages can learn a skill called Hocus Pocus and can randomly transform various things into powerful monsters! But, it's a fifty/fifty chance that the strong monster will be the real one," Keltin said.

"What does the card do?" Howard asked.

"Ahh...got it! Raises attack and gives a small chance to increase attack speed by a hundred percent. Or, we could put Baphomet's card in the bow for all the enemies around her to have the same damage," Keltin said, as he got the information. Doppy gave a low whistle and grinned.  _Sarine would be untouchable with this bow._

"I think the attack speed is what we want her to have," Howard nodded. "If we try using Dead Branches to help Mitchell train, Sarine will instinctively try to befriend any monsters that are not duplicates. Can't be helped, since it's all Huginn."

"I know," Keltin sighed. "That would be the difficult part."

"Can't we just have you guys summon your clones and help Mitchell train with that?" Doppy asked. "It seemed to be working before."

"What are you all talking about over there?" Sarine frowned.

"Ways to help Mitchell train," Howard said, since the conversation had changed.

"Oh? Any ideas?" Kathryne asked now, completely interested. Pori-Pori and the other Poring-type monsters paused their contest to listen in.

"Mitchell, how strong are you right now?" Eremes asked.

"Not that strong. Why?" Mitchell said.

"Kathryne, you're human now with Mitchell. Take him somewhere to train him up really quick. We want him to get the Hocus Pocus skill. There is a chance that the stronger monsters he summons may be the real stronger monsters!" Keltin said.

"Less traveling time!" Sarine beamed. "However, it would still be good for me to visit the areas, regardless. For the lesser monsters, that is."

"Yes, but, while you are pregnant, this may be the safest way," Keltin said.

"Your Guardian is correct," Storm Caller nodded, as he brought over some juice for her. "It would ease my mind, as well."

"What do you think, Muninn?" Howard asked the falcon, as he landed.

_:Sounds good. Keep Vessel. Safe. Do it.:_  Muninn warbled.

"I'll need gems like crazy, and it could take hours before something good happens. I'll be casting any known skill. And I do mean  _any_  known skill," Mitchell said.

"We will all be here to help you. Why do you want him to train now?" Kathryne frowned. Eremes moved to her side and whispered to her. She blinked and grinned now.

"What?" Seyren asked, as he sobered up some. Kathryne whispered to him, and he laughed like mad.

"Secrets against me?" Sarine frowned.

"Good ones," Keltin promised. She still frowned and rubbed a hand over her belly. She was starting to not like secrets about her.

"It's about the fourth card for your bow. We want to make it a surprise," Eremes whispered to her. That made her eyes go round, and she smiled. As long as she had an idea of what it was for, then she was fine. Cecil was smiling, and she leaned into Garrett, as he put an arm around her. She noticed he was worried, as he watched the others.

"What is it, Garrett?" she frowned.

"Just thinking about my duties in Prontera," he said, the little white lie covering up his real concern about what the morning would bring.  _I'm going to be challenged in the morning. I'm going to win against them, since Loki was going to assist me. I'm going to be with Sarine, and I know I'm going to hate it._ He kept thinking of her as a sister now, and the thought of laying with her disgusted him. Seyren noticed Garrett's discomfort, and now he wanted to know why.

"Garrett," Seyren said, as he walked over to him. "Come with me? We'll talk."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Come on," Seyren gestured, since he was sobered up now. Sarine looked over at them with a small frown, but Pori-Pori drew away her attention with another round of funny faces to keep her happy and laughing. Howard noticed what was going on, but he wasn't going to let it bother him. It was still Sarine's birthday until the sun came up, as far as he was concerned.

When Garrett and Seyren reached a place a bit away from the others, Muninn landed and told Seyren what was going on.

"Loki?! Now it makes sense!" Seyren frowned. "I wasn't sure about it when the others told me, but coming from Muninn now makes me a believer. Then again, he told us when we all got together for the portrait. I made myself forget to keep Sarine happy."

"I see Sarine as a little sister now. Like you. I only want to be with Cecil, but Loki keeps putting images in my head! I...I don't want to fight anyone! I love all of you as family!"

"We know. You fit well with us," Seyren nodded. "It's rare for others to come together like we have. It's as though the party with Sarine is a sister party, and it's impossible for so many to be part of it. Donnie and Coraline are the only ones that seem like outsiders, but they fit well with us. I'm sure that, if they find any others, they will work well with us in the future. Muninn, is there any way to block Loki from Garrett so he won't have to fight?"

_:I ask. Father Odin. Wait please.:_  Muninn nodded and lifted his beak to the sky with his eyes closed in silent communion. When he blinked awake, it was with a bit of surprise.

"What?" Garrett asked quickly.

_:Drink. Vessel's blood. Will cure! Block Loki! But. Is price. Will feel. Others. Demons. Strange emotions. Is possible. Always price. For things.:_  Muninn sighed.

"Sarine's blood?" he frowned and looked at Seyren.

"Let me talk to the others," Seyren said. "I'll let everyone know what is going on, and we will all decide as a group. You wait here!"

"Very well," Garrett nodded. Seyren moved quickly to the campfire and rose up his hands for attention. At the look Seyren gave them, Sarine's husbands braced themselves.

"Sarine, I'm sorry, but I have to say something. However, there is a way to fix it," Seyren said quickly. Sarine blinked at him and looked at Eremes. She was still in his arms, and Eremes hugged her tightly with comfort.

"What is it?" Doppy frowned.

"Garrett kissed Sarine earlier today. BUT! It was not of his doing! He's being controlled by Loki!" Seyren said. It brought a gasp of shock through them, and Cecil was worried now. At least she knew Garrett wasn't at fault.

"Loki?!" Howard growled. He was told of this earlier, but he had forgotten. He would have remembered after Sarine's birthday was over, but he didn't want to hurt her. Everyone had forgotten this bit of knowledge for Sarine's health and safety.

"Wait, Howard. He only sees Sarine as a sister. He wants no part of her love life. He loves Cecil. The only way to keep Loki from Garrett is if he takes a small amount of Sarine's blood. It will block Loki fully from Garrett. But, there is a price. He might feel the four of you," Seyren said, as he pointed to Sarine's husbands.

"Shit," Doppy growled. "I'll probably be feeling him, too, then, if he gets hurt!"

"But, if it's to keep Garrett from wanting to be with Sarine," Keltin started.

"I wanted to kill him at first. Now that he's being controlled...I really don't want to fight him, honestly," Howard nodded.

"What do you think, Sarine?" Eremes asked her.

"Since it wasn't Garrett's fault," she thought. "how do you know it's Loki?"

"Muninn told us," Seyren said.

"If it was Muninn that found out, then fine. Where is Garrett? Let's end this now," Sarine nodded. At the gazes from her husbands, she just smiled and sighed. She really did like Garrett as a brother. She wanted to see him as a brother.  _If this was the only way to do it, then I have no other choice. I don't want to be anything more to Garrett._ Howard got up and crushed her to him. He was worried about the twins, and she kissed him deeply.

"I don't know if this is wise," Howard frowned.

"At least I'll be able to see him as a true blood brother now. Think of it that way," Sarine smiled, and he sighed. Eremes, Keltin, and Doppy all walked behind her and Howard, as Seyren led them to Garrett. As they approached him, Sarine gasped and clung to Howard. _Something wasn't right._  Howard became alarmed and helped Sarine stand, as he looked over at Garrett. She actually felt that Loki was nearby, and the feeling was overwhelming.

"Sarine?" Garrett asked, as he looked over at her. "No. Leave me alone!"

"What?" Seyren blinked.

"It's not safe now," Garrett hissed, as he took in a deep breath.

"Fight him..." Eremes hissed when he caught on.

"You're stronger than this!" Keltin growled.

"Sarine...are you sure?" Howard grounded out with protection. She nodded to him. He let her go, but he was ready to grab her the moment something went wrong.

"Don't be a pussy, Garrett!" Doppy snarled. Sarine regained herself, grabbed a katar off of Eremes, which made him blink at her, and she cut open her finger. Moving quickly up to Garrett, she made as though to slap him.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Garrett grinned, as his hand shot out to catch her bloodied hand and pull her close. "Miss me?"

"Let her go!" Howard glowered. Naght was getting more active, since the time for Howard to become a monster again was fast approaching.  _If Naght got out, Garrett was as good as dead, and so was whatever controlling him._

"Don't you want to taste me?" Sarine whispered to Garrett. "Surely a small taste of my blood won't hurt. Or are you afraid?"

"Me? Afraid of a bit of blood? Yeah, right!" Garrett grinned. The being that possessed him wanted to prove that it was better than a mere warning. He licked up a droplet of her blood that fell on her wrist. The change was almost instant. A fire coursed through him now, and he fought it back. In his weakened state, she pressed her bleeding finger into his mouth, and the battle was over.  _Garrett was finally free._

"How-How!" Sarine said. The moment she was released, Howard caught her up in a bone-crushing hug. Falling to his knees with her, he didn't want to move now. She felt Loki's presence vanish away, and the effect was instant.

"Finally!" Garrett blinked. The world tilted around him before righting itself. Standing up now, he was slammed back down by Cecil running into him. Hugging her tight, he picked her up when he got back on his feet and took her right into the house.

"Someone's going to be married in the morning," Keltin grinned.

"Let them get married. As long as Sarine is safe," Howard muttered against Sarine's hair. Seyren was making plans to walk in on them later.

"We don't have much time left," Eremes said, as he knelt down to Sarine. "At least we don't need to fight Garrett anymore."

"You know," Sarine frowned. "I was seriously thinking of having How-How feel my emotions, if Garrett did try anything..."

"NO!" Howard growled out and hugged her tighter. "Don't...don't even think of that! Do you have any idea how badly that would have turned out?! I would be fighting every instinct I had to get to you to rip you away from him!"

"But, it didn't turn out that way," Keltin said calmly.

"I'll keep an eye on him for the next week," Doppy said.

"Can we...celebrate what is left of my birthday, please?" Sarine asked softly.

"Yeah. We can do that," Howard nodded and managed to rise with her in his arms. He wasn't going to be letting her go at any time for the rest of the night from how he saw it. Eremes took out a potion to finally close the wound on Sarine's finger, and he collected his katar. Howard saw her bloody finger, licked the blood off her hand, and pulled Sarine into a kiss that lost all meaning. His mind was completely enthralled with her scent. He was also affected by the fear of what she wanted to do. He wanted her badly now. His want was so intense that he had to have her right there on the ground. Keltin whistled, as Howard collapsed with her to his knees. His movements were getting more and more urgent.

"Seyren, let's go," Eremes said with a quiet chuckle.

"Why?" Seyren grinned and was pushed off by Doppy. Keltin gave a knowing nod to Howard and walked off with the others. When Seyren walked back to the fire, the other three slowed up to talk about what happened.

"Damn," Doppy snickered. "He's pretty horny isn't he?"

"It's not that," Eremes frowned. "He's scared."

"Scared?" Keltin blinked.

"Think about it. Sarine almost succumbed to Garrett. She wanted Howard to feel her emotions through the whole thing. What would be the first thing that goes through your mind? Jealousy? Sadness? Regret? Fear? Or everything in one pool?" Eremes asked. That brought a gasp of shock from Keltin.

"Wow," Doppy blinked. "I never thought of it that way before."

"Exactly. So, we will give Howard his peace with her," Eremes nodded.

"I feel bad for Howard now. I never knew how rough he was getting it with her. I thought it would be a blessing to feel her emotions. But, if you put it that way, it's a nightmare!" Keltin frowned. "It's almost like my dream visions of her and how I need to be with her right after. I can relate with that."

"Depending on how strong the emotion is, it can be hell. Why do you think Sarine is able to make a mental wall to block her emotions from him?" Eremes said. "Haven't you seen how he always breaks down into tears when she becomes incredibly sad or enraged? Even when she has her emotional fits? He needs her to keep that wall up so he can focus on his own thoughts."

"I wonder," Doppy thought to himself.

"What?" Keltin asked. Doppy closed his eyes in a form of meditation.

"What are you doing?" Eremes asked.

"Hmm," Doppy frowned. "Nothing now. When Sarine has her wall down, I want to try to feel her emotions."

"Why?!" Eremes hissed.

"Because I want to know what it's like," Doppy said bluntly. "I want to know everything about her. Everything that I can. That's why."

Eremes blinked and frowned. Keltin sighed and went over to the fire where the others were waiting. Back in the shadows, Howard was clinging to Sarine with a desperate release.

"How-How..." Sarine whispered to him, as he kissed her.

"Don't scare me anymore. Please...don't do that..." Howard gave a form of a whimper, and it tore at her. She hugged him tightly, as he did the same to her.

"I won't. I promise you!" she said softly with her own whimper, and he kissed her again.

"I've suffered so much without you. I know you've suffered, too. It's not fair to us. Today was supposed to have been a happy day. Remember? Don't end it like this. It's not fair to either of us. Please..."

She kissed him hard now, and she pulled as much of him into her as she could. He groaned at his release. Pulling her up to sit on him, he clung to her now, relieved that everything was going to be fine. They rested against each other, and she placed his hand over her belly. He felt the twins moving and kicking silently, as he rocked her against him. She started to softly sing to him, and he closed his eyes knowing that his family was safe.  _There was no need to be afraid anymore. Everything was going to be fine now._  When her song was over, he kissed her long and deeply. His arms wrapped around her form in a protective embrace of love.  _This is what I need. This is what I truly craved._

"We should get back," Sarine whispered to him when he broke the kiss.

"I know we should," he said, as he caressed her. "Just a moment longer. Please?"

"Of course, love," she smiled, and they held each other close. He wanted the day to end happily for them, and this was the best it was going to get. The odd thing was that, when the time came to change back into a monster, he didn't.

"Strange," he frowned. "Why am I still human?"

"Huh?" Sarine blinked.

"I should have become a monster again," Howard frowned. Muninn landed by them now and shifted into his warrior form.

" _Father Odin has watched you both this night and has decided to keep Howard human for another day. Everyone has another day of humanity, since this moment has touched him deeply. Think of it as an extended birthday gift for my sister,_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Oh!" Sarine gasped, and Howard hugged her again tightly.  _Another day of humanity!_  He was overjoyed. As he kissed her, Muninn smiled and moved to inform the others of what was happening. Sarine laughed when she heard cries of happiness given out. As Howard rose up with her to help fix up their clothing, Eremes was walking back over to them in silence.

"As much as I should be overjoyed..." Eremes sighed. "I am worried."

"About what?" Sarine frowned.

"Were we planning to go out to look for monsters today?" Eremes asked.

"Actually, Ripclaw wanted to pay us a visit. If anyone wants to fight us in the arena, we can pull ourselves off the rosters. Doppy can fight for us, though. And Keltin, if he wants to," Howard said, as he kept Sarine close.

"Really? Oh, that's right. Blent," Eremes nodded. "I feel better now."

"Good!" Sarine said and let Eremes hug her.

"Everything all right, though?" Eremes asked Howard.

"It was because of what just happened that Odin decided to give us another day," Howard chuckled. "I had a rather intimate family scene just now with her. I'm not complaining."

"Kathryne could take Mitchell to various areas and let him train. It would be less of a strain on him," Sarine smiled. "We still have a few of those books left?"

"We do!" Howard grinned. "That is an excellent idea!"

"She can take him to the fields of Einbroch," Eremes nodded. "I'll let them know."

When he left, Howard pulled Sarine into another loving kiss.

"My family," Howard said, as he trembled with pride. His hand rubbed over her belly with a loving tenderness that made her glow. She leaned into him now, and he held her. There was nothing more that he wanted at this moment. When they approached the campfire, Garrett and Cecil were still gone in the house. Kathryne and Mitchell had already left to train. Margaretha walked up to Sarine, and they hugged each other. Sammy walked up to Sarine and felt her belly to do a quick check up.

"Anything odd?" Keltin asked.

"Nope! Healthy as ever!" Sammy grinned. Doppy looked over at Sarine and smiled a touch before gesturing to hold her. Howard looked at her and back at him before pressing a kiss to her cheek to let her go to him. He still sat close by to be near her. Doppy whispered to her, and she blinked.

"I don't know," Sarine frowned.

"What?" Howard asked.

"Doppy wants to know if he can feel my emotions like you," Sarine said.

"Are you sad right now?" Howard asked.

"No. Quite happy and content!" Sarine said truthfully.

"Should be safe," Keltin smiled. Howard looked at Doppy, and he was already in a meditative state. Eremes watched, as Sarine gently lowered her mental shields to show how extremely happy and excited she was. Howard blinked, but he was smiling, as he felt as elated as she was. Doppy seemed to tense at first from the strong emotions, but then he started to purr. When her mental wall went back up, Doppy opened his eyes and held her.

"Thank you for doing that," Doppy said. "I really do want to know everything about you. It makes me feel a bit more human, too."

"You want to feel human?" Howard chuckled.

"Why not?" Doppy asked. Howard nodded at that and gave a small shrug.

"It would make sense," Eremes smiled. "Just knowing what to expect."

They looked at the house, as Garrett came out holding Cecil and flashing their new wedding rings. Whoops of joy were given for them, and Cecil was blushing, as she was pulled to Garrett for another kiss.

"Cecil! Odin let us be human for another day!" Seyren grinned.

"So that's why I didn't become a monster!" Cecil said happily. At that, Garrett put her over his shoulder and took her back into the house. Lloyd started laughing at it, and Margaretha placed her hand in his.

"You two should get it over with, you know," Doppy smirked.

"We will when we are ready!" Margaretha said.

"If Lloyd asked you to marry him right now, would you say yes?" Seyren asked.

"Well..." Margaretha tittered and looked at Lloyd. "Maybe..."

"What are you guys trying to pull?!" Lloyd sputtered.

"Marry her already! We'll have a massive ceremony for everyone when the time is right!" Seyren said. "It would make the most sense!"

"Well..." Margaretha faltered. Lloyd sighed and pulled out a box he was saving. Getting down on bended knee in true old-fashioned style, Margaretha gasped at the diamond ring inside it. She looked down at Lloyd, and he gazed up at her lovingly.

"Margaretha Sorin. Will you marry me?" Lloyd asked.

"Um...well...oh, you know my answer! Yes!" she said, and Lloyd placed the ring on her finger before finally planting a kiss on her mouth. That made more cheering happen, and Donnie played a tune on his guitar to help with the celebrations.

"Good! Now go have sex already!" Doppy snickered. Lloyd looked over at him with surprise, but he gasped when Margaretha pulled him into the house to take his advice. Seyren started laughing, but Karla gave him a look that made him growl and follow her into the house next. When Kathryne and Mitchell came back, they were told what happened.

"You know what?" Mitchell smiled, as he looked at Kathryne. "I think I'm ready."

"What?" Kathryne blinked.

"Let's go upstairs," Mitchell winked and pulled a now shy and blushing Kathryne into the house. Keltin started laughing, and Howard just grinned at everything.

"She's going to have fun when he transcends," Sarine smiled.

"Oh, yes, she is," Howard laughed. Doppy had pulled her back against him to let her recline on him, and she let out a tired sigh. It wasn't much longer that she fell asleep.

"She's so tired," Keltin frowned.

"After the stress from today, I wouldn't doubt it," Eremes nodded. Howard leaned over and pressed a hand to her belly to feel his twins moving about lightly. Giving a soft smile, he reclined in the chair again.

"Twins," Howard chuckled to himself. "I'm still in shock over it."

"Any plans on names?" Keltin grinned.

"Names? Oh, shit!" Howard swore. "No ideas yet!"

Eremes laughed softly and started to think.

"Wait for them to be born to fully decide. Sometimes, a name doesn't suit the baby unless a proper description can be done," Doppy said.

"Doppy? Is that really you?" Keltin asked.

"I don't have to be a bloodthirsty ass all of the time, you know," the demon grinned, as he let Sarine sleep on him. "And I seriously wanted to slaughter the girls that tried to touch me. Only Sarine is allowed to touch me. No one else."

"Same way I felt, too," Eremes grunted. "They just felt...dirty. Wrong. That they weren't for me."

"That's what I felt," Keltin nodded. "Sarine is a perfect fit."

"She's the only one that will ever have my heart," Howard agreed.

"Aren't we a crap load of sentimental banter," Doppy snickered.

"That we are!" Keltin grinned.

"She has us under her thumb..." Eremes mused.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Howard said lightly. That seemed to make them all nod with agreement.

"Keltin, I want to know..." Eremes said. "what was Sarine like when it was just you and her? While we were trapped away?"

"What was she like?" Keltin blinked at the question. "Well...she felt wonderful, but, at the same time, she felt empty, if you're talking about her emotions. Like she was missing parts of her life. I remember that when she would break down from hormonal stress, or just stress in general, that she would always talk about the friends she was forced to leave behind. I'm sure she would have talked about Doppy, too, if she remembered him, but mainly that she longed for those days again. She felt torn up, and she couldn't heal right. There was only so much I could do to help her cope. It was only after she told me of her past with you guys that it all started to really come up, but I'm sure that it was all locked away deep within her, too."

"I'm glad you came back for us with her," Howard said gently. "I don't think I could ever repay you for that."

"It was my idea, you know," Keltin chuckled.

"Was it?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. I told her that we had to find out what happened. What happened with the letters? Why did they die? I was the one that pressured her into training and getting her strong enough to head down there. I was also the one that stood up to you when you knocked her down to the ground and almost killed her," Keltin grimaced.

"Don't remind me!" Howard frowned and sighed sadly.

"What?" Doppy asked, as he looked at him. This was the first time he heard of this. He already didn't like it.

"Good job, Keltin," Eremes chuckled.

"Now, Doppy, this happened before she became the Vessel of Odin, okay?" Howard said quickly. He explained what happened the first time he saw Sarine down in the Biological Laboratory after the carnage happened. Keltin filled in his side of the story on what happened after that, as well as how the letters let them remember her. Doppy was heavily disturbed by this and turned away, as his body tensed.

"As you can see, that is what happened," Keltin said.

"I understand. It's just hard to accept," Doppy growled. "To know that you attacked her on sight, and then actually thought of killing her..."

"Doppy..." Eremes warned.

"It's hard to accept," Doppy growled again. "I know that it was the bloodlust doing it before your darker side split. And I'm grateful that you didn't kill her..."

Sarine gave a whimper and shivered. Howard was at her side in an instant, the memories crushed and forgotten. Doppy sat up with her and looked at Howard.

"Please," Howard said gently. At first, Doppy hesitated, but he remembered that it was all in the past.  _The four of us made a pact to help her together._  Nodding, he handed her to him. Then he stammered when her mental shields suddenly shattered. She was crying now, as she was dreaming of what they were talking about, and they had to wake her up fast. Howard was a mess, and Doppy was now gasping from it, too. Apparently, once Doppy locked onto her emotions, it became a permanent fixture. He was now exactly like Howard. He would never be able to block the emotions he felt now. He was speechless and unable to focus.

"Sarine...it's all right...listen to me..." Eremes whispered to her and slowly coaxed her into waking up. She was gasping and rubbing a hand on her belly now. It took a bit for her to relax before being able to put up the mental shields. Doppy groaned, and Howard pulled her to him fully to hug tight. She trembled with him, and he ran a hand over her belly.

"I'll get Sammy," Keltin said, and he got up quickly. Moments later, Sammy's hands were on her belly, and he was feeling for anything different.

"What did you do?!" Sammy growled. "They grew again!"

"I was talking about how I saw Sarine in the past..." Howard frowned. "She dreamt of what I was talking about."

"Are you serious?!" Sammy stammered. "Not good!"

"Tell me about it," Doppy sighed, his head pounding from the onslaught of emotions. He didn't expect that at all.

"Get her something good to eat. Like chocolate," Sammy said.

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded and went to raid the kitchen. He came back out and handed her a chocolate bar. She shared it with Howard and Doppy to help them snap out of the emotional trauma.

"It's good," Doppy said with a smiled.

"Works wonders," Howard nodded before looking at Sarine. She gazed at him, and they kissed hard to show how much they still loved each other.

"How much did they grow?" Eremes asked Sammy.

"Not much, but she's starting to really show now," he frowned. "I don't want her around the arena or around any more negative stuff! Don't talk about the past anymore, if it upsets her. Don't let her be confronted anymore. She can't risk her health with the twins! She just can't! Ooh! If I had my way, I'd have her down in the underground shrine where she would have gone just to keep her safe until the twins are born!"

"You will not imprison my wife!" Doppy growled. "We will fix our issues with her right now. We will ensure the twins will not grow anymore, unless it is normal. I will work on it with the others. We don't want her hurting."

"We didn't know what would happen," Keltin admitted. "We won't say anything more about it from this point forward."

"It's been done," Sarine whispered, and Howard kissed her again. Lifting her now, he carried her into the house. The three looked at each other and moved to follow her. In her bedroom, the door was soon locked, and Howard had already undressed her. They let Howard have her first, and Doppy was next. After that it was Eremes, and Keltin claimed her last. When she was sleeping deeply in the bed, Howard had let her snuggle close to him, and he was sleeping soon after. After the stress that just happened, it was sorely needed.

At a light knocking on the door, Doppy threw on a towel and opened it. He paused to find Mitchell standing there nervously.

"Yes?" Doppy asked.

"Um...I need help," Mitchell said.

"About what?" Eremes asked after he put on a towel to join Doppy. The two of them slipped outside the door to keep the conversation distant.

"I said that I knew about sex...well...I lied," Mitchell swallowed.

"Oh, please...!" Doppy groaned. "Get naked first with her. Then put your dick between her legs, and the rest will follow!"

"What?" Mitchell asked.

"That's pretty much how it works..." Eremes grinned. He had to keep himself from snickering. "Trust us. It works every time. Go try it."

Mitchell blinked and walked back into his room. Doppy snarled at his stupidity, and Eremes was starting to laugh sharply now. Walking back in, Howard was mildly awake with Keltin from the outbursts of laughter. Eremes told them what happened and what Doppy said. That made Howard laugh hard, and it woke up Sarine. Keltin was chuckling and running his hands over his face. She shook her head from the mild headache, but didn't know why they were laughing as hard as they were.

"Sorry, love!" Howard laughed more and told her what happened. That woke her up completely, and now she had an idea.

"So, Doppy," Sarine smiled and moved from the bed in a purely seductive fashion. "You mean to tell me that it works like this?"

Doppy growled, as Sarine moved his towel aside and sat on him. When he bucked hard into her and howled his release, she grinned and kissed him before moving off him.

"Just...like that..." Doppy snickered, as he reached for the towel to cover himself again. Eremes was laughing harder now, and Keltin was laying back in the bed, giggling the whole time. Howard pulled Sarine close and grinned wickedly.

"So, I just put this in here..." Howard smiled and gasped. "Oh! It does work!"

Eremes was now on the floor laughing. Doppy was simply rubbing his forehead from laughing so much. Keltin was out of breath and trying to calm himself down. _Everything was just too funny!_ Sarine was now stretching from the pleasure she just received, and Howard wrapped his arms around her as he snickered about the whole thing.  _This was what I loved about her!_

"He should have asked Seyren," Sarine giggled. "He may have had him watch what he does with Karla!"

That made Howard grin and snicker even more.

"Sarine, can I try that thing that Doppy said?" Eremes grinned.

"If you think you know what you're doing!" Sarine teased.

"I think...I can manage..." Eremes smiled. Howard released her to let Eremes work with her. When they were done, Keltin was still too tired to move, so Sarine worked herself on him to bring them both to release. After that, she reclined next to Howard, and he placed his hand on her belly. Kissing her forehead, he realized she was already asleep.

"Just classic..." Eremes laughed again, as he settled against his corner to rest. His deep voice resonating from his chest with each breath. "Put your dick between her legs! It works! We do this all the time! Love it!"

"It's weird watching you laugh," Howard admitted.

"Don't tell anyone that I have a funny bone," Eremes grinned. "Seyren caught me laughing in Amatsu. No one else!"

"I'll just ask if anyone put their dicks in anyone," Doppy grinned.

"Don't...you even...dare..." Eremes hissed, as he controlled his laughter. Keltin laughed again and sighed, as he closed his eyes.

"I think it's time for bed," Howard yawned.

"No kidding..." Eremes grinned, as he leaned against the wall. Doppy made himself comfortable to meditate. The night went by without any more incidents.


	50. Chapter 50

When they woke in the morning, Sarine yawned and stretched. Howard rose up to pull her close. She nibbled his lip, and he growled softly before kissing her.

"Should we make the Guild today?" she asked.

"That sounds like a really good idea!" Howard grinned.

"I wonder of Mitchell was able to use his dick," Doppy grinned. Eremes cracked a grin and snickered softly, as he blinked himself awake.

"We'll know soon enough," Keltin said, as he stretched.

"I'm famished," Sarine sighed. Then she blinked when the twins kicked sharply.

"I felt that," Doppy frowned. "That hurts!"

"Felt what?" Eremes frowned.

"Her kids waking up!" Doppy growled.

"You felt them? Oh, dear..." Sarine blinked. "You'll be feeling my labor pains!"

"Don't remind me!" Doppy sighed and moved to her side. "Do you want to drink my blood instead of Howard's?"

"No, let it be from me. After me, it can be someone else," Howard said. "I have to be the one that rebuilds the bond, remember?"

"Right," Keltin nodded, as he started to dress. Howard took her into the bathroom and found the knife he had a while back. Positioning her on him, he scratched his neck open with the knife and cried out, as she drank from him. After the third release, she finally pulled away, and he was clinging to her. Eremes gave over a potion to him, but it was Doppy that moved over to let her position on him next. A scratch was now made on his neck, as she latched onto him, and he roared his release. He never had her drink from him before. He had no idea how erotic it was until now. For the first time since being with her, the pleasure was an overload, and he was stunned from it by the time she was done. He was laid back on the ground and passed out. She poked him in the side and didn't get a response.

"I think he's broken," Sarine sighed, as Howard pulled her close. Eremes chuckled and shook his head. Keltin walked over to grin at him. After another minute, the demon finally started to stir and open his eyes slowly.

"What happened?" Doppy asked, as he finally came around.

"Sarine took blood from you, and I guess you liked it," Howard grinned.

"Thanks," Doppy said, as Eremes tossed him a red potion. With the wound on his neck gone, he was able to stand. His body was still tingling with pleasure. He had to lean against the wall to get his bearings. When he was able to move around again, he got dressed and helped her with the others down the stairs.

"You notice that her mood swings are practically gone?" Eremes whispered to Doppy. He nodded. "Why do you think that is?"

"It's the blood she's consuming from us. It's keeping the twins calm. The chocolate helps, too," Doppy said. "We'll need to keep this up."

"As long as we keep her happy and healthy, then I'm fine with it!" Howard said. He sat her down in his lap at the table. Keltin got her an ice cream cone, and Sarine was soon eating it with delight. Margaretha and Lloyd came down first to flash their new wedding rings. Cecil and Garrett came down next, arm in arm. Seyren and Karla were next with Luna in tow. Coraline and Donnie skipped down the stairs to see what there was to eat. When Mitchell and Kathryne came down the stairs, they flashed their new wedding rings, and Doppy grinned broadly.

"So it worked?" Doppy asked. Eremes was sipping down some juice, and he almost choked on it, as he tried not to laugh. Sarine frowned at him before smiling and pulled him close to pat on his back to help him cough. Howard was snickering, and Keltin was struggling to contain himself. Mitchell sighed and gave a small laugh.

"Yes. It worked. Thanks," Mitchell grinned back, and patted Kathryne's rump. She gave a blushing squeak. That made Doppy grin.

"What's so funny?" Seyren asked. Doppy got up to whisper to him what happened during the night, and Seyren had to walk outside quickly, as he started laughing hysterically. When Doppy sat back down, Sarine gave him a wink. Karla was curious, and so was Garrett. Doppy got up again to gesture for them to follow him. When he told them, laughter erupted, as Doppy walked back in to sit down.

"This is going to be on my tombstone, isn't it?" Mitchell sighed.

"Yep!" Doppy grinned wickedly. Eremes was able to breathe again and quiet laughter was all he could do. He would not laugh fully in front of everyone else. He didn't want them to know that he could be as human as them, and he had his reasons. When the others came back in, they had to avoid looking at Mitchell.

"It can't be that bad! What's wrong with Mitchell?" Kathryne asked. Then Karla went up to her and whispered to her. That made the High Wizard's eyes go round, and she sputtered.

"Um, I love you?" Mitchell grinned.

"You didn't know about sex?! Why didn't you ask me? I could have told you what to do!" Kathryne asked. That made a whole new round of laughter occur, and Eremes had to run upstairs quickly to laugh harder. Sarine looked at Howard, as he was useless now, and she moved up the stairs to check on him.

"Eremes?" Sarine frowned, as she walked into the bedroom. She found him on the floor laughing like crazy. Smiling, she sat next to him, and he pulled himself over to set his head in her lap while he gasped for breath.

"I can't breathe...!" he sighed, as he kept chuckling. Very slowly, she ran her hands through his long, blue-black locks of hair. It calmed him down to a point that he was able to relax. He was still giggling, and she found it pleasant to hear him make such a sound.

"Better?" she smiled.

"Much," he nodded with a smile. "I thought I'd never laugh so much in my life!"

"Poor thing," she sighed, and he moved to sit up and pull her into his lap now to hold her. Taking several deep breaths, he was able to regain himself.

"I don't really like showing certain sides of myself to others," he confessed. "I like being the one that contemplates silently in the corner. The one who likes to be silent and watchful. I don't like showing this side, or...other sides...of myself to others. The only one I would ever show certain sides of myself to is you. Of course, likely to Howard, Keltin, and Doppy, too, to an extent. It does feel odd knowing that I fit so well in this group."

"Well, being human for another day surely helps, too, doesn't it?" she smiled. He kissed her softly and sighed.

"It does. I used to laugh like this all the time when I was younger. Laughing is both good and bad for me. The last time I laughed like that was with my parents. They did everything they could to make me laugh," he sighed, his deep, yet quiet voice filtering through the room. "Of course, I laugh now with you and the others. But, like this...never like this..."

"I never thought I would laugh," she said with a heart-felt sigh. At this, he gave her an intense look and hugged her tight.

"I will always want to hear you laugh," he whispered. "So...as my parents have done for me what they could...I will do the same for you."

"Eremes..." she whispered, and he kissed her again with the comfort that they both needed. Pressing his head to hers, he blinked up at Doppy, as he walked into the room to sit with them in the chair by the door.

"Couldn't breathe?" Doppy grinned.

"Shut up..." Eremes grinned back. "Laughing like that again...never thought it would happen. I'm still slightly in shock."

"I'm still hungry, you know," Sarine smiled. Eremes got up with her now, and Doppy led the way back down. The laughter had finally died down enough that he wasn't affected by it, and he moved her over to Howard's lap again.

"What happened?" Howard asked with a frown. Sarine leaned in close and whispered gently to him. Nodding, he sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Eremes brought over some Spicy Shrimp for her. She already had an ice cream cone, so she didn't need a cold meal. When she tucked into the spicy meal, Karla brought her some chocolate milk to drink down. The chocolate drink also substituted as that 'in between' meal that she needed.

"Thanks," Keltin nodded, as he picked at some fruit.

"When did you want to do the Guild?" Sarine asked between bites.

"Oh! We should do it now!" Coraline grinned.

"I can get the Emperium," Donnie nodded, and he went to the treasury.

"A Guild! Oh, this will be wonderful!" Margaretha beamed.

"Garrett, will you join it with me?" Cecil smiled.

"Wherever you go, I go," Garrett winked and kissed her deeply. Coraline seemed to sigh. Lloyd looked over at her with a small chuckle.

"I need a man!" Coraline pouted. "It's not fair!"

"Well, keep your eyes open," Doppy grunted. "They are all around you when we travel. Why can't you find one?"

"I was in a relationship once, but he only liked my body," she frowned. That made Cecil frown, and she looked at Garrett. She could relate with Coraline rather easily. Garrett clearly didn't like the troubled look on his new wife's face, and he got a rather interesting idea.

"I may have someone you can talk to," Garrett thought. "I don't know if he's ready for a relationship, but I can definitely ask him."

"No, it's okay," Coraline smiled. "I'll know him when I see him."

"As it should be," Keltin nodded. Sammy came down the stairs and went straight to Sarine to feel her belly. He frowned.

"Sarine, they grew again," he said.

"How much?" Howard frowned.

"She's definitely showing now. See? Did anything happen this morning?" Sammy asked. Doppy blinked and nodded.

"She was in a bit of pain, since they were hungry. I helped feed her," Doppy said.

"That's why they grew! No more blood from you!" Sammy said.

"What?!" Doppy frowned. Sarine blinked at this news.

"Pure demon blood! It made them grow. How many mouthfuls did she take?" Sammy asked. "It had to have been a lot to make them grow."

"I took three," Sarine frowned.

"Surely they didn't grow by much?" Howard asked.

"Not by much, but they still grew. Limit to two," Sammy suggested.

"Fine," Doppy nodded. He wanted that pleasure again, and he would have been highly irritated if he couldn't get it.

"You know," Keltin said. "if demon blood makes them grow, what about my Rage? Would it make them shrink?"

"Hmm," Sammy thought. "I don't know."

"I don't know if I should try it. It could super-charge them," Sarine sighed. "And, if your blood is Holy in your Rage, would it hurt them?"

"Only one way to find out," Doppy nodded. "Maybe a drop would be all right to test? I'll make sure you drink some of my blood before his to help buffer anything."

"Hmm..." Eremes thought. "Muninn, what do you think?"

Muninn was perched in a corner of the room, and he tilted his beak to the ceiling in communion. Chirping a bit, he ruffled his feathers.

_:Don't know. Is tricky. Try? Not try? Your choice.:_  he bobbed his head.

"Lovely," Keltin sighed. "When should we try?"

"Later tonight," Sarine nodded. Howard nodded and rubbed his hand over her belly. The twins were active now, and the chocolate drink she started on soothed them a bit more. Eremes was worried. He didn't want anything to happen to her or to the twins. He truly saw her twins as his children, too, since his blood coursed through them.

"Ripclaw is on his way," Storm Caller said, as he approached them all. "Should we meet him here? Or at the Payon house?"

"Payon house," Sarine nodded. "Let's make the Guild first, though!"

"Right!" Sammy grinned, and watched Donnie bring in the Emperium. It took him a bit of time to get back. The heavy, golden crystal was carried with utmost care. Sarine took it, and it glowed when she performed the small naming ceremony to make the Guild.

"Odin's Avengers! The Guild is formed!" she smiled, and everyone quickly started to become a part of it. Keltin was second under her, since he was able to help the monsters, if she became unable to. Then it was Howard, Eremes, Doppy, Seyren, Karla, Margaretha, Lloyd, Cecil, Garrett, Kathryne, Mitchell, Donnie, and Coraline. The members were now there, and excitement was all abounds. They would need to work hard to work on building up the Guild so that special names would be given.

With that done, it was time to see to Ripclaw. Howard rose up with her, and everyone went there quickly to settle on the porch. Howard kept her in his lap with his hand on her belly. Doppy settled next to them and grinned.  _Ripclaw hasn't met me yet. It was going to be fun._ Storm Caller came out with Blent, and he had the Rogue sit down with the others. Blent was definitely nervous.

Garrett sat with Cecil in his lap, and the others sat with their wives and husbands. Eremes and Keltin sat at a table with Sarine and Howard. Juice was brought out, and Doppy started to get anxious. Donnie and Coraline sat together, as brothers and sisters normally would, and Donnie started to strum his guitar.

"I want to fight him!" Doppy growled. Keltin had an idea and changed into his Bongun form. Sarine smiled, and he kissed her gently. Doppy snickered at him. He liked the way the Bongun helped to throw the others off.

"No fighting!" Sammy frowned, as he moved to check Sarine's twins. "They are sleeping now. So, no fighting!"

"Doppy?" Sarine frowned, and he looked at her. Moving to her side, he sat next to her so she could run a hand through his hair. Calmed now, he rested by her side, as she sat in Howard's lap. When Doppy still looked irritated, she pulled his head down to rest on her shoulder. That helped him immensely, and she nuzzled him. It didn't take long for Ripclaw to approach the house after that, and he paused at the change that happened to it.

"I see you have new friends?" Ripclaw smiled.

"Yes. And new husbands," Sarine smiled. Doppy smirked, and Eremes chuckled.

"Four husbands?" Ripclaw blinked. "Wait. They were monsters before! They are human now? How is that possible?"

"Yes. I have four husbands. No more than that, though. They each have their benefits," she nodded. "My Father, Odin, has claimed as such, as well as gave them the ability to become human for today as a birthday present to me. They will become monsters again tomorrow."

"Odin is your...?" Ripclaw went speechless. He was not expecting this.

"And my adoptive Papa in Amatsu is free of his curse. There is no further need to seek out Amatsu. The Empress is dead," Sarine nodded.

"I killed her!" Sammy said, as the massive ghost came out to hover over his body.

"Incantation Samurai!" a Rogue hissed.

"And I'm a judge at the arena!" Sammy nodded. Pori-Pori bounded out of the house, since the monsters could safely travel back and forth now, and moved to settle into Sarine's lap.

"A Poring?!" one of the Rogues grinned. When the quiet hush fell over Sarine and her companions, Pori-Pori scooted over quickly to slam the Rogue through the fence and into the next two trees.

"That's Pori-Pori..." Eremes grinned. Lloyd got up to Heal the Rogue, as Pori-Pori moved to settle back into Sarine's lap.

"Can I fight him again?" Pori-Pori asked Sarine. Ripclaw's jaw dropped at the deep voice he held. "That was fun!"

"No, Pori-Pori. You made your point. Save your strength for the arena," she said and patted him on the top of his head. Pori-Pori snuggled into her and winked at Ripclaw. The Stalker came about quickly and looked at Blent.

"Blent? I need you to tell me everything you know," Ripclaw said.

"He will in a moment," Storm Caller said, as he came back out with Muninn in his warrior form. Ripclaw stood there speechless again, as Muninn approached him.

" _It is wrong to send spies into a supposed ally's base, you know,_ " Muninn frowned. " _It builds mistrust and misfortune. You should know better. I am Muninn. Huginn resides in my sister, the Vessel of Odin. I have been watching you and what you have been striving to do. If you needed information, you should have simply asked. What you are doing is not proper of your Guild. You say you are to protect the Vessel of Odin. You are proving that information to be false. At one time, it was true, but time has weakened the vow your Guild made long ago. Since this is the case, if you want Blent, then we need a trade. Your first in command for Blent. Jasmina is needed for what is coming to pass._ "

"Jasmina?! She is invaluable to me!" Ripclaw said.

" _You heard my words. Her for Blent. Or you leave empty handed._ "

"It's all right, Sir," Jasmina said, as she walked forward now. "The time has come, anyways. I'll be fine."

"But..." Ripclaw faltered.

"It's fine, Sir. I will come back to the Guild when I am no longer needed here," she said. Sarine blinked at this and took a closer look at the Stalker girl. She had the same outfit as Ripclaw, but the tunic under the fur lining strained around her chest in a bikini-like way. Shorts were replaced with pants under the fur-lined cloak-like bottoms. She had long, brown hair that was tied up in a half-ponytail, and soft, blue eyes that were set in a hardened face.

" _Good. Please follow Storm Caller, and Blent will return to the Cat Hand Guild,_ " Muninn nodded. Then he reverted into his falcon form and flew up to perch on a corner of the house. Ripclaw frowned, as Jasmina followed Storm Caller up the porch stairs. When she reached Eremes, she gasped in recognition.

"Hello...Wickebine Tres..." Eremes said so softly that the others wouldn't hear him. "I am surprised...that you remember us..."

"We'll talk soon," Jasmina said with a heavy frown. Nodding to her, he leaned over and carefully ran his hand over Sarine's belly to make sure the twins were still sleeping. Howard nodded to him and squeezed Sarine.

"Why did you do that?" Ripclaw asked, as he saw what Eremes did.

"She's pregnant with my twins," Howard said, as he watched the Stalker.

"Oh! Well, congratulations!" Ripclaw said. He paused, as he noticed Doppy staring at him with his glowing red pupils. "And who are you?"

"I am Doppelganger, enhanced by Valkyrie and Odin," he snarled out.

"Doppelganger?!" a Rogue said. That brought a Demonic grin to his lips, but his face softened when Sarine moved to hug him. Howard nodded, and Doppy pulled her fully into his lap. It would be the only way to keep him calm right now.

"How did you get caught, Blent?" Ripclaw asked.

"The Bongun, Keltin. I challenged him in the arena, and I got my ass kicked," Blent frowned. "Sorry, Sir."

"A Bongun did that to you?" Ripclaw frowned.

"Keltin?" Sarine frowned. He moved and kissed Sarine lightly before heading down to where Ripclaw was.

"Yes. I did. He challenged me, and I accepted it," Keltin nodded. Ripclaw was still in awe that Keltin didn't bounce like the other Bonguns anymore. There was no need for him to.

"How did you do it?" Ripclaw asked.

"Should I fight him again and show you?" Keltin asked.

"No fighting!" Sammy shouted from the porch. "Sarine's condition is too unbalanced right now! We can't risk it!"

"I guess I'll just have to show you, then," Keltin sighed.

"Sammy, let it be a test of skills? It does make me happy to see my husbands display themselves so valiantly!" Sarine smiled. Doppy raised a brow at this and grinned.

"Well, if you put it that way..." Sammy nodded. "I'll judge!"

"Who will challenge me?" Keltin asked. A Rogue stepped forward and nodded.

"Fight!" Sammy said. Keltin reverted into his Champion form, and the Rogue gasped. Then he brought out the Rage of Valkyrie for his clothes and eyes to glow a stark white. Gesturing for him now, the Rogue started to panic. His Guild was watching him and was expecting him to win. The Rogue screamed and ran into him. A few punishing blows topped with an Asura Strike had him kissing the dirt.

"Keltin wins!" Sammy grinned. Lloyd got up to Heal the Rogue, as Keltin's Rage retreated. Then he moved to sit with Sarine again, not bothering to become his Bongun form. He kissed her gently and looked over at Ripclaw.

"I see now..." Ripclaw frowned. "and what can Doppelganger do?"

"Can I?!" Doppy grinned.

"Don't have too much fun!" Sarine smiled. Doppy kissed her deeply and placed her back in Howard's lap. As he approached, the Rogues stammered at how much taller and muscular he was up close. With his armor flashing the image of ravens in flight, Ripclaw now saw how Odin upgraded him.  _He was a true Warrior of Odin._

"I am her Wrath, as well as Odin's! Who dares to challenge me?!" Doppy hissed.

"I'll do it myself!" Ripclaw said. Doppy grinned, as Sarine blinked at this. As they were about to be spoken to by Sammy, a crushing weight landed around them when Odin made his appearance. He didn't look very pleased, either.

"Stop all of this childishness!" Odin frowned.

"Daddy?" Sarine frowned.

"You are all on the same side! Why prove strengths? My daughter, my Vessel, come to me?" Odin asked. Sarine was released by Howard, and she moved to hug him.

"What is it, Daddy?" she frowned.

"You need to go to Louyang. No later than tomorrow. However, you need to get Vagabond Wolf and the strong monster, Eddga. It is important! Ripclaw! You have no need to fight Doppelganger at this time. Howard Alt-Eisen! I am going to need Naght Seiger to come forth for a moment," Odin said.

"Yes, Sire!" Howard frowned and braced himself.

"Naght Seiger?" Ripclaw asked.

"We were injected with various demon bloodlines..." Eremes said lightly. Howard screamed, as Naght was brought forth and pulled down to have his form stay where he was. The massive demon hissed and glared at the Cat Hand Guild with solid hate.

"Naght!" Sarine said happily. At her voice, he purred and sank his swords into the ground to gather her up into his arms. His hands moved to feel the twins, and he let out a harsh sigh of contentment. He missed feeling her in his arms.

"What is going on?" Ripclaw asked. Odin chuckled and was instantly at the Stalker's side to implant various memories into his head. It was everything that happened from the last time he met with Sarine. When it was done, he was back where he stood and away from the Stalker to let him absorb the information. At this, the Stalker whispered, "Incredible...I see everything now..."

"Good!" Odin said and he looked to Naght Seiger. "Naght Seiger! I need to speak with you on a personal matter."

"I...am...listening..." the demon hissed, as he continued to hold Sarine.

"It is time for them to brave your tower to get you. You can still have the link with Howard Alt-Eisen, but you are needed more as a separate entity. The link will remain as a safety line in case you cannot reach her in time, as you will gain the ability to travel back and forth as Baphomet does. However, each time you travel back and forth, it will drain you. This is why Howard's link will remain with you. Much like how Baphomet has awakened his link in Seyren Windsor to help keep an eye on my daughter, my Vessel," Odin explained.

"So, that was why it was awakened," Seyren mused.

"That is correct, Seyren Windsor! Anyhow, Naght Seiger, this way, you can still be with my daughter, my Vessel, as a separate entity, yet also be within Howard should the strain be too much. Understood?" Odin asked. Naght Seiger gave a curt nod.

"You know," Doppy grinned. "if you wanted to blow off some steam, you could help fight in the arena for fun."

That made Naght laugh, but he was worried. _Sarine was going to have to go through my tower now and fight through it._

"It will be like saving a princess, only in reverse!" Howard grinned. Naght seemed to hiss at that idea, but he did hug Sarine close before setting her back down. Moving quickly to pull his swords from the earth, he growled.

"Once you are merged back into Howard, you will be in your tower. When they get to you, you will be free to travel back and forth to her easily," Odin nodded. "And one other thing. There are no monsters that you will need to befriend in that tower! All are not any of my choosing! However, hmm, I could be wrong. The tower does work in strange ways, come to think of it. Ah, well. Should you encounter any monsters, those that need to come here will come here automatically with my Valkyrie maiden's help."

Howard sighed and held Sarine close. Windwalker screamed, as it landed hard on the ground. Several Rogues stammered again at the size of it, and Sarine was placed on its back. Then Pori-Pori stationed himself in Sarine's lap, as Justice, Doombringer, Defender, and Vengeance poured out from the house to help.

"Yay! We get to kick some butt!" Vengeance grinned.

"I was getting bored!" Justice said.

"Time for adventure!" Defender said happily.

"We will protect you, Vessel of Odin," Pori-Pori vowed.

"Daddy, I have a request," Sarine said.

"Oh?" Odin asked.

"Since time is of the essence, I have an idea. Can you allow Keltin to know where the monsters we need are when we start to approach them? This way we aren't searching for hours at a time?" Sarine asked. "It will help, since he is to be recognized by monsters, too."

"I can do that!" Odin grinned and gestured for Keltin to come over to him and receive his blessing. Once it was done, Keltin took a deep breath of gratitude.

"I'm ready," Howard nodded. Odin nodded back, and the Whitesmith screamed, as Naght howled in pain when they were merged back together. When Howard regained himself, Sarine pulled him into a tight embrace of comfort.

"Very well! Now, my daughter, my Vessel, go forth and find Vagabond Wolf and Eddga! When you find them, Muninn will take you to Naght's tower!" Odin said, as he vanished away. Sarine gave a nod to her husbands to show she was ready.

"Where do we go?" Eremes asked Keltin.

"Get around Windwalker. Anyone who wants to go needs to approach now," Keltin said.

"I'll go with you," Ripclaw said.

"I don't know if you can fit with us," Seyren frowned.

_:Father Odin! Allows!:_  Muninn chirped, as he landed on Sarine's shoulders.

"Very well," Doppy grumbled. Windwalker roared heavily to show how protective it was with Sarine, and the other Rogues stammered again at the sheer size of the Gryphon.

"The rest of you wait back at the Guild house. I'll meet up with you there!" Ripclaw said. Sarine frowned and wasn't sure why the Stalker wanted to join them now. Howard moved to sit behind Sarine, but Doppy looked at him with a grin.

"That's right! You claimed this trip," Howard grinned back.

"I want the next ride," Eremes chuckled. Keltin laughed a bit, and Doppy was amazed that Windwalker could easily support his weight.

"May be better this way. I can keep you calm," Sarine smiled.

"Calm, sure. But quiet?" Doppy smirked. That got her giggling, and he pulled her close, as Windwalker's wings came up to shield them.

"What are they doing?" Ripclaw asked.

"Likely going to have sex," Howard grinned. "Lucky bastard!"

"Better believe it!" Doppy growled out before going silent when Sarine ran her hands through his hair. Keltin led the way, since he knew exactly where the monsters were now, and Seyren smirked back at Howard. The Whitesmith was plainly jealous.

"Welcome to the club," Eremes grinned.

"Oh, shut up!" Howard growled before chuckling.

"I wonder where we are," Sarine sighed in Doppy's arms. He had pulled her around so that her legs were around his waist. He actually managed to take her on the Gryphon's back, and his mouth was moving over her neck.

"As if it matters right now," Doppy hissed, as he kissed her deeply again. After he released silently with her, he managed to push her off him carefully, and they fixed up their gear again. It was just in time, since Windwalker stopped moving and folded down its wings.

"Sarine!" Keltin said, and he pointed towards a thick area of brush. "In the bushes over there is Vagabond Wolf!"

"Okay!" Sarine nodded, and Doppy helped her off Windwalker's back. When Howard looked at him, Doppy grinned and winked.

"You actually managed to...?" Howard blinked.

"Yep!" Doppy grinned wider, and he led Sarine through the bushes.

"That's not fair!" Howard growled. Eremes chuckled and Keltin grinned.

"You snooze, you lose!" Doppy hissed out laughter before pausing. Sarine frowned and blinked, as several wolves with dark grey-blue upper fur and white under-belly fur ran out at her. The dominant male wolf was twice as large as the others and had a scar in the form of an 'X' over his face.

"Vagabond Wolf!" Sarine said softly. The massive wolf slathered and leapt to attack only to be beaten down by Muninn with an Assault. Now whimpering and snarling again, Sarine rose up her hands to show she meant no harm. The massive wolf paused now, growling as he stalked her. Then he sniffed her.

"I'm going to skin it!" Doppy hissed.

"No!" Eremes hissed back. "Look!"

The other wolves seemed to blink with shock when Vagabond Wolf submissively rolled onto his back and exposed his throat to her. Leaning down, Sarine carefully moved her hands through his fur, and he got up to lean into her.

"See? Everything is okay," she smiled. Then the massive wolf glowed and grew twice as large as he already was. His teeth doubled in size. Then they tripled in size. His temperament got meaner and nastier to any that would try to harm her. Even his fur seemed to gain a form of a rougher, harsher texture. But, it would only be soft to her. There were other wolves like him out there, so the ones he had following him quickly bolted off, as he let them go. Stretching now and yawning, he wagged his tail a bit to show that everything was fine.

"Eddga now," Keltin said. "And that monster is not far off at all."

Windwalker warbled to Vagabond Wolf, and both beasts seemed to converse. After that was done, a wing was lowered for Sarine to climb up onto its back. Vagabond Wolf would need to learn to have others ride him, so he would only follow. With a small snort, Vagabond Wolf nipped through his fur to pull out a card to press into Sarine's hands. After she beamed with delight, the massive, dominant male wolf moved quickly to scout ahead and chase off anything that would dare to threaten them or her. It was easy for him to make short work of anything threatening them. Howard was given the card to hold onto for safekeeping.

"I think we found your scouting partner, Eremes!" Seyren grinned.

"Maybe so," Eremes chuckled. As he was getting ready to scout, he looked over at Sarine and the empty seat on the Gryphon. Grinning now, he moved over to her instead, and Windwalker's wings went up to hide them.

"He wasted no time," Doppy smirked.

"I'm next!" Howard growled.

"I claim after Howard," Keltin chuckled. And so the riding turns were decided right there. Seyren just laughed and pulled Karla close to hug her. Garrett smiled, as Cecil leaned into him. Lloyd gave a tight hug to Margaretha, as they started walking again. Kathryne and Mitchell looked at each other and smiled.

"Not fair!" Coraline frowned. "I want a husband!"

"Stop pouting. It makes you look ugly!" Donnie teased her. She huffed and turned her head away from him. At this, Ripclaw seemed to raise a brow. He was old enough to be the girls' father, but he may have a few young lads in his Guild to see to her.  _If she took to one of them, it would help me keep tabs on Sarine in a different way._

"Eremes," Sarine whispered, as he kissed her with a form of wild abandon.

"Hmm?" he smiled, and moved his mouth over her neck. He didn't waste any more time, and he pulled her legs around his waist. "If I heard Keltin correctly, he said that Eddga wasn't far off. We'd better do this quickly..."

She blushed and helped him with her shorts, as he moved his pants down a bit. Grunting softly, as he pulled her onto him now, it didn't take long for them to give into each other at all. There was something erotic with the way they were doing this in public and only shielded by Windwalker's wings. After they finished and fixed up their clothes, he just held her close.

"I love you, Eremes," she whispered, as he hugged her tighter.

"I love you, too," he smiled and kissed her possessively. When the twins kicked hard, she gasped, and Windwalker stopped to peer under a wing.

"Sarine?!" Doppy hissed as he felt the kicking. The wings were lowered, and Eremes was already pressing his hand over her belly.

"Let me see them," Sammy said. He had refused to be left behind anymore, and this was why he was with them. "They're hungry."

"I don't have anything on me to give her," Kathryne frowned.

"I'll handle it," Howard sighed. "Should we do this while we walk? Or should we wait until I'm done?"

"Eddga isn't too far off," Keltin frowned. Then he paused, as a large purple bear came up to them. It was walking upright and seemed to be constantly brushing a bee off of its nose. Sarine recognized it from her earlier travels with Keltin, and she smiled.

"A Bigfoot!" Karla blinked. It rumbled and approached them calmly, as it glowed and grew twice as large. Then a small chittering was heard, as a mushroom resembling the Poison Spore came up to them. The only difference was that this one was light pink in color instead of purple, and it started to dance in front of them.

"That's a Spore!" Mitchell laughed. It seemed to dance a bit more and wandered up to them. Then it glowed and became faster and much harder to hit.

"Looks like a good thing we came over here," Howard mused. Then he chuckled as a regular wolf ran out of the brush and barked at them. Vagabond Wolf leapt out at it playfully, and they wrestled a bit to show that the wolf was a friend. The Wolf glowed and grew half the size of Vagabond Wolf. Then they loped off to scout together.

"There's even more out here?" Sarine smiled, as two tree-type monsters came out at them followed by an egg-shaped monster.

"Hmm. A Willow, an Elder Willow, and an Eggrya," Keltin chuckled. The Willow monster looked like a short tree stump with twig legs and arms, but it was light purple in color. A massive face was on it, as it studied them. The Elder Willow looked like the Willow, but it was bright red and able to cast Fire Bolt spells. The Eggrya looked like an egg that could split in half at the middle for a mouth. Two small feet were at the bottom, and a set of eyes were in the top half of the shell. As it opened its mouth, the upper half floated above the lower half. The teeth rotated in a slow circle.

All of the monsters glowed and grew in size. The Elder Willow gained the abilities to cast Fire Wall spells, as well as Fire Ball spells. Sarine giggled a bit and gasped again at another set of sharp kicks. Doppy winced at it, but he was smiling.

"They don't want to wait, do they?" Howard sighed. "All right. Let me help you."

"Do you want her to do this with me?" Keltin asked. "I know it's not my turn yet, but I think you need a break. Besides, she hasn't fed from me yet."

"Fed from you?" Ripclaw asked.

"The children are Demonic and need blood to help nourish them. There is no food off hand right now, and it's something that's needed," Doppy grinned. Ripclaw just nodded and cleared his throat uneasily.

"You're going to enjoy yourself," Howard warned. "Just try not to be too loud about it."

"What?" Keltin frowned.

"It's...pleasuring to a point..." Eremes grinned. That made Keltin pause, and he remembered what happened to Doppy earlier in the day. He also remembered what it felt like when she took blood from his finger back in the forest when Howard chased her from Naght's possession. Nodding, he accepted the small dagger from Howard and moved onto Windwalker's back. Incantation Samurai's ghost seemed to hiss at Windwalker, and the Gryphon nodded. It moved off a bit away from the others, and Howard found himself laughing softly with a sigh.

"So, how does this work?" Keltin asked. He was still in his Champion form, and Sarine pulled his pants down to work her mouth on him a bit. He gasped and tensed at it. After that, she pulled her shorts down and moved onto him. Groaning, he pulled her up to him. She took the knife and carefully moved the blade across his neck at the shoulder. When the blood flowed lightly, she latched onto the wound, and he gave a hard shout at his release. The feeling was unexpected, and this was why Windwalker moved away from the others. After three mouthfuls were pulled, Sarine moved herself away from him, and he kept clinging to her. He Healed himself and hugged her tightly.

"Now you see how it works," she smiled. He kissed her deeply, not minding the taste of his own blood at all. He worked with her again, and, after she released with him, he held her close. He leaned into her, and she leaned back into him.

"I love you so much," Keltin whispered. "No one can ever replace you."

"I love you, too, Keltin," she whispered back. "I wouldn't know what to do, if you hadn't come into my life."

He kissed her again and let her go long enough for them to dress before pulling her close again. A small tap on Windwalker's rump was given, and the Gryphon walked back over to the group. Sarine was giggling now, and Keltin squeezed her.

"I was not prepared for that," Keltin admitted, as he moved off of Windwalker's back. Howard chuckled, took the dagger back from Keltin, and moved to take his place. He moved his hand over Sarine's belly, and the movement had ceased to a point to show contentment. She blushed at him with a soft giggle of joy.

"Twins!" Howard grinned and kissed Sarine deeply. She laughed, and the others chuckled. Ripclaw was simply amazed at how they all reacted around her.

"We see her children as all of ours this way," Eremes said lightly. "Any of us that get her with child will not have any other impact than this. Howard...does spend a bit more time with her now. He is the father, after all. Such will it be with us."

"Makes sense," Ripclaw nodded.

"We ready to get to Eddga?" Keltin asked.

"Take your time," Howard grinned, as Sarine blushed again. Windwalker warbled happily and rose up its wings. Muninn flew overhead and scouted for them. At the sounds of muffled pleasure, Doppy snickered.

"Keep it down!" Seyren shouted.

"Up yours!" Howard retorted.

"Seyren!" Karla warned him.

"What? We don't need to hear that! At least Doppy and Eremes were quiet about it!" Seyren grinned. Garrett just groaned and shook his head. Cecil gave him a wink.

"Eddga's close! Quiet!" Keltin hissed. Windwalker put down its wings to reveal Sarine giggling, and Howard was caught putting his tunic back on. He didn't care in the slightest and helped Sarine off Windwalker's back.

"How close?" Eremes asked.

"I can feel him coming to us," Keltin nodded. Instead, the buzzing of a Dragon Fly and the soft pattering of a Nine Tail came up to them first. Dragon Fly looked like a giant, buzzing dragon fly bug, and it glowed before growing twice as large as it normally was. Nine Tail was a golden, fox-like monster with nine tails growing from it. It grew three times as large and twice as vicious as it normally was.

Keltin blinked and pointed to something in the bushes. When Eremes went over to it, he was confronted with a stick monster called a Greatest General. It was a moving totem pole of sorts for its arms and features, but it couldn't move to them. Eremes chuckled and signaled for Doppy to pull the monster out of the ground and carry it over. After it glowed, it gained the abilities to move and to Teleport.

With the monsters gathered, they were all Teleported back to the Island home, except for the two wolves. Sarine suddenly moved to the front of the group, and the Mark of Odin glowed on the back of her neck. Huginn came forth, as Eddga smashed towards them with his Bigfoot followers. He was ready to charge into them for invading his territory.

"Eddga! Stop!" Huginn commanded. The large, yellow, bear-like monster with tiger stripes stopped, as he blinked at her. His form was as massive as a bear, but he was clearly a tiger's build. He was wearing a small hat and smoking a large tobacco pipe. He seemed to whimper at her, as he realized who it was.

"He knows Huginn?" Keltin frowned.

"Yes, it is time for you to join the Vessel of Odin for the coming war! I told you it would happen when the time was right! Now, Eddga! Separate from your darker self to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact!" Huginn commanded again. Eddga roared with pain, as the separation happened. After the darker version of it vanished away, Huginn nodded and turned to Ripclaw.

"Do you know how Eddga would know Huginn?" Keltin whispered to Howard.

"No clue," Howard frowned. Even Eremes was clueless, and Doppy was, too.

"Ripclaw! Come forward now!" Huginn growled.

"Yes?" the Stalker nodded.

"I will only say this once," Huginn warned. "Keep your men away from Coraline Gerhest! They will do more harm than good!"

Everyone gasped at this news, and Ripclaw's eyes were wide with shock.

"Of course, Huginn," Ripclaw nodded.

"Garrett Lockheart!" Huginn said, and the Paladin came forward. "You know of someone that needs to be met. Bring him forth when you can."

"You think so?" Garrett grinned.

"I wouldn't be talking to you, if I didn't!" Huginn grinned. "Until then..."

Howard caught Sarine when she fainted, and he carried her back over to Windwalker. Eddga's form glowed now, and he got more muscular and a lot larger. His fur took on a richer form, not only for defense, but to show how powerful he was. He also gained the ability to Stun anyone around him when he roared. When Sarine came to, he gave her an extra pipe and his card. Then he walked over to Eremes and handed him a special dagger called a Krierg. An elemental Fire katar set called Raging Blaze with the ability to Silence enemies he attacked was given over right after that. It was the same dagger set given to him from Amatsu. Eremes blinked at this and chuckled when Garrett was given a Fire sword called a Fireblend.

"Ready to go back?" Keltin asked Eddga. The monster shook his head. He rumbled to Keltin deeply to explain that he was needed to help them in the tower to help free Naght. With his new ability to Stun, he was vital for their support.

"I see now," Keltin nodded and told the others.

"Should we head back and prepare?" Sarine asked.

"I think we should. We'll get you fed properly and carry extra supplies on us," Seyren nodded. "This way we can stop for you, if we need to."

"I couldn't agree more," Howard smiled. The five Poring-type monsters all agreed, and Pori-Pori shrank small to bounce on Sarine's head again. Margaretha made a Warp Portal back to the Payon home, and they all went through it. Lloyd had talked with Margaretha, and they decided to let him do the Warping to and from the island home. She would take care of the Warping to the Payon home.

"Oh, Lloyd?" Karla said, as she sat on the porch.

"Yes, Karla?" he asked.

"I bought a whole mess of blue gems for you! They're in the treasury!" Karla grinned. That made him smile, and he nodded.

"Good! How are we on money?" he asked.

"We have enough to float us for a couple years," Sammy said. He had been taking care of making sure what could be spent and not be spent. "Unless Karla decides to buy something outrageous! Then we could go broke."

"I make good decisions!" Karla frowned. Luna came out of the cart and got fed. The Homunculus looked at Seyren and stuck out her tongue at him.

"Stop that!" Seyren growled. Sarine giggled and was settled on Doppy's lap. A roast was brought out to her, and she ate hungrily. Ripclaw found a seat and found it rather odd that he started to feel comfortable with the group. It gave a nostalgic feeling of sorts. He wasn't sure what to think of it. There was a part of him that wanted to fight it. He still held doubts.

"I don't know what to expect in that tower," Keltin sighed.

"Well, if there are monsters that we need to get, they will be there," Sarine said between bites. "I'm not too worried."

"Just no fighting for you!" Sammy nodded. Howard coughed a bit and looked at Doppy. Doppelganger frowned, but nodded. Helping him now to move Sarine and her meal over so she could sit in Howard's lap, Naght emerged just enough to evaluate the twins. He was getting anxious for her, since she would be entering his tower soon.

"She will be fine..." Eremes nodded. Naght sighed, as Howard blinked his eyes with dull, red pupils. The pupils seemed to smolder like a dying fire, yet not going out at this time.

"I know she will. I can't help it. I will always worry," Naght admitted.

"We'll plow through the place like nothing!" Seyren grinned.

"Ugh," Ripclaw grimaced, as one of his agents approached him. "I wanted to join you all in the tower, but I must go to Louyang to check on the Guild outpost there."

"We will see you in Louyang tomorrow, then," Howard nodded. Ripclaw nodded to the others and walked off with his agent. Garrett sat back and thought, as Cecil sat in his lap.

"I'll help protect Sarine with everything I have," Garrett nodded.

"I want to use that skill that you have," Doppy frowned. "As her Wrath and last line of defense, I should be able to give her my life force."

"It would make sense," Eremes nodded. Muninn landed on a porch fence and squawked softly. Then he rose his beak into the air in silent communion. After a moment, Doppy's form glowed, and he gasped. Then he stood up to face Sarine after the power rush faded.

"Devotion!" Doppy grinned. Sarine blinked in shock, as his life force now extended hers.

"What?!" Garrett blinked with disbelief.

_:Father Odin's. Idea. Liked it. Granted it.:_  Muninn warbled.

"And it lasts twice as long as yours," Doppy smirked. Howard blinked, as he suddenly glowed, and Naght retreated to let Howard find out what happened with him.

"I was given a mass Provoke skill!" Howard gasped. "I can Provoke anything around me to focus on me now!"

"Looks like everyone is getting buffed up?" Keltin grinned. Then he blinked when he glowed, and he studied himself. "Not bad!"

"What did you get?" Sammy asked.

"I can change my attack type to do massive damage. For example, Eremes is Fire. I can automatically give myself an Ice attack to exploit his weakness," he chuckled.

"What?!" Eremes asked with disbelief.

"I have to keep the monsters at bay somehow, right?" Keltin grinned. When Eremes glowed, he studied himself. Then his mouth dropped.

"What is it?" Doppy mused.

"Since I am her Weapon," Eremes blinked. "I have been granted an extremely rare one-hit kill. Meaning, I will instinctively know where to attack an enemy to defeat that enemy in one shot. There is a chance that I could take out Doppy in one hit, if we fought."

That made Howard's mouth drop. Doppy barked out laughter now, as Sarine smiled, yet she knew they wouldn't fight each other for her sake. Keltin was grinning and wondering if anyone would be stupid enough to try and challenge him in the arena.

"We should spar and try it out," Doppy grinned.

"No," Sarine frowned. "I won't allow it."

"Of course," Eremes nodded.

"I don't want to see my husbands fighting each other. Just like how you all don't like watching me fight. I know that it could be a test of skills, but, I just...no..." she frowned. Howard pulled her close and kissed her intensely to show that it wouldn't happen. Pressing her forehead against his, she sighed.

"Do you think that I can fight Garrett?" Doppy smirked. Sarine blinked and frowned. Cecil looked at Garrett and shrugged. _It would be his choice now._

"A test of skills?" Garrett asked.

"Just that," Doppy nodded.

"After we get back from Naght's tower," Sarine said. "No one should waste their strength right now. We need to be ready for anything."

"Makes sense," Garrett nodded. Another thirty minutes went by with them all simply relaxing and enjoying the day. Muninn took this chance to fly off to hunt and scout the island before they left. Sarine was about to announce that she was ready to go when the twins suddenly started to kick hard. She gasped and winced to a point that she was ready to tear up.

"What are they doing?!" Doppy growled, as he winced with her.

"Let me check!" Sammy said, and he placed his hands over her womb. A small blink given, as he now pressed his ear to the womb. "Are they...talking?!"

"What?!" Howard growled and now pressed an ear to her belly, too. Naght came out just enough to assess it and softly whispered to her belly. That eased the movement considerably.

"What's going on?" Eremes asked cautiously.

"They want me free," Naght mused. "It's time to move out."

"They said that?" Doppy asked.

"They can't talk. But...I can feel it," Naght nodded, and let Howard take control again. "We need to go now before they get upset."

"I was just about to say so, myself," Sarine sighed.

"I have chocolate and other food stuffs!" Karla nodded.

"Give her a chocolate bar now," Eremes said. "To calm the kids."

The candy was given over, and some was given to Doppy. It helped calm them down, and it even soothed the demon in a way that he didn't feel so irritable.

"That stuff really does work wonders," Doppy grinned.

"Doesn't it?" Sarine smiled. Extra supplies were gathered, and Karla made some extra slim potions. Naght came out again to explain how his tower worked.

"There are about a hundred levels before you get to me. There are also stronger monsters on various levels. I'm not sure if those monsters are ones you need, or if they are replicas. You MUST all be at your peak strength, since I will not be able to assist you. Clear out each room swiftly! Any monsters that do join you will leave instantly. You could say that this could be the fastest way to get monsters to join you without traveling," Naght chuckled. That made Sarine blink and realize why Odin wanted them to do this now. It would help gather the monsters much faster, and now she had to wonder why it needed to be done.  _Was there something happening that I didn't know of?_

A short distance away, Sammy was walking along the side of the house feeling troubled. He was genuinely worried for Sarine's health on this trip, but there was something else he wanted to do for her as a belated birthday gift. It was something he couldn't do on his own. Calling over Muninn, as he saw the falcon flying overhead, he sighed.

_:Yes? Something wrong?:_  Muninn chirped, as he landed by him.

"Well, yes and no," Sammy frowned. "I know Sarine will be protected by everyone when this happens, but I also wanted to give her a special present. Something like a vision of what would happen if things didn't go the way she wanted. I dunno. I also have another problem on top of that."

_:What? Problem?:_  Muninn seemed confused.

"I...well...I want to be with her," Sammy confessed. "Not married! I just...someone she can secretly go to if she has any more problems with her husbands. Help relieve stress and not get in trouble for it. This way she knows that she doesn't have to always feel like someone is going to blab about her problems, or that she doesn't have to think that there is nothing else she can do about it. Come to think of it, I did kiss her, and I...I felt like I belonged with her! I still don't know what to say about it."

_:Seyren speaks. To her. But. True. He talks. To others. But. You kissed? Feel good? Belonged? Hmm. You love?:_  Muninn warbled to him.

"Me? Love Sarine? Well...I...I guess I do. I care about her a great deal. I just...I know that I can't always be there for her like her husbands can. But, maybe once in a great while, you know? Maybe while I'm with her, I can give her a vision of something that could have happened, if something didn't go the way it should have. I'm sure all things come to this point in the end, right? I know everyone is curious about various things, but this could help answer a few questions. What do you think?"

_:Interesting. I ask.:_  Muninn chirped and raised his head to the sky. After several minutes, he looked back at Sammy.  _:Father_   _Odin. Likes. Has idea. You help. Vessel. Relieve stress. When husbands. Too much. Yes? Give her. Visions. Help redirect. Stress. Help. Father Odin. Too. This way.:_

"That would be wonderful! Um, I know I'm in a child's body, though. And we are leaving soon for Naght's tower."

_:Have Vessel. Use bathroom. Meet her. In bedroom. I wait. There.:_  Muninn warbled and flew off to the house. Sammy's heart beat with excitement now, and he quickly moved to join the others at the front of the house.

"Are we ready to go?" Seyren asked, as he moved to stand.

"Wait!" Sammy said. "Sarine, go use the bathroom. You have to go."

"What? Do I really? Oh, wait. Yes, I do have to go," she sighed. "Very well."

"I'll take her," Doppy said.

"What? She's not in any danger, is she?" Sammy frowned. "Do you have to be with her everywhere in her own home?"

"It's just a safety precaution," Howard smiled.

"We live to serve..." Eremes chuckled.

"She needs to be pampered, anyways," Keltin grinned.

"What?" Sarine frowned. "Has anyone asked how I felt about this?"

"Um..." Doppy blinked and grinned with a small shrug.

"I think," Sarine said slowly. "that this once I can use the bathroom by myself and be just fine, thank you! I mean, seriously! What else is going to happen to me?"

"We promised not to leave you alone," Howard frowned.

"I'll go with her!" Sammy grumbled. "I'll make sure the twins are all right, too."

"Fine," Doppy growled out.

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded.

"As long as someone is with her," Keltin said.

"If you don't come down in five minutes, I'm heading up!" Howard warned.

"I beg your pardon?" Sarine asked Howard now. He blinked, but showed he was adamant on this. Sighing, she just nodded and gestured for Sammy to follow her into the house. When they got to the bedroom, Sammy saw Muninn perched by the bed, and the falcon nodded to him. Sammy closed the door when Sarine went to use the toilet. When she came back out, Sammy stopped her from leaving.

"Sarine," Sammy said a touch nervously. "I wanted to give you a present before we left here. Muninn agreed to help me, and I didn't want the others to know about it."

"What?" Sarine frowned and gasped, as Muninn glowed to stop time. Sammy moved to the bed and gestured for her to sit with him.

"Don't worry! I'm not going to do anything bad. I just want to give you a vision. Such as, you tell me something that you think you'd like to see if something didn't play out. Odin liked the idea and wants me to do this for you," Sammy said.

"Oh!" Sarine blinked and smiled. "But, why keep the others out?"

"I don't know what will happen," Sammy admitted. "This will be the first time I'm doing this, and I didn't want any interference. What did you want to know?"

"Well," Sarine sighed, as she moved to sit on the bed with Sammy now. "I was always curious as to what would have happened, if...well...if you managed to get to me when you needed to in my childhood. Such as, if you demanded for me."

"I think that would be a very good starter vision. What we can do is, if this is draining on me, we can wait for small intervals to do this down the road. Agreed?" Sammy smiled.

"I would like that," she smiled. Sammy settled in her lap, and his ghostly form settled into the body. Pressing her forehead to his, they both closed their eyes, and the vision came forth in a realistic dream sequence...


	51. Chapter 51

It was dawn on Sarine's tenth birthday. The sickness that ravaged Amatsu had struck the palace hard. She was laying on the ground in her small, dark cell. All of the candles were spent. She was slowly dying, yet fighting to survive at the same time. She was sick with the illness for over three days, and it was running rampant in her system. Down below in the royal training grounds of Amatsu's dungeons, far beneath the earth in the underground shrine, Incantation Samurai felt that something was wrong. _Seriously wrong._

"I want to talk to the Empress. Contact her for me as quickly as you can," Sammy said to a nearby Shinobi. The monster nodded and disappeared. He paced around, as he waited for her. The massive scroll on his back moved with him, as the Samurai ghost floated over him with irritation from waiting. The Shinobi came back with a letter stating that a meeting would be arranged immediately. He waited for an hour, and Empress Emilia appeared with her guards at the front of his underground shrine.

"Yes, Incantation Samurai?" Emilia asked.

"I want the girl. I want her now," Sammy growled. "I'm tired of waiting. Just bring her down to me, and I'll take her off your hands."

"But, we agreed to wait until she was old enough..." she said in her sultry tone.

"I'm done waiting! I want her here  _now_!" Sammy demanded. "If not, I'll have my minions flood your palace within the hour!"

"Well, you aren't being very reasonable, are you?" Emilia frowned.

"I have waited for ten years, Emilia. I! Want! That! Girl! Now!" Sammy spat. He didn't know that the first two years of her life were normal. He only knew that Sarine was Emilia's daughter from birth.

"Very well, if you insist," Emilia sighed. "It will be one less thing for me to worry about. I have a meeting to attend to, so my escort troupe will bring her down."

"One less thing to worry about? What are you saying?" Sammy frowned.

"Oh, look at the time! I really must be going! You'll get the girl within the hour," Emilia crooned sweetly and prepared to leave with her guards. Sammy was frowning, and he growled to catch her attention.

"Remember," Sammy hissed. "She is to be in PERFECT health! And unharmed! That is our deal! You had better stick to it!"

"Of course!" Emilia said before appearing to disregard him. Then she left quickly. Now he was pissed. _If Emilia was acting like this to me, something was clearly wrong._ Waiting now, he had the Miyabi Ningyo prepare the room.

"Doll," Sammy frowned. "I fear that something may be wrong with the girl when we get her here. Be cautious for anything that could be wrong."

"Yes, Incantation Samurai! I will be vigilant!" Doll agreed and moved to prepare the hidden room for the new girl. Sammy started to worry, as one hour turned into two. He had his minions prepare to swarm the palace, if he didn't get the girl. Just as he was about to give the signal, a small group of guards finally came down to see him. They had to fight their way down, since Emilia wasn't with them, and that was why it took so long. The monsters dispersed, and Sarine was set down on the ground before him.

On looking at her, he gasped.  _Something was definitely not right about her at all. Multiple things, in fact. She was unconscious. She was too thin. She was incredibly sick. Her straight, brown hair was matted with snags and tangles. Her clothes were torn rags. She was barely breathing._ He couldn't tell what her skin looked like under all the filth and dirt.

"I was told that I would receive her in perfect health!" Sammy snapped at the humans. "Why is she like this?!"

"We can't tell you," the captain of the group said. "Look, we delivered her. Now we have other things to do."

"Do you not care about a sick ten-year-old child?!" Sammy hissed. Now he was livid. His Samurai ghost started to lash out, and his minions blocked the exit. Calling forth his Shinobi escort group, he trembled with rage. He knew the humans were loyal to the Empress and not honorable at all. That infuriated him even further.

"Look!" the captain wavered. "We were just told that she wasn't even royalty! That she was a straggler, and we took her in out of kindness! That she was a lost cause and not to worry about her! If she was true royalty, then she wouldn't be like this!"

"I see now why Emilia decided against bringing her to me herself!" Sammy hissed. "This girl is SPECIAL! She IS royalty! You idiots! Kill them!"

The four men screamed, as the wave of monsters descended on them. He was going to have their body parts sent back up to the palace in small gift boxes addressed to Emilia as a message to her that she was no longer an ally in his eyes. It was what his Samurai ghost used to do as a warning to neighboring villages that sent threatening envoys when he was alive long ago. Sammy looked down at the girl, and he winced at her condition.  _She was so sick! Was she even alive?_  Touching her forehead, it burned at the touch, and he screamed for Doll.

"I'm here! Oh, my!" Doll gasped with sadness. Sarine was radiating heat from her fever sickness. Picking her up carefully, Doll moved Sarine straight into the secret room that was made for her, and Sammy ordered all of the Antique Firelock monsters to give over the special medicine they had. The Panacea bottles were gathered, and Doll was ordered to give her two pills twice a day. She also needed to give the sick girl a lot of fluid.

At this order, special soups were now being made by the Shinobi monsters to feed her with that would be easy for her to digest. The Tengu monsters gave over some of their weakest watered down wine for her to drink. Even The Paper monsters gave over their herbs to help her. Random Mimics were there, too, but they couldn't offer anything right now. Heated water was brought to the room quickly. Doll stripped Sarine and tenderly bathed her. Then she brought out one of her own spare purple kimonos and dressed her in it. Sammy waited outside to give Doll privacy, and he paced with worry.

"I hope it's nothing overly serious! I really don't want to know that it is too late to help her!" he muttered to himself. "All of that dirt and grime...she must have had no care at all!"

"Incantation Samurai," Doll whispered, as she left the room and closed the door to approach him. He looked at her, and he stopped pacing.

"How bad is she?" Sammy frowned. He grimaced at her wince.

"She has no muscle!" Doll fretted. "She's just skin and bones! And she's so pale under all the dirt that was on her! She has bruises all over her body and small sores, almost like burns, from whatever she was laying on. I think it was wax? Like hot candle wax? There was remnants of it all over her skin. It's just...it's awful! It's like...like they wanted her to die. I don't think that anyone ever cared for her properly at all!"

"If that Empress dares to set one foot in my domain, I want her head on a pike!" Sammy fumed. "Will...will the girl live? I...I worry for her health. I can see her health, now that she was given to me, and it's so weak! She's just barely hanging on by a thread! I just...I hope we got her in time."

"With our perseverance, we will make her better!" Doll smiled. "I'll constantly look after her nonstop!"

"I want to see her," Sammy said, and he moved past Doll now with a stern purpose. Approaching the bed, Doll made way for him. The bed was short enough for him to climb up on, if he needed to. Reaching for Sarine's hand, he felt her pulse and felt her forehead. He winced that her skin truly was as pale as his own, and her eyes looked like small bruises from lack of sleep and nutrition. Just by looking at her, he was starting to see what she needed.

"What do you think?" Doll asked a bit nervously. Incantation Samurai was now in his doctor mode, and the way he looked at Sarine was going to startle Doll completely with what he was going to say next. He only hoped that she would get everything he said.

"Her fever is broken, thanks to the medicine. The illness was very strong at one point, but she sweat out most of it, from what I can tell. We must keep giving her the medicine until we know the sickness is fully gone. We will feed her the soup every two hours, and this will be throughout the night, too. I'll have to see what I can do for normal meals for her. She needs lots of fluids! As much as I don't want to give her weak wine, it's all we have right now. Try to get ahold of some clean water for her. Even juice for sugar to help keep up her energy will be something we need to give her. We must keep her hydrated at all times. When it comes to cleaning her from all the water moving through her, we'll have to do what we can. We have to keep her clean. I want no more dirt on her! Keep her wounds dressed with what spare bandages we have. I'm sure we have some spare sheets around here somewhere for her that can be used as dressing, if we can't make it into clothing for her.

"Thank you for dressing her in your spare garments, by the way. The loose clothing will do wonders for her and keep her comfortable. Make sure that you burn those rags she was in! They are probably filled with lice and other things that just do more harm than good, and I don't want that in my shrine! Use a strong soap to remove any filth from her head and skin when you bathe her again. Brush out her hair as much as you can. Since she's passed out, she won't feel any pain from the tangles. If we need to, we will cut her hair short a bit, if it's too bad to brush out," Sammy said swiftly and with an air that clearly meant he was dead serious about everything. Doll blinked and nodded, as she mentally took note of everything he said. He continued to watch her sleep, and she knew he was incredibly worried about her.  _He never worried about anyone or anything so much before._

"What else do you want?" Doll asked.

"I want her to live! I want a Shinobi placed in that palace to watch that woman's every move from now on!" Sammy commanded. One of the Shinobi monsters nodded and Cloaked to move out to do as he was told. Normally, monsters couldn't move about like this, but Amatsu was a very special town. He used to live in it long ago, and the entire town was considered his domain to a certain point.

Over the course of a week, Sarine's health was closely monitored. Sammy was by her bedside every moment he was able with his hand in hers. Doll kept to her tasks with a hundred percent efficiency. When adventurers came down to find Sammy, he fought them off and sent their bodies back to the surface. But, he did keep anything he found of value on them like food supplies or spare clothing. He always thought that stealing from adventurers was beneath him, but this was all for Sarine. He had no outside connections right now. When he had a nice stockpile built up, he left the adventurers alone and let his minions deal with them. If they got too close to Sarine's bedroom, he would chase them away purposely.

On the seventh day of her coming to the underground shrine, Sarine finally blinked open her dark brown eyes. She felt incredibly weak still, and now she was scared. Her body hurt all over, since she was finally healing from laying in old candles all the time and on a hard floor. Doll was the first one she saw. Sammy was out protecting his domain.

"Oh, my! You're awake!" Doll smiled with relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Ow..." Sarine whimpered, as the bright colors hurt her eyes. Then she paused after her eyes adjusted. She found herself wearing a kimono much like Doll's.  _I'm clean? No darkness? Was it a dream come true?_

"Ow? What hurts? Please tell me!"

"The light. It hurts. Where am I?" Sarine asked in her frail voice.

"You are safe! Incantation Samurai will be so happy to learn that you are awake!" Doll smiled. At the mention of the monster's name, Sarine whimpered and started to panic.

"I...I'm going to die?" Sarine whimpered with fright.

"No! Oh, no! You are going to live! We nursed you back to health when you were sick! We don't want you to die!" Doll frowned. "Why do you think that?"

"I...I was always told that...that when I got here, I was going to be...killed..." Sarine whimpered and curled up into a little ball.

"Oh, dear!" Doll fretted and sent out a signal for Sammy to come by quickly. Telling him what she was told had him furious with rage. Calming himself down, he had the ghost part of him sink down to keep from scaring her. He walked in slowly and peered up at her from over the bed in an innocent manner. The ghost was letting the boy come out to get to know her better. C _hildren tended to get along better when they were able to be themselves most of the time._  It was a known fact to him.

"Hi!" Sammy grinned. "My name is Sammy! I'm happy that you're awake! Um, can I climb up to talk to you better?"

"Sammy?" Sarine blinked and trembled. "Climb? Oh! Um...I guess so."

When he climbed up onto the bed, he plopped down next to her with a soft smile. Letting her study him for a bit, he asked, "Do you have a name?"

"Yah. It's Sarine. I think. Um...am I going to die?" she asked.

"No! I want a friend! You are my new friend!" Sammy grinned. "So, don't worry. Nothing will hurt you down here. I promise!"

"I...I never had a friend before," Sarine admitted.

"What? Have you had any toys?" Sammy asked.

"No. I was just in...um...a tiny dark room. I had no windows to see outside. No one really...ah...cared about me. And...and no one else really paid...um...attention to me. Every birthday, I got a visit from my Gramma, but not for long. She was the only one who was nice to me. I tried to do things with her, but it wasn't much. Mother and Father were there for my birthdays, too. Um...mainly just to see if I was...alive or not..."

"I see," Sammy frowned. He would need to check out the grandmother, and he forced down a growl at hearing about her parents. "Well, you don't have to worry about being locked up here! But, you can only roam around in the shrine. It's the safest place for you. And, if anyone tries to hurt you, I'll protect you. I promise to always protect you."

"Will you protect me from...Incantation Samurai? I...I heard he wanted to kill me," Sarine whimpered. "I...I heard he was mean..."

"Sarine," Sammy smiled and sighed. "I am Incantation Samurai. I will NEVER hurt you! On my word of honor, I promise you! I will always keep you happy. I will never let you get hurt. All I want to be is your best friend and to keep you safe."

"You are...?" Sarine faltered and blinked when the ghost slowly rose from him. She squeaked and curled up in fear, but, after seeing that nothing happened to her, she started to cry with relief. She jumped onto him weakly and sobbed into his black kimono. Sammy hugged her tightly and let her cry. He hated how weak her voice was, but he knew it would get stronger in time with the care she would be given.

"It's okay now. You're safe with me. No one will ever hurt you again..." he kept whispering to her, as she sobbed. When she started hiccuping, he giggled and squeezed her gently. Once she was calm, and the hiccups stopped, he asked her what she wanted now. Her belly rumbled, and she shivered.

"I'm hungry," she sighed. At that, he had Doll bring in a few soft dishes for her to eat with lots of juice to drink. Doll was extremely happy that Sarine was all right now, and she started to work on some new clothing for her with some bolts of silk that were confiscated from a traveling party.  _It would help Sarine to have more clothes._ They were a bit concerned at how little she was eating, but Doll knew her appetite would grow in time.  _She was hesitating on eating more._ They knew it was likely a habit for her, and they would show her that it was all right to eat a bit more at each meal.

"Would you like a new dress?" Doll smiled.

"Um...I never had a dress before," Sarine blinked.

"Sarine," Sammy said gently. "was anyone ever nice to you?"

"Other than my Gramma, no," she frowned. "No one cared about me. I'm...I'm only ten years old. Who would care about a child like me? I was told I was a burden. Worthless. Not worth any effort to work with. Um...I just...lived in a tiny room. It was always dark. The light here hurts my eyes."

"The light hurts you?" Sammy frowned. "Were you ever able to see any light?"

"From candles," she frowned. "I was given seven candles every week. One for each day. That was it."

"That horrible...!" he fumed. "I should kill everyone there!"

"What?" Sarine whimpered.

"I'm sorry. I just...I don't like hearing what happened to you. It should never have happened! Tell me. Have you played any games?"

"Games? What's that?" she frowned. Sammy's mouth dropped. Doll just froze with complete horror at what she just heard.

"You don't know what a game is?" Sammy asked again.

"No," she frowned. "Should I?"

"Oh, dear," Doll whispered with instant sadness. "You poor child! Have you ever been let outside to play? To have fun?"

"What is that? Fun?" Sarine frowned. Sammy was in complete shock now.

"Sarine, did anyone ever teach you? Show you the world outside?" Doll asked slowly and gently. "Tell you things about the world?"

"No," Sarine frowned. "Like I told you. They didn't care about me."

"I'll kill them...all of them...!" Sammy fumed. "They completely denied you your right to be a child! I...I've never been so furious before in my life!"

"Incantation Samurai!" Doll frowned. "Right now, we need to show her what it is like to have fun! We need to encourage her to play! Don't worry about fighting! This is far more important! She needs to be a child!"

"You're right. Vengeance can wait for now," Sammy nodded. "Sarine, can you walk?"

"Walk?" she frowned. Doll got up and moved around to show what he meant.  _Did she not know what words meant? How was she able to talk?_  It was highly likely that she listened to conversations outside her room. Sarine blinked and drank down another juice before moving to get off the bed. Her leg muscles were weak, and she whimpered, as Doll caught her before she fell over. She threatened to cry at this, and Sammy gave her a comforting hug.

She was used to simply crawling around and leaning over to get things. She had no real room to run around in the small enclosure she was in before. Most of the time, she was simply huddled in a corner. Her leg muscles never developed properly. Sammy studied how she sat on the ground and realized all of this. It all came together when she had tucked her legs under herself and weakly pulled a juice drink over.  _She barely had enough strength in her arms to even manage that!_ Saying he was pissed off was a complete understatement, but he forced it all down.

"This week we will focus on getting you to walk. It's important for you to use your legs more to get used to them again," Sammy said. "You need to recuperate. You need to get strong in your arms, too. Then we will start teaching you things. I...I can't let you go outside up there. It is not safe for you right now. It will probably never be safe for you. I can, however, get things brought down here to show them to you and tell you what they are."

"Um...okay?" Sarine frowned. She clearly didn't understand what was wrong. Doll was incredibly upset. A passing Shinobi monster looked into the room, and she whispered in their monster dialect of what happened to her. The Shinobi was shocked and growled. The issue would be spread quickly around the underground shrine that Sarine was not to come to any harm and to be protected at all costs. The Mimics got an idea and started to pool together their Old Blue Boxes and Old Purple Boxes for Sammy. He could open them to help Sarine learn what certain things were. On learning of this, Doll beamed and told Sammy. He was all for it. He hoped some good stuff would come out for Sarine to use and learn from.  _Maybe even supplies to help her thrive even more._

"Let's show her around," Sammy said, as he climbed off the bed. Doll nodded and carefully helped Sarine walk by holding both of her hands up.  _She had to be treated like a toddler learning how to walk for the first time. There was no other way to do it._

The next month passed slowly. Thanks to her new care, Sarine's body quickly healed up to where she was no longer in danger, but she was still very thin. Doll and Sammy started to teach her things that every child needed to know. It was going to be the start of a grueling year for them, but it was something that Sarine desperately needed. After the year passed, it was time for Sarine to start learning on how to be a proper young lady.

"Okay, Sarine," Sammy grinned, and they sat in a far corner of the shrine. They were truly best friends now, and it even got to the point that they were able to rest in the same bed together. The first time she asked him to sleep in the bed with her had shocked him, but, after that first night, he had vowed to do it every night from that point forward.

"What am I learning today?" she smiled. She had finally started to fill out properly, and she was becoming a truly beautiful girl. It made his heart burst with pride that he saved her when he did, and her beauty clearly enamored the old ghost of his.

"It is time for you to learn how to be a lady around important people," Sammy said. She blinked, and Doll brought out a new dress for her to wear.

"I worked really hard on this dress for you!" she smiled.

"Thank you!" Sarine giggled. Sammy still wanted her to play when she could while she learned things. A small tea party, made up mostly of dolls that Doll fashioned out of cloth for her, was set up. It was important to both Sammy and Doll for Sarine to be able to play.

"For example," Sammy smiled. "take your dolls. Think that they are all royalty and of high importance. Do you remember what I taught you about them?"

She giggled and recited everything that was taught to her before. She was a very clever child, and even Doll was amazed at how fast she learned things. Her grandmother was contacted discreetly, and a harp was sent down for her. Other musical instruments and books for Sarine to learn from were sent down soon after. Her grandmother was a lifeline to her now and always sent down presents. Various foodstuffs and supplies were sent, but only so much could be gathered. She didn't have proper funding or contacts to get what she needed. Sarine would send back pictures to her and other little things that she made. All of her presents were hidden from the people in town.

"Very good!" Doll praised and poured more tea for her. As Sammy was getting ready on how to do proper etiquette on eating with a plate of rice cakes for her example dish, a Shinobi appeared and whispered to him. At the report given, Sammy grumbled. Doll frowned, and Sarine blinked at him.

"Damn! I'm busy! Why can't these humans just stay away from here?" Sammy sighed.

"I want to help you," Sarine smiled.

"Sarine," he frowned. "we talked about this before."

"But, I want to help! I can lure the people into random mobs of monsters! Can't I?" she asked with a soft frown. Sammy thought and began to grin.

"Only if some of my Shinobi guards are with you and Cloaked!" he said.

"Just don't make me play Hide and Seek with them anymore! They cheat by moving around Cloaked!" she pouted. That made him laugh, as he didn't know they did that. Getting up with her, Doll cleared the area quickly, and the lesson would be continued later. Taking Sarine to her bedroom, Doll quickly dressed her in the superbly made royal gown of deep red and soft, pale cream. It was a kimono with the red on the outside and the pale cream on the inside. It was designed to be airy and appear to drift with her when she moved. Her hair was done up in the traditional Amatsu topknot and set with gold pins. Soft, red slippers adorned her feet, and she smiled, as she examined herself.

"You look so pretty!" Doll gleamed. Then Sarine went outside her door, and Sammy faltered in front of her.  _She was stunning for a child._

"I won't let anyone hurt you," he vowed. Sarine smiled and hugged him tightly.

"I know you won't," she said gently and kissed his cheek. It was the first time she did that, and he blushed horribly. She giggled at him, and he tittered.

"Anyways, there are intruders?" Doll grinned. She knew that he was incredibly attracted to Sarine. He just didn't know how to go about it, and she brought up the intruders to help him.

"Yes! The intruders! You know you're way around the shrine by now. I'll be watching you from a safe distance. There will be five Shinobi guards Cloaked around you at all times. I will let you lead the intruders astray, and my minions will swarm them from behind. Okay?" Sammy grinned. "You will always be guarded!"

"Okay! This will be fun!" Sarine giggled. The eleven-year-old girl was pointed in the direction of the intruders, and she calmly walked around, feigning to be lost. It didn't take long for the group of five people to see her, and she gasped.

"There's a girl down here?" a Rogue asked.

"Is she lost? Hello, there!" a Knight said.

"Huh?" Sarine blinked fearfully at them.

"She's so pretty! What are you doing down here by yourself?" a Priestess asked.

"Um...I got lost. But, I'm not alone! I have friends here now! I'm just trying to find them!" Sarine giggled. "I know they're here!"

"Friends? Other people?" the Knight asked again. The other two adventurers were a Monk and a Merchant. They looked at each other and back at the girl. The party never saw the monsters swarming in around them from behind, as they were fixated on her developing beauty.

"Well..." Sarine frowned. "I can show you! Come on!"

"Wait!" the Priestess called out. Sarine simply skipped ahead into the depths of the shrine. As they fought their way to follow her, they were amazed that she wasn't attacked. The Rogue finally used his skill of Stalking when he was able to get ahead of her. He waited for Sarine to appear, and he quickly caught her with a small grunt, as she fought him.

"Eeek!" she screamed, as he lifted her up to hold her. "Put me down! Please put me down! You have no right to touch me!"

"Come now, you little brat!" the Rogue growled. "We'll get you out of here!"

"You'll do no such thing, and she's not a brat!" Sammy snarled, as he walked up to him with his Shinobi escort. Then Sarine watched her Shinobi escort revealed themselves.

"What the...?" the Rogue gasped when he was suddenly surrounded by monsters.

"Put my best friend down before I cut you to pieces!" Sammy hissed. The looming ghost over his head howled with anger.

"See? I have friends!" Sarine grinned. As the monsters descended onto the Rogue, she was able to easily slip away from him. She ran over to Sammy's side, and he hugged her tight. He was very grateful that she was safe. She was starting to get taller than him now, but he didn't mind in the slightest. Keeping her hand in his, he watched the Rogue's body get tossed outside with the rest of his party. He actually liked letting her have fun like this, but it was risky, too.

"That was close," Sammy sighed. "We need to make it so you can Detect those invisible ones. Oh, I got it!"

"Got what?" she blinked. He removed a lock of his hair and twisted the white strands into a braid. Then he tied the ends together into a bracelet.

"Wear this!" he said and placed it over her wrist. Once it was on, she blinked and gasped. She saw the invisible Shinobi monsters when she focused on them.

"I can see the Cloaked Shinobi out there!" she said excitedly. "Now I can play Hide and Seek with them!"

That made him laugh and hug her again. On taking her back to her room, her lessons on etiquette continued without interruption.

Another two years passed without incident. She helped Sammy lead parties astray, and he wiped them out with his minions. It was only fate that a certain green-haired Blacksmith would brave his way into the depths of the dungeons. He was with his younger brother, and they were both trying to figure out how to support the family. Timmy was sure that he heard of a rare treasure down in the depths of the old place, and Howard was skeptical. They managed to fight their way down to the shrine, and now Timmy was unsure. They both had their carts, and they were weighted down with loot from the monsters killed to get here.

"Come on, Timmy. This place is empty," Howard said.

"No, I'm sure there's something here," Timmy said. Sammy was watching from a distance, and Sarine walked over to them.

"Can I help you?" she frowned. Doll had made her several new dresses, and this kimono she wore was a deep green with gold highlights.

"Um...wow..." Howard blinked. He had never known of a girl like this before in his life. Timmy was just in shock over Sarine's beauty.

"There are no others with you?" Sarine blinked.

"Uh, no! Just us!" Howard swallowed. Then he blinked, as he started to sense confusion from her. "Were you expecting others?"

"Well...normally adventurers in four or more come here. I have never seen just two! You must be exceptionally strong!" she smiled.

"How old are you? What's your name?" Timmy asked.

"Me?" she giggled. "Why are you concerned about me? You should be more concerned about my friends. They don't like others around here. You should go."

"Wait!" Howard said, as she started to walk away. "At least tell me your name?"

"Why?" she frowned. Then Howard saw multiple sets of eyes glittering out from the darkness. Timmy panicked and used a Butterfly Wing to escape. Howard swore under his breath. That was the only one they had, and he was told there were more.  _My brother had lied to me to get down to the underground shrine quickly._

"Please..." Howard whispered. "I...I have no other way to escape here! I just...can I please have your name at least? So that I'll know before I die?"

"Die?" Sarine frowned. There was something about Howard that she liked. It was a feeling that made her realize that he was trustworthy. Then she looked at the other monsters appearing, and she rose up her hand to stop them. Sammy frowned and stepped out of the shadows of several pillars to find out why she wasn't leading this one astray.

"What is wrong?" Sammy asked.

"What?!" Howard blinked.

"Sammy," Sarine frowned. "I...I don't want you to hurt this one."

"Why?" Sammy frowned back.

"He's...different. Can't you feel it?" she asked.

"Hmm..." Sammy now walked over to Howard. The Blacksmith gaped at the ghost that leered at him over the boy. "You're right. He is different. I'll send you back, but don't come back down here again."

"I need to know your name," Howard said to her. "Please?"

"I don't know..." Sarine frowned.

"I know you want to tell me! I...I can feel it," he said. That made Sammy blink at him with surprise.  _How could he feel what she wanted?_ Now he was curious.

"You can feel her?" Sammy frowned.

"Yes. I can. Well...her emotions, really. I don't know how, but I can. And, I already know I'll be coming back here to see her to find out why," Howard said. Sammy scowled, but Sarine looked at him. He detected no lies on this human, and he grumbled.

"Sammy, did you not promise me my happiness?" she asked.

"Don't pull this on me!" Sammy begged.

"Well?" Sarine frowned.

"Oh...fine..." he pouted.

"Tell me your name first," Sarine said.

"I am Howard Alt-Eisen," he whispered.

"My name is Sarine," she said.

"Thank you," Howard said, as he felt a profound sense of elation. "I want to help you. Are you able to come with me?"

"No! She stays here!" Sammy growled. "It's not safe for her up there!"

"I see. Well...can I bring you anything? Food? Clothing? I have connections. I can get you things," Howard said. That made Sammy think. _Her grandmother could only get so much. But, with a Blacksmith, I have to agree that it offered more flexibility._

"Food is a must. Gah! All right! Come with me! Tell no one about our neutrality!" Sammy growled. "If this gets out, then others will come down here and make a mess!"

"You have my word!" Howard grinned.

"Sarine," Sammy said.

"Yes?" she smiled.

"Go tell Doll that we have a visitor," he said. She nodded and bounded off. When she left, Sammy glared at Howard.

"I will not tell anyone about her," Howard promised. Sammy sighed.

"I'll tell you about her, then," Sammy nodded. As they walked, Howard blinked at the story of how she came to the shrine. Howard was appalled by her treatment and what she looked like at first. Pulling his cart behind him calmly, he thought. Then he remembered something.

"Sarine is not Emilia's daughter," he said. "She is Emperor Markus's daughter. Emilia is a fraud on the throne of Amatsu!"

"What?!" Sammy hissed. Howard told him how the woman mysteriously appeared and took over the palace within a night. Sammy was livid now. _It meant that Sarine's father was innocent and trapped._ Howard wasn't sure why he didn't remember her until now, but he vowed to himself to help protect her as much as he could.

"As long as she is safe here, then," Howard thought. "I won't say a word to anyone. Emperor Markus even told me of her when I was younger, now that I think about it. I had made her a present, and I was going to give it to her, but then that fraud showed up! I had forgotten about her completely! The Emperor had chosen me to be her playmate."

"I see. So, you were meant to be with her. Hmm. And a present?" Sammy mused.

"A doll I carved out of wood for her. Something simple that she could play with," Howard smiled. "I wanted to give it to her when I was first told about her."

"You know...when I first got her, she had no idea what toys were. Or having fun. None of it," Sammy frowned. "She didn't even know about plants or being outside."

"What?!" Howard blinked. "That's...that's unheard of!"

"Tell me about it!" Sammy agreed.

"I will promise you this," Howard said.

"Yes?"

"I will keep my ears open for any talk about her in town. I have a feeling that some rumors are spreading, and it will become harder to protect her in the months to come. There has been talk of a reward for her, since so many have seen her. You may want to start hiding her away, as a precaution. It's important. In fact, one of the reasons I came down here was from the rumors of a treasure being hidden. Talk is already spreading."

"WHAT?!" Sammy shrieked.

"If it comes down to it, I will personally take her away to safety," he vowed.

"Howard..." Sammy growled. "I'll admit. I had my doubts about you. But, you are proving them wrong. However, the only way I'll let her go is if I'm defeated! Know that!"

"I understand," Howard nodded. "Should that day ever come, I will be with friends. I can promise you that."

"Humph!" Sammy grumbled, as they reached Sarine's bedroom. Howard paused with awe and realized that it was this room that was rumored to be where the treasure was held. _Sarine, herself, was the treasure here._ She was sitting on her bed and playing with an elaborately made doll. The look on her face was pure, innocent bliss. It shocked him to the core. He was now officially in love with her. He would protect her with everything he had.

"Are you the guest? A human?!" Doll blinked with surprise. "That's a first! But, a guest is always a first with us, anyways. I have lunch ready, and it will be served shortly!"

"Thank you, Doll," Sammy said and had Sarine sit at the small table with them. She blushed, as Howard looked at her, and Sammy muttered with jealousy. He never had competition with her until now. He didn't like it.

"So, Sammy," Howard said. "what do you need? I'll start up a list."

"All right," the boy sighed and started naming off some basic supplies. As that was underway, Doll brought in the meals and drinks for them to start eating. In the middle of the meal, a Shinobi appeared to whisper to Sammy.

"What? Again? Will they never give up?!" Sammy growled.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Adventurers. Again," he scowled. "Sarine! Stay here."

"Okay," she nodded.

"I'll protect her," Howard vowed. Then he got up and pulled out his massive, red Vecer Axe. When he swung it, a strange sound came from it.

"Where did you get that?!" Sammy asked.

"I made it," he grinned.

"I see. Fine. Protect her with Doll!" Sammy said, and he moved out of the room. Howard moved to stand along the wall and out of sight. Doll moved about the room to clean it up to have it appear somewhat empty, and Sarine sat on the bed to wait. She looked up sharply when she heard Sammy scream out in pain.

"Sammy?!" she panicked.

"Be calm," Doll said in a soothing tone. She started to get worried, too.

"Sarine! It's okay!" Howard whispered. He felt her start to become fearful. She never heard Sammy cry out like that before. She whimpered and huddled into the bed before suddenly moving to hide under it. Then she saw Doll get flung against the wall, and she winced. All that she could see were their feet. She couldn't tell who the voices belonged to unless she got out from under the bed, and she wasn't budging.

"Ah! Here is the treasure room!" a rough voice grinned.

"That little pip-squeak was nothing!" a regal voice laughed.

"Something seems off, doesn't it?" a female voice mused. "This is a bedroom! There is no treasure here!"

Then they all gasped, as Howard walked out from where he was hiding to confront them calmly. He knew that he had to act bold and brash in order for them to leave.

"I already claimed the treasure here. There's nothing left," he lied smoothly.

"Well, that just blows! All right. Well, let's get out of here!" the rough voice said.

"Do you need a Warp back to town?" the female voice asked.

"No, I'm fine. Still training," Howard said. The regal voice laughed, wished him luck, and then the three others were gone.

"Sammy!" Sarine screamed, as she moved out from under the bed and out of the room.

"Sarine!" Howard gasped and ran after her, leaving his cart in the room. She was now crouched over Sammy's small body, and he was laid out on the ground. The ghost hovering above him seemed weak now.

"Go...back to...your room..." Sammy hissed in pain.

"No!" Sarine said, as she tried to move him. He cried out in pain when she touched him, and she whimpered. She truly hadn't seen him like this before, and now she was scared.

"I got this," Howard said, and he moved to lift up Incantation Samurai.

"What are you doing?!" the boy gasped in pain.

"I didn't defeat you, so I'm not taking Sarine away! I'm helping you!" Howard growled out. Laying Sammy out on the bed, Sarine jumped onto it and put his head in her lap. His massive scroll had rolled away from him a bit on the floor, and Howard paused to pick it up and carry it back over to him. Sammy grabbed it weakly in thanks.

"Doll?" Sarine asked, as she looked over. The Miyabi Ningyo was slowly coming around, and she coughed. Shaking her head, she sighed with disgust.

"I hate it when strong adventurers come here!" Doll grumbled, as she got up.

"This...happens?" Sarine blinked.

"Rarely," Sammy sighed. "I'll be fine. I just need some rest."

"I hid under the bed," Sarine said.

"Good," Sammy said. Then he winced when he tried to move. Sarine whimpered and looked at Howard. He still had his cart out, and he looked through it. Pulling out a few potions, he gave them to Sammy. With some of his health back, he was able to sit up. Pulling the scroll closer to him, he couldn't let it out of his grasp for too long. It was his lifeline with the ghost. Without the ghost, he wouldn't be alive.

"Sammy!" Sarine cried out, and he hugged her tightly.

"I'm okay. See? I'm fine," Sammy sighed and managed to Heal himself a few times to get his strength back. "All better. See?"

"I heard you scream! I..." she faltered.

"And I'm okay! See?" he smiled. Howard thought and blinked.

"I'm worried," Howard frowned.

"How?" Sammy frowned back.

"They knew where this room was, and it's hidden fairly well. Isn't it?" Howard asked. That made Sammy blink.  _The Blacksmith was right._

"What should we do?" Doll asked.

"I'll head back to town. I'll find out what I can," Howard said. "I'll come back tomorrow with more supplies."

"Be careful, How-How," Sarine said. That made him gasp, as he looked at her. Even Sammy was caught off guard by the nickname she gave him.

"I will," Howard vowed.

"I'll send you back to town and take your advice on keeping her hidden away," Sammy nodded. Howard nodded and was sent away with his cart in tow.

"I hope he doesn't find out anything nasty," Doll frowned. Sarine didn't say anything, but she continued to hug Sammy tight. He hugged her back just as tightly, and he blushed when she kissed his cheek. _I don't know what I would have done if the adventurers found her!_

"I need to see what damage was done to the shrine. I'll be right back. Okay?" Sammy said. She nodded and watched him leave. Then Doll closed the door and moved to walk over to her. She knew that Sammy was starting to show that he liked her, and that even Howard had instantly noticed her. _It was time to tell her something about being an adult._

"I'm going to teach you something important," Doll said. Sarine blinked, as Doll sat on the bed and carefully told her about a very secret part of her body that no one should ever touch unless she gave permission. Sarine gasped and blinked. She had no idea that she had such a special place in her.

"Why do I have to know this?" Sarine frowned.

"You are becoming a very beautiful woman. There are men out there that will want to invade this special part of you. You need to fight them off with everything you have. You are also going to be experiencing things soon that you need to know. You're thirteen now. The time is coming. Let me tell you more," Doll said. Slowly, she explained what a period was, how sex worked, and how babies were made. Sarine was in shock of it all and remained silent, as she listened. It was hard for her to grasp at first.

"So...if a man tries to invade my special place with his special place...a baby could happen?" Sarine blinked. "And...only the one I love should be with me?"

"Yes. So, be very careful. Only the one you want to be with should be able to have access to you. Any man can do this. Even our new friend, Howard. I'm sure he won't hurt you, but others can. Remember this!"

"I will. Thank you for telling me," Sarine said. Then she blinked, as Sammy walked in wearily and groaned miserably.

"What is it?" Doll frowned, as she moved to help him to a chair.

"Why do humans have to destroy my shrine?!" he growled. He looked over at Sarine and wondered why she was so quiet. Doll whispered to him, and he looked at her with shock. Sighing with defeat, he just nodded.  _She needed to know._

"Sammy? Can I talk to you? Alone?" Sarine frowned. Doll looked over at her and smiled softly, as she left the room. Right after the door was shut, she was going to ensure that they weren't disturbed.

"What is it?" he asked. He moved to sit on the bed at her gesture.

"Um..." Sarine hesitated. "Doll told me things. I...I want to ask you something. It's important to me, and I want to know."

"Okay," Sammy said. He was a touch nervous now, since this was all the boy.

"Do you like me?" she asked.

"Well...um...yeah..." the boy blushed.

"How much?" Sarine giggled.

"You're my best friend! What else is there to say to that?!" Sammy countered.

"Doesn't say much," Sarine grinned.

"I like you a lot! Okay?"

"How much is a lot?"

"This whole shrine couldn't fill how much I like you!"

"Um...do you...love me?" she asked.

"Huh?" the question caught him off guard. "Love you? Well..."

"Do you?"

"Well...do you love me?"

"No fair! I asked you first!"

"Oh..." he sighed. "Um...if I said yes, then what would you say?"

"I would say that I loved you back," she smiled. "and that...that we should kiss."

"What?" he asked her incredulously.

"Well...unless you don't want to..." she frowned and looked away. She blinked, as his hand moved to caress her cheek and tilt her face back to him. He hesitated at first. Then he slowly moved forward and pressed his lips to hers. When it was done, she blushed, and so did he.

"So...yeah..." Sammy said, as he looked away. She did the same and giggled. When she looked at him again, he was leaning over to her to kiss her again. He hugged her tightly to him, and she did the same to him. He wasn't going to deepen the kiss yet, since he knew how from his Samurai ghost. He knew she wasn't ready for that. His older ghost was letting the boy experience the joys of first love with a girl. Something it secretly enjoyed watching.

"I was so worried about you, Sammy!" she finally whimpered, as he hugged her tighter. "I never heard you get hurt before!"

"I know. But, I'm okay," he whispered and hugged her, as she finally started to cry over him. He continued to hold her until she was better, and he kissed her innocently again. With several deep breaths, she shivered, and he hugged her still.

"Take a nap with me?" she asked.

"Of course. You know I can't sleep, but I'll rest with you," he nodded.

"Okay," she smiled, and he lay back on the bed to let her rest on his small chest. With his arms around her, he let the rest of the day slip by.

The next day, Howard had made his way back to them easily. Sammy had given him a special pass through his domain, and it kept him from being attacked. He had a lot more in his cart now, and he was giving over various items. He even brought out some hearty food stuffs that would easily help Sarine. She blushed at the carved doll that Howard gave her, and she said it would be her most favorite doll out of all of them.

"Sammy, I have to tell you something, and you're not going to like it," Howard frowned, as he took out several bolts of silk. Sarine blinked at Howard.

"Yes?" Sammy asked with a mild glare.

"There is a reward being offered for Sarine. She's not safe here anymore," Howard frowned. "Your Shinobi in the palace was caught and killed. It...finalized the decision."

"What?!" Sammy freaked. "No!"

"She may be safe here for another year, but you'll be hard pressed to protect her. Are you sure that you can't let me protect her for you?" Howard asked.

"Never!" Sammy growled.

"All right. Sarine, I'm sorry. I know we just met, and I don't want to leave you, but I'm going to need to find some friends to help protect you. I have to get you out of here. What happened yesterday is going to become more frequent, and Sammy may be hurt a lot more often. You need to find a special hiding place at all times. Hiding under your bed was pure chance that it worked. It may not work again," Howard sighed. "You should not be out in the open anymore, either. It won't be safe, and you'll be at risk."

"Sammy?" Sarine frowned. The boy was furious at this, but even he knew it would all come true. _I_ _f there was a reward put out for her, she would not be safe with me._ He just didn't want to admit it.

"Howard," Sammy growled. "if you can find those that you can trust that you know will help keep Sarine safe...then maybe. Just maybe. I'll let her go with you without a fight. But...I would like to see her on occasion. I am her best friend, after all."

"I'll look for people now. I need to get away from my family, anyways. They steal from me, and I hate it," Howard muttered. Sarine looked at Sammy and then moved to hug Howard. He blinked at this, and Sammy frowned.

"Be safe, How-How," Sarine said. He hugged her back tightly.

"I'll be back as quickly as I can. You stay safe, too," Howard said gently. She nodded, and he moved to leave. He had left enough supplies for her to live off of for a good year or two. Sammy sighed when he was gone, and Sarine was pulled into a tight hug. He was clearly jealous of Howard, and it showed.

"Let's find you a better hiding spot," Sammy said. He kissed her gently, and the monsters quickly prepared a place for her.

In the coming year, Howard's warning came true. Adventurers of all types came out to find her. Sammy was defeated multiple times from it, but Sarine was kept hidden so well that no one could find her. With Sammy's bracelet, she was able to see the Cloaked adventurers. She was able to avoid them, and she was able to get to the safety of her hiding spot before anything else happened. Whenever Sammy was defeated, his minions would bring him to her hiding spot so that he could rest with her.

Her hiding spot was a special room built into the wall. She was able to open the door from the inside, but only from the inside. She could close the door from the inside, too, to keep from getting locked out. Once it was closed, it could only be accessed from the outside by several switches that had to be pressed in a very meticulous order. Some switches weren't even used. Some were used more than once. Sammy was the only one able to simply gain access to the room whenever he wanted by his presence alone. Doll was always with her, and only his strongest Shinobi and Tengu warriors swarmed the place. A small throne was set up on a set of stairs, and that was where Sarine sat. Her bedroom was emptied, and all of her belongings were moved into this room. She didn't like being locked away, but Sammy always let her out the moment it was safe.

Everything was fine until one fateful day when three powerful Rogues descended into the shrine. They were identical triplets with black hair and green eyes. Their builds were fairly impressive, as well. But, they were notorious for doing foul things to anyone and anything they felt like doing them to. This included children. Sammy was resting with Sarine after a recent defeat, and he was weakened, or he would have tried to stop them right away. The Rogues were able to piece together the secret of the switches through trial and error. When the door opened, Sammy stared in horror at the Rogues. Sarine gasped that her room was discovered. All of the minions attacked at once. They were no match for the Rogues.

"So, you're the Incantation Samurai?" one Rogue grinned.

"Don't...touch her..." Sammy hissed.

"Oh, we'll touch her!" the second Rogue said nastily.

"No!" Doll gasped. She attacked outright and was kicked away into the wall.

"We'll do so much to her before we turn her in! She's so pretty!" the third Rogue snickered. Sammy growled and Healed himself as much as he could before attacking them. Sarine screamed, as she watched Sammy attack mercilessly. One Rogue was defeated, but the other two ganged up on him. Once Sammy was down again, they used a Yggdrasil Leaf and gave potions to their brother to revive him. Then the three glared at Sarine. She paled when she saw how they were staring at her.

"No...please no..." Sarine trembled.

"We like it when they beg," the first Rogue grinned, as he caught her before she had a chance to run. She cried out, and a hand was placed over her mouth. Then the other two started to pull apart her kimono to molest her. Hot hands moved to squeeze over her budding body quickly, and she tried to scream.

"NO!" Sammy screamed. Sarine was in tears, as a hand rubbed between her legs, and a finger was worked into her. Now she was in shock.  _They were invading my special place!_  She tried to kick out at them, but it made them all the more eager to continue. Then the three Rogues looked at the open door with shock. Howard was there. And he wasn't alone. When he heard that adventurers were constantly going to Amatsu, he had acted out of urgency to get back. Something told him that Sarine was in danger.  _To reach her quickly._

On seeing what was being done to her, he snarled with rage and charged with his Vecer Axe swinging left and right. The other five in his group were the rest of her extended family. He had managed to find them all. Seyren shouted at the torment being done to her and quickly overpowered a Rogue. Cecil fired her arrows, and another Rogue went down. Eremes waited off to the side to attack, if the Rogues tried to run out, and Kathryne cast Quagmire to slow the Rogues down considerably. Margaretha was quickly Silencing any Rogue that got close to her and slowing them down.

"You would dare to touch her in such a manner?!" Howard howled and struck out with his axe. The third Rogue went down soon after. He turned to Sarine to help her. She was crying, shaking, and trying to cover herself with the damaged kimono.

"Sarine..." Sammy sighed, relieved that she was safe.

"Margaretha! Can you Heal Incantation Samurai and the Miyabi Ningyo? They're friends," Howard said, as he helped Sarine dress. He was shivering from the emotions that tore through him from Sarine now. The Priestess nodded and Healed them quickly. Sammy got up and ran over to Sarine's side. He pulled her into a hug, and she was sobbing in his arms now. Seyren was in shock that such monsters were protecting her. Eremes was just amazed at how beautiful Sarine was.

"It's...not safe for you here...anymore..." Sammy said hoarsely through his tears of fright for her. He never cried before. He actually thought that he was going to lose her.  _And to think that I nearly witnessed her rape!_

"What do we do with them?" Eremes growled at the Rogues.

"Let my minions handle them!" Sammy hissed. The Assassin grinned and agreed with that. Howard was kneeling by Sarine, and she hugged him with relief that he was able to stop what was going to happen.

"Howard," Sammy frowned. "I'll let her go with you. But, first...I need to speak with her alone. Take Doll and go outside. I need at least an hour. Maybe two. I...don't know when I'll see her again. You won't be attacked out there. Doll will ensure it."

"I understand," Howard said. He nodded to the others, and they dragged the Rogues out. The moment the door was closed, Sammy's ghost filtered down into the boy's body to give them privacy when Sarine burst into tears again.

"I'm so sorry..." Sammy winced, as he hugged her tight. "I didn't know that they would...if I knew..."

"Sammy...!" she cried, and he kissed her fully now. His tongue moved into her mouth in such a way that it startled her with the deep intensity of it. He never kissed her like this until now. After the kiss was done, they were both trembling from it.

"Promise me you'll be safe," Sammy whispered.

"Sammy," she sighed. "I promise...but...I want...you...to be my first..."

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.

"Please, Sammy. I don't know when I'll get to see you again. I know I will...but...I don't know how long it will be. Will you...be my first love?"

"I thought I already was?"

"Well..." she frowned and pulled his hand down between her legs to touch her. He gasped at it, and she trembled. "Here. Be my first here. I don't...want to think about what just happened. I want...I want to know that I was touched by you. Not them. Please..."

"We're both too young! You're only fourteen! I'm...well, this body was always a boy!" Sammy frowned. He couldn't move his hand away. He wanted her badly right now, and he was shaking from it.

"We're both young, then. So? We can...um...experiment? Can't we?" she asked. He blinked at her and kissed her again. His black kimono was shrugged off, as her ravaged one was pushed off. The heavy scroll was able to be removed for small periods of time as long as he wasn't defeated and in easy reach.

"Experimenting..." he whispered. "Just that..."

"Yes...just...two kids...in love...wanting to see...to try..." she whispered, and he kissed her, as his hands finally moved over her body. Using the kimonos as a buffer for the floor, he guided her down onto them. He pushed himself into her, and she gasped from it. The only thing was he didn't break her. His body wasn't grown enough to do it. The moment he was fully inside her, he cried out with release. She was trembling and not quite sure what to expect. She thought there was supposed to be pain. That was what Doll had told her.

"I'm not...grown enough..." Sammy hissed, as he moved in her again. "I can't...break you...but..."

"You are still...my first love," Sarine whispered, and they kissed again. After he released a second time, he clung to her, trembling as he did so.

"Come back to me," he whispered to her, as he held her. "I don't care how. Just...promise me you will come back..."

"I promise," she vowed. "I will come back to you!"

"I love you!" Sammy whispered.

"I love you, too!" she breathed, and he kissed her again before separating from her. It was only after they both dressed and met the others for her to leave him did the dream sequence finally fade...


	52. Chapter 52

Sammy was in shock when he pulled back from Sarine. She was speechless from the whole thing.  _It was so real! It was almost as though it truly did happen!_

"Sarine..." Sammy trembled hard in her lap. "I...I wasn't expecting that..."

"You...love me..." she whispered. Sammy looked at her and kissed her desperately now. Then he pulled away from her and growled at how he would always be a child. Then they both blinked, as Valkyrie came into the room.

"Incantation Samurai. Come forward, please," the Valkyrie from Valhalla said.

"What?" he asked, as he moved over to her.

"My Lord Odin has witnessed this dream sequence. He is granting you your wish. I will give you a form that you can become. Should you either choose to share it with the others, or keep only for the Vessel's eyes alone, is your choice. It has been decided that you will not be married to her, as agreed. That you will help her when she needs you most. My Lord Odin has also decreed that you will share more dream visions when you are with her, as you suggested," Valkyrie smiled warmly and touched his forehead.

His body glowed white and grew to be as tall as Doppy's. He was as muscular as Howard's body and built completely in his likeness. He was as silent and deadly as Eremes was. His body held the honor and stance that Keltin's did. Odin made Sammy's body a combination of all of her husbands. His child body had a distinctive, youthful handsomeness to it. He was devastatingly handsome now as an adult. His skin went from a pale tan to a solid white, and his eyes were still solid black. His straight, white hair now reached nearly to the floor and was held together with a white leather thong. It all appeared to be an uncanny, even length, too. His black kimono covered his form neatly from shoulders to feet.

The scroll on his back had shrunk down into the form of a necklace on a golden chain to make it easier for him to carry. His Samurai ghost was in a feeling of complete elation from this, and it even looked a touch more advanced from the armor it possessed. Engraved dragons and ravens appeared to be in play all over with intricate designs. Even the massive swords the ghost carried looked larger, sharper, and could do twice as much damage now.

"Thank you," Sammy said and blinked. His voice was nearly as deep as Eremes's was, but had a much lighter aspect to it.

"Be honorable!" Valkyrie nodded and vanished from the room. Muninn was still glowing brightly. Then Sarine blinked, as her body hurt for a brief moment. Then she blinked in realization. _Daddy purged me just enough to let Sammy break me in. Something he couldn't do in his dream vision with me. My twins are in suspension from Muninn's time freeze. They were safe._

"Sammy," she whispered. "Daddy decided to...to let you be my first..."

"Did he?" Sammy gazed in wonder at her. She looked at him now and trembled. Sammy removed his black kimono and let it fall to the floor. She marveled at how his body was so different now, yet so familiar, since it was a make-up of all of her husbands. He moved his hands over her body and carefully started to undress her. He took his time with this now. The dream vision was so potent that he could almost see this as a first time reunion with her after being away from her for so long. He was trembling now, as she slowly helped him with her top by pulling the zipper down.

"Do you give me permission? To be your first again?" he asked gently, as he removed her shorts. "To gain access to your...special place?"

"Yes," she blushed a little at the innocent term. "You have...full access..."

"I'm sorry if I'm going to hurt you," he whispered, as he removed her boots.

"It's all right," she said and leaned forward to run her hand along his jaw. He trembled from it. He kissed her palm and slowly moved over her, as she lay back on the bed. Then she moved to lightly touch the new scroll necklace, and he smiled. His ghost settled into the body to not only give a sense of privacy, but to also enjoy the pleasure that was going to come. She gasped, as his mouth moved over her body now. She moaned, as he tortured her breasts, carefully paying attention to where the dream-Rogues ravaged her to remove the memories of it. He was making sure that that part of the vision never happened. Finally reaching between her thighs, he carefully opened her with his fingers first before moving his tongue in to massage her.

She cried out sharply at this, and he rode out her pleasure calmly. When he knew she was at her limit, he moved over her now and trembled.

"I love you!" he whispered fiercely.

"I love you, too!" she gasped and cried out when he claimed her. The pain briefly took over, as he made her his. He forced himself to wait and let her pain disappear before working with her. She cried out now with pleasure, and he moaned, as he locked himself as deep as he could inside her. He trembled, as he held himself there to enjoy the feel of her around him in silent wonder. As she kept voicing out her pleasure, he finally managed to thrust sharply into her, and he shouted, releasing hard. Now that the body was sated, the Samurai ghost took over.

She gasped when the ghost took over the body in full and started to pleasure her with a centuries old form of lust. She screamed out her pleasure with each thrust he did to her now. With a savage howling roar, he released incredibly hard into her, and his hands locked onto her hips to hold her there. As he ground his teeth together from the ferocity of the release, she was shivering and moaning with each spasm that rocked them. When it was done, the ghost released the body, and Sammy was heaving hard for air. Leaning onto her as gently as possible, he gasped when her hand moved over his chest.

"If you need to be with me again, let me know. I'll do everything I can to arrange a private meeting," he chuckled weakly, as he lay next to her now.

"You are the...doctor after all," she gasped and smiled.

"True. Isn't it?" he smiled and ran his hands over her belly. With the twins still frozen in time, he wasn't too worried about them. He glanced at Muninn, and he was surprised that he was still glowing brightly.

"Daddy must really like you, if he's giving you this much time to be with me," she smiled. He held her close and kissed her passionately now. Still locked within her, he moved slowly to bring them both to a lazy release. Exhaustion was setting in for her.

"This must be why, then," he sighed, as she yawned.

"Possibly. I'm going to be hungry when I wake up," she admitted.

"I'll have your husbands come up in a specific order so you can feed off them. One mouthful of blood from each, though!" he warned.

"I think Eremes needs to be last. I want to try feeding off of Ifrit. I didn't tell you, but Naght let me feed off him while he possessed Howard. It was...an incredible taste and extremely filling for me," she admitted.

"All right. I'll pull Eremes aside and tell him," Sammy nodded. "Until then, I think you need to sleep. I'll be right here, and I'll wake you when Muninn is ready to release his glow."

"Okay," she blushed, and he kissed her again, taking her one more time to fully exhaust her. Nuzzling her gently, he moved so she could lay against his chest.

"I love you," he whispered, as his hands moved over her form.

"I love you, too," she said, as her own hand moved to lightly caress his chest. He shivered and closed his eyes at the innocent gesture. He lay awake while she slept, and he kept pouring over the dream vision he had with her.  _This was going to be our secret. Our own little way of venting at everyone and everything around us. I should tell Doll about this._   _I can trust her with everything, and she was still my servant, in a way. At the same time, anything could slip out. Maybe it was best to keep this to ourselves. Our own personal bit of time together._  He would be keeping a rather close eye on her now around her husbands. The moment she started to show stress towards them, he'll likely be sweeping her away to calm her.

There was one thing that was bothering him.  _I'm able to shift between my child and adult forms. As much as I want to show off my adult form, I know that it would make the others worry. Maybe it was best to keep my adult form for Sarine alone. Or, only in case of dire emergencies, become an adult to best suit the needs of the party._ He'd have to seriously think about it.  _Maybe let them know the form was limited to certain situations?_   _That could work and ease the minds of the others. Maybe I could help in the tower with it._ He did feel that he learned an extra skill. On thinking of what it was, he grinned.  _I can cause random status effects on anything around me. I will need to be available in the tower with this form. I'll have to wait and see if it would truly be needed, though._

Feeling her snuggle against him brought his mind back to her, and he still couldn't believe how lucky he was to be able to be with her. Just the thought of Emilia even thinking of hurting her enraged him!  _If only I had let the dream vision become a reality and saved her when she was sick!_  To know that she almost truly did die and that no one cared for her...it sickened him. He was glad that the woman was dead, and that he killed her, himself.  _Sarine clearly did have the worst past out of everyone there. Trapped in darkness and left to die. No one would ever want that._

Glancing at Muninn, he saw the glow finally starting to dim, and he nuzzled Sarine awake gently. When she blinked her eyes open to see him, he smiled.

"Hmm?" she yawned, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Muninn's glow is dimming. It will be time for me to collect your husbands one at a time. As much as I don't want this to end, it must for now," Sammy sighed.

"Muninn? I'm still exhausted. Can you please extend the time a bit more? For me?" Sarine frowned. Muninn seemed to chuckle, and the glow came back vibrantly.

"Are you really that tired?" Sammy frowned.

"I am. But..." she smiled softly and moved to sit on him now. He gasped and worked with her until they both cried out with passion. Then she lay back against him, and she giggled softly before falling back to sleep.

"Absolutely insane. Yet, I love her all the more for it," Sammy laughed softly. He blinked, as Muninn flew over to him to perch by them.

_:Your form. Powerful. Is needed. At tower. Harder areas. You glow. There. Will help.:_  Muninn said.  _:Don't worry. Will be. Accepted.:_

"You'll make a glow around me to 'enhance' me, you say?" Sammy grinned.

_:Yes. Help others. Those Rogues. In dream. In tower.:_  Muninn warned.

"What?!" he growled.

_:They try. Attack Naght. Must help. Will find. Fight. Help Naght.:_  Muninn said. That worried Sammy a bit.  _If those three Rogues were trying to kill Naght, and they walked in on the fight, then, of course, I was going to help Naght!_

"Muninn, will there be any important monsters we will find in the tower?"

_:Yes. Many. One monster. Male Valkyrie. Cursed. Will free. But. Will want. Vessel. Be careful. She will. Need. Protection.:_

"A male version of Valkyrie?! That's unheard of!" he growled. "At least we'll know what to expect. And he'll want Sarine? Ugh. Who doesn't want Sarine other than Seyren? I feel awful for her."

_:At least. You. Understand. Not husband. You help. Monitor health. Love her. Yes. You become. Focus point. For her. Very important. Help husbands. Stress remover. Father Odin. Needs you. For her. Should have. Contacted you. Sooner.:_

"Well, I'm glad that I'm a fully recruited member now. I do tremble if her husbands find out I'm doing this with her without their consent. They'll want to fight me in this form, and I'll be able to be a bit more than a match. I would worry about Doppy, though. He's a mean bastard, if you piss him off too much."

_:Yes. Doppelganger demon. Loves her. Only her. Other girls. He hates.:_

"Speaking of other girls, what happened with the three that pissed her off in Comodo?"

At this question, Muninn flew to the ground and reverted to his warrior form to talk to him. His spear was glowing to show that time was still stopped.

" _Father Odin had discovered that the lead girl was going to try and portray herself as Sarine and spread false rumors. Their memories had to be changed and destroyed, or he would have killed them himself,_ " Muninn sighed. " _Such a thing is blasphemous and forbidden._ "

"Are you kidding me?!" Sammy growled.

" _We will never see them again. They will marry the three men that pestered Sarine later that night, and they will always be elsewhere. Father Odin will not allow Sarine to cross paths with them again. I can only alter memories once per human. Any more will damage their psyche, and I will not allow it. Death will be the only option, if they cross paths with her again. Worry not about that. Rest assured, they are taken care of._ "

"Well, for all that it's worth, thank you for letting me do this with Sarine. It...it means a lot to me. I was supposed to have been with her long ago, and, if I knew what was going on with her...I would have intervened so much sooner."

" _Of course! This is why you are allowed! Only you, though. You do not have the taint of Loki, or the want to always be with her. You understand your boundaries and see to her health at all times. You were supposed to have protected her, and, maybe, I should have convinced Father Odin to have me give her over to you. But, she would not have been able to grow as she has now. Yes, in time, Howard Alt-Eisen would have found her and torn her from you. But, bad things needed to happen to her, apparently. It helped humble her and showed her that things needed to happen for unexplained reasons. It is easier for her to adapt and change. But, now we must come back to the present. You will need to see to her husbands soon. The longer she is in stasis, the hungrier she will be when she awakens._ "

"I see. Muninn, a quick question for you. Do you think that it will come to pass for me to consume her blood and hers with mine, in turn?"

" _No. Well...maybe in dire emergencies. Her husbands will not like it, but they will understand. Especially if they are weak and you offer. They do know that it is for the benefit of the twins. You do not have to worry about that now. It is time to wake her, and you will have a choice. Show off your new form, or wait for the tower._ "

"I will wait for the tower. If I just go down there like this, then Doppy will want to skin me alive," Sammy chuckled. Muninn laughed and reverted back to his falcon form. As the glow dimmed, Sammy nudged Sarine awake gently. He kissed her passionately and pressed his forehead against hers, as he whispered to her of what needed to be done.

"How did you want to do this?" she whispered back.

"Muninn is going to make me glow in the tower. I have the ability to do random things to monsters, if they get too close. I honestly don't know what your husbands will think, but we'll come to that bridge when we reach it," Sammy smiled.

"I know we will," she sighed and winced at a sharp kick.

"Don't worry! I'm getting your father!" Sammy growled, as he rubbed her belly to calm the twins. They now knew Sammy as their personal protector, and calmed quickly at his presence. He kissed her quickly several times before pulling her into a desperate, branding kiss to show that he would only want her from this point forward. Then he helped her dress, and he pulled up his kimono. He shrank back down into his child body, and the Samurai ghost gained back its old appearance. The scroll necklace became the heavy scroll on his back again, and he shifted it around to carry it.

"Clever," Sarine chuckled. He felt her belly again and hugged her tight.

"I'm getting Howard now. Stay put!" he said.

"Yes, sir!" she grinned. As she waited, Muninn remained with her. When Howard finally opened the door and saw her, he blinked, as Muninn glowed.

"What is this about?" Howard frowned.

"I know we are pressed for time, so Muninn is making more time for us by freezing time around us. It's perfectly safe. I need to take a mouthful of blood from you and Naght. I need to make sure I will not go hungry in the tower. I'll need a mouthful from the others, too," she sighed. "Sammy's orders."

"Well, if a doctor said so," he grinned ruefully and moved to sit by her. "Any particular way you want to do this?"

"Well..." she smiled and ran her hands through his hair making him tremble and gasp. "Muninn is giving us about an hour..."

"Really?" he chuckled and started to undress swiftly, as she did the same. "Better make up for lost time, eh?"

"I am worried about Naght," she frowned. Muninn seemed to chirp to allow Naght the ability to come through Howard in the time warp.

"You have no need to worry about me," Naght said when he came forth from Howard. "I am just very worried about you. I don't want you to come to harm. I'm actually...very afraid for you. Quite afraid for you, really."

"A powerful demon is afraid for me?" she smiled.

"Always," he said seriously. "For our twins. For the mother of my twins. I will always be afraid for you."

They kissed hard now, and he took her with a fierce movement that proved just how stressful the whole situation was. Pulling her into his lap, he took out a knife to cut his neck open for her to feed from. Howling as she drank her mouthful from him, he thrust sharply into her for release. After it was done, Howard was given control, and he cried out, as she pulled another mouthful from him. When she did that, he drank a potion to remove the cut and he squeezed her to him.

"I love you, How-How!" she whispered.

"My Sarine! Mine..." he gasped, as he kept her close. "I love you...always..."

He kissed her possessively and made no move to let her go. He pressed her head against his shoulder and rubbed a hand over her belly. The twins moved for him and he smiled.  _My family was safe and loved. I will never let them come to harm._ Kissing her forehead, he rocked her gently against him. This was what he needed. It would always be what he needed.

"I should probably see to Keltin next," she smiled.

"All right," he sighed and pressed a kiss to the side of her temple. He tensed when she ran a hand up his arm to his shoulder.

"When Muninn starts to dim low, that is when he should be brought over. Not right now," she smiled and continued to trace her fingers over his skin.

"I am a bit worried, since we are human and not our monster forms. We are more susceptible to damage," he admitted.

_:Father Odin. Knows. Is why. Now. For Naght. Prove strength. Skills. Show others. Monsters. Not always. Needed.:_  Muninn seemed to chuckle, as he watched them. Howard blinked at this and smiled.

"True. We were not always monsters. I see now why Odin wants this done. Very well, then," he nodded. Muninn just then decided to break the ice about Sammy.  _If it came from me, then Howard couldn't complain. It would also prove to be easier to bear._

_:Incantation Samurai. Enhanced. In Tower. He does. Love. Vessel. But. Not husband. He values. Friendship more.:_

"What?!" Howard frowned. "Oh. So, he'll be enhanced, but won't lay any claim to my wife? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Howard," she sighed, and he hugged her tightly. Muninn dropped to the ground and became his warrior form to confront Howard fully.

" _I'm going to only tell this to you, since you are the one that tends to lead the others, in a sense,_ " Muninn said slowly. " _Father Odin wants Incantation Samurai to be there to help relieve any stress she has. Remember when she approached all of you at the arena and she was livid? Ready to kill you all with her new Light of Odin?_ "

"Yes. I do remember that," Howard nodded.

" _Father Odin said that, if he had to take Sarine back to his home alone again, then he may not want to let her come back to anyone. In order to prevent that, Incantation Samurai will be there to help relieve any unneeded stress. He is to be my sister's backbone when you all stress her out too much._ "

"Okay. A backbone. And how will he be relieving her stress?" Howard frowned. "He's in a child's body, so it's obviously not anything sexual."

" _Actually, he will be given an adult form,_ " Muninn chuckled.

"What?!" Howard growled.

" _Howard, do you want Sarine to be with you? Or taken away? That is your choice. Father Odin, himself, decreed this. Incantation Samurai may never have to be there other than a doctor. But, should you and the others start to have her break down, I would personally much rather see her happy than upset. Wouldn't you?_ "

"Sammy...would be..." Howard blinked and tensed. "Is there any other way? I know you said that he won't be a husband, which is a big relief on us, but is there anything else that we can do to avoid this?"

" _Don't make my sister stressed out?_ " Muninn grinned. Howard groaned, and Sarine sighed. He rocked her, as he thought and looked at her.

"What do you think of all this, love?" Howard asked her.

"Well, How-How, it's like what Muninn just said. If Daddy takes me back to his temple in the sky, you may never see me again. I think, in all honesty, that maybe going with Sammy's route will be best. He won't marry me, he obviously cares about me, and he truly does value my happiness, as well as your respect. He was, also, supposed to care for me during my youth. Why shouldn't he help me with stressful situations, if it's to help me gain back my favor of you?" she smiled. "I value him as a friend, too."

"You just want Sammy," Howard groaned.

"No!" she frowned and tickled his sides until he was gasping for air. "I value Sammy more as a friend! He truly is my best friend! If you want, well, think of him as a 'friend with benefits' for me."

"A 'doctor with benefits' is more like it," he sighed. "Well, I do like him. And, he does take care of you when it comes to your health."

" _Exactly. Only Incantation Samurai will have this ability with my sister. None others will. And, I can promise you that he will be the last. He will not marry her, as he knows that it will be far too stressful on her. He is thinking of her health and the health of your twins. Besides, Incantation Samurai cannot have children. His body is sterile, and he knows this. So, he sees all of her children as his own, too._ "

"He's...sterile? Damn!" Howard blinked. "Well, I can toss out the question of pregnancy! All right. I'll bite. I'll just have to make sure that my wife comes to no stress. I'll tell the others and explain it to them."

"Should I take some of Sammy's blood?" she frowned.

" _Only in dire emergencies. Save the blood giving for your husbands,_ " Muninn nodded. That made Howard even more relieved. He can see emergency donations of blood.  _At least it wouldn't be a constant thing._ Muninn did know that the future always twisted and turned.  _Sammy could even become something more, but, for now, this was the path set before him. Things could easily change._ The future always changed, and Muninn could only see what it currently held on the path they traveled now.

"Do you have any idea what his new body will look like?" Howard asked.

" _Think of a combination of all her husbands. It will help calm her and ease her mind. You will see it when we reach the tower. It is time to get Keltin._ "

"Right," Howard nodded and kissed Sarine deeply. "Oh, Muninn, wait five minutes before having time come back. Seyren pissed me off, and I want to throw something onto his chair before he sits down on it! I think it will get even for him telling me that I'm a pack rat."

"He called you a pack rat?" Sarine giggled. "You hate being called a pack rat!"

"So, I am going to do this and watch him soil his armor! I want him to have to clean it out for a good week!" he grinned. She giggled, and he squeezed her. Muninn seemed to chuckle at it and readily agreed. Another loving rub on her belly was given before he got up to dress. She simply remained in the bed, and she blushed at him. Muninn reverted back to his falcon form and flew up to his perch.

"I'll wait here," she smiled.

"I'm going to tell the others about Sammy, too. Give me a bit," Howard said, as he went down the stairs. She shivered now that she was left alone on the bed. Running her hands over her belly, she knew the twins were restless.  _They wanted Naght with them._ It was completely obvious with how they moved about now.

"Soon, little ones. Your other daddy will be here. Just be patient," she crooned softly to her unborn children. At her voice, they seemed to settle down. She started giggling, as Seyren was heard shouting at something he just sat in. Howard was clearly blamed, but was nowhere near him, and now had Seyren in a bind. Blinking now, as she looked out a window, she saw Sammy being confronted by Doppy, and she frowned. Then she saw Keltin, Eremes, and Howard go up to him to talk. She didn't like the situation at all. Yet, as she watched them, they seemed to be shaking hands and coming to various forms of conclusions. Then she overheard Sammy talking about the incident at Jawaii, and she heard the small exclamations of surprise. It was all hushed whispers, though, so it was hard to make out the full conversation. She was so focused on what they were talking about that she didn't see Keltin leave to head into the house just then. She blinked with surprise, as Keltin walked in and sat on the bed.

"Sammy was in shock with what Howard said," he grinned. "Ah, well. If Odin says so, he says so. We just won't let you get mad."

"That's good, then," she smiled and realized that Sammy played it off that he knew nothing.  _He was exceptionally smart._

"Oh, you'll never have to worry about those girls from Jawaii. Muninn had to change their memories to forget about you. That lead girl was planning something nasty, and Odin wouldn't tolerate it. So, you can forget about them," Keltin said.

"That's a big relief to me," she agreed. "One less thing to stress me out."

"Speaking of stress, Sammy's having Storm Caller make a special grove made specifically for helping you relax, and it will be off limits to anyone that has bad moods. It's a really thoughtful idea," Keltin chuckled.

"Oh! That is a grand idea!" she smiled, as he pulled her close.

"And, Seyren is going to be scrubbing out the cracks in his armor for the next month. I don't know how Howard was able to put that soggy pie under his butt before he sat down, but it's genius!" Keltin grinned. Sarine laughed and pointed to Muninn, as he glowed again to freeze time. Keltin laughed at this, and now he thought.

"So that's the secret! Hmm. I'll be right back," Keltin grinned, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and moved down the stairs. Then he came back up with a wider grin.

"What did you do?" she giggled.

"Oh, I put another soggy pie under Seyren's butt to confuse Howard, too," he snickered. She started laughing at this, and Keltin undressed quickly. Then he shifted into his Bongun form and undressed again.

"Why so many clothes?" she frowned.

"I think it comes from the forms," he shrugged. Then he glowed and one set of clothing disappeared. He gave a touch of a smile at it.

_:Fixed. All set.:_  Muninn warbled.  _:Clothing changes. With form. Now.:_

"Thanks! It'll be easier to get dressed," he smiled. "Oh, Sarine, love, I have a question for you. I want your opinion on it."

"What is it?" she asked with a soft smile.

"Did you want to feed off my Rage?" he asked her.

"Um...I don't know. I think it would be best for the others to be here for that," she said. Muninn seemed to agree with her.

"Makes sense," he nodded.

"Maybe after I finish feeding from you all. Then we can try?" she asked softly. He smiled and moved to gather her in his arms now. He shivered when she ran her hands up his arms to his shoulders. He gave her a soft kiss and let it grow into one of wild need. He missed her so badly that he almost forgot where he was. Pressing her onto the bed, he moved his hands over her, as he took her. She cried out with him when he released with several sharp thrusts, and he rolled with her to have her sit up in his lap. Howard had left the knife by the bed, and it was reached for. Making sure that she was comfortable, he gave her the knife.

"How much?" he asked as he let her scratch his neck open.

"Just a mouthful," she said. Nodding, he hugged her tight and cried out, as she locked her mouth on the wound. He thrust hard into her when he released, and she pulled away after she got the mouthful of his black blood. Gasping, he became his Champion form and cried out again when she locked her mouth back on the wound. She drew the blood out slowly, forcing him to feel every ounce of pleasure she could give him. By the time she finished, he Healed himself and collapsed onto the bed with her.

"I...can't move..." he sighed, and she smiled.

"I could be very mean," she grinned.

"Oh, Sarine...please...no more..." he begged.

"I thought you liked more," she crooned and moved her hand over his chest. "At least that's what you always told me before."

"It was a mistake!" he growled, as she sparked his desire again. He moaned, as she traced over his chest and swore when he moved to take her again. Kissing her hard, he brought her to a heavy release that managed to weaken her enough to let him recover.

"No fair..." she sighed. He managed to smile and pulled her close to him.

"Payback hurts," he grinned. Then he laughed when she poked his side.

"I'll show you something that hurts," she growled, and he moved quickly to pin her down. Planting a kiss on her now, she relented, and he got up.

"Eremes is last, right?" he asked, as he dressed.

"Yes. I want to talk to Ifrit, and that may take some time," she nodded.

"All right. I'll grab Doppy," he nodded, and kissed her lovingly before he moved down the stairs. Muninn's glow had just dimmed out, and he ruffled his feathers. Laying back in the bed, she sighed and ran her hands over her belly.  _I miss Naght. I miss Sammy. There are so many men in my life now that I love...it's starting to affect me. If I tried to remove one, it would hurt too much. One man turned into five, and Sammy wasn't even married to me!_  Then she looked up, as Doppy's tall frame entered the bedroom. When Muninn glowed, he moved to her side.

"Sorry Sari," he whispered and sat on the bed with her. He could tell that something was troubling her, and he asked, "Why are you upset? Come to me and talk to me."

"Doppy," she smiled, and let him pull her into his lap gently. "Just...so much is happening, you know? It's hard to tell up from down half the time."

"Yeah," he nodded and reclined in the bed with her, not bothering to remove his armor just yet. "Do you need to rest?"

"I'm okay. I think, after you, I may want to for a bit. Before I see to Eremes and Ifrit, that is. I don't know what I will expect from him," she admitted.

"You haven't been with him like Naght, right?" he asked.

"No. I haven't," she frowned.

"Muninn. When you glow, I want to be able to come into the room should something go wrong with Ifrit. Is that all right?" Doppy grounded out.

_:Yes. You wait. For anything. Will work.:_  Muninn agreed.

"Good," he said, as he moved now to remove his armor. He pulled Sarine off the bed and into his lap on the floor.

"Why don't you like beds?" she giggled.

"Too soft for my taste," he grinned.

"But, I'm soft..." she smiled.

"True. But, I don't sit on you, do I?" he grinned and laughed, as she smacked his arm. Then she thought and looked at him. He gave her a look back, and he blinked.

"Just for that," she smiled coyly and moved to work her hands through his hair to make him hiss with desire. "don't move a muscle..."

"Damn you..." he trembled.

"Don't move, Doppy..." she warned and carefully moved behind him to press herself against his back. He groaned, as her very touch raced through his skin.

"Sorry Sari!" he growled and whimpered. Her tongue licked up his neck with soft flicks. His chest quivered with each intake of breath he did, as he fought the pleasure back.

"Should I taste you, Doppy?" she breathed into his ear, and he stammered. Her teeth gently moved over his earlobe, and he fought for control. "Should I make you beg for me?"

"P-please..." he whimpered again. He never thought he'd ever want her as badly as he did right then and there. His entire body was shaking with forced control to dominate her before she dominated him. He had to fight back his instinct, and it was difficult for him to do.

"Please...what?" she moved her mouth over his shoulders now, and he was squeezing his eyes shut. He was breathing hard in small pants, and he started to beg.

"Let me move...!" he gasped. "I..."

"Hush, Doppy," she soothed and continued to lick down one arm. Then she moved quickly to the other. When that was done, she moved down his back, and he had no choice but to tense himself up. He was on the very brink of releasing, and she knew it.

"I can't..." Doppy hissed.

"Yes, you can," she smiled and moved in front of him to kiss him deeply to encourage him. Now she began the lengthy process of licking down his long chest. He was laying down on the floor now and was just barely able to control himself. He almost lost it when her hot breath finally reached his sex, and he had to make his hands into fists to control himself. When she took him down her throat, he finally cried out, and released hard into her mouth. She took him all down in stride and kept working on him even after that. When he was a gasping, heaving mess, she finally pulled away from him and moved to recline against him.

"Sorry Sari..." he trembled before falling silent with his eyes closed.

"Told you that you could," she smiled and ran her hand up his chest. He was too content right now to move. She wasn't even ready to drink his blood yet, and he was already at a certain point that he could just relax for a whole day. Pulling her to his chest, he kissed her deeply. A rumbling purr resonated from him now, and she moved to place herself completely onto him. He moaned and sat up to put his arms around her.

"I..." he whispered, and she kissed him fiercely. Putting her arms around his neck, she worked her hands up into his hair. He cried out, as he thrust sharply into her and released. She was in complete control of him now, and she reached for the knife that wasn't far off. Scratching his neck open, her mouth latched onto the wound, and he screamed out his passion for her. The mouthful quickly gotten, she pulled away, and he fell back against the floor completely passed out. A smug smile touched her lips, as she looked around the room silently.

Reaching for a potion, she rubbed it on his neck and lay down on him with her own form of contentment. Letting him recover, she smiled and realized that he did have a rather sensuous voice. _It would be interesting to hear him sing with it._  She felt him stir slowly, and his hands came up to rest on her back. Nothing more needed to be said. He knew his mate just got the better of him without any form of fighting.  _She dominated me._ He was completely submissive to her right now, and she knew it.

"I love you," she smiled softly, as he raised his head to look at her.

"I love you, too," he sighed and rested his head against the floor again. "You do know that, if the other guys found out that you kicked my ass with sex, I may never hear the end of it."

"That's why, should they say anything, I'll do the same thing with them as I've done with you," she said lovingly. He smirked at that and finally managed to sit up again with her in his arms. Purring even deeper now, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the comfort of her closeness. This was something he would never get enough of.

"No one else can compare," he whispered. "You are...always...everything to me. I have never felt so...so..."

"Human?" she smiled.

"Is that it?" he asked, as he gazed at her.

"You can feel my emotions now. You let me love you like a man and a husband. You love me as your wife. How else could anything else describe it?"

"I love you!" he gasped and kissed her desperately, as she pulled herself closer to him. No one else would ever affect him like this. He loved her unconditionally now and nothing was going to sway his heart from her. He just held her close after that and reveled in her.

"I'm...going to need to see to Eremes soon," she sighed.

"He can piss off," he grinned. She giggled, and he kissed her again. Rocking her against him, he sighed and looked at Muninn. The falcon was still glowing brightly.

"Still have a lot of time left," she smiled.

"Good," he grinned and picked her up to carry her over to the chair by the door. Leaning back into it, he cradled her there. Raising up her hand, she caressed his neck and shoulders. He was still purring, and it dwindled away when she fell asleep. Leaning back against the wall, he blinked, as he saw Sammy walk into the room.

"Muninn had me come here to keep you company," Sammy grinned.

"So I see," Doppy smirked. "She's sleeping."

"Oh, I know. I heard everything," he giggled.

"Did you really hear that now?"

"Yep! All of it!"

"Well, there is usually a rule about lovers from what Howard told me."

"Oh?"

"We watch each other with her. It sort of helps to ease the burden of it. You learn new things, too," he grinned. "It's quite beneficial."

"Really?" Sammy mused. "I'll definitely need to look into that."

"So, have you changed into this new body of yours yet?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. I won't say. You will see for yourself when we get to the tower. I have a new ability that lets me do random stuff to monsters," Sammy grinned.

"Really?" Doppy asked with surprise. "You know I'll want to fight you."

"Oh, I'm sure of it! But, we will have to wait until after Naght is free to come and go as he needs to. I want to save my strength."

"So, are you considered a demon?"

"Nope! I'm considered a demi-human type. You can't get stronger off of me!"

"Damn. It was worth asking," he grinned.

"Surely, from you," Sammy snickered.

"So, are you really over a thousand years old?"

"I'm not spilling my guts! We'll wait until we all get together to talk about such things. I have to leave some suspense in places."

"You learn fast."

"Have to around the lot of you! But, I will tell you this. I'm as tall as you are in my adult body," Sammy grinned.

"What?" Doppy asked. "No way!"

"Yep! And, apparently, ah! No. I'll wait."

"Oh, come on! You just started to spill it! You may as well finish it!"

"Fine! Just don't tell anyone!"

"You have my word," Doppy nodded. Sammy sighed and pattered away a bit before letting his adult form come forth. Doppy studied him and grinned.

"What?" Sammy asked.

"You look like a woman."

"Well, you look like an asshole. Nothing has changed about that, eh?" Sammy smirked. That had Doppy laughing hysterically. Sarine blinked awake and found out what was said. She started laughing and shook her head.

"Sammy," she smiled. He walked over to her and knelt to her side. Doppy did do a double take at the new look of the Samurai ghost that floated over him.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I want your personal opinion," she frowned.

"Why his?" Doppy asked.

"He's a doctor," she smiled. Nodding, he let her continue.

"What opinion?" Sammy asked, as he felt her forehead tenderly.

"Do you think...that I'm ready to face Ifrit?" she asked.

"That's up to you. Your body is healthy enough. Don't worry. Doppy and I will be right outside the door, if something happens," Sammy said gently.

"All right," she smiled and kissed Doppy once again before standing to stretch. "I am getting such a workout! Oh, before I forget, um, Doppy..."

"Yes?" he asked. He blinked his blue eyes with glowing red pupils at her.

"Remember how you asked me to...name one thing that you wanted me to ask of you? When you first fought with the others for me?" she asked.

"Yes..." he trembled. She moved back to his side and tilted his face up to hers.

"I want you to simply be yourself," she smiled. "That's all I will ever want you to do. Don't try to impress me. There is no need to do that. Sure, I dominated you today. Don't let it change you. If you want things to change, that's up to you. Just...don't change yourself too much. I still want you to be the bloodthirsty killing machine you always were. That is who I fell in love with, after all."

"Sorry Sari..." he whispered and pulled her close to kiss her passionately now. "When we are alone like this and out of the public eye, I will be completely under your thumb. Out there...yeah...I'll kill anyone that tries to touch you!"

"There's my demon," she crooned and kissed him again.

"I'm always your demon," he muttered with a small grin, as he remembered what Howard said about being her Whitesmith back in Jawaii.

"Are you?" she asked with a soft blush.

"Always. You make me so happy..." he smiled. At his soft chuckle at her, the pleasantness of his tone had her blushing even more.

"There was something else that has me curious," she giggled.

"What?" he grinned.

"When you remove the roughness around your voice, you really do have the voice of a Bard. We should try singing together sometime," she winked.

"What?" he asked. Sammy started to snicker, and he paused, as she leaned over and hugged him. Closing his eyes at the feel of her, she squeezed him.

"It's time for me to see to Eremes. You two will need to wait elsewhere until he comes here. Then wait outside the door," she sighed.

"Done," Doppy said, as he moved to dress and leave the room. Sammy nodded and reverted back to his child form. He hugged Sarine tightly.

"We'll be just outside," Sammy vowed.

"Okay," she smiled and watched him leave the room. Muninn stopped glowing long enough for Eremes to walk into the room. He saw her on the bed with Muninn glowing, and he chuckled as he moved towards her. When he sensed her tenseness, he paused.

"Sarine? Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"I wanted to be with you, and then with Ifrit," she said. "I...haven't been with Ifrit yet, and I am not sure how he will be."

"I see," he frowned. "Now I understand why you are nervous. I am sure that everything will be fine. Be with me first. Let me calm you."

"Okay," she smiled and watched him undress before moving to recline with her on the bed. He ran his hand over her belly softly. He seemed to smile when he felt no movement. _The twins were still locked in time to keep them safe._ He gave his own form of a fatherly smile, and she blushed softly.

"They grow so fast," he mused.

"I know," she sighed. "Can't be helped right now."

"So, how did you want to do this?" he asked.

"Like you said. Be with you first. Then we shall call for Ifrit."

"Good," he smiled and kissed her intensely. He pulled her close and gasped, as she worked her hands through his hair. Moaning now, he let her touch him and explore him. As she touched him, he moved his hands over her body to massage her. She groaned and whimpered, as he turned the tables on her. She relaxed on the bed now, and she let him massage out the aches and pains in her muscles and joints. When the massaging turned pleasuring, she arched herself, as he molded her to him now. He took her slowly, letting the pleasure build more and more until neither of them could stop the heavy release that claimed them both.

Gasping from it now, he just kept holding her close. She kept her head nestled against his neck, and she paused when he brought out a katar to carefully scratch his skin for her. Latching her mouth to the wound now, he cried out and thrust into her sharply. After she finished the mouthful, she pulled away, and he kissed her hard. They both rested together to help calm down, and he brought out a potion to remove the scratch with.

"I love you," she smiled, and he nuzzled her.

"I love you, too. Now what do you want to do?" he asked softly. She smiled and kissed him again before deciding. _It was time to talk to Ifrit._

"I need you to stand a bit away from me. I have questions to ask Ifrit before I let him have me," she said. "I really want to find out a few things from him."

"Heard and noted," he smiled and kissed her again. They winced at their separation before he backed away from her. As he stood over the bed now, she reclined back on it to watch him call Ifrit out. A heat wave rolled about the room when he finally took over Eremes. When his eyes glowed with their dull red pupils, Ifrit first calmly looked about the room. When he gazed down at her, he grinned.

"Before you lay claim to me, I have some questions for you, Ifrit," Sarine said softly. He seemed to growl, but he nodded.

"Ask them," he said in his hissing and spitting tone.

"Did you know that, when you leave Eremes, he has no body heat and it freezes him?" she asked with a frown. "I find myself having to try to help him regain his heat back."

"I do? No. I didn't know. I will leave some heat for him from now on."

"Thank you. We plan to be going somewhere important today. You are aware that we are going to be freeing Naght from his tower soon, right?"

"Yes. I will help when I can. I do see him as a brother."

"Good. Now, let me tell you about Incantation Samurai," she said softly. Ifrit listened carefully, and he was a touch amazed at what Sammy would be and what his role was. He did learn it from Eremes, but he liked hearing her voice. She was able to explain a few more things with a bit more detail to him, too.

"I see. I shall treat him as a brother, too."

"One last thing," she smiled. "I need to take a mouthful of blood from you. It's for my pregnancy. Do you allow it?"

"For you...anything is allowed," he grinned. Now she smiled, and he moved to claim her swiftly. He gasped, and she cried out at the intense heat wave he gave her. She was glad that her twins would be unharmed.

"Ifrit!" she cried out, as he roared out his completion. He kept thrusting sharply into her the whole time, and he filled her with so much heat that she thought she was going to combust! Only after he felt sated did he slow down and start purring. Then he remembered the blood and pulled her up to him.

"You can cut me," he said, as he gave over the katar. She nodded and made a careful scratch in the same area as before. He winced at it. Then he gasped, as her mouth locked on the wound. He never experienced pleasure like this before. He didn't want it to stop. He howled, and heat smoldered throughout the room. Everything was now so intensely hot that even Muninn was starting to feel uncomfortable. When she pulled the mouthful, she gasped at how it burned down her throat.

"That's it," she whispered, but he held her close.

"Again! Do it again!" he growled.

"I can't! Any more...it could hurt me..." she whimpered.

"Please?! Just...one more?" he begged. Trembling, her mouth locked on his wound again, and he gave himself over to the intense pleasure to a point that he actually started to hurt. Locking himself deep within her, as though to fuse himself within her, he was forced to retreat and recover. The pleasure he experienced from this was so much that it was hurting him, and he needed to see how to get around this for next time. Pulling herself away from the wound now, Eremes was a gasping mess. When he tried to separate from her, he hissed with pain, and she cried out. She had no idea what happened.

"What's wrong?!" she panted for air.

"I can't...he made it so..." Eremes was gasping hard. Sarine was starting to pant harder, and they were forced to remain perfectly still. If he tried to pull from her, it sent searing pain through them. It was also pleasuring, but they simply couldn't pull apart. She just barely managed to reach for a potion and that was exquisite torture for them both. After the potion was used, they finally tried to rest against each other, but that didn't last long. The suffocating heat was far too much for her, and she began to worry for her pregnancy.

"Eremes..." she finally said. "try to move...off me again? I just...maybe to the shower? To cool off? Maybe cold...will work? The room...is so hot..."

"Okay..." he whispered. Moving slowly now, he hissed with pain yet again, and she cried out again. It was as though Ifrit had permanently sealed them together.

"Muninn...we need help..." Sarine whimpered. The falcon gave a small cry, and Doppy came in with Sammy. They stammered at how hot the room was, and windows were quickly opened up. It was warm outside and made little difference.

"Ifrit...he made it...painful...to move...away from...her..." Eremes gasped. "We need...to get to...the shower...to cool off..."

"This will be tricky," Sammy frowned. "Wait! Bring Keltin in here! He may be able to use his Ice technique with his attack!"

"Attack? Attack what?" Doppy growled. "Let's try to move them first!"

"We can't move them!" Sammy said sternly. "They are in too much pain! We have to cool this room down now! Get Keltin!"

"Fine," Doppy growled, but he was clearly worried for Sarine. Moving quickly, Keltin was brought in, and he even brought in Howard to see what was going on. Muninn had glowed to let them into the time warp to help.

"Why is it so hot in here?!" Howard gasped. "Sarine! Eremes! What's going on? Can you tell me?"

"Ifrit..." Eremes hissed. It was all he needed to know.

"Can you move?" Keltin asked.

"Hurts..." Sarine gasped. "Use Ice!"

"Ice? Oh! It's my element, too! Maybe instead of attacking, I can use my element?" Keltin thought and took a deep breath. Then he focused on the room. A cold breeze quickly flooded from him and neutralized the area. Only then was Eremes able to successfully pull himself away from Sarine with a painful gasp, lift her up, and swiftly move her into the shower. She screamed, as the cold water touched her skin, and a wash of steam flooded out from the bathroom. Howard was just in shock at it. He never saw this before.

"Sarine!" Doppy growled, but Sammy stood in his path. "Move it!"

"No! I will not!" Sammy said. "She needs to cool off!"

"I don't care!" he snarled.

"Doppy!" Howard said, and the demon snarled at him. Keltin wasn't sure what to do, but they paused when Sammy's adult form came forth. The enhanced Samurai ghost demanded respect when any gazed at it.

"Doppy," Sammy warned in his deepened voice. "Don't do anything foolish."

"I..." Doppy hissed before backing down. "I'm just worried about her."

"Ever since Sarine dominated you, you've been overprotective. Calm down. Now!" Sammy growled out. Doppy tensed, and Howard blinked.

"Dominated?" Howard asked carefully.

"Through sex," he sighed. "I will only do what she tells me to do. I've never been so...so thoroughly put in place before. It's disturbing in a way."

"Wow," Keltin frowned. "I don't want to know how she pulled that off."

"It's not a laughing matter," Doppy muttered. "Yes, I'll be the usual ass out there, but, alone with her...with you all...you'll see a definite change in me from time to time."

"Doppy?" Sarine frowned, and he looked at her before moving to pull her up into his arms. "I'm okay now. See?"

"I know. I just..." he whimpered, and Howard's mouth dropped at the sound. _Doppy truly was dominated by her._ Sarine kissed him fully to show that everything was all right and only then did he regain himself again. Once he was back in control of himself was he was able to release her, and she moved to hug Howard and then Keltin. Then she saw Sammy and hugged him, too. He sighed, and she gave a soft smile.

"Eremes is passed out in the shower. Let me make sure he's all right," Sarine said, and Sammy nodded. When she left, Howard looked over at Sammy.

"You look like me. Sort of. In the body, that is," Howard said.

"Yes. I have your body type and build. I gained Doppy's height. I was given Eremes's silent movements and deadly accuracy for fighting. Keltin's physical stances and honor finish it off," Sammy said calmly. "I was made like this to calm Sarine down as much as possible."

"Just my height?" Doppy frowned.

"Well, I don't know what the other thing is yet. Maybe it will appear in time," Sammy shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see. Likely something you haven't discovered yet."

"I have to wonder what you look like under the robe," Keltin grinned.

"Not yet," Sammy frowned and went into the bathroom to check on Sarine. He helped Eremes out and placed him in a chair with Sarine on the other side to assist. A towel was wrapped around his waist, and he shivered a bit from the cold shower he endured. He didn't realize that Ifrit had left his body heat intact, since the room was so hot from before.

"That...was horrible..." Eremes frowned.

"We didn't know what to expect. Hopefully, next time, it will be better," Sarine sighed. Keltin and Sammy both Healed Eremes, and that helped him immensely.

"Thanks," Eremes said. Then he blinked at Sammy and gave a weak chuckle.

"You know, we are all here," Howard grinned.

"I don't know if Sarine has the strength for it," Doppy frowned.

"You guys are ridiculous! Ugh!" Sarine frowned and finally moved to pull Sammy down to look her in the eyes. "These husbands of mine are starting to piss me off again. Can you do something about this?"

"Really?" Sammy grinned a bit wickedly. "Well, I suppose in that case..."

Howard stammered, as Sammy dropped the black kimono to the floor. His body was as perfectly formed as Sarine's was, despite how deathly pale his skin was in the light. It was as though he was sculpted of polished white marble. Jealousy was muttered all around. The Samurai ghost seemed to laugh, as it settled into the body.

"Wait!" Howard growled. "Before you calm her down, tell us how it came to this point. We have a right to know."

"They do need to know," Sarine smiled. Sammy nodded and sat on the edge of the bed with her in his lap. Looking at them all with his pitch-black eyes, he pulled his hair aside to keep from sitting on it, due to its length.

"Very well. Odin let me have visions of what things would have been like, if they didn't go the way they were supposed to. The first vision I shared with her was to see what happened if I had intervened when she was sick long ago," Sammy said slowly. That brought startled gasps from the others, and Muninn chirped at them while he still glowed.

_:I show?:_  Muninn asked.

"By all means!" Sammy smiled. Muninn settled onto the table and gazed at the wall for the vision to come forth to display. As the four husbands watched, Sammy kept Sarine calm by gently caressing her back. When they gasped at what Sarine looked like when she first got to the underground shrine, Sammy gave her a gentle kiss. They chuckled at how Sarine helped Sammy with other adventurers, and Sammy nuzzled her. When everyone exclaimed at how young Howard was with his younger brother, Sammy gently squeezed her to give his support.

When it got to the part with the Rogues, Sammy pulled her into a heavy kiss to block out what the others were snarling about. When the snarls turned into outbursts of hatred, Sammy had carefully put his hands about her ears to keep her from getting stressed at what was being said. At the very last part of the vision, Sammy had pulled Sarine into a possessive hug. He glanced at the others, now that the vision was over, and Howard turned to look at him. Muninn seemed to chirp curiously at it, and he thought while he remained perched on the table.

"You should become a husband of hers," Howard said. "You are definitely worthy of the part after seeing that."

"I can't do that," Sammy sighed. "My body is sterile, anyways. And, I'm supposed to be helping her with her stress from the lot of you! Besides, she is only supposed to have four husbands. No more than that."

"Which is why only you are able to be with her without being her husband," Keltin frowned. "But, we see you as one of us."

"It's true. But, those Rogues..." Eremes frowned. "I want to kill them!"

"You'll have your chance, actually," Sammy grounded out. "They will be in the tower attacking Naght. I think that's why Odin wants us to go to Naght's tower today. I believe he knew that I would see them in the dream vision, and we'd find out."

"What?!" Doppy snarled. Sarine didn't know about this yet, and she whimpered.

"At least I'll have the chance to tear them a new one!" Howard growled.

"You and me both!" Keltin tensed.

"Sammy..." Eremes sighed, as he finally managed to dress. "you really need to marry Sarine and become one of us. It's...important..."

"But, I can't!" Sammy said again.

"Then let's find out why," Howard frowned and looked at Muninn. "Why can't he become a husband?"

_:Stressful. On Vessel. Or? Is it? Would be. But. All understand. Maybe different? I ask.:_  Muninn warbled and rose his head up to the ceiling. After a moment, he clucked and flew down to the ground to become his warrior form.

"Muninn?" Sarine frowned. He winked at her.

" _Incantation Samurai. Please come over to me,_ " Muninn said. Sammy pressed a kiss to Sarine's cheek, set her on the bed, and moved to dress in his black kimono before approaching him. Once he stood in front of Muninn, he nodded.

"I am here," Sammy said.

" _It is quite apparent that the others want you to marry Sarine and be a part of their circle. What are your thoughts about this?_ "

"I was told by Valkyrie that I was not to marry Sarine, as agreed," Sammy frowned. The others remained silent, and Sarine watched on the bed with curiosity.

" _If you were given the chance would you take it?_ "

"In a heartbeat. Half a heartbeat even."

" _And, you would always protect her and remove her stress the moment it appeared?_ "

"Always! That's not even a question!"

" _Be calm, Incantation Samurai. I must be certain of these things. Yes, Father Odin said that Sarine was to only have four husbands. But, things always change. The dream vision has seen to that, and Father Odin has agreed to let you be a part of Sarine's marriage. However, there is still a chance that my sister may succumb to stress. You will be fully responsible for removing it, as agreed. Or, the lot of you can keep his marriage to her secret to keep the four of you known and not him._ "

"I will make him known," Howard said.

"We all will," Keltin nodded. Doppy silently nodded, as well.

"Sarine, what do you think?" Eremes asked.

"Well..." she paused in thought. "I know that Sammy loves me as dearly as the rest of you do. He will always protect me. He was supposed to have been my first guardian, as well as my best friend. As for him being another husband...well...it would make me incredibly happy, since I know that I will not just be sleeping with another out of wedlock. It would make me feel much better about it. And, with him being able to be even closer would mean that much more, too. I always knew he was a solid member of ours once he made himself known. Not to mention that I do love all of my husbands as much as I love him already. As you have said...the dream vision saw to that."

" _And the four of you would welcome Incantation Samurai as a brother into your fold? Regardless of the risks?_ "

"We already have," Doppy grinned.

"He already has our builds...why not our welcome?" Eremes smiled softly.

"He is a worthy asset to us," Keltin nodded.

"He monitors the health of my twins, or I should say our twins. And, even though he's sterile, all of our children will become his at the same time. Especially if he shares his blood with Sarine. It's only fitting that he becomes a husband. But, I will be adamant that no more will happen after this!" Howard grinned. Sammy was just stunned at what they all were saying.

" _Now, Incantation Samurai, you do know that, if you do agree to become her husband, you will no longer be sterile. Right?_ " Muninn grinned broadly. That made Sammy's jaw drop, and his Samurai ghost seemed to pause in movement at this.  _My generation could continue._ The others blinked in surprise and smiled.

"To just know that...I could have a son...a daughter...it would..." he faltered and trembled. Sarine got off the bed now and moved to Sammy's side. Looking at Muninn, she was handed a ring and she placed it on Sammy's finger.

"Husband," she blushed, and he started shaking. He clung to her now, and the others nodded with approval. Muninn made the secret adjustment for Sammy to create children right then and there. He chuckled to himself. He definitely approved of this twist that presented itself.

"Sarine, share your blood with him now," Howard said.

"Are you sure, How-How?" she frowned.

"Yeah. I'm sure," he smiled.

"One mouthful," Sammy said, as he focused on how much.

"Of course!" she blushed. The knife was found, and Sammy sat on the bed with her in his lap. Keltin made a gesture for him to undress, and Sammy quickly took the hint. With the black kimono off again, he found Sarine swiftly back in his lap. The knife moved over her skin first, and she cried out when he pulled a mouthful of blood from her first. Trembling now, she had Eremes help her, since she didn't want to hurt Sammy too badly. Once the scratch was made on Sammy's neck, she latched on. Both the body and the ghost cried out with passion. After it was done, Keltin healed them both. They just rested against each other after that. Doppy was smiling softly at how everything worked out.

"Let's see..." Howard grinned, as Muninn reverted back to being a falcon to roost. "A Whitesmith, a Bongun slash Champion, an Assassin Cross, Doppelganger, and Incantation Samurai all walked into a bar..."

"Shut up, Howard!" both Keltin and Doppy said together. That made everyone start laughing. Sarine was just smiling wearily in Sammy's arms now.

"I think, after Naght's tower, we will all need a day to relax," Eremes said.

"Heh. We could go back to Jawaii," Doppy snickered.

"No!" Howard said quickly. "I think we can have a perfectly good beach day here at home. And the arena will also be working, so we can all enjoy it."

"Hmm," Sammy thought, as he held Sarine. "Maybe I can forgo being a judge for a day. I wouldn't mind sitting with you in your balcony."

"I'm sure that Dracula can judge for you," Sarine smiled, and he kissed her. "But, I do believe that it is time to free Naght."

"Eh, not yet," Howard grinned. "You need to rest first, and then we all need to take our turns. It's important that Sammy can see how we all love you."

"No, How-How," she frowned. Looking over to Muninn, a silent message in her glance was passed. Her twins came into the time warp. "And we cannot relax tomorrow, since we need to go to Louyang. And didn't Garrett mention that the King of Prontera would try to be here, too? That and I think your twins will let you know just how much they want Naght."

"What?" Howard frowned. Eremes winced, since he had forgotten about Louyang.  _Odin needed them to be there no later than tomorrow._  They had all forgotten about the King's possible visit, too. Sammy chuckled and moved his hands over her belly. Then she gasped rather sharply at their hard kicking, and even Doppy was wincing from it. Howard groaned, as the twins gained instant favor in getting to Naght.

"The children have spoken..." Eremes grinned.

"I am a bit weary, though," Sarine admitted. Then she winced, and Sammy felt up her belly to examine her.

"You need real food now. Blood can only do so much," he frowned.

"I'll get it," Keltin nodded. "Should we have time come back so we can tell the others what happened?"

"Nah!" Howard grinned. "Then I'll have to hear it from Seyren about the pie under his butt. I am curious about that second one, though."

"Great minds think alike!" Keltin winked. That made Howard burst out into laughter. Keltin moved down the stairs to bring up a small meal for Sarine. When he got back with a plate of meat and cheese, she was dressed, and Sammy had just put his black kimono back on. Doppy pulled her into his lap so she could eat. A chocolate bar was given to her when she was done eating, and she sighed when she was full.

"Are we ready?" Sarine smiled, as she finished off the chocolate.

"I think we are," Sammy smiled and reverted back to his child form. His wedding ring was still on his finger and was going to cause some questions. He'll likely answer them by shifting into his adult form. Sarine moved down the stairs first, and they all got into the positions they were in before time froze. When time came back, she was walking back to the others.

"Where were you?" Seyren asked. "You all just disappeared!"

"Sorry. Muninn needed to speak with us discreetly," Sarine smiled.

"Really?" Garrett asked. "About what?"

"About me!" Sammy grinned and flashed his new wedding ring.

"What?! You're a kid!" Cecil gaped.

"Not quite," Sammy grinned again and reverted into his adult form. Silence spread quickly among the others, and he couldn't stop the small grin that appeared on his face.

"You're an adult," Garrett blinked.

"And a make-up of all her husbands. You could say that I'm the 'stress reliever' of the group. That and I have the ability to cause monsters to do random things, if they get too close," he chuckled in his now deepened voice. "Anyways, it's time to head into the tower."

"Wow," Coraline said. "You look sooo hot!"

"Thanks. But, I'm married," Sammy winked and moved to Sarine's side to kiss her deeply. "And very much in love."

"Why not me?!" Coraline groaned. "Oh, well. I'll have a chance soon!"

"I'm sure you will. When we get back from Naght's tower, I'm sure I can hook you up with someone," Garrett promised.

"Please do! Maybe I'll be able to get some sleep at night!" Donnie groaned. Lloyd and Margaretha chuckled to each other, and Seyren was still trying to clean out pieces of pie from his armor. He kept finding small traces of it that he missed, and he was highly pissed off.

"Still having trouble, Seyren?" Howard grinned.

"It's your fault!" Seyren growled.

"Well, you called me that one thing I don't like to be called," Howard retorted.

"I knew you had something to do with it!" the Lord Knight scowled.

"Seyren Windsor! Did you really insult Howard?" Karla asked.

"But...but he put pie in my armor!" Seyren frowned.

"You didn't look where you sat down. I merely misplaced it, and, somehow, it ended up on your chair," Howard said. "Not my fault!"

"Ugh..." Sarine frowned, and Sammy looked at her. Then he gave a glance at Howard with a smile and crossed his arms over his chest.

"No! She's not stressed!" Howard said. Doppy smirked, and Eremes just sighed and rubbed his forehead. Keltin grinned and seemed to shrug.

"I just...I want to free Naght..." Sarine sighed and rubbed her hands over her belly. That made a completely different shift in the group.

"All right, all right," Seyren sighed, as he worked the rest of the pie out of his legs. "I'll get the rest of the crumbs later. Let's go."

"Sarine?" Sammy frowned, as he moved to check on her. The Samurai ghost came out, and everyone gasped at how different he looked now.

"Every moment Naght is trapped, I can feel his anguish," she frowned.

"What?" Howard asked.

"Please, How-How. We need to free him! Your twins...his twins...they want him, too!" she whimpered, and Howard blinked, as Naght came forth to run over to her and hug her tight.

"Calm yourself, my love," he whispered and kissed her forehead.

"Were you able to see the dream visions?" she asked him.

"Yes. I am aware of the intruders. Don't worry. I'll let them think they have the upper hand. I'll stall them until you reach me. You must all hurry!" Naght said.

"We are ready to leave!" Seyren said after hearing about intruders.

"Good. Which monsters are coming with?" Naght asked. Pori-Pori, Windwalker, Doombringer, Justice, Defender, Vengeance, Vagabond Wolf, and Eddga came forth. Storm Caller had to stay to watch the home and the prisoners under the house.

"You are staying on Windwalker's back the whole time!" Sammy ordered. "You can't attack anything! The pregnancy may advance, if you do."

"I know," Sarine nodded. She was placed on the Gryphon's back quickly, as Muninn landed on Sarine's shoulders protectively now. Naght then had Muninn move the whole group into his tower without another moment of hesitation.


	53. Chapter 53

They all paused to take in the dark surroundings. There wasn't much to see, since the only light there was from glowing candles. Sarine shivered and trembled. It reminded her much of her old cell from long ago. Howard could almost feel the uneasiness she had and muttered to the others. She was quickly comforted by her husbands before they got ready to fight. Seyren drew out his sword, and Howard took out his Vecer Axe. Sammy stayed by Windwalker, but he took out his Masamune sword. He was glad he kept it on him instead of putting it in the treasury now. Keltin remained near Windwalker, as well, and Eremes poisoned his katars. Doppy took out his sword and glared at the surroundings before looking at Sammy with a chuckle.

"You still look like a woman," he grinned.

"And you still look like an asshole. Asshole," Sammy grinned back. That caused a lot of laughter in the group, and Sarine shook her head with a sigh. Then she called them both a couple of intricate swear words that had Howard stammering with laughter.

"You win!" Doppy laughed. He readied himself, as they all moved into the first room. Each room they went through held a different type of monster race. Various Poring type monsters filled the first room. The second room held various wolves, but a brown Desert Wolf joined them and vanished to the island home. A rogue Vagabond Wolf was there and was quickly dispatched. Various skeletons were in the third room, and quite a few of the monster types vanished before the room was cleared.

Insect-type monsters were in the fourth room, and several of them disappeared to the island home. In the fifth room was a rogue Golden Thief Bug that was dispatched. They had to work swiftly through the rooms as fast as they could. Any monster that could be recruited was done instantly. In the tenth room, a Mistress monster was there. The wasp queen moved to attack, but Sarine was there when Huginn emerged.

"Mistress! Stop and listen!" Huginn commanded. The wasp queen stopped quickly with her wasp escort and buzzed in question. "The time has come for you to join us in the coming war! Separate from your darker self now! I command you!"

Mistress screamed in pain, as she split. She paused after it was done.

"I guess some strong monsters here are able to be recruited," Keltin mused.

"Speak with Storm Caller at the island home. The Balance has now been preserved, as our Lord Odin commands it!" Huginn said. Mistress nodded and vanished, and Sarine slumped unconscious. Sammy was there to help her, and they waited until she came to. When Sarine nodded to them, they moved on. Every room they went to had monsters quickly vanish to the island home. Various stronger monsters were judged by Huginn, but found to be false. At the twenty-fifth level, Keltin paused at the familiar sound of a jingling bell.

"Moonlight Flower!" he hissed.

"Keltin, come to me," Sarine said quickly. "Remember. You are a human now. She can do nothing to you."

"I know," Keltin frowned, as he moved to kiss her, and let Huginn come forth to recruit the yellow cat-like demoness. Once it was done, he felt relieved. Kissing her when she came to, it was time to proceed to the next quarter of levels. At every five to ten levels, a strong monster was either recruited or quickly killed off. Pori-Pori was enjoying himself immensely, as were the other monsters. They weren't able to recruit the strong monster Maya, as she was a fake.

It was the same with Evil Snake Lord. They would need to find Maya in the underground ant nest, and Evil Snake Lord would need to be found in his floating dungeon above the city of Gonryun. A silent list was slowly kept for the stronger monsters needed, and there were quite a few of them. Huginn would come out for each one and announce if the monster was fake. It seemed that all of the others approached were just that.

Luckily, the bug monster, Phreeoni, was also a true stronger monster that was able to be recruited. It resembled a large, pink monster with wing-like arms. Green branches in the form of a frill seemed to come out of its head. The shape of them almost resembled plant-like horns, and it had four eyes. A massive mouth filled with sharp teeth was the next thing noticed, and it seemed to hop about on tiny feet. A large tongue would come out, and it would lick itself to Heal. It would become a very powerful ally in the future.

They encountered a room filled with robotic monsters called Aliot and Aliza. One of the Aliza monsters went away without a fight, but Aliot seemed to pause when he saw Sarine. He didn't want to go back right away, but he knew he had to. In time, he would make himself known to her. He felt that it was important.  _She needed to know me._  After a few more rooms were cleared, Sammy had them stop so he could check on Sarine.

"I'm so drained..." Sarine frowned.

"What's wrong?" Keltin asked quickly.

"It's Huginn," Sammy sighed. "With Huginn constantly taking her over, it's draining her. There's no way we can rest, is there?"

"With those three Rogues heading to Naght..." Eremes growled.

"What Rogues?" Seyren frowned. "I know Naght mentioned intruders, but how do you know who the intruders are?"

"Long story," Howard muttered.

"Tell us as we fight?" Karla asked. Sammy nodded and started to explain the dream vision he shared with Sarine, as they continued. They were all amazed at it. When he got to the part with the three Rogues and what they tried to do with Sarine, Seyren made them all stop after clearing a room. He turned to stare at Sammy.

"You have got to be pulling my leg!" he growled.

"It's what happened in the dream," Sammy said with a grimace.

"They tried to...but..." Mitchell stammered.

"And they are in this tower now?!" Kathryne asked. When Sammy nodded and finished telling them of the dream vision, Garrett was amazed by the whole thing.

"So, in the vision, you and her as kids...did it?" Coraline blinked.

"Yeah. We did," Sammy sighed.

"Well, it didn't really happen, so I'm not going to worry about it too much," Howard said. He was clearly jealous about it, but it was a vision.

"You can have other visions, too, right?" Seyren asked.

"It's possible. I want to focus on the here and now, though. We have another twenty-five levels to clear. Sarine is getting more and more drained. We need to hurry," Sammy urged. The others nodded and continued. Now the monsters were getting stronger and recruiting still went underway. Huginn came out when he was able, and it drained Sarine that much more. A Yggdrasil berry was given to her, and it did replenish her strength enough to continue.

When they came to the room the false Doppelganger was at, Doppy enjoyed killing it with a form of savage glee. They kept going and grumbled that the stronger monster, Lord of Death, would need to be reached in the realms of Nifflheim. A false Incantation Samurai was found and destroyed swiftly. Moving forward again through the levels, they paused, as they needed to let Sarine rest a bit, and they pondered on what type of strong monsters they were destroying. It wasn't their true darker doubles that they were killing.

It almost seemed like shadow images that held the same powers. No one was sure what to make of it, but Sarine was starting to show exhaustion and stress. Sammy was at her side quickly to kiss her and removed all of her stress just by being near her. Eddga rumbled to her to offer his support, and she smiled at him. He was exceptionally attentive with her, and Eremes realized this. However, he kept quiet about it. With Eddga's Stun attacks and Sammy's random attacks, the rooms were easy to conquer. They were all heading through the tower in a record time with the urgency they had.

As they continued, they paused to find a wave of heat approach them. When Sarine looked up, she gasped. _It was Ifrit. But, it wasn't truly Ifrit._ Eremes growled and called the true Ifrit out to examine this one.

"Kill it!" Ifrit howled, and everyone attacked as one. "Nothing may impersonate me! I refuse to allow it!"

When it was defeated, he moved swiftly to Sarine's side and pulled her close to plant a fiery kiss on her mouth. He then apologized for what happened in the bedroom and vowed to make it better next time.

"It's all right, Ifrit. None of us knew what was going to happen. When we find you, it will be joyful and well worth it," Sarine smiled. He kissed her again and gave back Eremes. He was a bit surprised that some of his body heat was still there. When she told him that Ifrit didn't know that he was taking away his body heat, Eremes now nodded in thought. She was happy that Ifrit agreed to fix it and did so rather quickly. Kissing her deeply now, he hugged her tight and nodded to the others that he was ready to continue. Howard chuckled, and Keltin grinned a bit. Doppy readied his sword, and Sammy made sure that Sarine was well enough to continue. At Sammy's nod, they moved into the next few chambers.

They reached a room where Beelzebub was waiting, and the massive demon paused, as Cecil approached him. After a short conversation, the blood within her was awakened, and Huginn spoke with Beelzebub. When Huginn appeared, the Demon Lord seemed to think. A bargain was made to be like Baphomet where the demon could come and go as he pleased. But, Beelzebub made it clear that a visit to a special island would need to be made at night. The promise of an item to be gifted was hinted at, if the journey was done. He also stated that he may not appear at the island home right away. He wanted to see if they could reach him first as a test of strength. That was agreed to, and they simply continued on.

The next powerful monster they found was Fallen Bishop Hibram. A discussion much like Beelzebub's was given, and Margaretha's blood was awoken for Fallen Bishop Hibram to see through her. Margaretha didn't quite like it, but it wasn't only to help Sarine. It was also done to help her understand who it was that was put in her. She began to understand that not all demons were horrible, and it helped ease the fact. The demon was human at one time long ago, and she realized that he was almost exactly like her. He simply couldn't return to his human form, and it rankled him. Now she felt sorry for the demon. Lloyd gave her a hug to show that she was not alone, and it helped her greatly. Huginn gave Fallen Bishop Hibram access to the island home so that the demon could travel back and forth.

Like Beelzebub, Fallen Bishop Hibram wanted them to visit the same island, as he was found in the same location, just a different area. He would wait and see if they could make the journey there first before deciding to make his way to the island home. He wanted to be on par with Beelzebub. After agreeing to this, they were sent to the next room to continue through the tower. Sarine didn't see what either of the stronger demons looked like, but she had no idea that neither demons were going to appear at the island. To them, she wasn't ready for them yet. They didn't see her as being ready until she physically went through their island of horrors.

The next few rooms were grueling, but they made it through. When they reached the ninetieth room, they paused, as a false warrior Valkyrie was staring them down and ready to fight. Everyone paused with surprise at this.

"Shit!" Doppy hissed.

"Wait," Sarine frowned and searched her pack quickly to pull out the flower that the true warrior Valkyrie gave them. Plucking a petal, the true warrior Valkyrie appeared at her side.

"You called?" the powerful Valkyrie asked. When she saw the false Valkyrie, she took it as a personal insult and charged into it, as she called her warrior maidens to assist her. This let the group rest, and Pori-Pori helped out immensely with the warrior Valkyrie. Sarine gave a weak smile to Sammy, and he had her eat another Yggdrasil Berry.  _We have to get more of the fruits when we are able._ When the false warrior Valkyrie was defeated, Pori-Pori went over to Howard and spat out a card, some armors, and an Old Card Album. Sarine pulled a card out of the album and blinked that it was to a basic Poring.

"Just our luck, eh?" Doppy chuckled. She giggled at him.

"What is this place?" the warrior Valkyrie asked with a frown, as she had her maidens vanish for now. "Where are we?"

"This is the tower of Naght Seiger. We are working to free him as Odin, my Father, commanded it," Sarine said. "We wanted you here to see what this tower can do, as well to assist us in vanquishing that false version of you."

"I see. I shall accompany you the rest of the way," the warrior Valkyrie nodded and replenished the petal on the flower. "Your calling me here was worthy. Let us go."

"As you wish," Sammy nodded. She did a blink at him, and Incantation Samurai explained his role with her. This had the warrior Valkyrie a bit stunned, but, if it was what Odin wanted, she was not going to complain. They kept fighting through the rooms and paused when Sarine needed a small break. After she had regained herself, they continued.

When they finally reached the last three rooms, they paused at the four abominations that were in there. They all looked like cursed creatures. One resembled a woman walking crab-like with a Demonic grin on her face, as she looked at them upside-down. Another looked like a mud monster that was constantly dripping a form of shadow-like slime. A third came up to them that resembled a white, glowing ghost of a man. But, it was the fourth that made the warrior Valkyrie hiss with outrage.

It was the male version of the warrior Valkyrie, and he was hovering over the ground with the same black wings that she had. He had the same type of torn cloak as she did and much of the same armor. His hair was blond like hers, but cropped short under his helmet. He did not have a gauntlet on his free hand, but he carried a massive, smoldering hammer that misted much like her spear did to show it was a very powerful weapon. His handsome, deep-blue eyed face glared back at her, as she glared at him.

"Cursed one!" she hissed.

"Not cursed," he growled back in an echoing voice. "Thanks to you, I'm free!"

"What?" the warrior Valkyrie blinked.

"I'll help you kill these others! Then we will talk!" the male Valkyrie growled. They all nodded and the other monsters were swiftly dispatched. Then the male Valkyrie turned to move over to Sarine to see the Mark of Odin on her neck. He gazed at her in silent wonder.

"Is something wrong?" Sarine asked.

"Not really," he said. "But...well...I'll want to talk to you later. Alone, if possible."

"I don't think that would be...wise..." Eremes hissed in warning.

"And who are you to her?" the male Valkyrie asked.

"Her husband," Eremes said calmly. "She has...five husbands now...and all of us are...present..."

"Be careful of what you say and what you wish to do," Sammy frowned. "If you wish to speak with her, it must be in front of us. Muninn is also her falcon and will always know what is going on. She is never truly alone."

"You may be a monster like myself," Doppy snarled. "but, if you think I'm going to just let anything try to touch her, then you better have something else to think about! We love her. Incantation Samurai just earned his place with us. He has also done much for her during the time he has been here. We five alone are her lovers, as well as her protectors. You can ask any of us here what we have done for Sarine. We will all tell you that we all saved her, helped her, and befriended her...now we love her. And we will all kill for her. Eremes already has. And...I have, too. Without any form of regret!"

"What?" Sarine frowned, as she looked at him. The others looked at Doppy now, and Eremes seemed to wince. Doppy had confessed this to him some time back. Now he was talking about it freely. Doppy sighed and explained what he would do to protect Sarine while he protected her in the tower. Howard instantly approved of everything, especially when he talked about how one man tried to rape her. He would have done the same exact thing.

"How many, Doppy?" Sarine frowned.

"About twelve," he grimaced. That brought a gasp from a few, but she just held out her arms to him. Doppy groaned before moving to hug her tightly. Whispering to him that everything was all right now, he kissed her deeply and held her. Sammy smiled softly and looked over at the male Valkyrie.

"Do you have a name?" Sammy asked.

"A name? Not really. If you want to give me a name, then I'm fine with it," the male Valkyrie shrugged. "I'll go with whatever you come up with."

"We'll think of one while we move on," Howard said. Doppy kissed Sarine again and smiled a gentle smile only for her.

"When we get home, Doppy..." she smiled and whispered in his ear. He tensed and whispered back to her, making her giggle and blush. A kiss was given to her cheek, and he moved back into place within the group. Keltin looked over at Doppy to give a small grin, and the male Valkyrie had a slight tinge of jealousy.

"Still cursed, you are," the warrior Valkyrie frowned. "You should not give in to the wants of human flesh."

"I'll do what I please," the male Valkyrie growled.

"We will discuss all of this at a later time," Sammy frowned. Seyren could only nod at it, and the next room was challenged. The fighting was a bit easier with the help of the Valkyries now, especially when they encountered the clones from the Biological Laboratory in this room. Howard was baffled at how they got there, but the tower that Naght was in was a magical cage.  _Anything could be brought in from anywhere or recreated as needed, apparently. The tower was designed to attract the strongest of monsters for his army, after all._ In the ninety-ninth room, they had a battle on their hands with multiple stronger, yet lesser monsters that included a wide variety of ones they already fought. It was actually the toughest fight they had all day. When it was cleared, the last room was encountered.

It was in here that Kathryne paused, as she encountered the demon stuck into the ground. Her instincts made her realize that it was Entweihen Crothen. It resembled a skeleton bound to a stake and covered in thorny rose vines. It looked like two skeletons, but it was truly only one. There was even a venomous snake that watched them, and the skull's eyes glowed a dull red. Since it was not an actual specialized demon, it was clearly different, and it vanished to the island home. The others blinked, as it was a rather interesting demon if it was not a stronger monster, itself. Kathryne would need to speak to the demon later.

After it vanished, Sarine swallowed, and they were all warped into the last room where Naght was. It was here that she gasped at the sight of the three Rogues cornering him and taking turns attacking him. He was almost defeated, and it tore at her.

"NAGHT!" Sarine cried out sharply, and she tried to move off of Windwalker's back to help him. Sammy caught her and held her against him to keep her safe. The massive demon glanced over, and now a change took place in him.  _My mate was finally here._  The three Rogues looked back at her and seemed to grin.

"Such a pretty thing!" the first one said.

"Maybe we can play with her when we are done?" the second one said.

"We are almost done here," the third one grinned.

"TOUCH...NOT...MY...MATE...!" Naght howled and used his skill of Full Heal. All of the damage the Rogues did to him was gone. They hissed as one and looked back, as the others charged forward to help Naght. Pori-Pori had a Rogue flattened against a wall, as Eremes tore out his throat. At his death, the other two Rogues cried out with vengeance that their brother was killed. Doppy ran another one through and tore him in half. The last one was killed off with a wave of murdering justice from the rest of them. Once the battle was over, Naght was at Sarine's side instantly and had her pulled up into his embrace. He felt the twins to reassure them that all was well and just continued to hug her tightly.

"I am done here?" the warrior Valkyrie said.

"Yes. Thank you," Sammy said. She nodded and vanished quickly afterwards. Naght was just grateful that Sarine survived his tower. He looked over at the others now and seemed to nod. He was ready to start up the ability to come and go as he pleased. Muninn warbled, and a specialized Warp was made. They all left to go back to the island home without another word.


	54. Chapter 54

When they got back, Naght simply stood there in silent wonder with Sarine in his arms. He never expected to be free. There was only one thing he wanted to do now, and he moved swiftly. Far more swiftly than anyone could realize. He carried Sarine to the ocean cliffside that he brought her to some time ago. Once here, he dug his swords into the ground and set her down to gaze at her.

"Naght..." she whispered.

"Let...me...love...you..." he whispered back. She undressed quickly, and he covered her with his presence alone. Crying out sharply, she let him do whatever he wished with her. He surrounded her with pleasure. He filled her with pleasure. Every fiber of her being now belonged to Naght, and he made sure she knew it. For the next hour it was just endless pleasure being given over and over to her. When he finally drew back from her, she was whimpering. He pulled her up to him and ran his hands over her body. This forced even more pleasure to move through her. She screamed out at her completion at long last, and he simply held her now to let her rest. She managed to snuggle into him now, and he sighed.

"Oh, Naght..." she whispered. He purred now and caressed her lightly. Then he looked over, as Doppy jumped down to see them.

"Feeling better?" he grinned. Howard was able to tell him where they were.

"Much..." Naght chuckled. "You...?"

"I've been better," Doppy nodded and switched into his Demonic Tongue to talk to Naght easily. Sarine blinked, as Naght was speaking far more swiftly now, and she figured that it may be best to speak to him this way in the future. When they finished talking, Doppy handed Sarine her clothes to let her dress in Naght's embrace. She was quite drowsy after the pleasuring she got, and Naght had Doppy hold her, as he collected his swords. Then Doppy grinned and said, "I still want to fight you."

Naght laughed, and they made arrangements to test their strengths at the arena at some point in the future. She whimpered a bit in Doppy's arms, and he looked down at her with a smile. She gave a weak smile back, and he kissed her deeply. Gasping as pleasure still overflowed her senses, he chuckled and looked over at Naght. Another conversation ensued, and Doppy grinned widely.

"What?!" she blinked. He sat down on the ground with her and started to undress her again, as well as himself.

"You heard what he wants! He wants to watch what I can do with you," he grinned. She gasped now, as he ran his mouth over her skin. Crying out sharply when he reached between her thighs, Naght looked on with interest. Doppy's rumbling purr made Sarine a whimpering mess by the time he finally claimed her, and she cried out from it. He roared out his completion rather quickly with her and kept himself from collapsing onto her. Naght already had some ideas for the next time he was with her.

"We...must...go..." Naght hissed. Doppy could only nod and managed to dress Sarine and himself once again. Naght picked her up now and chuckled, as she whimpered. Both demons moved swiftly to head back to the house at a matched pace.

"There you are," Howard grinned and was handed Sarine. "Eh...what did you do to her? She looks very tired."

"What do you think?" Doppy smirked. Keltin chuckled, and Sammy went to check her condition. He was still in his adult form, and he grimaced.

"She needs fluids. And a good meal. No one is to touch her until she's rested," he said. That made Eremes smile slightly, as he moved to get her the meals she needed. Howard moved her into his lap to hold her, and Garrett walked over to them.

"I'm going to head to Prontera really fast. Hopefully, I'll be bringing back a friend. Just wanted to let you all know," Garrett said.

"I'll go with you!" Karla said. "I need to empty my cart from all this loot, and I need to see what I can purchase in town, anyways. Food and such."

"Or fancy furniture?" Sammy grinned.

"That never hurts, either!" Karla laughed, as they left. Eremes brought out a small plate of Spicy Shrimp for Sarine and an ice cream cone. While she ate, a chocolate drink was brought out next with plenty of juices. Howard had his hand on her belly the whole time she ate, and he smiled when she finished. Leaning back against him, she fell into a deep sleep.

"Sleeping?" Keltin frowned.

"As much as we should worry, let's let her rest for now," Sammy nodded. "This is her pregnancy sleep, and I don't want to disturb her. She really needs the rest."

"I...must...go...back..." Naght sighed.

"You can come and go as you want now. Shouldn't be a problem. If anything happens, I'll call you," Howard nodded. Naght nodded and vanished away.

"He's a good guy," Doppy grinned.

"As long as Sarine is involved," Keltin chuckled.

"Tomorrow, should we watch the arena?" Eremes asked.

"Should be a calm enough day. We'll be monsters again, but that shouldn't hurt anything," Howard shrugged. "I'm just glad those Rogues are dead."

"Not so loud!" Sammy frowned. "We don't need her dreaming anything bad."

"Oh! Right!" Howard winced. "And...damn. We have to be in Louyang tomorrow. Odin needs us there. Maybe we can get something good for her? It is a rather lovely town, too. And we still don't know if the King of Prontera is visiting, do we?"

As they started to talk about what they wanted to do for her, Sammy paused, as the arena Kafra Agent walked over to them. She blinked at Sammy, and he just waved.

"Um, I hope I am not disturbing you, but Howard Alt-Eisen is being challenged at the arena," the Kafra Agent said. "Are you available to fight?"

"Really? Can the challenger be convinced to wait until tomorrow?" Howard frowned. "Actually, scratch that. Day after tomorrow."

"I am afraid not. I was told to tell you that Armeyer Dinze sends her regards," the Kafra Agent shrugged. That sent a hiss through Eremes.

"She's one of them!" Eremes spat. "The Merchant girl!"

"Oh, great!" Howard groaned. "I'm human right now! I'm not a monster!"

"Who is challenging you?" Sarine frowned, as she blinked awake.

"No one is," Sammy growled, and he moved to gather Sarine into his arms quickly. "Howard is unavailable today. He will be available the day after tomorrow. I am Incantation Samurai, and the main judge. You will report this to the challenger now and stress that the decision is final."

"Oh! Of course!" the Kafra Agent nodded and moved off quickly.

"I need to check this out..." Eremes frowned and Cloaked to follow the Kafra Agent. Sarine looked at Sammy questionably, and he frowned at her. He finally told her who challenged Howard, and she growled.

"I don't want anyone to challenge my husbands!" she hissed.

"Calm yourself!" Sammy said with a tone of warning.

"I'll fight in his place!" Doppy said.

"No! No one will fight Armeyer! We'll see how badly she wants to see me. I barely even know her, and I only saw her once or twice at the Biological Laboratory," Howard frowned. "Wait...ah, shit."

"What?" Keltin frowned.

"She's the one that had the crush on me!" Howard swore.

"I'll kill her..." Sarine glowered, and Sammy winced before going into doctor mode.

"Sarine, she will not hurt Howard or be anywhere near him. If you don't calm down, you will harm the twins," Sammy said carefully and in the most soothing tone he could muster.

"You promise you'll stop her?" she whispered.

"I swear," he nodded.

"You are the one that always had my heart," Howard said, as Sammy placed her between them both. "No one else can touch it."

"Okay," she said with a nod. Then they looked up at the sight of a Whitesmith woman with short, blond hair running at them with the Kafra Agent following her. Her garments were almost like Howard's, save for the fact of several key things. She was wearing shorts, not pants, and they had the same ragged, fur lining on the ends. Her white top was also different, since it sported a small buckle in the front to hold her cleavage together. It also attached to another buckle on her neck to make it seem like a choker. The last difference was her belt buckle. It held a giant star on the front of it and looked rather clunky in rustic way. She had on slimmer boots, too, but that was the only other difference.

"Howard! I knew it was you!" the woman said. Then she paused, as Eremes Uncloaked and brandished his katars. Once the Kafra Agent saw the woman was going to be dealt with, she went right back to the arena to monitor it.

"Come...no...closer..." he warned. Doppy was there at his side with a snarling growl ripping from his throat.

"But...but..." the woman whimpered. "I was to be with him!"

"No. You are not. He is happily married to the girl that was lost to him long ago," Keltin frowned, as he walked over now. "He will not see you. What's more is that the girl he married is pregnant with his twins. If you approach her now, you'll kill the twins with the stress you will cause his wife. He will not like that at all. And neither will we. He may even kill you before you are able to harm his family. As will we."

"Married?! But...that's not fair!" she cried.

"Armeyer Dinze..." Eremes sighed. "if you remain here, then you will be imprisoned. Besides, Howard does have a younger brother..."

"He does? Where is he?" Armeyer asked.  _If I couldn't go with the prize, then I'll definitely see if I can take the latter!_ Her enthusiasm actually caught Eremes slightly off guard.

"He's imprisoned, as well. If you want to see him, you will need to be imprisoned," Doppy growled. "It's the only way."

"Works for me!" she said happily.

"Strange girl..." Eremes mused. Storm Caller appeared and led the woman down to the dungeon a different way to avoid running into Howard. Eremes walked over to them and told them what happened.

"She wants Timmy? She can have him!" Howard smiled ruefully. "Let them get married. Maybe she'll make the bloodline better."

"How-How..." Sarine sighed. When he looked at her, she kissed him deeply and with such a hunger that he responded to it quickly. He picked her up and carried her right upstairs to the bedroom. It didn't take long for her other four husbands to reach them, and they already found Howard claiming her on the bed. Sammy paused at first, as he thought he was intruding, and now he realized that it was necessary to watch in case something like this happened. Doppy nodded to him, and they all sat down in various spots around the room.

Doppy sat by the door in his usual place. Eremes lounged along the wall. Keltin relaxed in a plush chair. Sammy found a cushion on the floor to settle on. When Howard brought Sarine to a heart-wrenching cry with him, he crushed her to him. Whispering to her softly, she trembled and whispered back. He chuckled and kissed her gently. Moving now, he put on his pants and nodded to the others.

"Who's next?" Howard asked.

"Sarine? Who do you think it should be?" Eremes asked.

"Well...since you asked for my opinion..." she smiled and gestured for him. Moving now, he approached her and undressed quickly before moving over her. He locked her into an intensely passionate kiss as he took her. He let the pleasure build up slowly to a point that he got her to cry out first. Once she was at her peak, he thrusted sharply into her and cried out himself. Letting her rest against him now, he let her catch her breath, and he rested with her before whispering softly to her. She smiled and kissed him before whispering back to him. Smiling, he got up to dress and then motioned for Doppy to head over to her.

When Doppy got up to undress, Sammy remembered something and shifted into his child form to remove a small lock of his hair. Shifting back to his adult form, he started to work on making her a bracelet with his hair so she could see Cloaked monsters and humans. Keltin looked at him curiously and remembered the dream vision. Howard nodded his approval at this, too, as did Eremes. Sammy looked up at the bed and was surprised at how Doppy had Sarine on all fours and was claiming her like that. It gave him a few ideas on how to calm her down.

After Doppy roared out his completion, he pulled Sarine up to him and kissed her fully before sitting on the bed with her to rest. She looked at him now, and he gave a wary growl to her before she silenced him. Then she looked at the others before she smiled and said, "Do I show them how I dominated you, Doppy?"

"No...please..." he whispered. Howard's mouth dropped at Doppy's plea. He never knew the demon to be like this. Keltin was blinking at it now. Eremes frowned at it, but he wasn't going to say anything. Sammy looked a bit disturbed.

"Very well," she smiled. Doppy seemed relieved, and she hugged him tightly. She whispered to him gently with a soft request. He trembled and nodded.

"I'll work on it for you," he smiled.

"I don't want to make you feel that I control you, Doppy. Please...don't let me be one of those people," she sighed. He kissed her and whispered to her that he wouldn't mind it when they were alone. She giggled at this and nodded. She would fully dominate him when they were alone and only then.

"But, I am curious to see if I can sing or not. I'll have to ask Donnie on some pointers," he smiled. "It would be interesting to find out."

"Only if you really want to," she said. He nodded and kissed her gently.

"I do. Only for you," he said, as he hugged her close and kissed her forehead before he got up to dress.

"Sammy? What is that you have?" she asked, as she looked at him. Sammy smiled and figured he was next. Letting the black kimono slip off, he still got envious looks from the other guys. A smug smile touched his lips now.

"Not my fault. Valkyrie made me this way," he grinned.

"At least you don't look like a woman now," Doppy smirked.

"Well, you will always look like an asshole," Sammy retorted. When the others laughed, Sarine sighed and shook her head. Moving over to her now, he placed the braided lock of hair onto her wrist. She smiled in wonder at him. Then he said, "Eremes. Can you Cloak so she can test it and make sure it works?"

Eremes nodded and did so. She gasped when she saw him.

"He's like...a faint, shadowed outline with a purple haze around him," Sarine said, as she described him. Eremes chuckled and Uncloaked.

"Do you think we could get a hair bracelet, too?" Keltin asked.

"Hmm. I could sacrifice one of my adult locks for that. After this, though," Sammy smiled. Eremes nodded with agreement.

"Good idea," Howard nodded. "We need to protect her as much as we can. I know in my monster self, I can see invisible enemies, but, as a human, I'm stuck."

"Hair bracelet. That sounds wrong," Doppy smirked, and the others snickered and shuddered with laughter. "I don't need one, though. I can see hidden humans and monsters just fine as a natural benefit."

"Anyways," Sammy smiled and laughed when Sarine tackled him. She moved onto him, and he gasped when she sat on him. He ran his hands over her belly to check the twins briefly before working with her. Just as he released, his Samurai ghost took over and hissed, forcing her to lay on her back as he rose up over her. The other men watched with shock, as Sammy took her with a furious hunger. When Sarine started to cry out sharply, he roared out his release, and he held himself there to let her ride out the pleasure with him. Groaning once he fell onto his side, careful not to land on her, she pulled him close to hug tightly.

"Sammy," she muttered and whispered to him. He looked at her alarmed.

"Are you sure?" he frowned.

"I may as well, right?" she said.

"But...if it hurts the twins..." he said slowly.

"What would hurt them?" Howard said.

"She...wants to try taking blood from Keltin's Rage form," Sammy said. That made an uneasy stir through them.

"Sarine," Keltin said. "I'm uneasy about it now. I know I wanted to try it before, but now I don't think it should happen."

"Even a drop?" she frowned.

"Sarine, love, even a drop could be deadly," Sammy said.

"But, do we know that?" Sarine asked.

"It's a risk..." Sammy frowned and shook his head. "I really don't want you to do it."

"He has a point," Howard said, as he winced. "If something happens to our children..."

"All right," Sarine nodded. "I won't."

"Thank you," Sammy said, and he kissed her deeply. A sudden pecking at the window made Eremes blink and open it to have Muninn fly in.

_:No Rage! No! Twins grow! Grow fast! I asked. Valkyrie. Rage bad!:_  Muninn squawked, as he flapped his wings to reach his perch. That made them gasp, and now Sarine was glad she never took the Rage droplet of blood. Keltin paled and could only sigh with relief that he went with his gut feeling. When the message was delivered, Muninn flew back out, grateful that the word was given in time.

Trembling now, Sammy comforted Sarine, and he removed her stress easily with calming words and soft caresses.

"You should try massaging her," Eremes smiled.

"Oh? Care to show me how?" Sammy chuckled. Eremes grinned and moved over to Sammy to show him how it was done. He did look over at Keltin, and a small nod was done to show he would wait. Sammy watched how Eremes massaged her skillfully, and he was soon copying his skill with amazing precision.

"Apparently, anything that calms her...you instinctively pick up..." Eremes chuckled. Sammy blinked at this discovery and smiled.

"Good to know," he nodded. Sarine was sighing and felt a bit drowsy from the massages. They both pulled away from the bed, and Keltin slowly moved over to her when he undressed. In his Bongun form now, he carefully ran his hands over her lovingly. She gasped and cried out, as he took her, the pleasure and passion from the others finally hitting a peak with her instantly. He took his time with her, drawing out her pleasure and making her beg for him softly, as he moved within her. When he finally cried out his release with her, she was a trembling mess of sensations. Then he changed into his Champion form and had more stamina.

"Keltin!" she cried out wearily, as he claimed her again.

"Do I dare have you in my Rage form?" he whispered gently in her ear.

"No..." she gasped, as he moved in her. He smiled, kissed her deeply, and decided to save it for a later time. For another ten minutes, he tormented her with his new stamina. He loved her so much that, when she finally started to whimper, he let himself give in to his pleasure. He couldn't stand to see her whimper. Even in pleasure, the sound of her whimpering hurt him sometimes, and he had to give in to his instinct to protect her.

"I love you," he whispered, as he held her now.

"I love you, too..." she sighed, as she was too weak now to reply back with anything else. Sammy was busy turning one of his long locks of hair into three bracelets, since Doppy could already sense Cloaked adventurers. He tossed a braided lock to Keltin, and the other two went to Howard and Eremes. He knew the bracelets would help them when they were human. Sarine smiled and felt far more at ease with this added protection. When the twins kicked in her, she winced and groaned. Sammy moved over to her side and rubbed a hand on her belly.

"Hmm..." he thought. "she needs to rest now. When she gets up, she'll need to shower properly. That's really all I can sense right now."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded.

"All right," Howard nodded.

"What do we do with that new monster? The one that wants to be with her?" Doppy frowned. Keltin looked over at him from where he was on the bed and grimaced.

"We will deal with him when the time comes. Not now," Sammy warned. Doppy nodded and settled back in his place by the door. Howard moved to the bed and kept his tunic off. Nestled between Howard and Keltin, she fell into a deep sleep.

"Sammy," Howard said.

"Yes, Howard?" he asked.

"The four of us had made a pact to always protect her, love her, and to help out each other. We would literally die for her. And, of course, we kill for her," he said.

"I would be honored to become a part of this pact," Sammy nodded.

"Good," Doppy chuckled. "We want to know of your past, but we also want Sarine awake to hear it, too. So, shall we start with ours first?"

"Sounds good," Sammy nodded.

"I'll go first," Howard said. He started it up, and Keltin took over at a certain point. Then Eremes spoke, and Doppy started when he finished. Howard picked it up again, and Keltin finished it. Sammy was able to piece it all together, and he thought.

"And, with Sarine's life as the background to you all..." he sighed. "What a history you all have. I never would have thought it. I...have heard of Payon's destruction from long ago. Word of that reached Amatsu for some time. As to what caused it, even we didn't know. I, personally, still have no idea as to what could have happened. You do have my condolences about your lost love, Keltin."

"It's fine. I have Sarine now. Of course, there are times I still dream of the past, and her image replaces the one that died in the fire long ago," Keltin frowned.

"That...is very harsh," Sammy winced. "And Moonlight Flower brought you back? Maybe we owe her some thanks in that. Despite the fact that she had turned you into a mindless zombie for a while. If it wasn't for her magic, you would still be buried under an old city. You would never have met Sarine."

"I...I hadn't thought of it like that," Keltin frowned. He blinked, as Sarine reached for him and hugged him in her sleep. Smiling, he placed a kiss on her forehead, and she sighed. Then she blinked awake and sat up, holding her head from a minor headache. Then the room spun, and she bolted for the bathroom to be violently sick.

"Sarine?!" Howard gaped. Sammy was up from the cushion he sat on to swiftly rush to her side. He ran a hand over her back and looked over at the others.

"Get me some water or a potion!" he said. Doppy looked at Eremes and a red potion was brought out for her. She was still vomiting, and Sammy grimaced.

"What is it?" Keltin asked as he put his pants on to walk over.

"It's her pregnancy. No other sickness," Sammy sighed. He ran a hand over her back again, and she trembled.

"I thought she was out of this stage," Doppy frowned.

"Apparently not. It's a Demonic pregnancy. All of them are different, right?" Sammy asked, as he gave her the red potion. She rinsed out her mouth with it and whimpered softly. He pulled her into his arms and moved to sit on the cushion with her in his lap. Howard moved to sit on the ground with them. The others joined them to remain in contact with her to show their support. Sarine looked incredibly weak and exhausted now.

"Should I see if we have any tea?" Eremes asked.

"I think that would be good for her," Sammy nodded.

"I'll ask Kathryne," he said, and Doppy stood up to move with him. They made sure their towels were in place before leaving the room. Sammy noticed that Sarine was looking uncomfortable, so he removed the upper part of his black kimono to hold her to his chest. A light cloth towel was brought out by Howard to cover her to help keep the sweat down. Keltin folded his arms over his chest, and he looked up, as Doppy and Eremes brought up some various tea dishes. Kathryne and Mitchell were soon in the room to set up various meals. When Kathryne stole a glance at Sammy, she blinked at his perfect build, since he was now exposing his chest. He just winked back, as he cradled Sarine. Then she saw Howard and Keltin dressed in only pants. She never really saw them with their shirts off before, save Eremes and Doppy. She was too busy in Jawaii to really notice them then.

"Kathryne," Mitchell said. "is something wrong?"

"Nope!" she smiled and pulled him out to their bedroom. Sammy grinned, and Keltin laughed. Howard moved to rest his hand on Sarine's belly, and he felt the twins kick at him. A fatherly smile on his face now, he sighed and sat back down. At a small knock on the door, Seyren walked in and blanched at the shirtless men in the room, other than Doppy.

"Good grief, people! Put some clothes on!" Seyren scowled.

"It's our bedroom, and we'll dress however we like," Howard grinned. "So, eh, did you get the rest of the pie out?"

"No, damn you! There are crusted bits all over now, and it itches!" he frowned.

"And you're still wearing that armor?" Keltin smirked.

"Well..." Seyren sighed. "All right, so I'm stupid. I like this armor!"

"Wow..." Sammy whistled. Doppy barked out laughter, and Sarine sighed and shook her head with amusement.

"I could still go and get those giant panties as a backup for you..." Eremes grinned. Seyren flustered up and that sent a round of laughter through them.

"I'll be fine!" Seyren snapped.

"Are you sure?" Eremes chuckled.

"Yes," he sulked.

"Eremes?" Sarine said, as Sammy helped her up to carefully sit up in his lap. Eremes moved down to be eye level with her, and she hugged him close to whisper to him. A rare, wide smile was on his face now, as he listened and whispered back to her. Sammy was chuckling the whole time from what he overheard.

"What are you talking about?" Seyren asked.

"Not your concern," Eremes said.

"But...but..." Seyren pouted. "Sarine! You always told secrets to me!"

"Um...not secrets like these..." she blushed.

"Oh," Seyren blinked and found himself blushing. That had Howard cracking up, and Keltin grinned. Doppy smirked and moved down to hear her, as she gestured for him. He blinked at her whispering and thought.

"Is it large enough?" he asked.

"One way to find out. I...do need to bathe, anyways..." she smiled.

"Drink some tea first," Sammy said. She nodded, and Keltin brought some over to her. Seyren was still frowning that he wasn't in on the secret.

"Seyren...does your bathroom have a tub?" Sarine finally asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Have you...helped Karla break it in yet?" she giggled.

"Ah...no. I haven't. Thanks for the tip!" Seyren grinned wickedly now and left the room. Keltin snickered at him.

"Wash your armor, too!" Howard called out after him.

"Shut up!" Seyren retorted, as he went down the stairs. That had them all laughing again. As Doppy was about to close the door, Doll knocked on it and was let in. She paused at Sammy's new look and found herself in awe.

"Incantation Samurai?" she asked, as she walked in.

"Doll! What can I help you with?" Sammy asked.

"Is that really you?! You're all grown up!" she said happily.

"Yes, I am. For now. And I'm married to Sarine," he smiled.

"Oh, congratulations! Anyways, I wanted to tell you that the special grove is finished! And there are lights placed in, and the trees from Amatsu have just been planted, as you requested," she beamed. "It's as beautiful as you said it would be!"

"Really? That is excellent news! Thank you. Oh, Doll," Sammy said.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Please find Muninn and have him show you an intricate vision. I would like your input on it," Sammy said. "It's important."

"Yes, Incantation Samurai. I will tell you what I think of it," she nodded and left the room. Howard looked at him, and Sammy explained that Doll was a very special Miyabi Ningyo, since she was a bit of a nursemaid to Sarine in the dream vision. That made the others nod and agree that she should know of the vision.

"When Doll comes back, we should see the new area. There is just enough light left outside to do so. We'll all take a bath, afterwards," Sammy chuckled.

"Sounds good," Howard nodded. A short moment later, Doll ran back into the room looking terrified and outraged. Muninn froze time to make sure she got everything.

"Oh, dear! Are they dead? Those...cretins?!" she hissed.

"Yes. They're dead," Sammy said quietly. "We found them and killed them in Naght's tower today. They can do no more harm to anyone."

"Good!" she growled. "To think that they almost...oooh! I should have gone with you! I shall remain vigilant!"

"I knew you would," Sammy said calmly. "Now, Sarine just got sick from her pregnancy, and we are about to all get dressed to head outside to the new area. She would like to see it. Would you like to join us?"

"Yes. I would very much like to join you," Doll nodded. Sohee floated over a bit curiously, and Doll was busy telling her about Sarine now. Even Munak, one of the monsters that was found in the tower, was curious. She did look at Keltin oddly, but found no connection with him. Since Keltin was in his human form, nothing would likely happen yet. He didn't want anything to arise, so he vowed to himself to become his human form around her right away. She was a pretty monster, but he was with Sarine. He didn't want to be bound to any other, and he refused to want to be with any other.

They all dressed, but kept Sarine in the light cloth, since she was exceptionally warm after being sick. Sammy simply pulled his black kimono back up over his chest. Rising with Sarine, he carried her outside to the new stress-free area. She blinked, as the sun was still in the sky high enough to show off the new moss covered grounds. There were soft, white flowers all over the trees and through some of the moss. Large, pink cherry blossom trees from Amatsu made a circular pattern around the grove as though to shield the peaceful setting away from negativity. Their branches swayed gently with the breeze when it passed through.

Fireflies winked in and out, as the sun started to set. The Creamy butterfly monster lazily fluttered about, and even Mistress was making small rounds to set up specialized territory. An area set with large benches and cushions were there for Sarine to rest on. The entire place was beautiful and fully enclosed with heavy bushes filled with tea leaves and roses. The scent they made in the air was both calming and relaxing.

Doppy whistled softly, as he glanced around.  _The place literally screamed calm and peaceful thoughts all through it._ Howard just stared at the place in awe, and he realized that it was simply impossible to think of anything bad or harmful here. Eremes was already inspecting the benches. Keltin was taking everything in silently. Doll moved off to start arranging flowers pots, and she made sure that the cushions and benches were set properly to stay out of the way.

"This place...it's perfect!" Keltin said. "Wow!"

"It's...incredibly calming..." Eremes said with wonder.

"It feels strange," Doppy admitted. "In a good way, though."

"What made you think of a place like this?" Howard asked.

"Well," Sammy chuckled and moved a speechless Sarine into his lap, as he sat on a cushion. "Amatsu is all about peace. Harmony. Balance. So, I thought...why not bring a part of that here? She was originally given over in Amatsu. It is part of her heritage. I had spoken with Markus personally about this when he was last here, and it has finally taken place. Remember when I whispered to Markus? It was about the trees and the landscaping."

"Oh!" Sarine said happily. "Just knowing that Papa was able to help with it...it's...amazing! It's so beautiful!"

"That it is," Eremes nodded. He noticed an odd stump with several raised stones around it. He walked over to it to study it, since it was set up centered in the grove. Sammy informed them that Sarine could sit on the stump and play her harp, as others could sit on the stones before her. It was a natural stage of sorts. Howard was simply amazed by the whole thing.

"You know, it's a piece of my hometown, too," Howard smiled.

"That's right, isn't it?" Sammy chuckled. "Oh...check out the spot near the southern area of the bushes."

"Hmm?" Doppy asked, as he went to look. A small grin was on his face now, but then it disappeared as he realized something else. Motioning the others over, they looked and gasped. Unlike the rest of the other bushes, this area was enclosed with only soft tea leaves and mint plants for the most therapeutic scent they could give. The rose bushes would have been too much, and thorns were no place for this special area.

"Yes. It's a place for her to give birth peacefully and to even rest afterwards without any stress," Sammy said gently, as he got up to show Sarine. The area they saw was bedded down with extra soft furs, blankets, and even softer moss for the ground. A small waterfall fed by a nearby stream flowed in such a way that water was easy to reach through the bushes. It was even cool enough by the stream to store small meals for her. The place was perfect, if she needed a stress-free area in her labors.

"You...really had everything thought out. Didn't you?" Howard asked.

"I did. I don't want Sarine to have to go back to Odin. Do you?" Sammy asked. That made a unanimous 'no' from all of them. They all loved her, and this was something that proved Sammy's worth to the group even more.

"Sammy?" Sarine sighed.

"Yes, love?" he asked. She pulled him close and whispered in his ear. Laughing softly, he looked at her other husbands with a chuckle.

"What does she want?" Howard asked with his arms crossed.

"She wants me to help her break it in really fast," he grinned.

"Aww!" Keltin pouted. Smiling now, she just shrugged.

"I'm next," Eremes chuckled.

"You know, I think I'll go last," Howard mused. Doppy chuckled and claimed third. Keltin grumbled a bit, but he agreed with his spot.

"Keltin, don't complain. When we got the house in Payon finished, I was with you first. It was your house to begin with. Right?" she smiled.

"Well...yes. All right. I see your point," Keltin sighed. Sarine smiled warmly at him and blushed when Sammy removed her from their sight. Once he set her down on the soft bedding, he pulled his kimono up just enough to move over her. The bushes had a perfect coverage for height and depth to block both viewing and sound. There were a few spots under the bushes that one could peer through, if someone got close enough, but he was sure that many would respect their privacy. He removed the light cloth that covered her swiftly and worked with her until he shuddered his release with her. When Sammy was done, he held her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead, as he cradled her.

"I find it...odd that you are so warm," she said, as she ran a hand over his chest.

"Really? Well, it's true that I am the color of a corpse, but not all are truly like that. I'm just possessed with a form of eternal life," he smiled.

"True," she blinked and glanced at his scroll necklace. "That really is easier to carry now, isn't it?"

"Much," he grinned. "It does feel strange when I don't have it on my back. If I feel nostalgic, I'll just become a child again. It forms on my back again there."

"It...really was scary seeing you defeated, Sammy..." she frowned. "I know that likely won't happen now...but..."

"Hush, darling," he whispered and kissed her softly. "That was all a dream vision. Yes, I was weaker then. I'm much stronger now."

"I know you are," she smiled. Then she frowned, as she heard other voices.  _It sounded like Donnie and Coraline._ Doppy quickly distracted them with his questions of singing, and Donnie took a quick interest in what kind of voice he had. The two of them walked away to explore the possibility, and Coraline was distracted by Howard to find out exactly what kind of jewelry could be used to enhance Sarine. Sammy pulled most of his black kimono over Sarine in case they were discovered. It didn't take long for Seyren to stumble on them. Sammy smoothly moved to sit up, and he crossed his arms over his chest. It effectively shielded Sarine from sight.

"Lovebirds already?" Seyren grinned.

"Jealous?" Sammy grinned and flexed his perfect chest.

"Not in the slightest..." Seyren grumbled out.

"Save it for Karla," Eremes grinned. "She just got back to the house..."

"Really? Finally!" Seyren sighed. "Good job on this place, though. It's...a much needed part of the island."

"Thanks," Sammy nodded. When Seyren walked off, he let Sarine curl up behind him. His back easily hid her, and he simply sat there like a solid, muscular wall of pale flesh. He did start to tense when she started to run her tongue over his back, and he growled with need. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and simply turned to have her. At the sharp sound of her giggling, Coraline blinked and ignored Howard's protests, as she peeked into the bushes. Blushing now, as she only saw outlined forms swathed in black cloth, she hastily moved back to the house.

"Great," Keltin sighed.

"Well, we're married to her. Oh, well," Howard shrugged.

"True," Eremes chuckled. When the coast was clear, Sammy finally pulled away from Sarine, and Eremes swiftly moved in to be with her. A heavy fur was pulled over them in case someone else tried to peer in. When he finished with her, she was clearly exhausted now.

"I'm so hungry!" she frowned. "I got sick earlier. Remember?"

"Sammy!" Eremes hissed. Incantation Samurai walked over swiftly and nodded at what was said. Within moments, a few small dishes were brought out for her, and a chocolate drink was included. Eating heartily now, she had a thought when she finished. Keltin had gotten her Sniper gears from the house, and she dressed quickly. She had this intense urge to sing, and she smiled. Howard blinked, as he watched her start to sing a bold song, and her voice ground out sultry notes in such a way that his mouth dropped. Eremes was speechless, as she sang like this. Keltin was grinning with his arms crossed over his chest. Sammy was chuckling the whole time he watched her. He loved to hear her sing.

Still singing, she moved over to Keltin and started to soften her voice to a sultry whisper, as she walked around him. It was doing something to him to a point that it was clearly affecting him. Her voice was a powerful drug that was implanting various suggestions into his thoughts and actions. Leaning on him now, chest to chest, her arms crossed behind his head, she continued to sing in whispered tones. Her mouth was less than an inch away from his, and, when he tried to kiss her, she pulled away, as though to tease him. When the effect of teasing lust started to sink in, she twirled away from him, her voice strong and bold again. Then she looked at Howard and moved towards him.

He tensed, as she moved around him. Her hand moved over his shoulders while she sang this way. She teased and taunted him with her voice and her body. He wanted her badly now, but she twirled away from him before she looked over at Eremes. The Assassin Cross offered her his hand and she took it, letting him spin her about lightly as she sang. There was a smug grin on his face now before it vanished, as she started to sing seductively in his ears. He tensed when her hands moved over his shoulders, and then she twirled from him to move over to Sammy. He watched her calmly, as she whispered her song over his ears like a shroud, and it was clear that he was enjoying it. It was with him that her song ended, and she never realized that her other friends were there. They had watched her with amazement and even applauded her.

"Oh..." she blushed, and Sammy hugged her tight. When she heard Donnie's guitar in the distance, she paused to look over curiously. Then Doppy walked up behind him with his head down. He walked up to her, as Donnie slowed up to let him move on ahead, and he was muttering something. Donnie kept trying to gesture to him to speak louder, and Doppy wasn't focused on him at all.

"Louder!" Donnie hissed. Doppy looked back at him with an irritated look and started to talk louder. Then she realized that he wasn't talking.  _He was trying to sing. He looked uncomfortable doing it._ Sarine moved from Sammy now when he released her, and she walked over to Doppy to hug him. He gazed down at her, as he embraced her back, and his voice got stronger. The words came out better. Then the roughness faded out for his true voice to emerge. Howard's jaw dropped. Keltin and Eremes were astonished. Sammy studied Doppy's voice and found out what the second skill was that he got from him.  _The gift of voice and song._

Sarine recognized the song and softly started to sing with him to encourage him to keep going. As their voices got stronger together when they focused on each other, it was as though a hurricane was pulled around them, enhanced by Doppy's fighting element of Wind. This was their hidden talent together. Howard, Keltin, Eremes, and Sammy were immune to the winds, since they were her husbands, but the others had to duck for cover. Doppy cried out with his new voice, as he sang, and Sarine let her voice compliment and invoke his even more. Only when the song was over did the winds die back down, and Doppy planted a kiss on Sarine's mouth that signaled only one thing. He wanted her.  _Now._

He ignored everyone around him and took her to the closest place possible. That was the place in the bushes. Howard was just astonished at what happened. Sammy chuckled and started to locate the cushions to put them back. The others quickly helped set the place back to rights. Donnie was still in shock at what he heard.

"He...that voice..." Donnie blinked, as he pulled his guitar up from the ground to remove small bits of debris from it. "It was...perfect! Perfect pitch! Perfect depth! I...wow..."

"That it was," Sammy nodded. "And now I have to master mine, it seems."

"Huh?" Donnie asked.

"I also possess a voice like that. I'll need to see what I can do," he chuckled. "It may not be as fine-tuned as his, but I'll have to work with it."

"Donnie! Did you hear his voice?!" Coraline was gaping, as she moved to her brother. "It was...wow! You need to tell the other Bards!"

"You think I don't know that?!" Donnie sighed. Coraline snuck over to the bushes where Doppy was with Sarine. He was covering her with his long, muscular form. On sensing her approach, he let out a vicious, savage snarl. It was a clear warning for her to back away. Eremes moved in front of her to help her back off, and he shook his head.

"Do not bother him now..." Eremes warned. "When a demon is busy...like that...they are quite dangerous..."

"Oh..." Coraline frowned. At Garrett's approach, Sammy moved to help block the route to Sarine and Doppy.

"Coraline?" Garrett asked.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I'd like you to meet my best friend and First in Command, Maxwell," Garrett said. On gesturing for his Sargent to come over, the blond haired, deep-green eyed man walked forward. He was in awe of the new grove, as well as the island, itself, and he paused at the sight of Sammy. He only saw Sammy as a child back in Payon. The Samurai ghost came out of the body, and he stammered. When he started to show signs of fear, Sammy rose up his hand quickly to show he was harmless.

"Don't show any negative emotions here, or you will be asked to leave," Sammy warned in his calmest voice. "This is a place of peace, harmony, and balance. Do not disturb it. Focus on the scents and clear your thoughts. It will help you."

"Right," Max coughed a bit and regained himself. The Paladin looked at Coraline and gave a small nod. "A pleasure to meet you. My name is Maxwell Stine."

"Oh. I'm Coraline Gerhest. Hello," she said shyly.

"And I'm her twin brother, Donnie Gerhest," the Clown said. Now he moved in front of her protectively, as he had always done before when it came to men interested in his sister. "I understand that you may be the one that Huginn requested to see her, but you must prove yourself to me, too. She was hurt before by someone, and I will not stand aside this time to watch it happen again! I refuse to allow it!"

"Oh! I didn't know. And, Huginn knew I was coming? You mean...Huginn, the Messenger of Odin?! Um, well, I can guarantee you this," Max said with a deep breath to keep calm. "I find her absolutely enchanting. I will not touch her unless she permits me to."

"That's what the last guy said, too!" Donnie growled.

"Donnie!" Coraline frowned.

"Let me tell you this," Sammy said, as he walked forward. "if what he says is true to what happened to her before, I will personally intervene if something does happen with you. Donnie? Can you please tell us what happened?"

"Yes. Tell us. Or I can kick your ass again," Doppy said to Max with a smirk, as he walked over with Sarine. She was dressed, but he was only wearing his lower gear. His chest armor was left in the bushes for now. He still wanted to feel Sarine against him. His broad, lean chest flexed, and he was clearly making Max envious of it. He just smirked and purred softly, as Sarine ran her hands up his chest to keep him calm. She didn't want him to fight. At his purr, Max blinked in shock at it before looking back to Donnie as the Clown spoke again. The grove didn't even make Max think of gaining any form of vengeance against Doppy. It was far too calming to allow such thoughts to infiltrate his mind.

"Well," Donnie said, as he looked at his sister. "you want me to tell it? Or you?"

"You can," Coraline sighed and sat on the ground. She was clearly distressed now, and Cecil moved to sit with her to comfort her.

"Find a seat, and I'll tell the story, then, as well as a bit about ourselves. It's time, anyways," Donnie said, as he sat on the stump and plucked at his guitar strings. Doppy found a bench to sit on with Sarine in his lap. Howard moved to sit with her, and Keltin sat on the other side of them. Howard placed his hand on her belly, and she smiled at him. Eremes moved to lean against a tree near them. The glow from the fireflies lit the place up gently, now that it was clearly nightfall, and Sammy had a message sent to the others through Doll. She had been watching silently the whole time in her own way. When the others filtered down from the house, they all found their places to sit in the grove to learn about the misfortune of their beloved friend.

Margaretha blinked at Doppy's topless look, but Lloyd put an arm around her, and she leaned into him. Karla and Seyren were hand in hand where they sat, and Luna was silently playing with blades of grass. Kathryne and Mitchell sat next to each other and listened attentively. Sarine kept moving her hand over Doppy's chest to keep him calm. Only she would ever have the ability to keep the demon sated and at ease.

"We are ready," Sammy nodded. Max moved to sit a bit away from the others for now, and he could only glance over at Coraline. She was rather beautiful to him, and he wondered why that was. When she looked over at him, he gave a soft smile. She blushed, as she looked away. That made him want to know her even more. No other woman did that with him.

"Very well," Donnie said. Garrett sat with Cecil where she was with Coraline. Strumming his guitar, he started the tale. "To start off, our family was never very rich. Never really poor, either. We were about in the middle. Our parents still live in Comodo rather happily. We loved to entertain the crowds, so, they were overjoyed when my sister and I decided to go down the paths we are at today. But, my sister was, and still is, known for being flirty. A bit too much for her own good, by my standards. It was mainly what started this whole mess. Anyways, here is where this whole thing begins.

"Our parents were sure she'd snag a rich husband. She had dated various men throughout her life, and none were suitable. At least by my standards! Either too stupid, or too controlling. Such is fate, as they say. So, she tried again to see if she would land someone decent. Instead, she got a hold of a vagrant. Someone who claimed that he was wealthy and had vast connections. He was a Knight at the time. I don't know what he is now, nor do I really care. I warned her that I felt that something was off about him. He was...too nice to her, you see. Too charming and dashing. He kept giving off the sense that he was the 'perfect man'. It gave me all the wrong signals. On top of all of these things, he kept asking if she had anything worth keeping. Anything that was valuable. Anything that...well...we felt was important. We had nothing. Our family was well-known, but had nothing of vast value. We just had each other. We tended to overlook most material things. They were nice, but not needed.

"Of course, Coraline ignored my warnings. Our parents, too. They wanted her to snag this 'perfect and wealthy' man. To ease their fears of going into possible poverty. So, he took her out one night. Unsupervised, mind you. Normally, I always accompanied her when she went on a date. Overprotective? Very! She's my sister! And I was born before her. So, she's my little sister at that! But, she...convinced me...that she could handle herself this once. He promised that everything would be fine.

"Every date I did go with them on seemed all right. Maybe because I was there. The others she was with before tried to ignore me and do things to her in front of me. That's how I knew they weren't suitable. This one gave me some form of wary respect. So, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. When she didn't come home at the destined time, I got worried. Scared, even. Then she came home late in the evening in tears. I asked her what happened. Demanded, really. She said...that she told him that the only thing she had of any value was her modesty. The bastard took it against her will! She had the...bruises...to show that she put up a fight."

Doppy snarled at that, and Sarine gasped. Max looked at Coraline in shock. The Gypsy was shedding silent tears now, and Cecil moved to hug her tightly in comfort. Garrett was frowning the whole time he heard this.

"At least...the transcendence...gave it back..." Coraline gasped in her tears.

"Yes. And I will NOT let it get stolen from you again!" Donnie said, as he set down the guitar to hug his sister. "I wasn't there before. I am now."

"I want...a name..." Eremes hissed. "Give me...his name..."

"I...I don't remember his name," Coraline admitted. "I forced myself to forget it a long time ago. I didn't want to remember anything about him!"

"A description? Something I can tell who he is by?" Eremes growled. Howard had a heavy frown on his face, and even Keltin was highly disturbed. Sammy was now communing with Muninn, and the falcon flew down to land on a tree branch to think.

"He...he had a mark, I think. Like a birthmark, behind his left ear..." Coraline said, as she tried to remember. "He...he called it his 'lucky spot'. That's the only thing I remember."

"Oh, dear lord..." Garrett said and looked at Max. "You know exactly who he is! You and I both know who he is!"

"You mean it's...him?!" Max grimaced. "That dirty snake of a Lord Knight in our ranks? The same one that insists that we can't survive without his help?!"

"NAME!" Eremes grounded out, as he walked towards them now. "I'm human for a few more hours yet!"

"Eremes!" Sarine called to him, and he winced. "Come here. Please?"

"Sarine..." he sighed and moved to her side. Pulling him close, she kissed him gently and whispered to him to calm him down. He scowled, as he argued, "But, the Prontera guard will just slap him on the wrist! He deserves to die! Anyone that harms another like that, man or woman, should not live!"

_:I have. Idea.:_  Muninn warbled, as he landed closer.

"What is that, Muninn?" Garrett asked. That made Max blink and gape.  _The bird was Muninn?!_ Cecil gave a soft smile and continued to comfort Coraline.

_:Arena. Challenge him. Bring here.:_  Muninn chirped.

"Of course! But, what would his crime be?" Garrett asked.

"Betrayal of an innocent's heart?" Donnie asked.

"Not grave enough. Wait. Didn't we catch him trying to steal the King's Crown just these past few months? Before we knew of the Vessel of Odin?" Garrett asked.

"It's true. Several of our men caught him in the act, and he threatened them. Of course, we did nothing, since he is a strong fighter. But, what can we do now? It's been ages since he's done anything wrong!" Max frowned. "That we know of, at least."

"I'll help," Sarine said. "I'll play the innocent victim."

"No!" Doppy hissed. Then he paused at her wicked smile.

"Whoever said that I would be alone in the arena? Or anywhere?" she grinned. "You forget where we are, love. Do you honestly think that any monster here would willingly let me get hurt on my own turf?"

"Just like with the treasury...wait. That's it! The treasury!" Howard grinned. "Sarine, you can lure him into the treasury! The swords and Mimics there are enhanced and can easily protect you! The room is small enough, and there is only one way in or out!"

"Don't forget about me, Vessel of Odin," Pori-Pori said, as he hopped into her lap. She hugged him and smiled. Max gaped at the strong Poring-type monster and his deep voice. Garrett was starting to grin.  _This was going to work._

"Of course not! You love beating up humans, anyways! Of course, you can protect me!" she beamed. Doppy felt a touch reassured at this now.

"He always had a weak spot for treasure," Max said, as he thought aloud.

"Sir Rory will not live to see past tonight," Garrett mused.

"Rory?" Eremes said, as he overheard the name.

"That's it. William Rory. That was his name," Coraline blinked.

"Coraline? I'd like to ask a favor of you," Sarine said, as she now got up and moved to her side. "You helped me when I was poisoned. I want to help you. Come with me to wait in the treasury. I promise you that you will come to no harm. I still have my Light of Odin attack, if anything goes wrong, but hopefully it will not come to me using it for the sake of my twins."

"Oh! That's right!" Coraline gasped happily.

"He's a dead man," Howard grinned.

"Totally," Keltin agreed.

"Bring him!" Doppy slathered.

"I'll Cloak in the treasury with them," Eremes said. Doppy got up to grab his chest armor to put it on. Once he was fully armored, he looked at Sammy.

"We shall approach the treasury once he is inside. How do we lure him?" Sammy asked. Sarine thought and then smiled. Running back to the house, she came back after several minutes. They all stared at her with shock.  _She was wearing her gown, makeup, and jewelry._

"Get me my harp?" she asked.

"You are mad!" Doppy frowned.

"And I'm pissed off," she said with a small smile. "And don't forget...pregnant, too. Haven't you heard what horrible monsters pissed off pregnant women are?"

"She's got a point," Keltin grinned.

"I don't know," Doppy admitted.

"Then wait in the treasury with me," Eremes said. "With your armor, you could look like a ready suit of mail in the right corner. You're tall enough that your face won't be seen if you stick to the shadows. Just keep your eyes closed to dim your glow in them."

"Smart idea!" Sammy grinned.

"Let me fix your hair!" Coraline said, and Sarine giggled at it. Donnie was still skeptical, but he knew he had a lot more support now than before.

"You are like family to us," Cecil nodded. "Let us help you get vengeance!"

"We'll hide outside the treasury!" Kathryne grinned.

"I tend to get antsy when nervous. Would it be all right if I waited in the house?" Mitchell asked. Kathryne nodded, and he kissed her to do just that.

"We'll get William now," Garrett said. "We'll tell him that we found a cave, and that we think it contains a rare treasure within it. He was always a sucker for that. Wasn't he?"

"Always. As I mentioned before, treasure is one of his weaknesses," Max nodded. "Shall we go talk to him and set the bait, Captain?"

"Let's do some good tonight," he nodded. "Oh, Max, this is my wife, Cecil."

She smiled now and moved to allow herself to be introduced. Max was stunned that his captain got married.

"Congratulations, sir!" Max said. "And to you, too."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "My sister will help catch the vagrant!"

"Sister?" Max asked, and Cecil gestured to Sarine. "Oh! Well...of course!"

With that done, they made off for Prontera.

"Karla, you have some bottles ready?" Seyren grinned.

"For the other Lord Knight? Of course! Not for you," she winked. That made Howard start laughing. Sammy glanced at Seyren with surprise.

"You had to say something?" Seyren growled.

"You like the pain. I'll make sure to save some bottles for you tonight," Karla promised. That made Eremes hiss with laughter, and even Sarine blinked with shock. Keltin covered his mouth with his hand to hide his own laughing.

"Enough, woman!" Seyren warned. Then he blinked when Luna gave him a look, and he grinned. He didn't want wounded shins tonight. That made Howard laugh even more, and Sarine sighed. Doppy was grinning and figured he had something to tease Seyren about later on.

"Thanks, Seyren. You broke my husband!" she frowned. Seyren smirked and saluted her. She gave him a look that made him freeze in his tracks. It excited him and chilled him to the bone. He couldn't figure out why she did that to him when his mind blanked out. Sammy moved over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sarine. You've been drinking far too much Demonic blood lately," Sammy whispered to her, and that made Howard completely recover and stare at her, as he overheard.

"Sorry," she whispered and moved to the treasure vault without another word. Doppy watched her move out, and now he moved quickly to follow her.

"Sorry Sari," he said, and she stopped to look at him. "Don't turn into me."

"Doppy..." she frowned, and he hugged her tightly. "I don't know what came over me! He just...I've never done that to Seyren before!"

"It's the twins being overprotective of their father," Sammy frowned, as he walked up to them. "They are getting stronger with each day."

"Seyren!" Sarine said, as she ran to him, and he hugged her in his brotherly way. That snapped him out of the mood she put him in.

"It's all right, Sarine. I know you didn't mean it," he said. "Just save that temper for the other guy. Got it?"

"Right!" she smiled and took a deep breath. Coraline moved with her to the treasury, and Sarine's harp was brought with her. Isis saw them and grinned, as she moved to help them. Then Succubus decided to have some fun and joined them. Medusa looked over and hissed before moving to help out. There was going to be a harem of females both human and monster down there now.  _It was the perfect trap._

A couple of hours had gone by, since the Paladins had to find the man to bring him to them. The one they sought was busy in another place. As much as everyone hated to wait, they realized it was for the best.  _By the time they found the man, their monsters forms would come forth. The man would have no chance this way._ Another hour dragged by, and Muninn finally gave the signal that the man was found and being led to the island.

Eremes positioned himself by the waiting Tirfing sword. Doppy leaned himself up by the Mysteltainn sword. Pori-Pori hid behind the treasure chest from Biblian. The Ancient Mimic resembled its gold and silver glittering self. Same with the Mimic, as it moved to set itself by Sarine's feet. The gold harp was brought down, and she positioned it to play on it. The moment the trap was set, she started to pluck on the harp strings gently, and her voice softly crooned to the notes she played in perfect sync. Doppy was finding himself fighting the urge to sing with her. He refocused his attention to listen for Garrett. He was glad he did.

"It's down there, Sir Rory," Garrett said, as he led his Grand Pecopeco up to the treasury. William walked with him. He never relied on the large birds. He saw them as a weakness. "I told you there was something down there! I think it's a hidden treasury of sorts from long ago. We need to acquire it for the King."

"Really?" a sinister voice grounded out. "Well, I'll check it out first and tell you what I find. My lucky spot served us well in helping you find it! I'll tell you if anything of value is found and report it."

"Do you really have to do that? We could all go down there together," Max argued. William laughed and reassured him that it would be fine. When he walked down the stairs, he rubbed at the birthmark behind his ear for good luck. When he got halfway down the steps, he paused at the sound of harp playing. Then he heard Sarine singing. Walking down slowly now, curious more than anything, he opened up the massive wooden door that was gilded with gold and gems. His breath caught in his throat at the various females both human and monster alike within it. Then his eyes settled on the wealth of money, treasure, and weapons of all sorts that lay behind them and along the golden walls. Polished marble seemed to tile the floor, as the treasure chest from Biblian was seen in the far back, overflowing with zeny. The room was decorated in gems, gold, and intricate stone carvings to show how special this room truly was.

"Treasury indeed..." he blinked. His eyes settled on the stunning Sniper in her gown of soft, pale gold, as she plucked on the harp. He wasn't at the ball in the castle, so he had no idea who she was. There was a soft light that illuminated the place from the golden, fire-lit torches along the walls, and the light added a whole new depth to her. She whispered out the next set of notes before noticing him.

"Oh!" Sarine blinked, as her tigers' eye gemstone eyes settled on the Lord Knight that entered the room. Her sultry voice seemed to purr out the words, and it was as effective as her singing. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sir William Rory. At your service," he smiled. She felt her skin crawl like she was near a caged snake. The other females in the room stopped dancing and moving to look at him. She could see how Coraline was taken with him at first. He had fine, blondish-brown hair that fell in waves down his neck, and he possessed deep blue eyes that could look quite charming when they needed to be. But, Sarine felt that something was completely fake and wrong with how he gazed at her. She knew a betrayer when she saw one.

Coraline remained vigil, but it was Medusa that stood the closest to her on the turtle's back to ensure her protection. Medusa arched her back and stretched luxuriously, as though to try and give him a good look in a teasing way with the snakes coiling over her body. Succubus winked at the Lord Knight and strutted over to a wall near the Executioner sword, wiggling her hips seductively as she moved. She lightly touched the hilt of the blade, as though the monster was harmless and blew him a kiss. Isis heaved her chest in a wanting way and grinned softly, as she curled among herself.

"At my service?" Sarine blinked in thought. "What of the service to your King?"

"My King?" William asked. Eremes grinned. _She was gaining evidence against him._ Coraline was unnoticed, since she was a Gypsy now. His eyes did roam over her form, and she grimaced a bit at it, as she looked away demurely.

"Yes. You are a Lord Knight. Don't you serve someone?" Sarine asked. She lightly plucked the golden harp for the notes to filter through the air.

"In a sense, I do. Not that it does much for me. I would prefer to serve you. Maybe...help protect the wealth here," he smiled. It was clearly a lie and felt by the monsters.

"What wealth? These petty trinkets?" she smiled demurely. She continued to pluck the harp strings. "They are all for show."

"And what are you, then? A petty trinket, too?" he grinned. Doppy tensed at this, but he remained calm. He could sense the others blocking the way out now from the stairway above.

"Be careful of what you say. Sometimes...even a petty trinket could be...a trap," she said, as she narrowed her eyes now. She grinned, as she saw Eremes's Cloaked form with the help of the bracelet on her wrist. He moved swiftly up to the Lord Knight and was ready to attack. He clearly detested this man and wanted to kill him now.

"So, I see. And, if I destroy the trap?" William sneered, and he withdrew his sword.

"Then I shall slit your throat!" Eremes hissed. His katar went right up to the Lord Knight's neck. "We have been waiting for you!"

"Get away from me!" William hissed. He kicked Eremes away. Then he paused at Doppy's massive form when he finally moved away from the wall with a snarl of hatred. For a moment, the unblinking gaze of red, glowing pupils held him in a frightened trance. Then he saw the swords and Mimics come to life. He gaped at it, and then saw Sarine's cruel smile. Isis hissed and readied a Fire Ball. Succubus grinned and prepared to sing to Stun him with Medusa.  _It was a well-prepared trap._ Then he looked at Coraline, and he gasped in recognition at her at long last. He was given an icy glare by her now.

"Hello, Bill. Nice to see you again," Coraline frowned, as she stood and readied her whip. Pori-Pori scooted out from his hiding place to move in front of Sarine protectively. He glanced at the powerful Poring-type monster and looked back at Coraline.

"You?! You harlot! You think you can get the better of me?!" he growled. Then he remembered what was around him. Eremes had moved in front of Sarine protectively with Pori-Pori, and he Uncloaked. Then his human form shimmered back into his monster one, and he grinned savagely, as he let his form mist out. At the sight of him now, the Lord Knight paled.

"By your reactions, I think I have," the Gypsy retorted. Medusa moved in front of her to ready an attack. The monsters were closing in fast.

"What the...?!" William stammered, as Eremes Berserked and started to move at him. William had no chance against Eremes in his monster form. He had even less of a chance against Doppy with the way the demon lurched forward to run him through.

He ran for the door, got up the stairs, and found Garrett standing there with the rest of his men at the top. Sarine's other husbands were waiting for him, too. Sammy had his Samurai ghost out, and he was ready to kill. William gaped at the sight and how neatly he was tricked.

"You would dare to try and kill my wife?!" Howard snarled. He Berserked, and his Vecer Axe was out and ready to swing. His body sparked with red lightning now to enhance how pissed he was. Keltin was ready to let his Rage out, as he moved into a fighting stance.

"And you would speak out against our King?" Garrett frowned. "A rather unfortunate turn of events for you. Isn't it? First you rape an innocent Dancer. Then you try to steal the Crown. Now you say you don't want to serve our King? How many other girls and innocents have you harmed behind our backs? What's come over you?"

"I'll kill you!" William snarled and found himself run through by Doppy's sword from behind. Doppy had found a weak area in the armor and was able to pass his sword through it like butter. William had completely forgotten about the strong monsters in the treasury and couldn't speak, as it was the first time he had ever been brought down.

"Sorry. I beat you to it!" Doppy hissed and withdrew his sword. William slumped to the ground in shock. Margaretha looked at Garrett, and he nodded. She Healed William, since Doppy's sword left him Confused, and Sammy caused a random effect of his skills to be blocked for now. Garrett's men stripped William of his weapons, and he was hauled back toward the Kafra Agent to be Warped to Prontera for proper judgment.

"Where is Sarine?" Howard said. Doppy cleaned off his sword, placed it back on his side, and moved down into the treasury. Eremes was with her, and she was hugging him. He was in a bit of pain from where he was savagely kicked as a human. Doppy called out for assistance. Keltin moved down into the treasury to Heal him and to bring Sarine up.

"What will happen to him?" Sammy asked, as he moved to hug Sarine close. He was quite grateful that she didn't have to attack.

"He'll be tried and court-marshaled," Garrett sighed. His men were staring at Sarine now, but, at Doppy's hiss, they averted their eyes. Howard moved over to her and felt her belly with a sigh. She gave him a kiss and looked over at Keltin.

"Yes?" he asked. She smiled and grabbed his hand to take him back to the small grove and a certain set of bushes. Howard grinned and followed her with Doppy and Eremes. Sammy nodded to Garrett, and he moved swiftly to follow them.

"Are you all right?" Max asked Coraline.

"I'm fine, thanks," she sighed. "It...feels good that he'll get some form of justice. He did call me a harlot down there."

"He said what?!" Max growled. Donnie blinked and found himself impressed.  _Max was already defensive for her. None of the others that were with Coraline before did that. Maybe Huginn was right about this one._ Muninn was already in complete agreement with his brothers' decision for Coraline and Max to meet.  _The man was clearly honorable, and he was a true high-ranking official. His sister would be protected to the fullest with this one._

"Easy, Max," Garrett said. "There will be plenty of other times to get back at him later. Right now, this young lady needs an escort back to the house."

"Of course," Max said, and he offered his arm. "If you will allow me the pleasure?"

"Oh," she blushed and looked at Donnie. At his small nod, since he was going to be following her, she looped her arm in Max's arm, and let him escort her. William started plotting vengeance the moment he was set to be moved off the island. He wanted Sarine for himself now, and he would find a way to do it. As they were getting ready to leave through the Kafra Agent, the men were stopped by the massive form of Naght Seiger. He had decided to check on Sarine and saw the whole thing through Howard's eyes. He wanted to judge the man himself. The men stammered, and Naght glared at William. Garrett held up his hand when Naght moved closer to inspect the prisoner. On looking into William's eyes, he hissed with rage. He now knew that this man wanted to be with his mate, and he took a direct offense to it.

"Naght? What do you need?" he asked carefully. A massive red sword was thrust into William's face, less than an inch away from the man's nose, and the air smoldered around it.

"Sir..." one of his men gaped.

"Silence!" Garrett barked out. "Naght, what do you want with him?"

"Kill...him...!" he snarled. "He...wants...my...mate...!"

"What?! How many lovers does that slut have?!" William hissed out. "And all monsters? What the hell is up with that?!"

Then he blinked, as Naght roared at the insult to Sarine. A pillar of fire billowed from his skeletal mouth up into the sky in a fearful display of Demonic dominance. Garrett swore and looked at his men.  _Do they try to make a run for it? Or leave William to a demon's wrath?_ Doll had seen Naght appear and quickly told Sammy about it. Sammy now moved swiftly over to the group. On seeing Naght billowing fire, he knew something was clearly not right.

"Naght Seiger!" Sammy said, as he approached him quickly. "What's wrong?!"

"He...insulted...my...mate...!" Naght growled. "He...called...her...a...slut...!"

"He did  _what_?!" Howard said, as he came over at Naght's arrival. Naght had mentally told him what just happened, and now his face was a vision of vengeance. "What did he call her?! Garrett? Tell me!"

"William..." Garrett frowned. "you just had to open your big mouth. Again. Now I know that I can't take you to proper justice in a court."

"What do you mean?!" William said. "It's what you're supposed to do!"

"You do know that that's Naght Seiger. The demon from the tower. Right?" Garrett frowned heavily. "The same one that takes forever to reach?"

"What? You mean that's...him?  _The_  Naght Seiger himself?!" William paled.

"Who did you think he was? An illusion? Idiot!" Howard muttered.

"Yes. And Sarine is not only Naght's mate, but Ifrit's, too. Be thankful that Ifrit isn't here to add in his anger!" Sammy growled. Doppy moved back over to them to find out why they were still there, and Naght hissed in Demonic on what was just said. Doppy now roared with challenge and took his sword back out.

"And, William, that's Doppelganger. The same one that beat the crap out of Max in two moves. He's also the one that ran you through in one move just a moment ago. And...that's also his wife that you insulted..." Garrett said again a bit slowly for it to sink in. The other men shifted nervously. William paled even more.

"Let...me...kill...him...!" Naght snarled and brandished his swords.

"Let him fight in the arena," Sammy grinned. "That can be his proof of justice."

"Arena?!" William blinked. "Don't I deserve a trial?!"

"Not here," Sammy grounded out. "Oh. I'm Incantation Samurai, enhanced by Valkyrie. Sarine is my wife, too. She has five husbands. Ifrit and Naght are her lovers, too, as I mentioned earlier. She is also...the Vessel of Odin."

"You are...and I insulted the...Vessel, herself?!" William gasped. He was now a dead man. He had heard the recent tales of the Vessel of Odin and her championed husbands. _Husbands that consisted of powerful men, monsters, and demons that only loved and served her, as well as avenged her to the fullest of their abilities._  Eremes came over now and was brought up to speed on what was going on. Ifrit was livid, but Eremes mentally explained to let Naght handle the issue. A mild agreement was given back. He ran back to the grove to inform Keltin carefully. He could not allow any negativity to hit Sarine too much. When Max came back from the house, one of the men told him what was going on. Max was in shock that William was such an idiot and moved over to Garrett's side quickly.

Windwalker was soon moving up to them with Sarine on its back. Keltin wasn't far behind with Eremes. Seyren was told what happened, and his eyes went round. He had to tell the others now so they could witness what was going to happen.

"I have no say so. Let's take him to the arena," Garrett muttered.

"Wait!" William said. Then he glanced at Sarine's frown on the back of the majestic Gryphon. She sighed and ran a hand over her belly. That was when he realized that she was pregnant.  _Now I really am dead. There are five husbands and possibly two strong demons that wanted to kill me now. I won't be able to hide anywhere if I tried to._ Donnie was watching from the bedroom window with satisfaction. Coraline was still blushing about Max.

"I wanted to bathe, but..." Sarine sighed. "it appears that my honor is at stake for the name he called me. William, you do know that all of this started, because you raped a friend of mine long ago. Right? The same one that you insulted in the treasury?"

"I..." he gasped and swallowed.

"You're 'lucky spot' has earned you a swift death!" Doppy snarled.

"It...should...be...slow...!" Naght roared out.

"To the arena?" Sammy asked. Coraline and Donnie had come back out of the house with Mitchell. Max moved over to Coraline's side with concern. He told them what William did, and Coraline was in shock. The four of them moved to the arena quickly. Then the other monsters and companions went to the arena. Howard moved to walk with Sarine and Windwalker to the arena. Her other husbands did the same, and Sammy moved into the judge's seat. When it came to trials like this, he had to judge them himself. The guards tossed William to the ground with his weapons so he could try to have a fighting chance. Naght was going to fight him first. _The man was as good as dead._

"Moron," Max sighed, and Coraline was simply frowning. Max felt a need to sit by her, and he actually fought the urge to hold her hand in his to comfort her. He never did that with any other, either. He was finally forced to stand by Garrett to assist with what needed to happen next. Donnie was reclining back in the chair with a grim smile on his face. He was glad the bastard was finally going to get what he deserved after all this time.

"William Rory!" Sammy grounded out, and the monsters howled and jeered at the Lord Knight. "You have been brought here, since you have been convicted of the following acts of crime! Not protecting the innocent! Attempting a grand theft of the King's Crown! And, lastly, not swearing fealty to your King! A new charge has been pressed against you for insulting the Vessel of Odin! How do you plea?"

"I didn't know! There's no real proof to the other charges!" William shouted out.

"Wow...I didn't know we could do this," Max whispered to Garrett.

"Normally we can't. Maybe we should start a nighttime court," Garrett thought aloud. "It would easily deter would-be thieves."

"So, you claim you are innocent?" Sammy frowned. "Funny. Well, if you can survive against Naght Seiger's challenge, then maybe you are."

Sarine looked on from her balcony, as she reclined in Doppy's lap. She kept a hand within his hair to keep him soothed, and he purred, as he rested his forehead against her shoulder. At first he wanted to challenge him, but Sarine had pointed out that it was Naght that made the first appearance and got the first chance. Now she had to keep him calm, since he was upset about the lack of fighting. Howard, Keltin, and Eremes simply watched from their small thrones in the balcony silently.

Garrett's men were stationed around the arena to bear witness. Cecil and Coraline were sitting with the others under the balcony. Lloyd and Margaretha made silent prayers for the man in the arena. Kathryne and Mitchell looked on with mild amusement. Seyren and Karla sat with their arms around each other, and Luna was sitting in their laps.

"I...will...kill...you...!" Naght hissed, as his weapons clashed against each other to make sparks. William shouted and rushed at Naght. The spell of Storm Gust was cast by Naght to freeze the Lord Knight in place. Then he cast Agility on himself to move faster, and he used an ultra-powerful Two Hand Quicken skill to further increase his speed. Right after that, he used the skill of Brandish Spear and the spell of Meteor Storm. The Lord Knight died on the arena floor, and Naght howled with triumph. Howard was grinning at the attacks, and Doppy was smirking the whole time. Eremes was clearly impressed, and Keltin looked amused.

"Normally, we Resurrect the fallen in the arena. What do you think, Garrett Lockheart?" Sammy asked grimly. "Since he is a Knight of Prontera under you, it is your decision to his fate, as you are the Captain of the Prontera Guard."

"If we Resurrect him, let it be done with him in custody. He clearly knows the errors of his ways now. If not, he will become a permanent prisoner in the Prontera castle jails," Garrett said. Margaretha rose up with Lloyd, and they moved down to the arena floor. When Naght looked up at Sarine, she smiled warmly down to him, since he avenged her and reinstated her honor. She planted a kiss on Doppy and moved to approach Naght. The soldiers gasped, as Naght swooped her up to cradle her close. She smiled and pressed her forehead to his skulled forehead, as he purred deeply.

"Missed me already?" she whispered.

"Always..." he hissed out and chuckled when her hand caressed his jawbone.

"Odd," Howard mused, as he joined them. "I'm a monster and he's here."

"He can come and go as he pleases now," Sammy reminded him. "The link with you is there in case he needs to be called."

"That's right, eh?" Howard chuckled. He forced his misting form to solidify.

"How do you do that?" Eremes asked.

"Well, I'm able to do it, as I'm her husband. Wait. You try it. Focus on becoming solid. It's not flesh, but it's like flesh," Howard said. Eremes blinked and focused slightly. His misting form solidified like Howard's form.

"I could have done this?!" Eremes gasped.

"Well, we didn't try it until now, did we?" Howard grinned. "Seyren's out of luck, though. Only we, as her husbands, can do this."

"Seyren can piss off," Doppy smirked. That got Howard laughing.

"Seyren can do a lot of things. Just not around me," Eremes grumbled. Keltin started grinning now. Naght released Sarine, now that he knew she was fine, and he went back to his tower. There were intruders he had to prepare for.

"Howard?" Sarine asked.

"Yes?" he asked, as he gave her his full attention. She moved to him and pulled him close to plant a long kiss on his mouth. Blinking from it, he looked at the others before scooping her up and taking her back to the grove.

"She needs a bath," Sammy sighed.

"Definitely after this," Eremes nodded.

"Night's still young," Keltin chuckled.

"I'm worried," Doppy said.

"Why?" Sammy asked.

"She hasn't been sleeping well. Each day, she struggles. Don't any of you see this? We need to make sure she sleeps well tonight," Doppy said.

"She...truly dominated you. Didn't she?" Eremes frowned.

"She will be the  _only_  one allowed to," he growled. "Only Sarine is allowed to touch me. I will let no other touch me like she does!"

"Well, of course not!" Keltin grimaced. "I'm a bit worried, though. Something else, though. It's been bugging me for a while."

"About what?" Eremes asked.

"Well..." he sighed. "it's probably nothing, but I'm worried about becoming a Bongun around that Munak we recruited. I know I won't do anything, but what will she do? I don't want to have someone clingy, you know?"

"That's a valid worry," Sammy frowned, and called Muninn down to ask about it.

_:Safe. No worry. She knows. You. Husband. To Vessel. Is jealous. But. Is fine.:_  Muninn warbled.  _:Confrontation? Yes. But. All fine. In. The end.:_

"Great. So there is going to be an all-out war. Lovely," Keltin groaned.

"If Sarine sees it..." Eremes frowned.

"Has Munak said anything to you in your human form?" Sammy asked.

"No. Neutrality so far," Keltin said.

"Then stay human. Only be a Bongun in the privacy of us and on the road. It's what you've been doing so far," Doppy snorted.

"That's what I was figuring," Keltin nodded. "Ah, well. All of my forms are for Sarine, anyways. I wouldn't want to let anyone else have them."

"And that's the best way to look at it," Sammy chuckled. "Let's prepare her bath. Shall we? I'm sure that, by the time they come to us, it will be ready for her."

As they went to the house, Howard was busy occupying himself with Sarine within the bushes. Windwalker had stationed itself neatly in front of where they could be walked in on, and it easily kept any stragglers away.

"How-How..." Sarine breathed, as he pulled her close.

"Hmm?" he smiled. She ran a hand over his chest to feel him shiver.

"I have a secret to tell you," she giggled.

"I won't say a word to anyone," he said lovingly, and he kissed her gently.

"I think that there...is a reason that Sammy has your body build," she blushed.

"Oh?" he grinned now.

"I always...loved your body best..." she said slowly.

"Oh..." he said with sense of pride now. He moved over her to give her his body again. Moaning softly, as he moved his mouth over her neck, she arched into him, and he worked with her. She cried out in his mouth when he thrusted sharply into her to release, and he kissed her desperately, as they both rode out the pleasure. He kept himself locked within her, as his hands moved over her gently. Feeling his twins kick in response to him, he smiled and nuzzled her.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he whispered back and hugged her to him.

"I need a bath," she sighed. He sighed with her and smiled.

"We could both use one, I think," he agreed.

"Should we go back?" she asked.

"Nah," he grinned, and she poked his side to make him laugh. "Mmm...just a little longer, love? I really missed you."

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her lovingly.

"So, I have the best body, eh?" he grinned.

"Not too muscular. Not too slender. Not too bulky..." she giggled. "Of course, I love the bodies of all of my husbands. I just think yours is perfect for me. Flawless. And...every time I see you with your top off, it drives me wild!"

"Really?" he asked with surprise. "I'll have to do that more often, then!"

"Just don't let it get to your head too much, How-How. You'll have to answer to the others, then. Sammy has your body now, too. So, you do have some competition," she snickered. He just gave her a smirk and kissed her.

"He may have my build, but his height makes him look a bit different, if you think about it. It gives an illusion that he has more muscle than me. Besides, as long as I know it's my body he's copied of, I honestly don't mind," he grinned. This made her blink at his reasoning. He kissed her again, moving hard inside her to make her moan and writhe under him. When he released with her after that, they both agreed that it was time to head back to the house. Kissing her long and deeply once more, he helped her dress, and he growled when she ran her hands over his chest and back. She clearly did love his body.

"Can't help myself," she giggled.

"You are making it very hard for me to want to leave here," he grinned.

"At least I'm doing my job as your wife," she winked.

"Oh, you...!" he growled out. He tackled her and tickled her lightly before picking her up to carry her in his arms. He kissed her the whole way back to the house and even up the stairs to the bedroom. When he finally opened the door, the bath was already set up for her.

"We just finished setting the bath up. Good timing..." Eremes chuckled. Keltin walked over, and she gave him a kiss before he started to help undress her with Howard. They set her in the tub first to give her a head start on getting clean. After that, each one took a turn to bathe with her. When they had each given her a good scrubbing, and she gave them one in turn, Eremes helped to dry her off. He was the last to be with her, and he made sure she was thoroughly dried. Then he took her to the bed, and Sammy helped massage her to remove any and all of the stress in her body. It didn't take long after that for her to fall asleep.

Sammy still wanted to tell of his past, but he supposed that it could wait until morning before they left for Louyang. Settling on the cushion on the floor in a sitting stance, he took a deep breath to focus in meditation. Doppy was meditating soon by the door, as the other three took up their usual places to sleep.


	55. Chapter 55

Near dawn, she woke up from the twins kicking her hard. Groaning softly, she moved from the bed. She was surprised that Doppy and Sammy were meditating rather deeply. Then again, she knew that she wore them both out in various ways. She was going to love the tub even more now. Smiling, she found a nightgown to dress in, and the ice blue garment both covered and revealed her body. She was starting to feel hungry, but the feeling went away when she noticed something fluttering around the window. Blinking now, she opened the window up and found her mouth covered by a hand to keep her from screaming.

The next thing she knew was her body being airborne, and she looked wildly at who her captor was. _It was the male Valkyrie._ He had his hammer strapped to his back so he could carry her with him unhindered.

"I said I wanted to speak with you alone, and I meant it!" he growled, as he hovered with her in the air now. Gasping with fear, she swallowed and trembled in his arms.

"Please...put me down..." she whispered.

"Why? I won't drop you! Just...hear me out?" he asked.

"Fine...but...please...be quick..." she breathed.

"Can you name me?" he asked.

"Ah..." she gasped and had to focus off of where she was. "Alexander."

"Alexander," he repeated and smiled. "I like it."

"Good. Now what?" she asked. She was starting to fight down nausea.

"I want to be with you," he said.

"Please...I can't...do that...I'm...I'm going to be sick!" she gasped and squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't like heights!"

"Oh!" his eyes went wide, and he quickly flew downwards. The descent made her sick the moment he let her go onto the ground. He landed by her and knelt down, frowning as he did. She ran a hand over her belly, and he blinked at her.

"I need...Sammy..." she whispered. "Incantation Samurai...please..."

"Why? Oh! You have parasites in you? I can remove them!" he said.

"No!" she cried out and covered her belly even further. "They...are not parasites! They are my unborn children! I won't...let you touch them! They are the...offspring of my husband, Howard...and the demon, Naght Seiger!"

"So, they  _are_  parasites," he growled. He took his hammer off his back. "Demonic ones! I'll help purge them of your body! If they are feeding off of you, they have to be parasites!"

"They are not parasites! They are my babies!" she protested. Gasping, as she cried out in pain from a sudden growth spurt from the twins, she knew that Doppy had to have felt it and would be searching for her now. Panting softly, as she kept her belly protected with her own hands, she trembled. Alexander looked at her with worry now. When he saw her belly stretch, he realized his error.  _She truly was pregnant, and now I am likely in some serious trouble._ He put his hammer away and seemed to cringe.

"I'm sorry. I just...how do I fix this?" he asked.

"I need...Sammy..." she sighed, as she collapsed to the ground feeling weakened. The flight in the air and getting sick took every ounce of strength from her. It brought back a rather sad, vivid memory from long ago that had her fighting back tears. Alexander gasped, as Doppy and Sammy used their wedding rings to find her. He flew off quickly before Doppy could grab him to exact his vengeance.

"What did you do?!" he howled. Alexander was too far off now, and Doppy's attention turned to his wife. Sammy had her in his lap already, and he was rocking her. Her fears were quickly removed, and she was calmed again. He did wince, since the twins grew by three inches. He was furious inwards, and his Samurai ghost stayed within to keep from showing the fury.

"Sarine," Sammy whispered and gave her a potion to rinse out her mouth with. "What did he do? You can tell me. It's safe now."

"He...he had grabbed me from the balcony...flew in the air with me. He said he had questions. I...gave him a name...but...I...have a fear of heights..." she whispered.

"A fear of heights?" Sammy asked.

"I...I'll tell everyone when we go back. Okay?" she said. He nodded and carefully lifted her now. Doppy was infuriated that she was taken from the bedroom to begin with. Sammy gave him a look, and the demon swallowed down his anger to remain calm. He walked with them back to the house and up the stairs. When they got back, the other three were waiting for her. Sammy calmly explained what happened and what Sarine said. Howard was tense with anger, but he said nothing.

"Why were you protecting your belly?" Sammy asked.

"Alexander...thought my pregnancy...was parasites..." she cringed.

"He..." Howard started, as his rage started to show, and Sammy glared at him to remain calm. He cleared his throat and made fists, but he gave a small nod.

"He knows better now?!" Doppy growled.

"Yes. He does," she nodded.

"Fine. I swear...if he hurt my children..." Howard shuddered.

"He didn't. I chased him off!" Doppy muttered. Keltin and Eremes were fuming, but they forced down their anger to help Sarine.

"Eremes," Sarine whispered.

"Yes, my dear?" he asked, as he moved close.

"Can you get me something to eat? After I eat, I want to tell you all something," she sighed. Eremes nodded, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and moved down the stairs swiftly. When he came back, he gave her an ice cream cone and a chocolate bar. Smiling as she ate, Keltin surprised her with a small fruit bowl. Blushing softly, she ate that, too, and Doppy gave her some water. Howard was highly concerned for her health now, and he was still highly pissed off that the male Valkyrie dared to risk her safety like this.

"Feeling better?" Howard asked. He was forcing himself to remain calm.

"Yes. Okay. I'm ready," she nodded. She leaned back against Sammy, as he was sitting on the cushion with her, and he kissed her forehead.

"Whenever you're ready," Keltin nodded.

"There...was a reason I went to Gonryun after I grieved from losing everyone from Lighthalzen twice," she winced and trembled. "I...am desperately afraid of heights. And Gonryun is known for being a floating town. And...when I got so sad and thought I couldn't move on...I would think of letting myself simply fall off the edge of town..."

Eremes winced and grimaced. Doppy's eyes went wide with disbelief. Keltin was stunned that she would even think of wanting to do such a thing. Howard swallowed and was only grateful that her mental wall was still up. Sammy closed his eyes and trembled with her silently. She blinked, as she felt tears fall on her, and she looked up at him. He couldn't say anything, but he just held her tighter to him.

"Sammy?" Doppy asked lightly.

"Just...give me a moment..." Sammy said. Sarine blinked and pressed herself into him. He hugged her tightly to him now and kissed her hard. After that, he was able to control himself again, and he rocked her to not only ease her, but himself.

"What was that about?" Howard frowned.

"A vision...of what would have happened, if she was successful in...well..." he faltered. Sarine gasped and clung to him, as he clung back to her. Howard just blinked at it and ran over to her to get hugged by her, too.

"Do NOT show us that!" Keltin sighed, as he went to her when she gestured to him. Eremes was next to get a bone-crushing hug from her. Then Doppy all but ripped her from Sammy's lap to pull her into his to hug tightly.

"We will need to go to Gonryun, eventually, for Evil Snake Lord," Sammy sighed.

"I know," she nodded, and ran her hands through Doppy's hair to calm him. "Why is it that I can never get enough sleep now?"

"You are still exhausted?" Eremes frowned.

"Very," she sighed. "It was my pregnancy that woke me up to begin with! But, we have so much to do today, too."

"We can probably spare another two hours. It's just barely dawn," Howard said.

"Sarine, I have something to ask you," Keltin said.

"Yes?" she asked.

"If you're afraid of heights, why did you fly on Windwalker's back to Lighthalzen to get the others?" he asked. That made Howard pause in thought.

"Well...I felt incredibly safe with you and How-How. I knew that I wasn't going to come to any harm, and I was able to close my eyes to remain calm. I don't know Alexander that well, and his intentions...with me being pregnant..." she faltered. Doppy continued to hug her tightly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Eremes blinked at this news and thought. Sammy frowned and decided it was time to change the subject.

"Should I tell you about my past?" Sammy smiled.

"I think I would like that," Sarine smiled. Doppy just muttered in agreement, as he purred. He was a bit incoherent with Sarine's hands massaging through his hair. It was a definite weakness with him, but only with her. The others nodded at this and Sammy chuckled.

"All right. Well, I'll let my Samurai part talk first. I have both the boy's memories and the Samurai's memories. Sound good?" Sammy smiled.

"Of course," Sarine smiled.

"About eleven-hundred years ago, give or take a century, I was known as the most feared Warlord in the land," he started. "I have long forgotten my name, but I'm sure it's in the history books somewhere. Anyways, I had everything. Wealth. Power. Women. Horses. Salts and spices from all of the greatest villages and towns at the time. But, I wanted eternal life to ensure that I would never lose my powerful status. So, I had my men scour the land for something, anything at this point, which would give me this.

"In the end, they found a cursed set of weapons, armor, and an old scroll. On reading the scroll, it had said that whoever wore the armor and bore the weapons would live forever, but would lose the host the soul lived in and another would be needed to replace it. I wasn't sure what it meant at the time. As you can see, it meant that, on wearing the cursed set of weapons and armor, I would lose my flesh and blood. I would need to inhabit another body as a replacement. A form of eternal spiritual possession.

"I figured to go with it. What harm could it do? The moment I put on the armor and held the weapons high, I started to smolder. Then I screamed, as I saw my own flesh turn to ash to reveal the white bone underneath. The armor had sealed my memories to the bones, the weapons sealed my strength within them, and my spirit was bound to the scroll. Was I pissed? Of course, I was! The other part of the scroll said that someone had to read the words of bonding in order to have the new body to become inhabited and possessed. Of course, none of my men were going to do it. So, in that moment, my throne was usurped, and the scroll was confiscated by the Warlord next in line.

"I was locked away deep in the Amatsu dungeon shrine underground, and my scroll was well hidden. For centuries I waited and slept the years away. Then I heard and felt the sounds of a child. A small boy had found his way down to where my scroll was. I didn't know it at the time, but this very child was my last living descendant. Apparently, one of my sons had survived and was able to keep my lineage alive. This boy was the last of the family and was being hunted. He had heard about the scroll, and of me. When he found the scroll and opened it, he saw me appear, and I whispered to him of the eternal life he would gain and the power he would receive to fight off his enemies. I told him what words to read and what words to say aloud. Then I was finally bound to him. The body you see before you is my descendant."

"So, Sammy is of your family bloodline. I see," Howard mused. "Does he resemble what you did in life?"

"Yes, he does. Spitting image, in fact. Especially now," Sammy chuckled. "Of course, my skin tone was tanned, and my eyes were different. I forget what color they were. My hair was black, too. Anyways, I will now allow the body to speak."

"We are listening," Sarine nodded. Sammy reverted back to his child form for the memories to be clearer. He shifted his weight, since the heavy scroll was on his back again. He thought as to how to start and cleared his throat.

"Well, yes, I was running from the townsfolk. They wanted to destroy the last of the blood of the horrific Warlord of the past. My family had been running and hiding for ages, and we were finally cornered in an old rice field outside of Amatsu. I didn't know that my ancestor used to live in Amatsu and used to rule it. No one really knew who we were until an old heirloom was found that my Father had. It was a pendant handed down for generations.

"It was the sigil of a bloody fang, you see. I had always seen it, but never knew what it meant until my Father had told me. One of the farmers found it when he snooped around our family hut, and he caught wind of who my family was descended from. It...caused a riot in the village. Mainly of fear and superstition. It was destiny, I guess. I...I watched my family get butchered when they were dragged out of hiding, and my Father told me to find the scroll. He said the scroll can save me and what was left of the family line. He told me to run away and to move as fast as I could. That...that he would hold off the villagers for as long as he could.

"I was scared and didn't know what else to do or where else to go. So, I ran into the depths of the shrine. When I found the scroll, I had to remove several layers of dust from it. It was pure luck that I found it at all, since I had tripped over it in a sense. Stumbled on it is the best way to put it. It was in one of the floor boards, hidden away, and it had warped up from time and neglect. When I opened the scroll, I was scared of the ghost I saw. It was of my ancestor, after all, and I was going to give my body over to him in order to survive.

"I was told what to read. Ordered, was most like it. All I wanted was to be safe and not die. I was too young! I had a lot I wanted to do still! Once I felt my soul become one with the scroll, I knew my fate was sealed. I let my ancestor take over and kill off any person that got to me. The strongest elders in the village sealed me to the shrine for good. So, I killed anyone that came into the shrine after that. It happened about a couple centuries ago, I think. Yeah, I was mad when I didn't grow anymore. When I couldn't leave the shrine, I was furious, but what else could I do? So, I spent the time by fixing up my new home to keep it nice. It helped lure humans down, too, so that I could amuse myself, but I was still quite sad and angry that I was trapped. I think my ancestor was just as mad, too, but, in the end, eternal life was granted in a way to both of us. I'm...very grateful for Valkyrie's gift. To make me an adult, that is...and for...my new wife and friends...and family..."

Doppy kissed Sarine gently and let her move over to Sammy to hug his child body close. He sighed and rested his head against her. She felt him weeping now, and a kiss was pressed to his forehead to soothe him as he always soothed her. When he was in his child form and upset, it brought out an instinctive protective streak in her. It was the instinct a mother had to soothe and comfort a child. Eremes sighed and shook his head at the sad tale.

"Wow. You saw your family butchered..." Keltin blinked.

"Another one with a crappy past. Welcome to the family!" Howard grinned.

"Yeah. Thanks," Sammy muttered, and Keltin grinned.  _The same thing was said to me._  He moved away from her when he felt better, and she smiled softly at him. His body became an adult again, and his scroll became his necklace.

"You know, you look very attractive with that necklace," Sarine blushed. She blinked when she felt an odd tingling in her breasts, but she disregarded it. She had feelings like that before on occasion, and it never bothered her.

"Really?" Sammy grinned and kissed her. Then he paused, as he noticed the front of her nightgown was damp.  _And it wasn't from my tears as a child._ "What's this all about?"

"I don't know," she frowned. Then he took a closer inspection and swore.

"What is it?!" Doppy hissed.

"Sarine...you're lactating," he grimaced.

"What?!" she freaked. "Already?! But...but..."

"The incident that just happened...damn!" Keltin sighed.

"She's what?" Howard frowned heavily.

"Producing milk for the twins already," Sammy sighed, as he hugged her close.

"Ah...oh, shit..." Howard blinked and shook his head to remove the shock.

"You can't be serious!" Eremes said.

"Take a look for yourself," Sammy said. Eremes moved closer to her and slowly moved to place his hand on one of her breasts. When he lightly squeezed, she winced from how tender it felt, and he blinked to find his palm covered with new milk. The nightgown was so gauzy that the liquid just seeped right through it.

"She'll be giving birth by the end of the month. Won't she?" Howard sighed.

"At this rate, she will be. From how it looks for her right now, someone could easily say that she's five months into her pregnancy," Sammy frowned. "The next time her twins grow, her belly will definitely start stretching out. It already is!"

"We can't go to Louyang with her condition!" Keltin said.

"We have no choice. Daddy said it must be done," she frowned. "I wonder why. He always has his reasons."

"The White Lady," Eremes said. "I think it's for her."

"Why?" Howard frowned.

"Think about it. Sarine needs a midwife. The White Lady, also known as Bacsojin, can Heal and help monitor her. She can also become a nanny for the children," Eremes said.

"Bacsojin," Keltin blinked and thought. "You're right!"

"What made you think of her?" Sammy asked.

"I remembered something said about that strong monster in one of my travels. Odin...he must know that Sarine will be having the twins early..." Eremes frowned.

"Early?" Howard frowned.

"It's been just over a week and she's like this. If she keeps having stress..." Eremes muttered. "She could be having the twins by the end of this week and not the end of the month."

Doppy swore and moved to gather up Sarine to take her into the bathroom, shutting the door as he did. The others looked at each other and shrugged. They would let him have his peace with her for now.

"Doppy?" Sarine frowned, and he fell to his knees to crush her against him carefully. He was gasping for control, and he succumbed to her touch when her hands moved through his hair.

"Sorry Sari..." he whispered and kissed her deeply. "I want to...request something of you. I wouldn't be asking right away...but...with what's going on..."

"What would that be?" she frowned.

"I...I want you to have my children after Howard's are born."

"I can't guarantee it. My body would have to heal from the birth first. If I get pregnant again right away, it could damage me."

"I want to feel even more human! With you, I do."

"Doppy..."

"I want to feel that pride in being a father! I want to feel the protection I can give you when you are having my children! I want...all of that..."

"Oh, Doppy," she sighed and pulled his face to hers to kiss him thoroughly. When she gasped at the feel of her dampening nightgown, he looked down at the appearing wet spots and trembled. Then he drew the nightgown off her and bent down to suckle. She whimpered, as it hurt at first, but now she realized that he was actually fully nursing off her. For some reason, he had to do it. He needed to do it. When one breast was drained, he moved to the other to drink from it. It was an act he was doing without thinking. Without needing to rationalize about it. He wanted every part of her. He wanted to taste everything about her. To feel everything about her. He didn't care what the others would think. This was what he wanted to do.

He moved between one and the other to make sure he got every last drop that appeared for now. The taste of it was something new to him. He liked it. He wanted more of it the moment it built up again. When she was fully emptied, he kissed her hard and removed his armor swiftly to have her. Letting her cry out over and over again, as he worked with her, and he finally growled out his release. Pulling her close, he held her possessively. When the twins kicked at him, he just smiled and pressed a hand to her belly. He knew they were partly his kids from the blood she drank from him, but it wasn't the same.  _I want to be the one to father the next set._  It was becoming more and more important to him to do so.

Not bothering to dress her in the nightgown again, he put his armor back on and carried her back out to the others.

"Don't worry about her...eh...lactating. I took care of it," he grinned.

"What do you mean? Wait. You...nursed off her?!" Howard gaped.

"Yes," he grunted and set her in the bed. "I wanted to do it."

"Why?" Sammy frowned.

"I want to taste and feel every part of her. And...I want to be the one to father her next pregnancy," he said calmly. Sarine blushed softly and sighed.

"What?" Eremes blinked.

"You heard me," Doppy grunted, as he sat in the bed to let Sarine hug him.

"Well..." Sammy thought. "you should let her heal first."

"I will," he nodded. "But, I want to be next."

"Do we decide on a list now?" Keltin mused.

"If that's the case, I'm after Doppy," Eremes chuckled.

"I can go after all of you," Sammy shrugged. "I don't mind."

"I'm going to be a birthing machine," Sarine sighed. "I think I see why Daddy wants Bacsojin with me. I...doubt I'll be having normal pregnancies."

"What do you mean?" Sammy frowned.

"Think about it. Eremes has Ifrit's blood in him. I was impregnated by Howard with Naght Seiger's blood. Keltin is actually a Bongun. Doppy is a demon, too. And you are a body with a centuries old ghost. All of that combined, and I am the Vessel of Odin, and Odin's daughter. The only thing I can hope for is that, after each birth, my body will instinctively keep itself from becoming pregnant until it's ready."

"You may be right," Sammy frowned. "I didn't see it that way before."

"Yes, Eremes and Howard may be human, at times. Keltin, too. But...I think my body just works differently with all of you. I may even heal faster than most women, because of who I am. It's...a little scary to think about," she sighed. Doppy pulled her into his lap, and he hugged her. He didn't want her to worry about it right now.

"Hmm..." Sammy thought. Then he studied her when she winced. Getting up to monitor her closely, he looked at Howard. "Feed your twins. They're hungry."

"Very well!" Howard sighed and moved to the bed. Doppy nodded and let Howard undress to pull Sarine close to him. He kissed her gently and hugged her tightly. Doppy found the knife used from the day before and set it on the bed before moving off to sit by the door. Howard kissed Sarine desperately now and gasped when she moved onto him. He took up the knife and let Sarine lightly scratch his neck before he shouted, as her mouth latched onto his wound. He instantly released several times into her with each pull she did. When she was done, a potion was used quickly. He had pulled her down to the bed with him. He was gasping from it and held her close. He would never get over the sensation she gave him.

At a knock on the door, he swore and pulled a blanket over them both. Doppy muttered over to Sammy, and a grin was given in reply. Sammy moved into the bathroom and came out only wearing a towel. Winking at Sarine, he opened the door.

"Yes?" he asked, as he flexed his chest.

"Oh..." Kathryne said as she was caught off guard. "Um...I made some new recipes for Sarine to try. Is she okay?"

"Right now she is. She wasn't earlier," he sighed.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I won't get into it now," Sammy said lightly. "But...because of what happened, the twins advanced in growth again. She's...lactating now."

"Oh, dear!" Kathryne gasped. "Will she be okay?"

"Eremes thinks we need to go to Louyang to get Bacsojin as a midwife of sorts. He may be right. At this rate...Sarine may be giving birth by next week, if she isn't careful," he sighed.

"That's terrible!" Kathryne gasped again. "I'll have to tell the others about this in order to let them know what to do around her, but...I mean..."

"I know. And we know. We'll be down shortly," Sammy nodded. Kathryne nodded and moved to inform the others of the advanced pregnancy. Sammy shut the door only to have it knocked on again. He opened the door to find Seyren there. He overheard the conversation and wanted answers. He was just as concerned as the others.

"How bad is she?" he asked.

"It's not bad...just...more progressed," Sammy explained.

"What happened this morning?" Seyren asked. Sammy groaned and gestured for him to walk into the bedroom. Sarine had just finished dressing with Howard, and Seyren's eyes widened at the sight of her belly now. Sarine blinked and looked away, as Howard hugged her tightly with a sigh. Doppy moved now to let Seyren know what happened with the male Valkyrie. Then he let her know of Sarine's fear of heights and why. Seyren was just in shock by the whole thing.

"Don't bring it up too much," Sammy warned. "It will always be a delicate subject with her. We don't need her stressed out."

"I would say so!" Seyren agreed. "All right. I know that, um, Alexander, is a monster that is supposed to protect her. I'll try to flag him down to talk to him."

"Would that be wise?" Eremes asked.

"Well, it's either that, or he tries to pull something like this again!" Seyren frowned. "We can't hurt him. We may as well talk reason into him."

"Makes sense," Sammy nodded.

"I just don't want him to hurt Sarine anymore," Keltin frowned. "He's supposed to be protecting her! Not causing her harm!"

"If he does it again, I'll do more harming than talking," Doppy growled. Sarine shivered, and Howard put a hand on her belly.

"I'm hungry," she sighed.

"Let's go," Howard said, as he kissed her forehead. Doppy snorted, but led the way to the main room down the stairs. Eremes moved into the kitchen to start getting her a good meal and put a small roast in front of her. Keltin nodded to Max and Coraline, as Donnie strummed his guitar. Sammy got Sarine some juice, and Howard kept an eye out for anything around them.

"Are you well, Vessel of Odin?" Storm Caller asked, as he approached her.

"Other than a rampaging pregnancy, I've been better," she sighed.

"I see," he frowned. "There have been demands for you to be seen down below. I trust you have other errands today?"

"Yes. I have to go to Louyang, as Daddy needs me to recruit Bacsojin, apparently," she nodded. "She will be needed and may be important to my cause."

"Good," he nodded back.

"Who has been wanting to see her?" Doppy growled.

"Oh, pretty much everyone..." Storm Caller sighed.

"Ignore them for now. You are in no condition to see them," Sammy said.

"Maybe when we come back from Louyang," Sarine said. Howard winced at this decision, but he would be with her, regardless. He knew that Naght would be with her, too. She leaned into Howard, and he put his arms around her. It was hard for her to eat now, and he rubbed a hand on her belly.

"You need to finish eating, dear," he whispered.

"How can I eat when there is so much for me to do?" she frowned. Sammy walked over to Howard and gestured to help. He nodded and had Sarine move into Sammy's lap. She sighed with exhaustion, and he whispered to her. She whispered back, and he grimaced.

"I'm taking her to the grove really quick," he said, as he swept her up in his arms to carry her there. He knew that she needed to calm down.

"That bad?" Eremes frowned.

"In so many ways," Sammy sighed.

"Should I come with?" Keltin asked.

"If you want," Sammy nodded. He knew that Keltin was there for her before. Leading him to the grove, they were grateful it wasn't that far off. It was right after the flower garden behind the house. He wanted it close for emergency situations like this. Once he entered it with Sarine, a sigh escaped her, as her stress quickly melted away. He sat with her on a cushion, as Keltin reverted to his Bongun form to make her feel more at ease. On seeing him, she reached for him, and Sammy let Keltin hold her close.

"I miss you the most like this," she sighed. "Your human form is wonderful, but..."

"The old never replaces the new, right?" he winked. She blushed, and he kissed her gently. He rocked her now, and she rested her head against his shoulder. This was her first husband, and she needed him. He knew she needed him, too. She pressed her face into his neck, and he hugged her a bit tighter when she shivered. "Hush, love. I'm here. I'm not leaving..."

"Bongun! There you are!" Munak said, as she skipped over. When she approached him, she paused and realized that he wasn't truly the Bongun monster she knew. Sammy frowned and was ready to intervene, if needed. Sarine blinked, but Keltin looked over at Munak calmly.

"Hello, Munak. Bongun? I am a Bongun. But, my name is Keltin. I'm also a human Champion, too," Keltin said slowly. Munak blinked at this and frowned.

"But...Bongun and Munak are supposed to be together!" she said.

"Do not discuss this here," Sammy warned.

"Why not?" Munak pouted.

"This Bongun is mine," Sarine said slowly. "I am sorry."

"Oh," Munak frowned. "But..."

"He is not a true Bongun anymore," Sammy said. "He is an evolved Bongun. You need to find a basic Bongun."

"But, how do I find one?" she frowned.

"Most likely a pet," Keltin frowned. "But, I wouldn't know, otherwise."

"No," Sarine sighed. She pulled Keltin close to kiss him deeply. Munak saw this and stammered.  _A normal Bongun would never kiss like that!_ This was definitely not the Bongun she thought he was.

"I can see now that he is not the Bongun I am looking for," she sighed. "There is no other way, is there?"

"Unfortunately not. But, you can see if Incubus wants a girlfriend?" Sammy chuckled. She blinked at that and seemed to smile. She skipped off to find Incubus.

"I wish that one luck!" Keltin laughed. _At least the crisis for me was done._  Sarine found her throat parched, and she let Sammy know. A bottle of juice was dropped, and Eremes Uncloaked. She blinked and wondered why she didn't see him.

"Sorry. I had to be around just in case," he chuckled. Sarine realized that she had to focus on using the bracelet for it to work. When she voiced her discovery, Sammy frowned at this, but at least she would still be able to use it when she needed it. She drank down the juice, anyways, and Keltin kissed her again before she was ready to join the others.

When she got to the house, she grimaced and looked down at her top to find herself leaking again. Doppy smirked and moved to take her up to the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Howard asked.

"Cleaning her up. Give me a minute," he grinned. Eremes snickered softly, and Sammy groaned, as he rubbed his forehead.

"Is it possible to get her spare Sniper tunics?" Keltin frowned.

"I don't know. But, I do know that she'll need a larger one when she starts to swell," Sammy sighed. "It's possible, at least."

"Swell? Oh..." Howard gave a hint of a grin. Sammy chuckled, and Eremes was giving a soft smile in thought. Keltin just seemed as amused as the others. When Doppy brought her back down, he was carrying her and even seemed a touch smug. He knew she was swelling already. She was a touch flustered, since her top was getting a little snug now.

"You saw them first! That's not fair!" Howard muttered to Doppy.

"Well, do you plan to fix Sarine's problem?" he grinned.

"Um..." he hesitated.

"Point made," Doppy snickered and set Sarine on her feet. She looked down at her top and was forced to make use of the zipper front. Lowering it just enough to show some cleavage and relieve the strain in the cloth, she sighed. _If this was the worst I was going to have to put up with, then I'll be fine with it._  Howard just growled a bit when he saw what she did, and he pulled her close to kiss. Blushing a little now, she looked at the others to nod that she was ready to go to Louyang.

As they all got together, the male Valkyrie appeared and landed to talk to them.

"I want to apologize. And I would like to go with you," he said.

"Alexander," Sarine frowned. "you really upset me this morning."

"This is why I need to make it up to you. Please? Give me another chance?" he pleaded. Doppy growled, but it was Seyren that moved forward.

"As long as you talk to me before doing anything. Agreed?" Seyren asked. Alexander nodded, and Sarine gave a soft nod to show he was welcome to come with. Windwalker landed for her to climb on its back, and Pori-Pori scooted over to bounce on her head. Sammy chuckled and reverted to his child form. He climbed onto Windwalker's back as well to sit in her lap.

"I know why you did that," Howard grumbled. Sarine blushed now, as Sammy laid back against her with a massive grin.

"That's cheating!" Keltin frowned.

"Don't worry. We'll all have our turns to do that," Eremes chuckled.

"The moment she starts leaking, tell me," Doppy smirked.

"I can do that. Maybe," Sammy grinned even more.

"Ugh..." Sarine frowned and sighed. "The men that I married!"

"Poor little sis," Cecil smiled. "At least they protect you."

"To an extent," Sarine winked.

"What do you mean by that?" Howard asked.

"You'll figure it out," Sarine giggled, and Windwalker moved to the Kafra Agent. The Warp for Louyang was done, and the party was taken there.


	56. Chapter 56

The town of Louyang could almost have been a sister city to Amatsu, but it dealt more on beauty than traditional honor. A massive, golden statue of a warrior and a tiger was in the center of town, and the palace was just beyond it. Small houses dotted the area, and Merchants of all types were selling their wares in the streets. When they appeared, there were silent stares all around, but they were ignored. When the gasps about Alexander started, he looked at her, and she smiled with a shrug.

Blent was standing by on a rooftop and spotted them. He sent the message quickly to Ripclaw, and the Stalker was there to greet them swiftly. Muninn was flying in the air and landed on Cecil's shoulders, since Sarine was riding on Windwalker's back.

"Sarine! It's good to see you. You look...bigger?" he frowned.

"Yes. Growth spurt, unfortunately," she sighed, and Sammy moved to check her belly. He said the twins were hungry, and an ice cream cone was handed to her followed by a plate of Spicy Shrimp. The chocolate drink followed to sate her, and she sighed. Howard moved over to her side to rub his hand over her belly, and she smiled lovingly at him. Doppy grumbled a bit, but she pulled him over to calm him.

"I'm next..." he whispered to her.

"I know, love. Don't worry," she smiled, and he sighed, as he leaned into her.

"We need to find the monster, Bacsojin," Eremes said to Ripclaw. "She is needed for Sarine when she is ready to give birth."

"Oh?" Ripclaw frowned and thought. "Well, I can lead you to her domain. I know the area fairly well."

"That's good, then," Sammy nodded. Doppy grinned, since Ripclaw didn't know about Sammy yet. Eremes and Keltin looked at each other and grinned.

"Sammy?" Sarine asked.

"Yes, my love?" he asked, as he turned to move closer to her on Windwalker's back. The Gryphon did seem to glare protectively at anyone that wanted to get close.

"What did he say?" Ripclaw asked.

"Oh! I'm married to her now," Sammy grinned.

"You're a child!" Ripclaw said with amazement. Then Sammy became his adult form, and Ripclaw was speechless. Then his jaw dropped, as the Samurai ghost came out to examine the surrounding area.

"No, I'm not a child. And that body is just a form. I am older than I look," he chuckled and moved to plant a kiss on Sarine. "What is it, my love? What's wrong?"

"I'm hurting..." she sighed and whispered to him. He frowned and rubbed her belly to check her while he thought. Doppy's slight wincing confirmed it.

"It's because they are growing normally now, and you're womb is stretching for the first time," he sighed. "Just don't overexert yourself, and you'll be fine."

"If you say so," she sighed. Karla gave over a chocolate bar, and Sarine ate it with pure bliss. Now that she was calmed again, Sammy smiled and kissed her forehead.

"How did you become an adult?" Ripclaw asked.

"Valkyrie did it," Sammy chuckled. "as Odin instructed. And I'm the LAST husband allowed. I keep Sarine from becoming too stressed out. That's all I'm going to say about it."

"Sammy?" Sarine smiled and offered him a piece of chocolate. Smiling as he accepted it, he blinked, as Donnie started to walk off in pursuit of someone. Eremes would have followed, but he was a monster and needed to stay close to Sarine. Doppy growled a bit, but calmed down when Sarine pressed a hand to his back.

"Where is he going?" Coraline frowned. Max was still with them and found himself in an awkward position. Like Ripclaw, he found himself feeling as though he fit with them now. He didn't when he first approached them, but that was before he was introduced to Coraline. But, unlike Ripclaw, he was accepting the sensations and not fighting them off.

"Max," Howard said, as he walked over to him.

"Yes, um, Howard, is it?" he asked.

"Yep. You should join Sarine's Guild," Howard chuckled.

"What?" Max asked. Garrett walked over with Cecil and squeezed her.

"Maybe he should wait until he becomes more, eh, familiar with Coraline?" Garrett winked. Max blinked at what his captain was saying.

"You mean, let them have sex and get married by Valkyrie, right?" Doppy grinned. Coraline blushed and looked away.

"I don't think that would be proper," Max frowned. Lloyd walked over with Margaretha and chuckled. Kathryne and Mitchell giggled to each other.

"Well, we wanted to wait until a proper wedding, but, it turned out better this way. Only with Sarine's party and companions will Valkyrie personally wed you in her own fashion," Lloyd said. "It's really something!"

"Are you serious?!" Max gaped.

"Oh, yes! All we did was, um, well...perform the wedding night bit," Margaretha blushed. "Of course, you can just request to get married, but it feels much more rewarding, afterwards. It shows that, once you are with the one you love in an intimate way, it's permanent and binding from that point on."

"I was actually wed to Eremes before, but we never had sex," Karla said with a soft smile. "He requested the marriage, you see. So, we were able to nullify the marriage easily. Now I'm with Seyren, and I know he's the one for me. Eremes is needed for Sarine more, but he's one of my best friends now."

"I think I understand," Max thought. He was going to say more, but Donnie had come back with another following him. Clearly an elder Bard, the man seemed to have a puzzled look on his face. He wasn't sure what Donnie said about a 'Perfect Voice', so he agreed to check it out. Anything of this importance with music, he had to address himself.

"Sarine! I'd like to introduce you to my Bard Guild brother, Augustus. We all wander around, so I was lucky enough to find him. He's also a bit of the Bard Guild leader, too. Augustus, this is Sarine, known also as the Vessel of Odin. Doppy is the Doppelganger demon I told you about just now," Donnie said to the elder Bard. The man mused and stroked his carefully groomed mustache thoughtfully.

"I see," the man said in a rather musical voice. When Windwalker moved to let Sarine see him clearly, he gasped at her stunning beauty. Then he paused at her pregnancy and smiled with a courteous nod of respect.

"And what do you want?" Doppy asked protectively in his rough voice, as he crossed his arms. Augustus blinked in shock at the demon's look.

"Don't stress out my wife, Donnie," Howard sighed.

"I promise! No stress! I just want him to hear them sing. That's all," Donnie promised.

"From what he tells me, you both have the 'Perfect Harmony'," Augustus said, as he regained himself. "I would like to hear it."

"In town is not a good idea," Sammy frowned. Now Augustus blinked and stammered, as he realized it was Incantation Samurai that he was speaking to. Howard and Eremes had their solid looks on and appeared more human. When they let their bodies mist out briefly, the Bard was a bit surprised at what he just saw.

"Are you all monsters?" Augustus asked with amazement.

"I'm a Bongun in actuality," Keltin grinned. He was his Champion form now.

"I have both human and monster companions. My husbands, Howard and Eremes, were human once before. As are a few of my other companions," Sarine said.

"Husbands?" Augustus blinked.

"Yes. I have five husbands. Valkyrie from Valhalla blessed the marriage, herself," she said. "Take it up with her, if you have questions about it."

"Is this really necessary?" Doppy grumbled. "We need to find Bacsojin!"

"Doppy?" Sarine said, and Sammy moved off Windwalker's back so she could pull the demon close. "Will you sing for me? I...do like to hear you sing."

"Well...only for you..." he gave a gentle smile and kissed her just as gently. "You're sure? You know what could happen."

"Come here," she smiled and pulled him close to whisper. "If it will help us get to Bacsojin faster, then we may as well. I'll sing after you. Besides, your voice is an awful turn on! It would make me so happy to hear you."

"Is it really a turn on now?" he grinned. She smiled a bit more, and he kissed her deeply. After the kiss, he started to sing for her. Just by holding her and gazing at her, his true voice came through, and Augustus's jaw dropped. People stopped as they walked to stare in shock that a monster was able to sing like this. Howard chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. Sammy was grinning slightly, and Keltin watched with amusement. Eremes had a quiet smile on his face. The others nervously looked around for a coming storm, but it was only if Sarine sang with him that it would happen, from what they could tell.

When the song was over, Doppy kissed her desperately, and she responded to him with an intense passion. After the kiss, she gently pushed him back so she could sing.

"This song I am going to sing will seem a bit...rude," she winked.

"How?" Doppy grinned.

"Think of it as...what I would do if any of you betrayed me. As if that would ever happen, but, keep it in mind," she grinned.

"Never!" Howard grounded out.

"As if the thought would ever cross my mind!" Keltin scowled.

"You are the only one for me," Doppy muttered.

"No one can replace you," Eremes nodded.

"You are the one I fell in love with," Sammy said. She blushed at them all. Then her strong voice came out in a soft tone. Augustus's jaw dropped once again. Her husbands stared at her with shock at the things she sang about. Doppy was grinning rather wickedly, as her notes grounded out even stronger and stronger. It was as though she was building rage in the song, yet it was all singing. The effect was drastic.

Garrett was grinning wildly, and Cecil was laughing. Seyren was whistling softly, and Karla gave him a mild glare. Kathryne was glancing at Mitchell, and he was just stammering at her. Margaretha glanced at Lloyd, and he smiled lovingly at her. Coraline blinked, and Max remained composed. Donnie was memorizing each word note for note. Muninn warbled and tilted his head at Sarine. Ripclaw had no idea that she could sing like this. At the end of the song, Doppy lifted her off Windwalker's back.

"I need a spare room. Is there an abandoned house somewhere?" Doppy grinned.

"Just let Windwalker hide you and remain quiet," Seyren grinned.

"You really think that can happen in town?" Howard asked.

"Well, you all will end up following me, right?" Sarine asked. Augustus had pulled Donnie aside, whispered to him and quickly moved off.

"He needs to consult with some of the Bard Guild members," Donnie said with a grin. "We may be getting more visitors later."

"Swell," Doppy muttered. Sarine giggled and took Pori-Pori off her head to hug him. Then she dropped him, as she cried out in pain and clutched at her belly. Doppy's eyes went round, and he fell to one knee, as he clung to Sarine to keep from dropping her. Sammy was at her side instantly and placed a hand on her belly.

"What's this?!" Sammy growled. He evaluated what was going on. He was in shock now, and he started swearing.

"What happened?!" Howard said, as he moved to Sarine's other side.

"Growth spurt...massive one..." Doppy hissed. "Not sure how..."

"He's right," Sammy frowned. "The twins doubled in size! Wait...they tripled!"

"Sarine!" Eremes hissed and moved to her now to place his hand on her shoulder. Keltin winced, as he saw her belly grow. Sammy placed her back on Windwalker's back swiftly. Muninn now flew over to carefully perch on the Gryphon's back, as well, to monitor Sarine's condition. Pori-Pori was watching Sarine carefully now and knew the situation was grave. She never dropped him before, and he was very concerned.

"We need Bacsojin. The twins...are ready to come now..." Doppy groaned, as he lifted himself up. Margaretha and Cecil were glancing at each other with shock.

"She's going into labor?!" Kathryne asked. Sammy winced and Seyren swore violently. Karla was now extremely afraid for her friend.

"She's not going to have them yet. But...it will be soon," Sammy said. Ripclaw was watching everything silently, and he signaled to his agents that they needed to move out now. He approached the group and nodded that he was ready to lead them under Louyang. As they quickly prepared to move, the Lord of Louyang was heading over to greet them.

"I'm sorry, Sire, but we have an emergency and we need to move now," Garrett said, as he confronted the important man. Sarine couldn't see what he looked like. Everyone was swarmed around her to protect her.

"Surely you cannot stay for some refreshments?" the Lord asked.

"With all due respect," Sammy said. "the Vessel of Odin is about to go into labor. We need to see to the monster, Bacsojin, immediately. Perhaps when we come back? Or, we can arrange a more proper time."

"Oh! I do have midwives here!" the Lord said.

"No...I need Bacsojin...specifically," Sarine panted, as she kept her eyes closed to focus on breathing. Pori-Pori seemed to chitter out a whimper and glared at anyone that stared too long at her. He was now in full protective mode. Nothing was going to get past him now. Even Windwalker's attitude had changed, and its wings went up to cover over her.

"Windwalker, let me ride with her to monitor her," Sammy said. A small nod was given by the Gryphon, and Sammy was allowed access. Doppy seemed to strain a bit, but they would all be watching him. The moment he went down again, they would know. Howard was in full overprotective father mode now.

"Damn that Bard," Doppy growled. "I should have sang with her! By singing separately it excited the twins..."

"Singing did all of that?!" Max gaped.

"Yes. Demonic children respond to different things in various ways. We...didn't know, though. Only less than two weeks, and she's going to give birth. She's right. All of her pregnancies...will not be normal..." Eremes frowned. "Wait...she had rage in the song! That's what did it! That caused the growth!"

"Oh..." Howard groaned and looked bleak now. None of them knew.

"Bacsojin..." Keltin said, as he felt the path to her. Since the need for her was urgent, the way to her was shown. "I know where she is. Come on! We're on a time limit now!"

"Ten minutes to find her. Then...it starts," Doppy winced.

"Lovely!" Seyren growled. "Let's move out!"

The others nodded, and they headed to the northwestern part of town to leave through it. Sammy was sitting behind Sarine and letting her rest against him. He was keeping her as calm as possible. He was very concerned for her now, since she shouldn't be so far progressed, but there wasn't much he could do. Windwalker shielded her from all the fighting that was going on, and a few monsters vanished to the island home. This included a red bear, an odd human-like creature draped in spotted fur, and a strange sand-like blob that moved around rapidly. Ripclaw led them to the hidden entrance behind a shrine, and they descended.

The moment they got in, Keltin blinked, as the monster, Yao Jun, bounced over to them. He was almost like an older brother version of Munak. The main differences were that he wore Keltin's style of Bongun clothing, was in all black color with gold embroidery, and he wore the talisman hat to one side of his head. His hair was black, long, and flowed over his face as though he was hiding it. He was actually a rather handsome monster, but Sarine showed no real interest in him. He glowed a bit and seemed to smile, as his attacks were fully upgraded now. He did look at Sarine curiously. It was as though he wasn't sure of something. Figuring he would simply wait and bide his time, he nodded to them all respectfully and vanished to the island home.

"At least Munak will have a playmate," Keltin grinned. There was something that he tried to remember about Yao Jun, but he couldn't recall it. There was also something in the way he saw Sarine that he didn't really like, too. He needed to think about it more, but time was of the essence right now with Sarine's labors getting closer together. Maybe, later in the future, he'd remember. Right now, he had to force it out of his mind to keep from upsetting her or anyone else. Ripclaw moved to lead with Keltin, and they traversed the underground labyrinth quickly. Another monster approached them appearing to be two demons playing under a dragon costume. It glowed to appear to be twice as large before vanishing. Doppy grimaced and shook his head. Eremes hissed and urged them all to move quickly.

Sammy held her the whole time and winced with her when she tried to move. She was forced to lay back against him. Her belly was completely filled with the twins now. When they stopped moving, Howard moved to her side to check on her.

"We're almost there, love," he sighed, and she gave him a weak smile.

"Less than two weeks...to this..." she frowned.

"I know. It will be done soon," he said.

"Until this happens again," she swallowed. "I...I don't know..."

"You'll be fine," Sammy said. "I promise."

"I know I'll be fine. I'm...worried about Doppy, though," she admitted. She winced at a sharp kick. The twins knew their time was coming.

"The next time you sing when you're pregnant, don't use a song like that," Keltin said, as he checked on her. "It was nice, but choose a better song when showing the others."

"Don't worry about it now," Sammy frowned. Howard let Naght come through, and he gasped sharply at her belly. He placed his hands on her, and the twins seemed to fidget with impatience. He was clearly worried and needed to calm them.

"Soon, you'll be free to see us. Be patient," Naght said. The twins seemed to settle now and gave Sarine some rest. Naght gave Howard control again after that. He carefully hugged her and placed a kiss on her forehead. Doppy appeared to be walking better with the bought time, and they made their way again through the labyrinth. Any monsters that attacked them were defeated easily. Seyren was worried about Sarine, and he hissed when Doppy started to cough. Then he winced and looked at Eremes.

Eremes nodded and went to check on Sarine. Then he came back with a grim look. He looked at Keltin and whispered to him.

"Ripclaw! Sarine's water looks like it's about to break! Where is the entrance to the lower level for Bacsojin?!" Keltin hissed. Howard glanced over at them with shock.

"It's over there!" Ripclaw pointed. As they moved forward, several of Ripclaw's Guild members came out of hiding. Before they had a chance to move towards them, Muninn leapt off Windwalker's back and became his warrior form.

" _What is the meaning of this?!_ " Muninn hissed and brandished his spear.

"Muninn!" Ripclaw grimaced. He had forgotten that the falcon was Muninn.

" _You seek to betray us?!_ " Muninn growled. Now the others were ready to fight.

"No! They were to help back us up down there!" Ripclaw said quickly.

" _We took you in as an ally. Now you seek to betray us. My sister is about to go into LABOR and you pull this?!_ " Muninn glared now. " _Why?!_ "

"She is?!" Ripclaw gaped. "I...I didn't know..."

"Why do you think we are here now?! What do you think we were talking about all this time? Did you not pay attention?!" Howard glowered. Sarine cried out in pain, and Doppy fell to his knees with a harsh groan. The negativity in the air excited the twins. Any bought time was now lost, and Sammy was livid.

"Shit!" Eremes hissed. "It's starting!"

"Her waters are breaking! Ripclaw, if you don't let us down there to get to Bacsojin now, I'll kill you!" Sammy snarled. His Samurai ghost came out again and waved the katanas about menacingly. That made several Rogues pale. Seyren and Garrett walked over to Ripclaw now and looked grim.

"All right. I thought that...I could try to get back Jasmina with a show of force. I'm sorry. And I know that it will take some time for me to earn back your trust," Ripclaw sighed.

"You and me both," Alexander said. "I did something awful to her, too. But, if you hurt her or stop us again, I will not hesitate to crush you!"

Ripclaw stared at the powerful male Valkyrie, and he nodded.

"Vessel of Odin? I can beat him up, if you want?" Pori-Pori asked. She just managed a weak smile and shook her head. When Ripclaw nodded to his Guild, they backed away to let them through down below.

" _We are not done yet!_ " Muninn growled. Then he moved to swiftly place his thumb on the Stalker's brow. It made Ripclaw gasp and shake.

"What did you do to him?!" Blent asked, as he walked out of the shadows.

" _I gave him a reason to think about what he was about to do. Something kinder than what the others would have done,_ " Muninn grumbled. He didn't revert to his falcon form just yet. He knew his sister might need him. Sarine started panting even more now, and Sammy forced the others to stop when they got down the stairs into the underground water bridge way. It wasn't safe for her to be moved any further. The place looked like a town built over a massive lake, and it was all made of wood. It was a very beautiful place.

A strange, human-like creature came up to them, but it was of an upright cat carrying a fan. It wore clothes suggesting a type of servant. When it glowed and vanished, a little girl ran up to them next. She looked like a small Monk, but a ghostly image of a powerful warrior girl appeared over her head like she was possessed. It almost reminded one of Incantation Samurai. When she glowed and vanished, the others started a massive search for Bacsojin.

Alexander flew up into the air to scout over the area as much as he could. Doppy hissed, as Sarine cried out when she was moved to the ground. Her waters were ready to break, but they still held. Howard had his hand in hers to give her as much comfort as he could. Doppy was now laying on the ground next to her with his hand in her other one.

"How-How..." she whimpered. "I...may lose...my mental...wall..."

"I know. It's okay, love," he whispered and kissed her forehead. Muninn stood over her protectively and mainly kept his eyes on the way to the upper level in case anyone tried to intervene. Karla, Garrett, and Max were moving through the area quickly to see if they could track down Bacsojin. Lloyd and Margaretha stayed with Sarine in case she needed Healing. Sammy was now in full doctor mode and had his hands on her belly. Eremes was Cloaked and making a protective circle around her to ambush anyone or anything that got too close. Pori-Pori was doing the same thing. Windwalker had laid down on the ground for Sarine to rest against it. Keltin was close by in case she asked for him for more comfort.

"We found her!" Coraline sang out, as Donnie lured Bacsojin to them swiftly. Alexander flew down to the ground now and let them know.

" _Good!_ " Muninn nodded. The word was sent out for the others to come back quickly. The moment Bacsojin approached, she stopped with a gasp. Looking at Sarine and how she was, all thoughts of defending her territory were gone.

"What is going on?! Back away from her! All of you!" she said irritably, as she moved over to her quickly. She was a beautiful monster woman in white robes, and she had long, straight brown hair. She wore an impossibly long, silken white scarf that had the ends drenched in either blood or ink, and a portion of it floated over her head like an aura. She floated over to Sammy, and he sighed.

"Bacsojin, this is the Vessel of Odin, and she is in labor. I am able to see her health, as I am Incantation Samurai. Please assist me!" Sammy said.

"But, of course!" Bacsojin said. "Who is the father?"

"I am," Howard said, as he nodded. Then Naght came out from him to let his form billow out in full to confirm it as well. That caught her off guard.

"Now I see why you need my help!" Bacsojin frowned hard. Sarine whimpered, as Huginn emerged. Muninn was worried, as it could be dangerous.  _When Sarine falls unconscious, it could endanger the twins._

"Bacsojin! Hear me now! My name is Huginn, and it is time to help with a coming war! Separate from your darker self now to let the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed remain intact!" Huginn said. Bacsojin let out a scream of pain, as her form separated. The moment the darker side vanished, she gasped and looked at Sarine with wonder. Huginn gave a tired nod and sank back down. Muninn revived Sarine quickly and Warped everyone back to the grove on the island home without another second to waste.


	57. Chapter 57

Once back at the island home, all hell broke loose. Sammy had Bacsojin quickly in position to guide Sarine's breathing. Everyone was forced out of the grove and back to the house, save Doppy and Howard. Doppy was needed, since he would alarm them of any new pain that happened. Howard was the father, and he was needed there to comfort her. Naght showed up soon after from his tower to ensure that no one got into the grove until the twins were born. Now that he was protecting his mate, and she was bearing his offspring, it would be very difficult for him to want to leave her at any given time. Sarine had her shorts removed, and it was just in time. Her waters finally broke, and she screamed. Doppy roared with the pain, as well. He truly was feeling everything she was going through.

The next set of pains made her mental wall shatter, and Howard gasped, as he fought down everything. Naght was now in an overly protective streak. No one would be able to get past him. Doppy couldn't feel her emotions during her birthing. Her pains would always become a first priority over the emotions. Sammy urged her to breathe, and Bacsojin guided her movements smoothly.

"It's time to start pushing, Sarine. Come on!" Sammy urged. Sarine started to push and cried out after each one. Doppy was wincing with his eyes squeezed tightly shut. Bacsojin spoke smoothly to her in a motherly tone, and it helped calm her. The next push was rewarded with the shrill cry of a baby.

"It's the girl!" Sammy said, and a fresh cloth was brought over to clean her with. "One more! Come on!"

Sarine was in tears, and Doppy was all but unconscious. Howard couldn't hold his child yet until the other was out. Sarine screamed again, as she pushed, and another baby's shrill cry was given. The afterbirths were delivered shortly after and destroyed. _It was over at last._  She lay her head back against the soft moss weakly, and Sammy wiped the sweat from her face. Naght was given his son to hold, and Howard was given his daughter. Both fathers were speechless at first. The babies would need to get cleaned up a bit more, but the blankets were extremely soft and protective. Sarine closed her eyes to recover a bit.

Both twins appeared to have Sarine's mouth and Howard's nose. The girl had Sarine's hair with a touch of Alt-Eisen green giving it a strange, yet pretty look to it. The boy had stark copper-red hair with a touch of the green. Apparently, Naght had red hair color at some point. _Or did he?_ One would never know. The girl had Sarine's eyes, and the boy held Howard's eyes. After the twins were cleaned up fully, Sarine was lifted up just enough to let them nurse.

"We'll have to think of names, won't we?" Howard said proudly. Sarine could only nod, as she was still incredibly exhausted. Doppy was passed out right now from it.

"May I make a suggestion?" Sammy smiled.

"Sure..." Sarine smiled.

"Serenity for the girl," he said. That made Howard blink, and he smiled. Even Naght approved with that. Sarine smiled and nodded.

"Siegfried...for...our...son..." Naght said.

"A rather noble sounding name," Howard smiled. "I like it!"

"I do, too," Sarine blushed. Howard kissed her deeply now and let her rest on him. When she gained some of her strength back, she rebuilt the mental wall, and Bacsojin thought a bit. She didn't want them to stay out here for too long.

"Is there a nursery here?" she frowned.

"I...don't think so," Sarine frowned.

"I would like to care for them while you are doing your missions," Bacsojin said. Sammy nodded with that thought in full agreement.

"It was expected, actually," Sammy chuckled. The others started to come over slowly, and Naght refused to let any see her and the twins at first. He was completely overprotective now, and Howard was the same way. They were held back until the twins were done nursing so Sarine could cover herself. Only then were they able to view the twins and welcome them into the world, but he would only let a few at a time in to keep the stress down. Sarine was moved with Howard into the little area with the bushes, and Doppy came to slowly. He groaned and moved to check on Sarine. At the sight of the twins, a rather slow smile appeared on his lips.

"Painful. But very rewarding," he chuckled.

"You're telling me!" Sarine smiled. He moved to settle on the other side of her, as Howard had claimed one side already. Keltin and Eremes were able to hold the twins, and even they had their eyes filled with pride. In many ways, the children were theirs, too. When Seyren asked to hold one of them, Howard glared at first, but relented. Naght watched over his son carefully, as he was passed over to the Lord Knight.

"I have a nephew. Amazing," Seyren smiled.

"You can change their diapers," Howard managed to grin.

"Maybe wear one..." Eremes grinned fully.

"What?!" Seyren blinked. They all laughed, and, once everyone got a chance to hold the twins to admire them, they were given back to Sarine.

"So, what do we call you?" Keltin asked Bacsojin. "Would you like a name?"

"Hmm..." she thought. "I think my name, Bacsojin, does just fine."

"Then that is what we shall call you," Sarine smiled.

"I have taken the liberty of making a nursery," Storm Caller said, as he approached them. "When you are ready, you may see it."

"Help me?" Sarine smiled. Naght moved to collect his daughter, and Howard got his son. Doppy was strong enough now to carry Sarine, and they moved to the house. Right across from their upstairs bedroom, a room was converted into an elaborate nursery. Vengeance and Defender were going to become permanent residents in there to play with the children and protect them. Naght was already planning on staying in the room, as well. He didn't need to sleep, and he would help see to their needs when Sarine wasn't needed. Bacsojin set up a small area for herself to help tend to the twins when they woke.

The nursery was done in soft, light blues and pinks. Small treasures glittered around for them to be fascinated with. Her older toys were even in the room for them to play with for when the twins got older. Then she paused and realized why Karla was heading to town so much. _She was purchasing baby supplies._ She was simply amazed at how large the room was. It was set up for multiple children, and she realized that it was for the others, too. She gave a tired smile, and Howard set his son down in the crib. Naght did the same for his daughter.

"Your body will need to heal for a good week or so," Sammy sighed. "None of us will be able to touch you until then. I would suggest you rest as much as possible."

None of her husbands were happy with this news, and that included Sammy. Sarine would need to keep them busy with the twins and the arena to keep their mind off her. Not that it would help when they all went to sleep. Siegfried started to whimper and cry. Sarine quickly went to him and started to let him nurse. Howard pulled up a chair for her to sit on, and she sighed with a touch of exhaustion.

"We'll check on the arena," Eremes nodded.

"All right," she smiled. "I'll be here most of the time."

"We know," Keltin smiled tenderly and kissed her. Eremes kissed her after that, and they left. Doppy wasn't moving from her side, and neither was Howard. Sammy had to be with them, since he could see the health of the twins now, and he needed to ensure they would stay healthy. Naght simply hissed and stationed himself to hover right on the inside of the door. If anyone wanted to see the twins, they would need to get through him first, and he wasn't going to let just anyone in, if he felt they weren't needed.

When Siegfried fell asleep, Sarine tended to Serenity until she was sated from her hunger. Leaning back in the chair now, Howard moved to hug her close.

"I love you," he whispered to her.

"I love you, too," she smiled. He kissed her deeply now, enjoying her closeness. Nuzzling her gently, she smiled at Doppy, as he sighed.

"What is it?" Howard frowned.

"I'm serious. I'm next," he grumbled. Sarine smiled and gestured for him to come near.

"Monitor my health, Doppy. When I am able, you will claim me first," she said.

"Is that wise?" Sammy frowned.

"It will be painful to wait," Doppy admitted. "But, I want to make sure you are healthy for it. I don't want to hurt you."

"That's all I ask. It will be a hard week to be sure," she agreed.

"I'd say two weeks," Sammy said. Howard groaned, and she smiled.

"There are other ways to give pleasure. Remember?" she winked.

"Oh! That's right!" he grinned. Doppy seemed confused, but she whispered to him softly. That made him grin widely.

"Maybe we'll be all right after all," Sammy chuckled. "But, such things can only go so far, you know."

She laughed a bit and blinked, as Muninn flew in from a window. He had reverted back to his falcon form after they all came back. He perched over the cradle to croon at the sleeping twins and looked at Naght.

_:Rogue Guild. Comes tonight. Be wary.:_  he chirped.

"I...will...kill...them...if...they...come...here...!" Naght hissed.

"If they come anywhere near the children, I'll hurt them!" Bacsojin growled. Doll came into the room and nodded to Bacsojin. She would be excellent help with another set of hands with the twins. There were plenty of other monsters now that would help with the arena. Sarine was still incredibly weak from birthing, and everyone was on a protective high alert. Once the alarm was sounded, various monsters were stationed all over the house. The dungeon would be carefully monitored, too.

Sarine blinked and looked out a window, as she saw Baphomet approach the house. She smiled, and Howard carried her out to the nursery balcony when she wanted to see the massive demon. She was very glad that a balcony was made, too. _It would help, if any flying monsters needed access to guard the children._

"Baphomet!" she smiled and waved.

"Vessel of Odin! You...gave birth?" he rumbled curiously. He noticed her weakness, and Seyren's thoughts confirmed it. She nodded, and Naght floated out to see him.

"Danger...comes...tonight..." Naght hissed. Baphomet snarled at this, and they conversed in their Demonic Tongue with Doppy filling in the gaps now and then.

"I'll stay," Baphomet growled. "Can I see the children?"

"Of course!" Howard smiled. He placed Sarine in a nearby chair on the balcony to help get the children. Doppy picked up Serenity carefully, and Howard managed to get Siegfried. Baphomet gave a fond chuckle, as he saw them, and gave Sarine his congratulations.

"Who is going to be the next father?" Baphomet asked.

"Me," Doppy said with a nod.

"Truly? Hmm. I can't see you with a daughter," the massive demon laughed.

"I wouldn't mind if I got one, anyways. I also wouldn't mind slaughtering whoever tries to touch her," Doppy snickered. Sarine sighed and shook her head.

"Do you know how fast they will grow?" Sammy asked, as he walked out to join them. Baphomet blinked at the new look for Incantation Samurai and seemed to smirk.

"Are you married to her, too?" Baphomet asked.

"Yes. I'm the one that keeps Sarine calm. Odin wanted it," Sammy smiled.

"Well, in that case, good. As for growth rates, one year could equal five. Be prepared for surprises," Baphomet chuckled. "Lots of surprises."

"Lovely," Sarine sighed.

"By the time about four years pass, they should be adults. But, they will live for a long time," Baphomet grounded out. "As for your 'visitors' tonight, I want to be there."

"As will I," Odin said. He appeared in the center of the nursery.

"Daddy!" Sarine said with a smile. He moved to hug her before moving to gaze down at his grandchildren, as Doppy and Howard put them back in the cradle. Howard then moved to gather up Sarine in his arms to carry her lightly.

"I am proud of you, my daughter, my Vessel! I would suggest rather strongly that you get your adoptive father here right away. He needs to see them and will add guards to the nursery," Odin said. Then he called the two Valkyries to the nursery to let them see and bless the children. The warrior Valkyrie and the Valkyrie from Valhalla both cooed and adored the children. Then he called over the male Valkyrie to speak to him.

"Odin?!" Alexander asked. "I mean...Lord Odin..."

"It is fine. I know you were cursed before and that you are free now to do my bidding. I am giving you an order that is to be respected at all times," Odin said.

"Yes, Sire!" Alexander nodded.

"You are to guard Sarine during her pregnancies at all times. When she is not pregnant, or does not have need of you, you are to guard the children. You do understand?" Odin asked. "Or, you stay in the nursery and guard the children. I know that she will have plenty of protectors with her, regardless. Maybe it will be best for you to simply guard the children. Yes. Guard the children, unless my daughter, my Vessel, has need of you!"

"Understood!" Alexander said. Then Odin walked up to him and whispered in such a way that no one could hear him. The male Valkyrie gasped and nodded. Sarine was curious, but would say nothing. Her father's business was always his own.

"My daughter, my Vessel," Odin said, as he turned to her. "no husband of yours must touch you for two weeks. When the time comes for it, you will know."

"Of course, Daddy," she nodded.

"During these next two weeks, you are to stay here. Use Dead Branches, if you must. My dear Valkyries maidens! Please hear me!" Odin said to them.

"Yes, Lord Odin!" both Valkyries responded.

"I want you both to watch over this nursery tonight! One to defend and one to attack! I would even go so far as to watch the dungeon and the treasury! Baphomet! Please hear me!" Odin said, as he turned to the balcony.

"I hear you," Baphomet rumbled.

"My grandchildren are yours as well now! Please defend them!" Odin said.

"I will slaughter any that come near the house uninvited!" the demon slathered.

"I don't think anyone will be coming into the house," Howard muttered.

"Or leaving in one piece," Doppy grinned.

"Bacsojin! Please hear me!" Odin said.

"I am here!" she said, as she approached.

"I am blessing you with the power to shield my grandchildren should anything go wrong! None will get past your shield, save my daughter, my Vessel, her husbands, and her allies!" he said. "I do not wish for my grandchildren to come to any harm!"

"I will use your powers wisely," Bacsojin vowed.

"Storm Caller! Come to me and hear me!" Odin said.

"I am here," the Strouf said, as he approached.

"I am gifting you with the power of Detection! May you always see those that attempt to cause harm to my grandchildren or to my daughter, my Vessel!" Odin said.

"I will protect with all I have!" Storm Caller vowed.

"Now I know my grandchildren will be safe. Muninn! Do not be afraid to kill tonight, if you need to!" Odin said. Muninn nodded his head in his falcon form. Now that he was given permission to attack and kill, he would do so relentlessly, if he had to.

"Is there to be a battle tonight?" Sarine asked.

"I hope there will not be, but one never knows," Odin said sadly. "Ripclaw does not want to attack, due to what Muninn informed him of, but the one called Blent intends to. He feels his superior was attacked. Even now, Ripclaw is trying to convince Blent that it was not so. The other Guild members will not listen to Blent, but some are able to be convinced. They know how strong many are here. They have seen it themselves. I need to speak with the ones in the dungeon now. Come with me!"

"Yes, Daddy," she nodded. The twins were now fully protected by both Bacsojin and Alexander, as they slept in the cradle. Naght was curious and decided to follow them. Doppy ran to get Eremes and Keltin quickly, and he filled them in on what was happening. They were amazed at what was going on, and they joined up with Sarine and Odin in the dungeon. The Valkyrie from Valhalla remained in the nursery, while the warrior Valkyrie took up a station by the door in the dungeon to stand guard.

"Those with the blood of Thanatos! Step forward!" Odin commanded. Kavach, Armeyer, Laurell, and Wickebine moved to the edges of their cells with wonder.

"You're Odin...aren't you?!" Kavach asked. Timmy was still in his cell and just gaped at the powerful man.

"Yes. I am," Odin nodded. "The last two that brings you all together will be here soon. There will also be a treachery from the Cat Hand Guild that will be here, as well. Not by Ripclaw's account, but by Blent's account."

"What?!" Malore frowned. "Why?"

"Yes, tell us why," Jasmina frowned.

"I will let him explain, should he reach you tonight," Odin said. "It is not my place to say right now. My daughter, my Vessel, has given birth to twins and is under heavy protection now. If any come into the house tonight, it may mean their deaths, should they struggle against us."

"I...will...reap...their...souls...!" Naght hissed, as he came forward.

"What?!" Timmy whimpered.

"Not your soul, idiot," Howard grumbled, as he held Sarine close.

"So, you brought her?" Malore said.

"Laurell Weinder! My daughter, my Vessel, is not for you! Wake up!" Odin commanded. Then Malore blinked and coughed, as he shook his head.

"Laurell?" Kavach asked.

"I feel like...I was trapped in a nightmare!" the High Wizard groaned.

"Loki..." Odin said with irritation. "You are cured of his influence for now. But, you must still remain here. Now you will remember everything!"

Malore blinked, as his memories came back to him, and he winced. Now Sarine noticed the true man behind the lust, and she felt sorry for him.

"Another used by Loki..." Eremes blinked. "You have my pity."

"Thanks. For whatever it's worth," Malore sighed. "Just...call me Laurell now. I guess. I don't want to be called by a name that gives bad memories."

"And call me Wickebine," Jasmina nodded. "I don't know where Egnigem or where Errende are, yet. We have being trying to contact them."

"Why are we all being brought together?" Kavach asked.

"As long as I'm near Howard, then I don't care!" Armeyer grinned.

"Armeyer Dinze," Odin frowned heavily. "Howard Alt-Eisen is not for you. Get such a childish thought out of your mind. He is married and destined to my daughter, my Vessel. Take the younger one, if you must. But, my daughter, my Vessel's, husband is her Armor and cannot be separated from him at any costs. Now that she has given him children, their bond is permanent and will never be broken."

"Ah, well. Friends?" Armeyer asked Howard.

"We'll see," Howard frowned. He likely won't ever trust her again. Pressing a kiss on Sarine's mouth now, he held her tightly to his side. Laurell looked at Sarine with a new light. He still found her beautiful, but he respected her now.

"Kavach Icarus. In answer to your question, the reason you are all being brought together is to see if the taint of Thanatos can be removed from you," Odin said with a slight smile. "Thanatos is a very powerful demon that must be contacted, but he is trapped in his tower. When the last of you comes here, you will all accompany my daughter, my Vessel, and her party into that tower. It may not be for another month or so, but, once you are all here, you will no longer need to be imprisoned. It was because of Laurell Weinder that the imprisoning was necessary. He will need to be monitored still."

"I see. Thank you for answering my question," Kavach nodded respectfully.

"I had no idea that I was being controlled," Laurell frowned. "I'm...I'm so sorry, Sarine. If things were different..."

"It's all right," Sarine nodded. "We know the truth now. But, I will chance something to be sure that you know you are not right for me."

"What?" Howard frowned.

"Trust me, How-How," she smiled. He nodded, and Doppy seemed to glare. Keltin was unsure, as was Sammy. Eremes frowned, but he would respect her wish. Odin was here to ensure that nothing would go wrong. She looked at her father, and he nodded. He knew what she wanted to do.  _When Garrett had kissed her in Amatsu, his kiss felt wrong to her. When she kissed her husbands, they seemed to fit with her. She was going to see if she could prove it true once again._ Moving over to Laurell's cell, she gestured for him to come close.

"What are you going to do?" he asked nervously now.

"A kiss. That's all," she nodded. He trembled and was uncertain, but, if it would help to show that he wasn't right for her, then it would put his mind at ease completely. Moving to the front of the cell fully now, she planted a kiss on him through the bars of the cage. He blinked after it was done and noticed that it didn't feel right with him. As though it wasn't natural. _It didn't fit._  She seemed to give a small smile of relief.

"So...I am not for you. I'm...glad? I guess?" he gave a small chuckle. Howard breathed a sigh of relief, as did the others.

"My daughter, my Vessel, do the same with Kavach Icarus," Odin said. She blinked at him, but nodded. She walked over to the male Sniper and kissed him through the bars of the cell. Kavach blinked and frowned.

"Well?" Doppy growled.

"It felt...off, but not off..." Kavach blinked. "Like I fit, but I don't at the same time."

"I see..." Odin frowned. "This puzzles me."

"How?" Sammy asked, as he pulled Sarine to him.

"His future is uncertain. Not a husband, but, mayhaps, a close friend?" Odin thought. Naght seemed to hiss with this news, but said nothing.

"We shall see as time unfolds," Kavach suggested.

"When Errende Ebecee gets here, the same shall be done with him in my presence," Odin said. "I want to personally see to all others that wish to be with my daughter, my Vessel. However, I cannot allow any more to marry her. Five husbands is clearly pushing the limit. Incantation Samurai! Please hear me!"

"Yes, Lord Odin," Sammy nodded.

"The grove was an excellent idea! I suggest a waterfall built, though. And an underground grotto would be far more private than the place built above," Odin winked.

"I shall work on it," Storm Caller said and went to find Tao Gunka.

"Doppelganger! My Wrath! Hear me!" Odin said.

"I'm listening," Doppy said.

"It is true that you will be next to give her children. My daughter, my Vessel, will bear multiple children for each husband. Eremes Guile, however, will be the most difficult. Instead of two...he may have four," Odin grinned.

"What?" Eremes blinked.

"Two for my prophecy and two for you. I would suggest you father them last," Odin grinned wider. Eremes was stunned, and Sarine just groaned. Sammy blinked, as he realized that each of them would get twins.

"Both a daughter and a son?" Doppy frowned.

"But, of course! One must experience the best of both, right?" Odin chuckled. "Now I must leave you. Remember! Be wary tonight! Contact her adoptive father! Until then!"

Odin embraced Sarine again and nodded to each husband before vanishing. He was going to be there later in the night just in case a break-in was successful. He will not let his daughter or his new grandchildren come to any harm. He will break every rule he knew of, if he had to, in order to protect them. _Sarine was playing a very important role to me by having children now. All of her children could become my Vessels, if something happened to her. Any of them could instantly become more than what they were meant to be, and all of them had a part to play in the war that lay ahead._

He was a touch worried about Kavach Icarus. _He had a part to play in Sarine's life._  He wasn't sure where. Muninn was gifted with the private mission to watch the male Sniper's every move around his daughter, and with his grandchildren, as they grew around him. Normally, Odin knew what to expect, but Kavach puzzled him. He couldn't see through the Sniper's soul.  _It wasn't Loki doing it, either. It was something else._ He didn't like it one bit.

The Emperor of Amatsu was contacted, and he showed up at the same time the King of Prontera arrived. Both royalty figures shook hands and were led to the nursery where Sarine was. Howard was standing behind her as she sat in the chair, and he nodded to both men.

"Sarine," Markus said with a warmth that only a father could give, as he moved over to see his grandchildren. "They have a touch of the Alt-Eisen hair, if I don't say so myself!"

"They do," Howard said proudly. The King of Prontera gaped at Naght, but the massive demon ignored him. When Siegfried started to cry again, Sarine got up to cradle him in her arms to comfort him. Howard stayed at her side, since she was still weak from birthing.

"So, she is your adopted daughter, Markus?" the King asked.

"Yes, Reginald. She is," Markus chuckled, as he called the King by his name to show equality in royal ranking. "She is very special, as you can see for yourself."

"Did you adopt these children?" Reginald asked Sarine. "It wasn't long that I saw you!"

"No. I gave birth to them today," she sighed. "I know, the pregnancy was insanely quick. There was no choice in it, however. All of my pregnancies may be different. Such is what it is like to be impregnated by a strong demon this time."

"And me," Howard said lovingly, and she blushed at him.

"A demon-human crossbreed? Who is the Demonic father?" Reginald asked.

"I...am..." Naght hissed, and the King's mouth gaped. Naght moved over to Sarine to watch over her protectively, and he seemed to glare at the guards that moved inside the room now with a hiss of hatred. Bacsojin stood up and frowned.

"No! I will not have the nursery crowded out! Unless you plan to help defend the nursery against what may happen tonight, the lot of you will need to leave!" Bacsojin demanded. Markus frowned, and Howard told him of the Rogue Guild that intended to pay them a visit.

"I'll have several of my guards stationed here and outside the home in patrols!" Markus said. "I will not have my grandchildren come to harm! Or my daughter!"

"Thank you, Papa," Sarine sighed. Doppy walked in to bring her something to eat and drink before sitting down in a chair by her side. The King of Prontera called for Garrett and requested several of his men to be posted, as well.

"Of course, Your Majesty. Oh, Sire, I am married to the Vessel of Odin's sister. Her name is Cecil," Garrett said with a slight smile.

"Really? Well, a congratulations are in order! I was wondering when you were going to finally find a woman of your own," Reginald smiled. "Feel free to continue to live here of your accord. It is perfectly fine by me. If I have need of you, I shall contact you."

"Max has also been introduced to another here," Garrett chuckled.

"Truly? How wonderful! We shall need to exact a ball in the castle to celebrate! After tonight, of course. And when the children can be left to tend for themselves," he grinned. "The same living conditions are granted to him, too. If anything of importance happens, you will be notified post haste!"

"Of course," Garrett nodded. Several soldiers from Amatsu were now stationed in the nursery, and this included the hardened, older guard that knew Sarine from before. He was in his prime and still capable of fighting for her easily. He would rather die than let the children come to harm and even stated so. Markus promoted him to a Captain of his Royal Guard right on the spot, and he was now charged to protect the new family members, as well as any additional ones. Sarine found herself pleased by this decision, and she beamed. Several Paladins and Lord Knights from the Prontera Royal Guard were stationed around the outside of the home, and Garrett informed them to remain vigilant.

"Blent will be an idiot, if he comes here now," Keltin growled, as he sat down with Sarine and Doppy. A bit of shouting was heard outside, and Naght hissed, as he moved to the door. Markus and King Reginald were checking out the arena, so they were safe. Doppy curled his lip back to snarl, as the shouting got closer to the nursery. Sarine was still tending to Siegfried, and Howard moved in front of her fully. Sammy opened the door to let in a mildly battered Ripclaw. Naght let out a hiss, but paused when he noticed something different about him.

"Ripclaw?" Eremes blinked.

"Sorry..." the Stalker sighed. "I had to...remove myself...from the Guild. I am no longer the leader. Blent is."

"The Guild is doomed then," Sarine frowned. "What happened to you?"

"I fought Blent and won, but he convinced over half the Guild to join with him. Those that did support me have left the Guild, as well. After Muninn showed me what we would all be fighting...I dropped all forms of doubt about you. I am sorry I showed such strenuous resistance to accepting you," Ripclaw muttered.

"Your apology is accepted," she nodded. "But, what is going on with your supporters?"

"I have other allies in other places. They are being contacted now. Blent wants vengeance for everything you've ever done to him," Ripclaw growled.

"Talk to Jasmina in the basement. If you need her help, we may be able to release her to you until this is over," Sammy said. He referred to the female Stalker by the name she was known as to avoid confusion. Sammy doubted that Ripclaw knew the truth of her past.

"But, all will still be watched..." Eremes warned.

"Of course!" Ripclaw said. Keltin and Sammy Healed him, and Ripclaw thanked them. Storm Caller would oversee everything going on the basement, as well as the warrior Valkyrie. The Valkyrie from Valhalla had stationed herself inside the nursery. Alexander was hovering on the nursery balcony to keep watch in case any tried to climb up to the nursery window. Golden Thief Bug was lying in ambush to pounce on any Rogues it would find. Even Stormy Knight was wanting in on the fun and was assisting with the treasury. Mistress was guarding the grove with Moonlight Flower. Dracula was taking care of the arena.

Eddga was busy directing the creatures from the Payon forest in setting up small pit falls around the house. The massive Vagabond Wolf and his lesser Wolf partner were busy moving swiftly around the house. The Desert Wolf that was recruited was just as large as the lesser Wolf now and was doing the same thing. The tiny Baby Desert Wolf had climbed up the steps to the nursery and settled in a corner of the room to play guard dog. It would bark the moment it smelled something wrong.

Pori-Pori was now in the nursery and was fiercely protective of Sarine. Nothing would make him budge from her side right now. Sammy had to admire all of the monsters that lived on the island. _None of them were going to let Sarine and the new arrivals come to any harm._

Sarine now had Howard burping Siegfried, and she moved to gather up Serenity to feed her. The twins knew something was going on and were anxious. Naght purred deeply to comfort them and to let them know that nothing bad was going to happen to them. Ripclaw came back up with Wickebine to see what they could do. Naght moved swiftly in front of Sarine to shield her from being seen. Siegfried looked over at Ripclaw curiously, but Howard rubbed his back to be rewarded with a small burp. Feeling better, a soft, tired sigh was given, as he relaxed on his father's shoulder.

"Kavach and Laurell want to help us. So does Armeyer," Wickebine said.

"Fine. They can patrol the outer areas of the home. Most likely where the Kafra Agent is in the arena," Eremes said.

"Can you Detect Cloaked people?" Keltin asked.

"Not really," Ripclaw sighed.

"Have Eddga go with you. Even Stormy Knight will work. They are stronger monsters, and they can Detect hidden people and other monsters easily," Doppy said. "I can do that myself, as can Naght. But, we are staying here."

"Right," Ripclaw nodded, and the Stalkers left.

"To think that our twins were born a day after your birthday," Howard sighed, as he set Siegfried back into the crib to sleep.

"I know," Sarine smiled softly, as she handed him Serenity. Fixing up her top now, she leaned back in the chair. Keltin gave her some juice to keep her hydrated from all the nursing she was doing.

"What do we do now?" Keltin asked.

"We wait..." Eremes frowned and settled himself in a corner of the nursery. Sarine was going to be guarded to the teeth right now and couldn't risk moving around.

"I wonder..." Sarine thought aloud.

"About what, love?" Sammy asked.

"Loki lost Laurell. Do you think he's trying to possess Blent out of vengeance and forcing him to do these things? Wasn't Blent helpful when Naght first possessed Howard?" she asked. That made everyone pause in thought, and Howard hissed. Naght snarled out and readied his swords. _She had a very valid point._

"He did help with Howard, now that you mention it," Sammy nodded. "As for Loki...hopefully he isn't possessed."

"If he is...he'll be dead...regardless..." Eremes said with narrowed eyes.

"Odin won't stand for it," Keltin nodded.

"I'll skewer him in half!" Doppy slathered. He glanced at Sarine, as she watched him with a soft smile, and he moved to have her sit in his lap. She ran her hands through his hair, and it made him mutter, as he purred. Smiling at him now, she felt a bit of pride in knowing that only she could tame the powerful demons around her.

"If the door opens, and it's someone we don't know, then you and Naght can take turns skewering whoever it is to the wall. Okay?" she smiled. Howard set Serenity back into the cradle and sighed. He was exceptionally proud of his children right now.

"I like how you think," Doppy grinned. Naght chuckled and turned to the door as it opened. Storm Caller came in to move food and drinks into the room for them.

"I shall wait in the kitchen. After tonight, the house may be expanded a bit more. What do you think, Vessel of Odin?" Storm Caller asked.

"I think an expansion would be good. Make some spare bedrooms for the children," she nodded. He nodded, as well, and admired the twins before heading out.

"He must feel like a grandfather, too," Keltin chuckled.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Sammy agreed. Sarine pulled Doppy's face to hers and planted a kiss on his mouth that shook him to the core.

"Damn you..." Doppy growled softly. "I can't touch you..."

"That's right," Sarine said with a light smile. Howard looked over and grinned, as he watched over his children.

"You are going to be by her side constantly, aren't you?" Keltin chuckled.

"You bet your ass!" Doppy growled and got lulled into silence, as her hands went through his hair again. Now that he was calmed, she smiled at Howard.

"Just remember. Two weeks," Sammy grinned.

"Hush," Sarine giggled, as Doppy embraced her.

"It's going to be a long two weeks," Howard winced.

"Let's focus on tonight first," Eremes nodded.

"True," Sammy nodded. Sarine looked out the balcony window, and she saw the sun was setting. Doppy simply held her in his lap and wasn't going to let her budge from him the rest of the night. She blinked, as Muninn flew into the room and perched.

_:It starts. Now. Be ready!:_  Muninn warbled, and he flew back out to scout from the air. Eremes readied his katars and Cloaked to ambush in the room. Howard took out his Vecer Axe to lean on. Naght brandished his swords and waited by the door. Sammy took out his Masamune sword, and his Samurai ghost hissed. Keltin readied himself with his buffs and prepared to bring out his Rage, if needed. Doppy would only rise, if he had to. He was holding Sarine, and he knew that Naght could easily bar the door.

At first there was only silence. Then there was shouting from outside. The monsters were clearly more than a match for the Rogues that tried to get into the house, and any Rogues caught near the dungeon or the treasury were swiftly defeated. Blent had no idea what monsters were found at the tower. He was outmatched by a milestone. All of the Rogues caught were placed into the dungeon where the warrior Valkyrie glared at them with hatred. Once they saw her, they knew that escape was not an option.

Blent had managed to make it up to the nursery with the other monsters distracted. When he kicked in the door, he stared up in shock at Naght Seiger. He had no idea that Naght was freed, and now he simply knew he was a dead man.

"DIE...!" Naght howled and chased him out. Sarine just sighed and shook her head, as her other husbands ran out after him. Doppy stayed with her, and a bloodthirsty snarl escaped his throat. She ran her hands through his hair to calm him, and he kissed her deeply. He clearly wanted her. But she winced when he moved his hands over her belly to pull her closer, and he grimaced. She was still very weak from the birthing.

"Sorry..." he whispered, as he nuzzled her.

"It's all right," she smiled and hugged him tightly to her.

"I'll be monitoring your health daily and nightly," he promised.

"I know you will," she sighed. He smiled gently at her and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, as he held her. He looked up, as Howard walked back in, and he tilted his head.

"Blent is imprisoned with the others. Needless to say, Naght slammed him against a wall, and Eremes moved to gut him open. Storm Caller stopped him, and Sammy threw him in a dungeon cell," Howard frowned. "Keltin was ready to punch Blent's nose in when the bastard started calling out names and lies about you. But, Odin showed up and...you were right, Sarine. Loki was controlling him. Blent's fine now, and he agreed to stay in the cell to make sure he was better. He couldn't believe what he did."

"Loki...always with Loki. Why?" Doppy frowned.

"That is something that we are trying to find out," Sammy said, as he came in. "She's safe with the twins?"

"Very," Sarine smiled and leaned into Doppy's chest. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead, as he rocked her.

"We are being very lenient, you know," Eremes chuckled when he walked into the room. "We would like to spend some time with her, too."

"When she's pregnant with my children, I'll be happy to fight you for affections," Doppy grinned. Then he saw Sarine's look, and he grinned even wider to show he was joking. She clucked her tongue and shook her head. She rose from his lap when Serenity started to whimper and cry out. Lifting her from the cradle, she moved to start feeding her. Howard moved behind her now to hold her, as she nursed the baby. Doppy sighed, as he clearly yearned to do the same thing with his own kids. He knew it was going to take time.

"Are you feeling all right?" Howard asked her.

"How-How, I'm as well as I can be after giving birth to twins," she chuckled. That made him smile, and he kissed her cheek.

"I shall remain here until the threat is fully over," the Valkyrie from Valhalla said, as she hovered near the back of the room. "When the sun rises over the ocean, I shall go back to Valhalla. It should be safe by then."

"Thank you for being here," Sarine said. Howard continued to support her, as she tended to Serenity, and she gave her over to Howard when the nursing was done. Siegfried was still sleeping, and she let out an exhausted yawn. Naght returned to the nursery to stand guard again.

"Let's see if we can get you some sleep," Keltin smiled. She gave a tired smile and let her husbands escort her to their bedroom.


	58. Chapter 58

The next two weeks were a rush. The whole time spent was mainly with the twins. They grew rather quickly, and were nearly toddler size at this point. Everyone pitched in to help with them. Howard's pride was always noticed when he was with them, and so was Naght's. Seyren and Karla were giving each other odd looks. It was as though they couldn't wait to have a child of their own. Seyren was still thinking about it, but Karla clearly wanted a child. When Sarine's grandmother came to visit, it was a joyous day for everyone. Presents were brought with her, and delightful stories were told about Amatsu's past and present.

When the final day marked the end of the two week wait, Doppy checked on Sarine's health and smiled.  _She had recovered nicely._  It was a nightmare for them all, since they wanted her, and she could only do so much to sate them. _After tonight, things would get better._  But, he wasn't going to let them touch her until he had her first.

Moving to the bedside now, he was impatient. He lifted her gently from Howard's embrace and cradled her sleeping form to his chest. As he was about to leave, Sammy chuckled. Doppy paused and smirked.

"She still needs her rest. Just be gentle with her, regardless," Sammy advised.

"I know," Doppy nodded and took her out of the house. He moved to the grove and down the new tunnel that led below it. Softly glowing crystals formed on the walls, and an underground waterfall was here. A bed of extremely soft moss covered the floor of the cave, and the small pool of water was as clear as glass. The place was built just that past week and Sarine made it an instant favorite. They had moved all of the furs and blankets down here as well.

They also set up an area with the tea leaf bushes and more mint plants for more privacy when she gave birth again. The bushes were not as crowded in, though, since the protective husbands could just block off the cave entrance. The therapeutic scents would help calm her before, during, and after the birthing. The cave was much easier to defend and monitor, if needed. Doppy wasn't heading to that spot, though.  _That spot was for emergencies only._

Once he set her down on the moss of the cavern floor, she woke with a bit of a start. At first, she gasped, not realizing where she was. Then she saw Doppy. His gaze showed that he apologized for startling her, and she sighed.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Your body is well now," he growled and moved over her to hold her.

"You waste no time, do you?" she mused.

"You should know me by now," he grinned.

"For two weeks, I have been untouched," she whispered.

"That will change. As of now," he growled and kissed her possessively. He worked off the nightgown she wore and ran his mouth over her body. She moaned now, her need quite known, and she cried out when he moved his mouth between her legs. He purred heavily and made her scream with release. As she lay there gasping for breath, he removed his armor and finally claimed her.

She cried out with him, as it was far too long that he waited for her. He held her tight to his chest, as he released hard into her. He moved deeper into her and roared his release again, as she whimpered. He panted after it and groaned when he collapsed with her to the mossy ground. She rested on his chest and gave a weak smile.

"Feel better?" she smiled.

"Needed that," he grinned.

"Same here," she chuckled. He moved in her again, and she worked with him until they both cried out. Nuzzling her gently, he moved to nurse off her. She gasped at it and ran her hands through his hair, as he moved from one breast to the other. When he finished with that, he held her close, as he purred. As they lay on the mossy ground, she felt something odd shift in her womb again. She paused at first, but she was sure that she knew what it was.

"You're amazing," he whispered, as he held her.

"Am I?" she breathed, as she ran her hand over his chest. He smiled gently and kissed her. As he caressed her, she blinked. Then she shook her head.

"What is it?" he asked with a frown.

"Dizzy," she whispered. Concerned now, he used his skill of Devotion to look and he sat there stunned. _She was pregnant already?!_

"It happened so fast!" he muttered and opened his finger with his sword. Pressing the wound to her mouth, the taste of his blood stopped the dizziness instantly, and she blinked with shock. She recognized what this was for.

"Already? It happened?" she gaped.

"Yes," he nodded. She frowned and shook her head, but Doppy gathered her into his arms to kiss her deeply. His elation of knowing that he was going to be a father was so great that he couldn't help it when his purr came forth, and he held her tightly.

"I actually felt it happen, too. I...wasn't too sure," she frowned.

"You did? I see..." he thought aloud.

"None of my pregnancies will be normal," she sighed.

"That may be true. But, remember this, love," he smiled and gazed at her. "Those that do have children with you will protect you with their lives. Me included."

"I know that," she smiled and leaned into him. "And I will always love you and my other husbands that much more."

Chuckling now, he felt his protection for her increase by a tenfold.  _Nothing is going to get past me to reach her, if it meant her harm._  When he heard someone come down the steps, he pulled her close and bared his teeth to let out a heavy inhuman snarl of warning. It was an instinctive, overprotective feeling that took over, and he glared at the entrance of the grove cave.

"It's just me," Sammy said, as he walked over to them calmly. Doppy nodded, as his defenses went down instantly. "I'm guessing you're going to be a father now?"

"Looks that way," Doppy grinned, and he let Sammy kneel down to check her.

"Twins again," he grinned, and Sarine groaned. "Don't worry. We'll need to see what cravings you have in order to prepare the food you'll need."

"I'm not even sure, myself," Doppy admitted. Sammy saw Doppy's wounded finger and Healed it, as he sat down. He gestured to hold Sarine to help evaluate her, and Doppy nodded. Once she was in Sammy's lap, he pressed a hand gently to her belly and thought. Then he kissed her forehead and sighed.

"Very strong and healthy right now. And very Demonic. I really hope you don't have temper tantrums," Sammy frowned. "They will be half demon and half human now."

"We'll keep a lot of chocolate on hand," Doppy suggested.

"Lovely," Sarine sighed and yawned. Sammy gave her back over to Doppy, and he looked towards the steps, as Howard came down.

"What did you do? And without me?" Howard mused. He decided against wearing his tunic and was bare-chested at the moment.

"She's going to be a mother again," Sammy grinned.

"Already?!" Howard gaped.

"Please..." she sighed. "I'm so tired..."

"No one is touching her, unless she wants it," Doppy growled and glared.

"Whoa!" Howard said with his hands raised. "Remember, Doppy. We all care for her as much as you do. She will not be forced."

"I'm just...protective now," he said apologetically. "It's instinctive."

"I know the feeling," Howard nodded. "Shall we get her to bed?"

"Actually..." Sarine smiled, as she fully noticed Howard's attire. Already, her desire for him peaked. "Come here, How-How."

"Oh?" he asked and moved towards her to find a heavy kiss planted on his mouth. Doppy grinned wickedly and let her finally lay claim to Howard. After Howard lay spent on the ground, she moved over to Sammy. She worked with him until he gave in to her and lay on the ground. Moving back over to Doppy, he kissed her hard and hugged her tightly. Then he blinked, as Keltin and Eremes came down the steps, and they seemed to chuckle at the scene.

"I suppose she's better?" Eremes mused.

"Come here and find out," Sarine grinned.

"Did Doppy have you first?" Keltin asked. Then he paused, as Sarine gestured for him, and he chuckled when he moved to her side.

"Yep," Doppy grinned. "And it's safe now."

"Already?" Eremes blinked with surprise. "You are a bit stronger than Naght. From Valkyrie's blessing. You know this, right?"

"I know," Doppy winced a bit. "But, we know what to expect, somewhat. Right?"

"True," Eremes nodded and watched Sarine, as Keltin claimed her after so long. He chuckled and moved over to Sarine, as she gestured to him when Keltin was done. After Eremes gave himself to Sarine, she waited to make sure he was sated before letting Doppy pull her back into his lap. He was quite possessive of her now, but it was instinctive to protect her.

"I love you," he whispered and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, too," she smiled and rested against his chest.

"You know I'm going to be horribly overprotective of you," he grinned.

"I wouldn't doubt it," she blushed. "I do wonder what time it is."

"It's time for us to go back and get you to bed," Sammy said, as he sat up groggily. "I must admit that it was a rather long wait for you to heal."

"Wasn't it?" she smiled. "I'm quite sure I helped you in other ways, though."

"You did, but I like it better this way," he winked. That made her giggle, and Doppy smirked. She put her nightgown back on, and Doppy replaced his armor. Nudging the others awake, they fixed up their clothing before heading back to the house. When she got into the house, she moved to check on the twins swiftly with Howard to make sure they were still sleeping. Then she pressed a kiss to his mouth, as he led her back to bed.


	59. Chapter 59

When she got up in the morning, it was to dress and see to the twins. When their needs were met, she moved down the stairs with Doppy. He broke the news to everyone, and their shock was quite evident.

"Already?!" Seyren gaped.

"Yes," Doppy grinned. "And it's twins. Again."

"Oh, dear," Margaretha frowned.

"I'll be fine," Sarine said with a soft smile. Then she blinked and clung to Doppy, as she whispered she was going to be sick.

"Shit!" he snarled out and led her outside for her to vomit. "I forgot about this part!"

"I'm here," Sammy said, as he moved over to her. "The twins are making themselves known. Get her a potion to rinse out her mouth with."

"Here," Eremes said, as he handed over a red potion. She took it and rinsed out her mouth gratefully. She winced, as Doppy cradled her to comfort her.

"Any cravings yet?" Sammy asked.

"Umm..." Sarine thought. "I...I want something that tastes like...um...blood?"

"Blood?" Doppy asked. "Wonderful."

"I think I have an idea!" Kathryne said, as she looked through the cookbooks she had. She didn't have the highest cookbook yet, but she did have the one below it. She started to work on a rather elaborate drink. When it was done, she sighed with relief that it was made. Bringing it over to Sarine, she smiled.

"What is it?" Sarine frowned and blinked as she sniffed it. She was surprised at how good it smelled. Then she drank it down. "I want more!"

"What is that?" Doppy asked.

"Blood Flavored Soda!" Kathryne chuckled. Doppy blinked at it, but he nodded.  _They would need to get more of the ingredients in a town or on the road._

"If she only craves blood," Keltin frowned, as he walked over to them. "I wonder if it matters who's blood she takes."

"Or if the craving can be nullified with just the consumption of blood," Sammy wondered. "If both of the twins are wanting it, then we must do what we can."

"I'll let her take a couple swallows from me. If she still wants more, I'll call for you," Doppy said. Sammy nodded and let Doppy take Sarine up to the bedroom. Placing her in his lap, as he sat in his usual spot by the door, he gazed at her.

"Doppy..." she sighed, and he kissed her gently.

"I don't know what other cravings you'll have, but shall we try to remove one of them the easiest way?" he smiled. "You need the blood bond with me, anyways."

"We can try. I suppose," she shrugged. He moved to kiss her again, and a harsh cry from the nursery startled them. Sighing, he let her move off of him to tend to the twins. Bacsojin and Naght nodded to her, as she walked into the nursery to feed her children. She told them of her new pregnancy, and both of them were overjoyed. Once the twins were fed and cared for, she was back at Doppy's side, and he led her to the bathroom. Undressing her and himself now, he picked up the knife to open his neck lightly for her. He shoved himself into her the moment her mouth latched onto his neck, and he roared out his pleasure. When she had the required two mouthfuls, he groaned. Then he cried out when she didn't stop.

"Sorry...Sari...!" he whimpered out, as she kept feeding off him. After the fifth mouthful, she finally pulled away when he passed out and gasped at what she did.

"Doppy!" she cried out and quickly moved to collect her Rudra bow. Healing him now as much as she could, he rose up when he recovered himself and stopped her.

"It's all right!" he said, as she fretted, and he picked her up to hold her to comfort her. "I'm hardier than humans are! It's okay! I'm fine now!"

"I just...I couldn't stop!" she trembled. "And...I still want more..."

"Hmm..." Doppy frowned. "Hold on."

"Okay," she nodded. He shouted for Sammy and told him what happened. Sammy swore and moved to Sarine's side quickly to evaluate her.

"Strange," Sammy frowned.

"What's strange?" Doppy growled.

"The twins haven't grown much. Yes, they are growing steadily as normal. They aren't advancing like Naght's were. I know that each pregnancy is to be different, but the fact that she wants so much blood is...a bit disturbing," Sammy admitted.

"I'm normally a bloodthirsty creature," Doppy mused. "Do you think that has something to do with it?"

"It's possible," Sammy shrugged.

"I still want more!" Sarine pouted. Doppy blinked and looked at Sammy.

"All right. Three mouthfuls, though. We can't risk any more than that from me, okay? If you still need more, then we'll get Howard next," Sammy said.

"Okay," Sarine nodded.

"Likely need to keep Eremes and Keltin as backups, if we can't feed her. We'll need to take turns carefully," Doppy said.

"Very true," Sammy said, as he shrugged off his black kimono. With Sarine neatly in his lap, he trembled, as he slipped into her now. Letting Doppy move the knife over his neck, he cried out when Sarine latched onto him. He surrendered to the pleasure several times, and tried to voice out when she took enough from him, but he couldn't. She managed to pull an extra two mouthfuls of blood off him before Doppy was able to pry her away. Sammy gasped and Healed himself when he trembled.

"What's wrong with you?" Doppy frowned. Sarine was shaking now. She didn't know why she couldn't stop herself. At least she knew her craving was finally gone.

"I'm...sorry...Sammy..." she said fretfully.

"Sarine," Sammy frowned, and Doppy let her go to him to hug him tight. "It's okay. I'm all right. Do you still need blood?"

"No. It's gone now. The need for it, at least," she said.

"That's a relief," Doppy muttered.

"It will take some time for Doppy and I to recuperate the blood loss. Do you feel you need anything else?" Sammy asked carefully.

"Um..." Sarine thought and shook a bit. "Raw meat."

"Raw?!" Doppy gaped.

"The twins made themselves known for sure now," Sammy grimaced. "Raw meat for the boy. Blood for the girl. You have a couple of purely savage twins!"

"Is that bad?" Sarine frowned.

"No," Doppy said, and he moved to pull her from Sammy's embrace. "Not bad, love. Never bad. We'll do what we can, just like we did for Howard and Naght."

"Okay," she said.

"We don't know how the other children will be in you. This is something we will all work on together," Sammy said gently. He looked up, as Howard walked into the bathroom. When he learned what Sarine needed, he paused in shock.

"Blood and raw meat?" Howard whispered.

"Yes," Doppy said. Sarine trembled hard in his embrace, and Doppy pressed a kiss to her forehead. He knew he was incredibly savage.  _This proved it with my twins._

"We'll see what we can do," Howard nodded. "Don't worry, Sarine. Everything is fine. We'll do all that we can to help you through this."

"Okay, How-How," she sighed. When he left, Doppy continued to hold her and rock her. Sammy put his black kimono back on, and he moved to the kitchen to start getting something to drink. Doppy pulled Sarine into kiss of loving gentleness and pressed his forehead against hers.

"Blood and raw meat..." Eremes sighed. He walked in to sit with them on the ground. "I...am a bit curious of what cravings you will have with mine. Considering...it will be four children. It also concerns me a touch..."

"Don't remind me," Sarine groaned. He chuckled gently, and Keltin came in with a platter of raw steaks for her. She saw them and shocked Doppy when she reached for one and started to tear into it. Keltin whistled softly, and Eremes was amazed. Doppy frowned when she was having a tough time of it, and he took the knife to start cubing the meat for her into tiny, bite-sized pieces. That helped her out greatly, and plans were done to do this for her.

"I'm done..." she sighed, as she finished off the second steak. They didn't know how much she would need at first. Now that they knew, they would have the required amount ready. The others would be put away until she needed them. Now she actually felt restless.

"Sarine?" Eremes frowned.

"I just...I want to do something. I don't know how to explain it," she muttered.

"I think I have an idea," Doppy grinned. "Let's go to the arena."

"What?" Keltin asked.

"Trust me," Doppy chuckled. "I know what she needs."

"If you say so," Eremes nodded. Doppy and Sarine dressed, and he led her downstairs. Howard moved to her side when she got there and he paused. He knew she was always tired with him. She had a look to her that was the complete opposite.

"We are going to the arena," Doppy chuckled.

"Is that wise?" Sammy asked, as he moved to hand Doppy a drink. The demon swallowed it down and another was given for him to swallow down next. He had to replenish as much fluid as possible with her wanting so much blood.

"I want to do something. I don't want to sit here!" Sarine growled. Howard blinked at her new attitude. _It was completely unlike her._

"Well, that's why we are going to the arena," Doppy said.

"Screw that! I want to go to Glast Heim!" she said.

"But, the twins upstairs..." Howard said. "You can't leave them alone right now."

"Then bring them with us!" Sarine said. Karla looked over at her with shock. Even Seyren was concerned now. Garrett and Cecil looked at her with surprise.

"I don't think it's wise with how young they are," Lloyd said.

"No, it's not wise at all," Sammy frowned.

"I'm just tired of sitting here and feeling weak!" Sarine scowled.

"Sarine," Doppy growled and lifted her up to gaze into her eyes. "You are not a demoness, love. I know how you feel right now. Trust me. I do. But, we can't have you going off anywhere just yet. Not while the twins are still nursing."

"I really want to go to Glast Heim," she frowned.

"What's in Glast Heim?" Howard asked.

"Not only Zealotus, but we haven't recruited a few of the monsters there," Sarine said lightly. "Naght's tower only let us recruit so many monsters!"

"Ah. Zealotus," Howard nodded. "You're right. We do need her."

"And we promised Mitchell that we would help him train there. On top of that, I need to see to the strong monster, Dark Lord. Even though he may be but a shadow of his former self, wouldn't he still be needed?" she asked.

"Damn!" Keltin chuckled. "She was so exhausted with Howard's twins!"

"I'm a bloodthirsty beast," Doppy grinned. "I'm not surprised that she's like this. Shocked on what she needs, yes. But, I'll admit, I was half expecting her to have some of my fiery temperament. Even my restlessness."

"Wonderful," Seyren sighed. He walked over to them. "So, what are we doing now? What's the plan?"

"Well, since my husbands will not let me leave here until the twins upstairs are better able, I suppose the arena will have to do," she sighed.

"Good. Let's go," Doppy said and made her squeal when he picked her up to carry her there. Howard chuckled at it, and the others followed. When they got to the arena, it was packed. He took her up to their balcony and let her sit in his lap. Another chair-like throne was brought out for Sammy to sit on. When the challengers saw Sammy and his upgraded Samurai ghost, claims to challenge him were being done. Sarine let out a rather savage hiss of rage, and Doppy pulled her close to calm her.

"I don't think any of us will be able to be challenged while she's pregnant," Howard mused. "It's a bit easy for her to get pissed off right now."

"Let's not then..." Eremes said. "I will not anger her. I would never want to do that. And...I don't feel like fighting, anyways..."

"It was my choice to accept or decline the challengers, as per the terms with the arena," Sammy said, and he stood up. "All challenges are declined from this point forward! I have my reasons! Please choose another monster to challenge!"

When the challengers started to insult him, Doppy put Sarine in Howard's lap, and he stood up to glare. That made them all quiet down and mutter. None of them wanted to fight him. They wouldn't have left the arena in one piece with how protective Doppy was of Sarine right now. When he sat back down, Sarine was gathered up and put back into his lap. As the challengers started to battle it out with various monsters, Doppy whispered to her of different tactics and ways to avoid damage. Eremes rose his brows and realized that Doppy was keeping her completely preoccupied with his knowledge of fighting.  _It was entertaining to her right now._

"It's like she's a whole new person," Keltin frowned. "I...I don't like it."

"She's still Sarine," Howard said. "But, I know what you mean."

"It's all the demon blood she consumed. It needs to pass through her system," Sammy said. "Once it's out, she'll be her usual self again."

"I have to wonder..." Eremes said. "Howard's twins made her tired. Doppy's twins fill her with rage. What about us?"

"We won't know until it happens," Sammy said.

"What are you all talking about?" Sarine asked with narrowed eyes.

"Ignore them for now," Doppy chuckled. "Ooh, look! A thief is going to attack the Ghost Ring! Let's see if he dies!"

"Really?" she frowned and got up.

"What is it?" Doppy asked.

"I feel..." she paused and then ran to the railing to get violently sick.

"Let me see her!" Sammy growled, as he was quickly at her side. Checking on her as Doppy cast his Devotion skill, they both looked at each other and back at her.

"You see it, too?" Doppy growled.

"Yes. I do," Sammy sighed. "These twins...they are very unpredictable. Apparently, blood is needed to fuel their activeness. Meat is needed to help them grow. She just fed, but...she needs more now. This could be bad."

"How bad?" Howard asked.

"She'll be draining us of blood daily," Doppy frowned.

"Wow," Keltin blinked.

"How much blood does she need?" Eremes asked.

"A lot. Likely more than all of us here. I don't know if we can ask for donations from the others. Or if we should," Sammy sighed.

"Seyren...might agree..." Eremes said. "I don't know about the others."

"I don't want anyone else to give her blood!" Doppy snarled.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarine hissed. Then she vomited again. Sammy pressed a hand to her back, and she whimpered. The sound tore at Doppy, and he was at her side to comfort her.

"Well, regardless, she needs to eat again," Sammy said. Eremes gave her a red potion to rinse out her mouth with. "Let's take her back."

"I'm not going anywhere!" she pouted.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy grounded out, as he looked at her. "Tell me. What do you want to do, then? We need to know so we can help you."

"I..." she faltered and trembled. "Why...am I acting like this? I just...I don't like it! I try to act normal, and then I do something so...irrational!"

"Sorry Sari..." Doppy whispered now and picked her up to hold her. "It's the way I am. You have pretty much all of my moods right now. I'll help you maneuver through them as much as I can. I'm not leaving your side for anything. Don't worry."

"It's not you that I'm worried about," she admitted. "I just...even with my mood swings, I've never felt so much...anger at everything!"

"That's being a demon for you," Doppy grinned. She sighed, and Keltin smiled softly at her.  _This was the Sarine I knew and loved._

"What doesn't make sense to me is that you got sick when you were hungry," Sammy frowned. "I don't like that at all. And you just ate, too. You didn't throw up what you just had. It...really puzzles me."

"Well, let's get you fed!" Howard chuckled. "What do you want to eat?"

"You," she said with a smirk. He blinked at her, and Doppy howled with laughter.

"To the house?" Eremes chuckled.

"No! Right here! Right now!" she growled. Howard just grinned a touch nervously at this, and the curtains were pulled closed. After a good twenty minutes, Howard's pants were fixed back up, and the curtains were pulled back to show her sitting triumphantly in his lap. He was nearly passed out from blood loss, and Keltin managed to Heal him back up to a point that he could walk. Doppy was shocked at how much blood she took from Howard.

"Why so much?!" Howard gasped weakly.

"We don't know," Sammy admitted. "It's why we may need help."

"Can you walk?" Eremes asked Howard.

"Help me up," Howard groaned. Eremes let Howard lean on him to support him. Doppy carried Sarine, and they moved into the house.

"What happened to you?!" Seyren gaped, as he saw Howard.

"Sarine...fed off me...a lot..." he sighed. Eremes was able to move him to a chair. Karla brought him a Yggdrasil Berry, and that helped him gain his strength back.

"We need more of those berries," Eremes frowned.

"Well, if we decide to go to Nifflheim, I do know the place," Lloyd said.

"I'm hungry," Sarine sighed.

"I'm on it," Eremes said.

"Raw meat, but cube it for her," Doppy grumbled. He sat down with her in his lap. Max was sitting with Coraline, and he blinked at the request.

"Oh, Garrett? Seyren? I need to speak with you both outside," Sammy sighed. Both men looked at each other and got up to move out of the house. Doppy snarled, but knew that it may not be helped in the end. Garrett came back in the house and gestured to Max to come out. Doppy blinked at this and glowered.  _I don't want Sarine to feed off of anyone else._ Her other husbands were fine. It was clearly pissing him off.

Eremes brought over some water for him, and a plate of cubed, raw meat for her. As Sarine ate the meat, and Doppy drank the water, Muninn flew in and landed on the back of a chair. He knew that something was going on that needed to be addressed.

_:Why upset?:_  he asked Doppy. Sighing, the demon explained what Sarine needed and why he was getting pissed. Muninn paused and lifted his head in silent communion. Then he looked at Doppy in silent communication. Doppy blinked and narrowed his eyes, as he thought about what he was told.

"So, their blood won't affect her pregnancy?" he asked.

_:No. Father Odin. Said that. I help. If needed. Too.:_  Muninn warbled. Sarine frowned at him, but everyone wanted to help with her pregnancy now. Seyren had walked back inside and whispered lightly to Lloyd. The Priest stammered and looked at the Lord Knight as though he was crazy. Seyren talked to him again, and Lloyd sighed.

"If it comes to it, then fine. Hopefully not," Lloyd nodded.

"If it comes to what?" Margaretha asked. Lloyd pulled her close and whispered to her. She gasped and glared at Seyren, but the Lord Knight rose up his hands to show it was Sammy's orders and not his. Margaretha sighed and nodded. _It was for Sarine and her newly forming twins. Everyone wanted to help her._

"Why does everyone talk about me as though I'm not here?!" Sarine growled and shoved her plate away. "I'm done eating!"

"Sorry Sari..." Doppy grounded out and sighed.  _When she said she was done, then no one would be able to get her to finish eating until she was ready. Especially in this mood._

"Don't you 'Sorry Sari' me, Doppelganger!" she growled.

"Hmm..." Doppy frowned and picked her up to carry her into the bedroom. She was fuming when she got there, but he kissed her deeply, melting away all of her anger. Running her hands through his hair, he started to purr, and she sighed.

"I think this pregnancy is harder than I thought," she frowned.

"You are not happy being the mother of our children?" Doppy frowned.

"No! That's not it at all! I'm overjoyed!" she said. "It's just...the constant anger. The craving for blood and raw meat. It's...just...a lot to take in right now."

"I see," he said with a soft smile. "I do admit, it may be one of the hardest ones you need to go through. Maybe Ifrit's children will overheat you constantly?"

"Oh, don't say that!" she groaned, and he laughed. "I still don't know how my pregnancies with Sammy or Keltin are going to be!"

"True. But, it doesn't hurt to question it, right?" he grinned.

"Likely," she sighed. "But...is it true that I may have to drink blood from the others? Is that even possible?"

"It's possible," Doppy sighed. He paused, as Alexander flew into the room and landed. Sarine frowned and looked at the male Valkyrie.

"Lord Odin told me that I may be able to help with this," Alexander said. "Let her drink from me. I may be able to help quite a bit."

"Odin said you may be able to help?" Doppy frowned. "Well, I did see him whisper to you. All right. We'll try it."

"Doppy?" Sarine asked.

"One mouthful to test, okay?" Doppy said. He looked at the door, as Sammy came into the room, and Doppy told him what was going to be tried. Sammy thought and nodded.  _If Odin said so, then they would try it and see what happened._  Howard came in with the others next, and Sammy told them what was going to be tried. Eremes seemed to grimace, but he relented. Keltin wasn't sure about it. Howard just seemed to glare at first, but he nodded. If Odin said so, then they weren't going to argue.

Doppy had Alexander sit on the bed, and he placed Sarine in his lap.

"Try one mouthful, as Doppy suggested. We don't know how angel blood will work with you. We need to be cautious," Sammy warned. Sarine nodded, and Alexander cut his neck open slightly for her. A sharp gasp was given when Sarine locked her mouth on the wound, and he seemed to go into a trance. When a mouthful was pulled, she was able to pull away and swallow it down. She trembled and coughed. Doppy actually felt a mild, burning sensation filter through her body. _Something felt balanced out now._ It puzzled him at first, but he knew they would figure it out in time.

"Strange..." Sarine mused to herself.

"Sarine?" Sammy said, as he moved to her. She held up her hand to show she was fine. Looking at them all, she managed to smile.

"I'm all right," she said.

"Good. What did it taste like?" Doppy asked.

"It...it's hard to describe," Sarine thought. "I no longer crave blood right now, though. It's as though it completely satisfied that want of it for now."

"Really?" Sammy asked with amazement. "Looks like Alexander will be needed to staunch that craving from time to time. What of your need for raw meat?"

"I think that is still there," she nodded. "But, the blood is under control."

"Good," Doppy nodded. Alexander was Healed, and he blinked awake.

"Oh. You're done?" he asked. "The moment I felt blood drawn, I blacked out."

"You did?" Sarine frowned.

"It's all right, though! If it helps, then I'm glad. Let me know if you need more," Alexander said, and he lifted her off his lap to help her stand.

"Thank you," she smiled. He chuckled at her and pressed a kiss to her cheek before hovering out to go back to the nursery.

"I'm going to rip off his wings," Doppy growled.

"He's trying to make amends, Doppy," Sarine chided him.

"But, he kissed your cheek!" he snarled.

"And you kissed her in front of us," Howard seemed to grin.

"That was different. I love her," Doppy smirked and kissed Sarine in front of him purposely now. Howard laughed, and Doppy let her kiss him next. The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. She tended to the twins when they needed her, and Doppy wasn't letting her out of his sight. By the time night fell, it was easy for everyone to fall asleep.


	60. Chapter 60

Sarine woke in the middle of the night feeling ill. Doppy was at her side instantly and led her to the toilet to get sick. Casting his skill of Devotion, he studied her symptoms and grimaced. He noticed something right away, and he was surprised that he didn't see it before.

"What is it?" she asked, as he gave her a red potion.

"I think I know why you're getting sick," he frowned.

"Pregnancy?" she asked.

"No. It's something else. Something I'm not overly sure of. Hold on, I need a second opinion," Doppy muttered, and he went to get Sammy. He came into the bathroom, and Doppy told him what he found out.

"She needs to...dominate you?" Sammy frowned and then blinked. "That's likely it. She has so much pent up energy that she may have to play the demoness to calm the children. Sarine? Come here, love."

Sarine moved to Sammy's side, and he placed a hand on her belly to think.

"Am I right?" Doppy asked.

"You are. A hundred percent right. If she doesn't play the part of demoness, then the children will be able to think she is weak and take advantage of it. Let me talk to Storm Caller. You two wait here," Sammy said, as he gave Sarine back over to Doppy and left the room.

"I have to...dominate you?" Sarine blinked.

"You have to prove to the children inside you that you are strong enough to care for them. I'm kicking myself for not thinking of this before!" Doppy frowned. "It makes sense now. Why you want to fight. Be restless. Have your fierce mood swings of anger, rage, and impatience. It's all part of what a demoness goes through, I think. I honestly wouldn't know much, since I haven't been around that many female demons before I was trapped, but it's instinctive for you to act like one. You are the only female for me, and that's the way it's going to stay! Don't even worry about that."

"Doppy..." she smiled, and he kissed her gently.

"I'm just thinking now. Maybe we can do the dominating nightly, since that is when we are the most active. It's probably also why you keep waking up at night," he thought aloud.

"I'm sorry, Doppy," she frowned. "I know how you are when I dominate you, and I just...I don't want to hurt you."

"You never hurt me, Sorry Sari. And, besides, I said I liked it as long as we were alone, right?" he grinned. She smiled again, and he kissed her forehead.

"All right, Doppy. Take her to the far western part of the island now," Sammy said when he walked back into the bathroom to them. "A special room has been made for her to have her time with you. If the others wake up, I'll try to stall them. Go!"

"Right," Doppy nodded and picked up Sarine to take her out of the house. As he left, Howard woke up and frowned when Sarine was gone. When he moved to the door, Sammy blocked him. Howard was clearly concerned and wanted an answer.

"Don't follow them," Sammy warned.

"Why not?" Howard frowned.

"We found out why Sarine was getting sick. She has to play the part of a demoness and dominate Doppy. Something that he doesn't want anyone to watch. Just go back to bed," Sammy said. "Trust me in this."

"What?" Howard frowned. Blinking, as he thought to Naght, the powerful demon seemed to laugh. He made the mental comment that Howard was on his own if he chose to follow them. The massive demon would not want to be dominated at all.

"Look," Sammy sighed. "if you follow them, don't say I didn't warn you. I don't know how Sarine would be in a dominant state of mind towards you."

"I accept your warning, but I need to know," Howard said. "I need to make sure she's all right. It's something that I have to do."

"Fine. Go to the west-most part of the island," Sammy said, as he relented. "Like I said before...I warned you."

Howard nodded and dressed fully before heading out of the house. Naght guided him on where to go, but then pulled back from Howard when the destination was reached. Naght clearly wanted no part of being dominated. Howard was on his own.

He approached a small tunnel and headed down it. He blinked and realized that this was part of the cave system under the island. It led down to a single chamber deep under the earth, and he paused, as he heard Doppy moaning and whimpering.

"That's it, Doppy...don't move..." Sarine breathed over of his skin. He gasped and trembled. She was moving her mouth and hands over his back and shoulders, as she lightly licked his skin. He was grinding his teeth together, and he gave out a small cry when she bit him lightly on occasion. Howard was hiding just beyond the door and was simply amazed at what Doppy was going through. Unfortunately, Doppy still had his senses honed to detect others.

"Sorry Sari...!" Doppy snarled and narrowed his eyes, as he sensed Howard nearby. She blinked, looked towards where he was glaring, and gave a bit of a wicked grin.

"Don't move..." she whispered and placed a rough kiss on his mouth to leave him wanting. He whimpered, but obeyed her. He was in a completely submissive state of mind right now. She moved silently over to Howard, and the Whitesmith blinked when she stood in front of him. She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head at him with amusement.

"Um...I..." he tried to talk, but found himself speechless. She was nude, but the way she held herself was with an air of controlled lust. There was something about her now that told him she was dangerous and highly unpredictable. He found himself completely turned on.

"How-How. Why are you here?" she asked with a curious croon.

"I...was told by Sammy where you were...and, he told me not to bother you, but..." Howard started and gasped, as her hand reached out to caress his cheek. His heart started to hammer in his chest, as though to tell him that danger was present and to run. But, he couldn't have tried to run away if he wanted to. He was paralyzed with fear and lust.

"If you stay here, you will be dominated. Is that what you want? You want me to control you secretly? To warp you into a frenzy of uncontrolled lust that you can't spend right away? Is that what you want?" she whispered, as she put her mouth close to his ear. He shivered and gasped. His heart beat faster in his chest now, and he trembled.

"I...don't know...what I want right now..." he admitted.

"Then, shall I help you decide?" she crooned. One of her hands moved to lightly trace a fiery trail over his chest from under his white tunic. He cried out at it and let Sarine lead him into the room with Doppy. Pushing Howard back, she moved to Doppy's side, and let her hands move through his hair to force a whimpered moan from him. Whispering to him now, he gave a savage growl, but a plaintive cry tore from him when she ran her tongue over his neck. Then she bit down to give him a bout of pleasure. Doppy was trembling now, as he stared at the floor, and she turned to rise up to look at Howard.

"I..." Howard started.

"I didn't tell you to speak," she frowned. "Undress. Now. Then crouch on the floor. If you don't do this, I will get nasty and make you regret it!"

Howard swallowed, and did as she said. There was an excited shiver that went down his spine that he never felt before as he did what she said. He knew that Seyren said he liked to be dominated. _Was this what he was talking about? The fear mixed with lusty excitement on knowing, yet not knowing, on what was going to happen?_

She told him to keep his eyes on the ground, and he did just that. When he felt her walk behind him, he shivered with a form of desire that he never knew existed. Her hands started to move slowly over his back, and he gasped. Then she whispered, "Stay still. Perfectly still. Don't move...a single...muscle..."

Her hot breath left a scorching trail over his back and neck. It forced him to gasp and steel himself to endure it. He didn't realize how swiftly she got him to submit to her. She easily aroused his lust, and his desire was peaked to a point that he wanted to scream until she ordered him to keep quiet. She went between Doppy and Howard easily. It was as though she was doing it her whole life. The Demonic blood in her system was guiding her on what to do. Where to touch. When to tease. How to make them scream silently. When it became time for each of them to finally have her, they passed out the moment it was done.

Howard lay back on the ground and was completely speechless when he came to. He didn't know what to think or how to act. Even when she moved her hands over his chest, he found himself responding to her again. It was the same way with Doppy. For an hour, she tormented both of them until she announced that she was sated. Then she gave them the freedom they needed to move and finally speak.

"I...never thought..." Howard gasped.

"Idiot!" Doppy growled out weakly. "Why do you...think I said...I didn't want...anyone to see this?!"

"I don't think I want the others to know about this!" Howard managed to ground out, as he sat up. "Keltin wouldn't last. Eremes...I don't know how he would take it. As for Sammy...I don't know."

"Keltin would need to be built up for this," Sarine agreed. "I think Eremes may enjoy it immensely. Sammy might, too."

"She's going to have to dominate me every night to keep the twins from making her sick," Doppy sighed. "There's no other choice in it."

"You mean 'dominate us', Doppy," Howard grinned, as he corrected his friend. "You think I'm going to let you have all the fun?"

"Are you serious?! You like this? I mean...yeah...it's very pleasuring, and she doesn't hurt us or whip us. I don't act well to pain," Doppy said, as he sat up.

"You like biting, though," Sarine giggled and nipped his shoulder, causing him to gasp sharply. He was still feeling the aftereffects of the pleasuring hour, and he shivered.

"I think we need to get Eremes in on this. We won't tell him anything. He'll just have to walk in on it. Like I did," Howard grinned.

"Sounds like fun," Sarine snickered.

"Great. Wonderful," Doppy rolled his eyes, but he grinned.

"I do understand how you feel, though," Howard nodded when he managed to sit up. "But...damn! I wasn't expecting that!"

"Shall we go back to bed, loves?" Sarine crooned sweetly. "Or, do I need to invoke my right to make you suffer again?"

"Um..." Howard went back to being speechless.

"Ah...well..." Doppy blinked. Sarine giggled and licked up Doppy's neck forcing him to tremble and wince. When she moved her hand up Howard's back, he cried out and braced himself. When he fought the pleasure down, he gasped.

"Does this ever wear off?!" Howard finally asked.

"Nope!" Doppy grinned. "It'll be fun getting dressed!"

"Oh, lovely..." Howard shivered.

"How-How..." Sarine said, as she moved to face him sternly. "whatever you do, don't you dare release until I say so..."

"What?" Howard asked with astonishment and went rigid when she bent down to cover his sex with her mouth. Doppy took a deep breath, as he watched, and looked away to keep his own arousal down. She tormented Howard for a good five minutes before pulling away and letting him have her. He was finally given permission to release after she was sated by him, and he roared it out. Then he passed out again. She lightly pushed Howard off her and glared at Doppy. The demon trembled, as she moved over to him now.

"Sorry Sari..." Doppy whispered.

"The same rule now applies to you. Don't release..." she grinned wickedly, and he cried out when she tormented him in the same manner. When he was able to release inside her, he gave out an inhuman roar before simply collapsing on her. Gasping with her, he groaned and winced when he had to move.

"Crazy...insane..." Doppy panted.

"Tell me about it..." she said weakly. "I do think I'm...ready for sleep, though..."

"Like hell are we moving..." Doppy grumbled.

"Keltin and Eremes will try to find us," Sarine frowned. He moaned and moved in her deeply to release again with her and clung to her tightly.

"I love you so much!" Doppy whimpered.

"And I love you!" Sarine said, as she nuzzled into his chest.

"This pregnancy is going to be very interesting," he chuckled.

"Especially at night," she grinned. He laughed and kissed her possessively before moving off her to wake up Howard.

"Huh?!" Howard said, as he came to.

"We have to go back," Doppy said. "Tomorrow night, we'll have Eremes find his way here. Maybe Keltin next, and Sammy last."

"You sure?" Sarine asked. Doppy nodded, and they all dressed. Howard was still shivering, as he put on his clothes, and Doppy was no better. The pleasure she gave them was still with them when they got back to the house. When Sammy saw them walk into the room, he was grinning. Howard grumbled a bit, as he moved towards the bed, and Doppy snickered at him. Doppy had it under control. When she saw Sammy, she smirked and moved over to him.

"You'll get your turn, Sammy," Sarine grinned, as she whispered in his ear. "Just give it time. You'll get curious, and then I'll have you under my thumb, too!"

"What?" Sammy blinked at her and got silenced when she planted a heavy kiss on him. Doppy and Howard looked at each with knowing grins.

"You may as well do it, Sarine," Howard snickered. "Bathroom is right there!"

"I should, shouldn't I?" she grinned, as Sammy went speechless. "What do you think, Sammy? Do you want to feel pleasure and pain? A new form of want and desire?"

"Um...well..." Sammy stammered, and Doppy grinned. She pulled Sammy into the bathroom and ordered him to keep quiet. For the next thirty minutes, Howard and Doppy chuckled to each other. When she came back out, Sammy was a gasping mess of sensations. Even his ancestral Samurai ghost was in shock.

"Okay. Bedtime!" Sarine said with a yawn.

"I will never look at you the same way again!" Sammy growled.

"Tell me something I don't already know," she crooned, and he trembled. Howard laughed a bit and pulled Sarine close in the bed. Much to his disbelief, he trembled from her warmth. She still aroused him just by being close to him.

"Still affected by you!" he swore.

"Is it any different? Maybe next time I'll feed off you as the grand finale," she whispered wickedly. That made him pause, and he swiftly claimed her to release hard from the thought of it. She never affected him this much before. He loved it! Doppy was already meditating with Sammy now, and it didn't take much longer for them to fall into a deep sleep.


	61. Chapter 61

When they all woke in the morning, Eremes and Keltin noticed a change in Howard almost immediately. Sarine had already gone into the nursery to tend the twins. Sammy and Doppy were able to cover up their submissions rather well. Howard was trying to figure out how, and he was failing miserably.

"You have to calm down," Doppy growled at Howard.

"I...I still feel her on me!" Howard sighed.

"And you will. You need to hide the lust," Sammy said. "Think of other things. Try to pretend last night never happened."

"Easy for you to say!" Howard muttered, as he dressed.

"Are you all right?" Eremes frowned.

"I'm fine!" Howard grinned. "Just had a really good dream!"

"Uh-huh," Keltin said, as he thought.

"Morning!" Sarine said, as she came back into the room from the nursery. She gave each of her husbands a deep kiss, and Howard shivered from it.

"This is tough!" Howard frowned.

"Just relax, How-How!" she giggled.

"All right, what did you do to him?" Eremes asked.

"Well, if you must know, I dominated him last night," she beamed.

"What?!" Keltin blinked. "How?! When?!"

"Last night!" she said again. "If you're curious, then it will happen again tonight. I have to be dominant so the twins will know I'm strong enough to carry them. It's why I've been getting sick, apparently. Doppy figured it out."

"Really?" Eremes frowned.

"Yes," Sammy and Doppy said together. Then they sighed and chuckled.

"She dominated you both?" Keltin asked. "All three of you?"

"I was already dominated. Those two are new," Doppy smirked.

"I'm curious," Eremes grinned.

"I don't know," Keltin said.

"Well, if you want to know, follow me tonight when I leave the room," Sarine shrugged and moved to head down the stairs. Eremes decided to make plans, and Keltin was still unsure. It may take him another night to decide. When they got down to the main room, Howard moved over to Seyren to tap his shoulder and made a gesture to talk outside. Sarine giggled softly and was given a rare roast to eat.

"What's up?" Seyren asked, as they got to the porch.

"What do you know about being dominated?" Howard asked carefully.

"What?" Seyren blinked.

"You heard me!" Howard said. He sat down and crossed his arms.

"Well..." Seyren started. "why do you want to know?"

"Sarine dominated me last night," Howard said.

"She...did what? How?" Seyren was now curious and sat down next to Howard. In a low tone, he whispered to the Lord Knight on what was done, and the man was astounded. It was starting to make him even more curious now.

"Now, every time I move, I feel like she's rubbing me all over!" Howard grimaced. "It's like...I can't move!"

"Wow!" Seyren whistled. "I have to admit, I'm impressed! I'm the type that tends to like a little pain, though."

"She bites us and runs her nails on our backs," Howard grounded out.

"Ah..." Seyren went speechless, and, for the first time in a long time, couldn't think of anything to say to that.

"How-How?" Sarine asked. She walked out onto the porch.

"Yes, Sarine?" Howard said, as he looked up at her.

"Is everything okay?" she frowned.

"It's fine!" he said, and she moved to hug him. Seyren blinked, as he saw Howard take a deep breath at simply being close to her. When she pulled him into a deep kiss, he saw how agonizing it was for Howard, and Seyren had to pause with wonder.

"Sarine," Seyren said.

"Yes, Seyren?" she smiled, as she turned to face him.

"Um...Howard...told me what you did to him..." Seyren started.

"He did?" Sarine seemed to narrow her eyes at her husband, and he trembled.

"Can you tell this to Karla?" Seyren asked. "Give her a few pointers, maybe?"

"Oh!" Sarine blinked and then smiled. "I think I can..."

Howard swore when she whispered into his ear, and she planted another kiss on his mouth before moving off him to find Karla.

"Are you sure that's wise of her to do?" Howard winced.

"I don't know," Seyren admitted, and they both laughed nervously. In the house, Sarine found Karla in her bedroom and started talking to her. The Creator was speechless at what Sarine was suggesting her to do to her husband.

"So...don't let him move?" Karla asked.

"Nope! If you want to give him pain, bite his neck or run your nails over his back. Trust me. You'll save on bottles," Sarine grinned. That made them both giggle, and Sarine went on to tell her what else she could do. Now with a whole new arsenal of ideas, Karla and Sarine went downstairs to the main room.

"Seyren!" Karla called out. "I need help with Luna!"

"Oh?" Seyren asked, as he got up to follow her. Sarine hummed softly, as she went to sit with Howard, and Doppy joined her.

"What's going on?" Doppy asked. Sarine told him what happened, and Howard just started laughing.

"So, she's going to test a few theories," Sarine smiled sweetly.

"You told her how...to dominate?" Doppy blinked.

"To an extent," Sarine nodded.

"Wow..." Doppy smirked, and Howard just kept laughing. The others joined them out on the porch, and she whispered to Sammy. He spat out the water he was sipping to look at her with amazement. She smiled sweetly, and now Eremes was determined to get in on this. Thirty minutes later, Karla came down the stairs rather smugly and winked to Sarine.

"I need to do some shopping. I'll be back in a bit!" Karla sang out.

"Let me go with you," Max said. "I need to get something, too."

"Sure!" Karla grinned, and they both left. Seyren managed to slowly make it down the stairs and onto the porch to sit down.

"Sarine. You are an evil little sister," Seyren managed to growl out.

"Why?" Sarine asked innocently. Howard and Doppy snickered, and Sammy was grinning softly. Eremes was thoughtful, as he watched the others. Keltin had a look on his face that showed how unsure he still was.

"You actually told Karla how to..." Seyren paused and let the sentence remained unfinished. "Anyways...she has new ideas now."

"Really?" she asked with interest.

"Yes. And it's not fair!" Seyren frowned.

"Why not?" Doppy grinned.

"I can't get even with her!" Seyren growled.

"But, you can!" Sarine smiled. This made the others look at her curiously.

"How?" Seyren asked. Sarine moved to stand behind him and leaned down to whisper softly in his ear. Very slowly, a grin formed, and he nodded.  _I haven't tried purring yet! I might be able to from Baphomet's blood..._

"Got it?" Sarine grinned.

"Got it!" Seyren grinned back.

"What did you tell him?" Howard asked.

"Nothing that concerns you!" Sarine smiled, as she stretched. "I...want some blood now. And I know it's going to be a lot, too."

"Ah. Let me call for Alexander," Sammy said.

"Alexander?" Seyren frowned.

"His blood curbs her want of blood," Eremes said.

"Really?" Seyren blinked.

"Yep!" Howard said.

"Wait!" Sarine said. "Before I take from Alexander, I need to take from Doppy. Blood ritual and all."

"Right. Bedroom?" Doppy asked.

"Actually, I want to see this," Seyren said.

"No," Sammy said. "It brings about a rather intense, pleasuring feeling. It can't wait to be satisfied unless you have the strength to reign it in. This is also why we don't want you to give blood to her unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Oh..." Seyren blinked. "I guess I'll stay here, then. Although, I will say that I am curious. I did agree to help, if I had to, though..."

"Sammy," Sarine said, and she leaned over to whisper to him. Sammy blinked and frowned before nodding.

"If you think it's wise," Sammy said lightly.

"Seyren, how bad is your curiosity?" Sarine asked.

"It is there, I do admit," Seyren nodded.

"All right. I'll have Sammy get you when I'm done with Doppy," she smiled. Howard blinked at her, as did the others. She winked at them and took Doppy by the hand to lead him up the stairs. Once in the bedroom, he sat on the bed with her.

"Are you sure?!" Doppy growled, as he sat on the bed.

"Very," Sarine nodded. They both undressed, and Sarine sat on Doppy fully with her legs around his waist. He groaned at the feel of her, and she moved the knife over his neck. Latching onto the wound now, he cried out, as she was able to pull two mouthfuls of his blood to swallow. She Healed him with the Rudra bow, and he kissed her hard.

"Are you still sure about him?" Doppy asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "As long as he doesn't take my blood in exchange, it should be okay. I think that's when everything really happens."

"If you say so. I just hope I don't have to feel him. I haven't felt anything from Garrett yet, since he only received your blood and not taken any of yours, so maybe it's just with those that have been with you. Or did a full blood swap. I'll have to think about it," Doppy frowned. "If a full swap is needed, like you say, then Garrett shouldn't give you any blood."

She smiled, and he kissed her possessively before letting her up so they could dress. Sammy walked in to make sure they were done, and he turned to leave to get Seyren. Before he left, Doppy told him about Garrett, and Sammy agreed. _Garrett should not give Sarine any blood as a precaution._ Then he left to fetch Seyren. Sarine sat at the table and watched Seyren walk in. He sat by her and actually seemed a little nervous.

"Are you all right? You don't have to do this, you know," Sarine frowned.

"No, I do," he said. "Do you still need blood?"

"I do," she nodded.

"All right. How do you want to do this?" he asked.

" I would suggest from his finger or his wrist. Not his neck," Sammy said. Howard and Eremes walked in to watch. Keltin moved in to make sure that nothing went wrong, as Doppy moved to sit by the door.

"Let's do a drop from the finger, then," Seyren nodded. "And does there have to be an audience? This can't be a private thing?"

"That's my wife," Howard said. "Just a precaution."

"Like he said," Eremes grinned. The others nodded with agreement. Sammy took out his Masamune and let Seyren cut open his finger on the blade.

"That's extremely sharp!" Seyren frowned. "All right. Here."

Sarine nodded and placed his bleeding finger into her mouth. The taste didn't feel natural. It was as though he wasn't right for her, but, at the same time, he was. It was likely since he was like her brother, in a sense. Seyren closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.  _I had no idea that giving blood could feel like this!_ His other hand tensed into a fist, and he took in a deep gasp of air when she released his wounded hand. Sammy Healed Seyren, and Sarine smiled with a nod when it was done.

"That's all there is to it," Sarine nodded. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine..." Seyren said, as he blinked his eyes a bit to pull himself back from the realization that he now had to clean out his armor.  _I didn't believe the others when they said how pleasuring it was! I can't let them know what just happened._ Sarine gave him a wink and a smile. He winced in response.  _She knew what happened._

"Be glad I didn't take from your neck," she giggled.

"I'm glad you didn't, too!" Seyren said, as he rose up stiffly. "I need to...um...organize my bedroom. I'll be out shortly."

"What happened to him?" Howard asked after their door closed.

"How-How, what normally happens when I pull blood from you?" Sarine asked with another giggle. Howard blinked in thought. Then he barked out laughter! In painful gasps, he told the others what happened, and Eremes was having a hard time breathing again. Sarine moved to Eremes's side and helped him calm down to a point that he could think again. Sammy was wiping tears from his eyes with Keltin, and Doppy was just grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow!" Howard grinned. He coughed lightly to catch his breath.

"This does have me a touch worried, you know," Sarine sighed after the laughter ended. "Karla says he likes pain. But, he just experienced that from me."

"Oh..." Howard blinked. "You're right. I don't know if he'll want it again."

"Exactly," Sarine frowned. "I see him purely as my brother. It...it worries me now, you know? I don't want Seyren that way! It's just...ew!"

"I don't think he'll do any harm. He does love Karla, and he does understand his place," Sammy said. "And I agree. Ew!"

"But, he loves being dominated," Howard frowned. "He mentioned that to me quite a few times in our travels before we met Sarine and the others. It...was sort of his secret obsession to find the perfect Dominatrix. It was a bit creepy. It was even mentioned in Prontera."

"Are you serious?" Eremes asked. "Wait. You're right. Ugh..."

"Yep. And, with Sarine having this dominating streak now..." Howard frowned.

"I don't want to think about that," Sarine frowned.

"Are you hungry?" Keltin asked quickly to change the subject.

"No. Just thirsty," she sighed.

"For blood? Or water?" Doppy asked.

"Both," she said.

"I'll do it," Eremes said.

"She'll drain you," Howard warned.

"It's fine," Eremes said, and he gathered Sarine into his arms.

"Bathroom. In case Seyren comes back," she whispered. Nodding to her, he lifted her up to carry her in there. The door shut behind them. It was a good thing they did, too, since she was right about Seyren coming back to their room.

"Howard," Seyren said, as he walked in. "Um...I want to ask you something. The others, too. And, I know it will be strange, but I have to ask."

"What?" Howard asked, as he sat on the bed.

"You know how I'm always trying to find the perfect...well..." he faltered.

"Dominatrix?" Doppy smirked.

"Yes," Seyren said. "I know I mentioned it before. Briefly, if that. Anyways...um...I want to have Sarine dominate me. We don't have to have sex or kissing or any of that! I just...I want to see what she can do."

"No!" Howard frowned. "Absolutely not! You're her brother!"

"In a submissive state, I won't be. Out of that state, I will be," Seyren said. "We're not truly blood related, so it will work out."

"It would be too weird!" Keltin frowned. "I haven't even been dominated yet, and I'm not sure I want to be!"

"You have no idea what you're missing out on," Sammy chuckled. "As for you, Seyren, I have to agree with Howard. I don't think it would be wise."

"Please?! Just once, I swear!" Seyren begged.

"Wow..." Doppy frowned. "Creepy. You are the first human male I've encountered that is simply begging to be humiliated and brought to a shameful form of pain and pleasure that destroys all recollection."

"I know," Seyren gave a sheepish grin. "It's always been a fantasy of mine. The others don't really know, and it just...I don't know."

Then they all paused, as Eremes roared out from the bathroom. Seyren's eyes went wide at it, and he glanced at the others.

"That is what she would do to you," Sammy said. "But...it would be several times worse, if she dominated you."

"And that is what I've been wanting," Seyren admitted. That made all four husbands look up at him with shock.

"No, you don't," Howard said.

"But, I do," Seyren frowned. "I want to feel the brink of pleasure and pain. The feeling of falling into an abyss, yet still staying on the edge. That...that is what I have been searching for. It's what I've been looking for in a real Dominatrix."

"And she could do it, too," Doppy sighed. "What would Karla think?"

"I don't want to hurt my wife!" Seyren growled.

"We don't want to hurt her, either! But, the only way I could even see Sarine helping you get what you want is with Karla's permission. No secrets from her," Sammy said. That made Seyren sigh, and he grimaced.

"Fine. I'll talk to her when she comes back," Seyren said. He got up to move out of the room. He decided that he couldn't outright ask Karla for her for permission.  _Maybe I could try to tell her what I want done? Then, when I confused her enough, she could talk to Sarine._ That could work for him, since it was a bit of a touchy subject. He had to think about it more.

"If Karla happens to give the okay, what do we do?" Keltin frowned.

"Well, you would need to be dominated first," Sammy said. "Then we would need to decide what to do."

"Ugh. All right. I'll go with you all tonight," Keltin said.

"I'm sure she'll go easy on you," Howard winked. A moment later, Eremes and Sarine came out of the bathroom, and he slumped to the floor with her.

"She drank...so much..." he winced. Howard moved down the stairs quickly and came back up to toss him a Yggdrasil Berry. Sarine caught it, fed it to Eremes, and it improved his condition quickly. When he sat up with her, he kissed her forehead to show he was fine.

"Seyren came here after you two went in there," Sammy said. Eremes and Sarine both looked at him now, and the conversation was relayed to them.

"Well, if Karla approves, then we can work with something," Sarine thought.

"True," Eremes agreed. "It would seem less...awkward. Still, it would be strange at the same time. I'm not sure how I would take it. What do you think?"

"I don't know. We'll play it by ear," Sammy said. Sarine nodded and got up to check on the twins in the nursery. The rest of the day seemed to be uneventful until Karla got back with Max. The moment she walked into the main room, Seyren pulled her up to their bedroom to talk to her. Sarine blinked at Doppy, since she was in his lap, and he gave a small shrug. An hour later, Karla came down and gestured to speak with Sarine. A sigh given, she gave Doppy a kiss and moved to talk to her friend. Seyren's plan worked like a charm.

"Seyren is being very peculiar," Karla frowned.

"Tell me about it!" Sarine growled. Karla blinked at her, and Sarine sighed. "Sorry. Mild irritation from my pregnancy. What's wrong?"

"There's so much that he wants from me now, and I just...I don't know how to give it to him! I mean...it's fun, yes, but I've never truly done any of these things before. How do you do it?" she asked. "Can you tell me more?"

"Well, the Demonic blood that I drink from Doppy guides me. It sort of instinctively tells me what to do. There is something I can do, but I won't do it if you don't want me to," Sarine said. "It's a bit touchy."

"Tell me."

"I can give Seyren a session. A private one. Find out his strengths and weaknesses. Once I find them out, I can show you with him. No sex. No kissing. Just what he wants. It's likely the only way I can show you how to please him, and no issues will come out of it. What do you think? I don't want to do anything without your consent."

"I think...I think that can work. He told me that he'll always see you as his little sister outside of the dominant streak, and that no one wants to hurt me. I see you as my sister, too, and I'm just...I'm glad that he came forward to me to explain what is going on instead of things happening behind my back."

"Happened to you before?" Sarine winced.

"Yes. It has. I know that Seyren is the one for me. He's proven that time and time again. It's just this whole Dominatrix thing has me puzzled! But, I think if you find out from him what he wants and needs, and then show me with him...I think that it can work. If there is something he wants later...maybe you can find out and show me? I really do want to learn for his sake, but I don't want him to go running to you, either."

"I know. I see him as my brother and you as my sister. I don't want him running to me, either!" Sarine smiled. "I'll talk to my husbands, and we'll arrange something."

"Okay," Karla smiled. They hugged, and Karla went to talk to Seyren. Sarine went to talk to the others. She pulled her husbands together, and they went out to the grove to talk.

"What's the verdict?" Sammy asked.

"Karla wants me to find out what Seyren likes and then show her," Sarine smiled.

"What?!" Doppy blinked.

"Are you for real?!" Howard gaped.

"She...agreed to it?" Eremes mused.

"Wow..." Keltin thought.

"She was happy that he came out and talked to her about it. Apparently, she had relations in the past where things were done without her knowing. She knows that none of us want to hurt her, and she loves Seyren dearly, as he does her. If this helps to make their marriage stronger, then who am I to complain?" Sarine shrugged.

"Well, if you put it like that," Sammy thought. "I say we all leave now to go to that chamber. Get Eremes and Keltin dominated properly. This way, you can focus on Seyren to see what he needs for Karla to know."

"Whoever gave you the permission to order me?" Sarine growled out. Sammy cleared his throat and slightly looked away. Doppy blinked and noticed it was becoming nightfall.  _Her dominant streak was returning with a vengeance, and she was being instinctive again._

"Sarine?" Keltin asked.

"Keltin. Don't worry. I'll go easy on you. It's time for us to move on, as Sammy has said. Let's go," Sarine said easily, as she moved to stand. Eremes blinked at her new use of control, and he got even far more curious now. Heading west, they got to the secret chamber, and she quickly ordered Doppy, Howard, and Sammy to undress. Then she had them crouch to the ground to wait for her.

"Um..." Keltin started, and he paused when Sarine approached him.

"Don't worry. I'll build you up slowly. Carefully. I'll give you just a taste which will be enough to start a new thirst," she smiled and ran her hand along his jaw. He trembled and blinked at his own reactions to this.

"I don't know..." he started.

"Hush now. Don't say a word..." she whispered and kissed him deeply. Eremes just watched with surprise at how gently she got him to submit and respond to her.  _She truly did go easy on Keltin._ She had him carefully undress, and she slowly used him in the way he was familiar with. She was going to build up his stamina so that he could get to the same point with the others. When he lay passed out on the ground, she moved to look at Eremes.

"I did say that I was curious..." Eremes said.

"Don't say a word..." she whispered and moved over to his side. "Are you sure you want this? To feel pleasure and pain to a point that it simply merges in you? To know that everything you do will be solid pleasure from this point forward?"

He gave a small nod before gasping, as her hands moved down his chest, and then moved directly into his pants to start caressing what she sought. He couldn't speak. He couldn't move.  _This was a side of her that was dangerous and arousing at the same time._  He followed her orders to undress and to crouch on the ground with the others. Then she took her time with each of them. She brought up their passions and lusts to a point that they wanted to release, but she wouldn't let them. When Keltin came to, she knocked him back unconscious with more pleasure. The next two hours were done like this, and, only when all of them were spent with her, did she give them the ability to move and speak. Keltin was still slightly out of it, but he was surprised to find that he was starting to like this. He wasn't sure if she was going to do more to him next time. He had a feeling that she was.

"How...did she...?" Eremes gasped.

"Told you..." Sammy chuckled. Doppy just groaned, and Keltin finally managed to sit up to shake his head from the daze he was in.

"Damn...never gets old..." Howard chuckled.

"So, what now?" Sarine asked with a smile.

"Bed..." Keltin said, as he managed to stand and dress.

"Yes. I think sleep is needed," Eremes agreed completely.

"I suppose," she giggled, and Doppy moved to dress and winced, as he moved.

"Seyren is an idiot if he wants to feel this!" Doppy growled.

"You're telling me," Sammy muttered. She laughed softly and dressed with them before heading back to the house. On the way back, they stopped, as Seyren approached them. Sarine blinked at him, and the others simply glowered.

"I am here," Seyren said.

"You are too late," Sarine frowned. "It is already done."

"But...Mistress..." he begged before pausing. Howard's jaw dropped. He had never seen Seyren like this before.

"Already submissive?" Sarine now thought, her dominant streak rising back up. Her husbands swallowed nervously, as they sensed it, and Sarine moved to yank Doppy's head down to kiss deeply. His mood instantly changed back to submissive status.

"Yes?" Doppy breathed in a knowing way. "What are your orders?"

"You come with me. The others should go to bed. You. Seyren. Follow me," Sarine ordered. Howard cleared his throat, and Sarine glared at him.

"It...would not be fair to us, if we could not see or witness what was done," Howard said.

"You would want to watch me humiliate him?" Sarine asked.

"It would give us something to use against him, should he try anything," Howard said. That made the others chuckle and smirk. Sarine thought about it and turned to Seyren. The Lord Knight wasn't saying anything right now.

"And what do you think, Seyren?" Sarine asked.

"It would be up to you. I will not mind anything you decide," he said.

"Truly?" she purred and thought. "Fine. Sammy. Doppy. Grab him and haul him back to the chamber with us. Bedtime will have to wait."

Seyren felt his arms grabbed, and he got hauled to follow them. The excitement coursed through his body now in a way he never knew existed.  _She was purposely having me rough-handled to spark everything._ When he was tossed to the ground of the chamber, she had her husbands move out of the way and stand along the walls.

"Mistress..." Seyren said weakly.

"I did not give you permission to speak! Now undress!" she growled. "The lot of you will keep your eyes to the floor, but keep your ears open! Understood?"

At the mass confirmations, Seyren's armors were put off to the side, and she had him crouching on the floor. He was already highly aroused and slightly panting. At the orders of not to release and not to speak or move, it was heightened even further. She moved her nails between each muscle on his back. Then along his shoulders and arms. Finally, her nails seemed to dig in, as they traced along the front of his chest. He was gasping and heaving by the time she was ready to move lower, and she stopped with a smirk. At her pause, he struggled to keep from whimpering. She was clearly not amused with him.

She moved behind him and reached down to grab at his sex to squeeze and stroke. His eyes were wide now, as he fought the urge to release, but he lost it when she bit down hard on his neck. He made a mess all over the floor of the chamber and trembled at it. Then he whimpered, "Sorry...Mistress...I..."

"Shame on you!" she frowned. "I said not to release! I also told you not to speak! Now, I'll just have to punish you for misbehaving! Won't I?"

He shivered, as more excitement coursed through him. She continued to have him release over and over again until it got to the point that he wanted to beg her to stop, but he didn't. When the pleasure started to turn painful, he blinked and gasped.  _This was what I was seeking._   _This was what I wanted to feel. Pleasure merged into pain to the point that I couldn't think._ Another sharp bite to the neck sent the pleasuring pain reeling through him to a point that he had to give out a sharp whimper. Then she reached up with a free hand and pinched one of his nipples. A shock of pure, painful pleasure went straight through him like the Light of Odin that hit him weeks prior, and he passed out in a state of rather blissful contentment.

"Wow..." Keltin said with a slight wince.

"Interesting," she mused and rose up. "What do you all think?"

"Well..." Sammy said, as he cleared his throat, but kept his eyes lowered. "I think that you found what you need to tell Karla."

"Very true..." Eremes agreed.

"Is he...alive?" Keltin asked with a touch of concern.

"He's comatose. Like you were," Howard chuckled.

"How often will this need to be done with him?" Doppy asked.

"Well, the day of humanity will be in three days. I would say for the next three nights, I will work on Seyren. Make sure he knows exactly what he got himself into, and I will make sure that I know all of his weaknesses. Then, on the night that all of you are human, show Karla what needs to be done. Sound good?" Sarine asked.

"Not a bad plan," Sammy nodded. Sarine moved to nudge Seyren awake and have him dress. Then she let her husbands move around again.

"Was it what you wanted?" Howard asked grimly.

"I..." Seyren swallowed and shivered from the pleasure that still coursed through him. "She gave me what I was looking for."

"I see..." Eremes frowned.

"She said the next three nights were going to be hard on you," Keltin chuckled.

"Three more nights? From her?!" Seyren gaped.

"Are you upset?" Doppy asked.

"Completely the opposite! But, why three more nights?" Seyren asked.

"We turn human after the third day. She will give you over to Karla when we are all human," Howard grinned. Seyren could only nod and focus on moving now. He didn't believe Howard before when he said it was hard to move around. Now he could see why.  _Sarine completely warped all of my senses around._ Just knowing that she would be teaching everything to Karla gave him a profound sense of joy.  _I can't wait for my own lovely wife to do the same things that Sarine was doing to me!_

When they got to the house, Karla was waiting. Sarine grinned and moved to whisper in her ear. She blinked, as she was told the next three nights would be like this, and Sarine whispered again to her. Karla gave her a wicked grin and escorted her husband up to bed.

"What did you tell her?" Doppy smirked.

"Well, that the next three nights would be training for Seyren. That and Seyren was primed and ready for her to torture him with anything she wanted," Sarine grinned. Howard laughed weakly, and Eremes felt sorry for Seyren now. Keltin just trembled, and Sammy shook his head with quiet laughter.

"You do know that, once my twins are out of you, I'm going on a complete dominant streak, right?" Doppy grinned.

"You don't like the pleasure I give you?" Sarine frowned. There was an edge in her tone.

"Ah...it's not that...just..." Doppy stammered.

"You just opened up a whole new meaning of the word 'pain', Doppelganger!" Sarine growled and pushed him into the bedroom. The others gasped and looked at each other. Slowly, they moved into the bedroom. The rest of the night followed without any incidents.


	62. Chapter 62

In the morning, Doppy was forced out his meditation with solid pleasure. The entire night, Sarine stayed in his lap and tormented him with it. He was so quiet about it that no one even realized what was going on until they woke up.

"All night?!" Howard freaked.

"That's harsh..." Eremes winced.

"I wouldn't last," Keltin frowned.

"I guess this is a warning to us all?" Sammy asked.

"You could say that," Sarine winked. She finally moved out of Doppy's lap to take a quick shower and check on the twins. Doppy simply couldn't move. She took quite a bit of blood from him, and he was trying hard to focus. Karla had purchased a hefty stock of Yggdrasil Berries, and one was given to him to help him regain himself.

"Thanks," he sighed, as he forced himself to stretch out. "She's...damn..."

"Now I see why Naght didn't want to be dominated!" Howard chuckled. "He had the right idea. I don't think it would have been pleasant, though."

"He would have fought her," Doppy said. "It would have been a horrific battle."

"He would have let her win," Sammy grinned. "To an extent."

"Maybe. Not going to stick around for it, though," Doppy sighed and got up to stretch his limbs even more. "Any idea as to what is going to happen today?"

"Not a clue," Sammy said. Then Muninn chirped, as he flew in from the window and bobbed his head to get their attention.

"What is it?" Eremes asked.

_:Glast Heim. Later. Today. Father Odin. Says go. But. First. Dream vision. All together. Important one.:_  Muninn warbled.

"Glast Heim? What of the twins?" Howard asked.

_:They sleep. All day. No worry.:_  Muninn assured him.

"A dream vision with everyone. All right. How do we do this?" Sammy asked.

_:Underground grove. Quickly!:_ Muninn urged, and he flew back out.

"Check on Sarine," Sammy said to Doppy. He nodded and found Sarine finishing up with Siegfried. Bacsojin took over to help burp him, and Sarine was told by Doppy on what needed to be done now. She blinked, but nodded, as he led her to the underground grove where the others were.

"How do we even start this?" Sarine frowned.

"Well, we could all hold hands and sing?" Howard grinned. She punched him in the arm, since she was now sitting next to him, and he laughed.

"Hold hands, sure. Sing, no," Sammy chuckled. Doppy grumbled a bit, but Muninn wanted them to see something. The moment their hands were joined in their circle, they all fell into a trance for the vision to start...


	63. Chapter 63

It was two days after Sarine left the Novice Center to try to fend for herself. She was still wearing her Novice gears, and she was told to go to Payon to become the Archer she wanted to be. It was tough, since no one was going to be helping her, and she was far too eager to start having her own grand adventure. She thought that someone wanted her to wait there, but she couldn't remember. In the end, she simply went off to see what she could do.

She got Warped to Payon and made her way to the Archer Guild. The Archer Guild recruiter told her to collect wood from the Willow monsters. She was to bring it back to them to help make bows and other supplies for them. This was her test to become an Archer. She left the town to go into the forest, and she eventually traveled farther than she thought she did. Payon was now a bit of a ways away, and she was still too unsure of how the world worked around her. She was in a very dangerous situation and had no idea how bad it was about to get.

The weather took a turn for the worst, and she ended up getting lost in the Payon forests. She didn't have the courage to ask other traveling adventurers for help, and she was running out of food. When it got colder, she huddled into a little ball near the base of a tree. She was just lucky that the monsters didn't attack her on sight. She tried to attack what she could, and she managed to find just enough to eat, but it clearly wasn't enough to keep her full. She was used to going hungry, though, but she found herself eating a bit more from all of the shivering she did.

On the third day of being lost, she started to cry. She didn't think she was going to make it now.  _Why did I leave the Novice Center?! I had no idea how bad it would be on my own!_ She was cold and hungrier than ever. She was used to being lonely. She always had just enough food to get by, and the dark room shielded her from the elements at least. Out in the forests, she had nothing at all to shield her from the wind and rain. She was glad there was no thunder. She didn't know what she would have done if there was thunder.

Her whimpering cries wouldn't appeal to anyone around her, if she was heard. But, they did appeal to one thing. One very large and powerful monster. She looked up with fear, as Eddga found her, and she started to hiccup rapidly. He felt drawn to where she was, and her cries were like a siren call for him to find her. But, Eddga wasn't attacking her. Instead, he bent down and picked her up to carry her away from the forest area she was in. She whimpered again, and he purred to her to show that everything was going to be okay. Then he gave her some honey when his Bigfoot followers handed the jars over.

Blinking at this, she had no idea that Eddga was, in fact, a very mean and nasty monster. But, he knew that this child was incredibly special. He knew she was human, but that she was very important.  _She needed to live and be kept safe._ There was something about her very presence that told him this. He took her to a protected part of the forest filled with Dragon Flies, Greatest Generals, and Nine Tail monsters. This was his domain. He rumbled to them all, and the Nine Tail monsters gave her a type of honey comb called royal jelly. It filled up her belly and helped her keep warm.

She was still too scared to speak, though. Eddga didn't mind in the slightest. He had chosen to protect her for as long as she needed him. Nestling down with her against a tree, she was finally warm enough to sleep properly. Exhaustion from the cold and lack of sleep finally took its toll on her. She shivered again, but felt comforted in his furry embrace. As she slept, he kept watch over her, and the other monsters helped protect her.

For a week he protected her and kept her close. Eddga helped her forage, and he helped her attack weaker monsters. He chased off any adventurers that got too close for comfort. He was extremely protective of her, and she knew it. She finally managed to gain the courage to speak to him after he fed her breakfast.

"Thank you. For everything. But," she said. "Um...I was supposed to go back to Payon. I want to be an Archer. I was there and came here. I got lost."

Eddga rumbled in thought and smoked his pipe.  _I can't go into town. The people wouldn't understand and would attack me on sight._ He wasn't sure what he could do to help her. Deciding to help her train more, he lifted her up and let her cuddle into him. With a pause, he looked up to find a Hunter and an Assassin waiting in the distance. She wouldn't know it yet, but it was Huginn and Muninn. Odin gave them permission to help her in this frail part of her life, but only for a few months.

"Eddga! We've come to help her. We will protect her from here," Huginn said.

"No harm will come to her," Muninn vowed. Eddga seemed to hesitate. He knew that these men were the powerful messengers of Odin by the aura they gave off. He gave a short, huffing pout. He clearly liked this little human girl. Sarine was confused that he wasn't chasing them off, as he did with other adventurers.

"We promise that you will see her again. There will be a time that you will be able to protect her once more," Huginn said knowingly. At Muninn's confirming nod, that seemed to suffice. Eddga rumbled and gave Sarine a hug before setting her down. At first, she was unsure. He purred and gently pushed her towards them to show that it was fine.

"Um...thank you! I won't forget you!" Sarine said, as she waved to him. Eddga knew that she would forget him, but he hoped she would remember him again and seek him out. Huginn took her by one hand, and Muninn took her by the other.

She looked at her new benefactors and frowned. Muninn had shoulder-length black hair, and Huginn had white hair, but it was cropped short. They were both tall and fit, as though they had been training for years. They both had odd yellow eyes and sharp noses, but they seemed almost like family. She knew she could trust them. Muninn was in the guise of a Hunter, and Huginn was in the guise of an Assassin. When they spoke, they both had regal and strong voices that completely matched each other.

"We are going to go back to Payon. Take these," Huginn said, and he handed her fifty solid logs to give to the Archer Guild. "They will help you pass the test."

"Oh!" Sarine said with delight.

"We'll help you train for a few months. Then we will tell you where to train next, okay?" Muninn smiled. "You should be strong enough by then."

"Kay," Sarine blinked and let them lead her back to town. They watched her become an Archer, and they went back into the forests to help her train. When three months went by, she was strong enough to fend for herself, and she knew just enough about what she needed to do to survive. They told her stories about various wildlife and answered all of her little questions about how things worked. They protected her against anyone that tried to get too close, and they helped her when the monsters were too tough.

She knew there was something odd about Huginn after the first week of training with him. Muninn always helped her and guided her through things and around them. Yet, it was Huginn that simply seemed to want to be closer to her. While Muninn showed brotherly affection, Huginn was showing mental affection. It was getting to a point that she was starting to blush at him. While she slept, the brothers would argue about it without her knowing.

Muninn realized what was going on when he caught Huginn sharing a bed with Sarine a month into their care of her. He had her draped over his chest, as though she was hugging him like a pillow. It infuriated Muninn to no end. Huginn knew that Odin was going to reprimand him, but, in many ways, he didn't care. He wanted to share a bond with Sarine that seemed to be  borderline desire and flirtation. She was simply too young to know it yet.

As much as they enjoyed helping her, they were only delaying the inevitable. They knew that all good things needed to find an end, and it was late in the afternoon near the end of the third month when it was decided on what needed to be done.

"It is time for you to train alone again," Huginn said sadly.

"But..." Sarine pouted. "Why?! I don't want you both to leave!"

"We know. We don't want to leave you, either. But, we have other places that we need to go to, and you aren't strong enough yet to be there. We will all meet up again. Don't worry," Muninn winked and gave her a hug.

"Where...where do I go now?" Sarine frowned.

"We'll take you to a place called Geffen. There is a tower in the middle of the town. Go there, and you will find friends that will take care of you. Okay?" Huginn smiled.

"Um...kay," she said. Huginn picked her up to carry her, and Muninn was incredibly depressed now. He loved his little sister dearly and didn't want her to fend for herself anymore. Huginn was even a bit grumbly about it, too. He had started to get Sarine to open up to him only for him to leave her. _I was so close to my goal with her!_  But, Odin knew best on what needed to be done, and they had to obey his wishes.

They camped outside the town, and, while she was sleeping, Huginn and Muninn nodded to each other. _It was time to leave her._  Muninn moved over her and tenderly pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he pushed the memories of Eddga and her brothers far back into her mind to make her temporarily forget about them. He even hid much of what they taught her about the world.  _She would know just enough to get by._ He left one task in her mind for her to do when she woke up.  _To go into the tower of Geffen and try to train._ Huginn moved over to her next to press a kiss to her forehead in farewell. Then he lightly brushed his lips over hers. Before Muninn realized what happened, he was backing away, and they vanished. When she woke in the morning and went into town, the vision faded...


	64. Chapter 64

They all woke up as one, and Sarine was gasping with tears. Eremes was in shock, as he now realized how she survived those three crucial months without help. He also realized that Huginn had his personality towards Sarine in the beginning, and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. Howard couldn't believe what he just saw and how real it was. Keltin was simply amazed at what he witnessed. Doppy now realized how Eddga knew Huginn from before. Sammy was reviewing the dream again to make sure he got it all. He was a touch disturbed about Huginn and how he was with Sarine. He'd be watching Huginn closely, if they met him face to face.

The next thing they all knew was Sarine rising from where she sat and running out of the underground cave. When they followed, they found Eddga waiting in the grove and hugging her tightly, grateful that she finally remembered him. This monster was now going to hold a rather special place in their eyes and would always be respected.  _He protected Sarine when she needed it most. When she was at her most vulnerable, he found her and guarded her, and he was still protecting her even now._

"Thank you, Eddga! Thank you so much!" Sarine said, as she wept. He simply rumbled and snuggled her. Muninn flew down and became his warrior form. Eddga purred and let her run to her brother to hug him tightly.

" _I didn't want to leave you, but Father Odin insisted. I wanted to be there to help you when you were alone again after Lighthalzen. In a way, I was the one that kept pushing you to keep going. It was all that Father Odin would let me do. We couldn't risk having others know that we helped you, or that even Eddga helped you. We had to make others think that you were able to fend for yourself. You were never alone, Sarine. I made sure to watch over you and protect you,_ " Muninn said, as he hugged her. She was shedding silent tears now, as he hugged her close. He truly did love his sister and would fight for her with everything he had.

"Thank you, Muninn," Eremes said. "I know...you only did what you could...but...I was truly worried for her safety while she was gone from me."

" _Tell me something I don't know!_ " Muninn chuckled. " _I'm just glad that you all had reached her before I had to intervene again. I speak of the men in Geffen. I was only kept from harming the Empress, but no others. If you hadn't killed them, then I would have!_ "

"Muninn?!" Sarine suddenly gasped.

" _No man will EVER harm my sister and live!_ " Muninn growled. Doppy seemed to smile with complete respect now. He was going to trust this one with her life, as well as his own. It would have been that way, regardless, but this cemented it. A crushing weight filtered around them, and Odin was there in the grove. Muninn walked over to him with Sarine, and she hugged her father. A nod of respect was given to Eddga, and the powerful monster now moved to scout and guard the area.

"I want you to speak with Huginn. Focus on me, please, my daughter, my Vessel," Odin said. Sarine nodded and did as he asked. An intense headache pounded through her mind, and she gasped, as Muninn supported her. When she looked up again, she saw Huginn gazing at her. Her husbands were in awe at him. Huginn was well-muscled, lean, and toned to a perfection that could have rivaled Sammy's. He was wearing a form of plate armor that gleamed in any light, and it resembled feathers that coated over his skin. In many ways, it reminded one of a Knight's armor, but was also cloth-like to show that it could also pass for an Assassin's garb.

Huginn's face matched that of Muninn's, but his hair was as white as Muninn's was black. His yellow eyes now watched Sarine with a form of joy that he was finally able to greet her as he needed to. Muninn let Sarine walk up to her other brother, and she squeaked at the hug she got pulled into. Odin smiled at this and looked to her husbands now to give the silent gesture for them to come forward.

"Interesting..." Eremes muttered lightly to himself. He still wasn't sure what to make of Huginn. None of Sarine's men were sure of what to make of him yet.

"You will become human for the rest of the day! This is a joyous occasion, and I know I said you should go to Glast Heim later today. I will push it back to tomorrow. Incantation Samurai! Step forward, please!" Odin said.

"Yes, Sir?" Sammy said.

"You have been given a very special task on keeping my daughter, my Vessel, calm. You have been doing a marvelous job! It is time to tell you what you can do with her and your status with her. As we all know, the Bongun is her Guardian. The Whitesmith is her Armor. The Assassin Cross is her Weapon. Doppelganger is her and my Wrath. You are her Life.

"What this means is, if she comes under attack, your life will be affected first. Much as it is with the Paladin's Devotion skill, her life will be permanently linked with yours in any battle. If you fall first, she will fall after. You must remain alive at all times. To ensure this, I am enhancing your Healing ability to have a Full Heal effect when you are about to succumb in battle! It will be a one-time instinctive skill per battle, so make sure you don't have to use it!"

Howard blinked and looked at Sammy with the others. Sammy's status had just increased by a tenfold with them.

"I...I will definitely keep myself alive!" Sammy said. He was still a touch in shock, and he tried to shake off the sensation of feeling speechless.

"All of you have elemental properties, too. Her Guardian is Ice. Her Armor is Earth. Her Weapon is Fire. Her Wrath is Wind. Now, her Life is Water. Water holds many healing properties, as well as calm awareness. Ice holds the defensive and offensive parts of Water. When the two combine, Ice can crack and send out waves of shattered spheres in any direction, thus utilizing Water, as it can freeze and form a type of deadly attack. I hope you understand," Odin winked. "In time, you may want to test it."

"I think I do understand," Sammy smiled. Keltin seemed to frown and would need to have it explained to him later. Huginn was still hugging Sarine tightly and simply didn't want to let her go. It had been far too long since he had last seen her face to face, and he clearly didn't want to let this moment end so soon.

" _Father Odin, may we spend the rest of the day with her like this?_ " Muninn asked. Huginn couldn't speak just yet. He was too speechless with joy.

"I think that can be done," Odin nodded. "Today will be a true day for relaxation! I will ensure it. Do not expect anything else to happen today."

"Thank you, Daddy!" Sarine said, as she smiled.

"Lord Odin," Doppy said, as he moved forward.

"Yes, Doppelganger?" Odin asked.

"I am a bit concerned about Sarine and her dominating streak," Doppy started. "I know it's fine with us, her husbands. But...I am a touch concerned about Seyren."

"I understand," Odin said. Sarine seemed to frown, but Doppy had every right to speak about it. "Worry not. Once Seyren Windsor is put in his place, his wife will keep him under control. However, my daughter, my Vessel, I suggest you try even harder tonight."

"What do you mean, Daddy?" Sarine asked with a smile. Huginn frowned and looked at Muninn. A shrug was given back in response.

"What else? Whip him!" Odin grinned. Howard gaped. Keltin winced. Sammy went silent. Eremes cracked a grin. Doppy howled with laughter.

"Are you sure?" Sarine frowned. "I...I don't want to hurt him..."

"Your Life and your Guardian will Heal him just fine. And make sure to feed from him, too. At the neck," Odin said. Sarine's mouth dropped a touch, but her newly Demonic side was cackling with glee. _It will be done tonight._

"Sarine," Huginn said carefully. Unlike Muninn who spoke with both voice and thought, he was able to simply speak with his voice.

"Yes, Huginn?" she asked. She was amazed that his voice sounded like a soft whisper. It was quite pleasant to listen to. When he spoke from her, her voice gave his more depth and a commanding ring with it.

"Listen," he said, and moved his mouth close to her ear to whisper ever so softly. She seemed to blink at him.

"Are...are you sure?" she frowned. He gave a soft smile and nodded. Unlike her husbands, Muninn was able to overhear him easily, and he grimaced.

" _Brother?_ " Muninn frowned. " _So soon you want to do this? You know it can hurt, if too much is done. We shouldn't rush something like that._ "

"It is what I want," Huginn said. "It needs to be done."

"Be careful, Huginn," Odin warned. "I know how you were before."

"I know, Father Odin," Huginn nodded. "It is controlled."

"I doubt it. But...should it happen, there will always be consequences," Odin said. "Just remember. Everything can have an upside and a downside now. You got away with it before. It may not be so easy now. Don't destroy what has been rebuilt."

Sarine frowned, as she was confused. Muninn seemed to wince and think. Sammy already knew what was being spoken of, and he caught Eremes glaring slightly at Huginn. He wasn't the only one who knew, and this made him feel better.

" _Where do you want to do this?_ " Muninn asked. Huginn looked at his brother, and then glanced at the grove's underground tunnel. A nod was given from Muninn, and Huginn went into the tunnel with Sarine. Muninn followed with her other husbands, and Odin watched before vanishing away. Odin was highly concerned for his daughter now. He knew what Huginn was trying to accomplish before. Huginn and Muninn may not be true blood relation to her, but he didn't want Huginn to become clouded with desire. He could only hope that Huginn would heed his warning and hold himself back.

In the cave, Howard could tell that Sarine was nervous. She didn't know what to expect when taking blood from her brothers. Howard gestured to hold her, and Huginn nodded, as it would help her calm down.

"I don't know if I want to do this," Sarine frowned.

"I know, love. But, sometimes it is good to do it in case it's needed again. Right?" Howard asked. "This may only happen once."

"Maybe we should respect what she wants," Doppy grumbled. "If she doesn't want to do this now, then she shouldn't have to."

"Will she be hurt?" Keltin asked.

" _No. We will not hurt her in any way. In a sense, both Howard and Doppelganger are correct. She should take blood from us to have it done, but she shouldn't feel forced into doing this. Right, Huginn?_ " Muninn asked to deliberately put his brother on the spot.

"I don't want Sarine to feel forced. It was merely a suggestion to have it done," Huginn said. "If she doesn't want to, then she doesn't have to."

"I'm not really needing blood right now," Sarine said. Then she blinked. The more she thought about it, the stronger the craving became. Doppy grumbled, as he saw what was going on, and he thought.  _Who should she drink from now?_

"She drank enough from you, Doppy," Sammy frowned. "Let her take from another. Then, if she still wants blood, we'll let them handle it."

"True. Fine," Doppy growled out. "Keltin. She didn't take much from you. You should help her."

"Right," Keltin nodded. "Um...do you guys want to wait outside?"

"Sure," Eremes winked. "When it's time for Huginn and Muninn, we will come back."

"Sounds like a good plan," Howard said. Sammy moved over to Keltin and murmured lightly to him. Keltin seemed to blink and narrowed his mouth. _This was something I'm going to have to talk to Sarine about._ Muninn looked at his brother and gestured for them to head back out of the cave. Huginn seemed a touch upset at it, but he relented. He didn't want to look too eager. When they left, Keltin pushed his pants down and pulled down Sarine's shorts to set her on him. He was already highly aroused at the pleasure he knew he was going to feel. He shivered a bit, as he felt her around him, and let her cut a small wound on his neck. The moment her mouth latched onto his neck, he cried out sharply. She was able to draw three mouthfuls before pulling away. He groaned and clung to her before Healing himself.

"I love you," Keltin whispered, as he hugged her tight.

"I love you, too," she smiled and kissed him deeply.

"I'm worried about Huginn," he admitted.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well..." he sighed. "in the dream vision, he was purposely trying to become...more? I think that's how to put it. It was like he didn't want to become just your brother. Don't you see that? Please, tell me you do."

"I..." she paused and gasped. "I didn't even realize it!"

"See? We're all very concerned about it. Yeah, he'll protect you. But, what else does he want? Odin's warning didn't seem to make much sense until Sammy explained it to me just a bit ago. Huginn clearly wants something more from you. And, because of how powerful he is, he may try to do something that we can't stop. Muninn can stop time. Can Huginn, too? It just...how can I protect you, if I don't know that something happened in front of me without even knowing? What can I do to protect you, if something can happen in front of me without even realizing that it happened until it was too late?"

"I don't know what to think, Keltin," she shivered. He hugged her tightly and kissed her again. He was afraid for her now, and she saw it in his eyes.

"Just promise me," he whispered. "if he tries something...you'll fight."

"You know I will!" she grounded out, and he nodded. It was all he could hope for. He knew now that Huginn and Sarine went farther back than the others. _At least she now understood what Huginn was attempting to do to her as a child._

"Do you still need blood?" Keltin asked.

"Yes. I do," she sighed.

"Do you want to try from your brothers?" he asked.

"Only if you and the others are with me," she said.

"We won't budge from your side," he vowed. She smiled and kissed him before moving to fix their clothes up. Keltin got up, as she remained seated on the soft ground. He called the others back down, and Muninn approached her first, as the others circled around them.

" _From my wrist?_ " Muninn asked.

"Yes. Um...thank you, Muninn," Sarine smiled. He winked at her and used one of his own daggers to open his wrist. His blood didn't look any different from another person's, but it was the taste that caught her by surprise. It was something that could easily make her crave more of. Muninn shivered and closed his eyes, as she was able to pull a single mouthful. Huginn watched his brother and hid a smirk. He knew that Muninn liked what he was feeling all too much. Drawing away, Sammy Healed him quickly, and Muninn took a deep breath. Sarine was speechless at first before she smiled at him.

" _Hopefully it wasn't displeasing?_ " Muninn joked.

"Quite the opposite!" she giggled. He laughed with her and gestured for Huginn to sit by her next. Her husbands all watched him warily now, as Huginn let Muninn open his wrist for her. The mere smell of his blood was enough to draw Sarine to the wound, and he closed his eyes in the same way that Muninn did when she claimed the mouthful. Once she drew away, and he was Healed, she trembled and gave a light smile.

"Not bad?" Huginn chuckled.

"Um...no. Not bad at all," she smiled. Huginn didn't show how pleasuring it was. He didn't show how badly he wanted her to take even more. It was as though nothing happened, and he was in complete control. It fooled the others completely.

"What did it taste like?" Doppy asked curiously.

"Think...of the most potent elixir combined with something that has the most fantastic of flavors. Almost like Yggdrasil Berry juice, or something along that line," she said. The only thing she couldn't say out loud was that Muninn's blood tasted far better than Huginn's blood did. It made her think now on why that was.

"Wow," Howard said. "That's hard to think of."

" _And I will only share my blood with my sister!_ " Muninn grinned.

"I don't want your blood!" Doppy smirked. They all chuckled, and Sarine moved to snuggle into Doppy's arms. She needed to be with him, and, as the father of her current twins, he knew she needed the comfort.

"Still need blood?" Huginn asked. She shook her head and smiled. She simply wanted to be with her husbands now. Nodding to her, they all left the cave and headed to the house to introduce Huginn to the others.

"Huginn? Wow!" Coraline said.

"It's good to finally meet you face to face," Seyren grinned.

"The same," Huginn nodded. Seyren was a bit surprised at the whispery tone Huginn held. Sarine moved over to Karla and whispered to her on what Odin suggested. A slight, stammering giggle escaped her, and she pulled Sarine aside to carefully hand her a specialized whip that she found for sale. Coraline was pulled aside, and the three girls moved off to plot. Seyren looked over at where Karla was to find her gone.

"Where did that woman go off to?" Seyren frowned.

"Um...something about tonight, I think," Huginn smirked. Seyren's eyes went round, and it was enough. Doppy grinned wickedly and turned when he heard Sarine calling for him. Moving over to her, she planted a long kiss on him and whispered to him. He smiled gently and hugged her tight. He brought her over to the others and grinned.

"She wants a beach day," he chuckled.

"Really?" Eremes grinned.

"We can do that," Howard smiled.

"I'll spread the word," Keltin said, and he moved off to do just that.

"At least no one will be fighting over anyone," Sammy mused.

"Thankfully!" Doppy growled, and Sarine kissed him again to run up into the house to change into her bathing suit. When the others saw the gold bikini she was wearing, there were gasps of joy, and they quickly followed suit. She went into the nursery to check on the twins, and Bacsojin was about to get her. Naght had appeared and purred to her. Gathering up Siegfried first, she let Naght hover over her proudly. He watched over her protectively, as she nursed. She told him about Huginn, and Naght simply thought.

Normally, Howard and Naght would have no link while they were on the island together. Apparently, Odin allowed the link to remain for telepathy only. Howard showed Naght the dream image they got, and Naght was not pleased at all about Huginn.  _He would be watched around the nursery for sure now._

Once Siegfried was fed, she had Serenity next to feed her. Sighing softly, she glanced up, as Howard walked into the room to sit down and have her sit in his lap.

"What's on your mind, love?" Sarine asked, as she adjusted Serenity's pink dress.

"Worried," he admitted.

"Everything will be fine," Sarine smiled. "Keltin showed me the warning signs, so don't worry. I have been made aware of what happened."

"He did talk to you?" Howard asked feeling relieved.

"Yes, he did," she nodded. "I may not have known then, but I know now. I will do everything in my power to defend myself, if I must."

"I feel better now," he smiled and kissed her deeply. He kept his arms around her, as she nursed their daughter, and Naght remained silent in the room. After a good ten minutes, Serenity had fallen asleep, and she was placed back in the cradle.

"Such a cute way that she sleeps!" she giggled. Howard gazed at her with fatherly pride.

"I love you," Howard whispered to Sarine.

"I love you, too," she smiled and kissed him. "We should head downstairs. The others are waiting for us."

"Now, now! Let's not be too hasty, shall we?" Howard grinned. Naght seemed to agree, and that had her blink with surprise. A glance up at the powerful demon soon had Howard grinning even wider. Nodding to him, Naght followed them into the bedroom. After a pleasureful thirty minutes, Howard walked out with a dazed Sarine, and Naght went back into the nursery. She leaned on Howard, and he smiled.

"Not fair," she sighed. "You both ganged up on me!"

"And I didn't hear you complaining," Howard chuckled.

"Evil husband! I'll get even with you tonight," she grinned. That made him chuckle nervously. She hugged him tight and whispered a few things she could do to him.

"Evil wife," he mumbled, and she laughed. He kissed her now and led her outside. A small barbecue was going on, and many of her friends were already swimming. Doppy moved over to her, and Howard told him what happened. Harsh laughter erupted from the demon, and he pulled Sarine close.

" _A beach day? Good choice,_ " Muninn smiled.

"Will you swim?" Sarine asked.

" _Maybe. Not now, though. I will help cook,_ " he said.

"That's right! You loved to cook," she giggled.

"There is nothing for me to hunt, so I'll just sit back and relax," Huginn smiled.

"Fair enough!" Sarine laughed. Doppy lifted her up and took her into the water. For a good hour they swam and enjoyed the luxury of not being harassed. When Sarine came out of the water to get something to drink, Huginn was there with some water for her. Smiling her thanks, he leaned over to whisper to her, and she blinked at what he told her. It now made her curious, and she looked at him as she asked with a frown, "What do you mean?"

"Talk to me later, and I'll explain more. Like Muninn, I can see certain things that may happen. I am much better at seeing the past, though. I just...I wanted you to know of this before it became too awkward, you know?" he said.

"I see. Well...I'll think about it. Sometimes, things have to happen for a reason, too," she said. "It's a known fact."

"Not all things," he said softly. That made her blink at him with surprise. He gave a soft smile and kissed her cheek in such a way that it made her blush before moving into the house to rest. Now that she was puzzled and a bit concerned, she clearly didn't know what to think about what he told her. In a way, it had her feeling fairly uneasy.

"Sarine?" Sammy asked, as he walked over to her. He didn't go swimming, since he didn't have any swimming trunks, but it was fine by him.

"Sammy," she sighed and hugged him fiercely. He blinked and hugged her back.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Did you not see Huginn talk to me?" she asked.

"No. I saw you standing here alone. Why?" he asked. That made her blink.  _Did Huginn make himself invisible to everyone but me?!_

"Well..." she swallowed. "Huginn gave me a glass of water, and then he told me something...disturbing."

"What was it?" Sammy now asked with full concern.

"He told me..." she paused and frowned. "You remember what was told about the Acolyte, Errende?"

"Not really," Sammy said.

"Well, he was one of the younger ones from Lighthalzen," she said.

"Oh! That's right. Okay, I understand. What about him?"

"Huginn told me that Errende saw me when I went to fill out the form at Lighthalzen with the others. That he...found me desirable, so to speak. On top of that, he may desire me still, after all this time. I know that Daddy will want me to kiss him, but it just...worries me," she frowned. "I already have so many around me now..."

"Well," Sammy said. "we'll have to see what happens."

"I know. But...what really makes me wonder is that I told Huginn that things happen for a reason. He said that not all things do. I...I honestly don't know what he meant by that."

"He said that to you?!" Sammy asked with a touch of rage. "Why would he say such a thing?! That isn't true, and we all know it!"

"I don't know why he said it," she trembled. He hugged her tightly and looked over, as Howard and Doppy moved to them. Eremes and Keltin joined them right after, and Sammy told them what he was just told.

"He's...baiting her..." Eremes growled. "I recognize it well..."

"I don't like it," Howard said.

"Neither do I," Doppy snarled and pulled Sarine into his protective embrace.

"But, he's her brother! Why is he doing this to her?!" Keltin asked.

"Why, indeed," Sammy frowned, as he thought. "From what the dream vision showed us, he was intentionally trying to get close to her. What is he gaining from doing this? It really baffles me! What is he trying to prove?"

" _May I shed some light?_ " Muninn asked, as he walked over.

"Please do," Howard said.

" _My brother is not as well-known as I am, I'm afraid. With him always being in Sarine's mind, I am the one that is constantly seen as her falcon. He is in charge of assisting Father Odin with the Balance and separating the monsters we come into contact with. But, before all of this, he believed himself to be destined with Sarine first. It was mainly why Father Odin had her given to Emperor Markus. It was to keep her from becoming too familiar with Huginn when she would start to grow up._

" _Yes, she is needed here, too, and it was originally the plan. But, Father Odin simply couldn't let Huginn get too close to her. She needed to be with others like you first. To protect her and guide her. To show her the true path she needed to be on in her life. Huginn may have misled her to believe that she needed only him. That is not the case. She needs many to aid her in her quests, or she would have gone nowhere._

" _It was actually Huginn that begged Father Odin to let us help her. He knew the risks of letting Huginn get close, but, with her being cared for by Eddga...it was the only time he truly agreed with Huginn. Even letting her get to know him now is risky. As I can see the future, he can see the past. He is not incorrect about Errende Ebecee. The Acolyte did desire her when he was younger. I do see truth in my brother's words. However, he was wrong to say that not all things have to happen. Everything had to happen, or we wouldn't be here today._

" _As for the Acolyte, I will tell you all this. He will have a...tricky place with you all. That is all I can say. In many ways, it will be a relief to quite a few of you in the long run. Does he belong with her? I cannot say, as I am not allowed to say. We will all find out when he approaches you. And, that will be tomorrow morning when he appears at the arena._ "

"Don't we have to go to Glast Heim tomorrow?" Sarine asked.

" _Not right away. Should you go to the arena in the morning, as I have just stated, you will be approached by him. Use caution, as always. Once he is secured, Father Odin will likely appear to evaluate him. He always plans to be there when new males show up to be with Sarine now. He wants to personally ensure that no harm will come to her._ "

"Understood," Howard nodded. "What do we do about Huginn now?"

"Tell him to piss off?" Doppy growled.

" _As much as you should, I would not. He is still needed for my sister to gain monsters to our cause. If this will help, he will never hurt her, and her safety will always be his first priority, as well as the rest of yours. He does not want to be separated from Sarine or looked down on._ "

"Well, at least that makes me feel somewhat...better," Sammy grumbled. "I don't think I will be able to trust him fully just yet."

"Still, we will have to," Eremes frowned. "It's true...I was jealous of Howard for a long time while we were traveling. I'm not going to hide the fact. In many ways...I can relate with Huginn. He was doing what he could to be close to her in secret."

"What?" Howard now glanced at him.

"Why else did she cuddle me at night? Why else would I watch her for everyone?" Eremes said with a slight smile. "Or show as much affection as I have?"

"If you weren't married to her, I'd punch you!" Howard growled.

"Husbands! Please!" Sarine said in warning. "If you fight each other, I fight the winner! And, if you continue this ridiculous banter, I'll make you feel what Doppy felt just last night!"

"Um...sorry..." Howard said meekly.

"Same...sorry..." Eremes said, as he cleared his throat.

"That's better," she said. "Yes, I know now that Eremes did what he could to be close. But, he never hurt me at all. I think I know why Eremes can relate with him. Maybe, Eremes, you should talk to him."

"You think I should?" Eremes asked.

" _It would make sense, now that she put it that way,_ " Muninn thought. " _I would still exercise caution when speaking to Huginn. If you truly share the same train of thinking, he may use certain things against you._ "

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. "I shall be...cautious..."

"Come here," Sarine said. Eremes moved to her side, and Doppy let her kiss him intimately. "Don't do anything stupid, Eremes. Just...find out what you can. Let us know what you find. Think of this as a mission for me. Do well enough, and I'll see about a suitable reward for you later tonight."

"A mission from you..." Eremes blinked and looked at her in wonder before kissing her deeply and full of love. After the kiss, he moved his mouth to her ear to whisper softly, "What would the reward be?"

"Ever wanted...to dominate...me?" she breathed lightly into his ear. He trembled with a new form of desire now and let out a sharp growl.

"I accept your mission," he rumbled out. "I'll find Huginn now."

"Just be careful," Sarine warned. He nodded and kissed her again before heading into the house. Doppy seemed to smirk and moved to pull Sarine to him.

"What reward would you give him, if he succeeds?" Doppy asked. She whispered to him, and he howled with laughter. He was clearly amused now and definitely approved of it. When the others got curious, Doppy told them, and they grinned. She looked over, as Seyren moved to them. Howard told him what happened and what Eremes was going to do.

"Now I'm pissed at Huginn," Seyren growled. "I'm more of a brother to her than he is! What right does he think he has to just..."

"Seyren..." Sarine growled. "Remember one thing. You piss me off now, and you'll regret it later tonight."

"Um...right..." Seyren stammered and blushed hard.

"Besides," she grinned. "Daddy told me exactly what I need to do with you. Keltin and Sammy will be busy keeping you focused with how much they will be Healing you. So, just remember this. You may be human now, but I still have tonight and the next two nights to, eh, 'whip you into shape'...if you catch my meaning."

"Whip me into...oh..." Seyren blinked, as he caught that hint and coughed to clear his throat. The others snickered.

"I may also be a bit thirsty tonight. Drink a lot of fluids, okay?" she winked and snuggled into Doppy's embrace.

"Ah, right! I'll start now," Seyren said. He moved quickly into the house. They burst into short bouts of laughter, and Doppy hugged Sarine to him even tighter. When Muninn announced that the food was ready an hour later, everyone sat around the campfire to eat. Eremes moved over to Sarine to whisper that his mission was successful, and he would tell her about it later. Nodding to him, he sat by her and handed her a plate of cubed, raw meat. Smiling her thanks at him, she started to eat gratefully. She giggled when Doppy snagged a few pieces off her plate, since she was eating in his lap. Seyren looked up from where he sat and asked, "What are the plans for tomorrow? Do we have any ideas on how the day will start out?"

"Actually..." Sarine started out and explained that Errende would be found at the arena in the morning. This aroused everyone's attention, and plans would be made to be there. Storm Caller was alerted, and another cell would be prepared.

"What did you wish to do about Timothy?" Storm Caller asked.

"Oh. My brother. I honestly have no idea. If we let him go, he'll just do whatever he wants. That may include coming back here. Armeyer may try to follow him," Howard thought.

"Let's wait until after Thanatos's tower to fully decide," Sarine suggested.

"Good call. Why do you ask?" Howard asked.

"He claims he is 'dying of boredom', and Kavach keeps making threats to permanently shut him up," Storm Caller said with an amusing chuckle.

"Really? Hold on," Howard grinned. "I'm going to let Naght know about this."

"What will he do?" Sarine asked.

"Make him wet his pants?" Doppy asked with a grin.

"Either that or shut him up?" Eremes chuckled.

"I call both," Keltin grinned.

"Well, if Naght wants to fight him, I want to judge it," Sammy said.

"Hmm..." Howard thought aloud. "Naght wants to see him in the arena, if he is still complaining after Thanatos's tower. He doesn't want to do anything to him now."

"You can talk to Naght?" Seyren asked.

"Telepathically, yes," Howard grinned. "I did it before, but he was at his tower."

"Amazing!" Garrett chuckled.

"From anywhere?" Max asked.

"Apparently so," Howard nodded.

"Very convenient," Donnie said.

"Oh, before I forget," Max said, as he glanced at Donnie. At the Clown's nod, Max pulled out a diamond ring and went to Coraline. "Will you marry me?"

"Um...um..." Coraline stammered and looked at her brother. At his consenting grin, she leapt up, planted a kiss on Max's mouth, and dragged him into the house. Whoops of joy were given and small pieces of cake were passed around in celebration.

"Now we need to find a girl for you!" Kathryne grinned.

"I'm in no rush," Donnie chuckled. "When it happens, it will happen. I'm not worried in the slightest. Life is always full of surprises for me, anyways!"

"I'm sure you aren't worried," Doppy grinned. He kept his arms around Sarine. A sudden cry from the nursery balcony startled them, and Sarine was swiftly out of Doppy's lap and running into the house. Howard was soon running after her, and he paused in the doorway to the nursery to find her nursing Siegfried. It was a rather gentle scene of her with his son.

"When he's hungry, he's hungry!" Bacsojin giggled.

"Tell me about it," Sarine smiled back. Naght seemed to chuckle, and Howard moved to sit in a chair for her to recline against him. Serenity started to whimper, and she was brought over to nurse alongside her brother. Howard helped her hold his daughter, as she held their son.

"Hungry?" Doppy chuckled, as he walked in.

"Apparently so," Howard grinned proudly, as he looked at the demon. "How long do you think until they become weaned?"

"Likely by the time my twins are born," Doppy said. "I'd say in two to three months."

"My back is already hurting," Sarine sighed.

"From what? Oh! Sorry, love," Howard sighed. "With all the nursing you're going to be doing, I wish there was something I could do."

"Well, there is. Burp your son," Sarine smiled, as Siegfried finished. Howard chuckled and carefully took him from Sarine so she could finish with Serenity. Doppy just sighed and helped her when she needed him.

"Any movement yet?" Doppy asked.

"Not yet. They don't advance as fast as these two did. Each pregnancy is different," she smiled. "I don't know how it will be with the others, but it's what I know."

"True," Howard said. He set his son in the cradle to sleep after the burping was done. She gave him his daughter next to burp, and she fixed up her top before Seyren walked in.

"How are my niece and nephew?" he smiled.

"Hungry and sleeping now," she smiled.

"It's starting to get dark. What's the plan?" he asked.

"Give me three hours with my husbands. Come and find us after that," she said.

"Will do!" he smiled and made way for Eremes, Keltin, and Sammy to walk in.

"Let me check them really fast," Sammy said. Nodding to him, he carefully checked on the twins, and then he felt Sarine's belly.

"What's the verdict?" Keltin asked.

"Healthy and happy," Sammy said with a nod. "The developing twins are rather slow in growing. That makes me happy."

"Good," Sarine smiled, as she stretched. "When Serenity is sleeping, we should head to the western cave."

"Are you sure?" Sammy asked. "You do need to sleep more. And, with what is going to happen in the morning, we need you rested."

"She'll be fine," Huginn said, as he walked in. "Muninn and I will ensure that."

"I'm sure you will," Howard seemed to sigh, and Eremes chuckled.

"Don't worry, Howard. Things are better now," Eremes said.

"I hope so," Howard frowned.

"Things change," Huginn shrugged. A look of knowing passed between Eremes and Huginn. Sarine felt that something was a touch off about what they said. _It didn't feel right._ Moving to Eremes, she gestured for the others to wait, and she dragged him into the bedroom to close the door. She wanted to show she meant business.

"What did you learn from him?" Sarine asked. Her dominant streak was returning now, and Eremes could feel it.

"At first, yes, he wanted to be close to you. Now he's just trying to figure out how to make amends for what happened before," Eremes said. She watched him shift his stance.

"Stop lying to me," she growled. He was human now and could easily lie. He couldn't lie to her in his monster form.

"It's what he told me!" he hissed.

"Then he lied to you."

"How could he have lied to me?"

"Eremes..." she sighed. "he told you something that scared you. Didn't he?"

"Not in the slightest!" he said quickly.

"Well, he told you something that has you concerned! What is it?!"

"I..." he paused and found himself starting to break. He trembled inwards and found her in his arms. She hugged him tight, and he shivered.

"Please, Eremes. You said he was baiting me before. He obviously did the same thing to you. What did he tell you?"

"That...that you didn't love me..."

"He's a liar!" she hissed.

"In the past you didn't! I know you love me now!"

"Eremes, I cared about you, but I didn't fully know you. You never opened up to me like you did when we found each other again. You were so...mysterious to me! You always kept to yourself! How could I fall in love with you, if you never showed me you loved me?"

"I...you're right," he frowned. "I'm surprised I didn't realize that."

"How could I know you, if you never talked to me? You hardly talked to anyone! You talk more now than you ever did back then. You shocked me like crazy in Comodo," she smiled. "All you really gave me for communication back then were some short, small sentences and body language. How could I have known how you truly felt about me?"

"I'd kill him, but he's your brother," Eremes growled.

"Eremes..." she sighed and hugged him tightly. "was there anything that he told you that made any sense at all?"

"No. Come to think of it, there wasn't. He...completely twisted the conversation back to me...like I do to others..." he thought. "But, there was one thing he did mention..."

"And what was that?" she asked.

"When the time comes for our children to happen, only a portion of the souls from Huginn and Muninn would be reborn. They would be able to control the bodies to an extent, but couldn't fully be reincarnated. They are far too powerful for that. It would almost be as though their most human aspects of themselves would be in the children. Actually, there was a bit that he told me. He mentioned that...you...were the start of him wanting to be closer to you."

"I was the start of it?" she asked.

"Yes. You had a nightmare one night while staying at an inn. You were alone in a room, and your brothers had rooms of their own. You couldn't go back to sleep, so you found your way into Muninn's room. He comforted you and took you back to bed, but you couldn't sleep. Then you found your way into Huginn's room. He had asked what you were doing up, and you said you had a nightmare. That Muninn gave you a hug and put you back in bed, but that you couldn't sleep. So, Huginn had you stay with him. He let you sleep half the night in his bed before he moved you back to yours to avoid suspicion. He...liked how you felt next to him."

"Oh, dear..." Sarine sighed and trembled.

"You were young and didn't know..." Eremes said, as he hugged her. "And, in truth, if no one was attentive to you, I would have done the same thing."

"Did he say anything about Errende?"

"He did, actually," Eremes nodded, as he started to recall the conversation. "He...said that Errende will be both a convenience and a hindrance. It could go both ways with him, but it was depending on how we think of it."

"That's an odd way to put it," she frowned.

"I know. But, that's really all I was told."

"Well, in a way, you were successful in your mission. Very well. Let's get the others and head to the cave. It's late enough, as it is."

Nodding to her, he followed her out. Huginn was talking to her others husbands about Errende and wasn't giving them much information. Smiling to her brother, she gave him a hug and sighed. He knew she had to be dominant, and he clearly wanted no real part of it.

"What are you up to now?" Huginn asked.

"I need to spend some time with my husbands. I have a meeting with Seyren afterwards, and then I'll be back for some rest," she said. "What will you do?"

"I will wait here with Muninn," he nodded. He was a touch relieved that he wasn't asked to come with. He knew that his brother was the same.

"Thank you," she smiled and moved to Doppy to let him carry her out of the house with her husbands in tow. When they got to the cave, she moved to her pack that was now along the wall here from her earlier plotting with Coraline and Karla. As her husbands undressed, she pulled out a rather nasty-looking whip called a Queen's Whip and set it aside. She pulled out a small knife next to set aside. Once that was done, she rose up and walked over to Eremes's crouching form. She moved to whisper in his ear, "It is time for you to claim your reward. Just remember...you cannot dominate me too long, or I may have a chance of becoming ill. My twins will not tolerate me being too weak, so, should you see me losing it, let me dominate another. Then you can take over again."

Nodding, Eremes stood up and had the others watch him dominate his wife. Everything that she did to them was now done to her, and she relished every bit of it. When she started to feel ill, he let her dominate one of the others to regain her strength before he took over again.

When he was done, she turned on him completely. He was forced on his knees, and she used him to her advantage. When he was passed out on the ground, she started on Keltin and began to apply small bits of pain to his pleasure. After he was on the ground spent, she moved to Howard, and then Sammy. On reaching Doppy last, she was finally sated and in his arms. His heavy purring echoed throughout the small stone chamber, and she kissed him deeply.

"I want to kill Errende, if he touches you," Doppy growled.

"We don't even know if it will come to that," she murmured softly.

"Maybe. Still, I claim first," he grinned. She smiled lovingly at him, and he kissed her gently. At the sound of someone coming down the stone steps, he pulled her behind him and bared his teeth protectively. His protective fathering instincts were at their peak.

"It's just me!" Seyren said. At the sound of his voice, Doppy's mood became neutral.

"You are here early," she frowned.

"Karla insisted, actually," he said. Doppy snorted, and the others were roused enough to dress. They shielded Sarine from Seyren when she dressed, and she gestured for Seyren to undress. Once she was ready, and he was kneeling, the others moved along the walls to watch silently.

"I will not harm any of my husbands like this. Daddy told me to do this specifically to up your training. I hope you're ready," Sarine smiled.

"Yes, Mistress..." Seyren whimpered out. He heard the sound of the whip crack twice, and he blinked. Coraline gave her tips on how to use it. He cried out sharply, as the next crack landed on his back. Then another landed. And another. When she started to draw blood, he screamed at the feel of her tongue moving to give him pleasure with the pain. She was licking up every drop of blood that formed. When she reached his neck, the knife flashed out to cut his skin open, and he lost himself when she started to feed.

Keltin would never have been able to handle this much pain. Doppy might have, but she would never be able to hurt him. She realized that this was what her twins needed her to feel.  _This was true dominance._   _I won't be able to touch Seyren after he went back to Karla. I can't bring myself to hurt my husbands to this extent._ When Seyren was passed out on the floor, Sammy and Keltin Healed him of his wounds.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked lightly, as he walked over to her. She clearly looked troubled.

"Now I know what Daddy was trying to tell me," she sighed and leaned into him.

"What was that?" he asked. He ran his hands over her arms to comfort her.

"This...is what our twins need me to do. But...I could never do this to any of you!" she frowned. "I just can't do this to my husbands."

"I would allow it," Doppy frowned.

"No. I would hate myself afterwards," she sighed. "After two more nights with Seyren, I'll need to see what else I can do."

"We'll figure something out," Howard said.

"I don't know if I'd be able to take it," Keltin admitted.

"Just the fact that Seyren can handle this is crazy!" Sammy muttered.

"It's what he likes...apparently..." Eremes mused.

"Well, let's wake him up and take him back," Sarine smiled. Doppy kicked Seyren awake and had him dress. Howard was snickering at Seyren the whole way back. It was hard for the Lord Knight to move around.

"Was it good for you?" Sammy grinned.

"Shut up! You know it was!" Seyren retorted before wincing at the slap done to his back by Doppy. He shivered from the effect it gave him, and he groaned.

"Be a man and walk it off," Doppy grinned.

"Sure," Seyren grumbled and paused when Karla walked up to him to drag him up to their bedroom for another round. Sarine grinned, as the others laughed, and she let her husbands take her to bed.


	65. Chapter 65

It was morning now when she woke up. She was a bit surprised to find her husbands all sleeping and meditating.  _Shouldn't they be awake?_  As she moved her body over Howard, she noticed he wasn't breathing. Pausing with shock, she checked Keltin to find him the same way. She bolted from the bed and checked Eremes to find his body frozen, too. Doppy and Sammy were also frozen in place, and she didn't know what was going on. Panicking now, she looked up when Huginn approached her.

"Don't worry. It was about ten minutes before they woke up, and I stopped time to let you sleep more. I told them that you would be well rested. Now that you are awake, I wanted to talk to you before I let you wake them up," Huginn said calmly. "I'll likely be merged back into your body after this, and this was the only chance I had."

"I see. You could have warned me first!" she pouted. Then she paused, as she realized she was naked. Her brother was looking at her. Flustered, she moved into the bathroom to cover herself up with a towel, but he stopped her.

"Nothing wrong with siblings bathing together. Is there?" he smiled.

"Yes, there is!" she grounded out.

"It wasn't before. Was it?" he asked. She blinked and gasped that she did shower with him when she was younger. Then she realized why he liked to soap up her body and help dry her off back then.  _It gave him a reason to touch me!_

"That was then! This is now!" she said quickly.

"Why are you resisting me?" he frowned.

"You...why do you want these things from me?"

"Because you inspire me," he whispered. His armor seemed to melt away to expose his skin. "Because you make me feel things I've never felt before. It makes me want to become even more of a part of you. I've felt your pleasure. Your pains. Your wants. Your desires. I want you to feel my pain. My pleasure. My wants and desires..."

"But, Huginn!" she frowned. "I couldn't control any of it! I didn't even know you were actually living inside my mind!"

"That was Father Odin's idea, actually," he mused. "He thought that, if I could feel you and talk through you, it would curb my want to be with you. Instead, it made it stronger. Of course, I'll be forced to play the recruiting role once I'm merged within you again. That is inevitable. But, for now..."

"What do you expect of me once you do this?" she asked.

"To be my sister. What else?" he smiled. "Of course, if I'm given the opportunity to do this again...do you think I would pass it up?"

"You're scaring me..." she whimpered.

"Then let me stop your fears," he whispered before kissing her hard. She tried to push him off her, but he was quicker. He had studied how her husbands took her. He knew she desired Howard the most, and now his movements matched what Howard would do to her. She cried out with shock, as he lifted her against the wall and took her with the same ferocity that Howard did. It was easy to forget that she was with Huginn now, and that was what he wanted. He even let out the same growl of release that Howard did and held her against the wall. She clung to him, as she released with him before the effect of what he did wore off.

"You...you used Howard..." she blinked back tears of shock.

"As a role model...yes..." he breathed, as he held her close. "You...truly do love him the most. Don't you?"

"I..." she faltered and trembled.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise," he vowed. She knew she could trust her brother to keep his word. He simply held her against the wall, as her body trembled with the aftershocks of their mating. In a way she was disgusted with herself for letting it happen.  _I tried to fight him. He was too strong to resist. At least I'm pregnant with Doppy's twins, and pregnancy is not an option._ What scared her even further was the kiss he gave her had fit with her.  _He belonged with me to an extent. And I know that he knew it._

"What now?" she asked weakly.

"Well..." he said, as he nuzzled her. "I never thought I'd get this far with you. So...I'll tell you a secret."

"Sure," she sighed.

"Errende...will replace your need for Seyren," he smiled.

"What?" she asked him.

"You heard me," he grinned. "Everything will work out. Trust me in this, at least. Yes, it will be tricky. But, he will work himself in nicely."

"Marriage?" she gasped.

"No. You can't do what you do to Seyren to your husbands. That much is true. So...Errende would need to be close, but not a husband. You'll find out."

"But, then that would mean..." she thought and paled. "a...slave?"

"You'll find out," he grinned and kissed her intensely. His body moved to take hers again skillfully. Her mind was reeling from this news and even more from the pleasure he gave her. When she cried out with him, he let her go and watched her move away from him before grabbing her wrist to keep her from moving too far.

"Why?" she whispered with a shiver. He pulled her close to hug her.

"Because..." he said, as he nuzzled her. "I've loved you for so long, and I...I wanted to do more. Muninn and I are not truly blood relation to you. Yes, we were created by Father Odin and made to be your brothers in likeness. But...we are not blood relation. When you fed off of me, it was pleasuring. I know that Muninn felt it, too. Muninn handled it better than me. Sarine...can you feed from me again?"

"I...I don't think I should," she frowned.

"Please?" he whispered. "We can do what you do to your husbands."

Her craving to taste his blood returned in full, and she gasped, trembling with a nod. Smiling, he found the knife close by and let Sarine settle in his lap on the ground. Now that he was excited, he easily slipped into her and shivered. Letting her carefully scratch his neck open, he cried out sharply, as she started to feed. When he felt her pull away after a mouthful, he begged her to keep going. He surrendered himself to the pleasure she gave him several times. Even at the fifth mouthful, he didn't want her to stop. His body was far different than the others. He would never be able to run out of blood for her. Muninn was very much the same.

When Sarine was finally sated of her need for blood, Huginn Healed himself and hugged her tightly. He was never going to be able to see himself as a simple brother figure now.  _I belonged with her, and she belonged with me._ Whenever he was able, he was going to make himself known to her. He'd fight for that right now.

"I need my husbands, Huginn," she sighed. He looked at her and nodded with understanding. He knew it was important for her to be with them.

"Go back into the bed with them. I'll let you sleep a bit longer to regain your need for blood. Then they will wake you," he said. Nodding to him, he kissed her again passionately before releasing her and hiding the knife back where it was. He was going to have to push their joining back into her mind and only let it come forth when they were alone. He loved her dearly, but he knew that she would speak of it and endanger their newly formed bond. He didn't want her to be separated from him ever again.

At what should have been several hours later, she was awoken by Howard's body taking her. Giggling with a form of relief, she worked with him and cried out with him. Keltin was still sleeping next to them, and Howard nuzzled into her neck.

"Morning," he smiled. Then he blinked, as he saw her breasts drip milk.

"Morning, How-How," she blushed. "Should we check on the children?"

"Naght says they're fine," he said, as he moved to try nursing off her. She gasped at this, and he was surprised. He actually liked the taste.

"Don't take my job," Doppy grinned, as he got up to stretch. Howard lifted himself off her and turned to look at the demon.

"She has two of them! I'm sure she needs a shower. You have one, and I'll take the other," he grinned. "We'll both win that way."

"Hmm. Deal," he grinned back. She gave a small squeak, as they both moved her into the bathroom and into the shower.

"Now I'm curious..." Eremes chuckled.

"Well, if Howard likes it, it can't be that bad," Sammy grinned.

"Likes what?" Keltin asked, as he woke up.

"Nursing..." Eremes grinned. Keltin blinked at that and smiled. After ten minutes, Sarine came out of the bathroom fully dressed with Howard. Doppy was dazed from the blood she took from him, and Sammy Healed him.

"All right," Doppy groaned, as he stood up. "Arena?"

"Yep!" Howard said, as he kept Sarine close. They all dressed and headed down the stairs. Muninn had a plate of cubed, raw meat ready for Sarine, and Huginn waved from where he was sitting along the wall.

" _Going to the arena?_ " Muninn asked.

"Yes," she nodded, as she finished off the plate.

"We'll go with you," Huginn said. "When Father Odin appears, that may be when I'll be placed back in your mind."

"All right, Huginn," she smiled warmly. She had no memory of what happened earlier, and it was what he was hoping for. He knew that something could unlock it later on, but he wasn't too concerned.  _Right now, they had to ready themselves for the approach of Errende._  Sarine smiled at Coraline and Max, as they came down the stairs to flash their wedding rings. She giggled, and Doppy hugged her close.

"I'm moving," Seyren said with exhaustion, as Karla led him down the stairs. She wore him out completely.

"Two more nights, Seyren. Remember," Karla giggled.

"I know," he frowned.

"You don't like it?" Sarine asked.

"Um...that's not it at all!" he said quickly.

"Good!" she smiled and winked at Karla. _Now that he was in his monster form again, he'd be able to take a bit more punishment._ Thinking on this, as they got to the arena, the stands were starting to fill up. Challengers were lining up and pointed at her, as she moved into the balcony seating. Giving Doppy a kiss, as he let her snuggle against him, she watched Muninn and Huginn settle to stand on either side of the royal love seat she reclined in. Sammy was letting Dracula take over, and he relaxed in the throne seat.

"This feels much better than the judging chair," he admitted.

"Really? We'll have to fix that," she nodded. She got ahold of Succubus to pass the word to have the judging seat upgraded to have better cushioning, and it was done swiftly. It was now upgraded to resemble a miniature throne of high importance, and Sammy was impressed. So was Dracula when he sat in it and confirmed it was better. As they watched the fights commence, she noticed a High Priest in the stands that seemed to be watching her nervously. She whispered to Doppy, and he muttered to the others. Muninn confirmed her suspicions as to who it was, and Sarine was deep in thought.  _There was something about the way he was responding to a girl sitting next to him. She was ordering him to do something, and he looked very stressed out over it._ Sarine didn't like it at all.

"How will he approach us?" Howard asked.

"He is gathering up the courage to do so. He's very shy," Huginn smiled. "He also has a companion with him, and she is very...demanding."

"Really?" Sarine frowned.

"Yes. He doesn't like her at all. You'll see," Huginn nodded. She nodded to him, and Doppy caressed her gently. She pulled him close to kiss deeply, and he responded to it with a passion of his own. Grinning at her, he loved how she could do this to him. When he looked over where the High Priest was in the stands, he found the man missing.

"Hmm..." Doppy frowned. Eremes looked around and found Errende walking away from the crowds. The girl was actually an Assassin, and they appeared to be arguing. Her more than him. Eremes looked over at Sammy, and he nodded with a touch of concern.

"Careful," Sammy said. Eremes nodded again and Cloaked to find out what was going on. With the roars of the crowd in full swing, Sarine couldn't make out what was being said. Keltin reverted to his Bongun form and moved to let Sarine hug him. Doppy made space for Keltin to recline on the love seat with them.

"What are they fighting about?" Sarine asked.

"Eremes is trying to find out," Keltin said.

"Makes me wonder..." Doppy mused.

"About what?" Howard asked.

"He looks a bit...submissive. Doesn't he?" Doppy grinned.

"What?" Sarine frowned.

"He gives off that vibe to me. Interesting," the demon mused again. "We'll have to see what happens when we are able to talk to him."

Huginn and Muninn glanced at each other knowingly and grinned. Huginn was forced to remove what he told Sarine about Errende. It was part of him being with her, and he couldn't let that be exposed. _She would find out for herself._ Eremes came back to her and Uncloaked.

"Apparently, the girl is trying to force Errende into fighting to impress her. He's getting fairly upset, and he's having a hard time telling her to stop. Sarine, if you act like you are heading back to the house now, you'll run into them," Eremes said. "He clearly needs help in getting this girl to back away from him."

"Very well," she smiled and had Doppy come with her. Keltin bounced along behind her like a pet would, and she blinked at him before planting a hot kiss on his mouth. It brought a nostalgic feeling to her, and he made plans to do this more often. Howard chuckled and moved to walk with her. Sammy stayed to watch the fights with her brothers for now, and Eremes Cloaked to follow them.

"Misty, I don't want to!" Errende hissed at the Assassin girl.

"But, Michael! Think about it! You want to be with me, right?" Misty asked.

"At first, I did. Now I don't think I do."

"What?! For months you begged me to go on a date with you, and this how you repay me for finally letting you go out with me? What's wrong with you?!"

"I thought you wouldn't use me as a stepping stone!"

"I thought you liked being ordered around?"

"Only when the situation called for it. Not like this. Just...leave me alone," Errende said, as he was starting to break. Misty felt it and grinned. She would be able to get him to do as she wanted, if she pestered him some more. Sarine didn't like the situation at all and moved forward swiftly to help Errende.

"What is going on here?" Sarine frowned. Doppy watched with his glowing red pupils. Misty swirled around to tell her to mind her own business and paused. She was confronted by the Vessel of Odin, herself, and her strong husbands. Respect was demanded now, and, if she acted foolishly, it would be suicide to disregard her.

"Nothing!" Misty said quickly, as she tossed her dark brown hair back and blinked her light green eyes sweetly. Doppy was not impressed, and he hissed. Keltin bounced silently behind Sarine and frowned.

"I...I'm sorry that we disturbed you," Errende said with a bit of embarrassment. Sarine frowned and studied the High Priest. He had lank, long locks of blond hair, and a set of the softest brown eyes that anyone would ever see. They almost reminded one of what Sarine had before her transcendence. He was actually very handsome, but it was also in a youthfully cute way. His build was quite muscular, which made her wonder. She knew Lloyd was the same when he was in swimming trunks, but this one looked as though he was training to be a Monk at first. He was a bit taller than Howard, too, and appeared to be quite flustered.

"Disturbing me? Not in the slightest!" Sarine smiled softly. "But...what are you both arguing about? The arena is a place for violence, which is true, but only in the ring. Not outside of it. Surely, there is something wrong?"

"It's a couple's thing," Misty said. "A small misunderstanding! We're fine!"

"We are not a couple anymore!" Errende grounded out. He found the strength to do so in front of Sarine. "You destroyed it for me. And, I'm surprised at myself for hounding after you for so long. I now see how much of a selfish bitch you really are!"

"How dare you!" Misty shouted and rose up her hand to hit him. Then she stopped and blinked at Sarine when she let out a hiss. Sarine was glowering now, and she started to feel incredibly protective of Errende. Doppy put his hand on the hilt of his sword, as though daring Misty to continue. Howard clearly didn't like the girl at all and made ready to pull out his Vecer Axe. Keltin had stopped bouncing behind Sarine and got ready to intervene the moment the hit tried to make contact to Errende. Then Eremes Uncloaked, and she stammered at the incredibly strong Assassin Cross. His presence alone was enough to show that she went too far.

"You heard him. Go. Now," Eremes growled. "We have current business with...Michael...anyways. It does not concern you."

"Business? With me?" Errende asked surprise.

"Lighthalzen," Howard whispered lightly. That made the High Priest swallow and pale. He recognized Howard and Eremes now. When he looked at Sarine again, he winced that his forbidden secret was known.

"Misty, is it?" Sarine asked. At the Assassin's nod, she sighed. "This one is needed for an important mission with me. It is as my Father, Odin, commands. It is obvious that he does not wish to be with you any longer. It is time for you to let him go. If it is true that you did not respond to him after several months of him trying to vie for your attention, then it tells me how childish you truly are. The man next to you is worthy of so much more than he was willing to give. You are not worthy of him. Now please go back to the arena, or elsewhere, before you are escorted away physically."

As Misty was about to complain in outrage, Sammy showed up with Huginn and Muninn. At the sight of them, she pouted.

"I'll be back for him!" she vowed.

"If you can get past us first!" Doppy snarled out inhumanly. That made her tremble and run off. Keltin moved to inform Sammy and her brothers of what happened. Sarine smiled softly to Errende to show that everything was fine.

"Thanks...um..." Errende said feeling shy again.

"Don't mention it. Now, do you go by Michael? Or Errende?" Sarine smiled.

"Ah!" he gasped at the old name and winced. "I...I guess it doesn't matter, right? Well...I suppose Errende will work. Um...how many of the others are here?"

"We are missing Egnigem. Once she arrives, we will go to the tower of Thanatos," Eremes said. "Odin has foreseen it."

"I see. What will become of me?" Errende asked.

"Well, you could be seated in our dungeon. Several rooms have been made luxurious. When you get there, the others can tell you what happened up to this point," Sammy said.

"No need. As the others have gathered, the bond has been getting stronger. They told me everything already through dreams. It may also be why I came here to begin with, since I felt drawn here. But...I'm not really up to par with the rest of them. I...I tried to become a Monk, but I failed the tests. I wasn't strong enough for them. But, I decided that maybe a Priest was better. It turned out better than I hoped for, anyways," Errende blushed. "I'm not cut out for the lifestyle of a Monk."

"I think you would have done quite well," Keltin grinned, as he stopped bouncing again. Errende's mouth dropped when Keltin became his Champion form. "We need more Champions, as it is. Too bad you failed the tests."

"You...Bongun?!" Errende blinked.

"And her first husband," he winked and pulled Sarine close to kiss.

"I'm her second husband," Howard smiled.

"Third here," Eremes nodded.

"Fourth," Doppy grinned.

"And her fifth here. Last one, too, I may add," Sammy chuckled, as his ancient ghost billowed out. "From what I know of."

"Incantation Samurai?!" Errende gaped. Then the messengers approached him.

" _We are her brothers. I am Muninn._ "

"And I am Huginn."

"Odin's...messengers..." Errende blinked and seemed ready to faint from shock.

"Hmm. Come to think of it, you may not be strong enough to be a Monk type," Keltin frowned. "A shame."

"Get ahold of yourself!" Sarine frowned. Then she blinked.  _Why did I say that? And in such a dominant way?_

"Oh! Um...of course!" Errende smiled. Then he paused at how he reacted.

"Tell me," Doppy said. "were you not injected with the blood of Thanatos?"

"I was...but I was the last one to receive the shot. It's...not very strong with me. I had gotten what was left of it. My will is so weak that I wouldn't have been able to support much," Errende sighed. "It's why I only got the last bit of it."

"Can you smell anything odd on Sarine?" Keltin asked.

"No. The...the demon blood is there just enough to keep a bond with the others. There isn't much there to make me harmful like them. Like I said...I wasn't strong enough in both body and mind to take a full dose."

"I see. With the way your personality is, it would make sense," Howard nodded. A crushing weight suddenly filtered around them, and Odin appeared standing a bit away.

"Daddy!" Sarine smiled and ran to him. He hugged her tightly and seemed to glare at Huginn. He knew that Huginn pulled something, and he didn't know what it was. The white-haired messenger seemed to shrug, as though Odin was mistaken. Odin grimaced, but he changed his attitude quickly.  _There was no need to upset my daughter or her husbands._

"My daughter, my Vessel," Odin said with a smile. "It is time for you to kiss Errende Ebecee. Do so now."

"Now?" she frowned. Errende gaped in shock.

"Yes. I must see where he stands with you," Odin nodded. She nodded and moved over to Errende. The High Priest put up his hands to stop her. Odin frowned at this, but decided to wait for an explanation.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I...I made a personal vow to not be kissed or touched by anyone unless I planned to be with that person for the rest of my life!" he said. "It's...nothing personal to you, but, it's something that I said to myself a long time ago. Since I knew what relationships were long ago, you see. It's important to me."

"Errende, you do belong with my sister," Huginn said. "When you saw her signing up for the experiment in Lighthalzen, you made that decision."

"Wait...you're her?! The one I saw back then?" Errende gaped.

"Yes. I was rejected, while the others were admitted," she frowned.

"She cannot marry again!" Odin said. Huginn moved over to him now and whispered lightly in his ear. When Odin saw Muninn smile and nod with confirmation, it made him crack a grin, and he laughed heartily.

"That is how he belongs with her," Huginn smiled.

"Kiss him!" Odin said merrily. Sarine blinked and looked at her husbands nervously. They all seemed to nod to her, and she looked at Errende. He seemed to shrug and could only helplessly nod to her now. He couldn't say 'no' when several powerful figures were ordering it to be done.  _Once was enough to decline. I don't know if declining a second time would be wise._ She took a deep breath, moved towards him, and planted a small kiss on his mouth. Something sparked her dominant side with a furious vengeance, and she pulled him hard towards her now to lock him in a kiss that branded and sealed him as hers. He whimpered in it, and the sound made Doppy grin wickedly from ear to ear. When she pulled away, he was in shock at how he felt about her now. He fit with her perfectly, and the sensation was incredible. He was a touch speechless and wasn't expecting it at all.

"What...was that?!" Errende blanched, as he regained himself.

"I have a rather Demonic dominant streak in me right now, due to carrying Doppelganger's twins. Apparently, I understand how you are to be with me," she sighed. "I...I didn't expect this at all..."

"What?" Errende blinked.

"Are you serious?!" Howard gaped.

"Interesting..." Eremes thought.

"He's to replace Seyren, isn't he?" Sammy asked Muninn. At Muninn's nod, Keltin walked over to Errende to pull him aside to talk to him at length. Odin now looked at Huginn and gestured that it was time. Sarine hugged her brother again, and he whispered to her that he would try to find a way to talk to her while in her mind. She nodded, felt him press a kiss to her cheek quickly, and she gasped when her head pounded painfully. When she opened her eyes, Huginn was gone. Muninn felt a touch of relief at this, but he was also saddened. He did enjoy his brother's company, and they hardly ever see each other now.

"I miss him already," she frowned. Muninn smiled and hugged her tightly before becoming her falcon again. Snuggling her, he flew off to scout the island. There was actually a bit of relief that he was able to fly off. He needed to get rid of some unwanted thoughts about his younger sister. Huginn knew it would just be a matter of time for Muninn to feel them. In time, it would play in his favor.

"I will let you decide on what you need to do with Errende Ebecee," Odin nodded. He hugged his daughter again and vanished after that. Doppy moved to hug Sarine tightly, and he looked over, as Keltin came back with Errende.

"I don't know what to make of it," Errende frowned.

"An unofficial sixth husband?" Howard grimaced.

"No. He's actually supposed to be her slave," Sammy said.

"Slave?!" Sarine grimaced. "No! I don't want one!"

"Well, what else are we supposed to call you?" Howard asked.

"I don't know. Is this really necessary?" Errende asked. "I thought I was going to be locked up! That's what you all told me!"

"Not anymore..." Eremes mused and ran back to the house quickly. As he came back, he pulled out a collar called a Matyr's Leash.

"How did you know about collars?!" Howard laughed.

"Seyren talks in his sleep," Eremes winked. "I had gotten this as a gag gift to give him when the time was right. I found a...better...use for it now...it seems..."

"A collar? For what?" Errende blinked.

"To show you belong to Sarine. What else would it be for?" Doppy smirked.

"I don't know. I won't forcefully do this. I can't," Sarine frowned.

"Errende," Keltin said. "like I told you before, Sarine needs to be dominant at night, or she'll get very sick. Her twins are extremely ruthless inside her, and she has to prove to them that she can be strong enough to carry them. They'll make her vomit to prove a point. What will happen after she gives birth to them, we don't know. She already has twins in the nursery, and she will have twins with each of us, other than you. Eremes is going to give her four children. We can't force you to do anything, but she can't be as dominant to us as she can be to you. It's...well, tricky."

"I see," Errende blinked. "Well...I know I've always desired her, em, you, Sarine, that is, ever since I saw her. And knowing that this may be the only way to be close to her...ah...you..."

"I will not force you to make a choice. All that I know is that, should you accept this, you will end up being a bit of a permanent fixture around me. I'm normally not dominant in any way, shape, or form. I don't know how I'll be with other pregnancies," she said. "I just...I won't make you do what you don't want to do."

"I already know I want to be with you. But, before we go any further with this, I want to get to know you for you. Is that all right?" Errende asked.

"Perfectly," she smiled. Doppy liked this one already. So did Howard. He was starting to grow onto Sammy and Eremes. Keltin already approved of him. They went to the grove, and, for a good two hours, he learned about them. He learned how Sarine spent her life and what happened up to this point. How the others met. It completely baffled Errende on the life Sarine had to endure. When they finished, Errende sighed.

"My life isn't that special. I was born in Prontera and pretty much raised in the Church. My family didn't really like me very much, and that's why I'm not very strong willed. I thought that the experiment would make me strong, and that was why I applied. Of course, I know now that it was all a joke. If anything, it just made me feel worse. After Lighthalzen, I wanted to try and become a Monk to prove I was strong, but I failed the tests. I tried several times, and I just...I couldn't do it. So, I became a Priest. When I was able to transcend, I got stronger skills, but I still felt that something was missing. I knew I would never get stronger in will alone. In the end, I found myself drawn to stronger people and just did as I was told," he sighed. "I'm not good under pressure...usually..."

"You became submissive," Doppy said.

"If that's what it is, then yes. It was easier for me to take orders rather than give them. When I saw Misty, I thought she was what I always needed, but she just...she treated me like dirt! She demanded so much of me and never gave anything in return! I just thought that, if I tried hard enough, she would change. I was wrong, and I feel stupid for not seeing that until now," he swallowed. "I just...I don't want another repeat of her...really..."

"Well, Errende, I am not that cruel," Sarine frowned. "Yes, there will be hard times with me, but, if you tell me to stop, I will stop. I will not treat you like dirt, or with disrespect. I can't even bring myself to hurt my husbands, and that is why I cannot marry you. You can be close to me in likely every other way, but, if I marry you, I will not be able to do what I need to do. And, likely...give you what you need, too."

"She also can't marry you, since it will give her stress," Sammy said. "Odin made this perfectly clear. Long ago, I was supposed to have cared for her. A dream vision showed what would have happened if it succeeded. It is how I was able to gain my place by her side. But, if you want to be close to her this way, it will help us and you."

"And, if that girl tries to come back for you, she'll have to answer to us!" Doppy snarled. The others nodded, and Errende felt very relieved at this.

"I've never...been like this before. I...well...how would this work?" Errende asked. The more he thought about serving her, the more he felt it was completely natural.

"Tonight, I have to train a friend's husband, who I also consider my brother. It's a delicate situation," Sarine blushed a bit. "I don't do anything that a married couple would do. You would be different, though, I think. Anyways, I will show you tonight what you would need to do for me, if that's all right."

"You...are letting me choose? For myself?" he blinked.

"It's how she normally is," Keltin nodded. "She doesn't like to force anyone."

"Unless we deserve it," Doppy grinned. She blushed again, and they laughed.

"I see how you are now. And...I have an idea on what you will be like later," Errende said. "I think...I like it. Collar me, please."

"Are you sure? Once this is done, it will likely be permanent," Sarine warned.

"I know. I want this," he nodded. Eremes handed over the Matyr's Leash to Sarine, and she placed it around Errende's neck. Then it glowed to seal up permanently. The color changed to a light silver, and the collar was now laced with small gems. A small, golden loop appeared where a leash could hook up to it, if she needed to lead him around purposely. She gasped at it and blushed even harder.

"Thank you, Valkyrie," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"We'll need a special outfit for you when she needs you as her slave," Howard thought. "Maybe something with leather?"

"Incubus can help," Keltin grinned.

"What has come over the lot of you?!" Sarine growled.

"Just thinking of what you need..." Eremes grinned. "Seyren...will be jealous..."

"Oh, yes! We'll definitely see how Seyren will react to this!" Howard snickered. "Keltin, go find Incubus. He should have a vest made."

"This will be interesting," Sammy mused. Errende was just blinking at what happened, and he was in even more shock that his new collar felt rather natural.  _As though it was meant to be on me, and that it had never left me. Was this the part of my life that I was looking for up to now?_  Only time would tell. Looking at Sarine now, he felt this urge to start seeing to her every wish. It was a natural, instinctive feeling, and he had to obey it.

"Do you need anything?" Errende said. She blinked at this and paused.

"I am hungry," she admitted.

"Raw meat. Cube it for her. Everything is in the kitchen," Eremes said. Errende simply nodded and seemed to know exactly where to go.

"Huh. It's as though he already knows what to do," Sammy thought.

"Valkyrie likely had something to do with that. Maybe," Howard nodded with a shrug. Within minutes, Errende brought back a plate and a small crowd with him.

"They insisted on coming over," Errende sighed. "I told them it was fine."

"It's all right. Thank you," Sarine smiled. He sat next to her, and she looked up at Garrett and Seyren. Garrett was curious, and Seyren looked a touch perplexed.

"Who is he?" Garrett asked.

"Why is he wearing a collar?" Seyren growled.

"Odin said so," Eremes said.

"My name is Errende," Errende said, as he introduced himself. "I belong to My Lady. I am needed for her."

"I can't marry him, and he's needed for my dominant streak, anyways," Sarine said, as she started eating. She did pause at what he called her, and he blushed softly. Even Errende was a bit surprised. The name he called her came out naturally, as though he said it all his life.

"Odin said he was needed?" Garrett mused.

"But...now I'm jealous!" Seyren said.

"Ask Karla to collar you," Howard suggested.

"Oh...I could, huh?" he grinned.

"Not until you're done training," Sarine said.

"Training?" Garrett asked.

"Um...it's special training for Karla," Seyren said.

"He's learning how to be a true submissive to a Dominatrix," Doppy snickered.

"Oh..." Garrett said. He found himself laughing.

"Sounds like fun!" Cecil said, and now Garrett looked at her oddly.

"Not for me, thanks," Garrett said.

"Don't know what you're missing," Sammy chuckled.

"It'll remain that way," Garrett said.

"Errende! Over here!" Keltin said. Errende looked at Sarine first for approval to go to Keltin. When she nodded, Errende moved to go join him. Kathryne's jaw dropped at what she was witnessing, and Mitchell was just as surprised.

"I never thought I'd see another High Priest doing something like this," Lloyd said with amazement. Margaretha sighed and shook her head.

"How did this happen?" Coraline asked.

"I'll explain," Sammy said, and he got up to talk to them all. When he finished explaining, Margaretha now saw Errende in a new light.

"So...he's needed to help Sarine and her twins?" Margaretha asked.

"Yes. Sarine can't do what she needs to with us. Seyren is only temporary, as he is too much like a brother to her. Odin, Huginn, and Muninn all agree that Errende is important for this. He may also prove to be a valuable form of assistance later on," Sammy said. "Don't think he hasn't thought about it! We all talked to him first and explained our lives to him. He wanted this. It was his choice."

"At least he thought about it before agreeing," Lloyd said. "That makes me feel a lot better about the whole thing."

"Why couldn't he pass the Monk trials?" Kathryne asked.

"He wasn't strong enough for it," Sammy said. "This is better for him."

As Sammy kept talking to them, Sarine was called down into the underground cave within the grove. As she followed the lights of the crystals, she paused when Incubus winked at her and gestured to Errende. Keltin seemed to chuckle at her blush.

Errende was now wearing a somewhat tight, black leather vest that was left open in the middle. His new black pants were also made of tight, black leather. If he took off the pants, he would expose a set of black silk briefs. A set of boots completed the outfit. His collar seemed to change in color to a satin black, and the gems resembled small black diamonds.

"So, your collar would change with your outfit. Interesting," she smiled. Incubus handed her a specialized leash for him, and he grinned. She let out a tittering giggle at this, and even Errende blushed at it.

"You're sure you want this?" Keltin asked, as he gathered up his High Priest gear.

"Yeah. I'm sure," Errende nodded.

"I'll take these to the bedroom. We'll need to go to Glast Heim soon," Keltin said. Incubus went up the stairs with Keltin, and Sarine walked over to Errende.

"You really don't have to do this, you know," she sighed.

"It's my choice," he smiled.

"So...you never let anyone kiss you or anything, huh?" she smiled.

"No. I haven't. Are you going to do something now?" he asked.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I probably should."

"Probably? Or possibly?" he grinned.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she asked with shock.

"Well, being the slave and servant to the Vessel of Odin would be considered a high honor for some. To me it is. At least...that's how I see it..." he said softly.

"You don't even know what to expect! And tonight...I don't know. I...I worry for your safety. You haven't seen my true Demonic side completely blown out."

"I'm sure I'll be safe, regardless. Yes, I'm nervous. But, I want it. I really do."

"Errende..." she sighed. "tonight will be the true test of how well you will serve my needs. If...if it starts to go badly, you will not be able to work out."

"We won't know until tonight, then. Will we?" he smiled.

"Errende, I know you don't have to do this, but...thank you," she said.

"Um...well..." he blushed, and she smiled. "You're welcome."

"I'm going to give you a choice now."

"I'm listening."

"I can...show you pleasure now, or we can wait until after Glast Heim."

"Now," he said. "This way, if anything happens, I'll know what to expect."

"You're sure?"

"Positive," he nodded. "The pain can come later. I really want to know what it's like with you before the pain so that I'll feel reassured."

"You've been thinking about this?"

"Well...yes and no. It's sort of instinctive, come to think of it. I just know."

"I see. All right. If that's the case, then I have an idea in mind. Keltin took your High Priest clothes, so you'll be seen by the others like this. Is that all right?"

"It will need to be done sooner or later," he grinned. She sighed and pulled him close to hug him tight. He paused at this, but found himself hugging her back.

"If I ever hurt you too much, you need to tell me. I...I won't be able to forgive myself, otherwise," she whispered. "I know I won't."

"Trust me," he smiled, as he gazed at her. "I think I'll be able to dish out whatever punishment you can give me. I've taken quite a bit of abuse in my life."

"Really?" she blinked with a hard frown at this news.

"Well...I sort of left out the part of my childhood that I was beaten by my parents until I was about nine years old..." he grimaced.

"What?!" she freaked.

"It's fine! It's why the Prontera Church intervened and took me away! It's why I said I mainly grew up in the Church."

"Errende..." she frowned greatly. "my husbands only told you that I was trapped and locked away from everything. In reality, for the first twelve years of my life, I was locked away in a dark room. I was barely fed. No windows to look out of. No one cared for me or even helped me when I was sick. I only had a small set of candles to give me light each week. I was only checked on once a year for my birthday, and that was to see if I was still alive. I didn't even know what toys were by the time Eremes rescued me! I was filthy, I was thin, I was..."

"Stop!" Errende said with a gasp, and he hugged her tightly. "Stop...don't...I knew they said it was bad, but...but..."

"It's painful. I know," she sighed and snuggled into him. "I think you need to see everything about me so you can see for yourself why everyone is so protective over me."

"I don't know..." he frowned.

"It's needed," she said. At his slight nod, she finally moved from him to call for her husbands and for Muninn. They paused at how Errende was dressed, and the High Priest gave a small, blushing shrug. Sarine now told them that she wanted Errende to know about her life in full, and they all nodded. Doppy sat on the ground of the cave with her in his lap, and Muninn positioned himself before her to focus on a wall. Eremes and Sammy sat on either side of her, as Keltin and Howard moved to watch Errende's reactions. She made herself ready to look away from the visions, if she needed to. Certain things she simply couldn't watch.

For the next thirty minutes, Errende watched what the others already knew. How she grew up. Her torment at Amatsu. The dream visions she had and shared with her husbands. Everything was given to him in full, as she wanted, and, when it was done, his face was streaked with tears of rage and sadness. There was something else that happened, as he watched the visions. Everything that he saw, the ones in the dungeon saw, too. He didn't know it yet, but he was actually the visual focus point for Thanatos. His last treatment shot held the consciousness of the demon. If Errende saw something of vital importance, it was instantly relayed. Thanatos, the demon himself, saw everything Errende did, and now he couldn't wait to be free to see what he could do. He had gained an affinity for Sarine by watching her life through Errende.

"Nothing will touch you, My Lady!" Errende trembled, as he blinked back more tears. "Nothing will hurt you anymore!"

"We know that nothing will hurt her now," Sammy said. "We won't allow it, either. We simply can't let her go through that again."

"I told her this...that I was beaten as a child by my parents," Errende swallowed.

"What?!" Eremes hissed.

"It's how my...submissiveness started, I guess," he shrugged, as he trembled. "Why I was never strong willed to begin with and easily bullied. I was never shown kindness. Like her...when I was younger. In truth, this is the first time I've ever known kindness from her or from any of you. Other than the Church, but it was a given, you see. I didn't think it was possible to feel so normal and treated like someone else with importance. I just kept to myself and did what I had to in order to survive. I didn't want to get close to anyone, because I couldn't trust myself to."

"I see..." Doppy frowned.

"Why should I get close to someone just to be beaten down and treated like dirt? Come to think of it, My Lady gave me the strength I needed to tell Misty to back off. I was...about to give in to her demands, if I wasn't approached," he sighed.

"I'm glad I intervened when I did, then," she said.

"Me, too. I'm not much of a fighter. I never was. But...I think that is going to change when it comes to protecting you," Errende said, as he looked over at Sarine.

"You do have the body of a Monk, despite your Priest training. Now that I see this side of you, I can try to teach you various moves and exercises. I wasn't a full Monk until Valkyrie changed me, but I had honed myself to become a Warrior of Odin. I was the best in my class before I died. If you think you have what it takes, I'll teach you what I know," Keltin said. "I'll teach you everything you would need to help protect her."

"You...you would do that for me?!" Errende asked with shock.

"Errende," Sarine said with a smile. "I am going to give you an order. If I tell you to do something, I know you will do it without fail. But, if my husbands tell you to do something, I will let you decide for yourself if you should do it or not. It's the same for anyone else."

"Yes, My Lady. I understand," Errende said. "And, I think I will take up his offer. Um, I don't really know any of your names...other than what you all told me from your pasts..."

"How rude of us!" Howard said. He introduced everyone to him right then and there. Doppy thought and cleared his throat.

"Sarine, swap blood with him," Doppy said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because, if you're going to be having sex with him, I can't afford to be getting pissed off! And, since he has the blood of Thanatos, the last thing I need is smelling the blood you consumed from him and thinking he's branding you for himself!" Doppy growled. "Just trust me on this. It's Demonic knowledge."

"He's right," Howard sighed. "Naght would be pissed, too."

"And Ifrit," Eremes nodded.

"What?" Errende frowned. Howard explained about the demons that they had and what was done to Sarine. The High Priest blinked with surprise, but he agreed with Doppy. _I don't want to have any of their demons wanting to pick a fight with me._

"Errende wants to experience pleasure before Glast Heim, anyways," Sarine sighed. "Let's go back to the house. I need to feed the children, and then we can do what we need to do in the bedroom."

"Very well," Sammy said.

"I'll start your training after Glast Heim," Keltin promised.

"Thank you!" Errende smiled.

"I'm going to talk to Garrett while you feed the twins..." Eremes said.

"Why?" Sarine asked.

"To see if he...knew Errende's parents..." the Assassin Cross growled.

"What would Garrett know?" Errende asked.

"He's the Captain of Prontera's Royal Guard," Howard said. "He would know just about everyone there."

"He's...Oh!" Errende blinked with realization. "He's the one that took me to the Church! He found out about me!"

"He did?!" Sammy blinked.

"Yes! I was running an errand for my parents, and I had fresh bruises on my face. I think I had a black eye, too. He stopped me, and I...I told him I fell down. He didn't buy it. He knew there was something wrong. So...he had me introduce him to my parents. He didn't like them, and I knew they didn't like him. He came back later that night with other guards, and he caught them both red-handed. They were beating me for bringing him over earlier in the day. I was taken from them right after that and delivered to the Church," he said. "Like I said...I was brought up in the Church, mainly. For a good six years, you see. I don't know what would have happened to me, if he didn't come for me that night."

"Hmm..." Sarine said and now moved out of the cave swiftly. The others followed and paused when she was seen talking to Garrett. The Paladin had his jaw dropped at this discovery, and now Errende was approached.

"So, you are the boy from long ago! Well! Looks like things do happen in a timely manner! I'm glad I saved your life that day," Garrett said. "I honestly doubt that you would have survived the night from the beating you were taking from them when I walked in."

"Oh! Well, ah, thank you, Sir!" Errende said nervously. "Although, I should be thanking you for saving me when you did! I mean..."

"It's fine! Say no more. I welcome you fully into our fold, if Sarine hasn't already," Garrett said with a sharp nod. Cecil came over and planted a kiss on her husband's mouth. She did blink at Errende's new look, but she chuckled all the same. Garrett hugged her tight and nodded to the others.

"Sir? That's the boy, isn't it?" Max asked, as he recognized him. "The one we helped when we found him beaten for no reason?"

"The very one. Errende, I feel you need to know this. Your parents were banished from Prontera after your injustice was discovered. We don't know where they are now, but it makes me worry if you have other brothers or sisters," Garrett admitted. "I really hope they haven't tried to make any new children."

"They were banished? They may still be alive somewhere else? I..." Errende blinked at this news and cringed inwards. An old fear suddenly surged in him, and Sarine calmed him with a loving smile. He had no reason to be afraid with her near him.

"If we find them, we will help your siblings, if you have any," Sarine promised.

"Thank you, My Lady," he said with complete respect. "It would mean a lot to me. It would pain me, if I realized that I do have brothers or sisters now. Even worse if they've suffered, too. I wouldn't want that to happen."

"Tell me what your parents look like," Eremes said. "I'll look for them in any town we come to, if I am able."

"Oh!" Errende blinked.

"Just don't do anything without us!" Doppy growled.

"And take the fun away from you? Why would I?" Eremes grinned wickedly.

"Enough, husbands!" Sarine frowned. "I'm going to feed the twins."

"Of course," Eremes nodded. When Sarine left with Howard and Doppy, Errende gave a full description on what he knew his parents looked like. After he finished, Sammy led Eremes and Errende to the nursery. Errende blinked in surprise at Naght Seiger staring him down when he walked in, but Howard informed him of what Errende was to be to Sarine. Naght now accepted him and gave a short nod of neutral respect. Errende nodded back and moved his gaze to Sarine nursing Serenity. Howard was now burping Siegfried, and he actually felt a touch of jealousy in seeing this. He wasn't sure why that was, either.

"What's wrong?" Doppy asked him.

"I just...I don't know why..." Errende frowned.

"You wish it was your children. Don't you?" Doppy asked.

"I..." Errende faltered, and Keltin looked at him with surprise.

"It's not uncommon for children to happen between a dominant and a submissive, come to think of it," Howard thought. "Considering your need to Sarine, it could happen. Not right away, of course."

"How-How?" Sarine blinked at him with a soft smile.

"I'm just saying..." Howard smiled back. "I like him. We all do. He obviously can't marry you, but, if he does well tonight, then I don't think any of us would mind his children. Once he swaps blood with you, our children would become his, anyways. He could treat my children as his, too, even though his blood won't be a part of them."

"They are your children?" Errende asked.

"Yes. Mine and Naght's, since our blood is merged," Howard nodded, and the massive demon purred. "The same thing could happen to you and Thanatos...if he keeps his blood merged with yours. Anything can happen."

"Thanatos and I..." Errende blinked. The demon linked to him was actually thinking now. He seemed to favor the idea, and he started to plot on how to try and contact them.

"Ifrit's blood and mine are merged..." Eremes nodded. "Doppelganger is a full demon, and she is pregnant with his twins right now."

"It's why I crave blood and raw meat," Sarine said with a small blush. Doppy smiled with pride and kissed her gently.

"I am a rather ruthless and bloodthirsty demon," Doppy grinned.

"A much loved one," she smiled, and he kissed her again. Errende sighed and thought to himself. He hadn't thought about children at all. _Could it be possible?_  With Sarine, he knew he wanted them now. Thanatos helped implant that thought rather easily and strengthened it. He'd have to see how things played out.

When Serenity was ready to be burped, Naght took her to help. Bacsojin floated around the nursery to keep things tidied up, and Errende blinked with surprise at her. When Storm Caller came into the nursery to help check on the twins, he blanched at the strong Strouf. Then Doll came in with fresh diapers, and he couldn't believe how the monsters worked with her. He was skeptical at the rumors he heard of the Vessel of Odin and her monster companions at first. He wasn't skeptical anymore.  _She truly did treat everyone around her equally._ He trusted her with every fiber of his being now, since she was doing the same to him.

"Vessel of Odin!" Pori-Pori said, as he bounced into the room.

"Pori-Pori!" Sarine giggled and snuggled the strong Poring-type monster.

"Pori-Pori?" Errende asked. Pori-Pori winked at Errende, and Sarine whispered to Pori-Pori about Errende and how he was to be with her. This made Pori-Pori blink with surprise, and he started to think.

"I want to help train him," Pori-Pori said. "I can help him."

"How can you help him?" Keltin asked. Sarine smiled, since Pori-Pori wouldn't talk to him, and she asked the question for Keltin.

"He can learn how to dodge me and defend. I could do this for any that want to learn," Pori-Pori said. "I just won't talk to them like I do with you."

"If you could do that for me, it would be wonderful!" Sarine smiled and cuddled him. "Just don't harm my husbands, or Errende, too badly."

"I can Heal them, too," Pori-Pori winked. "Don't worry, Vessel of Odin. It will be good practice for them."

"You have me curious," Doppy grinned. "Maybe we can try something tomorrow."

"We are going to Glast Heim later today," Sarine explained.

"I'm going with you!" Pori-Pori said stubbornly.

"Of course, you are!" she smiled and let him down so he could speedily move off to the dungeon below. He loved playing guard and beating up anyone that challenged him.

"Whatever you do, don't call him a Poring," Keltin warned.

"Right!" Errende nodded. "I'll remember that."

"I'll call him that to piss him off," Doppy grinned.

"As long as you think you can defend yourself against him," Sarine smiled.

"We'll see," Doppy smirked. Sarine moved her hand through his hair, and he muttered before purring deeply. That had Errende caught off guard, and she winked at him. Once the twins were back in their cradle to sleep, Sarine led her husbands into their bedroom. Errende was pulled in, and the door was locked up tightly.

"What is going to happen now?" Sammy asked.

"Well, Errende needs to know how I can give pleasure. He wanted to know before the pain of tonight," Sarine said. "I want him to watch all of you before I work with him."

"Very well..." Eremes nodded.

"Who's first?" Howard asked.

"Me!" Doppy growled. She giggled and nodded.

"Doppy, then Howard, then Keltin, then Eremes, then Sammy," she said.

"All right," Sammy nodded. "Errende, you'd better find a seat. I'm not sure where you'll be sleeping, though."

"Oh! Well...I can sleep in a separate room," Errende said.

"No," Eremes frowned. "It would be best for you to sleep in the same room with us. In case...something happens to Sarine."

"The bed is large enough for several people," Sarine thought.

"I don't think I want to roll over and find another guy in my face," Keltin frowned. That had Sarine giggling like mad.

"Same here," Howard said.

"We can get a cot in here," Sammy suggested. "The room is large enough, and there is enough space by the bathroom door."

"I don't want him to sleep in a cot," she frowned. "Maybe a small bed?"

"I can sleep on a couch..." Errende said.

"A couch? No. A bed," she said.

"I'll talk to Karla," Eremes said and moved out of the room quickly. When he came back, he announced that Karla was going to shop for one now.

"Good. Although, I still think he should share the bed with me," Sarine sighed. "The bed is so huge!"

"It's only large so we can play on it," Doppy grinned.

"Oh? You like the floor better, anyways," Sarine chided, and he laughed. "What was that you said before? The bed was too soft? And that you didn't like to sit on me when I said I was soft, too? Or am I wrong?"

"Well..." Doppy started.

"But...do you like it when I sit on you?" she grinned.

"Yeah..." Doppy said. Howard started to snicker.

"At least you know how to use your dick!" Eremes grinned with a hint of laughter. Keltin gave out a loud chuckle, and Sammy smirked.

"Very true!" Doppy grinned back. "So, Errende. I want to make sure I get this straight. You never used your dick before, right?"

"Ah...well...no..." Errende flustered. "Like I said...um...I vowed not to."

"Do you know how to use it?" Doppy asked. Eremes snickered with Keltin and Howard. Sammy rolled his eyes and grinned.

"I know enough!" Errende said a touch defensively.

"Should we even try to compare?" Howard grinned.

"Men..." Sarine sighed and shook her head.

"I...think you all might be jealous..." Errende admitted.

"What?" Doppy frowned. "Okay. I have to see this. Prove it!"

"My Lady?" Errende asked Sarine. At her small nod, he pulled down his leather pants and the silk briefs. What he revealed made the men speechless.

"Shit! You're as big as me!" Doppy glowered.

"Now, did you get that before or after Lighthalzen?" Howard asked with a tinge of envy. Eremes was just rubbing his hand over his face now, and Keltin was laughing softly at the shock. Sammy was grinning a bit widely. Sarine was just blushing horrendously and shaking her head at the display. Doppy was clearly amused at this. He just didn't show it yet.

"You could say after..." Errende thought. "I never really gave it much thought."

"Looks like we know what part of Thanatos you gained," Doppy grinned. That made Howard bark out laughter, and Eremes was grinning from ear to ear. Sammy started laughing and clapped his hands lightly. Keltin was howling with amusement, as well, and Errende pulled his clothes back up. Sarine was blushing even more and shook her head again. Then Howard thought and sighed.

"I feel inadequate," Howard muttered. That made everyone burst out with more laughter, and Sarine moved to hug him and whisper softly. Smiling at her now, he nodded and kissed her deeply. Feeling much better, he had nearly forgotten that his body was perfect for her. His pride was instantly restored.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy smiled softly and gestured for her. Giving Howard another kiss, she moved back to Doppy and let him undress her. Errende sat in a chair and watched silently at how Doppy expertly took her. He felt intimidated by Doppy's powerfully built form, but he reminded himself that Doppy was a pureblood demon. He watched Doppy lick Sarine all over her body. He saw how he worked with her when he started to move his mouth between her legs. He blinked at how Doppy's purring made her scream before he claimed her on all fours. For some reason, he started to feel insanely jealous, but he fought it down. Soon it would be his turn, and he didn't even stop to think that it was the Demonic blood of Thanatos in his system wanting to rise up with a form of challenge. Doppy was scenting Sarine all over her skin, and Errende was showing the signs of mistrust and hatred.

Doppy noticed it right away when he was done and gave a small glance to Howard. Errende may not have the will or the strength for the demon blood to show right away, but the presence of it was quickly becoming apparent.

"Sarine, take a drop of blood from him before I claim you," Howard said.

"Huh?" Sarine asked, as she was recovering from Doppy.

"The blood of Thanatos is making itself known," Doppy said.

"It will challenge us soon..." Eremes said.

"Just a drop for now. Feed from him when you are ready for him," Sammy said.

"We don't want Errende to try to fight us," Keltin said.

"Oh. All right. Errende, come to me," Sarine said. At her order, Errende couldn't resist and was at her side. When she called for him, all thoughts of jealousy were gone. She became his first priority. Eremes took out his katar and pricked his finger.

"Just a drop," Sammy said. Sarine nodded, and Errende let her take in his blood. The shock of pleasure hit him, and he trembled from it. Once it was done, Keltin Healed Errende, and he was ordered to sit back down. Now that his blood was in her system, Errende noticed that he wasn't jealous anymore. The full blood swap would need to be done, but already his scent with Thanatos had merged with the other scents to brand her. It was harmonious with the others, and Doppy nodded. Then the demon glanced at Howard and smirked.

"Now that it's taken care of," Howard grinned in knowing and swiftly undressed to move over her. Errende blinked at the animalistic fury Howard did to her, and he seemed to gape when she was lifted up to have her back pressed against a wall. When Sarine cried out with him, he moved her to the bed to claim her there next. After her release with him there, he rested with her before getting up to let Keltin take over.

Errende was a bit impressed with how methodically they worked with her. It made him a bit proud to be a part of this little circle, though it was an odd way he was worked in. No doubt, there would be jealousy with the others in the dungeon, but he didn't care about them. Sarine was his new center of focus.  _She owned me now._ He wanted it this way. He knew that he was meant to belong to her, and he would fight with everything he had to remain in his position.

He returned his attention to Keltin and the slow, romantic passion he stirred in her. He didn't realize how many different ways there was to love making! _Was this why they wanted me to watch?_  He shivered with excitement that it was getting closer to his turn. He wasn't sure how he would start it, though. He could only hope that Sarine would have an idea on what to do.

When Keltin finished resting, Eremes undressed, and Errende blinked at how slender and muscular the Assassin Cross was.

"Normally, he makes a heat wave with Sarine," Howard said. "Since she's pregnant, the elemental Fire they share won't come out between them. It would get incredibly hot at times. Especially if Ifrit was present with him."

"Really?" Errende blinked. "I don't know how Thanatos would be with me. Or even if it would be possible."

"We probably won't know until we go to the tower, anyways," Sammy said. When his ancestral ghost came out to watch, Errende gaped. He had seen the ghost before, but he didn't realize that the ghost could move in and out of the body at will. Sammy gave a small nod to him now and returned to watching Sarine. Eremes had massaged her body until it started to borderline pleasure, and he moved to claim her. Errende was amazed and decided to ask to learn how to massage at some point in the future.  _If it could help her, then I want to know how to do it._  At their sharp cries of release, Eremes rested with her before moving off the bed to nod to Sammy.

"Your turn..." Eremes chuckled. Sammy made an agreeable tone and rose to stand. When the black kimono slipped off Sammy's form, Errende's gasp was heard. Sammy had a truly perfect body, and he gave a massive grin in knowing.

"Valkyrie's fault. Blame her," he grinned. Errende just managed a small nod, as Sarine reached for him. In the middle of pleasuring her, the door was knocked on, and Sammy swore heavily. Sarine gasped, and the blankets were pulled over them. The others dressed, and Errende remained seated where he was.

"Who is it?" Howard asked through the door.

"It's me! I have the bed!" Karla said.

"Can it wait? We're kinda busy," Howard said.

"Oh! Yes! Okay! It will be downstairs! Just let me know when you are ready," Karla said with understanding.

"Thanks! And, if Seyren tries anything, threaten him!" Howard grinned.

"Oh, I'll handle Seyren. Don't worry!" Karla giggled, and the others snickered.

"That's Seyren's wife," Eremes said. "Karla...was my wife for a time...but I couldn't give her what she needed. Seyren is better for her. Sarine had claimed my heart long ago. I could never be as close to Karla...as I am with Sarine..."

"I see," Errende nodded. Sammy was pulled back to Sarine's attention when she bit his neck lightly, and the blankets were thrown back off so he could start taking her harder. He brought her to sharp cry of release with him, and he trembled, as he braced himself over her. When the Samurai ghost took over, Errende was amazed at the renew in stamina that Sammy gained and how Sarine was completely lost to him. He took over all of her senses with his hard thrusts, and he finally howled with release, as she screamed out hers. Holding her there to ride out the pleasure with him, he waited until moving to settle next to her in the bed. She pulled him close to kiss deeply, and he smiled softly.

"Let's give her a small break," Sammy said. "We wore her out."

"At least let me take a quick shower," Sarine said. "It will help."

"Very well," Doppy nodded and moved to help her into the bathroom. After ten minutes, he walked back out with her in his arms.

"Did you do anything to her?" Howard frowned.

"She was lactating," Doppy grinned.

"Damn!" Howard grumbled. "You should have told me!"

"It started in the shower!" he argued.

"Husbands, stop it!" Sarine grounded out. When they went quiet, she nodded.

"It's not fair," Howard pouted.

"Ugh. How-How, what's wrong with you?" she asked.

"I...like it," he sighed.

"The taste?" she mused. At his sigh, she giggled and shook her head.

"I want to try it," Eremes said lightly.

"Oh...fine! Hurry up!" she said.

"Which one do you want?" Howard grinned.

"Whichever one you don't take," Eremes smirked. Errende blinked and gaped when they started to nurse off her.

"Why...do they...to you...?" Errende started.

"It's something that actually feels good. And the taste is something else..." Doppy said. "It's hard to describe. You need to experience it for yourself to understand. That's all I can really say. You'll know if you ever do try."

"Oh..." Errende blinked. He watched Keltin and Sammy give in and take over when Howard and Eremes finished.

"Wow..." Eremes mused. "Not...what I expected at all..."

"I know!" Howard chuckled.

"That's still my job!" Doppy growled.

"If you're fast enough," Eremes said with a shrug. Sarine would have reprimanded them, but she was too caught up in the pleasure of it. With her children, it was business. It was a completely different sensation with her husbands. When Sammy and Keltin backed away, they were surprised.

"I wasn't expecting that," Sammy admitted.

"I actually feel...stronger," Keltin said. "Strange."

"At least I know not all of this milk is wasted. It seems to replenish itself rather quickly, too," Sarine sighed. That made them laugh, and she gestured for Errende. Swallowing, as he rose up from his chair, he moved to her side.

"I don't know...how to really start this..." he said hesitantly.

"I know. Let me guide you," she smiled. He nodded, and she had him undress. Having him lay back on the bed now, she expertly lulled his body into a pleasureful wave. She worked on him with her mouth and stopped before he gave in. Then she moved over him and fully sat on him. He cried out instantly, as he gave her his first release, and she worked with him to release again. After the third time, she let him rest for a bit, and she gestured to Eremes to ready his katar.  _It was time for the blood swap._

"You need blood?" Eremes asked.

"I do," she nodded. "Errende, are you well enough to let me feed?"

"I...I think so," he said groggily. Sitting up now, he waited for the katar to move to his neck, but it went to hers first.

"First me. Then you," she said. He blinked at this, but he nodded.

"One mouthful," Sammy said. "We can't risk too much, because of her pregnancy right now. All right?"

"Yes. I understand," Errende nodded. Once the scratch was made to her neck, he locked his mouth on the wound instinctively, and she cried out sharply when he sucked out the mouthful he needed. Her blood fully empowered the blood of Thanatos in his veins to a violent fury, and he thrust up hard in her to release. This caught Doppy by surprise, and he grinned savagely. Then he blinked, as he could actually feel Thanatos now. He couldn't feel the monsters in Howard or Eremes before, and he was caught off guard. Thanatos had never gone dormant within the High Priest, and he was truly awake in Errende. That was why he could communicate freely.

"Thanatos..." Doppy frowned. "I see. Errende is the true link to Thanatos that solidifies him to the others. What Errende sees, Thanatos sees. Likely ties to the others, too, come to think of it. I'm not sure why I couldn't feel Naght or Ifrit before, but Thanatos is clearly there!"

"Are you serious?!" Sammy asked with surprise. "This makes him even more important to our cause! If Errende is Thanatos's consciousness..."

"Yes. I can feel Thanatos. He's...curious about Sarine. He...wow. He can feel me, too, now! I...I can talk to him telepathically!" Doppy blinked. "I'm not sure how it would work if he's freed, but right now, I can! Hmm...I see. The link with him is limited. As Sarine's blood settles in Errende, the link will fade out. Very interesting..."

"Really?" Howard asked with amazement. Keltin blinked and Healed Sarine when Errende bared his neck to her.

"Hold on..." Doppy said, as he went into a meditative trance. He wanted to talk to the other demon while the link to him was strong. It would likely be the only time he would have the chance. As he was in a deep conversation with the imprisoned demon, Eremes moved the katar over Errende's neck, and Sarine moved to feed off him now. The pleasure caught the High Priest completely by surprise, and he released hard into her. When he was growing faint from the pleasure and blood loss, she withdrew, and he was Healed quickly.

"He needs fluids," Sammy said.

"Here," Sarine whispered and pressed a breast to Errende's mouth. He latched on to nurse without any form of thought, and she moaned, as he released in her again. As he drained one breast, he moved to the other to get as much as he could. When he had enough, he gasped and clung to her. _I'm never going to leave her side now._ His decision was made.

"Give him a Yggdrasil Berry, just in case," Sammy suggested. Eremes got one and cut it up for Sarine to feed him. After it was eaten, Errende felt a lot better. She went to move off of him, but he held her in place.

"Errende?" she blinked.

"I'm sorry, My Lady," he whispered. "But...a moment longer?"

"Of course," she smiled, and he simply held her tight. She blinked when she found him crying, and she frowned.

"S-sorry..." he gasped. "I just...I never felt..."

"It's all right," she whispered and held him close. He pressed his face against her neck, and she ran her hands lovingly over his back to comfort him.

"He said he never felt kindness before. Nothing like this," Keltin frowned. "I don't blame him for being like this at all."

"True..." Eremes nodded. "He is still a boy...in a way. Only eighteen...I think. You were the youngest of them all. Or am I wrong?"

"Yes," Errende said softly. He started to feel better and rested his head on her shoulder. "You're right. How did you know? I didn't tell anyone."

"I saw records back in Lighthalzen when I tried to escape," he said.

"Well, I just turned twenty," Sarine smiled.

"When?" Errende asked.

"About a month ago," she said.

"Huh. My birthday is a few months away," he said. "In winter, actually."

"Remind me, and we'll have a party," she smiled. He blinked at her and frowned.

"Never had a birthday party?" Keltin asked.

"No..." Errende said.

"I was the same way," Sarine said with understanding. "Don't worry. A lot of things are going to change for you now."

"I know. I'm happy. Honestly, I am!" Errende said, and she giggled. He gazed at her with his soft, brown eyes, and she smiled back at him with her tigers' eye gemstone eyes before locking him in a deep kiss. He gave himself to her now, and he simply knew that this was his true purpose.  _To be used and loved by her alone._ He found what he was missing in his life at long last. If anyone told him to change it, he'd ignore them or tell them to back off.

After he kissed her, she was able to move off him, and she had him dress in his slave clothes with his High Priest robes over them. The black leathers fit neatly under the robes, and he felt far more complete than he could even admit. He sat next to her on the edge of the bed, and Doppy finally blinked out of his meditative trance. The link had apparently wore out, and Doppy was quite pleased at what was discussed.

"Tomorrow, Thanatos is going to send out a powerful vision to Egnigem to come here. Apparently, she's a Paladin now. She is trying to find a way to remove his blood from her system, and he is going to show her how. By coming here," Doppy said.

"I see," Sammy said. "It would make sense."

"Would Garrett know her?" Sarine asked.

"No. She works for herself. Very independent," Doppy said. "Thanatos knows that his blood in her is the strongest, since she got the first dose. It's why her main clone survived and the others didn't."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded.

"What do we do about the others now?" Keltin asked.

"First, we need to let Errende see the others below to find out if there is a reaction," Sammy said. "After that, we should go to Glast Heim."

"Sounds like a plan," Howard said.

"Are you able to speak with Thanatos again?" Sammy asked.

"No. Sarine's blood charged up Errende's considerably. However, once it balanced out in him, the link was lost. Thanatos is eager to assist however he can, though," Doppy sighed.

"Then let us go down to the basement," Sarine said. She blinked when Errende gave her the leash to put on him. She looked at him curiously at first, but his gaze showed that he wanted it done. Nodding to him, she clipped the leash on, and he followed her obediently to where she led him. When they got downstairs, the others blinked at it, but Sammy said it was what he wanted. That made things easier for them to understand.

"Karla, can you do that to me?" Seyren muttered out to keep from being overheard. "After my training is done?"

"We'll see," she giggled. "Help me set up the bed, and it will convince me."

"Fine," Seyren said, as he got up to help her.

"By the bathroom, please. Along the wall there," Sammy said. Karla nodded to him, and it was underway. Down in the dungeon, Sarine gave Errende the orders to not speak or respond to anyone unless she approved it. When she appeared with him, there were small gasps at how Errende was led by Sarine, and she simply winked. Then she forced him down on the ground in a crawling position so she could sit on his back like a chair.

"Errende?!" Kavach blanched.

"He can't talk to you right now," Sarine said demurely. "He's busy."

"What did you do to him?" Wickebine asked.

"It's what he wanted, really," Sarine shrugged. "I gave him the choice, and he decided that he wanted to do it. I did not force him into this position."

"But..." Laurell frowned.

"It's true," Sammy said with a nod. "She made sure it was exactly what he wanted. Besides, Odin claimed that he was needed like this. If you have a problem with it, take it up with him. He'll tell you himself."

"Hey, Timmy," Armeyer grinned at the younger man.

"Um...no," Timmy said quickly.

"We still don't know what to do with you," Howard frowned. "Anyways, I'm sure the rest of you know that Egnigem should be here soon. Right?"

"We know," Kavach nodded. "It's just...well...hmm. It explains a lot, actually. About Errende, that is."

"Does it?" Eremes asked.

"He was very weak willed to begin with," Wickebine said.

"He wouldn't really tell us why," Laurell frowned.

"Errende," Sarine murmured and leaned down to whisper to him. At a small nod from him, she smiled and rubbed a hand over his back affectionately before looking at the others. "He has a weak will, because he was beaten as a child."

"What?!" Kavach blinked. It caused a silent pause in the others.

"Errende gave me permission to tell you all this. Certain things I will ask for his approval of, and, since this is his life, I wanted to make sure he approved. As you can see, I will never treat him with disrespect or slight him. I'm sure you all saw how my life went through him. Not once have I ever treated any of you falsely. Laurell, maybe, yes. But, that was because he was being tricked by Loki, and I did not know," Sarine said.

"It's true. We have all the comforts we need," Laurell nodded. He was moved into an upgraded guest cell now. Once he was awakened from Loki's grasp, he proved he was trustworthy. Timmy was still in a quarantined cell. The others didn't pity him at all. The Rogues that were imprisoned before were either taken back into Ripclaw's care, or sent off to the Prontera jails for questioning. Blent was back in his guest cell to show that he was fine again, too. Armeyer was in a guest cell to show she was trustworthy to an extent. Wickebine was the same. Eremes had silently looked over each enclosure to ensure they were holding up.

"How are you feeling lately, Laurell?" Keltin asked.

"In truth, like my old self again," he admitted. "It actually did feel like I woke up from a bad nightmare when Odin ordered me awake."

"What will happen with me?" Blent asked. "I didn't even know that Loki was controlling me until Odin woke me up."

"Ripclaw is trying to gain back a few allies. It's true that many Rogues went back to him when you gave him the Guild leadership back. He will know what to do, and likely you and Wickebine will be released to him after Thanatos's tower," Sammy said. "The choice will be yours after the tower is seen to. I'm quite sure that you'll be able to come with us."

"Very well. I didn't even know what was going on after Louyang," Blent said.

"We know you were good after the Poring Island incident," Sarine said. Errende seemed to make a questioning sound at this, and Sarine bent down to whisper to him what happened. She felt him tense with a slight form of rage, but he was calmed when she ran her hand over his back again. Doppy smirked with approval at this. She stood up and had Errende stand now to get some blood back into his limbs. She was going to slowly condition him to do this for her, and she didn't want to hurt him. He needed to get used to various things slowly.

"So, what is Errende to you?" Kavach asked.

"He is my slave," Sarine smiled wickedly. Errende blushed at this, but remained silent. Moving to lean against him now, he placed his arms around her, and she played with the leash in her hands. He blushed a touch more at this, and she smiled up at him.

"Your...?" Armeyer blinked.

"Yes. Her slave," Doppy growled. "She has to be dominant at times, or she gets sick. Courtesy of my twins in her belly now."

"She's pregnant again? Already?" Laurell blinked.

"A baby machine?" Timmy joked. At Doppy's glare, he swallowed, and even Errende seemed to scowl at him. Sarine frowned and ran her hands through both Doppy's hair and Errende's hair. She was a bit surprised to find them both calmed. She chuckled, since Doppy's blood gave Errende a bit of his attitude.  _Or it could have been Thanatos's blood giving him the same instincts as Doppy._

"Moron!" Howard grumbled. "I should just send you back to Amatsu and let them work you to the bone!"

"Why not?" Sarine grinned. "I'm sure that the Emperor could find a use for him."

"True," Howard mused. They were very careful not to mention that she was royalty and Markus's adopted daughter. Errende knew, from what they told him earlier, and he had vowed not to tell the secret to help keep her safe.

"Work? Me? Oh, come on, Howie!" Timmy begged.

"Or we could let him be practice material for the monsters between arena hours," Keltin shrugged. Now Timmy was thinking that work wouldn't be too bad.

"Errende? What do you think?" Sarine smiled. He looked at her with a soft smile before looking over at Howard's brother. As he mulled over the idea of Timmy's fate, Sarine noticed that he was much taller than the others present and far more fit.  _His prior Monk training had honed his body perfectly._ She was now quite pleased that he belonged to her.

"Hmm..." Errende thought, as he looked over at Timmy. "Arena fodder would seem best. Considering on what I was told about him."

"Can we find out what the Emperor thinks, first?" Timmy asked.

"How about what I think?" Armeyer asked. "I don't want to be anywhere without him! Where he goes, I want to go!"

"Well, he'd be on the island, if he was in the arena," Howard said.

"Oh! Maybe that would work," Armeyer blinked.

"No! That won't work at all!" Timmy said.

"Please do something with him at least!" Kavach winced. "He's been bitching all day about how bored he gets! The last thing I want to hear is him bitching about how much pain he's in when he gets back!"

"We could make a soundproof room," Howard thought. "or a cell away from the rest of you could be done, too. Maybe both."

"Please?!" Laurell and Blent said together. That made Sarine chuckle, and she nodded for Eremes to talk to Storm Caller. Then she judged the time and announced that Glast Heim awaited. Nodding with a small form of respect to the ones in the guest cells, she pulled Errende's head down to kiss him deeply and lead him away from the others. Doppy noticed that Kavach was a touch jealous. That made him grin.

When they got upstairs to the main room, Sarine told Errende that her father wasn't sure on what to make of Kavach. She explained that, when she kissed him, Kavach felt he was to be with her and not with her at the same time.

"I don't want him to be another slave," Errende said. "I'm the only one!"

"Jealous already?" Keltin grinned.

"I don't think I want another slave, anyways," Sarine said. "One is plenty."

"And who's choice would it be, anyways?" Doppy grumbled.

"My Lady..." Errende said with worry that he spoke out of turn.

"It's fine, Errende. Don't worry. I think you are the only one I could handle," she winked. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Also, my husbands do know that I may be doing far more things with you in public, since there are certain things that I can't do to them. Right?"

"Ah, right," Keltin nodded.

"Oh, right. I won't get jealous. Too much," Howard sighed.

"If it's needed for the twins, it's understandable," Sammy said.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes smiled.

"I'll ignore what happens," Doppy grumbled.

"Speaking of which," Sammy said, as he moved to press a hand to her belly to check them. He frowned, and Doppy immediately asked what was wrong.

"It's odd," Sammy said. "They are growing, but incredibly slowly. I would have thought that she would have felt them moving by now."

"Each pregnancy is different," Sarine sighed and looked at Errende's questioning gaze. "I was pregnant for about two weeks with Howard and Naght's twins. Stress, rage, and fighting made them grow quickly. Any form of negativity made them grow. Doppy's twins just seem to make me sick, if I don't prove to them that I am strong."

"Two weeks?" Errende gaped. "The same twins in the nursery?!"

"They are only about three weeks old now after birth," she smiled.

"Are you serious? They look like they're close to half a year!"

"All Demonic children grow swiftly after birth. It's different when they develop in the womb. Sarine was constantly exhausted. Right now, she's full of my rage and restlessness. She has a few of my other personalities, as well," Doppy said.

"Doppelganger," she growled. He tensed and looked at her.

"Yes?" he asked. Errende felt the difference in her and remained silent.

"I'm...hungry," she blinked, as she forced down the rage.

"I'm on it," Eremes said quickly and moved into the kitchen. Errende suddenly blinked, as she gave a retching cough, and Doppy lifted her quickly to move her into the bedroom. His leash was dropped, and he gathered it up to follow them. He gasped, as he heard her getting sick in the bathroom, and Doppy was frowning. Sammy moved past him to check on Sarine.

"It's the twins. Not the need for dominance. She's still in the adjusting phase," Sammy sighed. "She doesn't throw up any blood or meat that she eats. It's all bile."

"Hmm..." Doppy thought. "Could it be a by-product of the twins?"

"Well, I know that her body removes their wastes naturally. So, it's not that," Sammy said. "It's just the twins being accepted by her body. After another week, she'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

"I have every right to be worried," Doppy growled out. He paused, as Errende walked into the bathroom and sat by Sarine. He ran his hand over her back carefully, and she shivered. There was an odd look in his eyes now. Sammy got quite curious.

"Hmm..." Sammy thought. Then he looked at Doppy. The demon seemed surprised at something, as he gleaned some information. He thought the link was gone in Errende for him to contact the demon within him. _Instead, it was simply weakened to a point that it was almost undetectable. The demon was trying to conserve his strength for something like this._

"Thanatos...is concerned for her," Doppy said. "He's actually reaching out through Errende to try and help with the situation. Apparently, my blood through Sarine is giving him the strength to do this. The blood that Errende got was very weak. My blood charged his up immensely to let this happen. He's been conserving his strength to do this, and I thought I lost the link with him. He simply redirected much of the new power he got elsewhere."

"Really?" Sammy asked. "Much like Ifrit and Naght with Eremes and Howard."

"How is she?" Howard asked, as he walked in.

"Fine. It's the twins adjusting," Sammy said.

"No," Errende said with a rather stern, hollow tone. "It's not just the adjusting."

"What?" Doppy asked.

"She's not eating enough. Right when she said she was hungry, she got sick. If you feed her now, she'll be fine," Errende said. "By the way...I'm Thanatos."

"How do you know about the twins?" Sammy asked.

"She consumed my blood. I can feel what they need, as you can monitor them. This one, Errende, will be important to you. As to how, you will find out in time. With each pregnancy she has, I can tell you exactly what the children will need. I can't see their health, or feel their pain. But, I can tell you what they want before you know. There is another craving she may need, and I know it will be difficult to provide."

"What craving would that be?" Doppy asked.

"Demonic pleasure," Thanatos mused. Doppy growled at this and winced.

"Demonic pleasure?" Sammy frowned.

"Not submissive, but dominant verses dominant. I believe only Doppelganger can do that," Thanatos explained. "Or even Ifrit, though, he's not a true demon. Or, you can get Naght to help. It's not something she will need all the time. Just on occasion. In truth, it's not really a craving. It's just something that I feel is building up in her. She may need help letting it out."

"How does she get this?" Howard asked.

"Think...sex and fighting at the same time," Doppy growled. "I've heard about it, but I've never had to do something like it. I think there's another name for it. I can't recall right now. I really don't like it, if she has to do this."

"Neither do I. There is a chance she won't need it at all. But, if she gets sick like this again, it wouldn't hurt to try," Thanatos nodded, as he gave control back to Errende. Then he blinked and gasped at where he was. When he was about to panic, Doppy rose up his hand to show it was fine.

"What do you remember?" Howard asked.

"I was just thinking of how I could help her, and then I blacked out!" Errende said.

"Thanatos took you over," Doppy said. "He gave us some insight. You are far more important now than the others down below."

"He...took me over?!" Errende blinked.

"You have the mind of Thanatos in you. A direct link to him. The others only have parts of his strength. You are the most important one out of them all. Strength is nice to have, but knowledge? The ability to call on something powerful? That's priceless," Sammy grinned. As Errende sat there stunned, Eremes walked in to hand over a red potion for Sarine to wash her mouth out with. She winced, as she moved, and Doppy was next to her to help her around.

"Ifrit wants to meet Thanatos," Eremes mused. "I don't know if it's possible."

"I wouldn't know how to initiate it!" Errende said.

"Eremes?" Sarine asked with a soft sigh.

"Yes?" Eremes asked, as he moved close to her. She whispered to him, and he stiffened a bit. At her whisper again, he nodded and called Ifrit out. Errende winced at the intense heat wave, and then he gaped at the fiery monster that billowed from Eremes. Ifrit moved to glare at Errende, and their gazes locked. The connection was made and introductions were done. Amused now, Ifrit went back down in Eremes, and Errende gasped with shock. Sarine smiled and sighed before the sound of her belly rumbling broke everyone up into a quick movement.

She was lifted by Doppy and rushed down to the main room. A plate of cubed, raw meat was waiting for her, and she ate gratefully. Errende was given several glasses of juice and water. Alexander flew down from the nursery to make sure she was all right.

"She's fine," Sammy said. "When she needs blood, we'll tell you. She had quite a bit not long ago. We haven't forgotten what you can do."

"I just want to make sure," Alexander nodded before flying back up to the nursery.

"His blood?" Errende blinked.

"It actually nullifies her need for blood for a time," Howard said. "He's good when we are too weak to give it to her."

"I see," Errende nodded.

"Normally, she'd drain us of every last drop," Keltin sighed.

"Why do you talk about me as though I'm not here?!" she asked irritably.

"Sorry," Doppy said with a wince.

"I just..." she growled and sighed. "I'm ready to leave."

"You didn't finish your plate," Sammy frowned.

"I'm not hungry anymore," she muttered. Then she pushed the plate away.

"My Lady," Errende said, as he moved over to her. "why aren't you hungry?"

"I just...I'm not in the mood to eat," she sighed.

"Why?" he asked. She blinked and frowned. Keltin looked over at her and back to Errende.  _He was actually getting more out of her than we were!_

"I don't feel like it," she said.

"But, My Lady, didn't you just get sick from not eating?" Errende asked.

"Well...yeah..." she pouted.

"Would you like me to feed you? You know that, if I do this, your twins won't think you're very strong," Errende said lightly. She blinked at this and started to eat again.

"You...got her to eat..." Doppy said with amazement.

"I can talk to her like this and get away with it. For now, maybe," Errende shrugged. "or she'll do something to me later. She can't hurt any of you. I'm different. Remember? She'll probably get even with me tonight."

"Knowledge. Very important," Sammy chuckled.

"She's eating?" Howard mused.

"Errende got her to eat again," Eremes grinned. Doppy smirked and took the empty plate away from her. As Errende was about to move from her side, she grabbed his leash, yanked his face down to hers, and planted a kiss on him that left him breathless. Then she growled and pulled him upstairs.

"Not leaving yet, I presume," Sammy smiled. They all heard some rather violent movement upstairs, and Doppy got concerned. He went up to check. Two minutes later, he came down laughing like crazy. He was forced to wipe away tears, he was laughing so hard!

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"She got him to slam her against a wall!" he laughed.

"What?!" Howard gaped. Eremes blinked and moved upstairs. When he opened up the bedroom door, it was to find Sarine gasping against Errende's bare chest. There were small scratch marks on his shoulders, and he was still working with her. When he finally released, she clung to him. He was strong enough to brace her against the wall, since she ordered him to be completely wild with her. He was even growling out fiercely, as he finished in her, and it got her to hiss in response to him.

"Are you...all right?" Eremes asked with a bit of shock. Sarine never scratched her husbands up like this. Then he realized why Errende was her slave, and he gave a bit of a relieved sigh.  _She really had to be violent at times._

"Fine," she said, as Errende managed to Heal himself. Eremes realized that she had fed off the scratches in a way, and he moved to sit in a chair. Errende managed to lift her from the wall and headed to the bed with her to have her rest in his lap.

"I'll take whatever punishment you dish out on me," Errende managed to grin.

"We'll see," she smirked and planted a kiss on him before giving him permission to dress. Moving off him, she fixed up her own clothes.

"You need to drink more fluids," Eremes cautioned Errende.

"I will when we get down there," he nodded.

"Is everyone ready to leave?" Sarine asked now that she was calm again.

"In a way. I will let everyone know," Eremes said. She moved over to him, and he hugged her tight. She didn't like what she was doing, but it was instinctive for her.

"Did I...worry anyone?" she frowned.

"No. You did shock Doppy when he looked in, though," Eremes grinned.

"He looked in?! I didn't even notice!" she blinked. Eremes laughed now and kissed her forehead. Errende smiled and gave his leash back over to her. Sighing, she took it up and led him back down.

"You're all right?" Eremes asked him.

"I'm fine," he said.

"I didn't...hurt you?" Sarine frowned.

"No. I'm all right, My Lady," Errende said. She nodded and gave him a tight hug. He realized that she truly wasn't a dominant person in reality. It made her rather endearing to him, and he was glad that he was chosen for this part for her. When they got back downstairs, Howard showed a touch of jealousy, at first, until Eremes whispered to him. Then he swallowed it down and thought.  _I didn't realize that she had scratched him up. It was definitely something to think about, if she needed to start hurting us and couldn't._

"Who is coming with us?" Sarine asked. Windwalker landed outside, and Errende's eyes widened at the sheer size and girth of the Gryphon. Pori-Pori swiftly moved up to her to start bouncing on her head. Eddga rumbled and made his way over to them, since he refused to be left behind wherever they went. Vagabond Wolf ran over next to sit with them, and he panted lightly. Seyren and Karla moved down the stairs to join them with all of the others.

"You should join our Guild!" Coraline said to Errende.

"Your Guild?" he asked. Sarine blinked at this and looked at him.

"Yes," Sarine smiled. "Would you like to join it?"

"I...of course!" he said. Laughing, she recruited him and let him hug her.

"We will need to build up the Guild more, if we want to recruit others," Sarine frowned. "Think we can? Would it be possible?"

"We are going to Glast Heim, right?" Cecil asked.

"Yes, we are," Sarine nodded.

"Shouldn't be too bad," Max smiled.

"I still say we should go to Nifflheim," Lloyd said. "I've been wanting to go there!"

"How about this," Sarine smiled. "After Glast Heim, say, maybe tomorrow or the day after their humanity, we will make the trek to Nifflheim. I promise!"

"I think I would like that," Lloyd grinned.

"I always wanted to try training there," Errende thought. "I almost have my skills up to par with yours."

"You protect her with what skills you have, and I'll work on making money and recognition points for the Guild," Lloyd said. "Team effort. Right?"

"You got it!" Errende grinned. He was amazed at how much of an equal standing he had with the group. It was a bit surprising to him. Doppy lifted up Sarine to place her on Windwalker's back, and Muninn landed on Sarine's shoulders to show he was ready.

"Errende? Come ride with me. I'll have Keltin ride next," Sarine said.

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded, and let Doppy help him onto the Gryphon's back. Sammy leaned over and whispered to Errende. The High Priest blinked, but he nodded. It would be tricky, but he'd do what he could. The large party couldn't go to the Kafra Agent, since she could only take them to towns, so Muninn helped them get to Glast Heim.


	66. Chapter 66

They all stood outside of the ruins, and Errende kept his arms around Sarine the whole time. Right before they walked in, a small dragon-type monster ran up to them. It was green, had an odd whip-like antenna that grew from its head, and stubby legs. Its tail was short and straight, as it bobbed up and down. Keltin recognized it as a Petite, and the dragon glowed before being sent off. There was another flying Petite that was found in Naght's tower that was blue. Muninn flew up to hover over them, and Pori-Pori now moved off her head to start clearing a path. Sarine frowned, as she wanted to help fight, and Errende had to keep her on Windwalker's back. Eddga and Vagabond Wolf flanked Windwalker protectively. Keltin was leading the others to where Zealotus was, and the monsters were swarming over them around every turn.

"I need to help them!" she hissed.

"My Lady, they're fine. You need to stay here with me," Errende said.

"And what do you plan to do to keep me here?" she growled. Pausing now, he kissed her and forced her close. Normally he shouldn't be doing this, but he had to keep her safe. She was pregnant, and he didn't want her to come to harm. Sammy asked him to do this specifically, and he had readily agreed.

"Feed off me, My Lady," he whispered in her ear, and she gasped. "Punish me..."

"Punish...you?" she blinked and seemed to frown. "Why would I do that?"

"Well...I'm telling you what to do!" he said.

"I might...hurt you..." she winced.

"I like it," he said with a bit of a low growl.

"You...like the pain?" she said.

"You could say that," he grinned. She blushed a bit, and he leaned down to kiss her now. He pulled her close and groaned, as she yanked on his leash to pull him closer.

"Keep it down!" Howard scowled, as he walked by Windwalker.

"He's jealous," Errende smiled.

"He's always jealous," she smiled back.

"What do you want to do?" he asked.

"Let's piss him off," she growled and moved her hands under his High Priest tunic to start marking up his shoulders. He gave a sharp gasp, and he cried out when she bit down on his neck. Then she blinked, as she actually drew blood. She never drew blood on her husbands. Her dominant streak took over, and she had him pull her shorts down, as well as his pants, so she could sit on him while she fed. He gave out a voiceless cry, as he released hard inside her. She drew away with the shocking realization of what she just did. He Healed himself, and they dressed quickly. He found her trembling afterwards, and he held her to comfort her.

"I'm fine," he soothed.

"I know...but...I never bit...and drew blood...before..." she whimpered. Windwalker stopped to peer under its wing and croon. Lowering its wings down, Sammy came over to them quickly to find out what was wrong.

"What happened?" he asked. He was in his child form to avoid suspicion for now. It took Errende a moment to realize that he was talking to Sammy.

"She bit me and drew blood," Errende said.

"She did what?!" Doppy blinked with surprise, as he looked over.

"That's...she never did that before!" Howard gaped.

"Are you all right?" Keltin asked.

"I'm fine. She's...upset about it," Errende said.

"It's new to her..." Eremes said. Karla frowned and got an idea. At a glance to her husband, he nodded and braced himself for banters. What she did next caught him off guard.

"Wow...!" Seyren blinked and got pinched by Karla. "Do that again!"

"Pervert!" Karla frowned. "I knew you liked the pain! Should Luna kick you?"

"No!" Seyren said, as Luna gave a glare at him. Sarine started to giggle, and Errende blinked. Then he realized what was going on, and he smiled.

"Maybe we should set him on fire?" Kathryne grinned.

"I'm fine!" Seyren said.

"Hmm. Maybe he needs a sword poked through his armor. I could do that," Garrett mused. "Or, maybe Cecil could use an arrow or two..."

"Oh, don't get in on it!" Seyren groaned, and Cecil acted as though she was starting to get out her arrows as Garrett suggested. When Seyren glared at her, she giggled and waved at him. At another giggle from Sarine, they kept at it.

"Do I have to slow down the monsters, Seyren? Are they too fast for you?" Margaretha asked with concern. "You know, you could stand to lose a bit of weight."

"I'm perfectly healthy!" Seyren said.

"Just don't stand in front of me! I don't need to smell what you ate," Howard said. That made Seyren glower, and Sarine started giggling even more. At that sound, they started moving again, and Keltin pointed to where they needed to go.

"We need to get into the prison area of this place. It's near the back of the ruins. After this, we could explore all the other areas, if you want to," Keltin said.

"We should find Dark Lord before exploring," Sarine said.

"True," Sammy nodded. He lead them to an area that appeared to be a small tower in front of various pathways behind it. Nodding to everyone, he led them into the tower. A Sage Worm was quickly recruited, and its long body glowed with power. The human-like old face seemed to chuckle before it vanished, and Errende blinked. He never saw how the monsters were recruited before. Sarine explained to him what normally happened, and she told him how Valkyrie was assisting them from Valhalla.

A jester on a multi-colored ball bounced over to them, and Keltin said it was a Carat. The monster glowed and handed Sarine an ice cream cone and a hat before vanishing. Smiling now, she started to eat the ice cream, and Howard used his skill of Identify to figure out what the hat was. Putting the tri-colored, jingling belled Joker Jester hat on her head made her blush, and everyone laughed. She looked really cute with it on. Then she thought and put on her Elf Ears. That made her men glare with lust. She wisely took them off to put away to keep them focused.

"Sarine, could I have that hat?" Donnie asked. "As a Clown, it would make the most sense. I'm sure we'll find another."

"Oh! That's fine!" Sarine smiled.

"I just found one..." Eremes said. The spare hat was now given to Donnie. The look definitely suited him. They continued to move on, and they paused, as a monster resembling the Owl Duke came over to them. It was actually a more powerful version of the monster and wearing a red cloak instead of a purple one.

"Owl Baron," Keltin chuckled, and the monster glowed before vanishing. A floating frame with a strange, ghostly face and reaching arms moved over to them, and it glowed before moving to travel with them. Recognized as a Dark Frame, they moved on. Sarine watched silently, as an Alice monster moved swiftly to her side.

"You're the Vessel of Odin, right? I'm an Alice, and it's also my name," she said. The little robotic maid with long, black hair curtsied for her, and Sarine smiled to pull her hair back to reveal the Mark of Odin. Errende blinked at this. He had never seen the tattoo before. It seemed to call to him, and he gasped, as his collar glowed. An exact replica of the tattoo now framed the front of his collar where the leash loop was, as though it was engraved with its own golden brand. Dark Frame moved in front of Errende to let him see what happened in a reflection off of its glass.

"Wow!" Keltin said with surprise.

"That was unexpected," Sammy blinked.

"I guess it's official," Howard grinned.

"I'll kill anyone that objects!" Doppy growled.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"Truly mine now?" Sarine smiled, as her hair flipped back into place neatly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Errende said with pure happiness.

"What would you do, if Zealotus wants to use him?" Doppy asked.

"I won't let her. He's mine," Sarine growled. "As are the rest of you. I won't let her touch anyone that is meant to be with me."

"Possessive much?" Seyren laughed.

"I could let Zealotus do things to you," Karla grinned. That made Seyren stammer, and everyone burst into laughter.

"Sarine, could you sing for us? This silence is...awful," Eremes frowned.

"Hmm..." she thought. "I could probably sing that song I did in Louyang. I doubt it could hurt my pregnancy now."

"Do it!" Doppy grinned. She grinned back and started to sing softly to let the rage build. Donnie provided the music, and Errende was in shock. This was the first time he heard her sing. Even Thanatos was caught by surprise, as he listened through Errende. When her song was done, Alice moved to speak. With the way she looked at Sarine, it seemed important.

"Um, Vessel of Odin, would it be possible for me to ask something of you?" she asked, as she swept some dirt away from them while they walked.

"Of course," Sarine nodded.

"I was made in a place called Kiel Robot Factory. It's a place for robots, as you can see. Um...I have a feeling that you will need to go there soon. You can reach it from Yuno. I can lead you there," she said.

"Really? Keltin?" Sarine looked at the Champion Bongun, and he thought.

"We gained two allies in Naght's tower that are from there. The robot monsters Aliza and Aliot were recruited. We will definitely need to go there to recruit the robot monster, Alicel, and the powerful monster, Kiel D-01. So, we will need to get there. When do you think we should go?" Keltin asked. At the mention of the strong monster, Howard blinked. For some strange reason, he felt like he had a kinship with that monster. He'd have to find out more when they finally decided to go and get to the factory.

"Maybe the day after you become human. I promised Lloyd that we would go to Nifflheim tomorrow or the day after they turn human. I think tomorrow would be best, though," Sarine said. "It would be good to get Lord of Death."

"Yes, you did promise," Lloyd winked. She smiled, and Errende whispered to her. She blinked in thought and kissed his cheek with appreciation.

"Lloyd, Errende brought it to my attention that the monsters can swarm incredibly fast there. Do you have problems moving through them?" she asked.

"At times, I can," he admitted.

"Hmm...we need to get a set of upgraded shoes. I can let you borrow Eddga's card, and that will give you the ability to constantly Endure," she grinned.

"Oh! That will definitely help me!" Lloyd said with surprise. Margaretha beamed with appreciation at this. Several sets of shoes would be worked on when they got back to the island home. Karla made a mental note to purchase any highly upgraded shoes she found in town. Eddga rumbled and seemed to nod.

"Oh, that reminds me, did anyone generate any cards again? Or is it still a one-time thing?" Sarine asked. As they checked themselves, no cards were found. Alice did blink and hand over her card to Sarine. She was thanked, and she moved to sweep around them again.

"We could find our darker selves in the Biological Laboratory," Kathryne thought. "But, that means we would have to kill everything else, too."

"Well, as much as it pains me to admit it, we may have to go back there. At least to the first level. There may be a few monsters that need to be recruited," Sarine frowned, as she remembered the strange Gemini monster.

"True," Keltin nodded. Eremes and Howard didn't like that, but they knew it would need to be done. Doppy and Sammy were curious on what the place looked like. They saw the visions, but they wanted to see for themselves.

"I don't want to find myself Berserking there," Howard frowned. "The memories there...are very painful."

"How-How," Sarine said and reached for him. He moved into her embrace gratefully, and she kissed him lovingly. Errende was at a loss for words. He knew what they were talking about. Sammy became his adult form to help remove her stress, and she nodded. Looking back to Alice, she smiled with a form of understanding.

"We will get to the factory in time," Sammy said. "Let's focus on Zealotus for right now and get her recruited. Okay?"

"Okay!" Sarine nodded, and Howard kissed her again before moving to help Pori-Pori clear a path. Mitchell trained, as they pressed forward, and he finally started to make improvements on his skills. Kathryne wanted him to transcend as quickly as possible to catch up to where they were at. Doppy looked over at Sarine now and grinned, as he started to sing for her. She blinked at this and blushed softly. Errende's jaw dropped that Doppy held such a pure voice for a demon, and even Thanatos was impressed by it. When he finished singing, Sarine grinned wickedly and started singing a song about lust and desire. That made her husbands stammer, and Errende's jaw dropped again. The others started laughing, as they made their way to the dungeon section of the building easily.

Then she shocked Errende by flipping around neatly in his lap and she started to hiss out her singing in his ears. It made him start to tense up and growl in response. At the end of the song, she yanked him down by his collar and kissed him. That made Seyren glower with a touch of envy, and Howard pouted.

"Gotta love the dominance," Doppy smirked.

"Totally!" Keltin laughed.

"It's...addictive..." Eremes grinned lightly.

"Hmm. I'm a bit glad I'm not a slave," Sammy chuckled.

"Stop pouting, How-How! I don't think you'd last as a slave," Sarine giggled at him. "Besides, I can't bring myself to hurt you."

"I know," Howard sighed. "I just...well..."

"How-How," she frowned and gestured for him to sit with her on Windwalker's back. Errende scooted back a bit to make room for her to sit between them, and the Gryphon's wings went up to give her some privacy.

"I know you have to do things to him for Doppy's twins," Howard said softly. "I just...I'm curious now."

"How-How, you're my husband. I can't bring myself to hurt you, or even see you hurt! Just thinking about it..." she trembled, and he pulled her close to hug her tight.

"My Lady, do you need me to walk alongside you?" Errende asked.

"No. You're fine where you are. In fact, I think I have an idea on what to do later," Sarine smiled. She pulled them both close and whispered. Howard started to grin, and Errende began to get excited.

"Tonight?" Howard asked. At her nod, Howard felt relieved.  _She was going to try and show me what it was like._ Errende would be done first so that Howard could see what she would truly do to a slave.

"We have reached the dungeon! Get ready!" Keltin said. Alice seemed to blink, as she finally glowed with power, and was sent back to the island home with Dark Frame. Howard kissed Sarine quickly and moved off of Windwalker's back to help protect her. Errende helped cast his buffing skills with Lloyd and Margaretha over everyone, and they admitted that an extra High Priest helped. Even Keltin was able to cast Bless and Agility when he needed to in his Champion form.

Muninn started to Assault any Zombie Skeleton or Zombie Prisoner that got too close to them, and Eddga used his Stunning attack to help make swift work of them. Vagabond Wolf and Pori-Pori tag-teamed anything that got too close to Windwalker now. Hunter Flies were dispatched quickly, and Sarine blinked, as a naked man with pale white hair approached them. His eyes were solid red, and he even had two red lines going down his face. He had spikes coming out from each side of his legs, and there were spikes that went through his gloved arms. A set of spikes even came out of his shoulders. Iron anklets were over his feet, and leather straps wrapped around his chest and shoulders. He was clearly a slave of sorts from the collar he wore, and Sarine instinctively judged that he was for Zealotus. She blinked with a touch of curiosity, but she was happy with Errende and wouldn't trade him with anything else.

"That's an Injustice. Wow. And he's an undead type," Keltin blinked. The undead man said nothing, as he took his place at her side, but he did glow to appear even more muscular and well-built than the others. Sarine caught herself smiling with appreciation at him. Errende seemed to growl, but Sarine shook her head at him. That made him sigh with relief, and she tugged on his leash to pull him close. Resting against him now with her back against his chest, it was all he needed to know that he was the only slave she would ever need. She played with his leash again, and he chuckled, as he let her do as she would with him.

"It's very rare for slaves to be jealous of others slaves," Doppy mused. "I'm actually impressed. Hmm..."

"What is it?" Sarine asked.

"I'm thinking about Kavach. I'll need to ask Thanatos a few things later," Doppy mused. Errende looked over at him with a frown, but Sarine reached up to massage her hands through his hair, and he focused on her again. Placing his arms around her waist now, it made her smile slightly, and she snuggled into him more.

Keltin started to lead them to another dungeon area below, and they paused at the massive, overly-muscular male human-like monster in front of them. His body was jolting with electricity from the electrical nodes coming out of his back, and he wore a hockey-type mask to cover his face. He wielded a set of sharp pliers, and he would send electrifying jolts through it. Another masked, male monster walked over to them. He tossed a sickle around in one hand and carried a butcher knife in the other. His mask seemed to be a purple hood and looked like a part of his face, too. They both looked at the improved Injustice and then to Sarine.

Grinning wickedly, she simply nodded, as they both glowed with power.

"Our Mistress is this way," the muscular monster said.

"He's a Phendark. The other is called a Rybio," Keltin said.

"Good. I need to speak with her," Sarine said, as her dominant side rose with challenge. She did smile warmly at Keltin for his information on the monsters to show that he was heard and appreciated. Garrett looked over at her now with surprise, and she winked at him with a touch of seduction. Cecil snickered, and Kathryne giggled.

"Don't know what you're missing," Sammy mused to Garrett, and the Paladin simply blinked. Seyren seemed to pout, but Karla winked at him. Phendark nodded, and his form seemed swifter, as the air crackled with stronger bouts of electricity now. Any others that came over to them were dispatched. When they approached Zealotus, the female demi-human monster blinked with surprise at the change in the minions.

Zealotus was a beautiful, female monster with long, white hair and pointed ears. She wore a red mask that covered half of her face, and her outfit neatly exposed, as well as covered, to reveal a dramatic cleavage. Her shapely legs were outfitted in high-heeled boots, and she cracked her whip expertly. One side of the outfit was purple, and the other was red. The fabric seemed to criss-cross at her waist to give a bit of a dramatic look. Seyren was pinched by Karla to keep from staring at her for too long.

"What happened to you?!" she demanded, as she saw her minions.

"I happened," Sarine said demurely, as she reclined in Errende's arms. "You have a problem with that?"

"Yes, I do!" Zealotus snapped. "They are mine!"

"Well, I'm the Vessel of Odin, and you can be like them, if you help me," Sarine smiled. That made Zealotus blink with surprise.

"You can make me stronger?"

"Very much so. But, only if you help me," Sarine nodded.

"Hmm. I'll help you, if you can show me you know how to handle a man," Zealotus smirked. Then she blinked, as Sarine moved off of Windwalker's back smoothly with Errende being led with his leash.

"I have five husbands. And this is my slave. I know how to handle my men," Sarine said in a drawling tone of voice. "My appetite is far greater than yours."

"Oh..." Zealotus said, as she was caught off guard. She clearly wasn't expecting that. "Okay, then. Change of plans. Whip your slave!"

"Hmm. He hasn't been exposed to the whip yet. He's still quite new to his status," Sarine frowned in thought. "I am still training him."

"Ha! If he's a slave, he should accept it readily! Injustice! Let's show them how the pros do it, eh?" Zealotus boasted. The naked monster nodded and moved to kneel in front of her. He started growling, as she whipped him frantically, and Seyren couldn't tear his eyes off it. Errende seemed to curl back his lip, as though to accept the challenge. Sarine turned to pull down his head to whisper to him.

"I...truly don't want to hurt you too much," Sarine admitted.

"My Lady, I'll be fine," he assured her. "Do what you must with me. I insist."

"Beat that! And you call yourself a Dominatrix?! That outfit is silly!" Zealotus grinned. Injustice gasped after the hard beating. Sarine watched Injustice recover, and she actually felt a touch bad for the slave.  _He didn't appear to enjoy it._  But, as she thought about what she was told about an outfit, she paused. Sarine thought, as she was wearing her Sniper gears, and called for Storm Caller. Zealotus gaped at the strong Strouf, and Sarine asked him to bring her the pack from the western cave, as well as her other pack with her gown from the bedroom. He nodded and did just that within moments. Muninn landed not far off to glare at Zealotus, and the female monster wondered why she felt outclassed by a falcon.

When Storm Caller returned with the items, she thanked him, and he vanished. Moving behind Windwalker, the massive Gryphon shielded her, as she changed. When she appeared in her golden gown and stunning setup, Errende's mouth dropped. Thanatos even seemed a touch surprised, as the image was relayed to him. Then she glared at Zealotus, as the female monster had her jaw dropped as well.

"I think I will need to get some form of leather later on," Sarine mused to herself. Then she moved over to Errende and ordered him to undress down to the black silk briefs. She gestured for him to kneel before her and to face away from her to expose his back. At a glance of how his body build was, several of the girls whispered with amazement. Keltin now realized that Errende could easily handle the training, if he survived this. He had seen him nude in the bedroom, but he didn't really study how his muscles were developed. He could tell that Errende was truly trying to be a Monk before he became a Priest now.

"He should be naked!" Zealotus said.

"I don't expose my slave to anyone but me!" Sarine snarled out. "He. Is. Mine."

"Oh. Fine, then," Zealotus frowned, as she was put in her place.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy whispered. She looked over at him in question, and he moved to whisper to her. She blinked and frowned.

"Who is he to you?" Zealotus asked.

"He's Doppelganger from Geffen Tower and one of my husbands. I'm pregnant with his children," Sarine said lightly. That made Zealotus blink.

"Touch her, I kill you!" Doppy snarled out viciously in his protective mode. Then Zealotus noticed that Howard and Eremes were also strong monsters. Then she noticed Sammy and gaped at the sight of the ancient Samurai ghost that leered at her. When she saw Keltin, she blinked at how closely he resembled a Bongun.

"My slave has the blood of Thanatos in his veins. I am also mated to Ifrit and Naght Seiger. As you can see...I handle my men...very, very well..." Sarine grinned.

"What?!" Zealotus said with disbelief. Howard was able to let Naght Seiger come forth through him, as Eremes brought out Ifrit. Both powerful creatures glared evilly at the female monster before fading away. The intense heat wave brought by Ifrit made everyone nervous at first until the heat dissipated.

"Do you really need me to whip my slave? Or can you just join me now, and we can move on?" Sarine growled with impatience.

"I need to see how well you can handle a slave. I don't doubt your ability with men now, but I may be able to see if you need help with a whip. If he's new, then you can't show any form of hesitation," Zealotus explained. Doppy blinked and realized that Zealotus was slowly becoming a teacher of sorts. The female monster was incredibly impressed with Sarine and now realized her new role.

"Fine. Prepare yourself, Errende!" Sarine snarled out. At his nod to show he was ready, the Queen's Whip was brought out, and Zealotus grinned. At the first crack of the whip, Errende blinked and winced, as it lashed over his back. Zealotus explained how to hold the whip and showed with her Injustice. Karla was paying close attention in her own way. When the lesson was over, Errende could barely stand, but he survived it.

"You learn quickly! I am very pleased. If you work with your slave later, let me know. I'll show you more that you can do with him," Zealotus smiled with a nod.

Keltin and Sammy Healed him, and a Yggdrasil Berry was given to him to help his strength. Nodding his thanks, Sarine had him dress. Then Zealotus and her minions were sent to the island home after the female monster glowed with power.

"Errende!" Sarine gasped, and he hugged her tightly.

"I'm fine! I'm okay!" he assured her.

"You don't have to do this..." she said again, as she trembled.

"I want to do this!" he said. "Don't worry so much about me!"

"But, I have to worry about you!" she said.

"But you don't," he said gently now, as he ran his hands over her back. "You really don't have to worry. I told you before that this was what I wanted. I don't regret anything, and I'm not going to let you hold back on me tonight, either."

"But..." she whimpered.

"It's fine..." he whispered and kissed her softly. "It's all right."

"Wow. He...really does want this," Lloyd asked with amazement.

"Yes, he does," Sammy nodded. "She worries for him, as she does with us."

"He put up with all of that for her, and he still wants to continue with this," Howard frowned. "He has more balls than I do! Damn it!"

"Well, we know he has more balls than you do," Doppy smirked. That made Eremes crack a grin, and Howard sighed and chuckled with Keltin. Sammy laughed quietly, as well, and Sarine blushed a little.

"What's this about?" Seyren asked.

"Eh...he gained a rather specific part of Thanatos from Lighthalzen..." Doppy grinned, as he explained. That made Sarine blush a bit more, and a rumble of envy went through a few of the men, as the girls giggled and blushed.

"I'm not letting him show it off, either!" Sarine managed to snap out with a touch of flustered embarrassment. "No need for it!"

"Oh, please," Seyren said. "Can't be that impressive."

"Ugh," Sarine frowned, took up Errende's leash, and gestured for Seyren to follow behind Windwalker. After a minute of scuffling heard, Seyren walked back over to the others and cleared his throat.

"I take it back. I'm sorry I doubted you, Errende," Seyren said.

"Apology accepted," Errende nodded with a rather smug smile. Garrett blinked at Seyren, and the Lord Knight just shook his head quickly.  _I'm not about to go into details!_

"Well, now that that's settled, we need to find Dark Lord," Sarine said.

"Right," Keltin said, as he chuckled at Seyren.

"Okay, now I have to know!" Garrett frowned.

"Garrett," Sarine said, as she faced him. "the ONLY way I will let him show you is if you let me show you how I dominate. If you don't want that, don't ask."

"Do it!" Cecil said. "You always said you wanted more of a thrill!"

"Cecil!" Garrett hissed.

"It does do wonders," Karla snickered. Garrett groaned and shook his head. Seyren had to smirk now, and he shook his head.

"Fine! But, don't dominate me in front of Seyren!" Garrett said.

"Come along, then," Sarine nodded and led Errende behind Windwalker again with Garrett following. More scuffling was heard, and Garrett swore violently. After another minute, he walked away from Windwalker.

"I can't believe I agreed to it..." Garrett groaned, as he moved back over to Cecil.

"So..." Cecil started, and he whispered to her. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes went wide. He gave a small shrug and a sheepish smile. Sarine led Errende back to the others, and the High Priest had that same smug smile on his face.

"You deserve it," Doppy grinned. "Besides, you told us before that you never held a position that you were important. Right?"

"True," Errende nodded.

"Besides, I'm not jealous. You match me in size," Doppy snickered. That made Seyren roll his eyes, and Garrett just winced.

"Enough!" Sarine said. She started to get flustered. "Let's go find Dark Lord!"

"Yes. Let's do that," Keltin agreed. Howard was still grinning, and Eremes Cloaked to keep his own wide grin from showing. Sammy was chuckling, as he shook his head, and Errende went back up on Windwalker's back with Sarine. Coraline was a touch flustered, as Max watched with amusement, and Garrett was now regretting his decision. Cecil just seemed to be grinning, as she notched her arrows, and Donnie started whistling softly. Kathryne gave a glance to Mitchell, and he grinned at her with a touch of embarrassment. Lloyd and Margaretha seemed to chuckle to each other.

"Tomorrow night, you're all mine, husband," Karla muttered softly.

"I know, wife," Seyren muttered back. On Windwalker's back, Sarine had Errende in a kiss of hot lust and passion. She rewarded him for what he did for her with Zealotus, and she let him use her as he saw fit before helping her dress back into her Sniper gears. They were so quiet about it that no one knew what happened until they got back outside to the main part of Glast Heim. Howard noticed how quiet they were on Windwalker's back and moved over to them.

"How is she?" Howard asked, and then he went speechless to find her clothes changed already. Errende gave a touch of a smug smile, and she shrugged, as she leaned back into his embrace. He ran his hands over her arms lightly.

"He kept showing it off. Can you blame me?" she blushed.

"Damn it..." Howard grumbled, and Doppy howled with laughter. She gestured for him to come back up on Windwalker's back, and Errende scooted back once again.

"Take your time, Keltin!" Sarine called out.

"Sure!" Keltin grinned, and Sammy started laughing. Seyren blinked and heard Eremes laughing softly, as he scouted ahead with Vagabond Wolf. Pori-Pori jumped up to bounce on the Gryphon's head, as Muninn scouted from above. Eddga kept a sharp eye out for anything he needed to Stun. When Keltin led them to the main part of Glast Heim, he announced they had to get into the graveyard of the old Church building.

Howard was recovering from the pleasuring Sarine gave him, and she was feeding off him now. Errende was no better, since she fed off him first. He was able to Heal both himself and Howard when she was done, and she gave back the knife to Howard. She couldn't draw blood with her bite like she could to Errende.

"Feel better, How-How?" she asked, as she fixed up her clothes.

"Yes," he smiled and hugged her tight.

"And you still want to try being a slave?" Errende mused.

"Have to try things at least once, right?" Howard asked.

"True," Errende nodded. "Just brace yourself for various things."

"I know," Howard said. "I love you, Sarine."

"I love you, too, How-How," she smiled, and he kissed her deeply before moving to help the others fight off whatever they encountered. When she looked over at Errende, he seemed to be smiling softly in thought.

"What would you do..." he said gently, as he moved close to her to pull her against him. "if I said...that I loved you?"

"Well..." Sarine smiled with a soft blush. "I would need to show you how much I loved you back. It would only be fair."

"Really?" Errende smiled.

"Yes, really."

"How far would you go...if I said I loved you a lot?"

"Hmm..." she thought and grinned a bit wickedly. "That depends on how much strength you have left. And how quiet you can be."

"Oh?" he asked before gasping, as her mouth moved over his throat now and downwards. When she found what she sought, she ran her teeth over him, and he clenched his jaw shut, as he released. Then she did it again. Then again. It got to a point that he had to finally lay back on Windwalker's back, as she worked on him endlessly. When it got more painful and pleasuring at once, she stopped, and he grimaced. In a way, he was relieved and felt deprived at the same time.

"Later...for tonight..." she smiled. He just lay there stunned at what she did to him. She fixed up his pants and moved to recline on him. He couldn't speak. He didn't want to think. In many ways, he wanted to drift off to sleep, but he knew he was on a Gryphon's back. He forced himself to sit up with her. He was still trembling all over from the pleasure he got, and he gasped sharply from a touch of the pain within it.

"Tonight...you say?" he whispered, as he got his voice back.

"Yes. What I gave you is just a taste of what you will truly feel," she smiled.

"I didn't even imagine that it could be like that," he admitted.

"Of course not," she winked. "Are you thirsty at all?"

"In a way, I am," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"Well..." she glanced down at her tunic, and he saw the wet spots appearing. Growling a bit now, he moved to pull down her zipper, freed a breast, and started nursing. When he finished one off, he moved to the other to drink down everything that she offered him. She ran her hands through his hair, as he pulled away and helped her fix up her top. Leaning into her now, he rested his head against her shoulder.

"I never want to leave your side," Errende whispered. "I belong to you. I'm yours. My body. My soul. My mind. Everything I have to give you. It's all yours."

"Errende..." she breathed and kissed him deeply now before whispering in his ear. "I love you."

"My Lady..." he whimpered softly, as she kissed him again. "I love you."

"Was this what you expected in your first twenty-four hours of meeting me and being a slave?" she asked with a soft blush.

"I...honestly thought that Misty was going to be ruining my life," he admitted.

"If that bitch shows her face, I'll slaughter her!" she seethed.

"My Lady!" Errende blinked with surprise. Then she winced and held her belly. Doppy had winced the moment she did, and he moved to Windwalker's side quickly to find out what happened. Sammy was there next to evaluate her. Errende told them what just happened, and Doppy frowned in thought.

"She threatened to cause harm to another, and then she hurt?" Doppy asked.

"Yes," Errende said. Sammy had his hand over her belly, and he blinked.

"I feel movement!" Sammy said.

"What?!" Doppy gaped and felt for himself.  _The twins had a growth spurt._

"They're moving?" Howard said, as he moved to them now.

"Yes!" Doppy said with a form of fatherly pride.

"Errende..." Sarine sighed and reached for his hand to feel her belly so he wouldn't feel out of place. He blinked at the feel of a kick, and he felt his mind reeling with a new form of protection for her.

"But, now we need to find out why she had the growth spurt," Sammy thought. Keltin and Eremes were at her side now to check on the twins for themselves.

"It was when she said she wanted to actually hurt someone. Which means that she can't fight anyone," Doppy said. Errende gasped when Thanatos took over, and he placed his hand on her belly again to evaluate her even more.

"She's also starving. She needs more raw meat. Now!" Thanatos said.

"Right!" Keltin said, and Kathryne helped him look through their packs to start preparing some. Pieces of meat were taken out and quickly prepped into small cubes.

"Thanatos?" Sammy asked.

"Hmm?" he responded.

"Do you know why they grew?" Sammy asked.

"Like Doppelganger said. It's one thing if she's dominant. It's another if she wants to deliberately cause harm. If that bitch shows up, don't let her be confronted by Sarine. Ever. Got it? Have another take care of the problem," Thanatos growled. "The moment she draws blood without dominance or lust, the twins will grow. That's really the only thing I can sense."

"All right, then," Howard said. Seyren blinked, and Howard told them the true purpose of Errende to the Lighthalzen group. Everyone was stunned to find out that he was the direct link to Thanatos. It caught them all by surprise.

"Make sure to feed her some normal food. Blood and raw meat is always for the twins, but she needs more, too. Her body needs to process other foods," Thanatos said.

"Of course," Sammy said. "Get her fluids, too."

"Wonderful. Two doctors now," Sarine sighed. That made both Thanatos and Sammy chuckle. Only after she started eating did Thanatos give control back to Errende.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Thanatos again," Howard smiled.

"Again? Ugh..." Errende grimaced. "My Lady, are you all right?"

"I'm all right," she smiled, and he nodded. She moved to recline on him as she ate, and everyone took this moment to keep the small space free of monsters before heading into the cemetery, itself. Once her hunger was fully sated, and everyone had a chance to feel the twins in her belly, they were ready to move again.

"Nothing is touching you!" Doppy snarled out. He was in complete protective mode now, as were the other monsters with them.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes growled out. All of her husbands were in overprotective mode, and Errende was no exception, either. Windwalker moved with a far more defensive stance, and Muninn assaulted anything that moved. The circle of her friends and loved ones seemed a lot tighter now, but she managed to move off of Windwalker's back when Dark Lord was confronted. She always had to confront the monsters when she was able.

"My Lady!" Errende blinked, and her hand rose up to stop him. A sharp whimper came from her as her tattoo burned, and Huginn came forth to speak.

"Dark Lord! Hear me now! It is time for you to join our cause!" Huginn called out. The massive demon turned swiftly, as he was caught off guard, and now he seemed amused. He floated over, as the shadow-like cloak billowed out from him and retracted back inwards. The skulls on his shoulders had glowing red sockets in tune with his own. He looked like he was covered in glowing runes and pieces of bone. A sick evil was leaking from him, especially from the circular pentagram that moved under him while he moved, but Huginn ignored it.  _He was much weaker now than he used to be long ago._ His power was just a shadow of what it used to be, but it still made the others a touch nervous. He tried to bring out his minions of lesser Dark Illusion monsters, but Huginn's power interrupted him. Scowling slightly at this, he decided to see exactly what they wanted.

"You seek to recruit me? Why?" the demon snickered

"Because our Lord Odin wills it!" Huginn growled out.

"On what basis? Why should I bend my will to him?" Dark Lord asked.

"Maybe because, if you don't, the war that will come will simply destroy you," Huginn countered. This made Dark Lord chuckle.

"Maybe it's what I want to happen?"

"Then you're a weak fool."

"You would dare to speak to me as such?!"

"Such as you would speak about our Lord Odin in such a way. Why not? Even Baphomet understands the situation! As well as Naght Seiger and Ifrit! Stormy Knight has joined our cause, as well as Moonlight Flower! Eddga is here, and even the fabled Pori-Pori is here to vouch for us! Both Valkyries from Valhalla and the fields of our Lord Odin's sacred temple have a hand in this, as well!"

"Bah! You speak lies!" Dark Lord hissed. Then Eddga moved over to rumble with rage. Pori-Pori scooted forward and seemed to growl, as though daring him to say something. Howard moved over to let his form mist out with Eremes. Doppelganger moved forward now to show who he was. Then the others from Lighthalzen, save Errende, stepped forward to reveal the strong monsters they were. After that, Thanatos took over Errende to make him step forward to show who he was with a sharp glare. Then Howard and Eremes called out the stronger demons within them. They were not pleased at all.

"IDIOT...!" Naght Seiger howled with rage, as he billowed out from Howard.

"You will burn!" Ifrit hissed from Eremes. The heat wave was enough to fully convince Dark Lord of the threat that lay ahead.

"Fine! I believe you!" Dark Lord snarled. "What would be needed from me?!"

"You are far too evil to have a separate form. Therefore, you will have the ability to come and go from here to the island home where an arena is. Baphomet, Fallen Bishop Hibram, and Beelzebub can do this, too. Even Naght Seiger when he needs to come fully from his tower is able to see to the island. You can also choose to fight challengers there to keep up your strength until the war happens," Huginn said.

"Hmm...and humans willingly fight knowing they could die?" Dark Lord asked now that he was clearly amused.

"Constantly. And they throw their money away, too," Huginn smirked. "So, if you think about it, they pay us to help them die faster."

"Fine. I'll do it. Just don't expect me to play nice to the challengers!"

"Hah! As if I want you to!" Huginn grinned. "Over half of them are dumb enough to challenge the Vessel of Odin!"

"I see," Dark Lord mused. "Very well. When does this take place?"

"Right now," Huginn nodded.

"Good. I'll see what I can do," Dark Lord grounded out before vanishing to check out the island. Then Huginn turned to the others.

"Now that he has agreed to our Lord Odin's contract, he cannot do any harm to any of us. Tomorrow, Nifflheim will be found, but make sure everyone is well equipped for travel. Storm Caller may have to bring the twins in the nursery to and from the island for nursing. Only he has the ability to do this. If he does, make a small camp. It will help. Errende Ebecee! I have news for you!" Huginn said.

"Oh?" he said, as Thanatos gave control back over.

"Your parents are alive and well. But, they have no further children. You are their only one. They are living in the town of Rachel. Approach them with caution, if you decide to confront them," Huginn warned. "They will try to bully you again. I would suggest you have your new family with you."

"I was planning on it," he nodded. Eremes narrowed his eyes, but would not leave without Sarine with him. He knew it would upset her, and this was Errende's family. It was up to him, too. When Huginn went back down in Sarine, she fainted, and Doppy was there to catch her and cradle her. When Errende panicked, Doppy stopped him from getting close with a small, protective growl and a harsh glare.

"Don't worry! It's something that always happens with her," Keltin said quickly to Errende. "It can't be helped. She'll come around in a moment."

"All right," Errende nodded.

"Sorry. I'm just...yeah..." Doppy grumbled.

"I don't blame you," Errende said. Doppy nodded, impressed that he understood, and he looked over when Howard and Eremes walked towards them.

"Do we still need to explore this place?" Howard asked.

"I don't think so," Keltin said. "There is the armory, but we already recruited the monsters called Raydric and the Raydric Archer. They're hollowed armors that move by themselves. It's a fun place to run through, but we can come back later for it."

When Sarine stirred, Eremes asked her what she wanted to do.

"I think we can head home," she smiled. "A good number of the monsters here were already recruited from Naght's tower, right?"

"Yes," Keltin nodded.

"Let's go home, then. We can come back here at another time to explore," Sarine smiled. Doppy lifted her to cradle her, and Errende handed her his leash. Laughing a bit, she sighed and pulled him close to unclip it, but he stopped her.

"Not yet," he said. "Not until tonight."

"Oh?" she blinked. Doppy was a touch surprised, as well.

"It's what I want," he said.

"All right. I'll honor it," she nodded. Howard was a bit amused by it, and Eremes chuckled. Sammy got everyone together to move through Lloyd's portal quickly. Muninn landed in Sarine's arms, as she went through with Doppy back to the island home first. Everyone else followed shortly after.


	67. Chapter 67

It was still daytime when they got back, and everyone dispersed to do what they wanted. When Doppy asked what Sarine wanted to do, she said the arena. She checked on the twins first before deciding to change into her gown. After that, she was soon seen leading her husbands and Errende to the arena balcony. A small red velvet and gold stool was set up for Errende to sit on at Sarine's feet. She was quite amused at this. Bottles of water and juice were set up now, and pieces of ice that never melted called Ice Cubic filled a large bowl to keep the fluids chilled.

She sat back against Doppy's chest and had one of her bared feet on Errende's back. She held his leash in her hands and seemed to be enjoying herself while she lounged against Doppy. Several challengers saw the new slave and gaped. Then she blinked, as she saw Misty in the line of challengers. She gave the girl a rather cold smile, and she whispered to Doppy. He let out a snarl and muttered to the others.

"If she challenges any of us, I'll kill her personally!" Doppy growled. Pori-Pori moved to sit in front of Sarine, and that made them all snicker. Errende wasn't saying anything or looking around. He had his eyes closed with the sensation of Sarine's foot on his back. He was clearly enjoying it.

"Good to see you!" Zealotus said, as she walked up to the balcony with her minions. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Good to see you, too. Tell me, Zealotus," Sarine smiled. "do you see the Assassin girl in the challenger line?"

"Her? What about her?" she asked. Sarine gestured to her and whispered softly. That made Zealotus think, and she grinned.

"What do you think we should do?" Sarine asked.

"Let's put on a show! After the next fight," she suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Sarine grinned. "If you find Succubus, Incubus, Medusa, and Isis, we can easily put on a decent show."

"Really? I'll look for them!" Zealotus said and had her minions help search.

"Errende," Sarine said, and he now turned to gaze at her. "Still have your leathers on? If you do, leave your High Priest clothes here. We are going to put on a show."

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded, and she knew that Misty was watching him now. She even saw the girl gape at what Errende was wearing under the heavy cloth and loose pants. Now that the next fight was over, she had Doppy come with her, and they headed down to the arena floor. Once there, she started to sing, and the other monsters quickly headed over to her. The crowd roared with approval, as she used Errende like a living pole. Doppy provided her with back up singing, and Howard was laughing up in the balcony.

The dance was perfectly choreographed, as though it was practiced for weeks. Zealotus cracked her whip in time with the music when it turned lusty. Succubus and Incubus gave Sarine backup vocals and danced with her. Isis performed elaborate twists along her own body to the music. Medusa was letting her snakes move over her body to tease the crowds. Her husbands came down from the balcony to be her backup dancers, and Coraline ran down to help. Donnie had found some of his Bard Guild mates, and a tune was quickly improvised to go with their song and dance. Dancers from Coraline's Dancer Guild ran down from where they were resting and quickly took up more of the dancing.

The crowd roared with delight, as Sarine used and lightly abused Errende in her dance. Another song was started, and Doppy sang with her lightly to shock the crowd with his voice. Howard expected a wind storm to start up, but he realized that it was when they focused on building up the song that it happened.  _If it was singing for fun, then everything was fine._  When the surprise show was over, she had everyone bow, and new songs with dances were quickly being discussed and planned out.

She moved back up to the balcony with her men to rest and relax.

"That was fun," Doppy snickered.

"I needed it," Sarine smiled. Errende was still in shock at what he did, but he was grinning. Sammy decided to have a set of pants made for dancing with. Eremes and Keltin had enjoyed themselves immensely. Howard was reclining with her and Doppy on the loveseat, and Sarine had her foot on Errende's back again.

"Um, excuse me?" the Kafra Agent said, as she approached. "But, the Vessel of Odin is being challenged."

"Oh? By who?" Sarine asked. She felt Errende stiffen. They all knew who it was. Doppy gave out a sharp snarl.

"An Assassin girl by the name of Misty," the Kafra Agent said.

"I am pregnant. I cannot accept the challenge. My Father, Odin, has commanded it. She may challenge my husband, Doppy, instead," Sarine said sweetly.

"She did say that she will accept no other and will not leave until her challenge is met," the Kafra Agent frowned. Eremes looked over at Sarine, and she nodded.

"I'll handle her myself! If she paid a fee, return it! Her money is dirty here!" Eremes growled. The Kafra Agent paused with a bit of surprise, but she nodded readily. Even she knew that a pregnant woman should never be challenged. On returning Misty's money to her, the Assassin girl was surprised. But, at the sight of Eremes descending the stairs, Misty gaped with shock. She glanced over at Errende, and now she noticed the leash and collar at his neck. She went still with complete rage.  _He was a slave now?!_  She seemed to stiffen at the poisonous glare he gave her, too. She looked over when Eremes moved closer, and she pouted.

"I'm not challenging you! I'm challenging the one that stole my man!" Misty said. "I'm not fighting you!"

"The Vessel of Odin is pregnant and cannot fight. Her father, Odin, will not let her. So, you will fight me. And she did not steal 'your man'. He made it quite clear to you that you were...not...wanted. We witnessed this, too. Besides, he chose to be at her side this way. We don't mind it at all. Now. Are you going to fight me? Or are you going to back off like the coward you truly are?" Eremes growled out, as he let his form mist over and pour out to show exactly what he was. He heard the others snickering in the balcony now, and he smirked.

"Ah!" she gasped and saw he was an exceptionally strong monster.  _One of the strongest known._ "Fine! I'll fight you! If I win, I get to fight her!"

"Then I'll make sure you don't win..." Eremes vowed and looked up at Dracula to nod. Sarine watched her husband from the balcony when he Cloaked. Misty Cloaked as well, but he knew where she was in his monster form. Sammy's bracelet would help him when he was human.

As a stronger monster, he instinctively Detected her. The next thing seen was him Berserking, a Poison Bottle drunk down, and her form appearing out of nothing, as he used his skill of Sonic Blow on her several times. Sarine gave a pleasing sound, as it bubbled up in her throat. Errende tensed at the sound, and so did Doppy and Howard. Her dominant side clearly approved of the fight.

"I'm...not done...yet..." Misty said, as she tried to rise. Then Ifrit came out to play, and he finished her off with an Earthquake skill and a Meteor spell. Lloyd was there to Resurrect her, and she was sent to the loser's circle.

"I should fight more often..." Eremes grinned and accepted a kiss from Sarine, as he made his way to his seat by her. "I'll always kill her off for free..."

"All of us will," Doppy smirked. "I say we kill her whenever she shows her ugly face."

"Let's all take her out together!" Howard grinned ruefully.

"I'm all for it," Keltin nodded.

"I wouldn't mind that. It would vent some stress," Sammy chuckled.

"True," she smiled. "Just don't fight each other."

"Of course not," Eremes smiled, and he told them what Misty said about Errende.

"She actually called me 'her man'? What a bitch!" Errende growled.

"Yes. But, I'll fight her again, if she tries anything," Eremes said.

"I'm glad you didn't put your dick in her," Doppy snickered.

"Ew! She might have made it rot off with how spoiled rotten she is!" Errende said. That made laughter erupt from them all. Sarine was then given some food and drink, which she gladly accepted, and had the others eat and drink with her. She blinked when Dark Lord showed up to accept a few challenges, and he clearly had a lot of fun killing off each one. That made her smile, and she grinned even more when Zealotus was called out to fight.

The dominating female monster whipped the male Sniper into submission, since she was now gifted with being incredibly swift and far more agile in battle. The Sniper couldn't even touch her. When he was defeated on the ground, she strutted out of the arena and was called out again by another challenger. The same thing happened to this one, and she started to enjoy herself. Her outfit was a touch more revealing for her bust and rear to be a bit more exposed. That was what made even more male challengers eagerly call her out to fight. She was clearly having a blast of it.

"A hit with the guys," Doppy grinned.

"I wouldn't have doubted it," Sarine smiled. Howard was lightly napping, and she wasn't about to disturb him. Doppy ran his hand over her belly and smiled gently at the feel of his twins moving for him. He pulled her into a loving kiss and moved so she could recline a bit more on him. Errende moved back into her foot a bit more, and she chuckled.

"Errende," Doppy said.

"Yes?" he asked.

"You know you're free to do what you want on the island, right?" Doppy asked.

"I do. But, I want to stay with My Lady," he smiled. "I'm not going to leave her side, unless she needs something."

"Do you need to shower or anything else?" Sarine asked. "You can do that and come back when you're done."

"I'm fine, My Lady. Thank you, though. Is there anything I can get you?" Errende asked. She thought and called over Eremes and Sammy.

"Can you teach him how to massage me?" she asked. That made them chuckle, and they began to teach Errende exactly that. Howard was woken up to move, and Doppy did the same to give them more room. Howard decided to stick around and watch to see how it was done. Then she started laughing, as they all started to work on her.

"So, you massage here first?" Howard asked, as he took her arm.

"No. Here first," Sammy said, as he moved over her leg.

"What about here?" Errende asked when he moved to her foot.

"Stop tickling me!" Sarine laughed.

"You all have it wrong!" Eremes chuckled, as he started to enjoy himself.

"There's only one spot you need to massage," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"Ah, true. But, that requires a specialized massage tool. Right?" Keltin snickered.

"Oh, you guys!" Sarine grumbled. The she let out a cute squeak when the red curtains were drawn closed for each of them to take a turn with her. After a good thirty minutes, she was sitting in Errende's lap, and she had marked him up with her teeth and nails. Keltin Healed him, and the curtains were pulled back afterwards.

"She never tires of us," Keltin chuckled.

"Like hell I will!" she smirked. "I will never give up any of my men."

"Insatiable, eh?" Sammy chuckled. She leaned over and ran her hand over his jaw to prove a point, and he shivered. Then she winked at him. Now he wanted her again, and he moved to lift her up and carry her back to the house, but Doppy stopped him.

"Doppy?" Sarine blinked.

"I'll close the curtains again," Doppy grinned. Sammy chuckled, as she gave out a small gasp. Once the curtains were closed, they each took her with renewed vigor. This time she was clearly exhausted when the curtains were drawn back, and the sun was getting low in the sky. Deciding it was time to check on the nursery, she gathered up Errende's leash and led the others to the house. When she got there, Naght looked relieved. He was just about to send for her. He handed her Serenity to nurse right away.

"Oh, my," she frowned, and Howard moved to have her sit in his lap.

"Naght! My twins are finally moving," Doppy grinned. The demon purred and moved to check for himself. At their kicking, he chuckled.

"Be aware of an Assassin girl. She's unpleasant and wants Sarine's slave for herself. She tried to challenge Sarine once already," Eremes said. "I fought her and defeated her, but she may try again."

"I...will...crush...her...!" Naght hissed, and a touch of flame shot from his mouth. Sarine smiled lovingly at him, and Eremes moved to approach Alexander to tell him. The male Valkyrie snarled and nodded. The Amatsu Captain was informed next, and he narrowed his eyes with a vow that would ensure the nursery would be protected. After the alarm was given, Alexander thought and he looked at Errende with a purpose.

"Do you plan to stay as a High Priest?" Alexander asked.

"Oh! Well, I can't really become a Monk now. I'm here as I am," Errende shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"You'll need this, then," Alexander said, as he gave over a specialized Holy mace known as a Nemesis. Errende's mouth dropped.

"Th-thanks!" he blinked.

"Give this to Garrett," Alexander said and gave over a shield called Sacred Mission. Eremes took it and moved down the stairs to give it to him. A shout of surprise was given, and Sarine blushed. The Paladin moved into the nursery now to personally thank Alexander, and the male Valkyrie nodded. Howard and Sammy moved in front of Sarine to shield her. They didn't want her seen while she was nursing.

"This is going to help me out. Thank you," Garrett said.

"You'll need it," Alexander said. "Especially for tomorrow. Nifflheim is not an easy place to go to. If I had a card, I would give it over to you, too. I do worry about you, Vessel of Odin. I'll do everything I can to make sure you're safe."

"Oh. Well, you don't have to worry, Alexander. I have quite a few looking out for me now," Sarine smiled. "My children need your protection here."

"You should be careful when traveling far south of Morroc. The land is slowly becoming dead there, and there are others of my curse that may be appearing soon in that area. It will also herald the start of the war, if you aren't careful," Alexander said.

"What?" Eremes frowned. "Morroc? How?"

"It will be soon. My curse is gone...but I can still feel it. The call to know when the war will be is approaching. Not for...some time still. But it's there. Morroc is where it will start," Alexander said. "Then it will spread like a poison."

"Sarine..." Eremes said with a touch of worry. "I may need to contact my old mentor. He may have some answers."

"We can. Likely when you all turn human to avoid suspicion? Or after so he knows what happened to you?" she asked.

"It will be a difficult situation..." Eremes sighed. "I just...maybe as a monster so he can see what was done to me. I feel like how you did when you were ready to meet your adoptive father. In many ways, he was mine."

"You won't be alone," she said, and he hugged her carefully. She was still nursing Serenity, and he didn't want to disturb the nursing infant. "Maybe, if we still have time after Nifflheim tomorrow? Or you could see about sending a message to him now? There is still some time tonight."

"He hasn't heard from me in over five years," he frowned.

"But, will he still come to you, if you ask?" she smiled.

"It's possible. He may not get here until tomorrow. Well...I don't know," he admitted. "I'll send out a message now and see what happens."

"All right. I'm almost done nursing," she said, as she gave Serenity to Howard to burp. She started to feed Siegfried the moment he was given to her. Eremes smiled and kissed her gently before heading out to send his message to his mentor.

"I'll help keep an eye out, as well, and find out what I can from Prontera when I head back next time," Garrett said. He nodded to Sarine and the others before heading down the stairs.

"A war?" Errende frowned.

"This is only what we know. We are not only gathering together monsters to become human again, but to also help fight against a coming war," Howard said. "We don't know when it is, but that it's getting close. It likely won't be here until Huginn and Muninn are born again and grown. There is much that will need to be done."

"Born again?" Errende asked.

"Eremes and I are to create physical bodies for Huginn and Muninn. It's a prophecy told by Valkyrie," Sarine explained. "He is to be with me last. From what I know, that is, since I will be having four children from him. It...will be a rather interesting pregnancy."

"Four? Wow," Errende blinked. "So, Howard and Naght had twins, and now Doppy is having twins. Is it twins for all but Eremes?"

"That's what we know!" Howard grinned. He winced when Serenity reached up and tugged on his hair. "Ouch! You're strong!"

At her giggle, he blinked and now realized that she understood him. Then he started to tickle her, and she laughed even more. Now in full father mode, he started to play with her, and Sarine gave a motherly smile. When Siegfried was done nursing, Doppy went ahead and took him to burp him. Errende blinked, as Keltin walked in to play with the children, and he realized that the children knew exactly who they were. When Serenity looked over at Errende, she paused, as she sniffed him. Then she sniffed her mother and blinked. Looking at Errende again, she reached for him with a small whimper.

"You want to see him?" Sarine smiled, and Serenity giggled with confirmation.

"This is new," Howard chuckled and gestured for Errende.

"Oh!" the High Priest blinked and moved to hold the small girl. Then he yelped when she bit him on the fleshy part of his hand by his thumb. When he looked where she bit, there was a small bead of blood there, and she put her mouth on it, as though teething on him. She made a cute sound when she did it, and he found himself shaking his head with a form of wonder.

"Serenity?!" Sarine frowned. "Biting? Teeth already?"

"No. Just sharp gums, I think," Doppy mused.

"She drew blood!" Errende said. Then he blinked, and so did Howard.

"She...took blood from you?!" Howard said with shock.

"To make you..." Sarine blushed now. "But...why?"

"She probably smelled his blood in you and didn't know why it wasn't in her," Doppy mused again. Then he chuckled when Siegfried seemed to reach for the small wound to get a taste of blood. On looking at Sarine, she could only nod to Errende. Once the sample was given, the twins looked at each other, and then back to Errende. They watched him Heal his hand, and now they both reached for him. With a puzzled look, he took them up and held them. Within seconds, they fell asleep on him, and everyone went silent with shock.

"What did you do?!" Bacsojin asked. "I've been trying to get them to sleep for the past hour! Was there something in your blood?"

"Oh. I have always been able to do this with children. It's a bit natural with me. Well...would this mean I'm a part of them, too?" Errende asked.

"Since they took your blood, then, yes. They see you as a father figure," Doppy smiled. "And I see you as someone who can easily help with all of our children with this talent you have of yours. Demonic children are hard to soothe, as it is. What you just did proves to me that you can easily help in here, if they throw fits. If I give you any nasty looks from now on, know that I don't mean it."

Errende felt elated now. Sammy walked in to check on the twins, and they told him what happened. He blinked with surprise.

"Really?" Sammy smiled. "And he can put them to sleep, too? What a unique set of talents you have, Errende!"

"I...thank you..." Errende blinked. "I just...this is new to me! I'm so used to being told what to do...pushed around...told I was worthless...I just..."

"Like I told you before," Sarine smiled. "your life is going to be completely different now. You have a place at my side, regardless of where it is at."

He took a deep breath of gratitude and looked up to nod to Eremes.

"You got them to sleep? And...I smell your blood in them?" Eremes asked, a touch surprised. Sammy told him what happened, and Keltin confirmed it. Now that they were sleeping, they were carefully moved off of him and into their crib.

"Did you send off the message?" Howard asked.

"Yes. And I got a response. He will be here within the hour," Eremes said. "With some others that I knew before."

"Really?" Sarine smiled. "Shall I stay in my gown?"

"You can. It won't matter, since I won't let anyone touch you," he smiled. She blushed, and Eremes pulled her close to kiss deeply before releasing her to head downstairs. Sarine gestured to Errende, and he came over to her.

"I'm going to remove your leash for now. I don't know how his old mentor will react. I will put it back on you when we are ready for tonight. Okay?" Sarine said.

"I understand, My Lady," he nodded. She removed his leash, and he took it from her to hold onto. Following her closely, Howard nodded his approval at the decision, as did Keltin. Sammy helped them get to the porch, and a plate of raw meat was brought out for her. Seyren was seated in the main room, and Eremes told him who was coming. The house was a flurry of activity now to keep it tidy and presentable.

"Oh...it's the Payon house he's coming to," Eremes smiled.

"Then let's go there," Sarine giggled.

"Another house?" Errende asked.

"It's the original house Keltin lived in when he was alive long ago, and he gave it to me when he found the deed. We found this place soon after for the monsters to live on. Any monster can go to the Payon house and back, they just can't roam like they can here unless they are with me," Sarine said. Errende nodded with a form of understanding, and he blinked when they went to the Payon home. He glanced at Justice, as he bounced over with Pori-Pori happily.

"Who are you?" Justice asked Errende. Pori-Pori chirred and hummed in their language to tell him, and the Arch-Angeling nodded. Then he bounced out the door to check on the rest of the house. Errende was given complete permission to explore as he wished, since he had never been to Payon before, but he only toured the house. When the time came for the meeting to happen, Errende moved to the porch to sit by Sarine's feet.

"You should sit in a chair," she frowned.

"I'm fine," he smiled.

"Here..." Eremes said and tossed him a cushion. Nodding that he would use it, Errende got up again to bring out some refreshments. Sarine thanked him and told him that she appreciated what he did for her.

"There is no need to thank me, My Lady," he smiled. "I do this because I want to."

"It's good to say all the same," she smiled. He sat at her feet again on the cushion, and her other husbands and friends sat around on the porch now. Then she blinked at the tall man that approached them. Others seemed to appear out of thin air, and she looked over with a small smile. Eremes moved down from the porch and clasped hands with his old mentor and old friends after so long. He seemed a touch relieved to see them.

"It is good to see you again..." Eremes said.

"Likewise!" his old mentor said with a hearty and wise tone.

"Sarine!" Eremes called. She stood up now and a few of his older friends blinked at her beauty. Doppy watched them all carefully, but made no sudden moves.

"Yes, love?" she said, and he put an arm around her.

"This is my wife," Eremes said with a smile.

"Your...wife?" one of the men asked with amusement.

"Yes. His wife," she said with small smile. "Eremes is one of my husbands."

"One of...what?" his old mentor asked with a touch of surprise.

"It's a long story...but she is the Vessel of Odin. Her father is Odin, himself," Eremes said lightly. "There are...five of us...as her husbands. And she does have a slave...but he is a more of a need for her at this time..."

"Are you joking?" the only woman in the group asked. Sarine frowned, and she turned to show them the Mark of Odin on the back of her neck as proof. For some odd reason, Eremes's old mentor actually put a hand over his heart in a form of silent tribute. He wasn't sure why he did that, but it went unnoticed by the others. When he coughed to clear his throat, it seemed to show that she still wasn't believed of her status. Eremes frowned at this. Doppy suddenly moved over to her with Keltin, Howard, Sammy, and Errende.

"My name is Keltin. Originally, I'm a Bongun. Valkyrie, herself, enhanced me to become a human Champion," Keltin said. "I am her first husband."

"My name is Howard Alt-Eisen. I'm a Whitesmith and a traveling companion to Eremes. I'm her second husband," Howard said.

"I'm Doppelganger. The same Doppelganger from the tower of Geffen and enhanced by Valkyrie and Odin. I have a dark counterpart of me taking my place in the tower so I can be with her. I'm her fourth husband," Doppy grumbled out.

"I am Incantation Samurai. I also have a dark counterpart taking my place. Valkyrie enhanced me, as well, and I'm her fifth husband," Sammy said, as his ancient ghost billowed out.

"My name is Errende Ebecee. I'm her slave, and I chose to be in this situation," Errende nodded. Eremes gave a touch of a soft smile, as his old mentor and friends were now speechless.

"Oh, and...Howard and I...as well as a few others here...were put through the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory experiments. We were...injected...with various strains of Demonic blood. I have the blood of Ifrit..." Eremes said slowly.

"I have the blood of Naght Seiger," Howard said.

"I was given the blood of Thanatos," Errende said.

"Demon blood?! I...oh..." his mentor said. Then he gaped when Howard and Eremes let their forms mist out to show what they truly were.

"We are working on becoming human again. On occasion, Odin allows us to be human for a whole day. That day will be here again after tomorrow. I had questions...about a possible war that is approaching...and...I heard that Morroc was the key to it..." Eremes said.

"Well, you are not incorrect on your knowledge. But, as to what happened to you! Ifrit? Are you sure?" his mentor asked. Sarine nodded to him when he looked at her, and Eremes let Ifrit come forth. The heat wave took his old comrades by complete surprise, and Howard blinked when Naght decided to come out of the house with the use of the portal to prove a point.

"Naght?" Sarine smiled, and the demon scooped her up to cuddle her. Then he glared at the others with a touch of hatred. Once again, the others were speechless.

"How are the twins?" Howard asked him.

"Fine...and...sleeping..." Naght said.

"Twins?" the old mentor mused.

"Yes. She gave birth to twins from Howard and Naght Seiger recently. She is...pregnant again...with Doppelganger's twins. I will be giving her children last...since she will be bearing four of them from me..." Eremes said with a touch of pride. "It was foretold by Valkyrie..."

"You're insane!" one of his old friends said.

"Maybe...maybe not. What else is there to tell?" Eremes shrugged.

"I thought you would have been better about this," another man said.

"It is what I wanted," Eremes said. Naght set Sarine down and glared again at the small group. Then he gave a hard glare at another that was clearly well hidden. He remained with them, and his swords were out to show he meant business, if anything happened. Pori-Pori came out and bounced over to Sarine to get snuggled.

"A Poring?" the man said, as he finally came out of hiding. If he was discovered, then there was no point in remaining in the shadows.

"Um...no..." Eremes said, but the warning was too late. Pori-Pori scooted out of Sarine's hands and slammed the man through the fence. The impact was so hard that the man was sent through a set of trees just beyond it. After Pori-Pori set an example out of the man, he went back to Sarine to bounce happily at her feet with a beam of pride.

"Say hello to Pori-Pori," Sammy winked.

"What?!" the man blinked, as his comrades helped him out of the tree he landed in.

"He said a lot of good things about you," Sarine said softly to his old mentor. "I, myself, did not have a good start to life."

"Really? Care to elaborate?" the old mentor said.

_:I show!:_  Muninn said, as he flew down. She smiled and nodded.

"Muninn..." Eremes nodded.

"Muninn?!" the first comrade said.

"Yes. The falcon is Muninn. He's also her brother. Huginn resides in her mind," Eremes nodded. They all stared in a slight form of surprise, as Muninn looked at a tree and allowed the visions to come forth. As they watched, Eremes led Sarine back to the porch. Errende started to bring her food and drink, and he brought some out to the others, if they needed it. After an hour, Muninn flew over to her to perch on her chair, and there was a deep discussion going on by the tree. Eremes stayed by Sarine's side, and his old mentor approached them.

"Eremes..." he finally said. "it's...it's good to know you still live after all of this. A same comment to your lovely wife. Since we are brought up to date about you and your lives, we are ready to answer your questions."

"Thank you," Eremes nodded.

"I would like to speak with him," Storm Caller said, as he came out of the house. His old mentor gaped at the sight of the powerful Strouf and shook his head. _There was a lot that I wasn't expecting._ At a gesture to step inside, the two of them started to talk at length. Slowly, Eremes's older comrades came over to mingle with the others.

"Four other husbands and a slave? Come on, Eremes!" one of the men said. Sarine was now able to fully see how many there were. With three men and one woman present, she studied them. They pretty much wore all black, but it was their hair that set them apart. One man had long, black hair, much like Eremes, but it was straight. Another had his brown hair cropped short. The third one wore his dark brown hair in a braid down his back. The woman had her brown hair put up in a bun. Unlike the usual garbs worn for Assassins or Assassin Crosses, they wore all black clothing. It showed they were trainers of high ranks.

"And what would you do to be close to the girl that stole your heart?" Eremes frowned. "It was my decision...Shadow..."

"Still..." the man with long, black hair responded. "Doesn't it get crowded?"

"No. We have a very...methodical way with her. It's...natural, really," Eremes said. "She was my last mission...and still is my mission, in a sense. Especially with the prophecy I need to do. On top of that, I love her. I am not leaving her side."

"Really?" the short-haired man asked.

"Yes, Slade. Such is how it is..." Eremes said.

"And Ifrit lives in you?" the girl asked.

"No. His blood courses through mine. He is simply linked to me...Tatya..." Eremes said. "Would you like to speak to him?"

"No! Once was enough," Tatya said.

"Eremes," Sarine said. She suddenly started to feel off, and she needed some space. She was getting to a point that she was feeling restless.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I think I'm going to go inside," Sarine said.

"Is something wrong?" he asked with concern. At her worried smile, he nodded. Then the world got dizzy, and she gave a retching cough. Doppy scooped her up swiftly and moved her upstairs at break-neck speed to get her to the bathroom. He made it just in time, as she vomited. Doppy swore, and Sammy was in the room with Errende. Eremes was in next with Howard and Keltin, and they filtered around her now.

"What happened?!" Eremes demanded, as he came into the bathroom.

"She got sick! That's what happened," Doppy growled.

"Come here, love," Sammy said. Sarine sighed and moved into his embrace so he could evaluate her. Then he looked up and pointed at someone in the corner. "What do you want? I'm still a stronger monster, and I see you."

"Oh..." the man said, as he Uncloaked. Sarine was given a potion to rinse out her mouth with, and Eremes moved to talk to Shadow.

"What are you doing in my bedroom?" Eremes frowned.

"We wanted to know why she got sick," Shadow said.

"You could have asked when we got back out there," Howard glowered.

"He needs to leave," Errende said, as Thanatos took over. "He will stress her out."

"Of course, Thanatos," Eremes nodded.

"Thanatos?" Shadow asked.

"Yes," Thanatos growled. "Like Howard and Eremes, I'm linked to this one. When one more comes out of the shadows, I will be set free to assist the Vessel of Odin in full like Naght Seiger. What of it? You have a problem with it?"

"No! Of course not," Shadow said.

"Then get out of here!" Thanatos snarled. Doppy started to grin. He liked the demon already. Naght entered the room shortly after and glowered at the strong Assassin Cross. Hissing a warning, Shadow nodded and left. Then Naght looked towards the toilet, and Sammy said that she needed to be dominant in order to get through the next hour or two.

"I'll let Errende handle that. You all wait downstairs," Thanatos said. Doppy nodded and moved the others out. Errende was given control again, and he moved to Sarine's side. He still blacked out when Thanatos took him over, and he looked at her.

"I have to be dominant, it seems," Sarine sighed. Then she blinked, as he gave her his leash, and she blushed slightly. Clipping it back on him, she yanked him towards her and started to tell him what she wanted him to do. For the next twenty minutes he pleasured her, as she used him. She bit into his skin to feed at the very end, and he had her pressed up against a wall in the process. When she took as much as she dared, he Healed himself and gasped, as she pleasured him now. This time, she let him feel the pleasure and pain he had started to crave. For another ten minutes, he was flat on his back on the bedroom floor savoring everything she gave him.

After that, she rested against him, as he shivered and trembled. He cried out sharply when her hand moved over his chest. Gasping from the sensations she gave him just by doing that innocent movement made her give a sultry purr of satisfaction.

"My...My Lady..." he breathed.

"Hmm?" she smiled and moved to pinch one of his nipples hard. It made him cry out again, as his body tensed. "This is how your body will feel after each time with me. I will not expect any less. And don't worry if you feel the sensations long after we leave this room. It's expected. I'm sure you will learn to tolerate them and crave more."

"Yes...My Lady..." he gasped and groaned out, as her hand moved to work him again, and she forced him to experience the pleasure without releasing.

"Remember. I'll have to whip you later. So, I'll likely be bringing you to this point again before doing so. I'm sure it will help maximize your true experience. What do you think?" she purred out.

"I...I..." he gasped and cried out, as her mouth worked on him again. He released painfully, and his body felt like it was on fire now. He couldn't get enough of the sensation at all. When she finally rose up, he trembled when she caressed him gently.

"Can you move?" she asked softly.

"N...not yet...My Lady..." he sighed.

"I'll rest with you until you are ready," she said. He could only give a tired nod.

"Thank you...My Lady..." he said.

"I love you."

"I...love you, too..."

"You will need to endure this, you know," she smiled.

"I know...My Lady..."

"And...you will need to endure this, too," she grinned wickedly and moved to bite down hard on his neck. He cried out with surprise, as his body racked with the painful pleasure again. She didn't break the skin, but it was enough to leave him gasping from it. His body was completely tense now, and he simply relished everything she was doing to him. After letting him rest for ten minutes, she gestured that it was time to move. He nodded and winced, as he forced his muscles to work with him. He moaned, as she ran her hands over his chest and back to gently massage him, and he took several deep breaths before managing to rise off the floor.

She helped him dress, and she dressed herself afterwards. Then she giggled, as she helped lead him down the stairs. When Eremes looked over at her with relief, his jaw dropped at the sight of Errende. She helped ease him into a chair, and she crossed her arms over her chest with a look of smug pride.

"What did you do to him?" Howard asked.

"Ten times what I normally do to the lot of you," she grinned wickedly. That made Doppy pause and stare.

"You were truly going easy on us!" Sammy said, as he gaped.

"I can't do certain things to you that I can do to him," Sarine shrugged.

"Wow..." Seyren blinked when he saw Errende. The High Priest gave a small nod and winced at the sensations he felt from just that. Sarine moved over to him and rested her hand gently on his shoulder. At a gasp from that small gesture, Keltin blinked.

"You broke him," Doppy grinned.

"No. I made him feel exactly what he wanted," she smiled.

"It's...true..." Errende nodded.

"Anyways, Eremes, what is going on with your mentor?" Sarine asked.

"Ah. He's still talking to Storm Caller. The others are outside," Eremes said.

"Good. How much light is outside?" she asked.

"Another three hours of it, at least," Howard said. Nodding, as she made a mental note, she leaned forward and softly whispered to Errende. He let out a soft gasp and blinked. Smiling now, she whispered again, and he tensed.

"Sarine?" Sammy asked.

"Hmm?" she smiled with a bit of a purr to her tone. "Oh. He's just...feeling the pleasure again. He's slowly being conditioned."

"I see," Sammy said.

"I'm all right..." Errende said with a smile. "I'll get better at handling it. This first time was just...a lot to take in. I'll be fine."

"If you say so," Howard frowned. Then Errende gasped when Sarine ran her hand through his hair, and she smiled.

"He needs fluids, though," she chuckled and blinked, as she was approached by Bacsojin. The message was given that her twins needed her at the island home. Getting up to check on them now, Sammy moved over to Errende to make sure he was fully all right. Waving him away, he sat up with a wince.

"What exactly did she do to you?" Howard asked with surprise.

"Do you really want to know?" Errende frowned, as he accepted the water given to him. "Take all of the pleasure she could have possibly given you up to now and magnify it by twenty. That's likely, maybe, as close as it gets. Maybe more."

"What?!" Keltin gaped.

"I mean...I know how it felt when it was pleasure and a little pain. But...I mean...okay. I'm going to kick myself later, but she has to do it to me," Howard sighed.

"You're an idiot," Doppy smirked.

"Yes. I am an idiot," Howard grinned. Eremes just shook his head and got Errende more water. Bacsojin reappeared before them from the island home, and she stated that both Howard and Errende were needed.

"I'm heading there now!" Errende said and forced himself up to move to her side.

"You are in no condition to move!" Sammy frowned.

"My Lady called for me. I am going to her," Errende growled. "Don't stop me."

"Tomorrow morning, I'll start your training. Whether you can move or not," Keltin said.

"That's if My Lady has need of me or not," Errende said. He was recovering quickly, as it was, and it surprised Doppy. Once Errende and Howard went to the island home, Doppy went into thought. He was getting more and more impressed by the slave.

"What is it?" Keltin asked.

"He's...literally the perfect slave for her," Doppy mused. "He's taking to everything much faster than normal. On top of that, he had some Monk training, so he knows how to instinctively focus his strengths without realizing it."

"Really?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. He is, technically, more Monk than Priest. I wonder if it's possible for him to become a Monk class instead of a Priest class," Doppy thought.

"I can ask Muninn," Sammy said. At Doppy's nod, Muninn was called for, and the situation was explained to him.

_:I see. Interesting. I ask.:_ Muninn said and rose up his head in silent communion. When he looked at them, he ruffled his feathers.

"What did you find out?" Keltin asked.

_:Is possible. But. Be reborn. Again. His choice.:_  Muninn said.

"So, he'd be transcended again, but from scratch. Hmm," Keltin thought. Then he got up to head to the nursery at the island home. He smiled at the sight of Sarine feeding Siegfried. Howard was playing with Serenity when she wanted attention. He walked over to Errende and leaned close to whisper to him.

"What? Did you really ask Muninn?" Errende blinked.

"Ask Muninn about what?" Sarine asked.

"If Errende could become a Champion. It is possible. However, he would need to be reborn through another transcendence," Keltin said.

"Now that I think about it...I don't think I want to," Errende said.

"Why not?" Howard asked.

"Well...I would be away from My Lady for too long. I can't risk doing that," Errende frowned. Sarine gave Siegfried to Keltin to burp, and she moved over to Errende now to pull him close to hug.

"I think you are fine as you are," she said with complete honesty. "There was a reason you didn't pass the Monk trials. You should accept the training that Keltin will give you, since they are Monk-like, but not true Monk skills. What do you think?"

"I think that can work," Errende smiled.

"I know it will," she smiled and kissed him gently. When the twins started to get fussy, they were handed to Errende. Once in his arms, they fell asleep.

"You have something that they call a 'magic touch' with fussy kids," Howard chuckled, as he helped move them to the crib. "It's a pretty rare skill."

"Glad I can help!" Errende chuckled a bit nervously. Sarine smiled and gasped, as the twins in her started to kick her when they got more active. Doppy was now walking into the room, since he felt her pains from Payon, and he moved to her side. Sammy was soon there with Eremes to find out what happened.

"Just overly active now," Sammy smiled. "Nothing else."

"My Lady, may I try something?" Errende asked.

"Of course," she said, as she winced from another sharp kick. Errende placed his hands on her belly. Within seconds, the developing twins settled down to be completely calm. She blinked at this, and Doppy was gaping.

"You just calmed down a set of nearly pure Demonic twins?! As they were still developing?!" Doppy said with disbelief. "If anyone calls you worthless, I'll run them through and decapitate them! I swear it!"

"Oh...well..." Errende flustered.

"And when does this skill wear off on children?" Eremes asked.

"Normally when they reach their early teens," Errende smiled. "I'm not sure about Demonic children, though. We'll have to see."

"I'll need to keep you around me constantly!" she smiled. "Especially around dawn and dusk when they are the most active."

"I would not dream of leaving My Lady's side!" Errende said. Smiling at him now, she gathered up his leash and gestured to the others that they were heading back to Payon. Following her back to the other house, she looked at Errende, as she went through the Warp.

"You have recovered from earlier?" she asked.

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded. Then she ran her hand up his back to his neck, and he gave a small groan with a tingling shiver.

"To an extent. Good," she smiled, and Howard chuckled. When she walked outside with him being led by his leash, she had him sit on the cushion so she could rest her foot on his back again. Eremes moved to see to his older comrades, and he could only chuckle at their looks of shock at what they were seeing.

"Is it necessary for her to have a...a slave?" Tatya asked.

"It is," Eremes said and told her what Doppy's twins were doing to Sarine. She gasped with surprise, and now Shadow fully understood, as did Slade. The other man with them seemed amused, and he redid his braid when it felt loose.

"So, if she doesn't have a slave, she gets sick?" the man asked, as he finished tightening his braid back up. Doppy muttered in a low tone that he looked like a woman. Sammy hissed his laughter out, and the others snickered. Sarine gave a touch of a smirk.

"No...it's if she isn't dominant. She needs to prove to the developing twins that she can handle them. Doppelganger...is a very ruthless and bloodthirsty monster in his own right. He makes me look Angelic when he's pissed off," Eremes gave a touch of a smile. "And you've seen me...pissed...Fenrick..."

"True. So...he's easy to piss off?" Fenrick grinned.

"Very," Eremes nodded. "In fact...his fuse is shorter than yours..."

"I find that hard to believe!" Slade grinned.

"Would it be all right if he showed me how strong he is?" Fenrick asked.

"He would enjoy it. But...he has been enhanced by Valkyrie and Odin. He is Odin's Wrath, as well as Sarine's Wrath. I will not warn you again, if you continue to pursue this..." Eremes warned. "The choice is yours..."

"I want to see what he can do," Fenrick nodded.

"Your funeral..." Eremes chuckled, and his other older comrades moved away to watch. He gestured for Fenrick to approach Doppy, himself, and call him out.

"You there! Doppelganger!" Fenrick grinned.

"What?!" Doppy hissed with annoyance.

"I want to fight you!" Fenrick grinned again.

"Really?" Doppy grinned now and looked at Sarine.

"Have fun," she said sweetly. "If you win...I'll reward you later."

"You're a dead man now," Howard grinned at Fenrick. Keltin grinned and settled back in the chair to watch.

"Very dead. But, I will judge this fight," Sammy said, and his ancient ghost billowed out in full to watch. "Maybe it will be better than others I've judged."

"Judge?" Fenrick asked.

"Oh. Yes. I forgot to mention," Eremes grinned wickedly now. "we fight in an arena on our island home on occasion. Doppy is known for how he fights. No one challenges him, since he tends to kill within three moves. Or less. Good luck!"

"What?!" Fenrick gaped, and now his mouth dropped even more, as Doppy moved to approach him. The demon's glowing red pupils seemed to glare into the man's soul, and he smirked. The nasty, curved sword came out, and Sarine told Errende to watch this fight so he could see what Doppy could do. Errende now paid close attention.

"Fight!" Sammy said. Doppy went still when Fenrick Cloaked, and he only grinned. He sensed exactly where Fenrick was, and, the moment he was rushed, his sword came out and impaled him. Fenrick gasped with shock, and his friends gaped that he was already defeated for the first time since they knew him.

"Idiot! Have you forgotten that stronger monsters can instinctively Detect Cloaked humans?!" Doppy growled and pushed Fenrick off his sword. Errende was able to Resurrect him and did so before Healing him. Sammy chuckled and shook his head.

"Point to Doppelganger," Sammy said.

"Rematch!" Fenrick growled, as he blinked away the Blind status he got.

"Bring it!" Doppy hissed with a grin. When Fenrick came forward again, Doppy stomped on the ground to Stun him and ran him through again. Sarine had a cold, twisted look of satisfaction on her face, as she watched her husband fight. It chilled any who saw it to the bone. Keltin blinked at her, and her gaze softened enough to show that she was all right. That made him nod, and he knew it was all dominance from there.

Errende Resurrected and Healed Fenrick again, and Doppy smirked.

"Doppelganger wins again!" Sammy grinned. "Want to try again, Fenrick?"

"I'll defeat you!" Fenrick hissed. He had to wait for each effect from the sword wear off before trying to attack again.

"Maybe after you learn how to fight properly?" Doppy teased. "Or are you new at this?"

"Screw you!" Fenrick growled, but he paused when Sarine started to move from where she sat. His mouth dropped at how smoothly she rose up, as she walked over to Doppy's side. He couldn't stop marveling at how perfectly formed she was. Pulling the demon's head down, she whispered to him. He growled before purring, as her hands moved up to run through his hair. She started to sing softly to him, and Doppy managed a rather soft smile before kissing her. He ran a loving hand over her belly to feel his offspring moving. A soft giggle bubbled from her throat, as she now turned to head back to the porch. Doppy's gaze was locked on her rear, and he grinned. Then he turned to snarl out, as Fenrick's gaze was locked on the same thing.

"She's mine!" Doppy slathered.

"Do you think I could honestly ignore that?!" Fenrick argued back, as his gaze snapped back to Doppy. "What more should I have done?"

"Look away for starters!" Doppy seethed.

"Men..." Sarine sighed, and Errende gave a soft smile, as her foot planted in his back again. Howard grumbled a bit, as did Keltin. Sammy simply waited to see if more fighting happened, and Eremes scowled slightly. They all knew how desirable Sarine was to everyone. _It couldn't be helped._

When Seyren walked out with Karla from the island home, they sat down to watch Fenrick try and fail to defeat Doppy over and over again.

"I'm running out of blue gemstones. I need them to keep Resurrecting him," Errende frowned. "He won't accept the fact that he's not strong enough."

"Here you go!" Karla grinned, and handed him a large handful of them.

"Thank you," Errende nodded.

"When do we plan to train tonight?" Seyren asked.

"When Eremes's mentor is finished here," Sarine nodded.

"Good," Seyren said and looked over at Errende. "Are you all right now?"

"I'm fine," Errende said, and Resurrected Fenrick again.

"Let someone else have a turn, Doppy!" Keltin laughed.

"I'm having fun! Don't stop it!" Doppy grinned and ran Fenrick through again.

"Ugh..." Sarine sighed, and Errende chuckled when he Resurrected the man again.

"I see that I'm going to have to get stronger to beat you," Fenrick frowned, as he finally admitted his defeat. Common sense had finally kicked in for him.

"Sure. And then I'll kick your ass again!" Doppy snickered.

"We'll see about that! You! Bongun! I'll challenge you now!" Fenrick said.

"Are you sure?" Keltin smiled. He was in his Champion form, and this one had no clue about his Rage form. "Normally, you'd be spending money in the arena to fight us. Five million zeny a challenge plus a million zeny contract fee."

"That much?!" Tatya gaped.

"I don't really like watching my husbands fight," Sarine admitted. "But, sometimes it can't be helped. They do enjoy relieving the stress that way."

"And what can you do?" Fenrick asked.

"Don't...ask her...again..." Eremes warned with a touch of protectiveness.

"Oh? All right! If I can defeat the Bongun, I'll challenge her!" Fenrick growled.

"My Lady?!" Errende said. She rose up her hand and smiled.

"I...accept..." she smiled. "However, I can only fight once a day."

"Sarine! The twins!" Howard frowned.

"I'll be fine," she said. "I know I will be."

"And if you're not?" Doppy asked with concern.

"We will see," Sarine said. "Errende needs to know what I can do, anyways."

"My Lady..." Errende frowned. She smiled gently at him, and he nodded.

"Besides...it's 'if' he can defeat Keltin. Right?" Sarine grinned.

"Oh, yes. 'If' he can defeat me," Keltin grinned back. Fenrick nodded and watched Keltin move down in front of him. Then Keltin activated his Rage, and his body glowed, as his clothes went stark white.  _I'm using my Rage to protect my pregnant wife._  That's how he was always going to see it now. He would never use his Rage in vain. Blinking his solid white eyes, he beckoned for Fenrick to try and fight him now.

"What the hell?!" Fenrick gaped.

"I am the Vessel of Odin's Guardian! Now fight me!" Keltin snarled out. Fenrick saw Sammy nod, and he Cloaked. Keltin had on Sammy's bracelet and was able to see where Fenrick was. When he was approached, various punishing blows, kicks, and punches were done topped with his nasty Asura Strike. The older comrades were stunned. Errende Resurrected Fenrick now and Healed him.

"Not one of us has known defeat. Ever," Eremes chuckled. Keltin reverted to his original Bongun form and moved to sit by Sarine.

"No joke?" Shadow asked.

"No joke," Eremes nodded. Sarine rose now and stretched. She didn't know where Fenrick was, and she focused with Sammy's bracelet. She blinked, as she saw Fenrick's Cloaked form speeding over to Eremes, and her husband was distracted. Then she gasped and screamed, as her Light of Odin attack rained down on Fenrick. He was in the process of trying to ambush Eremes, and she couldn't have that at all.

Errende watched with a terrified form of awe, as the pure, white light came down and slammed into Fenrick. It knocked him to the ground, and it shook the man to the core with solid, crushing pain. Even Thanatos was in shock at how powerful it was, as he bore witness to the attack. The Light of Odin seared through Fenrick and flashed intense pain from every joint, muscle, pore, and bone in his body. When the Light of Odin vanished, she seethed. Howard had rarely seen her so pissed off before.

"Don't you EVER try to attack my husbands with dishonor again!" she snarled out. Then she whimpered and clutched at her belly.

"Sarine!" Sammy hissed. He was at her side instantly. Eremes just looked down at Fenrick with disdain now. His respect for the man went down by half.  _No Guild member should turn on each other, regardless of the situation._ Shadow looked at Fenrick with shock that he would go so low as to try to do something like this. Tatya and Slade were also surprised, and they winced at their friend.

"They grew. Not by much, but enough to show that they can," Sammy frowned. Errende put his hands on her belly, and his touch soothed the irritated twins down completely. She sighed with relief and hugged Errende close.

"If only you were here for my twins!" Howard sighed with relief.

"Thank you," she said weakly.

"My Lady..." he whispered and felt insanely protective of her while she was weakened like this. Now that the twins within her were calmed into a form of sleep, a quiet rage built within him. Then Thanatos took over, and he unclipped the leash. He turned to face Fenrick while he recovered. He was livid, and it clearly showed.

"Errende?" Eremes asked.

"No. Thanatos. And I'm pissed!" Thanatos snarled out. "Fenrick! I challenge you! Right here! Right now! Fight me!"

"Thanatos!" Sarine winced and sighed, as she was helped to sit up.

"Let me do this," Thanatos growled, but it was a touch gentler at her. Doppy nodded, as did Howard. Keltin and Sammy looked at each other and nodded now. Eremes now gave a touch of a wicked smile, and he looked at Fenrick while the man recovered.

"That was the Light of Odin my wife hit you with. She can only do that once a day. Now...you have a choice. Do you accept a challenge from the demon, Thanatos?" Eremes asked him. Fenrick growled now and nodded. Sammy Healed him back up and nodded for the fight to start. Then Sarine blinked, as she saw Thanatos focus, and his form emerged fully from Errende. It was just like what Ifrit was able to do to Eremes. She now saw that Thanatos was an incredibly handsome and powerful demon in his own right.

He had shoulder-length, blue-black hair that seemed to frizz out like Eremes's long hair did, but it was at all angles as though a strong breeze was constantly moving it around. His eyes were stark white with a dark, shadow-like mask over them. His build was as muscular as Doppy's was, but he was formed much heavier and bulkier in his chest and arms. His face was full and exceptionally masculine, and it even held a small cleft in his chin. He was five inches shorter than Doppy, too, coming at seven feet tall.

The armor he wore covered his groin, shoulders, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Chains went down his abdominals from a half breast plate that formed a ridged steel collar to connect with the groin armor. The upper chest armor didn't even connect in the front, and it was left open to reveal black, shadow-like leather in the middle. His armor almost reminded one of a skeleton. The black leather was under the metal overlay to protect him from arrows. His shoulders held skulls under a red cape that flowed down his back. A massive, two-handed sword was strapped to his back and ready to use the moment he reached for it. It was far more solid than others would realize.

Fenrick gaped in shock with the others, and Seyren's mouth dropped at the demon's form. Karla snickered wickedly, and she giggled when Sarine called out to Thanatos quickly. The demon looked over and grinned, as he moved to her side. She whispered to him, and he could sense the desire that was building in her.

"I'll work hard to have Egnigem reach you," Thanatos promised. His voice was deep and haughty like a rather strong Lord Knight when he wasn't snarling it out.

"I'll hold you to that," Sarine purred. Howard gaped at what Thanatos looked like. Doppy already knew what he looked like and chuckled. He also knew that Sarine would find him desirable and didn't mind it in the slightest. He liked the demon already. Keltin was a touch jealous, but he smiled all the same. Sammy was grinning, and Eremes was clearly amused now. Thanatos moved to lift up Sarine's face to his and planted a hot, lusty kiss on her mouth before moving back to Fenrick. He did blink at the odd sensation of fitting with her. Now that he was out and able to kiss her with his own will in Errende, it was as though he was there with her. He would have smiled fondly about it, but he was too pissed off.

"Now, if you think you have the balls to fight me, do it!" Thanatos snarled out at Fenrick. The man glared and moved in to charge at him. Thanatos did his Two-Handed Quicken skill, Provoked him, and Stunned him with a powerful Hammerfall. Then he Bashed the man back with his massive sword, froze him with a powerful Storm Gust spell, and called down an exceptionally powerful Lord of Vermillion spell on the man now that he was frozen and weak to lightning. Fenrick had no chance.

"Thanatos wins!" Sammy chuckled. When Eremes's old mentor came out of the house with Storm Caller, he gaped at the sight of Thanatos standing over Fenrick's fallen form. Eremes walked over to his old mentor and told him everything that happened. His old mentor groaned and shook his head.

"Idiot," his old mentor sighed and ran a hand over his trimmed black and grey beard. His highly intelligent blue eyes watched his older apprentice with disdain.

"I know," Eremes said with amusement clearly lit up in his own storm-grey eyes. Then he blinked, as Thanatos swiftly went over to Sarine, picked her up, and took her up to the bedroom. Doppy started laughing, and they agreed to give him thirty minutes with her. With the others in agreement, they sat back to wait.

Up in the bedroom, Thanatos was clearly taking his time with her.

"You have been conditioning this body nicely," he grinned.

"Ah!" she gasped, as he moved hard inside her. He hadn't bothered to fully undress her yet, since his lust for her matched her own for him. After he brought her to release with him, he pushed the gown aside to nurse off her. Crying out as he did this, she couldn't stop him from letting him use her as he wanted to, since she didn't have the strength to resist him. When he finished draining her breasts, he thrust up sharply in her again to groan out his release, as she whimpered it. Then he rolled on the ground to pull her over his chest.

"I never could figure out why both humans and demons desired you so much," Thanatos mused, as he ran a hand over her form. "Now I do."

"There is...something that confuses me...just a bit," Sarine smiled.

"Oh? What is that?" Thanatos asked. His form had wavered, and it was only Errende's face she saw now.

"Normally, if Naght or Ifrit comes through my husbands, their pupils glow red. Like Doppy's eyes do. I can't tell with you, and I do like to know who I'm going to be talking to if you come forth," she said.

"Hmm..." Thanatos thought, and his eyes went from soft brown to stark white. "Is this better for you?"

"Much!" she smiled and now moved to sit on him. She caught the demon completely by surprise. She worked him mercilessly, and he shouted with her when they released. Pulling her down to him, he grinned.

"I can tell that we are going to have a beautiful partnership," he snickered.

"Oh, I'm sure we are," she chuckled. "As long as you don't mind me dominating Errende when I must."

"I steer clear of his body when you do," he said. "Like Naght, I can't tolerate being dominated. I think, once I'm free to come and go as I please, I'll probably show you what Demonic Mating is like. Can you stand a bit of pain?"

"I went through birthing twins," she said with a smirk.

"Then you can," he chuckled.

"I'm going to need to train Seyren. Then I'll need to dominate Errende fully soon," she sighed. "It's approaching that time."

"A word of caution for you," Thanatos said.

"Hmm?"

"Errende...has been holding back something from his childhood. He's very shameful of it. Let him tell you of it in time."

"Oh! Well, of course. He can tell me what it is when he is ready."

"Good. And, when he tells you of it, you will not be happy. Or your husbands, either. Even I'm not very thrilled with it, and, when it does come out, there will be a small war that breaks out. Just be prepared."

"I will," she said seriously, and he kissed her passionately to take her again. Like Doppy and the other demons that mated her, Thanatos had developed an insatiable appetite for her.

"I should give Errende back to you," he said.

"Not yet. I...I want to try feeding off you. While you are here," she said.

"Oh? Hmm. Sure. Why not?" he grinned. He sat up with her and snarled out, as she bit down on him to draw blood. Since he was in Errende's body, she knew she could do this. He gasped in shock at the pleasure she gave him from it, and his hands locked on her hips when he released hard in her. When she finished feeding from him, he sat still. She had completely caught him off guard, and he was trembling.  _I have to get even with her._  He swiftly moved her hair aside and bit her neck in retaliation. She screamed with release, as he drank from her now before pulling back. He didn't have the ability to Heal, so he used Errende's skill to do it to both of them. She shivered, and he cradled her.

"Not fair..." she said weakly, as he held her. He just gave a rather gentle smile and let her rest on him. Like Doppy, only she would be able to touch him and rest on him.

"I will admit something to you," Thanatos whispered.

"What?" she asked.

"I was the reason as to why Errende couldn't pass the Monk tests," he said.

"Why?"

"He is needed more as a Priest. A Monk would have thrown off his personality. It will be interesting to watch Keltin train him, but I knew that Errende would not have made a good Monk. He doesn't have the strict personality that a Monk needs. So, I placed doubts in his mind and made him go the Priest route. Don't look at me like that!" Thanatos frowned. "He makes a much better Priest than a Monk. Besides, he would have lost his talent with the children, if he became a Monk."

"Oh," she blinked. "Well, if you put it that way, then fine. I see why you did it now. It still wasn't very nice of you!"

"I'm a demon. I'm not made to be nice," he grinned and kissed her fiercely before releasing her. "You have a slave to train."

"That I do," she nodded. "Oh, Thanatos..."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"You...?" he blinked, pulled her close to kiss hard, and dragged her back to him again. Taking her furiously until they both screamed, he gasped when the pleasure ebbed away from them. He panted and rested his head on her shoulder.

"And...that's your answer?" she giggled. He found himself laughing softly.

"I love you, too," he said and held her. "Does it...always happen with those you are with? Falling in love after mating?"

"Most of the time. Well...all the time, really. Which is why I don't just give myself to just anyone," she blushed.

"Good. I'll stop anyone else that tries!" he growled. Laughing at him a bit, he kissed her again and released her. Giving Errende back to her, the High Priest was stammering at where he was. She told him what happened, and he gasped.

"Yes, Thanatos was able to fully make himself known," she nodded. "and he claimed me as a mate, too."

"I see," Errende blinked. "Wow..."

"It's fine," she smiled and planted a kiss on him. "Come now. We have a night to finish up, and I will need to fully dominate you soon."

"Right," Errende blinked and realized his leash was gone. She clipped it back on him and told him what Thanatos did. He smiled, as the demon defended her, and he fixed up her dress first before dressing himself back in the leathers. His High Priest gears were at the island home, and he didn't need them at the moment, as it was.

"By the way," Sarine smiled. "Thanatos and I realized that we love each other."

"Really?" Errende smiled greatly now.

"Yes. That and he...hinted at something you are holding back on telling me. But, I will not force it on you to come out with it," she said with concern.

"He...oh..." Errende blinked and looked away. "I...I don't know..."

"Tell me when you are ready, Errende. Like I always tell you. I will not force you into saying anything," she said.

"Thank you, My Lady," he whispered. Now she could tell he was distressed, and she hugged him tightly.

"You can trust me with anything. Remember that."

"I know..." he nodded. "It's just...hard to say...really. I want to...but I don't want to. I feel ashamed about it. I'm trying to...figure out how. You know?"

"Perfectly," she nodded. She led him outside and announced that it was time to head back to the island home. Her dominant streak was coming back in full now, and her husbands nodded. Seyren was told to wait a couple hours before seeking her out, and he nodded. Leading Errende and her husbands back to the island home, they went down the western cave to the small chamber. She had Errende undress and stand off to watch along a wall.

One at a time, she had her husbands undress, and she worked with each one. She skillfully lulled each of them into a world of desire, lust, pain, and pleasure to the point that they were spent. Keltin was finally able to take the full brunt of what the others felt, and he had no idea how addictive it was until now. Once they had dressed to stand away, she called Errende over to kneel before her. Then she called for Zealotus.

"Is it time?" Zealotus asked, as she walked in with Injustice.

"Yes. It is," Sarine nodded.

"Good. You have your whip?"

"Yes. Let me get him primed."

"Fine," Zealotus nodded. Then she blinked at the size of Errende, and Sarine gave a wicked grin of complete possessiveness.

"He's mine," she growled dangerously.

"No problem!" Zealotus grinned. Her husbands laughed a bit and went silent, as they watched Sarine work Errende back up to the intense mess of sensations she had him at before. It was easier to do now, since they never fully left him. Then she pulled out the whip and had him kneel. When the whipping started, Errende started to cry out from the new sensations the pain was giving him. Howard was secretly amazed.

"I think that's enough," Sarine smiled, as Errende was at a point that he was barely conscious. The pleasure and pain were coursing through him so much that it was hard to focus. When he had it under control again, he showed he was ready to continue.

"You know, you could take the handle of the whip and do another thing with it," Zealotus snickered darkly. Injustice seemed to tremble, as he clearly didn't like it, and Sarine looked over at Errende when he let out a hissing whimper of protest. Her husbands all glanced at each other with shock at the noise he made.

"No. We are done. You must leave. Now," Sarine growled protectively. Something was wrong with Errende, and she needed to find out what it was.

"But..." Zealotus said.

"No. Out. Now."

"Fine," Zealotus nodded and left with Injustice. When they were gone, Sarine moved in front of Errende and crouched down to see that tears were streaking down his face now. He was shaking and trying hard to keep calm.

"Errende. Tell me what happened. Please?" she whispered.

"I...I can't..." he whimpered. "I...p-promised...not to tell..."

"Do I have to order you?" she frowned. He trembled and now Eremes was alarmed.  _Something bad happened to him long ago._  He could sense the fear that radiated from Errende now, and it started to put him on edge. Even the others could feel it, and they started to get overly concerned for their new comrade, as they looked at each and back at him.

"My Lady...please..." Errende whimpered again. "I promised..."

"I have no choice, Errende. I'm sorry," she whispered, and he nodded with a bit of relief at what she was going to do. In a sterner tone, she said, "Tell me what happened. Now."

"Okay..." Errende trembled at the order. He was unable to disobey her. She moved to hold him to comfort him and rock him gently to encourage him further to speak. "When I was six years old, the beatings started. My...my Pa told me that I had to prove my worth in the home. He...it wasn't just beatings that were done to me, you see. He...my Ma did nothing...he told her to...to ignore me! When I tried to tell her...she'd just slap me away...and...and he didn't stop until...until I was taken away..."

"No...way..." Eremes said with a look of shock, as his eyes glazed over.

"Is he serious?!" Howard asked with disbelief and fury.

"What?!" Doppy growled. Keltin and Sammy clearly had no idea, either.

"Are you...telling me...what I think you're telling me...?" Sarine asked slowly.

"I...I hope so...My Lady..." Errende whimpered, as he fought tears down.

"His father...the bastard!" Eremes snarled out viciously. "I'LL KILL HIM!"

"What?!" Doppy growled again. "Tell me!"

"He was raped..." Howard winced with rage. "by his own..."

"I'm going to be sick!" Keltin grimaced, as it sunk in.

"I'm ripping them both to pieces!" Eremes swore. "Just try and stop me!"

"Why do some parents let such things happen...?!" Sammy's eyes were bleak, and he glared hard at the ground, as his skeletal ghost raged with fury. Doppy was stunned at what he heard, and he quickly turned to punch into the stone wall. Now a massive hole gaped there where his fist connected.

"That means...for three years..." Howard grimaced.

"Oh, Errende!" Sarine cried out, as he finally burst into tears, and she hugged him tight. "I will  _NEVER_  do anything like that to you! I promise!"

"I...I know you won't! I know...you...won't...!" Errende gasped, as he hugged her tightly to him. His tears of old abuse and childhood horrors now fell down his face. He was acting the exact same way she did when her abuse started to affect her from long ago. She easily related with what he was going through. There was no way she would be able to talk her husbands out of going to the town of Rachel now.  _His parents had to come to justice. They would end up dead before the night was done. Thanatos was right. A small war had just started._

"Did Garrett see anything at all when he rescued you?" Keltin managed to ask.

"No...just them...beating me..." Errende said. "Pa...kept it secret from Ma...so..."

Sarine hushed him gently, and she turned her gaze up at Eremes with a look of complete pain. Sammy moved to them and had Errende place his hands over her belly to keep the developing twins from growing. Sarine was clearly thinking of tearing Errende's parents up limb from limb, and the twins had to be kept from being affected by it. Eremes was already gone to talk to Garrett and Seyren after the look that Sarine gave him. He wanted justice as much as she did now. He wanted justice within the hour.

"You're safe now," Howard said.

"I...I know..." Errende said and felt a lot of relief that this part of his life came out. "I didn't know how to say it...to bring it out...I..."

"Hush, Errende," Sarine whispered and kissed him softly, as she kept rocking him. "Nothing bad will happen to you anymore."

"I saw...what happened to you...in Amatsu...from Muninn, and I..." Errende shivered, and she hugged him tighter.

"I killed her mother for it!" Sammy snarled out. "But, I think the others will kill your parents before I get a chance to!"

"When Garrett told me they still lived..." Errende trembled. "and when...Huginn confirmed it...I panicked...I..."

"Not after tonight!" Eremes hissed. He came back down with Garrett and Seyren. Both men were livid at learning about this and wanted justice.

"We need to leave now," Garrett said. "I can get a squad of men to Rachel, and we can apprehend them."

"Not good enough!" Doppy snarled out. "I want to paint the walls with their blood tonight! NO ONE does that to a child and gets away with it!"

"I agree," Seyren nodded. "To hell with my training tonight! I'll have it tomorrow! We need to do this now!"

"Errende," Sarine said carefully. "What do you want to do?"

"End it. I have to see it ended," he admitted. "I...I won't feel safe knowing..."

"I know," Sarine said and kissed him softly. "Seyren. See who else wants to come. Ask the ones in the dungeon, too, since he is their friend in a way. Stealth will be the key, though. We must hurry!"

"Done!" Seyren nodded and ran back up to the house. Muninn flew down and reverted to his warrior form to crouch by Errende and Sarine.

" _Father Odin is furious, little sister! He wants Baphomet and his warrior Valkyrie to assist!_ " Muninn hissed. " _He is fighting the urge to appear, too!_ "

"That would be too much!" Sarine blinked. "We can't have the whole town destroyed! Besides...there might be a nice house there that I would want."

"But, Sarine," Howard frowned.

"Not all towns are bad, How-How. It's just the people that live in them. I may want to see about getting a house in Amatsu, too. Even in Gonryun. I would love a house in each town we visit, come to think of it. So, while we search for his parents, we will search for a nice house," she said. "We need good memories to counter the bad ones. Right?"

" _True. Very well. But, Baphomet and the warrior Valkyrie will need to assist us. Father Odin's orders,_ " Muninn said. " _We cannot argue with his decision._ "

"Fine. Get me Valkyrie's flower, please. Have Seyren contact Baphomet, since their blood is joined. He should be able to do this. We will save Baphomet's horn for dire emergencies only," Sarine said. "Errende. My dear, sweet Errende. Can you dress now?"

"I...yes, My Lady," Errende nodded. She kissed him lovingly, and he moved to dress quickly. She had Keltin retrieve Errende's High Priest gears to put over his leathers, and she thought hard. She decided to have something arranged.

"Muninn? Can you have Thanatos be able to see through Errende, and let all that happens with Thanatos instantly be known to Errende when he gives control back over to him?" Sarine asked. "Even have Errende see through Thanatos? Like how Ifrit can with Eremes, and Naght with Howard? It needs to be done."

" _Yes, I can. Errende Ebecee. Call forth Thanatos!_ " Muninn said. Errende nodded and was able to contact him with a bit of surprise. When Thanatos came forth, the change was done, and now the demon was ready to help with the attack. He pulled Sarine close and kissed her desperately with a form of relief.

"You know that, after this, I won't ever leave your side," he smiled.

"Why would I have you do that?" she chuckled. "You need to make sure his parents are dead, too, you know."

"Right!" Thanatos growled out, and nodded to Doppy. "Ready for the blood to flow?"

"Always!" Doppy snarled out.

"Let's give our new friend some peace of mind," Sammy said. Keltin moved down the stairs and gave over the High Priest clothes. Thanatos smirked, but he put them on for Errende.

"Oh, that reminds me," Howard said, as he motioned for Thanatos and the other husbands to move towards him. "Sarine, I need to talk to them for a moment."

"All right. I'll check on Seyren," she nodded. Naght had appeared at Howard's mental call and escorted her to the house. He wanted a piece of the action, too.

"Thanatos and Errende. Normally, I would be telling you this if you were married to her, but, after this, well, you practically are," Howard started. "As Sarine's lovers, we made a pact to always protect her, love her, fight for her, and even die for her. This includes each other, too."

"I'm in. Say no more," Thanatos nodded. "Same with Errende. Let's find these miserable excuses for humans and end their existence!"

"Good!" Doppy snarled out. "I'm not going to let Errende worry about this anymore. He's needed for Sarine and her children. Hell, he can calm down DEMONIC children! He's priceless with that talent! Sarine didn't even have my twins grow when he touched her belly!"

"Very true," Sammy said. "He's worth more than any form of coin or material worth. I just wish we knew of him sooner!"

"This is why I kept him from becoming a Monk. He would have lost the talent," Thanatos grinned, as he followed them to the house.

"Are you serious?" Howard gave a touch of a smile.

"Yes," Thanatos nodded. "Keltin's training will help him greatly in keeping mental focus. Something he needs for not only training, but being a slave, too."

"Then he'll be trained hard," Keltin nodded. Thanatos looked up at Baphomet, as the massive demon appeared. Baphomet looked down with amusement, and the two demons conversed. On fully learning what happened, the massive demon snarled out with outrage. Normally, he wouldn't have really cared, but, since Odin and Sarine cared, he did, too. Anything important to them was instantly important with him. Sarine walked out of the house to greet him and let him feel the twins in her belly. Rumbling with a small form of joy for her, she plucked a petal from the Valhalla flower to call forth the warrior Valkyrie.

"Why did you call?!" she asked, as she hovered over the ground. Then she blinked at Muninn, as he walked over to her to tell her what Odin commanded. She nodded and replenished the petal, as it was a direct order from Odin.

" _Who else is coming to claim vengeance?_ " Muninn asked.

"All of us," Seyren said, as the others gathered in front of the house. "We may not be able to leave Sarine's side in our monster forms, but the others can scout for us and lead us to them. It can be a bit more discreet this way."

"That would make sense," Sarine nodded. Thanatos was an exception, since Errende wasn't a monster, but he would remain at her side, regardless.

"Since you plan to live in Rachel at some point," Sammy said. "the parents should be found and dragged to the arena in secret. It will reduce any form of suspicion."

"Hmm..." Sarine thought and looked at Baphomet with amusement.

"Bring them! I will wait there!" Baphomet snarled out.

"Poor Errende!" Margaretha frowned. "He will be avenged tonight!"

"I can Resurrect his parents over and over again for multiple deaths..." Lloyd mused. "That could be fitting for them."

"I like that idea!" Thanatos grinned wickedly. "So does Errende!"

"We can each take a turn killing them!" Doppy growled.

"I want to get moving," Eremes hissed. Sarine nodded and looked at Muninn to show she was ready. Pori-Pori scooted over to her and leapt into her arms to join her. Windwalker landed by them to go with them, and Eddga moved forward to assist them. Vagabond Wolf loped over and snarled out to show he was ready.

"Let's go," Sarine said. As she was heading to the Kafra Agent, Zealotus ran over to her after learning what happened with her slave, and she nodded to show she was going with her. A smile given with a curt nod granted Zealotus permission to join them. She blinked with a bit of surprise, as everyone, except for Timmy, filtered out from the dungeon basement. They wanted to avenge their friend, too, and they were in shock to find out that Errende was the direct link to Thanatos.

"Introductions later," Thanatos growled. "We are wasting time now!"

"I agree," Kavach nodded. The others nodded with him, and the Kafra Agent sent them all to the town of Rachel.


	68. Chapter 68

Normally, the town would be a pleasant one to visit. It was a quiet little desert town at night. Sarine wanted to keep it that way. Unknown to them, Odin placed a feeling of sleepy calm over the town. He didn't want them to be discovered. Strict orders were now given to the others to remain stealthy. To find the parents and lead her to them. Thanatos and Eremes gave the descriptions of them. Those that could scout did so now. Muninn reverted to his falcon form to fly over the small town. Wickebine found a pleasant little house that was unclaimed near the southern area of the town, and the location was taken down to be claimed later on.

Garrett and Max silently moved through the back alleyways of the town to see if anyone sleeping in the streets matched what they were told. Lloyd and Karla asked casual questions to the local merchants that were still awake, and they picked up a lead. Sarine was told, and she led her husbands, friends, and monster companions to a small house near the edge of town. Apparently, the couple kept to themselves and disliked being around others. It was a perfect place to ambush them, since the noise level would be low, and they wouldn't bring suspicion to the town at all. She doubted the couple would be missed, since they weren't really noticed by the townsfolk. Outsiders were normally like that here.

There were candle lights that were still lit in the home to show there was still activity going on. Errende was completely nerve wracked, but he calmed down at Sarine's order and prepared himself for the confrontation.

"Are you ready, Errende?" she asked him and made sure his leash was on securely, yet out of sight to remove suspicion. "Remember. You are to only recognize them. Be strong. Show no fear. Once they make themselves known, Garrett, Max, and Seyren will apprehend them. Thanatos will come out to defend you, if anything happens, and I will be here to control your actions further, if it's needed."

"I know," Errende said with a nod. "Thank you, My Lady. For ordering me to tell you and for helping me get this over with. This...will help me sleep a bit better at night."

"I can help you do that, too, in other ways," she winked, and he gave a small blush. Everyone chuckled before she nodded to him. "Eremes will also be right next to you. Okay. It's time. Make yourself known to them."

He nodded and gave a sharp knock on the door, as the others stood out of eye-shot. Eremes was Cloaked and standing right next to Errende to assist him, if anything was pulled. Errende was clearly nervous, but he knew he was not alone. When the door opened, a frail-looking woman with thin, blonde hair opened it, and she gasped.

"Errende! Oh! Oscar! It's Errende! He found us!" the woman said.

"What? Really?" an amused chuckle came, as a rather muscular man with thicker, blond hair moved over to see him. "I'm a touch surprised that he even bothered to! Well, boy. What brings you back here to see us? Missed us after all this time?"

"Not really," Errende forced out. He cringed at how his father looked at him. He knew that Eremes was there and ready to defend him. Even Thanatos was itching to come out. Now that they saw how his father still eyed him, it was further cemented for them to die. Even his mother seemed to smirk slightly.

"Oh? Well, come in, and we'll see how much you've grown!" Oscar chuckled.

"Fat chance!" Eremes hissed, as he Uncloaked, and the man was caught by surprise. "You have...much...to answer for...!"

"What do you mean?!" the woman asked with fear. Then Sarine stepped over from where she was hiding to put her arm around Errende's waist. Oscar was speechless at her beauty, and then he paused at the small crowd of monsters and people waiting outside his house. She narrowed her eyes and hissed her rage. Errende placed his hands over her belly to keep her twins calm. He needed to shield them from her bloodthirsty want for justice. Garrett, Max, and Seyren stormed in to grab the bewildered couple.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Oscar growled, as he was slammed to the ground.

"You did things to him!" Sarine seethed. "When he was just a child!"

"What?! What things?!" the woman said. "Oscar! What things did you do?!"

"Nothing of your concern, woman!" Oscar scowled.

"He did more than hit him, apparently!" Garrett growled. "Banishment from Prontera was too lenient for you both!"

"Oscar! You...you didn't...!" the woman said with fear. "I...I knew about the hitting, but...oh, no..."

"I tried to tell you, Ma," Errende winced, as he looked away. "You didn't listen to me, because Pa told you not to."

"You were too weak! You never fought back!" Oscar scowled, and then his eyes widened when Thanatos came out from Errende's form.

"He was a child then! How could he fight back?! But, he's not weak! Not anymore! You both will die for your crimes tonight!" Thanatos hissed. "I may be a monster, but you are more of one than I will ever be! Let's go!"

"Wait!" the woman wailed, but she knew she was guilty of the abuse, too. She never hesitated to slap her son or kick him away whenever she got mad at her husband. He was her outlet for venting her own rage from the abuse she was put through.

"I want a fair trial!" Oscar shouted. Lloyd Warped them to the arena. Sammy nodded and took up his seat in the judge's chair. Sarine led Thanatos and her husbands to her place on the balcony. Baphomet, the warrior Valkyrie, and Naght Seiger were waiting for this moment eagerly, and they glared at the guilty humans in front of them.

"You don't deserve a fair trial!" Sammy glowered, as his ancient ghost billowed out with rage. "Why should you get one when your only son had to endure such shame?! No child should ever have to go through such a childhood! Especially when it was not wanted!"

"I..." Oscar blinked. He saw exactly what was waiting to show him how wretched he was. He was speechless at the demons and strong monsters waiting to tear into him now on behalf of his son.

"For the next hour," Sarine said, as she stood up. "each monster here will have a chance to vent their rage! This is how justice will be served against those that would dare to harm a child in such a fashion! Begin!"

Thanatos and Errende both watched with complete satisfaction on the justice being served now. Garrett was even in complete acceptance of this, and decided that this is what would be done to people who were like this. Even Max couldn't have agreed more to how this trial went now. Sarine's husbands watched with their own forms of satisfaction in it. The man and woman on the arena floor were slaughtered and Resurrected over and over again.

When Doppy went down there, he had to force himself to keep from dismembering them. It was the same for Eremes and Howard. Sammy even got to have a chance to kill them, as well as Keltin and Seyren. Each of Sarine's friends that wanted to exact their vengeance for Errende went down to the arena floor, and it finally came down to Thanatos's turn. He unclipped his leash and gave it to Sarine so he could move from her.

"I need to do this. I have to be the one to finish it," he muttered.

"Do what you must," Sarine growled. She couldn't attack for the sake of her twins, and Thanatos had already planned to attack for her. The demon nodded, as his form billowed out from Errende's body now. He moved down to the arena floor silently and glared at the humans before him. They were hardly recognizable now. Cuts, scratches, and blood covered their bodies. Heavy bruises mottled their skin, and they both wailed for the torment to stop. Thanatos smirked at their weaknesses, as he rose up his sword, and he finally finished them off for good.

"We are done Resurrecting them! Burn their bodies and scatter the ashes!" Thanatos grounded out. Kathryne nodded, and Eremes had Ifrit come out to help with the burning. Even Naght assisted to make sure that nothing was left, and the ashes were scattered to the wind over the ocean. Margaretha and Lloyd performed a cleansing ritual to keep their spirits from remaining and to move on to where they were supposed to go now. Odin had Muninn catch their souls and place them deep into Nifflheim to keep them from ever appearing again.

"It's done," Sarine said, and everyone nodded silently. They were able to exact their own form of justice to show it was fully served when it was due, and Baphomet was confronted by Garrett. Plans were made for a specialized ruling to be done at nightfall, and the massive demon definitely wanted in. He liked killing people for fun, and this gave him the perfect reason to do it! He gave Garrett a small horn to summon him with when he was needed for it.

"I'm...very tired now..." Errende sighed, and Sarine let him lean into her.

"I know you are. I think sleep is definitely in order," she smiled.

"I'm...glad it's over, My Lady. I've never felt so much relief before," he said.

"It's how I felt when my Mother was killed. Well...she wasn't my Mother, but...anyways, it's done," she frowned. He hugged her tight and blinked at Howard's hand on his shoulder. At his nod, Errende nodded back. It was a brotherly feeling, and he smiled. He had never felt accepted by true family, and now he realized that he had it.  _I was appreciated for being myself. I was valued for my own natural abilities. I have a beautiful woman at my side that loves me and lets me make my own decisions. I have true friends now that would vouch for me and defend me._

"Errende?" Eremes asked, as he saw the High Priest start to tear up.

"Sorry..." Errende gasped, as his tears fell. "Just...so much happened...and so much is different around me now..."

"Oh, Errende," Sarine smiled. She knew exactly how he felt. "All right. Guys, you know he has to sleep in a bed with me tonight."

"We know," Keltin chuckled.

"Think his small bed is large enough for you both?" Howard asked.

"I'm sure we can test it," Sarine winked, and Errende couldn't stop the blush that appeared. Doppy smiled slightly, and Eremes grinned. Sammy just sighed and gave a soft laugh.

"You know, one of you could take the small bed..." Eremes said.

"No! Not going to work," Howard said. "Having sex on, yes. Sleeping on, no."

"How-How!" she scowled and tickled him now. When he was gasping from laughter, she grinned, and Errende blinked at this.

"He's only ticklish for her," Doppy grinned.

"Only her!" Howard said and now tickled her back. She barked out laughter and squirmed away from him, but he caught her and carried her to the bedroom.

"Errende," Keltin said.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Like you, she was quite flustered with various things. It took some time for her to adjust to the situations evolving around her. She always said that things had to happen for a reason. She's right about that. As much as bad things happened to her in the past, we wouldn't be where we are today. It's possible, but she would not be who she is now. You see her now as I've always known her. She's a beautiful, intelligent, and caring young woman to everyone around her. She's loyal and very protective of her friends and family. This dominant streak had me scared at first. I didn't know what to expect. But, I realized that, once the streak was gone, she was back to her old self again. Now, I have accepted this new side of her. Yet, we all worry for her," Keltin said. "She's so fragile despite how strong she is."

"I see," Errende said. "I honestly didn't know what to expect on becoming her slave. I was expecting to be locked up with the others! But...I wondered why she defended me against Misty. And why I responded to her like I did when she told me to get ahold of myself. It was instinctive...to listen and follow her. To trust her. I...honestly didn't expect to fall in love with her. I had vowed as a child when I was rescued that I wouldn't let anyone know of what happened to me. I'm still a bit shocked that Thanatos was able to see what happened and let her know of it. To an extent, that is. I'm...really relieved that I never have to worry about it again."

"Well, you will have to worry about something, if Sarine doesn't know where you are," Doppy smirked. "You'd better get your ass in the bedroom!"

"Oh! Right!" Errende gasped and moved swiftly into the room. Keltin chuckled with Doppy, as Eremes and Sammy followed to lock the door behind them.


	69. Chapter 69

It was nearing dawn when she blinked awake from the twins kicking her. Wincing a bit, she found Errende's hand moving over her belly to calm them, and she sighed with relief. She turned to gaze into his soft, brown eyes, and he kissed her gently.

"Hello, My Lady," he smiled.

"Hello, Errende," she chuckled.

"You should not be awake," he said.

"It happens," she sighed. "What are you doing awake?"

"Thanatos woke me. He felt the twins waking up."

"Really?" she mused and sat up to stretch a bit before reclining back next to him. The bed was large enough for her to sleep with him, and she had satisfied all of her husbands before letting Errende have her. He slipped into her now, and she gasped, as he took her. Hissing out their release together, she snuggled into him.

"I...want to know everything about you, My Lady," he whispered in her ear. "I know of the visions from Muninn...but..."

"I'll tell you what I can in my own words," she said with an understanding nod. He gathered her close and turned with her so that she was closer to the wall to keep the sound of her whispering as low as possible. She softly whispered what she could about her life and of everything she could remember. She told him how she met Howard and the others for the first time. When she told him that, she whispered of the dream visions she had with Sammy, and of the small things she learned from Howard and the others as she grew up with them. She went into detail on how she met Doppy, and how she met Keltin. She told him how she met Howard again in the laboratory, and of the letters that helped let him remember her. When it got hard for her to talk about her second entrapment in Amatsu, he and Thanatos both encouraged her to keep going. She poured out her entire life to him within the two hours they had before the others started to stir. When she fell silent, Errende pulled her close and kissed her deeply.

"I never thought...that someone like you...could be as brave as me..." Errende whispered. "To know of the past you were forced to endure...it makes mine seem insignificant in comparison!"

"I think...it's safe to say that we both know what it's like to have crappy childhoods. As How-How always said...welcome to the family!" she managed to giggle out, and Errende tickled her lightly. Her sharp laughing woke up Howard, and he looked over with a smile from where he was in the main bed.

"What are you laughing about?" Howard yawned.

"Oh...My Lady just welcomed me to the family for having a crappy past!" Errende sighed. Howard started laughing, and Doppy smirked, as he was listening in now. Eremes cracked a grin, as he slowly blinked awake. Sammy let out some quiet laughter, as he pulled himself out of meditation from his place on the ground.

"That's what he told me and Sammy," Keltin grinned, as he stretched. "Oh, there is an ice cave north of Rachel. We need to go there to recruit the powerful monster, Ktullanux. It's an elemental Ice dragon, and we will need to summon it out somehow. We may even want to take a trip to the dragon caves."

"Really? Hmm. We'll need to plan for it, then," Sarine said, as she now sat up to stretch. She gathered up the leash to clip onto Errende's collar and led him into the shower. Howard moved now and joined them. When he came out, Keltin went in next. As Sarine figured out what was happening, she found herself laughing. Each husband showed what two men could do to her in their own way.

When it was her and Errende in the shower now, she moved to leave, but it was Thanatos that pulled her back in.

"I think, when I'm free, I'm going to make you a permanent fixture in my life," he grinned. She put her arms around his neck. He moved his arms around her waist with complete affection. He gently rocked her, as he held her close.

"Oh? And why do you think that?" she smiled.

"You're addictive. And I've been lonely for a very long time."

"You know, Naght and Ifrit think the same as you. Doppy, too."

"Hmm. We'll fight each other to see who can be with you first."

"I wouldn't like that," she frowned.

"Really? Hmm. All right. We'll play a roulette wheel. Wait, no, that won't work. Sometimes luck plays in, and I may never get a chance with you."

"How about, you just let me choose who I want to be with?"

"How would that work?"

"Well, I make it rather simple with my husbands."

"True," he mused. "We'll see."

"That we will," she smiled. "Now, I will need to nurse my children soon, and Errende needs to train with Keltin before we head to Nifflheim."

"That's true, too. But, not yet," he grinned and kissed her passionately. Kissing back with a groan, she let him take her with his own brute force. Moving her against the wall of the shower, he ground into her, as he released with her and nuzzled into her throat.

"You know..." she whispered. "you are the first one I didn't run away from..."

"Huh?" he asked with confusion, and he looked at her now. With a soft sigh, she told him what happened with Doppy when he was to be with her, and when she first met Naght through Howard. He listened to everything silently, as he held her, and he thought about everything carefully. Pressing a kiss to her neck when she finished, he gazed at her.

"So, you see what happened," she sighed. "I mean, there's Ifrit, but he's not really a demon. He doesn't really count when it comes to...well...running from demons. If you think about it."

"Would it make you feel better if you ran from me?" he grinned.

"Oh, please!" she giggled and tickled him now. He actually found himself laughing for her, and he hugged her close.

"I can, you know, but I don't want to scare you, or make you feel as though you are being forced," he said. "I would never want to force you to do something."

"I know. Of course, things are better now, obviously. It was just...scary at first. I knew I liked Doppy, but I didn't approve of him, because it wasn't talked about with me. And with Howard, I just...all I knew was that Naght was an evil demon that had possessed him, had him destroy a laboratory, and then he was locked away..."

"Hush, my love," he whispered and kissed her softly. "As you have always told Errende and I, things happened for a reason. Just like how you met me through Errende at long last. You like me, right?"

"No," she said outright.

"No?" he blinked.

"I love you. There's a difference," she grinned.

"Oh, you..." he grinned back and tickled her now.

"Seriously, though, I think that everything will work out," she smiled.

"Well, I will tell you something. Have you heard of a Demonic Mating?"

"No..." she frowned.

"I talked about it yesterday, remember? After you got sick? When we were together after the fighting in Payon? Don't remember? Ah, well...there may be a point in it that I wouldn't be surprised if you ran from me then. Dominant females tend to run away from powerfully dominant males. It's instinctive. So, you may end up running from me, anyways," he said carefully. "It's likely why you ran from Doppy and Naght at first, too, if you think about it. And you tried to fight against them to a point. That's all the signs of Demonic Mating to me. You may have done them without realizing it. And they chased you down to claim you. It's what always happens during them, too."

"Really? Well...we won't know until it happens. Right?"

"Right," he nodded and pressed another kiss to her neck before claiming her mouth in a kiss of complete love and want. He stifled a growl when the bathroom door opened, and he pulled her closer to him. When he scented Doppy, he nodded and relaxed.

"What's going on?" Doppy asked, as he looked in.

"We were talking about a few things. We're almost done," Thanatos said.

"Thanatos? Ah. What about?" Doppy smirked, as he closed the door.

"How she was first with you and Naght," he said.

"I see..." Doppy winced a bit.

"Don't worry. Everything is fine now," Thanatos grinned.

"Well, obviously!" he chuckled.

"I'm ready to dress now," she said. Then Doppy moved into the shower, and both demons looked at each other. Then at her. She groaned and shook her head, as they both laid claim to her for the next ten minutes. Now she was exhausted, sore, and Thanatos had a smug grin on his face with Doppy, as they helped her out and dried her off. Howard blinked at her and started laughing.

"Have fun?" Sammy grinned.

"Much," Thanatos grinned before giving Errende full reign.

"Need to do that again when he's free," Doppy smirked.

"He'll plan for it," Errende chuckled.

"Wonderful," Sarine sighed. "Errende, it's time for you to train with Keltin."

"Of course, My Lady," he nodded. She removed the leash and let him dress. She dressed in her Sniper gears and blinked, as she started lactating.

"Mine!" Errende had to say first, since he was closer to her.

"What?!" Howard growled and ran after him, as she was dragged into the bathroom. She scowled and tried to say that he had to train, but Howard managed to silence her. Keltin started laughing, as he lay back in the bed, and Eremes had his hand over his mouth, as he laughed. Sammy chuckled, and Doppy howled with laughter. After another ten minutes, she was finally able to leave the bedroom to check on her children. Howard, Sammy, and Doppy joined her, as Eremes, Keltin, and Errende went outside.

"I'm glad I have enough left," she sighed, as she started to feed Serenity. Howard smiled and pulled his son out of the crib to start playing with him. Sharp giggling soon filled the nursery, and Sarine smiled, as only a proud mother could. Sammy checked on the health of the twins before finding a place to sit down. Doppy laid back in a chair and nodded to Naght, as the massive demon appeared. Naght moved over to Sarine and placed a hand on her shoulder with affection. She smiled up at him and placed her hand over his. When Serenity was done nursing, Howard took her and gave over Siegfried. She winced when he bit down, and she moved him away from her to hold him at length with irritation.

"Did he just bite you?" Doppy frowned. He felt the nibble, and it alarmed him. Sammy looked over with a small smile.

"I think they are starting to teeth," she sighed, and she glared at her son. "If you bite me again, I'm not feeding you!"

That made Siegfried whimper, and she attempted to nurse him again. This time he nursed without incident, and she gave a look to Howard, as he was watching her.

"You are going to starve our son?" Howard mused.

"He bit me," she said. "If he bites, I don't feed him. He will learn the hard way."

"All right," Howard nodded. Doppy grinned slightly, and Naght seemed to hiss out in Demonic. That made Siegfried's eyes widen, and he settled down even more. Doppy started laughing now, and Sarine looked up at Naght with appreciation.

"It's always best to listen to what your father says," Sarine smiled down at Siegfried, and Howard raised a brow.

"And how long have you been itching to use that line?" Howard grinned. She looked at him now, and he started laughing. She looked around and found a soft cushion to throw at him. He shielded Serenity when he saw what Sarine was doing, and now he looked at her with a small grin, as he caught the cushion thrown at him.

"What?" she asked.

"You just started a war," he snickered. Doppy started laughing again. She gave him another look, and Naght seemed to chuckle. Sammy grinned and sighed. Then she looked up at Eremes, as he walked in.

"How are they?" Eremes asked.

"Teething," Sammy chuckled.

"Really?" Eremes smiled.

"She threatened to starve my son when he bit her," Howard smiled, as he bounced Serenity on his knee. "And she threw a cushion at me. So, she started a war."

"A war?" Eremes grinned.

"So he says," Sarine smiled, and gave Siegfried to Sammy so he could check his teeth growing in. He wanted to see if there were possible new teeth.

"Hmm. It's possible that Serenity may have actually bit Errende. Let me see her," Sammy said. Howard nodded and brought her over to Sammy. Naght gathered up Siegfried to hold to let Sammy check Serenity. He checked her gums, and he blinked.

"Teeth?" Howard asked.

"Yes. We'll need to have Karla get them teething rings at some point. Do we have any Ice Cubic pieces handy? It will help them," Sammy said.

"I'll check," Eremes said and moved downstairs. Coming up with a small bowl filled with tiny ice pieces, he gave it over to Sammy. Bacsojin was called over with Doll, and he showed them how to apply them to the twins' mouths to keep the swelling down when it was needed.  _It was likely why they were starting to get fussy, too._

"Doctor Incantation Samurai," Sarine sighed. Howard chuckled and moved to stand behind her before leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"You did start a war, you know," he grinned.

"Well, that depends on how fast you recover. Remember, How-How. You still want to experience being a slave. Right?" she grinned wickedly. That made him gape, and Eremes started laughing. Doppy grinned and looked over, as Errende and Keltin walked in. Errende moved right over to Sarine to sit at her feet, and she clipped the leash back on him, as he wanted it. He leaned into her legs, and she moved a hand through his hair with affection.

"The twins are teething," Doppy chuckled. "Siegfried tried to bite Sarine while she was nursing. It was an interesting experience."

"My Lady? Are you all right?" Errende asked, as he looked up at her.

"I'm fine," she said.

"We should check to make sure," Keltin said.

"I said I was fine!" Sarine said again.

"I don't know. It feels like a small tingle," Doppy snickered.

"Quiet, Doppy!" Sarine growled. "Sammy! Can you help me out here?!"

"Okay," Sammy said, as he gave Serenity to Doll. He got up to sit next to Sarine and put her in his lap. Then he moved his hand into her tunic to feel, since it was still unzipped, and she blinked with a touch of shock at what he just pulled.

"Wow..." Howard said before he started laughing.

"She's fine," Sammy said, and gave Sarine a small grin.

"Evil. Very evil of you," Sarine said. She shook her head and fixed her tunic back up. Eremes was laughing now, and Doppy howled with it. Keltin was simply giggling, as he tried to hide his face, and Errende could only laugh softly.

"They wanted me to make sure!" Sammy said.

"I'll remember this for tonight," Sarine said with the softest smile she could give him, and he swallowed now. When she got up to move, she gasped and clutched at her belly. Doppy hissed from the pain, and Errende quickly moved to place his hands under hers to make direct contact with her womb.

"She's hungry," Sammy said, as the fun was quickly pushed aside.

"Right," Eremes said. Sarine leaned into Errende, and he kept his hands over her belly to keep the twins calm. If it wasn't for his touch, she would have gotten sick. They managed to work together to get her to the kitchen. Eremes quickly prepared a plate of cubed, raw meat and placed it in front of her.

"I'll let her feed from me when she's done eating," Doppy said.

"All right," Howard said. Sammy kept an eye on her until the plate was empty, and several drinks were put in front of her right after the plate was removed. Once they were drunk down, she looked at Doppy to show she was ready for him. He gathered her up and gave a look to Errende to stay put. Doppy took her upstairs and brought her back down ten minutes later. Once he was Healed of his neck wound, he hugged her tightly.

"Is anyone else awake yet?" she asked.

"Not yet, My Lady," Errende said. She nodded and started to feel uncomfortable.

"What is it?" Doppy asked.

"I just feel...restless," she frowned. "I've never felt this way before. It's not Doppy's mood doing it, either. It's just odd."

"How so?" Howard asked. She was about to respond, but then she looked at Doppy, yanked him close, and planted a long, lusty and wanting kiss on his mouth. It caught him by surprise, and her breathing started to become a touch labored. She moved her mouth to his ear and gave out a hissing, whimpering, wanting sound that made him tense up completely. Errende gave her an odd look, but Thanatos understood it perfectly.

"Sorry Sari! I..." he growled and pushed her from him quickly. She glared at him, as though challenging him. Her scent was calling to him now, and he trembled. Any form of submissiveness he may have had for her was now gone, and his old dominance for her came back in a rush. The feeling was empowering, and he was now itching to use it again to claim his place at her side.

"What's this about?" Keltin asked.

"Not your concern!" Doppy snarled out, as he glared back at her.

"What's going on?!" Howard frowned.

"Can't you feel it?" Doppy asked him. Then he blinked when Naght came down the stairs to glare at Sarine, as her scent had reached him. Then he looked over at Errende. Thanatos had fully emerged to answer Sarine's challenge.

"What...?" Sammy frowned. "I'm not a demon, so what's going on?"

"Remember what I said about Demonic Matings? I also called it Demonic pleasure before, but this is what it's really called," Thanatos asked, as his eyes were locked on Sarine's form. "There was something I left out."

"What?" Eremes asked. Ifrit wasn't a demon, so he wasn't responding to the situation that was happening. That didn't rule out the fact that he was curious about it.

"She's calling to us..." Doppy growled out. "Her scent..."

"Any strong demon she mated with before is being called to her. It's her fighting scent. She's pregnant, but her body is instinctively giving out this scent to test us..." Thanatos growled. "As though to remind us of our place..."

"Are you saying that she's...in a form of heat?!" Sammy gaped. Keltin's eyes widened, and Eremes's jaw dropped. Howard knew that he would have been affected if Naght wasn't with them. In a way, he was glad he wouldn't be chasing after her this time.

"You...could put it that way. She shouldn't be, since she's pregnant! Unless this is just a trial run. She's human, though, but it's there, all the same..." Thanatos said. "All the demon blood in her system was building up. To this. I was hoping that with one of us just fighting with her to show her what her body needed would be enough. Apparently...her body had other plans...other needs..."

Then he glared at Naght and Doppy. The room appeared to be frozen in time and space, as the three dominantly male demons waited to see who would make the first lunge at her. Naght broke the silence now, as he moved at break-neck speed only to find her gone, and he howled with rage. She was running from them all now and had a clear head start from her Wind Walk skill. All three demons had equally matched running paces. Thanatos used Errende's skills to Bless and Agility himself to boost his speed even more. Naght also used his own skill to Agility himself, but Doppy was naturally fast from his status with Sarine. Her scent zigzagged through most of the main part of the island. The lesser monsters were staying away instinctively to avoid angering the strong demons.

When she found herself cornered on a small cliff ledge of the island, all three demons glared at her and then at each other with a form of anticipated excitement. She keened out her challenge again, and Naght answered with his own roar. Doppy instinctively knew that all three of them were going to end up mating her. But, the order could only be decided in one way.

Without even thinking, Naght turned and lunged at Doppy with his blue ice sword and swung out at Thanatos with his red fire sword. The attack caught them by surprise, and Sarine could only sit and watch to see how it turned out. In the far distance, Eremes was able to watch with complete shock and amazement. When Howard, Sammy, and Keltin made it over, Eremes was forced to Uncloak and keep them back at a distance, as the battle took place among the demons. He didn't know what would happen, if they were detected, and he didn't want to find out.  _When demons fought like this, it was known that they could turn on their allies._

Doppy fended off both Thanatos and Naght masterfully, as it was his right, but this was his first time responding to a Demonic Mating call. He didn't know what he was supposed to be doing or what he needed to do. All that he knew was that he had to attack and defend himself, or he would come to a form of disappointment. Sarine instinctively watched how they all fought and growled inwardly. In the end, she was going to be able to choose the best one to mate with first. All the demons really had to do was try to impress her with how well they could handle themselves in battle. They knew they weren't trying to kill each other. Defeating even one of each other would be instant Demonic Bragging Rights in their own way, but the three of them were incredibly matched in strength, vitality, power, and speed.

Keltin had managed to successfully train Errende's body to handle far more stress than normal. If it wasn't for this training, Thanatos wouldn't have been able to keep up with them until he was freed. Naght was clearly enjoying the battle and used his skills with relish. Doppy finally turned to his instinct to help him attack, and he realized his battle prowess had drastically improved. He just hoped it would be enough to impress her this late in the fight.

For an hour, it went back and forth between the three of them. None of them were ready to admit defeat or show signs of it. Sarine's scent was like an unlimited adrenaline boost to them all, and it kept them going at each other's throats. Finally, she hissed out her keening call, and it stopped the three demons in their tracks. Turning to her now, they eagerly hissed out their answers and braced in front of her. Narrowing her eyes, she tilted her head towards the sky, as she came to a decision.

Rising up slowly, she growled and looked at Naght first. Then she looked at Thanatos. Doppy was looked at last.  _The order was now decided._  Doppy was not happy at all about this, and he vowed to impress her more next time now that he knew what he had to do. When Naght finally moved swiftly to claim her, she growled and fought back instinctively. This was why only the strongest demon could claim her first.

"Incredible..." Sammy whispered, as he watched now with complete awe.

"Doppy is going to be pissed later," Keltin smirked softly.

"Ifrit is clearly amused. And he's a bit relieved that he doesn't have to do this," Eremes smiled. "I wonder if the others are awake yet."

"Naght won. Against both Doppy and Thanatos. Wow..." Howard blinked and stretched from his sitting position carefully to avoid discovery. Naght had shredded Sarine's clothes off in the process of dominating her, and he neatly pinned her against him, as he mated her with his essence alone. He was soon roaring out his victory with his release, and she screamed out with him. Once he was finished with her, he backed away, and Thanatos took over quickly to force her to his will. She screamed with outrage, and he ignored it, as he pinned her to the ground to push down the pants that Errende's body was wearing. After he was freed, he shoved himself into her hard and emptied everything he had as deeply as he could in her. Thanatos roared out his own successful release with her, and she called out with him before he backed away. Doppy dropped his armor swiftly when it finally reached his turn, and he pinned her arms to her back, as he finally laid claim to her. She cried out to his roar of completion, but he didn't back away from her as the others did. There were no others, so there was no need to. After the demons had mated with her, whatever spell tied them to her was broken.

Naght did howl with his Bragging Rights of full dominance, and Thanatos instinctively nodded to show he respected the powerful demon. Doppy nodded, as well, and he simply held Sarine close to him now. Her form was gasping and weak against his. She had no idea what had come over her, and she was finally coming around from the powerful instinct. When Naght sped off back to the house to take his place in the nursery again, Thanatos had fixed up Errende's clothing and knelt down to study Sarine.

"What...happened...?" she gasped. She winced from how sore she was now.

"Welcome to the joys of Demonic Mating," Thanatos grinned, and used Errende's Healing skill on her to help her recover.

"And how often does this happen?" Doppy asked.

"Most of the time, it's at random. Like I said, it may happen on occasion or not at all. I am a bit surprised that it happened while there was a pregnancy. Most of the time, it happens when she's ready for children. She's been drinking so much of our blood lately that something had to give in. I'm not surprised," he mused. Doppy thought about what exactly a Demonic Mating was. When he thought about it, the knowledge opened up to him, and he grimaced.

"Naght has both dominance and First Mate Rights now. I didn't know what to expect, really. This is a first for me," Doppy admitted.

"Ah, well, now you know what needs to be done. As if I was going to say anything and give you an edge? Best to experience for yourself and learn from it," Thanatos snickered. "Considering how old you are, compared to myself and Naght, you are a bit of a newbie in Demonic ways to us. I've been around for a good seven hundred years or so, and I've experienced a few of these matings before I was imprisoned."

"Asshole," Doppy growled, and both demons laughed. "Her clothes are shredded. Lovely. Thanks, Naght!"

"Errende will fix them up when we get back," Thanatos said. He looked up, as Howard, Keltin, Eremes, and Sammy walked over. He nodded to them now.

"Saw all of it, did you?" Doppy smirked, as her clothing was gathered up.

"We did. Not what we expected at all," Sammy said.

"How is she?" Keltin asked.

"She's fine. Keltin, thanks for training Errende. If it wasn't for that power training, I'd be last in line," Thanatos grinned.

"He's not done, but I'm surprised at how fast he's picking it up," Keltin admitted.

"He is an exceptionally fast learner," Thanatos nodded.

"What happens with her now?" Eremes asked.

"Normally, her body would become instantly impregnated with all of our children, but Naght's would be the dominant fetus. Mine would have been the second strongest, and Doppy's the weakest of them. But, that doesn't mean the offspring would be weak in their own right. It's just the hierarchy of it all," Thanatos explained. "Of course, with her being human, pregnancies could be different with her."

"Well, it was mine and Naght's blood that she got pregnant with first. Now she's pregnant with Doppy's twins, as you know," Howard said.

"May be just as well. Sometimes, a Demonic Mating will be needed again to simply prove to the twins she has that she is a true demoness and not a human. That is something else to consider," Thanatos mused. "But, enough. We need to let her rest more before we travel to Nifflheim. We still plan to go there today, right?"

"Right," Sammy nodded to confirm the thought. She just sighed, as Doppy handed her to Howard so he could dress back up in his armor.

"She's naked. What can we use to cover her when we get close to the house?" Eremes asked. Doppy gestured to hold Sarine again, and Howard nodded. Then Doppy ran speedily back to the house, and he seemed to fly up the stairs to get into the bedroom to slam the door shut behind him. There were a few people sitting in the main room, and all they saw was a fast blur moving up the stairs. When Sammy walked in with the others, he said that everything was fine. Yet, when Errende took over to mend Sarine's Sniper gears, Seyren demanded to know what happened. Howard sighed and looked at his friend.

"It was a Demonic Mating ritual thing. It's all you need to know," Howard said.

"What?" Seyren asked. Then he blinked at Baphomet's mental hissing explanation, as the demon was fully amused. Baphomet was also grateful that Seyren wasn't awake to force a response.  _That would have ended quite badly._   _Even more so if Kathryne, Cecil, and Margaretha were awake. Their demons would have appeared and taken advantage of the situation as much as they could. It could have spelled disaster, if Dark Lord had caught wind of it. Any strong demon could easily be susceptible and swayed to a Demonic Mating call._  Of course, it was strongest with the demons that mated Sarine before, as they automatically knew what her scent and body were like.

"How is she?" Garrett asked.

"Resting now," Errende said. He set aside the repaired top and started to work on the shorts. "She'll be all right. She just needs to rest now."

"How do you know how to stitch and fix clothing so well?" Howard asked. "And so fast, too! It's like it was made by a professional tailor!"

"Well...it was needed to learn after my parents...well..." Errende frowned, and Eremes rose up his hand to show no other explanation was needed.

"You would purposely mend your own clothing to hide your abuse?!" Garrett gaped. "I'm so glad we killed them now!"

"Um...yes. Me, too," Errende said with a nervous chuckle. Up in the bedroom, Doppy was nude and cuddling Sarine in his lap. She was kissing him deeply and nuzzling him.

"I'll impress you better next time," he vowed, as he kissed her.

"I...honestly didn't know what to look for..." she admitted. "much less...really see what happened. It was all so fast! Instinctive! I...I had no control!"

"You were looking to see how skilled we handled ourselves. Which moves impressed you the most. You were judging how strong we were to prove ourselves to you to in order to show who had the first right to claim you. I'll have to learn some fancy new moves to catch your interest," he grinned, and she blushed before he kissed her again. When the door opened to reveal Naght, it was closed just as quickly when he came in. Doppy gave a nod of respect to him, and Naght chuckled. A flash of amusement touched Doppy's eyes now at Naght's Demonic rumble, and she blinked, as both demons seemed to hiss out laughter. Then she gave out a small squeak of resentment when she was placed on the ground for them both to have her. When Naght was done, he purred when he left the room as quickly as he came in.

"He's...going to do that a lot now...isn't he?" she sighed.

"It's his Right," Doppy shrugged. "He earned it. Same as it will be for Thanatos and myself, if we claim First Mate Rights to your next Demonic Mating. Thanatos would even have to let Naght have you before he can. Of course, if Thanatos wants to claim you around me, I'll have to make way for him before I can have you again. Such is my luck for being last. You could say that a Demonic Mating makes an automatic hierarchy in the Demonic structure, and it's completely instinctive. All male demons respect it and will never break it. I wouldn't know much about it, but the information comes to me a bit naturally. I know just enough now."

"I'm still very confused about all of this," she frowned.

"I know you are. Just go off of your instinct. It always serves you well," he smiled.

"You know that I'm going to end up pregnant all the time, because of this. Right?" she said. That made him pause, and he started laughing. She seemed to glare at him, and he kissed her senselessly to calm her down.

"True, but we'll have to make sure you're pregnant with everyone else first before that happens. We need to give them a chance, too," he snickered.

"My body is going to be completely worn out," she frowned.

"No, it won't. We'll have to have you train on occasion to keep it up. Likely when you aren't pregnant. Your dancing helps, too. Don't worry. We'll all take care of you," Doppy vowed. Then he blinked when the door was knocked on, and he gave out a protective snarl.

"Um, it's me! I have My Lady's clothes!" Errende said.

"Oh. Come in!" Doppy said with his mood quickly changing to neutrality. When he came in, Howard came in with him to settle on the bed. Sarine blinked at how well her clothing was stitched up, and Howard told them how Errende was so skilled at it.

"Um..." Errende blinked and looked away. Sarine dressed quickly and moved to hug him tight. Doppy growled and was only far too pissed now that his parents were dead and he couldn't kill them again.

"It's over, Doppy," Sarine said. "Don't worry, Errende. Everything is fine now."

"I know, My Lady," he shivered. "But, I will say this."

"What?" she smiled.

"Thanatos is not very pleased that he came in second," he chuckled. "He is sending out a stressful message to Egnigem right now. She may even show up by tomorrow with the visions he is sending her."

"Great. We turn human tomorrow," Howard frowned. "Let me guess. The moment she shows up, we'll be pushed into going to Thanatos's tower. Aren't we?"

"That's what Thanatos is planning, yes," Errende said. "He wants to be free as fast as he possibly can now. He doesn't know when another Demonic Mating will happen, and he wants to show off his full strength."

"Full strength?!" Doppy blinked.

"Yes. He only has to work with what my body can offer. He's at a quarter strength of what he normally has," Errende nodded. Howard whistled now and looked at Sarine. She seemed to blush a bit.

"Well, we will need to ensure that all of our strongest protectors will be with us," Sarine nodded. "I may even ask Naght to help us. I'm sure he wants Thanatos freed, too. Especially if he wants to see what Thanatos can really do at full strength."

"He does," Howard said, as he thought. "And he'll definitely be coming with us. He's asking Muninn for permission from Odin now, and...it's been granted. He can join us on any mission now. This is going to be fun, and I know that we are all going to have a blast!"

"We should free Ifrit," Doppy thought. "Likely after Thanatos."

"You think so?" Sarine frowned.

"Yes. I know that Odin wants him freed when you are having his children with Eremes, but think about it. It...doesn't really seem fair to him. Does it?" Doppy frowned. Sarine thought and completely agreed.  _We'll have to find out what Ifrit thought of it._ Howard got up and called for Eremes. Once he was there, they talked to him at length about their idea. Eremes blinked in thought, as he asked Ifrit.

"He's...in complete agreement. But, his place is also packed with incredibly powerful monsters, too. We will need to be exceptionally careful," Eremes said. "Especially since not many of us are fireproof, and he lives in a volcano."

"True," Doppy nodded. "We'll manage, though."

"At least you can, since you're a bit fireproof," Howard said.

"Sarine and I can do it, too, since we can gain immunity to Fire," Eremes nodded.

"I wonder if we can share our immunity with others," Sarine thought aloud.

"That...would be interesting to find out. Anyways, are you strong enough to travel?" Eremes asked. "We won't go until you're ready."

"I'm well enough. Shall we get going?" Sarine asked. Doppy rose up to dress in his armor, and she clipped Errende's leash back on. Thanatos took over quickly with a sharp growl and pulled Sarine into the bathroom. Doppy blinked, but he grumbled and nodded with the respect that was due. Howard's jaw dropped with surprise, and Eremes chuckled.

"Mine!" Thanatos hissed in her ear after he claimed her again. She just gasped at him and couldn't fight him. It was instinctive in her to submit to the demons that dominated her, since they proved their worth to her. Her shorts were down around her ankles, and she was pressed against a wall with her back to him, as he released hard in her.

"We...have to go..." she sighed.

"Sorry. The twins in you needed me to do this. You were about to get sick," he sighed and helped her with her shorts.

"Seriously?" she frowned now.

"Yes. And, since Doppy or Sammy can't feel what they need, I have to step up, so to speak. Damn...I need to be freed NOW, and I can't go to the tower until the last one gets here!" he snarled with frustration. "Being here through Errende is tough. He can only do so much for me. All right, the twins are calmed now. We can go."

"Okay," she nodded. When he walked back out with her, he explained why he had to do what he did. Howard blinked, but he nodded that it was enough of a reason. Even Doppy nodded with respect again, and Eremes just marveled at the whole thing.

"Thanatos, a question..." Eremes asked.

"I may have an answer," the demon chuckled.

"Do you think it might be possible for a non-demon to try the Demonic Mating when it happens? Of course, Ifrit may not be able to sense it when it does happen..." Eremes frowned, and Sarine blinked with surprise.

"It hasn't been impossible. If Ifrit can prove himself to her, should another Demonic Mating happen, it could work. But, he would be bound by the Demonic Laws of Respect after his place was found. If he tries to go around the rules, it would be as though he is slighting the other demons that proved themselves before him. He will be shunned by the other demons, and even treated with neutrality by Sarine until the next Demonic Mating. He would have to make up for his mistake then and prove himself to not only Sarine, but to the other demons he tried to slight," Thanatos explained. "So, he can, but he must remember the rules and abide by them."

"I see..." Eremes nodded, as Ifrit gleaned the information. He would clearly want to try when he was freed. Thanatos noticed that Sarine looked puzzled.

"Um..." Sarine started. "Thanatos, before we start going anywhere, I need more clarification on the Demonic Matings. Please?"

"All right, love. What do you want to know?" he said with a soft smile.

"You talked about these 'Rights' and a 'First Mate'. Since I'm not a true demoness, I need to know what these mean. Please explain this to me?" she asked. Now the others were able to sit around him to learn about this. Doppy also needed to know. As a demon that didn't have much time with his own kind, it was needed. Naght was also paying attention through Howard.  _This was important information._ Thanatos nodded and let her sit in his lap.

"What I refer to as 'Rights', as you put it, think of it as a level of respect. Same with being a 'First Mate', you see. The Demonic Mating is a very special ritual. We don't have that many female demons. When they get ready to mate, all of the males that are able to be in her presence make themselves known. Usually, it's by lining up in a row, or just appearing before the female they wish to mate with. If they aren't strong enough for her, she tends to disregard them right away. However, with you, it's obviously quite different.

"Now, the first male she picks at the end of the fighting is considered a 'First Mate'. This is an automatic sign of respect, and it's this male that she would end up getting impregnated with first. She will always see this male as someone she can trust, and it's usually the First Mate that assists her with her pregnancy. He takes full responsibility for protecting her and keeping her calm. Also, as I said before, a true demoness would literally have a brood of all the offspring from the males she would mate with. I am not sure how it would work with you, Sarine. I've never known of a Demonic Mating to happen with a pregnant female.

"As for Demonic Rights, it's an automatic show of respect and power. Winning a Demonic Mating is no easy task. I'm sure you all know this, if you've all seen us fighting out there. There is another sign of respect called Bragging Rights. I'll try to explain what it is. If a male that won the previous Demonic Mating wins again, it's a show of power. It doesn't have to be twice in a row. Just for that male to win another mating is a spectacle in itself and very rare. Any demon that has Bragging Rights is going to want to keep them. As for what the Bragging Rights can do, I'm not fully sure. I'll have to remember, as we go along. What I do know is that, if a male does not make First Mate ranking again in the next Demonic Mating, he loses the Bragging Rights, too. It's why the current First Mate fights to keep his Rights. Is this helping you, love?"

"Yes, Thanatos. I didn't realize just how big a deal a Demonic Mating was!" Sarine said with a form of awe. "It's really rare?"

"Yes. I've only been a part of three of them, actually. We don't know when they happen. We just have to be there at the right time. It helps demons form a hierarchy. It gives us meaning and status. It's why it's considered one of the most important rituals in Demonic society when they do happen. If a demon gets defeated, they are normally dead last in ranking. Ranking is given to demons as the female picks them. All demons are respected just for being a part of the Demonic Mating, but they MUST show signs of respect to those that were picked before them. If they don't, the other demons will feel slighted. Normally, a small nod of acknowledgment is all that's needed. Much like what I do for Naght, and what Doppy does for me and Naght. It's instinctively ingrained. Of course, the female is always respected, as she will be bearing the offspring. It's hard to grasp at first, but it works out," Thanatos chuckled.

"I'm curious," Doppy said. "If, now it won't happen with us, but, if another female demoness shows up to start her own Demonic Mating and a male joins it, would a new ranking order be established?"

"It would. It's a new hierarchy for each female. It's why many males prefer to not pursue another female, if they already reached First Mate status, or another high ranking. The female is a true leader of demons. Without them, we wouldn't be around. Unless the demons were already there, but what demon doesn't want offspring?" Thanatos grinned.

"So...another female could show up?" Sarine frowned.

"No other female is needed for me," Doppy vowed. The others vowed this, too, and Sarine blushed softly. After the explanations were done, Errende was given back control of his body, and Sarine led him to the main room by his leash. Keltin moved over to her, and she hugged him tightly. Then she hugged Sammy just as tight. She knew they missed her, and she was doing everything she could to show them that they weren't forgotten. As Seyren and Karla rose up to show they were going, Margaretha and Lloyd came back from the treasury with as many blue gems as they could carry.

Karla took more gems from them to hold in her cart, and plenty of food, grape juice, blue potions, and other fluids were now stored. Luna helped her sort everything out happily and hummed, as she worked with Karla. Garrett and Cecil readied themselves for travel, as Max and Coraline did the same. Donnie picked out a few traveling tunes to help with and tuned his guitar. Mitchell and Kathryne readied the spells they were going to use, and they prepared more food dishes to take with them.

Eddga waited outside with Windwalker, and Pori-Pori bounced with excitement. Zealotus walked over to join them, and answered Karla's questions about using a whip with more force. Vagabond Wolf loped over to suddenly sit down and scratch at an itch behind his ear. Once they were all together in their grouping, Lloyd told them that the road to Nifflheim started in the jungle village of Umbala. Muninn landed on Sarine's shoulders, as Errende got up on Windwalker's back with her to help with her twins. As the party formed around Windwalker, they went to the Kafra Agent and got sent off to the village of Umbala.


	70. Chapter 70

The village was odd to take in, as Sarine looked around. Most of the houses were on wooden bridges in the trees. Adventurers that were passing through pointed and gaped at her, as many of them did visit the arena in their spare time. She smiled softly and waved, as her traveling party followed Lloyd. He was the one that truly knew where to go, and quite a few of the darker skinned locals gaped in surprise at the strong monsters that moved as one around her. The village chief came out and blinked with surprise.

After a brief introduction, and a showing of Sarine's Mark of Odin, he quickly understood and ordered the villagers to relax. He told them that her coming was foretold by their gods, and they would assist her should she need anything.

"Thank you, but I think we are good," Sarine said with a nod.

"Very well. Where do you go?" the chief asked.

"We are going to Nifflheim," Lloyd said.

"Hmm. Bad spirits there. Take caution," the chief warned.

"Always," Keltin nodded. Then he gave them a spiritual blessing before letting them move on. She leaned back into Errende, and he moved his arms around her waist to press his hands onto her belly. Thanatos was keeping a close eye on the twins to keep them calm. Pori-Pori quickly started to clear a path through a mob of monsters called Stone Shooters. They were tree stump monsters that spat out small lobs of super-heated stones at them. Large, orange monkeys were also there to run up to attack them or fire off stones at a distance.

"Shields up!" Seyren scowled, and those with shields raised them to keep the others defended from the lobbing stones.

"Hmm. Wootan Shooters and Wootan Fighters. Oh! There's a couple Wootans now, and they appear to be joining us!" Keltin chuckled. Sarine smiled, as the Wootan Fighter and Wootan Shooter waved before glowing to vanish to the island home. A Stone Shooter had joined them next. As they worked their way through the Yggdrasil Tree passage, Lloyd was able to lead them to the stairway that took them to the core of the tree. Explaining to them now, they had to work their way right into the core to reach the downward root system. From there, they could find Nifflheim, and he could make a Warp point safely right before they got there.

"That will also be the place that Karla can harvest an infinite number of herbs," Lloyd chuckled. "This includes the rare shining ones that change colors."

"Wonderful!" Karla smiled. In the passageway to the center, Sarine blinked, as she saw the plant monsters called Dryads and Wooden Golems in vast numbers. There was already a Dryad and a Wooden Golem that had joined them from Naght's tower, so the ones here were easily vanquished while they moved.

"Stop staring at the Dryads, Seyren!" Karla growled.

"How can't I?!" he countered. "They're naked women wrapped up in vines!"

"Pervert!" Karla growled.

"Need some help?" Zealotus grinned. Seyren stammered, and Howard started laughing like crazy. Garrett whistled, and Cecil winked at him. Doppy smirked and moved to walk with Sarine and Errende.

"How is she?" Doppy asked.

"She's fine," Errende nodded. "Thanatos is helping to keep an eye on her."

"Good. It's what we need. Love, how are you feeling?" Doppy asked Sarine.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine," she nodded. "Tired...but fine."

"My Lady, you could rest on me," Errende suggested. She smiled and shook her head. Doppy looked at her concerned.

"It's not sleep tired. It's just energy tired. I feel a bit drained after the Demonic Mating," she admitted. Doppy frowned and asked Karla for a Yggdrasil Berry. On getting it and giving it to her, Sarine said it helped her. They suddenly blinked, as Storm Caller appeared at her side.

"Yes?" Howard asked him.

"Your children are hungry," Storm Caller said.

"Make a small camp! Huginn told us this would happen!" Howard said to the others. Borders were quickly claimed, and Storm Caller brought the twins to Sarine to feed them. Naght came out through Howard to help monitor them, and both Doppy and Thanatos nodded their respect to him on sight. Sammy mused at this and realized just how important Demonic dominance was to them. Even Ifrit was taking special notes through Eremes, and Keltin smiled softly to himself. Windwalker let Sarine feed the twins on its back and kept up its wings to give her privacy. It was very protective while the children were with her.

When the twins were finished feeding, Storm Caller took them back to the nursery, and the borders were taken down so they could continue. Cubed, raw meat was given to Sarine while they walked to keep her cravings down.

"I want a baby," Karla sighed.

"Why?" Seyren asked.

"Well...don't you?" she asked.

"Yes. You know I do," Seyren smiled. "But, why do you want one all of a sudden? Don't you like the ability to sleep when you want and stay up as long as you want? Besides, we can't have kids until I'm fully human. Remember?"

_:Father Odin. Can fix.:_  Muninn chirped with a short chuckle.

"Can he?!" Karla gasped with delight.

_:Possibly. Maybe. Tomorrow? When human? After. Free Thanatos? I ask?:_  Muninn asked her.  _:You want. Baby. Yes?:_

"Um, wait," Seyren said. "Karla, dear, we really should discuss this..."

"What is there to discuss? If any of us can have children, would you deny us the right? I mean...I understand about Cecil, Margaretha, and Kathryne...but Coraline and I would surely want children if we can have them. Right?" Karla frowned.

"Um, I'm not ready for kids yet," Coraline admitted.

"That's a relief..." Donnie snickered, and Max gave him a small grin.

"Oh, shut up, Donnie! You'd make a horrible uncle, anyways," Coraline frowned. Donnie gaped at what she said, and Garrett started laughing.

"Don't be so mean to your brother," Mitchell chuckled. "I'm sure that, when it happens, he will be a great uncle."

"Thanks, Mitchell," Donnie nodded.

"And Seyren would just  _love_  to change diapers!" Howard said.

"Not funny!" Seyren glowered, and they all laughed.

"He'd look better in one..." Eremes snickered.

"No!" Seyren growled.

"Think Orc Village is next?" Eremes went on, and Seyren groaned.

"Eremes..." Sarine warned lightly, and he nodded to her that he was done.

"Thank you," Seyren said.

"Oh, no need. Besides, someone is going to have to keep you in line tonight. You haven't finished your training," she smiled. That made Seyren go silent, and everyone laughed, snickered, and chuckled.

"And then Garrett will be next!" Cecil grinned.

"Quiet!" the Paladin hissed.

"Oh, he's just going to get a taste of it," Sarine nodded.

"I can give him a free taste now..." Zealotus offered.

"Nope! We will wait," Sarine said. Zealotus pouted, but she accepted it.

"I feel overjoyed," Garrett grumbled. Sarine chuckled and leaned into Errende a bit more. They paused when another adventuring party approached them, and she blinked. The party consisted of a Lord Knight, a Whitesmith, a High Wizard, and a Sniper. All of them were men and started to ask them questions.

"Party is full before you all ask," Seyren said. Sammy was in his adult form, but he was easy to recognize when his Samurai ghost was hovering over him. Max and Coraline blinked, as Keltin moved to stand by Sarine's side protectively. Doppy seemed to sneer with annoyance. The four men recognized them all from the arena, and it was the Whitesmith that started to talk trash about them.

"I'm going to kill him," Howard growled. When the bantering continued, he threatened to Berserk, but her touch calmed him when she hugged him.

"They are not worth it," Sarine said. Zealotus readied her whip and even cracked it to get the man's attention with a warning. At that, the Whitesmith quieted, and his three companions snickered. Vagabond Wolf growled menacingly, and Eddga even rumbled his disapproval. Once the man saw them, he backed off.

"Oh! A Poring!" the High Wizard said to Pori-Pori. Doppy stifled his laughter, as Pori-Pori scooted over and slammed the guy into the wall of the tree easily.

"Please don't insult Pori-Pori," Sarine sighed.

"You're that Sniper girl, huh?" the Lord Knight grinned.

"I am a Sniper and a girl, last I checked," Sarine frowned. Doppy now looked over and hissed at him. Eremes narrowed his eyes with irritation.

"Oh, yeah! You're the one that never fights anyone!" the male Sniper grinned. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Too weak?"

"Stop...right...there..." Eremes growled out.

"I'm pregnant! That's why I can't attack at the arena!" Sarine said with outrage. Errende narrowed his eyes and kept his hands on her belly.

"Sure you are!" the Sniper gloated. Then he blinked, as Doppy's sword found its way through his gut and out his spine. The Demonic Mating had truly awakened most of his dominance again, and he was making use of it with an evil form of joy.

"She's pregnant with my children, you piece of shit!" Doppy snarled out. The Lord Knight and Whitesmith both gaped, as their friend was shoved off the sword and Resurrected by Margaretha. Once the point was made, the four men moved out of their way quickly to let them pass. Doppy was still livid, and Howard was even pissed off.

"I want to teach them a lesson!" Howard muttered.

"Can I go back there and kill them? Please?!" Doppy begged.

"If they follow us, do what you want," Sarine said.

"We should tease them," Howard snickered.

"Trick them into following us...?" Eremes grinned. "I can chuck a stone at them..."

"I'm in!" Keltin nodded. Sammy whistled softly, and Errende smiled slightly, as he kept her twins calm in her belly. They all giggled and snickered when they heard screams of outrage not far off. Then everything was calm, as they traveled further through the tree. As they neared the center, another adventuring party encountered them. This one consisted of a High Priest, a Champion, another Whitesmith, and an Alchemist. Sarine sighed, as they were stopped again when they were recognized, and Seyren said their party was full once again.

"We can help you out so much!" the Alchemist guy said. Then he gaped when Naght Seiger came forth through Howard, and Ifrit came forth through Eremes.

"We have enough help, as you can see. Thank you, though," Sarine smiled sweetly and waved them off. When they tried to attack Naght, none of them lasted when her party attacked in a wave of murdering justice. Then they were finally able to reach the center of the tree and head down with much relief to them all.

In the root system of the tree, Sarine gaped at the beauty of the place. There were no attacking monsters here, and waterfalls were all over from suspended tree branches. It reminded her of the grove back at her island home, and Sammy started to make a mental note of what else to add there. Karla moved to one of the Yggdrasil root sprouts and harvested one.

"Think we can plant this in the grove?" Karla asked.

_:Yes! Father Odin! Likes! Get more!:_  Muninn bobbed his head. Water was quickly collected from the roots, and more sprouts were gathered up. Errende gazed around with a smile, and Thanatos was amazed at the sights of the root system here. Yggdrasil Berries were collected from the shimmering plants they harvested from. Howard uprooted a plant and blinked at something he found. Smiling, he moved to Sarine's side and placed the small leave in her mouth. Errende frowned at first, but then he chuckled.

"What's this? Oh!" she blinked with delight, as it was a Romantic Leaf.

"Very cute!" Doppy chuckled when he saw the leaf in her mouth. A small Romantic Flower was found next and given to her. She laughed with delight at this and placed both of the items in her pack. Errende blinked and hugged her tightly. His hands pressed into her belly fiercely now. Doppy glanced at him, and Sammy looked over questionably.

"My Lady needs blood! Now...!" Errende said. "Thanatos knows this!"

"Who will she feed from?" Doppy asked.

"Me," Sammy said. "I'm strong enough for it."

"We should have gotten Alexander," Howard frowned. "When we go to Thanatos's tower, we'll have to see about bringing him."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. Errende scooted back for Sammy to sit next to Sarine. She moved between them, since Errende couldn't take his hands off her belly. Windwalker kept its wings raised up and seemed to glare at anyone that tried to look in. A harsh gasp of pleasure was heard, but that was all that was revealed of what was going on. A few minutes later, Sammy moved from Windwalker with a short, staggering movement from the blood loss, and Eremes gave him a freshly harvested Yggdrasil Berry.

"Thanks," Sammy sighed, and Windwalker's wings went down. Errende was Healing himself after she fed from him, and he had just fixed up their clothing. She snuggled against his neck, and he rested a bit with her.

"We're almost at the entrance to Nifflheim. When we get close enough, I'll make a Memory point," Lloyd said. Sarine nodded to him, and Errende was passed a Yggdrasil Berry. Eating it now, he felt much better, and Windwalker got up to walk again. When they got to the point before the entrance to Nifflheim, Lloyd made his Memory point to be able to come back here.

"Wonderful! I'll be sure to come here to get my herbs," Karla said.

"Okay. Once we get into Nifflheim, it will be a warzone!" Lloyd said.

"Oh, put these on!" Karla said. She handed him the upgraded boots with Eddga's card in them. Taking them gratefully, he placed them on and armed himself with as many blue gemstones that he could carry. When they were ready, they all moved through. The scene changed from vibrant with life to morbid with death. It was a massive graveyard they were moving through now, and Errende kept Sarine close to him. Doppy started to attack the various monsters that swarmed them with a profound joy, as did the others. Lloyd cast his skill of Magnus Exorcismus to take out whole mobs of the monsters. Many of them were already recruited from Naght's tower.

Large, blue, hollow armored Dullahans attacked with their empty roars. Small shadow-like Quves attacked on sight with them. Giant tree monsters called Gibbets attacked, as they swung the corpse-like dolls that hung from their branches. Tiny, pink, ghost-like Ludes held their small pumpkin lanterns, as they attacked, and Sarine was amazed at how many attacked on sight. Any items they dropped as they were defeated were picked up and stored in Karla's cart and on anyone else that could hold things. Pori-Pori even helped hold things that he collected, as he killed off monsters with glee.

Mitchell's training sky-rocketed here, and he was almost ready to transcend, as they worked their way through the massive graveyard. When they reached another section of Nifflheim, a girl riding a strange moon with bats circling her approached them. She was floating in the air, and there was even a black cat on her head.

"Loli Ruri! Almost looks like a type of witch, eh?" Keltin chuckled, as the monster joined them. She glowed, and her cat gained the ability to help her attack, as well as the bats that swarmed around her. Then she seemed to giggle and point, as a massive, masked male monster came lumbering towards them. He wore a tattered, bloody cloak and wielded a massive kitchen knife that he swung around with intense skill.

"And what's that monster?" Sarine blinked.

"Bloody Murder," Keltin smiled and nodded to the massive monster. Bloody Murder glowed and got far more massive. His butcher knife seemed to become a nasty looking blade with small jagged marks on it to do more damage. Sarine smiled softly, as Windwalker kept moving with her protective party. Zealotus was making harsh noises of satisfaction with each monster she killed, and Eddga Stunned whole mobs of monsters for Lloyd to destroy. Sammy caused random status effects on any monsters that got too close, and Doppy was having too much fun killing off everything he could.

They managed to wipe out a small area of monsters, and a small break was taken. Borders were set up, and it was just as Storm Caller appeared to let them know that the twins required feeding again. They were brought to Sarine, and Windwalker gave her privacy to feed them. As she fed them, she blinked when Thanatos emerged to watch her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Far from it," he whispered and pulled her close to kiss her. "I'm testing something. To see for myself."

"Testing what?" she asked. He held her close, as she nursed the twins, and he found himself thinking. He started smiling softly, as his form emerged in full.

"I think...I'm going to like this..." he mused, as he let an armored hand come out to lightly touch Serenity's cheek while she nursed.

"Like what?" she asked with a soft blush.

"Being a father when my time comes," he grinned. That made her blink, and he kissed her again, deepening it now. There was only one mild fear that he had from something that happened to him long ago, but he was fairly sure that it wouldn't hamper him.  _At least, I can only hope. It wouldn't happen unless she became pregnant with my children, and she was already pregnant._ It was something he should worry about, but he let it settle back in his mind.  _Now was not the time to mull over something from the past._ He pulled away and smiled at her. Then he looked up, as Windwalker put down its wings to adjust them momentarily. Doppy and Howard looked over and blinked their shock. They had to check on her now, and Thanatos confronted them, as he held Sarine. Only after Doppy nodded with respect to Thanatos did he start talking to him.

"So, you couldn't resist after all?" Doppy grinned.

"You know I had to try it at least once," Thanatos grumbled.

"Well, technically, they are your kids, too. To an extent," Howard chuckled.

"True. Egnigem will be at the island later tonight. She's making her way there now. By the time she arrives, we could simply try to head to my tower. Or, we could wait until morning," Thanatos said. "The choice will be up to you all."

"Well, Eremes and I will be human with the others," Howard said.

"We can think of it as a test. Like with Naght's tower," Sarine smiled and handed over the twins to Howard and Doppy to burp. She fixed up her top, and Thanatos chuckled. Windwalker's wings went down, and a few of Sarine's companions gaped at what Thanatos looked like. Many of them didn't even realize what he looked like at the arena, and now they were in awe of him. Storm Caller appeared and took the twins back home just as a group of adventurers walked over to them.

"It's her! From the arena!" a Gypsy said.

"Awesome!" her High Priest companion said. The Monk and Alchemist looked at Thanatos curiously, and Doppy narrowed his eyes.

"Wonderful," Sarine sighed. Thanatos growled a warning to the adventurers, as they stopped to study the group of monster companions.

"Let's go," Lloyd said. The others got ready to move.

"We should fight you!" the Monk said.

"Don't try it, kid," Keltin glowered. "We are far too busy to play right now."

"Why? Think I can beat you? Just because you're a Champion doesn't mean I don't know how to play rough!" the Monk said.

"Ugh," Sarine frowned. Thanatos thought before he kissed her and unclipped the leash. He moved from Windwalker's back with a purpose. At his swift approach with the massive two-handed sword drawn, the offending party quickly moved off and down the path. Doppy started howling with laughter, as Thanatos got back up on Windwalker's back.

"Problem solved. Let's move," he growled out. Sarine giggled, as he put his sword back, placed his hands on her belly, and let Errende's form come back into shape when he was given control again. She snuggled into her slave, and he tightened his arms around her.

"You heard him! Let's move!" Howard said with a grin.

"Ah, My Lady. It was my idea to have him chase them off. You approved?" Errende smiled. She kissed him passionately as her answer, and he blushed. She re-clipped his leash back on, and he held her protectively.

"I definitely like Thanatos!" Doppy grinned, as he started walking with them.

"Well, you proved that you can hold your own against him," Errende nodded.

"I'll fight better next time," Doppy said.

"Ah. He says...that we'll see," Errende grinned. That made Doppy glower, and Sarine blushed. Doppy grumbled slightly, as he walked now.

"So..." Garrett said, as he slowed up to talk to them. "exactly what is this 'Demonic Mating' thing? Can you elaborate?"

"Um...think of powerful male demons all fighting each other to impress a female demoness in order to mate with her," Errende said. Garrett's eyes widened, and he saw Sarine blush softly. He started to get curious about it now.

"Of course, we all got to have her. She just got to pick the order. It's like a hierarchy with ourselves. Unfortunately, I was last to be impressed by her, since I didn't really know what I was doing. Naght impressed her the most, and Thanatos was after him. The next time it happens, I'm going to be first," Doppy growled.

"Oh..." Errende chuckled at a thought. "Thanatos just said...um...fat chance?"

"Bring it, asshole!" Doppy snarled.

"Doppy!" Sarine frowned. The demon growled, but she leaned over to run her hand through his hair to calm him down. Sammy glanced over and started laughing. Howard and Eremes looked at each other to grin, as Keltin snickered. Garrett simply nodded with a quiet smile on his face.

"So, it's important?" Seyren asked.

"Seyren, think of it like this," Sarine thought. "You know the game 'King of the Mountain'? The game some kids play in various towns?"

"Oh! Yes, I do," Seyren nodded.

"Okay. Doppy and Thanatos need to push Naght off the mountain next time. Right now, he's on the mountain, and they both pay him his respects. It's a form of, oh, respectful Rights at the same time of being able to be with me before either of them do," she said. "It's...a bit hard to explain, really. Thanatos had to explain it all to me."

"Can he explain it to us, as we walk?" Lloyd asked. "We should know, too."

"Fair enough," Thanatos said, as he emerged from Errende. He explained everything again in full to the group. Garrett and Max were completely impressed. After it was relayed to them, Thanatos let Errende take over again.

"Huh. Maybe I should see it," Seyren blinked.

"No," Doppy frowned. "Then Baphomet would get involved. We can't have that, since he's a strong demon, too."

"Oh. That's right," Seyren frowned, as he remembered what Baphomet mentally told him now. "He told me it wouldn't be good when I asked him about it."

"I don't think I would want Baphomet to...well...have that chance, either," Sarine blinked, and she looked away. Errende blinked and pressed her against his chest, as his hands moved to fully cover her belly.

"Quite right!" Seyren agreed fully and dropped the subject.

"Seyren! Stop pestering my wife!" Howard snapped.

"I'm not pestering her! Why would I pester her? I have my own wife to pester!" Seyren said. Then he grinned, as Karla and Luna glared at him. "Hello, my love!"

"Pester me, eh? Hey, Zealotus! I think I have a job for you tonight," Karla grinned. Seyren stammered, and Garrett started laughing.

"Really? I'm in! Just say when and give me a safety word!" Zealotus sang out.

"Are you serious?!" Seyren gaped, and Howard started laughing like crazy. Eremes was grinning, and Doppy howled with amusement. Sarine gave a soft smile, as Errende chuckled. Sammy and Keltin seemed to glance at each other and shrug. When the last section of Nifflheim came to them, they cleared out a swarm of Ludes and Loli Ruri monsters to make it into the actual city of the dead. An odd, floating, and possessed rabbit doll came over to them. The ghost of a girl appeared over it, and it seemed to follow them after it glowed with power.

"It's a Hylozoist," Keltin chuckled. "All right, we need to find Lord of Death here. Think of a white, spectral knight on a ghostly white horse. Try to lure him here! Let's move!"

"Right!" Donnie and Coraline said together. Those that could move to search quickly did so. Windwalker was led to an area that was easily defendable for Sarine, and she frowned at the city before her. She clearly didn't like it here. When she looked up, she gasped, as she thought she saw her false mother before the image vanished. She paled and shook from head to toe.

"My Lady?!" Errende blinked. She forced herself to stop trembling.

"What is it?!" Doppy hissed.

"I...I thought I saw her..." she whimpered.

"Shit! This is the city of the dead, all right," Howard growled. Margaretha came over to her swiftly and applied her strongest Blessings on everyone. Errende paused when he saw the skill, as he was able to do it, too, so he was quick to help. Kathryne got her spells ready with Mitchell to back her up. Seyren drew his sword and prepared himself to attack anything around them. Cecil notched her arrows, and Eremes was still Cloaked and waiting for anything to try to get past him. Doppy snarled and closed his eyes, if he needed to sense for anyone. Muninn was simply hovering over them all protectively, and he had secretly asked Odin to keep the horrible woman's spirit back with the spirits of Errende's parents. Odin had agreed, and it was done. They would not be seen by the others after this point.

"He's coming!" Coraline said. Karla was luring him to them with her bombs. She was attacking the minions around him to keep him amused. When he rode up on the ghostly, white horse, Sarine jumped off Windwalker's back and whimpered when her tattoo glowed.

"Lord of Death! Stop and hear me!" Huginn called out. The white horseman of death paused, and his minions seemed to scatter from his side. Sarine's companions came back to her and quickly settled behind her.

"Yessss?" Lord of Death hissed out.

"Lord Odin needs you to join us for a coming war! Separate from your darker self to keep the Balance intact! Do this now!" Huginn commanded. Lord of Death howled with anguish, and his horse reared in pain. When the darker side of Lord of Death split and vanished away, he seemed to pause.

"Free?" he hissed with surprise.

"You are now pet-like and can accompany the Vessel of Odin wherever she travels! There is an island that is our base of operations with an arena there where you can battle others to keep up your strength! If you are unsure of what you can do, you can speak to the strong Strouf, Storm Caller!" Huginn said.

"Very well..." he nodded and vanished to the island home. Sarine fainted, and Howard caught her. When she came to, she trembled at the vision of the dead woman she saw from earlier and kept to herself. Errende was clearly worried for her now, but he didn't know what else he could do. Howard thought she was simply exhausted.

"Time to go home?" Lloyd asked. The agreement was unanimous. The Warp back was made quickly, and they all vanished through it.


	71. Chapter 71

Once at home, Sarine did feel better, but she was tense. She was still a bit shaken up about seeing her old tormentor, and now it was starting to show.

"My Lady?" Errende frowned, as he watched her. She had gone rather quiet, and she wasn't talking to anyone. It was clearly starting to affect her.

"Let me try talking to her," Seyren said.

"Take her to the grove," Sammy said. Howard explained to Errende what Seyren was able to do, and he nodded. Seyren took Sarine by the hand and led her out to the grove. Settling on the mossy ground with her, he watched her with concern.

"I saw her..." Sarine trembled and blinked back tears. "I know I saw her..."

"Saw who?" Seyren asked.

"Her! The...the old...bitch that...that...!" she hissed, and her emotional wall crashed down while she tried to talk. Seyren gasped at who she was talking about now. He scooped her up into his lap and hugged her tightly to his chest to comfort her.

"She's dead! She can't hurt you!" he growled.

"But...I SAW HER!" she screamed out and trembled even more. Sammy had shown up swiftly at her scream. He snatched her from Seyren to whisper to her the moment he settled her into his lap. Very softly, he whispered to her in his calming voice, and she gasped through her tears of pain and rage. The calmness of the grove was barely helping from the terror that plagued her. He continued to hold her and cradle her.

"She was an illusion. Nothing more..." Sammy soothed, and she shivered. "I killed her. She's gone. Her body was destroyed. She will never hurt you again. It's all right now..."

Seyren watched speechlessly. He truly had no idea how badly that woman had made a mark on her until now. He looked up, as Lord of Death approached them in the grove. Muninn informed him of what Sarine was worried about, and the strong monster wanted to help. Sammy looked up and regarded him with a nod.

"She is no more," Lord of Death whispered out in his deep, ghostly voice. "You have my word. As Lord of Death."

"Really?" Sarine frowned, her voice very shaky now.

"Yes. You are safe. No ghost will come here. Not without my knowledge. I will destroy it. If it is not safe. All is well now. You have my word. Once again," he nodded. He was speaking slowly to help keep her calm. His horse snorted, as though agreeing.

"Thank you," Sammy said respectfully. Sarine was able to take a calm breath now, and the horseman rode off to see the arena. Keltin appeared soon after with Howard, Doppy, Eremes, and Errende. When Sarine started to cry with tears of relief, Sammy held her and hugged her tightly. Howard winced at her emotions, and Doppy swallowed, as he tried to suppress them, as well. Keltin became his Bongun form, and he moved close to let Sarine hug him.

"My Lady told me everything earlier today..." Errende said softly. "I can relate with her pain. She and I had similar pasts...to an extent."

"We all can relate with her somehow," Sammy said with a small nod.

"Where did Sarine...see the ghost?" Eremes asked.

"My Lady...she gasped in the dead city. I think it was there that the ghost was seen," Errende said lightly. Thanatos was about to come out, but he paused as Naght's form was suddenly in the grove. He had felt Sarine's emotions through Howard, and now the massive demon was enraged. He wanted to see to Sarine's safety personally. Sammy let Naght gather her from him and hold her with a loud purr resonating from his form. He moved away from them silently with her, and he cradled her to his chest. Sarine was in awe at the wash of protectiveness she got from him now. She knew she was safe. She knew she was loved. After another moment, her mental barrier was able to be restored, and Naght gave a soft hiss of comfort to her. Since he had managed to claim First Mate dominance at the Demonic Mating, he had gained extra attributes with her. He was using them to his full advantage.

Doppy kept his eyes lowered respectfully. Errende did the same when Thanatos told him to. Seyren watched with awe at this. Even Sammy was amazed. He had overheard Eremes talking to Thanatos about the Demonic Mating, and he listened to how it was explained in full. _It could be used as an added benefit, since non-demons could participate if they wanted to try._

"Are...we...freeing...Thanatos...tomorrow...?" Naght asked, as he neatly changed the subject to one that needed to be discussed.

"Yes. That is the plan," Sarine said. "Thanatos said that the last one will be here later tonight, too. But, Howard and the others will be human tomorrow. It is why we will need your help to move swiftly through the tower."

"I...see..." he hissed in thought. "It...will...be...fun...!"

"I know!" she said with a smile. Errende suddenly nodded and let Thanatos come forth in full. He unclipped the leash for now and moved over to Naght's side.

"What do you think will happen when I'm freed?" Thanatos asked.

"Hmm...?" Naght snorted. "Death...and...blood...to...enemies..."

"Good," Thanatos grinned and looked over, as Doppelganger moved to Naght's other side. Her other husbands blinked with a look of awe at the three powerful male demons standing side by side. Doppy suddenly looked up with a snarl.

"What...?" Naght hissed.

"Intruders," Doppy growled. Thanatos narrowed his eyes and drew out his sword. Sammy moved over now with his Samurai ghost sensing the air. Howard, Keltin, and Eremes moved in around them now.

"Whoever is out there right now must show themselves before we Detect you and pull you from this place of peace," Sammy said with an outright warning.

"Then we'll rip you limb from limb!" Thanatos hissed. Doppy's snarl confirmed what Thanatos said. Naght looked out and spotted the young Ninja girl hiding in the bushes. At his glare, she tittered and came out of hiding. She paused in shock at the sight of the beautiful Sniper girl getting cuddled by the powerful red and blue demon.

"What are you doing here?" Sarine asked carefully, as her tigers' eye gemstone eyes fell on the girl's light brown ones.

"Um...I was just curious as to what else was here! Honest!" the Ninja tittered.

"And what is your name?" Sarine asked in her dulcet tone.

"Linette," she said.

"Well, Linette, you should not be here. These demons were ready to destroy you. They are very protective of this island. And of me. Do you know who I am?" Sarine asked. Naght seemed to growl, and Doppy curled back his lip. Thanatos glared and kept his sword out in case he had to use it. Howard and Eremes glanced at each other and seemed to shrug. Keltin frowned and glanced over at Seyren. The Lord Knight looked back at him with confusion.

"You should head back home, child," Sammy said calmly, as his ancient Samurai ghost seemed to hiss out a breath of mist.

"I can't go home..." Linette trembled.

"What? Why?" Sarine asked with curiosity.

"Because I ran away," she said.

"And how old are you?" Sarine asked.

"I...I'm eighteen. I'm old enough to make my own decisions! Aren't I?" she asked. Eremes seemed to think, as he watched her silently.

"Well...I don't know. Are you?" Sarine asked with a soft chuckle. "I am the Vessel of Odin, and this is my island you are on. Now, Linette, why did you run away? Tell me your tale, and I will see if I can help you."

"You...you are the Vessel of Odin?! Really?!" Linette gasped.

"Why else would she be cuddling a mass-murdering demon?" Howard grinned. That made the others chuckle. Naght even seemed to laugh at that.

"Um, okay. I ran away, because my parents are idiots!" she said.

"When did you run away?" Sarine asked, as she got more comfortable in Naght's embrace. The massive demon seemed to relax now, but Thanatos was still on edge with Doppy. They wouldn't relax until they absolutely knew it was safe.

"I ran away three years ago. From Izlude. They wanted me to be a Knight, and I said no. I wanted to be a Ninja. So, when I was ready to take the Swordsman test, I went to Amatsu to follow my heart instead. When I showed up like this, they were mad. They...they tried to accept it, but they couldn't. So, I was thrown out of the house after I ran away from them. Been on my own since then. Yeah, I made a few friends here and there. But, they moved on and transcended. I can't transcend, as a Ninja. Like a Gunslinger, Soul Linker, or a Tae Kwon, I'm this way permanently. It's fine, though," she said.

"I see," Sarine smiled. "Honestly, Linette, why did you stray from the arena?"

"I got bored! I wanted to see what else was here. I saw this place in the distance, and it looked pretty. I...I hid from the other monsters that were here until you all spotted me. I almost got caught by that large, freezing man with the red cloak, but I ran from him," Linette said. Keltin started to snicker, as she talked about Stormy Knight.

"Ah. Stormy Knight," Sarine smiled. "Just be glad you didn't find the treasury. I doubt you would have been able to escape the Mimics and Demonic swords there."

"Oh..." Linette blinked with a touch of fear.

"Well, since you have no home..." Sarine thought. Then she smiled and said, "Keltin, love. Can you get me...Donnie?"

"Donnie? Oh..." Keltin now grinned wickedly, and Howard blinked with a snicker. Eremes suddenly cracked a grin, and Sammy found himself laughing.

"Donnie?" Linette asked.

"Trust me. I think you'll like him. He's a Clown, and a very good friend of mine. His sister is a Gypsy," Sarine smiled. Doppy sighed and grinned, as he relaxed. Thanatos suddenly barked out laughter, as his sword was set aside now. He let Errende back out as his form went down. Linette blinked with shock at the transformation, and he gave his leash over to Sarine. She clipped it back on him when Naght set her down. Having Errende get on his hands and knees, she sat on his back calmly.

"Why do you do that to him?" Linette asked.

"He's my slave. He likes it," Sarine smiled. "My five husbands don't mind him. Especially since he is very important to me right now. The demon within him is not a slave, but he understands why I need this one."

"Five husbands?!" Linette blinked.

"Yes. Four of them are here right now. The Lord Knight is my brother. His name is Seyren," she smiled. "He's nice when you get to know him."

"Hello," Seyren nodded slightly. Linette smiled shyly, but he chuckled and flashed his wedding band. That made her blink, and she blushed with embarrassment.

"You needed me?" Donnie asked, as he trotted over with Keltin.

"Donnie, this is Linette. She's an eighteen-year-old Ninja that ran away from her home when she was fifteen," Sarine said, as she introduced him.

"Really?" Donnie said with a frown. He walked over and blinked with surprise at her. She looked back at him, and the men snickered.

"Um...hi..." Linette said nervously.

"Ah...hmm. Ran away? No home? Would you care to tell me more?" Donnie asked, as he offered his arm. Linette blushed and accepted it, as he walked away with her to find out more about her. He was going to walk away from the others to ensure some privacy, if it was needed.

"Damn!" Seyren whistled.

"Smooth..." Doppy grinned.

"Yes, he is," Eremes chuckled.

"I think I hear future wedding bells," Sammy mused.

"We'll have to see," Keltin smiled.

"That we will," Sarine nodded and got kissed by Howard. Getting up, she had Errende stand to be led to the house. Keltin moved over to Coraline from where she was sitting in the main room and whispered to her. She gaped, jumped up, and ran out to find her brother. Keltin then moved to Max to whisper to him, and he crowed with laughter.

"Playing match-maker now, Sarine?" Max asked with a grin.

"Why not?" she smiled. She suddenly blinked and gave out a small, high-pitched squeal of surprise, as Naght swiftly patted her rear with a light pinch when he passed her to move up the stairs to the nursery. That made her blush hard, and Doppy just about died from laughter with Howard. Keltin and Eremes were struggling to compose themselves, and Errende managed to bite back his laughter, as Thanatos was howling with it in his mind. Sammy was chuckling softly at what happened and settled in a chair. Seyren had just walked in and had seen what happened. He was leaning in the doorway and struggling to breathe. Max was wiping tears from his eyes now, and Sarine seemed to take a deep breath before nodding to herself. She cleared her throat and placed her hands on her hips.

"Wow..." Max managed to say, as he caught his breath.

"Only one thing to say now," she said calmly. "Paybacks are a bitch!"

"What?!" Howard gaped at her now, and Doppy blinked with surprise. Thinking to herself, she moved up the stairs to surprise Naght. Then she was seen running down the stairs and out the door with the largest grin that anyone would ever see on her face. The massive demon was now chasing her relentlessly. Howard just blinked and burst out with laughter again when Naght mentally told him what happened.

"What did she do?!" Doppy demanded.

"She...!" Howard gasped for air with tears running down his face.

"She...what...?" Eremes asked.

"Oh...!" Howard coughed now and tried to talk. "She pinched his ass!"

"She did...wow..." Sammy laughed. Errende could only laugh now that Thanatos was laughing harder. Eremes had to focus to keep from laughing hard in front of everyone. Doppy was laughing so hard that he started panting. Max was biting his fist from laughing so hard, and Seyren was ready to faint.

"He has an ass?!" Keltin blinked. That started a whole new round of laughter in the house. Outside the house was another story completely. Naght had caught up to Sarine from her dead run. She only got caught, because she was out of breath from giggling so much. He had pulled her tight to his chest to contain her. He held her until she was able to catch her breath, and she gasped when he began to move his hands over her body. He had no need to fully undress her, and he simply had her release for him several times, as his own form of payback. Now that she was rather docile for him, he carried her back to the house. He was still highly amused at what she did, and he knew that she would be the only one able to do that and live to talk about it.

"Is she alive?" Sammy asked.

"Yes..." Naght chuckled.

"Good," Howard grinned. Eremes was still snickering, and Keltin was laughing softly. Naght handed Sarine over to Errende so he could keep her developing twins calm. Doppy felt like passing out, but he was still grinning widely. Max had left to find Coraline, and Seyren was up in his bedroom laughing with Karla.

"Cheater!" Sarine called to Naght. He moved up the stairs, and he just hissed out laughter as a response. She smiled softly. Then she went silent, as she sighed.

"Sarine? Are you all right?" Sammy asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she said.

"My Lady?" Errende asked. She moved to hug him tightly. He hugged her back to comfort her, and he looked at the others a bit puzzled.

"What's wrong, Sorry Sari?" Doppy said, as he now moved over to her.

"Just...happy that I can have moments like that again. That's all," she whispered.

"What do you mean?" Howard asked with concern.

"Just had a thought about being alone," she shivered, and he hissed out a breath.

"You are not alone," Eremes frowned.

"I know. It's just...there...you know?" she said. "The memories. That is."

"Sarine..." Keltin whispered. She looked at him with a soft smile. Errende hugged her tighter, and Thanatos went silent in a form of shock. He recalled how she told him that she had thought of her friends as her extended family. He knew how hard it was for her to talk about how they were ripped from her when the Lighthalzen incident happened. He remembered when she told him how she struggled to survive for so long without them. The memories still hit hard with her, and now he could see why. He couldn't imagine being without her and the others now. He could easily relate to her loneliness. They clearly grew on him, too, and he could understand the point she was getting across to him.

"What are you feeling right now?" Doppy asked. "Tell us."

"Relief. If anything, Doppy," she whispered. "Just...a lot of relief..."

When Seyren came down the stairs with Karla, he paused at the awkward silence in the room. Howard gave him an odd look of worry, and Seyren's big brother mode was back. Eremes moved to his side and whispered to him on what was going on. Seyren groaned and nodded. He clearly understood this and had an idea on what could be done.

"Sarine," Seyren said, as he moved over to her and Errende. "Do we...need to read the letters? Again?"

"The...the letters?" she frowned, and Howard winced. Keltin's eyes widened, and Eremes looked away to the floor. Sammy frowned, and Doppy just blinked at this. Errende wasn't sure what to think, and Thanatos clearly had no clue about them, other than how they helped the others remember her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. _Many needed to know, and now is the time to bring this to light._

"It may help," Seyren said. "Now that we have a bigger family. I know I said to burn them before, and I was wrong, but...let's get them and read them again. You and your husbands can take turns. I think it's needed again."

"Ah..." Sarine blinked back tears, and Errende continued to hug her. "Okay. In the grove, though. It...would be better there."

"All right. I'll send the word out to everyone," Seyren nodded. She took a deep breath, and Errende stepped aside to let Howard pull her into a crushing hug. Kissing her desperately, he led her out to the grove with the others. Very slowly, her friends and various monster companions appeared to bear witness to the reading. Eddga found a place to sit by her, and Naght was curious about it, as he moved close to her. He knew he could always look in Howard's thoughts for the letters, but he wanted to hear them from her directly.

She blinked, as Baphomet even appeared at Seyren's request, and he made a spot for himself. The stronger monsters that were recruited in her travels had first pick on the choicest areas to be at to listen. Muninn landed in a tree to watch and bear witness to the event. She had no idea that every single monster on the island was now coming to the grove to hear everything, and it was all because they respected her.

The letters were brought out by Storm Caller, and each husband got a set of letters according to date. Even the one sent by Howard was in the pile. Cecil gave a sad smile to Garrett, and Kathryne gave the same sad smile to Mitchell. Margaretha kept her eyes lowered with her hand tight in Lloyd's. Karla gave Seyren a worried look, but he nodded.  _This was needed for the new ones to know, and she didn't know of them, either._

Errende sat on the ground by Sarine's feet to listen with Thanatos, and he placed a hand on her belly to keep the developing twins calm. Thanatos knew that everything Errende was going to hear now was going to be relayed to the ones in the dungeon and to Egnigem. Pori-Pori seemed to shift a bit curiously with his Poring-type brothers, and they had settled around Windwalker, as the massive Gryphon set up a place to relax. Vagabond Wolf was curled up with the other wolves, as they readied themselves to listen.

Very slowly, letter by letter, they started to be read out loud. Sarine had started off the first letter, and Howard read the next one. Then Keltin was next followed by Eremes. Doppy had read the next letter out, and Sammy picked it up with another before it went back to Sarine. When the more painful letters started, there were pauses between the words to keep the emotions down. When Howard read his letter out that he had sent to Sarine, she had to help him with various parts of it, since it was so painful to read. Doppy was struggling to focus on reading. Even Ifrit was in shock on what was being read. Naght was speechless, and so was Thanatos.

When the last letter was finally read out loud, Storm Caller had quickly moved in to gather the letters and place them back in their storage. He was deeply affected by them. Silence was all that was there now, save the rustling of the wind in the trees. Bacsojin and Doll were rocking the twins in their arms, as they thought with frowns. The Amatsu Captain was even there with his eyes lowered. Finally, Howard pulled Sarine to him and kissed her hard with a branding lust. The moment he moved her to the house was when the silence was broken.

"So much emotion...and pain in those letters," Baphomet rumbled. "I see now why Odin worries much for her."

"We always worry for her," Doppy said, and he looked at Naght. "On the night you managed to reach out through Howard, before her pregnancy, we discovered it was her birthday soon. We had all left to go to the treasury to find the perfect presents for her. She woke up from a nightmare and found us gone. We didn't realize that she had nightmares when she sleeps alone. It still happens, apparently. She...she almost killed herself that night, because she vowed to herself that she could not live alone again. It...is too painful for her."

"WHAT?!" Thanatos screamed out through Errende, and he rose swiftly to his feet. Sarine didn't tell him of this. Panic had set in now, and he knew only one thing.  _I can't live without her._ Naght howled at this news and moved swiftly from the grove to the house. Eremes gasped, as Ifrit reached through with his own shock of surprise. He wasn't able to be present for this, as it happened before Sarine's blood was consumed by him. Eremes winced and trembled now. Even Sammy was there that night, and he remembered how horrifying it was when he found out what had nearly happened. Garrett and Max had their eyes wide with disbelief, and Baphomet grimaced. There was something else that needed to be said, and Sammy cleared his throat to speak.

"Sarine told us that she is afraid of heights, and that she always went to Gonryun after discovering what happened to the others in Lighthalzen. I...had a dream vision of what would have happened, if...she jumped off the edge of the town of Gonryun..." Sammy shivered, and everyone was in an uproar again. Muninn had his head down in sorrow, but he knew he had saved her life in secret when she needed him most.

"Enough!" Keltin said frantically and ran to the house. Doppy, Errende, Sammy, and Eremes were not far behind. In the bedroom, Howard was in the middle of taking Sarine with everything he had, and Naght was magnifying the pleasure with his aura. They didn't even look over when they came in and the door closed. They knew who had come in to wait for their turns to comfort the love of their lives.

When Naght felt he wasn't doing enough, he went back to his tower and came out through Howard to do even more for Sarine. There was only one pause that he did, and that was when he moved his mouth over chest and got a taste of her milk. Now he realized why the others liked it so much and gave in to it greedily. By the time they were both finally spent, Naght reappeared and looked at the others. Giving them all a nod, he went out to the nursery to let them have their time with her.

Howard didn't even move off the bed when Keltin removed his clothes silently to move next to her. He brought her passions back with his slow, tender movements. She ended up crying out with each touch he did to her. He gave himself to her as he proved how much he loved her. By the time they finally released, Eremes was already undressed and Ifrit's heat wave spread throughout the room.

"The twins...!" Sarine gasped.

"Safe..." Ifrit promised, as he pulled her to him to carry her into the bathroom where it was cooler. Eremes was told by Ifrit how to help manage the heat, and he did so with an expert skill now. She moaned and cried out for him at every movement he did to her. When she finally screamed in release, Ifrit took over in full to lock himself inside her and fill her with everything he had. When he was sated, he carefully pulled away from her before letting Eremes have control back, and he clung to her now.

Doppy looked over at Errende and a small nod was given.

"This once, he will let you go before him," Errende smiled softly.

"Thank you," Doppy said. They were going in the order they were gained by Sarine to bring her complete comfort. Howard had Sarine before Keltin in her past. They were not going by husband status this time. Eremes nodded to Doppy, and he managed to move out of the bathroom to lean against a wall. As Doppy moved to pull Sarine to him, he glanced over at the door with irritation. He sensed someone coming over. Howard frowned and contacted Naght mentally. A sudden gasp of surprise was heard outside when Naght confronted whoever it was. He now kept back anyone from trying to disturb them. They didn't want anyone to interrupt this moment.  _It was far too important right now._

When Naght managed to talk to them, it was safe again, and Doppy continued where he left off. He nursed off of Sarine now, as he claimed her. She gasped and was far too weak from the others to try to work with him, but he didn't care. Reaching for the knife, he brought it over his neck to let her feed from him, and he roared out from the pleasure of it. He knew she hadn't fed in a while, and she needed it. He surrendered to the pleasure several times before she pulled away, and she found the strength to work with him until he screamed out with her. When it was done, she found herself getting moved by Sammy, and Doppy was Healed by Errende.

"Do you still need blood?" Sammy asked her with a soft whisper.

"Yes..." she nodded. He pulled her close and kissed her with a raw, passionate need. He wanted her as badly as the others now, and he was going to prove it. He moved his mouth over her neck and down her chest. She cried out as he moved his black kimono aside, and he grabbed several cushions to place under her. Laying her back on them, he moved over her to have her, and she stopped him.

"What?" he gasped with the need he felt for her. She took his black kimono to place under her instead of the cushions, and he blinked his eyes in shock.

"Now," she whispered and pulled him down to her. Errende and Thanatos watched with surprise, as she did something that was done in the dream vision she had shared with Sammy. She cried out with him when he released in her and they clung to each other. As she gasped from it, she cried out again when the Samurai ghost took over to take her with his intense wanting. When he shouted out his release, she moved to grab his Masamune sword, and he cried out when she moved it carefully over his neck to feed. He was stunned that she was able to use his sword. He moaned out his pleasure, as she fed from him. When she finished, Errende Healed him, and she managed to wearily move from Sammy to him.

"My Lady?" Errende asked, as he pulled her to him now.

"I'm so...tired..." she sighed. He placed his hands on her belly and made sure her developing twins were safe.

"You can rest if you want, My Lady," he said. Her hand came up to move along the leash up to his collar, and he trembled.

"I...should release you..." she frowned.

"No!" he said sternly. "This is what I want. If you release me, I will just beg you to take me back. Don't ever say that you want to release me!"

"Errende..." she sighed, and her hand moved from his collar to his jawbone. He shivered now and gasped when she moved his face close to hers to kiss him deeply.

"My Lady," he whispered and blinked when she unclipped his leash.

"I want...to treat you like a husband right now," she whispered.

"I don't know if that would be good," he frowned.

"I won't remove your collar, but I want Thanatos to experience what it will be like," she said. That made him nod, and he let her take him by the hand to go out to the small balcony outside the main window. The balcony was set at such an angle that no one could look directly at them, unless they peered over the edge or flew above it. A chair was brought to her by him, and she sat in his lap, as the sun was nearing the end of the day. Thanatos was reeling from the sensation of everything, and he thought.

"My Lady, is there anything else that you haven't told me or Thanatos yet? He...he wants to know. Especially since Doppy told us of the night you almost killed yourself. Before your birthday," Errende said.

"Oh!" she blinked, and he hugged her. "Well...did you see the dream vision we all had of Huginn and Muninn? My brothers?"

"You told me of it briefly, but I don't think I actually saw much of it. I do remember meeting them with your father before I agreed to be your slave," Errende nodded. She nodded and went into full detail on what happened. How she got lost in the forests of Payon, and how Eddga rescued her. How Huginn and Muninn approached her and took care of her for the next three months of her life. She even went over how Huginn was able to start getting close to her. Thanatos did not like that at all, and he continued to listen and watch her through Errende.

Then she blinked, as though trying to remember something else. Huginn felt that she was about to recall their current joining, and he neatly moved the memory aside. She winced from the brief headache and smiled, as she had easily forgotten what she was trying to remember. Thanatos paused and had Errende ask if she was all right. She explained it was a small headache and she was fine. Just by the headache alone, Thanatos realized she was being manipulated and quickly came forward in full. He knew what was going on, since he did the same thing to Errende when he wanted to be a Monk.

"I want to talk to Huginn. Can I talk to him?" Thanatos asked, as he lightly caressed her. She blinked and frowned, as she thought.

"It's...possible. I suppose. I won't know anything about what you talked about, and I'll faint when he gives me back to you. What do you want to know?" she asked.

"Something only he knows, apparently," he growled. She looked at him with surprise, but he kissed her and whispered that everything would be fine. Nodding now, she took a deep breath and winced, as her tattoo glowed on the back of her neck. Huginn had her rise out of Thanatos's lap and stand before him with narrowed eyes. Thanatos never noticed that time seemed to stop around them. Huginn had gained a small fraction of his power back from when he was let out of Sarine before, and he made sure to use it wisely. He did not want Muninn finding out what was going to be exposed when it came to his joining with Sarine. That included Odin.

"So, you figured it out, eh?" Huginn grinned.

"What did you do with her?" he snarled, as he rose up to stand tall. "Tell me!"

"But, if I tell you, then you'll try to stop it. I can't let that happen," Huginn frowned. "However, I'll do a trade of secrets with you. I'll tell you what you  _want_  to know, and, if you agree to keep quiet, I'll tell you...not just one...but two secrets that you  _need_  to know. I can't see the future very clearly like Muninn, but I can see the past perfectly. One secret is just fun. The other is vital for Sarine's health."

"Two secrets that I need for one that I want. One is just fun, and the other is for..." Thanatos thought and swore. "Fine. You have my word. You've apparently dealt with demons before, haven't you?"

"Constantly," Huginn nodded. "Now, as for what you want to know...yes. I had sex with her, and I enjoyed it thoroughly."

"I'll kill you!" he hissed, and he reached for his sword.

"Remember who's body I'm in!" Huginn warned, and that made Thanatos pause with hatred. "So, yes. I did it. I liked it. I'm not blood relation to her. Neither is Muninn, but he won't admit it. He won't do anything with her, but it was something that I wanted to do. When did it happen? Early morning on the same day we met Errende Ebecee. I froze time to let her sleep more, since I said she would be well rested before they met, and I decided to be with her when she woke up. I let her feed off me when she needed blood. I liked the pleasure. Who wouldn't? She even took a sample off of Muninn, and he liked it! Will he admit it? No. Then I let her sleep it off so that Howard could wake her. Now, I'm sure you're going to ask your next question. Why did I have sex with her? Well, why do you have sex with her? That answer is obvious. Love. I love her. That's why. Her safety is always first priority with me, regardless. It always was and always has, and that will never change."

"Since you're not lying to me, I'll respect you. But, I'll hate you when I see you fully," he vowed. "Now, what are the two secrets that I need to know?"

"Ah, yes. For the first one, you are going to be summoned by humans soon. They are strong enough to defeat you. But! You can defeat them. Errende Ebecee's link with you is stronger than you know. If you have others Heal him while you are focused on him as you are being attacked, the Healing will affect you. Naght could even use his Full Heal skill on you, and it would work! You'd never be defeated again," Huginn grinned. "On top of that, you'll get a massive health and strength boost when you reclaim your blood from the ones that have it. I do strongly suggest that you leave Errende Ebecee's blood merged with yours. You'll not only keep the benefit of being able to be Healed through him, but it will also help you pinpoint Sarine at all times, since he'll always be with her."

"Now this...I like!" Thanatos grinned back. "The other secret?"

"Hmm...all right. A deal is a deal, and...it's important that you know, anyways," Huginn nodded. "Remember the Demonic Mating? How Naght, you, and Doppelganger were able to claim her? I'm sure you do, since it happened earlier today."

"Of course, I do," he nodded.

"Well, she is currently pregnant with Doppelganger's twins, it's true. She already gave birth to Naght's twins, which is also true. But...there was a hidden purpose for you," Huginn grinned. "Right now, you have a set of twins in her that are in a specialized stasis. It's instinctive by her body. Once Doppelganger's twins are born, she will become impregnated immediately with your twins. They'll snap right out of their stasis and grow. All instinctive."

"What?!" Thanatos gaped. He was not expecting this, and now he had to force down the sudden fear he felt from it.  _This was not good._  Errende didn't know why Thanatos was worried, but he felt it would be revealed in time.

"She's a very special creature, Sarine. She's the Vessel of Odin. All of her pregnancies are different. But, the stasis your twins are in could be hazardous. Especially if her body starts a pregnancy without healing normally. It could be deadly. But, once you are freed tomorrow, you could tell her about this, and she can unlock the stasis and have quadruplets. Doppelganger's twins and yours together in one birth. New cravings, yes, with the normal blood and raw meat. Possibly stronger cravings, come to think of it. The only reason I'm telling you this is because..." Huginn paused. "once the twins are out of stasis, they will grow to get up to the point that they should be at. That is why it could hurt her. She would need to start eating almost instantly, and the cravings would hit her hard. The twins would need to make up for lost time while in stasis. Right now, they would be kicking around with Doppelganger's twins. They would drain her health to nothing, if she waited with them in stasis for too long. It's...very dangerous for her to be this way."

"She has my twins in her...frozen away..." he blinked with shock, yet felt relieved at the same time. "and, if she waits too long, they could hurt her with their growth. I'll need to talk to Sammy and Doppy about this."

"Of course! Just remember our deal," Huginn said with a small glare. "I told you my secret that you wanted to know for two that you needed to know."

"I know," Thanatos nodded. "I hate your guts, but I respect your honesty. I know you don't want her hurt. I'll keep my word."

"You have my thanks! You have about an hour before the humans call you out," Huginn said. Then time unfroze, Sarine's body slumped, and Thanatos moved swiftly to catch her. While she was passed out in his arms, he moved to Doppy and Sammy to nudge them out of meditation. He told them that he talked to Huginn and what would be happening to him soon, as well as how he could be Healed. Sammy would make sure to be ready to help him when it happened. Then Thanatos told them about Sarine's hidden pregnancy and what it would do to her after Doppy's twins were born.

"Are you shitting me?!" Doppy hissed.

"No. It came directly from Huginn," Thanatos frowned.

"What made Huginn come out with this information?" Sammy asked.

"It was needed to know. It concerns her," Thanatos said. He was keeping his promise to Huginn.  _I won't go back on my word. For now._  Doppy moved to wake Eremes, Keltin, and Howard, and he had Thanatos tell them what he just said about his Healing and of Sarine's hidden pregnancy. It made them gasp, and Howard thought hard about what would need to be done. Eremes was in shock that she would be having quadruplets with others besides him.

"She would need to have your twins with Doppy's. There's no other way," Howard frowned. "It would be too dangerous for her to start a new pregnancy with a weak body. It could rip her apart."

"I was thinking the same," Thanatos said grimly. Naght managed to come into the room, as Howard relayed the information, and the massive demon agreed completely. It was decided for her to know about the pregnancy the moment Thanatos was free. Once the decision was made, she stirred awake. Thanatos knew that Huginn had something to do with it. As much as he hated Huginn, he respected how he cared about Sarine.

"Did you spend any time with her yet?" Keltin asked.

"No. And, I won't have the time, if I'm going to be called out to fight," Thanatos sighed. "I...can feel them coming now. I'm bringing Errende back out. He'll tell you how to summon me so you will all know. When I need Healing, he'll tell you."

"Oh?" Sarine frowned. She was now learning about this, and he kissed her passionately before letting Errende take over. He wanted to tell her about the pregnancy, but Thanatos made him promise not to until he was able to do it himself on being freed. Errende felt a bit of pride in it, since they were his twins, too. Thanatos didn't blame him in the slightest.

"My Lady, Thanatos can be Healed through me. I can't Heal myself for him, but others can," Errende smiled. That made her feel relieved, and she told him how scared she was when Sammy was attacked in the dream vision she had with him. He squeezed her, and Sammy smiled softly. Now they all gathered around so Errende could tell them how to summon Thanatos to freedom the way it needed to be.

"Okay. How does this work?" Doppy asked. Naght remained present to listen, since he would be going with them.

"It's actually very difficult. Thanatos has a very complex tower. It's full of secrets and elaborate traps to keep him locked away. It has twelve levels, and, from what he can tell, the first three levels are under reconstruction. We will need to be in a large group just to get to the third floor, but that shouldn't be too hard. It's what we need past that to get past the sixth floor. I'm not sure of the other levels, but we will need to find five magic keys. We should be able to find them from various machines we find throughout the tower, and he knows where they are. That and there was something about being 'blessed by the gods' just to proceed. I'm not sure what it means, and neither does he. We'll find out when we get to that point.

"As we move through the tower, we'll find five charm stones that are used with the keys we find. Then, I think, there are levers that we need to arrange just to unlock the last floor that will take us to the roof that Thanatos is on. The tower is heavily guarded, you see. Ever since the reconstruction, now that he recalls. But, it's not the only thing that we need to find. When Thanatos was trapped away, there was another massive safeguard that was done. Let me try to explain this to you all.

"Thanatos has four generals, and they are all undead ghosts, if you think like that. Most likely, we would be recruiting them when My Lady approaches them. I'll tell you their names, what they look like, and what they will give us to help Thanatos escape," Errende said. When they all nodded, Sarine was settled in his lap so he could keep his hands on her belly.

"Ready when you are," Keltin nodded.

"All right. The weakest of the generals is Thanatos Dolor. It looks like a tiny shadow in the form of an upright animal. Almost like a mouse. It has a white mask on its face to show where its head is, and it looks sort of beak-like with two holes for eyes. The mouth part splits so it can talk, if needed. It will give us an amulet-like object. All of the generals hold an amulet like this, as these are the keys we will need. They are really fragments. Pieces of Thanatos's soul. The one we should get first is called a Fragment of Agony, and it's actually a green, swirling stone set in bone. It's supposed to hold the meaning of pure agony. He should be found on the fifth floor of his tower.

"The next general is Thanatos Maero, the only female general of them. She looks like a grey shadow with red lines running down her body, and her mask resembles a bird of prey. She even has feather-like hair. She's the only one that can Cloak as she attacks, so we must be careful at first. She holds the Fragment of Misery, and the color of the stone is purple within it. The true meaning of pure sorrow is what that stone holds. She's located on the sixth floor.

"The general after her is Thanatos Despero, and it looks like a floating flame elemental with a strange, animal-like mask. Only non-physical attacks can kill it, such as ghost-type formless attacks, should we encounter others like it. I forgot to tell you all. There may be multiples of them that we may meet to throw off others. Anyways, this general holds the Fragment of Despair. It's a red stone that is known to hold the true meaning of unfathomable despair. We won't find it until the eleventh floor.

"The last general is Thanatos Odium. He looks like the solid shadow of a massive, black bear. Even his mask is bear-like. He's incredibly fast and strong. He holds the Fragment of Hatred, and it's a blue stone that is said to hold the true meaning of intense hatred. We'll actually find him on the seventh floor.

"The four fragments they give us represent the true heart and soul of Thanatos. They are all very cursed, so we must be careful when using them. When they are set in a specific order at the top of his tower, Thanatos will be forced to answer the call. He won't be able to fight it," Errende said. He made sure to express how carefully everything was done.

"Wow. Whoever imprisoned him before was very elaborate," Doppy said.

"What...is...he...doing...now...?" Naght hissed out.

"Oh! Well, the adventurers haven't reached him yet," Errende said.

"Agony, misery, hatred, and despair..." Sarine said, as she frowned. She leaned into Errende now to put her arms around him and whispered. A kiss was planted on her right after it from Thanatos, and he whispered back.

"What did you say?" Eremes asked.

"I asked if Thanatos could try to help us in his tower. Unlike Naght, he can help us through Errende," Sarine smiled.

"Now this is going to be fun!" Doppy snickered. Naght hissed with laughter. Sarine checked the time and frowned.  _I'll need to be dominant soon._  Then she blinked at Errende when he said that the humans summoned Thanatos. The moment he had bursts of pain hit him, Sammy and Keltin Healed him. When a massive attack reeled him with racking coughs, Naght did his Full Heal skill to him. After another moment, Errende gave a weak smile.

"He beat them. That last attack almost got him, though. The Champion and Alchemist tried to double team him. Almost did the trick. They were quite pissed that he was being Healed, and they didn't know how. Thanatos normally can't Heal himself. His first general helps with that, but it's always killed quickly," Errende said.

"Good. At least we know that we can help out," Sammy nodded.

"Now," Thanatos said, as he came out with a grin. "if you all don't mind, I believe it's my turn with her before I let her be dominant with Errende."

"Oh, of course!" Howard grinned, and Eremes gave out a small chuckle.

"We'll be downstairs," Doppy smirked. Keltin and Sammy made plans to tell everyone about what was going to happen tomorrow, but they all agreed not to tell anyone about Sarine's special pregnancy until Thanatos gave the word. When they managed to leave the room, Thanatos gazed at Sarine softly.

"What?" she asked with a light blush.

"I have never thought that it would be possible..." he said, as he pulled her close. "How much...I could ever come to love another..."

"Well...I didn't think I would ever be able to even find anyone," she said softly.

"Because of you being trapped, right?" he asked, as he nuzzled her.

"Yes. I told Errende quite a bit, at first."

"I know you did. I was listening in with him. And, I know it was your blood that fully empowered mine to finally do what I needed to do. For that, I don't think I can ever repay you."

"It was actually Doppy's blood that did it," she admitted. "You could say that it was his blood that super charged mine to activate the others."

"Really?"

"Yes. He branded me as his first. Then Naght did, but only after Howard tasted my blood. It...awakened Naght's blood and let him be aware of me. It was the same with Eremes and Ifrit. If it wasn't for Doppy, they wouldn't be here."

"I see..." he said, as he thought. "I owe Doppy a word of gratitude, then."

"Of course," she blushed again. He watched her closely and smiled before kissing her with the passion he held for her. He couldn't remove the armor he wore, since it wasn't his real body, and he made plans to do so the moment he was fully with her. Errende's clothes quickly fell to the ground, as he pressed her back against the wall to claim her. His armor still appeared to be on him, but that was all part of his illusionary form. He didn't want to show any form of Errende's body, as he claimed her now. This was his moment with her.

He worked with her until she cried out, and he moved to sit on the floor with her. Moving his mouth over her neck, he worked his way down to her chest. Letting her lean away from him, his mouth locked on one of her breasts, and she gasped. After he drained the one he worked with, he moved to the other, and she cried out when he thrust up sharply into her. He managed to release with her, and he pulled her hard into his chest.

"Drink my blood," he whispered to her.

"Where is a knife?" she gasped.

"No. Bite my neck," he growled.

"I...I can't do that to my husbands..."

"Well, I'm not your husband. I'm your mate," he muttered and moved his mouth over her neck, letting his heated breath thrill her with hard licks from his tongue.

"It's...practically the same!"

"Not to me."

"But...I can't..."

"Hmm..." he frowned and very briefly showed off Errende's face and form. It was enough for her to growl and move to do as he asked. Once her teeth sunk into his skin, Thanatos came back in full, and she didn't even realize it. She was so enthralled by the scent and taste of his blood that she had her mouth fully locked on the bite she gave him. He had his eyes closed, as he groaned, and his hands were locked on her hips to hold her down on him while he released over and over into her. When she finished, he Healed himself with Errende's skill and pressed his forehead into her neck.

"I bit you..." she shivered.

"You bit Errende. Not me," he said with a soft smirk. "I think I understand why you can't hurt your husbands. Or the demons that call you a mate. Like me."

"Oh?" she asked.

"We are your equals. Errende is a step beneath all of us. He loves you, and you love him, but you can't fully see him as an equal. Mainly due to your dominance, which is understandable. He obviously likes his position and doesn't want to leave it. I guess he feels...safe with you."

"Does he?"

"Of course, he does! After what happened last night? He'll protect you with everything he has. And I will, too. That goes without saying," he smiled. When she trembled, he frowned and studied her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead to encourage her to talk to him.

"What...did you think of the letters?" she finally asked. That made him look away with a wince, and he hugged her tightly.

"I can only promise you this. Every second. Every minute. Every hour. Every day. Week. Month. Year. Decade. Century. Eternity. I will never leave you. I will never stray from your side. Ever," he swore, as he ran a hand up her body to hug her to him.

"Th-Thanatos!" she gasped, and he pressed her head to his neck.

"I know your husbands are the same. I don't know if you'll grow old or not. Most humans tend to die in such a short time, and that does worry me. But, if your father truly is Odin, I know you'll be alive a lot longer than most humans. And, with all the demon blood you're consuming, I honestly would believe that you are now partly Demonic. Demi-human, even. A monster? Far from it. A beautiful seductress that is known to steal the hearts of men? Definitely," he grinned. "And you can be a rather bloodthirsty beast now. I honestly believe that the others are the same way, since they are drinking your blood, too. No thanks to Doppelganger. I find it a complete turn on knowing how Demonic you are!"

"I may lose that after the pregnancy," she frowned.

"I don't think I'll give you the privilege," he winked.

"I didn't need to drink blood all the time. Mainly, it was just to help brand myself with the others. And with you," she said with a soft blush. "Well...that and it's a Demonic blood bond for the twins. I don't know if blood will make my next pregnancy sick. I sort of...hope it doesn't. What do you think?"

"I doubt it," he said. "Blood is still a form of emergency food. Regardless of who gives it to you. You should be fine."

"Well, we'll have to see what happens."

"That we will. Now, the sun has set. I know your dominant streak is close. I can't let you dominate me. So, I'm giving Errende back to you. I'll watch in the back of his mind, and I may be able to help him balance some of the pain, but just enough for him to catch on. Egnigem...will be here in the morning. The letter reading caught her completely off guard. She's...thinking on things now."

"All right," she nodded, and he kissed her again, as his form dissipated to reveal Errende underneath the illusion.

"My Lady," he whispered, as she smiled and clipped his leash on him. He could sense the change in her now, and it started to thrill him. He gasped when she pressed him against the wall. She seemed to curl back her lip into the form of a cruel smile, and his heart raced. She ran a finger up his chest to his chin, and he whimpered.

"I'm going to prime you," she purred to him. It was all she had to say, and he nodded. His clothes were already off, and now she bent down to start working him up into a mess of sensations. He was ready to start crying out, but she whispered for him to remain silent. Then she upped the training and told him to not release. He gave a short whimper, as he tried to hold himself back. She worked even harder on him, as her teeth lightly moved over his sex, and he let out a sharp gasp. When she finally gave a curt nod, he released hard in her mouth. The pain of it caught him by surprise, and he trembled all over. Every muscle in his body was aching with the release he did, and he focused hard to push away the pleasure and pain to control himself again. At this, she purred, "Good. Put on your leathers. Then we will go downstairs."

He nodded and did as she said. She dressed in her gown and decided to see what she could do about getting a different outfit made for dominating with later. Then she led him down the stairs. The moment she walked into the main room with him, her husbands looked over and tensed. Karla and Seyren looked up at her with surprise. She smiled and gestured for them to follow her. Then she looked over at Garrett, and the Paladin glanced nervously at Cecil.

"He still needs to experience it," Cecil smirked. Sarine smiled softly and suddenly moved over to Garrett with incredible speed. She rose up her hand and pushed him against a wall when she rushed at him. A soft purring sound came from her throat now, as she evaluated him. Her husbands gasped. _She never purred before._ The demon blood she consumed was clearly making a mark on her.

"Tomorrow night," Sarine said. Garrett swallowed, and she grinned wickedly. Then she simply turned, pulled Errende towards her with his leash, and glared at her husbands. At their nod, she smiled and led them out of the house. Then she paused and looked at Karla with expectation. Seyren tensed a bit and knew he was going to be discussed.

"Yes?" Karla asked.

"Do you have a collar, a leash, and a whip?" Sarine asked.

"I actually do," Karla grinned. Seyren's eyes widened, and Sarine smiled, as she gestured for her to follow with Seyren. Nodding, they continued to the western cave and went down it. In the small chamber, she had Errende only remove the black leather vest and kneel before her to expose his back to her. She looked at her husbands and had them settle to watch along the walls. She noticed the chamber was made larger and that other rooms were made. She grinned, as this was for when others needed to come here to dominate their submissives in peace.

"Karla," Sarine said, as she turned to the Creator. "I want you to have him undress and kneel before you. I am going to tell you what to do so that you will know what to do."

"Very well," Karla nodded. "Seyren! Undress now!"

"Um..." he paused.

"You are to do as she says!" Sarine snarled out. That made his eyes widen, and he nodded quickly. "Karla. Add more force to your words, or he'll fight you."

"Right," she nodded. "Undress!"

Seyren needed no other convincing. Once his armor was off, she found herself grinning now, as she stalked around him.

"Make him kneel for you," Sarine said.

"Get on your knees!" Karla said. Seyren hesitated. Then Sarine moved behind him, put a high-heeled foot on his back, and forced him down. Karla saw this and memorized the motions. Then Sarine grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back. He gasped and shivered, as the excitement coursed through him.

"Why aren't you obeying her?" Sarine crooned in his ear.

"She's...not strong enough..." he admitted. That made Sarine frown, and she looked up at Karla.  _There was an easy way to fix this._

"Collar him," Sarine said. Karla took out the collar and moved to place it on him, as Sarine still held his head back to keep him from fighting her. Now that Seyren knew that he was 'owned' by his wife, he was forced to obey her.

"I have the leash," Karla said.

"Not yet. He's been bad to you by not listening to your orders. He needs to be punished. Whip his back. Then his chest," Sarine grinned. Howard let out a small hiss, but silenced when she glared at him. Seyren seemed to tense, as he heard the whip crack. Doppy smirked lightly from his place along the wall.

"How many times?" Karla asked.

"As much as you want. Don't hold back," Sarine snickered. As Seyren started to whimper out from the pain he was getting, Sarine went over to Errende to sit on his back. She ran her hand over his back in a possessive way, and she felt him tremble from the pleasure he got from earlier. Watching Karla whip Seyren made her smile softly with a form of appreciation. When Karla finally stepped away, the Lord Knight was gasping from the pain. But, he was clearly enjoying it, too.

"I think I'm done," Karla said.

"No, you're not," Sarine frowned. "Now that you've whipped him, it is time for you to pleasure him. I will show you the moves on my slave, but I will not reveal his nakedness to you. He is mine alone."

"Very well," Karla said. Sarine got up and had Errende back into his kneeling position. She showed Karla where she had to touch and how to spark Seyren's passions. Karla watched and was soon working on her husband in the same way.

"Don't let him release. Order him this," Sarine warned. Karla nodded and hissed out the order to Seyren. He could only nod and let Karla do as she wanted. Once he reached the point of pain and pleasure, Sarine smiled and nodded.

"Now what can be done?" Karla asked.

"You have successfully primed your husband. Clip the leash on him and have him dress. Then take him back to your bedroom, or into one of the empty chambers here, and finish with him. I would suggest that you give him the option to wear the collar or not while we travel. But, only you remove it and put it back on to show that you are in control. I would not suggest the leash, unless he wants it," Sarine nodded. Karla nodded and leashed Seyren before telling him to dress. Deciding to take him back to their room, she led him away. Then Sarine looked at her husbands, as Errende let her sit on his back again and asked for their opinions.

"Will Karla need more lessons?" Howard asked.

"It's possible. Zealotus can teach her more than me now. As long as she knows how to prime Seyren, then that's really all she needs to know," she shrugged.

"What do you mean by 'priming'?" Sammy asked. She smiled, rose up quickly, and pressed him back against the wall to kiss him deeply. Her hand moved under his black kimono to find his sex and start working him. He gasped and shouted out with surprise when her mouth started on him next. When she got him to the point of pleasure and pain, she drew back and looked at him.

"Get the idea?" she purred and ran her hand under his chin. He managed to nod now that he knew. When she smiled she paused and ran a hand over her belly.

"Sarine?" Keltin asked.

"I feel...very odd..." she frowned and fell to her knees. Errende moved quickly to press his hands to her belly, and she gasped as his soothing touch started to work instantly. Thanatos intervened and took over, his eyes stark white in Errende's body, as he evaluated the twins within her with Sammy.

"The last time she had raw meat was some time ago," Thanatos said.

"Damn it! You're right," Sammy frowned, the pleasuring he got was pushed back, as the doctor came through. "Eremes, we need some raw meat. Fast!"

"Heard and noted!" he said, as he ran out of the chamber quickly.

"I had a lot of blood..." Sarine said.

"We know, but you need meat, too," Thanatos said. Howard moved over to her now, since her dominant streak was placed on hold for the sake of her twins, and she moved to hug him tightly. A kiss was pressed to his mouth to show how much she loved him. Doppy moved to her side, and she hugged him tight. After she kissed him, she had Keltin come near to get a hug and kiss from her next. Sammy was pulled close to receive the same treatment, and even Eremes got a hug and kiss when he came back. Thanatos pulled her into his embrace afterwards to get hugged and kissed passionately now. Then he had her sit in his lap on the ground so she could eat. He needed to make sure that she could eat.

"When is Egnigem showing up?" Sammy asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Thanatos said. They all looked up, as Garrett walked into the chamber with Cecil.

"Sorry," Cecil smiled. "Muninn said that he needed to know what being dominated was like now, since tomorrow night may be busy. I'll be turning human soon with all of you, and now was the only time to do this."

"Really?" Sarine frowned. Thanatos gave her a kiss and let his full form emerge to catch Garrett off guard. The powerful demon sized up the Paladin and thought.

"Let her finish eating. She hasn't eaten much today, and she will be able to work on you after. When does everyone turn human?" Thanatos asked.

"Midnight. About three hours," Howard said.

"Plenty of time," Doppy smirked.

"The lot of you will wait in a separate chamber with Cecil. I will not have her watch me dominate her husband. If Garrett likes what is done, then we shall make arrangements to show her what was done so she can continue doing it to him. Like I did with Karla tonight with Seyren. Garrett, just so you know...I'm not holding back..." Sarine smiled slightly.

"Ah...well...why should you? I'm not weak!" Garrett said quickly.

"We shall see," Sarine said softly, and Cecil could only grin. When she finished eating, Thanatos kissed her passionately, and Eremes took the plate from her. Only when Eremes got back from taking the plate to the house, did she have her men move with Cecil into a spare chamber to give her some privacy with Garrett.

"Well..." he started.

"You will speak when I tell you to speak. As for right now, you will answer my questions," Sarine grumbled. "Now, are you wearing anything under the armor?"

"Yes. My boxers," he said.

"Good. Undress down to them, please. I don't want you naked."

"What?"

"Do it."

"I'm sorry, but..." he started before he found himself rushed and shoved against the wall with brute force. She pressed her mouth to his ear, and he gasped.

"You agreed that you wanted to see how I dominated. Didn't you?" she purred. "To feel that brink of pleasure and pain? To want to feel what it would be like under someone's thumb for a small amount of time? Or did you only want to see my slave's cock to ogle it?"

"I..." he winced. "I just didn't believe what Seyren saw!"

"But, you agreed to my terms. Are you a man of honor? Or not?" she asked in a sultry tone. "If you go back on your word, I will not ask anything of you anymore after this. You will not be worthy in my eyes."

He gasped at this change in her, and he shivered. His armor suddenly fell off him, and he didn't even realize he was doing it. She questioned his honor, and his instinct to keep his word came through. He was always a man of honor. He always kept his word.

"I..." he started.

"Don't speak unless I say so. Don't worry. I won't whip you. I won't touch you anywhere near your groin area. Cecil did not give me permission to do that. You are only going to get a taste of what I can do. If you like it, you can ask Cecil to help you get more, and I'll be able to work with you as I did to Seyren. No sex between us. No kissing. It's not needed."

That made him feel relieved, but then he gasped at the feel of her nails over his back and shoulders. When he finally knelt down before her, his eyes went wide when her body pressed against his back. She knew the time to show him had come. For the next ten minutes, she showed him exactly what she said she was going to do. She gave him a taste of true dominance. By the time she was letting him dress, he had small scratch marks on his back and chest. She made him come close to releasing hard, and then she forced him away from it. This had happened several times, and he was just in complete shock that she was able to bring him that close without even a single kiss or improper touch. The pleasure was still lingering all through his body, and she could only grin. She knew that Cecil was going to have a wild night when he got back to their bedroom, and that her sister was going to want to know how to spark it again.

Leading him to her, Cecil noticed a distinctive change in her husband, and it made her grin wickedly. She could see he was still feeling the effects.

"How was it, Garrett?" Cecil chuckled. Garrett stood up straight, grabbed her hand, and led her straight back to the house so he could finish the release he could never fulfill. Sarine chuckled and slipped her arm around Errende's waist, as she was led back to the house from the dominating chambers. Howard knew he was going to become human soon and gestured to talk to Thanatos privately. Sarine looked over questionably, but Keltin smiled and pulled her to him to distract her.

"What?" Thanatos asked.

"The guys and I want to do something for her. Listen to this," Howard grinned and whispered to him. Thanatos thought and weighed his options.

"Hmm. I don't have my true body, but Errende is built enough for it. All right. I'm in. Let's do it," Thanatos chuckled. Then he blinked and swore violently.

"What is it?!" Doppy asked.

"More adventurers. They're summoning me. I...I have to answer the call..." he grimaced. Sammy and Keltin were made aware, and Naght was contacted to assist again. Sarine was now at Thanatos's side in the bedroom, and he tried to fight the call to be with her longer. Eremes thought and had an idea. He got Sarine the Rudra bow, and she blushed. She was now able to help Heal with the others.

"Thank you, Eremes," she said and kissed him deeply.

"Aren't there Healing scrolls?" Sammy asked.

"There are, aren't there?" Howard thought. "Think they could work?"

"It's possible," Thanatos thought, and then he hissed. "I have no choice..."

"Go, then," Sarine nodded. He kissed her hard, and Errende came forth to shiver nervously. She moved her hand over his back to comfort him, and he leaned into her.

"They're attacking! Same team from before!" Errende winced. Sammy started to Heal him with Keltin the moment he gasped out with pain. Sarine leaned close to whisper to both him and Thanatos to encourage them, and she Healed him whenever she was able with her Rudra. Errende screamed out, as the real attacks started, and Naght waited until all seemed lost before using his Full Heal skill on him. Once that was done, the tide was quickly turned. Then Keltin thought and cast Bless and Agility on Errende. He grinned, as Thanatos had gained the buffs. Then Sarine used her Wind Walk skill, and it affected him, too.

"Watch this!" Howard grinned and used his skills of Weapon Perfection and Adrenaline Rush. The skills affected Errende and easily transferred to Thanatos.

"Now THIS is helping him cheat!" Doppy howled with laughter. Thanatos came back to them after he won, and he was laughing.

"Oh, they were pissed!" Thanatos grinned evilly. "They kept looking for anyone purposely helping me!"

"I will say this," Sarine smiled. "Should you be challenged in the arena, we should not assist you, as it would be arena rules. When you are called to your tower, well, that's a different story. They deserve to die."

"Agreed," Thanatos smiled. Eremes was grinning still, and Sammy decided to make a mental list to see who else would want to help him the next time he was called.

"We want to do something for you, Sarine," Howard said. "We want it to be a surprise."

"I'll go take a bath. That should give you all enough time," she winked.

"Hmm. Alone?" Keltin frowned.

_:I watch. Her. For you.:_  Muninn said, as he flew in and landed on the window ledge. Sammy nodded, as it would work. They didn't want her to be alone, no matter how close they would be in another room. She kissed each one of them softly and moved into the bathroom. Muninn perched on a chair, as she undressed and started to draw a bath for herself. He took this time to silently appreciate her form. He found himself doing this quite a bit after she took blood from him. He didn't like it, but he couldn't help it, too. When she slipped into the water, she gasped, as Huginn came forth and froze time. Muninn blinked at this and reverted to his human form quickly to find out why this was done. When he saw that he was still able to move, it could only mean one thing.  _My brother wanted to speak privately to me._

"Hello, brother," Huginn chuckled.

" _HUGINN! What is the meaning of this?!_ " Muninn hissed.

"We need to talk, brother," Huginn said casually. He had Sarine's form lean over the side of the tub in a sultry way with her arms under her chin to rest there.

" _About what?_ " Muninn seemed to growl out.

"Why won't you admit that you like our 'little sister', eh? You and I both know that you do. We aren't blood related to her, and you know this. So, why all the suspense? Why deny your right to her?"

" _I see her as my LITTLE SISTER, you idiot! We've fought over this before! I will not touch her, save to hug her and kiss her cheek. That's as far as I'll go._ "

"But, you let her take blood from you! Are you going to deny that you didn't like it? That you don't want her to do it again?"

" _I...did appreciate the feeling of it. But, I will not let it corrupt me like it did you! I respect her. I protect her. If she needs blood again, then I will only let her take a sip from me at the wrist. No more than that._ "

"Are you afraid that you'll want her to take more?" Huginn mused. "You know that we can give her an unlimited amount of blood."

" _I know this, but she only needs so much, anyways. Besides, once she births human forms for us, we WILL be blood related to her!_ "

"Only those forms will be. Not the ones we have now," he flashed a grin through her.

" _What are you trying to pull? Ever since we first were able to care for her from Eddga, you've been doing everything you could to be close to her. What's in it for you? Seriously? What do you hope to gain by this?_ " Muninn asked with a frown.

"True love," Huginn said. "That is what I want. An equal to myself. Muninn, do you not desire her, too? I watch how you glance at her now. Especially after the blood was given. You think I don't know? Tell me the truth. Don't you desire her?"

" _That is not important!_ "

"Yes, it is! It's very important! Do you not want to feel her against you? Her form pressed against yours? Even for a moment?"

" _Hugs do the trick just fine,_ " he muttered.

"But, seriously, Muninn. Is it enough? Don't you want more?"

" _Silence! I won't discuss this further!_ " Muninn growled and tensed. Huginn smirked now and knew that his brother wanted her as much as he did.

"Father Odin said something to me long ago. That we were very much like a Yin and Yang. I think that's what he called it, anyways. I was always the darker, while you were the lighter. Two halves to a whole, you see. Sure, he can keep me out of trouble while I'm implanted in her mind. But...would he suspect the lighter to become...a touch darker? The thought always had me wonder..."

" _Huginn...what the hell are you thinking?!_ " Muninn hissed.

"I don't know. You tell me," Huginn muttered darkly and moved Sarine's body to the middle of the tub. Then he unfroze time and let her faint so her body submerged underwater. Muninn gaped, froze time to keep her from breathing in the tub water, and jumped into the bath to lift her out and above the water. He had to bring her into the time warp to make sure she would wake properly. As she finally stirred, he sighed with relief. Then he blinked in shock.  _My brother tricked me._   _He purposely had Sarine nearly drown to force me close to her._ It was all to prove the point that Muninn wanted her.

"Muninn?" Sarine asked with a frown. "What...are you doing in the tub with me? Did...something happen?"

" _No..._ " he said slowly. " _Huginn needed to speak with me, and he moved you further in the tub. When you fell unconscious, I had to rush in to help you. He...wanted me to bathe with you. Apparently..._ "

"Bathe with me? But...why? Please, Muninn, I...don't feel comfortable right now," she shivered. "I mean, even your armor is gone! What are you thinking?!"

" _My armor?!_ " Muninn gaped and realized that it instinctively removed when he jumped into the water to keep from rusting.  _Huginn knew that it would happen._

"Muninn?" Sarine frowned, as she watched him tremble. He gazed at her now with a form of despair.  _This wasn't how it was supposed to be!_  He tried to back away from her, but she locked her hands around his wrists to pull him back to her. Her eyes narrowed, as she sensed a submissive before her.  _Her dominant streak was back._

" _Sarine! No! Don't do this!_ " Muninn begged.

"Tell me, Muninn. Are we...blood related?" she asked with a smile.

" _Not...truly. No. You will give birth to a human form for me...but...like this...no..._ " he winced. He could never tell a lie. It was something that was ingrained into the very fiber of his being, and now he wished he did have the ability to lie.

"Then, why are you afraid? Why do you hesitate?" she asked. She now moved closer to him, and he backed away to where he was cornered at the edge of the tub. It was when he couldn't move any further away from her that she moved to lean into him. "Is it because of...Daddy? Or something else?"

" _Please, Sarine! Think about this! If something happens, I'll have to tell your husbands! I...I can't lie to them!_ "

"I need to be dominant, and I need blood. I think they can understand. Besides, you were the one that decided to watch over me. Or...was it to simply watch me?" she mused. "And... is time frozen? Surely my husbands would have asked for me by now. Which means that you froze time before you splashed into the water. Am I right?"

" _You were falling down in the tub! I didn't want you to breathe in the water! What else was I...supposed to do...? I just...please, Sarine, let me leave you in peace! There is no need for this! We can just forget this ever happened! Please!_ "

"Why are you so nervous?" she asked in a breathy whisper. He gasped, as her hands trailed up from his wrists and up his arms. She continued to work her hands along the muscles of his chest, and then to his shoulders. "And I am not forcing you to stay, Muninn. You could easily trap me in time now to escape me. Why...haven't you?"

" _I...I don't know..._ " he admitted. His heart was hammering in his chest, and she leaned away from him. She watched him closely for a couple minutes, as though in silent thought. Her hands moved in a slow caress back down from his shoulders, to his chest, down further between his legs, and he sucked in his breath at her soft touching. She explored his length now, and he whimpered, as he couldn't stop her. He didn't want to stop her. When she started to work both of her hands on him with hard squeezes and rubs, he cried out sharply, as he fought back his urge to release. She slowed down to help him regain control of the lust.

"Muninn," she whispered, as she moved in close to whisper into his ear. "I want to know if you...can you...keep a secret...?"

" _Ah...um...I can...I think..._ " he whimpered, as he fought for control.

"I will give you what you want. You say nothing to my husbands and mates. If they ask, it can come forth. However, you are to show no other emotions around me with them, save the brotherly ones you always gave before. Think you can do that?" she asked. Muninn's eyes went round.  _Huginn saw that this would happen. He knew this and didn't tell me! How neatly I was tricked and forced into this situation!_ When she stopped her hands from working on him, he wanted to beg to keep her from stopping. Finally, he looked directly at her and gave a sharp nod. He would do as she asked.

" _Very well..._ " he whispered. " _I won't show that anything is out of the ordinary, unless confronted and questioned. I'll...be as though nothing ever happened between us. But...what if this happens again?! What am I supposed to do then?!_ "

"Be...as you are now," she smiled. He went into shock at her words.  _She wanted me._   _She had always wanted me._ He cried out hard, as he released when she ducked into the water to work on him with her mouth. Rising out of the water now, she had him move out of the tub with her to the floor. When she moved her body over his, he shouted with his release the moment he was fully inside her. She cried out when he managed to thrust hard into her, and he sat up to cling to her. One of his small daggers appeared in his hand, and he made a rather deep cut on his neck for her. The moment she started to feed, he cried out when he lost control and locked his hands onto her hips to hold her there. He blinked and forced himself to breathe in and out, as her body milked his, and her mouth sucked greedily on his blood.

He didn't know why he fought with her on doing this before. Why he was so afraid to feel this. Now he knew why.  _I can easily be stuck in an eternal loop of pleasure._  He gave in to the pleasure her drinking and body gave him now. With each spasm of pleasure she gave him, he fell that much further into Huginn's trap. He was stuck. There was no way out for him now. He knew he was going to want to feel this again.  _I don't want it to stop._ Even as her body tightened around his, it sent pleasure to the very core of his being. He would never run out of blood for her. He had his hands braced against the floor now to keep himself sitting up, as she molded herself to him, and he went completely still to let her use him as she pleased.

Huginn was pleased at first, but now, he was livid.  _Sarine had desired Muninn more than me all this time!_  He would need to prove himself to her even more now to sway her decision about him. He saw this as a personal vendetta against his brother. Sarine thought that Muninn's blood also tasted better than Huginn's. _It was easy to simply drink and drink and never want to stop!_ She didn't even realize that Muninn's blood was now charging her body for something even more. His blood was going to remove the stasis around her dormant twins and ready her body for them. Huginn's blood would have done the same thing, but she wasn't with Huginn. It was also easier for her to pull away from Huginn than it was for Muninn.

After what seemed like hours within the time warp, Muninn finally managed to snap out of the pleasure loop. He shivered and tried to move. It was his movement that finally made her pull away from his throat and hug him tightly. He clung to her, as she did to him, and he closed his eyes. He gave out several tense breaths before she kissed him hard. He gasped and paused to stare at her.  _Her kiss fit me perfectly._  He couldn't believe it. Kissing her back, he moved to place her on the floor, and he thrust into her sharply now to make her cry out for him. Once he released incredibly hard in her, he fell to her side to hug her close.

They couldn't say anything to each other now. There was simply no need to. They were both panting for breath at what happened. She managed to reach over to her Rudra to Heal his neck, and he kissed her again gently. Only when some of his strength returned, was he able to speak what was on his mind.

" _I think...I hate...my brother..._ " he finally growled out.

"Why?" she asked with a breathy whisper.

" _Because I know now...why he wanted you...and...I wanted you, too,_ " he winced. " _I...I always did. But, I didn't want to admit it. You're supposed to be my sister! Not...like this. It was never supposed to be like this._ "

"When did you realize that you wanted me?"

" _In truth, it was when you came to me as a child when we were taking care of you. At the inn that night with the nightmare. I...I wanted to let you sleep with me, but I knew it wouldn't have been right. When I found out that Huginn took that part...well...jealousy is a pretty small word for him compared to the anger I felt at myself for not helping you properly. I'm already pissed off at him even more now, as it is!_ "

"You are mad at Huginn?"

" _Of course, I'm mad at him! He purposely put your life in danger to get me close to you! I still can't believe how he tricked me into doing this! Then again...he is the darker side, and I am the lighter. But...to know what we just did..._ "

"Do you regret what we just did?"

" _I should...but I don't,_ " he admitted. " _It...it felt...right? Natural? I...I can't explain it. I don't want to explain it._ "

"How do you feel about me now?" she asked softly. He gazed at her and hugged her tightly to him.

" _I have always loved you before. It's stronger now. So much stronger! Sarine...I need you to...order me to not relay this to Father Odin. He'll be so furious with me and Huginn now! I don't want to be kept from you!_ "

"Muninn..." she whispered with a smile. "you will relay to him what you know he must know. If you feel he does not need to know of this, then it can be kept hidden away. There is no need to stir up a nasty fire, if the coals aren't even lit. Right?"

" _I love you!_ " he gasped and kissed her hard, thrusting sharply into her to make her scream in his mouth. After he released, he was finally able to pull away from her. He was dizzy with pleasure, and her scent clouded his mind. He was forced to jump into the tub quickly to scrub himself clean of her and any blood that may have stained his skin from her feeding. He knew the demons she mated with could easily detect her mating scent on another.  _As long as I didn't take any of her blood, then she would be fine._ Once he was cleaned and dried off, his armor came back over him. He seemed to tremble now, and she looked at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

" _I don't want to let you go to them,_ " he winced.

"Muninn, I'm sure there will be plenty of other times for us to be together now," she winked. "You can easily make time for us and you know this."

" _I really hate Huginn,_ " he muttered. She just sighed and gazed up at him.

"Well, you can get even with him by spending more time with me. Don't let him get the better of you! You can use this situation to your advantage! He can't!" she grinned. That made Muninn laugh sharply, and he hugged her tight. She hugged him back just as tight, and he realized that he was starting to see her as his sister again. It brought immense relief now, and he kissed her cheek before having her go back into the tub. Once he shifted into his falcon form for her, he let time resume, and he preened his feathers to keep himself occupied.

As she managed to scrub her skin clean, she blinked and ran her hand over her belly. Something felt strange, and it made her shiver. Muninn noticed this right away.

_:You okay?_  Muninn asked.

"Muninn? Can you get me Errende? I...don't feel right," she frowned.

_:What? Yes! I get!_  Muninn nodded and flew into the bedroom. Thanatos walked in sharply with Errende's form and pulled her from the tub to hold her. Once his hands went to her belly, she sighed and leaned into him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," she frowned. "I just felt a lot of odd movement."

"Really?" he thought and focused. What he found out made him stammer. He shouted for Sammy and Doppy. She blinked when they came in wearing a set of pants, and then she gazed at Thanatos to find him wearing the same. They were all wearing long, black silk pants.

"What are you all doing?!" she asked.

"Well, it was going to be a surprise," Sammy said with a small chuckle, as he placed his hands on her belly. Then he looked at Thanatos with shock.

"I don't feel any pain," Doppy said. "What's going on?"

"The Demonic Mating..." Thanatos said. "Shit! Sarine, I was going to say something to you when you freed me. I'm going to have to say this now. I had...well...impregnated you. With my own set of twins. They were in a stasis to wait until Doppy's twins were born. Then they would have come forth, and you would have become pregnant right away. Your body was instinctively holding them back. When you freed me, we would have told you. You would have been given the choice to let them start growing. It would have been dangerous for you to become pregnant after giving birth. They would have grown to a point that they may have torn you apart to get to where they should have been without the stasis."

"What?!" Sarine blinked with shock.

"Apparently, your body decided to let them start growing with Doppy's twins. You'll be having quadruplets when you give birth," Thanatos winced. "They do belong to Errende, too."

"Oh, dear..." Sarine shivered, as she trembled. "If it was instinctive for my body to do this...then why did it let them start up suddenly?"

"I'm not sure, either," Sammy said. Then she blinked and went quiet.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked.

"I needed blood, and Muninn helped me. I drank from his wrist...and I think...that may have done it," she said. "Just about three swallows was all I took."

She knew she took far more than that, and she also knew that she drank from his neck, but she didn't want to worry her husbands and expose Muninn's new lust for her.

"Muninn's blood?" Thanatos thought. "Well...I wouldn't doubt that it's very strong and potent. It could have empowered your body to help prepare for them. Besides, I trust Muninn more than Huginn. I know that Muninn won't hurt you."

"Huginn wouldn't hurt me, either," Sarine said. "I...do know that Huginn can be a touch, oh, manipulative? At times. It's like he's the demon, and Muninn's the angel."

"I didn't see it like that," Thanatos now thought with a different view at Huginn and his ways. "That...fits him perfectly. I see now. I still don't trust him, though!"

"Anyways, we were about to get you. Howard and Eremes are human now. Do you want to see them?" Sammy smiled. She was about to respond before the room spun, and she clung to Thanatos's arms. Doppy heard her retching cough, snatched her up, and sped with her to the toilet. Sammy groaned, and Thanatos moved into the other room to explain what just happened. They were floored.

"I'm scared now," Keltin admitted.

"Scared? About what?" Howard asked.

"Think about it!" Keltin hissed. "She has Doppy's bloodthirsty rage in her, and now she has Thanatos's personality, too! How is she going to be around us now?"

"Ouch..." Eremes winced. "He's right..."

"Um, guys..." Howard said quickly, but it was too late. Sarine overheard them.

"You're...scared of me?" she whispered with shock, as she stood in the doorway.

"No!" Keltin groaned out. Doppy winced and tensed up. Sammy sighed softly.

"I mean, if me being pregnant isn't enough for you all, you have to worry about my...my attitude?!" she growled out. Then she shoved Thanatos away from her when he tried to comfort her. If he was in his true body, he would have been strong enough to hold onto her form. Howard called for Naght quickly to explain what happened, and the massive demon was in the room. She shook with rage and blinked, as Naght calmly gathered her up in his arms to purr. Demonic instinct took over that this was her First Mate, and her body let down its guard. Naght knew that it wasn't Doppy or Thanatos that caused it, so he didn't say anything to them. Instead, he moved silently with her to gaze out over the balcony to the grove that lay beyond.

Sammy blinked at how quickly Naght gained control over her and neatly removed her rage. Now he knew that he would have to watch for her Demonic Mating signs.  _If I could be her First Mate, I could do so much more for her than what I can already do now._  He also knew that he would be fighting against Doppy and Thanatos.  _Possibly even Ifrit. Despite that, the rewards would be boundless, if I won the right to be her First Mate._

"Look..." Naght hissed and pointed. Sarine followed where he pointed, and smiled softly. The root sprouts from the Yggdrasil tree were planted and already taking root. The sight of the strong sprouts growing quickly erased the rest of her rage.

"I'm pregnant with both twins from Thanatos and Doppy," she whispered. He simply nodded at this and let out a hissing breath.

"We...knew..." he said. "Huginn...told...Thanatos..."

"As I was finally told a short while ago. Muninn's blood empowered my body to let them grow," she said. Naght seemed amused at this and chuckled.

"Better...now...?" he asked.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Cravings...?" he asked.

"Um..." she thought and blinked. "I want to eat a heart that's still beating. I also want...hmm..."

"Hmm...?"

"It's...hard to describe," she frowned. He purred to have her try. "I want demon blood. Pure and untainted. I guess...like Doppy's. Or yours. I mean...I don't need the blood now, but that's what I'm getting."

That caught him off guard.  _She wants a stronger form of raw meat and undiluted demon blood._  He sent it to Howard, and the Whitesmith dropped his jaw.

"What is it?" Thanatos asked.

"Doppy! Thanatos! Make sure you both drink a lot of fluid. Well, Thanatos, you're safe now, but we discovered her new cravings," Howard grimaced.

"What are they?" Eremes asked.

"She wants to eat hearts that are still beating, and she wants to drink pure demon blood," he said. "I'm just...surprised..."

"Well, the heart that she wants would be an Immortal Heart. Karla uses them to make her bombs, so we can see about getting a few from her. As for the blood...wow. At least it's not new cravings. Just more hardcore versions of them," Keltin said.

"Like Huginn said," Thanatos frowned.

"I'll be right back," Sammy said, as he moved to find Karla. Several minutes later, he came back with a large box of beating hearts. Naght brought Sarine back in to set on the bed before leaving to see to the nursery.

"Damn," Howard sighed. "We really wanted to surprise you."

"Well...what were you all trying to do?" she smiled.

"Oh, show that we can all be your servants behind closed doors..." Keltin smiled.

"Or we all go to the arena and put on a show for you," Eremes winked.

"A show? For me?" she chuckled. Errende chuckled and started to hand her the hearts she needed. They were hard for her to chew, so they were quickly cut up into smaller pieces for her. After she ate, she felt much better.

"My Lady? Do you need blood?" Errende asked.

"I'm good. What time is it?" she asked.

"It's just past midnight," Sammy said.

"So, the night is still young," she smiled. "How-How?"

"Yes, love?" he asked.

"Do you want me to show you how to be a slave...now?" she grinned.

"Um...I'm not sure..." Howard grinned. Errende gave a small hiss of breath when her dominance came through. She turned to look at her slave and leaned towards him to nip his neck. He tensed at the pleasure that rushed through him, and she chuckled. Then she looked at Howard again, and he swallowed.

"Do I need to show you what you want again?" she purred out. Her other husbands quickly found seats away from her to stay out of the way.

"Um, we made an outfit for you!" Howard said to try and change the subject.

"Really? Then get it for me," she said. Nodding he moved and pulled out a black silk garment set, and she smiled.

"It's not much, but it's something," he said.

"It looks like my gold bikini with a skirt and light shirt," she mused. "I really need something in black leather. I'll need to ask Succubus about it."

"Black leather?" Howard blinked.

"Oh, yes. Maybe extremely tight on my breasts so I get extra cleavage," she hissed out, and he found himself pinned by her against a wall.

"S-Sarine!" Howard gasped.

"Hmm. Maybe you seeing what is about to happen is what's making you hesitate. Eremes! I need a blindfold!" Sarine said. Eremes gaped at first, and Howard looked over at him with shock. At her glare, he seemed to wince.

"I will need to...grab it from storage..." Eremes said softly. "if you want it..."

"Hmm..." Sarine frowned. Then she blinked when Errende had quickly cut up a part of his bed sheet to give to her. Her husbands were in shock.  _He truly was her slave and made sure that everything she ever needed or wanted was available to her._

"My Lady," Errende said, as he presented to her the torn sheet.

"My, my!" she breathed, as she took it. "Such a good slave! I'll reward you later, my pet. Now, Howard. Are you still...hesitant?"

"Um...very much so?" Howard grinned.

"Kneel!" she hissed. He moved swiftly to do just that in front of her. She pushed Errende back to the bed to have him sit down. Then she moved behind Howard and tied the new blindfold over his eyes.

"Ah! That's...really tight!" he whimpered.

"Speak when spoken to!" she growled, and he sucked in a short breath. Circling him now, she smiled and moved to place a foot on his back to force him on his hands and knees. Then she sat on his back and leaned down to whisper into his ear. He gave a small whimper, as she smiled and ran her nails over his back. Sammy watched her come close to drawing blood, but he knew she could never bring herself to do that to her husbands. What he did know was that she was going to make Howard's night a very interesting one. He was glad that it wasn't him!

The pain and pleasure she gave Howard now was just enough to make him feel what Errende felt from her. She couldn't give him everything he wanted to experience, but it was close. He had no idea what she was doing until it was being done, and it only added to the excitement of it. She had now pulled off the black pants he wore and moved her hands over him.

"Think he's in for it?" Doppy muttered to Eremes.

"Undoubtedly," Eremes smirked. Howard just barely heard them, but forced himself to ignore them when a stab of pleasure ripped through him.

"Don't release," she ordered. His body fully tensed now, as he had to endure this pain and pleasure. She ignored his harsh whimpers and brought him to a close release several times before forcing him to pull it back. When he thought he couldn't take it anymore, he gave a sharp cry, as she ran her nails over his chest. Only after that, did she move her body over his to let him release painfully hard in her. She milked him over and over again after that. After several long minutes of the painfully pleasuring torment, she finally pulled him up into a sitting position and looked at Errende. She needed to feed, and he brought over a small knife to her.

"Will you bite him, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"I would if I could. He is still my husband, after all," she smiled. Howard was gasping for air and cried out at the feel of the scratch on his neck. He screamed when she locked her mouth on his neck to feed, and she had him surrender to the pleasuring pain several more times. Now that she was sated, she had Errende Heal him, and she removed the blind fold while she still sat in his lap. He couldn't say anything or do anything. All he could was rest his head on her shoulder, as his body kept convulsing from the pleasure.

"Is he all right?" Sammy asked.

"He'll be fine. Walk it off!" Doppy grinned.

"I think he's dead," Keltin frowned.

"Hmm..." Eremes thought.

"My Lady has done far more to me," Errende shrugged.

"How-How?" she frowned, and he seemed to groan, as he moved to hug her tight.

"I'll...be okay..." he finally whimpered out.

"You said you wanted to know," she said with a small smile.

"And you admitted you were an idiot," Doppy grumbled.

"Shut up...Doppy..." he muttered. The demon laughed and moved to sit by the door. Sarine ran her hands over Howard's back lovingly, and he tensed. He couldn't stop whimpering out at the very touch she gave him.

"Did you not like it?" she asked. Howard gave a wince, and Errende smiled lightly. Howard tried to move again and failed.

"I..." Howard whimpered. "would be...lying...if I said...no..."

"Can you get to bed? Or do you need help?" she asked gently.

"Help..." he sighed. He didn't want the other guys to touch him, since he didn't want to feel them. His body was filled with so much pain and pleasure that any touch they gave him could set it off. He only wanted her to give him those feelings. Doppy could easily sympathize. Sarine managed to carefully help Howard to the bed, and he cried out with a harsh gasp at the feel of the soft mattress on his back. Once his body stabilized, he was pulled into a deep sleep.

"Poor How-How," she sighed. Errende chuckled, and Keltin moved to rest in the bed afterwards. Sarine yawned now, and Eremes moved to settle in his corner. Sammy moved to sit on a cushion, and Errende went to his smaller bed. An hour after everyone went into their deep sleep and meditations, Thanatos woke up Errende and had him call for Muninn from the balcony.

_:Yes?:_  he asked, as he flew in.

"I was holding back a craving that Sarine was going to experience. I really need to talk to you about it," Thanatos said, as he came forward in full.

_:Oh?:_  Muninn asked, and he froze time. Then he shifted into his human form to talk to him fully. " _Time is now frozen. Tell me what your concern is for her craving, and I will see what I can do to help._ "

"Thanks," he said and pulled up a chair to sit down. Muninn leaned against the edge of the balcony to listen. Thanatos was clearly nervous, and this had Muninn concerned. _If any demon got scared, or nervous, it signaled something bad._  Errende was surprised at why Thanatos felt like this, but he backed down to listen to why Thanatos was so nervous. He knew that the demon was worried about something during the talk with Huginn. Unlike Thanatos, Errende couldn't read his thoughts unless they were given to him. Thanatos was able to glimpse through Errende's memories easily.

" _Whenever you're ready,_ " he nodded.

"About two hundred years ago, well, two hundred years before I was locked away in my tower, I had mated with a demoness that found me. While she was pregnant, she developed a very rare craving. She wanted...me...to put it lightly. Everything about me. My blood, my seed, my body, my presence...everything. It was just my luck that various strong Wizards and Sages pulled my soul apart and locked me up fully in the tower just a few weeks later. I fought them with everything I had, but they worked together as a team. I...was embarrassingly overwhelmed.

"When I was trapped, she was furious. I couldn't be with her. She...the craving for me was so bad that she lost the pregnancy, because I wasn't there to sate it."

" _Are you serious?!_ " Muninn hissed out.

"Yes. Then she...cursed me. That anyone I impregnated would have the same craving for me that she felt. And...with me being trapped away like this...I...I'm scared for Sarine and my new twins. I haven't been able to be with any others after that, obviously, but, since I'm able to be with her now through Errende...what Huginn told me caught me completely by surprise. I thought that the curse may have left with time, but I was wrong. I want children with her. I always did, and I even told her this. But, I can actually feel the cursed craving coming into effect. If I knew that it was still there...well...how could I have kept myself from her? Anyways, I was grateful that the twins were in a stasis, but, now that they're not...they're in danger. I can feel Sarine's craving for me getting closer. Errende might be all right, but...I know it's not the same. She needs ME, and I know she needs me. I was thinking we could possibly trap her in time, but it...she would need to be available to recruit my generals."

" _True. She may need to speak with them, and locking her away in time would not be fair to her or healthy for her. I could lock her children in time, but then they would want to grow when they are out of it. It's dangerous._ "

"I mean, for a stasis like that to be suddenly gone, she would have needed to drink a LOT of blood! Not just three little mouthfuls! It takes quite a bit to prepare a demoness's body for multiple children like this. Even a human would need time to prepare for it!"

" _I see..._ " Muninn said, as he went quiet. Thanatos looked at him now and frowned, since he knew that something was wrong.

"Muninn? Is there something you're not telling me? Please, for the sake of Sarine's and mine and Doppy's children, tell me!" Thanatos begged.

" _As long as you don't tell Sarine I told you...or mention it to the others. If Father Odin found out...I may be blocked from helping you,_ " Muninn winced.

"I...give you my word..." Thanatos said warily.

" _You are not the only one that despises Huginn!_ " he hissed out at long last. Thanatos's jaw dropped, and then he reeled back his anger, as he learned of what happened in the bathroom. How Huginn tricked his brother into being with Sarine. How her dominance came through and the pleasuring loop that happened to him. All of it came out now, and Thanatos could see that Muninn was clearly not at fault for it.  _He tried to escape Sarine. He simply couldn't. He fell into Huginn's trap by saving Sarine's life._

"He tried to harm her to get you to...I'LL KILL HIM!" Thanatos snarled out and shuddered to force himself back down to control his rage. "I don't blame you! Not one bit do I blame you! You have proven to me that you are a valuable friend and ally. I know that Huginn is an ally, too...but he is far more Demonic in nature than he knows. Now I realize why I asked if he worked with demons before, and he made the comment that he did so constantly! You would think that the hair would show him as the angel and you the demon, since his is white and yours is black! It really makes one wonder. But, now it makes sense as to why the stasis lifted in her body. I can also see why she said she drank from your wrist instead of your neck. And how little she claimed she took. She clearly doesn't want you to leave her, either, and we would have gotten alarmed."

" _I see her as my sweet little sister again, but...I didn't have the strength to escape her,_ " Muninn sighed. " _I tried! I did! I tried so hard! But...I couldn't lie to her, or deny her what she needed and wanted. Unlike you or the others, Huginn and I can never run out of blood for her, and I knew she needed blood at the time. I was...scared of giving her blood, because of this. It feels incredible, as I'm sure you know, and I could not bring myself out of this, well, pleasure loop. It's really all I can call it. It was just an endless cycle of pleasure! It did end after I found myself moving. If time wasn't frozen, I'm sure half a day could have easily gone by. I had also promised Father Odin to see to her every need. In a way, I was forced to keep my promise._ "

"And you did. For that, thank you," he nodded. "And now I see how my twins came out of the stasis. She drank so much blood from you that it fully awakened them. It's fine. As for the pleasure loop she put you through, it does make me curious. I know what it feels like, as I'm sure everyone else does here. And don't even think that I'm not going to try and punch out Huginn when he's out of her body!"

" _Don't think that I'm going to stop you!_ " he growled. " _He deserves every scrap of punishment he gets! But...enough about my disgrace of a brother. We need to worry about Sarine and her upcoming craving for you. I will need to see if Father Odin can separate you from Errende Ebecee for now. To at least let you assist with her craving. Father Odin was able to separate Howard Alt-Eisen from Naght Seiger for an hour. I may be able to lock you both in time to ensure the craving will be sated. Do you know how often the craving is?_ "

"That's the problem. It comes and goes. She may not have it for a week, and then it will suddenly hit her like a sack of bricks. I'm just lucky that I sensed it creeping up to her now. I...I am truly scared for her, Muninn. I really am. I have to be with her in the flesh or...or..." he shivered, and his white eyes showed a bleak look to them.

" _I understand. Let me unlock time, and I'll contact Father Odin. And...thank you for understanding what happened to me,_ " Muninn sighed.

"I gave you my word of silence. I also vowed something to Huginn, as well, come to think of it..." he frowned.

" _You did?! Can you...tell me? I swear on my own life that I won't say anything,_ " Muninn said intently. " _Whatever he told you has to be important, if he made you vow!_ "

"Fine. I'll forget I told you after time comes back," Thanatos nodded. He told Muninn of how Huginn was with Sarine. The entire conversation was now relayed to him, and Muninn's jaw dropped as this came out. He fought back his own fury and now realized why Huginn pulled the shit that he did to get him close to Sarine. His entire body trembled with barely controlled rage, and he snarled out in his own way.

" _Should Huginn ever find another way to be free of her...!_ " Muninn hissed out. " _I say we both give him the beating he deserves!_ "

"I'll hold you to that!" he nodded. "I'll distract him, you freeze time, and we'll have a chance at payback!"

" _It will be done!_ " Muninn growled. " _Now we need to calm ourselves before I unfreeze time to contact Father Odin. We need to help my sister._ "

"Yes, we do," he nodded, and a few precious minutes of frozen time were taken before Muninn reverted back to his falcon form. Odin was contacted and time was frozen again when he appeared. Thanatos explained everything about the craving to Odin now as quickly as he could without trying to sound confusing.

"So, my daughter, my Vessel, truly has a need of you. I understand," Odin said, as he stood on the balcony. "I do not want to lose any grandchildren, either! Muninn! Hear me!"

_:I hear. Father Odin.:_  he nodded in his falcon form.

"The moment Thanatos is freed from Errende Ebecee, you shall freeze time! Let him take as long as he needs with her! Errende Ebecee does not need to be included in the time freeze!" Odin commanded. "Do you understand?"

_:Yes. Father Odin.:_

"Thanatos! Get ready to be separated from Errende Ebecee! When she is sated from you, you will be merged back into his body!" Odin said.

"Of course," Thanatos nodded. Muninn watched Errende come forth, and Odin focused on the young man's head and heart. He gave out a painful scream, as the separation happened, and he blinked when the pain was gone. He looked over and gasped when he saw Thanatos in the flesh. The massive demon felt elated at being in the room on his own, and he nodded respectfully to Errende, as it was the young man's will that impressed him. Odin nodded to Muninn, and, as he vanished, time unfroze momentarily to refreeze Errende and to bring Sarine into the time warp. Thanatos now had to wait for the signs of her craving, and he sat in the chair to watch her on the bed patiently. He knew he would have to move fast the moment the craving hit.

He didn't have to wait very long. Her body moved slowly at first. Then she started twitching. As she came to, she realized that she couldn't really hear anything. She couldn't see, and she could barely smell. There was nothing for her to taste, but that sense wasn't as affected as the others. The only two things she had was touch and bodily sensations. Right now, her body was on fire with a form of want that she didn't understand. Her heart was racing, and her belly started to ache with intense pain. Her skin felt as though she was in the middle of a searing heat wave, and she gasped from it. The searing, fiery sensation took over all of her senses to a point that she sat upright and called out for help. It wasn't even a cry that she gave out. It was a keening wail of pain and lust. Thanatos was at her side instantly, and his very touch seemed to send cooling relief over her skin. He knew she was overheating with want for him alone.

She was bewildered by the cooling sensation she was given, and she gasped, as she felt herself lifted and cradled.

"Who is this?! I can't see anything..." she whimpered. She barely heard a sharp hiss of surprise and felt herself moved into a cooler room. She could only judge that it was the bathroom from the soft towel that was set on the ground for her. She cried out, as a mouth moved over her skin now to send chills of relief through her, but it wasn't enough. She felt herself moved on all fours, and she cried out again at the feel of someone moving to have her. When she heard the harsh roar of release, she thought it was Doppy, but the voice was far too haughty. That and it wasn't rough enough to be his. She shivered at the feel of ice that seemed to flow through her to remove the searing heat in her belly. Her babies were safe now, but she was still in trouble from the fiery sensation that was threatening to overwhelm her.

"Can you...see me now?" he whispered. She barely understood the question.

"No..." she frowned. She tried to shake off the heavy sensation of her senses being muddled. She felt herself lifted and pressed against a hard chest. The cooling sensation of his skin on hers was given, and she whimpered with a form of relief. She heard the sound of metal being pulled over, which she judged was a weapon of sorts. Then she heard a small hiss of pain. _Was this man cutting himself?!_  She felt her face tenderly pressed to the open wound, and, the moment her tongue tasted the blood, it was as though she was drinking ice water. Her arms wrapped around him, as she drank down more blood in a thirsty way, and he gave out a sharp cry from the pleasure she gave him.

After several swallows, she was able to pull away, and, at long last, her senses started to come back to her. She shivered at first, as her sense of hearing fully came back, and she heard his hard panting. Then her sense of smell came through, and it surprised her that this one's scent was incredibly familiar to her. When her eyes finally readjusted, she looked up into the face of the one that helped her.

"See me now?" he asked softly. She blinked, as though she was dreaming. At his gentle laugh, she knew he was real and in his arms.

"Th...Thanatos?!" she asked with an awed question. "How?! Are you free? When did this happen?!"

"I...knew this was going to happen," he sighed, as he held her close. "Muninn and Odin helped me get here. Errende is frozen in the bedroom. You and I are locked in time, thanks to Muninn. I have a great deal of respect for that brother of yours. Huginn...not so much. But, back to what happened, you had a very distinct craving for me alone. I had to make myself available to you, or it would have gotten...dangerous."

"How did you know?" she asked. He kissed her passionately now, since he was simply overjoyed to be with her at long last. He knew that it was temporary, but he was going to take what he could get until his true freedom came.

"I told Doppy how I was with other females. Remember? After the Demonic Mating? Just so you know, none of them compare to you, and I highly doubt I'll be attracted to any other. You're stuck with me," he grinned, and she blushed. He slowly told her the sad tale of the last demoness he was with and what happened. She frowned with sadness for him at the loss of his previous offspring, and he hugged her closer.

"Do you...ever see the females you mate with? Later on, that is?" she asked.

"No. Once a mating is done, the female normally takes over from there and simply wanders off. Usually, the First Mate helps her, as I explained before. I was never...a First Mate. Unfortunately. I was always close, but that was it. With the last female, no other demons were around, so it was easy to claim her for myself. It wasn't a true Demonic Mating this way. No hierarchy to work with. No one to fight with over her. It was...pretty dull."

"I see," she smiled. "You do sound relieved that you don't need to see her again, though. Or am I wrong?"

"Oh, you're right," he grinned. "She was an uptight bitch, if she didn't get her way. Downright nasty. You can be, too, but I love you and do what I can for you. She was just...Mating Rights. That's all. And, after the little curse she put on me, if I see her, I'll kill her. Plain and simple."

"Good," she said with a nod. He blinked and grinned.

"Good?" he asked.

"Do you think I want to have some demoness slut going after my mate?!" she scowled, and that had him laughing. "I'll kill her, myself!"

"Now, now, my love. Let me handle that," he said softly. "You are the first one that I've ever felt any feelings for. So, don't worry about that. Like I said before..."

"Hmm?" she murmured, as he moved his cold hands over her heated skin.

"I'm never going to leave your side once I'm fully freed!" he growled out and planted his mouth on hers to kiss with desire. She moaned with need for him, and he gave himself to her gladly. He was still lightly seeping blood from his neck wound, and she licked up the small trickle of the blood to clean his skin. He gasped with shock at how erotic it felt, and he shouted out when she started to feed from him again. He rode her now, as her mouth stayed locked on his neck, and he released hard in her. He roared out another release when she bit her teeth over the wound to make it bleed even more. After the third hard release, she forced herself to pull back, as he locked his arms around her.

"Rudra..." she gasped. "I'll...Heal you..."

"Fine," he growled out and managed to move from her long enough to grab it. She was grateful that he came back, since she started to overheat again, and it caught him by surprise. The moment he touched her again, she was fine. Right after she Healed him, he had her set the bow aside so he could pull her close again to nuzzle into her throat. She gave a sharp gasp at the feel of his tongue on her skin.

"You feel like...ice...to me..." she whispered.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked with concern.

"No. My body was heating up so badly for you..." she sighed. "You...bring relief to me. Your blood...it's like ice water! Even your...well...in me...that is..."

"Really?" he asked with a smile, as he hugged her tight. "I wouldn't have guessed. I know that Doppelganger is a hot-blooded killer. I'm just a cold-hearted one."

"Makes sense, then," she smiled.

"I do have to ask..." he thought. "have you ever craved Doppy? Or Naght?"

"Not really. I know that I wanted to reach them the moment I knew of them, though. The feeling was intense to have them close to my side. To make sure that they were there if I ever needed them. You are the first one that I've ever truly craved to have so close and so near. I don't really feel any intensity for Ifrit, but it could change once he impregnates me with Eremes. It could even change when we all decide to finally free him."

"There was something that I heard about Demonic Matings that may be very useful to you," he said. "If a demon, like Naght for example, reached First Mate Rights with you, you see it as a permanent status. Of course, your next Demonic Mating could have a different First Mate, but you'll always know that you can trust Naght with your life. He doesn't have to be in the next mating frenzy, but he may join it, anyways. If he gets First Mate Rights again, it's considered an honorable title called Bragging Rights. It sort of puts them at a class above the others. All instinctive, you see. It's hard to reach. And, well, every demon likes to prove himself in a mating battle of strength. If he won again, it would be stronger Bragging Rights. It would prove his worth to you even more. If I managed to make First Mate Rights, he would respect me as an equal, but, if I wasn't around, and he was, you would instinctively know that you could trust him, since he was with you first before. I did explain a bit of this to you before, but, hopefully, this puts a little more clarification on it, too."

"I see. That is really helpful. It would be nice, if Sammy was able to do this. It would help him calm me even more," she smiled.

"That is true, isn't it? Of course, he'd have to impress you. That is something that I can't do for you. I won't help him, either!"

"I wouldn't expect you to help him," she blushed.

"Good," he smiled, and she pressed herself close to him. "You...still crave me?"

"Constantly!" she sighed, and he kissed her deeply. "I...I can't get enough of you!"

"Shit!" he growled. "How are you supposed to be away from me long enough for you to free me? That other female...never like this!"

"I don't know, Thanatos," she frowned. "I just...I overheat so badly now..."

"Hush, love, hush," he whispered and kissed her again. "We'll find a way."

"I just...I need you so badly!" she whimpered, and he swore at it.

"I should be your mate! Your only mate!" he panted, as he took her again. "You shouldn't belong to them! Only me!"

"That's...what they say...too!" she whimpered out and finally cried out with him, as he released. He kissed her forehead, as he kept her close.

"I may as well tell Muninn to just leave us like this," he sighed.

"You know that's not possible," she frowned.

"Well..." he frowned and finally called for the falcon.

_:Yes?:_  Muninn asked, as he flew in, still glowing.

"She still needs me! Her craving for me is exceptionally bad," he said. "If I leave her now, she'll be in danger. I don't know what to do."

_:Really? That bad? Hmm. I ask. Father Odin. Time. Comes back. Be silent. So. Others. Don't wake.:_

"All right," he said. Sarine nodded, and she felt time shift back into place around them. Muninn lifted up his head to the ceiling, and time froze when Odin appeared.

"I have been told of what is happening. She still has need of you? After all you can give her?" Odin frowned. "I have not heard of this before!"

"Yes, Sir," Thanatos said with respect. "I was cursed by a demoness long ago, as I told you earlier. If I come forth through Errende, it will not be enough for her. She...really needs me to be here personally for her. Her body overheats, and my body cools her down. I have to be close to her constantly."

"This is a very drastic situation," Odin said grimly. "I'm going to bend the rules a bit. They will still need to go into the tower to free you. But, I will allow your form to be here for her. You will need to leave as quickly as you can once Egnigem Cenia arrives. She can tell you her tales while you go through the tower. Once your soul is free, you can stay with my daughter, my Vessel, for as long as you want. As long as you aren't summoned, anyhow, as it is inevitable for you to answer the call of your summoning. However, here is the rule I will bend for you. You'll be on a bit of a time limit with her tomorrow. I can only give you one full day to be with her. The same amount of time her husbands and friends have to be human. Once they turn back into their monster forms, your body will merge back with Errende Ebecee's body. When they free you, your body will be able to come and go as needed like Naght Seiger. This is the most that I can do to assist you in this situation."

"Sir! It will be enough! Thank you!" Thanatos gaped. Odin nodded and had Muninn let time continue. Once Sarine's father vanished, Thanatos held her close to give her everything he had. When Errende came into the bathroom, he looked over with a soft smile and a nod. When he saw how she clung to Thanatos, he got concerned.

"My Lady?! Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Errende. Come and sit with us. We need to talk to you," she said softly. "Be silent, though! We don't want to wake anyone!"

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded and closed the door to sit with them. He listened to everything that they told him on what was going to happen in the morning. He nodded and agreed with everything they said. He would still be needed to help with her growing babies, and he understood that Thanatos would still keep his link through him.

"It will be very touch and go until I'm freed," Thanatos said. "I trust you the most, Errende. Only because of your status with Sarine, and I've known you longer than the others. The ones that share my blood...I don't care about them, truthfully. And, if that Sniper, Kavach, tries to pull any shit with me, I'll kill him!"

"Thanatos?" Sarine frowned.

"He's going to do everything that he can to be with you. This includes fighting for a spot to be a slave," he said. "He doesn't deserve you."

"No!" Errende growled out. "I'm the only one!"

"I..." Sarine frowned, but Thanatos kissed her gently to make her see reason.

"Sarine, my love, my mate, my heart...listen to me," he whispered. "Errende is all you need for a slave. You have your other husbands to fill in the gaps. Kavach will never live up to full slave status like Errende can. He'll hurt more than heal."

"And what do we do, if he demands to be a slave?" she frowned.

"I'll fight him, My Lady," Errende said.

"Errende! How can you fight him?" she frowned.

"Keltin has been training me. I'll have him train me more after Lord Thanatos is free," Errende nodded. Thanatos blinked at what Errende called him now, and he seemed to chuckle at it. He actually liked that level of honor.

"He'll also still have my blood in him," Thanatos mused. "I think he can safely fight off anyone he wants now."

"I don't want you to have another slave, My Lady," Errende said with a frown. "I gave myself to you willingly without you forcing me. You have shown me so much kindness...and...even in Lighthalzen, when you looked at me that one day...I knew I was destined to be at your side, somehow. In fact, all that time, all I could think of was your gaze. It was so ingrained in my mind! I knew that Kavach saw you, but he didn't take to you like I did. Come to think of it, I was treated like the lowest one there by them all, because of my age and my weaknesses. I felt more like an outcast than a group member, now that I think about it."

"Oh!" she gasped and trembled. Thanatos let her move just enough away from him to hug Errende tightly.

"It's true, what he says, you know," Thanatos sighed. "If anything, when my awareness in him happened, he couldn't detect it. But, I knew I liked him the most. Because he was honest. Yes, innocent in so many ways, but it was his honesty that really made an impression on me. Errende, remember how, after the shots of my blood were given, that whenever someone made a rude comment to you, or treated you lowly, they got incredibly sick afterwards?"

"Ah, yes, Lord Thanatos. I remember," Errende nodded.

"That was me berating them in my own way for picking on you," Thanatos grinned. That made Errende blush and smile with a form of hidden delight. Sarine giggled softly, and Thanatos nodded. Then the bathroom door opened again, and Doppy looked in with shock.

"What the hell is this?!" he asked with surprise.

"Doppy," she sighed and gestured for him to get Sammy and wake the others. She heard Howard groan in the other room, and Thanatos grinned. Once everyone was up, Thanatos explained what was happening. Sammy was clearly disturbed by Sarine's harmful craving, but he was relieved at what Odin was doing to help.

"So, we have a whole day to...free you?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. So, we need to leave the moment Egnigem appears," Thanatos said.

"I see..." Howard said. "And, you would need to be with her the whole time?"

"Sarine, go stand away from me for a moment," Thanatos said. She looked at him with a touch of hesitation, but he nodded. That look she gave the demon had Howard's eyes widen with complete concern. The moment her skin left the feel of his, she gasped and curled up into a ball, as the fiery need ate through her. Doppy hissed at the feeling, and Thanatos quickly scooped her up to place her against him again. She cried out softly with relief and clung to him.

"That...is messed up!" Doppy snarled. "That demoness bitch cursed her?!"

"Me. Not her. But, otherwise, yes. This is what happens when she's away from me for even a second right now. I didn't...know how bad it was. She's the first one like this after her. I honestly had no idea about what it would be like," Thanatos admitted.

"I think it's because of how many children she has in her," Keltin said. "You said that it was just one before. Right? And with four in her, despite two of them not being yours..."

"Shit!" Thanatos hissed. _The Bongun was right._  Doppy winced and nodded with agreement. Eremes cracked a small grin and thought.

"You...will need to sleep with her...constantly...won't you...?" Eremes asked.

"It's possible. I don't want to make it seem like I'm pulling her away from the rest of you all, though," Thanatos sighed. "I can't risk her pregnancy..."

"We know it's for her," Howard said. "I suppose we could make space in the bed for you. Right, Keltin?"

"Well..." Keltin thought. "as long as she sleeps on your chest. This way, if I roll over, I still see her and not another guy!"

That made Thanatos start laughing, and Sarine blushed.

"Well, I'm sure that you need sleep," Thanatos said to her, and she gave a small nod. "All right. Let's go lay down. How are you feeling, Howard?"

"Do you really want to know?" Howard grumbled.

"You may as well tell me," he grinned.

"Fine. My body feels like a stampede walked all over me, and then rolled me over in soft feathers and sharp pins and needles. Constantly. I'm just hoping my body recovers for traveling!" Howard groaned. "It's going to be a hassle!"

"You have to push the pain and pleasure back into your mind," Errende said. "It's really the only way to do it. Think of how you are able to take a lot of damage and move through it. You need to endure it in your own way."

"Huh. You have a point!" Howard nodded. A harsh baby cry came from the nursery, and Sarine gasped. Thanatos managed to hold her to his chest, as her mothering instinct to go to them came through, and he carefully had her dress before going to see to their needs. All he needed to do was focus, and his armor came back to him. Errende was right behind them to help with Howard. When he entered the nursery, he sat down with her in his lap, and Serenity was handed to her to nurse. Then Naght stared at Thanatos with disbelief. A quick dialogue in Demonic had him caught up on what happened, and Naght was floored at the craving. He swore in Demonic, and Thanatos could only grin with agreement.

"No swearing around the children," Sarine grumbled, as she nursed her daughter.

"Sorry," Thanatos chuckled. "It's a habit with us demons."

"Sure it is," she mused. She gave Serenity to Howard to burp and was given Siegfried to nurse now. Humming softly to him, Thanatos blinked. He never heard her hum before, and he found himself smiling. Siegfried was soon handed to Howard to burp, as Errende helped put Serenity to sleep. Leaning back into Thanatos with exhaustion, Naght started to talk to the other demon again to find out more about the tower. Nodding, he described the layout of it, how many floors there were and what monsters to expect to find. As she listened to them talk, she couldn't stay awake, and she fell asleep against Thanatos's chest. He looked down at her and smiled gently. He knew the burden of the craving hit her hard.

"She's really tired," he smiled.

"She doesn't get much sleep," Errende said, as he helped put Siegfried in his crib. "I always worry about her, Lord Thanatos."

"Lord Thanatos?" Howard asked with a raised brow.

"Don't think about it. Just accept it," Thanatos grinned. Naght seemed to hiss out laughter at it. "Anyways, yeah. I'll admit. This craving she has for me has me scared."

"Scared?" Howard frowned.

"Well...the last time one had this craving, and I wasn't there, the offspring was lost. I don't want to lose my children with her," he said.

"Neither...do...we..." Naght rumbled. "All...with...her...are...special..."

"True," Thanatos agreed. "So, Naght, how many females were you with in the past? More than ten? Twenty?"

"None..." he seemed to smirk out.

"None?! Then how did you know about the Demonic Mating?!" Thanatos hissed.

"Instinct..." he rumbled. "Mating...never...appealed...to...me..."

"Mating itself? Or just not finding the right one?" Howard asked.

"Hmm..." he thought. "Never...the...right...one..."

"But, have you ever mated before?" Thanatos asked again.

"No..." he hissed. "I...was...trapped...for...centuries...you...know..."

"Ahh. That's right. My mistake. Still, it's hard to think of you being a virgin," Thanatos snickered. Then he dodged a swift movement by Naght and laughed. Howard grinned, and Errende smiled softly.

"Hmm...actually..." Naght thought. "long...ago...there...was...one..."

"Really?!" Thanatos smiled.

"Yes..." he nodded. "She...was...pretty...but...not...good...enough..."

"Not good enough? How was that?" Howard asked.

"Sarine...has...strength...courage...beauty..." Naght sighed. "This...other...had...nothing. She...was...a...fake...in...the...end..."

"Ahh. I hate those!" Thanatos nodded. He looked down at Sarine when she trembled, and he swore, as he pressed his cheek against hers to make some form of contact with her. "Howard, I need a set of those pants. Something to let her feel my skin on hers, at least."

"I can work on something, Lord Thanatos," Errende said. He gestured to Doll, and she brought him a bolt of red silk, a needle, and thread. Scissors were brought over next. He worked swiftly to size up Thanatos and worked on getting a set of pants made. Naght was amused at how fast the man worked, and a set of pants were made specifically for him.

"Impressive!" Thanatos said. "Let's take her to bed. I'll change quickly into these, and it will help her sleep more. I'd sleep naked, but I don't know who will walk in on us."

"Right," Howard nodded. Naght said he would see them in the morning and moved to stand watch over his children. Thanatos managed to set her on the bed and swiftly changed into the pants. Then he gathered her up in his arms and settled into the large bed with her. Doppy and Sammy were already meditating. Eremes and Keltin were sleeping now. Thanatos moved to carefully rest with Sarine laying against his chest between Howard and Keltin.

"A touch awkward," Thanatos seemed to grumble. "But, it will work."

"You should be an ass in the morning and wake up Keltin," Howard grinned.

"That's not a bad idea!" he grinned back wickedly. Errende chuckled and lay back in his small bed. Within moments, Howard and Errende were sleeping, and Thanatos kept watch over Sarine throughout the night.


	72. Chapter 72

An hour after dawn, Sarine stirred, and Thanatos pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Morning, love," he smiled. She blushed and kissed him back.

"Morning," she sighed and rested on him.

"Egnigem will be here in a couple hours. Then we must move quickly to my tower," he said. "I'll be riding with you and Errende on Windwalker's back the whole time to make sure you don't lapse into a craving frenzy."

"I think I'm fine now," she said. When she moved from him, she gasped from the heat that seared over her skin, and he pulled her back down to him. Calming her down gently, he looked over when Doppy winced and pulled himself out of meditation.

"What a way to start the morning!" he scowled.

"Sorry, Doppy," she winced. "I...tried to see if the craving was gone."

"Oh. Never mind, then," he nodded. "Still bad?"

"Very," Thanatos nodded, looked over at Keltin and gestured for them to stay quiet. Doppy looked over and grinned wickedly. Very carefully, Thanatos moved Sarine off to a side of his chest and then lightly woke up Keltin.

"Huh? What?" he asked and looked over.

"Morning, sweetie!" Thanatos grinned.

"Gah!" Keltin gaped and rolled away quickly. Howard had just woken up and was dying with laughter, as Doppy howled with it.

"Sorry! Howard put me up to it!" Thanatos grinned even wider.

"Assholes!" Keltin scowled, and Eremes blinked awake to crack a grin, as he laughed. Even Sammy shook his head, as Errende just covered his eyes. Sarine moved to let Keltin hug and kiss her, but even he knew that she was quietly laughing.

"Sorry, love," she smiled. "It was funny."

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up!" Keltin muttered before chuckling. "I'd rather wake up looking at Howard's ugly mug!"

"That can be arranged!" Thanatos said. "It does require Sarine not being able to sleep between either of you, though."

"Forget it, then," Keltin sighed. She blushed, and then gasped when her hunger gnawed at her. A plate of Immortal Hearts was prepped and given to her. Thanatos sat up with her in his lap so she could eat in bed. A knock on the door was done, and Doppy smirked when he opened it.

"Are we freeing Thanatos today?" Seyren asked. His collar was gone to keep from shocking the others.

"We are. But, he's also already here," Doppy grinned.

"What?" Seyren asked. When he walked in, he stared at the strong demon on the bed, and Errende was moving about to start preparing more Immortal Hearts for her for when they traveled. Howard got up now and explained to Seyren what happened last night, as well as her new pregnancies. The Lord Knight was floored.

"So, yeah. Thanatos is going to be joining us into his tower, and he will be helping us by keeping Sarine's body from aborting his twins," Howard sighed. "We don't know if Doppy's would be aborted, too, and we don't want to take that chance."

"Incredible..." Seyren breathed. "So...if she leaves his side for even a moment...her body goes...crazy?"

"Should I show him?" she asked Thanatos. He winced, but he nodded. Taking a deep breath, she moved from his side. At first, there was nothing. Then her body cramped inwards, and she cried out at the fiery feeling that coursed through her skin. Thanatos swore and gathered her up in his arms for his touch to cool her down. Doppy snarled from the pain and shook his head, as he fought the fiery convulsions down.

"Don't let her do that anymore!" Doppy hissed. "No more! Not even to show anyone!"

"Fine," Thanatos said, as he calmed her gently.

"Errende, can you help me check her really quick?" Sammy asked.

"Of course!" Errende nodded. He moved to press his hands to her belly, and she gave a small sigh of relief. Thanatos let her completely lean into him now, and Sammy checked her health. Thanatos knew she was suffering, and he hated to see her like this.

"Other than the craving, she's fine," he said. That brought relief to everyone. "She needs to eat and drink more."

"Can she feed off of me for my twins?" Doppy asked.

"It'll be rough if you can tolerate me being close by just in case," Thanatos said.

"We'll manage," he nodded. Sarine was passed to Doppy cautiously, and she winced. He was cool, but not ice cold to her. When she said this, Doppy gave a nod.

"I'll be quick with her," Doppy said. Thanatos nodded and waited outside the bathroom door. The moment she had finished feeding off him, and the pleasure subsided, she was given back over to him to fully cool her down.

"Feel better?" Thanatos asked. She looked at him and kissed him heavily now. Doppy chuckled, as he ate a Yggdrasil Berry. When Thanatos was forced to take her in the bathroom, Howard gave a small grin. Seyren was still in disbelief over everything that was happening, and he started at the sound of Thanatos's heavy, inhuman roar of successful mating. Eremes seemed to chuckle, and Errende blushed. Keltin whistled softly, and Sammy mused to himself. Howard now thought and looked over at the others.

"Might want to tell everyone what happened last night. Just a thought," Howard said to Seyren. The Lord Knight blinked, nodded, and went down the stairs swiftly. Thanatos was dressed in his full armor and gave the red pants to Errende to take with them. Sarine was clinging to him weakly, and she was in her Sniper gears again. Everyone else dressed quickly now, and Errende simply followed, but he did hold onto his leash just in case.

When they got down the stairs, everyone paused with shock at the sight of Thanatos. He gave a bit of a wicked grin and nodded to Naght, as the massive demon came down the stairs.

"Children...hungry..." he hissed.

"Oh!" Sarine blinked, and Thanatos charged back up the stairs with her. Errende and Howard were up next to help. Ten minutes after feeding them, they were back down with Naght, and she was secured in Thanatos's lap.

"Egnigem should be here within the hour," he said. "The moment she appears, we have to leave. I only have today to ensure Sarine's safety until I'm freed."

"As Seyren told us," Kathryne nodded.

"Donnie? What happened with that girl?" Howard asked.

"Linette? Ah. Her. Yes," Donnie winced. "Well, she decided to leave right before the letter reading. She liked me, but I noticed she wasn't really into...oh...men?"

"Oh, dear..." Sarine sighed, and Doppy howled with laughter.

"Anyways, yeah. It's all right, though. If anything, I helped give her the confidence she needed to confront her parents again," Donnie nodded.

"It's always like that with him. He finds a nice girl and, wham! She finds a reason to walk away," Coraline sighed. Donnie glared at her, as he turned bright red, and Max cleared his throat to keep from laughing at him.

"I'm sure the right one will come along," Keltin shrugged. Howard gave a small smile and shrugged with Keltin. A plate of various foods was brought over to Sarine, and she started eating. When she looked at Thanatos, he thought and decided to try it. Normally, he didn't have to eat, but he found the different tastes of cheeses interesting. Water and juices were brought over for everyone, and Errende helped Storm Caller keep the food and drink going. Only when everyone was sated did he sit on a cushion at Sarine's feet to eat and drink.

When the door suddenly got kicked open, Doppy was there with a sword at Egnigem's throat, and he was ready to run her through.

"You could have knocked, Egnigem," Thanatos growled out.

"I...sorry..." she blinked. The Paladin had long, dark blue hair and a hardened set of eyes that matched in color. Her form was fit and firm with hard training. She was actually quite beautiful, but her mind was strict with harsh discipline. Seeing Thanatos sitting with the Sniper girl had caught her fully off guard, as he did not tell her he was freed for her, and she was even more stunned at the sword pinned to her throat.

"Doppy! Come to me?" Sarine asked with her arms out to him. Purring at her now, he abandoned Egnigem and moved to his love's side to enjoy getting her hands run through his hair.

"We need to leave now that you're here," Thanatos said. Egnigem nodded and blinked at the collar at Errende's throat. Knowing that he was the weakest of the group from before, her old ways of forcing him to bend to her will came back in full.

"What's that?!" she snapped.

"My collar. My Lady put it on, me as I wanted her to do it. You! Will! Not! Touch! It!" he snarled out and that caught her by surprise. "Her father, Lord Odin, also requires me to wear it for her, as it bears his Mark! I was weak when I was younger. I am not weak anymore. Mess with me, and you'll regret it!"

"Fine! Whatever you say!" Egnigem said. "Let's get moving!"

"Wow! Someone needs to get laid," Donnie muttered. That brought a wave of stuttering laughter throughout the room, and Egnigem turned beet red at the remark.

"Enough!" Thanatos barked out. "We're wasting time! Let's move!"

Doppy was still smirking, as Howard was grinning. Keltin slapped Donnie a secret handshake, and the others were let out from the dungeon below.

"What do we do with Timmy?" Mitchell asked.

"Leave him," Howard grumbled. "He'll slow us down."

"Yes! Please leave him!" Blent said.

"Maybe we'll have some peace and quiet for once!" Laurell said. Lloyd and Margaretha chuckled, as they started to buff everyone. Errende helped, and so did Keltin. Windwalker landed, and Pori-Pori jumped into Sarine's lap. She whispered to the powerful Poring-type monster to tell him of her new pregnancies, and he smiled widely.

"How is a Poring going to help us?" Egnigem frowned.

"Oh, good. Piss off Pori-Pori to start our journey. Lovely," Thanatos snarled out. Egnigem's mouth dropped, and Pori-Pori scooted over to her to smack her into a tree.

"I doubt that will teach her a lesson," Donnie mused, and Howard snickered with Eremes. Errende seemed to smirk, as he got up on Windwalker's back. Thanatos and Sarine got up next, and the Gryphon was ready to start moving. Eddga rumbled when he appeared, and Naght was at Sarine's side next. Vagabond Wolf loped out to join them, and Sarine pat him on the head fondly. She would have to see about getting him used to being ridden when she was able.

"So many strong monsters!" Egnigem blinked. Then she looked at her old cell mates from Lighthalzen and looked at the older ones from there, too. She just realized who they were. She should have already known.

"Remember! We need to find the keys and rearrange the charm stones when we see them! I know where we have to look! We also need to find my generals!" Thanatos said. Errende kept his hands on Sarine's belly and gave a hard glare at Kavach, as he was staring at her. Windwalker put its wings up, and Muninn flew down to land near the Gryphon.

_:Everyone ready? I take. All. There!:_  he said. Egnigem blinked with shock at the powerful falcon, and, when she blinked again, the whole party was gone and standing at the tower's front door.


	73. Chapter 73

When they got into the tower, Seyren winced and said, "Damn! Baphomet wanted to help! I told him I'd call him before we left!"

_:Call him!:_  Muninn warbled, as he flew up to perch on Windwalker's shoulders. Seyren nodded and summoned forth Baphomet. Windwalker put its wings down for the large demon to stare at Thanatos with amusement. A quick chat in Demonic had him up to date, and Naght filled in a few things here and there.

"When we get in there, I can invoke my power to keep various monsters at bay. Certain monsters you will have to kill in order to advance. They turned my tower into a tourist attraction of sorts, and they want an excavation team. All of you will need to sign up. They put up a road block of sorts on the third level of my tower to ensure that only strong parties can get through. I think we'll be an exception. Let's get going and not waste any more time!" Thanatos said. When the whole party moved in, several adventurers gaped at the sight of the strong monsters. Any that dared to attack were quickly dispatched within a few moves. Thanatos remained hidden with Sarine and Errende on Windwalker's back. He couldn't afford to be seen.

When they had to register with the excavation recruiter, the poor girl was in shock at the strong monsters assisting them. Errende was able to help lead Sarine to the counter to sign up. His touch did chill her skin, but it started to wear off after some time. Doppy managed to move over to help her, and Egnigem was confused by it. When it was explained to her lightly that only Thanatos's touch could calm her, it made her think. Once Sarine was back in the safety of Thanatos's arms on Windwalker's back, they started making their way through the maze to the one entrance up to the tower behind the counter.

A monster that resembled a little Angelic girl riding on a harp approached them, and she giggled. She had black hair up in pigtails, and she was wearing a short, pink dress. She flapped her little, white wings on her back, and she swung back and forth on the harp she was riding. She bounced the harp over to them to tilt her head and giggle again. Waving to them now, she glowed with power and disappeared.

"That was a Lady Solace that joined us," Keltin said to the others. Sarine had turned to Thanatos and was kissing him deeply and full of intense want. Errende could only smile softly, as he made sure her developing quadruplets were calm. When he heard Keltin say that they were nearing the second level, he gave a small sigh. Then he heard that the three types of Plasma monsters joined them. When Windwalker stopped in motion, Thanatos growled and peered out from the feathers to find out why.

"Party is very full. Sorry," Seyren said to a few adventurers.

"You can squeeze us in!" a man begged.

"I'll squeeze my sword between your ribs, if you don't shut up and leave!" Doppy snarled out. That made Thanatos grin wickedly, and he went back to kissing his mate. Eventually, Egnigem started to try and bark orders at the others like she used to do. It finally got to a point that, whenever Egnigem voiced a harsh comment, Donnie was quick to retort back. It quickly became a banter between them that caused the others to laugh.

"I'll have you know that I've been through Hell!" Egnigem grounded out.

"Well, now you're putting us through Hell with all of your complaining. So, just shut up and enjoy the ride!" Donnie said sweetly, as he strummed his guitar. Kavach snickered with Laurell, and Armeyer was giggling with Wickebine. Egnigem was used to bossing them around and telling them what to do. It was an old habit that quickly came back in full, despite Donnie's retorts. Baphomet rumbled with Naght in amusement.

"Errende! Get out here and help us!" Egnigem ordered.

"Piss off!" Errende snarled out. That made Thanatos grin wickedly. Doppy grinned broadly, as he said that to others all the time.

"What did you say?!" Egnigem said.

"He said to piss off! What? Are you deaf? At this point, I would have hoped so! I thought we wanted a 'quiet' and 'peaceful' tour of this place!" Donnie said, as he rolled his eyes. Coraline just giggled, and Max held her tight, as they started to clear out monsters. Garrett and Cecil looked at each other and snickered. Lloyd and Margaretha just seemed to sigh, as they continued to Heal and buff.

"And just what is that Vessel of Odin doing? Does she do nothing but get pregnant?" Egnigem frowned. That made everyone stop and glare at her. Windwalker lowered its wings to reveal Thanatos glaring at her.

"She's pregnant with MY twins and with Doppelganger's twins right now!" Thanatos hissed. "Please. Speak your mind about that!"

"Um...sorry..." Egnigem whispered.

"What is wrong?" Sarine finally asked, as she focused her tigers' eye gemstone eyes on her. "I was almost accepted into Lighthalzen, too, but I was declined. You heard my letter readings and saw my life through Errende. Why are you so...mad?"

"Part of it is Thanatos's blood," she admitted. "I'm not normally a violent person. I just...get so much hatred, and I...I lash out."

"That makes more sense than I would have thought," Sammy said.

"For a moment I thought you were having a period," Donnie shrugged. Several of the younger companions sputtered and tried to keep quiet.

"Oh, what is it with you?!" Egnigem scowled at him.

"I'm a Clown. I  _entertain_  people! And, with you going off like this, how can I  _not_  entertain?" he chuckled. "Besides, I have to ask you. Have you ever...oh...showed a sense of humor before? Laughed? Had fun?"

"Well...no," she frowned. "I was forced to grow up very fast."

"Oh. So, you've never played with dolls or smiled?" he countered.

"Hard to do that when your parents were always strict and forcing disciplinary rules," she said. "As much as I wanted to be a little girl, it was denied to me."

"Ah. So, you're a hard-assed bitch that expects others to do as their told. All right, then! That clears up everything!" Donnie smiled, and Egnigem stared at him with shock. Thanatos laughed darkly, as the others sputtered more laughter, and Doppy was grinning like mad. "See what I mean? Entertainment!"

"You are a cruel little man!" Egnigem countered.

"Cruel, yes. Little? Well...I don't think I'm little. In that sense, anyways," Donnie shrugged, and Garrett looked away with a smile.

"Oh? I doubt you have proof of your words. As if I would want to see such a disgusting thing, anyways!" she retorted.

"Ahh. But, now I have you interested!" Donnie grinned. That made Kavach sputter with more laughter, and Laurell blinked with a wide grin. Even Blent was shaking his head at how the Clown was working his way under Egnigem's skin. Armeyer and Wickebine giggled even more, and the others snickered. A wave of monsters approached them, and the conversation was put on hold. Thanatos could only hold back so many to keep from looking suspicious. In the lower levels of his tower, there were quite a few adventurers here.

A floating book with bloody pages flapped over to them, and it was known as a Death Word. It vanished after glowing with power, and an odd, black-cloaked monster with wings moved over to them now. It held up a sword and a glowing, Demonic face was at the monster's base. It even had another Demonic face showing through the hood of the cloak. Keltin identified the monster as a Baroness of Retribution. When that monster glowed with power and vanished, the monsters ceased their assault for the moment. The group relaxed, but it would likely be short-lived. Egnigem was still ticked off at Donnie and looked at the restored and polished marble floor of the tower.

"Like hell am I interested..." Egnigem muttered.

"Oh? What was that I heard?" Donnie asked.

"Nothing," she said, and everyone snickered again. Thanatos was busy working with Sarine now, and he was enjoying every bit of it. She had finally moved to work on Errende with her mouth, as Thanatos was working on her. When they all released, they dressed quickly, and Thanatos snickered softly at her.

"What?" Sarine asked sweetly, as Errende gasped to gain control of himself.

"Maybe Egnigem does need to get laid," Thanatos grinned.

"Oh? Are you going to plant the images in her head?" she smiled.

"I should, but I think Donnie is doing that just fine," he snickered. She looked at him with a blush, and he laughed. Errende managed to help her fix her clothing back up before he fixed his clothing up, and it was a good thing he did. Doppy walked over with curiosity.

"What's so funny?" Doppy asked. He moved close to hear the soft whisper from Thanatos, and Doppy hissed with laughter. Naght moved over, as he was curious, and chuckled when it was passed to him. Howard fought back a laugh when Naght told him mentally. He whispered to Eremes, and the Assassin Cross quickly Cloaked to move off and laugh. Keltin and Sammy listened to Eremes's whisper and grinned at each other. Baphomet found out from Naght, and Seyren learned of it from Baphomet's mental chuckle. The little bit of juicy gossip quickly worked its way around to the others.

"So, Egnigem," Donnie said.

"Oh, shut up!" she growled. "You've done enough!"

"You didn't even hear my question! How rude!" he frowned.

"Every answer I give you, you just turn around and slap back at me! So, yes. I'm being rude! I just want to free Thanatos's soul and get on with my life!" she grumbled.

"Oh? And where do you plan to go after this is done?" Donnie asked.

"I...I'll figure something out," she said.

"Really? Hmm...let's see..." he thought. "Would you go back home? No, of course not. You don't want to confront your parents. Stay with us? No! Of course not! Even though you could have the time of your life, you like solitude."

"Stay with the lot of you? And do what? Listen to your crap?" she scowled.

"Better than being alone!" he grinned.

"Are you saying that you like me?" she countered.

"Ah...hmm. Like is such a strong word. I would say...tolerate?" he smiled. That brought more snickers from the group.

"Tolerate me?! Oh, you little...!" she growled and lunged at him, but he was quicker. He giggled and made a face at her when she missed.

"Just kiss him already!" Thanatos growled out from Windwalker's back.

"What?!" Egnigem freaked.

"Me kiss her? Are you mad? Kissing her would be like putting my face in a bowl of water and blowing bubbles!" Donnie frowned. Sharp gasps of laughter were heard now.

"Are you serious?!" she flustered up.

"Well, it's only obvious!" he said. "You're so full of hot air that I have to wonder why you're not floating away!"

She glared at him and scowled. He strummed his guitar and muttered to himself. Next thing he knew, Egnigem approached him, pulled him close, and planted a kiss on his mouth. When she backed away, he stared at her with shock.

"Hot air and water, eh? Make fun of that!" she growled. That had everyone giggling and snickering even more.

"Why did you kiss me?!" he growled and moved to confront her.

"Why? Do you want me to do it again?" she asked.

"Well...no!" he said and walked away.

"Coraline," Sarine called out to her, and the Dancer gracefully moved over. "You know...maybe it wasn't a nice girl your brother was meant to find..."

"Oh!" she giggled in the whisper. "You think so?"

"That actually makes sense," Thanatos mused.

"I mean...look at them going back and forth! And now he got her to kiss him!" Sarine smiled. "You should keep them going!"

"Hmm..." Thanatos thought. "Wait until I'm free, or they'll be stopping to screw each other next. It's a strong possibility."

That had them laughing, and Thanatos pulled Sarine against his chest. He was able to melt away the black leather to expose his skin under the upper armor and his abdominals so she could feel him against her. When he felt it wasn't enough, his cloak and upper armor fully vanished so he could just let her rest fully against him.

"Errende! Why don't you come out and help us?" Egnigem finally asked.

"Because My Lady needs me to keep her developing children from making her sick," Errende said. "and I don't take orders from anyone but her."

"Well, you were always the weak one," she shrugged.

"He was beaten and tortured as a child!" Sarine snarled out. "And, if you so much as speak to him in such a manner again...!"

"Hush..." Thanatos whispered to calm her before shouting out. "Egnigem, just get laid already! Please?! I can't afford to waste any more time with your bullshit, and Sarine can't afford to get pissed at you! Keltin! How much further until we get to the third level?"

"Not much," Keltin said. "I can see the guy we need to talk to now."

"I suggest we make a camp after we clear one of those rooms we need to clear out before continuing," Sammy said. "Just to ensure that Sarine will be fed and calmed."

"That would make the most sense," Howard nodded.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. Egnigem was still in shock over what Thanatos suggested to her. Donnie was amused, but also a touch timid about it. Usually, his banters caused outrageous comic relief.  _This was turning into something else completely..._

"You want me to get that horrible man to...to...?!" Egnigem gaped with disbelief.

"Oh, shut up!" Thanatos groaned. "You've been thinking about it the moment he got you interested! So, don't even go there!"

That had Donnie's eyes go wide, and he looked at his guitar to play a small tune to keep his mind focused on something else. Muttering a song under his breath, he felt like putting his foot in his mouth at what he started. Doppy and Naght hissed with laughter, and Baphomet looked clearly amused. Eddga rumbled, as they approached the man to let them through to the next area, and he did so without even checking to see how many were all together. Vagabond Wolf loped out with Pori-Pori to start attacking everything that got too close.

An angel-type monster with long, blond hair and a halo came over to them. Her wings actually started at the top of her head and flowed down. She was wearing a short, white dress, and she held a black skull that clattered its jaw. Smoke was pouring out of its red-eyed sockets, and she gave a small nod to them before glowing and vanishing to the island home.

"That's a Mistress of Shelter," Keltin said, as they continued.

"Thanatos," Sarine whispered, as she shook her head and took a deep breath.

"Yes, my mate?" he whispered back as he nuzzled her.

"It's hard to breathe..." she gasped.

"Sammy!" Thanatos shouted. Incantation Samurai moved to their side quickly. Doppy didn't feel anything out of the ordinary, but he was with them, too. The whole party stopped to wait to make sure she was all right.

"What's wrong?" Sammy asked.

"She says she can't breathe!" Thanatos said. Sammy placed a hand over her lungs and one over her forehead. Then he placed a hand on her belly.

"One of Doppy's twins moved towards her ribcage and kicked upwards. Errende, apply your touch...here," Sammy said and directed Errende to place his hand on the edge of her ribs. Once the touch was given, the offspring calmed, and Sarine was able to breathe again.

"What caused it?" Doppy asked. Thanatos blinked, as he focused to find out.

"It's hungry and wanted to get her attention," Thanatos sighed.

"With her having four in her, she'll be eating more," Sammy nodded. "I'll signal for a quick break before we move on."

"My Lady?" Errende said. Sarine placed a hand over his to show she was well.

"Small break!" Sammy called out to the others. "We need to feed Sarine, or her children will be the death of her! Set up borders! I suggested that we make a small camp earlier!"

"Why do we do as he says?" Egnigem frowned.

"He's a doctor to her in a way. He monitors Sarine's health and the children she carries. Without him, we don't know what's really going on with her," Howard said. "It's how it was with my twins and Naght's."

They chuckled when Storm Caller showed up with the twins from the nursery, as they needed to be fed. Egnigem blinked at the boy and girl, and Howard moved to collect his daughter to take to Sarine to be fed.

"Already?" Sarine frowned and Windwalker settled to rest. Everyone glanced at Thanatos, as he had removed his upper armor, but he ignored the stares. Errende moved to be ready to help calm the older twins after they were fed, and Windwalker's wings went back up to give her some nursing privacy.

"They grow so fast," Errende smiled. She chuckled softly. Then she winced.

"Serenity! Don't bite me!" Sarine growled. Naght came over to rumble in Demonic at his daughter, and the little girl let out a whimper. Once his warning was given, the teething stopped. Thanatos grinned now, and he knew he would be doing the same for his own twins. He actually looked a bit forward to it.

"They should be working on solid foods soon," Howard said.

"Hopefully," Sarine sighed. "Here, Errende, take her so I can feed him."

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded and took Serenity to rock her to sleep so Sarine could feed Siegfried. Howard was still amazed that Errende was able to do that.

"How old are they?" Egnigem asked.

"About a month and a half," Doppy said.

"What? They look almost a year old!" she exclaimed.

"Demonic children grow fast," Sammy said. "In the womb, it's always different. But, once birthed, they sprout like weeds. At least, that's what Doppy says."

"So, I know you're Incantation Samurai. Who's Keltin and Doppy?" she asked. "I just want to know."

"Oh, of course. Doppy is short for Doppelganger. He is THE Doppelganger from Geffen Tower, actually. Keltin is a Bongun. Both were enhanced by Valkyrie from Valhalla and Odin, as was myself," Sammy nodded. "Doppy did gain an extra blessing by Odin, though. So, yeah, don't piss him off."

"I see," Egnigem nodded. Seyren and Storm Caller moved over to her now, and they started to talk to her even further at length to give her more details about themselves and the others. She was in shock of the demon blood that was given to Seyren and the others. She really had no idea about it. She should have known from various visions, but she tended to disregard them. It was how she was able to get by on her own.

Once the older twins were sated, and Storm Caller took them away, Sarine was fed and given a few drinks of juice and water. Then Thanatos announced it was time to get going. Karla was glad she had sold everything from Nifflheim to make more room for things in her cart. Sarine started to nod off in Thanatos's embrace, and he used his will to keep enemies away as much as possible to make traveling swifter. Then he remembered where they had to go, and he had them head southwest. They confronted a massive machine that seemed to radiate a force of power. No one could get near it.

"Who has a very powerful weapon? Normal weapons won't work, and we need to smash that barrier down! Anyone?" Thanatos asked.

"I actually do..." Eremes mused. "I had...kept it on me just in case."

"Break the barrier!" the demon nodded. Eremes pulled out an Assassin Dagger and smashed into the barrier to shatter it. A red key was rewarded to them. With this in their possession, Thanatos directed them to where the next level was, and they all eagerly moved through the area. Sarine noticed that the place was starting to fall into disrepair, but only because the renovation team was trying to salvage it. They couldn't fully reach this floor from the intensity of the monsters here. There were wooden beams everywhere, and dirt was piled up in the corners from where they cleaned.

On the fourth level, a male angel-type monster moved over to them swiftly to take up a spot by Windwalker. He had a halo over his head, a green scarf that also served as a headband of sorts, as well as his method of attack in whip-like moves, and gold rings around his wrists and ankles. His wings helped him hover constantly to keep him airborne. He wore a white toga, and the bottom of it almost resembled a loincloth that covered below his waist and down to his knees. It attached up over his right shoulder to attach to the bottom part down his back. His dark green eyes looked out for any danger amidst a rather handsome face. His blond hair was exceptionally long, as it seemed to flow down his back and sides. He glowed with power to look more muscular, and his wings were far more defined, as well as massive, but he refused to budge from their side. He wanted to help protect Sarine.

"Dame of Sentinel?" Keltin asked.

"You can also call me Observation, too," the angel said with a regal, powerful voice.

"Right!" Keltin nodded and welcomed him.

"Vessel of Odin?" Observation asked.

"Hmm?" Sarine blinked awake and was surprised when he gave her his card. "Oh! Thank you! How nice of you!"

"Ah, that reminds me," Thanatos chuckled and gave her his card. She blinked and kissed him passionately. He smiled and nuzzled her gently before whispering that he would have his generals give over their cards, too. When Sarine peered out to see Observation again, she was clearly quite taken with him. Thanatos saw this, growled, and pulled her closer to him.

"What does his card do?" Doppy asked. She gave it to him, and Howard examined it curiously to read out to the others.

"Wow. Deals more damage based on the defense of the one being attacked. But, it drains energy per use, and lowers defense and quickness in battle. Still one hell of a card!" Howard whistled. "This would cause a lot of pain!"

"Think that should go in her bow?" Cecil asked.

"Nope! Atroce is still better," Howard said in a hushed whisper to keep Sarine from overhearing. Doppy chuckled and nodded with agreement.

"What monster do you have in mind?" Thanatos asked. Errende was gestured to walk over to keep Sarine from knowing. Sarine was fine with it, as she knew it was a part of her birthday gift. Keltin whispered to him what the monster was and what the card did. That made Thanatos blink and grin.  _We'll need to find that monster soon._ When Errende moved back onto Windwalker's back, they moved further through the tower. Sarine noticed that there were no renovations done here. The place was clearly falling apart, and it saddened her a touch.

"Where is the next key?" Keltin asked.

"Head northeast," Thanatos said. As long as he kept the monsters away, it was very easy to move through the place. Since not many adventurers got this far, Thanatos was finally able to use his will in full force. The level was swarmed with Mimics, Elders, Ridewords, and quite a few other powerful monsters. On reaching this machine, it appeared to want a code.

"Any clue?" Howard asked.

"Nope! Take a guess," Thanatos grinned. Each one tried and failed to get the machine to work. A random code was accepted by Wickebine, and a yellow key was given up to them.

"These guys must have really hated you," Howard mused.

"Apparently so," the demon agreed. "Oh, we'll need to come back here. Can anyone Memorize this area? Otherwise, we'll have to backtrack. As it is, we need to head back towards the beginning on this level for that seal. Damn. I forgot about that! Anyways, from what I know, there are seals that we will need to activate at the right time."

"How do you know all of this, if you were locked away?" Howard frowned.

"My body was locked away, but my mind was fully aware. I saw everything they did rather easily. Anyways, can anyone Memorize locations?" Thanatos asked.

"I can," Keltin nodded.

"Same with us," Lloyd said, as Margaretha chuckled.

"If I need to, I can do this, too," Errende nodded.

"Think we're covered?" Sarine giggled and got kissed softly. Now with two keys and the area location set, with a slight bit of backtracking, they moved through the floor and approached the fifth level. On getting there, they stopped as the general, Thanatos Dolor, was waiting for them at entrance when they headed up the stairs.

"Master!" the tiny general said.

"I'm here!" Thanatos said. The Fragment of Agony was given over, as well as its card, before it glowed with power to join them. It actually grew three times its normal size and doubled its attack power. Then it gained two incredibly strong skills. It was easily the strongest of all his generals now, and Thanatos sensed it. Then it handed over a helmet called Goibne's Helm. After that, it handed Sarine an Old Card Album, and she opened it eagerly to see what was in it. Pulling out the card, she studied it, as the old book crumbled to dust.

"Oh! Look!" she beamed. "It's a card from Kavach's clone!"

"What? Let me see!" Kavach said, as he moved over now to look. "Hmm. Anyone have a basic muffler? Apparently, if you don't upgrade a garment, it adds to speed like crazy!"

"Really?" Keltin mused. "We'll get one ready at the island house."

"I have a garment, but you can't wear it. Only magic users can," Thanatos frowned. "Give this Eagle Wing to Kathryne. Oh, Seyren! I have a Legion Plate Armor for you!"

"Nice!" Seyren grinned, as he took it. "I'll use it well!"

"But, I do have something for you," Thanatos smiled to Sarine and gave her a garment called Morrigane's Manteau. She blinked at it and hugged him tight with love and appreciation. "It's part of a set, though, so we'll have to find the other pieces."

"How lovely!" she beamed.

_:Looks like. Raven feathers! But. Is crow!:_  Muninn warbled happily.

"Oh, Seyren, here are some boots to match!" Thanatos grinned and gave him a set of Greaves. The Lord Knight stammered, and Karla smiled warmly. On a closer inspection, he realized that the armor and the boots could hold one card each.

"Mmm..." Sarine smiled and nuzzled into Thanatos's neck. She loved how he made her feel so relaxed now. He wrapped his arms around her, and Windwalker put its wings back up to show they needed to keep moving. They had to go through one Warp point to get to another, and they moved north through this area, as they searched for the machine they needed.

"We need to head to two different areas here. We need to head northeast in this section along the wall, but it's more south, than north. That's where the machine we need is. For the seal, we need to take a narrow path to the lower east section, and the seal is along the back east corner in a dead end. We need to get a move on!" Thanatos grounded out. When they finally reached this machine, they noticed three sets of levers. As they tried to pull them one at a time, nothing happened. They tried again with more force, and there was still no success.

"Are these rusted?" Howard frowned.

"Try it all together with three of you," Thanatos suggested. Howard, Eremes, and Doppy did just that. A blue key was given to them now. "Three down, two to go. Let's keep going!"

The seal area they needed to find was along the main path to where they had to reach the next floor. The location was saved, and they headed north to the stairs leading up. It were here where Thanatos Maero was waiting for them and ready to assist.

She moved right over to Thanatos's side with a soft, throaty chuckle. She then handed over the Fragment of Misery, her card, an Old Card Album, and an armor called Goibne's Armor. Right after she glowed, she took her place by Thanatos Dolor. Her form got slimmer, and her moves got faster to have her attack with far more speed and strength.

"Another book for you! And another card," Thanatos said lovingly to Sarine. She blinked and opened the Old Card Album to pull out a card from a Chonchon fly.

"We should be so lucky, eh?" Doppy snickered. Sarine blushed, and Thanatos kissed her forehead to send more icy chills through her. She closed her eyes and rested on him as he used his will to keep monsters back.

"Are you all right?" Thanatos asked Sarine gently.

"Hmm? I'm fine. Just...very comfy right now," she smiled. He smiled back tenderly and ran a hand over her back. Errende kept his arms crossed over his chest and had fallen into a light sleep. The moment he was needed again, he'd quickly wake and assist her.

"I think, after this tower is done, I can transcend!" Mitchell grinned.

"Really?" Kathryne asked with excitement.

"Yep! And then you'll have to deal with my whining issues as a kid!" he grinned. That made Seyren laugh, and Howard grinned.

"Not for long, though," Kathryne smiled.

"We'll see," Mitchell smirked, as he squeezed her close. "Hmm...maybe I'll have you wait to have sex with me again..."

"Think you'll remember how to use your dick?" Doppy snickered. Eremes paused to choke down his laughter, and Howard barked out laughing at it. Keltin and Sammy broke out into wicked grins, and Sarine told Thanatos what happened that night. He laughed wickedly and pulled her closer to him.

"I'm quite sure that I'll remember. Thanks for the tip!" Mitchell winked. That made Eremes laugh even more, and he had to Cloak to hide himself.

"He really doesn't like us to see him laugh. Does he?" Garrett mused.

"He isn't used to it," Seyren said. "When we first met him, he was quieter than a stone. I guess, when one finally does get laid, they open up like nothing. Ouch!"

"Still your tongue..." Eremes chuckled after the stone he threw hit its mark. He Uncloaked now that he was under control and walked with them.

"I'll get even for you later," Karla promised.

"Thank you," Eremes nodded. "It would be appreciated..."

"Eremes!" Sarine called for him. The Assassin Cross was at her side, and she managed to pull him close to kiss deeply before whispering to him. He started laughing and hugged her tight before moving to help clear out a few monsters.

"What did you tell him?" Thanatos grinned.

"That, if he really wants to embarrass Seyren, he should toss another stone and to make sure to aim at his lower back. It's actually a very sensitive area for Seyren and will give a wonderful reaction," she winked. He grinned evilly and pressed a kiss to her mouth. The next thing they heard was Seyren gasping with disbelief at where a stone hit next, and Karla was laughing hard at her husband's reaction.

"What happened to you? Someone rake nails on your back?" Howard asked.

"Shut up!" Seyren growled, as he fought down the pleasure.

"Need to change your armor...?" Eremes snickered.

"I'm...fine..." Seyren grumbled, as he regained control of himself.

"Damn..." Garrett winced.

"Oh, that reminds me! Garrett, dear," Cecil smiled.

"No! We are not asking her!" Garrett muttered.

"You admitted that it was the best thing you ever felt in your life!" she countered back. "We are asking her so she can show me how to make you feel it again!"

"I think my dominance has a mean streak," Sarine smiled.

"That it does. Just don't use it on me," Thanatos chuckled.

"I'll substitute for Lord Thanatos," Errende smiled, as he opened an eye. Sarine gestured for him to come close and she planted a kiss on his mouth. Then she made him gasp, as she ran a finger up his chest from the open neckline in his High Priest robes. He handed her his leash, and she smiled. Clipping it on him now, she yanked him towards her to start scratching up his back under the robes, and Thanatos snickered wickedly, as he watched her. He actually started to enjoy watching her dominate Errende.

"What's going on over there?!" Egnigem hissed, as she looked over at Windwalker. Doppy thought and took two steps over before pausing. He felt her dominant presence, and he trembled. Then he backed away.

"She's...being dominant with Errende," Doppy said. "Don't mess with her while she's in a dominant streak."

Garrett and Seyren swallowed and moved to their wives. Howard shivered with remembrance from last night. Keltin, Sammy, and Eremes grinned and continued moving with the party. Kavach blinked and thought inwardly. He wanted to be with Sarine like that.  _To feel her dominance and lusts._ He pushed the thoughts aside, as Laurell came over to speak to him on their next plan through the tower. They had just reached the area with the seal, and Lloyd got this location saved. Now they were heading towards the machine, and that meant moving all through the floor just to get there.

Egnigem still felt curious and moved over to Windwalker. The Gryphon glared at her and hissed to keep her back, and she found Vagabond Wolf snarling at her. Donnie had soon reached over to pull her back with a scowl on his face.

"Don't mess with demons when they're having sex!" he scolded her.

"Are they really...on the Gryphon's back?!" Egnigem gaped.

"Lucky bastard!" Howard grumbled. Thanatos gave out a bark of laughter when he heard what was going on out there. Pori-Pori was soon spitting out a bunch of items to give to Karla so he could start killing more monsters for them again.

"My cart is getting full," Karla frowned.

"Damn! I could have brought mine!" Howard scowled.

"Same here," Armeyer frowned. "I don't think we can go back to get them. Can we? We'd have to run through the tower again!"

: _I help!:_  Muninn warbled. He flew over to Howard's shoulders to land on him carefully, and Howard gaped at the weight of the bird.

"You're either fat, or just really heavy!" Howard said.

_:Not fat! Be nice!:_  Muninn cooed and stretched out his wings. He took Armeyer and Howard back to the island home to get their carts and brought them straight back to the others. Once the items were dispersed, they continued again quickly. They were saving quite a bit of time with Thanatos keeping most of the enemies back.

"Where are the machines we need now? It's the sixth level," Keltin said.

"Okay. The seal is straight north, past this section to the next, and along that back east corner wall. The last machine we need is on the way in the western section across from it near the end. It's before the hallway to the last section. The way to the seventh level is north in another hallway, and we can reach that by heading east in the southern section we get to last. It's at the northern end of the southern section's east hallway," Thanatos advised. They all had a bit of a walk ahead of them and moved quickly. The last seal was found, and the location was saved. Then they moved to the last machine. It completely puzzled them.

"Um, Thanatos..." Howard frowned. "we have some cogwheels here..."

"Ah..." the demon thought. "I'm trying to remember..."

"Lord Thanatos," Errende said. "I believe, from what your thoughts show, the small cogwheels should have the first one pointing up. The other doesn't matter. The larger ones should have the second one up, and the other shouldn't matter, either. The last set should have the second wheel going up. Then we should be able to go back to the beginning."

"Let's try it," Howard nodded. Using his instructions, the green key was now in their hands. With a sigh of relief, they now moved as one and reached an odd portal. Mitchell paused on approaching it and gaped.

"I can't go through it," he said. "I'm not transcended."

"Shit!" Thanatos growled. "They set up a barrier?! I had no idea!"

"What can we do?" Kathryne frowned. Muninn flew off of Howard's shoulders to land and become his human form.

" _Mitchell, I can help you transcend now. I will take you to Valhalla personally, and we can wait here as Kathryne helps you retrain,_ " Muninn said.

"But, the day will waste away for me! What are we to do?" Thanatos asked.

" _We can continue through the tower while he trains. By the time we reach the top, Mitchell should be able to come back with Kathryne with Valkyrie's help. She is human and can help him train._ "

"All right! Oh, here," Karla said and handed over the last book they had to help him boost his training. Kathryne took it, and she held Mitchell's hand, as Muninn moved them straight to Valkyrie in Valhalla. Kathryne did make sure to get all of Mitchell's gears, items, and money to hold onto just in case. When Muninn reverted back to his falcon form, they were ready to move on. Valkyrie would send Kathryne and Mitchell to where they needed to go to start training, and he would likely get sent to them after he became a Professor.

"Let's get going!" Thanatos growled out from Windwalker's back. They managed to move through the portal now, and the general, Thanatos Despero, was waiting for them. It floated over in its flaming form and handed over the Fragment of Despair, an Old Card Album, its card, and a set of boots called Goibne's Greaves. She opened up the Old Card Album and blinked, as she pulled a Green Ferus card from it. Then the general lined up with the other two to help move through the tower.

"That's one of the dragons from the dragon caves," Keltin said, as the card was passed to him to examine. "Not bad! I think you already have one from the set that Cecil gave you. We'll have to make an armor set that you can use them with."

"Oh," Sarine smiled and leaned into Errende's gasping form. She had hit him hard with painful pleasure, and he was still recovering from it. Thanatos kept his hands on her legs to keep contact with her, and he pulled her close to him when he saw signs of her overheating return.

"Errende," Thanatos smirked and sent a private thought his way.

"Do you think we can?" Errende asked with a light half-smile.

"We'll test it back at the house," he grinned.

"Test what?" Sarine frowned.

"A surprise," Thanatos grinned and kissed her gently. She looked at him with a frown, and he laughed. Then he paused, as Egnigem started to rant again.

"She should fight!" Egnigem growled. "Why can't she fight with us?!"

"She's pregnant! We told you before!" Doppy growled.

"My Lady, may I handle this?" Errende asked.

"What do you plan to do?" Sarine asked.

"You'll see," he nodded. Thanatos smirked and nodded for him to help. Egnigem gaped, as she saw Errende toss his leash over his shoulder to keep it out of the way when he dismounted from Windwalker's back. He moved right over to Egnigem and slapped her hard across the face.

"You...!" she blinked in shock at him.

"That will be the one and only time I will ever strike a woman!" Errende snarled out, as his Demonic blood finally surged in him. "Grow  _the FUCK_  up!"

Everyone stared in shock at him. Thanatos was now howling with laughter, and Doppy fell to his knees next with shock and laughter. Lloyd and Margaretha had their jaws dropped, and they could only watch Errende moved back to the Gryphon to get back on its back. Coraline had a hand over her mouth, and Max couldn't stop the laughter that spilled from him. Garrett bit his tongue to keep from laughing out, but Cecil simply giggled like mad. Howard and Eremes were in shock that Errende was able to pull it off. Keltin and Sammy were trying to remain composed. Egnigem stood there trembling with rage that the weakest one of them all had neatly shut her up. She was actually trying not to cry.

"There, there," Donnie sighed, as he walked over to her. "It could have been worse."

"How?" Egnigem frowned and shivered.

"I could have done it to you," Donnie shrugged. That made the others laugh now, and Thanatos hid his face in Sarine's hair, as they both giggled and laughed. Muninn had watched the whole thing with a touch of humor, and he decided to help her out. He froze time around her and Donnie. The two of them blinked at the shock of it. Then he shifted back to human form to talk to them in depth. He knew they needed this time to talk to each other.

" _I think the two of you need time to talk. So, I made time for you both to talk,_ " Muninn said, as he approached them. " _Egnigem Cenia, I am Muninn, if you haven't figured it out already. A messenger of Father Odin, and Sarine's older brother. What Errende did was mild compared to what_ I _was ready to do to you. You never had any control over Thanatos's blood rage. Did you? You let it control you, and you are STILL letting it control you. You have the training to control it, you know. Why don't you use it?_ "

"I..." she paused and frowned. "I do use my training when it's needed. But...being around Thanatos in the flesh...it feels like a challenge to me to prove my worth! I see him with another woman, and I feel...insignificant."

"Wait! You have a crush on a demon? Hah!" Donnie grinned. "Why?"

"I don't have a crush on him! I'm just confounded as to why he is showing her approval! I mean...why her? She has no strength! No real power!" Egnigem started. Then Muninn rose up his hand for her to stop.

" _Did you not pay attention to the letters or the dream visions?_ " Muninn asked.

"The letters...did affect me. But the visions? No. I thought they were only dreams and nothing more," she admitted. "Why? Did they really happen? I don't think they did."

"Oh, you poor little lady," Donnie clucked his tongue. "The dream visions were real. Sarine's capture and torment were real. Her entrapment in Amatsu was real. Why else would she have FIVE husbands and bloodthirsty demons that care so much about her?! Sure, I wasn't there for her second capture. But, I met her when she had two husbands at first and met the other ones later. I respect her. If it wasn't for her, my sister wouldn't have gotten justice on the man that raped her as a Dancer!"

"Your sister?" Egnigem blinked.

"Oh, dear. You really do disregard everything around you. Don't you? It's probably how you survived, and why you're so easy for me to pick on! And Errende? What he did was just brilliant! You saw him as a weak-minded idiot. His father raped him as a child! He was beaten as a child by both of his parents! You think YOU had it rough?! Sarine was forced to live in darkness for the first twelve years of her life! At two years of age it started! She didn't even have the luxury to play with toys, or even be around parents that gave a damn about her!

"She also said she was turned away from Lighthalzen, because she put on the application that she had family. She called her friends her family. For almost three years she thought all of her friends were dead! What are we supposed to think? Even me? I can't think of anything. All I know is that, if you keep pissing off the one woman who binds us all together, you will be eating dirt around us for the rest of this trip, I can guarantee it!"

She blinked, as she recalled the dream visions now, and the linked visions from the others. Then she gasped.  _I did disregard them as nothing._  Now she saw what they were truly about, and, for the first time in a long time, she felt ashamed of herself. She didn't feel the tears fall, or hear Donnie sigh and move to hug her to comfort her. She just clung to him, as tears from long ago finally made their way out to soak into his ruffled shoulder. Muninn let her vent her sadness before he finally nodded.

" _Now you finally see. Soon, Thanatos's blood will be gone from you, and you will be your true self again. Then you will have time to decide what you want to do with your life. Any option will be open to you. Until then, just watch what you say, and curb your anger at everyone. It will make things easier for you. And don't expect Errende to apologize. You hurt him badly, too, in Lighthalzen. He does not regret what he did._ "

"I don't...expect an apology," she managed to sniff out. "I deserved it. I deserve a lot more, too. And, Donnie..."

"Yes?" he asked.

"I clearly don't deserve you," she said.

"Oh, shut up!" he said. "Whoever said that we were going out? I hardly even know you! I was only trying to make you have a sense of humor, anyways."

"Was that it?" she asked, as she backed away from him.

"That was it. Honest!"

"And the kiss I gave you?"

"It was nice. Unexpected, but nice," he admitted.

"And if I kissed you again?"

"Wait a minute! You just said that I don't deserve you!"

"I changed my mind," she said and kissed him again, fully and demanding now.

"That's not fair!" he grumbled when it was done.

"What? That I keep changing my mind, or that I can shut you up as fast as you shut me up?" she smiled. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Oh, my goodness! Are you...smiling?!" Donnie blinked. Then she blushed, and his mouth dropped. Then she kissed him again, and Muninn decided to restore time. When the others looked over and went silent at it, Egnigem found herself blushing again. This time, Kavach and the others she knew from Lighthalzen dropped their jaws in shock.

" _I believe that Egnigem Cenia now understands what needs to be done,_ " Muninn said with a smile. " _And, I also believe that Donnie Gerhest has finally found someone to be with. At least, I'm sure Egnigem has. Haven't you?_ "

"Wait a minute!" Donnie scowled out quickly. "Nothing is set in stone yet!"

"Is it, Donnie?" Egnigem smiled and shocked the others even more.  _She never smiled before._ Thanatos just seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as he held Sarine close. Errende had his arms crossed over his chest, as he listened. The only way he would apologize to Egnigem for slapping her and swearing at her was if Sarine ordered it. And Sarine wasn't going to. Muninn went to Sarine's side and whispered to them on what happened. Sarine reached for Errende and let him snuggle into her to keep the old memories from coming back. Pulling him into a deep kiss to comfort him, Thanatos glanced at Muninn and saw the powerful man looking away. He actually looked jealous, and it was very unlike him.

"Sarine, come here," Thanatos said and pulled her close. "Muninn, freeze time for a moment."

" _Very well,_ " Muninn nodded. When time was frozen, Thanatos told her that Muninn confessed to what happened between them and that he wasn't upset.

"You're not?" Sarine winced.

"No. Like I said before, I respect Muninn a lot more than Huginn. Muninn did try to back away from you, but he failed. Huginn tricked him by trying to cause harm to you. That just pisses me off to no end," Thanatos growled.

" _I do see you as my little sister, Sarine. But, now...in a time like this..._ " Muninn swallowed, and she pulled him close to hug tightly.

"Funny. I don't have the craving right now," she said.

"When did it stop?" Thanatos asked, as he sat up.

"When I hugged Muninn it stopped. But, I don't see him as a brother right now," she frowned. Muninn swore softly, and Thanatos thought. Errende wasn't frozen in time and was bearing witness to everything. He knew that he could trust Errende with everything, and the man wouldn't say a word. Errende did recall most of the conversation that Thanatos had with Huginn, and even he would have tried to intervene, if he could. Like the demon, Errende was still outraged at how Muninn was tricked. As much as he wanted to tell the others, Thanatos did make him promise to say nothing for now. When the time was right, all of it would be told.

" _Do you need blood?_ " Muninn asked.

"I do," she said. "But...I don't know..."

"Drink from him," Thanatos said. "Let's piss off Huginn a little more, and I want to see what happens, anyways. Errende? Let's keep this secret to ourselves. Shall we?"

"Of course, Lord Thanatos," Errende nodded.

"It's easier knowing that you aren't truly blood related to him," Thanatos admitted. "Let's do this so we can get going."

" _Very well,_ " Muninn nodded. He had Sarine undress, and his armor vanished, as she moved into his lap. Thanatos raised a brow, as he was quite impressed with Muninn's build. When Sarine moved over Muninn, he let out a sharp gasp of pent-up need and released the moment she settled on him. He let a dagger appear in his hand, and he opened his neck for her. Then he braced himself against the ground like he did before, and she started to drink from his neck again, as her body wrapped around his.

Errende was amazed at the amount of blood she was consuming, and even Thanatos was awed.  _It was as though her body was simply absorbing it. Not really using it as food, but just as another form of necessary fuel for the children growing in her._  Then a thought dawned on him.  _Was she craving me, because I'm not giving her enough blood? Doppy could give her the necessary amount, but she hadn't truly taken a lot from me before. Errende was a secondary staple._ Thanatos would need to see how much blood he could give her after he claimed it back from the other five humans to see if this would help her.

He mused that several hours could have passed, and even Errende was in shock at how they hadn't moved from that position. Thanatos realized what Muninn referred to as a pleasure loop.  _He couldn't break out of it if he tried. He wouldn't want to._ Thanatos knew firsthand what it was like.  _To feel Sarine drinking off me and to give in to that pleasure. I will always have to stop due to blood loss. But, Muninn would never run out of blood. They could be like this infinitely._ He wanted to help break them apart, but even he knew that he would have gotten pissed if it happened to him, so held back.

Muninn was able to finally come around, and Sarine was able to pull herself off his neck to press into him. Muninn gasped and hugged her close, as he forced his body to move. Errende moved to Heal him, and Muninn nodded with appreciation.

" _Thank you, Errende Ebecee,_ " Muninn sighed, and Sarine shared a deep kiss with him before moving off him. The moment she was away from him, her body raced with fire, and Thanatos jumped off the frozen Gryphon's back to scoop her up and hold her close. Muninn blinked with surprise.

"When she's with you like that, she loses her craving for me. The moment she's done with you it comes back?" Thanatos frowned. "At first, I thought she just needed more blood from me! She takes so much from you that it makes me wonder."

" _It is possible that she could need far more blood from you than you can give,_ " Muninn thought. " _I'm honestly not sure how much more blood, though._ "

"My Lady drank for what seemed like hours!" Errende frowned. "How can she not feel full? You would think that she would be incredibly sluggish."

" _My blood works differently for her, apparently,_ " Muninn shrugged. Thanatos was about to say something else, but the sudden feeling of her being so close to him started to take over. She gave a sharp growl, and her scent slapped him in the face. He had no choice but to answer with his own calling, and the rest of his lower armor was gone quickly, as he moved to claim her. Errende blinked with surprise, and Muninn was now deep in thought.

"What do you make of this?" Errende asked lightly. "It's as though your blood...makes her crave sex? Or am I wrong?"

" _I..._ " he blinked, and his jaw dropped. " _You may be onto something! Huginn let her feed off him, and she had a Demonic Mating within the next day! My blood helps her with her current children and even prepares her for more! Now I see why Father Odin didn't want us to get intimate with her! Huginn's blood makes her crave demons! My blood makes her body able to bear more children! But, now I have to think...would my blood make her crave angels once she's done being pregnant now? But, just knowing this...that our blood...makes her want to be with others! It...oh...damn it!_ "

Huginn wasn't paying attention to Muninn's slip and discovery, or he would have done something. He was still fuming that everything he was trying to do was backfiring on him. He decided to bide his time and settle back down to let Sarine enjoy herself with Thanatos.  _There would be plenty of time later to get back at them all._

Thanatos finally gave out a heavy roar of release, and Sarine called out with him. He crushed her close to him, panting at how hard he released. He was still trembling from the sensation, and her scent was still locked in his senses. He took her over and over again until her scent finally weakened to the point that it was bearable, and he was gasping from the effort. She purred heavily now and surprised him when she moved to hug him closer. A heavy, instinctive feeling overcame her now, and she nuzzled him.

"My mate, listen to me," she purred, and his jaw dropped. "When we are locked in time like this...you are my First Mate."

He let out a heavy growl of release now, as she worked on him. After that, he hissed with a show of dominance that even Errende respected.

" _Only when locked in time?_ " Muninn blinked, and then he understood. " _Thanatos, only you can be free to be in this state with her and I. Even Errende, since his blood is bound to you. I see now. If something goes wrong, you both will be needed to help her with me. Do you see? I'm sure that, eventually, others can, too. But, until then, you and Errende are all that's needed. I'm not fully sure what could happen, but only time will tell._ "

"I...understand..." Thanatos growled, as he was kissing her deeply. Errende nodded and watched Thanatos rise up with her. Errende was asked to help her dress, and he did so quickly. Thanatos let his lower armor reappear on him, and Muninn focused to be back in his armor. They went back onto Windwalker's back to show that nothing happened and time resumed.

Muninn reverted back to his falcon form now and hovered over everyone, as they started to move. Naght looked over at Sarine's place on Windwalker's back curiously, but sensed nothing out of the ordinary. Observation was talking to Howard, and he decided to set up a place in the nursery to stand watch with Alexander when they got back. He wouldn't have doubted it if all of the angels did so to help out.

Thanatos was kissing Sarine heavily, as they moved. Her scent may not be in the air to attract the others, but it was still a touch in his senses with her so close to him, and he was having problems ignoring it.

"What is my...scent like...?" Sarine asked, as he moved his mouth over her neck.

"Wildflowers..." he growled out softly. "Uncut. Alive. Never smelled anything like it. Sometimes, it's different for others."

"Is it?" she gasped when he moved over her neck again.

"Ask the others...later..." he muttered, as he held her close. "Right now...you're mine...my mate...my woman..."

"I should let...the others drink my blood, you know. They haven't tasted it yet with your blood in me. It's important," she said. "It may help...if you are called away...to this tower..."

"When we get back home," he nodded. She nodded at this, and he kissed her again with want and lust. She trembled, as she pressed herself into him even more.

"You feel so good!" she sighed. His body continued to chill hers to ease the fire of it.

"Hmm?" he chuckled and held her closer. "I'm curious..."

"Yes?" she asked.

"Who had you first?" Thanatos asked. "Can you tell me?"

"Oh. Well, first it was How-How. The night before Lighthalzen," she said, and he caressed her cheek to give her some comfort. "Then it was Keltin after my transcendence. Then Daddy had to purify me after I was taken back to...Amatsu...and Eremes had me then by the tree. And...um..."

"Um?" he asked with a bit of a grin. "You have a secret?"

"Yes..." she blinked with a bit of a wince. "The others...don't know..."

"I won't tell a soul," he vowed and kissed her gently. She leaned in and whispered what happened with Sammy. Thanatos blinked with thought.

"Doppy...never got me...like that..." she frowned.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Well...wouldn't demons think that, once they claimed a virgin, that she would become theirs instinctively?"

"You have a point. A big point. I see now," he nodded. "Yes. He would not have let anyone else try to get close to you. It's better this way, then."

"I know," she nodded. "Otherwise, I would have asked. It hurts me to know that I can't do that for him. It's safer this way."

He watched her with his blazing white eyes through locks of blue-black hair, and he lifted up his hand to caress her face again. Her tigers' eye gemstone eyes studied his face, and he seemed to wince. She blushed just a bit, and he trembled.

"You are so beautiful. You know that?" he whispered. "So desirable to any man or demon that would ever see you. Any monster out there that knows you, too. I would have liked to have known what you looked like as a child. Errende's memory of you long ago looked so gentle. You looked far more innocent then before your transcendence. If only there was a way."

"There is, actually," she smiled.

"Is there?" he smiled back. Nodding, she called for Storm Caller, and the group paused. Asking him to get her doll from her childhood, the Strouf nodded to retrieve it.

"Why did we stop?" Doppy asked, as he came over.

"Thanatos wants to know what I looked like as a child. I figured I'd show him the doll," she smiled. "It would be the closest thing, right?"

"Ahh! Good decision!" Howard grinned and moved close to hug her carefully. "I miss you. Hell, we all miss you!"

"I know, How-How," she sighed. "I'll do what I can when we get home."

"We'll hold you to that!" Keltin smiled. Then he nodded to Storm Caller when the doll from her childhood was presented to them. Sammy moved over to Thanatos and explained how the doll was found and when it was made. Thanatos was in awe of the doll's exact likeness to her as a child. Naght came over after seeing the small gathering, and even he was amazed at the beauty she held as a child. Baphomet moved over to see it next, and he rumbled out a purr at what he saw.  _The doll was a breathtaking work of art in itself._

"Amazing," Thanatos breathed.

"I was lucky to find it..." Eremes nodded. Errende was shown the doll next, and he gasped, as the doll held the same gaze that had etched in his mind so long ago.

"Thank you for bringing it, Storm Caller," Sarine smiled. She gave him the cards she was given so far, and he nodded to take them back to the island home.

"It's interesting how you can call him now," Howard said.

"True. I just think of him reaching me and he's here. Not sure how, though," she giggled softly. "But, it's good all the same."

"How much further through this floor?" Thanatos asked.

"Not much further. We're ready to continue!" Keltin said.

"Good! There is a seal here that we need, too, come to think of it. Let's go!" he said as he hugged Sarine close. They found the seal along the east wall of the room before a set of steps. Securing this area, they now moved up the massive set of stairs. They found themselves moving through a narrow hallway, and they appeared in the next large room. The general, Thanatos Odium, was waiting for them here, and he gave a snarl of greeting. Moving over to the other generals, he handed Sarine the Fragment of Hatred, an Old Card Album, his card, and a set of spaulders called Goibne's Spaulders.

"We have a whole armor set! Incredible!" Howard said.

"We'll have to see who can use them," Sammy chuckled.

"I can see either Eremes or How-How wearing them," she smiled.

"Really?" Eremes said in thought. "I'll try them out later..."

"Any of us can wear them," Keltin said. "Anyways, let's get through this place!"

"Yes, let's!" Thanatos nodded. Egnigem looked at Donnie and blushed when he looked back at her. Small giggles were given all around, but they went silent when they killed any monster that got too close to them. They managed to work their way around the room to the next area to go to and went through the curved hallway. On the ninth floor, Thanatos announced that a machine they needed was here.

"Where?" Howard asked.

"Northwest corner," he said. When they got there, all they had to do was investigate it. The black key was given to them for their snooping about. "Good! Now we need to go to those seals. If we're quick, all we need to do is put in the keys. On the fourth floor, we use the blue key. It will give you a blue stone. On the fifth level, use the red key for a stone. Sixth level, you use the black key. And, yes, you get a stone. Finally, the seventh level will let you use the yellow key to get that stone. How do you want to do this?"

"Let us run through," Lloyd said. The younger team joined him for back up. Margaretha and Keltin also went with him to get the keys and Warping done. When they got back, they had the stones. They were so fast that the monsters didn't even know they were there until it was done. With the stones in their possession, they were able to plow through the rest of the ninth floor to the next set of stairs and approach the next hallway. On getting to the tenth floor, Thanatos stopped them to speak out.

"We need to use the green key on a seal here," Thanatos said. "Head towards the middle of the northern wall. The seal is there."

This seal was found, and the key was used. A final stone was now set with the others.

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Keltin asked.

"Yes, in fact. Go down one level. There is a stone statue there with a lever. We need to pull it and head back up. On this current floor, there are two other levels we need to pull."

"Damn, Thanatos!" Doppy whistled. "Then again, Errende did mention levers before."

"I remember seeing it. Let me find it," Lloyd nodded. He left with the younger group, as the others waited. Fifteen minutes later, he was back with a smile of success. The other two were found quickly and pulled on. They moved up the stairs through the next curved hallway. On the eleventh floor, the group waited for the demon's instructions.

"There are four levers here, but we need to hit them in a various order," Thanatos sighed. He relayed what he remembered for the levers to be pulled. As they waited again, Sarine looked over the stones that were collected.

"Thanatos, dear, what exactly are these stones?" she asked, as she held the green, teardrop shaped stone. "It looks...very old. And very powerful."

"They are known as charm stones. These are the same ones that Errende was talking about before. They are needed to unlock the roof. The tower constantly generates them. It's part of the binding, you see," he said gently. "You'll understand when we get there."

She nodded and snuggled into him. Right after they regrouped from pulling the levers, the next area was revealed to them. Thanatos told them to head east once the levers were done in the room they got in. On doing that, they went through the last hallway and reached the twelfth floor. The monsters were still pushed back to let them move around easily. This room had five statues in it. Thanatos thought, and he blinked with surprise, as the information came to him.

"What is it?" Keltin asked.

"Five powerful spirits reside in the statues here," the demon frowned. "The same ones that tore my soul to pieces! They are here to safeguard that I'm not escaping. I can't approach them, for safety, you see. You will need to figure out who to talk to first. I think the statue in the back is the last one you need to speak with, though. It seems obvious."

"Now that you mention it, the levers were also on statues that seemed to talk to us," Lloyd mused. "They wouldn't let us get close unless we were able to speak with them in a certain order. Are they also spirits?"

"It's possible that, those that bound me, were sealed here, too, to guard me," the demon sighed. "However, it's the ones here in this room that are the strongest of them all."

"Okay," Howard nodded. Through trial and error, they spoke with the statues in the proper order they needed to. On approaching the massive statue of a crouching, winged, Angelic man in the back, the stones were asked for. They were all given over. Only then were they sent up to the roof at long last. When they got there, they all paused. Another group was working on trying to summon Thanatos. Windwalker lowered its wings for Sarine to see, and she growled.

"My Lady?" Errende whispered.

"Stop them!" she hissed. Thanatos looked up and snarled out, as he held her tightly against him. Naght raged and charged at the group. It was the same group that was trying to call him out before. Pori-Pori chittered and scooted towards the Creator when he was called a Poring. Eddga started to Stun, and Sammy let his Samurai ghost have free reign. Keltin took on the Champion and let out his Rage. The entire party was wiped out before they knew what happened, since they were fully ambushed. They could see there was still daylight at the top of the tower, but Thanatos didn't want to delay any further.

"Quickly!" Thanatos said, as his armor fully reappeared on him. "Use the Fragments we have! Before this day is done!"

"Right!" Howard said, as he took up the Fragment of Agony. Eremes reached for the Fragment of Despair. Doppy snatched the Fragment of Hatred. Keltin grabbed the Fragment of Misery. Sammy waited in the center where Thanatos's soul would come forth. Once the Fragment keys were placed, Thanatos set Sarine into Errende's arms. He moved swiftly to join with his soul when it emerged. Muninn landed and became his human form to bind them together. Then a crushing weight filtered down, and Odin appeared. The offending party was sent back to the nearest town so they would not witness what was to happen next. They were not worthy to witness such an event.

"Those with Thanatos's blood! Egnigem Cenia! Armeyer Dinze! Wickebine Tres! Laurell Weinder! Kavach Icarus! Errende Ebecee! Come forward to me!" Odin called out. Errende panicked now and looked at Sarine. He didn't want her craving to come back, and he clung to her tightly.

"I'll be fine. Go," she urged. He didn't move. He shook his head.

"Errende Ebecee! Why do you not come forward?" Odin asked.

"I am helping her keep the craving of Lord Thanatos at bay, Lord Odin," Errende said. "I...fear that her craving will return in full. Since I have the will of Lord Thanatos, I can help keep it away for a short time."

As Odin was about to respond, he paused at a mental notice from the Valkyrie from Valhalla, and he smiled. Kathryne came back with Mitchell as a new Professor, and everyone nodded with congratulations to him. Valkyrie had sent them both back to them, as Odin requested. They both moved to Karla to get Mitchell's items back. Sarine smiled softly and shivered, as the craving could only be kept back for so long.

"Welcome back!" Odin nodded to them and returned his gaze to Errende. "Ah! I see now! And it is true that Thanatos did want to keep you attached to him, from what I understood. Is this correct? Or am I mistaken?"

"No, you are correct," Thanatos nodded. "I was hoping to give him a touch more of my blood. Especially if I am called back here. Someone needs to help keep her safe."

"Very true!" Odin nodded. "Very well! Errende Ebecee, stay where you are. As for the rest of you with Thanatos's blood! Focus on Thanatos now!"

As they did, they felt pain emit from the very core of their bodies, and they started to scream with it. Small, tiny balls of red-black blood formed before each of them, as the Demonic blood was pulled from their systems and hovered in the air. They merged into a larger ball a good two feet around. Then a small section of it split off. The smaller part went to Errende and slammed into him. He clung to Sarine, as the pain hit him, but it was nothing compared to what she had put him through before. He was able to bear it easily. Once the blood settled in his system, he straightened and hugged her tighter. His body chilled hers just a bit more, and she leaned into him gratefully now.

Thanatos welcomed the larger ball of blood eagerly for much of his strength, power, and stamina came back to him now. Once it was done, Thanatos was only linked to the tower by the call of the Fragments. His body was free to come and go as he pleased at long last.

"Huginn could leave a darker form of you here, and it could attack the others in your stead," Odin suggested. "It could ease the burden with my daughter, my Vessel."

"As much as the offer would be appreciated, I like knowing that I can still kick the asses of any that try to call me," Thanatos grinned. That had Odin laughing, and he agreed. Doppy snickered, as he knew the feeling all too well.

"You know," Sarine said softly. "a thought just occurred to me."

"Oh? What is it, my daughter, my Vessel?" Odin asked.

"The way my husbands claimed the Fragments. Howard had experienced Agony in his life. Keltin experienced Misery. Eremes had experienced Despair. Doppy...well...he always had Hatred," she smiled. "It's a given with him."

"Still do!" Doppy snickered. The others chuckled at him.

"And, with Sammy in the center to show a form of...oh...I don't know...peace? It just felt very odd to me," she said.

"Huh. I didn't even think of it like that!" Howard said. "The agony of losing you, and the despair Eremes felt when he couldn't reach out to you. And lost you after rescuing you, too."

"The latter..." Eremes nodded.

"The misery I felt when I died with that girl long ago," Keltin nodded. "Odd how we seemed to pick up the Fragments like that."

"I'm known to bring a form of peace and balance. Makes sense," Sammy nodded. "Very peculiar now that you mention it!"

"Anyways, I'm free, I have my blood back, Errende has more blood now, and I really want to spend some real time with Sarine," Thanatos said, as he moved forward and snatched her up to put her over his shoulder. She gave a small squeal, and Doppy grinned. Naght seemed to chuckle and agreed with Thanatos. _It was time to go home._

"Allow me!" Odin smiled and had them all vanish back to the island home.


	74. Chapter 74

The moment they all appeared at the island home, Thanatos growled and ran with Sarine to the grove. Once he reached it, he went down the small tunnel to the cave down below with her. His armor vanished away to expose skin and hardened muscle. He purposely put his back to the entrance of the cave and put her in front of him, as she undressed. When he looked behind him, it was to nod to Errende, as he made his way down to wait alongside a wall. He seemed to smirk at Errende.  _The slave would never leave her side. He wanted to be there in case he was ever needed._ Now Thanatos looked over at Sarine, and she trembled at his gaze. Even though his eyes were stark white, the look of passion was fully on his face, as he pulled her close.

"Mine!" he growled, as he moved his mouth over her neck. She could only gasp and moan at the pleasure he started to give her now. He leisurely worked down her chest to her breasts and sucked greedily at the milk that filled them now. She gasped and groaned, as he did this before he moved even more downwards. She cried out, as she braced her hands on his shoulders, since she was still standing, and he locked his mouth between her thighs. When she threatened to collapse, he had her lay on her back on the soft, mossy ground so he could work on her even more.

He recalled how Doppy used his purring to bring her pleasure, and he copied the movement with glee. When she started to cry out sharply, he kept at it, since her cries thrilled him even further. When she started to go hoarse, he stopped and moved over her to thrust sharply into her. He pulled her up to press against his chest and clamped his hands on her hips. He bit down hard on her neck to draw blood, and she screamed from it. Now that she was in a state of pleasured shock, he mentally called for Errende to hurry and position himself.

Errende nodded and undressed swiftly to move behind her. At Thanatos's nod, Errende thrust up into her to move with Thanatos. Sarine blinked and gaped in shock at what was being done to her. She went completely still at the double-mating, and she let the sensation rock her. After Errende released with Thanatos, he withdrew and backed away quickly to shake off the fact of what he just did. Then he Healed Sarine's neck when Thanatos pulled his mouth away from her. Still inside her, Thanatos nuzzled her.

"Ah..." she trembled, as she tried to recall where she was.

"Are you all right, my mate?" he chuckled.

"You...and Errende...both..." she blinked, and he grinned wickedly.

"Yes, we did," he nodded. "Never done before?"

"No," she shivered and clung to him. "It was...unexpected."

"My Lady? Are you all right?" Errende asked as he dressed.

"Just taken by surprise," she said. "I'll have to get you both back later."

"You think so?" Thanatos grinned.

"Oh, yes. As How-How told me in the nursery..." she smiled and leaned in to whisper into his ear. "you just started a war..."

That made him pause and gape with shock when she managed to bite him hard, but not hard enough to draw blood. He shouted with the sudden pleasure and growled at her.

"Can't draw blood on me still?" he grumbled out.

"You know I can't," she frowned.

"Here, My Lady," Errende said and gave her a small knife he carried on him.

"Thank you, Errende," she said softly with a smile, and then looked at Thanatos.

"Go ahead," Thanatos grinned. The knife moved over his neck, and he gasped. Then he clung to her to shout with release, as she fed off him. Bracing himself for her in the same way that Muninn did, he was determined to see how much blood he could give her before he had to force her away. Errende picked up the small knife when it was no longer needed, and he moved swiftly from the cave to the house to grab as many Yggdrasil Berries as fast as he could.

"What's going on?" Howard asked, as Errende grabbed several Yggdrasil Berries from their storage place in the kitchen to tuck into his robes.

"Lord Thanatos is going to see how much blood he can give My Lady before he passes out!" Errende said quickly, and he bolted back to the cave in the grove. Sarine's husbands looked at each other, and they ran after him to follow with concern. They stopped at the entrance of the cave when Errende blocked them.

"We have to make sure he's all right!" Keltin said.

"Lord Thanatos will be fine," Errende said. "If you want to watch, then it's all right. Just don't disturb them. Lord Thanatos is much stronger now than he was before we freed him. He wants to do this. If he needs help, I will tell you. I'm still bonded to him, remember?"

"Fine," Doppy nodded, and the others agreed to let it happen. They moved along the edges of the cave to sit and watch. Errende stayed at the entrance to the cave in case others tried to get in to see what was going on. After an hour, Thanatos started to gasp, and Sarine pulled away. Errende Healed Thanatos quickly and gave him a Yggdrasil Berry. After it was eaten, Sarine was hugged close.

"How long was I in that pleasured state for?" Thanatos asked.

"A little over an hour," Sammy said. "Impressive!"

"Oh. You're all here, eh?" Thanatos smirked.

"Should they take blood from me?" she asked.

"May as well. I'm sure they all miss you, too. If we act quickly, my blood may be able to settle in them right after they drink it down. Shall we try?" Thanatos asked.

"I'll go first," Howard said. They nodded, and Howard undressed to sit in front of Sarine. She moved into his lap, and Thanatos kept his hands on her back. Eremes moved to lightly scratch her neck open with his katar, and Howard pulled the mouthful of blood to swallow down.

"It worked!" she breathed with relief. "How-How's body feels cooler to me! Not icy like yours, Thanatos, but like Doppy's. I can be with him long enough to make him feel better."

"Very good," Thanatos nodded. "I'm going to pull my hands away now."

"All right," she nodded. When he pulled away, she trembled, as she felt warmer, but Howard's body was keeping her cool now. Howard's neck was now lightly scratched, and he shouted with release when she fed off him. She pulled only two mouthfuls, since he was human now, and Thanatos took her back so Howard could rest.

The same thing was done with her other husbands, and Doppy was pleased that his body felt even cooler to her after the blood swap was done. _It was likely since she was pregnant with my twins, too._  After each of her husbands experienced the blood swap and was able to be with her, they felt far more at ease.

"We miss her," Keltin frowned.

"Trust me. It's not that I don't want to pull her away from all of you. I love her, but I don't want to be constantly at her side like this," Thanatos sighed. "I just...have no choice..."

"We know," Doppy said. "I felt the shit she goes through. I don't want my twins rejected from her, either. As far as I'm concerned, my twins are yours, too. We'll manage, as we always have. We'll do whatever we have to in order to make it work."

"Do you think that demoness could be found?" Howard asked.

"I'm not going to look for her! If I see her, I'll kill her!" Thanatos snarled. "Besides, I haven't seen her since she cursed me over two centuries ago. We'll be fine."

"I don't want her near us," Sarine growled out. "I'll kill her myself!"

"My Lady!" Errende gasped and moved over to her to place his hands on her belly. Then he blinked at the mass amount of kicking that happened before they calmed down from his touch. Sarine shivered and sighed.

"Wow," Doppy blinked, as he felt them. "That was a lot of movement!"

"I think they agree with Sarine and Thanatos," Sammy mused. "They don't want another demoness in their lives."

"Hmm..." Thanatos thought, as he focused on the developing children. "She needs hearts and real food now. They all started to grow at once."

"Really?" Eremes mused, as he dressed swiftly. "I'll be right back..."

"I feel dizzy..." Sarine said, and Errende gasped.

"She won't get sick, thanks to you," Thanatos nodded to Errende. "It's just how she is right now until she's eaten something."

"You should get something to drink," Sammy said. "In fact, we all should."

"Oh?" Thanatos asked, and Keltin got up to dress and help Eremes bring in drinks.

"Hmm," Howard seemed to smirk.

"You are NOT going to start up a joke!" Doppy growled out, and Howard started laughing at it. Sarine managed a soft smile and a shake of her head.

"What?" Thanatos mused, and Sammy told him how Howard tries to make up the start of a joke at certain points. The strong demon laughed, as he comforted Sarine, and then he gazed at her. She had her eyes closed and was resting against his bare shoulder.  _She truly did feel dizzy._  Just as he was about to ask where her food and drink was, Keltin and Eremes came down the stairs with drinks and food for everyone. She was tended to first to stop the dizziness, and the others shared in the meal.

"Sorry it took so long," Keltin sighed. "We caught Egnigem and Donnie making out!"

"Really?" Thanatos mused, as he drank down some water.

"Oh, yes..." Eremes grinned. "I honestly think that Egnigem is going to be joining us soon...in a rather permanent way..."

"As long as she doesn't question Sarine anymore!" Howard frowned.

"No, she's past that stage," Sammy said.

"I wouldn't know anymore," Thanatos shrugged. "I only know what Errende is thinking now. It's better this way."

"Is it, Lord Thanatos?" Errende asked.

"Oh, yes. I can tell Sarine what really makes you hurt," he grinned. Errende blushed, and the others laughed. "I think I'm starting to like watching her dominate, anyways."

"That reminds me," Sammy thought aloud. "How will she be if she needs to dominate? Will you have to be in contact with her when she does this, too?"

"I didn't think about that," Thanatos admitted.

"I know that Cecil will want me to train Garrett," Sarine said. "After what happened last night, it will be inevitable."

"True," Thanatos frowned.

"May I make a suggestion, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"Of course, Errende," she nodded.

"Blindfold me and keep me in the room when you dominate. This way, I'll be close and won't see anything," he said.

"I think that can work!" Sarine smiled. "We'll need to test it."

"Not now, right?" Howard asked nervously, and they all laughed.

"No. Although, sunset is nearing," she mused. "But, it can wait. We should check on the others first and see what they have planned."

"True. Are we all ready to dress and move out?" Howard asked.

"Yes," Thanatos nodded. They dressed, and she got carried out to see what the others were up to. She smiled at the sight of a fire pit being stocked up, and Thanatos moved to have her sit in his lap.

"Lord Thanatos," Errende said and whispered to him. He laughed and got out of the chair to have Errende move on all fours. Then he sat on Errende's back with Sarine in his lap. Howard stammered with laughter, and Doppy grinned widely. Sammy and Keltin smirked, and Eremes chuckled.

"He does need conditioning, anyways," Sarine nodded.

"Um..." Kavach said lightly, as the younger group gathered from Lighthalzen. Sarine leaned down to lightly rub Errende's back when he tensed.

"Yes?" Sarine smiled softly.

"We all...really have nowhere else to go. And Egnigem is obviously going to stay here. Ah...well..." Laurell faltered. "What we mean is..."

"Can we stay here with you guys?" Armeyer asked.

"I don't know what will happen with Ripclaw, but I would like to call this place home," Wickebine said softly. "I'm not sure about Blent, but, you know he's good."

"We won't be a burden!" Kavach said. "Please?"

"Well," Sarine thought silently. She looked over at Egnigem and Donnie sitting side by side. Then she smiled and called over Storm Caller.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" Storm Caller asked.

"How fast can a smaller mansion be built?" Sarine asked with a smile. Thanatos gave her a squeeze, and the younger group gasped with joy.

"A few days, more or less. If they don't mind staying in the dungeon for temporary rooms, I believe we can grant them access to wherever they need to go as guests," Storm Caller nodded. "If they are not allowed in various areas, we can set up boundaries, as needed."

"As long as Timmy is kept quiet!" Kavach sighed.

"Done!" Sarine smiled, and Storm Caller nodded to inform Tao Gunka of the new house plans. Howard started to think of how to keep Timmy quiet and smirked.

"Oh, Sarine," Wickebine smiled. "I found a house in the town of Rachel that would be perfect for you."

"Really?! I'll have to check it out when I can!" she smiled. "Thank you."

"So, it's just Errende that is bound to Thanatos now?" Laurell asked.

"Yes. He's a life saver to me. He actually has the ability to calm down the children in my belly when they start acting up. He's a miracle to me," Sarine smiled. Errende was keeping his eyes closed to focus on holding up the two on his back and appeared to be enjoying it.

"Um, I wanted to ask you something else," Laurell said.

"Of course," she nodded.

"Back in Comodo, when Loki was using me," he grumbled. "you sang, and it was beautiful. Can you...well...sing again?"

"I think I'd like to hear you sing," Thanatos smiled. Nodding to him, she started off softly, as the others gathered to listen around the fire. Naght came out of the house, and Baphomet appeared when Seyren said that she was going to sing. Donnie took out his guitar and softly strummed a tune for her. Violy appeared to add a violin setting to the tune now. She kept singing softly in a strange language. Muninn landed and blinked, as it was the language of Valhalla. _And she was singing it beautifully._ Then she let her voice ring out with the stronger notes in a soft, operatic tone. With the way she sang and how the music worked with her, it reminded one of watching snow fall or cherry blossoms drift in the wind. After a brief pause, she started again, singing with far more clarity and grace before letting the song end.

"Wow," Kavach blinked, as he gasped.

"Incredible!" Egnigem whispered.

"Should I sing now?" Doppy mused.

"If you want to, love," she smiled and leaned over to caress his cheek, as he was sitting by her. Clearing his throat, he started off softly and let the roughness of his voice leave it for his true voice to come through. It caught everyone by surprise, and Thanatos started to think. When Doppy finished singing, he was able to kiss Sarine deeply before settling back in his chair.

"I should try singing," Sammy thought.

"Now is the time," she chuckled. "Errende? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, My Lady. If I feel uncomfortable, I will let you know," he said gently. Thanatos grinned, and they turned to listen to Sammy, as he started to sing. Sarine found herself blushing, as his voice lulled and soothed while he sang. It was almost like a crooning lullaby, and he was applauded when he finished. He chuckled and nodded. He still needed to work with his voice to get it up to Doppy's perfect tones.

"Thanatos," Sarine smiled. "I think we should let Errende sit normally."

"Nah. He's fine. Right?" Thanatos grinned.

"Of course! If I start faltering, I will tell you, as I said before," Errende said. "Don't worry about me, My Lady. I'm doing fine."

"If you insist," she sighed. Then she thought and smiled, as she asked Storm Caller to bring her harp over. This had everyone gasp with surprise and delight. Thanatos hadn't seen her play her harp yet. When it was brought to her, she tuned it carefully and started to pluck the strings with delight. Lady Solace bounced over on her harp and started a harp duet with her, further delighting the others. Donnie listened to the tune and started to strum on his guitar. Doppy started to lightly whistle, and it sounded like a flute. When the tune ended, Sarine was squeezed tightly by Thanatos. Errende made a soft chuckle.

"Amazing. To know that you can play instruments is just...wow!" Blent blinked.

"I know," she nodded.

"Come to think of it, you used my sword," Sammy said.

"She did?" Howard asked.

"Yes. Last night, she did. Sarine! Catch!" Sammy said, as he tossed his Masamune to her. Eremes pulled her harp aside, as she caught the deadly weapon deftly, and shocked everyone. She wielded it lightly and handed it back to him, hilt first.

"Wow," Kavach gaped.

"Come to think of it..." Eremes thought. "she used my katar at one point..."

"Are you sure you're a Sniper?" Wickebine asked.

"Yes, I am. I'm just...special? I guess?" Sarine shrugged. Thanatos kissed her cheek and seemed to glower at anyone that thought of her as anything else. As if they were going to argue with a demon like him around! Even Doppy seemed to grumble at the small whispers.

_:She is. Vessel. Of Odin. Why else? She is. Special!:_  Muninn warbled, as he landed by the fire and became his human form. " _And she's my little sister on top of that! Don't deny what is right in front of you! Father Odin said that ANY path was open to her. He meant it completely. Regardless of what she is now._ "

"But, this makes her, like, not human!" Armeyer said.

" _You don't have to think of her as human. But, everyone else knows the truth. However, you may be right. Thanatos did say that she has been consuming a lot of demon blood lately. He may be right in saying she's half Demonic now. She could also be part Angelic. Who is to say, but Father Odin, himself? And he won't tell me anything. Just know that my little sister helped you reach your goal of becoming fully human again. Don't doubt her abilities. Just trust them. That's all you need to do._ "

"Here, here!" Donnie said and rose up his drink. The others laughed and agreed, as Sarine blushed at the sudden attention.

"How did you know of my conversation with her?" Thanatos asked.

" _As Father Odin's messenger, I can hear and see any conversation practically anywhere. And any conversations dealing with my little sister are exceptionally important!_ " Muninn winked. Thanatos nodded with that and blinked, as Sarine asked to borrow Donnie's guitar. Starting to strum on it lightly, she played a rather delicate tune, and the Clown swore at it.

"Even I don't have that level of expertise yet!" he frowned, as she handed it back to him. Sarine blushed again, and Errende finally showed strains of exhaustion. Thanatos nodded and lifted Sarine up to sit in a chair so Errende could take a break.

"Thank you, My Lady," Errende said, as he stretched his back out.

"In time, you'll last longer. Ooh! A thought!" Thanatos grinned and sent it to him. Errende stammered, and Thanatos whispered to Sarine. Her mouth gaped, and she blushed beet red at it. Howard looked over curiously.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Oh, no!" Thanatos grinned. "This is my thing. Sorry."

"You can tell us," Keltin frowned.

"Only after I try it out," Thanatos promised. That made them nod.

"When did you want to, ah, have a meeting with Garrett?" Cecil asked.

"Oh?" Sarine smiled, as she got a plate of cubed Immortal Hearts from Errende. "That depends on him. What is it that he wants? I will not force anyone. I only forced that one time, because he agreed to my condition and tried to back out of it."

"What condition?" Kavach asked.

"Please don't say," Garrett said, as he cleared his throat. Seyren coughed, and Karla giggled. Cecil seemed to smirk, but she understood.

"It's not my place to say, it seems," Sarine chuckled. Errende could only give a quiet, smug grin. Doppy grinned, and Howard snickered. Keltin and Eremes looked away, as they bit back laughter, and Sammy laughed quietly with Thanatos.

"I hate secrets!" Kavach sighed. Blent and Laurell looked at each other and shrugged. Sarine hummed softly while she ate, and Errende gave a quiet glare at Kavach, as the male Sniper glared back at him.

"Will the two of you quit it?" Thanatos finally growled out. Armeyer and Wickebine seemed to glance at each other. They knew how Kavach felt. Even Laurell and Blent knew. Egnigem had an idea, but it was only from their thoughts from before.

"Sorry, Lord Thanatos," Errende winced.

"I know you got more of my blood, and that has made you a touch more in tune with my senses," Thanatos said sternly. "I do know what Kavach wants, since it's plain as day on his face, and I've heard his thoughts before. But...he can't have it."

"Why?" Kavach asked.

" _You would hurt more than heal. It has been foreseen,_ " Muninn said from where he stood behind Sarine protectively. " _Just be glad that you are able to live on the same island as my little sister. Leave it at that._ "

"But..." Kavach winced. Then he sighed and nodded.

"What's this about?" Egnigem frowned. "I tended to ignore their thoughts before."

"Kavach...wants to be a slave to Sarine, too," Laurell said. "Ever since she kissed him to find his place with her, he's been trying to get closer."

"It's not Loki's doing, either," Kavach said. "It's just mine."

"I doubt he could stand up to the level of pain she puts Errende through on a daily basis," Sammy said. "He'd be on his knees in agony."

"You don't know that until you try it!" Kavach argued.

"Really?" Sarine asked, clearly amused now. Thanatos looked at her and back to Kavach. She turned to Thanatos and leaned into him to whisper into his ear. He grimaced and whispered back to her. She whispered again to him, and he thought.

"You think so?" he asked.

"I don't see why not," she said softly. "But, only if it's possible."

"Hmm..." Thanatos thought. "Kavach, if you can defeat my first general, Thanatos Dolor, in combat, she will see how you can hold yourself up as a slave."

"My Lady!" Errende frowned. She leaned over to him and pulled him close to kiss softly and whisper in his ear. He blinked and found himself smiling.

"What's going on?" Doppy asked, and he leaned towards her. She leaned in to whisper to him, and he barked out with laughter. Doppy then whispered to her other husbands, and they winced and snickered.

"I'll take the challenge," Kavach said.

"In a bit," Sarine smiled and called for Storm Caller. "I need a good lute or a guitar, please. I'm not yet done playing with instruments."

"Of course, Vessel of Odin," Storm Caller said. He left and came back with an Oriental Lute. Thanking him, she tuned it and started a tricky tune that made Donnie's mouth drop. She had played it before, but he wasn't paying attention to what instrument it was at first. Listening to the notes now, he started to play with her. Baphomet chuckled and talked to Naght. As the demons conversed, Sarine and Donnie brought the song to a close, and she set the Oriental Lute aside. Then she blinked and gasped, as her belly sent searing pain through her. Errende moved quickly to put his hands on her to soothe the developing children, and Doppy was groaning from the unexpected pain.

"What happened?!" Thanatos snarled out. The quadruplets weren't requiring anything, so Sammy moved over to evaluate them.

"A growth spurt. Big one," Sammy frowned. "Apparently, that is how they grow. They wait for a while, and then grow in size rapidly with short bursts."

"Her pregnancy is showing now," Howard said, as he moved over to her to help comfort her. Eremes winced, and Keltin wasn't sure what he could do.

"Well, now she's starving again," Thanatos grumbled.

"Heard and noted!" Eremes nodded and moved swiftly into the house to bring out more cubed Immortal Hearts for her.

"I'll need to gather more for her," Karla sighed. She fed Luna and looked at Seyren. He thought and looked at Keltin.

"What can give us Immortal Hearts?" Seyren asked.

"Let me see..." Keltin thought. "The undead dog, Verit, in the Pyramids. That is the only monster that can give us those hearts. Quite abundant, though."

"I have a decent supplier in Prontera," Karla thought. "I think he's selling them today. Let me head there and see if he's around."

"See if 'he' is around?" Seyren asked.

"He's only someone I can get supplies from," Karla promised. "Trust me. He never had my attention and never will."

"I'm going with you, anyways," Seyren frowned.

"All right," Karla shrugged. "Let's go. I need to sell some stuff, too."

"Ah! I have stuff you can sell, also," Howard frowned. "I'm not sure how much you can carry. How much room do you have?"

"Give us what you need to sell, and we'll go," Seyren said.

"I'll help!" Armeyer said. Everyone gathered what needed to be sold off, and the three of them left. As Sarine was able to eat now, Thanatos had carefully positioned her to sit on Errende's lap and his. When she winced, Doppy was wincing with her, but it was from her belly stretching with the little lives in her. After she finished eating, Eremes took the plate, and she looked upset. When she threatened to cry, all of their concern was for her.

"Pregnancy hormones," Sammy muttered and Howard grimaced. "I'll keep her calm. Naght! I may need your help!"

"I...am...here..." Naght hissed out, as he moved over to her with Sammy. Naght placed a hand under her chin to have her look at him, and Sammy whispered soothingly to her. The tactic worked, and she took a deep breath of control.

"Here..." Eremes said and gave her a chocolate bar. She gave out a small squeal of happiness and ate it with gusto. That made Keltin and Howard sigh with relief. Doppy started to feel better, too.

"I feel...tired now..." Sarine sighed, as she leaned back on Errende and Thanatos.

"Do you?" Thanatos asked. He looked over at Doppy and blinked to find him shaking his head. "What's wrong with you?"

"Twins are one thing," Doppy muttered. "Quadruplets...wow...I can feel almost everything she's going through! It's a pain in the ass!"

"Your children, too," Sarine sighed.

"You need to be dominant," Thanatos said with concern.

"Not with me, Lord Thanatos," Errende said. "I can keep her children calm."

"True, but, still, she should try," Thanatos said. "Get her a Yggdrasil Berry?"

"Here..." Eremes said. He was keeping as many things on him as possible. Errende had more, but his hands were pressed against Sarine. Thanatos fed her the berry, and she felt better instantly. She leaned into Thanatos now and hissed out a whisper into his ear. He blinked at her and seemed to grin wickedly.

"Garrett..." Thanatos said.

"Yes?" he replied.

"How do you feel about being dominated now?" Thanatos grinned. Doppy started laughing, and Howard blinked, as he started grinning.

"Ah...well...I don't want to?" Garrett said and seemed to wince at Cecil's glare.

"You will do this for little sis! She needs to do this for her babies! Would you deny me, if it was me in her shoes?!" Cecil grounded out.

"Well, no!" Garrett said and groaned. "She's going to need one of them with her, isn't she? Am I going to be watched?!"

"I can wear a blindfold and be nearby," Errende said. "Lord Thanatos will be in another room just five feet away. Everything will be fine."

"We'll also be near, if anything starts to go wrong," Doppy smirked. Keltin nodded, and Eremes hung his head to keep from showing off the massive grin he had on his face. Sammy nodded to show he would be near, too. When Sarine stood up, her belly appeared to be flat again unless one looked closely. She knew that, when she was heavy with her children, she would not be able to move so freely. Errende kept a hand on her belly, as Thanatos swept her up to carry her in his arms. Howard nodded to Naght that, the moment something happened, the demon would be called quickly.

Garrett followed them to the western cave with his head down. He had mixed emotions of excitement and anxiety. He remembered what it was like before.  _What was she planning to do now?_  He remembered how hard he made Cecil scream in their bedroom that night.  _She was nearly sobbing from the pleasure I gave her! I never did that to anyone before._  He glanced over to find Cecil walking with Sarine, and they were discussing softly on what could be done and not be done. All that he knew was that he was in for it.

The moment they approached the entrance to the cave, Zealotus and Succubus were waiting for them. They were both grinning and handed Sarine a specialized leather Dominatrix suit. Thanatos was laughing hysterically now, and Errende was blushing a bright red. Her husbands seemed to be in a complete form of silent awe at how the suit would fit over her. It was black straps that ran along her body and across it. Taking the suit, she moved into a chamber to change into it with Thanatos's help.

"Later, you're mine!" he growled. He now saw what she fully looked like in the black leather suit. He couldn't believe how much of a turn on she was!

"Later...we shall see," she purred, and he kissed her hard. The straps were made to adjust to her pregnancy to a certain point until she couldn't wear it. Once her children were born, she would be able to wear it again. She walked out to meet the others. Garrett swallowed, her husbands gave out gasps of wonder, and Errende's heart beat faster with excitement.

"How long do you think it will be?" Howard asked.

"Oh, about an hour or so. Errende. Do you have a blindfold?" she asked.

"Actually..." Eremes said. "I have a Blinker mask. I was able to get it from storage. It's the same thing...and better suited..."

"Perfect," Sarine purred out and retrieved it from him. Errende now had the Blinker over his eyes and was holding onto her carefully. The white bandanna-type blindfold was usually used to help people sleep, but she had another use for it. She led him and Garrett to another room. Errende's hands on her kept her body cool enough that she could work on Garrett effectively. She brought the Paladin to that rise of pleasuring pain that she had Seyren in before. She tormented him with her closeness, her breath, her light touches on his chest, and even the occasional high-heeled boot in the middle of his spine.

When she felt it wasn't enough, she had Errende give her the makeshift blindfold he made for Howard in the bedroom. Moving behind Garrett now, she tied it over his eyes, and he gasped. Now he had no idea what she was going to do. He hated to admit that it thrilled him to a point that he began to crave it. After only ten minutes of the torment she put him through, the blindfold was removed from him, and he was ordered to dress. He was shivering with each movement he did now, and he still couldn't believe it.

"When...next...?" he gasped, as he tried to speak.

"We could have a session tomorrow night," she thought. "I can teach Cecil what to do with you by then. Apparently, blindfolding you doubles your fun, eh?"

"Yes...!" he gasped out, as she ran a finger up his back before he could put on his upper armor plate. She led him to Cecil and shoved him at her. With a grin, Cecil agreed that she would learn what to do tomorrow night, and she dragged her husband off to the house. Errende was still blindfolded, and she thought, as Thanatos walked over to her. She gasped, as his touch sent icy shivers through her and replenished her reserves for him. She was about to run out from Errende, and she leaned into his touch.

"Want to try what I suggested? Your...other husbands...are at the house plotting something for you," Thanatos growled, as he licked up her neck.

"Sure..." she breathed out heavily. She had Errende undress and get on all fours to be their chair. Then, right on his back, Thanatos's armor vanished, and he started to claim Sarine as his own. Errende could only feel what was going on, and he shuddered when Sarine reached down to use her hands to pleasure him, as Thanatos pleasured her. When she cried out, Thanatos roared in completion, and Errende struggled to hold back. Sarine moved to the ground, as Thanatos got off his back so Sarine could finish Errende off with her mouth. After Errende finally gave in, Thanatos pulled her up to his chest to nuzzle into her neck. Errende sat on the ground gasping from everything.

"My Lady...?" Errende heaved, as he fought for control.

"Take off the Blinker and hold onto it," she said. Now that he was able to see again, he did as she said with the Blinker, and he placed it with the other blindfold. Thanatos moved to sit on the floor with her gathered up in his lap.

"Hmm..." Thanatos said, as he thought. "You're thirsty. Not for blood, though. Errende, do you have anything with you for her?"

"In the other room. I'll get it," Errende nodded. He dressed in his black leathers and left the High Priest robes with her for now. As Thanatos moved his mouth over her neck, a sudden shout of surprise made him snarl out with rage. He had his armor reappear back on him, made sure she was dressed decent enough, and he moved with her carefully from the floor. Clutching Sarine close, as he stood up now, he moved into the other room to find Errende expertly pinning down Kavach with a stranglehold that Keltin had taught him.

"What the hell is this?!" Thanatos growled out.

"He tried to attack me!" Errende hissed.

"Did he?" Sarine frowned.

"I didn't know what this cave was! I swear! Then I saw him, and...all right...yes. I rushed at him," Kavach admitted, as he struggled. "But, I didn't know about this cave!"

"Release him, Errende, and come to me, please," Sarine sighed. Errende released Kavach at her command and moved to kneel at her feet. She caressed a hand through his hair, and he closed his eyes with comfort. Then she looked at Kavach with a form of curiosity. Thanatos drew back his lip to sneer at him, and he glanced over, as Doppy and Sammy came in with the others close behind them.

"What's going on?!" Doppy snarled out. Thanatos hissed in Demonic to him, and Doppy winced with rage. Howard growled, and Eremes tensed to show he was ready to kill.

"It was wrong of him to attack my slave," Sarine frowned. "But, he speaks the truth of not knowing what this cave was. If...he attacks my slave again..."

"Sarine..." Sammy said softly, and she pouted.

"We'll take care of him," Howard said lightly. "No one may attack each other, unless it's on arena grounds. Now, Kavach, you do know that this is where she dominates others. Right? And you just pissed her off. Massively."

"What?!" Kavach blinked. Now he saw what she was wearing, and his jaw dropped. Errende smirked, but he kept his eyes closed. Sarine kept her hand moving through his hair to keep her slave calm. Then she looked at Kavach with a growl.

"Pray that you don't beat Thanatos Dolor in the arena. Because, if you win..." Sarine curled back her lip as her own inhuman hiss came forward. "I will whip your back into bloody shreds and enjoy it!"

"Sarine?" Keltin blinked. She looked at him and smiled so softly that he sighed with a nod that the Sarine he knew was still there. She reached for him, and he moved to hug her tightly. She needed to show that she loved him.

"I'm okay," she smiled and kissed him gently now that she regained control of herself. "It's the new demoness in me. I'm...very protective of my men, as you are of me. I didn't mean to scare you. Or anyone. But, Kavach, please...don't attack Errende. If you intend to live on this island with us, you  _must_ show some self-control."

"I understand. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Honestly," Kavach said. She nodded, and Errende accepted his apology. When he left, her husbands dressed in their black silk pants, and Sarine giggled.

"Garrett was muttering to Seyren about being blindfolded. I know it was done to me, but now the others want it done to them, too," Howard said. She blushed and nodded. _Apparently, it was going to become a new addiction._

"So...we had Karla get us blindfolds, too..." Eremes grinned.

"Are you serious?" Sarine blinked.

"Yep! Do to us what you did to Garrett!" Keltin grinned.

"Try not to hold back," Doppy winked.

"I'm curious to see what you can do," Sammy chuckled. She looked at Thanatos, and he shrugged. Errende did get her the juice she needed first to quench her thirst. Then the next two hours were spent blissfully tormenting her lovers with their blindfolds on. Thanatos watched with a form of glee and even directed Sarine on a few things to do with light whispers. Errende was blindfolded again to take the excess of what she couldn't do to her husbands. By the time everyone was dressed in their normal gear and heading back to the house, it was nearing time for Howard and Eremes to become monsters again.

"Did she really...?!" Keltin asked, as he collapsed into the bed.

"Yes..." Doppy winced, as he sat in his chair by the door.

"Errende. Are you all right?" Sarine asked, as Thanatos reclined with her in the bed between Howard and Keltin.

"I'm fine, My Lady. They just don't know how to handle it," Errende grinned.

"Show off..." Eremes chuckled, as he eased into his corner.

"I'm getting to that point! Somewhat..." Howard said, as he managed to lay back on his side of the bed. "The advice you gave me is working, Errende."

"I'm so glad I don't have to go through that with my child form!" Sammy said, as he shook his head. His Samurai ghost seemed to hiss with relief that it was over.

"Odd," she frowned.

"What's odd?" Thanatos asked her, as he hugged her tight.

"I don't feel like sleeping," she said.

"You don't? That can't happen," Doppy frowned. "Normally, only demons are fully awake at this time...oh, shit..."

"You need to sleep," Thanatos said.

"But, I'm...up!" she said. She looked at the door, as a knock was heard on it. Doppy got up to answer it, and Eremes cracked an eye to watch with concern.

"I can help her," Alexander said, as he flew in. "Lord Odin told me to come here. Observation is here, too."

"We are both angels. We can help balance her blood out," Observation said. That made Thanatos blink.  _Balance out her blood? What did they mean?_

"Doesn't she need to play the part of a demoness, though? For our children?" Doppy asked. "I'm confused now."

"In a way, she does, but she can't have her blood fully turn. It could be bad," Alexander said. "That is why we are here. It's also why my blood helps to sate her at times. You should have taken me with you to the tower!"

"I know!" Howard frowned. "We meant to...but we were in such a rush to leave..."

"Storm Caller could have brought me. Anyways, I'm here now. Let me help her get to sleep," Alexander said. "She's dangerously close to becoming a full demoness."

"I'm here to back him up, if she needs more blood to balance it out," Observation said. Thanatos sighed, pressed a kiss to her mouth, and moved to the edge of the bed with her. Moving to sit in Alexander's lap with Thanatos's hands on her shoulders, Errende managed to get up to scratch a small knife over Alexander's neck. The moment Sarine started to swallow down the Angelic blood, Doppy let out a hiss of pain. Then he realized that it was the same feeling that happened before when she first took Alexander's blood.

"Doppy?" Keltin asked.

"It's all right..." Doppy sighed. "It's like...a feeling of hot coals at first before it fades out. It truly is balancing out Sarine's blood. She must remain in a state of neutrality of a kind, it seems. Our children in her even seem to sense it. I think."

"They do," Thanatos nods. "It may also be why they started to have growth spurts. All the demon blood in her system was heavily supporting them. It could be something else, too, but we won't fully know for sure."

"True," Sammy nodded and watched Sarine pull away from Alexander's neck. The moment he was Healed, Alexander snapped out of the trance he was in.

"Finished? Need more?" Alexander asked quickly.

"I do," she sighed. Observation nodded and moved to gather her carefully into his lap. He gasped the moment her mouth latched onto his neck from the small cut done. Unlike Alexander, he didn't move into a trance. He felt everything, and Howard gave a small groan, as he knew the angel liked it now. Thanatos gave out a sigh, but he knew this was for Sarine.

"Wanted by all races. Demi-human, human, demon, and angel..." Eremes grimaced. "Now I understand why Odin said she would be...very desirable to all..."

"Don't forget undead," Keltin smirked.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"I feel...better now..." Sarine said, as she sagged against Thanatos with exhaustion. Keltin Healed Observation, and the angel thanked him before flying out with Alexander. They all agreed to keep an eye on that one. Thanatos felt Sarine give all of her weight to him, and he blinked with a gentle smile.  _She had finally fallen asleep._

"Normally, she'd stay awake with the one she was pregnant with. Or just with the one she loved at the time. I'm not sure what to make of this," Doppy said.

"Really? Well, if she doesn't wake up, help me in the morning," Thanatos said. "And we may be having her drink more of their blood after she feeds on us from now on. It would be the most decent thing to do, right?"

"I'm concerned about Observation," Keltin frowned.

"That we all are," Thanatos nodded.

"He'll have to be watched," Howard said.

"Heard and noted," Eremes agreed.

"Well, let's try and get some rest," Sammy said. Just as they all settled in, the twins in the nursery started wailing, and Sarine came to with a start.

"Twins! I must see to them!" she said, and Thanatos laughed softly. He nudged a weary Howard up, and Errende was already up to help her. Naght was there with Siegfried, and Thanatos muttered to him how she had to drink angel blood to balance her own blood out. Naght knew the angels had flown out of the room, but he had no idea as to why.

Right after the twins were fed, Thanatos helped lead her back to bed with Howard and Errende. The moment her head was resting on Thanatos's chest, she was in a deep sleep. It was at this moment that Huginn started to plot and wait.


	75. Chapter 75

Huginn let her sleep for several hours before forcing himself out of her subconscious. Freezing time to escape Thanatos's crushing hold on her body, he judged he had fifteen minutes before her body started to crave the demon and start rejecting the children within her. He didn't want her body to do that. Once her body rejected children, she would never be able to carry children again, and he needed her to give him a human form.  _That and Father Odin would simply skin me alive._ Moving her body swiftly, he found the Teleport clip in her pack and used it. On appearing at the northern part of the island, he had to work fast.

He wanted time alone with her in her mind. It was going to be tricky to do, but he discovered a way. Now he froze her body in time, but kept her mind active. He would only be able to do this for a short time before time would resume automatically. He couldn't have her body frozen for too long, or her children would start having problems, and she would be in too much pain for him to bear.  _Once time resumed, I'll likely be confronted by Muninn, somehow. It was inevitable._  As long as her other husbands weren't involved in her mental frame, then his plans could work as he wanted them to. If her other husbands appeared, he would need to have another plan of action.

Sinking back into her mind quickly, he found her mental body, and he paused. He wasn't expecting to find her like this. She was curled up in a small fetal position and rocking herself.  _She was scared now. Completely scared._

"Sarine," Huginn whispered, and he paused, as she looked up at him with tear-stained eyes. "You'll be all right."

"Why?" she asked in a trembling voice. "Why are you tearing me away from them? From my children? From my loved ones? Why?!"

"All I wanted was some time with you," he said. "I don't want to tear you away from anyone. As it is...your body is frozen in time. And...you're away from Thanatos. Your body will soon start craving him when time resumes."

"You...are endangering my life? For this?!" she asked with despair.

"Your life is in no danger," he said.

"But, it is! Do you have any idea what you've done? If Thanatos doesn't get to me in time?!" she panicked. "I'll lose my babies!"

"Listen to me!" he growled out and grabbed her shoulders to lightly shake her. "You will be fine! Doppelganger will pinpoint you and lead them to you! Please, will you hear me out?"

"Huginn, what am I supposed to think of you after this?" she whispered now. "Couldn't you have tried to approach me in my dreams? Instead of endangering my body and my unborn children? Wouldn't my dreams be enough?"

"I..." Huginn blinked and cursed his stupidity.  _I could have done that! All of this could have been avoided!_

"What do we do now?" she asked, as her voice wavered. He pulled her close to hug her, and she shivered. For the first time in a long time, he was at a loss on what to do.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just wanted to be so close to you after so long, that I...I..."

"Huginn..." she sighed and winced. He swore, as he felt time start resuming.  _Her body was starting to warm up now, and soon it would be on fire._

"I won't let you go through this with your mind awake like this," he said. "You will wait here with me, until they come for you."

"But...!" she gasped. The fiery sensation coursed over her skin, and she started to go into shock. She wanted to scream, but her body wasn't fully awake.

"I'll take the punishment they give me, but I won't let you go through the pain that your body is going through because of me. It's the least I can do," he said and moved his hands over her eyes to force her into an unconscious sleep. Cradling her mental body close now, all he could do was wait and hope they reached her quickly.

Back in the bedroom, Doppy woke with a painful roar, and it startled Sammy and Thanatos out of meditation.

"SARINE?!" Thanatos howled, and the others were fully awake now. Howard dressed swiftly and called Naght. The massive demon charged in and roared with rage to find her gone.

"Ah!" Doppy gasped. "She's...north! I can't see...! Why can't I see?!"

"Shit!" Thanatos hissed out and used his ability to Teleport now. Naght couldn't Teleport, but he moved quickly from the house to head to the northern part of the island. The others used their wedding rings to Teleport to her, and Errende used his skill to Teleport the moment he saw that Sarine was gone.

Thanatos had found her first and was crushing her to his chest. He was clearly panicking now, as she wasn't conscious, and Sammy ran over to her side.

"Give her your blood, Thanatos!" Sammy ordered. "Her body..."

"Do it! Whatever he's saying, do it now!" Doppy snarled out, as he was leaning hard on Eremes and Keltin to stay standing. He couldn't hear much of anything, and Thanatos now realized that Doppy really could feel everything that Sarine's body was going through. Errende finally appeared and moved over to help position her head to take down the demon's blood safely. Thanatos crushed her body to his to try and revive her after his blood moved through her, and Errende Healed the wound on his neck.

Now Errende had to help maneuver her so Thanatos could take her quickly. Only after that was done did he know the pregnancy was safe, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. He got the most severe part of her body's health under control, but he knew she would need even more of him when she came back around. Naght managed to approach them right after Doppy showed that he could stand again. Howard looked up when Muninn landed and became human. Errende was assisting Thanatos in letting him cradle her again to keep her as close to his chest as possible.

" _How is my sister?!_ " Muninn asked, as he ran over to Thanatos's side.

"I gave her blood, so her body stabilized for now," the demon gasped and winced. "And I was able to mate her to calm the pregnancy. But, she's still not responding to me!"

"Her body is fine now, as he says," Sammy frowned. "She's just...unconscious."

" _Let me try something,_ " Muninn said. Thanatos nodded, and Muninn reached behind Sarine's neck to touch the Mark of Odin. When nothing happened, he swore.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

" _Huginn!_ " Muninn seethed. " _Incantation Samurai! We need to do a dream vision! One that can take all of us into her mind!_ "

"All right," Sammy said and gestured for everyone to gather around her and to sit on the ground. Thanatos was clearly upset and afraid for her now, but Naght rumbled to show he was still the dominant one there. Both demons glowered at each other, but instinct won out. Thanatos nodded to him and forced himself to calm down. Doppy nodded to Naght as well, and the demons were finally able to focus. When they appeared in her mind, each one saw something different.

Howard saw a large cavern that he was standing in. Keltin saw that he was standing in an ice cave. Doppy was standing in a field that was constantly windy. Eremes was inside a volcano that was filled with molten lava. Errende blinked and found himself in a Church. Thanatos paused to find himself at the top of his tower. Naght hissed when he found himself inside his tower. Sammy found himself standing in a foggy meadow with a clear, tranquil pond. Muninn blinked at the sight of where he was standing on clouds high up in the sky.

"I see us in a cave," Howard frowned.

"No! It's a windy field!" Doppy said.

"I'm back in my tower?" Thanatos frowned.

"Same..." Naght seethed slightly.

" _It seems that Sarine's mind shows where we are based on our elemental status,_ " Muninn said. " _Since Thanatos and Naght don't have elemental statuses, they are in their most familiar areas. Interesting. Incantation Samurai! Use your vision to lead us to her!_ "

"I think I see her! Follow me!" Sammy said. What they all saw was the same now, despite the different sequences they were in. Huginn was cradling Sarine's mental form, and they all paused at his grim look.

"Give her back to us, Huginn," Keltin said. "Please, give her back!"

"Her children need her," Sammy said.

"Why did you do this?" Errende asked.

"Why?" Huginn finally said, as he looked at them. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be in the background?"

"I do," Eremes nodded.

"Then...you should know why," Huginn said.

"What you did was inexcusable!" Thanatos growled. "She could have easily lost her children! It was luck that I found her first!"

"I know. And, she told me a better way to be with her next time," Huginn said. "You have my word that I will not steal her from you again."

"A better way?" Doppy growled out.

"Her dreams," Huginn said. "I was so busy trying to be with her physically that I had forgotten that dreams can hold a rather powerful form of closeness, as well."

"I still don't like it," Errende frowned.

"Quiet," Thanatos rumbled, and Errende nodded to him.

" _Huginn, you need to bring her subconscious back out to us,_ " Muninn said.

"I know," Huginn sighed. "I'm trying, and she's not responding to me."

"What?!" Thanatos snarled, and Naght growled lightly. Howard grimaced and winced, as he felt her emotions now. Doppy wasn't sensing them, and it was likely since her mental barrier was still in place. Howard was already so in tuned with her emotions to begin with that he knew exactly what her emotions were like, and he was feeling them easily in her mind. He could also hear her thoughts, and it made him blink with a form of understanding.

"Give her to me," Howard said, as he moved towards Huginn. "I can wake her."

"On one condition," Huginn said.

"What?" Howard asked. Huginn gestured for Howard to come close to hear the soft whisper. When Huginn drew away, Howard's eyes were wide with a form of shock.

"What did he tell you?" Keltin asked.

"I..." Howard tensed and shivered. "I can't say right now."

"Hmm..." Eremes thought. He watched Huginn carefully hand Sarine over to Howard. Once Howard had her in his arms, he moved to softly whisper in her ear. Very slowly, she started to come around. He hugged her tightly, as she stirred. Huginn seemed to nod, and he glanced at Muninn. A secret message was passed, and Muninn looked at him with alarm. Huginn gave a soft nod and returned his gaze to Sarine, as she finally came out of her deep, unconscious slumber. She was shaking, and Howard hugged her tightly.

"How-How?" she gasped. "You're here?!"

"We're all in your mind. Muninn had Sammy bring us here in a dream vision. In a moment, you're going to wake up with us," Howard said gently.

"Is Thanatos there?" she asked.

"He managed to give you blood," he nodded. "He also helped keep your babies safe. You'll wake up in his arms, okay?"

"How-How," she whispered.

"Yes?" he asked. She pulled his head down to hers to kiss him deeply, and she whispered to him. He blinked at her and softly whispered back.

"Huginn...just told you?" she frowned.

"He did," Howard nodded.

"All right, then. I'm ready to wake up," she said.

" _Sarine,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over to her.

"Yes, Muninn?" she asked.

" _Are you sure you're all right?_ " he asked, as he knelt down to see her.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I...I'll have to see when I wake up."

"Howard," Thanatos said, as he came over to him now. "let me hold onto her, so that she won't feel awkward when she wakes with us."

"Right," Howard nodded. She clung to Howard at first, and he blinked at her before she let herself go to Thanatos. For some reason, he heard her thoughts as clearly as though she was talking to him.  _She didn't want to go to Thanatos yet, but she knew she had to._  He knew her mental wall was still in place, too.

"My love, is everything all right?" Thanatos asked, as he cradled her. She trembled and whimpered softly. His mouth dropped at the sound of it, and he nodded to Muninn to have them all wake from the dream vision now.

When they all woke up, Sarine was shivering like crazy, as her body was still trying to fully stabilize. Naght purred softly and moved to carefully place his hand on her face in the form of a light caress. She trembled, and Thanatos rose swiftly with her in his arms, as the others moved to stand.

"What do we do now?" Keltin asked.

"I need to be with her," Thanatos said. "Her body is still craving everything about me. I halted the seriousness of it, but she still needs me. Howard, I need to ask you something."

"Yes?" Howard asked, as he moved over to the demon now.

"I need to know what she told you and what Huginn said," Thanatos said calmly.

"I don't know how you'll take it. Or how the others will," Howard admitted.

"There was a reason that Huginn called you over to him," Thanatos said. Doppy looked at Eremes with a frown, and Keltin crossed his arms as he glanced over at Sammy. Errende stayed at Sarine's side in case he was needed.

"Sarine?" Howard asked as he looked at her.

"It's okay," she said. "Muninn?"

" _Yes?_ " he asked, as he moved over to her.

"We should tell them about us," she said. "I...no secrets. I can't do it..."

" _Can I freeze time?_ " he asked.

"Sure. But...we need to be quick. Thanatos needs to be with me soon," she said. Once time was frozen, the others were extremely concerned now. Thanatos grimaced, but he nodded. Naght seemed to growl, but he paused when Sarine reached up to grab his hand to show that everything was going to be fine.

"Why does time need to be frozen?" Sammy asked.

" _So Father Odin doesn't find out and pull me away from all of you. It's...the one thing I can't have,_ " Muninn sighed. " _It's something I wouldn't want, either._ "

"Why would he do that?" Doppy asked.

"Something he wouldn't approve of?" Eremes asked.

" _If Huginn didn't force me into it, then it wouldn't have gotten this far,_ " Muninn winced. That caught Doppy's attention, and Thanatos nodded.

"You know about this?" Doppy asked Thanatos.

"Didn't have much of a choice," Thanatos growled. "Errende knows, too. We...didn't want to make things too complicated. And, as much as I gave my word to Huginn about not saying anything, I'm breaking my vow this once. Sarine is right. There can't be any secrets between us. So, Huginn, if you're listening, I'm sorry. It was bound to come out sooner or later. There is just too much going on right now. And, after the shit that you just pulled, it needs to come out! It concerns her safety and her health!"

" _I'm sure my brother understands. A demon does not simply break one's word on any occasion. And it does involve my sister. Thanatos, start with what Huginn told you, if you could, please? We should start from the beginning._ "

"Right," Thanatos sighed, and Sarine shivered. They gathered around, and Thanatos told them what Huginn told him about how he was with Sarine on the morning before Errende joined them. Sarine could feel their rage building now, and she whimpered from it. Thanatos paused and nuzzled her gently until they forced themselves to calm down enough for him to continue. When he got to the end, Muninn took over as to what happened when he watched Sarine in the bathroom for them.

"Wait!" Doppy snarled out. "You're telling me that Huginn purposely endangered her LIFE?! Just to get you close to her?!"

" _Please let me finish,_ " Muninn said. " _I will answer all of your questions after I am done. Please be patient._ "

"Fine!" he snarled out, and Thanatos could only wince. It was then that Doppy realized how pissed off Thanatos was, too, from the whole thing, and he nodded. Even Naght was starting to smolder with his own rage. When Muninn admitted how he ended up being with Sarine, Eremes winced, yet he knew that it wasn't Muninn's fault.

"So...her dominance came through? She trapped you in the tub?" Sammy said.

" _Yes,_ " Muninn sighed. " _She needed blood, too. So...you can only guess what happened then. I tried to move away from her. I tried so hard! Yet, Father Odin also stated that I was to help her when she needed it! I...I'm sorry._ "

"It's not your fault," Doppy muttered. "Huginn is the one to blame for it."

"So, Huginn is putting her through all this...shit...because he loves her?!" Eremes growled out. "Not even I went this far to endanger her life!"

" _When Father Odin let him out to see her again, that was when he started to gain a touch of his powers back,_ " Muninn explained. " _In a way, I understand why he is doing this. He wants to show that he is not just a recruiter. He's not one to really show himself to others, and he doesn't really know how to communicate with others well._ "

"I can relate, but putting her life in danger?!" Eremes scowled.

"How else can we talk to him about this?" Keltin asked.

"Is there even a way we can tell him how we feel about this?" Sammy asked.

"Later..." Sarine sighed, as she shivered. Thanatos crushed her to his chest again and looked at the others with worry. He needed to be with her now to help her body. The only problem was that she kept shivering and shaking.

"Wait, Thanatos," Howard said. He pulled out his massive, red Vecer Axe.

"What?" Thanatos asked and blinked at the axe now. Sarine looked at Howard now, as she shook all over. Then Howard dropped the axe, fell to his knees, and held his arms out to her. Sarine never took his eyes off him, and she gave a small cry, as she tore herself out of Thanatos's arms to run into Howard's embrace. The demon was in shock that such a thing happened with her, but he paused, and he studied how she clung to Howard now.

Sarine sobbed against Howard's neck, and he whispered that she was safe and loved. It was as though she was a frightened child all over again. He had heard her thoughts in her mind, and he knew this. He could still hear her thoughts even now, and it was tearing him apart. He had to do the one thing he could do to prove that she was protected. This was what she needed right then and there.

"What just happened?! Is My Lady all right?!" Errende frowned.

"You have no idea..." Howard said lightly, as he cradled her. "just how scared she truly is. Even with her emotional barrier up, I still know she's scared."

"How did she get so scared?" Doppy asked.

"Huginn..." Howard growled out, as he comforted her. "has no idea how badly he scared her. She honestly thought that she was going to be torn from us, and her children rejected from her. I know it wasn't Huginn's intention... _but if that asshole pulls this shit again, I'll kill him!_ "

Sarine winced, and he continued to cradle her close. Eremes had never seen Howard so pissed off before. Even Keltin was surprised at the threat. Sammy narrowed his eyes, and Doppy let out a sharp snarl of protection. Errende sucked in his breath and glared at the ground hard. Naght was echoing Howard's thoughts in full, and he was a touch surprised that he could hear Sarine's thoughts through him. It puzzled him, but he said nothing for now.

"Howard," Thanatos said gently.

"Yes?" Howard asked, as he rocked Sarine while she started to gain control of herself.

"I see what Sarine is to you now," Thanatos said. Naght gave a soft purr and looked over now to glean this insight.

"And who am I to her?" Howard asked.

"In the human ways compared to the demon ways," Thanatos said, as he thought aloud. "you are her First Mate."

"What?" Howard blinked. Naght seemed to purr even deeper in thought.

"Why else would you know what to do with her? Why else would she react to you like she does? Anyways, Sarine, how is your body feeling?" Thanatos asked.

"Getting warm," she admitted now that she felt secure again. "Um...I was thinking..."

"Yes?" Keltin asked.

"What...would happen if you all took a sip of Thanatos's blood? Would it help with me? Or would the demon blood in you get enraged?" she asked.

"Hmm..." Sammy thought. "Keltin and I could possibly manage. I'm not sure about Eremes, Howard, and Doppy."

"Ifrit isn't a true demon, so it may be possible for me," Eremes thought. "Sarine, we need to head back. I'm sure your twins in the nursery will need you, and we need to make sure your body is safe with Thanatos."

"All right," Sarine said. Howard kissed her passionately before handing her over to Thanatos, and he grabbed his axe to put it away. Thanatos's upper armor and cloak vanished so he could hold her possessively against him. Once the feeling of his icy skin pressed against hers, she gasped and leaned into him even more.

"Muninn, unfreeze time so we can travel faster," Thanatos said.

" _Let's wait until her body is stabilized with yours. This way her children in the nursery will not need her right away,_ " Muninn said.

"Fine," Thanatos nodded.

"Guys," Howard said. "Huginn pretty much told me what Thanatos figured out. That I'm the one that can calm Sarine when she's frightened like that, and that I am the one that she trusts the most."

"Well, of course..." Eremes said. "You were with her first to begin with and knew her the longest, in a sense."

"She loves us all, but there are only certain things that we can do to help her," Sammy said. "I help with her stress, and you help with her fears. I'm not concerned in the slightest."

"Howard..." Naght hissed and sent a mental image to him of what he wanted to try the next time she became upset. Howard blinked and nodded. _It would be good to try it out. If Naght was First Mate to her in demon form, and he helped reach through me next time, as Sarine felt calm with him, it may just up the chances of calming her even further. We'll have to try it out._

Naght also seemed to pause at what Howard told him.  _Huginn and Sarine both told him that he was loved the most out of them all._ Naght clearly understood, as it was what Thanatos had just said. In many ways, Howard was her True First Mate, and Naght was pleased to know that he was her True Demonic First Mate. It made Howard feel a touch relieved that he wasn't going to be ridiculed for it.

" _The house is in sight. Let's hurry!_ " Muninn urged. Now they all moved at a dead run to move swiftly up the stairs and into the bedroom. Errende and Eremes started to prepare a plate of hearts for her when she was done with Thanatos. Doppy waited to see if she needed blood from him when they were done. Howard and Keltin set up a place for her to eat by the balcony. Sammy now conversed with Muninn on safety measures for Sarine's dreams.

In the bathroom, Sarine was taking heavy swallows of Thanatos's blood, as he rocked her body on his. His armor was fully removed, and her Sniper gears were nearly ripped from her in his frantic effort to ensure her body would be safe. Once her body was fully stable again, he kissed her hard and gasped with relief, as she rubbed a potion on his neck to seal the wound.

"I was so scared for you!" he whispered, as he trembled. "I found you gone when Doppy screamed, and I...I..."

"I was scared, too," she said, as she ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't want to be torn away from anyone or my children! But, now, I am curious of something."

"Hmm?" he managed to voice out through his heavy purr. He was enjoying the sensations of her hand in his hair. She gave a small smile, as all demons apparently liked this.

"What do you think would have happened, if you met me on your tower?" she asked. That made him think, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek.  _She was changing the subject. I like that._

"When Errende first saw you that day, not the one long ago, but at the arena, it was the first time I ever saw you. I couldn't see anything through the others, but through him I saw you. All that I could think of was...how can I get to know her better? I think I like her. Then I sifted through his memories and saw what you looked like back then. As much as I know your current body is a vast improvement from the old, there was only one thing I could think of. There was a rather humble and innocent way about you before your transcendence. It was...attractive to me. We talked about this before you showed me the doll. And, I can easily say this..."

"Hmm?" she smiled, as he caressed her.

"If I saw you on my tower," he said. "I would have killed everyone else first. Then I would have likely convinced you to be my bride."

"Your bride?" she giggled.

"Yes," he said with a grin. "I would have easily kept you with me and killed off anyone that tried to claim you."

"We could ask Sammy to do a dream vision for us later," she thought.

"That would be something we can do in the future," he said, as he grinned more.

"There's a lot of things I would have liked to have seen if it happened or not," she admitted. "Maybe later tonight."

"We'll see what turns up. Do you need Doppy's blood now?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do," she nodded. He called out for Doppy and let the other demon pull her over to him. Thanatos said he would be right outside to give them some privacy, since Doppy's body was cool enough for her. Thanatos let his armor reappear on him, as Doppy's armor fell to the floor. Sarine moved into his lap, and he roared out his release instantly from the very feel of her around him. He had it pent up from the rage he felt from earlier.

"Huginn had better not pull that shit again!" Doppy growled before letting out a purring moan when Sarine's hands moved through his hair. She didn't say anything now. All that she knew was that she needed his blood. She moved her mouth over his neck in a slightly dominating way, and he shivered from it. Reaching for the knife, she used it quickly and latched her mouth onto the wound she made. He gave himself over to her with harsh gasps, and she used his body with everything she had. Once she was sated of his blood, she used a potion on his neck to stop the bleeding. Nuzzling him, he shivered with control.

"Doppy," she whispered, as she moved her hand over his chest.

"Sorry Sari..." he sighed and caressed her now. Her body was warming up, but she was in no danger at the moment. His body was cool enough to keep the craving for Thanatos at bay. He ran a hand over her belly to feel the developing children move for him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He was so scared that her body was going to reject them, and he shivered.

"Maybe you should lock me in chains to your wrist?" she said with mild amusement. He looked at her and could only chuckle.

"After what happened, don't think that we haven't thought of it! Sammy and Muninn are thinking of ways to monitor your dreams. You have a meal waiting for you, and then time will resume so you can be in the nursery. We are always thinking of ways to keep you safe," he promised. "All of us were really scared for you."

"I know," she sighed, and he kissed her softly. "I think I need to eat now."

"All right," he nodded. He helped her dress first before putting his armor on, and he led her into the bedroom to eat. Errende moved over to sit at her feet and kept his hands on her belly just in case. Thanatos had her sit in his lap. Muninn let time resume and shifted back into his falcon form to perch at the window. A light tap at the door made Doppy move from her side to answer it. Standing in front of the door was the monster, Aliot. They had recruited him from Naght's tower, and he appeared a touch perplexed, yet amused at the same time.

He resembled a young school boy in his late teens with long, white hair tied back in a ponytail. He held very handsome features, yet he was a Demonic robot in nature. He attacked with a variety of sharp blades and knives that extruded from his back whenever he wished. He could even grow out a set of steel claws to attack with, and his eyes would glow red, as he did so. When he was calm, one would think that he was an ordinary human that was going to class.

His uniform was a tight, white half-vest that only covered his upper chest and back. The under shirt was a black, long-sleeved shirt, and the cuffs were striped with two white lines. A red tie adorned his collar and hung over the vest neatly. The black undershirt was tucked into a set of white pants that accentuated his long legs, and black shoes adorned his feet. He even had a brown school bag that he carried around on occasion, but he left it in the vacant room he claimed. Nothing was in it, but it was mainly to help deceive others.

"Aliot? What is it?" Doppy asked.

"May I speak with the Vessel of Odin?" he asked. Valkyrie had enhanced him with the ability to speak, and she even upgraded his attack to have a far longer and deadlier range than usual. He was swifter and hit much harder now, as well. Doppy frowned, but he nodded to let the lesser demon in.

"Aliot! What is it?" she asked, as she finished the plate.

"When do you plan to go to the robot factory? I was hoping that my sister could be released, as well as the Master there," he said. His voice was actually pleasing to hear, and it was rather soothing in tone with no hint of roughness. There was an oddly metallic echo to it, but that reflected his Demonic and robotic stature. Once again, Howard blinked at the mention of the strong monster. Something kept telling him a form of kinship was there, and it was clearly starting to baffle him. Naght didn't know what to make of it, either, from Howard's thoughts.

"Well, the day is still young. We could see about heading there later today. Did you want to come with us?" she asked with a soft smile.

"I would like that..." Aliot smiled back. Errende frowned, as he saw how Aliot was watching her now. Thanatos caught on to the mental thought and muttered in Demonic. Now Doppy snarled and moved forward quickly. Aliot may be a Demonic robot, but he understood the language easily. He hid the smirk, as he was approached. He found it completely humorous.

"Good! We'll let you know when we are ready to leave! Go wait somewhere for us!" Doppy said, and he tried to push Aliot out the door.

"Doppy?!" Sarine said with a frown. That stopped him, and Aliot chuckled.

"It's all right," Aliot said with a soft laugh. "I'll wait for you downstairs."

"You don't have to, you know," she sighed.

"I can sense a jealousy issue when it's in front of me," he smirked. "I'll just have to wait for your next Demonic Mating! I'll wait downstairs, as I said before."

"Like hell will you join the next one!" Doppy growled.

"Doppy, please!" she groaned, and Errende kept his hands on her belly. Giving another light laugh, Aliot nodded to her and left the room.

"This complicates things..." Eremes frowned. "Any demon can sense her...right?"

"It's true," Thanatos growled out. "And, with Valkyrie enhancing them to be stronger...damn it!"

"Great. Just great," Howard muttered. "More dominant demons trying to be with my wife. Lovely..."

"How-How?" she asked, and he sighed, as he moved to her side to let her hug him tightly. Keltin seemed to wince. He knew what Howard was talking about. Even Sammy seemed perplexed as to what was going to happen.

"I understand it when Odin says you need something to happen, and...ah, hell..." Howard hissed out and hugged her tightly. Pressing his face into her neck to muffle his voice, he mumbled, "I can still hear your thoughts! Why is that?! Why is this still happening? I mean...not that I'm complaining, but it makes no sense!"

Thanatos was still holding her when he said this, and he blinked.  _Did I just hear him correctly?_  He decided to forget the knowledge for now. It would likely come up again in time.

"How-How," Sarine said. "come with me."

"Huh?" he asked. She leaned in close to whisper to him. He couldn't stop the laugh that came from him at the polite way she said she was going to use his body to her liking. She lightly pushed Errende's hands away to pull Howard into the bathroom to spend some quality time with him. Doppy smirked and looked over at Eremes. The Assassin Cross was deep in thought.

"What's on your mind, Eremes?" Doppy asked.

"She's not as dominant as she needs to be for her children. Especially after consuming angel blood," Eremes said. "I'm worried for her health."

At the sound of Howard's harsh screams, Thanatos let out a bark of laughter.

"I think My Lady will be all right," Errende smiled.

"I'll see who plans to go with us to the robot factory," Keltin said. Then he paused, as Sarine called for him. Grinning at the change of plans, it ended up being Errende who went downstairs to see who wanted to go with them. As he went down the stairs, he was confronted by Aliot. A mental thought went to Thanatos rather quickly.

"Can I help you?" Errende asked.

"Yes, you can," Aliot said. "I want you to fight me."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. I want to see how strong you are."

"Why?"

"Are you not a demon?"

"No. Lord Thanatos has his blood merged with mine. I'm still human," Errende said calmly. Aliot thought and nodded.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you," he said. "But...do send Thanatos a message for me."

"And what message would that be?" Errende asked. Before he could blink, Aliot had several of the dagger-like blades swirl out of his back and aim straight at him. Then there was a long pause, as Eremes had Uncloaked to neatly block the attack. Thanatos didn't like the fact that a confrontation was done, and Eremes was quick to check on Errende.

"Why...do you attack...the slave...of the Vessel of Odin?" Eremes growled. "If he was wounded...do you have ANY idea what she would have done to you?! He is needed for her dominant side! He is important to her!"

"Is he really?" Aliot frowned, as the blades retracted and pulled back into him. "I don't know what a slave is. Can you tell me?"

"A slave," Errende said with a tense look. "is one that does anything and everything once commanded by the owner. In other words, a slave is one that belongs to another. The Vessel of Odin, also My Lady, is my owner. I listen to her only. Lord Thanatos can hear everything that goes on through me."

"Oh. Then I can relate, as I used to respond to my Master," Aliot blinked. "I believe I was referred to more as a servant than a slave, though. I was mistaken."

"There was no need for you to attack him..." Eremes said, as he let his form mist out now. Thanatos was soon seen coming towards them with Sarine in his arms. Howard and Keltin looked pissed off at what happened. Doppy was ready to run the lesser demon through. Sammy was trying to think positively, but was having a hard time of it.

"Aliot," Sarine said. Thanatos carried her over to him. "Follow me, please."

"Hmm?" Eremes asked.

"The grove," Sarine said. "Naght will bring my children to me, if they are hungry."

"My Lady?" Errende asked.

"Come on, Errende," she said with a light smile. Aliot followed them now with his hands behind his back. When they reached the grove, Thanatos sat with her in his lap, and Doppy sat close enough to her to feel her hand in his hair to keep him calm. Only after her husbands sat down, Aliot nodded and sat down with them.

"Why are we here?" Howard asked.

"You'll see," she said sweetly and looked at Aliot. "What made you attack Errende? I'm curious now."

"I wanted to see how strong he was, and how quick his reflexes were," Aliot said.

"But...why do that?" she frowned.

"To see how strong I would need to be at the next Demonic Mating."

"Ahh. Now we are getting somewhere," she nodded. "I will give you this warning once. If you dare to attack my slave, my husbands, or my mates at any given point in the future again...I will not hesitate to show you how I dominate."

"Maybe that's why I attacked in the first place?" Aliot thought. "Maybe I want to test you and see how strong you are?"

"What?" Doppy growled out.

"Why test her?" Keltin asked.

"Some demons like to know how strong a future mate will be," Thanatos mused. "As much as I should be pissed off, he's actually got some smarts to him."

"Oh?" she asked, and a sultry purr emanated from her now, as she studied Aliot. "But, you see, I know how strong I am. I don't know how strong you are. Should I even care about that?"

Errende blinked and trembled, as she lodged a foot into his spine, and he moved to adjust his back better for her. That made Aliot blink with surprise.

"I think we'd better back off the subject now," Sammy said.

"Oh, no. Aliot started it. He's going to finish it," Sarine purred again, as she reclined on Thanatos's chest. "He just opened up a nice, large can of worms. He needs to finish what he started and see about closing that large can of worms up."

"I see that there is no need to question your strength, and I will respect your wishes," Aliot said. "I was in error."

"Bullshit!" Sarine growled out, and Howard blinked at her with alarm. Keltin had his face in his hands now, and Eremes found himself giving a touch of a half-smile.

"Then...what do you expect me to do?" Aliot asked.

"First, I need to see to my children in the nursery. After that...I'm going to test your strength," Sarine crooned out. "If you are strong enough, I'll...consider...letting you join the next frenzy. But, if I find you weak..."

"Sarine...!" Thanatos hissed, as one of her hands raked over his chest. She gave a touch of a smirk and looked back over at Aliot.

"If you are weak...I will not hesitate to tear you apart!" she snarled out. Aliot was now a touch shaken. He glanced at the ground and nodded.

"I accept your terms," he said.

"Sarine?" Howard frowned. Her thoughts were borderline dominance and vengeance. The children within her were fine, since all of this was dominance and not outright violence.

"I have my reasons," she said. "Now, can we please go to the nursery? I need to feed the children. I'm sure they are hungry."

"Of course," Howard nodded. Sammy moved to stand and studied the Yggdrasil root sprouts.  _They had taken root nicely and were growing rather quickly. In a few more days, they would start to bear fruit._ Doppy gave a slight glare to Aliot, as they moved towards the house. When they were about to enter the door, a crushing weight filtered around them, and Odin stood behind the small group.

"Daddy?" Sarine blinked, as she turned to face him.

"My daughter, my Vessel!" Odin smiled and moved to hug her carefully to keep Thanatos's touch on her. "I have a request of you."

"Yes, Daddy?" she asked respectfully. Her husbands looked at Odin now, and Errende kept his eyes lowered with respect. Thanatos nodded to him, and Aliot was a touch speechless that Odin was present now.

"Kiss Aliot, please," Odin said with a small smile.

"What?" Sarine blinked. Howard winced mildly, and Keltin clenched his jaw. Doppy let out a small grumble, as Eremes wrinkled his nose. Sammy gave a nervous twitch, as both Errende and Thanatos glared at the ground.

"I know, I know," Odin chuckled. "But, I did make it quite clear that I wanted to know of any new males that desired you. Thanatos was inevitable, as we can see. I also want you to kiss Observation."

"Daddy!" Sarine said with a small whimper.

"I know, my daughter, my Vessel. I know you detest it. But, it must be done," Odin frowned. Looking at the house, the mental call was sent to Observation, and the angel flew down from the nursery to stand by Aliot. She swallowed and looked at Howard. All he could do was give a weak nod. He could not disobey, or fight, against Odin's wishes.

She moved to Observation first, and Thanatos was able to let her move without him for a short moment. The moment her lips touched the angels' lips, Observation pulled her closer to deepen it. When he was able to let her move away, he blinked and shook his head. The look he gave her was the same look that Errende gave her. It was the look of complete and utter devotion, as well as servitude.

"Wonderful..." Howard grumbled.

"Not done yet, How-How," she sighed. He gave a small nod, and she moved to Aliot to plant a kiss on him. He groaned and clung to her, giving the same form of kiss that Observation just gave her. Doppy swore lightly, and Thanatos wasn't thrilled, either. When she backed away, Thanatos snatched her up before her craving for him kicked in, and Odin moved to whisper lightly to her. That made her blink, and then she smiled.

"A demon slave, an angel slave, and a human slave?" she murmured at the idea.

"Errende will be the only human slave you need," Odin grinned.

"True..." she mused. Howard blinked, and Errende's jaw dropped.

"It would show that you can dominate demons, angels, and humans," Odin further said. "I'll have to help you find a demi-human to dominate!"

"Daddy, why are you so eager for this?" she finally sighed.

"Well, I will tell you all a truth," Odin said, and now they all paid attention. "Every child you bear can easily become a Vessel for me to assist in the coming war. You are truly my Vessel, but you cannot be everywhere at once. The more children you have, the more 'eyes' I can have in the world. Do you understand? Besides, there are times that I do want you to rest!"

"I understand, Daddy," she said with a tired smile. Howard blinked at this news, but he still didn't like it very much.

"Don't worry, my daughter, my Vessel. You will have no more husbands. Slaves will be limited, as well. Same as mates. All of them play a crucial part in everything for you. You will see," Odin said. "The future does twist and turn, but this much I do know."

"I worry for her health, Odin," Keltin frowned.

"We all do," Doppy said.

"I know you all do," Odin nodded. "Which is why her children can help assist her in going to other places, if needed. When they transcend, my Mark will be branded on them, as well. Huginn will not speak through them, as only my daughter, my Vessel, can recruit the strongest monsters, but they can help with the lesser ones."

"I see now," Sammy nodded. "That would make sense."

"When a stronger monster is found, they can alert my daughter, my Vessel, and then she can assist them in recruiting the stronger monster. Thanatos! I may have a solution for the craving she has for you!"

"Really? I will hear it!" Thanatos nodded.

"I can put your twins back in their stasis until Doppelganger's twins are born, if you like," Odin said. Thanatos blinked at this, but something didn't feel right about it.

"But, if the stasis is broken, they will grow. Won't they?" Errende asked.

"Ah. That they will. Hmm. I will need to think on how I can assist, then. Give me some time to ponder?" Odin asked.

"Take all the time you need," Thanatos nodded. "In truth, we all thought it would be best for her to simply remain as she is now. We are doing everything that we can for her, as it is."

"Which brings me to another question," Odin frowned. "Why was my daughter, my Vessel, torn away from you this morning? One minute she was with you all, and then she was far away. All of you were running to reach her! I thought she was never to leave your side!"

_:Father Odin.:_  Muninn said. He landed and became his human form.

"Muninn?" Sarine blinked. He moved over to hug her tightly, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead before he moved over to Odin's side to whisper in his ear. She trembled, and Thanatos squeezed her to comfort her.

"Huginn did WHAT?!" Odin bellowed. Then Muninn whispered to him again, and Odin blinked. With a bit more whispering, Odin seemed rather thoughtful.

" _Our blood does that to her. It makes her ready for more children, it seems. If Huginn hadn't done what he did, we would not have found out. Yes, I was tricked by him, but she needed my assistance. I had to help her. Huginn also knows he was wrong from what he did this morning. If it happens again, he is aware of the consequences._ "

"That may be so, but neither of you were to touch her in such a manner! This displeases me! Must I lock you in your falcon form from this point forward?" Odin asked. "It seems that I may have to!"

"Daddy, please!" Sarine trembled and looked at him. "Muninn is not at fault for what happened! Huginn knows that what he did was wrong. He has vowed not to harm me in such a manner again. Can you...please...forgive them? This once? And, should it happen again, punish as you need to? I...I need Muninn to assist me, if I'm at a loss and need blood. Despite what it does. He did help me when I needed it, and did you not tell him to help me in any way I required? Didn't you make him promise?"

"I did...well..." Odin sighed. "Fine! I'll forgive both of them this once only, but  _only_  because you asked me. Hmm..."

"What?" Sarine asked. Odin looked at her, as though studying her. Then he started to chuckle. Then he started to laugh!  _Why didn't I see it before?!_

" _Father Odin?_ " Muninn asked.

"See for yourself, Muninn! But say nothing yet!" Odin grinned. Muninn closed his eyes to peer into the future, and he nearly dropped to his knees in shock from what he saw.  _Could it be?! How could I have missed this vital truth?!_

"Muninn?" Howard asked.

" _Later! Not now, as Father Odin has said! Later. I promise,_ " Muninn said, as he recovered from the shock of what he saw.

"I'll let you tend to your children," Odin nodded. He hugged his daughter once more, and he handed her two collars to place on Observation and Aliot when the time was right. Then he vanished away. Howard could only sigh with disbelief.

"My Lady..." Errende frowned. She pulled him close to whisper to him gently. When he started to grumble, she kissed him passionately and hugged him tight.

"You will be my only human slave," she promised. "Daddy thinks that this is vital for me. There is only so much you can take before you start to wear down."

"I'll bear it! I'll...get stronger and be even more vital for you!" he said.

"Are you going to tell Daddy that you don't want any others? Besides, he is right about one thing," she said, as she hugged him.

"What's that, My Lady?" he asked.

"It would be a form of Bragging Rights to me, if I did enslave one of each major race," she giggled. That made Doppy's mouth drop, and Keltin barked out laughter. Howard seemed to groan, and Sammy now had to wonder what type of demi-human slave she would need. Eremes sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"What will happen with us?" Observation asked. Aliot wasn't sure what was going to happen, as well. They needed to find out where their places were going to be.

"I need to feed my children in the nursery. Once they are fed, we will talk about it," Sarine said. That made them both nod, and she was carried up to the nursery without any further delays. She knew she was needed.

"We're going to need a larger bedroom," Sammy said, as he settled in a chair. He examined each child before letting her nurse them to ensure they were in perfect health. Errende sat by her feet, and Howard let her rest against him while she stayed close to Thanatos. Eremes was talking to Storm Caller, and adjustments were being made to the bedroom to include more living space. The arena balcony would also be made larger to ensure maximum comfort.

"Vessel of Odin," Observation said, as he moved to speak with her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know how I would act as a slave," he said.

"Just watch what Errende does. It really isn't that hard," she nodded.

"My Lady?" Errende frowned.

"You would be their senior, you know. Which means I would instantly wear them out first. Then I'd have to simply use you as I need to," she smiled.

"I understand, My Lady," he nodded. He really didn't want any other slaves, but Odin did make a point.  _She needed to show that she could be formidable, if questioned._ As long as no other human slaves were taken, he would be able to tolerate the other two.

"You do not call her Vessel of Odin? Why?" Aliot asked.

"Vessel of Odin is a more formal way for others to address her. 'My Lady' is a far more intimate way to speak to her. As a slave, referring to her as 'My Lady' is actually far more preferred. I never call her by her name, as that could show a sign of disrespect. Everyone always says 'Master' or 'Mistress'. I like calling her 'My Lady' as that is who she is to me," Errende explained. "My Lady is more of a lady than a 'Mistress' if you think about it."

"The way you say it does make it sound far more pleasing," Observation said.

"I don't truly see her as a 'Mistress', either. It is true that a lady is far more of what she is. Would you be...concerned...if we chose to call her 'My Lady', as well?" Aliot asked.

"I wouldn't mind it," Errende nodded. "Thank you for asking."

"We will be learning from you. How do you know what to do?" Observation asked. "You seem like you've done this for some time."

"It's instinctive to know what to do. It may be the same for you both, as well. I wouldn't know for sure. At first, I didn't want any other slaves for competition. But...I have a feeling that, as long as no other human slaves are taken, I'll be all right," Errende admitted. "If you feel confused, I'll do what I can to help you both out."

"You please me greatly, Errende," Sarine smiled and placed her foot on his back. He went silent and sighed, as he enjoyed the sensation. When Serenity finished nursing, she looked at her mother with the same matching eyes.

"Ma!" Serenity said. She just said her first word.

"Oh!" Sarine said with joy, and Howard blinked with a fatherly smile. "Ma-ma! Can you say that? Or da-da?"

"Ma!" Serenity giggled. She looked at Howard and pointed. "Duh!"

"That about sums it up!" Doppy howled with laughter.

"Haha. Right," Howard rolled his eyes and took up his daughter to play with her. As she laughed and giggled, Sarine nursed Siegfried with a soft smile. Thanatos continued to hold Sarine in his lap, and Naght appeared in the room to take his son from her when he finished nursing. Siegfried looked up at Naght, and a tiny hand reached out to touch his father's skull. Naght chuckled lightly and purred.

"Who's children are you bearing now?" Aliot asked.

"Originally, it was Doppelganger's twins. Now, since the Demonic Mating, I am also bearing twins from Thanatos and Errende. Their blood is merged together. I will have four children when the time comes," she sighed, as she fixed up her top. Bacsojin moved over to Howard to take Serenity up to change her, and she nodded to Sarine.

"The children are starting on solids now!" she beamed.

"Really? What are they eating?" Sarine asked.

"Strained fruit, strained vegetables, and soft meat. Soon, they should be weaned from you," Bacsojin smiled. "Likely another month."

"Always a good thing," Howard nodded.

"Increase in appetite?" Sammy asked.

"Not really. Just the usual," Bacsojin said. Doll came in with fresh diapers and removed the old ones. Sarine studied how Observation and Aliot watched them now, and it made her start thinking. Then she looked up, as Garrett walked into the room to sit with them. Doppy looked over and nodded, as Naght gave a light hiss in greeting.

"What do we plan to do today?" Garrett asked.

"Well, Aliot would like us to try and go to the robot factory. I figure we could do that today. We also need to see about freeing Ifrit," Sarine said, as she kept her foot on Errende's back. "On top of that, Daddy came by this morning and recruited me two new slaves. I'm going to need to test how strong they are before we go anywhere. That is next on my list."

"New slaves? Who?" Garrett asked. When she gestured to Observation and Aliot, he blinked. He was not expecting them at all.

"He wants her to have a slave of each race, apparently..." Eremes shrugged.

"Shows how strong she is," Keltin nodded. "Of course, would you need an undead slave? I know Injustice is one, but he belongs to Zealotus."

"That would be sort of nasty," she giggled. "Go to whip him, and his arm falls off. Ick! I'm not sure it would work. I'll just have to keep you around instead."

"I can live with that," Keltin chuckled and moved to press a kiss against her cheek. "No beasts, though!"

"Keltin...ew," she frowned, and Doppy grinned. Howard gave Keltin a look before he shook his head with quiet laughter. Even Sammy made a face.

"My Lady?" Errende asked, as he kept his eyes closed.

"Yes, Errende?" she asked.

"When did you want to test them?" he asked.

"Let's do it now," she said. Garrett wished them luck and moved to head down the stairs to let Seyren know what was going on. As Sarine was escorted with her group to the main floor, she was approached by Kathryne.

"I have a favor to ask you," Kathryne said.

"What would that be?" Sarine smiled.

"Can you...um...help me with Mitchell? Like you're doing with Garrett and Seyren?" Kathryne asked. "Please? He really needs to learn more, and, well...I do, too."

"Oh, dear," she sighed. "You need to talk to him about it first."

"We have been talking," Kathryne said.

"Are you going to dominate every guy here?" Thanatos mused.

"Not all of them," Sarine said. "Only those that come to me. I need to finish with Garrett tonight. If Mitchell really wants to be dominated, then I'll need to do a session with him alone to find out what he likes and doesn't like. If he changes his mind, then I won't bother with him again. I will not force one to make a decision. It must be willing."

"I understand. I'll tell him," Kathryne nodded. "How are you doing, though?"

"Better than I thought I would be," Sarine chuckled. She looked over and waved at Lloyd, as he waved to her in greeting. He clearly showed no interest in being dominated.  _At least I won't need to do anything with him!_

"Sarine!" Margaretha called to her, as she walked over.

"Margaretha! We may be going to the robot factory soon," she said.

"I wanted to ask you something," the High Priestess said, as she walked over.

"Oh?" Sarine asked.

"It's going to be Lloyd's birthday soon. Not right away, but near the fall. I've been watching how Seyren and Garrett have been with your little sessions, and...well..." Margaretha blushed. "I was thinking, as a birthday gift, you could do something for him? Like a surprise?"

"Ah..." Sarine found herself blushing, too. She wasn't expecting this at all! "That's a very delicate thing. If he doesn't want it, then I won't be able to do it."

"Are you serious?!" Howard gaped at Margaretha.

"Well...the others seem so much happier afterwards!" Margaretha said.

"I bring them to a point of excruciating pain and pleasure, though," Sarine frowned. "He may not like it at all."

"Lloyd!" Margaretha called for him, and Keltin groaned.

"Yes, darling?" Lloyd asked, as he walked over now.

"What are your feelings of being dominated?" Margaretha asked.

"Um...why?" Lloyd blinked with surprise at the question.

"Just answer the question!" Margaretha said.

"Do I want it? No. Am I curious? Vaguely," he said.

"Are you dominating anyone now?" Margaretha asked.

"In fact, I am," Sarine said, as she gestured to Observation and Aliot.

"Go with them and watch!" Margaretha said to Lloyd.

"But..." Lloyd blinked.

"Go!" Margaretha urged.

"Wow..." Eremes blinked.

"This will be interesting," Doppy mused.

"I guess you're following us?" Sarine chuckled a bit nervously.

"I guess so," Lloyd frowned. "I'm not overly fond of this."

"The feeling is mutual," Howard grumbled. Sammy just gave out a sigh, and they headed to the western part of the island to head down the cave entrance. Lloyd paused at the entrance of the cave and gathered his nerves before heading down. Thanatos moved her into a separate chamber to help her change into her dominating leathers. When she walked back out to see them, Lloyd gaped at her. She gave a bit of a smile and gestured for him to stand against a wall with the others.

"Aliot and Observation. You are both here to become my slaves. If there are any protests about this, speak out now!" she growled. When they both remained silent, she moved to Errende and had him remove his High Priest clothes to reveal the leather slave clothes underneath. Having him kneel, she looked at the other two and gestured for them to do the same.

"What is she doing?" Lloyd asked Keltin.

"Collaring them," the Champion Bongun said. "It wasn't as elaborate with Errende, since she just put the collar on him and wasn't sure what to do. This is different. Just watch."

"Observation," Sarine purred, as she walked over with his collar. "Once I put this on you, you are to see to my every wish, command, and desire. If you fail at any given time in this, you will be punished. This will likely become permanent. Do you understand?"

"I understand," the angel nodded. Thanatos removed his touch from her briefly so she could collar the angel. She moved back into the strong demon's arms to replenish her need for him. On looking at Aliot now, the lesser demon trembled, but it was with a form of pride.

"Aliot. Once I put this collar on you, the demands are the same. You are to see to my every wish, command, and desire. You will be punished, if you fail me. This may also be a permanent status. Do you understand what I am saying to you?" she asked.

"I understand," Aliot said with a slight nod. She moved from Thanatos's embrace now to collar Aliot and stood away from him for Thanatos to hold her close again. Both new collars glowed to become permanent and were sealed with the Mark of Odin in the front of them. A small, golden loop appeared in front of the Mark for leashes when needed. Errende gave a soft sigh, but he accepted it.

"Wow," Lloyd blinked.

"Valkyrie is efficient..." Eremes smirked.

"You're telling me," Howard sighed.

"At least it gives us a break now and then," Keltin shrugged.

"We get less and less time with her, as it is," Doppy frowned.

"She's only one woman," Sammy said in thought.

"Enough!" Sarine growled out and seemed to wince. Errende moved to place his hands on her belly, and she took a deep breath for control. Then Thanatos let out a snarl of rage, as he trembled. She looked at him with alarm.

"I'm being summoned..." he growled out. "I can't resist the call!"

"Loves, we need to help him!" Sarine said, as her dominating side was pushed aside. It was all business now.

"How do we help?" Lloyd asked.

"Heal Errende when he shows signs of pain. If you buff him, Thanatos will get the buffs, too," Sammy said. Thanatos kissed Sarine deeply before vanishing away, and Errende put his arms around her to keep her calm while Thanatos was gone. When Errende started to wince, the Healing started quickly. Howard activated his Adrenaline Rush and Weapon Perfection skills to help Thanatos. Errende suddenly shouted, as fierce pain coursed through him, and Lloyd started to Heal even more with Keltin. Naght flew down into the chamber now when Howard called to him, and he waited alongside the others to see if he would need to assist or not.

A short moment later showed how fast the battle was quickly won, and Thanatos was back with them all. A nod of respect was given to Naght, and the dominant demon nodded back, as he went back to the nursery.

"What would he have done?" Lloyd asked.

"He has a Full Heal ability. It's useful for when I'm about to be defeated. It pisses off the party attacking me," Thanatos grinned and pressed a kiss to Sarine's mouth.

"I think it's time I worked on my new slaves," Sarine said. Errende trembled, and he kneeled before her. The other two slaves glanced at each other and kneeled in the same position as Errende now. She moved over to Errende to caress his face, and Thanatos kept a close eye on her in case she needed him. Her husbands now moved against the wall to stay out of the way, and they gestured for Lloyd to do the same.

She moved to Aliot first and had Errende close by to keep her body cool. She studied the black and white school uniform Aliot wore and frowned.

"My Lady?" Errende asked, as he saw her frown.

"These clothes will not work. I need to speak with Incubus," she said.

"My clothes?" Aliot asked with confusion.

"You need a set of clothes like Errende. At least a set of leather or silk under garments. It will need to be the same with Observation," she said.

"I will find Incubus," Eremes nodded and moved from the room swiftly.

"My Lady," Observation said.

"Yes?" she asked.

"May I suggest a set of white garments for me?" Observation asked.

"Hmm..." she mused. "Maybe silver or gold instead. Or a combination of the two? It would be interesting."

She had Errende keep his arms around her, as she circled each new slave slowly to see how she would want them dressed. Turning to put her arms around Errende now, she whispered to him softly. He studied them before whispering back. Moving to her husbands, she murmured to them on their insight.

"Shirtless for Aliot," Howard muttered. "since his back holds the blades."

"Black leather," Keltin said. "Maybe black silk briefs?"

"Hmm. That could work. Pants or shorts?" she asked.

"Pants. They can fit under his uniform," Doppy said.

"And for Observation?" she asked.

"May I make a suggestion?" Lloyd asked.

"Certainly!" she purred.

"White shorts with gold trim and silver thread," Lloyd said.

"Ahh!" she blinked and nodded. "That could work."

"You could make them briefs instead of shorts," Sammy mused.

"True, as well," she thought.

"That may be best, since he's wearing a toga," Thanatos thought.

"Hmm..." she thought and looked over at Eremes when he returned with Incubus. Various fabrics were brought with the blonde-haired, winged demon. She moved over to Incubus and told him what she wanted. He nodded and began to make the clothing. Pulling Eremes close now, she planted a kiss on him, and he responded to it with a maddening desire. He clearly missed her. She missed him, too.

"Is your body cool to her?" Thanatos asked.

"It was before," Eremes nodded. Errende released Sarine, and she let Eremes pull her into an empty chamber to close the door for privacy.

"It must be hard for her to be with so many," Lloyd frowned.

"Hard on her and us," Howard frowned. "It's unexpected to say the least."

"She knows this, too," Keltin sighed.

"She's trying, and so are we," Doppy said. "With her being pregnant, it's not like we can just demand so much of her, as well."

After a few minutes, Eremes came back out with her, his mouth still locked on hers. Once the kiss was finished, she was given back to Thanatos to chill her body down further. Noticing that Incubus was still working on the clothing, she moved over to Doppy and dragged him into the vacant room. Howard chuckled now and had to admit that she did have a rather incredible appetite for them. Once she was done with Doppy, the clothes were finished, and Incubus handed them to Keltin before leaving with a wink.

"Good," she smiled and took the clothes from Keltin to give to Aliot and Observation. "Go and change into them. Then come back out."

"You will not watch us change?" Observation asked.

"Hmm..." she thought and looked over at Errende. "Blindfold, please."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded and handed her the Blinker. She moved behind him now and placed it on him. He shivered and gasped, as her hands moved over his back slowly before she pushed him into a kneeling position. Then her foot came out to press on his back, and she moved him further to settle on his hands and knees so she could sit on his back.

"Lloyd," she said softly. "you will see me do things to my slaves, but don't worry. I will not kiss you or touch you improperly. That is for your wife. Not me."

"I am relieved about that," Lloyd nodded.

"Thanatos? Can you massage my shoulders?" she asked. "Bare chested?"

"Of course," Thanatos grinned and moved to do as she asked. Letting his armor melt away to expose his chest so he could work on her back, she closed her eyes and sighed at first before looking over at Observation.

"Try on the shorts and tell me how they fit you. Go ahead and undress," she nodded to him. "If they do not fit, we will fix them."

"Yes, My Lady," Observation nodded and removed the toga. Lloyd looked away politely, and she nodded to him for his decency. She noticed that Observation's form was slim, yet powerfully built underneath it all from Valkyrie's upgrade. Purring softly, as she watched him slip into the shorts, she realized they were more like briefs, and that made her smile. After he changed into them, she had him set his toga aside and kneel before her.

"Aliot, please change into your clothes for me. Your other clothes can be set aside and can be worn later," she said.

"As you wish, My Lady," Aliot said. He started to remove the black and white uniform carefully, and she smiled at his build. His body looked delicate, but there was definite muscle in all the right places. He resembled a young athlete. The black silk briefs were put on first, and the black leather pants were placed on next. His white pants would fit over the black leather nicely. Once he was done, he knelt before her.

"Aliot, I would like you to show me your back so I can see how the blades come out," she said. He nodded to her and stood up to turn his back to her. She watched how the blades appeared in small slits in his skin. They looked like an extra set of clawed fingers on robotic limbs when they stretched out. They almost resembled spindly wings.

"I've never seen anything like that!" Keltin exclaimed.

"Neither have I," she mused and thought. "Show me how your hands change, Aliot. I would like to see it."

"As you wish, My Lady," Aliot said, as the blades went down into his back. He turned to expose how metal covered over his hands to form the deadly claws. Thanatos was definitely impressed, and even Howard rose his brow at it.

"Thank you. You may kneel and watch what I do to Errende so you will have an idea of what I will do to you," she nodded. Aliot's hands went back to normal, and he kneeled before her to watch with Observation.

"Sarine?" Thanatos asked.

"Just be close by," she said, and he nodded. Rising up now, she looked at Lloyd.

"Yes?" Lloyd asked.

"You are going to see me do things that you may not enjoy. I will ask you this once. Are you sure about this? Once you see this, you will be bound to certain regulations. One of them is that you will not discuss what goes on in this room to those that don't know," she said carefully.

"Well, I'm already here. And, I did admit that I was curious. You already told me that you would not kiss me or touch me in a manner I would find offensive. I will not say anything to anyone, unless they already know," he nodded.

"After I dominate my new slaves, we shall go to the robot factory. If there is time left over, maybe we should enjoy the arena," she mused. "Oh! I just realized something. I don't have leashes for them."

"I have them," Eremes chuckled and handed them to her.

"Thank you," she smiled and set the leashes aside. "Ah, do I need to do a blood exchange before I start on them?"

"It would probably be best," Doppy nodded. "Aliot may try to attack us out of jealousy, and I don't think you'd like us kicking his ass."

"Not unless I do it," she smirked, and he grinned. "Observation, come to me."

"My Lady," Observation nodded and moved to her side.

"Normally, I'd have the two of you watch how I am taken by my husbands, but, since we are on a time limit, it will have to wait," she said. "And we have a guest, as well. Errende, where is your leash?"

"I have it here, My Lady," Errende said and gave it to her. Keeping the Blinker on him, she clipped his leash on him to let him tense up. She had Observation follow her into the vacant room with Errende. The door closed behind them now to give them privacy.

"I'm not supposed to watch that, am I?" Lloyd asked.

"No. That is a private thing that happens between us," Sammy said. "And, I don't think she likes having outsiders watch her having fun with us, too."

"Ah..." Lloyd nodded. He could relate with that. In the vacant room, she had Observation strip fully and lay back on the stone floor. Errende had the Blinker off so he would have better control on helping her, if her craving for Thanatos started to hit her.

"You've never done this before, right?" she asked Observation, as her hands moved over his body. He groaned and shivered, as he tried to respond.

"No..." he gasped out, as her hands worked over his body.

"Don't give in," she ordered, as he looked ready to release for the first time. "Wait for when I tell you to. You can do this."

"Yes...My Lady..." he groaned out and tried to do as she asked. The moment her hands touched his sex, he cried out as he held back. He was sweating now, and she started to caress him gently. He fought with his urge and whimpered. The halo over his head seemed to glow to reflect what he was feeling.

"That's it..." she crooned. "Hold back for me..."

"Ah! I..." he whimpered out, and his body shook fiercely to a point that his wings started to cramp up. When she finally placed her mouth over him, he went speechless from the sensation of it. He wanted to release, but he didn't. After another minute of the senseless torment, she moved to have Errende help her undress. Then she moved her body over Observation's, and he started panting.

"Now...you can release!" she growled and sat on him fully. He wouldn't have been able to hold back if he tried, and he gave her his first release deep inside her. He screamed from the force of it, and she arched with the pleasure of it. He lay on the ground in a gasping mess of sensations, and he cried out again when she worked her body over his. She had him give himself to her over and over again until he finally reached that point of pleasure and pain. The next release she forced him to do had him shaken to his core from the intensity of it, and all he could do was lay there in absolute wonder.

"Is My Lady all right?" Errende asked her gently. He had moved a bit close in case he needed to hold her. She yanked him close with his leash and planted a kiss on him. He shook from it, and she had him place his hands on her to keep her body cooled.

"Errende, you are going to help me dress. Then, Observation, you will dress. You will wait in here with me. But, before this happens, I must do the blood exchange. Errende, keep close, and inform Thanatos if anything happens," she said. "Do you have a knife for me to use on myself? I cannot let myself be bitten."

"I do," Errende said and presented the small knife to her.

"Thank you. Observation, please sit up," she said. The angel groaned and forced himself to move. His white, feathered wings trembled, as he saw her throat slightly cut for him. When he was ordered to take one mouthful, he moved quickly to place his mouth on her throat to do as she asked. She cried out with release, and he clung to her now. After the mouthful was taken, he pulled away, and Errende Healed her wound.

Now it was his turn for her to drink from him, and she knew she would have to be careful about it.  _I can't have too much of his blood, or it could ruin my dominant streak._ She judged that two mouthfuls would be fine. She locked him in a rather intense kiss before moving her mouth carefully to where his neck joined at the shoulder. As she moved her mouth over his neck with soft nibbles, he gave in to the sensations of it. When she bit down, he screamed from the pleasuring pain and released even harder than before. She drew out the mouthfuls she needed slowly, and he whimpered from the pleasure of it.

When she pulled away from him, Errende Healed the angel, and she had him release one last time before moving off of him to have him dress. Errende helped her dress, and she clipped Observation's leash on him. She mused that it was white with silver and gold threading to match his shorts. His collar even held small diamonds and white topaz gems. Yanking Observation close, she kissed him roughly to leave him gasping before shoving him away gently to stand to one side. He was already recovering and would need to be conditioned to last longer.

"What is your command, My Lady?" Observation asked now that he was fully hers. She thought, as she played with the new leash, before she realized she was starting to feel warm again. She winced, and Errende moved quickly to hug her tighter.

"Just wait where you are. Errende, call Thanatos in. I need him for a moment," she said, as her skin started to heat up. The stronger demon quickly moved into the room and hugged her tightly to chill her body back down. Snuggling into him with relief, he looked over and smirked at Observation's new position.

"Was it what you expected?" Thanatos grinned. At Sarine's nod that he could answer any question asked, the angel shivered.

"It was not," Observation chuckled nervously.

"I gave Errende this same order," Sarine smiled. "As always, you will do as I command. If one of my husbands or mates asks you to do something, it will be your choice to agree or disagree with it. You can talk to anyone you wish, but do not do as they ask, unless you feel it is necessary. Errende can easily help you, if you have questions. Do you understand?"

"Yes, My Lady. I do," Observation nodded. Thanatos kissed Sarine deeply, and she nodded to show she was able to keep the craving for him back once again. He nuzzled her and growled a bit with possession, as she ran her hands through his blue-black hair. He wasn't sated of her, and he was starting to show it.

"After Aliot, I'll give myself to you," she promised, and he gave out an inhuman snarl. He wanted her now. She pressed a finger to his lips and smiled softly.

"Why?" he growled and nibbled her finger.

"Because it's needed," she smiled. "and good things come to those who wait."

"I'm not exactly good, and I don't want to wait!" he hissed and finally yanked aside a black leather strap. She squealed with delight, and he grinned wickedly now. Pulling her close, as his armor melted off him, he moved her against the wall to brace her there, and he took her with a wild form of lust. He knew she needed this, anyways. She was going to have to be away from him again, and he wanted to make sure her body would be sated of him for a time.

When she released with him, he ground into her hard, as he roared. He held her there until the pleasure ebbed away, and he kissed her when he backed away from the wall. He let her dress now and had Errende hold onto her. As he walked out, he gestured for Aliot to enter the room. When the lesser demon walked in, the door closed behind him.

"Go ahead and undress, Aliot," she said, as she started to remove her own black leather garments. "When you are done, kneel for me."

"As you wish, My Lady," he said. Once he was nude and kneeling, she moved behind him to lightly feel up his back. When he shivered, she smiled.

"So, you've never done this before?" she asked.

"I had...plenty of opportunities...but..." he was trying to focus on talking, but her touching kept throwing him off. In a way, she never fully forgave him for attacking Errende earlier in the day. Now it was time for her to silently punish him. She wasn't going to make it any easier on him at all.

"But?" she chuckled and dragged a nail along his spine to make him gasp.

"I kept feeling that I had to wait!" he hissed out. "The other Alices and Alizas weren't good enough for me!"

"And how do you feel about me?" she purred. Observation glanced at Errende, and they both gave silent nods to each other, as they returned to watch Aliot.

"If...I saw you for the first time there...I wouldn't have hesitated! I...I would have kept you for myself!" he growled out, as her hands moved to trail up his arms to his shoulders. "I'd have let no one else touch you!"

"Is that so? How would you have kept me alive?" she asked. She pressed her chest against his back, and her hands moved around his front to caress his chest.

"The Academy above...the factory...has a kitchen...food supplies for months..." he said, as he kept trying to focus on talking. Her lips now moved to kiss his neck and made a trail up to his ear. One of her hands came up to tilt his face to hers to kiss him roughly. He moaned out softly in the kiss, and her other hand continued to explore his body. When her hand moved lower, he tensed and let out a groan.

"Don't give in to your pleasure of release until I say so," she whispered. "Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"Yes..." he said softly, and she had him lay on the ground. Her hands now moved in the same fashion that Observation experienced before. She brought Aliot into a state of lust and desire swiftly. Then she heightened the experience when she finally started to massage his sex with her hands. He cried out sharply, as he fought back the urge to release. Several times she brought him near his state of ecstasy and had him push it back. It got even worse for him when she used her mouth, and he started to give out sharp whimpers of the pleasuring torture.

"Just a bit longer. You can do this for me. Can't you?" she whispered. She moved her body over his. At the feel of her around him, he almost gave in to her.

"I...yes...My Lady..." he moaned out. Her hands locked on his hips, and she worked with him. She worked him hard with her body, and he started to cry out. Yet, he still held himself back. When he felt the first spasms of release start to rock him, he trembled uncontrollably. She recognized that sign all too well.

"Very good, Aliot. You may release now," she whispered in his ear. He didn't wait another second. He screamed, as he gave her his first release, and his hands moved to pull her body down on his to make sure she got all of it. He bucked hard into her and screamed again, as she brought him to another release. Then she brought him to another. She kept milking his body with her own until the pleasure started to become incredibly painful, but she didn't stop. Right after his eighth release, he passed out.

"Will you do the blood swap now, My Lady?" Errende asked. He moved to her to place his hands on her back. She had just started to feel the heat on her skin and was about to call for him. She leaned into him with a smiled.

"In a moment. Likely when he wakes," she purred. Then she blinked. Even though Aliot's mind was blacked out, his body was still pleasuring her!

"How is he doing that?" Observation asked.

"He has...robotic parts...remember?" she gasped. Aliot's body brought her to release rather hard, and Errende's mouth dropped with amazement. Normally he'd be jealous, but he was suppressing that emotion for her.

"So, his body has an instinctive mode," Observation mused. After another release was given to her, she carefully pulled Aliot into a sitting up position to cradle him close to her.

"Aliot," she whispered. "it's time for you to wake up for me."

He gave a small groan, as he leaned into her. His arms were holding her possessively to his chest. His eyes were still closed to show he was still passed out.

"He's out cold, isn't he?" Observation frowned.

"Errende, use the knife on me, please. Just a scratch to my neck is all I need for him," Sarine said. Errende nodded and did as she asked. The scent of her blood was enough to make Aliot blink awake with concern.

"You're bleeding, My Lady?" Aliot frowned.

"We need to do a blood swap. Take a mouthful from me, since I am pregnant. A mouthful is enough. Then I will take some blood from you," she said. He blinked, nuzzled her cheek, and moved his mouth to lock onto her throat. She cried out with her instant release, and he gave a muffled shout with his own release. When he pulled away from her, Errende Healed her neck, and she slowly nuzzled along his neck. He moaned softly and gasped, but he screamed with release when she bit down hard and her mouth locked on his throat. She drank deeply now, since she needed blood. His blood was purely Demonic, and that was what she was craving. She claimed four mouthfuls from him before pulling away, and Errende Healed him now.

"I belong to no other," Aliot muttered, as he rested his head against her shoulder.

"Of course not! I collared you and laid claim to you. You are mine! Now that we have swapped blood, it's even more so!" she said with a growl. The fresh boost of demon blood easily fueled her irritated temper. "I need you to dress now, and I will dress, as well. Errende, I am going to have to use you to show Lloyd what dominating is like. After that, we will see if we are ready to go to the robot factory. We need to do this now."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded. Aliot clearly didn't want to move, but he knew he was going to have to build himself up to Errende's standards. There was a touch of envy to him now, but he knew things like this took time.

After she dressed, she clipped Aliot's leash on him once he finished dressing, and she led her three slaves to the main room of the chamber. Pressing Observation and Aliot against the wall to watch, she yanked Errende to the ground by his leash and placed her foot on his back to lean on her leg. He managed to move to his hands and knees to better suit her, and she smirked.

"Now, Lloyd," she thought, as Thanatos walked over to chill her body with his presence. "Do you like pain?"

"No," Lloyd said quickly.

"Then I could train you like I did Garrett," she thought. "Anyways, I'll show you what I did to him using Errende. Is that all right with you?"

"That's fine," Lloyd nodded.

"Give me the Blinker," she said to Errende, and he gave it over to her. Tying it back on him, she had him remove the leather pants to be in his black silk briefs and kneel before her. Her husbands all watched silently, as she aroused Errende's passions and lusts within seconds. Not once did she touch him inappropriately or give him any form of real pain. Lloyd had to admit that he was fascinated by the whole thing. After another five minutes of showing him how it was done, Sarine moved to yank Errende to her with his leash. She had him follow her into the nearby vacant room to reward him for his good work.

Aliot and Observation were stunned. They were going to have to build themselves up to take that and even more. They both felt a touch outclassed by Errende, and they would make up for what they lacked by learning as swiftly as possible. When she got back out, she nodded to Lloyd to show that she was done showing him what she could. Lloyd nodded back and made his way out to think about everything.

"I wonder what's going through his mind..." Eremes mused.

"A lot," Doppy smirked. When Keltin gave over her Sniper gears, she paused and thought. Howard looked at her questionably.

"Change in plans," she sighed. "Each of you need to take a mouthful of blood from me, since I have two new blood types in me now. I know the twins in the nursery will need a sample from them, too. So, I'm going to undress again and go back into that room."

"Right," Doppy nodded.

"Heard and noted," Eremes agreed.

"Who's first?" Howard asked.

"Hmm..." she thought. "Sammy, Keltin, Eremes, Doppy, Thanatos, and Howard. Ah, should Errende do the same with me?"

"Probably be best," Thanatos nodded.

"So much blood!" Errende winced. "My Lady, I'll make sure you have something to drink when we get to the house."

"Thank you. You can take my blood after Doppy," she nodded. "Oh! Observation will need another mouthful from me. He didn't get Aliot's blood. He can go before Errende. Um, I think Errende can go after Doppy to give me a boost for Thanatos."

"You should take some of ours in turn..." Eremes said.

"True. It would ease some of the blood loss," she agreed. Sammy looked at her now, gave a small smile, and scooped her up to take her into the vacant room. When the blood was exchanged, the next one quickly moved in to help her. They didn't want her alone for too long, or her body would heat up. When it finally reached Howard's turn, he moved swiftly past Thanatos, as the demon left the small chamber. Gathering her up in his arms now, he planted a kiss on her mouth. He could still hear her thoughts, but her mental wall kept her harmful emotions back. He frowned, as he could feel her exhaustion.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Tired. Drained," she sighed. Her neck looked a bit bruised from where she had to give over her blood. She didn't want it Healed, since she would just have gotten cut open again, and it was easier this way. He winced at it and held her close.

"I'll make it quick," he whispered.

"No," she said and moved her hand over his chest. He shivered and cradled her.

"No?" he asked.

"I've been waiting for you. It's why I had you go last. I really want to spend time with you," she sighed, and he quickly took off his tunic to set on the ground. His pants and boots quickly followed. He pulled her close to rest his forehead against her shoulder.

"There's so much I want to talk to you about right now," he muttered.

"Is there?" she frowned.

"Does my body feel cold to you?"

"I actually feel pretty good right now," she smiled. "Thanatos had me take as much as I needed from him."

"Good. Ah...do you remember what we talked about the night before Lighthalzen? Before we decided to...give ourselves to each other?" he asked.

"I do," she nodded. "We...talked about when we started to share a bed for the first time. When I was with the group for that first month."

"Yeah," he smiled, as he remembered. "You had a nightmare that night, and I felt your fear. Snapped me right out of sleep."

"You almost tore down the door to get to me!"

"Tell me about it!" he grinned. "When you told me how you thought you were all alone...I was adamant about not leaving your side after that. Stayed in the bed with you, and you slept curled up next to me."

"I know. Seyren had a fit that morning," she giggled.

"That's right, eh?" he chuckled. "Once I told him you had a nightmare and didn't want to be left alone, he kept quiet. After that, though, every inn we stayed at, I was in your room later that night. Finally, I figured to hell with it, and we just shared a room after another four nights of me running to your side. You always had bad nightmares when you slept alone."

"I still do..." she said weakly, and he looked at her with concern. Then he remembered the night she was alone and they plotted her birthday party. He gasped and hugged her tightly to him now. He just made the connection, and he trembled with her.

"Still..." he whispered. "I was determined to ask you to marry me. I should have done it that night. Married you before I went into that place of horrors. I didn't know..."

"We both didn't know, How-How!" she whimpered, and he trembled.

"There are times that I wish..." he was shaking now and shivering. "I really want to be your only husband! I just...it should have been...just you and...me..."

"How-How, listen to me!" she said, as she grabbed his chin to force his oceanic blue-green eyes to look into her tigers' eye gemstone eyes. "As Thanatos said..."

"Yes?" he asked. His desire for her was starting to set in.

"In human terms...you are my First Mate!" she growled and pressed a kiss to his mouth now. He groaned and kissed her back fiercely before pulling away to hug her tight. Something instinctive was taking place now, and he gasped. When he heard her thoughts again, he growled.  _She always loved me the most. She always desired me the most._   _She did love the others, but I was her real true love._

"Why can I still feel you?!" he finally gasped out, as he shook his head. "It's...not as intense...but I know what you're thinking, in a way! Your emotional barrier is keeping me from fully reacting to your emotions, but your thoughts are something else! It's almost like...ever since Muninn had us go into your mind..."

"Then maybe you need to go back into my mind to find the answer," she said softly. He looked at her with a form of shock, but then he glared at the wound on her neck. It was starting to bleed, and he was craving to taste her blood. The instinctive feeling he had suddenly came back to him now, and he growled out something incoherent. But Sarine knew what it was, and she gave a soft, responding growl of her own.

He moved to quickly flip her onto her belly, pinned her arms back, and he started to thrust hard inside her. She cried out sharply and then screamed when his mouth nuzzled her neck and locked on the wound. He released as hard as he could into her, as he dragged two mouthfuls of blood from her instead of one to prove he was her First Mate for the human race. The feeling was powerful.  _Needful_. He was secretly glad that the heavy door was hiding them both from sight and sound, or Eremes may have responded to fight him for her. She wasn't giving out a scent, but this need was so instinctive that he would have seen it as a challenge.

After he managed to claim his way of dominance over her, he positioned her so her back was on the floor. Now he took her at his leisure, enjoying her cries for him when he ground himself into her. When she released again, he shifted his position to have her sit up with him. Reaching for his Vecer Axe, he carefully opened his neck for her to take the blood she needed now. He shouted out his release, and he clung to her, as she sucked the blood out greedily. He gasped and gave himself to the pleasure of it over and over again until she drew herself away.

Looking around, he spotted a white slim potion that Eremes had purposely left behind for her. He reached over and grabbed it to remove her wound and his, as they shared it between them. Tossing the empty vial aside, he held her close with a form of protective possessiveness now. Only when he was able to think again was he able share his thoughts with her.

"I love you," he whispered to her softly, as he held her. "You're my wife. The mother of my children. My heart. My soul..."

"How-How..." she sighed and rested against him at long last. He felt her give him all of her weight, and he smiled softly.  _She had fallen asleep._ Holding her, as she slept now, he wondered why the others didn't come to see them.  _Surely, I had taken far more time with her than the others did._ In the end, he decided it didn't matter.  _This was what I wanted. How it should have been._

He rocked her against him and let her sleep. He knew she was exhausted and sorely needed the rest. The door suddenly opened slowly, and he looked up to find Muninn walking in to close the door and sit with him on the ground.

" _I froze time for you both,_ " he said. " _After seeing how exhausted she was after Thanatos, I knew she needed rest. I also knew you needed time alone with her, too._ "

"You saw everything? Oh. That's right," Howard chuckled. Then he thought and decided to ask the one important thing on his mind right now. "I need to know something, Muninn. I'm able to...well...hear her thoughts now. It's not as intense as her emotions, since her emotional wall is up, so I'm not reacting to them like I normally do. In fact, I know it's not her emotions that I'm sensing. But, I know what she's thinking now. It's like she's able to talk to me mind to mind. I just don't think she can hear me. Ever since I was taken into her mind to pull her from Huginn with the others, it's been happening, and I don't know why."

" _Really? That is strange,_ " Muninn pondered. " _If you like, we could go into her mind to see what could be going on._ "

"Will it hurt her?"

" _No. Perfectly safe. You have my word._ "

"Then let's try it," Howard nodded. Muninn nodded back and closed his eyes, as Howard did the same. He found himself standing in the cave again. Muninn was standing on a cloud once more, and a path was set before him.

" _What do you see around you? I see myself standing on a cloud in the sky._ "

"You do? I'm in an underground cave. But, where is Sarine?"

" _I'm not sure. Let's try and find her,_ " Muninn said. They nodded to each other, since their paths were the same despite their different surroundings. The sound of humming was heard far off, and they moved towards it. They both saw and found her in a lush garden on a swing, and Huginn was pushing her gently.

"How-How?" she blinked, and Huginn looked over with a small wave.

"Huginn?!" Howard asked with a glare.

"I know," Huginn said. "But, I am not hurting her in any way."

" _So far that we know of,_ " Muninn grumbled. " _Are you all right, Sarine?_ "

"I'm okay. Why are you both here?" she frowned. She hopped off the swing to get hugged tightly by Howard.

" _We are trying to find out why Howard still has the ability to sense your thoughts,_ " Muninn said gently. " _Ever since we came here to help you, he can hear what you think._ "

"I am the reason for that, actually," Huginn said with a smile. "I felt it was needed. Howard and her are closely matched, after all. Someone needs to know what is truly going on in her thoughts. It does help. Doesn't it?"

"Well...yes..." Howard muttered between the kisses that she was giving him. When she whispered something to him that she wanted to try later, his eyes widened with shock. "That could be very dangerous!"

"It will be fun," she grinned.

"You will make me lose control!" he growled.

"As if I don't do that, anyways!" she giggled. Huginn and Muninn looked at each other and started to snicker softly.

"Don't either of you agree with her!" Howard said.

"Too late!" Huginn grinned. "She's going to wake up now."

"What?!" Howard blinked and found himself ejected from her mind when she woke up. She was still giggling, and he found himself gaping at the thoughts she was sending him. Muninn was chuckling and rose to stand.

" _I'll give you both a little more time together. Then you should go to the nursery to let the children take in the blood of Observation and Aliot before heading to the robot factory,_ " Muninn said before he walked out of the room.

"Sarine..." Howard grounded out. He found himself panting with a whole new level of wanting for her. She kept flooding his mind with dirty little images of herself, and he finally gave in. He placed her on the ground and shoved himself hard into her, forcing her to scream out with him at the hasty release. Panting now, he found himself aroused again with the way her body moved under his. He ended up giving himself to her again.

"Mine..." she hissed in his ear. Her nails raked over his back. "All mine!"

"Yes...yours..." he whispered weakly. He released again in her even harder. He couldn't help it now. She had full control.

"Say you belong to me," she said, as she nibbled along his jaw.

"I...belong to you!" he gasped out before shouting with a release that brought pain with it. She used his body now to a point that he was close to passing out. Only then did she stop and snuggle into him.

"I love you so much, How-How!" she said fiercely. Her hands roamed over his body and up into his light-green locks of hair to massage his scalp. "I just...your body is so...perfect! I don't want to be anywhere else right now!"

"Ah! Sarine!" he moaned out from her touching and kept her close to him. "You are always perfect to me, too! And to know that I...constantly have to share you...it kills me! It really does!"

The kiss they shared was one of intense love and want. After the kiss, he was able to sit up with her to hug her close, and her head rested against his neck. His body was actually much colder to her now. She whispered this to him, and he gave a touch of an exasperated smile.  _She could be with me for as long as she needed to._

"What are you thinking of?" she asked. "I can't tell what you're thinking."

"Just that...you are destined to be with so many...but...I honestly think you were truly to be with me," he admitted. "That we were...blocked from each other long ago...as though purposely kept apart. If I knew of you...I would have rescued you long ago. I would have stolen you away..."

"If you gave me your doll then, it would have been taken from me," she shivered.

"I know," he said, as he cradled her. "You shouldn't have married Keltin."

"If it wasn't for him..." she whimpered. "I..."

"Hush," he soothed and kissed her forehead. "I know this, too. He was the one that had you find us. You found me again with him. Don't cry, love. There's no need to cry anymore. I'm here now. I'm right here..."

He kissed her softly, as her tears fell, and he pressed her head against his shoulder to comfort her and rock her. He now knew how badly she truly did miss him in the past. How badly she craved him on those long nights of being alone. He wanted to kick himself for thinking that she had moved on without him long ago!  _She suffered as badly as I did. I, at least, had the others to talk to. She had no one._ Then he stiffened after getting a thought from her, and she cried harder when he hugged her tighter.  _She had nightmares practically each night! There was so much that she was keeping from us all!_

He pulled up her hands quickly to have them rest on his chest so he could wrap his arms fully around her to give her as much comfort as he could. Then he looked up, as Muninn suddenly bolted in to help calm her down. He knew how badly she was suffering when she was alone, but he couldn't intervene then. He could intervene now. Not removing her from Howard's embrace, Muninn sat on the floor by them, leaned close to her, and softly whispered to her. Howard focused himself to listen.

" _I always watched over you. You were never alone. Why do you think you were able to push on? To keep going? I was the one that constantly whispered to you to press on. To not take that last step in Gonryun. That things would get better. I'll tell you a truth,_ " Muninn whispered softly. " _You need to know it._ "

"What...is it...?" Sarine whimpered out, as Howard kissed her forehead.

" _I was the one that led Keltin to you. I pushed him in your direction. I knew he would help you start off on the real path you needed to find new friends. And that he would push you to find Howard and the others again. I...kept him from being burned up in the past, too. I couldn't let his body be destroyed in the flames long ago. I also protected his house. It was also myself that kept you from being admitted into Lighthalzen. You would have died in the experiment. Not just possessed. But...you would have died. Father Odin gave me strict orders to guarantee your survival against all odds after you were freed from Amatsu! I did everything that I could. And Howard. Remember what Odin whispered to me? That I couldn't say right away?_ "

"I do..." he nodded, just amazed at what he was hearing now.

" _Huginn and I will give her children. Not now, but eventually we will. They...are to be the ultimate warriors in the war ahead._ "

She gasped, and Howard hissed out a shock of dismay.

"But...but..." she blinked, as her heart raced.

" _I know. It's sudden. I don't like it any more than you do. But, if Father Odin foresaw it, who am I to judge? And, yes, Valkyrie's prophecy will need to come to pass. The children made with Eremes will be the generals to help control the monsters, as they attack. But, my children and Huginn's children will be the ones that will end up going into the thick of battle and killing the leader in charge of the war. Then...new paths will be opened up into another world. It has been foreseen._ "

"Another world?!" Howard blinked.

" _Yes. A rip in dimensions will happen. New adventures will open up. New skills will be learned and acquired. All of this will happen in time after this war is over._ "

"I feel so...used..." she whimpered. Howard squeezed her to him and bent his mouth to her ear to whisper softly to her. At his whispering, she calmed down and snuggled into him even more. He was elated that his new role as her First Mate calmed her down so quickly now.  _I will always be there when she started to get upset. I'll be able to hear her thoughts and take action quicker than anyone else._

" _Howard. There was something else that I found out. Specifically, for you,_ " Muninn said with a hint of a smile. There was a touch of sadness, too, but he kept it well-hidden. It was the way they would find out the true nature of what he was going to reveal that was so disheartening later in the future. He couldn't reveal it to them now.

"Oh?" he asked, as he nuzzled her.

" _You will give her another set of children. In fact, you'll be giving her triplets the next time you manage to claim her first. And all of them will be identical daughters. You are going to have your hands full!_ "

"What?!" Howard gaped, and now Sarine giggled at the thought.

" _It's true that Sarine will be constantly pregnant in a way, but you can guarantee that all of her children will be well taken care of. And all of them will live past normal human life spans. Even you, Howard. All of her husbands will live rather long and unnatural lives, even though most are monsters. You may become human again, but the Demonic taint will still be with you. You will not get any older than you are now. Her friends will be the same, save the ones untouched by Lighthalzen._ "

"That means that Lloyd and Karla...and..." she blinked.

" _Yes. They will live normally and age normally. But...perhaps, if they drank some potent Demonic blood, they may have a chance to live longer. Maybe even the blood of the ones they are with now. It's up to them, though. Garrett may live a bit longer, since he took a sample of your blood to stop Loki. But, the others are subject to normal aging and eventual death._ "

"I don't think they would want that. To live forever or longer. Even then, it's something we would all have to talk about it," Howard said.

" _Yes, you will all have to discuss it. However, do you feel you need more time with her? Or do you feel that you are ready for time to progress?_ "

"I...really want a bit more time with her. My body feels cold to her, so she can be with me safely. I don't want to give her over right now," he said.

"Not much longer, How-How. I'm starting to get hungry," she frowned.

" _Here,_ " Muninn said, as he let a plate of cubed, Immortal Heart pieces appear in his hand. She blinked at it, and Howard sighed with relief. " _It's one of the few things that I can do. I understand why Howard needs to be with you longer than the others. Don't worry. This will sate you long enough until time can be resumed. Just remember. You can't delay things much longer. I can let another hour slip by before time resumes. The plate will vanish when you are done with it. I'll wait outside. Remember. Only one more hour. Time must resume when it's done. You all have much to do today._ "

"Thanks, Muninn," Howard said, as he took the plate. "You're a great guy, you know. Everything you've done was not only for her...but for me, too. I appreciate it."

" _You're welcome,_ " Muninn said with complete respect for him. When he rose and left the room, Howard let Sarine eat and sate her hunger. Once the plate vanished, he hugged her tightly to him and kissed her passionately.

"Less than an hour," he muttered, and she kissed him again. "At least...I can get more time with you this way."

"I know," she said lovingly, as she ran her hands over his shoulders. "I miss you so much at times, and now that I have to spend so much time with Thanatos, it just...it hurts. I can't voice it, because I know I need everyone around me, too. I'm supposed to be spending time with Doppy now...but that's impossible right now..."

"Let's not think about them. I want to think about us. Muninn said that you are going to give me identical triplets! Girls! Triplets!"

"How-How..." she blushed and gazed at him so lovingly now. The affection he felt from her was overwhelming, and he kissed her long and full of need. "I think...I'm going to like you...reading my thoughts. When I miss you...you'll know..."

"I like that idea," he smiled and cuddled her. "I can even get Sammy to help you out, if I have to. That is mainly his job. But...damn. I...feel comfortable with the others. Eremes, Keltin, Doppy, and Sammy. We have a direct kinship, since we're all married to you. Errende sort of wormed his way in with how he can handle the kids. Thanatos isn't a bad guy, either, and Naght has his moments, too. I'll have to see about the two new slaves, though, and Ifrit. But...there are times I do wish it was just us. You and me. I think I would want to have a dream vision with you. Eventually. See how things would have worked out if we weren't held back from each other. I...I honestly think it's needed. You know?"

"I do, too," she smiled. "Thanatos wanted to see what would have happened if I approached him in the tower."

"You'd have to be transcended to do that," he grinned.

"That's right, huh? Or...maybe the power of a Bloody Branch?"

"Ugh. Those things should all be destroyed!"

"If it wasn't for one of those things...you wouldn't have..."

"I know..." he whispered and kissed her forehead. "Things happen for a reason. As you always say. I take back what I said about the Bloody Branches."

"I love you, How-How," she said. She pressed herself into his chest.

"I love you, too," he said, as he hugged her tight. "I'm never leaving your side. I belong to you. And, more importantly, you belong to me!"

"I..." she gasped.

"You know you do. You and I will always meet, no matter what dream visions anyone else has, or how things may have been different. We were torn from each other three times in our lives. I will  _not_  allow a fourth time to happen!"

"Howard!" she gasped harshly, and he kissed her hard now. From this point forward, he would always see her as his.  _The others could say whatever they wanted, but she is truly mine now. I am her True First Mate. Her first love. I should have been her first husband. Her only husband._  He knew he was curious how other things would have turned out, like she was, but he knew now that she always missed him more than the others.  _She cried over me for three years!_  He had to make it up to her, and he was only so very glad that she bore children for him first. Even though they also belonged to Naght, they were still his.

He was still kissing her roughly when he felt that time had resumed. He was almost as breathless as she was when the light knock was heard on the door.

"Yes?" he asked, as she pulled him into another kiss. She wanted him closer to her. All this time, he was still holding her in his lap, and he shifted swiftly to move in her. He held her tightly, as he rocked her with a pleasuring release, and he shielded her when the door opened. Thanatos stepped in and sat down.

"Is everything all right?" Thanatos asked, as he closed the door. "The others are waiting to get the day going."

"I know," Howard sighed. "I'm going to tell you something. Because I trust you, and I know you won't say anything from what I'm going to tell you."

"Errende won't say anything, either," he nodded.

"Naght will remain silent, as well," Howard thought. "Sarine...she loves me the most. And, because of that, my body now feels colder to her. I...claimed her for myself as a First Mate, in a sense. Muninn froze time for us to be together longer. I'm able to 'see' her thoughts now, on top of feeling her emotions when her emotional wall is down. You may be able to sense what the children in her need, but I'll know what she needs. Even more was that Muninn told me...something a bit disturbing."

"What did he tell you?" Thanatos asked calmly. He had no problem with Howard being her First Mate for humans. That was expected with how much she loved him, and he already knew it was so. Demons didn't mind First Mates within others, since any demon could be a First Mate, if they proved themselves hard enough. As for him reading her thoughts, that surprised him a bit. He thought he heard Howard mention it before, and he smirked to himself.  _He did mention it, but I decided to ignore it, since I wasn't sure if it was fully true. Now that it's true, it would be good to know for future issues. That bit would need to be told to the others._

"Eventually, both Muninn and Huginn will...give her children," Howard grimaced. "Odin foresaw this. They are to be the true champions in battle. They are the ones that will get to the heart of the source and wipe it out. Then...after that's done...a new world will open up."

"Are you serious?!" Thanatos frowned.

"Yes. Even more," Howard managed a small grin. "Sarine will give me identical triplet daughters. That's when I manage to get her again to myself."

"Now THAT will be fun!" Thanatos agreed. "Don't worry. Anyone that touches any of our children will wind up dead. You have my word on that!"

"I'm starting to get hungry," Sarine sighed. "But, I still don't want to leave, yet."

"Our children will need you, soon," Howard frowned. She smiled, and he blinked at her thoughts, as fatherly pride set in. Hugging her tight now, he knew it was going to be a bit harder on him to see her with the others. Thanatos thought, as he mulled something over in his mind.

"I want to tell you something, but I'm not sure how Naght would take it," Thanatos said. Howard frowned and thought.

"Naght will not do anything for Sarine's sake," Howard said.

"In my tower yesterday, Muninn froze time with me and Errende still in it to help Sarine. You know this. However, Sarine had me claim her as a First Mate. Only because, should something happen while she's locked in time, I would be the only one able to help her," Thanatos said. Howard blinked at this, and Naght was a touch surprised. But, Naght understood and would not do anything.  _If Muninn wanted it to happen, then there was a reason for it._ As long as he was still respected as a First Mate now, then Naght didn't care. Howard said this and Thanatos nodded.,

"As much as I hate to say this," Howard frowned. "First Mates should have our own pact. I mean...look at us with her! It's as though we hold a higher standing! Don't we?"

"Hmm," Thanatos frowned. "Errende is a bit like us then, since he's her 'First Slave' in a way. You have a point, though. It will be hard for any of them to reach First Mate status, as it is. They become a First Mate, they prove themselves worthy even more to Sarine's cause."

"It's painful to admit, though we have to admit it. Should one of them reach our status with her, then they would be included. Sarine, what do you think?" Howard asked.

"Well," she thought. "it's...painful to know that I would instinctively be seeing all of those I love as lesser until they prove themselves to me. But, you do have a point. As much as I don't want secrets between us..."

"There will be no secrets. This is an instinctive pact," Thanatos said. "Only recognized by those you know and fully trust."

"I want to think of all of my husbands as First Mates," she sighed. "But, I know I can't right now. Especially like the Demonic Mating. And How-How just claimed me as his for Human Rights. I do know that, regardless, I will love everyone equally in the end."

"I'm sure you will," Howard soothed. He gazed at her and seemed to smile softly at her thoughts that she would always love him the most. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and her belly rumbled for more food.

"We'll talk more later," Thanatos nodded. She sighed, and Howard let her go to Thanatos now. She gasped at the chill he gave her and seemed to sag with a bit of relief. Howard found her Sniper gears, and they dressed her carefully. When Thanatos carried her out, everyone looked at her with a form of relief.

"My Lady is all right?" Errende asked softly.

"I'm fine. Hungry, though," she said.

"We thought you would be," Aliot said, as Observation brought her a plate of cubed Immortal Hearts. She smiled softly at their thoughtfulness, and Errende got on his hands and knees for her to sit on his back. Then she blinked, as Aliot got on his hands and knees to act as her table when Observation put the plate on his back. That had her blush, and Howard just blinked at what her slaves were doing now. They had been talking to Errende on what they could try to do for her.

"I would help feed you, but we know how it would make you seem weak. So, I'll hold your drinks," Observation said.

"Thank you," she said. He nodded, and Sammy found himself a touch impressed.

"After you eat, should we go to the nursery?" Keltin asked.

"I think we need to. I need to check on the children, and my new slaves need to give over their blood to them," she nodded while she ate. Thanatos kept his hands on her shoulders and looked up at the entrance of the cave to find Garrett walking towards them.

"The others are anxious to see the robot factory. Ah...wow..." he blinked at what Errende and Aliot were doing for Sarine.

"It was their idea," she shrugged and finished off the plate. "All right, let's go to the nursery first."

She drank down the juice that Observation held for her, and Eremes took the dirty dishes. She gathered up the three leashes, and Thanatos walked with her on one side and Howard on the other. She had her three slaves dress normally, and then she led them out of the cave with her husbands. When she got to the house and to the nursery, she had Doppy sit down first so she could recline in his lap. Thanatos sat on one side of her and Howard sat on the other. Garrett had moved off to find Cecil.

"Finally!" Doppy grumbled, and she ran a hand through his hair to calm him.

"Finally what?" Thanatos asked.

"I get a little time with her," Doppy frowned, and she sighed. Howard seemed to grimace at this. He blinked at her thoughts and leaned over to squeeze her shoulder softly. She nodded with a bit of a smile.  _She was trying to do what she could._

"She's only one woman," Eremes said. "What else is there for us to do?"

"I know," Doppy sighed. Then he blinked, as he found himself getting kissed by her. Purring in the kiss now, he hugged her tightly to him and felt her tremble. "I'm sorry. I miss you so much now, and...I just..."

"I can't make actual clones of myself, Doppy," she said.

"I don't think I'd want one. I prefer the original," he grinned.

"We all would," Sammy nodded, as he inspected Serenity's health first before handing her to Observation. The little toddler looked up at the angel's face curiously. Then she patted on his hand in a playful manner to get him to smile. She took in his scent and giggled. Then she moved swiftly to chomp down on his hand.

"Ow!" Observation yelped. That made Sarine giggle softly, and Howard could only grin. Naght seemed to purr, as he watched his daughter take in a drop of blood. As the angel was given Siegfried, Serenity was transferred to Aliot. A similar look, giggle, and bite was given. The lesser demon winced at the bite, but he adored the child all the same. Naght handed her over to Sarine to be nursed, and Aliot let Siegfried accept a bit of blood next. Errende Healed them both and seemed a bit relieved that this part of the day was done.

"Oh, guys," Thanatos said to them to get their attention.

"Hmm?" Eremes glanced over. Sammy, Keltin, and Doppy gave him their full attention, as did Howard. Sarine gazed at the demon now, and the Assassin Cross asked, "What's up?"

"Howard can hear Sarine's thoughts now," Thanatos chuckled.

"What?!" Doppy blinked.

"Yeah. It happened when we all got into her mind to help her. Apparently, ah, I'm far more in tuned with her than I thought," Howard sighed.

"Not a bad thing," Sammy mused.

"He'll be able to find out what she needs faster than anyone," Thanatos chuckled.

"It would probably help us out," Keltin smiled. "Anything interesting right now?"

"She's just very anxious to get to the robot factory," Howard smiled back.

"Are you, Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked. He got a caress through his hair as an answer.

"I truly am, Doppy. Oh, that reminds me! Aliot, can you tell Alice that we will be going to the robot factory soon? She wanted to come with us," Sarine said.

"As you wish, My Lady," Aliot nodded and moved to find her. When Serenity was done nursing, Howard took her to play with her so she could nurse Siegfried.

"We need to find out who will be going with us to Yuno. Maybe after the robot factory, I can show the Professors and Sages my Mark?" she asked.

"I don't know," Howard frowned. "It sounds a bit weird to me."

"Maybe Muninn would know?" Keltin asked.

"I'll find him," Sammy said, as he moved to the balcony. Within a minute, the falcon flew in and perched on a chair.

"Muninn," Keltin said. "should we have Sarine show her Mark to the town of Yuno?"

_:Yuno?:_ Muninn blinked and clucked his beak.  _:No. They will. Keep. Her there. To study. Not good. But. They may. Make. Her stronger. But. Not needed. Now.:_

"Make her stronger?" Thanatos asked.

_:Yes. But. Not needed. She is. Strong. Enough. Trust me. She will. Be. Separated. From you. Like Lighthalzen. Thanatos. Cannot leave. Her. So. Let Yuno. Wait.:_

"They'll experiment on her?!" Howard asked.

_:No.:_  Muninn sighed and flew to the ground to become human to talk to them easier. " _The Sages and Professors will want to learn everything that they can about her. They will study her as though she was an experiment. It is why I personally don't want her to linger long in Yuno. They will try to learn secrets about Father Odin and Valhalla from her. It is true that they may make her stronger, but why? She has everyone here to help her, and, if she becomes too strong, she will become unstable. At the same time, we cannot let them know too much about Valhalla or Father Odin. There will be problems, if they find out things that humans are not meant to know. We cannot have our secrets exploited._ "

"I see now," Sammy nodded. "They won't let her leave until they are satisfied with the answers to their questions."

" _Exactly. They will delay her and harm her by not allowing any of us access to her. If anyone does confront us in Yuno, we must decline them visitation on their grounds. If they must speak with her, it would be best if they came here where we can monitor them. They also capture monsters to study, and it would be quite easy for them to do the same to my sister, if we are not careful. I will NOT allow it, nor would I expect any of you!_ "

"Get Mitchell," Howard frowned and gave Serenity to Errende so he could rock her to sleep. Errende was heavily disturbed by this now, as was Thanatos. Observation nodded and moved swiftly down the stairs. Eremes moved to stand behind Sarine protectively and he was tense. He was not going to let her come to harm. He didn't want any form of an Amatsu repeat, though he knew that Amatsu was safe now.  _On top of that, her craving for Thanatos would kick in, and she would be in danger._

Aliot returned with Alice first, and Errende pulled him aside to talk to him to let him know what he missed. Aliot narrowed his eyes and snarled at the thought of anything happening to his Lady. Doppy glanced at him and seemed to nod. Aliot quickly moved to stand next to Eremes behind Sarine. Eremes nodded to him, and Aliot nodded back. Sarine looked at Aliot and grabbed his leash to yank him down to plant a kiss on him. Then she whispered the order she gave to Observation about obeying her, but having a choice on listening to others. He nodded to her with full understanding, and let her kiss him again before releasing him to stand tall behind her protectively.

When Mitchell appeared with Observation, the angel moved to stand behind Sarine. He placed himself to be on the opposite of Aliot and on the other side of Eremes. Errende moved to kneel before Sarine, and she gestured for him to sit in front of him. Once he did that, she planted a foot in his back to comfort him. She took a moment to study how Mitchell looked now.

Usually, Sages had long robes that connected together at the collar with metal bands that made them look far wiser and nobler than the usual Wizards. A set of pants and a long shirt would usually be underneath the cloak, but there was a flaw. It was the cloak, itself. The cloaks were a bit too stiff to move around in, despite how regal they looked. Professors were dressed in a lighter suit consisting of a tunic and pants, and the robes were removed from the picture. He had a set of flowing scarves that were bound to his arms to make up for the robes, and an odd fox-like monster fur wrap was around his neck to show his transcendence.

"You wanted to see me?" Mitchell asked calmly, as he fixed his glasses.

"Yes," Howard said and looked at Sammy for him to speak out their concerns.

"Mitchell, when you first saw Sarine's Mark, you said we had to show it to the Sages and Professors there. Can you tell us why?" Sammy asked.

"Oh! Well, all I know was that it was a great, important message to them. Something about the gateway to Valhalla being revealed, and that the person who had this Mark would be the key to getting to the gateway. That's what they were getting at," he said.

" _Mitchell,_ " Muninn said slowly. " _we cannot allow Sarine to see any of your tutors in Yuno. They will imprison her to glean forbidden secrets from her. It has been foreseen. Have you told anyone about her there?_ "

"They would?!" Mitchell asked with disbelief. "No. I told no one about her. I didn't feel it was important at the time. I was too focused on studying to become a Sage and passing the tests. Like she said that night, that time was for me and not her. If they are going to imprison her, then I don't want them to know about her. She inspires me to do what's right. This feels right. Not letting them know about her."

" _You speak more truth and honesty than you show. You are honorable. We are going to have to travel to Yuno to reach the robot factory. If we wait two hours, then it will be safe for us to move through the city undetected._ "

"You're right. That's when classes usually start. It would be the slowest time then. Oh! I just remembered! Eremes, didn't you give Sarine a muffler with your card in it? For her birthday?" Mitchell asked. Eremes blinked and grinned.  _Sarine could use the muffler and stay Cloaked on Windwalker's back. Her safety was now secured._

" _You have secured your place with us by a ten-fold!_ " Muninn grinned.

"I thought I already did by marrying Kathryne?" Mitchell smiled.

"Well, that and you learned how to use your dick," Doppy smirked.

"Ah..." Mitchell started before blushing. Eremes forced down his laughter, and Sarine cleared her throat with a smile. Thanatos grinned wickedly, as the others laughed.

" _Still,_ " Muninn said with a chuckle. " _we will leave in two hours, just to be safe. Never know who could be lurking out there, right? Please see who else would like to come with us._ "

"I can do that," Mitchell nodded and headed out of the room.

"So, the plan is for me to stay Cloaked on Windwalker's back while we travel through Yuno," Sarine said. "It's a shame. I would have loved to visit the town, but, if I'm going to be at risk, then we shouldn't linger there."

"It would be for the best," Thanatos frowned. "If they take you from me..."

"No one will touch her!" Doppy snarled out. "Not if I can help it!"

"Sarine," Howard whispered and leaned towards her again. She was getting upset, and he was starting to notice how uncomfortable she was feeling. Something was clearly wrong, and her thoughts confirmed it. "What do you want to do right now?"

"I think some fresh air would be good," she said. Thanatos looked at her, but he nodded. Sammy suggested they go to the grove to see how the Yggdrasil root sprouts were doing, and she liked that idea. The grove would calm her, too.

"Are you all right?" Keltin asked her. "You seem unbalanced."

"Unbalanced?" she frowned.

"Let's go to the grove," Sammy said. He knew what Keltin was talking about.  _She hadn't been the same since they left the chamber. Something was clearly bothering her._ Howard knew what it was, but he had to remain calm. The moment he was able to talk to her, he had to. She had managed to gather up the leashes to her slaves and led them to the grove. Thanatos kept an arm around her to keep her craving for him back. Just as Howard was approaching her, she felt the world spin around her, and she clung to Thanatos, as she got sick all over the ground.

"Sarine!" Thanatos gaped, and Sammy ran to her side. A potion was given to her to rinse out her mouth with, and Errende blinked with disbelief. He moved quickly to place his hands over her belly. Howard winced at it. He was too late to calm her, and he looked over at Muninn. The powerful man hadn't bothered to shift back, and he glanced over curiously at Howard.

"She was getting so nervous..." Howard grimaced. "It hit her hard."

"She got sick, because she was nervous?" Thanatos asked.

"Why?" Eremes frowned. Aliot and Observation just looked at each other.

"Everything and everyone is focused around her now. She's feeling pressured," Howard said. "It's not really stress. That and she's just uncomfortable with it. She's not used to being the center of a crowd. She hates it, really. Remember?"

Naght appeared by her now and forced everyone back a bit with a sharp growl. Thanatos looked up at him and nodded, as did Doppy. Howard blinked at something and gasped, as he moved swiftly to her side. He whispered softly to her, and she trembled. Motioning to Sammy to help, as Errende was pulled over to place his hands on her belly again, she was practically carried to the grove now. Once there, the calming sights and scents eased her.

"Chocolate for her," Howard said to Eremes. "Do you have any?!"

"Here!" Eremes said and gave it over. Howard moved to give it to Sarine and sighed with relief, as she ate it. Sammy had Thanatos sit down on a bench with her to help her relax.

"What happened?" Keltin frowned.

"Remember when we all got back from Geffen with Doppy for the first time? How she was feeling crowded and overwhelmed?" Howard said. Keltin blinked and nodded.

"It's good...that you can hear her thoughts..." Eremes said.

"Maybe. But, I need to be quicker to keep her mind off of things. I probably have to keep some chocolate on me, too," Howard sighed. He looked over at Sarine to find her getting hugged tight by Doppy, and that was when he glanced at her belly. He was in shock.

" _She is bearing four children now. Remember that,_ " Muninn said with the same amount of concern as him. " _It was inevitable for them to have a growth spurt like this._ "

"She's twice as big now as she was this morning!" Howard hissed.

" _She will get larger by tonight. The children in her are growing swiftly now. Slow to start. Now they are getting faster in growth. She will be bedridden in two days and will be giving birth by next week,_ " Muninn whispered. " _We may want to free Ifrit tomorrow._ "

"What?!" Howard gaped. Thanatos looked over now, as he was comforting Sarine from the growth pains. Naght turned quickly to study Howard, as though he didn't hear his thoughts right. Rumbling in Demonic swiftly to Thanatos and Doppy, both demons winced at this news.

"Next week..." Doppy sighed and pressed a kiss to Sarine's forehead.

"Keltin? Come here," Sarine said. Keltin moved to her side, and she kissed him softly before pulling him close to whisper in his ear. Howard was only stunned at her thoughts and looked at Muninn with curiosity. When Muninn nodded, Howard could only grin.

"Do you think so?" Keltin asked.

"I know so. Become your Bongun self, and you be the judge," she smiled. Keltin shifted into his original form and looked at her now. His eyes went wide with disbelief at the instinct he felt now, and she smiled. He was the only undead monster there. When she looked over at Sammy, she blushed and realized that he was the only demi-human monster there.

"Underground cave! Now!" Sammy growled, as his instinct kicked in.

"What's going on?" Doppy frowned, as Keltin gathered her up and moved with Sammy down below the grove. Howard sighed and walked over to Doppy. Eremes moved over, as well, and listened about how being a First Mate worked with other races.

"Well...this sucks..." Eremes frowned. "You are her First Mate for humans. Which means...I may have to fight for that Right..."

"As will I for being a demon," Doppy grimaced. "Sammy and Keltin are unopposed."

"I know," Howard winced. "At least Sammy can do his job more efficiently with us."

"I feel...outclassed..." Eremes sighed. "How do I improve my status?"

"At her next Demonic Mating," Thanatos said. "It will be the only time."

Eremes thought and trembled. Then he rose up and walked off. Howard knew what his friend was thinking, and it made him shiver with a form of grief. Sammy came up from the cave now and asked for Eremes. When told he just walked off, he blinked.

"Sarine found a way for him to be a First Mate with the rest of us!" Sammy said. "We have to find him now before we go anywhere!"

" _How?_ " Muninn asked.

"Have Ifrit mildly possess him enough to be a true ghost form. Since Ifrit is not a demon, and is an elemental ghost in a sense at being formless, he can give Eremes that attribute!" Sammy said. Muninn gaped in shock at this and shifted into his falcon form to find Eremes. Within seconds, Eremes was seen running down the cave entrance to be with her with a profound sense of joy and relief. Now Eremes could see that she truly did love him and wasn't trying to ignore him or slight him in any way. Keltin made way for him with a grin and headed up with the others to let her be with him so he could claim his Rights with her.

"I'll make sure to impress her," Doppy said. "I'm not concerned in the slightest."

"You will," Howard said with a smile. "You already do impress her, you know."

Naght seemed to chuckle and decided he could try to forgo the next Demonic Mating to give the others a chance to fight. Of course, if her scent reached him, then he would have to respond.  _That was inevitable._ When Howard thought that Naght could try to keep the other demons away from her, the massive demon seemed to agree with the thought. He could help keep Sarine's stress down that way.

Down in the underground cave, Eremes had brought Sarine to a violent release with his dominating Rights. When he finished, he pulled her close and started shaking.

"Eremes! What's wrong?" she whispered, as his body got colder to her now.

"I...I honestly thought that...you lost your love for me..." he whispered.

"What?!" she gaped. "No! Oh, Eremes!"

"I thought...that...I wasn't going to be...good enough for you..."

She looked at him with horror, as she saw his tears fall, and she pulled him close to cradle him. His deep voice gave a soft echo of pain now, as he hugged her tightly to him, and she cuddled into him to let him know that she would never love him any less.

"I could NEVER lose my love for you! For anyone!" she whispered, as she shed her own tears with him. "It...it killed me knowing that I may have never seen my husbands as I should! I'm praying that Doppy will win at my next Demonic Mating, as it is! I still love him. I love him as much as you. As much as Howard. As much as everyone. That will never change!"

"But...you saw me as being less..." he whispered.

"That...was instinctive," she admitted, as she nuzzled him. "Not anymore. You don't ever have to worry about that anymore. I promise you that."

"I see..." Eremes said, as he regained control of himself. "I am curious now."

"About what?" she asked, as she ran her hands through his hair. It calmed him even more, and he leaned into her now when he squeezed her to him.

"Will I...have to be in this formless state to be seen as your First Mate again?"

"No. Once I recognize you as a First Mate, it's a permanent status. Of course, Ifrit gave over that Right to you, or he would have been unopposed. He will need to try to win at a Demonic Mating to be seen as a First Mate. If you fought and lost, I would still see you as a First Mate, regardless of how you ranked. It's one thing that Thanatos told me and it's true."

"Good," Eremes smiled and let his form return to what it was. "Ifrit is still curious about the Demonic Mating, so we don't have to worry about that. I just...I don't like feeling less in your eyes. I felt that way for so long in the past..."

"Come here," she whispered, and he gladly gave himself to her now. She proved to him just how much she loved and cherished him right then and there. When they finally dressed and walked out of the cave, he felt happier than he ever had been in the longest of times. She looked at Doppy and grabbed him to pull him down in the cave, as everyone seemed to chuckle at it.

"I  _will_  become your First Mate!" Doppy growled out, as he took her.

"I know you will!" she said, as she worked with him. He took it easier than the others, since it was expected of him as a demon. She was already giving him children, so the burden of it wasn't as hard to deal with. And he knew she loved him unconditionally. Demons had their own hierarchy that was respected and coveted. It was actually much more elaborate than any other race. It was one of the few things that they went by in their society.

When he came out of the cave carrying Sarine, Thanatos gathered her up to chill her body down completely. When Keltin studied her, he noticed she looked much better now, and Howard could only smile at her thoughts.  _She was so upset about not seeing her husbands as equals that it nearly got the better of her. It was when she realized that she could see them as First Mates of their distinctive races that it revitalized her, and that helped her push the instinct forward. She was lucky to figure out what she needed to with Eremes. She would have been badly hurt, if he felt that she was purposely trying to slight him from the others._   _She would never have forgiven herself._

"So, what's next on our list of things to do?" Keltin asked. He hadn't bothered to shift to his human form, and she hugged him tightly to her.

"We still have an hour before we need to go to Yuno," Sammy said.

"Let's just relax on the porch," Sarine said with a smile.

"My Lady, would Observation be seen as a First Mate?" Errende asked with a frown.

"Oh?" she blinked.

"Not really," Observation said, as he gave a bit of a smile. "Even though I am an angel, I don't really have true Holy attributes. If you wanted, I...could be one. But, it may intervene with my slave status to you. Alexander may be a better one."

"No!" Howard said swiftly. "Say nothing of this to him! Alexander is to help her with her blood only and to protect the children! He tried to be with her in the past, and he cannot be allowed to do it. She hasn't kissed him yet, and Odin won't allow him to, either."

"I see. I understand," Observation nodded.

"Now I feel concerned," Aliot admitted. "My Lady, I have a feeling that, if you order me not to join your Demonic Mating, instinct may overrule it..."

"Aliot, fight the instinct with everything you can. If it overcomes you, then there is not much of a choice," she frowned. "But, I will always see you as my slave. If anything, I may just end up pregnant with your children."

"Pregnant with my..." Aliot blinked and went silent. Doppy chuckled with Thanatos now, and they went to the house to relax on the porch. When they got there, she unclipped the leashes to hold onto them, as her slaves wanted to pamper her a bit. She found herself laughing at the constant attention they were giving her, and Thanatos found himself grinning. The three slaves had made a silent pact with each other, as Errende was moved by the pact her husbands made. Aliot, Observation, and Errende all vowed to keep her entertained, happy, and sated at all times. After she got sick at the grove, none of them wanted to see her that way again.

"Howard," Errende said after he fed Sarine and walked up to him.

"What's up?' Howard asked.

"Aliot, Observation, and I want you to tell us of anything she needs the moment it happens. We sort of have...well...our own pact for her in a way. As slaves go," he said.

"Really?" Howard asked. "If that's the case, then I want in."

"Um...you don't have a collar," Errende smiled.

"Does it matter, if I'll be helping inform you of what she needs?" he asked. "Besides, she did treat me as a slave of sorts and still does. If you think about it."

"You'll have to pass our own test," Aliot winked, as he walked over now. Observation was busy massaging Sarine to keep her happy.

"Oh?" Howard mused.

"Stay up all night with us. Errende doesn't need to, since he's a slave. But, if you can stay awake without falling asleep once or getting drowsy, then we will accept you," Aliot said.

"Heh. You forget what I am, Aliot. I'm a stronger monster with the blood of Naght Seiger. Sleep is something I like to do, but it's not really needed if I don't let it get to me. Give me a tougher challenge," Howard grinned.

"Hmm..." Aliot thought. "Have My Lady bite your neck and draw blood."

"Ah..." Howard blinked and went silent.  _That would be a tough thing to do!_

"I think you gave him the perfect challenge," Errende smirked.

"You know she can't do that, since I'm her husband!" Howard muttered.

"But, if you can, you could be slightly past that boundary. Right?" Aliot asked. "Don't you want to feel everything that we go through? Including how she hurts us?"

"Wouldn't that put you all out of a job?" Howard asked.

"Not really. It would let her know that, should she get violent with one of you, that you could take it. Especially, if it should happen, when we are busy with other tasks for her, and she needs someone as an emergency. Or, you can think about it this way. If you want to be exceptionally close to her and different from the others, this is how you can do it," Aliot said. Errende seemed to frown and crossed his arms, but the lesser demon had a valid point.  _Howard was always trying to find ways to be closer to Sarine. Especially if he was her True First Mate. This was one of those ways._ Then Howard realized that the more he thought about her truly dominating him, the more he wanted it. It was becoming a fast addiction to him. Howard thought to himself and nodded before turning to head towards Sarine.

"Sarine, can I talk to you for a moment?" Howard asked, as he moved to her side now, and she looked at him expectantly. "Privately?"

"Something you can't tell us?" Doppy frowned.

"I want her to dominate me again," Howard grinned. That made Doppy smirk, and the others seemed to chuckle.

"Shall we watch?" Sammy asked.

"Not yet," Howard admitted. "I know we'll be leaving soon, so I wanted to get this done quickly. It's just an urge I have, you know?"

"You want me to...do this?" she frowned.

"I need more training," Howard said with a wink. Eremes looked over at him with a slight smile. Sarine looked at him oddly before rising and letting Howard lead her into their bedroom. Thanatos moved to sit outside the room in case he was needed right away, and Errende waited with him to help Heal whatever damage was done.

"How-How, why do you need this?" she asked, as he moved behind her to hug her.

"It's a craving I have now," he muttered, and he moved his mouth softly over her neck.

"But, I can't stand away from you for too long," she frowned, and he squeezed her.

"Then do something to me while we are like this," he whispered.

"I...could feed off you," she thought. "Where is a knife?"

"No," he said with a soft smile. "Bite me. I want to feel you bite me like you do with Errende and the other two slaves."

"Howard!" she hissed. "I...I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can! With me...you can..." he said, as he nuzzled her and turned her to face him. "Think of this as the ultimate way to dominate me! Please, Sarine! I...want to feel it!"

"I would regret it!" she whimpered, and he winced when he felt her thoughts. Then he blinked at one that stood out.  _Could it be possible?_

"You might regret it...but you want to bite me. Don't you?" he asked softly, and she winced. "You want me to be...different than the others. You want me to become something more to you. Right? To be on another level completely? This would be that level. I am your True Mate, Sarine! Your True First Mate! You and I both know this! You should be able to do everything to me and more! If your slaves aren't there, I would be there as your emergency need. I have to be there for you at all times."

"But..." she whimpered softly, and he kissed her deeply and full of love.

"Use me as you would Errende," he begged softly. "I want it."

"If...the others know..." she frowned.

"They won't," he said. "It's instinctive. Needful. Muninn will obviously know, and the others already know I like being treated as a slave to you. You don't have to bite me all the time. Just when we are alone. Like this."

"But...if you come to like it?" she asked.

"Then it will make me crave it all the more when the time comes," he grinned. "Won't it? Don't you want to do it to me, too? To prove that you are stronger than me?"

She blinked and looked at him before pulling him into a kiss that forced him to whimper in such a way that it drove her dominant side crazy. He had no idea that he could make a sound like that, and the response she gave was immediate. She had to be stronger than him now, and she let out a harsh growl of possession. Clothing was removed swiftly, and she yanked him into the bathroom to force him on the ground. She sat on him and rode him hard until he shouted out his pleasure with her. Then she pulled him up to kiss him fiercely. Now she hesitated.

"I still don't know," she sighed.

"You can do it!" he gasped in her ear.

"No..." she trembled. As he kissed her roughly now, that same little instinctive whimper he gave from before came out, and it forced her dominant side to come back again in full force. She moved her mouth over his neck and bit down, but it wasn't hard enough.

"Harder! Please! Bite me harder!" he gasped, as the pleasure rocked him, his eyes wide with shock. He needed to feel her full bite now. He needed to feel her draw blood. Want was no longer an option for him.  _I needed it._  She gasped, saw the imprints her teeth left on his skin, and she trembled harder from it.

"I...I can't...!" she whimpered.

"Please...!" he begged again and now decided to say something that he needed to say. Something that was going to change everything about him to her. "Please...My Lady...!"

That made her jaw drop, as she stared at him in shock.  _A husband and a slave?! Both combined?!_ He gave her a look now that showed complete and utter submission. _True First Mate. Someone that I would never have to falter with. I would never need to think twice about him, if I needed him as a slave. I would simply know._ The instinct to claim this one as hers rose in full, and Howard's eyes widened at her thoughts. She gave a sharp cry and moved swiftly. Her teeth clamped down hard on his neck with a possessive fury. Now she tasted blood, and he screamed from the sensation of her teeth sinking into flesh.

She yanked his head to one side with one hand, as she clung to him with the other to work her teeth in harder, and he cried out hoarsely from it. His heart was hammering in his chest now, and he whimpered, as she drank from him with a sharp snarl of possession. After the sixth mouthful, she finally pulled back and gasped at what she did. She felt as horrified as Doppy did when he did the same thing to her on a night long ago that nearly made her lose her life.

"HOWARD!" she screamed, as she held him, and Thanatos charged in with Errende. They both stared in shock at what she did to him. Errende Healed the Whitesmith quickly and gave him a Yggdrasil Berry just in time. She was still in shock even while Howard came around and hugged her tight. Errende dampened a towel and started to clean them both up from the excess blood. Thanatos watched everything grimly and had to think. After the mild cleaning was done, Howard continued to crush her trembling form against him.

"I'm fine!" he said, as he pressed his mouth to hers.

"I can't believe...that I..." she whimpered, as he comforted her.  _He was in his monster form, and I nearly killed him._  The knowledge of it shocked her, and he continued to calm her with soft whispers until she was resting against him.

"Believe it or not, you did," he whispered.

"I can't believe it, either!" Thanatos growled.

"What can I say?" Howard seemed to chuckle, as he nuzzled her gently. "It's something I wanted. It got to a point that I...I had to feel it. I needed it. I just had to know what it would be like, and, in truth, I know I'm going to want it again!"

"You put yourself in a very awkward position," Errende frowned.

"No, I didn't!" he countered.

" _He did not! Howard Alt-Eisen is correct!_ " Muninn said, as he walked in. " _I had to freeze time to explain this to you. He is needed to be this way. It's important. He is always the one that leads the others in line, if you think about it. Huginn was right in him being the most closely matched to Sarine. He will be the only one that she will be able to treat this way, and this MUST be kept from the others. There will be times that she will need this, and he will know those times, since he can see her thoughts._ "

"There was a point that I wanted her to bite me, and she couldn't," Thanatos frowned.

" _It's a form of domination, and you would have fought it. Besides, you were still in Errende Ebecee's body, and she could only bite you after you gave over his body briefly. She had to see Errende's face and form in order to do it. You would have fought her in the end, if she tried to bite you directly. You cannot be dominated that way._ "

"That's true," the demon nodded. "I see now."

" _She cannot even bite me. With what she can do to Howard now puts him on a completely different level than rest of you. But, it is important. The others will not understand, and Howard has definitely gained a whole new need for this. It must be given discreetly._ "

"I don't know," Sarine whispered. "I thought we weren't supposed to keep secrets from anyone. And, if How-How needs this, how do I give it to him?"

"I have an idea, My Lady," Errende said. "You use a knife on him normally. Then chew on the wound you give him. It should give the same effect."

"You think so?" Howard asked.

"My Lady, try it on me," Errende said.

"No. Try it on me. You need my blood, anyways," Thanatos said.

"I could make the better comparison," Errende chuckled.

"Just let me do it! I felt her bite in your body before, so I know how it would feel, too!" the demon growled. Errende laughed lightly and nodded. Sarine blushed softly, as Howard nodded to Thanatos to give her over to him. She looked over at Howard in thought, and Thanatos looked at her questionably now.

"I want How-How to have something," she thought out loud. "Not a collar, obviously. But...something that's not easy to spot, and it would prove that...that he's mine."

"What?" Howard blinked. "The wedding ring isn't enough?"

"No," she said. "It isn't. Especially if you have this new status with me."

"She's going all out on you," Thanatos whistled softly, as he held her now.

" _I have an idea,_ " Muninn mused and moved around to Howard's back. He pressed his palm on the back of Howard's left shoulder, and Howard let out a small yelp. When Muninn had Howard turn around, a small tattoo of a raven in flight was found where Muninn had placed his palm. It wasn't elaborate, and it was faint enough that it could easily be missed if it wasn't carefully searched for.

"It's perfect!" Sarine beamed.

"I want a tattoo also," Thanatos said.

"Why?" Howard asked, as he rubbed the sting out of his shoulder while putting his pants back on. Sarine frowned and looked at Thanatos.

"I don't have a wedding ring, and I'm not bound to a husband. My blood is merged with your slave. I want a tattoo," Thanatos said. "Naght doesn't need one, since he's bound to Howard. He doesn't have the skin for it, anyways."

"True," Howard nodded and looked at Muninn. With a grin, Muninn moved over to the same spot on the back of Thanatos's left shoulder and pressed his palm there. After a small wince, the same marking was given.

" _Done,_ " Muninn said, as he backed away. " _You do know that this is a form of domination, right? You are letting her own you._ "

"The only difference is that I want to belong to her. Like I vowed to her after I heard the letters. I will never leave her side. Ever," Thanatos said. "And, like everyone else says about her...she's all that matters to me. Now, my love, would you like to feed off me?"

"I think it's time to do that," she nodded with a soft blush. His clothes seemed to melt away, and Howard seemed to pout.

"I wish my clothes could do that!" he frowned.

"Hah! It is convenient, isn't it?" Thanatos grinned. Errende handed Sarine a small knife, and she carefully moved it over Thanatos's neck. He shivered from the small sting of the blade at first. Then he gaped when her mouth latched onto the wound. He gasped at the feel of her around him and shouted, as her mouth now worked to dig her teeth in. Every muscle in his body was on fire now, as his body gave in to hers. When she pulled away, he was in a form of shock at what he experienced.

"Lord Thanatos?" Errende asked, as he Healed him.

"I'm fine!" he snarled out, as he shook his head to remove the daze she gave him. "Sorry. That was very unexpected."

"Was it?" she frowned.

"I liked it," he said with a soft grin and kissed her deeply.

"I think there was a reason I didn't run from you when I learned about you," she thought. This made Howard blink with confusion, and she sighed, as she told him what she had talked about in the shower with Thanatos. Now he nodded with understanding, as he listened to her thoughts with her words, and Errende frowned with curiosity.

"Oh? Please tell me," Thanatos said gently and squeezed her close.

"Because I met you through Errende, I was able to trust you more," she said softly. "We both know how I had to learn about Naght. How I was with Doppy. But...you didn't come off as threatening to me at all. Of course, Doppy wasn't threatening, either, it was just...how he came to be with me."

"Hmm," Thanatos thought. "I also learned about your life through Errende before proper introductions could be made. That could have done it, too. Yes, his blood was weak with me, but I still learned much from him before you charged it with yours."

"That does make sense," Howard nodded. "I'm sure it may have been different, if it was with any other, though."

"I'm sure of it!" Thanatos frowned. "I'm glad it didn't turn out that way. I wouldn't be this close with her, if it was through anyone else."

" _It makes perfect sense,_ " Muninn nodded. " _I know for a fact that my sister does not handle violent introductions well. Can you only imagine what would have happened if Egnigem Cenia was the one that had your intellect?_ "

"Oh, please!" Thanatos winced. "I would have been listening to her bitch non-stop!"

"Tell me about it!" Errende muttered. Sarine giggled softly at that.

"At least it didn't happen that way," Howard said with a grin.

"Thankfully," Thanatos nodded. "Anyways, yes. I like the feel of being bitten now."

"As long as I use a knife on you first, then," she nodded.

"Maybe that is how we can cover it up with me," Howard mused. "Pretend to use the knife, and bite me fully. Use the knife on the others, and work your teeth on them."

"It's a possibility," she nodded. "But, I do think it's time for us to get to the robot factory. I want to get that place over with."

" _You are right,_ " Muninn nodded. " _Just remain Cloaked with Eremes Guile's gift to you. It will protect you fully._ "

"All right. Shall we go?" she smiled, as Errende helped her dress. Howard finished dressing, and he looked over at Thanatos.

"You know, I actually did have her before Keltin did after her transcendence," Howard chuckled. "Being ghost-like does have its advantages."

"Oh?" Thanatos grinned wickedly, as he walked down the stairs with her.

"I didn't have to break her open," Howard snickered, and she blushed.

"Really? Now that does have an advantage. Makes me wonder if you are still able to do that now," he mused. "You think?"

"I doubt it. We've been collecting so many monsters lately that I'm far more solid now than when I first was. I still mist out, but my form is getting firmer with it," Howard said.

"Interesting to know," Thanatos nodded. When they got out on the porch with the others, Errende called over Observation and Aliot to tell them what happened. Aliot nodded and now fully thought of Howard as one of them. He would be trusted with everything they had planned from now on, since he proved his worth and became something more.

"You look pale," Doppy frowned, as he gathered up Sarine to hold her.

"Well..." Howard sighed. "she almost drained me completely. She...learned how to bite me. In a sense."

"She did what?" Sammy asked.

"My Lady used a knife first and then bit him," Errende said. As a human, he was able to lie to do a mild cover-up of the situation.

"She did it to me when I wanted it," Thanatos smirked to show he was truthful.

"I want to feel that later!" Doppy growled.

"You will," she smiled and winced a bit. Errende moved to place his hands on her womb, and she sighed with a touch of relief.

"We need to give her some meat to balance out the blood. Quickly," Thanatos said. Aliot moved into the house swiftly and diced up some meat with his bladed hands. Observation brought it out to her on a small plate, and she ate gratefully.

"They grew a bit," Sammy frowned.

" _They will grow more tonight. We need to hurry,_ " Muninn warned before he shifted back into his falcon form to hover over them. Doppy gave a small wince at the warning, and he looked at the others. With a nod from them, people and companions were gathered.

"Here, love," Eremes said, as he handed her the muffler with his card in it.

"Thanks," she sighed and placed it on. Once the Cloaking was activated, Windwalker flew down to land for her to hop on its back. Thanatos got up behind her, and Errende moved in front of her to place his hands on her belly. She had already removed the leashes from Observation and Aliot when they wanted to pamper her earlier. She thought of putting the leashes back on them, but decided against it.  _They would be walking with us, and I don't want to draw attention to them, if I can help it._ Eddga, Alice, and Pori-Pori were soon there to go with them. When Naght came out of the house to join them, Howard blinked at him.

"Protect...her..." the massive demon hissed out.

"But, we will draw too much attention in town," Howard frowned. "Are you sure about this? The last thing we want is for everyone to make a spectacle."

"I...go...with...you..." Naght hissed out. His decision was made. After what happened in Yuno before, he was taking no chances with any of the professors there. Thanatos gave a bit of a grin, and Doppy smirked. Sarine simply sighed and rested her Cloaked form against Thanatos's chest. He squeezed her gently and nodded that they had to move now. Seyren and Karla approached the Kafra Agent first, and they all got sent to Yuno.


	76. Chapter 76

The moment they arrived in Yuno, the place looked empty due to classes going on. Mitchell led them right out of the town without a fuss. Breathing a sigh of relief, Alice moved ahead of them to lead them to the hidden factory. The building was actually a type of school. Where they had to go was below it. The place was surrounded by rusted gates and fences. Sarine Uncloaked now that she was safe, and she blinked, as a wild Grand Pecopeco ran up to them to glow with power before vanishing.

"Not bad!" Keltin chuckled.

"We can't go in through the main way, due to guards out front," Aliot said, as he walked closely to them. "We need to go in through an upper window, and we have to climb through it."

"Thanatos?" Sarine asked with a worried glance, and Howard moved to her side.

"Cling to his back, as he climbs up. I'll go up first to take you from him safely," Howard said. "Or, one of the others, since Doppy is already climbing up."

"We could have Windwalker fly her up," Thanatos said. Then he blinked at Sarine's paled look, and he remembered how much she hated heights. "Or not! I'll carry you!"

"So high..." she trembled, and Howard moved in quickly to hug her. Then Naght came over to show that he could safely carry her until the time to move her was needed.

"My Lady, I could carry you," Observation said softly. "Just close your eyes, and it will be over before you know it."

"Hmm," Thanatos frowned. "It may be easier with him. Is Doppy up there, yet?"

"He is. Observation, move fast!" Howard growled. The angel nodded, gathered her up in his arms, and launched himself into the air quickly. Before she had time to gasp, Doppy was cradling her on the second floor in his arms.

"It's over now," Doppy whispered, as he held her and rocked her.

"So fast!" she blinked, as she caught her breath. Errende was there next to put his hands over her belly, and Thanatos was next up to make sure she was all right. The moment everyone else had made it in safely, Aliot and Alice were ready to show them where they had to go.

"Normally, we would need access cards. Um...to be honest, I don't have one," Aliot frowned. Muninn flew down to the ground and reverted to his human form to help them.

" _Father Odin gave me everything we would need, as well as permission to freeze time to give us enough time to get everyone past the doors. Let's go!_ " Muninn said. Aliot seemed to blink with surprise at this, but he nodded. The place looked abandoned through the inside, but that's because all of the students were in class. As a further measure to make sure they wouldn't be seen, Muninn froze time to ensure they would reach where they had to go. Odin did not want anyone to know that they were there, and charged Muninn with the responsibility.

When they got into the factory, itself, time resumed, and Sarine gave a soft shiver from the change in the atmosphere. Waves of Alizas were ignored, since they were docile, as well as the constructed Alices. The Alizas only looked like the Alices by their dress. They wore the maid dresses, but they were brown and white in color, as the Alice dress was black and white. Alice had long, black hair. The hair was short and brown on the Aliza. Aliot moved in front of them to fight off rogue counterparts of himself, and Keltin pointed to a girl that resembled him in the school dress uniform.

"Alicel!" Aliot said. "Is that you?!"

The robot girl hissed in response to show that it wasn't her and lunged to attack. Sarine took a quick peek out from Thanatos's form, as he shielded her. Windwalker was too large to come through the window and was forced to go back to the island home.

The Alicel's garments could be the reverse of what Aliot wore. She had on a short, black vest over a white long-sleeved shirt. Two black lines adorned the sleeves, and a short, black mini-skirt finished the main part of the uniform. She did have on a light blue tie to go over the black vest, and her black mini-skirt had two white lines that ran along the bottom of it. She had on long, white stockings and black shoes. As Aliot had long, white hair tied back from his face in a ponytail, she had long, black hair that was free and whipped about her face. While Aliot walked along the ground, she hovered over it, but both had the same clawed hands to attack with. She lacked the blades in her back, and that was how she was able to hover.

"Aliot!" Sarine called out to him after the rogue Alicel was defeated. He came over to her side, and she pulled him to her to hug tightly.

"My sister is here somewhere. I don't know where," he frowned.

"Ask Keltin to help you find her!" she said. "Keltin can lead us to her!"

"Okay!" Aliot said, and accepted a kiss from her before moving to find the Bongun for help. Once the assistance was asked for, Keltin thought for a moment and led the group towards a metal door that almost resembled glass. Muninn walked over to it and brought out a strange, red and gold card. At the sight of it, Aliot gaped and said, "That's the Luxurious Card Key!"

" _That it is!_ " Muninn chuckled and swiped it. Once the door was opened for them, he pushed them all through to get to the other side of it. Garrett seemed to blink at how the place worked, and Lloyd seemed to shrug. Thanatos kept hold of Sarine, and he knew that Naght was enjoying himself, as he killed off everything around them. They got to the lower floor of the factory, and it was here that the true Alicel floated over to them and landed. Once she glowed with power, she seemed to be relieved.

"Aliot!" Alicel said, and the siblings hugged with gratitude. Then she noticed the collar on his neck and asked about it.

"Ah. Yeah," Aliot chuckled. "I'm a new slave to My Lady. The Vessel of Odin. Her father, Odin, declared it to be done. And don't think of changing my mind about it!"

"What? A slave?!" Alicel grimaced. Thanatos walked over with Sarine in his arms, and the lesser demoness blinked at her beauty. Then she saw Errende and Observation come forward, as though to protect her. Aliot moved by Sarine's side now and purred softly when she ran a hand through his hair. Only then did Alicel see the others with them and gaped.

"We'll take a quick break, and I'll fill you in," Sammy said, as he walked over to Alicel. She seemed to sigh and nod. Seyren walked over to help Sammy talk to her, and Aliot was now deep in thought.

"What's wrong?" Sarine asked him as looked upset.

"The Master here, Kiehl. He's somewhat possessed. From what I know, that is," Aliot said, as he remained calm with her hand in his hair.

"He's right," Keltin said, as he walked over to them. "Kiehl resembles a man, but he's really a robot of sorts. He's a formless type, but not as formless as he should be."

"Interesting," she said. Then she looked up, as the strong monster, Kiel D-01, moved over to them swiftly to confront them. Then the monster paused and stared at Sarine. He felt pulled to her, and the sensation of her being so close to him was starting to finally hit him. Then he looked at Howard. The three of them felt an odd connection with each other, and they didn't know why. Even as Howard looked back at him, it was a brotherly feeling. It was almost a feeling of a form of acceptance. Right after the odd pause, Kiel D-01 roared with rage and moved to try to grab Sarine to carry her off.  _She is important to me. I need to try and steal her away to keep her safe._ It was an instinctive feeling that he couldn't ignore. Sarine whimpered, as Huginn emerged, and her body pulled herself from Thanatos's grasp to confront him. "Kiel D-01! Stop now and hear me!"

The strong monster seemed to hiss in response, but was forced to listen. The instinctive feeling he had for her seemed to vanish, as though he knew it was going to be fulfilled. Muninn watched closely, since Sarine's body was forced away from Thanatos for now, but he was also a touch puzzled at why Kiel D-01 was acting this way. It was something that he would need to look into in the future. Right now, his concern was for his sister.  _Huginn would need to hurry before her body gave in to the craving for Thanatos._

"Sarine!" Thanatos hissed with a touch of fear, but Sarine's hand came up quickly.

"It is time to join us for a coming war! Separate from your darker self to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Separate now! I command you!" Huginn said sharply. The stronger monster screamed, as his form split in two. The ghost that possessed him seemed to split with the darker half to go with it, but a small fraction of it remained with Kiehl. It would be enough to call out and place back into the body, much like Sammy's Samurai ghost. Once the darker side of him vanished, the lighter side of Kiel D-01 remained, and a change in him quickly took place.

"My name is...Kiehl! Not Kiel D-01! I...I'm free!" Kiehl cried out, as the possession finally left him. It was there ever since he was placed down below the factory. "Free at last!"

"Yes. You are," Huginn said with a sharp wince, and Thanatos moved swiftly to catch Sarine, as she fell unconscious. Doppy was just about ready to shove her into Thanatos when he felt the heat wave starting up. Pori-Pori chittered with worry, but she would be all right. Eddga seemed to snarl a bit, but, when she came around, he calmed down.

"Are you all right?" Kiehl asked, as he walked over to her. He had a touch of worry to his tone, and she thought that he had a surprisingly youthful voice.

"I'll be fine. Thank you for asking," she said lightly. She studied Kiehl now and smiled a bit to herself. He had somewhat long, neatly kept silver-white hair that curled up a bit at the edge of his neck to make it nearly shoulder-length. It covered over half of his face on the left side, and he was quite pleasing to look at. His eyes looked like a soft form of black, and they showed through the glasses he wore. They used to be red from his possession, and they changed color now that he was finally able to think for himself. He wore a blue and gold suit that could have shown he was a being of high status. The suit was a two-piece blue suit with gold buttons and trim. The upper part looked like a jacket with the double-set of gold buttons. It almost reminded one of a military-like over shirt.

His mid-chest area had black leather stitched into the suit as a form of padding, and it lined the top of the jacket. His shoulders held decorative white leather, and it lined the top of the jacket to form the cuffs of his neck up top. His long sleeves held two gold lines at the cuffs. He had more black protective leather padding, but it appeared to be part of an undershirt that came out the bottom of the upper jacket. This leather padding was split into four pieces and hung over his blue pants. A set of black shoes with gold tone soles completed the outfit. He looked troubled, as he watched her, and he wondered what he could do to help her.

Thanatos seemed to growl, and he held her possessively to him to ensure that she would be all right. Howard moved over to her and knelt down to whisper in her ear. She gave a throaty chuckle and pulled him close to kiss softly. Then at her blink, Howard spun around, grabbed Errende, and forced his hands on her belly before Thanatos could sense what the children in her were about to do.

"That was fast!" Thanatos grimaced, as Sarine sighed with relief.

"What just happened?" Kiehl asked. He felt a kinship with her. He wanted to protect her. As he looked at Howard, the feeling of acceptance with him seemed to get stronger.  _Do I know this guy?_  He didn't think so, but there was something about him that reminded him of himself on so many levels. Even as Howard looked at Kiehl, there was an uncanny feeling going through him, too. That this one was extremely familiar to him. It was the same brotherly feel that Howard got when they first locked eyes. His attention redirected back to Sarine and her safety. Sammy gestured to talk to him, as Muninn nodded to Lloyd to take them back to the island home. When the Warp was made, they all went through it with their job done.


	77. Chapter 77

Once Sarine was safely placed in bed with Thanatos as her pillow, the worry for her was able to die down. He let his armor melt away to give her the chill she needed to keep her body temperature low. Resting against him peacefully, he carefully moved her to sit up with him, as Errende, Aliot, and Observation brought in meals and drinks for her. Alicel was reassured that her brother would not be pried away from her, and that he could interact with her freely whenever he wanted. If there was one thing that Alicel appreciated, it was that her brother was not forced into his situation.  _He wanted to be by Sarine's side._  He further told her that he liked everything he was going through. It was enough to let Alicel feel reassured even more. She actually felt a bit of pride that her brother was able to protect the Vessel of Odin this way.  _He was close to her and able to fully defend her._

"I love her," Aliot told Alicel when they sat in the grove. "I'll do anything for her."

"As long as she doesn't force you," Alicel said.

"Never!" Aliot laughed. "I'm going to see to her needs now. Don't worry! Everything will be fine. You should check out the arena!"

"The arena! Oh, yes!" Alicel giggled and did just that. When she was gone, he had hurried back to Sarine's side to ensure that she would be all right. The need to be close to her would always be there. He couldn't ignore the instinct to serve and protect her.

"Errende!" Howard said, as he walked over to him. Errende was preparing a plate of diced Immortal Hearts in the kitchen when he was sought out.

"What is it?" the High Priest asked.

"What are you planning on doing for Sarine right now?" he asked.

"Oh! Well, mainly just see to her every need at the moment. Why?" Errende asked.

"I think she's going to need you tonight. We're thinking about freeing Ifrit tomorrow. The problem is that, Muninn said that her children are going to grow even more tonight. We can't let them grow until after he is freed. I may end up swapping beds with you tonight. Just so that you can keep your hands on her belly to keep the growing kids quiet," Howard sighed.

"Really? Well, it would be best," he nodded. "Do you think she'll be dominant tonight? Aliot, Observation, and I have been wondering."

"As much as she should, her body is starting to get overworked. We can all see it. The children are going to start growing more and more. It will get harder for her to move. She may be able to do something tonight, but it's a touch 'iffy' with how she's feeling."

"How is she feeling?"

"Weak. Stressed. She almost tore down her mental wall, and I was able to coax her out of the idea with some chocolate. I know for a fact that, after she gives birth, we may be looking at a whole month of no traveling while she rests. That also means no sex and no dominating. She will be completely absorbed in the new children to ensure that they will thrive."

"I see," Errende frowned. "But, if it's for her health and the health of our children, then I'm willing to wait. I will not force My Lady to do anything too strenuous or taxing."

"I'm curious as to who is going to get her pregnant next," Howard sighed.

"I think it will be Keltin," Errende chuckled.

"You think so? Not Sammy?"

"I honestly believe that it will be Keltin. He's been rather distant lately. It's normally the sign that he needs her the most."

"Ouch. All right. I'll talk to the others and ensure it will be him next, then. Thanks."

"Anytime!" Errende smiled. He moved to fix up the sleeping arrangements and to take up the prepared platter. Later that night, she was very restless. They knew that she had to try and be dominant. She hated feeling coddled and kept snarling at Thanatos. He was refusing to leave her side. She got even more upset when he carried her out of the house with the others.

"Let me walk!" she finally snarled out, as he set her down. When she tried to move away from him, he growled sharply and pulled her back to his side.

"If you walk away from me, you'll regret it!" Thanatos snarled back. She tried to tear herself away from him, but he was far stronger than her now and held her fast to him. Howard finally moved to her side, pressed his lips to her ear, and softly whispered. She hissed at first, but he whispered even more. Her body went slack, and Thanatos was able to carry her to the western island chambers. Now Thanatos looked at him and asked, "What did you do?"

The others were curious as well, and Howard chuckled.

"I sang her a lullaby," he smiled.

"What lullaby?" Errende asked.

"One I used to sing to her a long time ago. She would throw a small fit, and I would sing it to her. Sammy knows it. She sang it in Comodo when we first saw Coraline and Donnie as part of a performance. I wasn't sure why she liked it so much at first, or why it calmed her down. Now that I...we...know of her past, it made more sense."

"That one?" Sammy mused. "That's an old one."

"Teach it to us?" Observation asked. Sammy nodded and softly sang it in full. It was a beautiful song about a cherry tree that finally gained its flowers in spring after much hardship.

"Funny how you never sang it to me before when I threw fits until now," she pouted.

"Well, I was trying not to treat you like a child. Until now," Howard smirked.

"You..." she blinked and her temper flared. Snarling out viciously, she screamed curses at him to a point that Naght flew out of the house to glare at her. At the sight of her Demonic First Mate, she scowled before muttering to herself. Naght rumbled to her in Demonic, and they had a mild argument right there. Thanatos was trying not to laugh at the bickering they did. When Naght won out, Sarine trembled and looked away. Then she cried out, as the children grew suddenly within her. Her belly stretched painfully at their sudden growth spurt. Doppy shouted from the pain he felt, and Errende moved to place his hands on her belly. The moment he was able to make contact with her, she sighed with exhaustion. Then she reached for Howard to hug him tight to her to show that she was sorry. He kissed her forehead to show it was accepted.

"Shit!" Thanatos groaned out, as he hugged her. "Nothing's wrong with them. They just...grew more."

"That they did," Sammy frowned. "At least it's small growth spurts and not constant stretching. If she has another growth spurt like this, then she can't dominate."

"I'm right here! Stop talking about me..." she hissed before trembling.

"My Lady," Aliot said, as he moved to her side. "What do you want me to do? Us to do, even? It hurts me to see you like this."

"Get me Keltin," she whispered. Aliot nodded, and Keltin moved over to her. She reached for him, and he hugged her gratefully. Then she whispered softly to him, and he blinked before whispering back. Giving him a soft smile and an exceptionally gentle kiss, he hugged her again with a sigh.

"Apparently, she wants me to be next in line to be a father," Keltin smiled.

"We know you're next," Howard chuckled. "We've been talking about it."

"Really now?" Keltin mused.

"Yes. After you, it will be Sammy's children. Then mine," Eremes nodded.

"I see the arrangement has been done for me," Sarine grumbled. Naght rumbled softly to her, and she responded with a rather sarcastic growl. It made him laugh before he left to head back to the nursery. As Thanatos was preparing to move her into his arms again, they were stopped by Kiehl. The strong monster adjusted his glasses, as he cleared his throat.

"Are you busy?" Kiehl asked.

"In a sense, we are. What do you need?" Howard asked. The feeling of brotherly kinship came back in full, and even Kiehl was caught off guard by it slightly before refocusing on why he was approaching them.

"I want to help her," he said. "Somehow. Some way. Is there anything that I can do?"

"We pretty much have everything covered," Sammy said.

"Aliot, how are you helping her?" Kiehl asked. He noticed that Aliot was no longer referring to him as a master. As much as he wanted to be concerned, he would bide his time to get the answers he needed. All of them were going to be answered shortly.

"Me? Well..." Aliot frowned. "I'm her slave."

"Her...slave?" Kiehl blinked.

"Yes. Odin decided that she should have slaves of various races, and I accepted the choice to do so. I now belong to her, since it was my choice to do so. I only answer to her. I...also fell in love with her. In a sense," Aliot said slowly.

"What?" Sarine blinked. Keltin looked over with a soft smile.

"Well, I have!" Aliot said, as he gazed at her. Then he returned his gaze to Kiehl.

"That explains why you no longer refer to me as your master," Kiehl smiled.

"It would," Aliot nodded. Now Kiehl mused to himself, and he looked at Sarine.

"What races do you have with you now?" Kiehl asked.

"Right now she has a human, an angel, and a demon," Eremes said. "Errende is human, Observation is an angel, and Aliot is, as you know, a demon. Why do you ask?"

"I'm a bit of a ghost and a robot. Actually, I'm Homunculus and robot. Formless, would be the other word to say it. Um, would you...accept me as a slave?" Kiehl asked.

"What?!" Sarine blinked with shock. "But, why?! You're a strong monster! Why would you want it? The things I do to them...I don't know if you would be able to handle it. On top of that, I have so many around me right now, as it is!"

"Well, can I see what you do to them to help reinforce my choice?" he asked. She groaned softly. Errende said nothing, but he kept his hands on her belly. Thanatos was clearly amused at all of this, but Doppy seemed to growl. Howard wasn't too pleased, either. Eremes seemed to sigh with a touch of annoyance, and Keltin winced, as he looked away. Sammy frowned in thought about the whole thing. When a familiar crushing force came around them, Sarine gave a sharp cry of dismay at it.

"Don't respond to me like that!" Odin said with a playful scowl. "Now, kiss Kiel D-01, please. I need to see if he is compatible with you."

"I don't want to!" she said.

"Now, now, my daughter, my Vessel! You knew this was inevitable! And he's formless!" he said further. "You need him. He's also very important!"

"But...Daddy!" she sighed.

"I also have your demi-human slave picked out. You will meet him tomorrow when you free Ifrit," Odin said. That made her stare at him, and Thanatos started laughing. Eremes was now curious, and Ifrit sent him a mental image of the one Odin spoke of. He blinked with surprise, but said nothing yet.

"Just tell me there will be no beast slaves!" Keltin grounded out.

"Beasts? Ah! You mean brutes. No, don't worry about that. There was a chance that Mutant Dragonoid could have been one, since he's a dragon-type, but that's still unclear. However, there is an insect-type slave that you will need to collect. He will be found when you go to release the strong monster, Maya, after the children are born," Odin said with a chuckle.

"Great. I bet it's her son, Maya Purple," Keltin muttered. At Odin's sharp laugh, he knew he was right.

"But, none others will be worthy of my daughter, my Vessel. Now, kiss Kiel D-01, please," Odin instructed again. Sarine sighed and looked at Howard. It was inevitable, and he gave her a tired shrug. She gestured for Kiehl to come close, and she planted a kiss on his mouth. Kiehl pulled her sharply to him to deepen it further, and he was amazed at how perfectly the kiss suited him. When she drew back, Thanatos claimed her in this embrace again to ensure her body wouldn't crave him. The way she and Kiehl gazed at each other now made Howard blink. _It was the same way I looked at Sarine all the time._

The uncanny feeling that this particular monster was familiar to him came back, and he was struggling to think. It was becoming harder and harder to not accept Kiehl as another version of himself. Even as Kiehl looked over at Howard now, he could tell that they had some form of a bond between them. It was the same feeling of brotherly kinship, as though they knew each other for a long time. It was the same feeling that kept popping up ever since they first laid eyes on each other.

"Another slave, My Lady?" Errende frowned.

"Apparently so," she trembled. Then she blinked when the monster, Mutant Dragonoid, approached slowly. He watched her curiously. Odin looked over at her and nodded. He had decided to see if this monster would be suitable for her.

"He can't talk," Sammy said. "Can he?"

"I can now," Mutant Dragonoid said in a rather deep voice. "I was enhanced just a moment ago, and my mind was cleared. I have two separate minds now. One for me. One for the dragon within. I've never had to go about something like this."

"Tell me about it," Errende frowned. "As long as no other human slaves are taken, I'll be fine with everything."

"Why so many?!" Sarine winced and trembled. Howard moved close to her to whisper, and she shivered. Thanatos sighed and squeezed her gently.

"Well, is there a name we can call you?" Sammy mused. "I don't think we can constantly say 'Mutant Dragonoid' all the time, you know."

"Much like yours, Incantation Samurai?" the half-dragon grinned. "All right. Call me...Drago. That should work."

"Drago? All right. Well, since you're here, should you go ahead and try?" Sammy asked. Doppy muttered and hissed slightly before glancing over at Sarine when she called for him. He gave a soft purr when she ran a hand through his hair, and gave him a look that showed that she had no real choice. He simply nodded and leaned into her slightly before glancing back at Drago. Kiehl wasn't sure what to do at this point, but Aliot gestured to him with Errende to start talking to him about what a slave was.

Drago managed to move to Sarine's side and gave in to the kiss she gave him. He wasn't expecting the feeling at all, and she seemed to wince when it fit with him. Errende called Drago over next to talk to him after it was done.

"We are going to need to redo our bedroom to include a slave quarters," Sammy sighed. "I don't know how much room we have to work with, either."

"I don't...really feel like dominating right now," she winced. Odin frowned at this and gave a silent call for Muninn to freeze time. Muninn landed to revert to his human self, and Howard found that he could move about freely.

"Howard Alt-Eisen! Please approach me," Odin said. Sarine blinked, as she found everyone else frozen around her, and she frowned.

"Sir?" Howard frowned.

"Muninn is to bear witness to this. As well as Huginn," Odin said calmly. "Howard Alt-Eisen, I will be honest with you. You are the one my daughter, my Vessel, is truly to be with. Yes, you are her True Mate, regardless of bloodline or race. No matter what happens, she would have had you in her life. Eremes Guile is only destined to be with her for my prophecy. I'm sure you've heard this before, or even figured it out. It matters not, however. In time, even if she was with you alone, various parts would have had to play out due to her being my daughter, my Vessel. She will bear you the most children. She will always crave your presence."

"Daddy?" Sarine whispered, and Howard moved to carefully pull her from Thanatos's frozen embrace to hug her tight. Muninn thought and whispered to Odin of how Howard now belonged to Sarine with the marking on his back. That gave Odin an idea.

"I know how much it hurts you to have so many at your side. I see it every day. I know how much it stresses you. Howard Alt-Eisen! I want to see the tattoo that Muninn placed on your back," Odin said. Howard blinked, but he nodded and shrugged off his tunic. Once it was revealed, Odin moved to press his fingers to it. Howard gave a sharp yell of surprised pain. Then Odin chuckled and said, "There! Now the tattoo is invisible to those who are not to know of it. I also gave you a secret addition when you are alone with her. You'll find that out soon enough. I can't reveal it to you."

"Um...thank you, Sir?" Howard said with a nervous chuckle. As he put his tunic back on, he asked, "But...why so many slaves? I mean, I understand for her dominant streak, but won't it be over when she gives birth?"

"Her dominance is now an instinct that is a part of her. She will never lose that aspect of herself. As for the slaves, it is not only needed as a source of power, but someone has to help with all of the children!" Odin laughed merrily. "Also, I will warn you of this. My daughter, my Vessel, will have a Demonic Mating every time she gets pregnant. At times, she will bear no other children. But, since there are so many that want to be with her, she may give four children at a time from now on. The only time she may not have a Demonic Mating is when she is pregnant with Eremes Guile. Your pregnancy with her was actually the easiest one for her to bear. The others will be far more difficult for her."

"Sir!" Howard grimaced now, as he held her tight. "Can you tell me what she will crave with Keltin's children? And...which demon will impregnate her with his children? So that I can help be prepared for her well-being?"

"Hmm..." Odin thought and looked at Muninn. Muninn nodded back that he should know. "Keltin will be a touch difficult. He will be using his Rage with her at the last moment. That is when the pregnancy will truly happen. She will crave sweet and salty foods. As for the demon that gets her pregnant with Keltin, it will be Aliot. As to who wins the Demonic Mating, I'm not sure of that. But, she will crave sour and bitter things to go with the sweet and salty foods. Rather simple at first, but her pregnancy will be swift with them. Keltin's Rage will ensure that. She will grow with them every day."

"An elaborate palette, then," Howard thought. "Would it be all right, if I told the others?"

" _Tell Thanatos and Errende. This way Errende can start experimenting with new dishes to make for her. I would say, the moment the children are born, to start on the dishes. And, just so you know, I have foreseen Keltin and her being together before she is fully healed in her body. You won't know it, and neither will the others. She won't get pregnant right away, but they will start being together. It will be rather instinctive for him and for her. You won't figure it out until the last day. Just a word of precaution,_ " Muninn said.

"I want to know more," Odin said.

" _Of course, Father Odin. Sarine is going to start waking up in the middle of the night with urges to be alone. Keltin will find himself waking up, and he will instinctively go to her. Since he's not a demon, he must build himself up in her while she is untouched by the others. It may be the same way with Incantation Samurai, Eremes Guile, and any of her slaves should the chance arise. I will not disclose when it will happen. Only that it will._ "

"I see now," Howard nodded. "It would make sense. He would need to be with her multiple times. Like a real human. But, he would use his Rage to fully get her with child?"

" _Yes. It will also give her a bit of an Angelic streak. She will still crave Demonic blood, thus the Demonic Mating will happen. But, she will be much gentler to everyone. She may not have to dominate others, but I wouldn't put it past her, if she consumes enough demon blood._ "

"So, what happens with me now?" Sarine finally asked.

"You must be dominant with your husbands, slaves, and new slaves. And Garrett Lockheart will be coming by to finish his 'training' with you. Finish with him and show Cecil Damon how it is done to get him out of the way. I would not truly advise you to show others how to dominate until you are ready to do so. As much as it relieves stress, it can also cause it, too," Odin warned. "Muninn! It is time to bring time back to us!"

Muninn nodded, and Howard slipped Sarine back into Thanatos's frozen embrace. He got back into the position he was in when time came back, and Odin handed Sarine two more collars with leashes. She sighed and nodded, as he vanished away.

"Muninn?" Sammy asked.

" _Odin needed to speak with me discreetly. I had to freeze time to speak with him. He wants us to go find Maya Purple when Sarine is ready to travel again. Likely after she gives birth. And, Keltin will be the next one to be a father. It has been confirmed._ "

"Really?!" Keltin blinked. "How will I know when to do this?"

" _It will be instinctive. You will know,_ " Muninn winked. He then walked over to Aliot to whisper to him, and the lesser demon blinked with surprise. Then Aliot nodded gravely before Muninn walked over to Errende to whisper to him. Thanatos was able to listen to Errende's thoughts and grinned with amusement.  _New dishes would be prepared the moment they were able._ Now with new goals in sight, the next thing to do at the moment was to claim the new slaves into the fold. Muninn nodded to them all and shifted back into his falcon form to scout over the island.

"So, how do we do this?" Kiehl asked, as he was led into the chamber with Drago.

"Normally, I would be in dominating leathers. But, I am a bit too heavy for them right now," she sighed and leaned into Thanatos. She took out the first collar and looked at Kiehl. Errende made the gesture for him to kneel before her, and Kiehl did so.

"We'll need to get them proper clothes," Sammy mused.

"Later," Sarine said, and she looked at Kiehl. "Kiehl, you understand that being my slave is a permanent task. Once I collar you, you are expected to serve me, do as I say at all times, and see to my every need. If you fail me at any given time, you will be punished. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"Yes, I do," Kiehl nodded sternly. Thanatos moved with her so she could collar him before turning to Drago.

"Drago, I will now repeat the same thing to you. You understand that being my slave is a permanent task from this point forward. Once I collar you, you are expected to serve me, do as I say at all times, and see to my every need. Should you fail me even once at any given time, you will be punished. Do you understand everything?" Sarine asked him.

"I do," Drago nodded. She was able to move with Thanatos's help to collar him, and she backed away. Both collars now glowed to become permanently sealed with the Mark of Odin on the front of them. Small gold loops appeared where the Marks were for leashes. Kiehl's collar turned dark blue to match his suit with light gold threading. Drago's collar became a dark greenish-blue to match his colors.

"Now we need to see about clothing for you both," she sighed. Thanatos looked at her with a frown.  _She was getting tired far too fast, and it was because of her pregnancy._

"My Lady?" Errende asked, as he moved to her side. Howard was there next, as he felt her thoughts, and they weren't happy ones.

"You don't really feel like dominating right now. Do you?" Howard frowned.

"No. I don't..." she winced and ran a hand over her belly. Doppy moved forward now and picked her up to take her into a vacant room. He held her close, and she nuzzled into him.

"Sorry Sari," he whispered and kissed her softly. "You didn't drink from me lately. Or from Thanatos. I think this is why you are feeling this way. You need to get stronger. You must be dominant for our children."

"You think so?" she thought. "I did drink from Thanatos. But...not from you, yet, I think. I don't know. I thought I did. You think I need to drink from you, anyways?"

"I know so," he pressed another kiss to her mouth and ran a hand over her belly to feel his children moving for him. "Drink from me, Sorry Sari. I want to feel you bite me."

"Do you have a knife?" she asked. She leaned into him to feel the slight chill he gave her. He undressed her now and set her clothing aside. He dropped all of his armor quickly to keep her close and ran his sword lightly over his neck. Moving her carefully into his lap, he groaned at the feel of her around him. Once she locked her mouth on the wound, he cried out sharply. He screamed when she worked her teeth into it, and her body tightened around his considerably. He gave himself to her over and over in the short pleasuring loop he could give her before she pulled away. He kissed her hard now and hugged her tightly to him. She was craving his blood all along, and now she started to feel like her dominating self again.

"Feel better?" he asked, as he nuzzled her.

"I love you, Doppy," she whispered, and he smiled softly.

"I love you, too, Sorry Sari. I will only love you," he whispered back and kissed her again. "And, if any of those slaves out there get out of line, I'll kill them!"

"No, you won't. You will let me punish them as I see fit," she growled. He snickered and snatched another kiss from her before helping her up. After he dressed, he called out for Errende, and, once she was in the High Priest's arms, Doppy was Healed and had Kiehl go into the room first.

"Have you ever been with a woman before?" she asked. Kiehl glanced with wide eyes at her nude form before looking at the ground.

"I have. I'm no stranger to it," he said lightly, as he adjusted his spectacle glasses. "It was all curiosity. Really..."

"Undress for me, please," she said. When he hesitated, she asked why.

"I'm sorry...um...My Lady. It's just...I've only done this once, and I'm unsure. It was an experiment to see if I even could," he frowned. She had Errende stand close by, and she moved to Kiehl's side to kiss him deeply. She removed any fears he had and helped him undress. When she needed Errende, she would carefully back away to let him hug her to cool her body down just enough to continue working. She moved Kiehl to lie back on the ground and moved over him. He gasped, as he thrust sharply into her and cried out at his release.

"You look quite a bit like Aliot," she mused, as she pulled him into a sitting up position. When she removed his glasses to set them aside, he blinked his soft, black eyes at her and gave a bit of a chuckle. His eyes were actually an incredibly dark blue that appeared black. She secretly marveled that his body closely resembled Howard's, and it thrilled her.

"Well...he was an older body of mine," Kiehl said, and he moved to the position he was needed in. "I...had to do what I could to give my robots life. I am a bit of a robot, myself. A hybrid of Homunculus and robot, so to speak, like I said before. So, when I saw that some of my creations still had potential, I kept them around. Aliot's body was more like a guardian of sorts. I made Alicel the same way. I...always tried to make myself better bodies to advance myself. My past...it's a rather dark one."

"I see," she mused. "Well, I thank you for giving Aliot life. He has been most helpful to me. I, too, had a very dark past. Everyone I meet tends to have a dark history of sorts. In time, you will learn of it and of them. Right now, though, I need to swap blood with you to make you fully mine. Are you ready?"

"Swap blood?!" he blinked. "How?"

"Simple. I bite your neck and drink from you. Then you take a mouthful from me. I'd give you more, but I'm pregnant," she chuckled.

"I don't know if I have any blood to give, honestly," he frowned.

"Well, there is only one way to find out. Isn't there?" she asked. "So, I will give you the choice. I drink from you first, or you drink from me first."

"Um..." Kiehl blinked. "You first. I drink from you. If that's all right?"

"It's why I gave you the choice," she purred. Errende placed his hands on her again to keep her body chilled and lightly ran a knife over her neck. When she nodded to Kiehl, he locked on to the wound, and she cried out sharply with her release. He clung to her, as he pulled the mouthful and drew away for Errende to Heal her. When she recovered, she looked at Kiehl now. He tilted his head to one side to give her full access, and she snarled, biting down savagely. He screamed and fought down the instinct to push her away. When she started to drink what blood he had, he cried out at the pleasure she gave him. Errende Healed him when she pulled away, and he sat there gasping for breath.

"Are you all right, Kiehl?" she asked softly.

"I...yes..." he blinked back the effects of her bite. "I...think I want to learn more about you now. I need to...really."

"I know. It's needed," she smiled sadly. "I should see to Drago now."

"Wait!" he pleaded. "Just...please? My Lady? Just...a moment longer?"

"Very well," she smiled. As he held her, he told her about how his father, Kiel Hyre, created him for the Lighthalzen corporation to use him. How he had other siblings, and they were killed in the experiments. He explained how he was used to make stronger spies and assassins for the vile people that used him. In the end, he actually started working for them, since it only made sense to at the time. Then a stronger version of himself was made, and he, as the older body, was locked away down below where she found him. She listened to everything carefully and hugged him tight when he finished his story.

"That's pretty much everything about me..." he sighed.

"I'm glad that I found you when I did. And not the more newer version of you. It's a known fact that older things are much harder to find. They are also far more reliable than the newer versions. Howard and Eremes were both used by Lighthalzen, as well," she said softly. "I was almost used with them, but I was declined. When I am finished with Drago, you will both learn of my past. I don't think Aliot or Observation have fully learned, either."

"Really?" Kiehl asked with a bit of a stunned look. "I do want to know all about you. In full. Oh...and this is for you before I forget."

"Hmm?" she asked and gave a soft smile, as he handed her his card. She blinked at it with delight and kissed him soundly now. His incredibly soft, dark blue eyes watched her with a fondness that he didn't know could have existed. After that, he grabbed his overcoat to pull out two particular items to give her next. A belt and a pendant were given over, and she gasped. They were part of the Morrigane set that she started with Thanatos. Now, she was only missing one final piece. Errende took them from her so they could be stored away for safe keeping. When Thanatos moved into the room to place his hands on her shoulders, she gave a sudden gasp of relief from the chills he gave her.

"Why do you react like that with him?" Kiehl asked.

"It's a curse that was placed on me long ago," Thanatos said. He told him the story of how it came about, and of the craving that was plaguing Sarine during her pregnancy. Kiehl was horrified about it and realized why Errende was so important to her right now.

"Kiehl, you must dress and stand off to one side. I need to see to Drago. Then, you, Drago, Aliot, and Observation will learn of my full history. Muninn can show it to you," she said. Kiehl nodded, and she hugged him tight. "Just so you know, it is expected of you to do as I say on command. If others ask you to do something, it will be your choice to go with what they ask or decline. I refuse to force anyone into doing things that may be beyond their control."

"Thank you," Kiehl said. "For everything."

"You are very welcome," she smiled. He hugged her tightly to him again before letting Thanatos move her away from him so he could dress. She had Errende show Thanatos the card and equipment that Kiehl gave her, and he whistled with an impressed look on his face. Aliot and Observation came in with Drago, as Thanatos moved from the room. Errende kept his arms around Sarine, as the older slaves moved to stand along the wall. They gestured for Kiehl to stand with them, and the stronger monster blinked at the slave attire they wore.

"I want clothes like theirs," Kiehl said.

"I know. It will be done the moment there is time for them to be made," Sarine nodded. She studied Drago's face and form, and she thought to herself. "Have you done this before?"

"No," Drago said. "Who would want to even try by looking at me?"

"I'm a lover of monsters, in a sense. Just look at my company! Besides, why wouldn't I want to try?" she chuckled. That made him gape, as she moved over to him now. "Don't you want to try with me? Aren't you curious as to what it's like?"

"I..." he swallowed. She pressed against him, and his Draconic arm purred now with a form of affection. She moved her fingers along the swollen muscles of his bandaged, malformed arm and then along his neck to his face. He stared at her with a touch of disbelief with his green-black eyes, and he hissed with a form of hesitation.

"Maybe I should have said I've never done anything before," Kiehl sighed. That had Aliot grin wickedly, and Observation chuckled. She gave a throaty chuckle that silenced them all, as she glanced over at them.

"Maybe..." she mused. "we'll play a little game later. I have one in mind now. Errende, come here. My body..."

Errende needed no further explanation and moved swiftly to hug her close to replenish the chill she needed. It was starting to tax her, but she had to do this. Drago blinked with confusion, but she rose up her hand to silence him. He would get all the explaining he needed after she made him hers. When Errende was able to back away, she pushed herself into Drago's good arm and planted a kiss on him that stole away his thoughts. Then her scent filled his mind, and he was starting to lose control of himself.

Her hands moved quickly to the leathery briefs he wore, and they were shoved down. The instinct to mate her filled his mind, and he picked her up the best he could to press her against the wall to claim her. His single wing covered over her in a mating frenzy, and he found himself roaring out his release. The others were a touch shocked at this display of ferocity, but she was no stranger to it at all. She gave a hissing snarl in response, and he gave into her again with his reply. After he was able to think again, he couldn't believe what he did. He had just claimed her as a First Mate for the dragon race, and it shocked him.

"I didn't...know..." he gasped.

"It's all right, Drago. I'm...quite used to this, actually," she smiled. "Now, it is time for you to do a blood swap with me. Errende!"

"Yes, My Lady," Errende said and carefully moved the knife over her neck. Drago snarled out at the scent of her blood and latched onto it now to drink down the mouthful he needed. He pulled away from her and gasped at the taste of the others in her blood. It felt odd to him right now, but then he gleaned a form of acceptance from it. He roared with sudden pain when she sank her teeth into his neck, and he gave himself over to the pleasure right after it. Dragon blood was new to her, and she found herself enjoying the taste immensely. After three mouthfuls, she pulled away from him, and Errende Healed them both.

"Wow..." Drago blinked, as he clung to her. She was still pressed against the wall with him, and she gave out a soft purr. Just as she was starting to relax, her body started to warm up.

"Drago, I need Thanatos," she frowned.

"Why?" he asked.

"Please..." she whimpered, as her body started to boil over. Drago gasped with shock at her plea, and Thanatos charged in quickly to tear her from Drago's grasp and hug her tight. Doppy was in next to make sure she was fine, since he started to feel her pains.

"Can someone tell me what happened?!" Drago growled out, as he fixed up his briefs with his single good arm. Thanatos told him the same thing he told Kiehl now about her destructive craving for him. Drago was floored at it. "If that demoness shows up, I'll tear her a new one!"

"You and me both," Thanatos hissed out. Doppy gave out a sharp growl at the thought, and she sighed with a frown. Howard walked into the room now and looked at her with alarm.

"It's needed, How-How," she sighed again.

"What is needed?" Doppy asked.

"Blood swap with everyone. Since she has two new bloodlines in her. Same thing will need to happen with the other two slaves we need to collect. After that, everything will be fine," Howard frowned. "Maybe we can wait until we collect them in order to do the blood swaps? It won't be as taxing on her this way."

"True," Thanatos mused. "As long as their scents are in her, it should be all right. She's growing in her pregnancy right now, and it's not safe, as it is. We'll have to wait."

"I would prefer to wait until the other two are collected," Doppy nodded. "I'll tell the others so they know."

"All right," Sarine said, a bit of relief detected in her voice. "Has Garrett shown up yet?"

"Not yet," Thanatos said as he cradled her. "Are you hungry?"

"Very," she said. Errende nodded, and Aliot moved to help him get her something to eat. Observation thought and frowned.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"When is My Lady supposed to be bedridden?" he asked.

"Bedridden?!" Kiehl asked with surprise. Drago narrowed his eyes at this now.

"About two days. Likely after we free Ifrit," Howard sighed. "I hope we have plenty of strong healers on hand. I don't know how strong the monsters are that we will be confronting."

Doppy thought and then found himself swearing with his own denseness.

"What is it, Doppy?!" Sarine asked with concern.

"I had something that I never bothered to use all this time! A natural talent for me, too! I am such an idiot!" he growled with irritation.

"Oh?" Thanatos frowned. Doppy looked at them both and Healed them. Sarine stared at him with shock, and Thanatos barked out laughter.

"And you just figured this out?!" Howard gaped.

"Apparently, I'm a mix of Paladin and Lord Knight. I like it," he grinned wickedly. She looked at him with a rather approving smile now, and it sent shivers down his spine. She reached for him, and Thanatos was able to give her over to Doppy now. He fell to his knees with her in his lap, and he started to snuggle into her.

"Who is she pregnant with, exactly?" Kiehl asked.

"Me and Doppelganger," Thanatos said. "He got her pregnant first. Then she had a Demonic Mating, and I got her pregnant."

"She already had twins with me and Naght Seiger," Howard chuckled.

"Naght Seiger? Ah! The big blue and red demon, right?" Kiehl asked.

"Yep!" Howard nodded. "I was injected with his blood in the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory experiments. Eremes was given the blood of Ifrit. There are others of us that are here that you have seen. All of us have been subject to various Demonic bloodlines. In fact, Eremes was the only one that wasn't exposed to demon blood. I wonder why."

"What?!" Kiehl gaped. "I mean...I know that I was made solely for the purpose of the Lighthalzen Rekenber Corporation for them to experiment on me with, but...I heard mild rumors of other experiments happening."

"So...you were born as an experiment," Howard said grimly and sighed. Then he moved over to Kiehl and clasped his hand like a brother's. For some odd reason, ever since he saw him down in the robot factory, he still felt a kinship with this one. The feeling had gotten even stronger now. Even before that, he always felt a kinship with him. "I feel for you as will everyone else here. You should tell your story to everyone the moment you can."

"I...could make robot sentries for this island. To help protect it," Kiehl said, as he shook Howard's hand back with gratitude. "If I had a proper workshop."

"I don't know," Sarine frowned. "I already have so many monsters here already that do just that of their own choice."

"But, My Lady, this would be  _my choice_  to do this. I'm not being forced by you. I may even be able to up the attacks of Aliot and Alicel, as well as any other robots here! I am a skilled genetic and robotic engineer. Let me use my skills for you!" he said.

"On two conditions," she said.

"Name them!" he said.

"Whoever you experiment on must give you their approval, and, if I have need of you, you must come to me when I call for you," she said. "I don't want anyone or anything to be forced. It has been done to you, as well as myself, for far too long. And, there may be times that I'll find myself wanting your presence."

"You have my word that I will do as you say," Kiehl nodded. "I vow on everything I am that I will not go back on you. Besides, you don't have electric lighting in the house yet! We need to fix that!"

"Really?" she mused. Doppy chuckled and told Kiehl about the house they had in Payon. Kiehl vowed to look into the house and see what he could do to upgrade the technology in it, as well. After another minute passed, Aliot and Observation came back with a platter of cubed Immortal Hearts for her, and she ate gratefully.

"Garrett is here," Eremes said, as he walked into the small chamber. She finished eating and nodded when the plate was taken away.

"Good. Let's get him done with," Sarine nodded. "While I work on him, I would like Muninn to show my past to my four new slaves. It will give them something to do."

"Right," Howard nodded and watched Doppy hand Sarine over to Thanatos for a boost in his chilling effect. She gave Howard the card and items that Kiehl gave her, and he was impressed. He would show it to everyone later. When Doppy walked into the other room, he shocked them when he Healed everyone. That had many of them laughing with surprise, and they all glanced at the card from Kiehl with appreciation. When they saw the other items given, they were impressed. Sarine had to dress in her Sniper gears, and she was brought out with Thanatos to confront Garrett. Cecil was with him and she nodded with a grin.

"Do you have a collar and a leash?" Sarine asked.

"What?!" Garrett gaped.

"Oh, yes!" Cecil snickered.

"Errende! Come with me," Sarine grinned.

"Yes, My Lady," Errende said. She gave Thanatos a kiss, as Errende was led into the small chamber by his leash. She had blindfolded Errende once the door was closed and looked at Cecil with a smile.

"Have Garrett undress. I will show you what you need to do to him with Errende. I will not expose Errende to you, but you will copy the movements I do to him on Garrett," Sarine said.

"Garrett, undress," Cecil said.

"What?" Garrett frowned.

"You need to be far more forceful than that, big sis," Sarine chuckled. "Errende! Undress now! Down to your briefs, though. No need to show them anything."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende said with a shiver of excitement, as he did as she told him. When he was kneeling in front of her, she looked at Cecil.

"Garrett! Undress for me! Don't let him show you up!" Cecil said.

"I don't think it's necessary!" Garrett said.

"Garrett..." Sarine warned softly with a slight glance. That sent a pleasuring chill down his spine. His armor was off without another word. "Cecil, tell him to kneel."

"Kneel for me!" Cecil said.

"But..." Garrett frowned. Sarine sighed and had to do the same thing she did to Seyren for Karla. She moved behind Garrett, planted a foot in his back, and forced him to his knees. He was gasping with disbelief now at how easily she bent his will to hers. Then she bent down to whisper into his ear.

"Do I need to blindfold you, Garrett?" she asked with a croon in his ear.

"Ah! Um...I don't know..." his whimpered out, as his heart was racing, and she called for Errende to put his hands on her to chill her body down.

"Why don't you listen to your wife?" she crooned again in his ear.

"She's...not as demanding..." he gasped, and she looked up at Cecil with a smirk.

"Get out the collar!" Sarine snapped. Cecil had it in her hands and now Sarine yanked his head back by his hair, causing him to hiss out in pain. "Collar him!"

Once Cecil put on the collar, he felt oddly submissive to his wife. Then Sarine gave her the blindfold to put on him. After that, she started to teach her sister how to control Garrett effectively, as she used Errende. Once Garrett had reached that point of pleasure and pain, the blindfold was removed, he was able to dress, and he was leashed.

"Now what do I do?" Cecil asked with a grin.

"Well, you could punish him by whipping him. Especially since he didn't listen to you earlier. Or, you can simply use him to your heart's content here or back in your bedroom. I would recommend removing his collar around the others unless he wants it on. But, only you remove and place the collar on him. I would suggest the leash, if he wants it," Sarine said, as Errende hugged her to chill her body down.

"I'll take him to the bedroom," Cecil nodded. "Let's go!"

"Yes..." Garrett nodded and moved with her. The moment she left with him, she let Errende use her as his form of reward for responding so well to her. After that, she walked into the main chamber to see Muninn finishing up with the visions for those that needed to see them. Eremes moved over to her to hug her tightly, and she hugged him back. Drago was fuming by the time he finished watching the scenes, and Aliot was in complete shock. Observation launched himself at her to stand in front of her with a rigid form of solid protection. Kiehl was now making mental designs of how to further up the defensive systems of the houses she owned. He should have been far more affected by the images, but he was so busy thinking of what he could do to protect her as a slave that he had pushed aside the emotions. If the images were shown again, he would want to watch them to study them even further. His mind was furiously working on being more technical. The emotional part of what he would see would have to come later. Errende moved to keep his hands on her belly, and she sighed.

"Well, now you know about me," she said with a sad smile.

"That goes without saying!" Kiehl snarled out. "I'm going to make a complete line of defenses for the island! Don't try to stop me!"

"Can you do that?" Keltin asked.

"I'm a genetic and robotic engineer. I can do pretty much anything when I put my mind to it. Give it a day to a year, I'll have it done!" Kiehl said.

"We'll see about building a workshop for you under the house. I'm sure that Tao Gunka can help," Sammy said. "Most of the stone rooms are made by that monster."

"I'll see about making special key cards for you all to gain access to it, if I'm needed. Maybe build an intercom system throughout the house. It will help us keep in contact with each other. What do you think, My Lady?" Kiehl asked.

"I do like it," Sarine nodded. "I've been...shy of technology since Lighthalzen."

"I understand completely," Kiehl said. "Don't worry. I am making things for  _you_  and nothing will come to any harm unless it's an intruder. I won't let any new friends or new family get hurt. You have my word. I can even have Aliot and Alicel assist me. They know most of my works, as they are my creations, in a sense."

"That would be good," Aliot said. "It would give us something to do when we are not needed. I would still feel better at My Lady's side, though. Maybe tomorrow morning, we can check out the arena before going to free Ifrit? I have been rather curious about it."

"Oh? I think we can work it in," she nodded. "I'm a bit tired right now, though."

"Then let's get you to bed," Thanatos chuckled, and he moved to carry her in his arms. His body chilled hers again, and she sighed with relief. "Are you all right?"

"It just feels good to be against you," she said with a soft smile. "It...really does start to be more and more difficult now."

"With the children growing so much, it's a good thing we did this now. But, we still have that other slave to find. I'm worried," Howard said.

"I know who it is. Ifrit told me," Eremes said.

"Really?! Then tell us!" Keltin said.

"It is a demi-human monster called Byorgue. He is a very powerful form of monster in his own right," Eremes said. "He is almost an Assassin and Rogue cross counterpart. He will be a valuable ally when we find him."

"Sounds good," Sammy said. "We will see what we must do to get him and Ifrit swiftly."

"Actually, that will be easy," Eremes chuckled. "Ifrit found him and is keeping him safe for us. He already knows what needs to be done. Byorgue is intrigued and wants to know more, so Ifrit is talking to him about everything."

"That does simplify things!" Howard nodded.

"Needless to say, Byorgue is outraged at Sarine's past. What Ifrit is able to tell him, that is. There is much that he is purposely holding back. He wants Byorgue to find out various things for himself. The moment we manage to get into the third lower level of the volcano that Ifrit is in, we will find them waiting for us. I am unsure if Ifrit will be able to go back and forth, or if his form will be split," Eremes frowned.

"I think he will go back and forth. His blood was injected into you. It would be the same as the others, since their forms cannot be split," Sarine said in thought.

"True," Thanatos nodded. "It would make sense. I was offered to be split, but I declined. I like defending myself when I'm called."

"When you're called?" Kiehl asked. Thanatos explained how he was bound to his tower, and now called there by the keys that represent his soul. Kiehl nodded, and Thanatos suddenly fell to his knees with Sarine clutched to his chest.

"Speaking of being called...!" Thanatos snarled out with frustration. Sarine was now worried, and Howard was forced to take her, as Errende placed his hands over her belly.

"We can Heal Errende to help Thanatos, and any buffs we give him will also reach Thanatos," Sammy said. Naght was called to help, and Thanatos hissed once more before being forced to answer the call to his tower. Kiehl had quite a few skills that he could use to help assist with, and his Dark Blessing was cast quickly. It was a slightly stronger version of a normal Blessing, and it lasted much longer.

The moment Errende showed signs of pain, he was Healed by everyone that could Heal him. Naght waited patiently until his Full Heal skill was needed. Howard used his effective buffs, and Doppy thought before using his Devotion skill on Errende. That helped immensely, and he had a lot more health than Thanatos. He was also able to Heal himself to keep the strain off of Errende. The battle started to become more drawn out, and now Sarine was starting to worry. The effects from the others around her was starting to fade, and her body was starting to warm up considerably.

"He has to hurry this up!" Howard gaped. "This is starting to affect Sarine!"

The moment Errende told Thanatos this, the strong demon screamed out in fury. He would not endanger the lives of his children. Muninn landed and reverted to his human form. He knew the danger that was happening.

" _Errende, listen to me carefully,_ " Muninn said. " _Tell Thanatos to lose this battle! If he draws on with it, then Sarine will be in trouble! This is for the life of his children! I swear, I will not allow any more summons to his tower while she is pregnant after this!_ "

"He...hears you..." Errende gasped, as pain wracked his body. "He doesn't...want to lose...but..."

" _If he keeps fighting, he will lose the children!_ " Muninn hissed out. Doppy was starting to wince, as Sarine started to feel the fiery pain in her body heightening. Howard ripped off his tunic and grabbed her to hug her tight. It would ease her a bit more, but he knew it would wear off in time. Howard looked at Naght with a nod, and the massive demon used his Full Heal skill on Errende. With Thanatos having a second wind, he fought harder and finally managed to win.

The moment Thanatos reappeared, he grabbed Sarine from Howard, crushed her to him, and ran to the house with her. Muninn simply grinned a bit ruefully now and watched Naght rush back to the nursery to watch over his children.

"You knew he was going to win," Howard frowned, as he put his tunic back on.

" _Only if I stressed the situation. If he kept at the pace he was going, he would have clearly lost the children. He trusts my word more than anything. As much as he loves my sister, for that matter. I had to appear to stress the situation. Me telling him to lose the battle pissed him off that much more to up his attack. It forced him to fight harder,_ " Muninn said. " _I will ensure that no one else will call him while she is pregnant with the children. If he is called again, it will endanger her. She needs rest now._ "

"Of course," Errende said and moved to the house.

"How can he help her?" Kiehl asked, as he pointed to Howard.

" _Howard is a bit of a First Mate to her. His body feels cold against hers. Anyone that has the blood of Thanatos in them can assist, as you can, too, since you have her blood now. But, it is not as potent as it would be if you became a First Mate to her._ "

"And...how would I become a First Mate?" Kiehl asked.

"Demonic Matings..." Eremes said. "When she has one...her scent calls to the demons around her. Then they fight over her to impress her. She...chooses the most impressive one of the fighters. To be with her first. That is how one is chosen. It is important, since she fights the one she chooses first. Only the strongest can claim her first. Naght Seiger won her first Demonic Mating. Apparently, non-Demonic creatures can participate, but are subject to Demonic Rules. Ifrit will want to join the next one...when he is freed..."

"Really?" Kiehl blinked. "How would I know when it happens next?"

"Just watch how I react," Aliot smirked. "Easiest thing to do."

"I'll remember that," Kiehl chuckled.

"You will be fighting quite a few of us," Sammy warned. "I don't need to do this anymore, since I sort of claimed her as her First Mate for the demi-human race. Anyone that she claimed as a First Mate before has a permanent standing. It's Bragging Rights if they win again, but not needed. Thanatos explained all of this to us."

"Does she have a First Mate for the formless race?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. Me," Eremes nodded. "Ifrit possessed me enough to give me his trait. Sarine...needed it to happen. If you want to be a First Mate...you must fight for it."

"She can also get pregnant with anyone while she's already pregnant," Doppy growled. "It's been proven with me and Thanatos."

"As I've heard," Kiehl nodded. "So, what happens now?"

"Do you need to sleep?" Howard asked.

"Not really. I know it may take a few days for a workshop to be made for me. I'm not even sure where I can get raw supplies," he sighed.

"There is a way into the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory offices," Keltin said. "Sarine and I had to get there to find access."

"As much as I detest the place, it may be the only way we can find what you need," Howard sighed. "Unless Karla can find something for us."

"Karla?" Kiehl asked.

"Our Creator," Eremes said with a nod.

"Oh! Maybe I can get her to do something for me, then," Kiehl thought. "She has a Homunculus? Most Alchemists and Creators do."

"She does and thinks of Luna as her daughter. She won't sacrifice her," Howard said.

"No, no! I wouldn't dream of doing that! I may be able to help make Luna stronger!" Kiehl said. "I'll have to talk to Karla."

" _There is much that will need to be done. Now, see to my sister!_ " Muninn said. He reverted to his falcon form and flew off. Muninn was still thinking about the bond between Howard, Sarine, and Kiehl. There was something that he was missing, and he needed to think further on what was happening between them. There was a definite connection between them, and he needed to figure it out.

Kiehl looked at the others, and they moved swiftly to the house. In the bedroom, they paused with amazement. Storm Caller had the place completely redone. Several small beds were in various corners of the room for the slaves, if they needed it. Sarine's bed was in the center of the room. The bathroom was all the way at the end of the room, to the right when they walked in, and the place looked like a room of its own. Marble columns decorated the bathroom now, and giant, airy windows adorned the walls with white silk curtains covering them. A massive tub was built in the center of the room with small showers placed all over. The entire room was tiled with marble and made for multiple bathers. Toilets were set along the walls with short, tiled walls for a slight bit of privacy and to be protected from the showers. There were even cloth drapes to act as doors. Everyone was completely in awe.

"Storm Caller's been busy!" Howard whistled.

"But, where are Sarine and Thanatos?" Eremes frowned.

"In the tub," Errende said with amusement. They glanced in and looked with shock. The tub had seats in it now, and the walls of the tub were high enough to hide anyone in it for ultimate privacy. The tub actually looked like a bathing pool with the way it was built into the floor. Small shelves were in place with easy access to bathing supplies, too. Sarine was feeding off of Thanatos and had just finished when she pulled away.

"She needed a bath," Thanatos said lightly, as Errende Healed him.

"This tub is large enough for all of us to sit in," Sammy mused.

"Maybe...after my pregnancy?" Sarine asked.

"Of course!" Sammy nodded. Thanatos carried Sarine out and used the steps from the back left corner of the tub. There was another set of steps built in on the opposite side, too. A small, wooden door, much like an elegant swinging door, swung open and closed easily. The same thing was built into the opposite back side entry.

"So, how are we doing the sleeping arrangements?" Howard asked. "Especially for tonight. I can take one of the smaller beds, and Errende can take my place to keep her kids from growing. Think that will work?"

"For tonight, yes, it should," Sammy nodded. Then a sharp cry came from the nursery, and Sarine went into full-blown mother mode. Thanatos grinned and moved with her. Howard looked at Kiehl and Drago to gesture for them to follow, and told them they may get bitten for a sample of their blood. This had the new slaves baffled, but they were confirmed it by the others. Sarine was seen sitting in Thanatos's lap and nursing Siegfried. Howard moved to gather up Serenity, and he started to keep her busy by playing with her. Naght rumbled a greeting to them and continued to watch over his family.

"Kiehl," Howard said, as his daughter reached for the new slave. Kiehl blinked and moved to gather up the small toddler in his arms. She blinked at him curiously with Sarine's eyes, and he smiled gently at her.

"Duh!" she said, as she pointed to Howard.

"Yes, that's daddy!" Sarine giggled.

"Duh?" Kiehl grinned.

"She'll get it right one day!" Howard said quickly. Drago cracked a smile.

"I hope she doesn't!" Seyren grinned, as he walked in wearing Karla's collar. Howard glanced at him to signal that Sarine was starting to nurse, and he politely averted his eyes and turned away to give a form of privacy.

"Another slave?" Kiehl frowned.

"To my wife, Karla," Seyren said.

"Ah. Makes sense. Ow!" Kiehl winced when Serenity bit down hard to get a taste of his blood. "Sharp teeth! So am I a 'duh' to you now?"

"No!" Serenity said with a pout. Sarine looked over with surprise, and Howard beamed with pride that his daughter was trying to talk.

"No?" Kiehl frowned. "Then who am I to you?"

"Play!" Serenity giggled.

"Play? Play what?" Kiehl asked.

"Um..." Serenity thought. Then she looked at him and seemed to blush that she didn't know, and Kiehl found himself laughing softly. She looked over at Drago now and reached for him. Kiehl helped Serenity get held by Drago, and she bite down on the half-dragon's hand.

"Wow! She managed to bite through my skin!" Drago grinned. She took in the small droplet she needed and looked at Sarine when Siegfried was done.

"Ma!" she whimpered and reached for her.

"I'm right here," Sarine cooed softly and gathered up her daughter to nurse her. Siegfried was taken by Howard, but the boy looked at Drago and reached for him to take in a drop of blood. Then he looked at Kiehl and reached for him to get his droplet of blood.

"What are their names?" Kiehl asked.

"My daughter is Serenity, and my son is Siegfried," Howard said.

"Da?" Siegfried said to Howard, and the Whitesmith laughed with pride.

"Yes, Siegfried?" Howard asked.

"Ma!" Siegfried said, as he pointed to Sarine.

"Very good!" Sarine blushed. Naght rumbled with his own show of fatherly pride, and Siegfried looked at his other father. Reaching for him, Naght took him from Kiehl and purred, as his son nestled against him.

"Our son likes Naght more, since they are more alike. Serenity will always be How-How's little girl," Sarine smiled.

"No mother's child for you?" Kiehl asked.

"I don't mind it, really. It leaves me free to do other things when the time comes," Sarine smiled softly. "I'll be busy enough, as it is."

"And to think they are only about two months old," Seyren sighed. Then he blinked, as he heard Karla calling for him, and he left the room quickly.

"Two months?!" Drago blinked.

"Demonic children grow swiftly," Sammy said, as he walked into the room to evaluate their health. "It's a proven fact."

"Sum?!" Serenity said, as she finished nursing and looked at Sammy.

"Sum? Oh! It's Sammy. Sam-me!" he said. He picked up Serenity to evaluate her.

"Me!" Serenity giggled and laughed at a soft tickle to her side.

"They are both adorable," Kiehl said.

"Well, now they are both yours, too, in a sense. They just got a drop of your blood. Same with Drago," Howard grinned. Drago paused at this and now seemed lost in thought.

"What?!" Kiehl blinked with shock and seemed to pale a bit.

"Kiehl?" Sarine frowned, and Thanatos looked over with concern.

"Sorry...I just...never thought that...I would..." Kiehl swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "My Lady, no matter what you say now, this island is going to become a fortress!"

"Kiehl!" Sarine blinked with surprise.

"Nothing will harm my children!" he growled. "I can't leave here on my own, can I?"

"No. Only with Sarine can you leave the island. You can go to the house in Payon, but you can't stray away from it. We are pet-like to her, and only to her. If you need something, talk to any true human here. They can see about getting what you need. Karla has the best luck at finding things for us," Sammy said, as he checked over Siegfried. Errende came in the room and helped calm the children enough to get them to sleep. Doppy walked in, as the twins were being placed in the crib, and he stood behind Sarine.

"Kiehl, Storm Caller wants to talk to you about what type of workshop you need. He's thinking of converting the dungeon into your workshop and making a different area of the island for the dungeon. This way, the house is clear of any unwanted intruders and safer," Doppy said.

"That would work best. What about Timmy?" Sarine asked.

"Ugh. I'm hating my little brother more and more," Howard frowned.

"Timmy? Your brother?" Kiehl asked. Howard told him what happened with his brother with the treasury, how his life was growing up, and what Timmy did in Amatsu with the stolen toys. Kiehl gave a look that showed distrust almost immediately. A true brother would never do such a thing, and it disgusted him.

"I know he's not going to change my Father. He is so ingrained in my Father's ways that it would be a waste of time," Howard growled.

"I could use him as a test subject," Kiehl mused.

"Hah! I doubt you could improve him!" Howard grinned wickedly.

"How-How!" Sarine scolded. "Don't insult Kiehl! At this point, anything would be good to help your brother see things clearly! I don't want to have to support him for the rest of his life! It's a shame that Muninn can't alter Timmy's memories."

"He could, but that would be cheating. I want Timmy to learn things the hard way. Like I did," Howard frowned. "Too bad that will never happen."

"There is a way," Kiehl mused. "I can install a memory chip in his head. Like a superficial conscience. He does something bad, he gets shocked. He does something good, he feels nice. But, if he's stupid, I don't want to waste my time on him."

"Don't waste your time on him," Doppy grinned. Thanatos smirked, and Errende seemed to shrug. Sarine sighed and shook her head.

"He called My Lady a baby machine, if I recall," Errende growled out.

"He said...what?" Kiehl asked softly in a dangerous tone. Drago now glanced over with a murderous vengeance in his green-black eyes. "Does he know of the children?"

"Not really. I won't let him near them. None of my new family will  _ever_  meet that old family! I don't even see that family as my own anymore!" Howard snarled out. "I refuse it. Sarine's adoptive father is Emperor Markus of Amatsu, and he's noble and good. He has already met the children and supplied her old toys to us. As well as a few of his guards."

"Sorry to interrupt, but I knew my Princess when she was a child before her nightmares started. Nothing will touch these children while I'm alive!" the Amatsu Captain said from where he was stationed by the balcony windows.

"Good. Maybe I can improve your armors and weapons," Kiehl thought. "I'm going to be extremely busy when my workshop is up. Howard, you could use a part of my workshop to make weapons for me to test on."

"Sounds like a plan!" Howard grinned.

"Discuss it either in the morning or in another room," Sarine said, as she yawned and stretched. "I'm ready for bed."

"We'll check out the arena in the morning. Then we'll free Ifrit," Thanatos said. He gathered up Sarine in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Eremes was already leaning in a free corner to rest. Keltin was in the massive bed and waiting for her before falling asleep. Observation and Aliot stationed themselves on the enlarged balcony to stand watch. Drago moved to join them. Kiehl found a desk with writing material on it, and he realized it was for him to start designing things for his workshop. He started to make use of it, and Errende moved to join Thanatos and Sarine in the large bed. Howard moved over to Kiehl to talk lightly with him about what would be needed for the workshop. Doppy sat by the door in his usual chair, and Sammy sat to meditate on the large floor cushion. It didn't take long for Doppy to start meditating the time away.

"Are you all right, Keltin?" Sarine asked wearily.

"The bed is large enough that I can sleep far enough away safely. I'll be fine," Keltin chuckled. "Big day tomorrow."

"I know," she smiled and found herself resting comfortably between Thanatos and Errende. Errende's hands were placed on her belly, and Thanatos kept her body pleasantly chilled. The rest of the night managed to pass peacefully.


	78. Chapter 78

The moment dawn approached, Sarine woke to the call of her children in the nursery. Errende and Thanatos moved as one take her there, and Howard joined them. He was up all night talking to Kiehl and thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. They were starting to feel more and more like brothers to each other. They practically had the same ideals, and the kinship they had was clearly getting stronger. As she nursed Serenity, Howard had Kiehl show her some of the drawings they were working on.

"Wow!" Sarine beamed. "They look amazing!"

"Thank you!" Kiehl chuckled.

"Will you join us to see the arena?" Thanatos asked.

"Why?" Kiehl frowned.

"To study the shape of it and get ideas of how to improve it," Howard grinned.

"Oh! Yes! I will!" Kiehl nodded. Sarine smiled warmly, and Kiehl gave a gentle smile back to her. When Serenity finished nursing, she reached for Kiehl and he picked her up.

"Um...Kel?" Serenity asked.

"Close! It's Key-al," Kiehl said, as he broke down his name.

"Um...Keel!" Serenity said, as she tried again.

"Almost! Keep practicing!" Kiehl grinned.

"Duh!" she said, as she pointed at Howard.

"I think she's doing that on purpose," Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"It's da-da! Or daddy!" Howard said to her.

"Duh!" Serenity said and giggled.

"Yes, it's on purpose now," Howard sighed. Serenity giggled again and watched her brother, as he nursed. Thanatos grinned again, and Sarine sighed. Naght seemed to laugh, and Serenity looked at Naght.

"Dah!" she said, as she pointed at Naght. The massive demon purred at her.

"That's me, too!" Howard said.

"No!" Serenity frowned and pointed at Howard again. "Duh!"

"Ugh..." Howard sighed, and Thanatos started laughing. Kiehl started laughing, as well, and Errende just smiled softly. Howard finally grabbed his daughter from Kiehl and started tickling her to make her laugh with sharp squeals.

"My children. They take after their fathers," Sarine said with a chuckle.

"Always!" Howard grinned, as he continued to play with his daughter. When she was done being tickled, she clung to her father and pressed a messy kiss to his cheek. He laughed at her and got her giggling when he smothered her face with fatherly kisses.

"No!" she laughed and tried to push him away.

"Then say 'dah' for me!" he grinned.

"Duh!" she laughed again, and he continued to give her small kisses.

"Now she's doing that for attention," Kiehl chuckled.

"Tell me about it," Howard agreed and looked up, as Bacsojin floated into the room with fresh diapers. Doll moved in quickly with a prepared breakfast for the twins, and both children clamored for them.

"Now that they are preoccupied, let's wake up the others," Thanatos said.

"Speaking of eating," Sarine said, as her belly rumbled.

"I'll handle that. She should get Doppy's blood in her, and then yours, Lord Thanatos," Errende said. "It will give me time to prepare her food."

"I want to see how it's prepared," Kiehl said. Errende nodded and went to the kitchen with Kiehl, as Sarine was taken into the bedroom. The others were waking now, and the ones on the balcony were moving in the room to make sure everything was tidied up. Doppy moved to take her into the bathroom to let her feed off him, and Thanatos took his place right after. When she finished, they all moved her into the kitchen to sit at a table to eat.

"So, the arena first and then Ifrit, right?" Kiehl asked, as he sat with her.

"That's the plan," she nodded, as she ate.

"What happens there?" Drago asked.

"Challengers come in from all over the world to pay to get the shit beaten out of them for everyone else's amusement," Doppy grinned wickedly, as he drank down some water.

"Are you serious?" Kiehl grinned.

"Oh, yeah," Sammy chuckled. "It's how we get rich fast."

"Hey!" Karla waved, and Luna skipped down the stairs behind her. Kiehl looked over and rose swiftly to talk to her at length. With them talking about what was needed for his future workshop, Sarine was now focused on eating. Errende kept a hand on her belly to ensure the children wouldn't grow. The others in the house filtered down, and Storm Caller appeared to start assessing that a larger kitchen would be needed.

"Who are you?" Kiehl asked Storm Caller.

"I am Storm Caller. I am the one that helps guide the Vessel of Odin, and I help protect her homes, as well as help fix them up," the Strouf nodded. "I understand you need a workshop. Let us move to the downstairs dungeon quickly, and we will assess what needs to be done before we rearrange things. Shall we?"

"Yes," Kiehl nodded and moved down the stairs with him. Howard gave a bit of a grin that the house was going to get another makeover.

"Huginn told me something in my dreams last night," Sarine mused.

"What?" Thanatos said with a light glare. "What did he say?"

"Kiehl will be a key part of our defenses. His...um...children with me...will also hold his genius. They will be our engineers in the war ahead," she said softly.

"Really?" Sammy thought. Then he moved to talk to Kiehl down below the house. Within seconds, Kiehl was up the stairs, at her side, and gazing at her in such a way that he wanted to be sure of everything he was just told.

"Who exactly is Huginn?" Kiehl asked.

"Huginn was the one that told you to separate from your darker self," Sarine said to Kiehl slowly. "He...is also one that is not fully liked by...well...everyone...apparently..."

"How? What did he do?" Kiehl asked. Thanatos cleared his throat, gestured for Kiehl to come close, and he whispered to him of the few things he needed to know. There wasn't much detail given out, but it was just enough to explain why no one really liked her mentally placed brother. Kiehl would likely learn more later on, and he looked at Sarine with absolute horror.

"It's okay now," Sarine sighed.

"No, it isn't!" Kiehl hissed. "I'll make a machine to monitor your dreams!"

"I can see dream visions with her at times," Sammy said. "In a way, when I meditate, I can also see her dreams. How else do you think I am able to let her sleep?"

"You...have been watching my dreams?" Sarine blushed.

"I have," Sammy nodded. Thanatos felt relieved rather quickly. "I can't hear anything in them. Yet. I'm focusing on improving that. Everything is fine when you are having the visions with me, as well as others, but, when it's just you dreaming, there is no sound in my visions. Or other senses, come to think of it."

"How odd," Sarine frowned.

"As long as they are being watched somehow," Kiehl nodded. "Anyways, I'd like to see the arena. Can we go, My Lady?"

"Of course!" she nodded. Howard got up with Thanatos, and Errende moved to keep his hands on her. She didn't bother to leash him, since it would have hindered their movements.

"Did you ever make clothes for him and Drago yet?" Errende asked.

"Oh! I haven't!" she frowned. When she showed signs of exhaustion, Thanatos carried her. "We need to do that! They do need their clothing."

"You never showed them true pleasure, either," Aliot grinned.

"That, too!" she nodded.

"True pleasure?" Kiehl asked. Drago was now interested.

"Pleasure and pain merged into one," Observation grinned, as he hovered with them.

"I..." Kiehl blinked at the thought. "I wouldn't know."

"You will soon," Sarine grinned wickedly, and he found himself wanting to know. Doppy snickered, and Howard seemed to tremble a bit. When they got to the arena, they chuckled that more stools were added for the slaves, and the love-seat was upgraded to a large, red velvet and gold couch. Their balcony was made much larger and wider to support more people, and she knew it would be made even larger for the other two slaves that would need to join them. Thanatos sat on the couch with Sarine in his lap. Howard sat on her right side, and Doppy sat on the left side of her. Errende sat at her feet to keep a hand on her belly, and he sighed at the feel of her foot in his back. He missed the contact.

Kiehl was a touch floored at what Errende was letting happen to him, but Eremes whispered to him of the High Priest's past and what was done to exact vengeance. Kiehl was appalled and clearly in a slight state of shock.

"We know," Keltin said mildly. "We were all pissed off."

"Garrett wants to make a justice system to ward off crime in Prontera soon," Sammy said. "It would be a rather effective way."

"I should use some of those criminals as test subjects," Kiehl mused.

"Now that would be evil," Doppy grinned.

"You'll have to talk to Garrett," Sarine shrugged.

"Maybe set up a small underground path from my workshop to the dungeon," Kiehl snickered. "I'll make  _anyone_  talk!"

"That sounds very effective," Thanatos smirked. Aliot and Observation grinned at each other, and Drago was amused, too.

"Anyways, we need to discuss clothing," Sarine said.

"Oh, yes!" Kiehl nodded. As they talked, she started to hum to herself softly, as she watched the fighting start. Then she blinked at a challenger and grinned wickedly.

"Who do you see?" Howard mused.

"Fenrick," she whispered. Eremes scowled and looked in the crowd of challengers.  _She was right._ The old comrade seemed to wave at him when their eyes met, and Eremes frowned.

"What does he want?!" Eremes muttered.

"Who is he?" Kiehl asked.

"Someone who kept trying to kick my ass and lost every time," Doppy grinned.

"Misty is there, too," Sarine frowned. Errende snarled out and gasped, as her foot moved sharper into his back to keep him sated. The Assassin girl was explained to Kiehl, and he frowned. When he suggested that she be imprisoned for experimental purposes, Sarine stifled a laugh. Errende gave a pleasing sound at the thought.

"Then again, her blood might be fouled," Kiehl thought.

"It's quite possible," Sarine shrugged. "But, if she tries to challenge me..."

"I'll kill her, myself!" Eremes hissed. "Only I want to take her challenges. She's afraid of me. I defeated her before, and I'll do it again."

"Hmm..." Kiehl thought and blinked when Sarine reached for him. She pulled him into a desperate kiss that shocked him to the core. Then she whispered softly to him, and he thought. Whispering back softly to her, she smiled at the response.

"What are you two talking about?" Sammy asked.

"Clothing," Howard grinned, as he heard her thoughts. "Black leather pants with black silk briefs, but leather ringlets on his arms. Not bad."

"What about me?" Drago asked.

"Dark blue leather briefs," Sarine said with a nod. "Can someone get Incubus? He can make the clothes."

When Aliot moved to do as she wished, she stood up lightly and started to sing to enthrall the crowd. Kiehl's jaw dropped, as did Drago's. They never heard her sing before. Thanatos stood up with her to keep his presence close. She used the strong demon as a bit of a pole now, and Errende chuckled. Doppy rose up to back her up, and he took turns singing the song with her. The crowd roared at this, since Doppy and Sarine were becoming fast celebrity singers now.

"He has that kind of a voice?!" Kiehl hissed.

"Yes, he does," Sammy grinned. "He can make his voice sound like anything he needs it to be. He only sings for her. If they focus together on singing, they can create a wind storm."

"Truly?!" Kiehl blinked.

"Only we, her husbands, have special abilities with her. We have yet to try them out," Keltin nodded. Then he blinked, as the Kafra Agent walked over to them to state that Thanatos was being challenged by Fenrick.

"Shit," Thanatos sighed.

"I'll hold onto her. So will Doppy," Howard said. Sarine frowned, but Thanatos kissed her fiercely and promised it would be a fast fight.

"If he wins, I'll finish him off for you," Doppy promised.

"No. My fight. My win," Thanatos growled. Both demons grinned at each other, and Sarine sat back down between her husbands. Kiehl moved to sit next to Errende in front of her, and he blinked at the feel of her other foot being pressed into his back now. It was a rather comforting feeling, and now he realized why Errende liked it so much.

"Kiehl," Errende whispered and leaned over to softly talk to him. Kiehl was now told about the letter readings. He was also told of her fear of heights, and her near scare from being alone. The stronger monster blinked with shock. He would want to read the letters, himself. With her fear of heights, he winced, and he found himself speechless of what she would do if she was alone. His heart was beating painfully in his chest at the thought of losing her. She had already become vastly important to him.

"I'll read the letters when I can," Kiehl promised. "and I won't let her be alone."

"None of us will," Howard said quietly, as Sarine snuggled into him. They turned their attention to the arena floor and watched Thanatos neatly take out Fenrick with ease. Giving a bit of a smirk at him, the demon made his way back to Sarine and let her sit in his lap again. Doppy ran his hand over her belly and chuckled at the movement he was rewarded with.

"We should stay here for another hour. Then we should find Ifrit," Eremes said. "He's anxious to be free."

"As I am anxious to free him," Sarine nodded. "I hope you all can handle immense heat! I know that I should be all right."

"We'll manage," Howard grinned.

"I could keep the air cool around us," Keltin thought, as he remembered what he did for Sarine and Eremes before in the bedroom. "I was able to help that one night with my element."

"So you did!" she blinked.

"I think our problems with that are solved," Sammy nodded. They blinked, as the Kafra Agent approached them again to let them know that Sarine was being challenged by Misty.

"I'm going to kill her!" Errende hissed. Then he gasped at a sharp movement from being kicked, and her foot placed even harder there as a mild form of punishment. At his apologetic whimper, she eased her foot and now massaged his back mildly to show it was accepted. Kiehl noticed this and smiled with a soft form of wonder and appreciation.  _She didn't use real violence at all to keep slaves in line._

"I'll handle it!" Eremes snarled.

"Let me do it. I want to protect my kids," Doppy grinned wickedly. The Assassin Cross blinked, but then he smirked at him with a nod.  _Doppy was itching to fight, anyways._

"I am curious, though," she thought aloud.

"Hmm. That is a good question. Where does she get her funds to challenge you?" Howard pondered. "Oh, well. It doesn't matter. Ah. We did decline her first attempt to challenge you. We'll keep her money this time."

"She just throws her money away," Keltin snickered.

"All too true," Sammy nodded. "This time, her funds will go to a better cause. We'll give it all to the Kafra agency to spend."

"I like that idea," she smiled.

"What should we do with her when I take her out?" Doppy snorted.

"If you defeat her, we'll imprison her," Sarine smiled softly. "For a week. Then we will release her. If she comes back, Kiehl can do what he likes with her when it comes to experiments. It just means that she's a glutton for punishment."

"I'm sure I can turn her into something...useful," Kiehl thought. Then he went silent at the more persistent feel of her foot in his back. _It was affectionate and caring._  He wanted more of that feeling. When he pressed back into her foot more to get more of the comforting touch, she leaned down to yank him close by his collar and kissed him passionately. He clearly wanted her now, and she smiled gently before leaning back into Thanatos. Errende gave Kiehl a wink and watched Doppy head down to confront Misty. All of the challengers backed away from the angry demon's approach, and the Assassin girl paled. He was in a protective mood now and ready to kill. He was protecting his pregnant mate and developing offspring. He was ready to slaughter everyone and everything in his way.

"If I defeat you," Doppy snarled out. "you are to be imprisoned for your pitiful attempts! You have one chance to leave. Now. Or else I gut you open in front of everyone, and you get tossed ass first in a dungeon cell for a week!"

"What?!" Misty gaped.

"My wife is PREGNANT and you keep wanting to fight her!" Doppy hissed. "It's pissed her off and me off to a point that we aren't going to listen to your shit anymore! Considering that she is pregnant with MY children! You have ten seconds to decide the right decision. Or make the wrong one! Personally, I hope you make the wrong one!"

Misty stared at the powerful demon, as he moved to the middle of the arena floor and glared at her with challenge. She had friends in the audience, and she couldn't back down. She ran out to the middle of the arena floor. All he did was stomp down on the ground to Stun her and gut her open as he said he would. His attack was so savage that the audience was in a horrific chill of silence. Then he roared out his inhuman battle cry to show he was victorious. The Demonic Mating woke up his instinctive dominance fully, and now he was showing it off.

"Wow," Kiehl grinned. "When they said he was savage...he truly is."

"That is the demon I fell in love with," Sarine purred out. "I love it when he's himself."

Dracula rose up from the judge's chair and announced Doppelganger the winner. When Misty's friends tried to climb into the arena to help her, Doppy turned quickly to snarl at them, as though daring them to come forth. The look of sheer hatred and loathing he gave them stopped them in their tracks. That changed their minds. They didn't want to become Doppy's next victims. Seyren and Lloyd went down to the arena once they were told of Misty's fate. When they learned what she kept trying to pull, they were clearly disgusted.

"Imprisoned?" Seyren grinned.

"Yep," Lloyd nodded. The girl would be Resurrected in the dungeon and kept under heavy watch. When one of her friends asked what was going to happen to her, Sarine stood up to respond directly, and Thanatos stood with her.

"That one has insulted me beyond measure! She is to be imprisoned for one week! If anyone tries to free her, they will die!" Sarine snarled out.

"I'll make a monitoring system," Kiehl muttered out.

"Good," Thanatos muttered back. When she whimpered and clutched her belly, Errende yelped and moved to place his hands on her quickly.

"Damn it!" Doppy winced, as he made his way back to her.

"She thought of killing that bitch, didn't she?!" Thanatos snarled out.

"Yes, she did," Howard growled.

"What happened?!" Kiehl asked.

"Her belly stretched. Children grew a quarter in size," Sammy frowned. "That's a large growth spurt! We need to get to Ifrit now. She'll be bedridden, if we wait any longer."

"How did they grow?!" Kiehl demanded to know.

"If she tries to be violent out of dominance, she's fine. But...if she's violent without using dominance, the children get excited and grow," Doppy frowned. "I'm an incredibly savage and bloodthirsty beast. So are my children. Thanatos's children are, too."

"She does not see that miserable excuse for a human until the children are born!" Sammy ordered. "We should have just killed her and left her!"

"I like your option," Doppy growled out.

"Please..." Sarine whimpered again. Kiehl trembled with a form of complete protection at the sound of her voice now, and even Drago's eyes flashed with rage. Howard moved to her side to whisper to her softly and pressed a kiss to her lips. Then he gasped and moved her to the side of the railing where she got violently sick.

"We need to leave! Now!" Sammy hissed.

"Why didn't my touch work?!" Errende asked with shock.

"That was stress," Howard said. Eremes handed over a red potion, and Sarine rinsed out her mouth gratefully. Aliot had just come back with Incubus and learned what happened. The blades came out of his back, his hands became the deadly claws, and his eyes glowed red to show he was ready to slaughter anything that got near her. At the look of his metal-clawed hands and attack blades, several challengers pointed at him in recognition and instantly started to try challenging him.

"My Lady?" Aliot asked in a heavy metallic tone. He glanced over at her with his glowing red eyes. No matter how enraged he was, he would never be able to bring himself to attack her. She stopped the others from moving her around. She actually felt better and had an idea to make herself feel more stable.

"Aliot," she said softly and reached for him. The moment her hands moved through his white hair, he calmed down significantly and his rage crumbled. "Kill them for me. All of them. If you do well, I'll reward you."

Aliot gave her a look of utter devotion, and Doppy looked at her with a grin. Kiehl got up and whispered a hidden command to Aliot. The response that the Demonic robot gave was instant. He just upgraded Aliot's attack with an old command code that was stored away within him. At another soft command, he ordered the command code to always remain active. Sarine blushed at this and now wanted to see what Aliot could do. She made them wait until Aliot fulfilled his command from her. While he fought the challengers with upgraded strength and speed, it gave Incubus enough time to make the clothes that Drago and Kiehl needed.

"That's why she had him do it," Sammy nodded. "And she let him carry her rage. Good. She should be all right."

"What did you tell Aliot?" Howard asked Kiehl.

"It was a command to kill all intruders. In so many words," Kiehl grinned. "Long ago, I had installed a very intricate program to bolster their attack and speed. He still had the Guardian Program locked away in him. I just released it and made it a permanent part of his arsenal. He'll be like this towards intruders from now on, and I still plan to try and upgrade his weaponry."

"Ifrit still wants us to hurry," Eremes frowned.

"Wait..." Sarine said, as she watched Aliot neatly take out every single challenger. A Champion almost got the better of him, but Aliot wanted his reward. He moved swiftly behind the Champion and cut him up from behind. Now that the challengers were dealt with, he moved to the balcony to kneel before Sarine. He was Healed of any wounds he received, and she gave a smile of pride at him. Then she raised his face up to hers and kissed him with wanting abandon. The curtains were closed, and she gave him the pleasuring pain that he was craving to feel. When he came to after passing out under her nude form, she let him move to dress. She reached for Drago next with her arms out, and he moved to her side. She wanted to let him feel the same thing and experience what she knew he needed.

He never felt such pleasure before in his life and gave into it quickly. No one else would ever get him to feel this way. _No one but her._  Once he reached this point of being primed, he knew he belonged to her. She had him put on the leather briefs made for him and nodded. Then she looked over at Kiehl and motioned for him to come close to her.

"Um..." Kiehl said nervously.

"Just relax," she grinned, and the others snickered. She was able to bring him to that point of pleasure and pain now, and he lay there in utter bewilderment when she pulled away from him. When he was able to move, she had him dress in his black leather clothing, and his blue suit fit over the slave garments easily. Then she looked at Observation, and the angel was quickly used as she saw fit. Errende was snatched up after the angel recovered. She sat up on Errende's gasping form when she finished with him and frowned.

"What is it?" Howard asked. She glanced at him hungrily, and he stammered.

"She...really has an appetite...doesn't she?" Kiehl managed to whisper out. His body was still on fire from the pleasure she gave him, and it was going to take a while for him to get used to it. Aliot could only nod with a small smile.

"She can only do...so much..." Howard gasped, as he moved by them to recover. Keltin got called to her side shortly after.

"It must be hell when you can't touch her," Kiehl managed frown.

"She'll be healing," Sammy said before he got called to her side. When his black kimono fell, Kiehl just gaped at his perfect body. Sammy grinned, as he said, "I get that reaction a lot. Blame Valkyrie. She made me this way."

"He tends to piss off people by being his child form first. Then he shocks them all with that form," Doppy grinned. "I like his style."

"I see," Kiehl thought. "Maybe I could enhance my build..."

"No!" Sarine said, as she looked at him angrily. "You are fine the way you are!"

"But..." Kiehl started.

"No! I don't want you to alter your form! I like your body the way it is!" she said again.

"Ah..." Howard grinned and moved to whisper to Kiehl. A blink was given and then a soft grin.  _I'll keep my body the way it was. It's closely matched to Howard's, and My Lady is quite happy with me._ He was almost as tall as Howard, too. The brotherly kinship he and Howard felt now got even stronger.

"Howard is a special case," Errende said, as he pulled Kiehl aside to whisper to him.

"Oh? How is that?" Kiehl whispered back.

"He is her husband and a slave combined," Errende chuckled. "Her other husbands are not to know of this. We, as her slaves, formed our own secret pact as her husbands have."

"I'm in it," Kiehl said without needing to hear it. Errende nodded and whispered to Drago next. At the half-dragon's confirmation of joining as well, Errende nodded. Observation and Aliot were filled in, and they approved. Kiehl was already thinking of making special communication devices for them to use to help Sarine in secret.  _As her slaves, we should be doing everything for her. Not her husbands. Her husbands were there for physical and mental support. Her slaves were supposed to do all of her labors for her, and to assist her whenever she needed them._  He would round up a special meeting with them later tonight.

"Hey, Kiehl," Sammy said. He was replaced by Eremes to be with Sarine to keep the change out neat and orderly.

"Yes?" Kiehl asked.

"Don't you have a ghost? I thought I saw one on you in the factory. Do you still have it?" Sammy asked, as his ancient Samurai ghost came out to hover over him. Kiehl blinked at first and nodded. The massive, black ghost that possessed him so harshly now came out, but it was in better control. Instead of hovering over him like Sammy's did, it seemed to wrap around him like a cloak and billow out. The white face of the ghost seemed to sigh, and yellow eyes blinked out all through the dark folds of the shadowy parts of the ghost.

"It...doesn't really have a mental mind. You could say it's the spirit of the Homunculus side of me. In a sense. Once that dark part went away, it lost the killing part of itself," Kiehl said. "It replicated with each body that was made. It seemed to be the strongest with me. My newer body actually lacks the ghost. I was successful in keeping it contained to better the new body's research. In fact, come to think of it, I didn't have it, either, until I made the replacement. That...actually has me a touch baffled."

"Interesting," Sammy mused, as the Samurai ghost studied the other curiously. "The ghost you see hovering above me is my ancestor."

"Really?" Kiehl blinked. The other slaves gathered around to hear Sammy's story, and Sarine finished with Eremes to claim Doppy. By the time Sammy was done talking, she had moved to Thanatos.

"We should learn of everyone's pasts," Aliot said.

"That would be a good idea, but let's wait until we collect Byorgue and Maya Purple. Then all of our stories can be told at once and not repeated," Sammy suggested.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Sarine chuckled, as she relaxed wearily on Thanatos. "All right, I'm feeling good now. Let me dress, and we'll go get Ifrit and Byorgue."

"Good," Eremes smiled. She pulled him close to kiss him passionately, and he trembled with disbelief at the need that gripped him again.

"Later," she promised and kissed him again.

"I'll hold you to that!" he growled. Then she whispered to him, and he swore as he fought for control at what she suggested.

"We'd better get moving before I get hungry again," she said with a rumbling purr in her tone. That made everyone look at each other, and they scrambled to get her dressed and ready for travel. As they made their way down the balcony, Zealotus approached her.

"Hey!" Zealotus said. She actually looked troubled.

"Zealotus," Sarine nodded, as Thanatos held her close. "Any problems?"

"A bit of one," Zealotus sighed. "Injustice doesn't seem to be obeying me much now. As much as I hate to ask, I need help with him."

"Really?" Sarine blinked. "That's...unusual."

"I know," Zealotus agreed. "So, will you help me with him?"

"I can try later tonight, but no promises. My pregnancy is advancing swiftly. I may be able to talk to him, but that might be it for now," she thought.

"Anything at this point!" Zealotus growled. They agreed, and Thanatos frowned.

"I really hope he doesn't want to be a slave of yours. He's undead and could be eligible," Thanatos frowned. He spoke his mind after Zealotus left as a precaution.

"Ugh," Keltin frowned. Sarine gestured for him, and pulled Keltin into a kiss before whispering to him softly. Feeling better now, he hugged her and let Thanatos pull her back into his embrace. She leaned into him to get as much of the chill he could give her.

"So, if Sarine is away from Thanatos, her body overheats? Right?" Kiehl asked.

"Like you saw it starting to happen last night, yes," Doppy said quickly. "And, no, I won't let her show you. I feel the pain. I hate it!"

"I don't want to feel that pain anymore," Sarine frowned, and Errende moved to carefully place his hands on her belly to soothe the quadruplets.

"I don't want to see you in pain," Kiehl nodded. "I was only asking."

"All right. Anyways, who is coming with us?" Sarine asked. At the word of another traveling venture, Seyren, Karla, Mitchell, Kathryne, Cecil, Garrett, Lloyd, and Margaretha came over to approach them quickly. Windwalker landed and made itself ready to be ridden. Eddga marched out from the forest area to stand with her. Vagabond Wolf loped over and sat down to wait for them to start moving. Pori-Pori bounced over and chittered happily at a new traveling adventure. Muninn flew down to hover over them, and Naght came down from the nursery to go with them. As her Demonic First Mate, he needed to help her if she got upset.

"Baphomet is coming along, too," Seyren chuckled.

"Don't forget about us!" Coraline said, as she came out with Max. Donnie walked over with Egnigem, and the others appeared with them to join them.

"So many!" Sarine frowned. "We will draw attention to ourselves, if we go there by walking. Will we? Muninn? Would it be safer if you just transported us?"

_:I help!:_  Muninn agreed. Baphomet appeared in time for the Warp, and they were all Teleported to the place called Thor's Volcano.


	79. Chapter 79

The moment they got there, Sarine was placed on Windwalker's back, and Thanatos moved to sit with her. Errende was up next to keep his hands on her belly. Then the circle of protective husbands, slaves, friends, and monsters formed. Baphomet rumbled to her when he appeared and stood with Naght. He did look at the new slaves with amusement, but he turned his attention to the rocky Poring-type monster that came up to them.

"It's a Stapo," Keltin chuckled. Pori-Pori chittered at it, and it responded before glowing and vanishing to the island home. When they walked into the dungeon, searing heat greeted them. Keltin focused quickly to activate his element, and the air cooled considerably around them. Windwalker showed instant relief from the heat and warbled with appreciation.

"Are you all right?" Sarine asked him.

"I'll be fine. I need to maintain my focus, so I'll walk with you. Don't let anything attack me!" Keltin said. Errende now watched him and studied how he focused. He could use this knowledge for his own training. Pori-Pori chittered, as a Magmaring bounced over to them. It was a Poring-type monster covered in hot lava, and it glowed with power before vanishing. A small imp made of flames moved over to them next, and it jumped up and down with joy.

"And what are you?" Howard asked it.

"It's a Fire Imp," Keltin said with a chuckle. "A Bow Guardian and a Sword Guardian are coming up now! See them?"

The black, hollow armors seemed to echo with hissing noises, as they both walked up to them. They looked like giant versions of the Raydric and the Raydric Archer. The monsters nodded before they glowed with power and vanished away. A large, bird-like fire monster flew over to them now to attack, and another slammed into it from above to kill it off for them.

"Wow!" Kiehl blinked.

"That monster is a Kasa. And there's the Salamander!" Keltin grinned. The fiery lizard skittered over to them, and both monsters glowed, but didn't disappear. They were there to help. Both monsters approached Sarine and gave her their cards. She beamed with appreciation at them, and they took up their places in the front of the party.

"Sarine," Eremes chuckled. "Can you sing for us?"

"Of course, Eremes," she blushed softly. She thought of a song and started to sing softly before letting her voice come out with a superb operatic tone. Thanatos smiled, as it was one of the few she sang at the fire pit last time. Kiehl stared at her in awe at first before focusing again on protecting her. Donnie strummed on his guitar to give her a good backup tune. When they got to the second level of the volcanic dungeon, Keltin had them stop, as another monster appeared to join them.

"That's a Knocker," Keltin said. The monster looked like another type of Giearth. He looked like an old man with a white mustache, and he was covered in a purple hooded cloak all over his body. He leaned on a pickaxe and nodded to them before glowing with power and vanishing away. Sarine commented that he looked like a type of Dwarf, and they all agreed. She continued to sing for them, and any monsters that got drawn to her were defeated. Karla had some intricate weapons and armors stockpiling in her cart now, and she giggled when she found something interesting. She had to give it over to someone.

"Here's an upgrade for your shield, Garrett!" Karla grinned.

"Huh?" Garrett asked and picked up the spiked shield given to him.

"Oooh!" Howard grinned wickedly. "That's gonna hurt someone!"

"I have my Holy shield, so I'm fine. Max! Take this!" Garrett grinned.

"Nice!" Max grinned and readily took it up to use it. Coraline smiled at him, and he kissed his wife passionately, as he got ready to continue. They moved along again and reached the third level of the dungeon. The moment they got down into it, Ifrit was at Sarine's side and hugging her tightly with relief. She was awed that he didn't feel so hot, and she realized that he was controlling his heat for her to keep her safe.

"Not so far away from me for now," Thanatos warned. Ifrit seemed to hiss, but it was with understanding. Then Ifrit made way for Byorgue, and the demi-human jumped over to her. He moved his face mask aside quickly to plant a kiss on her. The kiss they shared was one of deep, wrenching longing, and he gasped when he pulled away from her. He quickly replaced his mask to keep the others from fully seeing him. He fit so perfectly with her that he knew what he needed to do, and he didn't want to wait. When he glowed with power, he was able to talk.

"Where's my collar?!" Byorgue growled.

"Oh!" Sarine blinked.

"I know what I have to do, and I want it!" he said. Muninn reverted to his human form and stood before Ifrit and Byorgue now.

" _At least Father Odin doesn't have to be here to approve this,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _Here is your collar, and she will place it on you back at the island home. Or here, if time allows. Ifrit! As of right now, you can move back and forth from here to the island. Normally you would speak with Huginn, but this is expected and already set up for you._ "

"It's fine," Ifrit nodded in his strong hissing and spitting voice. "At least I am free to come and go as I please from here."

"Can we go back now?! Or at least collar me now?!" Byorgue growled. Sarine blinked and studied him quickly. He had spiked, white hair bound back in a bandanna, and deep, red eyes that showed he was always filled with a form of fiery rage. His mouth was hidden by a Ninja mask, but his voice was rather strong for his short stature. His chest was well developed under the purple and white cloth armor he wore. He held a nasty looking dagger in one hand, and his other hand made a constant fist to keep his anger in check.

"And why are you so anxious?" Errende asked cautiously.

"Because I'm already in love with her!" Byorgue responded bluntly. That made her blush, and the others giggled and laughed. "The moment I learned about her, I wanted to be with her. Is that so bad?! What of the lot of you?"

"Easy, Byorgue," Howard said, as he moved over to him. Howard decided to let his form mist out, and the lesser monster felt a form of respect for him now, since this was a stronger monster. "As a husband of hers, I understand how you feel. If Ifrit has truly told you everything about her, and us, then you know what is expected of you. Right?"

"Don't piss us off!" Doppy snarled out.

"Fine!" Byorgue said. He stood up as tall as he could for four and a half feet. "Ifrit only told me what I needed to know. So, I know enough, okay? Just collar me! I really want to have this done so I can start protecting you!"

"Very well, then," Sarine said, as she took the collar from Muninn and moved to stand with Thanatos near her. "Byorgue, you understand that, once I collar you, it's permanent. You are expected to serve me, do as I ask, and always obey me. If you fail at any time, you will be punished. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" he nodded. She moved forward now and placed the collar on his neck. It glowed to seal up permanently, the Mark of Odin appeared on the front of it, and a little golden loop appeared for a leash like the others have. The collar changed color to a deep purple to match his current clothes. Now he removed his mask in full and revealed an astonishingly handsome face. She had to blink twice to realize it, and several of the other girls giggled at it.

"I think we're ready to leave," Sarine said lightly.

"Right," Thanatos said. He pulled her close to keep her body chilled. Keltin was still focused on keeping the air cooled and would be one of the last to go into the portal home.


	80. Chapter 80

The moment they got to the island, Sarine cried out with pain and clutched her belly. Doppy roared, fell to one knee, and glanced at Thanatos. Errende moved to place his hands on her belly again, as she was rushed up to the bedroom to rest. Howard gaped and ran after her. The others were quickly following to do what they could to assist. Naght roared out for a form of order to occur, and Baphomet rumbled dangerously to reflect the warning.  _When Sarine was in pain, everyone had to be calm._

"They grew. A lot," Sammy sighed, as he monitored her belly. "At least a quarter in size again, like they did at the arena earlier today. She is not allowed to travel anywhere! Not until these children are birthed and her body is healed! She can move around a bit right now, but not by much. Get her some food and drink."

"On it!" Aliot nodded, and Observation went to help. Drago moved to station himself on the balcony, and Kiehl went to his desk in the room to start working on more designs for the workshop. Errende kept his hands on her belly, and she looked over at Byorgue. He was kneeling before her now and clearly unsure of what to do. She leaned towards him to run her hand through his hair, and he leaned into her touch with a sigh.

"I know I still have to make you mine in full," Sarine said. "Give me a bit of time to recover from my sudden internal growth spurt. I will have a set of clothes made for you, and I should be strong enough by then. Please help Aliot and Observation in the meantime. If you know anything about defenses, you can help Kiehl, too."

"Okay," Byorgue nodded, pressed a kiss into the palm of her hand, and moved swiftly down the stairs. Ifrit stationed himself in the room by the balcony window and watched her with concern. Eremes walked into the room now, and they started talking mentally. It was much like how Howard and Naght could communicate.

"Do you need us to find Incubus?" Keltin asked. "For Byorgue's clothing?"

"It would be appreciated. Thank you," Sarine nodded. Thanatos helped her sit up with him in the bed, and she rested her head against his shoulder. He kept a protective arm around her, and he frowned when she shivered.

"What's wrong?" he asked quickly.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. Errende looked over at Thanatos and called for Sammy. He ran over quickly to evaluate her and studied her carefully.

"Anything from the children in her?" Sammy asked.

"No. They're fine," Thanatos said.

"What's going on?" Howard asked. He looked at Sarine and moved to her side quickly. He studied her thoughts and blinked. "Where's Byorgue? We need him here."

"I'll get him," Drago said and moved out of the room as quickly as he could. He came back in with him and moved to take his place on the balcony again.

"What's wrong with her?" Byorgue asked.

"She needs to make you hers. Now," Howard frowned. "Go into the bathroom with her. Errende can be with you, and Thanatos will be right outside. She needs your blood in her system before the children are born. Waiting on it is starting to stress her."

"That's what it is?" Sammy asked.

"Yes. It's all part of her stress," Howard said, and he helped her move with Thanatos. Byorgue nodded to Errende, and he made way to help Sarine undress. Her belly was clearly showing now with four children within her. Howard could only smile at how Byorgue was displaying a form of protective tenderness for her.  _He clearly did love her._

Thanatos pressed a kiss to her lips before leaving the bathroom with Howard. Sarine looked over at Byorgue, as Errende moved away from her carefully.

"Come to me," she said. Byorgue needed no further command. He was hers the moment Ifrit told him about her. He knew she was a touch weakened, and it made him all the more careful with her. His clothing was discarded quickly, and he took her with a skill that could have rivaled Keltin's gentle ways. He was mean and nasty to everyone else. Not to her after this. Never to her. She brought him to that point where pleasure and pain merged, and he shouted his release with her. After he regained his senses from it, Errende scratched her neck open.

"Blood?" Byorgue asked lightly.

"Just take a mouthful from me. Then I'll take some from you," she said. Nodding to her, he moved to lock on to her neck, and she cried out with her release, as he moaned out his. When he pulled away from her, Errende Healed her and she trembled against Byorgue's chest. He bared his neck to her now and shouted when she bite him hard. His eyes were wide at first when she drank from him. Then he relaxed and let her feed. When she pulled back from him to get Healed, he kissed her deeply with an intense form of love.

"What do you need now?" he asked gently.

"Rest," she sighed. Errende looked at him, as he placed his hands on her belly, and Byorgue nodded. He dressed and helped her dress with Errende.

"Are my clothes ready?" Byorgue asked.

"Do you know what you want? Incubus should be here," Errende said. Thanatos walked in to gather her up and carry her to the bed.

"Oh, Byorgue," she said.

"Yes, My Lady?" he asked, as he moved to her side.

"Have How-How introduce you to the children in the nursery. They will need your blood," she said. "It's important."

"How-How?" Byorgue asked.

"Me," Howard chuckled. "Come on. Incubus will be here shortly, and we'll get your clothes made. My kids need a drop of your blood."

"Your kids?" Byorgue asked. "Oh! Right. Yours and Naght's. Ifrit told me. Okay."

When they left the room, Sarine let out a tired sigh, and Thanatos frowned. Sammy handed over a Yggdrasil Berry, and it was fed to her. She felt a bit more energetic, but she was still drained. The pregnancy was finally taking its full toll on her strength.

"How is she?" Aliot asked, as he brought up platters of various food. Observation brought up drinks, and they were placed near the bed. She managed to sit up and feed herself to an extent to show that she could do it. She had to keep proving to Doppy's children in her that she was strong. When she stopped eating, she sighed.

"Sarine," Thanatos said. "you're not done."

"I'm sorry. I just..." she grimaced.

"My Lady," Errende said, as he watched her. "you need to eat more."

"It's hard to focus on eating!" she grumbled.

"Do I have to feed you?" Errende asked. She gave him a look that made him grin, and he shrugged. "I will feed you, if I have to. You know this."

"But..." she pouted.

"I'll help him feed you," Aliot said, as he walked over to her.

"What?!" she glared at him.

"You have five slaves right now that will force feed you. Do you want us to do that?" Errende asked. "We will do everything that we have to in order to make sure that you stay healthy along with the well-being of your pregnancy! Don't think that we won't!"

"Ugh!" she frowned and started eating again. Thanatos watched how they handled her and grinned a bit wickedly. Eremes watched everything with a touch of amazement, and he moved swiftly to tell Howard. A burst of laughter was heard from the nursery, and Sarine just started to glower. She was clearly not amused. Howard was at her side the moment she finished eating, and she turned from him.

"Oh, don't be like that! I'm sorry I laughed, okay?" Howard said. She sighed and still refused to look at him. He knew she was moody and not very happy. Remembering something he swiped from the kitchen, he said, "I have some chocolate..."

"Give it!" she said, and he smiled when he gave it over. Thanatos smiled and looked over at Byorgue, as Errende Healed his hand from the baby bites.

"You have two very cute kids!" Byorgue grinned. "I won't let anything touch them!"

"Well, considering they are partly yours, too, since they took a drop of your blood..." Howard grinned at Byorgue. "They see you as a father figure of sorts."

"What?!" Byorgue gaped. "Nothing will touch them now!"

She smiled softly at him with an approving nod, and she looked over where Kiehl was working at his desk. She frowned, and Howard moved to tap Kiehl on the shoulder.

"Hmm?" Kiehl asked. When Howard pointed to Sarine, his work was momentarily forgotten, as he moved over to her side. "Can I get you anything?"

"Can I see what you're working on?" she asked.

"Surely!" he said and moved to get the latest drawing he was working on. She sat up a bit more, and he showed her how he was going to have the workshop done. She thought and pulled him close to whisper softly to him. He seemed to blush a bit, but then he grinned.

"What was that blush for?" Thanatos chuckled.

"Um...she suggested a private room for...eh...examinations," he smiled.

"Examinations, eh?" Thanatos grinned. Sarine blushed now and got squeezed by him.

"You know, a thought just occurred to me," Kiehl said.

"Tell us!" Howard said.

"I could make a robotic duplicate of her to throw off attackers," Kiehl said.

"No. No duplicates of her," Thanatos said. "It can't be allowed."

"He's right," Howard said. "Odin would destroy it."

"He would?" Kiehl frowned. Errende kept his hands on Sarine's belly, as Howard told them of the incident with the three girls in Jawaii. Errende never heard about this yet, and he glowered inwardly. This was a first with Thanatos, too, and he hissed with surprise. Kiehl sputtered with a form of rage, but was then told how Muninn handled the situation. "You're right. No duplicates. Forget I asked."

"Actually," Sarine thought. "maybe not a duplicate of me. But, a robot that resembles me at a distance? When one gets close, it will be known as a fake, but only when one gets close. Different face and such, but somewhat familiar?"

"We can't risk it," Howard said. "It would be crossing a line."

"You think so?" she asked.

"I know so," he said and kissed her forehead. She nodded and looked out the balcony window. She blinked when she saw large, dark gray clouds in the sky and frowned.

"What is it?" Thanatos asked. Howard cleared his throat at her thought.

"Ah...let me check," Howard said and moved swiftly from the room.

"What's going on?" Thanatos asked again. Drago came in and closed the window to the balcony to confirm the start of one of her other fears.

"It's starting to rain," Drago said. "Smells like a good storm is brewing."

"Oh..." she said and winced. Kiehl now set his drawing aside and looked at her with worry. Byorgue watched her closely to try and see what he could do to help her.

"What's wrong?" Thanatos asked now. Howard walked in with Seyren, and they sat on the bed with her. Seyren was looking grim now, and Howard just took a deep breath.

"She really hates lightning," Seyren said. "And she's in one of the highest rooms in this house. It's something that she always hated when she was with us."

"Why?" Thanatos asked. She just trembled a bit, and Errende was instantly concerned.

"Since I can hear her thoughts now," Howard said. "I can try to find out why she hates storms. If you all want? It's something I can do now."

"You can?!" Seyren blinked. "When did this start?"

"After Huginn's last incident," Howard muttered softly. Thanatos was able to tell the others about this vital bit of information in the nursery when he learned of it. Sarine's companions were never told, as there was no real need for them to know. Now they all wanted to know why Sarine was so fearful of storms. It was vital information that they had to know.

"Wait. What last incident?" Seyren frowned. Sammy cleared his throat and whispered to him. "This happened...and no one told me...?!"

"Not now," Howard warned. "Not with Sarine like this. Anyways, do I tell you what's on her mind? Do you want me to find out?"

"Yes. Find out what you can," Seyren nodded. "I want to know, and they need to know. This is important. We have to know what's going on."

"Howard, he's right. Tell us what is on her mind," Thanatos muttered.

"Well," Howard sighed. "she would have the worst nightmares during a lightning storm. Of course, at the time, I didn't know why. None of us did. Now that I know of her past and what she's thinking of, it fits together perfectly. Apparently...her room bordered the outside, from what her...thoughts are telling me. The room she was confined in during her youth, you see. When lightning struck in Amatsu, she'd feel it. Her walls weren't very thick, and it would shake them...oh, hell no...Sarine!"

He gathered her up and hugged her tight. He didn't know about this, and now he was scared for her. He was genuinely afraid for her, and he trembled with her.

"What is it?! Tell me!" Thanatos demanded.

"How thick are the walls here?!" Howard asked hoarsely. "I mean...shit...!"

"Howard, tell us! What is she telling you?!" Seyren asked. "What can you see?!"

"When thunder cracked after the lightning hit...the walls of her room would shake. Like it would be...ready to collapse on her!" Howard gasped out. "Now...I see why she wanted to camp in caves during a storm...solid walls...sturdy roof..."

"Are you serious?!" Eremes hissed out with alarm.

"So, she's not afraid of lightning," Seyren blinked in realization. "She's afraid of the noise it makes...after the lightning. The heavy noises that can echo and shake things! The booming thunder! Now...damn it all! If we only knew then..."

"Let's take her underground!" Kiehl said quickly. Keltin moved into the room and was told what was going on. He knew that storms were rare in Payon, and it was why he never knew of this. _On an island, it was different._ Nodding now, he moved to tell the others. Sammy was at her side next to remove any other fears she might start gaining. Aliot moved down below to start shifting around one of the dungeon cells for the furniture to be on the outside of it, and Byorgue was quick to help him. The younger group that was staying in here before were already moved to the new dungeon location, and this included Howard's brother, so the place was empty. When Storm Caller checked to see what was going on and was told about her fear, he had Tao Gunka make an emergency storm shelter under the house instantly. The stone monster worked furiously and made the room large and spacious for everyone if they wanted to stay in it.

Giearth and Knocker worked on the floors and walls to give them comforting designs. A small chimney was made so a fire could be lit, and throw pillows were set all around. Small airways were created to keep rain out, but allow fresh air in. A bathroom was set up next with a natural waterfall to keep fresh water flowing through the room, especially under where the toilet was. Ifrit moved in to start up a fire in the fireplace to get the room warm for Sarine. Furs and blankets were brought down, and her children were brought down from the nursery, too. A separate chamber was made for them to sleep in, if needed, and the stone was thick enough to be sound proof. Another room was set up for emergency food storage.

"They waste no time," Howard said, as he inspected the room.

"This room will be right next to my workshop," Kiehl said. "I won't have it any other way. I can monitor it easily like that."

"Sounds good," Thanatos said, as he sat on a few furs and pillows with Sarine. Now that she had solid rock around her, she felt much better. Seyren had told the others what he learned, and Cecil was soon down there with her to help comfort her. Garrett moved to sit along a wall and watched Sarine with complete concern.

"If only we knew about this! I knew I hated caves, since they were all dark, and we never knew what was in them...but...well..." Cecil sighed.

"It's all right," Sarine said softly. "What more is there for me to say?"

"You should have told us about yourself when we found you," Seyren sighed, as he sat down. "It would have saved us a lot of time and confusion."

"Oh, shut up!" Kathryne scowled, as she came in with Mitchell. "You were always the one to say that no one had a right to pry into the past lives of the others!"

"As if you would force your 'little sister' to do things she didn't like!" Margaretha clipped, as she came in with Lloyd.

"Well..." Seyren frowned.

"I would not have allowed her to remember such...harsh visions of her past again..." Eremes frowned and shook his head. "Still...it may have helped us prepare that much more..."

"Exactly," Seyren said. "But, I know how you all are thinking. We never asked about her past, and she never asked about ours. It's understandable."

"Is it?" Byorgue asked with a slight scowl. "Hell, I still don't know all about her past, and I'm livid from what I do know!"

"We will wait until we find Maya Purple. Then we will reveal her past again and swap all of our life stories. It will be best that way," Sammy reminded him.

"I don't know if I want to watch her life again," Kiehl frowned. "I was made to be an experiment. She was made...only to be left to die by that...that..."

"Stop!" Howard said quickly and changed the subject. "Keltin! Did you find Incubus?"

"Ah, yes. I did," Keltin said. "He's probably in the bedroom. I'll get him."

"Fine," Howard said and looked over at Sarine. "No! No! Don't think of that!"

"Think of what?" Thanatos asked. Doppy blinked, as he felt her emotional wall shake, and he glared at Seyren. He needed to cheer her up quickly, and there was only one way to do that.

"What did I do?!" Seyren asked Doppy, as he glared back.

"Couldn't you do that outside?!" Doppy glowered.

"Do what...oh, that? Well..." Seyren caught on and seemed to shrug. "Better out than in, you know? It could be painful, if it didn't come out."

"You are disgusting!" Karla said, as she caught on and pulled Luna away from him.

"Oh, it's not that bad!" Seyren said.

"Do you need that diaper, Seyren?" Eremes asked. "The rain might give a rash, though...if you think about it..."

"Stop it!" Seyren flustered. At Sarine's small giggle, they kept at it.

"Do we have any powder?" Margaretha asked Bacsojin.

"Oh, plenty of that!" she nodded happily.

"Do you need some?" Doll asked with a smile. "I need to get some, anyways. I'm sure we can make a nice cloth diaper for him! Really comfy and form fitting!"

"I don't need it!" Seyren said.

"Well, I know how you don't like sitting on cold, wet, and mushy things," Howard grinned. "We know that all too well."

"That was your fault, and we know it!" Seyren said bitterly.

"Did you get all the crumbs out?" Keltin asked, as he came back with Incubus.

"Yes," Seyren said.

"He actually took off the armor to get them!" Karla said with pride.

"Find anything odd?" Doppy smirked.

"Oh! He must have found something useful," Mitchell grinned.

"Like his dick?" Doppy sniggered. Eremes covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Seyren colored up, and everyone started to laugh.

"Oh, he knows how to use that. I can vouch for him," Karla nodded. That made everyone laugh even further, and Sarine finally put up her hands to wave everyone off that she was fine again.

"Oh, dear me!" Sarine chuckled and wiped away a few tears. "That was uncalled for, Doppy! We have children present!"

"Ah, right," Doppy nodded. "Sorry, Sammy."

"I'm not a kid!" Sammy said and reverted to his child self. "Now I'm a kid!"

"Sammy," Sarine chuckled, and he moved over to her to sit in her lap.

"I forget how heavy this thing is!" he grumbled, as he adjusted the massive scroll on his back now. "It's easier as a necklace."

"I'm sure it is!" Howard grinned. She blinked and went silent at the sound of intense thunder over them, and she shivered.

"So, you found Incubus?" Byorgue asked to get a new subject moving.

"Yes," Keltin said and gestured for the demon to walk in. Incubus sat on the ground and waited for them to tell him what to make.

"I'm thinking of a vest and pants set," Byorgue said.

"I would like to keep the outfits different from each other. It would be too much like Errende's," Sarine frowned.

"Color them purple?" Errende asked. "Or give him shorts and briefs?"

"Shorts and briefs could work," Byorgue agreed. He looked up, as Naght and Alexander came down from the nursery to take up spots in the room. The Amatsu Captain was next to come down to station himself.

"We can do that," Sarine said, as she waved to the ones that came in. "Oh, how is that second house coming along for the others?"

"Second house?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. For the ones that used to have my blood," Thanatos said. "They didn't want to leave, so an additional house is being built here for them. They are in the other dungeon, apparently. Or, they would have been here with us."

"I'll have to do something for that place, too," Kiehl thought. He looked over, as Zealotus brought in Injustice.

"Took me a while to find you all!" Zealotus grumbled. "Why are you all down here?"

Sammy hopped up and moved to whisper to her. The dominant monster's eyes went wide with shock. She needed no further explanations.

"So, yes. We are down here until the storm up there is gone," Sammy nodded and moved to sit back in Sarine's lap.

"Okay. Well, I brought Injustice. Can you talk to him?" Zealotus asked.

"Injustice?" Sarine called for him now in a questioning tone. The undead slave moved to her side to sit before her, and everyone went silent. "Can you tell me what is going on?"

He tried to speak, but nothing came out. He looked at Zealotus now.

"You have permission to talk," she nodded.

"Thank you, Mistress," Injustice said. His voice was wavering and uncertain, as well as light and hollow in tone. He looked at Sarine now and sighed, as he said, "I feel unfit to serve my Mistress. It's hard to do as she asks now."

"Why would you think that?" Sarine asked. She was a bit surprised that his voice was actually pleasing to listen to.

"I love her in my own way, but, I know she likes Phendark more. She...praises him more. I feel unworthy," he said with his red eyes bleak. "Why should I obey her when she seems to cast me aside? At least...I see you with your slaves, and you treat them equally."

"Injustice!" Zealotus said with dismay.

"I couldn't tell you, since you'd always order me to remain silent. Well, now you know," Injustice said. "How am I supposed to compete with Phendark?"

"And now we find out the problem. Zealotus? What do you think we can do about a solution? Do you care about Injustice? Or do you see him as a mere slave?" Sarine asked.

"Well..." Zealotus frowned. "how do you see your slaves?"

"I see them as slaves, but I treat them with respect. And, yes, I do come to love them, as they come to love me," Sarine said with a soft smile. "I don't have to ask them to do anything. I give them choices, unless they know they are needed. They appreciate it. They even do things for me without me asking, and they surprise me with things daily. I treat them almost like my husbands, but I can do things with them that I can't do with my husbands."

"Like what?" Zealotus asked.

"I can bite them and draw blood with them. I can't do that with my husbands."

"Well...I won't lie that I have been neglecting Injustice lately. I...I did just need only him before, but, since he was upgraded from coming here, I found that I could do much more with Phendark! I feel like I need Injustice, but then I realize that I don't need him, too. I just...ugh!" Zealotus said, as she thought hard. She was weighing her options of what uses she had for her slave. Sighing, she walked over briskly to rip the collar off of Injustice's neck. Seyren winced at that motion, and Injustice sat there stunned. "I'm freeing you! See you around."

When she left, Injustice sat there in silent shock. His hand moved up to his bared neck, and he felt completely wronged and denied of what he was supposed to be.

"Shit," Thanatos sighed. Doppy echoed what Thanatos said, and Eremes hissed with a form of outrage. Keltin was staring wide-eyed at what just happened. Sammy glanced at Howard and got a worried glance back. Sarine was horrified, and even Errende was cringing. He wouldn't be able to tolerate losing his collar. _I'd be begging for it back._  The other slaves were in their own state of shock at this outrageous act. They saw it as a form of treason.

"Help me...!" Injustice whispered, as he trembled. "I...can't...be free! I just...I can't!"

Sarine looked at the others, and they nodded to her. She grimaced and gestured for a collar. Karla had a few extras on her now and handed one to her. Injustice was starting to panic, as his mind started to shut down. He was meant to be a slave and never freed. He couldn't take it, and this was likely what Errende and the others would feel, if it ever happened to them. Errende looked at the other slaves, and they were grim in their responding gazes.  _They would easily welcome the undead man into their fold, if Sarine did place the collar on him._

"Injustice, look at me!" Sarine snapped. He did so instantly and swallowed. "If I make you a slave of mine, it will be permanent. You will be expected to serve me, obey me, and always do what I ask of you. If you fail, you will be punished. Do you understand?"

"Yes! Please, Mistress!" he shivered and watched her with a hopeful look.

"Once I collar you, you are to call me 'My Lady' instead of 'Mistress'. That will be your only permanent order at all times. Understood?" she asked.

"Yes," he said with a determined nod. She gestured for him to come close, and she placed the collar around his neck. It glowed to seal up permanently and was now set with the Mark of Odin in front of it. The little gold loop appeared to complete it, and Injustice sagged with relief. The part ripped from him was given back, and he vowed to never let it leave him again.

"Now come here and sit by me," she said gently, and he moved to do just that. Sammy moved aside to give a bit more space, and he reverted back to his adult form to listen better. She had Injustice tell her everything that Zealotus would do to him, and he did so in soft whispers. She muttered certain things that would be continued and not be continued, as he whispered. Injustice was relieved when the tricks with the whip handles would never be used again on him when she muttered it would stop. He simply didn't like whip handles. Errende could understand completely with that. When Injustice finished, she thought and leaned back into Thanatos's chest. Seyren was in shock of some of the things that Zealotus would do to him.

"Was there pleasure in any of it?" Seyren asked, and Karla looked over with concern.

"No. I only got pain," Injustice said. "All of the pleasure was for Phendark. Even when it was just me and Mist...Zealotus...it was always pain."

"That changes as of now!" Sarine growled out. "Leash!"

Karla handed over a leash, and it was clipped on Injustice. She managed to move with Errende's help and yanked Injustice into the stone bathroom. Thanatos got up to sit outside the door to where they went to, and he mused that Injustice caught himself when he referred to Zealotus as his mistress. Errende moved in with her to help her, and Kiehl frowned.

"Why didn't she leash me?" he asked.

"I'll ask her when she gets out," Howard nodded. "She usually lets the leash be an optional thing. If you want it, ask for it."

"I'll do that," Kiehl nodded and went out to the dungeon to start planning how his workshop would look. In the stone bathroom, Injustice was experiencing pleasure for the first time. The pain he was used to. The pleasure caught him off guard.

"It's okay," Sarine soothed him. He lay gasping under her with disbelief.

"I was...missing...so much!" he gasped out and cried out, as she brought him to another release. "Why?! Why did she...never let me...experience this?! I just..."

"It's like you said," she said sadly. "Zealotus liked Phendark more."

"What would she...do...if she needs to give...pain to something?" Injustice fretted.

"You are mine now. She will not touch you. Ever!" she snarled out. "If she even tries to claim you again, you come straight to me, or contact one of the other slaves! My husbands, even! Any of them will help protect you!"

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded.

"Kiehl plans to make communication devices for us. We can keep contact with each other this way," Errende said. He gasped at Sarine's approving caress through his hair, and he leaned into her touch.

"You really do treat your slaves equally," Injustice said with a touch of amazement.

"Yes, I do," she nodded. "We need to swap blood now."

"Swap blood?" he asked.

"Sit up for me," she said. He did just that for her, and she looked at the impaled spikes on his arms and legs. "Those can be a hindrance."

"They make me who I am," Injustice said with a bit of a smile.

"Well, I won't have you walking around naked anymore. I'll have a set of black leather briefs made for you," she said. "Maybe with zippers or special snaps."

"As you say, My Lady," he nodded. Errende moved to the door and called Aliot over to tell him what Incubus had to make next. With that done, he moved to Sarine's side and carefully moved a knife over her neck.

"Drink a mouthful from me, Injustice. Then I will drink from you," she said. Injustice nodded and placed his mouth on the wound. She cried out with release, and he swallowed the required amount. Errende Healed her after, and now she growled savagely before sinking her teeth into Injustice's neck. He shouted with surprise at it, since he never experienced a bite like this before, and he shivered as he let her drink. When she pulled away, Errende Healed him, and Injustice clung to her now.

"I promise you, My Lady," Injustice whispered. "I will never let Zealotus touch me again. You have shown me so much more than I could ever hope for, and I will never disobey you! I just...I was there for your letter readings. It was then that I realized that I wasn't really tolerable anymore around Zealotus. I think it was ever since I was enhanced. When I first saw you. I never thought I would ever be up to par with Phendark..."

"Injustice," she frowned, as she ran a hand over his cheek with affection. "Don't think of them anymore. You have new friends and family now. I say family, because you are going to need to give a drop of blood to my growing twins just outside that door. Once you do that, they will see you as a father figure."

"What?!" he gaped.

"It's true," Errende chuckled, as he placed his hands on her shoulders to chill her down.

"So...I would also be their...?" he blinked. Now he looked at Sarine with a new light, and he pulled her close to kiss her intensely. He had never been kissed by Zealotus before. This was new to him, and he surprised himself by starting it. He was even further shocked at how perfect the kiss fit him. He clearly belonged with Sarine, and he never wanted to be away from her side after this. Errende smiled and blinked, as her body started to heat up. Thanatos charged into the room at the mental call to hug her tight, and she gasped with relief.

"Thanks," she sighed, and he chuckled.

"Your kids are hungry. Want me to have them brought in here?" Thanatos asked.

"Yes, please," she smiled. He looked over to nod to Howard just outside the door, and Errende moved to help bring in the twins.

"Drago is checking the weather outside. The moment the storm is gone, we'll all go back up to the bedroom," Howard said, as he brought in Serenity. Sarine was still nude, and Thanatos was able to shield her from sight when the door opened and closed. When she started nursing Serenity, Naght came in to bring Siegfried. Doppy moved in next to sit by her and ran a hand over her belly. A protective, fatherly purr came from him now, as he felt his offspring move.

"So, you're one of us, eh?" Doppy asked Injustice.

"You can answer anyone. Of course, if they ask you to do something, you can decide if you want to do what they ask or not," Sarine smiled.

"I have...choices?" Injustice blinked.

"Yes," she nodded.

"I..." he blinked again, and Errende chuckled.

"I know how you feel," Errende said.

"Well, Doppelganger, yes. You could say that," Injustice said.

"And what can you do to help protect her?" Doppy asked. Naght looked over, curious now. Even Howard wanted to know.

"I'm much faster now than I was before. Stronger, too, come to think of it. I can still use my skill of Sonic Blow, since it's much stronger than it used to be, and I can Poison my enemies now," Injustice said. "I can also make my enemies Bleed, if I hit them hard enough."

"Not bad," Doppy nodded.

"Does it feel different? Not being with Zealotus?" Howard asked.

"It's a relief, actually," Injustice admitted. "There was a point that I was all she needed. When she wanted more, she started to work with the Phendarks in the dungeons. Yeah, there were others like me, and she used them as she liked. But, I knew that I was different, and I think she knew that, too. I'm a different version of the others that I used to be around. I sort of figured this out for myself long ago. I'm able to think rationally now. It's a lot to take in."

"Just think of yourself as a stronger monster version of the others. Easiest thing to do," Thanatos said, as he helped Sarine give Serenity to Injustice.

"A stronger monster version of...I like that idea!" Injustice smiled and winced at the sharp bite done to his hand. "Strong bite! Oh! I have an idea for Kiehl."

"Really?" Howard asked and walked out of the bathroom to get him. When he came back with Kiehl, Keltin moved in to sit with them. Eremes wasn't long behind them. Ifrit slipped into the room now, and the door was closed.

"Kiehl," Injustice said, as he held the little girl. "I may be able to help you get a few things for the workshop. However, My Lady would need to take us back to Glast Heim. Where you found me in the dungeons, that is."

"What would be there?" Kiehl asked.

"Old electric chairs and torturing devices that are sitting around useless," Injustice grinned. That made Kiehl blink and grin right back.

"If we could get a few of them, I could make them work again!" Kiehl snickered.

"Sounds like fun!" Doppy grinned.

"We can make a run for the place after we collect Maya Purple," Sarine said, as she nursed Siegfried. "Ouch! What did I tell you about biting?!"

Naght leaned over to rumble in Demonic, and the boy whimpered.

"Naght! He's my son, too!" Howard frowned.

"Duh!" Serenity said, as she pointed at Howard.

"Don't you start that again!" Howard grinned at her.

"Duh!" she said again, and Injustice smiled.

"He should just be called dumb and that would work," Doppy grinned. Keltin and Eremes looked at each other and snickered.

"Dumb?" Serenity blinked.

"Oh, no you don't!" Howard growled playfully and snatched his daughter from Injustice to tickle her gently. Thanatos started laughing with Doppy, and Sarine handed Siegfried to Injustice for his blood to get collected.

"All right, I need to get dressed now," she sighed. Kiehl and Injustice moved together to help her stand, and they carefully dressed her in her Sniper gears.

"Did I miss anything?" Sammy asked, as he walked in with the new slave clothes. Byorgue walked in after him with Aliot and Observation.

"This room is so crowded now!" she frowned. She looked over, as Drago peered in.

"The storm is gone," the half-dragon said. "Just some light showers and that's it."

"Good. Thanks," Howard said. He nodded to the others, and the children were carried out first to give over to Bacsojin and Doll. Naght moved to follow them to the nursery with Alexander and the Amatsu Captain. Incubus handed over other sets of clothes once they were finished, and he headed back outside. He had decided to make some spare duplicates in case they were needed. Sarine was grateful for the effort.

"I need another bath," she frowned. Howard looked at her now and moved to press a kiss to her cheek before whispering softly to her. She looked at him with a touch of hopefulness, and he moved to whisper to Thanatos.

"Really?" Thanatos asked. "Hmm. When?"

"Now. As soon as possible," Howard said.

"We'll need Muninn," she said in a hushed tone.

"I'll get him," Errende said lightly and made his way out of the room. Kiehl wanted to know what was going on and followed Errende. When they got outside, the older slave turned to frown at him. "You can't be part of this. Well...actually, maybe you can."

"What's going on? I want to help," Kiehl said.

"Howard needs to be with My Lady and be a slave to her. She needs him. Like I said before, Howard is a special case."

"Husband and a slave. Right. But, I want to do something for her, too!"

"Why do you feel a need for this?" Errende asked.

"Because I love her. That's why. And I want to."

"As long as you know you love her, then that's all that matters," he nodded with a grin. "All right. Right now, see if she's hungry. Get her something to drink. We know that Byorgue loves her, too, and Aliot. I'm sure Observation does, as well as Drago and Injustice at this point. They just need to voice it so we can make sure."

"I can get that information from them," Kiehl nodded.

"Lord Thanatos isn't a slave, but he knows everything, too, since my blood is bound to him. Muninn also marked him for My Lady, since he wanted it, so he does belong to her, in a way. Lord Thanatos...says she's hungry and thirsty. Make the hearts like I showed you earlier and get her some juice. That will help her while I get Muninn. If I get Muninn before you finish, I'll help you out with the rest of it."

"Okay!" Kiehl nodded and moved to the kitchen. Just as Errende was about to call for Muninn, the falcon landed and looked at him. Muninn knew he was expected.

"Howard is needed by My Lady. We may need time frozen for them," Errende said.

_:I see. Okay. I help!:_  Muninn agreed and flew up to the bedroom window. Kiehl had just finished preparing the hearts in record time on the plate, and Errende moved to help him get some drinks. Taking them up to the bedroom, she was seated in Thanatos's lap on the bed. Once they got her eating, Kiehl moved to whisper to Observation. When the angel blushed and responded back, he nodded and moved to talk to Injustice. The undead slave already knew what he had to say and responded lightly. He already knew that Byorgue loved her, but the small slave was approached, all the same. It was the same with Aliot. He moved to Drago next to whisper to him on the balcony, and the half-dragon thought for half a second before nodding and voicing his answer. Kiehl thought and moved to whisper to Errende. The High Priest gestured for the slaves to gather around, and they approached Sarine.

"My Lady, if you would excuse us for a moment? We need to talk about something to do for you, and we...well...it's a surprise," Errende blushed. Howard looked over now and nodded that he would be filled in later.

"Oh! Certainly. Do what you must. I'm fine right now," she nodded. Thanatos chuckled, and Doppy moved to keep a hand on her belly. The six slaves moved to the balcony to talk, and Muninn was there to listen to them.

"Howard is her husband and a slave, so he will be filled in later," Errende said. "Maya Purple will need to be spoken to later about this. As her husbands have a pact, so do we. To protect her, serve her, and love her."

"I'm in," Byorgue said.

"I said it before, but I'm in," Kiehl nodded.

"Count me in," Injustice said. They nodded as one and discussed what they could do for her. Injustice thought of a nice dance for her. Then Byorgue suggested it be more risqué for her.

"A strip tease?" Aliot grinned.

"Why not?" Byorgue grinned back.

"After she gives birth, though," Errende said.

"We can have Incubus make other clothes for us?" Drago asked.

"I can make clothes, too," Errende said. "Let me work on that."

"Probably find time during the weeks that she's resting. It will give us something to do when she is not in her dominating mood," Observation said.

"That's a good plan," Kiehl said. "I'll be busy enough working on the island defenses."

"You will still be a part of this!" Byorgue growled.

"As if I would miss it?" Kiehl grinned. "I wouldn't want to miss what she would do to us after it, should she like it."

"So true!" Byorgue snickered.

"Is that the Kafra Agent from the arena?" Drago asked, as his sharp eyes spotted the woman coming up from the arena. Being a half-dragon, his eyes were as sharp as Muninn's were, and he pointed the figure out. Muninn glanced over and seemed to think.

_:Yes. A challenger. For. Doppelganger. I think.:_  he warbled.

"Who would be dumb enough to fight him?" Byorgue scowled.

"Everyone," Aliot grinned. That made them all snicker, and they moved into the bedroom slowly to filter out. They remained calm to keep Sarine calm.

"Doppy," Thanatos grinned, as he got the mental message from Errende.

"What?" he growled.

"The Kafra Agent from the arena is coming to talk to you," Thanatos snickered.

"Are you serious?" Doppy frowned.

"Whoever it is that challenges you, kill that person with everything you have for me," she whispered to him. Doppy grinned wickedly and looked over at the Kafra Agent now.

"Excuse me, but Doppelganger is being called to the arena. A man named Fenrick is challenging him," the Kafra Agent said.

"I'm watching this..." Eremes said. Ifrit hissed with laughter and moved to follow. Doppy howled with laughter and kissed Sarine before heading out. The dirty platter was removed from the bed when it was emptied, and another plate of various foods was set before her. Aliot and Observation had Howard drinking a lot of water and juices, since he was going to be helping Sarine soon. When Doppy got back with a lock of Fenrick's hair as proof of his triumph, Thanatos burst into laughter at the trophy.

"You didn't have to do that," Sarine sighed, and Doppy pulled her close to kiss lovingly.

"Fenrick...is pissed off..." Eremes grinned. Ifrit was hissing out his laughter at the failure of a fight. Then he turned quickly to attack someone that appeared behind him, and he pinned the intruder neatly against the wall with searing heat.

"Oh, look. He came to get his hair back," Doppy sneered.

"Once again, my bedroom is invaded..." Eremes glowered. Sarine's slaves moved quickly around the bed to protect her.

"Can I slice him open?!" Byorgue hissed out. He flashed his dagger to show he was ready to pounce and gut his insides out.

"Not yet," Sarine mused, as she reclined on Thanatos's chest a bit more. "Why are you here, Fenrick? You got defeated fair and square."

"He...took my hair!" Fenrick hissed out against Ifrit's infernal form.

"Hair grows back. Mine does, too, last I checked," she frowned.

"It's...an insult!" the man argued.

"Ifrit, please let him speak his case before you crisp him to bits," she said with a soft smile. Kiehl was already thinking of setting up detecting sentries for each room now.

"You're that robot monster! Kiel D-01, right? Or am I wrong?" Fenrick frowned, as he looked at each slave now.

"It's Kiehl," he corrected with a snarl. "I should use you as an experiment!"

"Now, Kiehl," Sarine frowned, and he looked at her lovingly. "an experiment? No. What you should tell him is that he will be imprisoned until the Assassin Guild leader can come here and pick him up to take him back."

"Really?" Eremes smirked.

"I can find my own way back!" Fenrick said. "All I wanted was my hair! I would have left right afterwards!"

"And then come back," Doppy growled.

"It is the arena, love. Anyone can come and fight. It is when they have a personal vendetta against...us...that it gets nasty," she growled. Errende moved to place his hands on her belly, and Howard nodded to him. "Go ahead and give him his hair back. Then escort him out. If he comes here again like this, then he will simply have to be imprisoned."

"Like that girl?" Fenrick asked.

"I'm pregnant, and she has been constantly demanding to fight me. You know what my Light of Odin does," she glared. "She doesn't. If I use it, my developing children skyrocket in growth. I could literally be torn apart."

"And now...you leave..." Eremes hissed.

"I did notice you were...larger now. Than a few days ago. Fine," Fenrick said. Doppy tossed the lock of hair back to the man, and he got escorted out to the arena by Eremes and Aliot.

"There should be a rule that morons like him should be left for dead!" Doppy muttered. She reached for her bloodthirsty, Demonic husband, and he moved to let her snuggle between him and Thanatos. Once he was calmed, everyone was able to move about.

_:Howard!:_  Muninn warbled to him, as the falcon flew into the room.  _:Ready?:_

"Yes?" Howard said to make it sound like a question, since he was the only one being spoken to. When time froze, Sarine blinked to find Thanatos, Errende, Kiehl, and Howard moving with her.

"Kiehl?" she said with a small smile.

"I'm aware of Howard. Don't worry," Kiehl winked.

"Okay," she smiled. Then he moved to her side and whispered to her lightly. She looked at him with a blush and a soft giggle.

"Where do you want to do this?" Thanatos asked.

"The tub," she nodded. Howard moved to gather up Sarine in his arms, and he took her into the bathroom. The other three followed and helped Sarine undress. Howard undressed afterwards and moved her into the tub to guide her down the small steps.

"What do you want to do first, My Lady?" Howard asked in a hushed whisper. She kissed him desperately now and moved to rock herself on him. He cried out sharply, as she ran her nails into his back to draw blood before biting hard into his neck. She pulled him into a pleasuring loop, and he clung to her helplessly.

Thanatos moved into the tub after his armor melted away, and he looked over when Muninn reverted human to do the same. Errende and Kiehl undressed and moved into the tub to find places to sit. Kiehl did think about removing his glasses, but he decided against it. He wanted to fully see what was going on. He could see without them to an extent, but he wanted to make sure he missed nothing that could happen.

"You know what your blood does to her," Thanatos frowned.

" _I know. You are here to help her, if needed,_ " Muninn nodded.

"What am I missing?" Kiehl asked. Muninn now explained to him what his blood does to Sarine, and how she was even able to carry Thanatos's twins with Doppy's twins. "I can't take some of your blood to study, can I?"

" _To do that would be a form of blasphemy. Do not even think of it,_ " Muninn said.

"Done," Kiehl nodded. When Howard was finally let go, Thanatos pulled her away from him, and Errende Healed him. Then Kiehl looked at Errende and Healed him. That made Sarine chuckle, and Muninn smiled.

"Are you okay, How-How?" Sarine asked.

"I'll be fine..." he said with a bit of a smile before looking over weakly. "Muninn? Why are you here?"

" _It's needed. She has no cravings for Thanatos while she is with me._ "

"But...doesn't your blood...?"

" _She is already pregnant. If anything, it makes others extremely wanting for her. I'm not sure if it will effect Thanatos again. We will have to see._ "

"All right," Howard nodded. Errende gave him a Yggdrasil Berry, and it helped him recover a lot faster. Errende ran a hand over her belly to ensure the developing children would remain calm before she was handed over to Muninn.

"So, what happens now?" Kiehl asked.

"We'll let her feed off of Muninn," Thanatos said.

"Isn't Muninn her brother?" he frowned.

"He isn't truly blood related to her," Howard said. "Neither is Huginn. Like Seyren, they see her as a sister. Or, they're supposed to."

"I see," Kiehl said. He looked over as Muninn let out a sharp, exhaled breath, as she arched herself on him. He opened his neck for her with one of his small knives, and she bent to feed on him. He shouted first before bracing himself for a long bout of pleasure.

"Thanatos, how long do they do that for?" Howard asked.

"It could be for several hours, if time wasn't frozen. Unlike us, Muninn will never run out of blood for her. He'll be stuck in that pleasuring loop for a long time," the demon sighed.

"Are you serious?" Kiehl asked. Now he wondered if he could give himself an unlimited blood for her and if it was even possible.

"Very. You could say that he is a prime blood bank for her. Huginn is, too, but I'd rather Muninn do it than Huginn. Let's face it. I'll never trust Huginn after the shit that he pulled!" Thanatos growled. "I know he did what he did to try and get close to her, and I know that he would never intentionally hurt her, but he's way down on the list of those I trust right now."

"True," Howard frowned. "Like I said before. I'll kill him if he scares her again!"

"You told me just enough, Thanatos. If there's more, I want to know everything. I also need to figure out how to help monitor her dreams!" Kiehl growled.

"Lord Thanatos? Since My Lady is preoccupied, shall we tell Kiehl of ourselves? To help pass the time?" Errende asked.

"Perhaps we could. But, something tells me that you are going to be extremely important to her," Thanatos mused, as he looked at Kiehl. "Almost as important as Howard."

"How important?" Kiehl asked, his interest completely peaked now.

"You know, Thanatos, you have a point. He almost resembles me in the body. I'm a husband and a slave to her. Could it be possible for a slave to be like a husband?" Howard thought aloud. "I have to wonder now. I do feel a form of kinship with him."

"Ah..." Kiehl blinked. "Um...how would that work? Wouldn't I be like you, then?"

"I'm too submissive to be like that. But...why Kiehl?" Errende asked.

"Kiehl is a stronger monster. That and he's the one who's going to be working on the island defenses. There may be times that he may be away from Sarine's side for long lengths of time. If you think about it...it could hurt her. Especially if she misses him," Thanatos said. "We'll have to keep her preoccupied, if you, Kiehl, are working."

"I promised her that, if she needed me, I'd be at her side," Kiehl frowned. "I don't want to break my promise. If she calls for me, I'm there."

"Unless we just don't come for you," Thanatos said.

"You would keep me from seeing her?!" Kiehl asked incredulously.

"I know for a fact," Howard sighed. "that some scientists in Lighthalzen would get so caught up in their work that they tend to ignore everything around them for days at a time. If you truly did work for them at one point, didn't you ever get caught up in that loop?"

"I...yes. I did. Months at a time, since I didn't even have to eat or sleep," Kiehl admitted. "But...I don't want to do that to her. When I break out of the loop, I realize what I missed around me and it...hurts. Then my body catches up with the time I missed, and I start to suffer. I don't want to get stuck in something like that."

"If it does happen, then we won't disturb you," Thanatos said.

"But...if she should go to him?" Errende asked.

"Then that will be of her own accord," Howard said. "The more he works, the faster things can get done. But, if she finds herself missing him badly enough, then it could cause delays. Once the defenses are done, then they're done."

"I don't want to keep myself from her," Kiehl said. "I...I love her. I'm not really supposed to have human-like emotions. Only artificial ones. With her, it's like...everything is tangible. Real. I've never felt so strongly for anyone in my life!"

"She brings out the most human qualities in monsters," Howard nodded. "It's something she was always able to do. Heh...now that I think about it..."

"What?" Thanatos grinned.

"There were times that she wouldn't let us hurt a monster. And I have a feeling it's the same ones that are being brought here. Damn! Why didn't I think of this before?!" he sighed with frustration. "Other monsters of that type we could kill, but certain ones, she wouldn't let us hurt! She would always tell us that it was special and to leave it alone. Even if it attacked us...come to think of it, that particular monster never attacked her! Then the monster stopped attacking us when she told it that we were her friends! It's like it became a pet, in a sense."

"Really?" Thanatos asked with amazement.

"Yes! And that monster would follow her for a time until we got too far away! I can't believe I haven't realized it!" Howard chuckled. "Wow. Those monsters always knew that she was special. Even when she was younger."

"Well..." Errende smiled softly. "what should we talk about now? The upcoming days? We are going to have to prepare those meals for her."

"Yes. Even though you said we should talk about ourselves, let's save it for the others," Howard nodded, and they all started to discuss how to best serve her for the next week. Kiehl was going to make sure that he was there for her birthing. He would be with her during the day and work during the night. They agreed that it would be best that way. After she gave birth, they would see to him working in full until she went to him. If it got bad, then he would revert to the day/night shifts. He never needed to sleep, so it would be best. Kiehl only worried that she would think he was neglecting her, and Howard reassured him that they would explain everything to her in full before she went looking for him.

"I don't want to be punished. And yet, with how it will turn out, I know that I will need to be punished...but..." Kiehl sighed.

"It won't be your fault. She can put the blame on us. Not you," Thanatos said. Then he looked over when Muninn finally shifted, and Sarine pulled away. They kissed deeply, and Errende Healed Muninn.

" _Thanks,_ " Muninn nodded. Then he seemed to glare at the four of them, since he heard everything. He didn't approve of what they wanted to do. " _Be careful with your decisions. Everything has a cost in the end._ "

"What?" Sarine asked. He looked at her with a soft smile and hugged her tightly to him. She was too busy feeding to hear anything. Muninn also knew that Huginn had something to do with it. He didn't like that, but there was nothing he could do right now.

" _It's all right. They were talking of doing things for you while you were bedridden. Oh, Howard. Just so you know, you will not turn human in two weeks' time. Father Odin is pushing it back until after her body is healed. Then he will grant two days of humanity back to back to counter what was done._ "

"Ahh! All right. I'll let the others know. We'll probably let some Dead Branches loose to help pass the time. And take on arena challengers," Howard nodded. Thanatos pulled her to him quickly when she trembled, and Errende placed his hands on her belly. Then Kiehl shivered and coughed. He shook his head and turned to stare at Sarine with disbelief.

"What is it, Kiehl?" she asked.

"I...I can smell you," he said. "It's...powerful! I can't...get it out of my head! It's like...like...I just..."

"What do you want to do with me?" she asked, a touch of purr to her tone now. Thanatos found himself grinning.  _Her scent was calling to Kiehl._ Howard seemed to chuckle and realized that Kiehl was going to be a bit of a First Mate now. It surprised him a bit.

"What do I want to...?" Kiehl winced, splashed over to her and pulled her close. "Why do I feel so...so...?"

"Dominant?" she chuckled, as she moved to hiss softly in his ear. He stammered at the sound, turned her so her back was facing him, and started to take her violently. She cried out, and he began to snarl out that she was his. He completely forgot about the others in the tub with him. Thanatos didn't mind, since it was all instinctive. Howard was rather amused at this, and Errende was just amazed at what he was witnessing.

" _Howard, you are right. Kiehl is going to become vastly important to her now. As much as you,_ " Muninn sighed. " _But, if he is away from her for too long...she will get upset. Very upset. Even your children will get upset. Serenity does see him as another version of you. Do not deprive her of Kiehl, either. The moment Sarine is reunited with Kiehl, he needs to see the children. Two weeks is a long time, but no longer than that. Understood?_ "

"I understand," Howard said with a touch of a frown. "Maybe, after she is healed enough, he can do the day/night shifts?"

" _That would be preferred at all times, but do know that he will be suffering greatly once he realizes what happens. Like I said...there is a cost for everything. You have been warned._ "

Thanatos nodded and looked over with a smile as Kiehl let out his successful mating roar. Sarine answered to him, and he gasped out with what he did. He was able to sit with her in the tub now, and she blinked with surprise when a small glow happened on the gold loop on his collar. She narrowed her eyes to study it further.

"What's this?" she asked, and she lightly ran her finger through the loop to gently pull him closer. He shivered, but was curious all the same. Howard moved now to examine it, and he blinked with amazement.

"It's a diamond. Like...a wedding ring?! But...not quite like that! I just...wow..." Howard hissed out and sighed.

"You may need to hide that from the others," Errende frowned. "They might get jealous, you know."

"No," Kiehl said, as he hugged her tightly to him. "They won't get jealous. Since I'm going to be husband-like to her, but her slave all the same, it makes me have equal Rights to know what her husbands are planning to tell all of you!"

"Oh!" Errende said with a smile. "I didn't think of it like that, before. Of course, Lord Thanatos can do just that."

"Besides," Kiehl said, as he moved Sarine between him and Thanatos. "if her husbands are busy, I'll have to pick up the slack. Much like how Howard is with us as slaves."

"You sly bastard!" Howard gaped before laughing. "That's genius!"

"Well, genius, yes. Bastard...I don't know," Kiehl frowned. Then he smiled, as she snuggled into him with a sigh, since his body was much cooler to her now. "My Lady, I want to tell you something. I need to."

"Oh?" she asked him. He looked at the others, and they seemed to nod. Very slowly, he explained how his work habits could be. She frowned that he could be kept from her, but she understood that he had his methods of working.

"I know you said that I was to come to you when you needed me. I'm sorry...right now...if it feels like the order may be missed. I simply may not hear it. Or regard it. It's happened before," Kiehl sighed.

"But...if I approach you...?" she frowned.

"I'll snap out of it instantly. I can promise you that," he said. She seemed to think and then nod. "I don't want you to think that I would be ignoring you at all."

"But, you would be. That means that you would be subject to punishment. Right?" she asked. He winced and nodded. That made her snicker.

"You have something planned out already. Don't you?" Howard grinned. At her small smile, he started looking at her with disbelief on what she had planned. "You...are incredibly evil for such a sweet and sexy woman!"

"What does she have planned?" Errende asked. Howard moved over to him and softly whispered. Thanatos thought, as he listened to Errende's thoughts, and barked out laughter.

"You are all scaring me!" Kiehl growled. "What is it?"

"Well..." Sarine sighed. "two weeks would be a very long time to wait. So much time to make up for. Wouldn't it?"

"You would...give me pleasure for two weeks straight?!" Kiehl blinked. Muninn blinked and thought ahead. Then he started laughing hard. As he started to calm down, another future vision came to him, and he started laughing even more.

"Oh, no. Something worse than that," Sarine giggled. "Think two weeks of pleasure crammed into two hours."

"That...I..." Kiehl went speechless and seemed to pale at the thought. "I'm scared."

"No. You'll be screwed," Sarine grinned wickedly. Thanatos was now dying with laughter, and Howard hiding his face in his hands to keep the tears of laughter hidden. Errende was just in complete shock, as he laughed silently. Muninn was already snickering and giggling to himself like crazy.

"In more ways than one, I suppose," Kiehl sighed. That had them laughing harder now. "Well, I'll do everything in my power to not fall under the spell of working so hard. Should I eventually fall into it...please pull me out of it. I don't want to spend several months in that fixation. It...it hurts so much when I come out of it..."

"Kiehl..." she said with a soft smile, and ran her hand over his cheek. He looked at her now and trembled. "Do you love me?"

"Yes! Of course, I do!" he said.

"Then I know for a fact that you will do what you can. If you do fall into that vicious cycle, then I know that you couldn't help it. We will find a way to keep it from happening again, if it does happen. But, if you do, I will have no choice but to punish you. Your slave side will demand it. Even if your husband side knows you couldn't help it, I would have to do something about it, and you know this," she warned.

"I know. I'll be prepared for consequences. And, you be prepared if I break down into tears for knowing that I couldn't stop myself," he whispered. "I never cried over it before. But, I know that I'll cry from it over you."

"Kiehl..." she sighed, and hugged him tightly to her now.

"You really would suffer. Wouldn't you?" Howard asked. Kiehl nodded softly, as he ran his hands over her back and rocked her.

" _If it happens once, then it won't happen again. You have my word,_ " Muninn said softly.

"That's a touch relieving. I would prefer that it didn't happen at all," Kiehl sighed. "But...if it does happen once, then we may find out how to stop it."

"Exactly," Thanatos said. "All right, Sarine, did you want to feed from me now? Or Errende? You should feed from us, and then we can take you to bed."

"Of course," she nodded. She gestured for Errende, and he went to her side. After she used him and fed off of him, she moved to Thanatos to fully replenish her reserves of him. Once she was finished, and they were both Healed, Muninn nodded that it was time to restore time. Kiehl decided not to go to the workshop below just yet. He wanted to stay with Sarine until she gave birth, as they had decided while she was feeding. When she was dressed with them and back in bed before time had stopped, Muninn reverted to his falcon form to let time come back.

"So, what did Muninn talk to you about?" Sammy asked. He noticed Howard was in a slightly different area than before.

"We talked about Kiehl," Howard said and gestured to the stronger monster. "He's going to be incredibly important to Sarine in the weeks ahead. His gold loop has been marked with a diamond. Like a wedding ring, but not like one. See?"

"A slave that's like a husband?!" Doppy frowned, as he snuggled Sarine. "Why?"

"Muninn said it would be important," Kiehl sighed. "Who am I to argue with that?"

"True," Doppy nodded. The other slaves nodded with acceptance.

"I have a sneaky feeling that you'll be getting her pregnant with my kids," Keltin frowned. "Are you the one that's joining mine?"

"No. That's me," Aliot grinned. "He may be getting her pregnant with Sammy."

"Now that would be interesting," Sammy grinned. "Two monsters with ghosts getting her with child. Very interesting, indeed!"

"Huh!" Kiehl blinked. "Didn't see it that way."

"Then I will be getting her pregnant..." Eremes nodded. "Very well..."

"I'm hungry," she sighed. Then she cried out, as Doppy roared, when her belly stretched again. Errende hissed and moved swiftly to place his hands on her belly. She gasped and leaned back into Thanatos with a groan. Kiehl was at her bedside now and unsure what to do.

"Get her something to eat," Thanatos said, as he winced. Doppy ran his hands over her belly now, and he knew that he wasn't going to be leaving her side for the next few days.

"I want to do something!" Byorgue growled.

"Help me out," Kiehl said, and they went to the kitchen.

"Can we get a chamber pot over here? Something she can use so she won't have to move very far?" Sammy asked. "She's too big to move much now. We'll have to do what we can for her and bring her children here if they need to nurse. Don't worry, love, we'll keep you comfortable. Just tell us if you need anything."

Sarine couldn't say anything right now. Her belly was so large that it was hard to focus on anything but that.

"Are you all right, love?" Doppy whispered.

"I'm going to get fat!" she frowned.

"No, you won't," Howard said, and he moved to pull up a chair to sit by her. "You'll be getting plenty of exercise when you can."

"Sure," she sighed. "And, what if there's another storm? What will happen to me then?"

"You don't worry about that," Thanatos said.

"Sarine..." Eremes said softly. "we will keep you safe. From everything."

"Will you?" she asked weakly.

"Yes. We will," he promised. That made her smile a bit, and she gasped again from the pain of more growth. Doppy hissed with disbelief from the pain he felt with her.

"My touch isn't working," Errende frowned.

"Shit," Thanatos growled. "When they want to grow, they grow. All right. Just keep your hands there in case it does help. Is there any chocolate for her?"

"Here," Keltin said and handed over a bar. "I'll get more!"

The rest of the day was seeing to her every need, and it continued well into the night.


	81. Chapter 81

As the next few days progressed, she got more and more irritable. She couldn't be dominant like she needed to be. She managed to suppress the rage for her children, and they had to bring them into the room constantly to keep her calm. When that started to fail, they did what they could for her. On the fifth day of their torturous time with her, she was lifted up for a bath. Her belly was so large that it took two of her slaves to help her stabilize her movement, as Thanatos supported her from behind. Then she screamed, as Doppy fell to his knees. Her water broke all over the ground in the bathroom. Aliot and Observation moved to clean up what they could quickly, and they were quite glad it was on marble tile. Most of the birth waters went right down the drains. The bathroom was like a giant shower in the way it was designed.

"It's starting!" Doppy gasped out. Kiehl was summoned to help, and he was at her side. He was spending the days with her and the nights working in his workshop. He wanted to be there for her birthing. Thanatos was moving with her constantly throughout the troublesome pregnancy. At the sight of her water breaking, he sighed with a touch of relief that it was almost over. Errende kept his hands on her belly to help soothe the readying babies, and Byorgue ran down the stairs to clear a path, if needed. Injustice moved into the nursery to inform Bacsojin and Naght. Crowd control might be needed, and Naght could easily assist with it.

"Where to?" Howard asked quickly.

"We can't move her to the grove," Sammy frowned, as he set several of the softest furs they had on the ground of the bedroom. "It will have to be in the house! Let's move her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. It'll be better in there."

She cried out again, as she was moved and set on the furs that waited on the ground. Bacsojin was now in the room to help her breathe. She ushered out most of the husbands and slaves, save the ones that were needed to be there. When they filtered back in, they stayed along the walls of the large room to keep out of the way, but close if they were needed. Doppy moved to lay down by Sarine, since he was in as much pain as she was. He kept her hand in his, not caring how hard she squeezed it. Thanatos had her head in his lap when he sat down with her. Errende was on her other side to help keep the children calm. Naght now stood outside her door protectively and for good reason. Her screams echoed throughout the house and started to cause panic. It didn't take long for Seyren to charge over to the bedroom to be confronted by Naght.

"She...is...in...labor...!" Naght hissed to Seyren. "Stay...away...!"

"Labor?! Now?!" Seyren gaped and moved to tell the others so they wouldn't worry about the screaming. Naght only let her slaves and husbands move back and forth through the bedroom door, if needed.

"Okay, Sarine! Push for me!" Sammy said, as he readied a soft blanket. She screamed out, as Doppy groaned, and a sharp cry was rewarded. Thanatos looked over and blinked at the sight of a blue-black haired boy with blue eyes being spanked once before he was placed in the blanket.  _My son._ The small babe held all of Thanatos's features, including the little chin cleft, and it was only obvious the child was his. He was a bit surprised about the blue eyes and judged that they must be from Errende, but his eyes were brown. Even Errende was puzzled.  _Did Thanatos have blue eyes at one point?_  It was possible. He gave a sharp intake of breath, but it wasn't over yet.

"Lord Thanatos!" Errende said with a hint of pride. The demon just nodded back and held his breath, as she screamed again. A blonde-haired boy with Doppy's eyes, glowing pupils, and features was delivered next. When Doppy was told his son was born, he could only manage a tight smile through the pain he was feeling. The pains dwindled for a bit to give Sarine room to rest. The two children were silently shown to the other husbands with pride and joy.

When Sarine screamed again, and Doppy roared out from the next set of labor pains, Sammy readied another blanket. She cried out, as she pushed for a blonde-haired girl with Sarine's eyes and much of Errende's features to be delivered. The High Priest just gave a sharp gasp at it, but wouldn't leave Sarine's side just yet. _There was still one more in her._ That one was delivered with a painful shout from Doppy, and a harsh cry from her. Doppy's daughter held all of Sarine's features, but the dull glow in her pupils was purely from Doppy's demon blood.

The afterbirths were delivered swiftly. Only after they were destroyed was Sarine able to finally gasp out her frustrations from everything. Thanatos carefully lifted her into a sitting up position, and she noticed that the craving for him was gone. Relieved at this, she just rested now and hung her head to show how exhausted she was.

The children were cleaned up and swathed in fresh blankets to be handed to her to nurse, two at a time. Doppy finally sat up to admire his children with pride. Howard moved to carefully sit by Sarine now, and the twins from the nursery were brought in to look at their new brothers and sisters. Sammy assured that all of the children were incredibly healthy.

"Baby?" Serenity asked.

"Yes. Just like you!" Howard nodded, as he held her in his lap.

"Names?" Doppy asked with a touch of exhaustion.

"Edward for our son. Angela for our daughter," Thanatos said.

"Thank you, Lord Thanatos," Errende smiled, as he wanted his daughter's name to be that, too. Doppy thought and sighed, as he tried to focus.

"Bianca for our daughter. Gunther for our son," Doppy said gently.

"Sounds good," Sarine said with a sigh. With the new babies fed, and the older children weaned onto solids, they were taken into the nursery. Errende helped lull them to sleep with his touch. Sarine was placed back into the bed to be covered with a blanket, and Naght handled all of the visitors coming into the nursery with Doppy and Thanatos. The over-protective fathers had to monitor their children. Errende was actually staying in the nursery for now to ensure that the new babies would sleep.

Kiehl moved to her side and sat on the bed to softly caress her cheek. Sarine pressed her face into his palm with a sigh of exhaustion. She knew he had to leave her for now. To prove her suspicions, Kiehl said gently, "I'm going to have to get back to work again."

"I know," Sarine said. "Just...try not to stay away so long that I have to get you."

"I'll try," he nodded. "I'll try as hard as I can, My Lady. I love you."

He leaned down and kissed her deeply before moving below the house to work on the future defenses. Karla had brought him so much material that he was able to finally get started. As Sarine rested now, she received small bits of congratulations on the new arrivals. Howard just seemed to frown, as the month of healing started. Keltin was going to be on a mild high alert to see when Sarine was going to need to be with him. As everyone started to settle down, a crushing force filled the room, and Odin moved to his daughter's side.

"The birthing was rough on you?" he asked gently.

"Rough is putting it mildly," she sighed, and he laughed. He did walk over to give her a hug to show how proud he was of her. Then he moved to see his new grandchildren with a profound joy. He blessed each child and left little presents for them to play with when they got older. When he left, Muninn flew in to examine and adore each child before flying back out. Sarine was in too much pain to move, even after taking a Yggdrasil Berry. Her body really did need to heal up for a month.


	82. Chapter 82

The next two weeks went by in a blur. She was constantly in the nursery with Doppy, Thanatos, Errende, and Howard. Her adoptive father and grandmother came by to see the children, and it was a delight for one day. The others made do by going to the arena and making sure she had everything she needed for each day that passed. On the third week, she woke in the middle of the night feeling stressed.  _I need fresh air._ All this time with the children and being cooped up in the house was finally getting to her.  _Then there was Kiehl._ He was around for the first week. Now he was always in the workshop, and she knew he got caught in that loop again.  _I'll have to stop it when my body is healed, and that would be at the end of the week._  Right now, though, she needed to get outside for some air.

She didn't know that Muninn froze time for now. It was just enough for her to get up and escape the detection of her meditating husbands. Yet, she also didn't know that it was also for Keltin to wake and wonder where she went. Thinking now, he used his ability to locate her and used his wedding ring to Teleport to her. Only after he left the room, did time resume.

Keltin found her looking out over the ocean on the beach. She turned with a frown, as he approached her. She didn't expect to be followed.

"You were sleeping," she said.

"You left. You're not supposed to be alone," he frowned.

"But...I know I'm not alone," she said and looked back out over the ocean.

"Your body is still healing," he muttered, as he moved to wrap his arms around her. Pulling her back to his chest now, she sighed and leaned into his form. He was in his Bongun form, since she always liked it the best.

"I just needed to get out of the house," she whispered. "Just for a little bit. I'm always with the children. I got to a point that I needed some air."

"You should have told me. I would have helped you."

"And every other man in that room, too! I needed a breather."

"Well, you can breathe with me."

"Keltin," she sighed. She turned in his arms to rest her head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and frowned that she was wearing only her nightgown.

"I'm glad the weather is still warm, but, if you pull this crap in cold weather, I'll worry! At least put on something warmer!" he said. She just chuckled softly and thought with a smile.

"Then, maybe you need to warm me?" she asked. He looked at her with surprise. Then he blinked.  _My week with her started now._  Grinning, he pulled her close and kissed her roughly, holding her as close to him as he could. Right there on the beach, he took her. First with his Bongun self. Then with his Champion self. After he released himself into her with everything he had, he dressed with her and carried her back to the bedroom to rest with her.

The next seven nights were the same. He followed her to the dominant chambers the second night. Then he found her on a cliffside the third night. When the fourth night hit, he found her in the underground grove. When he followed her the fifth night, he had her in the forest area of the island. On the sixth night, he took her in the ruins that were found on the island. When he woke and followed her on the last night, he found her in the flower garden near the grove. She was sitting by the small, clear pool of water, and he moved up behind her to massage her back.

"You left again," he muttered.

"Every night, you've followed me and found me for a week!" she frowned, as she looked up at him. "Why?"

"Because this is my time with you. After we are done here, you'll be pregnant with my children," he whispered, and he moved his hands over her shoulders. Whenever he found her, he felt his heart soar with how beautiful she was.

"Really?" she asked with amazement.

"Yes. It's been told to me by Muninn," he nodded.

"So...that explains it? All of this?" she asked with shock. "I mean...I heard him say it before, but I didn't realize that..."

"Yes. It does," he smiled and kissed her lovingly in his Bongun form. All the previous nights, he took her with his slow, passionate love-making. Tonight was going to be different. Her body was only with him all this time, and now she was ready.  _Her body is healed and primed for me._  He growled out now, and she hissed at him instinctively. She knew what he had to do, and she didn't want it. He was going to have to force his First Mate Rights with her.

He moved quickly to pin her down on her belly, and she tried to escape him. Lifting up the skirts of her nightgown, he pinned her again with his legs on hers, as he freed himself and took her. She cried out with surprise at it, and he snarled out his release. His form shifted to his Champion one and he took her in the same manner. He had no control over it. He needed to do it. It was completely instinctive to dominate her and make her his. When she cried out sharply with him at his next release, he gasped and shook all over.

"Please, Keltin!" she managed to beg. "Don't!"

"I...have to...!" he growled, and his Rage came out. His stark white body pummeled into hers, and she screamed from the force of it. He roared out his mating cry, as emptied himself into her, and she gasped at the feel of her pregnancy taking place. He shivered and shook when the Rage dissipated, and he was his Bongun self again. Back in the bedroom on the balcony, Drago's sharp eyes witnessed the whole thing. He now moved to wake the others.

"Keltin just had My Lady in the flower garden," Drago said, as he nudged Howard awake. "I saw him using his Rage form on her."

"Are you serious?!" Howard gaped. He dressed and moved down the stairs to find them in the flower garden as Drago said. He found Keltin cradling her with a sense of pride, and she was snuggling into him with a soft smile. At his look, and her thoughts, Howard just found himself chuckling with amazement.

"Yeah. She's pregnant," Keltin grinned. "With me."

"Good," he said and sat down with them. "So, it was all this week? At night?"

"Yep!" Keltin nodded. "I'm hogging her now!"

"Hah! Sure you will!" Howard grinned.

"I want to find Kiehl," she sighed. "I miss him. These past two weeks...I need to get him out of his loop."

"His loop? Oh. His working loop," Keltin frowned.

"We sent many down to talk to him, and he always sent them away. We were warned that it would happen," Howard nodded.

"But, first, come here, How-How," she smiled and reached for him. Howard grinned and let her use him, since he sorely missed her this past month. When she looked up to find her other husbands, mates, and slaves watching her eagerly, she giggled.

"She's pregnant. It's fine," Keltin chuckled.

"Good!" Eremes grinned, and she let each of them have her in turns. When they were all finally sated, she thought.

"I don't know when the Demonic Mating will happen," she frowned. Then she blinked and smiled. "Never mind. I know!"

"Ahh! When we get Maya Purple and do the blood swaps. Makes sense!" Howard nodded at her thought. "We'll probably go there later today, then."

"It's possible. But, right now, I am going to wake up Kiehl. Don't worry about me," she said. "I won't be alone, and How-How will know if I need help."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded, as he dressed. Sammy did evaluate her first and confirmed it was twins. Thanatos didn't sense the twins yet, and it was likely since they had just developed. He'll be able to detect them when she started to get her cravings, and Errende would make sure to have a few dishes ready. She gave each husband, mate, and slave a kiss before heading off into the house. It was now a few hours before dawn, and she hoped that she would have enough time to sleep when she was done. In many ways, she doubted it.

Moving down the steps to the converted workshop, she opened the metal door and closed it behind her. Electric lights now lit the place up, and Kiehl was bent over a long table with his back to her, as he sketched out new designs. Odd electronic and robotic components littered other tables and seemed to be parts of other things. New inventions were lined up to be ready for testing. He had done quite a bit of work while he was away from her. Refocusing back on him, she cleared her throat to see if it would catch his attention.

"I'm sorry. I am not to be disturbed. Please leave," Kiehl said automatically.

"So...you didn't miss me at all?" she frowned.

"Huh?" he asked. The question caught him by surprise. Others left when he told them to leave, so he was undisturbed. He blinked without turning around to see who it was. The sound of her voice had his mind refocus to the present. Glancing around the room at the projects he was working on and the drawings he did, he judged that two weeks must have gone by. Then he paused.  _Two weeks. Without Sarine._  He stared at nothing now when shock set in, and the pencil he was using fell from his hand, rolled off the metal table, and clattered noisily to the ground. Then he started to shake and pant with realization.

"I mean...if you really want me to leave...then I will..." she said, as she turned. The next thing she knew was her body getting slammed by his, and she gasped with the shock of it. His arms were around her form to keep her from leaving the room.

"I'm sorry!" he gasped out, as tears filled his eyes. "I'm so sorry!"

"Not so tight! I'm pregnant with Keltin's twins!" she hissed. That made his jaw drop, and he loosened his grasp on her considerably, but he still kept his arms around her.

"I tried...to focus on coming back to you..." he whispered. "but..."

"I know. I figured that you were stuck here after the first week went by," she said with a wince. "The children miss you."

"They...they do?" he asked with surprise.

"Yes. Serenity kept asking for 'Keel' non-stop! Every time we sent someone down, you would tell them to leave. Like you just did to me," she frowned.

"I told you to leave?!" he asked with shock. "I didn't...even hear myself..."

"So, it was like an automatic response. Like a robot," she said carefully. That floored him, and he growled at himself.  _It explained so much!_

"I'll remove that part of myself!" he snarled.

"No," she said, as she turned in his arms to face him. "Just make it so it's a delayed part. Don't fully remove it. There are times that you will need that part of yourself. What did you do to make it possible for you to be with me during the day and work at night?"

"Well..." he paused, as he thought. "I...kept thinking that I had all night to work. When you gave birth to the children, I thought that I had to keep busy all the time."

"Then go back to the first way of thinking. That you have all night to work," she said. "Either that, or build a skylight to show when daylight comes in. Right?"

"I could do that," he nodded. "But...you are right. I...I ignored your orders to see you. I'm so ashamed of myself! I'm so sorry, My Lady!"

"Then, I guess it's time for your punishment. Isn't it?" she asked with a touch of a frown. "I don't like having to punish anyone. But...I know you need this."

The tears started to come back, as he nodded, and she removed his glasses to set them aside. She calmly wiped the tears away from his eyes and hugged him tightly.

"What...do you want me to do?" he whispered.

"I missed you, Kiehl," she trembled, and he grimaced at himself. "I missed you so much, and knowing that this could happen again..."

"It won't happen again!" he vowed.

"Are you going to let this happen when I give birth to your children?" she whispered.  _It was time to give him a little mental punishment._

"No!"

"How do I know for sure?"

"You have my word!"

"You gave me your word before, and look what happened..."

"I..." he hissed out and started to cry. There was nothing else he could say. "I'm sorry...My Lady...I'm so sorry..."

"You said you loved me. Is that not enough?" she asked.

"Ah!" he cried out, as he trembled.

"Do I...have to say that...I love you, too?" she now asked him.

"What?!" he gasped, and he looked at her through tear-stained eyes.

"Because, I do, you know. I do love you. And to know that you stayed away from me all this time...I just..." she sighed. "How do I know that you still love me?"

"You...love me..." he blinked. Just by her saying that she loved him would ensure that he never had that working loop ever again. Now he crushed her to him, as more tears fell. She hugged him tightly to her, as he sobbed against her neck. When he started to gain control of himself, her mouth found his, and they finally kissed long and deeply. He picked her up and took her into a back room that he worked on specifically for times like this, and he set her on a cushioned bed-like table. She didn't bother to glance up, as he closed the door to this room with a hard kick. The moment it latched closed, it locked. It would only be able to be opened on the inside where they were.

"You still...need your punishment..." she whispered through the kisses he gave her.

"I know..." he muttered, as he kept kissing her. "Two weeks...I feel it...missed you..."

"Did you?" she asked, as her hand moved to rub at his arousal. He gasped at it and trembled. "Your punishment is not going to be so simple. First, undress for me."

"Yes, My Lady," he said. He backed away to do just that for her. Once he had the upper jacket off with the under shirt, he stepped out of the boots and pants. In his slave clothes, he removed the black leather pants and silk briefs. He was about to remove the black leather armlets, but she rose up her hand for him to leave them. Then she hopped off the cushioned metal table and gestured for him to get on it. The moment he lay back on it, he trembled with excitement at the look she gave him next.

"Don't release!" she growled out in warning, and he shivered. He didn't experience this until now. "I am going to make you suffer like I did. You are not allowed to release until I tell you to. If you release, you will be punished even more. Understand?"

"Yes...My Lady," he swallowed. She kissed him first, letting her tongue massage his before she moved to lick down his neck and over his shoulders. He gasped and shivered, as her mouth moved to taste every inch of his body now. He cried out at a sharp bite she gave every so often as she moved her tongue over his long chest. She purposely avoided his groin to add a touch of frustration to him, and she moved down his legs. She had him turn so she could work over his back, and he shivered at the feel of her tongue tracing up his spine. Harder licks over the back of his shoulders were given, and it made him whimper for a form of control.

Like Doppy did to her, she was instinctively covering him with her scent, as though to claim him as hers again. She didn't realize what she was doing. Kiehl wouldn't have had a clue, either, only that this was a form of torturing pleasure. When she finished licking his body, save the groin area, she undressed and had him move off the cushioned metal table.

"Now...do the same thing that I did to you to me," she grinned. He trembled, as she lay back, and he kissed her in the same manner that she did to him before moving his mouth over her body. She gasped and writhed for him, as he worked his mouth over her skin, and he found himself sucking eagerly on her breasts from the milk they held. He hadn't tried this yet and only wondered at what he was missing.

He moved his mouth leisurely over her skin, and he winced at his painful arousal now.  _I want her so badly!_  Then he realized that she wanted him just as badly. _She was making both of us suffer._ When he worked his mouth on her back, it took everything he had to keep from jumping on the table and shoving himself into her. As he finished licking her shoulders, she moved to look at him now with soft, panting breaths.

"My Lady..." he whispered softly. As she turned fully to get ready to tell him what to do next, he had other ideas. Now he surprised her, and himself, by moving quickly to lick hard between her thighs. She cried out from the sudden release he gave her.

"Kiehl!" she cried out. She tried to move away from him, but he held her fast to him. His hands locked on her hips, as he pummeled her with his tongue. He had her release multiple times for him before he backed away from her. He was completely shocked at what he did.

"Sorry...My Lady...I just had to do it..." he grimaced.

"Did you?!" she growled out. "Lay down on here!"

"Yes, My Lady," he said and moved to do, as she asked.

"Now finish the job, but don't release!" she snarled out, as she shifted her hips over his face. Now she started to use her mouth on his sex, and he gasped out with dismay that he still couldn't give in. Focusing with everything he had, he locked his mouth between her thighs. She retaliated by working harder on him. For five minutes, they had this pleasuring battle before she pulled her hips away from his face and turned to sit on him fully.

"AH!" he cried out sharply and forced himself to hold back.

"Don't do it yet!" she growled in warning, as she worked herself on him. He brought her to release several times before she finally hissed out permission for him to fulfill his pleasure. He screamed out, as he was able to thrust up sharply into her to let himself go. It was exquisitely painful now, and he arched himself away from her, as she ground herself on him. The release felt white-hot from the pent-up need, and she worked him several more times to respond with the same white-hot release each time.

He let his body move with a wild abandon now, and he lay back on the cushioned table gasping for air. Then she leaned down and nuzzled into his neck. He was about to finally start resting with her when he screamed from the feel of her teeth biting hard into his skin to feed. She lulled him into the pleasuring loop, and he felt his consciousness slip away.

He was floating in a place that went past time and space. There was no pain. There was no fear. He simply existed. Every question he ever had was answered, and he was enthralled by the knowledge. He didn't want to leave this new-found place. Then he heard a voice that he longed for.  _A voice that I needed to hear._ He drifted towards it now and found himself blinking his eyes open. Looking up into Sarine's face, she was smiling softly at him, and he reached up to trace her jaw with his finger.

"You...are amazing..." he whispered.

"How?" she whispered back, and kissed his finger, as it traced over her lips.

"I was in heaven. Then you brought me back," he said, as he gazed at her.

"In heaven?" she frowned.

"Yes. I think it was. Maybe it was like heaven. I know that...any place with you...is always a form of heaven for me," he smiled softly. "Every question I ever had was answered. Now...I can't seem to make out the answers."

"Oh?" she said with a soft smile, and he realized that her body was pressed against his. "I'm sure they will come back to you in time."

"Maybe, if you take me there again," he chuckled and gasped, as her teeth moved over his finger now. "I love you, My Lady. I love you with every fiber of my being!"

"And I love you, too, Kiehl. But, now...I have a very big step for you to try," she said.

"What is that, My Lady?" he asked.

"If you are going to be like a husband to me at times, you need to say my name," she said slowly. "So...say my name."

"But..." he hesitated and gasped, as she sat up on him to work his body with hers. He was still deep within her, and he was forced to release again a bit painfully.

"Say my name, Kiehl," she whispered.

"My Lady..." he sighed and reached up to rest his hand against her cheek. "Sarine..."

She bent down, as he came up, and they kissed desperately now. He felt himself release again with her, and they sagged against each other. He lay back on the cushioned table and ran his hands over her back.

"Kiehl..." she said softly, and he hugged her close.

"I'll be with you during the day, and I'll work at night from now on. Nothing will stop me from doing this now. I'll put in a skylight, too, if I have to, like you suggested before. I'm done working for now. I'm spending today and tonight with you," he said.

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her again before they managed to separate. "It's about dawn now. The children should be up, and I know they want to see you."

"Shall we dress and see them together?" he asked.

"I think we need to do that. We will be collecting Maya Purple and Maya today. Then I'll be able to do a full blood swap with everyone. That should bring us back up to speed, and I'm sure we will all be able sit down and do a full history review with everyone, too."

"I'll look forward to that," he nodded.

"As will I," she said softly, and he opened the door for her to the main workshop. He bent down to place his forgotten pencil back on the table and placed his glasses back on. He paused at the pain in his neck and remembered that she bit him. He Healed himself now, and she chuckled. Putting an arm around her, she leaned into him. He truly did feel like a husband of sorts to her now.  _It was almost as though I was an equal, but just a touch less than that from my slave ranking._ He loved the sensation. He led her up to the nursery where Howard, Thanatos, and Doppy were helping with the children.

"KEEL!" Serenity squealed out with a cry from Howard's lap. Kiehl moved quickly to pick her up and hug her, as she cried and clung to him with relief that he finally appeared.

"She...really did miss me!" Kiehl said with shock, as she sobbed against his shoulder.

"I told you she did," Sarine frowned, and he hugged her tight with his free arm.

"I won't do this to them again. I promise," he nodded.

"Kel?" Siegfried blinked and looked over from Naght's arms. Then he whimpered and reached out to get comforted, too. Kiehl just seemed to blink with surprise, as he found himself holding them both, and he moved to sit down in a large chair. They both snuggled into him now, and Serenity started sucking her thumb with a form of comfort. She was still giving mild whimpers from him being gone for so long, and he gave a hard sigh, as he cradled her. Now he realized that they truly did see him as a father figure, and it made him all the more protective of them.  _These were my kids, too, and I neglected them for two weeks._ He wanted to kick himself all over again. The nursing quadruplets didn't realize he was around yet and were still sleeping. They also didn't know that much about Kiehl, but it would quickly change in time. Bianca had already woken up from Serenity's cries, and Doppy was quick to comfort his daughter. Sarine made herself ready to nurse her.

"Don't you  _ever_  make our kids worry like that again!" Howard glowered.

"You have my word!" Kiehl nodded sharply. "I'll spend the day with My Lady and work the nights like I did before. I figured out how, and I'm not going to budge from it! I'll have a skylight installed, too, to ensure it. She suggested it."

"Fine," Doppy said, as he handed Bianca to Sarine to be nursed.

"If Serenity, or any of our children, want to see me, bring them to me if I'm down below," Kiehl added. "After this...I don't want to see them like this ever again."

"Sounds good," Sammy said, as he walked in with Aliot. Thanatos nodded at this, and Errende made sure everything else was in order. Aliot moved to Sarine's side to whisper to her.

"After Maya Purple," Howard said, as he heard her thoughts. "Blood swaps will be done. It will likely happen then."

"Good," Aliot said. "I will be ready for it."

"Ready for what?" Doppy asked.

"My Lady's Demonic Mating may happen after the blood swaps," Aliot grinned.

"Oh?" Sammy chuckled. Naght seemed to hiss with delight at this news.

"Wonderful. Thanks for spilling it!" Sarine scowled.

"Keel?" Serenity said, as she tugged on a gold button.

"What, Serenity?" he smiled.

"Duh!" she said, as she pointed to Howard.

"Oh, stop that!" Howard said. "You know who I am!"

"No!" Siegfried frowned at his sister and pointed at Howard. "Dad!"

"Uh-uh!" Serenity said. "Duh!"

"He is your dad, you know," Kiehl chuckled. Siegfried made a face at her when he was proved right, and she moved to smack him. Kiehl frowned and stopped her saying, "No hitting!"

"Keel!" Serenity frowned.

"No," Kiehl said mildly, but with a stern tone to his voice. Sarine seemed to smile, as she nursed Edward next.  _The older twins were starting to bicker and fight._ It was good to know that more help was going to be given to her with them. When Serenity still acted unruly, her father stepped up the discipline.

"I'll take you from Kiehl, if you don't behave," Howard warned. Serenity whimpered and snuggled into Kiehl more. She clearly didn't want to leave him after just getting him back.

"So, I'm a threatening gesture?" Kiehl chuckled.

"It works for now," Howard grinned. Sarine handed Edward to Errende, and she nursed Angela. She cooed softly to her daughter, as she rocked her, and Doppy chuckled softly.

"I still can't believe I have kids," Thanatos sighed. "After all this time."

"Didn't you have kids before?" Doppy frowned.

"Not really. I mean, it's possible that they're out there, but no real Demonic offspring would want to seek their sire out. If I don't like my kids, I can kill them. Not these, kids, though. I love these kids!" Thanatos said quickly when he saw his mates' glare.

"You had better!" Sarine growled out protectively. "I spent a hellish two weeks growing and birthing them! Don't you forget that!"

"Trust me, I won't," he vowed. Howard chuckled and nodded to Byorgue. The slave nodded back, as he brought in some juices and plates of food for Sarine.

"Thank you, Byorgue," she smiled with appreciation.

"My Lady, do you think it would be possible for us to have kids?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sure of it! It all depends on my body, though. It may likely be after Eremes. I may be getting pregnant with the rest of you. Then I might be able to get some rest," she sighed.

"I doubt it," Howard said with a wink.

"Hush!" she smiled.

"Eh?" Doppy frowned.

"Oh..." Howard grinned. "Muninn said that she'll be giving me triplet daughters. All identical. Eventually. Maybe after everyone else."

"Really? Identical daughters? Okay, that sounds like fun!" Doppy grinned.

"That's what I said," Thanatos grinned.

"Triplets?" Keltin blinked, as he walked into the room. Howard laughed and told him what he just said. Keltin found himself grinning.

"Kelty?" Serenity said, as she blinked at him.

"Good morning, sweetie!" Keltin chuckled and kissed her cheek. She snuggled back into Kiehl now, and Keltin smiled. "Serenity. Mommy is pregnant with babies from me now!"

"Mama?" Serenity blinked at this. Siegfried looked at his mother now.

"Yes, honey. It's true! More brothers and sisters!" Sarine nodded.

"Yay! More babies!" Serenity giggled. Her brother seemed to smile a bit.

"Okay, Serenity, I need to help your mom," Kiehl said.

"But...no..." she whimpered.

"I promise you. I will not leave you alone anymore. When you miss me, I'll make sure you can see me. I'll make time to play with you every day," Kiehl said. "I promise."

"Pwomise?" Serenity blinked back tears.

"I promise," Kiehl said, and he gave her a little squeeze with a kiss to her forehead.

"Keep her with you for another moment or two. I still have to nurse one more," Sarine said, as she was handed Gunther. Doppy's son moved to suck on her milk greedily, and she sighed with a touch of exhaustion. Kiehl didn't realize how much he missed in the past two weeks.  _I can't let it happen again._ Nodding to her, he let Naght take Siegfried. He continued to comfort Serenity.

"You just promised our daughter something," Howard said. "If you break it, I'm not holding her responsible for any temper tantrums!"

"I just told you that it won't happen again! I warned you that it would happen, too!" Kiehl said. "I'm already regretting what I missed these past two weeks."

"Hush," Sarine warned, as she nursed her son. "I will have no arguments in here!"

"Sorry, My Lady," Kiehl said.

"Sorry, love," Howard frowned with a sigh.

"I know you are overprotective, How-How. Just take a deep breath and relax. I fixed the problem. It's done," she said. Then he sputtered at her thoughts on how she 'fixed' the problem, and he glared at her.

"You didn't do that with me, yet!" he growled.

"Do what, love?" she asked innocently.

"How you and him...tortured each other that way..." he muttered.

"Oh!" she blinked and chuckled, as she thought to him.

"You...are a very evil wife..." he growled. More pictures flashed in his head, and he bit down on his fist lightly to keep his arousal down. Kiehl blinked, as he thought back on what she did with him and snickered.

"You're the one that likes to listen to my thoughts," she mused and handed Gunther to Doppy to burp. Howard stuck out his tongue at her, and she licked her lips lightly when she zipped up her top. That made his jaw drop, and he shivered with control. "Of course, now I have to wonder about something."

"About what? Oh. Yeah. We should pull you off the arena rosters, if you're always going to be pregnant. Maybe we should pull all of us off the rosters," Howard thought. "We did talk about it before."

"Leave me on them," Doppy grinned.

"We can be 'special requests', if that," Sammy thought. "Only available to those that ask. Of course, the fee would still stand to fight us."

"I'll tell Storm Caller," Keltin said. As he moved, Sarine reached up and snagged his hand for him to stay. He looked at her and smiled softly. "Or not."

"I'll tell him," Sammy nodded and rose up to move for the door now. Kiehl whispered to Serenity, and she whimpered. She only snuggled into him more. She really missed him and didn't want to leave his side right now. He whispered to her again, and she blinked up at him with eyes that misted over with tears. He sighed and gave her a hug.

"Kiehl needs to do things with mommy now, sweetheart," Sarine said.

"But...Mama!" Serenity whined.

"He will be back later. I'll make sure of it," Sarine said again in her soothing tone.

"Kay," Serenity frowned, and Kiehl planted a kiss on her cheek before handing her to Errende. The High Priest was able to rock her to sleep and set her in the crib.

"When did you want to go to the Ant Nest?" Keltin asked, as he kissed Sarine's cheek.

"In the next couple of hours," Sarine said.

"Keel!" Serenity said, as she woke up.

"I just put you to sleep!" Errende blinked. She ignored him and looked at Kiehl. Her need to see him overrode the sleeping touch given to her.

"Keel!" Serenity said again a touch more demanding.

"Yes, Serenity," Kiehl asked, as he moved to the crib and knelt down.

"When...you and Mama...um...have babies?" she asked him curiously. Howard could only smile and chuckle at the question.  _She was slowly learning to talk better._

"Probably after Keltin. Aliot is going to have babies with her, too, when she has babies with Keltin," Kiehl smiled. "Like Thanatos and Errende did with Doppy."

"Um..." Serenity blinked. "Babies after Kelty?"

"Yes. After Keltin," he nodded.

"Kay. Um...brudder and sisder?" she asked cutely with a finger in her mouth.

"That's right," he chuckled. "That's how it looks so far."

"Kay," she said. "After Kelty? And...um...Ali?"

"Yes," he said again with a soft laugh. "After Keltin and Aliot."

"Pwomise?"

"I promise."

"Kay," she nodded and curled back up in the crib to sleep.

"Wow," Howard blinked. "She likes you so much that she wants you to have kids with Sarine. That's impressive!"

Naght chuckled, as he hovered over his daughter protectively.

"Looks like I'm after Aliot and Keltin," Kiehl smiled. "I just promised her."

"She is so cute!" Keltin grinned. "Much cuter to look at than Howard!"

"Hey!" Howard frowned, and Sarine laughed quietly.

"Smarter, too," Doppy grinned.

"Aww!" Howard pouted.

"I swear, if it's not the kids it's the husbands," Sarine clucked her tongue. That had them sputtering with embarrassment, and Kiehl laughed. "Ah, well. I need to eat. Oh...um...sweet and salty? I think?"

"Cravings?" Keltin frowned. "Ugh. My Rage form is like having demon blood!"

"You took her with your Rage?!" Kiehl blinked. He saw Keltin fight off a challenger once in the arena during the busy week he was around and was amazed at the attack he did.

"Yes. It was instinctive, really. I had no control over it," Keltin winced.

"You dominated her with it," Drago grinned, as he brought Sarine some juice.

"Are you serious?!" Doppy hissed.

"Yes," Keltin sighed.

"Well, I'm getting hungry," Sarine said. Then Thanatos moved to rush her into the bathroom to get sick.  _The twins were starting to make themselves known._ Keltin's eyes went wide, and he groaned.  _I forgot about that part!_

"I'm here!" Sammy said, as he moved to help assess her, and Errende put his hands on her belly. She coughed up more bile and sighed at Errende's touch.

"We have to feed her now!" Thanatos growled. "Keltin's Rage is far more potent than any form of demon blood. Can you sense how fast they're developing?!"

"I do," Sammy frowned.

"Remember what Muninn said? In two weeks she'll be giving birth," Doppy said, as he walked in. "We have to be quick with anything we plan to do. She'll be bedridden by next week, most likely. How is she now?"

"She needs to eat. After she eats, she'll be fine," Thanatos said. "She needs sweet and salty foods right now."

"We have just the thing," Injustice said and brought out a Chocolate Mousse cake for her sweet craving. It would also ease her mood, since it was chocolate. Aliot brought out a dish called Assorted Seafood. It was a bunch of various fish parts wrapped up in a thin piece of bread. Keltin nodded, and they had her sit at a table on their bedroom balcony. They wanted her to eat right away to get something in her. Once she was sated of her cravings, she sighed, and Keltin massaged her shoulders.

"We have other dishes set aside for her later," Byorgue said softly to Keltin.

"Thanks," Keltin nodded.

"Sure thing!" he grinned and moved to kneel at Sarine's side. Observation brought her some drinks, and she drank everything given.

"Can you make sure that everyone else gets something to drink, please?" she asked.

"Of course, My Lady," Observation nodded.

"I should go to the arena. The children are grown enough that they don't need me around all the time. They grew out of that phase, thankfully," she sighed.

"Always a good thing," Byorgue nodded. She chuckled and ran a hand through his spiked, white hair. He sighed and closed his eyes to enjoy it. She looked up and gestured for Drago to come over and look out into the distance for her.

"Who is that?" she asked. Drago narrowed his eyes on the person coming over and seemed to hiss. It wasn't the Kafra Agent or anyone that he recognized.

"It's a man in robes. Looks older. Has a beard. Not sure who he is. I don't like him!" Drago snarled out protectively. He moved inside and alerted the others now. Naght moved swiftly to guard the door to the nursery, her slaves braced themselves to defend her, and her husbands prepared to attack, if needed. Eremes rushed into each room to alert everyone, and most of them moved into the main room. Storm Caller prepared to greet the intruder. Mitchell looked out the window and gaped. He recognized the man.

"That's one of my Professors from Yuno!" he hissed and went to tell the others.

"Shit!" Doppy hissed when Mitchell told him.

"He must have heard about her," Howard frowned.

"She will not go to him!" Kiehl growled out. He was informed about the situation with Yuno, and he didn't trust the city, anyways.  _There was a power play with Lighthalzen and Yuno._ He wanted Sarine to stay out of it.

"If he wants to talk, it will be through Storm Caller," Keltin said.

"Agreed," Howard nodded. They watched the older man walk up to the house, and Eremes was about to Cloak to find out more. Kiehl stopped him and pulled out the first of several communicators he made. There was an odd box he put on the table, and a small device with buttons on it was taken out next. He gave this to Eremes.

"Press this button so we can hear everything you do," Kiehl explained to Eremes. "It will relay through this speaker that we have here. We can also talk to you through it. If he asks a question for My Lady and waits for an answer, we can tell you what she responds with, if you press the button next to it. Just remember to switch the buttons back and forth. It's crude right now, but it will work for the distance we need it at. I'll have to make it a farther distance later on with better reception."

"This will be most helpful!" Sammy said.

"Actually, How-How, use my garment with Eremes's card in it. You stay Cloaked with him. We will listen to what the man says, and you can tell Storm Caller what to respond with when I think to you. It's likely that Storm Caller will be the one talking to him, anyways. That way, Eremes won't have to go back and forth switching buttons," Sarine suggested. "It may be a touch easier that way."

"That sounds a bit better," Eremes nodded. Kiehl chuckled and nodded at that. Howard took the garment from Sarine, planted a kiss on her mouth, and moved down the stairs with Eremes. Both of them Cloaked, and Storm Caller Detected them easily. They whispered to him of what was going to happen, and he agreed fully. On opening the door, the man stood there surprised. Mitchell moved to the door, and the older man recognized the familiar student.

"Mitchell Anderheist! You live here? With monsters?" the Professor asked.

"Professor Yerig," Mitchell nodded. "I do live here with my wife. This is Storm Caller. He's a Strouf. And, no. You can't study him. Why are you here?"

"Oh," he said with a bit of disappointment. "Well, I heard that the Vessel of Odin lives here, and that the Vessel of Odin was female, too. Are you married to this Vessel?"

"No. But, five powerful men are. They will not let her speak with you directly. Neither will I," Mitchell frowned. "We know you will try to take her from us, and we can't have that. Her father won't let her go with you, either, or her brothers."

"She has siblings? Maybe they can help us?" the Professor asked.

"What do you need help with?" Storm Caller asked.

"You speak human! Oh! I must document this!" he said with joy.

"No," Mitchell said sternly. "If the others find out about her, this place will become a warzone. You have to leave and tell no one!"

"But..." the Professor sighed. "surely, you can at least hear me out?"

"I will hear you out," Storm Caller nodded, and he watched the man cautiously. Garrett moved over now to stand behind Mitchell, and so did Max. The two Paladins were easily recognized as Prontera Royal Guards of high ranking. Then the Amatsu Captain appeared to stand just above them on the stairs to show himself. Karla stood at the top of the stairs with her bombs ready, if needed. The older Professor now realized how outmatched he could be, if he tried anything fool hardy.  _The Vessel of Odin was solidly protected._  Then he blinked, as Pori-Pori scooted past him and bounced in front of the stairs. Nothing was going to get past him now.

"Pori-Pori showed up," Eremes whispered into the communicator. That made Sarine sigh with relief. Then she blinked, as Alexander moved to hover over her balcony window. Nothing was going to reach her anywhere that wasn't invited.

"Well," Professor Yerig started. "we have always wanted to reach Valhalla! The place of eternal life! We study the tree, and its roots of Yggdrasil. Surely, the Vessel of Odin can help us get to Valhalla, other than through transcendence?"

"It cannot happen," Storm Caller said. He automatically knew the answer. "Lord Odin, himself, has decreed that Valhalla is a sacred place for warriors and for those of pure hearts. Our Vessel of Odin cannot help you, or anyone in your city of Yuno. Should you try this again with reinforcements, you will be killed and sent to Nifflheim."

"I will await your soul! Touch not our Vessel of Odin!" Lord of Death hissed on his mounted house. Abysmal Knight was riding with him and seemed to laugh darkly. The Professor paled at the sight of them and gaped.

"Promise us that no one will come here, and that you will report such rumors as false!" Storm Caller said. "As far as you know, the Vessel of Odin does NOT live here!"

_:I will. Help!:_ Muninn said and swooped down to Stun the man and revamp his memories. Then he shifted into his human form. " _This will buy us more time. I can only alter his memories once. I will go through the city of Yuno and see about rearranging what else I come across. Father Odin has ordered me to do this. Wait for me to come back before going to the Ant Nest, or we will be followed. My sister must NOT be discovered! I have already had the Kafra Agent pull Sarine and her husbands from the rosters. From now on, she can be known as the Vessel of Odin, but only outside of the arena where she will be harder to track. Any that know of her being in the arena, Father Odin has ordered me to revamp their memories to not know of where my sister lives. From what everyone is going to know is that she is Amatsu royalty and lives here as a special retreat. We cannot have this island infiltrated at all costs!_ "

"It would be safer, then," Mitchell nodded. "Of course, if our allies know of her?"

" _Then it will be fine. After the war that comes is complete, she can be known as the Vessel of Odin and the land's savior. She will also be recognized by those that are pure of heart and could possibly benefit in protecting her. She is in such a condition that no one can know where any of her homes lie. Garrett Lockheart! You must travel to Prontera and report to your King on this immediately! The sooner he knows, the better!_ "

"I'll leave right now!" Garrett nodded. "Max, are you coming with me?"

"Yes, I will go with you," Max nodded.

" _I can see that you will take about an hour, if you go now. You will be unopposed._ "

"Then we leave now!" Garrett said and moved to the Kafra Agent swiftly. Max followed, and they both went to Prontera. Cecil and Coraline nodded to each other with hopes that their husbands would return safely. Muninn picked up the Professor's Stunned body, Teleported him back to Yuno to his office, and started to go through the minds of everyone in the city swiftly. He even decided to go through the archives and libraries to mess with the literature to completely throw everyone off. Odin was being extremely strict on this. He could not have his daughter captured for study at any cost. Muninn did not touch the great book there, since it was needed for those that were ready to transcend.  _That was too important to change._

Pori-Pori chittered and watched Howard's and Eremes's Cloaked forms head up the stairs. He followed them and jumped into Sarine's arms to snuggle her.

"It's good that Muninn was told to keep you safe..." Eremes nodded, as he Uncloaked.

"That device you made is a lifesaver!" Howard sighed, as he Uncloaked and gave the garment back to Sarine. She took it and set it aside in her pack.

"Thanks!" Kiehl chuckled. "I'll fix it up later tonight so it won't be so clunky. Um...I mean tomorrow night. I promised My Lady that I would not leave her side tonight."

"Can't you fix it here in the bedroom?" Sarine frowned.

"The workshop down below has special tools that I need. It also helps keep excess electricity down," Kiehl explained. "Um, it's like static. Too much can be bad."

"Oh," she blinked. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. She snuggled Pori-Pori and set him down. Now that he knew she was all right, he scooted out of the room, and she sighed.

"Let me handle all of the technical stuff. You just relax," he winked. She blushed at him and thought. Then she took out a leash and clipped it on him. He blinked at this with surprise. He wasn't leashed yet, and he found himself liking the sensation of her being able to lead him around. Then she yanked him down to her with it and planted a long kiss on his mouth. Now he was turned on, wanting, and gasping with disbelief.

"Much better!" she beamed at him. Howard started laughing, and Errende shuddered with a form of slight jealousy. She saw Errende, and his leash was clipped on for him to get yanked down and kissed hard next. Howard now blinked at her thoughts, his laughter stopped, and he whistled with a form of amazement.

"She's bored. And now she's hungry. Not for food, either," he mused.

"You two, with me," she grinned and led both Errende and Kiehl into the bathroom. Thanatos grinned wickedly, and Doppy smirked. For a good twenty minutes she was in there using her two slaves. When they finally came out with her, she was humming, and they could barely stand, much less walk. She let them ease down into chairs, and she pushed Keltin into a chair to sit in his lap. Then she started to kiss him in a wanting way.

"Are you two alive?" Howard mused.

"Quiet..." Kiehl muttered. Howard was about to retort, but he found Sarine grabbing him by the tunic, as Keltin was being dragged from the chair. The Bongun was stammering at her sudden mood, and he had no idea why she was like this.

"Wait!" Howard yelped, and she ignored him, as the bathroom door closed.

"She's crazy!" Sammy blinked.

"She's...amazing..." Kiehl said, as he grinned. Byorgue chuckled and laughed lightly at Howard's shout of release. When Keltin's cry came soon after, it took another five minutes for her to lead them out of the bathroom for them to sit down.

"Don't complain anymore," she said. Howard just winced and nodded from the pleasure he got from her. She bit his neck secretly and ran a knife over Keltin's neck to bite down on him. The pleasure was an overload for them both. Then she thought and sighed that Muninn wasn't back yet. She got up and hauled Doppy and Thanatos into the bathroom.

"What?!" Sammy blinked with disbelief. Then she looked at him and gestured for him to join them. Eremes smirked at what was going on. Then his eyes widened, as she smirked back at him with a single glance for him to follow. When the bathroom door closed, Howard started to laugh a touch painfully. Keltin was just floored at the appetite she had now.

"She wasn't like this...before...was she?" Kiehl asked with amusement, as he recovered.

"Nope. Keltin's Rage obviously did something to her sex drive. I think I like it," Howard grinned, as he managed to recover neatly. Then he blinked at a thought she sent him, and he shivered with forced control. "I take that back! This can be bad!"

"Sending you dirty images?" Errende grinned. "It's the only other thing, if you can see what she's thinking of. Am I right?"

"Shut up!" Howard growled. Then he blinked and buried his head in his hands at another mental image sent to him. At another image, he whimpered and said, "She's EVIL! So evil!"

"Describe it?" Aliot grinned. Howard grimaced and slowly let out the image that she just sent him with heavy detail. Jaws were dropped at this, and Byorgue was laughing hysterically.

"That's the woman I impregnated?!" Keltin gaped. "She sent you THAT?!"

"Eh...yes?" Howard grinned and winced at another image. "Oh, to hell with this!"

"What?" Kiehl asked. Howard got up, now that he was horribly turned on, and moved back into the bathroom. Injustice found himself grinning wickedly now, and Kiehl just started groaning with a form of disbelief.

"What are you complaining about?" Observation asked.

"If she's like this all the time..." Kiehl thought. "How are we supposed to keep up with her? Seriously?! I mean...she's one woman! She was tired at first, from what I know with her first pregnancy. Then she was filled with dominant rage. Now she craves...sex?"

"Each pregnancy is different," Keltin sighed. He glanced over at Thanatos, as he pulled himself out the door. Errende's jaw was dropped at what she did to him.

"Help me..." Thanatos muttered. Errende and Aliot were at his side to haul him to a chair. "She's insatiable right now!"

"Are you serious?" Keltin frowned. He looked over at Sammy, as he was in the same state as Thanatos. Then Doppy groaned, as he moved to a chair to sit down in.

"Wow..." Kiehl blinked.

"She wants...her slaves...in there. All of them...now..." Doppy grinned weakly.

"But I just...oh, hell!" Kiehl hissed and moved into the bathroom with the others, since he was unable to disobey her wishes. Thanatos just waved at them as a form of good luck, as Eremes managed to stagger to a chair.

"Keltin! This is YOUR fault!" Eremes hissed. "I thought she was supposed to be Angelic! She's a sex addict!"

"I couldn't help it!" Keltin said. "I didn't know!"

"I should tell Naght," Thanatos grinned.

"Should I tell Ifrit?" Eremes asked

"Do it! Get them both in there!" Doppy nodded. Thanatos grinned and managed to move to walk out of the room. Naght moved in swiftly and headed into the bathroom. Thanatos cracked a grin, as he sat back down. Ifrit appeared and went in there shortly after Naght to see if he could help. Within ten minutes, Errende managed to stagger to a chair, and Thanatos's grin turned into a look of shock at the mental message given.

"Naght is just barely able to handle her?!" Thanatos blinked. "What about Ifrit?"

"No. Naght just gave out..." Howard said, as he yanked himself along the floor. Naght muttered a form of disbelief in Demonic, as he came out now. She had absorbed all of the essence he could possibly give her to a point that he had nothing left to offer. It was the first time that it happened for him and had him bewildered. He retreated back to the nursery to rest and regain his strength. Howard managed to pull himself into a chair and heaved with relief. Then he looked over and said, "Keltin! What the hell is your Rage?!"

"I don't know! Honest!" Keltin gaped. Ifrit managed to hiss out his shock, as he left the bathroom, and Eremes's eyes widened with amazement. Keltin's jaw dropped again at the sight of Byorgue and Injustice making it out of the bathroom now.

"Eremes is right. This is your fault!" Byorgue grumbled, as he sat on the floor, too tired to move. Injustice was just glad it was mostly pleasure and not pain. He was also grateful that he wasn't the only one going through with this. Aliot came out next, and his eyes were wide with a form of his own private shock.

"She just...wants more! I thought it was bad with blood!" Aliot winced and sat on a bed to lay back on to rest. "This is crazy!"

"Tell me about it!" Sammy frowned. Drago came out next and seemed to be limping, as he moved to seat himself with a groan. His Draconic arm seemed to be whimpering with the pain and pleasure still. He glared at Keltin and looked away with a snort. They glanced at the bathroom door again, as Observation had to walk out slowly. He had no strength to fly.

"Is Kiehl even alive in there?" Howard asked.

"Barely," Drago mused. They looked over, as Sarine led out Kiehl with a smug look of satisfaction. Letting Kiehl rest on a bed, she stretched and put her hands on her hips.

"Sarine?" Keltin blinked.

"I feel better now," she smiled. "But...hmm. Now I'm hungry."

Aliot chuckled and managed to rise up from the bed to get her something to eat. Naght came back in the room and grumbled in Demonic to her. She seemed to chuckle, moved over to him, and hissed out a whisper. All of the men trembled, since they understood what she said.

"She's still...oh, no..." Kiehl gasped. Naght seemed to growl and left the room to retreat to the safety of the nursery. Howard was in shock that Naght could barely handle her right now.

"I'm fine, though," Sarine shrugged. "I just want to eat something now."

"Your fault, Keltin," Eremes frowned.

"Eremes?" Sarine asked softly. "If you, or anyone else for that matter, blames Keltin on what he did to me again, I won't be so easy on you next time."

"You were...going EASY on us?!" Doppy gaped.

"What? You thought once or twice was enough for you? I got you to go far more than that before!" she retorted to him. He let out a hissing breath, and she simply grinned. Aliot came back with a plate of food for her, and she sat on Keltin's lap to eat. When Muninn flew in, his falcon form was shaking with laughter.

"You knew of this?!" Howard frowned. Muninn simply trembled with laughter again and warbled softly. Sarine looked at Muninn thoughtfully and went back to eating.

_:Why. Do you. Think. I was. Laughing. So hard. In. The tub. A few. Weeks. Back?:_ Muninn giggled in his mind.  _:Yes! I knew!:_

"You are not fair! You could have warned us!" Howard growled out.

"Muninn knew about this with her?!" Keltin gaped.

"I need to speak with you, Muninn. Privately," Sarine said softly.

_:Uh. No?:_ Muninn said with a tilt of his head.

"Yes, I believe I do," she said, as she finished eating.

_:No time. Must go. Ant Nest. Now.:_  he said.

"Fine. When we get back, then," she said and rose up. "Has Yuno been set back?"

_:Yes. And. Lighthalzen, too.:_

"That's a relief. All right, we need to move," Howard said. "And you are going to 'talk' to her later, bird-brain!"

Muninn seemed to laugh in his mind, and he only bobbed his head up and down. Sarine simply sighed and headed down the stairs now. She waved happily to Seyren, and the Lord Knight waved back. Then he gaped at the others that followed her down now, and he moved to Howard's side with complete concern.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"You know, Seyren," Howard said and clapped his friend on the back. "Be glad you have Karla. I insist on it!"

"What happened?" Seyren asked again.

"Oh..." Howard sighed. "she craved sleep with me. She craved blood with Doppy. Well, she craved Thanatos, too, but that was a given. Eh, she craved dominance, too, but that's beside the point. However, this craving takes the lead! She craves  _sex_  with Keltin!"

"WHAT?!" Seyren gaped.

"Not so loud, or the others will get concerned," Howard warned softly and shrugged. "It turns out that Keltin's Rage made her a bit of a sex addict. Oh, that's right! You don't know! Sarine's pregnant with Keltin's twins now. It's a blast!"

"She craves what now?!" Seyren blinked at him, as though he didn't hear Howard right.

"How-How," Sarine said, as she walked over to him.

"Yes, dear?" Howard asked. She pulled him into a kiss that tore at his very focus of control, and then she hissed a whisper into his ear. Then, as though to prove a point, she popped a few visions into his mind to make him tremble with lust. Each vision she sent was even naughtier than the last. Seyren stood there dumbfounded now.

"Sorry, Seyren. I need to, eh...talk...to my husband," she grinned wickedly.

"Sarine!" Howard winced, as he was helplessly led away.

"Did she...just...now with Howard? Leave?" Kiehl asked with shock.

"Yes. She did," Seyren said.

"Oh, geez..." Keltin sighed and sat in a chair. Muninn was still trembling with laughter in his falcon form and had to act like he was preening to hide it.

"So...I take it that Sarine is pregnant with your kids and has an interesting craving?" Seyren asked. Garrett had just walked back in from the Kafra Agent's warp from Prontera, and he looked at Max with confusion.

"Yes. She does. As if I would have known it would have happened with my pregnancy!" Keltin stammered. "No one knew!"

"Oh? What is she craving?" Donnie chuckled in his chair.

"Sex," Doppy muttered.

"Wait, what?!" Garrett blinked. Donnie sat there and had no come back for it.

"Yes. Tons of it. Lots of it. Hell, there's fourteen of us, just about, if you count everyone all together, husbands, mates, and slaves alike...and she is  _still_ not satisfied!" Thanatos hissed. "I...at first I thought it was wonderful! Now it's like...hell, Naght couldn't even handle her fully! He fled the room!"

"Ifrit struggled, too..." Eremes winced.

"You're joking, right?" Garrett blinked. When he saw Kiehl look away with a heavy sigh, and her other slaves looking at the ground, his jaw dropped. "Wow."

"No shit!" Doppy growled. "Normally, she'd get worn out and complain. It's the opposite now! We're the ones doing the complaining!"

"What's going on?" Lloyd frowned. "Why does everyone look so exhausted?"

"It's Sarine," Sammy sighed.

"Why? Is she craving blood again?" Margaretha asked.

"Nope! It's sex now," Byorgue said.

"Um...did I just hear you right?" she asked.

"Yep! You did," Byorgue grinned. Margaretha's jaw dropped at how Sarine was helping Howard down the stairs with a smile of satisfaction on her face. Howard groaned and was set into a chair, as she stretched.

"Doppy," Sarine crooned.

"Yes?" he asked. Then he found himself swearing, as he purred when she ran her hands through his hair. Then she leaned down to whisper to him. He blinked and hissed at her with a form of complete lust. She grinned and sat in his lap to press herself against him.

"Hey, guys! Are we going somewhere?" Kavach asked, as he walked in with Laurell.

"Maybe," Doppy growled while he fought for control. Sarine leaned to hiss into his ear again, and he muttered thickly in response.

"What's going on?" Kavach frowned. "Is there something wrong with her?"

"No!" Errende growled and moved to pick up Sarine to take her upstairs. He didn't want Kavach to suggest anything. She laughed, and Doppy snarled out to follow them.

"Heh," Thanatos grinned.

"I missed something, didn't I?" Kavach frowned.

"Um..." Keltin frowned and grumbled with frustration.

"Don't get any ideas," Howard said lightly. "My wife is craving a lot of sex right now. She only does this with her husbands, mates, and slaves. It's what her new pregnancy with Keltin is having her do. So, everyone is on edge right now with how she is."

"Ah," Kavach said in thought.

"Don't try anything stupid," Eremes frowned.

"That's an...interesting craving," Laurell said.

"Sure it is," Keltin muttered. He didn't realize that ten minutes passed by quickly when he started thinking hard.  _I need to find a way to satisfy Sarine's craving!_  He blinked when he found Sarine's hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her. She sat in his lap to gaze into his eyes, as Doppy and Errende wearily moved down the stairs.

"Don't be upset, Keltin," she frowned, and he hugged her tight.

"I just...I'm so happy that you're finally having my children. But, this craving of yours is just...it's unbelievable!" he frowned.

"Do you want me to be mad, pissed off, and wanting to drink your blood again?" she frowned. "Or so tired that I don't want to move?"

"Well...no..." he sighed.

"Every pregnancy is different, Keltin. What am I supposed to do with Sammy's kids, if something happens with him? Everyone always tells me that they will help me in any way that they can. Was that a lie?" she frowned.

"No!" Kiehl grounded out. "It was not a lie!"

"Well, everyone also says that they miss me. Will this make any of you think less of me and want to stay away from me?" she sighed.

"Hell no!" Doppy growled.

"It's just...we need rest, too..." Eremes said.

"Yet...none of you let me rest when you all want it! Now you are complaining that I give you all no rest? What's going on?" she asked with a small glare. Howard moved quickly to give her a chocolate bar, and she ate it happily. Keltin sighed with a bit of relief and gestured that they had to get going quickly.

"We'll go to Morroc. We need to head south of the town. The Ant Nest is there..." Eremes said, as he rose up to move.

"Who is going to sit with her on Windwalker?" Aliot asked. That made them pause and think. Finally, Errende volunteered, since he was needed for her twins in case they acted up, and Kiehl gave in with a nod.

"I have two weeks to catch up on, anyways," Kiehl mused.

"Keel!" a sharp cry came from the nursery.

"Not now!" Keltin grimaced.

"Kiehl, let's go," Sarine sighed, moved over to him, and unclipped his leash so her daughter wouldn't play with it. "I'll check on them really quick and nurse them, if I need to."

Kiehl nodded and followed her up to the nursery. _I did promise to make time for Serenity when she asked for me._  He moved to her crib and knelt down.

"Yes, dear?" Kiehl asked.

"Um...um...babies now?" Serenity asked.

"No, sweetie. It will be another two weeks before the babies happen. Maybe another month. I'll tell you when it happens. Okay?" he chuckled. "Normally, babies can take about nine months to make. Your mom is special, so it's only two weeks."

"But..." she frowned.

"Babies take time to make," he said again. "Your mommy is going to have four babies in her soon. They take time to grow. When they are born, she will need a month to rest. More babies after that, okay?"

"Kay," she nodded.

"Serenity," Sarine said, as she found the other children sleeping. "Why do you want Kiehl and I to have babies so badly?"

"Um..." Serenity said, as she tried to put her thoughts into words. "Keel is like...um...Dad. I want brudder and sisder. From Keel. To play with. Um...so I no lonely."

"So, you want a brother and sister from me, since a part of me will be with you that way?" Kiehl asked carefully. "Is that right?"

"Yah," she nodded. "I love Keel like Dad. Like all Dads. Um...as much as Duh Dad."

"Duh dad?" Howard asked, as he walked in.

"Yah!" she grinned. He moved to her crib to tickle her lightly.

"So, that's how you are going to tell me apart from daddy Naght, eh?" Howard mused.

"Yah!" she said again. She was rewarded with another tickle and a kiss on the top of her tinted green, golden-brown curled head.

"Well," Sarine smiled and chuckled. "Kiehl and your dad need to come with me to get another future daddy. Then we will be back home."

"Anudder Dad?!" Serenity blinked.

"Yes. Another dad," Howard chuckled.

"More Dads after?" she asked.

"No. Last one. Honest," Sarine chuckled. "Unless grandpa Odin says so."

"Oh. Go get anudder Dad!" Serenity grinned now. Sarine laughed, and Howard kissed her soundly before pressing a kiss to his daughter's cheek. Kiehl reached down to give Serenity a big hug and a kiss to her other cheek before setting her back down in the crib. She was still sleepy, so it would be easy for her to fall back to sleep now.

"I love my kids!" Howard grinned, as he led Sarine out and down the stairs.

"I second the notion," Kiehl chuckled, as he followed them. Sarine blushed and got hugged by them both. Then she paused, and Howard blinked.

"Um...they are waiting for us down there..." Howard said nervously.

"They can wait another ten minutes," she grinned wickedly, and Kiehl caught his breath when her hand moved up his back. They went into the bedroom, and ten minutes turned into twenty by the time they came down the stairs. Doppy looked over at them and swore softly.

"Eh...yeah..." Kiehl said.

"Let's go. Now," Howard said while he was able to move. Sarine was humming peacefully, and Cecil looked over with surprise.

"I didn't believe little sis's craving!" Cecil blinked.

"Quiet!" Doppy hissed. Sammy moved to gather up everyone that was going.

"Just...wow..." Mitchell blinked, and Kathryne giggled.

"So many guys, and she  _still_  wants more?!" Donnie gaped.

"Say...nothing..." Eremes warned. Donnie nodded, and Egnigem managed to grin. After gathering Pori-Pori, Eddga, and Vagabond Wolf, they were ready. Windwalker flew down to let her mount up, and Howard announced that Naght was going to stay behind to guard the nursery. Sarine just sighed, since she knew he was saving his strength for the Demonic Mating. When they got to the Kafra Agent in the house, she sent them off to Morroc.


	83. Chapter 83

When they got there, Eremes led them all south to get out of town quickly. Muninn scouted ahead and scanned the minds of any that knew where Sarine lived. Odin was very insistent that no one knew where she lived. The house in Payon was to be kept a secret, as well.  _All of her future homes would be kept secret._

"Isn't the strong insect monster, Phreeoni, near the Ant Nest, too?" Sarine asked.

"She is, but we already got her from Naght's tower. So, we're fine," Keltin nodded. She leaned back into Kiehl, as he sat behind her on the Gryphon's back, and she reached up to run her hands through his hair. Then she whispered softly to him.

"I promised her...that it would be...your next pregnancy," he gasped out, as her hands moved to rub his legs. "I will keep my promises! I'll get you pregnant then!"

"I'm hungry," she sighed. Then she looked at Errende in such a way that he realized that it wasn't for food. He still had his leash on, and she yanked him close to kiss deeply.

"Is she going at it again?!" Keltin whispered to Howard.

"Yes..." Howard winced. "No more Rage sex from you!"

"After this, I'm scared to try it!" Keltin admitted.

"Again?" Doppy asked them. At their look, he whistled and kept moving with the others.

"What's happening again? Oh..." Seyren blinked and tightened his mouth to keep from laughing. Karla looked at him, and he whispered to her. Then she thought and moved to talk to Howard in secret.

"Howard, did she...ever cry out with you guys? Like...orgasm?" Karla asked.

"Ah...she did, but lately...wait...you think that's it?!" Howard blinked.

"I don't think she's feeling what she needs. She gets some of it, but not all of it, in a way. What did it before?" she asked. "What really made her feel good? Did any of you get her to the point that she gets you all at before?"

"I know we all got her to that point before! Wait...Doppy was able to do something unique..." Howard thought and called Doppy over. He whispered to him and the demon snorted. Then he thought and blinked at the idea.

"We can't do it now," Doppy frowned. "It will have to be when we get back. We'll have to try it then. But, she'll want more of it. Won't she?"

"We won't know unless we try," Howard sighed. "I don't think any of us want to be up all night. I mean...we could...but..."

"I experienced that before. You don't," Doppy said. "That was when she needed to be dominant. I don't know what she'll be like in this mood."

"Let's get Maya and her son before we do anything," Howard nodded. Karla gave a small chuckle and moved to join her husband's side. As they moved closer to the Ant Nest, they moved past younger adventurers quickly before they got asked for help. Sarine had managed to dress with her slaves, and now they just rested. They didn't want to get caught doing anything on Windwalker's back, if they got stopped.

A young girl screamed, as she was running from a mob of ants just outside the main nest. Laurell moved swiftly to kill them off with a well-placed Fire Wall, and she was sniffing.

"Are you all right?" Margaretha asked, as she Healed the girl.

"I...I think so. Thank you," the girl said. Looking at her closer, she was in her late teens, but her expression was so youthful that she was mistaken for a younger girl. Windwalker lowered its wings to let Sarine and her slaves peer out between the feathers. "There's a big bug in there that chased me out! It's mean and nasty! Looks like a man on a bug's back!"

"Maya Purple," Keltin grinned. "Come on! Let's have a talk with him!"

"Will you kill it?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh, no!" Sarine said, as Windwalker walked by with her. It stretched out its wings and settled them down. "We are going to recruit him! He'll be a friend after I talk to him."

"What?!" the girl freaked. Sarine chuckled, as she was a dark-brown haired Acolyte. "Monsters as friends? That's crazy talk!"

"We know," Kiehl chuckled. Now the girl recognized him from monster picture-books as Kiel D-01, and she stammered. Sarine smiled softly and pulled Kiehl close to kiss deeply, as they moved by. The girl gaped in shock at what she saw and blinked her eyes.

"No one would believe me, if I said anything!" she muttered. But, she wanted to see what would happen. As long as she didn't attack the ants she would be fine. She followed the large group back down into the nest, and she moved behind some large rocks to watch.

Sarine moved off of Windwalker's back and waited. Kiehl moved up behind her, and she leaned into him. Eremes knew the girl was following them, and he Cloaked to watch her.

"Where is Maya Purple?" Sarine frowned.

"We'll find him. If he was chasing that girl out, then he can't be far," Coraline said, as she and Donnie moved off to search. Sarine glanced down, as three small ants that were colored yellow, red, and green came up to her to glow with power and vanish away. Keltin grinned and moved to press a kiss to her cheek.

"Those were the ants Piere, Andre, and Deniro. Piere is green. Andre is yellow, and Deniro is red. Oh, look! A purple Vitata!" he smiled. The large, purple ant had a massive abdomen and turned to squirt a slime on them that Healed them. Then it glowed with power and vanished. She laughed lightly, and Keltin hugged her tight when she kissed him softly.

"Wow!" the girl said, as she kept hiding. "She has got to be kidding! I thought she was with one guy! And why do those bugs glow and disappear? I have to know more!"

"Why are you following us?" Eremes asked. He Uncloaked behind her, and she gave a startled squeak at his soft, yet deep voice. Looking at him now, she trembled. He remained in his solid state to keep from frightening her too badly.

"Um..." she panicked.

"She is the Vessel of Odin. She is recruiting monsters to our side to help with a war that will be coming. You have seen enough, and you should go," Eremes said.

"But...I want to help! You all...you helped me! Isn't there something I could do? Um...I can Heal! I can Bless and Agility!" she said.

"We have plenty of High Priests that do the same thing. But, now...what do you plan to become when you are ready to advance yourself?" Eremes asked curiously.

"Well...I was thinking a Priestess, but there are so many of them now. So...um...I was thinking a Monk. Then I could become a Champion! I wanted to be strong!"

"I see..." Eremes mused. "We have a Champion, and his name is Keltin. He is the one that has gotten our Vessel of Odin pregnant with twins right now. But...hmm...we only have one Champion. If I tell her of you...will you promise to help protect her?"

"If it wasn't for you all, I'd be hurt really bad! Even dead! Let me help!" the girl said.

"What is your name?" Eremes asked.

"My name is Lilah," she said. "Lilah Rinder."

"Let me talk to her," Eremes said. He moved silently to Sarine's side and whispered to her. Sarine blinked and tilted her head in thought. Keltin frowned, but then started to chuckle at hearing what the girl wanted to become. Sarine kissed Eremes deeply and whispered to him. He smiled and moved back over to Lilah.

"How old are you?" Eremes asked.

"I'm seventeen. In a few months, I'll be eighteen. I'm almost ready to take the Monk tests to see if I'm strong enough to have what it takes," she said.

"Come and introduce yourself to Sarine," Eremes said, and gestured for her to follow him. She swallowed and walked over slowly. Keltin was still in his Bongun form and had his arms around Sarine. Kiehl watched the girl carefully and made mental assessments as to who she was, as well as every detail about her that would put her as a friend or an enemy. Muninn landed on a few rocks to study her now and seemed to warble.

"So, you think you can help me?" Sarine asked Lilah. The young girl blinked at how stunning the Sniper was, and she became a touch envious. She didn't notice how beautiful Sarine was before, since Windwalker had shielded most of her features.

"Um...yes! You helped me back there, and...well...I want to help you!" Lilah said.

"My...company is a bit strange, as you see. You will need to learn about them to fully understand me and to know who I am. As the Vessel of Odin, I am the daughter of Odin, himself. I have five husbands, three Demonic mates, and six slaves. Soon to be seven, if Maya Purple shows up. One of my husbands is also Demonic, but I'm married to him. I have six children back at my island home. Two are older than the four I birthed just last month. I am pregnant with twins now, and that will soon become four, once I am impregnated by another. Yes, it's odd. But, my Father, and Valkyrie, herself, have their reasons. Are you sure...you still want to try to help?" Sarine asked carefully. She was purposely overwhelming her to ensure the girl's decision. She only wanted those perfectly sure to be able to assist her.

"Wow," Lilah blinked. "Um...well...yes. I do. It feels right."

"Well, if it feels right, then who are we to argue with that?" Howard grinned and moved to get kissed by Sarine. Sammy walked over next and gestured for Lilah to come over to talk to him and Seyren. The girl stammered at the sight of the Samurai ghost floating over him now, and she got introduced to the group with some of their history.

_:She will. Be. A valuable. Ally.:_  Muninn warbled.

"Really?" Sarine blinked.

_:Yes. She will. Like. Laurell!:_

"Oh..." she giggled. "I thought there was another girl for Laurell long ago?"

_:She has. Found. Another. This one. Will. Be better. For him. Anyways.:_

"I see," Sarine smiled. "It's good to know."

"We found him!" Coraline grinned. "And he's very mad!"

"Good," Sarine grinned back and moved now to let the giant insect monster rush over with a vengeance. At the sight of her, he paused and stared. Then she turned to flip her hair up to reveal the Mark of Odin. It was the first time that Kiehl truly saw the tattoo, though the same Mark was on his collar. It sent an odd feeling through him that made him feel even more closely bonded to her now. He said that he loved her with every fiber of his being. He loved her even more than that now.  _She is the reason I live and breathe._  Byorgue was the same way, and his small chest swelled with pride at her.

"You all right, Kiehl?" Howard asked.

"I never saw her tattoo before. Until now," Kiehl said. "I am so happy that I'm at her side! So incredibly happy!"

"Remember this feeling when you get her pregnant. It will come back," Keltin smiled.

"I will!" Kiehl nodded. Errende was relaying everything to Thanatos, as he was on the island home, and the strong demon sighed. He wanted to be there with them.

"Muninn, Thanatos wants to come here. Is it possible?" Errende asked.

"Muninn? Thanatos?" Lilah gaped. Seyren gestured for her attention to tell her more about themselves so she would understand.

"Who are you?" Maya Purple asked curiously, as he glowed with power. Sarine studied the insect man's form now and found herself impressed. He was a naked man bound to a larger insects' body. His human-like body was slender, but well-muscled all around. It was almost elegant, since he was a form of royalty. He wore a headdress that resembled the head of a large ant with four antennae coming out of it, and the head-dress seemed alive. It looked like he could jump off the insects' body to walk around, if he needed to, since the thorax of the insect body resembled a throne of sorts. He was bound to it by small legs, which helped form the sides of the throne-like seating, and golden threads. The body, itself, appeared to be dark green in color with veins of gold running through it. Two large, wing-like appendages lay over the massive abdomen, and smaller wings were under them to show he could fly, if he needed to. It was much like a beetle. Eight legs moved the body, and each one had golden spiked anklets over them.

"I am the Vessel of Odin," Sarine said. She was pleased to see that he looked like royalty, since Maya was a queen of sorts.  _He looked noble and exquisitely handsome for an insect monster._ She could see why her father wanted this one to be a slave.

"Hmm," Maya Purple thought, as he appreciated her form, as well. He found her rather beautiful. "And what am I to do about you?"

"Well," Sarine sighed. "My Father, Odin, wants you to join me as a very special case. You see...you are to become a slave of mine, I'm afraid."

"What?! I will do no such thing!" he seemed to buzz out with dismay. "I am royalty! I will not stoop to such a level as slave ranking!"

"I am also royalty," she nodded. "My adoptive father is the Emperor of Amatsu."

"If you're royalty, then I understand why you need servants. But, you want me to be a servant, too?" he asked. "I am a prince of insects! If you are a princess, then we should be properly married! That is the way it should go!"

"We need to talk at length, it seems," she frowned. "I will not force you to become a slave, or a servant, as you put it, since that is not who I am. I cannot force such a decision."

"Well..." Maya Purple frowned. "come with me, anyways. I'll take you to Mother. It's obvious that you need to see her."

"Yes, we do," she nodded. She was moved back onto Windwalker's back, and Pori-Pori chittered a touch angrily at Maya Purple. Sarine looked upset now, and he didn't like it one bit. The noble insect monster buzzed back in his own language to try and explain his case, and they started a small spat. Eddga rumbled at them both, and Vagabond Wolf snarled a bit. A moment later, Thanatos was brought to them with Muninn's help, and his very presence made Maya Purple gape with shock. Lilah looked over with fear, but was reassured that he was an ally. Sarine looked over with a soft blink at him. When he moved over to her side to kiss her deeply, she gave him a curious look and whispered, "Thanatos? Is something wrong?"

"No. I missed you. I'm not leaving your side for now," he said and hugged her tightly to him. "Errende! Walk with the others. I'm taking your place with Kiehl."

"Of course, Lord Thanatos," Errende nodded. Sarine unclipped his leash so he could walk with them, and Byorgue nodded. Drago snorted softly, as they started to move again. Aliot nodded to Observation, and Injustice studied the cave around them, as they moved deeper into the nest. They dodged younger adventurers and ignored them if they tried to beg for things. If they were persistent, Doppy would scare them off. The very sight of Maya Purple tended to spook them to stay at a distance, though he ignored them now. This made Doppy grin. Maya Purple led them down to the second area of the nest and straight to his mother.

When they reached her, Sarine whimpered when Huginn took over, and she moved off of Windwalker's back to approach Maya. Maya looked just like her son, save that she was a woman strapped to a larger insect body. Her insect body was colored purple, green and gold. She was also as naked as her son, and Karla had to smack Seyren to keep him from staring at her.

"Maya! I am Huginn! The time has come for you to join us to prepare for a coming war! Separate from your darker self to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Separate now!" Huginn commanded. Maya screamed with pain and outrage, as her darker self was split from her and vanished away. She gasped and forced her insect body to stand up tall.

"Oh! I can think clearly again!" she said, and her son skittered over to hug her.

"Maya, you can accompany the Vessel of Odin in a pet-like condition with the others now. It is time for us to head back to the island home," Huginn said then turned to face Lilah. "You! Lilah Rinder! Listen closely to me!"

"Um...okay," Lilah said nervously.

"You will become very powerful with the help from the ones around you. But, you must remember. Do not let power overcome your true judgment! Do not think that you have to do something wrong to do something right. You say you feel right by being with the Vessel of Odin and her company. That is true. But, you will be tempted to do something wrong. Don't give in to the temptation. You will know the right way to go about making your judgments. You know that this has happened before. Be careful how you let others sway your decisions! Go with your gut instinct. It served you well so far!"

"Okay!" she said with determination.

"Maya Purple! It is by our Lord Odin's decree that you become a slave to the Vessel of Odin. If you still have issues about it, our Lord Odin will personally speak to you. If you don't want that, then go with it! You'll enjoy yourself in the end!"

"I'll think about it," Maya Purple said.

"Oh, no you won't!" Maya scowled. "If Lord Odin said that you are to do this, then it is your destiny! Don't go against what you need to do!"

"But, Mother!" Maya Purple pouted.

"We knew a day like this would come. You liked no other, and I know you clearly like the Vessel of Odin. So, don't argue with me!" Maya scowled again. "You will do as you are told! By me or not!"

"Yes, Mother," Maya Purple said with defeat.

"It is for the best," Huginn said, as Sarine's eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted. Keltin caught her and held her until she came around.

"Hi," he smiled.

"Hello, there," she chuckled. He kissed her passionately and helped her back onto Windwalker's back. Thanatos pulled her close, and she sighed. Lloyd made a Warp and they all went through it to go back to the island home.


	84. Chapter 84

When Maya went to scout out underground territory for herself, Maya Purple was fretting. He clearly didn't want to become a slave. Sarine sighed softly in thought. She moved from Windwalker's back and looked at her loves.

"Let's go to the grove and talk there," she said. Sammy nodded eagerly. He knew it would be a good idea. Thanatos pressed a kiss to her mouth, and he went to sit in the nursery with his children. He was glad that he didn't have to be at her side all the time, and that her craving for him was gone. He would always go to her when she needed him, but he appreciated the fact that he wouldn't be clinging to her all the time now to keep her safe.

They reached the grove, and she sat down in Keltin's lap. The others moved to sit with her. Errende asked if she was hungry, and she nodded. When he, Aliot, and Observation moved off to get her something, Injustice, Drago, and Byorgue moved to stand around her. Kiehl sat on one side of her, and Howard sat on the other. Muninn landed in a tree to listen.

"I don't want to be a servant. Or a slave, as you put it," Maya Purple sighed. "I am royalty! I have higher standards! Why do I have to be one like this?"

"What was your life like?" Sarine asked suddenly.

"My life?" he asked with surprise. "Well...nothing exciting. I just...roamed around the nest and protected the brood my Mother made. The eggs and workers and such. It was monotonous, in truth. Nothing exciting. It was peaceful."

"Let me tell you a little of my life," she sighed. Byorgue and Injustice listened closely, as they never truly learned about her until now. Kiehl listened in, because he wanted to hear what happened in her words. She told Maya Purple of her life as a child and how poorly she was treated. How she lived in darkness and nearly died of the illness that plagued the town. How she was rescued and met the others. She even told how Eddga saved her in her time of need and how she met her brothers briefly, but she didn't elaborate too much. She spoke of how her friends were ripped from her and how she got them back. She talked about her second capture with Amatsu a touch painfully and what was done to her. That made Byorgue stammer with rage, and he forced himself to calm down. Kiehl saw the visions of her past from Muninn before, but he still had unanswered questions.

"Wait," Maya Purple said with a look of pain. "You went through...all of that?!"

"Yes," she said. "There is always more, but...well...visions prove more. Right, Muninn? Can you show the ones here that need to see it?"

_:Yes.:_ Muninn nodded and landed to stare at a tree. Byorgue and Injustice now moved to watch with Maya Purple in silence. Errende had returned with Aliot and Observation with drinks and plates of food. Kiehl found himself drawn back to the visions again, and he felt the need to watch them. He felt that he missed something, and that he needed to review what he had learned before, since his mind was in a technical state the first time and not emotional. Drago moved about to help comfort Sarine and keep her happy. As they fed her and kept her preoccupied, Eremes had moved to her side to help keep her mind off of things. Howard softly whispered to her, and she sighed with a form of contentment.

Right after the visions had finished, Kiehl moved behind Sarine and placed his arms around her. His mind was so absorbed with being a new slave and protecting her that he saw the visions before, but didn't properly understand them. Watching them again showed him exactly what he needed to know. He also felt the need to reconnect with her after ignoring her for two weeks. This was a punishment he gave himself. Keltin moved out of the way for him with an understanding nod, and Kiehl buried his face against her back. She felt him sobbing, and she turned to hug him tightly to her. He had never seen anything so dark and violent in his life. He knew what happened to him was bad, but she had it just a touch worse than him. _She was left alone to die. I was conditioned to live to go through painful experiments._

Doppy sighed softly and frowned.  _It was always tough after her past was watched._ He knew how it was for him.

"I...saw them before...but...my mind was more...technical...so..." Kiehl gasped. "Now that I watched them...emotionally...I...just...why?!"

"You can only imagine," Howard said softly. "how we all felt when we first learned of what happened to her. Pissed off and outraged was...is...nothing to what it still feels like now."

"And that bitch is dead, right?!" Byorgue hissed out, as he came over.

"Yes," Sammy nodded. "I killed her."

"I want...to read...the letters..." Kiehl gasped out, as he hugged her tightly still.

"That is too much pain!" Eremes hissed in a whispered tone.

"I need to see them, too," Maya Purple said. The other three slaves nodded in agreement.

"I'll get them," Errende said. When he left to get them, Sarine was shaking, and Howard was hugging her tight with Kiehl. The movement was actually quiet natural for them to do, and, for some odd reason, it comforted Sarine far more then she knew.

"Now I see why you need so many around you," Maya Purple said with a wince. "You don't want to feel alone."

"If that's what it is...I suppose..." she frowned. "I don't know how else to explain it."

Keltin moved to Maya Purple's side and gestured to whisper to him about what she would do if she was alone. The insect man was in shock, and his jaw dropped. He looked over when Errende brought over a stack of envelopes, and Storm Caller was following them. The Strouf was going to make sure that nothing happened to the letters. They were exceptionally important to everyone. The slaves gathered around, and Kiehl was forced to let her go to read them with the others. Doppy moved to take his place to hold her against him with Howard. Aliot and Drago already heard the letters from the letter reading before, so they were spared from the anguish and sorrow in them again. Observation was still in Thanatos's tower at the time, so he had to go and read them with the others.

She had just finished eating and drinking when she heard Kiehl scream with outrage when the letters were finished. Doppy moved away quickly, as Kiehl ran back to her side and hugged her tightly. He was shaking uncontrollably, and fresh tears fell down his face.

"Kiehl," she whispered, and he was struggling to see straight. Very softly, she sang to him, and he started to calm down, bit by bit. As she comforted Kiehl, Byorgue glared at Maya Purple a short distance away. Storm Caller had already gathered up the letters and left to go back to the house with them. Observation was clearly outraged by what he read, and he vowed to himself that he would do everything he could to keep Sarine as happy as he could. He moved to her side now to hover over her with a new form of protection for her.

"Maya Purple, you tell me now," Byorgue growled. "that after hearing and seeing her life and reading those letters...that you don't want to protect her! You tell me that you don't care about her well-being or her safety! I dare you!"

"I..." Maya Purple gasped, as he pressed a fist to his heart. His entire body was shaking, and that included the insect one he was strapped into. "I  _do_  want to protect her! I do! With everything I have now! I just...as a slave? Is that the only way?"

"It's not as bad as you think it is," Injustice said, as he looked over at Sarine now. "She treats us just like her husbands. We are almost equals."

"Almost?" Maya Purple frowned. Aliot came over to listen in and frowned.

"She can give us more pleasure than them. And, she can give us pain, but it's at a level of pleasure. She can do the same with her husbands, but not as much. You would need to experience it for yourself to be the judge of that. We can also get her pregnant when it is time for us to do so," Aliot said with a small chuckle. "I am going to get her pregnant when she has her Demonic Mating. It has been foreseen by Muninn."

"Demonic Mating?" Maya Purple asked.

"It's where demons and non-demons can fight over her to have her. She becomes something of a demoness, but not quite," Aliot explained. "It allows her to become pregnant again while she is currently pregnant, so it's important. She will be due for another soon."

"She can have one of those?!" Maya Purple blinked. "And you say she'll be having another? Is she pregnant again?"

"Yes. Keltin, the Bongun, got her pregnant. As for the children she already has, Errende's blood is bound with the demon, Thanatos. She already gave birth to twins for them. Doppelganger gave her twins, too. The four of them were born together as quadruplets from her first Demonic Mating. Naght Seiger and Howard have their blood merged, and she gave them twins, first," Drago said. "They are the only ones that she had twins with by themselves. It will be quadruplets with the rest of us. We know it's complicated to think of. The children are absolutely precious, though! And, if you swap blood with her, they will become your kids, too! Of course, the kids already born would need a drop of your blood. That's easy enough to give, if you let them take it."

"Mine?! Children?" Maya Purple gaped. "I...I..."

"We know. It's a lot to take in. Think about it," Byorgue nodded. "When your time comes, she will give you twins, too."

"Me? A father?!" he gasped. "I would never even have thought such a thing could happen! I mean...Mother always wanted me to have children, but...I don't know..."

"Well, how do you feel about her now?" Aliot asked.

"I'll admit, I had doubts. But, after seeing all of this...how she is with everyone...how I see her now with...I don't know his name!" Maya Purple frowned.

"That's Kiehl," Aliot said. He introduced the others to him softly, and he gave the names of her husbands to him.

"Kiehl," Maya Purple frowned. "He's different from us, isn't he?"

"Us? Already seeing yourself as a slave?" Byorgue chuckled, and the bug man seemed to shrug with a soft grin. "Well, Kiehl is a stronger monster on his own. He is a slave and her husband, in a way. Like Howard being her husband and a slave. Her other husbands are not supposed to know about Howard, so be careful of the information! They know about Kiehl, in a sense. Muninn said it was important for this to happen. If something happens with us, her slaves, or with them, her husbands, either Howard or Kiehl can fill in the gap."

"I see," Maya Purple said. "Who would be considered the, ah, leader of us, then?"

"That's a good question," Aliot said. "I thought it would be Errende, but with Kiehl being as he is...hmm. It may still be Errende. He is her First Slave, after all. Let me get him."

"Errende is important to her, too, since his very touch can soothe children. Even the ones that grow in My Lady," Byorgue nodded.

"My Lady? Oh! The Vessel of Odin?" Maya Purple asked.

"Yes. We call her 'My Lady'. It's a form of respect. Others would be called 'Mistress', but I like 'My Lady' better," Injustice said. "I used to be a slave to Zealotus, but she gave me up. My Lady took me to her side right away. I'm not leaving it! She saw me suffering greatly and knew it had to be done. She treats me far better than Zealotus ever did. I love her for that."

"So, it is possible for love to exist?" Maya Purple asked.

"Oh, yes!" Byorgue nodded. "I love her. Kiehl loves her. We all love her. And she loves us back. She only punishes us if we do something against her wishes, but she doesn't use whips on us. She can, but only if we really want it. Errende had a whip used on him before, but she doesn't do that anymore. She punishes us with extra pleasure and pain. I love it!"

"Is that all she does?" Maya Purple asked.

"Well..." Injustice grinned. "her current pregnancy makes her crave sex. Don't be alarmed if she forces you to mate with her several times in one sitting."

"What?" Maya Purple asked with disbelief.

"Oh, yeah!" Byorgue laughed. Errende walked over with Aliot and Observation. Kiehl was still being comforted by Sarine. He was deeply affected by everything he relearned about her, and he wasn't going to be leaving her side anytime soon. Observation was still hurting, but he would be with her when he could. He wanted to help get Maya Purple to her side first. He knew it was important, and that it would make Sarine happy.

"Maya Purple? You needed to see me?" Errende asked.

"Yes," the insect man nodded. "I...care for her. I do. But, I feel I still need more time to see with my own eyes on what needs to be done, you know?"

"I know how it is. I was the same way," Errende winked. "Come with me."

Maya Purple followed Errende over to Sarine. She had Kiehl's head in her lap, and he had his eyes closed in complete comfort. Keltin was sitting next to her, and Howard was behind her in such a way that she could lean against him.

"Yes, Errende?" she asked with a soft smile.

"Maya Purple cares for you, but still needs more time. The children in the nursery are sleeping. Thanatos just informed me. Is there something you would like to do?" Errende asked.

"Hmm," she mused, and Howard started to smile at her thought.

"Errende, go with her and Keltin. I'll lead the others to the arena. She wants to, eh, show off her royalty status," Howard winked.

"Oh!" Errende blushed softly. "Of course! Maya Purple, follow Howard to the arena. Kiehl? You should go with him, too."

"No," Kiehl said softly with his eyes still closed. "Where she goes, I go."

"It's a surprise, Kiehl," she giggled softly. He snapped his eyes open to gaze up at her.

"A surprise, My Lady?" he asked with curiosity.

"Oh, yes. A very wonderful one. I will not be long, and you can sit at my feet, if you like. It's fine by me," she smiled warmly. Kiehl rose up now to kiss her gently, and he leaned into her. At his whisper, she gave a throaty chuckle and whispered back. He smiled now and nodded, as he stood up and helped her to her feet. Maya Purple was just amazed at how gentle she was with him.  _To them all, in fact._

"What are you planning?" Doppy grinned. She leaned over to whisper to him, and he started laughing. Nodding to her, he spread the word to Sammy and Eremes. They were grinning now and couldn't wait to see her.

"Ten minutes, you think?" Howard said, as he rose up.

"About. Give or take five," Keltin said.

"Please...don't be too long..." Kiehl said with a touch of worry in his tone.

"I won't," she promised. Howard now led the others to the arena balcony, and Sarine had Keltin and Errende help her change into her gown in the bedroom.

"Always beautiful," Keltin smiled and kissed her lightly before she put on the rouge.

"I would hope so!" she sighed. "I think I'm starting to get fat!"

"Never!" Errende frowned. She laughed and stepped into the gold high heels, as they helped her down the stairs. Lilah was talking to Storm Caller, and she looked over at Sarine. She gaped at the sight of the beautiful Sniper in a golden gown, jewelry, a coronet, and Elven Ears. She looked exactly like the princess she was meant to be.

"Hello, Lilah," she said in soft, dulcet tone. "I was going to the arena to watch the fights. Feel free to join the others in the guest balcony."

"Um...thanks?" Lilah said with a small smile. Sarine blinked her tigers' eye gemstone eyes at her with a soft blush and was led out the door by Keltin and Errende.

"Damn..." Kavach grumbled from the corner of the room he was sitting in.

"What's with you?" Lilah asked.

"Oh," he sighed. "I want to be with her, but I can't. Wait...I didn't challenge Thanatos Dolor, yet! I may have a chance!"

"Huh?" Lilah asked, as Kavach jumped up and ran out to the arena. "Oh, I gotta see this now! Wait up!"

By the time Kavach was finishing his preparations and getting ready to head into the challenging section of the arena, Sarine was blushing softly at her slaves. Only Errende had seen her in her gown and royalty setting. Kiehl was completely floored by her and fully speechless.

"Kiehl?" she asked softly. "Are you all right?"

"Um...uh-huh..." he nodded. Maya Purple was no better.  _She was royalty. She was a true princess._ He'd kill anyone that said so, otherwise. Aliot and Observation just stared at her until they managed to tear their eyes away to look at the arena when the crowd cheered at a fight.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Byorgue said, as he shook himself out of his stupor. Now Injustice and Drago moved to stand protectively at the front corners of the balcony. She laughed, as she got fawned over, and Keltin sat on the couch for her to snuggle into his lap. Kiehl managed to sit on a stool by her feet, and she tried placing a high heeled foot into his back. When she saw him wincing, she slipped her foot out of it and tried again.

"Thank you, My Lady," he whispered and leaned into her foot more.

"Of course, Kiehl," she smiled softly. When challengers saw Maya Purple and started to point at him, he frowned. She saw this and said, "Maya Purple, it is your choice if you would like to fight them. Such as it would be your choice to do anything anyone else asks, if you were my slave. Of course, you would need to do my bidding, as always, but I will not force you, if you feel that something is wrong with what I ask. The same goes for all of my slaves."

Aliot moved to her side to offer her some various sweet and salty dishes. She started to eat happily now, and Maya Purple glanced at the challengers again. Thinking he could show off how strong he was now, he smirked and made his way down to the arena carefully.

"My Lady," Errende whispered to her with a soft hiss of distaste. "Kavach is going to try and challenge Thanatos Dolor! Lord Thanatos was informed from his general directly after Kavach threatened him! Lord Thanatos is coming here now to witness the fight!"

"What?" Sarine frowned. She suddenly looked up, as Thanatos sat next to her to put an arm around her protectively.

"If he wins, I'll kill him!" Thanatos snarled.

"Save some for me!" Doppy growled.

"Now, loves," she sighed. "we all know that, if Kavach wins, I will not give him any form of mercy. Remember?"

"Very true," Sammy grinned.

"I also found out that my weakest general is now the strongest one of them all," Thanatos grinned wickedly. "Just under me."

"Is he really?" Howard mused.

"Yes," Thanatos nodded. "I'm not sure what he has, but we'll find out."

"I'm sure the fight will be quick, if that's the case," Keltin snickered. She turned her attention to the arena and blinked at how swiftly Maya Purple took out the Lord Knight that challenged him now. Valkyrie had clearly given him a boost in spells and attack, due to his status that he was to gain as a slave. His Heaven's Drive skill was upped by another ten levels, and he gained the ability to Stun by stomping on the ground. He finished the Lord Knight off with his powerful Brandish Spear skill. After showing off his skills, the other challengers backed down with shock. They didn't realize how strong the insect man had become.

"Maya Purple wins!" Dracula said from the judge's chair.

"How did I do?" Maya Purple asked. He skittered back up to the balcony and leaned down to talk to her face to face.

"You did exceptionally well," she smiled. Then she leaned up and kissed him solidly on the mouth. It caught him by surprise, and he instinctively deepened the kiss before pulling away gasping. The kiss fit with him so neatly that he was stammering. He couldn't believe it.

"I...um...well..." he blinked.

"It's all right, Maya Purple," she said softly. He nodded and shakily moved to stand his massive form behind the throne-like couch. The balcony was enlarged completely to make room for him. Kiehl seemed to chuckle and fell silent, as her foot pressed into his back more. When Errende sat on the stool next to him, her other foot moved to press into his back now.

"Hmm," Howard thought. "I wonder when we turn human."

_:Tomorrow! Two days!:_  Muninn said, as he landed on his perch.

"Tomorrow? Ah, good!" Howard grinned.

"Human?" Maya Purple asked.

"Eremes and I were from the Lighthalzen experiments, remember? From Sarine's visions? We normally get one day out of the month to be human. Same with the others. Since she was healing from her birth of quadruplets, nothing could be done with her. So, Odin decided to have us wait until she was healthy enough. When we turn human, she gets rather frisky," Howard chuckled. At the look she gave him, he swallowed and grinned.

"I'll wait until Maya Purple tells us what he wants. I'll still need to do the blood swap with him," she purred. Thanatos chuckled softly.

"Ah, My Lady?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Kavach is up," he said. Now Thanatos hissed, and the others growled. Aliot moved to tell Maya Purple what Kavach wanted to do and why. That pissed off Maya Purple.

"So, his kiss didn't fit with her? Like mine?" he asked.

"That's right," Aliot said. "Well...it fit, but didn't fit. Anyways, he wants to be with her out of lust. He finds her beautiful, but he doesn't really love her like we do."

"If he wins, I'll stampede over him!" Maya Purple growled.

"Now  _that_  would be entertaining!" Doppy smirked. Sarine shushed them, as Kavach walked up to the arena center, and Thanatos Dolor moved to confront him. The weakest of the generals was three times larger now from his glow at the tower. And he was granted two very interesting skills. When Kavach readied to attack, the general Stunned him. Then he used the power of Earthquake to kill him off. Kavach didn't know what hit him, and the crowd was shocked. Doppy started laughing hysterically with Thanatos. Howard and Keltin were grinning from ear to ear. Sammy and Eremes were snickering lightly to themselves. The slaves were just feeling a wave of relief, as was Maya Purple.

"That's cheating!" Lilah screamed from her seat.

"Pipe down!" Seyren scowled. "He wasn't to be with Sarine, anyways!"

"But...but he had no chance!" Lilah said.

"That's the idea!" Mitchell said.

"Lilah," Laurell said. "come sit by me, and I'll talk to you about something. Please? Just let me explain a few things to you."

"Fine," she muttered and sat next to Laurell. Sarine smiled and knew that this was how their relationship was going to start. She looked over at the entrance to her balcony to find Kavach standing there and glaring at Thanatos.

"You knew how strong he was!" Kavach snarled out.

"No, I didn't. I just knew that he was made to be the strongest of my generals now. I didn't know how strong he was!" Thanatos said with a shrug. "As long as I can kick his ass, then I don't care how strong he gets."

"Sarine, please..." Kavach begged.

"The deal was that,  _if_  you defeated Thanatos Dolor, I would give you a chance. Was it not?" she asked. "You are not destined for me."

"But, you don't know that! Please, just...let me try?!" he begged again. Errende gave a harsh growl, and Kavach glared at him.

"There is only one way I would even think of trying with you," she finally said. "I can show you how it's done like I did with Garrett."

"Ah," Howard blinked. "That might work."

"My Lady!" Errende gasped out with despair, but she ran her foot over his back with comfort to silence him. Then she leaned down and whispered to him. At her whisper, he cracked a grin and started laughing. She looked at Kavach again, as she thought.

"No sex. No kissing. No inappropriate touching. I will bring you to a point of pleasure and pain unlike anything you have ever felt before. But..." she said, as she glared at him. "the moment you tell me to stop, or that you can't take it anymore...that will let me know exactly how you are. Understand?"

"Yes!" Kavach said. "I do. I understand."

"We still have the rest of the day to enjoy. Prepare for tonight," she said. When he left, she looked at Maya Purple. "You, however, have until tonight to decide how you want to be with me. I can only let you decide for that long."

"Don't worry," he smiled greatly. "I know what I want to do."

"Oh?" Eremes asked.

"What would that be?" Howard asked. Maya Purple loosened the golden threads that held him to his insect body. Then he had the small insect legs that held him up move away to free his legs. After that, he was able to slip out of the throne-like seating. Then he walked swiftly over to Sarine, tilted her head to his face, and kissed her fully and passionately. It caught her completely by surprise, and Howard barked out laughter at it. Doppy was snickering with amusement, and Sammy gave a slight nod.

"Your back looks weird!" Observation said. "Like there's filaments on it that attach to the bug body! Or are they hairs?"

"They're hairs. Not sure what else to call them," Maya Purple muttered before kissing her again. Then he pulled himself away to move back to his insect body to settle back on it. "Only I have the ability to make my insect body move. As you can see. I was born, eh, hatched with it this way. The hairs on my back are nerve sensors to the body. It's instinctive on how it works. Much like how everyone has their own parts and attachments."

"Right," Aliot grinned with understanding from the blades in his back.

"Maybe we should do the blood swap now," she mused. Howard blinked at her and hissed out a breath. Now they all knew that her craving for sex came back in full.

"Sarine," Howard said. "maybe we should all take you first and let him watch. Then we can do the blood swap after so you get a second dose of us?"

"Hmm..." she thought, as she snuggled between Thanatos and Keltin. "Sounds like a good idea. Back to the bedroom?"

"Ah, first you need to make him a slave. Right? You don't have a collar," Errende asked to try to buy them some time. Thanatos snickered softly at the attempt.

"True," Sarine frowned. Then she looked at Karla, and waved her over from the guest balcony. Already knowing what was needed, a collar was handed to her. "Thank you!"

"Anytime!" Karla laughed, and Howard made a small face at her.

"You will need slave clothes for him!" Errende said, as he tried again.

"Oh, you're right!" Sarine frowned. Aliot nodded to find Incubus.

"A loincloth will do fine for me," Maya Purple said.

"All right. Did you want another name? Or do we just call you Maya Purple?" she asked. "Some prefer shorter names. What do you think?"

"Well, I think it's fine. My current name, that is. Or you can call me Maypu," he said.

"Maypu?" Howard blinked. "Sounds interesting."

"I think we can stick with Maya Purple," she giggled. Then she blinked, as she felt something tingling on her breasts, and she swore softly.

"Excuse me!" Doppy said, as he lifted Sarine up quickly and bolted with her.

"What?!" Howard blinked and got up to follow. Thanatos blinked and growled, as he followed them now.

"Oh, he is not hogging her!" Keltin growled and ran after them. "It's my turn with her, damn you! She's having my twins! Give her back!"

"What happened?" Maya Purple asked.

"Ah, My Lady is lactating. Giving out excess milk for the children. It's...quite nice to drink, actually. So, they fight over her," Errende chuckled, as he collected her shoes.

"Really?" Maya Purple smiled in thought and watched the others rise to move off. As they approached the house, they noticed it looked far more massive than it used to be just a while ago. When they moved into the house, they paused at how busy Storm Caller was from the arrival of their newest addition.  _The house was completely enlarged to make rooms accessible for Maya Purple in his bug body._ The stairs were widened and constructed of polished wood and marble. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the walls were touched up with an elegant reddish-brown paint. The kitchen was doubled in size and upgraded to solid marble floors, counters, and a massive cooking area. Double doors could be opened to allow full access from the kitchen to the main room to allow people and monsters constant movement for transporting food or drinks easily.

The bedroom now had a set of double doors to it, and they were gilded with gold and gems, much like the doors to the treasury. Each door to each bedroom was also decorated in the same manner and labeled with the recipients' names to show which couple lived in which room. There was no real label on the main bedroom door, since it was to remain a bit of a secret. That and the doors would only open for the ones that lived in the house to keep intruders away. Even the nursery door was not labeled for safekeeping. The house was being set for royalty to throw off others and was slowly being bathed in wealth.

When they got into the bedroom, they paused again.  _The room was doubled in size._  There was a clear spot that was just large enough for Maya Purple to leave his insect body safely along the back wall so it would not be tampered with. The bed was made larger and far more spacious, and the smaller beds were now doubled in size for more comfort. The bathroom was left the same, since it was doubtful that Maya Purple would need his insect body in there.

"Storm Caller has been...busy," Sammy mused.

"You're telling me!" Errende agreed. Aliot moved to the tub in the bathroom and chuckled, as he leaned over the edge of it to look in it. When the others looked in, Sarine was already undressed and being taken by Doppy, Thanatos, Keltin, and Howard in turns. Maya Purple had just left his insect body in the bedroom and came over to look in with surprise. He still wore his headdress, and that was what he would always wear. It was the same thing that Keltin did with his Bongun hat when he was in his Champion form to signify what he was.

"We'll wait our turns," Byorgue chuckled and undressed. Errende was about to undress when a knock was heard on the double doors. He moved and thanked Incubus for the new black leather loincloth. Showing it to Maya Purple, he tried it on and ensured that it fit.

"It's not bad at all. I like it!" he grinned. He took it off to set it with his insect body and came back into the bathroom to watch them take Sarine one at a time. Each one had their own ways to be with her, and he was astonished at them all. When the four of them were spent in the tub, she looked up at the others, as they peered in.

"Maya Purple! Come in here, please," she said. "Let's get you collared."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Get in here!" she said with a small giggle. He grinned and moved into the tub by going down through the wooden door. Aliot tossed the collar down to her, and she caught it deftly.

"You should be kneeling, but, in the tub, well, an exception can be made. Hopefully," Keltin grinned. "What do you think, love?"

"Yes, an exception will be done. Maya Purple," Sarine said, as she rose smoothly out of the water to face him now. He looked at her, and then took in a deep breath of control. He had no idea how perfect her body was until now. She took out the collar and looked at him, as she purred out, "Once I collar you, it will likely be permanent. You are expected to serve me, obey me, and always do as I ask of you. If you fail me in any way, you will be punished. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"I do," he nodded.

"Do you have any questions for me before I do this? I know you are a form of royalty and that this is beneath you," she said carefully.

"Not anymore," he said. "I have seen what you do with the others. I see what they do with you. At first, yes, I thought that being a slave would be beneath me. But, being a slave to you would be one of the highest honors I could ever think of."

"I said the same thing," Errende smiled. Sarine nodded and moved to place the collar on Maya Purple now. The collar sealed up permanently with a glow. It changed to the color of a dark, rich green, and it was lined with gold and semi-precious gems that was fit for his noble status. The symbolic Mark of Odin appeared on the front of it with a gold loop for a leash.

"I will give you a choice," she said, as she bent to whisper into his ear and he shivered. "I can do a blood swap with you now to start the blood exchange with the others. Or, I finish with them first, and we do the blood swap after. What do you think?"

He thought and looked at her. Then he looked at the others. Her scent started to cloud his mind, and he narrowed his eyes to figure out what it was. Now he pulled her close and kissed her hard in the wanting way that he needed to. When she tried to pull away to fight back with surprise, he growled instinctively and started to pin her to wall of the tub.

"He's claiming First Mate Rights!" Doppy blinked.

"For the Insect Race..." Thanatos mused. "He's unopposed. It's instinctive."

"He'll be a First Mate?!" Kiehl gasped, as he moved into the tub, leaving his clothes behind. He kept his glasses on, since he wanted to see everything. "Is it possible?!"

"Anything is possible," Howard said. "Win the Demonic Mating and be a First Mate right there. If anything, he can help calm her down, if there is a problem. You're a First Mate, too. Remember? You did the same thing to her."

"That's true. I...also turned into something more. Damn! I didn't even realize the full significance of it! How could I have missed it?!" he frowned. Howard chuckled at him with a nod and turned to watch the mating fight.

"When did that happen?!" Doppy growled.

"When Muninn talked to us before your kids were born," Howard sighed. "When Kiehl was made to be a slave and husband. Her scent sort of did the same thing to him."

"I see..." Sammy mused. "At least we know it's needed."

She screamed, as she continued to fight Maya Purple, and he finally had to pin her against the wall with brute force before shoving himself inside her. He forced himself to focus, since he had never truly mated before, and he thrust up hard into her to release with a shout. She cried out with him, and now he pulled her from the wall of the tub to be hugged tightly to his chest.

"You never...did that before...did you?" she panted with a bit of a chuckle.

"No..." he gasped out and found himself caught up in a kiss. She moved to settle in his lap, and he cried out sharply at it. She worked him to release again, and he clung to her.

"Blood swap. Now," she muttered, and Errende was there with a small knife to open her throat. "Don't Heal me. Wait until everyone is done."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende said with a small nod.

"Take a mouthful," she whispered to Maya Purple, and he latched onto her throat to take the amount he needed. She cried out with her release at it, and, right after he swallowed to pull away, she bit down hard on his neck. When he screamed, she took three mouthfuls of blood from him before pulling away. He had to recover now, and Errende Healed him. Very slowly, she took a turn with her slaves first to ensure that they were able to have her and get a sample of her blood, as she took some from them in turn. When Kiehl lay gasping with her in his lap, she moved to Doppy to start her husbands. They were all done when Howard was clinging to her with her teeth dug into his neck. She used a knife on the others and fully bit him after using the flat of the blade on him to make it look like she cut him.

Only after Errende Healed her did Howard kiss her heavily and keep her close.

"Now what?" Keltin asked with a chuckle.

"Naght...says the children...are still sleeping..." Howard whispered through her kisses.

"Well," she sighed and snuggled into him now, as Keltin moved to sit on one side of her. Thanatos had made himself a part of the blood swap. He figured it was just as well in case the others still needed his blood. It may not be necessary for other demons, but, if she became pregnant from him again, it was needed. "I think it's time that everyone told a little bit about themselves. Sound good?"

"We already know about you, My Lady," Maya Purple said. "I already told you about me. My life was nothing special. Just watched over the nest and chased out intruders. Always the same. Until I met you. Oh! Here. I heard you're collecting these."

"Hmm?" she said with a soft blush, and she got pulled into his lap, as he handed over his card. He had kept it under his headdress, and she blinked at the card.

"So, yeah. I'm not sure how you see invisible monsters or humans..." he grinned. She kissed him desperately and handed the card over to Sammy. Then Maya Purple surprised her again by handing over the highest grade cookbook that was ever possible. She gaped at it, and Kiehl took it quickly to thumb through. He set it outside of the tub to keep it safe from water damage. Howard grinned, since he knew that Kathryne would be happy to see it.

"Okay," Sammy said. "His card lets you see invisible monsters and people. It's for a headpiece. You'll still use the bracelet I gave you, right?"

"Of course, Sammy!" she blushed. "This card will be good as an emergency backup."

"She has a point," Keltin chuckled. "All right, who will start?"

"I will," Eremes said. "Then Howard should speak...to pick up where I leave off. Doppy after him. Then Keltin. Sammy will go when he's done. Thanatos after him. Once he is done, you all can decide. Sound good?"

"Of course," Errende said. "When Lord Thanatos is done, I shall speak. Then Observation and Aliot after him. Injustice can go next. Drago should go then, and Kiehl after. Then Byorgue should go last. Or a different order?"

"Let me go last," Kiehl said, as he moved to gather Sarine into his lap. She blushed softly and seemed to shrug. Snuggling into Kiehl's neck, she sighed and let him caress her gently, as Eremes started to speak of his childhood and how he grew up. Then he spoke of his training and his mission about Sarine. He finished when he met Howard and the group.

Howard took it up by talking about his past and what he did to survive. He told them how he met the others up to the point that he got to Eremes. Then he spoke of how he helped Sarine in the tower of Geffen, and Eremes mentioned what he did to the men that hurt her. Howard grinned and continued to go through what they did to help her, and how he was with her up to the point with Lighthalzen.

Doppy went next to talk of his past, and how he ended up in Geffen tower. He told them of how Sarine helped him without realizing it and how he protected her. Then he mused at something he remembered and said with a smile, "Sorry Sari, do you remember those knights that kept picking on you, as you were training around me?"

"How could I not?!" she growled. "Egotistic sons of..."

"My Lady?" Kiehl chuckled.

"No, she described them perfectly. Just so you know, one of them wet his pants when I sent him screaming from the tower," Doppy grinned. Thanatos snickered.

"How lovely!" she giggled. "If they show up at the arena, feel free to kill them for the fun of it. I don't mind."

"Now  _that's_  what I love about you!" Doppy grinned wickedly, and continued his tale of helping her. After he finished up, Sarine went before Keltin to talk a bit more of what she did when she was alone. When she got a touch hesitant, Howard encouraged her. It was here that she revealed that she had nightmares practically every night.

"Sarine?!" Keltin gaped. Eremes stared at her.

"I knew about it," Howard said bleakly. "When I heard her thoughts some time back."

"Every night?" Kiehl blinked.

"Yes. Well...almost every night. And even worse during a storm," she shivered. Kiehl hugged her tightly, and Howard told Maya Purple and Injustice of what she went through as a child when a storm hit. Sammy was wincing from the whole thing.

"Underground from now on. In the safe room by my workshop!" Kiehl grounded out.

"Always," Byorgue nodded. She also told them of her height issues and what she almost did in Gonryun. That made Kiehl gasp, and he squeezed her hard to him. He knew he heard it before, but, coming from her, it affected him in on a whole new level. She sighed, and the others stared at her silently, but they knew she would never be left alone anymore. Sarine nodded to Keltin for him to speak now, and he talked about his past and what he remembered of the girl he lost in the flames. He talked about how Moonlight Flower brought him back, and how it took so long for him to escape the spell of the bell she rang. He went into further detail of how he found Sarine and couldn't attack her, and how he accepted the taming book from her.

"So, you were a pet?" Kiehl asked.

"I was. Valkyrie tore that from me and gave me my human Champion form. Then she gave me my Rage form," Keltin nodded. "I am Sarine's Guardian. If something happens to her, you all can latch onto me in the field of battle."

"But...what happens if something happens to you, too?" Errende asked.

"That...wow. I don't know," Keltin blinked. "I'll have to ask Muninn."

"Later," Sarine said. "Keep the talk going."

"Right!" Keltin nodded. He spoke of how he arranged a secret marriage with Sarine when he got strong enough around her, and how he helped get her the house in Payon. He went into detail of how he helped her train to find Howard and the others in Lighthalzen. At a glance and a nod from Howard, he talked about how Howard attacked her at first when she saw him again. That made everyone cringe and wince, but they knew that it was instinctive and that it was not intentional. Kiehl stroked Sarine's back when she trembled a bit, and Howard ended up holding her between them both when he moved to her side. Keltin continued with how they met Karla and Lloyd. He went on about meeting Storm Caller and going through the transcendence. Then he talked about Howard coming to them with the Bloody Branch.

"We should get a stock of those," Sammy thought. "They're rare, though."

"True. Very rare," Thanatos said. "I haven't been called with one yet. Lucky me. But, don't they summon shadow versions of us?"

"I'm not sure. But, it sure as hell summoned me! Probably a fifty-fifty chance. Like Mitchell's skill to summon monsters at random. We still need to try that!" Howard said.

"We will ask later. Maybe tomorrow when you're human," Sarine smiled.

"That would be awesome! We can wait until after everyone leaves the arena!" Keltin said. "Maybe a beach day?"

"Sounds good. Remember, it's two days of humanity for them," she giggled.

"True..." Eremes smiled softly.

"Anyways..." Keltin grinned and moved on with his tale to talk about her training and how everything started at Einbroch. Then he spoke of the rescue with Lighthalzen and how she freed the others. He talked about how they saw Valkyrie in fields of Odin's temple and how Valkyrie started their marriages.

"Too much detail on everything!" Doppy frowned. "Fast forward to helping Sammy."

"Before that..." Eremes frowned and told them of Sarine's second capture and how she was poisoned. Kiehl paled and shivered with disgust.

"I know that medicine!" Kiehl cringed. "I...I designed it!"

"What?" Howard blinked.

"I helped make those pills!" Kiehl hissed. "I didn't know Amatsu got them, or that they were used on her! Or on any of you! I just...I did what I was told to do at the time..."

"It's not your fault, Kiehl," Sarine frowned. "We know the cure for it."

"You do?" Kiehl blinked.

"Fire built up inside her. With me. Ifrit gives me the ability to make her body searing hot from within. It kills the poisons," Eremes nodded. "Doppy knew the cure."

"I see," Kiehl thought and nodded. "But...if I knew then what I know now, I would never have made it. I would have constantly botched the stuff."

"Well, don't worry about it now," Doppy muttered. Thanatos nodded at this, and Keltin started talking again to tell of how they got Sammy. When he stopped, Sammy chuckled and sighed. His Samurai ghost came out to talk about his past. then Sammy reverted back into a child to talk about his past from there. He moved into Sarine's lap now, as she was still between Howard and Kiehl. When he leaned back against her chest and grinned, Doppy laughed.

"You're a little shit, you know that?!" Byorgue growled.

"I know!" Sammy grinned and adjusted the scroll on his back. Thanatos snickered and listened to how Sammy accompanied Sarine from there and freed Doppy from the tower. Then he talked about how he helped kill off her false mother with a savage form of glee. When he spoke of the dream vision with her, he described it in great detail. At the talk of the three rogues, Kiehl snarled out with rage, but he calmed when he was told they were killed in Naght's tower. Then Sammy turned to look at Thanatos, and the demon grinned to talk about his life. When he talked about his curse from the demoness long ago, Maya Purple blinked. He wasn't there for it, but everyone confirmed that it was nasty.

"Her body would feel engulfed in flames. She'd lose her senses," Doppy frowned. "I hated the feeling."

"Tell me about it," Sarine sighed and rested her head on Sammy's small shoulder. He turned to press a small kiss to her lips and cuddled her.

"That looks wrong, Sammy! Turn back into an adult!" Howard grimaced.

"Only if Sarine sits on my lap!" Sammy grinned.

"Fine! I'll move over for you," Howard nodded. Sammy moved and shifted to his adult form. He rose out of the water slightly to gather Sarine into his arms. She touched his scroll necklace, and he smiled softly at her.

"I don't like you," Byorgue grunted. "Your body is too perfect."

"Blame Valkyrie," Sammy grinned. He settled between Kiehl and Howard with Sarine in his lap. Byorgue laughed a bit at that and sighed. Once Sammy was comfortable, he looked at Thanatos to continue. The demon nodded and described how he was called and had blood taken from him on defeat. After that, he looked at Errende to talk about his life.

"Oh! Right," Errende said nervously.

"Sorry, Sammy," Sarine whispered and moved to settle in Errende's lap to comfort him. "It's okay to talk about it, love. You're safe now."

"I know," he whimpered. "It's just...very hard to talk about still. Um...My Lady, can you tell them the hard parts?"

"Of course, my sweet Errende," she said lovingly and rocked him. He started to talk about his childhood slowly at first. When he faltered, she managed to tell them of the horrific three years he had to deal with. Maya Purple's jaw dropped at what he heard. Aliot blinked at this with a growl. Drago and Injustice hissed, as they remembered what they did to the parents. The three of them helped slaughter Errende's parents multiple times that night. They were there when the parents were brought in to the arena, but they didn't know what was done to Errende. They only knew he was hurt badly as a child. Observation glowered, as he was recruited after all of this happened, or he would have enjoyed slaughtering them, too. Byorgue snarled out with anger that he missed the event.

"Well..." Errende sighed, and Kiehl shook his head. He was told this before, and it still disgusted him to no end. He knew that, if Errende's parents were alive, he would have used them for experiments in ways that no one would have ever imagined.

"It's okay. Talk about how you first saw me at Lighthalzen?" Sarine smiled softly.

"Ah! Right!" he nodded and felt better now the subject was changed. He talked about how he left the Church and went to Lighthalzen, thinking he could get stronger. When he spoke about how he first saw Sarine, it was with a blush to his features. Then he talked about the injections given to him and the others.

"Sorry to interrupt, but, Howard, how did the injections go for you? You never talked about yours," Kiehl frowned.

"Oh! I sort of skipped that, didn't I?" Howard frowned.

"Let Errende finish. We will want Sarine with us...for comfort..." Eremes said with a soft sigh. "It was as...painful...as his tale..."

"Right," Kiehl nodded, and looked at Errende to hear more. Errende continued with how they were forced to train and advance themselves. How he was considered the weakest one of their peers, and how he never thought that he would have gained Thanatos's true link in the end. Thanatos now mentioned what he would do to the others, if they picked on Errende, and they laughed. Errende sighed and continued with how he was able to leave Lighthalzen with nothing but nightmares and a vow to get stronger. He talked about how he kept failing the Monk trials, and how he never knew that it was Thanatos that kept him from passing them. He continued with how he was able to become a Priest and transcend to what he was now. Then he talked about Misty and what she was pulling up to today.

"Bitch!" Byorgue growled.

"Well, she's been released. If she comes back, I'll experiment on her," Kiehl shrugged.

"If she comes back,  _I'll_ handle her!" Sarine glowered. Then Keltin blinked, as he thought her eyes turned white for a moment. Now he moved to her side and had her look at him.

"Don't get mad," Keltin said with a frown.

"Huh?" she asked.

"Your eyes turned white! I saw them! It's like how I get in my Rage form!" Keltin said.

"What?!" Howard blinked and now moved to her side. "Do you remember what you said about Misty? Just now?"

"No..." she frowned. "You were talking about her? That...that...bitch?! I'll kill her!"

Howard blinked when her eyes turned white again, and she blinked. She kept forgetting about the Assassin girl, and then he realized something, as he studied her thoughts.

"Huginn," Howard grounded out. "He's making her forget about...that girl. Likely has a reason that we will need to find out later."

"What? What am I missing?" Sarine frowned.

"Nothing right now," Keltin said with a smile. "We were talking about Errende, and how he met you at the arena. When you first collared him!"

"Oh!" she blinked with a smile.

"Hmm..." Maya Purple frowned. He didn't like how her mind was being messed with. Neither did Thanatos. They would want answers later for sure. Errende managed to nod and squeeze her, as he finished talking up to the point that he got collared by her. Aliot didn't have much to say, since he was always in the robotic factory until he got pulled into Naght's tower and recruited. It was the same with Observation. He was simply an angel that used to live and guard Thanatos's tower until he was found. Drago was a bit the same.

"Well," Drago frowned. "I lived in the swamps around Comodo. Just hunting and eating with the other Mutant Dragonoids. Next thing I know...poof! Brought here with a Dead Branch and stayed ever since."

"I lived with Zealotus in Glast Heim until they found me," Injustice said. "Never really remembered being human or anything. I was simply there."

"Heh. Same with me and the volcano," Byorgue nodded. "We monsters have it pretty easy. We just appear to be there."

"As long as I knew where to find you all," Sarine chuckled. Maya Purple chuckled and blinked, as Howard moved to pull her into his lap. Eremes moved to sit with her now. She settled between them, and Howard sighed when he started talking about the torments of Lighthalzen. Eremes would talk a bit on how he would try to escape and always got caught. When Howard faltered on how he struggled, Sarine would squeeze him gently to comfort him. When he finally stopped after Naght was given to him, he hugged her tightly and sighed.

"But...that's all over with. Done now," Howard said slowly with a nod.

"My turn," Kiehl sighed. He gathered up Sarine into his lap now, and she lightly moved her hands through his hair while he talked about his life. He talked about Kiel Hyre and the siblings he lost. How he was made as an experiment to be an experiment. It was the same thing he spoke of with Sarine in the dominating chambers after he was first with her. When he finished talking, she pulled him into a kiss to show that everything was fine.

"Well, I think you all know everything that we do, now," Howard said.

"Um..." Sarine frowned and trembled, A memory came back in full from her past, and she winced hard. It had kept eluding her thoughts, but Huginn allowed it to surface.  _It was time for them to know._  "I was holding back something. It was so painful that I made myself forget about it! I didn't...know what to do..."

"What?" Keltin frowned. Howard frowned, since she truly had forgotten about it until now, and he stammered with bewilderment. Then the bewilderment turned into shock. Now it was sorrow. He grabbed her from Kiehl and struggled to talk.

"Sarine?! Why didn't you tell me?!" Howard cringed and held her. "Why?!"

"Because I couldn't! I wanted to say something...in my letters...but...I also wanted it...to be a surprise to you!" she gasped and trembled, as tears fell. "When you got out! I...didn't want to say anything...I couldn't say anything...!"

"What is it?!" Doppy snarled out.

"The night she gave herself to me...before Lighthalzen," Howard cringed with so much remorse and such sadness that Kiehl looked at him with shock. "She...she had gotten pregnant!"

"What?!" Thanatos asked with amazement. The others looked at each other with shock.

"I...lost the pregnancy...a month later..." Sarine hissed out. "I...my body rejected it..."

"You weren't ready for the pregnancy until now..." Keltin said. He now had a distant look of horror. "That's...that's just..."

"I had to...forget about it...it hurt so much! And...I couldn't tell you in my letters...since it would have...just...made it worse!" she gasped through her tears, and Howard continued to rock her and himself. Sammy was silent, and Eremes had a pained look on his face. Kiehl was looking down into the tub water and struggling to keep from shouting his own pain at her loss. It was even worse, since he saw Howard as a part of himself, and her pregnancy loss felt like his, too. Errende and Thanatos were both hurting for her, and her other slaves were showing their own forms of sorrow.

"Ah!" Howard gasped. He cradled her, his tears joining hers. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry that I wasn't there! I..."

"Howard!" Doppy said sternly to get his attention. "Listen to me! You have two beautiful children  _right now_! Don't let this get to you! She lost a pregnancy. Yes, it hurts us all. You said she was going to eventually give you three identical triplet daughters. That Muninn told you this and confirmed this. I think that this is the pregnancy she was going to have with you. I believe that her father is giving them back to you!"

"Oh! Doppy?!" Sarine gasped, and she trembled with shock. "You...you think so?"

"I know so," Doppy nodded. "Like you always say, Sorry Sari. Things happen for a reason. You couldn't handle three kids on your own. So...yeah. You lost the pregnancy. But, you can handle them now. You have husbands, mates, slaves, and friends that are here to support you. You forgot about the pregnancy like you had forgotten about me. You had to forget and let it come back when you were ready for it."

"Doppy!" Sarine said, and pulled him close to kiss desperately. Then she kissed Howard, and he clung to her. He had no choice but to have her now. The others understood completely, and he pressed her against the wall of the tub to give her everything he had. After they both cried out, he kept her close to him and kissed her. He started to weep for the pregnancy lost now, and she just hugged him tight. She knew he was going to grieve when he found out, but she knew that Doppy was right, too.  _I will have another chance to properly have the pregnancy that was lost to me._  She felt him sag against her with exhaustion now, and she nuzzled him. They were still shivering with the emotions that plagued them. He was only glad that her mental wall was still up.

"I should never have gone there," Howard whispered hoarsely.

"Love," Sarine sighed. "let's check on Serenity and Siegfried. I'm sure they need us now. Is that okay? Do you want to see them?"

"Yes. Yes, I want to see them," Howard said and carried her out of the tub. The others looked at each other and nodded.

"Besides, Maya Purple needs to give them a drop of blood," she smiled.

"That he does," Howard smiled a touch painfully, and he hugged her tight again. "I don't know if I should tell Seyren."

"It will come out, anyways," she said. "We'll tell him later. Or if he comes to us."

"All right," he nodded and kissed her again. "Let's see our twins."

"Yes," she smiled, and they helped dry each other off. She was still highly upset over everything, and she blinked when she found time frozen. She was the only one moving, and Muninn walked up to her carefully to hug her tight.

" _I didn't want anyone else to intervene or question why I'm here,_ " Muninn whispered.

"Not even How-How or Kiehl?" she frowned. "Or Thanatos?"

" _Not this time. You are far too upset, Sarine. So, I am here for you this once in secret. To help calm you. To ease your thoughts a bit. After we are done, you can tell Howard. He'll find out anyways from your thoughts,_ " he said, as he cradled her. She trembled, as fresh tears started, and he kissed her hard. He knew she needed him as much as he needed her. Her craving for sex was on hold. This was to comfort her and reconcile her. He also felt the need to give her his blood.  _That it was important, if she was to have the Demonic Mating._  He wasn't sure why, but it was something he had to do.

"Muninn..." she trembled, and he picked her up to carry her into the tub. He took her in any position he could think of before letting her settle on him for the pleasuring loop to happen. After what should have been several hours, he moved to let her pull away from him. He had a potion on him for this and used it before hugging her tight.

" _You were actually about to remember it when talking about your past a few months back, but, I think Huginn pushed the memory away. He knew you would hurt, if you remembered it. Even I knew that it was going to hurt you when you remembered. Just know that you_ will _get them back. Father Odin had protected their souls for their reformation in you. It will be confirmed later when time moves. Take comfort in that,_ " he smiled. She nodded and let him take her out of the tub to dry her off. He kissed her passionately once more before letting her get back into position for time to resume. She looked at Howard, and he blinked at what happened from the memories she showed him, but he nodded when he hugged her. He gave her a soft kiss, and they turned to leave the bathroom.

Then she paused, as Observation came up to her. Howard blinked and sighed at the angel. He saw the instinctive look in the angel's eyes. The sorrow she had made him decide to claim her for First Mate Rights. He wanted to help her, if she ever needed it, and this was one of the best ways to do it. After reading her letters, and, now, the reveal of her lost pregnancy, he knew he needed to do this. He had been thinking on it ever since it was given to him as an option. He had to take action now before he lost the opportunity.

"Hurry!" Howard said. Sarine scowled at the angel. Observation knew it was instinctive, so he ignored it, grabbed her, pinned her to the ground, and took her.

"Unopposed mating Rights for the Angelic Race," Sammy mused. "He's a First Mate now. This will help us, too."

"I claimed her for the Draconic Race when she swapped blood with me," Drago chuckled. "It was, actually, instinctive to do. I couldn't stop myself."

"Wonderful," Thanatos snickered. After she cried out with Observation, he backed away and gasped at what he was able to do. She simply got up, looked at him, and tackled him. After she brought the angel to the point of pain and pleasure, she looked at Maya Purple.

"I'll show this to you after we see the children. I'm sure I have to nurse them," she said and moved to dress in her Sniper gears before walking out to the nursery. Howard managed a chuckle when he followed her, and Maya Purple gave a nervous smile. Observation managed to move a touch wearily, but he was getting better at handling it. Maya Purple walked over to him, but the angel gave a soft chuckle and showed he was all right. Sarine was already nursing Gunther when they caught up. Howard was holding Serenity and Siegfried in his lap, and hugging them both to him.

"Keel!" Serenity said with delight, and Kiehl chuckled when he moved over to sit with Howard. Kiehl planted a kiss on her cheek, and he let Serenity sit on Howard's knee and his knee. She was very happy to have them both there.

"Look, Serenity. That's Maya Purple. He's the new daddy. You want to say hi?" Kiehl asked softly. Serenity looked at the near-naked man in the bug headdress, collar, and black leather loincloth curiously.

"New Dad?" she frowned.

"Hi, there," Maya Purple chuckled. He reached out his hand for her to shake it, since he knew most humans met with a handshake. She looked at his hand and grasped it to pull him closer to sniff. Then she studied his hand silently and bit down hard on his thumb to get a sample of his blood. He blinked with surprise and yelped, "Ouch! You could have warned me, Howard! I thought I gave her the sample of my own accord!"

"Sorry, Maya Purple," Howard chuckled softly. Sarine laughed a little and gave Gunther to Doppy to burp, as she was given Edward to nurse next. Siegfried smelled the new blood and reached for the wounded hand. At Sarine's nod, Maya Purple let him get a sample. Then he moved to Gunther for him to get a drop of blood, and the other three kids got their drops one at a time. Sarine was able to let Edward get a taste before letting him nurse again.

"Try and introduce yourself again," Errende said, as he Healed Maya Purple's hand.

"If you say so," Maya Purple said. "Hello, Serenity."

"Bug!" Serenity said, as she pointed at him.

"Yes, he is a bug man. You should see his whole body!" Kiehl chuckled.

"Huh?!" she asked with confusion.

"I'm really a very big bug man," Maya Purple said.

"Big bug man?" Siegfried blinked. "I wanna see!"

"Me first!" Serenity pouted.

"You can both see," Maya Purple said with a touch of delight. "I'll be right back."

"Do you think the nursery is big enough?" Sarine frowned.

"I can climb on the walls," Maya Purple winked, as he went to the bedroom.

"That will scare them," Howard frowned.

"Climb walls?!" Siegfried gaped. "I wanna see!"

"Me, too!" his sister said.

"Lovely," Sarine chuckled. A soft, skittering sound in the hallway was heard, and he managed to move his body neatly through the double doors. He settled on the wall now and let his body adjust to the new position. The claws at the tips of his long, bug legs anchored themselves securely, and it looked like he was now sitting upright in the air, as his body bent back to let him see them clearly. He crossed his arms and chuckled at the kids. Serenity and Siegfried stared with complete awe at him, and now they looked at each other.

"I ride! Ride!" Serenity squealed with delight.

"Me first!" Siegfried scowled.

"Now look at what you started!" Sammy laughed. Maya Purple grinned.

"Outside, though. Better out there than in here," Howard said. Aliot and Observation gathered up the two kids to move them outside, and Sarine looked lovingly at Maya Purple.

"The kids are adorable," Maya Purple said. "I will guard them with my life."

"Good," she said, and he moved carefully over to her to kiss her deeply before moving his massive body outside. Edward was handed to Thanatos, and she was given Angela to nurse next. Howard moved over to Sarine and kissed her gently.

"I love my family," he smiled. "All of my kids. My wife. My brothers..."

"Brothers, eh?" Doppy chuckled.

"Well, yes. We all have the same blood in a way, now. So, yes. Brothers," Howard said with a nod. "Seyren is a brother, too, but he's more like, oh, the idiot on the end of the ladder."

"How-How!" Sarine frowned. Eremes chuckled, and Keltin grinned, as he moved to run his hand over her belly.

"No movement yet?" Keltin smiled.

"No. Not yet. Could be a couple of days," she nodded. "If what they say about the twins' growth is true with your Rage, it could even be by tomorrow."

"We'll see what happens," Sammy said, as he took up Angela to evaluate. She was given Bianca next to nurse, and she whispered softly to Doppy's daughter. The little girl giggled and started to nurse hungrily now. Doppy leaned down and pressed a kiss to Sarine's mouth before setting Edward in Errende's arms. Seyren walked into the room with a smile, since Maya Purple was able to give both kids rides on his back at once, and he saw them while they left the house. Howard moved to shift his body in front of Sarine to help shield her a bit for privacy. Doppy was quick to help with his muscle mass.

"He's incredible!" Seyren laughed, as he sat down. Howard looked at him with a touch of sadness in his eyes, and he hugged Sarine tight. He was still affected by the pregnancy loss in her past, and it was going to take a while for it to settle with him. In a way, he knew it would never truly settle with him until his triplets were formed and birthed. Seyren noticed this, and his smile vanished when he looked at them both. She thought that it was time for Seyren to be told.

"Sarine...okay..." Howard sighed with a nod and looked at Seyren. "Seyren, do you remember the night I spent with her before we went to Lighthalzen?"

"Yes. I walked in on you. How can I not forget that?" Seyren chuckled.

"Yeah," Howard trembled. "It turns out...that I got Sarine pregnant that night..."

"What?" Seyren his grin turned into a look of complete shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing now.

"She...lost the pregnancy...a month later..." Howard gasped. He choked up and leaned into Sarine. He was trying hard to keep the tears back, but it was something he couldn't help. Kiehl moved to rest his hands on her shoulders to help comfort her.

"You're serious. Aren't you?" Seyren asked gently.

"I...couldn't say anything. Not in my letters or...or..." she paused, and Howard kissed her gently. "At first...I wanted it to be a surprise! But...when I lost it...my babies...I forced myself to forget about it. I didn't know it was triplets. I only knew that...well...it was something that How-How gave me out of love. And I lost it. I felt that... I lost everything that I had from How-How. So, I made myself forget about it. I had no choice. It was the only way I could keep going...you see..."

"Oh..." Seyren swallowed and blinked several times. "Why do you think you lost it?"

"I think," Doppy said softly. "and I already explained this to her, but I think she lost it, because she wasn't ready for it. I strongly believe that the triplets that she will give Howard later on is going to be the same pregnancy that she lost."

"Did Muninn confirm this?" Seyren asked with some hope in his eyes.

"Not really," Sarine frowned. Sammy moved to the balcony and called in Muninn.

_:Doppelganger. Speaks true!:_  Muninn said, and he perched on a chair.  _:Father Odin. Knows. And he. Is keeping. Triplet spirits. Safe. In Valhalla. After. Eremes Guile. Gives her. Children. She will. Have them. After that. Slaves. Will give. Her children.:_

"Ah!" Howard said with a gasp, and he hugged her carefully, as she was still nursing. Doppy smiled softly, and Sarine seemed to sag with relief.  _I will get the pregnancy I lost back. Muninn had told me that it would be confirmed, and now it has._ Sammy nodded at this, and Eremes moved to pat Howard on the back.

"Likely before the end of the year..." Eremes thought. "If her pregnancies and rest periods are two months at a time...if that..."

_:Yes. Next year. Children grow. Fast. After you. Give birth. To. Our human. Bodies. Once they. Are fully. Grown. The war. May happen. But! No. Need others. First.:_  he thought now, as she would need to give birth to his children and Huginn's children, since they would be the ones to kill the evil off.

"I see," Thanatos frowned. "Well, Sammy is next with Kiehl, it seems. Aliot still needs to impregnate Sarine. Not sure when the Demonic Mating will happen."

"It could happen at any time," she sighed. Bianca got fussy when she finished nursing, and Errende took her to cradle her to sleep in his arms. Howard held Sarine close to him, as he helped fix up her top, and she gently wiped the tears away from his eyes. He gave a bit of a trembling sigh, and she ran her hands through her hair to comfort him.

"I'm sorry about the loss," Seyren said gently. "It will affect all of us. But, at least we know that it was only...delayed. If you think of it that way."

"Delayed?" Howard muttered, as he thought now.

"Yes. Delayed for now. And it will come back soon," Seyren nodded. "It's not completely lost. Just pushed back. Think of it like that. You will still have your daughters. Just not as soon as they should have been. In a way, it's a bit better now. We have a big home for them to run around and play in with their other brothers and sisters. Can you imagine the mess we would have been in caring for three daughters on the road?!"

"Heh...true..." Howard chuckled and cleared his throat. "It was just the shock of knowing. I didn't expect it."

"Now, that I can understand," Seyren nodded and got up to walk downstairs to inform the others of this bit of sad news. Howard looked at Sarine now, and she pulled him into a tight hug. When they heard their children giggling and laughing with joy outside when they moved past the balcony, Howard started to break down into tears again. But, it was with happiness. She held him, as he pressed his face into her neck, and Kiehl kept his hands on her shoulders the whole time to give what comfort he could to her. Now he put a hand on Howard's shoulder to show that he understood. He would stand by his side, as Howard would stand by his.

"My family..." Howard whispered when he had control of himself.

"Yes," she smiled. She was able to fix up her top a bit more. "Your family, and always getting bigger! New additions on the way. Another chance to fix something wronged, too."

"Good," he nodded, and she dried his tears before kissing him. Kiehl gave a soft smile, and she reached up to rest her hand over his. Howard looked up at him with a brotherly smile, and he nodded to him with complete understanding. They looked over, as Maya Purple carried Serenity in his arms, and Siegfried was on his back clinging to the hardened wing covers.

"Did you have fun?" Maya Purple asked.

"Yah! Again!" Siegfried giggled.

"More!" Serenity laughed.

"Maybe later. I'm tired now," Maya Purple said.

"But, Buggy..." Serenity pouted.

"Buggy?" Howard glanced at his daughter.

"Well, I told them to call me Maypu, but they insisted on Buggy. I'm fine with it for now," he chuckled. "You guys need a nap."

"What?" Siegfried frowned.

"Grandma Maya will want to see you both tomorrow," Maya Purple said.

"Oh, that's right!" Sarine chuckled. "She is, technically, a grandmother now."

"Yay! Anudder Gramma!" Serenity said, as she clapped her hands. Kiehl chuckled and helped pluck the kids off of Maya Purple.

"Kel has Gramma?" Siegfried asked.

"No. She...died a long time ago. But, it's okay! Don't worry. You have your grandmother from Amatsu, too," Kiehl said. "So, you have two grandmothers now."

"Yah!" Serenity nodded and hugged Kiehl before letting him put her in the crib to rest.

"I need to get some fresh air," Sarine sighed. Howard chuckled and moved to help her outside with the others. Thanatos decided to help her out for some odd reason. Then he looked at Doppy, and the demons tensed in knowing when her familiar scent started to tickle their senses. She took in a deep breath and started to feel uncomfortable. She began to feel a bit warm, and she started to breathe out hissing breaths.

"Sarine?" Howard frowned. She made her way out of the house and seemed to stand in front of it. She was waiting. Then he saw Aliot tense and fight something within himself. Doppy now glared at Sarine and readied to bolt after her.

"Shit! Her Demonic Mating!" Thanatos hissed, as her scent now reached him fully.

"It's starting now?!" Howard gaped. He saw Naght fly out from the house with a snarl when he looked into Howard's thoughts. Ifrit was made aware by Eremes, and he came over to try and challenge the others. Kiehl blinked, but found that he didn't need to go, as he was a First Mate. Yet, something surged within him to try and prove himself to her.  _For two weeks, I was away from her, and I need to show her that I'm not going to leave her alone like that again._ It was a deeply rooted, instinctive feeling. Once he made the decision to join, her scent started to affect him. The ones that were not Demonic would not be affected by her scent, unless they chose to join in the Demonic Mating frenzy.

Maya Purple narrowed his eyes, but chose not to join this one, since he had just become a First Mate for the Insect Race. He had no real need to join. Seyren was about to come out of the house to find out what was going on, but Byorgue stopped him. He wasn't going to let anyone that wasn't intimate with Sarine the chance to join.

"What's going on?" Seyren asked.

"Her Demonic Mating started! Stay here!" Byorgue hissed. "We don't want Baphomet to get involved! Keep the others here, too!"

"Oh...!" Seyren blinked and took the advice. Drago was a First Mate for the Draconic Race and had no need to try to fight for her. Injustice and Observation looked at each other. Injustice wasn't a First Mate, but the angel was now.

"I'll stay out of it this time. Maybe I'll try next time," Injustice said, and Byorgue nodded with agreement. Maya Purple moved into the house now to help keep the others back. Sammy, Howard, and Keltin stood aside to watch from a distance with Eremes. Errende watched calmly and stayed with Sammy. They still didn't know how the dominant males would react to outsiders. Sarine rose up to see her challengers, and she hissed instinctively. The six now dominant males hissed back. Kiehl was letting his instinct take over, and he was amazed at how smoothly he worked with it. Even Ifrit was a touch impressed with himself. Aliot was a bit surprised at himself. As a slave, he shouldn't have this dominant nature, but it was instinct that was driving him. He had no choice in it. He had to answer the call and fight for her.

Another ten minutes crawled by, as the six males stared at her. She finally growled harshly and bolted, as Aliot charged at her first. She boosted her speed with her Wind Walk skill and ran faster. The males chasing her shouted and hissed their frustration at her, as they continued to chase her down. She led them all over the island this time and instinctively avoided the arena. She wanted to find a place that would challenge them all with skill, power, reflexes, and acute timing. Now she grinned, as she remembered a place. She headed towards the ruins.

Naght howled with rage when he saw the pillars around them now.  _There would be no way that any of them could fight dirty this time._ Each move would need to be carefully calculated to avoid being stuck somewhere and knock something down. She was truly going to see which one impressed her now, and Naght could only admire her way of thinking.  _It was how a true demoness would think._ She let them get away with it the first time, as she didn't know what to do or what to expect. Not any other time. When they stopped at the base of a set of old, stone steps, she was at the top of them. She turned now and seemed to smirk at them all to signal that she was ready to watch. A glance at the pillars was all she gave to tell them one thing.  _Don't knock anything down._ Then she keened out her cry to show it had begun.

Doppy roared and moved to attack Thanatos first to start the fighting. Sarine sat down and watched each male carefully, as well as critically. The moment any of them knocked a pillar down, or faltered, they would be marked down on her list. Kiehl brought out his ghost to help him attack, as his mind made instinctive calculations on where to strike. Aliot's blades were fully out and extended to attack any male that got near him with precise precision. To make it even worse on their focus, Ifrit brought out his intense heat to disorient them all, but Doppy wasn't affected by it. His armor protected him against the heat wave.

Thanatos snarled out and started attacking Ifrit to throw the Fire elemental off. Naght roared and started to help double team Ifrit, even though he wasn't affected by the heat, either. Naght knew that it didn't matter with him if he didn't get the extra Bragging Rights, but he was testing Ifrit's strength for himself. If he could help get Ifrit out of the fight, then it would be smoother for the others and be a form of Bragging Rights for him. This was one of the few times that they would be able to fight each other and not be scorned for it. If they wanted to test each other's true strengths without Sarine getting upset, then it would have to be during a Demonic Mating ritual. The only other time would have to happen before Sarine claimed them to her side.

"Look at them go!" Howard whispered at a safe distance.

"Incredible!" Keltin whispered.

"Naght and Thanatos are focused on Ifrit..." Eremes frowned. "They need to take him out to disperse the heat wave...or make him lose focus..."

"It would make sense," Sammy nodded. "Ifrit is clearly trying to throw them all off."

"Who's winning?" Errende asked, as he sat with them. The other slaves were back at the house to keep themselves, and the others, out of the way.

"No one right now. Aliot is actually holding his own fairly well," Howard said. "She brought them to an enclosed area to make the fighting harder. She really is looking to see who is worthy of her this time. If any of them knock down a pillar or mess up, they get marked down. It's...really interesting how her mind works right now! She's so critical!"

"I have an idea," Sammy grinned. "We make a Demonic Mating arena. Underground. It would be safer and provide tougher challenges to the fighters. We can change it up each time to surprise them. This way, none of them will know what to expect. We will let her view it herself with one of us to ensure she likes it."

"That is mean. And I like it! We'll have to see who can help her look around at everything. Likely Storm Caller, since any of us can try to fight for her," Howard chuckled. The others grinned and nodded. They watched the fighting go on back and forth for an hour before Sarine stood up and keened out. The six males stopped and turned to face her. A few of them were panting from the exertion, as they hissed out back at her. She crossed her arms and looked at the sky to think. She looked at Doppy first. Then it was Thanatos. A glance was given to Kiehl next. Naght was now looked at. Then Ifrit got a glance. Lastly was Aliot.

"Doppy won!" Howard blinked with shock.

"Thanatos is second, and Kiehl got third! Naght got fourth, but it doesn't matter for him," Keltin said. "Ifrit got fifth, and Aliot got sixth."

"Interesting..." Eremes chuckled. They watched Doppy bolt over to Sarine to shred off her clothes and pin her to the ground, as she fought back hard. She almost escaped him when his armor fell off him, but he caught her wrist and yanked her back to him. Once he got her pinned on the ground, he thrust sharply into her and howled his release. She screamed with him, and he backed away for Thanatos to pin her down next to claim her before she had a chance to bolt.

"I'll have to mend My Lady's clothes each time, it seems," Errende frowned, and Howard sighed. "We can't let her run around naked. I'll make do."

"No, we can't let her do that," Keltin said. Thanatos made way for Kiehl after he roared his release, and she instinctively tried to fight Kiehl off. He ignored her attempts to hurt him and was able to shift aside his clothing to take her. He was already a First Mate of sorts, but this was his first Demonic Mating, and she had to try to fight him. He released hard in her with his own roar of successful mating. He let Naght take over to pin her neatly to the ground. She knew he was already a First Mate and didn't fight him as much when he claimed his mating Rights again. When Ifrit moved over to her, she snarled at him, and he used his heat to pin her down easily to make her his. After Ifrit hissed out his release, Aliot moved quickly to claim her weakened form for himself. He didn't pull away from her, since he was last, and he now moved to assist her and help her rest. He wasn't very pleased with himself.

"I was last..." Aliot frowned, as he hugged her. "I'll have to get better."

"You will. Just...practice fighting," she sighed, and sagged against him, as he held her. Doppy roared out his victory of being First Mate, and the others nodded to him. He was now on equal rank with Naght. They would nod to each other to show they recognized the Rights when they met up. Thanatos was clearly not happy, but he knew that he was a First Mate to her when time was frozen. His rank didn't count when time was moving.

"I'll beat you next time!" Thanatos growled out.

"We'll see!" Doppy grinned smugly. Thanatos was now forced to nod to him, and Doppy dressed back up in his armor. Then he knelt down to Sarine's side. Aliot nodded to Doppy and let her go to him. He stood up with her to cradle her, and he thought about what to do about her clothing. Sarine coughed a bit to catch her breath and suddenly cried out with pain. Doppy hissed and fell to his knees with her, as a shock of pain hit him in the gut. Sammy rushed to her side, as Thanatos moved closer to her to inspect her.

"Aliot just impregnated her," Thanatos said, as he studied her womb. "She needs bitter and sour foods now to go with the sweet and salty foods."

"Already?!" Aliot blinked.

"Yes. Thanatos is right," Sammy said, as he walked over to evaluate Sarine. "They grew quickly to catch up with Keltin's twins, and that's where the pain hit. She'll be having quadruplets again. We need to feed her now."

"So, she will not get impregnated with me until it is time for Eremes?" Ifrit asked.

"Yes. That is what will happen. Kiehl will get her pregnant with mine next after she births these children," Sammy said. "It's been foreseen by Muninn."

"I'm seeing to your every need, My Lady! Don't try and stop me!" Aliot said with a grin. Naght rumbled lightly and now sped off back to the house to guard the nursery again. Ifrit seemed to nod to Kiehl, Doppy, and Thanatos, as he sped off back to the house. Kiehl nodded to Doppy and Thanatos, as he moved to help with Sarine.

"My Lady?" Kiehl asked, and she leaned into him.

"I brought a sewing kit with me. Give me a moment, and I'll fix up her clothes," Errende said. Aliot helped him gather up her ruined Sniper gears.

"Sarine, are you all right?" Howard asked, as he moved to her side now.

"I'll be okay..." she said a touch weakly. Doppy snarled out with a dominant form of protection now. She was now officially his mate and not just his wife. Kiehl felt the same way about her and nodded to him. Being a First Mate, himself, he should have equal Rights with Doppy, but he chose to go with the Demonic Mating rules to show that he respected them. Doppy actually rose a brow at this. It clearly impressed him to no end, and Kiehl was now tolerable to an extent. It showed that Kiehl could be trusted with various things.

Even Thanatos noticed this and found himself intrigued. Naght was informed through Howard of Kiehl's actions, and this was going to convince him to trust Kiehl even more now. The massive demon knew how Howard felt towards Kiehl, and this was going to push the demon into thinking the same thoughts of seeing Kiehl as a true blood brother. It was hard to gain the trust of demons. Just by respecting their rules was a bonus start, and Kiehl had no idea.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy now whispered gently to her, as he held her. "What do you want to do now? We still have a bit of daylight left."

"I need to eat. Then, I think, maybe the arena?" she asked.

"We can do that..." Eremes nodded.

"Beach day tomorrow, right?" Howard chuckled.

"Yeah," she smiled.

"When did you want to torment...eh...I mean work with Kavach?" Errende asked, as he mended her clothes. Doppy smirked, and Keltin laughed lightly.

"After the arena closes," she nodded. "I should be good by then."

"We'll do that," Howard nodded. Keltin moved to Sarine now to place a hand on her belly, and she leaned into him. Aliot hesitated at first, but then he placed his hand on her belly, as well. He was in the first stage of fatherly shock. Doppy was able to tolerate the two of them being so close, since she was pregnant with their children.

"You'll get used to it," Keltin chuckled. "I still am."

"I would hope so," Aliot sighed. "I'm afraid to do anything that could upset My Lady."

"Aliot," Sarine sighed, and Doppy shifted her to sit up. "I'm still me. Just...having your kids now. Be yourself! You have no need to do anything different."

"Well, I'll be a touch more protective of you, My Lady!" Aliot grinned.

"That is expected," she nodded and pulled him close to kiss deeply. She kissed Keltin next and hugged them both to her. She looked up, as Errende gave her back her mended clothing.

"I made the top a little larger for you," he said. "I know it's been getting a bit tighter for you now. I hope it's all right."

"Hmm," she thought, as she was able to dress and examined the slightly looser top. Looking at him, she yanked him close by his collar and planted a kiss on him that left him gasping. Smiling, as she let him go, he was slightly dazed now, and he chuckled when he came around. Kiehl laughed a bit and found himself getting kissed the same way.

"We need to feed you," Sammy said.

"I know," she said and planted another kiss on Kiehl before letting Keltin move to scoop her up in his arms. She snuggled into his chest, as he carried her. Doppy moved with them now, and he glared at anything that didn't seem right while they walked. Howard also kept a lookout, as they walked back to the house. It was just something they always did now. They knew that nothing was going to happen, but it never helped to stop the thought that something could. It was a good thing they kept vigilant.

Doppy moved in front of them and braced himself with a heavy snarl. Thanatos looked at him and growled in response.  _Something pissed off Doppy._  Sammy looked around and moved Keltin with Sarine to the center of them. Naght was called, as well as Ifrit. When they got there, Doppy hissed in Demonic to them.

"Where, Doppy?" Eremes asked.

"You should still be able to Detect for yourself. You're not humans yet!" Doppy growled. Eremes Cloaked and now moved about the area swiftly.

"Huh?" Sarine asked. Keltin hushed her, and Byorgue was seen with the other slaves now. They came to find her, since they got worried, and Kiehl gave them a look that something wasn't right. Maya Purple was able to Detect anyone with Drago and Observation. Kiehl had his senses going with Aliot, since they could Detect invisible creatures, too. Even Byorgue could Detect invisible things. Injustice was the only one that couldn't Detect others, and Sammy would see about giving him a loop of his hair to fix that. It would be the same with Errende, although he could cast the skill of Ruwach that could let him reveal invisible things and attack them at the same time. Howard pulled out his Vecer Axe and waited with them now.

"Let me go!" a small shout was heard far off. Doppy snarled out, and Eremes tossed a boy in front of them. He had obviously wandered from the arena. Maya Purple buzzed angrily, and Naght hissed with hatred.

"Who are you?" Howard asked, as his form misted out. That made the boy panic.

"Um...no one special! Honest!" he said.

"Then he won't be missed if we kill him!" Doppy snarled, and Thanatos pulled his sword off his back. Sarine frowned and managed to have Keltin set her down. She pulled him with her, and she looked at the boy now. He was a Swordsman and appeared to be in his late teens. His hair was pale brown and looked frazzled. His skin was tanned, and he had a very youthful look to his features. He wasn't very handsome now, but age would always change that. He looked at her with his light blue eyes and gaped at the beautiful Sniper girl.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" she asked in her dulcet tone.

"Um..." the boy fretted. "My name is Jenks. I...was told to wait in the stands by the Kafra Agent, and some other guys told me I was waiting in the wrong area. They...told me to head to the other side of the island for a special waiting area for better monsters. All I asked was to make sure I was in the right line! I knew I shouldn't have listened to them!"

"Really?" she frowned. "There is no such thing as a special area. I would know, since I'm the one who set up the arena to begin with. Whoever told you this is a liar. If it was multiple challengers that said this, then they will need to be dealt with. Swiftly."

"My Lady," Kiehl said with a grin. "I could experiment on them..."

"No, Kiehl. You have no space in your workshop right now. They would need to be imprisoned, and I don't want that. Doppy and Thanatos will just have to kill them. With Naght and Ifrit, of course," she mused. The strong monsters grinned and laughed wickedly at this news. They couldn't wait to find the troublemakers now.

"Wait," Jenks said and blinked. "You're the Vessel of Odin! Aren't you?"

"What gave it away?" she giggled. Sammy blinked with surprise that he recognized her and wondered if Muninn missed this one. Then he recalled how Muninn said that only those that were pure of heart and of good standings would be able to know her for who she was. Howard still kept his axe out, and Eremes hovered over the boy in case he tried anything. Naght hissed and brandished his red and blue swords. Now the boy surprised them by kneeling before her with respect. Keltin frowned at first and kept his guard up.

"My name is Jenks Sunderland, and I would be honored to help protect you," he said.

"Oh?" she blinked curiously. "Such chivalry is so rare! And how old are you, Jenks?"

"I'm eighteen now. I'm almost ready to become a Knight. I was going to become a Lord Knight when I transcended," he said.

"Hmm," Howard said, as he looked at Sammy. "What do you think?"

"Best get Muninn for this one," Sammy said and focused in the sky.

"Muninn?!" Jenks asked with surprise.

"Yes. My brother, in fact," Sarine nodded. His jaw dropped, and the falcon swooped down to land protectively on Sarine's shoulders to glare at him. Then he tilted his head with a touch of rare surprise.  _I had missed this one, because he was extremely honorable._

_:Jenks Sunderland?:_  Muninn warbled in thought.  _:It is. True. You could. Help her. But. You need. To grow. More. First.:_

At this, the demons relaxed a bit more. _If he was truly any harm, Muninn would have said so._ Howard was able to put away his axe now, and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I can train while I protect her! Can't I? It...it was always my dream to serve royalty! I don't want to be a Knight of Prontera, though. I want to serve old royalty. Real royalty," Jenks said. "I can do so much to help you all!"

"Not much now," Doppy growled. "I can run you through in one move!"

"Doppelganger!" Sarine frowned, and she gestured for him. He moved to get calmed by her now, and he purred when she ran her hands through his hair in a loving way. "Sorry. He likes to fight a bit too much at times."

"Doppelganger?!" Jenks freaked.

"Don't forget Ifrit and Naght Seiger," Howard grinned.

"Oh...wow..." Jenks blinked.

"And me," Thanatos smirked. Jenks recognized him now. On studying Kiehl, he realized who the monster was. His jaw dropped again.

"As you see, I have plenty of protection. You could see if my Papa in Amatsu needs help. He is always recruiting new guards. He is the Emperor of Amatsu," she thought.

"I could," Jenks said. "Then I can ask to help protect you, and he could order it!"

"Maybe," she nodded. "But, you would have to prove your worth to him first. Amatsu was devastated from attack some time ago. It's a complicated tale."

"I know. Rumors of a wicked Empress went around that she got mad and destroyed the place. No one knows where she is," Jenks said. That made the men pause and stifle laughter.

"She's dead. I killed her," Sammy said, and Jenks realized that he was Incantation Samurai. "Because she tried to hurt Sarine, who is our Vessel of Odin. It was, in fact, not the Empress that destroyed the palace. It was Baphomet and the warrior Valkyrie from Odin's temple with her maidens that did it."

"Really?!" Jenks asked with outrage. "I thought it didn't make sense. Um...what did the Empress do to you? If...it's all right for me to ask?"

"Well..." Sarine frowned, and Eremes grimaced. "Not only was I imprisoned in a dark cell for most of my childhood and left to die, but I was captured a second time, raped by evil guards, and they tried to remove my tattoo. My Mark of Odin. She...told them to. In a way."

"What?" Jenks asked with disbelief. She turned now to flip her hair back to reveal the tattoo of the raven in flight on the back of her neck. A fist rose up to his chest as though to honor it. Muninn caught the movement. So did the others. "They would dare to desecrate you?!"

"Amatsu is different now..." Eremes said, as he moved to comfort her. "The Emperor was under a spell. On the death of the Empress, he was freed. Sarine and her adoptive father...reconciled..."

"Well, that's good. As long as that woman is dead!" Jenks said.

_:Hmm.:_  Muninn cooed, and landed on the ground to become his human self. Jenks gaped with surprise, and Muninn grinned at him. Looking at him again with a critical eye, Muninn gestured for everyone to relax, as he spoke, " _Jenks, you think you are strong enough to protect my sister. What sort of proof do you have? You have not even become a Knight, and you are already boasting of performing great deeds!_ "

"Well, my family was supposed to have been descended from a long line of heroes. I'm one of the last few left of my family that believes that the heroic bloodline was not lost, and I want to prove to my immediate family that I have hero blood in me. I have distant relations that believe in me, but my immediate family does not. They all think I'm clumsy, when I'm not. That I don't have what it takes. I want to prove them wrong!" he said. "I became a Swordsman, and they acted like it was pure luck! I worked hard for this!"

" _You speak true. You worked hard for everything. You are definitely hero quality. And, furthermore, it is hard work and determination that helps make a true hero! I can see that you do resemble your various ancestors from the past. It is that resemblance in spirit and physical form that marks you for what you are destined to become. Forget what your current family says. They are no longer important, if they don't believe in you. But, you MUST get stronger before you can even think of trying to protect my sister. Go to her adoptive father in Amatsu and tell him that Muninn sent you. He will take care of you and train you from there. Go!_ "

"Thank you!" Jenks said. "Also, the men that told me where to go are still at the arena! I'd thank them, but I don't want them to know of the opportunity they just helped me reach. They've been deceiving others constantly, it seems."

"Thank you for the information. They will be dealt with," Sarine said. She moved forward to lightly touch his forehead, as he was still kneeling for her. Maya Purple blinked, as she was doing what a princess would do to honor a true warrior. She smiled and said, "When you next see me, I know you will be able to help protect me, and I will have you speak with Garrett Lockheart. He is the Captain of Prontera's Royal Guard. The Captain from Amatsu's Royal Guard is here, too, and he can also direct you when the times comes."

"Thank you, Vessel of Odin!" Jenks said and rose up to move back to the arena to head to Amatsu. Muninn chuckled and looked at his sister now.

" _He will prove himself in the days to come. Father Odin is curious of his destiny and is looking into it. He is also thinking of starting a small honor guard again. Much like the one that Keltin was training for._ "

"Are you serious? The Warriors of Odin will rise again?!" Keltin gaped.

" _Yes. And you are to help train them, since you are the last true Warrior of Odin. Other than Doppelganger, of course,_ " Muninn grinned.

"It should be so obvious!" Doppy grinned, as his armor reflected the ravens in flight. "I'll test them and see if they can stand up to me in battle."

"As long as you don't test Keltin," Sarine frowned.

"No, I won't. I know we are evenly matched," Doppy said.

" _Oh, Keltin! I'm going to upgrade you to Detect others. Injustice will have the same upgrade. Keltin, you must be in your Bongun form for it to work naturally. Use your Ruwach skill in your Champion form, or Incantation Samurai's bracelet._ "

"Nice!" Keltin grinned, as he glowed. Injustice glowed, too, and Sarine smiled.  _All of my slaves and husbands could now Detect hidden things around me._ She felt much safer.

"You need to eat!" Thanatos said. He had Errende put his hands on her belly quickly. "Let's get her to the arena and feed her there. We'll track down the lying sons of bitches and gut them open when we get there!"

"Right," Doppy hissed. Ifrit and Naght seemed to snarl as one when they moved again. Maya Purple kept a lookout, since he was the tallest one with his insect body. They got up to the arena balcony, and Sarine now looked out over the challengers, as her husbands, mates and slaves settled around her. Naght Seiger also wanted to know who was spreading the rumors, and he remained with her for this moment.

"I need your attention, please!" Sarine called out to the challengers, and they all looked at her with cheers. She rose up her hands for them to quiet down. "Someone, or some people, have been giving false rumors of another place to wait for the challenges! Whoever you are, come forth NOW! If you do not, my husbands and mates will go down and slaughter you all!"

Doppy and Naght slathered, as Thanatos pulled the sword off his back to show they meant business. Ifrit hissed with a form of wicked delight, and he let his heat lightly reach the crowd of challengers to make them uncomfortable. The Kafra Agent blinked and had no idea that false information was being spread, so she was baffled. Howard was holding his Vecer Axe out again to show he was ready to jump down to help them, if he had to. Kiehl and Sammy moved to either side of her to let their ghosts hover about them. Keltin remained in his Bongun form to keep his arms around her. Eremes flashed his katars and readied himself to jump down into the challengers to start killing them.

"What's going on?" Seyren asked, as he moved up to them now.

"Someone, or various challengers, has been giving false information to new challengers of where to go for secret sign ups and waiting lines," Errende whispered to him.

"What?" Seyren grimaced. "What's the plan if they're caught?"

"Death by husbands and mates," Errende chuckled.

" _We did encounter one that will benefit us in the war ahead, so not all information was false. However, we do not need humans running around where they are not supposed to be,_ " Muninn frowned. Seyren grinned with a nod and went to talk to the others in the guest balcony. Muninn looked over the crowd of challengers, and his sharp, yellow, bird-like eyes spotted four men in the back that were hunkered down. He moved and whispered to his sister. Narrowing her eyes at this, she muttered to Doppy, and he snarled in Demonic.

"I see them..." Eremes growled, and he Cloaked. She watched his form with the help of Sammy's bracelet, and he moved swiftly to the back of the challengers. The four men found themselves thrown into the middle of the arena by Eremes's brute force. The men were in shock that they were caught. She nodded to Doppy, Thanatos, Ifrit, and Naght. They jumped down with glee and circled the men. Eremes Uncloaked at Sarine's side with a grim smile on his face. She kissed him deeply and now studied the High Wizard, the Monk, the Blacksmith, and the Gunslinger. She could already tell that they were up to no good.

"Why do you tell others false information?" Sarine asked lightly. Dracula leaned over in his judge's chair to watch the four men carefully. He was informed of what was going on.

"There's just...there's so many newbies, and they always ask stupid questions!" a High Wizard said. "It's only obvious where the line starts and ends!"

"Were you not the same way once?" Eremes asked with a frown.

"I knew where to look! It was only obvious!" the man countered.

"This island is filled with monsters on a ravaging protective streak! The arena is the only safe place for everyone!" Sarine snarled out. "Yet, you think that you have the right to go around telling people where to go? This is MY island! I set the rules! If anyone here dares to challenge my rules, then you answer to them!"

She pointed to the strong monsters on the arena floor now. Kiehl pulled his lip back to sneer out at the men on the arena floor now, and Sarine moved to place a hand in his hair to calm him down. He was in an exceptionally protective mood for her from the Demonic Mating, and he was still moving around her by instinct alone.

"Can we just kill them now?!" Doppy asked. Naght howled and let the fire billow from his mouth. Ifrit let his heat wash over the arena to show just how pissed off he was. Thanatos was ready to simply start killing them. Muninn now leaned over to whisper to her.

" _Even if you kill them, they will come back and do it again. Here is what I think. Kill them, imprison them, and let Kiehl experiment on them. But, he will need certain pieces of equipment from Glast Heim. You can go there after tomorrow. It will be safe enough,_ " Muninn smiled a bit darkly. " _None will oppose you._ "

"Really?" Kiehl grinned evilly.

"If that's the case," Sarine thought and gestured for Doppy to come over to her. She whispered to him, and he laughed, as he shouted in Demonic of the new plans. The moment he got back to the others, the powerful monsters killed the humans off.

"Imprisoned?" Lloyd asked, as he moved down to the arena floor.

"Very," Doppy grinned. Max, Seyren and Garrett moved down to help, and several of the Amatsu guards moved now to assist in hauling the men off. Once that was done, Aliot and Observation had Sarine sit down to feed her the various meals she needed. They gave her a drink called Morroc Fruit Wine which was both sweet and sour. Keltin wasn't sure about the wine, but Muninn assured that she would be fine. When that was drunk down, they gave her something called an Awfully Bitter Bracer to satisfy her bitter craving. Then she was given the Assorted Seafood dish to take care of the saltiness she needed. She was given a chocolate bar afterwards, and she snuggled into Keltin with contentment.

"We'll get more of these dishes ready for her," Errende said.

"Good," Keltin nodded, as he caressed her gently. Doppy moved back up to the balcony to sit on one of the thrones, and Naght left with Thanatos and Ifrit to go back to the house.

"How are you feeling, My Lady?" Kiehl asked, as he moved to sit on a stool before her. In response, she placed a foot on his back, and he groaned softly with comfort. She had Byorgue sit on the other stool before her to get the same treatment with her other foot, and he blinked before finding his eyes closing peacefully.

"So, you are giving them a chance at what I feel, My Lady?" Errende chuckled.

"Of course, I am," she nodded. "I'm not too sure of Maya Purple and how his back would work, though."

"My Lady?" Maya Purple asked. He let himself out of his bug body to move to her side. "Think of the hairs on my back as dense fur. Pale and nearly transparent. They won't hurt you."

"Really?" she asked. He turned to let her feel for herself. At the soft touch to his back, he gasped and tensed slightly. It was a complete turn on for him. She seemed to smile coyly and moved her hand to trace up his spine. She was rewarded with a sharp hiss of excited breath.

"I never realized how...sensitive I am..." he blinked.

"Close the curtains," she grinned softly.

"Ah..." Howard blinked and swore softly.

"She's craving, isn't she?" Doppy asked.

"Very badly," Howard winced.

"Hmm..." Eremes thought. Sammy and Errende closed the curtains. She had Keltin move off the royal couch to work on Maya Purple first. She brought him to the brink of pleasure and pain before pushing him over edge. By the time she finally let him go, he knew in his heart the he loved her. He managed to pull himself up and hug her tightly to him, as his body trembled with the new sensations.

"I love you," he muttered softly.

"And I love you, too," she smiled, and kissed him passionately. He gave out a sound like a buzzing purr, and she chuckled at it.

"When do you think I would get you pregnant?" he asked.

"Likely after Howard's triplets, as Muninn said," she whispered.

"Good. But, I am a bit curious," he frowned.

"About what?" she asked. Now Howard looked over with a small frown.

"I'm an insect monster. All insect monsters lay eggs," Maya Purple said. "I don't know what would happen with you."

"I...don't know..." she blinked in thought. "You find me a touch speechless!"

" _That is unknown to me, as well!_ " Muninn frowned. " _We will have to see what happens. Oh! I see! Now that is interesting..._ "

"What is it?" Sammy asked.

" _Um...how can I say this..._ " Muninn thought. " _Sarine, you will be pregnant with Howard's triplets, and you will get impregnated by Maya Purple, too. But...apparently, you are going to produce two eggs for him!_ "

"What?!" Sarine gaped with shock.

"Think about it, My Lady," Maya Purple said, as he held her. "you can only have up to four babies in you at a time. You'll be giving three to Howard and two for me. My race has large insect bodies. You can't develop them in yours. They would need their own space."

"But...for me to...lay eggs?" she blinked.

"My Lady," he smiled. "don't think about it now."

"You're right," she smiled. "When the time comes, I'll worry about it then."

"Good call," Howard whispered.

" _Well, they would hatch at the same time she gives birth to Howard's children._ "

"The eggs my Mother make hatch in a little over a week! About nine days, if that! If she's pregnant with Howard's children, would they be human?" Maya Purple asked.

" _Originally, they would be. But, he has the blood of Naght Seiger in his veins. They would be the way they were during her pregnancy in likeness. They will still be Demonic and grow swiftly. Likely the same as Serenity and Siegfried have. So...no. They will not be completely human. Come to think of it, her pregnancy would have been swift long ago, too. She is human, yet not human all the same._ "

"I thought each pregnancy would be different!" she frowned.

" _With others. If the same males impregnate you again, it would be the same temperaments. So, it's different for each male, but the same conditions from each one._ "

"So...no stress, no fighting, no bad thoughts, no rage..." Sammy started.

"I'll be close by this time, My Lady. Don't worry," Errende said softly.

"That's right! We'll have an ace this time!" Howard sighed with relief.

"But, the pregnancy will still be swift, if those eggs hatch in over a week!" she said.

"My Lady," Aliot said, and he presented her with another chocolate bar. She blinked and snatched it from him. Howard mouthed his thanks. She sighed after she finished it off and winced in pain. Errende moved to place his hands on her belly, as Doppy was about to complain about it. Sammy moved now and judged that they grew a bit more.

"About three inches. Still no movement, but that could change by tomorrow," Sammy said lightly. Errende blinked at a thought from Thanatos, and he looked over at Kiehl.

"What's up?" Kiehl asked.

"We need to get her something meaty, like a roast or something as dense as that," Errende said. "Lord Thanatos says that she needs this now."

"I'll check!" Aliot said, as he wanted to see to her every need. He wanted to personally ensure her care while she was pregnant with his twins. Of course, he would do this, anyways, but he had a special reason right now. Kiehl nodded and moved to her side when she reached for him. She whispered in his ear, and he stammered with a hard blush. Howard burst into laughter at her mental image for what she really wanted.

"Wow!" Howard gasped, as he struggled for air. "That was graphic!"

"You mean like this?" she asked him, and now he went silent and tensed up with lust.

"That's not fair!" he snapped.

"What did she show you?" Doppy asked. He leaned over and described the image in vast detail. Doppy's jaw dropped, and now he looked at her with a wanting hiss.

"Come and get me!" she grinned wickedly. Doppy and Howard both pounced on her now, and Kiehl had to stifle a laugh. Then he stammered when she reached for him next. Her appetite for her men reached a high peak now, and each of them were used and abused by her. The moment Aliot got back, he found all of her husbands and slaves gasping from her. She watched him put the plate down, and he tackled her to give her everything he had.

"Where does she...get this?!" Howard gaped.

"Sorry..." Keltin sighed, as he tried to move.

"I'm on fire!" Eremes hissed, as he leaned against the railing.

"You're not the only one," Doppy mumbled.

"It's like she's getting all of the time in with us that she missed while her body was healing!" Sammy mused. "It's incredible!"

"I still feel...I have two weeks...to make up for..." Kiehl groaned, as he worked with the pleasure that still moved through him.

"You're right. Come back here!" she said with a wicked grin, and he had no choice in the matter. He had to obey her. Aliot's heaving form was moved off her now, as she worked on Kiehl again. As much as he was weakened by it, he was enjoying every bit of it.

"Sarine...you're going to kill us!" Howard hissed out.

"No. This is killing you. Get over here with me, too!" she smirked. Howard winced and moved to her side again. She tormented them for a good ten minutes before letting them finally move to dress with her. Errende was able to give her the platter with the roast, and the curtains were pulled back. Seyren looked over to the balcony and stammered at how they all looked.

"I'm telling you! They aren't giving her what she needs!" Karla sighed and got up now to walk over to them.

"Yes, Karla?" Sammy asked.

"Get me Howard or Doppy!" she hissed.

"Oh?" Sammy blinked, and Doppy was able to move better than Howard now.

"You didn't do it to her yet!" Karla frowned.

"She just had a Demonic Mating, woman!" Doppy growled. "She  _still_  wants sex!"

"But, you didn't get her off!" Karla argued.

"What?" Kiehl blinked and managed to move over now. Karla sighed and explained what needed to be done with Sarine. Kiehl now listened with a form of complete interest.

"Well...I do have a way to do things to her when I purr," Doppy mused. "I...vibrate with it, you see."

"I can simulate that!" Kiehl blinked.

"She screams her head off," Doppy now thought. "It...exhausts her!"

"Go get her!" Karla grinned and moved to sit back with her husband. Right after Sarine finished eating, Doppy scooped her up and moved swiftly with her to the house. Kiehl whispered to the others, and they all left the balcony as neatly as they could to join them. When they got to the bedroom, Doppy was in the process of undressing her. He didn't care who was coming into the room right now. He recognized their scents easily. Since he was First Mate now, she didn't fight anything that he wanted to do with her. He let his armor fall off his body, and he shoved her on the bed to start running his mouth over her.

Maya Purple moved his insect body to the back of the room and slipped out of it. Now he moved to watch what Doppy was going to do to finally try to satisfy her.

"We have...an audience..." she hissed out with a soft chuckle.

"I don't care," he growled and moved his mouth between her legs to purr heavily. In seconds, he had her gasping and writhing in his grasp. She cried out sharply when she was brought to release, and he kept at it to make her a violent, heaving mess of sensations. When she started to go hoarse, he moved to shove himself hard inside her to release with her. Only then did he let her rest against him, but he remained locked to her form.

"So, that's how we do it!" Aliot grinned wickedly. Being a Demonic robot, he could purr. Kiehl smirked and thought that it would be easy for him to alter himself slightly to get the desired effect. Then he blinked and grinned wickedly.

"What?" Howard asked, as he looked over with a grin of his own.

"I'm mainly a robot. I think...I can make something else vibrate, if I focus enough..." Kiehl said, as he kept grinning. That made Doppy bark out with laughter, and Howard just fell to his knees laughing. Eremes stuttered and hissed out his laughter. Keltin found himself giggling like crazy at the thought. Sammy fell silent and had a large smile on his face, as he thought about it. The other slaves started to snicker to each other. Kiehl moved to the desk now and started out some rather interesting sketches.

"Those are...very graphic!" Sammy chuckled, as he peered over Kiehl's shoulder.

"I try," Kiehl chuckled, as he worked. Doppy had completely brought forth his dominance and kept working with Sarine to a point that Howard was starting to feel outclassed. He now contacted Naght mentally and explained what Sarine really needed. That made Naght laugh, and he agreed to help Howard when the time came. When he explained what Kiehl was doing, the demon was howling with amusement, and he had to come into the bedroom to see for himself. Kiehl gave him a rather wicked grin and a nod in greeting, as Naght nodded to him with respect. The Demonic Mating rules applied to him at times, and he wanted to prove the point. Kiehl was showing respect to the rules, and Naght was also showing respect to him for that.

"And, how do we do anything, if we can't do that?" Keltin asked in a low whisper.

"Good question," Kiehl mused. "I'll come up with something."

"Wonderful!" Sammy chuckled. "Our genius is inventing sex toys."

"If it keeps Sarine from killing us, let him!" Howard grinned. That had Kiehl laughing softly in agreement. Doppy had finally moved from the bed and looked over at what was being designed. He stammered and snickered.

"What is she doing?" Eremes asked.

"She's sleeping," Doppy grinned smugly.

"It's about time!" Howard sighed.

"Hmm..." Sammy frowned and moved to sit on a cushion to meditate. He was going to monitor her dreams now. Keltin looked over and seemed to nod at this.

"I should work on a dream machine," Kiehl sighed.

"True," Eremes said and then he thought. "Doppy, what made you think of doing what was needed with Sarine?"

"Karla mentioned it," Doppy said. "As to how she knew, I don't know."

A soft knock was heard on the door, and Keltin moved to cover Sarine with a blanket and rest with her in the bed. Seyren was there with a bit of a smile on his face.

"Is she sleeping?" he asked, as he walked in.

"Yes," Doppy grinned. "How did Karla know?"

"Oh," Seyren grinned back. "Baphomet wanted to see what he could do, if he possessed me for a little bit. Karla's addicted to the purr."

That had the guys snickering and laughing.

"Huh?" Sarine asked and half-rose from the bed. The sheet slipped off her form slightly to reveal her perfectly formed chest. Keltin swore and moved to cover her back up quickly. Seyren looked over and gaped before turning to walk out of the room quickly. His face was now beet red, and Howard hissed with a form shock. Seyren had never seen any part of her nude before, and now Howard was clearly pissed.

"Did he just see her?!" Kiehl gaped, as he moved to her side to help Keltin cover her up.

"Who saw me?" Sarine frowned.

"Shit!" Doppy scowled.

"He won't do anything. He left quickly and looked quite embarrassed," Sammy said.

"He still saw her!" Howard muttered.

"Who saw me?!" Sarine snarled out now, and they looked at her. "Kiehl! Tell me who saw me and what was seen!"

"I can't disobey an order," Kiehl said sternly, and Howard nodded. "My Lady, Seyren saw you half-rise from the bed, and he saw your breasts."

"That's all he saw?" she asked carefully.

"Yes, My Lady," Kiehl nodded.

"Oh, well I don't care then. He's seen me nurse at times," she shrugged.

"But, it's different like this! Our children cover you up in a way!" Howard said. "And we help stand in front of you to block his view, too!"

"It's just my chest! It's not like he saw my ass or anything between my legs!" she said, as she stretched with a bit of a purr of contentment.

"But, My Lady," Aliot said, as he moved to her side. "we are worried he may want to see...well...more of you."

"If he tries," she snickered. "He'll be in a world of pain. Speaking of pain, it's time to teach Kavach a lesson."

"I don't know," Howard sighed.

" _I took care of it,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in. " _I can only do this once, but I altered his memories a bit so he will not remember what he saw. Next time, though, you guys are on your own. You all owe me!_ "

"I'll repay you later. Don't worry," Sarine purred out, and his eyes widened a touch before he chuckled. Then he shifted to his falcon form and flew out of the room.

"Isn't he your brother?" Maya Purple frowned. Howard sighed, pulled him aside, and whispered softly to him. The insect man was a bit surprised, but he nodded after learning what Odin said was to happen in the future.

"She may have their children at the very last. That may be the start of the signal. When they grow up, the war may be about to start," Howard sighed. "So, we have to be a bit discreet with this information. Any questions?"

"Nope! I understand fully!" Maya Purple nodded and moved to get into his insect body. Sarine dressed to show she was ready to go, and they headed down the stairs. Once they got out of the house, they moved towards the western chamber. Aliot and Kiehl were talking about the possibilities of assisting her in depth with the idea of vibration. They both decided to try and help her when they were needed, since they were both robots to a point that they could see if it worked. If it did, it would help the others out greatly.

"Just so you know," Errende said to Maya Purple. "We're going to the dominating chambers. It's where she normally goes to dominate us."

"So I gathered by the name," Maya Purple nodded, as he moved behind them all. Errende seemed to chuckle and moved down the tunnel to the chambers below. These were also made wider with far more room. More rooms were also created for more privacy, if needed.

"We will wait an hour. If Kavach does not show up, then he has destroyed his chance," Sarine said. She smirked when she saw the hopeful looks on them that he would forget to be here. Stretching now, she thought and moved to clip a leash on Kiehl. He blinked and found himself dragged into an empty room with the door closed.

"She...recovered?" Doppy frowned. "Shit..."

Then they heard her screaming, and Aliot started to grin. Howard looked over at him with a bit of a smile and a questioning look.

"Kiehl is pretty much a robot like me, but a touch more advanced. We were talking about experimenting with this on the way here. He can make practically  _anything_  in his body vibrate!" Aliot snickered. That made Doppy roar out with laughter, and Howard's jaw dropped.

"I thought he was working on something?" Sammy asked as the door opened.

"No need to, it seems," Kiehl chuckled, as he brought Sarine out. He had unclipped his leash when he took her in the chamber. She was trembling and clinging to him in such a way that he finally had to sit on the floor with her. "I'll work on something for you all. Trust me. I'll get that part done easily."

"Cheater!" she muttered, and he planted a kiss on her mouth. He grinned and whispered softly in her ear making her sputter out a bit of laughter. Howard found himself grinning with Kiehl, and he shook his head.

"What?" Eremes smiled.

"He decided," Howard smiled back. "to personally see to upgrading Aliot, since he's also a bit of a robot. That and he will give her back the two weeks he missed in full. Tonight. All night. He doesn't need sleep, and it's his choice to do this."

"Oh..." Doppy snickered and laughed harder. Eremes was laughing now with Sammy, and Keltin was wiping away tears. Injustice was looking at Byorgue now, and they had to wonder what they could do for her. Drago grinned, since he could purr in a way. Maya Purple was going to try to see what he could do, if he needed to. Observation couldn't purr, so he would need to see what Kiehl could help him with.

"Shut up, you guys!" Sarine scowled. Then she blinked when Kiehl pressed his mouth to her ear to whisper enticingly to her. She shivered and gasped, as he moved smoothly with her to lead her back into the chamber. Howard started laughing at how Kiehl was helping them all get even with her. Keltin was just extremely grateful at the change that happened.

"Okay," Doppy said, as he managed to talk. "I vote right now that we let Kiehl handle all of her urges until she gives birth! Of course, we'll do what we can for her, but he'll take up the slack. Who's with me?"

"Here, here!" Eremes grinned.

"Don't forget about me after I'm upgraded! I'll help him out, too," Aliot grinned. Howard sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Kavach still isn't here," Errende said with a bit of a smile.

"Good. Maybe he forgot!" Byorgue smirked.

"Well, she said that she would be here after the arena closed. It's still dusk, and the arena is likely starting to close up now. So, we are here early," Sammy frowned. "Should someone try to find him to see what's keeping him?"

"Nope!" Injustice grinned. "His loss!"

"I second that," Errende said. They paused at the sound of Sarine crying out with Kiehl, and they could only chuckle even more. In the small chamber, Kiehl was holding her close and enjoying every bit of it.

"My Lady?" Kiehl smiled, as he held her against his body.

"Kiehl," she sighed and kissed him gently. He moved now to take her with a slow, passionate skill, and she gasped at it.

"Sarine," he whispered, and kissed her desperately. "I...can't wait to get you pregnant!"

"Kiehl!" she cried out, as he thrust into her sharply and released with her.

"I am not letting you rest tonight," he smiled and held her tight to him. "Tonight will be our wedding night."

"Huh?!" she gasped with disbelief at him.

"You want this as well as I do. I know that Howard doesn't mind. I became your First Mate just a few weeks ago, and I didn't do what I needed to after that. So, I took you during your Demonic Mating today to prove my worth to you. I had to do it. It was...instinctive, in a way. Now the others know now that I'm not letting you rest tonight. You are mine tonight!" he hissed and took her again, forcing her to cry out for him and he shouted with her. Gasping with her, he rolled for her to move on top of him. She arched her back, and he released again with her. She trembled, and he ran his hands over her arms.

"I don't think Kavach is here yet," she said with a bit of amusement. He sat up and pressed his chest against hers, as he ran his hands over her sides.

"Well, if he doesn't show up, then he's not worthy of you. I don't think he's worthy of you, anyways," he smiled. "Just my opinion."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"If he really wanted to be with you, he wouldn't wait until nightfall. He would have been here when we got here. He would have been sitting right outside that cave and waiting for us. He's not here. Either he's held up, or he forgot."

"Would you suggest we send someone to look for him? Just to see what he's doing?"

"Hmm. Eremes could do that," he thought. He kissed her again and rose up now to call out lightly. Eremes walked over, and they muttered to each other. After a bit more talk, Eremes Cloaked and ran out of the chambers. Errende moved over to them now with a scowl.

"He shouldn't be alerted!" Errende said.

"He won't be alerted. Eremes will find out what he is doing and report back. That's all," Sarine smiled. "If he's too busy to be here, then we will leave. But, if he's in trouble, we should help him out. I want no one to be in trouble."

"True," Errende sighed. "All right."

Errende walked back out to the main chamber to report what was said. The other slaves weren't too happy, but they agreed. When Sarine moved to stand, Kiehl was next to her and moving her back down to the floor. She blinked at him and frowned.

"You aren't going anywhere," Kiehl smiled.

"Well, I'm getting hungry," she said.

"Then we will take care of you," he said.

"There aren't any beds or furs down here, either. I know it wasn't made to be comfortable, but I can only sit down on stone for so long, you know."

"Hmm," he thought and moved her to sit in his lap. "Errende! She's hungry! We also need cushions or furs here for her!"

"Oh? We'll bring something for you, My Lady. Give us a few minutes!" Errende said and moved to tell the others. Aliot walked in soon after, and Keltin was right behind him.

"Kiehl, it's not fair that you are hogging her from us right now," Keltin said.

"At least wait until she goes to bed?" Aliot asked.

"Oh?" Kiehl said, as he glared at Aliot. The lesser demon blinked and nodded to him with respect. Now Kiehl thought and sighed, as he said, "You're right. Let's wait until after she eats."

"I beg pardon?" Sarine frowned, and he chuckled.

"Sorry. Since the Demonic Mating, I've had a touch of a dominant streak, My Lady. What would you like to do?" Kiehl asked.

"Hmm. Don't you mean... _who_...would I like to do?" she asked with a grin.

"I just had you in a mess of sensations, and now you want more?!" Kiehl gaped.

"My dear, Kiehl," she said with a throaty chuckle. "You forget one thing. I am  _craving_  sex right now. As much as anyone needs to drink water. Tonight, you may think it will be our wedding night. I am going to see how far you will go to keep me sated."

"What do you mean by that?" Keltin mused. "And as a wedding night? Ah, well, he is a slave and a husband. We do know that he is going to be with you tonight, since we are pretty worn out, as it is. Especially since he has two weeks to make up for in full. I'll accept the idea. Not sure about the others, so you may want to keep quiet about it. And, eh, what do you mean by him keeping you sated?"

Aliot blinked at this news, but he knew that Kiehl was both a husband and a slave, too. He had no problems with Kiehl claiming a wedding night from her. Keltin did validate the thought. Kiehl was away from her for two weeks, so he knew that it was needed.

"If he doesn't satisfy me fully, I may be reaching for others to join in the fun," she grinned. Kiehl blinked at her and scowled softly. Just the thought of her reaching for others during his wedding night with her started to piss him off. She looked at him with surprise, and she would never have guessed that Howard was smiling to himself in the other room with a form of amusement at her thoughts. Howard now accepted Kiehl as an extension of himself. Keltin had a good portion of Howard's attitude, but Kiehl was practically an exact copy of himself in another form. Now he realized why it was he and Kiehl that were made to be both slave and husband to her. And he now saw why Sarine found him so desirable.

"I'll have you reaching for me!" Kiehl snarled out suddenly, and he shoved himself into her. She was still sitting in his lap, and she cried out from the sudden act of it. Keltin grinned and closed the door so that he and Aliot could get a piece of the action. When she was gasping and trembling in Kiehl's arms after the onslaught of passion from them, Errende knocked on the door. Keltin dressed quickly with Aliot, and Kiehl grumbled, as he wasn't bulky enough in build to properly cover her up with himself. But, he knew he wasn't going to change his body for her.  _She loved me the way I was, and I'm keeping myself this way._

"Kiehl," she whispered, and he gathered her close to him the best that he could muster. On seeing that it was Errende with food, furs, and pillows, he chuckled.

"We'll mark this room as a resting room of sorts in here," Sammy said, as he walked in. "Maybe another emergency chamber, if something happens. I'll let Storm Caller know."

"Thank you, Sammy," she smiled. He moved over to kiss her gently, and he looked up when Eremes came into the room with a bit of a frown.

"Kavach is being held up," Eremes said.

"By who?" Errende asked.

"Lilah. She's pestering him. He's trying to get here. I told Laurell to try and intervene. With any luck...or none at all...he should be here soon," Eremes said.

"Huh," she mused. Kiehl looked at her questionably, and she kissed him before asking for her dominating leathers. Now he blinked at her. He didn't see her in them yet. She winked at him and rose up to receive them. Now that she was dressed in them, Kiehl paused with shock.

"Wow..." he said, as he looked at her now.

"Hmm?" she purred, and he hugged her tight. She walked out into the main chamber with him so they could arrange the room to suit her needs. Maya Purple stared at her with Injustice. She smiled and waved to them. Howard moved to her side and noticed she was starting to lactate. He glanced at Kiehl, as a familiar look hit his face, too. She found herself squeaking, as they both hauled her into a different chamber.

"Oh, come on!" Doppy growled, as he followed them in. Eremes snickered softly with Keltin, and Sammy laughed lightly. After Doppy claimed First Mate Rights with her and satisfied himself of her first, he let the other two take over when he left the room. He seemed to grin smugly at how he held the advantage now. It was a complete ego and power boost to him.

"I don't want him to touch her tonight!" Kiehl growled, as he hugged her tight.

"You know you can't coop her up in your workshop," Howard frowned. "We have a right to her, too. I know you told her that tonight was your wedding night with her. You're a husband to her in a way, too. I respect that, but they only see you as having your way with her all night to sate her craving of sex. If I told them that you were thinking of it as a wedding night, jealousy will happen. Keltin seems to understand, but only because he did something for me when I first married Sarine.

"He also knows that you have two weeks to make up for, and there is no way that any of us will be able to do what you are going to do tonight. Like me, he has my attitude about things like this. Doppy will only know that you are with her for her craving, and he has already agreed to have you help her. Stay in the middle of the bed between Keltin and I, if you want. You could even use the bathroom. Just lay down some cushions and extra fur blankets to keep her comfortable. Doppy will respect your wish. I'll talk to him to make sure. Naght will also talk to him, since they are on equal grounds in the Demonic Laws."

"Please do," Kiehl nodded. "I spent two weeks away from her. I can't forgive myself for that. I really want to make it up to her tonight. I'm going to be with her during the day and work at night after tonight."

"I don't want you to stay away from me for so long again," she whispered, and Kiehl gave a ragged breath, as he hugged her tight. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, as he cradled her.

"Don't worry, Sarine. I won't," he promised.

"You just said her name?!" Howard gaped.

"Well, I'm supposed to be like a husband to her at times," Kiehl said with a soft smile. "So, yes. I have that ability. Just like how you can call her My Lady."

"You have a point," Howard nodded. "I shouldn't be surprised."

"I don't really say her name in front of the others, as a precaution," Kiehl said.

"Same as me," Howard chuckled.

"How-How, I want to see your shoulder tattoo," she said.

"He has a tattoo?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. I had Muninn put it on him to mark him as mine. I can't collar him, so I wanted to do something else. Thanatos knows about it, since he has one, too, so Errende also knows. But, no one else knows. Daddy said that he did something to How-How's tattoo that would only be exposed when he and I were alone, but I think you and him are so alike that it would be okay for you to be here with us," she said. "I feel somewhat...bonded to you both. I think."

"Come to think of it, I...did feel a bit of a kinship towards Howard when I first saw him. Like a bond, as you say. A connection. I wouldn't be surprised if it worked with me here," Kiehl said. "Even with you, too, I feel the same form of bond."

"You think so, Kiehl? Actually, I always felt a kinship, too! Every time I heard about you, in fact! Okay, let's see what happens," Howard said, and he turned to expose his shoulder. Kiehl was able to see the tattoo easily now, and he watched Sarine gently reach out and trace it lightly. His shoulder was so sensitive from the touch that Odin did to it that it woke up something primal in him. He became a dominating, lusting beast within seconds. He turned to yank her away from Kiehl to have her right there on the floor.

"Now this is interesting!" Kiehl mused. "You become as addicted to sex as she does. And, you're satisfying her as much as I can! No...wait...you're almost Demonic this way!"

Howard couldn't hear him much less her, as she cried out against him. Her hand came up and moved over his shoulder again to press down with her nails on the tattoo, and he howled when he released incredibly hard into her. He was a gasping mess by the time he was able to control himself again, and he shivered from head to toe from the pleasure he was getting. All he could do with her was rest on the ground. They all started at a light knock was on the door. He hissed and pulled her leather straps back into place, as Kiehl dressed quickly. After Howard was dressed, Kiehl opened the door to find out who was knocking.

"We have meals for her, and we set up the room she wanted," Errende said. "And, unfortunately, Kavach is here. Can we kick him out?"

"Not yet," Sarine said, as Howard supported her. Kiehl moved to help her on the other side, and they walked her into the prepared room. "Kavach, let me eat first. Then I will give you just a taste of what a slave goes through."

"All right," Kavach said, as he moved to wait for her. He watched her move with the others with a touch of jealousy, and he looked at the ground when the door closed to give her privacy with them.

"I hate him!" Errende snarled and gasped, as she moved a hand through his hair.

"Relax, love," she smiled, and he gave a trembling sigh. "Daddy said that you are my only human slave. I won't kiss him, have sex with him, or touch him in various manners. He will just be a stress tool."

"Oh?" Kiehl grinned wickedly.

"A stress tool, eh?" Howard chuckled.

"Yes. I will take him on a journey of endless pain and pleasure. I will make him unable to handle me. When he forces me to stop, it will be over," she said. "He can't handle me like the rest of you can. If he does, then this is all I will do to him. He will be practice to see how hard I can go. Then I'll try it out on you and see how you fair."

"I see," Kiehl mused. "I wouldn't be surprised if he came to me for experimental situations, too. To handle more of it. I could do something to him then. Maybe."

"Don't waste your time on him!" Errende growled and gasped again as Sarine yanked him close with his leash to plant a kiss on him.

"Errende, you don't waste your thoughts on him," Sarine frowned. "He's a little gnat to me. Let me do what I need to do with him to get him to buzz off."

"Yes, My Lady," he whispered, and she kissed him again before letting go of his leash. She finished eating and now rose with her three lovers to head out to the main chamber. She looked at Kavach, as he walked over to her and kneeled before her.

"Hmm," she thought and looked at her other loves. "Kavach, are you wearing any undergarments at all?"

"Yes. I have briefs on under my pants," he said.

"Good. Strip down to them, please. I don't want you naked," she said. He did as she asked quickly and set his clothes aside. "Errende, give me the Blinker."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende said with a touch of a smirk. He handed it to her, and Kiehl pulled her close to whisper to her.

"That's right, huh?" she grinned. "You, Injustice, Drago, and Maya Purple all need to be introduced to blindfolds. Let me finish with him."

"You are going to regret it!" Howard growled at Kiehl.

"My decision," he grinned back at him. Sarine put the Blinker on Kavach tightly first and smirked at his whimper. She now circled Kavach and snickered softly, as she started to taunt and tease his body to its limit with light scratches and touches. When she told him not to cry out, he couldn't help himself when he did. She punished him for disobeying her with a sharp, high heeled boot pressed into his back, and he screamed out. The only thing he felt was pain and there was no pleasure in it at all.

"Ah! I..." Kavach whimpered.

"If you try to tell me to stop, then you're done with me!" she sneered and raked her nails over his back to make him cry out again. He ground his teeth together, as pain racked his body.  _How could anyone feel pleasure in this?!_  "If you scream again, I'll break out the whip!"

Errende could only grin now, and Thanatos was paying close attention through his eyes, as he sat in the nursery. Kiehl's eyes were wide at how far she was pushing Kavach now. The other slaves were completely impressed by it. Even her husbands were in awe at how neatly she was breaking Kavach down. The male Sniper finally screamed at another wash of pain, and she scowled at him. The Queen's Whip was brought out and now used. Kiehl watched with fascination and got some new ideas for torture devices.

"I...I can't...do this...anymore!" Kavach cried out, and he fainted.

"That was the pain talking. He'll want more when he gets better," Doppy said. "He didn't tell you to stop. Just that he couldn't take it."

"So," Sarine frowned. "he has a new use for me. Not as a slave, but someone to vent my rage on. I see now."

"Is that it?" Errende asked.

"Yes. I push him as far as he bears it. It will force him to leave me alone for a time until he tries to come back. Then I do the same thing, and it starts over. I don't need him as a slave. This proves that he can't take it. He just told me that. He'll be ashamed of himself when he wakes up, and he'll likely dress and leave without a word," she said.

"When he leaves, My Lady," Errende said. "everything that you just did to him, do to me. I want to see if I can take it."

"If that is what you want," she said.

"It is," he nodded.

"Very well," she nodded. Kiehl moved up to her to kiss her cheek and whisper to her. She looked at him with pure amusement, and she giggled.

"Now that would be interesting," Howard grinned. "A whipping machine?"

"Well, if prisoners don't like pain, it would work to pry out information from them. Right?" Kiehl grinned. Doppy started laughing, and Eremes was now very thoughtful. Keltin and Sammy snickered softly. Kavach woke with a groan and shook his head. When he thought he was blind, Sarine leaned over and pulled the Blinker off of his head.

"Oh!" he said with a touch of embarrassment. "Um..."

"You said you couldn't handle it, but you didn't tell me to stop. I'm afraid you are not suitable as a slave. You are done here," Sarine said lightly.

"I...I see," Kavach said with a form of regret. "Very well."

"I'll see you around," she said politely.

"Sure," he said with a sigh. He was still baffled that he felt no pleasure. He dressed and left. Errende looked at her with surprise that she was right at how he would leave.

"He'll be back, though," Doppy smirked.

"He will. And he'll leave the same way again. He'll beg for it each time. Give it a week or two. Maybe even a few days. He'll come back to me begging for another chance, and it will be the same thing," she sighed. "Errende, put this on."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende said, and he put on the Blinker. She had him strip down to his briefs, since he wanted to feel everything that Kavach went through. Kiehl seemed to grin at this, and he watched Sarine bring him up to the level that Kavach was at. Not once did he scream or disobey her orders. When she used the whip on him, he didn't even show that he was in distress. When she finished and let Errende remove the Blinker, he was clearly amused.

"What do you think?" Sarine asked.

"You went easy on me!" Errende said with a laugh.

"Are you serious?!" Howard asked.

"I'm used to so much more than that! What she just did was  _nothing_  compared to what I'm used to! She didn't even bite him! That is what puts me over the edge every time!" Errende laughed now. Sarine suddenly moved to sink her teeth into his neck, and he screamed with shock. The pure, pleasuring pain coursed over him now, and he was a gasping mess from it. Kiehl Healed him when she backed away, and Errende was bent over on his hands and knees as he trembled from the onslaught of what she did.

"You're right. I did go easy on Kavach. A shame he couldn't handle it," she mused.

"Of course...My Lady..." Errende gasped out. He hissed when she hauled him up with his leash and pulled him into the prepared room to give him what he really needed. When his screams died down, she led his weakened form back out and smirked. The other slaves felt outclassed now and seemed to frown.

"Think I can spare an hour to try and get them up to speed? Of course, this means you, too, Kiehl," she grinned. Sammy seemed to nod, as he judged the time, and she had all of her slaves blindfolded. She worked methodically with each one, but she went a touch easier on Maya Purple, due to his sensitive back. He actually appreciated it, since he didn't know how his bug body would have reacted when he got back to it. He was still a gasping mess when she finished with them, and she leaned against Keltin in thought.

"I think our children need you," Keltin smiled.

"You're right. All right, guys. Take off the blindfolds. I'm going to change my clothes. Get dressed and be ready to leave!" she said. Howard moved to help her dress with Keltin, and Kiehl was panting, as he forced himself to move. He was going to get even with her tonight. When she came out fully dressed, they were ready to leave. She started to move, and she gasped. She fell to her knees and clutched at her belly. Doppy gave out a shout when he doubled over, and Sammy quickly moved to her side. Errende pressed his hands to her belly, and she was in tears from the pained growth spurts. Thanatos was now rushing down the stairs from Errende's mental call for aid, and he helped Sammy evaluate her.

"They doubled in size," Sammy frowned. "The Rage that Keltin put in her is incredibly potent! Can you feel it, too?"

"I can," Thanatos sighed. "She just ate, so this is all growth. Muninn said two weeks. She'll be doubling in size nearly every day for that to happen. We can only hope that the growth slows down by next week so she doesn't give birth at the end of this week!"

"Ugh..." Keltin winced. Howard patted him on the back to show it wasn't his fault.

"It's not constant growth spurts, and they are much calmer in her, too. They just grow quickly when they want to. Like mine did," Thanatos said. "At least they aren't making her sick! Her last pregnancy seemed to do that constantly to her. Anyways, let's get her to the nursery. Serenity had just started demanding for Kiehl nonstop."

"All right," she said with a soft smile. Kiehl nodded to Thanatos and Doppy before moving to help Sarine walk. When she faltered, Doppy moved to pick her up and carry her.

"Aliot! There you are!" Alicel said, as she hovered over to him.

"My Lady is pregnant with my children now!" Aliot grinned. "You'll be an aunt! Of course, you're one, anyways, with the children in the nursery. You should see them."

"Oh!" she said with delight and couldn't wait to see them. Kiehl smiled softly at her with a nod, as he walked with Doppy and the others. As Aliot and Alicel gossiped softly to each other, Sarine rested her head on Doppy's wide chest. They walked into the house, and Seyren waved to them with a smile. She chuckled softly and let Doppy carry her up to the nursery.

"Keel?" Serenity said, as she looked over her crib.

"I'm here!" Kiehl smiled and lifted her up when she reached for him. "Aliot got mommy pregnant! You'll have more brothers and sisters by next week!"

"Yay, Ali!" Serenity blushed, and Aliot moved to give a kiss to her cheek.

"This is auntie Alicel," Aliot said, as he gestured to his sister.

"Auntie?" Siegfried blinked, as he looked up now. Alicel giggled at the cute green-tinted, copper-headed boy and gave a kiss to his forehead. Her hands were nearly permanent claws, so she didn't want to try to hold him. Aliot reached down to pick him up, and Sarine started to nurse Bianca. Naght was mentally conversing with Howard about the future triplets, and he was filled with pride about it. He was a bit upset about hearing what happened at first, but he was glad that the triplets would get a second chance to come into the world. He would be there to protect them in full, and he was overjoyed that they would belong to him, too. When he learned about Kavach, Naght hissed with laughter.

"Keel?" Serenity asked.

"Yes, my dear?" he smiled.

"Um..." she frowned, as she tried to form the words. "When...um...Mama has babies...um...when you have babies? With Mama?"

"Well, Serenity," Kiehl smiled warmly. "it's like I said before. It may be a month after her babies are born before I can make babies with her."

"Um..." Serenity blushed now. "How babies made?"

"Serenity!" Howard coughed out with a flustered look, and Kiehl looked at her with surprise. "You aren't old enough to know that yet! You'll find out when you get older!"

"But...Dad!" she frowned.

"Your father is right, Serenity," Sarine smiled. "You will learn when you are older."

"I wanna know!" she pouted.

"Me, too!" Siegfried said.

"Not yet!" Howard said with a heavy frown. Naght rumbled a warning in Demonic to them, and that made them tremble with a touch of fear. They would now wait until the time was right. When Naght got mad, they listened to him. She moved to nurse Edward now, and Thanatos gave Bianca to Errende. Then Thanatos hissed and fell to his knees.

"Thanatos?!" Sarine asked with a frown.

"I'm being called to the tower!" he grimaced. Errende was forced to give Bianca to Doll to make himself ready to help Thanatos. Naght suddenly hissed and snarled out with hatred. His mental alarms for his tower were going off. They couldn't help him.

"Don't worry, the people in Naght's tower are a bit of a ways off. Remember! It gets harder and harder to move through it. We have some time," Howard said.

"Dad in trouble?" Siegfried asked Aliot.

"No," Aliot said, as he cuddled him. "He may have to go to work for a little bit. Then he'll be back. Just like daddy Thanatos. They have to go to work on occasion."

"Work?" Howard thought and chuckled at how it was put.

"Keel go work?" Serenity frowned.

"Tomorrow night, I will. But, don't worry! If you need me, I'll come see you. You can also come see me, if you need to. I'm not going to disappear again like before. I promised you. I keep my promises. Okay?" Kiehl said gently. She nodded and snuggled into him.

"Why does she like you more than me?" Howard frowned. Serenity blushed at her natural father and reached for him to show that she still loved him, too. She gave him small, sloppy kisses to his cheek, and she giggled when he gave her tickling kisses back. Then his concern went back to Thanatos when he was forced to vanish to the tower. Errende sat down in a chair, and Byorgue went downstairs to call up anyone that could help buff Errende. Sarine was still nursing Edward, and her slaves moved to shield her from sight. A small crowd gathered, and Mitchell cast elemental spells on him to up Thanatos's sword with a lightning attack. Lloyd helped to Heal Errende when pain started to cross his form, and buffs were constantly placed on him.

Thanatos came back when he won, and he nodded to them in thanks. The others nodded back and would be called back, if they were needed. Margaretha and Lloyd adored the children before they left, and were already thinking of wanting to try for a child of their own when the time was right. Margaretha had to wait until she was more human, though. Seyren stayed behind to help with the children. He loved his nieces and nephews!

"Dad okay?" Siegfried asked.

"Yes," Thanatos smiled and took him from Aliot to hug gently. "Dad is fine."

"Had to work?" the small boy asked.

"In a sense, yes. Dad had to protect his tower. Dad won!" Thanatos grinned wolfishly.

"Yay! Um...presents?" Siegfried asked hopefully.

"No. No presents. Maybe auntie Karla can get you presents?" the demon grinned again and looked at Seyren. The Lord Knight smirked and went to talk to his wife. Sarine gave Edward to Errende and took up Gunther to nurse. When Angela started to whimper, she had to nurse her at the same time as Gunther. Injustice moved to help support one twin, and Observation helped the other.

"Thank you," Sarine sighed. "Maybe I should just do this to them. Two done at a time this way, and it may be faster."

"Sounds like a good idea," Doppy said with a fatherly smile.

"I'll do that from now on, then," she said with a light nod. Kiehl looked over at her with a smile, and he glanced over to Maya Purple. He had left his bug body in the bedroom and was deep in thought about something.

"What's on your mind?" Kiehl asked.

"Hmm? Oh. Well, we need to expand this nursery. Who do I talk to for this?" Maya Purple asked. "If I'm going to be coming and going from here, then we need to make the expansion. Especially for my future kids."

"Talk to Storm Caller," Howard said, and his daughter clung to him and started to climb all over his back playfully. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Ride!" Serenity grinned. Maya Purple laughed at her and moved out to find Storm Caller. He needed to see about the room extension now and maybe a small playground.

"Not yet. Daddy Naght may have to go to work. If he doesn't have to go to work, then we'll see. Okay?" Howard said. Serenity whimpered at the thought and nodded. She didn't like it when her daddies had to go to work. After what happened with Kiehl, it scared her a bit. Naght moved to his daughter and gathered her up from Howard to purr at her. She whispered to him, and he rumbled with a soft laugh, as he reassured her again. Naght would only show a soft spot for Sarine and his children. The other children would also get a form of a soft spot, since his blood was merged in them, too. However, the twins he made with Howard would get the most comfort. It would likely be the same way with the others and their kids.

Those he considered his brothers and companions would get a show of neutral respect, save Howard who he thought of as his true blood brother. Kiehl was starting to be on the same level as Howard. Everyone else would get intense, blood-thirsty hatred. That hatred hissed out now, as the intruders in his tower were getting closer to his lair. Serenity whimpered, and he purred to her gently to show he wasn't mad at her. He gave her back over to Howard for now.

"Daddy Naght has to work now. He'll be right back. Okay?" Howard smiled. Serenity nodded and snuggled into him as he hugged her tight.  _My daughter. My family. Nothing was going to touch her!_

"I haven't seen Defender or the others in a while. Where are they?" Sarine asked, as the two children were taken from her and her top was fixed back up.

"They're at the new dungeon. They come here on occasion to play with the children while you are not here," Alexander said, as he hovered over the balcony.

"Ah!" she smiled and nodded.

"Serenity and Siegfried love to chase them around," he smiled.

"Now that would be funny to see!" she giggled. "Tomorrow, I plan to have a small beach day. Maybe we'll let them swim with us."

"That would be good for them," Howard smiled, and Kiehl sat next to her. Keltin sat on the other side of her, and Thanatos was still holding Siegfried. The boy always preferred to be in the company of demons, since he was more closely in tune with them.

"Your kids will need to start training soon as Novices," Eremes thought. "Likely in three months. They're growing fast."

"Very true. I wonder how we can do that. I don't really want to take them off the island. I feel that it's not necessary," Howard frowned.

"Dead Branches can be risky, too," Sarine frowned. "I don't want anything to happen to my children. I don't know how I would handle it."

"Nothing will happen to our children," Kiehl vowed. "In fact, I'm almost certain that any monster can travel with them. This includes any stronger monster."

"You may be on to something!" Keltin said. "Maybe we can talk to Odin about it tomorrow. Or the day after. Serenity, what do you want to grow up to be?"

"Me?" Serenity frowned and thought. "I dunno."

"We'll have to talk to her about that when she's ready," Howard said. "I don't want to see my little angel grow up just yet!"

"Angel? Me?" Serenity looked at him with a small laugh. "No! Demon!"

"You have the blood of a demon, yes, but that doesn't mean you can't be daddy's little angel!" Howard grinned and tickled her now to make her laugh more.

"How is Naght?" Sarine asked. Howard looked at her and thought.

"He's waiting. He doesn't want to be there," he frowned. "Kiehl, take Serenity so I can focus on Naght, please."

"Sure. Come here!" Kiehl said playfully, and she giggled when she snuggled into him. Aliot and Observation looked at each other and watched Howard.

"Errende, buff me. I want to see if I have the same bond you have with Thanatos," Howard said. Errende smiled and tried it. "Wow! It worked!"

"It did?!" Errende gaped.

"Yes. It did. He can Full Heal himself, so that's fine," Howard said.

"It's almost midnight. We'll be human soon. How do you think you will be?" Eremes asked. "You would think that, with Errende, it would be the same."

"Well, we'll have to find out," Howard frowned. Thanatos watched Howard carefully, as Siegfried fell asleep in his arms. He looked down at the sleeping child and chuckled.

"He likes demons more, doesn't he?" Doppy asked.

"He does," Thanatos nodded. "He's more like Naght. He'll be patient up to a certain point before he starts to get angry if something doesn't go right."

"That's Naght!" Howard agreed.

"Sig is a meanie!" Serenity frowned. "A big meanie!"

"How is he mean?" Kiehl asked.

"He...he's a stupid head!" Serenity said. That made Howard's eyes go round, and he busted up laughing. Sarine gaped in shock, since she never said that around her, and this only proved that Serenity was clearly her daughter. Eremes started laughing, and Doppy howled with it. Keltin and Sammy were clearly laughing and crying at the same time.

"A stupid head?" Kiehl grinned now. Howard gasped and explained to them what Sarine would call others that she didn't like when she was younger. That made Thanatos start laughing, and her slaves giggled endlessly. Eremes ran down the stairs to tell Seyren what just happened, and laughter erupted from the main room. Seyren had to come up the stairs to the nursery to walk over to Serenity.

"Serenity," Seyren said with clear amusement in his eyes. "where did you learn the word 'stupid head' from?"

"Um..." Serenity blushed now. "I dunno. I just know!"

"She's your daughter!" Seyren grinned at Sarine. "Serenity, your mom used to say that to bad people all the time. Don't call your brother that. It's not nice."

"Oh!" Serenity blinked and blushed more. "Kay, Uncle Seyren."

"Naght!" Howard blinked, and the amusement was pushed aside. "The intruders made it to him! There's a Creator, a Whitesmith, and a Champion."

"I'll get the others," Seyren said, as he got up to move quickly. The small crowd formed again to assist Howard this time with Heals and buffs. Naght slaughtered the intruders easily and came right back to the nursery with a roar of victory.

"Daddy!" Serenity said, and he moved to lift her up from Kiehl. He rumbled to her, and let her snuggle into him.

"Naght," Seyren chuckled. "your daughter called her brother a stupid head."

"Really...?" Naght hissed out with laughter. He rumbled softly to his daughter again, and she giggled while he held her. He clearly loved his daughter as much as Howard did. Sarine gave him a motherly smile, and he leaned down to place his hand on her shoulder.

"We plan to have a beach day tomorrow and have the kids join us," Sammy said.

"I...will...be...there..." he rumbled out. Sarine gave a soft yawn, and Errende was given Serenity to rock to sleep. Thanatos set Siegfried in the crib, since he was already sleeping. Maya Purple was already in the bedroom, and he had spent most of the time talking to Storm Caller. He was now informed of why everyone was laughing, and he smiled at it.

"How do you sleep, Maya Purple?" Keltin asked, as he lay back in the bed.

"I would normally cling to the ceiling in the nest. Or along the wall, if I needed to. I'm a very light sleeper. Anything that didn't pass as normal vibrations would wake me up. I'm that sensitive to footsteps and air movements. I'll likely stay up most of the night to get a feel of this place so I'll know what to wake up to," he said, as he moved back to his insect body.

"Now that will make me rest easier!" Howard nodded. Sarine went into the bathroom to use the toilet, and she was soon moving to get into her nightgown. Kiehl was quickly at her side to stop her. She looked at him questionably.

"Tonight is my wedding night with you," he growled.

"Surely you would want to unwrap your present, then?" she asked with an amused twinkle in her tigers' eye gemstone eyes. Now she had an idea of what nightgown to use instead of her usual one. That made him pause, and he grinned now.

"Nothing too complicated, I hope?" he whispered, and he moved his hands over her bare waist. She pushed him away with a coy smile.

"Wait until I'm properly wrapped up. Go wait in the bed," she smiled.

"Then the others would want to help me unwrap you. I'll wait here with my back turned," he chuckled. Howard was listening in to her thoughts while reclining in the bed, and he seemed to snicker softly at her thoughts. He loved her so much, and he was actually surprised that he didn't mind Kiehl at all now.  _The monster was clearly another extension of myself, and I almost feel that I'm there in the room with them._  It was a rather comforting sensation. Thinking on this, he found himself drifting off to sleep with a form of relief.

"All right, Kiehl," she whispered softly, and he turned to see her. His jaw dropped at the sight of her body in the flowing, silvery gown of silk and lace. She had actually saved this particular nightgown for special occasions. The lace covered over her breasts and arms. It almost looked like a wedding dress, and his uniform could have passed as a tuxedo of sorts. Thinking now, he moved out of the bathroom and grabbed a couple of soft cushions to drag back in to set on the floor. He was not going to let the others see her right now, or give them the chance to try to help him out.  _She was mine for tonight._  With the door closed firmly shut, he turned to look at her.

"Now, how do I unwrap you?" he smiled and moved to gather her in his arms.

"Let's make it a game," she smiled. "I remove something from you, and you remove something from me. Such as...if I undo a button like this..."

"Hmm?" he grinned, as she plucked a gold button free from its clasp.

"Then you undo a button on my front."

"Like this?" he whispered, and reached up to carefully unhook a pearly button free. Her heavy cleavage strained in the gown, and he hissed with desire.

"Just...like that..." she smiled, and he kissed her softly, nibbling her lips, as they took turns freeing buttons. When she removed his glasses, he freed a shoulder to run his mouth over it. As she pushed his jacket off, he freed her arms. She had him kick off his boots, and he helped remove her slippers. She removed his under shirt, and he ran his mouth over her breasts to nurse heavily. She gasped and clung to him until he was finished. His pants were now taken down with his leather ones, and he pulled her gown fully off her. He ran his mouth over her legs, and she whimpered softly. Then he felt along the silk panties she wore and yanked them down to move his mouth over to what he revealed.

She cried out sharply, and he had her lean back against the cushions to torment her further. He had her ride his tongue until she couldn't bear it. He let her sit up now to help him pull off his briefs, and he gasped when she worked him with her mouth. His eyes were closed now, and he hissed out his control. He moved to lay back for her to work on him so he could work on her. They tortured each other this way for several long minutes until they couldn't wait any longer. He moved to set her back on the cushions, and he watched her eyes as he made her his. She marveled that it was the same exact thing that Howard did to her on the night they were together long ago, and the more recent night when they finally got married to each other.

"Sarine!" he whispered out before he released with her. She clung to him and cried out, as he activated his vibrating sensors. He brought her to release over and over again for him until he surged with her when he couldn't take it anymore. Feeling her pant and cling to him, he gave a soft chuckle. She was his right now. He wasn't going to hold back.

"Kiehl..." she whispered, as he kissed her and moved to take her again. "What...are you doing?! I..."

"Like I said, Sarine," he said, as he nibbled over her neck. "I am your husband right now. This is our wedding night. I'm not going to let you rest very much. I have two weeks to make up for in full! Don't think I haven't forgotten!"

He leaned up over her, and the diamond in his golden collar loop winked in the dull light. She rose up her hand to caress his cheek, and he ground into her again to make her call out his name. As he kept pleasuring her and giving her brief periods of rest, he wondered why the night seemed so much longer than the others. It was starting to puzzle him a bit.

Neither of them realized that Muninn had frozen time for them to make the night seem longer. Odin had brought something important to his attention, and he had to talk to them about it. He waited for another timeless hour before deciding it was time. He moved over to the bathroom and lightly knocked on the door.

"She's mine right now!" Kiehl called out.

" _I know! I need to speak with you both! I will not interrupt, and I even froze time for you!_ " Muninn called back with a small laugh.

"So that's what happened! All right!" Kiehl nodded. Muninn came in and grinned at his sister's exhausted form. When he sat down to nod to them, Kiehl held her close to his chest.

"Muninn? What's wrong?" she asked, as she was cradled by Kiehl.

" _Father Odin wanted me to tell you of an interesting discovery_ ," Muninn said. " _Kiehl, you are truly another part of Howard. An extension of sorts. It's how you both tend to think alike and are able to comfort the children so well. As you know, Howard kept trying to escape Lighthalzen constantly. He was always drugged for it as a measure of punishment. Tell me. Was your blood part of the formula of those pills?_ "

"Well..." Kiehl frowned, and Sarine nuzzled him. "At first, it was. Then I was able to swap it out with something else. Why?"

" _That explains it, then. Your blood was also merged in Howard with those pills. He not only had Naght Seiger's blood, but yours, too! Sarine...was also drugged in Amatsu, as you know. Even though the pills were removed from her body, she digested just enough of them for your blood to filter through her. The same applies to her. The three of you are truly bound together. When Howard is ready to give her the triplets, you should mate with her at the same time he does. Thanatos and Errende did it to see if it could be done._ "

On hearing this, Kiehl frowned, as something still didn't feel right about Sarine carrying his blood with only a partial digestion of the pills.  _More would have been needed._  There had to be another explanation, but the thought was pushed aside at her next question.

"You mean...both at once?" Sarine frowned. Kiehl blinked at this with shock. Muninn paused and realized something else that made Sarine even more closely bonded with Kiehl. Like him, Muninn knew that there had to be more than the simple half digestion of two small pills.  _There was actually a lot more than that._  It was something that would be revealed in the future, and he didn't want to distress them any further. It was best to stay quiet about it, and he continued to answer Sarine's question.

" _Yes. It will make the triplets stronger and far more intelligent than they would be, as they will inherit Kiehl's genius and Howard's hair and eyes. They will have your looks and curly hair. They will also be a part of Naght Seiger, and they may have small temper tantrums._ "

"I...wow..." Kiehl swallowed.

" _They will end up choosing the paths of Creator, Professor, and High Wizard. All are exceptionally intelligent classes, and they will support each other. The Professor will support the High Wizard, as the Creator Heals with potions and distributes the wealth. The High Wizard will be the main offense of them, at first, until the Creator can cast her bombs._ "

"Oh, my!" Sarine blinked.

"They really would be intelligent!" Kiehl blinked. "You would think that one of them would have gone a Priest's route, though. Even a Champion."

" _No. One of the other children will do that. Likely Keltin's daughter. His son will want to be a Champion like his father._ "

"Really?" Sarine gasped with delight.

" _Yes. Hmm. As a 'wedding gift' to you both, I'll tell you what professions your children will become. From what I see, it's a Paladin and a Creator. Your son will become the Creator._ "

"I always have some form of a Creator appear. Don't I?" he chuckled.

"Well, you are a Creator in a way," she smiled.

"Like father like son?" he smiled and kissed her intensely. "Daughter like father, too."

" _I will give you an extra four hours before time resumes. Have fun!_ " Muninn chuckled and left shortly after. Kiehl claimed her the moment the door closed and released hard in her.

"I love you, Sarine," he whispered. "My wife. My Lady."

"I love you, too, Kiehl. My husband. My slave," she whispered back, and he kissed her lovingly while holding her tightly to him.

"I really...want you to have...my children now..." he sighed, as he worked in her again. "But...I did promise...Serenity...it would be after this...pregnancy..."

"I know, Kiehl!" she gasped. She cried out, as his mouth bit down hard on her neck. He was giving her equal pleasure now, and he drank a small amount of her blood down before Healing her. She panted and watched how he tilted his head for her, and she sank her teeth down to make him shout out his release. His fingers dug into her hips, as he let her feed. When he felt himself start to slip into that unconscious haze he was pulled into before, he forced himself out of it. He didn't want to be there again.  _It would be harder for me to come back._  When she pulled away, he Healed himself and hugged her to him.

"I'll let you sleep every other hour. But, then I'll wake you up," he grinned.

"And I should feel reassured by this?" she smiled, and he laughed softly. Then he shivered when she traced his chest with the lightest caress of her fingers. The rest of the night played out in small rests and soft touching games that kept their fiery passion burning for each other. By the time dawn finally started to show through the windows, she was sleeping quite deeply in his arms, and he loved her all the more fiercely.


	85. Chapter 85

Howard found them in the bathroom first before the others started to move around, and he smiled when he sat down with them. Sarine was still sleeping, and Kiehl was watching over her protectively. He looked up at Howard and nodded. A fur was draped over them, as he had grabbed one while she slept during the time freeze.

"Was it everything you ever wanted?" Howard chuckled.

"Yes it was, and no it wasn't. Yes, being that I love her so much now! And, no, I didn't want the night to end," Kiehl sighed. "Muninn did help us, though."

"He did?"

"Yeah. He froze time for a bit. And he told us something interesting."

"Tell me!" Howard insisted. Kiehl relayed the first part of the conversation slowly to make sure he got it all. "You and me? Double teaming her? At once?!"

"Yes. And, well..." he sighed and told him about the drugs and how that came into play.

"I had your blood and Naght's blood in me? And she had your blood, too? From the pills we were given?! That was before Doppy branded her so...wow..." Howard blinked. "The three of us really are linked!"

"You don't mind me with her at all, do you?" Kiehl smiled.

"No. I don't. In a way, it felt like I was with her, too. Tell me, what did you think of her when you first saw her?"

"When I first saw her? Well..." Kiehl ran his tongue over his lips, as he thought. "Well, I felt that something important had appeared in the factory. Something that I...needed to find. You do know that no one really looked for me. I found all of you. I just...I was called to her. Pulled to her is more like it. The moment she came down into my area of the factory, I knew that what I was searching for was there. When I saw her...it took everything that I had to keep from grabbing her and running off with her! I had just given in to it, too, when I was stopped. On top of that, I felt there was something about you that I recognized. A connection. But, I was mainly pulled to her."

"That strong of a pull?"

"Very."

"And when you heard Huginn?"

"I knew that something wasn't right with her voice. When I felt my darker side split, my mind was finally free! As though my upgraded self never shoved this older body down there. I felt...revamped. Energized. When we got her back here, to the island, I had to see what I could do for her. I needed to. And...when she kissed me..." he gasped and shivered with excitement at the memory. "I never thought that I belonged with anyone before. I didn't think it was even possible. Much less having children that...that needed me."

"She thought the same thing. That she wouldn't have anyone to be with long ago," Howard swallowed. "Damn."

"What?" Kiehl asked.

"Why couldn't you have been my brother instead of Timmy?!" he scowled.

"Well, I am your brother! In so many ways! Right?"

"Heh. True now."

"You have my blood in your veins. Your blood is in my veins, too, from the blood swap we did with Sarine. You also think I'm an extension of you, and Muninn verified that, too. As of right now, we are brothers. Blood brothers."

"Point made. We're brothers," Howard nodded, and they clasped hands.

"So, you can really feel her emotions? I know about her thoughts, obviously."

"Yes, I can. She can put up this emotional barrier that blocks them. I tend to overreact to them sometimes, since they are so strong with me. Doppy can feel them, too," Howard said, and then he thought. "You don't know what Huginn did, do you?"

"That he helped Sarine with Muninn?" Kiehl asked. "Oh, wait! Thanatos told me about it, but not with much detail. I don't think the others know. Can you explain a bit more to me?"

"So you want more clarification? I can do that. And, it's true that the others don't know yet. As you know, Huginn cares about her and protects her, but this is why we don't fully trust him," Howard smirked and now told him what Huginn was trying to pull with Sarine when she was younger in full. Then he told Kiehl what he did when he finally came out to see her from being in her mind. When he spoke about what Huginn pulled with Sarine in the tub to trick Muninn, Kiehl gaped with outrage and shock. He had heard all of this from Thanatos, but it was just enough to let him know what happened. Howard was giving him far more detail on the events that were done.

"That bastard!" Kiehl snarled out.

"Oh, that's not all the asshole did!" Howard growled. He told him what Huginn pulled when he stole Sarine from them while she was still bound to Thanatos's craving, and how they had to go into her mind to free her. He also explained that it was the trip into her mind that let him start hearing her thoughts. Kiehl didn't know about this part, but now he was completely pissed. He got up carefully to keep from waking Sarine, slipped on his briefs, and he had to walk off his rage by pacing around.

Howard watched him and finally said, "Sarine was so scared after that. I had to comfort her. She wouldn't calm down, otherwise. She tore herself out of Thanatos's grasp to leap into mine. It was the same thing I had to do when she was younger, both in Geffen tower and after her transcendence when I was summoned with the Bloody Branch. And I did it again when I had to show I wasn't going to hurt her in Lighthalzen when she came to find me. It was the only way to help her refocus and lose the fears she had."

"What did you do?" Kiehl asked. "How does she go to you?"

"I pulled out my axe. Then I dropped it, fell to my knees, and opened my arms to her. She  _always_  runs to me for safety when I do that. It's instinctive for her. It's even instinctive for me to do that for her, now that I think about it. It's like I just...I knew what to do when it first happened. Even when we first met after those...shitheads! I'm glad Eremes killed them off!"

"The ones that hurt her in Geffen? Those guys, right?"

"Yes. Those guys."

"And the Rogues from Sammy's dream vision are dead?"

"Yep. We tore them apart in Naght's tower."

"Who else do you know of that I can help kill?!"

"Other than Huginn? Hmm..." Howard thought and smirked. "There was a Champion when she did her first and last fight in the arena. He kept flirting with her. Then he called her 'just a girl', and that pissed her off."

"He's dead if I see him!"

"Heh! Sure thing! Oh, this is important, too," Howard said, and told him about what happened in Jawaii with the three girls and guys that bothered her. He further explained how Muninn was forced to remove their memories of her. He told Kiehl what the lead girl would have done. Kiehl had heard the story, but not in full.

"And Muninn wiped their memories? The sluts?" Kiehl asked. "So it can't happen?"

"HAH! Sluts! Wow! Yes! He did!" Howard laughed. He looked at Sarine, as she blinked awake from his laughter.

"Oh..." she blushed, and Howard chuckled. "Did I miss anything?"

"We were just talking," Kiehl said, and he moved to her side to press a kiss to her mouth. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," she sighed. Then she reached up to pull him back down by his collar when he tried to move away. "That hunger can wait. This one can't."

"Oh?" Howard grinned. She noticed his tunic was off, and he was just in his pants.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" she asked.

"Ah...no, but I'm glad you still like it!" Howard grinned, as she reached for him, too. "Sarine loves it when my tunic's off and I'm just wearing pants. You should try it sometime."

"I'll have to," Kiehl grinned, and they both attacked her. "Howard..."

"What?" he growled out, as ran his mouth over her neck and she gasped out.

"Should we...try it?" Kiehl smirked.

"Now?" Howard blinked, and she looked at him curiously. "Hmm...sure. Why not?"

"We could both bite her neck, too..." Kiehl snickered. "Opposite sides."

"You're on!" Howard grinned, and she squealed with protest. He shucked off his pants and put them aside to pull her closer. When they both took her together, she gasped with the shock of it and whimpered. Kiehl tried not to think about what he was doing and focused on her neck to bite down hard. Howard was panting and managed to get the other side of her neck. She was in a full state of shock now and she couldn't scream. She let them take a couple mouthfuls of blood from her, as they released at the same time in her. When they backed away, Kiehl Healed her, and Howard quickly moved away to gasp at what he did.

"Sarine?" Kiehl whispered in her ear, and she didn't respond. She was trembling now, and Howard moved to her to whisper softly in her ear. She whimpered, and her body went tense.

"You both are idiots!" Huginn hissed, as he emerged to speak to them both. "Do you have any idea what you both have done?!"

"What?" Howard gaped.

"Huginn?!" Kiehl blinked, as he moved away from Sarine's body now. Her form gasped and trembled, as Huginn brought her body back under control.

"You weren't supposed to do this yet!" he hissed from her, and he sounded like he was in pain from fighting something down. "Get Muninn! I need his help! Now!"

"What...?" Kiehl asked with confusion. Howard moved to open the bathroom window and call for the scouting falcon. Muninn landed to perch questionably and now looked at Sarine's gasping form with shock.

_:Brother?!:_ Muninn squawked.

"They both...at once with her...her body...help me!" Huginn pleaded.

_:NO!:_  Muninn screeched and froze time to keep the others from coming in. He became his human form and ran straight to her side to place his hand on his sister's belly. " _Shit!_ "

"Ah..." Howard blinked now. He never heard Muninn swear before. "What we did was bad? But I thought...Thanatos and Errende did it, too!"

" _She was pregnant with their children already, so it had no effect!_ " Muninn winced, and he trembled for his sister. " _You both...damn it!_ "

"What did we do?!" Kiehl asked.

" _Why didn't you wait?! Now...she has no choice. The triplets will be born with the quadruplets. She'll be in so much pain!_ "

"WHAT?!" Kiehl gasped out in shock. "We just...wanted to see if it could be done! We...oh, no...!"

"There's no way for you to reverse it, is there? Put them in a stasis? Maybe?" Howard asked. "I...shit...!"

" _If I put them in a stasis..._ " Muninn thought. " _Huginn! Will a stasis work?_ "

"It's...possible. If you get Father Odin to do this for us. Quickly! I can't hold them back from forming for much longer!" Huginn panicked.

"Will they grow out of the stasis?" Kiehl asked.

" _They might, or they might not. Ah! This is why they would grow so fast to match with Maya Purple's eggs! I see now! Nine months put into nine days! Now it makes perfect sense! And, Kiehl, you do know that you are their father, too, right? These triplets will be yours, Howard's, and Naght's children! But...I am wasting time. Let me call Father Odin!_ "

"Just do it already!" Huginn winced. Muninn brought forth time, and Odin appeared for time to freeze again. Muninn explained the situation rapidly, and Odin blinked.

"Huginn! Release control of the triplets to me!" Odin barked out. Huginn gasped with relief, as Odin set them into a frozen stasis. Muninn let out his own sigh of relief, and now he glared a touch at Kiehl and Howard.

" _Get some clothes on. We all need to talk._ "

"Ah...all right," Howard swallowed, and Kiehl got his slave briefs and pants on. Howard put on his pants, and they both sat on the ground. Huginn had Sarine's body slip into the lacy nightgown, buttoned it up, and move to confront them with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You both almost killed her!" Huginn growled out.

"We didn't know!" Kiehl said.

"Calm yourself, Huginn. They didn't know. We didn't know. We didn't bother to look ahead. Now we know why the pregnancy will be fast. It's fine," Odin said. "You both should know now that, any time you do this with her, it will instantly get her pregnant. It appears that you both are True Mates to my daughter, my Vessel. As is Naght Seiger, since he is bound to Howard Alt-Eisen. But, only you two can do this with her. The others cannot, since they are not her True Mates. So, you must be extremely careful on choosing when to do this with her. You have both upset the balance on when the triplets were to be created by doing this. She will have no choice. She will need to have the triplets with Maya Purple's eggs first. Then it will be Kiehl's children with Incantation Samurai."

"Ah!" Kiehl hissed. "I promised Serenity that it would not happen that way!"

"There is no way to reverse time, is there?" Howard sighed.

"No. But..." Odin thought and looked at Sarine's form. "Huginn! Do you think you can keep the stasis around the triplets for as long as needed? I may have found a way to slow down their growth to be as Muninn said. One month to a day for nine days."

"It...may be possible. But, no one is to know of this hidden pregnancy. Not even her. If she finds out, then they will come through. Since it is Father Odin in control of the stasis, he can release it when the time is right. You will have to wait for the two main pregnancies to pass before telling Sarine about what you did today! Hmm. If you think about it, you and Kiehl reenacted the night before Lighthalzen. Once again, her pregnancy is to be delayed. But not lost. The triplets will be frozen in her body until the right time."

"Thank you!" Howard said, as he rose up on his knees with relief. Kiehl was just floored that he already became a father.

" _Just remember. It may be a few months before you get to meet your triplets,_ " Muninn said. " _Be glad that Sarine's health is going to be safe._ "

"I...I know," Howard said.

" _No one is to know of this pregnancy, as my brother has said. So, I will ask you both to forget of what you just did. When you do this again, it will nullify the stasis around them. They will grow fast! Remember! A month of growth will happen in one day!_ "

"That would be best," Odin nodded. "They do this act out of love, and it will cause the triplets to respond. You can tell my daughter, my Vessel, about what happened today to explain why they grow so fast, or you won't need to. But, if she learns of this at any other time, the triplets will grow. It is important that no one else knows to keep them from telling her. It...may be possible that they can know, but it will be incredibly risky."

"We understand," Kiehl nodded.

" _You can both still have her, just not at the same time. One after the other will work just fine. Huginn, is her body safe now?_ "

"Aside from the blood they took, yes. She's fine now. Today is supposed to be a day of fun and relaxation for her. Don't pull this shit again! You got pissed off at me with what I did before. I think this is ample payback!" Huginn growled.

"Payback?! Oh, hell no! You'll know what payback is when that time comes along!" Howard growled back. Kiehl frowned, but said nothing.  _Huginn helped save Sarine's health and current pregnancies. Howard was right about one thing. Huginn was an asshole, but he loved his sister dearly. He won't let her come to any true harm._  When Muninn nodded to Odin, time resumed briefly to let Odin vanish. Then time froze again.

"Why are you freezing time again?" Huginn asked.

" _Because you have to answer a very intricate question. And, if you try to sink down into our sister, I'll bring you right back up!_ " Muninn hissed out.

"Fine! What is the question?" Huginn asked.

" _Why do you blank out Sarine's mind when Misty is brought up?_ "

"Ahh!" Howard blinked. "Yes. We want to know that!"

"That we do," Kiehl frowned.

"Do you know how fast these kids would grow, if that Bongun's Rage was let loose?! Or what would happen, if she harmed anyone with it? Think of her having kids within  _seconds_ and you got it right!" Huginn scowled. "They would sprout like weeds in her!"

"You're joking," Howard said with a look of shock.

"Oh, no. You saw how fast your twins grew when she sang with rage in her song. Valkyrie's Rage is pure, Holy wrath and vengeance. These kids would be birthed out within the hour like yours were!"

" _Fine. That's legitimate._ "

"Birthed...in the hour? If she hurts someone?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. If she hurts anyone with the Rage in her right now, her kids will be born. Even if she lets the Rage come out," Huginn said with a sigh. "What else do you want to know?"

"Oh, Muninn," Kiehl said. "if something happened to Keltin, who would be the next in command to help with the monsters? Should something go wrong?"

" _Karla. She does not know it and should not know it until something happens. Which it won't. So, don't worry about that,_ " Muninn said.

"Ah! Since Sarine met her after Keltin. This means that Lloyd would take over, if something happens to her. Makes sense to me," Howard nodded.

"Oh, can any monster travel with the children? When they start to train?" Kiehl asked.

" _Yes. But, not until they are old enough to handle them. While you are human, Howard, that would be the time to take them. Or with Sarine._ "

"Right," Howard said. "I think that clears those questions up."

" _Huginn, keep an eye on the triplet stasis at all times!_ " Muninn warned.

"You don't have to remind me!" Huginn muttered. When he let Sarine's form fall unconscious, Howard was right there to grab her and hug her tight.

" _Hmm..._ " Muninn thought, as he looked ahead. " _I can let her drink from me, as long as she is pregnant with one of you. It's my blood that helps to bring about her Demonic Matings, and it's needed. I found that out a bit earlier with her. Demon blood isn't a true requirement for the Demonic Matings to happen, but it does help her during them for stamina. If Incantation Samurai impregnates her first, then she can drink from me. I would not trust her to drink from me with a full set of quadruplets for safety reasons now._

" _Actually, it was done in Thanatos's tower and later in the bathtub...still could be risky with the stasis, though. My blood did remove the stasis around Thanatos's twins. I don't want the stasis around the triplets to be removed. I don't know how my blood would react to the Rage in her with quadruplets, either. It may be safe with Eremes's children, since my physical body and Huginn's physical bodies do need the blood. The stasis around the triplets will not come to any harm. All of my blood would be going to the growing bodies, but, right now...I'm not sure._ "

"I wouldn't try it," Howard nodded. He looked down at Sarine when she came around, and he hugged her tight to his chest. She hugged him back just as tightly. She shivered, and he looked at her with concern. He knew she was puzzled as to what was going on.

"Did you both...to me?" she frowned.

"We did, but we don't think we'll do it again anytime soon. It felt...awkward," Howard said with a funny look, and she giggled.

"He's right," Kiehl said. "Maybe later down the road after we think about it more."

"Okay. Muninn? Is something wrong?" she asked.

" _No. Everything is fine now,_ " Muninn smiled, since it was the truth.

"He just needed to talk to us. We had a few questions. Like, who would take over for Keltin if something happened to him? It would actually be Karla, but Muninn says that it will never come to that. So, she doesn't need to know," Howard said.

"Oh!" she blinked and smiled. Kiehl moved to press a kiss to her forehead, and she rested against Howard's chest. Muninn nodded to them now.

" _I'll give you both an hour to be with her, and time will resume. She will need to eat first, and then see to the children. I would suggest to go to the arena after for a couple hours. You'll find someone...interesting there. Not in a good way, either._ "

"Really?" Howard frowned. "Who?"

" _A certain Champion..._ "

"I'll kill him!" Kiehl snarled out. He had heard about him from the others, and, after what Howard confirmed, he wanted to personally see him put down.

"Huh?" Sarine blinked.

"That one Champion that challenged you, and you kicked his ass," Howard smiled.

"Oh. Him? Huh. Yeah, he can die," she grinned. Kiehl laughed a bit, and Muninn grinned before shifting to his falcon form and flying off. Then she sighed.

"What is it, love?" Howard asked.

"I feel this urge to train," she blinked.

"To train?" Kiehl smiled.

"Well..." she sighed. "I feel like everyone is doing all the work for me! I want to do something, too. You know? I want to be active! Somehow. I think."

"You're pregnant and moody. No training," Howard said. She looked at him oddly, and he grinned. Then she moved to shove him against the wall before blinking down at herself.

"I'm dressed. All wrapped up again," she frowned.

"Oh? We need to fix that," Kiehl grinned.

"Do we? You look a touch wrapped up, too," she mused.

"I want to do what you and him did to each other," Howard said.

"Well, help unwrap me," she smiled.

"I'll show you how to do it," Kiehl grinned again.

"Hmm," Howard smiled and watched the little game they invented. When she was as nude as they were, she moved to Howard to set his back on the cushions and she placed her hips to his face. Now she was able to torment him as he tormented her. When he finally reached his limit with her, she moved to sit on him, and he thrust up into her to cry out. Kiehl waited for her to move off him, and he picked her up to set her on the wall of the tub to use it as leverage.

"Kiehl!" she gasped.

"Now...that's creative!" Howard grinned, and he blinked. He shivered and took a deep breath. Kiehl looked over after he released hard with her, and he held Sarine to him.

"What's up?" Kiehl asked.

"Thinking about things," he sighed.

"Ahh," Kiehl nodded and carried Sarine over to him to sit between them. "Well, I think about a lot of things. Most of them are how to protect our wife and family."

"True," Howard shrugged. Kiehl looked at him now a touch puzzled.

"It's a shame that neither of you can read each other's minds," she chuckled.

"Hmm," Kiehl thought. "We could try to swap blood directly..."

"What?! No!" Howard frowned. "Well..."

"If you already have a form of blood with each other, whether through the drugs or through my blood, would it really matter?" she asked. "And, if we are all linked, you would think that it should happen."

"Um...sorry. It would just be awkward!" Howard sighed.

"I have an idea," she smiled. "Let me bite each of you one at a time. Instead of swallowing the blood, I'll simply pass it to you both, and we can share it."

"That might work!" Howard blinked.

"Let's try it," Kiehl nodded. Sarine was still in Kiehl's arms, so she bit his neck first and pulled a mouthful of blood to hold in her mouth. Kiehl Healed himself, as he forced down the pleasure the bite gave him, and she moved to Howard to share the blood with him. He kissed her fully and managed to swallow down what she pushed into his mouth with her tongue. He gasped and coughed a bit, but he managed. He felt a shiver pass through his body before it went away.

"Ready, How-How?" she smiled. He nodded and let her move closer to him. She caught him up in a passionate kiss before moving swiftly to bite down hard on his neck. He cried out harshly from it, and she pulled the mouthful quickly. Kiehl Healed him and moved to Sarine's side to put his mouth over hers to accept the blood. After he kissed her, he blinked when he swallowed the blood and felt something shiver through his body.

"Anything?" Howard asked.

"I don't know," Kiehl frowned. "Did you feel something change? I know I did!"

"Hmm," Sarine thought and sighed. She ran a hand over her belly, and Howard looked at her with a form of concern.

"She's fine, Howard," Kiehl chuckled.

"I...didn't say anything," Howard frowned. "What do you mean I need a shower?!"

"Ah!" Sarine giggled now. "I can't hear either of you. But, I think you both can hear each other now!"

"This can be useful," Kiehl snickered and tried something.

"Don't put those technical designs in my head! I can't understand them!" Howard frowned. "Can you hear her?"

"No, but I can hear her through you," Kiehl said.

"Hmm..." she mused and let her emotional wall crash down to expose the love and worry she had for her children. Howard gasped and tensed up. Kiehl blinked at her with shock.

"Nothing will happen to them!" Kiehl said, and he gathered her up to hold her. "They'll be safe! I promise, they will all be safe!"

"My test has been proven," she smiled softly, and her emotional wall came back up. Howard trembled and realized something.  _I can't react properly to her emotions, but Kiehl could. I can bear the emotional hardships, and Kiehl could comfort her properly._

"True Mates..." Howard sighed and ran a hand over his forehead. "Wow..."

"And I just realized that you're human," Kiehl mused, as he looked over at him.

"Yep! With demon blood and robot blood now, apparently. You do know that just the two of us could easily care for her now. With none of the others," Howard chuckled.

"But..." Sarine frowned, and Kiehl kissed her gently.

"We won't deprive you of them. Or our children," Kiehl smiled.

"Okay," she frowned. Now he blinked and realized exactly how badly Huginn scared her when he pulled her from the others. He shook with rage at Howard's thoughts and memories of her now. Howard was staring at the marble tiled floor, and he fully filled in Kiehl on everything he missed about her life. Sarine stayed silent for this. She knew that Kiehl had to know everything about her. Everything that was discovered and needed to be known was revealed to him. Tears flooded his face, as he hugged her. He saw how she looked as a teenager when Howard saw her the first time and how badly she was beaten up. He could almost feel how light she was when she was hugged close that first time. He even learned about Howard's life and winced at how foul his own family was to him.

As Kiehl was learning from Howard's memories, Howard was learning from Kiehl's memories. He witnessed Kiehl's life while he grew up. The experiments he endured. The betrayal he felt from his father. Howard could easily relate with the betrayal, since his own family seemed to have betrayed him, too. He actually started to learn most of what Kiehl learned, and he sighed.  _I can easily help Kiehl in the workshop, if I was needed now._ But, he knew that his family would need them more. At least now, he knew that, if Kiehl was getting stuck in a loop, he could snap him out of it quickly.

Sarine let them learn from each other, and she snuggled into Kiehl's arms to feel him hug her closer. She knew in her heart that these two men were her True Mates in life. She wondered how she would have met Kiehl.  _Likely through a Bloody Branch._   _Same with Thanatos. I love all of my men dearly. Yet, it was these two that my heart soared for the most. At first, it was only Howard. After this, it was both. Even Naght had a very special place in my heart from my twins and through Howard._ All of her men would, and she would be filled with too much pain if any of them had to leave her.

"Sarine," Kiehl whispered with a touch of pain in his voice, and she let him take her with everything he had. Howard took over right after him, and they both held her afterwards.

"The two of you could practically be twins now. You know?" she chuckled, as she snuggled into them both. "Twins are known to share special bonds."

"It's possible," Kiehl smiled.

"But, how in the hell are you supposed to meet her to know about her?" Howard frowned.

"I think a Bloody Branch would have been in order," she giggled.

"True," Kiehl thought. "Hmm...time resumed. I can feel a breeze in the air now from the window. The others will be waking up soon."

"We need to feed you and get you to the kids!" Howard grinned. She nodded and gasped from a flash of pain. She doubled over, as the children in her finally grew. At first, they thought it was their triplets, but remembered the current pregnancies. Then Howard blinked, as Naght demanded to know why he thought it would be the triplets.

"Ah...shit!" Howard winced.

"Go ahead," Kiehl nodded. He trusted the powerful demon fully. As Doppy roared in the bedroom, and Sammy bolted in with Thanatos, Howard calmly explained what happened with the triplets and the stasis they were in. He mentally stressed fully that no one else was to know about them, or the stasis around them might shatter. Sarine couldn't know, and this was why the information had to be kept secret. Naght vowed on his life that no one else would know, and that Kiehl would now be seen and trusted like a true blood brother.

"I should have you meet Timmy," Howard said. Sammy and Thanatos dressed Sarine and rushed her into the bedroom to eat on the balcony.

"I want to meet Timmy. I want to show him how a true brother should be. I also want to meet the retards that we caught at the arena yesterday. And, tomorrow, I want to go to Glast Heim to pick up what I will need for my workshop. Maybe Lighthalzen, too. That one will be tricky," Kiehl frowned. "I don't want to be recognized."

"Muninn may be able to help us with that," Howard nodded. Errende looked over at Howard and Kiehl, and he noticed that they seemed to be far more closely bonded now.  _It was as though they could easily read each other's minds..._

"Kiehl? Howard?" Errende said, as he moved over to them.

"Yes?" they both said together and laughed at it.

"You two seem...closer," Errende frowned, as he tried to explain it.

"In a way, we are," Howard nodded.

"It turns out that we're blood brothers, in a sense. Twins, actually," Kiehl grinned.

"Ooh! That's a good one!" Howard snickered. "Of course, Sarine said the same thing."

"Okay, what happened?" Thanatos asked. He walked over to them after listening in to Errende's confused thoughts.

"Ah, well..." Kiehl sighed. "it turns out that the, eh, medicine Howard was given from Lighthalzen had my blood in it. I had to make them first using my blood to compress them into a solid form, you see. I always felt that Howard and I shared a bond, in a sense, because of it. And, since Sarine was given the same drugs, too, she has a bit of that bond, also. Muninn confirmed it. Then Sarine suggested to try and awaken something by swapping blood with each other directly. She helped. And, since Howard can hear her thoughts, I can't hear her thoughts directly, but I can through Howard now. And I can hear his thoughts, which means that I can hear Naght through him, as well. He can also hear my thoughts. It's a form of telepathy."

"She took my blood and kissed him with it and vice versa," Howard said. "It worked."

"You do know that this will make you both far more efficient around her," Thanatos grinned. "And you both could possibly work in that workshop."

"We know," they both said together and scowled.

"And it's going to be funny as hell to watch you now, too!" Thanatos snickered.

"Not funny!" Howard muttered, and blinked when he saw Serenity peering into the bedroom.

"Dad?" she asked. Howard grinned and moved to scoop her up into a hug, as she tottered over to him with her arms outstretched.

"Did you walk here? By yourself?" Kiehl asked.

"Yah!" she giggled and got hugged by both of them. Naght rumbled when he came in, and Siegfried toddled after him to come into the room.

"Mommy's over here," Keltin grinned now and led them to her.

"Oh, my wonderful little babies!" Sarine said, as she got hugged by her children.

"Missed Mommy!" Siegfried said, as he climbed into her lap.

"And I missed you, too!" Sarine smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I love you, Mama!" Serenity blushed and got a kiss pressed to her cheek. Howard and Kiehl were watching with a show of fatherly pride now. Even Naght was purring deeply. Doppy grinned and nodded at this. The others even showed their own bit of pride now, and they moved to see what else they could do.

"What Mommy do now?" Siegfried asked.

"Well, mommy needs to finish eating first for the new babies. Then mommy has to feed your brothers and sisters," Aliot said gently. "After that, mommy is probably going to rest."

"I want to see the arena, but they are not ready for it yet," Sarine nodded.

"Doll can watch them," Sammy said.

"We want Mama!" Serenity whimpered.

"And you will get me!" Sarine smiled. "We will go swimming later. Okay?"

"Yay!" she said happily, and let Howard take her to cuddle her. Siegfried was picked up by Kiehl, and he laughed when he got tickled. She managed to finish eating, and she used the bathroom before heading into the nursery. She had Bianca and Edward settled and nursing when Doppy moved to sit by her to watch her nurse his daughter.

"I was curious about going back to Jawaii," Doppy mused.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, I think, if we let the manager know we are coming, it may be a bit of a nice experience. I know we won't get the hour with you alone like before, but some people need to buy swimsuits. Like Sammy."

"You think so?" she smiled. He gave her a gentle kiss and kissed the top of his daughter's head. The little girl seemed to blush and giggle a bit, as she looked back at him with glowing red pupils.

"You know that, if anyone touches my kids, they'll die," he grinned.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she chuckled. "Oh, Muninn told me something interesting this morning. There is a reason I want to see the arena."

"Tell me," he whispered, as he nuzzled her ear. She told him about the Champion that was to be there, and how Kiehl wanted to kill him. Doppy grinned wickedly.

"So, if you want a piece of it, you'll have to take it up with him," she smiled.

"Oh, I'll insist on it!" Doppy grinned.

"Insist on what?" Kiehl asked, as he nodded to Doppy. Siegfried was still in his arms and clinging to him happily.

"Helping you in the arena," Doppy grinned.

"No. That's my personal challenge," Kiehl frowned.

"Fine. However, I get to kick him when he's down!"

"That's fine by me," Kiehl grinned wickedly.

"It's wonderful to see my husbands and slaves getting along," she smiled and handed the children to Doppy so she could nurse Angela and Gunther.

"Heh. You're telling me," Howard snickered, as he brought Serenity into the room. Naght followed soon after and wanted to be there for the Champion, too.

"How in the hell did you hear everything?" Doppy frowned.

"Ah..." Kiehl chuckled. "He and I can read each other's minds now."

"What?!" Doppy frowned.

"I helped them swap blood with each other," Sarine smiled.

"It was easy with her," Howard and Kiehl said together and looked at each other with annoyance. Then they both said, "Stop that!"

"And it's going to be interesting. I can tell," Doppy grinned now.

"We're pretty much twins now," Kiehl said. "I want to see Timmy in the new dungeon to make him sweat."

"Why?" Doppy asked.

"He wants to show how a brotherly bond really works," Howard grins.

"That will be fun," Doppy laughed.

"I'm sure it will be," she smiled. He pressed a kiss to her lips now, and Kiehl looked away with a bit of disgruntled sigh. Howard frowned at him and realized it was from the Demonic Mating. Naght was now a touch interested in this and reminded Kiehl, through Howard, that he was still a First Mate due to his status. The Demonic Mating is mainly a show of Bragging Rights, but he understood what was going on. Kiehl seemed to nod, and he sighed to himself. He would always trust the old demon's insight.

"My Lady," Errende said, and he knelt down at her side. "When did you want to go to the arena? We want to know."

"Oh. After I finish nursing," she nodded.

"Very well! We'll prepare your balcony to have new comforts," he smiled, and she caressed a hand through his hair to show she was pleased with him. He did pause to kiss the top of his daughter's head before leaving to see to her needs.

"He needs to be with his children more," Sarine sighed. She looked up, as Seyren walked in to see her. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other and shrugged before moving in front of him to help shield her a bit.

"What are the plans for today?" Seyren asked.

"The arena for a couple hours after nursing. Doppy was thinking about going back to Jawaii. He thinks, if we tell the manager we are on our way, that the experience will be better," she said. "He says some bathing suits need to be purchased."

"Why go there and not stay here?" Howard and Kiehl said together and sputtered at it.

"What...is going on with you two?" Seyren asked, as he cracked a grin. Doppy started laughing, and Thanatos was just grinning like mad. Naght seemed to be chuckling now.

"They can read each other's minds now. They're like twins," Sarine giggled.

"It's not funny!" Howard said carefully. "We just need to get used to it."

"Sarine helped us with a blood swap," Kiehl said. "That's how it started."

"That would explain it," Seyren chuckled. "Any particular reason for the arena?"

"A certain Champion that Sarine took care of before will show up," Doppy said.

"Oh? And what will happen when he gets defeated again?" Seyren asked.

"Imprisonment and experimentation," Howard and Kiehl said together again and winced.

"I don't think so," Sarine frowned. "I will only allow that, if he tries anything."

"You're getting used to us talking together. Aren't you?" Howard sighed. Serenity was giggling with her brother, and they both got tickled for it.

"It just shows how close you both are. The children adore it, too," Sarine smiled. She let the twins she held finish nursing. When they were done, they got taken up by Aliot and Observation to set back in their cradles. Sarine fixed up her top and rested with a touch of exhaustion against Doppy. Serenity and Siegfried were given over to Bacsojin and Doll now to play and rest. Sammy came in to evaluate the health of the children, and Maya Purple was waiting downstairs in the main room for her.

"Hop on?" Maya Purple chuckled.

"Windwalker's gonna get pissed," Doppy snickered.

"Windwalker can help her when we travel. Not on the island. I already spoke to him," Maya Purple nodded. "So don't worry."

"Him? I didn't realize that Windwalker was a male!" Sarine blushed.

"Well, most monsters don't have gender specific roles. I'm sure you know that. But, it's fine all the same," Maya Purple nodded.

"All this time...wow," Howard grinned. Kiehl laughed a bit and helped Sarine onto Maya Purple's large insect abdomen.

"Hmm..." Maya Purple thought, as he adjusted for her weight. "Let me try carrying her."

"All right," Howard nodded and had Sarine move to be carried.

"This is better," he nodded, and she blinked when she clung to him. "I'm not going to drop you, My Lady! Okay, let's go."

"When does Maya want to see the children?" she asked.

"Later tonight or tomorrow night. She's still working on a new nest underground," he said. "New nests always take time."

"A new nest?" Howard frowned, as he walked with them.

"Well, think of it as a safe training ground for the kids," Maya Purple explained. "The eggs my Mother will produce will be rogue ants, as we know, but they don't attack on sight. They will help train the kids here until they are strong enough to go out there. We were talking to Storm Caller about it, and he thinks it's a wonderful idea."

"Oh! That is wonderful!" she beamed and planted a kiss on his mouth. Kiehl and Howard were quite pleased with it, and so was Keltin.  _It would work perfectly for them all._

"By the way, when do we meet Ripclaw?" Kiehl asked at a thought from Howard.

"Oh. Him," Doppy snorted. "I don't know. I don't care, either."

"He hasn't met Naght yet," Howard grinned. "Oh, wait. He has. They met on the night the nursery got attacked."

"What? What attack?" Kiehl asked now. As Kiehl learned from Howard, Sammy explained what happened to the slaves. They were now thoroughly pissed off.

"I know, but he has been trying to change himself," Sarine sighed. "He hasn't met anyone else since then, though."

"That's right, eh? So, he hasn't even met Thanatos," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"Or the new kids," Keltin smiled.

"I don't know if I want him to see our kids after what happened," Kiehl frowned.

"Ahh. Seeing Howard's thoughts?" Sammy smiled. The others were informed of what could be done after Errende's discovery. They actually liked this.  _It would be easier to know what Sarine needed, and that it would be seen to even faster._

"Yes. He tried to betray My Lady," Kiehl said. "Anyone who does that, even once, is not very trustworthy to me."

"I should fight him. Odin stopped me last time," Doppy growled.

"Just take it easy, loves," Sarine soothed with her tone. "Last we heard, he was getting allies. We'll just have to see what happens with him."

"I don't like Rogues at all," Keltin frowned.

"Huh?" Kiehl asked.

"Oh! None of you know!" Keltin blinked and told the slaves what happened whenever Rogues caught up with Sarine. Kiehl's eyes were wide, and Byorgue snarled out.

"She would get attacked?!" Errende asked with disbelief.

"Yes," Keltin nodded. "By Thieves and Rogues. Assassins tend to be fine. To a point."

"Yes. To a point," Errende nodded. "I never would have guessed."

"None of us would have," Aliot muttered.

"I don't like anyone! Only you guys are the ones I trust," Byorgue growled.

"Which is expected," Doppy grinned. As the others argued amongst themselves, Maya Purple was softly kissing Sarine and whispering to her.

"I should call you My Queen," he grinned. "Or My Princess."

"No!" she giggled softly, and he nuzzled her.

"It would be true, either way. Wouldn't it?" he smiled.

"Maybe, but I don't like flaunting that I'm royalty. Most get the wrong idea, and then they expect me to do things that I don't like to do," she sighed.

"Like what?"

"Oh, like play small games and stitch. Make speeches and attend parties..."

"You don't like to do those at all. Do you?"

"No. I don't like crowds. I was isolated for so long that it just seems natural for me to shy away from everyone."

"I see," he frowned. "Well, no more isolation for you!"

"I know!" she smiled, and he kissed her gently, as he approached the arena with her. As he climbed up to the balcony with his massive insect body, the challengers seemed to jeer at them. He now turned to face the crowd with an instinctive hissing sound to silence them all, and Howard now moved to find out what was going on.

"She's in love with a BUG?! Gross!" someone said in the challenger section.

"I'm going to kill him!" Maya Purple seethed, as he clutched her to him.

"No. Let us handle it," Kiehl said. "I know who said it. Let me pull him out for you!"

"Please do," Sarine said with a nod.

"I want to help!" Howard snarled.

"Save some for me!" Doppy hissed. Eremes glowered and Cloaked to make himself ready to help pull the accuser out of the crowd.

"I mean, come on! Why can't she be with a real man?! Like me?!" the guy started again. Maya Purple now saw who it was, and he set Sarine down on the couch lovingly. Then he skittered down the balcony with a vengeance. The other challengers panicked and backed away, since they knew exactly how strong those around Sarine were. Their memories may be revoked of her being the Vessel of Odin at this time, but they knew she was royalty. She was also in charge of the arena, and these were her servants, husbands, and lovers. Kiehl and Howard jumped down as one now, and Doppy followed right after.

The Champion was chased out to the center of the arena by Maya Purple, as he now moved to try and stampede him down. Eremes was Cloaked, and he revealed himself next to the man to scare him into Doppy. Kiehl and Howard both moved to kick his knees in to force him down. Sammy watched from the balcony, and Aliot was waiting to see if he was needed to go down there with the others. Sarine called to Aliot and had him sit on a stool to get a foot to his back. He sighed and leaned into it, and she had Observation do the same. Drago and Injustice stood at the edge of the balcony, if they needed to help.

"My Lady, Thanatos is coming," Errende smiled.

"Oh, good. What about Naght?" she asked.

"Ah, he's out there now," Errende chuckled. Naght Seiger howled with rage, as he charged into the fray. Thanatos was out there soon after, and Ifrit wasn't far behind. They all wanted a piece of the Champion. Keltin sat next to Sarine to protect her, and he watched with a bit of a smile on his face. He remembered this man as the one who challenged Sarine and lost.

"It's a shame that we won't find out who he was going to challenge," she sighed.

"Apparently, it's everyone. And it's a free show," Keltin grinned. She giggled with him, and he kissed her deeply. At Naght's roar, she looked over to the arena grounds.

"My Lady!" Maya Purple called out, as one of his long bug legs had neatly pinned the Champion to the ground. "What do we do with this miserable waste of flesh?!"

"Imprisonment!" she giggled. Seyren and Garrett moved now to do just that. Doppy snarled out that he didn't get to finish him off, and Sarine called for him now. Looking at her, his hatred subsided, and he moved to her side swiftly to get the feeling of her hands in his hair.

"I wanted to kill him..." he muttered, and she kissed him softly.

"I know. Maybe Kiehl can let you help experiment on him when he's ready," she smiled.

"I think that would be fun," he grinned and kissed her again. It didn't take her long to move fully into his lap for him to start kissing her far more aggressively.

"Doppy..." she breathed, as the others started to file in from the arena floor.

"Hmm?" he muttered. "What?"

"Close the curtains," she growled and panted. Howard eyes widened a bit, and Kiehl smirked. Doppy hissed out with need and gasped when she nibbled along his neck.

"Her craving's back. Isn't it?" Keltin sighed.

"Yep. In full," Howard said, as he helped Kiehl and Aliot close the curtains off. When Doppy moved her around to purr effectively, Howard gaped. _It wasn't working with him._ Kiehl blinked with disbelief.  _She wasn't crying out as hard as she usually did._

"What's wrong with you?!" Doppy hissed out when she finally used him for everything he had. Howard was now struggling to run through her thoughts to figure out exactly what happened. What he found out shocked him to the core. Kiehl looked at him with his jaw dropped, and they regained themselves quickly. Howard moved to hiss out his frustrations without being noticed. Only Kiehl, Howard, or Naght could get her to that point right now.

"It could also be that we are in a public place, too," Kiehl thought aloud. "She may be keeping herself down just because of it."

"Find out!" Doppy groaned, as he pulled himself away from her. Kiehl nodded and moved to her side swiftly to see if he was right. The moment she sat on him, he activated his vibrations. He had to kiss her hard to keep her from screaming. He pinned her on the couch to help silence her with cushions to muffle her out. Yet, even when he finished, she wanted more. At her full peak of craving, she was completely insatiable. Howard found this out just as Kiehl was at his limit with her.

"My Lady!" Kiehl gasped out, as he released hard in her.

"More...!" she moaned out, and he winced with disbelief. Pulling himself away from her, he gestured for someone else to try. For a good hour, each of her husbands, mates, and slaves took a turn with her. She had nearly killed Howard, and she was still craving more by the time Thanatos finished with her. He was the last one to have her, and he barely managed to help her dress. None of them had any stamina left.

"Damn!" Howard gasped, as he fought to recover.

"You're all exhausted?!" she asked with amazement.

"Yes. Yes we are," Thanatos frowned. She sighed and got up to walk down from the balcony. Aliot and Observation were quick to stop her.

"What? I just want to go for a walk!" she frowned.

"Sarine, I'm sorry I ever complained about not getting enough time with you," Howard said. Eremes was the same way now.

"It's not any of you..." she said, and she shivered. Howard blinked with a touch of surprise. _She wasn't satisfied. We would get her to that point and back, but her craving was so bad that it wasn't fulfilling what she needed._

"What can we do for you, My Lady?" Kiehl asked, as he moved to her side. Sammy was clearly worried about her and so was Keltin. Doppy was simply in shock that she still wanted more after having all of them. Then Kiehl realized something and thought to Howard.

"You think so?!" Howard asked.

"Take her into the bedroom and try again. None of us will follow," Kiehl said slowly. "Go now. Take her."

"Hmm?" Doppy frowned.

"Odin gave him something. I think it's for this," Kiehl mused.

"Really?" Thanatos asked.

"What did he give Howard?" Doppy asked.

"The sex drive of ten demons. I saw it last night," Kiehl grinned.

"Wow," Keltin said with amazement, as Howard moved swiftly to put Sarine over his shoulder and run with her to the house. Doppy narrowed his eyes in thought, but said nothing. _If Odin gave Howard this skill, then there was a reason for it._ Kiehl moved to sit on a stool to watch the arena now, and his mind was kept deep in thought with Howard. Naght even wanted to make sure of what was going to happen, and he hovered over the railing of the arena balcony with his swords ready to attack anyone that pissed him off.

In the house, Howard set Sarine down in the bedroom and took off his clothes. Then he undressed her and pressed her against the wall.

"Touch my tattoo," he whispered, as he moved his mouth over her neck. "I dare you."

"You dare me?!" she asked with surprise. "No. I don't want to."

"You liked it last night. Remember?" he muttered in her ear. She shivered at the remembrance and whimpered. "Come on, My Lady. Punish me."

"How-How..." she whispered with a touch of defeat. She finally moved her hand over his back to where his tattoo was behind his left shoulder and dug her fingers into it. He howled with lust and lifted her up to take her savagely. She screamed out furiously with him, as he bucked hard into her to give her everything he had and more. She released multiple times for him on the spot, and he finally roared out his release when she became too hoarse to scream. Gasping and panting against each other, he leaned into her with a heavy snarl of want. He moved his mouth over her neck and trembled, knowing that, if she still wanted him, he had even more to give her. When she didn't look satisfied, he growled and took her again. Only after that did she moan with exhaustion at long last. At that sound, he gasped when he gained control of himself again and hugged her tight.

At the arena balcony, Kiehl was laughing softly with Naght.

"Did it work?" Doppy asked with amusement.

"Very. She's tired now," Kiehl said lightly. "I would probably suggest that we try to sate her first, and then he goes last. The, eh, skill he has only works when he's alone with her. I'm an exception, since he and I are so alike."

"You're different now. A bit more confident in yourself. Ever since the Demonic Mating, it's been there," Doppy said. "You realize that?"

"I know," Kiehl sighed. "There's a lot that I had to take in, and being with her in that dominant way made me realize what I had to do around her."

"Well, you are a slave and a husband in a way," Errende shrugged. "I'm not in the least bit surprised. Anyways, shall we go back?"

"No need. Howard is bringing her here. We can wait," Kiehl smiled lightly. Naght knew that it was his blood that Kiehl consumed from Howard that was also giving him this small display of dominant confidence, as well as the Demonic Mating.  _That and the mere fact that Sarine was pregnant with his and Howard's children helped him even more. She just didn't know it and couldn't know it yet._ Maya Purple glanced around while he watched the fights, and Injustice waited patiently with the others. Drago was used to biding his time, and he watched the fights go on with amusement. Byorgue and Aliot started making bets on who was going to win or lose, and Observation hovered over the balcony railing to watch for his Lady. When he saw Howard bringing her back, he alerted the others.

"Miss us?" Howard grinned, as Sarine was cradled wearily in his arms. He set her back on the couch, and let Keltin and Doppy move next to her. Aliot sat on the stool at her feet to get a foot planted in his back. Howard motioned to Injustice to sit on the other stool so he could feel the affection she could give him now.

"Feel better?" Doppy asked.

"Yeah," she sighed and kissed him gently. Keltin rubbed her belly with a smile, and Naght looked at Thanatos to rumble out something in Demonic.

"We're going back to the nursery. If you need us, call us," Thanatos said.

"Of course," she nodded. Thanatos planted a kiss on her mouth, and Naght caressed her cheek lightly, as they departed to the house.

"What would you like to do now, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"I want to look at the prisoners. Then, maybe, we'll go to Jawaii," she smiled.

"We'll let that manager know in advance that you're coming, and that you're royalty. With an 'elite' honor guard," Doppy smirked. She kissed him passionately, and he muttered softly in it. She kissed him even more, and Howard swallowed.

"You just satisfied her!" Kiehl blinked.

"I know," Howard said, and they both sighed. They looked over at the Kafra Agent, as she moved up to the balcony to announce that Doppelganger was being challenged.

"Oh? By who?" Doppy growled and now mildly pissed that he was interrupted.

"A Stalker by the name of Ripclaw, Sir," the Kafra Agent nodded.

"Ripclaw?!" Keltin blinked and looked at Howard. Now they all looked to the middle of the arena and saw the Stalker standing there waving at them.

"This is going to be fun!" Doppy grinned and kissed Sarine again before jumping down to charge over to him. Sarine chuckled softly and had her slaves look at who Ripclaw was. Sammy softly explained in greater detail on what Ripclaw did, and how he was trying to make amends. They were told this before, but now they were told about the meetings that took place with this man in the Payon house.

"He's going to die," Howard and Kiehl said together, as they looked at each other.

"Maybe," Sarine shrugged and sat up. Naght and Thanatos had swiftly come back to the arena with Ifrit following them. When they settled on the arena balcony, Ripclaw looked up and his jaw dropped at the monsters with her now. When he saw Sammy as an adult, he was shocked even further. Doppy now stood tall before him and grinned savagely.

"I guess I missed a lot?" Ripclaw managed to ask.

"A whole shitload!" Doppy snickered. "Ready to die?!"

"Just try it!" Ripclaw growled. He didn't bother to make himself invisible, since Doppy could sense it, but he didn't have a chance, anyways. Doppy stomped on the ground to Stun him and ran him through.

"I tried it. I won," Doppy hissed out his laughter. He let the Stalker slide off his sword to fall to the ground. Dracula announced Doppelganger as the winner, and Lloyd Resurrected the Stalker when he was moved off the arena grounds. After he recovered enough, he walked back over in a neutral manner.

"Well...now I see how strong you are," Ripclaw said with a light cough.

"Want to see it again?" Doppy grinned. "You won't even have to pay!"

"No thanks," the Stalker said. He made his way up to Sarine and paused at the sight of the slaves that gathered around her protectively. Thanatos and Naght looked at each other before glaring at him. Then they moved past him to head back to the nursery to protect it. Ifrit hissed with disgust at Ripclaw before passing by him to protect the house.

"It's all right. Please get him a chair so I can talk with him. Or should he talk with Storm Caller?" Sarine asked. "I did want to have a relaxing day today."

"Let him speak with Storm Caller," Sammy said. "Ripclaw, just go to the house. You will be expected."

"Ah...of course," Ripclaw nodded. Then he blinked when Seyren and Garrett appeared to escort him to ensure his safety. Many of the monsters remembered the attack on the nursery and were still slightly pissed at him. They were there to ensure that he would not come to any harm. Sarine sat up and stretched, then blinked when Kiehl started to set some plates of food in front of her. Errende blinked and chuckled.  _Her every need was now going to be completely seen to before she even asked for assistance._  Aliot was being comforted with her foot to his back, and she had Injustice switch places with Drago so he could experience the same treatment. Drago was surprised at how good it felt, and he seemed to relax completely for her.

"When did you want to see the prisoners?" Kiehl asked, as she finished eating and drinking. "I'd like to examine the cells. I may be able to put in a few trick walls to make it easy to grab who I need for experimentation and interrogation."

"How delightfully evil of you, Kiehl!" she giggled.

"Anything for My Lady," he winked. She pulled him close and kissed him passionately before letting him move to massage her shoulders. Relaxing against him now, Eremes moved over with a soft smile and offered to show Kiehl how to really massage her. With a bit of a grin, Kiehl nodded and noticed a distinct change in her posture now. He studied how Eremes worked her muscles and managed to get into the deeper tissue.

"She always said...I massage her the best..." Eremes grinned.

"Really? Then I'm glad I'm learning from the best," Kiehl chuckled.

"She really said that?!" Howard frowned.

"You massage me in other places, How-How!" Sarine said quickly, and that made everyone snicker with laughter. Howard grinned wickedly at that. He waited for the massage to finish before looking at Kiehl. The silent message passed, and they chuckled.

"You two are creeping me out," Doppy frowned.

"Well, it helps her, doesn't it?" Kiehl grinned. Errende moved swiftly to plant his hands on her belly, and she blinked. Doppy frowned and stood up to walk over to her.

"I didn't feel anything. Did you?" he asked.

"No," she frowned.

"Lord Thanatos stopped it in time, then. My Lady was about to get violently sick!" Errende said as frowned. "The children in her are upset."

"Upset? Why?" Kiehl asked. Howard frowned now and moved to Sarine's side quickly to find out more.

"She has another craving that needs to be met, it appears," Errende said. He looked over, as Thanatos walked over to them and sat on the couch.

"The Rage you got from Keltin is offensive, as well as defensive. Did you have any urges to...fight? Train? Anything like that?"

"Yes, she did!" Kiehl said. "This morning she did!"

"Hmm..." Thanatos thought. "if she uses the Rage in her..."

"No!" Howard and Kiehl said together.

"Why not?" Doppy asked.

"We asked Huginn about it! Her children will grow rapidly, and she'll give birth within the hour!" they said together, not caring how it sounded. Sarine gasped and shivered now.

"No Rage then. Right," Thanatos nodded. "I'm not sure how she can train, then. Or...well...I'm stumped. And Huginn came out? When?!"

"Early this morning. He had to tell us when she got the craving to fight," Howard said. Thanatos nodded at this, since it was definitely something they needed to know. Kiehl then whispered to Thanatos on why Misty was always forgotten, and the demon looked at him with shock. Now he knew her Rage would never be used.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said gently, as he knelt behind her. "You could always spar against me, you know. I'd allow it, and I would never harm you."

"No!" she whimpered, and Howard moved swiftly to whisper to her. Sammy was at her side to whisper to her, as well.

"Why does this have to be so difficult?!" Keltin grimaced. He was still sitting next to her, and he felt her wrap her arms around him. He hugged her back and she sighed.

"Get me Muninn, please," she said. Sammy nodded and called for the falcon. When he perched on the balcony, Thanatos told him what was going on with her.

_:Fight? Train? No. Not that. Hmm. Ah! She needs. To be. Active. Rage builds. Within her. Disturbs children. It must. Be removed. Safely. Long walks!:_  Muninn said.

"You did say that you wanted to go for a walk, My Lady," Kiehl chuckled.

"Yes, I did," she nodded. "Thank you, Muninn."

_:Go to. New prison. I go. Too.:_

"Of course!" Howard nodded. Keltin felt a lot better after hearing this, and he helped her stand up. Her pregnancy was fully showing now, and Aliot moved to run his hand over it fondly. Then she blinked and gasped. Doppy looked at her with a grin.

"Movement!" Howard grinned at her thought.

"Really?!" Keltin said and pressed his hand to her belly to be rewarded with a sharp kick. Fatherly shock set in, and he leaned against her. Aliot was also in a state of speechlessness. Each of her loves took a turn to feel the children moving within her, and their protectiveness of her increased drastically. She took a deep breath when she started to walk, and they led her to the other dungeon that was a bit of a ways away. As she walked, she started to feel better. Howard and Kiehl had a look of relief on their faces at this. At this, the others started to relax.

"We're almost there," Sammy said.

"All right," she smiled. Keltin let her lean on him, if she needed any help at all. Aliot walked behind her in case she was about to trip so he could catch her. They were all making sure that there was nothing in front of her that could hinder her walking. When they got to the prison, Naght was there to feel the children growing in her and to make sure the prisoners wouldn't do anything stupid. Pori-Pori scooted over and jumped into her arms to cuddle her.

"Vessel of Odin!" he said and grinned.

"My kids are moving, Pori-Pori!" Keltin chuckled. At this, Pori-Pori chittered and was able to feel the kids by pressing himself against her belly. He beamed with pride at her and moved to bounce on her head happily.

"It's been awhile since you did that," Howard grinned. Pori-Pori looked at him and nodded, as he continued to bounce. He would only talk to Sarine, and he kept his word with vigilance. When they got down into the dungeon, she heard bantering and hollering. Naght hissed and moved forward swiftly to silence the men with a heavy snarl.

"Oh, what are you going to do to us?! Nothing!" the Champion smirked. Then he gasped, as a massive, flaming red sword went through the bars and impaled him. Doppy grinned wickedly, and Errende was forced to Resurrect the Champion.

"He's the first for experimentation when my workshop is ready," Kiehl grinned with a malicious, cold chuckle. Now the men seemed to cower at this.

"But...please?! We didn't mean to do any harm!" the High Wizard said.

"You were deliberately giving false information to new challengers. That is harm," Sarine said lightly, as Keltin glowered under his hat. He hadn't bothered to change into his Champion form for quite a while. He was comfortable to stay as a Bongun. Aliot sneered at the men and kept an arm around Sarine.

"We promise that we won't do it anymore," the Monk said. Muninn flew in and landed on a chair to think. Looking at Sarine, he bobbed his head to show they spoke truth.

"Very well. You four will be released. The arena will still be open to you. But, if you do this again, you will face the consequences," she said with a small growl. They nodded, and Eremes Cloaked to move over to the cell doors. She chuckled when he let the doors swing open as though by magic. As Sarine looked around, she noticed that Timmy wasn't there. She would need to ask what happened to him later on.

"I'll fix up this dungeon better," Kiehl muttered. "Alarm systems and cameras."

"Sounds good," she nodded. Pori-Pori seemed to growl on her head, as the men moved past them and out of the dungeon to freedom. Eremes followed them to make sure that they went straight to the arena, and he came back to let them know they were gone.

"And what about me?!" the Champion said. He saw Sarine's pregnant form, and he frowned. He remembered how she neatly took care of him before.

"You should die. Over and over and over again!" Doppy snarled. He suddenly found himself lulled to silence when Sarine reached up to run a hand through his hair. He started to purr deeply, as he closed his eyes. He got so relaxed that he fell to his knees, and she moved to lightly massage his neck and the back of his scalp. Looking at the Champion, she thought. Then she looked at Howard, and he grimaced. Kiehl blinked and swore softly.

"What is it?" Keltin asked.

"Eh..." Howard grumbled.

"She's craving. Again," Kiehl said. "I didn't believe you when you talked about her images! Damn..."

"They're not that bad. Are they?" she chuckled and sent another one to them. At the reaction that Kiehl gave with Howard, Thanatos started to snicker. "Anyways, I honestly don't know what to do with...him."

"He should rot here," Doppy muttered and continued to relax to her touch.

"I say monster practice target," Keltin grinned.

"Nah. Let me get the electric chairs from Glast Heim," Kiehl smirked.

"I like the practice target," Maya Purple said, as his massive insect body shifted on his feet. "It was fun pinning him down!"

_:He is. Not honorable.:_  Muninn said and flew down to revert to his human form. " _I know you, Brandon Loust. You are one of those few that tends to forget that the world does not revolve around you. Why exactly did you come back to the arena?_ "

"As if I would talk to a bird-man?!" Brandon scoffed.

" _I am Muninn._ "

"Yeah, right! Wait...aw, man!" the Champion cringed.

" _Why did you come to the arena?_ "

"If you're Muninn, then you should know!" he retorted. Sarine was in shock that such a person would treat her brother with so much disrespect.

" _Ah. You wanted revenge against my sister. You wanted to fight her while she was pregnant and hope to harm the children within her. You wanted to murder my nieces and nephews that she is carrying. Am I wrong?_ " Muninn asked lightly. With each word he said, Keltin and Aliot got more and more enraged.  _He wanted to hurt our kids?!_  Doppy was still under the spell of Sarine's touch, or he would have leapt up and skewered him. Kiehl and Howard readied to kill him. Eremes and Sammy were ready to open the cell and plaster him to the wall with blood. Her slaves were ready to haul him out and beat him. Thanatos just wanted to rend him in half with Naght.

"She's a bitch! A nobody! She's royalty from Amatsu? How come this is the first time I've ever heard of her? I don't even think she's a proper human! She's screws monsters like it's a fetish, and she just sits there on her high horse like nothing's wrong!" Brandon said. Then he gaped, as Naght howled his fury and belched out flames. Howard took out his Vecer Axe, and Kiehl let his ghost come out to encompass him to show who he was. Sammy's pitch black eyes narrowed, as his Samurai ghost came out with a furious vengeance. Thanatos pulled his sword off his back, and Doppy yanked himself away from Sarine's touch to roar his anger. Keltin now became his Champion form and had his Rage encompass him. Aliot's eyes glowed red, as he let the blades come out of his back, and he readied his hands with their metal claws. Drago and Maya Purple readied to charge at the cell and rip the door from its hinges. Eremes drank down a Poison Bottle and Cloaked to try and slip into the cell to murder him. Observation was ready to hurl himself into the cell, and Injustice was already taking a step towards the cell. Byorgue gave a hissing snarl of rage and readied his dagger.

Sarine looked away with a sad sigh and ran her hands over her belly. Pori-Pori jumped off her head and scooted over to the edge of the cell to start squeezing through the bars as fast as he could, but Muninn stopped him. Ifrit suddenly flew down into the dungeon and charged at the cell, but Muninn stopped him, too.

" _Brandon Loust, you have just sealed your death!_ " Muninn scowled at him.

"I'm going outside. I don't...care about his fate..." Sarine said, as tears lined her eyes. Errende kept his hands on her belly and helped lead her out. Thanatos saw her tears fall when she turned to leave, and he hissed his intense hatred for the human in the cell. Naght was ready to lunge forward with the others, but a crushing weight came around them all. Odin stood before the cell.  _He was livid._  Now Brandon's jaw gaped. He recognized Odin from old picture books and legendary stories. Muninn nodded to Odin and stood back.

"You have insulted my daughter, my Vessel, for the last time!" Odin raged. No one had ever seen Odin angry before. "Howard Alt-Eisen! Kiel D-01! Incantation Samurai! Keltin Tao! Aliot! Go to the grove and comfort my daughter, my Vessel! Naght Seiger! Bring her your children! Just yours! Go! NOW!"

They needed no further orders and were gone from the dungeon. When they left, Odin narrowed his one good eye at the cowering Champion and thought.

" _What do you think, Father Odin?_ " Muninn asked with a light smirk.

"Tonight there will be a judgment to take place! Your judgment, Brandon Loust! Until then, I am going to ask you some questions," Odin grounded out.


	86. Chapter 86

In the grove, Sarine was venting her tears on Errende's shoulder. She didn't notice Keltin or Aliot come up to either side of her to hug her. She didn't feel Howard or Kiehl pressing against her back. She didn't hear Sammy's soft whispering to her. But, it was Serenity's sharp cry that tore her out of her venting despair.

"Mama!" Serenity cried out and ran to her, as Naght carried Siegfried to her.

"Oh, my dearest!" Sarine said and found herself hugging her daughter tight. Siegfried moved to climb into her arms now, and Naght stood over them all protectively.

"Oh! Sig! Babies move!" Serenity giggled, and they felt over her belly with joy.

"Yes, they're moving now," Keltin said softly with a smile. Then she saw her mother's sad smile and noticed she was crying.

"Um...Mama? Why cry?" Serenity asked, and patted her mother's damp cheek.

"A mean man made her cry," Aliot said with a frown.

"Who?! Who made Mama cry?! I wanna know!" Serenity said, and her pupils started to glow red with anger. Siegfried gave out a Demonic growl, as his eyes started to do the same.

"Serenity! Siegfried! Grandpa Odin is talking to the mean man right now. You are not allowed to see him!" Howard said sternly.

"But, Dad! If Mama cried, I wanna hurt him!" Serenity said.

"No, you will not!" Howard said again. Naght suddenly thought to Howard, and Kiehl grimaced. "Well...if you will be with her..."

"Serenity..." Naght hissed, and she moved to his side. He carefully picked her up, and Siegfried decided to stay with his mother.

"I help Mommy. You hurt the man!" Siegfried nodded to his sister.

"Kay!" she nodded back. Sarine's jaw was dropped at this, and Howard was a bit surprised, too. Siegfried now snuggled into his mother's arms, and she trembled when she hugged her son. Sammy was highly amused by this, and he knew that Serenity would be safe with Naght. The massive demon moved with his daughter back to the dungeon. The Champion was not cooperating with Odin at all, since he was too pissed to even think straight.

"Serenity?" Odin asked, as he turned now. Naght rumbled a purr to his daughter and set her down. Eremes and Doppy looked at her with confusion. The imprisoned man first thought that it was Sarine, but then he noticed it was just a little girl with Sarine's curly blond-brown hair with a touch of Howard's green. He noticed that her eyes were the same tigers' eye gemstone eyes as her mother's. But, however, the pupils were glowing red to show how pissed off she was. Her hands were even tiny fists to show that she wanted revenge for her mother.

"YOU MADE MAMA CRY!" Serenity screamed at the top of her lungs at the bewildered Champion. "STUPID HEAD!"

Eremes pursed his lips shut to keep from laughing, and Doppy started to snicker. Naght was relaying everything to Howard, and the Whitesmith started to laugh with Kiehl in the grove.

"And just what are you going to do about it? Huh? Pipsqueak?" the Champion asked with a smug grin. Then his grin vanished when she screamed and two floating swords appeared around her. They resembled Naght's swords, but were controlled completely by her rage and thoughts. As the red fire sword now moved to swipe at the bars, and the blue ice sword tried to get at him through the bars, the Champion gaped with shock.

"Serenity!" Odin said sternly, and she looked at him now.

"He hurt Mama!" she said. Naght rumbled to her affectionately, and she hissed back at him. She stomped her foot now, and Byorgue moved over to her to pick her up. She actually had a secret crush on Byorgue, so she wouldn't hurt him, and she growled at the man in the cell over Byorgue's shoulder. He rubbed her back lightly to help calm her down a little.

"I know he hurt her. But, you can't attack him right now. He is already going to die," Odin said lightly. Brandon gasped at what was told now, and he winced. "He won't ever hurt your mother again. Go back to her."

"No!" Serenity frowned. "I wanna see him die!"

"No, you cannot," Odin said. "You are not old enough."

The red and blue swords that floated around her tried to attack the man again, but Odin touched each one to make them vanish away. Then he gave her a piece of candy to make her happy and waved off Byorgue to take her back to Sarine. Naght rumbled, and Odin nodded for him to go with them.

"Am I really going to die?" Brandon asked.

"Yes. You are. Starting now!" Odin said, and he passed his hands over the man's eyes. Brandon slumped to the ground in an unconscious heap.

" _What do we do with him, Father Odin?_ " Muninn asked.

"Hmm," Odin said. "Reconstruct his memories. Find out why he is like this. I know you've done it once before, to remove the knowledge of my daughter, my Vessel, being what she is. However, this is needed. Alter his mind around as much as you need to. If he dies during it, then he dies. But, if he lives, he will be a valuable Warrior to my cause."

" _As you say, Father Odin,_ " Muninn nodded, and the cell opened for him. He knelt to the man's form and focused to start the mind reconstruction.

"What should we do in the meantime?" Eremes asked.

"If you take my daughter, my Vessel, to Jawaii, a fight may break out over her. It's something that cannot be avoided. Regardless, if she is pregnant or not. Keep someone with her at all times. As you can see, Serenity is going to be a very fierce and protective little girl. It is the same with her brother," Odin said.

"What can Siegfried do?" Doppy asked.

"Siegfried can manipulate any sword to have various elemental effects. He can also change the air around him to reflect the element of that sword's nature to better his attack. But, it is Serenity that has the more powerful attack, as she has full command of the demon swords. Nothing will be able to touch her without a fight, as you have witnessed," he said.

"Will all of our children have different abilities?" Maya Purple asked.

"Oh, yes! Of course, they will. I will not reveal them, though!" Odin grinned. "Now, it is time to see to her. Let Muninn do as he must here. Just be wary, if you go to Jawaii."

"Yes, Odin," Doppy nodded. When Odin vanished away, they left Muninn to do what he needed to do with the Champion. When they got to the grove, Serenity was telling her mother about the swords she has with excitement.

"And...and Grampa said not to use them!" Serenity frowned. "I wanted to help, Mama!"

"I know you did, sweetie. But, there was no need to," Sarine smiled. Her daughter still pouted, but Sarine snuggled her with her brother. Naght rumbled out with a mild greeting, as Seyren walked over from the arena.

"And just what is everyone doing here?" he frowned. Howard stood up with Kiehl, and they moved over to him to start whispering. Seyren's jaw dropped at what he missed, and Baphomet appeared in the grove to personally find out more.

"Bapho!" Serenity said and moved from her mother's arms to run over to the big demon.

"Bapho?" Siegfried asked and looked over with a smile. The massive demon rumbled out a purr, as he accepted the small hug to his leg from Serenity.

"Now that's a sight to see!" Keltin grinned. "A kid hugging Baphomet like a giant toy!"

"Only these kids," Baphomet chuckled. He lifted up Serenity with one hand to set her on his shoulder to ride on. A toothy grin was given at her whoop of joy.

"Ride?!" Siegfried gaped and moved to get the same treatment on his other shoulder.

"Now...what happened?" Baphomet asked. Serenity started talking rapidly in Demonic, and he was amazed at the swords she had available to her. Doppy then rumbled out what Siegfried could do when he wanted to. Naght was filled with even more pride.

"I love my kids!" Howard grinned, and Kiehl nodded with the same grin. Sarine sighed softly, and she let Errende keep his hands over her belly.

"I hope he dies!" Byorgue growled out.

"He's a waste of flesh," Injustice muttered.

"What are we going to do if he lives? We all know we can't trust him!" Observation scowled. "He'll be delaying the inevitable!"

"Lord Odin has a plan for him. We will trust in his judgment," Errende said.

"I should experiment on him," Kiehl grumbled.

"I'm just gonna run him through!" Doppy snarled out. Sarine winced, and Sammy now rose up to force the others to calm down.

"This grove is not meant for such negativity!" Sammy said sternly. "If you all keep having these thoughts, go out of the grove now!"

"Sorry," Doppy said and sighed.

"Mama okay?" Serenity asked. Baphomet glanced over at her and looked at Sarine.

"I'll be fine," Sarine said. "Mommy is just very tired right now."

"I don't think we should have our beach day at Jawaii," Thanatos said. "It would cause too much stress in the end. Let's just have it here. If we really want swimsuits, then Karla can get them for us with Seyren."

"Maybe that would be best," Seyren agreed.

"I really did want to go, though," Sarine frowned. Aliot moved with a nod to Kiehl so that she could be comforted by him. Kiehl held her and softly whispered to her. She nuzzled into him and whispered back. Then he blinked, as Serenity had Baphomet set her down so she could run to them and snuggle between them.

"Keel?" Serenity asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he asked.

"Um...babies soon?" she asked with a little blush. He laughed softly with Sarine, and he kissed the top of her head.

"In time," he said.

"Soon?" she blinked.

"You need your mom to have these babies first. Then she needs to rest. When she's rested, yes. I'll have babies with your mom," Kiehl chuckled. She snuggled into them both even more now, and Sarine smiled softly.

"I'm going to check on Muninn," Seyren said. Baphomet rumbled that he was going with him, and he let Naght take Siegfried. Siegfried had Naght put him down so he could go over to Eremes, and this surprised the Assassin Cross. Sarine smiled when Eremes lifted Siegfried up and got cuddled. Siegfried was starting to like him and noticed he never got attention.

"I should see if your brothers and sisters need to be fed. Then we will see what to do next. Okay?" Sarine crooned down to her daughter. Serenity nodded and clung to Kiehl, as he lifted her up with him. Aliot moved to help Keltin assist Sarine in standing. Errende moved only slightly to rise up with her, and she cried out while Doppy screamed from the growth pains. Sammy and Thanatos rushed over to assess what happened.

"They grew again," Sammy said.

"She needs to eat!" Thanatos hissed.

"Let's get her to the nursery, and we'll take care of her there," Howard said. Byorgue, Injustice, and Drago moved ahead to start preparing meals for her, and Observation flew up to the nursery balcony to start preparing where she was going to sit. Ifrit thought and moved to go join up with Seyren and Baphomet. As they got near the house, they noticed the house looked larger once again from the outside. Moving Sarine into the nursery made them pause, and Maya Purple grinned with a form of delight.

There was now enough room for Maya Purple to settle in, if he had to. More cribs and cradles were set up, as well as small beds for Serenity and Siegfried. A small bathroom was added for their baths instead of small tubs, and a long table for eating at was near the middle of the room. A small play area was set up by the large windows for ample sunlight, and the walls were set with small crystals to glow softly as night lights to help the children sleep.

Thanatos approved of everything, and he walked over to the small sitting area at the far right of the room. A rocking chair was there for Sarine next to a small fireplace with several comfortable couches and floor cushions. Books lined a small bookshelf to read to the children when they wanted a story. Howard felt himself smile all the more with pride, and Naght rumbled with appreciation.

Kiehl took a good look around to start deciding where to put in his defenses for the room. His eyes moved to watching Keltin help Sarine settle into the rocking chair, and she relaxed a bit. Edward and Angela were given to her first to nurse, and Thanatos stood behind her to gaze down at his children with affection. His solid white eyes took in the whole room before settling on the door. Seyren had walked in slowly to show it was him, and he wanted to examine the new changes. He was very impressed by everything.

"This is lovely!" Seyren chuckled. Keltin moved in front of Sarine to keep him from seeing her nurse, and Naght further blocked off his vision of her.

"Sarine is nursing right now. Just come over here and out of the way," Howard said.

"Ah, right!" Seyren nodded. Naght thought that a wall of sorts would need to be put up for more privacy, and Kiehl moved to talk to Storm Caller immediately. Several monsters moved in with building supplies, and Kiehl watched them work. It was Wootan Shooter, Wootan Fighter, Raydric, Shinobi, Giearth, Knocker, and Tengu that did most of the work. Alice and Aliza would come in to keep the place clean and tidy after the building was done.

"They work so fast!" Sarine said with amazement, as the privacy wall was constructed. Naght chuckled, and Thanatos watched them finish building. Storm Caller came in to oversee what was done. Howard and Kiehl walked up to him now to talk to him at length on the defenses they wanted to put into the room.

"Hmm," Storm Caller mused. "You both speak at once, as though your minds were linked. Is this true now?"

"In a sense," Howard chuckled. Kiehl told him how they swapped blood with Sarine's help and a bit about their past history. The Strouf was taking everything in calmly and nodded.

"This will definitely help us," Storm Caller said. "Just so you know, Ripclaw is trying to get the Cat Hand Guild back under his control now. Blent is helping him."

"Um..." Serenity said, as she got Storm Caller's attention. Kiehl was still holding her, and she wanted to say something. "A mean man made Mama cry. Grampa Odin talked to him."

"Really?" Storm Caller asked and looked at Howard. With a nod, they told him about the Champion, and Eremes moved over to tell him what Muninn was going to do.

"So...if he lives...he may be an ally. If he dies...no loss..." Eremes said. Siegfried was still in his arms and snuggled into him a bit more.

"If it is what our Lord Odin demands, then that is the way it shall be," Storm Caller nodded and adjusted the shirt on Siegfried as it was riding up.

"Why are our children always dressed in cute dresses for the girls, and shirts and pants for our sons?" Keltin asked. "I don't have a problem with it. I'm just curious."

"Karla stated that it's the easiest clothing to get ahold of," Storm Caller said.

"Really? Well, if I get enough cloth, I can fashion some decent clothing for them. May be a bit cheaper, too," Errende said. Sarine smiled at him and let him take his daughter from her, as Thanatos took his son. Doppy brought over Bianca and Gunther for her to nurse now. He pulled up a chair to sit by her, and she rocked them in the rocking chair.

"Don't bite me, Gunther!" she scowled lightly, and Doppy hissed at his son. The effect was instant, and she shook her head lightly when Gunther was properly scolded.

"It was bound to happen," Doppy grinned and kissed her gently.

"Are they biting already?" Sammy mused and went to check their mouths. Edward and Angela were starting to show signs of teething, as well as Gunther and Bianca. "I'll make sure to have Karla purchase some more teething rings."

"My Lady, what would you like to do after this? Are you sure you still want to go to Jawaii?" Kiehl asked, as he walked over.

"I would like to go. Even if we don't stay for a long time. The most beautiful sunsets are there," she smiled. "See if anyone else thinks it's a good idea."

"I'll ask for you," Injustice said and moved down the stairs. A short moment later, the sound of a slap was heard followed by his sharp snarl of hatred. It was so loud that it echoed up the stairs, and Byorgue moved swiftly down the stairs with Aliot to find out what happened. There was some arguing that was heard next and a scoffing sound. Injustice stormed right back into the room with them and sat down at Sarine's feet with his back to her. He was completely outraged and seething with anger. She blinked and placed her foot on his back to help him calm down. At the feel of the soft, comforting pressure to his back, he slumped forward slightly, as his rage started to leave him instantly.

"Injustice? What happened, love?" she asked gently. "Tell me."

"Zealotus tried to confront me..." he said. "She said she wanted me back."

"And what happened after that?" she asked softly.

"She got mad when I said I wasn't going to go back to her, and she slapped me across the face!" he growled. "if she comes here, I'm not speaking to her!"

"She...dared to strike you?!" she hissed. Howard moved to have Errende put a hand on her belly, and he took Angela from him so he could focus on her. Aliot moved to stand by her to protect her. Thanatos set his son in his crib and now moved to stand in the entrance of the nursery with Naght. Maya Purple buzzed angrily and set himself up to stand in front of the cribs to protect the children, and Drago was quick to help him. Alexander was hovering over the balcony, and now he kept his focus inside the room in case he was needed. The Amatsu Captain readied himself, and Bacsojin prepared to defend the children with everything she had. Observation moved to hover between the balcony and the main room. Doppy was still sitting next to Sarine and made himself ready to leap out in fury, if he had to. Byorgue moved to hide behind the door to ambush her, if she did anything.

Zealotus had never walked into the nursery before, and she found herself surrounded by overprotective mates, husbands, and slaves. She winced slightly at Sammy's sharp gaze, but she continued to walk into the room. Naght's seething hiss of warning also made her falter, but she kept going. Eremes was still holding Siegfried and glowered at the female monster. She made her way over to where Injustice was, and she paused at the sight of Sarine nursing her children with her foot in her former slave's back.

Doppy caught her attention next with a sharp hiss, and Keltin was standing next to her. He was ready to punch out Zealotus, if she tried anything. Kiehl and Howard were glaring at her, as they were standing on either side of Sarine. Even though Zealotus was an ally, the moment she struck one of Sarine's slaves marked her as a possible threat. The dominant female monster knew she was walking on thin ice now.

"Injustice..." Zealotus started. A glance from Sarine made her stop.

"He's not talking to you. I didn't order him to. It was his choice not to talk to you. You gave him up! He almost killed himself right in front of me! So, I did the only thing I could do to save his life. I made him mine. You even said yourself that you no longer could give him what he wanted. You ripped off his collar in front of me, in front of my companions, and in front of my loved ones. I gave him the choice to come to my side, and he agreed. Any slave I take to my side is a permanent position," Sarine said with a bit of an edge. "You have no right to touch him! He! Is! Mine!"

Serenity managed to make a move past Zealotus quickly to make her way over to Injustice and curled up in his lap. He blinked his solid red eyes with surprise at first, but then he smiled and carefully put his spiked arms around her. Then Serenity looked at Zealotus with a bit of a small smile. That look right there floored the monster.  _Serenity was challenging me to try and pull her away from Injustice._ Naght seemed to hiss with laughter now and readied his swords if the female monster tried anything.

"I see your mind is made up. Very well," Zealotus said and walked out of the nursery. Serenity leaned up to place a kiss on Injustice's cheek and hugged him.

"You are my Dad! Mean monster lady!" she scowled.

"I know," Injustice said, as he hugged her back.

"Why did Zealotus do that? Now I have to wonder," Sarine sighed. "I know that all monsters can fight and bicker with each other, but to try and pull one away from me that is already claimed? That is unheard of to me!"

"It's like I said, My Lady," Injustice sighed. "she needs to give something a lot of pain."

"Maybe she can help me with interrogating others," Kiehl thought. "That may help her out immensely and get something started for me."

"Oh?" Sarine thought.

"I'll talk to her later," Kiehl said.

"I have a better idea," Injustice said, as he lightly tickled Serenity to hear her laugh. "We plan to go to Glast Heim tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," Sarine nodded.

"Let's take Zealotus with us, since we will be going to the dungeon area again. She can recruit the rogue versions of me and keep them with her at all times. That may help her a bit more than just helping you, Kiehl. She's known to get bossy, and you may end up killing her," Injustice said. Kiehl blinked at this idea, and Howard liked it even better.

"Let's do that," Howard said, as he walked over to them. "If she allows it, our children may be able to train off of the rogue versions, too. Like with the ants."

"That could work, too," Sarine said. "We will need to designate a portion of the island for her needs, then. Maybe a separate underground area."

"We can do that," Sammy said. "I'll speak with Zealotus and Storm Caller later on."

"All right," she said and gave Doppy his children when they finished nursing. She fixed up her top, looked at Injustice, and then to Errende to gesture for a leash. He handed it to her, and she clipped it on Injustice. "Serenity, honey, I need you to play with Errende for a moment. I need to talk to Injustice. Okay?"

"Kay, Mama!" Serenity said, and she hugged Injustice again before moving into Errende's arms. She let Aliot help her stand, and she led Injustice into her bedroom. Howard nodded with Kiehl and would let her comfort Injustice properly. Once she got in the room, she had Aliot wait in the main bedroom in case there was a problem, and she led Injustice into the bathroom. Here, she hugged him tight, and he trembled with disbelief at what Zealotus did.

"Where did she slap you?" Sarine asked, and she ran her hand over his cheek carefully. He shivered and moved his face over her palm in the exact motion the slap happened. Very gently, she kissed the trail that he showed her. The motion caused him to break down.  _She truly did love me and care about me._

"I love you, My Lady!" he whimpered out, as she held him.

"And I love you, too, Injustice," she whispered out.

"When...Zealotus came to me, she...demanded that I go back to her! I showed her my new collar! I told her I didn't care for her anymore! That...was when she slapped me..."

"From now on," Sarine said sternly. "before you go off alone, take one of the others with you. They will understand. Byorgue will definitely go with you, if you ask him."

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded.

"Today is supposed to be a day of relaxation. Maybe tomorrow will be more relaxing," she sighed, and he hugged her to him. He moved to press a kiss on her mouth, and she kissed him back. She let him take her the way he needed to, and he hugged her close when he finished.

"Are you hungry or thirsty, My Lady?" he asked.

"Yes. I didn't get to eat yet," she said. He nodded, put his leather briefs back on with special snaps, since the spikes in his legs would have stopped him, and helped her dress. She led him back out and unclipped his leash in the nursery to give it back to Errende. Injustice gave her another kiss before letting Kiehl start setting small plates of food in front of her at the table. Serenity and Siegfried sat next to her to eat their smaller meals, as Howard and Eremes did the same. Being human again, they had to eat.

Kiehl didn't need to eat, but he decided it would be best. It let him spend more time with Sarine and the kids this way. Aliot and Injustice worked on their meals, and Observation handled the drinks. Drago and Byorgue made the trips back and forth to the kitchen. Errende inspected each meal and drink before letting them get served. Maya Purple helped clear out the empty dishes, and he refilled the drinks when they needed more.

After they were settled and eating, whoever else needed to eat in the nursery was served next. Once that was done, the slaves took a small break to eat and drink. Errende remained close to Sarine in case she needed him to put his hands on her belly. When they all finished, it was time for Serenity and Siegfried's nap.

"I love you, Mama!" Serenity said, as she was changed into a comfortable sleeping gown.

"And I love you, too!" Sarine smiled and delicately kissed her daughter on the nose. She let out a little sneeze, and Howard laughed a bit. Kiehl gave her a hug, and Siegfried got one, too. Right after they were settled in their small beds, Sarine sighed and leaned into Keltin's chest. She was clearly exhausted.

"Do you need a nap, too?" Keltin chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"I need a shower," she frowned. "That's what I need."

"Did you want to go swimming first?" Doppy asked.

"I'm sorely tempted to forget about swimming. After everything that's been going on today...I don't know if it's worth it," she said.

"Hmm," Howard thought, and he had Kiehl help him tell the others what she needed right now. She was narrowing her eyes at the small whispers going around, and she finally gave a small squeak when Keltin lifted her up to carry her to the bedroom. Aliot moved to set the shower, and he helped Keltin undress her. They both scrubbed her down and cleaned her hair before laying claim to her. Her craving for her lovers came back in full force, and they both dragged themselves out of the bathroom for the next set of guys came in. Howard and Kiehl waited to be last.

After the others had tried to sate her, they both walked into the bathroom to find her washing off her skin in the water of one of the showers that lined the room. She turned to look at them now to smile, and Kiehl didn't think twice about removing his clothing with Howard.

"You waited to be last?" Sarine frowned.

"Save the best for last, right?" Kiehl winked, and she blushed.

"I missed you," Howard groaned, as she pulled him close to her. His clothes were in a heap by the door with Kiehl's, as they both finally reached her.

"Will you both...at once?" she asked.

"We want to, but we can't," Kiehl said. "We...were warned by Muninn that you would give birth quickly, if we did. It's too risky right now."

"Oh? I see. All right," she nodded. Howard nodded that her hidden pregnancy wasn't revealed, and it was easier this way, since it was also a bit of a truth. "You know...I didn't see Timmy in the dungeon when we were there."

"Ah...you're right!" Howard blinked. "We'll find him later."

"If he's in one piece," she chuckled and pressed a kiss to his mouth. He moved her to press her between him and Kiehl now. They both massaged her and let her become a mess of sensations before they each laid claim to her. Kiehl wanted to feel how Howard took her when she touched his tattoo, and he had to hold himself back when Howard became the lusting beast of a man again. Right after Howard pulled away from Sarine, Kiehl grabbed her with a vengeance and made her cry out for him multiple times until he gave in.

As she rested against him, Howard was able to dress and handed Kiehl his clothes and her clothes. They dried her off and dressed her before Kiehl dressed himself. She kissed each of them lovingly, and they led her into the bedroom.

"What do you have planned, My Lady?" Maya Purple asked.

"Well, we could try Jawaii. I do have a gold bikini I need to wear again," she thought. That mental image of her, and what Howard remembered of her with it, made Kiehl start to sweat with wanting all over again.

"We should probably see about getting another type of swimsuit for you. Especially if your belly is going to grow," Keltin said, as he rubbed her belly.

"You think so?" she asked.

"Not really. It's up to you," he smiled, and she kissed him before letting them help her to the main room of the house. As she sat down, the others that lived with them started to come down. Kathryne gave her a small wave and moved to chat with her.

"Any ideas on what we're doing?" Kathryne asked.

"We were thinking of Jawaii again," Sarine said. "Doppy was thinking of possibly letting the manager there know that royalty was coming by with an elite escort."

"Ooh! That could work!" Kathryne grinned. Then she was handed the highest grade cookbook she needed from Howard, and she gaped at it. She was going to start putting it to use right away. Lloyd and Margaretha came down and were a bit skeptical about Jawaii.

"Won't something happen to Sarine?" Lloyd frowned.

"It will," Doppy said. "Odin confirmed it. She just won't be alone."

"I'll chase down and trample whoever bothers her!" Maya Purple said, as he crossed his arms. "No one will touch her!"

"Sounds like a plan," Lloyd chuckled. He looked over, as Seyren walked into the house with Muninn. He had his arms crossed to show that he had some mixed emotions.

" _The Champion lived. He is resting and will likely rethink on everything he ever did in his life. Should he accept that he was mean and cruel, he will have a chance with us. If he still feels he is in the right, he dies,_ " Muninn said.

"Sarine wanted to go to Jawaii in a bit," Keltin said.

" _If she goes there, she will be fought over,_ " Muninn frowned.

"We know," Sammy grimaced.

"Who will fight over her?" Thanatos asked.

" _I would say all of you, but that would be too kind. It will be several men that think that every woman that walks the land will find them desirable. I'll go with you in falcon form._ "

"We'll be around her like the air she breathes!" Errende said. "Oh, Maya Purple, I'd like to talk to you really quick."

"Sure," Maya Purple said and moved to talk to him at length. At his confirmation of joining their circle oath, Errende moved back over to Sarine and settled his hands on her belly.

"You don't spend enough time with your children," Sarine said softly.

"Oh! Well...I need to ensure your health, My Lady," Errende said.

"I know. But...don't neglect your children when they start becoming more active," she said. "I don't want to see them hurt. Do you?"

"Of course not! I wouldn't even dream of it!" he said. That made her nod softly, and she gave a tired sigh. Eremes saw this and gave her a Yggdrasil Berry. It made her feel a bit better, but not by much. The pregnancy was starting to drain her from the growth spurts. At the word that the possibility of going to Jawaii was told, Cecil and Garrett showed up, and Mitchell came down to join up with Kathryne. Donnie and Egnigem were all for it, as well as Coraline and Max. Seyren and Karla were ready to go with Luna. Lilah walked into the house with Laurell and seemed to blink at the talk of going to such a place.

"Have you ever been to Jawaii?" Laurell asked Lilah.

"Nope. This will be a first for me," she nodded.

"I was there once. It's a nice place when the crowds are gone," he said. "Sarine, the others will meet us there. And, eh, Armeyer pulled Timmy out of the dungeon. She's keeping an eye on him."

"So, that's why he wasn't there," Howard frowned. "If he bothers me, I'll hurt him!"

"Save a piece for me!" Doppy hissed. Errende moved with Sarine when they went to the Kafra Agent, and they got sent to Jawaii.


	87. Chapter 87

The manager was waiting for them there, and he had secured a small part of the island for royalty uses only. He was very shocked at her company, but he reminded himself that these were considered elite guards and servants. He remembered her from before and was going to ensure a much better stay. He was forced to forget that she was the Vessel of Odin, but he recalled that she was royalty and blessed by Valkyrie.  _She was a very special case._

"No one questions royalty!" he said to himself, and the island staff roped off a small section of beach for them. He gaped when he saw Maya Purple, and the bug man ignored him when he skittered over to Sarine's side.

"When the children wake up, should we bring them here?" Errende asked.

"I would say that, if they need to nurse, I'll go into a hut. As for Serenity and Siegfried, yes. But only for a couple of hours," Sarine nodded.

"Whoever needs swimsuits, come with me!" Karla said. Doppy came out of the rented hut wearing his yellow swim trunks, and Karla had purchased sunglasses for him to hide his eyes with. He actually looked a touch more intimidating with them. Eremes was wearing his black swim trunks, and Keltin had on his blue swim trunks. Howard had managed to get into his purple swim trunks, and he looked over at Kiehl in his new darker blue swim trunks.

"Let's hope for a better experience..." Eremes said, as he reclined in a chair.

"No kidding!" Doppy nodded.

"I was wondering how Injustice could wear those slave briefs over his spiked legs," Howard mused. "It's obviously why he was always naked."

"Oh, Errende made special snaps for him. Easy to pull off and put back on," Kiehl said. Then he glanced at Howard with a laugh and shook his head. "No!"

"Oh, come on! Do you know how much fun that could be?" Howard grinned.

"What are you all rambling about?" Sammy asked, as he joined them in his new black swim trunks. He was ignoring stares from both men and women from various distances. Then they all heard gasps from the crowd, as Sarine walked over in her gold bikini. Keltin convinced her to wear her gold coronet to enhance her royalty status, and her husbands, mates, and slaves fell in love with her all over again. Aliot and Errende were assisting her, and all of her other slaves were wearing silver-gray swim trunks to keep it simple. Drago ignored the excited humans and found a fold out chair for her to recline in. Injustice started to set up small juice drinks for her on a table that Observation brought over. Byorgue was keeping watch to ensure that nothing was going to disturb her. He kept his mask over his face, since he didn't want the other humans to know what he looked like.

"These people are starting to piss me off!" Doppy growled.

"You and me both," Thanatos said, as he walked over in dark red swim trunks. "I decided to try this out. It's not bad. The crowd sucks, though."

"Well, depending on what happens today, this could be the last time we come here," Sarine nodded. "Just relax for now."

"We'll try," Eremes nodded back to her. He smiled, as Muninn flew over the island in his falcon form to keep watch over them. Sarine watched her friends filter down to the beach area, and she started to relax even further. Keltin moved to her side at Howard's gesture so that he could have her recline on him in the chair. It didn't take long for her to fall into a light sleep against his chest. He watched the waves, as he felt her give all of her weight to him.

"She did need a nap," Keltin chuckled, as kept an arm around her form.

"Yes, she did," Howard nodded. Aliot moved to place an umbrella over them and dug it into the sand to keep upright. Sammy closed his eyes to meditate lightly to keep an eye on her dreaming. A short while later, Sammy frowned, as he opened his eyes, and looked at Doppy.

"Go wake her up! Have her lay down on you," he said.

"Hmm? You'd better tell me what's up!" Doppy growled.

"Huginn," Sammy said. That had Doppy snarl with hatred, and he rose quickly to move to Sarine's side. He whispered to Keltin, and the Bongun glared at nothing before nodding. He didn't want her hurt by Huginn, either.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy whispered and lightly caressed her cheek. She blinked her eyes awake and yawned, stretching a little.

"I'm still tired, Doppy," she sighed, but he noticed she looked at him with relief.

"Then rest on me," he said. She looked at Keltin, and he nodded for her to do it. She moved slightly to let Keltin be replaced by Doppy, and she settled herself to nestle her head against his neck. When her arms came up to let her hands move through his hair gently, he started to purr. His arms moved to rest over her back securely, and she sighed again when she closed her eyes. Aliot nodded to him and walked over to Sammy.

"What did you see?" Kiehl asked Sammy now.

"Huginn was trying to play 'First Mate'," Sammy growled. "I have successfully conditioned myself to hear in her dreams now. She was dreaming that she was lost in the forest of her childhood, and he was trying to convince her that she was safe with him. She was feeling insecure. She just kept saying that Doppy was her First Mate. That Doppy was her protector. Not Huginn. It was starting to frustrate him, and I didn't want anything to happen to her."

"Good call, then," Kiehl nodded. "Doppy will definitely make her feel secure."

"I'm meditating again," Sammy said, and they nodded to let him do so.

"I hate him!" Thanatos hissed. "Huginn can rot!"

"Tell us something else we can all relate with," Howard muttered. Maya Purple skittered over with Drago, and they set themselves up to keep watch over the area. Injustice glared at a man that tried to get past the boundaries set up to find out what was going on, and he got chased back out by Observation. Aliot and Errende stayed on either side of the chair that held Doppy and Sarine in case she woke up. Byorgue continued to keep watch, and he started to do mild patrols along the borders that were set up for her. Kiehl adjusted his glasses and looked out over the ocean in silent thought with Howard. They were going over defensive designs for the houses on the island and in Payon.

"You should try to make some weapons," Kiehl said.

"Maybe I will when the kids are here. I'm sure they'll get a kick out of it," Howard chuckled. Thanatos looked over at them and grinned. Keltin rose his brows with agreement under his massive hat, and Eremes seemed to chuckle. Doppy had his eyes closed under the sunglasses, and he was still softly purring. Sarine's hands never left his hair. It seemed to relax her that much more in sleep, and he sensed it. Kiehl walked over to Doppy now with a smile.

"Everything all right?" Kiehl asked, as he nodded to him.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, everything's fine," he said, as he came out of his meditation. "When are the kids supposed to be here?"

"Likely soon, from what we're judging," he said.

"Let's let her sleep until they get here. She really needs it," Doppy said and lightly caressed her back. Kiehl nodded with agreement, and Howard agreed, too. "Oh, Kiehl."

"Yes, Doppy?" he asked.

"Any signs of the assholes that we have to kill later?"

"Hmm. Not yet. I'm sure we'll know when they show up."

"True," Doppy smirked and nodded to him. "Eh, one other thing."

"Yes?"

"Isn't Howard annoying to listen to after a while?"

"Not really. He's amusing. It's almost like listening to an eager kid in a candy store, and he can't make up his mind on what he wants."

That had Doppy laughing softly to keep from waking Sarine, and Howard gave an irritated cough from where he sat. That had them both laughing, and Kiehl went back to sit down. Howard gave him a glare, and Kiehl grinned at him. Then they ran to Sarine's side when both Doppy and her screamed as one from a growth spurt. Errende pressed his hands to her belly, as Doppy gasped from how severe the pain was. Sammy and Thanatos were both at her side to find out what happened.

"They grew a quarter in size," Sammy sighed.

"Feed her!" Thanatos said. "And give her and Doppy some chocolate!"

"Why me, too?" Doppy winced.

"So I don't have to hear you bitch about the pain," Thanatos grinned. Doppy glared at him, and Thanatos just grinned even more while giving him a slight nod.

"Why don't I ever get a warning?!" Sarine muttered, as she winced from the pain of her stretching belly. Doppy hugged her tight and pressed a kiss to her lips, as he helped her sit up with him in the chair. She was now fed the bitter, salty, sweet, and sour foods she needed. Chocolate was given to her after, and it was shared with Doppy. He muttered a swear word at Thanatos, and the other demon laughed. Seyren walked over when he heard the commotion, and Sammy told him what happened. He winced and shook his head.

"Oh, Seyren," Howard said, as he walked over. "I want to talk to you about something."

"What's up?" he asked. Kiehl walked over now. They both told him about how they would live longer due to the demon blood in their veins, and how Karla would age normally.

"Muninn said that it's possible for your better halves to have the same life spans as you, if you shared your blood with them. Such as, Cecil with Garrett, Margaretha with Lloyd, Kathryne with Mitchell, and you with Karla. They would live much longer and be linked to the demon blood. But, it's something you would need to talk to them about," Howard said.

"It's a big decision for them," Kiehl said.

"Yes, it would be. I...honestly wouldn't want to live without Karla. We should bring it up at the fire pit tonight. We are having one, right?"

"Sure!" Howard and Kiehl said together, and Seyren had to laugh at it. When he managed to nod to them, he looked over when Storm Caller appeared to announce that the children needed to nurse and that the older ones were awake.

"I already got them swimsuits!" Karla said.

"Let's go into the hut so you can nurse the other four. We'll play with Serenity and Siegfried out here," Eremes said to Sarine. She nodded and let Errende and Aliot help her move. She had to lean heavily on Errende at first until Doppy picked her up effortlessly to carry her to the hut. Sammy frowned at how it was getting harder for her to move. He voiced his concerns to Thanatos, Howard, and Kiehl. Eremes overheard and gestured for Keltin to go into the hut to check on her. Keltin moved now and walked into the hut to see her nursing Gunther and Bianca. Doppy nodded to him, as Keltin moved to sit on the bed next to her.

"Are you okay?" he frowned. Sarine smiled at Keltin and nodded.

"I'll be fine. The pain got to me a bit. That's all. I can walk again," she said.

"As long as you know that you're fine," he said.

"She's better now," Doppy said. He blinked at a wince that Bianca caused Sarine, and he growled in Demonic to his daughter. She whimpered and started to nurse normally.

"Thank you, Doppy," Sarine chuckled.

"Of course, love," he nodded. She sighed and noticed it was the same hut they had rented before. Storm Caller had stationed himself in front of the door inside the hut, and Maya Purple stationed himself outside of the hut. This area of the island wasn't barred off, and he kept other people away with poisonous glares. When bolder people tried to get him pissed off, Thanatos appeared with his sword out and scared the intruders away. He was still in red swim trunks, but they all knew who he was. The white eyes with black overshadows tended to give him away along with his sword. Byorgue jumped out to startle several people off to help Thanatos have some breathing room.

As they managed the humans outside, Sarine was able to start nursing Edward and Angela. Errende smiled, as he kept his hands on her belly. He truly loved his children. Right after they finished nursing, Errende rocked them all in his arms, and Storm Caller took them all away back to the island home to get them sleeping in their cradles. Sarine managed to stand up and fix her bikini top back to rights. Doppy led her outside with Keltin in the lead. Errende followed her. The moment she stepped out of the hut, all eyes were on her.

"It's her! She's royalty!" someone whispered. "She's the Amatsu princess!"

"She's what all the fuss is all about? Wow! She's gorgeous!" a guy said. Doppy snarled out when he placed a protective arm around her, and Keltin narrowed his eyes. He was ready to drop kick anyone that got too close. Maya Purple gave out a warning buzz of protection, and he had Doppy place her on his back. Byorgue moved to her side and flashed his dagger again to show he wasn't afraid to use it if he had to.

"Are you all right, My Lady?" Maya Purple asked.

"I'm all right," she smiled and leaned into the back part of his insect body that held him upright. He gave out a form of a purr, as he now moved with her to the barred section of the beach. Doppy and Keltin glared at anyone that tried to follow them, and Errende moved swiftly to make sure that her chair was ready for her to recline in. Just as Sarine reached the beachside, Sammy's pitch-black eyes spotted someone Cloaked and trying to get near her. He hissed with fury, and Thanatos had his sword drawn and at the intruder's throat with Doppy.

"Asshole!" Doppy snarled out.

"Sorry!" the Assassin guy said. "I was just...trying to find out more about her!"

"Get out of here before I decapitate you!" Thanatos grounded out. Right after he bolted off, they started to think of taking her back home. Then Serenity and Siegfried bounded over to their mother's side. They decided to wait a bit longer after that.

"Mama!" Serenity said in her pink one piece swimsuit. "I'm pretty!"

"Yes, you are!" Sarine said with a laugh and gave Siegfried a hug. "And there's my handsome little man!"

Siegfried seemed to blush and shy away from her kiss to his cheek, as he shifted in his blue and gold swim trunks. Howard laughed and settled to sit with them now. Then he heard people screaming, as Naght Seiger suddenly made an appearance, and he moved to where Sarine was. He was there for the children.

"It was inevitable," Storm Caller sighed, as he appeared. "He demanded that I bring him here for the children after I dropped off the younger four."

"It's fine, Storm Caller," Sarine smiled. The Strouf nodded and went back to the island home. They would find him stationed inside the hut later. Then she saw the manager of the island walking over angrily. When Naght turned to hiss with hatred at him with his swords fully drawn, the man stammered. With a sigh, she said, "Naght, love, come to me. Please?"

"Sarine..." Naght said, as his attention was redirected to her, and the manager's jaw dropped. Hatred turned to affection, and he purred softly at her. Thanatos and Doppy were grinning wickedly now.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the manager demanded.

"He's my mate. And the half-father of these two," Sarine said. "As long as he is with his children, he'll be fine. He wants to make sure his children are safe."

"What?!" the manager gaped. Serenity looked over at him with a bit of a Demonic smirk, and her brother seemed to giggle.

"Mama? Can, um, my swords come out and play?" Serenity asked.

"No," Sarine said sternly. "You only bring them out, if someone is trying to hurt you."

"But...um...he is hurting me. He makes me mad," she said.

"Why is that?" Howard asked. He had a bit of pride in him, since his daughter was speaking much clearer now.  _Her growth spurts were advancing to her intellect now. She was almost like a six-year-old child at this point._

"Well, Dad," she seemed to sigh. "he's yelling at Mama."

"Oh," Kiehl said with a bit of a smile. Now he looked at the manager, as his ghost came out to show who he was. The manager was floored that he was looking at Kiel D-01. He whispered his apologies and promised that they wouldn't be disturbed.

"Thanks," Howard said. Naght hissed to make the manager walk nervously out of sight.

"We should go," Sarine said.

"Not just yet," Sammy said.

"Why?" she asked.

"It's almost sunset. We should at least see that. Then we'll head home and have a nice fire pit meeting. I'm sure the kids are grown enough for their first one," he said with a smile.

"Really?! Can we, Mama?!" Serenity asked with excitement.

"Of course, loves," Sarine smiled. She hugged her daughter, as Siegfried moved into Naght's arms to get cuddled. Sarine suddenly blinked, as Serenity's swords came out and blocked off someone trying to sneak over to them. Howard gaped at how she saw the intruder, and he realized it was Naght's blood that gave her the ability.

"STUPID HEAD! GO AWAY!" Serenity snarled out, as her the pupils in her eyes glowed red, and Naght turned with Siegfried in his arms to hiss out with hatred. Seyren was off in the distance and saw the Rogue. Now Baphomet was pissed and appeared on the island.

"Oh, man!" Seyren groaned, and Karla looked at him with amazement. Howard winced now, and Kiehl moved quickly to help keep Baphomet under control. Doppy and Thanatos moved to help, and the massive demon was brought over to Sarine's side.

"Who would dare harm you?!" Baphomet snorted out. Then he grinned with amusement at the swords that Serenity had rotating around her mother's chair.

"Grampa Bapho!" Serenity said, and the swords disappeared when her mood changed from rage to happiness. Baphomet paused in hearing this, but he chuckled and let her move to ride on his shoulder for a bit. People now clamored over to see this unusual sight, and Sarine sighed with irritation. Muninn was watching everything from the air with complete amusement, and he continued to circle high up to keep out of sight. Then he saw the four men that would cause the real problems. He knew that he would intervene, if it got too serious.

"Most humans are miserable wastes of flesh..." Baphomet muttered out after Serenity went back to her mother. He didn't want her to get any ideas from him.

"So true," Doppy nodded. Thanatos made an agreeing snort. Sarine was looking out over the ocean now with Serenity in her lap. Howard was on one side of her, and Kiehl was on the other. Storm Caller appeared to take the twins back to the nursery, and Howard promised they would join them at the gathering around the fire later that night. Naght went with them, now that his children were safe. After he left, she moved to stand, and Howard knew she had an urge to walk around. Now he was anxious for her.

"I think," Kiehl said. "this is where something might happen. What do we do?"

"She could head home and walk there," Sammy said.

"She wants to see the sunset, though!" Howard frowned. As they talked to each other, it was Maya Purple, Byorgue, and Drago that moved with her, as she started to wander off. By the time she was out of sight, Doppy glanced around with a mild panic. They had attached to Keltin instinctively to keep from following her. The route to the hut and the beach was short enough that they didn't have to worry about breaking their close link with her, but, when she walked off, the distance was too great. It was also close to the hut, so they had a radius that they could move about easily. It was much like the Payon home.

"She's gone!" Doppy growled out.

"Shit!" Howard hissed, and Sammy gestured to their wedding rings. As they made ready to Teleport to her, she was quite relaxed, as she walked along the beach with her three slaves. It didn't take long for her to encounter the four men. Maya Purple moved in front of her, as Drago kept to her right side, and Byorgue stuck to her left side.

"Well, look at the beauty who has come to admire us!" the first man said. "My name is Diego, and I'm a Whitesmith!"

"Hah! You think she'll go for you? She'll go for me! All women want the Champion!" the second man said, as he looked at her with a wink and smile. "My name is Charles."

"Please!" the third man said. "All women want someone with power, and all High Wizards have that! I'm Gilbert, just so you know."

"Don't bore her! Sometimes, it's the sensitive ones that pull the most heart strings. I'm a Clown, and my name is Thomas," the fourth man said. Diego had blond hair, brown eyes, and a cut physique. He was wearing green swimming trunks. Charles had black hair, blue eyes, and a rather impressive build for a Champion. He had chosen to wear purple swimming trunks. Gilbert had neatly parted dark brown hair that matched his brown eyes, and his build was slight, yet strong with honed training. His swimming trunks were dark grey. Thomas had soft, dark blond hair tied back in a ponytail and baby-blue eyes. His body looked frail, but he had muscle in all the right places. The swimming trunks that he wore were a soft, baby blue to match his eyes. Sarine could only sigh and shake her head at them.

"You all bore me. My husbands will be here at any moment," she sighed.

"Husbands?" Charles frowned.

"Yes. I am married to several men," Sarine said with a light sniff to show she was bored.

"What?" Diego blinked. "What do you mean by we all bore you?"

"Yes. You all bore me. Besides, I walked too far away from them, and now they are all likely worried. Maya Purple. Drago. Byorgue. Let's go back," she said. As she turned, they now saw how pregnant she was and whispered to each other.

"Pregnant women can be so hot in bed!" Thomas chuckled.

"Pregnant women are also rather sexy in the right light," Diego snickered.

"Don't they have intense sexual appetites?" Charles asked.

"I'm sure her husbands won't mind, if we test the theory," Gilbert mused. Then he paled at the sight of Doppelganger Teleporting to her side in his armor with his sword drawn. When Howard appeared, the other Whitesmith gaped at how ripped he was in the chest. Howard was still in his swim trunks, and he moved to Sarine's side. Keltin appeared in his Champion form and glared at the other Champion with hatred. Keltin had a far more conditioned body that was perfectly honed for defending Sarine. Kiehl had appeared next, and they mistook him for a Creator, but they were baffled that he was just as muscular as Howard was. Eremes wasn't far behind, and he crossed his arms over his lean, cut form to glare at the four men. When Sammy appeared, they were floored at his perfect body.

"As you can see," Sarine chuckled, as she moved to pull Doppy close and whispered to him. He grinned and dropped his chest armor to reveal his lean, wide, muscular chest, and the four men gaped with disbelief. She ran her hand over his chest and looked over, as she said, "you all bore me. I have the most perfect men in the world. Why would I want...flaws?"

Maya Purple grinned, and Drago snickered with Byorgue. Even her slaves had bodies that outmatched the four men. Doppy put his armor back on and pressed a kiss to her lips before letting Howard pull her back into his protective embrace. Thanatos made his way over to them now and was in his armor. He took his sword out and snarled. Then he grinned, as Sarine moved to his side to kiss him passionately.

"You have monsters as lovers?!" Thomas blinked.

"But, of course," she smiled. "And, you are right about one thing, Thomas. I have a rather insatiable appetite right now."

She pulled Howard close and planted a long kiss on him. Kiehl snickered and got pulled close next. She kissed every husband, mate, and slave that was there. She ended up in Maya Purple's arms, since he got kissed last, and she chuckled softly.

"Let's go back to our designated area," Sammy said.

"Now, just wait a minute!" Diego growled out.

"What is wrong now? Mad that I find the four of you horribly unattractive?" Sarine smirked. "I am royalty, after all. I only choose the best in my men."

"You're the princess that's visiting on this island?!" Thomas gaped.

"Um, she  _is_  wearing a coronet and has three pretty powerful guards with her," Keltin said. "And she's pregnant with my kids. So, yeah. Back off before I rip you all a new one!"

"I'll help!" Doppy snarled out. The four men gaped and charged to attack. Doppy rushed forward to stomp down and Stun them all. Then his multi-kill skill activated, as he swung his sword around to gut them open. "Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm Doppelganger. If you want revenge, there's an arena I kill in daily!  _I never lose!_ "

"Doppy, let's go. I'm sure someone will find them and help them. Eventually," Sarine giggled, and he grinned with a nod. They all turned their backs on the four men and walked back to their secured area of beach. Muninn did make sure the four men lived, but he didn't touch their memories.  _They would be a nuisance, but nothing Sarine's husbands couldn't handle._

"The sunset is rather pretty," Maya Purple said, and he turned to face it with her.

"It is," she nodded. "When the sun goes down, we'll leave."

"Seyren Windsor!" Karla growled, as she hauled him back from the bar. "We are never coming here again! I don't care if I wanted to come here before! You always become a dirty drunk when we come here, and I won't have it!"

"Aw, c'mon!" Seyren said, as he hiccuped. Howard started laughing with Kiehl, and Doppy grinned at the drunken Lord Knight. Baphomet was still there and simply chuckled with amusement. He was told what happened through Thanatos and already optioned to kill the four men, if they showed up at the arena.

"So, Maya Purple," Sarine said. She pressed her mouth to his ear to whisper.

"Yes, My Lady?" he breathed, as he held her.

"Want to do something...daring?" she grinned.

"Like what?" he grinned back. She whispered softly to him, and his jaw dropped. "Um...are you sure, My Lady? Just like this?"

"Do I need to order you?" she giggled. He looked at her with disbelief, but she kissed him softly and let it grow into something more. The seat he was on in his bug body was large enough that it neatly hid her from the others. He pulled her bikini bottoms aside just enough to reveal her, and he freed himself from the silver swim trunks to start taking her. They kept each other quiet with muffled kisses, and they were only discovered when Howard moved in front of them with disbelief. Kiehl was now highly amused and decided to see about building something interesting later on. Maya Purple showed that he was fine when he helped Sarine fix up her bikini, but he knew he instinctively wanted to mate her with his bug body. Yet, something told him that now was not the time for that. When the time came, he would know.

"She's craving. Bad," Howard sighed. "Let's get her home."

"We don't have time for that!" Kiehl said. She had Maya Purple set her down, and she had Errende hand her a leash. Then she moved to Kiehl quickly to clip the leash on him. She dragged him to the hut and ignored the startled glances from the people nearby. When one man tried to stop her, she gave him such a look that it froze him in his tracks.

"He's my slave! Piss off!" Sarine hissed and dragged Kiehl fully into the hut. Howard groaned a bit and moved quickly into the hut. He found himself grabbed by the hand and pushed onto the bed with Kiehl. As she used Kiehl, she worked Howard into a frenzy of lust with her mouth. When Kiehl had nothing more to give her, she abused Howard for everything he had. Only when she was sated and resting between them, did they finally have the ability to think right. There was only one thing on their mind.

"We need to get you home!" Kiehl growled out.

"Eventually," she smiled and moved to dig her nails into Howard's tattoo. They didn't even realize what she did until it was done. She wasn't even thinking about it. She just knew she had to do it. Howard roared out with a lustful frenzy and moved to buck into her sharply. Kiehl was forced to kiss her deeply to keep her cries muffled. When the door was heard opening up, Howard swung his head over to glare with an intense, instinctive hatred for the intrusion.

"Um...okay..." Eremes blinked at the glare. "I'll tell everyone...that she's fine..."

"Sorry, Eremes..." Kiehl said softly. "He's...instinctive right now."

"I can tell. He's forgiven," Eremes nodded and made his way out to secure the door. The moment he left, Howard snarled out and went back to thrusting sharply into her until she screamed with him. Only after he released, did he realize what he did to Eremes.

"I had no control over that!" Howard sighed, and Sarine moved to hug him.

"I know. Let's dress in our usual clothes and see him," Sarine said. He nodded, and Kiehl helped her dress in her Sniper gears before he dressed himself. She unclipped his leash and gave him a kiss, as Howard led her outside.

"Where is Eremes?" Howard asked.

"I'm here..." Eremes said, as he walked over with his arms crossed. "I know you were given a...gift...and I didn't know it was activated. I should have knocked first."

"I'm sorry," Howard sighed.

"It's fine," he chuckled. "But, now I have to wonder if there is something I can do to make it right. I did intrude on you."

"Hmm..." Sarine thought, and Howard gaped. "You, How-How, and Kiehl. Now. In the hut! Don't ask questions, just do it!"

"But...My Lady!" Kiehl gasped, and she gave him a look that made him go silent. Eremes started to laugh, and he let her pull him into the hut. After fifteen minutes of using them, she announced that she was ready to go home. They managed to dress and started to walk out of the hut with a bit of relief.

"Good. I was going to tell you that the others left to prepare the fire pit," Eremes smiled, and he kissed her lovingly. Then he gasped, as she trailed her fingers up his chest, and she smiled softly at him. Her craving for her men was already starting to return.

"Sarine, we need to get home..." Howard said. She looked at him and leaned over to caress his jaw. He couldn't believe how easily it was for her to turn them on. Kiehl moved to pick her up in his arms, and he rushed her to the Kafra Agent to send them to their island home.


	88. Chapter 88

On getting home, and seeing the fire pit surrounded by friends and her two eldest children, all thoughts of sexual cravings were gone for the moment. Howard gave a sigh of relief, and Kiehl was able to set her in a reclining chair. She was given food and drink immediately after, and her children were excited to see what they did on occasion.

"Light the fire!" Siegfried said with a grin, and he squealed with delight when Kathryne did just that. Kavach, Laurell, Wickebine, and Armeyer had gone to Jawaii, but they kept themselves away from the others to avoid suspicion. They now settled around the fire happily.

"Where is my idiot brother?" Howard frowned. "Not you, Kiehl."

"Thanks," Kiehl grinned, and Sarine giggled.

"He's tied up in my bedroom," Armeyer winked.

"That will give me nightmares, if I think about it for too long," Howard winced. Sarine giggled again, and Keltin moved to let her cuddle into him. Serenity watched Cecil and Coraline bring out strips of meat to hang over the fire and couldn't wait to taste it. Naght moved out of the house now to hover near his children, and he dug his swords into the sand. There was no danger here. Various monsters stationed themselves to detect any human or intruder.

When Serenity and Siegfried were able to eat the meat given to them, they enjoyed it immensely. They got more when they asked, and Serenity moved to snuggle into Byorgue's lap, as Siegfried moved to sit with Sammy. Byorgue chuckled and took off his mask to place in one of his pockets, as he held her.

"Um...Byorgue?" Serenity asked.

"Yes?" Byorgue asked back.

"Um...I like you," she blushed. Howard looked over at her with a small smile.

"Really? Well, I like you, too. You're my daughter, you know," he chuckled.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"Yes. My blood is in you, since you took a sample from me. I will always protect you," he said and frowned at her look of surprise. "What? You thought we weren't related at all? If that's the case, I love your mother. You know this. I belong to her."

"Oh," she pouted, and he hugged her.

"I'm sure you'll find a nice guy. And, when you introduce him to me, I'll scare him!" he grinned. That made her laugh, and he kissed her cheek. Then she thought.

"So...everyone is my Dad?" she asked.

"No. Only the ones that smell like you," Byorgue said.

"So, your uncle Seyren is just your uncle," Howard grinned.

"What do you mean 'just her uncle', eh?" Seyren pouted.

"A dirty drunk of an uncle!" Karla glowered, and he grinned. Serenity giggled and watched Howard pull out his forging equipment.

"Garrett! You still want the other three elemental Claymores to go with your Fire Claymore? Karla got me some more supplies!" Howard grinned.

"If you can make them, I'll take them!" Garrett grinned back. Serenity and Siegfried watched with amazement, as he started to work on making the swords. Right after he got them made, Serenity was thinking hard.

"Dad!" she said.

"Yes, darling?" he asked.

"I wanna be like you when I grow up!" she said.

"Really?!" Howard said with pride. "Why is that?"

"Well..." she said, as she looked at her brother, and he nodded. "Sig wants to be like Uncle Seyren. I thought now...um...I can make him weapons!"

"Now that would be awesome!" Seyren grinned.

"Being a Whitesmith is a lot of work," Howard warned. "You need to become a Merchant first. Then you have to become a Blacksmith. If you work hard enough to transcend, you'll become a Merchant again, and then you'll become a Whitesmith."

"I know!" she nodded.

"Definitely your daughter," Sarine smiled warmly. Howard moved now to kiss her deeply, and Serenity giggled at it.

"Um, Dad, what else can you make?" Siegfried asked.

"Oh, lots of things! I can't make armor, though," Howard said.

"Aww!" Serenity frowned. Byorgue tickled her to get her laughing, and she cuddled into him. She whispered to him now, and he looked at her with a smile before whispering back.

"What are you up to?" Kiehl asked.

"Um...can Byorgue help me? Later? To become a Merchant?" she asked.

"It's possible. But, only if your mother is fine with it and knows that she won't be needing him. Remember! He can get your mother pregnant, too. He is a father figure to you," Kiehl said. "We will all protect you and help you achieve your goals."

"I know," Serenity nodded. "Um...Keel? I still want you and Mama to have babies!"

That got the group laughing, and Kiehl sighed with a smile, as he said, "I know, Serenity. I know. And it will happen."

"Um...I want Byorgue to have babies with Mama, too!" she said. Byorgue blinked and found himself blushing.

"Byorgue is blushing?" Aliot grinned, and Observation snickered. Byorgue gave them both a glance, and it made them laugh.

"I still dunno where babies come from," she pouted. That brought a rather odd silence over the group, and Naght rumbled lightly.

"Remember what we said?" Howard asked.

"But...if Mama is having so many babies, then shouldn't I know?" she frowned.

"Serenity..." Sarine sighed, and Keltin looked at her wryly.

"I can tell them!" Doll said, as she came out of the house. She was watching everything from the nursery balcony and decided to try and help.

"They're still so young!" Howard frowned.

"Better we tell them than they figure it out, right?" Doll asked. He groaned and Kiehl winced. "Come with me, you two. After this, you may want to go to bed."

"Kay!" Serenity and Siegfried said together, and they moved to follow her. Keltin gave a squeeze to Sarine and placed a careful hand on her belly. Aliot moved over to her side to do the same, and she looked at him with a thoughtful expression.

"Yes, My Lady?" Aliot asked.

"If you're a demon, why don't I need your blood for a bonding ritual?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said. "I could be a lesser demon, so my blood may not be needed as much as Doppelganger's or Naght's. Even with Thanatos being a bit stronger than me."

"It could also be that my kids are in you, too," Keltin said. "You aren't harboring all demons. You did bring up something to think about."

"She does have a point," Howard frowned, as he prepared his anvil to try forging more weapons. "Aliot, take her into the house real quick and give her some blood."

"My Lady?" Aliot asked.

"We should try," she nodded. "Maybe it will help me."

"I'll go with you," Errende said, and Keltin was already going to go with her, too. They took her up into the bedroom, and she pulled Aliot close to kiss deeply.

"I missed you, My Lady," he sighed.

"I know," she smiled and kissed him again. He pulled her closer, and he forgot that Keltin and Errende were there. He forgot that there were others outside. He was so completely and fully in love with her, that all he could focus on was her. They managed to pull each other into the bathroom, and clothes were quickly pulled off when they tried to get closer.

"I love you, My Lady!" he gasped out, as he finally started to take her.

"I...love you, too...Aliot!" she whimpered, as he released with her. He moved to press his chest against her back while they rested on the marble floor, and he hugged her tight. He took her again in this position, and she cried out with him, as he ground into her. He pressed his face into her neck to breathe in her scent, and he trembled. She moved his hands to her belly, and he had to smile at this. She truly did love her slaves as much as her husbands, and this simple act was the proof. He may have made last in her recent Demonic Mating, but she didn't love him any less. He was giving her children, and she truly did love him dearly.

"When did you want to take my blood?" he asked.

"In a bit," she smiled and turned to face him. He kissed her gently and held her. He let her cuddle into him now, and he sighed. When she nuzzled into his neck, he groaned and shoved himself into her the moment her teeth sank down. He roared out and clung to her. He released hard, as she fed off him. He relaxed now while she continued to take in his blood. When she pulled away from him, he kissed her desperately.

"Is there anything...you ask of me? My Lady?" he whispered.

"Aliot," she smiled. It was the same thing that Doppy asked her when he realized he loved her. "You already do what I ask of you. Even things that I don't ask of you. Just keep doing what you're doing. That's all you need to do."

"But..." he frowned and sat up with her. "anything...special?"

"Like what?" she asked. She noticed a drop of blood moving down his neck, and she moved forward quickly to lick his skin clean. He gasped at it and shivered.

"I..." he blinked and hissed out from the hard lick she gave his neck now. He forgot what he wanted to say. That was her intention. She really didn't want him to ask her to do anything. Now she was focused on building him up with pleasure and pain. When she clamped down with her teeth on the wound, it took everything he had to keep himself in check. Now that she had a fresh intake of demon blood in her system, she started to purr. Deciding to try something, she had him lay back on the floor, and she started to work on him with her mouth. The purring was an over-kill, and he cried out weakly at a painful release. Only then, did she sit away from him and smile.

"Are you all right, love?" she asked.

"I...I'm fine..." he gasped, as he stretched himself out on the floor. She looked up when Keltin came in, and she smiled.

"Close the door and come here," she grinned. Keltin blinked now and stammered. He Healed Aliot, as he moved to her side, and she yanked him down by his hand. He was still in his Champion form, but that was fine by her. She started to kiss him deeply, and she felt him starting to remove his clothes as fast as he could. She worked her hands through his dark brown hair, and his hat tumbled off him unnoticed. Aliot was still recovering next to them and kept his eyes closed. He heard Keltin cry out with her, and he managed a chuckle.

"Sarine!" Keltin hissed, as he released with her. They both panted softly together, and she sat up with him to press her head into his chest.

"Better?" she chuckled.

"Yeah," he grinned.

"What would you like to do now, My Lady?" Aliot asked.

"Hmm," she thought. "I think we need to go back to the fire pit. There are a few discussions we need to do. You'll both find out when we get there."

"Sounds good," Keltin nodded, and they helped her up. Then they dressed her carefully. Errende was there to help guide her back down to the others.

"Hey, you," Kiehl grinned, and she hugged him tight. Then she looked at Howard, and he stammered at a thought she gave him. Kiehl blinked and found himself grinning wickedly, as he whispered to her, "We are going to have to try that out later!"

"Oh, I know it!" she giggled. Keltin moved to sit down, and Kiehl set her with him so he could get her something to eat. Byorgue and Injustice went to help him. She sighed and looked over at Howard with a frown.

"Already? All right," he nodded.

"What?" Seyren asked.

"Remember what I told you about longevity?" Howard asked.

"Right," he nodded and told the others what he learned from Howard. Karla blinked at this and gave a wince.

"So, if I wanted Garrett to live as long as I do, he could take some of my blood?" Cecil asked. "I...I honestly don't know if..."

"Don't know what?" Garrett asked. She frowned and moved to whisper to him. He blinked in thought now, and he softly whispered back to her. She seemed to sigh, and he smiled.

"We'll have to discuss it at length," Lloyd said to Margaretha, and she could only nod with agreement. It was the same with Kathryne and Mitchell.

"Didn't Garrett already take a small sample of Sarine's blood?" Eremes asked.

"He did. But, just enough to remove Loki's taint," Howard said.

"Loki?" Kiehl asked, as he came over with a platter of food for Sarine. Howard grimaced and let him learn from his memories. Now he was infuriated and moved to Sarine's side to pull her close to him.

"We need to know," Errende said. Thanatos hadn't heard about this yet, and Seyren told the others about Loki and how the strong being would possess others into being with Sarine. He explained that it was what happened with Laurell first, and the High Wizard confirmed it.

Then she blinked, as Loli Ruri came over.

"I can help you detect Loki!" the monster giggled, as she kicked her feet on the moon she rode on. "Take this! When it glows, Loki is near!"

"Oh!" Sarine blinked, and she was given Loki's Whispers. It was a strange ball with cat-like ears. One side was blue, and the other side was red. It had two slanted yellow eyes on it with a curved smile. Kiehl looked at it oddly and frowned.

"Let me hold onto that," Sammy said. Sarine nodded and handed it over to him. Kiehl was still hugging her, and he started to offer her various foods from the platter he brought her.

"At least we have a warning device," Eremes said.

"When should we head to Glast Heim tomorrow?" Sarine asked, as Kiehl helped her eat.

"I would say early in the morning," Howard said. "Sooner the better."

"We'll still be human," Seyren frowned. "Two days, right?"

"Yes. So, we'll need to make sure that we are well prepared. Naght is coming with us," Howard said. "I'm sure that Thanatos wants in, too."

"He does," Errende nodded. Howard nodded back and worked on making more weapons. Sarine frowned at a thought, and Kiehl squeezed her.

"You have a good four days before then, My Lady," Kiehl smiled.

"Four days before what?" Garrett asked.

"Being bedridden," Howard said, as he set aside an Ice Damascus dagger.

"Ah," he said with a nod. She smiled softly at him and looked over in the distance. A figure was walking towards them slowly, and Muninn landed to become his human form. Errende looked over and growled. Doppy rose up now to move in front of Sarine protectively. Naght, Ifrit, and Thanatos wasted no time in joining them now.

" _Brandon Loust? You have awoken. What do you need?_ " Muninn asked.

"Um..." the Champion frowned. "I...made a mistake."

" _What mistake have you made?_ " Muninn asked carefully.

"My life," Brandon swallowed and fell to his knees in front of everyone.

"I should slaughter you!" Doppy hissed.

"It will be hard for us to forgive the insults you gave our wife," Sammy said.

"I know," Brandon nodded. "But...I had no idea of what I was like."

"There is a way you can be forgiven," Sarine said softly. They all looked at her with surprise. Howard blinked at her idea and mused over it.  _It could work._

"Anything!" Brandon said.

"Go to Amatsu and speak with my Papa, Emperor Markus. Explain to him that you have insulted me, and that you have realized the error of your ways through Muninn. Let him add you to his army. His men can train you in proper court etiquette and traditional honor. When he feels you have learned enough, it will be his choice to see what needs to be done from there," Sarine said. "It will be the only way for me to accept your apology."

"I see," Brandon thought. This had Kiehl grinning a bit, but Doppy wasn't too thrilled about it. He wanted to kill the man. Thanatos wasn't too pleased, either. Maya Purple seemed a bit pleased. _It was something royalty would say._ Brandon stood up now, nodded to everyone, and left quickly to do as Sarine suggested.

" _We should visit Amatsu again,_ " Muninn said. " _It would be good to see the palace and the town. She can speak with Emperor Markus on matters like this for arrangements. I'm sure that quite a few are going to be working with the Amatsu armies until they have completed their training. We should plan this for some point after Glast Heim. We could even see about going to the town of Rachel. There is that house she should look at, and there is a strong monster under the temple that needs recruitment._ "

"Really?" Sarine blinked. "I wouldn't have known!"

" _Yes. It is known as Gloom Under Night. A very powerful ghost made of Divine rage, yet it is not Holy. It is still an oddity, even to Father Odin. Just to get into the temple, itself, is difficult. I may have to take us there. We cannot let the High Priests of Rachel Temple find out about you. They may take offense to you and decide that you are a threat. It would not be a good outcome, if Father Odin needs to slaughter them all. Hmm..._ " Muninn suddenly thought. He blinked and now looked troubled.

"What is it, Muninn?" Sarine asked.

" _Something important I have just discovered. A child...trapped in ice. Ah! Ktullanux is guarding this child! We will find out more when we reach Gloom Under Night. I know where we need to look._ "

"A frozen child?" Sarine blinked. Now she was curious, and so were the others.

"I'm not sure it would be wise to go to Rachel with your pregnancy so obvious. Maybe we should wait until after you give birth and become pregnant with the next set. It would be easier on you for traveling around," Sammy said.

" _You are quite correct. We shall wait until your next pregnancy. After Glast Heim, tomorrow, you could go into the Einbech Mines,_ " Muninn thought. " _There are monsters there for you to recruit, and the traveling wouldn't be too bad. There is a strong monster there, too. You can walk there from the town of Einbech. Less than a mile, if that, and it should be easy._ "

"Einbech?!" Howard frowned. "I wouldn't want to step a single foot into that town! The people there are greedy and nasty! One look at Sarine, and they would do whatever they could to get her! Especially if they saw her crown and realize she's royalty!"

"Sounds like my type of town," Doppy smirked. "I'll get to kill somebody!"

"He has a point," Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"Well, hopefully, it won't come to that," Sarine frowned.

"It won't," Howard said and moved to hug her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and started to clean up his smithing tools. She sighed and stood up to stretch her back out a little. Keltin moved to help her, and she took in a deep breath of the salt-sea air. Kiehl watched her carefully, as she walked over towards the beach to look out over the waves. Then she gave a retching cough and vomited.

"Shit!" Howard hissed and ran to her side with Sammy and Thanatos.

"Why?!" Keltin winced, and Aliot was with her with Errende. Kiehl watched Doppy hiss with a form of pain, as he stood up.

"They grew," Doppy gasped.

"They did grow," Sammy frowned, and he checked her belly.

"The children aren't very upset. I'm not sure why she got sick," Thanatos muttered.

"She hasn't really been getting sick lately, since we've been working with her quickly," Kiehl said. "I know I said I wanted to work tonight, but I'm worried. I don't want to leave her side again unless I know she'll be fine."

"Out of the way," Howard said quickly and moved to pull her into his lap in the sand. He gave her a red potion to let her rinse out her mouth with and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He softly whispered to her, and she gasped while she tried to keep her emotions under control.

"What's going on?" Doppy asked. Naght came out of the house to talk to him in Demonic. She was having a hormonal stress attack, and he explained that Howard was trying to calm her down. Doppy looked over at her and instinctively moved to her side. He knelt down to her, and he carefully ran a finger under her chin to tilt her head towards him.

"Doppy," Howard whispered. "Take off your chest armor. Sit down. Put her in your lap. Carefully. Sing to her."

"Come here, Sorry Sari," Doppy said to her. She gave out a small whimper, and it tore at him. He did as Howard said and soon had her cradled safely in his lap. Sammy watched all of this intently. Something told him that she was going to need this during his pregnancy with her. Very softly, Doppy started to sing, and Sarine sighed with a form of comfort. She leaned into him now, and her head rested against his collarbone. He gently ran a hand over her arm, as he sang softly to her. The sound of his strong heartbeat seemed to ease her even more.

"What happened, exactly?" Sammy asked Kiehl.

"Just stressed out. Overwhelmed. There is so much she has to do, and her being pregnant like this doesn't help. Oh, hold on!" Kiehl blinked. Howard sent a thought to him, and he moved into the house. Coming out with her craving dishes, Aliot and Errende moved to help him. Maya Purple, Drago, and Injustice kept watch in the distance. Byorgue and Observation helped with the drinks and removing empty plates.

"Thank you," Sarine said weakly. Doppy let out a growl of protection, and he let Keltin come over to help her. He was fathering her children with Aliot, so he was tolerable of them both right now. Any others got a mild glare. It was completely instinctive when she was weak like this. She pulled Keltin into a hug, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Aliot nodded to Doppy before running a hand over her belly. Kiehl moved swiftly to press a chocolate bar into Keltin's hand, and this was offered to her now. She blinked with delight at it, and she moved to run a hand through Doppy's hair while she ate it. Now that Doppy was no longer a threat to the others, everyone felt a bit more at ease. Doppy's temper now as a First Mate could easily have a shorter fuse than Naght's and Thanatos's combined. As long as Sarine was able to keep him calm, then everyone was able to breathe easier.

"Better, Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked her, as he nuzzled her.

"Doppy," she whispered, and pressed her mouth against his ear to tell him something interesting. He blinked and had to cough out a laugh. Howard grinned now, and Kiehl snickered.

"Are you serious?!" Doppy asked with a massive grin.

"Want to try it out?" she blushed. As a response, he pulled her close to kiss, lifted her up, and took her into the house. Errende was quick to grab Doppy's upper armor to carry in behind him. The others grinned at this and followed her to bring about the end of the day quickly.


	89. Chapter 89

It was almost morning when she woke up. She needed to walk around, and she rose up from the bed to stretch carefully. Doppy was meditating deeply with several of the others. She wore them out with her own purring. She noticed that Kiehl wasn't there, and Howard was sleeping next to her. Keltin was close by, but she felt an urge to find Kiehl. Getting up slowly, she took a deep breath, and ran a hand over her growing womb. It was almost half the size of a normal pregnancy before birth, but, with quadruplets, she still had a bit more to go. Shivering a bit, she found it a touch hard to walk. Focusing her strength, she carefully moved down the stairs and down to the workshop. On opening it, she found Kiehl bent over a table and working. Moving to his side, she rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Hmm? My Lady?!" he gasped, as he turned to see her. "What are you doing awake?! And walking like this? You should be assisted!"

"I...wanted to see you," she sighed. He winced and pulled her close to comfort her.

"Sarine," he whispered. "do you always wake up around this time?"

"I tend to," she nodded. "Doppy usually helps me. But...I didn't wake him."

"All right. I'll make sure to be up in the bedroom around this time, then. You really shouldn't be walking around without help. Especially when you're this big."

"I know," she sighed and wearily leaned into him. He knew the pregnancy was draining her now. Lifting her up, he set her in a chair to help her. He didn't know what she was thinking, since Howard was asleep.

"I'm going to wake up Howard," he said.

"No," she frowned and put her hands on his shoulders. "Not yet."

"Well," he sighed. "what can I do for you, Sarine? What do you need?"

"You," she said. He blinked at her and pulled her close to kiss deeply. Her hands moved around his neck, and he pressed his forehead to hers. Sliding one arm under her legs, and the other around her waist, he lifted her gently from the chair and moved her into the specialized room with the padded table. Kicking the door closed, he pulled her into a possessive kiss and thought.

"It's going to be hard to work away from you when I get you pregnant with Sammy's kids," he admitted. "I'm going to want to be close to you."

"I'm going to want you close," she said, and he kissed her lovingly now.

"I wish I knew how you felt right now," he sighed. "I want to know what you're thinking. It sucks that I have to go through Howard."

"I can't hear either of you," she smiled. "I have no idea what either of you think."

"Maybe that's a good thing," he grinned. She laughed softly, and he kissed her.

"If...you really want to wake up How-How, then, okay. But, make sure he doesn't wake up anyone else," she said. "I just...really don't want to be crowded by everyone right now."

"You feel...crowded by those that love you?" he frowned.

"I know they love me, and I love them, but...I get smothered. It's why I got sick last night, you see. I started to feel stressed. It got to me. I'm...not used to crowds. I understand when I travel about, but here at home..."

"Shush," he whispered and held her. "Let me get Howard here. We'll talk about it together and see what we can do. Okay?"

"Okay," she smiled softly. He focused slightly and started laughing. Looking at him, she had to giggle and ask, "What happened?"

"He fell out of the bed with surprise!" Kiehl laughed. She gasped and laughed with him. Then he blinked and thought, as he said, "Odd. He doesn't feel a breeze in the window. Muninn must be helping him sneak out of the bedroom."

"Really?" she frowned.

"Yes. He's making a quick stop to the kitchen for you, and then he'll be here. Hmm. Do you need anything? Juice? Water? Food?"

"Um...all three, actually," she nodded. He gave a small nod and focused again. Then he opened the door to help Howard bring in the food.

"Just wait right here!" he said and pressed a kiss to her mouth before walking out. She nodded and ran her hands over her belly. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she saw Huginn standing in front of her.

"Huginn?!" she whispered.

"You're meditating right now. Don't worry. I have time frozen for them. I want to ask you something important," he said.

"Okay," she said.

"If you had a chance to only be with one man, would you do it?"

"No."

"Even if it would save your life?"

"I would never be happy with only one man!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I love all of my husbands, mates, and slaves. I just don't like feeling overwhelmed. And I don't like these questions! They are making me upset. I'm going to wake up now."

"Wait!" Huginn said and grabbed her shoulders. "Listen to me carefully first."

"Hurry up," she frowned.

"The frozen child will come to love you. Don't let the child love you," he said. She looked at him with alarm. Then she blinked and found herself looking at Howard's face. His hands were on her shoulders like Huginn's were, and she realized that Huginn was mimicking Howard's movements to make the dream even more realistic.

"Sarine! Are you all right?!" he asked.

"Yes, How-How. I'm fine," she said.

"I couldn't hear your thoughts, and you were in a solid daze! What happened?" Howard asked. Kiehl was at her side and kept a hand on her arm. She frowned and let her meditative conversation with Huginn come forth. Howard glowered, and Kiehl hissed.

"What do you think?" she asked softly.

"The frozen boy, eh?" Kiehl thought. "We'll need to find out more about him."

"I don't know if time is still frozen or not. Regardless, we brought you food and drink," Howard said. "Are you sure you're all right, Sarine?"

"I am now," she said with a smile. Then she leaned forward and threw up all over the floor. Kiehl stammered, and Howard grimaced. They didn't know what was going on with the children in her. He left quickly and came back moments later with Thanatos. He found it odd that time was frozen and that he was able to collect anyone he needed.  _Huginn was likely doing it to keep Sarine's health in check for them._  Kiehl already let Sarine rinse out her mouth with a red potion and had a bowl for her to spit into.

"Sarine! Why didn't you eat anything yet?!" Thanatos growled.

"I was going to..." she whimpered.

"You need to sit up there with her and feed her!" Thanatos said to Kiehl. "Howard, clean this up, quickly! After she eats, she needs to walk for a bit. Wait...how did she get down here?"

"She came here by herself," Kiehl said, as he helped Sarine eat. "She came down here from the bedroom to find me. She missed me."

"How did she get past Doppy? Or keep from waking me up?" Howard frowned, as he cleaned up the floor. "Wait...do you think...Huginn did it?"

"What did Huginn do?" Thanatos frowned. Howard told him of the meditation Sarine was in and what happened in it. The demon was pissed now and said, "He'd better not be baiting you. Or any of us."

"It's something we should ask Muninn," Kiehl said. "Sarine, are you all right?"

"You...called her by name?" Thanatos asked with a slight smile.

"Ugh..." Kiehl blinked. "Well...I'm her husband, too. As well as a slave. It's something I normally only do in front of Howard."

"It's fine, Kiehl. Thanatos is a bit of a slave, since he's marked with a tattoo. But, he wanted it," Sarine said. Thanatos grinned and turned to show off the mark given to him, as his armor melted away briefly.

"Same as Howard's. Huh," Kiehl thought. "Anything special with it?"

"Not really," Thanatos shrugged, as his armor reformed.

"Let me try something. Can I see it again?" Sarine asked. Thanatos nodded and let the armor dissipate to show her. She reached out and lightly touched it. When nothing happened, she chuckled. Kiehl gave her some juice, and Howard finished cleaning up her illness on the floor. Once the floor was clean, he sighed and was able to head to the kitchen to wash up. When he got back, he had a chocolate bar with him and a Yggdrasil Berry to give her. Eating them both made her feel better, and now Kiehl was ready to move her.

She grasped Howard's shoulder to steady herself, as she moved off the cushioned table, and her fingers dug into his tattoo without even realizing it. He hissed and howled with lust. Sarine gasped, and Thanatos looked at him with a challenging glare. Howard glared right back at him and snarled out with a rather savage form of fury.

"Oh, no!" Kiehl said, and he moved quickly to shove Thanatos out of the room and closed the door. "I'm sorry for this! It has to be done! Forgive me!"

Thanatos could only blink at what happened to Howard once the instinctive challenge was gone, and then he remembered that Odin had done something to Howard to help Sarine. Now he realized why Sarine wanted to touch his tattoo.  _That was how Howard's lust was activated!_ Walking up to the door, he growled out, "You're forgiven! I have questions to ask when he comes back around!"

"Understood!" Kiehl said. He was glad he put a small voice speaker in the door for situations like this! Howard was yanking down her shorts to claim her. His pants were almost ripped off himself, but he managed to shove them down. She cried out instantly when he took her, and he roared out his release. Right afterwards, he came to and gasped, as he hugged her tight.

"You...need to watch...where you touch me...on the shoulder..." Howard panted.

"I didn't mean it..." she whimpered.

"It's all right," he said. Kiehl nodded and let Thanatos back into the room.

"I need some answers. I know Odin gave you a massive Demonic sex drive for her, but you challenged me at the same time!" Thanatos frowned.

"It's why I should only be alone with her. Kiehl...is all right, since we share a mental bond. I even glared at Eremes back in Jawaii," Howard said.

"So, that's why Eremes was quiet," Thanatos mused. "That makes sense."

"He apologized after, and I showed him how much he was still needed," Sarine said with a small blush. Thanatos grinned and thought now.

"And this only happens when your tattoo is touched?" he asked.

"Yes. Only then. By her, of course. The lust disappears when she's sated. I have no exhaustion when it's there, and I won't stop until she's satisfied," Howard said. "It can suck sometimes. It's even worse if I know I'm already weakened."

"I can believe that," Thanatos snickered.

"Sarine, do you still need to walk?" Kiehl asked.

"I do," she nodded. Howard fixed up his pants, and Kiehl helped fix up her shorts. This time, Thanatos helped her off the table. He led her up the stairs with Howard and Kiehl following them. When they got outside, they paused.  _Time was frozen._

"Who froze time?!" Howard frowned. "Where is Muninn?"

"Huginn, if you still have time frozen..." Thanatos growled.

"He did say that he did, but...I don't know why he did it," she said.

"Well, let's take that walk," Kiehl said.

"Okay," she nodded. Thanatos set her down carefully, and she paused to take a deep breath to focus on walking.

"Sarine, are you sure you're well enough to go to Glast Heim today?" Kiehl frowned. "I don't like how you're struggling like this."

"As long as I'm on Windwalker's back, I'll be okay," she said.

"You're almost on the verge of being bedridden," Howard winced. "You really need to have others with you to help you."

"I'm still able to move. I'm fine," she said stubbornly.

"You need Errende with you," Thanatos said. "It's been only three days, and you look like you're ready to fall over! I know you're not as large as you can be, but you still need assistance. As much as you think you don't need it, you really do."

"Please! I'm fine!" she said. Then she gasped and fell to her knees in pain. The children within her grew out by four inches. After that happened, time resumed, and the waves that were frozen along the beach finally came to life. She panted, and Kiehl moved to support her. Thanatos woke up Errende with a harsh mental shout. Within minutes, Aliot and Keltin were at her side. Doppy was soon there with Sammy. Eremes showed up with Byorgue and Errende. Drago, Maya Purple, Observation, and Injustice set up a protective ring to make sure no other monsters would try to come over and upset her.

"STOP!" Howard shouted, and they all looked at him. "Don't crowd her! Back up! She got sick earlier, and she'll do it again!"

"Howard?" Errende frowned, as he placed his hands on her belly. She sighed with relief, as the children were soothed instantly, and she was taking quick, panting breaths.

"Is she in labor?!" Keltin asked.

"No," Kiehl said softly. "She's very stressed out. She...came to find me this morning. By herself. I was concerned. Apparently, Huginn froze time for her after she found me. Or after I found Howard. I'm not sure when."

"Stop it..." she whispered.

"Sarine," Howard said. "What do you want to do right now? NO! Don't think of that!"

"My Lady!" Kiehl hissed, and he moved to hug her. Doppy snarled out, as instinct overruled everything else, and she found herself squeaking when he moved to carry her in his arms. He walked a bit away from everyone and turned to look at the ocean with her. It was the same thing that Naght did to her in the bedroom when she started to show how enraged she was. Howard gave a sigh of relief when her thoughts righted themselves quickly. Kiehl stood up now and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Isn't the ocean pretty?" Doppy whispered to her.

"Yeah," she said, as she relaxed in his arms. Very gently, he pressed his face against her hair and started to sing softly to her. That actually helped her even more, and Howard blinked in thought. Keltin moved to stand next to him on one side, and Aliot did the same thing on the other side of Doppy. She reached out to hug them both before shifting back into Doppy's arms.

"What are we doing today?" Doppy asked softly.

"Well, we were to go to Glast Heim to help Kiehl outfit his workshop. I wouldn't mind going into the armory part of Glast Heim, too. We may find something good there," she said. "After that, Muninn did suggest the Einbech Mines later in the day."

"As long as you aren't walking. Okay?" Keltin said.

"You are struggling too much," Aliot said. Doppy looked at him, and Aliot nodded to him. Sarine gave out a tired sigh, and Doppy nuzzled her.

"When did you want to go?" Keltin asked.

"After I check on the children," she said. "I think."

"We'll alert the others," Doppy said. Now that he was in complete protective mode, Howard was the one that told them the plans. Doppy took her back to the house, and Kiehl slightly grimaced to himself.

"Don't beat yourself up," Howard muttered. "Everything happens for a reason."

"I know," Kiehl sighed. "I just..."

"She sought you out. I know. And...Kiehl, get over to her!" Howard growled.

"Huh?!" he asked. At Howard's gesture, he moved to follow after Doppy quickly. Howard was listening to her thoughts, and there was one distinct thought that stood out.  _She wanted Kiehl and I close for some reason._   _I was there this morning, but Kiehl wasn't when she woke up._  As he thought, he realized something that clicked into place.  _The stasis of the triplets was the cause of it._   _She didn't know about the pregnancy, since she couldn't know, and she was craving both Kiehl and I to be close to her. If not constantly touching her, she wanted to make sure we were around her. She needed to see us nearby to know they were there. It was a heavily instinctive feeling._

He grimaced, and Kiehl felt the same shock when he learned this from Howard. They were going to have to be by her side as much as they could. Now Howard moved to be in eyesight for her, but he was still concerned as to why she was getting sick.  _Could it be something to do with the stasis? Or just Keltin's Rage causing the stress? It could be so many things now!_ Kiehl wasn't sure, either, and it was something they could only ask Muninn when the time was right. Naght was clearly concerned, but he hid it around the others.

"What's wrong, Howard?" Thanatos asked.

"Just...worried about her. We thought she would be bedridden in another three days, but...if she's going to keep growing like this...I don't know," Howard frowned.

"We will need to keep her comfortable when she travels," he said. "There will be no other way to even think about moving around with her."

Howard nodded and then blinked at a thought that Kiehl sent him. Hissing under his breath now, he ran over to the house and up into the nursery. She was nursing Bianca and Gunther in the rocking chair. Kiehl was sitting on one of the couches near her, and Howard moved quickly to sit with him. The moment he got within her line of sight, she started to relax instantly. Doppy noticed this and looked over at them both. There was something going on, and he couldn't figure it out.

"Mama?" Serenity said asked, as she rubbed her eyes. She was in a long, pink nighty, and she moved to blink her eyes sleepily at her mother.

"Hello, honey," Sarine said warmly. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"No," Serenity frowned. She looked over to see Howard and Kiehl, and she moved quickly to snuggle between them. Now Doppy's thoughts were interrupted with concern for Serenity.

"No?" Howard frowned. "What happened?"

"Seri was crying," Siegfried said, as he toddled over in his one piece, light-red pajamas.

"What did you dream about?" Kiehl asked.

"Mama was...was taken away," Serenity frowned.

"By who?" Howard asked intently.

"Dunno," she frowned. "But...Mama was gone. Dad...you were mad. Um...Keel wasn't a Dad yet. So, Keel wasn't there. But, everyone was mad. And scared. Um...Grampa Odin wanted to...know why Mama was in trouble."

"What trouble?!" Thanatos asked, as he walked in. Errende had his hands on Sarine's belly, and Thanatos wanted to know what was going on. Naght wasn't far behind him.

"Don't know," Serenity said with a soft whimper. Naght rumbled to her, and she started to cry. Howard and Kiehl hugged her, and Siegfried even moved over to pat his sister's cheek.

"Mommy is here now, Seri. See?" Siegfried said, and he pointed to Sarine. The moment Doppy's children finished nursing, Howard moved to put Serenity in her arms, and both mother and daughter hugged tightly. Serenity whimpered softly, and Sarine cuddled her.

"Mama isn't going anywhere," Sarine promised and pressed a kiss to her daughter's temple. "Mama has too many babies to look after!"

"But...Mama has work today. Daddy said so," Serenity frowned, and Naght rumbled with confirmation of it. "Um...can I go with Mama? To work? Please?"

"I wanna go, too!" Siegfried said. This made Sarine blink. Howard and Kiehl glanced at each other, and Naght was thinking hard. He rumbled to Thanatos in Demonic, and Doppy seemed to cringe. They clearly didn't want the kids to go.

"Where your mother is going today isn't very safe," Thanatos frowned.

"I have swords now!" Serenity argued. "I can help Mama!"

"But, you don't know how to use them," Kiehl said.

"But...this will help?" she asked. Sarine blinked at that and thought. Serenity moved a bit to let her nurse Edward and Angela now. Naght was thinking deeply to Howard.

"Maybe," Howard frowned. "They are getting to a point that they have to start training. But...Glast Heim will not be safe for them! Not at their age! They aren't even half a year old!"

"Demons age differently," Doppy said. "Sarine shouldn't even be pregnant with others. She would still be pregnant with them and starting to show, if it was normal. She isn't a normal human, and neither are the kids. Neither are you now. The only way we can allow the kids to come with us is if they don't wander off and stick to our sides. Besides..."

"Hmm?" Thanatos looked at him now with a nod.

"If any adventurers say anything about them, it will give us an excuse to kill them," Doppy grinned wickedly. That made them all laugh, and Sarine sighed softly.

"Maya Purple could let them ride on his bug body. Baphomet could even let them ride on his shoulders," Howard thought.

"What's going on?" Maya Purple asked, as he skittered over. They told him what the kids wanted to do, and he frowned. He clearly didn't like the idea of them going into a dangerous place with them. Byorgue was now informed, and he passed the information to the other husbands and slaves. Sammy walked over to evaluate each child before thinking. He looked over at Eremes, and the Assassin Cross had a frown on his face.

"If the kids...want to come with us..." Eremes thought. "they cannot wander off."

"No, they can't. They shouldn't be even thinking of coming with us right now," Sammy said and glanced down, as Siegfried tugged on his black kimono. "Yes, Siegfried?"

"We want to help Mommy," Siegfried said. "Seri had a bad dream about her. We want to help. I don't want Seri to have bad dreams. Please? Let us help Mommy?"

"We'll listen to you!" Serenity said. "We won't run away!"

"You kids are crazy!" Howard sighed, and found Serenity toddling over to him. She put her hands on his knees and looked up at him with her large, tigers' eye gemstone eyes. She blinked at him cutely, and he found himself caving in. _Why did she have to look so cute?!_ "Fine! But you are NOT going to help us kill things!"

"Yay!" Serenity jumped up and down.

"If it gets to be too much, Storm Caller will bring you right back here!" Sammy said. "You are not to leave our sides for  _any_  reason!"

"We know!" Siegfried giggled and moved to get picked up by Eremes. Keltin was thinking about the whole thing, and Aliot was clearly not too keen on this idea.

"I'm waking up Seyren," Keltin said. "Baphomet needs to know."

"Where is Muninn?" Sarine asked. "I haven't seen him all morning!"

"Hmm," Sammy thought and moved to the nursery balcony. Alexander nodded to him, and he watched Muninn fly down to land on the balcony ledge.

_:Yes?:_  Muninn asked. Sammy told him what was going on, and Muninn was a bit surprised. Then Howard told him what happened this morning, and Muninn reverted to his human form with a bit of rage. " _Huginn would dare to do this?! To speak out such...hmm. I'll need to talk to Father Odin about what he said with the frozen child. There...is some truth to his words. It's strange. But, as for the children, they will be safe. If you really want them to be protected, contact the warrior Valkyrie from the fields of Odin's Temple. She will not let the children come to any harm. However, we should only contact her if something goes wrong. She is always busy and should be a last resort._ "

"Uncle Muninn!" Serenity said, and he blinked at what he was called before chuckling. He leaned down and picked her up to place a kiss on her cheek. "Mama has to work soon, and I'm gonna help!"

" _I know! But, you must be careful. Danger is always around when you leave the island. Don't stray from us. Stay with us at all times._ "

"I know. I had a bad dream about Mama, too," she frowned.

" _Oh?_ " Muninn asked. She told him what it was about, and he thought hard, as he looked ahead into the future. Frowning a bit, he said, " _It was just a dream. Don't worry. Your mother will always be safe with us. What you dreamt of was the past. You saw your mother being stolen away and what happened when we found out about it. If you have any other dreams like this, call for me. I will hear you and talk to you about it._ "

"So...it did happen? Long time ago?" Serenity asked.

" _It did. But, everything is okay now._ "

"Kay," she trembled, and he hugged her. Looking at the others, he sighed.

" _She has a very interesting gift. She can see things in dreams that can occur if time has stopped. What she saw was what happened when my brother stole Sarine away that one morning. Before Thanatos's children were born. She saw the outcome of what happened. Time wasn't actually frozen then when we discovered her gone, but Serenity does have the ability to see things that happened should time be frozen around her. Important things only, though._ "

"So...if Huginn does something again, she could see it?" Howard asked carefully.

" _Yes. It's quite possible. It's a very rare gift. Likely caused by who Sarine is. All of her children may have dream visions like this, but I won't know until it happens._ "

"Wow," Kiehl blinked. "That's crazy just to think about!"

"I'm here!" Seyren said. "What did I miss?"

"A lot," Doppy said, as he helped Sarine with Thanatos's kids. Howard informed Seyren of what he missed, and the Lord Knight was amazed that the kids wanted to help. Baphomet readily agreed to help protect them, and Seyren stated this. He would even get Baphomet Jr. to assist them with the kids as an extra measure. Sarine fixed up her top, but didn't budge from the rocking chair. She took a deep breath, and ran her hands over her belly, as Errende kept his soothing touch on her.

"You've been doing that a lot lately," Kiehl frowned.

"Doing what?" she asked.

"Deep breathing. It's starting to worry me a bit," he said.

"Hmm," Sammy said, as he evaluated her. "It's Keltin's Rage. She's instinctively keeping herself calm and focused to counter it."

"Ugh..." Keltin frowned and found himself hugging her.

"Not your fault," she smiled.

"It is my fault!" he frowned.

"I'm having your twins, you know. This isn't your fault," she said again. "Anyways, I'm hungry, and we need to feed Serenity and Siegfried. Should we eat here? Or downstairs? I'm sure the others need to know they are coming with us."

"Let me dress them first," Bacsojin said, as she floated through the room. "Once they are dressed, they will join you all for breakfast downstairs."

"I'll let the others know what is going on," Seyren said, as he walked out of the room. Howard nodded and looked over at Muninn. He was still holding Serenity, and Eremes was holding Siegfried.

" _We'll bring them downstairs when they are dressed,_ " Muninn said.

"All right," Howard said. He sighed and watched Byorgue and Aliot help assist Sarine out of the rocking chair. Observation and Injustice left to head down to the kitchen to prepare meals. Drago and Maya Purple were moving downstairs to set up a place for them to eat. Kiehl stayed within eyesight of Sarine to show he was there, and Howard was doing the same. When Sarine showed signs of walking difficulty, Doppy lifted her up to carry her to the table.

"My legs are going to drop off from not being used," Sarine frowned.

"Hardly," Doppy chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"I don't want our kids to get hurt," she sighed. Aliot nodded to Doppy and set the Morroc Fruit Wine, the Awfully Bitter Bracer, and the Assorted Seafood Dishes in front of her. Taking another deep breath, she started to eat and drink. She looked over, as Eremes and Muninn brought down Serenity and Siegfried. Serenity was in a heavy cloth dress of deep brown. Siegfried was in a heavy cloth, short-sleeved tunic and pants of brown coloring as well. Both wore heavy boots to protect their feet. It almost resembled Novice gears, but was far different in the way they were, since they were near Novice stage, yet still a bit off.

"Mama!" Serenity giggled and got a kiss pressed to her cheek by Sarine. Injustice moved to sit by the kids to tell them what they would see in Glast Heim.

"I was told to come here?" Zealotus said, as she walked over.

"Yes," Sammy said. Doppy gave her a mild glare, but returned to the small meal before him. "We are going to Glast Heim. We want you to come with us."

"Why?" Zealotus frowned. "Are you...letting me go?"

"No," Kiehl chuckled. "We want you to grab a few rogue Injustices for yourself to play with. Maybe a few others, if you want. We'll build you a specialized dungeon, and these rogue monsters can help train the kids with your supervision. I need to grab a few electric chairs from the Glast Heim dungeon. That and Sarine wanted to see the armory there."

"Oh!" Zealotus blinked with a smile. "Okay! I think I like what's happening! I'll be able to help you find the best chairs to use, too. Ah, would it be all right if I helped you torture people? For the fun of it?"

"That depends on what we need to do. If we need to extract information, you may be able to help. But, you have to go by my rules. My workshop. My torture chamber. Got it?" Kiehl grinned wickedly. Zealotus nodded and now moved to talk to Storm Caller a bit more in depth as to what she would need for the new dungeon. Then she blinked.

"You know, give me access to the new prison here! I'll make sure no one escapes, and, with rogue monsters on the loose, it would help keep them distracted!" Zealotus snickered.

"Done!" Storm Caller said. "I'll work on it while you all are out."

"As long as we have access to the prisoners without being attacked," Sammy said.

"We can centralize the prisoners and have a series of trick doors," Zealotus thought. "You all will know the safe way to reach them. Others will have to go around the hard way."

"That will work," Thanatos grinned.

"Injustice, I am sorry about how I acted," Zealotus said to him.

"For now, I'll accept your apology. Just think before you act. You tend to miss that point a lot," Injustice sighed. She blinked at him, but looked away. He always did know her best, and that was one of the few things she couldn't stand about him. She would have other Injustices to play with, and that was the whole point of her going with them. She could pick out the ones that looked the sturdiest.

"Storm Caller, a word, please," Sammy said. The Strouf nodded and was now told of a possible Demonic Mating chamber. Storm Caller seemed amused and would definitely see what he could come up with. Howard bit back a chuckle and looked at Sarine. She took another deep breath after she finished eating, and she leaned into Errende when his hands moved over her belly. Kiehl and Howard looked at each other and moved to her side.

"She needs the bathroom," Kiehl said.

"I'll carry her," Doppy nodded. Very gently, he moved her into his arms and softly whispered a song to her to help keep her calm. She ran his hands through her hair and rested a bit more in his embrace. His singing helped relax her that much more and eased whatever was causing her to breathe so deeply.

"She's not really craving sex now," Howard mused. "Ah! This is the Angelic streak! That Muninn said!"

"I see," Kiehl said. "But, surely, we should still give her what she needs, regardless."

"Kiehl? How-How?" Sarine asked.

"We're here, love," Howard said, as he moved into her line of sight.

"Hmm," Doppy said. "You two walk ahead of me."

"Right," Kiehl said with a nod to him.

"Why does she need to make sure you're around?" Doppy asked.

"I'm not sure. But, if it keeps her happy, I'm not fighting it," Howard said. That made Doppy nod, and Kiehl gave a mild shiver while he walked. Kiehl and Howard both knew that she was going to be craving their closeness even more when the triplets finally did start to develop. _It wouldn't be as severe as Thanatos, but she would need them to be incredibly close._  Howard mentally told Kiehl how she would crave sleep with him, and how she would fall into a rather deep sleep if he and Naght weren't around to help her out of it. She also craved spicy, cold, and in between meals. Kiehl frowned and wasn't sure what Sarine would be craving with his kids. They would find out with her next pregnancy. It would be the same thing with Sammy.

After she was able to use the bathroom, Doppy picked her back up to move her out, but she stopped him. On looking at him with a soft smile, Howard started to laugh. Kiehl stammered, and it took an extra twenty minutes for them to get back downstairs.

"She...craved it. Didn't she?" Keltin grimaced.

"What...made you...guess?" Howard panted a bit, as he sat down. Kiehl managed to sit down in a chair, and Eremes grinned at them. Doppy held her close, as he sat down with her in his lap. Armeyer walked over to them now, and she looked troubled.

"Howard, Timmy wants to come with us to Glast Heim," she said.

"Why?" Howard growled out. "The kids are coming with us. I don't want him to be near my kids. There is nothing for him at Glast Heim. If he wants to go, he can go later on with you. There is no need for him to come with us."

"I know, but he keeps insisting. He's been promising that he'll behave," she said.

"He promised a lot of things," Kiehl muttered. Naght didn't look too pleased about this, either. He was ready to simply run Timmy through and let him rot.

" _If Timmy comes with us, then he MUST be on his best behavior. The moment he starts up, he will be left behind, or even worse. Stress this to him,_ " Muninn said. Armeyer nodded and left quickly to head back to the smaller house.

"Why?" Howard said with a glare.

" _Well, if there are no adventurers to encounter, Doppelganger is going to want to kill someone. Right?_ " Muninn grinned a touch wickedly. That had Sarine laughing with Doppy, and Kiehl found himself grinning. Everyone else started laughing at this, and Thanatos was all for it. Muninn grinned again and said, " _Besides, someone needs to sit in the chairs to make sure they are as sturdy, yet uncomfortable as possible. Why not him?_ "

"Point made," Kiehl grinned back. Muninn had actually foreseen that this trip would be quite beneficial for Timmy. _Dangerous, but very beneficial._ Kavach and Laurell were sniggering to each other, and Wickebine was giggling like crazy. Margaretha and Lloyd were a touch worried for the children, and they would ensure that nothing would happen to them. Karla made plenty of space in her cart, and it reminded Howard to grab his cart, too. Armeyer grabbed her cart after bringing Timmy over to them, and he gaped at the sight of the house interior now.

"She  _is_  rich! Your wife is loaded!" Timmy blinked.

"I am not rich," Sarine frowned. "This is the work done by the monsters living here. They are the ones that did this for me. I have done nothing else other than free them from where they were. This is how they thank me."

"Don't piss me off, Timmy," Howard growled. Then Kiehl nudged him, and they laughed at a mental thought. Sarine looked over with a soft smile, and Doppy glared at Timmy.

"Let's get moving," Garrett said. "I want to check out Glast Heim, too! It's been awhile since I was last there, and I want to see the place."

"What fun!" Cecil giggled and went to greet the children.

"Oh, yes. The last time we were there, you did something interesting," Seyren grinned.

"Shut up!" Garrett said quickly, as Errende gave a touch of a smug grin. Howard sent the thought to Kiehl, and they snickered sharply. Serenity and Siegfried looked at each other and giggled when they finished eating.

"Who's kids? And why are they coming with us?" Timmy frowned.

"They're Naght Seiger's kids and my kids," Howard said with a edge to his tone. "So, yes, this would make you their uncle. Serenity. Siegfried. This is your uncle Timothy."

"Uncle?" Serenity blinked. Siegfried sniffed him and seemed to wrinkle his nose.

"I'm an uncle?!" Timmy asked. His son gestured to Howard, and he moved close to let his twins snuggle into him and talk to him.

"He smells funny, Dad," Siegfried whispered to Howard.

"Think of him like, oh, a Yoyo monkey," Howard grinned. "Fun to play with, but not fun to keep around for long. They are known to steal items. He's a bit of the same way."

"Monkey?" Serenity giggled, and Kiehl grinned.

"Like Uncle Seyren?" Siegfried asked a bit loudly, and Seyren let out an exasperated gasp. Karla started laughing with the others, and Eremes grinned widely.

"Just like uncle Seyren. He is a very big, stinky monkey, isn't he?" Howard nodded. Keltin chuckled, but kept a wary eye on Timmy. Muninn was giggling a bit, but was also unsure of Timmy.  _The present never really stayed focused on what his actions would do._ The kids giggled at their father, and Naght chuckled.

"One mistake, I gut you open!" Doppy hissed to the Merchant. Timmy swallowed and nodded. Armeyer seemed to smile and was seriously having second thoughts about being with Timmy.  _The guy was hard to work with and didn't respond well._ Thanatos nodded to Doppy and walked right past Timmy without saying a word. Mitchell and Kathryne weren't very pleased with Timmy coming along. Coraline and Max looked at each other with soft frowns. Donnie and Egnigem were making plans to make Timmy's life a living hell, if he tried anything.

"I'll tease him, you order him around," Donnie said.

"Done," Egnigem smiled.

"Are you two married yet?" Sammy asked.

"Not yet. We always seem to argue on who can do what in the bedroom," Donnie grinned. Egnigem smacked his arm, and he laughed.

"Are we going now?" Sarine asked. Seyren moved to walk outside, and Baphomet appeared to show he was ready. He was then informed that Timmy was coming along, and the massive demon hissed his disgust.

"Tell me about it," Seyren winced.

"If he gets out of line, he gets the whip!" Zealotus grinned. That made Timmy swallow hard, and Howard grinned with Kiehl. Maya Purple gave Timmy a poisonous glare, as he skittered outside. Baphomet let the kids hug him before letting them ride on his shoulders.

"Where is my son?" Baphomet rumbled.

"I'm here, Dad!" Baphomet Jr. said in a rather deep voice, as he trotted over. Sarine blinked and realized that he was as tall as Doppy now. He also had massive horns that curled out from his head in a rather elaborate way. Even his scythe had a nastier curved edge to it. Valkyrie had upgraded him fully to be a young adult and made sure that none would be able to find him an easy target. Baphomet looked at his son and nodded his approval at the change.

"Good. Keep an eye on him," Baphomet hissed and pointed at Timmy.

"Done!" Baphomet Jr. snarled out brandished his scythe. Doppy grinned, and Thanatos gave a pleasing sound. Naght growled a warning before nodding that he was ready to go. Eddga stomped over with Vagabond Wolf loping behind him. Sarine's husbands and slaves circled around her, as she was moved onto Windwalker's back. Errende moved up behind her to keep his hands on her belly.

"How do we want to do this? Sarine is going to want to see us at all times!" Howard hissed to Kiehl. "Windwalker will need to keep his wings down."

"He will," Kiehl nodded. "We'll likely have to flank him. Or go on each side of him. It may be the only way. Let's try it out."

"Right," Howard nodded, and they moved on either side of Windwalker now. Sarine took a deep breath and smiled now that she saw them both there. Howard and Kiehl nodded to each other and made ready to move.

"Howie, what's going on with that guy?" Timmy frowned at Kiehl.

"Kiehl? Ah, he's my twin," Howard said with a shrug.

"What?! You don't have a twin brother! I should know!" Timmy said.

"Yes, he does," Kiehl said. "That twin is me."

"Stop pulling my leg!" Timmy growled.

"We're not pulling your leg," Howard and Kiehl said together with a grin. Seyren started laughing, and Karla giggled. Timmy's mouth dropped. Keltin grinned savagely and moved to sit on Windwalker's back. Aliot moved to walk behind Howard to remain close to Sarine.

"I think we're ready to go," Thanatos said with a smirk.

"Yes. Let's get going," Zealotus said. Pori-Pori scooted over to jump up to Sarine and bounce happily on her head. Then she blinked when Vengeance, Defender, Doombringer, and Justice bounced over to join them.

"Wherever those kids go, we go, too!" Justice said.

"It's been awhile since I saw you all!" Sarine giggled.

"We'll have a funny face-off contest tonight! For you and the kids!" Pori-Pori winked.

"It talks?!" Timmy said.

"And I'll hurt him, if he hurts you!" Pori-Pori added. That made Howard grin. Karla fed Luna, and the Homunculus made a face at Timmy. Seyren laughed again, and Muninn snickered before shifting into his falcon form. He took them all to Glast Heim without any further delays.


	90. Chapter 90

When they got there, Sarine looked around carefully. There were no enemies or adventurers around right now, and that was what they wanted. Serenity and Siegfried were amazed at such a place, and Baphomet hissed with protection for them.

"Let's go to the dungeon first," Kiehl said. "Then we'll go to the armory. Sound good, My Lady? This way we can get some of Zealotus's new servants."

"Kids, I want both of you to ride on Maya Purple's back. When Baphomet fights, you might get thrown off, and none of us want that. At least Maya Purple can keep you safe under his wings. Okay?" Howard said. "In fact, it will be much safer."

"Kay, Dad!" Serenity nodded. Baphomet carefully placed them both on Maya Purple's back, and they settled under the protective wing covers. He would ensure that nothing would harm these kids, and both Naght and Thanatos moved to help cover him like another escort.

"Even the kids respond better than Timmy," Howard muttered. Kiehl sputtered with laughter, and Armeyer could only sigh with agreement. As much as she still wanted Howard, she knew he was married and had kids now. He was far out of her league. She also knew that his heart fully belonged to Sarine and would never waver for her.

"How-How?" Sarine asked.

"Yes, love? I'm here," he said as he moved to her side. She hugged him tight, and he grimaced at a thought before the pain hit her from a sudden growth spurt. Kiehl was at her side now to help her through it. Doppy roared a bit and panted.

"Do we have any food for her?!" Thanatos asked. "Whenever they grow, she gets hungry. It's something that can't be helped."

"Yes, I have food for her!" Karla said. The craving dishes were given over, and Errende helped her eat as Keltin supported her. Aliot removed any empty dishes to give back to Karla.

"Is she giving birth? Again?" Timmy asked. Doppy snarled out with hatred, and Howard glared at him sharply with a warning to keep his mouth shut.

"No," Sammy said with irritation. "Not until next week. So, if you want to survive this trip, you should hold your tongue. Got it?"

"Hold my tongue?" Timmy asked.

"He told you to shut the hell up!" Kiehl and Howard said together. Timmy scowled at them both and seemed to pout. Donnie was grinning, and Egnigem rolled her eyes at him.

"What? It's sibling rivalry at its best! Surely, you and everyone else would agree that a monster has clearly outclassed him? Besides, Kiehl isn't stupid enough to play with Demonic swords. Right?" Donnie grinned. Timmy sputtered, and Howard laughed while they walked. Then Donnie continued with his bantering, "Oh, yes. I can see Timmy's tombstone now. 'Here lies Timmy! He thought Demonic swords were pretty!' Oooh! That rhymes!"

"Shut up!" Timmy growled. Doppy was sniggering with Baphomet and his son. Naght and Thanatos were clearly amused at the whole thing. Everyone else was trying not to laugh. Howard was starting to laugh more with Kiehl, and Sarine was giggling with Keltin and Errende.

"Oh! I should make up a song about this," Donnie thought, as he strummed his guitar.

"Don't waste your time," Doppy grinned.

"You sure? I'm sure it could be a big hit! Not with the ladies, but a hit all the same," Donnie mused aloud. Eremes was grinning with Sammy now.

"I seriously don't want to memorize a song about my little brother," Howard said dryly.

"True. The song may turn out too bland," Donnie thought.

"Add some spice to it," Kiehl suggested. "Maybe some form of decapitation?"

"What?!" Timmy frowned.

"I can make it a reality," Doppy smirked.

"No thanks!" Timmy grinned.

"I'll have to work on it," Donnie nodded. Egnigem giggled, and he started whispering various ideas to her. Sarine shook her head and sighed. Keltin hugged her close and kissed her gently, as she rested against his shoulder.

"Howie! That guy just kissed your wife!" Timmy sputtered.

"Ah, yeah. He's also married to her," Howard chuckled. "Five of us are married to her. She also has demon mates and slaves that love her."

"Wait a minute! You mean that anyone can screw her?" Timmy blinked. That made them all stop and glare at him. Sarine winced, and Keltin gave a dangerous hiss. Muninn seemed to screech with warning when he dive-bombed Timmy to make him duck, and he barely missed Doppy's blade when it arched where his head would have been.

"I'll kill him!" Doppy howled. As he tried to attack again, he stopped mid-swing when Sarine's hand lightly reached out and touched his arm. Doppy looked over at her, and his gazed softened. He moved to her side now, and she hugged him tightly to calm him.

"Dad?" Serenity said, as she peeked out from under Maya Purple's wing covers.

"Yes, Serenity?" Howard asked gently.

"Is he  _really_  my Uncle?" Serenity frowned. "Uncle Seyren is nicer than him!"

That had Seyren burst out laughing, and Howard grinned widely. Naght purred to her, and she moved to hug her other father with a small laugh before being set back down on Maya Purple's back. Then Naght turned to hiss with hatred at Timmy.

"Did we really have to bring him along?" Kiehl frowned.

"It's either that, or we guess on how the chairs fit," Zealotus grinned. "Or if they even work right, you know? The dungeon building isn't that far. We just have a little bit more walking to do before we get there. Oh, and if one more sound comes out of Timmy, I'll whip him for everyone's amusement."

That made Timmy blink, and he pursed his mouth shut. Doppy smirked a bit before pressing a kiss to Sarine's mouth, and he moved to help lead the group with Seyren. Thanatos was clearly at a point that he wanted to kill off the young man.

"So, he can't say a word?" Donnie grinned wickedly. Howard started to laugh with Kiehl again, and Egnigem gave a soft grin. Coraline tittered, and Max chuckled. Garrett looked at Cecil with complete amusement. Eddga and Vagabond Wolf seemed to rumble out their laughter, as the Poring-type monsters started to help with the bantering.

"There was a human named Timmy!" Defender said.

"Who everyone thought was a ninny!" Vengeance giggled.

"Oh! That's good! I gotta write that down!" Donnie said and started to find writing utensils. Keltin started giggling with Sarine again, and Doppy gave a sharp grin. Byorgue was cackling with laughter, and he moved out with Eremes and Vagabond Wolf to dispatch a rogue Abysmal Knight. Timmy watched how they worked together to take out monsters, and his gaze moved to Sarine on the Gryphon's back. As he studied her features and how the others were around her, he didn't realize that Baphomet Jr. was watching him the whole time. The demon was almost ready to kill him, too, if Muninn didn't intervene. The moment Timmy acted up again it would likely be his last.

"Let Karla get rid of that one. I want the kids to see it," Seyren grinned, as an Abysmal Knight charged at them. Siegfried and Serenity watched their aunt take it out with her bombs, and they screamed with delight.

"Again!" Siegfried said.

"I wanna see more!" Serenity grinned. Karla laughed and moved over to them to get hugged by them both. She explained how the bombs were made and showed them the books and ingredients. Timmy suddenly felt interested in this. Blacksmithing wasn't really something he was into, but alchemy definitely brought up something within him. Howard was nudged by Baphomet Jr. and whispered to. Howard blinked and had Kiehl take careful glances at his brother. They didn't know what to expect, and they had to be careful around him.

"But, I need books to help make the bombs. See? I even need books to make potions, too," Karla said. She took out each item she spoke of to show the kids, and she showed them how she made them. Timmy thought and walked over to her.

"Where did you get those?" Timmy asked. Zealotus straightened out her whip, but Howard rose up his hand to keep her back for a moment.

"Al De Baron. That is where the Alchemist Guild is," Karla said neutrally.

"I see. And...how did you get that?" Timmy asked, as he pointed to Luna.

" _She_  is my Homunculus, and her name is Luna. She helps me attack and can Heal me at times with my potions. I created her after doing various arduous tasks," Karla said. "There are various types of Homunculi creations available. She was the one I was wanting."

"Oh! All right. So...the Alchemist Guild is in Al De Baron, you say?" Timmy said.

"Are you seriously thinking of becoming an Alchemist?" Seyren asked with surprise.

"It's hard to train at first," Karla said. "You would need to become trustworthy to others in order to party with the right group of people. An Alchemist can transcend to become a Creator, which is what I am. And you need to be book smart, since you need to be smart enough to know how to make the potions."

" _Very_  book smart," Kiehl muttered under his breath, and Howard grinned.

"Meaning, you need to read books," Donnie said. "Do you know how to read?"

"Yes!" Timmy said. "I know how to read!"

"Oh, good. Maybe you're not a total simpleton after all," Donnie mused. That had Howard and Kiehl stuttering with laughter, and Doppy smirked even more. Armeyer could only grin now. Timmy grumbled, but he wouldn't stop his questions while they walked.

"Karla, um, would it be possible to sell things you create to people?" he asked.

"All the time," Karla nodded. "People buy potions from me, and I buy ingredients to make more. It takes money to make money, as they say. If you don't have the money to buy the mixing bowls or the books, then you can't make the potions or bombs. Most of the ingredients I can find from monsters we kill, but I have to buy the mixing bowls. It can get pretty expensive, you see. It helps to have a plan set up before you start on something."

"What this means is that you have to work for it. You know? Kill monsters and sell the loot. Fun stuff!" Donnie said. Timmy scowled now, and Howard laughed a bit more. Donnie thought and added, "They also call that  _training_. Yes. It's very important."

Kiehl had to fix his glasses to cover up his laughter, and Max was biting his knuckles to keep from laughing outright. The kids were giggling to each other, and Maya Purple was laughing softly. Doppy and Thanatos had wide, wicked grins on their faces, and Baphomet was rumbling out his laughter with Naght. Seyren was laughing freely, and Eremes had a grin on his face. Sammy was laughing quietly, and his ghost was hissing with it. Keltin was biting the inside of his cheek, but he was grinning.

"Kiehl?" Sarine asked. He looked over and moved to her side now. She hugged him tight and pressed a kiss to his lips before whispering to him. Howard was grinning, as he listened to her thoughts, and Kiehl started whispering back to her. She looked at him and sent Howard an image that easily went to Kiehl. Both men gave the reactions she wanted, and she kissed Kiehl again before letting him go back to walking.

"Evil wife," Howard muttered.

"I know," Sarine said with a soft chuckle, and was only grateful that Errende still had his hands on her belly. Timmy was watching it with curiosity, and Errende glanced back at him.

"He does that to keep her developing children asleep," Thanatos said. "If they were awake, they'd be giving her hell."

"Much like what you are prone to do," Donnie sighed. "Too bad it won't work with you, eh? I'm sure it would bring much relief to everyone!"

Howard snickered again, and Kiehl started to laugh. Everyone started to giggle and snicker when Timmy colored up.

"What's wrong with you?!" Timmy finally asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I'm a Clown, you see. I'm supposed to be entertaining. So, if I see someone I can exploit, I take full advantage of it!" Donnie grinned.

"He did the same thing to me. Of course, I have methods to get back at him now," Egnigem grinned wickedly at him. Donnie blushed and strummed his guitar.

"And you're  _still_  not married?" Doppy grinned.

"We do everything else!" Donnie said quickly.

"Right," Thanatos snickered.

"Of course, now I have to ask," Doppy said and glanced at Timmy. "Have you ever used your dick before?"

Eremes's eyes went round, and he Cloaked quickly to keep from laughing outright. Byorgue grinned, and Injustice snickered. Drago and Maya Purple grinned at each other. Aliot and Observation both looked over at Timmy with amusement now.

"Yes, I have!" Timmy said confidently.

"A hole in the wall doesn't count, Timmy," Howard sighed. That had everyone stuttering with laughter, and Timmy turned bright red. The kids looked at each other and seemed to grin. They knew what was being talked about now, since Doll explained everything to them and answered all of their questions.

"So, eh, Seyren's a wall..." Keltin grinned.

"I beg your pardon?!" Seyren stuttered and glared, as everyone erupted with laughter.

"No, no!" Howard grinned, as he wiped away tears. "He acts like a wall for Sarine to talk to! Don't let him stoop so low!"

"But...he would still be a wall," Keltin shrugged, and they all laughed again. They finally reached the entrance to the building they needed and walked into it.

"Okay, I know where we need to go!" Zealotus said. Injustice nodded, as he knew, too, but would let her lead. He moved to Sarine's side on Windwalker's back, and Sarine gave him a soft smile. They all moved as one to get down the stairs to the dungeon, and they killed off everything that came too close. Once in the dungeon, the area was cleared out, and Karla gave the kids some snacks to help keep them occupied.

"No food bits between the wings, please," Maya Purple said. "I'll itch, otherwise."

"Ugh! I know what you mean!" Seyren said, as he glared at Howard.

"Oh, please, Seyren! You were the one that sat in the pie!" Howard said. Kiehl grinned, as he was shown the memories, and snickered now.

"Uncle Seyren sat in pie?" Serenity blinked.

"Food waster!" Siegfried grinned. "Doll told us to never waste food!"

"I didn't see it there!" Seyren argued.

"I dun want Uncle Seyren to sit in my food!" Serenity frowned.

"Me, neither!" Siegfried nodded. Howard was now laughing hard at his kids, and Seyren was stammering with disbelief. Naght laughed and purred at his children. Baphomet gave Seyren an odd look and shook his head with a sigh. Now the others started to laugh, and they moved forward through the dungeon. Kiehl was struggling to breathe.

"Of all the humans I could have had my blood merged with," Baphomet grumbled.

"You would think, eh?" Doppy grinned.

"This isn't fair!" Seyren scowled. Eremes was laughing softly around him, and Seyren reached out to try and smack him. Instead, he hit Karla.

"Seyren Windsor!" Karla glowered.

"I was trying to hit Eremes! I'm not a monster right now, so I can't see him!" Seyren said. Karla had her hands on her hips, and she tapped her foot at him. Luna stuck out her little tongue at him, and Seyren made a face back at her. The kids started giggling, and Baphomet snorted with a touch of amusement.

"Poor Seyren," Sarine sighed.

"Seyren, are the Hunter Flies too rough on you now?" Margaretha asked.

"Don't you even, Margaretha!" Seyren glowered at her, and she smiled sweetly. Karla grinned and got kissed by her husband to call a truce into effect. As they made their way to the deeper dungeon level, it was here that Zealotus led them to the chairs that she knew of. It was also here that she started to bring new minions under her rule. Any Injustice monster that held her appeal and got too close, she collared and forced into submission. Injustice, himself, gave a hiss of disgust at his former brethren, and Sarine called him over.

"Keltin, let him sit behind me for now?" she asked.

"Right," Keltin nodded. He switched places with Injustice, and the monster's spiked arms wrapped around her carefully with a form of relief.

"Don't focus on her," she whispered to Injustice. "Focus on me."

"Yes, My Lady," he whispered, and pressed his face to her neck gratefully. She ran a hand through his silvery-white hair, and he sighed.

"How many men does she have?!" Timmy asked, as he managed to smack a Zombie Prisoner away with a massive club.

"Fifteen," Howard and Kiehl said together, as they killed off a rogue Phendark.

"That's insane!" Timmy hissed.

"Careful of who you talk about," Howard muttered, and Timmy swallowed. "All of us are here, save Ifrit, and that could easily change."

"Ifrit, too?!" Timmy said with shock.

"Yes," Eremes growled out, as he used his skill of Sonic Blow on a Skeleton Prisoner. "And I am one of her five husbands. So keep your thoughts...in your head..."

Donnie used his skill of Frost Joke and froze all of the offending monsters around them for easy kills. Egnigem nodded to him, as she used her Shield Chain skill to take out a few of the monsters. Once Zealotus was able to get enough new minions under her rule, Storm Caller appeared to take her and her crew to the dungeon on the island so she could get set up with them. With her gone, Kiehl now moved to examine the old electric chairs, and Injustice moved from Windwalker's back to help him with this. Howard moved to sit up behind Sarine to keep her company while Kiehl was a bit off from her line of sight.

"Where is Kiehl?" Sarine frowned.

"He's just around a corner. He's not far at all," Howard soothed gently. She nodded and leaned back into him now. Karla was entertaining the kids by making and using more bombs. Timmy started to freak out when a Skeleton Prisoner and a Zombie Prisoner shuffled over to them, and he couldn't attack them.

"Oh! They're friendly!" Keltin grinned. Both monsters handed over their cards before glowing with power and vanishing away.

"What the hell?!" Timmy hissed.

"That's what happens when we encounter new monsters that need to come with us," Keltin explained slowly to him. "They are allies. Not enemies."

"But why?" Timmy asked. "What's the point?"

"A war is coming," Sammy said calmly. "One that could wipe out everything we know. That is why. Odin has foreseen it, as well as Muninn and Huginn. It is why we have to go to various places to recruit certain monsters."

"Oh," Timmy said. "It's that bad?"

"Very," Donnie said. "Why else do you think new monsters show up every day? Do you think it's magic?! No. We have to find them and bring them back."

"Could I find these monsters?" Timmy asked.

"No. Only Sarine can. This is why we are in her company. We have to protect her and ensure her safety at all times," Sammy explained.

"Is she the cause of the war, then?" Timmy asked. "I mean, if the monsters don't show up to help, because she isn't there, would it just be delayed?"

"No. We are on a time limit," Eremes said.

"Mommy has to work," Siegfried said from Maya Purple's back, and Howard had Windwalker turn so he could watch them carefully. "Why does he not know? We know everything that Mommy has to do!"

"Yah, huh?" Serenity frowned. "I dun think he's an Uncle at all, Sig."

"Oh? What is he?" Siegfried asked. Other people in the group stopped whispering to listen in with curiosity now.

"He's a stupid head!" Serenity said, and they both nodded to each other. Howard's eyes went round, and he busted up laughing. Kiehl had fallen to his knees from laughing so hard, and Seyren's mouth dropped. Timmy had no clue what they were talking about, but everyone else was dying with laughter.

"Your daughter!" Howard grinned and kissed Sarine passionately. Eremes was hissing out his laughter and wiping tears from his eyes. Doppy was now grinning from ear to ear, and Maya Purple's body was trembling with laughter.

"Think Buggy is ticklish?" Serenity grinned, and she tickled over the soft underside of the wings. Maya Purple had to quickly detach himself from his body to confront them with his arms crossed over his chest. They giggled and hid under his insect body's protective wing covers, but it wouldn't help.

"Don't tickle the bug!" Maya Purple grinned and moved to tickle them now. She screamed with laughter, and Siegfried grinned. Naght came over to rumble a purr at them to control themselves, and Serenity responded in Demonic. Once they were under control, Maya Purple moved to fit himself back onto his body. He focused a touch, and he let the golden straps shift and tighten up securely.

"You can separate yourself?!" Timmy asked.

"Yes," Maya Purple said, as he turned his body to face him. "I can. What of it?"

"Oh. I didn't think it was possible," Timmy said.

"Well, it is," Maya Purple said. "And only I can control it."

"Well, you would think so!" Timmy said quickly, and stuck his hands in his pockets. Muninn watched him carefully and landed to perch on a piece of old furniture. Kiehl had managed to free up five nearly functional chairs, and he had Storm Caller take them back to his workshop. With the dungeon done, it was time to get to the armory section of Glast Heim. That meant a little backtracking to the outside. Thanatos and Doppy started to clear a path, and Pori-Pori quickly helped out. It was easier to get outside, since everyone was focused on getting to the next area. None of them had been in the armory yet. Injustice moved to lead them on where to go, and Sarine relaxed more once they got outside.

"I love you," Howard whispered.

"I love you, too," Sarine smiled, and he kissed her roughly. She blinked at a few sharp kicks, and Errende moved his hands over the areas to calm the growing babies.

"I felt that! Are you all right?" Doppy called out.

"I'm all right, Doppy," Sarine said. Sammy moved to evaluate her, and Thanatos checked on her, too. Sammy said they were overly active, and Thanatos confirmed it.

"Here, My Lady," Aliot said and handed her a chocolate bar.

"She's been eating a lot of these lately," Keltin chuckled.

"As long as it calms her and the kids, then I'm fine with it," Howard grinned.

"So, Howie, is she pregnant with your kids again?" Timmy asked.

"No. She's pregnant with Aliot's kids and Keltin's kids," Howard said. "Don't think about it, just accept it. Okay? It's the way her body works, and I'm not arguing."

"Doesn't it piss you off, though?" Timmy asked.

"No," Howard said. Kiehl knew that it was Timmy that was starting to piss him off.  _It was time to change the subject and find out more about his brother._

"So, Timmy, why does alchemy interest you?" Kiehl asked. Karla blinked at the question, and Seyren made a grimace at her.

"It's different. And, if I play my cards right, I can become pretty powerful," Timmy said.

"Fold them. Now," Donnie said. Egnigem had to cough to keep from laughing with the others, and Sarine had to help Howard breathe.

"What? You think I can't do it?" Timmy asked.

"Oh, I'm sure you possibly could. But, from what I can see, you don't like to put in much effort into anything at this point," Donnie said. "But, who am I to judge? The world is a large, scary place, and you an insignificant part of it! Maybe you can become big and strong like the man you should be. Or, maybe you'll remain the wailing babe in a cradle of a puissant life that you have now. Only you can control your destiny. As they say. I guess."

"Huh. I guess so," Timmy shrugged.

"Oh, dear lord, he bought it," Donnie muttered, and Egnigem smacked his arm. "Ow! Do you have any idea how much that stings?!"

"Oh, I have a general idea," Egnigem nodded. "But, you have to remember. The words you say may hurt the conscience, but physical pain gets even more attention, too. Especially..."

Donnie listened to her soft whispers, and he cringed, as he said, "That's not funny!"

"I heard that Sarine knows how to give lots of pain in certain ways," Egnigem grinned.

"NO! I'm fine!" Donnie growled out. Seyren looked at him and whistled. Donnie looked at him with confusion now. The Lord Knight gestured to him and started to whisper lightly. Donnie was floored now.

"So, you  _do_  like pain. Like me," Seyren grinned.

"Um...it's a new thing," Donnie admitted. "I'm not one to be proud of it. Thank you."

"Oh, no need to be ashamed," Garrett grinned. Donnie blinked and found himself speechless. Doppy looked over at him and smirked. Then Errende started to laugh softly.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Donnie said. "You all...like that stuff?"

"Being dominated? In a way it can be fun in small doses," Garrett nodded. Margaretha nudged Lloyd, and the High Priest sighed, as he shook his head. Sarine started to laugh softly, as Howard whispered to her, and Kiehl looked over with a grin. Then she winced when the babies shifted around in her, and a hard kick was done back towards her spine. That made her gasp, and Doppy was at her side in seconds to make sure she was all right.

"She's fine, they just moved about a bit," Thanatos said.

"Errende, touch along her lower back, please," Sammy said. The touch was applied, and Sarine leaned back with a soft groan. "I don't know if we can travel to Einbech with her being this way. We'll have to see how she is after the armory is explored."

"True," Howard frowned.

"She's fine!" Timmy said. "I'm sure there's nothing wrong with her."

"Shut up!" Howard and Kiehl said together. Doppy snickered at first before glaring at Timmy. Maya Purple kept the kids safe, as Thanatos and Naght hovered around them.

"You try giving birth to four kids, and let's see how you fare!" Sarine growled out.

"Can't be that painful!" Timmy said with a grin. Then he stammered at Doppy's hardened glare, and Baphomet Jr. made a slicing motion with his scythe.

"I can show you the pain she goes through," Doppy said rather quietly. "I feel it every time she goes into labor. Everything that she feels, I feel, too. You want pain? Oh, I can give you pain! Come over here, and I'll show you!"

"Um, no thanks! I'll stay waaay over here!" Timmy whimpered.

"See, Sig? Stupid head!" Serenity giggled, and Howard sputtered laughter at the overheard conversation with his kids. Doppy turned to face Maya Purple's direction and grinned. Naght rumbled a purr of laughter, and he showed absolute hatred when he glanced over at Timmy. It was the same with Thanatos.

"Do you have to open your mouth?" Donnie asked. "Can't you just accept things and go with it? Wow. You're as bad as Egnigem was when we first met! What?!"

"Do you have to bring that up?!" Egnigem frowned.

"Well, you were!" Donnie said. "Don't deny it!"

"I'm not denying it! I was also dealing with Thanatos's blood rage, too!" she said.

"But, you were always like that to begin with! Oh, come on!" Donnie groaned, as she gave him the same look that Karla gave Seyren when he was on a thin line.

"You two need to get married," Seyren said. Karla hissed out laughter, and Cecil giggled. Thanatos started laughing a bit, and Errende was grinning. Drago suddenly hissed out a warning, as his keen sight spotted a group of adventurers coming to them. Kavach and Laurell looked at each other, and Wickebine made ready to help chase them off, if they tried anything. Observation and Byorgue got ready to attack, if they needed to.

"Party is full," Seyren said, as the younger group approached them. It was a Swordgirl, a Merchant guy, a Mage guy, and a young Acolyte girl. On looking at her, Howard realized that he didn't see Lilah earlier in the day, and Kiehl went to ask Laurell about her.

"Lilah? Oh. She said she was going to try and train elsewhere to get stronger. She was close to taking the Monk tests. She should be able to meet up with us after she was done with them," Laurell said. "She said she may be back by tomorrow."

"All right," Kiehl nodded. "We'll see if she passes them."

"Kiehl?" Sarine called out. He moved to her side, and she pulled him close to kiss deeply. She clearly wanted him, and she wasn't ashamed in showing it.

"Sarine!" Howard growled out in warning from the little image she sent to them.

"She's craving?!" Keltin blinked.

"Not with Timmy around," Kiehl muttered, and she kissed him again.

"As if I care about that stupid head?" she said lightly, and Howard hissed with laughter.

"Do you think the kids are stable enough?" Kiehl asked Errende.

"For now, it may be possible," Errende said with a bit of a grin. "Want to switch places with me, Kiehl? If anything happens, I'll be nearby."

"May have to," Kiehl blinked as a leash was clipped on him, and his lust for her was increased by a tenfold. "Ah..."

"What was that?!" Donnie blinked at the sight of it, and he stammered.

"Ah. Right," Sammy winced. "Craving."

"Keep Timmy away!" Doppy growled. Her slaves and husbands now moved to create protective wall around her.

"Can't talk, we need to get moving!" Seyren said to the younger party. "Good luck!"

Timmy was curious when Windwalker rose up his wings, but Armeyer quickly distracted him with talk about his new interest in alchemy. By the time they reached the armory section of Glast Heim, Windwalker was lowering his wings, and Sarine had Howard in a kiss of deep, passionate loving and want. Kiehl had Healed himself and Howard of the bite wounds she gave them, and he was leaning forward to rest his head on her back.

"Are you all right, Kiehl?" Sarine asked him.

"I'm fine," Kiehl muttered and managed to smile.

"Howie? What did you do?" Timmy asked, as he looked over.

"What does it look like he just did?" Donnie smirked. Timmy blinked, and his jaw dropped. Howard gave his younger brother a very wary look, since a touch of his protective side was there now. It was a look that Timmy never saw before.

"Howie?" Timmy frowned.

"When you fall in love, Timmy," Howard sighed, as he ran a hand along Sarine's arm. "if you ever do fall in love...you'll understand exactly what I go through to keep this woman at my side. You will know what one will do to keep everything perfect. Until then...you know nothing. Don't question my actions, if you don't know what true love is."

"What makes you think I don't know?" Timmy frowned.

"It's obvious!" Donnie said. "You take everything for granted! But, that's beside the point. You are here to learn. Maybe? Or are you just here to show that you can be here? To get out of a cell at long last? Does anything you see register in that tiny little mind of yours? Do you grasp what's going on around you? Or are you just tossing everything aside and not caring? Real life is a very serious place. You need to know where your priorities lie."

"Whatever," Timmy muttered. Then he looked at Armeyer with confusion. He noticed that she wasn't trying to get his attention anymore.  _She wasn't trying to bully me or pester me. She wasn't even looking at me._ Frowning now, he walked up to her and said, "Armeyer?"

"Hmm?" she asked, as she looked at him.

"Is...something wrong?" he asked.

"Why would there be?" she shrugged and pulled her cart behind her to catch up with the others, as they went into the armory. He seemed to blink and frown. He then realized that he was starting to like her. _She tried to get me to see so many things, and I blindsided her completely. She was the one that was trying to help me when I was at my lowest in that cell. Instead, I took her for granted._  His brown eyes opened wide now, as the truth opened up to him.  _What my family did to Howard. What I did to Howard. How my parents used him. I used my brother, too. Howard tried to get all of us to see reason, and we ignored him. He warned us of the dangers, and we ignored him again._  Tears fell from his eyes now, as he saw how awful his life was.  _What can I do to fix this?_

" _There is still time for you to change,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over to him in his warrior form. " _It is not yet too late, you know. Now that your eyes and your mind have been opened, you must decide. Do you change now? Or do you give up? What will you do? A fork in the road has been granted to you, and there is no middle. It is either one, or the other. Becoming an Alchemist is as hard as becoming a Blacksmith. It's actually a touch harder. Both areas offer vast rewards. Perhaps becoming an Alchemist is best for you, since Howard has already chosen one branch of the tree. Will you take the other? Or will you let go?_ "

"I..." Timmy swallowed, as he struggled to speak. "I want to get better. I want to improve myself. I never wanted to...to let it get this bad..."

" _Then now is the time to stop fighting the tide and to go with it. You hurt your brother so severely that he no longer sees you as his own brother. You betrayed his trust far too many times. How will you fix this?_ "

"I have to fix myself first. Then I'll be able to fix everything else."

" _A justified answer. And...how will you fix yourself?_ "

"I will work on what I need to work on. I'll have to leave them to train hard."

" _That you will. But, you should do something before something else breaks. You know what you need to do right now. Don't you?_ "

"Yeah. I do," Timmy said with a sigh. Muninn nodded and reverted back to his falcon form to fly in after the others. Timmy worried his lower lip and trudged in after them. He found Armeyer going through the loot in her cart. He walked over to her, and she looked at him.

"Look, I don't think it's working out between us," she started.

"I know," he nodded. "I need to fix that."

"I'm sorry...wait, what did you say?" she blinked. He leaned forward and kissed her. Howard looked over, and his jaw dropped. Seyren almost dropped his sword, and Doppy was actually speechless. Eremes seemed to frown, and Sammy was rather thoughtful. Keltin mused to himself, and Kiehl was a bit surprised, too.

"I owe you an apology, Armeyer. I owe everyone an apology. However, I won't give it until I reach the goals I need to reach. I'll continue with you all until we get back to the island. Then I'll need to train as hard as I can," Timmy said. Howard didn't say anything. He had to be shown that his brother was trustworthy again.

"You have a very long way to go, Timmy," Kiehl said.

"I know I do. I owe Howie the biggest apology of them all. I don't expect him to forgive me, either," he said. He gave a blink when a skeletal Khalitzburg dragged a sword over to them, as though it was expecting them. It handed over a card and a shield before glowing and vanishing away. Karla Identified the shield, and found it to be a Mirror Shield. Sarine was given the card, and she blinked with a soft smile.

"Not bad!" Howard grinned and kissed her forehead. Then he turned to look at his brother with a frown. "You say all of this now. Something tells me that you finally see the truth of everything that you did. But, I still can't trust you."

"I know, Howie. I'll earn it back the only way I can," Timmy shrugged. "I'll be your brother. It's the only thing I can do."

"I hope so, Tim," Howard sighed. "Just...don't prove me right anymore. Prove me wrong. It's time for you to prove me wrong."

Sarine held Howard now. She knew he needed it, and he rested his head against her shoulder. He always felt emotionally drained when dealing with his brother. Kiehl could only sigh and shake his head. Siegfried and Serenity looked at each other and frowned.

"Dad?" Serenity called out from Maya Purple's back, and he skittered over to Windwalker for them to talk.

"Yes, sweetie?" Howard said, and he looked over at her.

"Hug?" she asked with her arms outstretched. Errende moved to lift her from Maya Purple's back and into Howard's arms. Siegfried soon joined them, and Sarine hugged her children, too. Timmy blinked at this and realized that his brother really was a family man now.  _Those were his kids, and that was his family._ The reality of it stung. Then he noticed how Kiehl was completely in tune with Howard's thoughts and actions. _It was as if they knew exactly what the other was thinking._   _Twins. True brothers._   _Even the way the kids were reacting to Kiehl confirmed it. Kiehl was more of a brother than I was._ Then he realized that Kiehl was actually a monster. _A very powerful monster. A monster who was more of a brother than I ever was in my whole life._

Timmy turned away from the Gryphon and stared hard at the mossy floor of the armory. Armeyer walked over to him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Talk to me, Timmy," she said.

"Why?" he whispered. "My whole life is a sham. My Father is a lying schmuck. My Mother never gave a damn until shit happened. My only brother tried to warn me, but I ignored him. He has a beautiful family...I have nothing but my guilt and shame to go off of."

"Well," Armeyer sighed. "if you want, you can still have me."

"You? You just said that we weren't going to work out!" Timmy frowned.

"I said that, because I was afraid that you were never going to grow out of your shell. Now that you're starting to, I'm willing to give it another shot. Are you going to work with me?" she asked. He looked at her hopefully and got pulled into the hug she gave him.  _She actually believed in me, and she was going to help me pull through as much as she could._

"I'm guessing that, when he's ready to train, you're going to help him?" Sammy asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Um...would it be all right if we could come back to the island to rest each night? Inns are expensive now."

"I wouldn't mind that at all, Armeyer. As long as Timmy knows where he stands, then I have no problems with it," Sarine nodded.

"Thank you, Sarine," Timmy swallowed. Howard noticed a distinctive change in his brother, and Kiehl noticed it, too. When Donnie was going to comment, Egnigem shook her head.  _Now was not the time._

"All right! The day is wasting! Let's see what we can find here!" Seyren said, as he dispatched a rogue Raydric. Then he blinked, as four more appeared to attack. The place was turning into a battleground quickly, and the kids were set back in Maya Purple's protective armor. His wing covers carefully closed over the kids just enough so that they could still see what was going on around them, but they kept them hidden away. Baphomet helped clear the path with Pori-Pori, and the other Poring-type monsters made a protective circle around Maya Purple. Baphomet Jr. kept to keeping monsters away from the kids.

Now that everyone was focused on exploring this place, it was easier to move. Injustice told them there was an upper level that held more scenery. Nodding at this, everyone moved as a group. Various Raydrics dropped chainmail armors that were held in carts. An Iron Cain was found, and Seyren tried it on. It was the lower part of a helmet that fit over the mouth.

"Seyren, that's ugly!" Karla frowned.

"But, it's face armor!" Seyren argued.

"Ooh! Sig, look it! Uncle Seyren is metal mouth!" Serenity grinned.

"What? Ew! Like Metaling, but it's his mouth!" Siegfried grimaced. Howard grinned, and Seyren took off the Iron Cain with dismay. Karla nodded to the kids, and they giggled.

"Have I told you that I love my kids?" Howard chuckled, and Sarine kissed him. "Okay, I'm going to help attack stuff with the others. I promise, I won't be far away."

"I'll stay with her," Kiehl said. "Errende needs to get back up here to help with your other kids. You can talk to Howard through me. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. Then she blinked when wet spots appeared on her tunic.

"On a second thought," Howard grinned. Then he blinked when Storm Caller appeared with Gunther and Bianca. "Okay. Scratch that. Ah, Errende, she needs to nurse the kids."

"Right!" Errende said and moved up onto Windwalker's back to help her. A perimeter was set up and maintained to keep monsters out. Byorgue and Eremes started to discuss setting up a stockpile of Elunium, since the Raydrics dropped it like crazy here. The Abysmal Knights dropped Oridecon, too, and both materials were hard to come by. The Elunium was used to upgrade armor, and the Oridecon was used to upgrade weapons. After the first set of twins were nursed, the second set came out, and she was able to nurse them. Armeyer was helping Timmy attack monsters now, and he couldn't believe how weak he really was. He had a lot to do to improve himself, and this was as good a start as any.

The moment both sets of the younger twins were sated, Storm Caller took them away, and Howard fixed up Sarine's top. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he hopped off Windwalker's back to let Errende replace him. Then they started moving, and Injustice led them towards the left side of the building.

"Look at all of this armor. Wow," Kiehl blinked, as they passed by rows of massive suits of armor. All of it looked like there was no way to take it down. Sarine snuggled into him, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Too bad we can't take it with us," she sighed. "It would be wonderful to see when you first walk in. Oh! Maybe we could have the armor monsters that we have do just that? Pretend to be armor and stand around throughout the house?"

"That would be an interesting concept," Kiehl nodded. Errende kept his hands on her belly, and he noticed she was starting to get tired. Thanatos came over now to check on her.

"Are you feeling all right?" Thanatos asked.

"I'm just...a bit tired. That's all," she said.

"If you need to rest, My Lady, you can," Kiehl said. "I can wake you when we find something of interest."

"No," she said. "I can stay awake."

"Are you sure?" Errende frowned.

"I'll be okay," she nodded and took a deep breath. Howard was at her side now and hugged her tightly to him. Thanatos looked at the touch of relief on her face, and now he thought hard. The moment Howard pulled away from her to help attack, Thanatos was right there at his side to ask a very simple question.

"What's going on that I don't know about?" he muttered under his breath.

"I...can't say," Howard frowned. "Muninn's orders. And Odin's orders, too."

"What?" Thanatos frowned. Muninn flew over to land and froze time around them. Errende and Kiehl were free to move, and now they looked over with concern. Muninn became human and sighed.

" _Thanatos, the only way you will know what is going on with my sister is if you swear on your life that you will not say anything. If you do...and if she finds out...it could kill her,_ " Muninn said. " _If you don't want this responsibility, then you need to say so._ "

"I won't say a word. If I do, feel free to strike me down," Thanatos said.

"I will say nothing, as well," Errende said. "If it will help My Lady, then nothing will be said by me. You have my promise."

" _The only reason I let you here, too, is because of Thanatos. Naght Seiger knows through Howard, and that was risky. But, he understands,_ " Muninn sighed. " _Sarine is pregnant with Howard's, Kiehl's, and Naght's triplets already. They are in a stasis right now. If they weren't, then it may kill her to birth so many children at once. Only after Eremes's children are born with her will they start to grow. Father Odin has it set so they will be born in nine days once they are free of the stasis. One month for each day. Maya Purple's eggs with her have the same time limit._ "

"So...she has seven kids in her?!" Thanatos blinked.

"Yes," Howard and Kiehl winced together.

"When did this happen?" Thanatos asked.

"I...made the night I was with her a bit of my wedding night," Kiehl sighed. "In the morning...Howard and I took her together. At once. That's when it happened."

" _You and Errende did the same thing, but she was already pregnant with your twins at the time. It would not have mattered with the two of you, or anyone else, regardless. However, with Howard and Kiehl, it will result in a pregnancy every time. The only time it will be safe is if she is having a pregnancy with them during it. If she finds out even once about the stasis within her, the triplets will be forced out of the stasis, and they will grow. And, when they grow, it will be to catch up to the others within her._

" _Because of this, Sarine can feed off of me only when she only has twins in her, since her Demonic Matings need to happen. That is the true purpose of my blood, you see? So, when Incantation Samurai gets her pregnant next, she will feed off of me to start the Demonic Mating. When she is impregnated by Kiehl, I will not let her touch me for fear of her triplet stasis being removed. Father Odin and Huginn both agreed to this. It was Huginn, after all, that was able to keep the triplets from forming. I was able to contact Father Odin to have them put in this stasis. If Huginn didn't catch it in time, it would have been disastrous._ "

"Fine," Thanatos said. "So...she needs Howard and Kiehl around her at all times?"

"We just need to be in her line of sight. She misses us, if she doesn't see us. It's not as severe as her craving for you. She doesn't need us to touch her. She just wants to see us to know that we are there," Howard said.

"And the two of you can't take her at once?" the demon asked.

"No. Her stasis will drop. Like Muninn said, only when she's pregnant with one of our destined pregnancies will it be safe. So, we have to remain quiet. If we have her now, the triplets will grow. If she knows about the stasis now, the stasis will fail, too. We...have to keep this a secret from her. We don't want to, but we have to," Howard said with a cringe.

"I see," Thanatos said and shook his head. "I won't say a word to her. Doppy is starting to question it, though. What do I tell him?"

"Have Naght tell him that everything is fine, and that Sarine simply likes to see us around. That it helps her remain calm. In a way, we are First Mates, too," Kiehl said.

" _Hmm,_ " Muninn sighed. " _Thanatos, you are not going to like this, but you will be in second again in the next Demonic Mating. Kiehl may actually take the lead this time. It's important that he does for Sarine's health. However, you will become a First Mate when Eremes's children are formed. I know that Father Odin said that there was not going to be a Demonic Mating with Eremes's children, but there will be one. It will be tricky, to say the least. She will simply not get pregnant with any more than she already has. I have foreseen this. You will become a full First Mate at that one._ "

"Wonderful," Thanatos muttered. "Well, at least I know that I will become one. Like I said before to Sarine, I was always so close! As long as I am one when time is frozen like this. Thank you for telling me what's going on. I won't say a word to her about this. I had to know."

" _Of course, you had to know! We cannot let anyone else know, though. It would not be safe for her condition. She's walking a very dangerous path right now. And I know why she is getting sick. It isn't from the growing children. It's from the stasis within her. When she feels stressed, it builds up. The Rage within her is also a good cause of it. The stasis within her threatens to shatter, and Huginn has to do the only thing he knows that he can do to relieve the stress safely. When she gets sick, it lowers the strain of the Rage and the stress. It's not right, I know. But, it's the only thing he can do to help her right now._ "

"How can we remove the stress?!" Howard and Kiehl said at once. They didn't want Huginn to always make her sick!

" _Have Doppy sing to her. Have her sing, too, at times. Have Donnie play a nice tune for her to listen to. If you see her take a deep breath, then you will know. That is your signal that stress is building. She's been taking quite a few deep breaths. It's not just instinctive focus. It's her body instinctively fighting the stasis. You must help her with this._ "

"So, music is the key to helping her right now," Errende said. At Muninn's nod, they started to make plans on helping her.

"Muninn, bring Naght into the time freeze so we can tell him this," Howard said.

" _Of course!_ " Muninn nodded. Time unfroze for a split second and then refroze. Naght seemed to pause at first before coming over to Howard's mental call. They told him what was discovered, and that Thanatos and Errende now knew everything. Naght looked over at Thanatos and paused again. He now saw that Thanatos was a First Mate, since time was frozen. They both nodded with respect to each other and with understanding.

"I'll be a First Mate after the next Demonic Mating, apparently," Thanatos said.

"Good..." Naght hissed. "So...what...now...?"

"We need to have Doppy sing to Sarine. Or have Donnie play a tune for her. It may be easier to have Doppy sing so that he's preoccupied. It will keep him happy, since his fuse is rather short now," Howard grinned.

"Doppy can piss off," Thanatos grinned, and they all laughed. They moved back to where they were before the time freeze, and Muninn shifted back into his falcon form to hover into the air. When time resumed, Howard moved over to Doppy.

"Sing to her! Now!" he hissed. Doppy looked at him and moved to Sarine's side quickly. She looked up at him, and he smiled gently, as he pressed his mouth to her ear to whisper a song to her. She trembled and fully relaxed. Before anyone could realize what was happening with her, she was sleeping.

"Is she all right?" Doppy asked. Howard made his way over to him now, and he explained that Muninn told him that she was getting so stressed out that it was making her sick.

"Singing and music helps relieve the stress right now. That and she's getting stressed by not seeing me or Kiehl around. He's still not sure why that is, either," Howard frowned. Doppy seemed to think about that, and Naght came over to rumble in Demonic that it was true on what was being said. Both demons nodded to each other out of respect, and Kiehl nodded to them both, since he was now supporting Sarine's sleeping form.

"When she wakes up, tell me," Doppy said.

"Will do," Kiehl and Howard said together and winced. That made the demons laugh.

"Okay, we seriously need to stop that!" Howard muttered.

"Sure, sure," Kiehl grinned, and they snickered at each other.

"How is she?" Keltin asked, as he came over.

"She's sleeping," Howard said. Kiehl now told him how singing and music would help her out right now. Keltin nodded and went to inform Donnie.

"Am I needed now?" Donnie asked.

"She's sleeping right now. We'll tell you, if you're needed," Keltin said.

"Good!" Donnie said, and strummed his guitar lightly.

"What's going on with her?" Kavach asked.

"She's sleeping. Don't wake her up," Donnie said.

"Oh," Kavach blinked. Doppy gave a bit of a protective hiss at him, and he moved to help protect his sleeping mate. Siegfried and Serenity stayed hidden in the protective armors of Maya Purple's wing covers, and they watched the monsters get defeated around them. The group made their way into a small library portion, and the kids shrieked as a Rideword floated up to Maya Purple to attack him. Naght snarled out and smashed the book to pieces before it could do any harm. Serenity cheered her father on, and he rumbled out a purr to her.

"Over here!" Lloyd said, and Howard moved over with Seyren and Garrett to see what the High Priest found. "Looks like someone got unlucky. Should I Resurrect him?"

"Hmm," Garrett thought, as he looked at the Knight. "As long as he doesn't try to join our party, then fine. Do it."

Seyren and Howard nodded, and Lloyd Resurrected the Knight. The man groaned and sat up with a wince. A couple of strong Heals were done to help him get his bearings again.

"Thanks. Um...I'm Darryl. I was with my party, and they abandoned me. Likely about an hour ago, I think," he said. "I'm not sure where they went, either."

"I'm Lloyd, and you're welcome. Do you need a Warp back to town?" he asked.

"Yeah. I was trying to find some Elunium to upgrade my armor. I just need one more solid piece of it," Darryl said. "I don't want to leave until I get it."

"Here you go!" Karla said and gave it over.

"Thank you! Oh, ah, you can have this in trade," Darryl said and handed over a Bone Helmet. Howard chuckled and nodded. "I have two of them, so it's fine."

"Are you sure you can move?" Seyren asked with a grin.

"I'll be fine. Wait a minute! Aren't you all from that arena?" Darryl asked.

"We are," Howard nodded. "We're exploring."

"Oh. Where's that girl?" Darryl asked. "The one who's always with you?"

"She's sleeping and will not be disturbed," Doppy hissed out.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to wake her up. I was just curious, since you all are never without her, usually. Anyways, I'll take that Warp, please," Darryl nodded. Lloyd nodded to the blonde haired, green eyed Knight and made the Warp for him. Muninn noticed that there was something honorable about him, but it wouldn't be discovered until much later. He looked ahead and warbled a small chuckle to himself.

"At least he didn't try to join us," Sammy mused and Keltin grinned. Eremes chuckled and brought Howard a few books that some rogue Ridewords dropped. Howard Identified them, and found them all to be various elemental books. They were given to Mitchell.

"Think you can upgrade them later?" Mitchell asked.

"Sure! We'll need to get more, though," Howard nodded. Then he turned towards Windwalker's direction and moved over to Kiehl. "What's going on?"

"She's waking up," Kiehl frowned, and Sarine yawned and stretched. She sat up and Howard ran a hand over her back to soothe her. Errende still had his hands on her belly, and he wasn't planning on moving them away.

"Found anything interesting?" she asked.

"Not yet. We were about to go to the second level of this place," Howard said. She nodded and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm hungry," she sighed. Howard blinked, and Aliot moved to Karla to get something from her cart for her. "Do the children need anything?"

"I'll check, love," Howard said, and Naght rumbled to Maya Purple. They had just reached the steps to move to the second floor, and they made a small camp here.

"This is the slowest I've ever gone through a place before," Garrett mused.

"Well, little sis is pregnant, and her kids are with us. What else are we to do?" Cecil smiled. "I think it's sort of fun, though!"

"It's very fun!" Coraline giggled. Drago and Observation kept watch from the stairs, and Byorgue killed off anything that got too close. Serenity was now in Naght's arms, as she ate some fruit and cheese. Siegfried had moved to Thanatos's arms to eat the same thing, and juice was given to them next.

"I wish I had a ranged attack of some kind," Maya Purple sighed. "I think it would help."

_:Really?:_  Muninn warbled, as he landed by him.

"All I have are close up attacks. Surely, there should be something else I can get," Maya Purple frowned. Muninn thought and communed with Odin. Maya Purple blinked when he glowed. Then he winced, as two new appendages came out from underneath his throne-like chair on his bug body. A set of nasty-looking pincers were there now. They could reach out and crush down on the enemy when up close. If the enemy was far away, poisonous and lethal darts would be fired from the centers of each pincer when they were opened up.

_:Better?:_  Muninn warbled. Doppy looked over, and his jaw dropped. Howard and Kiehl were looking at him strangely now.

"Let's try this out," Maya Purple grinned, and shifted his body to turn around.

"Ooh! Buggy is stronger!" Serenity giggled, and Siegfried grinned. Naght seemed to laugh, as he held his daughter. A Raydric was lured over, and Maya Purple killed it in one move.

"Yes, I think I like this!" Maya Purple grinned.

"We should spar," Doppy grinned.

"Only if My Lady says it's all right. We know how she is with us fighting each other," Maya Purple frowned. That made Doppy nod, and Howard gestured for him to go to Sarine.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked. She reached over and grabbed his hand right before he felt the pain of growth. Thanatos and Sammy ran over after he shouted, and they confirmed the children grew again.

"Just an inch, but that's still a lot," Sammy sighed.

"We have to feed her again," Thanatos frowned. "You okay?"

"I've had worse," Doppy muttered, and Thanatos grinned. Sarine whimpered softly, and Kiehl comforted her. She sighed with relief that he was there. Howard was soon forced to be at her side to ease her even further. Doppy frowned and hissed in Demonic to Thanatos.

"Doppy..." Thanatos sighed. With the grimace he gave next, he gave it away. Sarine was too preoccupied in the massage she was getting now, and Thanatos was quick to walk off slightly. Doppy was close on his heels. He was clearly not happy.

"I have a right to know! As do her other husbands and slaves!" Doppy scowled. Howard looked over at Doppy and gestured for him to follow him. When they were a bit away from the others, the Whitesmith gave out a hiss that Doppy recognized as complete and utter protection. Now he knew there was something going on, and that it was for her safety.

"You can't know," Howard said. "If Sarine finds out...she could be in searing pain. It could kill her. I want to tell everyone...but I can't."

"Says who?!" Doppy growled.

"Muninn and Odin," he said. That made Doppy blink, and he frowned.

"We made a pact, Howard. To always protect her and love her. If she can't know about it, then fine. But, we should so that we can do what we must for her. I don't care if Seyren and the others don't know. But,  _we_  have to know!" Doppy said. That made Howard wince, as he was the one who set up the pact, himself, and he called for Muninn.

_:I see.:_  Muninn warbled, as Howard explained the situation.  _:Hmm. Okay. I freeze. Time. But. We need. Ifrit. Here. Have Eremes. Call. Ifrit. Swear oath. Of secrecy. Okay? Only way. This. Will work.:_

"Thanks," Howard nodded, and Doppy moved to have Eremes bring Ifrit to them. Eremes was a bit surprised at this, but he nodded. Kiehl couldn't move from where he was, since he was supporting Sarine. When Ifrit appeared, Muninn froze time and became his human form. He called together all of the slaves, husbands, and mates of Sarine.

" _What you are all about to learn is for the health of my sister. I need ALL of you to swear on your lives that she is NOT going to learn about what I am going to tell you. If she finds out, she could die, or even lose the children in her. She'll be in so much pain that it will permanently mark her, and she will be unable to bear other children. In time, this will pass, and everything will be fine. Doppelganger brought up the fact that everyone here loves her and will do everything they can for her. I need all of you to vow that this information will not be leaked or spoken of in her presence, or in front of anyone else. In time, there may be others that will belong to her that will need to be sworn in on this. None others should know._ "

"You have my word," Doppy said. Injustice, Drago, Observation, Aliot, Byorgue, and Maya Purple all agreed. Sammy, Ifrit, Eremes, and Keltin gave their word, as well. Howard, Kiehl, Naght, Thanatos, and Errende had already given their word to him. Very slowly, Muninn explained what was going on with Sarine and her pregnancy stasis. Doppy hissed at this, but now he knew why Sarine was craving to see Howard and Kiehl in her line of sight.

"We'll make sure they are available the moment she needs them," Byorgue said. "So, Kiehl, if you are working, and she wants you, I'm dragging your ass to her!"

"Whatever you need to do," Kiehl nodded.

"When will the children be free of the stasis?" Eremes asked.

"After your children are born," Howard said. "Sorry to make this into one big...mess..."

"It was a pregnancy lost to you long ago. We'll make sure it's not lost again," Keltin said. "We'll work together and keep this information a secret until the time is safe to reveal it."

"Couldn't the stasis lift after I impregnate her?" Sammy asked.

" _It's possible, but she should only have four kids at a time. Not five. Besides, they have to be born with Maya Purple's eggs. The pregnancy will last nine days, and that is the exact time limit for Maya Purple's eggs. One day for each month. She'll be in a bit of pain each day,_ " Muninn said. " _It is the only way to keep the pregnancy safe._ "

"Lovely," Doppy sighed. "I guess I'll get used to it."

They all laughed a bit, and Doppy shrugged.

"So you all made a pact, too?" Injustice asked.

"We did," Eremes nodded. Ifrit was surprised by the whole thing, but he didn't want Sarine to lose any of her children. He would keep quiet with the others. Before time unfroze, they all made another pact to keep the secret safe and to not let anyone know of it that didn't need to know. It was the safest thing to do. They got back where they were before time froze, and Muninn reverted to his falcon form.

"Is everything all right?" Sarine asked, as Doppy walked back over with Howard.

"Everything is fine," Doppy smiled and kissed her gently. "Ifrit missed you and wanted to appear. Are you ready to explore the second level? Or do you want to go home?"

"Are you kidding?! Go home now when we are so close?" Sarine grinned, and he laughed. Ifrit hovered over to Sarine, nodded to Doppy, and he let her give him a hug. He did miss her, so that was a truth. They fed her first and made sure the kids were back in Maya Purple's care. The moment they got up to the second level, the place was cleared of Raydrics, Raydric Archers, Khalitzburgs, and waiting Abysmal Knights. A rogue Mysteltainn pulled itself up to them, and it died swiftly. As they continued through the floor, they made it to the center, and Kiehl had Windwalker side up to the statues there.

"Interesting! I really want to see if there is something we can take with us," he said.

"We'll find out for you. Just stay where you are," Aliot said. Kiehl nodded and felt Sarine settle a bit more against his chest.

"Are you all right, My Lady?" Kiehl asked.

"A bit thirsty," she admitted. Howard had just appeared with some juice for her, and she blushed. "Thank you, How-How."

"Anytime, love," he smiled and kissed her softly. After drinking down the juice, she took a deep breath, and Howard gestured to Doppy.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said with small smile.

"Hmm?" she said, as she looked at him. He pressed his mouth to her ear and softly sang to her. She blinked and shook her head and said, "Don't put me to sleep!"

"My Lady, Muninn told us that, when you breathe deeply, it's to counter-balance Keltin's Rage in you. On occasion, it makes you sick. Doppy's singing helps remove the stress and keeps you from getting sick. We don't mean for you to fall asleep. If you want, we could have Donnie try playing a tune for you? Music could help you, too," Kiehl said.

"Oh! Well...okay. Let's see if a tune from Donnie will keep me from sleeping. I'm sorry, Doppy. I didn't know..."

"It's all right, Sorry Sari," Doppy chuckled, and she kissed him deeply. When she ran her hands through his hair, he purred and kissed her again. Donnie was called over, and he started up a cheery tune for her on his guitar.

"So, who's a husband and who's a slave?" Timmy asked Armeyer.

"The ones wearing collars around her are slaves. Sammy, Doppy, Howard, Keltin, and Eremes are her husbands," Armeyer said.

"Wow," Timmy blinked. "I'm guessing that Doppy is the strongest?"

"Nope. They are all very strong," she said. "Doppy is just the most ruthless."

"I figured," he frowned. "He almost killed me!"

"I'm still up for it, too!" Doppy snarled out, and Timmy paled. Sarine giggled, and Doppy went back to kissing her. He had to move away to help the others kill off a bunch of monsters, and Keltin moved over to her to run a hand over her belly.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey, you," she smiled. Aliot walked over next, and he nodded to Kiehl before running his hand over her belly.

"Do you need anything, My Lady?" Aliot asked.

"I'm fine," she nodded. "Actually..."

"Yes?" Aliot asked. She clipped a leash on him and pulled him close to kiss intensely.

"Sarine!" Keltin blinked. "We're not alone!"

"Think I care?" she growled out and kissed Aliot again. Howard stammered at Kiehl's thought, and then gaped at a rather intricate vision Sarine sent him.

"Is she craving?!" Doppy hissed.

"Yes..." Howard winced. Sammy looked at Eremes, and Ifrit looked over at Naght.

"We need to distract her!" Observation said. Drago thought and went to Maya Purple to whisper to him. Maya Purple skittered over to Windwalker and positioned himself so her kids could see her. When they started giggling, Howard grinned.

"Mama! Um...make more babies?" Serenity blushed. Now Sarine turned beet red, and Kiehl had to stifle a laugh. She unclipped the leash from Aliot, and he seemed to sigh with a form of relief mixed with disappointment.

"I'll get you later," Sarine promised him, and he could only grin now. Kiehl chuckled, and Howard breathed a sigh of relief. She did pull Keltin close to kiss him deeply before resting back on Kiehl. She completely sparked Keltin's lust.

"That's not fair!" Keltin frowned.

"What isn't fair?" she grinned.

"Evil woman!" Keltin said, and she blushed. The kids giggled again, and Maya Purple skittered back to where he was with them. When he sat still, the new claws folded in front of him. When he readied to attack, they stretched out and opened, ready to crush anything that came near him. He was quickly taking out anything that got too close before the others could help. He was clearly enjoying himself.

"Save some for us, Maya Purple!" Thanatos grinned.

"I'm protecting kids right now. Not much else to say about it," Maya Purple chuckled.

"True," Howard nodded. "I'd rather them be safe."

"Always!" Kiehl said with a sharp nod.

"Kiehl, we found some armored suits that were easy to remove. We need Storm Caller to take them back to the island house," Injustice said. Sarine contacted Storm Caller, and he appeared swiftly to help them. As they were finishing up, a rogue Bloody Knight appeared to charge at them. Storm Caller froze it quickly and killed it off with a single stab with his trident. Doppy blinked and stared. He had never seen the Strouf attack before. No one had until now. They had no idea how strong the Strouf truly was. He could easily rival Doppy's power.

"Vessel of Odin," Storm Caller said, as he moved to her side to hand her a card and a helmet that he just received from it.

"Oh, thank you! Um, can you take the armors home, please?" she asked.

"Of course. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Tired, mainly. But, otherwise, I'm fine," she nodded. "Muninn wanted us to go to the Einbech Mines later. I think we're done here. Or do we still want to explore?"

"It is time for their nap," Storm Caller said, as he looked over at the hiding kids.

"Awww!" Siegfried pouted.

"But...but..." Serenity pouted.

"We'll explore a little more, and then we'll go home so you both can take a nap, okay?" Howard said. "There is no need for you both to come with us to the other place."

"But, Dad!" Serenity frowned.

"You came with us here, and it was risky," Howard said.

"We were good!" Siegfried said with a huff. "We did as you said!"

Naght rumbled to them and both kids argued in Demonic. Now he hissed angrily, and they both whimpered softly. Doppy was grinning to himself, and Thanatos had to hide his laughter.  _When Naght said no, it was clearly a no._

"How-How?" Sarine asked.

"Yes?" he said, as he came over to her.

"Maybe they could come with us. But, only if they are awake when we are ready to leave. If they are still sleeping by the time we leave, then there will be no other choice except to leave them behind. Right?" she smiled. Howard thought and looked at Errende. The High Priest grinned and nodded slightly.

"Dad!" Serenity said.

"Yes, sweetie?" Howard said, as he moved to her side.

"We really wanna go with you," she said. "It's boring at home now!"

"We miss everyone," Siegfried said. "Well...not Uncle Seyren."

"Why not me?" Seyren said, as he walked over. The kids simply giggled. Howard started laughing at them, as he shook his head.

"Oh, they should come with us! They make it fun!" Donnie grinned.

"How long do their naps usually last for?" Howard asked Storm Caller.

"About a couple hours at the most," he said.

"Naght? What do you think?" Howard asked.

"They...must...behave..." Naght hissed. "and...they...have...so...far..."

"Please?! Can we come with you again?!" Serenity begged.

"As long as you stay with Maya Purple again. Agreed?" Howard said.

"Yay!" the kids said together, and Maya Purple chuckled. Storm Caller sighed, but he nodded. When he left, the group reformed and started to explore a bit more. Baphomet hissed out a rumble of laughter at the whole thing, and his son was amused, too. Sarine sighed and leaned back into Kiehl. When they started to move again, she pulled Kiehl close by his collar and kissed him passionately.

"My Lady," Kiehl whispered. "it isn't really safe to do this with the kids around..."

"But..." she frowned. Kiehl blinked at a thought that Howard sent him, and he looked at Errende with a wince. The High Priest seemed to sigh and think.

"Lord Thanatos will distract the kids, but we must be quiet about it," Errende said.

"How do you want to do this?" Kiehl asked. In response, she went back to kissing him hungrily, and Windwalker tightened his wings around them to enclose them a bit more. Errende was able to muffle her, and Kiehl worked with her. After he released with her, she went after Errende, and they were forced to switch roles. Only when their clothing was fixed back up did Windwalker ease his wings a bit to show that everything was fine.

"This Gryphon is incredibly tolerable," Kiehl chuckled. Windwalker peered under his wings to give a wink and a warble before returning to focus on walking.

"He was one of the first monsters I was able to recruit. He's a valuable friend," Sarine smiled, and stroked the Gryphon's back affectionately. Windwalker let out a cooing chirp of gratitude, and Howard moved over to them to see if everything was all right.

"Everything okay?" Howard asked, as Windwalker let his wings down.

"So far, so good," Kiehl grinned.

"We found more suits of armor, but there really isn't anything else here. The kids seem to be getting a bit cranky," Howard said.

"Well, if there is nothing else here of interest, then we should be able to go back home," she nodded. Then she pulled Howard close to kiss him intensely and whispered to him. He stammered, and Kiehl found himself laughing at Howard's face. The word was given for them to head back, and the proper Warps were made.


	91. Chapter 91

When they got back to the island, the kids were taken to the nursery to get their naps, and Sarine was carefully moved into the bedroom. Her intense craving was back, and each of her loves were able to try and sate her. Only when they found themselves at a loss for words was Howard able to move her into the bathroom and use his lust with her. Kiehl stayed with them just in the doorway to make sure that no one would try to come in.

"How-How!" Sarine cried out, as he roared his release. He pulled her close when the lust left him, and she cuddled into his chest with exhaustion. He rocked her, and the door was knocked on for Kiehl to answer it.

"She should try to rest," Sammy said, as he walked in.

"I'm not...tired..." she yawned, and Howard chuckled.

"I'll sleep with her," Keltin said, as he came in to help her dress. She was dressed in a soft nightgown of white silk, and she lay back in the bed. Keltin moved to hug her, and she let him pull her close. It didn't take long at all for her to start sleeping.

"We'll keep an eye on her," Byorgue said. "Kiehl, go to your workshop and see what you can do there. If you're needed, I'll get you."

"Thanks," Kiehl said, and Doppy moved to sit by the door. Kiehl nodded to him on his way out, and Doppy looked over at Sarine's sleeping form.

"Doppy," Thanatos said, as he nodded to him.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Your son is asking for you," Thanatos grinned. Doppy blinked and smiled, as he got up to check out the nursery. The next hour was uneventful, but Keltin suddenly screamed in his sleep and jolted Sarine awake.

"Keltin!" she gasped, as he started to furiously rip off her nightgown to take her. Howard was up in the bedroom at her wild thought, and Kiehl wasn't too far off. Keltin cried out with her, and he hugged her tightly to him while he shook and trembled.

"You're okay!" he whimpered. "I..."

"I'm here, Keltin," she soothed and hugged him as close as she could with her large belly. "I'm okay..."

"Dreaming again?" Howard winced. Kiehl blinked at the thought given to him, and he frowned at what happened.

"It...was worse this time..." Keltin gasped. "So much worse!"

"What happened?!" Doppy asked, as he came into the room.

"Keltin had a nightmare. A bad one," Howard said.

"What was it about?" Sammy asked.

"Well..." Keltin shivered, and Eremes walked over to the bed to listen. "Sarine was there...in the fire. And...she was...pregnant...with my kids..."

"Oh, Keltin!" Sarine whimpered. Doppy groaned, as he shook his head.

"Am I always going to have these...nightmares?!" Keltin hissed, and Sarine kept comforting him. He actually started to cry, and she hugged him all the tighter.

"This is bad," Howard frowned. Kiehl could only imagine how bad Keltin's anguish was at the dream. Thanatos came in, and Doppy whispered to him what happened.

"He dreamt that? That's...inhuman!" Thanatos said. Errende was in the room and slowly whispered to the other slaves. They gasped and didn't know what they could possibly do to help him. Sarine gently moved Keltin to rest against her belly, and his twins kicked at him to let him know that they were fine. Aliot's twins moved around, too, but it was Keltin's twins that knew their father was distressed. On feeling them move for him, he gasped with harsh relief and started to relax at long last.

"How-How! We need to help him with these dreams! They can't be normal! Can they?" Sarine asked with a frown.

"I can't see his dreams," Sammy frowned. "Only yours."

"There has to be a reason that you keep seeing these dreams!" Kiehl said. "Think! Was there anything out of the ordinary that you saw that day long ago? Anything at all?"

"Ah!" Keltin shivered, and Sarine pressed a kiss to his mouth to encourage him. "Let me think. I...don't recall anything strange. Nothing that I know of."

"There has to be something you saw without realizing it. It's dream vision suppression. It's something I learned a long time ago," Kiehl said. "I should make a dream machine. Just for situations like this. I'm sure there is something that happened that you are trying to remember."

"Rather messed up way to remember it!" Keltin scowled and sighed, as Sarine ran her hand through his hair. He found himself leaning into her touch and resting against her.

"Give me her nightgown," Errende said. "I'll fix it."

"What?" Keltin blinked. Then he groaned, as he saw he ripped it off her. Sarine giggled madly, and Doppy laughed. Eremes was still thinking hard about everything, and he was likely going to keep thinking about what he was told about Keltin's life from before.

"Are you feeling better now?" Sarine asked, and Keltin sighed, as he hugged her. Howard could feel the grief and relief coming from his comrade, and Kiehl took off his glasses to clean them. Placing them back on, he thought and went to his sketching table in the room to start working on various drawings and designs.

"If anything ever happened to you..." Keltin whispered. "I don't know...what I would do! I just...I don't know..."

"Nothing will happen to me, love," she said, and she hugged him. Howard sat on the bed with them and looked at Keltin.

"Do you need a hug?" Howard grinned.

"Not from you!" Keltin muttered, and Howard laughed.

"How about from them?" Aliot asked. Serenity and Siegfried came in to climb on the bed and bounce over to them.

"Daddy Kelty!" Serenity said and moved to hug him. "Why sad?"

"I had a bad dream about your mom. It's just a dream, though," he said. Errende moved over to place the fixed nightgown back over Sarine's form to be more presentable in case others came in. Serenity blinked at Errende and frowned at Keltin.

"Mama is safe now," she said.

"I know she is," Keltin nodded. Howard gave a grin, as Siegfried moved to sit with him.

"When do we see the other place?" Siegfried asked.

"In a bit. You two should go eat lunch. After you eat, we'll see how mom is feeling. Okay?" Howard said. Naght came into the room now, and Serenity told him that Keltin had a bad dream. Looking at Howard, he learned what it was about.

"I'm working on a solution," Kiehl said from where he sat.

"Keel!" Serenity called out, and Kiehl looked over with a small smile.

"I'm busy, Serenity. What do you need?" he asked.

"Um...hug!" she said. That had him chuckle, and he got up to give her the hug she wanted. Then she looked at him and asked, "What are you working on?"

"A special machine that will let us see dreams," he said.

"Oh! To help Kelty?" she asked.

"Yes. Especially to help Keltin," he nodded.

"Kelty! What...um...was your dream?" she asked.

"My dream?" Keltin frowned. "Your mother was being hurt with fire. It...was a very bad dream, and I woke up very scared."

"Oh!" Serenity said and shivered. "Did it happen?"

"No. But, it happened with another a long time ago. Your mom replaces that person. It's...very, very bad," Keltin sighed. Serenity looked at Kiehl and hugged him again. Ifrit came into the room when Eremes called for him, and Serenity shivered.

"Ifrit has good fire. He will never hurt Sarine. I had him come here to show you that he loves her, too," Eremes said. Ifrit was informed on what just happened, and he thought.

"Fire destroyed your town?" Ifrit asked Keltin.

"Yes. It was said to have started in the main town square, from what I know," Keltin said. "I...honestly can't remember much of what happened."

"We should go into the Payon caves. If there are still buildings standing, then we can probably find evidence there. I know how fires work, of course. We could go tomorrow, if Sarine is feeling better," Ifrit said. Sarine reached for Ifrit, and the Fire elemental moved to her side to plant a heated kiss on her mouth before backing away to think on what else he could do.

"I think...wow..." Keltin blinked. "I think we need to do that. I...I need to know what happened. It's important."

Sarine leaned over to whisper to him, and he found himself laughing with Howard.

"She has a point," Howard grinned.

"True!" Keltin chuckled. "We do still need to find that spot. But, we'll only go if you're well enough. You're growing so much now, as it is. It's getting harder for you to move, isn't it? And don't lie about it! We can all see it."

"I know," Sarine sighed. "But, it is well past the point of waiting. Maybe we should go now instead of going to Einbech?"

"Well, the caves are right by the Payon house," Keltin thought.

"You just had this dream. There was a reason for it," Eremes said. Errende and Thanatos looked at each other and seemed to agree.

"I'll let the others know of the change in plans," Errende said.

"I'll tell them of the dream you just had. It will solidify the decision. I'm sure that Seyren will be coming here after I talk to him," Sammy said.

"We should bring Moonlight Flower with us!" Sarine said. "She can help us!"

"You're right," Howard nodded.

"I'll have Storm Caller find her," Sammy nodded.

"I don't want to be a Bongun around her," Keltin frowned. "I don't know how I will react to her bell."

"That's understandable," Doppy said. "Should we have Munak and Sohee come with us? They are originally from the Payon caves, too, right?"

"Yes. And Sohee did want us to see the caves," Sarine nodded, as she remembered the night Sohee came to them with the Dead Branches. Then she remembered something and added, "Nine Tail is from them, too, even though we got that monster with Eddga. They are quite common in the caves, and Nine Tail may be able to help us."

"I'll get them all ready," Sammy said.

"How are you feeling, Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked, as he sat on the bed now.

"Tired, but I'll be all right," she smiled.

"Mommy?" Siegfried asked.

"Yes, dear?" she asked.

"Um...can I sleep with you?" he asked.

"Why do you want to do that?" she asked.

"I wanna help you be safe," he said.

"Siegfried, she has a lot of daddies taking care of her right now," Howard said.

"But..." he frowned, and Naght rumbled out a purr to him.

"I wanna help, too!" Serenity said.

"And just how are you both going to sleep in here?" Keltin asked.

"Dad," Serenity said to Howard. "You lay down here. Like this."

"Like this?" Howard asked with a grin, as he lay back in the bed.

"Yah! And, Kelty, you lay back like this," Serenity said, as she moved Keltin to lay back on the bed now. "Then, Sig, you sleep by Kelty, and I'll sleep by Dad. Mama will be between us. Um...okay, Sig?"

"Kay," he nodded. Sarine looked over at Howard, and he gave a small shrug. Kiehl was grinning now and moved to work on his sketches again. Doppy was clearly amused, and Ifrit went to speak with Eremes mentally. Naght rumbled out laughter, as he moved to the nursery. Sammy chuckled and left to find Seyren. Errende decided to stay in the room in case he was needed to help Sarine.

"How long should we sleep for?" Sarine asked.

"Another hour," Howard said. Serenity snuggled next to him, and he placed an arm around his daughter. Siegfried was pressed up against Sarine and had an arm draped over Keltin's chest. Sarine looked over at Howard lovingly, and he smiled.  _My family._ He leaned over carefully to press a kiss to his wife's lips. After a few minutes passed, Serenity, Sarine, and Siegfried were sleeping, but Howard was wide awake with Keltin.

"So..." Keltin sighed, as he whispered softly to keep from waking them. "we are going into the Payon caves at long last. I'm...a bit nervous. To tell you the truth."

"You have every reason to be nervous," Howard nodded. "It will be the same for me when we go back into Lighthalzen."

"Same for me, too," Eremes nodded. "I'm not sure we should all walk through the town, though. It may be best to have Muninn help us."

"I know he'll help us," Doppy said from where he sat by the door. "He doesn't want anything to happen to Sarine. And I'm fairly positive that the kids will not be coming with us there! That place is far too dangerous."

"Like hell will I bring my kids there!" Howard growled out.

"They won't go," Kiehl nodded, and he lightly sketched out various ideas. A light knock was on the door, and Doppy growled when he stood up and opened it. He saw Coraline standing in front of him now, and he snorted lightly.

"Yes?" he asked. "Sarine is sleeping."

"Oh! I wanted to let her know of a new kind of dance craze that's going around! She'll get a real kick out of it! Um, can you let me know when she wakes up?" she asked.

"We plan to go into the Payon caves, since Keltin had a really bad nightmare from his past. Sarine is in no condition to dance, either," Doppy said.

"She doesn't need to dance. She can just watch me and memorize the moves. It's what she did during the choreography back in Comodo. The trainers there were really impressed! But, Payon, you say? Oh! Okay! Maybe I can show her when we go there. It's a really fun dance, too! I'll let Max know of the new plans," she said. Doppy nodded and didn't even watch her walk away. He had no need to look at other females. Moving over to Howard after closing the door, he whispered to him what Coraline told him.

"A new dance? She has me curious," Howard grinned. Doppy nodded with a slight smile, and Keltin was thinking on what it could be. The door opened slowly, and Doppy made a quieting motion with his hands to show that Sarine was sleeping with the kids. Sammy nodded, and Seyren walked in with him. Observation and Injustice came in next with various foods to set up on the table. Maya Purple skittered in with drinks, and Byorgue helped him unload them. Drago and Observation were set on the balcony and keeping watch.

"Still sleeping?" Seyren asked.

"Yes," Errende said, as he set up plates. "We'll wake her in a bit."

"So, Einbech tomorrow?" Seyren asked to make sure he got it.

"Yes. I really need to find out why I'm getting these nightmares," Keltin frowned.

"I don't blame you," Seyren nodded.

"Regardless, My Lady needs to sleep a bit more. In thirty minutes or so, we'll wake her up," Aliot said. "She needs to rest."

"She may need a bath, too," Kiehl said from his desk.

"I'll help get that ready," Injustice said. "I'm sure we need more towels and soaps."

"Let's see what we'll need for her," Byorgue said. The next hour was spent on making sure that everything would be ready for her when she woke up. The kids were carefully removed first by Naght and Thanatos. Then Howard gently woke her up.

"Huh?" she blinked awake and found the children gone. He told her they were taken back to the nursery, and she nodded. Then she yawned and stretched.

"Did you want to eat first? Or take a shower?" Aliot asked.

"I think a shower would be good," she nodded. "Keltin? How are you feeling?"

"I still feel like hell," he admitted. Leaning over to him, she whispered softly, and Howard barked out laughter. Kiehl blinked and found himself grinning now.

"Will that make you feel better?" Sarine asked sweetly.

"I think it will," Keltin muttered. He kissed her passionately, pulled her into his arms, and took her into the bathroom.

"She's the only one I know of that can be pregnant and horny," Doppy snickered.

"I'll wait downstairs," Seyren said with a chuckle when he left. Each of her loves were able to help her in the bathroom, save Ifrit since he couldn't tolerate water. When she got out, she did let Ifrit help her dry off in his own way. When she still wasn't sated, they had Howard take her back into the bathroom with Kiehl.

"So, Eremes," Doppy asked with a bit of a grin.

"Yes?" the Assassin Cross asked.

"When Howard has his lust activated, he's challenging?" Doppy grinned more.

"Don't do it, Doppy," Thanatos scowled with a shake of his head. "He has no fuse with that lust of his! He took one look at me and was ready to kill me on sight!"

"That's impossible!" Doppy frowned.

"He speaks the truth..." Eremes nodded.

"I should judge for myself," Doppy said.

"If you do, don't say we didn't warn you," Thanatos said. Doppy nodded and didn't even bother knocking on the bathroom door. He simply barged in and paused at the sight of Howard's unflinching, hateful gaze. Howard had Sarine on all fours and was in the process of taking her like mad. Doppy wouldn't have cared, but there was one thing he noticed in Howard's eyes.  _It was hatred for everything and anything around him, save Kiehl and Sarine._ Kiehl's mind was completely in tune with Howard's, and Howard truly did see him as an extension of himself. He hissed and tensed quickly in his form of complete challenge, as he readied to attack him. Sarine was in such a position that she wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Doppy!" Kiehl gasped and quickly moved to shove him out of the room. Howard was getting ready to snarl with rage at the intrusion, but Thanatos was there to help haul Doppy out of the room. The door slammed shut the moment he was clear.

"Was that...Howard?!" Doppy blinked.

"Yes. It's Howard. Under the spell of Demonic lust," Eremes nodded.

"The only one that's ever  _that_  pissed off is  _me_!" Doppy scowled.

"Tell me about it," Keltin grinned. Doppy shook his head and mused at something.

"You will not fight him in that condition!" Sammy said.

"Aww!" Doppy frowned.

"Howard...truly isn't made for that lust. I worry for what would happen...if he's in that state for too long..." Eremes said. "The only way it leaves him...is when Sarine is satisfied."

"Seriously?" Doppy asked.

"Very," Eremes nodded. Doppy grinned at the sound of Howard's roar, and he sat by his usual spot by the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you thinking of?" Thanatos asked.

"I'm gonna mess with him," Doppy snickered. That had everyone laughing before they quieted down to play along. Howard came out with Sarine and Kiehl looking completely exhausted. Byorgue and Aliot moved to help Sarine dress and take care of her needs for eating.

"I'm sorry, Doppy," Howard grimaced.

"Sure you are," Doppy muttered. "I see how it is."

"No! It's something I can't control!" Howard growled out.

"I'm sure you're just saying that. I know how much you really hate me. The look you gave me said everything. I just won't bother you anymore," Doppy shrugged.

"That's not...oh, come on!" Howard sighed. Then he saw Keltin and Eremes trying not to laugh. Sammy was hiding his face in his kimono, and Thanatos was snickering.

"You are heartless!" Kiehl said before he barked out laughter.

"Not cool!" Howard frowned, and Doppy started laughing.

"My husbands," Sarine sighed, and Byorgue chuckled while he gave her some juice.

"I just have to prove who the real asshole is around here," Doppy grinned.

"Okay. You won. Asshole," Howard said before he started laughing softly. Doppy smirked, and Ifrit was hissing out his laughter at the whole thing. Naght was laughing mentally at Howard, and the Whitesmith sighed. Then he saw Thanatos move swiftly, grab Errende's hands, and yanked him over to Sarine to place his hands on her belly.

"That was close!" Thanatos growled.

"What happened?!" Howard asked.

"Aliot! Give her some of your blood! Now!" Thanatos hissed. Aliot blinked and moved to her side. Errende had to move with him to the bathroom, and Keltin was able to help them move her. Thanatos sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"She had to do a blood bond?" Howard asked.

"Yes," Thanatos said, as he made sure she couldn't hear him. "When he gave her blood last night, it woke the need for it. You know that you're going to have to do this for your triplets. It's going to be something that you can't control."

"I know. At least she won't be craving a lot of blood. Kiehl may have to give her his blood, too. The moment she's pregnant with Eremes's kids, we'll need to start preparing hot, cold, and chocolate dishes. Or some form of balancing tastes for her. I don't know what she'll be craving with Kiehl," Howard frowned.

"I won't know, either, until I get her pregnant with Sammy," Kiehl said.

"And I don't know what she'll be craving with mine, either," Sammy nodded.

"Can we get her Sniper clothes, please?" Keltin asked, as he opened the door.

"Here," Maya Purple said, as he handed them over. He waited for the door to close again before talking to the others. "I'm a touch worried for her."

"Why?" Howard asked.

"Her pregnancy with you is going to last nine days. My eggs with her will hatch in nine days, too. How is it supposed to work? I be with her first? Then you?" he asked.

"I think I would have to go first. Since I'm her husband. Then, during her Demonic Mating, you would have her then. Likely, the day she, eh, makes the eggs, would be when everything goes into motion. That's how it's been so far," Howard said.

"True," Maya Purple said. "I think I'm going to hold out on her Demonic Matings until I know it's time. I've been thinking about doing something instinctive, and I'm going to hold off on it. It's a rather...strong feeling lately."

"Why? What is it?" Doppy asked.

"Eh..." Maya Purple sighed. "Have her with my bug body..."

"What?" Kiehl asked with a blink.

"You're crazy!" Howard gaped.

"Um, wouldn't you hurt her?" Byorgue asked.

"If it's instinctive, then why shouldn't he?" Drago asked.

"Do you see how big his bug body is?!" Observation hissed.

"Too bad we can't compare," Doppy smirked.

"Hell no!" Maya Purple scowled.

"I don't think he could if he tried," Sammy grinned.

"Compare? Compare what?" Injustice asked. Doppy gave a wide grin, and Injustice started laughing now. "Gotcha!"

"The big question is..." Eremes grinned. "would he know how to use it?"

"I'm sure I would," Maya Purple smirked. Eremes laughed a bit, and Howard grinned. Doppy laughed with Thanatos and gestured for everyone to keep it down, since Sarine was coming back out. Errende let him know beforehand, and Sarine was led out carefully to a chair to sit in. She took a deep breath, and Doppy moved to her side. Aliot had to sit down for a bit to recover, and he was given some water to drink.

"Are you ready to head to the Payon caves?" he asked.

"I think so," she nodded. He scooped her up into his arms, and he whispered a song into her ears to calm her. She relaxed in his embrace and sighed, as she muttered, "Cheater!"

"The singing helps keep you relaxed," he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I have to keep you from getting sick, right?"

"I know," she grumbled.

"Coraline said she knows a new dance," he whispered in her ears.

"Really?! Well, I want to learn it!" she said, her nearly foul mood gone.

"You can learn it while we head to the caves," Howard said.

"I'm curious, too," Kiehl grinned. The others nodded to show they wanted to see it, as well. When they got downstairs, Naght was waiting for them with the kids.

"We need to go now!" Serenity said.

"I know, my dear," Sarine smiled. "Get onto Maya Purple's back, please."

"Kay!" Serenity and Siegfried said together.

"Coraline has an awesome new dance!" Karla grinned.

"It's cool!" Cecil nodded. "Right, Garrett?"

"I refuse to comment," he said, and Cecil giggled.

"It's something else," Max grinned and kissed his wife. Coraline blushed and whispered to him. He smiled at her and hugged her tightly.

"So, what is this dance?" Sarine asked, as she was settled in Doppy's lap.

"It's called a belly dance!" Coraline giggled. "Watch!"

Sarine studied the movements of how her hips and belly moved. She watched how her shoulders moved to an invisible rhythm. She memorized all of the steps and postures within a few minutes. Thinking now, she gestured for Errende and whispered to him.

"I think I can make something," Errende chuckled. Howard and Kiehl were starting to sweat at what she had in mind, and Keltin cleared his throat.

"Of course, it would have to wait until the kids are out," she sighed.

"I know, My Lady," he chuckled. Eremes could only imagine what she was going to look like in a two-piece dance suit, and Sammy whistled softly to himself. Doppy was already tensing up in thought, and he started purring when Sarine moved her hand through his hair. He was still carrying her, and she snuggled into him while she calmed him.

"Are we ready to head out?" Keltin asked.

"I think so," she nodded, and Doppy muttered something incoherent. She laughed softly and pressed a kiss to his mouth.

"I guess he's riding Windwalker's back with her," Howard chuckled. Doppy didn't say a single word, as he picked her up and took her outside. He paused at the sight of Moonlight Flower, Eddga, Sohee, Munak, Nine Tail, and Vagabond Wolf. Then he nodded to them and moved over to Windwalker to settle on his back with her.

"Errende! Get up here, too. Just in case," Doppy said.

"Right!" Errende nodded and moved to sit with them on the Gryphon's back.

"We'll take the house Warp to Payon and simply walk to the caves," Sammy said. "They are just north of town."

"I know," Keltin nodded. Pori-Pori wanted to come along and scooted over to Maya Purple to help protect the kids. Muninn flew down to hover over him, as he was waiting for this moment. He wanted to investigate the Payon caves, too. They managed to take the Warp to the other house now, and they filtered outside.

"I wonder what we'll find there!" Kathryne mused, as Mitchell settled an arm around her waist. "Hopefully something good!"

"I just want answers," Keltin frowned.

"I'm sure we'll find all of your answers," Margaretha nodded, and she helped Lloyd buff everyone. Donnie took out his guitar to start plucking the strings, and Egnigem readied her sword. Kavach, Laurell, and Wickebine were eager to help, but Armeyer and Timmy were off training on their own. Timmy was really going to try and prove himself now.

Kiehl and Howard moved to either side of Windwalker to make sure they would be in Sarine's line of sight when she needed to see them. Doppy was keeping her preoccupied with a passionate kiss. Errende was keeping his hands on her belly, and the only time Doppy paused in his kissing was when a young Archer asked them for directions to the Payon caves.

"We are actually heading there," Seyren said.

"If you would like to follow us, you can," Keltin said. "But, we will be traveling far too deep for you to keep up. Okay?"

"Thanks!" the Archer boy said. "My name is Arthur. I hope to become a Clown!"

"A Clown?" Donnie grinned. "Good for you!"

"Can you give me a few pointers?" Arthur asked.

"Certainly!" Donnie said, and he started to talk to him a bit more in-depth.

"Wait up!" a familiar voice was heard, and the group paused to see Lilah in her new Monk clothes. Sarine was able to peer out at her to see what she wore now. A hooded white cloak lined with red trim was the main part of her outfit. It latched in the front with a gold clasp that appeared to have wings on it. A two-piece brown jumpsuit that gave her a bit of cleavage was under the robe, and the top was rather form fitting. Where one thought it would be a skirt, it was actually loose pants for easy movement. Light shoes were on her feet, and bracers were on her wrists to show that she specialized in using her hands more than other weapons. Like Keltin, she would be able to use Fist weapons. Keltin smiled and nodded to her, as Laurell congratulated her. Storm Caller had told her where they went, and she was quick to find them.

"Were the tests hard?" Kavach asked.

"At first they were," she admitted. "But, everything started to make sense after a while. I feel so much better about myself! So, where are we going?"

"The Payon caves," Seyren said with a nod to her.

"You're all human?" she grinned.

"We were human yesterday, too," Howard nodded. "After today, we'll be monsters again. It may be just as well, since we are going to the Einbech Mines tomorrow."

"Oh! Why the Payon caves today?" she asked.

"I had a nightmare. A pretty bad one. Since I'm originally a Bongun, and I died there, I may be able to recall how the fires started. I'm not sure, though," Keltin frowned.

"We'll find out how!" Moonlight Flower said. "Just so you know, my bell just makes pretty music now. I can't control you anymore. So, you don't have to be afraid of me. Okay?"

"Thanks. That's good to know," Keltin smiled.

"You? A Bongun?" Lilah grinned. "Sure!"

"I am," Keltin shrugged and reverted to his Bongun form to show her. She paused, and her mouth dropped. Kiehl grinned, and Howard chuckled. Eremes snickered a bit, and Ifrit hissed with laughter. Naght was with them, and he rumbled to the children on Maya Purple's back. He gave a mild glance at Lilah, but it was just to show that he was in a protective mood.

"Donnie!" Sarine called out to him.

"Yes? What's up?" he asked, as he walked over.

"Do you have a violin?" she asked.

"Oh! Um...I think so...ah! Here!" he said, as he gave it over.

"You want to play music?" Doppy grinned.

"For a bit," she nodded. Kiehl had never heard her play the violin before, and Howard laughed. _It would help her remain calm._ She started up a fast tune, and Donnie studied it before playing with his guitar to accompany her. The kids squealed with delight at this, and Eremes was enjoying the tune immensely. Sammy thought and would need to see if he could get a flute at some point. _It would be nice to help her out with something._

"Very pretty!" Seyren grinned, and Arthur was amazed that a Sniper could play instruments, much less a girl at that.

"I thought girls couldn't play instruments!" Arthur blinked.

"Well, she's special," Donnie said. "She is the Vessel of Odin, you see."

"That's her?!" he blinked.

"Yes. Why else do you think monsters accompany her?" Garrett grinned. Eddga rumbled a small chuckle out, and Vagabond Wolf barked out playfully, as Nine Tail yipped with agreement. Naght seemed to chuckle, as he moved with them.

"Oh..." Arthur blinked. "Um, would there be a way for me to help her? When I get stronger? I think I would like to do that."

"Really?" Donnie frowned. "Well, you can ask her. She's on the Gryphon's back. Just be careful of Doppelganger. He's very protective of her."

"Doppelganger?!" Arthur blinked.

"What?!" Doppy snarled and got lulled into a hard purr at Sarine's hand through his hair. Errende and Thanatos snickered at it. Aliot and Observation grinned with Byorgue. Drago and Injustice kept walking, but giggled softly at the demon with the soft spot.

"Can I help you?" Sarine asked with a light smile. Arthur gaped at her beauty, but then he saw her pregnancy. It was hard not to notice with how large her belly was.

"Um, yeah. I would, ah, like to help protect you. When I get stronger. Is there a way?" he asked. Doppy snorted, but she kept him calm.

"You can go to my Papa in Amatsu. He is the Emperor there, and he may be able to help train you. Not only am I the Vessel of Odin, but I am also a princess. However, I would not speak out of who I am. I have enemies everywhere, you see," she said.

"I won't tell anyone!" Arthur vowed. Muninn landed carefully on Windwalker's back and studied him critically.

_:You. Are honorable. But. Be careful. Okay?:_ he warbled.

"Right! Ah...who are you?" Arthur asked the falcon.

_:I am. Muninn. Brother. To her.:_ Muninn said, as he looked over at Sarine.  _:I watch. Everything. Everyone. Around her.:_

"Muninn?!" Arthur gasped. "Oh! I'll be careful! I promise! I think, instead of going to the caves, I'll go straight to Amatsu. Thank you!"

"Tell my Papa that Muninn sent you! He'll understand!" Sarine said. Coraline smiled and got hugged by Max. Arthur waved to them, as he ran off to the Kafra Agent in town.

"Looks like the Warriors of Odin may truly start to come back," Keltin mused.

"Sounds good..." Doppy muttered, as he got kissed by Sarine. Errende took the violin from her to hold onto, as Windwalker started to walk again. Lilah moved over to Keltin to start talking to him about being a Champion.

"I've only been a Champion for a few months. It's got its ups and downs," Keltin shrugged. "You have to recharge your skills after you use them. Luckily for my Rage, it has no cool down, and it's instant. But, only when I first activate it. Then I have to recharge normally."

"Really? Wow!" Lilah blinked. "So...are you single?"

"Um...no," Keltin said with a shake of his head. "I'm married to Sarine, and she is having my twins. I love her. Only her. And, if you haven't noticed, I'm a Bongun. I did just change from human to Bongun to show you. Did you...already forget?"

"Ah..." Lilah said, as she blushed. Howard moved over quickly to help him.

"Laurell is single. So is Kavach," Howard said. "The rest of us are happily married, or belong to Sarine. Sorry to disappoint you."

"Sorry. I know I was told it before, but, well...he's awfully cute!" Lilah smiled.

"Keltin is my first husband, and like  _hell_  am I giving him up!" Sarine called out, and Doppy had to quiet her. Keltin looked over with a grin, and he moved to her side to help comfort her. Maya Purple looked back at her and laughed a bit.  _She was cute when she was jealous._

"So...Kavach or Laurell?" Lilah asked.

"Yes," Howard said.

"Better luck with Laurell," Kiehl said.

"Yeah. Go with him..." Eremes said with a slight smile.

"Definitely Laurell," Sammy grinned. Lilah blushed and nodded.

"What about me?" Laurell asked.

"Um..." Lilah said, as she moved to walk with him. "Are you single?"

"Oh!" he blushed. "Well...yes..."

"Really?" she smiled, and he blushed even more. Kavach started to snicker, and Laurell gave him a scowling look. Doppy had to switch places with Keltin so he could calm her a bit more. As they got closer to the caves, Doppy suddenly fell to his knees with a startling roar of pain, and Sammy bolted to Sarine's side to evaluate her with Thanatos.

"What happened?!" Howard and Kiehl said at once.

"They grew. Ten percent. I don't think she'll be traveling anymore after this," Sammy said. "Keltin's Rage is starting to really show now. The growth is slow, but the spurts are incredibly fast when they can come about!"

"All I did was move my hands for a split second to stretch!" Errende winced.

"It's all right...Errende..." Sarine sighed, and Keltin was grimacing.

"It's only been about four days, and you're already like this!" Keltin hissed.

"Is it really going to be two weeks?" Aliot frowned. Muninn warbled and nodded his head to confirm it. Aliot blinked and asked, "How is that possible?"

_:She can. Travel. Tomorrow. But. Must be. Careful. Errende Ebecee. Must never. Let his. Hands. Move from. Her womb. Or. No traveling. She rests.:_ Muninn said.

"It may just be safer for her to rest. She's having trouble walking, and it would make us feel better," Sammy said. "It's getting harder for us to make sure she's comfortable."

"I wanted to go to Einbech!" Sarine frowned. "At least there!"

"Sarine, we're lucky that we're going into the caves!" Howard said.

"My Lady, think of your health," Kiehl said.

"As long as Errende keeps his hands on me, then I'll be fine," she said. "Since they grew, I'm sure that I'm safe enough for Keltin to be with me where he found me, too. Right, Muninn? Or am I wrong?"

_:You. Are right! Will be. Safe. I will. Help!:_  Muninn nodded.

"Good," Keltin said with a nod. "The caves are just ahead. Let's get going."

"Are you all right, Doppy?" Sarine asked.

"I've had worse," Doppy winced, as he forced himself to stand.

"I know," she frowned. He moved to her side and kissed her gently to show he was fine. He nodded to the others to show that the pain was gone. Moonlight Flower and Munak looked a touch concerned. Sohee seemed to frown, and Nine Tail whimpered. Eddga and Vagabond Wolf moved into protective stances.

"You sure she'll be all right, Muninn?" Seyren asked. "Doppy took a nasty fall from it."

_:She will. Be fine.:_ Muninn said confidently. The Lord Knight nodded, and they approached the caves. They paused, as a group of young Archers ran past them before stopping to gape at the strong monsters with them.

"Whoa!" an Archer boy said.

"Moonlight Flower! Is she gonna attack us?!" an Archer girl asked.

"No!" Moonlight Flower giggled. "I'm a friendly one! Don't worry about us! You train hard, and you can defeat my darker side far down below!"

"Um...why don't you wear pants? I always wanted to know!" another Archer boy said.

"Oh!" Moonlight Flower blushed. The demoness wore a golden yellow, fox-like headdress that wrapped around her head, as though she was peering out through its mouth. Two criss-crossed straps of fur covered her chest, and her hands and feet resembled paws. The rest of her skin had a human-like pink color to it that was covered in a soft, fine fur. She had on nothing to cover her waist from below. The giant bell she held was attached to a stick that she carried around over her shoulder.

"That's not a nice question to ask..." Eremes warned. "We have business in the caves. Go train now and get stronger."

"Ah..." the Archer boy gaped. He was pulled away when Eremes gave a cold stare to the others. Doppy snickered, and Windwalker stretched a bit before heading into the caves. Naght was clearly amused, and Thanatos was grinning.

"Why don't I wear pants?" Moonlight Flower wondered. Seyren grinned before Karla smacked him. He winced and shrugged.

"The man I married!" Karla scowled, but he kissed her to show she always was his one and only wife. Luna still stuck her tongue out at him to make the others laugh.

"What?!" Seyren asked, and everyone laughed again. The kids were getting a kick out of it, too. When they entered the caves, they simply walked past all of the monsters there. Younger adventurers were given a friendly buff here and there by Lloyd and Margaretha. Errende, Lilah, and Keltin helped when they were able. There was a zombie that shuffled up to them before glowing with power and vanishing, much to the shock of other young adventurers. Sarine was resting against Keltin's chest, as they made their way deeper into the cave systems. As they got into the second area, they had to take their time through all the twists and turns. The monsters here were already recruited and easy to kill off quickly.

When they reached the third level down, Keltin told them where to go. When they got to the spot he found Sarine, the entire party stopped at his gesture.

"Can you walk?" Keltin asked.

"I should be able to," Sarine nodded. Windwalker moved to stand in front of where they were going to neatly block the sight of anyone trying to look in. Thanatos, Howard, and Kiehl distracted the kids with jokes and funny faces. Pori-Pori helped with that, too. Naght helped shield them from trying to see Sarine, and he rumbled a purr to encourage them to play.

"What are they doing?" Lilah asked.

"Probably having sex by now," Doppy mused. Lilah gaped, and Wickebine started to giggle like mad. Errende was waiting close by in case he was needed.

"It was right here. Remember?" Keltin whispered, as he hugged her tight.

"Yes," Sarine smiled. "I looked up at you and wondered why you didn't attack me."

"And now you're pregnant with my kids," he smiled and kissed her passionately. They managed to swap a little blood while he took her, and they muffled each other when they released. Only when he Healed them both and they recovered enough was their clothing fixed up to have them move again. Windwalker moved to lay down just enough to let Sarine get back on his back with Errende's help. Aliot moved to check on her, and she pulled him close to kiss.

"You're all right?" Aliot asked.

"I'm okay," she nodded. "Can I get something to eat while we walk?"

"Of course, My Lady," Aliot nodded. Injustice was told what she needed, and Observation helped him. Maya Purple made ready to move again, and Howard went to Sarine's side to show he was still there.

"How is she?" Howard asked.

"She's hungry and eating," Keltin said. "How far off are we to the fourth descent?"

"Not too far!" Moonlight Flower sang out, as she helped dispatch rogue Bonguns and Munaks. Munak did frown when she saw the rogue Bonguns, but she knew that none of them were for her. She had started up a secret relationship with Incubus, anyways.

"We shall see the outskirts of the main village soon," Sohee said. Nine Tail yipped with agreement, as it trotted with them.

"This place brings back memories!" Munak said.

"Tell me about it," Keltin winced. Sarine leaned into him more to show some comfort, and he kissed her forehead. He was still in his Bongun form and made no move to become human. He needed to be in his natural form for this. When they descended again, Keltin shivered when he started to recognize various landmarks now. They were getting closer, and he could feel it.

"Hush," Sarine soothed and kissed him lovingly. Howard and Kiehl glanced at each other with small frowns. They moved closer to Windwalker to show their support for him.

"I love you," Keltin whispered and kissed her deeply. She had him focus on her to keep the pain away. Then the party stopped, as a rogue Nine Tail attacked them. Moonlight Flower was ready to finish it off, but it started to yip at her. She yipped back, and it became a rather handsome, brown haired man in a grey kimono. He wore a fox mask off the side of his head to show what he was. He was carrying a small basket with him, as though he was trying to collect things. He explained that his wife was murdered, and her pelt was taken. He had found a way to bring her back, but would need the tails of other Nine Tail monsters to do it.

"Really?! How many do you need?" Moonlight Flower asked.

"Almost a thousand," the Nine Tail man said sadly.

"Okay! I'm gonna summon a ton of Nine Tails! Kill them all, and give him the tails!" Moonlight Flower said. They nodded, and the summoning began. Then the Nine Tail with them thought with a shock of surprise.  _I'm a male! I can do the same thing and become a human!_   _Can't I?_  He would have to see, and now he really wanted to see if he could.  _If I could, then maybe I can help the Vessel of Odin even more. Besides, I'm a brute monster, and she doesn't have a brute slave._  The idea started to appeal to him more and more. He wanted to see what he could do for her after all of this was done.

Even now, as he helped attack the rogue Nine Tails being summoned, he was recalling everything he knew about Sarine.  _I was there for her letter readings. I helped attack the cruel humans that had hurt Errende that night at the arena. What else was there that I can do?_

"I think we have all of the tails," Karla said, as she counted them.

"Thank you!" the human Nine Tail said. "Please, take this mask as a gesture of thanks! I can easily make another. I'm going to see what I can do now!"

"Good luck!" Moonlight Flower waved, as the human reverted back to Nine Tail form and bounded off. Then she looked at the good Nine Tail with them and paused, as she asked, "What's wrong with you? You look kinda down."

Nine Tail looked up at her and seemed to sigh. Keltin looked over now and gestured for him to come up to Windwalker.

"Nine Tail, what's on your mind?" he asked. Nine Tail started to yip and whimper.

"What is it saying?" Sarine asked.

"Ah...wow..." Keltin blinked. "Um...he says he wants to help you. Apparently...he has a human form, too."

"What?!" Howard blinked. Kiehl now moved to study Nine Tail curiously. The small, golden yellow fox yipped and whimpered again. Vagabond Wolf barked at him, and Nine Tail yipped back, as he flicked his tails. Eddga rumbled at Muninn, and the falcon thought. Then the falcon started to tremble with laughter.

"When he laughs, it can't be good!" Kiehl frowned.

"What's going on?" Sarine asked.

"If Nine Tail has a human form...oh. He's a brute. You don't have a brute slave yet. Do you, Sarine?" Sammy asked. Thanatos started laughing, and Doppy's jaw dropped.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she said with shock. Kavach swore softly and was rewarded with a glare from Errende. Sarine thought and asked, "Well, Nine Tail, if you have a human form, can you show us?"

Nine Tail paused and seemed to sigh. He didn't know how to access it. Muninn thought and reverted to his human form.

" _Nine Tail, listen to me. You are accessing a part of your mind that has not been touched yet. I will help you activate it. However, you are going to need to get used to handling a human form before you can even attempt to be with my sister. Do you understand?_ " Muninn asked. Nine Tail yipped and ran around in circles with excitement.

"Looks like you're going to have another daddy," Injustice whispered to the kids.

"Another Dad?!" Serenity asked with excitement.

"But...he's a fox!" Siegfried frowned. Maya Purple turned his back a bit so the kids could watch Muninn lightly touch the top of Nine Tail's head. Now the small monster glowed, and his form changed shape to that of a human. His hair was golden yellow in color and flowed down his back like a waterfall to end just below the middle of his back. His eyes resembled black onyx gemstones, and they even had an odd twinkling to them. He was exceptionally well-muscled, and he was incredibly handsome in his own right. A fox-like Kitsune mask was worn off the side of his face to signal what he was, and he was dressed in a stark white kimono. He was easily as tall as Eremes, and he blinked with shock at what he was finally able to do. It didn't take long at all for him to master this new form, and Muninn was a touch impressed.

"Wow!" Nine Tail said. He studied himself and blinked at his voice. It almost reminded one of a wise, yet young man. "Ah...okay. I think you can all call me Nigel. While I'm human, that is. Or even as a Nine Tail. I've been thinking about this a lot."

"Nigel?" Doppy asked.

"It's not bad," Aliot chuckled.

"Okay, I know I said no brute slaves, but this will be all right," Keltin said. Howard and Kiehl found themselves grinning.

" _You had better kiss my sister before Father Odin shows himself and orders it,_ " Muninn said with a soft laugh. Sarine gave a groan, as Keltin helped her sit up, and she was clearly exhausted from the ordeal.

"Maybe I should wait?" Nigel asked. "I don't want to hurt her."

"She'll be okay," Byorgue said. "I know this."

"If you say so," Nigel frowned. Errende watched him casually, and he realized that Nigel already fit with them as a slave. Drago and Maya Purple noticed this, too. Observation and Injustice nodded to each other. Byorgue even let out a soft chuckle. Nigel moved to Sarine's side, and he studied her pregnant form. He was already fiercely protective of her.

"Well..." she sighed. "what are you waiting for?"

"It just..." he frowned. "it doesn't feel like the right time. I mean, I know for a fact that, once I kiss you, I'm going to want to know everything about you. I don't think we have time for that. I really want to make sure that the timing will be right."

"It won't be right," Byorgue said. "It will never be right. You just have to do it. If you wait too long, your chance will slip by. Maya Purple knows that!"

"Yes, I do," Maya Purple nodded. "It took me longer to decide, and I almost lost my chance. There is much that you need to know, and we will fill you in while we walk."

"It's how it needs to be done," Sarine nodded.

"I want another Dad! Kiss Mama!" Serenity giggled. Nigel blinked at this and found himself smiling. Howard just kept grinning, and Eremes chuckled. Keltin helped Sarine move to stand on her feet, and Errende was there to support her with his hands on her belly. Nigel moved close to press a kiss on her mouth, and found himself giving in to her instinctively. The kiss he shared with her was deep, wanting, and completely lustful. When he pulled away, he blinked. He felt that he fit with her, and that she was the one he was waiting for all this time.

"I have a collar, if you want to make him a slave now!" Karla grinned.

"Wonderful," Sarine sighed. "I won't unless it's what you want, Nigel."

"Do it," Nigel nodded. "I'll learn more on the go."

"Blood swap during your pregnancy," Howard muttered to Sammy.

"Ahh. Demonic Mating. Right," Sammy nodded. "But, how would it work with the others, if he is to be the last one?"

"Not sure. We'll find out when it happens," Kiehl said. "Actually, Muninn said that his blood helps charge her Demonic Matings! The blood swap is just to help brand her and the kids. Either way, we'll know more in time."

Sarine took the collar from Karla and had Nigel kneel before her.

"Once I collar you, you will become a slave of mine. It will be permanent, so you know. You are expected to serve me, obey me, and see to my every need. If you fail me even once, you will be punished. Do you understand?" Sarine asked.

"I do," Nigel nodded. She stepped forward with the collar.

"Wait!" Lilah said. Byorgue let out a small hiss at this, and Injustice glared mildly.

"What is it?" Sarine asked with a frown. Aliot knew she was annoyed and grimaced.

"Does he have to become a slave?" she asked. She was completely taken by Nine Tail's human form and wanted him for herself. Nigel found himself detesting her, and he growled. She felt dirty to him. She wasn't meant for him.

"It's what I want," Nigel said and looked at Sarine sternly. "Collar me quickly! Now!"

Sarine nodded and slipped the collar onto his neck before anyone else could object. The collar glowed and sealed up permanently. The Mark of Odin appeared on the front with a gold loop for a leash to appear, and the collar became gold in color. Then the collar was lined with small diamonds. When he looked at Sarine now, her scent became even stronger to him, as something instinctive took place, and he trembled with the force of it.

"Aw, hell!" Keltin frowned.

"Instinctive First Mate Rights for the Brute Race. Unopposed," Sammy said. "Nigel, she's pregnant. Normally, she'd fight you off, but the pregnancy weakened her. Be gentle with her. Don't stress her out."

"I know," Nigel said, as he forced himself to calm down. He moved quickly to scoop her up and carried her behind an old house. Windwalker moved to sit down in front of the only entrance to block them from being seen.

" _This was expected,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _I do not foresee any other slaves. Storm Caller could be one for the Fish Race, but he is not attracted to her like this. He serves her in a different way and is considered a priest of Father Odin. He is immune to her._ "

"That's a relief," Howard nodded. Behind the old house, Nigel had brought Sarine to an incredible release and was gasping with her after his instinctive roar. He held her close afterwards and shivered, as she ran her hand up his chest to his face.

"You should...take some of my blood," she whispered.

"How?" he asked, as he nuzzled her hand. She pulled an arrow out to scratch her neck open with it, and he asked, "How much?"

"A mouthful," she said. He latched onto the wound, and she whimpered out her release. Pulling himself away, he shouted when she bit down on his neck to feed. When she stopped, he kissed her hard and hugged her to him.

"Is it always like this?" he asked. "To fall in love with you?"

"Most of the time, it is," she smiled. "Of course, I fall in love right back."

"What...do they call you? I mean...I don't know," he frowned.

"You call me My Lady. My husbands and mates call me Sarine. Kiehl is both a slave and a husband to me. He's the only one like that. Howard is a husband and a slave, but my other husbands don't know, and it must remain a secret this way. I'm sure the other slaves will fill you in on more details as to what this means, and even more on what you need to do. However, you will need to introduce yourself to Serenity and Siegfried to let them get a drop of your blood. The children in the nursery will need a drop of your blood, too. After your blood is given, you'll be a father figure to them, and they can be your kids, too."

"Kids?!" he blinked and found himself trembling with joy. "I get kids?!"

"Oh, yes!" she giggled, and he kissed her again. "You can even have kids with me, in time. I'm pregnant with Keltin's twins and Aliot's twins. Keltin is my husband, and Aliot is one of my slaves. So, yes! Definitely kids!"

"All right, My Lady," he smiled and moved to help her dress. He fixed up his white kimono and led her back out to the others. Errende Healed them both and moved to help Sarine.

"We'll fill you in on everything," Byorgue said, and Kiehl made himself available to talk to Nigel, too. "There's a lot you need to know."

"I need to know everything," Nigel agreed.

"Another hot guy!" Lilah sighed. "Gone!"

"I thought you were interested in me?" Laurell frowned, and she blinked. Then she blushed, and Doppy sniggered. Nigel gave a small glare in her direction, but averted his gaze back to Kiehl, as he was starting to learn about what he needed to know.

"You didn't show any signs of being interested back," Lilah said.

"Well, if it helps, I am," Laurell said. That made her blush even more, and he chuckled. When the party formed up and started to move again, Byorgue and Observation were giving Nigel all the information he needed to know after he spoke with Kiehl. The stronger slave needed to be in eye contact of Sarine and couldn't stray too long from her side. In hushed tones, the other slaves had him swear to their pact of secrecy, and they whispered to him of the hidden pregnancy that Sarine had in her body.

"I won't say a word," Nigel vowed.

"Good," Byorgue nodded. "Now, come over here and meet the kids!"

"Another Dad?!" Serenity grinned, as she looked up at Nigel.

"Yes, I am!" Nigel said, and she let him pick her up to hold her.

"That's Serenity. She's the daughter of Howard and Naght Seiger. Siegfried is her twin brother," Aliot said. "They both need a sample of your blood. The other four kids in the nursery at home will need your blood, too."

"How do we do this?" Nigel asked. Then he yelped when Serenity bit down on his thumb. "Ouch! You should warn me next time!"

"Siegfried! Another Dad!" Serenity giggled, as she got her blood sample. Siegfried looked up at Nigel and reached for him, as she was put back down on Maya Purple's back. He got the blood sample, and they both cuddled into Nigel now. Kiehl Healed him and smiled.

"You seem to be a natural at this," Thanatos chuckled.

"Well...I always wanted kids," Nigel admitted. "I was never really desirable to the other females of my kind. They avoided me most of the time. It made no sense to me at all."

"I think this is why," Byorgue said. "You weren't destined for any of them."

"Sort of obvious now, isn't it?" Nigel chuckled.

"My Lady didn't show you true pleasure yet, right?" Maya Purple asked.

"Ah...no. I don't think she can do much right now," Nigel said.

"We'll have to make sure she does," Thanatos mused.

"Are you a slave?" Nigel asked.

"No, but I'm blood-bonded with Errende who is. I'm a bit of an interesting tale," Thanatos grinned. As he talked about his life, Sarine was resting on Keltin's chest.

"I'm really wondering on what we'll find down there," Keltin sighed.

"We'll find out and see what happened," Sarine nodded.

" _Have Ifrit study all of the buildings. Only then will the truth be found,_ " Muninn said, as he walked with them. " _I...did see what happened. But, I cannot say what I know. You need to discover it for yourselves and figure out what happened first. Only then, can I give more information. You could say that it's important for you to find out._ "

"You can't just tell us? Damn," Keltin sighed. "Well, we had to come down here, anyways, for Nine Tail to figure out he could become human..."

" _Exactly. Things have to happen in their own way. What you find out...will not be good. That is all I can tell you._ "

"You have me worried, Muninn," Keltin frowned, and Sarine leaned into him more to comfort him. He kissed her gently and ran his hands over her belly to be rewarded with small kicks. That had him smiling, and he hugged her to him. Muninn reverted to his falcon form and flew up into the air, as they descended into the last level of the caves.

"All right! We're here!" Seyren said, and Nigel put the twins back into the safety of Maya Purple's back. A small, human-like creature with brown skin and yellow hair ran up to them. It resembled a small boy with large lips, tiny eyes, and rather strong arms and legs for the club it held. A small hat and a red loin cloth fit on it, and it waved.

"That's a Dokebi," Keltin smiled. "Oh! There's an Am Mut!"

Am Mut looked like a Dokebi, but it had grey skin, a black cape, and a grey leg band under the red loin cloth. Both monsters waved before glowing and vanishing away. As they moved along the outer wall of the central square, a skeleton wearing a helmet, shorts, boots, and wielding two daggers came at them before pausing.

"What's that one?" Sarine asked.

"Skeleton General," Keltin nodded. The Skeleton General clattered its jaw before glowing with power and vanishing away. As they made their way beyond the wall, a blue version of Moonlight Flower rushed over to them to stand next to the powerful yellow demoness, and Keltin grinned, as he said, "Say hello to Cat o' Nine Tails!"

Sarine studied this blue demoness and realized that she looked a bit less human than Moonlight Flower. She had on the same headdress, but it was blue and had two earrings coming out of one of the mask ears. She was also wearing a furry blue bikini bottom, as her skin was pink, but covered with fine fur. She had the same top as Moonlight Flower, and the same feet and arms. It almost looked like they were gloves and boots. A blue tail flicked from behind her that was attached to the bottoms. She had the bottom part of the outfit that Moonlight Flower lacked, and looked like a much more dangerous aspect of her golden counterpart, but she was actually the weaker of the two.

"She looks like a poor copy of Moonlight Flower!" Sarine blinked.

"That may be, but she's still a demoness," Keltin nodded. "There were several of them in Naght's tower, but none of them joined us."

"True," Sarine said, as Cat o' Nine Tails glowed with power.

"Sister!" Moonlight Flower giggled.

"Whatever," Cat o' Nine Tails grumbled. Doppy was grinning now with Thanatos.  _This was going to be fun to watch them interact._  As they approached the main square and headed up the steps, the dark version of Moonlight Flower ran over to them and was killed off quickly. Munak was given a special weapon called a Punisher that she could use, and Sarine was given a ring of flowers called a Puppy Love. It would fit over her head and looked very pretty. She blushed at this, but liked her Coronet better. Ifrit now moved to survey each building and every section of the place while they rested.

"Keltin," Ifrit hissed, as he moved to him. "stand where you were when the fire started. If you can. As close as possible."

"Here we go," Keltin frowned, and Sarine kissed him deeply. Howard moved to take his place on Windwalker's back, and Keltin moved to where he stood before the fire broke out. Sohee and Munak watched curiously, and Kiehl crossed his arms when he adjusted his glasses. Keltin walked over to the small shop that had burned down so long ago and stood among the wreckage. Ifrit now moved behind him to study the location. Eremes watched curiously with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Where was the girl that burned?" Ifrit asked.

"Six feet ahead of me," Keltin winced. Ifrit nodded and stood in the place of the girl.

"Do you remember anything behind her?" Ifrit asked. "I sense that the fire started there."

"What?!" Keltin blinked. "But...it was said that it started outside! In the village center!"

"No. The fire was carried outside by a strong breeze from long ago, most likely. It started in here. In this shop," Ifrit said. "Look."

He pointed at a burn mark on the ground, and Keltin moved to examine it. Then he paused, as memories spilled forth.  _A pile of paper was there long ago. Not just any papers. It was a love letter I wrote for my girl long ago to try and be romantic. I had her meet with me in the store so I could give them to her personally. We were in a book store, and I acted like I found a rather good book for her to look at. She scorned me for it after she read it and tossed the papers on the ground. She didn't want a romantic. She wanted a fighter. I tried to make it up to her by buying something for her. That was making it better, but an old rival was watching. A very jealous rival. He was the one that struck the match to land on the love notes in a jealous fit of rage. He was the one that started the fire. He died in it with her, and that was what my rival wanted. If he couldn't have her, then no one could have her._ Keltin had witnessed his old rival murder the girl and an entire village center.

"THAT BASTARD!" Keltin screamed out and fell to his knees with shock. He gasped and clutched at his chest, as he continued to rant, "He did it! He killed that girl and everyone in this town! And...that girl I liked...that I thought I loved...she never loved me! She used me! All this time...I thought..."

"Let me go to him, How-How," Sarine said. Howard nodded and helped her off of Windwalker's back. Very slowly, she moved towards him and ran her hands over her swollen belly. Keltin looked up at her, as tears of rage and grief fell from his face. He stood up and walked right over to her to pull her close and kiss her desperately. She ran her hands up his back and along his shoulders. He trembled and gazed at her.

"Sarine...I love you..." he said softly.

"I love you, too, Keltin," she smiled and hugged him tightly. She whispered in his ear, "You are my first husband. You're the one that pulled me out of a desolate part of my life. You were the one that helped me find the others. You helped me when I needed it most. Now, I'm here to help you. Talk to me, love. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay," he nodded and sat on the ground with her in his lap. He felt his twins kick at his hands, as he rubbed over her belly, and he hugged her tightly to his chest. Very slowly, he recalled how his last day long ago started with a deep breath and said, "I got up in the morning. I spent all night writing a rather long love letter. It was a good five pages long. It was something I always wanted to do, you see. So, I sent a messenger to contact the girl to meet me in the store. I'm not gonna say 'my girl' anymore. She never was after finding this out. But, anyways, I met her there, and I gave her my love letter. She read through it, and...she laughed at me.

"She told me that she wanted a fighter, not a lover. She scorned me for it and threw my letters away like garbage! She wanted me to make it up to her by buying her something expensive to make her feel better about me. So, I started to help her look for whatever she wanted. We were supposed to be getting married soon. I didn't want to lose her! I guess...with everything that happened, I thought I was getting her a wedding gift, and she was helping me pick it out. The memories were so hazy before. I knew I was the top warrior in my class, and, I guess, I always knew she was only attracted to that. I didn't care. She was bragging rights to me, in my own way. She was the Elder's daughter and extremely beautiful."

"Gotta love the Bragging Rights," Doppy chuckled. That had everyone snicker a bit, but Sarine was clearly upset about hearing this. Keltin kissed her forehead and sighed.

"I didn't see my rival, Pular, watching me. I think I saw him after he set fire to the pages of my letter. We were in a bookstore, so, he was an idiot for starting the fire there. And all of our buildings were made of wood, on top of that! As you can all see, the bookstore was practically in the center of the village. It was a popular spot, so...it...was easy for the fire to spread," Keltin frowned greatly. "He was so jealous of me! He did everything he could to try and surpass me, but he always faltered somewhere. He lost favor with our Sensei and Master when they caught him cheating at a very sacred martial arts tournament. I don't know what he was thinking that day, but I...I think I recall him...oh, no..."

"What?" Sarine asked.

"He...hugged that girl's body to him...saying that he was going to die with her! That I didn't deserve her! That she...loved him...and not me! Even after she died, he kept hugging her to burn with her! He...tried to escape with her body, but the roof caved in. So, he just stood there with her to be engulfed in the flames. I...I died on the smoke inhalation after that," Keltin grimaced. "I remember nothing else...nothing until I started to break away from Moonlight Flower. Then time passed...and I met you..."

_:Keltin.:_ Muninn said, as he reverted to his human form and sat with them. " _She was cheating on you with him. She desired Pular more than you. They had plotted to attempt to kill you that day long ago. If they failed in the attempt, he would have tried again on your wedding day. I told Howard this before. I was the one that protected your body from being destroyed in the flames. I made their plan backfire. You were needed for my sister. You were destined for her. Not for that girl in your past. My sister needed a true Warrior of Odin to be her husband. You were that true Warrior of Odin that was chosen by Father Odin, himself._

" _When Pular tried to escape the flames with her body while you lay dying, I struck the roof to have it cave in quickly to trap him in his own jealous rage. You could have escaped, but why? You would have ended up living your life miserably and with much sorrow. The girl was destined to die for her selfish acts, and Pular needed to be brought to justice. Yes, the village center burned down. But, you had to remain whole and intact for Sarine! I kept your house from burning down, too. I had to make sure that everything would be set for when you found my sister. Father Odin demanded that this be done for you to safeguard her when the time came._ "

"You...were the one that helped me get justice?" Keltin blinked.

" _I was. You were Father Odin's favorite Warrior. I told him what was going on. He was the one that decreed that I protect you so that you could be with my sister when she was to be born into the world. The two of them from your past are locked away in the deepest depths of Nifflheim. They will never be set free to be reborn or to see the joys of Valhalla. They set their spiritual paths the moment they tried to kill you and dishonor you._ "

"She was cheating on me...with Pular...that bitch!" Keltin hissed and hugged Sarine even tighter to him. "I'm glad I found this out now. I needed to know. Thank you, Muninn, for helping me get the justice I needed. And...for helping me reach Sarine."

" _You are welcome. I was also the one that helped push you in her direction when you had nowhere else to go in your wanderings through the caves. I needed to make sure that you reached her in her time of need so that she could help you in yours,_ " Muninn nodded.

"I feel so much relief now! It's...it's incredible," Keltin admitted. "To know that my true destiny was to be with Sarine. That...Odin chose me to be with her. I feel as though a weight has finally lifted from my shoulders. As though I'm no longer bound down to my past. I think the nightmares will finally leave me."

" _They will. As of now, you will have no more nightmares._ "

"Good," he nodded. "It does hurt to know that so many died over someone's jealousy."

"Well...not everyone has died," Sarine smiled. "Because of you, I am bearing twins. They are a portion of your history now. Because of you, your heritage will live."

"I love you so much!" Keltin whispered and kissed her deeply. "I...remember the love letter I wrote. Every word of it. If I wrote it for you..."

"I will read it and enjoy every bit of it. The love letter will be stored with my letters," she smiled, and he kissed her again. "She clearly didn't deserve you. Where did she die again? Where was that spot you pointed out, Ifrit?"

"Here," Ifrit hissed, as he stood two feet away from where she sat with Keltin. "They both died here. I can detect the imprints of where their bodies lay long ago."

"Good. Everyone is to do this, except for the kids. Spit on that spot!" Sarine said. Muninn laughed heartily now, as he knew the old ghosts could do nothing, and the innocent ones that died would enjoy such a thing immensely as their own form of justice. There was no honor to be held for the two that were unjust in the past.

"Won't the desecration of an unmarked grave be risky?" Nigel asked.

" _The two unjust spirits are trapped in Nifflheim. They can do nothing! The innocents trapped here will be freed by this act! Lord of Death roams the island and will also ensure that nothing comes to harm my sister. It is quite safe to do as she says!_ " Muninn grinned. Keltin nodded and stood up with Sarine to spit on the offensive spot. Sarine did the same, and the others followed suit. Seyren took it up a notch by relieving himself on it, and Doppy was almost dying with laughter with Naght and Thanatos. Howard and Kiehl were gasping for air, they were laughing so hard. Sarine had her face buried in Keltin's face, as he rocked her from their own bouts of intense laughter.

"That's horrible!" Karla smirked.

"Well, I can't do it as a monster! I may as well do something about it now, right?" Seyren grinned, as he fixed up his armor to walk over to her when he finished.

"And you didn't wash your hands?" Howard asked.

"Gross!" Kiehl sighed. "And you're hugging Karla now?"

"You both suck!" Seyren growled.

"That they can," Sarine grinned, and the Lord Knight started laughing. Howard and Kiehl blushed horribly, and Eremes started to laugh. Keltin felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders, and Sammy rested a hand on his arm to show he understood. He said before that he had no idea what happened in Payon. Now that he knew, that little bit of unsolved history could finally rest. When Nigel reverted to his Nine Tail form to move over the spot, he lifted a leg to relieve himself. Then he shocked everyone by taking a dump on it. That had Seyren laughing harder than he could have imagined.

"That's taking it to a whole new level!" Thanatos snickered.

"I don't think anything is going to grow on that spot!" Errende blinked, and Muninn was simply laughing like mad. He clearly approved of everything.

"I feel much better!" Nigel said, as he became human again.

"I'm sure you do," Sarine giggled. Keltin kissed her forehead. "Are we ready to go?"

"Stinky!" Serenity giggled with her brother. "We need to go home! Away from the stinky! Please?"

"Oh, it's not that stinky!" Nigel grinned, and they laughed at him. Howard watched how he was with them and smiled. _He truly did love my kids, too. How could anyone not love my kids?_ Kiehl chuckled, and they went through Lloyd's Warp to head to the island home.


	92. Chapter 92

When they got there, Nigel was led into the nursery to see the other four kids. Sarine was taken there soon after to nurse them. As she sat in the rocking chair and given Edward and Angela, Errende stayed at her side to monitor her belly. Aliot helped with Edward, and Byorgue helped with Angela. Drago and Maya Purple were going over what Sarine would need for the rest of the day, and Injustice and Observation were prepping meals for her.

"All right, I think I'm bled dry," Nigel said after Edward and Angela got their blood sample. Errende Healed him and gave a small nod. Sarine smiled softly and nodded. as well.

"After I give birth to Keltin's and Aliot's children, I will be impregnated with Kiehl's twins and Sammy's twins. A blood swap with me will need to be done with everyone again. I thought Maya Purple would be the last one. Apparently, it will be you," Sarine sighed. There was such gentleness to her now from the exhaustion of her pregnancy that it made him move to her side and kneel before her.

"My Lady, can I do anything for you?" he asked.

"Go to the others and learn about my life," she said. "Have Muninn show you my life in full, even. Talk to Howard and Kiehl. Talk to everyone. Learn about their lives. Then come back and see me."

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded and rose up to do just that. He was still talking to everyone when she was given Bianca and Gunther to nurse. Thanatos stood behind her, as Doppy burped Angela. Howard was helping burp Edward, and Kiehl was keeping the older twins busy with small games and stories. Angela gave out a massive belch, and everyone looked over at Doppy. Then they all laughed, and Doppy looked at Thanatos.

"Your kid," he said, and the older twins laughed again.

"More like Errende's, but, yes, my daughter, too," Thanatos grinned.

"Sarine, what did you want to do after this? We still have a bit of daylight left," Howard said. "Come to think of it, we should use more Dead Branches in the arena tonight. What do you think of that?"

"I think that could work," she nodded. "Any Bloody Branches?"

"No. But, I could see if Karla could get some in town," Howard said.

"That would be good. It would give everyone some down time, too," she smiled.

"If we summon a rogue version of you, I'm so kicking its ass!" Doppy grinned at Thanatos. Both demons snickered now, and Thanatos took his daughter from Doppy. When Doppy's twins finished nursing, Doppy took them both so Sarine could fix her top. Howard gave Edward to Keltin, and he took up Gunther to burp. Doppy held Bianca, and she looked at him with a small giggle.

"Dah!" she said. Kiehl looked over, as he smiled and chuckled.

"You better believe it!" Doppy grinned and tickled her in a completely fatherly way.

"Dah?" Edward asked, as he pointed at Thanatos. The demon grinned and nodded.

"Ma!" Angela said, as she pointed at Sarine.

"The kids are talking!" Howard grinned.

"It was around the same time yours were," Sarine smiled.

"Ma?" Gunther asked, as he looked at Sarine.

"Yes, Gunther?" Sarine asked.

"Duh!" he said, and he pointed at Doppy. Howard barked out laughter. Kiehl blinked and laughed at the thought that was sent to him.

"Oh, shut up!" Doppy said, but even he couldn't help the laugh he gave out.

"YES! The curse went to you!" Howard said, and he gasped for air.

"It's dad," Doppy said to Gunther to correct him.

"Dad!" Gunther said with a smile.

"My kids are smarter than yours," Doppy grinned.

"Serenity! Doppy said you aren't smart!" Howard said with a grin of his own.

"What?!" Serenity gaped, and Doppy started laughing again. She came over to him, and Naght rumbled with a purr. She scowled and started laughing when Doppy bent down to tickle her with a free hand. Sarine sighed and took a deep breath. Thanatos noticed it and nudged Doppy. Bianca was given to Aliot to hold, and he moved to Sarine's side to whisper a song in her ears. She leaned into him, and he kissed her forehead.

"I have awesome kids," Doppy smiled softly.

"I know," Sarine smiled. Serenity moved over to her mother now and felt her belly.

"More kicking! Um...when babies born?" she asked.

"Next week," Keltin smiled. "Mama may have to stay home after tomorrow. It's getting hard for her to walk now. And, I think it's time for you to have another nap."

"Awww!" Serenity pouted.

"If you're good, maybe we can let you watch us use some Dead Branches later tonight," Howard said. "We summon monsters with them, and you may like some of them that you see."

"Oh! Okay! Nap time now, Sig!" Serenity said.

"Nap?!" Siegfried frowned.

"Nap now so we can be up later," she said.

"Oh," he said and nodded. "Okay!"

With all of the children settled in their cribs and beds, Errende was able to rock the younger four to sleep. Maya Purple was ready to help take Sarine to the arena, and Karla was off to look for Bloody Branches with Seyren. Howard and Kiehl had to go with Sarine, since her hidden craving to see them was back in full. They had to walk next to her to keep her calm. Keltin and Aliot kept her food craving dishes with them. Injustice and Byorgue had prepared the arena balcony for her. Drago and Observation settled to stand watch.

Her husbands settled into their small thrones, and Kiehl moved to sit on a stool at her feet. With the feel of her foot pressed into his back, he gave a rather shocked sigh of relief at it. He never realized how badly he was craving this form of contact. Howard blinked at his thought and now wanted to feel it for himself. It would need to be done when the others weren't around.

Keltin sat on one side of her on the couch, and Errende had to sit on the other. Errende was needed to help keep her developing children calm. As much as he wanted to sit at Sarine's feet, even he knew that his touch had to be there at all times. It was one of the few exceptions he was given. Naght and Thanatos stayed in the nursery, but Ifrit was there to watch the fights. When he was challenged, he hissed out laughter and took out the challenger in one move.

"Idiot..." Eremes smirked.

"It keeps the money coming in," Sarine smiled. She looked over at Nigel, as he walked to her side and knelt before her. He had actually fallen to his knees. He had just finished watching the visions from Muninn. He was clearly upset and struggling with his emotions.

"Sit on the empty stool in front of her," Howard said. He easily heard her thought. Nigel moved to do just that, and he gave a cry of relief at the feel of her foot in his back. He gasped, as tears finally fell from the emotions he was repressing. He was incredibly troubled and enraged by what he learned about her. She leaned down and carefully moved her hand under his chin to caress him lovingly. He leaned into her touch, and it calmed him down rather quickly. The only thought that ran through his mind was that she was safe and with him. He reached up and took the Kitsune mask off to let her fully caress his face.

"He read the letters," Doppy winced. "I bet he saw the visions, too."

"Is it that obvious? I was there for the letters. The visions were...something else..." Nigel muttered and fell silent at Sarine's soft caresses. As long as he knew that she was safe, and that he was serving her, he was able to finally start relaxing.

"I'm okay now," Sarine said with a loving smile.

"I know," he said with his own heavy sigh, and he leaned into her hand. When he licked the palm of her hand, he paused with a hard blush. He was in his human form. Not his Nine Tail form. She found herself giggling at him, and the others snickered. "I'll need to remember to change forms before doing something like that."

"I don't mind licking in other places," she said with a wicked grin. That got him grinning right back at her, and more snickers were given. He was still a touch distressed, and she continued to comfort and caress him. At the looks the challengers gave him, it was only clear that he was a new monster in her fold.

"Who is that?!" a challenger asked.

"He is Nine Tail. He is in no mood to be challenged right now," Sammy said. "As main judge, my decision is final!"

"You're a judge?! Hah!" another challenger gloated. Sammy's ghost came out to howl with rage to show that he was Incantation Samurai. And now he was completely pissed off.

"Sammy," Sarine whispered to him.

"Yes?" he asked. She pulled him down to kiss him and whisper in his ear. Howard and Kiehl grinned, as Sammy barked out laughter. Then he glared down at the challengers and said, "Whoever wants to challenge me, go into the center of the arena now! All payment fees will be waved for this!"

Several challengers did as he said, but a few of the smarter ones knew better than to challenge Sarine's men. Dracula grinned from the judge's seat, and he nodded to Sammy when he was ready. The moment the fight started, it was over. Sammy did his mass skill of random ailments and slaughtered them all. Lloyd and Margaretha ran down to Resurrect the fallen and cart them off to the loser's circle.

"Nice!" Doppy grinned wickedly. Nigel was in a comforted trance now, and she had moved her hand to massage through his hair. It felt like incredibly soft fur, and she was definitely enjoying it. Kiehl looked over the challengers, as he pressed more into her foot, and he blinked with hatred at a particular group. Howard growled, and Naght was soon coming from the house to help.

"Who do you see?" Eremes asked.

"The four assholes from Jawaii. The second time we went there. They came here," Howard hissed. Eremes narrowed his eyes, but turned to see Donnie running over to the challengers now. The others were a bit surprised and decided to wait to see what would happen.

"Thomas! What the hell are you doing here?!" Donnie scowled.

"Donnie? Well, I'll say!" Thomas grinned. His soft, dark blond hair was tied back and tucked under a wide-brimmed brown hat called a Western Grace. His baby blue eyes studied his friend with amusement, as he shook his hand and said, "It's been a couple years, hasn't it?"

"Why are you here?" Donnie asked again. "You shouldn't be here!"

"Why not? We are here as competitors! Surely, that won't matter, right?" Thomas asked. "Besides, I'm sure we will win."

"Who do you plan to challenge?" Donnie asked slowly.

"Oh, one of the few on the balcony there. No big deal."

"Ah, yes it is. They will slaughter you. They are all upgraded by Odin, himself. Don't touch them. I'm warning you as an old friend, and as someone who holds those guys in high regard. I've known Sarine, the princess up there, for a long time. She's one of my best friends. With her being pregnant by them, they will tear you limb from limb with how overprotective they are! Trust me on this one, Thomas. Don't mess with them, or you'll regret it," Donnie warned. He knew that he didn't know Sarine that long, but he always kept such trifle details on a back burner. What was important now was to keep his friend out of danger.

"I hear your warning. I do know that the large one with the intricate armor, somewhat glowing red eyes, and dark shade over him did...well...take all four of us out in one hit. But, we weren't armored! We have a chance now that we are prepared!"

"That's Doppelganger. He never loses. Ever. Don't challenge him or anyone up there. Just trust me, okay?" Donnie sighed.

"Doppelganger?! That's the guy that messed us up?!" Charles asked. As the Champion, he was itching for revenge at what happened.

"Ah. You were probably comatose and didn't realize who he was when he said his name to you. At least, he normally says who he is after he kills someone. Oh, well! Good luck! I'll be sure to put some nice, red roses on your funeral grave before he pisses on it," Donnie shrugged. The High Wizard and the Whitesmith stared at him with disbelief.

"You're...serious. Aren't you?" Thomas asked.

"As serious as saying that Doppelganger has the 'Perfect Voice' that's been going around. He has it. Sarine has it, too. When they sing together, it's...hard to describe. But, they all know you four are here. You will all die, if you challenge any of them. Oh, look. There's Naght Seiger. He's pissed. Yep! You're all screwed! Take care now!" Donnie grinned and walked away shaking his head. The four challengers stared at the massive blue and red demon, as he roared and belched out flames with challenge. Naght did pause to give a small nod to Donnie, and the Clown nodded back with a shrug to show that he tried to talk sense into them. That small gesture of neutrality clearly told Thomas that Donnie was telling the truth. _Donnie was friends with the powerful group, and his warning was a bright, red flag._

"Wait, Donnie!" Thomas said. "I'm reconsidering your offer! We should stop!"

"We're already at this point! We may as well try!" Gilbert said, as he adjusted his cloak. He started to go over what spells he could use.

"We can't kill that thing!" Diego frowned. As a Whitesmith, there was only so much he could do to help them. Naght seethed in hatred and paused, as Sarine called to him. Letting out a rumbling purr, the four stared in shock when the massive demon went to her, sank his swords into the balcony floor, lifted her up, and gently cuddled her. She pressed her forehead into his chest, and he continued to purr. Doppy chuckled with the others and turned a glaring gaze back to the four challengers that dared to come to the arena.

"What the hell?!" Charles gaped.

"He's my mate. Why wouldn't he love me? Or I him?" she smiled.

"Are you a monster whore?" Diego asked. Thomas blinked at him with shock and backed away, as all of Sarine's men screamed with outrage. Even the crowd went deathly silent at this. Dracula was fuming and made no plans to judge this fight.  _It was now a free for all._

"Now he's dead," Donnie sighed, and Egnigem gave a wince. Gilbert gaped at the sight of fourteen pissed off males getting ready to jump off the balcony to tear into them. Naght set her back down gently, pulled his swords out of the balcony floor, and howled his hatred with a billowing fireball in their direction.

"Stop!" Sarine said and took a deep breath to focus. Errende pressed his hands to her belly, and Doppy redirected his attention to her to softly sing into her ear. Leaning into him, they helped her stand. Nigel was glaring with complete hatred at Diego.

"I want to kill him!" Nigel snarled out.

"And I want you to kill him, too," she crooned. He looked at her with a wry smile, and she winked, as she said, "I haven't seen what you have been upgraded with, anyways."

That made Nigel grin savagely, and the others howled with laughter. He kissed her fiercely before jumping down to the arena floor. His Kitsune mask was set back on the side of his head to show what he was. Then he reverted to his Nine Tail form and sat down on his haunches to glare at the Whitesmith with black onyx eyes and a fanged grin. His nine tails flicked as though taunting him to come out and challenge him.

"Just a Nine Tail?! This will be easy!" Diego grinned and moved out to accept the challenge. Dracula nodded and announced the fight to begin. Nigel Teleported behind Diego and did a savage Sonic Blow to his back. The Whitesmith screamed in shock, turned, and fought back. With a shake of his tails, he ran Diego around in circles until he got dizzy and attacked him again. Nigel's Nine Tail body was already three times larger than normal. Now his form suddenly glowed to grow three times larger than this. He could easily carry others now. His fangs quadrupled in size, and his claws become razor sharp. He howled and Stunned the Whitesmith. Then he tore into him with teeth and claws with a savage, animalistic glee.

"Valkyrie upgraded him even more in the middle of a fight!" Howard blinked with a grin. "Awesome! I wonder if his human form has anything?"

Nigel heard him and gave a harsh chuckle, as he became human again. He focused, and three rings of elemental Fire appeared around him. Then the rings became Fireballs and shot at the Whitesmith to tear into him. Then he focused again, and the rings of Fire became rings of Ice. He could turn the rings into various elemental attacks. When the High Wizard ran out to defend his friend, Nigel growled in warning at him. It went unheeded. When the High Wizard cast his Fireball, the rings became Fire again, and the attack had no effect. The rings had absorbed the attack. The High Wizard tried to use his skill of Heaven's Drive, and the rings turned into small pebbles for Earth. The attack was easily nullified again.

"Wow!" Keltin blinked.

"Those rings..." Sammy said, as he studied them. "They are almost like a Professor's elemental attack for weapons. At the same time, he's protected against that particular element. A very deadly slave, indeed! And with two forms!"

When the Champion tried to help out, it was now three on one. Nigel didn't even blink, as Aliot and Observation went down to help him. Thomas wasn't moving from his spot in the challenger's line, and Donnie nodded to him, grateful that his warning was at least listened to by him. Thomas watched the three slaves easily counter and attack his three now former friends. Aliot cut into Gilbert with his blades when he was distracted by Nigel's Ice attacks. Observation blocked Charles's Asura Strike and reflected the attack back onto him with a flick of his wings. That had Doppy laughing like mad. No one knew that Observation could do that. He didn't even have to use the green, vine-like whip that encircled him. His current attack did far more damage. When it was down to the Whitesmith, Byorgue jumped down with his face mask on and moved in front of the other three slaves.

"Apologize to her! NOW!" Byorgue snarled out. "Or we all slaughter you!"

"Then kill me! I'm not apologizing!" Diego scowled.

"Why? Because she found you unattractive?!" Maya Purple asked with a seething hiss. He skittered over behind the Whitesmith, and his new pincers were ready to reach out and grab him. This had the crowd cheering at his upgrade, and Maya Purple crossed his arms in front of his chest. Drago managed to get down to the arena floor, and he hissed his hatred at the man. Injustice wasted no time to show he was far different from the others of his kind by being faster and far more agile. They were all ready to tear into the human, as they circled him.

"I wanna skin him!" Doppy snarled.

"I should see if my electric chairs work," Kiehl mused. Sarine looked at him with such a warm smile that he kissed her passionately.

"I really hate locking people up," she whispered into his ear, and he shivered. "If they come back after today, then I can see us imprisoning them. I don't want to look like an evil princess, you know. I can't have that."

"But...he insulted you..." Kiehl muttered, as he kissed her again.

"Lots of people are going to insult me. We can't imprison them all," she nuzzled against his jaw, and he pressed his mouth against her ear.

"Sarine..." he hissed, and he kissed her again. Howard blinked and grinned. Her craving for her men had returned in full. Byorgue looked up at the balcony and seemed to chuckle now.

"What is it?" Nigel asked. Byorgue went to whisper into his ear, and Nigel's mouth dropped. He had no idea that she was craving sex right now.

"Finish that guy off! They can come back to fight normally, but, if they challenge us again, they will be imprisoned," Sammy said. "It has been decided!"

"Time to die!" Byorgue grinned at Diego and jumped onto him to stab him several times. Maya Purple waited for the Whitesmith to fall to his knees before trampling over him to finish him off. Then her slaves nodded for a job well done and went to join Sarine on the balcony. As the curtains were pulled closed, Thomas went to talk to Donnie, grateful that he took his friend's advice. As the two Clowns talked, the roar of the crowd for the other fights covered the cries that Sarine gave to her men. Her appetite was insatiable now, and Nigel was experiencing what pain and pleasure was.

"Keep going," Sarine hissed in his ear, and he simply had to obey her. "Don't stop! I know you can keep going a bit longer for me!"

Even as pain and pleasure wracked his body, he kept pushing himself more and more until Sarine told him he did enough. Leaning against her now, as he panted and whimpered, she whispered how proud she was of him. She let him rest with her before letting Howard lift her up to take her back to the house to finish off her craving. Kiehl moved after him with Errende, and Naght Seiger wasn't far behind them to get back to the nursery. Byorgue slapped Nigel on the back, and he gasped from the pain of it.

"You'll get used to it," Aliot grinned.

"Sure," Nigel winced. Sammy chuckled and continued to watch the fights with the others. In the house, Sarine had Kiehl in a deep kiss of passion, as Howard was furiously taking her. When she cried out her release, and Howard howled his, she was hugged tight by them both.

"Why?" she asked softly, and they both looked at her, as they were gasping for breath.

"What?" Howard asked.

"Why do I crave to see you both now?" she asked. Kiehl swallowed and looked at Howard. Howard gave a small shrug and a grin.

"Because you love us. And because we make you laugh!" Howard chuckled.

"But...there has to be something more," she frowned.

"No," Howard and Kiehl said together. That made her smile, and they both hugged her.

"Admit it," Kiehl smiled. "You came to find me when I was gone for two weeks. The three of us are bonded. We are your True Mates. Why wouldn't you want to see us?"

"True," she nodded and kissed them both one at a time. Then she thought.

"No!" Howard said. "I draw the line there!"

"Ah, yeah," Kiehl grimaced. "A group kiss would be...eh...no."

Sarine started laughing, and they chuckled.

"I see him as my twin, but not that close," Howard said and hugged her tightly. Kiehl looked at him with a form of relief on his face, and Howard could only agree at his quick thinking.  _We can't let Sarine know of her pregnancy._ She kissed each of them again before they helped her dress, and Errende came right into the room to place his hands on her belly.

"My Lady, are you sure about Einbech tomorrow? I am worried," Errende frowned.

"About what?" she asked. Howard and Kiehl watched him now.

"Muninn said that I was to always keep my hands on your belly at all times. That I cannot remove them from you. I think we shouldn't go until your children are born. You are struggling enough, as it is. Einbech isn't going anywhere, My Lady. And, if we are using Dead Branches and Bloody Branches, we may not even need to go. The right monsters may be summoned for us. I do understand that you want to go to see what the place is like, too, but I honestly think that it should wait," Errende said carefully. She thought to herself, and Howard blinked with Kiehl. She was carefully weighing her options. Then she pulled Errende close by his collar and planted a kiss on him that left him gasping for air.

"You have made your point," she nodded. Howard gave her a squeeze, and Kiehl smiled.

"I'm glad...My Lady..." he panted. Then she looked at him and smiled, as Howard gaped. Kiehl gave a small groan, and she dragged Errende closer by his collar to whisper to him. What she wanted him to do shocked her True Mates to the core.

"Sarine, you'll kill him!" Howard growled.

"He can't handle it!" Kiehl hissed.

"I'll do my best!" Errende snarled at them both. He completely shocked the two men, as he did exactly what he was told to do. There was a reason that he was her First Slave. He always did whatever she asked and never questioned it. He actually managed to satisfy her while imitating Howard's lust. Thanatos was waiting just outside the bathroom door with a bit of a grin on his face at the accomplishment. He walked in the moment Errende roared out his release.

"Good job, Errende," Thanatos nodded. "Hopefully, what I lent you was enough?"

"Yes...Lord...Thanatos..." Errende said weakly. He was clearly out of breath now, and Sarine rocked him until he was well enough to move.

"You lent him your lust?!" Howard blinked.

"Yes. It was the only way to do it properly," Thanatos nodded.

"Very nice," Kiehl chuckled.

"Good call on staying home tomorrow," Thanatos nodded. "There may be a storm appearing in Einbech. It wouldn't have been safe for you."

"A storm?" Sarine blinked, and Kiehl hugged her tight with Howard. Kiehl now felt how afraid she was of the after-effects of a massive thunder charge.

"She stays home!" Howard and Kiehl said together.

"How do you know of a storm?" Sarine asked.

"We demons tend to have our ways," Thanatos said. "That...and eh...Muninn told me. So, we are staying here until your kids are born."

Muninn flew in from the window and became human to talk to them now.

" _It's true. I didn't even realize a storm may be coming. It may also be hitting this island tomorrow night. Sarine needs to sleep in the safe room below. Otherwise, she will wake to a rather horrific nightmare that could jeopardize her health. Tonight will be safe. But, tomorrow night, we must keep her calm at all times,_ " Muninn said.

"Right!" Howard nodded.

"I'll tell the others at the arena. Just keep her here. They'll be here shortly," Thanatos said. "Or, was there something else you wanted to do?"

"I wanted to use Dead Branches at the arena tonight," Sarine said.

"Ah! We can do that," Thanatos nodded. "But, first, you should feed our kids. Serenity and Siegfried are still sleeping."

"Okay," she nodded. She was taken to the nursery to feed the four that needed to nurse.

"Sarine," Alexander said, as he flew over to her. He respectfully remained just outside the privacy wall. He knew she could hear him.

"Yes?" she asked.

"There is something I need to ask Muninn," he said.

" _I'm right here. Go ahead and ask,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in.

"The storm that's coming will come here, right?" he asked.

" _Yes. Tomorrow night it will be here,_ " Muninn said.

"Are you sure it's tomorrow night? I'm only asking, because I feel one coming now. Since I'm a flyer, I have a sense for these things. It's about two hours off. It may not be as bad as the one for tomorrow, but I still feel it."

" _Really?! Let me check!_ " Muninn said, and he shifted into his falcon form. He flew out the balcony window to test the air waves. A few minutes later, he came back and reverted to his human form. He looked highly pissed off.

"What happened?" Howard asked.

" _Alexander is right. There is a storm coming tonight. It makes no sense as to why I couldn't see it! What's going on?!_ " Muninn scowled.

"I think...I know what it is," Sarine thought. Howard's jaw dropped, and Kiehl blinked with disbelief. Errende and Thanatos looked at each other now.

" _What do you think it is?_ " Muninn asked. She gestured for him to come close to her.

"Do you see me as your sister right now?" she asked in a hushed whisper to keep from being overheard by the others.

" _I...damn it!_ " Muninn whispered back. " _I can't let you feed from me! With your quadruplets, it would be too risky!_ "

"I took blood from you before with quadruplets," she said.

" _But...there is a difference with you right now. It's not safe. It's the Rage from Keltin in you. My blood...may cause a side effect to it._ "

"Really?" Sarine blinked. Muninn knew that it would, too.  _It would cause her hidden pregnancy to be revealed, and the Rage would force them to grow._  It was a full truth, and Sarine knew he couldn't lie to her.

"It's true," Howard said with a frown.

"We don't want Keltin's Rage to react with the blood you take from him. Think about it. Keltin's Rage came from Valkyrie. Muninn's blood is from Valhalla. What would happen if the two tried to merge? It could be catastrophic!" Kiehl said.

"Okay. Sex then," she mused. That had Howard grinning with a form of relief.

" _I think we can work out an agreement with that,_ " Muninn nodded.

"Let me finish nursing the children. But, there is a storm coming?" she asked.

" _Yes, there is. It's not a big one, but it could have the same effects. All storms tend to with you, so it would be safe to simply stay underground in the house. You know, we could ask Tao Gunka to build a room for using Dead Branches and Bloody Branches. What do you think? This way it's underground, and it can help pass the time during a storm._ "

"I'll talk to Storm Caller when you're done being with Sarine," Thanatos grinned. "And I'll get the others here. This way, if something happens, I'll be nearby."

"Good," Sarine smiled. Once Doppy's twins finished feeding, she took up Errende's twins and nursed them. They weren't very hungry, so it was quick. Back in her bedroom, Thanatos, Errende, Howard, Kiehl, and Muninn sat around the room. Muninn froze time and walked over to Sarine.

" _I haven't tried a bed yet,_ " he mused.

"Oh?" she chuckled. Errende helped her undress, and Muninn let his armor fade away.

"I want my clothes to do that!" Howard frowned. Kiehl laughed at him, and Howard made a face at him.

" _It can be pretty convenient!_ " Muninn grinned.

"I told him the same thing," Thanatos smirked. Sarine smiled at that and sent a small image to Howard. Both Howard and Kiehl winced at it.

"That's not fair!" Howard muttered.

"What wasn't fair?" Errende asked.

"She's tempting us," Kiehl sighed. Muninn was simply laughing at them both, and they responded by crossing their arms over their chests at the same time.

"Shut up!" they both said at once before scowling at each other.

"Muninn, come here," Sarine said, and he did as she asked while they were distracted. The moment he claimed her, they released hard together. Right after that, he had her move on all fours, and he took her this way. When they released again for each other, he pulled her up so her back was against his chest, and he hugged her tightly to him. He rested his forehead against her shoulder and she sighed.

"Sarine, don't ask him to do that," Howard said. "It's not safe to let him drink your blood, and you know this!"

" _What?! Sarine, you know that can't happen!_ " Muninn said with his jaw dropped, as he lightly turned her to face him. " _It's okay for me to give you blood, but I simply cannot take any of yours! You only do this with your husbands, mates, and slaves. I do not apply to any of them! I am your brother when out of this state. It simply is not done!_ "

"I know," she smiled. "I was just thinking about it. It won't happen."

" _Good!_ "

"Muninn...is time frozen?" Sarine asked. She actually felt a breeze in the air.

" _It should be. I know I froze time,_ " Muninn said. " _My spear is still glowing as proof!_ "

"Then something is around us," she said, and Howard used Sammy's bracelet to focus. He didn't see anything around them, but he knew Sarine felt a breeze, since her thoughts confirmed it. Kiehl gave a small growl. Errende frowned and used his skill of Ruwach. This revealed a tiny orb of light, and Muninn hissed.

" _Loki! You have no right to be here! Leave now before I bring Father Odin here!_ " Muninn snarled out, as he pulled Sarine fully into his embrace to cover her nudity with his. Loki's soft, seductive laugh filtered through their minds before the small orb winked out.

"How the hell did he get here with time frozen?!" Howard scowled.

"And why couldn't we Detect him when Errende could?" Kiehl frowned.

"I want to kill that thing!" Thanatos growled.

" _Errende is a High Priest with a purity about him. Loki is able to be revealed by those that have never done any true ill in their lives, or have had horrific pasts that forced them into their roles. It's how Sarine was able to feel him. She couldn't see him, but she knew she felt something. She is much like Errende this way. I think that is why Loki is attracted to her. She is exceptionally innocent in how she was brought up. Or, it could just be the fact that she is a daughter of Father Odin. Even I am not sure of what Loki thinks most of the time. It is also told that those with exceptionally high Holy properties can reveal him. This also proves it, since Errende's skill of Ruwach is a form of Holy Detection and attack._ "

"I still want him to die!" Thanatos snapped. She trembled, and Howard moved to carefully pull her into his embrace. She leaned into him heavily and pressed her head into his neck. He knew she was scared now. Kiehl moved to her other side and let her press her back into his chest so that he could help comfort her.

" _I'm bringing time back to contact Father Odin,_ " Muninn said, and he let his armor reappear. Standing tall now, he let time come back, and he closed his eyes. With the message delivered, and an angry Odin on high alert, he turned with a nod to face them, as he said, " _Father Odin is most displeased! Loki should not be able to come into a time freeze, but he did. Loki is starting to abuse his power. Father Odin is contacting him now to call him out on it, but I doubt that Loki will show. He tends to do his own thing. Huginn should be on guard in case he tries to do anything with the children._ "

"My...babies?" Sarine whimpered, and Howard hissed, as he held her.

"Nothing will happen to our kids!" Kiehl said quickly. Alexander flew into the room quickly with a furious form of rage on his face, and he moved to smack his hammer at something in the air. A shriek of pain was heard, and a bit of an odd heaviness lifted from the room.

"I saw him. I took care of him," Alexander said, as his form straightened while he hovered on his black wings. "Observation will have the same ability that I do. To see Loki and push him back. Lord Odin will see to it. This was also told to me by Lord Odin, too. I'll protect the nursery, and Observation will protect you."

"Thank you, Alexander," Sarine trembled. He flew over to let her give him a hug, and he kissed her cheek. When Howard cleared his throat, Alexander chuckled and flew back out to the nursery to guard it.

"He still likes her?" Kiehl frowned.

"Yes. But, Odin won't let him touch her," Howard nodded. "After what he did to try to get close to her before..."

"What?" Thanatos asked. Kiehl looked at Howard, and his jaw dropped.

"How-How..." she whimpered, and he hugged her to him even more.

"How could he do that?!" Kiehl scowled.

"Do what? Tell me!" Thanatos hissed. Kiehl told him what he learned from Howard, and how Sarine was exceptionally afraid of heights.

"He...kidnapped her? From her room?" Errende blinked.

" _He has made amends this way. Leave it be. He has not done such a thing since,_ " Muninn said lightly. Thanatos nodded, but he was still very disgruntled.

"Mama?" Serenity asked, as she peeked into the room. Howard was still hugging Sarine close, but she was nude. Kiehl and Errende both moved to dress her quickly and lay Sarine back in the bed. Serenity climbed up onto the bed, and Siegfried followed right after to hug her. Thanatos chuckled and now moved from the room to get the others from the arena. She was moved down to the underground room shortly after with her children. Howard told Serenity and Siegfried that a storm was coming, and that Sarine didn't like storms.

"They can scare her sometimes," Kiehl said.

"Mama gets scared?" Serenity frowned.

"Yes. She has nightmares with storms. It's something that happened when she was little a long time ago," Howard said. "It gets very bad."

"No Dead Branches?" Siegfried asked.

"Tao Gunka is making a special room for them," Kiehl chuckled. "We'll still have Dead Branches to play with. But, you guys need to stay with us to be safe."

"Okay," Serenity nodded. Errende was helping Sarine down the stairs through the main house, and Max looked over at them. Howard explained what was going on, and the Paladin nodded with understanding. Coraline moved swiftly to gather the others just as Thanatos came back in with Sarine's loves from the arena.

"How is she?" Doppy asked.

"She's fine," Kiehl said. Errende had his hands on Sarine's belly, as she was led into the room next to the workshop. Once she was settled on the pillows, she noticed a new door was in the wall here. It led to the chamber that resembled a smaller arena setting for Dead Branches and Bloody Branches to be used.

"Awesome! We won't even have to wait for the arena to close with this!" Kathryne said, as she inspected the chamber. Mitchell was clearly amused. Karla and Seyren had finally come back from their trip to town, and Eremes told them what the new plans were.

"No Einbech tomorrow, and a nasty storm is coming. Makes sense," Seyren nodded. "Where is everyone right now?"

"Safe room. Down below. An underground chamber is made for using Dead Branches and Bloody Branches," Eremes said. "It's better this way."

"Yes, it is," Seyren agreed. Nigel walked over to Sarine, and she hugged him tightly to her. He pressed a kiss on her mouth and smiled.

"How did you think I did?" he asked. She ran a hand through his golden, fur-like hair, and he closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation.

"In the arena, you were superb. On the balcony, it was perfection," she smiled and ran her hand up his chest through the white kimono. Some of the pain and pleasure came back to him, and he started to pant with want. She looked around and smiled at Errende. She was given a leash, and she clipped it on Nigel to lead him into the stone bathroom. Serenity and Siegfried giggled to each other, and they started laughing when Howard and Kiehl tickled them to distract them. Injustice and Byorgue thought. They looked at each other and grinned.

"He needs slave clothes," Byorgue said.

"I'll find Incubus," Drago nodded, as he left. In the stone bathroom, Sarine was hugging Nigel close, as he released hard inside her. He rested against her with a sigh. She could tell that something was bothering him, and she asked him to speak his mind.

"I was ready to kill Lilah in the caves!" Nigel growled.

"Why is that?" she frowned.

"She wanted me for herself. She felt...dirty to me. I was disgusted by her. I still am disgusted by her. Just thinking of how she wanted me it...rankled," Nigel frowned.

"Well, you belong to me now," Sarine muttered, and she yanked on his leash to pull his face close. Kissing him passionately until they were both gasping for air, he nodded.

"Yes. I belong to you. I'm yours. All of me. Everything I have to give," he whispered, and she let him take her again. He brought her to an intense release and covered her mouth with his, as she cried out with him. He wanted to have children with her. He was sure the others that didn't have them with her did, too. After telling her this, she smiled warmly and kissed him gently, as she pressed into him more. She traced a finger over his Kitsune mask, and he smiled.

"You will in time," she smiled and let him run a hand over her large belly. He chuckled, as the children growing in her kicked at him. "Have you heard me sing yet?"

"No, My Lady. I haven't," he smiled.

"Okay. I'm sure the others are there, and I'm even surer that Errende is worried sick about not being in here with me. Help me out there, please?" she asked. He nodded and fixed up his kimono quickly to help her dress, and she unclipped his leash. He helped her out to the main stone chamber, and Errende was right there to place his hands on her belly.

"My Lady, we were discussing slave clothes for Nigel," Errende said.

"Oh!" she said with a soft blush. "Yes. He does need them."

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said, as he moved to her side to easily lift her up into his arms.

"What is it, Doppy?" she asked. He looked at the others before taking her into the stone bathroom. She gave a small gasp of surprise, and Howard grinned with Kiehl.

"I miss you," Doppy whispered to her. He set her down, dropped his armor off himself, and ran his hands over her form. Then he started to undress her quickly.

"Doppy!" she gasped at him, and he gazed at her.  _First Mate._  She couldn't fight him, much less complain. Moving himself over her, he thrust sharply into her with a harsh moan. He needed her more than anything now, and she let him take her as he pleased. He gave a sharp roar when she cried out, and he crushed her to his chest. Purring now, he simply reclined with her on the ground. She ran a hand up his long, lean chest, and he shivered.

"What is it?" he whispered hoarsely, as he gazed at her.

"I just...find it amazing. That you...this bloodthirsty, human-hating beast of a demon...loves me. Of all the people in the world," she smiled.

"Well, you helped me out in the past. Once you did that it, well...showed you were different. That...you actually cared about me. A bloodthirsty, hateful demon that will slaughter anything in my path," he grinned. "And now...you gave me children. Two beautiful twins. You do know that I'm going to want more from you, right?"

"Oh, I know. And don't forget about the other kids, too!" she smiled. He gave a rather warm, gentle smile back to her and held her close. His long arms easily wrapped around her form to keep her close to his chest.

"Everyone is gathering in there. What did you want to do?" he asked.

"I was hoping to sing for a bit," she smiled.

"Really? Should I sing with you?"

"If you want. I'll be singing some old songs that you won't know. Sammy might know them. I doubt that Donnie would."

"You have me interested. Any specific language?"

"Well..." she frowned. "I think it's the traditional language of Amatsu. It's been...so long since I last heard it, though. I'm sure that Sammy can correct me, if I get it wrong."

"Teach me the songs, and I'll sing with you."

"I have to sing them first!"

"True," he grinned and kissed her passionately, as he mated with her again. Then he saw she was troubled, and he frowned, as he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I...think there is something that no one is telling me. About How-How and Kiehl," she said. "There's something going on."

"If there was, you'd know that I'd tell you," he said. "Besides, they can both piss off."

"Doppy!" she said with a mild glare, and he grinned at her. He wasn't going to talk about her hidden pregnancy. He knew that any more children growing within her would hurt her, and he didn't want to feel her pain. It was only that obvious. Helping her dress before he dressed himself now, he carried her back out to the others. Thanatos took her carefully with Errende to seat her on ultra-soft cushions for her back. Sammy could tell that she was straining and needed the extra support for her hips.

"She's too smart," Howard muttered.

"Tell me about it!" Doppy growled. "Hopefully, I was able to keep her mind off of it for now. I don't want to feel the pain she'd go through. I get enough of that all ready. Normally, we can't lie to her, since monsters can't lie. I simply diverted away from the question."

"Very true," Kiehl nodded and watched Sarine getting pampered and fed by her slaves. Observation was hovering protectively over her now. Alexander had a long talk with the fellow angel, and they were both on high alert for Loki's presence. Once Sarine was cared for, she started to relax. Then she jumped at the sound of the storm crashing over the house.

"You're safe!" Kiehl said, as he moved to hug her.

"Nothing will hurt you!" Howard muttered, and he let her press into him. Keltin moved to her side and sighed. He ran a hand over her belly to chuckle at the kicks given to him.

"Sarine, I'll be right back," Keltin said. "I want to do something for you."

"Oh. Okay," she nodded. He moved from her side to write out the love letter he made so long ago. He wanted to give it to her. Munak bounced in with Incubus at her side, and she blushed when everyone giggled. Incubus planted a kiss on her cheek, and Munak smiled.

"Hopefully, Incubus is being kind to you?" Sammy asked.

"I am," Incubus said lightly with a nod. That made everyone pause. He never spoke to them before in an outright way. Sarine smiled and sighed.

"My Lady, we were thinking of a form of black leather shorts for him with silk briefs," Aliot said, as he sat by her. She thought and nodded.  _Shorts weren't really used yet._ White leather was decided on with gold trim to match Nigel's hair. She nodded at this decision and blinked, as Doppy sat down next to her, Howard, and Kiehl.

"When did you want to sing?" he asked. She smiled and called Sammy over. Eremes looked over with Ifrit, and he leaned against a wall to listen. Then Eremes looked down and smiled, as Siegfried wanted to be picked up. Letting the boy cuddle into him, Eremes turned his attention back to Sarine.

"Sammy, do you remember some of the old songs from Amatsu? In the old language?" she asked. Sammy thought and narrowed his eyes.

"I think I do. Which one did you have in mind?" he asked.

"Um," she thought and hummed a few bars. He thought and smiled.

"I know that one. Do you want me to sing it? Or whisper the words to you?" he asked.

"Whisper the words," she nodded. "And you two don't blurt them out!"

"Got it!" Howard and Kiehl said together before scowling. They got laughed at, and they both sighed as one. Sammy moved to her side and softly whispered the song she wanted. Howard was surprised. He knew that song, too.

"I haven't heard that song in years!" Howard blinked.

"Well...I heard it being whistled outside my...room...a long time ago," she frowned. He hugged her tightly, and Kiehl pressed a kiss to her cheek. Naght came into the room, and Serenity wanted him to hold her. Purring deeply, he picked up his daughter to let her cuddle into him. Donnie wanted to hear this song and made ready to listen. Thomas was even there, much to everyone's grudging surprise, but he had promised that he would not be a burden.

Once she had the words to the song, she started to sing softly. The language was different, but Howard gave a small smile. He knew the language of Amatsu, since he was born there, and Kiehl understood it, too, from Howard's memories. The song was light-hearted and filled with hope. Nigel was in shock that she could sing like this, and Thomas was no better. Doppy was completely enchanted by the song, and Donnie was plucking the strings on his guitar to follow the tune. Sammy started to whistle to mimic a flute, and Thomas found himself tapping his foot to make a base drum for them. When the song ended, they were all applauded.

"Amazing!" Thomas blinked, as he thought over the words. "The way she sings is...perfection! I've never heard anything like it!"

"Told you so," Donnie muttered, as he tuned his guitar. "And she can play instruments, too. She is the Vessel of Odin."

"What?!" Thomas gaped. Donnie handed Sarine his guitar, and she picked at the strings to form a complex, yet beautiful melody before handing it back to him. Thomas was stunned. Then Doppy grinned and decided to shock the human even more. He started to sing and let his rough voice even out to let his true voice shine through. Sarine giggled and started to sing with him. Thomas was floored. He didn't believe the rumors. After the song was done, she blushed at the applauding and praises she got from her friends. Then a sharp, thundering boom shook the house foundations, and she squeaked with fear.

"It's okay!" Howard said, as he hugged her.

"That one was loud!" Kiehl growled. "I thought it was a small storm tonight?!"

"Where is Muninn?!" Eremes asked. Sammy thought, and the falcon flew down to land and shift human to talk to them.

"Muninn?" Thomas blinked.

" _Yes. I'm Sarine's brother. Keep behaving yourself as you are, and you'll be fine,_ " Muninn said before directing his attention to his sister. Sitting on the ground in front of her, he put her hands in his warmly, as he said, " _The heart of the storm is over us now. In ten minutes, the storm will pass. You are safe here. Don't worry._ "

"Okay," she nodded. Then she smiled when he didn't leave, and he moved to sit behind her to help comfort her. Incubus had finally finished making the shorts and briefs to hand over to Nigel. Whispering to Munak, she blushed, and he led her up to the house.

"So, they got together?" Keltin asked, as they passed him from the stairs. Sarine chuckled, and Doppy smirked, as he told him that he missed her singing. Keltin blinked and said, "I missed her singing?! Damn it! Ah, well...I had something important that I had to do before I forgot. I wanted to get everything written while it was fresh in my head."

"Really, Keltin?" Sarine smiled. Keltin walked over to her and sat in front of her. Five sheets of paper were seen in his hands, and he looked worried.

"It turns out that I didn't write these for that girl. I...I wrote them for you," he said. "As I was writing the words down again...I found out why she laughed at me. I was...describing you in my letters. I think she laughed, because...she knew that I wasn't writing about her. So..."

"It's okay, Keltin," Sarine said with a loving smile. He leaned over and kissed her deeply before handing her the papers. She read them silently and found herself blushing softly. Then she started to blush more and more. Then even more. It got to a point that she was clearing her throat to keep herself composed. Howard whistled, as he listened to her thoughts on what she was reading, and Kiehl was clearing his throat, too, at a few of the passages that were written down. Muninn was trembling with laughter, since he knew what was going to happen next.

"Keltin, take her into the bathroom now before she hurts herself trying to grab you," Howard said lightly, and Keltin found himself grinning.

"Um...I don't really want anyone else to read them..." Keltin said with a touch of embarrassment. "Of course, slaves, mates, and husbands are exempt from the rule..."

"Why can't we read them?" Seyren frowned.

"Keltin has a touch of a filthy mind," Kiehl grinned. Doppy blinked and was given the papers to read, and Keltin helped Sarine into the bathroom. After he finished reading them, Doppy gave the papers back to Howard and he thought.

"He just started a love letter war," Doppy smirked, and Muninn started laughing even harder. Kiehl now knew why Muninn was laughing. Naght found himself thinking, as the letter was mentally relayed to him, and he took Siegfried from Eremes so the letter could be read. Both kids seemed to giggle in his arms.

"Yes. A war has started..." Eremes grinned after he finished reading the pages. Naght held both of his children easily, and the twins giggled again. Sammy took them next to read, and his jaw dropped at how risqué it was. Yet, he was shocked even more by the writing style.

"It took him a whole night to write this?!" Sammy gaped. "That girl did not deserve him, if she tossed this to the ground! The etiquette in this is superb! The style of writing is something long forgotten! It...wow! This brings back memories of how books were supposed to be written in the traditional style!"

"Can I read it?" Donnie asked.

"Keltin didn't want it to be read by others," Howard said. "and you count as 'others'."

"Please? If anyone knows about writing and etiquette, it's me!" Donnie said. "I do write songs and come up with witty remarks about people all the time!"

"He does have a point," Egnigem nodded. Howard looked at the closed bathroom door and gestured for Donnie to come over. As Donnie read the papers, Doppy was now thinking of what he could write about. A few minutes went by, and the papers were handed back to Howard. Egnigem looked at Donnie, and she started to laugh.  _Donnie was speechless._

"And what criticism do you have?" Sammy asked.

"None. It's perfection. As you said," Donnie sighed. "Why can't I write like that?!"

"Okay, now I have to see them!" Seyren scowled.

"After we do," Byorgue said, as the papers were handed around to the slaves.

"Fine," Seyren said. He waited patiently for his turn to read them and started on them the moment he got them. As he read the letter, his jaw dropped more and more. Karla looked over at him while she fed Luna, but he forced himself to remain quiet, as he finished the last page. Giving the pages back to Howard, he thought even more.

"What was it like?" Karla asked.

"That bitch from Keltin's past has no idea who she let go," Seyren muttered. "Keltin is a genius with his words. I doubt that girl had any inkling as to what he was writing. And, he's right. He was writing about Sarine the whole time. He didn't even know it. I bet she thought he was cheating on her, but she was already cheating on him. That's probably why she laughed at him and scorned him."

" _You bring up a valid reason,_ " Muninn nodded. " _She was in the wrong to begin with._ "

They looked over as the bathroom door opened, and Keltin was still in a deep kiss with Sarine. The Bongun looked over and gestured for Howard and Kiehl to help him. She pulled the three of them into the bathroom, and Doppy started laughing.

"No Dead Branches?" Serenity asked Naght. The demon chuckled and looked over at Thanatos, as he came down the stairs hauling a mess of Dead Branches. Karla jumped up and moved to help bring them into the underground arena. Then Thanatos took up the letter to read for himself and found himself grinning.

"I need to read it," Karla sighed, as she came back over. "I'm too curious!"

"Are you sure?" Eremes frowned.

"Very," she nodded. Thanatos grinned again and handed her the letter. She started to read it and found herself starting to blush. When she finished the letter, she gave it to Eremes and looked at Seyren, as she cleared her throat.

"Yes?" her husband grinned.

"Why can't you write like that for me?!" Karla scowled, and he let his jaw drop.

"Well, that depends on if he can write," Donnie started, and Thomas chuckled.

"You can shut up!" Seyren growled. Egnigem laughed softly and shook her head. Garrett gave a look, and Eremes sighed, as he handed over the letter. Garrett read it silently and found himself shocked when he was done. The moment Eremes got the letter back, he took it to Storm Caller to keep safe. If anyone else wanted to read it, they would go to him. When Eremes got back, Sarine was finally leaving the bathroom with Howard, Kiehl, and Keltin.

"I missed your singing!" Keltin frowned. She smiled, kissed him, and nodded to Sammy. Settling on a cushion with them, she started to sing again, and Sammy provided the whistling tune to help her. Donnie was quick to strum on his guitar, and Thomas provided the beat again. When the song was over, they got applauded, and Sarine blushed.

"It is a very pretty song," Donnie smiled. "What others do you know?"

"Quite a few. But, I'll need Sammy's help to bring back my memories of them," she said. "Anyways, we'll sing more later. I'm curious to see what we'll summon with the branches. The kids were promised that they could watch."

"Yah!" Serenity grinned, as she clung to one side of Naght. Siegfried was squirming about happily in Naght's other arm and watched Errende move over to place his hands on Sarine's belly. Naght set the children down so he could prepare for the branches. They both went over to their mother to sit with her.

"Give her some chocolate," Thanatos said. Aliot handed her a bar of it, and Sarine ate it with a form of bliss. She gave a little of it to her kids for them to enjoy.

" _Sarine, let's get the Bloody Branches done first. This way Huginn won't have to take you over later, and we can get it done,_ " Muninn suggested. " _I don't want you to move after it._ "

"That's a good idea," Howard nodded.

"How many Bloody Branches are there?" Kiehl asked.

"We only managed to find one," Karla sighed. Sarine gave a soft whimper, as Huginn emerged, and she gave a nod. Standing up, Errende was able to help support Sarine's body. Byorgue picked up Serenity, and Nigel was soon picking up Siegfried.

"Let's use it!" Huginn said. Karla gave the Bloody Branch to Naght, since he wanted to be the one to do the summoning. Seyren was human right now with the others, and it was important for Naght to do this. It would help fluster the ones being summoned. Pori-Pori had finally found his way into the room and moved down into the makeshift arena to help.

"Ready...?" Naght asked.

"Yes!" Huginn nodded. Naght hissed and broke the Bloody Branch. A cold breeze formed and got stronger, as it swirled through the place.

"Is it another Stormy Knight?" Keltin asked.

"Not sure. Let's find out," Sammy said. In the center of the arena stood a dominant white wolf made of ice. A gold insignia was on his forehead, and he howled with anger. At the sight of who summoned him, he found himself in a state of confusion when he looked at Naght Seiger. That was what Naght wanted to happen. The ice wolf was not expecting this at all.

"Garm! Hear me now!" Huginn said. The ice wolf paused and looked up at Sarine's form. He snorted and flicked his icy tail. "The time has come for you to help us with a coming war! Separate from your darker self as our Lord Odin commands it! Do this now!"

Garm howled with pain, as a darker duplicate appeared and vanished away. Trembling while he blinked and regained focus, he snorted and glowed lightly to gain the ability to speak.

"Free at last!" Garm huffed in a rough, deep voice and stretched.

"Yes. You can accompany the Vessel of Odin during her travels in a pet-like manner with the others. Stormy Knight is here and waiting to speak with you above ground. Incantation Samurai! We will need to start preparing this island for various regions! Speak with Storm Caller to see about a section of the island to freeze over with ice! It is going to be important that various regions are made. Tao Gunka may have to see about increasing the land mass of the island. It can be done, if the right focus is given," Huginn said further.

"I'll speak to him now," Sammy nodded and left quickly.

"Huginn, how many more strong monsters are left for us to find?" Eremes asked.

"Sixteen are left. In the Einbech Mines, you will find the strong mining monster, RSX-0806. In the hidden depths of Yuno's dungeon, Juperos, within the deep, underground core, you will find Vesper. In Morroc's Sphinx, you will find Pharaoh. In the Pyramid near there, if you head down below to the lower levels, Amon Ra awaits you. Head up to the top of the Pyramid, and you will find Osiris. There is a sunken ship near Izlude where Drake lurks. Orc Lord resides in the Orc village, and, in the Orc fields, you will find Orc Hero. In the dragon caves, Detale still waits silently. There is a jungle village called Ayothaya, and a strong monster called Lady Tanee lurks in the depths of the ruins there. There is also another town that is quite new called Moskovia, and a strong monster named Gopinich waits in the forests. You will need to go to Turtle Island to find Turtle General commanding his troops. Of course, you all know of Evil Snake Lord in Gonryun. Then there are Gloom Under Night, Ktullanux, and Atroce near the town of Rachel. Gloom Under Night is under the temple grounds in the town, Ktullanux is in the Ice Caverns north of the town, and Atroce roams the fields west of the town."

"Wow. All of those are still left!" Keltin blinked.

"It will be slow in finding them," Doppy frowned. "We can probably head to the Orc fields and recruit Orc Hero and Orc Lord. We know we have to go to Rachel to find Atroce, Gloom Under Night, and Ktullanux. Oh, Huginn, what do you know of the frozen child?"

"The frozen child..." Huginn sighed. "That is something I cannot say until you find out for yourself. Much as how it was for Keltin to recover his lost memories."

" _You told our sister to not let the child come to love her. Why?_ " Muninn asked.

"Ah. That," Huginn seemed to chuckle. "Come here, then."

Muninn moved close, and Huginn whispered softly. Now Muninn's jaw dropped and Huginn nodded. The news he just received was bad.  _Very bad._ Muninn seemed to hiss and whisper, " _So...he's the son of..._ "

"Quiet," Huginn warned. "It may just be better to leave that one in the ice. But, knowing Ktullanux and our sister, he will be freed. Ktullanux will feel obligated to protect him, and Sarine will pity him. We need to be exceptionally careful."

" _I see..._ " Muninn frowned. " _You are right. We will be cautious._ "

"Will you tell us?" Doppy asked.

" _I cannot say just yet. When we get closer to the time, I will reveal the information. Right now, everything is fine._ "

"As long as we will know," Doppy nodded. Howard and Kiehl were frowning. They needed to know what was going on, but, when Muninn was like this, they would get nothing.

"After Sarine has her pregnancy, you should head out to find Beelzebub and Fallen Bishop Hibram. You need them to fully join you. Yes, they were given the options to come and go as they pleased, but they have not come to this island yet. They are waiting for you to visit them. After Einbech and Rachel, find them. The place WILL be very dangerous! The children will need to stay on the island to be safe. There will be no rest, as you go through this land. It's one of the most vilest places you will ever see," Huginn said sternly.

"My kids will stay here," Howard nodded.

"You can only reach this island at night, so they will be sleeping, anyways," Huginn nodded. "If you go during the day, you will find nothing there. You'll only find a bunch of empty houses and dead animals all around. Only at night will you find what you seek."

"Right," Kiehl nodded. Margaretha and Cecil looked at each other with a touch of excitement. They would be ready to explore the place their Demonic blood roots are. When Sarine fainted, Kiehl held her until she came around, and Howard told her what was going to happen. She blinked in thought about the frozen child, but she nodded with understanding. Sammy came back down the stairs, and they told him what was going to happen. A list of places to visit would soon be underway.

When Karla brought out the Dead Branches, Doppy gave a bit of a grimace and needed to get his mind off of what was just discussed. He made himself ready to go help kill off monsters, but Sarine reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked, as he looked at her.

"I know you want to have some fun...but..." she frowned. "could you...stay here? With me? For a little bit, at least?"

"Of course," he smiled gently and gathered her in his arms. A chair was brought over for him to sit with her in his lap, and he started to purr when her hands moved through his hair.

"I see," Howard mused.

"She's purposely keeping him calm," Kiehl chuckled.

"Why?" Keltin asked.

"Doppy was disturbed about the frozen child. She sensed it," Howard whispered to him.

"Ah!" Keltin said and nodded. Another thunderous boom sounded over the house, and Sarine cringed. Doppy tightened his arms around her at her whimper, and he sang softly in her ears to calm her. At first, he was touch upset that he couldn't help the others. After the thundering boom, he knew he wasn't going anywhere away from her side.  _She needed me._  He wasn't paying attention to the new fighting in the arena now, as monsters were being summoned. He was fully focused on his mate. She pressed her forehead into his neck and shivered, as another loud boom went over the house. Her body tensed, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Now that her hands were no longer in his hair, his temper flared.

"What the hell is up with this storm?!" Doppy finally snarled out, as he cradled her. "I thought it was supposed to be short! If it continues like this..."

Observation suddenly swerved and stretched out his wings fully in the air. Then he slapped them together hard. A small shriek was heard, and Howard hissed with Kiehl.

" _Loki!_ " Muninn snarled out.

"He's gone," Observation said. "The storm was his fault. Everything feels normal again. The storm will pass quickly now."

"What is he trying to do?!" Sammy scowled. He looked at the small item that Loli Ruri gave him and noticed that it didn't go off.  _Why didn't it go off?_

" _Loki didn't speak, so his whispers were not heard. He is being clever. I must speak with Father Odin. Loki is becoming persistent now,_ " Muninn muttered. " _He knows something that we don't. I can't see anything in the future relating to him. He has blocked me from seeing it. I have a feeling of what it's about, though. I need to confirm it._ "

"Wonderful," Doppy growled. He continued to calm and cradle Sarine with soft caresses to her back. He looked over at Maya, as she came down the stairs. She had found her way to them, and she was smiling.

"Where are my grandchildren?" Maya asked.

"Gramma!" Serenity said, and Siegfried now moved to see her. Karla had to smack Seyren again to keep him from staring.

"What?! She's naked!" Seyren hissed. He cringed at Karla's glare and muttered an apology. Sarine could only chuckle, and Doppy smirked.

"Mother," Maya Purple said, as he skittered over. She looked at his new claws, and her jaw dropped with disbelief. He laughed and said, "I got an upgrade. I like it!"

"What do those do?" she asked. Maya Purple grinned and moved into the makeshift arena. A Dead Branch was used to expose a rogue Gibbet. He opened his claws to let the deadly darts launch before he grabbed the monster and ripped it in half with his pincers. Then he crossed his arms and nodded to his mother.

"He was mainly upgraded to protect the children when we travel," Sammy said.

"Oh! It would make sense, then," Maya smiled. "Vessel of Odin, these are for you!"

"Huh?" Sarine asked, as she was mildly asleep. She was given a card, a staff called a Dea Staff, a Safety Ring, a Tiara, and a hair ornament for Isis. Sarine smiled, and Margaretha gasped at the sight of the staff.

"Oh! That staff is beautiful!" Margaretha said.

"Then it's yours!" Sarine giggled and handed it over. The High Priestess was overjoyed, as it was a very powerful staff of Divine Light. The other items were taken to be given to Storm Caller, and Maya settled to play and chatter with the children.

"Are you all right?" Doppy asked Sarine.

"Just...very tired..." she admitted. Errende moved to her side to place his hands on her womb, and she gasped as the world spun about her.

"Sarine!" Howard hissed. Kiehl looked at Aliot sternly.

"Give her a bit of your blood!" Kiehl said. Aliot nodded to him, pricked his finger on one of the blades in his back, and set his finger in Sarine's mouth. The world righted itself, and Sarine sighed with relief.

"Definitely no traveling tomorrow. We can't risk it," Doppy frowned. He looked over at Aliot and found himself grinning. Sarine was lightly chewing on his wounded finger to pull a little more blood out, and Aliot was trying to remain in control from the pleasure he was getting from it. When she finally had enough, Keltin Healed Aliot, and Sarine started to purr softly.

"You're purring again!" Howard gaped.

"Demon blood lets me purr," she said with a soft blush. She suddenly looked over, as a lesser demon walked up to her. Summoned from a Dead Branch, it was a Wander Man. His head was that of a skull with whisped locks of white hair attached to it. He was dressed in Oriental style white pants, and he wore a loose purple shirt that was bound up with a cloth belt. Sandals wrapped around his feet completed what he was wearing. One hand was resting on the edge of his ornamental staff, and his other hand was holding it up to his hip like a sword. At a closer look, she saw that it actually was a sword.  _The blade was hidden in the staff._ It was clear that he wanted to speak with her.

"And who are you?" Doppy asked with a bit of a glare. Wander Man reached up with the hand resting on the top of his staff and touched his skull. A bright fire engulfed his head to reveal a full head of long, brown locks. Piercing black eyes blinked now, and his handsome, rugged face sported an elegant beard.

"I am Wander Man. You all summoned me here. I wanted to thank you properly," he said, as he gave a grin. Then his body glowed. He was able to Cloak, use the skill of Brandish Spear, and he was even granted the skill of Two-Hand Quicken.

"Not bad," Doppy mused. "Do you have another name?"

"Well, you could call me Wanderer. It should be enough," he said. "I'll be a permanent part of your entourage from here on out."

"Really?" Sarine blinked slowly.

"Yes," Wanderer smirked.

"Hmm..." Aliot frowned, as he walked over to Wanderer. The two seemed to glare at each other in their own private battle. Aliot suddenly bristled instinctively to show he had a status in Demonic Society now, and Wanderer grinned.

"You have...a ranking. From her? Interesting," Wanderer said.

"Aliot. Wanderer. Please keep everything neutral," Sarine said. Wanderer looked down at her and nodded before giving a bow of respect to Doppy.

"You recognize Demonic Mating Rights?" Doppy asked with a touch of surprise.

"Yes. I am familiar with them. It is common knowledge to me. I may not have been a part of a competition, but I know how they work. Every demon at least knows the basics, as I'm sure you know. But, I feel that things are different with her?" he asked.

"Wanderer, come with me," Thanatos said. Wanderer looked over with surprise, but he nodded all the same. As they went to talk, Doppy hissed with hatred.

"Love," Sarine sighed and felt him tighten his arms around her.

"He's going to compete," Aliot said, as he was still bristling with instinctive hatred. "I'll have to take him out quickly."

"Aliot!" Sarine frowned.

"I'm sorry, My Lady," Aliot winced and knelt before her. She reached out to hug him and let him feel his children moving within her. His mood lightened quickly, and he sighed.

"You are my Demonic slave. Remember that," she whispered.

"He...can still become a mate," Aliot winced. Doppy seemed to mutter with agreement.

"That may be so. But...I feel that only those I fully recognize can get me pregnant. If he competes, my instinct is so strong that I will not be able to stop him," she frowned.

"But, if he manages to become a First Mate, you will be impregnated by him," Doppy hissed. "We'll have to make sure to defeat him right away, as Aliot said."

Howard and Kiehl were listening to her thoughts, and Naght was now informed of what was going on. The massive demon seethed with hatred and could only agree. He and Doppy would have to take out Wanderer quickly if he tried to compete. It wouldn't matter for them, if they got First Mate again or not. They could focus on keeping any new demons from becoming a First Mate to give her proper mates and slaves a chance. Howard walked over to them and whispered what was going to happen. Doppy gave a curt nod with agreement.  _That's what we will do to any other demon that tried to impregnate Sarine during her Demonic Matings._

"I need to walk around," she said.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy frowned. She took a rather deep breath, and he was quick to start singing softly to her. She looked at him and started to sing with him. Donnie paused in his idle guitar playing and looked over at them. Doppy stopped singing, as she took the lead to start up another song, and he followed her in the song. Howard's jaw dropped at the song. It was a song that he knew personally, and he always sang it around the palace when he sold things to the guards long ago. Now he was baffled as to how she knew this song and he thought hard.

"How...does she know this?" Kiehl asked.

"I can only guess..." Howard swallowed. "that she overheard me singing it. It can only mean that I walked past her room daily back then."

"And you never realized it?" Kiehl frowned.

"I didn't know!" Howard gasped. "I didn't know she heard me sing this!"

"You sang this song, How-How?" Sarine asked, as she stopped abruptly.

"Yes, I did. A long time ago," Howard said. She started to sing again, and this time he joined her in the singing. Doppy provided the backup vocals. Kiehl started to sing with her, and he surprised himself at how good he was at it. Sammy listened to the song and barely recalled which one it was. Donnie and Thomas were silently memorizing it note for note.

"That song is so pretty!" Coraline gasped. "Did you get it, Donnie?!"

"I got it," Donnie said with a nod.

"Me, too," Thomas said. "Simply amazing..."

"We know," Howard and Kiehl said together before scowling.

"How many Dead Branches were used?" Doppy asked.

"Quite a few, actually. A few monsters glowed and disappeared, but most of them we were able to kill off," Kathryne grinned.

"Sarine," Eremes said, as he walked over to her.

"Yes, Eremes?" she asked. He moved to her and planted a kiss on her mouth before whispering to her softly. Howard looked at Doppy, and they grinned.

"Don't ask. Just lead her in there," Kiehl smirked. Eremes looked over with a touch of a smile and helped move her into the bathroom.

"I haven't been getting much time with her, either," Sammy mused and followed them. Giggling and laughter softly erupted from the others.

"I think the kids need to go to bed," Errende smiled, as he watched them yawning.

"I'll take them!" Maya said, and she gathered them both up. "I'll tell you both a good story! It will be fun! Okay?"

"Okay, Gramma!" Serenity said. Siegfried was already half-asleep on her back. Maya Purple went to help his mother with the kids. By the time Eremes managed to make it out of the bathroom, the look on his face said everything. Ifrit came down to see him and laughed.

"Craving?" Howard winced.

"What made you guess?" Eremes chuckled, and he eased himself into a chair.

"Sorry," Keltin sighed.

"Don't be," Sammy grinned. He managed to make his way out to a floor cushion. "Howard and Kiehl. Get in there. She needs you both."

"Right!" they both said and made their way in.

"The two of them are so funny to watch!" Doppy grinned.

"I know," Thanatos snickered, as he walked over. He had finished talking to Wanderer, and the lesser demon decided to set up a station in the nursery to protect the kids.

"We'll be monsters again within the next two hours," Eremes said. "We should have her get some rest. These next few days...will be hard on her. And on us..."

"We've been preparing for it," Byorgue nodded.

"What is Wanderer planning?" Aliot asked.

"He does want to participate in the Demonic Matings," Thanatos said slowly. "He is a demon, so, it's his right. But, he does know that all of us will be trying to defeat him. He understands completely. He also knows that he won't be seen as a full mate until he reaches First Mate status. Or...if Sarine opens up to him."

"I...will...kill...him...!" Naght snarled out. He was relaying everything to Howard. Both Howard and Kiehl were pissed.

"There is something else I should bring up," Observation said, as he landed solidly on the ground. He folded his arms over his chest, as his wings folded behind his back, and he sighed.

"What is it?" Errende asked. Nigel and Injustice looked over now. Byorgue and Drago narrowed their eyes and listened in. Aliot saw Maya Purple come back down the stairs, and he moved over to whisper to him of what was going on.

"Angels have a different way of gaining First Mate status. They fight among themselves for it. Meaning..." Observation said, as he curled his lip back. "Alexander may challenge me for my First Mate Rights."

"WHAT?!" Howard screamed from inside the bathroom. Naght informed him of what Observation said. He came out wearing only his pants, and his chest flexed with a form of tensed anger. "Explain! Now!"

"Howard," Observation winced. Several of the girls looked over at him and started to giggle and blush. Lilah was definitely envious of Sarine. Howard ignored them all and focused his blue-green eyes on the angel.

"How is he going to challenge you?!" Howard asked again. It was rare for anyone to see him pissed off like this. Observation blinked his solid green eyes at him and walked over to whisper to him in hushed tones. Kiehl listened to Howard's thoughts, as he comforted Sarine in the bathroom. She ran a hand up his chest, and he squeezed her.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"There is a slight possibility," Kiehl sighed, as he held her. "that Alexander may challenge Observation for the right to be your First Mate for the Angel Race."

"Why?!" she blinked. "What does Muninn have to say about this? Surely, Muninn can help Observation? Alexander shouldn't be my First Mate for angels!"

At Kiehl's mental thought, Howard looked over where Muninn was standing and observing. Gesturing to him, he whispered to the powerful man. Muninn thought and sighed, as he said, " _It is not my place to say, when it comes to angels fighting and forming their own ranks. I cannot say, or even see, who the victor of this battle will be. I am a bit Angelic, myself. Such things are unknown to me. Angelic battles can happen at any time in any place. Demons have a much stricter set of rules than angels. Observation was unopposed when he claimed First Mate Rights for himself. Alexander likely sees this as an open form of challenge._

" _Regardless, whatever happens, Alexander will never harm Sarine. It...may be possible that she can gain a child from him if he succeeds in becoming a First Mate. The only thing I can say is that this possible battle is still a ways off. Observation is just as strong as Alexander is. Maybe even more from his enhancement. Alexander was also cursed once before. In many ways, his true potential is still locked away. He has yet to prove himself._ "

"And, when he proves himself, that may be when he challenges me," Observation frowned. "I want My Lady to be pregnant with my children before Alexander attempts to challenge me. It's important!"

" _Actually..._ " Muninn mused, as he thought ahead. " _Oh! You will be the one to help assist with Eremes and Ifrit! Since the child that Sarine births will need to have a good portion of Angelic blood, you_ will _be the one to be with her during her Demonic Mating! That makes more sense! Of course, the future always shifts and changes, but this is what I definitely see. At the same time, Huginn's body would need to be made with a form of Demonic blood..._ "

"Would that be Wanderer?" Keltin asked.

" _No. Someone...we wouldn't expect. Damn..._ " Muninn hissed out and rubbed his forehead. " _It's inevitable. Things could change, though. There are other strong demons out there, but this one seems the most likely, if we aren't careful. From what I see right now, Observation, you are the one that will help with my body. But, like I said before, things could change. Anything could change if time allows it._ "

"Who will be the one to give their Demonic blood for Huginn?" Howard asked slowly. Naght rumbled with thought and then hissed with the only other option. Thanatos and Doppy looked at each other and scowled.

"You can't mean...Baphomet?!" Sammy asked with shock. "Either him or his son?"

"I'd rather Baphomet than Wanderer," Doppy admitted.

"So, Sarine will have four bloodlines in her. Two merged with me and Eremes. The other two being the angel and the demon," Ifrit thought. He hovered next to the Assassin Cross, and he clearly appeared a touch worried.

"I understand how I would be needed, but it wouldn't be the same," Observation said. "I want to have children with her for me. My set of twins with her."

" _And it will happen, regardless of First Mate Rights or not. Don't worry about that,_ " Muninn promised. " _Hmm...something just revealed itself to me..._ "

"What was it?" Howard asked, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

" _I can't say right now. When the time gets closer, I'll tell you._ "

"Great..." Howard scowled. He turned to move back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. He was swearing to himself now and found himself moving to sit by Sarine. She pulled him close to hug him tight, and he gave a tired sigh.

"How-How," she said, as he leaned into her. "Let's go for a walk."

"A walk? At this time of night?" Howard asked.

"It is on the island, so nothing will happen," Kiehl said. "Errende may want to come with us in case there is a problem."

"Keltin and Aliot may be coming, too," Sarine smiled. "I just really need to walk right now. It's important. Please walk with me?"

"You know I will," Howard smiled and kissed her deeply before helping her dress. He dressed himself properly, and Kiehl followed suit before helping her out to the others.

"My Lady needs to walk. Errende, Aliot, and Keltin should come with us," Kiehl said.

"I'm going with you," Doppy said. "It's a precaution in case stress sets in."

"Good idea," Howard nodded.

"Why do you have so many men?!" Lilah asked.

"Because my Father, Odin, told me to," Sarine said. "If you don't like it, I can have you speak with him directly. There's not much else that I can say about it."

"Lilah, watch what you say..." Laurell warned. He saw Doppy glare at her savagely.

"But, it makes no sense!" Lilah continued.

"What? What makes no sense? The fact that, if it wasn't for her, you would be dead or worse off when we found you? Or the fact that you're, eh, jealous of her? Besides, didn't you agree to always want to help her? Or was that a lie?" Donnie asked.

"But..." Lilah winced and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm walking with you," Nigel said calmly. "Let's go."

"Nigel?" Sarine frowned. He kissed her gently, and she saw how much he really detested Lilah. Nodding to him, he pressed a hand to the small of her back to gently guide her up the stairs. Howard and Kiehl seemed to grin to each other. Doppy didn't bother to look back at the Monk. Keltin, Aliot, and Errende moved into the kitchen to grab anything she could eat, if she needed it. Down under the house, Donnie was looking at Lilah and shaking his head.

"You just pissed off the wrong set of people," Donnie whistled.

" _Lilah Rinder, I'm going to talk to you in depth about my sister. It's important,_ " Muninn said. Lilah's eyes widened, and she swallowed. Following him up the stairs to sit with him at a table, his piercing, yellow eyes settled on her brown eyes, and he started to talk about his sister's life in full. Laurell moved to sit with her to give her some support. As they talked, Sarine was walking along the beach with her arms in Howard's and Kiehl's. Doppy walked along behind them calmly with the other four walking behind him.

"It's nice out," Sarine smiled.

"It is," Howard nodded.

"There was something I've been wanting to do lately," she mused.

"What's that?" Kiehl asked.

"Watch the stars come out. Remember how we always did that, How-How?" she giggled. "It was always a lot of fun!"

"That it was!" Howard chuckled. "I still remember how pissed off Seyren would get when I gave you rides in my cart."

"Hmm," she thought, and Howard looked at her with a grin.

"He's almost a monster again. Try to remember it for next time," Kiehl grinned.

"Remember what?" Doppy asked.

"She wants a ride on his cart," Kiehl laughed.

"Leverage, maybe?" Doppy smirked. Keltin snickered with Aliot, and Errende was chuckling. Nigel was thinking and smiled at the idea. Sarine blinked at that, and Howard was now very curious if it would work.

"If it does work, I'm always going to have my cart out," Howard grinned. Doppy started to laugh, but then he paused and ran in front of her with his sword drawn. Sarine blinked with surprise, and Errende moved quickly to place his hands on her belly, the mental message to Thanatos sent. Howard was already calling for Naght, as Nigel, Aliot and Keltin moved to circle her protectively. Kiehl adjusted his glasses and scanned the beach around them.

Doppy was still listening for something, as Thanatos and Naght came over to them. Eremes and Sammy had watched them run out and showed up soon after. A moment later, Howard and Eremes both gasped, as their forms became monsters again. Now in stronger forms, their tolerance of intruders diminished to practically nothing, and they wanted to kill whoever was disturbing them.

"Where did you hear the noise?" Eremes asked Doppy.

"Northeast," Doppy muttered. Eremes Berserked and Cloaked to start scouting. Doppy straightened when he heard Eremes's whisper, and he gestured for the others to follow him. Doppy followed Eremes's Cloaked form easily, and he was lead towards the grove where Stormy Knight, Garm, and Lord of Death had cornered someone on the ground. Nigel shifted into his large Nine Tail form and loped in front of Sarine with his hackles raised. She reached down to fondly pet and scratch behind his ears to calm him.

"Easy, Nigel," she whispered, and he looked up at her with his squinted eyes. His slave collar was lost in the fur, but it didn't bother him at all. Looking at the young man on the ground, she judged him to be a transcended Thief by his upgraded clothes. Her guard was up, as she asked, "State your name and why you strayed from the arena, please. If you haven't noticed, your life depends on it. And do not lie."

"My name is John," he said, as he pushed back the long locks of dark brown hair from his face. His hair was clipped short in the back. "I was waiting in line, and I saw a Lunatic move past me. I...decided to try and catch it. It led me into this guy."

He pointed to Stormy Knight, and the powerful ice monster hissed. Naght and Thanatos looked over at him and seemed to laugh.

"Is this true, Stormy Knight?" Sarine asked gently.

"Yes. Lunatic was playing and found herself being chased. She feared for her life and ran to me. I chased this one around until Garm came to play," Stormy Knight nodded.

"We tried to chase him back to the arena. To give him a chance," Garm gave a fanged grin. "Lord of Death decided to try and herd him in the right direction."

"He got the wrong idea. So...we had fun with him!" Lord of Death laughed.

"You mean, you guys weren't trying to kill me?!" John asked.

"If we wanted to kill you, it would have been done the moment you saw me!" Stormy Knight snarled out and cut the air with his ice sword.

"At least it's all cleared up," Sarine smiled. When John saw her beauty, and her pregnancy, he stood up tall. Eremes Uncloaked by him and made him jump.

"You should leave now..." Eremes said, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ah, right," John said before looking back at Sarine. "Do I know you?"

"I don't know. Do you?" she asked. Keltin was still in his Bongun form, and he stepped over to look at this one now. Now the transcended Thief gaped with recognition.

"I do know you! The two of you were sleeping in a cave near Payon! You were a Huntress then! Um...oh...then that would mean..." John said with a touch of embarrassment.

"You were the one that tried to steal her pack. Right?" Keltin glowered, as he crossed his arms over his chest. Howard saw her memory of what happened and tensed slightly with Kiehl. Aliot seemed to growl lightly, and Nine Tail snarled.

"I'm sorry. I was stupid back then," John said.

"Well, as long as you admit it," Sarine sighed. Sammy let his Samurai ghost billow forth in full, and he walked up to the transcended Thief.

"What do you plan to be? An Assassin? Or a Rogue?" Sammy asked. "Actually, you're already transcended. What path do you plan to stay on?"

"I became an Assassin, and I'm now working to become an Assassin Cross. At first, I was thinking of becoming a Rogue, but, after what happened with her, I figured the path of the Assassin would be better," John said. "There...is more honor in it, I think."

"Really?" Eremes asked. Howard gestured for Eremes to come over to Sarine, and he hugged her tight to him. Then she took a deep breath, and Doppy moved to press his lips to her ear to softly whisper a song to her. Nigel looked up at her with a whimper, and she ran her hands through his fur again.

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" John asked.

"John," Sarine said slowly. "if you feel the need to protect me, then you know there is no need to right now. However, you can go to my Papa in Amatsu and tell him that I sent you. He is Emperor Markus, and I am his daughter. He will understand."

"All right. I'll do that right now!" John nodded and ran off to the Kafra Agent.

"Interesting," Eremes smirked, as he kept an arm around Sarine.

"I think I'm ready for bed," she sighed. Then she squeaked when Doppy lifted her up into his arms to carry her back to the house with the others following them. He swiftly took her up to the bedroom this way, and her other slaves had already prepared the bed for her. Errende told them what happened, and Nigel shifted back to his human form.

"We'll have you sleep below the house tomorrow. We were warned of the storm coming," Injustice said. Sarine nodded, and she was helped into a nightgown. She was settled in a comfortable position and soon laying back in the bed. Just as she started to get drowsy, a cry from the nursery was heard.

"We'll bring them," Byorgue said. She nodded and was assisted in nursing her children. By the time she would give birth to the others, they would be weaned onto solids. Right after the four children finished nursing, she reclined into the bed again.

"I'm not sure where I would sleep. But, I have an idea," Nigel grinned.

"Oh?" Sarine chuckled. He shifted into his Nine Tail form and jumped onto the main bed. He was able to shrink back down to his original size to save space and to throw off others. Then he curled up at the edge of it happily with a large yawn.

"Now that's just cute!" Howard laughed. Nigel rolled onto his back, stretched out, and looked at him upside down.

"Stop it!" Kiehl said. He shook his head, but he was laughing softly.

"Don't do this with the kids..." Eremes grinned. Nigel gave a muttering yip, and Sarine giggled softly, as she closed her eyes. Keltin thought, and then he smiled.

"You could carry Sarine away to safety, if you needed to," Keltin said. That made Nigel sit upright slightly, and he tilted his head in thought. It was something he would definitely want to try. When Howard looked over at Sarine, she was already in a deep sleep.

"Lay down with her, Errende, and keep your hands on her belly. The moment she starts to wake up, get Kiehl and I. I should be able to sense if she'll wake up, too, but just in case. We'll be working in the workshop, since I don't need to sleep now," Howard said.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Doppy frowned. "One of you should be here."

"I know, but I need to get these defenses going. With Howard, it will go twice as fast. Hopefully," Kiehl grinned. Howard gave a mental swear to him, and Kiehl laughed. When they left, the night passed through peacefully.


	93. Chapter 93

No one could have guessed that a small storm went over the island in the morning. The moment a massive, thunderous boom shook the house, Sarine woke up terrified and curled up within herself. Howard had run straight up to the bedroom with Kiehl to find Doppy swearing from a massive growth spurt.

"The storm was supposed to happen tonight!" Doppy snarled out. Errende had his hands on her belly, and she was in tears. Nigel had jumped off the bed and shifted human to see what he could do with the other slaves. Howard made everyone stop in their tracks with a seething hiss for control, and he walked up to her frightened form. Then he got onto the bed. He took out his axe and dropped it before falling to his knees with his arms out for her. She cried out and moved straight into them. She sobbed in his arms, and he hugged her tightly. He waited for her to calm down before addressing the situation in full.

"Where is Muninn?!" Howard asked with a harsh, protective hiss in his voice.

_:Here!:_ Muninn said, as he flew in from the balcony before Drago closed it.

"What is going on?! I thought the storm was happening tonight!" Doppy said.

_:This is. Not. The real. Storm. Small one. I am. Not sure. How. I did. Not. See it.:_ Muninn sighed and hung his head down.

"So, this is just a small outbreak?" Sammy asked carefully.

_:Yes. Already. Storm is. Over. See?:_  Muninn said, and he bobbed his head to the window. The sky was already clearing up.  _:I saw. Clouds. But no. Lightning. Only thunder. I am. Sorry. Misjudged. The weather.:_

"It's all right, Muninn," she said weakly. Kiehl sat on the bed with them, and Keltin leaned over to carefully rub at her belly. Thanatos walked into the room to evaluate their growth. When Howard was sure she was fully calmed, he reclaimed his axe on the bed and let her lean back against him to fully comfort her.

"We need to feed her," he said. Sammy walked over and checked on their growth next.

"No traveling today. Not until she gives birth. She's at normal pregnancy size. If they double in size, or grow any more, she'll be at birthing size for quadruplets," Sammy frowned.

"Howard," Drago said from the balcony, and the Whitesmith looked over at him. "My Lady's adoptive father is approaching."

"Papa?" Sarine blinked. Doppy stood up, and Maya Purple got onto his bug body. Her other slaves started to dress her appropriately and quickly helped feed her. The children were still sleeping, since it was so early in the morning. Markus was greeted by Storm Caller before he could even knock on the main door, and he was led up to Sarine's bedroom.

"Sarine!" Markus said and paused at the sight of her newest pregnancy.

"Hi, Papa," she said with a touch of exhaustion. "I am pregnant with Keltin's and Aliot's children. They are growing faster than the other two. Unfortunately."

"When will they be born?" he asked.

"Next week," Keltin said, as he nodded to Markus.

"And I see you have some new men?" Markus asked. Sarine blushed softly, and Nigel introduced himself. Markus gaped at Maya Purple, as the bug man disconnected himself from his bug body to walk over to him.

"I am Maya Purple. A prince of sorts, from the Insect Race. My Mother is Maya," he said. "It is an honor to meet you."

"I see. A pleasure," Markus nodded. He had met the others when he was there to see Doppy's and Thanatos's children.

"There should be no others," she said. "Why have you come, Papa?"

"Ah, well, I noticed you were sending quite a few new ones to be trained in the Amatsu arts. I just want to know why," Markus said. Muninn flew down to become human, and he smiled with a nod of respect.

" _Father Odin is trying to bring back his Warriors. After they learn everything from you, they will learn from Keltin and Doppelganger. We need them to learn of the old court ways for the true training to take root. We were going to visit you, but her pregnancy has become too much for her to travel. It is good that you have come to see us,_ " Muninn said.

"I see now," Markus said. "In that case, I shall train them with my best men. Where are the children? I would love to see them."

"This way," Byorgue nodded and led him to the nursery. Sarine was still being held by Howard, and she closed her eyes to rest on him fully.

"Are you all right?" Howard asked softly.

"Just exhausted," she whispered. Muninn thought and brought out a Yggdrasil Berry for her. Kiehl cut it up into bite-size pieces and carefully fed them to her. It gave her a bit more energy, but she was still worn out. Howard continued to rock her and comfort her until he felt her give him all of her weight.

"Sleeping already?" Kiehl frowned.

"I'm not budging," Howard said. "As a monster now, I can do this. What are the real plans for today? Nothing but relaxation?"

"That was the plan," Sammy nodded. "Maybe, later tonight, use more Dead Branches and have her sleep in the safe room to weather the storm. It's too risky for her to travel right now."

"I want her to stay here," Doppy said. "How much did you two get done on the defenses last night? Make any progress?"

"We did, actually," Kiehl nodded to him. "We have each room planned out as to where surveillance systems are going to go. The electric chairs are functioning. We were about to start mapping out where the trap doors that were going to be in the new dungeon were going to be placed when she woke up."

"You have been busy!" Keltin chuckled.

"With two of us, it will go faster," Howard smiled. Doppy gave a wince, as she trembled, and he moved to put Errende's hands on her belly.

"Again they grew?!" Errende frowned. Thanatos hissed and sighed.

"An inch," Sammy frowned. "Apparently, the growth is much slower now. This must be why it will be next week."

" _Yes. The main growth has been done. Now it is all slow, but things can easily change, if she is not careful. Let us keep everything relaxed around her. She will be fine, if we keep calm,_ " Muninn nodded. Sammy thought and decided to keep a list of songs ready for her to remember and sing about. _It would help relax her, and Doppy could sing with her, too._ Once that was decided, he settled to meditate to watch her dreams. When Markus went to come back into the room, Naght stopped him to tell him that she was sleeping.

"Oh. When does she normally wake?" Markus asked.

"It...depends..." Naght hissed out. "Her...pregnancy...is...draining...her..."

"What else did you need?" Kiehl asked, as he walked out to meet with him.

"I don't think we properly met," Markus smiled. "You were working in your workshop when I was last here. You politely told me to leave."

"Ah..." Kiehl winced. "Yes. Sorry about that. It was a bad habit, and it will never be repeated again. I am Kiehl. I'm also known as the strong monster, Kiel D-01."

"Really?!" Markus asked, and he paused in awe at the massive ghost that filled out to curl about Kiehl's form before sinking back down.

"When I was freed from the robot factory, most of the spirit that you just saw around me was transferred away. I have enough to prove who I am and to help with my attacks. I am no longer possessed by it, thankfully. I am also Howard's twin, in a way. We can read each other's thoughts. It's very helpful when it comes to helping My Lady," Kiehl said.

"So, you're a slave?" Markus blinked.

"And a husband, too. But, mainly a slave," he nodded. "She will also be having my twins with Sammy's next."

"You already know this?"

"Yes. Eremes will be after us. There is something else that you should know, but it still upsets My Lady. It upsets all of us. I stress to you to say nothing of this," Kiehl whispered.

"You have my word," Markus nodded. Kiehl told him of the pregnancy that she lost long ago and how it was going to be given back to her. Markus was shocked with this news and deeply hurt by what happened. He easily understood how it still hurt his daughter when the subject came up. He could only imagine how Howard took the news. With a sigh, he said, "I am glad that my grandchildren will be given another chance. When will they be born?"

"After Eremes's children are born. It's been preset by Odin and Muninn. You can only imagine what Howard was thinking when he first learned about the lost pregnancy."

"I can believe that it clearly wasn't pleasant," Markus nodded.

"He still grieves. He will likely keep grieving until they are finally able to reappear in My Lady. He was locked away in Lighthalzen while this happened. He keeps thinking it's his fault that she lost them, because he wasn't there to help her."

"But, it wasn't his fault. It's only obvious that she couldn't handle them at the time."

"That's exactly what Doppy said," Kiehl nodded. He thought, as Howard sent him a mental message. "Hmm. My Lady is waking up. Did you want to see her?"

"I would," Markus said. Kiehl led him into the bedroom and smiled, as Sarine looked at him with a form of relief. He sat next to her, and she hugged him tight. Markus now saw why Kiehl said that he and Howard were twins.  _The two really could read each other's minds with how they were interacting with her._

"Do you need anything?" Injustice asked.

"I'm good, thank you," Markus said. "So, Howard, when did you and Kiehl become twins? Is it all right for me to know?"

"Sure!" Howard and Kiehl said together and scowled. Sarine giggled and got hugged by them both. That had Markus grinning slightly.

"Always amusing to watch them," Doppy smirked. Howard made a face at him, and Sarine gave him a small sigh with a shake of her head.

"What did you need?" Sammy asked, as he sat down on a floor cushion. "Why exactly have you come to visit us?"

"Do you happen to know how many more will be sent to me for training?" Markus asked.

"No, we don't. We tend to just find them along the way," Keltin frowned. "If we had a specific number, then we'd gladly tell you."

"As for how Kiehl and I became twins, you could say that it mainly started with my imprisonment in Lighthalzen," Howard winced. He told him about the drugs that were given to him on a practically daily basis, since he kept trying to escape. Kiehl explained how he had originally designed the drugs using his blood.

"My blood filtered in his system to a point that a bond was made between him and I. It solidified even more when we met face to face," Kiehl said.

"Markus..." Eremes said with a frown. "Sarine...was given the same drugs...when she was captured a second time..."

"What?!" Markus asked with a look of shock. "Do you know what these drugs looked like? Can you recall them?"

"They were white, oval capsules," Kiehl said, and Howard hissed at the memory of them.

"I don't think I've ever seen them before," Markus said. "No...wait! I do remember them! Emilia had a small jar of them on her dresser. She would always tell me that they were her 'special' pills, and that she was planning on giving them to Sarine on the day that she had to give her over to Incantation Samurai! Come to think of it, there were times that she used them on Sarine before when she got out of hand. She said they were to help keep Sarine calm..."

"Did she use them on anyone else?!" Kiehl snarled out. "Do you still have the jar?!"

"No. She didn't use them on anyone else that I know of. And, yes...I still have the jar," Markus nodded. "I'll get one of the guards to bring it immediately!"

"Bring it yourself," Sammy said. "as a precaution."

"I'll get them right now. Give me an hour," Markus said, as he walked out the door. Kiehl nodded and now he was deep in thought. Howard was squeezing Sarine to his chest, and Eremes was frowning. Kiehl and Howard were both furious that the pills were used on Sarine in her youth, and she had no idea that they were given to her at all.

"Kiehl, what do you plan to do with the pills?" Keltin asked.

"First I need to examine them and break down the components," Kiehl muttered. "My Lady, would you object if I made a stronger version of the pills to use on intruders?"

"Um..." Sarine thought, and Howard blinked at her with a small smile.

"My blood won't be in them. You can feel safe about that!" Kiehl said.

"Okay," she nodded.

"In fact, I could make them strength modifiers," he mused.

"You could make me stronger with them?" Doppy asked.

"It's quite possible. I'd need to examine your blood to make them work according to your strengths, though. I wouldn't be sure about side-effects. You'd need to be careful," Kiehl said. "Everything would be experimental, at first. Risks are always a must."

"Great. A stronger Doppelganger. Just what we need," Byorgue smirked. Doppy grinned and started to think. Kiehl grimaced at a thought from Howard, and he groaned.

"I didn't know that you got those side effects," Kiehl sighed.

"I know. Sarine had the same ones," Howard frowned. "Which means that...if she was given them when she was younger..."

She shivered, and he squeezed her to comfort her. Kiehl tensed at it. He was still sitting next to her, and he hugged her tight. He had no idea that they were used on her as a minor long ago, and now he knew just how bad the side effects could be on someone so young.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said, as he stood up. He knew it was time to change the subject, and he asked, "What do you want to do? The kids are still sleeping. The storm is gone. Your father from Amatsu will be back here shortly. Are you hungry at all? Do you need to walk? What do you feel like doing right now?"

"I am a bit hungry, now that you mention it," she said with a soft smile. Aliot and Byorgue moved swiftly to get her the dishes she needed. She took a deep breath, and she ran her hand over her belly. Doppy quickly recognized the sign, and he moved close to her. Howard and Kiehl nodded to let him press a kiss to her cheek and whisper a song in her ear.

"She's tired," Sammy frowned. Then she surprised him by locking her mouth onto Doppy's and drawing him into kiss that left him breathless. He growled, scooped her up quickly, and rushed her into the bathroom.

"I don't think she was very tired," Keltin chuckled.

"She is tired. She's just craving now," Howard grinned. "Not much else to say. But, she will want to walk later. It's odd. I'm starting to understand when the cravings kick in."

"Really?" Sammy asked.

"Yes. It's like it starts at the back of her mind. Then it gets shoved to be the very first thing she thinks about when it gets harder to ignore," Howard said.

"Ah! I see what you mean!" Kiehl said, as he thought about it. "She will definitely want to walk when she comes out."

"Kiehl. Howard. I just had a rather disturbing thought," Errende frowned.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Any non-demon can join in the Demonic Mating, as we know. Well..." Errende started before Thanatos charged in with a scowl.

"Do NOT tell Kavach anything!" the demon hissed. Kiehl blinked in thought, and he hissed with disgust. Howard growled out and tensed.

"We won't say anything to him," Maya Purple nodded. "If he figures it out, we'll delay him. Or, we'll just kill him."

"I doubt he's smart enough to figure it out. He's definitely not strong enough to take on a bunch of demons and monsters," Sammy said. As they continued to discuss it, Doppy was crushing Sarine close to his chest. His armor and her clothes were in a heap by the door.

"I love you, Doppy," she whispered, as he claimed her mouth with his.

"I love you, too, Sorry Sari," he muttered, and he kissed her again. "I've always said it. It's the truth. You are the only one that will ever be the one for me."

"Doppy," she sighed, and he cradled her with a loving purr. When the door opened, he shifted his back easily to hide her, and he growled in warning.

"It's just me. We have food for her," Aliot said. Doppy nodded to allow him to get close. Keltin wasn't far behind now to help her with drinks. Since Doppy's First Mate status was a permanent fixture, they knew that it was going to have to be like this. He was the most overprotective one out of all her husbands and mates. Only the ones that impregnated her would be able to get close to her when he was with her, unless she called for them. Other First Mates would be tolerable when he knew she wasn't in any form of stress, but, when he was with her, or when she was upset, it had to be this way. In many ways, it was for the best. Nothing would get past him to touch her or cause her stress.

After she ate and let them get comforted by her to show she was all right, they left her and Doppy alone. Her Demonic husband pulled her close to his chest and nuzzled her.

"I am going to want more kids from you," he grinned.

"I know everyone is," she smiled. "I just...sort of wish I had a break from being pregnant. I also know that it's hard for me to keep you all from me!"

"There is a lot of truth in that," he chuckled and kissed her forehead. "What do you want to do now, Sorry Sari? Tell me."

"If the kids aren't awake, I'm torn between walking and sleeping," she frowned. "And...where's How-How and Kiehl? Where are they?"

"Do you miss them?" he asked.

"I do..." she frowned. She looked over, as the door opened to show them walking in, and Doppy nodded to them slightly when Kiehl nodded to him. Since she needed them, he curbed his protectiveness around them. If she needed something, her needs always came first.

"The kids are still sleeping. We'll go for a walk. It will help tire you out a bit so you can sleep more. Sound good?" Howard asked. She nodded, and Doppy lifted her up with him. He helped her take a quick shower before letting Kiehl help her dry off. Howard looked over at her suddenly and moved to her side to hug her.

"What's wrong?" Doppy asked.

"She's thinking about the past," Howard grimaced. "Love, you don't need to think about this! It's not necessary!"

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said, as he moved in front of her to caress her cheek. "what are you thinking about? You're safe. You can tell me anything."

"Well..." she winced, and he pulled her to him to hug her. "I'm just...trying to remember when the pills were given to me as a child. I...I don't really remember..."

"Hmm," Kiehl thought. "My Lady, did you ever find points in your life that you had no strength? That you couldn't fight back? Or, maybe...wait! You had powder on your food?!"

"Sometimes," she said, as she confirmed what he saw from her memory through Howard. "from what I could see from candles. After I ate...I would feel a little sick, but not by much..."

"The bitch was grinding the capsules and dusting her food with it?!" Howard snarled out with rage. Kiehl hissed, and Doppy lifted Sarine into his arms to purr and cuddle her.

"I know that various jars were missing from my lab at one point. Before I got thrown down below the factory, that is," Kiehl now thought furiously. "I honestly don't know which one was stolen. If I see the jar, I know I'll recognize it. Come to think of it, I only had one jar left with that particular capsule type in it. I may already know what happened!"

"Tell us," Doppy said.

"It happened during one of my working loops. I was stuck in it for a week. When I came out of it, I noticed the jar was missing. It was the last jar I had of the original batch with my blood in them. What did this bitch look like? Can you tell me?" Kiehl asked.

"I'll try to show you through my memories," Howard said. "Sarine never really saw her face. When I did get a glance at the bitch now and then, I steered clear of her. Here..."

Both Sarine and Howard conjured what memories they could, and Kiehl studied them extensively. Then he gaped with a form of recognition and shivered with disgust.

"That was her?!" Kiehl hissed.

"Wait...she was the one you experimented with sexually?!" Howard gaped.

"I didn't know who she was! She was one of the scientists at one point and had taken a liking to me. She wasn't there for very long, and it was around that time that my working loop happened and my pill jar was stolen! Right before she left, she had peaked my curiosity, and...oh, damn it!" Kiehl scowled. "I feel so...violated! Why the hell was it  _her_?! Why couldn't it have been someone else?!"

"Kiehl..." Sarine said, as she had Doppy set her down. "Come to me."

"My Lady," Kiehl whispered, and he went straight into her arms. Whenever she called for him, everything else stopped mattering. She knew he was distressed now, and she had to help him in the only way she could. She kissed him deeply and pressed her mouth to his ear.

"This order is permanent, Kiehl," she whispered in a stern tone to show she was serious. She ran her hands through his hair, and he gave a soft groan. "That woman was never your first. You never had her. I am your first. I am your only. You are to forget that you ever had anything to do with that woman on a sexual level. I am the only one in your life. You will only remember main important details about her, and that will be all."

"My Lady," he said with a soft form of wonder. Already, his mind was removing the memories, and Howard had already made sure to forget about them. Doppy was the same way. None of them wanted him to remember such awful memories, much less Sarine. Doppy grinned, as Kiehl practically ripped off his clothes to get closer to her now. Howard sighed, as he picked up Kiehl's glasses before they got stepped on.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked him.

"She needs to walk after this," Howard said.

"She'll get her walk," he nodded. It took a good ten minutes for Kiehl to give in to her, and he rested on her gratefully. She ran her hands through his hair, and he shivered with a form of unknown relief. Kiehl winced as though recovering from a headache from the deleted memories, and he blinked his eyes.

"Don't worry. You just got rid of a really bad nightmare," Howard said, as he handed over Kiehl's glasses. They had fallen off him in his hasty movements, and Kiehl sighed, as he took them. Sarine smiled, and he carefully pulled her up to his chest.

"The only time my head hurts like this is when I permanently remove something from my mind. If you say it was a bad nightmare, then I trust you," Kiehl said.

"It was a horrible nightmare, Kiehl. It was causing you pain," Sarine frowned. He looked at her and crushed her to him with a heavy sigh. He had a feeling that she had something to do with it.  _If she helped me, then I'm grateful to her._

"You do remember the one that stole the jar, right?" Howard asked.

"Yes. I do," Kiehl nodded. "I also remember that she visited Lighthalzen for a while, but that's about it. I don't know if we should tell her papa about it."

"I wouldn't," Doppy said. "Need to know basis. Right?"

"Right," Kiehl nodded.

"There is something that I need to tell How-How privately," she said. "Kiehl, can you keep yourself from listening in? For a moment? It deals with your nightmare, and I don't want you to remember or know any part of it."

"Oh! Well...I can try," Kiehl said. Focusing inwards, he gained a blank look to his eyes to show he was preoccupied with other things.

"How-How, I need you to tell the others about what happened just now, and that  _NO ONE_  is to even think about it or remember anything about it! Do this now!" she hissed.

"Gotcha!" Howard said. Now he knew why she asked Kiehl to do this. _It was the only way to ensure that no one would figure out anything, or that he had been with any other._ Naght even gave his own mental vow that the knowledge would never be revealed. Ten minutes later, he walked back in and nodded. Sarine pressed a kiss to Kiehl's mouth, and the reaction was instant. Her kiss pulled him out of the intense thought loop he was in, and he hugged her close. Only after that, did he pull himself away to look at her.

"My Lady?" Kiehl blinked. She giggled, and he blushed, as he asked, "Were you able to do what you needed to do?"

"Yes. Thank you for doing that. Everything is fine now. I would really like to take that walk. Can you help me dress?" she asked.

"Of course," he nodded. She kissed him passionately before letting him help her dress, and he dressed soon after. Doppy dressed quickly and led her out to the bedroom. Her slaves quickly took over to assist her and lead her down the stairs. Howard and Kiehl were placed on either side of her to help her, and a quick stop to the kitchen was done to grab anything she would need, if she got hungry. Eremes was impressed with how methodically her slaves worked together.  _They clearly took excellent care of her and made sure to handle all of her needs._

"Where would you like to walk?" Keltin asked.

"Just along the beach. Not too far off," she said. Sammy gave her a quick evaluation, and Thanatos came along to help in case something happened.

"There is a place I can lead you to, actually," Howard smiled.

"Oh?" she asked.

"While you were running from them at the last Demonic Mating, there was a perfect hill not too far off that I saw. We can sit on it and watch the sunrise. Would you like that?" he asked. At her blushing smile, it was an instant yes. As they walked towards their destination, Sarine gave a deep breath. Doppy moved close to whisper a song to her. It didn't take long at all for them to reach the hill, and she sat down on it with them. Nigel and Byorgue were impressed with the location of the hill. They could see a rather long distance around the island. When Observation jumped up to hover in the air, he saw almost the whole island from only twenty feet up. It would be a prime location for a scout tower.

"Kiehl, you should build a tower here," Maya Purple said. "The view from here is actually really good."

"At only twenty feet, I can see almost the whole island. Another ten, and you have an excellent view point," Observation said.

"You have something here!" Kiehl chuckled. "I'll make a mental note."

"Indeed," Howard smiled.

"Once the sun comes up, we should head back," Keltin said.

"True," Sammy nodded. Eremes watched Sarine with concern. Then he moved to her side and had her look at him. She was giving him a blank stare.

"Sarine?" Eremes asked softly to get her attention. He got no response. Then Howard and Kiehl hissed that they were getting no thoughts from her.

"Is anything moving right now?!" Howard asked.

"Yes," Thanatos said. "We are. But...the landscape isn't...wait! Is Huginn doing something again?!"

"What?!" Doppy snarled out and pushed Eremes aside to whisper softly in her ear. Sarine was mentally fighting off Huginn from the questions he was asking her. Just as she was about to snap, she heard Doppy's whispering. Huginn was hissing with outrage, but he relented.  _Doppy was her First Mate, and she was only listening to him now._ Huginn was trying to ask her various important questions. All of them dealt with Loki. He knew that something was going to happen, and he was trying to prepare her. Everyone was going to see him as someone untrustworthy when she came back to them. It couldn't be helped right now.

When she finally came around, tears fell, and Howard pulled her close with a savage snarl to everyone around him. Kiehl glowered and reflected the same protective look. Doppy sat back, to show he understood. It wasn't often that he relented, since Kiehl wasn't a Demonic First Mate, but this was for Sarine's health. He wasn't going to fight over it.

"It's okay," Howard whispered, as he continued to hold her. Kiehl rubbed her back, and, just knowing that they were with her, had calmed her down significantly.

"Huginn is definitely doing something to her. She doesn't need to be asleep now," Sammy frowned and thought. "Let's take her back."

"Not yet," Howard said. "She's not ready yet."

"Huginn keeps asking her questions about Loki. It's upsetting her," Kiehl growled. Observation tensed at this and now kept a sharp lookout if the meddlesome, powerful being tried to show up. Errende cast his skill of Ruwach as a precaution, and Keltin did the same.

"What can we do?" Nigel asked.

"Not much right now," Errende said, as he moved over to place his hands on her belly. She gave a gasping sob of relief, and Howard continued to comfort her.

"Would Muninn know something? Time seems to have come back..." Eremes said.

"I'll call him," Sammy nodded. Keltin was worried for her health and the health of his twins. Aliot was the same way. They both looked at each other and back at her. Muninn landed and reverted to his human form quickly. He already knew what was going on just by looking into the future, and he moved his hand to press against her Mark on the back of her neck. The moment Huginn emerged, Muninn was livid.

" _If you keep up this crap, Huginn, she's going to abort the children! You have to stop!_ " Muninn snarled out. This had all of Sarine's men bristle with outrage.

"I'm sorry," Huginn said. "I'm trying to prepare her for Loki! He's waiting! He's biding his time now! The moment that frozen boy is freed, all hell will break loose!"

"What is so important to Loki with the frozen child?" Sammy asked.

" _I'm telling them!_ " Muninn growled. At Huginn's nod, Muninn continued, " _The frozen child is Loki's son. He was born as a twin to a religious figure in Rachel. It was done on purpose to not only cause problems, but to ensure that Loki could get close to Sarine. Loki can see both past and future, but not as well as Huginn or I. You'll learn more about the frozen boy when you go to find Gloom Under Night. I will show you where to go, as I said so before. Loki did something to the woman's pregnancy in secret to form his son in the womb._ "

"What?" Thanatos blinked.

"Loki's son?" Doppy frowned. "What will the kid want with Sarine?"

"He will come to love her and demand a place at her side. I can't see much of the future, but I know this for a fact. Father Odin...may agree with it. What do you see, Muninn?" Huginn asked. "Does anything reveal itself to you, yet?"

" _Hmm. Father Odin may consider it only to piss off Loki. That and it would foil Loki's plans. It's...still a bit hazy. As the time gets nearer, more will be revealed to me. When it comes to anything dealing with Loki, nothing can be fully revealed until the time gets closer. Apparently, it's the same with his son. Right now, your guess is as good as mine._ "

Howard and Kiehl swore, as Eremes stared hard at the ground. Sammy and Keltin were pissed, and Doppy was fuming.

"Won't another husband hurt her?!" Sammy finally asked.

" _Not necessarily. In many ways, she does have six husbands, if you count Kiehl. She has more ways to be calmed now than she did before. It is best for her to not have any others, but, if it helps to keep Loki away from her..._ "

"What does Loki hope to achieve?" Sammy asked.

" _A child with her. Why else would he keep up? He's hoping that he can gain favors through her by using his son. If his son realized he is being used, he will rebel against his father and be of a more useful asset to keeping Loki at bay. If a child is conceived between my sister and Loki...it could be disastrous._ "

"What will happen?" Doppy asked.

"Think of an early war. The child will be mischievous and troublesome. It will force the war to come into effect early. We can't have that," Huginn said. "I'm sorry if I'm upsetting Sarine, but I am trying to prepare her for the questions that Loki is going to ask. I'm purposely pissing her off so that she will not listen to him."

"You could at least tell us!" Thanatos snarled. "Will you at least wait until her kids are born?! If she aborts them, I'll find a way to haul you out of her and kill you!"

"Rest assured, I will not speak such questions until she is free of them," Huginn vowed.

" _If you do so again, the results will be fatal to the children. I have foreseen it!_ " Muninn growled. " _This counts for any other pregnancy she has, too!_ "

"I will not upset her again during her pregnancies," Huginn nodded. "You have my word. Like I said, I can't see the future very well like you can. I will heed your warnings."

" _Fine. Give her back to us,_ " Muninn said. Huginn nodded, and Sarine collapsed fully into Howard's arms. Keltin and Aliot moved to her side to feel her belly. At the healthy kicks of their children, they gave reactions of relief. Sammy moved to evaluate her to ensure their health before nodding that they were fine.

"I'm carrying her back," Howard said. Kiehl moved to help get Sarine into a good position, and they both lifted her together. Her large belly made it a touch awkward to hold her.

"You could put her on my back," Maya Purple said.

"Only if I ride with you with Kiehl. Think you can handle that?" Howard asked.

"Let's try it," Maya Purple nodded. He skittered next to them, and they managed to seat themselves. It was easy to bear all their weight, and he started to move.

"This feels weird," Kiehl chuckled. "I'm used to Windwalker."

"Tell me about it," Howard sighed. When Sarine came around, he hugged her to him and whispered to her that they were going back to the house.

"I missed the sunrise," she frowned. "I'm guessing you all spoke with Huginn?"

" _We did,_ " Muninn said and smiled warmly at her surprised look. " _He won't harm you with those questions for now. He promised not to while you are pregnant._ "

"Keep me pregnant, then," she muttered, and Howard started to laugh. Muninn chuckled and reverted to his falcon form to fly with them. Kiehl knew she was still upset about missing the sunrise. He moved up behind her, as she was facing Howard, and he softly whispered to her. She looked at him now with interest and started to whisper back.

"Do you have to do this on Maya Purple's back?" Howard grimaced.

"What?!" Maya Purple said, as he tried to look behind him. The others snickered, and Maya Purple moved faster to get them back to the house. When they got inside, Markus was talking to Seyren and Storm Caller.

"There you all are!" Seyren chuckled. "Markus just got here."

"Good," Kiehl said, as he helped Sarine off of Maya Purple's back. Markus moved over to him swiftly and handed him the small jar of white, oval capsules. Kiehl growled when he recognized it.  _It was the same jar stolen from my lab long ago._

"How many are missing?" Howard asked, as he held Sarine. Byorgue and Nigel brought over a chair to help her sit down, and Observation pulled over a small table to start setting up food for her.  _She needed to eat._  Aliot and Drago started to make trips to the kitchen, as Injustice helped with drinks. Errende moved to keep his hands on her belly.

"There were originally a hundred of them here. Twenty-five of them are gone," Kiehl grimaced. "She was grating them down to make them last longer. Small amounts of the powder were used to give just enough of the desired effect to keep Sarine weak. She's been ingesting my blood, since she was placed in darkness."

"For twelve years...she's been kept...poisoned?!" Eremes hissed.

"Outrageous!" Markus gasped out. "I...I had no idea!"

"None of us did," Howard said, as he shook his head. "The only time she was given a full dose was during her second capture. I'm just glad she didn't fully ingest them. I was given only one pill, but she was given two. That alone scared me."

"We should bring back that bitch and slaughter her over and over again!" Seyren growled. "Make her really pay!"

"No!" Howard and Kiehl said together.

"They're right," Sammy nodded. "If she was brought back, it would only torment Sarine. It's best that she remains dead and stuck in Nifflheim."

"You'll need to search your kitchens for the rest of the grated capsules. I don't want your chefs to mistake it for anything else!" Kiehl said.

"I'll definitely have the kitchens searched," Markus nodded.

"Whatever you find will need to come back to me to be properly destroyed," Kiehl said.

"I'll do that when I go back. Now, I'm going to change the subject just a bit," Markus said. "What is going on with Timmy? Any improvements?"

"Funny you should ask," Howard mused. "He's taken an interest in alchemy. He's out training right now. He finally saw the light."

"That's good news, then!" Markus nodded. "And there is another matter..."

"If it involves my parents, I don't care," Howard muttered.

"It does. They want to speak with you soon," Markus said.

"If they want to talk, they should be brought to the arena," Sammy said.

"I'll kill them!" Doppy grinned.

"Kill who?" Sarine asked.

"My parents want to see me again," Howard frowned. That made her go quiet, and she rubbed a hand over her belly. She sighed and shook her head.

"We know it won't make a difference on what is said," Kiehl nodded.

"And they will not meet our kids!" Howard growled.

"Good," she nodded. "I'm sure Naght would only agree. And where is he?"

At her question, Naght came down the stairs to approach her and rest a hand on her shoulder. Naght wanted to come out to help with Huginn, but Serenity had awoken and needed to be calmed. Markus nodded respectfully to the massive demon, and Naght returned the nod in kind. Alexander suddenly flew down from the nursery to land by Sarine.

"I need to talk to you," he said.

"You can talk in front of us," Seyren said. Alexander gave a bit of an irritated look and seemed to glare at Observation. Then he refocused his attention on Sarine.

"Do not wander alone on this island anymore. Anywhere, in fact. That is when  _he_  will attempt to strike," Alexander said. "I can sense it."

"What?" Howard frowned heavily.

"Who will strike against her?!" Markus hissed.

"Someone neither you or your men can protect her from. Just don't let her wander alone anywhere. Lord Odin has broadened my sense of awareness on this island. The moment  _he_  appears, I'll know," the massive angel nodded. Then he gestured for Howard and Kiehl to come close, and he whispered to them.

"WHAT?!" Howard and Kiehl both said at once.

"You have both been warned," Alexander nodded before flying back up to the nursery. Howard and Kiehl were breathing in matched, gasping breaths, and the news given to them shocked them both to the core.

"What did he tell you?!" Doppy asked with a touch of a hiss. Naght was clearly disturbed now and was ready to kill anyone and anything.

"Seyren...! Get...Baphomet...!" Naght hissed.

"Are you sure you want to bring Baphomet into this?!" Howard gaped.

"Yes..." Naght nodded. Seyren frowned, but he called forth the demon that shared his blood. Baphomet walked into the house, and he was surprised that he was able to fit inside comfortably. Naght had Doppy and Thanatos follow him, as he led Baphomet back outside. Errende listened in to Thanatos's thoughts, and he grimaced at what he learned.

"My Lady," Errende said pained. "Please...don't wander outside alone after today..."

"Tell me, Errende," Sarine frowned. "Why mustn't I?"

"Loki will plan to ambush you. The moment he finds you alone," he fretted. "he...might take you to his place in Valhalla. Time flows differently there, as we all know. It could be very damaging on you, or on any of our children that need you. If we have nursing children, and you aren't there to feed them...you see how it could hurt them?"

"I...I see. I don't want any of my babies hurt! Very well," she nodded. "I will have Observation come with me, or any of the others. If I must, I will even ask Alexander for his aid. Thank you for telling me. Kiehl, love, please tell my Papa about Loki so he won't look confused anymore. He needs to know."

"Yes, My Lady," Kiehl nodded and sighed. He walked over to Markus and started to tell him about the mischievous being. Markus was floored by this news, and he was even more upset about what Loki would try to do to get close to her.

"Priests can reveal Loki?" Markus asked.

"In a sense, we can," Errende nodded.

"I'll send over two of my best Priests that are in my guard. They will help protect you," Markus said. "I would like to accompany you on your next outing, if possible, Sarine. I would like to see what you do to recruit those to your side."

"Papa?" she frowned. "Hmm. We could journey to the Einbech Mines with you. That may be one of the safest areas for you to see what I do. What do you think, How-How?"

"Einbech Mines would be a safe bet," he nodded. He looked over, as Sarine reached for him, and he moved to her side to get hugged tightly. A cry from upstairs signaled the children were awake, and now she was carefully moved to go see to their needs. Markus went with them to properly greet the children, and he was pleased to find the older twins clamoring for his attention. He had brought them small gifts that they were enjoying completely.

"We should start up a doll collection for them," Keltin chuckled.

"Like the kind Karla has?" Eremes asked.

"We'll need to get various dolls. Certain ones are too rare for them to play with," Seyren chuckled. Naght came up to the nursery and laughed, as he handed over a Poring doll that was given over by one of the lesser Porings. Poring dolls were easy to come across and would be a definite hit with the kids. Sarine chuckled, as she went to sit in her rocking chair, and Keltin and Aliot sat with her to help her. Howard and Kiehl had to sit in the room to stay in her line of sight. After Doppy's twins were nursed, the other two were given to her. Errende kept his hands on her belly once again to assist her.

"Ma!" Bianca said over Doppy's shoulder.

"Yes?" Sarine smiled.

"Um...Dah?" she pointed to Howard.

"He is your daddy, too," Sarine nodded.

"Oh!" Bianca said, and Gunther looked over at her.

"Dad!" Gunther said, as he patted Doppy's head to get his attention. Then he pointed to Howard and giggled before saying, "Duh!"

"Now wait a minute!" Howard pouted, as Doppy started laughing. Kiehl found himself sniggering, and barked out laughing at Howard's glare. Keltin was grinning, and Aliot found himself giggling softly.

"He's also your dad, too," Doppy managed say to his son.

"Huh?" Gunther frowned. Then he looked over at Edward and said, "Ed!"

"Hmm?" Edward asked, as he nursed.

"Dad?" Gunther asked, as he pointed at Howard. Edward stopped nursing to look at him, nodded, and went back to nursing. Doppy howled with laughter, as Errende was giving Thanatos the whole bit on what just happened. The demon quickly strode into the room to settle in. Sarine was just blushing at the whole thing. When Edward and Angela were done nursing, Thanatos took up his son.

"Did you really just tell Gunther that Howard was your dad, too?" Thanatos grinned.

"Yah!" Edward giggled and blinked his blue eyes at him. Sarine fixed up her top, as Serenity came into the room to climb into her mother's lap.

"They're talking now!" Serenity beamed.

"Did you tell them that you used to call me 'Duh'?" Howard asked.

"No..." Serenity giggled. Howard moved quickly to snatch up his daughter and tickle her mercilessly. Siegfried walked in holding Eremes's hand and scowled at his sister.

"Told you not to!" Siegfried frowned.

"But, it was fun!" Serenity giggled in Howard's arms.

"It's all right, Siegfried," Howard grinned. "Instead of kisses, she's gonna get tickles from now on! See?"

"No!" Serenity laughed and squealed, as she got tickled again.

"I should get your feet," Kiehl grinned. She gave out a playful scream when he grabbed her feet to tickle, as Howard got her sides. Sarine was laughing softly and looked over with surprise when Defender, Justice, Doombringer, Vengeance, and Pori-Pori bounced into the nursery. Serenity and Siegfried cried out with delight and were soon chasing the Poring-type monsters all over the room. The other four children wanted to try playing, and Thanatos and Nigel helped them around. As they played and were kept preoccupied, Sarine sat back in the rocking chair with a purely motherly smile on her face.

"I love my grandchildren," Markus chuckled, as he moved to sit by her.

"You should take them for a day," she grinned. "At least the older ones."

"I wouldn't risk it right now," Howard said. "Let's wait until they're a bit older."

"He does have a point. One never knows who is lurking in the shadows," Markus frowned. "It would be safer to wait."

"Well, Serenity has the ability to call up a smaller version of Naght's swords," she smiled. "She can easily defend herself. As for Siegfried, it's true. We should wait until they learn how to fight better."

"Serenity can call up demon swords?!" Markus blinked.

"Only when she's really mad and protective," Kiehl said. Howard suddenly looked up at Sarine and moved to her side to get hugged before she winced. Doppy let out a small hissing cough to keep from alerting the children. Sammy moved over to evaluate her, and he frowned.

"They grew an inch. Aliot, do you have any chocolate on you?" he asked.

"No, but I can get some," Aliot said. He left quickly, and Maya Purple walked over to her after detaching himself from his bug body.

"Are you all right, My Lady?" he asked, as he knelt in front of her.

"It's hard to focus now," she sighed. He looked over at Howard and gave a worried look.

"She's very tired," Howard said. "She needs to sleep more."

Errende pressed his hands even more on her belly, but it didn't help when she gave a retching cough. Doppy moved with blinding speed to gather her up and rush her to the nearest toilet. Markus was now concerned for his daughter's health, but Sammy rose up his hand to show she was fine. Serenity and Siegfried stopped playing, as they heard their mother get sick.

"Mama?!" Serenity whimpered.

"She's okay. The babies in her are restless," Sammy soothed. "You did the same thing to her when you were growing in her."

"I did?" she frowned.

"But, that's the way her body reacts sometimes. She can't help it," Sammy said.

"Can we do something for Mommy?" Siegfried asked.

"Mommy needs to sleep right now," Thanatos said, and Doppy carried her to the bedroom. "She hasn't been getting enough sleep. We'll take care of her."

"I'll head back to Amatsu and send over the Priests to help protect her. I'll also look for any excess poison," Markus said. "Let me know if anything else happens."

"We'll let you know," Eremes nodded. After Markus left, Keltin moved into the bedroom to check on Sarine. Aliot came back with a few chocolate bars, but he held onto them. When Sarine was laid back in the bed, Serenity had jumped up to settle next to her. She looked at her large belly and frowned.

"Stop making Mama sick!" Serenity scowled. The babies kicked in reply. "I wanna meet you, but, if you keep making Mama sick, then it won't happen! I'm gonna be your big sister! If you keep making Mama sick, then I can't be your big sister. That will make me sad!"

The babies within Sarine's womb seemed to pause. Then they settled down. Thanatos was amazed at what was going on.

"Yah!" Siegfried said, as he hopped onto the bed next. "I'm supposed to be your big brother! When Mommy gets sick, it hurts her. Then it can hurt you all. So, stop it!"

"We get to meet you next week. I wanna meet you all!" Serenity said and patted the large belly. Small kicks were given in response.

"Are they...talking to the kids in her?" Howard asked with disbelief.

"Apparently, they are," Thanatos chuckled. "And they calmed the children down significantly. What do you think, Doppy?"

"I'm just happy she isn't getting any more pain," Doppy muttered.

"They make Mama hurt?" Serenity frowned.

"When they grow, they can. If they grow too fast, it can really hurt her. That's what happened with you and Siegfried. You both grew very fast," Howard said. "They need to grow, but it has to be slowly. Too fast will hurt her."

"Okay," Serenity nodded. "Um...what happens now?"

"Tonight, a really big storm is going to happen. We can't go anywhere," Kiehl said.

"It is...too dangerous..." Eremes said, as he walked in. "We will travel again...after she gives birth to the four within her..."

"But, only after Mama rests. Right?" Serenity asked.

"Yes," Sammy nodded.

"Um...so..." Serenity blushed.

"What?" Howard chuckled.

"Daddy Sammy and Keel are next, right? After babies are born and Mama rests?" Serenity giggled. Kiehl found himself grinning, and he nodded to show she was correct.

"Yes, Serenity. Sammy will get her pregnant first, and then I will," Kiehl chuckled.

"Mommy is sleeping?" Siegfried said, as he looked over at Sarine. She was in a rather deep sleep now, and Howard sighed.

"She needs to sleep. When she wakes up, she'll be hungry," Howard said.

"I'm going to monitor her dreams," Sammy said, as he sat on a cushion.

"Serenity, do you want to see how I work?" Kiehl asked.

"Can I?" she beamed. Siegfried wanted to see, too. Howard helped lead his kids to the workshop with Kiehl. Drago and Observation stationed themselves on the balcony. Maya Purple moved his bug body into the room to monitor the movements in the house. Aliot lay back on the bed with Keltin to stay with Sarine, as she slept. Nigel and Byorgue started to prep meals for when she woke up. Errende sat back in a chair to wait for Sarine to wake.


	94. Chapter 94

She slept for a solid six hours. When Howard and Kiehl got back up to the nursery to let the twins take their nap, they walked into the bedroom right after.

"Any signs of her waking up?" Kiehl asked.

"No. She's still sleeping," Doppy said. "When does the storm start?"

"Soon. We should wake her," Howard said. Sammy was still meditating to monitor her. They didn't want to disturb him until she woke up.

"I'm sure that we will want to be the first ones that she needs to see," Kiehl said. At that, Aliot and Keltin moved off the bed. Kiehl got on one side of her, and Howard got on the other.

"Hey," Howard whispered, as he stroked her cheek.

"Hmm?" she responded, and she stretched lightly. Sammy blinked out of his meditation and cleared his throat, as he nodded to show all was well.

"The storm is about to happen. We need to get down below soon," Howard whispered.

"Is it?" she frowned. She felt Kiehl press into her back, and she sighed, as she muttered, "I'm still tired. How far off is the storm?"

"I can find out," Howard said. He looked over at Drago and Observation. The angel took flight, as Drago scanned the air for the sight and scent of rain. Observation came back in and moved to kneel by the bed.

"My Lady, the storm is about three hours out. The wind is starting to pick up, but not by much. We still have some time, if you want to do something," Observation said. She sat up and reached over to run her hand lovingly over his cheek and under his chin. He closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation. Then she grabbed him by the collar, pulled him close, and kissed him.

"Craving in full," Kiehl chuckled. Then he gasped, as the same thing was done to him. Ifrit, Naght, and Thanatos came into the room to help her as gently as they could in her condition.

"Go into the bathroom," Doppy muttered to Howard after he eased himself into a chair. Howard looked at Kiehl, and they nodded to each other. They managed to help Sarine off the bed, and Howard picked her up to carry her into the bathroom. Kiehl gathered up their clothes and shut the door right after.

"My Lady," Howard whispered to her, and she dug her nails into his tattoo. He roared out and went to savagely take her, but Kiehl gave a snarl in warning. Howard growled in response, but remembered that she was in a rather delicate state. He was able to carefully lay her on the ground and claim her while she lay on her side. It was the safest way to do it. When Sarine lay gasping in his arms and fully sated, he came around and hugged her tight.

"Glad you listened to me," Kiehl chuckled.

"I had to. I didn't want to hurt her," Howard frowned.

"I know. A good hour has passed by. We'll need to get dressed, and we need to get you fed," Kiehl said, and he chuckled at her.

"I know..." she sighed. Kiehl moved to her side now and helped her sit up. She winced and panted softly from the movement.

"Sarine?" Kiehl frowned, and she leaned into him.

"It's hard to move," she admitted. "when I'm this big..."

"We know," they both said together and sighed as one. She giggled softly at them before kissing them both.

"Let's get you dressed," Howard said and kissed her cheek. She nodded and Kiehl helped to lift her to her feet. They helped her take a quick shower before drying her off and dressing her. When they dressed themselves, she was led out to the main room.

"It's hard for her to walk," Kiehl said. "Let's get her fed."

"The table is ready," Injustice said, as he and Byorgue moved to help her to the table. Her craving dishes were set in front of her, and she started eating instantly. Her husbands were served next, and Kiehl got his meal last, since he was borderline slave and husband. Once the slaves were able to eat and drink, Kiehl moved to sit in a chair to sip some tea.

"I think I'm done," Sarine said, as she pushed a half-eaten dish away.

"My Lady, you're not done," Errende frowned.

"It's hard to focus on eating!" she sighed and ran a hand over her belly.

"I'll feed you," Nigel said.

"You'll do no such thing!" she growled.

"Well, if you don't want us to feed you, then you'd better eat," Aliot said. "I will not allow you to be weakened with my kids!"

"Aliot..." she growled dangerously.

"Nor will I," Keltin said, as he moved over to her. She wasn't in a dominating mood, so he was able to help with the threat. "Finish your meal."

"But..." she frowned. Then she gasped and whimpered, as Doppy snarled out with pain. Thanatos moved to her side quickly with Sammy, and they both grimaced.

"Five inches of growth," Sammy said.

"Finish eating, Sarine. You need to," Thanatos said gently. She just trembled and shook her head. Errende moved to her side to put his hands on her belly and whisper in her ear. She looked at him with irritation, but he whispered again. She reached for the fork, but her hand shook so badly that she dropped it. Errende frowned at this and whispered to her softly once again. She only nodded, and he carefully started to help her eat.

"What's wrong with My Lady?" Nigel asked Kiehl.

"She's exhausted and weak from the pregnancy," Kiehl sighed. Injustice took the empty tea cup from him, and he continued, "Keltin's Rage has her in an awkward state right now. She'll need assistance to do everything from here on out."

"Really?" Byorgue frowned.

"He's right," Howard nodded. "We have to keep her happy and calm. It will be hard to do, since she can't do much on her own. We'll need to figure something out, if she needs her walks. I know she will want them."

"And, if she can't move much..." Nigel frowned.

"We'll take care of her," Observation said.

"We'll do everything we can," Drago nodded. Errende managed to help Sarine finish what was left on her plate, and he supported her, as she leaned into him.

"We should head down below now," Maya Purple said.

"We'll prepare the safe house below," Aliot nodded. Byorgue left with him, and Injustice cleared away the dirty dishes with Nigel. Howard and Kiehl moved to carefully support Sarine to stand and walk with them. When she couldn't move her legs, Doppy came up behind her to carry her. She winced and leaned into his chest.

"This is going to be the start of a rough week," Howard grimaced.

"Tell me about it," Kiehl sighed. "My Lady?"

"Yes, Kiehl?" she asked.

"If we leave the door open to the workshop so Howard and I can work, will that be all right? This way, you can see us. When you need us close, we'll be right there. We need to get more defense work done. Will this suffice?" Kiehl asked.

"I think so," she nodded. Doppy sat on a cushion with her in his lap when they got down below, and she leaned against him gratefully. They kept the door open to the workshop, and Kiehl gave her a kiss before moving into it to work. Howard kissed her right after to start helping Kiehl. Keltin sat on one side of her, as Aliot sat on the other. The sound of the wind picking up was heard through the air holes of the room above them, and she shivered.

"It's okay," Doppy whispered, as he rocked her. She nodded and looked over, as her other husbands and slaves slowly filtered in to find their seats.

"The storm is almost here," Observation frowned. She nodded again and looked at the entryway when Seyren and Karla moved into the room.

"The wind is crazy!" Karla said. "I didn't believe the rumors of a massive storm!"

" _You should have,_ " Muninn chuckled, as he walked in to sit by his sister. Kathryne and Mitchell walked in next to sit down. Donnie and Egnigem were next, and his guitar was strummed lightly. Thomas followed them in soon after.

"You still haven't left yet?" Doppy growled.

"No. Apparently, ah, Wickebine asked me to stay," Thomas said a little flustered. The female Stalker walked in after him and blushed softly.

"I see," Sammy mused. "Well, considering that you backed out of the arena, I'm willing to give you another chance. Just keep your cool around us."

"I will! You have my word," Thomas nodded. Garrett and Cecil walked in to sit down next with Max and Coraline. There was a flustered look on Coraline's face.

"What's up with you?" Donnie frowned.

"Um...Max got me pregnant," she admitted. Margaretha and Lloyd just walked in and clamored with joy for them as they overheard. Howard walked over from the workshop and shook Max's hand before going back into it to work again. Since Coraline and Max were both human, it was possible.

"She got sick this morning. Muninn confirmed it for us," Max blushed.

" _If anyone wishes to have a child, now would be the time to voice it. However, a normal pregnancy will occur for those without Demonic blood. Those with Demonic blood will have varying pregnancies,_ " Muninn smiled. Cecil and Garrett looked at each other, and the look everyone saw confirmed what was going through their minds. It was the same for Margaretha and Lloyd. Seyren looked at Karla and faltered.

"I don't know," Seyren admitted.

"We've been talking about it for a while now!" Karla frowned. "I say it's time!"

"But, this will hamper our traveling!" Seyren argued.

"No, it won't. Only around the seventh month of my pregnancy will it happen. And, if I take some of your blood, the pregnancy will be faster. I say we go for it," Karla said. "We may not have the opportunity again, you know."

"I know..." Seyren sighed.

"What's your worry about it?" Doppy asked.

"I just...I see the cravings that Sarine goes through, and I get scared!" Seyren admitted.

"What?! That's all you're afraid of? My cravings could be mild compared to hers!" Karla said flustered. "I should have Luna kick you!"

At this, the Homunculus looked over at Seyren and stuck out her tongue. That had the room laughing, and they looked over at the door to find Naght coming in with the older twins. Bacsojin and Doll came in with the two younger sets to set them in the stone nursery just behind the safe room. A sudden, thunderous boom blasted above them, and Sarine whimpered. Doppy cuddled her, and Howard was at her side with Kiehl to keep her calm.

"These walls aren't thick enough!" Howard growled.

"We need to tell Storm Caller and Tao Gunka!" Kiehl hissed.

"I'll do it!" Injustice said, as he left quickly. Byorgue went with him at Sarine's small nod. They didn't want Injustice to have another encounter with Zealotus, though it likely wouldn't happen. Errende moved to sit in front of Sarine and placed his hands on her belly. She sighed with a bit of relief and winced at another booming sound of thunder. The sound of rain pattered above them, and she paled. Howard and Kiehl gaped and hugged her tighter.

"Why are these memories coming back now?!" Howard hissed.

"What memories?!" Doppy demanded.

"During a storm, not only would the walls around her shake, but they would start to drip water. She...got mild colds from it...and with her being poisoned..." Kiehl grimaced and hugged her tighter. "I know water can't get in here..."

Nigel was gaping at the thought of it, and Maya Purple was hissing in anger. Aliot and Observation were hurting deeply now. Errende kept his hands on her belly, as Thanatos was keeping his anger in check. Drago moved swiftly out of the room to tell Byorgue and Injustice this new information. Eremes was glaring at the ground. Sammy and Keltin were tense and trying to think of ways to help her.

"That's how she got incredibly sick long ago..." Sammy said with a shake of his head. "She was already so weakened, and with no one checking on her..."

"Quiet!" Doppy snarled out, as he cradled Sarine. He was seeing nothing but red now. His temper was quickly losing its already short fuse. Naght hissed, as he moved over to her to lean down and place a hand on her shoulder.

" _Yes, it was a bad time for her. We need to cheer her up,_ " Muninn sighed. Pori-Pori came into the room with the other four Poring-type monsters and filtered around.

"Vessel of Odin?" Pori-Pori asked with concern. Seyren gestured for the strong monster to come near him, and he was surprised when Pori-Pori jumped into his arms. Seyren whispered to Pori-Pori on what happened to Sarine in her youth. This made Pori-Pori tremble with rage, and he jumped down to the floor. Chittering in his native tongue, the other four gasped and moved quickly to set themselves up in a row. They knew how to fix the mood. Serenity and Siegfried watched curiously where they sat on a large cushion. When they started making funny faces to each other, the kids started giggling with delight.

"Good call!" Sammy muttered, as Sarine started to smile. Pori-Pori sucked in over half his face again, and that had the room in an uproar of laughter.

"Again?!" Eremes grinned, as he trembled with laughter. Once Sarine was calmed and laughing, they stopped, and Justice looked at Donnie.

"Play us a song!" Justice grinned. Donnie grinned and started up a fast tune. The Poring-type monsters started to bounce around in a bit of a dance, and that had even more laughter come from the others. Injustice and Byorgue came back in with Drago and paused with grins on their faces at the scene. Nigel moved over to them to whisper what they missed, and they grimaced with the news. They found places to sit down and enjoy the Poring dance.

"I should try singing," Seyren grinned. Nigel got an idea and waited. Donnie asked him what songs he knew, and Seyren voiced a song that was easy for him. Donnie knew it well and started up the tune. The moment Seyren started singing, Nigel became his Nine Tail form and started to howl. That had Eremes Cloak to laugh uncontrollably, and Karla was no better.

"Wow!" Donnie grinned, and Sarine was gasping a bit for air.

"I don't sing that bad!" Seyren colored up. Nigel yipped with disagreement, and the older twins were laughing with Howard and Kiehl. Thanatos and Doppy were howling with laughter, as Naght was chuckling. The other slaves were snickering now with her other husbands. Nigel panted and waited to see if Seyren was going to sing again.

"Okay, that was awesome!" Eremes grinned, as he Uncloaked.

"That wasn't fair!" Seyren muttered.

"We're all laughing!" Donnie said with a smirk.

"But, I'm not!" Seyren said irritably. Then Pori-Pori bounced over to him and bugged his eyes out. That had Seyren grinning, and he sighed.

"Pori-Pori has the right idea," Keltin grinned. Another sharp boom was heard over them, and Sarine shivered. Tao Gunka moved into the room to start working on the walls and ceiling. Storm Caller was in next to see them all.

"Vessel of Odin, I was told of what was going on. The walls and ceiling will be reinforced that much more," Storm Caller said. "As you can see, it's being done now."

"Thank you," Sarine nodded slightly. Observation moved to hover by Sarine just as Alexander flew in to check on the children. The two angels glared at each other, but Sammy cleared his throat to remind them to remain neutral.

"Soon," Alexander muttered.

"We'll see," Observation snorted. The larger angel moved to settle in the makeshift nursery, and Sammy explained to the others how a fight for Angelic dominance was likely to take effect. Thanatos then explained that it was far off, and Muninn confirmed it.

"Um, Mama?" Serenity asked, as she moved to settle in Errende's lap. It was the only other place that she could be close.

"Yes, dear?" Sarine asked with a soft smile.

"Why are you scared of thunder?" she asked.

"Serenity, your mother had a very nasty experience with thunder as a child long ago," Howard said. "Her childhood wasn't very happy like yours is."

"Really? But...Grampa is nice!" she said.

"He is now. But, before, he was under a nasty spell. He was very mean to your mom and had no control over it," Kiehl said softly. "Once the spell was lifted, he was able to be nice again. It took a long time for him to be free of the spell."

"I had a happy two years before everything went bad for me," Sarine said.

"I wanna see how it happened," Serenity said.

"Me, too!" Siegfried said.

"No," Eremes said. "You are not ready for it..."

"Yes, I am!" Serenity said.

"You will have nightmares about me, sweetheart," Sarine said. "I don't want you to have nightmares about me. Do you want nightmares?"

"No..." she whimpered. "But...I should still know."

"Come to me," Sammy said. "Both of you. I may be able to give you both a short dream vision. Unless, you want to do it, Muninn?"

" _I'll show them the mild version in the bathroom. Come along, you two,_ " Muninn said. The twins nodded and moved to follow him.

"We could have a dream vision, ourselves," Howard thought.

"As long as it does not involve anything about us having to do with Lighthalzen," Sarine said. "Like...if you survived, or if I was with Eremes before I met you."

"Why not?" Eremes asked.

"Think about it. The dream visions with me are so real that they could disrupt one's thoughts. If you and I were together at the Novice Center and met up with Howard and the others, there would have been a fight. I'm sure of it. A nasty one. I don't want to know the outcome. Or know if everything would be all right. I...couldn't take it," she sighed.

"You're right," Howard nodded. "That would be too much. I don't want to see Eremes as a threat, or as an enemy. I don't want any hostility."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes said with a slight nod.

"We should have a dream vision about meeting me through a Bloody Branch," Kiehl grinned. "That should be fun!"

"Oh, please!" Howard chuckled. "We would have fought. You likely would have kicked our asses, and then you would have tried to steal Sarine away."

"Actually, I don't think I would have let any of you attack him. Especially with my track record of not letting you hurt certain monsters," Sarine giggled.

"You're right. Likely the same with Thanatos, then. And Doppy," Howard chuckled.

"Hell, we should have a dream vision about meeting up with me with the lot of you!" Doppy laughed. "Such as, in the tower that first time."

"I feel left out," Keltin sighed.

"You aren't the only one," Sammy said. "We wouldn't have known her before then."

"Well, it's just a dream vision," Howard said.

"But, all of the visions I have are realistic," Sarine frowned. "Who's to say that they might cause me stress and hurt me?"

"Okay. No more dream visions! At least while you're this pregnant!" Howard said.

"It would still be nice to see, though," Kiehl said.

"I want to experience what it's like," Seyren thought. Her other friends voiced their agreement and Sarine sighed.

"At least wait until my next pregnancy?" she asked.

"We can wait!" Kathryne nodded. "That's not a problem at all."

"And you two need to get married!" Seyren said, as he pointed at Donnie and Egnigem.

"Oh, come on!" Donnie pouted, as they laughed.

"You don't want a child with me?" Egnigem asked. "I am human now."

"But...do you have any idea what bringing up a child is like?" Donnie asked.

"Well, I do have to deal with you on a daily basis now," Egnigem muttered. That had everyone laughing, and Donnie flustered up.

"You've seen my brother, Timmy," Howard grumbled.

"Timmy the ninny?" Defender asked.

"Oh, yeah! Him!" Vengeance grinned.

"I'm not a ninny!" Timmy said, as he walked in with Armeyer. He was wearing new Alchemist clothes to show he successfully passed the tests. Howard blinked at him and actually found himself smiling a little. He still couldn't trust him yet.

"He worked extremely hard! I'm proud of him," Armeyer smiled. "It's good to see all of you again! Why is everyone down here? I mean, we are missing Kavach, Laurell, and Lilah. I could get them, if you want?"

Nigel gave a small growl at Lilah's name and slunk over to Sarine to curl up by her. She ran a hand through his fur to calm him.

"What's with him?" Timmy asked.

"He detests Lilah. Ever since she wanted him for herself, he can't trust her. It's going to take some time for him to accept her as a neutral ally," Kiehl said. Armeyer blinked and decided against getting the others.  _If they found their way to them, then that would be fine._

"Congratulations on becoming an Alchemist, Timmy. Now you just need to transcend," Sarine said. "Do you have a Homunculus yet?"

"Not yet. I was hoping that Karla could help me out with that. If it's possible," Timmy said. Karla looked up at him with surprise, but Seyren stopped her from speaking out.

"The only way I will let my wife help you is if you apologize for how you treated her long ago. You did threaten her if she didn't show you the treasury," Seyren glowered.

"Ah, yes. I thought that my blunder may come up. I got this for her to help apologize. I was told that she liked dolls, and I made sure to find one that was pretty rare," Timmy said, and he took out a Rice Ball Doll to give her. The doll resembled a small package of boiled rice with a ribbon around it, and a tiny face in front of it. The monster, itself, was quite rare to find. Karla gasped, as she took it, and Seyren blinked. Howard was in shock.  _Timmy got a high quality item, and he was simply giving it away?! For free?!_

"Wow..." Kiehl said with disbelief.

"I know, it's not like me, but I'm trying to show that I've changed. There is a lot about me that did a complete turnaround. Howie, did our parents say anything about us?" Timmy asked. "If they did, I want to see them again to help you slap them around!"

"What?" Howard asked. This new side of his brother was hard to grasp.

"You heard me!" Timmy frowned. "I've done a crap load of thinking, and I'm done being a moron and a loser! If I can't change Dad's view on anything, then he's not worth my time anymore. I thought of him as my hero once. After seeing everything as you do, he's despicable. He's a liar. He simply needs help."

"I'm proud of him," Armeyer said, and Timmy put an arm around her waist. He was actually starting to look better. He was losing the fat around his body and building up his muscle tone. He didn't really need the strength, but it was just the fact that he was training and fixing his body at the same time. Sarine would have liked him, if she didn't meet Howard, but she knew that no one could replace her Whitesmith. And with Kiehl and Naght with her, she didn't really want to think about anything else. Howard and Kiehl squeezed her together at her thoughts, and Naght rumbled a purr of affection towards her. He was able to hear her thoughts through Howard easily, and he was trying to pay more attention to them.

"Father has been wanting to see me," Howard mused. "If you want to talk to him with me, then I don't see why not. However, it won't be until after Sarine gives birth. I won't risk her health. He'll be confronted here, at the arena. The same one you were at before."

"Just let me know when so I can be there," Timmy said. "Karla, I'm sorry about what I did before. I was an idiot then. Will you help me get a Homunculus?"

"As long as you admit it. I was ready to use a bomb on you," Karla smiled. That made Timmy gape, and Armeyer laughed lightly.

"Okay," Seyren sighed. "Karla, you can help him. But, the moment he acts like an idiot, you tell me. I insist."

"Depends on how much of him will be left," Karla giggled. He grinned and kissed her deeply before letting her move from his side to talk to Timmy. Sarine smiled softly, as she relaxed in the embraces of her loves. Doppy was still holding her securely in his lap. Very softly, Sarine started to sing. Donnie strummed on his guitar to match with the singing, and Howard realized that she was singing the song from his youth again. He smiled and sang with her, as Kiehl sang along, too. Doppy chuckled and let his true voice emerge to compliment the song. When the song was over, Timmy was staring at them with shock. Karla had stopped the conversation at Sarine's singing, since it was always so pretty to listen to.

"Howie..." Timmy said. "how does she know that song?! Only you ever sang it!"

"Timmy," Howard said slowly. "I'm going to reveal something to you about her. However. You are not to breathe a word of it to Mother or Father. Understand?"

"I promise. And I keep all of my promises now," Timmy said.

"He has been keeping promises. I can vouch for him," Armeyer nodded.

"Sarine is the adoptive daughter of Emperor Markus," Howard said.

"What?!" Timmy gaped.

"She was also imprisoned in a room for twelve years of her life. It started when that impostor took over the palace. She was a happy girl for two years until that bitch imprisoned her away. She was left in darkness to die," Howard said. "at only two years old."

"You're kidding," Timmy paled.

"He's not," Kiehl said with a grimace.

"She almost died when the sickness ran through the village," Howard said. Doppy whispered a song in Sarine's ears to help her calm down, and he glared at everyone to stop talking about it right then and there. His fuse was slowly shortening even more now, and it suddenly lengthened when Sarine placed her other hand in his hair to calm him. Now she was calming both Nigel and Doppy.

"The men I deal with," Sarine sighed. Small chuckles filtered throughout the room. She looked over at Serenity and Siegfried, as they moved out of the bathroom with Muninn. They both had tears in their eyes, and they ran to her.

"Mama!" Serenity whimpered and cried, as she buried her face against her mother's neck. Siegfried was sobbing against Sarine's shoulder, and Howard ran a comforting hand over his son's back. Kiehl was helping to comfort Serenity now. There was a wave of sadness and instinctive protection for the children at the sight of them shedding tears.

"We are having a baby. End of discussion," Karla muttered to Seyren.

"Fine," he agreed softly. "When do we try?"

"Tonight," she said.

"Take some blood? Or not?" he whispered.

"Yes. I will," she nodded. Small smiles and chuckles were heard at their conversation.

"Your kids just cursed me," Donnie sighed.

"Why?" Sarine asked, as she comforted her children.

"Egnigem, what do you say? Let's get married and have a kid," Donnie said.

"What? When you say it like that?" Egnigem frowned.

"You're right. Where are my manners," he sighed. "Let's get married. Now."

"No," Egnigem smiled. Donnie scowled, grabbed her hand, and hauled her out of the safe room to their bedroom. That had Seyren laughing.

"What do you think, Timmy?" Armeyer asked.

"I want to wait until I'm properly transcended. Then we'll talk about it more," Timmy said. "I want to make sure we are fully prepared before taking that step."

"What?" Howard blinked. "You're...being sensible?!"

"Well, how did you get Sarine pregnant before?" Timmy asked.

"Ah..." Howard started and sighed. "Naght possessed me and forced it."

"It...was...fun...so...stop...complaining..." Naght hissed out, as he laughed.

"You made me scare her!" Howard said. Naght muttered lightly in Demonic, and those that understood it started laughing. He scowled and said, "That's not fair! And our kids are here, so you need to be careful with how you say things."

"Since when do you care about language?" Timmy grinned.

"Since I became a family man," Howard smirked.

"Hmm," Drago thought.

"What?" Kiehl asked.

"Just thinking of something interesting," Drago said.

"Like what? Tell us," Doppy said.

"My Lady is going to be birthing eggs with Maya Purple, right?" Drago asked. This had everyone go quiet with a form of disbelief and awe.

"In a sense," Howard said.

"What are you thinking of?" Maya Purple asked.

"Dragons are known to make eggs, too," Drago said thoughtfully. "and they hatch within nine days, as well."

"You are not thinking what I think you're thinking! Are you?!" Howard paled.

"Oh, dear..." Sarine sighed, as she kept hugging her children. They had fallen asleep on her, and she couldn't move if she tried.

"Do you want me to take them, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"No. I'm fine. Drago, what made you think of this now?" she asked.

"I was thinking about it for a while now," Drago admitted. "I think it would be safe for you to have my children with Maya Purple's, since you won't be pregnant with them."

" _Hmm. You do have a valid point!_ " Muninn thought, as he peered into the future. " _However, you will need to wait for her to have Maya Purple's eggs first. Then it would be safe for you, if you act quick enough. She is to bear the triplets then. If you wait too long, it will be too late. If you join her Demonic Mating, she may be able to have the four eggs then. The eggs will take a day to produce in her before they have to come out. After they come, the triplets will appear in full. I can ask Father Odin for help, if there is a problem, but I don't see one._ "

"But, doesn't she need to be pregnant for a Demonic Mating?" Sammy asked carefully.

" _She does, but the triplets won't fully form until the eggs are made._ "

"So, you're saying they may be in a stasis?" Sarine frowned. Howard cringed inwardly with Kiehl, but she was thinking ahead and not in the present.

" _In a sense, yes,_ " Muninn nodded, knowing she was dangerously close to discovering a hidden truth. Doppy winced with a few of the others, and she thought it was from what was going to happen in the future.

"All right. As long as I don't lose them again," Sarine nodded. "What is it, How-How?"

"Just the thought of you having so many at once. Even though they won't be there until the eggs are made. It's just...disturbing in a way," he said.

"I see," she nodded. Seyren was still floored at the fact that she would be producing eggs. He didn't see how that was possible.

"Even then...it won't happen...until my children are born..." Eremes said lightly.

"True," she nodded. "Still a ways off."

"Let me know when the time comes, and I'll prepare a special nest area in the nursery," Storm Caller nodded. "Tao Gunka, are you finished?"

"Yes..." the stone monster nodded. There were no vibrations or sounds coming from the storm above now. Storm Caller nodded, as Tao Gunka left the room.

"I shall fortify the house so that it will not disturb you during the start of a storm. It will give you enough time to get down here safely," the Strouf nodded and left the safe room.

"So, is he a slave?" Timmy asked.

"No. He's a Priest of Odin. He's more like a personal guide and guardian in a sense," Keltin said. "He was the one that was with us when Sarine transcended, and he was the one who spoke with Valkyrie, too. You could say that he is one of our direct links with Odin, himself."

"Okay. So, what happens now?" Timmy asked.

"Well, we aren't going anywhere until she gives birth," Sammy said. "That won't be for another week, if that. She's only five days pregnant, so we have another eight days to go."

"Only five days?! What's making them grow so fast?" Timmy frowned.

"I have the Rage of Valkyrie in my system. When she got pregnant, some of that Rage went with the pregnancy. That is what is making them grow so fast. Also, Aliot is a demon. That also pushes the growth rate up," Keltin sighed.

"Really? Any odd cravings?" Timmy asked out of curiosity.

"She likes sweet, salty, bitter, and sour foods. She also has urges to walk," Sammy said.

"Not to mention a rather healthy appetite for us," Byorgue mused. Sarine gave him a look, and he grinned with a small shrug.

"So...I don't get it," Timmy said. Armeyer whispered to him, and his eyes went round. "Oh. I get it now. Wow."

"She can wear us out fast," Sammy said.

"No ideas," Doppy growled. Nigel gave a small growl to reflect the warning.

"How is a Nine Tail a slave? Isn't that awkward?" Timmy asked. Nigel shifted into his human form and seemed to glare at Timmy.

"Not at all, if one has the right form," Nigel said. Timmy's mouth dropped, and Nigel carefully pulled Siegfried off of Sarine. The boy woke up and whimpered.

"Give him back to me, Nigel," Sarine smiled. The moment her son was resting against her shoulder, he fell back to sleep in comfort. "My poor dears..."

"You scared them," Howard said with a small glare at Muninn. "What did you show them? I need to know."

" _I only showed them how Sarine was brought up and trapped away in darkness. I also showed them how she was rescued. Nothing more,_ " Muninn vowed.

"I think they will be sleeping with me for a couple nights," Sarine sighed. "It can't be helped. We'll have to see about sleeping arrangements."

"Garrett," Cecil smiled softly.

"I know," the Paladin smiled and kissed her forehead. "And I agree."

"Good," Cecil chuckled, and he hugged her tight. Serenity blinked awake and whimpered, as Sarine kissed her forehead.

"I'm okay now," Sarine smiled. "See? I'm right here."

"Mama...had a sad life," Serenity trembled. Siegfried blinked fully awake now and snuggled into her more. Sarine sighed and softly started to sing a soft lullaby to them. Pori-Pori bounced over to her to snuggle the twins, and they gave small smiles at some of the funny faces he made to help cheer them up.

"Mommy has a better life now?" Siegfried asked.

"Oh, yes. A much better life!" Sarine nodded. Thomas was in a deep discussion with Wickebine, and the two seemed to be getting closer. Storm Caller came back into the room and seemed to sigh with a touch of irritation.

"Ripclaw has come back and requests an audience," the Strouf said.

"I'll rip him to pieces!" Doppy snarled. Naght and Thanatos glanced at each other to nod slightly with agreement. Howard and Kiehl were not happy. Especially with the kids present. Seyren muttered, and Garrett moved to nod to show he was ready. Max was in a protective father mode and moved in front of Coraline.

"Errende, can you take the children into the stone nursery for safety?" Sarine asked.

"No!" Serenity frowned. She gave a small glare at Errende to keep him back.

"We stay with you, Mommy!" Siegfried said. "Seri can help protect you! So can I!"

"And what can you do?" Observation asked.

"Um...Dad! Give me a weapon!" Siegfried said. "Some kind of blade!"

"Hmm," Howard frowned, but gave over a basic knife. Siegfried wielded it, and the air became hot, as the knife blade glowed with heat. He was secretly learning to master his power ever since he learned of it in the grove. Both children looked like they could be five years old now. Their growth was slowing, but their powers were growing by leaps and bounds. Once he proved what he could do, the air cooled with the knife, and he gave his father a grin. Howard laughed and hugged his son with pride. Naght rumbled his approval, and Siegfried beamed.

"How did you do that?!" Seyren gaped.

"Your kids are strong!" Timmy said with wide eyes. The Poring-type monsters bounced with glee at this and settled about the room to help ambush, if needed. Pori-Pori moved to bounce on Sarine's head. Eremes thought and Cloaked to wait. Then he did something that hadn't been done in a while. He was a monster at this time, and he summoned a random clone. A version of Seyren appeared and vanished. He kept doing it until he got a version of himself to Cloak and wait.

"I forgot we could do that!" Howard blinked.

"What?" Timmy frowned.

"I'm a monster right now, Timmy. We, from Lighthalzen, were granted the ability to summon random clones of ourselves. They do what we want them to do. I'm going to summon another version of Eremes," Howard said, as he started to summon.

"We should try this in the arena, if we're challenged," Seyren grinned. "This is a natural talent for us, you know."

"You're right!" Howard grinned wickedly.

"Well, let's see what Ripclaw wants," Sarine said. Maya Purple skittered over to her and attached himself to the wall to hover over her. His pinchers were ready to launch their darts. Alexander moved to hover in front of the nursery door, as Bacsojin and Doll waited to protect the children. Kathryne whispered to Mitchell, and he grinned.

"Ah, Sarine, I learned how to use the skill of Hocus Pocus. We should test it out in the arena down here later. I do need a lot of yellow gemstones, though. Two each. Or, we actually have that wasp queen, Mistress, here. I could use her card, and I would only need one gemstone. If I could borrow it for this?" Mitchell asked.

"Sure! Let's wait until after Ripclaw, though," Sarine nodded. Mitchell nodded, and Karla started going through her cart to see if she could find a good headgear for him.

"We'll find something after Ripclaw," Seyren said. Karla nodded and stopped her search for the time being. Seyren and Garrett went up the stairs, and they led down Ripclaw and Blent.

"You are all down here?" Ripclaw frowned.

"Yes," Howard said lightly. His clone of Eremes stood right behind the Stalker, and Eremes's clone of himself stood behind Blent. At the sight of the children around Sarine, Blent paused and realized just how long he was away. He was also floored at how much they had grown in just a short time. Kiehl was studying him crucially, as Serenity snuggled into his chest.

"Where do you plan to go next?" Ripclaw asked.

"Right now, nowhere," Sammy said. He stood up and had his Samurai ghost come out to show who he was. The ghost only liked to come out when he was needed. He was silently reminding Ripclaw of his place, as he said, "She is not going anywhere until she gives birth. That won't happen until next week. Until then, we are staying here."

"Why do you want to know where we are going?" Keltin asked, as he crossed his arms. Aliot stood protectively in front of Sarine and braced himself. He had to protect Sarine with everything he had. She was bearing his offspring, and the instinct was hard to ignore. Doppy kept his eyes locked on the two humans with mistrust.

" _Please tell them so they can calm down,_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Ah! Well, I was able to gain over half of my Guild back. Jasmina, would you be able to come back to me?" Ripclaw asked. He knew her true name, since Blent did inform him of her past, but he was respectful by only calling her by the false name she gave him.

"I'm sorry, Ripclaw, but I can't. I am needed here," she said with a polite nod. Thomas whispered to her, and she whispered back to him, as she placed her hand in his.

"I see. It's good to know that you found someone. Very well," Ripclaw said with a smile. He always saw her as a daughter in a way. "Anyways, were you planning on going to the city of Rachel at any time?"

"It was a possibility...why do you ask?" Eremes frowned.

"We heard rumors of a frozen child. We were hoping to find out more," Blent asked.

"Ah. That child," Howard frowned. "We know of the child, too. Why does he concern you? We had plans to see the child for ourselves."

"Well, the boy wouldn't exactly be a boy anymore. He was frozen about fifteen years ago. When he was ten, actually," Ripclaw said. "He's supposed to be a very religious figure."

" _If you wish to see the frozen child with us, then you can. However, you are to do nothing rash to him at all. He is the son of Loki. Loki will definitely be watching over his son the moment the child is freed. You have been warned,_ " Muninn said with a heavy frown.

"Seriously?!" Blent gaped. "Loki's kid?!"

"I will not let you harm him," Sarine said with a bit of surprise, as this was the first time she truly heard of this. "Despite the fact that he is Loki's child. A child is always an innocent."

"I know," Blent nodded. "I won't hurt a child, either."

A sharp cry was heard in the stone nursery, and Doppy muttered softly. Ripclaw blinked his eyes at the sight of four children being carried out to be nursed by Sarine. Nigel shifted into his Nine Tail form to let his massive body block her from being seen. Serenity and Siegfried moved to snuggle into Nigel's soft fur, and he gave sloppy licks to their cheeks.

"Ew! Nigel! No!" Serenity giggled, as she wiped her cheek clean.

"Yuck! Stinky breath!" Siegfried grinned and got another healthy lick to his cheek. "Eeewww! Stop it, Nigel!"

Nigel yipped playfully and got hugged by the twins. At the same time, he was keeping the Stalker and the Rogue distracted from seeing her. Byorgue and Injustice helped Sarine with the nursing children under the supervision of Doppy, Howard, and Kiehl. Errende was keeping his hands on her belly as much as he could. When one set of twins were nursed, the others were given over swiftly. It didn't take too long for the younger group to finish nursing, and her top was fixed up. Nigel looked back at her and shifted to his human form to get hugged by her.

"You're a slave?" Blent asked with a frown, as he saw Nigel's collar.

"Yes. I am," Nigel said. "Why does that surprise you?"

"I'm a slave, too," Byorgue said.

"And me," Drago growled out.

"Same here," Maya Purple asked from where he was on the wall.

"You know I am," Errende smirked.

"Don't forget about me," Observation grinned.

"Or me!" Injustice chuckled.

"I'm also a slave, and she's having my kids," Aliot said with a protective growl.

"I am her slave, but a husband, too," Kiehl said, as the diamond in his gold collar loop winked in the faded light. "I'm the only one like this."

"A slave and a husband?!" Ripclaw asked with disbelief.

"He's also my twin," Howard said with a small smile.

"Keel!" Serenity said.

"Yes?" Kiehl smiled.

"Who is he?" Serenity asked, as she pointed at Ripclaw.

"That is Ripclaw. He's a Stalker, and your mom and him know each other, to an extent. They are somewhat friends. He made a few mistakes, but he's trying to fix them," Sammy said.

"Oh. Mean man?" Serenity asked.

"No. Just misguided," Sammy said.

"Seri, I think I know him," Siegfried frowned. "In our room. Remember? Long ago? He tried to help us. I think."

"You remember that?" Howard asked.

"His smell. I know it," Siegfried said. "Dad, is he good or bad now?"

"He's good," Howard said.

"Okay. If he was bad, I'd hurt him!" his son said. Ripclaw could only chuckle at the threat. _A child could harm me? Impossible!_

"I doubt you could hurt me," Ripclaw said.

"Seri?" Siegfried grinned, and his sister giggled. She looked at him, as her tigers' eye gemstone eyes gained the red pupils. Then the red and blue swords appeared to hover in front of him with a menacing waver.

"Don't hurt Mama!" Serenity warned with a hissing growl. Siegfried took out the small knife and the air got hot around him again, as the blade glowed red. Naght seemed to hiss out laughter and rumbled a purr to them. Serenity looked at him with a blush, as the swords vanished away, and Siegfried let the knife return to normal.

"Dad!" Siegfried said with a pout. Naght rumbled again, and Siegfried pouted more.

"They can do that?!" Ripclaw gaped with amazement. Timmy was just as floored as the Stalker. He didn't see Serenity's swords yet. Blent was in shock now.

"They are mine and Naght's kids. They also carry the blood of everyone here that has been with Sarine. They, and all of our other kids, are going to be exceptionally powerful," Howard said. "Be careful of what you say around them. Doppy's twins can be very temperamental. Just like him."

"Damn straight!" Doppy snorted.

"Same with mine and Errende's twins," Thanatos muttered. Then he looked over, as Bacsojin carried out Edward.

"Ma!" Edward said and was given to Sarine to cuddle. Ripclaw was speechless that the boy had all of Thanatos's features, save the blue eyes.

"Is something wrong, Edward?" Sarine asked. Edward shook his head and sighed, as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"He just wants mom," Thanatos chuckled.

"Kids. I want them," Lloyd said.

"Okay," Margaretha giggled. Small chuckles were heard all around.

"So, who are you pregnant with? I know Aliot told us she was having his," Blent said.

"Mine, too," Keltin said. "She's pregnant with both mine and Aliot's kids."

"Next will be me with Kiehl," Sammy said.

"Then me," Eremes said. "I will be giving her...four kids...on my own. It's been destined by Valkyrie...and Odin..."

"Really?" Ripclaw blinked.

" _Yes. Eremes is to help bring forth human forms for both myself and Huginn. It's part of a prophecy. This is also why we will not let her do any form of traveling when she has difficulties. Now, you have your information on the frozen child. What else do you need?_ " Muninn asked. The two Cloaked clones were still in position, if anything went wrong.

"I see. I would appreciate it if I was told when you go to Rachel. I would like to see the frozen child for myself," Ripclaw said.

"Why?" Sarine asked, as she rubbed Edward's back to comfort him.

"I have my reasons," he said. That made her look at him oddly, and everyone in the room gave mild glares in his direction.

"Explain them, please," she said softly.

"Well, if he's a religious figure, he may hold a lot of power. And, if he truly is the son of Loki, he may be able to help me get some of my Guild members back by persuading them," Ripclaw said. "Some of them can only be persuaded, you see."

"Ripclaw, if the boy agrees to help you, then I will have no quarrel with it. But, if he declines your offer, you will  _not_  force him. I won't let you," Sarine said sternly. A touch of her mothering instinct was there, and he would have been a fool to not abide by it.

"Of course," Ripclaw nodded. "To be forced would not do well, anyways."

"No. It would not," she agreed. Edward mumbled in his Demonic Tongue, and Thanatos barked out laughter. Sarine looked at her son and scowled, "You do NOT say that language! Thanatos! You are not helping this situation!"

"I'm sorry!" Thanatos said through fits of laughter. Doppy was trying really hard with the others that understood the language on not laughing. Naght was chuckling, though.

"Well, he is a demon..." Kiehl grinned and laughed at the glare he got.

"He may be a demon, but he's still my son! I will not have him swearing in any language! Thanatos, you need to fix this  _now_!" Sarine growled.

"Okay, okay!" Thanatos said, as he wiped away a couple tears and gathered up his son. Clearing his throat, he muttered in his stern, Demonic tone to show he was serious, and Edward whimpered. The threat was given, and the child understood it. Serenity and Siegfried looked at each other with wide eyes. Errende was blushing a bit from the whole thing and sighed when Edward was given back to Sarine.

"What did he say?" Timmy asked.

"I'm not repeating it," Howard said wisely. When his wife was pissed off, it was best not to push the issue. At the approving look he got from Sarine, he nodded and said, "I'll tell you later when the kids aren't around. Just remind me."

"You understood the language? Oh, wait. Of course, you would. Naght Seiger's blood is still in you, huh?" Timmy asked.

"Amazing. You remembered," Howard grinned.

"Well, I sort of need to get smarter for the training," Timmy chuckled.

"Good thing Donnie isn't here," Thomas laughed.

"Very true," Kiehl grinned.

"Is it all right if I have Blent stay here to inform me of what's going on?" Ripclaw asked.

"I don't see why not. There is a guest house now that he can stay in. Laurell is there, so he will have ample company," Sarine nodded.

"Thank you," Ripclaw said. When he and Blent left, the Cloaked clones vanished away. The room lost its tense feel, and Sarine sighed. Edward started to hiccup, and small giggles happened all around, as she tried to help him.

"I don't like that man," Serenity frowned.

"Why not?" Kiehl asked.

"He just...feels mean," she said.

"Well, how do you feel about Wickebine? She's a Stalker, too," Howard asked.

"She's okay. But that guy...um...he's a stupid head!" Serenity nodded. That had the room in an uproar. Timmy was still confused about the whole thing, since she called him that before. No one was going to even try to explain it to him. Muninn was giggling like mad now. He was quite pleased with his niece.

"Dad?" Siegfried asked Howard.

"Yes?" Howard asked, as he hugged his son.

"Do you have a Grampa and Gramma for us?" he asked.

"I do...but they are like Ripclaw. They can't be trusted. I don't want you to meet them right now. They are not very nice people," Howard said.

"Oh. More stupid heads?" Serenity asked, and they laughed out again.

"Yes. Very much so!" Kiehl grinned.

"How is the storm above us?" Sarine asked.

"It may be lasting all night, but I'll check," Drago said. Observation went with him to find out. When they came back, they confirmed the storm was still at full peak.

"At least we can't hear it anymore," Kiehl said. Howard nodded with agreement.

"So, what do we do now?" Seyren asked.

"Should we test out a couple skills?" Mitchell grinned.

"Yes!" Karla grinned back and went through what headgears she had. "All I have is a pink bow. I don't think you want that."

"Ah, I would prefer not!" Mitchell said with a flustered look.

"I know I have a Beretta in my storage. Oh. Mages can't use it," Lloyd thought.

"I have something, actually," Garrett said. "But, we need to get it socketed for a card."

"What do you have?" Cecil asked.

"One of my King's old crowns. It even makes one slightly smarter when wearing it. We would need to see about getting a card fitted for it, as I said before. It was given to me when I reached the rank of Captain in his guards," Garrett said. "Then again, I'd rather not. It was a gift to me, and, if it can't be socketed, it could break."

"I won't take such a thing from you," Mitchell said.

"I know Evil Snake Lord has a hat," Keltin chuckled. "But, he uses it."

"Oh! I have a basic pink hat," Armeyer said.

"Yes, but a special card is to go into this. I need something that will stand out," Mitchell sighed. "Anything else? Anyone?"

"Sarine, you have two Spiky Band headgears, right?" Doppy asked.

"I do, but they don't have room for cards," she said. "Are you suggesting we try to get them socketed? What if they both break?"

"Well, we could always kill off my evil side over and over again," Doppy grinned.

"I can head to Payon to try it out," Karla said. "I'll grab one from the treasury and see what I need to do. Give me a bit!"

"Come back safely," Seyren said.

"I'll go with her," Garrett said.

"Me, too," Max nodded.

"I'll tag along," Lloyd grinned. Sarine chuckled, as the four of them left, and she found Edward sleeping on her shoulder. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, he replied with a yawn in his sleep. Thanatos gave a look of solid fatherly pride.

"My kids are better than yours," Doppy smirked.

"Oh, really?" Thanatos grinned.

"All of my children are the same in my eyes," Sarine smiled. That made them go quiet, and Howard cracked a grin with Kiehl. Serenity and Siegfried giggled. When Thanatos tried to collect his son from her, Edward gave an instinctive snarl that clearly meant to leave him alone.

"All of the kids want mom," Sammy chuckled.

"You're getting hungry," Kiehl frowned.

"Can you hold a fork now?" Doppy asked with concern.

"It's hard to focus on holding a fork, much less my son. At least Edward is bigger than a fork!" Sarine smiled. "I can handle Edward, but I'll need help eating. Aliot, dear, I need a little of your blood, too. If you could?"

"Yes, My Lady," Aliot said and pricked his finger on one of his back blades. Giving his wounded finger to Sarine, she sighed with relief at the taste of his blood. Keltin Healed him afterwards, and she leaned back into Doppy's form. He planted a small kiss on her lips and started to purr softly.

"Daddy Doppy can purr?" Serenity blinked.

"Yes, I can," Doppy chuckled. "All demons can purr, you know. Even your mother can, when she consumes enough demon blood."

"I wanna hear Mama purr!" Serenity giggled.

"Um...I don't know, dear," Sarine frowned. Howard blinked and grimaced slightly. _If she took in too much demon blood, she could gain a slight dominating streak._ Her thoughts were clearly worried about it, and Kiehl blinked. He had never seen her in a fully blown dominating streak other than the time with the blindfold. Howard managed a small smile and showed him exactly how dominating she could be. That had Kiehl start to sweat, and he cleared his throat.

"Keel? Why so hot?" Serenity frowned.

"Um..." Kiehl chuckled nervously.

"How-How! What are you doing to Kiehl?" Sarine frowned. Howard grinned and softly whispered in her ear. Doppy overheard and started to laugh. Muttering her disbelief, she glared at her husband with a heavy frown.

"He wanted to know!" Howard said with a shrug.

"Kiehl, curb the thoughts right now! You can bring them back up later!" she hissed. Kiehl took it as a direct order and did as she said. She took a deep breath, and Doppy softly whispered a song in her ears to calm her down. She was getting irritable from various things around her now, and the song was barely helping.

"My Lady," Aliot said, as he handed her a chocolate bar. Smiling with a form of delight, she had Errende break it into pieces to share with the kids. Edward woke at the smell of chocolate, and she chuckled. Letting him taste it for the first time instantly let everyone know that he had a sweet tooth.

"More?" Edward asked.

"Not right now, sweetie. Too much can give you a tummy ache," Sarine said. "It's best to eat sweets in short times throughout a week."

"Kay. Um, Dad?" he said.

"Yes, Edward," Thanatos said, as he was being looked at. He grinned when he was reached for, and Thanatos let Edward nestle against his shoulder. Doll came out with Angela shortly after and gave her to Errende, since he was wanted.

"The kids know who they want to be with," Seyren grinned.

"That they do," Thanatos smiled.

"DAD!" Gunther shouted from the nursery. Doppy looked over with alarm, and so did Sarine. He was forced to move from behind her carefully to go into the nursery. A shout of laughter was given, as Doppy came out with both of his kids to hold. Sammy moved to sit behind Sarine now to help keep her warm. Gunther was clearly starting to look more and more like his father. Bianca had his face, but held Sarine's eyes with a touch of her hair. She was going to be as beautiful as her mother. All of her daughters would be beautiful. Her sons would become strikingly handsome. Serenity and Siegfried were already proving those aspects.

"How are you feeling?" Sammy asked, as he started to massage her back. She gave a soft groan at it, and Howard grinned at Kiehl. Finding a knot in her shoulder, he worked it loose and said, "Wow. I had no idea how tense you were. I'll have to see about giving you massages more. Howard, did you realize that she needed this?"

"No. I can only hear what she thinks. She hasn't been thinking about it at all," Howard frowned. "Now I know she needs it. Maybe when she gets up in the morning and before bed?"

"We can work that in," Kiehl nodded. Nigel looked over to learn how it was done, and Aliot did the same thing. Eremes would definitely be helping her when he was able.

"Teach me how to massage," Seyren grinned.

"Come over here, then," Sammy chuckled.

"If anyone tickles me, I'll smack them!" Sarine muttered, and Kiehl laughed. Then she was lulled into silence by the intense massaging.

"Maybe this would be better for her to keep her calm," Kiehl smiled.

"That's a really good thought," Howard mused. "I'm getting nothing but happy thoughts right now. Keep it up, Sammy!"

"Of course," he grinned. Sarine suddenly gasped out in pain before crying out, and Doppy gave a small shout, as he clung to his kids to keep from dropping them. Sammy and Thanatos quickly evaluated her and were in shock.

"Quarter in size...they grew...that much?!" Thanatos gaped.

"If they grow any more, then she'll be giving birth by tomorrow!" Sammy hissed.

"I didn't have my hands on her..." Errende winced.

"You need...to hold your daughter...you know..." Sarine sighed, and Sammy hugged her. "Maybe...it's best for the...babies...to be born now..."

"No!" Keltin said. "We can make them slow down! It's been only five days! I just..."

"Keltin, come here," Sarine said softly. He moved in front of her, and she ran a hand over his cheek. "It's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself."

"You...told me to stop...before I..." he sighed. He remembered the night he finally got her with his twins. She put a finger to his lips to quiet him, and she smiled again.

"That was my instinct talking. I want children from all of my loves. I had to fight you. You know this. They know this. No matter what happened then, I am  _always_  happy with the children I am given," she said. "It's nobody's fault. Not yours or mine."

"My Lady..." Aliot said with a wince.

"I've been through much worse than this. I have to put up with Demonic Matings! So stop this attitude right now!" Sarine said. "I need to use the bathroom..."

"Mama okay?" Serenity asked.

"Yes, dear. It's just the children telling me they want out soon," Sarine sighed. Seyren grimaced and watched Serenity move to Keltin to pat his cheek.

"It's okay, Kelty. Mama's strong!" she said.

"I know she is," Keltin smiled and hugged her. "I just worry about her."

"Ma?" Edward frowned.

"Mom will be back in a bit," Thanatos said. Doppy was finally straightening up and comforting his kids at the same time with soft purrs. He rumbled to them, and they seemed to nod to him. He had Injustice and Observation take his twins from him, and he moved quickly to where Sarine was. Muninn was silently communing with Odin, and he was frowning softly at what he learned. Aliot noticed right away and went over to him.

"What did you find out?!" Aliot growled. Kiehl and Howard looked over with alarm.

" _Father Odin does say that the children will be born next week. But, Errende will be hard pressed to keep his hands on her belly for the rest of her pregnancy. If he falters even once, then the children may be born. I'm trying to see if there is another way,_ " Muninn sighed.

"Whoa," Timmy frowned. "Well, you're powerful! Can't you, like, freeze them? Or something along that line?"

" _I cannot. If I do that, it can harm the children and my sister. I refuse to,_ " Muninn said. He also knew that Timmy couldn't know of the hidden pregnancy in her.  _It would be far too risky to put all of the children in a stasis, and then let them out. I could undo the stasis that Odin placed on the triplets._  He suddenly snapped his eyes up to look at Errende, and he hissed out, " _Get to my sister! Now!_ "

Errende gave Angela to Maya Purple quickly and ran into the bathroom right before she lost focus. His touch soothed and comforted the growing children quickly. She leaned into him hard, and he found himself panting from the quick sprint he had to do.

"That...was close..." she sighed. Then she turned and vomited from the stress of it all. Howard and Kiehl shouted as one and rose at the same time. Serenity and Siegfried were quickly set aside, and the twins were scared now. Nigel gathered them up to snuggle them and comfort them. They curled up into him and looked at each other.

"What's going on with her?" Seyren asked.

" _She was supposed to give birth next week, but the Rage within Keltin is so potent..._ " Muninn was grimacing now. " _I did not even foresee this. Errende must never remove his hands from her, or she will give birth within the hour._ "

"Are you serious?" Seyren asked. Eremes was staring hard at the floor before moving to place a hand on Keltin's shoulder. The Bongun only nodded.  _She told me it wasn't my fault. She loves me, and I love her. She wanted my children. Neither of us knew how badly the Rage would affect a pregnancy until now. We'll know in the future and prepare for it better._  Keltin took a deep breath and nodded.

"What's on your mind?" Eremes asked.

"If they are born tonight, then fine. Let them come. If not, then it's fine, too. It's not my fault. We didn't know. I know she'll want more kids with me, and we'll plan this out better next time," he said. "It's the only thing we can do, right?"

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded. Naght was now hovering close by and was trying to figure out what he could do to help. Aliot gave a nod to Keltin, and Bacsojin went swiftly to Sarine's side to make sure she was all right.

"I really...don't want these kids...to be born...during a storm..." Sarine sighed, as Errende supported her. "Is the storm...over?"

"We'll check," Doppy said. Howard and Kiehl were now supporting either side of her. She was clearly exhausted and drained of her strength. Drago moved to survey the weather, and Mitchell was sighing with what was going on. Coraline and Cecil were clearly trying to think of ways to make it easier for Sarine. Margaretha and Kathryne didn't know what to do right now. Seyren was praying for Karla to get back to him with the others. He looked over when Laurell, Kavach, and Lilah walked into the storm room.

"So, this is where everyone is?" Lilah asked. Nigel nuzzled the kids before giving them both to Byorgue. Then he shifted into his Nine Tail form to give a small growl and slunk away to where Sarine was. He knew she still wanted him, and he hated her for it. Seyren noticed this and turned now to face her. The twins frowned at each other, and Byorgue comforted them.

"Lilah, do you still like Nigel?" Seyren asked suddenly. She flustered at this, and Laurell looked at her oddly. Kavach sensed something was up and backed away slowly.

"In a way, but I know I can't have him," she said. "I respect it."

"Get rid of your liking for him," Seyren said. "He detests you for it. It can hamper your relationship with Sarine and the rest of us. Yes, her men are all good looking, and, I'll admit, can even outdo me in a swimsuit contest. Still, they are her men. They chose to be with her. She didn't pick them. Renounce your fondness for Nigel right now!"

"Why is this important?" she asked.

" _My sister is now borderline in going into labor and trying to hold out on it! Any stress she gets right now will force the children in her to grow! She can't have any stress around her right now! Please, if you value your friendship with Sarine, do as Seyren asks! I don't beg without good reason, and this is one of them! The stress can hurt her more than you know!_ " Muninn growled out. Sammy came out of the bathroom and looked at Muninn.

"She's asking for you, Muninn," he said. Muninn looked over and nodded to see her. Lilah was completely speechless on what was going on. She had no idea on what she just walked into. Seyren wasn't going to let her into the room, unless she renounced that she liked Nigel. Lilah felt like she belonged with everyone, and it felt right.

"I don't like Nigel anymore. I know he will feel awkward around me, but I will see him as a brother. I promise," Lilah said. Seyren felt truth to her words and nodded.

"Everyone is on edge right now. Just remain calm. Okay?" he said.

"Okay!" she said. Keltin was pacing the room now with Aliot. They were both worried about their kids and what was going to happen.

"She might be giving birth tonight?" Kavach asked.

"It's possible," Keltin muttered. "Anything is possible right now."

"Errende is trying to keep My Lady calm. As calm as possible," Aliot sighed. "A part of me wants her to have the children. Another part says to have her wait for as long as it takes. I don't want to see My Lady in any pain. I don't know what to think."

"We're both anxious fathers. What else is there for us to think?" Keltin frowned. "I don't need sleep in my natural form, so I'll take over the duty of keeping Errende's hands on her belly while they sleep. That won't be hard for me."

"I'll make sure that My Lady has everything ready when she needs it," Aliot nodded. In the bathroom, Muninn was holding Sarine tightly to him after he released with her.

" _There is a slim chance that the children can come at any time. Already, plans are being made to keep them from growing too fast. Everyone is working in your best interests,_ " Muninn whispered in her ear. She nodded and sighed. Errende was keeping his hands on her belly, and she thought about something.

"Not sure," Howard said. "I don't think it's possible for Errende's talent with kids to go to anyone else. Then again, maybe we could try a direct blood swap with Thanatos? It did wonders for Kiehl and I. What do you think, Errende?"

"Directly? How would that work?" Errende asked.

"I could help you," Sarine said. "I take blood from you and give it to Thanatos instead of swallowing it. Then I do the same to him and give his blood to you. The two of you share the bloodline, anyways, right?"

"It is true. If you want to try it, My Lady, then I'll willingly do it," Errende nodded.

"I'll get Thanatos," Kiehl said and gave Sarine a soft kiss before moving from the room. Nigel had shifted human to help Sarine, and was now told that Lilah renounced her fondness for him. It was going to take some time to see her as a neutral, but at least he didn't have to steer clear of her anymore. Sarine pulled Nigel close to comfort him, since she knew he was distressed. Thanatos came in, and Nigel took Edward from him. At a nod to Sarine, Nigel went back out to the main room to keep the child away from the scent of blood.

"If this works, I'll have to treat it as though you're addicted to me at this point in your pregnancy," Thanatos said. "You guys know this, right?"

"I don't care," Doppy frowned. "Anything to keep her from having the children early."

" _I think this will work! Sarine, go ahead and try it!_ " Muninn said with a new glimmer of hope. He didn't want to see her go through any more pain until she was strong enough to bear it. At this news, Howard looked at Kiehl, and Sammy went to inform Keltin and Aliot. Eremes was now in the room to oversee everything. He thought of every child that Sarine had as one of his own. He loved her as much as the others did, and he easily kept himself in the background of everything around her. There was little that he missed now.

She bit Errende first, since he was right there, and he gasped, as he fought back the pleasure. She took a mouthful of his blood, and Thanatos moved over to accept it from her quickly when he kissed her. Kiehl Healed Errende, and Thanatos swallowed the blood easily. He felt something shiver through his body, and it was the same feeling that Howard and Kiehl had received when they swapped blood directly.

"Something...shivered?" Thanatos mused.

"We had that same feeling!" Howard and Kiehl said together.

"Good. Ready, Thanatos?" Sarine asked. He nodded, and Eremes moved to lightly scratch open his neck with a katar. She pulled a mouthful from him and kissed Errende quickly. Thanatos was Healed by Doppy, and Errende forced himself to swallow the blood down. The same shivering feeling overcame him, and he trembled.

"Time for the truth," Thanatos said.

"Right," Errende nodded. The demon placed his hands on her belly and had Errende step away from her. When there was no change in her condition, they sighed with relief.

"Real test now!" Errende said. "Um, Kiehl, can you bring Edward in here? Or one of the other children? If Lord Thanatos can rock his son to sleep, then we'll know for sure."

"Gotcha!" Kiehl said and moved quickly. Errende took place of Thanatos now, and the demon was given Edward. The moment his son reached his arms, and was slowly rocked, the child yawned and started to fall asleep. Howard and Doppy both seemed to look at each other with a form of relief.

"This will ease the burden on me considerably," Errende smiled.

"Well, you are mainly human. With the two of us able to do this, it will keep her kids that much calmer. I can focus on two in her, and you can focus on the other two," Thanatos nodded. When Sammy came back in, they told him the experiment worked. Keltin and Aliot came in to show how relieved they were, and Muninn was smiling.

"Drago says the storm is still over us. What do you want to do, love?" Keltin asked.

"I think I need to eat," Sarine said. Aliot and Keltin helped her dress, as Muninn's armor came back to him. Thanatos and Errende moved to help Sarine into the main room, and Karla was giving a successfully slotted Spikey Band to Mitchell with the Mistress card within it.

"Nice!" Mitchell said. "I hope everything is fine with her?"

"The situation appears to be improving," Sammy nodded. "We need to feed her."

"So, Thanatos gained Errende's touch?" Seyren asked.

"Yes, I did. When Sarine starts to get this big, I'll pretend she's addicted to me. No other way around it," Thanatos said. Donnie and Egnigem walked into the room to flash new wedding rings, and Garrett grinned at them. Seyren walked over to them and told them what was going on so they were up to date on what happened.

"She almost went into labor?!" Donnie blinked. "And I missed that?"

"Yep!" Howard nodded. Naght gathered up his kids from Byorgue so that he could help feed Sarine. Serenity and Siegfried were much happier now that their mother was going to be all right. Keltin did pause when he saw Sarine panting, but it was only to catch her breath. Byorgue and Injustice were setting up a table for her, and the younger kids were rocked to sleep by Errende. Thanatos was able to assist with Sarine.

"Addicted to you again?" she chuckled.

"You know it," Thanatos grinned. Howard and Kiehl couldn't focus on work now. They had to stay close to Sarine. They didn't want her to feel stressed over them. That and Naght wouldn't let them stray too far from her. He was too worried about her health.

"Here," Injustice said, as he set her craving dishes in front of her. Thanatos held her in his lap with his hands on her belly. Errende moved to place his hands on her, too, and that helped even more. The moment she finished eating and drinking, she leaned back into Thanatos's chest and closed her eyes with exhaustion.

"Mama?" Serenity asked. At no response, Howard found out that she was sleeping.

"She fell asleep," he said. Sammy went to sit down on a cushion to monitor her dreams.

"Well, my skill isn't going anywhere," Mitchell chuckled.

"No, it isn't," Kathryne smiled.

"The moment the storm is over, we'll take her to the bedroom. She really needs to sleep right now. Everything is tiring her out far too fast," Kiehl said.

"As long as she's all right," Keltin said.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"I don't like seeing My Lady in pain," Aliot sighed.

"None of us do," Nigel said.

"What should we do now?" Byorgue asked.

"Oh! Karla! You never did finish telling me about how to get a Homunculus," Timmy said. Karla nodded and started to explain how it was done. The rest of the night passed peacefully, as the storm wore itself out above them.


	95. Chapter 95

 The next five days were grueling. Thanatos and Errende were by Sarine's side every second of the day. Thanatos monitored her at night and didn't bother meditating. Howard and Kiehl were with her the moment she started to wake, and they were only called up once by Byorgue when she woke suddenly from a need to use the bathroom. She panicked when they weren't there, and Howard was caught off guard by her suddenly waking up. When she was judged strong enough to handle the births, everyone got together in the bedroom.

"We should take her to the grove. I'm sure Maya Purple can carry her and Thanatos easily. I'd rather her have them there than here. It will be far more calming to her and a lot more comfortable," Sammy said. They all agreed, and Maya Purple readied himself to carry her.

"Easy, love," Thanatos whispered. They made sure she nursed the children that needed it before doing anything. Naght was ready to follow them, and his twins understood that they would be brought to them after the babies were born. Sarine was unable to do anything on her own right now. Her slaves had taken excellent care of her when she needed it.

"I'll make sure everyone knows what's going on," Kiehl said.

"Let me do that. You stay with My Lady!" Byorgue growled. He wasn't going to let Kiehl or Howard out of her sight. "Aliot! Keltin! Go with her! Observation and Injustice will help me spread the news. We'll be with you all when we're done."

"Thank you, Byorgue," Sarine sighed, and he accepted a caress from her. He was one of the fiercest slaves she would ever have. They all protected her and served her, but he was the one that fully enforced the others to do what was needed. Errende was the one that showed them what to do when they needed guidance.

"We're ready," Thanatos said, and Errende moved onto Maya Purple's back to help her with his own touch. It helped calm the children in her that much more.

"Let's go!" Keltin said. Aliot nodded, and they all started to move through the house and down the stairs. Seyren encountered them in the main room, and Maya Purple was forced to stop moving. Sammy walked over to Seyren quickly to tell him what was going on.

"Seyren, she's going to give birth today. Let the others know, and stay out of the grove until we give the okay," Sammy said. This caught Seyren by surprise, but he nodded. Muninn watched everything in his falcon form, as he flew over the island. Maya Purple reached the grove, and Sammy gestured for them to go underground. He slowly skittered down the stairs and let her get moved into the small area designed for birthing.

"Easy, Maya Purple," Keltin said with a touch of nervousness.

"I know. Don't worry," Maya Purple nodded. When they got to the section with the soft moss, mint, and tea leaf bushes, she was carefully moved off of his back.

"Don't take your hands off of her yet," Sammy said to Errende and Thanatos. "We need to make sure that everything is prepared for their arrival. Where is Bacsojin?"

"I'm here!" Bacsojin said, as she floated down the stairs. "Alexander and Doll are with the children. We need soft blankets, hot water, and mild soaps!"

"I'll get them!" Aliot said and left quickly. Keltin moved by Sarine's side, as Doppy moved to lie down next to her. They all knew that he was going to be feeling her pains, and this was the only way he could get through them with her. It was a given.

"Today is the day," Keltin smiled.

"I know," Sarine said. He moved her head to carefully rest in his lap, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Doppy pressed a kiss to her cheek and whispered a song in her ears. She pressed her forehead against his, and he sighed. The air was completely tense with excitement and anxiety. They knew it would be a month for her to recover, and, during the last week of it, Sammy would be claiming her as his. He would need to do this to ensure his pregnancy with her. Then Kiehl would impregnate her at the Demonic Mating. Muninn had already foreseen that he would win it, and it was needed to help her pregnancy.

"Okay! We have them!" Aliot said, as he and Injustice brought in the towels. Byorgue had the soaps, and Nigel had the hot water. Sammy set up everything around her.

"Where's How-How and Kiehl?" Sarine asked.

"We're right here," they both said together, and sat on either side of Keltin to remain close. She had been demanding their presence the moment they went out of sight from her. The only time they could work away from her was when she slept.

"Ready?" Errende asked Thanatos. At his mental nod, they both pulled their hands away. Their touch was so potent together that the quadruplets were able to grow incredibly slowly at a normal pace. The effect of their touch had to slowly wear off. At first, nothing happened for thirty minutes. The air was thick with the strain of waiting. Finally, Doppy screamed out just as she did.  _The birthing started._  Sammy waited for her waters to break, and Bacsojin moved to help Sarine with her breathing. Doppy was panting in time with Sarine and roared out with her sharp cry, as the first of many contractions hit.

Naght stationed himself outside the underground grove and brandished his swords at anything that tried to get close. This included Laurell and Lilah.

"What's going on?!" Lilah asked. "Why is there screaming down there?"

"Sarine...is...in...labor...!" Naght hissed. "Stay...back...!"

"Oh!" Lilah paled. Then she blinked, as Pori-Pori moved to help Naght. Nothing was going to get past the two of them. Another scream was heard, followed by the shrill cry of a baby. Keltin held his breath, as he saw his daughter for the first time. A beautiful girl with his blue eyes specked with black, and Sarine's hair and features was delivered.

"Congratulations on your daughter," Howard chuckled.

"I'm waiting for my son..." Keltin managed to breathe. Another scream was given by Sarine, and Doppy groaned, as a boy with Keltin's dark brown hair and eyes was born. He had Sarine's mouth and nose, but the rest was his father's looks. The boy wailed out, as Sammy spanked him once and set him in the receiving blanket.

"You're done waiting," Sammy chuckled. "Your twins are delivered!"

"I already have names," Keltin smiled. "Trina and Bernard."

"Okay," Sarine gasped and smiled.

"Neither of them have your eyes," Kiehl frowned.

"It's fine," she chuckled.

"Maybe my next set will," Keltin said with a touch of pride. "Much later, of course."

"I would hope so!" Sarine said, and she was told to breathe by Bacsojin.

"Aliot, take my place," Keltin said and quickly switched spots with him. Keltin wanted to hold his children, and Aliot didn't blame him. She was gently cleaned up with the hot water and mild soaps between the births. A good twenty minutes went by before the next set of pains hit, and Doppy roared out. Sarine gave a harsh cry, as she pushed, and a white-haired girl was delivered. She appeared to have the start of Sarine's curls, and her eyes and features.  _She was going to be stunning when she got older._  Aliot simply stared with surprise at this.

"It's not over yet! Focus!" Kiehl hissed at him, and Aliot nodded, as he snapped back into the present. Five long minutes passed before she cried out, and Doppy gave a harsh shout. This one took a bit longer to birth, since the baby was turned wrong, and Sammy had to help position the baby the right way. He had to reach up into her carefully and manually change the baby to come out head first. This caused Sarine so much pain that she fainted, and Doppy was already out cold. Her body shrugged instinctively, and Aliot's son was born.

He had black hair and held Sarine's eyes. The rest of his features belonged to Aliot. Howard placed a hand on Aliot's shoulder, and the Demonic robot was trembling with a new form of fatherly pride. Kiehl was smiling for him to show his support.

"My kids..." Aliot finally said. Sammy pushed down on Sarine's womb to force out the afterbirths and destroyed them. Sarine was still out from the pain, and Doppy was the same.

"I hope I don't have to do that again," Sammy frowned. "There was no other choice."

"We know," Keltin said. He held both of his newborn children with pride.

"Is My Lady all right?" Byorgue asked. He helped remove the soiled towels.

"She's fine. She should be waking up shortly," Sammy said, as his full doctor mode came back. "We shouldn't move her from here for the rest of the day! Get some hearty meals and drinks down here, please. She needs to replenish her strength, and she needs fluids for the nursing she's going to be doing. Make sure the meals contain a lot of meat. Likely a few roasts, if possible. She needs sugar, too, so the usual drinks are needed."

"I'm on it!" Nigel said, and Injustice went to help him. Observation wasn't going anywhere, and Drago was protectively standing by the entrance of the underground cave. Naght was told that the children were born, and he moved to see them himself. He rumbled a purr at them, and Pori-Pori was bouncing with joy at the new arrivals. Howard and Kiehl had Sarine's head resting on their legs so Aliot could see and hold his children.

"Did you think of names?" Eremes asked him.

"Oh! Well...considering my name and my sister's name starts with the letter 'A', I decided to keep it along those lines," Aliot gave a smile. "I thought of Alexis and Albert."

"Not bad!" Sammy chuckled. "That actually seems to work."

"You know why I named you and my other creations as I did. However, they are your creations, in a sense. I definitely approve," Kiehl said with a chuckle. Howard gave a soft smile at Kiehl's mental explanation and nodded.

"Sarine?" Howard whispered, as she came around, and Kiehl helped Howard ease her up carefully to lean back against them. Aliot told her the names he chose, and she smiled with a nod. Keltin's twins were handed to her first to nurse, and Kiehl moved aside just enough to let Keltin sit with her. It was hard for her to move her hips, so they helped her settle gently.

"Is it safe to see them?" Seyren called down.

"No!" Sammy said. "Wait until she's done nursing, please!"

"We'll wait!" Seyren said, and he kept the others back. They were all anxious with excitement to see the new additions.

"Doppy?" Sarine asked, as she looked over at his waking form.

"That knocked me out..." Doppy muttered. He blinked his eyes open. He sat up weakly to see the twins she was nursing, and Aliot showed him his kids. He chuckled and said, "Congratulations to you both. Aliot, don't you find it strange that your daughter has white hair and your son has black hair? It's like a reverse of you and your sister."

"You're right! I didn't notice that yet," Aliot thought, but he smiled all the same. "It's fine, though. Neither of Keltin's kids have My Lady's eyes."

"Really?" Doppy asked, as he studied them. "You're right. That's odd. And your kids both have Sarine's eyes. Oh, well, it's fine, either way. As long as they're all healthy."

"Yes. That's always my main concern," Keltin nodded. He took his children from her when they stopped nursing, and Doppy helped him burp them. Aliot gave Sarine his children to nurse now, and Keltin moved when he asked for Aliot to sit with her.

"They're beautiful, My Lady," Aliot smiled.

"They are, aren't they?" Sarine smiled.

"I'll help you kill whoever touches them!" Byorgue said.

"That could be said for us all here," Eremes chuckled.

"Sammy, can you tell if they have any robotic parts? Or if they are solid flesh and bone?" Aliot suddenly asked. "I want to know."

"That's a good question," Sammy mused. "When they finish nursing, I'll check."

"So will I," Kiehl nodded. A crushing force filtered throughout the cave, and Odin stood tall before walking over.

"My daughter, my Vessel! Are you well?" Odin asked.

"I'm fine, Daddy. Very tired, as you can see," she sighed.

"I know. I am very proud of you! I have a bit of information that you all need to know concerning Loki's son. I waited until now to bring it to your attention," he said. "I didn't want my daughter, my Vessel, to have any stress until it was safe, as a precaution."

"Sir?" Howard now gave him his full attention. Kiehl was the same way with everyone else. Any information given by Odin was vital, and Muninn flew into the underground cave to perch and listen. Naght hissed lightly, and Ifrit was called to station himself to listen.

"The frozen child will become a husband," Odin said carefully. "Not only will this throw off Loki, but he is a very powerful being, too. He will have children with my daughter, my Vessel, after Howard Alt-Eisen's triplets come into the world. Now, I'm sure that most of you know that Huginn and Muninn are to give my daughter, my Vessel, children, too. If not, well, here's the news for you. These children are to be the main warriors in the battle ahead. However, she will only give them one son each. At the same time, the frozen child's twins will be in her, as well, to keep the children within her at four. This is necessary, because Loki's son's power will influence the sons of Muninn and Huginn to excel in battle. I have foreseen this. I'm sure this is shocking to Huginn, so, it's all right for the frozen child to love my daughter, my Vessel. It's needed. She will come to no extra stress, since so many are at her side to calm her.

"Now, as for the near future, my daughter, my Vessel, needs to rest for a full month, and Incantation Samurai will know when to start being with her. When the blood exchange is done with Nine Tail, the Demonic Mating may happen almost instantly like it did before. That is where Kiel D-01 will be able to get her impregnated. Only after this is done will she be fit to travel. I am telling you all this now so that you know what lies ahead. You all also planned out the same information, and were informed by Muninn, too. I am simply cementing everything so you all know that it is true. Muninn shall guide you into the lower section of Rachel's temple to find Gloom Under Night, and more information on the frozen child will be found, as well. When you all encounter the frozen child, I will appear to help free him. Loki may also be present to ensure his son's freedom. His presence will be needed. This is why I will be there."

"We understand, Odin," Sammy said.

"As long as you will be there to help keep Loki in check," Observation said.

"Yes. And, Observation, there will be a battle for Angelic dominance. Expect it. I do not know when it will happen, but it will happen. As to who will win, I cannot tell. Just remain on guard," Odin said. "If you are vigilant, you will have a chance to keep your status."

"Yes, Sir!" Observation nodded. Muninn nodded to show that he understood, too.

"Do we go to Rachel first? Or the Einbech Mines? Emperor Markus did want to come with us to see how Sarine was able to recruit others," Howard said.

"Go to the mines first. Do not go through the town! I will have Muninn take you to the mines directly. There will be danger in Einbech, and I want my daughter, my Vessel, to steer clear of all dangers," Odin warned. "And, just so you all know..."

"Yes, Daddy?" Sarine asked.

"Huginn will need to be released during Eremes's time with Sarine to properly form a mental bond with the child that is to hold his form and body. If you have any unresolved issues..." Odin said with a knowing grin. "that would be the time to approach him."

"I see..." Thanatos mused, and looked over at Muninn. The falcon's eyes were lit up with a form of melancholic joy and justice. Howard, Kiehl, and Doppy were making plans on how to skin Huginn alive. Sammy, Eremes, and Keltin were giving savage grins.

"Muninn will also need to ensure that his mental bond with the child destined for him is stable. Muninn! I suggest you work with your side after Huginn. Wait until Huginn finishes with his bond. Then you may speak properly with your brother, if time allows. Do remember, Huginn is still needed to safeguard my daughter, my Vessel. Do not do too much damage to him, should his fate travel down that path," Odin said. Muninn nodded with understanding.  _The priority of the destined children came first. After that, scores could be settled._ Odin knew that Huginn was listening in, and that Huginn was very displeased.  _Yet, Huginn knew the consequences for his past actions would be harsh. He was warned, and he ignored the warnings._ He would be ready for them when the time came.

To add even more to Huginn's punishment, Odin had any of Sarine's men that didn't know what was being spoken of to instantly know with a small wave of his hand. Now the men were furious and pissed off to a whole new level. They would all be helping settle the score with Huginn. Odin blessed the new arrivals and left small gifts for them to play with when they got older. Then he gazed down at his daughter with pride, and he nodded to her.

"It's good to see you again, Daddy," she said.

"I will have to make myself known to you more often," Odin chuckled. "Until then, stay safe and healthy. I will be watching you."

"Of course, Daddy," she smiled. He vanished right afterwards, and Aliot gathered up his twins when they finished nursing. Sammy evaluated the children and said that they were fully flesh and blood, but able to receive upgrades like a robot, if needed. Kiehl wasn't sure he would want to do something unless the kids came to him first. Aliot fully agreed, and they decided to let it be known to the kids when they were old enough.

Kiehl helped Sarine be more presentable as gently as he could with Howard's help, since the others waiting above were waiting patiently to see the new arrivals. Alicel, Seyren, and Karla were the first ones down. Aliot showed them his children, and Alicel was clearly upset that she couldn't hold them. Then she glowed and found her hands were as normal as possible. She could now bring out the deadly claws and put them away like her brother. She was completely overjoyed at this needful upgrade, and she held the twins with delight.

"They are so precious!" Alicel beamed.

"That they are," Seyren chuckled. Karla smiled and he kissed her softly.

"Trying for a kid yet?" Howard grinned.

"Been trying," Seyren winked. "It's going to take some time."

"It normally does," Sammy nodded. "Of course, you could ask Baphomet to help you. Sarine got pregnant with Howard's and Doppy's twins rather easily. Demonic blood tends to increase the pregnancy rate."

"Really?" Seyren asked with a thought. Now Karla was curious to see if it would work.

"Did you give her your blood yet?" Doppy asked.

"I did," Seyren nodded.

"Did you take some of hers in turn?" Sarine asked.

"Um...he didn't," Karla said.

"Try a full blood swap," Kiehl said.

"Okay. If it works, I'll let the others know," Seyren said. After they left, the next small group came down to welcome the new arrivals. Naght was very strict on how many could come down. Doll brought down Serenity and Siegfried last, and they laughed with delight at the new brothers and sisters. Sarine was now resting heavily against Howard and Kiehl, as they were pressed against the wall of the cave. Kiehl nuzzled her and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Are you hungry, My Lady?" he asked. At her small nod, he looked over at Nigel. The message was given, and Byorgue quickly moved to start setting up a small lap table on her. Various hearty meals were put before her with glasses of water and juices. Doppy was still recovering, as he leaned against the wall near her in a sitting position. He had one leg bent up to his chest, and his other leg was stretched out on the ground.

"Doppy?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he asked, as he looked at her. Smiling softly he moved to give her the hug she needed from him, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You should eat with me. I don't think I can eat all of this food by myself," she smiled.

"I suppose you're right," he grinned.

"I think, after I eat, I should be able to head to the nursery," she said.

"You shouldn't be moved so soon," Sammy frowned.

"I need to get to the other kids. They need to see their new brothers and sisters, too. That and the newborns need to be set in cradles," she said. "I'm going to be living in the nursery for the next two weeks, anyways. As long as it's a gentle move, I'll be fine. I'm just weak. I'm not so fragile that I can shatter."

"I'll move extra slow for you," Maya Purple said. "I'll be careful, and I'll keep the movements as smooth as possible."

"I know you will," she smiled. As she ate, she giggled when Howard, Doppy, and Kiehl started to sneak things off her plate. There was clearly too much food for her to eat now. When she was pregnant, the food vanished away like nothing. When it's just her, she couldn't eat so much. When she finished eating, and the small table and dishes were taken away, Naght seemed to glare at the entrance of the cave with a savage hiss. Doppy and Thanatos now turned to look at him. Doppy was still recovering from the pain he shared with Sarine, but Thanatos nodded to him and rose up to walk over to Naght.

"Who?" Thanatos asked.

"Kavach..." Naght hissed.

"What does he want?" Sammy asked, as he stood up.

"I bet he wants to try again," Sarine mused. Errende looked over at her with disbelief. Kiehl blinked and now realized that a small touch of her dominant streak was showing. He had witnessed it with Kavach, and when he was blindfolded, but this was something different. Now he remembered what Howard showed him before, and he cleared his throat.

"My Lady," Errende frowned.

"Come here, Errende," she said. He moved to her side, and she smiled at him. "Remember. He will never be up to par with you."

"I know. He's just an idiot," Errende muttered.

"We all know that," Thanatos grinned.

"Kiehl, can you put her in my lap?" Doppy asked. "This way I can't leap up and skewer the bastard, if he does anything!"

"I think we can arrange that," Kiehl nodded to him. Howard lifted one side of her, as Kiehl got the other, and they managed to ease her into Doppy's lap. They sat on either side of him to comfort her, and she rose up a hand to move through his hair. Doppy started to purr, and he closed his eyes. His long arms moved to carefully, and protectively, fold over her form to keep her there. He opened his eyes slightly to watch Kavach walk into the cave, and he tensed. She leaned back into him and gently had him set his head against her shoulder.

"Easy, love," she whispered and gave him a gentle kiss. He was still her current First Mate and quite easy to piss off. Then she looked at Kavach with a soft frown. Errende moved to sit by Sarine's side, and Nigel now recognized what Errende was feeling.  _It was the same uneasy feeling that I had around Lilah before she renounced the fact that she liked me._  He could easily relate with the High Priest.

"Congratulations on the kids," Kavach said lightly.

"Thank you," she said with a nod.

"Um..." he started.

"Look. I know why you are here. You can't take what I dish out," she smiled.

"I can try again!" he said.

"Kavach, get over it!" Errende growled. "I had My Lady do the  _same exact thing_  that she did to you, and I didn't even get a rise out of it!"

"What?" Kavach blinked.

"I can take a thousand times more than you can! Face it! You can't be a slave!" Errende said with a hiss of hatred. "You even said that you couldn't take it!"

"Errende, dear," Sarine said softly. He looked at her with a gentle gaze and moved to a kneeling position. She calmly ran a hand through his hair now before deciding to prove a point to Kavach. She let out a small growl, yanked him close by his collar, and bit him hard. He cried out and gasped sharply with desire before forcing it back down. It wasn't enough to draw blood, but it was enough to prove exactly what she could really do. Kiehl swallowed and shivered. Howard was no better. Doppy was grinning like crazy.

"I doubt you can handle that," Thanatos smirked. Kavach had his mouth dropped. He saw the teeth marks she left in Errende's skin. That alone was enough to make him cringe.

"My...Lady...!" Errende gasped out with a form of lust.

"I'm sorry, love," she said. "I can't let you have me, since I'm so weak. But, I will help you in another way later. Okay? Just remind me."

"Yes..." he nodded slightly. Then he gasped out again, as she moved her hand to press on the bite mark she gave him. She squeezed it with a vicious smile, and he cried out again, as he fought the pleasure down. It was a complete form of ecstasy to him and had him in a sweat. Kavach was staring at everything with shock. Aliot and Byorgue felt outdone by this simple act. The other slaves felt completely outmatched at the level that Errende could endure. Kiehl was completely impressed.  _This was why Errende was her First Slave._

"What's Mama doing to him?" Serenity asked with fascination.

"She's scaring Kavach," Sammy whispered to them, as they were in Naght's arms. "She's making him see that he is not fit for her. She can be a very scary mother."

"Mommy hurts him?" Siegfried frowned.

"He likes this kind of hurt. Only from her, though," Sammy said carefully. "She would never hurt me, or anyone else like this. Kavach thinks he can help your mother. She is showing him that he can't by using Errende like this. Doppy's blood made her like this, too. He is a very dangerous demon now. Very powerful. As powerful as Naght. They fight each other at special times to prove who is stronger. Naght beat him before. Then Doppy got stronger and beat Naght. He also beat Thanatos."

"He did?!" Serenity gasped.

"Yes. Doppy beat five other men that wanted your mom. They call this 'First Mate Rights'. Naght is already a First Mate. There is no need for him to be a First Mate again, since it's a permanent rank. Doppy reached it now, and the same thing will be for him. Once a First Mate, always a First Mate. Kiehl will become the next First Mate," Sammy explained.

"Um...are you a First Mate?" Siegfried asked.

"I am, actually! For the Demi-Human Race. Doppy and Naght are First Mates for the Demonic Race. That is a very high honor for demons," he nodded. "and it has passed on to those that become First Mates, too, to show how important it is."

"Well...worth...it..." Naght chuckled. His twins hugged him, and he rumbled a purr. They looked over again, as Errende gave another cry of pleasuring pain. Kavach was clearly intimidated by Errende now.

"I can do it! Everything you're doing to him!" Kavach said.

"Really?" Sarine asked with a touch of amusement. She whispered to Errende, and the High Priest could only gasp and nod. She kissed him deeply to force the pleasure back up to a point that he could barely contain it before breaking it off. She gestured for him to sit back and to calm himself. Within seconds, he was fine.

"Wow," Howard and Kiehl blinked. It would have taken them a lot longer than that to calm down. Sarine grinned wickedly and gestured for Kavach to come over to her.

"You think you can take a bite from me?" she mused. "Do you want to try it?"

The aura she gave off was completely challenging. Thanatos was horribly turned on by it, and Doppy was hissing with control. Kavach forced himself to move towards her and kneel close to her. She couldn't stand right now, or move her hips. Doppy was even reflecting the pain of that. Sammy turning the child in her did the trick of keeping her from moving too much. That was going to take a week to heal on its own.

"I'm ready," Kavach said.

"No. You're not," she growled. She yanked him close by his fur-lined tunic and sank her teeth into his neck. No blood was drawn, since it was the same thing she did to Errende. But, it was the effect that it had on Kavach that was completely different. He screamed with solid pain before reeling away. He rubbed at his neck and found no blood.

"Funny. You would think he would have found it pleasuring," Injustice muttered. "A true slave finds pleasure in the pain. Even all of her husbands know that! Even her mates! My Lady? Can you bite me, please? To help show how it's done?"

"Sure!" Sarine said happily. Doppy was hissing with laughter, and so was Ifrit. Kavach watched Injustice get yanked and bitten in the same manner. He could barely withhold the pleasure, but he knew it was there when he cried out. Injustice was gasping and shaking now. She smiled and ran a hand through his white hair.

"Thank...you...My...Lady..." he panted out. She nodded to him, and Doppy squeezed her to him. Kavach was in shock again.  _I felt no pleasure at all in the bite!_  Now he recalled that he really felt no pleasure at all when she dominated him before.

"Even Seyren enjoyed it," she thought aloud.

"You even touched Seyren a certain way, but not to anyone else that you worked with after that. Remember?" Howard said.

"You're right. The only difference with Seyren was that I knew him from long ago. It was a slightly different level with him, and he was the one that showed me what I needed to do for Doppy's twins. Karla also told me to do what I had to with him. With the others, I didn't need to improperly touch or bite. They still felt pleasure in what I did. Even Daddy told me to bite Seyren and whip him to fully understand that I needed Errende. Kavach isn't feeling any pleasure. If he is, it's really not much. I wonder why now?" she thought again.

"Have you ever used your dick, Kavach?" Doppy grinned. Eremes started coughing out his laughter with Thanatos. The others were snickering and giggling.

"Doppy! The kids are here, too!" Sarine frowned.

"What? The newborns don't understand, and the older ones already know!" he said.

"I know what pleasure feels like!" Kavach hissed.

"Now, did you use your hand? Or a hole in a tree? Ow!" Howard grimaced, as Sarine smacked him. Laughter was quickly erupting around them.

"Or a hole in the wall...?" Eremes grinned to make others laugh outright.

"Someone should get Donnie," Kiehl grinned.

"Oh, please," Sarine muttered. Kavach was still rubbing at his neck to work the sting out of it. Sammy looked over at him and chuckled.

"If you keep rubbing it, you'll bruise," Sammy said.

"Nah. Just a little chafed. What?!" Howard said at Sarine's glare, and everyone started laughing again. Kiehl was trying to hide his face in his hands, as he laughed.

"You're thinking of the wrong neck, dear," Sarine grinned, and Howard started laughing with the others now. "All right, I need to get into the nursery."

"Right," Maya Purple grinned and skittered over to her.

"Now, wait just a minute!" Kavach said.

"Until you learn how to have pleasure with pain, there is nothing I can do for you. I would ask Zealotus for help. She may be able to help you find that goal. You could even talk to Seyren, since he knows quite a bit, too, but Zealotus would be my first guess," Sarine said, and she braced herself to be moved. Doppy winced with her when she was settled onto Maya Purple's back. Howard sat behind her, and Kiehl sat in front of her. Even though the quadruplets were out of her, she still had her hidden stasis within her. She still needed them to be exceptionally close. She didn't really think about it, but they had themselves be there to help her move and to stabilize her to the house.

Maya Purple moved slowly and carefully to keep his movements from being too bouncy or jarring to her. Kiehl supported her legs, and Howard supported her back. Sammy kept an eye on Doppy, if anything went wrong. He would be the first to know. Kavach started to follow them, but Errende glared at him. That was enough to make him stop and start to search for Zealotus. As he went the opposite way, Sarine was taken up through the house to the nursery.

Doppy sat down in her rocking chair first, since he could help support her on it. He would know how to keep the pain in her hips down. Once she was settled in his lap, the four newborns were introduced to the other children. Then they were settled in cradles, and Alexander hovered over them protectively. Keltin and Aliot moved to gently rock their kids to sleep, as Sarine leaned into Doppy's form gratefully.

"So, a week for you to regain your ability to move, another week for your body to heal, and an extra week to ensure you're healed," Sammy said.

"Yes," Sarine said. He was deliberately leaving out a very special part of the last week to keep the others from remembering too much. She was starting to feel the strain of the birthing at last, and Doppy helped mold her form to his. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep.


	96. Chapter 96

The next two weeks were just like the others she had after giving birth. Her papa and grandmother were contacted and enjoyed a day with the new kids. Markus even managed to find the rest of the deadly powder from his kitchens, and Kiehl took it to lock away with the capsules. The arena was a frequent visit for her husbands when they felt bored, and her slaves didn't leave her side. Doppy was constantly at her side with Howard and Kiehl. As her current First Mate, he didn't want to leave her alone until he knew she was well. He also knew that his current protectiveness of her and the kids wouldn't waver after her next Demonic Mating. Whether he won it or made a lower rank, he would always be this protective over her. It was a given.

When the third week started, the day went normally. Sarine was feeding and playing with her children when she could. She was also exercising to get her body back to rights from the pregnancy when the children didn't need her. At night, after they fell asleep, she was restless. She needed to get up for some air. As she was leaving, Sammy was waiting for her.

"You're not to go alone anywhere. Remember?" Sammy said.

"I know. But, I need to walk. I feel so cooped up here!" she sighed.

"Then walk with me," he said. She nodded and looped her arm in his. They managed to leave the house peacefully, since Muninn had time frozen for them. Once they were out of the house, time resumed. Sammy escorted her to the grove and sat with her.

"It feels good to be outside," she smiled. Summer was in full swing, and the cherry blossoms were all gone. In the fall, there would be cherries for them. Fireflies darted in and around the branches with a form of carefree bliss.

"It does," he nodded. "Do you remember our dream vision?"

"I do," she smiled and leaned into him. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been thinking about something. But...I won't say just yet," he grinned.

"Oh?" she chuckled. "Why not?"

"You'll find out," he smiled. Then he gazed at her and kissed her hungrily. She moaned softly at her need for him, and he took off his black kimono to set under her. Pulling her nightgown off, he took her right there on the ground. The moment he released hard in her, he gasped from it and held her tight. His Samurai ghost decided against taking her right now. He was going to wait until the last night, since her body was still healing, and Sammy needed to build himself up in her first.

"I love you, Sammy," she whispered.

"I love you, too, Sarine," he whispered back, and they kissed hard. The next six nights were no different. He escorted her to the ruins the next night. When she needed to walk again, he took her to the beach. The underground grove was on the third night. On the fourth night, he led her to the heart of the forest area. When the fifth night came, he brought her to a cliffside ledge. They found themselves in the dominating chambers on the sixth night. On the seventh night, they found themselves where Keltin saw her before she got pregnant with him. She sat by the pool of water in the large flower garden and wondered why she was brought here. It was instinctive for Sammy to do this.  _She was primed and ready for me._

"I always loved this garden," she said with a soft sigh, and she gazed at the flowers.

"Sarine," he said, as he sat by her to hold her. "Do you remember what I brought up on that first night I escorted you out? About the dream vision?"

"Oh! Yes, I do. Are you going to tell me what you were thinking of?" she asked.

"I think I'd like to show you," he said. She smiled and nodded. She was wearing a rather light and airy nightgown tonight. She always looked forward to them being together, and tonight felt no different. He took off his black kimono and set it on the ground for her to recline on. Then he whispered, "Close your eyes for me. It's a surprise!"

"Um...okay..." she said and closed her eyes. Then he became his child form and nervously set his large scroll aside. He had to act quickly and moved to take her with several sharp thrusts. Her eyes snapped open to stare in shock at him gasping at his release. Then he grabbed his scroll to shift adult, and he snarled when he took her again in his adult form.  _How neatly I was tricked!_  He had her pinned down in such a way that she couldn't move, and he bit her neck to paralyze her. Right after he gave himself to her, his Samurai ghost possessed him, and he roared out, as he pummeled into her. She came out of the daze and cried out with him now.

"I had to..." he said. She pulled him down to kiss her, and he hugged her tight. Then she gave a small gasp, as she felt the pregnancy take hold. Holding her and helping her in a sitting position with him, he placed a hand on her belly and smiled.

"Twins?" she asked.

"Yes. Twins. My twins..." he whispered, and they kissed again.

"Why your child form? I thought..." she frowned.

"My child form is just that. A form. I'm older than I look, you know," he grinned. She blushed, and he hugged her. Once again, Drago saw everything from the bedroom balcony, and he grinned. Moving over to where Howard was working below the house with Kiehl, he made his presence known with a sharp growl.

"What is it?!" Howard asked with concern. "Is she awake?"

"She's been awake, actually. Sammy just had My Lady in the flower garden by the water there. He had her with his child form before pinning her down with his adult form," Drago grinned. "It was the same place Keltin had her before."

"What?!" Kiehl blinked at him. Now he and Howard ran from the house to find them. They moved over to where Sammy was holding Sarine, and he grinned at them.

"Your child form?!" Howard gaped.

"Yes. It was instinctive and necessary. Sarine is pregnant with my twins now, so, if you want to get your fill of her, it's safe," Sammy chuckled.

"Already?" Kiehl asked.

"All this week he's been escorting me around the island at night," she said.

"I didn't even hear your thoughts once!" Howard frowned.

"You can hear me now, though. Right?" she asked.

"Yes. Clear as day. Either I was working too hard, or something instinctive in you kept me from knowing you were gone," he shrugged.

"I say the latter," Kiehl said. "Anyways, if you're pregnant..."

"Come here," she smiled, and let her True First Mates give in to her. When she had them spent and on the ground, she grinned at the sight of her other loves.

"It's safe," Sammy nodded. Each one of them took their turns with her, and Sammy pulled her back into his lap when they were sated.

"I missed this," Nigel sighed.

"I know," Sarine smiled. "But, everything is fine now."

"True," Byorgue chuckled.

"Are you craving anything, My Lady?" Kiehl asked curiously.

"Hmm. Now that you mention it," she paused. "I want something with rice. And raw fish? I think? I'm not sure how else to explain it."

"Sushi!" Sammy said with surprise.

"What?" she blinked.

"I'll need Karla to get some from Amatsu and quickly!" he said.

"I'll go!" Byorgue said. He dressed and ran off swiftly.

"We need a bulk supply!" he called out after him.

"Right!" Byorgue shouted back, as he ran.

"She needs sushi?" Howard blinked.

"Think about it. It's two different ingredients combined into one, and it's an old delicacy that I used to eat all the time back in the day. Amatsu is well known for providing it. You never had sushi, Howard?" Sammy asked.

"I have. I don't mind it, but I wasn't sure why she would need it. It makes sense now. I'm sure that, if...things were different...she would have been exposed to it," Howard frowned, and Sarine hugged him tight. "Better late than never, eh?"

"True," she smiled. They all dressed, and Sammy escorted her back to the house. Seyren was waiting in the main room, and she blushed. She was still in her nightgown, and Sammy moved her a bit behind him, as Doppy moved in front of her.

"Sushi?" Seyren frowned. "You interrupted my wife and I for that?"

"She's craving it, Seyren," Howard muttered.

"She's pregnant?! Oh! Never mind, then!" Seyren grinned.

"My twins," Sammy smiled.

"Congratulations! Hmm. Sushi is known to be an aphrodisiac, isn't it?" Seyren grinned.

"It can be," Kiehl nodded.

"I'll have to make sure that Karla gets a rather large supply to test the theory," he thought. "She's still not pregnant. Neither is Cecil, Margaretha, or Kathryne."

"Well, maybe you need to wait until you're all human?" Sarine suggested. That made Seyren blink, and his mouth dropped. _Of course!_

"You may be onto something," Thanatos thought.

"As a monster, it would be a bit hard to get them pregnant, eh?" Doppy grinned. "Still fun, but can be a bit of an issue."

"I have a feeling that we will be human tomorrow," Eremes said.

"You could be right," Howard nodded. "Later today, we'll be doing traveling as monsters. We should have two days of relaxation, as humans."

"We'll have to try it then. Of course, I'm still going to try," Seyren grinned.

"If you want some fun, then, by all means!" Doppy snickered. Sarine gave him a look, and Doppy pulled her close to kiss passionately.

"My Lady, when did you want to do the blood swap? We do need Nigel's blood," Kiehl said. She looked at him with a smile, yanked him close by his collar, and kissed him hard.

"Later in the day. I still need sleep," she muttered and kissed him again.

"Are you sure she's not craving sex again?" Seyren chuckled.

"It has been a month. Hasn't it?" she said sweetly. Kiehl mumbled something before giving a nod to Doppy. He swept Sarine off her feet and into his arms to carry her into the bedroom. Howard moved right after him, and Sammy sighed with a smile.

"It's going to be a long night," Sammy chuckled. "I need to get that sushi, though. She'll be craving it soon."

"I woke up Garrett to have him go with her. They should be back soon," Seyren said.

"What do you mean, soon?" Karla grinned, as she walked in with Garrett from the Kafra Agent. Seyren moved to lift her into his arms to kiss her and she smiled.

"Did you get the sushi?" Sammy asked.

"Yes! Here you go. I got over a hundred of them," she said. "The Amatsu guards recognized us and took us to Markus. We told him what we needed, and it was given over quickly. He still plans to see us later today."

"Thank you!" Sammy said, as he took them.

"I got an extra fifty for us," she giggled.

"They brought up a valid point. Garrett, we may have to wait until we are human tomorrow to get them pregnant. At least me. Cecil may have to be human to become pregnant for you," Seyren said. Garrett thought about it and nodded. Now he went to find Cecil to show that he was back. Sammy moved into the bedroom with the others now to find Kiehl and Howard reclining in the bed. Sarine completely wore them out.

"Sarine, love, try this," Sammy chuckled and handed over the small ball of rice lined with a piece of shrimp. Sarine took it curiously and sniffed it before popping it into her mouth. As she chewed, she blinked.

"I want more!" she said. Sammy laughed and kept giving her as many as she needed. Then he paused and realized that she had eaten over thirty of them in one sitting. _I'm going to need to have more purchased or given over by Markus._

"You ate a lot of sushi," Howard said, as he sat up in the bed.

"I needed it," she shrugged. "And now, I need to sleep."

"Not just yet," Doppy growled, and he moved onto the bed to pull her off it. She squeaked and he took her to the bathroom. Sammy chuckled and sighed.

"I have to wonder when I'm going to get her pregnant," Nigel sighed.

"Only time will tell," Keltin chuckled. "So, Einbech Mines in the morning?"

"That's the plan..." Eremes nodded. Howard and Kiehl suddenly bolted from the bed to the bathroom to comfort Sarine, since she needed to see them.

"That's right. She still needs them," Sammy frowned.

"Now we need you!" Howard and Kiehl shouted together, as Sarine got violently sick. Sammy swore, as he got up to help her. He knew his twins were making themselves known.  _The bad thing was that she threw up everything she just ate, too._

"It's like my pregnancy with her!" Howard gaped. "She'll puke out whatever she ate, if the kids upset her! She didn't do this with Doppy or Keltin!"

"It's fine. I still have plenty of sushi. We'll need to restock before we leave in the morning," Sammy said, as he supported her. Eremes handed over a red potion for her to rinse her mouth out with. Kiehl was hugged by her, and he supported her, as she leaned into him. Byorgue and Nigel were waiting to help her into the bed.

"You two need to stay with her!" Byorgue hissed. Kiehl and Howard blinked, but they nodded. Then he walked over to Sarine and whispered, "My Lady? Are you hungry again?"

She wanted to answer, but an overwhelming sadness hit her. Then Sammy gaped.  _It was a side effect of the pregnancy. My child side often cried quite a bit when I was alive, and now that effect had moved to Sarine._  For the first time in a long time, her emotional wall that was so carefully built up finally crashed down with a vengeance. Howard and Doppy went tense from the strong emotion that hit them. Kiehl moved to pull Sarine close to him to whisper softly.

"Why are you crying?" Kiehl nuzzled her.

"I...I don't know!" she said.

"I can explain," Sammy sighed. "When I was a normal child, I was often hit with bouts of depression. Not suicidal. Just sadness. Mainly from having to run all the time from villagers, since my family and I were always hunted down. Think of depression and fear combined. We need to keep her cheered up, and she needs to be cheered up now before the fit gets worse! If not cheered up, we need to change her thoughts!"

"I'll handle it," Thanatos said, as he left the room quickly. He came back in with Seyren a few minutes later and shoved him into the room.

"I didn't mean to say that!" Seyren growled.

"Sure you did," Thanatos scowled.

"Say what?" Kiehl frowned. Howard and Doppy were still stunned by her emotions and couldn't do or say anything.

"Admit it," Thanatos grinned. "You want to be dominated again. By Sarine."

"Well..." Seyren said.

"Are you serious? And what does Karla have to say about this?" Eremes asked.

"She's fine with it. She says I developed bad habits again," Seyren sighed.

"Like what?" Sammy asked.

"I'm not listening to her, for one..." he started.

"Wait, what?" Sarine suddenly blinked out of her sad state, and the emotional wall returned in full now that her mind was focused on something else. Howard and Doppy finally gasped and shook themselves free of the sensations.

"That sucks!" Doppy snarled.

"Tell me about it!" Howard sighed.

"Thanks, Seyren," Thanatos grinned.

"Next time, get Pori-Pori," Seyren muttered lightly to him. "He's better than me. I work with a crowd. Better effect."

"What do you mean by you aren't listening to Karla?" Sarine asked again, as she ignored everything else he just said.

"Um...I didn't mean to say that," Seyren grinned nervously.

"I don't believe you. I'm going to talk to Karla the moment I see her," Sarine growled. Seyren winced at that, and now Thanatos realized that he was telling the truth. When he first got him from his bedroom, he asked Seyren if he knew anything that could help Sarine get her mind off of being sad. Seyren had mentioned that he was having problems with Karla, and that he missed Sarine's dominance. That made Thanatos haul him into the bedroom to help him get it sorted out and to see about fixing what was going wrong. He thought it was just a random thought and didn't realize how severe it was.  _As a monster, Seyren couldn't fully lie right now._

"You're screwed," Thanatos grinned.

"I know," Seyren sighed and gave in. "She's not giving me much pain anymore, and it's starting to get to me. I love her, but she's starting to lose her touch. She doesn't even really collar me anymore! I try to tell her, and she does try to help, but it's becoming predictable."

"Seyren," Sarine sighed. "I'm going to try one thing with you. Just one thing. I'm sure you've heard of it before, but I doubt you tried it out for yourself. If it works, I'm going to tell Karla about it. Or you can."

"Um..." Seyren paused. She had her loves stay out of the way, and she looked at Errende. He looked back at her expectantly and moved to kneel in front of her.

"Give me the Blinker," Sarine smiled wickedly. That made everyone gasp with awe and laughter. Seyren was confused, but straightened when she looked at him and said, "Undress down to your briefs."

"I...okay," Seyren nodded. He wasn't collared right now, and he took his armor off.

"Before, I touched you in various ways. I'm not going to do that this time. I'm going to test a theory, all right? Just trust me," Sarine said, as she moved to stretch out her body. She was still in her rather provocative nightgown, and Seyren was already aroused. Taking the Blinker from Errende, she moved over to Seyren and tied it on him tightly. He gave a sharp gasp, as excitement built up. Then she leaned in close to whisper, "Can you see me?"

"No..." he whimpered.

"Good..." she grinned. She proceeded to torture and taunt him with light touches. Just by not seeing what she was doing next thrilled him, and he realized that this was what Karla needed to do to him now.  _It made everything seem new and exciting._  Once he was a gasping mess, the Blinker was yanked off. Sarine smirked and asked, "What's the first thing on your mind right now? What are you planning to do to help Karla get better with you?"

"I'm dressing. Then I'm going to give my wife the night of her life to show her exactly how turned on I get by being dominated. Then I'm going to have her buy a Blinker!" Seyren snarled and dressed quickly to leave the room. Sarine moved to give the Blinker back to Errende, before pausing and tying it on him. Doppy winced with lust before pausing to look at Howard. The Whitesmith had an astonished look on his face at her new idea.

"You have got to have me do that to you!" Howard hissed.

"Same here!" Kiehl growled.

"In a bit," Sarine smiled. "I need to show the others what I have in mind, and then each of you can experience it. It would be too awkward for all of you to do this at once. Especially, since you all will be the ones touching me while blindfolded. I don't want my men to start doing awkward things, you know? That would just be a bit wrong to me."

"That it would..." Eremes said with a wrinkle of his nose.

"Don't put that thought in our heads!" Sammy grimaced. She giggled and carefully undressed Errende to start up his lust. Then she had him use his hands to explore her body. Since he was blindfolded now, it heightened the experience that much for them both. By the time he finally released with her, it was intense and explosive.

"My turn!" Sammy growled out. "She's having my twins."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. For the next three hours, they each took their time with her in this new way. She was in a deep sleep by the time Howard was lying next to her, and he was gasping with disbelief at how hard he released with her. Errende took the Blinker from him to hold onto, and plans to buy more of them were made. Regular blindfolds were nice as emergency uses, but Blinkers fit better.

"She's going to be very hungry when she wakes up," Sammy said. "How long does she have to sleep before everyone starts to get up?"

"About five hours," Drago said, as he studied the sky.

"Good," Sammy said. Howard was sleeping with her now, as Kiehl moved to work in the workshop below. Thirty minutes later, Sammy saw her mildly wake up, and she moved off of the bed wearily. Standing up now, he frowned and asked, "Sarine? What's wrong?"

She looked at him and leapt onto him to snuggle into his chest. He blinked at this, but he hugged her tight. Then he felt her start to get heavy, and he realized that she was falling back to sleep. He settled onto the cushion again and adjusted her to rest against him. Doppy was looking at him with a form of confusion.

"Must be part of the pregnancy," Aliot said by the balcony. "You think?"

"I don't know. She didn't do this before. We all know that. We'll see how she is in the morning. I need to monitor her dreams," Sammy said. Aliot moved over to help position her in a better way for him. Thanking him, Sammy breathed deeply and closed his eyes, as he cradled her. The rest of night passed without incident.


	97. Chapter 97

In the morning, Howard woke up expecting to find Sarine at his side. Instead, he found her gone. Sitting up in the bed, he blinked at the sight of her being cradled by Sammy. Kiehl had come up from the workshop at his thought to see what was going on.

"She got up and launched herself at him," Aliot said. "She fell asleep in his lap."

"Really?" Kiehl thought. "I wonder..."

"Hmm?" Sammy asked, and he opened his eyes. "She's still sleeping, but her dreams are fine. What are you thinking of?"

"She knows that I am to be with her. There is also the other thing that makes her want to see Howard and I. I'm starting to think that it's leaking a bit to you," Kiehl said. "It didn't happen with Keltin or Aliot, since this happened while she was pregnant with them. Since your pregnancy is new, it may be something that can't be avoided. Eremes may also be affected by this during his pregnancy with her."

Eremes mildly woke, but kept his eyes closed at the commotion and thought, as he heard this.  _If this was the case, I will definitely enjoy how she would want to cling to me in sleep._ He actually liked that idea a lot. He feigned sleep, as he continued to listen.

"You think that's it?" Sammy thought aloud.

"I do. If that's the case, we should test it. As we travel, we know that Howard and I need to be in her line of sight. You should move away and see if that's the case. Actually, let's test it now. Put her in the bed. You wait outside," Kiehl said. Sammy nodded, and Doppy moved from his seat to help place her in the bed. Sammy pressed a kiss to her temple and moved to walk outside to check on the nursery. After ten minutes, she woke and looked around.

"Where's Sammy? I know I went to him last night..." she frowned.

"He had to do something really quick," Howard soothed.

"But...but..." she said with a slight form of panic. The sensation of crushing sadness hit, and her emotional wall shattered, as she burst into tears. Howard and Doppy went rigid, and Kiehl ran out of the room quickly to push Sammy back into the room to hold Sarine. The moment Sammy had her in his arms, she clung to him, and her emotional wall came back up.

"What was that?!" Doppy growled, as he came around. Now Eremes blinked his eyes open and looked over with a frown.

"I think," Sammy said, and he hugged her to him tightly. "this...was from my child form, as I said before. From last night."

"That's right," Howard frowned. "You took her with that form, didn't you?"

"What?" Keltin blinked, as he woke up to this. Kiehl roused up the others and told them what was happening with Sarine. Thanatos walked in, and Naght followed with Ifrit. They wanted to know what was going on in full.

"He tricked me with his child form. Much like how Keltin needed me with his Rage. It was instinctive for him," Sarine said. "I feel that I don't need to cling to Sammy. I just...I need to make sure he's with me. Like How-How and Kiehl, oddly enough."

"Well, you know why you want to see us," Howard said.

"I know. It's just...odd to me," she frowned.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said, and he gestured for her. She sighed and moved to get a hug from him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and caught her up in a passionate kiss. Then her belly rumbled, and Sammy handed her a piece of sushi. She started to eat, and he handed her as much as she needed. When she finished eating, she thought and looked at Nigel. He was rubbing the sleepiness out his eyes. She walked over to him and tilted his face up to hers.

"Ah, My Lady?" he asked with a bit of surprise. Now he was awake.

"How long before the nursery needs me, you think?" she asked out loud to everyone.

"Probably an hour or two," Sammy said.

"Good. Nigel..." she grinned and grabbed a leash that was hanging on the wall. She clipped it on him and looked over at Byorgue. Then she clipped a leash on him. Byorgue shivered with lust now. Then she looked at Maya Purple and did the same to him. Looking at the others, she smiled softly and said, "Blood swap. Now."

"Yes, dear!" Howard said, as he cleared his throat. She hauled the three slaves she had into the bathroom to undress and get into the tub. Once here she yanked Nigel close, planted a long kiss on him, and moved over him. His body was on fire when she settled herself on him, and he screamed his release when she bit him hard. Taking several mouthfuls of blood and pulling away, Errende Healed him as he came into the tub and ran a knife over her neck lightly.

"Don't Heal me until everyone gets a mouthful from me," she said.

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded. Nigel locked his mouth on her neck to take the mouthful he needed. Once he was done, she unclipped his leash and moved to Maya Purple. When her slaves were done, she moved to her husbands. Eremes was the last one to take blood from her this time, and Errende Healed her neck when he was done. Gasping and trembling, she was leaning into him now, and he held her tight to him.

"I want it to be...my turn already..." Eremes whispered. "to have children..."

"Can you wait two months?" she whispered back, as she pressed herself into him. He muttered softly and kissed her hard.

"Barely," he sighed. She nuzzled under his jaw to give a soft nibble there, and he hissed with desire. Then she grinned and nibbled along his ear to send lust through his body.

"Looks like Sarine found the turn on spots for Eremes," Howard grinned.

"Quiet!" Eremes scowled and fell silent when she ran her teeth over his neck. Thanatos let out a low whistle, as the Assassin Cross turned with Sarine to brace her against the wall and take her quickly. When he released with her, he slumped down a bit with exhaustion, and he gasped hard. She gave a bit of a smile now, and he shivered.

"Now that I know how to get you going," she grinned. "I'll just feel free to get you when you least expect it."

"Sarine!" Eremes growled in warning and looked at Sammy. "Please tell me that sex isn't one of her cravings!"

"It isn't. Remember how she always has a dominant streak from Doppy's pregnancy? And how she always wants blood on occasion? This is instinctive in her now," Sammy smirked. "She apparently targeted you at the moment. You're on your own."

"What?!" Eremes gaped, and she giggled wickedly.

"Yeah..." Howard said. "She's gonna be picking on you for a while."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you need it," she said, and nipped his neck again. He swore violently and shivered. He was still in her, and he could only be thankful for that. Another sharp nibble forced another hard gasp out with disbelief. Doppy was grinning with Thanatos now, and Keltin snickered. Eremes was saved by a cry coming from the nursery, and she moved off of him quickly to dry off and dress.

"Fun is over," Byorgue grinned.

"Back to work," Injustice chuckled.

"Whoever said the fun was over?" she asked and moved to run a finger up Byorgue's back. He stiffened with sudden want and shivered for control. "As far as I see it, fun has just started. For me, anyways. Not sure about the rest of you. Oh, Errende, dear?"

"Yes, My Lady?" he asked.

"Come here," she said. He moved close to her, and she whispered softly to him. Then she looked at Thanatos to give him a look to keep quiet. He gave a nod, as he swallowed his laughter, and she whispered to Errende a bit more. He pressed a kiss to her mouth and whispered back softly. Then they both giggled, and he nodded.

"Sarine..." Howard said with a touch of a grin.

"Say nothing. The order goes for you, too, Kiehl!" she glared.

"Yes, My Lady," Kiehl said quickly. Moving past Eremes, she ran a finger up his back to make him hiss with surprise, and she winked.

"Evil..." he smirked.

"I know," she giggled and went to head out to the nursery. Then she was brought back in by Muninn. The others paused at this with a bit of confusion.

" _She needs to feed off of me, or her Demonic Mating won't take effect. I froze time for this. Let me do this with her,_ " Muninn said.

"Right!" Kiehl said. He wanted her Demonic Mating to happen, and Muninn's blood did speed it up. Muninn undressed her and settled with her on the floor. Errende took this frozen time to start working on what she wanted. He would need to get more information from Coraline, but, for now, he could get the basic design done.

"I missed you," she said softly.

" _I missed you, too,_ " Muninn sighed, and he slipped into her. He gasped for control, and he brought out one of his daggers to open his neck for her. He shouted out, as she locked her mouth on his neck, and the pleasuring loop started. He braced his hands onto the floor, closed his eyes, and surrendered fully to the sensation. She wrapped her body around his, as she started to drink his blood in a thirsty way.

"Wow," Howard blinked at her thought.

"That's an odd way of putting what his blood tastes like," Kiehl chuckled.

"Oh?" Sammy asked.

"It's like...Yggdrasil Berry juice. In a sense. I'm sure she told you all before, from what Howard's memories show," Kiehl said. "But, the flavor...I'm not sure how she puts it. Richer? More intense? A bit more addictive?"

"That sounds...interesting..." Eremes mused. "He is from Valhalla..."

"Very true!" Keltin nodded.

"Now, we just have to wait," Thanatos sighed. "Hmm..."

"What?" Doppy chuckled.

"Errende has an interesting concept. Let's help him!" he grinned. Doppy blinked at him and moved to see what it was about. Kiehl grinned with Howard to help put in their ideas, and the others got involved. Kiehl quickly took over the sketching when the design started to get more detailed, and Errende started to tell him what he wanted done. Once the main blueprint was made, Errende started to gather up some bolts of gold silk to get to work. When Sarine finally stirred at Muninn's movement, a good timeless hour had passed. Howard and Kiehl moved into the room with Sammy. Errende's sketching and cloth work was hidden away to make it look like he worked on it in secret.

" _Go feed the children. I'll be with you later,_ " Muninn said. He kissed her passionately and released in her a final time for now. She moved from him so he could get his armor back and resume time. Kiehl Healed Muninn before he and Aliot helped her dress. She nodded to them, and they headed into the nursery, as Muninn reverted to his falcon form to fly off. In the nursery, Thanatos's twins and Doppy's twins were weaned now, and that left her free to work on Keltin's twins and Aliot's twins.

Nigel and Aliot helped her with Trina and Bernard first, since they were awake. Wanderer was well hidden in the shadows of the nursery where he remained on guard all this time. He was barely noticed by anyone, and that was his full intent. It helped him ambush others easily. Watching over the room, he smiled to himself. _Soon, I will be able to participate in the Demonic Mating._ Until then, he remained silent and vigilant.

"Dad!" Siegfried said, as he walked over to Howard. The growth spurts tackled the height again, and he was walking much better with far more balance. His intellect had grown by leaps and bounds in the past couple of weeks, and he appeared to be more like an eight-year-old child now. Serenity was very much the same.

"Yes?" Howard asked, as he knelt down to give him a hug.

"Are we going somewhere today?" Siegfried asked. Serenity looked over and smiled.

"Not today. We have to do some heavy work today, and it's not safe for you two," he said. Siegfried pouted, but Naght rumbled sternly.

"But, Daddy!" Serenity frowned.

"Actually, How-How," Sarine thought. "they could come with us to the mines. But only there. They should not come with us anywhere else today. Papa will be with us, too, so it should be all right."

"Hmm. You're right. All right, kids. You two can come with us to one place. After that, you need to stay here. Got it?" Howard asked. They both jumped for joy, and Bacsojin made sure to have them eat before getting ready to take their baths. Sarine rocked the nursing twins in her rocking chair, and Keltin sat with her to gaze down at his kids.

"They grow as fast as the others, don't they?" he mused.

"They do," she nodded. "They all do. Can't be helped, I suppose."

"Almost at the teething stage," Sammy mused, as he evaluated them. Edward managed to toddle up to Sarine with Thanatos's help, and he patted her knee.

"Yes, Edward?" she smiled.

"Um..." Edward blinked his blue eyes at her. "Where you go?"

"To an underground cave," she smiled.

"Oh. I go?" he asked.

"You're not ready," Thanatos said lightly.

"But...they go!" Edward frowned at Serenity and Siegfried from where they sat at the table. "I be good!"

"You need another month of growing," Thanatos said. "After a month, you'll be ready to come with us. It was what Serenity and Siegfried had to do, too. You could even go through one more large growth spurt. It depends on how you grow."

"Oh," Edward blinked. "So... I grow more?"

"Yes," Sarine smiled, and had Keltin take his children so she could start nursing Aliot's twins. She crooned softly to the nursing twins, and Aliot smiled softly.

"You know that, if the other kids want to come with us later, we'll need to find more monsters to carry them and protect them. Maya Purple can't carry all of them at once. He'll be weighed down," Aliot frowned. "We may have to have the wolves help us. I know Nigel can help in Nine Tail form, but only by so much."

"True," she nodded. Aliot took his kids from her when they finished nursing, and Byorgue moved over to help him burp them. She fixed up her top and leaned back into the chair before saying, "Can someone please contact Papa to let him know that we are heading to the Einbech Mines soon?"

"I'll have Garrett do it," Injustice said. Nigel went to walk with him to ensure that everything would be fine. "Oh, My Lady, do you want him to get more sushi?"

"Yes!" Sammy said before Sarine could answer. "As much as he can carry!"

"I'll get Karla, too," Injustice said. Sarine smiled softly and ran a hand over her belly. Then she started to feel warm, as she sighed. Doppy and Thanatos both looked at her, and they set their kids down in an instinctive motion. Howard now felt that something was strange. Kiehl had his eyes locked on her, and Aliot started to give off a shiver of challenge. Observation took Aliot's twins from him quickly to place in their cradles. Sarine smirked and got up to move out of the room. Naght hissed, as he watched her, and Sammy went quiet.

"It's starting..." Howard said, as he made the connection.

"Yes. Warn the others to stay away!" Sammy muttered. Maya Purple nodded and quickly skittered out of the room. Ifrit was already waiting outside, as she simply walked past him. Eremes gave a bit of a grin when he saw Naght, Thanatos, and Doppy line up in front of the house. Aliot and Kiehl weren't far behind them. Howard now blinked and realized how Kiehl was going to become a First Mate at this Demonic Mating.  _Kiehl could still hear my thoughts._   _I can tell him how to attack the others, and how to watch himself in battle._  It was a bit of cheating, but Muninn said it was needed for Sarine's pregnancy with him.

Sarine moved a bit farther away from the house, and the six males followed. Howard, Sammy, Eremes, and Keltin followed at a safe distance. Errende was not far behind them once he had the others slaves keep everyone back. Howard thought and grinned.  _I'll need to tell Errende how to help Thanatos in the next Demonic Mating. That was how Thanatos was going to win it. I don't want to give Errende an edge right now. This was Kiehl's time to shine. He had to win this one in order to ensure that he got her pregnant._

Unknown to the others, Storm Caller did have a special place built for Sarine's Demonic Matings, as Sammy suggested. She knew where it was instinctively. She looked at the dominant males and hissed when her scent reached them in full. They hissed back, as instinct took over reason. Then she paused, as Wanderer appeared. He was called over by her scent, and the others snarled with outrage. She gave a look of intense study, and he had his head change back to his skull. The moment her Demonic Mating started to show in the nursery, he had Teleported out of the room to wait for the right time to approach. Naght and Doppy were pissed. They would be keeping him busy for sure now, and they didn't care about the extra Bragging Rights.

Then she used her skill of Wind Walk and bolted, as Kiehl lunged for her. The males snarled with outrage and chased her. She had been exercising extensively during her week with Sammy, and she seemed to fly beautifully over the ground. She was clearly enjoying herself. Howard was in complete awe of her with the others. She turned to look back at the males chasing her and gave a 'catch me if you can' look before sprinting away faster. She seemed to be dancing with delight while she ran, and it enticed the males chasing her even more. Then she reached the area that Storm Caller built and stopped to turn to face them.

The males paused to hiss. Then she stomped on the ground to activate something, jumped backwards, and fell down the hole in the ground when it appeared. They screeched with surprise and jumped in after her. Right after they did, a heavy grate slid into place to keep any others from interfering before it covered back over with earth to hide it away.

"We can't see them?" Keltin frowned.

"We can! Look! Stairs!" Howard said, as he found them a bit of a ways off when they revealed themselves. They walked down them and found themselves in a special viewing room that was hidden away from the real battleground. When they were all in the small room, the stairs rose back up, as though to trap them in it, but to hide from view above ground. It was a fail safe to keep this area secret. Storm Caller had this set up exclusively for them to watch without interfering.  _The Strouf was a genius when it came to building and designs like this. This proved it._ The chamber the dominant males were in was held up by pillars. Odd holes were riddled throughout them, and then Howard's mouth dropped.  _The pillars had spears in them. Holes were all over the floor to show spears in them, too._

"Wow..." Sammy blinked.

"They will have to...dodge traps?!" Eremes gaped. Kiehl was now made aware of this, and Howard knew that he would have to keep his eyes open for him. Sarine was standing on a raised platform that was perfectly safe. Then she grinned wickedly. Doppy was snarling at what was going to happen, but he was a First Mate with Naght. They didn't have to get the Bragging Rights. They had to keep Wanderer from winning. Sarine keened out before settling herself to sit and watch. Once she sat down, the room came alive.

Doppy and Naght went straight for Wanderer, as they dodged the holes in the ground and pillars around them. The pillars were built insanely close to each other to make it hard to move through them. The spears that moved in and out of the holes didn't help, either. Kiehl brought out his ghost to help him keep his attacks and movements as precise as possible. He couldn't get hit by the spears, or he'd get marked down. The spears were heat resistant, so Ifrit couldn't melt them down. Eremes was awed at this. Aliot went after Thanatos, as he went after Kiehl. Howard kept his eyes out for Kiehl to tell him who was attacking who, when to dodge a spear, and who to counterattack. Every time one of them got hit by a spear, Sarine marked them down in her eyes. Wanderer was constantly getting shoved into them purposely. The spears hardly did any damage to them, but it was hurting his chances of getting a high rank with her. He was expecting this to happen, though. Thanatos had warned him beforehand.

Kiehl was expertly dodging and countering everything and everyone now. It was almost like he was dancing. He didn't do much attacking, but that didn't matter to her. He was showing grace, skill, and a form of power in his movements. It was something desirable in a First Mate of his stature and clearly what she was looking for. Sarine was getting more and more impressed by him. The spears were coming out at random and not in any specific pattern. Howard had so much of Kiehl's intellect that he could actually see when the spears were about to come up. Errende was in complete shock over what he was seeing, and Thanatos wasn't paying attention to Errende's thoughts. He was fighting off Aliot and Ifrit now.

A grueling hour passed by, and Sarine finally rose and keened out. Her voice made the spears cease in movement to settle back into their hiding spots, and now Howard realized that the room was voice activated by her alone. That was ingenious, and even Kiehl was impressed. The platform she was on quickly lowered to the ground for the males to gain access to her after she made her choices.

The males hissed out when they faced her, and she thought. She looked at Kiehl first. Thanatos was second, once again. Then it was Aliot. Now Naght was looked at. Doppy was next. Ifrit was glanced at. Wanderer was looked at last. Kiehl roared out and leapt at her to rip off her clothes before she had a chance to escape him. She screamed with fury, and she tried to scratch and kick at him. His glasses were slapped off his face, but he ignored it. He slammed her against the wall and bit her neck hard to force her into a form of submission. Then he quickly revealed himself to take her with a sharp roar, as she keened with him.

"Amazing!" Howard grinned.

"Kiehl is first...Thanatos second," Eremes thought. "Aliot third...then Naght fourth, and Doppy fifth...Ifrit sixth and Wanderer seventh..."

"Ifrit would have made last," Keltin frowned. "He needs to get better attack strategies. Can't you tell him what to do, Eremes?"

"I...can! I didn't even think about that!" Eremes blinked.

"Same with Lord Thanatos and I," Errende sighed. "Howard, you were telling Kiehl what to do, weren't you?"

"Yep! Not really cheating, since they have to catch on first," Howard grinned.

"That is cheating," Sammy chuckled. "But, Kiehl is needed for her."

"Yes..." Eremes nodded, as Thanatos ran up after Kiehl to claim his Rights. He was listening in to Errende now, and he was going to make sure to listen to him at the next Demonic Mating. Ifrit was going to be paying careful attention to Eremes next time, too. Right after Thanatos roared with Sarine's cry, Aliot ran over to pin her down to take her. She cried out with him, and Naght took over quickly. She didn't fight him, or even Doppy when he took her next. When Ifrit came over, he pinned her with his heat again and claimed his Rights with a savage hiss. When Wanderer came over to her, she was too weak to fight him, and he snarled out his release with her. He gathered her up in his arms to hold her, and Kiehl roared out his instinctive First Mate Rights. He now had a form of Bragging Rights, too, since he was made a First Mate before. This added to his dominant streak, and the others nodded to him in acceptance.

"Give her to me!" Kiehl seethed at Wanderer. The demon nodded to him and handed her over. Then he left, as a door opened in the back of the room. He was going to keep trying to make First Mate after this, and they knew it.

"Kiehl?" she asked weakly. He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, as he cradled her, and he gave a glare to everyone around him that they all knew well.  _Nothing was going to touch her. She was mine right now._ Howard blinked, as a section of the wall they hid behind slid away to let them walk over. He picked up Kiehl's glasses and gave them back to him.

"Thanks," Kiehl muttered, and he put them back on.

"This place is impressive and fun!" Thanatos grinned. "And I'm paying attention to you next time, Errende! I was so busy fighting off the others that I had no idea what you were trying to tell me. I'm guessing that this is how Kiehl won?"

"It's true," Howard nodded. Kiehl was saying nothing, as he held his wife, mate, and Lady. Then Doppy roared out in pain, as he fell to his knees, and Sarine shouted in pain, as she clutched her belly. Kiehl blinked at first with concern, but then he smiled.  _My pregnancy with her took effect._ Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he rocked her in his arms to comfort her.

"Twins," Sammy chuckled, as he evaluated her.

"Hmm," Thanatos said, as Aliot helped Doppy up. "I'm detecting that she is craving hot tea. With honey and lemon. Or even herbs. I think there is a tea like that we can make."

"Wow," Kiehl chuckled, as he hugged her tight. "That's something I tend to drink all the time. I think I had something called Honey Herbal Tea. It would have everything she would need. Maybe any tea would work. Now I have to wonder if you'll want to read books as a side effect."

"She also wants cookies to go with the tea. A rather sophisticated and interesting set of cravings," Thanatos grinned. "And, to go with the sushi, it would make one really think she was pure royalty with what she'll be eating."

"Rather dainty," Keltin smiled. Sarine gave a soft blush, and Kiehl hugged her to him with a sigh. Then she blinked, as the diamond in his gold leash loop glowed to look even larger.  _He was now officially more husband than slave._ He had gained the Right to ignore her orders, if he absolutely had to, and be dominant as a slave. This made the others stare with surprise at him.

"Sarine," Kiehl smiled and floored all of them but Howard, Thanatos, and Errende. "Let's go back to the house. I'm sure your papa is there by now."

"Yes, dear," she sighed. Howard was a bit concerned at how weak she was. Keltin and Eremes were helping Errende gather up her shredded Sniper clothes. Sammy frowned at this and thought. Then he looked over, as Byorgue and Injustice came over to them with more sushi.

"Thanks. She's pregnant with Kiehl's twins now. She needs cups of Honey Herbal Tea and cookies, as they are her new cravings. Can you please let Kathryne know? She needs to prepare the tea. I'm sure that Karla can buy cookies. Either that, or we'll need to kill off a bunch of monsters that give them over," Sammy said. "I'm sure that any tea will work, as Kiehl mentioned, too, but let's stick with something basic for now."

"Well, the monsters Cookie and Christmas Cookie in the Toy Factory dungeon of Lutie drop the cookies all the time. They can even be stolen off the monsters, too," Keltin said, as he got the information. "I'm sure people will sell them to anyone, if we look hard enough."

"I'll tell her," Byorgue said and ran off. For the next ten minutes, they had to wait for her clothes to be mended. Nigel arrived with the tea and cookies for Sarine, and she took them gratefully. Kiehl smiled lovingly at her and accepted some of the food she gave him.

"You're not leaving her side, are you?" Howard mused.

"Neither are you," Kiehl said with a mild glare of amusement. Maya Purple came over to them to help transport her, and he stopped to stare at her in wonder.  _She held the air of a true princess._ Sammy's ancient lineage and Kiehl's sophistication were changing her attitude and looks. She looked at him with confusion.

"My Lady," Maya Purple said, as gazed at her. "you...really resemble a proper princess right now. It caught me off guard."

"Truly?" she blinked. "I'll have to visit the arena then. Maybe tomorrow."

"It has been a while since you were there," Howard smiled. She looked at him with such a glowing look that he had to pause.  _Maya Purple was right._   _She was intensely royal right now._

"In a way," Sammy mused. "I was a Warlord at one point, as I said before. That is a form of ancient royalty. With Kiehl being so intelligent, and a nobleman in his own way, I see what you are getting at. If she is to meet with any royalty, now would be the time."

"We could see if the Lord of Louyang would like a visit," Keltin thought.

"And Emperor Markus would likely want her to see Amatsu again. She needs to look for houses in both places. That and Howard's parents still want to see him," Thanatos grinned.

"I'm sure she would want a house in Prontera," Doppy smiled.

"Well, I guess my two days of relaxation are shot," she muttered, and they chuckled.

"No. We'll have tomorrow to relax," Howard said.

"May be hard to do, if Loki's son is freed today," she said. "That and we have to visit that island tonight, remember?"

"Ah...shit..." Howard grimaced. Kiehl sighed and kept hugging her.

"I think Serenity will be overjoyed at this news. You think?" she chuckled. Kiehl smiled and kissed her thoroughly before helping her stand. Errende managed to finish mending her clothes and improved them a bit. She dressed with his help, and Nigel made sure she was well enough to move onto Maya Purple's back. Kiehl got up with her, and Howard joined them. Sammy remained in eye-shot so she wouldn't worry. Sarine was deep in thought about something, and Kiehl found himself laughing at what he learned from Howard.

"Looks like we will need to get her some reading material," Howard grinned. "You were right, Kiehl. Ah...Sarine!"

"Hmm?" she smiled softly at him, and he was just gaping at what she wanted to try. Kiehl was hissing with a form of possessive rage and clung to her.

"What does she want to try?" Sammy asked.

"Her gown. Sipping tea and eating cookies. A plate of sushi nearby. Reading a book. Her harp nearby to play, if she wants to. And acting incredibly graceful while doing it..." Howard said with an astonished breath. "Just...stunning..."

"Royalty..." Maya Purple chuckled.

"And she wants to do all of this at the arena tomorrow..." Kiehl hissed.

"Do you have any idea how crazy the crowd will get?!" Thanatos grinned. "And everyone knows she's royalty, anyways. This will definitely cement it!"

"Why else do you think I want to do it?" she asked with a sophisticated air. That made them all stop and stare at her. She gave a soft blush and looked away demurely. She was truly beautiful right now, and none of them could deny it. Kiehl tilted her face to his and kissed her passionately. She giggled softly at him, and he hugged her tighter. It was going to be very hard for him to share her with others when she was like this. When they got to the house, she moved off of Maya Purple's back so gracefully that they were all stunned again. She was simply enchanting right now. When she walked into the main room, Garrett looked at her, and his jaw dropped. The very air around her signified royal grace and beauty.

"Sarine?!" Seyren blinked. Karla nudged him to make sure he didn't stare for too long.

"She's pregnant with my twins and Kiehl's twins. With my Samurai past being a Warlord and royalty, in a sense, she gained that as an instinct. Coupled with Kiehl's intelligence and sophistication...you get this," Sammy grinned. Sarine blushed and smiled softly, as she nodded to him. Then she looked over at Errende.

"Errende, can you please speak with Coraline?" she asked elegantly. Her manners and the graceful air she gave off floored her friends. Max was staring at her, and Coraline happily moved over to speak with Errende.

"Of course, My Lady," Errende said with a small bow. Her royal effect was slowly affecting her slaves, and Errende didn't realize what he did until Thanatos pointed it out.

"It's all right, Errende. It can't be helped," she mused. Garrett was still in shock at her.  _She was acting like a true princess._ He knew he would be helping to defend her. His honor stood on it. He loved Cecil, but his main duty was to always guard royalty. Cecil saw this, but she knew that it was honor bound duty that her husband was seeing. She moved to give Garrett a squeeze, and he hugged her back tightly.

"I understand," Cecil smiled. "You know, as her sister in a way, I'm also royalty."

"And I'm her brother," Seyren chuckled.

"Don't make my job harder than it already is!" Garrett smirked, and they all laughed.

"I don't see you as a prince, Seyren," Keltin smirked.

"I think he's another princess," Howard grinned.

"What?!" Seyren flustered, and they all laughed at him.

"I want to visit the arena tomorrow," Sarine grinned softly.

"Oh?" Seyren asked.

"Think about it. She needs to show off that she's royalty. She already has an idea in mind. Her current cravings have gone to drinking tea and cookies, as well as eating sushi. Sushi is a delicacy in Amatsu, and she's a Princess of Amatsu. She also gained Kiehl's love of reading books, and she may want to play her harp," Sammy chuckled. That made her friends gasp with awe. "She now has the intense aura that a princess would normally give. Everyone can tell."

"She is royalty. I should know," Maya Purple said with approval. They all looked over when Markus walked in, and he paused at the sight of his adopted daughter.

"Papa!" she said with a form of joy that made him smile.

"You look like a true princess!" Markus said with a bit of surprise. Sammy chuckled and explained that she was pregnant with him and Kiehl. He also told him the effects they gave her. Markus was smiling all the more and thought.

"She is likely going to be visiting Louyang and Prontera again," Keltin said.

"When she goes, I will go. It will cement the fact that she's my daughter," Markus said.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"Sarine, did you want to check on the children really quick?" Kiehl asked.

"You called her by name?" Markus mused. The others were just as surprised.

"I am a slave and a husband, in a sense. More husband right now, due to my dominant nature with her being pregnant with my twins," Kiehl explained.

"You need a crown," Markus said. "It will show that you are married to her when you sit with her. In fact, all of her husbands need crowns. I would even say for two large ones to be worn for the ones that have her pregnant. Her slaves don't need crowns, but, since you, Kiehl, are a bit of a husband, you need one. It will baffle people, but they will know who to avoid."

"Crowns would look awkward on us," Howard said.

"Maybe...a badge? We do have...wedding rings..." Eremes thought.

"And we sit in thrones at the arena. The slaves stand around, or kneel at her feet," Doppy said. "We don't really need much else to stand out."

"We also wear collars to show the difference," Nigel chuckled.

"I don't think much else is needed," Byorgue grinned.

"You may be right," Markus nodded. "Are we ready to travel?"

"Not yet. We are bringing Serenity and Siegfried with us. They like to go to new places with us, and they are old enough," Sarine smiled. "Let me get them."

"Of course," Markus chuckled. Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy walked up the stairs with her. Markus was impressed with how graceful and elegant his daughter was now. Then he thought and looked at Maya Purple.

"Yes, Sir?" he asked.

"Can you go to the arena and get a few of my guards to escort us, too? I left them there to help. I also brought along two Priests to help protect her, and they are waiting there, too. They should be with her, especially since she is showing off her royal heritage," Markus said.

"I'll get them!" Byorgue nodded and ran out swiftly.

In the nursery, Kiehl had called Serenity over with a grin.

"Keel?" she asked.

"Your mom is pregnant with Sammy's kids. Do you know what that means?" Kiehl chuckled. Serenity gasped and looked at him with delight.

"Um...you and Mama will make babies now?!" she asked.

"We already did! They're growing in her now," he laughed. Serenity squealed with excitement, and Sarine could only laugh at her daughter's happiness. Howard laughed, too, as he picked up his son to hug. Kiehl gathered up Serenity to cuddle, and she was giggling.

"I love you, Keel!" Serenity grinned.

"I always keep my promises to you, and I love you, too," he smiled and kissed her cheek. She blushed and hugged him tight. Now she knew it would be about two weeks before her brothers and sisters would be born. She couldn't wait to see them. The other children were sleeping peacefully, and Sammy moved over to the bookshelf to select a few good titles for her.

"We'll need more books for her to read," he said.

"We'll have Karla look for some," Howard said. Alexander flew over and landed by Sarine to pull her close. He hugged her, whispered softly in her ear, and pressed a kiss to her cheek before flying back to the balcony. She was stunned at this, and Kiehl hissed with outrage.

"Deal with it later," Howard said. "Not with the kids."

"Fine!" Kiehl growled.

"What did he say?" Sammy asked with a frown.

"He said that..." she sighed, and pulled Sammy close to kiss and whisper in his ear. "he is coming with us to Rachel. That he's needed. Kiehl is clearly upset over the fact that he deliberately got close to me. He's taking it as a form of challenge. I can...feel this, you know?"

"She made the correct assumption," Howard frowned.

"Let's go," Sarine said quickly to keep the mood a bit lighter. When they walked down the stairs, her husbands saw the darkened look in Kiehl's eyes and the light touch of worry on Sarine's face. Doppy and Thanatos moved over right away, and Naght hissed with hatred from what Howard told him mentally.

"What happened?!" Doppy snarled. Markus was frowning now.  _If the demons were pissed, then something was wrong._ He watched Doppy fight in the arena before. He knew just how bloodthirsty the demon could be. Sarine moved over to Doppy to pull him down and kiss him gently to calm him. Then she whispered into his ear while moving her hand through his hair. He gave a small growl through his purring, but she had to do this.

"I'm making pillows out of his feathers!" Thanatos hissed when Naght told him what he learned. Kiehl told the others, but he remained calm, as he held Serenity.

"You will do no such thing, Thanatos," she said softly. "You will not harm him. That is Observation's job. Right, my dear?"

"True, My Lady," the angel smirked.

"And why is that?" Sammy asked.

"Think about it. If he has to fight Alexander, he must be incredibly pissed off to accurately fight him off, right?" Sarine chuckled. That had Doppy grinning softly, and the others made agreeable sounds.

"Why fight?" Markus asked. Sammy walked over to him to explain how First Mate Rights worked and what angels had to do to gain it. Markus was amazed by this news. When Byorgue came back with the guards, he learned of what happened with Alexander. Now that he was enraged, she made sure Doppy was calmed before gracefully moving to her slave to calm him down. The guards were new to the force, and they had heard rumors of the Emperor having a daughter. Now that they saw her, they were floored by her grace and beauty. She blinked her tigers' eye gemstone eyes at them and softly purred to Byorgue.

"Don't stress over it," she whispered in his ear before kissing him gently. He was incredibly fierce for his short stature, and she was the only one that could keep him calm. It was the same for all of her men. Errende moved over to her to whisper, and she giggled. Nodding to him, she stood up tall to show she was ready for travel. As she walked past the guards, she knew a few of them were staring at her with amazement and desire. There were six of them, and they were all men. The two Priests were not counted with them, as they weren't fully guards, but their reactions to her were all the same. Then they gaped, as Windwalker landed to make ready to carry her. The majestic Gryphon fit so well with her that they all paused in shock. She smiled and let Windwalker nuzzle her with contentment. She lightly scratched under his beak, and he seemed to warble with delight. Then he glared at the guards, as he lowered his wings for her.

"I'm coming with you," Wanderer said with his head looking normal again. The guards didn't know who he was, and that made Sarine grin with amusement. Howard chuckled at this, and figured it was the perfect disguise. Kiehl had to agree. Baphomet Jr. snorted, as he moved to help them, and the guards gaped again. Eddga and Vagabond Wolf came over to stand with them. Naght, Thanatos, and Ifrit were no exception. Pori-Pori chittered and bounced over to Sarine happily. She picked him up and whispered to him of her new pregnancies.

"How is a Poring supposed to help us, Your Majesty?" a guard asked.

"Um..." Sarine frowned. Pori-Pori let out a growl, jumped to the ground, and scooted over to slam the guard through the wall of the house. Storm Caller seemed to chuckle, and he'd fix the hole after they all left.

"That's Pori-Pori..." Sammy grinned. The guards were in shock. Lloyd Resurrected the guard and moved outside. Then he paused at Sarine's air of royal dignity. She winked at him and picked up Pori-Pori again. Donnie had finally come down the stairs with Egnigem, and he gaped at Sarine's new stature.

"Stop staring at my wife!" Kiehl and Howard hissed together, as they moved to her side. That had Doppy laughing with Eremes.

"My Lady," Errende smiled and handed her the Coronet. She giggled and put it on. It simply enhanced her royal status that much further. Maya Purple moved to have the kids placed on his back to protect them under his wing covers again.

"Papa, I'm not sure how you wish to travel with us. Did you want to try sitting on Maya Purple's back? Or maybe Nigel could let you ride him in his Nine Tail form?" Sarine frowned.

"Let's try Nigel," Markus nodded. Nigel bowed and shifted into his massive Nine Tail body. The guards gaped at this, and Markus managed to settle neatly onto his back. Nigel yipped and made a few practice steps to try walking with him. A few adjustments were done, and they were ready. Kiehl helped Sarine onto Windwalker's back and settled in front of her. Howard moved behind her. The developing children weren't making a fuss in her yet, so Errende was free to walk with them with Thanatos. Muninn flew down to make ready to transport them directly to the Einbech Mines. At her nod to him, he warbled to her with surprise at her new royal airs. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, but it made him happy to see her.

"Wait!" Kavach said before coming to a full stop at Sarine's presence.

"We're coming with you!" Lilah said. She was now completely envious of Sarine again.

"Oh, dear," Sarine frowned, and placed her hand over her mouth to show distress.

"You can come with us, but don't piss us off!" Doppy hissed. Kiehl gave a glare to them, and that made them pale. Then he kissed her cheek and whispered to her. She looked at him with a loving smile, and he kissed her gently. Howard turned to look at his younger brother with Armeyer. He gave a bit of a sigh, as he turned to face his wife. Laurell kept his eyes averted, as Blent was making sure to stay on everyone's good side.

"Timothy? My, my! You look much better!" Markus said.

"Oh! Emperor Markus! Yes, I have been advancing myself," he said. "I am very sorry for how I treated you before."

"Really? Well, prove yourself to be better in the future, and I will accept your apology," Markus nodded. "I take it that Howard told you about your parents?"

"Yes. And I know that Sarine is your daughter now. I won't breathe a word of it to them," Timmy promised. That made Markus raise a brow, and he nodded again. Muninn warbled and saw Thomas and Wickebine come over to travel with them.

"Such a big group!" Markus mused.

"It's needed, Papa," Sarine smiled. Thomas paused at the sight of her and cleared his throat at Kiehl's sharp glare. Windwalker moved his wings up to cover his passengers and to ease the stress of the situation. Muninn warbled again and transported everyone to the Einbech Mines within the next few minutes.


	98. Chapter 98

Markus was amazed at the mass Warp skill, and Muninn chuckled mentally. She was hidden from view, but the miners around the mine entrance were too busy to notice them, anyways. They moved into the mines, and several monsters were waiting for them.

"Oh! There's a Pitman!" Keltin chuckled. The monster was actually four shadow miners wearing yellow hard hats in a moving mining cart. Three would stay in the cart, and a fourth one would move it around. They held pick axes, and the monster glowed with power before vanishing away. They would likely assist in digging tunnels and building on occasion.

"So, that's how you recruit!" Markus blinked. "Amazing!"

"She has her ways," Eremes chuckled. A monster resembling a walking, rusted stove came up to them and stared at them with yellow eyes.

"Waste Stove," Keltin smiled. The monster blew smoke out a small smokestack and glowed with power when it vanished. "There's a Porecellio!"

The tiny, pink, insect monster crawled over to them on tiny legs and waved its pincers at them. Then it glowed with power and vanished. Windwalker put his wings down so Sarine could look at the cave they were in. As they moved through the mine, they stopped again, as a red cloud and a green cloud moved up to them. They both blinked large eyes at them and hovered over the ground.

"They look poisonous!" a guard said.

"You're right. That's a Noxious and a Venomous. Noxious is the red one," Keltin said.

"How do you know this?" another guard asked.

"I am Sarine's Guardian, as told by Odin. I defend her, if anything tries to attack her. I also know where certain monsters are when we get close, and I can communicate with them, too. As you can see, I am a Bongun. But, I can also become a human Champion when I need to be. She likes me in my original state," Keltin said. The guards nodded and asked no further questions. Markus had told them strictly that his daughter was truly Odin's daughter, and to never doubt in her abilities or question those that are with her. The little bit with Pori-Pori from earlier removed any doubts they had about his warning.

They continued through the mines and almost reached the second level when a massive bug approached them expectantly. It was long, grey, had six legs, and yellow, curvy lines all over its body. The odd thing was that it looked like it had a head on each side of it. Both ends had eyes and double set of jaws, but one side was false to fool adventurers.

"What is that?" Seyren grinned.

"That's Ungoliant," Keltin smiled. It glowed with power to double in size, but it didn't vanish. It wanted to help them. The guards stammered, as it moved over to Sarine's side to chirr out a question at her.

"She wants to know what she can do to help you," Maya Purple said.

"She?" Garrett asked.

"Yes. I'm a bug. I know a female when I see one," he grinned.

"Well, you know this place fairly well. Can you help guide us to the strong monster here?" Sarine asked. Ungoliant gave an affirmative chirr and moved to the front of the group.

"Wow!" one of the guardian Priests said.

"You're telling me!" the other said. Markus was very proud of his daughter now. Nigel yipped happily and got a small scratch behind his ear.

"Maya Purple?" Sarine asked.

"Yes, My Lady?" he responded.

"Do you know where your mother is setting up her nest?" she asked.

"By the flower garden. The wasp queen, Mistress, is going to guard the outside of it, and Phreeoni is taking up residence inside it. There is an underground desert area that was made. The rogue ants need it, as I'm sure you know they live mainly outside of the town of Morroc. The underground desert will connect to one above ground, so two entrances will be there on the island. Phreeoni will guard both areas," Maya Purple said. "She will be alerted by other monsters around there, if something is wrong that needs her attention."

"Thank you," she said. He smiled warmly at her and continued to carry the children. His pincers launched their darts at anything that got too close to them. When they got to an elevator to head down, they all did so in small groups. Only after they all reformed, did they pause at the sight of three monsters coming to them. A yellow, crystal-like monster with a single eye on its stem bounced over to them. A hovering, black crystal ball resembling a shiny lump of spiked coal came over next. Then a teddy bear holding a hammer moved up to them.

"Let's see," Keltin smiled. "The yellow crystal is a Mineral, the floating black crystal ball is an Obsidian, and then there's Teddy Bear."

"How cute!" Sarine said to Teddy Bear. It gave a small bow and moved over to them to hand over an Oridecon smithing hammer to Howard. It was the best hammer for him to use for forging powerful weapons, and the most expensive to purchase.

"Thanks! I'll use it well," Howard nodded. Then the three monsters handed over their cards, but Teddy Bear also handed over a brooch, a gun, and a full Elunium piece. Obsidian handed over a katar set, a piece of steel, a lump of coal, and a one carat diamond. Mineral didn't want to be outdone, so it handed over an Emperium, a topaz gem, a gold bar, and a full Oridecon piece. That had Sarine laughing with joy.

"Thank you all so much!" Sarine beamed. Only then did they glow with power and vanish. Howard Identified the brooch, the gun, and the katar set.

"Wow. The brooch is called Goddess of Fortune's Cursed Brooch. It can curse you on occasion, as well as who you attack. This gun...oh, nice! It's a Gold Lux!" Howard grinned.

"That's rare!" Max said with amazement.

"No kidding, right? Hmm. Eremes! Here! Take these Unholy Touch katars!" Howard laughed. Eremes blinked with awe and took them. He'll be testing them later, for sure.

"I can hold what you don't need," Karla said. Luna hummed softly, as she helped take the items. Once everything was tucked away in her cart, they continued through the mines. They killed off anything that attacked them, and a lot of smithing materials were gathered.

"Garrett, we should come back here for Howard! It will be easy for us to help him get steel here. And his smithing hammers!" Cecil smiled.

"You're right," Garrett nodded. "Cheaper this way."

"And we can sell off the excess diamonds," Karla grinned. "I say we keep about two hundred of them. They can be used to make things, right?"

"Very true," Howard nodded.

"It's hard to believe you're a monster," Markus smiled.

"He'll be human tomorrow," Kiehl said, and he hugged Sarine tight to him. Then he whispered to her, and she blinked at him.

"It wouldn't be very fair to Sammy," she whispered back.

"You're right," Kiehl frowned. "I like Sammy."

"So do I," she smiled.

"Hey, Sammy!" Howard said.

"Yes?" he asked and moved to the Gryphon's side. Howard whispered to him, and Sammy thought with a smile. He whispered back, and Kiehl muttered.

"Let's see what happens tonight. Maybe tomorrow night, or even the night after. Okay?" she asked. That made Kiehl nod. Ungoliant gave a loud chirr to signal the strong monster was approaching. She kissed Kiehl deeply before moving off of Windwalker's back. The guards moved to stand in front of her, but she rose up her hand to stop them.

"She needs to speak with the strong monster. Just watch," Sammy advised. Thanatos and Doppy were ready to help her, if they had to, and Muninn was ready to Assault, if needed. A heavy rumbling was heard, and the ground vibrated. The massive machine, RSX-0806, lumbered towards them and stopped. The tiny shadow miner at the top of the machine was confused. It was used to humans running away in a panic. Not standing there with a purpose. The machine, itself, had a massive smokestack that billowed thick, black smoke. Two arm-like spiked saws shifted in their gears and were used to mine out the tunnels. The body of the machine was large and circular with a hole in the center of the front to expel rock chunks and intake air. Two, heavy legs with circular steel pads helped crush stone and rubble to dust beneath it.

Sarine whimpered, as her tattoo glowed on the back of her neck, and Huginn came forth.

"RSX-0806, listen to me! I am Huginn! Our Lord Odin has need of you to help us assist with a coming war! Separate from your darker self now to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Do this now!" Huginn shouted. The monster seemed to scream, as the machine ground to a squealing halt. The darker version of it appeared and vanished away after it was separated. Now the shadow man on top seemed bewildered and much happier. Huginn nodded and said, "Now you are pet-like, and you can accompany the Vessel of Odin wherever she travels! You can help Tao Gunka create new caverns and underground areas of the island home. You will also be able to assist in helping attack from underground, as well."

This made the strong monster seem giddy with excitement. It couldn't wait to help. Once it vanished away, Huginn sunk back down, and Sarine was caught by Kiehl when she fell unconscious. Markus was alarmed, but Sammy explained that it always happened this way.

"It can't be helped," Kiehl said. When Sarine came to, she smiled at him, and he kissed her before helping her stand. He gave small, protective glares to any man that stared at her for too long that wasn't meant to be with her.

"Why is he so clingy to her?" one of the guards asked.

"She's having my kids and Sammy's twins. That's why," Kiehl hissed.

"She's pregnant right now?" another guard blinked.

"Yes. She is," Sammy said.

"Which is why the lot of you are to help protect her as she travels!" Markus said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the guards said. Kiehl muttered, and Howard stifled a laugh.

"Are we ready to leave?" Sarine asked when she was set back on Windwalker's back.

"Not just yet. I can get some more supplies here!" Howard grinned.

"We have two other places to be at, How-How," she reminded him. "It's early enough in the day that we can get them done fast."

"But, Mama! When we go home, we can't go with you anywhere else!" Serenity pouted.

"It's important, sweetie," Sarine said. "We need to get these places done. And one place we can't go to until you are sleeping! We can only go at night."

"Mama!" she pouted.

"We are going to probably have a beach day tomorrow, so don't worry," Howard said.

"Kay," she sighed with defeat. Siegfried patted her hand to show that everything would be okay, and that there would be other places they could go to next time. Naght purred at them, and they both smiled up at him. They understood.

"Okay, let's head back," Sammy said. Muninn warbled and Warped them all back to the island home.


	99. Chapter 99

The kids were taken to the nursery, and Sarine hugged her papa before he left for Amatsu. He was very pleased with the trip and it showed.

"Come to Amatsu tomorrow," Markus said.

"Okay. I'll see about making the trip," she nodded.

"I look forward to seeing you," he smiled. He took four of his guards with him to leave two behind with the two Priests. They looked at Sarine expectantly.

"I will give the four of you a choice," she said calmly. "You can either accompany me, or stay here on the island to protect the home. I know Papa said to have you with me at all times, but I'm fairly well protected, as it is. What do you all think?"

"We will follow Your Majesty," a dark brown-haired guard said.

"You may need us," a blond-haired guard said.

"We will help protect you," a light-brown haired Priest said.

"We will not disappoint you," a black-haired Priest said.

"I see. Very well. What are your names?" she asked.

"I am Roland," the first guard said.

"I am Tenshin," the second guard said.

"My name is Paulo," the first Priest said.

"My name is William," the second Priest said.

"Very good," Sarine said, as she made mental notes. Coraline did wince at the second Priest's name, but she knew that the name was quite common. It was not the same man, anyways. Max gave her a squeeze, and Errende walked up to Sarine to whisper softly to her.

"It's already done?" Kiehl grinned, as he heard her thoughts through Howard.

"Okay, we have to see it before we go anywhere!" Howard grinned.

"Oh...I suppose," she smiled. "Coraline, I'll need your help. Donnie and Thomas? I'll need your help, too."

The Gypsy and the two Clowns walked over to her, and she whispered to them. Donnie found himself stammering, and Thomas was no better than his friend. Coraline was snickering and grinning all the same. Then Sarine moved to Kiehl and announced that she had to take a shower. Grabbing Kiehl's hand and Howard's hand, she gestured for Thanatos to come with them. Errende had to go with them to make sure everything worked. Doppy seemed to mutter, but, at the look in Sarine's eye, he knew the wait would be worth it. Sammy grinned, as she was deliberately taking them only, since they could see each other's minds to an extent. When he voiced this, the others nodded, as it made sense.

"Sammy, come with us in case she needs you," Thanatos said.

"Right!" Sammy agreed and followed them up the stairs. In the bedroom, she undressed and started to put on the two-piece dancing dress. It was gold with soft, chiming bells along the rims. It almost reminded one of a real Dancer's garments, but it was far too elaborate. Errende fitted the dress to her carefully and made sure it wasn't too tight. Kiehl and Howard were forced to stare at a wall, and Sarine purposely had a blindfold on to keep from seeing herself. She didn't want Kiehl or Howard to know what it looked like. Sammy was facing the wall, too. Only Thanatos and Errende could see what it was turning into.

"Can you give us a hint?!" Howard asked.

"Nope!" Thanatos grinned.

"Is it sexy?" Kiehl asked.

"Not saying!" the demon laughed. Sammy had his eyes closed and arms crossed to meditate patiently. Kiehl now tried to see if his glasses could get some kind of a reflection, and Thanatos saw it. He had Kiehl put his glasses away.

"I'm almost done. About five minutes," Errende said. Kiehl put his glasses back on and sighed. Howard was just as anxious to see the results. Errende removed the blindfold from Sarine first. Only then were Howard and Kiehl able to turn to see her. They stood there speechless. Sammy turned now and paused. She looked at herself in the mirror and found herself blushing. Thanatos and Sammy couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Errende was smiling that his work approved. Sarine turned and pulled Errende close to plant a long kiss on him. He was gasping when she pulled away, and then she whispered to him. He leaned into her before smiling, and he whispered back. Then he left the room to get Coraline. She moved to look at her four loves and blushed with a smile.

"I guess you all approve?" she whispered.

"Your guess..." Kiehl said, as he moved to her side. "is as good as mine. Approve? Oh, yes. And, if anyone else tries to touch you that isn't destined for you..."

"They die," Thanatos growled. Sarine blushed demurely, and Kiehl caught her up in a kiss that started to lose all meaning. When Errende came in with Coraline, he stifled a growl at the intrusion. Sarine placed a finger to his lips and smiled.

"Stand back. Watch me learn a new dance. Then I'll show everyone downstairs. Then...if we have time...I'll accept any forms of criticism..." she said with a grin.

"I'll kill anyone that gives you a bad review," Kiehl muttered, as he kissed her. She grinned again and pushed him back against the wall to stay there. Coraline was impressed at how she looked and quickly got into a dancing position.

"Oh! These are for you! You use them as you dance," Coraline said, as she gave her a set of cymbals. She showed how she used them by tapping them against her fingers together in the form of a rhythmic beat while she danced. Sarine started to copy her movements perfectly, and now she started to learn how to swing her hips and move her belly. Then she had to start working her chest to move with her body. Belly rolls were learned next and how to move properly in the dance. That made Howard and Kiehl stare at her. Errende and Thanatos couldn't tear their eyes from her. Sammy was clearly appreciating her form.

"So, I do this..." Sarine said, as she twirled in the dance, the cymbals chiming in her fingers when she moved. Coraline had her watch an expert move being done, and Sarine copied it as though she did it all her life.

"I think we're ready," Coraline grinned. "I'll get Donnie and Thomas ready downstairs. Give me five minutes, and then come down!"

"I'll wear a sheet over myself to add to the suspense," Sarine chuckled. Errende quickly found a spare bed sheet to place over her. She had it covered over her like a hooded cloak, and she nodded to the others when she was ready. They went down first, and she moved behind them all. She went to the middle of the main room with Coraline, and the Gypsy nodded to Donnie and Thomas to start up the beat. The moment it started, the bed sheet was flung off, as Sarine started to dance with Coraline.

All eyes were on Sarine. She moved her hips to jingle the bells and rolled her belly in time with Coraline's. This was an excellent form of exercise for her, and she would likely be doing this a lot more in the future. Her fingers moved the cymbals in a perfect rhythm as she danced, and she could tell her men were sweating. When the beat got faster, so did she. As the beat slowed to a stop, she was in a somewhat kneeling position with Coraline. Then she laughed with her friend, and they hugged.

"It's so much fun!" Coraline giggled.

"It is!" Sarine smiled. Then she looked over at everyone still caught in a gaping stare. She cleared her throat, and that snapped them out of the spell. The guards refocused and straightened. Her male friends found themselves blushing and looking away. Her female friends were either cheering at the new dance or glaring with a form of envy.

"Sarine..." Kiehl said, and he moved to her first. She blushed and laughed, as he gathered her up in his arms to carry upstairs. Her other loves were not far behind them.

"I figure we'll leave in a couple hours," Seyren grinned, as Max was doing the same thing to Coraline. Donnie and Thomas were looking at each other with small frowns.

"What's wrong?" Egnigem asked Donnie.

"I'll be honest with you," Donnie said, as he pulled her close. "I'm envious."

"Of who?" Karla frowned.

"Sarine's husbands," he winced. "I know, I know! Sarine is an awesome friend! I will always see her as an awesome friend, and I will always be dependable to her when she needs my help. But, well, seeing her dance like that and in a getup like that..."

"I echo your thoughts," Thomas frowned. Wickebine walked up to him to hug him.

"At least you are honest," Egnigem nodded.

"Donnie, just ask Sarine to dominate you," Seyren sighed.

"What?!" Donnie gaped.

"Trust me. It curbs a lot of thought," Seyren chuckled.

"Oh, Seyren, that reminds me," Karla said with a bit of a smile.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I found something for sale today," Karla grinned and pulled out a Blinker.

"Bedroom! Now!" he hissed and flung her over her shoulder, as she laughed. She always did try to help their relationship along, and it wasn't just the fact that she got stumped on what she needed to do. Seyren was right in saying that he found her dominating predictable, and it was why she went lax on him. She didn't know what more she could do with him. She could only hope that the new involvement with the Blinker would fix that. She really did want to keep their love for each other as strong as possible.

Donnie pondered at the sight of the Blinker, and Egnigem was puzzled by what that was about. Garrett walked up to whisper to her, and she started laughing. When Donnie looked at her, she grinned at him wryly. The she mused, "I'll talk to Sarine later for you."

"No!" Donnie scowled.

"You may as well," Garrett grinned.

"Don't look at me like that!" Lloyd said to Margaretha.

"Come on, Kathryne!" Mitchell whined, as she looked at him. "I know we talked about it, but I just don't think it's necessary!"

"Garrett," Kavach said, as he walked over to the Paladin. "I have a question."

"Yes, Kavach?" he asked.

"You...feel pleasure in pain?" Kavach asked with a frown.

"Yes. To an extent. Why? What's wrong?" Garrett asked.

"I've been having Sarine try things with me, and...well...I feel no pleasure in it," Kavach admitted. He got hard stares at him from Garrett and Donnie. The Clown was just learning about this, but even he felt pleasure in the pain that Egnigem was trying to give him.

"You have got to be joking!" Garrett said with disbelief. "Wait. Sarine said that you weren't supposed to even be with her. Maybe that's why."

"What?" Kavach frowned.

"Hmm..." Laurell thought. "I'm not destined to be with her. Her kiss with me was all wrong. You had a feeling that was there, yet not there. She's being lenient with you, I think."

"She kissed you?" Lilah frowned.

"Odin ordered it. I wasn't going to fight with him," Laurell said. That made Lilah nod.

"I know she's being lenient. Errende...damn I hate him!" Kavach hissed. "He takes so much from her, feels everything from her, and then he recovers like nothing! On top of that, he does it deliberately to piss me off! It's absolutely crazy!"

"What?" Garrett blinked.

"She bit him so hard that he had teeth marks in his neck, and he acted like he had an orgasm with it!" Kavach said. Just the thought of it had Garrett sweating, and now Donnie was clearing his throat. Cecil was snickering softly.

"She didn't bite me," Garrett muttered.

"Well...she bit me, and I only felt pain. I still have the bruise!" Kavach sighed. He had kept rubbing at it, and it finally started to ease up in the pain when he made himself stop.

"She bit you, and you felt nothing but pain?!" Donnie gaped. "You don't have what it takes, then. No wonder."

"What? Tell me!" Kavach said. "I don't have it takes for what?"

"You don't have what it takes to be a submissive," Garrett said. "Granted, I'm not one for it, either, but it helps to keep an open mind. I wasn't sure of it until I was sort of forced to experience it. My own fault. It does help keep things fresh in the bedroom, though. I can easily tell you that! Anyways, Cecil, love, I'll be right back. I need to ask Sarine something. I'm sure you know what it's going to be about."

"Okay," Cecil grinned. She knew what Garrett was going to ask her sister. The Paladin moved up the stairs and to Sarine's bedroom to knock on the door. A harsh snarl was heard on the other side, and the door opened to find Doppy there. When he saw it wasn't Seyren, Doppy changed his attitude to something more neutral.

"Garrett? What's wrong?" the demon asked. He was wearing a towel around his waist, and his massive, lean, defined chest was bared. Garrett took a deep breath to keep his envy down, but he forced himself to look up into the demon's glowing pupils with his own black ones.

"Kavach was telling us what Sarine did to him. How he felt no pleasure in anything she gave him. Then he said that she bit him, and he felt nothing. I'd like to know if Sarine can bite me so that I can be the judge of it," Garrett said. Doppy thought and had him wait outside the door. In the bedroom, Doppy explained the situation, and Sarine mused to herself. She just wore out Howard and Kiehl. Her other loves were in the same state.

"He came in good time," she said. "Let me get dressed. Then, sure. I'll bite him," she grinned wickedly. She had kept her mild craving for sex, and that was the only way she was still able to move around like she needed to. If she didn't have that craving before, she would be in a deep sleep by now. As she walked into the bathroom, she grabbed Eremes by the hand to torment him even further, and he hissed with disbelief. She was truly picking on him this way.

"I'd say he's a lucky bastard, but I'm too tired to do much," Keltin sighed.

"No kidding," Thanatos grinned. At Eremes's shout, they all laughed. She came out dressed in her Sniper gears, and Eremes had a towel around his waist. After a deep kiss was given to him, he went to lean against the wall. She made sure her slaves were presentable, and she gestured for Garrett to be let in.

"Sorry for the wait," Sarine said pleasantly, as she sat on her bed. Kiehl and Howard were sitting in the bed with the blanket covering up their waists. All of her loves had their chests exposed. She chuckled and looked at Garrett, as she asked, "So, you want to be bitten?"

"I do," Garrett nodded. "To see if I feel pleasure in it."

"I understand," she nodded. "Cecil is okay with it?"

"Yes. She understands," he nodded.

"Okay. Please kneel before me," she said. He did as she asked, and she thought. She hopped off the bed and circled him slowly. Then she leaned down to whisper to him.

"Oh? Very well," he nodded and removed his upper armor. He needed to, since she couldn't reach his neck from his armored collar. Then she carefully tilted his head to the side before pausing. Once she was ready, she quickly leaned down and bit hard. He shouted with surprise at it before gasping, as he fought down his release. She was already back on the bed when he got himself under control.

"Did that answer your question?" she asked sweetly.

"Kavach is an IDIOT for not feeling pleasure in that!" Garrett growled. She giggled, and Errende moved to her side with a smile. She nodded and bit his neck in the same manner. He cried out sharply and gasped. Then she had him move back, and he recovered in seconds.

"My Lady," Errende said with a bit of a grin.

"When Garrett is done," she nodded. Errende nodded and moved to sit down where he was before. Garrett was in shock at how fast Errende recovered. Kavach wasn't lying about that, and even he was impressed.

"When do you plan to leave to head to Rachel?" Garrett asked, as he put his armor back on and stood up. His movements were slow, since his body was still trembling.

"Likely within the hour," she thought.

"I'll tell them. Thank you for agreeing to bite me," Garrett said.

"You're welcome!" she beamed. Doppy let him out, and then he growled at Sarine. She gave him a look and said, "What? You want me to bite you, too?"

"You bet your ass!" he hissed. He moved to her side, pulled off her shorts, and tossed them aside. She growled, ripped off his towel, and dropped it. Just as he claimed her, she bit him hard, and he shouted with his release. Then she grinned wickedly and ran her hands through his hair to force him to start purring. Then he cried out again when she ran her mouth over his neck to the opposite side and bit him there. He was trembling from the shock of it, and his eyes were wide. She leaned into him and pulled his head down to whisper in his ear.

"You want more?" she hissed laughter. He couldn't respond. She had him under her thumb right now. He was incredibly sensitive from what she did. Then the sensations shattered when they both cried out in pain, as the children in her grew.

"Aw, hell!" Howard winced, and Kiehl moved to her side quickly.

"They didn't grow by much. About three inches in size. Still, it's a bit of a growth spurt," Sammy said. Thanatos looked at Errende, and her craving foods were brought out.

"Damn it!" Doppy sighed. "I wasn't done with you!"

"Give me a bit," she said, as she drank her tea. He nodded and picked up his towel to put back on his waist. She looked over at him and said, "I didn't tell you to put that back on. Did I? I don't think I did."

"I'm not a slave," he grinned.

"True. But, you would say the same to me, right?" she giggled, as she ate some sushi. Sammy thought and moved to whisper to Nigel. He became his Nine Tail form and ran off to the kitchens. A short moment later, he came back with a set of chop sticks.

"Sarine, let me teach you how to use these," Sammy grinned. He took them from Nigel.

"Oh?" she smiled. He sat next to her and taught her how to use them within minutes. Now she was able to eat sushi properly, and Kiehl hissed at how elegant she looked, as she used the chop sticks. Howard was groaning. He wanted her again. Looking at her loves, she thought and whispered to Sammy softly. At his musing tone of agreement, she beamed. Kiehl and Howard were both sweating all over again at the new idea she had.

"Errende," Sammy said, and whispered to him on what she wanted, as she finished eating. Thanatos blinked at this and now gave a small growl of his own. Errende would make sure to have it prepared, and he would have to talk to Karla about picking up a few accessories for him. Sarine sighed after she finished eating and moved off the bed to bend down and gather up her shorts. As she did this, there was only silence at the gaping jaws of her men staring at her perfectly formed rear.

"What's going on?" she frowned, as she turned to face them.

"I'm not done!" Doppy snarled, and he gathered her up in his arms to move her into the bathroom. Errende had to follow, since her bite still affected him. Kiehl and Howard hissed at this and moved in there with him. Sammy had to go in there to make sure that she saw him and to ensure he had her again. About twenty minutes later, she came back out with a smile, as her loves were catching their breath.

"Hmm. Eremes? Keltin? Come here, please," she said. When they walked over, she smiled that they weren't dressed yet, grabbed their hands, and pulled them into the bathroom much to their shock. Five minutes later, she came back out and drank some more tea. They came out soon after and judged it was time to head downstairs. They dressed and assisted Sarine, as she moved out of the room and down the stairs.

Garrett had spent quite a bit of time with Cecil in their room after he was bitten. They were back down the stairs now, and the Paladin was still floored at Kavach's inability to feel anything that Sarine had done to him. Cecil was sitting down from how shaky she was from the force her husband used to take her. She made plans to try and bite him when she could.

"I still can't believe you had no pleasure in that!" Garrett was muttering to Kavach. "I'm still shaking from it!"

"Wait," Sarine whispered softly to keep out of sight with them. Seyren had just walked out of his bedroom with Karla to find them listening in. Thanatos moved over to them and told them what Garrett had Sarine do, and what happened with Kavach and Errende before. Seyren was floored at the fact that Kavach found nothing pleasuring. Sarine gave a small blush and continued to listen to the conversation. Max and Coraline were already in the main room and were listening to everything with amusement.

"I don't know! Is there something wrong with me?!" Kavach asked.

"Yes!" Donnie and Garrett said together.

"I haven't even asked Sarine to dominate me yet, and I can already tell you that I'll like it! Hell, I should ask her to bite me, too," Donnie said.

"Why don't you ask me?" Sarine giggled. She came down the stairs purposely now with a grin on her face. "I'll even do it now to see if you like it!"

"What?" Donnie blinked at her. Kiehl put his arms around her waist to pull her close to him. He gave a small glare at first, but, at Sarine's whisper, he smirked. Egnigem walked over to Sarine to whisper to her, and Sarine started laughing softly. Howard seemed to sigh with amusement and muttered to the others. Small laughs and snickers echoed all around. Kiehl released her, and she placed a kiss on his lips before thinking.

"Donnie," Sarine said, as she elegantly moved over to him. "what...is that on your neck? Can I get a closer look?"

"I don't have anything on my neck!" he flustered, as he took a step back.

"You do now!" she grinned and moved swiftly to bite his neck hard before dancing away. Donnie was shocked as pain and pleasure coursed through his body so fiercely that he fell to his knees. Egnigem nodded her thanks to Sarine and moved to her husband's side.

"How do you feel?" Egnigem chuckled.

"Um...uh..." Donnie couldn't form any words.  _There were no words to describe this._

"Yep. He's feeling it," Garrett grinned.

"Oh, Garrett," Sarine said. "I want to try something really quick."

"What?" he asked. She reached out and pressed hard on the bite she gave him earlier. He hissed out disbelief, as everything came back in full, and he found himself on his knees. Cecil started laughing and made plans to torment that spot later.

"Thanks!" Sarine winked, and Kiehl pulled her back to him.

"Enough of that," he muttered and kissed her.

"Yes, dear," she smiled. "Anyways, are we going to Rachel?"

"Give me...a moment..." Donnie managed to wheeze out, and Egnigem helped him stand. Then he glared at Kavach and hissed, "You're a moron!"

"What?!" Kavach growled.

"Not feel pleasure? How can you not feel pleasure from a bite like that?! I think I...ugh...I did. Egnigem, stall them," Donnie muttered, and he moved up the stairs. Now Egnigem was laughing, and Sarine found herself blushing hard.

"I know that feeling," Seyren sighed, and now the whole room was up in laughter. Sarine was giggling until Kiehl caught her up in such a passionate kiss that everyone was either whistling or cheering.

"This is why he's needed as a First Mate for her," Sammy whispered to Doppy.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"She's being preoccupied from sad thoughts with him. Not only does she need to see him, but he's keeping her mind focused on him and Howard," Sammy mused.

"I see," Doppy nodded.

"We'd better get going to Rachel," Keltin chuckled.

"Right," Seyren said.

"Sammy," Sarine said. She walked over to him, and Kiehl walked with her.

"Yes?" Sammy asked.

"I haven't done something with you yet, you know," she blushed. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other with grins.

"When we get below Rachel's temple," Howard said.

"Hmm?" Sammy frowned.

"You have to ride Windwalker's back with her," Kiehl said. "Howard or I will have to walk behind Windwalker so she can see us."

When Donnie came back down the stairs, he gave mild glares at the snickers that happened around him. They all moved to head outside and paused at the sight of Muninn.

_:Wait!:_  Muninn said, as he flew down.

"Muninn?" Sarine frowned, as he landed to become human. Everyone stopped to look at him attentively. Muninn sighed and moved to her side to hug her.

" _You can't get a house in Rachel just yet. Wait until either tomorrow, or the next day for it. Since mostly everyone is a monster, it will raise too many questions. Amatsu and Prontera should be safe, but Rachel is still a very religious town. It's best to be cautious,_ " Muninn said.

"Oh," Sarine blinked.

"Can we still get to the temple?" Sammy asked.

" _Yes. I can transport us there. That will not be a problem._ "

"Very well. Let's go," Seyren nodded. Muninn gave Sarine another hug and became his falcon form again to hover over them. Eddga, Vagabond Wolf, and Pori-Pori joined them. Naght and Ifrit came down from the nursery to move with them. They looked over at Wanderer, as he joined them and nodded. Baphomet Jr. came over to stand with them. Windwalker landed, and Sarine got up onto his back. Sammy moved to sit on Windwalker's hindquarters, and Kiehl sat along the Gryphon's wings. Sarine pressed her back against Kiehl's chest, and he hugged her tightly to him. Howard moved to walk behind them so she could see him.

The guards arranged themselves on either side of Windwalker, as well as the Priests. The others moved into a circular motion around them until they found the right spots. Muninn warbled and took them straight into Rachel's temple.


	100. Chapter 100

They appeared by a gate that led to the upper portion of the temple. They were under the actual temple right now. The entire place was richly designed with gold and crystal chandeliers and red velvet carpeting. Small atriums lined the place with various areas for sacred study. It was all so beautifully and richly designed that it caught Sarine by surprise at first. Karla was so impressed with the place that she made mental notes on what to get for the island house. Five monsters were already waiting for them, and Keltin identified them.

"Hmm. A Gremlin, Beholder, Vanberk, Isilla, and Hodremlin. Very interesting!" Keltin chuckled. Sarine managed to peer out from Windwalker's feathers to see them. The Gremlin looked like a black and white demon with a fin coming out of its back. It walked around on all fours, had red claws, and a tube-like mouth filled with sharp teeth. Red eyes blinked out on either side of its head, and it stood up on its hind legs expectantly.

The Beholder was a flying, one-eyed monster. It was a grayish-blue in color, and its eye was a clear blue, as well. A little devilish tail and stubby legs lined the bottom of it. Small bumps were on the top. A set of bat-like wings helped it fly. Its entire body seemed to fit around its single eye. The Hodremlin was a massive, hulking, eyeless beast. A long snout filled with teeth seemed to hiss out its breath, and its long arms ended in short claws. Its legs were so long that it seemed to crouch under itself, as it hopped around. It seemed to go by smell and echolocation to find them, as it lacked eyes to see with. The skin looked leathery, and it was white and grey colored with harsh bumps.

Vanberk and Isilla looked like cultists. Vanberk was male, and Isilla was female. Vanberk had blue hair, held two knives, and was dressed in white rags there were spattered with blood. One of the knives looked like a massive kitchen knife. His clothes looked like they were formal clothes at one point from the gold that lined the edges of them. He was barefoot and wore an odd mask. Isilla had purple hair, wore the same form of garments and mask, but she held a magic wand and a hammer to attack with. She was also wearing a torn dress and had one sandal on one foot. She was shifting her weight from foot to foot, as though she was unsteady.

"Odd," Doppy snorted. The five monsters glowed with power and vanished away.

"Anyways, we just need to head straight down this path to the end. Let's go," Keltin said, as he detected where Gloom Under Night was. The party moved now, and they were able to start making fast progress, since there were no kids with them to protect.

"Sammy," Sarine smiled and scooted over to him. Kiehl leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest. A light grin was on his face.

"Hmm?" Sammy chuckled and blinked, as her hands moved to undo his kimono just enough to expose himself to her.

"Still no briefs?" she said with a raised brow. He actually showed a touch of blush, and that had Kiehl bite back a laugh. Howard had to bite his tongue, as he walked.

"Well..." Sammy started, but she put a finger to his lips. Pulling him close, it didn't take long for him to have her shorts down and claim her. They muffled each other with long kisses and soon released hard together.

"Your body structure looks like Howard's," Kiehl mused.

"Yes," Sammy nodded, and he sat up with Sarine clinging to him. "I have Doppy's height and singing voice, Howard's body and build, Keltin's honor and stance, and Eremes's stealth and deadly accuracy. When Odin and Valkyrie enhanced me, I was the one that was supposed to keep Sarine calm at all times. I wasn't even supposed to be a husband, but, after the dream vision, Howard and the others insisted on it."

"I saw the dream vision from Muninn, and Howard did tell me about it. Hmm. Sarine? Can you show me the dream vision through Howard?" Kiehl asked. "I'd like to see how you saw it. Can you do this for me?"

"I can. Does How-How think it's okay?" she asked.

"He does," Kiehl nodded. Sarine nodded, and Sammy held her while she revealed the dream vision. Howard paid closer attention to it, since it was coming from her now. By the time the vision ended, they had gone down the stairs to a lower level, and both Howard and Kiehl were amazed at how real it was.

"Sammy. Are you done for now?" Howard asked, as he walked up to them.

"Yes," he said and fixed up his kimono. Sarine got her shorts back on, and they traded places. Now she was hugged tightly by both Howard and Kiehl. Naght moved closer to them, as he saw the dream vision through Howard.

"There's something that bothers me," Sarine shivered.

"What? Oh, shit...!" Howard hissed.

"You didn't burn their bodies?!" Kiehl snarled with rage.

"What's going on?!" Doppy snorted when he heard the enraged tones. Naght gave out a harsh roar and vanished to check on something at his tower. Then Howard gave an angered scream.  _Sarine's concern was true._

"What is it?!" Seyren said, as he moved to Windwalker's side. Now Eremes and Keltin were concerned. Naght came back to them and roared out in Demonic.

"They...got Resurrected?!" Doppy snarled out with fury.

"We didn't burn their corpses!" Howard hissed.

"If we see them, they die!" Kiehl nodded.

"Burn who's corpses?" Garrett asked.

"The three Rogues from Naght's tower!" Seyren glowered. He understood Demonic easily with Baphomet, and Baphomet Jr. was a touch confused. Seyren moved to his side and explained why they were so pissed. The others that didn't know listened in now.

"I'll skin them all!" Byorgue growled. Nigel was glowering, and Injustice wanted to help kill them, if they were seen. They were all forced to stop in their tracks to think about various things now. Howard had his face pressed into one side of Sarine's neck, and Kiehl had his face pressed into the other side of her neck. She was molded between them both, and Kiehl gave a hard glare at anyone that tried to stare at them for too long. Seyren regained his common sense with a deep breath, and he looked at the others.

"We won't know anything until we see or hear them," Seyren said calmly. "If they make themselves known, we'll hunt them down. Until then, we can only go by speculation. If they show up at the arena, we'll defeat them and imprison them. They can't hide anywhere on the island, if they decide to visit. We can see them, as we are monsters. The monsters there are also highly advanced, so we won't worry too much, at this time. Let's continue through here as usual. Gloom Under Night should be able to help us, regardless. We should focus on finding it."

"Let me see," Keltin thought. "Gloom Under Night isn't on this floor. We need to head down once more. The stairs are tricky. Right now, we are four levels down. We need to be five levels down. I know where we have to go."

_:Wait! First! Follow me!:_  Muninn warbled.  _:Frozen child! Information!:_

"Oh! Lead the way!" Keltin nodded. "And it looks like we have some new recruits. Agav, Echio, and Seeker."

Seeker looked like a much larger version of Beholder, but it was red and white with a large, red eye. Instead of a devilish tail, there was a spike coming out of the end of its tail. Agav and Echio looked like larger versions of Vanberk and Isilla, but more advanced. They wore the same clothes, but Agav was so bloody that she was dripping with blood wherever she walked. Echio held a hook instead of a large kitchen knife. They both wore masks, but they were evolved into hoods to cover their heads. Agav's clothes were more of a purplish color, and Echio's clothes were more tan. The three monsters glowed with power and vanished.

"They look vicious," Sammy grinned. Muninn warbled with agreement and started to lead them to the lower western area of the floor. Any monsters that encountered them were quickly destroyed and progress was slow. There were quite a few of them. Windwalker tightened up his wings to hide what was happening on his back.

"Kiehl...!" Sarine gasped, as he moved his mouth over her neck. Howard started to muffle her with his mouth, and he pulled her shorts down just enough. He gave a sharp gasp, as he slipped into her, and he released almost instantly. Right after he moved from her, Kiehl took over. Howard had to continue to keep her quiet, and he just barely managed to do so when Kiehl activated his vibrating sensors. She had a violent release with him and had to rest a moment before they fixed their clothes back up. The three of them were giggling softly at this, and Windwalker stopped to lower his wings. They were in a library of sorts, and Sammy was seen pulling various books out for her to read.

"Sarine, let me help him find some books for you. I'll be right back, okay?" Kiehl said, as he nuzzled her. She gave a small nod, and Howard hugged her when Kiehl hopped off of Windwalker. Howard started to ask her what she wanted to read, and she told him what she liked. As Howard helped keep her mind preoccupied, monsters were kept at bay, and Kiehl told Sammy what books she wanted. Word was spread, and her slaves started to help.

"Give me the books, and I'll hold onto them!" Karla said. They nodded, and books were soon gathered quickly. Muninn found the information on the frozen child and held the pages in his beak. They were tucked away between several books near the upper most of the shelves, and the place was never visited by the people of Rachel anymore. _Not since the monsters took over, anyways._  He waited for them to find enough books first before landing and dropping the papers for them. Kiehl picked them up to read them aloud to the others. Adjusting his glasses, he cleared his throat.

"Okay. This is what it says," Kiehl started. "The frozen boy's name is Loomin. 'The pope was born together with a twin brother, a fair skinned boy with pale skin and silver blonde hair. This had never happened before and presented a unique problem. High Priest Niren acted as their maternity nurse and came to Rachel, where the twins were cared for by the Priests. They all argued over the boy's ultimate fate.

"'No one doubted that the boy was spiritually powerful, but was he a sacred complement to his sister, or a great evil that was in direct opposition to her? It was a grueling debate. In the end, the High Priests decided that the boy posed a great risk to their society. People may not consider the pope's birth as Divine, if they knew she had a twin brother. However, not wanting to fear the wrath of the gods, the High Priests did not kill the boy. Instead, they sealed him in the Ice Cave. The High Priests made a contract with Ktullanux, a fearsome ice monster, to guard the boy's prison, and to insure that no one would ever release the pope's twin. Regrettably, they forced the beast to cooperate by threatening to melt down the Ice Cave with four Flames of Thor from Thor's Volcano.' That's all these papers say, but I bet that only we can try to free him."

"What a sad fate!" Sarine frowned. "And to know that he's Loki's son...you know we have to free him, regardless of the fact! And Ktullanux being forced to do such a thing! How horrid!"

"We know," Howard nodded. "Ripclaw said he was frozen away when he was ten years old, and that it's been fifteen years since. He'll be twenty-five now. I'm sure that Loki and Odin will age him accordingly. Ripclaw also wanted to come with us to get Loomin. I don't think we should get him. Something bad could happen."

"I wouldn't want Ripclaw anywhere near Loomin as a child," Doppy muttered.

"I am a bit concerned about one thing," Sammy said, as he gave Karla the books to store in her cart. "If Loomin's prison is so well guarded, does he get checked on periodically?"

"And, if there is an enchantment to keep the kid frozen, will they know if it breaks?" Keltin added thinking on the same level as him. Sarine frowned at this, and Kiehl gave over the books he had to Karla before moving to Sarine's side. He got back up on Windwalker's back and hugged her tight with Howard.

"We know it hurts you," Howard sighed.

"So many already..." she muttered, and she nuzzled into Kiehl's neck.

"We'll help you stay calm, love," Kiehl said lovingly and tilted up her face to kiss her passionately. She gave in to him easily, as Windwalker rose up his wings. Keltin chuckled softly and had everyone gather together to lead them to the lower level to find Gloom Under Night.

"You can tell she's a touch upset," Sammy sighed.

"Well, she has so many men around her now," Doppy frowned.

"Another blood swap will need to be done," Keltin said.

"True..." Eremes thought. "Likely...when we get back?"

"After getting Loomin, I don't see how it wouldn't happen," Sammy nodded. "The children haven't grown that much so far. It may be best before they really start to grow in her."

"I don't think that any more men should be introduced to My Lady's side," Errende frowned. "In a way, you can see how much it upsets her."

"But, Loomin is destined for her. Odin said as much," Thanatos said. "We cannot go against his word. No matter how badly the situation appears."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. "To do so...would be foolish..."

"Huh? Sarine is getting another man?" Lilah frowned.

"Yes, she is," Nigel said. "Odin said so."

"Oh," she blinked.

"Not much she can do, or any of us," Laurell said, and he gave her a squeeze. She blushed and realized that she didn't really mind what happened to Sarine anymore. She had someone now and really didn't need to get jealous over anyone. Keltin led them to the next area they had to go to, and they moved down the stairs. The entire area was a warzone, and they had to fight hard. Doppy slaughtered everything with glee, and Pori-Pori was enjoying himself, as he smacked monsters into walls. Karla was quickly filling up her cart with loot, and Armeyer was doing the same. Timmy was doing his best to keep monsters back, but there was only so much he could do right now. Sammy was using his mass effect of random ailments to help ease the burden, and the two Clowns were using their skill of Frost Joke to continuously freeze enemies. Coraline even used the skill of Scream to stun monsters around them.

"I think we are clearly overkill," Seyren grinned.

"Whatever works!" Max chuckled.

"Gloom Under Night is approaching!" Keltin said, as they reached the main section of the floor. Sarine heard this, and kissed Howard and Kiehl one at a time in a passionate way. Then the group stopped, as she moved off of Windwalker's back to wait. A heavy hissing noise was heard in the distance when the massive, white, ghost-like monster approached them. It was all white, save its small, stub-like fingers that had red markings all over them. A set of small, hoof-like feet carried it around. Its arms were extremely long and massive, and they fit on a fairly muscular chest. Two sets of small, horn-like spikes graced its shoulders, and its head was long, and oval shaped. It didn't even have a real neck, since its head seemed to elongate from it directly into a curved shape. It lacked a mouth and nose, but two beady, red eyes stared at the group silently. Flames seemed to lick along its back to show it was a form of Holy, yet Unholy wrath. This was one of the few monsters that Odin was secretly baffled about.

Sarine walked right up to the strong monster and whimpered, as her tattoo glowed. Huginn emerged and shouted, "Gloom Under Night, I am Huginn! The time has come for you to assist in the war ahead, as our Lord Odin commands! Separate from your darker self now to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Do this now!"

The monster paused, at first, as though to laugh. Then it shivered and let out a violent, mental scream. The slightly shadowy, darker part of it ripped free and vanished away. Then Gloom Under Night paused in its movements. It looked at Sarine with a form of new understanding. Something it hadn't been given since it was created. It hunkered down to take a closer look at her, and Huginn could only nod.

"It can't speak, can it?" Sammy asked.

"Apparently not," Keltin frowned.

"You are pet-like and can accompany the Vessel of Odin wherever she travels. You can also protect her new homes when she gains them. If you get bored, there is an arena on her main island home that you can fight in daily. Don't worry, Gloom Under Night. I doubt that you will ever get bored. There are even stronger monsters there already that will easily keep you company," Huginn said. The monster seemed to hiss, and Huginn thought before saying, "If you wish to speak to the Vessel of Odin directly, I can let you. Once I sink back down, she will be unconscious. When she comes to, you can speak to her, if you like."

Gloom Under Night nodded, and Sarine fainted, as Huginn released his hold on her. The monster caught her and held her up with one arm. Kiehl hopped off of Windwalker's back with Howard to wait for her to wake.

"It will take a little time for her to wake up. When she does, we should head home. We'll need to free the frozen child. Or, should we get Atroce first?" Keltin asked.

"Let's grab Atroce. He's wandering a field outside of Rachel, right? We can backtrack to the cave, afterwards. Why bother heading back when everything is right here? It would make no sense," Kiehl said. Ifrit moved over to Gloom Under Night and hissed in the language of the Fire elementals. The monster understood the language easily and was able to communicate in the same language.

"He wishes to travel with us," Ifrit says. "He wants to help to show his gratitude."

"That's fine," Doppy nodded. The others nodded as well. Sarine groaned softly and blinked her eyes open. She was a bit surprised to find herself being held by Gloom Under Night. He looked down at her and gave her a card, an axe, and an Old Card Album.

"Thank you!" she said with a smile. "Um...can I go to How-How and Kiehl, please?"

The strong monster seemed to look at her with a touch of worry. She smiled to show she was fine now, and he relented. Kiehl pulled her close to hug her, and Howard took the items from her. He Identified the axe as a Hurricane Axe, and he whistled at how strong it was.

"Um, Howie? Can I use that? I can't do anything with a club," Timmy said.

"As long as you know you are only borrowing it. I'll see about making you a set of elemental axes at home," Howard nodded. "And...eh...how did you train with only a club?"

"Thanks!" Timmy nodded, as he took the axe. "Armeyer was helping me. She let me borrow a few things, but I had to give them back."

"All right. Remember. That axe is on loan!" he warned again.

"Got it," Timmy confirmed.

"What's in the Album?" Eremes asked with a smile.

"Um..." Sarine thought and was given back the Old Card Album to open. She pulled out a card that belonged to a monster called Kobold Leader.

"We'll need to get that monster," Keltin chuckled. "All right. Where to now?"

_:I will. Take you. All. To Atroce. Okay?:_  Muninn warbled, as he landed.

"That will work. We did see Atroce in Naght's tower, but it was a duplicate. It will be good to get him at last," Keltin nodded. "Then we can walk to the Ice Cave, since we won't be going through the town."

"Come on, love," Howard said. He helped guide Sarine back to Windwalker. She paused and took a deep breath, as she rubbed her belly. Kiehl looked over at Doppy, and they both nodded to each other with equal respect. Doppy moved to her side to press a kiss to her cheek, and he whispered a song in her ears.

"Thank you, Doppy," she sighed. "Um...I need to eat."

"Right," Kiehl nodded. "Let's let her eat really quick. Then we'll let Muninn Warp us."

"My Lady," Errende said, and he went on all fours for her to sit on his back. She blinked and giggled softly at this. Sighing a little, she sat on his back, and Injustice moved to a similar position to be used as a table.

"Haven't seen this done in a while," Thanatos grinned.

"This isn't really necessary..." Sarine frowned.

"We want to do this, My Lady. It's easier," Errende said gently.

"If you insist," she sighed. Sammy handed her the chopsticks, and a plate of cookies was set on Injustice. The sushi followed next, and Nigel held the hot tea. They didn't want to burn Injustice, or make him uncomfortable. She ate the sushi first and took turns between the cookies and the tea. When her hunger was sated, the dishes were taken away, and Injustice stood up to stretch his back out. She stood up to let Errende do the same.

"I'm the next table," Byorgue said. Sarine gave a soft smile and shook her head.

"Not if I get to it first," Nigel grinned. Byorgue scowled softly, and Maya Purple chuckled. She was moved onto Windwalker now, and Howard and Kiehl moved to sit with her. Sarine ran one hand through Kiehl's hair, and the other through Howard's hair, as they leaned into each side of her. She found herself closing her eyes, as she pressed her forehead into Kiehl's neck. Windwalker rose up his wings to cover them, but Sammy made sure to walk behind the Gryphon in case Sarine needed to see him.

_:Ready? For Warp?:_  Muninn asked.

"Yes," Keltin nodded. The group banded together and they got Warped away.


	101. Chapter 101

They all found themselves in a dry grassland-like area. Two monsters had already run up to them to make themselves known, and Keltin chuckled.

"What are they?" Doppy mused.

"It's a Galion and a Roween," Keltin smiled. The Galion looked like a small, black wolf with tinged red fur. It also had lightly glowing red eyes. The Roween looked like a spotted hyena that tended to stand on its back legs. Both monsters glowed with power and vanished. As they moved through this area, Keltin stopped them, as the large monster was quickly moving towards them. Sarine sighed, and she got squeezed by Kiehl and Howard.

"Catch me, okay?" she smiled. Kiehl nodded and kissed her deeply before letting her move from Windwalker. She walked to where Keltin said the monster was approaching, and she gave him a hug. For some reason, she started to feel slightly dizzy, but she pushed the sensation aside. She needed to see to recruiting a powerful monster.

"Are you feeling okay?" Keltin asked. "You look pale."

"I'm feeling fine at the moment," she said. He nodded and kissed her softly before moving out of the way. Howard blinked at what Keltin said and got concerned, but he would wait until the strong monster was taken into the fold. Atroce lumbered up to them snarling and ready to fight. He was a large, wolf-like monster that walked upright. He almost resembled a wolf man, but more wolf than a man. He wore a set of brown, tattered shorts, a spiked collar with a chain dangling from it like he broke free from somewhere, and the knife he held was a massive butcher knife in one hand. He also had a spiked bracelet on his other hand, but he didn't hold a weapon. Clawed feet carried him swiftly over dirt and rocks, as he launched towards them. Sarine whimpered when her tattoo glowed, and Huginn emerged.

"Atroce, stop and hear me!" Huginn commanded. Atroce found himself stumbling at the strong command, and he came to a skidding halt a mere ten feet from Sarine's form. He snarled and blinked his red eyes with a menacing stare. Unhindered by it, Huginn said, "It is time for you to separate from your darker self to help with a coming war! You will come with us, as your darker self will stay here to uphold the Balance that our Lord Odin commands! Separate now! I command you!"

Atroce shivered before howling with pain and fell to his knees. The darker version of him formed and split away quickly to vanish far off in another area. Then he seemed to snort, get up, and sniff the air. He looked at Huginn expectantly now to find out what he had to do.

"We need his card," Eremes whispered to Keltin.

"Right," Keltin nodded.

"You are now pet-like and can accompany the Vessel of Odin wherever she travels! Feel free to either stay to help her, or head back to the island home. If you are not sure what you can do, you can speak with the Strouf, Storm Caller," Huginn nodded. Atroce snorted to show he understood, and Sarine fainted. Kiehl caught her quickly, and Keltin moved to Atroce to whisper to him. The wolf man seemed to crack a grin and handed over his card. Then he handed over a cap and an Old Purple Box.

"Thank you. Would you like to stay? Or head out?" Keltin asked. Atroce looked over at Gloom Under Night, Naght Seiger, Thanatos, Eddga, and Pori-Pori. Giving a growl, he made his way to them to show he wasn't budging. Vagabond Wolf yawned to show off his teeth and barked at Atroce. The stronger monster snorted and growled back. Nigel listened and grinned.

"He's helping us," Nigel smiled.

"That's right. As a brute monster, you can understand them," Sammy chuckled.

"Yes, I can," Nigel nodded. Keltin chuckled. He could understand them, too, but it was nice to have another translator help out.

"Hey," Kiehl whispered, as Sarine came around.

"Hey," she smiled, and he hugged her to him.

"Ready for the Ice Caves?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. As he helped her to Windwalker, Atroce's card was given to Karla to hold onto in her cart. It would be added to Sarine's bow and given to her later. Karla took the cap that Atroce gave them, and Identified it as Ulle's Cap. It could easily help Sarine with her Sniper skills, and she grinned, as she put it in her cart for safe keeping. Atroce moved ahead of them to lead them to the Ice Cave.

"Sarine," Howard said. "why did Keltin ask if you were all right? Before Huginn came out? Is there something wrong that we don't know of?"

"I'm just tired. It's also been quite a while since Huginn had to come forth. Remember?" she sighed. That made him pause, and he nodded. "I wonder if the children need to be nursed. We'll need to check. You think?"

"That's a good question. You should call Storm Caller before we head in," Kiehl said.

"Let's get to the cave first. Then we will contact him," she said. He nodded and hugged her tight. She started to shiver, and now Kiehl looked at Howard. Concern reflected in both of their eyes. _It was warm where we were._   _She shouldn't be shivering like this._  Howard called Sammy over to evaluate her. He noticed something was wrong right away, and his doctor mode came out quickly to check her condition.

"Hmm," Sammy said, as he felt her forehead. The moment he did that, they all knew that something was wrong. Concern now swept through the entire group, as they walked.

"What's going on?!" Doppy hissed.

"Karla! I need a Panacea bottle!" Sammy said. Karla blinked at this and handed one over. He had Howard and Kiehl administer it to Sarine. Errende brought over some tea next for her to drink it down with.

"What's going on?!" Doppy snarled out again.

"She's developing a mild fever," Sammy said. That made everyone stop in their tracks.

"She still has to nurse the kids!" Keltin frowned.

"How is she getting sick?" Eremes asked.

"It started from stress. Now it's something else," Sammy muttered. "Everyone except for Howard and Kiehl need to stand back! I need to assess her properly!"

"Fine," Thanatos said. Doppy was clearly upset now, and Sarine called him over weakly. He saw this and tensed with concern. The illness was rapidly becoming apparent now.

"Sorry Sari," he said with a pained look in his eyes. She ran her hand through his hair.

"I'll be fine. I have the best doctor in the world," she smiled. "I'll be okay."

He could only nod, as his protectiveness for her grew. Kiehl and Doppy locked eyes for a split second to show their concern to each other. Doppy also knew that he would cast his Devotion skill, if it got bad enough. She called Storm Caller to them, and even he noticed that something was wrong.

"Vessel of Odin, you look pale," the Strouf said.

"Sammy said I am running a mild fever. He gave me some medicine," she said.

"Incantation Samurai, I may know of a rare, strong medicine," Storm Caller said.

"Tell me!" he said.

"Have you ever heard of Pilule?" Storm Caller asked.

"I do! I know what you're talking about, but I've never actually seen it!" Kiehl said. "If I had a few of them, I could try to make them!"

"I can't say that I've ever heard of it," Sammy frowned.

"It resembles a gold pill in a wrapper. It's known to cure any illness. We may need to see about getting a few for her. Muninn! Do you have any Pilule?" Storm Caller asked. Muninn flew down and reverted to his human form and thought.

" _No, but she was given an Old Purple Box by Atroce. May I have it? If there are any others, I would like those, too. Would that be all right?_ " Muninn asked. Karla nodded and handed him four of the boxes that she was saving up. He communed with Odin, and the boxes glowed. He opened them to take out the Pilule pills.

"Excellent!" Sammy said. "Give her one now. Kiehl, take two of them to see if you can make more from scratch. We'll keep one on reserve in case she gets sick again."

"Right," Kiehl said, and he took the precious medicine. Howard took the other pill to pocket, and Sarine was given one to drink down with some tea. Right after she took it, her complexion and health drastically improved.

"I feel radiant again!" she smiled. Her men all sighed with a form of relief.

"I still want to know why she started to get sick," Doppy said.

" _I know why, and you won't like it,_ " Muninn muttered.

"Was it Huginn?" Thanatos growled.

" _No. It was Loki. He was trying to play the 'hero' by having her get sick and giving over the medicine himself to gain favor with her. Now that we've spoiled it, he's going to try other means. We'll need to get more Pilule. The air in the cave, as we know, will be frigid. Eremes Guile and Ifrit! The two of you will need to make a valuable heat source. She must be warm at all times. The fever will return, if she gets too cold._ "

"Heard and noted!" Eremes said and moved to Windwalker's side. Ifrit moved to the other side of her. They would start calling forth their heat the moment they walked into the cave.

"Your children do need to be nursed, though," Storm Caller said.

"Okay. Please bring them to me," Sarine nodded. Keltin walked over to her to hug her tight right before his children were brought over to be nursed. Howard moved so Keltin could sit with her and hold her, as she nursed Trina and Bernard. She leaned back into his chest with a touch of exhaustion. He whispered softly to her, and she smiled, as she whispered back. Pressing a deep kiss on her mouth, he admired his children from over her shoulder.

"I feel jealous," Kiehl sighed, but he smiled all the same.

"You'll get to do this, too," Keltin chuckled.

"I know. Two weeks can be a long time to wait," he grinned.

"Not really. It depends on how you look at it," she smiled. "Um...where's How-How and Sammy? Are they here?"

"We're here," Howard said, and he moved over with Sammy. The twins were evaluated when they finished nursing and were handed over to burp. Keltin moved to let Aliot take his place when his twins were brought over, and she started to nurse them.

"My Lady," Aliot said and nuzzled her. "are you feeling better?"

"Much. The medicine really helped me! I'll need to get more of it. Not only for me, though. For everyone," she said.

"I'll break it down and see if I can replicate it," Kiehl said. "I'll likely work on it while you sleep. It's the only time I can."

"I know. As long as you are there when I'm awake," she said. Aliot nodded to Kiehl and watched his children nurse. He gave her a completely fatherly grin when Alexis started to hiccup. Sarine had Kiehl take her quickly to help calm her, as her brother still fed.

"Well, don't drink so fast," Kiehl chuckled. Alexis gave a soft whimper when she was calmed, and she was handed back over to finish nursing.

"Thanks," Aliot smiled.

"I see all of her kids as mine. Same as you do and anyone else. Why shouldn't we?" Kiehl grinned softly. "Besides, I have to get in some sort of practice for mine."

"True," Aliot nodded. His kids finished nursing, and he moved to help take them and burp them. Howard moved back up behind her to squeeze her, and she leaned into him, as she fixed her top back up. Kiehl looked at him and laughed, as they had her carefully turn to lean into Kiehl's chest. He placed his hand over her belly, and she frowned.

"I'll get one," Howard said. "Sammy! We need a book!"

"Here," Sammy said, as he handed one over. "It's a bit of a romantic fairy tale."

"Perfect," Kiehl and Howard said together. Then they scowled, and Sammy chuckled, as he moved to walk behind them. She started to read, and Kiehl adjusted his glasses before reading over her shoulder. When they got to the cave, Eremes let them know.

"Okay," she nodded. "I'm going to be reading, so let me know if I'm needed."

"Heard and noted," he nodded. Then she pulled him close to kiss him softly and let him move back into place. There was a guard stationed just outside of the cave, but Muninn had time frozen so they could pass him without hindrance. The moment they got into the cave, her teeth chattered, and she shivered hard. Eremes and Ifrit let their heat billow out and warmed the area around them considerably. It wasn't enough to melt the ice, but it was just enough to make traveling bearable. Kiehl and Howard kept themselves close to her to help make her a bit warmer. Sammy had everyone stop, and he frowned.

"She needs to be warmer, or her fever will return. Sarine, call Storm Caller to us, please," Sammy said. Thanatos was clearly concerned now, but he knew that they couldn't walk through water, if the air got warmer. Storm Caller appeared and seemed unaffected by the cold. He was told that Sarine needed something warm, and he thought. He vanished and came back with a heavy bolt of cloth.

"Can you make something with this?" Storm Caller asked. Errende took it and managed to make a decent blanket by folding it in to make it extra thick. Then he stitched it closed. When Storm Caller gestured to Ifrit, Errende understood instantly.

"Ifrit? Can you warm this up, please?" Errende asked. Ifrit nodded and ran his hands through it. Windwalker lowered his wings and the warmed blanket was wrapped around Sarine, Howard and Kiehl. She gave a sigh of relief and Kiehl nodded.

"Thanks. This will work. We'll keep it over her. Ifrit! Just keep the blanket warmed up on occasion to keep the heat going for her," Kiehl said. Ifrit nodded with respect and understanding. Now that her warmth was addressed, Storm Caller went back to the island home. Windwalker even appreciated the warmth, as long as it wasn't too hot. As they moved through the cave, Keltin stopped them as three monsters were made known.

"That plant monster, Muscipular, isn't attacking us. It's friendly. Ah, there's a Siroma and a Gazeti! Hmm. Give the Siroma to Sarine," Keltin chuckled.

"Oh?" Doppy smirked.

"It's cute. She'll like it," Keltin grinned. Siroma was a little blue ball of fur that hopped around on two large feet. Large eyes, a tiny black nose, and a huge mouth graced the little furball, as it squeaked with delight. The Gazeti looked like a giant, floating icicle. The icicle was actually the whole monster, itself, with small pieces floating around it, as it hovered. The Gazeti looked like its face was carved from the ice, itself, and it seemed to crunch its jaw in thought. The Muscipular looked like a Venus fly trap, and it seemed to make a clicking sound when it waited for prey. A small white flower and a small red flower grew from its stem to attract prey with their soft scents. All three monsters glowed with power. Siroma stayed, but the other two vanished away to the island home.

"Sarine," Doppy chuckled.

"Yes?" she asked. He handed her the blue furball, and she squealed with delight at how cute it was. It seemed to purr and snuggle into her happily, not minding the warm blanket at all.

"That is too cute," Howard grinned.

"Agreed," Kiehl laughed.

"So cute! The kids will adore you! We should have Wild Rose stay with the kids, too," she smiled. Pori-Pori chittered and bounced up to join them. She laughed with delight and found herself being kissed by Kiehl. Then he muttered a whisper in her ear, and she blushed, as she whispered back, "Kiehl! What's gotten into you?"

"I should ask when can I get into you," he growled and ran his hands over her hips. She blushed even more, as Howard found himself laughing softly. The heavy blanket kept most of their sounds muffled. Siroma and Pori-Pori looked at each other before deciding it was too hot in the blanket. They found their way out to bounce with them, as they walked.

"Kiehl," Howard chuckled. Then he glanced at the wet spots starting to form on her chest. They quickly positioned her to settle between them in such a way so they could help her fix the problem. She gasped and gave a rather soft whimper when Kiehl started to rub between her legs. Right after he and Howard drained her of milk, a small grin passed from them both.

"Think we can?" Kiehl asked.

"The blanket is large enough," Howard snickered.

"Huh?" she blinked and found her shorts being pulled off. Kiehl now moved so that he was able to bend down and worship her with his mouth. She gasped with shock at this and growled, as Howard was grinning. Then his grin turned to a look of surprise, as she worked quickly to expose him and put her mouth on him.

"Ah...!" he gasped out, and now Kiehl snarled at the images she was putting into their heads. Naght looked over and paused slightly with disbelief at it all. He wanted to help, but if he just vanished away to his tower it would look awkward. The images she was showing Howard was starting to affect him, and he was getting highly aroused. He noticed the others were too busy and focused on fighting. He let himself move to the back of the group before vanishing back to his tower. Once there, he appeared through Howard.

"Nice," Kiehl grinned, as he moved to take her. Howard's pupils glowed a bright red, and he hissed with want. Sarine just barely realized what had happened, as she worked on Howard harder. Kiehl gave in to his release and quickly moved to let Howard take her. Naght took over to pummel into her, and Kiehl held her, as she muffled herself against his neck. Right after Naght released, he gave Howard free reign again, and the Whitesmith gave her his own release quickly.

"Damn! Been awhile since Naght did that!" Howard gasped from the strain. Naght had reappeared before anyone realized he was gone and seemed a touch smug at what he did.

"He's lucky Doppy didn't notice he was gone," Kiehl smirked, as he fixed up his clothes.

"I know," Howard managed to grin, as he fixed up his pants and her shorts now.

"I need some tea," she sighed. "And cookies. I think. I need the sushi, too."

"Eremes, she needs to eat," Howard said when he pulled the blanket down a bit.

"Of course..." Eremes nodded and went to tell the others. Kiehl kept his arms around her to keep her warm, as the blanket was pulled down a bit more. They helped feed her and gave her the tea between bites. When she finished, the dishes were handed away, and the blanket was pulled back up. Ifrit helped rewarm it, and that helped her even more.

"We are almost at the second lower level. Ktullanux is on the third level. We'll need to figure out how to summon him," Keltin said. "We've found the stairs! We're heading down now! Ready?"

"Go for it!" Howard said. Windwalker had to step carefully from slipping. His claws came out of his foot pads slightly to get a better grip over the ice. When they all got down to the second level, two monsters were waiting for them.

"Wow! Ice Titan and Snowier. Very cool!" Keltin grinned. Ice Titan looked like a giant golem made of carved ice. Its eyes were a bright red, and its mouth looked like a carved out Iron Cain. It was massive, bulky, and resembled a giant ice block with jutting pieces of ice all over it. Snowier looked like a giant, lumbering version of Siroma. The main difference was that it had two long, massive arms that it used to crush opponents with. Siroma only had a set of feet. Its mouth was large and gaping with sharp teeth lining it. It had the same blue hair as Siroma, but far more dense. Both monsters glowed and vanished away to the island home.

_:Will need. To summon. Ktullanux. I know. How. Follow. My lead!:_  Muninn warbled.

"Lead the way!" Seyren chuckled.

"Ifrit, we need you to warm the blanket again," Kiehl said. "It's much colder here. Can you make more heat?"

"Yes," Ifrit nodded. First he warmed the blanket, and then he enhanced his heat with Eremes. Muninn led them to an area and had them wait around a corner to keep hidden. Then he looked at Karla, and he became human to talk to her.

" _You need to head back into town and find a woman who needs help with a very religious necklace. When you find her, the one we need to speak with will show up here. Something interesting will happen, and you will need to leave to help him. Then you'll come back. Once he helps you, you can give back the item you needed to help with in the beginning. Then come back here with what you were given in return. It will be safe for you to do this, and we will wait here for you. Lloyd Fennel? Can you help her with your Warps?_ " Muninn asked.

"Yes, I can. That won't be a problem. Ready, Karla?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes. Let's go!" she nodded. Seyren kissed her, as Margaretha kissed Lloyd, and the two of them vanished through Lloyd's Warp. As they waited, a rather powerful Mage ran in from the opposite way and was forced to freeze himself to kill off the mob attacking him. This was the person they were waiting for to show up.

"Ah, hello?! Can anyone help me?!" the Mage shouted from his new crystal prison.

"Help is coming for you! Hang in there!" Coraline said.

"Oh, good. For a moment, I thought I'd be stuck here forever!" he sighed.

"Why did you freeze yourself? Isn't that sort of...oh, I dunno...stupid?" Donnie asked.

"I had to in order to kill off the mob!" the Mage said. "Besides, Wind magic works best here. Not Fire magic. They are still a form of Water, you know."

"Very true," Sammy nodded.

"It's hard to see you all. If help is coming, as you say, I'll be very grateful!" he vowed.

"I'm sure you will be," Garrett chuckled. Karla came back in with Lloyd and showed the Mage the necklace she was given.

"Oh, that? Yeah, I can fix it. But, eh, I need you to fix me first. My name is Maheo. Just find my Master in Rachel. His name is Hamion, and he likes the lake there. Please hurry!" Maheo urged. Karla nodded, and Lloyd took her back to town. A short time later, they came back with a special hammer to destroy the ice around him. Maheo gave a sigh of relief and killed off the rest of the mob that tried to get him, as they reappeared.

"Good to see you unfrozen," Seyren chuckled.

"I know! Oh, here. The ice that bound me is really powerful. Take this ice powder. You might need it. OH! You're...monsters?!" Maheo blinked. He was finally able to see everyone clearly.

"In a sense," Eremes nodded, and his form misted out to prove it.

"I think I've heard of you all. The arena, right?" Maheo asked. "On that island?"

"Yes. The Vessel of Odin is on the Gryphon's back and keeping warm. It's too much for her to be in the cold right now," Keltin said.

"Huh. I'll have to stop by the arena to make a proper appearance! Maybe when I do, I'll be able to see what else I can do to show my thanks. Ah, can I meet the Vessel of Odin? To thank her properly? It should be done, you know," Maheo said.

"Of course," Sammy nodded. Maheo gaped at the fact that he was talking to Incantation Samurai. Windwalker chirped and lowered his wings. The blanket was pulled down slightly to reveal Sarine, and she blinked her eyes slowly at the powerful Mage.

"Hello. I'm glad that we were able to help you in your time of need," she smiled. Maheo stared at her with disbelief. She saw that he had brown hair and eyes. He did look a bit handsome, but she wasn't interested in him in that way. She blushed softly at how he was looking at her, and Howard gave a mild glare at him.

"My Lady? Are you feeling well?" Errende asked.

"I'm fine. As long as I'm warm, then I know I'll be okay," she nodded. Kiehl kept his arms around her and gave the same mild look that Howard was giving to Maheo. The Mage blinked and looked away quickly.

"When do you plan to be at the arena?" Maheo asked.

"Likely tomorrow. However, no one is to know who I am. I am royalty, since my Papa is the Emperor of Amatsu, and that is the most the crowd needs to know," she said.

"I'll keep your secret! So, who's the strongest of you all?" he asked.

"I am. But, Doppy is the most ruthless. He is Doppelganger, after all," she chuckled.

"If you challenge me, I'll run you through!" Doppy snarled. Naght hissed laughter, and Thanatos grinned wickedly. Gloom Under Night looked amused, and Ifrit was shaking with laughter. Atroce gave a fanged grin. Muninn smirked and reverted to his falcon form to hover over them. Then Storm Caller appeared to bring in Stormy Knight and Garm.

"They insisted, since you were in a cold region," Storm Caller sighed.

"It's fine, Storm Caller. Thank you," Sarine smiled with a soft nod. Maheo was gaping with disbelief. Atroce snarled at Garm, and Vagabond Wolf barked in greeting. Nigel chuckled and shifted into his massive Nine Tail form to glower at Maheo. A fanged grin seemed to be on his muzzle. The Mage was shocked even more. When Storm Caller left, he came right back with Alexander. Observation and Alexander glared at each other, at first, before forming a neutral truce. He wanted to be there for Loki. With a common threat in mind, they curbed their challenging glares at each to focus on protecting Sarine.

"Who...wow..." Maheo gaped.

"I'm Alexander. That's all you need to know," the angel said, and he hovered on his black wings. "Sarine? You know why I'm here."

"I do. Thank you," Sarine nodded. He nodded back and ignored the glares from the others. He had a reason to be here, and it was to protect her.

"I know I said I was going to see you again at the arena, but I'm changing my mind. I'd like to join you all," Maheo said. "Master Hamion will understand. He's been wanting me to start doing things on my own, anyways."

"You can, but do remember. Things happen for a reason. You are not to interfere at any time. No matter how badly you want to! You can't," Sammy said.

"Very well. I shall be a spectator!" Maheo nodded.

"Good. Oh, can you fix this, please? I need to return it. Then we'll come back and continue," Karla said, and she handed him the necklace. Maheo took it and repaired it for her. She left with Lloyd right afterwards and came back when the necklace was delivered.

"We need to head down another level. Let's go," Keltin said.

"So, you're a Bongun?" Maheo asked.

"Yes. And I'm Sarine's first husband," he grinned.

"She has husbands?" Maheo blinked.

"And slaves and mates..." Eremes said. "The ones with collars...are her slaves. They chose to be slaves..."

"I won't give up my position," Errende said sternly.

"None of us will," Injustice nodded.

"Ah. Um...can you give me some backstory here?" Maheo asked. "I'd really like to know more. If it's possible?"

"Walk with me," Seyren said, and he gestured to him. "I'm sure that Muninn can give you more details later, if you ask him."

"Muninn? THE Muninn from legends?!" Maheo gaped.

_:Yes! Me!:_  the falcon chuckled.  _:Sarine is. My sister. Daughter. Of. Father Odin!:_

"She's...wow. Okay. More details!" Maheo insisted. Seyren grinned and started to fill in Maheo on everything he could. Sarine was leaning her back into Kiehl's chest, and he had his head pressed into a side of her neck again. Howard was pressing himself against her chest, and his head pressed into the other side of her neck. She was practically sitting on both of them, and she could only smile at how warm they were keeping her.

"He'd better not try anything," Kiehl growled.

"I don't think he's that stupid," Howard muttered.

"Loves, I doubt he will," she chuckled and sighed, as she relaxed between them. "I do miss actively training, though."

"When you're pregnant, we worry," Howard frowned.

"I know. I just want to do something, too," she smiled softly. Kiehl ran his hands over her belly before locking his fingers together over where her womb was. She blushed softly at this and kissed him. Then she kissed Howard afterwards and closed her eyes.

"We'll make sure you get a good nap after this," Kiehl smiled.

"I'll need one," she nodded. Then she gasped, as Alexander launched himself over her and swung his hammer at something solid. A small cry of pain was heard, and she paled.

"It's okay! We're here! You're safe!" Howard hissed, and he hugged her tight with Kiehl. She was trembling now, and Sammy moved to her side to help comfort her. Kiehl softly whispered in her ear and helped calm her down that much more. Observation and Alexander now hovered over what was hit. The figure stood up tall and rubbed at a hip where the hammer smacked onto flesh.

"What are you doing here?!" Observation snarled.

"I'm here to help my son!" a regal and noble voice came out. "Sorry if I startled you all. I thought I could make my introductions properly."

_:You should! Have waited! Loki!:_  Muninn warbled angrily.

"Loki?!" Maheo blinked.

"Do nothing," Seyren reminded him. The Mage nodded and watched. Sarine was able to pull down the blanket just enough to finally see what her tormentor looked like. Then she gave a small gasp. Loki had chosen to appear completely noble to her. Normally he wore armor and had black hair. He sometimes had a beard. Not this time. He was wearing rich, fine leathers, furs, and silks of a wealthy status. His hair was long, silver in color, and it fell in rich, wavy rivulets over his body. It was held back away from his face with a thin, jeweled circlet that neatly framed over his forehead. Where his hair stopped at his lower back, locks framed his face down to his neck. His eyes were silver in color, and he was as handsome as Sammy was with a clean-shaven face. He resembled a prince worthy of a princess of her stature. Yet, when he looked at her, she felt like a rabbit staring into the eyes of a nasty serpent ready to strike.

"Stop staring at my wife!" Kiehl and Howard snarled out together and helped to avert her eyes. Eremes narrowed his eyes with hatred, and he crossed his arms over his chest. Naght was unimpressed and hissed out his distaste at him. Doppy was starting to see a haze of red with his own hatred, but he forced himself to keep it in check. Keltin and Sammy moved to help block him from trying to get to Sarine. Loki simply chuckled, but he respected why they didn't like him.  _I am trying to be with her, after all._ He made no intentions of denying it. He found her desirable, and that was enough for him.

"Don't worry. I'll mind my place. I am mainly here to help free my son with Father. Although...I do enjoy the scenery just as much," he smiled elegantly at Sarine before getting back to the issue. "Anyways, we need to hurry. If we don't reach my son in time, we'll have to wait another fifteen years, and I'd rather not do that, if I can help it."

"Another fifteen years?" Sarine frowned.

"Yes. There is a loophole in my son's enchantment. It will show up when Father and I go to free him. If we dally away, then the opportunity will be lost before the ones that made the enchantment detect it. The spell weakens, if it is not maintained every decade and a half. They knew this, and they will be appearing after we leave to check the enchantment. Shall we get going?" Loki asked. "I really do want him freed."

"Let's move," Seyren nodded. Loki kept the monsters back with his very presence, and travel was swift. When they got to the third lower level, Loki looked at Karla.

"Accompany me, please. We need to use that ice powder you got to extinguish four specific flames. The same flames from Thor's Volcano that threaten Ktullanux. We'll come right back to them after this is done. Only you can do it, since you were the one that was given the powder. Let's go," Loki said.

"Garrett. Max. Go with them, please," Seyren said. "She is my wife."

"Right," Garrett nodded. Loki seemed to roll his eyes, but he let them assist her.

"We need to head north from here. Ktullanux will appear after the flames are dowsed," Keltin said, as the information came to him. Ifrit reheated the blanket for Sarine, and they started to move quickly. Loki moved with them to a point that he was able to lead Karla, Garrett, and Max towards the center to douse the flames. The others moved quickly to the far northern part of the area. Donnie was clearly upset, as he plucked the strings on his guitar.

"What's wrong?" Egnigem asked, as she helped vanquish an Ice Titan.

"I don't like Loki. He looks like he could beat me in a game of sarcastic taunts," Donnie muttered. "I don't trust guys like that."

"Well, you always were one to brag about it," Thomas grinned, as he played his lute.

"It's my right to brag!" Donnie said.

"I wonder if that bite on your neck is healed up," Sarine mused aloud. That made Donnie pale, and he shut his mouth. Egnigem started laughing, as snickers were heard all around. Then she leaned over to press on the spot he was bitten on, and Donnie let out an exasperated gasp of surprise. He glared at her, as he shivered for control, and Egnigem shrugged.

"I was curious. Can you blame me?" Egnigem grinned.

"Yes! I blame you a hundred percent!" he scowled.

"Good," she grinned a bit more, and that made him go speechless.

"Think about sex later," Thanatos muttered, and Doppy snickered. They managed to reach the far northern area, and they waited patiently here. Sarine had to force herself out of the warmth of the blanket, and her loves to stand where Ktullanux was to appear. Ifrit moved by her to help keep her warm. Kiehl and Howard moved to stand behind her to support her.

"We're here!" Karla said, as she came up with Loki, Max, and Garrett.

"Good," Seyren said. Loki looked at Sarine from where she stood and admired her form silently. He knew the two angels were glaring at him, but he didn't care. He wasn't here to do any harm to her. Like he said before, he was admiring the scenery. The circle in the floor glowed with power, and Sarine whimpered when Huginn came forth. Now Loki frowned. He didn't like how Huginn was within her mind. He wasn't expecting that bit at all. _That could interfere with a few of my plans in the future..._

"Ktullanux! I am Huginn!" he called out from Sarine's form, and the massive ice dragon paused to listen. The dragon looked like it was easily made of ice. It had a long, squat body, but, instead of wings, it had blue flames rising up from the center of its spine. Nodding to Huginn's voice, it waited, and Huginn continued, "Our Lord Odin needs you to help with a coming war! However, a choice will be given to you. You can either separate from your darker self to leave it here, or you can appear here when summoned! What say you?"

Ktullanux thought and rumbled out a sound like grating ice. Drago understood the harsh Draconic language and grinned, as he said, "He prefers to be summoned."

"Very good," Huginn nodded. "You also know that we need to free Loomin, the boy contracted by you to be protected from the outside world. You can still protect him, if you wish, but, once he is freed, you are no longer bound by this contract. What do you wish to do?"

Ktullanux rumbled again, and Drago said, "He would like to continue to protect the boy when he can. Since the boy will be with us, he can protect My Lady this way. Or, as he says, the Vessel of Odin. He can kill two birds with one stone."

"An excellent decision! Now, we must see to Loomin! Please open the way!" Huginn said. Ktullanux nodded and turned to the center of the circle for a glowing sphere of light to form. Then it became a doorway for them. They all quickly moved through it. Once here, the doorway vanished behind them, and Huginn relinquished control of Sarine. Kiehl caught her with Howard, and they held her until she came to. With a heavy sigh, they helped her stand, and she looked at the frozen child in the enchanted ice.

Loomin was an extraordinarily beautiful child from head to toe. He was snowy white and garbed in white garments. An ice blue belt adorned his waist, and his shoulders held golden padding. His shoes were as white as his clothes and looked like soft felt. His hair looked more silver than blond, and he appeared to be in a deep sleep. Loki sighed and walked up to the pillar that held his son captive. He moved his hand over his face, as he stroked the ice prison.

"He sleeps so peacefully," Loki winced. "I made him just a few years before you were conceived, Sarine. Five years before you, in fact. So that he could be with you. A little older at first, but I had no idea that those uptight bastards would lock him away like this! It's true that I seduced the woman that had his sister. I appeared to her in this exact form, and it was easy to take her in the same hour her husband slept after impregnating her. She knew I was a god and felt privileged to lay with me. Usually, that's all it takes. I feel no remorse in what I did. Like I said, he had to be created to be with you. And they were wise to keep from killing him. If they did such an unjust act of cruelty, I would have personally laid waste to their whole city! As Father said, he is to help with the war. I may be cold-hearted and cruel at times, but even I need a world to play in. Everyone does."

Muninn landed to become his human form, and he moved to the ice prison to study it intently. Kiehl and Howard were comforting Sarine, and Ifrit was still warming her with his presence. A crushing weight soon filtered around them, and Odin appeared in front of the ice prison. He looked at Loki with a touch of mistrust, but he nodded.

"The loophole is about to appear! My daughter, my Vessel! As we open it, you must grab Loomin and pull him from the ice! Come here, quickly!" Odin urged.

"Yes, Daddy," she nodded and moved to the pillar. She was clearly shivering at how cold it was now, but she pushed that aside.  _I am here to help Loomin._ She readied herself, as Muninn, Loki, and Odin focused as one. There were three icicles bound in strong spells and chains. It was these three focus points that formed the prison around Loomin. The moment the powerful deities touched each icicle pillar, the ice prison seemed to fade out. Right when it looked almost gone, she reached out, grabbed Loomin, and pulled him against her chest to hug tightly. After that, Loki made a duplicate version of his son to remain in the prison to avoid suspicion. Then the enchantment was released, and it returned in full.

"Loomin," Loki sighed. His son was sleeping peacefully in Sarine's arms. Odin nodded to them all and knew that Loomin would be safe. He gave one more mild glare at Loki before heading back to Valhalla to watch from afar.

"He's very cold right now," Sammy said, as he felt the child's forehead. "Let's get back to the island home. We'll discuss what needs to be done there."

Ktullanux rumbled with agreement, as the others nodded. Muninn nodded, as well, and Warped them all back to the island home.


	102. Chapter 102

Storm Caller had prepared a special room next to the nursery for Loomin to be placed in. Loki took his son from Sarine to set him there. He would likely wake within the hour, as he warmed back up. Alexander and Observation were going to hover around Sarine's form until Loki vanished. It wouldn't happen until Loomin woke. As Sarine was settled in the main room to eat and rest with her loves, Loki was sitting at Loomin's bedside.

Very slowly, he watched his son blink his silver eyes open and sit up in the bed.

"Where...am I?" Loomin asked in a whispery tone. His voice would get stronger the more he stayed awake. He looked over at Loki and gasped at how much they looked like.

"Hello, my son," Loki smiled. "I am Loki. Your natural father. Your sister is already doing her own thing. As far as I'm concerned, you're an only child with how you were treated. You no longer need to worry about the thoughts of others. And, if anyone tries to approach you with ill intentions, I'll slaughter them, myself, before anyone has a chance to blink! Fifteen years have passed, since you were enchanted in ice by those that thought ill of you."

"Fifteen years? Really?" Loomin frowned.

"Yes."

"And, if you're Loki...then I really am the son of a god. Like they all thought."

"That is true."

"But, you're not fully Divine."

"I can be Divine, if I choose to be. Not all gods need to be Divine to show power and beauty. Look at Thor. He's an ass with a hammer. Not much to tell with that," Loki smirked.

"But, you are known for lies and deceit!"

"Yet, you are still my son, regardless of that fact! It matters not where I come from, or what I do. Each god, or one born of a god, has different strengths and weaknesses. It's been proven time and time again. The one that rescued you by pulling you from the ice prison is Odin's daughter. Her name is Sarine, but she is also called the Vessel of Odin. Odin is my Father, it's true. You may even be called her nephew, and she could be my sister. Actually, I was...adopted in. So, not really related. However, it matters not with gods or those with royal standing. Sarine is also a princess, since she was given to the Emperor of Amatsu as a child to be looked over and guarded. Not that it did much good. You'll find out more about that later on.

"Anyways, all good bloodlines may resort to the same bloodline to find the purest strain to continue it. The same thing can be said about breeding animals. It can be the same way. Sarine is destined to be your wife. Of course, she does have husbands, mates, and slaves already. It's something that can't be helped. They do know of you, and they wish to meet with you soon to speak with you further."

"I am to join this...group of men?" Loomin asked with disbelief.

"Son, I know it's a lot to take in right now," Loki sighed. "It's something that can't be helped. When you see her, you'll know why. She is just as beautiful as you are."

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Any man that sees her falls in love with her. Any woman that sees her starts to envy her. Her beauty can easily capture the heart of any god. In a way...that little fact is already proven. You may learn more about that later, too. She only has the best of each race that lives in this world with her. Father sees her as his way to see the world without being in it. Her children are to be his Eyes and Ears, too. Huginn and Muninn are destined to not only have bodies from her, but to give her children, as well. They even say that she is their sister, but they are not related by blood. Gods may be born of each other, but they each tend to have their own bloodlines, at times. It's something that we all know."

"How many men are at her side right now?"

"So far? Oh, seventeen men. However, demons do fight over her and can have their will with her, if they get the chance. She only recognizes the ones that she's destined to be with. Or unless they win the Rights. It's complicated with how demons think," Loki smiled. "In fact, she already has ten children, and she is pregnant with another four."

"So many..." Loomin sighed. "And how am I supposed to hold up to them? If what you say is true, then I'm still a child."

"Yes, you are. Right now," Loki grinned. "Come with me downstairs, and more will be explained. It's time for you to introduce yourself properly."

"Are you sure, Father?"

"Very. If we wait, it will just prolong the inevitable."

Loomin nodded and was able to stand away from the bed. Loki offered his arm to his son, and it was leaned on heavily. He led his son out of the room slowly, since he needed help in walking, and down the stairs to confront the others. The two angels glared at Loki, but their gazes softened at Loomin. The boy noticed this right away and needed to find out why they didn't like his father. As his silver eyes looked over the various people here, his gaze stopped instinctively on Sarine's face and form. His jaw dropped slightly at her. Right now, he saw her as a very beautiful and caring woman.

"Loomin? It's good to see that you are awake at last," Sarine smiled softly, as she sipped her tea.  _She was royalty. She was Divine and elegant. She was everything I was and even more._  His heart beat with excitement in his chest that she was to be married to him when he was grown, but he also noticed the ones with rings on their fingers. He also noticed how Kiehl had an arm around her waist, and he saw the diamond that winked out from his slave collar. When he saw the other slaves, he noticed only one thing in common with them all.  _They all loved her fiercely. They would also die protecting her, if they had to._

"Thank you. For...rescuing me," Loomin said softly. He tried to keep his face straight.

"What's wrong, Loomin?" she frowned, and had Injustice take the teacup from her.

"I just...so much...so fast..." he trembled. Errende looked at him with a small smile, as he knew how it was. Sarine was very much the same way.

"Come here, Loomin. Please?" she asked. Loki nodded to his son, and Loomin made his way to her. She carefully pulled him close to hug tightly, and he burst into tears. She pulled him into her lap to cradle him much like a mother would a terrified child. It was what he needed right now. As she comforted him, Kiehl looked at Loki.

"I'll be around. Take care of my son, please," Loki said. When he vanished, Kiehl returned his attention to the boy in Sarine's arms. She whispered a soft song to him, and he felt himself calming down. He didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want to think that he was anywhere else, but in her arms. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, and he shivered.

"My Lady, what do you wish to do?" Errende asked.

"Loomin needs to be introduced to everyone. Then, when he feels he is ready, everyone will tell him about themselves and how they came to be with me. My history...should be last," she said softly. "It's for the best."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"How am I...supposed to be with you? I'm so...I'm a kid!" Loomin muttered against her neck. Sammy chuckled and shifted into his child form.

"You and me both!" he grinned. Loomin looked over with amazement, as Sammy shifted back. Doppy muttered that he was a show off, and laughter spilled from everyone.

" _Loomin, you will now grow one year for each hour. At first, we thought of a year per week, or per day, but it would take too long. So, one year an hour. By the time you wake in the morning, you will be an adult. In fifteen hours from now, you will be at the adult form you need to be at. It is also early enough in the day that you could be an adult by tonight. I am Muninn, so you know,_ " he said. He crouched by his sister to be eye level with the boy.

"Father told me about you. Where is Huginn?" Loomin asked.

" _Huginn resides in the mind of my sister. When the time is right, he will come forth on occasion to assist in various ways._ "

"Why do you all hate my Father so much? Or at least show misgivings?" Loomin asked.

"That is a very valid question," Sammy nodded. "It is best that you first speak with Laurell Weinder. Then speak with Garrett Lockheart. Blent Worthson can also give you more information. Nothing will be withheld from you, if you ask."

"Okay. Um...Sarine? What do you plan to do now?" he asked.

"Well, after the sun sets, I need to head to a very nasty island filled with danger. I need to meet with Beelzebub and Fallen Bishop Hibram. When you talk to everyone, you will know why. Since you will grow a year for each hour, you might be able to come with us. We have at least six hours until we need to go. I'm going to need to nurse my children in the nursery. While I do this, feel free to talk to anyone you want. Okay?" Sarine smiled. He nodded and kissed her cheek before moving off her lap. It would have been too awkward to simply kiss her outright at the moment. She blushed softly at this, and Kiehl found himself chuckling. In an odd way, he was coming to accept the child. Even Howard was with the others.

"I don't mind the thought of him being a husband," Keltin mused.

"He has a sense of...honor..." Eremes nodded.

"I can see why Odin wants him to marry Sarine," Sammy thought aloud.

"Loki seems to know of this," Doppy frowned.

"As long as he's nothing like his father," Howard said.

"I doubt he's anything like Loki. His upbringing was pure. You can tell," Kiehl said.

"We shall have to see what happens," Sarine smiled. "I need to go to the nursery."

"Of course," Keltin said, and Aliot moved to help her up. As she was taken to the nursery, Loomin went around talking to everyone he could. He learned how his father tried to use others to be with Sarine, and this got him angry. _If Sarine is to be my wife, why is my father trying to be with her?!_ A list of questions started to pile up, as he talked to everyone around him. His intelligence grew with each minute that passed, and he found it easier to piece things together. As his mind grew, his body did, too. He had grown four inches by the time two hours went by, and he had learned so much in such a short time. As he was reaching the nursery, Errende stopped him to speak with him.

"My name is Errende," he said. "I am the very first slave that My Lady acquired, and I'd like to make you some better clothes. Also, being that is a bit of a title, too, as I am not only the first one she acquired, but also considered her First Slave. You'll learn more about that in time. As for your clothes, I'm sure you will outgrow them, and My Lady wishes to ensure that you will be comfortable at all times."

"Oh!" Loomin said with a slightly deeper voice. "Yes. I can see how that will be needed. Where can we go for this?"

"We can go into My Lady's bed chambers. Or, if you like, I can bring bolts of cloth into your bed chamber. Just so you know, when you are properly wed to her, you will be sharing her bed chamber with the rest of us."

"Really?!" he gaped.

"Ah...let me speak with you privately," Errende said. He moved into the bedroom to grab bolts of white silk and gold thread to head into Loomin's temporary room with them. Loomin sat down on a plush chair to listen expectantly. Sitting on the bed to work, he told Loomin about his life and managed to tell him of the more painful aspects of it in lighter terms. The boy was in shock. Errende talked about how he went through the Lighthalzen experiments, and how he was bound to Thanatos. He further went on to explain how he became a slave, and how his parents were brought to justice.

"Good!" Loomin said with a stern nod. Due to his current youth, Errende was only able to reveal that he was very badly abused. He knew that Loomin would learn the more horrific parts of it later on when he was able to know more.

"Of course, My Lady's past is much worse than mine," Errende winced. "It's actually far worse than anyone's, really."

"Can you...tell me?"

"My Lady said she wanted you to learn of it last, but I will tell you this much," Errende said. "When My Lady was only two years old, she was imprisoned in darkness and left to die."

"WHAT?!" Loomin gaped with outrage.

"I will say no more," Errende said. "You must speak with the others first. Then Muninn will show you more. You are still growing. You grew another inch while we spoke. Let me take your measurements, and I'll make a decision on how much I need to use to make your final clothing. When you finish growing, I'll fix up your current clothes and take your final measurements. If you go into the nursery, the room is right next to yours. You can talk to everyone in there, afterwards. Do be mindful of the children. When you are married to My Lady, they will need some of your blood to become your children, too."

"You mean...I'll become a dad? Already?!" Loomin blinked.

"Yes. It's what we all did," Errende chuckled. "My Lady had twins with me and Lord Thanatos together, since our blood is merged. Doppelganger had twins at the same time as us, so she was able to give birth to quadruplets. She only had a single set of twins with Howard and Naght Seiger, since their blood is merged. Their twins are the oldest. Keltin's twins and Aliot's twins are currently the youngest four, and they still need to be nursed. My Lady is pregnant with Sammy's twins and Kiehl's twins right now."

"I see," Loomin thought. "When would I give her children?"

"I believe it will be after she gives birth to triplet daughters for Howard. It was a pregnancy she lost a long time ago, apparently, and Lord Odin is giving her a second chance to have them. It hurt us all when she remembered it. It still hurts us even now, and it will likely be like this until she is pregnant with them again," Errende sighed. He didn't say how she was pregnant with them already and in a stasis.  _Only when he was married to her properly would that secret become known to Loomin. He would have to swear to keep it secret._  "Eremes is to get her pregnant next before the triplets happen. So, she will become pregnant with you after, oh, six months, I believe. It may be about eight months before she is able to give you children."

"Okay. That's not too far off, then. About a year, if what you say is right. So...wait! Just how long do her pregnancies last?!"

"About two weeks at a time. Maybe less. She needs a month to recover after each birth. For normal humans, it's nine months per pregnancy," Errende chuckled. Loomin was gaping again with disbelief. When he recovered from that shock, he decided to ask something crucial. Something that he didn't know much about.

"I've been raised in a bit of a Church, too. Um...how are babies made? Just tell me," Loomin said. Errende blushed a bright red.

"Ah...speak with Doll about that. She is the Miyabi Ningyo in the nursery and explains it the best. She took over that job," Errende smiled. The clothes were soon finished, and Errende left the room to let Loomin change into them. They fit a bit looser than they should, but he knew he would grow into them quickly. Moving into the nursery, he found Doll, and she told him everything he needed to know about conception. Now that he was made aware of it, he started to talk to the others about their lives.

As he learned more and more about them, he found himself feeling more of a part of them. _It's as though I fit in with them._  It was a feeling he never had before. He always felt out of place. He never felt that he truly belonged anywhere. He finally started to get the feeling that he found where his home was all along.  _It was with Sarine and with those that cared about her._  When the time to finally approach Muninn came, he had grown another two inches and was filling out in his chest. His hair was shoulder-length, and that was the only part of him that seemed to grow slowly. His beauty was also becoming more defined in a masculine way.

Muninn led him into his temporary bedroom and became his falcon form. Here, he showed Loomin parts of Sarine's life that every husband, slave, and mate needed to know. He saw everything about her. Her upbringing before the false Empress took over. Her life as she was raised in darkness. The illness that happened in her youth, and how she nearly died. Her rescue, and how she was able to finally grow from there. It was here that he was able to fully fit the pieces of everyone together around her life, and he didn't know that he had dug his fingers so hard into his palms that he was bleeding.

He saw her second capture and rescue. He was able to see the dream visions she shared with the others. Everything he had missed up until now was shown to him. Then Muninn looked at him and bobbed his head.

_:Now you. Know. Everything. What do. You think?:_  he asked.

"I..." Loomin gasped and now saw what happened to his palms. "I wanted to change her outlook on my Father, at first, but I know it won't happen. He...wants her for other reasons. Not for love. Something bad will happen, if he's with her, right?"

_:Yes. Very bad. Can't let. It happen.:_

"Okay. About four hours went by. I'm...fourteen now. The same age that she was at when she was rescued..."

_:Yes. Same age.:_

"I'm going to talk to her," he said. Muninn nodded and flew out a window. Loomin moved into the nursery and saw that she had already finished nursing the children. She was in her rocking chair and reading a book. She looked so lovely and so dainty as she did it, that he caught his breath. His mind had reached the point that he was able to see what his ten-year-old mind could not. _She was beautiful. She was graceful._ And she was dealt such an ugly hand at such a youthful part of her life that it hurt him both mentally and physically. She looked up and blinked her tigers' eye gemstone eyes at him. Her eyes trailed from his face, down his growing body, and to his hands. It was here that she gasped.

"Loomin? Oh! Your hands! What happened?!" she asked, as she saw the blood on his palms and under his nails. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other and back at Loomin now.

"I saw your past," he said. That made everyone stop and look at him, as he continued, "And I...well...cut my palms open with my fingernails. I made fists so tight that I couldn't stop myself! I saw everything you were forced to endure! I..."

"Loomin," she said with a soft frown. She nodded to Errende, and his hands were Healed before being cleaned up. When his hands were clean, Loomin found himself trembling.

"My Father isn't going to touch you!" he hissed out finally. "I respect everyone here. I know I'll become part of another group. I feel as though I belong. For the first time in my life...I belong! I...want to get married now, but I know I have a few more hours to wait..."

"That you do, Loomin," she nodded lightly. "Another four, if you want it to be fully legitimate. Tell me. Are you a Priest? A Monk? Exactly what class do you see yourself as?"

"Mainly Acolyte right now. Because of my upbringing, I will need to become a Priest. I think I'm something more than that, though. I...sort of feel that I have a bit of Mage, too. Since Loki's my Father," he sighed.

"We could ask Muninn when the time comes," Sammy said.

"I don't know if you can come with us to the island we need to go to," Sarine thought. "It may be too much for you right now."

"I want to go! I should be able to protect you by then!" Loomin said. He blinked at the sight of Serenity walking up to him to study him. He was taller than her now by a good two feet. When he first arrived, he was only half a foot taller than her at three feet in height.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Loomin. Hopefully, soon, I'll be a husband to Sarine," he said, as he knelt down to see her. He was in awe that she was a near spitting-image of her mother.

"Another Dad?! Really?!" she said happily.

"Ah...yes..." he said. He didn't expect a child to be so happy at this news! Then he realized that it was expected with these kids.  _They were not like other kids._

"Um...when are you gonna be with Mama?" she asked.

"Hopefully by tonight," he said. "I should be grown enough by then. I'm still pretty young right now. She freed me from a powerful enchantment, and now my body is growing to make up for the time that was lost to me. As I told you before, my name is Loomin."

"I'm Serenity," she smiled. "I have two true Dads, and the others are my Dads, but not my true Dads. It's okay, though! I love them all! And I'll love you, too, when you become my Dad! Okay?! So, grow more so I can love you as my Dad!"

His jaw dropped at this, and Howard moved to kneel down next to him to put a hand on his shoulder. With a small smile, he said, "Serenity and Siegfried are my kids. Naght Seiger is their half-father with me. They are the oldest ones and tend to travel with us at times. Serenity has the ability to call up smaller versions of Naght's swords to attack and protect with. They float around her. Siegfried can manipulate any blade to become any element he wants by focusing on it, and he can change the air around him to reflect it, too. Serenity decided to become a Whitesmith, and Siegfried wants to be a Lord Knight."

"Are all of her kids going to be powerful?" Loomin asked.

"Oh, yes! It's a given," Keltin nodded. Loomin was in complete awe at this. He had no idea what he was getting into. Now he wanted all of it. He was still kneeling down, and Serenity giggled, as she moved to press a kiss against his cheek. She gave him a big hug right after that. He found himself hugging her back, as he started to cry.  _This beautiful, delightful girl could be my daughter. Her brother could be my son. The other kids here could be my kids._  He wanted it to happen now.

"Seri! Who's that?" Siegfried asked, as he moved over to them.

"A future Dad!" she grinned.

"Really?!" he said, and now he moved to get a hug, too. Howard found himself laughing.

"Is it hard not to love these guys?!" Loomin asked, as the other kids now ran up to him to get hugs and cuddles from him.

"Nope! They tend to pull you in," Howard chuckled.

"Keel! A future Dad!" Serenity grinned.

"I know!" Kiehl chuckled. "And he'll give you a brother and a sister, too!"

"Really?! When?!" she gasped with delight. Loomin found himself blushing, and everyone laughed.

"When it happens, we'll tell you," Keltin chuckled.

"Promise?" she asked.

"Yes," Kiehl nodded.

"So, they aren't going anywhere tonight?" Loomin asked.

"No. It's far too dangerous," Howard said.

"Oh, Loomin," Kiehl said.

"Yes?" he asked.

"There is one more painful thing that you need to do. It will also help pass the time," Kiehl said with a sad smile. "Find Storm Caller and have him show you some letters."

"Kiehl!" Sarine gasped with shock.

"Love, you know he needs to read them," Kiehl said.

"I'll read them," Loomin said. He gave Serenity and the other kids hugs before he released them to find Storm Caller. Keltin thought and moved to follow him.

"Wait up!" Keltin said, as he jogged over lightly.

"Huh?" Loomin asked. He was as tall as Keltin now, and they both chuckled.

"There's a few more things that you need to know about Sarine," he said.

"What are they?"

"The cravings she gets with us. Each one of us gives her different cravings."

"Really? Like what?"

Keltin listed off the cravings she normally got followed by the side cravings that happened on occasion. Loomin blinked at the thought of sex being a craving, and he was a bit curious about her dominant streak. He could only smile at the thought of sleep being a craving, and now her current one for book reading had him chuckle.

"She also craved drinking blood, and, now, if she gets too stressed, a massive bout of sadness can hit her. We have to keep her happy at all times. We don't know what will happen, if the sadness really gets to her, and we don't want to find out. When you do marry her, we'll need to do that ever famous blood swap," Keltin sighed.

"Oh. For her kids to become mine?" he asked.

"Not just that. We need to have her current blood in us, too. It's a branding act that Doppy started a long time ago. It's common in demons. It also helps her with various situations, and it sort of links you to us in a more permanent way."

"Ah! Yeah, I was told about that. Okay. Um, would I get some time alone with her? When I marry her, that is?"

"You will. But, her current cravings also make her need to see Sammy, Howard, and Kiehl in the same room with her. She'll panic, if she doesn't know where they are. They have to physically be in the same room with her. Just telling her where they are doesn't help her. It does help to see all of us be with her at once. On a sexual level, that is. It keeps things from being awkward. We do know that you will want time with her. We all want time with her, but she's also only one woman. With her craving for sex, she was killing us with it!"

"Was she really?!"

"Oh, yes! She was never satisfied! But, Odin did something to Howard to help with that. And that reminds me of something else, too. Howard and Kiehl are telepathically linked. They can hear each other's thoughts. And Howard can hear Sarine's thoughts. Also, anyone that had their blood merged with a demon, or a strong monster in the past, is able to speak mentally to that strong monster back and forth. It helps keep her protected even more. Sammy can monitor her health and the health of the kids, as well as see her dreams when he meditates. Thanatos can sense what the kids inside her want. Doppy can feel her pain, and he knows where she is at all times, due to his branding her first. Also, Howard and Doppy have the ability to feel her emotions. Emotions are a bit different than thoughts. You'll see what I mean when it happens."

"Can Kiehl feel her emotions?"

"No. He can, however, help find out why she's getting them through Howard and assist her in the best way possible. He also made First Mate recently at her last Demonic Mating. It's one of the reasons why he's so clingy to her. Not only because she needs him. There was one last thing I wanted to bring up."

"Yes?"

"When you read the letters, you may find a love letter that I wrote. It was the one from my past that I told you about. Read that first. Then read the letters to Howard. Trust me."

"As you say," Loomin nodded, and they shook hands with a completely brotherly vibe. Keltin went back to the nursery, and he went to find Storm Caller. On finding the Strouf, Storm Caller told him how he found Sarine and what he did to help her. He explained more on the Balance for Loomin, and how each monster had a specific task at times. After he explained this, he took Loomin to where the letters were stored. He took him into the workshop and pressed on a wall panel. Many would think that the most precious of treasures were stored in the treasury. It was actually in the workshop where they were hidden. The monster cards were hidden here, too, since most of them were irreplaceable.

Loomin was shown the doll that resembled Sarine as a child first, and he was in shock at how stunning she was. Then he was given Keltin's love letter to read. He was amazed that such a letter was written, and he even blushed a little at the contents of it. Now he was shown the letters, themselves. He picked up the first one with a shaky hand and opened the worn envelope. Each letter he read, he put back carefully. The further he got in the pile of letters, the more saddened and enraged he became from how lonely Sarine described her life without her family. He found Howard's letter and read it silently. He wanted to toss it aside with rage, but he fought the urge to do it. He still had half of the stack left to finish, and he forced himself to press on. When he finally reached the last envelope that held Howard's death certificate, he could plainly see the tear stains from where Sarine held the paper up and cried. Putting the certificate back in the envelope, he let Storm Caller take them and lock them away.

Now he rushed up the stairs to the nursery to find her missing.

"Her bedroom," Alexander said with a slight nod from where he was hovering at the balcony. Nodding in thanks, Loomin judged he was fifteen now. He was thinking of just taking her now and making her his wife, but that was teenage youth talking.  _I have to think rationally. I need to calm myself. But, how can I calm myself after reading letters like those?!_ He knocked on the bedroom door, and Doppy answered it.

"Is she in?" Loomin asked with a bit of a gasping sigh, as he had to lift his head up to see Doppy's face. The demon was a good foot and a half taller than him now. He was catching up in height. When he was five hours younger, he was barely up to Doppy's waist.

"She's in the shower," Doppy said. "Ah. From your look, you read the letters. Right. Come in and sit down. She'll be out in a moment."

"Thanks," Loomin said. He paused to see that Maya Purple had separated from his larger bug body and gave a small grin at him. Nigel pulled up a chair for Loomin to sit with the other husbands. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy were clearly in the bathroom with Sarine, since she needed them in there with her. He was a bit amazed at how large the bedroom was, but it was the letters that fully took over his thoughts again.

"You saw the letters?" Eremes asked.

"I did. I saw the doll first. Then Keltin's letter. Then I read the other letters. I saw...the death certificate for Howard. I...even saw her tears on it..." Loomin gasped, as he held his face in his hands. Thanatos sighed, and he walked over to sit with them.

"It's always tough after seeing them," Thanatos grimaced.

"I feel that there's more that I don't know!" Loomin growled with youthful frustration.

"Easy, there!" Keltin smiled. "There's a lot of little things that you don't know. There's also one big thing that you can't know until you get married to her."

"What? Tell me! Please!" Loomin begged. "I won't say anything!"

"Well...you're gonna be with her in three hours, anyways..." Doppy frowned. "But, what we tell you...vow on your life that Sarine never finds out. It's for her health."

"I swear!" Loomin said. Keltin nodded to the others, and they slowly told him about the hidden pregnancy in Sarine. They also told him how it could hurt her and the children, if she found out about them. Loomin's jaw dropped. Now he can see why Howard and Kiehl were needed for her.  _She was craving them. Apparently, Sammy was needed this way, too. Thanatos even told me about the cursed craving he had given Sarine. The craving to see them was clearly an offshoot of that._ As to how he knew this, he wasn't sure.

"It was very bad," Eremes nodded.

"It sounds...related to me. How Thanatos needed to be with her. It's...similar..." Loomin frowned, as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"Well, you may be right," Thanatos blinked. "But, at least Sarine just needs them around her. It was really bad with me."

"Lord Thanatos could not let her leave his touch. Then there's what Huginn did...!" Errende snarled out. Loomin looked at him curiously, and they told him the various things that Huginn would do to be with Sarine.

"You all just gave me a nasty thought," Loomin frowned. "Huginn is much like my Father. I really hope they don't join up."

"Shut up! Right now!" Doppy hissed out.

"He has a point!" Keltin said. "We have to explore all options!"

Thanatos looked at Errende and nodded. Errende undressed, and Loomin blinked in surprise at the size of him before blushing and looking away. That made Nigel chuckle.

"He matches me in size," Doppy grinned.

"Come to think of it, I didn't check myself. Yet. I'm still growing," Loomin gave a touch of a wicked grin. That made Doppy snarl with surprise, and everyone laughed.

"Yeah, you'll fit right in with us!" Keltin snickered.

"Well, Kiehl makes his vibrate," Aliot grinned. That made Loomin look at him in such a way that they all laughed again.

"How is that even possible?!" Loomin gaped.

"He's mostly a robot, remember?" Nigel chuckled. That made Loomin pause, and then he nodded to show he did remember.

"So, you're sure you'll know how to use your dick when the time comes?" Doppy grinned. Eremes almost choked on the drink he had and slammed his fist down on the table, as he hid his face from laughter.

"Doll explained to me how it worked. I'm sure I can figure it out," Loomin nodded with a confident chuckle. Even more laughter and grinning came about. Then he added, "I was raised as such a good little Church boy, too. Ah, well."

"They locked you away. As far as I see it, they can rot!" Doppy muttered. Errende came out of the bathroom a bit weakly. Thanatos looked at him with shock. He wasn't paying attention to Errende's thoughts. He was too preoccupied with helping Loomin understand various things, as well as having a bit of fun, too.

"Lord Thanatos...My Lady...wants you...and Doppy in there...now..." Errende grinned. Doppy swore, dropped his armor quickly, and moved right into the bathroom with Thanatos.

"Ah, lovely. Keltin, are you sure your Rage is gone from her?" Byorgue frowned.

"Well, she does keep certain cravings with her. At least she's not constantly asking for it," Keltin said. They made small sounds of agreement all around.

"Keltin! Eremes! Get in here!" Doppy said, as he opened the door.

"Damn it..." Eremes sighed and got up to undress and move into the room. Keltin followed suit and walked in with them.

"I feel left out," Loomin sighed.

"Well, you have less than three hours. You could simply wait. Or, just say to hell with it and go in there yourself," Injustice mused. "But, if you want to be proper and keep her happy, you'll wait it out."

"True," Loomin nodded. "I don't want to see her upset."

"None of us do," Aliot said.

"My Lady will want to see the arena tomorrow, right?" Maya Purple asked.

"Yes. She wants to. Likely have a beach day, since Howard and Eremes will be human for two days," Observation nodded.

"Human?" Loomin asked. They told him how their humanity worked and what Odin has been doing to help them. This made a lot more sense to him now, and he found himself asking a few questions that didn't make sense to him when he was a few hours younger. Now that his mind was a lot more developed, he was able to make more sense of things. He didn't realize how fast time was passing, as he talked to the slaves. He looked over and found Sarine coming out with her husbands, and she was only wearing a simple towel. She looked over at him, and he felt his heart beating fast in his chest.

"Loomin! Oh! They didn't tell me you were here!" she blushed.

"That's surprising," he admitted. Howard and Kiehl knew when Errende told them what Loomin suggested about his father and Huginn. They wanted to keep Sarine happy, though, so they kept quiet about him.

"How long has it been? About six hours now?" she thought.

"Yeah. I'm sixteen," he nodded. Then she moved over to him, and he paused.

"Well, I had my first kiss at sixteen. I suppose it's only fair," she smiled. Howard found himself laughing with Kiehl. She sat next to him, and he just stared at her.

"What are you waiting for?" Byorgue grinned.

"Um...well..." Loomin said.

"Was there something else you had in mind?" she asked wickedly. This had Howard cringing, as he was trying not to laugh, and Kiehl was clearly no better.

"It's just...with all of them in the room? I mean, I know that in the end it won't matter," Loomin frowned, and she suddenly started laughing. Then she shook her head, pulled him close, and planted a kiss right on his mouth. When she pulled away from him, he was staring at her with complete wonder.  _Her kiss fit me perfectly._ The sensation caught him off guard, and he found himself blushing hard.

"I'll let you think about it," she smiled, and she started to stand up. Then he reached out, pulled her back down, and kissed her back. Now she was thinking. Howard cleared his throat.

"Sarine, don't be hasty!" Kiehl said. "Wait for him to be the proper age!"

"It won't matter in a couple hours, anyways!" Howard said.

"Should we just wait until he marries her before we go anywhere?" Doppy grinned.

"May as well. Won't be that much longer," Keltin smiled.

"Until then, I need all of my slaves, How-How, Kiehl, and Sammy in the bathroom. Now!" Sarine growled. Loomin scowled that he was being forced to wait. He was horribly turned on now, and he was getting frustrated.

"I just got out of there," Sammy said.

"Then I'll have to worry about where you are," she frowned.

"He's coming with us. Right?" Kiehl asked with a mild glare.

"Yes. Of course," Sammy nodded without any further complaints. Howard muffled a laugh, as he got pulled into the bathroom. Eremes sighed and adjusted the towel around his waist. Thanatos was grinning when he sat down to watch the others silently.

"Does this happen all the time with her?" Loomin asked.

"Frequently..." Eremes nodded.

"It was even more after my kids with her," Keltin sighed. "My Rage gave her a rather nasty sex drive. It's gonna be fun when she has kids with me again!"

"Oh, hell no!" Doppy winced.

"What? Don't say that! She's dominant with you! The things she does to us now...!" Keltin found himself shivering with lust. "She's evil! That's your fault!"

"And she'll drink blood..." Eremes frowned. "Not sure about me yet..."

"You have me curious," Doppy admitted. "Good thing we find out with you next!"

"And then there's Loomin. We have to wonder, don't we? On top of that, Huginn and Muninn will be getting her pregnant with his twins," Keltin thought.

"They are?" Loomin asked. His father did mention it, but he had forgotten.

"Oh! This is news to you?" Doppy blinked before grinning. "Yes. Odin told us all about it. She is to bear one son each for Huginn and Muninn. Your pregnancy with her will empower their kids to be the Warriors they need to be."

"Seriously?" Loomin thought. "I wonder what my pregnancy with the rest of yours would do, now that I think about it."

"Ah..." Keltin blinked and got up to run into the bathroom. Coming back out about five minutes later, he was grinning.

"You told them, didn't you?" Doppy smirked.

"I did. They're curious, too," Keltin grinned a bit more.

"I wonder...if Sarine will dance for us again..." Eremes thought.

"You just had to remind me of that?!" Doppy hissed.

"Of course..." Eremes chuckled.

"So, are you considered a mate?" Loomin asked Thanatos.

"Yes. Naght Seiger and Ifrit are, too. Wanderer could be one, but only if he wins her next Demonic Mating. Which won't happen. Muninn confirmed it would be me next," Thanatos said. "And, from the look in your eyes, you want to know what a Demonic Mating is, don't you? I'm guessing it was never explained to you. Need me to tell you about it?"

"Yes," Loomin nodded. Thanatos nodded and started to explain how it worked. Loomin listened closely, and Keltin told him of the underground chamber that was built specifically for such an occasion and how that chamber worked. He was completely curious of the whole thing. Then they all looked over at the bathroom door, as Sarine ran out of the room in her towel and giggling the whole time.

"What happened?" Doppy asked.

"They keep trying to tickle me!" she said.

"And you just ran out here?" Keltin grinned wickedly and stood up to face her.

"No!" she squeaked. "Don't touch me!"

"I told you so!" Howard laughed, as he ran out of the bathroom to snatch her up.

"Put me down!" she growled and bit his neck.

"Oh, you little minx!" Howard hissed at the pleasuring bite.

"Sarine, you just put grease on the fire," Kiehl grinned, as he walked out with the other slaves. Sammy came out last with a sigh, as he sat down.

"Ugh..." Sarine suddenly said, and she gave a retching cough.

"Shit!" Doppy snarled and shoved Howard back into the bathroom to take her to the toilet. Thanatos got up to look at Errende and the message was passed. Her craving dishes were brought out, and the sound of her getting violently ill was soon heard.

"The quadruplets are hungry?" Eremes winced.

"Yes," Thanatos sighed. Sammy evaluated her, as she came back out with Howard.

"What just happened?" Loomin frowned.

"When the kids in her want something, they make her sick. All of her pregnancies tend to have this problem. Errende, help me," Thanatos said. The High Priest nodded, and they both sat on either side of her to put their hands on her belly. That made her sigh with relief.

"They share a special calming touch that works on kids. As you can see, it even works when they are still developing," Doppy said. "They can even keep Demonic kids calm."

"Wow..." Loomin smiled. That was impressive to him.

"Almost seventeen now?" Keltin grinned.

"Stop it," Loomin muttered. That made everyone laugh.

"Don't remind him, or I'll start craving again," Sarine said lightly, as she finished eating. That made everyone pause and stare at her. "What? You thought old cravings come and go? And, besides, if I  _really_  have to, I'll break out the Blinker!"

"Sorry, love," Howard said with a bit of a wince.

"A Blinker?" Loomin frowned. Now Sarine sipped her tea and looked at Errende.

"My Lady?" Errende asked with a nervous grin. She set the tea down, stood up, grabbed a leash off the wall, and clipped it on him. Then she yanked him close to kiss hard and leave him gasping. While he was dazed, she took the Blinker from him. Doppy was clearly trying not to laugh, and Thanatos was grinning like crazy. When she looked at Kiehl, he gave a glare back.

"Don't do it!" Kiehl hissed.

"He's too dominant for it," Doppy grinned. She ignored the warning. She unclipped the leash from Errende and moved swiftly to clip it on Kiehl. He gaped with disbelief, and she hauled him to her to kiss hard before yanking him into the bathroom.

"Wow..." Howard blinked and got up to move in there with Sammy in case she needed them. Errende was still mildly dazed from the kiss he got.

"What was that all about?" Loomin asked.

"A taste of her dominant side," Doppy snickered.

"She can't do so much to us, but to her slaves she does quite a bit," Keltin said with a touch of relief. "She'll bite us, but can't draw blood."

"Same with scratches...and other things..." Eremes shrugged. "I like her biting..."

"She...gives you all pain...and you like it?" Loomin asked with a bit of disbelief.

"It's not as bad as you think," Keltin said. "Trust us when we say this."

"I don't know," Loomin frowned.

"I was the same way as you," Keltin nodded. That made Loomin blink. _If Keltin was unsure and he came to like it, it could be the same way for me, then._  He suddenly dropped his jaw at the sound of Kiehl screaming.

"He'll get her back later tonight," Thanatos mused. "Or the moment he can think again."

"That he will," Keltin grinned.

"Ah...my Blinker is missing," Errende said. "My Lady took it off of me..."

"Is she using it on him?!" Byorgue hissed. Thanatos got up to peek into the bathroom and looked back at them with a massive grin.

"Oh, hell..." Doppy said before he started laughing.

"Is Kiehl a slave?" Loomin asked.

"He's a slave and a husband," Errende said, as he got control of himself. "He's a special case, since he's also the strong monster, Kiel D-01."

"He is?!" Loomin blinked.

"Yep," Doppy nodded. Sarine hauled Kiehl out with his leash, and he was a gasping mess of sensations. Howard was trying to hide his laughter, and Sammy was rubbing his forehead with his hand, as he sat down. Sarine removed the Blinker from Kiehl and unclipped his leash. She was able to fit the Blinker on over his glasses to keep him from needing to always take them off. She gave the leash and Blinker to Errende to put away, and she saw Kiehl glaring at her. His dominance rose up to show that he wasn't going to let her get away with it.

"Payback!" Kiehl hissed, and she squealed out with shock, as he hauled her over his shoulder to take her right back into the bathroom. Once again, Howard and Sammy followed them, as the others were dying with laughter. Within seconds, Kiehl had her screaming, and Doppy was howling with amusement.

"Wow!" Loomin said, as he was trying to catch his breath.

"I need Kiehl to upgrade me," Aliot grinned.

"Hah! Sure!" Byorgue grinned.

"Upgrade?" Loomin asked. Aliot showed how he was a Demonic robot, and that made Loomin blink with surprise.

"One hour left for you," Drago grinned.

"Quit that!" Loomin growled.

"Who's that coming up to the house?" Observation frowned, and now Drago took a closer look in the dying light. A sharp, hissing growl escaped him.

"Kafra Agent from the arena. She's coming up to the house!" Drago snarled. Nigel bristled and bared his teeth with distaste. Doppy swore violently and moved into the bathroom. More swearing was heard, and he came back out. Shortly after, Kiehl came out with Sarine leaning against him.

"Cheater!" she growled.

"You started it," Kiehl smiled and squeezed her. Howard was grinning with Sammy, but they frowned at the knock on the door. They hid Sarine from view, since she was only in a towel, and they didn't want her to be seen.

"Here we go," Doppy grinned and opened it. With his towel on his waist and now crossing his arms menacingly over his long, lean, rock-hard chest, he growled softly. His glowing red pupils glared at the Kafra Agent with annoyance. Loomin found himself grinning.  _Doppy clearly enjoyed making others uncomfortable this way._

"Um...ah..." the Kafra Agent blinked. "an Assassin girl named Misty is challenging the princess. I told her she was not on the rosters, but she doesn't care..."

"What?!" Errende snarled out with rage, and Sarine yanked him close by his collar to whisper to him. He panicked and whispered, "My Lady! Your pregnancy!"

"I will be fine. It's time I taught her who's boss! I'll mess her up myself!" Sarine said with a hissing snarl. "Tell her the challenge is accepted! Tell the others to get to the arena!"

"Sarine, no!" Howard and Kiehl said together.

"It can't be helped!" she said. "She's going to keep challenging me over and over again. So, fine. I'll mess her up!"

"Who is she?" Loomin asked. Errende had to move into the bathroom with Sarine to help her dress, and Thanatos told him who Misty was. Now he realized that it was this particular girl who kept challenging Sarine while she was pregnant. Errende had mentioned her briefly, since she was the one that helped him become a slave. This angered him to a point that even he wanted to kill her off himself. The others dressed swiftly, and Sarine came out in her Sniper gears to practically fly down the stairs with her Wind Walk skill.

"She's moving too fast! She's royally pissed off!" Howard growled out, as he moved to follow her. Word was soon spread throughout the house, and Loomin was guided to the arena by Keltin. He was told to sit in the balcony where he would be as a husband. He tried to make out what the place was like, but the sun was setting. He would get other chances to see it during the day. Now all of Sarine's loves watched Misty with hatred, as Sarine walked to the center of the arena to confront the Assassin girl. The girl smirked and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, you finally decided to fight me? Not gonna chicken out?" Misty grinned.

"I'm pregnant again. If you have me hurt my children, my men will all come down from that balcony up there and rip you to shreds. Then they will burn your body to ashes to keep you from being Resurrected. Do you understand?" Sarine crooned out sweetly. Naght was slathering from where he was, and Ifrit was ready to char her to a crisp. All of Sarine's friends were glaring down into the arena. If there was any time that Misty showed any sign of faltering, it was right there. Sarine crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at Dracula to show she was ready. For once, Dracula actually hesitated to start the fight, but Sammy nodded to him to continue. Dracula could only wince, but he nodded.

"Fight!" Dracula said. Loomin watched with concern and now knew what all of her lovers felt. They didn't want her to fight at all. She wasn't supposed to be fighting.

"Come and get me!" Misty said.

"No," Sarine said. "Fighting you is not worth my time."

"What? You stole my man!"

"I did not. He said he wasn't yours. Besides, I gave him two kids. He loves me. Why should he love someone that only treated him like dirt, never gave him any choices, never cared about him, and never bothered to show that he was worth the time of day?"

"I'll kill you!" Misty screamed and lunged at her. Then Sarine smiled, as an unearthly wind billowed around her, and she Teleported behind Misty. The girl blinked and screamed with rage. When she turned, the last thing she saw were four duplicates of Sarine staring at her and screaming before the Light of Odin slammed down into her to filter crushing pain through every pore, joint, and orifice in her body. Loomin had his jaw dropped, as he saw this with several of the others. Kiehl had never seen this before. None of them that came after Errende had seen the Light of Odin in use until now. Misty was in a heap on the ground, and Sarine was standing where she was before she Teleported. This was why no one tried to fight her after seeing this.  _She could take out anyone in one shot._

She looked away from Misty's unconscious body and hissed at the challengers that stared at her. Then she started to walk out of the arena. She didn't hear Dracula say that she won. She didn't hear the crowd roaring their approval. All that she knew was that she was dizzy, and her gut was hurting like crazy. She walked past the arena just a bit before stumbling, collapsing to her knees, and vomiting where she fell. Doppy clearly showed that he was in pain, and action was quickly taken.

"Sarine!" Howard cried out and ran after her.

"SAMMY!" Kiehl shouted with a spine-chilling echo when Howard found her.  _There was blood in her vomit._  It was the first time he ever saw blood when she got sick. Sammy ran straight over with Thanatos to evaluate her. When he saw the blood, he swore violently.

"No more fighting! No matter who challenges her!" Sammy hissed out. "Her body can't take the strain of it while she's pregnant!"

"Shut up...Sammy..." Sarine coughed out, and he looked at her. "I'm fine..."

"No, you're not!" he said. She winced and shivered, as she tried to recover.

"I'm going to kill her!" Errende said, as he forced himself to see clearly.

"No..." Sarine sighed. "You won't..."

"Why not, My Lady?" he asked.

"If she...dares...to come back...then fine..." she coughed and retched again. There wasn't any blood in this, but it still weakened her. The dizziness had finally faded, and she groaned softly. Howard was wincing, and Naght was absolutely livid.

"Sarine," Kiehl said tenderly, and he gathered her up to his chest.

"I'll be fine...Kiehl..." she said weakly. "Give me...ten minutes..."

"You need more than ten minutes," Thanatos cringed.

"What happened?!" Seyren asked, as he got to them.

"My Lady puked blood..." Byorgue said with complete worry in his tone.

"She...what?!" Seyren hissed. Naght was glaring at the Assassin girl, as she finally came around. He actually watched Misty get up and move over the Kafra Agent to challenge Sarine again. Even though she lacked the funds, she was still trying to challenge her. That made him roar, and Sarine sighed, as Howard told her this.

"Now...you all...can kill her..." Sarine said, as she grinned wickedly.

"I need to test my electric chairs!" Kiehl snarled out. Loomin watched Eremes give Sarine a red potion to rinse out her mouth with before rising up. Doppy, Naght, Thanatos, Ifrit, and Eremes now moved into the arena floor. Misty was staring at them and shaking with complete fear. Naght roared and billowed out his fire.

"You couldn't leave well enough alone...could you?!" Eremes hissed, as he Berserked.

"Now we get to kill you!" Doppy snarled.

"You made her cough up blood!" Thanatos roared out.

"I'll burn you to a crisp!" Ifrit spat. Now Baphomet appeared in the arena from Seyren's outraged thoughts. Eddga and Pori-Pori appeared soon after to help out. Dracula jumped down from the judge's chair to move over to Sarine's side when Seyren whispered to him.

"Did the Assassin girl really make her vomit blood?!" Dracula asked with concern.

"Yes," Sammy nodded. "She's pregnant with my kids and Kiehl's kids."

"Hmm," Dracula frowned. "How is she now?"

"She's better, but she needs a bit of rest to recover," Kiehl sighed. Dracula nodded and looked over at Loomin curiously. They hadn't met yet.

"I'm Loki's son and destined to be a husband for her. Odin said so," Loomin said.

"Really? Good for you!" Dracula grinned a fanged smile. "I'm not gonna judge what happens to that girl. Let her die."

Doppy suddenly roared in pain, as Sarine let out a sharp cry in disbelief. Sammy pressed a hand to her womb and growled out, "They just grew by ten percent! We need to feed her!"

"Here," Aliot said, and he quickly handed her a small plate of sushi. Nigel was ready with a small plate of cookies.

"What was the attack I saw in there?" Loomin asked.

"The Light of Odin," Kiehl and Howard said together.

"It's the first time I ever saw it," Kiehl said alone.

"Same for me," Byorgue said.

"Everyone after me didn't see it until now," Errende said, as he kept his hands on her belly to soothe the irritated children. Sarine took a deep breath and leaned back into Kiehl's chest. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and cradled her while she managed to sip some tea.

"We should take her back to the house," Howard said. "I don't know if we should go anywhere now."

"I'll be fine. Not like I'm going to be doing much fighting, anyways," she sighed and finished off the sushi. The cookies were finished next, and she drank down the rest of the tea. She felt much better now, and she smiled.

"What do you want to do with the bitch?" Doppy snarled, as he walked over to her and crouched down. She ran a hand over his cheek, and he purred, grateful that she felt better.

"Imprison her for a couple days. After the days of humanity, we'll decide what to do," she said. That made him nod with a smirk, and he stood up to shout out her fate to the others. Then Sarine started to laugh, and Howard looked at her with disbelief.

"You're serious?!" he grinned.

"Oh, yes. Very much so!" she grinned.

"What?" Doppy asked, as Kiehl started laughing.

"I'm going to have sex with Errende while she watches and can do nothing," Sarine grinned. "Much like what you did with me when you were testing Laurell while he was possessed. However, we'll let her sit in the prison for a couple of days to let her rot."

"My Lady!" Errende grinned, and she kissed him passionately. Then she looked at Loomin with a small smile.

"Happy eighteenth birthday. Let's make you a husband," she grinned. Loomin stammered, and she pulled him close to kiss deeply. He didn't want it to stop when she pulled away, and Howard was snickering with Kiehl.

"Should we go after the marriage?" Doppy asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Maybe after the blood swap. It should be dark enough by then."

"Makes sense," Keltin chuckled.

"Um, how did you want to do this?" Loomin asked.

"Well, I was thinking of How-How, Kiehl, and Sammy sitting in the tub. You and I can be outside it. If I need to see them, I can look at them over the tub wall to feel better. This way, we can be alone, in a sense. Then, after that, we'll play it by ear," she smiled. She moved up to the bedroom swiftly with the others following her. The moment she walked in, she grabbed Loomin's hand and pulled him into the bathroom. He paused at the sight of marble tiling, pillars, and shower heads along the walls. Then he stared at the deep, massive tub in the middle of the room. He saw what she meant by the three men she needed to sit in the tub. _One had to peer over the side of the tub to look in._ Sammy, Howard, and Kiehl walked in to undress, and they set their clothes by the door. It was the only place where water wouldn't reach them. She did the same, and now Loomin stared in complete awe at her flawless body.

"Um..." Loomin paused.

"Whenever you're ready. Just undress and let me know," she said.

"I...honestly don't know where to start," he said.

"Do you need me to help you undress?" she asked. Her three loves chuckled and moved into the tub. Loomin frowned at himself.  _It was just removing clothes! I can do that!_ He started to undress, and she blinked at how well built he was now. There was definition all throughout his chest and arms. He was still building in muscle and still growing in height. He was starting to remind her of Doppy. When her eyes moved lower, she blushed slightly that he had grown rather impressive in one particular spot. Even his legs had muscles in all the right places. He turned to flex his back, and his hair seemed to cover over his shoulder blades like a short mane of silver. All traces of white or blond were gone. His hair and eyes were the only true links he had to Loki, other than his immense beauty and power.

"Hmm," Loomin thought, as he studied himself. "Do you like what you see?"

"Maybe," she thought. She stretched herself out and walked away from him. He stared after her, and she chuckled. He was clearly admiring her form.  _She was as perfect as I was._

"Don't let her bait you! Just tackle her!" Kiehl said.

"Damn! I forgot you guys were there!" Loomin said.

"Heh! Just pin her down and take her," Howard chuckled.

"Or get her interested in you," Sammy grinned.

"Don't listen to them. They don't know what they're talking about," she smiled.

"I beg to differ," Loomin said, as he moved close to her. She twirled away from him, and he tensed. Now he launched himself at her, but she twirled away again. She peered over the side of the tub to see them before looking back at him. Then he paused.  _I have to wait for her to distract herself by needing to see them._  He continued to try and get close to her. When she looked over the side of the tub to see her loves and make sure they were there, he launched at her and caught her by surprise. He pinned her to the floor and trembled.

"Good!" Howard smirked.

"Hurry now! I'm sure the others want to come in soon," Kiehl said.

"I just now managed to catch her! Give me a few minutes!" Loomin growled out.

"It's instinctive for me to play hard to get," she hissed in his ear, and Loomin gasped with desire. He pulled her legs around his waist and thrust hard into her. She arched herself, as he cried out his release. Panting a bit, he couldn't believe what he just did. He ran his hands over her body leisurely now, and she moaned, as he worked with her. Now he released again with her, and they clung to each other. She nuzzled into his chest, as he held her.

"You know," he whispered, as he ran a hand over her body. "I'm quite sure I fell in love with you when I first saw you."

"I'm sure you did," she chuckled and gave him a soft kiss. "And, you should know that I love you just as much as you love me."

"Do you?" he smiled. At her nod, he took her again. She cried out at his sharp thrusting, and he gave in to her when her body tightened around his. Gasping, he rested against her with his eyes closed. He saw a flash of light, and something appeared on the ground next to them. She smiled and picked up the ring that formed. Then she looked at him and took his left hand to slip the ring on his ring finger for him. She made sure to do this herself as an act of love. He kissed her passionately now, and they both giggled softly.

"Six husbands," she sighed.

"Six and a half, actually," Howard said, as he moved to join them with Kiehl and Sammy. "Kiehl is half a husband. You need to swap blood with Loomin so we can get it started."

"Ah, that's right, huh? Okay. How do we start this?" Loomin asked.

"Let's get into the tub. Go ahead and bring the others in. Is the tub even large enough?" she frowned. That had them laughing, and Loomin got up to carry her into the tub. She had him sit on the bench so that he was waist-deep in the water, and she settled on him. Just by seeing her dripping wet had him completely aroused again. He hissed at the feel of her, and she paused.

"I don't know if he wants pain," Howard said.

"What pain?" Loomin frowned.

"This pain," she smiled and moved to nuzzle into his neck to bite hard, but it was not hard enough to draw blood. He gave out a cry of surprise, but found the bite so pleasuring that he lost his senses. Keltin chuckled, as he moved into the tub to settle with them.

"He likes it," Sammy grinned.

"Shut up," Loomin mumbled. Then he hissed at the feel of a knife blade on the same spot she bit. He cried out with shock, as she latched her mouth onto the wound to take a couple swallows of his blood. He was trembling with wide eyes when she pulled away, and the knife was carefully moved over her neck. Errende was the one that did it, and she sighed.

"A mouthful from me," she whispered to Loomin, and he instinctively locked himself to her throat. She cried out her release at it, as he clung to her. When he finally pulled himself back, she was gasping from it. Kissing him heavily, he let her move to start the blood swap with the others. He was able to rest now, and Howard nudged him to whisper about the pact made to keep her safe and happy, as well as each other. Loomin nodded to show he was a part of it. Anyone that could Heal did so to remove the wounds on their necks before finally resting.

"Amazing," Loomin sighed. His voice had finally settled into a pleasantly deep, yet soothing tone that completely matched his body.

"To be freed from ice and married within the day?" Byorgue chuckled.

"That, too," he grinned. "I just never expected to be with the one I was supposed to be with. The sensation is just...wow..."

"And you feel like you belong with us, right?" Keltin smiled.

"Oh, yes! Like I said before. I feel like I finally belong somewhere," he said.

"You'll need to give the kids some of your blood," Aliot said.

"I'll do that before we leave. Ah, I think I have a combination of Priest and Monk abilities. Maybe Wizard. Mainly Priest, though," Loomin thought. "I could be wrong."

"Really? Well, we are going to an undead place. That would be the place to try it out," Keltin nodded. Eremes was smiling slightly with his eyes closed. Kiehl had himself be the last one to be with Sarine so he could hold her tightly to him. He Healed her, and himself, as she reclined into him.

"I'll need to nurse the children before we go anywhere," she said.

"We figured as much," Doppy nodded.

"Good," she smiled. There was a knock on the bedroom door. Doppy got up to head out of the bath, dry off and throw the towel on. Sarine watched him leave curiously, as Kiehl held her to him. A heavy snarl of hate was heard, and she narrowed her eyes. She had consumed quite a bit of Demonic blood, and she was now tilting her head with curiosity.

"Who is it?" Kiehl frowned.

"I don't know," Drago said. Doppy looked over the tub and sighed.

"Seyren wants to talk to Sarine," he said.

"Why?" she frowned.

"To find out when we are leaving."

"Tell him we leave in an hour, if that," she shrugged. Doppy nodded and told him. Then she thought and looked at the ceiling. What she saw made a grin appear on her face.

"Oh?" Howard smiled. Doppy threw the towel aside and moved back into the tub to settle into it. Kiehl let her move from him now so she could activate the shower head that was right over the center of the tub. The controls for it were outside the tub, and she made it a quick trip to get done. Then she moved back in to let the water coat over her skin. That very sight made them glance at each other and tense. Thanatos and Doppy were having a mild glaring contest. Then Sarine started to dance in the falling water. That made them gape with lust. When she finished dancing, she smiled.

"I need to nurse the kids now," she chuckled and moved to leave, but Doppy was sitting right by the stairs that led out of the tub and he pulled her into his lap.

"Not yet!" he grinned and moved his mouth over neck. Then he bit down to knock her senseless. Loomin found himself smiling, as he watched each one work with her in their own way. He was actually starting to learn some new pointers and was feeling a lot more comfortable with this. When Sammy got ahold of her, there was another knock on the door. Doppy snarled out with hatred, as he got up again to move out of the tub. Loomin seemed to give a small glare of irritation towards the main bedroom now.

"Does this happen all the time?" he asked.

"Most of the time," Howard nodded.

"Seyren, you can't come in here! She's taking a bath!" Doppy hissed loudly to give them all fair warning. Sammy moved into the middle part of the tub and hid her against his chest, as his back was to the entrance of the bathroom. Seyren walked right in and paused at the sight of all her men in the tub. Loomin seemed to give a sigh of annoyance, and now Seyren saw the new wedding ring on his finger. Sammy looked over his shoulder, and Sarine was fully hidden from sight behind his form.

"What do you need, Seyren?" she growled out.

"Um..." he paused. She was irritated now, and Loomin blinked at what Demonic blood did to her. Even her slaves were tensing up.

"Speak up or get out!" she snarled.

"I'm sorry, Mistress," Seyren whimpered, as he fell to his knees. "Karla sent me for a quick retraining. I'm still not obeying her."

"What?!" she hissed. She looked at Eremes, and a nod was given. Eremes placed a towel over his waist, Cloaked, and moved out of the tub. A few minutes later, he came back to confirm it. _Karla needed Seyren punished properly, and he wasn't responding to what she was doing. She even takes the collar off and on him when he wants it. The Blinker did help, but Seyren started to act out of turn._ Sarine gave out a long, hissing sigh. She whispered to Eremes's Cloaked form, and he moved from the tub to whisper to Seyren. The bathroom doors shut, and she looked at Loomin.

"Sarine?" he frowned.

"You are going to see my dominant side fully blown out. Especially from the blood swap. Don't be afraid of me. I will never hurt you," she said softly. He nodded and rose up to stand and hug her tight. She ran her hands up his chest and into his hair. Then she sighed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Everyone but Byorgue is taller than me," she chuckled. Loomin was half a foot shorter than Doppy now. He had five hours more before he would reach the age of twenty-five, and his body would finally be caught up to where it should be.

"Not really," Sammy grinned.

"Don't become your kid form," Howard smirked.

"Of course, he won't," she smiled and thought. "Loomin, you do know that I'm going to want you to sleep in the same bed with me tonight, right?"

"Your bed or mine?" he grinned, as he nuzzled her.

"Not the spare bedroom. You've outgrown that," she giggled.

"One of the smaller beds in the room," Howard said. "I'll make sure to have Kiehl nearby when you wake up. I'll be turning human tonight with Eremes, so I'll need to sleep."

"That's right," Kiehl said. "What I may end up doing is just work on sketches in the room. It will be safer."

"Sounds good," she nodded. "I don't know when I'll wake up."

"And, since I can't read your thoughts unless Howard's awake, it would be best," Kiehl thought. "I'll have to work on the Pilule replication after Howard goes back to being a monster. All right. What do you plan to do to Seyren?"

"Karla wants me to punish him, so I won't be giving him any form of pleasure. That is for her to do. Not me this time. I may use the Blinker on him and take out the whip for extra measure just to prove a point," she grinned. Loomin looked at her curiously, and she smiled, as she whispered to him, "I'll use a Blinker on you after. I promise."

That made the others hiss with lust and mild jealousy. She chuckled and pulled his head down to purr deeply into his ear. That made him look at her with surprise.

"How are you purring?!" he asked.

"Demon blood," she grinned. Then she thought and quickly ran her mouth down his chest to his groin to show just how well purring worked. He squeezed his eyes shut and released incredibly hard. Howard was hissing with complete envy now. Kiehl was no better.

"You're drinking more of my blood tonight!" Doppy snarled. She looked over at him to give a small wink. Then she wiggled her hips, as she got out of the tub to make her men lust after her even more. Loomin was still recovering from the shock of his release. She got out and dried herself off. When she moved to dress, she found Eremes pulling her close with a grin. He gave her a potion to drink down to help her recover her strength, and she accepted it. After that, he crushed her to his chest breathed over her neck.

"Where do you think you're going?" he muttered in her ear before kissing her.

"To teach Seyren a lesson," she grinned and nipped his ear. That made him snarl with want, and he lifted her to brace against the wall. Taking her hard on the spot now, he growled out his release with her. Then he smiled and kissed her passionately before letting her go to get dressed. Howard chuckled and dried off.

"To think that about five months ago I was ready to punch you out," Howard grinned.

"I know..." Eremes smirked.

"What?" Loomin asked, as he dried off and dressed.

"If you recall our history..." Eremes said. "I was quite...jealous...of Howard and Sarine before. I'm glad things worked out this way...and not any other way..."

"Don't think of then. Think of now," she frowned. Sammy moved to hug her tight, and Kiehl did the same to help calm her even more.

"This is why we aren't having a dream vision of our pasts," Howard said.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. Loomin seemed to nod, as he recalled the dream vision that Sammy had with her.

"So...those Rogues are dead, right?" he asked. "The three of them?"

"We don't know," Howard frowned. "We slaughtered them in Naght's tower, but we didn't burn their corpses. They may be Resurrected."

"If we see them, they die!" Doppy hissed.

"I want to run experiments on them," Kiehl growled.

"Kiehl, dear?" she asked.

"Yes?" he said as he went to her.

"Don't think of them now. I don't want to even think of them," she frowned. She remembered how they looked at her in Naght's tower and said they wanted to play with her. She shivered and convulsed with horror. Kiehl hissed with Howard and comforted her.

"What?" Doppy frowned. Howard cleared his throat and moved to whisper softly to him on what she was thinking. He was smoldering with rage now and wanted to punch something.

"Hmm?" Thanatos asked. Doppy hissed in Demonic, and now everyone grimaced with hatred. It was quickly curbed when Sammy gave them all a warning glare. A couple more soothing whispers were given to Sarine, and she was ready to go into the bedroom.

"I understood you!" Loomin said.

"That's what the branding also does. It lets you understand Demonic Language and you can speak it," Doppy said. "Seyren is waiting to get beaten up. Let's not disappoint him."

"Only that's my job," Sarine smirked. Dressed in her Sniper gears again, she waited for her men to be dressed before she opened the door to the bedroom. Seyren was patiently kneeling for her while he waited, and she stood in front of him with her arms crossed. He was collared and shivering with a form of fear.

"Mistress..." he sighed.

"Shut up!" she snapped. "Why aren't you listening to your wife?!"

"I need her to be more demanding to me. More intimidating. More...like you," he trembled. "I...I love her! I do! I just..."

"You are not worthy of your collar," she frowned. That made him cringe with the other slaves that were bearing witness. Even Kiehl grimaced. "No slave should  _ever_  fail a command to their Mistress! No matter how weak the Mistress is! You need to have her talk to me. I'll punish you for her this once. But, the next time this happens, you have her come to me!"

"Yes, Mistress!" he said.

"You do not belong to me. You belong to Karla. Undress to your briefs. Now!" she hissed. Seyren did as she said without another word. She thought, and Howard moved to Errende to whisper to him. The High Priest moved from the room quickly to encounter Karla. He had her give him a whip, and he explained that she would need to approach Sarine, if this happened again. Karla nodded, gave a small smile, and gave permission for Sarine to do whatever was necessary to her husband. She wanted everything to work out between her and Seyren in the end. Errende came back into the bedroom and moved to kneel in front of Sarine.

"I spoke with Karla, My Lady. She will come straight to you next time. She said to do whatever you need to, if you have to," Errende said. He knelt before her and presented the whip.

"Thank you, my pet," she purred and pulled him close to kiss him roughly, as she took the whip from him. "Can you give me the Blinker, please?"

"Yes, My Lady," he whispered and presented that to her. Loomin noticed that each slave showed a lot of jealousy when it came to Errende. He moved over to Maya Purple.

"Why does Errende get such treatment?" Loomin whispered.

"He is My Lady's First Slave. He is also the one that can take everything she gives him. Compared to us, he is our senior when it comes to serving her. He can handle ten times as much as we all can combined," Maya Purple whispered. Loomin blinked at that and remembered what Errende told him when they first met. Now it made sense to him.

"We all serve her and love her. He makes us feel inferior, since he will not even think about what he's doing. He just does whatever she asks," Byorgue whispered.

"Many of us question what My Lady wishes. He doesn't," Aliot whispered.

"It's as though no matter how hard we work for her, he's the one that she goes to first. That's if he isn't busy helping her with her growing children," Observation whispered.

"When she dominates someone, he has her do the same thing to him to see if he can take it. She whipped Kavach and had the same thing done to him. He didn't even flinch!" Drago grinned. Loomin blinked at this news.

"I'm still happy that she gives me pleasure with my pain," Injustice smiled.

"I will never leave her side," Nigel said fondly.

"Keep quiet and watch," Kiehl said, as he leaned against a wall next to Howard. Sarine looked over at her slaves to give them all a loving smile. Many of them caught their breath at it, and it heightened their desire to serve her even more. Loomin found himself smiling at this. When she looked at Seyren, her gaze hardened with a strict form of discipline.

"Seyren Windsor," Sarine said. "The next time I see you in this position, it had better be on better terms with your wife!"

"Yes, Mistress," Seyren whimpered. She gestured to Errende for the Blinker, and it was given over without hesitation. She moved behind Seyren and tied it on him tightly. Then she cracked the whip twice before letting it land smartly on his back. A cruel smile formed on her face, as he shouted from how hard it hit. She was clearly punishing him. Some of the red lines started to bleed, and this had Loomin gasp.

"Remember..." Eremes whispered to him. "she...will never hurt us...like this..."

"I know. It's just hard to believe that she can do this," Loomin whispered back.

"She can never go this far with a husband," Keltin said.

"You all are her equals. Since I'm her mate, she can't even do this to me. She sees me as an equal, too," Thanatos said. Then he grinned, as Sarine kicked Seyren to land heavily on all fours. The whip cracked down again and again on his back until his whole body was shaking. Only then did she relent and nod to Errende to take the whip back to Karla. Then she bent down to whisper into Seyren's ear.

"If you don't obey your wife, and you are brought to me again with problems like this," she snarled out in a hissing whisper. "it will be ten times worse than what I just did!"

Seyren gasped with a true form of fear now. A soft shuffling went through her slaves, but they knew she would never do this to them. She removed the Blinker from Seyren to give back to Errende when he got back. She wasn't giving Seyren any pleasure this time. That was for his wife to do. She was only to punish Seyren for Karla. She had Errende Heal him just enough to stop the bleeding on his back and to give him the strength to move. She made Seyren suffer even more by having him gather his armors and head back to Karla. She needed to mend him further and show how much she still loved him.

"My Lady," Errende said.

"Yes, my dear?" she asked.

"Can you do what you just did to him to me?" he asked. That made her hiss and shiver.

"Errende, no!" Howard said.

"Take it back, Errende!" Kiehl growled. Instead, Errende got up to whisper to her. She looked at him with a form of disbelief. Loomin's jaw dropped, and Doppy was clearly disturbed by this with her other husbands.

"You know I can't do that to you," she frowned.

"I can take it, My Lady. You know this is what I want," he said.

"But..." she started, but he kissed her gently.

"Please? My Lady?" he ran a hand along her cheek gently.

"Undress down to your briefs before I change my mind!" she scowled. Loomin was shocked that she was going to do it.  _She clearly didn't want to._

"Errende, you're an idiot!" Byorgue hissed.

"It's what I want," Errende said. "Anything she does to them, I need her to do to me to see if I can take it. No matter how hard or painful it is. I want it done."

"Silence!" she snapped. Errende went silent and knelt down for her. She tied the Blinker on him as tightly as she did to Seyren. Grabbing a whip she kept on the wall, she started to crack it hard over him. Eremes was gaping at how hard she was doing this now.  _She was forcing herself to do it._ Thanatos was thinking furiously at what he was watching, and Doppy seemed to be grinning wickedly now. Keltin was wincing with each crack of the whip, and Sammy was clearly curious as to why she was like this. Errende was showing no emotion when the whip cracked down. Even as he started to bleed, he showed nothing. He was channeling all of the pain elsewhere. Finally, she tossed the whip aside, leaned down, and bit him savagely on the neck. That made him scream out finally and fall on all fours.

"Whips do nothing to him. It's her bite that always does him in," Thanatos thought.

"His back looks like it's in shreds, and that's not making him react?!" Doppy asked.

"No. It isn't. It's as though he removed all the pain he could feel from everywhere in his body and focused it all elsewhere. But, when she bites him, his focus is gone. Look at him now! He's feeling everything that was done!" Thanatos said. Errende was a gasping, writhing mess. His body was on fire with more pain than pleasure. She picked up the whip again and started cracking it on his back to make him writhe in complete agony. After that, she bit him again, and he cried out in pain and pleasure. He couldn't move. The pain in his back was intense now, and blood had filled each whip line in his skin. He was panting and gasping for air. She put her whip back on the wall and moved to sit in front of him. Then she pulled the Blinker off of him.

"Heal yourself," she whispered. He nodded and managed to do it. The pain was still racing through his body, and he actually collapsed onto the ground. She ran a hand through his hair and sighed softly. She waited until he was able to move again, and he pulled himself up just enough to rest his head in her lap.

"I'll...do better...next time...My Lady..." he gasped.

"No. I never want to do that to you again," she said. She was clearly regretting what she did. He sat up now and forced himself to move to hug her close. He pressed his forehead to hers, and he sighed. He knew how hard it was for her to do that to him. He pulled her into his lap, and hugged her tightly when she broke down into tears. Her emotional wall suddenly crashed down. Howard and Doppy gasped, as they couldn't move, and Kiehl moved quickly with Sammy to comfort her. Loomin blinked at what he saw and now looked at Keltin for an explanation.

"Her emotional wall just crashed," Keltin grimace. "Remember what I told you about thoughts and emotions? Before you read the letters?"

"I...oh! So...they can't react to her emotions, but Kiehl can! I see!" Loomin said.

"The wall she made in her mind keeps her emotions hidden..." Eremes said with a heavy frown. "Howard...was the only one who could feel them at first. He reacts to them...in various ways. Doppelganger managed to feel them...through mediation. Once he felt them...it became a permanent link..."

"He wanted to know everything about her," Keltin said. "He got his wish."

"I'm fine, My Lady," Errende sighed, as he cradled her. "See? I'm all better."

"Don't ever ask me to do that to you anymore!" she wailed.

"You know I'll ask you, My Lady. It strengthens me that much more for you. I need to have it done to me. No matter how much it hurts you, I need it done to constantly train me to be there when you need me," he said, as he kissed her softly. She knew there was truth in his words, and she shivered. Kiehl gestured to fully hold her, and Errende nodded to let him take her. He whispered softly to her and cheered her up with small tickles and caresses. Sammy further comforted her with small jokes to get her laughing. When her emotional wall came back up, Howard and Doppy gasped.

"You moron!" Doppy snarled at Errende. She gestured for Doppy to come close with Howard, and she hugged them both to him.

"Get some chocolate for the three of them," Thanatos said. Aliot had a chocolate bar ready, and it was shared. The candy easily helped calm their minds, and Sarine gave a tired smile. When Errende turned, she saw the damage she did to his back, and she cringed. Howard grimaced, but he rocked her with Kiehl. At a small look to her slaves, they all moved as one to tend to Errende's back and clean him up so he could dress.

"I need to nurse the kids," she said. "After I nurse them, we will go to the island. Loomin, dear? I need to ask you something."

"Yes, love?" he asked, as he moved to her side. It felt so natural to use such endearing words to her that his heart was singing. She pulled him close to kiss softly, and she smiled.

"I know that I wanted to use a Blinker on you, but...after all this, we will have to wait. So, now we need to focus on something important. What skills do you know? If you're not sure, I would suggest that you work with Keltin on finding out what you have. Maybe even have Lloyd and Margaretha help, too. I'll need Errende with me to help with the children, or I'd have him work with you. We need to find out what you know. It's important."

"You're right," Keltin nodded and moved to become his Champion form. Loomin blinked with surprise, since he didn't see this yet. "Loomin, let's go outside. I'll grab Lloyd and his wife so we can do some tests. You also thought you had Mage skills, so we'll get Kathryne to help us out, too. Hmm...we'll also get her husband, Mitchell, since he's a Professor. Just in case. A Mage can branch into two different classes like an Acolyte can with High Priest and Champion. We can go through all of them this way."

"Sure," Loomin said. He kissed her passionately before he got up to walk with Keltin out of the room. She was helped up now, and she had Errende lean against her. He received more pain than pleasure, and he knew he was going to be focusing himself to turn all of the pain into pleasure later on. She helped the other slaves finish cleaning up his back of dried blood as gently as possible before helping him dress, and the very feel of the cloth on his back almost killed him again. He managed to move into the nursery with her, and he couldn't believe how badly she whipped him.  _If I'm having this much trouble moving, then I'm sure that Seyren was struggling just as badly._  She watched Errende trying to move around, and she found herself grimacing again.

"When you're done nursing, we'll get a few potions for him, if he's still suffering," Kiehl promised. "Maybe you can massage them into his back?"

"I'll have to try," she nodded. She took up Alexis and Albert to nurse first. Howard whispered to Injustice to get some potions. Injustice was about to leave the nursery when Karla approached him.

"She really did a number on him," Karla frowned. "Seyren can barely move."

"We know. We witnessed it. Then Errende wanted the same thing done to him!" Injustice sighed. "He's barely moving about, too."

"Are you serious?!" Karla gaped.

"Yes. I was going to ask you for some potions. Kiehl thinks that massaging them into his back might help. If Seyren is having problems, you could try it with him," Injustice said.

"That's a good idea! Take these. I have enough in my cart, so I'll try it with him. He wants to be moving by the time we are ready to leave," Karla said.

"So does Errende," Injustice grinned. He walked back into the nursery and moved to Sarine's side. He told her what just happened, and she nodded.

"Love?" Howard frowned, as he walked over to her.

"Hmm?" she smiled up at him, and she rocked herself with the nursing twins.

"We are going to have to leave soon. In about four hours, I become human. I'll lose my monster properties," he said.

"I doubt it will matter. You and Kiehl will be with me on Windwalker's back, anyways. That and we'll have everyone with us. Didn't Daddy give you the ability to Berserk when you need to?" she asked. "I thought he did."

"It's true that he did. I'll likely summon a clone to help, too, if I really have to. That place is supposed to be a warzone the moment we walk in it," he thought.

"We're going to have a lot of monsters with us," Kiehl grinned. "I think we'll be fine."

"True," Howard nodded. Sammy chuckled and looked over, as he rose up to stand in front of the sitting area entrance. Maheo was asking about Sarine and had just walked into the nursery. Doppy gave a mild glare at the Mage, but he was holding his twins.

"Ah, I was wondering if Sarine was here? I'd like to ask her something," Maheo said.

"She's nursing. She can hear you. What do you need?" Sammy asked.

"I wanted to come with you all to the undead island," he said.

"That's fine!" Sarine chuckled. "The more the merrier!"

"Great! I'll prepare my spells!" Maheo said and left quickly to do just that. Right when he left, Loomin walked into the room with Keltin. Sammy nodded to them both and gestured to them to come and see Sarine. Serenity moved over to Loomin first and tugged on his shirt.

"Serenity!" he grinned and picked her up to hug her. "I'm a dad now!"

"Not yet," she said. "Um...can I see your hand?"

"Okay," he said. She held his hand close to sniff before chomping down hard on his thumb. He yelped and winced, but she took the blood sample this way.

"Yay! Now you're my Dad! Um, go to the others! Quick!" she urged. He nodded and gave a mild glare at Howard. The Whitesmith grinned and shrugged. Loomin let the other kids get a sample of his blood, and he moved to Sarine's side to let her nursing twins get a taste. Then he Healed himself, and Sarine smiled warmly at him. He got swarmed by the kids now, and he laughed, as the others grinned at this. Only after the kids gave him the loving greeting they promised him did they let him move freely.

"I have a very interesting set of skills," Loomin chuckled, as he sat by Sarine.

"Oh?" Sarine smiled and had Aliot take his children so Keltin could bring over his to be nursed. She cooed to them, as they suckled, and Loomin found himself giving a fatherly smile at them. Keltin grinned softly and leaned back in a chair.

"I have a mix of various magic skills. Not really Champion based at all or physical attacks. I have all of the skills a High Priest would have and a High Wizard, apparently. Even a Professor," Loomin chuckled. This made her stare at him with wonder, and he got the same stares from the others.

"Well, you are the son of a god," Keltin grinned wider.

"One based more on magic," Loomin nodded.

"And one that wants to see his new grandchildren," Loki said, as he appeared in the nursery. Alexander suddenly turned to attack him, and Loki glared at him to make him stop. Loomin rose up quickly to shield him from Sarine.

"Father! What do you want?!" Loomin hissed.

"Come now! Is that any way to speak to me?" Loki frowned. "You have my word that I will never harm these kids. I vow on my life."

"At least you speak true on that," Loomin said, and he crossed his arms over his chest. He could detect his father's lies. Sarine was still on edge, and Howard moved to protect her with Kiehl. However, Loki wasn't here to pester Sarine right now. He was here to greet his new grandchildren, since they had sampled Loomin's blood. Alexander glared at Loki, and Observation was doing the same. They would not ease up until the god was gone. Muninn flew in quickly to perch and keep a silent watch on the meddlesome being. He knew that Loki would keep his word about the kids, but he said nothing about not harming Sarine. He didn't like that at all, and he needed to ensure that she would be protected at all costs.

"You grew up well. You still have another three hours until you reach your true age," Loki nodded. He looked over at Serenity and smiled warmly.

"Who are you?" she asked, as she hid behind Loomin.

"I'm grandpa Loki!" he grinned.

"Grampa?" she blinked and looked up at Loomin.

"It's true. But, be careful of what he tells you," Loomin said.

"I won't lie to my grandkids," Loki vowed.

"That can be both good and bad. We both know how your words can be like double-edged swords," Loomin frowned. They both seemed to glare at each other in knowing. There was much that Loomin instinctively knew now. It puzzled him mentally, but he didn't show it.

"I won't visit them unless you are with them," Loki said.

"Fine. I'll accept that," Loomin nodded. He knew he could stop his father from doing anything around the kids and his wife. Muninn was still glaring at Loki. Doppy was not going to let Loki near his kids, despite the vow of protection.

"Loomin," Sarine whispered. "can your...father...come back later? When the time is more presentable? We do need to be somewhere, and I did just finish nursing Keltin's children. We really need to get to the island before we are forced to wait until tomorrow night."

"You heard my wife," Loomin said.

"Of course! I'll come back tomorrow," Loki said with a smile. Loomin gave a hard glare at his father, as he vanished. Now he picked up Serenity to hold her, and he moved to Sarine's side. He was clearly pissed off.

"When he said he would be back tomorrow, he meant it. Didn't he?" Howard growled.

"Yes. And he's planning something. He let me see his thoughts," Loomin winced. "Kiehl, be on alert for anything to happen. He's...plotting something nasty."

"What?!" Kiehl hissed.

"He's bored. He wants to be amused. I'll do what I can to see what he's planning, but he only lets me see so much," Loomin sighed. Sarine fixed up her top when Keltin took his children, and she moved to hug Loomin tight. Serenity gave a worried whimper, but Loomin kissed her cheek. He clearly saw her as his daughter now, and he wouldn't let her get hurt.

"Some insight is better than none," Sammy said wisely. "Muninn can barely see anything around Loki. We're warned now. We'll be ready."

"I don't know about that," Loomin admitted. "I...just know that it could endanger Sarine and her growing children. He vowed that he would never hurt the kids, but that's only for the ones that are currently birthed. Any kids that are still growing in her...are subject to being harmed with her until she gives birth to them. Then, when they are in the nursery, they'll be safe from him, as he vowed."

"If he does ANYTHING to my kids in her, I'll kill him!" Kiehl spat out, as he moved to Sarine's side to hug her close. Sammy's gaze hardened into one of intense hatred now, as he stared at the floor. Just knowing that his developing twins were threatened, too, pissed him off. Howard was clearly pissed now, and the others were trembling with rage.

"Your kids are mine, too..." Eremes nodded. "He'd better not harm them!"

"Kiehl, make sure you're with her at all times!" Thanatos hissed. "There is only one thing that I can think of that can harm both her and the kids!"

"What do you mean?" Kiehl frowned.

"If he truly means to cause harm to both, I don't know...but...it's a feeling. I really hope it's wrong," Thanatos said with worry and a touch of fear. "I can't say anything. I don't want my words to reach out to nothing to give any ideas. I'll just hope I'm wrong."

"Wait..." Howard thought, and then he tensed. Kiehl looked over at him with shock. It was a possibility, and Naght was seething with hate. Errende's eyes widened at Thanatos's thought, and he grimaced. Sarine winced, and Kiehl comforted her with Loomin. They would do nothing now. At least they knew that the nursery would come to no harm.  _Loki's word was his bond._ Alexander would be monitoring both the nursery and the bedroom. Observation would be on guard at all times. Serenity didn't know what was going on, but she whimpered, and Howard took her to hug her.  _Kiehl's kids were my kids. All of Sarine's kids were mine, and they belonged to the others that shared her blood with me. That meant that they were Loomin's kids, too. Even the ones growing in Sarine were a part of Loomin._

"We have an island we need to go to," Sarine finally said, as she forced everything aside. She had to refocus on something else. "I am very curious to see it."

"As are we," Kiehl nodded with a tight smile. Howard knew what she was doing and was grateful for it. Muninn flew over to settle onto her shoulders protectively.

_:Father Odin. Will help. Keep. All kids. Safe. Even ones. In you. He promises. So. Do not. Fear.:_ Muninn said, as he nuzzled her.

"Thank you, Muninn," she shivered and snuggled into his feathered neck. This had everyone rest a lot easier now. It was true that they didn't like how she could come to harm, but they really didn't want her to lose her growing children. To do that would be disastrous for everyone, and she wouldn't be able to conceive anymore. Loki had been watching everything from afar, and he realized just how serious it could have been.  _If she can't give me children, then all of my efforts would be wasted. At least Odin was going to protect the unborn children in full._  Loki would also ensure that she would be kept from losing her children.  _At least until she had one for me..._

Sarine gave her older children hugs and kisses before setting them in their beds and cribs. Loomin had a show of fatherly pride, and he knew he had a grin on his face. Kiehl ran a hand over her belly before kissing her, and Serenity giggled at it.

"What?" Kiehl chuckled.

"Keel is having babies with Mama!" she grinned. That made him blush, and Sarine started to laugh. Loomin grinned even more, and Howard was snickering.

"I'm guessing that she knows about the facts of life?" Loomin asked.

"Doll told her and Siegfried. When the others start asking, Doll will fill them in when she knows they're ready. We need to get going," Sammy said.

"How is your back, Errende?" Sarine asked.

"I'm fine," he chuckled. "Don't worry."

"If you're still hurting later, I'll see about massaging a potion or two into it," she said.

"In that case, I'll make sure it hurts bad," he snickered. That made her scowl at him, and Thanatos was laughing. Now the others were getting ideas, and she shook her head.

"The men that belong to me. Sheesh!" she grinned, and they all laughed. They followed her down the stairs, and she took a deep breath when she closed her eyes. Doppy frowned at this and whispered a song in her ears. She nodded to him and thought.

"It's possible that some of Keltin's Rage may still be in you. Remember the fight in the arena, and how you had blood in your vomit after? It could be a side effect," Howard frowned.

"True. I will no longer waste my Light of Odin on a petty bitch or feud. If it can start to tear me to pieces inside..." she winced, and Kiehl hugged her to comfort her. She leaned into him and smiled, as she whispered, "Is everyone ready?"

"Almost. Let's get you on Windwalker," Kiehl said. Loomin was about to question it, but then he remembered.  _Her stasis._ Giving a small nod to the others, he gave a smile to Sarine. She nodded, and Windwalker was waiting for her outside. Naght and Ifrit were also waiting with Baphomet. She paused when she saw Dark Lord waiting with them.

"I want to see this place for myself," Dark Lord said. Wanderer moved to her side to show he was going. Eddga, Pori-Pori, and Vagabond Wolf made their usual appearance. Maya Purple settled his massive bug body into a waiting stance, and his claws opened and closed impatiently. She settled between Howard and Kiehl on Windwalker. The others moved to circle around her. She looked over curiously, as Lord of Death moved to join them. Any undead areas she was going to visit made him want to see for himself, too.

"I think this is overkill," Seyren chuckled. Then he gasped when Doppy smacked him on the back, and he scowled out, "Stop that! I'm still sore!"

"Really? Odd. I thought only women complained with that line," the demon grinned. That had everyone sputtering with laughter, and Seyren glared hard. Sarine was hiding her face against Howard's neck, as she laughed.

"You're right," Donnie grinned and got glared at next. "Next thing we know, he'll say he has a headache!"

"Stop it!" Seyren hissed, as they all laughed again.

"Well, he was bleeding earlier," Doppy grinned wickedly and had many gasping for air, as they laughed. Seyren was growling, but Karla was hugging him all the same.

"Some like the pain," Karla grinned wickedly. That sent a wave of silence through most of the crowd. Seyren sighed and kissed her hard before showing they were ready to go. Muninn warbled, as he shook off the laughter, and took them all to the island.


	103. Chapter 103

The moment they got there, a path was cleared. Dark Lord and Lord of Death were clearly impressed with the place. Loomin focused and moved between Lloyd and Margaretha to activate the skill Benedictio Sanctissimi Sacramenti. It made the ground around them teem with Holy magic, and Keltin even tested it by putting himself in place of Lloyd. The skill still worked, and Loomin grinned.  _Any monster that was not friendly was going to get hammered with pain._

"Now that is awesome," Garrett grinned. The demons in the group were only too happy to be immune to the Holy magic around them, as they moved over the ground. Just being a part of Sarine's group and entourage protected them. Keltin told them where to start heading to, and they came up to a crumbling cathedral. Five monsters were waiting for them before they went inside, and the area was cleansed of any rogue monsters that tried to get too close.

"Let's see," Keltin said, as he studied the monsters in front of him. "Zombie Slaughter, Ragged Zombie, Hell Poodle, Banshee, and Flame Skull."

"Oh?" Sarine blinked, as she looked over. Banshee looked like a floating girl with glowing red and white eyes. Her body and dress looked like they were misting out constantly, but in more of a flaming way. Her dress was white, and her hair was purple and done up. Her arms were outstretched to show she was ready to help attack.

Hell Poodle looked like a scrawny, skeletal red dog. Spiked anklets were on its feet, a Demonic tail whipped about, and a crack in its skull was clearly showing. Long, floppy ears that resembled hair moved about, as it looked around. A heavy spiked collar was around its neck, and it moved up to Sarine to hand her a special bone that could be used to tame a Baby Desert Wolf pet. She already had one that joined her, but she would hold onto the bone as a gift. It gave over its card, too, and she smiled.

Flame Skull looked like a shadowy Demonic skull with smoke-like flames coming from it on occasion. It stared at the group with hollowed eyes with lights in them and clattered its jaw. Zombie Slaughter looked like a man with a sickle. One of his arms were broken off at the elbow and moved about aimlessly. On a first glance, it looked like he had on a red tunic, but it was actually his skin that was ripped off from his upper chest to the lower half of his face to expose the muscles. He had on a set of torn up, dirty white pants and was barefoot. He had black, spidery hair, and an unholy light in his eyes, as he shuffled around.

Ragged Zombie looked more complete, save the fact that his gut was torn open from the rib bone he kept pushing in and out of the gaping hole. It almost looked like he was trying to either rip it free from his ribcage, or trying to put it back in. With each motion he did, green, digestive goo spilled onto the ground. The goo only seemed to appear when he moved the rib back and forth. Red, stiff locks of hair and purple skin were his other main features. He blinked his dead, white eyes at them, as mist seemed to swirl around him. A brown, matted and sleeveless tunic graced his chest, and it was open in the front to reveal that he was actually quite muscled. There were torn edges around the sleeves to show that they were fully torn off, and the strands were splayed out haphazardly. It almost reminded one of what a Stalker wore to a certain point. Torn up, dirty white pants and sandals made up the rest of his clothes.

"Interesting," Dark Lord hissed out. Ragged Zombie stayed after he glowed with power, and the others vanished away. His body seemed even more intact now, and his form rippled with new power and rebuilt muscles. He flexed lightly, and Sarine was quite taken with him.

"Now, why did you stay?" Injustice asked.

"I want to help," the zombie replied now that he could speak properly. His voice was actually quite pleasant with a hollow tone to it. "I can attack by throwing my ribs for long range hits. They regenerate, so I'm fine."

"Ah," Keltin nodded. "Hmm. I should try throwing some Spirit Spheres. I'm sure I could. Anyways, are we ready to head inside?"

"Yes," Sarine said.

"Oh, here," Ragged Zombie said, as he moved to her side. He no longer shuffled, and he seemed even far more complete after the glow happened to him when he got closer. Even the green goo that dripped from his gut stopped and seemed to hold in place. He handed her his card, a gun, a set of boots, and a ring.

"Thank you!" she said with delight. Howard checked the items, and he whistled.

"Wasteland's Outlaw gun, Tidal Shoes, and...an Expert Ring?! Very nice!" he grinned.

"You're welcome. Fallen Bishop Hibram is waiting to see you. We need to go," the zombie said. Sarine nodded and noticed that, if the zombie wasn't tearing his own insides apart, he was rather cute. Kiehl managed to swallow a chuckle, and Howard was blinking at her with a strange look of surprise.

"What?" she grinned. "I find monsters attractive. Not my fault that Daddy made me this way. Deal with it!"

"True," Howard grinned back, and tickled her lightly before squeezing her. When they got into the cathedral, Ragged Zombie helped them clear the way, and he started to lead them through it. Karla started to stockpile her cart with Armeyer, and all Timmy could do was help out with basic potions when he could. He did help with the extra room his cart provided when he needed to. Otherwise, he was trying to help attack what he could. Loomin kept up with his ground blessings to keep most of the monsters back. The place was an absolute battle zone. When they got through one part, they had to walk through an outer garden next. They all fought their way through, and finally went down a long hallway filled with even more monsters. They got to the sleeping chambers, and the zombie led them down a set of stairs.

When they got down here, the place was quickly cleansed of monsters, and Margaretha gasped. She pointed for them all to go straight, as Fallen Bishop Hibram was waiting for them in the center of the room. As they approached, a monster holding a skull rod in one hand and a bunch of skulls in the other moved towards them. A long cape flowed out from around it to reveal undead limbs, and a horned animal skull covered its head. The horns came out from the hood, as though to help hold it in place, and a red, Demonic necklace adorned its chest.

"That's a Necromancer. He's here to help us," Keltin said. The monster moved to help lead them to Fallen Bishop Hibram, and the strong monster moved to Sarine's side.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up!" Hibram said. "I was getting impatient. I know we met in Naght's tower, but it seemed more appropriate to meet here."

"I know. I'm sorry it took so long," Sarine frowned.

"It's fine. I'll move with you now. At least, with you, the ghosts that possess me are stilled enough for me to think for myself. I have to thank you for that," he nodded. "Oh, these are for you. I don't need them."

"Oh!" she blinked as two spears, a ring, a wand, and his card were given to her. "Thank you very much!"

"Hmm," Thanatos thought, as he studied Hibram. Errende narrowed his eyes and looked away.  _Hibram was a strong demon. We would need to ensure that he would not become a part of the Demonic Matings._ Errende whispered to the others, and Howard winced. Sarine frowned at this, and now she looked out to study what Hibram looked like. She couldn't tell in Naght's tower, since Huginn had control of her. His skin was grey, and his blond hair was spiked up. He had on dark brown pants, a light grey belt, and a dirty white tunic. Two, dirty yellow sashes were held in by the belt, and the ends swayed with his movements. He was barefoot, but it suited him. A glowing light came from his eyes, and he appeared to be constantly fighting off the possessive ghosts that clung to him. They seemed to want to reach out to the others, but cowered away if they got too close. He was actually a rather handsome demon.

"We'll handle him, if it happens, so don't worry too much," Kiehl muttered. "Anyways, what did Hibram give you?"

"Let me check," Howard said, as he Identified them. "Wow. A Long Horn spear that's made from a unicorn horn, a Hunting Spear, a Wand of Occult, and a Spiritual Ring. Not bad at all! Even his card is impressive! Have Karla hold them, please."

"Of course," Errende said, and he took them to give to her. Hibram was now talking to Margaretha while they walked, and traveling was much easier. He was able to keep the monsters back, since he didn't lose his power. As he was told in Naght's tower, he was too evil to have a darker double to separate from. Yet, as he spoke with Margaretha, he found something happening within him. It was as though he found some form of inner peace that he thought was lost to him long ago. Sarine whimpered, and Huginn came forth to surprise them all. The group stopped, and Huginn had her move to confront him.

"Yes?" Hibram asked.

"It's me, Huginn. Fallen Bishop Hibram, you now have the ability to leave a darker side of yourself here, if you choose. Yes, Margaretha will still have your blood, but you can leave the more possessed part of yourself in the cathedral. Much like with Kiel D-01 and what happened with him. Would you like to do this?" he asked.

"I...if it's possible, then yes! Please help me! I wasn't all evil once! If I have a chance to reclaim what I lost, then, please, let me take it!" Hibram gasped. Loomin watched with a smile and stood back to see how this worked.

"Then separate from your darker self now! I command you!" Huginn shouted. Hibram screamed, as the heavier, Demonic ghost of his was fused to a darker form and vanished away. He trembled from the pain at first before it vanished, and he stood up with shock.

"I'm free! I...never thought..." Hibram said with shock.

"You are now pet-like and able to travel with the Vessel of Odin wherever she goes! You'll still carry a form of the possession with you, but it will only help you attack. Much like Incantation Samurai's ghost, you can hide it away within yourself to fool others. However, you will still resemble a demon in skin tone and your clothing. Do you understand?" Huginn asked.

"Yes, I do. Thank you, Huginn!" Hibram said.

"You...also hold no more power here. Be prepared to be attacked!" Huginn said, as Sarine's form fainted. Keltin caught her in his arms and waited for her to wake before putting her on Windwalker's back. The monsters started to swarm them with a vengeance, and they all attacked back with a renewed ferocity. It took no time at all to get the area back under control.

"Beelzebub is waiting for us. We need to see him now," Hibram said.

"Then let's go," Seyren nodded.

"We need to head north," Keltin said, as he detected where to go.

"Right," Loomin said, and he started to bless the ground again. They all worked their way north, and Doppy was clearly enjoying himself. Naght was keeping in time with Baphomet. Dark Lord and Lord of Death were planning on coming along more often. Ifrit was burning things to a crisp with his attacks, and Eremes was killing off anything that got too close to Windwalker with Pori-Pori. Eddga and Sammy were using their mass skill effects with the Clowns and Gypsy. Maheo was showing off his extraordinary skills, as he helped Mitchell and Kathryne. Sarine couldn't pay much attention to what was going on outside of Windwalker's wings. Howard and Kiehl were keeping her calm, and she had to glance out now and then to see if Sammy was all right.

"We're almost there!" Keltin shouted out over a mob of monsters. Laurell was helping protect Lilah as much as he could. She didn't have the stronger attacks that were necessary for this area, and all she could do was help buff the others. Blent and Wickebine were using their Backstab skills to get at unsuspecting monsters. Karla was tossing her bombs when she was able to and keeping Luna safe. Seyren was Berserked and killing anything that tried to touch his wife. When they got to the third set of stairs, they cleared out the area to take a small break. Cecil, Kavach, and Maya Purple helped set up a defensive border to kill off any monster that got too close to them.

"Wow," Loomin sighed. He used a skill called Sanctuary to help Heal the group where they sat. Lloyd was doing the same, and Margaretha was replenishing buffs with Errende and Keltin. Eremes was checking how many Poison Bottles he had left. Pori-Pori was spitting out the items he picked up for Karla, Armeyer, and Timmy to put away.

"My Lady? Are you well?" Byorgue asked, as he moved to Windwalker.

"I'm fine, Byorgue," she said.

"She needs to eat," Kiehl said. The moment he said that, sushi, cookies, and tea were produced for her. Windwalker settled to lay down for a bit, and he folded his wings carefully to his sides to show her to the others so they could tend to her needs. Donnie was clearly bored and decided to pick on the new zombie in the group. Little did he know that the dead man was just as resourceful with words as he was.

"You know you have a gaping hole in your gut, right?" Donnie asked Ragged Zombie.

"Well, you have a gaping hole in your head. It's called your mouth, and every time it opens, you waste precious air that everyone else needs," the zombie replied, and everyone stuttered with laughter. Donnie glowered, and Thomas was grinning. This was Ragged Zombie's true personality, and now it shone forth with a vengeance, since his mind was restored.

"You, sir, have just started a war!" Donnie said.

"Really? I thought I just finished one," the zombie shrugged, and Injustice was snickering. "Considering the fact that I'm far more accurate than you when it comes to attacking and killing other monsters."

"What?! What do you mean by that?" Donnie frowned.

"Sure, I can't get hit anymore now, but I know for a fact that you flounder around more like a man with his head cut off than I ever did! I would know, since I was defeated quite a few times!" Ragged Zombie grinned. "In fact, if I cut off the head of a chicken, its body would flounder around with more grace than yours! Likely land on the target, too, come to think of it."

"You're a dead man!" the Clown hissed.

"Very perceptive of you! I  _am_  a dead man! Good job!" the zombie grinned again. Donnie found himself at a loss for words, and Egnigem was laughing hard. Thanatos was sniggering like crazy with the other demons.

"His brain is probably rotten mush, and he just got the better of Donnie. Wow," Coraline snickered and ignored her brother's glare. Max was grinning, as he kept a protective arm around his pregnant wife.

"I'm done!" Sarine said. She wiped away tears of laughter. This actually helped in keeping her cheered up. The dirty dishes were taken from her, and everyone made themselves ready to go. Injustice moved to her side and whispered to her. She kissed him deeply and whispered back to him. He nodded and moved to ready himself to help fight. Ragged Zombie saw all of this with curiosity and moved to talk to him.

"She kissed you?" the zombie asked.

"Yes. I'm her slave," Injustice nodded. "Zealotus gave me up, and My Lady took me in. I am forever indebted to her, and I love her. She loves me, too."

"Oh. So, she loves her slaves?" Ragged Zombie asked curiously. Aliot watched everything silently and looked at Windwalker, as he carefully stood up to stretch out his wings. Then he folded them up to cover Sarine, Howard, and Kiehl. Errende was made aware of the two undead monsters talking, and Thanatos moved closer to listen in.

"Yes, she loves all of her slaves as much as her husbands," Injustice said.

"Do you think I could become a slave?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"No. Only one of each race can be a slave. Since I'm like you in being undead, I filled that gap," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"I feel that I can do more for her," the zombie frowned. "I have a hole in my gut, and you have spikes coming out of your arms and legs. You don't even look as undead as I do."

"I overheard you both rambling, and I might be able to help," Thanatos said, as he moved over to them. "Sarine can't have another undead slave. Her father, Odin, will forbid it. However, there is still a way that you can try to be with her."

"Really?" the zombie asked.

"Ever heard of a Demonic Mating?" Thanatos asked in a hushed whisper to keep the other demons from listening in. "We can't talk too loudly about this. I don't want Baphomet, Hibram, or Dark Lord to overhear us."

"I...don't think I do," the zombie murmured in a low tone. Thanatos muttered lightly to the zombie, as he helped fight off monsters when they descended to the third level. Errende moved to Sarine's side and whispered to Kiehl. Howard blinked and seemed to pause in thought.

"He likes her?" Kiehl thought.

"Who likes me?" Sarine asked.

"Ragged Zombie," Howard sighed. "Thanatos is telling him about the Demonic Matings. He thinks he can be a better slave to you than Injustice."

"I am not giving up Injustice!" she scowled.

"We know, love. We know," Kiehl smiled and squeezed her. "Thanatos even told Ragged Zombie that it wouldn't happen. Don't worry."

"Errende, get Injustice over here," Howard said. Errende brought him over, and they were forced to stop, anyways, since the fighting was so thick. Sarine pulled Injustice into a tight hug, and he hugged her back just as tightly. She gave a soft, contented sigh and let him kiss her soundly before moving to help with the fighting.

"I was always iffy about undead monsters," Howard grinned.

"Why?" she asked.

"I mean, think about it," he started, and Kiehl sputtered in laughter at his thoughts. "What would you do if his dick suddenly broke off in you from a form of rot or something? How would one go about that? What?!"

"Howard Alt-Eisen! You are disgusting!" she hissed and tickled him mercilessly. At his hard laughing, Seyren found himself walking over to find out why, but he didn't have to. Naght was hissing with amusement and rumbled to the others. Now those that understood Demonic started to gape and laugh with a form of shock. Keltin growled, as he took it as a personal insult, and moved to Windwalker's side to berate Howard. Keltin asked Windwalker to lower his wings so he could talk to Howard, and the Gryphon warbled when he did so.

"I'm gonna pull you off his back and kick your ass!" Keltin snarled out. Now Doppy looked over and roared with laughter, as the others were no better.

"Ah, shit! I forgot that Bonguns are undead, too!" Howard said, and he started laughing again. Kiehl was laughing so hard that he was crying, and Sarine was just shaking her head.

"Naght spilled it all, and now I have to defend the honor that you just tried to soil!" Keltin muttered furiously. Sarine leaned down and pulled him into a breath-taking kiss of solid want and lust. The look she gave Howard was simple. _Get off the Gryphon, and let Keltin reclaim his honor._ Howard nodded with a wide grin and let Keltin take his place. Kiehl sat back, as Windwalker rose up his wings to hide them, and Eremes moved over to Howard.

"You're in trouble..." the Assassin Cross grinned.

"Shut it!" Howard smirked. Loomin was just chuckling and shaking his head. Injustice gave Howard a dirty look, and the Whitesmith grinned again with a shrug.

"How would you like it if I said that living people tended to be the same way with diseases?" Ragged Zombie grinned when he was filled in on what was said. "You'd be surprised at what humans would do to make themselves give more pleasure..."

"Quiet! Right now! Shut up!" Howard snapped, and Kiehl was heard laughing again.

"Why? Some humans actually take a bunch of odd bits and pieces to embed into their...what?" Ragged Zombie asked, as Donnie was stomping over. Howard just gave a miserable sigh. He realized that he was starting to like this zombie. Doppy was grinning like crazy, and Sammy was just shaking with laughter.

"And how would you know about embedding things into things, eh?" Donnie asked.

"I'd say I was an experimental youth, but that would be a lie," the zombie grinned. "Besides, I'm pretty sure that any monster can say how often they walked in on a couple of humans mating like crazy and saw a few things happen. Especially when said monster charges in on the scene just to see their reactions!"

"I hear you!" Doppy howled with amusement. "I did that all the time! It was a blast!"

"Wow," Loomin grinned.

"Reminds me of how much Seyren likes to walk in on people," Howard muttered, and Eremes snickered. Then he blinked and pulled Sammy over to Windwalker so Sarine could see them. Keltin was now moving off of Windwalker's back with a smug smile on his face.

"I'm still pissed at you!" Keltin said. He walked away to start sensing where Beelzebub was. Howard gave a chuckle and moved back onto the Gryphon to get hugged by Sarine.

"Ragged Zombie is a bigger pervert than you. And that's saying a lot," Kiehl grinned.

"Shut up!" Howard sighed, and Sarine started giggling. "He's actually growing on me like some sick, cancerous disease."

"He does have his moments," Kiehl chuckled. "Like you. What?"

"Shut up!" Howard said again, and Sarine just sighed and shook her head before thinking.

"Ah...no," Kiehl said.

"Hibram is cute, too," she mused. Howard gave a harsh scowl, and she started laughing at him before hugging him tight. "My Whitesmith and my Kiehl are all I really need right now, though. Naght, too, if he's listening."

"He's not, but, if what you're saying is true, then I'm not complaining," Howard smiled and got kissed passionately. "Now I have to wonder about beast monsters..."

"Say nothing about Nigel!" she growled, and Kiehl started to snicker. Howard blinked and wisely kept his mouth shut.  _I already got Keltin pissed at me. I don't need another guy mad at me._  Right as her kissing got more intense, a loud buzzing was heard, and he muttered a few swear words. She giggled and kissed him again, as Windwalker set his wings down. A large fly was hovering towards them, and Cecil moved to greet it.

"Beelzebub!" Cecil waved at him. The large fly forced back all of the other monsters, as he changed his form to that of a regal King with Demonic horns holding up his crown on either side of his head. His face was noble and handsome with long, straight locks of white hair coming down to his chest. His hair came down the middle to his back, as well. A large, kingly robe that was dark purple in color with lined white fur settled along his shoulders to his feet. He held a large book and a royal staff, as he nodded to them. The rest of his finery was clearly of a form of royal standing that had the same royal purple color. He was a Lord of Hell, after all, but something suggested otherwise. He did have a third form that he would use to attack with, but there was no need for it now.

"So good to see you all at last," he said in a sharp, buzzing tone. It was almost as though he was grinding out the words. Yet, the more he spoke, the better his voice got. Then he moved to Sarine's side to bow, as he said, "And it is finally an honor to meet you instead of Huginn."

"Oh," she blushed softly, and Howard gave a mild glare. Naght gave a mild hiss of warning, and Beelzebub simply smiled.

"Don't worry, Naght. I'll just wait for her...Demonic Mating..." he grinned wickedly. Thanatos hissed, and Ragged Zombie narrowed his eyes. Thanatos didn't realize that Beelzebub was able to hear any conversation that happened in his domain. Dark Lord and Baphomet looked at each other, and Hibram paused at this. Lord of Death seemed to chuckle, and Wanderer smirked. Maheo gave a questioning look, and Seyren pulled him aside to tell him what they were talking about. Since Maheo was human, it was doubtful that he'd do anything, but he liked to know what was going on. Kavach didn't know what they were talking about and disregarded it, thinking it was just something that had to deal with monsters. Doppy snarled out with a form of rage, but Eremes calmly rose up his hand to speak.

"Her pregnancy will happen next with me. She will be unable...to give any others children. Only four at a time. It's true...she will have a Demonic Mating...yet...no one but me...can give her children. Odin has stated this. So...sure...you can have fun... but...remember. No offspring from any of you. Remember this," Eremes said with a cold glare. Ifrit gave his own form of a hissing snarl. Sarine thought, and Howard looked at her with surprise.

"I don't think you should," Kiehl said. Muninn warbled and looked at him.

"She wants to kiss some monsters here to see if they fit with her or not," Howard grimaced. "I don't think she should, either. Actually, with demons, it won't matter. But...kiss Ragged Zombie. I want to see what happens."

"What?" the zombie blinked. Muninn seemed to laugh at his disturbed look.

"Demons can always join a Demonic Mating frenzy. It's true. Kissing isn't necessary for that. But, yeah, I like the rotting corpse," Thanatos chuckled.

"I doubt he can be a husband or a slave. Maybe a mate?" Injustice thought.

"Don't do it! I don't want to travel around with that thing!" Donnie scowled.

"Now you have to do it, My Lady!" Byorgue grinned. Loomin found himself smiling with Sammy. Sarine found herself at an awkward pause.

"I don't think a blood swap would be necessary for him," Howard frowned.

"If he gets you pregnant, maybe," Kiehl nodded. "But, for now, I don't think so."

"But, it would all be out of wedlock. And he won't be a slave so...oh, I don't know," Sarine sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't."

"My Lady, it isn't often that you feel the urge to kiss just anyone. Right?" Nigel asked.

"No," she admitted. Then a crushing force filtered around them to reveal Odin. She blinked at him and frowned.

"My daughter, my Vessel," Odin chuckled. "Kiss Ragged Zombie, Beelzebub, and Fallen Bishop Hibram, please."

"Ah..." she winced.

"We'll know for sure," Howard grimaced.

"If the kisses do fit, then they will become mates. Not husbands or slaves. Just there when you need them," Odin nodded. Sammy blinked and realized that, if he wasn't a husband, he would have become a mate. He was rather relieved to be her husband, though. Errende gave a sharp look at Kavach, but the Sniper was ignoring everything. He didn't catch what Odin said, and it was likely possible that he didn't hear what was going on. Thanatos seemed to nod, and he clearly didn't want the human to know anything. Sarine gave a soft frown, but Howard and Kiehl both hugged her tight and let her move from them. She moved to Ragged Zombie first.

"Are you sure?" the zombie asked. As a response, she planted her mouth on his, and the kiss was deepened before she pulled away with a bit of surprise.

"The verdict?" Sammy asked.

"I...fit? I think?" the zombie blinked. Howard and Kiehl both gave a soft groan of disbelief. Then again, they liked him.  _He fit in well with us._

"Ifrit and Naght don't really need to do the blood swaps. Neither does Thanatos. Mates seem to be a bit beyond that rule," Keltin thought.

"And you are correct," Odin nodded. "They can, if they want, but it's not necessary. My grandchildren will see them instinctively as father figures."

"Right," Ragged Zombie thought. Loomin had his arms crossed, as he watched everything. He had another two hours before his proper age was there. He was now as tall as Doppy and just as strong. He actually seemed to have Doppy's build in body structure and would need his clothes adjusted. Doppy looked over at him with a grin, and they continued to watch Sarine. She moved to Hibram next, and he didn't even hesitate when he pulled her close to kiss passionately. When she drew away from him, he found himself smiling.

"He fits," Margaretha smiled at his thoughts.

"You know I do see you like a sister," Hibram chuckled at her.

"And I see you as a brother," Margaretha nodded. "It would be best."

"That it will," he nodded. Sarine gave a small sigh and now looked at Beelzebub. He gestured for her and planted a lusty kiss on her mouth. He found himself grinning after it.

"Sorry, little sis. He fits you, too," Cecil smiled sadly.

"I guess it was expected," Sarine shrugged. Kavach looked irritated now, and Errende glared at him from the corner of his eye.

"What's eating him?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"His kiss fits, but doesn't fit. He's a complicated case," Sammy explained.

"And he can't take what My Lady dishes out," Errende said smugly. Sarine gave him a look, and Errende chuckled.

"We will see what happens from here," Sarine nodded. She did move over to Loomin and let herself get pulled into his embrace. As her most recent husband, she clearly needed to be comforted by him. Howard was muttering with Kiehl.  _The moment we got home, all three monsters would want to claim their mating Rights with her._

"Shall I send you all back to the island?" Odin asked.

"I think we're ready," Howard nodded. Odin nodded and sent them all back, as he vanished away.


	104. Chapter 104

When they got back to the island, Beelzebub, Hibram, and Ragged Zombie weren't going to leave her side until they were able to be with her. It was a given. She led her men up to the bedroom and stood in front of the bathroom door.

"All right. How-How, Kiehl, and Sammy need to be in the tub so I can see them at times. My pregnancy is making me need to see them on occasion. As long as I can see them, then I'll be fine. Beelzebub, I'll be with you first. This way, please," she gestured. Beelzebub nodded and followed her. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy moved into the bathroom and closed the door. They undressed quickly and moved into the tub to settle in. Sarine had undressed and seemed to smile at how Beelzebub was staring at her. He truly was a rather handsome, horned man when he wasn't a fly. Most demons tended to be attractive when they wanted to be.

The large, fur-lined robe was discarded to reveal a gold and royal purple suit underneath. His crown was carefully removed and set aside with his staff and book. He undressed the rest of the way quickly and moved to take her hungrily. She gasped, as he kissed her, and bucked hard into her. He brought them both to a hard release quickly, and he grinned.

"I'll be doing this quite often with you," he chuckled.

"Maybe," she smiled. He gave a mild glare at that, but he was still grinning.

"Oh, before I forget, I have something for you," he smirked.

"Like what?" she asked. He moved to his robe and pulled out a small item.

"For you," he smiled and gave her his card. "Think of it as, oh, a mating gift."

"A mating gift?" she giggled and heard Kiehl snickering with Howard in the tub.

"Yes. Exactly that. Hmm. You look...rather distinguished," he mused. "I noticed it before when we were in my domain earlier."

"Oh?" she smiled.

"You're royalty, aren't you?" he asked.

"I am. My Papa is Emperor Markus of Amatsu. He is my adoptive father. If you want to know more, you can ask them out there."

"No need. Cecil's memories told me...quite a bit. I've been looking forward to this for a long time, actually. Don't be alarmed, if I take up a bit of a permanent residence here. I'll be setting up my flies as a form of an alarm system for that cathedral," Beelzebub said. "When someone enters my domain, I'll know. I'll be able to defend it that way."

"Beelzebub! You just gave me an awesome idea!" Kiehl said. The Demon Lord grinned and kissed Sarine again to take her swiftly before releasing with her. Only then did he move from her to join the others in the tub to find out about Kiehl's idea. He was amused at thinking of his Hell Flies being set up with surveillance systems for the house. He liked the idea quite a bit now. As they continued to talk, Sarine got up and called for Hibram to come in. He walked in and closed the door before pausing to stare at her figure. She was reclining on the floor, and she stretched herself out.

"Come to me, Hibram," she whispered. His nearly tore his clothes off of himself, as he frantically undressed. Now he growled and pulled her close to pin her underneath him. He released hard in her the moment he slipped into her.

"Sorry...been awhile..." he muttered.

"It's all right," she smiled and whispered to him. "Besides, doesn't practice make perfect? That's what I thought always happens..."

"Practice also makes children," he grinned, and Howard started laughing.

"Very true," she giggled, and he kissed her deeply.

"I'll set up my watch in the house. Likely in the hallway before the main bedrooms. I saw how Doppelganger set himself up by your door. I think I'll do that on the stairs," he smiled.

"That would be fantastic!" she smiled.

"So, what happens now?" he asked.

"I'll need to see to Ragged Zombie. You can join the ones in the tub, or do whatever you want to do from here," she smiled.

"Well, I'm not going to do whoever I want unless it's you," he grinned. Howard laughed again, and Kiehl was coughing, as he tried to breathe. She laughed, and he kissed her to move in her again. This time, he was able to bring her to release with him, and he chuckled.

"See? Practice..." she sighed, and he hugged her to him tightly before letting her go.

"I'll join them in the tub and call in the dead man," he grinned again. Howard was still laughing, and Kiehl told them what Hibram was saying to Sarine. Beelzebub was smiling, and Sammy was rubbing his forehead. Hibram moved from her side and called in Ragged Zombie before heading into the tub. She sat up and sighed before moving to glance over the tub wall. She met Howard's loving gaze, and she smiled when she saw Kiehl and Sammy. Sated of needing to see them, she sat on the ground again.

She was about to start shivering when she felt a set of arms move around her. The zombie had already chucked aside his clothes and had moved to her side. She looked at his gaping gut and giggled.

"That could be a problem," she smiled.

"Nah!" he grinned. "As long as I don't diddle a rib in it, I'm fine."

The men in the tub started laughing at his words. Laughter was heard out in the bedroom, and that could only mean that Naght was telling them what was going on.

"Oh, really?" she chuckled.

"Yep! See? No mess!" he grinned, and he stretched his body out on the ground. Then he hissed when she moved on top of him.

"Very true. At least I can make sure nothing falls on me this way!" she grinned wickedly, and laughter erupted from the tub and in the bedroom again. He lost himself to his release when she arched herself, and he was breathing heavily from it. Now he pulled her down to press a kiss to her mouth and rolled to have her under him. Releasing hard with her this way had them both gasping for air. He sat up with her to hug her, and she leaned into him.

"What now?" he asked.

"I was thinking a beach day tomorrow. Just a day to relax, really," she said. "My Papa in Amatsu did want me to see him. I was thinking that it may be possible. I wouldn't mind a house in the city of Rachel, but, if Loomin is with me...I don't want him to be discovered."

"It would be risky," Howard called out, as he agreed with her.

"Do you want to get the others in here so we can talk about it?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. It would be best," she nodded. Ragged Zombie picked her up and moved into the tub with her, as Naght told the others to get into the bathroom. Ifrit was glad the waters weren't running, and he watched from outside the tub with Naght. Kiehl had her sit in his lap, as Sammy and Howard were on either side of him. Doppy settled in and simply stared in shock at Loomin.  _Not only was he matching in build, but size was the same._ That had Sarine blushing with a shake of her head, and small flashes of envy were all around.

"Once again, I feel inadequate," Howard sighed and laughter started up from them.

"I told you I was still growing," Loomin smirked.

"Shut up!" Doppy grinned. "As long as you're not bigger than me."

"Oh, stop comparing! It's how you use it, anyways! And all of you use everything quite well. I can easily vouch," she smiled. More laughter came from them all.

"So, what's going on tomorrow?" Howard asked before he and Eremes both coughed and became human. "Ah, good. Humanity. Wonderful."

"Which means it's midnight," she smiled.

"I'm glad you all found me as early in the day as you did," Loomin sighed.

"Very true," Keltin nodded.

"I'm surprised that you're not leaking all over the tub," Thanatos snickered at Ragged Zombie. "You'd think that green ooze of yours would be everywhere!"

"Like I said to her. As long as I don't diddle it, I don't dribble it," the zombie smirked, and Howard was coughing with laughter.

"Makes me wonder if you're a woman now," Doppy grinned.

"He's a guy," Sarine grinned. "I know. Trust me."

"So, you've used your dick, too?" Doppy asked, and Eremes bit his knuckles to keep from laughing outright. Howard and Kiehl were hiding in Sarine's hair, as they laughed.

"What do you think the gaping hole in my gut is for?" the zombie joked. That made everyone die with laughter. "Just kidding about that! But, yes, I have. You'd be surprised how bored those Banshees get when they aren't killing anyone."

"Then again, the Flame Skulls are just floating heads with mouths, right?" Thanatos grinned. That had Sarine blushing hard and more laughter came.

"Ooh! I haven't thought of that one!" the zombie mused, and even more laughter followed. Then Sarine yawned and shook her head. Kiehl smiled softly and hugged her.

"She's tired," Howard frowned.

"She had a full day," Sammy nodded.

"So, relaxation tomorrow?" Keltin asked.

"Yes. Loomin, help me get her to bed. She really needs to sleep," Kiehl sighed.

"Right," he nodded. Howard, Sammy, Loomin, and Kiehl all moved from the tub. The moment they left the bathroom, Naght rumbled in Demonic at first to Keltin. Then Keltin looked at the three new mates.

"There is something going on with Sarine that she can't know of," he said quietly. "It can risk her health, as well as the health of her unborn children. If the three of you care about her, and want in on this, vow that you will say nothing in front of her until the time is right."

"I swear," Ragged Zombie said seriously.

"I vow on my new life," Hibram said sternly.

"As long as my name is Beelzebub, she will know nothing," the Demon Lord nodded. "And I will not speak of anything that will harm her, regardless."

"Okay," Keltin said. He told them about the hidden pregnancy in Sarine, and when the triplets were destined to finally grow. This had the three mates in a slight state of shock.

"It's why Kiehl and Howard have to be seen by her. She craves to see them," Doppy said. "I didn't know at first until I vowed my silence. The craving spread to Sammy now. She'll likely be craving to see Eremes when he gets her pregnant next. We aren't sure if the craving is permanent with her later pregnancies. There is something else, too. As she has so many husbands, we made a pact with each other. To protect her, love her, fight for her, and die for her. Each other, too, if we must."

"We made one, too, as slaves," Errende nodded.

"Well, we mates need one now!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Small nods were given from Naght, Ifrit, Thanatos, Hibram, and Beelzebub. Once it was formed, a rather calm state filtered through the room. Each one was in their own form of thoughts, as they waited for the others to come back to them.

"You sure you have her?" Howard asked Loomin.

"Yeah, I've got it from here," he smiled, as he cradled Sarine in one of the smaller beds.

"I'll be sleeping soon, as it is. Kiehl will be up here sketching. Sammy usually meditates and monitors her dreams on a floor cushion. I'm heading back into the bathroom," Howard said. Sarine smiled softly at him, and he kissed her gently. He waited for her to fall asleep before leaving the room. Loomin rested in the bed with her against his chest. He closed his eyes to sleep lightly until he heard the door open. The others filtered out silently to set up their watches and places of meditation. Keltin came over to press a kiss to her forehead. Kiehl and Howard did the same. Doppy made sure that she was comfortable before settling to meditate. Once they were settled in beds, and Kiehl was quietly sketching, the night started to pass silently.


	105. Chapter 105

Four hours into the night, she woke with a craving to see her loves. She sat up and found Loomin sleeping deeply. Howard was sleeping, and Sammy was deeply meditating. When she looked at the desk where Kiehl would be, he was gone.  _Where was Kiehl?_  She judged that he was down in the workshop. Now she had to wonder why he would be there. _He said that he would be here for me when I woke up!_ Getting up, she stretched and moved to put on a light green nightgown. She noticed that everyone was either sleeping deeply or meditating deeply. Even Doppy didn't flinch when she passed him.  _Why was that?_  She moved out the door and started down the hallway to the stairs.

"Kiehl?" she called out softly. She moved past the nursery, and her urge to see him got even worse. She gasped and fell to her knees. She hissed at the feeling of fire starting to course through her body, and she panicked.  _No! It couldn't happen like this!_ She cried out sharply and struggled to move. She feared for the safety of her unborn children now and found herself losing her senses. It was the exact same set of sensations she got when her craving for Thanatos was there. And, as each second went by, the burning fire within her got even worse. She cried out again before unconsciousness threatened to claim her.

"Sarine?!" Thanatos suddenly hissed from inside the nursery at the sound of her cries, and he moved out into the hallway to find her on the floor.

"Kiehl...where...?!" she gasped out. She couldn't even hear herself talking now. When he moved to touch her, she cried out from how hot he was. Thanatos now paused and realized that she was  _craving_  Kiehl.  _Much like how she craved me during her pregnancy with my twins. My worst fear came true!_

"Shit!" Thanatos hissed. He couldn't touch her. Right now, he was too hot to her. He ran swiftly down the stairs and slammed the workshop door open.

"What?!" Kiehl hissed, as he turned. "I just came down here to get more paper! I was on my way back up right now!"

"No time!" Thanatos snarled and grabbed him to haul him out as quickly as he could. The gathered papers spilled on the floor and were now ignored. "It happened! The one thing we feared! She's losing her senses!"

"NO!" Kiehl gasped and now ran past him and up the stairs to find Sarine on the ground in the bedroom hallway. He picked her up, and she cried out from the coolness of his touch.

"You have to give her your blood! Take her! She needs everything from you!" Thanatos said in a hurried tone. "Quick!"

"But...how...?!" Kiehl gasped, as Thanatos grabbed his wrist. He took his sword off his back to open a vein with a quick slice. The wound was pressed to her mouth for her to drink Kiehl's blood. The feeling of ice water pouring down her throat sent chills of relief through her. When enough was given, Kiehl Healed himself and gathered her up in his arms to rush her into the bedroom. He ripped off her nightgown when he moved her into the bathroom and freed himself to take her. He was only too glad that he felt a lot of pleasure when she took his blood to do it. He released hard in her and shivered from the exertion. Now he removed his clothes quickly to hug her tight to him. He knew it was bad with Thanatos. He was there to see the last part of it before she gave birth. He had no idea what it was really like until now.

"Kiehl...!" she sobbed, as her senses came back to her.

"I'm here, darling! I'm here! It's okay! I'm here now!" Kiehl sighed, as he let her cling to him. He pressed kisses all over her face while he rocked her. He heard Thanatos shouting everyone awake, and Howard was soon in the bathroom with Sammy. Loomin was in shock that he didn't wake up when she did, and he thought furiously as to why that was. He didn't like the answer when it came to him.

"Father...!" Loomin hissed and sighed angrily.

"Did he keep us from waking up?!" Keltin snarled.

"Yes. And he kept others from coming out of meditation or from hearing her," Loomin said with a wince. "However, he is letting me know what's going on now. As long as she can see Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy, everything is fine. But, if she can't see them, she'll go into a panicked state. Then...this will happen."

"So, they don't need to cling to her until she feels like she's on fire from lack of seeing them. Still, it shouldn't come to that," Thanatos grimaced.

"This is actually something that was bound to happen. Father just wanted to see how far it would go. How bad it would get," Loomin growled.

"This is what happens if her cravings to see them...get bad?!" Byorgue frowned.

"Yes. We can't  _ever_  let it get this bad again!" Loomin snarled.

"We won't," Doppy nodded.

"Heard and noted!" Eremes muttered.

"Even if he just wanted to see what was going to happen...it was too much!" Errende hissed. "My Lady should never have to go through this!"

"Kiehl, why did you leave the room?!" Thanatos asked.

"Like I said," Kiehl muttered, as he held Sarine. "I ran out of paper. I had to get more. I left just seconds before she woke up. I was about to head back up there when you came in."

"From now on, tell me if you need paper!" Aliot said. "Any of us can help you get it!"

"Fine," Kiehl said, and he winced while he rocked her. "I'm so sorry, Sarine!"

"It's...okay, Kiehl. I just...need to rest now..." she sighed and leaned into him. A minute later, he was supporting her weight.

"Sleeping," Howard said.

"Yes," Kiehl nodded, and he swallowed. "I'll be here for her."

"You mean the three of us will be here," Sammy said, and he dragged a cushion into the room to set on the tiled floor. A similar cushion was brought in by Howard with a few furs.

"Bring in a couple more. I'll lay her down between us," Kiehl said. Howard nodded, and Aliot helped him bring in more cushions and furs. They made a makeshift bed and carefully set her on the cushions. Kiehl moved to one side, as Howard was on the other. Sammy settled himself to sit on a cushion, and he closed his eyes to monitor her dreams. Kiehl closed his eyes to meditate with Sarine snuggling into his chest and Howard fell asleep.

After ten minutes, Loki appeared silently to lean along the tub wall. He watched her sleep with a soft smile, as he thought. Then he looked over at his son. Loomin felt his father appear and was now glaring at him with mistrust.

"What are you doing here, Father?!" Loomin growled in a whispered tone.

"They won't wake. Don't worry," Loki shrugged. "I wanted to see her."

"Fine. You saw her. Now leave!"

"That's no way to speak to me!"

"You purposely endangered her life and the life of my kids!"

"They aren't your kids."

"The moment she took my blood they became my kids!"

"Ah..." Loki paused and blinked. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Any child she has from this point forward is my child, too!"

"I just said I was sorry!"

"That's not good enough," Loomin said. "You need to leave. Now."

"Not going to happen."

"Why?"

"Because I'm trying to figure something out about her."

"Like what?"

"That hidden thing in her. I'm trying to find out more about it."

"If you do anything about it, you'll kill her!"

"It's life threatening?"

"Very."

"I see. I guess I'll have to wait until it passes."

"You got your information. Now go."

"Not yet."

"What now?!"

"What is that thing in her?" he asked now. He could have found out for himself, but, unknown to him, Odin's stasis had made it so that only those meant to know about it could overhear what it was about. Any others heard nothing at all. Odin knew that Loki would get curious, and this was a fail-safe to protect his daughter. For some strange reason, Loomin knew this. He wasn't about to say anything to anyone, though. He had to keep it secret. Like the stasis, if anyone else knew about it, this secret effect would be lost.

"I can't tell you," Loomin said. "You'll purposely do something just to see what happens like you did tonight. I won't risk it."

"I made sure Thanatos was able to hear her. I won't let her lose her unborn children. If she loses even one child then she can't conceive anymore."

"Why do you want a kid with my wife?! What's in it for you?"

"Power," Loki said. "She's the daughter of my Father, Odin. A direct bloodline from him. Anything born from her will have a form of power that is simply unheard of!"

"If you have a child with her, then something bad will happen. Muninn foresaw it."

"He did?!"

"Yes. So, you can't. And I won't let you!"

"What gratitude! I should have kept you frozen!"

"Well, you didn't," Loomin smirked. "Oh, I wanted to thank you, Father."

"Oh? For what?"

"For giving me someone to love and protect. And a new family."

"What do you mean a new family?!"

"Her family is my family. And there was something else I learned. I figured it out while I trained today. The others don't know of it yet."

"What's that?"

"Doppelganger and I have the exact same body build. There is only one major difference. Where he excels in physical attack, I excel in magical attack. I am his exact opposite when it comes to attacking, in a way."

"You lie!"

"If I am lying, then I learned it from you," Loomin growled, and his form glowed with a brilliant Divine Light. Loki bared his teeth at his son. It was blinding to him and seemed to act like a repelling shield. The powerful god couldn't get past it, and it floored him.

"You can't be around her all the time!"

"If I have to, then I will," Loomin said. Loki muttered and vanished.

"Good job," Sammy said. He was looked over with Kiehl.

"You both saw everything?" Loomin chuckled, as his Light died back down.

"Yes. He kept Howard and Sarine asleep. Not us. We were meditating," Kiehl said.

"I'm really starting to dislike my Father," Loomin sighed. "He nearly harmed her permanently, and he disrupted my wedding night with her."

"Hmm," Kiehl thought and gently moved to Sarine's ear to whisper softly to rouse her.

"Huh?" she blinked awake and yawned.

"Why did you wake her?" Loomin frowned.

"So you can finish your wedding night," Kiehl chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll just sit off to the side. Actually, there is a spare cushion over there, I think."

"Found it," Loomin, said as he pulled it over. Sarine blushed a little, as Loomin moved to gather her in his arms and pull her to him. Sammy tossed him an extra fur blanket, and he caught it. He pulled off his briefs and set them aside.

"I still need more sleep," she sighed.

"You'll get more sleep with me," he smiled. "And they aren't going anywhere!"

"We'll meditate," Sammy chuckled.

"Oh, are you well enough to leave Kiehl's side?" Loomin asked with concern.

"I feel much better. I think I'll be okay," she nodded.

"If it comes back, I'll give you back to Kiehl," he said.

"Her body is stable," Sammy said. "She should be fine."

"How-How is still sleeping," she said with a soft frown.

"He'll wake up in the morning," Loomin said. "How much time is left before sunrise?"

"Take your time. You have a couple hours more before the kids wake up," Kiehl nodded. Loomin nodded to them both and shivered at the feel of her hands on his chest. His hair was much longer now, and it seemed to fall down his shoulders like a waterfall of silver. It still seemed to be growing to catch up with the rest of his form.

"Should you trim your hair?" she asked him.

"Only if it will make you happy," he chuckled. When he looked over at Kiehl and Sammy, their eyes were closed.

"You're beautiful, Loomin," she smiled and ran a hand over his pale, white cheek.

"You are even more so," he muttered softly and kissed her palm.

"All grown up. And to think that, just this morning, you were so young!"

"I know," he grinned and moved his mouth over her neck. She gasped and sighed.

"I still can't believe how you were frozen away," she frowned.

"I was frozen away a year longer than you. My past was kinder, since I was put to sleep. But, you weren't," he sighed. "It was wrong of them to do such a thing."

"We were both wronged!"

"Yes, we were. But, things have been made right. We are finally together. You have already given me children with the others. I'll have even more from you, and even two for myself. I can't wait!" he chuckled. "Besides, right now, there's only one thing that matters."

"And what's that?" she whispered.

"You," he smiled and kissed her passionately. He had watched the others with her in the tub and learned some of the things that she liked. He moved his mouth over her neck to hear her soft whimpers. He thrust up sharply into her and worked with her until he muffled her cries and his with a kiss. Gasping and snuggling into his chest now, he locked his arms around her to let her fall into a deep sleep with him.

Every thirty minutes, he woke to only wake her with stabbing pleasure. Every time she was woken by him, she made sure her three loves were there before giving in to Loomin. He knew that she needed to make sure they were there. After each bout of pleasure they gave each other, they slept right after. He was able to wake her four times to have her. When she woke up for the fifth time, he was still sleeping.

Looking at her other loves, she smiled and moved to run her hot breath over Loomin's neck. When she got no response, she ran her tongue over his neck next. He gave a groan and gasped at her soft nibbling up to his ear.

"Morning," she crooned softly.

"I want to wake up to this every morning," he grinned. He hissed at her soft bites down his chest, and he pulled her back up to roll under him. He took her with several hard thrusts to make her gasp out for him. He released with her shortly after and rolled for her to be back on him. Resting her head on his chest, he kept his arms around her. He closed his eyes in sheer bliss before hearing Howard mutter himself awake. Opening a silver eye, he looked over with a small grin on his face.

"Why is she with you?" Howard asked.

"Oh, good. You're up. I was finishing my night with her," Loomin said. "Sarine, love, you don't know this, but Loki paid us a little visit last night while you all were sleeping."

"What?!" Howard hissed, and Kiehl stopped him from standing up. Sarine gasped at this, but, at the look that Sammy and Kiehl made to her, she was calmed.

"Loomin drove him off," Sammy said. "We need him to stay as close to her as he can. He gave off a Divine Light that Loki couldn't seem to tolerate."

"Did you?" she smiled.

"Yes, I did," Loomin smiled and kissed her.

"Didn't you say that you were Doppy's equal in body type, but opposite in attack nature?" Kiehl asked with a grin.

"You remember that?" Loomin laughed and moved to stand with her cradled in one arm.

"Geez, man! Put some clothes on!" Howard growled.

"Do you want me to put some clothes on?" Loomin asked Sarine.

"Not yet. Take a shower with me. You three need to join us!" she said. Sammy rose up and took off the black kimono to do as she said.

"What's going on?" Doppy asked, as he looked in.

"Doppy! Group shower!" she said. He cracked a grin and walked over now, as he shucked off his armor. He called in Eremes and Keltin to join them, and they came in eagerly.

"You guys are too tall now," Howard muttered.

"How-How," she smiled and sent him various images that made both him and Kiehl cringe with lust. "Much better."

"She's craving!" Howard hissed.

"Bad," Kiehl grinned.

"Hmm..." Doppy smiled and helped her shower. A good twenty minutes later, they walked out of the bathroom, and she dressed in her Sniper gears.

"I need to eat," she sighed. Errende already had a table ready for her. She started on the sushi when she sat down, and Sammy told everyone what happened last night when they slept. Keltin, Doppy, and Eremes were livid.

"He dared to come here?!" Eremes hissed.

"Did he touch her?" Keltin asked.

"I'll skin him!" Doppy snarled.

"I sent him packing," Loomin said. "Don't worry about that."

"It's true. He drove him off," Sammy nodded.

"With what?" Nigel asked. Then Loomin focused for his Light to come forth brightly, and it stunned everyone with surprise. Doppy found himself blinking at it a bit more, but the Light that shone out wasn't overpowering. It would only be harmful to those that weren't welcome. When the Light was pulled back in, Loomin smiled.

"That Light drives him off," Loomin said.

"You know," Sarine mused. "it's almost like my Light of Odin."

"Don't call it down," Howard said.

"No, I won't. But, my Light of Odin is all offensive. His Light is defensive," she said.

"You're right!" Sammy said.

"You attack with yours, and he protects with his," Kiehl thought. "That is...very interesting! I didn't think of it like that!"

"Me, neither," Loomin chuckled and helped her eat a cookie by taking half of it. "You know, I am curious."

"Hmm?" she asked, as she sipped some tea.

"If our kids will gain our abilities to call our various Lights," he smiled. She paused and tilted her head cutely at him in thought.

"We won't know until she's pregnant with your kids," Doppy grinned.

"That won't happen until my triplets are born," Howard said.

"I know, How-How. But, I don't think it will happen. They may have other powers that could be just as strong. I doubt that Daddy would want his Lights to be abused," she nodded.

"You may be right. We'll just have to see!" Howard grinned. He smiled and kissed her gently. He looked over, as Ragged Zombie walked in to check on her.

"What did I miss last night? Anything exciting? I was out scouting the island," he said, as he sat down. At the look on Loomin's face and Kiehl's face, he narrowed his eyes. "Talk! Now! I want to know!"

"All right," Sammy nodded and told him about Sarine's advanced craving attack and Loki's visit. The zombie was now pacing around the room with rage.

"I'm not leaving her side!" he vowed. "If he comes back, I'll mess him up!"

"I drove off Loki, so don't get your intestines bundled up," Loomin smirked. Howard grinned with Kiehl, and Sarine found herself giggling.

"Um, hello? I don't really have guts that can be fully called guts!" Ragged Zombie said. Doppy started laughing now.

"You have more guts than half of the people I knew in the past," Howard chuckled.

"Okay, now I feel better!" he grinned.

"He should meet your parents, How-How," she giggled. Now he blinked and mused at the idea. Kiehl looked at him with pure amusement.

"Are they good humans? Or bad humans?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Bad. Far more rotten than you are inside. And that's saying a lot!" Howard muttered.

"His father tried to strike him down, and I called the Light of Odin down on him," she sighed, as she finished her tea. "It wasn't good."

"No, it wasn't," he agreed. Loomin frowned at him and shook his head.

"Loki actually told me that I should have remained frozen in ice. This was after I told him to get lost, though," Loomin shrugged.

"He said what?!" she hissed and glared at him.

"It's okay. I made him leave. If he comes back, I'll make him leave again," Loomin said. "He is not welcome around me, or you, or anyone."

She muttered and shook her head, as she stood up to stretch. Then she moved towards the door to go to the nursery. Right as she opened the door, she screamed when Doppy shouted, and she curled up inwards. Howard and Kiehl moved to her side, as Sammy pressed a hand to her womb. The pain was so sudden, and so intense, that even Doppy was in shock.

"Growth spurt. Ten percent. Errende!" Sammy said. Thanatos had just walked over when Errende calmed the growing kids. Ragged Zombie moved into the nursery where Hibram was, and told him what happened while they were gone during the night.

"What?!" he said. "That's...damn it!"

"You're telling me," the zombie nodded. He felt the tug on his dirty tunic, and he looked down to see Serenity. He grinned and picked her up.

"Are you a Dad, too?" she asked.

"I guess I am! But, I'm not a slave or a husband to your mom. I'm like Naght and Thanatos. Even Ifrit. I'm a mate," he said.

"But...I don't smell your blood in Mama," she frowned.

"That's how you tell who your dads are?" Hibram asked.

"Yah," she nodded.

"Ah, she has a point," Howard said. "Naght's blood is merged with mine. Ifrit's blood is merged with Eremes. Thanatos's blood is merged with Errende. There was no need to have blood taken from them, because Sarine already had it. Damn. She's gonna have to do another blood swap with you guys!"

"Odin said it wasn't needed...right?" Eremes frowned.

"For Sarine, sure. Odin also said that the kids should see them as fathers instinctively. But, if they go by scent to distinguish who is who..." Kiehl frowned.

"Hey, zombie boy," Doppy grinned. "give Sarine a drop of your blood."

"Eh, I don't think I have what you call blood, but I'll try it," Ragged Zombie smirked. He walked over to Sarine and sat down with her. She was rocking Keltin's twins while she nursed them, and she looked over at him with a soft smile. He looked at the twins and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"I want those two kids to know that right now," he grinned. "they are the luckiest kids in the world!"

Doppy barked out laughter, and Howard was gasping for air. Kiehl found himself laughing and shaking his head with Sammy. Loomin was laughing quietly, and Eremes was biting his tongue with Keltin.

"Is that all?" she asked, as she giggled.

"Not really," the zombie admitted. The slaves were giggling with their own fits of laughter. Hibram was grinning with Thanatos, and Naght was chuckling. Looking around for something sharp, he realized that there would be no such thing in the nursery for safety reasons. Eremes finally walked up to him to pinprick his finger with a katar.

"Hmm?" she frowned.

"Take a drop. I want to see if your kids will recognize me," he said.

"If that's the case, you should take a drop of mine in exchange," she nodded. Eremes pinpricked her finger, as Errende helped support Trina to nurse. She nibbled the zombie's finger purposely to make him hiss, and he licked up the drop she gave him. Once it was done, he paused and felt slightly different.

"Okay. That felt weird," he admitted.

"What did?" she frowned.

"A form of, oh, acceptance? I think?" he said. Then he looked down, as Serenity tugged on his dirty tunic again. Grinning, he picked her up and she looked at his hand where Eremes pinpricked his finger to sniff. She put her mouth on the wound to get a taste of black blood, but the wound had closed. Frowning at him, he offered his other thumb. When she chomped down on this, he yelped with surprise. That got a lot of laughs at him. Serenity was now able to claim the blood drop, and then she looked at him.

"Dad!" she squealed and hugged him. Now he blinked with surprise, and the other kids were clamoring for his blood.

"A simple blood drop exchange does it?!" Howard blinked.

"That's the difference for a mate!" Sammy said. "She doesn't need to drink a lot of blood! I'm sure we can all take a droplet from her, and it would be the same for us, too. Safer for her pregnancy, even."

"Take a drop from me," Hibram said. Eremes pinpricked his finger and did the same for Sarine again. The drops were exchanged and his blood was given to the kids now.

"Someone find Beelzebub," Thanatos said. Observation nodded and flew out the balcony window to scout the island. A short while later, the large fly followed him back in, and Beelzebub reformed. He gave off a wave of power that the children instantly recognized.

"Oh..." Serenity blinked in awe at him. Thanatos moved over to him and muttered in Demonic on what he missed. The Demon Lord looked at him with wide eyes.

"I missed that?! A chance to skin Loki alive?!" Beelzebub hissed. Now he was pissed at himself for not listening in to any conversations during the night. He had the ability to do this, and he knew he needed to tell the others when the time was right. He made a silent vow to himself to listen in for anything of interest in the future. He was too busy exploring the island to realize what was going on.

"Yep," Doppy nodded. "Give Sarine a drop of your blood and take a drop from her in turn. Then give a taste of your blood to the kids. They need to know that you are a father figure. Not just anyone can do this."

"Hmm..." Beelzebub thought and nodded. After what happened last night, he figured it was best.  _Since my kiss fit with Sarine, it was needed._ Moving to her side, he smiled warmly and settled next to her. She was given Alexis and Albert to nurse now, and she sighed.

"Sarine..." Eremes said, and he gestured for her hand. Nodding, she let him pinprick another finger, and the same was done to Beelzebub after he took off a glove. Serenity moved over to him when the exchange was done and looked at him shyly.

"It's all right," Beelzebub smiled gently. "Do you need some blood?"

"Um...please?" she said softly. He found himself grinning at her and let her take a droplet from him. The other kids formed a neat line for him.

"They know he's a very strong demon. Like Naght and I," Doppy mused.

"We could see if he can help discipline them," Kiehl thought.

"Can the nursing twins take a sample?" Beelzebub asked after Edward got a taste of blood. Sarine nodded and the samples were given to the younger four.

"How-How? Can you get the others so I can give them a drop of blood? You need one, too," she said. "May as well just get this done really quick."

"I'll get you more tea, afterwards," Errende said.

"Thank you, dear," she nodded. One by one, she was able to give a droplet to each of her loves, and it sufficed to work for all of them. Ragged Zombie and Hibram needed another drop of blood, anyways. She had Beelzebub's blood in her, and they needed it. Ragged Zombie also needed it, since he didn't get Hibram's blood. Once it was done, her nursing twins finished, and they were taken from her to burp. Sammy evaluated all the kids, as she fixed up her top.

"They look like they're ready to start teething," he said.

"If they bite me, I'm not feeding them," she threatened.

"Sure," Howard grinned and laughed at her glare.

"I mean it!" she said. "Anyways, I want to change my clothes and go to the arena."

"Ah, I need to do something really quick," Errende chuckled. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and whispered to her. She blushed, and he moved out of the room quickly to the bedroom.

"Amazing," Loomin chuckled. "Hard to believe he was abused in his past."

"I know. It still pains me to think about what his own father did to him," she frowned.

"He told me he was only beaten," Loomin said. "There's more?"

"He was, but...wait...he didn't tell you about the...the other thing done?" she blinked. "You were young then, so you wouldn't have known what to think! Oh, dear..."

"What happened to him?" Loomin asked with narrowed eyes.

"Come here, love," she sighed, and Howard winced. She whispered to Loomin softly, and his jaw dropped with disbelief. He looked at her with complete shock and outrage.

"His parents are dead," Thanatos said. "Justice was served."

"Huh?" Ragged Zombie asked. Loomin had left to follow Errende.

"That's right. You three don't know anything about us or her past. Well, Ragged Zombie doesn't. Find Muninn, and he'll show you everything. Then there's some letters you need to read. Storm Caller will show them to you. You might want to talk to everyone, too. If you have any questions, afterwards, let us know. Find out what you can," Howard said.

"The letters..." Hibram paused and recalled them from Margaretha's memories. He winced and made his way to Sarine to pull her into a hard kiss. Then he hugged her.

"I remember them, too," Beelzebub nodded, as he thought about Cecil's memories with a frown. "You need to learn about her past to understand her properly. It'll take you a couple hours. Maybe more. Go."

"All right," the zombie nodded. He left, and Sarine hugged Hibram again before he let her go to head into the bedroom. When she got into the bedroom, she was slammed into by Errende and squeezed tight. She gasped and hugged him back.

"Errende!" she hissed.

"He's...asking me...hard questions...My Lady...!" he whimpered. She looked over at Loomin, and he had a shocked look on his face. Then she looked back at Errende with a frown.

"Calm yourself! Right now!" she growled. Errende fought for control and won. She had him sit down, and she moved next to him to gently hug him to her. Then she whispered to him, "It's okay now. I'm here."

"I..." he whimpered, and she ran a hand over his back in a loving way. Loomin had no idea how badly his past still affected him.

"He's like me this way, Loomin," she sighed. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy walked in to sit down to stay in her line of sight. On looking at Errende, they winced.

"He doesn't like talking about that part of his life," Kiehl said, as he adjusted his glasses.

"I can tell," Loomin frowned. Thanatos walked in and leaned against a wall.

"Hey," she smiled and nuzzled Errende gently. "can you show me what you made me to wear for the arena? I'd really like to see it."

"It's...not finished, My Lady," he said softly, as he shivered.

"How much more do you have?" she whispered.

"A bit more," he said.

"All right. I can wait. I'll be right here. Okay? It's all right, my dear, sweet Errende. Don't worry about it anymore," she said. She ran her hand over his cheek and wiped away another tear. He took a deep breath and nodded, as he hugged her again. Then she looked at Loomin with a pained expression in her eyes, as she said, "If you have any questions about his past, come to me from now on. Don't...don't ask him."

"I won't," he nodded. When Errende still showed no signs of calming down fully, she got up, grabbed a leash, and clipped it on him. Then she yanked him close to kiss hard before biting his neck to make him cry out. Right after that, she pulled him into the bathroom.

"He needs that," Thanatos nodded. "He'll be perfectly fine when she's done."

"Or in a world of pain," Howard chuckled. When he started screaming, Loomin blinked with surprise. Kiehl was grinning with Thanatos, and Sammy was smirking. Five minutes later, she came back out and looked at them with a form of relief. Then Errende dragged himself out into the main room before collapsing.

"You have five minutes to regain yourself," she said, as she sat down. "Then I want you to finish my outfit. Do you understand?"

"Yes...My Lady..." Errende gasped out.

"Actually, Sammy, can you have Doll help him? She may be able to give him some design ideas. He's supposed to be making me a kimono," she smiled. Sammy blinked and moved to call for Doll. As he did that, she got up to unclip Errende's leash and hang it back on the wall. Then she helped him stand. When she was sure that he recovered, she kissed him softly and hugged him tight before moving to sit back down.

"Um, Errende, can you make some clothes for me, too? When you get a chance?" Loomin asked. Errende nodded and now realized that a complete resize would be needed for him. He would definitely see to fixing up Loomin's clothes when he had the chance.

"I'm here! What do you have so far?" Doll asked, as she moved in with Sammy. Errende picked up various bolts of silk and had her walk into the bathroom with him to keep it a surprise. Sarine smiled and sighed. Loomin moved to sit with her and put an arm around her.

"I'd love to hear your thoughts," he sighed.

"No, you don't," Howard and Kiehl said together before scowling.

"And why is that?" Loomin asked.

"Sometimes, they can be confusing," Howard said.

"Or too emotional," Kiehl sighed. Sarine seemed to smirk and sent a few images to them. That made them clear their throats and she smiled.

"I find it entertaining," she said, as she started to grin.

"Evil wife..." Howard growled.

"What? You mean like this? Or this?" she asked, as two rather provocative images were sent to them now. Kiehl was glaring at her now, and she smiled sweetly.

"Hmm?" Loomin asked. She pulled him to her to kiss and whispered softly of what she sent them. His jaw dropped, as she kept going with other images she was sending over.

"She's craving," Kiehl muttered, as Loomin finally pushed her fully onto the bed to have her. Right when he finished, Howard was there next. Kiehl tackled her hungrily when Howard moved away from her.

"She puts up with a lot from us, doesn't she?" Loomin smiled.

"Kiehl tends to get her back for us," Howard chuckled. "Or I tend to, also."

"Oh? Can you elaborate?" he asked.

"There was a time that Kiehl gets stuck in these working loops. It happened to him for two weeks after she gave birth to Thanatos's twins and Doppy's twins. When she got to him, he took part in her Demonic Mating. Mainly to reconnect with her. Needless to say, he spent a whole night with her to make up for it when her sex craving got too much for us to handle. As a partial robot, he's able to do a bit more than we can. Like that," Howard grinned, as Kiehl activated his vibrating sensors. Sarine started to scream, and Loomin hissed with disbelief.

"Don't forget...your demon lust..." Kiehl growled, as he worked with her.

"Ah, that's right," Howard nodded and took off his tunic to reveal his back. "Loomin, do you see anything on my back at all?"

"Ah...I do! Like a...a tattoo?" Loomin said.

"You see it?!" Howard blinked, as he put his tunic back on.

"I saw nothing," Sammy frowned.

"Must be because you're Loki's son," Howard mused. "Anyways, ah, Sammy, if you keep quiet so the other three guys don't know, I'll explain. Thanatos and Errende know about this, too, since they were there when I got it."

"I'll say nothing," Sammy nodded.

"Okay. Muninn gave it to me. Sarine wanted me to have one. It was...important to her. Odin enhanced it. When her craving gets bad, she touches it. I turn into a lusting beast, and I won't stop until she's satisfied. Also, if there are other men in the room, other than Kiehl, I'll challenge them for her instinctively."

"Really?!" Loomin blinked.

"Yes. Doppy tried to approach Howard in that state. He wasn't very happy when Thanatos and Kiehl stopped him," Sammy chuckled. Sarine was gasping by the time Kiehl finished with her. He fixed up her shorts and looked at the bathroom door, as it opened. Doll rushed out to get something and came back a short moment later with some jewelry from the treasury. Howard thought and grinned.

"What is it?" Loomin asked.

"You didn't see the treasury yet," Howard chuckled. "You could always explore the island, you know."

"I'm not leaving her side with my Father out there waiting for an advantage," Loomin muttered. "I'll let her show me later. I'm sure it would be safe now, but I really don't want to take a chance unless it's important."

"Point made," Kiehl nodded, and he helped Sarine sit up.

"Cheater," she sighed. He grinned and kissed her forehead. "I need to remind you of your place, Kiehl."

"And how will you do that?" he asked. She quickly scooted further into the bed and placed her foot squarely into the middle of his back. That form of contact, right then and there, made him gasp and sigh with a form of relief. He missed it. He knew he missed it. He had no choice in his next action. He found himself pressing back even more into her foot for the contact he craved to feel. His slave side was in an absolute state of bliss now.

"Do that to me," Howard said.

"Well, you always did like being treated as a slave, at times," Sammy mused. Sarine had Kiehl sit on a cushion at the base of the bed, and now Howard did the same. Her other foot planted into Howard's back now, and his jaw dropped. He clearly liked it.

"Hmm," Loomin thought.  _There was something odd about Howard and how he was reacting. I know that Kiehl was both a slave and a husband. With the way Howard was acting, it was as though he was a husband and a slave. Was that possible?_  Sammy didn't seem to be minding anything. Howard told them that he liked being treated as a slave on occasion, and it was nothing new to them. Kiehl now looked at Loomin with a frown.

"Loomin," Kiehl said, as sighed. "Later."

"Oh?" he asked. Kiehl nodded again. Then Loomin realized that he may have just found out a rather harsh secret.  _Something no one was supposed to know about. Why am I able to see things through, either mentally or physically, when the others couldn't?_ It was puzzling him now. It was already happening at various times, and it clearly baffled him.  _Is it because I am Loki's son?_  When he looked at Thanatos, the demon was reflecting the same knowledge.

"Walk with me. This is important," Thanatos said. Kiehl looked over and nodded, as he nodded back. Loomin got up, pressed a kiss on Sarine's mouth, and moved to walk with Thanatos. They walked out of the house and towards the grove to sit and talk.

"I haven't been here yet!" Loomin said with a form of awe.

"This is where Sarine comes when she needs to be kept calm. A cave is under here, and she gives birth there. Anyways, Errende and the slaves know this. Since you're Loki's kid, in a way, it makes sense for you to figure things out. It may be why you can, too. The other husbands of hers won't understand this. Sammy will not understand this. You will," Thanatos said. "Howard is a husband and a slave. He's also her 'True Mate' with Kiehl. He's the only one that can properly keep her fears back. It's been done time and time again. I witnessed it. Damn, I wish I could show you everything. It would be easier than just talking it out!"

_:I help?:_  Muninn asked, as he landed.

"Please?" Thanatos said. Muninn gestured for Loomin to follow him into the cave, and Thanatos waited patiently. Ten minutes later, Loomin came back out looking thoughtful, and Muninn flew out of the cave to fly over the island.

"I won't say a word," Loomin said.

"It's for the best," Thanatos nodded.

"But, now, I want her to try biting me."

"It won't happen. The most she can do is run a knife over your neck and bite you. Howard...pressured her into biting him. She didn't want to, but he was able to get her to do it. It's something she just can't bring herself to do to any other husband or mate. We are too much like her equals. It would hurt her. You saw how she was when she beat up Errende last night. She would show the same hesitation to us. In a way, Howard has to be this way in case something happens and she needs a slave. It's the same with Kiehl, if she needs a husband."

"So...Howard and Kiehl are truly linked?"

"Yes. I'm sure you've heard about the drugs that were given to Howard in Lighthalzen and what they did to him? No? Okay, I'll tell you about it."

"How do you know so much?"

"Errende is my blood link. He went through various Lighthalzen experiments. I told you this before, but you were younger. I'll repeat my story so you understand it better," Thanatos said. For the better portion of an hour, he talked about the experiments, the drugs, and what the drugs did to Howard. He explained that Kiehl made them with his blood at first, and how they linked Howard and Sarine to him. He further told Loomin that Sarine was linked to Kiehl by the same drugs given to her during her second capture and throughout her childhood.

"Wait!" Loomin hissed. "Those same drugs were given to her?!"

"Yes. Her bitch of a false mother stole them from Kiehl's lab long ago. She was crushing the pills down into a fine powder and lacing Sarine's food with it while she was growing up as a child. None of us knew this until recently. Both pills and powder have been found and given back to Kiehl by Markus. They are locked away."

"So, Markus had no idea?"

"No. He was enchanted and could do nothing. Even if he did know at the time, nothing could be done. The moment the bitch died, he was able to think for himself again."

"How was that false woman able to take the drugs from Kiehl's lab? Weren't they guarded? And how would Kiehl know who she was?"

"I'll tell you, but you CANNOT say anything about this in front of Kiehl! Sarine had him delete these memories about her," Thanatos said sternly. "We all vowed to say nothing."

"I vow!" Loomin nodded. Now his jaw dropped at how Kiehl had sexually experimented with the woman. "I see why those memories were wiped from his mind. I'll say nothing!"

"Good. But, that's how she was able to find out Kiehl's weakness with his working loops. That's how she was able to steal the drugs."

"And...the drugs made Sarine weak?"

"Constantly," Thanatos said softly. "They kept her weak and unable to fend for herself. They also allowed her to get incredibly sick to the point that she nearly died."

"Sarine..." Loomin whispered and gave a pained look. Thanatos nodded, and Loomin got up to run back to the house. When he made it into the bedroom, he opened the door and stared at her with shock.

"Loomin?" she asked with an elegant frown.  _She was stunning._  Errende and Doll had made a kimono for her that was lined with gold trim over a deep, royal red silk. It clung to her figure like it clearly belonged there. She had a rather distinct cleavage that flattered the cloth. Her hair was done up in a traditional Amatsu hairstyle that resembled an elaborate bun with braids, and it was held together with diamond and gold hair pins. Her Coronet sat on her head with a purpose. Elven Ears, makeup, and earrings finished her look. _Royalty. Beauty. Grace._ It flowed from her like a waterfall now, and he trembled. Howard and Kiehl stood on either side of her purposely. Errende was sitting on the ground to finish a few touches at the base of the kimono. Doppy, Sammy, Eremes, and Keltin were just as tense as Loomin was.

"Thanatos...told me things...um..." he was at a loss for words, and Kiehl chuckled.

"My Lady, what did you want to...ah..." Nigel blinked at her, as he walked in from the nursery. He found himself just as speechless as Loomin.

"I was hoping to go to the arena shortly. Please let the others know," she said with a slight nod. Nigel bowed slightly and moved to the nursery. Now Maya Purple came in to get his bug body, and he dropped his jaw at her. She blushed softly and looked away.

"Love," Howard chuckled and gave her a soft kiss. "I think, after the arena, we should go to Amatsu with you like this. My parents will have to see you this way, too, but I think we have enough with us to show that they can't touch you."

"I know, How-How," she smiled demurely, and his heart raced. "To think that before my transcendence, most wouldn't even look twice at me."

"Actually..." Eremes frowned. "you had...quite a few...staring at you..."

"I did?" she blinked.

"Yes. But...then they saw...my stare...and it made them stop..." he grinned. She giggled and let him come up to hug her and press a kiss to her cheek before leaning back against the wall. Beelzebub came in to see what was going on, and he dropped both his staff and his book at her. She blushed again and trembled with laughter.

"Do you know what we're doing...ah..." Hibram blinked at her.

"Oh, dear..." she said and covered her mouth with her hand in an elegant way. Doppy was grinning like mad, and Keltin was smiling greatly. Loomin recovered, moved to her side, and kissed her thoroughly before whispering to her. She blinked at his thought.

"Tell Errende," she smiled. He nodded and moved to whisper to him. Howard and Kiehl were clearly in awe at his idea of a white kimono with gold and silver trim. It would remind them of a wedding dress in various ways, if it was made for her. If it was for a guy, it would be an elegant match up that no one would be able to ignore. Thanatos walked in and paused at the sight of her. At the thought of the kimono she wanted from Errende, he hissed with lust. He forced himself to calm down, and he smiled, as he shook his head.

"All right, My Lady. You're done," Errende said, as he stood up. She smiled fondly at him, and he found himself blushing.

"Can you please ensure that the arena balcony is ready for my arrival?" she asked.

"Of course, My Lady," he nodded. He moved from the room now to gather the other slaves and have them ready for her. Maya Purple now moved to get onto his bug body, and he skittered out of the room to help. She ran a hand over her belly, and Kiehl smiled, as he squeezed her. She finally started to move from the room, and her men followed her. Beelzebub was able to gather up his book and staff, as he moved to walk in front of her now.

"Where is the arena?" Beelzebub asked.

"Head to the eastern part of the island. There should be a rather distinguishable path," Keltin said. The Demon Lord nodded and started to lead them. Garrett paused at the sight of Sarine and dropped his jaw again. Doppy smirked at him and snorted. Then Garrett finally saw Loomin as a fully grown man, and he was in shock at the difference from his youthful body only yesterday. Loomin gave a small smile and followed his wife with the others.

"That's Loomin?!" Donnie gaped. "As a full adult?!"

"It is," Garrett sighed.

"Sarine is...wow..." Timmy blinked.

"She is very pretty," Armeyer chuckled.

"She's royalty," Seyren smiled. "They're going to the arena."

"Good!" Karla grinned and cuddled into her husband. Ever since Seyren was put back in place, her relationship with him improved drastically. It wasn't that Karla was ignoring Seyren at all. It was the fact that Seyren was starting to predict what Karla was doing to him. As much as the Blinker helped, the bad habit had set in. At Sarine's threat to never let such an attitude come back, he was able to see everything fresh and new once again with his wife. He had taken it as a secret order from Sarine to never let it get that bad ever again.

Kavach was muttering under his breath when he saw Sarine move past him, and he moved to follow them to the arena. He wasn't giving up. Laurell sighed at his friend, and Blent gave an awkward look. Thomas and Wickebine started to pity Kavach. The Sniper was going to keep fighting for a lost battle, and they knew he wouldn't quit that easily.

"He needs a girlfriend," Donnie mused.

"Or a swift kick in the ass!" Egnigem frowned.

"Maybe both," Thomas nodded. "Anyways, shall we follow them?"

"Let's go!" Wickebine smiled. As they were just walking out of the house, Sarine had just made it to the balcony. A large crowd was already there, and many of the men in the audience fell silent at her beauty and royal presence. A plate of sushi was placed in front of her on an elaborately made table. Sammy handed her the chopsticks and moved to sit in one of the thrones. He paused, as he noticed the thrones were now set with gems and made to be far more plush. Chuckling at this, he sat down and watched the arena fighting commence.

"Feeling all right?" Howard asked her, as he helped her eat.

"I'm fine," she nodded and ate another piece of sushi. Loomin was clearly in awe of the arena, as he studied it now. He was there last night, but not for very long. Like he thought, he was able to take in a lot more from the daylight hours. He noticed that many challengers were staring at him, and he ignored them after a while. Byorgue took away her empty plate, and Aliot gave her a cup of hot tea. Injustice set a small plate of cookies on the table for her. As she sipped the tea, she blinked.

"This tea is different!" she smiled.

"Yes. Kathryne found a recipe for Royal Family Tea. It would suit you better for your status," Maya Purple said, as he stood behind her in his bug body.

"It's very good," she smiled and sipped more of it. She delicately reached out and plucked a cookie up to eat. Small sighs of pride and awe were given all around, and she blushed. Then she looked over when Ragged Zombie came up to see her, and he paused.

"Um..." he blinked at her. She smiled, and Kiehl snickered with Howard.

"Yes?" she asked with a softer smile.

"Wow..." he finally said. Short, muffled laughs were given from her men. The zombie finally leaned over and got a kiss from her. Then he whispered, "I learned about you."

"Did you?" she frowned.

"Yes. I...think I'm not leaving your side for a long time," he admitted.

"That's fine by me," she chuckled, and he kissed her again in a far more demanding way.

"She likes dead guys?!" a challenger shouted with disbelief. The zombie scowled and stood up to face the challengers. Finding the one that shouted out, he smirked.

"I'm more of a man than you, asshole!" Ragged Zombie shouted back. Howard started laughing now, and Sarine giggled. Kiehl was sniggering and hid his face in her neck now.

"Prove it!" the challenger huffed.

"Sure! Take out what dick you have, and we'll compare sizes! I'm pretty sure you're bigger than me, since you're one giant, walking dick, anyways!" the zombie retorted. That made laughter erupt from all over the arena. "I wonder how many diseases you have by screwing over half the populace you walk past on a daily basis!"

"I'll kill you!" the challenger shouted and ran to the middle of the arena.

"Um, hello?! I'm already dead, you idiot!" Ragged Zombie smirked. Doppy was howling with laughter now.

"Don't diddle yourself too much," Sarine snickered and got her men laughing even more.

"I'll diddle you later!" the zombie promised. That made her blush hard, as her men started crying with laughter. He jumped down to approach the Rogue, and he pulled out a rib to ready himself to attack. Dracula nodded for the fight to start, and everyone gaped, as the zombie was doing rapid fire with his ribs. His attacks were mainly based off of a Sniper's skills, and he was enhanced to be four times faster than he normally was. The Rogue couldn't even move, and he ended up getting Poisoned by the zombie's tainted blood. Ragged Zombie's blood was only safe for Sarine and her family. Not for anyone else. A moment later, the Rogue was laying back on the ground in defeat, and the zombie grinned when he was announced the winner.

"Hmm..." Eremes smirked. Ragged Zombie came back up to the balcony.

"I had to attack him quickly. I can't sense invisible people. It sucks," the zombie sighed. Then he glowed and blinked with a grin.  _That was fixed quickly._

"Nice!" Doppy grinned.

"So, can I diddle you now?" the zombie chuckled, and Sarine blushed.

"Later on you can have her," Howard smirked. "She needs to rest."

"Okay!" the zombie laughed and moved to stand over the balcony rail to look over the challengers. "Let's see. Who can I taunt and provoke now?"

"Fenrick?" Eremes frowned. He saw him in the crowd of challengers again.

"He's back?" Howard grimaced.

"Wonderful," Keltin sighed.

"He doesn't give up," Sammy muttered.

"Looks like that lock of his hair is still missing," Doppy grinned.

"He must want a form of revenge," Kiehl mused.

"Fenrick?" Loomin frowned. Hibram and Beelzebub looked at each other and back to the challengers to try to find him.

"Who is he?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"A strong Assassin Cross like myself. He's in the challenger section..." Eremes said.

"Ah! I see him. He looks like someone that rolled around in mud and got stepped on to blend in. Like a discarded cigarette butt. Right? Or is that not accurate enough?" the zombie asked. Eremes found himself grinning, and Sarine was giggling. Doppy was sniggering with Thanatos. Naght found his way to the balcony, and he roared out his challenge to any that dared to think of trying to fight him. Then he leaned down to run a loving caress over Sarine's cheek before standing tall with his swords out. He looked at Ragged Zombie and chuckled with amusement from Howard's thoughts.

Fenrick moved to the middle of the arena and was now staring with shock at Sarine. Loomin growled at it and stood up to move in front of her. Then he turned his back to everyone, as he faced her and crouched down to press a kiss to her mouth. His wide, lean, and muscular back easily shielded her from view. Doppy could only grin, as he did the same thing at times.

"Loomin?" she smiled with amusement and got kissed again.

"He's staring at you," he muttered, and Kiehl glanced at Howard with annoyance. They didn't like other men staring at Sarine for too long, either.

"Who is he going to challenge?" she frowned.

"I hope it's me," Doppy hissed out. He looked over at her with a gentle smile, and she blushed softly. "Sorry Sari..."

"Yes, Doppy?" she asked.

"I..." he started and moved to her side now. Howard made room for him. "I really want to do a dream vision of you meeting me before the others."

"As long as you promise that you will harbor no ill will towards anyone after it is done," she said sternly. He gave a nod and kissed her passionately. He hugged her tightly to him, and he grinned at Fenrick's jealous look. The Kafra Agent walked up to the balcony and announced that Loomin was being challenged.

"No!" Sarine hissed, and Loomin calmed her with a smile.

"I'll be fine," he promised.

"Please, Loomin..." she whimpered, and Kiehl hugged her tightly with Howard. At her pained look, he paused and looked at the Kafra Agent.

"Decline him! Now!" Loomin growled. "I will not see my wife in pain or upset. She's pregnant, and I will not endanger her health. Let him choose another."

"Like me!" Doppy snarled. He hated seeing Sarine upset.

"Or even me," Beelzebub growled. Hibram now glared at Fenrick, and Thanatos was staring at the man, too. The zombie leaned over the railing and waved his hand in the air to get Fenrick's attention. When he had it, he grinned wickedly. He was told that Sarine always had to be kept happy. He knew the perfect way to do it.

"Hey, Chicken Shit! Can I call you that, Chicken Shit? Anyways, pick on someone else!" Ragged Zombie shouted out, and Sarine could only sputter with laughter. Howard gaped, and Kiehl burst out giggling. Sammy and Keltin were trying to stifle their laughs, and Eremes had one of the largest, rarest of grins on his face. Doppy and Thanatos were dying with laughter, and Loomin was sniggering, as he hid his face. Her slaves were all giggling and snickering, as they tried to remain composed.

"What did you call me?!" Fenrick flustered. Sarine's friends in the guest balcony were roaring with laughter at the question.

"I called you by your new name, Chicken Shit! What? You can't hear me? I'll tell it to you even closer, if you want! Just say the word!" the zombie shouted again.

"Get your ass down here!" Fenrick roared.

"Get me a knife," Ragged Zombie said, and he started to take his pants off to expose his rear. Sarine blushed and gasped for air, as Howard was no better.

"Now THAT'S brilliant!" Donnie said, as he started laughing even harder.

"You come down here! Are you stupid?" Fenrick growled.

"You wanted my ass. Then again, you might do something nasty to it. You look the type," Ragged Zombie thought, as he fixed his pants back up and had everyone laughing again. "Ah, well, it can't be helped. If you want me  _that_  badly...but, nah. I belong to Sarine that way. I promised myself to her. And I don't swing that way, anyways. Not gonna work! So, I'll just have to rip out your guts and strangle you with them. I hope you don't mind!"

Fenrick gaped when Ragged Zombie jumped down fluidly, had his ribs out, and was already firing them at him with a vengeance. When Fenrick tried to Cloak, the zombie saw him easily with his new upgrade and was throwing his ribs at him even harder. When Fenrick fell to the ground in defeat, the zombie smirked before heading back up to Sarine.

"Wow!" Doppy grinned, as he got his breath back.

"Hmm. I need some new swear words," the zombie thought. Sarine gestured for him to come close and softly whispered to him. His jaw dropped so low that he was glad it was still hinged on. Howard and Kiehl were gasping for air again by the time she finished, and Naght was shaking with laughter while he hissed out what she was saying in Demonic. Her men were floored that she knew such words for her stature. Eremes, Keltin, and Howard heard her say these very same phrases long ago at their first fire pit night on the island, but that didn't mean it wasn't any less hilarious to hear her swear so much.

"I...can't breathe...!" Eremes gasped, as he was doubling over. Sammy was crying and holding his gut. Keltin and Loomin were almost passed out. Doppy had no voice left from his laughing. Beelzebub was forced to lean on his staff for support, and Hibram was grinning from ear to ear. Thanatos was nearing his own state of shock with Errende. Maya Purple was trembling with amusement and a touch of awe. Byorgue, Injustice, and Drago were finally wiping tears out of their eyes. Observation, Aliot, and Nigel were trying to catch their breath.

"Where did you learn all this?" Ragged Zombie asked with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"The Alberta dockside!" Sarine beamed with pride.

"We need to go back there," he said. "I'm sure more can be learned."

"We'll see," Howard managed to choke out.

"That we will," Sarine nodded with a grin. Then she settled to sip more tea and calmly watch the crowds. When the giggling and laughter finally quieted down, she sighed and started to feel a bit bored. Kiehl squeezed her softly, as the fighting went on.

"How much longer here?" Howard asked.

"Another hour. Then we'll check on the nursery and go to Amatsu. Think the kids can come?" she asked. He thought about it.

"Let's see what happens first. Then we'll have Storm Caller bring them," Kiehl said.

"That sounds good," she nodded. They all looked over, as Kavach approached her.

"No," Errende growled and moved to sit at her feet.

"Oh, shut up!" Kavach hissed. Doppy snarled out, and Sarine sighed.

"I was supposed to have a relaxing day," she muttered.

"I've been talking to Zealotus," Kavach said.

"Did you talk to Seyren?" Howard asked.

"Um...not yet," Kavach said.

"You should," Keltin frowned. Kavach nodded and walked away.

"Tell me about him," Ragged Zombie insisted.

"Come here, then," Thanatos said. The zombie stood by him, and Thanatos told him everything he needed to know.

"So, he's someone that can't feel pleasure with pain?" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"In a sense," Thanatos nodded. "He wants to be close to her, but he never will."

"He can't handle her," Errende muttered, as he enjoyed her foot in his back.

"He will never handle me. I won't let him," she mused thoughtfully.

"Always a good thing," Howard smiled.

"I think we'll have a fire pit meeting tonight. I'm sure I'll need to dance with Coraline again," she smiled. That made her men stare at her. Loomin saw her dance in the tub, but this must be another dance they were thinking of. The three new mates were highly curious now. She rose up to stand, and both Howard and Kiehl pulled her back down.

"You're not going anywhere," Howard muttered, as he kissed her.

"But..." she whimpered, as she got kissed again.

"She has a point, Howard," Kiehl sighed. "We can't remove her kimono. Doll will have to fix her back up, and we need to get to Amatsu."

"Shut up, Kiehl," Howard muttered, and Kiehl grinned. He growled and held her possessively to him, as he forced himself to calm down.

"Save this rage for your parents," she smiled and nipped under his chin. "It will give me a good reason to help calm you down."

He growled out a few swear words and sent ripples of laughter through the others.

"Haven't heard that one yet!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Howard started grinning and kissed Sarine again before letting her get up. Her men now moved with her, and she was stopped at the base of the stairs by Fenrick. He reached out and grabbed her before anyone could blink.

"Fenrick!" Eremes hissed and Cloaked.

"Touch me, and she gets it!" the man hissed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shrieked, as she started to fight him. Now she realized that he was too strong.  _Something was completely off about him._

"Let her go. Now. If you do, you walk away alive," Loomin said, as he glowered.

"Sorry," Fenrick smirked. "I waited too long for this."

"Father..." Loomin growled out and now everyone gasped. Loomin saw right through it when the others couldn't. Loki was using Fenrick's form, and now he released it. His noble form reappeared, and he grinned. The true Fenrick was elsewhere.

"Loki!" Sammy snarled out. "You can't take her from us! You know what will happen!"

"I only need to take three of you with her to keep that from happening, right?" Loki smirked. Now Sarine was livid, and she was forced to do something she didn't want to do.

"Sarine! NO!" Howard and Kiehl shouted together. She Teleported out of Loki's grasp with her Teleport clip. She always kept it on her in case she needed it. Her husbands used their wedding rings to get to her, and they found her hiding in the underground grove. She was curled up in a little frightened ball. When they tried to reach for her, she cringed, and Howard rose up his hand to stop them. Kiehl's glare also stopped them. Howard pulled out his Vecer Axe, dropped it, and fell to his knees with his arms outstretched for her. She ran to him, and he hugged her tight. Kiehl now felt exactly how scared she was. He was livid.

"I hate him!" Loomin hissed. Now he let his Divine Light come forth and grow out. It actually formed a circular shield around them and hid them from Loki's gaze. It also repelled him. Naght led the others to her and paused at the Light from the cave. He realized that it didn't hurt him, since Sarine's blood protected him through Howard.

"Will he try again?" Sammy asked.

"No. He's done for today. We'll be safe," Loomin said with a nod. His Light pulled back into himself now, and he moved to help comfort her. Each of her loves got a hug from her now, and she was able to stand. She leaned into Kiehl's form, as he supported her.

"I'm glad we're able to Teleport to you," Howard said. He picked up his axe to put it away. She clung to him when he reached for her.

"I'm glad that I can, too," Kiehl nodded. "My collar lets me do that."

"It is like a wedding ring, anyways," Doppy said.

"True. Loomin, do you think you have to surround her with your Light once a day?" Kiehl asked. "I think it may help."

"I think you're right. I'll have to try it," Loomin nodded.

"I need to see to the children," she sighed. Kiehl continued to hold her, as he nodded.

"How are we supposed to protect her against him?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Leave that to me," Loomin said. "You worry about keeping her happy."

"Really? You want me to pick on someone?" he grinned.

"Should be Kavach," Errende mused.

"You mean the short shit?" the zombie asked. Sarine sucked in her breath to keep from laughing, and Byorgue cackled at it. The others started laughing instantly.

"Wow..." Errende grinned. "Ah, yes. Him."

"Oh, goody! I'll have an arsenal ready for him! Of course, I won't let it out in the nursery, or in front of the kids. I have my standards," he said.

"Good," Sarine giggled.

"So, let's see..." he thought. "Does he have any known weaknesses?"

"Let me think," Thanatos grinned. "Ah. From what I remember, before he was severed from me, he hates being proved wrong. And he hates not getting his way."

"Not much to work with," the zombie frowned.

"I have an idea," Sarine smiled and pulled him close to whisper.

"Ooh! Can I?!" he grinned. Kiehl and Howard were grinning.

"I'm sure we can work it in. Injustice, love, come here," she said.

"Yes, My Lady?" he asked.

"In order for Ragged Zombie to get on Kavach's nerves properly, he will need to be treated like a slave, but not be a real slave. I'm letting you know so you don't get jealous. Okay?" she smiled. Injustice nodded with understanding, and she hugged him tightly to her.

"I love you, My Lady," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too, Injustice," she smiled and kissed him deeply before letting him go. Ragged Zombie was clearly amused at what was going to happen. Then he looked over, as Errende and Byorgue gestured for him to come over to them. They started to tell him what a slave normally did so he would know what to do. As they walked back to the house, she started to sing, and Howard smiled. Loomin's jaw dropped at the sound of her voice, and Doppy started to sing with her. Those that hadn't heard her sing yet were now in a form of awe. Doppy moved to pull her into his arms and carry her the rest of the way to the house, as he sang with her.

"I want more kids from you," Doppy muttered in her ear.

"After Loomin, okay?" she smiled. He growled that he had to wait that long for her. "I wouldn't be surprised if Observation had twins with you. That would be an interesting combination, eh?"

"Angel and demon in you? That would be intriguing," he admitted.

"A bit of foreshadowing?" she grinned. He kissed her passionately, as he carried her into the house. As they got in, Storm Caller was waiting for them with amusement in his eyes.

"Misty is demanding to see you," he said.

"The bitch can rot!" Doppy snarled before being lulled into a purr. Loomin watched with pure amusement, as Doppy fell to his knees with Sarine while she calmed him. Running her hands through his hair now, she sighed.

"I have to nurse my children, if they need it. Then I need to go to Amatsu. When I come back...if I have time...we'll see if I want to talk to her by then," she grinned slightly. "As you can see...I'm very busy right now. Doppelganger needs to be kept calm. If he kills her, I honestly wouldn't care, but I need to give her something to think about."

Howard and Kiehl were grinning. Errende and Thanatos were both impressed. Her other men could only nod with agreement.

"I shall let her know of your busy schedule," Storm Caller chuckled and moved to head off to the dungeons. Doppy was smirking while he purred, and she pressed a kiss to his mouth that he responded to instantly.

"Are you my bloodthirsty demon?" she grinned.

"Always your demon," he muttered and kissed her again. Now that he was calmed, she moved from his side to let him stand up as tall as he could. Loomin looked at him, and they both grinned at each other at eye level. Doppy clearly saw Loomin as his brother. He was the only one able to look him in the eye, and he really liked that. Sammy could, too, but there was something about Loomin that made him feel a kinship. It was almost like what Howard had with Kiehl, but not as intense. She sighed and turned quickly, as Thanatos hissed with hatred.

"Lord Thanatos is being called, My Lady!" Errende winced.

"Get the others!" she said, and she moved to Thanatos quickly to kiss him passionately before he vanished. She sat Errende down, and Keltin became his Champion form to help buff him. Loomin was also able to help with his skills, and they realized that they wouldn't need to call on anyone else if they couldn't be reached. Byorgue had already run to the arena to get her friends to help, though, so they would remember this for the next time it happened. Ragged Zombie frowned, as he wasn't sure what was going on. Sammy explained what was happening, and now the zombie thought.

"Errende, tell me what these guys are," he said. "I'm gonna help Thanatos taunt them into losing their focus!"

That had Sarine giggling like crazy, and Errende nodded with a grin.

"Champion, Creator, High Priest, Stalker, and High Wizard," Errende said.

"Guys or girls?" the zombie smirked.

"All guys," he said.

"Such a large party!" Sarine frowned.

"Remember the man who only lets large parties through? On the third level? He almost said something about us, but he stopped when Naght glared at him," Howard chuckled.

"Did he?" she blinked. Kiehl chuckled at the memories, but returned his attention back to Errende and Ragged Zombie.

"Good. Listen closely, and have Thanatos say everything  _exactly_  as I say it," Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly. He leaned close and whispered into Errende's ear. The High Priest was blushing and laughing like crazy, as Thanatos started receiving the buffs. The fight was won quickly, and Thanatos came back laughing with an unholy joy.

"You got them all when you had me ask them if they all shared one bed to save on inn space," he snickered. Doppy roared out his laughter, and Sarine was blushing hard. Thanatos now moved over to Sarine to lift her up in his arms, press a kiss to her mouth, and hug her tight.

"I need to see to your twins," she whispered.

"I think it would be nice to have twins just from me," he mused. "Of course, you did give me a son that looks exactly like me. Save the eyes."

"True," she blushed. She ran her hands through his hair, and he started purring at it. It was something that couldn't be helped. She winked at Doppy, and he grinned back at her. Then he moved in front of her swiftly and snarled out with hate. Thanatos snapped out of the trance she gave him and shoved her behind him. Kiehl and Howard pulled her to them, as a wall of her loves quickly formed.

"That's not Loki," Loomin said with a smirk. He moved to Sarine's side to let her hug him tight. Doppy grabbed Fenrick by the neck and held him up high.

"Oh, look! The guy that likes my ass came back. Couldn't get enough of it?" Ragged Zombie grinned. Snickers were heard all around now, and Doppy tossed Fenrick to the ground.

"Why do you infiltrate my home?" Eremes sighed. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Have to show I'm still around somehow," Fenrick grinned before coughing a bit.

"Well, Chicken Shit, it's been nice, but you should leave," the zombie grinned. More snickers and giggling was heard, as Fenrick growled.

"Ragged Zombie," Sarine sighed, and he looked at her with a softer grin. "You should have another name that we can call you. Don't you think?"

"How about Upchuck?" Howard grinned.

"Sure! Call me Chuck for short, eh?" the zombie smirked and had them laughing. "Nah. Just call me Ragged Zombie. Rags could work, too."

"How about On the Rag?" Doppy grinned and laughter erupted from them all.

"Hmm," Sarine smiled and pulled him close to whisper in the zombie's ear. He started laughing like crazy, and Howard and Kiehl were dying.

"Damn, I love you!" the zombie said, as he managed to talk.

"Do you?" she blushed. At his nod, she pulled him close and kissed him passionately. Fenrick's jaw dropped at this and Eremes was grinning.

"He's a walking corpse!" Fenrick hissed.

"A rather drop dead, sexy corpse, too," she grinned, and the zombie chuckled before kissing her again. Then she looked over at Fenrick, as she rested her cheek against Ragged Zombie's chest and asked, "So, exactly what are you doing in my home? I'm going to be rather busy soon. As you can see."

"I actually came with a request from the Assassin Guild," he said. Now he had her attention and everyone else there. The zombie ran his arms over her back, as he held her.

"You should have just told us from the beginning!" Kiehl growled.

"Please tell me," she nodded.

"We need to do an investigation of the Sphinx and the Pyramid near Morroc," he said.

"We need to go there, anyways. We have to recruit Pharaoh, Amon Ra, and Osiris," Keltin said. "Should we go after tomorrow?"

"That would be good. How-How and Eremes will be monsters again. It would be safer," she nodded. "Let your Guild Master know that I will meet with him after tomorrow. If he wishes to see me sooner, he can, but I will not be taking any actions."

"I will let him know. Eremes? You're human?" Fenrick smirked.

"Yes. For now..." he nodded.

"So, I can kill you?" Fenrick grinned.

"Don't even try it!" she hissed, and Kiehl had to whisper to her to calm her. She let out an inhuman snarl, and it caught everyone off guard. The moment anyone threatened to harm her loves, she was ready to kill. Kiehl softly whispered to her again, and she gave a reluctant nod. Ragged Zombie thought and pulled her close to him to cradle against his chest.

"Chicken Shit, you're overstaying your welcome. Go run home with your tail between your legs!" Ragged Zombie muttered. Sarine gave a rather twisted grin of amusement now.

"My name is Fenrick!" he growled.

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep telling yourself that!" the zombie chuckled.

"Wait, Fenrick," Eremes said, as a thought came to him with an idea from Ifrit. His older comrade looked at him and paused. _When Eremes spoke like this, something serious was going on._ Eremes walked over to him and lightly muttered in his ear. Now Fenrick was outraged.

"Where were they last seen?!" he asked.

"Naght's tower. Not sure now," Eremes nodded. Then he whispered and muttered even more. Fenrick listened intently, and he nodded.

"If we find them, I'll tell you," he said. They shook hands, and Fenrick left swiftly.

"Naght's tower," Howard frowned. Then he blinked as he said, "You told him about the three bastards, didn't you?"

"Yes. The Assassin Guild will help us see if they still live," Eremes grinned wickedly. "Like us, they won't tolerate those that use small children and others as toys. Ifrit brought it to my attention to see if they could help."

"What?" Ragged Zombie blinked.

"Did you see my dream vision?" Sammy asked.

"I'm not sure," he admitted.

"We didn't. We were told through memories, but that was it," Hibram said.

"I saw the dream vision through Muninn," Loomin nodded.

"Have Muninn show it to you three," Howard said. "It's important."

"As you say," Beelzebub nodded. Loomin moved to Sarine's side and hugged her tightly to him before letting her move to Eremes to get a fierce hug from him.

"I love you!" he whispered and kissed her desperately. "I won't let anyone touch you!"

"Not just anyone..." she smiled and kissed him back. "I love you, too, Eremes!"

"I miss the Fire we shared..." he sighed, as he held her.

"I'm sure it will come back," she blushed.

"Fire?" Loomin asked.

"When they were first together," Doppy grinned. "they made an intense heat wave. It's also what helped kill off any poisons in her body."

"Thankfully," Kiehl muttered. She kissed Eremes again, and he let her go to Kiehl to hug him now. He moved a hand over her belly and pressed his face into her neck. She softly sang, and he hugged her closer. Loomin was still a bit upset at how her life was when she was starting out. If he knew her back then, he would have tried to help her. He was sure that everyone said the same thing about her.

"Want to help me check on Serenity?" she smiled.

"Yes. I do," Kiehl nodded, and she kissed him lovingly when he led her to the nursery now. Howard smiled softly and followed them up with the others. Sammy moved to check on the children's health, and he smiled.

"None of them have gotten sick yet. Monsters don't tend to get sick. I'm hoping this trait moved to them," he said.

"I hope so, too," she smiled, as she sat in her rocking chair. Trina and Bernard were given to her to nurse, and she cooed to them softly. Keltin moved to sit with her, and he watched his kids with pride. Kiehl moved to sit with Howard, and Serenity moved to sit with them.

"Babies move yet?" Serenity asked.

"Not yet. Hopefully soon!" Kiehl chuckled.

"With how they're growing, it could take a couple more days," Sammy said. "Slow growth is good growth."

"Kay! Um...where are other Dads?" she asked.

"Talking to Muninn," Howard said.

"Oh," she blinked. "I go somewhere today? With Sig?"

"Possibly. We may be visiting grandpa Markus," Howard smiled. She beamed at him.

"Probably not until your parents are dealt with first," Sarine said.

"True. I don't want my kids to meet them," he frowned.

"I wouldn't!" Kiehl nodded.

"Daddy Eremes?" Siegfried asked.

"Yes?" the Assassin Cross smiled.

"Up!" he said. Eremes chuckled and picked him up to hold him.

"He likes you quite a bit now," Howard grinned.

"I'm not complaining," Eremes smiled. Doppy moved to sit with Sarine, as he held his kids to him. Gunther gave a small, playful growl and started to climb on him.

"Hey!" Doppy smirked, and Sarine giggled softly.

"Looks like the kids are getting rowdy, eh?" Howard grinned. Serenity moved over to Doppy and grabbed onto his leg.

"What's this?" Doppy grinned. Serenity laughed, and Sarine was glad she was dressed in shorts and a blouse. Siegfried giggled from where he was with Eremes. Edward looked at the commotion and ran over to grab Doppy's other leg, as his kids had his arms.

"Don't let Daddy Doppy move!" Serenity grinned. Naght rumbled lightly to remind her to play nicely. She gave a small whimper and hugged Doppy's leg tighter.

"She's fine," Doppy smirked. He got up to walk with kids clinging to him.

"I've never thought I'd see the day that Doppelganger would be covered with kids and enjoying it!" Howard laughed.

"Only Sarine's kids!" Doppy chuckled.

"I would hope so!" she chuckled. Keltin took his twins from her, and Aliot brought over his. Sitting with her now, Byorgue was soon seen with Angela riding on his shoulders and squealing with joy.

"Who wants a ride with me?" Maya Purple grinned, as he skittered in with his bug body. All of the kids shouted with joy and now moved to follow him out with Naght's supervision.

"We decided against skirts. They tend to tear too much now. It's good when they are still infants and nursing. Easier to work with them and change them," Doll said. She came in with more handmade clothing to put away. Bacsojin was fixing up the beds and changing their sheets. The cribs were worked on next to keep them clean. Alice and Aliza moved into the room to help clean up, and they worked much faster than the others to get the job done.

"That was a good decision," Sammy nodded. Loomin was smiling, as he sighed and sat down to relax a bit.

"Can you burp Trina, please?" she asked him.

"Give her over," Loomin chuckled and took her. A cloth was placed on his shoulder for her, and he rubbed Trina's back. He blinked, as she seemed to snuggle into him and sigh with comfort. Howard and Kiehl chuckled, and Sarine smiled softly.

"She likes to snuggle," Keltin grinned. "So does Bernard."

"Well, you're naturally cuddly at times, too," Sarine giggled.

"I'll cuddle you well later," Keltin vowed. That made her blush, and her husbands laughed. Doppy sat back down and sighed. He felt a form of contentment that could only come from being a father. He was enjoying it. Sarine softly started to sing, as she rocked the nursing twins. Aliot watched her with a loving look, and he gave a soft smile.

"Damn," Loomin sighed.

"Hmm?" she looked over with a smile.

"I want you to have my kids now," he muttered. They all chuckled.

"Not until after me...and Howard..." Eremes said.

"I know," Loomin smiled.

"I still have to give children to Byorgue, Injustice, Observation, and Nigel. Maya Purple and Drago are supposed to have them with How-How's triplets," she sighed.

"How is that possible?" Loomin frowned.

"She'll be making eggs," Howard grinned. "Dragons are known to have eggs, and so are insects. She makes the eggs first so they grow outside of her body. Then she's free for my triplets. Muninn confirmed it."

"Wow," Loomin blinked.

"I know," Kiehl nodded.

"So many kids," Sammy grinned.

"And only me to have them," she said with a tired smile.

"Don't remind us," Doppy frowned.

"All will be protected..." Eremes nodded.

"I know," she smiled. "Eremes, love, take Albert and burp him, please?"

"Sure," he nodded and moved to take up the black haired boy. Aliot took Alexis to burp, and she fixed up the kimono. Nigel moved over to her to help her with the kimono and to see if she needed anything else.

"Some tea, please," she said.

"Of course, My Lady," he nodded. He got it for her and knelt at her feet. She gestured for him to sit before her, and a foot was placed in his back. He sighed, as he slumped forward a bit. Kiehl gave a small sigh, but, at her gaze, he knew he would get the treatment later.

"I'm a touch concerned about something. I know we won't know until it happens, but it's something to think about," Loomin said.

"Oh?" she asked, as she sipped her tea.

"With your future pregnancies...I can't help it, but I think that you will be craving to see whoever impregnates you," he admitted. "I...won't let my Father near you, if this is the case."

"Oh, dear!" she blinked, and Howard moved to her side with Kiehl to comfort her. Nigel turned swiftly and held her teacup until she was calmed enough to take it back.

"Don't think about it," Howard and Kiehl said together. "Not now. Not ever!"

"It won't happen!" Kiehl said.

"We won't let it happen!" Howard said sternly.

"You have nothing to fear," Sammy said.

"You're safe," Doppy said.

"No one unwanted will touch you..." Eremes muttered.

"I'll stop whoever tries!" Keltin said.

"Forget I said anything," Loomin nodded. "I'll stop whatever tries to happen."

"I know," she smiled and showed how much she loved them all with a single glance. "Such things will always worry me. I know I'm protected. I also have my ways to get out of danger, if I have to. You all know that I almost struck down Loki with the Light of Odin, right? I was lucky to keep that clip on me."

"We always make sure that's on you, at least," Howard nodded. "I'd rather you Teleport out of harm's way, since we can find you with our rings. It's still risky, regardless."

"I know it is. But, I'd rather take a safer risk than endanger my unborn children," she said. Howard and Kiehl moved as one to fully sit on either side of her, since they were standing next to her. Aliot nodded to Kiehl, as he moved with Alexis to sit in a different area. Nigel was still on the ground with her foot in his back. Injustice was able to take the teacup from him and set it aside. She suddenly looked up, as Kavach approached them. Errende gave a small scowl and moved past him to sit in front of Sarine. She ran a hand through his hair to comfort him.

"You really need to stop approaching her," Thanatos growled.

"You know I can't do that," Kavach said.

"Idiot," Doppy muttered.

"Moron," Eremes hissed.

"Dunce!" Keltin scowled.

"Just hear me out!" Kavach said.

"It all ends the same way!" Sarine frowned. Eremes moved past him to stand by Sarine, and Loomin moved to stand on the other side of her after he gave Trina to Injustice. Then Maya Purple skittered in with six kids clinging to his back and let them dismount. They clamored over to their respective fathers with happy squeals and small, disjointed gossips.

"We had fun, Dad!" Gunther said, as he grabbed Doppy's leg.

"More fun!" Bianca giggled, and she grabbed her father's other leg.

"Later. You both need your naps," Doppy said.

"But...please?" Gunther begged. Doppy gave his son a small glare, and it made him whimper. It was enough to show that his father meant business. He picked them both up to take them to their beds. Thanatos gave his son the same glare when his leg was clung to and moved him into his bed. Errende sighed and glanced at Angela, as she snuggled into his arms.

"Dad?" she asked softly. She had Errende's gentle temperament, and it was quite becoming of her. Thanatos would easily kill anything that tried to touch her.

"I know you're tired, Angela. Maybe, after your nap, we can see about more fun. Okay?" Errende chuckled. She nodded, and he hugged her to him, as he got up with her to put her to bed. Naght rumbled sharply in Demonic, and Serenity and Siegfried looked over at him with frowns. They knew it was nap time for them, too.

"If you're both good, maybe you can come to Amatsu with us later. Okay?" Howard said. That made them happy, and they eagerly went to their beds. After a few minutes of silence passed to ensure the kids were pleasantly sleeping, the four youngest kids were rocked to sleep by Errende and Thanatos before being set in their cradles by the slaves. Now Sarine moved to stand, and her husbands joined her.

"Outside the nursery," Sarine said softly to Kavach. "I will not have my children wake up. If they do wake up because of you, then you can put them back to sleep!"

"Ah..." Kavach swallowed, and Doppy grinned wickedly. His kids were known to bite, if they got rowdy enough. Maya Purple had the small dents in his wing covers to prove it. He was only too happy that he felt no pain in them and that they were fine after an hour. She moved out to the grove and sat down on a cushion. Sammy joined her with Kiehl and Howard. Her other loves settled about them, and now Kavach was scrutinized carefully. Then she looked over to see Beelzebub, Hibram, and Ragged Zombie moving over to them. They found places to sit and looked troubled. They clearly didn't like what they saw about the triplet Rogues.

"What did you think?" Sammy asked.

"I want to skin them alive," Beelzebub said. "Then have my flies infest them as a breeding ground of putrid flesh and blood!"

"I'd rather tear them limb from limb and put their limbs back in new sockets!" Hibram snarled out. "The nerve of those three even trying something in a dream vision!"

"I want to throw them in a meat grinder to make fertilizer," the zombie muttered.

"Won't that poison the ground?" Eremes grinned.

"Not if you add the right seasonings! Oh, wait. I'm thinking of ground beef..." he mused and small chuckles were given.

"Who are you all talking about?" Kavach asked.

"I don't think you were there for Naght's tower," Howard said. "Sammy and Sarine had a dream vision on what would happen if he was there for her in her youth. Long story short, three identical triplet Rogues tried to rape her in it. The same Rogues were found in Naght's tower later on, and they made lewd comments to her even then. We slaughtered them there, but they may have been Resurrected, since we didn't burn the bodies afterwards."

"If they come here...they die..." Eremes said.

"They are known to hurt children, apparently," Sarine grimaced. Loomin moved to sit by her to lean his back into her legs, and she wrapped her arms around him gently. He leaned back against her with his eyes lightly closed, and he sighed, as her hands moved through his hair. Kavach was not pleased with this news.

"I could try to track them down," Kavach said.

"Don't bother..." Eremes said. "I have...old friends...helping out..."

"Fine. But...I still want to try something. I know I can do better!" he said.

"Excuse me," Ragged Zombie said, as he moved over to Sarine. He gave Loomin a wink, and grins were secretly exchanged. Loomin moved over slightly to let him reach her.

"Yes, Ragged Zombie?" she asked curiously. He knelt before her.

"My Lady, is there anything I can get for you?" he asked. Small chuckles were heard, as many of them were swallowed to keep quiet.

"I believe I need some tea. If you can get that for me, I would appreciate it," she said warmly. He nodded and accepted the feel of her hand through his hair before getting up to get her what she needed. Injustice gave a touch of a grin now. Ragged Zombie had no collar on him, but that didn't matter.  _The look on Kavach's face was priceless._

"Here, My Lady," the zombie said, as he brought her a teacup.

"Thank you," she nodded. He sat by her feet, and she placed a foot in the middle of his back. At first he blinked, but then he found that it wasn't bad at all. A rather soft smile formed on his face now.

"Mind the gaping hole," Doppy grinned. That had them laughing.

"Nah. It's just in the front," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"How is this possible?!" Kavach hissed. "I thought she couldn't have another undead slave! That it wasn't done!"

"The same can be said for having another human slave," Errende muttered. "It's just not done. And besides...Ragged Zombie isn't wearing a collar!"

"What?!" Kavach hissed.

"Yep! I just did this to see if I could get under your skin. Now that I did, I'm gonna say that I don't like it. I feel kinda creeped out," the zombie mused and got them all laughing again.

"But, if he's not a slave or a husband...then how is he able to kiss you?!" Kavach asked.

"That's my secret," the zombie grinned. Sarine chuckled softly, and he moved to stand and stretch. "I gotta say, it felt good with your foot in my back. I was surprised!"

"You gonna try her foot in your ass when she kicks it?" Doppy grinned. When everyone laughed, Ragged Zombie gave him a 'one finger salute' to get the demon laughing hysterically.

"My Lady?" Maya Purple smiled, as he moved off of his bug body. She nodded, and he sat before her. He had to ease his back onto her foot from the sensitive hairs, but, once it was done, he gave a sigh of complete comfort. Loomin leaned back into her again, and she rested an arm over his shoulder. He was content to be her husband. It was what he was meant to be.

"We will need to head to Amatsu shortly. I'm sure I'm running out of sushi," she sighed.

"True. We can stock up on it while we're there," Sammy nodded.

"We should probably go now," Thanatos said.

"Yes, please. This place is far too calming for me," Beelzebub said.

"It's supposed to be for her," Sammy chuckled.

"That makes more sense, then," he nodded.

"I like this place. I'll have to come here on occasion to think," Hibram mused.

"Don't forget about me!" Kavach said.

"You can't feel pleasure with your pain!" Byorgue growled. "Admit it!"

"What is this that I keep hearing about pleasure and pain?" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"I'll show you really quick," she smiled and was helped up to stand. She moved to his side to kiss him first before nuzzling into his neck to give a sharp bite. Then she backed away, as he cried out with shock and fell to his knees. He was gasping and trembling now.

"Anything?" Kiehl grinned.

"Ah..." the zombie blinked. "Yeah. I'm glad my pants are already dirty!"

"That's the effect that Kavach can't feel!" Doppy grinned wickedly before laughing.

"Are you serious?! He can't feel that?!" Ragged Zombie grimaced.

"Now," Injustice grinned, as he moved to whisper in the zombie's ear. "imagine feeling that, but she's latched onto you and taking blood!"

"Ah...wow...um..." he blinked and shuddered again. "Aw, hell!"

"Exactly," Injustice grinned even wider.

"Did Seyren tell you anything?" Sarine frowned at Kavach.

"He...said that I can't just learn how to feel pain and pleasure. He says that it should be a natural thing. That...that if I can't do it, then it will be impossible for me to in the future," he sighed. "But, I want to keep trying! I'm sure I can!"

"Hmm," she frowned and moved to his side. As she went to bite him, the scent of his skin repelled her. She gave a retching cough, as she backed away quickly, and Doppy moved to scoop her up and carry her outside the grove to vomit. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy were at her side quickly to try and figure out what happened. Thanatos studied her and seemed to think. Loomin found himself thinking on what just happened, and he tried to piece everything together.

"I know what happened," Thanatos said. "It's...wow..."

"What is it?!" Kiehl hissed.

"Apparently, she bit him after she gave birth, so it was fine. But, when she's pregnant, she can't tolerate doing anything like that to anyone that doesn't have her blood. Or to anyone that doesn't fully belong to her. It's a new thing. Instinctive. She won't be able to tolerate anyone that isn't meant to be with her," Thanatos said. "I'm pretty sure that those she knew long ago would be fine, but, at the same time, I'm not fully sure."

"You're right," Loomin blinked. "It's a very new instinct, in fact. I'm fairly sure that anyone that isn't meant to be with her may have this effect. I think..."

"We can find out!" Howard said. "Byorgue, get Seyren. Tell Karla that Sarine needs to test something by biting him. Explain to her what we just learned."

"I'm on it!" Byorgue grinned and ran off. Sarine sighed and had Loomin sit down first so she could settle in his lap. Errende remembered that his clothes needed a complete resize, and he figured he could work on these while they were waiting.

"Loomin, can you take off your shirt for a moment? I have a traveling kit of sewing supplies, and I can adjust your clothes really quick," he said.

"Sure," Loomin grinned a bit wolfishly, as he took off his tunic. Sarine gave a bit of growling purr, and he grinned even more.

"You're almost as pale as I am," Sammy chuckled.

"Just as perfectly built, too," she smiled, and she ran a hand over his lean, muscled chest. Doppy mused that Loomin had the same exact body build that he did. Loomin looked at everyone before thinking and whispering to her. She blushed hard, and Kiehl looked at him.

"If we have to wait, so do you!" Howard growled.

"How do your pants feel?" Errende asked.

"A bit tight right now," Loomin grinned, as he took them off, and Sarine started laughing. Doppy smirked and looked over when Seyren came over with Byorgue. Errende gave over Loomin's shirt, and he put it on reluctantly. He had to admit that it fit a lot better now. His pants were fixed up swiftly and given back over. Errende had purposely left a lot of folded cloth in the cuffs of the clothing specifically for this purpose. Nodding his thanks, as he put them on, he looked over at Seyren and helped Sarine stand up.

"So, I take it you can't bite or tolerate being too close to those that you aren't familiar with?" Seyren asked. "Come close to me."

"Okay," she nodded. Seyren pulled her into a brotherly hug, and she was fine. His scent was familiar to her, since she had known him for a long time.

"I'm ready. Go ahead and bite me," he whispered. She nodded and managed to give him a quick, sharp bite to his neck before twirling away from him. He fell to one knee, as he held back the pleasure he got from it, and gasped with control. Giving out a small growl of denial, he focused on keeping his arousal down.

"So, he's okay. We aren't testing Garrett," Kiehl said.

"Probably should. I don't think Lloyd would work. Or the others. Garrett might, since she worked with him before," Seyren said, as he kept himself from rubbing the bite mark. "Let me get him. I'll talk to Cecil, too, so she understands. She was able to bite Donnie, so we know he's somewhat safe. No need to test him out. I'll send Garrett over."

"Are we ever going to get to Amatsu?" Sarine sighed.

"Sarine, you did bite Garrett! Before we got Loomin, you did," Howard said.

"We should double-check to make sure. If she can bite Garrett again, then we'll know we definitely won't have to test Donnie," Sammy said.

"Are you sure?" she frowned. "I really need to get to Amatsu."

"After this, we'll go. Trust me," Seyren nodded, as he walked off. She nodded and grumbled with irritation. It needed to be done, if she needed others to help her.

"I'm curious about this. I'm curious of other things, too," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Of what?" she frowned. He moved to her side to kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear. She started to blush hard, and Howard started laughing with Kiehl.

"And...I'm curious about this," he grinned and whispered even more in her ear to have her stutter with disbelief. Naght was now looking at him with an odd expression.

"Actually, that did happen," Howard grinned.

"It did?! With who?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Thanatos and Errende," Kiehl grinned.

"Ah, we also did it, but only once," Howard smirked.

"Huh," the zombie mused.

"And, no, you can't try it until it's time for you to have kids. Besides, I don't think it would be wise. You need to  _really_  know the guy to even attempt it," Thanatos chuckled.

"Kiehl and I are like twin brothers, so we were able to pull it off. Barely," Howard grinned lightly. Sarine blushed and looked away softly to get them grinning even more.

"Try what?" Loomin frowned. Sarine worried her lower lip, moved to his side and whispered softly. His jaw dropped and now he gave a rather awkward look at Howard and Kiehl. That made everyone laugh.

"There are actually hidden benefits," Kiehl smiled. "Remind us to tell you later. Garrett is on his way here now. I can see him."

"Fine. You'll explain more later," Loomin said with a shake of his head. Sarine sighed and watched Garrett move over to them. He knew how her bite worked, and he was actually eager to get another bite from her.

"I'm ready," he said. She walked up to him carefully to let him hug her first. When that was fine, she managed to nip just under his ear, and that was enough to send him reeling.

"Okay. He's good. We needed to know this in case something happened, and we wanted to ensure that she was protected," Thanatos said. "Just by her trying to hug someone can tell us what we need to know. Maybe even smell their hand. If she can't tolerate it, we'll know they aren't for her. If she can, then there's a chance that it can be pulled off. Kavach was able to get bitten by her in the past, but right now she can't stand him. His loss!"

"I...figured as much..." Garrett hissed, as he gained control of himself. "And you're still an idiot for not feeling anything!"

"What?!" Kavach growled, and Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Well, you won't be coming near her while she's pregnant. You'll make her sick, and we can't have that," Kiehl said with a stern glare. "Keep your distance."

"For now," Kavach sighed with agreement.

"How about forever?" Errende smirked, and they glared at each other. Sarine shook her head, and Sammy moved to put his arm around her waist.

"We need to go to Amatsu. Howard needs to confront his parents. I'm sure Timmy still wants to help. Daylight's burning, guys," Sammy said. Garrett nodded and moved to let the others know. Sarine ran a hand over her belly, and Kiehl handed her a teacup. She smiled and sipped her tea, as she walked with them. Kavach was clearly sulking, but he didn't want to get her sick.  _If it was instinctive, then there's nothing I can do. She tried to bite me, and she couldn't right now. I'll just have to wait for her to give birth and then try again._

As she waited for the others to appear, she snuggled into Sammy while he held her. His solid black eyes studied everyone, as they gathered around them, and his Samurai ghost remained in his body. His ghost rarely came out now. There was no need for him to appear unless it was to either scare others, be with Sarine, or to judge a fight. He also liked to come out at times to either prove a point, or to help attack.

"Everyone's almost here," Kiehl said to her.

"I don't want to see my parents," Howard muttered.

"I'll be with you, How-How," she smiled. He sighed and moved to kiss roughly. She knew how much he hated confronting them.

"I want you so badly!" he growled in her ear, and she smiled.

"How do you think I feel?" she sighed. "I've been craving for a while now..."

"Really?" he grinned wickedly.

"We can't! We need to go to Amatsu!" she frowned.

"Maybe Markus can loan us a room," Kiehl smirked. She started laughing softly, and they both kissed a cheek.

"I think another group portrait is needed," Keltin chuckled.

"Oh?" she smiled with delight.

"Hard to do with the younger kids. Mine might behave," Howard thought.

"We'll see what happens," she nodded.

"I'll tell mine to behave," Doppy chuckled.

"I'm sure you will," Keltin grinned. She took a deep breath, and Doppy moved to whisper a song to her. She leaned into him heavily, and he hugged her. When everyone finally got to them, they approached the Kafra Agent and got sent off to Amatsu.


	106. Chapter 106

When they got there, Loomin took in the sights with the others. He was amazed at the different areas that he was being taken to, and the town of Amatsu was beautiful. He was finally seeing places for the first time, since he was freed from the ice. He would never be able to thank her enough for his freedom. He looked over at her and found her still in awe of her own town. Then he remembered how she was raised and winced.

"I was put to sleep, and she was left to die," he muttered to himself.

"Don't stress about it," Doppy said, as he looked at him. "Sorry Sari always said that things had to happen for a reason. Leave it at that."

"Right," Loomin sighed and nodded. The Amatsu Priests and guards stayed back on the island, since they felt she was safe in her hometown. The Amatsu Captain was always stationed in the nursery for the kids. Maheo was eager to explore the town, since he had decided to become a permanent group member. Wanderer had joined them and was quite impressed with the town. Beelzebub and Hibram found the place rather pleasant. Yet, Beelzebub noticed something about all of Sarine's current homes and found this place rather interesting.

"Incantation Samurai," Beelzebub said, as he walked over to him.

"Yes?" Sammy asked.

"This town...feels like the island. I feel that I can walk away from her comfortably and not be bound down. But, only within the town. Why?" Beelzebub asked.

"Ah. This was the town she was originally brought to as a newborn. It could have the same effect, then," Sammy frowned. "Her house in Payon only has a specific radius of freedom. That is for the safety of the town populace, though."

"That would explain how she was able to separate from me before!" Doppy mused. "Like hell am I moving away from her now, though."

"Same here," Ragged Zombie nodded.

"I noticed something else," Beelzebub chuckled.

"Hmm?" Kiehl asked.

"In my domain, you all know how I can hear any conversation," Beelzebub grinned.

"No kidding," Thanatos muttered.

"I can do the same here," the Demon Lord grinned even more. "Any home that she considers home is instantly a domain to me. I can hear conversations, but I can't pinpoint them. I wanted to tell you all back at the island, but I got sidetracked."

"Now  _that_  is useful!" Sammy grinned.

"Anything interesting right now?" Howard asked.

"No. Mainly shocks of surprise and gossip about our appearances just now. If anything interesting is heard, you will all know," Beelzebub nodded sternly. "The minds of humans are amusing at times."

"Tell me about it," Kiehl grinned, and Howard gave an irritated cough. That had them laughing. Sarine was fixed up a bit by Coraline and Cecil before taking a deep breath to walk through the town. She wanted to see her papa.

"Beelzebub," Eremes muttered softly so the Demon Lord could hear him. "Home in on my voice. Something...interesting...made itself known..."

The Demon Lord gave a slight nod. Eremes Cloaked and sped off right then.

"Where did he go?" Sarine frowned.

"He's checking something out. He'll catch up later," Beelzebub smiled and moved over to hug her gently. Now Howard and Kiehl frowned at each other when Seyren glanced at them with a knowing look.  _A mission made itself present._ Sarine looked at them, and they forced small smiles to show that it was fine. As she led them to the palace, Eremes made his way into a back ally corner where Fenrick was waiting.

"I'm here..." Eremes muttered softly.

"The Rogues were tracked here. Be careful," Fenrick said lightly. "Tatya is here. So is Shadow. We are searching everywhere, so be on guard."

"We are already...on guard..." Eremes hissed out. "Beelzebub...can hear conversations. He knows now. Thank you...for the warning..."

"If you find them before us, let us know," Fenrick gave a Cloaked nod, and they separated. Back at the palace, Beelzebub gave a startled, wide-eyed look of shock at what he heard. He would have to let the others know.

"My daughter! How good to see you!" Markus chuckled, as he saw them walk into the throne room. It was still under repairs and everything was slow.

"Papa," Sarine smiled, and he hugged her to him. She gave a small frown, as she still had the feeling that something felt unfinished. She decided that it had to be the palace, itself.

"Sir," Howard chuckled. "Allow me to introduce you to a few new friends."

"Certainly!" Markus nodded. Fallen Bishop Hibram, Beelzebub, Ragged Zombie, and Loomin were now introduced. Markus was pleasantly surprised about Loomin and looked oddly at Ragged Zombie. Beelzebub gave a light nod of respect to him, and he listened to other conversations going on through the town.

"Why are the renovations going so slow, Papa?" Sarine frowned.

"Well, my army is always training, and they can only repair in their spare time. The funding is there, as well as the supplies, but it's slow in everything," Markus admitted. "Good volunteers are hard to find, too. I can only rebuild when the help is available."

"Markus, would you say that Sarine could call the palace her home and live here, if she wanted to?" Sammy mused.

"Definitely! My home is always her home! The whole town is!" Markus smiled. A sudden Warp appeared in a shadowed part of the throne room, and Storm Caller came through it with a team of monsters.

"We will rebuild right now!" Storm Caller nodded. Markus gaped with shock, and Sarine laughed with delight. "Give us the rest of the day!"

"Station a couple guards by that Warp. If you ever need to come see us, you can use that," Sammy chuckled. "It will be safer and faster."

"Of course!" Markus said with surprise.

"Doppelganger, Thanatos, Hibram..." Beelzebub said lightly, and they looked at him now. It was time to tell them what he needed to say. "I...heard something. Unpleasant."

"What?" Doppy said, and he walked to his side with the others.

"Eremes was told by Fenrick..." Beelzebub said with narrowed eyes. "the Rogues are...in town. Right now. And being hunted by the Assassin Guild."

Doppy snarled out with solid hate with Thanatos and Hibram. Howard turned now and paused at what he was told. Kiehl seethed with hatred, and Naght was informed. Ifrit came in from the Warp with Naght and Baphomet. Storm Caller was going to have to completely revamp the palace to be large enough to support the massive demons. He didn't want the palace to fall in again from being so small.

"Ah..." Markus gaped at the sight, and Naght rumbled in Demonic to them.

"We won't leave her alone!" Seyren snarled.

"Oh..." Sarine frowned and shivered. Kiehl and Howard comforted her quickly.

"What's happening?" Markus asked with a touch of anger at his daughter's distress.

"There is a possibility that the city is in danger by three misfits," Sammy sighed. "We are going to protect Sarine at all times."

"My Lady," Aliot said, as he moved by her. "You need to eat."

"I found a table!" Byorgue said, as he pulled a small one over. Drago stood over them to keep watch with Maya Purple and Observation. Injustice brought over a chair for her, and Nigel started setting up her sushi, cookies and tea. Errende put a careful hand on her belly to soothe the growing children before guiding her to the chair.

"We do have a dining room," Markus said.

"It's not large enough for us just yet. It's barely large enough for me," Maya Purple said. "By the end of the day, this place will be reformed. Don't worry if you see monsters moving about. They will help protect the palace and the town much like the island."

"I'll have to let my people know," Markus thought. "Can they stay in the palace? I'm sure they can wander the town at night, but it would ease the minds of my people."

"We can arrange it," Sammy nodded. Eremes Uncloaked next to Sarine and crossed his arms over his chest. He was currently human, and he knew he was going to be using Sammy's bracelet to help uncover anyone trying to be invisible. Howard was going to be doing the same. Eremes was muttering under his breath, and Beelzebub was listening intently. He called up three of his Hell Fly minions and had them fly off to help scout.

"Very useful," Kiehl chuckled.

"Howard, I could use your smithing skills again," Markus said.

"As long as Sarine is with me. She has a rather intense craving to see me, Kiehl, and Sammy right now. If we leave her line of sight for even a moment, she worries. It could turn bad, if she can't see us when she needs to," Howard said.

"Really?! Well, yes, the moment she is ready to go with you, then," Markus nodded.

"What are you looking at?!" Ragged Zombie asked a guard that was staring at him.

"Just doing my job," the guard said.

"Stare any longer and I'll think you're developing feelings for me!" the zombie grinned. That had the guard stutter, and everyone started giggling and laughing.

"I see why you like him," Markus chuckled.

"You should see me go off at the arena!" the zombie snickered.

"Or off in general," Sarine murmured before she sipped her tea. That made him look at her with a small growl, and she grinned. Doppy started laughing and shaking his head.

"Your daughter has a very interesting mind. And that's putting it lightly," Loomin smirked. She muttered something in her teacup, and Beelzebub cracked a wide, evil grin.

"What was that?" Markus smiled.

"Nothing, Papa!" she said sweetly. She looked up, as Howard and Kiehl moved to settle their hands on each of her shoulders, and Sammy stood behind her protectively.

"Fenrick..." Eremes frowned when the man made himself known.

"Emperor Markus," Fenrick nodded with respect.

"Yes?" Markus asked.

"I am sure you have heard of the idle threat in your town?" Fenrick asked.

"I...have been made aware of something going on," Markus said.

"Papa?" Sarine frowned. Fenrick blinked at her and didn't realize that she was royalty.

"I know about it. What do you know about it?" Beelzebub asked lightly.

"Oh! Well, they arrived about an hour ago," Fenrick said.

"Enough said..." Eremes said. "As you can see...she is protected..."

"Right," Fenrick said. Sarine looked away with a frown, and Howard squeezed her shoulder lightly. Doppy and Loomin glanced at each other. Keltin was remaining in his Bongun form to instinctively Detect anything around them. Sammy now had his Samurai ghost come out to help protect her. There was little his ancestral ghost missed.

"I can help search," Wanderer said. He thought of her as his mate, though the others didn't. They wouldn't see him as a true mate until he won First Mate Rights.

"You are needed here," Thanatos said. Sarine needed every bit of protection that was available. Wanderer nodded and kept his hand on the top of his sword staff.

"My flies are searching, as we speak. Either the three idiots are telepathic, or they just don't like to talk," Beelzebub mused. "Wait...hmm..."

"What is it?" Doppy asked.

"I hear..." the Demon Lord thought and frowned. He gestured for silence now, as he closed his eyes to focus. "They have finally started talking. They are looking for...targets."

"Where?!" Eremes snarled, and Beelzebub rose up his hand for him to remain quiet.

"I can only hear them. I can't see them. Sarine, my mate," the Demon Lord looked at her. "I hate to do this, but...I may need you to act as bait to lure them out."

"No!" Howard and Kiehl hissed. Markus was clearly disturbed by this.

"Do you think she would be unprotected?" Beelzebub asked with annoyance. "This place  _is_  like the island!"

"Ah..." Howard blinked. Now he understood where the Demon Lord was heading.

"I can Cloak," Wanderer mused.

"As can I," Eremes nodded. "But...I'm not a monster..."

"You are still stronger. They are Rogues. Not Stalkers," Beelzebub grinned.

"I can get the others to help," Fenrick said.

"My daughter will come to no harm?" Markus asked.

"You have my word," the Demon Lord nodded. "She is my mate, too. I won't let anything, or anyone, touch her that means her harm."

"We can help, too," Wickebine said, as she moved forward with Blent. They could easily Stalk and find where they were.

"I really need to transcend," Blent sighed. "I'll have to train after this."

"That's fine. Right now, focus on this," Beelzebub said. "Naght, I know they'll get mad at you, since they did die in your tower. They're still pissed about it. They are...setting up their focus point by the tree. The special one in town. Sarine, you will need to head there alone. Don't worry. My flies will be watching you, and we will not be far off. If you need to see Howard, Kiehl, or Sammy, they will be near you."

"What do we do when they are caught?" Fenrick asked.

"I want to experiment on them," Kiehl said.

"I just want them dead!" Doppy hissed.

"Let's do both," Sarine mused. "We'll make sure Kiehl's chairs work first. Then you all can do what was done with Errende's parents..."

Baphomet started to laugh, and Naght howled with delight. The demons were clearly all for it now. She looked over when Pori-Pori came out from the Warp and jumped into her arms.

"I want to help, Vessel of Odin!" he said. Then he bounced on her head with a grin.

"Now she's protected!" Nigel smiled before thinking. He shifted into his Nine Tail form and yawned, as he shrunk small. Settling his head in her lap, Beelzebub thought. Then he shifted into his large fly form to settle on the back of her shoulder to be out of sight. Now she was thoroughly protected, and everyone felt a bit easier with it.

"Let's get this over with..." Eremes nodded. Fenrick moved out now to find his other Guild mates. She got kissed hard by each husband before making her way to the tree. Her presence did not go unnoticed.

"Look!" a voice hissed out softly.

"So pretty!" a second one giggled.

"We know her..." a third one smirked.

"Oh, yes..." the first voice said.

"We should say hello..." the second one mused.

"Let's do that," the third said eagerly. Nigel settled to curl up against her side, as she sat at the base of the tree. He placed his head on her knee again, and she fondly moved her hand through his fur. She knew that her three loves were not far off, and she was able to glance at them from where they hid to keep her calm. Beelzebub's flies settled in the tree branches to help ambush when they were needed. Eremes remained Cloaked and stood next to her. Wanderer was doing the same thing. Eremes's three older companions from the Assassin Guild were waiting just beyond the tree. She sighed and ran her hand down her kimono in thought. Then she paused.  _I was in a kimono in my dream vision when the Rogues approached me. The same scenario could happen again._

She forced herself to think of other things now. Howard and Kiehl were tense where they were, and they had to keep themselves from running out to her to comfort her. Sammy saw their distress and narrowed his eyes in sudden recognition. He won't let it happen to her, either.

"Let's go look around," she said to Nigel, and he yipped happily. As she moved to stand, a black haired, green eyed Rogue stood in front of her with a light smile.

"Hello again..." he grinned.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" she frowned.

"You will..." the second one said, as he appeared behind her.

"You'll know us quite well, soon enough..." the third said, as he appeared to neatly trap her other escape route. She gasped and trembled at how they stared at her. Nigel rose up his hackles and snarled, as Pori-Pori jumped off her head to bounce in front of her.

"I'm still confused at how you think you know me," she shivered.

"Do you remember a tower?" the first Rogue asked, as he leaned closer to her. His scent repulsed her, and she forced down an instinctive gag.

"There have been lots of towers..." she whimpered.

"So pretty! Such a wonderful sound she makes!" the second Rogue leered.

"You were on a Gryphon. We wanted to play with you. Looks like we'll get the chance," the third Rogue grinned. Nigel yipped out and grew to his full size. Beelzebub crawled slowly up her shoulder and looked like an oversized Steel Chonchon fly. Pori-Pori now grew three times larger to show he wasn't just a Poring. Her courage started to come back, as her protectors made themselves known, and her dominant side took over.

"You aren't very familiar with pets, are you?" she mused. "Nine Tail isn't a pet. Neither is Beelzebub or Pori-Pori, for that matter."

"What?!" the first Rogue hissed.

"Doppelganger isn't a pet, either," she chuckled, as the second Rogue found a shining, curvy steel blade coming out his back and out his front. Doppelganger grinned with a sadistic look of satisfaction at the kill.

"Brother!" the third Rogue gaped.

"Neither is Baphomet and Thanatos," she grinned wickedly, as the demons charged up to howl with fury. "Or...Naght Seiger..."

The first Rogue shouted, as Naght roared out his hatred. Beelzebub landed on the ground next to her, and he reverted to his human form to place an arm around her with amusement. Then he pulled her into his robe to keep her close. She leaned into him, and he planted a kiss on her mouth when the others came out of hiding to swarm over the three Rogues.

"You won't touch my wife!" Keltin snarled out, as his Rage came out to encompass him. It was far too easy to apprehend the Rogues now. She had so many protectors that swarmed around her that it was clearly one-sided.

"This...is not...fair...!" the first Rogue hissed, as Pori-Pori slammed down on his chest.

"It wasn't fair when it was three on one, either," Beelzebub muttered. He kept Sarine enfolded in his massive robe as though to shield her from them. She was breathing in his scent with relief, and this was one of the reasons why he did this. He knew she was repulsed by them. He gave her a nuzzle and pressed her head against his chest gently, as he glared at the Rogues. The two made a rather regal pair from their royal looks.

"I have plans for you three," Kiehl grinned wickedly, as his ghost came out to encompass him. The second Rogue was just barely Resurrected so he could see his fate.

"You'll enjoy them," Howard smirked, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"And after the plans, we'll enjoy all of you," Ragged Zombie snickered.

"Over and over again..." Doppy hissed his delight.

"Not in a pleasurable way for any of you, either!" Hibram said with a sneer.

"I can't wait!" Baphomet slathered. "I want it to start now!"

"Not in Amatsu," Sarine sighed, as she leaned into Beelzebub's protective embrace. He gently ran a hand over her form, as she said, "Save it for the arena. We can have Misty join them, if she doesn't behave, too."

"My Lady?" Errende asked curiously a slight smile.

"The bitch had it coming," she grinned in a dangerously wicked way. Now Howard and Kiehl found her dominating side completely enticing and addictive, as they grinned with her. Doppy looked at her with a savage grin, and Loomin was clearly aroused. Keltin and Sammy tensed, and Eremes was watching her with a possessive glare. Beelzebub gave a snarl of want and pulled her tighter to him.

"What do you want to do now, My Lady?" Aliot asked. "With them?"

"They need to be imprisoned properly," she said. "Then I want to do all of you..."

"Oh?" Ragged Zombie asked, as his chest heaved with complete arousal.

"But, first," she smiled seductively and looked up at Beelzebub. "How-How needs to talk to his parents. Only after that is done can I play with all of you properly."

"You drive a hard bargain," the Demon Lord frowned. Then he hissed, as she pressed against him and nipped his neck.

"I'm making myself suffer, too. Remember that," she chuckled and pulled away from his speechless form. The three Rogues were in shock. _She would have been the perfect playmate, if things went our way._ Muninn flew down and landed to become human. Now he glared at the three Rogues with complete distrust.

" _So, the three of you have finally been caught! It's about time!_ " Muninn growled.

"Muninn?" Sarine blinked at him, and he moved to her side protectively.

" _I was a touch worried that they would have gotten to you. If Beelzebub wasn't with you, it may have been disastrous._ "

"How?!" the Demon Lord demanded to know.

" _She wouldn't have known where they would have been waiting for her. None of us would have, and I would have had to ensure that she would be safe at all times. These three have harmed more innocents than I could dare to count! They would have locked her away and used her to their hearts' content. That means she would have lost her pregnancy._ "

"I'm killing them now!" Doppy bellowed, but Muninn rose up his hand to stop him.

" _You will, but not now. I'll want to slaughter them, too!_ "

"They should be imprisoned separately," she said.

"Away from my brothers?!" the first Rogue panicked.

"But...no!" the second one hissed.

"Why?!" the third one gaped.

" _And now you have revealed your weakness to us,_ " Muninn grinned widely. " _Together, they feel unstoppable. But, separated, they can't do anything. What's even more disgusting is how they 'comfort' each other..._ "

"Okay, that's too much!" Sammy grimaced.

"Get them out of here!" Loomin spat, as he moved over to Sarine's side to hug her.

"They use each other when they have no victims?" Beelzebub scowled with distaste.

"Brotherly bonding to a whole new level. Nasty," Ragged Zombie shivered. "I mean, I understand that love finds a way, but through incest?!"

"Don't give me nightmares!" Howard groaned and shook his head. Hibram, Thanatos, and Doppy were thoroughly disgusted now.

"I hope they hate pain!" Kiehl snarled. "I can test my drugs out on them, too!"

"We...should...just...kill...them...!" Naght hissed.

"I agree!" Baphomet snorted. Sarine kissed Loomin softly before turning in his arms to look at the three Rogues with a small smile.

"It appears that my husbands, mates, and slaves all want to play with you three. I can't deny them what they want. They tend to do so whenever they wish, anyways," she sighed. "But, I will not let them play with any of you while you are in Amatsu. So, for now, you will all be imprisoned. Separately. In my personal dungeons. I'll have to have Zealotus soften you three up one at a time. Maybe with a spiked whip handle..."

"Ugh..." Errende grimaced with Injustice, and she moved to comfort them to whisper to them. It was a form of torture, and they knew it was inevitable. As long as it wasn't done to them personally, and Sarine knew she would never do such things to them.

"I'll say no more and not ask for any details," she promised. That made them nod, and they both hugged her. Byorgue clearly wanted to gut the three open, but he knew he'd have his chance later on.

"How will they get to the dungeon?" Loomin asked.

"With me," Storm Caller nodded. "Beelzebub, Naght, Baphomet, and Hibram? If you four could assist with them, it would be appreciated. You will all be brought back here."

"As long as we are coming back," Beelzebub nodded. When they vanished, a sigh of relief went through everyone. Fenrick, Shadow, and Tatya nodded to Eremes now. They left soon after once the situation was under control.

"Byorgue, love, please tell my Papa that all is well," Sarine smiled. He nodded, accepted a caress from her, and ran off. Kiehl and Howard supported her now, as she leaned into them wearily. Sammy checked her health and frowned.

"She needs some tea. We'll wait for them to come back," Sammy said.

"She's also a bit stressed," Thanatos said. "Her growing kids can feel it."

"Vessel of Odin!" Pori-Pori said. She looked at him, and he made a funny face to start her giggling. They all looked over at a young couple approaching them.

"We came to pay our respects to the tree," the young woman said.

"Please don't mind us!" the young man said.

"Of course," Sarine said with a soft smile and nod. The man looked at her with an astonished gaze at how beautiful she was. Nigel had reverted to his human form a bit of a ways away, and he had returned to her side to hand her a cup of tea. Smiling at him, as she accepted it to sip, Howard gave a sharp glare at the man. The woman with him pulled her man away quickly to make sure he noticed her again.

"Can't be helped, can it?" Loomin frowned.

"Unfortunately not," she sighed, as she nibbled on a cookie. That action alone sent a wave of lust through her men, and she blushed. Then she noticed how they responded to the act, and she started to develop an idea. She'd have to try it later. When her three mates and Baphomet returned, she nodded lightly to them.

"We need to stock up on sushi," Sammy said.

"That we do," she smiled and rose up to stand. Byorgue had just returned and was informed on what he missed. He grinned at the issue of the young couple.

"Sarine, love, we should head to the smithing area. I'll make a few things for your papa there. After that, we can find out where my poor excuses for parents are," Howard said.

"Of course," she smiled, and he moved in step with her. Beelzebub was listening to the idle conversations in the town, and he paused at one in particular. He moved over to Eremes to pull him aside.

"Hmm?" the Assassin Cross looked at him.

"Check out the far north-eastern corner of town. Be careful. If anything happens, speak out," Beelzebub said. "Go now."

Eremes nodded slightly, Cloaked, and moved out. Doppy looked over with alarm, and the Demon Lord moved to mutter to him of a possible assassination attempt on Markus.

"Seriously?!" Doppy growled.

"Yes. We'll remain calm. For now," Beelzebub nodded. "Eremes should be able to handle it and stop it in its tracks. My flies will be with him for backup. I heard the conversation, and my flies discovered the location."

"I don't like it," Doppy frowned.

"Neither do I," he said. Since Markus was important to Sarine, the man's life was important to him, too. He also respected Markus, as he was a follower of ancient honor and traditional ways. They followed Sarine to the smithing section and watched Howard work diligently. Sarine was settled in the center of her loves protectively and was sipping tea with contentment. Muninn hadn't bothered to become his falcon form and was watching with amusement. Only when he glanced at something happening in the future, did he blink, fight down a bout of lust and laughter, and shift quickly to fly off. Kiehl wondered about it, but said nothing while he watched Howard try to make weapons. When Howard failed an attempt, Ragged Zombie would tease him to keep her laughing and happy.

"You broke another one. Are you sure you're good at this?" the zombie asked.

"Shut up!" Howard growled, as he tried again with Errende's buffs.

"He made me a set of Fist weapons," Keltin grinned.

"He's uses his fists on you? What?" the zombie frowned and had snickers start up.

"You're an asshole!" Howard muttered, as he set aside an Ice imbued Flamberge.

"Well, I would hope not, if you do to them with what you do to these weapons!" Ragged Zombie chided. That made him get a hard glare, and everyone erupted with laughter.

"Someone should get Donnie. Ragged Zombie, How-How is on our side, you know. As funny as it is, please let him work," Sarine smiled. The zombie nodded with agreement, and Howard moved to kiss Sarine passionately in thanks. Byorgue went to get the Clown and brought him back quickly.

"I was called?" he asked.

"Can you play a bit of music, please? It would help Howard work and focus a bit more," she asked. He nodded and started up a light tune on his guitar. Then he gave a mild glare at Ragged Zombie when he heard a chuckle.

"What? I didn't say anything!" the zombie frowned, yet his eyes were filled with a form of complete amusement.

"No need to. The look in your eyes shows exactly how much you want to start something," Donnie muttered, as he plucked a string.

"As in how?" he asked. Sarine smiled, and now everyone knew why she wanted Donnie to be in their vicinity. _Donnie would retort back, since he was used to bantering._  Howard only got pissed off about it. Sarine needed to be kept happy, and this was a sure way to do it.

"As if I would tell you! You'd likely eat my brain as well as pick at it!" Donnie scowled.

"Sorry. I don't take appetizers," the zombie grinned. Snickers quickly started up.

"Are you saying I have a small brain?!"

"You said it. Not me."

"At least I have a brain."

"I have one, too. It's between my legs and pretty useful, according to Sarine," the zombie grinned wickedly. She gave him a look and shook her head.

"Don't drag me into your conversations," she smirked.

"I'll drag you somewhere," he growled.

"You do, and I'll make sure to drag you into a shallow grave!" she hissed dangerously, as a touch of her dominant side came out. That made all of her men stop and stare at her. Eremes had appeared shortly after, and Ifrit filled him in on what he missed. He had stopped whatever was about to take place against Markus rather easily and ensured that it wouldn't happen again.

"Sorry," Ragged Zombie said quickly.

"It's fine. I'm sorry, too. I'm supposed to be relaxing today, and I just..." she sighed, and Howard stammered, as her emotional wall was cracking. Doppy was starting to feel it, too, and he hissed lightly. Now he looked at Donnie in thought.

"I'm guessing you know how to use your dick?" Doppy asked with a smirk. Eremes hissed with laughter, as the mood made a complete turnaround.

"Egnigem makes sure I do," Donnie smirked back. "I do have the wedding ring to prove that I use it just fine."

"How often?" he asked.

"As if I would tell you that!" the Clown said with a bit of a stammer.

"That tells me not often enough," the zombie grinned to send laughter all around.

"You can shut up!" Donnie snapped.

"Let me guess, it chafes and you have to stop?" Ragged Zombie pressed on.

"No!" Donnie colored up.

"Can't keep it up?" he asked.

"That's not the case!"

"Or are you just not satisfying her?" he mused.

"I satisfy her plenty! Besides, aren't you worried of something breaking off as you use it?!" Donnie growled out. Keltin tensed, as Howard made a remark just like that before, and the Whitesmith was forced to bite back a laugh while he worked.

"Well, if it broke off and stayed hard, I'd know she could carry it with her and use it as often as she wanted," Ragged Zombie said with a thoughtful look. That had everyone gasping with shock and outright laughter. Now Keltin didn't feel so hurt about it. Then the zombie said, "Of course, it's more pleasuring for me, if I do it to her. You have me very curious now!"

"What?!" Donnie blinked.

"Change the subject, please!" Sarine said, as she was blushing fiercely.

"But, I like where this is going! Just think about it!" the zombie grinned.

"I prefer to have my men in one piece and not in pieces," she said with a smile. "At least this way, if someone wants to compare, you have something to show for it."

That had everyone howling and crying with laughter.

"What do you mean?" the zombie frowned.

"You already have one gaping hole. I doubt you need two of them," she said. "Besides, you have me wondering now."

"About what?" the zombie asked. She gestured for Errende to come close, and she whispered to him. He blinked and gave a smug grin now. Thanatos laughed even harder at her suggestion. Errende moved over to Ragged Zombie and whispered to him. The zombie started to laugh, and they moved off to a corner. When they came back, Ragged Zombie was not very happy with the results. Beelzebub was grinning wickedly at everything he heard.

"I win," Errende grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. Sarine started laughing, and she clapped her hands with delight, as everyone else was floored.

"That's not fair! You have demon blood!" the zombie scowled.

"Doesn't matter. I win," he shrugged and moved to hug Sarine. Thanatos was still trying to recover, and Eremes was holding in his gut.

"Don't the two of you hurt her, if you're both the same?" Ragged Zombie asked about Thanatos now. Errende and Thanatos looked at each other and grinned.

"You'd be surprised at what can be accomplished with a bit of cooperative focus," Thanatos grinned wickedly. Sarine was blushing even harder, and Errende pressed a kiss to her cheek. Howard couldn't even work on smithing, as he was laughing too hard.

"All right, I'm going to show everyone right now how I win at this conversation," she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. She remembered what happened near the tree, and now she had to test out her wicked little idea. Kiehl now looked at her with a gaping jaw, and Howard choked down his laughter from the shock of what she had in mind. Now he had to frantically gesture for Donnie to leave quickly.

"Like hell am I going anywhere!" Donnie frowned. "I want to see what she means!"

"Your loss," she smiled and gestured for a cookie. Now she nibbled it slowly and leisurely. She let her free hand seem to rest on her cleavage, as though to open the top of the kimono partially to tease her men. Soft licks were given to her fingers, as the sweet food started crumble away from her teeth and tongue. She gave a soft groan, as she continued to nibble it down to nothing. When she was done, she licked her fingers clean and ran her hands over her cleavage slowly. Then she ran her hands down her kimono to stretch with a form of satisfaction, and her tongue ran over her lips to pick up any stray crumbs. A heavy sigh of contentment left her parted lips before she smiled. At the tense stares and looks of want, she grinned and whispered huskily, "I win."

"That...okay..." Donnie said, as he cleared his throat. "I'm going to find Egnigem now."

"You do that," she said, as she picked up a piece of sushi to start doing the same thing to it. His jaw dropped at how her tongue worked under the bit of shrimp to separate it from the rice, and now he left quickly. She could feel her men staring harder and harder at her with every little grain of rice she consumed one at a time. Each white, soft grain was worked over her teeth and taken in on her tongue with a purpose. Right after she finished the sushi, she licked her fingers clean again, got up, stretched herself out, and now hummed, as she walked away from the stunned crowd of lusty lovers. She felt their stares at her back, and she grinned. When they were still stunned, she ran her hands over her body with a soft moan and rolled her hips, as she moved away. That got a full and complete reaction from them.

"MINE!" Kiehl snarled out, as his First Mate Bragging Rights surfaced with a vengeance. The others couldn't argue with him.

"Not yet!" she growled, and he hissed with denial. "Parents first. Then we play."

"Evil...woman..." Howard grounded out.

"Not fair..." Ragged Zombie gasped.

"You're telling me," Loomin growled.

"This is harsh..." Eremes winced. Doppy and Thanatos were simply far too tense to speak. Sammy was forcing himself to calm down, as Keltin was staring with lust at her.

"I may have to nurse the kids soon, too," she mused, as she tilted her head in thought. Naght was having trouble focusing right. Ifrit was cringing with complete want. None of her men have been so turned on before in such a way. It was killing them now. Her slaves were speechless and didn't know how to properly react to her. She knew that, if she tried to comfort any of them later, the effect would be the end of her calm mood.  _I have to give them what they wanted now before they demanded it._

She looked at Howard and glanced at the anvil with a smile.

"I'm done," he said with a tense look. Kiehl was gasping with careful control.

"Errende, is there anyone else around?" she asked.

"No...My Lady," he said with a bit of force. Nodding, she finally pulled Kiehl to her by his collar, and she planted a kiss on him that tore down his carefully built wall of strain. He rushed her to the back of the smithing room, and her men waited to take their turns with her. It had to be done, or none of them would be able to focus right.

It took about twenty minutes for them all to be sated of her. They were so aroused it took no time at all for them to release when they got their turn. Kiehl had her again when the others finished, and he was clinging to her with his violent release. He was only too glad that Wanderer was exploring the town to ensure its safety, or he would have been part of this little fiasco. None of them would have liked it.

"Like I said..." she said with a breathless voice. "I win..."

"Yes. You won," Kiehl chuckled and kissed her deeply. He forced himself to move now, and he pulled her up with him to stand. Errende came over to help fix her kimono back to rights. Kiehl saw Muninn land on the anvil and tremble with laughter.

"Stop that!" Howard growled. He was still shivering with want.

"So, that's why you left," Kiehl grinned. Muninn seemed to tremble even harder and appeared to preen his feathers. Now they all started to laugh softly, and she sighed.

"Do you still need to forge, How-How?" she asked.

"I think I made enough for now. Let's find my idiot brother, Timmy," Howard said.

"Ah. That brother," Kiehl smirked.

"You're the smart ass," Howard grinned.

"The joys of brotherly bonding!" Ragged Zombie snickered.

"As long as it's not bondage," she grinned. That made laughter erupt through them all, and Howard tickled her sides in response. She pulled him close to kiss hard, and he growled with need. He still didn't feel satisfied of her.

"Sarine..." he muttered, as he hugged her close.

"After your parents," she smiled, and he kissed her again before giving a sigh of defeat.

"Making me wait...so evil..." he grimaced.

"Now you know how I feel on occasion," she whispered softly. Beelzebub looked over at her with amusement. She winked at him slyly, and he growled with renewed lust.

"You're a real Succubus, you know," Beelzebub chuckled.

"And I have the appetite of a glutton," she grinned. "I did have sex as a craving with Keltin's pregnancy, you know. Some of it is still there."

"Really?" he mused.

"Oh, yes," Thanatos said. "She killed us all."

"Don't remind me," Byorgue winced.

"Wow," Ragged Zombie blinked. "That bad?"

"I still want it," she grinned wickedly, and now his jaw dropped. "But, I can wait. Can you wait? Or do you still want it, too?"

"Sarine," Howard growled dangerously, and she turned to nip his ear before moving away. He hissed with a form of control and shivered hard. Muninn suddenly peered into the future and warbled with disbelief. He looked at her and the ones she was with. He worried for them all now. Beelzebub looked over at him with a frown.

"Muninn, if you know something, tell us," the Demon Lord said. That made everyone look at Muninn. The falcon sighed and seemed to tremble.

_:Loomin's twins. And. Mine and. Huginn's. Sons. Will have. Her. With. All past. Cravings. Badly.:_ Muninn warbled.  _:Be prepared.:_

"What?" Keltin blinked with shock.

"She'll be craving me, then?" Thanatos said with worry.

_:No. Just. Usual cravings. Blood. Sex. Dominance. Foods. You are. Special craving. Don't worry. But. All other. Cravings. Will be. Quite bad.:_

"Will there be a way to balance it out?" Loomin asked now.

_:My blood. Which means. Lots. Of. Demonic Matings.:_  Muninn seemed to tremble again.  _:Can't be. Helped. Either cravings. Or. Demonic Matings. But. No other. Children. Will be. Made.:_

"I thought I only have a Demonic Mating after drinking your blood and a blood swap?" Sarine asked with a frown. "The blood swap isn't needed?"

_:No. Just. My blood. Blood swap. Helps. Your stamina. That's it.:_

"So," Kiehl frowned. "we work with her harder cravings for everything she had in the past, or we let her drink your blood and go through a Demonic Mating each time. That's a rock and a hard place, for sure! There is no viable solution for either."

"I have some time before this happens. We'll deal with it then," Sarine said calmly.

"Muninn..." Eremes said. "I need to know. What will she crave with me?"

_:Heat. Lots. Of heat. Spicy food. Fire. Warmth. Hot water. All heat.:_ he warbled.

"I see..." Eremes thought. "What about her side craving?"

_:Hmm. Good question! I see. Oh. Bad. Solitude. Not good!:_

"Solitude?!" Howard grimaced.

"And, if she wants to be alone while wanting to see us," Kiehl frowned. "Not good."

"Now I can't get this out of my head," Loomin sighed. That made them look at each other, and they all started to think.  _His pregnancy with her would definitely be the most challenging._ Sarine trembled, as she had to think about it, and it snapped Howard and Kiehl back into the present. Kiehl moved to softly whisper to her and hug her close. When she whimpered softly, he whispered to her even more to calm her, and she leaned into him while she nodded.

"We'll do what we can for her when the time comes," Beelzebub said softly.  _She is my mate. It's as simple as that._ Hibram gave a nod to him, and Howard cleared his throat.

"Let's get this crap done with my parents. I'm sure, after that, she'll need to nurse the kids. The older ones will want to come here to play, too," Howard said.

"Your parents are stupid heads," Sarine muttered, and both him and Kiehl started laughing. Eremes started laughing softly with Keltin and Doppy.

"What did she call them?" Loomin grinned, as the others started laughing. Howard moved over to him to explain what she would do when she was younger.

"And Serenity picked up on it naturally," Sammy grinned. Sarine gave a small smile and still looked troubled. Howard and Kiehl knew she was. Naght finally moved over to her to gather her up in his arms to help soothe her. Kiehl could have carried her, but he allowed Naght to do it, since he was bound to Howard and him in a way. When she was finally calmed, Naght and Kiehl nodded to each other, as she was set back down.

"Hey," Kiehl whispered and squeezed her. She sighed and leaned into him heavily. Running a hand over her back, he looked at Howard. Then she screamed when Doppy did, and Sammy was evaluating the growth of his children. Thanatos nodded to Errende to put his hands on her womb quickly.

"Ten percent growth again," Sammy said. "They are growing slowly, but in short bursts. Thanatos? Does she need to eat now?"

"Yes, she does," he nodded. Kiehl held her, as she sipped some tea and started to eat a plate of sushi hungrily. Cookies were given next with more tea, and Aliot wisely handed over a chocolate bar. With all of it drunk and devoured, she sighed with contentment and leaned against Kiehl. He smiled and kissed her forehead gently. When she was ready to move again, they walked her back into the throne room.

"Markus," Howard said.

"Yes?" he smiled.

"I'm ready to see my poor excuses for parents," Howard sighed.

"I'll get Timmy," Byorgue nodded and ran off.

"Very well. I trust that enough weapons were forged?" Markus chuckled. One of his guards had gone to check on them and came back rather flustered with his report.

"Ah...yes..." Howard said with a light smile, as Sarine blushed. The demons showed no shame at all with their grins and chuckles. Byorgue came back with Timmy rather quickly, and Sarine was neatly composed again. She did pause at the hallway they were walking down, as though unsure of herself at first. Something felt very wrong, and Howard frowned. He thought it was just his parents on meeting them. Kiehl gave a protective glare around them, but found nothing wrong. Naght wasn't sure, either, but he would want to look into it, if the feeling came back. Right now, they pushed the feeling away. It would prove to be something else later.

Markus nodded and gestured to a guard for them to follow. They followed the guard to a set of stairs leading down, and they continued down them. When they reached the end, they found themselves looking at a set of cells. The room had a rather high roof to make it look like a squatting house on the outside. This was what Howard was a touch impressed about. The room was several feet deep underground, but no one would realize it was a jail. The only way into and out of the dungeon was the tunnel they had to take. All of the cells were empty save one at the end of the long room.

"Are you letting us out yet?!" Anthon growled.

"We've paid our dues!" Wendy said.

"You have visitors," the guard said and stepped away from the cell.

"Father," Howard said, as he moved to confront them. Sarine frowned softly, and Kiehl kept an arm around her. Timmy went to join him.

"Howard!" Anthon said with surprise.

"Timothy! Oh! You're alive!" Wendy said.

"Yes, Mom. I'm alive," Timmy nodded.

"You're different," Anthon frowned. There was plenty of light around them, as skylights were everywhere here. The vaulted rooftops were cleverly maintained.

"Yes. I'm an Alchemist now. I've been training myself," Timmy nodded again.

"You've been advancing?! But, you promised you wouldn't!" Anthon growled.

"Well, I got tired of doing nothing with my life," Timmy shrugged.

"You weren't just doing nothing!" his father snapped.

"I was doing nothing! I finally understand what Howie was trying to tell us all this time. And I've been an idiot for not seeing it until now," Timmy growled. Sarine gave another soft frown, and Howard moved to comfort her. He kissed her softly and hugged her tight.

"Is that your wife?!" Anthon gaped.

"Yes. She is," Howard said with a protective glare. Naght hissed, as he moved to stare at the humans. Sarine held up her hand, and he let her caress his jaw with a purr.

"Why does she do that?" Anthon asked.

"Because, Father," Howard smirked. "she's married to me and six others. Naght Seiger is her mate. This is the same demon that my blood is merged with. The same one you saw at the arena when he came out of me to confront you. There are a lot of others that she belongs to. I just didn't want to say anything."

"You married a whore?!" Anthon hissed with disgust. Then he blinked at all of the angry stares at him. Ragged Zombie glowered and looked like he was ready to pull a rib out. Sarine winced with a soft whimper, and Kiehl pulled her to him to whisper softly in comfort.

"Don't...you  _ever_...call...my wife...a whore...!" Howard hissed with rage. "She's a princess! She's royalty! She's Odin's daughter! She is EVERYTHING to me!"

"She's also the one that attacked you, as you went to attack Howie that night!" Timmy snarled out. "She gave Howie twins! You're a grandpa! But you'll never see them now!"

"What?" Anthon blinked with disbelief. "I'm...a granddad?"

"Yes. You are," Howard said, as he trembled for control. "But, until you change your ways, you will  _never_  see them! This is the last time I'm visiting you. I don't care what Timmy does. But, you just pissed me off for the last time!"

"Just...tell me what they look like...at least..." Anthon whispered.

"My daughter has my wife's hair and eyes, but a touch of the family green is there. Just enough for it to show. My son has my eyes, but has copper-red hair with a touch of the green, too," Howard said. "Their names are Serenity and Siegfried. They are my pride and joy. They are highly intelligent and caring. They are my kids."

"Howard," Kiehl muttered and sent him a thought. Howard nodded and moved to hug Sarine tight to him. Wendy blinked at what she just saw.

"You...and him? What...?" she asked.

"Oh. This is Kiel D-01. Not only is he a strong monster, but he's my twin brother, in a sense," Howard grinned. "We can read each other's minds. Kiehl, say hi."

"Hi," Kiehl said, as he crossed his arms over his chest and adjusted his glasses. "We should take her out of here."

"Yes. My kids need to be nursed," Keltin said. Anton's jaw dropped again.

"My kids probably want to play," Doppy grinned to make the man shake even more.

"Mine, too," Thanatos said, as he walked over to stare at the humans in the cell.

"And mine need to be nursed," Aliot said, as he caught on.

"Yes, Father, you have tons of grandkids, it seems. But, until you change, you're not seeing any of them," Howard glowered. Kiehl ran a hand over her belly and smiled to show she was pregnant again. Sammy did the same to evaluate her, and he glared with black eyes at the man and woman. When his Samurai ghost came out to hiss, they realized who he was with shock. They remembered him from the arena, but now he was grown up in a way.

Their eyes moved to the others, and Wendy was in shock once more at Loomin's beauty. When she saw the ring on his finger, she let out a small gasp. Eremes flashed his wedding ring, as Kiehl's diamond winked out in the leash loop on his collar. Then they finally saw all of the others with them and realized that she was likely going to have children with them all.  _Because she was married to Howard, all of their kids would be our grandkids._  It was this realization made them tremble with sorrow and joy. Now they knew that they had to change just to see the new family additions.

"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you," Timmy said, as Armeyer made her way to him to help show how much he changed. Howard nodded and led Sarine out. The moment they walked out of the dungeon, he turned, crushed Sarine to him, and she held him when he vented his rage with a hard snarl. Kiehl was seeing nothing but red now, as Howard's thoughts filled his mind. He clearly wanted to go back down there and mess them up. Naght wanted to impale them both through the bars of the cell.

"He...called you a...!" Howard hissed, as he gasped, and she hugged him even tighter.

"Can I go down there again and scare the shit out of him? Please?!" Ragged Zombie begged. "I'll only diddle a rib a little bit! I promise!"

"Ugh..." Howard sighed, as he forced out a laugh at that. "Do you know how hard it is stay pissed off when you say something like that?!"

"I'm serious! I'll jerk a rib out and fling it! Like a really fast jerk off!" the zombie said. Now Howard was laughing, and Sarine was blushing while she shook her head. When the mood was lightened quickly, Kiehl and Naght lost their bloodthirsty thoughts.

"That's just nasty," Kiehl grinned.

"Ew," Keltin grimaced.

"And to think it would be covered in green slime," Loomin cringed.

"Enough!" Sarine said sharply. Howard was laughing harder, as he clung to her. "Perverts! All of you! Sheesh! The men I have to be with! I honestly have to wonder!"

They were all laughing, and she shook her head again. Howard swept her into a long, senseless kiss before hugging her to him again and sighing.

"I love you," Howard whispered, as he kissed her again.

"I love you, too, How-How," she smiled and kissed him back.

"Hmm," Beelzebub mused.

"What?" Eremes asked.

"Howard, I think your parents are finally seeing the light. In the sense that you humans put it," the Demon Lord smirked. "The moment Timothy said that your father was a grandfather...that's what did it. He is now thinking of completely different things and discussing ways to improve himself. I noticed the change, myself, when I watched him."

"Seriously?" Howard frowned.

"Yes. He wants to meet his grandchildren. He's going to do everything he can to show that he can be a good man from now on," Beelzebub said.

"Timmy was the one that said it, too," Kiehl said. "Didn't Muninn say that Timmy couldn't be trusted unless he changed the ways of his father? Oh, that was Huginn!"

"Yes. Huginn said it when we found Timmy in the treasury after the monsters beat him half to death," Howard sighed. "You've been studying my memories, eh?"

"They grow up so fast! Soon, he'll be wondering how to use that little thing between his legs," Ragged Zombie sighed, and Howard started hissing with laughter.

"Didn't you say that a hole in the wall didn't count?" Kiehl grinned wickedly, and laughter erupted from them all again.

"Are you serious?!" Ragged Zombie gaped.

"Yes!" Howard cackled, as he clung to Sarine.

"Tell me! Tell me!" the zombie grinned wickedly. "I want details!"

"Oh...!" Howard laughed and nodded, as he wiped away a couple tears. "Okay! It was a few years back before I left home. I had just gotten up in the morning and heard this odd bumping and thumping along the side of my room. I walked out of it and there he was, grinding the wall! Apparently, he was moving furniture around, and he busted up a part of the wall. So, he told me later that he was trying to 'fill the hole up' to cover it!"

"Wow!" the zombie blinked. "Any lubrication?"

"Ah..." Howard started before laughing harder. Kiehl's jaw dropped, and he started coughing with fits of his own laughter. Naght just seemed to hiss with a disturbing snarl, as he rumbled out the thought in Demonic.

"He used a monster's Sticky Mucus? Ew!" Keltin gaped. Gasps of shock and more laughter followed. Loomin was caught between laughing and trying to keep the image from sticking. Eremes was so disgusted by the whole thing that he was laughing about it. Sammy was just in a shocked state of awe at how humans would think of using such things. Doppy was shaking with laughter at the whole thing.

"I'm hiding the hole in my gut!" the zombie growled and more laughter came from them.

"What's really funny..." Howard gasped. "is that I promised not to say anything!"

"You didn't! Naght did!" Sarine pointed out. That had Naght chuckle, and Howard was clinging to her until he could breathe again. Eremes had never laughed so much in his life and was heaving for air.

"Okay, you know I'm calling him Mucus Boy, if he pisses me off, right?" Ragged Zombie grinned. Whoever had just recovered their breath lost it all over again. After five breathless minutes, recovery was slow, but stable.

"Kids..." Sarine sighed, as she leaned heavily on Howard. "I need to...see them..."

"Okay..." Howard grinned and kissed her softly, as he started to walk with her. Instead of breaking the kiss, it got far more intense. Finally, he just growled, lifted her up, and braced her against the wall. Kiehl gave a slight grin and looked at the others.

"She did say after his parents were seen to," Kiehl mused. Maya Purple moved to help shield them from view. Several minutes later, her kimono was fixed up, and his belt was pulled back into place. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and kept an arm around her.

"Feel better?" she mused.

"Much," he grinned, and Kiehl started laughing. She suddenly stopped by a length of solid wall with white paint and stared at it. The feeling that something was horribly wrong came back in full, and everyone's attention moved to what she was staring at. Howard blinked when she didn't move, and he found himself glaring at the same section of wall from her thoughts. Then a connection came to them as to why she felt that something was wrong. Kiehl walked up to the section being stared at to run his hand over the wall and knock on it. He didn't detect anything unusual now. At least, that he could tell.

"It's solid. Nothing is there," Kiehl said. "It's gone."

"Good," Howard said seriously. Eremes narrowed his eyes and looked at the ground. He recognized this area of the palace all too well.

"What am I missing?" Doppy frowned.

"This..." Kiehl swallowed. "was where she was imprisoned. Right there. A door used to be there. She was told the room was torn down when you all were last here."

Naght hissed and thought.  _If it was really gone, then why was Sarine acting like this?_  Something didn't feel right, and he needed to see why for himself. As her First Mate from her very first Demonic Mating, and being her True First Mate, too, it was important for him to find out why she still felt bad around this spot. With a small, seething snarl of hatred, he slammed into the wall. Howard held her back, and Kiehl shielded her.

"What's going on?!" Loomin asked.

"Trying to see something. We want to make sure it's fully gone," Howard said. "At least, that's what Naght wants to do, it seems."

Naght slammed into the wall again, and now Doppy joined him by trying to kick the wall in. They were expecting to see sunlight start to shine through, since the main wall wasn't connected to another room on the other side. When a small crack started to appear, it sounded hollow, as the wall caved in.  _There was no sunlight._  This made Thanatos hiss with fury, and he started to add his weight to the wall. The wood finally started to give, as it splintered, and they tore it apart to form a good-sized hole for someone to walk into. What they found was shocking.  _The door was removed, and the wall was rebuilt, but the room was still there._ She cringed with a harsh, heart-tearing whimper, and Kiehl caught her up to crush against his chest. A sick smell of rot and old blood started to fill the air now, and Howard hissed, as he pressed himself against Sarine to shield her from it with his own scent.

Ifrit had no real sense of smell, so he flared his body into the room for them to see what it held. There was no carpeting in this room or any form of decorations. A hard, concrete floor with melted wax candle pieces all over the ground gave off a dull reflection from Ifrit's flaming body. Her blood from her second capture still stained the concrete thickly like a heavy, red-black sludge, and that was where most of the smell was coming from. Even the melted white candles that Eremes had used were still in place, but they were fused into the concrete.

A soft layer of new dust lay on the ground. It seemed to cover the old dust that coated the ground, yet the imprint from where she was tossed on the ground from her second capture and raped was there. Brittle locks of her hair from when it was cut short was matted with old blood and clumped on the ground all over. Even worse were the splatters of blood and flesh from the guards that Eremes ripped to pieces all over the walls. This is what added to the smell of death and decay in the room. It was exactly how Eremes remembered it from her first rescue and her second rescue. Cold chills went through them all, and Doppy roared with hatred, as Naght billowed out his flames of outrage.

"Who dared to keep this room intact?!" Howard hissed with rage.

"Who, indeed!" Markus growled at what was revealed. He had run over thinking another attack was happening, and he was now in a full state of outraged shock. "I ordered this room to be torn down and destroyed! Not covered up or hidden!"

"Who rebuilt this place at first?!" Loomin asked with a harsh whisper, as he worked through the shock of what he was seeing. His heart was pounding hard in his chest, as he took in the depressing and horrific state of the tiny room in Ifrit's light. Stale air poured out freely now, forcing him back a bit to keep from coughing on the stench it held. Everything that he saw and felt, he sent straight to Loki. He needed to make sure that his father knew exactly how Sarine grew up, and the god was enraged, as he saw the room through his son's eyes.

There were no windows to look out of. There was hardly any air ventilation at all, and the heat from the summer sun added to the overwhelming decomposition the room held. The room stank of sweat, blood, and death. It was a room that echoed the sensations of anger, death, suffering, and sadness. It was one thing to see it in Muninn's visions, but it was completely chilling to actually be physically standing in front of the room with one's own eyes.

Keltin was braced and clearly fighting down the urge to bring his Rage forth to wipe the room off the face of the earth. Beelzebub wouldn't have minded it, since it reminded him of the cathedral within his island domain, but his mate was imprisoned here. It was her stale blood that he was mainly smelling. He hated it, and it showed with a vengeance when he fought back the urge to howl out his rage.

Ragged Zombie and Hibram were clearly disturbed at seeing this, and they wanted to roar out their fury. Thanatos was snarling, as he was taking in deep, heavy breaths of air to keep himself from lashing out in vengeance. Errende was in complete shock of what he was seeing now. His face was pale, and he looked at Sarine with a trembling rage of what she was forced to live in as a child.  _She clearly had it worse than I did. It was far worse than any of us could have ever imagined._

"There were various people that volunteered," Markus said, as he trembled with controlled rage. "They...said the room was taken care of. Removed from the palace!"

"They just walled it off!" Sammy glowered, as he fought down his own anger. "Where is Storm Caller?! We need him here NOW!"

"I'm here now!" the Strouf said, as he moved in front of the room. It was as though he was blocking off a festering disease. "I will handle this room personally! You have my word!"

"Thank you," Sarine whimpered weakly and shivered. Kiehl continued to hold her and comfort her. Howard pressed himself even more into her side and squeezed her to show he was there to protect her, too. Doppy had no fuse to speak of, as he stared at the room he helped reveal with Naght. He was ready to kill anything that pissed him off in the slightest way. The room, itself, brought out every negative emotion that could possibly exist, and the demons were struggling to fight off the bloodthirsty urges to attack it.

"Wait," Keltin said. "Get the others. They need to see this room first, before it's destroyed. It's important that they do to see how bad it was for her. As much as we want to destroy this place now, they  _have_  to see it!"

"Fine," Howard nodded. Byorgue was hissing with a painful rage at the room, and he ran to gather the others. Nigel and Injustice were cringing with hatred at the room. Aliot and Observation were breathing hard, and they pushed themselves in front of Sarine to guard her. Maya Purple was ready to fire into the room with his claws open. Drago wanted to start burning the room to cinders, and he flapped his single wing to try to clear the air around Sarine. Her slaves were in a fully protective state for her now while they glared at the room. They were acting as though it was going to come alive and attack her. Seyren and Karla arrived first, and they had to squeeze past the overprotective husbands, mates, and slaves to get to the room. Ifrit moved into the room again to keep it lit up for them to see for themselves.

"Oh...my..." Karla gaped with horror. She kept Luna hidden away in her cart. She didn't want her Homunculus to see something like this. When Byorgue had run up to them saying that the room that Sarine was trapped in was found, they took all precautions. Especially at how enraged the slave looked. Seyren trembled with rage, as he looked into the pitiful cell. He moved to Sarine's side to pull her into a brotherly hug, and he glared at Garrett at first before watching the Paladin hiss with his own form of rage. Cecil was no better from the choked gasp she gave out, as she peered into the hole in the wall.

"The kids are NOT seeing this room!" Seyren growled.

"Like hell they will!" Howard snarled.

"Such a tiny room! To think that she had to live in...in that?! No wonder she got so sick as a child!" Garrett cringed. Timmy had come up from the dungeon and frowned at the commotion. When he saw the room she was imprisoned in, he gasped and turned away quickly with a hand at his mouth. The smell alone was enough to make him feel the urge to vomit. He didn't believe what he was told. Now he knew better. Anyone that held any doubts about her past had shattered them on seeing this room.

"Sarine!" Coraline gasped and hugged her friend. Max was pale and trembling with horror. Kavach was clearly in his own state of personal shock. Lloyd and Margaretha found themselves completely repelled by the evil sensation that came from the room, itself. It was filled with sadness, suffering, death, and anger. Those very sensations were radiating from the room with a furious vengeance. Kathryne and Mitchell were in tears of rage. Maheo had just barely learned about her past, but the room showed everything. He was hissing with shock at what he saw. Blent was silently taking in the room with disbelief to report to Ripclaw later.

Laurell and Lilah were amazed at what they were seeing. Donnie and Egnigem couldn't believe what they were witnessing. Thomas and Wickebine were in complete outrage that a child had to go through such cruelty. All of the palace guards and soldiers were forced to see the room, and they had to vow that such a thing would never happen within the palace walls again. Even the guards, Priests, and the Captain of the Amatsu guard were brought in from the island home to see the room to hiss with outrage and horror. The Captain saw what it was like before, but not like this. The soldiers even included the ones that Sarine had sent to Markus for training. They nodded to Sarine with a new form of respect, as they made their way back outside.

Baphomet was waiting on the other side of the small cell outside the palace. He remembered how hard it was for him to move around in it when he was summoned, and how he was forced to crouch down within it. He was amazed that he didn't tear the room apart when he was summoned that night to help attack. He was standing four feet taller than the room on the outside. The room, itself, was hard to find along the outside, since the shrubs and trees were dense here, and the demon had to clear away the plant growth with his scythe. He had his son help remove the larger trees, since they looked twisted and dead on their own just by being near the room. It was as though the deprivation that was held in the room was slowly leaking outside to poison everything it touched.

The room was supposed to have been a pleasant little storeroom back in the day, but it was neglected by time when Sarine was held within it. The back wall was so thin and poorly constructed that this was where Sarine's fear of storms came from.  _It was doubtful that she stayed warm from the lack of insulation._ When Baphomet studied the roof, as he stood over it, it was loosely shingled for leaks to come through. The walls were warped and twisted that much more from water damage. It also allowed a slight bit of air flow, and this was what helped to keep her alive. As a test, he tapped on the wall, and the whole room echoed from the inside out. The thin planks vibrated fiercely from his soft tap, and the entire room shook violently. It was a giant deathtrap now, if a strong storm came through. The ceiling was ready to cave in from rot, and it started to fall in on itself even now from his light tapping.

"Put a window here. A garden right outside. Something that will keep the horrors of this spot from being remembered," Sammy said carefully to Storm Caller. "I don't want to see her stare at this spot like this ever again!"

"I understand!" Storm Caller said. "I will take care of it right now!"

Armeyer saw the room and winced now. The smell was horrific, but now she wondered where Timmy was. She moved out to the main stairway outside the palace and heard him getting sick. Following the sound with concern, she moved up to him.

"Timmy?" Armeyer whispered, as he gasped after another retching cough. She gave him a red potion to rinse out his mouth, and he shivered when he moved to sit down wearily.

"I...remember that room...now..." he hissed. "During the renovations. I...asked why it was being covered up. They said...that it was too evil to approach. That...that it was easier to keep it covered and forgotten. I didn't know...she was imprisoned there. That everything in there...was from her youth. If I knew...I don't know..."

"Are you serious?!" Armeyer gasped.

"Yes..." he nodded, as he stood up shakily. "I thought...nothing of it..."

"You should have told me!" Howard hissed, as he walked up to him. Beelzebub heard what was being said and reported it quickly. It was vital information and needed to be told.

"I didn't know!" Timmy said, as he leaned against the wall. "I didn't know what I saw!"

"What did you think it was?" Howard asked a bit calmer now.  _Of course, Timmy wouldn't know. No one would have known, save the older guards and Markus._

"Just...a room for slaughtering animals at first. I didn't know...that a kid was kept in there. That she was kept in there. None of us knew. Emperor Markus ordered the workers to tear it down. He wouldn't say what the room was, but we all knew it affected him badly. But...the smell! The sheer hatred that we felt from that room! It repelled all of us. I didn't say to cover it up. One of the workers did. That's all I remember. Honest!"

"Do you remember...who it was...?" Eremes asked now, as he walked over.

"Ah...let me think..." Timmy said. "A young guy. Dark red hair. Brown eyes, I think. He said he lived in...oh, where was it...ah! He lived in Alberta! He was a sailor, I think."

"Looks like we're going to Alberta tomorrow," Howard said. Then he moved back to Sarine when she needed him. He caught her up in a hug, and she whimpered. He told her where they were going to need to go, and she nodded.

"Well, while we're there, we can learn some more swears," Ragged Zombie smiled. That made Sarine shake her head with a weak smile. Howard grinned a little.  _The zombie knew the mood needed to be lightened a bit._ Wanderer was able to see the room now, and he snarled out his hate. Then he ran back through the Warp to tell other monsters of what he saw. A short moment later, he came back through the Warp with a new sense of purpose, and Sarine blinked at the monsters that followed him. She and her men saw various monsters pass them to see the chamber that she was held in. Zealotus, Incubus, Succubus, Munak, Medusa, Sohee, and Isis were part of the first group. Storm Caller told Wanderer what they wanted to do after the room was torn down. Wanderer went back to the island and came back with a nod.

The next group held Cat o' Nine Tails, Gloom Under Night, Golden Thief Bug, Moonlight Flower, Lord of Death, Stormy Knight, Garm, Dracula, and Atroce. Maya was seen next with Phreeoni, and Mistress buzzed in with seeds for a future flower garden. Tao Gunka rumbled in next, as he hovered about to help bring in new stone pathways for the garden. Ktullanux nodded to Sarine, and he rumbled at Loomin fondly at his growth before moving to help the others. Alexander flew in swiftly now with a vengeance with his hammer out and ready to break the room down. His eyes did meet Sarine's to show that he was there to help, and she nodded with understanding. When his eyes met with Observation's, there was only a small nod of complete neutrality given from them both. They both wanted to protect Sarine. Now was not a time for challenging glares, or shows of dominance.

All of the monsters that came through the Warp wanted to tear down the room and clear it out, as a form of vengeance for Sarine. Even more monsters came in to help now, as word was sent back to the island home quickly. She recognized the monster from Louyang, Yao Jun, as he bounced in quickly when he got word of what was going on. Various skeletal monsters and all of the Poring-type monsters filtered in next. Alice was going to personally ensure the place was thoroughly cleaned out with Aliza. The sounds of concrete being smashed down and wood torn out was now echoing through the palace. It was music to everyone's ears. As much as they hated to admit it, Wanderer was proving himself to be a worthy mate to Sarine just by doing this. Markus was relieved that the room was finally going to vanish, and he was amazed at how many monsters respected her.

"I am keeping something of that room," Beelzebub said, as he approached them.

"No part of that place should be kept," Howard muttered.

"I know. But, one small piece should be kept as a reminder. It will be locked away," the Demon Lord said, as he revealed a small fragment of concrete covered in dust, candle wax, and stained with blood. It was large enough for him to hold with two hands, and it radiated with same feelings of sadness, death, suffering, and anger. Sarine winced, and Howard hugged her tight with Kiehl. Sammy nodded with solid understanding on why this was being done now. He didn't like it, but he understood.

"Even one piece of that room...it radiates such vile emotions!" Howard hissed.

"Whoever has any doubts about her will only need to see this small fragment and know the truth," Beelzebub said. "We know it's painful. But, this will be more than enough proof for anyone's doubts about Sarine's upbringing as a child."

"I see," Kiehl nodded. "Fine. As long as it's locked away."

"The rest of the room is being charred away in Ifrit's flames. There will be nothing left within the next few minutes. I will give this piece of history to Storm Caller," Beelzebub said. Howard nodded and continued to comfort Sarine.

"We still have some daylight left. The monsters are working on the palace. What would you like to do, love?" Howard asked, as he nuzzled her. She pulled him close and kissed him desperately. He hugged her tight and let her vent her tears on him now. He knew why she was doing this.  _She had to cry._   _Her emotional wall was still up, so it wasn't a craving to do this. This was all of her old fears, and she was sobbing out everything at long last._ Kiehl ran a hand over her back to comfort her further, and Sammy watched over her silently.

"Is she all right?" Loomin asked, as he walked over to her.

"She's finally able to grieve over her past," Howard said with a hard swallow. "She...needs to do this. To show that it's finally over. That it's done."

"Can I...hold her?" Loomin asked. She looked at him, leapt into his arms so he could hug her, and she let him cry out his share of her sorrow with her. Eremes, Doppy, and Keltin walked over to see this, and they all got the same treatment one at a time. Doppy found himself weeping with her. There was only one other time that he shed tears like this, and that was when she had to leave him behind in Geffen tower. Now he was weeping with relief for her.

"You have tears?" Sammy frowned.

"Weeping...not crying..." Doppy said, as he held her. "Demons don't cry. Sure. I'll shed tears of laughter. I will never really cry."

When her slaves moved to her, she hugged each of them to let them cry and weep their relief now. Her mates were next, and Naght simply sighed, as he cradled her. Ifrit did the same, since he really had no tears to shed. It was the same with the other mates. Kiehl held her last, and he kissed her passionately when he hugged her.

"You need to nurse your children," Storm Caller said gently.

"Okay," Sarine smiled at long last. A crushing weight filtered around them, and Odin stood near her with his arms out for her. She ran to him, and he hugged her now. Fresh tears fell now, and even he shed a few with her to show how relieved he was that the room was finally destroyed. He wanted to smite down the false Empress, himself, but he couldn't. It would have upset his own Balance, so he had forced Sarine to live and endure her hardship. He couldn't say anything to anyone, but he had given her some of his life force to keep her alive when she was so close to death.  _I had kept my daughter alive in secret._  Once the tears were shed, he smiled.

"My daughter, my Vessel. The chapter of your past is finally closed. However, I need to see the fragment that was kept as proof. It is still very dangerous, should it fall into the wrong hands. It holds so much destruction and raw emotion that I must place a seal on it," Odin said.

"Of course, Lord Odin," Storm Caller said with a bow of respect. Muninn landed and became his human form to hold his sister tightly, and he wept with her now. He was incredibly grateful that Naght decided to ensure the room was gone. Even he was shocked and appalled that the room was still standing. He also knew that Huginn was enraged beyond belief, and even he would want the one that dared to let the room still stand come to justice.

When the fragment was presented, Muninn hissed at it instinctively. It radiated of death, disease, evil, suffering, anger, and sorrow. A black mist was rising from it from what he could see. The mist was trying to spread outwards, as though seeking the old victim or any new ones.

"You see it, too?!" Odin grimaced. "Muninn, touch it with me!"

" _Yes, Father Odin,_ " Muninn nodded. When they both touched the small fragment of concrete, the black mist that Muninn saw seemed to smolder and billow out with a vengeance until it was finally pressed down and sealed into the fragment fully. Now, the horrible and negative sensations were there, but it would not try to infect anything that touched it. The scents from the old room would still be on the horrid piece of concrete, but that was something that couldn't be helped.

On the underside of the concrete piece was the runic symbol of Odin. As long as it was in place, then the binding was permanent. The rune was carved all the way through the fragment. It would be hard to remove on its own. Muninn added his own rune to it so that, if anyone tried to tamper with Odin's rune, the concrete piece would shatter to nothing. He would rather see the historic piece of his sister's life gone than be a danger to her health. He also added something else to his rune that would be revealed when someone tried to gaze at the concrete piece. That was something that would be needed in time.

"Good. Now, it is safe to be seen and touched," Odin said. He even gave a small nod to Muninn for approval at what he did.

"I saw a black mist try to escape!" Loomin gaped.

"Yes. You have the 'God Sight' from Loki. What you saw was the evil contained for so long in that room. It concentrated into the fragment, as the room was being broken down. Anyone that lingered for too long around it would have become tainted. We locked down the taint to make it safe," Odin nodded.

"What's 'God Sight', and what does it do?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Ah! Yes! Loomin, you are my daughter, my Vessel's Eyes. This is another reason why you are so important to her! You will see things that she cannot to help protect her! The Bongun is her Guardian. Howard Alt-Eisen is her Armor. Eremes Guile is her Weapon. Doppelganger is her Wrath. Incantation Samurai is her Life. You are her Eyes. You also carry two elemental gifts of Light and Shadow, because of your status as Loki's son. You already mastered Light, obviously. But, you can also make Shadow. That will be a bit harder for you to learn. You will need to practice diligently!" Odin smiled. "Now, my daughter, my Vessel, I look forward to my future grandchildren! I will be seeing you when I can."

"Okay, Daddy," she smiled, and he hugged her again, as Muninn took her back to hug. When Odin vanished, Muninn pressed a kiss to her forehead and gave her back to Kiehl.

"Muninn, will we find this asshole in Alberta?" Ragged Zombie asked. "The one that said not to tear down the room?"

" _You will, actually!_ " Muninn grinned. " _Don't take the kids there, though. They will want to go. Say nothing about going there. Instead, offer a beach day. It will calm them._ "

"Right," Howard nodded. Muninn reverted to falcon form and flew off to survey the new garden construction. Margaretha and Lloyd were cleansing the spot now so that new life would grow without any restrain.

"So, you are her Eyes, eh?" Sammy chuckled at Loomin.

"Apparently so," he nodded. "Wait! This explains why I can see so much and make sense of everything! I can literally see the truth of things!"

"You're right!" Thanatos nodded. "That does explain a lot."

"You saw a black mist?" Keltin frowned.

"I did. It looked like it was fighting against Odin and Muninn. Then it sunk back down into that piece of concrete. It's sealed away now," Loomin said. "I know for a fact that Father can't get it. Odin's touch is too strong for him to handle, and Muninn pretty much ensured that no one can try anything with it."

"Right. Okay, we have kids to feed," Kiehl said. Sarine nodded and already looked much better. She got hugs from everyone once again before she was led to a small bedroom for privacy. Keltin's twins were brought to her first to nurse, and she let Kiehl and Howard support her. Naght came in with Serenity and Siegfried, as they clamored with delight.

"Mama! We saw Grampa!" Serenity squealed.

"That's wonderful, dear," Sarine smiled.

"Lots of monsters here," Siegfried said. "Why?"

"They are making a new garden to play in," Kiehl said. Howard nodded at this.  _Later in their life, they would see the truth behind the garden and would be shown the fragment._

"Really? I wanna help!" Serenity said.

"Go find grandma Maya," Sarine smiled. "She may be able to show you how to plant seeds with Mistress."

"Yay!" Serenity giggled, and Naght followed them out.

"We'll make new memories out of the old ones," Kiehl whispered to her, and she kissed him deeply with relief. Seyren and Garrett walked in now to sit with them. Sammy moved to shield her mildly, since she was nursing.

"The images are going to stick for a while," Garrett admitted.

"I now understand why you didn't say anything to us," Seyren winced. "When we met you, that is. I don't blame you in the slightest."

"Yes," she nodded. "I forced myself to forget so much."

Kiehl squeezed her and sighed.

"If all that plant growth wasn't there, I might have been able to find you," Howard frowned. "I never realized why all of it was there to begin with, as the rest of the palace looked neat. I wish I knew then..."

"I know, How-How," she trembled, and he hugged her carefully.

"The heavy growth was used to hide the room from the outside," Seyren nodded with a pained look. "It took both Baphomet and his son to clear the place out to reveal the wall. It was very thin, as you said. The room wasn't even a decent room! It was supposed to have been a storeroom for dry goods! The roof...was ready to cave in at any moment. He tapped on the wall slightly to test how sturdy it was, and it shook so hard that the roof started to fall through from rot. If another storm happened now..."

"Ah...!" she gasped and got squeezed by both Kiehl and Howard.

"Never in my life," Garrett winced. "have I ever seen a room like that! Ever!"

"Move over a bit," Ragged Zombie said, as he walked in to stand in the room with her. He leaned against the wall with a sandaled foot against it, as he crossed his arms in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Sammy asked.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he grinned evilly and got them chuckling. "Anyways, I want to find the schmuck who gave the okay to seal the room over. I have ways on making him talk! I don't just need my ribs to diddle with and throw at humans, you know."

"Don't give me that image!" Garrett scowled, and got the zombie laughing. "I already have enough crap running through my head now!"

"Pervert!" Seyren smirked.

"Ugh..." Sarine sighed, as her men laughed.

"So...did the smell even bother you?" Garrett asked.

"It was her blood that mainly stained that room. Of course, it bothered me!" Ragged Zombie winced. "Anything that hurts her bothers me. It's a given. That blood was forced out of her. It wasn't naturally released, as most women tend to do. It...made it even worse."

"Wait...you mean to say that the blood on the ground in there was from her second capture?!" Seyren gaped. "When the guards tried to remove her Mark?!"

"Why else...would it pool like that?" Eremes grimaced, as he walked in to lean along a wall. "Or even...remain..."

"I didn't start any natural bleeding until after I was rescued by Eremes the first time," Sarine trembled at the memory. "I didn't have proper meals until then, so my body couldn't support what I had to do naturally. Don't you remember how shocked I was when I got my first period? Cecil, Margaretha, and Kathryne thought it was strange that I started so late, too! I didn't even start them until I was fifteen! A year after my rescue, in fact."

"Oh...you're right," Seyren winced.

"I..." Garrett gasped and held his forehead in his hands with shock. Doppy, Loomin, and Keltin walked into the room now to lean against the walls silently. Beelzebub was telling them what was being said, and now they had to stay in the room to help calm her.

"We need to get into a larger room," Sarine managed a light chuckle, as Thanatos walked in with Edward and Angela. Errende moved in next to sit at her feet and place his hands on her belly. Aliot came in with his kids to get nursed. Keltin took Trina to burp, and Doppy took up Bernard. Injustice was now walking in with Gunther and Bianca. Doppy gave Bernard to Loomin so he could handle his own kids. They clung to his legs playfully, and he smirked at them. His kids giggled at each other with a form of mischief.

"Maya Purple is giving rides!" Byorgue said to help ease the strain of the older kids. Now Edward, Angela, Gunther, and Bianca squealed with delight to follow him out.

"I like the bug man," Doppy chuckled.

"We all do," Thanatos grinned.

"We'll check on the progress of the garden," Garrett said, as Seyren gestured for him to leave with him. Sarine nodded and sighed. When they left, Beelzebub and Hibram walked in to be in her presence. Naght was helping with the kids, but he was there through Howard and Kiehl. Ifrit was overseeing the rest of the destruction and was there through Eremes.

"Everything will take time to heal," Beelzebub said, as he moved to her side. He gazed at her with a loving form of protection, and Hibram was the same way.

"I know," she nodded. "As long as I know it finally can."

"So, what are the plans for the rest of the day? Is Chicken Shit gone?" Ragged Zombie grinned, and Eremes started laughing with the others.

"Yes. He left...when the three were taken care of..." Eremes nodded with a grin.

"We'll be seeing him again?" the zombie grinned even more.

"When we see the Assassin Guild...yes..." Eremes snickered.

"Oh, goody!" Ragged Zombie kept grinning, and now everyone started laughing again.

"Mind your language," Sarine managed to say, as Albert gave a small giggle. As a demon, he understood a lot more than he let on. It was the same for his sister. Aliot was still in the room, and he gave a Demonic hiss in warning to his kids. They both cringed and understood, as they focused more on nursing. She winced and scowled, "Don't bite me!"

Aliot gave a sharp snarl, and the twins were much gentler. Beelzebub was chuckling in thought now. Doppy was softly laughing with the others.

"Gotta love the demon kids," Thanatos grinned.

"I love my children, regardless. I just don't like it when they bite me," she said. Sammy looked over at her with a chuckle now. When they finished nursing, Sammy took up Albert, and Aliot took Alexis. Loomin was still holding Bernard when a massive belch came from the child.

"Your kid," Doppy grinned at Keltin, as he laughed. Trina was still being held by Keltin. He saw her focus, and he felt something rumble in her cloth diaper.

"Bacsojin has a messy job now," Kiehl laughed lightly.

"As long as she can handle it," Keltin sighed and grimaced. "Wow! That's a strong smell! Okay, time for a change!"

"All of that from breast milk? Damn!" Ragged Zombie gasped and moved to find something to help air out the room with. Sarine had Errende help fix up her kimono, and she stood up to move out of the room quickly. Her men followed with relief and pure amusement.

"That was a stink bomb!" Howard choked out, as he breathed in clean air.

"That would make an awesome weapon," Ragged Zombie mused, and Sarine started giggling. "Instead of throwing ribs, I'll throw used baby diapers! They explode on impact!"

"Oh, that sounds lovely," Sammy grimaced.

"Um, ew?" Loomin said. He tickled Bernard to get him giggling before handing the baby over to Nigel. Aliot took both of his kids to take back to the island nursery, and Keltin's kids were taken, as well. They needed diaper changes and naps now. Sarine leaned into Kiehl and Howard so they could support her while she walked.

"I'm really hungry right now," she finally said. There were so many things running through her mind that they didn't detect it until she said something. Errende moved quickly to get a few of the other slaves to help him. A small table was set up with a plate of sushi ready for her. She sat down, and Byorgue pushed in her chair. The moment Nigel and Aliot got back, they started to help get things set up. She took up the chopsticks from Sammy and started to eat. A small salad was set by her next to a roast and a plate of cookies. More food was brought out, and she realized that Howard and Eremes needed to eat, too.

"The dining room is being worked on to expand it out," Sammy said, as stood behind her to whisper. She nodded, and Loomin was seated next to eat with them.

"There...is something I realized," she sighed, as she sipped her tea.

"What is that?" Howard asked.

"When we first came back here, um, after I was rescued the second time," she said. "I felt that something was...unfinished. I had felt it again when we stepped into the palace, too."

"Really?" Kiehl frowned. Now Howard looked at him, as he heard her thoughts.

"It was the room," Doppy said, as he sat with them to eat.

"I know it was now, but I just couldn't place the feeling before. I thought it was the palace renovations, at first. The feeling is gone now. Thankfully," she smiled softly. Sammy placed his hands on her shoulders to squeeze her before finding a seat. He wanted to make sure that she ate well before moving to eat with her.

"Whenever you look at that spot, you'll see a garden. Don't worry," Keltin promised, as he tucked in. "Nothing will be hidden from you in that area."

"They built that wall very well," Kiehl frowned.

"Not well enough," Doppy snorted, as he tore into a roast.

"True," Loomin grinned.

"Never get in the way of a demon's rage..." Eremes chuckled.

"Wise words," Kiehl laughed.

"Timmy said he remembered the room during the rebuilding," Howard sighed.

"As Beelzebub was telling us," Sammy nodded.

"I can understand why it was untouched. No one could get near it," she winced. "At least it's properly taken care of now."

"I may use my Light on the place. As a precaution after we eat," Loomin said.

"Okay," she nodded, and everyone liked that.

"And..." he said, as he took a sip of juice. "I sent Father every vision and memory I have of that place to fully tell him to back off, and to further tell him how protective I am of you now. I have a feeling that he's fairly ticked, also. Sarine, don't be alarmed if I wake you up to hold you at night. I may get some disturbing images."

"I...I know," she nodded. "I'm sure that Errende will be the same. And a few others. Unfortunately, it's expected."

"We understand," Howard said softly.

"Just the thought of you living in that...that...poor excuse of a room...!" Loomin hissed. She moved to get up and stand behind him to rest her hands on his shoulders to calm him.

"The blood wasn't there...until her second capture..." Eremes sighed quietly.

"And the blood on the walls was from what? The guards you slaughtered?" Doppy asked. At Eremes's nod, Loomin cringed, and Sarine had him move his chair out slightly to sit in his lap to hug him tightly.

"That's right," Kiehl sighed. "You aren't used to seeing such things."

"No..." Loomin winced. "I was...raised religiously and safeguarded from things like that. Then I was locked away in ice for fifteen years."

"Too bad we can't change elements," Keltin smiled. "I have the power of Ice with Sarine. You have Light and Shadow. I bet you're immune to Ice, too."

"You think so?" Loomin mused now and pressed a kiss to Sarine's forehead. "It's something to think about."

She watched Loomin and noticed he was still upset. Pressing her mouth to his ear, she started to hiss out a little song about lust and desire. The effect was quick, as he tensed, and all thoughts of the room were shoved out. She kept hissing out the song, as she pressed her body against his, and he shivered out a gasp. Doppy was grinning madly. Howard and Kiehl were laughing softly. She led him out of the chair, as though he was fully enchanted by her. She led him on with her voice to follow her away from the others. The way he looked at her was with intense want. She continued to sing, and she led him back into the small bedroom to let him lay claim to her. He brought her out shortly after to see Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy. He set her back down in her chair, pressed a long kiss to her mouth, and sat back down.

"Feel better?" Doppy grinned.

"I needed that," Loomin finally said, as the others started laughing.

"My turn," Beelzebub said, as he swept up Sarine from her chair neatly, and they laughed out again at it. Kiehl pulled out a pocket book to set out for Sarine when she came back.

"Damn," Keltin snickered. "I forgot he could do that."

"Of course, he was going to hear it!" Sammy laughed.

"She's good," Loomin admitted, and Howard started laughing again.

"We know," Eremes nodded. The Demon Lord brought a rather exhausted Sarine back out to set back on the chair. He kissed her passionately before winking at her and moving to check on the garden. All of the monsters were going to make sure that the garden thrived.

"So..." Howard started, and she looked at him. "should I start up a joke?"

"Don't start," she said, and he started laughing. Kiehl was only grinning wickedly now. Doppy smirked with a soft chuckle. Loomin was going to ask what was going on, but Serenity and Siegfried scampered up to them all with excitement. He pulled Serenity into his lap, and Siegfried moved to sit with Eremes.

"The kids are hungry," Byorgue said, as Thanatos moved to sit with Edward and Angela. Gunther and Bianca crawled into Doppy's lap, and fresh plates of food were brought out.

"Daddy Loomin!" Serenity said to Loomin.

"Yes?" he asked.

"The garden is so pretty!" she beamed. "And I planted roses!"

"How lovely!" he grinned.

"I helped plant flowers, too," Siegfried said.

"What kind?" Howard asked.

"Um, tulips," he said.

"Those will be very pretty," Kiehl said.

"We have daffodils, too!" Serenity said. As they continued to talk about the garden, Sarine drank her tea and picked up the pocket book to look through lightly.

"Dad," Gunther said roughly.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked.

"Chairs are out there now," he said. Sarine only smile at it. Doppy's son had a near perfect reflection of his voice in the form of youth.

"One swings, too!" Bianca added with a touch of roughness in her voice. "It's fun!"

"A romantic swing bench," Sammy mused. "I need one for our grove. I'll ask Markus later. It will be a wonderful addition."

"Oh, it will," she smiled. Howard and Kiehl looked at her, and they blinked at the thought of her elegantly reading a book and rocking herself on the bench.

"Make it happen!" they both said together. Serenity giggled at it.

"What do we do after this?" Keltin asked.

"I think we need to go back home. Maybe finish off the night with a fire pit?" she smiled. "Loomin hasn't experienced that yet."

"We could do Jawaii again," Doppy mused.

"No!" Howard scowled.

"I'd rather go to Comodo," Kiehl said.

"And risk me performing?" Sarine chuckled.

"I want to try gambling," Kiehl admitted.

"Oh?" Sammy blinked.

"Can we go?" Serenity asked.

"Hmm," Howard thought. "Maybe until we go gambling. Kids aren't allowed to gamble. That is for adults only."

"Oh. What's gambling?" she asked.

"It's where adults have a chance to make a lot of money," Keltin said. "It doesn't really happen, though. It's all based on luck."

"I think I could try it out," Loomin mused.

"It's addictive, though. You can lose yourself easily in it," Howard said. "It's best to only keep a small amount of money on you and know that it's all you can spend."

"Better not let Seyren get into the treasury, then," Sarine grinned and had them all laughing. Eremes could only nod and thought.

"I remember..." Eremes said. "when Seyren took us all to Comodo. Do you remember? It was after you became a Huntress."

"Ah! Yes, I do," Sarine nodded.

"That was where I won enough money to get you that Whisper card," Howard grinned. She blinked at him with surprise, and he kissed her softly before saying, "and your engagement ring. I had to keep my winnings a secret."

"So, that's why you were so happy..." Eremes chuckled.

"Yep! Now I'll have to see if I can win again to get more smithing materials," he grinned. "Or more presents for you."

"Or baby toys?" Sarine smiled.

"Lots of toys," he said, as he gazed at her. Loomin found himself smiling softly, and he realized what Thanatos said about Howard and Kiehl being her True Mates. Just as he was feeling a bit uneasy, Serenity tugged on his shirt for his attention.

"Yes?" Loomin asked, his mood shattering for the love of this beautiful girl in his arms.

"What flowers do you like?" she asked. Sarine looked over with a loving smile, and Loomin felt his heart soar. He would never feel uneasy again.  _She loved me fully and completely._ As much as everyone else, and he knew it in her gaze.

"I like whatever your mother likes," he said with a grin.

"Oh? Mama? What flowers do you like?" she asked now.

"That's a hard question to ask," Sarine said. "I never complained about flowers. I was always happy to get them. I never had flowers when I was little, so I liked them all."

"Mommy," Siegfried said and handed her a small flower.

"Oh, how pretty!" Sarine smiled, and her son blushed. "Thank you, Siegfried!"

"I love you, Mommy!" Siegfried said.

"And I love you, too," Sarine chuckled. Now all of the kids at the table felt shown up and clamored over to her. She found herself laughing, as they clung to her with affection.

"The joys of parenting," Kiehl smiled softly. Doppy got up to move and help with his kids when they started to bicker. A sharp growl was given to them to put them back in line. Naght was soon in the room to help with Serenity and Siegfried when they started up. Thanatos was now working with Edward. Angela was the mildest mannered one so far, and she snuggled into her mother's form with delight. Sarine now got up with her daughter and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Errende moved to take her and hold her. Doppy had his kids clinging to each of his arms, as he held them up. When they leaned into him with a touch of exhaustion from their meal, he started to purr.

"I want kids," Loomin grimaced. Serenity looked at him and reached for him from Naght's arms. The demon chuckled and let her go to him.

"You will get them...after me...and Howard..." Eremes nodded.

"There's plenty of kids to go around," Aliot smiled. "Wait until Keltin's and mine start walking around. You want kids? You can help with them!"

"I know," Loomin laughed, as Serenity hugged him. Sarine smiled softly and got hugged by Kiehl. Serenity started giggling again.

"What's so funny?" Howard grinned.

"Keel and Mama have babies!" she laughed, and Kiehl found himself blushing again, much to the amusement of the others. Howard found himself laughing at Kiehl and ignored the glare he got. Sarine sighed with a soft smile.

"Serenity," Howard grinned now.

"Yah, Dad?" she asked.

"How would you feel..." he said, as he moved to her side in Loomin's arms. "if..."

She listened to her father's soft whisper, and she found herself squealing with sheer delight. She was so happy that her joy was easily felt.

"Really, Dad?! You and Mama and Keel will give me sisters?! With Daddy Naght?!" she asked with complete, overflowing joy.

"Yes, we will!" Howard laughed and kissed her cheek. "And, guess what else?"

"What, Dad?!" she asked with excitement.

"After you get sisters, Loomin and your mom will give you another brother and sister!" he grinned, and she squealed with even more delight when she hugged Loomin tightly.

"After Kiehl and Sammy...I will give you a brother and sister...as well as another set of brothers...so...three brothers and a sister," Eremes chuckled. Serenity was completely overjoyed at this news.

"I don't think we should tell her about Muninn and Huginn yet," Keltin whispered to Kiehl and Sarine. They both agreed.  _When the time came for that, she would learn of it._

"Now, when will you have kids with me?" Beelzebub grinned, as he walked over. Serenity looked at him shyly, and he waved at her. She gave a little wave back, and everyone laughed at how cute it was.

"Let him hold her," Howard smiled. Loomin nodded, and Beelzebub took up the girl carefully. She looked at him oddly.

"Do I look funny?" Beelzebub asked with a light frown.

"No. Just...um...strong. Like Daddy Naght. And Daddy Doppy," she said.

"Oh? Well, I will never hurt you. You don't have to worry," Beelzebub promised.

"Kay!" she said, and now she hugged him. At first, he was surprised, but then he chuckled and hugged her back lightly. He wasn't used to kids, and she seemed to sense it. He suddenly swerved with her in his arms, and he glared at the entrance to throne room. It was just beyond the area where they were. She glared, as her pupils turned bright red, and she hissed, as a duplicate of Naght's swords appeared to make a beeline for the hidden intruder. This made Beelzebub grin with delight, and Sarine, though concerned, knew that Serenity claimed another heart. Naght roared out with alarm, and Doppy gave his kids to Injustice and Nigel when he moved to find out what pissed off Serenity. Aliot took up Siegfried to let Naght help find out who it was. He needed to help defend her and the kids.

"Call them off!" Fenrick shouted, as the swords kept trying to swipe at him. He was just barely dodging them by millimeters.

"STUPID HEAD!" Serenity shouted out with a snarl, and Howard doubled over with laughter. Beelzebub grinned even more now, but he whispered to her softly. She looked at him and snorted the same snort that Naght did when he was pissed. That made him chuckle.

"Serenity, what did he do?" Sarine asked softly. At her mother's concern, the swords vanished when her mood changed.

"He came in here! He looked mean! Like he wanted to hurt Mama!" Serenity whimpered. "I saw him, and others didn't! I don't want him to hurt Mama!"

"He won't hurt her," Beelzebub said gently, as he purred softly.

"Promise?" she whimpered.

"I promise," Beelzebub said.

"I know him..." Eremes said. "It's okay..."

"Kay," she sniffled and snuggled into Beelzebub's arms. Fenrick was amazed that a little girl held such a dangerous ability. When he finally was able to walk over to where they were, he now realized why everyone was on edge.  _Practically all of the kids were here._  And all of them seemed to be glaring at him with mistrust. Edward gave a little snarl, and Thanatos grinned while he held his son fast to him. Gunther and Bianca hissed, and they tried to escape Nigel and Injustice. They wanted to bite him. Angela was looking at him thoughtfully, but looked rather distressed in Errende's arms. Siegfried promised Aliot that he would be good and was set down. As long as his family was unharmed, he would behave.

"Why are you here?" Eremes asked, as Siegfried moved into his arms to be held.

"I saw the construction going on. Was the palace under attack?" Fenrick asked. He was a bit surprised at how the child clung to Eremes. Siegfried stuck his tongue out at the man, and Eremes grinned softly. The boy smiled back at his father figure and snuggled him.

"Ah," Howard said. "Yes, that does deserve a little explanation. Where is Storm Caller? Have him bring in the fragment. We'll see if this works."

"Fragment?" Fenrick asked with confusion, as Byorgue ran off. Observation, Drago, and Maya Purple settled themselves nearby if they were needed and to watch.

"Sarine had a very hard past, as I'm sure you know..." Eremes said slowly. "We...discovered the room she was held in. It was still standing. We had to...destroy it. Quickly. One piece of the room was kept as proof."

"Really?" Fenrick frowned. Eremes looked over at Storm Caller, and the Strouf gestured for Fenrick to come over to him. The man was awed at the strong Strouf again, but he walked over. When he was shown the fragment that was a mere piece of Sarine's old floor, he gasped. As though it was diseased thing being thrust at him, he backed away from it quickly. He held a hand to his nose, as though assaulted by a nasty smell, and his eyes were wide with complete shock. He saw something when he saw the fragment, and he was gasping with disbelief.

"She lived...in that room...with those feelings you have now...for twelve years..." Eremes said softly. Siegfried didn't understand yet, but he would when he was older.  _The children were shielded from the horrific slab for now._  As they grew and wanted to learn about their mother, they would be exposed to it in full. That was Odin's doing. They were too young to know of this, and he didn't want them scarred at such a young age.

"That should be destroyed!" Fenrick hissed.

"Imagine a whole room of it," Sarine said softly, and he gaped at her. Now he saw the pain that was still etched in her eyes. The hardship she was forced to endure for so long was finally revealed. Howard and Kiehl moved over to her to hug her. Sammy moved in front of her now to face him, and he shook his head slightly. Ragged Zombie walked over and sorely wanted to call him his new name, but didn't for the kids in the room. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared silently.

"Why are you here?" Eremes finally asked.

"The three that were caught. What is their fate?" Fenrick asked.

"We will find out after tomorrow," Sammy said. "We can even discuss it with your Guild, if you like. Or at least, the Guild you belong to."

"We'll have to," Fenrick nodded. He looked at Sarine again and found himself at a loss for words. Just by seeing the fragment, he actually saw what the whole room looked like before it was torn down. That was Muninn's doing with his rune. Anyone that saw the fragment would think that they were standing right there in front of the room, as though they discovered it for themselves. The scents that came from it would fill the air around them. The visions of horror all over the walls and floor were given in full detail. Even the rotting ceiling was in clear, vivid detail. He nodded to her silently and left. Sarine blinked slowly with a small smile on her face, as she shook her head. Storm Caller communed silently and found himself chuckling.

"Vessel of Odin," Storm Caller said with mild amusement.

"Yes?" she asked.

"It appears that Muninn implanted a rather strong vision of the old room within this fragment. Anyone that sees this for the first time will think they are standing right in front of the room themselves," he said with a touch of a smile. "As though...they discovered it as we did."

"Oh!" she blinked and now realized why Fenrick acted like he did. Howard and Kiehl had their jaws dropped with disbelief. Loomin winced, and Keltin hissed softly. Doppy smirked and felt no pity at all for the human. Eremes and Sammy were thoughtful about it. Ragged Zombie muttered lightly, and Beelzebub cracked a wide grin.

"It's for the best," Hibram nodded. "No more doubts about you."

"I know," she nodded. "What is it like outside?"

"Come and find out," Ragged Zombie smiled softly. She smiled at him, and now the slaves cleaned up the table and chairs quickly. When they approached the hallway the room was held in, she paused instinctively. Howard and Kiehl squeezed her to help her keep going. When she looked at the wall now, she saw it was a large, beautiful window that led out to the most enchanting garden she had ever seen. Tears of relief fell, and Kiehl supported her, as she leaned hard into him. Howard gave a slightly painful smile, as he hugged her with Kiehl.

"It will take her some time to accept this," Sammy whispered to the others. "She's so used to feeling...other things..."

"Yeah," Doppy nodded with a hard swallow.

"It's a big improvement," Loomin said lightly.

"A complete improvement," Keltin nodded.

"Yes..." Eremes nodded slightly.

"It's finally gone," Markus said, as he moved over to the window. "At long last. I should have contacted monsters instead of volunteers! And it was done so quickly, too!"

"They all chipped in," Sammy said. "They wanted no part of it to remain."

"Sarine," Markus said, as he looked at her, and she let him pull her into a hug. "We can move on at last, my daughter! If you ever want to stay here for a night or two, I'll have a room set up for you to stay in. I'll have a playroom set up for the kids, too. It should be easy with all of the new help. We will have everything go right from now on. I promise you this!"

"We'll find the man who told everyone to wall the place up and bring him to justice," Keltin said sternly. "If he had problems to begin with, he should have gone straight to you!"

"That he should have," Markus nodded. "At least the palace feels calmer now."

"You...felt that something still felt wrong, too?" Sarine asked.

"I did," Markus admitted. "That something wasn't right. I always had chills when I walked down this hall. I don't anymore."

"Something made me stop and stare at the wall," she frowned. "It was like...I was being forced to remember. It felt awful."

"I'm glad Naght decided to see for himself," Howard said. The massive demon hissed and rumbled a purr to Sarine.

"Would you like to go outside?" Ragged Zombie asked, as the window was actually a set of giant double doors. She gasped again, and they realized that it was with a form of genuine delight. As Howard and Kiehl walked her out to the garden, her tears started to fall again. Loomin walked out next to focus, and he let his Divine Light come forth to permanently cleanse the area. Lloyd and Margaretha had done their cleansing rituals, but something still felt like it remained. Once this was done, it felt as though something had lifted at long last.  _The air was lighter. It was cleaner._ It felt as though the very land around them was sighing with relief.

"Now it's over," Loomin nodded, as his Light pulled back in. Sarine turned and leapt into his arms to hug him tightly. He hugged her back and kissed her deeply. He held her and cradled her now.  _This was why I needed to be with her. There was no other explanation needed._

"I love you, Loomin!" she gasped, as he kept hugging her.

"I love you, too, Sarine," he whispered and pressed his face into her neck. Howard gestured for Loomin to sit with her on the swinging bench, since it was large enough for Kiehl and him to sit with them. A small nod was given, and he sat in the bench with them on each side. For the first time that she could ever remember, she was finally happy being home in Amatsu. It was a feeling that she never thought she would ever have.

"It's almost sunset," Sammy said, as he moved to sit by them.

"Another hour here. Then we'll head back," Sarine said softly. The kids were already playing in the garden now, and the slaves were going to wear them out, but their plan backfired. When the slaves started to get tired, all of the Poring-type monsters bounced out of the palace to the garden and let the kids chase them around with glee. Doppy, Eremes, and Keltin found spots to sit and watch the kids with small smiles and fatherly pride. Sarine watched her children play with her own motherly smile of pride on her face. Doppy looked up and gave an odd look at Maheo, as he walked over to see them.

"Yes?" Sammy asked.

"I...just wanted to say how...outraged I am by what I saw," Maheo said. "I'm grateful to know that it's been wiped out."

"As am I," Sarine nodded softly. "Thank you for your concern, Maheo."

"What are the plans for tomorrow?" he asked.

"Well..." she said, as she accepted a cup of tea from Injustice. "we need to do a bit of traveling tomorrow to various towns. We need to keep one location a secret from the kids, so it will be discussed later tonight when they go to bed."

"I see," he nodded and blinked at how truly beautiful she was. "Ah...um..."

"Yes?" she asked with a soft frown. He was about to say more, but Serenity ran over to her with a bunch of flowers in her hand.

"Mama! Pretty?" she beamed.

"Very lovely, Serenity," Sarine smiled, and her daughter ran off to play a bit more.

"Byorgue!" Serenity called out.

"What?" he asked.

"Ride!" she giggled, and he hauled her onto his shoulders to carry her around.

"Your kids are really cute," Maheo chuckled.

"Of course, my kids are cute!" Howard grinned. Maheo sighed and moved off to see what the others were up to. Doppy muttered a bit, and Sarine frowned.

"We know he likes her..." Eremes growled.

"Everyone does," Keltin sighed.

"As long as he doesn't show any other interest," Sammy nodded. Beelzebub walked over and had a bit of a grin on his face.

"What did you find out?" Howard smirked.

"Maheo has a crush, actually," Beelzebub snickered. "Can I kill it?"

"Oh, dear!" Sarine blushed, and Loomin seemed to grumble.

"I'll crush him!" Kiehl hissed and paused, as Sarine ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to slump in a slight form of defeat.

"You don't have to worry," she said softly, as he ended up moving to sit at her feet to get her foot in his back. He gave a small, gasping cry of relief. Howard gave a soft smile.  _Kiehl may be a husband, but, in many ways, he was still more of a slave._ She gave a soft sigh, as she sipped her tea. What happened next was completely unexpected.

"Angie! Look out!" Edward shouted, as his sister tripped over a rock, and she fell on her hands and knees rather hard. The Marin she was chasing stopped bouncing and chittered with worry. The moment she started to whimper and cry, Howard grabbed the teacup from Sarine, as she jumped up to run over swiftly. Her instinctive mother-mode was in full swing. Angela screamed out her sobs, as all children did in frustrating pain, and Sarine picked her up quickly to comfort her. Everyone looked at the sobbing, frightened child with complete concern.

"Mama's here! Hush, now! It's okay," Sarine crooned softly, as she cradled her daughter. Angela cried and clung to her mother, as Edward moved to look at his sister with concern. Thanatos and Errende quickly moved over to Sarine to see what happened to their daughter. Howard and Kiehl frowned to each other and were next to walk over. Sarine sat on the ground to continue comforting Angela with soft kisses and cradles.

"Where did she trip?" Thanatos asked Edward.

"Over here," Edward said, as he grabbed his father's hand to lead him to the spot. A small rock was sticking out of the ground and was hard to see. "I saw it. She didn't."

"Hmm," Thanatos frowned and kicked at the stone. It was lodged in rather snugly and didn't budge. "Not good if I can't move it with a little tap. We'll need to dig it out."

"I fell down," Angela whimpered, as another tear fell, and Sarine sighed while she kept hugging her daughter. Edward looked over at his sister and glared at the troublesome rock.

"This made my sister cry! Nothing will make my sister cry anymore!" Edward fumed, and his blue eyes became stark white with bits of black shadows lining them. He was a perfect miniature of his father now. Then he growled sharply and kicked the stone hard. It flew out of the ground and lodged halfway through a tree. Thanatos's jaw dropped. Doppy was just as stunned as the others. Now that the threat was gone, Edward was able to calm down. The Marin chittered angrily and started to push dirt into the hole to pack it down. It wanted no other kids to trip over it or in it.

"I'm guessing," Sammy chuckled. "that he gets exceptionally strong when he gets mad. Edward, did you know you could do this?"

"Yes," he said with a stern nod, as his eyes were blue again.

"Really? And you didn't tell me?" Thanatos grinned.

"You didn't ask," Edward said with the same grin. Now Thanatos roared with laughter and gathered him up to hug. Sarine gave a glowing smile at her son, as she held Angela.

"And do you know what your sister can do?" Keltin asked with a smile when he walked over. Edward nodded and had Thanatos set him down. He looked around and picked up a dying flower that was trampled over by their rough playing.

"Angie, show them!" Edward grinned, as he gave over the wilted flower. Angela took the flower to hold it, and the flower perked back up. It was as though it had freshly bloomed. Errende was in shock. Loomin was amazed. Keltin and Eremes were speechless. Kiehl and Howard had completely astonished looks on their faces. Doppy was staring with disbelief. Thanatos's grin got ten times larger. He was incredibly proud of his children now.

"So," Sammy said with awe. "Edward gets exceptionally strong when he's mad, and Angela can Heal things with her touch. You can Heal anything, right?"

"Yes," Angela nodded and blushed. "But...I can't do it to myself."

"That would be the counterbalance," Sammy said with understanding. "She should be able to Heal herself, if she learns the skill. But, this powerful skill, she can't do to herself."

"So," Doppy said, as Gunther and Bianca moved to his side. "what can the two of you do? Anything special at all?"

"Finally!" Gunther said with an exasperated sigh, and Doppy looked at him with a amusement.  _Apparently, they couldn't say what they learned until they were asked or if it was discovered._  It was an instinctive thing for them. Gunther picked up a rock and bit it in half. Then he chewed it up and spat out rubble. His teeth were undamaged. Doppy roared with laughter.

"Oh! Dad! Give him a knife!" Bianca grinned. Now Doppy was curious, and Howard gave over a basic knife that he forged. Gunther bit off the blade first to chew before putting the rest of the handle in his mouth. After a bit more chewing, he spat out the basic components that made it. Howard's jaw dropped at this talent.

"He can break down anything you make back to what it was originally?!" Loomin blinked with shock. Now Doppy looked at his daughter.

"I just break things!" she grinned wickedly. She picked up a small rock and crushed it with her hands. Then she did the same thing to another knife that Howard gave over. "I wanna be a Champion! I like using my hands!"

"Wow," Kiehl grinned.

"I was thinking," Gunther grinned. "I wanna go Stalker."

"Why a Stalker?" Doppy frowned.

"I'm a badass!" Gunther smirked, and Sarine's jaw dropped.

"Gunther!" she chided, and his eyes widened with an apologetic look, as Doppy roared out with laughter again. She shook her head at her son, and he muttered that he was sorry.

"You could go Assassin Cross..." Eremes said.

"I could," Gunther said thoughtfully. "but I have a mean streak like Dad! And someone has to put those other mean Stalkers and Rogues in their place!"

"He has a point," Thanatos grinned.

"I wanna be like Uncle Seyren and Sig," Edward said.

"Lord Knight? It's possible," Howard chuckled.

"I wanna be like you, Dad," Angela blushed at Errende. Sarine smiled and let her go to him to get hugged. He Healed the bruise that formed on her leg from where she tripped, and she snuggled into her father with contentment. Howard was simply amazed at how well the kids were talking.  _Normally they would still be having issues with their speech, but, with my kids always talking to them, they were exceptionally vocal. The growth spurt they had went to their intelligence, and it had happened with my kids before. They could travel with us now._

"These kids are rather powerful," Loomin marveled.

"That they are...and very smart..." Eremes nodded.

"I think it's time that we head home," Sarine said. "You all look tired."

"Nu-uh!" Gunther said before he yawned and pouted. "But...Mom!"

"Mom is right," Doppy smirked picked up his son and daughter. Thanatos scooped up his son before he could run off, and Errende still had his daughter. Serenity and Siegfried had been watching their brothers and sisters with a sense of pride and joy. The lot of them were going to become a very tightly knit group. It was already a given.

"Father was right," Loomin sighed.

"About what?" Keltin asked.

"Any child born from her will be very powerful," Loomin said in thought. "We can't let him touch her. Ever."

"Is that why he wants a child from her?" Sammy asked.

"Yes," he nodded. "Remember the night he visited?"

"I do," Kiehl said with a growl. Howard was clearly livid about the whole thing. Doppy gave out a hiss of hatred, and his kids echoed his hiss. When he got mad, they did, too.

"Well, I'm not going to worry about it right now," Sarine said with a soft sigh. "We have a lot that we need to do, and we can't keep worrying about things that may happen. Yes, it's important to be prepared, but we must also focus on the here and now."

"You're right," Sammy nodded. Sarine smiled softly and looked over, as her papa came out with an elder Bard.

"My daughter, before you go anywhere, you need to meet someone," Markus said.

"Oh?" she blinked softly. Kiehl and Howard moved to either side of her, and Sammy crossed his arms over his chest while his Samurai ghost came out to study this one. Byorgue seemed to growl, and he ran off to get Donnie and Thomas. Beelzebub narrowed his eyes, and he watched Serenity and Siegfried run over to him. Naght chuckled with a purr, as they hid in the safety of Beelzebub's massive robe. The Demon Lord gave his own soft purr, as they did this. The kids were slowly growing on him.

"Who's that?" Gunther asked Doppy.

"I think we met him in Louyang. You're Augustus. Right?" Doppy mused.

"Oh! So, we have met!" Augustus nodded. He blinked at Sarine's royal stature now and was clearly impressed. "You have beautiful children."

"Thank you," she nodded elegantly.

"She's pregnant with my kids," Kiehl said with a protective glare.

"And with mine," Sammy said with a nod.

"But...she was so big before!" Augustus frowned.

"She is not only my daughter, but Odin's daughter, too. She is the Vessel of Odin, so she's not exactly a true human," Markus chuckled.

"You don't say?!" the Bard blinked.

"I don't like him, Dad," Edward frowned.

"You don't like anybody," Thanatos grinned, and Edward nodded.

"So, you don't like me, either?" Sarine frowned. Edward blinked and whimpered for her to hold him, and she laughed when she took him into her embrace gracefully.

"I love Mom!" he said stubbornly and gave a look that Thanatos had when he was irritated. That had the demons laughing with the others, and Augustus was clearly surprised.

"Mom!" Gunther said.

"Yes, Gunther?" she asked.

"Hug me, too!" he demanded, and she laughed, as Doppy brought his son over to her now. Hugging her two sons, Siegfried was giggling with his sister now.

"All of these kids are yours?!" Augustus gaped.

"Yes. They are," she nodded. Both of her sons glared with a protective look, but they looked at her with small smiles when she crooned softly to them.

"Mama!" Serenity called out from Beelzebub's robe.

"Yes, dear?" she smiled.

"Um...can you sing?" Serenity said.

"Yah! Sing, Mommy!" Angela blushed in Errende's arms.

"Oh? Do you want to hear mama sing, too?" Sarine asked her sons. They both looked at each other and nodded. Bianca clapped her hands, as Doppy held her, and Siegfried gave a small whoop of joy. Augustus seemed to smile, and he looked over when Byorgue was running back with Donnie and Thomas following him.

"Augustus?! You old goat! What are you doing here?!" Donnie said with a grin.

"I was in town!" Augustus chuckled. "And Thomas? You're here, too?"

"Ah, yes. I met Sarine in Jawaii, and, eh, nearly made a costly mistake. I have changed a bit in my ways," Thomas nodded.

"I wanna bite him!" Gunther growled.

"But, if you bite him, I won't sing," Sarine frowned. That made Gunther whimper and snuggle her. She moved to settle on the swinging bench, and Howard moved to stand by her with Kiehl. Eremes looked over with the softest of smiles on his face. Errende moved to sit at her feet with Angela cuddling him happily. Doppy looked at his daughter, as she clung to him, and she blinked her red pupils at him with a smile. He smirked at her, and she looked at her mother expectantly. As Sarine was preparing to sing, she paused when Bacsojin and Doll came out with Keltin's twins and Aliot's twins.

"Sorry! They demanded to see their fathers!" Doll sighed.

"Give me Trina and Bernard," Keltin chuckled.

"I'm here! Where's Albert and Alexis?" Aliot asked. The kids were given over, and they snuggled into their fathers. Augustus was floored now at how many kids there were.

"Dad!" Trina giggled at Keltin.

"That's right!" Keltin laughed and kissed her forehead.

"Dah?" Albert blinked at Aliot, and he got a kiss on the top of his head now.

"Right on time!" Howard grinned. "They always start talking around now."

"Amazing," Kiehl smiled.

"Damn," Loomin winced, and Keltin moved over to him to hand him Bernard.

"Now you have a kid!" Keltin grinned, and Loomin started laughing when he got snuggled.

"I'll take that one..." Eremes smiled and Aliot gave over Albert. With the kids settled, Sarine gave a bit of a tired smile.

"Love? Are you all right?" Howard frowned.

"A bit tired, but I'm fine," she nodded. "It's...been a long day."

"True," Kiehl nodded. Ragged Zombie walked over to her with Hibram to settle around them, and Augustus blinked at them.

"What? Do I have food on my pants or something?" the zombie asked.

"Ah...no..." Augustus said.

"Oh, good. For a moment, I thought I looked out of place," he smirked and had chuckles going around. Sarine blushed softly and gently started to sing. Gunther and Edward rested their heads on her in comfort. Donnie took out his guitar to pluck a soft melody, as her singing took a light, operatic turn. Thomas started to tap out a beat with his foot. Beelzebub was staring at her in a form of shock. Then Doppy grinned a bit, as he started to sing to compliment her with the same operatic tone. This had everyone gasp softly. Augustus couldn't believe what he was hearing. He heard them back at Louyang, but not like this. When Sarine brought the song to a close with Doppy, they were applauded for it, and the kids wanted to hear more.

"Maybe something a bit more soothing," Thanatos hinted with a chuckle, as his son yawned in her arms. Sarine nodded and gently whispered out a lullaby. Beelzebub gathered up both of Naght's twins, as they were showing exhaustion now, and Naght took them from him. When she finished singing, the kids were all in a rather deep sleep. Angela was sleeping far deeper than the others, since she was in Errende's arms. Bacsojin, Doll, Aliot, Byorgue, Injustice, and Nigel gathered up the kids carefully, and Naght followed them with Serenity and Siegfried. Only after they were taken back to the island home did everyone give small laughs and chuckles. They were all proud of the children.

"That's probably the easiest way to get them to sleep," Sammy laughed lightly.

"It is said that the best way to soothe a savage beast is with music," Kiehl grinned.

"Or, just by doing this," Sarine said and moved to Doppy to run her hands through his hair. He fell to his knees, as he purred deeply, and Thanatos started laughing.

"She gets all of us like that," Kiehl chuckled. Doppy muttered something, and Beelzebub mused when he walked over to her.

"Try it with me. I'm curious now," the Demon Lord grinned. Sarine nodded and ran her other hand through his hair to start massaging the back of his horned scalp. He blinked and found himself lulled into a purring trance now.

"It seems to work best with demons," Sarine giggled.

"You...are definitely...having my kids..." Beelzebub muttered out.

"I'm sure I will," she said with a slight nod, and she carefully moved away from him and Doppy. Both demons snapped out of their trances, and Doppy stood up again to glare at her with amusement. She sighed in thought and said, "I think it's time to head back."

"I'll let everyone know, My Lady," Byorgue nodded. She smiled and gestured for him to come close to get a kiss and a caressing hug before letting him run off.

"It's not often I get to see you this happy," Howard smiled, as she leaned into him.

"I know. I finally feel...free..."she said with deep sigh. "As though I don't have to worry anymore about anything that tied me down."

"Much like how I felt with my nightmares," Keltin said with a knowing smile.

"Yes. I know that certain things will be there, like my fear of storms, but I know that everyone here will help me with that," she said.

"You were tied down by your past?" Augustus asked.

"Just look at this, and you will know," Storm Caller said, as he appeared behind the Bard with the fragment. Augustus jumped at first, since he didn't know the Strouf was there. He met the Strouf when he came to see Markus, and he was amazed at how powerful he was. Now he paused at what he was asked to do, but he nodded and looked at the fragment. He cringed with a shout, jumped back ten feet, and had a hand over his heart as though to keep it from leaping out of his chest. Another hand went to his nose and mouth as though to ward off something.

"What was that?! That room?! What was it?!" he demanded.

"The place I was imprisoned in for twelve years of my childhood," Sarine said sadly. Now he looked at her with shock.

"The garden is on the exact spot her room was," Kiehl said slowly.

"We found the room and tore it down today," Howard nodded.

"To know such a place existed..." Augustus cringed. "So much death and suffering!"

"I know," she nodded. "My brother, Muninn, has made it so that any that doubt my past will only need to gaze at the fragment that was once my floor to know what I went through."

"There is much history that you don't know, Augustus," Donnie said with a grim look. "I can tell you everything, if you want. You...are the Bard Guild leader, in a way."

"True. Yes. I'll want to know everything," Augustus nodded. "Especially after seeing that...horrific vision! The smell! Oh! I can't get rid of it!"

"It will take time for many things to leave," Sammy said. "But, Sarine is right. It is time for us to go. I'm sure we'll be back here again."

"Oh, yes!" she nodded. Augustus went into the palace to talk to Markus at length. As she got up to move, Doppy moved in front of her when Fenrick, Tatya, and Shadow appeared.

"What is it?" Eremes frowned, as he moved to see them.

"I told them about that fragment piece. I want them to see it, too," Fenrick said.

"Really?" Eremes asked carefully.

"So do we," Slade said, as his old mentor walked over.

"You know what happened, Fenrick..." Eremes said, as he crossed his arms over his chest. Fenrick nodded, and Eremes gestured to Storm Caller. Shadow and Slade did give a moment to pause with surprise at Sarine's royal pose and beauty, but they made sure not to stare for too long. Kiehl's glare with Doppy's hiss made them turn to look at Storm Caller. The fragment was presented to them, and the results were instant.

"What the...!" Tatya gasped, as she used her skill of Back Slide to retreat to a distance.

"That...that...!" the old mentor gaped, as he pointed at the fragment.

"What the hell is that?!" Shadow hissed out.

"That's what the room looked like?!" Slade asked with disbelief. "She was...imprisoned in that room?! How did she survive?!"

"The blood was there...only after...I rescued her... a second time..." Eremes growled out. "I...slaughtered the guards...as they raped her...and...they tried to remove...her Mark of Odin. Needless to say...that is what happens...when I get...really...pissed...off..."

"You...killed her tormentors?" his old mentor asked.

"Yes. I did," Eremes nodded. The look in his storm-grey eyes could chill to the bone.  _He killed out of love and to protect the one he loved. He did not dare kill an innocent._

"I understand, and I approve," his mentor said. Shadow, Slade, Fenrick, and Tatya all stared at him now with disbelief. _Eremes had never outright killed anyone that they knew of out of love. Just the fact that he did showed how ruthless he truly was._  They knew he killed others when it came to missions and requests, but he killed those guards. _And it was all because he was protecting another._ They knew that Eremes was at a point that he could kill any of them if they threatened his wife. Doppy snorted and glared to show that he killed for Sarine, too, and would easily do the same thing to prove a point. Demons didn't need any true reason to kill someone. They either killed for the fun of it, or if they simply didn't like something.

"I didn't ask for anyone to kill anyone," Sarine frowned. "They did it on their own."

"I see," the older man said, as he blinked his blue eyes at her.

"And...I'll do it again...in half a heartbeat..." Eremes said with a serious glare. This made his older comrades pause in shock again. Sarine sighed and moved over to Eremes to let him hug her tightly to him. This was his wife and nothing else mattered now.

"Remember, love," she said with a soft smile. "I'm giving you children next."

"I know..." he smiled and kissed her gently. Ifrit came out of the house to flare out his heat with irritation, and this made the others gasp with surprise. They didn't expect to see Ifrit separated from Eremes.

"Ifrit," Sarine giggled. "stop showing off."

"Did they upset you?" Ifrit hissed and moved to accept a kiss and a caress from her.

"No. Not yet," she said with a soft grin of amusement. Beelzebub walked over with a grin now, and the old mentor gaped in recognition of the Demon Lord.

"My mate," Beelzebub said softly and pulled her into his robe. "Let's go to the island home. If they want to tag along, then fine. But, I want to go back with you."

"Okay," she nodded. Hibram moved over now to glare slightly, and Ragged Zombie walked over with a grin.

"You hear that, Chicken Shit? We're heading out!" the zombie smirked. Beelzebub hissed out laughter, and Sarine blushed with a shake of her head.

"Stop it!" Fenrick hissed, as his friends looked at him with shock.

"Did he just call you...?" the old mentor asked with the hint of an amused smile.

"Yes..." Fenrick sulked.

"We had such good times at the arena, didn't we, Chicken Shit?" Ragged Zombie grinned and walked past him. "And don't stare at my ass! I know how much you still want it after you called it down to see you!"

"That's a load of crap and you know it!" Fenrick glared.

"Well, after what you planned to do with it, I don't know if there would be any crap left in it," the zombie mused and had everyone sniggering. Tatya found herself clapping her hands over her mouth to keep from laughing with her friends.

"That son of a bitch!" Fenrick hissed.

"Gotta love Ragged Zombie!" Doppy grinned with Thanatos.

"I'm...impressed!" the old mentor said.

"So were we," Howard chuckled. "Ah...we never learned your name."

"Oh! How rude of me after all this time! Eremes! You never told them?" his mentor asked. Eremes gave a slight smile and a shrug.

"That is your job..." Eremes chuckled slightly.

"My name's Elric," he said with a smile.

"It's a pleasure, Elric," Sarine said with a slight nod. He blinked at how she said his name, and now Eremes gave a warning growl. Sarine blushed softly and looked away, as Beelzebub purposely led her out of the garden now.

"If he touches her..." Kiehl hissed softly.

"He won't," Eremes said. "if he knows...what's good for him..."

"Hmm..." Loomin frowned and ignored the odd glance from Tatya. Sammy seemed to smirk, as he followed them, and Howard was lightly fuming. Keltin was clearly a touch pissed off. Doppy gave a hard glare with his unblinking, dark blue eyes with glowing red pupils, as he moved past everyone. Her slaves followed shortly after, and Eremes's old companions gaped at Maya Purple when he snapped his claws at the air to intimidate them slightly. Skittering after his Lady now, Elric looked at his comrades when they were gone.

"What do you make of that room?" he finally asked.

"It's gone. That's all that matters to me!" Tatya shuddered.

"I just...I remember the visions that Muninn showed us. But, just to...witness that room as it was! I don't think that vision will leave me for a month," Slade winced.

"Fourteen years of her youth in there..." Shadow shook his head. "When was she first put in there?"

"It was actually twelve years," Storm Caller said, as he came over without the fragment, and they jumped slightly at how silent he was in his approach. "The first two years of her life were good. Then the false Empress made herself known and imprisoned her. So, from two years of age to fourteen years of age, she was locked away."

"Since she was... _two years old?!_ " Elric hissed with outrage.

"Yes. And, it was Eremes Guile that rescued her on behalf of the Emperor's mother," Storm Caller nodded. "He promised to protect her."

"Now I see why he killed for her. He was keeping a promise!" Elric winced.

"Exactly," Storm Caller nodded again. "She was too young to remember the first two years of her life. I need to head back to the island where the Vessel of Odin is now. If you come forth, make yourselves known and don't hide."

"Thank you," Elric said. After the Strouf left, they looked at each other.

"What's on your mind?" Fenrick asked his Guild leader.

"I don't know," Elric frowned, and the others looked at him with a bit of surprise. He was actually thinking about Sarine and the way she said his name. He didn't know why, but the only thing he knew was that he liked it far too much for his own good. Whispering a soft mutter of apology to Eremes, he knew he had to try and see Sarine again. And he knew that Eremes was going to be  _very_  pissed off.


	107. Chapter 107

On the island, Sarine was sitting in Eremes's lap with Howard and Kiehl on either side of her. Sammy was sitting not too far off from her so she could see him when she needed to. Everyone was sitting around the fire pit and had eaten their fill of roasted meat. Now they were all trying to relax, but Eremes was completely upset about something. Sarine was trying to calm him. He was thinking so intensely that it was only obvious that something was wrong.

"What is it?" she frowned.

"Just...a gut feeling..." he sighed with irritation, and he tensed when she ran a hand over his chest. He gazed at her in a loving way and hugged her tight to him.

"Just say it," Ragged Zombie said, as he crossed his arms from where he stood. "The more we know the better! Or do I have to start taunting it out of you?"

"Really?" Eremes managed to smirk at him, and the others chuckled. "I...have a feeling that my old mentor...he's taken a liking to Sarine."

"Seriously?" Howard frowned.

"You saw his reaction...when she said his name..." Eremes glared into the fire.

"Has he looked like that at anyone else before?" Keltin asked.

"No. Never," he sighed. "As my old mentor...I respect him. I do. He took me in...cared for me when I was younger. Taught me things. I owe him that much. But...if he crosses a line...he will become my enemy. It cannot be helped."

"As it should happen," Doppy nodded.

"Well, he can't Cloak around us," Hibram said.

"He won't do that. He's not a coward," Eremes said. "I have seen him fight before."

"Oh?" Sarine asked.

"Yes. We would spar on occasion. Needless to say...he always won. But...that was back then," Eremes said. "As of now...I know that I would win. And he knows it, too."

"Hopefully, you won't have to fight him," she winced, and he ran a hand over her back to comfort her. He only nodded and kissed her softly.

"Hmm," Beelzebub thought. "Now...that's interesting..."

"What?" Thanatos asked.

"I can still hear things in Amatsu!" Beelzebub blinked. "Even...in the cathedral on the island! Eremes...what does it mean, if Elric...apologizes to you in a mutter?"

"He..." Eremes thought and now narrowed his eyes, as his body tensed fully. Doppy watched him carefully and understood what that meant.

"Don't hunt him," Doppy said lightly, and Seyren looked at his old friend with alarm.

"I won't. Not unless he tries something!" Eremes hissed. Then he gasped with shock, as Sarine ran her hands up his chest, over his neck, and through his long hair. He was forced to relax now, as she calmed him. She sighed softly, as she thought of the situation.

"If something should happen, we will take action. Until then, we do nothing," Sarine said to him softly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Eremes nodded with a light swallow. "I understand."

"Good. Go against my word, and I'll use the Blinker on you," she said with a bit of a serious grin. Now he growled and looked at her with a grin of his own.

"And...if I want it used, anyways?" he asked with a heavy chuckle of his deep, yet quiet voice. She leaned in close to whisper enticingly in his ear to a point that he was gripping the edges of his chair with white knuckles. Beelzebub was grinning wickedly.

"What are you telling him?" Seyren frowned.

"Hmm," she mused. "Give me a cookie."

"NO!" Howard and Kiehl said together. Donnie blinked and winced at the memory.

"Definitely not!" Doppy hissed. "Not with them here!"

"It's...just a cookie?" Garrett said.

"It's what she can  _do_  to the cookie," Donnie muttered. Max looked over at him with curiosity, and Egnigem cleared her throat. Donnie had made her quite sore when he found her after Sarine's little stunt.

"And she's not showing off!" Sammy growled. Sarine gave an innocent little blush, and Keltin gave a knowing glare at her.

"You have me curious," Blent said.

"No!" Howard and Kiehl said again.

"Maybe the sushi," she thought.

"No!" Eremes growled and hugged her tight to him.

"I agree with Eremes," Donnie said with a shiver.

"But, if you saw it, then we should, too," Seyren said.

"No!" Thanatos said with a strong shake of his head.

"Ah, let me tell you," Ragged Zombie. "She nibbles the cookie to pieces."

"She...oh..." Seyren found himself blushing.

"And she does this little thing with her tongue to sushi..." the zombie started.

"Shut up!" Howard and Kiehl hissed out.

"You are not helping!" Loomin scowled. Already the other guys were hiding their faces in their hands and trying to get the mental images out of their heads.

"I guess dancing is out of the question?" Sarine giggled.

"You can dance with me!" Coraline grinned.

"Oh, come on!" Howard scowled.

"She'll kill us!" Kiehl cringed. Eremes was tense with lust now, as she pressed her body against his to whisper. He muttered softly in her ear, and she hissed out another whisper to make him gasp at her with disbelief.

"I'll be right back," she smiled and rose up to gesture to Coraline with a grin. When they went inside the house, Margaretha started to laugh with Kathryne.

"What's so funny?" Lloyd asked.

"The looks on your faces!" Cecil snickered out. "I'm going to have to try nibbling a cookie for Garrett now!"

"Ah..." Garrett grinned and whispered to her. She blushed a bright, beet red, and Beelzebub started cracking up with laughter. Karla fed Luna with a bit of a knowing grin now, and she gave a look at Seyren that made him wince. Howard suddenly rose up from his seat with Kiehl, and he gestured for Sammy to get into the house with them. Doppy watched them leave to sate Sarine's craving to see them, and he sighed in thought.

"What is it, Doppy?" Eremes asked.

"I really want a dream vision with her. For me to see her as a child, perhaps. I think it would be interesting," Doppy said. "Just to know what it could have been like."

"I am curious of how these visions work," Seyren nodded.

"Well, maybe when Sammy comes back, we can ask," Keltin said. "He's the one that is able to start them off. We did talk about this before."

"We'll ask," Loomin said. "I want to know how it works, too."

"You need to know," Eremes nodded. He looked over as Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy came back over to sit down. The looks on their faces was complete strain.

"She won't let you touch her. Will she?" Doppy grinned.

"Shut up," Howard said, as he cleared his throat. Thanatos started laughing and looked over, as Sarine came back down in her kimono. Her hair was down now, and she looked a bit more relaxed. Coraline came down next in her belly dancing dress, and Max growled.

"Donnie? Thomas? Can you play, please?" Coraline giggled.

"Okay," Donnie said with a nod and started up a fast tune. Thomas picked up the beat by taking out his guitar and drumming lightly on the front of it. Sarine dropped the kimono to expose her belly dancing gown, and Loomin now had his eyes locked on her in shock. Beelzebub, Hibram, and Ragged Zombie were in the same shock he was. Errende moved over just enough to grab the kimono before it got too dirty, and he folded it up neatly to carry for her.

Sarine kept in step with Coraline easily, as she rolled her hips and stretched out her body while she moved. Her body was even far more enticing in front of the fire, and her men simply couldn't tear their eyes from her form. When the dance was over, the girls hugged with delight, and the men were wincing from what they just watched. Coraline moved over to Max, and he pulled her close to kiss hard. Sarine looked at all of the men that wanted her and mused.

"Hmm. Who do I go to?" she pondered.

"Me!" Kiehl hissed, as his First Mate dominance rose up to challenge the others. The instinctive Bragging Rights he had clearly reflected in his eyes, and there was no contest. Nodding to him, she moved into his lap, and he hugged her form tight to his body.

"I'll need a ranking," Beelzebub mused.

"As will I," Hibram sighed.

"Um..." Loomin frowned. "Sarine..."

"Yes, Loomin?" she asked.

"I...can't focus..." he blinked, as her scent started to cloud his mind. She looked at him with a frown, and Howard blinked at Kiehl.

"How would he become a First Mate? For what race?" Doppy asked.

"Loki's son. Maybe...a form of demi-god?" Sammy thought. "It's something we'll have to ask Muninn. Better this way, since he is a husband after all. And he's her Eyes."

"True," Howard mused, as Kiehl released her. Sarine rose up smartly to glare at Loomin. He rose up from his chair and gave a hard glare back. The instinctive call to mate took over in full, and she hissed at him, as she started to back away. With each backwards step she took, he took a tense foot forward as though daring her to bolt.

"What's going on?" Seyren asked, as he watched with a form of awe.

"This is instinctive..." Eremes said.

"Don't stop him. He'll fight you right now," Keltin said. Loomin suddenly glared at the other males around him, and she scowled at him when she ran back into the house. He roared out, gave chase up the stairs, and pinned her back to the wall in the bedroom. He pressed her against the wall even more with his body, and she screamed with fury. She tried to fight him, but he bit down hard on her neck to make her gasp. He was able to paralyze her this way. He pulled aside the bottom of the dancing gown, as he freed himself, and he shoved himself into her with a harsh moan. Several quick thrusts were all he had to do before roaring out his release, as she cried out with him. He clung to her while he regained his senses. She clung to him tightly, as he clung to her, and they were both panting hard from the exertion of the chase and mating.

"What...just happened?" he shivered and shook his head.

"You...became an equal...with my other husbands..." she said, as she ran her hands over his shoulders. "You claimed...First Mate Rights...with me..."

"How?" he asked.

"My scent called to you. It made you respond like this. If anything happens, you will know what to do by instinct alone. You...won't have to participate in any Demonic Matings, either. You are above that. You see..."

"I...am still confused, but I'll trust what you say," he nodded and kissed her passionately before taking her again. After he released with her, they managed to fix up their clothing, and he carried her back to the others.

"It's about time it happened to you!" Doppy grinned and nodded to him with equal respect. Loomin found himself nodding back and blinked at what he did.

"Instinctive," she sighed, and he hugged her tight. Sitting down with her, he felt even more complete. It was as though he was on the same level of standing as her other husbands at long last. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she smiled at him.

"Sammy," Doppy said. "I want a dream vision done of me meeting her."

"Oh?" Sammy mused. "We can try it. Just remember one thing..."

"I know. The dream visions are incredibly real," he nodded.

"And you can't let it affect you when you snap out of it. Things happened the way they did now for a reason. Dream visions don't take that long to do, but the after effects of them can be drastic," Sammy sighed. "Howard and Kiehl should know."

"We do," Kiehl nodded. "From her memories, we do."

"Everyone needs to vow that, no matter what is seen," Sarine said. "no one will be angry at anyone. It's a dream. It's not real."

"I promise," Doppy swore. Everyone else did in one breath after him. Thomas felt honored to be part of this event, and Blent was a bit curious to see what it would bring about. Maheo was excited to be able to experience it. Her slaves banded together to sit with them now to prepare for it. All of her mates were there to experience it as well.

"Sarine, sit in Doppy's lap," Howard said.

"Okay," she nodded. She gave Loomin another kiss before he let her go, and she moved to snuggle into Doppy's embrace. Since it was going to be a dream vision for him, he was likely going to want to see her when they snapped out of it.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy smiled and let her get comfortable against him.

"No matter what you see," Sarine whispered to Doppy. "I'll always love you."

"I love you, too, Sorry Sari," he whispered back.

"And, just remember," she said, as she nuzzled him. "we have two beautiful children."

"I know," he smiled gently and kissed her passionately. "One girl and one badass boy!"

"Doppy!" she smirked, and he grinned, as the others laughed.

"All right," Sammy said. "Everyone hold hands, please. This may not take long at all."

"Right," Seyren nodded, and hands were joined. The moment the circle was complete, the dream vision sequence started...


	108. Chapter 108

Two months had gone past after Sarine's rescue instead of the actual three. She woke up outside of Geffen and made her way into the city. She really didn't know where she could train as an Archer, but she decided to try, anyways. She had forgotten about everything with Muninn and Huginn, as they needed her to. They knew she would be protected. She followed other adventurers down through the tower, and she made her way to the first level under it. She stared at the Hunter Flies and Poison Spores that were attacking everything they saw. She gave a small, frightened whimper at how strong they were.

"Hey! What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!" a Mage said with a frown. "You should go to the Payon Caves or something! This place is way too strong for you."

"Um...I don't know where those are..." she trembled. When the Mage was going to tell her, someone ran past them with a mob of the monsters following close behind. The Mage growled and began to fight them off. He had forgotten about her and had to save himself. She whimpered again, and she started to run to the far back of the underground cave. She got cornered by a Hunter Fly, but another one appeared to smack into it. This was the one that would eventually get recruited by her. It recognized her weak state and was protecting her. The Poison Spore that would join her started to help, and they began to lead her to the lower area entrance. She didn't know what was going on, but she gave a small smile of thanks. They nodded to her slightly and moved off when she was gone.

When she got down to the second level, she clearly didn't belong here. She ran past everything as fast as she could, and she whimpered hard, as she got cornered by several Jakks. As they moved in, Dracula found himself pulled to her location by her whimpers. It was just like what happened with Eddga. He cleared the monsters out himself with his will alone, and he looked at her with disbelief. She gaped up at him and whimpered again. He looked like a massive, hovering ghost man that was swarmed over with blue, bat-like Familiars, and he was quite scary to her. He saw this, and his gaze softened at her to show he was a friend.

"It's all right," he said gently and gathered her up. "I'm not going to hurt you. How did someone like you get here?! Hmm. If I'm reacting to you like this, then there's no doubt about it. You're special. Very special. You need to be protected."

"Huh?" she blinked, and he started to carry her to the third lower level entrance. His bats flew around him and kept watch for any humans in the distance. He was amazed at how light she was, and now he saw how painfully thin her body was. He could feel her bones through her skin, despite the heavy Archer clothes, and he was clearly fuming now.  _This special girl was mistreated very badly._  He wanted to take care of her properly, but he couldn't. The only thing that he could hope for was that the one he was sending her to wouldn't kill her on sight.

"Go down there. You need to meet someone else that will protect you better than I can. Hurry! I can't let the other humans see that I'm helping you!" Dracula growled, as he set her down. As much as he wanted to protect her himself, he knew that the one below him would be much better suited for it. He would do whatever he could to keep the other humans from reaching the third level as much as possible. It was an instinctive thing for him to do, too.

"But..." she frowned.

"Just go!" Dracula hissed, as he moved off quickly to fight off intruders. Sarine blinked her soft, brown eyes and found herself going down the steps. When she got there, she gasped and ran from the crowd of monsters waiting for unlucky adventurers. She ran until she lost them, and she fell to the ground gasping and shivering. She wiped the tears away from her eyes, and she curled up into a little ball by the base of a tree. The place almost reminded her of the room she was trapped in. It was dark and gloomy. Whatever did grow was very sparse. Even the tree she was curled up against had no leaves. Her belly rumbled, and she took out her small pack warily. The pack was pretty heavy, so she had to do it slowly. She didn't have the strength to move much of anything in her malnourished state.

She had enough food for a couple of months, but she was so used to rationing it out that she could make it last for four. Pulling out a piece of cheese and a little bread, she ate slowly. A couple sips of juice were taken and everything was put away. It wasn't enough nourishment at all for her, but it was something she was conditioned to do. When Huginn and Muninn were with her, they even had problems getting her to eat good meals. The most they could hope for was that she would learn that it was okay to eat more. She stayed huddled up into herself and whimpered softly. She didn't know if she should move or stay put. Right now, she had to stay put until she could figure out what she could do.

She looked up when Doppelganger stormed past her and scowled to himself. She huddled even more against the tree to hide. To her, he looked like a very mean Swordsman wanting to beat her up. Just as he started to walk past her, he stopped and turned towards the tree. Now she saw the glowing red pupils glaring at her, and she found herself whimpering with fear. He took out his sword, as his fury of seeing another human rose up, and he charged at her. Then he stopped in his tracks when a Deviruchi blocked his path. Then a Nightmare blocked his path next. A Marionette came over to help stop him, too. A Whisper ghost joined them to hover in his face. These were also monsters that she would be recruiting later on in her life.

"What are you all doing?! Get out of the way!" Doppelganger hissed in his overly rough voice. The monsters didn't budge, and Sarine gave another small, whimpering cry of fear. That made him blink and pause. Now he was curious. _Why does her cry make me feel the instinctive need to protect her?_  He didn't react to it before, because his need to drive off humans was there. When the monsters got in the way, he couldn't focus on that instinct. Only when he put his sword away did the other monsters move. But, they didn't leave her side. That made him even more curious as to why they were doing that, and he narrowed his eyes in thought.

"I'm...sorry...!" she whimpered out. "I...I know...I'm weak! I'll...I'll find my...my way out! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..."

"No," he frowned, as he took a step closer to her. "You don't need to leave. I didn't know that I would scare you that bad. How did you get down here? You couldn't have gotten down here by yourself in your current state."

"Um..." she shivered and curled up into an even tighter ball. "monsters...helped me..."

"Really?" he asked. "What about Dracula? On the level above me?"

"The...the ghost man?" she blinked and shivered harder at his nod. "Um...he...c-carried me. T-told me to...to come down here..."

"What?!" Doppelganger gaped with shock. "He told you to come here?!"

"Yes..." she gave a tiny nod, as she shook all over. _She wasn't lying._  He could tell if a human lied. Now he studied her intently, and he started to realize various things about her.  _She was pretty for an Archer. Very pretty. Far too pretty for a normal human girl. She was also very scared and didn't know what to think._ The other thing he noticed was how thin she was. _Her Archer clothes were loose on her body, and her face looked painfully thin._ Her eyes had circles under them to show that she was malnourished, and it confirmed his suspicions about her health in full. That had him concerned now.

"Do you have any food with you?" he asked. "Any at all?"

"Um...yes..." she nodded. He watched her take out her small, heavy pack of food with shaky hands. He saw how much food she had, and now he was puzzled as to why she looked so thin.  _Most of it didn't even look like it was touched. Some of it looked nibbled on._

"Why aren't you eating it?" he asked.

"I do! Just...not a lot..." she frowned. "If I eat all of it...I'll have none left...you see..."

"How much do you eat?"

"Just...a little here and there..."

"You have enough food here for at least two months!"

"Really? I...I wouldn't know..."

"What?"

"Um...I'm used to only having enough food to last me a week at a time...before..."

"Before what?"

"Before I...got free..."

"Free?"

"From the darkness."

"What do you mean? Tell me," Doppelganger said, as he sat on the ground now.

"Um...well...I don't know..." she shivered.

"It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise," he said in as soothing of a tone he could muster. She whimpered, as she fought with herself, but he smiled softly. That showed she could talk to him, and she gave in. If she was with Howard and his group, they would have relented to keep from hurting her. Doppy's gentle perseverance easily won her over to let her know that she was safe to talk about it.

"Okay," she swallowed. "For...a long time...ever since I was born, you see...I lived in a tiny dark room. I didn't have toys. I...didn't play like...other kids. Um...and...I was given candles with small matches. I...only had enough light for a week at a time..."

"Are you...serious...?" Doppelganger said, as he looked at her in shock. "And your meals? You said you only had meals for a week at a time?"

"Well..." she blinked. "about that...I only had enough for a week...you see. One large meal. It was the same...with my water, too. I...I had to make it last...so..."

"Wait!" Doppelganger growled. "What about your parents?! Didn't they do anything?!"

"It...was my parents that did this..." she whimpered, and now he looked at her with disbelief. "My Mother...she said I was worthless. That...I wasn't anything special, you see...and, um...Father...well...he just watched what happened...did nothing...and...I only saw...what they looked like once a year...on my birthday...so...I was always alone..."

"Oh...my..." he said with a shallow gasp. "Did you...have a bed? Something soft to sleep on even? Clothes?"

"A bed? Um...no..." she trembled. "Just the floor. It was cold. Hard. Like a rock. And...when candles melted in it...um...I got burned...sometimes. But...I didn't know...what a bed was...or chairs...not until I was free. I didn't know...much of anything...really..."

He blinked and grabbed her gloved hand to pull up her sleeve to her shoulder. Small marks from little burn scars covered it, and she whimpered. He released her with a hissing breath and whispered, "Clothes. Please tell me you had clothes!"

"Just...thin ones..." she said and pulled out the parcel again to show him. "This was what...um...I was wearing before. It got washed! So it's clean..."

"I..." he gaped and now saw how thin and ragged it was. He never felt so much rage at how a human child was brought up before!

"I was rescued, though," she said. "I was carried out! At night..."

"How long were you treated like this?" he asked.

"I'm fourteen now. So...um...all of my life...until a couple months ago..." she cringed with a hard whimper at his reactions. Now he stood up to pace out his anger. Then he stopped to look at her parcel of food. He moved to her side, opened it up fully, and ripped off a large chunk of the cheese.

"Eat that. All of it!" he said. "Now!"

"But, if I do that, I'll have nothing left!" she whimpered.

"You'll still have over half of it! You'll be fine!" he said. "And eat this, too!"

She watched him take out a roast and sever off a large chunk of it for her with his sword. Now he realized why Dracula had her come down here. _He couldn't take care of her. Humans made it to his level all the time, and not many could get past him, if he kept them away._ Doppelganger knew that there was a lot more that she wasn't telling him, but he would pry it all out of her when he was able. Getting her to eat was a lot more important to him right now. He spread his awareness through his domain to inform the monsters of her protection at all times. His order was quickly respected, and now the monsters pooled together to see what they had for her. They started to get to work without any form of hesitation.

"It's too much food! I'll waste it!" she whimpered and sobbed out her frustrations. Doppelganger stopped and winced at her tears.  _I'll have to ease her into eating more. There was no other way around it._ He also realized that she would get sick if she ate a lot right now. _Her body needed to be slowly conditioned for more food._ Sighing, he took out his sword again to cut the chunks into smaller, bite-size portions. Then he leaned over to wipe off her tears with his gloved hand gently.

"At least eat what you can. You really need to. You are far too thin for a normal human," he said, as softly as he could. "Please? For me?"

"Um...okay..." she sniffled. Very slowly, she reached for a piece of cheese with a shaky gloved hand, since she was still quite hungry. "So...um...what's your name?"

"I'm Doppelganger," he said. That made her blink at him with a bit of surprise. She heard from other adventurers that he was a mean and nasty monster, yet here he was being so nice to her! Now he grinned and said, "You didn't know?"

"No..." she frowned. "And...you said the ghost man was...um...Dracula?"

"Yes. He and I are both trapped here. We are both very strong monsters. But, if he told you to come here, and he carried you over to my domain entrance, himself, then he knows you are very special. This is the first time that I've heard that he carried someone."

"Oh..." she said, as she swallowed the first bite of cheese and picked up a piece of roast.

"And what's your name?" he asked. He was relieved that she was eating more now.

"Sarine," she said, as she chewed. "At least...I think it is..."

"It's a very pretty name," he said. She managed a small smile and a soft blush. Now he realized that she was stunning when she smiled.  _She would be even more beautiful when she filled out more._ Her straight, brown hair only added to her purity and innocence. He knew that he'd kill anyone that tried to touch her now. He made sure she ate what she could, and he looked over at the Deviruchi when a mass amount of blue potions were brought over from the Nightmare monsters.  _They would give her enough to drink when she needed it._  Herbs were harvested by the Marionettes and brought over next. Shining Plants thrived down here, too, and they were also harvested for their Yggdrasil Berries and herbs. The Ghouls gave over their white herbs for her. Doppelganger was surprised at how quickly the monsters were ensuring her survival. Once her presence was made known by him, they were all pitching in.

"I don't know...what I can do here," she frowned, as she put the food away.

"We'll figure something out," he said. A monster rushed over to him to report an intruder. He suddenly got up and snarled out, "Stay here!"

"Okay," she whispered, and he looked at her with a soft smile. She actually thought he was a bit cute now. She liked his blond hair, as it fell over his face, and dark blue eyes with red pupils. She blinked her eyes at him and watched him move off to drive away some adventurers. She filled him with a rage that he hadn't felt for a long time. The last time he felt this was when he was first imprisoned over four hundred years ago. It was invigorating to him, and he used his renewed, bloodthirsty hatred with a vengeance. There was just one difference in his method for attacking the humans now.  _I am protecting someone._  He didn't want her to be discovered. When it was safe, he went back to her and held out his gloved hand.

"Come with me. I know of a better place for you," he said. She nodded and took his hand. He paused, as he looked at her with a silent form of wonder before helping her to her feet.

"Where are we going, Doppy?" she asked. He looked at her with a bit of a grin at the nickname now. Thinking while he led her to where some ruins were, he frowned.

"This will have to do. I don't have very many places to hide you, but this will work. It's far back enough that I can chase off others easily," he said. "And...you called me Doppy?"

"Well," she blinked with a small blush. "Doppelganger can be too long..."

"Then, do I get to give you a name, too?" he grinned.

"Um...okay..." she smiled.

"Hmm. You said 'sorry' quite a bit to me at first," he mused. "Sorry Sari it is!"

"What?" she blinked, and he found himself laughing. He had never laughed like this before. It was a novel sensation for him, and he liked it.  _The nickname she gave me could also throw off humans, if they weren't quick enough to catch it._  The idea amused him.

"Okay," he managed to say, as he looked at her. "Next order of business!"

"Huh?" she asked.

"Sleeping space for you. I don't have anything that's human friendly."

"I'm used to sleeping on the floor..."

"No! None of that anymore!"

"Um...okay..."

"If you have to, you'll sleep on me, and I'll lay on the floor!"

"What?" she asked with disbelief.

"I'm serious. I don't want you to sleep on the floor. I'm sure that something can be made for you. You obviously need to train, too. I'll help you with that."

"You...don't have to..."

"I do," he said. "I know I do. Now, come here so I can figure out how you're gonna sleep tonight. Just work with me, okay?"

"How long am I staying here for?" she frowned.

"As long as you have to," he said with a nod. He knew that he wasn't going to hand her over to just anyone. He would know when he found the right group of people that could help protect her even more.  _That would be instinctive._ He pulled her close and blinked that her scent was rather pleasing. He sat on the floor with her in his lap, and he cradled her against him. That seemed to work, but he did find himself stretching out on the ground for her to curl up against him. It actually worked out even better. Soft grasses were gathered to place on the ground to provide a form of cushioning. He knew the monsters that protected her before would also keep her safe when he had to patrol.  _They'd keep her warm, too._

"Um...there's no water here, is there?" she frowned.

"Not really," he admitted. "I know I would want you to keep clean. Where the plants grow, we can probably dig out some water, but I already know that it won't be enough. It's either that, or you bathe in blue potions. That reminds me. How did you bathe before?"

"Um..." she cringed, and he watched her carefully with narrowed eyes. "A bucket of cold water. Once a month, if that. Even then...I tended to use it for drinking...anyways..."

"Any soaps?" he asked. "Stuff for your hair?"

"No..."

"I see..." he growled out, as he made fists and muttered out some swears in Demonic. She whimpered, and he forced his rage to cool when he pulled her close again. "I just want to make things better for you. As much as I can!"

"And you are, Doppy," she said. "Even though you wanted to beat me up at first..."

"Quiet!" he growled and flinched at her cringe. "Sorry. I'm a demon. It's...instinctive for me to attack things on sight. I didn't know who you were."

"I know," she frowned. "Monsters...are supposed to attack on sight. Most of them, anyways. I...don't know why I'm special..."

"Well, you are. You're not worthless. You are someone worth fighting for. I know."

"If you say so."

"I do," he said with a nod. "Okay. We'll figure out what to do for your baths. There should be some water pipes around here somewhere!"

"Okay," she nodded.

"Just stay here. I'm going to pass up a message to Dracula. He can see what he can find for us on the level above us, and he may be able to send something down. I'll be right back, okay?" he said. At her nod, he hugged her. He already felt her becoming something more to him now. _It was going to be incredibly hard to give her up, if the time ever came._ She sat on the soft grasses and got snuggled by several Deviruchi monsters. Doppy nodded at this and moved out quickly. He didn't want to leave her alone for too long.

Two weeks had passed after that. Dracula was informed about what she told Doppy through small messages, and it resolved Dracula to fight that much more to keep others away from Doppy's level. A small pipe system was built, and it was just enough to bring her some water to shower in. She was able to wash her clothes, too. The Marionettes helped her, as they were female puppets, and Doppy was forced to stay back until she was dressed properly. The Whisper ghosts gave over quite a bit of fabric so she could make something to cover herself with while her clothes dried.

As she was waiting for her clothes to dry, Doppy was able to walk over to her and sit by her. She had tied up the fabrics so that they covered her chest and hips. She needed to overlap them a few times from how thin they were, but it was good for emergency clothing. The air was already warm enough so she wouldn't feel cold. He gave a slight wince at her thin form, but she was improving. What he really wanted to do now was find out a bit more about her past.

"Sorry Sari," he said.

"Yes, Doppy?" she asked with a smile. He found himself smiling back, as he sat closer to her. He thought silently on how to approach the subject, and he decided to be direct.

"Tell me," he said. "Do you remember who rescued you? You told me something about it before. Do you remember who it was?"

"Ah..." she thought. "it's...really hard to recall. It was the night of my birthday, and...well...my candles were all spent. All but one. It was really low, so, I didn't get much of a good look. I was sleeping, too, but I felt myself get lifted, I think. My eyes were really heavy. All that I remember was that I didn't really see anything until I was outside. I was being carried over a shoulder, if I remember it right. The moon was full...but it hurt my eyes. I wasn't used to that light. Any other light, but candles, really. I saw...it was a man. He was in all black. Even his hair was black. And long, too, I think. But...what really got my focus...was that he had a red cloth around his waist. Um...he said he was a friend. That he was taking me to someplace safe. When I went back to sleep and woke up, he was gone."

"I see. He didn't tell you his name?"

"No."

"Okay. I know you told me about how you were kept," Doppy frowned. "but do you know the town that you lived in? Do you recall it?"

"Um..." she blinked in thought. "I...heard it was Amatsu, but I never saw the town, itself. Always in darkness, so...no windows..."

"Amatsu, eh?" he frowned. "I heard from other humans that it was a very pretty town. That was before I'd drop in on them and beat them senseless."

"That's...what I overheard when I could hear people talking..." she sighed. "The walls of my room were pretty thin."

"Were they?" he blinked.

"Yes. I'm...surprised at myself now...in a way..."

"How?"

"It would...snow in Amatsu...and...with the way I was kept..." she shivered. He punched the ground, and she trembled, but she knew he would never hurt her.

"What about storms? Rain?" he muttered out.

"The roof...leaked at times..." she admitted. "I got extra water that way. When it was clean enough. And...with storms..."

"Tell me..."

"The whole room would...shake...like it was ready to...to fall in..."

He pulled her into his lap to hug her tight. She hugged him back and felt him give out a ragged sigh. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and she rested her head against his shoulder. He started kissing her cheek on the third day of being with her. She had gotten so caught up in her frustration from training, and looked so cute at it, that he couldn't help himself. It actually helped calm her down, and he made sure to kiss her cheek a lot more after that. He liked doing it, anyways. It made him feel even closer to her.

"I never want you in that room again! I don't want you to suffer anymore!" he said.

"I know I won't," she said, as he rocked her. "I think my clothes are dry."

"Okay. Get dressed. I'll wait out there," he said. She nodded, and he let her go. He stood outside to scan the area diligently while she dressed. When she was ready, he put an arm around her waist to lead her out. She leaned into him a bit, and he squeezed her.

"I should train," she said.

"Yeah, you should. You have enough arrows?"

"I do. I made quite a few, so I'm good," she nodded. He called over various monsters, and he started to help her kill them. He was a bit surprised that he was able to help her like a pet would.  _It only proved that she was a very special human._  He was even getting her to start eating more. Slowly but surely, she was starting to fill out. She saved most of the food she brought with her as a backup, since so much was found for her. She was starting to grow a bit, too, and that made it all the more important for her to eat more. Every time he saw how thin she was, it made his resolve that much more fierce to get her body to normal.

"Hmm..." he frowned, as he scanned the distance.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Intruders. Come on," he said. She nodded and let him pull her close to lead her back to the ruins area that he kept her in. At a distance, they looked like a young couple and were left alone most of the time. It was when he flashed his red pupils that he gave himself away. It was rare that he had to call out the Nightmares that supported his fighting. She always joked that he was showing off how mad he was when people stared at them. He could only agree with her. He actually liked the idea.

"You'll be okay?" she asked.

"I will. Just stay here," he said, as he set her on the grass mat. He went to press a kiss to her cheek, but this time he moved to press one on her mouth. She found herself blushing, and he smiled, as he said, "It was bound to happen sooner or later!"

"Um..." she giggled softly, and he smiled even more. "Hurry back. Okay?"

"I will," he nodded and rose up to head out with a large grin on his face. Later on, he came back after chasing the humans off and found her sleeping. He moved to lay down next to her, and she woke up to look at him with a soft smile.

"Back already?" she asked.

"Yep!" he grinned and pulled her onto him to let her rest. There was no roof on the ruins, but that was fine by him. He began staring at the dirt and stone ceiling of his confinement, and he sighed.  _If only it was the night sky. I'd have loved to watch the stars with her laying against me._ He could barely recall what they looked like anymore. Closing his eyes with a small smile on his face, he started to purr in contentment. She was surprised when he first did it on the second night he was with her, but she liked it.

She snuggled into him even more, and he kept an arm around her. His other arm rested under his head. Several hours passed with silent meditation when he finally heard a monster whisper to him that intruders were coming close. He smirked and kept his eyes closed. He was able to fool quite a few humans like this, and they thought it was a young couple napping. He forced his purring to dwindle away to help the disguise, but it was hard to do when her arm moved to relax over his chest in sleep. The dark interior of the ruins hid the shadowy aspect of his skin and helped that much more.

"Over here! Look at this place!" a young man's voice called out.

"Wow! It looks like it's been lived in! Is that possible?" a girl asked.

"Can we peek inside?" another girl asked. When they looked inside to see a Swordsman and an Archer girl sleeping together, soft giggles happened all around.

"Wow. They got balls to sleep in a place like this!" the man chuckled.

"Should we wake them up?" the first girl snickered.

"I dunno," the second girl said. "Let's just leave them alone."

"Aw, c'mon! Where's your sense of adventure?" the first girl asked.

"Maybe we can ask for directions to see where to go from here," the man said. The moment they stepped into the ruins, Doppy snapped his eyes open and glared with his red pupils glowing brightly. Now the three humans paused with horror.

"The way out is the way you came in! Now leave before you really piss me off!" Doppy snarled out. Sarine was keeping him calm just by nestling against him, and he really didn't want to wake her up. The man was a Mage, the first girl was a Swordgirl, and the other girl was an Acolyte. Sarine suddenly blinked awake and yawned. Doppy growled out with fury. He didn't want her to wake up.  _She really needed to sleep._ There were still times that she woke up with nightmares when he wasn't there, and she lost sleep all the time, because of it.

"Doppy?" she frowned and looked over at the ones looking at him. "Oh. What do you want to do? We've been discovered, it seems."

"I'll handle them!" Doppy hissed, and the trio left quickly. No one would believe them, if they said that Doppelganger was sleeping with a girl. Monsters just don't do that unless they were pets, and he was  _definitely not_  a pet! Sarine gave a soft giggle, and Doppy smirked when he pulled her back against him.

"Do you think they'll talk?" she asked.

"Nah! No one would believe them, if they tried. Don't worry about it. Now, if they come back with others, I'll slaughter them!" he grinned. She rested her head on his shoulder again, and he ran a gloved hand over her side. She moved her gloved hand through his hair gently. He sighed, closed his eyes, and started purring again. She gave her own tired sigh and closed her eyes. A short while later, he blinked out of his meditation and looked over at her. He ran a gloved hand over her face and tilted her chin up to kiss her gently. There was something else he wanted to do, but had never done it before. He saw other human couples do this before he intruded on them, and now he wanted to see if he could do what he wanted with her.

"Hmm?" she blinked awake slowly to look at him.

"Do you have any idea how badly I want to really kiss you right now?" he asked.

"Really kiss me?" she asked with a soft blush.

"Yeah," he said.

"Um...what do you mean?" she asked. He ran a hand over her cheek to caress gently before tilting her face to his again. He pressed his mouth to hers and let his tongue explore the inside of her mouth. She gave a soft gasp, at first, but then she relaxed. The kiss soon became something deeper. It became something far more than either of them expected, and he groaned softly in the kiss. When it finally broke, he was hugging her tight to him.

"You're mine! I don't care what anyone else says. You! Are! Mine!" he growled and kissed her again in a far more possessive manner. She shivered and trembled against him, as she could only nod. He wanted her, but he knew she wasn't ready for that yet.  _Her body was still healing on so many levels from the neglect she went through._   _She's safe and at my side. That was all that mattered to me._ That was his only thought, as she fell back to sleep against him.

Another week passed, and he was out scouting. She was sleeping quite peacefully on the grass bedding. The monsters surrounding her were diligently guarding her, and everything was going well. Then the Swordsman, the Merchant, and the Mage had worked their way to her. They were the same ones that had bullied her in reality.

"Ah, look there! A house?" the Merchant asked.

"I don't know. There might be something good in there, though. Shall we check it out?" the Mage grinned. The Swordsman charged forward to clear out the monsters that guarded her, and she woke with a start. A Deviruchi hissed and ran off to find Doppelganger quickly.

"Well, well, well..." the Mage grinned. "What do we have here?"

"Oh..." Sarine whimpered and cringed, as she now tried to find a way out. The Swordsman smirked and rushed in to slam her against the wall. She screamed as loud as she could from the pain. She tried to kick out at him, but he was aware of this and dodged her easily.

"All alone and no way out?" the Merchant clucked his tongue. "Interesting! Have you really been living here by yourself?"

"Leave me alone! Please! I've done nothing to you!" Sarine cried out, and the Swordsman punched her in the gut to force her to double over. The Mage moved in with the Merchant to hold her against the stone wall by force, and she gasped, as she tried to find the air to scream again. The Swordsman started to beat her at his leisure now, as the other two laughed. Her weak form was strengthened by training, but she could still only take so much abuse. She was about to pass out. When a shadow formed in the doorway, they turned quickly and gaped at the sight of two brilliantly red pupils glaring with an unholy fury. Doppy had just started to come back around when the Deviruchi had run up to him to report the attack. He wasted no time in running over only to find this. Saying he was pissed off was an understatement.

"Get...away...from...my...MATE!" Doppy screamed out with his sword drawn. This had the men pale in fright and drop her quickly, as they tried to bolt past him. Doppy saw nothing but red when he attacked them. The Mage ran out, and it was just his luck that he ran into Howard's group. They were all together, and the Mage screamed that Doppelganger was attacking his party. Seyren frowned at this and moved into the ruins.

"Don't touch her!" Doppy hissed at Seyren, as he held Sarine to him. His sword was out and ready to kill. "Those three bastards did this to her!"

"Doppy..." Sarine whimpered, as he Healed her and hugged her tight. Seyren gaped at what Doppelganger was doing.  _He was protecting her. He was telling the truth._ When Doppy saw that the white-haired Knight understood, his sword was lowered while he kept glaring at him, and he hugged Sarine tighter to him while he rocked her. If Sarine wasn't hurt, he'd be attacking Seyren with a protective vengeance.

"Margaretha!" Seyren shouted. She ran in and gasped at the scene. The Merchant and the Swordsman were unconscious and near death from the ferocity of Doppy's attacks. Doppy was cradling Sarine, as she sobbed against his neck. He gave a protective hiss at the Priestess to force her to keep her distance. Then he paused when he saw Eremes. He gave an inhuman growl, but then he realized something, as he studied the man.  _The Assassin had long, blue-black hair, he was in all black, and a red sash hung from his waist._  With the way Eremes was staring at Sarine, it was with shocking recognition. _This was the man that saved Sarine from her fate._  His hair was likely dark enough in the moonlight that Sarine only saw it as black, and the demon made the connection easily. Doppy gave a slight nod to him with Demonic respect, and Eremes blinked at him with surprise. Now he knew that Doppy was protecting her, too.

"What's going on?" Howard asked as he looked inside. He gaped at her. Then he pointed at her and said, "Tell her that everything's fine! Right now! She's completely scared out of her mind! She doesn't know what's going on!"

"How do you know?" Doppy asked with irritation.

"I...can feel it. Her emotions," he said with a wince. "She's...scared of these men in here. The ones unconscious..."

"Yes. They were beating up on her, and I ran back here to protect her!" Doppy said. "That Mage out there was one of them! He and the Merchant were holding her against the wall, and the Swordsman was hitting her and punching her!"

"I'll be right back...!" Eremes snarled and Cloaked to go after the Mage. Cecil and Kathryne looked at each other with small frowns on their faces. Now Howard made his way into the ruins, and Seyren hissed with warning. Howard held up his hand to show that he understood the danger, but this was important to him.

"Can I see her? Please?" Howard asked, as he slowly stepped over to the protective demon. "I won't hurt her. You have my word."

"You're...different. Like her," Doppy said. "Okay. But no funny stuff! She's mine!"

"Yours?" Seyren asked. The older girls looked at each and back at Doppy.

"Yes. She came to me. For the past month, I protected her. I took care of her. She became the center of my life. She! Is! Mine!" Doppy said again and looked at the girl in his arms to nuzzle her gently. "Sorry Sari? It's okay..."

"Doppy?" she whimpered, and he hugged her tight. She looked over at Howard with a whimper, and it tore at him. He took out his Vecer Axe at first, and Doppy snarled viciously when he hugged her tighter to him. Then Howard dropped it, fell to his knees, and opened his arms to her. That surprised Doppy completely. He wasn't expecting that, and his grasp on her instinctively relaxed. Sarine gave a small cry and jumped over to Howard to sob in his arms. Doppy gaped at this and scowled.  _The time had come for her to leave me. I instinctively gave her over to this Blacksmith._ Doppy knew he couldn't protect her forever, but he also knew that the Blacksmith would guard her with his life.

"Don't worry, Doppelganger," Howard chuckled, as he comforted her. "Something tells me that you'll be seeing her quite a bit. She can't live here forever, you know."

"I know," Doppy said with a sigh of defeat. "I just...if I could leave with her, then I would! I...trust you guys. Somehow. I know that I'll be seeing you all again."

"Frequently," Seyren said in a rather relaxed tone now. "She'll travel with us, and we'll let her see you whenever we can. We promise this. I already see her as a little sister."

"She'll grow stronger with us," Howard sighed, as he hugged her tighter to him.

"Wait," Doppy said. "Let me...tell you all a bit about her. She told me things about her life, and...well...you all need to know."

"Okay," Margaretha nodded. Eremes came back with a bit of a satisfied grin on his face, and the other two men were hauled out of the ruined hut. Seyren told him what he missed, and Eremes was clearly a touch pissed off. He wanted to be the one that Sarine ran to. He wasn't going to do anything right now, but he wanted to know more about her. With a low growl, Doppy told them what Sarine had told him about her life. It had them all gasping with shock.

"Amatsu?! You're from there, too?!" Howard gaped at her, and she cringed.

"If you were from there, why didn't you find her?!" Doppy snarled.

"I didn't know her much less know where she lived!" Howard said. "If...if I knew where she lived, then I would have definitely helped her!"

"Well..." Doppy sighed. "I want to do something with her really quick. It...will help me cope while she's gone."

"Okay," Howard said. Sarine sniffled and moved back to cling to Doppy. He carried her lightly near the back of the ruins. They could still see him, but he wanted to show that she was his. That she belonged to him, regardless of anything that would happen.

"Here," Doppy said lightly, as he removed a glove and ran his finger over his blade. "Taste my blood. It's important."

"Why?" Sarine asked. Howard and Seyren glanced at each other nervously.

"It will let me know where you are," he said. "This way, I'll know when you are coming back here. Okay? It will also let me know that you're safe. Anything that's a demon that tries to attack you will stop. They'll smell me on you, and it will give you enough time to attack and defend yourself, if you have to. It's instinctive for them to stop for a moment. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded and let him run his bleeding finger onto her tongue to brand her as his. She shivered at first, but then she blinked when he handed her his card.

"I can't be there to protect you, but I'm sure this will take my place. Come back to me whenever you need to," he whispered. She took his card with shaking hands, cried out, and hugged him tightly to her.  _I love her. I will wait for her. She is mine._  He also knew that he belonged to her. _No other female will ever suit me after this._  Squeezing her again, he nodded to Howard. The group was amazed that he gave over his card for her.

"I'm gonna make sure to always visit you!" she said. "I promise!"

"Good!" he smiled and kissed her possessively. This had the others gaping with shock. He looked over at them with a bit of a smug grin, as he said, "C'mon. I'll lead you all out. I'll have Dracula escort you out of his area, too. Hmm. Maybe I can have him give you his card."

"As you say, Doppelganger," Seyren nodded with a bit of surprise that Dracula knew of her, too. As they left the ruins, the dream sequence ended and faded out...


	109. Chapter 109

When they all came around, Sarine was in the middle of a long kiss that Doppy was giving her. The others were just in shock at how realistic it was. Only twenty minutes had gone by for them, but it seemed longer.

"I'm curious," Seyren said.

"About what?" Sammy asked.

"When we all went to Lighthalzen, would she have gone back to Doppy?" he asked.

"That would be a legitimate thing to be curious about," Sammy thought. "You would think that she would have. Same with me, if she hadn't met Doppy by then. But, as much as we would want to protect her, she would still need to meet with Keltin to get the idea to rescue you. It's possible that Muninn and Huginn would need to intervene to convince us to let her go again. It would be the only way to let her continue on this path."

"A valid point," Maheo nodded.

"There is one thing that scares me, though..." Sarine winced. Howard looked over at her and gasped with a shiver. Kiehl blinked and trembled.

"Do I dare ask what?" Doppy asked.

"My lost pregnancy. I'd have to...experience it again..." she cringed, and Doppy hugged her tight to him. Howard moved to her side now for him to get hugged, and Kiehl was soon after. Loomin and Eremes were wincing at the thought.

"I don't want that," Keltin frowned. "I don't want you to go through that heartache again. We'll just leave it as it is."

She nodded, and Doppy thought.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Something I think we need to do," he smiled. She looked at him curiously, as he looked at Nigel and asked, "Can you get me a reclining chair?"

"Sure," Nigel nodded. Injustice found one with him, and they set it up. The stars were starting to come out, and Doppy laid back on the chair. Now he gestured for Sarine to lay on his chest, and Howard gave a smile. Kiehl nodded with approval, and so did Loomin. Keltin and Eremes chuckled, as Sammy gave his own soft smile. Sarine moved to do as he wanted, and he gave a contented sigh, as he watched the stars. Her hands moved up to caress through his hair, and he started to purr.

"We did this in Jawaii, too," she smiled, as she relaxed on his chest.

"True," he said gently. "But...this is much better. It's quieter. No one we don't know to stare at us. No screaming from other humans. It's not daytime. It's just...this. Right here."

She blushed softly, as his arms held her to him. She ran a finger up his chest, and he gave a pleasuring gasp, as he felt it through his chest armor. She giggled and whispered, "To think of how much your body changed from before. Not to mention how much stronger you are now."

"I know," he grinned.

"I do have a feeling that I would have gone back to you. When the others were lost to me," she frowned. "Even Sammy, like he said."

"You would have come to us, because you would have felt safe. We wouldn't want you to be alone, either. I would have let you stay with me for as long as you wanted."

"True," she smiled softly, and he kissed her. He looked up, as Beelzebub walked over to them with a bit of a grim look.

"As much as I hate to interrupt such a wonderful scene..." Beelzebub said. "we are getting...visitors. Very shortly."

"Who?" Howard frowned.

"Elric," the Demon Lord said. Eremes let out a hiss, but Sammy rose up his hand.

"Let him approach. We'll see what he wants," Sammy said.

"Fine," Eremes muttered.

"Stay with me," Doppy growled. "This way I won't skewer him."

"I know, love," she smiled and snuggled into him. He closed his eyes with a sigh, as he purred again. Loomin looked over in the direction of the arena with a frown, as the older man came towards them. Eremes stiffened, but he remained where he was. Ragged Zombie crossed his arms, as he watched silently. Sammy stood up to move over to him.

"Can we help you?" Sammy asked, as his Samurai ghost came out to study him.

"Ah..." Elric blinked at first before sighing. "I was hoping to speak with Sarine."

"She's busy..." Eremes said, as he walked over.

"Oh..." Elric frowned.

"She's keeping Doppelganger calm right now," Howard said, as he walked over with Kiehl. Keltin stood up now to stand and watch. Loomin moved to stand where Doppy and Sarine were. Then he glared at someone moving in the shadows. His God Sight let him Detect the Cloaked person easily.

"You. Uncloak. Now," Loomin glowered. Naght hissed and brandished his swords. Thanatos growled and moved to stand in front of the house entrance. Shadow revealed himself and sighed apologetically to Eremes and Elric.

"I told you not to follow me!" Elric said.

"I'm sorry," Shadow said. "But, times are tough right now. We have enemies everywhere. You know this, too..."

"Enough of that!" Eremes snapped. "What are you doing here?"

"Like I said," Elric said. "I wanted to speak with Sarine."

"How-How?" Sarine said, and she kept her hands in Doppy's hair to keep him calm. She sent a mental message to him. He frowned, but Kiehl nodded.

"What do you hope to gain?" Seyren asked.

"Answers," Elric said.

"Well," Kiehl said slowly. "if you are thinking of being with her..."

"There is only one true answer to that right now," Howard said. "She's in a state that, if you aren't meant to be with her, she's repulsed by scent. If she smells you and gets sick, then you aren't destined to be with her."

"I don't want her to get sick!" Eremes hissed.

"Eremes?" Sarine called out. He moved to her side and knelt to be at eye level with her. She reached out to hug him carefully, and she whispered to him. He growled, but she whispered softly again. He sighed with a touch of defeat. Doppy hissed, but she calmed him again to get him purring. Eremes got a kiss from her before standing up and looking at his old mentor.

"Come here and hold out your hand to her," Eremes said. "Quickly! Before I change my mind! Let's get this done..."

"Very well," Elric nodded and walked over. He paused at the sight of her in her dancing gown, as she reclined in Doppy's arms. The strong demon was purring deeply with his eyes closed, as she kept her hands in his hair. She leaned up slightly and took a sniff of his scent when Elric extended his hand to her. Then she coughed and shivered, as she pressed her face into Doppy's neck to breathe in his scent. His arms tightened around her, and one eye cracked open to reveal a glaring red pupil. It signaled only one thing.  _Back away now or die._

"She can't tolerate you. If you approach her, you'll make her ill. She is pregnant again, as you can see, and we will not have our children threatened by you," Kiehl said. "Especially, since it's my kids she's pregnant with along with Incantation Samurai's kids."

"Very well," Elric nodded. "Will she be safe to approach after she gives birth?"

"That is still highly questionable," Sammy said. "Eremes does not want to lose his respect for you. Please, if not for his respect, think about it for Sarine's health."

"When does Sarine give birth?" Elric asked.

"Are you serious?!" Eremes hissed. "You'll still approach her?"

"I'm sorry," Elric said. "But...I have to know."

"Know what?" Sarine finally asked with a touch of irritation.

"If I belong with you or not," Elric said. She rolled her eyes, got up quickly, and marched over to him. Howard and Kiehl were glaring now. Doppy snapped out his trance and leaned up to glare with fury at Elric. Loomin was growling with Keltin. Sammy kept a watchful eye on Sarine, since he knew she had to do this to get Elric to leave. She held her breath, got close to Elric, and pressed a kiss on his mouth. When she pulled away, it was with a harsh gasp and a retching cough. Doppy was out of the reclining chair and moved to her swiftly to carry her away to vomit. Eremes was hissing with disbelief at what she did and moved to help her.

"Did you find out what you wanted?!" Keltin snarled out.

"I did," Elric said. "It felt right, but not right."

"Like mine..." Kavach frowned.

"What?!" Howard and Kiehl hissed out together, and Sammy swore softly.

"How is she?" Thanatos asked, as he moved to her side.

"Not good," Doppy growled. Shadow moved to help protect his Guild leader, as the monsters glared at them with hatred. Then Muninn flew down and reverted to his human form.

" _Stop! All of you! Right now!_ " Muninn growled out. " _Let me speak with Elric! I'll set everything to rights. There is no need for any violence!_ "

"Fine," Beelzebub nodded with respect. Hibram nodded, as well, but Ragged Zombie was still glaring. He pulled out a rib and flung it into the fire to make it explode into a small ball of flame. That made everyone gape with shock, but the zombie simply thought.

"Zombie blood combusts. At least with mine, it does. Hmm. Gives me an idea of a new attack. I'll have to work on it," he mused now. Then he moved over to Sarine to help her.

" _Elric Helston! Walk with me quickly!_ " Muninn hissed. Elric blinked with shock.  _I never gave out my last name to anyone!_ This only proved that Muninn knew everything about anyone when he had to know. He gestured to Shadow to stay where he was, and he followed the powerful being. Muninn froze time and turned to face him.

"I didn't mean to..." Elric started.

" _Save it! I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. My sister cannot tolerate you. Right now, that is. It's true that she may be able to tolerate you better after she gives birth, but, since you are like Kavach Icarus, she may never be able to fully tolerate you. As he said, your kiss with her felt right, but not right like his did. Kavach is always trying to be with her in the form of a slave. It will never happen. He cannot tolerate what she does to her other slaves, but that's his issue. Not yours. You will constantly try to get close to her. You will try to be with her no matter the odds. So, I'll make my point to you now._ "

"I'm listening," he nodded.

" _At every new pregnancy, she goes through something called a Demonic Mating. Anyone can participate, but it's mainly strong monsters that do. They fight for the right to be with her. As to when it happens, I refuse to say. That is for you to figure out for yourself. If you miss it, then you miss it. But, here is where it gets tricky for you. No human has ever joined a Demonic Mating. You will be up against ten monsters. Maybe even more after this. All of them are her mates, slaves, and husbands, but Wanderer is not her full mate yet._

" _Not all of them will join, but I'm just letting you know what to expect if you do join. None of them are able to defeat each other. They don't know what I'm about to tell you yet, but they will soon enough. Normally, if a monster gets defeated in a Demonic Mating, they are dead last in ranking. It's not like that with her. If one gets defeated, they completely lose the chance to be with her. They are simply not allowed to try any further. She will see the defeated ones as too weak, and she will kill them off herself should they try to be with her._ "

"So..." Elric frowned. "if I want to even try to be with her, I'll have to fight against...ten of her men? Even more, if others join?!"

" _Yes._ "

"And, if I lose even once, she won't see me as eligible?"

" _That's correct. Not until her next Demonic Mating. That's the only time you can try again. It will not be allowed at any other time._ "

"And you won't tell me when it happens, so I'll have to hope to be there by chance."

" _Right again._ "

"Does...Kavach know about this?"

" _No. He does not and will not. He cannot ever know. Even if he tries, he will always be defeated. It's been foreseen._ "

"All right. I'll respect that. And...anyone can join this?"

" _Yes. Mainly demons, but any race can join. Like I said, no human has ever participated in an event like this. I already know for a fact that Doppelganger, Naght Seiger, and Kiehl have won her First Mate Rights. They will fight off anyone that tries to be with her that is not meant to be with her. They are doing that with Wanderer. Thanatos is destined to win her next Demonic Mating. Kiehl was already a First Mate, since he is her husband, too, so he has instinctive Bragging Rights. I also know that, should you join her Demonic Mating frenzy, you will not win at any of them. They will work together to take you out first. You would need to be incredibly focused to even last the first ten minutes! Even then, your efforts would be wasted._ "

"You don't know that, and neither do I!" Elric growled. "I'll do what I can and ensure that I'm there when it starts! I'll check back with her when she gets close to giving birth."

" _We shall see!_ " Muninn said with a touch of anger. Now Elric realized why Muninn told him all of this. _He wanted me to realize that I had no hope. Muninn was always known to tell the truth. He could see the future, yet things could change easily. I'll train myself again and bring back old skills that lay untouched. No human had ever joined a Demonic Mating frenzy. That was going to change. I'm sure it would take a few frenzies, but I will make sure to gain a ranking in it. I want to be the first human to do so._

"Muninn..." Elric said lightly. "if...just as a possibility, that is...I make a ranking. What would happen with me?"

" _A really big_  IF _, but I understand what you are asking. If you make a ranking, you will be bound by Demonic Rules. If you break them, you will be ignored and slighted by those that are better than you until you prove yourself at her next Demonic Mating. It will be instinctive. You will have to nod to those that ranked higher than you when you see them, and lower ranks would nod to you in respect. You will need to keep up with her Demonic Matings to keep your rank or even rank higher. You can also lose it. It's a risk no matter what. Normally, a female would become impregnated immediately by those in the mating frenzy._

" _With Sarine, it's different. She only becomes pregnant with those she is destined to be with. However, if you make First Mate ranking, she will bear you children. Those that have done it before with her have, but mainly if she hasn't given them children yet. There is also a chance that she may not give you children, if she is destined to be pregnant with another. Father Odin has an instinctive list already preset for most of her pregnancies._

" _To explain this further, Doppelganger made First Mate with her, but she already gave him children. So, her slave, Aliot, gave her children. Naght Seiger made First Mate at her first Demonic Mating, but she was pregnant with Doppelganger's children. Thanatos gave her children to have them born with Doppelganger's. This only happened, because Doppelganger got her pregnant before the Demonic Matings started. In effect, Thanatos was able to impregnate her. He was also in Errende Ebece's body, too. Things happen for a reason with her. She's not a full demoness. Any more than four children in her will harm her too much. One of her husbands must impregnate her first before a Demonic Mating can happen. It's the only way the second set of children will be made._ "

"A lot of information to process, but I have it. I'll do what I can, and I'll leave her in peace. For now, that is."

" _Yes. For now._ "

Elric nodded and time came back. Muninn glared at him, as he walked off with Shadow, and he turned to the others. Sammy moved over to him, and Beelzebub joined him.

"You froze time. I didn't hear anything. Please tell us what you said," Beelzebub said.

" _Only when my sister is tended to. Then I will need all of those destined for her to approach me. Please do this,_ " Muninn said. Sammy nodded with the Demon Lord, and word was spread softly. Only after Sarine was cared for and properly eating did he freeze time and gesture for them to come to him.

"Will Cecil learn my thoughts?" Beelzebub asked.

" _You can block your thoughts from her. It's the same with Fallen Bishop Hibram, and any other blood-bonded monster. You've done it before, so you know how. They will only know what you want them to know. Now, all of you listen closely..._ "

Thanatos, Doppy, and Naght were livid when they heard that Elric was told of the Demonic Matings, but then they got amused when they were told what would happen when one was defeated. Eremes and Ifrit seemed to nod to each other. They would personally ensure that Elric never won. Eremes would tell Ifrit where his old mentor was at all times. It was the same with Kiehl, Howard, and Naght. Errende and Thanatos would further ensure it.

"We won't let anyone that's not destined for her to win!" Doppy hissed.

"He made My Lady sick! I'll make sure he doesn't touch her, too!" Byorgue snarled.

"Speaking of those not destined for her," Sammy said with a thought. "Eremes. When you killed off those three bastards that touched her in her youth, the ones in Geffen tower, you just left them in the inn, right?"

"I did..." Eremes nodded. "Wait...do you think...?"

"Their bodies weren't burned, either!" Howard hissed, and Kiehl snarled out with hatred.

"They're still out there," Beelzebub growled. Just by remembering the dream vision and what they did to her evoked their rage to new heights. It was even more, since she was an Archer and hadn't transcended. Muninn found himself grimacing, and now he scanned the future. Then he paused. A wicked grin spread over his face now.

"What did you see?" Sammy asked.

" _The arena. Tomorrow morning. All of you need to be there. You'll know why,_ " Muninn said with a satisfied look in his eyes. That had all of the males hissing with laughter and thoughts of revenge.

"They'll want to play with us?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

" _Father Odin will ensure it. He wants them brought to justice, too! After that, you will need to go to Alberta,_ " Muninn nodded. The plan was set for tomorrow. All of it was centered around justice for their love. They walked back over to the frozen fire pit, and time resumed.

"What did you learn?" Sarine asked, as Doppy had her settle back into the reclining chair with him. At his wicked grin, she smirked and he kissed her.

"The three bastards that beat you up in your youth still live. They were Resurrected like those Rogues were. We'll be playing with them in the arena tomorrow," Doppy grinned evilly. That made her give such a glowing smile that he kissed her possessively. Kiehl and Howard walked over with chairs to sit by them.

"Naght just told Baphomet, so Seyren is now informed. He's gonna make sure that he's there, too. So is Garrett," Howard nodded. "Those three men are just as badly wanted by the Prontera guards. Those Rogues are the same way. They'll all get what they deserve!"

"My chairs will have a lot of use," Kiehl grinned wickedly. Sammy walked over before she could ask for him, and he sat in a chair to be close to her.

"Dracula is being informed now. Muninn is also showing him the dream vision," Sammy chuckled and looked over, as Dracula made his way to them. Muninn had apparently froze time to ensure he got everything. He stood in front of Sarine and smiled softly at her.

"Please tell me when your next Demonic Mating is," Dracula chuckled.

"Ah..." she blinked, and Doppy glared at him.

"Oh, shove it, Doppelganger! It was inevitable in the end!" Dracula scowled. "I saw her past life when I was with you when we were freed! I was also there for her letter reading, and I helped tear down her old room! I even helped to protect her when she was visiting you in the tower! It's time for me to make myself known to her!"

"Bullshit!" Doppy hissed and now stood up to glare into Dracula's eyes.

"Stop it, Doppy," Sarine sighed and shook her head. He looked at her with dismay, but he moved back to her side when her arms opened for him. Then she looked at Dracula and said, "Come here, please. I want to tell you something."

"Ugh..." Howard and Kiehl winced. Naght was about to hiss, but then he started to think.  _Another one to help fight off others and to prove ones' strength._ That got him intrigued.

"Yes?" Dracula asked, as he knelt by her. She looked at him oddly, and now Sammy realized that his scent wasn't repulsing her. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his mouth. Dracula looked at her in a stunned way, and he blinked.

"Hmm..." she thought.

"Am I...supposed to fit?" Dracula asked. Beelzebub grinned widely and gestured for the new mate to follow him. Doppy muttered thickly, but she chuckled and leaned into him.

"Just think, love," she said with amusement. "He's another one you get to beat the shit out of at my Demonic Matings!"

"I...love you!" he grinned and kissed her hard, as the others laughed. Beelzebub was laughing hysterically at what he heard now, and she giggled.

"It is the only time you would get to really fight each other," Keltin grinned.

"True," Doppy mused. Thanatos walked over and sat down with a sigh.

"Another one?" he asked.

"Yes," Doppy growled.

"At least she's well protected," Loomin mused.

"That's the understatement of the century," Howard chuckled.

"I wonder what those three have become. Or if they even bothered to advance themselves," Sarine thought aloud.

"They're dead...no matter what..." Eremes smirked.

"Very true," Sammy nodded.

"Hey, Doppy," she smiled.

"Hmm?" he looked at her, and she whispered softly. He blinked, gathered her up in his arms, and took her up to the bedroom.

"Blood drop swap?" Loomin asked.

"Yep! Grab Dracula! We'll have to wake up the kids, too," Howard sighed.

"Or we wait until morning," Kiehl said. "After the arena, or when she feeds them."

"That would be better," Keltin said. "I don't want to put the kids back to sleep."

"Especially Doppy's kids!" Ragged Zombie grinned. That had them laughing, as they moved up into the bedroom quickly. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy moved into the bathroom to settle in the tub. Doppy was giving her everything he had from how badly he wanted her from the dream vision.

"You know I'm going to want more kids," he muttered, as he kissed her.

"I know!" she gasped out, as he released with her. "And...I will, too..."

"Will you?" he smiled, as he nuzzled her.

"Yes..." she said with a soft smile.

"Mine!" he growled in her ear and released incredibly hard with her. She was still amazed at how this powerful, blood-thirsty demon was hers. He held her tight, as he panted with her, and she snuggled into him. He purred deeply now, and he whispered softly to her.

"I can do that," she nodded, and he kissed her again before looking up to see Dracula.

"I'll be in the tub," Doppy muttered. She kissed him passionately before he let her go, and he grumbled at the floating monster. She got up to look at Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy, as they relaxed in the tub, and she had an idea. Howard chuckled at her thought.

"Yeah, we need a bigger tub. Definitely. Ooh! That's a good thought!" Howard grinned. She giggled and turned her attention to Dracula.

"What did she think of?" Sammy asked.

"A massage table in the middle of the bath. She can dance on it, too," Kiehl grinned. That had her men grinning in thought, and Storm Caller was being notified by Nigel when Beelzebub told the others.

"At last, eh?" Dracula chuckled, as he pulled her into his arms.

"And how does this work with you?" she asked.

"We'll find out soon enough, won't we?" he grinned his fanged smile and kissed her. His ruffled clothing vanished when he made her his. She cried out with him when he released, and he found himself smiling after it.

"So...you can become solid at times! That's good to know," she blushed.

"Oh, this is for you. My mating gift. Beelzebub gave me the idea," Dracula chuckled and handed her his card. She blinked, and Howard was heard laughing with Kiehl in the tub.

"I need a shower," she frowned. "The night's still young, too."

"That it is!" he nodded. When he turned, he saw Ragged Zombie moving over to them.

"Sarine," the zombie asked. "I want to ask you for a favor."

"What's that?" she frowned, as Dracula set her down. She had Dracula give his card to one of the slaves so it could be taken to Storm Caller to hold onto for her with the others. Then Ragged Zombie moved over to her to whisper in her ear, and she started to sputter with laughter. Howard and Kiehl were dying with laughter now, as they struggled to breathe.

"That...sick bastard...!" Howard gasped.

"I think she's gonna do it!" Kiehl gaped with shock.

"You want me...to do this? Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes. You're gonna shower anyways, right? I just want to see if it works," the zombie grinned. Dracula was a bit confused, but he moved over to Beelzebub. The Demon Lord was laughing with amazement. Sarine now moved to walk around the zombie slowly to figure out how to do this and had him lay back on the ground. She moved over him and gently touched around the gaping hole in his gut. He blinked and found himself instinctively growling in warning at first before stopping himself. Very carefully, she let her fingers start to feel the underside of his ribs, and he sucked in his breath at the sensations that moved through him. When she moved her hand inside his chest cavity now, he started to gasp with disbelief.

"Anything?" she asked.

"Ah...um..." he blinked, as he tried to focus. She reached up even further into his chest and found his sluggishly beating heart. When she held it in her hand, he gave a cry for control and started to shove his pants off.

"I have your heart in my hand, you know," she chuckled, and he found himself whimpering with disbelief. His entire body was shaking from how badly he was aroused.

"Don't...let it go..." he whispered. "Please..."

"On one condition," she smiled, as she lightly squeezed it.

"Anything!" he gasped and panted.

"Don't tease How-How anymore. Or any of the others that belong to me. Okay?" she smiled. He could only nod frantically at this. Now she moved her other arm up into him to cup his heart in both of her hands. He pulled her onto him to shove inside her, and he roared out his release. As she still cupped his heart, he pulled her down to him to hug, and he shivered with another violent release. She whispered softly to him, and he nodded. She carefully let go of his heart and pulled her arms free. He was still gasping and shaking even when she moved from him to run the shower. He had his eyes closed, as he forced himself to calm down. Howard got up out of the tub to move over and crouch by the recovering zombie. Kiehl and Sammy made their way towards them now to stay in Sarine's line of sight.

"Wow. I thought that grabbing one by the balls was harsh! Geez, man!" Howard grimaced. "I can't believe she did it!"

"I don't think I want her to do it to me, though," Kiehl thought. "Too much blood."

"Never got...that turned on...since I saw her...with that damned cookie!" Ragged Zombie gasped out, and now they were all laughing.

"She got all of us with that cookie!" Sammy chortled, as he came over to stand with Kiehl. Beelzebub was growling with the memory now.

"Did what with a cookie?" Dracula frowned.

"Oh, shit! You weren't there!" Howard hissed.

"Ah...crap..." Kiehl winced. "She's gonna kill us!"

"Oh, yes," she grinned. "And this time, I'm doing it naked!"

"What the...?" the zombie blinked with disbelief, as she smirked at them all.

"Looks like our night is planned," Doppy hissed with renewed lust.

"I'll get the others," Beelzebub chuckled. She had her men wait in the bedroom so she could finish her shower. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy had to stay with her when she needed them, though. When she was done showering, she had them move back out to the bedroom.

"What's she going to do?" Byorgue asked.

"You'll see," Kiehl muttered.

"I'm curious," Nigel grinned.

"You and me both!" Maya Purple said, as he separated from his bug body.

"I gotta wonder," Injustice said.

"My Lady has me on edge," Drago grinned.

"She's got us all on edge!" Aliot chuckled.

"Is she coming out?" Observation frowned.

"She'll be out soon," Howard nodded. "She's drying off."

"I should help her," Errende frowned.

"No. She's almost done," Kiehl said.

"Just wait, Errende," Thanatos said. "If I can't see her, neither can you!"

Naght and Ifrit settled in with the other mates now. When the bathroom door opened, all eyes were locked on Sarine in a damp towel. It was clinging to her skin like a lover, and her hair was still dripping wet. Howard and Kiehl were gaping. She was sending them false thoughts the whole time to surprise them.

"Hmm..." she frowned. "We'll need a fireplace in here. For...private occasions. Don't we? I'm sure Storm Caller and Tao Gunka could help us later on. Maybe tomorrow?"

"We'll talk to them..." Doppy growled out. Loomin was staring at her with solid want. Keltin and Eremes were clearly no better than he was.

"Of course, not now. But...oh, my. I'm hungry. I think...I need a cookie..." she grinned wickedly. Errende swallowed and handed her one. Purring her thanks, she slowly started to nibble it. Giving out a groan, as she worked it with her tongue to crumble it into little pieces, she let the damp towel slowly start to slide off her skin, inch by inch. One hand held the cookie, and the other slowly rubbed over damp skin, as though to wipe off the water. She could hear the gasping pants of her men, and she let her hand run over her form now. She let her hand touch and travel all over her skin, as she gave out a heightened breath of desire.

"She's...so...evil..." Howard whimpered.

"Shut up...Howard..." Kiehl snarled, as his First Mate Bragging Rights flared out.

"Kiehl," she grinned after she nibbled her finger clean. "Help clean me up?"

He roared out his lust and grabbed her to slam the bathroom door shut. After ten minutes, he came back out panting. Her sexual peak was high now.

"Dracula! Get...in there...!" he hissed out his breath. "Swap...a drop of...your blood with her...so we can do this..."

"Good!" Dracula growled and rushed in now to claim her. After he sated himself of her, and the blood was exchanged, Kiehl took her again. She was craving all of her men in full now, and she showed it with a passionate glee. Howard and Sammy had to go in next to keep her craving on seeing them down. After that, each husband, mate, and slave was able to sate her and get a drop of blood from her. Doppy forced himself to go last, because he was going to have her sleep in his lap. It was something she said she would do when she was reclining with him in the bathroom. He carried her out to the bedroom and set her down to let her get dressed. Then he pulled her to him to get comfortable with her.

"I'm gonna cringe every time you eat a cookie!" Ragged Zombie muttered, and they all laughed weakly. Sarine just blushed, as Doppy nuzzled her, and he cradled her in his chair by the door. They had all dressed, but Sarine was in a nightgown. Doppy left his chest armor off to keep her comfortable. She snuggled into him now, as he purred, and Howard reclined in the bed with exhaustion. There were times he liked being human and times that he hated it. Sleep was one of the things he didn't like to do anymore. He got a lot more done on the nights that he didn't need sleep as a monster. Unless he was snuggling Sarine. Then he liked to sleep.

"So, the arena in the morning?" she asked with a yawn.

"Yes," Sammy nodded, as he settled on a floor cushion. Kiehl moved to get a kiss from her before settling at his drawing table. Doppy whispered softly to her, and she giggled when she whispered back. He pulled her closer to his chest, as she rested against him. A few minutes later, she was sleeping with those that needed to sleep, and he was meditating.


	110. Chapter 110

Four hours went by, and Loomin jolted awake in a cold sweat. He knew a nightmare was going to happen with that room from Sarine's past, and he gasped to calm his racing heart down.

"Sarine?!" he hissed out with a whimper, as he shivered. Doppy snapped out of his meditation and looked up from where he was with Sarine. Sensing something wrong, he quickly brought her to him.

"Huh? What?!" she blinked. She yawned herself awake to find herself in Loomin's arms. At his trembling and shaking, she gasped and whispered, "Oh, dear! Nightmare?"

"Yes..." Loomin nodded and shivered. She pressed herself against him to hug him tight, and he couldn't stop the tears from falling. Kiehl looked over from where he was and walked over as quietly as he could. Sammy was glancing up now and frowned.

"It's okay," she whispered and kissed his forehead. She cradled him and whispered softly to him. Aliot looked over with a heavy frown now, and Drago did, too. Maya Purple was awake from the vibrations he felt from them moving around. Kiehl sighed and looked over at Howard, as he woke up.

"Ugh!" Howard grimaced, as he sat up out of the bed. "Who has problems, Kiehl?"

"Quiet!" Doppy growled. "Loomin had a nightmare. A bad one!"

"A...oh...shit..." Howard sighed and walked over. He was just in his pants, and he sat on the edge of the main bed. Loomin was sitting up and hugging Sarine to him with relief.

"What did you see in your dream?" Sammy asked. "Tell us. It'll help."

"Okay," Loomin nodded. Eremes had blinked awake with a frown at the commotion, and Doppy whispered to him what happened. Now the Assassin Cross moved to Keltin and nudged him awake. He wanted to have all of her husbands awake to help Loomin. They needed to help each other in times like this. At the mention of a nightmare, Keltin needed no further explaining on why he needed to be awake.

"I'm up!" Keltin stretched and swung his legs over the bed to sit next to Howard now. "I'm listening! Start it!"

"Fine," Loomin said, as he hugged Sarine. "I was standing in the hallway of the palace in Amatsu, and I saw the room. I couldn't...figure out why it was there. I knew it was torn down. But, it was there. Next thing I know, I was standing inside it...and...all of the visions that Muninn showed me on what happened in there started to take place..."

"Stop!" Sarine whimpered and hugged him. "It was a dream! It was a dream..."

"That's harsh!" Keltin hissed. "And I know how harsh dreams can get!"

"I just...I couldn't stop...seeing it..." Loomin cringed, as she rocked him.

"I'm sorry, Doppy," she sighed.

"It's fine. Stay with him. He needs it," Doppy nodded.

"I...didn't mean for this to..." Loomin sighed.

"I said don't worry about it," Doppy smirked. "I'll have other nights to be with her. You need her right now. Get back to sleep."

"Thanks," he winced, and the others nodded. Errende gasped awake next, and she hissed her disbelief. Thanatos charged in to find her comforting Loomin, and he muttered.

"Bring him over to me," she sighed. Errende was guided over to her, and she comforted him now. She kissed him softly and hugged him.

"My Lady?" Errende sighed and hugged her tight.

"Loomin had a nightmare, too," she said softly. "This bed is large enough for the three of us. Move over, Loomin."

"Really now?" Loomin managed to chuckle, as the others did, too.

"No. You guys take the big bed. Keltin and I will work with the smaller ones tonight. Right, Keltin?" Howard asked. Keltin nodded, and the bed exchanges were done.

"Are you both okay?" she frowned.

"I will be," Loomin sighed.

"I'm sorry, My Lady," Errende shivered.

"Don't be sorry. We knew it may happen. So...damn it!" she hissed, as a familiar tingling happened in her chest and damp spots appeared on her nightgown.

"What?" Loomin blinked.

"Lactating, My Lady?" Errende chuckled.

"If neither of you do something, I'm gonna!" Doppy grinned.

"What does he mean by...oh..." Loomin blinked, as she took off the soiled nightgown and sighed. She gasped, as Errende tackled her now to drink the overflow.

"You'd better do it, too," Keltin chuckled.

"Are you serious?!" Loomin gaped.

"Trust us," Eremes nodded, as he leaned against the wall. Loomin cleared his throat and leaned over to lick up a white droplet. Then he blinked at the taste and found himself draining her other breast. She groaned, as he claimed her shortly after, and Errende took over after Loomin was done. She lay there gasping with exhaustion now, and a fresh nightgown was brought over by Aliot. Errende helped dress her and lay back down with her. Just as she was drifting off to sleep between them, she bolted upright and moaned out her irritation.

"My Lady?" Errende asked with concern.

"She's hungry," Kiehl chuckled.

"Am I never going to get back to sleep?!" she pouted. Loomin pulled her close to hug her, and she sighed helplessly. Cookies, sushi, and tea were brought over for her now. After she ate and drank, Eremes gave over a chocolate bar for her. The moment it was eaten, she lay back in the bed and yawned. Loomin settled back with her and Errende. Once again, she was drifting off to sleep when a cry from the nursery jolted her awake. She cringed with dismay, and Thanatos left quickly. He brought in Angela, and the little girl snuggled into her mother.

"I fell down, Mama!" the girl whimpered, and Sarine hugged her daughter.

"She dreamt that she fell down again," Thanatos sighed. Errende let his daughter move to settle between them now.

"What is it with all of these nightmares?!" Sarine asked with concern.

"It's not  _him_  doing it. I think it's just coincidence at this point," Loomin smiled softly.

"Wow," Howard sighed and shook his head. He watched Sarine try and settle down for sleep again. This time, she was able to do so with Loomin, her daughter, and Errende.

"You have plenty of paper?" Thanatos asked Kiehl.

"Tons. I'm good," Kiehl nodded. The room got quiet, as sleep and meditation claimed the occupants. Drago was keeping a persistent watch from the balcony in small shifts with Observation. Aliot and Injustice were prepping food in the kitchen below, since they didn't need to sleep. Maya Purple was lightly sleeping, as he instinctively monitored for unusual vibrations. He blinked his eyes awake at something that didn't feel right.

"Nigel! Wake up! Get Byorgue! Go downstairs!" Maya Purple hissed, as he nudged the brute monster awake with a long bug leg. Nigel blinked the sleep out of his eyes and uncurled his Nine Tail form to stretch, but he shifted into his human form to get up and rouse Byorgue. The two slaves nodded to each other and quickly moved down the stairs. Doppy blinked out of his meditation now and snarled, as he got up to follow. Kiehl looked over, but didn't move. He had to stay for Sarine. Observation moved quickly to inform Naght, Thanatos, Ifrit, and Wanderer of the issue. Wanderer hissed and braced himself to guard the nursery with Alexander, Bacsojin, and Doll. Thanatos ran down the stairs, and he saw that Hibram was already there with Ragged Zombie and Beelzebub. Ifrit flared out his heat to shed a lot more light over what they found.

"Who the hell are you?!" the zombie asked the Thief, as he glared at him. He was using his Hide skill, and now hesitated that he was actually seen and found out.

"Um..." the Thief panicked.

"Breaking and entering are we?" Thanatos growled.

"Who is he?" Doppy asked with deadly glare with unblinking red pupils.

"A Thief who thought he could get lucky," Beelzebub grinned. "He's a cub, though. Most cubs can be retrained. Such as how to be housebroken. Or just broken..."

Ifrit thought and carefully woke up Eremes. The Assassin Cross was down the stairs swiftly to encounter the Thief, and the boy looked at him in awe. He hadn't seen an Assassin Cross this close before, but he knew that this one was very pissed off and demanded respect. Ifrit also woke Eremes because he knew, from what Eremes's memories showed him of his past, that he was used to handling new Thieves when they tried to get into the Assassin guild. _He knew how to act around them._

"Name?" Eremes asked lightly.

"Dodger!" the Thief gasped out.

"Reason you're here?" he asked lightly again.

"It was supposed to be...um...a trial of courage! By my peers!" Dodger said.

"Peers? Who? Tell me," Eremes glowered. He sensed a lie now.

"I can't! If they find out I'm caught...!" Dodger whimpered.

"What were you trying to steal?" Thanatos asked.

"A pair of panties, or a dish, or...or...anything just to show that I could!"

"We should lock him up," Storm Caller said, as he came over. The Thief gaped now and trembled. The Strouf looked at him and said, "It seems that this one has caused a few problems."

"Really?" Hibram asked.

"He's right," Beelzebub said. "I heard him muttering and mumbling that he needed to do something, or he was going to starve. He's a good little liar. But, there are no peers or tests of courage. He's just a Thief. We can kill him."

"NO! Please!" Dodger begged.

"Not so loud!" Doppy hissed. "We have sleeping kids here!"

"I'll scream!" Dodger said now. He would do anything for a chance to slip away to safety. Then he blinked, as Sarine came down the stairs with a look of complete annoyance. Howard, Sammy, and Kiehl were with her. Errende and Loomin were still sleeping with her daughter. Keltin was also in a deep sleep. She was simply pissed off now.

"How many times is it going to take for me to get any sleep around here?!" she hissed out. "First it was nightmares! Then it was hunger! Next was my daughter! Now it's a Thief?! What's going on? Tell me so I can make sense of things!"

Dodger was staring at her beauty in a sheer nightgown, as she was being held by Howard and Kiehl. Sammy let his Samurai ghost out, and it made the Thief panic even more.

"He's threatening to wake the kids up," Doppy growled.

"Let him! I'll have him put Gunther and Bianca back to sleep! I hope he likes biting Demonic kids!" Sarine muttered, and Beelzebub started to giggle. "Or maybe he'd like to get kicked by Edward? He is your son, Thanatos. And we can't forget how Serenity acts when she gets mad! If she finds out that I'm upset..."

"We get it," Howard grinned wickedly.

"If you want to put ten kids to sleep, be my guest," Kiehl grinned.

"Um..." Dodger frowned, as his plan was quickly backfiring. Naght snarled out with hatred now and readied his swords.

"My loves, please. I'm tired. I'm exhausted. I have a big day in the morning. I really need to get some rest. Just...lock him up, and we'll see what we need to do tomorrow," she sighed. Naght nodded to her, and Ragged Zombie mused.

"I'd say we lock him up with one of the three perverts, but then we'll give them something to do. Literally," the zombie said. That made Sarine start laughing with disgust, and the others were gaping at him with shock.

"You're gross!" Howard grimaced.

"But, I'm right!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Behave or I won't hold your heart anymore," Sarine warned. That made him go quiet and quiver with lust. Kiehl whistled softly at the threat. Then she moved up to Ragged Zombie and whispered softly in his ear. The more she whispered, the more intense his glare at the floor got. Beelzebub started to snicker, as Naght chuckled, and Howard and Kiehl were grinning.

"I understand," the zombie whispered.

"Do you really?" she asked, as she tilted her face to his to nibble his lower lip. "How well do you understand?"

"Everything," he muttered. Then they realized why she was doing this, as Dodger was staring with complete shock.

"You're a whore for monsters?!" the Thief hissed. Naght bellowed out flames, as Ifrit flared out his heat with anger.

"Now you all can do what you want with him," Sarine grinned wickedly. Doppy started to laugh at what she did, and she nodded to the zombie to have fun. "You three need to come back to bed with me."

"Yes, dear," Kiehl chuckled, as his ghost came out to show who he was. Sammy reverted to his kid form for a moment to let it sink in as to who he was before becoming adult again. Howard was still human, so he couldn't do anything, but he did flash his Vecer Axe. That was his main proof as to who he was, since his darker form was famous for holding it now.

"Strong...monsters..." Dodger whimpered, as Naght Seiger hissed, and Ifrit flared out his heat a bit more intensely than before. Eremes used his monster skill of Berserk, since he could, and the Thief paled even more. Hibram let his ghost come out with a savage grin, and Beelzebub called his Hell Flies out.

"Very strong monsters!" Doppy grinned. "And I'm Doppelganger. Just a bit more enhanced by Valhalla, itself. Welcome to Hell!"

Thanatos laughed, as he moved forward now to help grab the Thief and haul him to a dungeon cell. Eremes watched everything with amusement, as the last of his red sparks died out, and he settled back in the bedroom after Dodger was quarantined. Sarine was sleeping deeply on the bed again, and Howard was sleeping in a smaller bed.

"That was fun!" Doppy snickered, as he settled back in his chair.

"He's young..." Eremes sighed. "Hopefully...we scared him straight..."

"I hope not! I want to kill him!" the demon growled.

"We'll talk about it later," Sammy mused. They all nodded and eyes were closed to carry the rest of the night out.


	111. Chapter 111

When they were alert again, it was already early morning. Everyone was slowly starting to wake up from both sleep and meditation. Many monsters didn't even bother trying to rest. They all knew what the day was going to bring.

"Hey. Feel better?" Sarine asked Loomin, as he blinked awake.

"Much. I love you," he whispered, and she kissed him softly.

"I love you, too," she smiled. Then she turned to see Angela sitting up and yawning.

"Mama?" Angela blinked and snuggled into her.

"That's my little girl," Sarine cooed and cuddled her. "You have another daddy."

"Huh?" she blinked, and Aliot moved off to bring in Dracula. When he came in, Angela looked at him in such a cute way that he chuckled.

"She needs a drop of your blood," Errende said.

"Oh! Surely!" Dracula nodded. Eremes pricked his finger with a katar, and Angela took the small drop. Then she reached for him after he got Healed by Doppy, and she got gathered up into his arms. She snuggled into him with a sigh of contentment now.

"You'll need to give blood to the others," Kiehl said. "Serenity usually bites for her blood, so be aware of that."

Dracula nodded with a chuckle to do that now and to take Angela back to the nursery.

"Let me get dressed so I can nurse them," she sighed. "Should we go to Prontera today after Alberta? Or Louyang? I can get into another kimono."

"We can possibly do both, if we're fast enough. Or, save Prontera for tomorrow," Sammy said, as he stood up. Sarine got up now to move into the bathroom to use it and dress in her Sniper gears. Her pregnancy wasn't fully showing yet, but that could change. She started singing lightly to herself, as she moved about the room, and Howard found himself smiling at her. Eremes whispered to Keltin of what else happened in the night, and he muttered.

"We'll wake you up from now on," Kiehl said.

"I missed it, too?!" Loomin scowled.

"You needed to sleep!" Howard said.

"No, I don't. Not if she's in trouble!" he said. "You wake me up, too!"

"Loomin," she smiled and moved to run her hand over his chest. He looked like a pale, beautiful version of Doppy with long, silver hair. It came down to the middle of his back now, and it finally looked like it stopped growing. His face was framed rather neatly by it, as various locks fell over his eyes and down his neck. His face was far more slender than Doppy's was to give him a rather Angelic appearance.

"Hmm?" he asked, as he kissed her forehead.

"I was perfectly safe last night, but I understand what you mean. Oh, join my Guild before I forget," she chuckled. He blinked and smiled, as he found himself in it now.

"Oh, that's right!" Howard blinked. "We're gonna have to go after some Guild castles soon, eh? But, it's cheating with what help we have."

"Maybe Muninn can fix something for us?" she asked.

"We can only ask," Sammy nodded. "We may be able to do something."

"Sounds like a plan. Likely after all the stronger monsters are collected. That would be the time to do it," she smiled and took a deep breath. Doppy moved to her side to whisper a song in her ears, and she smiled at him.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. Errende and Kiehl were already setting up a small table for her. Her craving foods were set in small platters before her, and she sat down to eat gratefully.

"Mama!" Serenity laughed and ran into the room to hug her.

"Oh! I was going to see you after I finished eating," Sarine chuckled, and Howard picked up his daughter. She looked over, as Edward, Siegfried, Gunther, and Bianca moved in to clamor for her. Angela tottered in soon after with the softest of smiles on her face. Sarine laughed softly and gave them all hugs and kisses.

"Dracula's a Dad!" Siegfried grinned.

"I know!" Sarine smiled.

"I like him!" Gunther said with a nod.

"That's good," Sarine said, as she sipped her tea.

"We go places today?" Serenity asked.

"I don't know. Today is sort of touch and go. We may go somewhere, but it will be for business. Not exploring. You may have to stay home and play here," Sammy said.

"Aww!" Siegfried pouted.

"I know," Sarine sighed. "But, there's only so much that you all can do right now."

"We can protect you!" Edward said. "I'll kick whatever hurts you!"

"That you can," Thanatos grinned, as he picked up his son.

"Did you all eat yet?" Errende asked.

"Not yet, Dad," Angela said. A small table was set up for the kids now and food was set down. Loomin chuckled and sat down to eat breakfast. The others started to do the same.

"I'd say we should eat in the nursery, but then the other four would need you," Howard smiled, as he sat down with Serenity.

"I know. I need to eat first," Sarine nodded.

"Babies move?" Serenity asked.

"Not yet, dear," she smiled.

"I wanna feel Keel's babies move!" she pouted and looked at Sarine's belly. "Grow now! I wanna know you're there!"

"Honey, it doesn't work that way," Sarine said. "If they grow too fast, mommy will get hurt. I'm sure they'll move soon."

"Okay," Serenity sighed. Sarine chuckled and sipped some tea. Then she gave a retching cough, and Doppy ran over swiftly to pick her up and take her to the bathroom. He roared in pain with her when the growth happened. Serenity whimpered, and Howard hugged her to comfort her. Sammy went in to check on her before coming back out.

"They all grew. Twenty percent. Serenity, don't tell your brothers and sisters to grow anymore," Sammy sighed. Then he paused at Doppy's shocked look and asked, "Oh? Doppy? What is it?"

"We have movement!" Doppy roared out. Serenity gasped with delight, and Howard got up quickly with Kiehl to confirm it.

"She's showing now," Thanatos said, as he felt the children kick at him. Loomin looked over and gave a fatherly smile at the developing bump on her belly. Sammy ran his hand over her belly with Kiehl, and she gave a soft smile. The kids all moved to her in a small swarm to feel their growing brothers and sisters. Sarine finally got on her knees to hug her kids to her. Serenity started to dance with joy and the others followed suit.

"Names?! You have names yet?!" Serenity asked.

"Not yet," Kiehl laughed. "We're waiting for them to be born. Then we'll name them."

"You should name one Joyce!" Serenity giggled.

"Joyce? Hmm. It's not bad, but I think we can come up with a better name," Howard grinned. As Serenity started to spout out different names, Sarine managed to get up and finish eating. Ragged Zombie was waiting in the nursery with Alexis and Albert to give to her the moment she got into the rocking chair.

"Dad! Babies move!" Serenity said with excitement.

"Really?" Ragged Zombie grinned and moved to feel them. He got a sharp kick at his palm and he laughed out, "Wow! They almost bent back my finger!"

"As long as it isn't the middle one," Doppy grinned. Ragged Zombie smirked and saw Beelzebub moving over to Sarine's side to feel the children himself. They didn't kick him, but they moved for him. He chuckled softly and let Naght do the same. He rumbled a purr to Sarine and caressed her cheek.

"When do we tell the others about this?" Keltin asked.

"Wait until she's done nursing," Howard said. "Then we'll tell them."

"It would be best," Sarine said, as she rocked the nursing twins.

"Lexis! Babies in Mama move!" Serenity said. The white haired girl seemed to giggle now and went back to nursing. Albert gave out a faint little purr. Sarine smiled at this, and Aliot chuckled. Edward started to jump-stomp about the room in play, and Thanatos caught him up again to swing him onto his shoulders. He moved to grab his father's hair to steady himself.

"Don't pull my hair, or I'll pull yours," Thanatos warned. Edward nodded and looked up from his high viewpoint. Then Maya Purple skittered in, turned, and shook his bug body with a purpose. Then he skittered out with a grin.

"RIDE!" Serenity screamed with joy. Naght laughed, and Thanatos helped him lead the kids out safely. Loomin found himself laughing at the whole thing.

"That girl's got a set of lungs on her!" Ragged Zombie winced, as he shook his head. Byorgue took Alexis, and Injustice took Albert, as Trina and Bernard were brought to her.

"We should make a school for them," Bacsojin sighed.

"We could do that," Sammy mused. "It would give them something to do during the day. I'm sure Markus could send over a couple good teachers."

"And the monsters here could teach them, too," Sarine smiled. "It...would have been nice for me, too. You know?"

"Ah..." Howard sighed. "You did have teachers. You had me and the others."

"I know. And for that, I'm grateful," she nodded.

"I could teach you things," Kiehl chuckled.

"I don't think I'd have time to learn now," she admitted.

"We can make time, if you really want to," he said.

"I think I do," she said. "I crave reading books, anyways, thanks to you."

"I'll see what books I have later on. I can quiz you on them later, after you read them," he thought. "I have quite a few good ones on physics and such."

"Okay," she nodded. "Oh...!"

"Kiehl," Howard grinned. Kiehl moved over quickly to feel her belly and a sharp kick greeted him. His twins were responding to him.  _They knew me._  Fatherly shock set in now, and Howard started laughing, since he was the same way when she was having his twins.

"Twins..." Kiehl muttered, and it set Howard off laughing again. Loomin and Keltin started grinning. Eremes and Doppy snickered softly. Sarine gave a blushing smile, and Kiehl kissed her passionately. Then he let Sammy move to feel her belly, and his twins greeted him.

"They know who we are," he mused. "We are going to have some fairly intelligent kids. That's a definite!"

"All of my kids are smart," Sarine said. "Too smart for their own good, at times."

"You're telling me," Doppy grinned. Trina started to get fussy, and Errende took her to cradle and calm down. Then Nigel took her to burp. Bernard was taken by Keltin, and she was able to fix up her top. Sighing, Kiehl kept a hand on her belly. He was finally feeling everything that Howard was when fatherhood set in for him.

"Seyren is getting here!" Byorgue said.

"It's safe now," Sammy nodded.

"I hear there's movement," Seyren grinned, as he walked over.

"There is!" Howard grinned. "And Kiehl has finally gone stupid over it."

"Shut up!" Kiehl muttered. Howard laughed, and Seyren grinned.

"How-How!" Sarine frowned. "I can make you go the same way, you know."

"Oh?" he grinned. Then his grin faded at the little images she sent him. Then she smirked at his response, as he muttered, "Point taken."

"Good," she smiled sweetly.

"I'm still curious about this bit with the cookie," Seyren grinned.

"Shut up! Get out!" Doppy hissed.

"What?!" Seyren asked.

"You don't want to know," Ragged Zombie said. "What I said should have been enough! Geez! What is it with Lord Knights and thinking with that other brain of theirs? Is their real one not enough? Now I have to wonder..."

"No, you don't!" Seyren growled.

"Do you still need the pacifier?" Eremes chuckled. Now the zombie looked at him with a savage grin, and Eremes started grinning back.

"Don't give him any ideas!" Seyren spat.

"Too late!" the zombie grinned at him now. "So...tell me..."

"No! I'm out of here!" the Lord Knight said quickly and stormed out.

"Tell me everything!" the zombie smirked, and Howard started to laugh hard with Kiehl.

"We only tease him when Sarine needs to be cheered up most of the time. He doesn't mind it. That should be the only time to do it, though," Keltin chuckled.

"Try me," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Howard and I put soggy pies under his butt before he sat down in a chair with time frozen. We still tease him to make sure he got all the pie bits out," Keltin grinned back.

"Really?!" the zombie laughed.

"I always threaten...to get him baby stuff...nursing bottles...large panties...pacifiers..." Eremes mused. "The others tease him, too..."

"You're giving me a lot to think about," the zombie mused.

"I think it's time for the arena," Sarine chuckled, as Maya Purple came back in with the kids. He let them get down from his back, and the Poring-type monsters filtered in to get chased around the room. Pori-Pori chittered and jumped into Sarine's arms. She whispered to him, and he pressed down on her belly to feel the kids.

"More playmates!" Pori-Pori grinned. "I can't wait to meet them!"

"You can talk?!" Serenity gaped.

"He never talked before!" Siegfried said.

"He only talks to me. He made a promise to me," Sarine smiled.

"Aww!" Serenity frowned. "He can talk to me, too! I won't tell anyone that he can talk. It can be our little secret!"

Pori-Pori thought about it and looked at her.

"Okay. Our secret!" Pori-Pori giggled. The kids clamored to pet him and hug him now, and the men were in shock.

"Thank you, Pori-Pori," Sarine smiled.

"They are a part of you, Vessel of Odin. So, I'll still be talking to you, too, in a way!" Pori-Pori nodded. "And I want to help train them when they are ready. So, I will need to talk to them. I will protect them, as I protect you!"

"I'm going to the arena now," she said.

"I'm going, too," Pori-Pori said. "I'll sit in your lap again. If anyone picks on you, I'll pick on them, too!"

"Nice!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"He did it before. People would point at her, and Pori-Pori would kick their butts," Howard grinned. "They would think that they pointed at him."

"Remember, Vessel of Odin? My favorite thing is beating up humans!" Pori-Pori beamed and jumped up to bounce on her head. She gave kisses to her kids before heading out of the nursery and down the stairs. She got to the main room, and word had spread about her pregnancy growth. She smiled at her friends and said she was going to the arena.

"Oh, that's right! We're expecting...visitors," Seyren smirked.

"Ah, yes," Ragged Zombie nodded. "Okay. I won't pick on you, yet."

"I feel lucky?" Seyren muttered, and everyone laughed. She looped her arms around Howard and Kiehl, as they led her from the house. Sammy walked behind her, and Doppy moved in front of her. Loomin walked next to Sammy, and Keltin was walking calmly with Eremes. The others followed behind her like a small parade. When they got up to the balcony, Sarine was seated on the couch between Kiehl and Howard. Pori-Pori moved to settle in her lap. Sammy sat off to the side in an elegant throne. Doppy, Eremes, and Keltin did the same. Loomin paused, as a throne was set up for him now, and he sat in it rather regally from his beautiful features. Her slaves stationed themselves around her, and her mates did the same. Dracula was in the judge's chair, and he moved off of it to approach her. Then he leaned down to kiss her and whisper to her softly. He had an idea and wanted her to know of it.

"We should recruit Drake. I think he should be the next judge," Dracula chuckled.

"Oh! We do need him, anyways. Maybe we can get him," she smiled.

"We'll have to," Sammy nodded. Dracula nodded and moved back to the judge's chair. The chair was upgraded even further to look like a lesser throne to show off the important status of it and was just as plush. Ragged Zombie looked over the challengers from where he was on the balcony, and he started to flip them off to get them pissed and riled up.

"Wow," Doppy grinned. Howard and Kiehl were snickering.

"Hey, asshole! Guess what I did to your mom last night?!" the zombie grinned. More laughter and snickers were heard all over the balcony. Then he started to make a grinding air movement with an air spanking, and got them laughing even harder when the challengers shouted in outrage. Pori-Pori chittered and jumped off her lap, as she gestured for him to move.

"Ragged Zombie," Sarine smiled and stood up. He turned to look at her and found her pressing against him. She hissed out a song to him, and he blinked. Then she lightly touched along his exposed ribcage, and he shivered. When he moved to grab her, she twirled away from him and kept singing while she wriggled her hips to her singing beat. She rose up her arms in the air, as she sang, and then she turned to dodge Doppy when he stood up to grab her. She continued to sing and dance in her way of taunting her own men with lust and desire. She looked over and grinned, as Succubus and Zealotus made their way up to dance with her.

"Aw, hell!" Doppy scowled.

"Wow..." Loomin chuckled. Then he blinked, as Isis slithered up to dance. Medusa was up soon after, and now the challengers were gaping.

"Almost missed it!" Donnie growled, as he ran over to start a tune. Coraline ran over with him to dance with her happily. Violy came over to add her violin. Thomas trotted over to start up a beat, and Incubus walked up to add a bit of vocals. Howard started laughing, as he hadn't seen this in a while. Kiehl was amazed, and so were the others that had never seen it.

Sarine danced with each of her husbands, and Kiehl had to stifle a growl when she rolled her hips to grind against his. She put a finger in his leash loop and pulled him close to kiss hungrily before dancing away from him. She pulled Loomin up from his chair, and she let his hands move over her body, as she guided him on how to dance with her. Doppy moved over to grab her hand, and he twirled her into his embrace to kiss passionately and effectively. That ended the song and dance rather nicely.

The crowd cheered, the challenging men were clearly jealous of her husbands, and Sarine was happy to be able to dance like that again.

"That wasss fun!" Isis giggled.

"Isis, we plan to go to see Osiris soon," Keltin said. "Probably in the next couple days."

"Really? I'll go with you! Tell me when you plan to go!" she said. Keltin nodded. She looked over at Sarine, as her bare chest heaved with excitement, and Sarine laughed when she started up another song. Maya Purple thought and reached under his hat.

"Isis! Catch!" he said, and Isis reached out to catch a small crown. She blinked and gasped, as it was a special crown that she could wear. Putting it on, she laughed happily.

"I'd kissss you, but you belong to the Vessssel of Odin!" she giggled.

"That I do," he nodded.

"I'll kiss him for you!" Sarine grinned and pulled Maya Purple down from his bug body to kiss deeply. Then she drew him into a dance, as she started to sing. She used him like a pole and had the others slaves cringing with mild jealousy. When she finished the song, he was hugging her tight, and the crowd was roaring again. Zealotus gestured to her and whispered. She blinked and found herself snickering wickedly. They started a rather intricate dance now that signaled what women could do to their men in violent ways. Her men colored up with a form of lust and want, as they stared at them. When it was done, she was laughing at everything with Zealotus, and Succubus was smirking with them. As they settled down, Nigel noticed that Munak wasn't with Incubus.

"Incubus, where's Munak?" Nigel asked.

"Oh. We broke up," Incubus shrugged.

"Why? You looked happy together," Sarine frowned, as she sat down.

"I wanted more. She didn't," Incubus sighed. "She called it off."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she sighed.

"I'm not," he said and moved over quickly to plant a kiss on her mouth. She gasped and put her hand over mouth in shock.

"The hell?!" Doppy snarled.

"Huh. I fit. I'll see you later," Incubus winked and walked away whistling with his wings twitching slightly. Succubus was gaping at him and ran after him to find out why he did such a thing. Isis blinked at what he did and scowled to follow him. Medusa and Violy looked at each other and moved off to help pester him. Zealotus found herself grinning and took out her whip to help coax the information out of him.

"I'll kill him!" Howard hissed, but Kiehl rose up his hand.

"He said he fit. Sarine's thoughts confirmed it. We can't touch him right now, since it will upset Sarine. We'll get even with him when he competes for her," Kiehl said with a low growl. "That will be the only time."

"I won't give him until then to give him the beating he deserves," Beelzebub muttered.

"I second that," Ragged Zombie said. "Now I'm pissed!"

"He's going to need to become a mate, isn't he?" Hibram frowned.

"We'll deal with that later," Sammy said grimly.

"Wonderful," she frowned. Donnie and Thomas looked at each other with frowns.

"Dance with me!" Coraline said.

"I don't feel like it now," Sarine said.

"Please?" she asked. With a small smile, Sarine nodded and got up, as the Clowns started up a tune. It was easy for her to lose herself in the dance. She started to sing again, and her men settled down. Her singing took on a wilder approach, and Doppy found himself drawn into singing with her. They danced and sang together to please the crowd. They ground themselves on each other in the song and started to make the others jealous of it. He brought the song to a close with her when he pulled her up to hold her with one arm. Donnie, Thomas, and Coraline bowed to the arena crowd and headed back to the guest stands.

"Okay. Let's sit back and relax," Sarine smiled.

"We can do that," Doppy nodded and set her down to sit between Howard and Kiehl. He sat back in his throne and watched the challengers. He was scanning them to see if his prey would show up. Sarine hummed a small tune, as Kiehl rubbed a hand over her belly. Feeling the small kicks, he found himself grinning. He pressed his forehead against hers and sighed.

"Love..." Eremes moved to whisper to her.

"Hmm?" she looked at him.

"They're here..." he growled.

"Oh?" she smiled. Kiehl gave a wicked grin, and the news was quickly passed.

"What do we do?" Doppy asked, as he leaned forward.

"We wait. Let them make a challenge. Then we take them out!" Sarine growled. Loomin smirked, and Keltin nodded. Sammy gave a small wave to Dracula and paused, as Beelzebub sent a fly over to him to relay the news.

"That's much easier to do," Sammy chuckled.

"I figured they would be good for something," Beelzebub nodded. "I still think it would be interesting to use them with surveillance cameras. A fly on the wall can be rather legit..."

"We'll work on it," Kiehl said. "It's hard to do right now, since Sarine needs me so close. When we can start trying it out, we will."

"I look forward to it," Beelzebub nodded again. His gaze now locked lightly on the three men that moved forward in the challenger's crowd. They had advanced to become a Blacksmith, a Wizard, and a Knight. They had not bothered to transcend yet, and that had Sarine cluck her tongue. Howard mused at her thoughts, and he pulled her into a kiss while Kiehl kept a hand on her belly. Pori-Pori had moved aside during her dancing and now settled in her lap.

Ragged Zombie jeered at any challenger that stared at him for too long. He was clearly enjoying himself. When the three men reached their turn to challenge, he glared at them.

"Who will you challenge?" the Kafra Agent asked.

"Hmm," the Wizard mused, as he looked over the roster list. "Are any of them on that balcony available? I'd really like to try one of them out."

"They can, but the Princess of Amatsu is not available. She is pregnant," the Kafra Agent said dutifully. "It is also their decision to attack or not, since they protect her."

"I see. I really would like to try her out, though, if she's that special," the Wizard said and pointed at Sarine. Then Pori-Pori chittered in her lap and jumped down.

"Pori-Pori has accepted the challenge!" Dracula grinned wickedly. The crowd cheered at this with excitement and anticipation.

"What?! I didn't challenge it!" the Wizard paled. Pori-Pori looked at him and stuck out a tongue, as he approached the center of the arena.

"We'll all take it on! We can do it!" the Knight grinned.

"I dunno," the Blacksmith frowned.

"Go on and try it! Or are you all scared that he's gonna make you leave crying for mommy?" Ragged Zombie smirked. "What's the most he's gonna do? Smash you into the wall and make you cough up your lungs?"

"What?!" the Wizard hissed.

"Hah! I knew it! You're a bunch of pussies!" the zombie continued. "You guys look like you share a room at the local inn. Touchy feely group, eh?"

"We do not!" the Knight glowered.

"Sure you don't," the zombie said. "Just keep saying it. We know you do! You're probably so lovey with each other that you share the same juice drink, too..."

"That's sick!" the Blacksmith gaped. Pori-Pori chittered again to get their attention.

"Go on! Die already! It's not like anyone's waiting for you all in heaven," Ragged Zombie chuckled. "I think most of your friends are readying themselves for you with hot pokers. And not in the pleasuring way, either."

"We are gonna take care of that thing, and then we'll take care of you!" the Knight said.

"Three's company. Four's a crowd. That's where I draw the line!" the zombie grinned. That had everyone laughing.

"Wait," the Blacksmith said. "Do you recognize any of them?"

"What are you talking about, Burt?" the Knight scowled.

"That Assassin Cross," Burt whispered. "C'mon Kayle! Don't you remember? From a few years back?!"

"He...does look familiar..." the Wizard said.

"He's nothing, Mick! He's just another wannabe badass! Let's just kill that thing and the zombie, and we'll go!" Kayle growled. Then he looked up and saw the cold stare that Eremes gave him. It sent chills down his spine, as though he was staring death in the face. Then he noticed Howard's hair, and that made him pause. There was only one man he knew of that had green hair, and that was the one that swung a red axe at him. He still remembered the odd sound it made, as it was swung in the air.  _That was shown after we beat up on an Archer girl in Geffen._ Now he looked closer at Sarine and recognized her past the stunning beauty. The way she looked at them was with a form of disgust.  _She recognized us..._

"Do you...think they recognized us?!" Mick asked in a harsh whisper. "We haven't really beaten on anyone since then! We've been keeping a low profile!"

"We're withdrawing!" Kayle said quickly.

"Fat chance, asshole!" Ragged Zombie snarled. Naght Seiger howled with rage, and Pori-Pori scooted over to slam into Burt. Sarine watched with cold satisfaction, as her mates and slaves ran down from the balcony to take them out. Doppy roared, as he jumped down with Keltin. Loomin remained where he was to stand behind Sarine, and Sammy stood with him. Eremes was watching from up high, as Ifrit attacked for him. He kept his arms crossed over his chest, and Sarine got up to lean into him. He put his arms around her, as he watched everything with the same cold satisfaction she gave.

"These three have harmed many! Including our princess when she was younger!" Sammy shouted to the crowd. "They are wanted by the Prontera guard!"

"He is correct! I am Captain Garrett Lockheart of the Prontera Royal Guard!" Garrett said, as he stood up. "Your Highness! What is your decision?"

"Lock them up for now. We shall judge their fate soon," she said with an elegant nod. Now the guards from Amatsu stepped forward to show her word would be done. Small bows of respect were given to her, and the guilty ones in the arena were shocked even further. If the Amatsu Captain was there, he would have helped haul them to the dungeons easily.

"She was...royalty?!" Kayle gasped.

"No way!" Burt coughed, as Pori-Pori slammed into him again.

"Is royalty, you dumb shit!" Ragged Zombie scowled and kicked Kayle in the groin.

"They can't kill us!" Mick hissed.

"Watch us," Beelzebub grinned, as he approached him. The Wizard paled when Beelzebub's form grew out into a large, grotesque fly. His robe and crown were still on him, as he revealed a second set of arms. His staff and book were now clutched with a set of insect-like hands. As he moved, a spewing, puss-like substance spilled from the end of his striped abdomen when he attacked. In one move, he crushed the Wizard and slammed him against the ground. Then his fly head focused its multi-faceted eyes on the Blacksmith, and he buzzed out a chilling cry.

"Beelzebub!" Sarine called out, and he glanced back at her. His form changed back into his regal human one, and he turned to calmly walk over to her. He moved up to where she was on the balcony, and she hugged him tight. He folded his robe around her and placed his cheek against her forehead to purr deeply. The crowd was awed at this powerful monster and watched with excitement on the fate of the other two. Lloyd came down to Resurrect the Wizard, and Max came down with Garrett to haul the three to the dungeon. Seyren went to help, and Pori-Pori kept chittering angrily at them the whole time.

"We'll keep closing the doors to your past," Beelzebub whispered to her, as he stroked her back. "We'll crush any barrier that blocks us from doing this. Is there...anything else that we need to know? Anyone else we need to take care of?"

"The guards that touched her are dead...the room proved it..." Eremes muttered softly.

"Actually..." Howard frowned. "Sarine! You didn't tell us?"

"Sorry..." she winced, and Beelzebub continued to comfort her when he looked over at Howard for an explanation.

"Whenever she went through Prontera, on occasion, a man would try to harass her. She hasn't seen him since meeting Karla, though," Kiehl frowned at her thoughts.

"Harass? How?" Eremes asked. Doppy had just got back up to them when he heard this, and now he was livid all over again. Then he remembered, when he was with her at Prontera, that she was constantly looking about herself with concern.

"We need to know," Loomin said. Keltin frowned now, and Sammy was thinking.

"He was a Hunter?" Howard frowned.

"It's nothing, How-How. You don't have to worry about him. I had forgotten all about him until now, anyways," she shrugged. "Keltin, you remember how I dragged you down another street before we met Karla? Why I was a bit pissed?"

"I...yes! I do!" Keltin frowned. "It was because of him?! You should have told me! I would have kicked his ass for you!"

"He was always overly flirtatious. And this was happening...while I was at Lighthalzen?!" Howard growled. "You told him you were taken, and he didn't care?!"

"Who are you all talking about?" Ragged Zombie asked, as he made his way up to them.

"Someone...who was annoying..." Eremes growled. "But...if he's not a threat..."

"No. He isn't. Like I said, I haven't seen him since a few months back. So, I'm fine," she said. "If he makes himself known, then do what you want."

"Blond hair and green eyes? A lot of them are out there with that description," Kiehl frowned at her memory of him. "If he tries anything, we'll stop him."

"Good!" Doppy snorted. She leaned into Beelzebub and softly whispered in his ear. He grinned and kissed her before thinking.

"When did you want to go to Alberta?" he asked.

"When they come back from the dungeon," she nodded. When Garrett, Max, and Seyren reappeared, the message was given, and they started to leave. Loomin took her into his arms and planted a long kiss on her before turning her away from the crowd.

"Hey! Don't go!" a challenger said. "I wanna fight you!"

"Fight who, Ass Hat?!" Ragged Zombie asked, as he leaned over the railing.

"What did you call me?!" the challenger asked.

"Oh, goody! Another idiot!" the zombie grinned. The others started to snicker.

"I wanna fight the tall one! The one with silver hair!" the challenger said.

"No," Loomin said with a shake of his head, and he hugged Sarine to him. He felt her shiver, and he hugged her tighter to him. She didn't want him to fight, and he wasn't going to. "I am not one that fights."

"Why not?!" he pouted.

"Because my wife doesn't want me to, and I respect her wishes!" he growled.

"She'll be fine with it! It's fine!" he argued now. She glared at him and frowned.

"Lemme see," Ragged Zombie mused, as Beelzebub glowered at the man. Then he blinked at what he was wearing. "Are you a Hunter?"

"Yes! I am!" he puffed up.

"Blond hair. Green eyes. Hmm. Why do you want to fight Loomin?" the zombie asked.

"Because! That's my woman he's kissing!" the Hunter growled. Now all of the men around Sarine turned to glare at the man. Recognition set in, and they let out small snarls and growls.  _It looked like they wouldn't have to search after all. He came to them._ The Hunter had heard of a beautiful girl in charge of an arena. He saw past her current beauty and recognized her as the Huntress he saw before. Muninn seemed to smirk. _Odin planned this out for them to get it over and done with._

"Oh, goody! You're the one from Prontera, right?!" Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly.

"Ever since I saw her, I wanted to make her my wife!" the Hunter said.

"Excuse me," Sarine said with amusement. "First of all, I'm a princess. Loomin is a prince, and he's my husband. You are out of your league. Goodbye."

"What?! Then you have to marry me!" the Hunter said. "If you're a princess, then I know I can make you happy!"

"I'm sorry. I think my other five husbands would take offense to that. Not to mention my mates and my slaves," she glowered. "If you know what's good for you, you will leave. Now. Before they tear you apart!"

"Do you even remember my name?" he asked.

"No. I don't. Because..." she turned to Howard and ran a hand up his chest. "this was the man I was telling you about. The one that I loved and was torn from me. He managed to come back to me. Like  _hell_  am I giving him up for you! I don't take flaws."

"Can I kill him?!" Doppy snarled.

"Now, now, darling," Sarine chuckled and ran a hand over his cheek to calm him with a loving smile. "Let the little gnat die off on his own. We have a town to visit."

Beelzebub cackled with glee, as he pressed a kiss to her cheek and helped lead her down the balcony. The Hunter gaped in shock at how she slighted him again. Every day he went to Prontera just to try and find her. The few times she was there, he was out training. From the day he saw her walk into town to browse the shops alone, he vowed that she would be his. Now that she had transcended, he realized exactly how beautiful she was. The fact that she was royalty made her even more desirable to him.  _The men that were with her were powerful. They were transcended. They looked perfect._  He didn't care that many of them were monsters. He wanted her to be with him, and that was the goal in his mind, as he approached her when she walked back to the house. Seyren and her other friends glowered at him with outrage, as he moved past them.

"Ass Hat! Back off!" Ragged Zombie growled, as he blocked the Hunter off.

"My name is Greg, okay?! I just want a chance with her!" he said.

"You're a Hunter. You're not even a Sniper!" Kavach said. "What makes you think that you have a chance with her? Even I don't have a chance with her, at the moment!"

"Never have a chance with her," Errende growled, and they glared at each other.

"Errende, dear, come to me," Sarine said. He muttered, and Sarine kissed him to calm him. She whispered in his ear, and he sighed.

"My Lady..." he sighed, and she kissed him again. She sang softly to him, and he smiled.

"I want to see my kids," Howard said purposely. That made Greg stare at him.

"I want to see mine, too," Doppy grinned.

"Don't you want to see your son and daughter, Errende?" she smiled. He smiled and nodded, as Thanatos grinned at what Sarine was doing.

"We should see if my kids need to be nursed," Keltin said.

"Mine as well, My Lady," Aliot said.

"Let's check," she nodded.

"How are mine?" Kiehl smiled, as he purposely rubbed her belly.

"Not making me ill," she chuckled and kissed him. Sammy kissed her after Kiehl did and ran a hand over her belly. Now Greg was fuming.  _She was having kids with them already!_

"Go run home," Ragged Zombie growled and turned his back on him. Greg took out his bow and fired out several arrows. They stuck into the zombie's back, and now he turned to glare at him.  _I actually got hit outside of the arena?!_ He was rather thankful that they weren't Holy based, or they would have stung.

"I'm gutting you open!" Doppy snarled, as he pulled his sword out. "Right now!"

"Doppelganger!" Sarine cried out, as she gasped for air, and now Greg swallowed. He didn't know the tall man with red eyes was Doppelganger. Doppy turned to look at her, sheathed his sword, and swept her up into a tight hug. When she said his name in full, it meant that she needed him. And she clearly did from the gasping breath she gave out. He kissed her, whispered a soft song in her ears, and turned to glare at the Hunter.

"It's only fair that I hit him back," Ragged Zombie grinned, as he pulled the arrows out, snapped them in half with one hand, and chucked them aside. Greg was now staring in shock at how strong the zombie was.

"I'll judge it," Sammy said, as his Samurai ghost came out. Now he revealed who he was. Kiehl let his ghost out, as Hibram did the same. Thanatos snarled and pulled his sword off his back. Beelzebub let out a buzzing hiss of rage. Ifrit came over now, and Naght Seiger glared with hatred. Ragged Zombie held up his hand and pulled out a rib. This was his fight.

"How many lovers do you have?" Greg asked. "Just...tell me!"

"All together?" she mused. "About sixteen or so. And I love every one of them. And...yes...most are monsters. My Father said it was needed."

"Who's he?" Greg muttered out.

"Odin," she said. Now he gaped in shock, and she turned her head to lift up her hair to reveal the tattoo on the back of her neck. Those that hadn't seen it yet gaped in silent wonder. Loomin put a hand to his chest with a soft gasp. Ragged Zombie sucked in his breath with a form of awe. Beelzebub lowered his eyes in solid respect. Hibram closed his eyes and nodded with the same respect. Eremes noticed that Greg didn't show any respect to the Mark at all.  _He wasn't honorable._

"Sniff him," Sammy said. "If he makes you ill, then he can't be with you."

"Fine," she nodded. Doppy gave a growl, but he moved towards the stunned Hunter. She leaned in close to sniff and coughed. Doppy pulled her back to calm her with his own scent. He breathed softly over her face, and she snuggled into him with relief.

"Mama!" Serenity said, as she ran out of the house to see her. Sarine looked over, and Doppy put her down so she could gather her up and hug her. Ragged Zombie gave a small growl, as he wasn't going to be able to fight the Hunter with Serenity around, and shoved the rib back into his ribcage.

"What are you doing out here?" Howard frowned.

"I saw the stupid head from the balcony!" Serenity nodded. That made him hiss out laughter, and Eremes cracked a grin.

"You called me a what?!" Greg hissed. Then she glared at him with bright red pupils and hissed with a furious vengeance.

"You won't touch Mama!" she screamed, and the two swords appeared to circle Sarine protectively. "I won't let you!"

"Serenity," Byorgue said softly. She looked at him and frowned. He gestured to hold her, and she went to him. Clinging to him, she gave a little huff. She was still highly ticked.

"Anyways," Ragged Zombie said. "you hit me. It's only fair that I hit back."

"He hurt you?!" Serenity fumed.

"He didn't hurt me. He tried to," the zombie said.

"You tried to hurt my Dad?!" she hissed. Howard moved to her to whisper to her, and she whined. Then Naght rumbled out a purr, and she reached for him. He gathered her up and let her cuddle him, but she was still mad and the swords stayed out. Howard grimaced at the Hunter.

"Leave now. Or die," Eremes said.

"I'm not leaving anywhere without her!" Greg said, as he pointed at Sarine.

"Even though I have so many?" she mused.

"Then I'll become one of them!"

"You aren't strong enough to protect her, much less live with her," Loomin sighed. "You aren't transcended. You don't have a chance."

"Not now! Not ever!" Keltin growled out.

"Keel!" Serenity said.

"Yes, love?" he asked.

"Um...babies grow more?" she asked. Her swords finally vanished at her mood change.

"Not yet," he grinned. "They have to grow slowly. Remember?"

"Kay," she nodded. Then she looked over, as Edward and Gunther ran to them.

"Who's that?" Gunther growled, as he pointed at the Hunter.

"Someone who wants to hurt Mama!" Serenity frowned.

"Really?" Edward grunted.

"Edward," Thanatos warned. Now Greg was shocked at how much they looked alike.

"I wanna kick him!" Edward hissed.

"No," Sarine said. Edward moved to her side and hugged her leg. Then he turned, ran over to a rock, and kicked it with his eyes glowing white. It soared clear off into the distance, and he smirked at Greg before going back to his mother.

"I wanna bite him!" Gunther growled, as he picked up another rock and chewed on it.

"Gunther," Doppy chuckled. "I'd say to get it out of your mouth, but you're already eating it. Spit out what's left!"

His son spat out rubble, and Greg gaped.  _Her kids were strong. Powerful. And very protective of their mother._

"Gunther, I need your help really quick," Howard said, as he pulled out a broadsword. Kiehl started laughing now, and Sammy looked over with amusement.

"Yes, Dad?" he grinned.

"Break this down for me, will you? I botched it. I forgot to add an element when I forged it in Amatsu," Howard sighed. Gunther took it and started to chew on the blade. Large bite marks were now being made, as it was chewed down. In seconds, the handle was chewed up all together, and he spat out the components that were used.

"Anything else, Dad?" Gunther grinned and crossed his arms in a purely Doppy-like fashion. At Howard's grin and shake of his head, Gunther nodded and helped him gather up the materials. Greg was speechless.  _And that kid wanted to bite me?!_

"Now that the kids are done showing off," Sarine sighed. "We need to get somewhere."

"But, Angie hasn't done her trick yet!" Edward frowned.

"And Bianca hasn't, either," Gunther frowned.

"Or Sig!" Serenity giggled.

"No. That's enough. We need to go," Sarine said sternly. They pouted and complained. Beelzebub gave a small glare at the kids, and that straightened them up fast. They recognized power and respected it. Baphomet would have had the same result. If Doppy, Naght, or Thanatos got angry, that also made them shape up. A glare from Sarine just made them feel bad.

"I should still hit you back," Ragged Zombie muttered. Sarine moved over to him to whisper softly, and Beelzebub started laughing hysterically. The zombie looked at her with a grin of lust and goosed her rear when she turned around. Now she turned to glare, and Howard started laughing with Kiehl. Howard remembered what she did to Naght when he pinched her rear. Sighing softly, she slowed up purposely to let him pass before pinching him back and bolting. He swore and gave chase to her. That had them all laughing, but Greg was still upset. He turned and left with a new goal in mind.  _To transcend and come back to her. I know where she lives now. I can do this!_

"He'll be coming back," Sammy sighed, as he jogged with Howard and Kiehl. They had to catch up to Sarine before her craving to see them set in.

"I know," Howard muttered, as he moved quickly. They made it up to the bedroom just as Sarine needed them. On seeing them, she nodded with relief and refocused on Ragged Zombie. The three men gaped at what she was doing to him.

"We're next!" Kiehl hissed. She gave a husky chuckle, as she continued to use the zombie's sex like a cookie. Ragged Zombie was swearing out while he panted. He was braced against the wall, as though trying to cling to it with desperation. She was forcing him to keep from releasing. The torment he was going through was slow and painful. As Doppy walked in, he saw what was going on, and his jaw dropped. Eremes and Keltin were gaping in shock, and Loomin was staring with disbelief.

"Sit down somewhere and be patient," she chuckled out. The zombie seemed to be taking it all in stride. Then she pulled him down to make him recline on the floor so she could reach up into his chest cavity, and he nearly lost it, as he forced down a swearing shout. She finally removed her shorts and sat on him to let him give her everything that he built up. He couldn't move now. He couldn't, even if he tried. She worked him until he reached the height of pleasure and pain. Then she pushed past it with him, and he lost all form of sensation. He was unconscious when she finally moved from him, fixed up his pants, and went into the bathroom to wash off her arms from his green ichor. It didn't really smell bad to her at all, but it wasn't very pleasant to look at.

"He's gone," Howard managed to chuckle.

"Wow..." Eremes blinked.

"She literally killed him!" Keltin said with awe.

"Tell me about it," Doppy grinned.

"Maybe now he'll keep quiet," Loomin mused.

"Won't happen," Sammy smirked. Sarine came out of the bathroom now, grabbed Kiehl, and pushed him into a chair to kneel down between his legs.

"Sarine!" Kiehl hissed, as she exposed him and started to work on him. Howard was staring with lust and awe, as she forced Kiehl to that brink of pleasure and pain with soft licks and nibbles. When she sat on him, he gave her everything he had in a white-hot release.

"How-How. Sit!" she growled, as she pointed to a chair. He did as she said without arguing. Each of her husbands now got this treatment. Loomin was gasping with the shock of his release when she finished with him, and he was holding her, since she worked on him last.

"She...made us...into...cookies..." Ragged Zombie gasped out, as he came around. "Wow...amazing...!"

"You woke up?" she asked, as she looked over at him and went back to work on him again. Kiehl and Howard were speechless. The zombie shouted, as she made him unconscious again, and she moved back to sit in Loomin's lap.

"Why did you do that?" Keltin asked.

"It's the only way to shut him up," she grinned wickedly. That had Doppy laughing like crazy, and the others could only laugh and snicker with him. Beelzebub walked in after waiting long enough, and Sarine chuckled, as she moved to torment him now. He didn't say anything to anyone else. They had to get moving after this. When the Demon Lord was lost in his own sensation of pleasure and pain, she stretched with contentment.

"Okay, we need to go now," Sammy chuckled, as the others forced themselves to move.

"Do you know how jealous the others are gonna be?" Keltin grinned.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes snickered.

"Damn...!" Ragged Zombie gasped, as he came around. He made himself move and found himself having trouble. Sarine moved to help him up and fixed up his pants again. There was only one other thing he could say. "I love you!"

"And I love you, too!" she smiled and kissed him. He blinked at her. This was the first time she said that she loved him back, and he hugged her to him.

"You know you gotta have my kids now!" he muttered.

"Make First Mate, and we'll see. Otherwise, you need to wait your turn," she nodded. He growled, but he understood. She bent down to put her shorts back on, and her husbands and mates fell silent when they saw her.

"Um..." Keltin blinked.

"Damn..." Doppy said, as he shook his head with laugh.

"Wow," Loomin chuckled.

"Gets us every time!" Howard sighed. Kiehl was just glowering with lust again.

"Heard...and noted..." Eremes smiled.

"We should go before we're stuck here for the rest of the day," Sammy said, as he cleared his throat. Beelzebub could only nod with agreement, and Ragged Zombie fought the urge to goose her again. He learned his lesson from that. The moment he chased her into the bedroom, she turned to slam him against the wall and that was his downfall. When they got down the stairs, everyone was staring at them.

"What the hell happened up there?!" Thanatos asked.

"She...turned us into...cookies..." the zombie muttered, as he was still recovering.

"And you made us miss that?!" Byorgue glared.

"Later. When we get back from Alberta, or later tonight. I promise," Sarine said. "I want to do it to all of you, but we are a little pressed for time. Okay?"

"As long as we will get to experience it," Hibram chuckled.

"Trust me. You will," she grinned. Then she sighed, and everyone laughed.

"You still have me curious!" Seyren sighed. She looked at him and thought.

"Don't do it, Sarine!" Howard growled. Then she smiled and turned to bend over as though to stretch. Silence filtered throughout the room and Kathryne, Cecil, Margaretha, and Karla started to die with laughter. Coraline and Egnigem were giggling like crazy, as Wickebine and Armeyer were laughing with amusement.

"I needed to stretch," Sarine sighed and turned to look at all the gaping jaws. "What?"

"Evil wife..." Kiehl growled out Howard's thoughts.

"They shouldn't have seen that!" Doppy hissed.

"Oh. You mean like the cookie?" she grinned, and he went speechless. Then a touch of her dominance came out and she said, "Errende. I want one. Now."

"Yes, My Lady," he winced and gave one over.

"Now," she said, as she held it. "before I do this, I want a promise from those that aren't to be with me. Right now."

"Listening," Garrett said. Lloyd and Laurell glanced at each other, but they nodded. Lilah was clearly a touch upset, but she noticed how the other girls were laughing about it.  _Sarine would never touch their husbands._ She actually found a lot of comfort in the fact, and she started to realize that their reactions were pretty funny.

"You drag all of your wives or girlfriends out when I'm done. I'll give you all ten minutes after I'm done. Or, you walk out, if you can't take it. Got it?" Sarine said. The other men nodded as one, and Donnie was wincing. He knew what was going to happen.

"Just ten minutes?" Howard mused. She nodded and brought the cookie to her mouth to sniff. Then she started to nibble it down. She started to hear the small gasps of disbelief, as she flicked her tongue over it. Karla started to grin and made mental notes. The others girls started to make their own notes, as well. Blent, Kavach, and Maheo ended up walking away quickly. Timmy, Laurell, and Thomas did the same. Kavach didn't have a girl, and neither did Maheo or Blent. The other three were waiting before making a move on their girls. By the time she licked her fingers clean, various men started to pull their wives upstairs quickly.

"Nice job!" Armeyer grinned.

"Wasn't it?" Sarine giggled. Then she looked at her men staring at her, and she thought. She moved to the stairs, and the ending result was swift. Ten minutes later, they were all back downstairs to wait for the others.

"I hope your curiosity was sated," Eremes growled out at Seyren.

"It was," the Lord Knight nodded. Karla was clearly exhausted and grinning.

"Now you need to show them what you do with sushi!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Shut up!" Howard, Doppy, and Kiehl said together. Loomin was cracking up with Keltin at that. Sammy and Eremes just gave small grins. Sharp shaking of heads was done quickly.  _The cookie was more than enough._

"It's time for Alberta," Sarine said, and they nodded. Muninn flew down to hover over them with laughter in his eyes.

"Not a word from you!" Howard scowled. Muninn seemed to warble with understanding. When Sarine gave a grin to him, he let out a nervous chirp. That had many of her men grinning. They approached the Kafra Agent and got taken to Alberta.


	112. Chapter 112

The port town was busy during the day, so it was a bit easy for the various monsters to get overlooked. That was until Naght and Ifrit were spotted. Gasps of disbelief were given, and many men stared at Sarine's beauty with shock. Not many here went to the arena, so they didn't know who she was. Then Maya Purple shocked them all, as he skittered behind her with a protective purpose. The Mayor of the town came over to confront them. He wore a Captain's suit to stick with theme of the town being a port town for ships. He did help assist in what ship was docked in which area, as well as who worked on them.

"Monsters can't be here!" he started. Then he paused, as he recognized Garrett. The Mayor always requested his help when thefts and stowaways were reported.

"She's the Vessel of Odin, and she's also the royal daughter of Emperor Markus of Amatsu. By order of the King of Prontera, she must visit various towns. The monsters with her will not harm anyone. I know this for a fact. I will stop any problems from happening. You have my word," Garrett said. "Since she is royalty, I am also protecting her."

"Oh! Well, I'll trust you," the Mayor said, as he changed his approach. "Welcome to Alberta! Let me know if you need anything!"

"Of course," Sarine said elegantly. "Just so you know, my Papa is Emperor Markus from Amatsu, as Captain Garrett has said. He sent me here to search for someone. A sailor. Can you help us locate him? It's very important."

"Surely! Just tell me who it is, and I'll do what I can," he said.

"He has red hair and brown eyes. He was a volunteer at the reconstruction of the palace. There was a room that he was told to tear out, and he didn't. It was boarded up, instead!" Howard said. "The room was a very evil area. We managed to tear it out ourselves, but he ignored the order from the Emperor, himself! He's wanted for treason!"

"Oh!" the Mayor blinked. "Hmm. The description you gave sounds like Cameron. He's working the docks today. You should be able to find him."

"Thank you," Sarine nodded with a soft smile. The Mayor gaped at her beauty now, and Doppy hissed with a warning. Loomin moved to put an arm around her waist, and Beelzebub started to listen to various conversations.

"Anything?" Sammy asked him.

"No. This place isn't a home of hers. I hear nothing. When we move past humans, I can hear them easily until they walk off. But...nothing from this place at a distance," Beelzebub frowned. Sarine moved to kiss him gently and snuggle him to show that it was fine.

"We'll walk all over town. You can't send out your flies, can you?" Keltin asked.

"No. Only in territories that are hers," Beelzebub frowned.

"Is there a problem?" the Mayor asked, as he noticed something was wrong.

"Um...maybe," she frowned, as she approached him. "Good sir, would you say that...this town is my home whenever I come here?"

"Oh! Well, of course! The town is open to anyone with peaceful tendencies!" the Mayor nodded. Now Beelzebub blinked and grinned. She smiled with delight and now asked if there were any free houses for sale. The Mayor thought and said he would check the housing lists.

"I'll need a good house. One that can support my family. I have a lot of children," she smiled. He promised to check, and he left.

"Monsters can't move about the town at will, but I can now hear conversations from everywhere," Beelzebub nodded. "Once he agreed that this place was your home, it lifted the block from me. The only real downside is that I can only hear things while in town. It's not a true domain like the others are, but, as long as we're here, we're fine."

"Good," Sammy nodded. Beelzebub now listened for anything of interest. He couldn't send out his flies, but what he could do was more than enough.

"We should check on the Payon house tonight. At least for a bit," Keltin said.

"You're right. We have been having monsters move through it to keep it lived in. But, we do need to see to it tonight," she agreed.

"It will need to be upgraded again," Kiehl thought, as he saw Howard's memories of the house. He hadn't been there yet. "Not as lavish, but made bigger. I need to see what I can do for it, too, since I'll want to help protect it."

"Very true!" she beamed.

"There is too much mindless chattering!" Beelzebub muttered. "We need to make a distraction so I can filter out the good talk from the bad."

"Allow me," Sarine giggled and started to sing. Donnie moved to her to start a tune, and Thomas drummed out a beat. Coraline started to dance, and Doppy smirked, as he moved to sing with her. The crowd they drew was instant. Beelzebub nodded and started to focus again. They were an instant hit in the bustling port town. There was a wandering Clown that was there, and he paused at the sudden concert. When he saw Donnie and Thomas, he seemed to grin and moved over to see them.

"Long time no see!" the Clown grinned.

"Ollie! Good to see you! Help us!" Thomas grinned. Ollie nodded and pulled out his harp to play with them. When Sarine turned and saw him, he paused in play at her astonishing beauty before she started to sing again. Doppy pulled her close to add his voice to hers, and now Ollie was floored. Sarine turned to study this Clown while she sang.

Long brown hair and deep green eyes heightened his handsome features, as he plucked on the strings of the harp. His Clown garments were the same as the others, but they were tinted with light green and red tones. When the song ended, they were all applauded, and Beelzebub nodded to show he got the information he needed.

"Ollie," Donnie laughed and clasped his hands. "did you speak with Augustus?"

"Not yet," Ollie said.

"Really? Well, that's Sarine and Doppelganger. They have the 'Perfect Voice' that's been going around," Thomas grinned. Ollie now stared at Sarine, as she was getting kissed by Doppy. He clearly didn't realize what he heard until it was explained to him.

"Doppelganger?!" Ollie blinked.

"What?!" Doppy snarled and found himself purring, as Sarine ran a hand through his hair. Loomin now moved to stand in front of her protectively, and Keltin did the same.

"She has seven husbands, if you count Kiehl, though he's also a slave. And she's mated to a few strong monsters. All of her mates are demons, except for Ragged Zombie and Ifrit. Don't piss any of them off, okay? That's my only warning to you," Donnie grinned.

"Ah...oh..." Ollie said, and he nodded.

"She's pregnant with my twins," Kiehl growled dangerously.

"And mine," Sammy nodded. His pitch black eyes narrowed to study the Clown before turning away. "Sarine, love. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she nodded. Thanatos moved over to her now to study her.

"We need to feed her," he said, as he put his hands on her belly. She found herself gasping with relief, and Errende frowned. Nigel was already handing over a plate of sushi, and Byorgue had cookies on hand. Injustice brought out some tea. Maya Purple moved in front of her so they could use his bug body like a table. Aliot helped switch out plates when she needed more. Drago snorted and glared at anyone that stared for too long.

"Now that's clever!" Loomin chuckled, as he watched her eat.

"Slaves? All of them?" Ollie blinked.

"Hmm..." Seyren thought and looked at Donnie. "Is he trustworthy?"

"Last I checked he was," Donnie nodded. "It's rare to find any of us not trustworthy. He's bit odd in the head, but we learn quickly. Right, Thomas?"

"Shut up, Donnie," his friend mused, and Ragged Zombie grinned. "And you shut up, too! I know how you get!"

"You don't know the half of it!" the zombie snickered, and everyone started laughing.

"I beg to differ," Donnie smirked.

"Oh, you'll be begging later," Egnigem winked. That had Donnie gape, and she giggled before kissing him. When he saw Ollie staring at him, Donnie laughed.

"Oh! Right. This is my wife, Egnigem," Donnie said.

"That explains it," Ollie smiled.

"He bullied me into liking him," Egnigem sighed.

"No. I got you interested," Donnie grinned, and he winced when she smacked his rear. Coraline giggled, and Max put an arm around her waist to keep her close.

"Your sister has definitely grown into a stunning beauty," Ollie nodded with a smile.

"My husband thinks so, too," Coraline nodded. Now Ollie blinked with surprise.

"And my growing child in her knows it," Max said with a bit of a warning glare.

"Ah. Congratulations!" Ollie said quickly. Donnie chuckled with the others.

"Beelzebub, what did you learn?" Sammy asked. Ollie now glanced at the strong Demon Lord, as he mused, and he walked over to Sarine to pull her close the moment she finished eating. He folded her in his robe to keep his scent around her. Too many humans would start to affect her, and he knew this. Howard and Kiehl sensed her relief and nodded in understanding.

"He's on a ship right now, but it will be docking soon. If we get to the boats, we'll see him. If we make our way there in the next twenty minutes or so," Beelzebub said. Hibram thought and glanced at Ifrit. The flaming monster seemed to nod.

"We'll head there now," Seyren said. "Those of us that can move, that is."

"Right!" Lloyd nodded. Karla fed Luna and moved off with her husband. Muninn flew up higher into the air to scout the town silently.

"So, Sarine," Ollie said. She peered out to see him from Beelzebub's protective embrace, and the Demon Lord gave a slight glare at him. It was enough for the Clown to look away and stammer. Sarine whispered softly to the Demon Lord, and he chuckled. He opened his robe slightly, as he kept his arms around her. His staff and book were in each hand. Now the others realized that he had an extra set of arms from being the Lord of Flies. They saw the extra arms when he attacked the Wizard in the arena earlier in the day. His second set controlled the robe, as his first set held his weapons. He could make the second set of arms vanish at will, but, as he wore the robe, they were there. He didn't have them out when he claimed Sarine as his mate. He wanted to keep things from becoming awkward to her.

"What do you wish to know?" she asked, as she leaned her back into Beelzebub's chest. The Demon Lord was clearly overprotective of her right now. Doppy could only nod at this.  _He could hide her away easily in that robe._  Sarine did give a bit of a wicked thought to Howard and Kiehl. That made them start snickering, and Howard muttered out her thought softly to keep the others from hearing. Beelzebub suddenly glanced at him with a wicked grin and squeezed Sarine to him all the more.

"We'll have to try it out," Beelzebub hissed to her softly, and she giggled.

"Well," Ollie said. "I now see how you have the Perfect Voice. But, um, I also heard rumors that you could play instruments?"

"I can," she nodded. "May I see your harp? I'll give it right back."

"Okay," he nodded and let her hold it. She plucked a few strings and tuned the harp up more. Now Ollie blinked. He thought his harp was in perfect pitch. Once the strings were perfected, she started to gently pluck out a soft tune. Donnie looked over and took out his guitar to compliment her. Thomas was chuckling to himself, as he took out his guitar to play with her. When the tune finished, she handed the harp back. Then Errende smiled and handed her the violin he carried. She took it up and started to play. Beelzebub watched her and gathered her up to him the moment she finished her tune. Errende took back the violin and chuckled.

"It looks like you were playing out of tune the whole time," Donnie mused.

"I always keep my harp tuned!" Ollie muttered.

"Hmm..." Ragged Zombie grinned in thought.

"Now you're in for it," Sarine sighed.

"In for what?" Ollie asked.

"If your harp was always out of tune," the zombie thought. "I wonder what your sex life was like after all this time..."

"What?!" Ollie gaped.

"Surely, it's been off and on and back and forth," the zombie mused, as snickers started around them. "Or just off and not once thought about..."

"That's none of your business!" Ollie growled.

"Is it? It's only clear on what you were thinking of when you saw Sarine. She happens to be my mate, too, you know," the zombie said with narrowed, white eyes. "Besides that fact, there are times that I can barely handle her."

"Ragged Zombie," Sarine smiled. "Hold your tongue, or I'll start to crave something sweet and crumbly again..."

"Mouth is now shut!" the zombie said. Howard and Kiehl laughed at this. Then Sarine moved carefully away from Beelzebub to press herself up against the zombie's back to whisper softly in his ear. His eyes went wide, as he trembled. She whispered even more, and Beelzebub started grinning wickedly. Kiehl and Howard were dying with laughter. _Ragged Zombie was being forced to remember everything she did to him in the bedroom._

"Now," Sarine said, as she backed away. "behave yourself."

"Yes..." he muttered. Now he was peaked with lust and horribly aroused.

"Sorry about Ragged Zombie. He likes to be a smart ass most of the time," Sarine sighed, and everyone started laughing. Beelzebub moved to her to enfold her in his robes again, and he whispered to her. She smiled and kissed him passionately. He gave out a loud purr, as his kiss got far more intense before he broke it off. Then he glanced up and towards the docks with alarm at what he was hearing.

"We need to get there. Now," Beelzebub said. At that, everyone shoved aside the fun and games to get back to business. Ollie was told by Donnie and Thomas about who they were looking for and why. Then he was filled in on the room they tore down.

"Are you...serious?" Ollie gasped.

"Very," Donnie nodded with a grim look. "If you join us, you'll learn more. We'll show you the piece of that floor, and you'll know for yourself."

"If you kept a piece of it..." Ollie blinked. "Yeah. I want to know."

"Augustus saw it," Thomas cringed. "It's hard to get the vision of that place out of my head. I still can't believe that she was trapped there!"

"Me, neither," Maheo nodded, as he walked with them. "I've only been traveling with her for a few days, and I've learned more than I ever thought possible!"

"Really?" Ollie blinked. "Okay. I feel as though...I need to join you guys. So, I will."

"We have a Guild!" Coraline grinned.

"Give me some time to think about it," Ollie said. She nodded, and Max led her away with the others. Naght and Ifrit stayed close to Sarine as they had to. Beelzebub was listening around him intently when they reached the port. When they started to hear the heavy swearing from the sailors working, Ragged Zombie grinned with an unholy joy.

"He's gonna have new words for his arsenal now," Howard grinned.

"Wonderful," Donnie muttered and small snickers were all around. Sarine settled herself against Beelzebub, as he held her, and he listened to the sailors.

"Found him," the Demon Lord said. "Third ship from the left. He's coming off the boat. He is easily approachable."

"Come on, Max," Garrett said. Max kissed Coraline and moved with his Captain. Cecil watched silently with Margaretha. Kathryne stood with Mitchell to watch. Everyone wanted this man to come to justice and explain his actions. Muninn landed on a rooftop to watch over the scene calmly. If he had to, he'll swoop down and assault him.

"Cameron?" Garrett asked. The dark red headed man set down the package of goods he was carrying and walked over. He could tell that the two Paladins were of a high rank of sorts.

"Yes? That's me. What can I help you with, sir?" he asked.

"We are here from a request from Emperor Markus," Garrett said. "You were part of the volunteer work for the palace, right?"

"I was," Cameron nodded.

"There was a room that you were told to tear out. You didn't. You covered it up. Why?" Garrett growled. Now the man blinked and gaped.

"I..." he started and got grabbed by Max.

"That room should have been torn down the moment it was discovered!" Garrett hissed. Now the other sailors looked over with alarm, and the Captain of the ship came over.

"Is there something wrong?" the burly man asked.

"I am Captain Garrett Lockheart of the Prontera Royal Guard!" Garrett said sternly. "This man is wanted in Amatsu by Emperor Markus, himself! He covered up a vile portion of the palace that was meant to be torn down! He gave the order against Emperor Markus to cover up that room! If he couldn't tear it down, he should have gone to the Emperor!"

"Is this true, Cameron? You went against a royal order?!" the Captain asked with disbelief, and he adjusted the pipe in his mouth.

"The room was evil! There was rotten blood and flesh all over it! None of us could get near it!" Cameron said in a panic. "I still can't get the images out of my head to this day!"

"That room was a prison for his daughter against both his will and hers!" Max snarled out. "When we found what you did, we tore it out! There's a garden there now!"

"You...destroyed that place? You were able to?!" Cameron asked.

"Yes! We did!" Howard said from where he walked out with the others. Sarine was now walking towards the sailor, as Max held him firm.

"I am Sarine, the daughter of Emperor Markus. For twelve years of my life, I was imprisoned in that very room you saw. My false Mother put me in there out of spite when I was only two years old," she said with a hard frown at the memories. Howard and Kiehl cringed, but they let her speak. She sighed and continued, "Do you have...any idea...what I felt...when that wall was torn down? When that room was revealed after so long?! The blood wasn't even there until I was captured a second time and thrown in there! The blood you saw on the floor was MINE! When those guards raped me in there and cut me up!"

"Sarine!" Howard hissed, and Kiehl moved over to pull her back and whisper to her. She shook her head at the rage and sorrow she felt, as she shivered.

"What you saw...on the walls...was what was left...of those guards...when I dismembered them..." Eremes growled, as he walked over with is arms crossed over his chest.

"I have nightmares over that room now. No thanks to you!" Loomin hissed at the sailor.

"You should have torn that room out!" Keltin growled.

"I'll tear him to pieces!" Doppy snarled.

"You should have gone to Markus, if you had problems," Sammy said with a glare.

"I'm surprised he's still working, if he can't follow orders," Ragged Zombie said.

"If this room is truly what you say it is..." the ship Captain frowned. Then he gaped when Storm Caller appeared with the fragment of the floor.

"Just look and you will know," Storm Caller nodded. Ollie moved over now to see it for himself. When both men looked at it, they screamed with shock at the image revealed, and Ollie was gasping, as he tore his eyes away from the concrete piece. The smell of rot and blood had filled his senses, and he ran over to the edge of the port to vomit. The ship Captain was now glaring at his crew member with disbelief.

"You...didn't even try...did you? To blast that room out?!" the ship Captain said.

"I...couldn't do it!" Cameron hissed. "No one could get near it! The smell! The sight of it! I...I thought I walled it off well..."

"You did," Kiehl said. "But, it was Naght Seiger that wanted to see for himself."

The massive blue and red demon snarled out his hatred for the human, but he gathered up Sarine in his arms to rumble a purr to her. She cuddled into him, and he glared with hatred again. At a mental prod, Seyren let slip to Baphomet that the culprit was found.

"Look out!" Seyren hissed, as Baphomet appeared by his side. People screamed with panic, but Garrett held up his hand to show that the demon meant no harm. Once the people were calmed down, Baphomet glared hard at the sailor. Ollie had recovered enough to see the powerful demon appear, and he stammered in disbelief. Donnie and Thomas had to walk over to him to show that everything was fine. Seyren was in shock that Baphomet was able to appear with him. Odin granted the secret ability for the demon to appear where Seyren was to help protect his daughter even more.

"I saw the room personally!" the massive demon hissed out. "The roof was caving in from rot! The walls were breaking apart! It would have been easy for you to tear down! You just don't have the guts! Should I see if you still have them?!"

"Wait!" Sammy said quickly, and his Samurai ghost came out to expose who he was. His sense of judgment came out in full, and he said, "He is your crew member, Captain. You are currently in charge of him, since he works for you. What do you think his punishment should be? His life is now in your hands. What you decide will be his fate."

"I see," the ship Captain thought. "Where do you live, Your Majesty? Is it in Amatsu?"

"No. It is mainly on an island home," Sarine said.

"Cameron, you are going to get a boat and ferry her wherever she needs to go, if she needs it! You will work directly for her! When she feels you have atoned for your sinful crime, you can come back and work for me again!" the ship Captain growled out. "And, Your Majesty, my boat is yours if you need it, too! Men! Look at this piece of rock and know why I say this!"

The other sailors moved off the ship to gape in horror at the small concrete slab that Storm Caller held.  _Justice was clearly served now._

"Our ship is yours!" the sailors said together without hesitation.

"Thank you," she said with an elegant, royal nod.

"We can build a boat," Storm Caller said. "I have a crew of skilled workers, so don't worry about buying one. I think this will be good. We have water monsters that will help push the boat quickly. It will be a nice change of travel, and it may be a bit refreshing if our Vessel of Odin needs it."

"Vessel of Odin?!" the ship Captain gaped. Sarine smiled and showed him the Mark of Odin on the back of her neck. Then the Captain's hand went over his heart at first, before he coughed. Then he gave a shaky hand to his ship to show that she was named Odin's Breath. Sarine smiled and moved to run her hand over bow of the ship. Her tattoo glowed, and she whimpered when Valkyrie descended from Valhalla.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" she asked expectantly. Those that hadn't seen Valkyrie yet gaped in complete shock and awe of her. Loomin felt a form of kinship with her, since his father was from Valhalla, and Valkyrie nodded to him to recognize the kinship, as well.

"Can you bless this ship for me?" Sarine asked with a smile. Valkyrie nodded, and the ship glowed with power when she rose up her golden trident that was tinged with red.

"May she never lose the wind from her sails or falter in speed! May she outrun any storm and stay steady through all hardships! May she never fall apart, lose any cargo, or lives! May she never lose track of her destined course! Odin's Breath will be given new life!" Valkyrie said with praise, and parts of the ship were instantly rebuilt as new. The wood was made stronger and lighter. The sails were made whole and were relaxed at port. The moment the ship was in open seas, the sails would be filled with wind and guided safely to the destination they were heading to without fail. Odin's Breath was now going to be the most reliable ship in Alberta.

"Thank you, Valkyrie," Sarine nodded.

"When you build your ship, I shall give the same blessing to her!" Valkyrie nodded and ascended back to Valhalla.

"You will get a lot more business now," Storm Caller chuckled.

"If you ever need my services, let me know!" the ship Captain nodded. "My name is Captain John Carlston. My ship is yours."

"A pleasure. I am Sarine Tao-Alt-Eisen-Guile," she smiled. Keltin and Howard nodded, and Eremes gave a slight nod as well. Loomin mused and realized that he had the same last name now. So did Doppy and Sammy.

"Now I want to go fishing," Howard grinned, and Sarine gave a soft smile. She never went fishing before. Max released Cameron, now that his sentence was established, and Storm Caller left to inform Emperor Markus.

"There is still daylight, and it's almost noon. What did you want to do now?" Sammy asked, as they started to walk through town again.

"I think a visit to Louyang is in order," she nodded. "I'll need another kimono, and we will need to speak with Papa. He did want to be there."

"He'll be talked to," Beelzebub said, as he had a fly find Storm Caller in Amatsu to tell him what was going to happen. "It will be done shortly."

"Wonderful," she smiled, and he kissed her softly. As they walked back to the Kafra Agent, the Mayor walked over to her.

"Um..." he said, as he gaped at Baphomet.

"I'm not here for you, human," the demon snorted. "I came to help serve justice!"

"Right!" the Mayor nodded nervously.

"It's fine," Garrett said. "The man we apprehended is now in service to Her Majesty. What can we do for you?"

"I found a house for you," the Mayor said.

"Really? May I see it?" Sarine asked.

"This way," he nodded.

"Just so you know," Garrett said to the Mayor. "if she does purchase the house, there will be monsters guarding it. But, they will not roam the town."

"I see. That should be all right, if they don't harm the people," the Mayor said. Beelzebub gave a light snicker with Ragged Zombie and Hibram. Sarine blinked, as she saw something on the ground, and bent down to pick it up. Her men paused in dumb-founded silence, as she looked at what she picked up.

"Someone lost this," she frowned. "I wonder who."

"I wish she wouldn't bend over anymore," Howard winced.

"Quiet!" Kiehl hissed. "What did you find, love?"

"A brooch, I think," she frowned. She looked over, as a Merchant girl was running over frantically with a Merchant boy. They looked like they were searching for it.

"Oh, please! Let it be here! Please!" the girl whimpered.

"We'll find it, Anna! Don't worry!" the boy said.

"Um, are you looking for this?" Sarine asked, as she held out the brooch.

"Yes! Can I have it back? It was my Mother's before she passed away!" the girl said.

"Take it!" Sarine said with a nod. The girl cried tears of joy, as the boy comforted her.

"Thank you," the boy said. "She's my sister, and I'm her brother. We both became Merchants just yesterday, and she found it missing earlier today. It's all that we have of our Mother. It means a lot to us."

"I understand completely," Sarine nodded. "I never knew my Mother, so I feel your pain. What do you plan to become?"

"Well," the boy said. "I want to be a Blacksmith. She wants to be an Alchemist."

"It's a great trade," Howard nodded. Now the Merchants looked at who was with her, and the boy gaped in recognition.

"You're all from the arena!" he said. "I was there out of curiosity one day!"

"We are," Sarine chuckled. Doppy walked over and tilted his head at the kids with amusement. Then he leaned over to whisper in her ear, and she giggled.

"Do you think so?" Beelzebub mused.

"They have the look of it," Doppy nodded. "I have a good eye for these things."

"What are your names?" Sarine asked.

"I'm Neil, and my sister is Anna," he said. Both of them had brown hair and brown eyes. They could have been twins, but the boy was definitely older.

"Are you twins?" Keltin chuckled. He had to ask.

"Nope! I'm older than her by a year," he nodded.

"Where's...your father?" Eremes asked.

"We don't know," Anna frowned. "After Mama died he just...wandered off. We haven't seen him since. That was two years ago."

"How sad!" Sarine frowned.

"We take care of each other," Neil said.

"Well, I have ten kids of my own at home, and four that I'm going to have, too," Sarine smiled. "Do you have a home?"

"No," Anna sniffed. "It was...taken away from us..."

"How old are you?" Loomin asked.

"I'm thirteen, and she's twelve," Neil said.

"How-How!" Sarine frowned.

"I know," Howard said. "Would you kids like to be adopted by us? Sarine is the Princess of Amatsu, and you could stay with her father, Emperor Markus. He'll help you train and take care of you. Or, you could live with us."

"I...I..." Anna gasped with a sense of awe.

"Can we? Really?!" Neil now showed how young he was.

"Come to me," Sarine said, and they both moved to her to hug her.

"Mom?" Anna whispered, and Sarine pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Um..." Neil swallowed. "We can't...really call her Mom. Maybe...Aunt? Um..."

"I wouldn't mind being called mom. I have kids that do that all of the time," Sarine smiled. Neil still had a few misgivings. He would need to see how she was, and she understood this. She wasn't going to expect them to simply open up to her. She looked over, as Storm Caller brought her papa to her, and she stood up to hug him.

"What's this?" Markus asked.

"Papa, these children are orphans. I want to adopt them. Or at least help care for them," she said. Markus looked over with a soft gaze, and the two kids stared at his rich, regal robes.  _Sarine was telling them the truth of who she was._

"Well, we can do this one of two ways," Markus mused. "I can accept them as my own, and Sarine can have a brother and sister. Or, I will accept them as my grandchildren!"

"Ah..." Anna gaped, and Neil was in shock. A murmur of approval went through everyone. Sarine blinked at the thought of a brother and sister.

"Um..." Neil finally said. "I...I don't think we should do either choices."

"Oh?" Markus asked.

"But, Neil!" Anna said. "We can have a family again!"

"I know..." Neil said. "But, I'll always know in the back of my mind that we aren't related. And...I can't just...accept this so fast, you know? It wouldn't be right. It would always be awkward to me. I...I do want to live with them, but not as family."

"How about a Guild member?" Coraline asked. "You'll be part of our family this way! We'll help each other as best friends do!"

"I like that!" Neil said with a grin. "I'd rather do that!"

"Well," Sarine smiled. "if you ever need anyone to talk to, you can come to any of us. You may still be treated like kids now, but, when you advance, you'll be treated as adults."

"They really should grow faster, you know," Howard sighed.

"We don't have anymore of those books, do we?" Keltin asked.

"No. I think it was Mitchell that used the last one," Armeyer said.

"I know what you're talking about," Blent said. "I know where I can get more."

"Do you?" Sarine asked.

"Yes, but they're very pricey," he frowned.

"How much are they?" Karla asked. "We'll make a special budget for them."

"They're three million zeny per book," he winced.

"We make that in an hour with the arena!" Karla laughed. "We'll have a stock of them!"

"Okay," Blent said and now moved to help calculate with her on how much they would need. The two kids were made part of the Guild and welcomed with open arms. Markus was chuckling, as he hugged his daughter, and she sighed.

"Well, it's only fitting that you all learn who we are," Loomin chuckled. Introductions were made, and Naght even gave the children a small nod of neutral respect. That made the children gape with awe, and Doppy found himself chuckling.

"You will love my kids!" Howard grinned. "All of our kids are fun to be with."

"And future kids," Kiehl chuckled. "Anyways, are we getting a house?"

"Yes," Sarine nodded.

"Good. I want to see it, too," Markus nodded. The Mayor was simply surprised at how generous Sarine was by taking in two orphaned children. Anna now went to talk to Karla, and Neil was seen talking to Armeyer. Timmy wasn't experienced enough to advise Anna on being an Alchemist. Baphomet was clearly impressed by everything, and then he looked at Karla. He blinked and now moved closer to her.

"Is something wrong, Baphomet?" Seyren asked.

"No. She's just pregnant!" Baphomet rumbled with laughter.

"WHAT?!" Seyren gaped. Karla gaped with shock.

"Oh, that's right," Beelzebub smirked at Cecil. Now Garrett looked at her with disbelief. When Hibram chuckled at Margaretha, Lloyd had her in his arms to hug tight.

"But...how do you know?!" Cecil gasped.

"I'm a demon. You share my blood. I know," Beelzebub said with a shrug. "Of course, this means that the kid will be related to me. Good times, eh?"

"Pregnant!" Seyren grinned and pulled Karla into a kiss of joy.

"Do you know how many?" Lloyd asked Hibram.

"Just one," the demon nodded. It was the same for Baphomet and Beelzebub.

"And we can't tell, can we," Donnie frowned at Egnigem.

"Thanatos no longer has his blood in me," she shrugged. "But, I did throw up this morning. Maybe that accounts for something?"

"You...got sick and didn't tell me?!" Donnie gaped at her.

"I didn't want you to worry! I was fine right after!" she said.

"If she gets sick for unknown reasons, then you'll have your answer," Sammy nodded. "I can only see Sarine's health, so I can't tell for the rest of you."

"I can soothe the kids when they are born. I'm not sure when they are growing in you all. I know it works for My Lady," Errende said.

"We'll see when they start moving. Normal pregnancies for us?" Seyren asked.

_:Hmm...:_  Muninn said, as he landed and reverted to human form. Ollie, Cameron, and the two Merchant kids gaped in wonder. Then he chuckled and said, " _I am Muninn, and Sarine's brother. Egnigem Cenia, you're pregnant. Don't doubt yourself. As for pregnancies, those with demon blood will be having their children in half the time of a normal pregnancy. So, it's four and a half months. Those without it will have normal pregnancies. However, if you want to live longer and have shorter pregnancies, you can by asking a demon to donate their blood._ "

"Hmm..." Donnie thought.

"I'm not having Thanatos's blood again!" Egnigem said.

"I know that! I'm thinking of another. Possibly?" Donnie asked.

"Why have a short pregnancy?" she asked.

"It's just the thought of living longer with you. That's all," he said. Now she blushed at this, and Coraline blinked at Max. They would be having a long discussion tonight.

"I don't mind donating blood," Hibram chuckled.

"Don't look at me," Doppy smirked. "I'll make the cravings of blood and raw meat!"

"We aren't looking at you!" Max said quickly, and Coraline giggled.

"Hibram may be the only donator," Beelzebub chuckled. "Sarine gets my blood from here on out. That's all I'm going to say."

"He has a point," Seyren chuckled. "Anyways, we were looking at a house?"

"Yes!" Sarine nodded. Muninn moved now, as they finally approached the small house, and he studied it thoroughly for future use. He smiled and nodded.

" _This house is very sturdy and will last several years. Even longer when it's kept up._ "

"Perfect!" she smiled. It was quaint on the inside, and there was plenty of space for expansion. In the main room, a Warp was set up quickly, as the funds were given over to purchase the house right on the spot. Various monsters came through to start cleaning the house up and setting it to rights. Alice moved through it happily to sweep out any form of dust and debris, as Giearth and Knocker went through it to test the wood and replace what needed to be replaced. The Mayor was gaping at how the monsters were working together.

"Is there any way that I can hire these guys for the town?" he asked.

"That's...an interesting proposition," Sarine frowned. "But, because of their nature, they can only stay within an area of the house. In Amatsu, that is my town of birth, in a sense, they can move wherever they like. It's the same with the island home I have. My house in Payon has a radius for them to work in, too. So, they can't simply go where they like. I'm sure that, if there is something broken and able to be brought to them, they can fix it here. If there is something else that needs to be fixed, my presence would need to be required. However, when my children are able to move freely, they will be working with them."

"What did you need fixed?" Storm Caller asked.

"Oh, I have a few houses that are having leaks and weak floors," the Mayor sighed.

" _Give the monsters permission to move about at night,_ " Muninn said. " _They will not harm the townsfolk, and they will fix everything when people are sleeping._ "

"Oh! Permission is granted!" the Mayor nodded. Beelzebub blinked and grinned. _I'll be able to treat the town as a domain at night only and will be able to hear conversations._  He whispered this to the others, and that made everyone feel even better.

" _Problem is now solved! This can be done to any town we claim a house in._ "

"Really? Oh, that is wonderful news!" Sarine smiled. Beelzebub stationed a few flies in the house to ensure its protection, and she frowned.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'd love to get a house in Amatsu," she sighed.

"The palace is your house," Markus chuckled. She blinked and smiled at this with a nod.

"He's right, you know," Howard chuckled.

" _Anna and Neil Callow. Come here. I want to tell you both something special,_ " Muninn gestured to them. Both kids were in awe. They didn't give out their last name. They moved over to him, and he smiled warmly, as he said, " _If the two of you drink the blood of a demon, you'll gain the ability to live longer, too. And you'll also grow faster. The choice is up to you both on if you want to do this or not. I just wanted to let you both know. Anyone that joins my sister has this ability. It is not mandatory, but the choice is there._ "

"Drink blood? Ew!" Neil frowned.

"Um...we can think about it?" Anna asked.

" _As much time as you need!_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Can they take your blood?" Ragged Zombie asked.

" _No. My blood is sacred. I cannot give my blood to anyone but my sister when she needs it. That is the only time I can share my blood._ "

"When she needs it?" Loomin asked.

"I...need to drink his blood to bring about a Demonic Mating," Sarine smiled. "I can only do that after I'm pregnant with one of my husbands."

"I see!" Loomin smiled. "I am curious, though."

"Of what?" she asked, and he moved in close to whisper.

"I don't think that I would want my Father to give the option to donate blood," he said softly. She blinked at him, and Howard glanced at Kiehl nervously. Beelzebub stifled a growl.

" _That cannot happen. Since his blood is purely from Valhalla, no human would be able to survive it. I was created in Valhalla, as was my sister. Only she can handle my blood. She is also a mix of human, so her blood is compatible with many. It's the only reason as to why blood swaps can be done with her._ "

"We can take blood from her?" Neil asked.

"If you do that, then I would think of you as my children," Sarine said.

"The only time blood should be taken from her is when one is destined to be a mate. Then her children need the new blood to accept the new man as a father figure," Howard said. "Just a drop is needed for them, though."

"Oh!" Neil said. Now he looked at her and thought.

"Don't think about it, kid," Doppy smirked.

"And how do you know what I'm thinking of?" Neil asked.

"We can tell from the look on your face when you look at Sarine," Keltin chuckled.

"She's married to six of us already," Sammy smiled.

"And I'm partially a husband, too," Kiehl said. "She also has mates and slaves that love her and give her children. So, you need to be careful."

"Huh," Neil said.

"And...how do you know...about married people and babies?" Eremes asked curiously.

"It's easy to figure out! It takes a man and a woman to do it," Neil said.

"Do you know the details?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Um..." Neil blinked and found himself blushing a bit.

"You don't!" Anna said. "And neither do I!"

"They need to talk to Doll," Thanatos chuckled. "I'll get her and check on the nursery."

"Okay. We should go to the Payon house," Sarine mused.

"When do you plan to go to Louyang?" Markus asked.

"Probably in a couple of hours. I need a new kimono," she said.

"I'll have Doll help me make another one. Let's do this at the Payon house," Errende nodded. Markus nodded and stated that he would be at Amatsu until then. With their business being done in Alberta, they all decided it was time to relax a bit and prepare for what was to come. Sarine hugged her papa and watched him go through the Warp to Amatsu. She looked at her friends, lovers, and companions before nodding and heading through the Warp next.


	113. Chapter 113

Sarine and her party found themselves at the Payon house. Anna and Neil ended up going to the island home to talk to Doll. Ollie looked around with awe at everything and found himself liking what he saw. He had never been to Payon before.

"Hmm..." Storm Caller said, as he looked around. "We will need to make a lot of new adjustments. I'll need some time to do this."

"We thought you would," Keltin chuckled. "Take your time. We'll be in Louyang in a couple hours, so you can rebuild then, too."

"Good," Storm Caller nodded. "I shall make note of what needs to be adjusted while you are gone. I'll have to see what supplies we have."

"Let Karla know, if any more are needed..." Eremes nodded. Nigel and Injustice were setting up chairs along the front porch. Aliot and Observation were bringing out food for Sarine, as she sat down in Doppy's lap. Drago went up to the roof of the house to scout over the town, and Muninn had reverted to falcon form to fly over the town leisurely.

"I was thinking of something," Sarine frowned.

"Ah...ugh..." Howard grimaced.

"She's right," Kiehl sighed.

"About what?" Loomin asked as he sat down.

"Lighthalzen. We'll need to go back there to see if we can recruit and get it done," Howard sighed. "We won't need to go to the area we were trapped at. Just the two upper levels. Maybe even just the first level. That may be best."

"I think it will only be the first level," she nodded. "That was where I saw that man and woman cross-breed thing!"

"That...thing lived?!" Eremes gaped with disgust.

"Yes," Sarine nodded. Howard cringed, and now Kiehl grimaced with distaste.

"What else did you see?" Doppy asked.

"Red men in suits with gas masks. Um...odd flies. And...I saw clones from Kavach and the others," she said. Howard sighed, and Kiehl was rubbing his forehead.

"Hmm," Eremes thought. "Just the first level. Then we leave. We make it fast."

"Right," Howard nodded. Sammy could only agree with them, and Keltin nodded in complete agreement. He hated that place. Then Kiehl glared at Howard, as he saw what happened when Sarine saw Howard after so long. Howard groaned, and Kiehl got up to stand behind him and smack him upside the head.

"Kiehl?!" Sarine gaped.

"I know that was your bloodlust, but that's for even trying it!" Kiehl snapped.

"All right! I know! I deserved it!" Howard muttered, as he rubbed where he got smacked. It actually stung from how hard Kiehl hit him.

"Thanks," Doppy said with a nod. "I've been wanting to do that for ages!"

"Hey!" Howard frowned and got a glare back.

"What happened?" Loomin asked.

"I...attacked Sarine. When she saw me in Lighthalzen after so long. My attack was so brutal that I almost killed her. I didn't mean it, and I didn't remember her at the time!" Howard said, as Loomin gaped at him. Now he got glared at by everyone that didn't know this. He cringed, but his friends knew that it wasn't intentional.

"Stop it!" Sarine hissed and moved to sit in Howard's lap. "It was in the past. You didn't know. The letters helped you remember. You know I love you. I've always loved you!"

"Sarine," he sighed and hugged her tight to him. Now they all saw how badly he was still hurting over it. She pulled him into a loving kiss, and he pressed his face into her neck. She felt his tears, and Kiehl muttered an apology.

"You all have no idea..." she whispered, and now Kiehl was wincing with Howard. "how badly I felt...when I knew I lost the pregnancy...and had...nothing of How-How...when I got that letter of his death..."

"Oh, Sarine!" Howard whispered and hugged her tight. Loomin swallowed and nodded with a sigh. Sammy gave a soft sigh, and Eremes had his eyes closed in thought. Keltin hung his head a bit at the memories of the attack, since he was there. Doppy was frowning, but he had this conversation before. Kiehl placed his hands on them both and got pulled into the hug. Ollie, Thomas, and Timmy blinked in shock at this. They didn't know that she lost a pregnancy from Howard. Naght came out of the house and stood over them. Then he thought and went back in swiftly to bring out Serenity and Siegfried.

"Wow! New place?" Serenity asked, since she had never been to the Payon house before. They were only here briefly when they went into the caves with Keltin, so they were never able to really see what it was about. Naght rumbled a purr, and he set the twins in Howard's and Sarine's laps. Howard gasped and hugged his daughter and son to them both.

"Dad?" Siegfried frowned, as he saw tears.

"Just...bad memories..." Howard sighed, as he rested his head on Sarine's shoulder. "Very bad memories..."

"Of what?" Serenity asked softly. Kiehl shook his head, since he couldn't tell them.

"Dears," Sarine sighed. "what I'm going to tell you is very painful, but also very happy. Okay? It still hurts us very much."

"Okay," Serenity nodded. Siegfried leaned into Howard's chest, and Sarine slowly told them how Howard was separated from her and forced into a dark place to experience a lot of pain. She told them about the pregnancy she lost and how she was getting it back. She also told them of how she went to help Howard, and he attacked her without realizing it, but how he remembered her after it was done.

"So," Sarine said softly. "you see why everything still hurts."

"But...Dad loves you, Mama! He didn't know! And...and we are getting our sisters back! Dad told me in Amatsu! So...it's okay!" Serenity said, as she hugged Howard now.

"If Dad didn't love you, we wouldn't be here!" Siegfried said. That made Doppy blink and smile softly. Now everyone was able to fully forgive Howard for everything.

"Why did you tell us this, Mama?" Serenity asked.

"Because we are going to have to go back to this dark place to find other monsters. It's a very nasty place. You can't come with us. Maybe, when you're much older and stronger, you can see this place for yourself. But, I wouldn't go in there alone," Sarine said.

"Okay," Serenity nodded. Both kids clung to their father and let him hug them tight.

"I love you, Dad!" Siegfried said.

"I love my Daddy!" Serenity said.

"My kids!" Howard growled, and hugged them both close. "I love you both! Nothing is going to touch you guys!"

"We know, Dad!" Serenity giggled and gave him a purposely messy kiss on his cheek. He gave a grin and tickled her side now to get her laughing. The dark mood quickly lifted, as the other four kids ran out of the house to climb up into their father's laps, and Doppy found both of his kids snuggling him. Thanatos and Errende were holding their son and daughter. The kids had overheard everything and wanted to comfort their respective fathers. Ollie was amazed at how many kids there were, but he was smiling all the same.

"Oh, kids," Sammy grinned.

"Huh?" Siegfried asked, and the others looked at him.

"You have a few aunts that are going to have babies soon," he chuckled. Serenity gasped with delight, and Seyren grinned with a nod. Mitchell found himself grinning with Donnie and Garrett. Max laughed a bit at the delight of the kids.

"Seyren! Spar me!" Garrett grinned.

"What?" Seyren scowled.

"Just do it! It will give us something to do, and the kids will get a kick out of it!" Garrett smirked. Karla patted Seyren's knee, and he kissed her before getting up with Garrett to move to the ground area in front of the porch. It was still a bit of a sparring arena, so it was easy to work with. The kids cheered them on while they sparred and whooped at the different skills used. Edward and Siegfried were watching Seyren closely to see how he attacked, since they wanted to be like him when they got old enough.

"You're sure you want to be a Stalker?" Doppy asked his son.

"Yes," Gunther nodded. "Why?"

"Rogue classes are stupid," Doppy said, and Blent got up now to sit by them.

"It depends on who you know," Blent grinned.

"You're not a Stalker," Gunther said.

"No. I'm a Rogue. I am what comes before a Stalker."

"I know that. I want to see a Stalker. I want to see what a Stalker can do. You get to Stalker, and then talk to me!" Gunther nodded sternly.

"Okay," Blent nodded. "I'll do that!"

"And you HAVE to be strong!" Gunther said. "If you're not strong, I'm not talking to you about being a Stalker!"

"Fine. You have a deal!" Blent said. Doppy smirked with a touch of a glare, as Blent left to train elsewhere. Wickebine now moved to Gunther and sat down.

"Stalker?" Gunther asked.

"Yes. And strong," she nodded.

"Good. Talk to me," Gunther said. Now Doppy was laughing.  _My son has my attitude._  There was no other way to explain it. Thanatos found himself grinning, and Beelzebub was laughing softly. When Seyren and Garrett got tired of sparring, Maheo challenged Kathryne.

"Careful! My wife might be pregnant, too," Mitchell said, as he adjusted his glasses.

"Funny you said that," Kathryne chuckled. "I got sick this morning."

"What?! You did?!" Mitchell gaped.

"Yes. I did," she blushed, and he kissed her with a grin. Cecil and Margaretha were laughing, and Karla giggled. Serenity was laughing with delight.

"Don't you dare put her in any danger!" Mitchell growled protectively at Maheo.

"Oh, I'll be fine!" Kathryne grinned. "This will be fun!"

"That it will!" Maheo nodded. Sarine watched the magic battle happen, and Bianca looked at Keltin purposely.

"Yes, Bianca?" Keltin asked.

"I wanna see you fight!" she said.

"I cheat, though. I have Rage from Valhalla," Keltin said.

"I wanna see it!" she said.

"No," Sarine said. "That's too much!"

"But, Mom!" Bianca said. Then Doppy gave a warning growl, and she quieted down.

"Mom said no," Doppy growled. "Keltin is too strong!"

"Okay," she said.

"Actually, I'll spar you," Thomas said to Keltin. Ollie blinked, and Donnie shook his head. The others that knew how Keltin fought just grinned.

"You haven't seen me fight. I'd kill you," Keltin said.

"I can Resurrect him!" Lloyd chuckled. Sarine sighed and shrugged.

"Whatever you want to do, love," Sarine sighed. "I just don't want my men to fight each other. That's all that matters to me."

"And we won't," Kiehl nodded. When Maheo and Kathryne finished sparring, they were pleased to find they were both evenly matched. Thomas and Keltin moved to the ground area now and nodded to each other. Then Keltin shifted to his Champion form and paused to let it sink in. He was always a Bongun now, and this caught Thomas off guard. Keltin glared under his massive Bongun hat and grinned wickedly.

"Are you sure?!" Doppy grinned. Loomin was surprised and watched closely.

"Yes!" Thomas said. "I got myself into this mess!"

"That you did!" Keltin grinned, as his Rage came out, and his body glowed stark white. Bianca was staring with complete awe. When Thomas moved to attack, he was already dead. Keltin roared and charged him, as his Spirit Spheres came out instantly. He did his mass chain skills and killed him off with a deadly Asura Strike. Thomas landed heavily in the dirt, and Lloyd brought him back with a Resurrection and several Heals. The Clown sat up and shook his head to shake the ringing out of them.

"I'm so glad I didn't challenge Doppy!" he muttered, and the demon roared out laughter. Gunther giggled with his sister, and they snuggled into their father as they purred.

"Errende, is my kimono done?" Sarine asked.

"Ah! I'm sorry, My Lady! I forgot!" Errende blinked. He was so busy enjoying his daughter's company that he forgot to make the kimono.

"It's fine. You need your daughter, and she needs you. Ask Doll to make it, please," Sarine said. Injustice had Errende stay where he was, and he went to find Doll.

"She does miss you," Thanatos said. "Stay with her."

"Of course, Lord Thanatos," Errende nodded.

"I want a lord title!" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"Lord of Smart Asses?" Doppy grinned.

"Doppy!" Sarine hissed. "Not in front of the kids!"

"Don't repeat what I just said," Doppy said with a glare, and the kids nodded. "Especially you, Gunther! It was funny once. Wait until you're older to say it again."

"Yes, Dad," Gunther said with a bit of a grin. Keltin had sat back down, and Thomas was easing himself into a chair. He took a deep breath of relief, and Keltin was still grinning. Ollie was in shock at what he saw. Maheo was making no plans to challenge Keltin.

"Yeah, I'm going Champion!" Bianca nodded, and Keltin laughed.

"Mama," Serenity said softly, as she stiffened up. "I see a stupid head!"

"Where?" Sarine frowned, as Howard had to choke back a laugh. Kiehl now looked to where she pointed lightly and he growled. Beelzebub and Naght looked at each other and muttered. Then they went down to the ground floor to prove a point.

"Ready?" Beelzebub grinned. Naght hissed eagerly, and Beelzebub became his grotesque fly form. The kids gaped at this, and they watched Naght and Beelzebub spar. Doppy found himself grinning now. Sarine winced, but she knew they were demons. They were her mates, not her husbands. She couldn't tolerate seeing her husbands fight each other. During a Demonic Mating it had to happen, and she couldn't stop it, but just having them spar was a bit painful to watch. Kiehl pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she leaned into him gratefully.

After ten minutes of them going back and forth, they both paused to nod to each other. They were both equals. Then Naght turned to glare at Doppy. Now Doppy tensed with challenge and grinned. His twins looked at each other and their father curiously.

"Kids. Do you both want to see dad fight?" Doppy hissed.

"Yes!" Gunther grinned.

"Yeah!" Bianca said.

"Sit here. Don't move," Doppy warned. They both nodded. Beelzebub nodded to Doppy, as he moved to stand and watch on the porch. Doppy grinned, and Howard was chuckling with Kiehl. Sarine gave a soft smile, as the other kids watched with excitement. Doppy roared, as Naght bellowed his flames, and they both charged and countered each other. As First Mates, they knew they were equals, but they would always want to challenge each other in tests of strength. Sammy watched with amusement and kept his eye on the one hiding in the shadows.

Doppy continued to block and counter Naght with ease. His enhancements from Valkyrie made him a bit more than a match for Naght, but the other demon was holding his own, too. They snarled and hissed at each other, as they fought it out. Sarine was watching silently, as something instinctive started to click in her. Howard looked at her oddly, and so did Kiehl. They looked at each other now with a form of interest.  _Sarine was watching two of her First Mates fighting, and she was studying their movements as she would during a Demonic Mating._  As Kiehl turned to watch again, he suddenly rose up and hissed when his ghost came out. It was purely instinctive. He now thought that his First Mate Bragging Rights were being challenged.

"Ah...crap..." Howard blinked. Sarine said nothing. She was watching now with a form of instinctive fascination. Doppy looked over and saw this. Naght did, too. Now they looked at each other and back to Kiehl, as he approached them with a hissing snarl.

"It's a spar," Doppy said with a respectful nod.

"False...fight..." Naght said with his own nod of respect. Kiehl muttered softly and shook his head, as he came back around. His ghost sunk back down slowly, but he was still tense. Doppy stood perfectly still, and so did Naght.

"Sorry," Kiehl said. "That was instinctive. For a moment...I thought I was defending my Rights. Didn't mean it."

"It's fine," Doppy said. "We understand and would have thought the same."

"I see now..." Thanatos mused.

"See what, Dad?" Edward said.

"When First Mates fight, even in play, the current First Mate can see it as a challenge. They can't fight each other anymore when Kiehl is around. Or the next First Mate. Which will be me. I'll see it as a form of challenge and do the same thing Kiehl did. Especially when she's watching like that. It would become very bad for everyone," Thanatos said. "And this possibly means that I won't be able to fight either of them, as they are First Mates. I might take it seriously when I'm a First Mate, myself."

"Oh," he blinked and got a knuckle rub on his head. Edward scowled, and his father grinned at him ruefully. Now Edward started to think, and Thanatos glared at him.

"And don't even think about being a First Mate, either! That's for me, and me only! You aren't old enough, and you'll likely never get the opportunity! You will settle down with a nice girl and leave it at that! Got it?" Thanatos warned. Edward nodded with understanding, and he watched Hibram move down to fight with Beelzebub. Naght settled to stand behind Sarine again, and Doppy pulled his kids into his lap. Kiehl got kissed hard by Sarine to show that she still respected him as her current First Mate, and Serenity giggled at it. As the strong demons fought, Beelzebub suddenly snarled, and Hibram turned to block an attack by the hidden stranger. The man got hurled to the ground and glared at.

"Who's that, Dad?" Gunther growled.

"Someone I don't know," Doppy frowned. Gunther suddenly jumped down to the ground from Doppy's lap before he could be stopped, and he picked up the dagger that the man dropped when he got thrown to the ground. It was a Rogue, and he was now livid that his weapon was taken by a kid. Beelzebub moved to protect Gunther from being attacked, and Hibram kept an eye on the Rogue.

"Give that back, kid!" the Rogue growled.

"Okay," Gunther grinned, as his glowing red pupils locked on the Rogue. Then he bit the blade and snapped it in half to chew it. The Rogue gaped in shock, as Gunther kept chewing the dagger up. Then he spat out odd bits and pieces of ruined metal.

"Oh, now that's interesting!" Howard mused. "If the weapon isn't forged and it's found, it becomes scrap metal! Very interesting!"

"My weapon!" the Rogue gasped with disbelief.

"Got any more?" Gunther grinned ruefully. Beelzebub gave a small glare to Gunther to get back to his father. Sarine was clearly worried about the safety of her son, and Gunther moved to hug her first to show he was okay. Then he went to snuggle in his father's lap.

"That was a bonehead move!" Doppy growled and poked his son in the chest. "Don't do it again! You got that?!"

"Sorry, Dad," Gunther muttered. Bianca frowned at her brother and shook her head.

"Mom has enough to worry about!" Bianca said and put her small hands on her hips.

"I said I was sorry!" Gunther said.

"Enough!" Doppy snarled at them both, and they went quiet. "Your mother doesn't need to worry about either of you! Neither of you are ready to fight yet!"

"Now, as for you..." Beelzebub said, as he glared at the Rogue. "Why are you here?"

"That brat ate my weapon!" the Rogue snarled. Now Doppy curled back his lip to hiss.

"The one you're referring to is Doppelganger's son," Sammy said quietly. "If I were you, I would stop where you are right now."

"Okay," the Rogue growled. "That  _spoiled_  brat ate my weapon!"

"Stay...here..." Doppy said to his kids. They both nodded obediently and moved to sit in the empty chair when Doppy got up. The demon jumped over the railing with an inhuman silence, and the Rogue's face now turned into one of sheer terror. Sarine sat back and said nothing.  _He was defending his son from an insult._ Gunther wanted to ensure that his mother would come to no harm, but went about it the wrong way. Doppy knew his son wasn't spoiled.

"Kids, turn away if you have to. This might get messy," Loomin said. Serenity and Siegfried were ticked, and their eyes started to glow with red pupils. Angela gave a small whimper of dismay, and she snuggled into Errende, as he shielded her. Edward gave a hiss, as his eyes turned white. Thanatos kept him firmly in his lap. Howard kept hold of Serenity, and Siegfried was now in Kiehl's lap to help keep him under control. Eremes kept his eyes locked on the Rogue, and Sammy was doing the same. Loomin was clearly pissed, and Keltin was ready to help rip the Rogue to shreds.

"My son isn't spoiled. He's not a brat, either!" Doppy hissed, as his eyes smoldered with rage. "He's overly protective of his mother! And I'm an overly protective father!"

"Shall we try this again?" Beelzebub sneered. "Who are you?!"

"If he doesn't answer, then he's not important," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"I was from Ripclaw's Guild! Okay?!" the Rogue hissed.

"Did he send you?" Sammy asked.

"No. I came here on my own. I was trying to find him. Then I saw you guys fighting, and thought I could try to take you on when you were all distracted. That's all!" the Rogue said.

"I should kill you, anyways, for insulting my son!" Doppy hissed.

"Stupid head!" Serenity hissed, as her swords came out to charge at him. "No one insults my brother! I'll hurt you!"

"Serenity!" Howard growled, and she looked at him with hurt. Naght snarled, and Serenity whimpered while her swords vanished.

"But...but..." Serenity pouted.

"You don't hurt anybody!" Howard glared. "You aren't ready for it! Let us handle it!"

"You have a lot of pissed off dads, Serenity. You can protect your mom, but let us handle everything else!" Ragged Zombie said sternly.

"Gunther, come to me, please," Sarine said. "I need to ask you something."

"Mom?" Gunther frowned and moved off the chair to her side. She pulled him into her lap and hugged him. Doppy looked over curiously.

"Why do you want to become a Stalker? I honestly want to know," she said.

"Um...because I want to show that I can be better than them!" he said.

"Okay. I'm only asking, because, throughout all the times I was growing up, I was bullied by Thieves and Rogues. Daddy Eremes was a Thief, but he became an Assassin Cross. He is one of the few out there that are good and only wants to do good. He saved me a long time ago, and I will always love him for that. He actually saved me twice, and, when you get older, you'll learn all about that, too. However, there are still some Assassins out there that can be a bit mean. Most Thieves are mean, and that's why they are who they are. Wickebine is a Stalker, as she told you, and she is the only one that showed no harm to me. Ripclaw is also a Stalker, but he tried to hurt me without realizing it. He's trying to show that he's sorry. You know that Blent is a Rogue. He was really mean to me at one point, and now he's trying to make up for it. Loki even possessed Blent to make him turn a lot of Rogues against me to hurt me," Sarine said.

"Grampa Loki did that?" Gunther blinked.

"Yes, he did," Loomin said. "It wasn't nice at all."

"Blent was possessed?!" the Rogue asked. "That...makes a lot of sense now!"

"How?" Sammy asked.

"He could never convince anyone to do anything before. He sucked at it. But...he suddenly started to say things that easily swayed a lot of us. It caught us all by surprise! He became incredibly convincing on why others should join him to help him," the Rogue grimaced.

"Blent had no control when my Father was using him. Yes. My Father is Loki," Loomin said. "But, I don't like my Father, since he's trying to charm my wife. I drive him away constantly. As for Blent, he told me what happened. I doubt my Father can touch him again."

"I see," the Rogue said.

"So, Gunther, I need you to make a big promise to me," Sarine said carefully.

"Okay, Mom," Gunther nodded.

"Never use your strength to show off or to hurt innocents. Never intentionally hurt someone that doesn't deserve it. If you want to be a good Stalker, then you need to understand when too much is too much. You broke up that man's weapon. I know you did it, because you thought I was under attack. But, now that he realizes what he did wrong, you owe him a new weapon. What are you going to do about this?" Sarine asked.

"I promise to only do good with my skills from now on," Gunther said. Then he looked at Howard and asked, "Um...Dad? Can you make him another weapon? A better one?"

"I can do that," Howard said. "Let me get my forging equipment."

"Thanks, Dad," Gunther said, and he got his hair ruffled by Kiehl.

"Wait, Dad!" Serenity said.

"Hmm? What is it, Serenity?" Howard asked. She jumped off of his lap and moved to the bits of scrap that lay on the ground. Picking them up, she set them up as to how the dagger looked before. Howard and Kiehl blinked and now paid close attention. Sarine was in awe at this, and she gaped, as a massive hammer appeared next to Serenity to smash down on the dagger once the pieces were set up properly. The dagger that was revealed to them was now better than new, and it had the element of Fire automatically added to it.

"Here you go! Use it to protect Mama! Okay?" she beamed and handed the new Kindle Dagger over to the Rogue. Everyone was speechless.  _She was truly going to become a Whitesmith now._ Moving back up to her father, she pat his cheek, and he hugged her tight.

"She took a broken weapon and made it into something special?!" Sammy gaped.

"How did you know what to do?!" Kiehl asked.

"I just did!" Serenity blushed and got squeezed by her father. Naght was rumbling with laughter now. Loomin was just in a dazed shock at how powerful the kids were.

"Well, think about it," Sarine mused in thought. "Siegfried can make any blade into any element,  _and_  he can make the air around him the same way. Serenity could only call up Naght's swords, but now she can also make special weapons out of broken ones to enhance her future trade. Serenity, dear, don't do that around anyone, okay? We don't want people to find out what you can do. It could be very dangerous. It's a big secret. Okay?"

"Okay, Mama!" she nodded vigorously. "Family secret!"

"That's right!" Howard said. "Big family secret!"

"Everyone swears right now," Keltin said. "This remains with us!"

Everyone gave their oaths including the Rogue on the ground. He was going to guard his new weapon with his life.

"I need to make it up to you," the Rogue said. "My name is Dublin. What can I do?"

"Well," Sarine thought, as her royal persona showed now. Dublin blinked with surprise at this, and he found himself lowering his gaze with respect. She looked at him and thought.

"You're right," Howard said. "He could go to Amatsu and approach Markus."

"That would work..." Eremes nodded.

"Send him to Markus," Kiehl nodded.

"Dublin," Sarine said softly, as she studied the dark-brown haired Rogue. "go to Amatsu and confront Emperor Markus in the palace. Tell him I sent you to atone for a sin. He will train you in the ways of true honor. There are others there that I have sent to him for training, and you will likely train with them. Go now, please."

"Thank you!" Dublin nodded and got up. He left quickly with a new light in his eyes.

"At least that's one Rogue that's gone straight," Doppy nodded. "Come here, Gunther."

"Yes, Dad," his son said. He gave Sarine a tight hug before heading back over to Doppy.

"I would suggest to you," Doppy said seriously. "that, if you steal someone's weapon, don't chew it up right away. Keep a few basic knives on you. Demonstrate what you can do first with one of the knives. Then, if they see what you plan to do to their weapon and they apologize, and they mean it, give their weapon back. That would be better than having your sister make them something special. You can you can tell if someone is lying, since my blood will let you. Loomin's blood should also help you with that, too."

"Okay!" Gunther nodded. "I can do that!"

"I want you to try something for me, Gunther," Ollie said. "I have a knife with a monster card in it. Can you...take out the card for me? I know that it's possible, but it costs a lot of money to do it. I just want to see if you can do it."

"Um...I can try," Gunther said. Now Doppy was just as curious with the others.

"What card is it?" Sammy asked.

"It's just a Fabre card. It adds a bit more to one's health and vitality. Nothing special," Ollie mused. "But, I've had it for a long time. I don't need it."

"Okay!" Gunther said. He took the knife and started to chew on it. He fumbled around for a bit and spat out the card. Then he spat out the ruined knife pieces. Edward looked at the card and gestured for it.

"Lemme see it!" Edward said. Now Thanatos blinked, as his son took the Fabre card and stared at it. Then he rubbed it in his hands and produced a different card. It was from the plant monster, Mandragora, and it increased damage to Wind based monsters. Thanatos was gaping now, and Serenity moved to gather up the pieces of the old knife. She rearranged the pieces and let the large hammer reappear to smack down on them. She now held up the new Sucsamad dagger, and Howard was gaping at something else.  _Normally, this dagger couldn't hold a card, unless it was done through someone that knew how to do it. She made it with a socket to hold the card, and the dagger was already made to do damage to both Wind and Earth based monsters._

"Hmm. The card is still weapon based. Oh! I can change the card once, but it still stays with that type of class for stuff. Okay! So, do you want your card in the dagger or not?" Edward grinned, as his skill came to him in full. "Your choice."

"Um...sure?" Ollie blinked with shock. Edward picked up the dagger and put the card in it. Then he gave it over to him.

"Enjoy!" Edward snickered. Serenity blushed and moved back to her stunned father.

"You are NOT doing that around people!" Thanatos snarled, as he hugged his son protectively. "That skill you have is dangerous!"

"Hmm," Bianca mused. "Gunther has two skills by his biting stuff and removing stuff. I should have another skill, too. I crush things with my hands. I wonder if I can make stuff."

"What?" Doppy smirked. She tilted her head in thought now and looked at her hands.

"Daddy Howard! Do you, um, have stuff that can be made into other stuff?" she asked.

"Well..." Howard thought. "you mean like, oh, making steel? Hold on!"

He hugged his daughter tight before setting Serenity in his chair. He got up quickly to head into the house. He came out with his cart, and it was weighed down. It was filled with a lot of iron and coal bits, as well as other things he needed to smelt down. He didn't have the small forges to do it yet, and they were clearly building up in his cart.

Bianca got up and took five pieces of iron and a coal part. This actually surprised Howard. He didn't tell her how much she needed. She just seemed to know. Pressing them together, she worked it and gave him a shard of steel. He was gaping now. She tackled the rest of it with glee, and he found himself hardly able to move from how much steel she made for him. Doppy roared with laughter, and now she started to make other stuff for him that involved other pieces of various things.

"And you want to go Champion? You should become a Whitesmith, too!" Keltin laughed. Bianca looked at him and shook her head.

"No. I wanna be a Champion like you!" she nodded.

"You'll need to become an Acolyte, you know," Lloyd grinned.

"I will?" Bianca frowned.

"Yes. That means that you'll need to get blessed by a Church," he said.

"Um...will that hurt me?" she asked with a bit of fear.

"I don't know," Doppy said softly. "You're mainly a demon, like me. Holy stuff can hurt us. I know that your mom's blood may make you immune to it, but many won't understand how you are with your red pupils. You'll need to wear sunglasses in public. Gunther will need to, also. It may be safer for you to become a Whitesmith with what you can do."

"I really wanted to be a Champion," she frowned.

"Well, you still have a lot of time, sweetie," Sarine smiled. "You can think on it more. Okay? We'll figure something out for you."

"Okay, Mom," she nodded and moved to get snuggled by her. Angela frowned and thought. She looked at Errende and he looked at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Um...I think I know something else, too," Angela blushed.

"And what would that be?" he smiled. Thanatos now looked at his daughter, and Edward was grinning at her with encouragement. Angela thought and got up to move to the dirt area in front of the porch. She sat down and ran her hands through the earth. Green sprouts of grass started to grow, and Loomin's jaw dropped again.  _This girl was likely the most precious. She could bring life back to anything that was dying or devoid of life._

"Protect her. All of them. Let none of our kids come to any harm!" Loomin said.

"Loomin?" Sarine frowned.

"If  _anyone_  sees what they can do..." he said, and she got up to hug him. "Our children will likely be the most powerful, you know? Yes, all of these kids have amazing skills. But...our kids will have Loki's blood in them. We will need to watch what they can do and really judge it. We can't let anyone know about what they can do, unless we trust them fully."

"I know," Sarine nodded. Ragged Zombie moved down to Angela and gathered her up with a grin. She looked at him now and touched his face.

"Sorry, Angela. It doesn't work on me," he smiled. "I'm a living dead man. I'm alive, but not alive. I like it this way! I'm sure that, if I didn't like it, then you could probably do something. But, I like the way I am!"

"Oh! Okay, Dad," she blushed and kissed his cheek before snuggling into him. He chuckled and moved up to the porch with her. Already, the sparring ground was lush with new life. Doppy and Beelzebub were simply amazed at it.

"Ragged Zombie," Sarine said, as she studied him now. "I think she did do something to you. Your eyes. They look...more alive!"

"Huh?" he asked.

"He's right. They don't look dead white anymore. They look sort of green," Kiehl mused. "Emerald green. With pupils and everything. Sort of matches the green stuff in your gut, if you wanted to be funny about it."

"So, people will always know that he's full of it?" Doppy smirked.

"Oh! Well, if that's all that changes, then fine. I wanna keep the hole in my gut! It not only builds character, but I like it!" the zombie grinned. "And you  _know_  I'm full of it, Doppy!"

"I'm sure you do," Sarine winked. That made him smirk, and the others laughed.

"Now I gotta wonder what my kids are able to do," Keltin chuckled.

"You aren't the only one," Aliot nodded. Doll came out of the house to announce that the kimono was ready, and that the younger children needed to be nursed.

"And we have things to take care of!" Thanatos chuckled.

"Awww!" Edward pouted.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll do something tonight," Hibram smiled.

"That we will," Seyren nodded.

"Dad, um, we go somewhere?" Serenity asked.

"They can probably come with us when we are able to get Drake," Sarine smiled.

"Oh! That's true. Tomorrow, you think?" Howard asked.

"I think that will work," she nodded.

"Yay!" Serenity giggled. Howard pressed a kiss to her cheek, and she clung to him when he picked her up. Loomin moved to stand with Sarine, since she was still with him. Muninn flew down to land on her shoulders to nuzzle her.

_:Father Odin. Will help. Children. Advance to. Next classes. No need. To. Go to. Other places. He will. Take care. Of everything. Okay?:_  Muninn warbled.

"If Daddy can do that, it will help!" she nodded. "I worry of what others will think of my children. They are so special to us, and I don't want them to be discovered."

_:We know. So. Father Odin. Will make. Special. Arrangements. For those. That need. Them. Like. Bianca. And Gunther. Others. Will not. Understand.:_

"Good," Doppy nodded.

"That brings a large amount of relief," Beelzebub said. "Our children will have odd features to them. We do not want them to be taken from us or treated with slight!"

"That would just piss us off," Doppy nodded again.

"Tell me about it," Thanatos smirked. "My son looks almost exactly like me. People are going to mistake him for me all the time."

"Hmm," Edward thought. "When I go Lord Knight, I'll have a red cape like you. To make people mad and give you a reason to kick their butts!"

"Edward!" Sarine said with a warning.

"I didn't say ass like Gunther! Oops..." Edward winced, and Thanatos barked out laughter now. Gunther scowled at his brother. Sarine looked at her son and tapped her foot.

"Let it slide this once!" Thanatos said, as he grinned.

"Fine. This once," Sarine said with a sigh. Ragged Zombie slid over to her and started to whisper in her ear. Muninn started to tremble with laughter, as Kiehl and Howard started to hiss out their fits of it. Beelzebub was grinning now and clearly amused. Sarine thought and moved to nibble his earlobe, as she whispered back. All she said were seven little words, and the zombie was stunned. Howard and Kiehl were dying, and Beelzebub had to lean against a wall to catch his breath. Sammy was now wanting in on it.

"She said to him..." Beelzebub whispered. "I'll nibble you like a cookie later!"

"Oh..." Sammy blinked and started laughing. Word was spread as quietly as possible to keep the kids from it. Muninn trembled hard with laughter and flew off to survey the town.

"Let me nurse the kids, and then I'll try on the kimono," Sarine said. Her men nodded and smirked to each other. "And I'm not hungry right now."

"Damn!" Ragged Zombie growled. Her slaves took the kids back to the island home and went to get the nursing quadruplets. Sarine chuckled and moved to sit in one of the bedrooms. Trina and Bernard were brought over to nurse, and Loomin sat next to her.

"Are you all right, love?" she asked.

"Just...amazed at our kids," he smiled. She blushed, and he kissed her softly. Keltin sat on her other side to watch his kids nurse, and he had reverted back to his Bongun self. Trina stopped nursing to look at him silently.

"What?" Keltin smiled.

"Bon...gun?" she giggled. He blinked and found himself grinning.

"That he is!" Sarine smiled. "You are so smart!"

"Um..." Trina blinked and looked at Drago, as he walked in. She pointed at him with a bit of focus to form the word. "Mu...um...Mutant?"

"Mutant Dragonoid," Drago nodded. Then he blinked.  _No one said what my full name was around the kids before._ "You know what I am?!"

"Yah!" she giggled.

"Keltin, she gained your ability to know what monsters are offhand!" Sammy blinked.

"Samurai?" Trina blushed, and Sammy found himself chuckled.

"Incantation Samurai," he nodded. The big words were still a bit hard for her. She went back to nursing, and Bernard made no move to stop nursing.

"Can't you do anything?" Keltin asked his son. Bernard looked up at him with the same blue eyes specked with black and seemed to think, as he nursed. He reached out with his small hand and stretched out his fingers. A Spirit Sphere appeared and launched out to explode in front of Keltin's face. The sphere was relatively weak and did no damage. As he grew, the sphere would become devastating, as he mastered his skill in full.

"What was that?!" Doppy gaped.

"It looked like one of the Spirit Spheres I can do!" Keltin said. "I think...he tried to throw it at me! Did you try to throw it at me?"

Bernard gave a bit of a near toothless grin, as his teeth were coming in.

"You shouldn't throw those at anyone. They can hurt people, you know," Sammy said. That made Bernard whimper. He didn't know that. Keltin gave a small kiss to his forehead to show that it was okay now that he knew better.

"He's going to be a Champion," Kiehl chuckled. "Muninn confirmed that. Trina is going to be a High Priestess when she gets older."

"You knew this and didn't tell me?!" Keltin gaped.

"Sorry, love," Sarine sighed. "It slipped our minds."

"I forgive you," Keltin said and kissed her softly. Then Bernard looked at him, and his eyes flashed white for a brief second. Keltin blinked and said, "Ah...I think he inherited a portion of my Rage powers!"

"What?" Howard asked.

"His eyes flashed white!" Keltin said.

"Oh, dear!" Sarine frowned.

"Bernard," Keltin said sternly. "When you get older, I'll show you how to use your power. BUT! You must use this power for good! You do understand, right?"

Bernard stopped nursing to reach over and pat his father's cheek to show he understood. Then he went back to nursing. That had Keltin chuckling and shaking his head. Sarine smiled and softly started to sing softly to her children. Sammy realized that she was singing a lot more than usual, and he looked at Thanatos.

"Ahh..." the demon mused. "Her other craving! Singing and music. She got that from you, Sammy. I'd rather her do this than cry."

"I see!" Sammy mused. "Now it makes a lot more sense."

"Does it?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. As a child, I often did play music now and then to keep myself happy. It makes perfect sense now," Sammy said. Sarine smiled at him and continued to sing softly to her children. Muninn flew into the room to perch on a chair, and he blinked, as he looked at Sammy.

_:Incantation Samurai! Your children. Gypsy! And Clown!:_  Muninn chuckled.

"Really? You would have thought that they would gain some form of sword skills," Sammy frowned. "Wouldn't they?"

_:Music. Main focus. Right?:_  Muninn warbled.

"True," Sammy thought. "Maybe my next set of kids will be something else."

"It's always possible," Sarine smiled. She gave Trina and Bernard over to Loomin and Keltin. Alexis and Albert were brought to her now. Kiehl moved to sit with her, and so did Aliot, as she nursed them.

"And what can they do?" Aliot asked curiously.

"Well, Sammy did say that they could be upgraded with robotic parts later on. If they wanted to," Kiehl said. "That could be their main skills for each of them. Don't you think?"

"It's possible," Aliot said. "Mainly it would be something with engineer skills, right?"

"That would be a Creator for sure. Whitesmith would be the other route, if they did that," Howard chuckled. "Besides, Aliot, weren't you created by Kiehl?"

"I was," he nodded. "So, it wouldn't be surprising."

"Dah?!" Alexis said, as she stopped nursing.

"Alexis?" Aliot asked with a warm, fatherly smile. She reached a hand for him, and he moved his hand to her. She patted it, and his claws came out instinctively. She studied them curiously and blinked, as he got up to show her the blades in his back. After he showed them that, he sat back down when she reached for him again. She was clearly intrigued, and she kept patting his clawed hands to keep them that way. Sarine frowned, but she watched. Alexis laughed, and her brother looked over now. He reached out to touch the claws, and he seemed completely fascinated with them.

"They appear to like robotic parts," Kiehl mused.

_:Yes. Creator. And Whitesmith.:_  Muninn nodded.

"We are going to have a ton of Creators and Whitesmiths in this family!" Keltin chuckled. Eremes was nodding at this with a smile.

"Well, Eremes, my daughter with you will be a Sniper, and your son will be an Assassin Cross. That was destined, wasn't it? Or was that going to be what Muninn and Huginn's bodies will be?" Sarine asked.

_:Our bodies. But. May be. Right!:_  Muninn warbled.

"There aren't any like me yet..." Eremes chuckled.

_:There will. Soon!:_  Muninn nodded. That had him chuckle again, and he moved over to Sarine to kiss her softly. She smiled, and he moved back to the wall to lean against it.

"So, after this, we're to go to Louyang?" Doppy asked.

"That's the plan," Sammy nodded.

"And Markus will join us," Thanatos nodded.

"Okay. These two are almost done. I'll need to be fitted for my kimono, and then Papa will need to be contacted. I'm sure that the Lord of Louyang would want us to stay for lunch. It's getting close to that time. We'll need to make sure to have some of my craving foods," Sarine said. "Um, Kiehl? I wanted to ask you something. It's a bit important."

"Hmm? Oh! Yes. I'll teach you," Kiehl nodded. Howard relayed her thoughts to him.

"Teach her what?" Doppy frowned.

"Sarine knows how to read, since it was important for her to learn road signs and such. But, her writing skills need work," Howard smiled. "Her letters were legible, but just enough."

"I see," Sammy said. "We'll make time to help her, too."

"I know," she smiled. "I've been lacking on so much."

"Don't worry. We'll get you up to where you need to be," Kiehl said, as he squeezed her. She leaned into him, and he kissed her softly. He ran a hand over her belly and chuckled, as he whispered to her. Howard started to laugh and shake his head.

"I'll probably be the same way," Beelzebub smiled, as he walked into the room. "Are they done yet? Doll is getting anxious."

"I think they just finished," Aliot said, as the twins got fussy. Thanatos took them both, and Errende pressed his hands to her belly. Sarine stood up now and leaned into Kiehl. He put an arm around her waist and led her to the main bedroom where Doll was waiting. Loomin, Doppy, Eremes, and Keltin moved to wait out on the porch. Sammy, Howard, and Kiehl stayed with her to have the kimono tested.

After about ten minutes, Sammy, Howard, and Kiehl came down and sat in the chairs. The three of them were glaring at the ground in silence.

"Eh, should we ask?" Ragged Zombie smiled.

"Look behind you," Howard sighed. When he looked, his jaw dropped. Sarine's hair was done up in the traditional Amatsu hairstyle with the gold and diamond hair pins again. Her face was touched up with makeup, and her Elven Ears were back on. Her small Coronet was on her head. A glittering gold necklace of diamonds and emeralds graced her neck, and earrings decorated her ears. Her kimono was made of deep, green silk with cream colored edges, and it was so form fitting that it gave her a flattering cleavage once again. Gold threading was used to stitch it together, and small seed pearls were used in the thread to decorate the edges of the cloth. Small slippers with the same colors and designs graced her feet. She was completely stunning, and she looked away with a small blush.

"Doll always wanted to play dress up," Sammy chuckled.

"Then...why are you all glaring?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Because Doll won't let us touch her!" Kiehl muttered. Beelzebub moved right to her side to put an arm around her, and she smiled softly. Eremes was completely moved by her. Loomin couldn't believe that she was his wife. Doppy and Keltin couldn't stop staring at her. Her slaves were now moving to make sure she had everything she needed. Thanatos had just come back after setting the kids to sleep, and he gaped at her when she turned to see him with another soft blush. Hibram was clearly admiring her, and Naght rumbled out a proud purr. When she started to feel flustered, Howard got up to comfort her with Kiehl. A soft sigh was all she could give now.

"Are you all right?" Sammy asked, as he rose up to her. He could have been a matching pair with her in his own black kimono. Nigel was much the same in his white one.

"I'm all right. It's...not often that I'm like this," she said softly.

"I want a kimono!" Loomin muttered, and the others chuckled softly. Ollie and Maheo decided to visit Payon, itself, and, when they came back and saw her, they dropped everything they carried. She looked at them with a small frown, and Kiehl stifled a growl, as his arm went a bit tighter around her.

"This is gonna be fun," Doppy smirked. Timmy and Armeyer showed up with Kavach, and both guys blinked at her before averting their gazes.

"I think I need to contact my Papa," Sarine said with a soft frown.

"Yes, we do," Sammy said with a touch of irritation now. Armeyer just giggled softly and pointed to someone behind them. Sarine turned and blushed at how Garrett and Max were staring at her. Seyren had come up with Karla, and now he found himself a touch speechless.

"Oh! You have a pin out of place! Let me fix it!" Coraline said, as she rushed over, and Karla looked through her cart to pull out a jeweled bracelet to put on Sarine's wrist.

"Ah, I think you're both overdoing it!" Sarine blinked.

"You are going to be meeting royalty!" Coraline said. "You have to look your best!"

"I already am!" Sarine said, as she shook her head.

"What are they doing?" Loomin asked with a small grin.

"Making her even more untouchable!" Howard groaned. Ifrit came in with Dracula, since he wanted to see her, and he paused in shock at her. Sarine seemed to wince, and Howard moved to her side quickly.

"Kiehl!" Howard hissed. A bout of sadness was about to hit, and he could feel her emotional wall starting to break. Ragged Zombie moved forward quickly and looked at Seyren.

"So, how long did it take you to get all of that pie out?" the zombie grinned at him.

"What?!" Seyren blinked. Then he saw Sarine and understood, as he shrugged. "I don't know. Why? Are you interested in helping me look for crumbs?"

"I would, but Karla would get jealous," he grinned. Sarine blinked and stifled a giggle.

"As if I want you to touch my armor! You'd probably get green ooze all through it!" Seyren shuddered. "If I want lubrication, I'd go to other means."

"You mean like Mucus Boy?" Ragged Zombie grinned, and Timmy gaped.

"You told them?!" Timmy gasped at Howard, and the Whitesmith started laughing.

"No...! I...did...!" Naght hissed out his laughter. That made them all die with laughter, and Armeyer blinked at Timmy.

"What are they laughing at you about?" she asked.

"Um..." Timmy turned beet red, and Howard was holding in his gut from laughing so hard. Timmy pulled Armeyer into another room to tell her, and her gasp was loud enough to send everyone into hysterical laughing again. Eremes was forced to Cloak and run outside to laugh. Ragged Zombie was still grinning, as the others were able to gain control of their laughter. Howard was gasping for breath, and Sarine was letting him lean on her, as she was still giggling. Kiehl cleaned his glasses of his tears when he put them back on.

When the others wanted to know, as they weren't there on meeting Howard's parents a second time, Ragged Zombie told them all with a form of unholy joy. Lloyd was shaking his head, as he was still laughing. Mitchell was still trying to stop the snickers he was giving out. When Timmy came back out with Armeyer, she was holding a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. The others started to snicker, and Timmy glared at them. Seyren and Garrett were clearly a touch disgusted.

"Sorry," Howard grinned widely. "It was Naght that told how it was done, though."

"Yeah, yeah. It'll be on my tombstone!" Timmy muttered.

"Oh, yes it will!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Beelzebub was laughing, as he guided Sarine to the Warp where her papa was waiting.

"My daughter! You look radiant! And...did I miss something funny?" Markus asked.

"Very," the zombie grinned, and Timmy turned red again.

"Fill me in later," Markus chuckled.

"Definitely!" the zombie grinned again and moved to press a kiss against Sarine's cheek.

"Everyone at Louyang is going to stare at us," Sarine sighed.

"Mainly at you, my daughter. Besides, I spoke with the Lord of Louyang first, so he is aware that you are coming with an elite group of protectors. I also sent a small party of my guards there to ensure that nothing will go wrong," Markus said. She smiled and nodded. Then she took a step forward and gasped in pain, as Doppy shouted with disbelief. Thanatos and Sammy moved to her side quickly to see what happened.

"They grew ten percent," Sammy sighed. "Slow, but steady. Thanatos?"

"Feed her!" he said, as he put his hands on her womb. Loomin moved to her side, and she smiled at him a bit weakly. Nigel brought over some sushi for her, and Byorgue was quick with the cookies. Aliot got her some tea, and Injustice was ready with a bar of chocolate. Maya Purple moved over to be a make-shift table, and Drago kept a protective watch around them. Observation hovered nearby and was doing the same.

"What happened?" Markus asked.

"Her children grew," Sammy said. "This is what happens when they grow quickly. It's something that can't be helped. They are moving now, if you didn't know."

"Let me see," Markus smiled now. She moved her arms so he could feel her belly, and the babies kicked at him. She finished off the sushi and started to eat the cookies rather daintily. She gave a soft blush when Howard let out a small mutter. Beelzebub snickered softly. She took up the tea to drink down and rose up when she was done. She took a deep breath, as she ran a hand over her belly, and Doppy moved close to whisper a song in her ear. She smiled at him, and he kissed her softly. As they approached the Warp, Anna and Neil came through it. They blinked at the sight of her in complete wonder.

"Um...we were wondering what everyone was doing," Anna said.

"Wow..." Neil said, as he looked at Sarine, and she gave a soft blush.

"We are visiting Louyang royalty. If you want to come along, you can," Markus nodded.

"Okay!" Anna smiled. "I would be delighted to join!"

"Me, too..." Neil said with a slack-jawed look. Seyren could only chuckle at the kid.  _He was completely smitten by Sarine._ Doppy could tell and found it amusing for now. When he got older, he would be put in his place properly.

"Let's go to Louyang," Sarine smiled.

"We'll need to go through the Kafra Agent. We don't have a house in Louyang yet," Sammy said. "And we'll need to get permission from the Lord there to make it a bit like home. This way, Beelzebub can hear the conversations."

"That needs to be done?" Markus asked.

"Yes. Otherwise, I can only hear things around us. Not at various distances. In Payon, I can hear things, since the town Chief has already given Sarine permission to call this place her home, and she is welcomed," Beelzebub nodded. "I simply cannot go farther than the house."

"I see. Very well. Let us go to the Kafra Agent to reach Louyang, and we will find a house," Markus nodded. With that said, they walked over to the waiting Kafra Agent, and she sent them to Louyang.


	114. Chapter 114

When they all appeared in the town, Markus's guards were already there with the guards from Sarine's home. The two Priests paused at her beauty once again before moving to position themselves around her with a new purpose.  _She was our princess._  It was the same with the guards, as they set up their positions. The Lord of Louyang was waiting with a few of his guards, and now he paused at the sight of Sarine. He hadn't fully seen her when she was there before. She was hidden on Windwalker's back and was about to go into labor.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you properly," the Lord said.

"The pleasure is mine, as well," she nodded elegantly.

"This is my daughter, Sarine. As I have said, her six husbands, her mates, and her slaves are all with her. One of the slaves is also a bit of her husband, too," Markus nodded. "My daughter is also pregnant again, so they are very protective of her."

"As I can tell," the Lord of Louyang nodded. "My name is Jiao Lin Yun."

"I was wondering if it was possible to get a house in your beautiful city?" she asked. "Of course, it will be protected by monsters. However, if you give me your permission, they can roam the city to further protect it and even help rebuild."

"Really? And my people will come to no harm?" Jiao Lin asked.

"No harm at all. The monsters that are with me are completely good," she nodded.

"You have my permission! I will see about a suitable house for you," he said and nodded to one of his guards to find out. Beelzebub chuckled, as his awareness grew, and he was able to hear conversations from all over now.

"A very wise decision, old friend," Markus chuckled. "Beelzebub is able to hear things throughout the town. He can find out things of importance that you don't know of yet and can even inform you, if he must."

"Oh! Well, then, I will definitely accept anything he can offer! Thank you," Jiao Lin bowed with respect. Beelzebub nodded and paused. He didn't look pleased.

"I must go back to my domain. It is being infiltrated. Give me five minutes or so," Beelzebub said. He pressed a kiss on Sarine's mouth gently and vanished.

"I'll tell you if anything happens," Cecil said.

"Hmm," Sarine smiled. "Should we try buffing you?"

"Oh! Like Errende and Thanatos? Sure!" Cecil nodded. Lloyd cast his buffs on her, and she started giggling when Beelzebub received them.

"So, anyone attached to a demon can give support to them when they are in their own home domains!" Sammy grinned. "This is very useful!"

"I'll let my darker side handle everything," Hibram chuckled.

"Thanatos," Sarine mused.

"Yes?" he chuckled.

"You would think that you can call your generals to your side to help you attack. Right?" Sarine gave a bit of a grin. That made him think, and he grinned savagely.  _I'll have to try it when the time came._

"All you would need is your first general," Doppy smirked.

"We know!" Kavach muttered. He still couldn't believe how powerful Thanatos Dolor got. Errende could only smirk at him.

"Am I missing something?" Ollie asked.

"A lot," Donnie nodded and gestured to fill him in. Thomas, Maheo, Anna, and Neil walked over to find out, too. Loomin was whispered to by Sammy and quickly caught up.

"I heard you have a new garden!" Jiao Lin smiled, as they walked up to the palace.

"Yes. We do," Markus nodded. Sarine gave a bit of a small wince, but she smiled.

"Is the garden not pretty?" Jiao Lin asked.

"Oh, it's beautiful! It's...why it was built. That's all," she sighed.

"It was made to cover up a very nasty piece of history. A piece of history that should never have happened to begin with," Markus said, as he put an arm gently around his daughter's shoulders. She gave her adoptive father a sad smile. On seeing this, Jiao Lin frowned.

"I would like to know," he said.

"Um..." Sarine thought. "Let us go inside. It would be best for us to be out of the public eye before we speak of such a delicate matter. I do not need rumors to spread unheeded."

"Of course!" the Emperor nodded. Sammy was simply floored with her impeccable manners. Her other husbands were even more protective of her now. Maya Purple found himself smiling more and more. Then he sighed to himself. _As a prince, I should be rightfully married to her. Especially with how she was now._ Muninn landed on his bug body to perch on the top of his throne-like chair.

_:Later. We talk. Okay?:_  Muninn warbled.

"Okay," Maya Purple nodded. A moment later, Beelzebub came back victoriously and moved to walk behind Sarine.

"My territory is human free again," he muttered to her.

"Good," she nodded with a smile.

"The buffing helped," he mused.

"I'm very glad they helped you," she smiled. He kissed her gently and walked behind her a bit more protectively. He was ready to pull her into his robe, if he had to. Howard and Kiehl both nodded at this. Ragged Zombie stopped, as a guard was staring at him.

"What? Do you have a crush on me?" the zombie grinned.

"Um...no..." the guard said nervously. Small snickers were given, and Doppy cracked a grin while his glowing red pupils seemed to glare at the guard.

"Doppy," Sarine said softly. "Don't scare him!"

"I can't help it," he grinned and moved to hug her.

"The monsters here are allies!" Jiao Lin said sharply to his guards. "They are not harmful in any way! Drop your suspicions as of right now!"

"The only time we will attack anyone is if Sarine comes to harm," Hibram said.

"We won't hurt anyone, if we are treated with respect," Beelzebub said.

"If you want to pick a fight with something, find our darker sides in our usual areas," Doppy muttered. "They'll be more than happy to give you the fight you want! Of course, I would, too, if you really want it!"

"Or just summon me in my tower," Thanatos grinned. Ifrit hissed and flared his heat.

"All of you, calm down right now!" Sarine said, as she faced them. That made them pause and nod to her. Now that the guards saw that she had control of them, they relaxed.

"Sorry," Doppy said with a small smile.

"I know. Just...please, Doppelganger. Mind your manners," she said with a touch of a grin, as many guards gasped at his name. "Incantation Samurai, please keep Beelzebub and Fallen Bishop Hibram entertained with history. Ifrit? Naght Seiger? Please stay close to me. Dracula, please stay close to me, as well."

Small nods were given, as she proved exactly who was with her if anyone tried anything. Jiao Lin was a touch surprised at the company she kept.

"What about me?" Thanatos mused.

"Keep your hands on my belly, Thanatos. Kiel D-01, please walk with me and Howard Alt-Eisen. How-How, I know you and Eremes Guile are human right now and are my husbands. But, do remember how I worry about you both," she smiled. Thanatos moved to do as she asked, and Kiehl looked at Howard with a knowing grin. Eremes moved to her side to kiss her deeply and whisper in her ears. She nodded and whispered softly to him. He nodded, Cloaked, and moved off to scout the palace they were in now. Loomin looked at her, as though to gesture for an introduction, but she shook her head mildly. He realized that she didn't want to reveal that he was a son of Loki just yet. That could cause wide spread panic, and he nodded to her with understanding. _She wanted everything to be at ease first and let them ask the questions._

"Where is he going?" Jiao Lin asked, as Eremes left.

"He's checking for any damages the palace may have to see if they can be repaired," she smiled softly. Now the Lord smiled with a nod. She knew he was also searching for anything that could possibly harm her. Wickebine smiled and moved off to Stalk to help him search. Beelzebub had summoned a couple flies to move throughout the palace by crawling along the ceilings and support beams. The place would be thoroughly checked over.

"Here we are!" Jiao Lin smiled, as they reached the dining room. Maya Purple moved to settle his body along the wall to cling to it. This made the Lord blink with surprise, but there was no other space for him. Muninn flew up to perch in a rafter. Sarine was seated on a floor cushion, and Howard and Kiehl sat next to her. Sammy sat next to Howard to remain in her line of sight. The table was round, so it was easy for him to do this. Loomin sat down next with Doppy. Keltin sat down now, and a spot was reserved for Eremes. Sarine's mates settled to stand along the walls of the room. Her friends that needed to eat were seated next.

"What will you have, my daughter?" Markus asked.

"I'm craving sushi, cookies, and tea right now. So...I need those first. Then, if I'm still hungry, I'll have something else," she nodded.

"I'm afraid I don't have cookies here," Jiao Lin chuckled.

"We do," Errende nodded, and Nigel moved to place a plate of them before Sarine.

"You look peculiar," Jiao Lin said to Nigel.

"I should! I am actually Nine Tail," he chuckled.

"Really?" the Lord blinked. Nigel nodded and shifted into his massive Nine Tail form to show him before shifting back. He was clearly amazed now.

"I have a slave from each race, you see," Sarine smiled. "It was needed."

"Oh?" the Lord asked, as he started to eat some rice.

"Yes. My Papa is my adoptive Papa. He's not my true birth father," she said.

"Markus?! You didn't tell me this!" Jiao Lin frowned.

"Well, I wanted you to see for yourself," Markus smiled. "It's important for anything learned to not leave this room. Enemies are everywhere."

"You have my word! And the word of my men!" Jiao Lin nodded.

"My real Father is Odin," she said with a soft blush, as she began to eat her sushi. Jiao Lin dropped his chopsticks and stared at her with disbelief. She smiled, and Errende helped move various tendrils of her hair to expose the Mark of Odin on the back of her neck. Now the Lord dropped his jaw with shock, and his hand moved slightly in front of his chest in silent tribute. Once again, this action was missed by them. He caught himself after and cleared his throat as though removing the shock of it.

"She is the Vessel of Odin," Sammy said, as he calmly ate his bowl of rice.

"So...that explains it! All of the monsters and such!" the Lord blinked. "I know I heard it before, when she was last here, but I couldn't get the full details."

"Yes," she nodded. "It's important that information on my true identity is hidden for now. Many will try to catch me, you see. When I travel, it's fine, since no one really knows who I am or where I live. If I'm caught...the results will be drastic."

"It will not happen!" Jiao Lin nodded. "I will send some of my own men to help protect you, if I must! Do you have a castle? Or a palace?"

"I have one that is starting to become one on an island. I'm sure you have heard of the arena that many can go to in order to fight monsters for prizes and tests of skill?" she asked.

"I have," he nodded. "It's rather new, and I've been planning to visit it!"

"I live on that island. The arena is my creation. Let us know when you plan to visit. We will prepare the guest area properly for you," she smiled. "I am also owning homes in various towns. It helps me travel to places faster."

"Right! And I'm still checking to see what homes I have available for you," he nodded.

"She has a home in Payon and Alberta right now," Markus said.

"Oh? I'll send a couple guards to help protect them!" Jiao Lin said.

"Not necessary," Beelzebub said with a chuckle. "My Hell Flies are enough."

"Ah..." the Lord thought and nodded. The meal finished in silence, and the empty dishes were removed. Eremes had joined them right after they finished, and he was served up a bowl of rice with steamed pork buns. Nodding his thanks, he started to eat. Wickebine joined them right after, and she was served the same meal.

"Find anything?" Markus asked.

"Yes. Three upper support beams are starting to warp from the weather. They are being repaired right now," Eremes nodded. Jiao Lin blinked at this, and he gave a nod of thanks.

"Love?" Kiehl asked, as he looked at her.

"I'm okay," she smiled, and he rubbed a hand over her belly gently.

"I am still curious about the story of the garden," Jiao Lin admitted.

"It will take some time to explain everything," Sammy said. "We can show you something first, or tell you the story."

"Tell me the story first," the Lord said, as he stroked his beard. Now that he was able to sit still and listen, Sarine was able to study him. He was Oriental like her papa, but he had a massive head of brown hair that stood up on end. A wild beard covered his whole face to show it was a warrior's beard. He wore red and gold armor to show that he clearly knew how to fight, and he carried a pole axe that was now settled across his lap when he sat with them. He was not afraid to show that he knew how to defend his people. He was a Lord over his people, just like how Markus was a Lord of his own palace, and he was an Emperor of a form, as well.

Observation hovered along the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Drago kept track of the various scents that filtered through the palace. Maya Purple monitored the vibrations he felt, as he clung to the wall. Errende placed a hand on Sarine's belly on occasion to help keep the developing children calm. Howard and Kiehl kept their arms around Sarine to comfort her, as painful memories were forced to resurface, and Naght moved to stand behind her. The massive demon was still thoroughly upset by the room he found. Doppy and Thanatos were grimacing at the memory as well.

"We have a small slab of the floor as proof of everything," Sammy finally said. "We can show it to you, if you would like to see it. Do be warned! It has been sealed by Odin and Muninn. You will see the room for yourself when you glance at the slab."

"I see. Yes. Show it to me!" Jiao Lin nodded. Storm Caller appeared at Sarine's thought, and that made the Lord blink at the strong Strouf. Storm Caller nodded with respect and held out the slab. Anna and Neil didn't see it yet, and they gasped with shock at what they saw.

"Oh, no!" Sarine gasped with dismay, and Cecil moved quickly with Karla to pull them close to comfort them.  _They weren't supposed to have seen it yet._ Seyren grimaced and got up to help comfort them as an older brother would. Markus moved now to talk calmly to Anna and Neil to explain it was a nasty dream vision that they just saw.

"She was kept in THERE?!" Neil hissed with outrage.

"Yes. However, the room was torn down," Markus said calmly. "There is a garden kept there now. Everything evil is gone, save for what is in that slab."

"And she never knew her real mom! That's so mean!" Anna said, as tears showed in her eyes. Karla hugged her to keep her comforted, and Storm Caller sighed. Now the concrete slab was presented to Jiao Lin, and the Lord screamed with outrage. When the guards moved in to find out what happened, the slab was shown to them, and they gasped with their own shock.

"That place is gone?!" Jiao Lin demanded to know.

"Yes, old friend. It is," Markus said.

"The one that covered up the room has been brought to justice," Garrett nodded.

"Good! So, Emilia was not your true wife?" the Lord asked.

"No. She was an impostor. She imprisoned my daughter when she was only two years old. She usurped my throne and had me under enchantment," Markus said with a hard frown.

"That makes sense, now. She would always refuse to allow you to see me. I knew that something didn't feel right," the Lord sighed sadly.

"I killed her. She's dead," Sammy said with a satisfied smile.

"She stole drugs from the Lighthalzen Corporation labs and used those drugs on Sarine!" Kiehl growled out. "Even on my friends and brothers here!"

"She poisoned a little girl?!" Jiao Lin blinked with shock. Sarine was leaning hard into Howard and Kiehl now. Errende kept his hands on her belly and pressed himself into her back.

"Now you know of my daughter's life, and why she has so many protectors," Markus sighed. "I have only recently made amends with my daughter. It was...very painful to watch what was happening with her. There was nothing I could do."

"You aren't to blame," Jiao Lin nodded. "You were ensorcelled by a witch. But...can she ever come back?"

_:NO!:_  Muninn screeched, as he landed and reverted to his human form. The Lord was floored by this, and Muninn spoke out, " _The one that harmed my sister is trapped in the darkest depths of Nifflheim! Father Odin, himself, placed a powerful seal on her! She will never come back to haunt anyone ever again! Sarine is my sister. I am Muninn. My brother, Huginn, resides in her mind to further protect her. In time, we will be given physical bodies by her to help in a coming war. What happened to my sister in her youth was a full outrage! If I was able to foresee what was to happen, I would have stopped Father Odin from giving her away! He wouldn't let us intervene, either. It pained me to watch my sister suffer so!_ "

"Muninn," Sarine sighed, and he walked over to her to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. He squeezed her shoulder lightly, and she smiled.

"Sarine always told us that things had to happen for a reason," Doppy said softly. "I believe that...if this didn't happen...she likely wouldn't be who she is today. Yeah. It sucks. It sucks to high Hell and back! But, because of it, she's stronger, and she is able to cope with a lot more. I respect her, and I love her for it. As much as I want to change her past, I can't. So, we help her cope, and we support her when she needs us the most."

"Doppy," she said softly, and he leaned over to caress her cheek with a gentle smile. Loomin gave a soft sigh and shook his head.

"I must ask you," Jiao Lin said to Loomin. "are you...a monster of sorts?"

"No. But, my Father, Loki, can be," Loomin mused. The Lord blinked with surprise, and Loomin continued, "My existence is questionable by the priests of Rachel. I was locked away in ice for fifteen years of my life, and my wife rescued me with my Father, Odin, and Muninn. I was only ten years of age when this was done. I was purposely created to be with Sarine, so, if you do the math, she was five years old when I was locked away. If you manage to make it to the lower levels of the Ice Caverns by the town, you will find a replica of me in the ice. It's to throw off the ones that put me there. I will not reveal myself to those fools on any occasion. I will let them believe that I'm safely trapped away."

"And I may never get a house in Rachel, because of this," Sarine nodded. "I will not have my husband's identity be compromised by those with low morals."

"Love," Loomin said gently. He moved to get up and was able to hug her. She hugged him back and nestled herself in his arms.

"She loves all of us...and...it would hurt her...far too much...if we were separated from her..." Eremes smiled. "She needs us all..."

"That I do," she said with a smile.

"Considering you gave many of us kids already," Aliot chuckled.

"That I have!" she chuckled.

"Really? How many?" Jiao Lin smiled. He liked children!

"Ten of them so far. Four more are developing in her, and more will soon come," Sammy said. "And all of them were born within six months. The first two belong to Howard and Naght. We were here when she was pregnant with them. Then she had quadruplets for Thanatos, Errende, and Doppelganger. The next four are from Keltin and Aliot. She gave both of them twins, so, quadruplets again. She is bearing two sets of twins for both myself and Kiehl. Pretty much quadruplets each time. Yes, it's a lot of kids, but Odin is partially responsible for that. Errende and Thanatos have their blood merged, thus they have twins that belong to them both. In the next few months, there may be a full army of kids."

"Amazing!" Jiao Lin mused. "May I see them?"

"We can bring in the older six. I'm sure they are hungry," Storm Caller said. "May I have some assistance?"

Byorgue, Nigel, and Injustice left to help get the kids. Byorgue came in with Siegfried and Serenity first to settle in Howard's lap. Shy smiles were given, and Jiao Lin was in awe of their perfection in face and form. He even chuckled at the tint of green in their hair. Injustice came in next with the twins from Thanatos and Errende. Edward moved to get held by Thanatos, and Angela snuggled with Errende.

"He looks just like you!" Jiao Lin chuckled at Thanatos.

"It's a given," the demon nodded.

"Who's he, Dad?" Edward asked.

"Royalty. Behave yourself," Thanatos warned, and Edward nodded. Doppy's twins were brought in next with Nigel, and they settled in their father's lap.

"Behave. Both of you," Doppy growled softly, and they nodded.

"What a wonderful group of children!" Jiao Lin smiled. "Are you all hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes, please," Angela said with a small blush. Serenity giggled, and Siegfried started to study the room there were in, as they were served small meals of sweet rice and egg rolls. They never had this food before and were delightfully thrilled with it. Jiao Lin was completely charmed by Angela and Serenity. When the kids finished eating, they felt restless.

"Dad," Gunther said.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Um...where are we?" he asked.

"You're in the palace of Louyang," Doppy said. "The man who gave you food is the Lord here. That's also known as an Emperor of sorts. He's a King and holds all of the power in this town. Respect him like you do with Beelzebub. His word is rule here."

"Right!" Gunther nodded. "Um...Sir, do you need any weapons broken down?"

"Oh! Is that what you do?" Jiao Lin asked.

"My children all have special gifts," Sarine sighed. "It...would not be wise for them to be seen by just anyone. It's risky."

"They are perfectly safe here!" Jiao Lin nodded. "Now, what can you break down?"

Gunther grinned, as Sammy calmly explained what each child was able to do. The Lord was surprised, and so was Markus. He didn't know about this yet.

"And what are your names?" Jiao Lin asked. Each child gave their names diligently. The Lord gestured for a guard to give over an old two-handed spear, and Gunther studied it. Then he bit into it to start snapping off pieces and breaking it down. The guard gaped in amazement with his fellow comrades-in-arms. When it was all in his mouth, he spat out the ruined pieces. Serenity moved to arrange the pieces on the floor, and she let her hammer appear to smack down on them. The new Hellfire spear was created and handed over to the Lord. Jiao Lin was floored, and the guard that gave over the spear had his jaw dropped. Markus was clearly in shock and now wondered what he had in his armory for them to upgrade.

"Use it well!" Serenity giggled and settled back in Howard's lap to get hugged.

"You will tell no one about what these kids can do! Do you understand?!" Jiao Lin shouted to his guards. They all nodded, and Muninn knew they could be trusted.  _All of the men here were completely loyal and honorable._

"Anything else?" Gunther grinned.

"I know we have a lot of old weapons in the armory," a guard said. "We can bring them over, if you like, Your Highness."

"Actually, send them to the island home. It will be safer for them to be changed there," Sarine said. "It will give the kids something to do, too."

"Yay!" Serenity said.

"Can you do armor?" Jiao Lin asked.

"I don't know," Gunther said. "I can try later."

"Hmm," Serenity thought. "I dunno if I can fix armor up, either."

"We'll test the theory later," Sammy said. "I don't think you can. The stuff you do to weapons may be enough. The other children born may be able to do something."

"So, where are the other four?" the Lord asked.

"They are at home. They are still nursing, so they are much too young to travel right now," Keltin said. "It's only obvious that Serenity will be the main weapons smith for the war ahead with what she can do."

"Very true!" Howard grinned and squeezed his daughter.

"Dad! Um, I see a sick plant," Angela frowned.

"Where?" Errende asked. Edward moved from Thanatos's lap to Loomin's lap to be held. She was given over to Thanatos so Errende could keep his hands on Sarine's belly, and the demon took his daughter to where the plant was. She touched it carefully, and the plant perked up back to life to bloom out large, beautiful red blossoms. The guards were amazed and knew that this one would need special protection.

"That plant hasn't bloomed since my wife passed away," Jiao Lin said with a small heartache. "Thank you for bringing it back to life."

"You're welcome," Angela said with a soft smile. Thanatos gathered her up in his arms, and she snuggled into her father.

"My daughter, what do you plan to do today?" Markus asked.

"We need to recruit Drake to our cause. I was thinking we could do it tomorrow, but it is early enough in the day to retrieve him. After him, we may relax and head to Prontera tomorrow to speak with the King there," Sarine nodded.

"He met with her before," Garrett smiled. "He is eager for her to visit again. It's how she got Golden Thief Bug recruited."

"I'll go with you tomorrow, also," Markus nodded. The kids were gathered up and promised that they would be taken to help find Drake. Gunther, Bianca, Edward, and Angela were happy that they would be able to see how it happened. It helped them leave that much faster to prepare for the journey. Serenity and Siegfried waved to Jiao Lin, and the Lord waved back with a small laugh when they left.

"We should go now," Sarine said. "Thank you for lunch. It was marvelous!"

"Oh, did you still want a house?" Jiao Lin chuckled.

"Yes, we did," Sammy smiled, as he stood up. Kiehl supported Sarine and ran a hand over her belly to smile at the kicks he got. As they started to leave, a young man in Imperial dress approached them. He was armored like a Samurai warrior and had much of the Lord's features, save the facial hair. He blinked his dark brown eyes at first to make sure he saw everything correctly before looking at the Lord.

"Shoujin! You have returned?" Jiao Lin asked.

"Yes, Father. We have hunted many monsters outside the outskirts of town! Oh! The palace is infested?!" Shoujin gaped.

"No," he said with a short laugh and a shake of his head. "These monsters are good. They are in the company of Emperor Markus's daughter. Many of them are married to her, and all of them protect her."

"What?" his son asked. This was the first time he heard that Amatsu had a princess. Doppy snarled in warning, but Sarine moved forward to help keep him calm. Now Shoujin saw her and caught his breath.

"We have a place to be at, and a house to see to," Sarine said calmly. "We must go."

"That we do," Sammy nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, Shoujin. I am Incantation Samurai. I do hope we will be able to meet on better terms."

"Ah...sure..." Shoujin said with a soft whisper. He was still amazed by Sarine's beauty. He had never seen someone like her in all of his life. Her tigers' eye gemstone eyes blinked slowly at him, as her lips formed a soft frown.

"Love," Loomin said softly, as he moved towards her now. He easily exposed his solid, pale beauty and pressed a kiss to her lips. They were a perfect match in beauty and pose. He was as pale as winter, and she was as warm as autumn in color tones. Howard and Kiehl managed to snicker softly, and now they moved past the stunned man. Beelzebub twitched a lip into a form of a light sneer and moved past him. The other monsters and friends moved past him, and he was amazed that they weren't attacking anyone.

"If only you were here a moment sooner," Jiao Lin sighed. "There was a lot that you missed. If you show courtesy, I'm sure they will explain much to you."

"She is the Princess of Amatsu?!" Shoujin asked.

"She is," his father nodded. "But, she had a very hard past. The ones with her are needed to be with her. You will not interfere with their lives! I already know that, if you try, you will be lost to me. There is no honor in it."

"I should be married to her! We can form an alliance with Amatsu!" he said.

"I already have an alliance with Amatsu with my friendship with Markus. As much as it would please me to see you married, it cannot be with her. She has a very special future, and we cannot stop it from her," his father said.

"I don't understand," Shoujin said.

"Allow me to show you something and tell you a bit about it," Storm Caller said, as he approached with the concrete slab. Jiao Lin cringed at the sight of the slab, but saw that the vision only happened once. Shoujin blinked at the powerful Strouf and frowned at his father's nod. He looked at the slab and shouted at what he saw. He quickly backed away with a hand to his mouth. Storm Caller calmly explained what it was that he saw and about Sarine's past. As he was talking, the others outside were inspecting a house.

" _This place will work!_ " Muninn said, as he checked it for future reference. Any house would work, since the monsters were going to fix it up. It had a nice little pool of water in front of it, and it looked rather elegant on the outside and on the inside. She clearly liked it, and the place was quickly given to her to call her home for any stays she had in Louyang.

"Storm Caller is telling Shoujin of Sarine's past," Beelzebub whispered out. "I have a feeling that the little runt is going to pull something."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Maya Purple said.

"What makes you say that?" Sammy asked.

"He's royalty like me. He'll do whatever it takes to be close to her," he growled.

"Well, I'm a touch of royalty, and he can kiss my ass!" Beelzebub hissed. That made Maya Purple grin with a nod. Then he thought of something and smiled.

"What is it?" Sammy asked.

"I'm...quite sure that, if I met My Lady in another way, I would have found out she was royalty and made her my betrothed," Maya Purple said.

"You think so?" Doppy mused.

"Yes. I do," he nodded. "As much as I love her and she loves me, and I know that I would never give up my place at her side, I still feel that, since I'm royalty, that I should hold a higher position than being a slave. I should be like Kiehl, in a sense. A slave and a husband. I know it may not happen...but..."

"Only one of us can be like me," Kiehl said.

"I know," Maya Purple nodded. "I just feel that this is needed as a precaution against others like him. To show that's she's already involved with royalty."

"You have a point! A very valid one!" Sammy said, and he thought. "Unless we say that either Howard or Kiehl are royalty?"

"Sammy, didn't you say that being a Warlord is royalty?" Doppy grinned.

"I did, didn't I?" he grinned. "Hmm. How am I to reflect this out?"

"I would say a slight change in your kimono," Maya Purple said. "As plain black, it doesn't prove much. Your ancient ancestor has a change in armor. You should have a better robe to fit your royal status. If you can do this, it will make me feel that much better."

"He's right," Kiehl thought. "Get Errende! We'll need to talk to Doll, too."

"What's going on?" Sarine frowned.

"I want a kimono, too," Loomin said. "Since I have a royal standing in a way by being Loki's son. It will help."

"You have two husbands of royal blood, and they want to show it off," Ragged Zombie grinned at Sarine. At her sudden blush, it made soft laughter come from them. Then Naght moved over to rumble out and pointed to the circlet on his head.

"He's right. He's wearing a crown," Howard grinned. "My blood is merged with his. Kiehl, you're royalty, too, with our blood mixed with yours. You could say, technically, that we are all royalty just by having Sarine's blood in our systems."

"Oh, lovely. A bunch of royal pains in the asses!" Sarine sighed. That got Ragged Zombie roaring with laughter, and her men looked at her with small grins.

"I'm a Lord of my tower," Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"What is wrong with all of you?!" she sighed.

"We just want to let others know that you are already married to royalty," Sammy said. "That's all we want to show. We know that Jiao Lin's son is interested in you."

"Everyone is interested in me," she frowned.

"Just work with us," Doppy sighed, as he moved to hug her. "We are all trying to do something for you. I know you want us to hear your opinion, but you're pregnant, and we are all very protective of you. We just want to make sure that others know that they can't have you."

"I know, Doppy," she sighed, and he picked her up to cradle her gently.

"Let us protect you. Let me protect you. As the mother of our children, and as your husband, I'm asking you. Let us help you? Please?" he asked softly, and she nodded. He kissed her passionately before setting her down on her feet. Howard and Kiehl were chuckling at how much Doppy was able to keep her calm now. He walked into the house with her to watch the Warp appear in the main entryway. Beelzebub set up a couple Hell Flies to guard the house. Then he suddenly turned to see Shoujin at the main doorway.

"So, you decided to approach her?" Beelzebub mused. "Sarine, love. Come to me?"

"Of course," she smiled, and he pulled her into his robe protectively. He pressed a kiss to her mouth gently and purred softly. Shoujin blinked at the sound of the purr, and Beelzebub gave a light smirk at him.

"And what brings you here?" Sammy asked, as his ancestral Samurai ghost came out to study him. Shoujin gaped now at the regal look of the ghostly armor. Loomin stood next to Doppy, and he realized that both looked like they could be princes, themselves.  _She was surrounded by royalty. All of her men, whether monsters or not, were perfectly formed in their own way._ The way Maya Purple stood in his bug body showed that he was already a form of royalty. Ragged Zombie mused to himself, as Hibram watched him with a grin.

"I...wanted to make sure the house was presentable," Shoujin said.

"Oh, come on! You can do better than that!" Ragged Zombie grinned. "You wanted to ogle my mate, right? Just spill it!"

"I would do no such thing!" Shoujin gaped.

"You and every other man that sees her on a daily basis!" the zombie smirked. "Just tell us the truth. Stop lying and digging a shallow grave."

"Fine. Yes, I came to see her!" he sighed. "She's the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. I suppose it can't be helped."

"No, it can't," Loomin agreed. "Thank you for being honest."

"There is no way to be at her side, is there?" he asked.

"No. There is not. But, there is a way to test," Sammy said. "Sarine, love? Do you want to smell him and see how you react?"

"If it will help ease your thoughts," she nodded. Shoujin looked puzzled at this, but he remained still when Beelzebub released her carefully to let her walk over to the man. She leaned in close to take in a deep breath of his scent. Then she backed away with a harsh cough, and Beelzebub yanked her back into his robe to let her breath in his scent.

"She cannot tolerate you being so close right now. You are not to be with her," Sammy said. "At this moment, in her pregnant state, anyone that is unable to be with her makes her repulsed and likely get ill. It's instinctive for her."

"My scent is displeasing?!" Shoujin growled.

"Only to her," Howard said. "I'm sure it's fine to other women."

"Sarine?" Beelzebub asked gently, as he nuzzled her. She whispered to him with a soft whimper, and Kiehl snarled out at her thought.

"No, you're not doing that!" Howard said with a shake of his head. "After what happened before, you are definitely not doing that!"

"Do what?" Shoujin asked.

"Something...that could make her...very sick..." Eremes glowered. "I will not tolerate it. And neither will the others!"

"No, we won't," Keltin frowned.

"A Bongun?" Shoujin frowned. "You're married to her?"

"Yes. I am," Keltin nodded and became his Champion form. This had Shoujin gaping, and Keltin said, "I was enhanced by Valkyrie from Valhalla, herself, to protect my wife! I have Valkyrie's Rage. I will not hesitate to crush anyone or anything to protect my wife and children! It's been proven time and time again!"

"Keltin?" Sarine sighed. He moved to her side, and she hugged him tight. He moved her arms to let her cling to his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her passionately and pressed her head to his neck. Then he gave a mild glare under his Bongun hat at Shoujin.

"I am Doppelganger, also enhanced by Valkyrie and Odin, himself!" he hissed.

"As I said before, I am Incantation Samurai. I was also enhanced by Valkyrie," Sammy nodded. "I am also a Warlord from the past."

"A true-blooded Warlord..." Shoujin blinked in awe. Sammy was considered ancient royalty to him and deserved utmost respect.

"I am Loomin. My Father is Loki," Loomin sighed, as he put his hands on his hips. Then he muttered that he needed better clothes, and Beelzebub grinned. Sarine smiled lovingly at him, and Loomin pulled her close to hug now.

"We should head to the island home," she whispered. "I'm sure the others are already there. I didn't see Seyren or anyone else after we left the palace."

"You're right," Loomin smiled. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Shoujin said.

"Oh?" Sammy asked, as he looked at him.

"I wish to challenge one of you for a place at her side! As a prince, it's my right!" Shoujin said. "A duel will help a true decision!"

"There will be no honor in your defeat," Sammy frowned. "Your father will be very upset with you. Please, rethink your proposition."

"Yes. Please, rethink it!" Jiao Lin said with a heavy frown on his face, as he walked in after overhearing everything. "Do not bring any shame to me! I warned you about interfering!"

"But, Father! Do you not see how it should be me married to her, too?" Shoujin frowned.

"All of us have tasted her blood," Kiehl said. "We are all bound to her by blood. Therefore, we are all royalty, in a sense. If you challenge one, you challenge us all."

"I..." Shoujin blinked and looked away.

"We all fight in the arena on occasion. Not one of us have lost a single fight," Doppy said with a growl. "Even when we fight each other, we are evenly matched!"

"That's impossible!" Shoujin blinked.

"No. It isn't. Not with Sarine," Thanatos said. "Hmm. You need to be shown. Love? I would like to spar against Doppy. The backyard here is large enough for it."

"No," Sarine said. "People will still see you. Let it be done on the island in front of the house. Lord Jiao Lin and his son may bear witness. As much as it pains me to see any of my loves fight, I know I cannot argue in this. Just...don't hurt each other too much."

"I don't think we'll be able to touch each other," Doppy chuckled. Thanatos nodded to him, and Doppy nodded back. Thanatos nodded first, since Doppy was a First Mate, and Doppy nodded after due to his current ranking with Sarine. All of it was instinctive.

"After we see this, we will come back here," Jiao Lin said.

"Yes, Father," Shoujin nodded. Doppy gave a grin, and Thanatos snickered. With that said, they all went through the Warp to head to the island home.


	115. Chapter 115

The moment they got through the Warp, Sammy explained what was going to happen. Chairs were set up outside on the main porch, and Jiao Lin and his son was amazed at the size of the house they appeared in. The sheer elegance and wealth of the place floored them. A couple of Jiao Lin's guards came with them, and even they were impressed with the place.

"How did you afford such a place?" Jiao Lin asked.

"The arena," Sarine smiled. "A portion of the money is donated to Amatsu and the Kingdom of Midgard, as well as the Kafra Corporation. Everything was set up when I went to speak with the King of Prontera the first time. As for the house being like this, that was mainly from the monsters I recruited. I didn't tell them to do this to the house. Most of it was Storm Caller's doing. And my friend, Karla. The monsters love to decorate, and Karla loves to shop."

"I see," Jiao Lin chuckled.

"So, what happens now?" Shoujin asked.

"Take up a chair and watch the fight," Keltin said, as he reclined back in his chair. He blinked when Serenity and Siegfried ran down the stairs and jumped into Howard's lap.

"Dad! What's going on?!" Serenity asked.

"Are we leaving yet?" Siegfried asked.

"Not yet. Daddy Doppy and Thanatos want to spar really quick," Howard chuckled, as he hugged his kids to him. Sarine smiled and pulled Angela up into her lap when she came down to see her. Shoujin gaped at how many kids were coming down the stairs now. Doppy held his kids, and Thanatos gave his son a hug.

"You're fighting, Dad?" Edward asked.

"Yep! I'm gonna fight Doppy! So, you sit with someone and behave. Got it?" Thanatos said. Edward nodded and got set down. He moved to Eremes and had him sit in a chair to move into his lap. The Assassin Cross grinned and laughed softly when Gunther joined him. Bianca moved to sit with Keltin.

"So, why are they sparring?" Seyren asked Sammy.

"To prove a point to Shoujin, Jiao Lin's son," Sammy mused. Thanatos stood in front of Doppy in the sand and sparse grass in front of the house. Sarine had an amused look on her face, as she watched them ready themselves. Kiehl moved over to her, and she kissed him gently to show everything was fine.

"I am your First Mate!" Kiehl growled.

"I know you are," she smiled and nuzzled him to give him a soft nip to his neck. That made him hiss, and Howard grinned wickedly. Then she turned to the strong demons snarling at each other, as they started to fight. Naght roared out his approval, and Ifrit flared out his heat at the battle. Beelzebub and Hibram had grins on their faces while they watched. Shoujin had his jaw dropped at how hard the demons were attacking each other.

"Go, Dad, go!" Edward cheered on Thanatos.

"Yay, Dad!" Angela giggled.

"C'mon, Dad! You can hit harder!" Gunther scowled.

"Beat him up, Dad!" Bianca snickered.

"Which...kids belong to which? It's obvious about the black-haired one," Shoujin said.

"That's Edward, Thanatos's son. Angela is his sister, and she looks more like Errende, because his blood is merged with Thanatos," Sammy said. "Bianca and Gunther are Doppy's kids. All four of them were born together as quadruplets. Serenity and Siegfried are Howard's and Naght Seiger's twins. They are the only ones that were not born as quadruplets. All of the others that Sarine will have in the future will be quadruplets. She will give birth to triplets, too."

"So many! How old are they?" Shoujin asked.

"My kids are almost six months old," Howard grinned at Shoujin's shocked look. "The other four are about four months old. Demonic kids grow quickly. In fact, all of Sarine's kids will, whether they are Demonic or not. Since she's Odin's daughter, time seems to flow differently for them."

"She's...Odin's daughter?!" Shoujin blinked.

"You didn't know? Oh. Well, now you do!" Keltin chuckled, as Bianca looked oddly at Shoujin. She blinked her glowing red pupils at him and frowned.

"What is it, Bianca?" Loomin asked.

"Is he royalty, too?" she asked.

"Yes. He's my son," Jiao Lin said.

"Oh. Okay, then," she nodded and settled back against Keltin. Shoujin was amazed at how smart they were and how clearly they spoke.  _They appeared to be around eight years old in intelligence and about five in body size._ The sparring between Doppy and Thanatos took another ten minutes before they pulled back to show a draw. Sarine smiled softly and nodded.

"Aww! You didn't win!" Gunther frowned.

"You don't have to win a fight to know when respect is needed to be given," Doppy snorted and knuckle-rubbed his son's head. "Just like how you will never beat me!"

"What?!" Gunther pouted, and Doppy flicked him in the forehead to prove a point.

"If it's not the kids, it's the husbands," Sarine sighed, and got Doppy grinning at her. Now he was easily dodging small lunges from his son and giving small flicks to the back of his head to show he was the better one. Seyren and Garrett were laughing at it. She rose up now, and Errende took Angela from her.

"Did you want to check on the nursery, My Lady?" Nigel asked.

"I do," she smiled. He moved to help her, and she planted a kiss on him when he got close enough. He chuckled and escorted her up the stairs with Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy following her. Serenity was giggling, and she ran up the stairs to join them.

"Why does she do that with her servants?" Shoujin frowned.

"She loves us, as we love her," Aliot said. "She gave me children. I love My Lady with everything I have and more."

"Did she?!" Shoujin blinked.

"Yes. In time, she will give me kids, too," Byorgue nodded.

"And me," Drago said with a bit of a hiss, as his Draconic arm purred at the thought.

"She will give all of us kids in time," Injustice said, as he moved to head up the stairs.

"But why?" Shoujin said.

" _Because Father Odin needs her to,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over. He didn't bother reverting back to his falcon form, and Jiao Lin nodded to him. " _I am Muninn, and Sarine is my sister. My brother, Huginn, resides in her mind. All of these kids are my nieces and nephews. Father Odin will eventually be able to see through them and hear through them. All of them are to become his Vessels, as my sister is. The more children she has, the more 'Eyes' and 'Ears' he has in the world. It is very important to him that this happens._ "

"Oh..." Shoujin said.

" _Yes, she has many that want to be with her. But, only a select few are able to even attempt to be at her side. Any more than this is always risky. Any child that is born from her is incredibly special and powerful. Not only that, but exceptionally smart. Sometimes, too smart for their own good. Right, Doppelganger?_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Tell me about it! Hey!" Doppy growled, as his son climbed on his arm. "And, if you bite me, you know I'll bite you back! I did it before!"

"I know, Dad," Gunther said. He found himself getting pulled up to Doppy's chest and tickled hard. He couldn't escape, and Doppy knew it, as he screamed, "You're cheating, Dad! Stop it! C'mon!"

"Nope! You're in trouble!" Doppy grinned and tickled him harder. Bianca was still sitting in Keltin's lap and was laughing at her brother's demise. Then she looked at Keltin and paled at the massive grin on his face.

"No!" she cried out with shock, as he started to tickle her now.

"Do they know who their fathers are?" Shoujin asked.

"Of course, they do! It's instinctive. They see all of us as father figures. Those that have Sarine's blood in them, though. They know that they can come to any of us, if their natural fathers aren't around," Loomin said. "That, in itself, is something they know."

"Um...Dad?" Angela asked, as she tottered to Loomin.

"Yes, my dear?" he asked, as he picked her up.

"Where's Mommy?" she asked.

"She's in the nursery," he said. She gave him a kiss to his cheek and snuggled into him. He smiled and hugged her to him. He loved all of Sarine's kids as his own.

"Um, Dad?" Angela asked again with a blush.

"What?" he smiled.

"When will you have babies with Mommy?" she blushed a bit more, and he found himself chuckling now. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and thought.

"Probably after Howard," he said. "I'm sure of that."

"Okay!" she beamed and cuddled into him. Siegfried was busy sitting on Eremes's lap now, and he was talking to him about different blade weapons that could be used. Thanatos was keeping his son busy by tickling him and hanging him upside down in a playful manner.

"It's time for us to head back. Shoujin! Where did he go?!" Jiao Lin muttered, as his son had slipped off. Shoujin had made his way up to the nursery, and he was blocked off by Naght and Ifrit while Sarine was nursing Bernard and Trina.

"I need to see her!" Shoujin said.

"Not while she's nursing!" Sammy said sternly. "You can wait until she is done!"

"Why do you want to see my Mama?" Serenity asked, as she crossed her arms over her small chest and glared at him. "Mama is busy!"

"I just want to talk to her," Shoujin said. Howard frowned and moved just out of the sitting area doorway to stay in Sarine's line of sight. Nigel was helping her with the kids, and Kiehl was assisting, as well.

"Wait until Mama is done feeding my brothers and sisters!" Serenity said.

"Don't make my daughter upset," Howard sighed. "She can hurt you."

"What?" Shoujin asked with disbelief. Serenity gave a Demonic smirk, as her tigers' eye gemstone eyes started to glow out their red pupils. The blue and red swords appeared to hover about her, and Shoujin's jaw dropped.

"Serenity!" Howard said sharply. When Naght rumbled out a snarl in warning, she whimpered, and the swords vanished. The massive demon gathered her up to calm her. Beelzebub was soon in the nursery to push Shoujin aside with a touch of anger. Alexander was watching the whole time and was hidden along the balcony. When he hovered in, Shoujin gaped with shock. Wanderer revealed himself now along the back cradles and kept his hand on his sword staff. Incubus walked in and glared at Shoujin.

"You've got balls to be here," Kiehl muttered at him.

"Well, I do have balls," Incubus said with a shrug. Howard snickered and sighed.

"Don't upset my mate!" Beelzebub scowled at Shoujin and moved into the nursery fully. "You want to talk to her? Fine. Wait until she's done nursing."

"How...did you know what I was talking about?" Shoujin asked.

"I can hear any conversation that goes on," the Demon Lord grinned. "I can do this in Payon, Amatsu, Alberta, in my domain where they found me, and now in your city of Louyang. Any region that Sarine is welcomed to stay in, I can hear everything. So, I can even hear if acts of treason are about to be committed! It's rather helpful, I think."

"Beelzebub?" Sarine called out. He looked over and gave out his soft purr, as he moved to her side. She gestured for him to take one of the kids, and he did so with a nod. Gathering up Bernard, he wasn't sure what to do until Sammy showed him how to burp the child. Sammy took up Trina and was able to show him easily.

"You're going to need to learn how to do this," Howard grinned.

"Only with her kids," he nodded. "I won't touch any others."

"Neither will we," Kiehl chuckled. She was given over Alexis and Albert to nurse, and she sighed softly while she rocked them.

"What's going on in here?" Doppy asked, as he walked in. Gunther and the other kids were getting rides from Maya Purple now. He looked around, snorted out a bit of hatred at the sight of Shoujin, and he snarled, "What the hell are you doing in here?! Your father is looking for you! You need to go to him!"

"I will after I speak with Sarine," Shoujin said.

"Idiot!" Doppy hissed and made his way over to Sarine's side. He gazed at her nursing Aliot's twins silently, and they both met each other's gazes in a loving way. It calmed him instantly, and he moved to sit down near her.

"What's going on outside?" she asked.

"The kids are getting rides from Maya Purple. We may have to enlist another to help," he chuckled. Loomin came in now with Keltin and Eremes. When they saw Shoujin, they muttered softly to each other and moved quickly to sit with Sarine.

"Golden Thief Bug is helping to give them rides," Loomin said with a smile.

"Rides?!" Serenity gasped, and Naght set her down so she could run off to join them.

"He wants to help guard the kids when we take them with us," Keltin said. "When they get older, we may need to have Maya help us. Or a few of the Wolf monsters."

"Vagabond Wolf needs to learn to be ridden," Sarine thought.

"I think he'd only let you ride him," Eremes chuckled.

"Maybe. Windwalker took up that bit, though," Sarine smiled. When Observation came in, Alexander got locked into a glaring war with him. After five seconds, Alexander tore away his gaze, and Observation moved to hover by Sarine.

"My Lady," Observation said.

"Yes, Observation?" she asked.

"I...miss you..." he frowned. She blinked and nodded.

"I understand, love. I know a few of you need me. We need to get Drake after this. Then I'll be able to reconcile everyone. Okay?" she smiled.

"I love you, My Lady," he said.

"I love you, too," she smiled. He moved carefully to get a kiss from her and hovered back by the wall. Alexis and Albert showed they were finished when they got fussy. Loomin took up Albert to burp, and Doppy grabbed Alexis. Sarine fixed up her clothes, and Nigel helped her. She sat with a soft sigh and accepted a cup of tea from Injustice.

"Now, what do you want with Sarine?" Sammy asked, as he looked at Shoujin.

"I really need to ask her something," he said.

"Well...make it quick..." Eremes muttered. Shoujin walked into the small sitting area, and he blinked at her elegance from simply sitting in a rocking chair and sipping tea.

"I need to recruit Drake. What do you need to ask?" she asked him.

"I want a place at your side!" he said.

"That is not possible," she said, as she sipped her tea lightly.

"There has to be a way!" he said.

"No. There is not..." Eremes glowered.

"He's in here," Byorgue said. Jiao Lin walked in smartly to glare at his son.

"Father?" Shoujin said.

"What have I told you?! There is no honor in this! If you fight any of them, I will lose you! You will not stop until you win! That is how you are!" Jiao Lin scowled.

"If I may suggest something?" Sarine sighed.

"Yes?" the Lord asked.

"He may challenge one of my husbands to fight. Just one. If he wins, we will tell him of a possible way to attempt to be at my side. But, should he fail, I will know that he is too weak for me, and he will need to get stronger," she said. Now her husbands looked at each other a touch nervously and with a bit of excitement at the chance to fight.

"Hmm," Jiao Lin frowned and looked at Shoujin.

"I accept!" Shoujin said.

"And who will you challenge?" she asked, as she gestured for her husbands to stand before her. "Do remember, all have special skills granted by Valhalla. Howard and Eremes may be human now, but they do still have a few skills granted to them by their monster forms. They also have skills granted to them by the Demonic blood running through their veins. Choose carefully. Once you choose, you cannot change your mind."

Kiehl was standing with them, as he was a bit more of a husband right now, and he let his ghost out to show exactly who he was. Doppy snarled out viciously, and Eremes glared with his arms crossed over his chest. Sammy had his ancient ghost hovering over him to stare at the young man. Keltin was his Bongun self and smirked. Howard took out his Vecer Axe and leaned against it calmly. Loomin sighed with annoyance and kept his eyes closed.

Beelzebub was amused at this, and Byorgue was grinning while he ran down the stairs to tell everyone what was going to happen. Injustice and Nigel set the young kids in their cradles to keep them calm. Jiao Lin watched his son closely, as he made a decision. Shoujin started to sweat. _Kiehl was an enhanced strong monster. Doppy was an enhanced strong monster, too. Sammy was also an enhanced strong monster. Loomin was the son of Loki, and he is already out of the question. Keltin was a Bongun, but I was told that he was enhanced with the Rage of Valkyrie._  Eremes and Howard would be one of the two safe bets, but he thought to himself.  _Howard had the blood of Naght Seiger in his veins and was clearly stronger than Eremes._  He didn't know that Eremes had the blood of Ifrit, but his decision was made.

"The Assassin Cross! He is my choice!" Shoujin said.

"Done. Meet me...outside..." Eremes said, as he Cloaked and walked off.

"Oh, good. You do know that he has been merged with the blood of Ifrit, right?!" Doppy hissed with laughter. Now Shoujin blinked with disbelief, and his father sighed and shook his head. Howard may have been the better choice, but they were all incredibly strong. Sarine got up, and Loomin was there to help her with Kiehl and Howard. When they moved downstairs, everyone was already seated to see the outcome of the fight. The kids were taken up to the nursery to play with the Poring-type monsters and to get ready for travel.

"My love..." Eremes whispered in her ears, and a kiss was pressed to her cheek.

"Fight well, love," she smiled. An invisible kiss was pressed to her mouth, and she focused on Sammy's bracelet to watch him move to the area in front of the porch. Then he Uncloaked and waited for Shoujin.

"Go. Make a fool of yourself, and we'll go home," Jiao Lin sighed. Shoujin stubbornly muttered and moved to where Eremes was. Sammy nodded to show the fight could begin. Eremes used his monster skill of Berserk and drank down a Poison Bottle. Now his body shot off red sparks, and he snarled. Ifrit hissed his laughter on the porch and watched with amusement. Thanatos and Naght roared their approval at it.

"What?!" Shoujin hissed.

"You were warned," Sarine said softly. "He has skills granted to him still from the time he was a monster. He still is a monster, in a sense. He will be one again tomorrow."

"I..." he blinked and scowled, as he readied his sword. Eremes now radiated the heat from his Fire element, and the place became an inferno. For all that Shoujin knew, he gained the heat from Ifrit. After that, it was just a matter of wearing him down with swift moves and a few well-placed hits from his katars. He was far too fast to counter, and the prince made the mistake of exposing his back for a Sonic Blow to make direct contact to him. Shoujin had no chance.

"Eremes Guile is the winner," Sammy said lightly. Eremes gave a small nod to Shoujin, as he gasped for air after his Resurrection. Then he nodded to Jiao Lin with respect before moving to Sarine's side.

"I'll...challenge another...next time...!" Shoujin vowed.

"That's if you can move," Ragged Zombie smirked. The young man growled, but Jiao Lin had his guards move in to grab his son and take him back to Louyang through the Warp. Her friends simply sighed and chuckled at him, as they listened in to the conversations.

"Please, excuse my son for his idiocy!" Jiao Lin sighed.

"Sometimes, one must learn through trial and error," Sarine shrugged with a soft smile. "My husbands fight in the arena from time to time, and none of them have lost a battle yet."

"Then...you knew my son had no chance!" he gaped. "I do remember you said something about it, but I had my doubts."

"Yes. We warned him of this, too. Everything he wanted to try, we gave him plenty of warning. He decided to ignore the signs. It's...a shame, really," she frowned. "Should he decide to challenge again, I will not stop him. However, he must only challenge my husbands. I will not allow him to challenge my slaves or my mates. Well...maybe my mates. But, not my slaves. Kiehl will be the only exception, but that will be it."

"Your slaves are strong?" he asked.

"Errende is my only human slave, but he has the blood of Thanatos in his veins. All of my slaves have been empowered by Valkyrie in Valhalla. None of them have lost a battle yet, either. But...I do not wish for my slaves to fight. If I can help it. They are to tend to me and see to my every need. As much as I hate to see any of my loves fight, I know that they do enjoy it at times. They also love to test themselves and impress me, too," she smiled.

"You know it!" Doppy grinned and leaned over to kiss her.

"He didn't even try to challenge me," Loomin chuckled. "It was a good thing, too."

"Well, you are Loki's kid," Thanatos grinned. "And you have strong magical attacks."

"I would have killed him in two moves," Loomin nodded. "I have all of the skills a High Priest, a High Wizard, and a Professor would have. I would have likely used Storm Gust and Lord of Vermillion. Maybe Silence him to keep him from using any skills, Stone Curse him to keep him from moving, and used my skill of Lex Aeterna to double the damage."

"Ouch..." Keltin blinked. "That would have done it!"

"I'll cringe if he ever decides to try and challenge you," Jiao Lin sighed. "My son is one of those types that will never admit defeat. He will try over and over again to do what he thinks is right. It is...both good and bad."

"I understand that strength," she nodded. "It was what helped me survive my ordeal. Especially...when I was sick for a week and nearly died. I was lucky that it happened in the heat of summer. I sweat out most of it, though I was incredibly dehydrated afterwards. Even during the months of winter's cold grip. I...would huddle as close as I could to the warmth of the palace walls. It was the one thing that kept me alive. I just...I knew I had to fight every single day. I'm still surprised that I lived as long as I did before Eremes rescued me."

"To know that, even when you were two years old, you were fighting like this," Jiao Lin cringed. "No one was helping you at all?"

"Actually, I had help until I was five," she said with a small smile. "The Captain of the Amatsu guard was a bit of a savior to me. This was before he was promoted to Captain, though. He would sneak me hot meals and do whatever he could for me. Because of him, I survived the first three years by luck. When my false mother found out what he was doing, she quickly forced him to leave. He...told me that I would find happiness. I just had to keep fighting for it. He told this to me through the walls of my cell."

"It looks like we owe that Amatsu Captain even more respect than he knows," Beelzebub said. "To think that he likely even spent a few nights trapped with you. Right?"

"Yes. In the winter, he did. To help keep me warm. He...knew I would have died those first few years. He would tell others that he was away on small trips. He had other guards that were still loyal to me and my Papa to help cover his tracks," she nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Doppy frowned. Howard was trembling, and Kiehl squeezed her shoulder. She had remembered this a short while back when she saw her old guard again in Amatsu during her first friendly visit there, but she felt the need to reveal it wasn't proper.  _Not until now._ Eremes was hissing with disbelief, as Loomin grimaced with pain. Keltin swallowed hard at this and had his eyes shut tight. Sammy was simply fuming and muttering that he should have demanded for her right away.

"Because, it's in the past. That's why," she said. "No one here can truly understand my pain and hardship. Only my loves will fully understand what I went through for so long. Yes, the slab of my floor is there. But...it just shows the room I was in. No one really understands how hard I was forced to struggle just to live day after day."

"Sarine..." Howard cringed and finally moved to grab her and hold her tight. Kiehl pressed himself against her now, and she shivered. Her friends were staring at her in shock.

"I never thought that...I would be where I am today...not in a million years..." she sighed. "To have so many that love me...my Papa...my children...my friends...my loves...I still find myself amazed at it all. And...like  _hell_  do I ever plan to give it up!"

Loomin looked at her with a smile and found himself moving to her side. Doppy, Sammy, Eremes, and Keltin were doing the same. Beelzebub now respected her more than anything. Her other mates felt the exact same way. Her slaves looked at each other and back at her. They were going to make sure to see to her every wish, regardless of what it would be. They all loved her fiercely. Her friends had small, determined smiles on their faces. Sarine empowered everyone without even realizing it.

"Are you sure you want to recruit Drake?" Sammy asked.

"We need to. I promised the children. I need to keep my promise. But..." she thought. "I think we can spare an hour to make sure we are ready to go."

"We'll wait," Seyren said. "Take as much time as you need."

"Thank you," she nodded and then gave a nod to Jiao Lin. "Your son is honorable. He just...needs to know his limits. The more he challenges my husbands, the more he will learn and grow on his own. Show what you need to, if you must, in the form of strict reprimand. Just remember this. Everyone must grow in their own way."

"I know. I see this now. I'll box his ears a little and force him to work harder," the Lord bowed to her. She blushed slightly and nodded. After that, he left with the rest of his guards. Ragged Zombie walked over to her and knew she needed to be cheered up.

"So, Eremes," the zombie thought. "how easy was he to beat up?"

"As easy as it is...to ignore you..." Eremes smirked.

"What? You think you can ignore me?"

"Definitely..."

"I bet you can't!" Ragged Zombie said. At that, Eremes moved to press a kiss to Sarine's mouth, and now she was all that mattered to him. As the zombie ranted and raved, Eremes only had his complete focus on his wife. Nothing else could get in his way. Sarine was clearly smiling now, and he chuckled when he put an arm around her to lead her to the bedroom. The zombie was still going off, and Howard and Kiehl were just laughing at him.

She finally turned swiftly, placed a finger to the zombie's lips to quiet him, and smiled.

"Eremes has proven his point. Hasn't he?" she smiled. At his small nod, she nodded back and thought, as she said, "Tonight, I plan to consume quite a bit of demon blood. So, Thanatos, Beelzebub, and Fallen Bishop Hibram? Please be prepared."

"Hmm?" Beelzebub raised a brow.

"Why?" Doppy frowned.

"You'll see," she grinned wickedly. Now his jaw dropped, and Howard was gaping with Kiehl. She took off the kimono now to reveal that she wasn't wearing anything under it. This made her men gasp with surprise.

"She convinced Doll," Errende smiled. Then she started to dance and sing. The song she sang was one that Howard barely remembered, and it was one from a traveling group that had visited Amatsu for a week. It was extremely fast paced, and he was impressed at how well she was singing it. The traveling group had visited the town when Sarine was only six years old. Just the fact that she remembered the song word for word from that long ago showed exactly how intelligent she really was as a child.

"You remember that song?! I've only heard it once! And, when that group visited, you had to have been at least six years old!" Howard gaped. Kiehl was staring at her in complete shock. She simply winked, as she kept singing while she danced. She had made her own dance to go with the song. Howard listened intently before he started to sing with her. He actually had a very nice voice. Following her thoughts, he learned her dance, and Kiehl started to sing with her. Doppy smiled and followed suit with Sammy. Loomin wasn't sure what to do, so he watched. Eremes and Keltin were the same way. When it came to a close, she was laughing and pulling Howard into a deep kiss.

Errende moved close to her to start helping her remove the jewelry and to put her hair down. When Byorgue came over with her Sniper gears, she shook her head. Then she pulled him close by his collar and planted a kiss on him. She wanted to be comforted by her loves first. She remembered how Observation said he missed her, and she let him get his fill of her. She had him hold her after his release, and it was the same for any of the others that missed her like this. When she was finally held by Hibram, as he had her last, she thought.

"I should see to Incubus and Wanderer," she said.

"I know Incubus fit, but why Wanderer?" Doppy frowned.

"He is also very protective of me now. And he...did come back here to get the other monsters to help tear down my room," she said with a soft frown. Howard thought and gave a small nod of understanding. _If it wasn't for the demon, the room wouldn't have been seen to so quickly._ Kiehl looked over at Byorgue, and the slave nodded. He dressed quickly and moved to get them. Wanderer came in first and blinked, as he saw her in Hibram's lap.

"Um..." Wanderer blinked. She got up now and walked over to his speechless form.

"Thank you for getting the others to tear down that old room of mine," she said. He now gave a small smile and nodded. Then he was thrown into a state of shock when she kissed him.

"I..." he gasped and paused when he saw her smile. He clearly fit with her.

"I'll need a drop of blood from you. You'll get a drop of blood from me after Incubus gives me his drop of blood," she smiled. He was stunned at this, and he started to shiver at the looks of acceptance from the other mates and husbands.

"You proved yourself worthy," Beelzebub nodded.

"You have a place with us," Thanatos chuckled. Wanderer took a deep breath and looked at her. Then he gathered her up and moved her into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he came out with her, and Errende Healed his finger. Incubus was already in the room and now took her from Wanderer to take back into the bathroom. A few minutes more was given to them, and she came back out. She looked at Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy with a touch of relief.

"We need a drop of blood from her. You two go first, and then head to the nursery to give a drop of blood to the kids," Howard said. Wanderer and Incubus nodded. Eremes pricked her finger, and they got the drops of blood they needed. They left for the nursery, and Howard moved to her first. After her men received the blood, she got up to change into her Sniper gears. Now she moved swiftly to the nursery to check on the kids.

"Mama! New Dads!" Serenity laughed.

"That's right!" Sarine smiled and nuzzled her. "Do you want to hear mama sing?"

"Ooh!" Bianca said.

"Yes!" Gunther said. The other kids were excited now and they were ready for travel.

"Okay! Come downstairs, and mama will sing outside," she said. The younger four were sleeping, and she nodded to Alexander, as he caught her eye. He smiled softly and nodded back.

"Was there something you needed?" he asked.

"Possibly later. I plan to consume quite a bit of Demonic blood. I may need your help to balance myself, if I don't do it myself," she said. "I'm not sure if Observation will be enough."

"Let me know, and I'll help you," he said.

"Thank you," she smiled. The kids were led down to the main porch and now Sarine looked at Coraline with a small grin.

"What's up?" the Gypsy asked.

"There was a song I learned a very long time ago. I don't know if you or Donnie know it. I heard it when I was only six at the time from a traveling performance group. How-How confirmed it. I only heard the song once through the walls of my confinement, but I memorized all the words, since I liked it so much," Sarine said. Now Coraline was interested and nodded to show she was ready to listen. Her brother, Thomas, and Ollie were the same. Her friends were now interested. The kids settled in various laps, and Sarine started to sing the fast paced song while she danced. Coraline's jaw dropped and so did Donnie's. Ollie and Thomas were staring in complete disbelief at what they were hearing.

"I do know that song! And the group that sang it! They were the ones that cemented my want to be a Dancer! They only did each song once, and they were so fast that no one could really follow them. It was also a form of a challenge," the Gypsy said.

"You're right," Donnie said. "Anyone that could learn the lyrics of that song would show just how talented they really were. Sarine, do you know the beats?"

"I do," she grinned. Now Ollie, Thomas, and Donnie moved down to learn them. She drummed out the right beats on the front of the guitar and plucked the right chords on the harp.

"The dance is a bit off. Let me show you how it was done," Coraline said. "I do remember that!"

Sarine nodded and learned how the dance was. Howard was now gaping, as the song fully came to life. The kids were screaming with delight, and Sammy was blinking with realization. _This was why my kids are destined to be a Gypsy and a Clown._ He would need to remember what instrument he played in the past, and now he started to think. Storm Caller came out of the house to hand over a guitar that was clearly powerful.

"Salamander was kind enough to give this to us when we found him. Donnie, you should have it. But, do be careful when using it," Storm Caller mused. Donnie took the instrument and gaped at the solid black guitar. It looked like a monster's face on the end of it with sharp teeth coming out of it. He was completely in awe.

"That's a Berserk Guitar!" Ollie blinked.

"Oh, you can use this," Storm Caller chuckled and handed him a harp given over by Lady Solace. It held an extra spot for a monster card and was clearly in perfect shape. Then Storm Caller gave Thomas a Mandolin that Doll had given over. It was able to hold up to three monster cards. The Clowns were in shock.

"I'll keep my guitar on me, too. I don't want to flaunt the Berserk Guitar off. I'll save it for special occasions," Donne said.

"Wise choice!" Coraline giggled.

"We should play at the arena tomorrow morning," Ollie thought.

"You're right," Thomas nodded. "Sarine, do you know any other songs?"

"I do," Sarine nodded and started off another fast paced song. Coraline was in shock with the others. _Sarine had learned every song this particular traveling group had played._  Howard put a hand to his chest, and he smiled with pride. Kiehl put his hand on Howard's shoulder with a nod.  _It would be very easy to teach her what she needed to know._

"We could use another Dancer and a Bard," Coraline thought. "Maybe we could have an audition to join us?"

"You mean, our own band for the arena?" Sarine chuckled. "It's a nice thought."

"I'd rather we meet them while we travel. It's easier that way," Seyren said. "If we meet them by chance, then we know we are destined to meet them."

"He's right," Sammy chuckled. "However, my kids are destined to be just that. A Gypsy and a Clown. If we don't find them, we can wait for my kids to grow up."

"Really? We'll definitely help them!" Coraline beamed.

"I think we are ready for Drake," Sarine nodded.

"Oh, before we forget," Howard said, and he walked down to her to give her the bow they were making for her. She gasped now. It was the bow they gave her for her birthday, but Atroce's card was now in it. She looked at Howard with tears of happiness and jumped into his arms to kiss him thoroughly.

"You know I have to try it out!" she growled, and Howard started laughing softly.

"I know," he nodded with a smile. "We'll make careful arrangements for you."

"It's a given," Kiehl smiled.

"We get to see Mama fight?" Serenity asked.

"Maybe," Howard said. "We don't really want to see her fight, since she's pregnant. But, she does have a right to use her new bow."

"Should I make it better?" Serenity asked.

"Not this one. It's rare to find bows that can hold up to four cards. Really powerful cards are put in it, and it was a birthday gift to her. It's also upgraded to be very strong, and I did that for her myself. So, it's best to leave it as it is," Howard said.

"Can I see it?" she asked. Sarine smiled and revealed the bow. The other kids moved over to see it, and now Serenity saw how much it was upgraded. Edward was impressed with the cards. Gunther thought and frowned.

"You can't make bows, huh, Dad?" he asked.

"No, I can't," Howard said. "I can make anything except for instruments, whips, katars, and bows. So, we will need to see what's out there."

"That's too bad," Siegfried said.

"I can upgrade any weapon, but not armor. I can't make armor, either," Howard nodded.

"Anyways," Sarine smiled. "I think we are ready to go."

"Yay!" Serenity said. Golden Thief Bug skittered over to them with a chitter. Edward and Bianca settled under his protective wing covers.

"Buggy!" Siegfried grinned. Maya Purple chuckled, as the other kids climbed into his protective wing covers.

"Remember," Doppy said, as he warned the kids. "None of you are to leave their sides for any reason! We may be seen by other adventurers. If any of them say something stupid about you, they die. But, we don't want any of you hurt. You disobey even once, you will not be able to come with us anymore until you are old enough to train. Got it?"

"Yes, Dad!" the younger four nodded and said together. Serenity and Siegfried would make sure that they kept their word.

"So, how should we get to him? By Warp or by boat?" Sarine asked.

"Let's do the Warp. I think the boat is still being constructed. Warping is faster, if we still plan to come back and relax afterwards," Sammy said. Muninn hovered over them now, as the group got together. Eddga, Vagabond Wolf, and Pori-Pori came over to settle with them. Naght, Ifrit, and Dark Lord came over, and the kids gasped at Dark Lord. When they saw Lord of Death, they blinked with awe.

"That's right. Where Drake is held, it's a bit of an undead area," Keltin mused.

"Hmm. Which child is the most well behaved right now?" Lord of Death asked.

"That would be both Serenity and Siegfried. They have been on quite a few trips with us," Howard said. Lord of Death thought and looked at Siegfried.

"Come join me on my horse," he said. Siegfried gaped at this, and Kiehl was grinning. Loomin moved to take up Siegfried and placed him in front of Lord of Death's lap.

"Why Sig?" Serenity frowned.

"He will end up riding a steed. He should get used to it," the strong monster explained.

"That does make sense," Doppy mused. Siegfried was amazed at how it felt, and Lord of Death's arms moved to fully encircle the child protectively. They looked over, as Abysmal Knight rode up to them and gestured for Serenity. She gasped with delight, and she was given over now. Lord of Death chuckled, as Abysmal Knight encircled the child with his own protective embrace.

"This will make it a bit easier for me," Maya Purple nodded. Windwalker landed, and Sarine was settled on his back with Howard and Kiehl getting up with her. Sammy moved to walk behind the Gryphon once again.

"Are we ready?" Seyren grinned. At everyone's nod, Muninn took them all to the island that held the ship that Drake was stranded in.


	116. Chapter 116

They all appeared on an island and were forced to spread out a bit. The island was small, and there wasn't much space to move.

"We'll have to go in as small groups," Keltin said. "Drake is on the lowest level of the ship and all the way in the back. He's always attacked, so we may not be alone in there. Everyone needs to be on guard."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. "I'll scout ahead..."

"Good," Sammy said. Several young adventurers paused and gaped at the monsters that accompanied Sarine. Dark Lord smirked and turned his head to ignore them.

"We need to hurry!" Sarine whispered. Golden Thief Bug chittered and kept his armored wings closed over the kids on his back to keep them hidden. Maya Purple made himself ready to fire out his darts at anything hostile. Karla had her bombs ready, and Luna was prepared to help her. Garrett and Max were receiving elemental buffs from Mitchell so they could kill off the rogue Whisper ghosts. A small Kukre skittered up to them the moment they reached the main floor just past the rotting stairway.

"An ally!" Keltin chuckled. The little fish monster looked like a brown bug with small fins and feelers. It almost looked like a tiny Thief Bug built for water. It glowed with power and vanished away. Rooms were explored and cleared out. As they reached the lower area of the ship, they took turns going down it. There was water flooding in here, and the place was searched thoroughly. As they continued, Eremes approached them.

"A group is already attacking him. What do we do?" Eremes frowned.

"We'll have to take out the group," Howard said. "Otherwise, we'll be waiting for him to regain his strength to talk to him."

"We can't just constantly kill off groups of people," Sarine frowned.

"Hey look! Monsters!" a Hunter said.

"Don't even try it, kid!" Doppy hissed at him.

"Why not?!" the Hunter retorted.

"You won't live," Loomin mused. Dark Lord snarled, and Beelzebub gave a small glare. Then the Hunter saw the kids riding with Lord of Death and Abysmal Knight.

"Kids are here?! What the hell?!" the Hunter said.

"Don't swear around my kids!" Sarine growled, and Windwalker lowered his wings to reveal her. The Hunter stammered at her beauty.

"Can I just run him through already?" Doppy growled.

"If he keeps running his mouth off, then sure," she nodded. Gunther and Bianca grinned from where they were on Golden Thief Bug's back. Ragged Zombie glared at the Hunter, as the young man wisely moved off, and the zombie moved to help start clearing away the small swarm that attacked them. Once it was cleared, they started to move forward again. Sarine frowned, as she heard Drake scream out in rage at his defeat.

"We're too late," Eremes grimaced.

"It's fine. He may still be there. I'll need to see him," Sarine said. Her friends and loves cleared out the path to the back chamber after the winning party Teleported out. Windwalker moved into the middle of the room, and Sarine moved off his back. Howard and Kiehl moved with her, and she found Drake's crumpled form in a corner. He growled, but she rose up her hands and smiled. Then she turned and showed him the Mark of Odin on the back of her neck. On seeing it, he visibly relaxed. The black crow on his shoulder settled down and seemed to nod to her. He looked pretty down from being defeated.

"What do we do?" Loomin asked.

"I'm not sure," Sarine admitted. She sat by Drake and moved to hold his withered hand to comfort him. The old, undead pirate captain seemed to sigh. "I'll stay with him until he recovers. The rest of you can move about the ship and collect loot, I guess."

"I'm staying with you. I have to, anyways," Doppy chuckled. She smiled and nodded. None of her husbands, mates, or slaves could really leave her side. Drake glowed with power to give him the ability to speak, and he even seemed a bit more whole again. Before, half of his face was rotted away from water. Now it was whole, and he had a very masculine, clean-shaven, pale face with long locks of curly, black hair. His blue pirate suit even seemed as though it was mended. His wooden peg leg was repaired to hold his weight better. His left hand was a rusted hook, but it was now polished silver. His Corsair hat was still the same, but it looked brand new. He had on a long, deep blue coat that was fur-lined at the top with gold cuffs and trim. He had his beating heart on the outside of his body, and it pumped out black blood under the coat. He had various swords on him to show he was a skilled fighter, too.

"Argh, me lady! If only ye had come here sooner!" Drake sighed. His voice was hardy and rough to show that he was a true captain of his time.

"I know," she sighed. "I tried to get here as soon as I could."

"So, what be me purpose ta ye?"

"There is an arena that I have organized, and you are to help be a judge to the fights. You can even fight in it, if you choose. Dracula and Incantation Samurai are also judges," she chuckled. "The minds of men are filled with pride and greed when it comes to fighting."

"She has a point," Kiehl smiled.

"Shut up," Howard smirked, and they all laughed.

"I feel stronger," Drake said, as he got up.

"Already? Ah. It must have been from the glow," Sammy nodded. When Drake was fully standing, Sarine rose up and whimpered, as Huginn came forth.

"Drake! I am Huginn! It is time for you to help us prepare for a coming war! Separate from your darker self now to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Do this now!" Huginn commanded. Drake let out a scream, as his darker form appeared and vanished, since it was still weak. If it was still strong, they would have had to fight it. Drake was bound to the one room they were currently in. Now his darker side would take his place. The pirate captain shook his head and stood up with a grin on his face.

"I be ready ta fight fer ye!" Drake nodded.

"Good! It is time for us to go back to the island before we are discovered!" Huginn nodded back. The kids were in awe of Huginn, since they hadn't fully met him yet, and he had Sarine's body turn to look at them with a smile. Then he said, "Don't worry, kids. You'll meet me, eventually. All in due time. Just keep behaving yourselves!"

"Uncle Huginn," Serenity asked on Lord of Death's horse. "I have a question for you."

"Yes, Serenity?" Huginn asked.

"Um...I saw you hurt Mama. In the past. Do you...plan to hurt her again?" she frowned.

"No. I don't. You don't have to worry about that anymore. I will protect her with everything I have," Huginn nodded. Serenity gave him a look of indecision. _She would need to be proven to._ Howard and Kiehl seemed to smile a bit grimly at this.

"If you hurt Mama again, I will never forgive you," Serenity finally said. This had Huginn blink with a rare look of surprise. He wasn't expecting this. Sammy and Doppy looked at each other now with small grins. Loomin and Keltin approved of her decision. Eremes crossed his arms over his chest and clearly approved of her. Finally, Huginn nodded, and Sarine fainted. Howard and Kiehl caught her and held her until she woke up.

"What happened? Is Drake all right?" she asked.

"I be fine, me lady," Drake nodded. "A rather...interesting conversation with Huginn, if I don't say so meself! Eh...can I get filled in?"

"I'll talk to you," Beelzebub nodded. Then he looked over at a group of four Wizards, and he growled. Drake seemed to smirk and shook his head.

"Sorry, lads! I am not ye prey today! Wait an hour fer the real prey ta come back," Drake chuckled. "I am not going ta play right now."

"You can't be Drake!" one Wizard said with a shocked look.

"I be Drake, fool boy! I be upgraded by Valkyrie! If ye don't want ta believe it, then that be ye own decision. Now, I need ta get going," he growled out. The crow on his shoulder cawed out laughter, as he moved to Sarine's side. She smiled at him and looked at Howard. When she was finally able to stand up, she paused, as the Wizards decided to use the skill of Ice Wall to keep her confined in the chamber. She simply crossed her arms with a raised brow to show she wasn't impressed, and the Wizards turned to see her other friends standing behind them. On seeing Seyren, Garrett, and Max, they stammered.

"Now, why did you do that?" Garrett asked. "Considering that I'm the Captain of the Royal Guard of the Kingdom of Prontera?"

"Oh! Um..." the first Wizard paled.

"My Captain should lock you up for imprisoning an innocent!" Max growled.

"It's fine," Doppy smirked, as he knocked down the Ice Wall with a quick swipe of his sword. The Wizard gaped, and Doppy grinned wickedly now.

"Doppelganger! Come to me?" Sarine asked. The Wizard party stared in shock.

"If you want to fight me, there's an arena. I dare you all to try!" Doppy snarled, as he moved to Sarine's side. He pulled her close, and she sighed.

"We need to get out of here," Thanatos growled. "More humans are coming. I won't have our kids threatened!"

"Right," Howard nodded. "Is everyone here?"

"I think we are all accounted for," Lloyd said, as the others came in.

"Good! We're ready to go back!" Kiehl said. Muninn warbled and Warped them back to the island home before any others tried to intervene.


	117. Chapter 117

Once there, the kids were released from their protectors to head up into the house to change out of their journeying clothes. Drake looked around with appreciation and grinned.

"This be a good place!" he mused. "Ye say I am ta be a judge?"

"Yes," Sarine nodded, as she walked in with her husbands. Kiehl kept a hand on her belly to feel the kicks of his growing kids, and he smiled softly.

"Hmm. I be more of a sea-faring man. Not really a judge," Drake frowned. "Ye don't have a ship, by chance? I could help ye ferry around."

"Actually," Sammy chuckled. "we are building one."

"I must oversee the building!" Drake insisted. "It only be right!"

"He would know how to build it the best," Loomin chuckled.

"Oh," Beelzebub said. "before you do anything, you need to learn about Sarine's past. That is important. Talk to Muninn, talk to everyone, and then ask Storm Caller to see some letters. You need to do this."

"Argh! Fine!" Drake nodded. He grinned at Storm Caller, as he came over, and they started to talk. He did pause Storm Caller, as he remembered something. He walked back over to Sarine and said, "Lass! I need ta show ye me appreciation! Come over ta me."

"Oh?" Sarine smiled. He fumbled around in his coat and gave her his card.

"I hope this be a fittin' thank ye?" he chuckled. She beamed at him and moved to hug him. He paused at this, but he hugged her back. Then, before Howard or Kiehl could stop her, she kissed Drake. This stunned the pirate captain, and he looked at her oddly.

"Ah...great..." Howard sighed.

"You feel like you fit. Don't you?" Kiehl asked.

"Eh...I think so..." Drake said in thought.

"Another Dad?!" Serenity said with joy, as she came down the stairs.

"I pardon ye, lass?" Drake asked with confusion.

"Talk with Storm Caller. Now," Beelzebub chuckled. "Then you will know what you need to do. Go."

"Very well," Drake nodded, and he followed the Strouf away.

"Sarine, what made you do it?" Howard sighed, as she blushed and moved back to him.

"I...I honestly don't know," she admitted. "It just felt natural to do it!"

"Well, he didn't repulse you when you comforted him in the sunken ship," Sammy said. "In many ways, I'm not surprised. His knowledge of ships and the oceans will definitely help us. He may use the skeletons and other zombies that we recruited as his main crew."

"The Pirate Skeleton we got will likely be his first mate on the ship," Kiehl said.

"I'm going to need to learn a few things about sea faring and such," Loomin frowned.

"I'll find a few books," Kiehl said.

"We'll need to study the stars, too," Sarine thought. "Doppy, would you like to study the stars with me tonight? I can relax on you again."

"Yes. Definitely!" Doppy chuckled. She blushed and moved to gather up Serenity to hug her. She was really starting to look like a miniature of her mother, but had most of Howard's facial structure. She was a beautiful child.

"I'm hungry, Mama," Serenity said.

"Oh? Okay. Let's go into the dining room. Get your brothers and sisters so we can all eat something. Okay? It's not quite dinner time, so we'll have small snacks," Sarine said. Serenity nodded, kissed her mother's cheek, and got set down to run up the stairs.

"Did I tell you that I love my kids?" Howard grinned and hugged Sarine. She blushed, and he hugged her tighter. Pressing his forehead to hers, she smiled.

"I love you, How-How," she giggled softly.

"I love you, Sarine," he chuckled and kissed her. He heard the sound of giggling kids, and he turned to make a funny face at them to get them laughing.

"Let's go eat something," Kiehl grinned. They walked into the dining room and sat at the massive, polished wood table. Injustice, Byorgue, Nigel, and Aliot moved in quickly to start setting small plates of food out for them.

"My Lady, what did you plan to do tonight?" Errende asked, as he set some juice out for her. "Another fire pit?"

"We were thinking about it. I don't believe that we will be traveling anymore," she said.

"Mama? What about Comodo?" Serenity asked.

"Oh! That's right," she thought.

"I don't think you guys are old enough for Comodo yet," Howard said. "It's almost dark, and it isn't safe. We'll plan it for another time for you."

"Aww!" Siegfried frowned. Naght rumbled out a warning growl, and the boy went silent.

"We have a couple hours before we can go anywhere," Sarine thought. Kiehl looked at her with a small grin, and Howard nodded.

"We'll do that," Howard made a gesturing glance towards the arena. The others quickly understood and gave small chuckles. Anna and Neil looked at each other with puzzled expressions, and Margaretha whispered to them. Now they smiled and nodded.

"Who are you guys?" Gunther asked the Merchants.

"New friends!" Anna smiled.

"Really?" Bianca thought.

"Yes," Neil nodded. "Sarine found us and let us stay with her."

"What about your mommy and daddy?" Angela asked.

"Um...our Mom died a long time ago, and our Dad walked out on us. We...don't have a Mom or Dad anymore," Anna said. Angela gasped, got out of her chair, and walked over to them to give them each hugs.

"You can stay with us!" Angela said sternly. "For as long as you want!"

"I know," Anna smiled. "It's what your mom told us, too."

"Hmm..." Edward thought. Thanatos looked over at him and frowned.

"What is it, Edward?" he asked.

"They don't have good gears," Edward said. "They need better stuff."

"I know they do," Howard nodded.

"Ooh! Can we help make better stuff?" Serenity asked.

"I don't see why not," Sarine chuckled.

"Ah, how can you help us?" Neil frowned.

"You'll see!" Gunther grinned. "What weapons are you using right now?"

"Um...just a couple of Battle Axes, really. Nothing special," Anna smiled.

"Can I see them? We'll make them better," Gunther said, as he walked over to them. Neil frowned at first, but, at the smiles of the others, he nodded.

"Are they for two hands? Or one?" Serenity asked.

"Two hands. We never really needed anything else," Neil said, as he gave over his Battle Axe. His sister did the same, and Gunther studied them. Then he started to bite down on them to start chewing them up. The Merchants gaped in shock at this, and Seyren started laughing.

"You're destroying them!" Anna hissed.

"It's needed to make them better. Trust us," Edward grinned. Neil just frowned, as he saw his only weapon spat out into pieces of scrap metal. Then the same was done with his sister's weapon. Serenity moved over to start arranging the pieces on the floor into what they looked like before, and her hammer appeared to smack down on the pieces. Neil and Anna gaped at this with complete shock. She took up the first axe and gave it to Neil. It was a Giant Axe with a slot for a card. Serenity took up the second axe to hand over to Anna, and it was a Heart Breaker axe with another spot for a card.

"Here you go!" she said cheerfully.

"Um...we can't even use these yet!" Neil grimaced. "I'm not strong enough to hold it!"

"Oh..." she frowned. "Um, Dad?"

"Okay!" Howard laughed softly. "I'll make them a couple good axes they can use. This is something you need to take into consideration, kids. Strong weapons require strong people to use them. You did upgrade their weapons, but the weapons are too much for them right now."

"I'm sorry," Serenity said.

"It's okay. It will give us something to work towards!" Neil said with a smile.

"Thank you so much!" Anna said. Serenity smiled and nodded.

"Do you have any cards?" Edward asked.

"Just a Poring card," Neil said.

"Let me see it," Edward grinned. It was handed over, and he looked at it, as he muttered, "Armor card. Okay. Let's see what comes up!"

"Huh?" Anna blinked and saw him rub his hands over the card. Thanatos smirked, as his son worked his skill. Edward looked at the card with a grin now and handed it back.

"I made it into a Marc card. Heh! You'll never get frozen now!" Edward grinned. His father was laughing at this, and Neil was in shock. The others were grinning with amusement.

"Can you change one of mine? I have a Lunatic card," Anna said. Edward nodded and took the card from her to rub his hands on. He looked at it when he was done and smiled.

"Bloody Knight card! Here ya go!" Edward said. She gaped at it and looked at him. He nodded to her and gave a small cry of surprise when she leaned over to hug him. Now Thanatos found himself laughing even harder, and Sarine was softly smiling.

"You do know that he's only about four months old, right?" Howard grinned.

"What?!" Neil blinked. "He looks and talks like he's almost ten!"

"Demonic children age faster than humans," Doppy nodded. "By the end of the year, he may look like he's fifteen or so. Maybe."

"Oh!" Anna blushed, and Edward was gasping from the tight hug. "Um...I didn't know! Did I hurt you? Are you okay? I won't do that anymore!"

"It's okay!" Edward said with a smile. "It's fine!"

"Are you saying that to yourself, or to her?" Ragged Zombie grinned. Edward made a face at him, and the zombie started laughing. Siegfried sighed and shook his head at his brother. Gunther looked like he was a touch jealous.

"I want a hug, too!" Gunther said. Anna found herself blushing, but she gave him a hug.

"Looks like the kids are discovering girls," Kiehl mused.

"No!" Gunther frowned and looked away with a snort. Doppy growled out a warning, and his son paled a bit with a nod.

"The kids are far too excited now. Does Errende, or Thanatos, need to calm you all down? Or can you all calm down on your own?" Sarine asked softly.

"We'll be fine," Edward promised.

"Yeah. We'll be okay," Gunther said.

"Do you promise me?" she asked. At their nods, their attitudes changed completely. They didn't want to upset their mother. Edward and Gunther both moved to sit in her lap, and she hugged them to her. Beelzebub walked over to Sarine and bent down slightly to whisper softly in her ear. She blinked and nodded with a soft smile.

"Okay, kids. Mom needs to talk to Drake," Howard said. "He'll be another dad when she's done. Let her talk to him."

"Another Dad!" Serenity giggled. Neil blinked at this, and Sarine's sons moved out of her lap to sit in their chairs.

"I'll make you both weapons after this. Sarine needs me with her, or she'll get sick. It's a craving that she can't help right now," Howard said.

"A craving to see you?" Neil asked.

"Let me tell them," Thanatos said. "You, Kiehl, and Sammy go up with her."

"Right," Sammy nodded. Sarine moved up the stairs with the three men moving with her. When she walked into the bedroom, Drake was looking out over the balcony. He turned and moved to hug her. The crow on his shoulder was actually able to separate from him now. It was able to scout over the island and would come to him when they were ready to travel.

"Never in me life have I seen such a hardship!" he frowned. "And the slab of ye old floor...I should have been there ta help ye tear down that infernal place!"

"I know, Drake," she nodded. "But, it's done now."

"That it is," he said. "So, how do we do this?"

"Well, you can either undress, or we can do this with your clothes on," she chuckled. He smirked a bit, and Kiehl moved to help her with her shorts while Drake loosened his belt. The moment he claimed her, he growled out his release, and she held out her hand. Sammy was waiting to carefully prick her finger open with his sword so she could give over the blood drop.

"Blood swap?" Drake chuckled.

"Yes. I need a drop of your blood. You take one of mine. Then you need to give the kids a drop of your blood," she nodded.

"I didn't think I'd make a good judge, anyways," he grinned. Then he kissed her, as Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy laughed. He ran a finger over one of his swords and gave her the blood drop. She gave him one of her own, and he rose up to fix his pants up and find the kids. Howard and Kiehl sighed together, and Sammy was chuckling as Drake left.

"Maybe Moonlight Flower can be a judge," Sarine mused, as she let them take a blood drop. "She does have a bell to signal when fights can start and end. Cat O' Nine Tails could even help her keep the peace, if the crowds got too rowdy."

"That's very true!" Howard grinned. Beelzebub walked in with a parade of the other males to get a blood drop, and Byorgue ran off to inform Moonlight Flower of her new position as a judge. When it was done, Beelzebub chuckled and reported that she was thrilled with the offer. She was going to start right away.

"Good. I'm glad it worked out," Sarine smiled, as she gave Byorgue a drop of blood. "I think I need some tea now."

"I'll get it, My Lady," Errende smiled, as he took some blood from her. Nigel was the last one take blood from her, and Kiehl Healed her hand. She let her slave hold her and rest on her. She loved the feel of his hair and whispered it to him. He smiled and nuzzled into her neck.

"So, what's next on the list of things to do?" Nigel asked. She thought, as she accepted the tea from Errende and sipped it lightly.

"I was thinking about Comodo," she said. "However, I will not perform."

"No, I would say not," Howard nodded. "If they ask you to perform, we'll tell them at the arena only. Too many things have happened in Comodo for us to risk it."

"I know. Besides, we need to try gambling," Kiehl smiled.

"My Lady? What exactly happened in Comodo?" Errende asked.

"Ah..." she winced. "That's right. No one knows past Sammy and Garrett..."

"Garrett and Laurell were controlled by Loki, so there wasn't much they could do. And Garrett was tricked by Sarine's false mother. I know Beelzebub will inform the others, so listen up," Sammy said. He explained what happened with both Laurell and Garrett in Comodo. Once it was told, Byorgue was clearly upset.

"My Lady, maybe we shouldn't even try going to Comodo," Byorgue said. "If bad things are known to happen, it may be an omen."

"As long as she stays with us, then she's fine. She can't be without me, Howard, and Sammy right now, anyways. All of this happened when she was asked to perform. It simply won't happen this time. It will be different," Kiehl said, as he reviewed Howard's memories.

"Chain her to your wrists," Doppy smirked.

"Doppy!" Sarine frowned. Then she looked over, as Beelzebub walked in to pull her into his robes with a growl.

"I won't leave your side for anything!" he hissed. "I'll keep you like this, if I have to!"

"As long as she can see us," Howard said.

"Fine," Beelzebub nodded. "And I'll kill anyone that stares!"

"I second that," Doppy grinned. She ran her hand up into Beelzebub's hair, and he started purring deeply. She moved close to him to whisper softly, and he muttered back. Whispering even more, Howard and Kiehl started to snicker.

"Try it. Now," Beelzebub growled. She took a quick glance at Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy to see them before grinning and ducking down in the immense robe. At the sharp intake of breath the Demon Lord gave next, the others started to gasp and giggle with amusement.

"Hey, guys. What's going on?" Seyren asked, as he walked in. Beelzebub gave a sharp hiss, and Thanatos moved quickly to push him back out.

"Sarine is trying an experiment with Beelzebub. Give them a few minutes," Thanatos grinned. "Don't question it. Just go with it."

"What experiment?" Seyren asked.

"Well, Beelzebub has this massive robe..." Thanatos started.

"Stop. I'll wait," Seyren said, as he shook his head with a grin. The demon nodded and walked back into the bedroom. He closed the door and found the others laughing and glancing at Beelzebub with envy. The Demon Lord had Sarine bent over the bed and was taking her with everything he had under his robe. Doppy muttered something lightly with a bit of a wicked grin, and now Beelzebub had to try it. He pulled Sarine's hair aside and bit down hard on her neck. Her muffled gasp of shock was heard, and the Demon Lord released painfully hard inside her when he took in a mouthful of her blood. Pulling away from her carefully, Kiehl moved to Heal her and help her sit up. Errende helped her dress, and now she looked at Beelzebub thoughtfully.

"Sarine..." Howard said with a small grin.

"I got this," she said calmly and took out an arrow. She stalked over to Beelzebub, and he had a bit of a grin on his face at her challenging glare. "You took blood from me. It's only fair that I take some from you."

"Go ahead," he grinned and pulled aside his white locks for her. She scratched his neck with her arrow and locked her mouth on the wound. He shouted with shock at how it felt, and he fell to his knees when she ran her teeth over it to bite down. Then she drew away and smirked, as she turned her back to him. He couldn't think properly right now. Thinking now, since she had a mouthful of pure Demonic blood, she looked at Errende. Kiehl Healed Beelzebub and sat back to watch everything now.

"Blinker. Now," she growled. He nodded and handed it to her. Looking at Loomin, she moved up to him with a grin.

"Sarine?" he asked a bit nervously.

"We'll leave for Comodo in an hour," she smiled and pulled him down to whisper softly in his ear. Howard and Kiehl were shocked.

"Sarine, Seyren wanted to know what was going on," Thanatos grinned.

"Exactly what I said. In one hour, we go to Comodo," she said and pulled Loomin down to get him on his knees. Eremes found himself grinning, and Keltin was giggling a bit. Sammy looked at Errende and moved to whisper to him. Errende nodded and would get on it. He also had the clothes for Loomin to do. Pulling up various cloth rolls, he started to work, as Sarine tied the Blinker over Loomin's eyes. Her husband was shivering now and gave a heightened gasp at her touches. She guided him easily on what he had to do, and it took no time at all for him to start feeling over her body. Another few minutes more had him claiming her and shouting his release with her. They clung to each other, and she ripped the Blinker off of him while he panted.

"Crazy..." he chuckled and hugged her tight.

"I know," she grinned and snuggled into him. Pressing a kiss to her mouth, they helped each other dress, and Kiehl took her to cradle.

"You're sure about Comodo?" he asked. She nodded, and he kissed her softly.

"Like I said," Beelzebub said, as he finally stood up to pull his robe around him. "You aren't leaving my side for anything."

"Okay," she nodded. He sighed and caressed her cheek.

"Beelzebub, just tell her," Doppy grinned.

"I'm getting to it!" the Demon Lord growled. Pulling her closer he whispered softly to her, and she blushed with a smile. Kiehl and Howard chuckled and seemed to nod.

"I love you, too, Beelzebub," she said softly. "You would think after what I did..."

"I know!" he scowled and tickled her lightly. "I don't think I'll be able to accept anyone else like this. I know it's the same for others. How long do you want stay in Comodo?"

"I say," she smiled. "we'll go to the treasury and take a small amount of money. If we triple the funds, I'll say I'm done. If I lose the funds, I'll say I'm done. Otherwise, a couple hours at least. No more than that."

"Okay," Howard nodded. "We can't stay all night, since we become monsters again at midnight. If Seyren tries anything, he'll be forced away from gambling with you."

"Very true," she grinned.

"So, does this mean you're ready to go?" Errende asked, as he set aside a small stack of clothes for Loomin. She gave a small nod, and Loomin moved to get a shirt and pants outfit. Changing into it quickly, he gave over his original clothes, and Errende made plans to fix them up later on. Loomin marveled that the clothing he wore looked exactly like his original set and fit him much better now. He knew that Errende made other styles of clothing, but this worked better for him right now.

"Not so tight in the pants?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll still get fairly tight now and then," Loomin grinned, and Sarine blushed. She was led down the stairs now, and the kids were busy eating dinner.

"Finished?" Seyren smirked.

"For now," Sarine nodded. Beelzebub moved to pull her into his robe and gave a light smirk. Coraline and Donnie were happy to be heading back to Comodo for a while. They wanted to check on their parents. Ollie and Thomas were going to see who else they could find there to spread the word about Sarine and Doppelganger.

"No performances!" Howard said sternly.

"Sarine can't be without us for too long. It's too risky," Kiehl said.

"We know," Coraline nodded. "If they ask, we'll say no."

"Or else..." Beelzebub glowered.

"I'm sure that will be enough of a reason..." Eremes chuckled.

"I'm curious about gambling," Keltin said.

"Treasury?" Sammy smiled.

"I haven't seen it yet," Loomin grinned. Karla had already cleared out her cart, and Howard thought before heading outside. Beelzebub led Sarine out to follow him, and Kiehl followed with Sammy. Once out here, Howard still had his smithing equipment set up, and he was attempting to forge a couple of axes for Anna and Neil. Making an Ice Battle Axe and a Fire Battle Axe, he gave them over.

"I said I would do it," Howard nodded. "These will help you out. Oh, Timmy, what kind of axe do you want? The Hurricane Axe you're using is a loan, remember?"

"Right! Um, Earth based? If you could?" Timmy asked.

"Okay," he nodded. "If you find another basic axe, I'll let the kids fix it up for you."

"I can do that!" Timmy said. "Would there be a chance it could be another Hurricane Axe? I really do like it."

"It's possible," Howard mused, as he botched an axe and started again. He tried again and gave the successfully made Earth Battle Axe to his brother. Timmy gave over the Hurricane Axe, and now they moved to the treasury. The small stone was kicked in to reveal the hidden stairway, and the two Merchants were gaping in awe at the luxurious and richly designed doorway. Doppy and Thanatos opened the door, and Sarine realized that the door was made to be too heavy for humans to budge.  _Better precautions were taken against breaking and entering._

"Very nice!" Howard grinned.

"Now this makes me feel better," Kiehl nodded. Loomin took in the sights of all the money, rare weapons, armors, and items all over the cave. He saw the three Demonic swords, Mimic, and Ancient Mimic, as they moved over to greet them.

"Hey, Timmy! They missed you!" Donnie snickered.

"Shut up!" he muttered, and Ragged Zombie looked over in amusement. Doppy moved to the zombie's side and whispered to him softly. Beelzebub was snickering and hugged Sarine tight to his body. Mysteltainn dragged itself over to Timmy and studied him silently.

"He's changed so far," Howard said. It looked over at Tirfing, and the monster sword chittered out in Demonic. Doppy responded lightly, and Executioner hissed.

"They don't believe him. Timmy, take the Hurricane Axe from Howard and put it in here. Show that you're putting something away instead of taking it," Doppy said.

"Right," Timmy said. He took the axe from Howard and set it with the other axes in the room. This made the Demonic swords a bit more neutral with him now.

"You'll need to put more rare weapons in here to show you're friendly," Keltin said.

"I know. I asked for it, after all," Timmy nodded.

"They look so pretty!" Anna smiled. Mysteltainn moved over to her and leaned itself against her in a form of thanks.

"You can store your axes here, if you want," Garrett said to them. "They'll stay safe. The doors are now made to be too heavy for normal people to open. Only strong monsters can open the doors. They will be safe."

"That's a good idea," Neil said. They set their axes off to the side and decided to store any of their other precious items here.

"I have a brooch from my Mama. It's the only thing I have of her before she died. I lost it once, and I'm afraid to lose it again. Can you all keep it safe for me?" Anna asked. The Ancient Mimic moved up to her and opened up its chest-like mouth. It would guard it for her personally. Patting it on the top of the lid, she gave it over, and it stored it away.

"Very nice," Loomin smiled.

"Thank you!" Anna said. The Ancient Mimic hissed out a misty breath, as it settled at her feet. The three Demonic swords moved to her side and let her admire their forms.

"She's pure hearted. That's why the monsters like her," Sammy mused.

"True," Thanatos chuckled. "Must be why my son and Doppy's son find her interesting."

"You think?" Doppy smirked. "Demons are incredibly attracted to the pure ones."

"Well, they are too young to think of girls right now!" Sarine frowned. "They need to focus on growing up and getting stronger right now."

"True," Doppy nodded.

"So, how much do we take for gambling?" Seyren grinned.

"Ten thousand zeny. That's it!" Karla growled.

"But..." he pouted.

"I have to start setting money aside for those special books! I was told by Blent where to get them. They are extremely expensive! So, we have to be on a budget," she said.

"Yes, dear," he sighed.

"Karla," Sarine called out. Her friend looked over and came to her side. Beelzebub let Sarine out to whisper softly in Karla's ear, and a whisper was given back.

"Split a million zeny between everyone. Should be enough," Beelzebub said.

"Ack! I forgot you can hear whispers!" Karla frowned, and the Demon Lord grinned. He pressed a kiss to Sarine's cheek and whispered to her. She blushed a bit, and Howard chuckled with Kiehl. Beelzebub whispered even more, and she blushed even harder. Howard and Kiehl started to snicker, and they moved over to help her.

"Any way this can wait until later?" Howard grinned.

"No," Beelzebub said curtly.

"Others are here, you know," Kiehl said.

"My robe works well enough," he muttered.

"Can we wait until after Comodo?" Sarine whispered softly. He growled, but she gently pulled his head down to mutter in his ear, "I'll definitely make it worth your while..."

"Fine," Beelzebub said with a small smile. Howard and Kiehl cleared their throats with what she had in mind. That had the Demon Lord interested, and Sarine nipped his neck to make him shiver. He leaned down and whispered with a growl. She giggled, and Karla was watching the whole thing with a rather intricate smile on her face.

"Not a word from you!" Sarine winked, and Karla laughed. Seyren looked over curiously and walked towards her.

"So, how much do we take?" he asked.

"Split a million zeny in various ways. Easiest thing to do," Sarine said.

"All right," he nodded and went to tell the others. Sammy walked over to Sarine and gave a small chuckle. Beelzebub wasn't letting her out of his grasp. Once the zeny was given over to those that could gamble, they left the treasury, and the doors were pulled shut. As they walked back to the house, Donnie was thinking.

"Sarine, I know what that group looks like. The traveling one that you heard your song from. If we see them, what do you want to do?" Donnie asked.

"Nothing," she smiled. "Why should I worry about them? They may simply try to distract me, or try something else. I'm not going to Comodo to perform."

"True," Donnie said. "Maybe the best thing is not to worry about it."

"Always the best thing," Howard nodded.

"As long as you don't sing, you should be okay," Coraline smiled. "Um, I would suggest that, if they do challenge you, you could always do a singing contest at the arena."

"That's a possibility. But, like I said, I'm not gonna worry about it!" Sarine smiled, and Beelzebub squeezed her. "Okay! Are we ready to go?"

"Yep!" Karla nodded. Muninn flew down to hover over them. Naght and Ifrit were going to stay on the island for now. Storm Caller could bring them to Comodo, if they needed to be there. It was the same with other monsters. They approached the Kafra Agent, and they got sent off to Comodo.


	118. Chapter 118

 When they got there, Coraline and Donnie moved off to find their childhood home, and they dragged Max and Egnigem with them. Sarine was comforting Beelzebub, since he couldn't hear conversations at a distance.

"See about getting a house here?" he asked.

"I can try," Sarine nodded. "We'll need to find the town's Mayor or Elder."

"I'll ask around," Karla said. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy stayed close to Sarine, and Doppy, Keltin, and Eremes did the same. Five minutes later, the town Chief came over to talk to them. Garrett explained who Sarine was, and the man was amazed.

"You're the one that performed for us, weren't you?" he mused.

"Yes. I am," she nodded. He had long locks of blond hair that were kept up in a white bandanna. Half-shoes, loose, brown cotton pants, and a tunic with a cloth tassel finished his garments. He was actually much older than he appeared.

"Will you sing for us again?" he asked.

"As much as I would love to, I cannot this time. I'm mainly here to gamble," she smiled. "I was hoping to purchase a house of sorts here, too. The monsters with me are all good, and they can even help protect the town, if they must. They can even rebuild!"

"Really?" the Chief mused. "They would need to be discreet."

"They can be," she nodded. "Perfectly safe!"

"Very well! I do know of a couple huts that are vacant. Let me find out for sure, and you can pick the one you want," the Chief nodded. Arrangements were made for a hut to be purchased, and Beelzebub was delighted that he could hear conversations throughout the town. Sarine explained what the Demon Lord could do, and the Chief was quite impressed. He would definitely want to be informed if anything of interest was heard. A Hell Fly was now stationed in the Chief's hut to not only let the man know of anything, but to help protect him, too. As Beelzebub thought about that, he had various Hell Flies do the same for the leaders of the other towns they could move in.

"I want to try gambling now," Kiehl grinned. The Chief laughed and wished them luck. Now the group moved towards the casino and filtered in. Loomin found his way to a table and ignored the interested stares from other women. Eventually, he got tired of it and made his way over to Sarine to be near her. Keltin nodded and glared at the women, as he flashed his wedding ring. He had decided to be a human Champion to keep the stares down to a minimum for him.

"Nice!" Seyren grinned, as he went to a table. Karla had Luna in her cart, and she kept an arm around her husband's waist. Howard led Sarine to another table, and Eremes moved off to try his luck. Sammy had to stay with Sarine, as Beelzebub kept her close. Doppy tried his luck at the table she stood at and actually made a bit of money. It kept him amused and somewhat busy.

"So, this is how the game works," Howard said, as he explained the rules. She was able to escape Beelzebub's robe long enough to sit down and try a few games of cards.

"No luck for me! I'm done," she chuckled. Quite a few of her slaves had to stay on the island to help out with the children, but Errende and Byorgue were with her. She watched Howard play for a bit longer, and she paused at the sound of a whistle towards her. A man in a black suit and tie walked over to her with a grin. His brown hair was slicked back, and it looked like he was simply looking for a good time.

"Hey there! Have I seen you here before?" he asked, as smoothly as he could.

"You haven't. Don't try it. Get lost!" Beelzebub hissed, as he glared at the man. This made him stammer, and he backed away quickly. Kiehl grinned wickedly, and Sammy only nodded. Loomin smirked, as Keltin glared at the retreating man. Eremes muttered to himself and growled. Doppy stared at the man with annoyance. Howard found himself laughing now.

"Damn! We should have found you sooner!" Howard grinned. Storm Caller brought Ragged Zombie to them, and he seemed to grumble that he was left behind.

"Sorry," Sarine blushed softly. Beelzebub told him what just happened, and the zombie hissed with dismay.

"If he comes back, I'm insulting him!" Ragged Zombie scowled.

"Good," the Demon Lord nodded. Coraline and Donnie managed to find them and walked over to them happily. Their parents were thrilled to see them and had invited them to stay for dinner. Sammy chuckled at the idea, but suggested their parents come to dinner at the island instead. Sarine was a bit amused at the idea.

"I think their house would be too small for us," Sammy said.

"Ah, you're right!" Coraline said. "My parents were a bit surprised to find me married and pregnant. They adore Max! They like Egnigem, too!"

"He has rank and status in the Prontera Guard. Of course, they like him!" Donnie chuckled. "I'm just glad that he treats you with respect. I'm happy they like my wife, too. Mom and Dad were always easy people to please, anyways."

"Max and Egnigem are both Paladins, and they have much higher standards than Lord Knights," Sarine grinned. Seyren overheard them and coughed to make them all laugh.

"At least a Paladin knows when to stop gambling!" Karla muttered, and Seyren pouted.

"I know, right?" Coraline giggled. Beelzebub kept listening to the various conversations going on and paused at one in particular. He bent down and whispered softly to Sarine, as he held her. She blinked and frowned.

"I'm not doing anything," she said.

"I know," he nodded. Howard looked at Kiehl and frowned.

"What's going on?" Eremes asked as he walked over. "I have another...two hours before I become human. Something interesting?"

"Yes," Beelzebub said and leaned over to whisper to him. Eremes thought, Cloaked, and moved to check it out. When Eremes came back, he was frowning.

"We should leave. Now," he said. "I don't want my wife to become a part of a scene..."

"Neither do we," Howard nodded. "Let's go."

"Leaving already?" Coraline frowned.

"We are. You can stay," Beelzebub nodded.

"What's up?" Donnie asked.

"A certain singing troupe appeared and is making challenges to others. We want Sarine to take no part in it," Howard said. Ragged Zombie growled. Coraline frowned, and Donnie thought with a nod. After what happened the last two times they were here, he could understand. They did find it odd at the convenience of them appearing.  _We just talked about this troupe not long ago!_ It did make them wonder, but they pushed it aside. They had to leave quickly.

"All right. We'll see you at home," Donnie said.

"Thanks," Kiehl said.

"Shall we go?" Sammy asked. The zombie nodded, and Keltin was already helping her find a way out of the new crowd that was forming. The casino was a major tourist attraction at night, and they needed to get out of the building as quickly as they could. As they were leaving, Beelzebub snarled out with rag. The suited man came back with friends.

"Hi! We met earlier. I brought some buddies that want to see that girl you're hiding from us. Care to share her?" the man grinned.

"That girl is my wife!" Howard snarled.

"How dare you insult my wife in this manner!" Kiehl fumed.

"Mine, too..." Eremes glowered.

"And. Mine!" Doppy glared.

"Back away from my wife," Loomin growled.

"Touch her, and I'll punch you through the wall!" Keltin hissed.

"Do you want to die?" Sammy frowned. "She's my wife, too."

"Piss off!" Ragged Zombie muttered, and Doppy grinned. Beelzebub glared and pulled Sarine into his robe even more. The suited man had brought over three other guys in their own suits, and now they looked at their friend with dismay.

"She's used goods! You wasted our time!" one of his friends smirked.

"Used goods...?" Eremes asked, as he trembled with rage. Beelzebub gave out an inhuman snarl, but Sarine rose up her hands.

"Not here. It's not worth it. Let the boys play in their playground. We are done here. Let's go, loves," Sarine said, as she moved herself from Beelzebub's grasp. "Where immaturity thrives, it is not our place. It is always a risk when coming to places like these. We took our own gamble, and we lost. If they come to the arena, you can kill them there."

"Ah..." the suited man blinked at how stunning she was, and his other friends were amazed before muttering that they weren't immature.

"I want to gut them open now!" Doppy hissed.

"No, Doppelganger. I live in this town now. It's not worth it. I will not upset the Chief by doing him any form of dishonor after just moving in. That isn't how I do business," she said again. Now the four men gaped at who he was. Byorgue and Errende were clearly upset, but they would not act out against her wishes.

"What arena?" one of the men asked.

"It's on an island and available to travel to by the Kafra Agents. I am the Princess of Amatsu, and I run it," Sarine said lightly. Now the men were floored that they were insulting royalty and glanced around nervously. When they caught sight of Garrett watching them from a corner of the casino, they coughed nervously.  _They recognized him._

"Ah...right...we'll go now..." the suited man said.

"Thank you," Sarine said regally. Sammy was impressed at how neatly she handled the situation. Leading her men to their new house, a Gypsy stopped her.

"You performed for us! Can you do it again?" she asked.

"No. I'm going home. I did not come here to perform this time," Sarine said.

"So, you're the one everyone's been talking about?" a girl with pink hair came over. Clearly a Gypsy with a three Clown group, Sarine sighed with annoyance.

"I have kids that I need to tend to. I don't have time for this!" Sarine said.

"Come on! Just give us one song, and we'll let you go," a Clown grinned.

"Bruce, don't do it!" Donnie muttered, as he walked over.

"Donnie?!" the Clown gaped. Donnie had become relatively famous in the Bard Guild for finding the ones with the Perfect Voices.

"Not now," Donnie said.

"Not even a song?" the Gypsy frowned.

"Ugh..." Sarine muttered. "Donnie, play me a beat!"

Donnie frowned, but he started up a tune that was very familiar to the group. Sarine started to sing the fast paced song, and Doppy grinned before joining her. Then Howard and Kiehl joined in with Sammy. Loomin and Keltin remained silent, and Eremes was thinking of how to get her out of this mess. The troupe was in shock. Beelzebub watched them all with a hard glare. _This was what I wanted to avoid._  As Sarine continued to sing with her men, she knew a crowd was gathering around them. Coraline made her way over to dance with her. Both Gypsies knew each other, and both of them were old rivals. The pink-haired Gypsy was older, but she kept herself fit to look younger. Max moved to stand and watch calmly with Egnigem.

"How did you learn that song?!" the Gypsy growled, as Sarine ended the song neatly.

"From the walls of my cell when I was six years old in Amatsu," Sarine said. "I learned every song your group ever played. My past wasn't very kind to me."

"I..." the Gypsy paused at hearing this and saw how the men were glaring at her.

"Since she was two years old, she was locked away in darkness and left to die," Loomin said with a heavy frown. "We are very protective of her. Don't piss us off."

"Oh..." Bruce said lightly. "Still, she learned our songs. We should hold a contest of sorts. It would only be fair."

"And I understand that. I live on the island that holds the arena. If you are all there tomorrow morning, I will be there spectating on my balcony. We can have it then," Sarine said.

"Okay," the Gypsy nodded. The last thing she wanted to do was make the men with her angry. She recognized Beelzebub, and the man with glowing red eyes was obviously not human. Coraline sighed, and Max moved up to her to put an arm around her with protective concern.

"I'm okay," Coraline smiled softly at him and he nodded.

"Another boyfriend?" the Gypsy smirked.

"No. I'm her husband and First in Command of the Royal Guard of Prontera," Max growled protectively. "And my wife is pregnant. Don't piss me off, either!"

"Ah...oh!" the Gypsy paled. Coraline gave a small smile, and Max kissed her possessively. Beelzebub grinned, and Kiehl moved to put an arm around Sarine.

"Max?" Garrett asked and was filled in with soft mutters. Now Garrett looked at the traveling group with irritation. It was only obvious that this was who Max worked with, and one of the Clowns in the group recognized him with a small, nervous swallow.

"Captain, I believe we are heading back," Sarine sighed. "I, apparently, have a challenge to answer to in the morning at the arena."

"A shame," Garrett muttered. "But, I will be there, regardless. I'm sure Cecil will want to see it, too. And the others."

"Always," Keltin nodded. "Anyways, love, let's go back. I think my kids need to be nursed. And Aliot's, too."

"I'll need to put mine to bed," Doppy smirked.

"Same with mine, My Lady," Errende nodded.

"And mine," Howard chuckled. The troupe looked at them with a bit of surprise.

"How are mine, doing?" Kiehl asked, as he ran his hand over Sarine's belly.

"So far so good!" Sarine chuckled and kissed him. Now the Gypsy paled on learning she was pregnant. Sammy gave a glare to them, and Beelzebub pulled Sarine back into his robe. They moved quickly into their new house, and Ragged Zombie snarled out with anger.

"If they show up, I'm ripping them open!" the zombie growled.

"No. You will do that, if they lose to me at the arena tomorrow," Sarine smiled. "I have children to see to."

"All right," Beelzebub nodded, and they went through the Warp quickly. A Hell Fly was left to guard the place and to help monitor the house. They seemed to breathe a sigh of relief on being back on the island, and Hibram walked over quickly to take Sarine from Beelzebub. Thanatos moved over to her with Naght and Ifrit.

"What happened?!" Thanatos asked, as he saw her distress. Beelzebub snarled out in Demonic with Doppy filling in here and there. He got a bit more from Errende's thoughts, and he hissed with hatred at everything that he was shown. Her mates were outraged and vowed to be at her side in the morning. She was taken up to the nursery and moved to sit in her rocking chair. Errende and Byorgue informed the other slaves on what happened. They were now a bit upset and moved to tend to Sarine.

"Sarine, are you expecting any guests from the arena?" Alexander asked, as he hovered by her. At her shrug, he frowned and said, "I'm only asking because a man is heading here now. I see him quite clearly. Want me to kill him?"

"Alexander!" Sarine frowned. "If he tries to come to the nursery, then do what you must to protect it. Of course, that's if he means us harm. If that happens, then I'll have no complaints."

"Very well," he nodded and hovered back over to the balcony. Wanderer stood by the back cradles and Cloaked. Maya Purple settled himself in front of the cradles with his claws open. Kiehl and Howard seated themselves in the sitting area, and Sammy was quickly with them. Serenity moved over in her pink nightgown and crawled into Sammy's lap.

"Hello, my dear," Sammy chuckled. Sarine smiled, as she nursed Aliot's twins.

"How was Comodo?" she asked.

"Stressful," Kiehl sighed.

"We may be getting visitors," Howard said.

"Oh? Mean ones?" Serenity asked.

"It's possible. Don't do anything, okay?" Kiehl said. Serenity frowned, but she nodded. Ragged Zombie walked into the nursery, and Siegfried moved to him to get held.

"Hey, squirt!" the zombie grinned. "Ready for bed?"

"Almost!" Siegfried nodded. Doppy looked at Maya Purple, as a small mutter was given.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"He's downstairs. I felt him walk in," Maya Purple frowned. Beelzebub nodded to confirm it, and he stood in the doorway of the nursery. Gunther and Bianca looked at each other with small growls. Edward gave a scowl, and Angela cowered a bit in her bed. Her brother moved to sit with her and was going to make sure nothing touched her. Then he thought and had an idea. He patted her hand to get her attention.

"Angie, go in Buggy's wings," Edward said. She nodded, and Maya Purple lifted his wing covers to help her. Once she was secured, he nodded.

"Good," Thanatos said and moved to gather up his son. Doppy watched his kids move behind him and cling to his legs. Siegfried was still in Ragged Zombie's arms, and Serenity was in Sammy's arms. Naght brandished his swords and waited, as Ifrit flared his heat slightly.

"He's on his way up with Storm Caller," Maya Purple said. Beelzebub called another Hell Fly out to perch right over the door of the nursery, and Doppy nodded. Keltin and Loomin seated themselves with Sarine now, and her slaves made themselves present throughout the room. Bacsojin and Doll prepared themselves and waited. When Aliot's twins were finished nursing, Loomin and Keltin took them to burp so she could nurse Trina and Bernard.

"So, she's in there?" a man asked.

"Yes. But, do be warned. So are her protectors," Storm Caller was heard outside the door. The suited man that first approached them in Comodo was soon standing in the doorway, and he gaped at the sight of how many strong monsters were waiting to tear into him. At the sight of Naght Seiger, he couldn't help himself when he froze up in fright.

"Why are you here?" Beelzebub asked.

"Ah...well..." the man started, and Naght snarled out viciously with hatred.

"Say something or leave, idiot!" Ragged Zombie growled, as Siegfried glared at him.

"All right! I was hoping to conduct a business proposition!" he said.

"Like what?" Beelzebub asked with irritation.

"I know I came off as a jerk," the guy said, and Ragged Zombie smirked at him.

"Understatement of the century if I ever heard one," the zombie muttered. Beelzebub grinned a bit and eyed the man again.

"I wanted to see about building a casino on this island. I'm actually the owner of the casino in Comodo," the man said.

"No!" Sarine said sharply from where she was sitting. "I will not have it!"

"What?" the man asked. "Why not?"

"My island is made for the arena only. I will not have it flooded as a tourist attraction! It's enough with the monsters that fight in it. Also, my husband, Howard, may be forging there to help pass some of the time and turn a bit more profit from a useful trade. Besides, the last thing I need are stubborn, drunk people wandering around where they aren't wanted!" she said sternly. "Casualties will happen, and they will all point to me as the blame!"

"She has a point," Sammy said.

"But...think of the money you could make! With me as your business partner, we can go places!" the man said with a grin. He couldn't see Sarine yet, but it was doubtful he was going to step any farther into the nursery. Everyone could detect his lies, and small glances were made to Loomin to find out the truth about him. Loomin gave Albert over to Aliot, and he moved to approach the man calmly. He studied him and sighed with a shake of his head.

"You are such a liar," Loomin frowned. "You would try to usurp the business to take it over yourself by convincing her that you know how to run it better. What's more is that you never gave us your name. Not even once. You bring out three of your 'friends', who were clearly hired men, and now you have the  _gall_  to come and insist on this outlandish scheme?"

"I...who are you?!" the man gaped.

"My name is Loomin. My Father is Loki," he grinned now. "I can detect lies, and I can see the truth in many ways. Through touch, sight, smell, hearing, taste...all of the senses. You are one big liar, and you need to leave  _now_  before you get escorted out in small pieces!"

Now the monsters in the room glared at him with a killing want for vengeance.

"Kids. Go wait. With your mother," Doppy hissed with an unblinking glare at the man. Gunther and Bianca looked at each other and moved quickly into the sitting room. They were smart enough to listen to their father when he was in this mood. Maya Purple waited for Edward to help Angela move into the small room at Thanatos's nod. Loomin now turned and moved into the sitting area to let the others force the man to leave. Then Beelzebub hissed with disgust at him, as a report was sent back to him from Comodo.

"Looks like my Hell Fly just took out your three men when they tried to break into Sarine's new house!" he hissed out with disgust. "Storm Caller is there now to clean the blood off the walls..."

"But...how did this...?" the man gaped. Thanatos took his sword off his back, and Doppy roared with fury. Naght and Ifrit rushed at the man quickly and forced him to run. When the man ran into Garrett and Max, they caught him easily. Doppy told them what happened.

"Dungeon?" Garrett grinned.

"Don't know. He did say he was the casino owner in Comodo," Beelzebub said.

"I can offer a settlement!" the man said.

"We shouldn't take his money. It's dirty," Seyren said. "I don't think I'm going to gamble there anymore. A shame, really."

"Hmm. He's not the casino owner," Beelzebub said, as he listened to the conversations in Comodo. "He's the brother of the casino owner. So, he made false accusations and false business propositions. On top of that, he tried to rob us."

"How...did you...?" the man paled.

"I'm Beelzebub, you wasteful sack of flesh!" the Demon Lord growled. "I can hear any conversation that Sarine has a home in!"

"Let's go back to Comodo, Max. We have unfinished business, apparently," Garrett said, and Max nodded. The Captain of Amatsu walked over to nod to them.

"Her Royal Majesty wants me to go with you as an extra measure," he said. The two guards left to Sarine were with him, and Garrett grinned. Beelzebub then thought, as Doppy muttered, and they pulled the Captain away and out of earshot of the man.

"Oh, we owe you a small debt," Beelzebub said to the Amatsu Captain.

"Do you?" he frowned.

"You helped Sarine as a child. When she needed it most. She remembered it," Doppy nodded. "If there is something you need, tell us. We'll do what we can."

"Thank you," the Amatsu Captain winced. "It hurt me quite a bit when she was tossed in the room to begin with. And...yes. I do mean that she was tossed into the room by that impostor!"

"What?" Ifrit blinked at this.

"She was grabbed by her hair, dragged out of her room, and tossed into the small storage room. That act alone almost killed her with the way her head hit the wall," the Captain sighed. "The moment the impostor left, I went straight into the room to give her what potions I had. She probably would have died that night, if I hadn't acted quick enough. The damage to her skull was severe. I also think that...well...it was that act alone that caused her to lose what memories she had as a young child. I remember I had to convince her that I was a friend. She had lost all of her memories of me when she came around. It took me a week to show her that I meant her no harm. His Majesty, Emperor Markus, does not know of this. In a way, I didn't tell him. I knew it would have hurt him terribly."

"Your small debt...has just been increased by a tenfold!" Beelzebub said.

"She..." Doppy gasped and ran straight back to the nursery. Sarine had just finished nursing Keltin's twins and straightened up her top when Doppy came up to her, pulled her close, and hugged her tight. He was shivering like crazy and needed her close.

"Doppy?" she whispered, and he hugged her tightly.

"What happened?!" Howard and Kiehl said together.

"The kids. Get them to bed first. Then the bedroom," Doppy said, as he picked Sarine up in his arms to carry her to bed. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy were right on his heels, as Keltin, Eremes, and Loomin set the kids to bed. Alexander frowned, but he remained in the nursery. He needed to guard them now.

"Doppy?" Sarine asked again and found him shaking his head at first before tilting up her face to kiss her. He was completely distressed by what he was told. It was rare to see him like this. After the kids were sleeping, the others filtered in. Only then did he reveal what he was told by the Amatsu Captain. She gasped in shock, and he hugged her tight. Muninn flew in to revert to his human form, and he grimaced.

"Muninn...is this true?!" Loomin asked.

" _Yes. It is,_ " he nodded. Gasps of outrage and hatred were now expelled, and she cringed even more. Doppy rocked her and whispered softly to her to keep her calm. She snuggled into him now, and he pressed small kisses to her forehead. No one had ever seen him like this before.

"Just knowing that she wouldn't have come into his life...or any of our lives..." Beelzebub said with a sigh. "It's painful."

"Most of this is from the dream vision, right?" Thanatos asked.

"Yeah," Doppy winced and kept hugging her. "I know I love her more than words can express. And with everything I saw in that vision, and then what I heard from the Amatsu Captain...it kills me. It really does. Sarine, love? If no one has nightmares tonight, can you try sleeping in my lap again?"

"How about something else instead?" she whispered.

"Like what?" he asked.

"I said this before earlier in the day, and you wanted to do this, too. We'll use a reclining chair instead of your usual one, and we'll set it up on the balcony so we can watch the stars," she smiled. He gave a soft groan and kissed her deeply. _This was why I loved her._ Howard was smiling, and Kiehl nodded to Errende and Nigel to find the chair that was used before. Doppy had his armor fully off and was helping Sarine undress by the time they got back. Hibram optioned to sit at the door for the night. The moment Doppy slipped into her, he gasped with a sharp moan, and she was no better. It didn't take long at all for them to release together, and he hugged her to him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before getting up to move her Sniper gears and his armor to a part of the room that wouldn't be needed.

Each of her men were able to be with her now, and Kiehl had himself go last to help comfort her. Doppy was already reclining in the chair on the balcony and had a fur blanket over him. As Kiehl walked over with Sarine, he heard Howard and Eremes give out small coughs, as they reverted back to monster forms.

"Okay, love," Howard smiled and moved to her as Doppy let her recline with him. "While you sleep, I'm going to be working with Kiehl down below. The moment you wake up, I'll know, and we'll be right at your side. Kiehl really wants to start replicating the Pilule for everyone, and I need to get some forging done."

"Okay, How-How. Um..." she frowned.

"I'll be here until you fall asleep. Kiehl and Sammy will be here, too. So, don't worry," he smiled. She nodded, and Doppy kissed her forehead when she pressed herself against him. She let her hands come up to rub the back of his head, and he closed his eyes to purr deeply. Beelzebub moved to stand on the balcony to watch her sleep and to watch the night sky change.


	119. Chapter 119

Six hours passed, and Sarine woke with a sharp pain in her body. Doppy was wide awake when he felt it, as well. Howard and Kiehl were at her side in seconds, and Sammy called in Thanatos to press his hands to her belly.

"It's not the kids," Thanatos said.

"It started in her spine!" Doppy said, as he retraced the pain.

"Nothing attacked her. Maybe it's a cramp?" Beelzebub asked.

"Hmm," Sammy said, as he checked her health. "Doppy, use your Devotion, please."

It was done, and Sarine took in a deep breath of relief.

"Found the problem," Doppy said and looked at Eremes. "Wake him up."

"Right," Aliot said and moved to nudge Eremes awake.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as he moved over quickly.

"Massage her back. She got a sharp pain from it," Doppy said. This made him blink, and he nodded. Eremes quickly applied pressure to various muscles and found where the cramp was.

"Hmm," Eremes frowned. "Did she twist at all when she slept?"

"No," Doppy said. Beelzebub confirmed it. Sarine winced, as Eremes was able to quickly fix the muscle back into place, and he ran his hands along her spine to make sure nothing else was a problem. Thanatos still wasn't feeling that it was the children within her that could have caused it. Sammy thought and woke up Loomin and Keltin.

"Something wrong?" Loomin asked, as he shook the sleep from his eyes.

"Sarine woke up with a bad cramp in her back. Eremes was able to remove it, but we want you to make sure nothing else is wrong, since you are her Eyes. I can't find anything wrong with her health. Keltin, you're awake, because we aren't leaving you out of anything," Sammy said. "Like we promised you before, everyone will be around for her."

"Thanks!" Keltin nodded. Loomin walked over to Sarine, and Eremes pointed out where the cramp was. Loomin focused his eyes and studied the area intensely. He reached out and pulled a small, thin needle from her back. She whimpered from the sharp pain it gave when it was removed, and Eremes massaged it out.

"What is that?!" Doppy hissed.

"I'm checking," Loomin muttered, as he studied it. He stood up and moved to dress in a set of briefs before calling for Muninn. He flew down and landed on the balcony.

_:Yes?:_  he warbled.

"Please tell me this isn't what I think it is," Loomin said, as he showed off the small needle. Muninn looked at it closely. Then he reverted human to lean forward and snatch it from him. He was clearly pissed off.

" _I'm contacting Father Odin!_ " Muninn scowled.

"What is it?!" Doppy growled.

"A small gift from my Father," Loomin sighed. "He's reminding us that he's watching her. Just by him giving her a form of discomfort is going to make me punch him out the moment I see him! Muninn, where is he now? He's the one thing that I can't see when he's not around her, and that just pisses me off!"

" _I'm checking!_ " Muninn said, as he scanned the sky while he contacted Odin. Loomin did let his Divine Light come forth to shield her from his father's sight. Once he knew she was protected, he pulled his Light back and knelt to her.

"Loomin," she sighed. "what did he try to accomplish by doing this?"

"It was supposed to be his way of tracking you. Much like how Beelzebub plants a Hell Fly in a specific place, sometimes a single strand of hair is all he needs to use," Loomin said.

"There is just one thing that I don't understand," she said.

"What's that?" Kiehl asked.

"Why can't I ever get a full night's worth of sleep anymore?!" she growled, and Howard winced. "I'm awake now. Like hell am I going to go back to sleep! The kids are going to be up soon, anyways, and I have to prepare for that stupid contest at the arena..."

"Sarine," Eremes said with a sigh. Then he moved back to her side to massage her back again. That made her groan with a form of comfort. Doppy stretched out for her to have her recline on him, and that relaxed her even more. Then Doppy moved her hands to go back behind his head to make him purr deeply. That had her sighing with exhaustion. Within minutes she was sleeping again.

"Thank you!" Kiehl sighed.

"No kidding!" Howard said.

"Heard and noted," Eremes chuckled. "How much longer do you think she needs?"

"Another two hours," Beelzebub said. "Those of you that need it, sleep now."

"Right," Keltin nodded. Loomin was still highly pissed off about his father, and Muninn was still communing with Odin.

"I need to find out how he got close to her," Loomin muttered.

"Later. Not now," Eremes said, as he walked over to him.

"I can't wait until later," Loomin sighed.

"Odin said you can do Light and Shadow," Sammy said. "Maybe you need to use Shadow to track your father?"

"Hmm," Loomin thought. "That could be it! Can you help me out? Both of you?"

"I can try. As a monster again, I don't need sleep," Eremes nodded. For the next two hours he was able to grasp his power, but it was minimal right now. He was able to expand his Shadow out, but only so far. Figuring it was enough for now, he knew he was going to have to try to work on it more while they traveled and rested.

"The kids are starting to wake up," Maya Purple said, as he blinked his eyes open. "I can feel them getting restless in their beds."

"Sarine is still sleeping. Get Howard and Kiehl up here," Sammy said. "Muninn? Are you still talking to Odin?"

" _Just finished, actually,_ " he said, as he studied the needle in his hand. " _This is a single strand of Loki's hair, as Loomin thought it was. Father Odin wants me to hold onto it. We may be able to use his own tracker against him. I'll keep this with me._ "

"All right," Loomin nodded. He watched Aliot leave the room to get Howard and Kiehl. Once they were in the room, Loomin walked over to Doppy and Sarine.

"What's going on?" Doppy asked, as he opened an eye.

"Muninn is keeping that needle. It's a single strand of my Father's hair, like I thought it was. Odin thinks we can use it against him. The kids are starting to wake up. How is she?" Loomin asked. Doppy was still purring, and he ran a hand up Sarine's back. She yawned and stretched before looking at him with a soft smile.

"Hey. The kids are waking up," Doppy said softly, as he nuzzled her.

"Oh? How long do you think we have?" she asked.

"About thirty minutes, My Lady," Maya Purple judged.

"Did you have anywhere you wanted to go today?" Kiehl asked, as Howard and Sammy walked over with him. On seeing them, she nodded with a touch of relief.

"Yes. I wanted to go to the Orc Village to collect Orc Lord and Orc Hero. Then I wanted to go to Morroc to help the Assassin Guild with the Pyramids and the Sphinx. We need to get Amon Ra, Osiris, and Pharaoh. Then, if we have time afterwards, we'll see what the night brings. I know that we need to go to Prontera to see the King, but we'll have to see what happens. Recruiting the stronger monsters must come first. I really need to do what I can before the kids in me grow anymore. Their growth may be slow now, but I don't know when it will start to get worse," she said.

"You're right, of course," Sammy nodded. "We also have the arena and that singing contest. Don't worry, we'll all be with you."

"They can all piss off!" Doppy hissed, and Sarine giggled.

"Just have the Kafra Agent come up to the house when they arrive. We need to feed the kids and get them settled. I'm sure they'll want to travel with us," she said.

"Not when we go to Morroc," Eremes said. "I won't have my...old comrades...insult them and piss me off..."

"Gives me a reason to kill them!" Doppy hissed.

"Ooh! We get to see Chicken Shit!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and everyone started laughing. Beelzebub thought and bent down to whisper to Sarine.

"It's possible," Sarine thought. "You could have Karla or Garrett go ahead to Morroc to see what houses are vacant."

"I have...a better idea..." Eremes smiled. "As Keltin gave you a house in Payon...I still own a house in Morroc. From my childhood. I'll just...give it to you."

"Oh! That could work!" Sarine smiled. "But, I would still need to speak with the town leader to make sure I'm welcome, you know."

"True..." Eremes nodded. "I'll have Karla check out my old house...just in case."

"Good idea," Howard nodded. When Eremes left, Sarine sat up to stretch, and Doppy pulled her onto him fully. She gasped and arched herself, as he claimed her.

"Damn it, Doppy!" Howard growled.

"Shove it, Howard!" Doppy snarled, as he took her. "You do the same thing!"

"Dad?" Serenity asked, as she opened the door. Beelzebub moved quickly to block the balcony off, and Doppy hissed and doubled his efforts to work her harder. Kiehl moved to kiss her and muffle her cries of release.

"Mama's a bit busy right now. Just hold on, okay?" Loomin chuckled, and she moved to get picked up. She started to giggle, and he gave a grin while he kissed her forehead.

"Where's Dad?" Gunther asked, as he walked in with Bianca.

"Busy!" Doppy snarled out, as he was still tormenting Sarine with his stamina.

"He'll be able to see you both in a moment. He's comforting your mom," Ragged Zombie grinned, and picked up Gunther. Bianca blinked at this, and Serenity started to giggle again. Now Bianca was curious, but she wasn't going to go against her father. She saw how pissed off he could be from last night.

"Um..." Serenity blushed and whispered to Loomin. That made him look at her, and he started laughing. Beelzebub was smirking with amusement.

"Yes, Serenity. You could say that," Loomin grinned.

"More brothers and sisters?!" Serenity asked.

"Not yet. Mama is already having babies with Kiehl and Sammy, remember?" Keltin chuckled, and picked up Bianca. Eremes came back in after talking to Karla, and he settled along a wall to watch the kids.

"Dad?" Angela asked, as she came in. She saw that Errende was still sleeping, and she climbed onto the bed to wake him up with small pats to his face.

"Hmm? Angela! Awake already?" Errende yawned, smiled, and sat up to hug her.

"Yes," she nodded. "Um, where's Mommy?"

"She's busy with Doppy," Ragged Zombie winked.

"Mom!" Edward said, as he came in with Thanatos. At Errende's quick thought, Thanatos scooped up his son to tickle him and keep him preoccupied.

"Mom's busy with Doppy. Just wait for her!" Thanatos grinned at his son's distress.

"No!" Bianca said to Keltin.

"Why not?" Keltin grinned wickedly, and she paled again. A small poke to her side got it started, and she started to holler that he was cheating. Loomin looked at Serenity, and she gave a nervous giggle. Siegfried came in with Naght, but he was being carried. Gunther was glanced at by Ragged Zombie, since he was being held by him, and tickled mercilessly.

"Dad! Save me!" Serenity said to Naght when Loomin started to tickle her, and she squealed with laughter. Naght rumbled a chuckle and purred before poking at his son's sides to get him laughing. Now that the kids were thoroughly distracted, Doppy was gasping with Sarine after his violent release. When he recovered, he ran a hand over her form.

"After what I learned last night," Doppy said, as he nuzzled her. "I'm not leaving your side for anything. The arena...sure. Just so I can kill someone. But, I'm not walking away from your side for any other reason. I promise. You're stuck with me!"

"I wouldn't want you to leave, anyways," she smiled, and he kissed her again. He let her move from his side now, and she wrapped the fur blanket around herself. He was given a towel to put over his waist, and Beelzebub moved to let him reach his armor. The kids stared at Doppy with amazement. They had never seen what he looked like without his armor, and his muscles rippled with sheer power and Demonic strength.

"What?" Doppy grinned.

"Dad is strong! Wow!" Bianca blinked.

"Yeah! I wanna be like you!" Gunther gaped.

"Your dad is strong to protect your mother," Doppy said. "I have to be strong. Strong dads mean strong kids, powerful protectors, and fierce fighters. Eventually, you both will be very strong, too. Last night showed just how mean I can be. If you saw me fight in the arena, you both would have nightmares. I rip humans to shreds for the amusement of others. I prove myself there to show how mean and nasty I am. Nobody messes with your dad!"

"I'm not messing with my Dad!" Gunther said.

"Then I'll mess with you!" Doppy grinned. He walked over to Ragged Zombie to rub his knuckles on his son's head and flick his forehead.

"DAD!" Gunther scowled, and Ragged Zombie grinned. Bianca was still in awe over how strong her father was. Then she looked over at Loomin and saw that he was built just like how her father was. When she saw Sammy, she noticed that he wasn't built as much, but he was very tall. There were now a lot of things running through her mind, and she started to think.

"Hey," Keltin said to her. "What's going on in your head?"

"Dad is strong," Bianca said. "But..."

"But what?" he asked.

"Um...if he's strong, why do so many Dads need to be with Mom?" she asked.

"Ah. Now you want to know more about how your mom grew up?" Keltin asked.

"I guess so," she shrugged.

"Well, you either do, or you don't. Once you learn about your mom's past, you'll understand. It's very painful. You heard what we told Serenity and Siegfried, right?" he asked. "In Payon before you watched them spar with each other?"

"Yes. I remember," she nodded.

"Okay. Kids, sit by me. I'll tell you a bit about your mom's history so Doppy and her can get dressed. It's not a happy story, okay?" Keltin said.

"Are you sure?" Howard frowned.

"We wanna know!" Edward said.

"If we can help Mama, then we need to know!" Serenity said.

"Yeah," Siegfried said.

"Please tell us," Angela said.

"We won't tell anyone!" Gunther said.

"We promise!" Bianca added.

"Don't tell your younger brothers and sisters until you know that they can handle the truth. Got it?" Doppy frowned. Howard knew that Serenity and Siegfried also saw visions from Muninn during one of the thunderstorms, but he knew they wanted to hear more. It worried him a little, and Kiehl gave the same look. At their nods, the kids were set down, and Sarine and Doppy went into the bathroom to dress. In here, Doppy held her close.

"Is it wise to tell them? So soon?" Sarine frowned.

"They are getting stronger and smarter. I don't know if they should see the letters or the full dream visions, but they should see the doll so they know that Markus was a good man. And, remember, Siegfried and Serenity did see a few things from Muninn before. Not everything, but just enough," Doppy said. "We can ask Muninn when they should see the full visions. That would be the best thing to do. The last thing we need is them finding out on their own."

"Like learning how to make babies?" she grinned, and he nuzzled her with his own grin.

"Exactly," he said with a gentle smile. She ran her hand over his cheek, and he leaned into her palm to take in her scent. More caresses and soft touches were given, and he muttered softly before pulling her close to kiss her passionately. He wanted her again, and he looked over when Howard, Sammy, and Kiehl walked in to let her see them. Nodding at this, he set Sarine on the ground and started to take her.

"Again?!" Howard blinked.

"She kept touching me!" Doppy growled, and Kiehl grinned. Sammy gave a small smile and sat down to wait for them to finish. Right after Doppy released with her, he sat up to hug her to him, and he kept his back purposely to the door to the bedroom in case the kids tried to get in.

"We should get dressed now," she said. He nodded and kissed her again. Kiehl moved to help her dress in her Sniper gears, and Doppy dressed quickly in his armor. When Sarine walked out, Keltin was telling the kids how she was kept in darkness. When he told them what they learned last night from the Amatsu Captain on how she almost died, small gasps were given.

"Mama!" Serenity cried out and ran to Sarine to get held. Sarine was forced to sit on the ground to get smothered by her kids and to comfort each one as much she could. Howard and Kiehl were able to help, and Ragged Zombie was grimacing. Hibram was still in the room, and Muninn was listening to everything. He remembered what Doppy said in the bathroom.

" _Nigel? Can you get the doll of Sarine when she was younger? We must reinforce the fact that Markus was a good man before, and that he still is,_ " Muninn said.

"I'll get it!" Nigel said and moved quickly.

"Grampa did nothing?!" Edward fumed.

"Your grandfather was under a nasty spell. He wanted to do something, but he couldn't. The one who enchanted him is dead now. I killed her, myself," Sammy said. "Markus was very upset that he couldn't help her."

"But...but..." Angela said fitfully.

"Your grandfather is a good man again!" Doppy said sternly. "Trust us!"

"Markus had that room torn down," Beelzebub said. "We helped tear it down. Remember the garden? The one you all played in?"

"Yes," Gunther nodded.

"That garden is where that room once was. Look. See this doll?" Beelzebub said, as Nigel showed them the old doll.

"It's so pretty!" Angela gasped.

"Your grandfather made this for your mom to play with when she was little. Before all of the mean stuff happened. This doll is what your mom looked like when she was as little as all of you," Howard said. "It's not something to play with, since it's so precious."

"So...Grampa did love Mama!" Serenity blinked.

"Yes. Papa loved me very much," Sarine nodded. "He wanted to help me, but he couldn't. He was trapped like me."

"I saved her from the darkness," Eremes said, as he knelt down to them.

"You saved her?" Bianca asked.

"Yes. I did," he nodded. He wouldn't speak of her second rescue.  _That was for them to know later._  Gunther thought and whispered to his sister. She blinked and whispered back. Beelzebub gave a small smile and thought.

"Um...Dad?" Bianca asked Eremes.

"What?" Eremes asked.

"I know I said I wanted to go Champion, but...well...I think I wanna be like you," Bianca said. "Since I'm demon, and I don't know how I'll be as a Champion. Um...I don't want a Church to hurt me. And...you use your hands, too. Right?"

"I do," Eremes said with a bit of surprise, as he revealed his katars. Doppy was surprised at this change of heart, but he felt better about it. "If you like, maybe I can spar someone and show you how I fight. But, I am a monster right now, so I might cheat."

"That's fine," Bianca grinned, and Eremes found himself chuckling.

"Why the change of heart, Bianca?" Keltin asked. "I'm not mad. I'm just curious."

"Well, it's like I said," Bianca thought. "I don't know how my blood will work with a Church. Daddy Eremes is dark. Somewhat. So, I think it would be better for me."

"I'll be a Stalker," Gunther said. "It would make sense."

"You kids are too smart!" Doppy snorted, and they both grinned.

"My son is going to be a Champion, anyways," Keltin said. "It's fine by me."

"Let's eat breakfast so I can nurse your brothers and sisters. We'll talk about it more," Sarine said. Edward smiled and moved to get a tight hug from her, and the other kids did the same. Nigel took the doll back to Storm Caller, and he joined them in the nursery to help feed the kids. Eremes thought and pulled out some basic materials to make a Poison Bottle.

"Bianca, try something for me," Eremes said, as he gave her a Berserk Potion, an Empty Bottle, a Venom Canine, a Bee Sting, a Cactus Needle, a vial with blue liquid called Karvodailnirol, and a Poison Spore seedling.

"Eremes!" Sarine hissed and paled from where she was nursing.

"It can kill her, if she fails!" Doppy snarled.

"She'll be fine!" Eremes insisted.

" _Errende! Heal her the moment she fails! I can't see if she will or not,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in quickly. " _Eremes, you are asking her to do something incredibly risky! If you fail, you lose a good portion of your health. For her, it can kill her!_ "

"Dad?" Bianca actually hesitated at this.

"I want you to try making a Poison Bottle. Assassin Crosses use them in their attacks," Eremes said. "You make things with your hands. Yes, the ingredients are very dangerous. But, I just want to see if you can. You make things for Howard all the time, and you don't have the real skill to do it. If you feel you can't, then let me know."

"Eremes..." Howard grimaced. Kiehl prepared to Heal her, if he needed to, and nodded.

"It's your choice, Bianca," Doppy said with a frown. Sarine watched with worry now, and the girl thought. She looked at her brother, and he gave a small nod.

"Try it," he said. "I think you can."

"Do you, Gunther?" she blinked.

"Yep! If I'm wrong, you can watch Dad spank me!" Gunther said. Doppy looked at his son and seemed to smirk. Small chuckles were given now, but everyone was still nervous.

"Okay!" Bianca grinned. Edward held Angela's hand to comfort her. Serenity looked at Siegfried, and they moved their gazes back to Bianca. The girl seemed to crack her knuckles and took up the ingredients to work with them. Everyone held their breath. Loomin was ready to Heal her with Keltin. After a minute, a small red bottle in the shape of a skull was produced.

"You made it!" Eremes grinned.

"Really?" Bianca asked and gave it to him.

"Yes," he nodded. "This is a Poison Bottle. If I drink it, I gain a massive attack. If anyone else drinks it, they die. Only an Assassin Cross can drink this safely and live."

"Hmm," she thought. "Got more stuff?"

"Bianca," Doppy growled.

"I just want to see if I can do more, Dad!" she said.

"Don't get too cocky," Doppy warned. "It could be a stroke of luck."

"That's why I want to try a couple more times," she said. Doppy sighed, but he nodded to her. Gunther grinned and watched Eremes hand her more supplies to make five more bottles. They were made quickly and without incident.

"I see," Loomin said, as he studied her. "You can't ever fail at what you make!"

"Really?" Bianca thought. "Dad, how much more stuff do you have?"

"Tons," Eremes said.

"Give it all to me!" Bianca grinned. Doppy started laughing now that he was relieved that she wouldn't get hurt by it.

"Eat breakfast first. Then I'll get it for you," Eremes nodded. Sarine gave a heavy sigh of her own relief. The moment Aliot's twins were nursed, Keltin's twins were brought to her, and she settled to nurse them. Sammy looked at her. He knew she was exhausted. Howard and Kiehl knew it, too.  _She had so much to do and so little time to do anything until her pregnancy got too much for her._

"Hey," Kiehl said, as he moved to her to hug her. "Do you have tomorrow planned out?"

"I do," she nodded and sipped the tea, as he helped her. "If we don't see Prontera today, we'll do that in the morning. Then I want to go to Gonryun to get Evil Snake Lord."

"Gonryun?" Howard frowned and moved to her side.

"Yes. I know the town has a few bad memories, but I'll be fine with you all with me. It needs to be done. The sooner the better," she said. "I know there is an area south of Gonryun that we need to stop in, but just enough to recruit monsters there."

"True," Kiehl nodded. "We know how you feel about that town, though."

"I know," she sighed. "And we'll need to go to Lutie for the Toy Factory. I know we have Stormy Knight with us, but we need a few monsters that can only be found there. Right?"

"I think so," Howard said. "Shouldn't take too long."

"No, it won't," Sammy said, as he sat with her. "Where else?"

"Well, if it's still early in the day, we should try and get Turtle General," she said. "Maybe we can get him before going to Lutie. We should focus on the strong monsters first, and then see about the regular ones."

"Ah, yes! He will be an excellent ally!" Sammy nodded. "And you are right about how we should go about getting the monsters."

" _He will be a main general in the army, too,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over to her. " _He will be vital. I would say to get him first. Then go to Gonryun. I'll take you to his island location. Or, you could test out the boat. I'm sure that Drake would want to try out the ship._ "

"Oh! That would be delightful!" Sarine nodded. "Would the kids come with us?"

" _It's possible,_ " Muninn said. " _But, the island is dangerous. It would be best to let them stay on the ship. Drake will protect them, and no monsters attack at sea. He can teach them how to use the ship, and how to navigate for survival._ "

"That could work," Howard thought. "But, love, I'm seriously thinking we just need a day off. I know you don't want to, but I think we do. After tomorrow. You really need to rest. You're working so hard when you can..."

"How-How," Sarine sighed. "I can't take a break. I have kids to nurse. Kids growing in me. Strong monsters I simply have to find. Places I still have to visit. We need to find Vesper, and I'm not sure where he is. We'll have to find Lady Tanee, and we need to figure out her location. After that, it's Detale in the dragon caves. And wasn't there Gopinich? We need to see where that monster is. Maybe after those monsters are found, I can finally rest for a day. I tend to rest, anyways, when I become too large to move, but I know what you are really wanting me to do. I just want to get these monsters found!"

"And we will find them," Kiehl said, as he hugged her. "We are just concerned for your health. You found so many strong monsters already. Including me! We see how tired you are, love. Howard and I can feel it. And, with all of the kids you're giving us, we know how it is, too. We don't want things to move too fast for you."

"Kiehl..." she sighed, and he kissed her softly. "Well, these kids are done nursing, and I really need to eat. Then we need to go to the arena and waste time with that contest. Ugh..."

"If they say anything mean, I'm sure that Ragged Zombie will be quick to retort in your honor," Howard grinned. That made her giggle, and he got kissed before taking the twins from her. She fixed up her top and was helped to the table to eat with her kids and husbands.

"We'll plan a day off for you soon," Beelzebub said. "I'll ensure it."

"You don't need to!" Sarine said, as she started to eat her sushi.

"You need it," Hibram nodded. "Maybe we can take the kids out fishing?"

"Fishing?" Gunther asked.

"What's that?" Bianca asked.

"You go on a boat, put a line with a worm in the water, and catch fish," Howard chuckled. "It can be boring, but it's fun when you catch a fish!"

"Ooh!" Serenity giggled.

"I wanna try it!" Siegfried said.

"Maybe tomorrow, if we get Turtle General," Sarine said. "The island is dangerous, but you'll be safe on a boat with Drake."

"What's this I hear about using me boat?!" Drake grinned. Edward moved over to get held by him, and the pirate captain chuckled.

"We wanna go fishing!" Serenity giggled.

"Really? When?" Drake chuckled.

"Probably tomorrow, if we get Turtle General," Kiehl said.

"Good! I'll make sure the vessel be sea-worthy," Drake said. "She's almost built!"

"She?" Serenity blinked.

"All boats be known as 'she' by nature. When we take her out ta sea, it be her maiden voyage! We'll need ta name her before we leave port, though," Drake said.

"I have the perfect name," Sarine smiled. "Odin's Pride."

"Ah...perfect! That be her name!" Drake nodded.

" _That is a very good name,_ " Muninn smiled. " _Considering the one from Alberta is Odin's Breath. They will be sister ships this way._ "

"And, if they get the same blessing from Valkyrie, it would work," Sammy nodded.

"When do we go fishing? Tomorrow?" Angela asked.

"It's possible," Errende smiled. "Catch a lot of fish, and we can have dinner!"

"We can eat the fish?" Siegfried asked.

"Oh, yes! It's good for you," Errende nodded. "Very tasty, too!"

"Oh!" Serenity giggled.

"Might want to get some fishing rods made," Keltin chuckled.

"I can work on that," Drake nodded. "What be going on today?"

"First the arena. Then we plan to go to the Orc Village," Howard said.

"Hmm..." Eremes thought with a grin. Kiehl looked over and started laughing.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Seyren needs a pacifier..." Eremes mused. Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly, and everyone started laughing and giggling. Beelzebub chuckled and looked over, as Siroma bounced in with a squeak. Now the kids gasped and moved to cuddle it and get snuggled. Baby Desert Wolf came in next to get adored by the kids, and Picky was next. All of the small, cute monsters were starting to take up spots in the nursery to play with the kids.

"Now, why are they doing this?" Sammy asked.

" _Hmm. Oh! The arena needs to be seen to. The Kafra Agent is coming up to the house, so they are here to distract the kids,_ " Muninn said. " _I'll fly over to the arena now._ "

"Okay," Sarine smiled, and she quickly finished her meal. Drinking the tea down, she was ready to go. Byorgue went to get Donnie and Coraline. He was sure they would alert Ollie and Thomas. Many of Sarine's companions were already at the arena and waiting in their seats. Sarine simply nodded to the Kafra Agent before she could ask for her presence, and her men walked with her to the arena. She moved up into the balcony to stand over the rail. Now she looked down at the traveling troupe down in the center of the arena.

"So, you're here!" the pink-haired Gypsy said.

"Yes, we are," Sarine nodded. "It is only fair for you to tell us your names."

"Okay," the Gypsy nodded. "I am Nikki."

"I'm Bruce," the Clown said. He moved a hand through his sandy-blonde hair.

"Victor here," a dark-brown haired Clown said.

"I'm Eliot," a light-red headed Clown said. Then they gaped when they saw Ollie and Thomas with Donnie and Coraline.

"What are you two doing with them?!" Bruce said.

"We're Sarine's friends," Ollie said.

"We respect her," Thomas said. "You haven't spoken with Augustus, have you?"

"Not really," Eliot said.

"You guys are idiots, then!" Donnie muttered. "Speaking of Augustus, he's here."

"What?" Sarine frowned. The elder Bard walked over to the troupe and crossed his arms. Beelzebub was able to inform him of what was going on with a Hell Fly. It surprised the older Bard, but he was outraged at what was told to him. Beelzebub's flies were able to speak in a limited way to notify others. It was something needed and quite important.

"You four are wasting her time with this!" Augustus muttered in his musical voice. "She has too much to do! You are holding her back!"

"But...she learned our songs!" Nikki said.

"Of course, she did! She has the Perfect Voice!" Augustus growled. Now the troupe gaped and shivered as one. "But, if it will please your inflated egos, then fine. I'll judge this musical stand-off personally. If you four disappoint me, then you will all be given various missions to do for me! Understood?"

"And what about her?" Eliot asked, as he pointed to Sarine.

"She has enough to do!" Doppy snarled out. "She has ten kids to look after, monsters to recruit, and us to deal with! Don't put anymore shit on her!"

"So, are you the whore of the group?" Ragged Zombie asked. That made Nikki's jaw drop, and Sarine forced down a giggle, as the others gasped with laughter.

"How dare you!" Nikki spat.

"Ah, no. You're the one dressed like a slut with pink hair. Do you really want the attention?" the zombie smirked. "At least Coraline got married! And she's got a kid on the way. Not much I can say about her. Besides, I like her. I hate you. I can say what I want about you."

"But...that's not fair! And, besides, this is about music! Songs that were stolen from us!" Nikki said. "She learned our songs, and she's singing them like she owns them!"

"Music is meant to be shared with the world!" Sammy said with an appalled look. Augustus couldn't believe what he was hearing from Nikki. "Music is meant to be enjoyed by all! Not hoarded away and given out at one's leisure! Are you really a music lover?"

"Apparently, she only entertains with what's between her legs," Ragged Zombie grinned. Everyone started to snicker and laugh again.

"You do not have the true heart of a Gypsy," Augustus frowned. "And you three? How do you feel about this? Are you all the same?"

"Well," Bruce frowned. "we made the songs to be a challenge. So that we would know who would be our equal in music. I didn't know that Nikki felt like this at all."

"Me, neither," Eliot said. Loomin studied them all, and he found the Clowns were telling the truth. _They were losing their trust with Nikki on learning this._

"Well, my day is being wasted, if I came out here for nothing," Sarine frowned. "So, let's just get this over with. Doppy? Will you sing with me?"

"Of course, love," he chuckled. He pulled her close to kiss her first before walking with her to confront the dance troupe. "Augustus! Go sit in the judge's chair for now."

"Ah...right," Augustus nodded. Howard and Kiehl grinned at what Sarine and Doppy were going to do. When Coraline and the three Clowns were going to head down there, Kiehl stopped them. Donnie frowned at this.

"Remember what happened when they sang together in the grove?" Howard grinned. Now Donnie grinned savagely, and he whispered to Ollie and Thomas. Their jaws dropped before they grinned and nodded.

"We'll play up here," Donnie smirked. Sarine nodded to Nikki with neutral respect, and Doppy snarled out inhumanly. They let the opposing group sing and play their songs for the crowd to roar with a form of approval. After that, Sarine looked at Doppy, and he smiled softly at her. They focused on the song, as they sang, and the wind started to pick up. Then the wind started to build more and more. The arena was large enough for the wind to be centralized in the center, and the dance troupe was in shock at the windstorm that was starting to happen. Augustus was completely taken by surprise with this. He had never heard a song that was done that could move the very wind, itself.

When the small tornado finally died out when the song ended, the three Clowns were gaping, and Nikki was flat on her back when the wind knocked her down.

"Oh, look! The slut's in her most favorite position!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Donnie died laughing, and Coraline was keeping a hand over her mouth while Max laughed hard. The crowd was cheering and laughing at this. Doppy grinned savagely, as he pulled Sarine close to him. Augustus was wiping tears from his eyes, and made it seem like dust got in them.

Now Sarine started to sing a fast paced tune, and Doppy joined her. When no wind appeared, Coraline, Donnie, Ollie, and Thomas moved down to help support them. The crowd definitely liked her group more. Howard and Kiehl moved down to sing with them, and Sammy was smiling the whole time. Drake was tapping his peg leg to the ground, and Beelzebub remained thoughtful of the whole thing. Ragged Zombie took out two ribs to bang out a beat on the balcony railing. Loomin and Keltin decided to try learning instruments. Eremes had his eyes closed with a soft smile, as he listened to the music.

When the song ended, Sarine crossed her arms over her chest, and Doppy glared at the four humans with hatred. Howard let his form mist out, and Kiehl let his ghost out.

"I bet you can't dance!" Nikki growled. Sarine looked at Coraline, and they grinned at each other. Now they started to belly dance, and Nikki was in complete shock. Donnie and Thomas played the proper tunes for them. When the dance was over, Augustus was down from the judge's chair and looked at the crowd. He raised up his hands and pointed at Nikki's group. There was some applause, but not much. When he pointed to Sarine's group, the crowd's approval was deafening.

"The winner is Sarine and her dancing group!" Augustus said. "As for you four, you need to come back to Comodo with me. Now!"

"Yes, Sir," Eliot nodded. The other two Clowns nodded, and Nikki fumed.

"This isn't over!" she hissed.

"Yes. It is," Doppy snarled out. Naght roared out from where he was on the balcony. Now she gaped at the sight of him. Sarine's other mates made themselves present while the contest was going on. Thanatos growled and stared with hatred at the small group.

"You forget where you're standing," Sarine sighed. "This is an arena. They fight all the time here. They never lose. Are you sure you still want to hurl insults at me? Considering I am the Princess of Amatsu, and my Papa is Emperor Markus? And I'm pregnant. Don't forget about that, either. If you touch me, they will come down and kill the lot of you to avenge my honor. On top of that, Kiel D-01 is one of the fathers of my current pregnancy and standing right next to me. If you didn't notice, he's very...protective right now."

"We're done here, Nikki," Bruce said quickly when he noticed Kiehl's bristling glare.

"They beat us. Let's go!" Victor said.

"But..." Nikki frowned.

"If you want to die, then fine. I don't," Eliot said, as he turned to head to the Kafra Agent with Augustus. Beelzebub glared at them when they left, and he sent another Hell Fly to Comodo. He wanted it to spy on them for him, as he listened to the conversations that happened.

"Okay," Howard smiled with a nod. He solidified his body again and kissed Sarine deeply. "What do you want to do now?"

"Orc Village," she said. "I want to go now while the day is still young."

"Right," Kiehl nodded. Coraline and Donnie nodded to each other and went to help gather everyone together. Muninn flew down to join them and landed on Sarine's shoulders.

_:We can. Walk. To find. Other monsters. Or. I simply. Warp. Your choice?:_  he warbled. Sarine thought and figured it would be nice to travel there.

"We can walk," Kiehl said.

_:Okay. I take. Us. To where. Goblins are. We can. Walk north. From there. To. Orc Village. Okay?:_  Muninn said.

"That would work!" Sarine smiled. "We need various Goblins, too."

"And, since we won't be going to a town, we won't need to worry about being in a large crowd," Keltin said. "That will really work in our favor."

"Good," Ragged Zombie said. He moved to get a hug from her, and he whispered to her. She laughed, and Beelzebub thought.

"You said something that was going to be done last night, and it didn't get done. But, considering what was learned, it's understandable," the Demon Lord said.

"You're right," she nodded. "Then, if we have time tonight, I'll have to make good on my promise, won't I?"

"Yes, you will," he grinned wickedly. She moved over to him to kiss him with a wild, passionate form of lust to get him growling at her. She giggled, and he kissed her back in the same manner. Then he whispered softly to her, and she blinked.

"That would be interesting to see," Howard grinned.

"Oh, yes," Kiehl mused.

"We'll plan for it," Beelzebub grinned.

"Plan for what?" Thanatos asked.

"A dream vision of me meeting her. I can allow that to be something that she can do with me to make up for the time lost," the Demon Lord grinned. Doppy smirked and chuckled. Howard thought, and Kiehl looked at him with a raised brow.

"You think so?" Kiehl asked.

"Sarine, love, when we get back from the Orc Village, do you want to do it then? We'll be taking a small break, and no time really gets lost. It will help us out. You think?" Howard asked. Sarine frowned, and he blinked at her mental thought. "Ah! You're right. We don't know how we'll react to it. Do we? Well, maybe we can freeze time. No time lost that way, too, right? Muninn? Do you think we can?"

_:It's possible! Just for. A while. Though.:_  Muninn warbled and bobbed his head.

"Maybe we should do it now," Beelzebub said. "We can have time frozen and continue after the vision. This way, we'll know, and maybe fight a bit harder for you."

"Are you sure?" Sarine frowned.

"It's an idea..." Eremes mused. "I'll ask the others..."

"Don't let the kids know we're leaving yet," Loomin said. Eremes nodded and left quickly. When he came back, the others were eager to see the vision. The kids were still being entertained by the cute monsters. Everyone sat down, and Sarine sat in Beelzebub's lap. Muninn froze time, and the dream vision started...


	120. Chapter 120

A year had passed since Sarine started traveling with her new family. She was still an Archer, but much healthier now. No one knew of her past, and she had forgotten much of it already. The day had just started, and Howard woke up with her in the bed at the inn.

"How-How?" she blinked, and he smiled at her. He was shirtless, and she was in a white nightgown. She always slept with her head on his chest, and he couldn't let her sleep alone from all the nightmares she had. He refused to let her sleep alone after four nights of running to her side. It was better this way, and he was able to make sure she was protected, too.

"Yes?" he said.

"Where are we going today?" she asked.

"Not sure. We need more money. I'll probably see about doing work for people, or we'll just travel around and kill monsters as we go along. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah," she nodded. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead when he got up. They were already getting incredibly close. He mused to himself that it was nearly a year that he stepped up to help her in Geffen. He was still pissed about the three men that tried to hurt her. He had to think about something else now. He didn't want her to sense that he was upset.

"I think Seyren's doing the cooking again," Howard sighed.

"Is he going to burn the water again?" she giggled, and he started laughing at the joke.

"I think he knows better, eh?" he grinned. "Go clean up, and we'll get downstairs."

"Okay," she said. They were in Izlude for now, since Seyren had to buy new armor. Now that he had it, he wanted to get moving.

"Hey! Are you up yet?" Seyren called out, as he knocked on the door.

"Yes, we're up! Sarine wanted to know if you burned the water again!" Howard grinned.

"What?!" Seyren growled, and Howard laughed. "Whatever! We're all downstairs!"

"Sarine is taking a quick shower. We'll be down there soon!"

"Fine!"

"So get lost!" Howard grinned, and the door got kicked before the Knight left. Five minutes later, Sarine came out in a towel, and Howard averted his eyes quickly.

"Was that Seyren?" she asked.

"Yes. He's burning the water now," Howard chuckled.

"Oh. Heh!" she grinned. "I think I'm running out of arrows."

"I'll give you a few things to craft more from. Now get dressed," he said.

"Okay!" she nodded and went back into the bathroom to do just that. He was surprised at himself for always remaining calm with her.  _I want her so bad!_  He knew this. He also knew that she was much too young right now. He still had questions on how she was raised, but he didn't pry. She never asked about his past, and he respected her for it. When she came out dressed in her Archer clothes, he put an arm around her and led her to the others.

"About time!" Seyren said and got smacked by Kathryne.

"You keep quiet!" she said.

"What?" the Knight frowned. Eremes sat down silently and seemed to smirk.

"So, where are we going today?" Margaretha asked, as she set a plate of fruit in front of Sarine. She was the one that was making sure that Sarine was eating right.

"I figured we'd just wander around until we found something of interest," Seyren shrugged. "Not much else we can do, really."

"So, we wander around like we can't find our asshole with a map and compass like you?" Howard grinned. Then he grinned even wider at Cecil's glare. Sarine blushed, as she ate, but she was used to this.  _They are my family._

"I'll have you know that I know  _exactly_  where all of my body parts are!" Seyren snorted.

"Not your head, apparently," Kathryne muttered.

"What?" Seyren asked.

"Nothing!" Kathryne chuckled. Eremes snorted, but he had a small grin all the same.

"Um...I have an idea," Sarine said softly.

"What's that?" Howard asked.

"Ah...I need to train more. Want to help me train?" she smiled.

"We can do that!" Seyren grinned.

"All in favor of this today? We can get loot, too, from what she kills," Howard said. Eremes gave a slight nod to show he was in favor of it.

"Let's do that," Cecil nodded. Margaretha and Kathryne favored it, too.

"Well, now we have to figure out the location. You have enough arrows?" Seyren asked.

"How-How was going to give me stuff to make them with," Sarine said.

"We'll do that while we travel," Howard said.

"Okay. We can head east of Geffen. That should work," Seyren said. "Or even south of Al De Baron. What do you all think?"

"Let's go to Al De Baron," Margaretha said.

"That Hidden Forest Temple is there, too. We'll just be careful of Baphomet, if we go in it," Kathryne said. "Plenty of monsters in there."

"Sounds like a good place!" Cecil grinned.

"Then let's finish eating and we'll go," Seyren said. "Do we have enough for Kafra Warps? Howard? How much do we have?"

"With what we sold last night, we have enough," he nodded. With this decision done, they finished eating quickly. Sarine was set on Howard's cart when he got it from the Kafra Agent after they Warped to Al De Baron. She was given several green stones called Zargons to make Silver Arrows with, logs, a couple pieces of steel, and small iron bits to make other arrows with. Cecil helped her craft them, and they split the arrows.

"Little sis, do you have spare potions on you?" Cecil asked.

"I have a few," Sarine nodded. As they moved through the town, another group of adventurers were screaming and hollering at the Bloody Branch they got.

"Uh-oh," Seyren frowned. "Let's go. Quick!"

"Yeah," Howard grimaced. "I don't want to fight whatever that brings out!"

Eremes glared at the other group and moved quickly to stand by Sarine with a form of protection. She whimpered softly and leaned into him, as he walked by the cart now.

"You broke it!" a man shrieked, and now people screamed.

"Run!" Seyren growled. Margaretha gave quick Agility buffs to everyone as they ran, and Sarine gave out a frightened whimper. That sound called the summoned strong monster to her, and Hell Flies now blocked their escape. Eremes scowled and moved in front of Sarine.

"Shit!" Howard hissed and pulled Sarine off his cart, as he took out his Vecer Axe.

"How-How!" she whimpered again.

"They aren't attacking us?!" Seyren blinked. "Why?"

"These are too strong for us!" Cecil growled.

"If they aren't attacking us, do we attack them? Or do we wait?" Kathryne asked.

"I don't know," Seyren said, as he had Sarine pulled to him, and now they all formed a protective circle around her, since she was the weakest one.

"Who is she?" the strong monster buzzed out. It was one of the flies that hovered around them that spoke, and it was three times larger than the others. It resembled an over-sized Steel Chonchon. It landed on the ground to become its human form. Seyren gaped at the robed Demonic man, and Howard hissed with a form of frustration. Eremes narrowed his eyes and glared at the strong monster. Cecil and Margaretha looked at each other with surprise that they were spoken to. Kathryne didn't know what to think.

This monster was incredibly powerful, but, just the fact that he wasn't attacking them, it baffled them to no end. He kept his robe about his body, and he held his book and staff with a purpose. He tilted his crowned head at the Archer girl with intent. His long, straight, white locks of hair framed his noble face neatly, as he studied her rather pretty face. He actually liked her straight, brown hair and soft, brown eyes. He looked at the Hell Flies with a turn of his horned head, and they moved to form a protective barrier around them while they patrolled.

"How-How?" Sarine frowned, and he looked at her with a touch of worry.

"I want to know who she is," the regal Demon Lord said. "Her voice. It calls to me. So does her scent. Tell me who she is, or I will find out by force!"

"She's my little sister!" Seyren scowled out.

"Liar!" the monster frowned with irritation. "She clearly is not."

"We rescued her. We protect her," Howard said quickly. "We see her as our sister, but I see her as something more. Why do you want to know?"

"She's special. You aren't strong enough to protect her," the Demon Lord said, as he pulled his robe about his form. His crown glinted in the sunlight, as he looked at the Archer girl.

"Special?" Eremes asked in his deep, yet quiet voice.

"Yes. Very special. What's that on your arm?!" the Demon Lord hissed.

"Huh?" Sarine blinked. The strong monster pointed at a mark just under her sleeve by her back shoulder, and Howard frowned at this. He knew she had marks on her underarms and back. He saw them before, and she told him she had the chicken pox really bad at one point. The marks were fading slowly, but surely as her body got healthier.

"It's a chicken pox scar," Howard said.

"No. That's not from a disease. That's from a burn! I know burn scars and burn marks quite well. I am a Demon Lord from Hell, after all," the monster mused. "I am Beelzebub."

"Ah..." Seyren blinked and knew they were all dead if the monster decided to attack them. Howard now looked at Sarine with concern, and she was trembling hard.

"Let me see her," Beelzebub said. "I won't hurt her. You have my word."

"No," Howard said, as he shook his head. "I can't let you."

"Wait," Sarine said and sighed. She wanted to protect her family. "On two conditions!"

"Very well," Beelzebub nodded.

"You don't hurt my family! And...and don't take me from them!" she said. The Demon Lord smiled and nodded. Howard looked at Sarine with worry, and she patted his hand with her gloved one. Eremes was clearly mistrusting of the demon, but she patted his hand, too. She walked up to Beelzebub, and he knelt down a bit to her, since he was two feet taller than her. She was only four feet tall now, but that was from the neglect she went through. She was quickly catching up to her normal height, but that would stop at five feet.

"What is your name?" the Demon Lord asked.

"It's Sarine," she said.

"How old are you?"

"I'm almost fifteen."

"I see. You are always with them?"

"They helped me almost a whole year ago. In Geffen. They took care of me ever since they found me. They help me train, too."

"So, they do protect you? Treat you properly?"

"Oh, yes! I see them as my family. My real family."

"Hmm. How were you raised originally? I need to know," he said lightly. She shivered hard and shook her head. She didn't want to tell.

"She told us her family didn't want her," Howard said. "That they wanted her married off, and she ran away, because of it."

"She lied to you," Beelzebub said without looking at him, and he returned his full focus to her. "You have burn marks all over the back of your arms. Likely on your back, too. Maybe even your legs. You're still...thin in the face. I can see where your chin shows it. And under your eyes, too. Were you mistreated?!"

"I don't wanna say!" Sarine said, as she paled and shook hard. Eremes moved quickly to pull her behind him. Her teenage maturity vanished quickly, as her terrified childhood persona came out. Now Beelzebub rose up to his full height and stared at the Assassin. The look in the man's eyes told him all he needed to know.

"You know how she was. You saw her before," the Demon Lord said. Now the others looked at Eremes with small gasps of surprise.

"Yes. I have," Eremes nodded. "I rescued her."

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Howard asked.

"It would have...upset her..." Eremes said lightly.

"I see. When you rescued her, what were her living conditions like?" Beelzebub asked.

"Horrible," Eremes winced. At this, Seyren glared at him for not saying anything.

"How bad?!" Howard asked. Sarine whimpered, as the memories came back, and she started to panic. Now the Blacksmith hissed at her fear, and he pulled her to him to calm her. She clung to him and sobbed, as he started to freeze up from the overwhelming emotion that pushed on him.  _It was simply solid and complete fear._  Cecil looked at her with a wide-eyed look of shock. Margaretha and Kathryne gave hushed whispers, and Seyren moved to softly whisper to Sarine. She looked at him and cringed. He whispered again and sat on the ground. Beelzebub watched her move into Seyren's lap, and the Knight gave her a brotherly hug.

"You can tell me anything. You know this," Seyren said.

"But...it's bad!" Sarine whimpered.

"Then you can definitely talk to me. I'm your wall," he smiled. "Remember?"

"Um..." she frowned. Eremes gave a small nod to encourage her. Howard was starting to come around, as she was able to finally start calming down. Beelzebub had his Hell Flies keep other people back easily, as he waited to hear about her life.

"It's okay. You can tell us. We'll keep you safe," Seyren soothed.

"All of my life..." she whimpered. "I was...um...kept in darkness..."

"How?" Beelzebub asked softly.

"A tiny room. No windows. I...only had one meal to last me a week. Ah...I was given candles...but...only one for each day...so..."

"One meal a week?!" Howard gaped. Margaretha hissed for him to keep quiet. Now he knew why she was so light when he picked her up, and why she didn't eat so much at first.

"It's okay. Keep going," Seyren said, as he kept his own rage in check.

"I...only had a bath...once a month...with a bucket of cold water..." she whimpered, and Howard just got even more enraged. He struggled to contain it, and Eremes was no better. The Assassin only saw the state she was in. He didn't know how she was brought up.

"And the burn marks?" Beelzebub asked.

"When the candles melted...um...I had to sleep on the floor...and ...um...my clothes were thin. And the floor was mainly concrete...ah...the wax would spread...so...it was hard to sleep. And...I was always cold...in winter..." Sarine shivered, and Seyren hugged her tight. She started to cry again, and Beelzebub looked clearly distressed. Even though she was fifteen, she had problems truly thinking as a teenager at times, and this explained why.

"Who? Who did this to you?!" Howard hissed.

"Mother...and Father..." she whimpered, as she trembled. "I...don't know...their names...and...I only saw them...once a year...on my birthday. I never saw...their faces..."

"The Emperor and Empress...of Amatsu..." Eremes said softly. Howard glared at nothing now, as he shook with barely controlled rage. Then he stopped, as Sarine reached out to grab his leg, and he turned to pull her into his arms to hug her fiercely. He pressed kisses to her cheeks and forehead, as he rocked her and comforted her. Seyren was surprised that Sarine was royalty and treated so harshly. Beelzebub found himself looking away at this news.  _If she was true royalty, then I will do everything I can to, not only protect her, but be with her, too._

"Hmm..." Beelzebub thought, as stronger adventurers showed up to start taking out his flies. The Kafra Corporation had sent out a distress call for all strong adventurers to help in the town. "I will need to leave soon. I should take her with me to protect her."

"No!" Howard growled, as he hugged her. "I am not leaving her alone!"

"Then you can come with me," Beelzebub grinned. Howard blinked at his offer.

"I see him as my brother," Seyren said. "We travel as a group."

"We go...with him..." Eremes nodded.

"We are a family!" Margaretha said.

"She's my little sis!" Cecil said.

"We help each other," Kathryne said. The simple revealing of Sarine's past made them all the more tightly centered as a grouped family.  _None of them would leave Sarine's side._ Beelzebub thought and now moved behind them, as the adventurers tried to get close to him. He bought himself more time by summoning more Hell Flies to send after them.

"Then I'll join you. She's too special for me to simply leave alone, and my rules are broken from being bound in one area. Until I'm defeated and forced back to my domain, I'll stay with you," the Demon Lord said. As he looked at the other adventurers wanting to take him on, he snarled. Then Sarine whispered to Howard to let her go to him.

"Are you sure?!" Howard growled.

"I have to try! Please!" she frowned. "He wants to help us!"

"All right. Just...be careful!" Howard said, and she nodded. Now she moved to Beelzebub to help him out.

"He's a friend! He's my friend!" Sarine screamed out, as she stood in front of him. This caught him by surprise, and he frowned, as she screamed out, "Don't hurt him!"

"What?! Kid, that's a monster!" a Crusader said. "It can hurt you!"

"I don't care!" Sarine said, as she turned and hugged Beelzebub. He smiled and purred, as he held her now within his robe. She didn't realize how muscular he was under the robe, and she was a bit surprised that he had two sets of arms. Then he glared at the others trying to challenge him, and he whispered to her. She sniffled and frowned. He kissed her forehead when she looked up at him and gently wiped away a tear with a gloved hand.

"I must fight them. If I win, I'll join you to help protect you. If I'm defeated, oh, I'll just give this to you now in case it happens," the Demon Lord said and gave her his card. She trembled, as she took it, and hugged him again when he hugged her back. Her friends dropped their mouths in shock at what he did. Then he whispered to her, "I don't fight fair. I think I'll definitely win. Don't worry."

"Okay," she nodded and gasped when he pressed a kiss to her mouth. It wasn't intense, since it was just his lips against hers, but now Howard was gaping with jealousy. Eremes was clearly not happy, either. When he let her go, Howard snatched her up quickly, and the Demon Lord grinned wickedly. Seyren ran a gloved hand over his face to hide his laughter, and he ignored the small glares the girls gave him at it.

"Now I hope they beat the shit out of you!" Howard muttered, and Beelzebub laughed. He summoned more Hell Flies, and his form changed into his grotesque fly form. This made her friends gape with shock, and Beelzebub didn't hold back when he attacked. The opposing humans were defeated, and he changed back to his human form.

"Now, what were you all doing before we were so rudely interrupted?" Beelzebub grinned. "And, yes. I'm joining you until I'm defeated. Like I said before."

"Damn it!" Howard growled, and Sarine snuggled into him with a blush.

"Now this will be interesting," Seyren grinned.

"Oh, shut up!" Howard muttered. "You and how you burn water!"

"I don't burn water!" Seyren sputtered, and Beelzebub giggled. Eremes smirked, but he still didn't trust the Demon Lord with what he did with Sarine. The girls giggled to each other, and, as they left town to help Sarine train, the dream vision ended...


	121. Chapter 121

Beelzebub was kissing Sarine passionately and hugging her close with a wide grin. He liked that dream vision quite a bit. Ragged Zombie had a rather thoughtful look on his face, and time was still frozen. He decided to use it to his advantage before the kids joined them.

"So, you burn water, Seyren?" the zombie grinned.

"I do not burn water!" Seyren scowled, and Karla started laughing like crazy.

"Still can't find your asshole with a map and compass?" the zombie asked now, and Seyren was stammering. Howard and Kiehl were laughing hard now, and Eremes had a wide grin on his face. Drake was bellowing out his laughter in true pirate fashion.

"You know," Thanatos said with a thoughtful grin. "I'm sure any of us strong monsters would have ended up being the same way as Beelzebub, if we were summoned."

"You would think so," Beelzebub grinned, as he ran a hand over Sarine's body. When time came back, Seyren informed Baphomet of the dream vision, and the massive demon approached them with a fanged grin.

"I'm curious as to what would have happened, if you went into my domain and met me with Beelzebub," Baphomet smirked.

"Now...ooh!" Doppy grinned. "That sounds like fun! We need to see that!"

"A dream vision continuation?" Sammy mused. "Let's wait until we get back from the Orc Village. That would be a good incentive, right?"

"You guys were young!" Neil smiled.

"And Seyren was scared!" Anna giggled.

"I was not scared! I just knew when I couldn't kill something," Seyren said. "It's called common sense. If I fought him, I knew I would have died."

"Maybe Beelzebub could have shown you where your ass was so you could find the hole," Ragged Zombie grinned, and everyone died with laughter.

"You can shove it!" Seyren scowled.

"At least I know where I can shove it. Two places, actually. They're called my gut and my ass. Ooh! Maybe I can shove it in my gut for it to come out my ass! That would be neat!" the zombie mused, and everyone started to pass out from laughing so hard. Seyren tried to make a comeback, but he got caught up in the laughter. When they recovered, the kids came down the stairs to show they were ready to go. Golden Thief Bug skittered up to them to show he was ready to help with the kids. Maya Purple was next to take various kids, too.

"Hmm. What do we do with Siegfried and Serenity?" Howard frowned.

"We will help again," Lord of Death said, as he approached with Abysmal Knight. Seyren nodded, and Siegfried sat with Lord of Death again. Serenity was secured with Abysmal Knight, and they grouped together when they were ready to go. Pori-Pori, Vagabond Wolf, Eddga, and Garm came to them.

"Garm?" Thanatos chuckled.

"I want to join this one," the ice wolf snorted. "If I like it, I may have the kids ride on my back when they need help."

"Really?" Nigel smiled. Vagabond Wolf thought and barked out. Nigel looked at him and chuckled, as he said, "Do you think you can carry a kid?"

"I'll try and ride him!" Gunther said.

"He's never been ridden before," Doppy warned. Gunther nodded and moved out from Golden Thief Bug's wing cover. He carefully managed to climb up onto Vagabond Wolf's back. The massive wolf snarled out at first from a sharp tug on his fur, and Nigel told him where to hold on so that he wouldn't hurt the wolf. Gunther nodded and found his bearings quickly.

"His fur is rough!" Gunther grinned.

"Really? I always found it quite soft," Sarine chuckled. Windwalker landed, and she got on his back. Howard and Kiehl joined her, and Sammy moved to walk behind them. Byorgue was going to keep a close eye on Vagabond Wolf, but the wolf monster genuinely appeared to be enjoying himself. He actually liked being able to have someone ride him. Muninn warbled when everyone was ready, and they all got Warped to the Goblin area south of Orc Village.


	122. Chapter 122

When they got there, Beelzebub called out two Hell Flies to settle on each side of the party. Keltin scanned the area and had everyone wait.

"Monsters are coming to see us. Hold on," he said. Five Goblins appeared with a Goblin Archer, as they stepped out of the bushes. A Goblin in a flying machine appeared, and Goblin Leader, himself, walked out to approach them. There were actually quite a few Goblin Leaders, so he was able to approach them easily.

"Didn't we see them in your tower?" Seyren asked Naght.

"Yes...but...not...real..." Naght nodded.

"Okay, so we have," Keltin grinned. "Hammer Goblin, Mace Goblin, Axe Goblin, Dagger Goblin, Sword Goblin, Rotar Zairo, Goblin Archer, and Goblin Leader. Not bad!"

Goblin Leader looked at them all through the eye holes of his mask, as his regal, fur-lined red cloak sat nobly on his armored body. When he turned, the golden etching of a funny face was on the back of it. It made the kids giggle, since it looked like a winking face with a tongue out. A small, stately crown sat on his head, and he held a two-handed spear. His skin was a brownish-purple in color, and he had splayed feet that had three toes on each foot. It was the same for his hands, but it was three fingers and a thumb. His respective Goblin minions had masks of their own, and each one had a various face and look. The Goblin that worked the flying machine looked like it was constantly having to pedal to keep afloat in the air, and he had on a crazy mask while he did it. They all glowed with power, and all but Goblin Leader vanished.

"Where go?" Goblin Leader asked, since he could talk now. His body appeared to have grown a good three feet in height and was now overly muscled. He stood almost as tall as Keltin. He would easily become a general in the war ahead, and Muninn mused at this.

"Orc Village," Eremes said.

"Good. I lead," he nodded. Then he gave over his card and a slotted shield.

"Thank you!" Sammy nodded.

"Come!" he urged. Loomin chuckled and went to see Sarine.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Loomin," Sarine smiled, as Kiehl had her reclining on him. "How are the kids? Are they behaving themselves?"

"Yes. Gunther is having a blast," Loomin grinned. She leaned over and got a kiss from him, as they walked. He moved back to where he was with a soft smile on his face.

"Mama! Sing!" Serenity said.

"Yah!" Angela giggled from under Maya Purple's wing cover. Edward cheered her on to sing, and Bianca did the same. Sarine smiled and began to sing, as they moved. Donnie strummed on his guitar with Ollie and Thomas to back him up. Coraline laughed, and Max kept her at his side. Goblin Leader paused at the singing and now moved to the source. On seeing Sarine, he looked at her, and she smiled back at him.

"You special," he said.

"Yes. I am Sarine, the Vessel of Odin. See?" she smiled and had Kiehl help her show him her Mark of Odin. Now Goblin Leader dropped to one knee to kneel to her with a fist over his heart to show honor. When he stood up, his armor glowed to be silver metal with intricate inlays of ravens in flight. His red cloak resembled feathers, with the funny face still there to throw off others, and the fur-lining became even more stark white. His small crown became embellished with gems, and his spear became ornamented with a nasty hooked tip. Doppy whistled and nodded to him with respect.

"Oh! I'm stronger!" Goblin Leader said with surprise.

_:Yes.:_  Muninn said. He landed and reverted to his human form. " _I am Muninn. You are to be one of our generals. So, you needed to be made even stronger. What powers did Valkyrie give you? Can you tell us?_ "

"Hmm..." Goblin Leader thought, as he studied himself. "Stun Stomp. Agility. Two Hand Quicken. Berserk. Heal. Stronger Maximize Power. Shield Charge is same. Teleport and...oh! Earthquake! For emergencies, though."

"Are you serious?!" Doppy grinned. "We should spar later. Not now."

"Oh?" Goblin Leader seemed to laugh.

"I'm Doppelganger," he grinned. That made Goblin Leader whoop with excitement and arrangements were made. Goblin Leader moved to the front of the group again to lead them. Muninn became his falcon form to hover over them to help scout. Any rogue Goblins that attacked them were killed. Many of their masks were collected, and the kids started to play with them with delight.

"Ooh! Lookit me!" Siegfried said, as he had on a slant-eyed smiling mask.

"No! Me!" Gunther grinned, as he had on a scary grin-like face with sharp teeth etched in it. Edward had on a mask that showed three lines for a face. Angela had on a surprise mask. Serenity was now wearing a sad faced mask. Bianca had on a mask from a Rotar Zairo that looked like ninja stars for eyes and the same scary grin like Gunther's mask.

"Oh, how scary! You could all be little Goblins!" Sarine chuckled, and Goblin Leader laughed at that idea.

"Mama needs a mask, too!" Serenity said.

"No, dears. I'm fine," she smiled.

"I make one for you?" Goblin Leader asked.

"Oh! Well, I think I'm fine. Thank you, though," Sarine said.

"Make one for Mama, anyways!" Serenity grinned. Goblin Leader nodded and would make sure to do so. Doppy was clearly amused, and Sammy was laughing softly.

"We should make sure to get Kobold Leader," Keltin said.

"Kobold Leader! Yes! I go with when you go!" Goblin Leader said. "We have pact. Alliance! So, I go!"

"Ah! That makes sense as to why you would want to come with us," Sammy nodded.

"He lives west of Geffen. I know where! We should get him! Very fast trip!" Goblin Leader said. "After Orc Village!"

"Um...okay," Sarine nodded. Kiehl kissed her cheek and squeezed her.

"I was thinking about something," Howard said a bit lightly. Beelzebub looked over at him, as he listened in.

"About what, How-How?" she asked.

"If I was never in Lighthalzen, I wouldn't have Kiehl as my brother," he said.

"I'm gonna pretend you never said that," Kiehl said, as he adjusted his glasses. "I like you as my brother. Hell, Sarine should be my sister, if that's the case, but I'm not going to see it like that. You're my brother. Sarine is our wife and My Lady. Not changing it. That's that."

"Right," Howard grinned. Beelzebub seemed to nod to himself and continued to walk.

"So, Seyren," Ragged Zombie said. "what do you think will happen when we get to the Orc Village? Hope to find anything interesting?"

"Nope! Not listening!" Seyren said, and Karla grinned.

"He's thinking about a new pacifier..." Eremes grinned.

"What?!" Seyren scowled, and laughter started up.

"Ah, that's right! Maybe we can get one of the Orc Babies to give one over," Keltin thought. "Maybe an Orc Lady can tuck you in at night? Change your diaper?"

"Oh, please!" Seyren groaned. Garrett grinned, and Cecil snickered.

"Maybe an Orc Baby can teach you how to use a diaper?" the zombie grinned, and Seyren scowled out again. Karla started laughing, and Luna stuck out her tongue at Seyren.

"Don't you start!" Seyren frowned, and Luna did it again. Karla gave him a daring look, and he grinned to show he wasn't going to harm the Homunculus.

"We're nearing the village now," Keltin said. On hearing this, Beelzebub was able to send out a fly to find the ones they needed. They weren't too far off, and a small conversation was started. When the fly got back, Beelzebub had a nice grin on his face. As the party neared the village, Orc Baby, Orc, and Orc Lady were waiting for them. They looked like squat, green humans with tusked teeth, but the adults were far more muscled. Orc was wearing light armor with a horned purple helm on his head. Orc Lady was wearing a lightly tattered cloth dress and carried a knife. Orc Baby tottered up to Seyren, as he dragged an axe behind him, and he gestured for him to hold out his hand while he sucked on a pacifier. Seyren grimaced, but held out his hand. The baby gave him a nursing bottle, and everyone erupted with laughter.

"I don't need it," Seyren said with a small smile and gave it back. Orc Baby blinked under his massive helmet, thought for a bit and gave over his bib. That had them laughing even harder. Seyren shook his head to decline again, and the baby started to take off his purple diaper. Eremes had to Cloak to run off and laugh.

"How did he know?!" Sarine gasped, as she was supporting Howard.

"I told Orc Baby," Beelzebub grinned. "With the help of one of my flies."

"You got them to scout ahead?!" Howard asked.

"Apparently, when a monster we need is close by, they can do that," Beelzebub smirked. "But only to that monster, and we must be close enough."

Orc Lady and Orc looked at each other with grins, as they glowed with power with their baby before Warping away. Seyren gave sharp glares to everyone that was laughing.

"Who told the kid?! Tell me!" Seyren demanded.

"I did. What are you going to do about it?" Beelzebub grinned. Seyren muttered, and the Demon Lord started laughing wickedly. "We can spar. When we get back, we'll do so!"

"I'm a monster now. Sure. We'll see who can kick the other's ass!" Seyren grinned.

"If you can find it," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Seyren Windsor! Mind your language, or I'll call down the Light of Odin on you!" Sarine scowled. That made Seyren pale, and he got a look from Karla.

"Ragged Zombie was swearing, too," Doppy grinned.

"I was, but it was back at the house and kids were not near me!" the zombie said. Then he added, "And time was frozen!"

"He's right. Ragged Zombie is clear. For now," Sarine said.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, as he moved to Windwalker's side. She looked at him, leaned over, and lightly touched along the opening of his gut to make him hiss with lust.

"Behave," she said with a smile.

"Okay," he swallowed. Kiehl was grinning with Howard.

"I'll finish the job later," she grinned, and he tensed with a small nod. "How-How? You know, I need to have Loomin do something with me."

"What's that, love?" he asked.

"What did I do with Sammy when we last traveled with Windwalker?" she grinned.

"Oh, yes!" Kiehl smirked. "He does need that treatment."

"We'll have to arrange it. I'm sure Orc Lord is around here somewhere with Orc Hero. It's just a matter of time before we find them," Howard frowned.

"Orc Lord is approaching us!" Keltin said. Sarine whimpered, as her tattoo glowed, and Huginn came forth. She gave a touch of a smirk at them both.

"Speak of the devil, eh, boys?" Huginn grinned.

"Hurry up," Howard said. He didn't like Huginn, and neither did Kiehl.

"Oh. There's something I need to tell you both. Loomin didn't mention it," Huginn said.

"What?" Howard asked. Beelzebub listened in closely.

"Loki is trying to find out about the hidden pregnancy. Loomin told him that it was life-threatening and refused to give the information," Huginn said softly so the kids wouldn't overhear. "Remember that strand of hair that was pulled from Sarine this morning? It was not only a tracker, but a detector. He was trying to infiltrate her body to find out what he wanted to know. I blocked the detection, and that's what caused her pain. Loki is very... _very_...pissed off at me for doing this. I'm thwarting everything he's trying to do to her. The moment I'm out of her body to bond with the child that Eremes makes for me, she'll be quite vulnerable. So, yeah, beat me up if you want. I don't care. Just remember that, if I can't get back inside her mind, Loki will find a way to get to her."

"Hmm..." Howard frowned.

"Thanks for the warning," Kiehl said. Beelzebub was at Windwalker's side to confront Huginn now, and he was glaring hard at him.

"You tell me when you plan to bond with that child. I'll ensure nothing happens to Sarine, and I'll have Loomin close, too," Beelzebub said. "You're a piece of shit, but I know you don't plan to hurt my mate intentionally. Just remember. If you make her abort any children before I, or anyone else, can have children with her, I'll find a way to kill you, myself!"

"I know," Huginn shrugged and seemed to disregard the threat. He was used to them. Kiehl seemed to glare at this, but Howard wasn't surprised at all. Muninn overheard everything, as he flew over Windwalker, and he mentally told Sarine's men what he learned. Naght learned everything through Howard and was clearly ticked. Doppy wasn't pleased, and Eremes was tempted to Berserk, but stopped himself. Keltin and Sammy glanced at each other. Loomin was making plans to stay near Sarine the moment she gave birth.

"Orc Lord!" Keltin said, as the green-skinned monster charged at him.

"Here we go!" Huginn grinned and had Sarine's body jump off of Windwalker's back. He had her run up in front of Keltin with hands out, as he shouted, "Orc Lord! Stop and hear me! I am Huginn! Our Lord Odin needs you to help with a coming war! Stop your attack! NOW!"

The massive creature found himself stumbling in his attack at the intense wave of power that flowed from this human female, and he skidded to a halt to keep from tripping over himself. He looked at her now with a heavy tusked snarl. His three-horned helmet was immaculate, and his animal hide armor was toughened to withstand a lot of heavy damage. He was far more muscled than a normal Orc to show he was a true leader. He was the First in Command to Orc Hero. Orc Lord snorted and gestured to his Orc Archer support team to hold back, as he looked at Huginn and said, "War? Always war! What special with this war?"

"This war will destroy your home. Our home. Everyone's home. Even the land will split to have nothing left. It is the will of our Lord Odin for all strong and weak monsters to help fight it. The one I am in now is the Vessel of Odin. I protect her. You see that falcon? That is Muninn, my brother," Huginn said. Orc Lord frowned, as he detected no lies.

"Bad war!" Orc Lord growled, and now he saw Goblin Leader and pointed. "What are you?! So strong!"

"Goblin Leader!" the monster smirked under his mask. "I was made strong! I help fight! Will you help fight?! If not, I see you as coward!"

"Orc Lord is not coward! I help fight!" Orc Lord snarled.

"Good!" Goblin Leader chortled.

"Now, Orc Lord, we can do this one of two ways," Huginn said. "I can leave a dark duplicate of you here to lead your troops. Or, you can promote someone to be the next Orc Lord here. It's different for your tribe."

"Yes. Hmm. I know one," Orc Lord nodded. Seyren and Garrett were a bit surprised at this. Orcs did have a rather intricate system on how they worked things. Orc Lord promoted an Orc that he knew of to lead the tribe while he was gone, and the change took place quickly. Then Orc Lord glowed with power to be able to leave with them.

"We need Orc Hero," Huginn said.

"Fine. I take you to him," Orc Lord nodded, and he gave a small nod to the new Orc Lord that would defend the tribe. Huginn decided to stay awake in Sarine and simply walked with them. Sammy was concerned about this, but figured it would be a bit easier, since Orc Hero wasn't that far off now. Orc Lord led them west, and they came to a large, grassy place with streams and hills. Orcish structures that resembled watch towers were all over the place here.

An Orc Archer quickly joined them, and a blue-skinned High Orc joined them next. Orc Archer looked like a slender, but fully muscled Orc that carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. He wore the traditional Orc hat, and he snorted when he moved to walk with them. High Orc looked like he could be just under Orc Lord in muscular strength. He almost looked like a seniority version of a common Orc in both strength and ferocity.

"Orc Hero is currently north of us," Keltin said.

"How you know?!" Orc Lord asked.

"I am the Vessel of Odin's Guardian. I was given the ability to find the monsters we need when we get close enough. It cuts down on time so we can get more done. I'm also a Bongun," Keltin grinned. Orc Lord blinked and frowned.

"Bonguns not strong!" he argued.

"Oh? Well, I am!" Keltin grinned and reverted to his human Champion form. Then he let the Rage of Valkyrie come forth, and he punched out a rogue High Orc in one move. Orc Lord's mouth dropped.

"He was given the power of Valkyrie," Huginn said. "He is stronger than you."

"Hmm," Orc Lord thought. "Test of strength?"

"Later," Keltin nodded, as he became his Bongun form again. Goblin Leader laughed heartily, and Gunther grinned on Vagabond Wolf's back.

"Kids?!" Orc Lord blinked.

"My kids," Doppelganger snarled. "That's my son, Gunther. I am Doppelganger."

"You...strong!" Orc Lord growled.

"Very!" Doppelganger grinned wickedly, and he gutted open another rogue High Orc, as it got too close. Orc Lord started to grin. He liked being around strong monsters. As they got near Orc Hero, they heard fighting.

"Orc Hero need help!" Orc Lord said.

"Then let's help him!" Huginn said with a grin.

"Don't you dare have my wife fight!" Loomin growled.

"That's right. I forgot. I'll stand back," Huginn said with a nod. Sammy nodded to Loomin at this, and Keltin moved in front of Sarine protectively. Thanatos and Naght readied themselves, and Seyren Berserked with Eremes. The Assassin Cross Cloaked and took out the male Sniper, as he got close to him.

"What the...!" the Sniper gasped, as he went down.

"Orc Hero! Come here!" Orc Lord growled, as he attacked the Lord Knight that was pinning down Orc Hero. The majestic Orc in gold armor moved quickly to their side, and the tide turned easily. Beelzebub used his Hell Flies to distract the fighters, and Garm helped freeze the party with Storm Gusts. Pori-Pori clobbered any human that got Stunned by the monsters, and Eddga rumbled a roar every time he stomped on the ground. Once the party was defeated, they moved off a bit of a ways to talk.

"Orc Hero, I am Huginn," he said through Sarine's body. "Our Lord Odin needs your help to fight in a coming war! We need you to join us!"

"You help me. I help you," Orc Hero nodded, and his overdone headdress of gold and feathers swayed with his nod. "I get another to take place of me."

"Very well!" Huginn said. Once a High Orc was given command, Huginn sunk back down into Sarine's mind, and she collapsed. Loomin caught her and held her.

"Howard! Kiehl! Come over here so she can see you when she wakes up!" Loomin said. "Sammy! Come here, too!"

"Ah, right!" Howard nodded. They moved over to her, and she shivered when she came around. On seeing them, she gave a hard sigh of relief.

"That was close," Sammy said, as he let her hug him. "She almost had her craving get worse. Huginn took a big risk by staying awake for so long."

"Yes, he did," Kiehl frowned, as he hugged her now. When Howard hugged her, she finally looked up at Orc Lord and Orc Hero with a small nod.

"Thank you for joining us," she said lightly.

"Not Huginn?" Orc Lord asked.

"No. I am Sarine, the Vessel of Odin. Huginn takes me over when it comes to recruiting strong monsters like you two," she said.

"Mama?" Serenity asked, as Lord of Death moved to Sarine's side. Orc Lord blinked and now saw how closely matched the girl was to Sarine.

"I'm okay, dear," Sarine smiled.

"Kids yours?" Orc Hero asked.

"Yes. Very strong kids," she chuckled. "This is Serenity. She is the daughter of Howard and Naght Seiger. Her twin brother is Siegfried."

"Very strong kids!" Orc Lord gaped, as Naght rumbled a purr to Sarine and to his daughter. Howard let his form mist out to show that he was a powerful monster, and Orc Hero nodded with respect to him. Beelzebub chuckled and looked over at another adventuring party closing in. He gave a sharp, hissing snarl of hatred, and Thanatos growled.

"We need to leave," Lloyd said. "I'll make a Warp. Or, Muninn? Do you want to take us home before those guys get splattered?"

"Let's take them out!" Doppy seethed.

_:Warp now!:_  Muninn chuckled and quickly took everyone to a different location instead of taking them back home. Everyone paused at their new surroundings.

"Where are we?!" Sarine blinked at the forest-like area they were in.

"Ah! Kobold Leader home!" Goblin Leader said.

"You decided to grab Kobold Leader?" Keltin grinned at Muninn.

_:May as. Well. Right?:_  Muninn warbled.

"True," Sammy chuckled. "So, we are west of Geffen. All right. Keltin, where is Kobold Leader? Do you know?"

"Hmm," Keltin thought, as he scanned the area. "He's been recently defeated. He's recovering. This way!"

"Kobold Leader weak?" Orc Lord frowned.

"Right now he is," Loomin nodded. "We will make him stronger."

"Good!" Orc Hero nodded and followed them. As they walked along, Keltin noticed they had to head south, and they started to do just that. Three blue-furred, dog-like Kobolds joined them. One had a hammer, one had a mace, and one had an axe. They were very much like Goblins, and Sammy could see how they had an alliance. Each Kobold had wood-based armor and shields. They glowed with power to become slightly larger and far more accurate in their attacks and viciousness. Sarine was moved back onto Windwalker's back, and Loomin was sitting in Howard's place. Kiehl was grinning the whole time, as Howard walked with Sammy behind them. The Gryphon had his wings up to hide them.

"So, what are we doing?" Loomin chuckled.

"What do you want to do?" she whispered and pulled him into a lusty kiss. He muttered and kissed her back, as he pulled her shorts down. The moment he was freed, he took her quickly and released hard with her. They had to muffle each other, and Kiehl was snickering. Loomin managed to pull his pants back up, as she got her shorts in place, and he hugged her.

"I definitely want to do this again," he grinned.

"I know you do," she smiled, and he kissed her passionately. When Keltin announced that Kobold Leader was close, Loomin squeezed her and let Kiehl pull her to him. When Windwalker stopped, Howard and Sammy were there to help her down. A Kobold Archer with brown fur and floppy ears looked over at her and glowed with power. Then it led her to Kobold Leader. The monster had all black fur, wore heavier armor, and held a sturdier buckler. A sword was nearby that had a curved tip to it.

Kobold Leader whined, as he was still recovering. Sarine smiled softly to show she was there to help. She knelt by him to carefully reach out and pat his hand-like paw. Then he glowed with power and sat up, as he was recovering faster. Goblin Leader moved to his side.

"Who hurt you?" he asked.

"Humans. Gone now," Kobold Leader snarled. "Kill one. Two hurt me. Take stuff. I have more. So...is okay."

"You poor dear," Sarine frowned. "Well, you don't have to worry about this anymore!"

"Who you?" Kobold Leader asked.

"I am Sarine, the Vessel of Odin," she said, and Errende moved to help her show him her Mark of Odin. Kobold Leader studied it and nodded with respect. Then his form glowed even more. His armor became as silver as Goblin Leader's and twice as bulky. His shield became gilded with gold and engraved with ravens in flight. His sword became twice as large and serrated on each side. He grinned a wicked, fanged grin, and his body grew three times larger. New muscles rippled, and more powers were granted to him.

"Now, what do you know?" Doppy grinned.

"Hmm..." Kobold Leader thought, as he stood up. "Heal. Stronger Adrenaline Rush. Shield Charge. Teleportation. Break Armor and Weapon. Maximize Power and Berserk."

"Nice!" Seyren grinned. "You are definitely a general."

"You know, I think my four generals are for the war, too," Thanatos thought.

"You may be on to something," Sammy said.

"So, where now?" Kobold Leader asked, as he helped Sarine stand. Vagabond Wolf barked, and Kobold Leader stared at the child on his back.

"My kid," Doppy grinned. "He's very strong."

"Oh!" Kobold Leader said with surprise.

"You all can talk to Storm Caller when we get back," Beelzebub said. "He needs to fill you in on a few things. Especially about Sarine's life."

"Okay," Orc Hero nodded.

"Make sure to have him show you some letters," Ragged Zombie said. "We'll probably be at an arena to watch fights. You can fight in it, too, to show off your strength. Humans come all the time to die, and we get paid for it!"

"Ooh!" Orc Lord grinned wickedly. "I like!"

"First learn about everything. Then you can have fun," Thanatos said.

"Okay," Goblin Leader said. Now Muninn warbled, as he hovered over them, and took them all back to the island home.


	123. Chapter 123

The kids were taken back to the nursery, and Beelzebub moved over to Sarine.

"I want to do another dream vision. The continuation that Baphomet suggested," he grinned. "We really should. I think it would be fun."

"True," Sarine smiled and watched Orc Hero, Orc Lord, Goblin Leader, and Kobold Leader move off to talk to Storm Caller. "Do we want to do this so soon? We still have to see about Morroc, and the King of Prontera. We also have some unwanted visitors in the dungeons still. Remember?"

"Oh, yes!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"How could we forget about them?" Kiehl smirked.

"Let's just gut them open," Doppy said.

"We can deal with them tonight," Sammy said. "Kiehl, how is the Pilule replication coming? Any luck with it?"

"Yes, actually!" he nodded. "I got the main parts of the medicine broken down. It's very complex engineering! I have to let the samples develop further in order to use them to make more. Progress is being made, as we speak."

"And we managed to build some surveillance cameras. Beelzebub, later tonight when Sarine sleeps, we'll need a Hell Fly to test with," Howard said.

"I'll leave one in the workshop now," Beelzebub nodded and sent a Hell Fly there to wait. Baphomet moved up to them and grinned.

"Good. You're all here. I want that dream vision to happen. Have Muninn freeze time for us. I'm really intrigued by it," the massive demon mused.

"Well, I suppose, if time will be frozen," Sarine said. "I should see to the nursery first."

"No. Dream vision first. Then nursery," Baphomet insisted. Seyren started to chuckle, and Muninn landed on Sarine's shoulders.

 _:Dream vision? Okay!:_  he warbled.  _:Get everyone. Ready!:_

"This will be fun!" Beelzebub grinned. This time, Sarine sat in Howard's lap, as her men gathered together. Once her friends were settled, time froze, and everyone joined hands for the dream vision to start back up...


	124. Chapter 124

They had all walked out of Geffen with Beelzebub with them. The strong demon was only too happy to have been summoned with the Bloody Branch. It had been a long time since he was trapped. He recalled that it had been almost five hundred years, if that. Looking over at Sarine, as she rode on Howard's cart, he smiled softly to himself. She had two suitors from what he could tell.  _The Assassin that saved her, and the Blacksmith that guarded her. Both could become a nuisance, but she was so young right now. I have time to let her grow, and time to get close to her._ He didn't need to sleep, but he would be competing with the Assassin when he was awake. It would be a very interesting time to him.

Sarine moved off the cart, and Beelzebub was able to help her train as a pet would. This surprised everyone, and Seyren was laughing.

"Why should she even use arrows when you just kill everything for her?" the Knight asked. "This is cheating!"

"Cheating or not, she needs to get stronger," Beelzebub said, as he took out a white Stem Worm for her. The monster looked like a plant-like bulb with a long stem growing out of the top of it. It almost looked like an armadillo, but lacked the armor plating. She needed the tough stems that grew on their bodies, and they were easily collected. Someone was asking for them in Morroc and promised to teach her a new skill, if she had enough of them. He simply let his Hell Flies kill off anything that got too close.

"A card!" Sarine smiled, as she picked it up.

"Not bad!" Howard grinned and hugged her.

"The Hidden Forest Temple isn't far off. Should we take her there?" Kathryne asked.

"May as well," Beelzebub chuckled. "As if I'll let anything touch her."

"Baphomet is there, though," Margaretha said.

"Is he?! Well, then, yes! Let's go!" Beelzebub grinned.

"Why?" Howard asked with a frown.

"I'm a demon, and so is he. I want to see if he recognizes Sarine's potential. It's important. If he does, then we know that she is with all of us for a reason. Baphomet is honorable, to an extent. We must show him Sarine," the Demon Lord explained. Eremes narrowed his eyes, but gave a small nod of understanding.

"Well, if Eremes agrees, then fine," Seyren said.

"He does seem to know what's best from time to time," Cecil nodded. Sarine frowned, but Howard placed a kiss on her forehead and hugged her. Kathryne smiled and started to help Seyren clear a path to Baphomet's location. Once they got into the Hidden Forest Temple, Howard put Sarine on his cart to keep her safe.

"We don't want to get lost here," Seyren said. "Let's stick together!"

"Right!" Cecil nodded. Beelzebub studied the area and found himself impressed.  _The forest area was clearly a magical maze._ As they moved through it, Eremes scouted ahead and signaled if it was either safe to proceed, or to prepare to attack. Each corner they turned around would either back-track them, or move them forward. It was why Eremes scouted to find the best route through the maze. As they got deeper into the forest, they managed to come to a clearing. It was here that they took a small break.

"You need to eat," Margaretha said. "and you need to learn a few things."

"Okay," Sarine nodded, and a perimeter was upheld with the Hell Flies. As she ate and got taught various lessons that she needed, Howard was realizing that she never did get the chance to learn anything.  _If she was really trapped her whole life, then she had learned nothing._  After thirty minutes, they were ready to move again.

"Would you look at that! A strong monster!" an Archer boy said in the distance.

"He'll kill ya, kid!" Howard grinned. "Don't try it."

"Oh, just let him try. It will give me something to do," Beelzebub grinned. A Hell Fly took the boy out before anything could happen, and Margaretha Resurrected the poor boy.

"We told ya so!" Howard said. The Archer simply pouted, but he went back to killing what he knew he could. Beelzebub shrugged, and Seyren grinned when they kept going.

"Beelzebub?" Sarine asked.

"Yes, my dear?" he smiled, as he moved to her side.

"Why do you really want to see Baphomet?" she asked.

"Like I said. He needs to see you. You'll find out more when we see him," the Demon Lord nodded. "You are very special. He needs to know who you are."

"How am I special?" she asked.

"I'm not killing you. I don't hate you. I like you," he chuckled. "That's how you're special. Normally, I'd kill you without a second thought. But, I didn't. Like I said before, you called me to you. I have this...urge...to protect you. It's instinctive. Something I simply have to obey. So, I'm not going to fight it. I'd kill your friends, but you made me promise not to hurt them in exchange for knowing more about you. And I promised not to take you from them. So, where you go, I go. Simple as that."

"You'd just kill us off?" Howard frowned.

"Why not? I'm a demon. I don't care about the lives of humans. I care about her life. But, since she cares about your life, I care about your life, too. You're...important to her. You feel her emotions, apparently. From what I can tell. That's something even I can't fathom. It must be Hell at times, right?" Beelzebub asked. "To feel things so strongly that you can't move? Just like what happened in town when she remembered her past?"

"Yes. It can be hard," Howard nodded. "It's why I protect her, too. I don't want her to feel sad or scared. She's getting better at handling her emotions, though. She's trying to build some form of a mental wall in her mind. It works, but she can lose it if she gets too emotional. Kathryne and Margaretha are helping her with it from time to time. It only works with her."

"Ahh. That explains a lot, then," the Demon Lord said. "Have you always had this talent with her? Or was it recent?"

"Ever since we found her," Howard said. "It was just there. As though it was dormant until she came into my life. Who do you think she should see next after Baphomet?"

"Hmm. I'd say that Hibram should meet her, but that means going back to my domain. I could be trapped there again," the Demon Lord frowned. "I don't want to chance it."

"Hibram?" Margaretha blinked.

"Fallen Bishop Hibram. He lives a level above mine in an old cathedral," Beelzebub said. "He's as strong as I am from the demon that possesses him."

"Damn," Seyren said. Eremes was listening to everything silently, and he held up his hand when he heard heavy footsteps coming at them. He suddenly used his skill of Back Slide, as a massive scythe crashed down on the location he was just at. Baphomet roared before pausing at the sight of Hell Flies around him. His massive, curled horns were dull with age, as he shifted his weight from hoof to hoof. His torso was that of a thickly muscled man, but the rest of him was an upright goat with brown fur. The heavy stench of sulfur radiated from him. Both of his clawed hands held his scythe up, as he studied the Hell Flies with his one good eye.

"About time we found you," Beelzebub grinned.

"You're free?!" Baphomet hissed with surprise. The Demon Lord moved over to him to mutter in Demonic, and the two started a lengthy conversation. Howard put his arms around Sarine, and she frowned.

"Sarine, can you come over to me?" Beelzebub said. "You won't be hurt."

"How-How?" she whimpered. At that sound, Baphomet looked over at her with a new interest. Howard gave a small nod to her, and she hugged him tight before moving off the cart. Both demons watched her move to them, and now Baphomet sniffed her carefully.

"You..." Baphomet said before instinct hit. He picked her up to set her on his shoulder to ride. "How long are you staying here?!"

"Um...I don't know," Sarine blinked at where she was.

"So, you want to protect her, too," Beelzebub nodded.

"I don't want her to leave!" Baphomet said. Howard and Seyren were gaping, and Eremes was now thinking hard. Then they realized that the sulfuric stench was lessening greatly with each second that Sarine was near the massive demon. Her very presence was removing most of the Demonic bloodlust that Baphomet normally got from others.

"Listen to this..." Beelzebub said and started to mutter out in Demonic again. Baphomet's eye filled with hate, as he gripped his scythe, and Howard knew he was learning about how she was brought up. Now he looked at Howard and pointed.

"Do you have a Book of Devil?!" Baphomet demanded.

"No, I don't," Howard said. "We can probably buy one somewhere."

"You need to get it so you can give it to one of my sons. He can protect her as a true pet this way. I don't want her to go unprotected from this point forward! This is important!" Baphomet said. "Baphomet Jr.! Come here!"

"Yes, Dad!" the little miniature of him appeared complete with scythe and horned head. Then he blinked at the human girl on his shoulder and pointed. "Who's that?!"

"Someone that you are going to protect!" Baphomet snarled out.

"Ah...okay!" his son said. "How do I travel with her?"

"We are working on that," Beelzebub said. "I am not going anywhere without her."

"Neither am I," Howard said.

"I have made a Memo of this point," Margaretha said. "I'll go through various towns to find the book. If we can't find it, what do we do?"

"We'll figure out something," Baphomet nodded. Then he thought and looked at Sarine, as he said, "Take this. It will help you later on."

"Huh?" she blinked, and he gave her his card.

"She's getting all their cards now!" Seyren gaped.

"Sarine..." Eremes said. "may I...borrow it?"

"Um...okay," she nodded.

"Use it to protect her, then!" Baphomet said.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. The card would grant him splash damage, and it would let him protect her even more. If he poisoned his katars, the venom would spread easily.

"My card would probably help you more," Beelzebub said to Kathryne. "Use it well."

"I will!" Kathryne promised, as she took it from Howard's cart. Howard gave over enough money to buy the Book of Devil that they would need.

"I'll go to town now. Who wants to come with me?" Margaretha asked.

"I will," Seyren said. Eremes was going to stay, and he showed this by leaning against a tree. Howard was definitely staying. Cecil and Kathryne went with her. When they left, Baphomet looked at the men curiously.

"So, you feel her emotions?" Baphomet asked Howard.

"I do," Howard nodded.

"And he saved her from her plight," Beelzebub said, as he gestured to Eremes.

"Then we owe you a bit of a debt," Baphomet said. This made Eremes raise a brow with surprise, and Baphomet spoke out, "The girl here, Sarine. She is very important. We monsters know that a war is coming. She is the key to help save us all. Human kind and monster kind alike. If she died...we would have lost everything."

"I am?!" Sarine blinked.

"Sarine, was there ever a time you walked through a place and certain monsters didn't attack you? Like me?" Beelzebub asked. She paused as she thought, but Howard remembered.

"There was!" Howard nodded. "She wouldn't let us hurt them, too!"

"Those monsters will end up helping you again later in life," the Demon Lord nodded. Eremes looked at the ground in thought and let out a soft sigh.

"What's with you?" Baphomet Jr. asked him.

"Her rescue...was a mission...long ago..." Eremes said.

"It was?!" Howard gaped.

"Yes. From her grandmother," Eremes nodded, and Sarine gasped. "I can...tell you the story. But...it will be a lot of talk. So...don't tell Seyren. Or the others. Got it?"

"I promise," Howard nodded. Sarine nodded, and so did the demons. Eremes sighed again and started to tell them how he came to help her. The condition of the room she was held in was now given in full. He revealed what he heard her mother said before he snuck into the room. All of it was told now, and Howard was completely enraged at this. Baphomet was seething with hate, and his son was slashing his little scythe at the air. Sarine was cringing, and the massive demon let her cuddle him for comfort.

"Incantation Samurai?" Beelzebub thought. "Oh...we need to see him, too!"

"Huh?" Sarine blinked.

"You're special! He wasn't going to kill you!" the Demon Lord said with realization. "We'll need to hide you, as we go through Amatsu. It's the only way to reach his domain. I'm sure the guards will recognize you, too. I can take care of myself. We have to find him and let him know about you!"

"I think he already knew, if he agreed to take her," Baphomet said. "I want to go with you! There has to be a way to free me like Beelzebub!"

"Well, we can see about buying a lot of Bloody Branches," Howard thought. "They are extremely rare, though. And very expensive, if one is found."

"Hmm..." Beelzebub thought and looked over, as Margaretha came back with the others.

"We found a book!" Seyren grinned.

"Good. Take it!" Baphomet snarled at his son. Baphomet Jr. nodded, accepted the book, and became an egg. Kathryne handed over a lot of honey for Howard to carry, since the little demon ate it as food. Baphomet thought and gave Sarine a purring nuzzle before setting her back down. Then he gave her a small doll in his likeness. She blinked and hugged the doll to her. Beelzebub told Baphomet that she had no toys to speak of. This would help her, and it had his scent on it to help her. Then he thought and muttered in Demonic to Beelzebub.

"Are you serious?!" Beelzebub blinked. "Do you think it's possible?"

"I'm trying it," Baphomet said and looked at Sarine. "Come here once more."

"Okay," she said and moved to him. He took his scythe and cut his finger on it.

"Take a drop of my blood," he said. Howard and Eremes looked over in shock, and Seyren was completely puzzled about it.

"Why?!" Sarine gaped.

"It will brand you to me. My scent on you will protect you. Beelzebub will do the same thing. Any demons that try to get near you will cower!" Baphomet growled. She cringed, but lightly nodded to accept a mere taste of the Demonic blood. She shivered, as it coursed through her body, and Beelzebub took off a glove to let Baphomet open his finger.

"Mine, too," Beelzebub said. "In case I'm defeated. Two demons branding you will force the others into a state of shock."

"Ah..." Sarine blinked, but did the same. Both scents merged in her harmoniously, and now the demons looked at each with surprise.

"Special," Baphomet snorted.

"Very!" Beelzebub said. "All right. We have your son, and we'll bring him out. Next one on our list is Incantation Samurai. He needs to see her!"

"I can probably hide you in my cart," Howard said.

"Isn't there a monster card that can help her Cloak?" Kathryne asked.

"I think so!" Cecil grinned. "That would be better!"

"What monster is it?" Beelzebub asked.

"Frilldora. Near Morroc," Eremes said. "I know...where to go..."

"Okay," Seyren nodded. "We'll go there to hunt the monster down."

"So many places now!" Sarine said with excitement.

"Yes," Howard smiled and hugged her. Kathryne handed Sarine an Incubator to hatch the egg, and Baphomet Jr. was now at her side and hugging her leg contentedly.

"Funny," Seyren chuckled. "Normally, new pets are shy. He's not."

"It's because I know what I have to do!" Baphomet Jr. retorted. "So, shut up, Meat Bag! Let's move! We gotta go! Come on! You're not a tree, right? Then MOVE IT!"

"Why you little...!" Seyren growled, and Howard started laughing. Eremes actually gave a bit of a grin, and Beelzebub giggled.  _Now it was going to be interesting to travel with them._  Baphomet smirked and led them out of his domain, as the dream vision ended...


	125. Chapter 125

They all blinked awake, and Karla was laughing at Seyren. Baphomet was chuckling, and Beelzebub was clearly grinning.

"Meat Bag? That's a new one!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Shut up!" Seyren said.

"It is interesting, though," Sammy admitted. "Beelzebub is guiding Sarine on where to go without even realizing it. But, she couldn't really recruit until she was able to transcend. She'd be making double trips."

"Actually, Storm Caller and the monsters from Biblian were able to join her, and this was right before she transcended!" Keltin blinked in thought.

"Storm Caller is a Priest of Odin. It's highly possible that he was able to be a temporary link to the lesser monsters," Loomin said. "Once she transcended, that link was transferred in full to her. That would make the most sense. Strong monsters didn't need the link, since they could summon their own monsters. You would think that they have their own set of rules. They were able to simply link to her and stay within her area."

"You may be right," Kiehl nodded.

"It's better that it happened this way," Loomin said. "Although, I am curious as to what would have happened if I met her."

"You would have had to have been accepted by the Rachel Priests," Sammy said. "Then, the only way you could have met her was if you discovered her in Amatsu while exploring the palace. It would have been one of the few ways to do it."

"True," Loomin nodded. "Damn. Now I'm curious!"

"Another time!" Sarine laughed, as time came back. "I need to nurse the children, and then we need to go to Morroc. We have to meet with the Assassin Guild and collect three more powerful monsters. Right, Eremes?"

"True," he smiled and moved to her side to get kissed deeply.

"Amazing how quiet you were back then," Ragged Zombie chuckled.

"It's like I told Eremes before," Seyren smirked. "Once you get laid, all the talk comes out! It always happens like that!"

"I actually spoke quite a bit to her before that, you know..." Eremes grinned.

"He did. In the dressing room of Comodo before my first performance," she smiled, and he squeezed her. He gazed at her lovingly, as she returned his gaze, and he couldn't wait for her to have his children next. He led her up to the nursery, and she settled in her rocking chair. Aliot's twins were brought to her first to nurse, and she crooned to them.

"My Lady, are you hungry?" Aliot asked.

"Starved!" she nodded. Kiehl started to feed her some sushi, and Howard handled the tea. Sammy had a plate of cookies ready for her.

"Let us handle the feeding. Kiehl is okay!" Byorgue said, as he took over Howard's tea.

"Right," Howard nodded. Nigel took up the cookies, and Sammy let the slaves pamper Sarine. That was what they wanted to do, and he wasn't going to argue with them.

"So, it's Morroc after nursing?" Eremes asked.

"Yes," Sarine nodded, as she accepted a cookie. Loomin walked in with Keltin and Doppy to sit with her. Gunther scampered over to his father and moved into his lap.

"What is it?" Doppy asked.

"I like Vagabond Wolf!" he grinned.

"Good. Be nice to him, or he'll bite you," Doppy smirked.

"I'm nice to him!" Gunther frowned.

"Hmm. I should try riding him. Scouting team..." Eremes thought.

"That would be something to try, huh?" Keltin grinned.

"We should all have monsters to ride. Don't you think?" Sammy asked.

"Who would you ride?" Howard asked.

"I'll talk to Garm," Sammy chuckled.

"Actually, I should ride Garm. I'm immune to cold," Keltin said.

"True!" Sammy nodded.

"Ktullanux can carry me," Loomin grinned.

"Let's get Detale for me," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"Ooh! Yes!" Howard grinned back at him.

"I'm sure Windwalker won't let me ride anyone else," Sarine smiled.

"Hmm. I need to think about who I can ride," Sammy frowned.

"What about Evil Snake Lord?" Sarine asked.

"Ah...hmm. I don't think he's meant to be a steed," Sammy said.

"I'm sure there are other dragon types that we can find," Doppy thought.

"Sure, but Sammy needs a noble steed of sorts. He is a strong monster, too," Howard grinned. "Maybe we'll happen along something."

"What about Gopinich?" Sarine asked.

"He is a three-headed dragon," Keltin thought, as the information came to him. "He could be a possibility, but he's also pretty intelligent. Detale is definitely stronger than him."

"Maybe we can ask Gopinich," she smiled, as she gave Albert and Alexis to Byorgue. Bernard and Trina were given over next to nurse. Keltin moved to kiss her deeply before sitting back down with chuckle.

"Couldn't you ride on Nigel for the time being?" Kiehl asked.

"That's an idea. For now until another is able to help," Sammy nodded. "That may work out. However, he is still a slave, and that is something he will always see himself as first before being a steed."

"He's right," Nigel chuckled, as he moved to Sarine's side to accept a kiss and a caress from her. Sitting at her feet, he gasped at the feeling of her foot in his back and he sighed with relief. Now Kiehl had to do the same, and he groaned with his own form of comfort. Ragged Zombie walked up to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek before whispering to her. Howard and Kiehl started to sputter laughter, and she looked at him with a raised brow.

"I'm nursing. I don't think I can do that now," she smiled.

"After?" he asked.

"We'll see," she nodded.

"I'll wait in the bedroom," he grinned. She sighed and shook her head.

"Wow. He really likes you messing with his internal organs!" Howard laughed.

"If it keeps him quiet," she grinned, and Kiehl chuckled. When Keltin's twins finished nursing, she fixed up her top, and Kiehl got up with Nigel.

"I forget how good that feels," Kiehl sighed.

"I know, love," she smiled and kissed him, as he rubbed her belly to feel the happy kicks.

"Twins...I still can't believe it..." he smiled and leaned into her.

"Believe it," Howard grinned.

"I mean...I know I was told, and I was happy when it happened. It's just...feeling them respond to me like this! It still catches me off guard," Kiehl chuckled softly.

"Now, imagine our triplets doing this," Sarine smiled before kissing him quickly, and he let out a small gasp of joy.

"Yeah," Howard smiled. "You and I will both be going stupid quite a bit."

"As long as I'm not the only one," Kiehl grinned, and Howard laughed.

"Seeing to Ragged Zombie now?" Sammy asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Do the kids come with us when we travel to Morroc?" Eremes asked in a soft whisper. At the shake of her head, he nodded. Nothing would be said to them. They were playing with the cute monsters again and were quite distracted. She moved into the bedroom, and Ragged Zombie pulled her close to kiss desperately. She moved her mouth down his neck and bit down sharply for him to cry out. Right after that, he let out a hard whimper when she felt along the inside of his ribs, and she forced him against the wall. He was powerless to resist her.

"You like it when she plays with your guts, eh?" Doppy grinned.

"It's...addictive...ah!" the zombie gasped, as she reached up into his chest cavity to stroke along his spine before reaching up further to caress his heart. He couldn't move. He could only let the sensations run through him. This was his addiction now. Her other hand moved to slip into his pants, and he panted faster. Kiehl helped her pull her shorts down so the zombie could take her, but he had no strength to really move when he was inside her. He simply released with a small cry, and now Sarine thought to Howard.

"You really want to kill him? Again?!" Howard grinned. He took out a knife to open the zombie's neck for her. She bit down hard, as she took his blood, and Ragged Zombie's eyes went wide when she pulled him into a pleasuring loop unlike any other. Both of her hands were around his heart now. Her body tightened around his, as he released even harder in her with each pull of blood at his throat. The pleasure was something he simply couldn't describe if he tried. She let him experience this for five full minutes. If she did any longer, it would have easily destroyed his senses. Kiehl helped her away from him, as the zombie leaned against the wall to recover. She moved into the bathroom with Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy to clean herself off, and Doppy was laughing the whole time.

"Are you okay?" Keltin grinned, as he Healed his neck.

"No..." Ragged Zombie groaned, as he tried to recover.

"That pleasuring?" Eremes mused.

"Yeah..." he winced.

"I should have My Lady try it with me," Injustice thought. "I may be able to handle it. Keltin could, too, as a Bongun."

"Ah, I don't know," Keltin admitted. "She does just fine with a Blinker."

"Ooh! Ragged Zombie should wear a Blinker next time!" Doppy grinned. Loomin grinned wickedly and moved to tell Sarine. Harsh laughter was heard, and the zombie grimaced.

"Now I'm screwed!" he sighed, and the others laughed at him.

"No. You're just going to die again," Doppy smirked.

"Great," the zombie winced, as he was able to fix up his pants.

"I told you that My Lady drinking your blood would feel good," Injustice grinned.

"I know!" the zombie muttered. Beelzebub walked in with a massive grin on his face, and Ragged Zombie rolled his eyes at his laughter.

"Can you walk?" Eremes chuckled.

"Yes," the zombie said. "I'll be fine."

"I hope so," Loomin said. "If you want to see your favorite guy of the Assassin Guild..."

"Chicken Shit! Yes, I'll be fine!" the zombie grinned wickedly, and everyone laughed.

"We should give Elric a name..." Eremes mused.

"Only if he tries anything. I'll think of something good," the zombie said.

"Of course, you will," Keltin grinned. Doppy muttered a swear, and Ragged Zombie cracked up. Beelzebub could only nod.

"I could say that, but, Sarine might get mad," the zombie frowned.

"Say what?" Sarine asked, as she came out of the bathroom.

"A possible name for Elric," the zombie grinned.

"Oh?" she asked. Doppy moved to mutter in her ear. Howard gasped with Kiehl, as they laughed hard. Sarine giggled and shook her head, as she said, "No! That's too harsh!"

"Yep. I thought so," Ragged Zombie nodded.

"Are we ready? I'll send a message to Elric now, if we are," Eremes said.

"I think we are. Let's go," she nodded. When they got downstairs, she paused, as Elric was being stared down by Naght and Thanatos.

"Ah," Eremes said with a touch of a glare. "We were on our way to see you..."

"You were? Oh..." Elric frowned.

"And tell your goons to remove the Cloak," Loomin scowled. Fenrick and Shadow quickly Uncloaked, and Elric sighed.

"You missed two of them," Thanatos glared, as Tatya and Slade appeared next.

"We are strong monsters now," Howard frowned. "We can see you all, if you Cloak. Don't do it anymore! It's disgusting and builds mistrust!"

"I...right..." Fenrick nodded.

"I'm not a monster, but I am Loki's son. I have the gift of God Sight. I can see everything around me as it should be. Don't cross me," Loomin growled, as he pulled Sarine to him. "Are you sure they need to come with us?"

"Unfortunately, they do," Sarine nodded.

"Idiots!" Eremes hissed, as his form misted out. Sarine moved to his side to hug him and help calm him down. He sighed with irritation, and she had him look at her.

"Focus on me," she whispered and kissed him softly. Gazing at her with complete love and affection, he smiled and forgot about everyone around them. After she knew his fuse was lengthened considerably, she kissed him again to let him refocus on everyone.

"Now that's impressive," Tatya chuckled. "Normally, when Eremes got pissed, nothing could calm him down."

"Sarine does the same thing to me," Doppy growled. "To all of us, actually."

"That I do," Sarine smiled. "Okay, let's go."

"Kids stay home, right?" Seyren asked.

"Yes. They stay here. Come on," she said.

"I thought we got Pharaoh from Naght's tower," Garrett said.

"Huginn came out, but recognized him as a fake. There were very few that were real. Moonlight Flower, Phreeoni, and Mistress were the only real ones, come to think of it," Sammy said. "We did get quite a few monsters, though."

"Yes, we did," Sarine nodded. Keltin talked to Garm, and the ice wolf seemed to like the fact that the Guardian would ride him. The Bongun moved onto his back and was completely comfortable. His immunity to Ice helped immensely. Vagabond Wolf accepted Eremes on his back, and it was a very compatible team. Doppy would need to wait until they found Detale. Nigel shifted into his Nine Tail form for Sammy to ride. Ktullanux came over and let Loomin move onto his back. He actually preferred it this way. Sarine, Howard, and Kiehl got on Windwalker's back.

"I need a steed for now," Doppy frowned. A Nightmare that was recruited from his realm came over and stood still for him. He thought and shook his head.

"Too small?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Yep. Very," Doppy nodded. Then the Nightmare glowed, and its form grew to be a near-perfect replica of Lord of Death's horse, save that it was misting out and made of blue and white shadows. Now Doppy grinned and got on easily. The Nightmare would be able change into this form and back without hindrance, and it could be used as an extra steed. It was also a demon and could attack by having the Demonic part appear. It would resemble a reaper with a scythe in a centaur-like way. It could attack in front while Doppy protected Nightmare's flank.

"Very cool!" Keltin grinned. Seyren wanted a steed, but, as a monster, he couldn't get one. Garrett and Max went to Prontera really fast and got their Grand Pecopeco steeds to ride. Cecil was able to ride with Garrett, and Coraline was now riding with Max.

"Be right back, Donnie!" Egnigem grinned and went to get her Grand Pecopeco for him to ride with her. He was laughing at this and settled behind her when she got back. There was a monster Pecopeco that was recruited long ago with Dead Branches, and this one came up to nudge against Seyren. There was even a wild Grand Pecopeco and that one came over next.

"Nice!" Seyren grinned, and the Pecopeco let him get on. Karla had to walk with her cart, and that made him feel bad.

"Don't worry! I'll be fine," she smiled.

"No. I should walk with you. I'll let someone else ride this guy," he said. He got off the bird's back, and Lloyd was able to climb up with Margaretha. Kathryne and Mitchell were let on the wild Grand Pecopeco and it warbled with joy.

"How very considerate of you, Seyren!" Sarine smiled. Windwalker stretched out carefully and flexed his wings before settling them back down into a folded position. Kiehl pulled her against him, and he ran his hand over her belly to feel the kicks again. Sighing with a soft smile, he pressed his face against her neck. Howard looked at her and gave her a book to read. Kiehl grinned and started to read over her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Ragged Zombie?" Garrett asked.

"I'm fine," he nodded. "Hey, Chicken Shit! How're you doing?"

"Shut up!" Fenrick growled, and small bits of laughter was heard all around.

"Funny how he knows he's being spoken to," Doppy grinned. That had Fenrick gape, and Tatya couldn't stop the hard laughter that came out. Slade ran a hand over his face, and Shadow bit the inside of his cheek. Elric gave an amused look and shook his head. Beelzebub grinned, and Baphomet decided to join this trip. Eddga and Naght took up their spots with them.

"This will be interesting..." Eremes mused. Then Ifrit appeared to move with them, and Wanderer appeared shortly after. Observation crossed his arms over his chest, as he hovered with them, and Aliot moved over to Sarine.

"My Lady? I think I'm going to stay with the children," he said.

"That's fine, Aliot," Sarine said. She kissed him and gave him a tight hug. Byorgue was staying with Sarine. Injustice wanted to accompany her, too. Maya Purple was going, and Errende was going regardless. Drago had decided to stay to help with the kids, too.

"Aliot wants to be with his children, My Lady," Errende smiled.

"That's quite all right," Sarine smiled. "You could always stay behind, too."

"No. You need me in case there is a problem. Besides, Alexander, Bacsojin, and Doll are plenty of protection. That Hell Fly on the wall helps, too. I think Pori-Pori is staying with them. Ah, no. Here he comes," he smiled, and Pori-Pori scooted over to bounce in place. Anna and Neil giggled to each other, as Kavach seemed to sigh. Laurell and Lilah were ready to go. Wickebine was waiting with Ollie and Thomas. Blent was still off training somewhere. Armeyer and Timmy had their carts empty and ready to go.

_:Okay! Warping!:_  Muninn warbled.

"We save so much money when he takes us!" Karla grinned.

"Tell me about it!" Kathryne grinned, as Mitchell put an arm around her. Right before Muninn Warped them, a loud barking was heard. Goblin Leader, Kobold Leader, Orc Hero, and Orc Lord ran over to them.

"Go nowhere! Not without us!" Orc Hero scowled.

"We protect her!" Orc Lord snarled.

"Always protect!" Kobold Leader barked out.

"We here now! Now we go!" Goblin Leader said sternly.

"They read the letters," Sammy said. "Likely saw the slab, too."

"Obviously!" Doppy nodded. Muninn was very pleased at this, and the Warp happened without any further delays.


	126. Chapter 126

"Home. Been so long..." Eremes sighed. They had come here before, but not to stay in the town. It was easy for him to let the memories come back. "Karla. How was my house?"

 "A bit old and falling apart here and there from neglect," she said.

"Can we go there first?" Eremes asked.

"Yes, love," Sarine nodded. She put the book down to slowly blink at all the people staring at her and her party. She smiled softly and looked away, but, when the people saw the Assassin Guild with them, questions were asked.

"She is the Vessel of Odin and helping us investigate the monsters in the Sphinx and the Pyramids. Her monsters will not harm anyone!" Elric said sternly. The town Chief came over to them, and Eremes walked up with Elric. He was a heavily armored man to show he was ready to help defend the town at the drop of a hat. He could have easily rivaled Garrett in his armor.

"I want the Vessel of Odin to have my house..." Eremes said. "I am giving it to her."

"It's your house. Do what you like," the armored man nodded. "What about the monsters? Are they evil?"

"No. They can repair buildings. If you let them, that is. They will protect the town, too. As much as they can," Eremes said. Elric blinked at this, but he nodded.

"Oh! Well, we could use some good repairs. Okay. I'll go with it," the Chief said.

"Come. Talk to Sarine," Eremes said. He couldn't leave her side for too long at first, but, now, since the Chief allowed monsters, he could move freely to an extent. Being a monster had its drawbacks. He was also so solid now that it was getting harder and harder to tell that he was a monster. It was the same with his other companions. Beelzebub set a few Hell Flies out to scout the town, and he listened to the conversations that were being held. Sarine smiled and nodded to the Chief, and he blinked at her beauty. Garrett moved his Grand Pecopeco over to the Chief, and he was recognized. He explained further on how Sarine was royalty and who her papa was. On hearing this, the Chief smiled and welcomed her to Morroc.

"Thank you, kindly," she nodded. "Eremes, love? Where is your house?"

"Over here," he said and led them to a small hovel near the back of the town. There was plenty of room for expansion, and Sarine moved off of Windwalker to look inside. Howard and Kiehl followed her, and Sammy studied the structure intently. The place was quite small. There were three rooms. The main room was the kitchen, recreation room, and dining room. The bedroom held two beds. One was for him, and the other was for his parents when they were alive. His bed was much smaller. The other room was a small bathroom. The walls were made of mud and straw to keep heat out, yet insulated from the cold.

"Eremes, you won't mind if this place is rebuilt, right?" Howard chuckled.

"Go for it," Eremes smiled. "I need to expand...for kids..."

"Very true," Sarine chuckled, and he pulled her close to kiss passionately.

"Hmm. Eremes, there's something that I would have done if my bed was still in place," Howard said. "Go have her in your childhood bed."

"Are you serious?!" Eremes blinked.

"Do it. We'll be right outside the door, if she needs us," Kiehl grinned. Sarine was blushing now at their soft chuckles. Eremes lifted her in his arms to carry her into his old bedroom and shut the door. The mattress was hard from heat and lack of use, but that didn't matter. The moment he lay her down on it, his pants were pulled down with her shorts, and he pulled down the zipper to her top to expose her breasts. Groaning, as he moved his mouth over them, he had one hand on her hip, as the other moved to go under her back to support her.

"I think...I'll want to...bring you here...when I'm ready...to have you..." he gasped, as he took her. Sarine blinked at the idea and smiled, as she worked with him. After a few more minutes, he cried out with her and gasped. He hugged her tight and sighed.

"Cook me a meal and massage me?" she chuckled, and he kissed her with a grin. "I always liked your cooking better than Seyren's. I always looked forward to what you made."

"I can do that. I was always...the better cook," he said. He kissed her passionately before letting her move from him to dress, and he fixed his clothes back up. When he came out to the main room with her, he paused with amazement.  _The house was already getting reconstructed._ One wall was knocked out to expand the floor, and to rebuild from water damage that was done by heavy rainstorms. The mud was never replaced on the wall, and it had become thin and brittle. The rest of the house was the same and needed a complete makeover.

"Would you like a two-story home?" Storm Caller asked, as he came through the Warp in the main room. "Or keep it a one story?"

"In Morroc, one story homes are cooler," Eremes said.

"Very well. We will build a small pool as part of the bathroom. I also took the liberty of making a fireplace in the bedroom at the island home," the Strouf said.

"Very nice!" Howard grinned, as he approached Sarine with Kiehl and Sammy.

"We'll test it later," Kiehl chuckled.

"A small nursery should be put in for the kids, if they visit. Larger kitchen is a must. Beds will need to be replaced," Sammy said, as he started off a list.

"Let Storm Caller handle it. We have places to visit," Sarine said.

"Right, right!" he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I have a request," Eremes said.

"Yes?" Storm Caller asked.

"Leave my old bed where it is. For...memorial purposes," Eremes said. "The other bed, you can replace. But the smaller one, leave as it is."

"Are you sure?" the Strouf asked.

"I'll tell you when to replace it. I still have...a use for it," he grinned softly, and Sarine blushed. Now Howard and Kiehl were snickering, and Naght hissed with laughter. Ifrit seemed to chuckle, as he used his heat to bake the new mud molds into place to make bricks. When he knew they were ready to leave, the Fire Imp that was recruited from his domain would take over the job. Even Salamander and Kasa would help with this.

"As you say!" Storm Caller nodded. "We'll move it as we need to in order to repair the floor, but we will put it back where it was."

"That's fine," Eremes nodded. "I won't keep it forever. Just...a little while longer."

"Very well," he nodded and gave the orders to the monsters rebuilding the home. When they walked out of the home, the Chief was impressed at how fast the reconstruction was going.

"They build like that?!" the man gaped.

"Yes. And...after my house is finished...they will work with the town," Eremes nodded.

"I'm putting two Hell Flies in this house," Beelzebub whispered to him.

"Good," he nodded. Sarine was moved onto Windwalker's back, and Kiehl moved to join her with Howard again. Vagabond Wolf let Eremes mount up, and the massive beast snarled at Elric with a form of distaste. The wolf understood what was going on with him and Sarine, and he didn't like it one bit. Eremes leaned down and whispered softly in the wolf's ear. He whined and snarled with a lot of vicious barking. Nigel looked over at first before smirking. Nodding to Sammy, he reverted to his Nine Tail form to let him ride. Then he yipped at Vagabond Wolf, and they started up a yipping, barking, and snarling conversation. Keltin was smirking the whole time, and Garm looked over and joined them. Kobold Leader snorted and moved over to them next to voice his own sharp barking. Eddga gave his own small rumbles and growls to join in.

"What are they talking about?" Sarine asked Keltin.

"They're talking about various things," he said, as his eyes moved briefly to Elric. That made her nod, and Howard grinned with Kiehl. She leaned into Kiehl, and he kissed her roughly when he hugged her to him. Beelzebub frowned at a conversation he heard and moved to Sarine's side quickly. She looked over at him with concern.

"A break-in is already being planned on the new house," he said.

"Are you serious?!" Howard hissed.

"Good thing I'm leaving a couple Hell Flies here," Beelzebub grinned. "I'll leave another one. Just in case."

"Hmm. Inform Storm Caller so he knows. And, make the house have something enticing so we have a reason to drag the intruder into a dungeon. If this intruder brings friends, the more the merrier for Zealotus, right?" she grinned back. The Demon Lord laughed at this, and a Hell Fly was summoned to send out.

"Beelzebub, you've been summoning a lot of flies. Does it hurt you?" Kiehl asked.

"No. A bit bothersome at times, but they help. It's like listening to conversations. I find the ones that locate something interesting and focus on it to learn more. I am curious about something, though. What's it like in Howard's mind? Can you tell me?" Beelzebub giggled.

"Ah, like I told Doppy," Kiehl grinned, and ignored Howard's glare. "It's like listening to a kid in a candy store that can't make up his mind."

"Shut up, Kiehl," Howard muttered, as Sarine started laughing with Beelzebub. She didn't know Kiehl told this to Doppy. She was sleeping on his chest in Jawaii when it happened.

"Now I'm curious," the Demon Lord chuckled. "What's it like in Sarine's mind?"

"There are times that she's so complex and so intricate in ways that it baffles me. Like with her Demonic Matings, and how she studies everyone fighting for her. Then there are the memories that slam us by surprise and leave us speechless from things she never revealed before. But, then, there are times that she has so many thoughts going through her head that it's hard to focus on just one," Howard frowned. "It's like watching a flock of birds take flight."

"Wait! Back up!" the Demon Lord said. "What memories get you by surprise?"

"Well," Kiehl grimaced. "there was one that really stood out for me. During the winter, it would get so cold that there were times she'd get really dehydrated, because her water supply would freeze up. Her breath wasn't warm enough to make it liquid, too. She'd...have to hold it over a candle just to melt enough water again."

"I..." the Demon Lord winced and cringed. "I never realized how bad it was for you, love. I doubt...that anyone ever did."

"No. They didn't," she frowned and shivered. "Like I said. It was a miracle that I survived at all. Right when I thought I was done for...I felt...like new strength was given to me to help me fight each time. I couldn't explain it. I didn't want to explain it. It was like another chance was given to me to keep going. It was just enough to fuel me to push on."

"You weren't supposed to have a past like that!" Howard muttered, as he hugged her tight. "It was supposed to have been a happy one, and I was supposed to have met you!"

"I know!" she sighed, and Kiehl hugged her with Howard now.

"What's wrong?" Doppy asked, as he urged his Nightmare over. Beelzebub muttered to him in Demonic, and Doppy was now off of his steed to move right up to Sarine to hug her. Sammy, Keltin, Loomin, and Eremes walked over quickly now after moving from their steeds, and they learned what happened to Sarine in her youth.

"So much...that we don't know..." Eremes sighed.

"Tell me about it!" Doppy growled, as he kissed her hard. Naght moved to her side to hiss out his distress, and she gave him a small smile. Baphomet looked over questionably, and Naght rumbled to him. He gave a growl of hate and snorted. Now he wanted to kill something.

"You'll get to kill something," Seyren muttered, as Karla looked at him questionably. He whispered to her, and she gasped. Now everyone wanted to know, and Seyren had to tell them. The Merchants were in shock and didn't know what to think. Orc Lord, Orc Hero, and the two Leaders were clearly upset at this now. No one else knew what to think, either.  _Such things were too horrible to even think about._

"Here, love," Kiehl said, as he gave her some tea. Smiling softly, Sarine sipped it, and Ragged Zombie frowned.  _She needed to be cheered up again._

"Seyren! Did you make use of that nursing bottle?" the zombie grinned.

"Ah, no. I think you need it more," Seyren said quickly to show he understood.

"Nope. I get mine from the tap," he grinned wickedly, and Sarine blushed hard.

"Idiot! Change the subject!" Doppy hissed.

"Ah, oops," the zombie winced.

"Sit in any pies lately?" Howard asked casually.

"That was your fault!" Seyren growled.

"Did you burn the water again?" Kiehl asked.

"Shut up!" the Lord Knight hissed, and Baphomet looked at him oddly. "What?! I don't burn water! You can't burn water! It turns to steam!"

"The way you boil it, you burned out my favorite pot!" Kathryne sighed, and everyone started to laugh. Seyren stuttered, and Margaretha thought.

"Come to think of it, the only thing you cooked well was boiled noodles. And that was only after you added enough water to cook them properly. Then Kathryne had to show you how to cook them the right way with a recipe book," she said. "A very basic one, might I add."

"Enough!" Seyren said, and Karla was looking at him with disbelief.

"Still need a map and compass, Meat Bag?" Ragged Zombie asked. Seyren glared at him, and Baphomet roared out laughter, as they walked west of town to the Pyramids. The two Leaders snickered wickedly at each other.

"What are you guys talking about?" Elric asked.

"Old memories," Howard chuckled.

"Well, I'm going to help out Seyren," Sarine smiled. "How-How, do you remember when you were first learning how to really forge your first weapon, and you mistook..."

"Quiet, you little minx!" Howard grinned and kissed her.

"What's this?!" Seyren asked with amusement.

"Say nothing," Howard warned Kiehl and Naght. They both laughed and nodded.

"Howard?" Eremes chuckled.

"No. Not saying," he said, and Sarine giggled in his arms.

"You never tried to forge your first weapon in front of us," Margaretha sighed.

"For exactly the same reason that Sarine is going to keep that little secret between us. Right, love?" Howard nuzzled Sarine. She looked at him with amusement. He muttered a whisper to her, and now she raised a brow. He whispered again, and she growled before pulling him close to kiss. Kiehl was grinning, and Beelzebub was incredibly curious now. He'll make sure to pry it out of her later. They managed to get out of the town, and Windwalker had his wings up, as Howard was getting caught up in Sarine's want for him.

"We have other people with us," Kiehl mused, and he hissed at an image sent to him through Howard. He moved towards her now and locked onto her neck, as Howard moved to work on her chest. They both managed to have her as silently as possible, and no one realized what was going on until they were finished. Beelzebub gave it away with small snickers, as Naght rumbled a chuckle.

"Did they really do that?!" Loomin asked with a bit of shock. Windwalker settled his wings back down, and Howard was seen putting his tunic back on with a satisfied smirk on his face. Doppy started laughing, and Sarine was still getting kissed by Kiehl. When she was about to turn in his arms to kiss him even more, it was then that she saw there was an audience. Her blush got the others laughing a bit more, and Kiehl simply held her with a grin.

"Did they just...?!" Elric asked with disbelief.

"Yep!" Keltin nodded. "We do it, too, when we ride with her."

"Lucky schmucks..." Eremes grinned, and Beelzebub started giggling.

"Wait for me!" Isis hissed, as Storm Caller brought her to them. "I sssaid I wanted to go with you! You should have told me!"

"Ah! Sorry Isis," Keltin chuckled. "Our bad!"

"It'ssss okay," she nodded. Slade was gaping at her heaving chest, and she moved right over to him to slap him. "Keep your eyesss to yourssself! Pervert!"

Doppy started laughing again, and Seyren was gasping for air. Naght rumbled out a chuckle, and Sarine was hiding herself in Kiehl's neck, as she was laughing. Howard was simply dying from laughter. Loomin just shook his head, as Slade rubbed at his cheek with a small mutter. Orc Hero and Orc Lord barked out laughter. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader snorted with amused grins. Beelzebub grinned wickedly, and Ragged Zombie was slowly getting black mail information on him. Keltin whistled softly, and Eremes was clearly amused.

"Maybe you should cover yourself up?" Sammy suggested.

"Why should I when Maya doesssn't?" Isis asked.

"You have a point," Sammy smiled.

"Mother doesn't need to. She's a strong monster. If anyone makes fun of her, she just kills them," Maya Purple grinned, as he opened and shut his claws. Isis thought about that and looked at Slade with a twisted grin. He blinked and looked away.

"Isis!" Sarine said, and she slithered over.

"Yesss?" she asked.

"I'm sure the first time was an accident. If he does it again, then you can punish him," Sarine said. "Let's focus on the Pyramids. Should we get Amon Ra first? Or Osiris?"

"Hmm. Amon Ra isss the better bet for now. He can help usss. But, he cannot move from hisss ssspot. Unlesssss he hasss help," Isis thought. "He should be the firssst becaussse of thisss. It isss alssso difficult to get him. He livesss in a maze."

"Makes sense, then," Sammy said. "Up for the challenge, Nigel?"

He yipped and shook his tails before loping forward to join Garm and Vagabond Wolf. Doppy urged his Nightmare forward, and Naght muttered in Demonic. Sammy gave a sudden nod of complete understanding, and Nigel moved quickly to walk behind Windwalker. Sarine saw Sammy and sighed with relief.

"Don't move from there!" Howard growled, and Nigel snorted with agreement. Garm looked back at Nigel and slowed up to ask him what happened. Nigel yipped out sharply, and Garm looked at Keltin. At his small nod, Garm thought and decided to walk with Nigel. Ktullanux growled, and Loomin whispered to him. The ice dragon now moved to walk on the other side of Nigel.

"Nice! Two ice monsters on each side of you, Sammy!" Mitchell grinned.

"It's not bad at all, considering the heat of summer here," Sammy chuckled. Sarine smiled, and Kiehl pulled her to him even more, as they entered the Pyramids.

"To get to Amon Ra, we need to go through the area the Thief Guild is at. Just follow us," Fenrick said. "It's not too hard. We just need to get to the center of this floor."

"Whatever you say, Chicken Shit!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Sarine pursed her mouth shut, and Kiehl grinned with Howard. Doppy smirked, and Eremes laughed softly. Baphomet and Naght grinned, as Ifrit hissed out his laughter with Beelzebub.

"I miss Hibram," Sarine sighed. "He usually comes with us."

Margaretha thought, and Storm Caller appeared with Hibram before vanishing back to the house construction. Hibram moved right over to Sarine to pull her close and kiss her passionately. She blushed, and he chuckled when he walked with them.

"Missed me?" he asked.

"Very," she nodded.

"I am very impressed with the dream visions," he said, as he swatted away a Familiar bat. "I'd love for Beelzebub to bring you to me."

"I would, but I would have risked trapping myself again. Sorry. You'll have to wait for a Bloody Branch," the Demon Lord grinned. "Come to think of it, a Sage or Professor could use the Hocus Pocus skill, too."

"You're right!" Sarine giggled.

"What are you all talking about?" Elric asked.

"Sarine can sometimes have dream visions about things that may have happened in certain ways. The latest one we saw was if Beelzebub encountered her. It was quite educational," Sammy chuckled. "Then we continued it, and he had Sarine encounter Baphomet."

"Hmm," Baphomet thought, and Seyren looked at him.

"I don't know if that would be a wise thing to do," Seyren said.

"Oh?" Karla asked. "I can somewhat get what he's thinking, since I took some of your blood. I think it would be interesting!"

"What?" Doppy asked. Baphomet rumbled to him, and Doppy snorted. Naght seemed to hiss and shake his head lightly.

"He's right," Howard said. "Only those of us that are supposed to be with her should brand her. It wouldn't seem right, otherwise."

"I'd be her blood brother in that sense," Seyren chuckled.

"A rather stupid one, but I understand," Howard grinned. The Lord Knight growled, and Timmy smiled. Kiehl seemed to roll his eyes and watched how they approached the set of stairs that went underground. As they went past the Thief Guild at the end of the hall, they were stopped by a group of Thieves.

"If you wanna go down below, give us some money!" a boy said.

"We don't have time to play, kids," Garrett muttered. Naght hissed and brandished his swords, as Ifrit flared out his heat. Orc Hero smashed his sword into the ground, and Orc Lord readied his fists to fight. Goblin Leader twirled his spear to make ready to impale him, and Kobold Leader swiped at the air with his sword. All of the monsters took on a completely defensive stance and were ready to kill if they had to.

"Ah...okay! Have fun!" a girl said nervously. Garm snarled out, as Nigel glared. Byorgue and Injustice sighed and shook their heads, as Maya Purple skittered along with them. Errende and Thanatos looked at each other and grinned, as they walked along. Observation narrowed his eyes slightly and hovered close to Windwalker.

"Who are they?!" the Thief Guild leader asked, as he walked out of the Guild room.

"I'm the Vessel of Odin, and these are my companions, husbands, mates, and slaves," Sarine said, as Windwalker walked passed him. The Gryphon had his wings up to keep her hidden, and she spoke out, "We are going to recruit Amon Ra to our cause to aid in a coming war. It will affect everyone."

"Sure it will," the Thief Guild leader said.

"Okay. Fine. Don't believe us. But, when something happens, and you end up crying for your mother after what I did to her the night before, don't come crawling to us!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Doppy hissed out laughter at the look on their faces.

"My Mother is dead, asshole!" the Thief Guild leader spat.

"Why do you think I know her?" the zombie grinned. That had Beelzebub laughing. Baphomet snorted with a toothy grin, and that made the Thief Guild leader gape and back off completely. The other Thieves wanted to help him, but they were wary of the other monsters.

"Such a shame," Sarine frowned, as she shook her head. "I had such high hopes, too."

"What do you mean?" the Thief Guild leader asked. Windwalker lowered his wings to reveal her, and he gaped at her beauty. He saw the two she was with and tensed at their glares. She looked at him sadly with her tigers' eye gemstone eyes.

"You are not the only one that had a horrific past. Sometimes...you need to look around you to know that you are not alone. Yes. You band together to fight like cornered rats. But...what if you are alone? Will you fight tooth and nail? Or will you simply give in and let yourself die? My past put me up to that challenge, as well as many others," she said.

"I doubt your past is worse than mine!" the Thief Guild leader frowned.

"Were you thrown in darkness and left to die?" she asked. "That's what happened to me when I was two years old. By someone who made me think was my mother. One meal had to last me one week. I had to endure winters with no insulation. I had burn marks on my body from sleeping on a concrete floor and rolling in hot candle wax that was my only source of light. Yes. Everyone has a hard past. How long did yours last? Mine lasted for twelve years. You, at least, were able to run around free and make friends. You made something of yourself. I didn't have that chance. I was simply considered...worthless..."

"You're lying!" the Thief Guild leader hissed. Storm Caller appeared with the concrete slab, and the he gaped at the strong monster.

"This is a piece of the floor of the very room that she was held in. Look for yourself and be the judge," the Strouf said. The Thief Guild leader looked at the others in his Guild, but they all nodded and looked. Then they all used their Back Slide skills and stared with shock. One of them ended up vomiting a ways away. Eremes moved Vagabond Wolf over to them, and he explained to them what they just saw. They were in complete shock.

"No..." the Thief Guild leader said. "My past was bad...but...nothing like that!"

"The room was torn down. The false mother was killed. The father was freed from a nasty curse that kept him from helping her. She almost died in there. But..." Eremes sighed. "things happen for a reason. As many say..."

"That...is just..." another Thief said. "A war, you said?"

"Yes," Sarine nodded.

"When?" he asked.

"A bit off by a year or two. Maybe three, but, as you can see by the ones here with me, it's serious," she said. "Both humans and monsters are at risk."

"Cliff! Show them the way to Amon Ra!" the Thief Guild leader said.

"No need," Elric said, as he moved over to him. "I know the way."

"Elric?! Damn! You should have just told me it was you!" he growled.

"True, but you needed to know. Like they say, things have to happen for a reason," Elric winked, and Shadow nodded from where he stood by Orc Hero.

"You're Eremes Guile! Aren't you?!" a Thief asked.

"Yes. I am," Eremes nodded. "The woman speaking to you...is my wife."

"Oh! But...she's with other men," the Thief said.

"I know. She is with many. Things happen for a reason..." Eremes said with a light smile. "Now...we have a monster to recruit..."

"I want to help in this war!" a Thief said. Another voiced out also.

"My Papa is Emperor Markus of Amatsu. Yes. I'm a princess," Sarine smiled softly. "So...I am royalty, and I was treated like dirt. It hurts. I didn't even have toys to play with. I didn't know what games were or how to have fun. But...that's beside the point. If you wish to help, then find my Papa in Amatsu. Tell him I sent you."

"Okay!" several Thieves nodded, and their Guild leader let them go to help.

"Where do you live?" the Guild leader asked.

"I have a home on an island with an arena. I also have other homes, but that is my main one. If you wish to speak with me, you can come up to the house, but show no harm. All of the monsters we recruit live on that island. They are very protective of me. I'm pregnant and I have children that live with me, too. It makes them that much more protective, you see," she said.

"You're...okay," he said. "My name is Cory. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"It's understandable," she smiled, and Windwalker warbled softly, as he started to move again. Muninn looked down from where he hovered over Sarine and seemed to blink at the young Thief. Cory looked at the sheer size of the falcon, and he paused at a voice that appeared in his head. Now he thought and seemed to nod. Walking back into the Thief Guild room, he started to make plans to send his best recruits to the arena to see how strong they really were. If they were able to beat up a monster, he would ask them to help fight in the war ahead and send them to Amatsu to talk to Emperor Markus. Muninn now planned to see if all of the various Guilds could be visited after the monsters were recruited just for this to happen. He would need to talk about it with the others when the time was right.

The next floor was a giant maze, and Keltin looked down, as three monsters approached them. Isis seemed to grin with delight at them and put her hands on her hips.

"Okay. We have Verit, Mummy, and Minorous. Very cool!" Keltin grinned.

Verit looked like a mummified dog in bandages. It barked and sniffed around before heading up to Sarine to scratch at an itch. A card fell out, and it carefully grabbed it with its teeth to give to her. She gave it a little scratch under its chin, and it wagged its tail happily. Mummy was just as his name said. He was a mummified man in white rags, and he moved over now to give over his card and a glove.

Minorous was a large minotaur with a massive hammer. He snorted through his nose ring and glared out with red eyes. He looked almost like Baphomet in build, but his horns were white and looked just like bull's horns. He trudged over to them, and his leather straps criss-crossed over his chest. He gave over his card and a Two-Handed Axe. The three monsters glowed with power, but he stayed while the others left. He was going to help Stun other monsters. Eddga rumbled to him, and Minorous snorted with a nod.

"The Verit monsters drop Immortal Hearts! We need them!" Karla said.

"Very true. We need a lot of them. Not only for you, but for Sarine's future cravings. We'll go through here and collect as many as we can. Sarine could Teleport to the end, but we need the hearts. Let's make this our focus, as we plow through here," Sammy said. They all agreed. The maze was simple to get through, but the loot was insane from how many monsters were here. Lloyd had to make several trips with Karla, Timmy, and Armeyer to help them empty out their carts and come back for more. All of the good Two-Handed Axes and hearts were kept. When a Verit dropped an Armlet of Obedience, Isis grinned at it in thought.

"Do you think we can ussse thisss to help get me a sssissster? I know she would be a pet, but it would be ssso much fun!" she giggled.

"It's an idea, but I would rather not collect pets. It...almost seems like a form of enslavement to me now," Sarine frowned. Keltin looked over at her and had Garm stop so he could move off his back. Walking up to her, he pulled her close to kiss her softly and smile.

"Sarine, when you tamed me, I didn't think it was enslavement at all. You freed me from a boring life and helped me discover what I was missing again. I think that taming a monster gives them a chance to experience something new. Yeah, granted, this new Isis would be a pet. But, anyone can take this Isis with them to help them out. I think it's a good idea," Keltin said. "If the tame fails, then it fails. But, if it works, we can teach the kids how to properly care for a pet, too. Think of it that way."

"That would be a good learning experience," Sammy chuckled.

"Okay. We'll try it out," she smiled, and Keltin kissed her passionately before returning to Garm's back. The ice wolf nodded in complete agreement. Elric was watching the whole time, and he found himself wondering about various things. Shadow led them all to the south-east corner of the floor in the maze, and they found the stairs to head down.

"It's another maze down here. Ready?" he asked.

"Let's go!" Seyren said. When they got down to the next floor, Keltin paused.

"Amon Ra is here on this floor! Quick! We need to get to the middle of the room!" he said. Two monsters came up to them now, and he grinned and said, "Ancient Mummy and Arclouse. Not bad at all!"

Arclouse looked like a pill bug that was able to roll itself up to attack. It was mean and nasty, but it moved to run under Maya Purple's legs.

"That's right! You normally had them assist you," Kathryne grinned.

"Yes, I did," Maya Purple nodded. Ancient Mummy started to help them attack after he glowed, and Sarine looked at him curiously. He looked like a normal Mummy, but his bandages were purple, and he had a small crown on his head. Gold bracelets decorated his ankles and wrists to show he was once an important person in the past. Isis grinned, and they attacked together in perfect coordination.

The group moved slowly through this maze from all the monsters that attacked them now. There were plenty of Verits and Mimics here, so more tames and Old Blue Boxes were kept. The occasional Old Purple Box was prized, and a stock of them were going to be saved up. Sarine felt a bit bored, since she couldn't help fight, but Kiehl had her quickly preoccupied with a book. He held her against him to read over her shoulder, and his hands were locked around her belly. He enjoyed feeling his twins kicking him. Howard had his eyes closed to read along with Kiehl's thoughts. He felt Windwalker stop, but it was for a quick trip to sell loot.

Sarine glanced over at Sammy on occasion to make sure he was there before going back to reading. Then she looked up, as Ragged Zombie and Fenrick got into an argument.

"I was killing that, Chicken Shit! Geez! Is this how you survived your training?" the zombie asked. "Very rude, if you ask me."

"My name is Fenrick," he growled. "And does it really matter who kills what?"

"Ah, it does," the zombie said. "When I kill something, Sarine benefits from it. We help her train this way. Cheating? Hell yes! Do we care? Hell no! She's pregnant, and we won't let her fight. So, you stay over there, and I'll stay over here. Got it?"

"I still say it doesn't matter," Fenrick said.

"To you, it doesn't," Donnie shrugged. "To us, it does. And there's a lot more of us than there is of you. So, just do what he says, and everyone stays happy."

"Happy? He's dripping slime all over the floor! I'm surprised no one's slipped on it!" Fenrick said. "Besides, I honestly think that him killing stuff is a waste of time."

"Then should he kill you?" Doppy grinned.

"Ooh! Can I?!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and Fenrick stammered.

"Behave yourself, Ragged Zombie!" Sarine warned. "Or do I have to remind you of what I did to you earlier today?"

"Ah...no..." the zombie winced, and Doppy grinned savagely. "I'll play nice!"

"Thank you," Sarine said and went back to reading.

"What did she do to him?" Elric asked Eremes.

"He likes it...when she holds his heart..." Eremes grinned wickedly.

"She actually holds his heart?!" Fenrick gaped.

"Well, he does have a hole in his gut, you know," Keltin smirked.

"I like it when my heart's in her hands," Ragged Zombie said. "It's the equivalent of someone grabbing and stroking your dick!"

"Ah, I didn't need to know that!" Fenrick hissed.

"Why? Do you like it when a man does it?" the zombie grinned. Small snickers started, and Sarine cleared her throat loudly to make him go quiet again.

"My Lady's got you by the balls in the same sense, eh?" Injustice grinned.

"Shut up!" the zombie muttered, and Beelzebub laughed. Hibram was grinning widely with Thanatos and Baphomet. Slade and Tatya were trying to focus on helping clear out monsters, but it was getting hard to. Elric and Shadow were grinning softly at each other. Anna and Neil were giggling to each other. The other monsters with them were grinning.

"Don't you two have carts yet?" Timmy asked them.

"Um...not yet. They're still too heavy for us to move with them," Neil said.

"You should get them, anyways," Armeyer said. "You can help us carry stuff!"

"Oh! Well...I guess we could," Anna blinked.

"When we go back to town, you can come with us to get your carts," Karla said. They nodded, and Laurell moved to kill off an Ancient Mummy that got too close to them.

"Make sure they sell all of the loot! They can get more training that way!" Howard said.

"You're right!" Karla nodded. "We'll have them do that!"

"Did you get any more of those books?" Seyren asked.

"I did, actually," Karla grinned and gave a book to Anna and another to Neil. "Read them. They'll help you."

"Wow!" Anna said, as she read through the book quickly.

"This is awesome!" Neil grinned. Now they started to gain more from their training when they helped kill off monsters. There was another adventuring party they encountered, and Windwalker put his wings up to hide Sarine. The Hunter, Priest, Knight, and Wizard looked at them with shock.

"Party is full. Good luck with your training," Seyren said.

"Are you looking for Amon Ra?" a Knight asked.

"In fact, we are. Do you know something?" Garrett asked.

"Yeah. He's already gone. A strong group came in about ten minutes ago and wiped him out," the Priest said.

"Shit!" Ragged Zombie hissed.

"Well, let's find him. I can still talk to him," Sarine called out.

"Right!" Thanatos said.

"Who's that?" the Knight asked. Windwalker walked up to the small group, and they gaped at the size and sheer majestic look of the Gryphon. He put his wings down to reveal her, and they gaped at her regal beauty and presence.

"I am the Princess of Amatsu," she smiled softly. "I have to speak with Amon Ra. Thank you for telling us what happened to him. I'll need to see to helping him."

"How can you do that?" the Priest frowned.

"My wife is the Vessel of Odin," Howard said.

"So...she's the one from that arena! Right?" the Hunter asked.

"Yes, she is," Kiehl nodded. Errende moved to her side and whispered to her. At her nod, a teacup was given, and she sipped it lightly. Ollie and Thomas looked at the small group. They seemed to smile, as they moved on to help clear the monsters out.

"We should hurry," Sammy said, and Nigel snorted with agreement. "If this group took out Amon Ra, they may be going after Osiris."

"I hope not!" Isis paled. Ancient Mummy groaned with distaste.

"Well, if they do, I'll have to help him. I can't be in two places at once," Sarine frowned. Beelzebub could only nod, and he glared lightly at the small group. Baphomet snarled, and Naght skewered a rogue Ancient Mummy with a hiss. Ragged Zombie smirked at the amazed group and took out a couple more Ancient Mummies with his rapid fire rib throwing. Orc Lord punched out another Ancient Mummy, and Orc Hero split another in half. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader worked together. As an Ancient Mummy was skewered on a spear, it was then cut up into tiny pieces. They clearly liked being creative. Pori-Pori was simply flattening them to the ground with a form of joy.

"So, we can fight any of you at the arena?" the Knight asked.

"You can try," Loomin nodded, as he used his skills of Quagmire, Storm Gust, and Lord of Vermillion. Then he cast Lex Aeterna on several Ancient Mummies quickly before using his skill of Magnus Exorcismus. He had to keep a small stock of blue gems and yellow gems on him, but there was more than enough to support the others. The Priest and Wizard gaped at him, and Loomin grinned, as he said, "I'm the son of Loki. I have all of the magic skills a High Wizard, a High Priest, and a Professor would have. However, I don't fight at the arena. My wife doesn't like it when I fight. So, I make it a point not to. Doppelganger loves to fight, though."

"Hell, yes, I do!" Doppy grinned, as he tore into several monsters with a savage glee. The Knight gaped and looked at his companions. They weren't going to even try challenging him. Thanatos was grinning, as he helped attack another wave of monsters. The smaller group seemed to think that it was too much for them right now. They'll show up at the arena later on. Muninn watched them leave and seemed to chuckle to himself. Beelzebub smirked, and Hibram shook his head. Sammy and Keltin laughed a bit, as Eremes grinned softly.

"How far off are we?" Kiehl asked.

"Almost there! Just need to get around this corner. Amon Ra is usually out in the middle of the room. Since he's defeated, he's hiding out in the back room here. Let's keep fighting, guys!" Keltin said, as another wave of monsters attacked them. When they reached the back chamber near the north of the room, the area was quickly kept monster free, and Sarine hopped off of Windwalker's back. She moved into the room with Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy at her side to guard her. She found Amon Ra recovering in a back corner of the smaller chamber, and he looked at her with a trembling shiver. He was surprised that he was found, and now he worried for his life. She frowned at this and rose up her hands to show she meant no harm. When she showed him the Mark of Odin with a flip of her hair, his fear vanished. He nodded slightly to show that he understood that she was here to help.

She studied him silently, as he studied her. He was sitting in a massive, stone chair that was carved over with Hieroglyphics. Bandages were also covering over his chair, and there was a trapped Mummy trying to escape it from the back. That was a bit funny to see, but she moved back to Amon Ra, himself. He had a set of shackles on his ankles, and he held a staff that was carved with a face and crown. It was set with a large, circular ruby. He wore a blue and gold headdress, and he had a facial ornament for his beard. He was slouching in his chair, and he had a ragged, brown loincloth over his waist. He seemed to be nervously patting his armrest with his free hand. His face looked tired right now from the battle he just had.

"You're safe with me now. Okay?" she smiled softly, and he sighed. She reached out to pat his hand, and he looked at her with amazement.

"Amon Ra! We are here!" Isis said, as she slithered over to him. "Don't worry!"

"We're here to help you," Keltin said, as he nodded to him. Baphomet moved over to him and snorted, as Naght blocked the entrance of the chamber with his vast form. Ifrit let his heat flare out to help ward off others. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader stationed themselves in ambush positions, as Orc Hero and Orc Lord kept monsters away.

"How do we get him to move?" Sarine frowned.

"I have an idea," Maya Purple said, as he thought. "Beelzebub can summon flies. This Arclouse gave me a really good idea. Can you guys lift up his chair?"

"Are you kidding?" Loomin asked. Baphomet, Thanatos, and Doppy were clearly up to the task and lifted him up easily. Amon Ra blinked and looked around nervously. Now Maya Purple summoned several Arclouse minions, and they rolled under his chair. When the demons let the chair go, it crushed them. That made Doppy roar with laughter.

"Okay, that failed. No idea, then," Maya Purple sighed.

"We need him to rest up. Then we can figure something out," Sarine said. Amon Ra's form glowed with power to let him recover quickly, and he gained the ability to speak.

"Are you all trying to scare me?!" Amon Ra asked in an old voice. "Lifting my chair up like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack! I'm an old man, damn you!"

"Sorry," Thanatos grinned.

"If I wanted to be airborne, I would have had my chair come with wings!" he growled.

"Hmm," Sammy mused. "You gave me an idea! Is Huginn ready to come out?"

"Ah..." Sarine blinked and whimpered, as her tattoo glowed. Huginn emerged and now looked at Sammy with interest.

"Can we make something so that he can hover around?" Sammy asked. Kiehl and Howard looked at each other with small grins. Huginn thought and looked at Muninn. The falcon landed and became his human form.

" _I can see about carving my rune on his chair to empower it to do so,_ " Muninn thought aloud, and he moved to see where he could put his rune. Finding a small spot that was easily overlooked, his rune was engraved in it, and he focused to charge it. Amon Ra blinked, as his chair hovered an inch off the ground, and he laughed with delight. With some experimentation, Muninn moved to his armrest to carve out small symbols for him to help direct the chair to where he wanted it to go just by tapping them. This helped Amon Ra even more.

"How long can he do this?" Sammy asked.

" _I would say, short bursts. Every twenty feet, he will need to land and wait five seconds before doing it again. Father Odin could make it last longer, but this should be good enough. Amon Ra, you know a lot of good stories, right?_ " Muninn asked.

"I do know lots of old tales about the past," he nodded.

" _How would you feel of having children sitting in your lap, like a true grandfather would, as you told them these stories?_ " Muninn grinned. Amon Ra thought and found himself smiling at the idea. He was favoring it more and more. Sammy was now chuckling at this, and Huginn nodded before deciding it was time to get to work.

"Looks like we found another nursery protector," Thanatos grinned.

"I need to get down to business before Sarine's body goes crazy," Huginn said, and Amon Ra looked at him expectantly. "Amon Ra! I am Huginn! Our Lord Odin needs you to help with a coming war! It is time for you to separate from your darker self to preserve the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed! Separate now!"

Amon Ra howled with pain, as his darker side appeared and split from him to vanish away. When it was done, he blinked and grinned. Elric and his Guild mates had never seen how Sarine recruited strong monsters before and were amazed.

"You will need to be present with us when we find Osiris. He needs to be spoken to, and you can help with this. Then we need to go to the Sphinx to get Pharaoh. With how your chair is, we could have Storm Caller get you and bring you back when we get to them. Would that be all right?" Sammy asked. "This way, you can introduce yourself to the kids, too."

"That may be preferred. I don't want to slow you all down," Amon Ra nodded. Huginn nodded and relinquished control of Sarine. Howard caught her when she fainted and held her until she came around. He told her what was going to happen, and she clearly liked the idea for the kids. _He would help keep them amused._ Amon Ra glowed again, and his form straightened up in his chair with a bit more purpose.

He became incredibly well-muscled in his chest, arms, and legs like a true warrior. Full leather armor appeared over his chest, and the rags around his waist became armor that covered up to his knees. It almost resembled studded leather to a certain point. The shackles around his ankles vanished away to show he was free. Sandals were on his feet, and his face became a touch younger and more regal. The bound beard on his chin actually showed black hair that was entwined in green silk. He was also able to rise up from his chair, if he needed to for emergencies, and he was amazed when he stood up to stretch before sitting back down. That had everyone nodding with approval.

His chair also improved to look like it was carved from solid gold. Small carvings of ravens in flight were found along the Hieroglyphics, and the Mummy trapped in the chair looked like it could help attack anything that tried to approach from behind him now. It appeared to resemble a small warrior with a spear. The bandages now resembled regal, dark red strips of linen that were lined with gold. Hieroglyphics also adorned them in gold etchings. Amon Ra grinned at this new upgrade, and he fished around in the chair for something. Motioning for Sarine, he gave her his card, a ring, an Old Card Album, and a Tablet. She smiled warmly and kissed his cheek. His scent didn't repel her at all.

"Thank you," she smiled. He clearly reminded her of a grandfather figure, and that was what he wanted to be. Storm Caller appeared to help take him to the nursery on the island home.

"Okay! Osiris is next!" Keltin said. "We need to work our way back up. Should we just Warp to town and come back?"

" _No. I'll take you all to the first floor of the Pyramid again. Regroup so we can do this!_ " Muninn said. Everyone nodded, and he reverted to his falcon form to hover over them. Howard and Kiehl helped Sarine back on the Gryphon, and the ring was Identified as a Safety Ring.

"Give Edward the Old Card Album when we get back home," Thanatos suggested. "If he doesn't like the card, he can change it to something else."

"What?" Elric blinked at this.

"Oh. Yeah. Our kids are incredibly special with amazing talents," Doppy grinned. "Maybe, if you're all trustworthy, you can see what they can do. We can't let just anybody know. They could become targets for other things."

"And I won't let that happen!" Sarine growled. Kiehl kissed her softly and whispered to her. She nodded, and he hugged her to him. Thanatos nodded and suddenly hissed with hatred.

"Lord Thanatos is being summoned!" Errende growled. Then he grinned, as Ragged Zombie walked over to him with a purpose. Thanatos found himself grinning, and then he remembered something else.

"I'll try calling my generals," he grinned wickedly, and Doppy howled with laughter.

"We'll see if it works," Beelzebub nodded. Thanatos moved quickly over to Sarine to kiss her passionately before vanishing away to answer the call. Errende focused on Thanatos and chuckled, as the zombie waited patiently.

"Okay, Lord Thanatos was able to call his generals to him," Errende said with a smile. "Let's see. We have...hmm. A rather interesting group! We have a High Priestess, a Lord Knight, a Stalker, and one other. A Champion. The main muscle of the group."

"Good. Repeat this out," Ragged Zombie grinned and whispered to him. Errende started laughing, as he got buffs sent to Thanatos. The generals and the zombie's taunts helped wipe out the party swiftly. Thanatos came back with a massive grin on his face.

"That one you said of the High Priestess being the group whore was fantastic," he snickered. "When I told the Champion he was the group's babysitter, he was fuming. It was even better, because the Lord Knight was arguing with the Stalker the whole time."

"Wow!" Elric chuckled. Sarine moved off of Windwalker's back to walk over to Thanatos, and he hugged her to him. She cuddled him, and he chuckled when he gave her a squeeze.

"We need to get to Osiris," Sammy said. She nodded and let Thanatos kiss her fiercely before letting her go. Kiehl smiled softly, as she moved back on Windwalker, and he held her to him. Howard crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled. Then he looked over at Sammy and gestured for him to come over quickly.

"Doppy!" Kiehl winced, as Sarine suddenly screamed out in pain. Doppy roared and fell to his knees with surprise. Thanatos and Errende moved quickly to put their hands on her belly, as she panted with disbelief.

"You knew something before they grew?!" Sammy asked Howard.

"I noticed she was feeling weird movement. I had called you over to find out," Howard sighed. "I didn't realize that they were ready to grow."

"How much?" Doppy muttered, as Loomin helped him stand.

"Thirty percent. They'll have a massive growth spurt once a day, it seems," Sammy sighed. Thanatos looked at Errende, and sushi was brought out. Injustice was ready with cookies, and Observation hovered over her protectively, as Maya Purple held her tea. Byorgue flashed his dagger, and Nigel bristled with renewed protection. Drago and Aliot were still at the house with the kids. Kiehl hugged her and whispered to her softly. She gave a weak smile, as he helped her eat, and he rubbed a hand over her belly. Howard leaned over and snuck a piece of sushi to make her giggle. They waited for her to finish eating and regrouped to let Muninn take them to the first level of the Pyramid.

He managed to get them right before the stairs to go up, and they did so quickly.

"My sssissstersss!" Isis said happily.

"Okay, we'll try a few tames," Keltin nodded. Karla helped with this, as they moved through the small maze. They already had the monsters on this floor, so they plowed through them. Three Isis pets were tamed and now in eggs. Isis was thrilled and couldn't wait to help them when they hatched. They reached the stairs to go up and moved through this floor quickly.

On this floor, a small black dog ran up to them and made ready to help them fight.

"Matyr, right?" Eremes grinned.

"Yes," Keltin nodded. It looked like a slender, black dog with a devil's tail and a sharply pointed snout. Even its ears were pointed to make it look like a sleek, stream-lined arrow, as it moved and darted around. It glowed with power and moved to Sarine's side to give over its card and a collar called Matyr's Leash.

"Not bad! Another collar!" Howard grinned.

"Wonderful," Kiehl smirked, and Sarine kissed him. Matyr looked over at Eremes and took a distinct liking to him. Now that it was three times its normal size, it was able to help attack even more. Eremes raised his brows with amazement. Its normally weak Sonic Blow was upgraded to be as strong as his own. It had a much nastier bite and had the ability to Cloak now. Elric was clearly impressed at its new abilities.

"Next floor up has Osiris! Come on!" Keltin said. Garm snarled and lashed out at any monster that got too close. Vagabond Wolf was the same way. Karla was busy Identifying many of the daggers they found and thought.

"Hey, Doppy," Karla said.

"Hmm?" he asked, as he nudged his Nightmare to her.

"I was thinking about what Gunther could do. I don't know if he could break down a weapon that can't be broken," Karla said. "As though it was indestructible."

"Now, that does have me curious," Doppy mused. "I hope he doesn't hurt his teeth on it! We'll need to find one of those daggers to try it out."

"Or see if Serenity can make a couple," Howard said. "That would be the easiest way to get one. You think?"

"True," Doppy nodded. He was sure his son would want to try it out, too.

"Did I hear you right about someone being able to make special weapons?" Elric asked.

"Yes. My daughter," Howard said with a stern look. Naght hissed to show that he was protective of her, as well. Everyone was protective of the kids. Elric was lost in thought, as they climbed up the stairs to the level Osiris was at. Isis hissed and pointed to where he was getting attacked by the same group that defeated Amon Ra.

"Should we help him?" Loomin asked.

"I don't know," Sarine frowned. Then Osiris saw them and ran to them. Isis moved to his side and started to help attack them with her powerful spells.

"Decision is made! Let's go!" Doppy grinned and roared out, as he took out the Champion with Pori-Pori. The High Wizard was punched out by Keltin when his Rage was up. The Creator was taken out next by Eremes. Eddga Stunned the High Priest, and Naght slaughtered him. Storm Caller brought Amon Ra to them and went back to the island home. Now Osiris looked at Amon Ra with genuine surprise. Sarine whimpered, as Huginn came forth, and he moved her body to approach Osiris.

"Osiris, hear me! I am Huginn! The time has come for you to help us with a coming war, as our Lord Odin demands! Separate from your darker self now to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Do this now!" Huginn commanded. Osiris screamed, as pain racked his body. His darker duplicate appeared and vanished away quickly. Then he panted and glowed to gain the ability to speak.

"You came just in time," Osiris said regally. He was a King long ago, and it still showed to this day. He looked like an Ancient Mummy, but he wore a regal crown on his head and lacked the wrist and ankle bracelets. He hugged Isis to him greatly, and she planted a kiss on his bandaged cheek. A glowing yellow and red eye looked out from the bandages, and he thought.

"It's good to see you, old friend," Amon Ra grinned. His voice didn't sound so old anymore, and it was as though he was several centuries younger.

"You look so...alive!" Osiris blinked. "How is this possible?"

"Valhalla has marvelous gifts. I was made to look this way to help protect the children of the Vessel of Odin. They are such delights!" Amon Ra chuckled. "I need to get back to them, and I'll be brought back when I'm needed. My chair only lets me move so much now."

"I see," Osiris mused. They both nodded to each other, and Storm Caller came back to take Amon Ra back to the nursery.

"We need to get Pharaoh now," Sammy said. "Are you able to travel?"

"I can travel," Osiris nodded. He looked over at the Assassin Guild members, and he paused when he saw Elric. The Guild leader actually seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't place it. He would have to figure it out later. Huginn nodded at this and let Sarine come back to them, as her body fainted. Errende caught her and carried her back to Kiehl and Howard.

"I got her!" Howard said, as he helped pull her back onto Windwalker's back. Kiehl helped steady her, and they both cradled her when she came around.

"We can head outside of the Pyramids and go south. The Sphinx is there," Keltin said. "We can sell things in town as a quick break before we go."

"Let's do it," Eremes nodded. Muninn warbled from where he hovered, and watched Margaretha, Lloyd, and Errende Resurrect the fallen party.

"Why did you attack us?! We almost had him!" the Champion growled. "We should kill him off now! What you did wasn't fair!"

"I have a darker duplicate now. It's on this floor still. Ah. There it is!" Osiris chortled. He pointed at his duplicate, as it ran at the small party with a vengeance. Now that they were distracted, and Doppy was laughing like crazy at their plight, Osiris moved to Sarine's side.

"Hey," Kiehl smiled, as she finally came around.

"Hey," she smiled, and he kissed her softly before helping her sit up. She looked at Osiris with a small smile and a nod.

"Thank you for finding me. Please take these," Osiris said. He gave her an Old Purple Box, two katars, a dagger, a hat, and his card.

"Thank you very much!" she smiled. He nodded to her with a pleasant look in his eye. He could tell that she was royalty, and now he was thinking. Maya Purple looked at him with small grin, and Osiris moved to talk to him. Beelzebub was at his side now, and they softly muttered to each other.

"Hmm," Keltin frowned and seemed to wince.

"You're not thinking what I'm thinking, are you?" Loomin frowned.

"Not sure anymore," Keltin sighed. "We'll see what happens."

"Hopefully he'll reconsider," Loomin shrugged. "All we can hope for, anyways."

"True," Keltin nodded. They regrouped, and Muninn Warped them back to Morroc.


	127. Chapter 127

 Back in town, Eremes wanted to check on the reconstruction of his house. Howard took this time to check out what Osiris gave them.

 "Okay, card is here, wow! Very nice! This hat is...cool! Sphinx Hat! Ah, this katar is a Jamadhar with one slot, not bad. This katar, though, is...Eremes! Come here!" Howard grinned.

"What?" he asked, as Vagabond Wolf carried him over.

"Take this," Howard grinned and handed him a Chakram. Eremes blinked at it and grinned with delight. Howard saw the knife was an Assassin Dagger, and this was given to him, too, with the Jamadhar.

"I'll make use of these," Eremes chuckled. "Thank you."

"You should use Baphomet's card," Kiehl grinned. That made Eremes grin widely, and he nodded. Osiris walked over to them now and handed something else to Sarine. She blinked and gasped at the Osiris Doll given to her.

"Oh. That reminds me," Baphomet grinned and gave over the doll that he had. Then Beelzebub looked over, came to her side, and gave her a Chonchon doll that he had on him. Sarine was just in pure, childish delight at the dolls.

"I don't have an Osiris Doll yet!" Karla pouted.

"I'll help you find one," Seyren chuckled and kissed her softly.

"Okay," she nodded. Sarine giggled softly, and Howard whispered to her.

"Of course, your doll is my favorite, How-How," Sarine smiled, and he kissed her roughly when he hugged her. At his sigh, Kiehl frowned.

"I know. It sucks," Kiehl nodded.

"What does?" she asked.

"How my parents tore out my old room," Howard muttered. "I was really hoping to have you in it. I always wanted to have the girl of my life in my bed with me. I was cheated out of the chance to have it done."

"I'm sorry, How-How," she sighed. "If it helps, I never had a bedroom to speak of."

"Quiet," he said and kissed her softly. "I'm not going to worry about it. It's done."

"True," she smiled and snuggled into him. He closed his eyes and kept his arms around her. A rather content feeling overcame him now, and he let out a long sigh.

"Sleep with me tonight," he whispered to her. "I know I'm a monster and I don't need sleep, but I need to feel you at my side. Please?"

"Okay," she nodded, and he kissed her. Kiehl nodded to him. Naght rumbled in Demonic to Doppy, and a nod was given back.  _Howard's place with her was secured._

"Tomorrow night...I would like to be with her..." Eremes said. "I haven't...had that chance yet. Would it be possible?"

"Yes," Doppy nodded. "We'll make sure it happens."

"She came to me one night. So, if you haven't had a chance to sleep at night with her, we'll need to make sure it happens," Sammy said. Loomin was nodding with Keltin, and Eremes gave a small smile of relief. He knew it would likely happen more when she was having his kids, but he wanted it to happen now so he could feel her against him.

"You'll have to sleep in a bed, you know," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I'm aware of it..." Eremes chuckled.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Donnie muttered, and everyone snickered.

"Ah, the only reason why I said he needed a bed is because he always sleeps by standing and leaning in a corner, dumb ass!" Ragged Zombie growled. Donnie didn't know that, and now he nodded. Egnigem was grinning and giggling at him.

"Ragged Zombie! Come here now!" Sarine shouted.

"Shit..." the zombie scowled, and Donnie was grinning at him now. Beelzebub was grinning wickedly at his plight, and Doppy was snickering.

"Ragged Zombie," Sarine said. Howard was clearly laughing with Kiehl.

"Yes?" he asked a bit nervously. She leaned over, pulled him close to kiss lustfully, and hissed a whisper in his ear. He started to shake, and then he tensed when she teased the opening in his gut with soft touches before leaning away.

"Maybe, if you're good, I'll let you ride with me on the way to see Pharaoh," she grinned.

"I'll behave! I promise!" the zombie said quickly. She gave him another kiss and a teasing touch before letting him leave her side.

"Too intense?" Injustice asked.

"If you only knew," he sighed. "I tingle just by her touching the outside of my ribs!"

"Seriously?" Injustice blinked.

"You told me what to experience with her drinking my blood. She was holding my heart and doing that at the same time. I'm addicted to that feeling now," Ragged Zombie muttered. "It's the most incredible feeling I've ever had in my life!"

"Hmm," Injustice thought. "Now you have me curious!"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm not sure how it would work for you, unless she guts you open."

"I'll figure something out," Injustice grinned. Eremes was now able to inspect his house, as the building was being done, and he blinked at Storm Caller's approach.

"We found something under the floor. Do you know what this is?" the Strouf asked and gave him a knife and a bag. Eremes frowned and looked in the bag to find a small amount of money in it. When he looked at the knife, he blinked at the old memories that flooded back.

"Yes. This was the knife I used as a child. The bag of money...I was trying to save up. To help my parents..." he paused, as he recalled the painful memories. "They were ill...getting ill, that is, and in time...it got worse. I knew it was the Morroc sickness. I was going to see...about getting them medicine...even though there was no real cure for it. When I thought I had enough...I made plans to surprise them with the medicine. But...it was too late...when I got back from killing more monsters. I was so distraught...I hid everything in the floor. I dug out a hole and put them there. Under my old bed. I...damn..."

"How-How?" Sarine frowned, and he nodded. She moved quickly to hug Eremes, and he picked her up to hug her to him. When she felt his tears, she hugged him tighter.

"Eremes?" Seyren frowned, as he walked over, and he paused at her pained look.

"Not now, Seyren," Sarine whispered, as she comforted her husband. She whispered softly to Eremes, and he had to take her to an area where he wouldn't be seen with her. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy moved to follow, but respectfully kept their distance. They needed to be around for Sarine to see them. Eremes grieved for his parents again, and she let him cry. Naght and Ifrit moved to keep the others back.

This was something that Eremes didn't want anyone, but her, to see. He clung to her, as the sobs came out harder, and she rocked him when he fell to the ground with her in his lap. He hadn't cried since he thought Sarine lost his love for him in the underground grove, but never as hard as this. Even as a child, he never cried this hard. The shock of the memories coming back hit him so fiercely that he actually lost his deep voice, as he vented his grief on her shoulder.

"Wow," Howard frowned and shook his head.

"He needs this closure," Sammy said.

"Does he know where his parents are buried?" Kiehl asked.

"He won't know, since they weren't buried," Elric said, as he walked over to them. "Any that died of the Morroc sickness were burned away. It was mainly to prevent the illness from spreading. I found Eremes near death from starvation. He was wandering a back ally way. He tried to pick-pocket me, and I caught him. I saw his condition and took him into my care without a second thought. He's a fighter. He always was, and still is, a very strong fighter."

"Hmm," Sammy thought, and Muninn flew down to land on a wooden bench to look at him. He glanced over at Eremes being rocked by Sarine, and he started to get an idea. He flew over to them and reverted to his human form.

" _Eremes Guile? Would you like to see your parents again?_ " Muninn asked softly.

"What?!" he asked with a small gasp.

"Muninn?" she frowned.

" _I can bring their spirits here to talk to you, if you like. I can only do it once, but I think you need this. Would you like to see them?_ " Muninn asked.

"I...yes. Please," Eremes nodded. Sarine hugged him tight, and Muninn communed with Odin silently. Two misty shapes appeared, and Eremes watched them form into a rather pretty woman and a slender, handsome man. He was nearly a spitting image of his father, but had his mother's long, blue-black hair. They both smiled warmly at Sarine and looked at Eremes. The gazes they gave him were full of pride and loving tenderness.

"Eremes," his mother crooned, and he broke down into tears again at the sound of her soft, soothing voice. "We are fine, sweetheart. We are enjoying the afterlife in Valhalla now."

"Don't cry, son. We've always watched over you. We are so proud of you!" his father said in his strong voice. "You've come so far! Don't let our deaths burden you anymore."

"We are always watching you," his mother whispered. "We can't wait to see our grandchildren! Name them after us, if you wish. We will honor it."

"Mother..." he gasped. "Father..."

"We...are always...watching...you..." his father said before they vanished away, and Eremes hugged Sarine tight, as more tears flowed. Muninn smiled softly, and Odin confirmed that they would remain in his halls as honored guests from this point forward.

"What were their names, love?" Sarine asked. He managed to calm down just enough to whisper to her. She smiled and kissed him lovingly.

"Elenor and Joseph. Yeah. His son and daughter will have those names," Howard nodded. Kiehl nodded, and so did Sammy. Eremes clasped Muninn's hand in thanks with a small nod. Muninn nodded back to him before reverting to falcon form and flying off. Eremes had to have Sarine. He needed her now, and she knew it. He cried out at the very feel of her around him, and he held her in his lap when he gave in to her. She rocked herself on him to bring him to another release, and he pressed himself into her. He loved her fiercely. He always had and always will. He rested against her, and she ran a hand over his back.

"We need to get Pharaoh, love," she whispered. He nodded and hugged her to him again. When Howard walked over with Kiehl and Sammy, they all knelt down.

"You ride with her on Windwalker. I'll ride Vagabond Wolf," Howard said. "Tomorrow night, you'll be with her. I claimed tonight, so you're out of luck."

"I figured as much. Thanks, though," Eremes nodded and swallowed. "I forgot all about that knife and money bag. I didn't...know it would affect me like this..."

"You know that Seyren is going to want to know about it," Kiehl chuckled.

"Tell the others that are close to us, but none other. I still need to tease Seyren about something," Eremes gave a small smile. That had Howard grinning, and he nodded.

"Are you all right?" Sarine asked.

"I am now," he nodded and kissed her gently before letting her go to straighten up her shorts. They still winced on separating. He still had no clue as to why. He fixed his clothes up, and Kiehl helped him up, as Howard helped Sarine. "Pharaoh, right? He's next?"

"Yes," Sammy nodded. When they walked to Windwalker, Sammy whispered to Keltin. The Bongun was shocked, and now he whispered softly to Loomin and Doppy. Then he whispered to the mates and slaves. Thanatos was nodding silently that closure was given to his comrade. Beelzebub frowned at what happened to Eremes in his past, but was relieved that his parents were now rightfully honored. He heard everything that went on, and he respected Eremes a lot more now.  _Not only did he survive a horrifying illness, but he saved Sarine twice._ And he was going to enjoy teasing Seyren about the information of Eremes's past.

"What happened, Eremes?" Seyren asked.

"Something with my past. It's resolved now," Eremes said and moved onto Windwalker's back with Sarine. Nigel reverted to human form to tell Howard how to ride Vagabond Wolf safely. Once Howard got the hang of it, the massive wolf moved to walk next to Nigel in his Nine Tail form. The wolf knew that Howard needed to be seen by Sarine. Sammy got on Nigel's back, and Keltin was soon on Garm's.

"So, what happened?" Seyren asked.

"Nothing you need to know," Beelzebub chuckled. Seyren scowled that no one ever told him anything, and those that knew snickered. Pori-Pori scooted out of the house and jumped into Sarine's arms to look at Eremes. She whispered to him softly, and Pori-Pori looked at Eremes. Then he sucked in half his face.

"Damn you!" Eremes cracked up, and Pori-Pori looked at Seyren.

"Oh, no! I can't challenge you with that face!" Seyren frowned, and Karla laughed. Then Pori-Pori puffed out his eyes, and Elric found himself laughing. Tatya started giggling like crazy, and her comrades looked at the monster with disbelief before making wide grins.

"If I try that, my eyes will fall out," Ragged Zombie grinned and got the snickers started.

"Or pop out and kill something," Donnie chuckled.

"I wonder if I can do that with my dick," the zombie mused and got more laughter started. "It would be a great long-distance sex toy!"

"Ugh!" Sarine frowned, and Eremes hugged her to him.

"Put an elastic string on it so that it comes back to you?" Keltin grinned.

"Ooh! Yes!" the zombie said. Now everyone was starting to die with laughter, as they moved west towards the Pyramids again.

"I still win. I make mine vibrate," Kiehl grinned wickedly, and small gasps of shock were given. Sarine was blushing hard, and Eremes hid her face in his long, blue-black hair.

"I may have the size, but you do win, there," Errende said with a smug grin.

"You, me, Thanatos, and Loomin all match in the size department," Doppy grinned.

"I could adjust myself to get with the rest of you," Kiehl thought, and Sarine gasped with laughter. Howard was laughing, and Vagabond Wolf barked at him to keep focus, since he was riding his back. Patting him apologetically, he kept chuckling. Orc Lord and Orc Hero looked at each other with amused grins. The two Leaders were snickering. Beelzebub moved to whisper to Sarine, and Howard had to fight to keep his focus, as he nearly died laughing with Kiehl.

"That's crazy!" Eremes grinned. "To think...of making something...for her...on the go? That vibrates and...that's just...wow..."

"But it works," Beelzebub grinned. Hibram looked over, and Beelzebub moved to whisper to him. Now he was holding his gut while he walked from laughing so hard.

"We need to head south," Keltin said, and Garm started to move that way. A party of young adventurers gaped when they moved past them.

"Anna! Neil!" a boy said, and they paused to turn to see who called them.

"Oh. Hi, Derrick," Neil said.

"So, did you beg for help again?" the Merchant boy grinned.

"No. I lost my Mom's brooch, and they helped me find it. They insisted we join them," Anna said defiantly. "We don't beg!"

"She speaks the truth, you know," Sarine said with a soft frown, as Windwalker moved over to Anna to nuzzle her. "I took her and her brother into my Guild. I respect them, and they respect me. I would have adopted them, but they decided against it."

"Ah...wow...so pretty..." Derrick blinked at her.

"And so married," Eremes frowned. Beelzebub gave the boy a small glare, and he backed away. Baphomet snarled and made a swiping motion with his scythe. Neil and Anna giggled to each other and quickly moved to catch up with the others. Naght hissed at the boy and watched the other two move off with a small purr. He respected them with the same neutral respect as the others. Ifrit made sure they caught up before glaring at Derrick with a form of disgust. They could all tell that the boy was not very trustworthy.

"I have a feeling that I may need to nurse the children before we get into the Sphinx," Sarine sighed. Eremes nodded and hugged her. He clearly needed this right now. He never tried to fight for a place to be at her side. He wasn't planning on it. With the sudden memory surge, everyone knew that he needed her. It was a mutual form of understanding.

"I love you," Eremes whispered to her, and she kissed him.

"I love you, too," she smiled. Now Kiehl blinked at Eremes and sighed with a grin.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, she's just remembering how you approached her and took her those first two times," Kiehl mused. Howard was muttering under his breath, as he saw the memories.

"Yes," Eremes chuckled. "I know I was...how should I place it? Desperate. I was so jealous of Howard! Even of Keltin. She was everything to me, and I couldn't have her. It hurt. It's...why I had married Karla at first. I thought...I could move on. But...I couldn't. Karla didn't want to do anything with me, really. I...couldn't let myself do too much with her. I knew she was trying to see...how far I could push myself with her. In a sense...when I kissed Karla that first time...it didn't feel right to me. When I kissed Sarine in the dressing room of Comodo...it was the first true kiss I ever had...and...it was perfect..."

"Well, now that Sarine is letting us know exactly how you affected her...wow..." Kiehl blinked. "It's a bit surprising! And, with her going to be craving heat with you, it's going to be a challenge. How bad will her craving get? You may need Ifrit to help at times. You know?"

"I do," Eremes nodded. "I have a few spicy dishes in mind to help her."

"We'll do what we can," Kiehl nodded and grinned, as Sarine nipped Eremes's neck to make him gasp. "It looks like she wants to pick on you again, Eremes."

"What?!" he frowned, and she growled before nipping his ear. He shivered with lust, and Howard started to laugh. All of her nibbling had him horribly aroused.

"Sphinx is up ahead!" Keltin said, and she frowned at this. Eremes narrowed his storm-grey eyes and locked his mouth on her neck to bite hard. Doppy hissed at what he felt, but then he realized what it was about. That had him grinning. Windwalker snapped his wings up, as Kiehl had to move quickly to help muffle her. Shorts were pulled down, and pants were shifted around for Eremes to start taking her. He kept his mouth on her neck, and Kiehl was kissing her heavily to keep her as quiet as possible. Howard had to keep a straight face at everything. Naght and Ifrit were softly laughing, as they moved with the group. Thanatos looked over with amusement, and he grinned when he saw that the Gryphon's wings were up. Errende smirked and kept walking with the others.

When they got into the Sphinx, Windwalker set his wings back down, and clothing was already fixed back up. Eremes was grinning, as he held her close, and Kiehl was laughing lightly when he fixed his glasses. When Sarine smirked and nipped his neck again, Eremes growled.

"Sarine," Howard said with a chuckle. "Save it for later."

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" she growled at him, and he stammered.

"Not yet," Eremes said, as he kissed her. "Wait with me. Okay?"

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her again before hugging her tight. He closed his eyes and felt the same form of contentment that Howard did just moments ago. Sarine thought, and Kiehl blinked with surprise.

"I don't think there are any strong monsters there, but, you're right. There are monsters there that we haven't seen yet," Kiehl said.

"Monsters where?" Eremes asked.

"A place called Magma dungeon and the Dead Mine dungeon. Magma dungeon is almost like a volcano. Almost like where Ifrit was, but a lesser area. Dead Mine was originally a Coal Mine located near Prontera, if memory serves me right," Kiehl thought.

"You're right," Garrett said, as he slowed up his Grand Pecopeco to walk with them. Cecil was nestled against his chest and thoroughly enjoying herself. "It's actually closer to Mount Mjolnir. Where Mistress was originally. There may be other monsters there that we could see, too. It's either that, or we use a lot of Dead Branches."

"We'll need to check those places out," Howard said, as Vagabond Wolf loped closer.

"Huh?" Loomin asked, and Ktullanux snorted. Howard told him the places they needed to see, and Loomin was grinning. Keltin had the group pause, as two monsters moved up to them. They both looked like dark-skinned men in leather vests and loincloths. Small hats were on their heads, and shackles were on their feet. The only difference between them was the blocks they carried. One had a short, sandstone block wrapped up in ropes. The other had a long, rectangular, and engraved sandstone block.

"Requiem and Zerom. Requiem is the one with the long block," Keltin said.

"They look like slaves to Pharaoh," Sarine said, as she looked at them. They both nodded to her and gave her their cards. Then Eremes grinned at Zerom and whispered to him. Zerom walked over to Seyren and gave him a set of giant panties.

"Ah...thanks..." Seyren said, as Karla burst into laughter. Zerom nodded with a grin, and Requiem smiled. Then the monsters glowed with power and vanished away. They would definitely become builders. Now Baphomet gave Seyren a look of complete surprise and mild amusement. Howard and Kiehl were laughing harder than ever, and Howard actually fell off of Vagabond Wolf's back.

Loomin cracked up at that, and Sammy was laughing now, as Nigel gave a yipping laugh. Garm gave a sigh before chuckling, as Naght and Ifrit were laughing. Doppy was howling his laughter out, and Beelzebub was hiding his face in his robe. Baphomet had a massive toothy grin on his face, as he chuckled at Howard. Orc Hero and Orc Lord were barking out their laughter. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader were snickering savagely. Hibram had to sit on the floor, since he was laughing so hard. Thanatos and Errende were grinning and snickering. Everyone else was just dying with laughter.

"Okay..." Sarine gasped, as Eremes was hiding his face against her neck. "Refocus!"

"Maybe Ragged Zombie can use these if his gut leaks," Seyren mused, and everyone started laughing again. The zombie looked over with a grin and tried them on to send everyone gasping again. He modeled in them for a bit before thinking.

"Hmm. They fit well, but I think they're made for you. I see your initials on the tag," the zombie grinned, and Seyren sputtered out with disbelief. Karla was dying now, and Luna was blinking with a large grin on her face. The zombie gave them back to Seyren, and he took them with a small mutter and a shake of his head.

"Okay! Okay!" Howard gasped, as he got back on the wolf's back. "That...was just awesome! Completely awesome!"

"Shut up, Howard!" Seyren growled. Kiehl was grinning now, and Eremes was whispering softly to Sarine. She smiled and giggled with him before he planted a kiss on her.

"All right," Keltin said, as he wiped tears from his eyes. "We need to head to the western part of this maze. Ready, guys?"

"Yep!" Doppy grinned wickedly. Keltin automatically knew which turns to take, and various monsters were now swatted away like flies.

"Doppy!" Sarine called up, and he slowed up the Nightmare to see her.

"Yes, love?" he asked.

"I think the Nightmare really suits you," she smiled.

"True. But I really want to see if Detale can be ridden. I do like Nightmare, don't get me wrong, but I think this guy is better suited for one of the kids. Maybe my son or daughter. Or even Errende's kids. Even Howard's or Keltin's. Or Aliot's. You know?" he said.

"I can see Edward riding Nightmare," Thanatos mused.

"We could have Gunther ride Desert Wolf," Howard said. "Vagabond Wolf is too strong for him. Desert Wolf would be better. Maybe have Wolf work with Bianca. They could work, since they'll be Thieves."

"True," Doppy thought. "But, wolves are known to go with Archers. They may be better suited for Sammy's kids, if they go Gypsy and Clown."

"If we go into the Dragon Caves, I think Siegfried and Serenity could benefit from them," Sarine smiled. "I can see them riding dragons."

"I like that idea!" Howard nodded, and Naght agreed.

"Hmm..." Eremes thought. "Our kids could ride Kasa and Salamander. Kasa may be a bit tough...being a fire bird...but it's a thought."

"It is a thought," Sarine smiled, and he kissed her cheek. Anna and Neil had retrieved their carts from town and found them easier to handle while they trained. They had sold all of the loot and got more training experience from doing that, thanks to the books they read. They were getting stronger, and now they were whispering to each other.

"Kids," Beelzebub said, as he moved to their side. "I'd like to speak with you both."

"Oh?" Anna asked.

"About what?" Neil asked.

"You should both take a sip of Hibram's blood. Later tonight. He already offered it to you. Don't think of asking any others," Beelzebub said.

"You heard us?!" Anna gasped.

"That's right! You can hear us," Neil sighed. "What would Hibram be to us, then?"

"You could see me as your new dad, if you wanted to," Hibram chuckled, as he walked over. "Or a big brother. I wouldn't mind either one."

"I vote big brother!" Anna grinned.

"Same for me," Neil nodded. "Um...tonight, you think?"

"Or, we could do it now," Hibram said. "We can take a small break. In fact, we have to take a small break. There's Storm Caller with Aliot and his kids."

"Eremes, help me," Sarine sighed, and Windwalker settled to lay down carefully. Howard now moved with Vagabond Wolf to protect her, as she nursed, and Garm was the same with Keltin. Loomin and Ktullanux started a small patrol with the Hell Flies. Sammy and Nigel waited patiently near her. Kiehl moved over to help her nurse the twins. Errende made himself ready to burp and calm them with Thanatos.

Doppy stood on high alert to make sure nothing would disturb her. Naght and Ifrit were now extremely protective with kids in their midst. Orc Hero, Orc Lord, Goblin Leader, and Kobold Leader haven't seen the kids yet and went to meet them. After seeing them and agreeing that they were special, too, they set up a far more protective barrier around Windwalker. Pori-Pori chittered and scooted around in a large circle.

"Over here," Hibram said to the two Merchants. "Byorgue? Can you help us out with your dagger? They want a little of my blood now."

"Okay!" Byorgue nodded. He moved over to them and carefully opened a wrist.

"Just take a mouthful. It should be more than enough," Hibram instructed. Neil went first and forced himself to swallow the bitter blood. Anna went next and almost couldn't do it. Errende moved over to Heal Hibram, and the two kids paused, as they felt a small change come over them. Now Neil looked at Hibram and blinked at his thoughts.

"I can hear you!" Neil said.

"That's right. Now, I need some of your blood to complete the change. This way I can hear you, and I'll be able to help guide you, too. If you're in trouble, I'll know and come to help you. Okay?" Hibram said. Anna nodded, and Byorgue moved to lightly open her wrist for Hibram to take a mouthful of her blood. Neil was next, and Errende Healed them both.

"Brother?" Anna whispered.

"Always!" Hibram chuckled. "And Margaretha is your sister now. She has my blood, too, so feel free to go to her if you need something and I'm not around."

"Like he said!" Margaretha smiled warmly at her new siblings, and they hugged her when she sat on the Pecopeco with Lloyd. Sarine smiled softly at this, and Eremes squeezed her. Muninn warbled happily, as he landed on the ground and looked at them both.

_:Each month. You grow. One year. To match. Demon blood. Okay?:_  he said.

"So...in six months, we'll be adults?!" Neil blinked.

_:Yes. At age. Twenty five. You will. Remain. Until you. Transcend. Then. Children again. Until. You are. Aged properly. From the. Rules. Of transcendence.:_

"Okay," Anna nodded.

"Those that know us are going to be curious," Neil chuckled.

"Like Derrick?" Anna wrinkled her nose.

"That guy can piss off!" Doppy snorted, and the Merchants laughed. Sarine had already given over Aliot's twins to Thanatos and Errende, as Drago appeared to give her Keltin's twins. Observation moved to land and told Aliot and Drago what they missed. They gasped with surprise at various things, and Drago frowned.

"I'm staying. What about you?" Drago asked Aliot.

"Same. Amon Ra is keeping the kids completely preoccupied. They love him. He gives them small rides on his chair," Aliot grinned.

"Oh, I would love to see that! I'll have to when we get home," Sarine smiled. Keltin judged they were halfway through the maze, and he heard other adventurers coming over to them. Elric and his Guild moved to intervene and find out who they were. Beelzebub listened closely and frowned with distaste.

"Who are they?" Doppy asked.

"The party from the Pyramids. The ones that took out Osiris's double. They are going after Pharaoh. Elric is trying to convince them to let us talk to Pharaoh first so a duplicate can be made. They...seem to understand, since Osiris's double put up more of a fight. They are curious to see what Pharaoh's duplicate can do. But, they want to travel with us," the Demon Lord growled. "I say we decline them and kill them."

"Hmm..." Seyren thought. Windwalker put up his wings.

"What do you think, love?" Eremes asked, as he nuzzled her.

"They can, but they cannot get in our way. The moment they do, they will need to leave by any means possible. And...I do mean by  _any_  means possible," she smiled. Kiehl grinned wickedly, and Howard relayed the news. Doppy was only too happy at this, and Ragged Zombie made plans to start pissing them off. The group of four walked over with Elric, Shadow, Slade, Tatya, and Fenrick. Naght hissed with a form of hate at them. Osiris was still with them and seemed to glare at the offending party silently.

"We know you need to see Pharaoh, and we're willing to let you talk to him. I only have one question," the Champion said. Howard moved over to him, and Vagabond Wolf slathered in a warning stance. The other three with the Champion gaped at the sheer size of the wolf.

"What question?" Howard asked.

"Who is that woman? She said she was Huginn. That can't be true! Huginn is a mythical fairy tale!" the Champion said. Now Muninn flew down and reverted to his human form to startle them. Beelzebub grinned wickedly with Doppy and Hibram. Ragged Zombie was chuckling, as Naght and Ifrit were snickering. Baphomet snorted and stared at them.

" _She is my sister and the Vessel of Odin,_ " Muninn said, as the four men stared at him. " _She has to recruit various monsters, both strong and weak alike, to prepare for a coming war. This war will hurt both humans and monsters as a whole. My brother, Huginn, resides in her mind to protect her there, while I take on a physical form as her falcon. I am Muninn. It is fine that you travel with us until she recruits Pharaoh, but_ do not _get in her way. I cannot stress this enough. Her protectors are very untrustworthy of outsiders, and they will not hesitate to show how strong they really are. Once a monster is recruited, they are enhanced by Valkyrie from Valhalla. If you wish to fight these monsters, there is an arena that you can go to. Many of them will fight there willingly. But, there are some that will not since it distresses my sister._ "

"I heard of the arena!" the Creator said. "I think I saw that red-eyed guy fight, too. He's...brutal. Very brutal."

" _He is Doppelganger. A very bloodthirsty and ruthless demon in his own right, too,_ " Muninn chuckled, and Doppy snarled out viciously on Nightmare. He looked over at Sarine when her top was fixed up and moved off of Nightmare to help take up a child. Keltin took his son, and they started to burp them.

"Kids are here?!" the High Priest gaped.

"My kids, thank you very much," Keltin muttered.

"And mine," Aliot said, as he took his son to hold. "They are only here, because My Lady needed to nurse them. They'll be going home shortly."

"My lady?" the High Wizard asked.

"I'm her slave," Aliot said with a touch of pride. Maya Purple set himself up in a defensive stance with his claws ready to fire. Errende and Byorgue glanced at them. Sammy dismounted from Nigel to let him become his human form. He needed to tend to Sarine and help feed her properly. Drago snorted and flapped his single wing with irritation. Observation continued to hover with his arms crossed. Injustice got some sushi ready for Sarine.

"All of you are her slaves?" the Champion asked.

"Yes," Kiehl chuckled, as he took the plate of sushi from Injustice. "I'm a bit of her husband, too. And she has six of them. They call me the husband and a half."

"But, you're my brother, so it's fine," Howard grinned and laughed at Kiehl's small glare. Now the High Priest gaped at him.

"You're Whitesmith Howard! From the Biological Laboratory!" he hissed.

"Yep. I see you've met my duplicate. I was actually the first one to be separated. The others are here, too, if you look hard enough. We were all human once like you, just so you know, and we're slowly becoming human again. It's a slow process, but it's coming along," Howard grinned. "I'm one of Sarine's husbands."

"Little sis freed us," Cecil said, as Garrett hugged her on his Grand Pecopeco.

"We'd still be trapped there, if it wasn't for her," Kathryne said, and Mitchell kept an arm around her on the wild Grand Pecopeco. Eremes simply looked over at them and hugged Sarine to him. He didn't want to talk to them, and it was fine by the others.

"She was with us before, but torn away from us. When she was able to free us, she came back for us," Seyren said, and Karla leaned into him.

"She is our savior," Margaretha nodded.

"But, why the strong monsters?" the Champion asked.

"Not only are we helping in a war, but several of us see her as a mate. We are not husbands, but we love her like they do," Beelzebub said, as he glared lightly at them.

"And she gave me kids. I saw her as a mate long ago," Thanatos smirked.

"Speaking of kids," Kiehl chuckled and smiled. "How are mine?"

"They haven't done anything wrong since earlier," Sarine smiled softly.

"I hope mine don't try anything," Sammy chuckled and moved to feel her belly.

"She's pregnant?!" the Creator gaped.

"Yes. With my kids and Incantation Samurai's kids," Kiehl said, as his ghost came out to show who he was. Then Sammy let his ancestral ghost come out to brandish his swords.

"Wow..." the High Wizard blinked.

"I still need a better kimono," Sammy sighed. Muninn looked at him and thought. He communed slightly, and Sammy's robe glowed. Now, instead of being solid black, it was gilded with gold decorations of ravens in flight all over it. Small gems were ingrained in it to sparkle and wink in the firelight of the walls around them. It spoke out royalty and power.

" _Better?_ " Muninn grinned.

"Much better!" Sammy grinned back.

"Not bad," Loomin chuckled. "Errende! I'll need one, too."

"I'll get on it when we get home," he said.

"What just happened with you?" the Champion asked.

" _Father Odin allowed me to help him,_ " Muninn said and shocked the four men again. " _Yes. My sister is the direct daughter of Father Odin, himself. And she is adopted by Emperor Markus of Amatsu. So, she's a princess, too._ "

"I...wow..." the Champion blinked. Sarine blushed softly, and Windwalker moved when Storm Caller appeared to take the children back to the island home. Muninn nodded and became his falcon form to hover over them again.

"So, do you guys have names?" Howard asked them.

"Yes, we do," the High Priest said. "Clint is my name."

"Dennis," the High Wizard said.

"Dominick here," the Champion said.

"I'm Martin," the Creator said.

"Nice to meet you all. Let's stay on neutral terms, okay?" Howard smiled.

"Right," Dominick said with a small nod.

"How is she?" Keltin asked Kiehl.

"She's fine. We're ready to go," he said, as he handed her a teacup. Windwalker stretched lightly and flicked his tail to show he was ready. Loomin patted Ktullanux on his head, and the ice dragon purred. Keltin urged Garm forward, and the ice wolf hissed in warning to the four men when he moved past them.

"Don't think we aren't watching you!" Garm said.

"You can talk?!" Martin blinked.

"He can," Nigel chuckled and became his Nine Tail form for Sammy to ride on again. He gave a small yip, and Vagabond Wolf barked back. Naght and Baphomet nodded to each other and prepared to move. Orc Hero and Orc Lord gave each other small nods, as they prepared to move out. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader checked their weapons and snorted. Beelzebub and Hibram gave light grins, as Ragged Zombie whistled to himself. Donnie grinned softly and knew the zombie was going to start a war. The whistle was to deliberately draw attention to himself to fluster the other group.

"You're not a strong monster!" Dennis said.

"Nope! But I can still kick your ass, if I try hard enough!" the zombie winked. "Then again, I don't think I'd even have to try."

"I doubt it," he said.

"Really? Ah, remember what Muninn said? Any monster recruited was enhanced by Valkyrie in Valhalla. I'm one of those monsters. I'm pretty sure I can easily kick your ass. I fight in that arena, too, and I haven't lost a fight yet. Considering how I see Sarine as my mate, I get special treatment. If you know what I mean," the zombie grinned.

"Sure you do," Dennis said.

"Fine by me. I'll just tell your mother when I see her again tonight," Ragged Zombie grinned. Dennis flustered up, and small snickers started all around, as they walked.

"That won't happen, Ragged Zombie! You have plans with  _me_  tonight! Remember?" Sarine called out, and he tensed with a small hiss of lust. She chuckled, and then blinked with a frown. Now she looked up with a small gasp, and Howard moved Vagabond Wolf over quickly. Kiehl was pulling her into his arms to comfort her.

"What is it?!" Sammy asked, as Nigel moved over to her.

"The nursery! I...I know something's wrong!" Sarine whispered. Beelzebub located the Hell Fly that was in there and thought. Storm Caller appeared with Angela, and she was crying in small fits of rage. Edward was brought to them next, as Sarine hugged and comforted her daughter. Thanatos moved over, grabbed Edward, lifted him up to hold him, and now looked at him. Edward was clearly upset and huffing, as he made little fists.

"What happened?" Thanatos asked sternly.

"Gunther pushed Angie down!" Edward frowned. "I told him not to!"

"My son pushed his sister?!" Doppy hissed with outrage. "Bring him to me! NOW!"

"Of course," Storm Caller nodded. The smaller party paused and gaped to each other. They were amazed at how much Edward looked so much like Thanatos. Elric and his Guild mates kept straight faces now.  _When Doppy was pissed, it was best to keep quiet._  Sarine kept whispering to Angela, and Errende was there to help comfort her. Now that kids were coming out, the monsters were on the defensive again and formed a protective barrier. Gunther was brought out with Bianca now, and Doppy glared at his son. Serenity and Siegfried were brought out next to get gathered up by Naght. They needed to see what the punishment would be so they could learn from Gunther's mistakes.

"What did you do?!" Doppy said, as he moved from his Nightmare to stand over his son.

"Um..." Gunther trembled. "Angie wasn't sharing rides from Grampa Amon Ra..."

"Not true!" Angela screamed, and Errende frowned at this. "I didn't get a ride!"

"Yes, you did!" Gunther said, as he argued back.

"Quiet!" Doppy hissed, and his son whimpered. "Did you push her down?!"

"Yes..." Gunther frowned with another whimper. They knew their dad got mad, but now he was exceptionally mad. This was not good for him.

"Bianca?! What happened?" Doppy growled, as he glared at her now.

"I...um..." Bianca was too terrified of her father to answer, and Beelzebub rose a hand up. He came over to them to tell them what his Hell Fly saw.

"They are both telling the truth. Amon Ra just finished giving Bianca a ride and barely had enough power in his chair for Angela. He paused to rest, and she didn't get her ride finished. Gunther thought she was taking an extra ride when she wasn't. Gunther, did you know that Amon Ra has to recharge his chair after every twenty feet? He must wait five seconds before he can move it again. Did you know this?" Beelzebub asked.

"No. We didn't know," Gunther said. Sarine sighed and frowned, as she thought.

"You're right, love. Gunther is still in the wrong by pushing Angela down. You know better than that!" Howard frowned at Gunther, as he scolded him.

"He...he pulled me off of Grampa Amon Ra! Then he pushed me! Grampa tried to tell him something about his chair, and Gunther yelled at me..." Angela whimpered. Errende sighed, as he looked at Gunther with a narrowed gaze.

"You know I should spank your bottom until you can't sit for a week, right?!" Doppy growled. His son winced and nodded. "And your sister will learn from your mistake! As well as your other brothers and sisters!"

"They didn't know how Amon Ra's chair worked," Hibram said. "But, yes, he pushed Angela down. What do we do about this?"

"I have an idea," Ragged Zombie grinned. "He won't even need a spanking this way. Howard, do you have a knife you forged? Or any knife at all?"

"I do, actually," Howard nodded and handed over one of the few basic knives that he always carried. Kiehl was watching curiously now.

"Gunther, I want you to do something for me," the zombie said.

"Yes, Dad?" he asked. Ragged Zombie took the knife and shoved it deep into his chest cavity so that it was completely covered and coated in his green slime. Then he shoved it up so it would be incredibly hard to pull out. Elric stared in disbelief.

"You're keeping that knife now!" Howard said, as he gaped and grimaced with disgust.

"I'm sure of it after this! Anyways, Gunther, this is what I want you to do for me. Pull the knife out of my chest, please," the zombie grinned. Doppy blinked and cracked a wide grin. Everyone else whistled and softly laughed at this.

"Um...no! That's gross!" Gunther hissed.

"Do it. This is your punishment. Since you were mainly in the wrong, but didn't know, this is the kindest punishment you can have. Pull. Out. The. Knife," he glared. Serenity and Siegfried seemed to shiver at how icky it all looked. _This was definitely a punishment._

"I don't want to!" Gunther said with a whimper. Bianca was staring in disbelief.

"If you don't, I'll spank you!" Doppy growled. Beelzebub gave a small glare, and Baphomet crossed his arms over his chest to glare, as well. Edward was cringing, as Thanatos grinned with Errende. Loomin was smiling with amusement. Sammy and Keltin were now planning to make this the first step in keeping their kids in line.  _This punishment was perfect._

"Um...what happens after I pull it out?" Gunther frowned.

"You have to chew it up," Ragged Zombie said. Small gasps of soft laughter was heard.

"NO! No, no, no!" Gunther gaped with fear and disgust.

"Ragged Zombie! That may be too much!" Sarine grimaced. "Use that method as a far worse punishment, if he does something like this again!"

"Okay. You're right," the zombie nodded. "You owe your mother a favor for stopping me. Now, pull the knife out, and you'll finish your punishment."

"Ah...okay..." Gunther said weakly. The zombie stood perfectly still, as Gunther reached in. With Sarine, it was pleasuring. With one of the kids, he had no sensation at all. Gunther's little hand made a sick, sucking noise, as he forced it up even more to grab the slippery knife handle. He was cringing the whole time he did it. He couldn't get a good grip on the handle, and he had to try several times before he was able to grab it. Now came the slow, nasty process of pulling the knife out. With each tug he did, it sent fresh waves of slime down his hand. The smell was quite horrific to Gunther, and the boy used his free hand to cover his nose.

Baphomet and Doppy had small smiles on their faces at Gunther's distress. Thanatos was grinning wickedly, and Edward was watching with shocked disbelief at how gross it was. When green slime oozed down Gunther's arm, Bianca gasped and put her hands to her mouth. Siegfried and Serenity were watching with terrified faces, and Naght was hissing with laughter. Only Angela was watching with a form of satisfaction, but she knew that she would do this, too, if she did something bad. Gunther was showing looks of complete disgust at the feel of the warm ooze, and it started to cool quickly to move even slower down his arm.

"That's...nasty..." Eremes grinned. Osiris was laughing quietly at the young boy's punishment. Orc Lord and Orc Hero were watching with full approval. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader made small hisses of disgust, but it was also a form of laughter. Pori-Pori seemed to shake his body and sigh. Storm Caller kept a neutral look on his face the whole time.

"But, it works," Beelzebub grinned. Amon Ra was dying with laughter back in the nursery, as Beelzebub's Hell Fly was telling him what was going on. Hibram and Ifrit were watching with complete approval at this. The slaves watched silently and decided that this was a fitting punishment all together. Another five, grueling minutes went by, and the knife was finally free. Gunther now had a long, cold trail of stinky zombie slime running down his arm from his coated hand, and he was gasping from the feel and smell of it. Ragged Zombie took the knife and decided to enforce this punishment in full.

"Good. Now, kids," Ragged Zombie glared at them all. "If ANY of you do what Gunther did, or something just as bad, you will have to do exactly what he just did! If you do it again, you get the spanking of your lives! Got it?! And Gunther! If you do something else that pisses off your dad, you'll have to eat the next knife! And let me tell you that zombie guts can taste really, really nasty! I heard they even stick between your teeth so you  _always_  taste it for up to a week! Do you understand?!"

"Yes, Dad!" Gunther whimpered.

"This knife will be kept around as a reminder! I'll have Storm Caller give it to Amon Ra to hold onto. The next time you think of doing something bad, he'll take out that knife with all of that ooze and gut slime on it as a warning. Got it?!" the zombie warned.

"Yes, Dad!" Gunther nodded quickly.

"Shall I take them back now?" Storm Caller asked, as he carefully took the knife.

"Yes. Give Gunther a good bath, too," Sarine nodded. "With lots of scrubbing."

"Please!" Gunther insisted. He found the zombie slime to have one of the nastiest odors he ever smelled. Sarine found it rather pleasing, since Ragged Zombie was her mate.

"There is one last thing you need to do before you leave," Loomin said. "You owe your sister an apology. Give her that now. And, because she was screaming at you, you have to hug her. Sorry, Angela, but screaming at your brother isn't tolerated."

"But...what?!" Angela blinked, and Keltin grinned. Gunther cringed again, but he saw Doppy's nod. Thanatos and Errende both nodded at this, too. Sammy and Eremes looked over at each other, and Howard forced himself to keep a straight face. Sarine found herself agreeing with Loomin at this. She clearly didn't like her kids screaming at each other.

"Go get a hug from your brother, Angela," Kiehl smiled softly.

"But...he's covered in stinky goo!" Angela blinked.

"You shouldn't have yelled at him..." Eremes said. "Especially in front of us."

"Do I have to, Dad?" she looked up innocently at Errende.

"You need to, Angela," Errende nodded. She looked at Thanatos, and he gave another nod. Edward looked at her with an apologetic expression. Siegfried and Serenity were now going to be on their best behavior from this point forward. Bianca was in another state of shock. Angela seemed to frown, but she moved from her mother's side to toddle over to Gunther. He gave her a hug, and she closed her eyes tight at the icky feel of cold, stinky zombie goo.

"I'm sorry, Angie," Gunther said.

"Okay. I'm sorry, too," she nodded and sighed. Storm Caller was struggling to keep a straight face, as he took all of the kids back to the nursery. Now Ragged Zombie was grinning.

"And  _that_  is how you do parenting!" the zombie smirked, and everyone died laughing.

"I honestly thought...I was going to die...when you put that knife in your chest!" Howard gasped, as he laughed. "I had no idea what you were planning!"

"You know that his method of punishment comes first before we spank them, right?" Loomin grinned wickedly. "I doubt that any of the kids are going to do anything bad now."

Muninn was simply shaking with laughter, and he had sent everything to Odin. The powerful man was completely amused with it and had easily approved of the punishment.

"I'm glad I'm not your kid!" Clint said.

"Be glad you're not. I would have made the punishment even worse," the zombie grinned. "Sarine hasn't had any of my kids yet. I'll go a little soft on their kids. But, when it comes to mine, I won't hold back."

"Okay. I have to ask. What would you do with yours?" Keltin asked.

"I'd pull out what's left of my guts and have my kids put them back," Ragged Zombie grinned. "If they're put back wrong, I'll take them back out to have them do it again!"

"Oh...wow..." Kiehl gasped, as he laughed.

"You know," Eremes mused. "that could be good...for really, really bad kids..."

"Very true!" the zombie grinned.

"Okay. Ragged Zombie punishes all of our kids, if threats and spankings don't work!" Thanatos grinned. The vote was unanimous, and Sarine was giggling, as she shook her head.

"Should punish Orc Baby, too," Orc Hero grinned.

"Orc Baby bad at times," Orc Lord nodded.

"I'd like to see Seyren put your guts back," Karla grinned.

"Oh, hell no!" the Lord Knight grimaced, and more laughter erupted.

"Sarine," Howard asked now with a bit of seriousness in his tone. "How did you know something was wrong in the nursery?"

"It was instinctive. Mother's instinct, I guess. I just knew that something wasn't right," she said. "It was this overwhelming urge to protect my children."

"Okay," Kiehl said. He let Eremes take her back into his embrace. "Are we ready to continue again? We'll get Pharaoh and head home."

"Right. I don't know if we'll have time to go to Prontera. Or should we do that tomorrow? We still have the dungeon to see to, and we still have other monsters to free," Sarine sighed. "So much left to do!"

"I know, love," Eremes said, as he kissed her softly. "We'll see how much daytime is left when we get back. We'll decide then."

"Okay," she nodded. Sammy was still chuckling about the whole thing, as Keltin made himself ready to lead them through the rest of the first floor maze. Elric was still grinning, and Tatya gave a touch of a shiver. She still remembered what that knife looked like when Gunther pulled it out. Slade was laughing softly to himself, and Shadow actually pitied Gunther.

"So, who's kids are who's again?" Fenrick asked.

"I'll tell you," Sammy said and began the lengthy explanation of the kids. He didn't reveal their talents, since that was a secret, but he revealed who fathered who.

"So, Gunther is Doppelganger's son?" Slade asked.

"Yep. He's my little bundle of joy," Doppy smirked. "Bianca is my daughter."

"All of our kids are half-brothers and half-sisters, but we don't refer to them as that. All of them share our blood. Sarine takes in the blood of those she needs to be with, and we give her our blood in turn. The kids get a drop of any new blood so they know who their new father figures are," Howard said. "They know they are all equal in being brothers and sisters this way."

"Wouldn't the kids need to give you their blood, too? Like how Anna and I did for Hibram?" Neil asked. Sarine thought about this, but Kiehl shook his head.

"It's different for our kids," Howard said. "You and your sister needed it from Hibram, because the two of you weren't born demons. Our kids are. They are half monster and half human. In time, if they want to give us their blood, they can. But, it's not required. As long as our blood is running in their veins, that's all they need. Also, they were born from Sarine, so they already have her blood. There is no need for it."

"Oh!" Neil blinked. "So, if I was born a half monster, it would be different?"

"Yes," Kiehl nodded. The smaller group that walked with them was highly intrigued by all of this. They started whispering to each other, and Beelzebub rose a brow.

"We're approaching the next level!" Keltin said. Garm snorted and batted a rogue Zerom aside. Another set of panties were found and tossed at Seyren.

"Stop that!" he growled.

"Make me!" Garm snickered. The Lord Knight trembled with a mild form of rage, as Karla laughed. She fed Luna, and the Homunculus stuck out her tongue at Seyren.

"Oh, no! Don't you start that! Um...hi, honey!" Seyren grinned at Karla's glare.

"Ragged Zombie, do you have another knife?" Karla asked sweetly.

"I'll behave myself!" Seyren paled. "I don't want zombie guts on my armor!"

"How about soggy pie?" the zombie grinned, and everyone started laughing.

"That was Howard's fault!" Seyren sputtered. "He put it under me when I sat down!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Howard said innocently. "I'm just wondering why you don't look where you sit."

"He must do that when he sits down on the pot, eh?" Ragged Zombie grinned, and Karla laughed again. Seyren muttered, and Beelzebub cracked a grin. They went down the stairs to the next level, and Keltin started to lead them around here. They paused for just a bit to clear out carts with Lloyd's help with Warps. The moment they got back, traveling started up again. It was easy to walk past everything quickly, and they only needed to swat things away that got too close for comfort. As they moved through this maze, Sarine thought and kissed Eremes softly before whispering to him.

"Hmm...okay..." he nodded. Kiehl chuckled, and Howard grinned lightly. Eremes moved off of Windwalker's back smoothly, moved over to Ragged Zombie, and tapped his shoulder. On looking at him, Eremes pointed to Windwalker. The zombie nodded and went over to Sarine's side. When she patted on the Gryphon's back, he grinned and climbed up.

"Now you need a steed," Sammy chuckled. The Matyr that they recruited moved right over to Eremes's side, and the Assassin Cross got on its back easily.

"I think that guy suits you better!" Howard grinned.

"You may be right..." Eremes grinned, as the black dog snorted. The dog was easily a well-suited match for him. Matyr was just as lean, slender, and deadly as Eremes was. And they shared the same skills to a point. Eremes looked over at Windwalker with a smirk, as Kiehl was laughing. Howard blinked and grinned.

"So, do you like this?" Sarine asked, as she poked at an exposed rib.

"Is Chicken Shit still out there?!" Ragged Zombie growled as his response. Kiehl was simply dying with laughter now. Sarine smirked and moved to nibble his neck. He gave a sharp inhale of breath and nibbled her back. Kiehl now watched with complete interest, as this turned into a rather intimate war between them. Even as the zombie claimed her, the nibbling battle kept up. She finally won it by biting his neck hard to send his senses reeling.

"I'd hold your heart, but I can't wash off my arms here," she whispered, as she nibbled where she bit him. He found himself releasing just from that, and he was gasping.

"We're almost at the third level down!" Keltin shouted to everyone.

"I'm sure other monsters will be found. We'll need to show ourselves soon. Okay?" she smiled, and Ragged Zombie just nodded. They managed to separate and fix up their clothes.

"Damn!" Kiehl grinned. "Now you have me thinking."

"About what?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"That little nibbling war. I'm going to have to try that," he mused. "Then again, what I did with her all night long was really nice, too."

"Oh? Fill me in?" the zombie chuckled. Kiehl leaned over to pull Sarine close so she could see Howard and Sammy riding behind them before telling the zombie about how he unwrapped Sarine. The look on Ragged Zombie's face was complete jealousy. He wanted to do that now. Sarine was blushing, and Windwalker put his wings down, as they descended to the third area. Two monsters were waiting for them here. One was a monster that almost looked like Byorgue, but he had a sword that he tossed between his hands and resembled an ancient warrior. He had gold and leather armlets on both arms, his armor was gold and leather, and he wore a cloth hat that hung down to his shoulders. The cloth hat seemed to be attached to a mask that he wore over his eyes.

The other monster resembled a Shaman of sorts in black, red, and white robes. His headdress looked like two sets of four-way points coming out at either end. He held a skull staff, and a floating ring of energy was in his other hand.

"Ah. Pasana and Marduk. The Pasana kinda looks like you, Byorgue!" Keltin grinned.

"He does, huh?" the slave chuckled. After the two monsters glowed with power, they handed over their cards before vanishing to the island home.

"You should get acquainted with Pasana. I'm sure you both could come up with some interesting attack strategies," Sammy said.

"I'll have to do that," Byorgue nodded.

"We have a bit of a ways to go! Everyone work together and follow my lead!" Keltin said. They all nodded and started to move out. Byorgue moved over to Windwalker and checked on Sarine. She smiled at him and gave him a caress. He sorely needed it.

"All right!" Ragged Zombie said. "I guess the little guy can swap places with me."

"Little guy?" Byorgue asked with a raised brow. "At least I'm not half a guy!"

"Touché!" the zombie grinned. Kiehl laughed at this with Howard, and Byorgue hopped up on Windwalker's back to hug Sarine to him.

"My Lady," he sighed, and she caressed his back.

"Are you all right, Byorgue?" she frowned.

"I'm going to confess something," he said. "I...miss your dominance."

"You do?" she blinked.

"Yeah. I know it only happens when you drink demon blood, or when you crave to be dominant, but...well...I like it when you're dominant," he said. Kiehl now blinked and scooted back a bit, as Sarine thought. Howard cleared his throat, and Naght gave out a slight warning growl to those that understood him. Windwalker put his wings up just as Sarine snarled, yanked Byorgue close by his collar, and bit his neck hard. He gave out a startled shout, and it caused Elric and his Guild to look over with alarm. The smaller traveling group was also concerned at this, but, when they saw the others grinning with amusement, they realized there was no danger.

"What's going on?" Elric asked.

"Apparently..." Eremes chuckled. "Byorgue missed her..."

"But, what is she doing to him?" Elric frowned.

"Likely biting his neck," Sammy grinned. At Howard's nod, Thanatos grinned widely.

"How much do you miss this, Byorgue?" she asked him, as he shivered.

"Far too much..." he admitted. He cried out when she lightly pressed down on the new, tender spot his neck held. Now he was a gasping mess, and she was deep in thought.

"Hmm. Tonight and tomorrow night are claimed...okay. If I'm able, on the third night, this is what you're going to do," she smiled and leaned close to whisper to him. He gave a small growl, and Kiehl blinked at this. Howard would likely ensure it now.

"All night, My Lady?" he whispered with a form of joy.

"Of course, How-How, Kiehl, and Sammy will need to be nearby," she said, and he nodded. "But...yes. All night. Think you can handle it?"

"Ah...yes, My Lady," he said, as she traced a finger up his chest.

"If you're really good, I'll use the Blinker on you, too," she grinned, and he shivered with lust. "Maybe even do something else..."

At her whisper, he hissed, and Kiehl was clearly getting jealous. He also knew that some of the others needed this.  _She hasn't been craving her men that much at all, and Byorgue did have a point about her dominance. Both of those cravings helped keep everyone in line._ Howard would have to see about talking to Doppy to get her to drink his blood. _It would help them all out._ Byorgue was able to satisfy his need for her now and was able to move off of Windwalker's back. Kiehl moved over to pull Sarine close to him to help her fix her shorts, and he ran a hand over her belly. She leaned into him, and he kissed her.

"Just us, eh?" he smiled.

"For now," she smiled back and giggled with delight at the book he took out. Keltin announced that they had to move through various Warp points to get to where they needed to go, and Kiehl snuggled her to read with her. When she went to look behind her to see Howard and Sammy, she saw Sammy, but Howard wasn't there. Vagabond Wolf was ambushed by a swarm of Marduks, and he had loped off a bit to counter them with Howard.

"Howard!" Kiehl hissed, and Sarine started to worry. "He's fine, love! He'll be here shortly. He had to help clear out some monsters."

"But...where is he?!" she whimpered. Sammy blinked, as he found himself swarmed, and he used his mass skill effect to do random ailments to slow the monsters down. When Howard was with him, the attacks were held back neatly. Now it was just him. Thanatos looked over at Howard, noticed he wasn't in Sarine's line of sight, and rushed to help him. Naght was paying close attention to Kiehl's thoughts through Howard and roared at what was happening. That made Howard suddenly realize that Sarine needed him badly.

"Get back to her! Now!" Thanatos snarled, grabbed Howard off of Vagabond Wolf's back and shoved the Whitesmith toward the Gryphon with brute force. The moment Howard got over to Windwalker, Kiehl hauled him onto the Gryphon's back. Sarine was already losing focus, as the fiery need at through her.

"Look! He's right here!" Kiehl said quickly. "Shit! Howard!"

"Help her, Howard!" Doppy hissed, as he gasped from the fiery sensation that started to rock him. Byorgue ran over swiftly to open Howard's wrist to give to Sarine. She gasped at the icy feel of Howard's blood, as she drank it, and Windwalker glared protectively at anything that tried to get too close. Muninn was clearly alarmed and started to Assault anything that showed up. The moment Howard claimed her and released hard, she panted and clung to him.

"I'm here now! It's okay...!" Howard whispered, as he hugged her to him, and Kiehl Healed his wrist. Doppy breathed a sigh of relief, and everyone was forced to stop in their tracks. They had to ensure that Sarine was well enough to continue.

"How-How!" Sarine whimpered, and he winced as he let her cling to him. Her plaintive whimper was clearly heard by everyone, and now her men were fully outraged.

"Don't you even think of moving from her side anymore!" Doppy snarled out. Then he saw that Sammy was trying to fight off monsters behind Windwalker. "We need more assistance on Windwalker's flank! Now!"

Byorgue jumped onto Vagabond Wolf's back, and the two of them made a rather vicious combination, as they cut through the enemy like a hot knife through butter. Maya Purple moved to skitter behind Windwalker, and Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader now set up a perimeter here. Beelzebub was hissing, as more Hell Flies were summoned. Only when they knew a small army was in place did they start moving again.

"What just happened?" Elric asked.

"Sarine...has a nasty condition right now...with her pregnancy," Eremes frowned. "She craves to see certain men. If...she can't see them...her body gives out. And...there is a danger...that she could abort her children. If that happens...she cannot conceive again."

"So...why is she craving Howard? He didn't get her pregnant, right?" Fenrick asked.

"Kiehl and Howard have a special bond. They can read each other's thoughts and are linked heavily through blood. Sarine sees both Howard and Kiehl as one person, if you think of it that way," Sammy said from where he was. He had no plans to tell them the real reason to her craving. "She also has much of Kiehl's blood in her, too."

"How?" Tatya asked.

"When she was a child, her false mother was poisoning her with the same drugs used on Howard in the laboratory experiments," Seyren said with a sharp frown. "We didn't find this out until recently. Kiehl had to use his blood to compact the poisons, at first. The false woman stole these pills from his lab. He has them now, and they are locked away."

"How did they give these drugs to Sarine?" Shadow asked.

"Ground down...into powder form...and dusted over her food..." Eremes said with a bit of rage. That made Elric wince, and the others were in shock.

"What did these drugs do?" Tatya asked.

"The full pills caused specific ailments for long periods of time, depending on what they were made for. Apparently, in powder form, they kept one weak and submissive to certain points. With Howard, he was violently ill for a whole day after the pills lost their effect. It's a very nasty poison," Sammy said. "With Sarine, she was easily susceptible to become sick from how weak she was as a child."

"And no one is going to be harmed by them from this point forward!" Kiehl shouted from Windwalker's back. "I refuse to let that happen!"

"Is My Lady all right?" Errende asked, as he moved to her side.

"She's fine. Just resting now," Howard said, as he was holding her against him. His tunic was off, and he was letting her cling to him for as long as she needed him. She was still shaking from the violent craving, and he kissed her gently to comfort her. He whispered softly to her, as he rocked her, and Kiehl made sure Sammy was in full view from behind them. He felt her tears, and he hissed softly.

"Sarine," Kiehl frowned and scooted up to press himself against her back. "What can we do to make you feel better? Ah...anything but that!"

"That's still too dangerous, love," Howard frowned. "We can't do that until you are ready for my triplets. Our triplets. Is there anything else?"

She thought, as she pulled Howard close and felt Kiehl press himself even more against her. At her thought, Kiehl sighed, and Howard grimaced. Naght now looked back at Windwalker with a touch of concern.

"If he takes too much, it could hurt you," Kiehl whispered. Sarine shivered, and Howard thought while he held her. Naght thought to Howard, and a small nod was given by Kiehl.

"Three mouthfuls. It's all I can risk. Okay?" Howard whispered, and Sarine nodded. Beelzebub moved over to Naght to find out what was being whispered about, and the massive demon rumbled softly for his words to be heard. Beelzebub nodded, and his Hell Flies moved to hover around Windwalker to keep others away.

"Now's the time to do it before we hit the next area," Kiehl said, as he helped settle Sarine back on Howard. Sarine shivered with her own form of excitement, and Howard pulled her hair away from one side of her neck. He kissed and nibbled lightly before finding the right spot. Then he bit down sharply to make her gasp out with release.

"What the...!" Doppy hissed at the pain in his neck. Naght moved over to him and rumbled lightly in Demonic. Doppy blinked, but then he nodded with a small grin and said, "If she needs fresh blood later tonight, I want to know."

Naght chuckled and went back to help with the fight around them. On the Gryphon, Howard was able to pull three long mouthfuls of her blood. The moment he pulled himself away from her neck, Kiehl Healed her. She quickly got Howard into a kiss that he couldn't break out of if he even tried. She moved her hands over his shoulders and lightly rubbed over his tattoo. That made him hiss, but nothing else came from him as he kissed her.

"Your tattoo...ah...careful, Sarine..." Kiehl winced. _It would be incredibly dangerous for his tattoo to become activated. He'd see everyone as a challenge around him._

"Love..." Howard gasped for air in the kiss. "we need...to get dressed..."

"Later..." she growled and pulled him back into the kiss.

"At least you get dressed and let him fix his pants? He can remain topless," Kiehl suggested. That worked, and clothing was quickly fixed up the way it was needed. It was just in time. Keltin announced that they were entering the fourth level, and there was one left to go.

"Wow. What monster is that?" Garrett asked. Ragged Zombie moved over to the newly recruited monster and grinned.

"That is Anubis," Keltin chuckled. Sarine pressed herself fully into Howard's cold chest to peer out from Windwalker's feathers. It held the head of a skeletal dog, but the ears were pierced with heavy, dangly gold earrings. Red eyes glanced around, as it moved to assist them. Gold hair fell in short locks on either side of its neck, and gold bracelets adorned its neck like armor. A ragged, brown cloak was over its shoulders and down its arms. Its ribcage was revealed, but the organs were held in by a black skin under the ribcage. Its spine was seen before gold, scaled armor covered the hips.

Another ragged cloth served as a loincloth under that armor. One leg had various gold circlets on it, the other had a gold circlet over an ankle with a toe ring. The hands and feet resembled claws from a ragged beast. In one hand, it held a gold staff. It was clearly a large monstrosity and ready to fight with its spells. When it glowed with power, its form got even more massive and filled out. A new arsenal of spells were granted to it, too, and it used them with a form of joy.

"Wow. That's a definite male! And he's a rather powerful magic user!" Ragged Zombie grinned. "At first I thought he was a zombie, but he's not. It baffled me for a bit."

"He's not undead?!" Tatya blinked.

"Nope. He's a demi-human!" the zombie grinned. Anubis snarled and moved to support Eremes. He had a very strong Sonic Blow attack for monsters that got too close. All of his prior skills were strengthened, and he used his newly upgraded Fire Wall spell to keep everything back. He was clearly enjoying himself now.

"Anubis! Help us reach Pharaoh!" Keltin said. Anubis snorted and nodded, as he made gestures on where to go.

"He would make a good nursery guard," Beelzebub grinned. Anubis looked over at him curiously, and the Demon Lord moved to his side to whisper to him.

"Where is Sammy?" Sarine whispered, and Kiehl pointed to him behind them. Nodding slightly now, she continued to hug Howard to her.

"Yeah. You're not leaving her side tonight," Kiehl said. "Or any time soon. She's really craving you right now. Hmm. Now I have to wonder."

"About what?" Sarine frowned.

"He's still cold to you. Before, you were able to hug him and see him with no problems. Love, scoot back to me so we can test something, okay?" Kiehl said. She nodded, and Howard remained where he was. Nothing happened to her, unlike with Thanatos where she would have overheated.  _She just really wanted to be with Howard right now._

"You miss me that much?" Howard smiled lovingly and pulled her back into his arms.

"I just wanted to make sure that your craving didn't advance. That would have been bad," Kiehl said. Sarine nodded and snuggled into Howard.

"I love you, How-How," she sighed.

"I love you, too," he smiled and kissed her forehead. The party had to stop to get Warps to town to sell off their various items. The smaller group that was traveling with them approached Windwalker, and Beelzebub moved to confront them.

"What's on your minds?" the Demon Lord asked them.

"We'd like to move on ahead to see if we can locate Pharaoh on the next level down," Dominick said. "We won't kill him, but we'll keep him busy."

"No," Seyren said. "That wasn't the deal for you to be with us. If you attack Pharaoh before Sarine gets a chance to talk to him, we will see it as an act of betrayal. It took a lot for us to allow you four to tag along. If you leave us now, you will not be welcome around us again."

"Pharaoh likely knows we are on our way here, anyways," Osiris said, as he walked over. "If you simply went to see him, he'd be well prepared. The moment I felt Sarine walk into the Pyramids, I knew it was simply a matter of time before she approached me. When I saw her, I knew I was going to win against the four of you."

"You leave our ssside and I'll ssslap you!" Isis scowled. Osiris moved a hand to her back, and she cuddled into him. Muninn warbled and agreed with Osiris. _Pharaoh was already waiting for them._ The four men were clearly upset at this, but they knew this was an opportunity to see more. They would be stupid to pass it up. Sarine was listening to everything silently, and she wasn't happy about it at all.

"Well, if they show up at the arena, we'll know to kill them off quickly," Kiehl grinned and nuzzled her. Windwalker had to stretch out his wings, and everyone got a glimpse of a shirtless Howard hugging Sarine with Kiehl pressed against her back.

"Put your shirt on!" Seyren growled at Howard.

"Nope! Sarine wants me like this, and, what she wants, she gets!" Howard grinned.

"Is My Lady hungry at all?" Aliot asked. At her nod, sushi, cookies, and tea were made ready for her. Anubis moved over to her to gaze at her affectionately, and she blushed.

"Would you like to help protect her kids?" Kiehl asked. At Anubis's nod, Kiehl gestured for him to feel her belly. At the small responding kicks, his protective level for her grew. Then she thought, and Howard blinked at her.

"Hey, Margaretha!" Howard shouted. Lloyd had their Pecopeco head over to them quickly so the High Priestess could see him.

"Yes, Howard?" she asked.

"Do you think you could give that Dea Staff to Loomin? It may suit him better, since it's a form of Divine Light, and he has that, too," Howard said.

"Oh! You're right! Okay, I can do that!" Margaretha nodded. Anubis thought and handed over a staff he carried. Howard Identified it as a Healing Staff, and he grinned.

"I think he gave you a replacement," Kiehl chuckled. She blushed, and Lloyd was very impressed with the Healing Staff. Loomin gaped at the Dea Staff given to him, and now he used it with a grin. As the fighting went on around them, Sarine thought with a small smile.

"Ah, I do remember that," Howard said.

"Wait...you almost drained him of blood?!" Kiehl gaped.

"Well, How-How presented himself to me that way, and it caught me off guard," she sighed. "It provoked an unexpected response, you know?"

"And, why did you bring this up?" Howard asked.

"Um..." she smiled and worried her lower lip.

"Sarine, that's very dangerous while we're traveling!" Kiehl said.

"I know. I want to try it later," she said.

"Sammy will be with us, you know," Howard frowned. She sighed at this, and Beelzebub moved to their side. He was now incredibly curious and looked at them sternly.

"What is being discussed? Can you please tell me?" Beelzebub asked.

"Ah...well..." Howard paused. "if you can keep a big secret, you may be able to be let in on it. The other husbands don't know, but the slaves know, and so does Thanatos and Naght. Apparently, Loomin knows, since he figured it out, and he's fine with it. He's not saying anything, too. It's something the others wouldn't understand. Since you are a mate, you may be able to know, but just keep quiet if anything else happens."

"I give you my word," Beelzebub nodded deeply. Kiehl nodded and whispered to him of Howard's secret slave status and what Sarine did to him when it was established. This had the Demon Lord completely floored, and he winced when he learned what Doppy did to her one night long ago. That made him very anxious that she nearly lost her life.

"We're a lot better about it now," Sarine said. "It was just when it first happened. We make sure it never gets that bad anymore."

"Well, of course," Beelzebub nodded. "But, just knowing that it happened...that's disturbing. What exactly does Sarine want to do?"

"The last time she pulled me into a pleasuring loop like that, I found myself drifting in a place where every answer was revealed to me. It...took a bit for me to come out of it. I'm afraid to let myself go to that place again. I felt it was heaven, but I also know it could be someplace bad, if I can't bring myself back," Kiehl admitted.

"Hmm. We should try something. Maybe, let Sarine get you into that state tonight. I'll write down everything I can that comes through your mind. We won't let you stay that way for a long time, and I'm sure that Sarine can help pull you back. If not, she can let you feel your kids," Howard grinned. "That should definitely do it."

"That would do it!" Kiehl grinned back.

"You should write down a list of questions," Beelzebub said. "Since you share his thoughts, here is an idea. Maybe you can send him the questions, and he can find the answers."

"That is an awesome idea! I don't want to risk too much, though. Apparently, it wasn't very hard for him to come back the first time, since he responded to Sarine's voice. We don't know what will happen a second time," Howard said.

"He's right. We'll need to do this very discreetly and very rarely. If I have problems coming back around a second time, we'll know it's dangerous for me," Kiehl said.

"I'll always have you come back to me," Sarine smiled. Kiehl blinked at her and knew she was right.  _I will always want to come back to her, regardless of where I was._  Hugging her tight to him, he shivered and sighed. Then she giggled and whispered, "I'll just order you to always come back to my voice. I don't think you'd want to disobey that."

"You are a very evil wife," Kiehl grinned and kissed her deeply. Beelzebub chuckled and looked over, as Keltin announced they were approaching Pharaoh's floor at last. When they descended, a brown, venomous snake moved over to them to glow with power and vanish.

"That was a Side Winder. A rather nasty snake monster, too," Keltin chuckled. "Okay, Pharaoh is coming towards us!"

They all nodded and noticed that the monsters around them were pulled away from them from Pharaoh's will. He was definitely expecting them and made his way to them quickly. The small group of four challengers were waiting for this, and they stood off to the side to wait for this strong monster to make a duplicate. Pharaoh was wearing gold sandals, a white skirt-like cloth with gold embellishments, and gold tassels. He held two gold items resembling a hook and a rod with tassels. They were symbols of leadership and power.

His face resembled a mask, but it was simply the way it looked. He had a streak of white coming off his forehead and down the bridge of his nose. Two red, blush-like marks were under his slanted eyes. The white streak reappeared to form a long chin. He had long, straight black hair that swayed, as he looked around. He also wore a hat that looked like it was a chimney of sorts with Hieroglyphics, and a snake appeared in the front of it. The hat actually signified kingship over people.

Sarine whimpered softly, as Huginn emerged, and Howard nodded to him with Kiehl.

"Howard, Sarine is actually craving you harder than you think," Huginn warned. "Don't let her out of your grasp. She needs you. She'll likely be cured of this in the morning, but keep her at your side from this point forward. Make this known to the others."

"Fine," Howard nodded. Kiehl grimaced, and Naght quickly rumbled his concern to the others so they were made known.  _Howard won't leave her side for anything, if they can help it._ Huginn had Sarine move to confront Pharaoh, and the strong monster paused.

"I am Huginn! Pharaoh, it is time for you to join us to help with coming war, as our Lord Odin decrees! Separate from your darker self now! I command you!" Huginn said sternly. Pharaoh screamed, as his form split, and the darker side of him appeared to vanish away. When Pharaoh blinked and stood tall again, Huginn nodded and said, "You are now pet-like and can travel with the Vessel of Odin wherever she travels! Speak to everyone as you need to and learn more about her. It's important that you do so."

"I shall," Pharaoh nodded regally and spoke out with a noble tone. He was clearly a leader and a King. Now he looked at Osiris and paused, as Storm Caller brought Amon Ra to them. All three old Kings chuckled at each other, and they started to speak in their old and ancient dialect after so long. As they conversed, Huginn moved Sarine's body back to Howard on Windwalker's back. Once Howard had his arms around her, Huginn gave her back to them.

"Where is the darker Pharaoh now?" Dominick asked.

"I wouldn't know," Keltin admitted. "I can only sense the monsters we need to find. After that, I lose their location when they split."

_:Go south. Then east.:_ Muninn said, as he landed and became his human form. The small group nodded and proceeded to fight their way there.

"Where do you plan to go now?" Elric asked.

"To the island home," Kiehl said, as he watched Sarine come around in Howard's arms. "It's not safe to travel anywhere else right now."

"How much daylight is left?" Sarine asked, as she pressed herself into her husband's arms. Howard cradled her and thought.

"Four hours are left," Pharaoh said calmly. "I would very much like to leave and see the world anew. If that is possible?"

" _Yes. We will leave here,_ " Muninn nodded. Then he froze time, and Sarine blinked with Howard and Kiehl. Naght seemed surprised, and so was Sammy, since they were free to move.

"Is something wrong?" Sammy asked.

" _Howard, I need to stress something to you,_ " Muninn said.

"I'm listening!" Howard nodded. Naght moved over to them, and Sarine frowned. Kiehl pressed himself against her, and Sammy moved off of Nigel's frozen back to approach quickly.

" _Tonight, you, Kiehl, and Incantation Samurai will see it as a wedding night for the three of you. She is likely going to consume quite a bit of blood from you all. It can be a very dangerous time. Make sure you have plenty of fluids and Yggdrasil Berries on hand. I had a few very important questions that I wanted Kiehl to find out for me when he goes into his trance._ "

"What are the questions?" Howard asked. Sammy was a touch confused, and Kiehl explained what could happen when Sarine puts him in a pleasuring loop. Now that he understood, he was curious about the questions, too.

" _I need to know when Loki plans to attack next. I also need to know about Alexander and Observation. Will they fight or not, and will this distract them from seeing Loki? Depending on the answer, Loomin will need to be exceptionally close at all times,_ " Muninn said carefully.

"We'll ask for you!" Kiehl nodded.

" _I also know that this night will be a bit important to my sister, so expect a bit more of the night to be available to you all. Eremes Guile will have her tomorrow night, and Byorgue will have her the next night. What you could do is make it a night for all of her slaves. They need it as badly as Byorgue does. If you wish to help them, do as Doppy suggested and have her drink his blood with the others. It will let her keep them all in line. As always, the future twists and turns constantly. I'm just telling you what to expect on the path that is currently shown to me._ "

"We'll do that. Is there anything else that we need to do today?" Sammy asked.

" _Not that I can foresee. The kids may want to see a few spars. That may be possible as long as Howard does not let Sarine out of his grasp. The others won't let him stray from her, anyways. Gunther may be helping break down weapons, and Serenity may be helping make them better. Hmm. Actually, make sure the nursery is tended to first before you start sparring. An unexpected guest will arrive. Someone that will think they know more than they care to admit. This one may prove to be...annoying._ "

"That's not good," Howard frowned. Muninn could only nod at this. Sarine looked at him and sighed, as she reached for him. Howard chuckled, as Muninn hugged her tightly. Then Kiehl blinked a bit at her thought and coughed. That had Muninn look at him oddly, and he glanced at ahead. Now he looked at her with a bit of surprise.

" _We'll see what happens. Okay? As long as you take no blood from me, it may be all right. I'll watch over you when you get home, and I'll monitor the spars. If things get out of hand, I'll fix them back to rights. Let's get you home and to your children._ "

"Okay," she nodded. He kissed her softly and pulled away from her. Sarine shivered, and Howard pulled her back to him. Naght now realized that she really was craving Howard, and he growled out lightly. She could only nod to him and would likely need to sit in his lap while she nursed the children. Sammy got back on Nigel's back, and Naght went back to where he was. When time resumed, Muninn announced he was ready to take the others back to the island home. When they were ready, they were all Teleported out.


	128. Chapter 128

When they got back to the island home, Amon Ra was able to be taken to the nursery with Muninn's help. Elric and his Guild were actually sent to Morroc. They weren't needed with them anymore. If they wanted to find them again, they could approach the Kafra Agent. Muninn had reverted to his falcon form to watch over the island after that. Sarine was taken up to the nursery with Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy. Once Howard was seated in the rocking chair first, she was placed in his lap quickly. His tunic was still off, and Kiehl was holding onto it for him. Sarine needed to feel his skin as much as possible right now.

"Mama?" Serenity asked. "How come you need Dad like this?"

"It's only temporary, sweetie," Sarine smiled. "I'll be fine in the morning. Right now, I need him like this, but it will pass."

"Okay. Um...I remember what it was like with Daddy Thanatos," she frowned.

"I know. And, right now, it's like that. But just for now," Howard said.

"What happens next?" Serenity asked.

"You might see some daddies fight each other," Kiehl chuckled. That got her excited, and she went to tell the others. Doppy walked over to sit with them, as Aliot brought over his kids to be nursed. Howard squeezed Sarine lightly and helped move the rocking chair.

"Oh, we should tell them what Muninn told us about the visitor," Sammy said.

"Muninn told you something?" Doppy asked. Loomin, Keltin, Eremes, and Beelzebub were now standing in the sitting room with them, and Ragged Zombie wasted no time to join them with Hibram. Kiehl told them of what Muninn said about the possible visitor. It made them all a bit anxious now. Amon Ra listened in from where he was sitting in his chair.

"Was there anything else?" Beelzebub asked.

"In a way, there was," Howard nodded. "He told us to have fluids and Yggdrasil Berries on hand. Sarine may be feeding off of me quite a bit tonight, because of her craving. I claimed the night with her, and, with her craving for me, this is needed. Also, Kiehl has the ability to gain various answers to questions. Muninn wanted a few very specific questions answered when it happened. It's risky for Kiehl to do this, since it only happened once. If it works, then we might be able to have small intervals done."

"Much like the dream visions," Sammy nodded.

"Makes sense," Loomin nodded. "When does this visitor plan to show up?"

"During the sparring matches in front of the house," Sammy said.

"When do we see the idiots in the dungeon?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Well, I think that depends on tomorrow. I wanted to go to Gonryun, then recruit Turtle General. After that, we were to go to Prontera. If everything goes smoothly at the first two places, we may have time to check the dungeon. If not, then we will wait until after Prontera," Sarine said, as Aliot took his twins when they finished nursing. Nigel and Injustice brought over Keltin's twins next and they started to nurse. Trina looked at her father and blinked.

"Yes?" Keltin grinned.

"Um...Dad?" she asked, as she stopped nursing for a moment.

"Yes, Trina?" he asked again.

"Um..." she thought, and Gunther walked over with an apple.

"She found out what she can do," he grinned.

"What do you mean?" Keltin asked, and now Doppy grinned.

"Well, we all have two skills," Gunther said.

"I know. She's able to see what various monsters are," Keltin nodded. "You're saying that she found out her other skill already?"

"Yeah!" Gunther grinned. Bianca skipped over to them and giggled.

"An apple? Trina, can you make it something tastier?" Bianca asked. Trina stopped nursing long enough to reach out a small hand for it. Sarine blinked, and Keltin was gaping when his daughter focused, and the apple changed into a banana. Gunther laughed, and Trina went back to nursing. Errende was with Angela and was watching everything with disbelief. Thanatos charged over to look at Keltin with an astonished gaze.

"She can change items around?!" Kiehl gaped.

"Only once!" Gunther nodded. "She did it to a Poring Doll and made it into a Rocker Doll. She wanted different toys to play with."

"Wow..." Howard blinked. Eremes now thought and took out a basic knife. Trina saw it and giggled, as she stopped nursing to reach for it. Taking it carefully, she focused, and it became a Main Gauche that could hold up to four monster cards.

"Unbelievable!" Eremes hissed, as he took the weapon. "Okay. One more test. May I?"

"Ah...I guess..." Keltin said, as he was still in shock. Bernard was giggling with his sister now, and he watched Eremes bring over a Wooden Mail armor that was given to them by the Elder Willow they recruited. It could already hold one monster card. Trina blinked at this and gurgled to herself, as she put her hands on it. The armor morphed into a powerful Meteo Plate Armor that could hold a monster card. Now everyone was in complete shock.

"Incredible!" Beelzebub whispered.

"And she's going to be a High Priestess. Muninn said so," Sarine said with a bit of motherly pride, as her children nursed again.

"Looks like we found another powerful weapons smith for the war. And she can help with the armor, too!" Sammy grinned. Keltin was still in shock.

"Bernard, do you know what else you can do?" Loomin asked. Bernard looked at him and flashed his eyes white for a moment.

"That's right. He has Valkyrie's Rage and can make powerful Spirit Spheres. He doesn't really need anything else," Kiehl grinned. Bernard made an agreeable sound, as he nursed. Keltin could only smile and nod with agreement.

"Powerful kids. All of them. We still don't know about your kids, Aliot," Loomin sighed. Aliot could only nod, as he was still a touch speechless.

"Do you know?" Doppy asked his son.

"Not yet. They aren't really sure," Gunther said.

"How is that?" Thanatos asked.

"They can do something!" Bianca nodded. "Edward saw them do something."

"Really? Edward! Get over here!" Thanatos said.

"Yes, Dad?" his son asked as he tottered over.

"They say you saw Alexis and Albert do something. Did they?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah," Edward nodded. "But...they made me promise not to tell."

"Why?" Aliot frowned.

"Ask them," Edward grinned. Aliot smirked and moved to grab his kids from their cradles. Beelzebub watched silently, and Hibram was highly curious. The other slaves caught wind of what was going on and paid attention, as they tended the children.

"Alexis. Albert," Aliot said lightly. "What can you both do?"

"Ah...Dah!" Albert said. He stretched out his hand and a small, metallic sheen formed over his skin to make a miniature clawed hand. This made Aliot's jaw drop. Kiehl blinked and now moved over to study the small claw.

"Hmm. It's biological metal! But, that's only one thing. Is there another?" Kiehl asked.

"Um..." Albert thought and focused on the wall. A powerful laser shot out of his eyes and made a burn mark. That floored Kiehl completely, and Aliot was blinking away his shock.

"And your sister?" Loomin asked. Alexis thought before letting out a small crooning sound. For just a brief moment, everyone was lost in a trance.

"Siren's voice," Sammy chuckled, as he came out of it. "And the other?"

"Huh..." she thought and focused on her hands. A small red potion appeared that could give a bit of Healing to someone. Now Keltin was grinning.

"So, she can conjure up Healing items. She'll be able to bring out Yggdrasil Berries. You think?" Sarine smiled. "Maybe even fruits and herbs, too?"

"Maybe when she gets older," Sammy nodded.

"I wonder...what they will become..." Eremes mused.

"I'm sure we'll figure that out when they see what's available to them," Howard smiled. "But, at least I think that Muninn said they would become a Creator and a Whitesmith. If I know them, I would say that Albert is going to be the Whitesmith from his claws and eyes, since he's more attack based. Alexis may be the Creator, since she can bring up Healing supplies and sing. She could simply conjure up her own herbs this way."

"I...wow..." Aliot blinked. He was still quite floored at what his children could do. The moment Trina and Bernard finished nursing, Bacsojin gathered them up. Sarine fixed her top, and Howard got up with her.

"Wee!" Angela laughed, as Amon Ra scooted around the room with her. Sarine found herself laughing a bit at this, and Howard squeezed her.

"If we're expecting a visitor, you might want to wear this," Kiehl said, as he handed over his tunic. Howard nodded and was only glad that it naturally opened in the front. Once it was back on, Sarine gestured for Byorgue.

"Love, on the night you are to be with me, I may end up being with the other slaves, too. I need to help all of you, and Muninn said so. Okay?" she smiled.

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded with understanding.

"We are also expecting a visitor soon. Can you please round up everyone to get to the porch? I'm sure I'll need to eat," she smile. He nodded again and got a caress from her before moving out. Maya Purple was still on his bug body, and he skittered over to her.

"My Lady, um, I'm not sure how to say this, but Osiris and Pharaoh want you to try kissing them. Since they are incredibly royal, they want to help deter unwanted humans," he frowned. "I tried to tell them it wasn't necessary, but they are insisting."

"I see. If I can hug them first, then I will try," she said softly. Howard grimaced at this, but Odin would have demanded it if they got persistent. "Just remember, I am craving How-How quite a bit right now."

"They are aware of it," Maya Purple nodded. "Oh! The Orcs built a watch tower on that hill. It's perfect! They can see everywhere on the island. They even built a perch for Muninn to help him when he needs to rest from flying."

"Really? That's wonderful!" she beamed. Kiehl grinned at this, and Sammy nodded. Eremes had taken the Meteo Plate Armor to the treasury with Doppy's help, and they came back to sit with her on the porch. Loomin and Keltin sat close by, as the slaves helped arrange seating. Amon Ra was brought down to help keep the kids happy.

"I trust the knife is working?" Ragged Zombie muttered.

"Flawlessly," Amon Ra grinned. "When a small argument was about to break out, I simply shifted around in the chair to slightly reveal it. It shut them all up quickly. I put it right behind me. It's ingrained into my chair this way. Muninn helped with that."

"Awesome," the zombie grinned. Sarine giggled a bit with Howard and Kiehl from where she sat. Injustice brought over some sushi for her, and Nigel had her tea. Aliot brought her some cookies. Errende was working on a kimono for Loomin now, as he sat at her feet. He was quite sure that everyone was going to want kimonos that didn't have them. Sammy was just relieved that Muninn was able to help upgrade his black kimono to something far more worthy of his status. Osiris and Pharaoh walked over to Sarine and nodded to her. She nodded back to them with a soft smile.

"I'm sure Maya Purple spoke with you?" Osiris asked.

"He has. What of Isis? I know she is fond of you," Sarine frowned.

"Isis understands. In a way, she is a servant of mine. She knows that I am doing this, not only for the war, but to help protect you," Osiris nodded.

"We are both of royal blood," Pharaoh said. "It is needed."

"Of course," Sarine sighed. Sammy got up from where he sat and explained how Sarine is able to find out who belongs with her by their scent. Anubis was standing by the entrance of the house and watched everything carefully. Then he glanced at the Amatsu guards and Priests that came out to stand along the wall of the house to ensure her protection.

"What are all of you doing out here?" Doppy frowned.

"We have learned that a royalty figure from Prontera is coming here," Roland said.

"We are here for Her Royal Majesty's safety," Tenshin said. Garrett and Max frowned at each other.  _A royalty figure?_ They would have to wait and see who it was.

"I see," Sammy frowned. Sarine sighed again and stood up to gesture for Osiris. He came over and removed the wrappings from his face to reveal that he was quite powerful and handsome. Black hair tumbled over his eyes and now down his back. His skin was tanned to a dark brown, and his figure looked incredibly well-muscled under the rest of the bandages from fighting off wars and skirmishes. He was a natural King and leader like Pharaoh was. His eyes still gave off an odd red and yellow glow that signified his monster status, and his crown sat regally on his brow. He would have to make special arrangements on the bandages that covered his hips later, not only to be with Sarine, but so he could move around better.

He moved close to Sarine and pulled her into a loving embrace. When she wasn't repulsed by him, he planted a kiss on her that shook them both to the core. He easily fit with her.

"Now for Pharaoh," Kiehl sighed. Howard wasn't very happy about it, but it couldn't be helped. Osiris moved to talk to Beelzebub, and Pharaoh was able to hug Sarine without incident. When he kissed her, the same feeling he got took place, and he was mildly stunned by it.

"I'd have her kiss me, but I want to be a grandfather figure to the kids," Amon Ra chuckled. Howard looked at Kiehl, and they both frowned. Hibram seemed to chuckle.

"Sarine, his scent didn't repulse you, either, did it?" Sammy asked.

"No," she sighed, as she remembered how she kissed his cheek. "It didn't."

"Just kiss her," Doppy smirked. Amon Ra blinked at him, but he stood up and pulled her close to kiss deeply. He paused at the feeling of fitting with her.

"It's better this way," Maya Purple said. "The more royalty around her, the better certain situations will be. And it's old royalty, too. A lot more honorable than new royals. At least I'll know that My Lady is protected even more."

"Apparently, only humans are repulsed away," Loomin thought. "So far, that is."

"You're right," Sammy said, as Sarine was pulled back into Howard's arms and into his lap. "Must be a reason for it."

"I think I know why," Thanatos said. "Eremes and Howard now have monster blood coursing through their veins. I don't think Sarine can be properly impregnated by normal humans. That must be the real reason as to why her first pregnancy didn't work."

"What?!" Howard gaped at him. Sarine and Kiehl looked at him with surprise.

"I think you're onto something!" Doppy said. "And, on top of all of that, she aborted the pregnancy. Keltin, she never got pregnant with you, did she?"

"No. She didn't," Keltin said with a sad pause. "I thought it was because I was a Bongun monster. But...now that you think about it..."

"The transcendence let her be able to have kids again," Sammy said softly. Eremes cringed at this, and Howard hugged Sarine tightly to him. Kiehl hissed at her small whimper and hugged her now with Howard. Seyren and the others were listening with a mild form of shock. Loomin was now vowing to himself to not let her abort anymore pregnancies. Everyone was very much the same, as this information became known. They did know that, if a pregnancy was aborted, she could possibly get the ability to transcend again, but she may lose some valuable memories. They couldn't risk it.

"But...why only humans?" Eremes frowned.

"Think about it," Loomin sighed. "She's from Valhalla. Human seed, by itself, is far too weak for her body to tolerate. The children within her couldn't work with the blood from Valhalla in her veins. The same can be said for Muninn trying to give his blood directly to a human. It could kill the person trying to receive it. Even my Father. I was only able to exist, because the woman I came from was considered a Divine figure.

"Also, my Father is a bit related to Sarine by being Odin's son. Actually, I think the tales say he's really adopted, but he's still from Valhalla. In fact, he told me he was when I first woke after being frozen. So...it's true. Yet, that's besides the point now. But, because of Father, and who he chose to make me with, I can have children with her. Yes, Sarine's part human, but the children need to have a stronger form of blood in them to work with that Divine part. Her body was simply too strong for normal children to form."

"No more...please..." Sarine shook, and the conversation dropped completely. Howard kissed her deeply to comfort her, and she cuddled into him. Naght came down from the nursery and purred out his comfort. When the kids came down, they paused at the awkward silence.

"Mama?" Serenity asked, as she moved over to her. She saw her mother crying silently. Now she looked around and growled, "Is someone hurting Mama?!"

"No, dear," Sarine sighed. Sammy gestured for Serenity to come to him, and the girl moved into his lap. Now the other kids gathered around him, and he gently told them why Sarine may have lost the first pregnancy.

"So...only strong Dads can give us brothers and sisters?" Gunther asked.

"Yes. Very strong dads. Howard was strong, but not as strong as he is now," Doppy nodded. "Your future sisters will have a much better chance to come back."

"Um...well...at least they are coming back!" Angela nodded.

"Yeah," Edward said. "Now we need to make everyone happy! Spar?"

"Oh, yes," Loomin grinned.  _The kids knew how to change the mood quickly._  Edward and Angela now moved to sit with Errende, and he had to put the kimono work aside for now to hold his kids. Thanatos looked over at Orc Hero, as he walked over. Gunther and Bianca moved to sit with Doppy, and Siegfried was sitting with Loomin. Serenity still sat with Sammy, and Sarine leaned back into Howard and Kiehl gratefully.

"And who do you challenge?" Thanatos grinned at Orc Hero.

"Hmm. Doppelganger!" Orc Hero grinned.

"Sit here," Doppy grinned wickedly. The kids were excited now and settled in his abandoned chair. He stopped to kiss Sarine deeply and hugged her tight to him before moving to confront Orc Hero.

"This will be interesting," Maheo chuckled.

"Oh, yes," Timmy snickered.

"Can it, Mucus Boy," Ragged Zombie grinned and got rewarded with startled bouts of laughter. Timmy glared at him, and the zombie grinned right back at him. Howard was laughing in Sarine's hair, and Kiehl was wiping his glasses free from tears. When Beelzebub muttered to the new mates, they gaped and hissed their disgust. Timmy just groaned, and Armeyer chuckled when she hugged him. Doppy now readied himself, and Orc Hero bellowed out. Now they clashed at each other, and the kids watched with fascination. Orc Lord settled himself a bit far off to watch, and Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader made plans to spar each other next.

Doppy realized that Orc Hero couldn't be Stunned, and that made him grin. Orc Hero was able to counter all of Doppy's moves, and the same was being done to him in turn. After ten minutes of fighting, they stopped and nodded to recognize equal strength. Now the two Leaders looked at each other and grinned.

"Ooh! They fight!" Angela giggled. Doppy let his kids settle back in his lap, and Orc Hero moved to sit with Orc Leader. Sarine sat back a bit more against Howard's cold chest, and he locked his arms around her. Kiehl leaned over and ran a hand over her belly to only pause at the rewarded kicks. He would never get enough of the sensation.

"Twins..." he muttered out, and Howard grinned. Sarine blushed and turned to watch the Leaders sparring. Eremes was deep in thought and now moved to Beelzebub with a realization.

"We can't let Elric win any Demonic Matings..." Eremes growled out softly. "A ranking...maybe. Not First Mate status."

"Hmm?" Beelzebub asked. Ragged Zombie looked over now with concern.

"He's...human..." Eremes said. Now Beelzebub's eyes widened at the reality.  _Sarine's body would abort a full human pregnancy. Eremes was right._ Ifrit was watching the sparring along the wall, and he already promised to sacrifice his own First Mate rights to ensure this.

"He won't win. Ever," Hibram growled. This was why Muninn said that Elric would never win.  _He simply couldn't win._ Naght was now informed, and the information was passed to Howard and Kiehl. As Sarine was distracted by the sparring, they gave looks of intense hate to each other. The warning was quickly passed around to the other husbands, mates, and slaves. Now that they were warned, it would be respected in full. Drake came by from the boat construction after a Hell Fly informed him of this, and he stayed to watch the sparring. He was deeply disturbed by everything, and he was lost in thought.

"Someone's coming," Drago growled, as he spotted a glint of armor in the distance. Goblin Leader nearly got the upper hand with his Earthquake skill, but Kobold Leader retaliated with a quick swipe with his sword. The two Leaders paused in their fight to look over with irritation. Garrett stood up now to look in the distance and swore softly.

"Who is it, Sir?" Max asked. "You recognize who's approaching?"

"It's our King's son," Garrett sighed. Sarine blinked and winced at this. Howard and Kiehl growled softly, as Naght hissed with hate.

"Why would he be here?!" Max scowled. "He's a spoiled, pompous brat!"

"Careful of your language, please," Sarine sighed. Max apologized, and Coraline hugged him. Then Max glanced at Ragged Zombie's cruel grin, and he started to chuckle. When Sarine glanced over, he appeared to have the armor of a Paladin, but it looked far more elaborate. The two Leaders braced themselves, as the man got closer, and Naght moved to hover behind them to stare with intense hatred. That made the man stop with surprise. Garrett and Max grinned at each other. They now moved swiftly to confront the young prince. On seeing them approach, the man regained his courage.

"There you are, Captain Garrett!" the man said in a haughty, regal tone.

"Your father, His Royal Majesty, told us to travel with the Vessel of Odin. What are you doing here?" Garrett asked with a small nod of respect.

"I am here to relieve you of your duty!" the man chuckled.

"Liar," Beelzebub growled. Loomin stood up now and moved to confront the prince. At the sight of the pale, beautiful man, the prince was clearly jealous. The prince wore a thin circlet of gold and small diamonds over a head of dark blond hair. He had a masculine, square jaw, and deep, blue eyes that could pierce the softest and hardest of men's souls. He was exceptionally well built under the armor he wore. It was engraved with gold, and he wore a red cape that flew out behind him regally. His entire presence spoke out power and royalty, but Sarine showed absolutely no interest in him at all.  _He was not of an ancient bloodline._ Her companions were far from impressed.

"Prince Cedrick, why are you really here?" Garrett asked with his arms crossed.

"He's interested in Sarine," Loomin said calmly, as he studied him.

"How would you know?!" Cedrick growled.

"I'm the son of Loki. I know," Loomin growled back. That made Cedrick blink with surprise. Then Loomin continued, "Sarine is my wife. I won't let just anyone see her, and neither will her other husbands, mates, and slaves. Tell us the truth, in your words, as to why you are here. Now. Before you get slaughtered and sent back to your father in pieces!"

Naght hissed and brandished his swords, and now Cedrick noticed the kids present.

"Mama?" Serenity asked from Sammy's lap. "Is he a stupid head?"

"I don't know yet," Sarine smiled softly, and small snickers were heard all around.

"What did that little brat call me?!" Cedrick growled.

"You would dare to insult my daughter?! And she's the daughter of Naght Seiger, too!" Howard scowled, as Naght hissed out his rage. The prince paled at this, and Sarine rose up her hand to calm them. When she approached him, Howard and Kiehl were right at her side. Cedrick gaped at her beauty, and she looked away with a sigh.

"I was planning to see Prontera tomorrow. Please tell me why you are here before they make good on their threats," she said softly. Cedrick saw how Kiehl rubbed at her belly, and now realized that she was heavily pregnant. _If I'm not careful, I'll be dead faster than I can blink!_ Garrett and Max glanced at each other and back at him.

"Well," Cedrick now said carefully. "Father told me how the Vessel of Odin came to Prontera and how you were beautiful. I just got back from some training, and I wanted to see for myself. I heard about the arena, and how the Princess of Amatsu ran it. I didn't realize that the princess and the Vessel of Odin were the same person. Ah...well..."

"She can't be with you," Beelzebub said, as he moved to her side. Sarine stopped him with a soft glance, and she moved now to sniff Cedrick carefully. At her retching cough, Howard pulled her back to him, and Kiehl moved to shield her from him.

"Full human," Doppy growled from where he sat with his kids.

"He won't work for her at all," Sammy said grimly. Serenity looked up at him, as she sat in his lap, and now seemed to glare at the prince.

"What's wrong with me being human?!" Cedrick scowled.

"You are too weak for her," Loomin said.

"You need to leave now," Keltin said, as he walked over to them. Eremes was walking over now with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You're a Bongun!" Cedrick muttered. Keltin then reverted to his Champion form and glared hard. That had the prince gape with shock. Doppy muttered to his kids to have them sit down and stay put. Then he moved over to stand with them. Sammy gave Serenity to Amon Ra, and he moved over now. The gems winked out from his black kimono to show his royal presence, as he moved. He let his ancient ghost come out to study the prince, and Kiehl grinned when his own ghost came out to encompass his form. Howard and Eremes smirked at each other, as their forms misted out. Loomin glared and let just a sample of his Divine Light come forth. Hibram glared from where he was sitting, and his own ghost came out to show who he was.

"You're not strong enough!" Doppy snarled, as his unblinking red pupils glared at him.

"And how would I get stronger?!" Cedrick snarled back.

"Unless you can convince a strong demon to give you a sample of blood, which likely won't ever happen," Beelzebub hissed. "you'll need to constantly train. Come to think of it, the same would need to be done for Shoujin, but he'll never figure it out."

"Shoujin? The Prince of Louyang?!" Cedrick asked.

"Yes. He also...has an interest...in my wife..." Eremes growled.

"He challenged one of us. He lost," Keltin grinned.

"And to drink demon blood?! Are you crazy?" Cedrick freaked. Sarine was going to respond, but she clung to Howard instead when she shouted. Doppy roared and fell to his knees from the sudden shock. Thanatos and Sammy both moved to assess her. Seyren gaped, as he saw Sarine's belly swell a bit more. Cedrick even saw this, and Kiehl kept his hand on her belly to comfort her. Thanatos and Errende now did the same to calm the growing children.

"Thirty percent growth. She needs to eat," Sammy sighed.

"Yes, she does," Thanatos nodded. "You need to leave!"

"I..." Cedrick started, and Garrett glared mildly with Max. Coraline and Cecil moved down to stand with their husbands, and they got arms put around them.

"Husband," Coraline said softly. "I think we need to talk to Hibram soon."

"You...think so?" Max smiled gently. At her nod, he kissed her, and Hibram chuckled.

"That reminds me," Cecil giggled. "Does your King know I'm pregnant?"

"No," Garrett grinned and kissed her.

"You both got married?" Cedrick blinked.

"Yes. His Majesty does know this," Garrett nodded. "It's why he decreed that we are not to leave Sarine's side."

Sarine was now being led back to where she had sat originally in Howard's lap, and her slaves swarmed over her quickly to feed her and care for her. She thanked each of them with soft smiles and caresses. Sammy declared that, depending on how much more she grew the next day, would decide on her traveling schedule. They looked over, as someone else approached, and Doppy snarled with hatred. His kids glowered a bit, but remained quiet.

"What's going on, Dad?" Edward frowned.

"I don't know, and I don't like it," Thanatos growled. Shoujin had now found his way to them, and Cedrick seemed to glare at him with shock.

"What are  _you_  doing here?!" the prince asked.

"I was going to ask you the same question!" Shoujin said. Sarine was now getting quite upset. Howard looked over at Beelzebub, as he muttered softly. The Demon Lord nodded and moved quickly to encompass her, Howard, and Kiehl within the folds of his robe. Sammy moved to sit where she could see him easily. Muninn watched carefully from above, and even he was clearly getting more and more upset at his sister's distress. _The children were to only grow once a day. At her distress, they grew again._

"Why are you here, Shoujin?" Sammy asked.

"I came with weapons to be broken down and upgraded," Shoujin said with a respectful nod. He spoke true when various Louyang guards appeared with a mess of old weapons. Gunther and Serenity giggled at each other.

"I don't know if I could trust you with the secret," Loomin frowned at Cedrick.

"I wouldn't," Doppy growled out. Ragged Zombie now walked over and smirked.

"And what would a corpse have to say?" Cedrick frowned.

"I don't know. What would I want to say?" the zombie grinned. "Lucky for you, we have kids present. I can't say what I really want to say."

"Ragged Zombie!" Sarine called out. He looked over and went to her quickly. She whispered to him from inside Beelzebub's robes, and the Demon Lord started laughing. Now the zombie was grinning with an unholy joy and made his way back to the princes. Kiehl and Howard were gasping with laughter, as Naght rumbled in Demonic to the others. Neil and Anna understood the language now and were giggling like crazy. Doppy and Loomin had matching grins on their faces. Eremes and Sammy were only nodding with Keltin.

Since the three new mates didn't have Demonic blood in them yet, Ifrit whispered to them to tell them what was said. They now gasped with small bits of laughter. Ifrit was able to understand everything through Eremes. He didn't really have a blood swap with Sarine yet, but, due to his status already, it wasn't needed. That and his blood was merged with Eremes. The same applied to Naght.

"Are either of you wanting to challenge a husband or a mate to try to be with Sarine?" the zombie asked with his arms crossed over his chest. Both princes looked at each other and back at the zombie with small looks of thought.

"Maybe," Shoujin said with a bit of a smirk.

"Why?" Cedrick asked. Ragged Zombie grinned and gestured for the knife from Amon Ra. It was given over, and the princes stared in shock when the zombie shoved it into his guts.

"Whoever can pull out this knife first will get to challenge a husband or a mate first," he grinned. Doppy was grinning wickedly now. The kids were all cringing and hiding their faces.

"That's...disgusting! Absolutely not!" Cedrick glared. Shoujin simply looked at the zombie, removed a glove, and reached in to yank the knife out quickly.

"Impressive," Sammy chuckled. Ragged Zombie nodded, took the knife back, and gave it back to Amon Ra to hold onto. Shoujin did walk straight to the kitchen to wash off his hand before coming back out to replace his glove. The stench was getting to him, and he didn't want to lose his focus. That and he didn't want to ruin his glove.

"All right. Who will you challenge?" Ragged Zombie asked. "I'm also a mate, just so you know. Pharaoh, Amon Ra, and Osiris will become mates rather soon."

"Grampa Amon Ra will be a Dad?!" Serenity gasped with joy.

"That's right," Amon Ra chuckled. "Not a grandfather anymore to you guys, but I'll still tell you all stories! And remember. No bickering over rides. I'll be able to spank you all now."

"Um...okay..." Gunther swallowed. Doppy chuckled and poked his son in the sides to get him laughing. As Shoujin decided on who to challenge, Sarine whispered to Beelzebub, and the Demon Lord looked over at the three new mates. He gestured to them and whispered softly.

"A blood drop swap? Very well," Pharaoh nodded. They would likely get to be with her later on, and they needed the blood from her to not only understand Demonic, but to become stronger. Kiehl helped prick Sarine's finger and was able to help with the others. Sarine moved swiftly to Amon Ra so he wouldn't have to move his chair. She wanted to hide that fact for now, and she reclined back into Howard's arms before Osiris and Pharaoh could get her blood. Before any of the new mates were Healed, the kids were able to get a drop of blood from them to seal the fact that they were new father figures. Now they were ready to fight.

"I choose Amon Ra!" Shoujin said. Cedrick stood off to one side to see how it would go. Amon Ra simply chuckled, had Serenity go to Pharaoh, and moved his chair to the ground before the porch. That surprised Shoujin, since the chair shouldn't be able to move. Sarine gave a soft chuckle that her ploy worked, and Howard kissed her cheek. Then Amon Ra stood up from his chair to stretch. That shocked Shoujin completely. Once he sat back down, Amon Ra gave himself a Dark Blessing and made sure he was fully Healed by casting it on himself. Now he glared with a savage grin at Shoujin and gestured for him to attack.

Shoujin moved swiftly to get behind Amon Ra and found the trapped mummy there ready to attack with a massive spear for long range hits. A powerful Meteor Storm spell was used to force Shoujin back even more. Amon Ra was purposely holding back a skill, and, the moment Shoujin ran up close enough, he unleashed it. It was a rare Coma skill that knocked down Shoujin to barely conscious. Once it was done, a heavy slap was given to take him out.

"What's going on?" Dracula asked, as he came over from the arena. Moonlight Flower was happily taking over for him and enjoyed being in the judge's seat.

"I'll tell you," Ragged Zombie grinned and walked over to whisper to him. Dracula chuckled at the new mates and grinned at the defeat of Shoujin. Then he looked over at Cedrick and frowned. Beelzebub gestured to Dracula to come close, and he whispered what they found out about Sarine and her pregnancies. That had him upset.

"My dear?" Dracula said, as he knelt down. Sarine peered out with a small smile from Beelzebub's robe, and Howard told him of Sarine's intense craving for him right now. He was able to carefully pull Sarine to him to hold and hug tight.

"Dad!" Siegfried said and moved over to Dracula to cuddle him.

"How many are here just for her alone?!" Cedrick gaped.

"Enough to kick your ass!" Doppy growled.

"Doppelganger!" Sarine scowled, and he just grinned at her.

"What did she call you?!" Cedrick gaped.

"What? You want to fight now?" Doppy grinned wickedly.

"Doppy, come here now!" Sarine hissed. He looked over with a small frown and went to her side. Dracula grinned a fanged grin at him and gave her over to him carefully. She didn't say anything about him swearing like he thought she was. Instead, she ran her hands up his chest and settled into his hair to get him purring. Howard and Kiehl chuckled, as she simply kept him calm.  _She didn't want him fighting the prince._

"Dad?" Gunther asked, as he walked over. Dracula was holding Siegfried, as he stood by Drake. Doppy looked over lightly and gave a small smile to his son. Sarine pulled Gunther to her and lightly tickled him to get him giggling.

"Mom!" Bianca said, as she moved over next for attention. Now the other kids were clamoring for her, and Sarine found herself smothered with her kids. Then she looked back at the house, as Bacsojin and Doll came out with the younger four. They wanted attention, too.

"All of these children are hers?" Cedrick asked with shock.

"Yes. They are..." Eremes nodded. Keltin and Aliot took their kids to hold, and Doppy now had his kids in his lap. Thanatos gathered up Edward, and Angela sat in Errende's lap. Beelzebub moved back just a bit to let Serenity sit in Howard's lap, and Siegfried sat in Kiehl's lap. Kiehl did run a hand over Sarine's growing belly, and Sammy moved to do the same. Naght purred at her and she thought.

"I still need to test my bow," she sighed.

"I think I have an idea," Thanatos grinned.

"Oh?" Beelzebub asked.

"Get me some Dead Branches," Thanatos chuckled. Serenity blinked and looked at her mother with surprise at this.

"Want to see mommy fight?" Sarine grinned.

"Yah!" Siegfried nodded.

"Mama fights?!" Serenity asked with surprise.

"All right, Mom!" Gunther grinned.

"Do it, Mom!" Bianca giggled.

"Yay, Mom!" Angela blushed.

"Mom is strong!" Edward nodded. Ragged Zombie took up Edward, and Cecil moved to hand Sarine enough arrows for a small fighting session. A special medicine called an Awake Potion was given over next to boost her speed. Lloyd gave her his strongest buffs, and now Sarine readied herself with her new bow. Muninn hovered over her to help protect her, if it got too much, and Beelzebub did the same. The moment Thanatos started to break the Dead Branches, she fired the arrows so fast that no one realized she was attacking until the monsters were dead. Cedrick gaped, as Shoujin finally recovered enough to see what was going on. The kids were clearly ecstatic, and even the younger four were giggling.

Howard and Kiehl were laughing with the others now, but they all paused when a clone of Seyren appeared. Muninn made ready to kill it, but Pori-Pori scooted out of the house to kill it off for her. That made everyone laugh.

"A Poring did that?!" Cedrick gaped. Now everyone hushed, as Pori-Pori looked over at him with a look of irritation. Within five seconds, Lloyd was Resurrecting the fallen prince after he got slammed to the ground.

"You pissed off Pori-Pori," Seyren grinned.

"He hates being called a Poring, you know," Garrett mused.

"That's Pori-Pori?!" Cedrick gaped, as he came around. Sarine sighed and shook her head. Pori-Pori chittered and jumped into her arms to cuddle her.

"Can I beat him up again?" Pori-Pori grinned at her.

"I don't think that's necessary," Sarine smiled. "I think I'm done using my bow for now. I would like to do this a bit more. It felt good!"

"We'll plan for it," Howard said, as he got up and set Serenity in Naght's arms. He needed to hold Sarine close again, and she sighed with relief.

"What's in that bow?!" Shoujin asked.

"Atroce's card, Cecil's clone's card, my clone's card, and Doppelganger's card," Eremes said. "She...is literally untouchable...with that bow..."

"That reminds me," Pharaoh grinned, as he moved over to her and gave her his card. She blinked and hugged him with a small laugh. Anubis was watching everything and nodded slightly. Then Pharaoh whispered to her, and she blushed.

"We can, but How-How, Sammy, and Kiehl will need to be close by. I...need to see them to feel reassured. Um...I also need How-How very close right now. So, if you don't mind his presence near us, then we can do this," Sarine said. Pharaoh paused at this, but Beelzebub gestured for him to come over to him. Howard took Sarine back to hug tight, as Beelzebub moved with the three new mates into the house. Then he paused and called for Dracula and Drake.  _They didn't know about Sarine's hidden pregnancy yet._ Ten minutes later, Pharaoh ran out, picked her up, and nodded to Howard to show he was fine with everything.

"What about me?! I want to challenge someone!" Cedrick frowned.

"Oh? And who would you challenge?" Sarine frowned heavily. Pharaoh glared at him and hugged her tighter to him.

"You! The pale one! I'll fight you! I don't care if you're Loki's spawn!" Cedrick said. Loomin blinked at this, and Sarine shivered. Howard whispered to her, and Kiehl gave Siegfried to Naght to hold with Serenity.

"Remember," Kiehl whispered to her when he got close. "Loomin is very powerful."

"I know," Sarine sighed. "I just...don't want him to fight..."

"I'll be fine, love," Loomin smiled and kissed her deeply. Pharaoh was frowning the whole time, since Sarine was upset. He gave her back to Howard, and he moved to wait with Osiris and Amon Ra. Howard sat back down with her in his lap, and Kiehl let her hug him, too. Muninn seemed a touch distressed. _When Sarine didn't want her husbands to fight, her mood tended to change._ He didn't want her to start bursting into tears, or for her children to grow again. He'll make sure to intervene, if he had to.

Loomin approached Cedrick and studied his armor carefully. His God Sight let him see one main thing. _The prince was strong, but he was exceptionally weak to magic._ Now he grinned and nodded to show he was ready.

"Get ready to die!" Cedrick said, as he wielded his sword.

"Just so you know, my wife is incredibly upset over this. She doesn't like me fighting, and I will show no mercy!" Loomin hissed. As Cedrick charged, Loomin used Stone Curse to freeze him in place. Then he used Lex Aeterna and froze him right after with a powerful Storm Gust. Then he brought down Lord of Vermillion. To finish him off, he cast a Professor's skill on the ground called Deluge that made the ground into water temporarily. Then he used the Lex Aeterna spell again before using the Wizard's spell of Water Ball to slam into him.

"Loomin wins!" Dracula grinned wickedly, as Cedrick fell.

"As 'Loki's spawn', as you so aptly put it, I hold all of the skills a High Priest, High Wizard, and Professor would have. I hope you keep your foot in your mouth the next time you challenge me," Loomin growled. Shoujin was simply gaping and was rather glad he didn't try to challenge him. He knew the son of a god would be too much to fight.

"I think it's time I spent some quality time with my loves," Sarine smiled softly. "I'll need a couple hours to do this. After this, we'll see what time it is. Agreed?"

"I think that will work," Howard chuckled.  _She needed to be with her new mates, and she needed to give blood drops to her men._

"The two of you are no longer needed here," Sammy said lightly, and he followed the others into the house. Pori-Pori was going to station himself on the stairs to ensure that the princes couldn't follow them. The moment Sarine was settled on a cushion in the bathroom, Osiris approached her quickly. Sammy and Kiehl sat on their own cushions to meditate lightly, as Howard waited silently to help Sarine when each male got their fill of her.

"Ifrit, look," Eremes grinned at the new fireplace. Ifrit hissed out laughter, as he inspected it, and started it up to get the room a bit warmer. Then he noticed something and pointed it out. Now Eremes was impressed. _The bottom of the fireplace was a bit of a bed, and it was made with fireproof materials._ Most of the mattress, pillows, and blankets were made from Kasa's feathers, since they were extremely soft and used for insulation. They were also made of flames, and he knew they would need more of them.

Ifrit helped gather them by summoning rogue Kasa monsters, and the feathers were harvested at night. Since Eremes was immune to heat with Sarine, he could hold her in there to sleep with her when her craving for heat got intense enough. Ifrit had already made plans to help with this. The fireplace could also be closed off to seal in the excess heat safely. This would definitely help them. Ifrit informed Naght of this, and Howard was nodding with Kiehl silently.

"How much more growth do you think she has?" Kiehl asked, as Sarine rested against his nude form. Sammy was with her before Kiehl claimed her, and his kimono was pushed down to expose his white marbled chest.

"It's only been about five days, and the growth is slow. She will be giving birth by next week. If the children grow anymore in her, Thanatos may be needed to help monitor her. But, only if the growth becomes too much. Right now, this is the easiest I've seen it. We know how the others were. Everything seems a lot smoother with this pregnancy," Sammy chuckled.

"Let's hope it stays this way!" Howard nodded and let her cuddle into his nude body now. At her thought, he looked at Kiehl and wasn't sure.

"I know a couple hours went by," Kiehl said. "As to what else you want to do today, I'm not sure. What's going on out there?!"

Sammy looked over with alarm, as a bunch of shouting was heard in the bedroom. Now he got up to position himself in front of Sarine so that his somewhat broad back would be seen first. Loomin and Doppy charged in to undress quickly to do the same thing.

"What's going on?!" Howard hissed.

"It's the princes. Let's move her into the tub," Doppy growled. "The nursery is safe. Nothing is getting past Naght or Pori-Pori. Alexander is still in there, too."

"Where are the idiots?" Sarine growled.

"Downstairs and trying to work their way up. Why?" Loomin asked. At her thought, Kiehl was starting to laugh. She had quite a bit of demon blood from the blood drops she consumed. Her pregnancy was clearly showing, but she could still move about.

"Get Eremes and Keltin in here. Then get me my belly dancing gown," she grinned wickedly. Loomin and Doppy smirked at each other and got up only to see Eremes come in with Keltin and the gown. Beelzebub had heard everything, of course, and was curious to see what was going to happen. Then she thought and knew that the princes weren't going to try to get to the nursery.  _They were trying to reach me._ At her next thought, Howard was laughing harder with Kiehl, as they dressed, and Naght was soon in the bedroom with the rest of her loves.

"What do you have in mind?" Beelzebub grinned, as she quickly changed into the belly dancing gown. She gestured for him to follow her and had everyone sit around the room.

"I'm going to dance for everyone," she grinned. Pharaoh, Amon Ra, Osiris, and Drake hadn't seen her dance yet. Dracula was there for a small bit of it when she was at the arena, but not much. The moment they all settled themselves, she started to use the cymbals to chime out a small beat for herself. She needed to try and exercise herself anyways, and this helped. Her slaves were watching her with a sense of pride and devotion, as she danced now, and her husbands and mates were simply watching with a renewed sense of lust.

When the door got kicked open, Shoujin and Cedrick had weapons drawn. Then they dropped them at what she was doing. She looked over demurely now and sighed.

"Ah..." Shoujin blinked.

"Um..." Cedrick was no better.

"And neither of you could simply ask for my presence? Instead, you both come in here like you own the place and break down my doors?" she frowned heavily. "I was comforting my loves. Now you just pissed them all off. The moment I stop dancing, I will not be able to keep them all calm. You have five minutes to leave. Now. Before they send you home for your Priests to Resurrect you there. Time starts now."

Kiehl and Howard were grinning, as they let her draw their attention back to her. This was why she was dancing for them. She was keeping them all distracted, and it helped keep herself calm. She started up the chiming cymbals again to dance to make the time start. The princes looked at each other and argued amongst themselves.

"The moment she stops dancing, we're dead!" Shoujin growled. "Let's leave!"

"You can go. I'm not!" Cedrick scowled.

"There is no honor in it! We need to get stronger!"

"No matter how strong we get, we won't be able to beat them! If we can't beat them, we should join them! Surely, there is a way!"

"There...is a way..." Loki grinned, as he appeared and time was frozen around them. He didn't dare try to take Sarine from her loves.  _That would create a mess, and the strain would likely force her to abort the children._  He was there to talk to the princes, instead. Both young men looked at him with shock.

"And who are you?" Shoujin frowned.

"My name is Loki," he said, and he casually pushed aside a strand of silver hair.

"The pale one is your son, right?" Cedrick asked.

"Yes. Loomin is my son and destined for Sarine. I won't let anything come between them, since my Father, Odin, will skin me alive. That and I have my own reasons for this. But, I understand the two of you have a dilemma. I'm here to offer you both a solution," Loki said.

"Wait. If Odin is your father, and Sarine is his daughter, too..." Cedrick thought.

"It's different with god blood. She and I may be related through Odin, as well as my son, but it matters not. Things work differently with the blood of Valhalla. On top of that, I'm adopted in. Regardless, I'm here to inform you of a resolution to your current problem."

"And what would that be?" Shoujin asked.

"I'd give you my blood, but it will kill you. So, I'm here to tell you of something else. However, it's risky. I doubt the two of you will live, and it's only one of two solutions to your problem," Loki said. "It's true, the two of you could try to convince a demon to share blood with you. That would be the safest bet, and it will ensure a pregnancy with Sarine. However, there are also the Demonic Matings she goes through."

"Demonic Matings?" Cedrick frowned.

"Yes. Let me explain how they work," Loki grinned. For a good frozen hour, he told them what to expect and what would happen. Both young men were skeptical.

"But, we would have to fight all of them! They'll slaughter us!" Shoujin hissed.

"That may be true, but, if you survive, you get a chance to be with her. Maybe not get her with child, but you can be with her and be bound by Demonic Laws," Loki said.

"But, I want her to be my wife! I don't want to have some form of random sexual encounter!" Cedrick said with a shake of his head. "I want her to be my queen!"

"That's what I want, too!" Shoujin growled.

"Then the answer lies between the two of you," Loki grinned. "Can you both beat each other up, and the victor claims the spoils? Of course, you'll need to make sure this does not spark a war between your cities. It is over a woman, after all. Such things are very dangerous. And she's a Princess of Amatsu. You should think things through. Right?"

Both princes looked at each with disbelief. They wouldn't want a war between their cities. It would be bad for both sides. When time resumed, Loomin launched up and shone forth his Light quickly to repel his father before Alexander could fly out of the nursery to attack. Observation was ready to attack on sight, but there was no need after Loomin was done. The princes were momentarily blinded by the Divine assault and had to blink out the bright spots.

"Whatever my Father told you, ignore him!" Loomin snarled out. "He does nothing but cause problems! He's been trying to get with my wife for the longest of times!"

"Loki also desires her?!" Shoujin blinked.

"Very much so..." Eremes hissed. Sarine gasped, as Howard pulled her to him.

"None of you saw him?" Cedrick frowned. "He was right here...wait. You all were frozen! He was talking to us, and he told us about some form of mating ritual."

"He told them?!" Thanatos snarled out, and Muninn flew in quickly to revert to his human form to calm the irritated males down.

" _Loki is truly trying to stir up trouble! Let me speak with them, please?_ " Muninn asked. Doppy hissed with intense hate, but he nodded. Sarine was able to pull him close to calm him down. Kiehl pressed himself against her and glared at the two men. The princes now conversed with Muninn, and the powerful man explained what was recently discovered with Sarine's pregnancies. Now both men were in shock just knowing that they couldn't even get her pregnant. As they digested this news, Serenity ran past them to run to her mother.

"Mama! Are you okay?" she whimpered.

"I'm okay, dear," Sarine smiled and gathered her up to hug her.

"She would be a princess, too, right?" Cedrick asked.

"You are not touching my daughter!" Howard snarled out, as he hugged both Sarine and Serenity to him. This had Muninn surprised, and now he seemed to glare with his own form of protectiveness for his niece. Naght snarled out and brandished his swords.

"Yes, she is a princess, to an extent," Sarine frowned. "However, she is only six months old, if that. She's partly Naght Seiger's daughter, and, because of the blood she consumed from the others, she is their daughter, too. So, if you even try anything, you would have to answer to all of her fathers."

"I...see..." Cedrick blinked.

"Mama," Serenity smirked. "he's not strong, anyways. And, besides, he wants to hurt you. Why would I want to be with someone like him? He wouldn't care about me."

"That's not true!" Cedrick said.

"And I'm too young!" Serenity shot back. Naght hissed with absolute hatred, and he let Serenity climb into his arms now. He rumbled a purr at her, as she snuggled into him.

" _Demonic children do grow fast,_ " Muninn said lightly. " _But, she is too strong for you to begin with. I highly doubt that any of my sister's daughters would want to be with any humans._ "

"You think so, Muninn?" Sarine smiled.

" _I do. They would prefer the company of monsters. It would be a very rare exception for them to want to be with any human for too long._ "

"That makes me feel a bit better," Kiehl smiled.

"But, that makes me wonder," Loomin frowned. "I want to say something, but not in front of them. It wouldn't be safe."

" _Allow me!_ " Muninn chuckled and froze time. Now that the princes were locked in time, Loomin grinned savagely. He wanted to do something to them, but he would wait. Serenity was frozen in Naght's arms, but that was fine.

"Anyways, as I was saying," Loomin said. "Father told me that most gods and goddesses would 'revert back to the pure blood' in a sense. Where brothers and sisters would be together. It...really makes me wonder if this is what will happen with our kids. Unless we find a human worthy enough to have Demonic blood."

"You're right," Doppy thought. Then he blinked and grinned, as he said, "I bet that's where the Warriors of Odin will come to play. They will likely need demon blood, or a form of monster blood, and will be able to be with our kids, since they will be trustworthy."

"You're right!" Sammy nodded. "If they ever want a chance with our kids, they would need to be trained in traditional honor."

"I doubt they'll accept it," Keltin frowned. "Royal blood tends to be more stubborn than others. Right, Osiris?"

"Very true," he nodded. Amon Ra and Pharaoh grinned and nodded, as well.

" _If what you say is true,_ " Muninn thought. " _You may be onto something, Doppelganger. We see how your son reacts to Anna. Even Edward is reacting to her, too. We will need to find more children that can grow with them. I don't really want them to start seeing each other as possible matches. As much as it may not matter, it wouldn't be right._ "

"True," Loomin nodded. "It's why I brought it up."

"But, is it only demon blood that will work? Or will other blood work, too?" Sarine asked. "I know that my mates have been swapping blood with me and do have some demon blood in them now."

" _True. At this point, it may work for others. But, in the case of children, I would rather let them have pure demon blood. The others can possibly be given blood by those that are not Demonic. It's up to you all as to who will give blood in the end. Shall we bring back time?_ " Muninn asked. At their nod, time was resumed, and Beelzebub was in deep thought on everything. _I wouldn't want to be with any of Sarine's daughters, since they are my daughters, too, now, but what about their future choices in mates?_ He already knew that he'd slaughter any man that tried to touch them.

"Well, what do we do now?" Cedrick frowned.

" _Are you still persistent on being with my sister, or her daughters?_ " Muninn asked.

"Her daughters, no. Sarine, yes," Shoujin nodded.

"If she can't even produce an heir, then why?" Cedrick asked. "Unless I take blood from them, and I know they won't approve. My Father doesn't even know I'm here, and, if I'm sent back to him as a cold corpse, he'll be livid! If we even try the Demonic Mating, I know I'll get slaughtered. It's pointless."

"That it is," Sammy nodded. "Your best bet is to find another princess."

"But, there are no others!" Shoujin said.

"Well, she can't be near you. You'll make her sick," Howard frowned. "Sarine, no! You'll get sick! We can't risk it!"

"He's right, love. If you try, then you'll puke," Kiehl said. Naght rumbled his concern for her, and Serenity frowned.

"Mama?" she asked. Sarine started to tear up, as the sadness crashed down on her, and Howard hissed with Doppy when her emotional wall shattered. She was hugged tight by Kiehl and softly whispered to. Serenity never saw her mother cry like this before, and now she glared hard at the two men. When her pupils started to glow a dull red, Naght rumbled at her.

"Serenity," Beelzebub warned.

"But...but...Mama's crying! If they weren't here then Mama wouldn't cry!" Serenity hissed. "The stupid heads need to leave!"

At that, Sarine started to choke back laughter, and her emotional wall came back up. Ragged Zombie now moved quickly and gestured for Serenity. Howard and Doppy just gasped at being able to think again.

"So, what did you call them?" Ragged Zombie grinned, as he held her.

"They're stupid heads! They made Mama cry!" Serenity said.

"I am not a stupid head!" Cedrick growled, and Sarine was now fighting down fits of giggles while Howard held her.

"Yes, you are!" Serenity snarled, as the two miniature swords appeared and hovered in front of her. That made Cedrick gape with shock. Naght hissed at his daughter, and she growled back. Now he snarled sharply to make her whimper, and the swords vanished.

"Do I need to use a knife, Serenity?" the zombie asked calmly.

"No!" she paled. "I'll be good!"

"You don't ever talk back to us!" Ragged Zombie said sternly. "Yes, I understand that they are both stupid heads, but you have no right to talk back to us. Got it?"

"Yes, Dad!" she nodded frantically. She didn't want icky, stinky zombie guts on her! Shoujin found himself thinking about various things now, and Cedrick was still in shock over the power the girl had.

"Hey, Seri!" Gunther said, as he trotted in and blinked at the two princes. "What the hell are you both doing here?!"

"Gunther!" Sarine scolded, and he winced.

"Gunther, watch yourself," Doppy warned.

"Yes, Dad," he nodded. "Um, Seri, I'm almost done with that pile of weapons."

"Okay," Serenity nodded. "Mama? Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine, dear," she smiled and accepted a hug from her daughter.

"Done with what weapons?" Cedrick asked.

"I don't think that any of my Dads want you to know," Gunther smirked. Now Cedrick saw how closely he resembled Doppy. Then Gunther took out a rusted dagger and bit into the blade to start snapping it into pieces to chew it. That made Cedrick's jaw drop.

"I want to see what they can do," Pharaoh grinned. Osiris nodded and Amon Ra moved with him to the nursery. Muninn just laughed softly before glaring at the two princes.

" _If you want to see what they can do, then you must vow on your lives that you will not spill the secret! I'm sure your father will know in time, Cedrick, and I know Jiao Lin knows already. If you want to see what they are talking about, vow that you will say nothing,_ " Muninn warned.

"I swear," Cedrick said.

"I do, as well. I swear on my honor," Shoujin said.

"Fine," Sarine said. "Let me change my clothes. Loves?"

Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy moved her back into the bathroom to put her in her Sniper gears and helped her move into the nursery. Cedrick and Shoujin were both amazed at the legendary and specialized weapons that were being crafted by Serenity's hammer. Then they gaped at how Trina was helping if there was a duplicate weapon made by changing it into something completely different. She could actually change a sword into a bow, a whip, or a musical instrument. Bianca was busy helping make more Poison Bottles and smithing ingredients. The kids were extraordinarily powerful.

"Ah, can my sword be made into something better?" Cedrick asked.

"We can help. But on a condition," Gunther said.

"Oh?" Cedrick asked.

"Don't hurt my Mom anymore," Gunther said with a glowing red glare. He had inherited Doppy's dark blue eyes and glowing red pupils. His sister had Sarine's eyes, but had Doppy's glowing red pupils, and she also glared at the princes.

"I...okay," Cedrick nodded. "If I see that I am causing her distress, I'll do what I can to make her feel better. I promise."

"I promise, as well," Shoujin said. That made Sarine's loves smile a bit.  _Royalty was always known to keep promises, to an extent._ The protective husbands, mates, and slaves now settled around the room to see what the kids would craft for the princes. Cedrick gave over his basic Broadsword, and Gunther took it to study it. Then he started to bite into the blade to chew it up. Once it was fully chewed up, he spat out the ruined pieces, and Serenity arranged the pieces carefully. Then her hammer struck down to create a sword called an Executioner. It could hold a single monster card, and the sword was given to him.

"Ah...wow..." Cedrick gaped at the sword.

"Here," Shoujin said, as he handed over his katana. Gunther now worked on chewing up the blade to spit out the pieces for Serenity. She arranged the pieces for this weapon, and her hammer struck down to reveal a sword called Tae Goo Lyeon. It could hold up to two monster cards. This was given over, and Shoujin was gasping at how powerful the sword was.

"Have any cards on you?" Edward asked calmly, as he moved over to them.

"Ah, oh! I do. Just a Lunatic card, though," Cedrick said.

"Can I see it?" Edward asked. At the prince's blink, he nodded and gave it over. He rubbed his hands over it quickly, and then revealed the card to him.

"A...Marina card?!" Cedrick gaped. "I can freeze enemies when I attack them now!"

"Yep!" Edward nodded. "I can only do that once."

"These kids..." Shoujin was in shock.

"Oh, good, the kids are here," Seyren said, as he brought out a basic sword. "I need a special weapon. Something really good."

"Okay," Gunther said and took the sword to start chewing up. Serenity took the pieces he spat out to arrange them and let her hammer smack down on them to reveal a Solar Sword.

"That will work!" Seyren grinned.

"Okay, Uncle Seyren!" Serenity giggled.

"I have that, too," Pharaoh mused and took it out from his belt.

"Can I give it to Max to use?" Seyren asked.

"Sure. Oh, I also have these," Pharaoh said, as he took out a jeweled dagger called a Bazerald, a Tablet with a spot for a card, a Jewel Crown, and a Holy Robe.

"Can I give that dagger to Kathryne? As a High Wizard, she could really use that," Seyren said. Pharaoh nodded, and the weapons were taken. Eremes took the other items to put them in the treasury with Doppy. When they got back, the kids were still working on more weapons. Pori-Pori, Dracula, and Anubis were gathering up the finished weapons to take to the treasury next. Naght rumbled a purr to the children, and they beamed at him with pride.

"We will hold onto the weapons here," Howard said to Shoujin. "When your father needs them, he must come here personally for them. We won't trust anyone else with them."

"I will tell him. Ah, can you help with armor?" Shoujin asked.

"Trina can," Keltin chuckled and moved to pick up his daughter when she reached for him. He whispered to her, and she patted his cheek with affection.

"All right, can she make my boots stronger?" Cedrick asked, as he pointed to his greaves. Trina thought and reached for them. He took them off and let her see them. She focused, as she touched them, and they became far more elaborate for battle.

"As you can see, she can," Sammy chuckled, as they were given back over to him.

"Battle Greaves?! With a spot for a card?!" Cedrick gaped.

"Are they not good enough?" Sammy asked.

"No! They're perfect!" Cedrick nodded, and he slipped them on. Then she looked at his armor and reached for it. Keltin chuckled and let her touch it for it to change into an armor called an Assaulter Plate. A spot for a card was here, too. Cedrick was in complete shock. The only downside was that he would need to get his armor re-engraved with the royal markings. He lost the gilded gold look to them, but he would worry about it later. The armor given now was a vast upgrade from the old suit he had.

"Here, Trina," Eremes said and handed her a Muffler. She giggled and focused to change it into a Captain's Manteau. It would also hold a card, and this was given to the prince.

"I think he's growing faint," Kiehl grinned.

"I'll need to see what my Father has in our armory," Cedrick muttered.

"Remember your promise!" Gunther said. "You won't make Mom upset anymore!"

"I know. I'll abide by it," Cedrick nodded. "Ah, I do know for a fact that, when Sarine comes to visit, Father plans to have a ball. Would it be too much to request one dance in advance? I promise, nothing else. Just a dance."

"If it's only a dance and nothing else," Howard said. "we'll see how it goes. It also depends on how much Sarine's pregnancy develops. She's getting massive, random growth spurts now. All of her pregnancies take two weeks to develop."

"Only two weeks?!" Shoujin blinked.

"Yes. It's why she can have so many children in such a short amount of time," Kiehl nodded. Muninn walked over to nod and confirm it.

"All right. Until tomorrow, if everything goes well," Cedrick nodded respectfully. Shoujin gave his own nod, and the princes finally left.

"About time!" Doppy growled, and Sarine sighed with relief when Errende placed his hands over her belly. Thanatos was clearly not very happy.

"He wants to dance with you..." Eremes winced. "I'll remain Cloaked and at your side."

"Okay," Sarine nodded.

"So, what happens now, Mama?" Serenity asked.

"Well, I think all of you need naps," Sarine smiled. At their small gasps of disbelief, Ragged Zombie cleared his throat. That got them all quiet. Then Sarine said, "If you all get enough sleep, we'll see about a fire pit tonight. Okay?"

"Ooh!" Siegfried grinned.

"Okay!" Gunther nodded.

"I'll nurse your brothers and sisters first. After that, you'll have your naps. Did any of you get baths yet?" Sarine asked, as she moved to sit in her rocking chair.

"Angie and I did," Gunther said.

"Okay. The rest of you need to get cleaned up," Sarine said softly, as she was given Trina and Bernard to nurse. Howard sat back in the chair to let her sit in his lap again. He had stayed by her side the whole time and refused to let her move too far without him. As the children got their baths, she rocked the nursing twins and cooed to them softly. She smiled at their soft giggles, and Keltin gave a fatherly grin.

Dracula and Anubis made their way back in from the treasury and were told what happened. Anubis moved to take up a spot by the door, as Wanderer and Incubus stood by the back cradles. Amon Ra gave rides to Gunther and Angela, as the other kids got their baths to help keep them happy. Drake moved to caress Sarine's cheek before heading back out to the boat. Then he came right back in with a hiss.

"What is it?" Sammy asked with a frown.

"Someone be coming here!" Drake scowled.

"Who?" Sarine asked and nodded to Drago to find out. Byorgue went with him. She sighed with a bit of irritation, since she really didn't want any other problems. Howard carefully wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek into her neck. She gasped with a bit of relief at this from the mere contact of more skin, and Kiehl looked at Sammy. Thanatos and Beelzebub readied themselves with Naght and Ifrit.

"Hmm," Beelzebub thought. "It's the Kafra Agent from the arena."

"What would she want?" Dracula frowned.

"It's a challenger requesting...hmm..." Beelzebub thought as he listened carefully.

"Who?" Doppy frowned heavily.

"Heh! The challenger wants to fight Sarine. It's that Hunter. Apparently, he became a Sniper. He wants to prove he is strong enough by fighting her directly," Beelzebub said.

"Hmm," Sarine thought.

"You are not fighting!" Howard growled.

"Not even with my new bow?" she mused. That made him think, but it was still risky.

"I don't think you should fight at all," Kiehl said gently. "I worry for you and our unborn children. As it is, you shouldn't be fighting."

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said, as he moved to sit right next to her by pulling a chair over. "Will you let us protect you? Let us fight for you. Okay?"

"Doppy," she sighed, and he carefully hugged her and kissed her passionately. Howard nodded to him and looked over, as the Kafra Agent whispered to Dracula.

"She's nursing and heavily pregnant. We can't let her fight. She was to be removed from the list of eligible fighter, anyways," Dracula said. Sammy got up now and glared lightly. Naght thought a bit, and Howard started to laugh. Kiehl was grinning, and Naght rumbled to Dracula.

"Dad?" Gunther frowned at Naght.

"He'll fight for her," Dracula smirked. Gunther found himself being pulled up to Ragged Zombie and held. Naght hissed and followed the Kafra Agent out. Hibram looked at Osiris and Pharaoh. Now Drake smirked, and they went to follow. Ifrit laughed and decided to see what happened for Eremes.

"Take them?" Sarine asked Thanatos. Errende was busy with Angela and Edward right now. Thanatos moved over to take up Keltin's twins, and Aliot brought over his to be nursed.

"Are you all right?" Sammy asked her, as he sat by her again.

"I just have so many men now, you know?" she sighed, as she nursed the twins. "It's getting hard to keep track of them all!"

"I know," Howard sighed, as he squeezed her.

"And they all want kids with me, too," she frowned.

"We know," Kiehl chuckled and moved to lightly rub her belly. At the feel of the responding kicks, he muttered, "Twins."

"Soon we'll be muttering 'triplets', right?" Howard grinned.

"Shut up, Howard!" Kiehl growled, and Sarine giggled softly. Beelzebub started laughing, and Howard hissed with Kiehl at Naght's report.

"The Sniper got splattered," Beelzebub grinned.

"Good!" Sarine grinned back. At the next report from Naght, Howard frowned.

"Ah, hmm. Not good. He's running to the house right after his Resurrection. Ah..." Howard grimaced. Now the Amatsu Captain moved to brace himself in front of the sitting area. Alexander gave a mild glare at Observation, but they turned to focus on the main nursery door. They were ready to attack. Maya Purple readied his claws, and Doppy rose up slightly. Eremes Cloaked and went to find the Sniper.

"I swear, if it's not royalty, it's other men," Sarine growled. Albert gave a small whimper at her distress, and she cooed softly to him to show that everything was fine. Small roars were now heard, and they were getting closer. The children finished nursing, just as Naght moved quickly into the nursery. Aliot took his kids, and Sarine fixed up her top. Loomin rose up now, and Keltin made himself ready to protect her.

"That Sniper didn't even make it to the stairs. Pori-Pori finished him off," Howard grinned and kissed her cheek, as he rocked her in the chair.

"That's a relief," she smiled and snuggled into him. "I'd really like to try and finish the day neatly. Can we go outside?"

" _I can't guarantee a nice ending, but it's perfectly safe, regardless,_ " Muninn promised. That had Kiehl grimace, and Sammy shook his head.

"There are times I wish I wasn't so beautiful," she sighed.

"You and me both," Loomin grinned, and that had her blush. Howard laughed and let Loomin pull her close to kiss passionately. Doppy gestured to Loomin and whispered to him. Now Loomin looked at him with a bit of a grin. Beelzebub looked at them both with shock. Doppy gestured for Muninn and whispered to him. Muninn thought and looked ahead before laughing softly and whispered back.

"Howard, Loomin and I need to see her for a bit. We'll bring her right back to you," Doppy grinned. Beelzebub whispered to Naght, and he informed Howard and Kiehl of what they wanted to do. Howard started laughing with Kiehl, and they nodded.

"We'll wait in the bedroom with Sammy in case she needs us," Howard said.

"All right," Loomin nodded.

"What's going on?" Sarine frowned and squeaked, as Doppy pulled her over his shoulder carefully to take her into the bedroom. Loomin followed with Sammy, Howard, and Kiehl. Ragged Zombie frowned, but started laughing when Beelzebub whispered to him.

"Wow!" the zombie grinned, and the others were now informed.

"We will wait outside," Dracula grinned.

"Oh, yes..." Eremes nodded, and Keltin followed him. In the bathroom, Loomin and Doppy were both taking Sarine at once, and she was just in shock at what was happening. When they finished, they separated quickly, and let Sarine recover.

"That was...different," Loomin said, as he dressed.

"Hmm..." Doppy thought. "I just had a thought."

"Oh?" Loomin asked, as he helped Sarine dress.

"I think it's you and I that are supposed to help Eremes with Muninn and Huginn. I'm pure evil, in a sense. You are pure good. I don't think that anyone else can do it," Doppy said. "I see you as a brother, and you even said that I'm your opposite. It's a gut feeling. I'll ask Muninn to see if I'm right about this."

They brought Sarine out just as she was starting to need to see Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy. Howard pulled her into his arms, and she shivered with relief. Beelzebub told Muninn what Doppy was thinking, and Muninn was waiting in the bedroom.

" _Doppelganger, I don't know what it is with your sense of foresight, but you're right!_ " Muninn said. " _I'm very impressed! You and Loomin should probably be with her right after Eremes's pregnancy with her takes place. I'll have Beelzebub tell everyone. This way, we won't need to have any others intervene with this. I'm sure there will be a Demonic Mating, but she won't bear children for anyone else. Father Odin confirmed this. We also have an idea, since it will be Thanatos becoming a First Mate, and she already bore him children. He will be able to help keep her pregnancy slow with how much he will want to be with her._ "

"I'd prefer that," Doppy nodded. He told Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy what he discovered, and that made them relieved that Baphomet, or any other demons, wouldn't be needed. Loomin would also be close by, and Kiehl pointed that out. That had everyone feeling even more relief. Eremes came up with Keltin to discuss it further. Observation actually felt a bit happier that Loomin would help instead of him. It seemed better, and he could focus on protecting and serving his Lady. He wouldn't have to ensure that a major part of himself would be left in her.  _Loomin was clearly the better one to ensure a powerful body for Muninn._

"It actually makes more sense," Eremes said. "As her husbands, she should have the most kids with us. Regardless of who else she is with."

"True," Howard nodded, as he cradled Sarine. "Anyways, where are we going?"

"The kids are sleeping," Keltin said. "Arena? Or just outside?"

"I think the arena would work for a couple hours. Or, should we see to the dungeon and get it over with?" Sarine thought.

"I could try out my chairs," Kiehl grinned wickedly.

"I still need to have sex with Errende in front of that bitch," Sarine grinned. Thanatos and Errende were now there at Beelzebub's laughter.

"Let's get Garrett and Max involved when it comes to the others," Thanatos suggested. "We'll take care of the bitch first."

"Okay," Sarine nodded. "Let Zealotus know we are on our way, please?"

"Yes, My Lady," Byorgue nodded. She kissed him gently and let him run off.

"Are you well, My Lady?" Errende asked. "I've been a bit busy with Angela lately."

"You need to. And I'm fine," she smiled and kissed him now. "So, how is this dungeon different now? I haven't been in it yet."

"Ah. Well, from what I understand, each room is completely walled off from the other rooms. There is a circular viewing room to see the cells separately, and you can close off the views from each room. You could even have all of the rooms look in at once. Each room has stone walls so thick that you can't hear anyone scratching around on the other side of them, much less scream. Also, if any prisoners escape, false doors and walls open up into a maze. That was Zealotus's idea, and Storm Caller improved it drastically.

"The prisoners will be forced to fight off Zealotus's rogue minions, and they end up moving right back into their cells. They get herded back into them, you see. I studied the dungeon quite a bit while you slept to figure out where to place surveillance cameras," Kiehl said, as they walked outside. Beelzebub and Hibram walked with them. Wanderer and Amon Ra were staying with the kids, and a Hell Fly was going to tell them what was going on. Muninn reverted to his falcon form to fly off and scout.

When they got to the dungeon, Ifrit and Naght were waiting for them. Pori-Pori was there, too, and Zealotus appeared to lead them to the prison area.

"The three Rogues are whiny asses," Zealotus said. "They always complain that they 'need' each other. It's ridiculous and disgusting! As for the three morons that attacked you in your youth, they are just as whiny as the Rogues. Then there's the Thief we have in there. No idea what we need to do with him. We also have the bitch that claims that Errende is still hers."

"Well, the Thief may be easy enough to deal with," Sarine thought. "He's young. We can see about talking him into joining my Papa's army for honor training."

"Maybe," Howard nodded.

"Let's deal with him first," Sarine said. When they got to the viewing room, Kiehl grinned, as one of his electric chairs was here. He tested it, and it zapped to life. He moved to the control panel nearby and started various settings. The chair was on a specialized rotation block that would move the chair around, if needed. Small shocks would be administered first. Then, if the prisoner got too out of hand, stronger shocks would be given, right up until they either passed out or died, as far as they were concerned. Phendark nodded to them, and Injustice looked away silently. Sarine moved to press a kiss to his lips and comforted him.

"Sorry, My Lady," he sighed. "It...still bothers me. In a way..."

"No, it's fine. You can wait in the nursery, if you like," she frowned.

"No, I'll be okay," Injustice said. She nodded with a smile, and he moved to stand with Nigel and Byorgue. They would easily help defend him, and Aliot wasn't far off, too. Drago and Observation watched everything, and Maya Purple set himself up to attack, if he had to. Errende moved to put his hands on her womb, and she sighed. Kiehl chuckled, since slaves helped each other. Howard still kept her in his arms from how much she needed him. He still felt cold to her, since her episode in the Sphinx. He made no plans to let her go until she was ready. There was a special tunnel leading out to the surface that was designed for Muninn, and he flew in to land on a wall perch to watch everything.

The Thief, Dodger, was brought out now and strapped to the chair by Rybio. Sarine watched Kiehl have the chair turn slowly to have the Thief face them.

"Dodger," Sammy said, as he crossed his arms over his gold-etched, jeweled, black kimono. "You are here for breaking and entering. If you wish to regain any lost respect, there is only one thing you can do to make up for your crime."

"Please! Tell me!" Dodger whimpered. "I just...I'm just trying to survive!"

At Muninn's nod, Sammy said, "Go to Amatsu and find Emperor Markus. Tell him you are condoning for a sin, and he will train you in true honor. You will be clothed, fed, and made even stronger this way. Go now!"

"Thank you!" Dodger said with excitement. Rybio released him, and Muninn sent him straight to Amatsu. Misty was next, and the girl was dragged out to be strapped down to the chair. Sarine had Howard back away lightly, and Errende kept his arms around her.

"Finally showed your face?!" Misty growled. "He's mine!"

"Errende, love," Sarine sighed. "I'll give you a choice. You can either go back to her, or you can stay with me. What do you choose?"

"My Lady," Errende chuckled. "You gave me a beautiful son and daughter. Lord Thanatos is my blood brother, in a sense, and the children are his, too. Why would I go back to someone that makes me feel like a worthless piece of shit? You respect me for who I am. I am wearing your collar to show that it was my choice, and I do not regret the decision I have made. I will never regret it. I am fully, completely in love with you. There is simply no contest when it comes to her. She can piss off. You are everything to me and more. Words cannot describe how devoted I am to you."

"What?!" Misty gaped. Now she saw Thanatos grinning wickedly. The other husbands, mates, and slaves there were grinning and giggling at everything.

"Misty, it is quite apparent that Errende doesn't like you anymore," Sarine shrugged.

"His name is Michael!" Misty hissed. Now Errende looked at her with annoyance.

"No. It's Errende. Michael was a cover-up, since I was involved in the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory experiments. I'm sure that even you saw one of my younger clones. It's an Acolyte of sorts," he said calmly. At her stunned gaze, he grinned and continued, "My true name is Errende Ebecee. My body was used to make those clones. I'm a lot stronger than you now. If you come after me again, I'll kill you myself. I give you my word on that."

"Hmm. I still don't think that she believes that you don't belong to her anymore," Sarine frowned. At this, Errende moved to tilt up Sarine's face to his and kissed her passionately. Doppy grinned widely, and Loomin smirked. Keltin and Eremes were chuckling softly. Sammy and Thanatos were nodding at this. Howard and Kiehl knew that Sarine didn't tell him to do this.  _This was all him. He wanted to do this._ There was only one metal table in the room, and Errende made use of it quickly. He pulled off her shorts and freed himself to take her right there. Misty caught a glimpse at his size and gasped. Now she was cringing with hate and jealousy. Beelzebub was watching everything with approval and so was Hibram.

"Hmm..." Ragged Zombie thought.

"Wait until they're done," Sammy said. The zombie nodded and crossed his arms over his chest to wait. When Errende finished with Sarine, they were both panting from the lustful mating, and he kissed her possessively. He kept his hands on her belly the whole time to keep the developing babies calm. _I love her. She is the only thing that matters in my life. She helped me remove a nasty childhood problem, and she is the mother of my children. I will never stray from her side._

"I love you, My Lady," he smiled.

"I love you, too, Errende," she smiled back, and he kissed her softly. Then he helped her dress, and she fixed up his pants. The Assassin girl was seething with rage and not happy.

"I hate you! Both of you!" Misty hissed.

"Good. Maybe now you'll never come back," Errende said without a single caring thought, and that made Thanatos bark out laughter. "My Lady, I think we can let her go now. If she comes back again, I think it will be safe to simply kill her off. I doubt that anyone else would care about her. Third time's a charm, as they say."

"Very true," she mused.

"I'll get the Assassin Guild to kill you!" Misty hissed.

"Oh, you mean Elric? The Assassin Guild leader?" Sarine asked. "He's actually an ally of mine. He knows all about you. At least, I think he does."

"What?" Misty blinked.

"Considering...that he's my old mentor...and father figure..." Eremes growled. "I am Eremes Guile...after all..."

"Ah..." Misty gaped.

"I say we just kill her," Beelzebub said with a glare.

"Should I?" Kiehl grinned, as he readied the control panel.

"Misty, the only way you will leave now, alive, is if you renounce your liking of Errende. Do this and you will leave here. Just never come back to the arena with plans to challenge Sarine or any of us. You can challenge monsters like a normal challenger, but, the moment you challenge her or any of us, you will be slaughtered and kept from being Resurrected," Sammy said. "As the first judge, and lead judge, my rule overrules all other rules."

"Okay! Fine. He's not mine anymore," Misty said with a frown.

"Very well," Sarine nodded. Rybio released her, and Muninn Teleported her away to the town of Morroc. Beelzebub was going to keep track of her until she reached a town that wasn't under their control. Once she was gone, Errende kissed Sarine again, and he let Howard pull her close to calm her senses.

"We need Garrett and Max here, please," she said softly to Byorgue. He smiled and nodded, as he moved to get them. When he came back with them, she pulled her slave close by his collar to kiss deeply. He was gasping with complete need when she drew away from him, and she looked at Howard. He thought and chuckled.

"Ah, Garrett? Max? Can you wait outside for about five minutes?" Kiehl grinned.

"Oh, all right," Garrett grinned back. Max whistled softly, and, the moment they went out of the viewing chamber, Byorgue was able to have Sarine. He was exceptionally needy of her, and she let him take her quickly. When he satisfied his craving of her, he helped her dress, and he dressed himself. When the Paladins were let back in, Beelzebub was laughing softly.

"Little guy has an appetite," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Half a guy has half a brain," Byorgue smirked. Sarine giggled, and Howard pressed a kiss to her cheek. The zombie flipped him off, and Byorgue said, "Sorry, I just did that with My Lady, and I have no plans to do that with you!"

That got everyone laughing. Ragged Zombie was snickering and nodded that it was a very good comeback. Byorgue moved to stand in front of her protectively. They were now going to see about the three that hurt her in the past. The Rogues were going to be seen to last. Sarine put her hands on Byorgue's shoulders, and Howard watched Kiehl flip a few more switches on the control panel. Two more electric chairs now joined the first. Zealotus was grinning, as she readied her whip. The first one Rybio brought out was the Knight, Kayle. He was strapped down to the central chair, and he glared at the Paladins that stared at him.

"I do remember you," Garrett frowned. "You assaulted three girls in Prontera, if I remember correctly. A Merchant, an Acolyte, and a Thief. And that was recent."

"Was it?!" Eremes growled. He hated child abusers and would slaughter them with glee once again. Now Kayle looked over at the Assassin Cross and paled in full recognition. The Wizard, Mick, and the Blacksmith, Burt, were brought out by Phendark and Rybio to be strapped to the other chairs. Sarine seemed to sigh, and Kiehl moved quickly to run a hand over her growing belly. That made Mick look over, and he realized that she wasn't that big just a few days ago. Burt was just amazed at how they were caught again.

"I want to slaughter them!" Doppy hissed with his unblinking stare. His gaze softened when Sarine reached for him, and he moved into her embrace gratefully.

"I have just one question for you all," Garrett said. "Why did you beat up on her in Geffen tower long ago?"

"Why? She was weak! Vulnerable! All girls are at her age! Only the strong ones should survive!" Kayle muttered.

"Then, I'll have you know," Sarine said with a hiss. "that the only reason I was weak was because I was trapped away in darkness and left to die for the first twelve years of my life!"

"That's a lie!" Mick said. "No parent would ever be so cruel!"

"Why else would I be light enough for you to easily pick me up and slam me against a wall?!" she countered. "I only had one meal to last for one week at a time! I'll have you know that you all had broken several of my ribs with that very move you did! I almost died!"

"What?!" Burt gaped. Kayle wasn't buying it. If she didn't have Doppy calmed, he would have slaughtered them without a second thought, and Naght was dangerously close to doing just that. Osiris and Pharaoh hadn't heard about this yet. Now they were in shock and completely livid. Kiehl was ready to start the shocks, but she had something better in mind. She mentally called for Storm Caller, and he appeared with the concrete slab. He was ready to kill them off the moment he saw them.

"You don't believe me? Then look at this!" she growled, and the concrete slab was presented. At the horror that was revealed to them, they all gave screams of outrage and revulsion. After they regained themselves, she said, "That was my childhood room!"

"No way..." Kayle grimaced.

"Oh, yes...it was..." Eremes muttered.

"And she's royalty, so you were all attempting to murder a princess!" the Amatsu Captain said, as he walked in. Beelzebub's Hell Fly was telling them everything in the nursery, and he needed to see her assaulters himself. "I am the Captain of the Amatsu Royal Guard. I was helping her survive for the first three years of her torment. I can vouch for her. And let me tell you, the three of you should rot in the darkest depths of Nifflheim for the crimes you have done! If my Emperor was here, he would give the order himself!"

"And I am here," Markus said, as he walked in. "Beelzebub's fly was kind enough to inform me of what was going on. And, if the three of you have done this to my daughter, as well as others...the death penalty is far too kind to you all!"

"But...but..." Burt stammered. Now they were being judged by royalty. Luck was not on their side anymore, and the three of them knew it.

"Preying on the weak to fuel yourselves..." Doppy muttered in Sarine's caresses. "Are the three of you even human? Hmm...I have a better idea for them."

"What would that be, love?" Sarine asked.

"Those Rogues like to attack weak things, and so do they. I'd like to see them all fight each other. Then we kill off the victors!" Doppy growled. That made her blink. Kiehl wanted to use his chairs, but this actually seemed like a better form of torture.  _None of the men were transcended. It would be a fair fight for three on three._

"But, we'll still die!" Kayle argued.

"Exactly!" Kiehl grinned wickedly, and Thanatos was hissing his laughter. "You'll fight for our amusement, as you've done so much for yourselves already! And the Rogues you're going to fight like to rape their victims. Just so you know."

"Ah...oh, no..." Burt cringed. "We've heard of them! They're here?!"

"Yes. They are," Garrett nodded. Max smirked at this.

"I want to see this," Markus grinned. "My daughter, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Papa," she smiled. "Um, after this, we were going to have a small campfire with the kids. There are also some new mates you need to meet. Pharaoh and Osiris are here. Amon Ra is at the nursery."

"Really? A pleasure to meet you both!" Markus chuckled. The strong monsters nodded with complete respect, since he was of the same royal status as them.

"And Drake is here, too, but he's working on a ship for us," Sammy chuckled. "Dracula is at the nursery. You can also meet Wanderer and Incubus."

"You have a much better robe!" Markus smiled. "It really suits you."

_:I helped!:_ Muninn warbled.

"Wonderful! What do you think of this judgment? Having them fight each other?" Markus asked Muninn. The falcon warbled to show it was a good judgment.

"I shall get Tao Gunka, and a room will be constructed right now. Give me ten minutes!" Storm Caller said. They all nodded, and he left.

"I should drug them all," Kiehl growled.

"I still don't understand why there are people out there that want to prey on others. It's disgusting," Sarine frowned, and Doppy managed to put his arms around her. Loomin was glaring at the three men, and he moved over to her now.

"Hmm?" Doppy looked at him.

"How badly did they beat you, Sarine?" Loomin asked with a frown. She winced, and now Howard grimaced at her memory. He whispered in Loomin's ear at what she revealed. Beelzebub was listening, and he screamed with outrage. Doppy was still with Sarine, and he was listening in with an intense rage building within him.

"It was...the same way...as...my dream vision?!" Doppy hissed with a bloodthirsty snarl. Sarine refocused on keeping him calm, and it just barely worked.

"Let me kill them! I want to rip them to shreds!" Beelzebub seethed. Kiehl was just barely able to keep his anger under control, and he was dangerously close to simply flipping the switches to let the three men fry in the chairs. Naght brandished his swords at the memory she revealed and belched out fire. Eremes was ready to Berserk, as Ifrit flew into the dungeon to howl with rage. Markus didn't know exactly what she revealed until Muninn sent him a private vision. That made him wince and shudder with self-control.

"Is that room done yet?!" Markus growled. The Amatsu Captain was now given the same vision as Markus, and he pulled his sword out from its scabbard. Amon Ra had slowly made his way to the dungeon and now moved fully into the room. Incubus, Dracula, Wanderer, and Drake weren't far behind him. They all wanted to witness this battle. The three men strapped to the chairs were pulled from them and set back in their cells. Tao Gunka made special trap doors that were now opened to let the six prisoners out and down a path.

Sarine and her party were lead down an elaborate tunnel to a brutal arena. Howard and Kiehl stood on each side of her with their arms around her, and Sammy stood tall behind her. Two-way mirrors were set up as windows high up here, and this was what they looked through. The arena was solid rock and twenty feet deep for them to look down into it. The prisoners came out through various doors, and the Rogues ran to each other when they saw each other.

"Brother!" one said with relief.

"Finally! Together!" another said.

"They are letting us play?!" the third grinned. Various crude weapons lined the walls here for them to use against each other. Kayle, Burt, and Mick now stared at the triplet Rogues with disgust. They knew how brutal these three were.

"One rule! No one leaves here alive!" Sammy rang out sharply. "Begin!"

"The hell?!" Kayle hissed, as a Rogue stared at him and grabbed a massive sword off the wall to use on him. This is what the Rogues lived for. Muninn had reverted human to watch this, and he had his arms crossed over his chest.  _This was actually a rather suitable punishment for both parties. A fight to the death, and no one lives in the end._

"Look at the floor!" Loomin whispered. "It looks like grating!"

"You're right," Ifrit snickered. "This room is a furnace!"

"Is it?" Eremes grinned wickedly.

"So their bodies will be burned away, regardless of who lives or dies," Doppy smirked.

"Who's idea was it?" Sarine mused.

"Mine," Storm Caller grinned rather wickedly. She moved to hug him, and he hugged her back. She felt no urge to kiss him at all. He was her guide and immune to her charms. She saw him as a full father figure of sorts just like her adoptive father and Odin.

"Kiehl, you should have a couple of your chairs in there for them to use against each other next time," Keltin grinned. That made Kiehl blink with a savage grin. It would be done the moment he was able to.  _Not tonight, though. Tonight was special._

"The floor is getting hot!" Mick hissed.

"Oh?" a Rogue growled and blinked, as he noticed what the room was.

"Brother! We are in a furnace!" one of the Rogues gasped.

"No matter what, we are all going to die. Fine, then!" Kayle snarled and gutted a Rogue open. The other two screamed with rage and now swarmed the Knight. Mick held them back with his spells. Garrett and Max watched them attack each other, as the room got hotter and hotter with each passing second. Burt was able to Stun a Rogue before swinging his axe to try and hit him, but the Rogue swayed to the side and he missed. Then he got hit with a Back Stab and fell to the ground. Mick was able to hold his own for a bit longer, but the heat started to get to him. He started to lose focus, and he fell to a Rogue's attack.

"Those Rogues never really had names, did they?" Sarine frowned.

" _No. They lost their names a long time ago,_ " Muninn nodded, and he walked over to her. She sighed and looked away. She didn't want to see anymore death, and Howard let her press her face against his neck. He kept watching the gruesome battle continue. Doppy and Thanatos watched each one fall to each other carefully. It was the same for her other husbands, slaves, and mates. They wanted to make sure they all died. After nearly ten minutes, flames finally came forth from the floor with a vengeful fury and obliterated whatever was living or dead. Muninn gave a look of satisfaction, as all six souls were caught and imprisoned far underneath Nifflheim. None of the men would ever see the joys of Valhalla or be reborn.

"Good. Justice has been served," Markus nodded. The Amatsu Captain nodded and made his way back to the nursery. Beelzebub knew where Elric was in Morroc, and he had a Hell Fly report what just happened. The Assassin Guild leader was clearly pleased and relieved that this threat was gone. The Hell Fly reported back to Beelzebub that word would be spread throughout the Guild. Kiehl rubbed his hand over Sarine's belly and helped lead her out of the chamber. Zealotus was only too pleased with the room and would guard it well.

"Let's finish the night off right," Howard smiled and kissed her forehead. She nodded with a soft smile, and she was grateful that her tormentors were gone. Garrett and Max were already making their way out to report that the abusers were destroyed.  _Many cities would breathe a sigh of relief tonight._ When everyone got outside the dungeon, Markus was getting acquainted with the new mates, and Sarine was being led back to the house.

"Mama!" Serenity grinned and ran out to see her. Sarine smiled and gathered up her daughter to hug. Now her other kids ran out to see her, and she hugged each one to her. Howard was laughing softly with Kiehl, as chairs were brought out. Beelzebub's Hell Flies had reported everything, and Seyren was only too happy that the men were finally gone. When Markus approached, the kids whooped with joy and sat around him happily, as the fire was lit up.

"I'm a bit hungry," Sarine sighed, and Thanatos moved to put his hands on her belly. She leaned into him, and he gave her a soft smile. Nigel was quick to bring her sushi, and Injustice brought her a plate of cookies. Byorgue brought her the tea she needed, and Maya Purple was helping give rides to the kids with Amon Ra. The day was finally ending the way it needed to.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Markus asked, as he accepted some tea.

"I need to see about recruiting Evil Snake Lord and Turtle General. After them, I may take a trip to Prontera. I will contact you before we go," Sarine said, as she ate.

"Good! I look forward to the visit," Markus chuckled. Sammy cleared his throat and told him of the two princes. Markus frowned at this and said, "If they continue to be a burden, let me know. I'll speak with their fathers, myself."

"I know, Papa," she smiled. Ragged Zombie made a small growl, as the kids started to get out of hand, and it put them right back in line. Then he thought of something and decided to show the kids he could still be fun to hang around.

"Kids, do you want to see something cool?" the zombie grinned playfully.

"What's that, Dad?" Gunther asked, as they gathered around him now.

"Back up a bit away from the fire, and I'll show you," he grinned. The kids did as he said, and he pulled out a rib. Then he flung it into the fire for a massive fireball to appear. They squealed with delight at this. Muninn rose a brow and lightly communed with Odin.

" _Ragged Zombie, Father Odin is impressed with your discovery! He would like to grant you the ability to set your ribs on fire whenever you want,_ " Muninn grinned.

"I'll take it!" the zombie grinned. His form glowed, and now he thought. Then he grinned, as Eremes took out a Dead Branch and broke it. A rogue Wooden Golem appeared, and Ragged Zombie took out a rib to fling it. Right before it struck the monster, it burst into flames and took it out in one hit.

"Nice!" Keltin laughed. "Use another one!"

"All right," Eremes nodded and broke another Dead Branch. The monster that appeared was a monster that looked like Nightmare, but it was made with red flames instead of blue.

"Nightmare Terror!" Keltin blinked. Now Doppy got up, as the monster glowed with power and became a steed that he could ride. It was a much stronger version of Nightmare, and it stomped a hoof on the ground. Like its blue counterpart, a Demonic reaper would appear with a scythe to help attack monsters around it.

"I think my kids just found their future steeds. Unless they go with wolves," Doppy grinned. "Maybe they should stick with these guys, since they're my kids."

"Wow!" Gunther gaped, and Nightmare Terror snorted. Bianca was giggling, as it sniffed her and nuzzled her. Sarine smiled softly and sighed.

"You know, both Nightmare and Nightmare Terror are demons," Sammy grinned.

"Can they be our rides, Dad?" Gunther asked.

"Maybe when you get older. Okay?" Doppy grinned. "Right now, you can't handle them. Grow a bit more, and we'll talk about it."

"Okay," Gunther nodded. Bianca was just happy to know that she had a ride secured for her. She would likely take Nightmare, and Gunther would get Nightmare Terror.

"Grampa! Um, you okay?" Serenity asked Markus.

"I'm fine, Serenity. I'll need to see if your great grandmother can come and see you again soon. She misses you all," Markus chuckled.

"We miss Gramma!" Serenity giggled. "Um...I can call her Gramma, yah?"

"Of course, you can," he smiled warmly, and she climbed up into his lap. Then she surprised him by giving out a soft purr. Naght looked over and rumbled his own purr at her. Howard grinned and ran a hand down Sarine's back lovingly. They all looked up, as Baphomet appeared to check on everyone, and Beelzebub moved over to him quickly. He muttered to him in Demonic, and Baphomet was hissing with hate at first. Then he got amused and started laughing at what happened.

"Good to know they're dead," Baphomet nodded. He snorted and moved to look at Sarine, as he made his way to her. Howard nodded to him and so did Kiehl.

"Baphomet?" Sarine frowned.

"If I knew what those men did beforehand, I would have slaughtered them without a second thought!" he snarled. "Who else harmed you?!"

"Funny you should ask," Howard grinned and told him about the Hunter turned Sniper. He thought about this and called for his son.

"Yes, Dad?" Baphomet Jr. asked him, as he walked over.

"If this one shows up again, call me! I will judge him, myself!" Baphomet hissed. Sarine blinked at this, and his son nodded. Naght seemed to chuckle, and Thanatos was grinning.

"My Lady, the kids are starting to get tired," Errende smiled, as Angela yawned.

"Let's feed them some meat to weigh them down a bit. Then we'll put them to bed," Sarine chuckled. At that thought, Kathryne and Cecil brought out trays of meat. The slaves quickly took over the job, and the kids settled down to watch the meat cook.

"So, bedtime after we eat?" Siegfried frowned.

"Yes, dear," Sarine nodded. "Remember, you may be going fishing tomorrow, so you'll need lots of sleep."

"Argh! She be right!" Drake grinned, as he sat down wearily. "Odin's Pride be ready ta sail by tomorrow. I made various fishing rods, hooks, and lures for the kids. I have Cameron in the galley ta prep meals, too. He be a good chef! Pirate Skeleton be me first mate, and there be other skeletons that be the working crew."

"First Mate skeleton?" Serenity asked. "Um...Mama has lots of First Mates, though."

"It be different fer ships, ye see. A first mate on a ship be like me assistant. Come 'round me, and I'll tell ye all how a ship's crew works, aye?" Drake grinned. Now the kids moved over to him to learn, and Serenity was sitting on his knee to get lightly bounced. As he kept them occupied, Sarine leaned heavily into Howard's chest. He was still incredibly cold to her, and Kiehl was a bit worried.

"I know that she doesn't crave you as badly as Thanatos," Kiehl whispered. "But, just the fact that you're still like this to her has me concerned."

"I know what you're thinking," Thanatos frowned. "Love, do I feel cold to you with my hands on your belly? Or is it only Howard?"

"Um," Sarine blinked and thought. "You're warm. Like normal warm. How-How feels cold to me. Kiehl does, too, but not all the time, and it's the same with Sammy. Ever since the Sphinx, I've been needing How-How close."

"Huginn did say that her craving for Howard should be normal in the morning," Kiehl said softly. "All we can do is wait and see."

"Hmm," Sammy thought. "Get Loomin and let's find out if he sees anything."

"Oh, right!" Howard nodded. Errende moved at Thanatos's mental whisper and had Loomin go over to them. Sammy explained what they wanted him to try and see.

"All right," Loomin said. "Sarine? Can you sit with me for a bit?"

"Okay," she smiled and was moved into his lap. He ran a hand up her back and over her belly. He was focusing completely on her now and what he found was a bit disturbing.

"I have what I need. I need to think about this to see how to explain it. Go sit with Howard again," Loomin said gently and kissed her forehead.

"Is it bad?" she trembled, as Howard pulled her close again.

"It is nothing that Muninn cannot help me with," Loomin said. That got their attention, and Muninn froze time quickly at this.

" _What was discovered?!_ " he asked. All of Sarine's men looked over now.

"It's her stasis," Loomin frowned. "It's still there, but the triplets 'know' that Howard is here. They want...more of him. In a sense. Kiehl has made them all incredibly intelligent, and Naght's Demonic blood has made them fully aware of what's going on around them. They know that it's not their time yet, but they miss Howard. Normally, a stasis should lock them in time. Odin's stasis has it to where they simply can't grow, but they can still interact in different ways. That could be partly from Keltin's Rage, too. But, because they miss Howard, Sarine needs him. If she's with him tonight, it will sate them."

"My kids miss me?!" Howard blinked with surprise. He and the other men were listening in, as this was far too important. Kiehl was in a silent shock from this.

"How far does he need to go...to stop them from missing him?" Eremes asked.

"He will need to give her a lot of blood tonight," Loomin said. "To a point that it may kill him. Like Muninn said before, he will need emergency reserves of water and Yggdrasil Berries. For the rest of the night, Howard can't leave her side for anything. I would say the same for Sammy and Kiehl, too."

"Well, we weren't planning on doing that, anyways," Sammy nodded.

"I think I know what the triplets are going through," Kiehl sighed. "Howard, remember how Serenity acted when she saw me after two weeks of my working loop?"

"Oh! You think it's like that?!" Howard winced.

"I wasn't here for that," Loomin said. Muninn nodded and revealed to them how Serenity screamed for Kiehl and cried in his arms after finally seeing him.

"That's bad..." Nigel hissed out softly.

"Trust me, it's never going to get like that again," Kiehl frowned. "Once was too much."

"Tell me about it," Howard nodded. Now Kiehl shivered at the memories Howard revealed of Serenity whimpering and worrying for him nonstop during those two weeks.

"Never again!" Kiehl trembled. Howard could only sigh, as he kept his arms around Sarine's frozen form. Beelzebub wasn't too pleased on everything, as it was.

" _The moment the kids go to sleep, Sarine needs to be with everyone first. She'll need the reconciling. Then it should just be Incantation Samurai, Howard, and Kiehl. Aliot and Injustice should be nearby, if they need anything, since they don't need sleep. Observation is very much the same. If they need anything at all, let the slaves get it. Don't leave her side for anything!_ " Muninn warned. " _Thanatos should be near with Doppy, if something goes wrong. Even Naght, or any other demon. Eremes doesn't need sleep, either, and neither does Keltin, if he remains in Bongun form. Tonight can go rather smoothly or fully crash down. As long as Sarine is kept sated and happy, everything should be fine. The stasis needs this._ "

"Is there anything else we can do?" Keltin asked.

" _Hmm. There is!_ " Muninn nodded. " _Don't let her stay the night at the Prontera castle. The King will insist, and she MUST decline! Just say her kids need her. If she stays, the prince will likely try something. I know it will be thwarted easily, but she doesn't need the excess stress. I would go so far as to bring the children to her to solidify the fact that she can't stay there. She can see about purchasing a home, but do not let her have the castle, itself, be her home. That would only make things worse, as the prince would think he could gain easy access to her._ "

"I'll kill him, if he touches her!" Beelzebub hissed. The others felt the same way. Doppy was thinking of various things, as time came back, and he sighed. Muninn looked over at him and waited for Sarine to be told that she was not to leave Howard's side for any reason tonight. Then Muninn froze time again.

"Huh?!" Doppy blinked, as he found himself the only one moving.

" _You have something on your mind,_ " Muninn said.

"Yeah. I do," he nodded. "I like being in this body. But...I can't shake the feeling that I need to be with Sarine in my original one. Ever since the dream vision she had with me, the feeling has been getting stronger. I don't want the others to feel alarmed. I just...I dunno how else to explain it. I feel sort of cheated out of it. Sammy had her in his kid form. Even now just to get her pregnant. Even Keltin can be in his original form with her. What I want to ask is...if there is any way for me to be with her in my original form, even if it's for a moment, I'd like that. I honestly know it's needed."

" _Hmm. I'll bring back time and talk to Father Odin. She already had kids with you, so, we may be able to work something out. Maybe a one time thing? Would that be enough? I'm sure that Father Odin does not want you to be in your original form for too long. You were meant to be in this current form to be his and her Wrath, you know._ "

"Even once for a short while will be plenty," Doppy nodded. "Then, if it's my turn to get her pregnant again, maybe we can arrange it to happen again."

" _I think that can work! Let me bring back time, and I'll ask him,_ " Muninn nodded. When time resumed, Doppy sat back in his chair and watched the fire patiently. Time passed quickly for him this way, and he ate the meat given to him when it was done. After they ate, and the kids were taken to their beds in the nursery, time froze again.

"Find out anything?" Doppy asked.

" _Yes. As an emergency measure only, you will be able to switch back and forth between your original and current forms. You cannot become your original form to show it off. It will only be available if the urge to be in it becomes too strong. Or, if Sarine starts to crave you in various ways. Father Odin and I have discussed this at length. I have...seen...various spots in time that the craving for both you and her would get so bad that it would be dangerous. So, tonight, you will be in your original form to help comfort her. Then you will change back. Hold on,_ " Muninn said and unfroze time before freezing it again. Sarine's other husbands, Naght, Errende, Ifrit, Thanatos, and Beelzebub found themselves in the time freeze.

"What's going on?!" Howard asked with concern.

"Nothing, Howard. Muninn will explain," Doppy said calmly.

" _Doppelganger wants to be with Sarine in his original state. Father Odin decided to let it be an emergency thing only, since Doppelganger is his and her Wrath. No one else is to know of this! We don't want anyone or anything to challenge him in his original form. It's not strong enough for everything that is going on. The only time this original state will appear is when Sarine starts to crave Doppelganger to be like this. So, tonight, he will be in his original form to be with her to comfort her. He cannot simply switch back and forth like Incantation Samurai or Keltin. He will likely change back to his current state when the craving is sated._ "

"I see," Loomin said. "I understand, too. Sarine does appreciate Keltin in his original Bongun form. And this is only for emergencies?"

"Yes," Doppy nodded. "I've been feeling this urge to do it ever since my dream vision with her. It's needed. I know for a fact that she'll be craving it at certain times with my next pregnancy with her. I also know that I can't be my original form for long periods of time. I like my current form. I kick ass with my current form. But, my original form will be there  _only_  to comfort her. I know that she needs this now, and I do, too. So, I'll wait for everyone else to finish with her first. I'll be one of the last to be with her to surprise her with it. Once she's done being with me, I'll become my current form again."

"Okay," Kiehl nodded. "Of course, Beelzebub would need to know, since he can hear us if we whisper. The others don't need to know."

"I will not challenge him when he is weak," Ifrit nodded. "I would have learned through Eremes, so, this is good for me to know."

" _As Father Odin's and Sarine's Wrath, it is important that this remains a secret between the lot of you,_ " Muninn nodded. " _I'm sure, in time, others will know, but, like my sister's stasis, they must swear that they will not challenge Doppelganger. So, for now, only the lot of you will know this secret. The future always twists and turns. We must press on._ "

Thanatos and Errende nodded as one. Naght rumbled in understanding, and Howard nodded with Kiehl.

"Let's let her mates be with her first," Keltin suggested. "Then her slaves. Then we, as her husbands, will all be together as a group."

" _That will work. I'll freeze time for you all to ensure she has enough time to be with everyone. It will also ensure that no one will disturb Doppelganger in his original form,_ " Muninn agreed. " _I can tell that he and my sister will need this._ "

"I should become her husband, too," Beelzebub thought. "I know it's not really necessary, but, with what I can do for her by listening to conversations in any town she's welcome in, why shouldn't I?"

"I claimed getting her pregnant again after Loomin!" Doppy growled.

"Then I guess I'll have to get her pregnant with yours!" Beelzebub grinned.

"One thing at a time here!" Kiehl chuckled. "First of all, what does everyone think of Beelzebub becoming a husband? Any objections?"

"Hmm," Howard thought. "He does bring up a valid point. He can hear any conversation that goes on in any claimed city. But, I also think that Sarine needs to make the final decision on this. I know there are many here now that can calm her down. Stress will not be an issue. And he can hide her in his robe to really calm her down."

"That I can," the Demon Lord nodded.

"In the dream vision with her, he started to guide her to find the other strong monsters," Sammy mused. That made Beelzebub nod again with a small smile.

"You have me curious," Loomin thought. "Being the Lord of Flies, would she lay eggs with you, too? Or would she get pregnant?"

" _That's...wow..._ " Muninn blinked, as he thought ahead. " _Loomin, you're right. She'd be producing eggs for him, too. When Doppelganger gets her pregnant, Beelzebub will become First Mate at her Demonic Mating. However, Doppelganger and Sarine brought up something valid of having her pregnant with angel blood during his pregnancy with her. The only problem is that I can't tell if it will be Observation or Alexander that does it._ "

"Why Alexander?!" Howard hissed out. Naght snarled, and Kiehl grimaced.

" _I don't know when they plan to fight. Only a First Mate angel can get her pregnant._ "

Howard and Kiehl nodded to each other that they would find out. Beelzebub now understood what they were thinking, and Naght sighed.

"We'll make sure Observation joins that Demonic Mating," Eremes said. "However, due to him being an angel, I don't think Demonic Rules would apply."

"No, they wouldn't," Thanatos nodded. "He'll join just to ensure that he can get her pregnant. We'll let the other demons know. We don't want Alexander to have any kids with her. At least not until Observation does first. He is important to her as a slave. Alexander has his moments, but he's mainly a guard against Loki and a protector for the kids."

Naght nodded in full about this, and so did Beelzebub.

"I was curious. Would it be possible for me to be a mate and a husband?" Beelzebub asked. "I know that the point may be rather moot in the end, but it's a curiosity of mine."

"I don't see how that would be a problem," Kiehl mused.

"What would you wear to show your status, though? That's the question I have," Howard grinned. Beelzebub looked over at him with a small grin.

"I could wear a better crown," he thought. "Or a necklace. Maybe even a ring of sorts."

"Do you know how pissed off and jealous Ragged Zombie will get?" Keltin grinned.

"Why do you think I want to do it?" Beelzebub countered. That got them laughing.

"Let's ask Sarine about it first," Howard chuckled. "Personally, I don't mind it. But, maybe we should ask Odin, too. As a husband of hers, you get a special title and a special skill to be with her. In fact, we should all tell you our true names to her and what we can do with her to help protect her. I am her Armor. Give me a shield with a card in it, and I can put the effect on her. I can also take a lot of damage for her. I also have the elemental property of Earth. This means I can attack and defend with it. I think it's mainly the Rock property, though."

"Really?" Beelzebub thought.

"I'm her Guardian," Keltin nodded. "I pretty much defend her and lead her to other monsters that need her, as you know. My Rage can even reflect her Light of Odin attack. I haven't tried it yet. None of us have really tried out skills with her yet, but I'm not going to, since it can hurt her right now. She...vomited blood the last time she used the attack. This was before we got you when she fought Misty in the arena. We can't let her use her Light of Odin while she's pregnant. I can also change my attack type to be the direct opposite of what I'm attacking to properly hurt the attacker. I have the elemental property of Ice."

"She vomited blood?!" the Demon Lord hissed.

"She did," Eremes frowned. "Anyways...I am her Weapon. I kill anything without thought. I also...have the ability to do a rare one-hit kill move. I am immune to Fire with her...and I can make others feel pain with Fire. I can also make others immune to Fire. As you can see...I have the elemental property of Fire. Comes from being blood-bonded with Ifrit..."

"As you know, I'm her Wrath," Doppy grinned. "I can Berserk into a rage, if the fighting starts to get out of hand, but I can hurt friend and foe alike. Other than her, so it's fine by me. I can also make a duplicate of myself, if I need to, and I have a multi-hit kill ability. My element is Wind, and you saw what I can do with her when I focus on singing with her."

"I am her Life," Sammy said. "Anything that starts to physically hurt her will affect me first. I can Full Heal myself once, if the situation gets desperate. I can also use something much like a permanent Devotion skill. Thus, why everything affects me before her. She would also receive any buffs given to me, come to think of it. My elemental property is Water."

"And now you?" Beelzebub chuckled at Loomin.

"I'm her Eyes, because of my God Sight. I can see the truth in everything, as you know. I don't really think that I have something to do with her yet, other than see the truth. I'm sure it will be revealed to me in time. However, I have two elements. I have Light and Shadow. Light is easy for me. I've been working on Shadow, as you know," Loomin smiled.

"Very interesting," Beelzebub thought. "You know, I could be her Ears, since I hear everything for her. What do you think, Muninn?"

" _Ah..._ " Muninn blinked at this and paused. Now he muttered, and Beelzebub cracked a grin. " _I'll need to consult with Father Odin about this, but you're right. You are definitely needed for her. All right, I'm bringing back time._ "

"Good," Howard said. When time was brought back, Sarine was cuddled by Howard, and he whispered softly to her. She blinked in shock at this and looked at Beelzebub curiously.

"I'll have myself be one of the last ones to be with her. Like Doppy," the Demon Lord said. "This way, we can all talk in full."

"Be with me?" Sarine asked with a smile.

"We need to have a long talk. But, you need to help everyone else first. Okay?" Kiehl smiled. She thought and nodded. Markus got up, and she got up now to hug him.

"You know," he smiled. "I would be lying if I didn't say that I didn't have an interest in going fishing. It has been a long time since I did such a thing."

"Hmm. As long as you stay with the kids on the ship?" Howard grinned.

"I can do that," Markus nodded. "It will be a nice surprise. Maybe I can hide somewhere on the ship and surprise them out at sea?"

"We can arrange that!" Drake grinned. Plans were now made, and he would be called to join them tomorrow. As he was leaving, he called the guards and Priests that were waiting on Sarine. He realized that her loves were definitely more than enough protection, and he ordered them to help at the arena when they were needed. Nodding to him, the Amatsu guards and Priests left to see what they could do. If they were needed, Sarine would get them.

She was now taken up to the bedroom, as the kids were settled in their beds. The fire pit was cleaned up, and everyone was now in their respective rooms to settle in for the night. Sarine was laid back on a floor cushion in the bathroom, and she paused.

"Keltin? Um...can I have a bit of your blood?" she smiled.

"Why?" he chuckled.

"Well, if I have to satisfy all of my loves, I need to have the appetite for it. Right?" she grinned. That made him growl, and Howard laughed. Kiehl moved to help Sarine get some blood. Once she took a couple mouthfuls from Keltin, she was ready. She even grabbed a mouthful of blood off of Aliot when he had her to keep her going. Now her loves experienced a full sexual burnout again. Those that didn't experience it before were simply floored at her appetite. Ragged Zombie had doubts at first, but now he didn't.

"Does she ever...stop?!" the zombie gasped, as he rested.

"Only...when Howard helps her..." Thanatos sighed.

"Now, imagine this, but all the time," Byorgue grinned. That made the zombie's jaw drop. Beelzebub was giggling like mad, but he was waiting with Doppy. The two of them wanted to make sure that all of her men were sated first. Sammy had to move out of the bathroom when Howard's tattoo was active. Only after he sated her fully was Sammy able to move back inside. Her husbands, Naght, Ifrit, Thanatos, Errende, and Beelzebub followed, and time was soon frozen. Muninn walked in after them, and they all sat down on floor cushions.

" _Okay,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _Sarine? Are you all right?_ "

"Yes..." she sighed and rested against Howard.

" _I'm sure they told you about Beelzebub. What do you think of him becoming a husband? What are your thoughts?_ "

"Well," Sarine smiled softly. "in a way, he is very important to me with what he can do. He would definitely be my Ears. He's proving that already! But, what element would he have?"

" _Lightning would be his element,_ " Muninn nodded.

"Lightning? Why that one?" Beelzebub frowned.

"Heh. Isn't it obvious?" Doppy grinned. "You can call down your flies to strike down the enemies from above. And you're very fast when it comes to responding to various things."

"That may be so, but I don't have a lightning based attack. I'm a Demon Lord from Hell," he said. "You would think that I would have a form of Fire."

"I have Fire. That's covered," Eremes chuckled.

" _Well, you have a lightning attack now!_ " Muninn grinned, as he let Beelzebub's form glow. " _Two attacks now. Lord of Vermillion and a rather nasty Thunder Storm spell. You are a very powerful magic user, anyways. You need these spells._ "

"Ah...oh! I like this!" Beelzebub grinned wickedly.

"So...how would this work?" Sarine frowned. Then she blinked, as Muninn handed her a wedding ring to give to Beelzebub. The Demon Lord paused at this, and she stood up slowly. She had quite a bit of Howard's blood and was sated of him for now.

"Ah..." Beelzebub blinked, as she took off the glove to his top left hand and slipped his ring on his finger for him. He gazed at her and growled, as he let his robe and weapons drop. He didn't care that he still had two sets of arms out, and the others let him have her.

"Husband," she whispered, as he settled himself over her.

"My wife. My mate," he growled and kissed her possessively, as he gave himself to her.

"If Hibram or Ragged Zombie see this, they'll want in," Loomin mused.

"I don't know if they can," Sammy sighed. "We would need to see exactly what they can do for her in order for them to even join us on this level."

"I can only see the two of them becoming husbands, because Hibram is blood-bonded with Margaretha, and Ragged Zombie is just awesome," Thanatos grinned.

" _Hmm. Doppelganger, when did you want to be with her?_ " Muninn asked.

"I'll wait until he's done. I'll surprise her," Doppy chuckled.

" _All right. As for Hibram, I can understand why he should be a husband, too. He is donating blood to new recruits, and that is a worthy cause. And, yes, Ragged Zombie definitely helps to keep her happy, and he keeps the kids in line,_ " Muninn grinned. " _We'll see what the next few days bring. For now, we'll stick with this._ "

"Sounds good," Kiehl nodded. He laughed with Howard at the violent sounds of release. Howard suddenly thought of something, and Kiehl smacked him.

"What?!" Howard growled.

"Don't think of that!" Kiehl growled back. "I don't want you to think of 'what would happen if I never went to Lighthalzen', or 'if I never had that medicine' stuff! Hell, I'd probably  _still_  see you as my brother, regardless!"

"I think a dream vision is in order," Sammy grinned.

"Wait until I'm done with her," Doppy said. "Then we can do that."

"I think this is just going to be one big wedding night for everyone," Keltin grinned.

"You may be right," Loomin chuckled. Beelzebub walked over with his lower set of arms and hands on his waist, and his upper set of arms crossed over his chest. His chest was incredibly long for this feat, as was the rest of him. Naght and Ifrit smirked, as they watched everything silently from where they were by the door. They didn't want to risk being around water pipes in case a shower was needed.

"That looks creepy..." Eremes said, as he studied the Demonic body.

"Good," Beelzebub grinned, and they all laughed. He had his lower set of arms sink back in to look a bit more normal, and he sat down. "Your turn, Doppy."

When Doppy nodded and stood up, his form tingled, as his original body came back to him. He was still armored, but that was fine. A form of nostalgia returned to him, and he shivered. The dream vision he had with her came back in full, and he trembled now with a renewed form of protection and love for her. Beelzebub was actually impressed with his original body, but he knew that Doppy's newer body was needed for everything else.  _Muninn was right about this original body being there for comfort only._

Sarine was sitting on the floor and hugging herself softly. She simply didn't know what to think of anything anymore. Then she blinked, as she felt a very familiar set of gloved hands pick her up and move her into a lap. She paused and now looked at Doppy with a gasp, as she whispered, "Doppy?! How? I...oh!"

"Sorry Sari," he whispered, and he removed his gloves to set aside. His wedding ring was still quite apparent on his hand, and he hugged her to him with a soft sigh of contentment.

"How?" she asked again, as she ran a hand over his cheek. He started to purr at this, and he clearly didn't want to say anything else just yet. He made a soft, plaintive whimper of solid need, and she pulled him close to kiss desperately. She helped him remove his armor frantically, and he cried out when he finally took her. There was simply no regard for anything else. This was long overdue for both of them, and they couldn't wait any longer.

"Sorry...Sari...!" he gasped, as he worked with her. He finally gave in to a hard, white-hot release, and she shouted with him at it. Sitting up with her, he kept her close and nuzzled her. He was still panting hard at everything.

"Doppy...!" she breathed, as she pressed herself into his neck. She clearly missed him like this. He let her touch him and feel all of the familiar parts of his chest and shoulders. She moved her hands into his hair, and he gave a shaky gasp at how much he craved just this part of her touching. They were clearly killing each other with this need to simply touch and know that everything was real like this and not an illusion. Then they started to softly weep with each other from the sheer, immense joy that everything was completely real.

"Wow..." Howard said with complete amazement.

"This is...really intense!" Kiehl blinked. Naght rumbled a soft purr at the thoughts running through their minds, and Ifrit clearly looked over at them with a form of understanding.

"Is it?" Keltin asked.

"Just look at them!" Loomin whispered. "This was definitely building up between them for a while now. Ever since the dream vision they shared. They both clearly needed this."

"I wonder...what the kids would think...on seeing Doppy like this..." Eremes mused.

"Ooh, yes!" Ifrit agreed, and Naght laughed.

"That would be funny!" Thanatos grinned.

"Ah, we should ask My Lady," Errende smiled. "Doppy can't be like this at will, so it would need to be done when they next need each other like this, right? And we would need to make sure that none of the others saw this. Maybe, if they got close enough and promised not to reveal the secret, but only then, as Muninn said."

"True," Beelzebub nodded. Muninn was simply watching with a form of fascination. He never realized how much his sister loved Doppy like this. He frowned, as he thought to himself. _Doppy should have the ability to revert back and forth, but Father Odin was right. Doppy was his Wrath and her Wrath. Only in emergencies like this would his original form be given back. I will have to see about talking to Father Odin into letting the kids see him in his original form. This way, they wouldn't be alarmed, if they walked in on Sarine and Doppy like this. That would be needed, and the experience would be quite funny at first._

"I can't be like this at will, Sorry Sari. My original body is only for me to comfort you," Doppy sighed after his second intense release with her. She frowned, and he nuzzled her.

"I missed you like this," she shivered, and he hugged her to him with a harder sigh.

"I know. I missed this, too. This was needed very badly for us. Odin will let me have my original body back when our craving for each other gets as bad as this. I still have to kick ass for you in my stronger body, you know," he grinned and that made her giggle and nod.

"Then, I'm glad that I'll get to see you like this when we really need it," she smiled and nuzzled him. "Um...do you think you'll be like this when I have more children with you?"

"It had better happen!" he growled with that familiar, scowling grin she always knew, and they hugged each other tightly. She softly started to sing, and he cradled her. His voice was still the same, and he sang with her. They laughed and cuddled each other when the song was over. Now he looked over at the others with a rueful smile.

"I'm jealous of you!" Howard said, and that got Doppy laughing.

"How-How, you know I love you as much as everyone else," Sarine said with a proud smile. "I will always love everyone the same, regardless of anything."

"I know," Howard sighed. "It's just when you have moments like that. I know you both needed it. In a way, he probably should have had you like that before he married you."

"Why do you think this is a large wedding night for all of us? It's like Keltin said," Loomin asked with a grin. Keltin chuckled and nodded. That made Sarine blink and blush. Doppy cuddled her again and let her cling to him. He got up and kept her in his arms, as he kicked his armor over to where the others were. Errende got up to help him out, and she was brought back over to them. Doppy wasn't going to be letting her go right now, and Howard simply moved so that she could sit between them both.

"Sarine, I want to do a dream vision of what would happen if you met me in other ways. I want Howard to shut up about me not being his brother!" Kiehl said with a frown.

"Oh, come on!" Howard growled and small snickers were given.

"I think we can do that. I am a bit curious, too," she nodded.

"I want to still be with you all," Beelzebub grinned. "Maybe, another continuation?"

"Oh, this will be fun," Howard muttered, and the Demon Lord laughed.

"Now you have me curious," Sammy grinned and thought. "But, would this be before or after you met me? It makes me wonder."

"Maybe before," Sarine thought. "I would love to see what would happen if I met you with Beelzebub."

"And there are no continuations with me?" Doppy frowned. She looked at him and nipped his ear to make him shiver and relent. "Okay. I'll go with it for now."

"Good!" she grinned, and he squeezed her.

" _Now you all have me curious,_ " Muninn smiled. " _Time has been frozen, and is still frozen. Are you all ready?_ "

"Let's do it," Keltin nodded. Muninn nodded and had them all focus for it start...


	129. Chapter 129

A month had passed since Beelzebub had joined their group. The Frilldora card was able to be found, but now they needed to find a suitable garment for her to use with it. They had stopped to camp in the forests outside of Payon, and Eremes was too tired to stay awake to train Sarine in the ways of nightly survival. She had gotten up to find a suitable place to relieve herself, and Beelzebub was able to guide her around safely. He made sure the Assassin was in a deep sleep against the tree he was leaning on before deciding that it was safe to talk to Sarine.

"Sarine," he asked. He made sure she was finished.

"Yes?" she asked, as she pulled her Archer clothes back up.

"I want to know more about what you can remember," Beelzebub said lightly. She frowned and looked over at Howard's sleeping form on the roll-out blanket by the dying fire. Her Baphomet Jr. pet was sleeping soundly, too, and looked very warm and comfy to snuggle with. She wanted to snuggle him and go back to sleep with Howard, but she could only nod to Beelzebub. The way he looked at her showed he was serious about what he wanted.

"Um...what do you want to know?" she asked, as he sat down to let her sit in his lap. His Hell Flies hovered about protectively now and kept monsters back easily. He set down his staff and book within his robe so he could make himself ready to hold her or hug her if he had to. He could sense her innocent, childhood persona ready to come back out, and she would need the comfort if it got bad enough.

"You said you only had one meal a week. Do you remember what meals they gave you?" he asked. "If you can't remember, then it's fine."

"Um...mainly rice and vegetables with a little meat. Ah, I do remember that, sometimes there was an odd, white powder on them. It tasted funny, like it was bitter," she thought. "But...well...when you're hungry, you'll eat anything, right?"

"Powder? Hmm," he frowned. "Was it mold?"

"No. But...after I ate it, I felt weak and a little sick," she shivered, and now he growled.

"It sounds like poison."

"Poison?!" she whimpered.

"Think about it. It was white and powdery. It tasted bitter, not sweet like sugar, and it made you feel sick. Then you felt weak after you ate it. Did you throw up?"

"No. I just felt weak and had small headaches. Sometimes, my muscles would cramp, if I had too much of it. So...I was able to try and brush off most of it. Ah...well...um..."

"What else? Tell me."

"There was one week that I got really sick," she shivered. "How-How and the others don't know this yet. Um...I...almost died that week..."

"How sick?" he asked with a mild glare away from her to show he wasn't mad at her.

"I couldn't feed myself. I couldn't move. It was summer, so I was sweating it out, but I had no way to give myself water. A doctor did come in and help me, but, that was all he could do," she shivered harder with a harsh whimper, and he hugged her tight to him now to comfort her. "He...didn't think I was going to make it..."

"You said you were cold in winter," Beelzebub sighed, as he continued the questions.

"Yes. The walls were thin, you see. I had to press myself against the warmer walls of the palace to stay warm. I had no insulation. And...when it got really cold, it was hard to light candles to melt my water down to drink. I didn't bathe that much, since the water was already cold, and it would have just made it worse for me."

"Then, the other day when that storm happened, you demanded to be in a cave. Why?"

"The storm..." she whimpered, and he squeezed her to show it was all right. "My room had thin walls, as you know. So...when the storm makes the walls shake...I always thought that the room was going to crash down on me..."

"Such horrors for you to live with!" he cringed, and she just nodded. He knew that she wasn't lying. Her body language and soft, frightened whispers were enough for him to know that it was the truth. She was still incredibly childish when it came to talking about her past, and it hurt him badly when more came out. He started to purr to comfort her, and it relaxed her.

"But...everything is okay now," she said softly, as exhaustion set in. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then one to her mouth to prove how safe she was with him.

"Yes. It is," he nodded. He watched the sky slowly move and shift, as the stars moved along. When he looked down again, she was sleeping rather deeply. He hugged her to him all the more with a gentle smile. He sighed and pressed another kiss to her forehead, as he kept purring. Several hours passed, and, when the sun broke over the horizon, Howard woke up first. He felt around first for Sarine before realizing that she wasn't there, and he bolted up quickly.

"Sarine?!" he hissed, and Beelzebub rose up a free, gloved hand from where he sat. Baphomet Jr. blinked awake and snorted with his own form of worry. Eremes woke up at Howard's alarm and narrowed his eyes at where she was.

"She's with me. She...told me more about her past," he said. Now Howard was curious and moved to sit by them. Eremes roused the others lightly, and Beelzebub whispered what she told him. Baphomet Jr. had moved to sit on Beelzebub's knee to be close to Sarine's sleeping form. Cecil was gasping with tears of rage, and Seyren hugged her when his own pain came through. Eremes was fuming, and Howard was shivering with control. Kathryne was making fists with her hands, and Margaretha had a very worried look on her face.

"She almost died?!" Howard gasped. "I...remember that illness that moved through the town! It was horrific! And she had no help for a whole week?!"

"The caves..." Cecil gasped. "Now it makes sense! For the storms!"

"So much that we didn't know," Seyren grimaced. If there was anything that Baphomet Jr. agreed on with Seyren it was their protectiveness and concern for Sarine.

"Dad will have to know about this," Baphomet Jr. said with a pained sigh. "He'll want to know. Does he know? Is there a way to tell him?"

"Funny you should ask," Beelzebub chuckled. "Since the branding, I was able to leave a Hell Fly with him, and it told him quite a bit. As long as my fly stays near his body like a minion, he knows what I know. So, in a sense, he knows everything. He's exceptionally pissed off. So, don't worry. He does know."

"If only there was a way to bring Dad here!" Baphomet Jr. growled.

"Oh, I found something for sale the other day, and it was really cheap, now that you mention it," Seyren grinned. The little pet demon looked at him with a narrowed gaze.

"What did you find?" Howard asked. "And you were the one that took money from me?! You asshole! That was to go for inn and food funds!"

"Oh, come on, Howard!" Seyren growled. "If you see a Bloody Branch being sold for a hundred thousand zeny and not for ten million zeny, you grab it when you can!"

"You found a Bloody Branch that cheap?!" Beelzebub grinned now, and he looked down as Sarine woke from the commotion. She realized where she was, and she gasped.

"It's okay, Sarine," Howard smiled, and Beelzebub let her go to him.

"I had to go to the bathroom, and Beelzebub helped me," she said.

"It's all right. He...told us what you told him," Seyren said gently. She cringed, and Howard hugged her tightly. Eremes was still curious about the Bloody Branch, and he cleared his throat to bring the subject back with a small glance to it.

"Ah, yes. The Bloody Branch. Should we use it?" Kathryne asked.

"You got a Bloody Branch?!" Sarine gaped.

"Yes, we did," Seyren nodded. She winced, but Howard whispered to her, and she nodded. Baphomet Jr. moved to help comfort her, and she picked him up to cuddle.

"I'll be protecting her," Beelzebub said. "Just keep her behind me."

"Right," Howard nodded. Seyren took out the large branch that dripped blood, and Sarine was pulled back to the small camp quickly. A protective barrier was made with Hell Flies and bodies. Seyren moved to the front of them all, and he snapped the Bloody Branch.

At first there was nothing. Then an odd sound like a robotic moan was heard. Then the image of Kiel D-01 appeared. The monster resembled a man with a nasty possession. His ghost was hovering about him with a vengeance. He hissed and gasped from the control of it, as he fully came forth. Sarine looked over at him and whimpered from how scary it all looked. Then the strong monster paused at the sound of her voice, and the ghost started to lose control of its host. She gave another small cry, as Howard protected her, and the ghost seemed to waver when it lost its full control. The strong monster fell to his knees, and his memory started to come back quickly when his mind cleared.

"Ah! Where...am I?! Ugh...my name is...Kiehl...yes...I remember now!" he hissed, as he shook his head. "That possession...it's gone! Still there, but...how?!"

"Kiehl, you say?" Beelzebub asked carefully.

"Yes! That voice! A girl? Who is that? And...familiar. A scent. It's like mine! Something here is important. Where is it?! I must find it!" Kiehl said frantically.

"Easy, friend," Beelzebub chuckled. Now Kiehl looked up at the strong Demon Lord with alarm. "Let me explain something to you."

"I'm listening," Kiehl nodded, as he stood up. He fixed his glasses and took a deep breath. Long, shoulder-length, white locks of hair were pushed back, but they framed his face again neatly. He straightened out his blue and gold suit, as he crossed his arms over his chest to listen to the Demon Lord. When Sarine looked at him, she realized he looked oddly like Howard in body build and stature.  _Why was that?_  Even Howard was curious now.

Everyone visibly relaxed, and Beelzebub moved over to whisper to him. Things were easy for Kiehl to piece together, and, only after Kiehl understood what was going on, he was led over to Sarine. He knelt down to study her with intensely deep, dark blue eyes, and she blinked at him with a small whimper. Then Beelzebub whispered and muttered to him about her life and what was recently discovered. At the talk of the powder, he now glared at Beelzebub incredulously. At what the powder did, a knowing look overcame Kiehl's face.

"What do you know?! Tell me now!" Beelzebub demanded.

"The powder you're describing sounds like something I was working on for Lighthalzen before my newer body dumped me down below the Robot Factory," Kiehl growled. "A jar of pills were stolen from my lab. I was using my blood to compact poisons to make random effects. Other forms were now made that don't need my blood, but...judging by how she smells like me...that's the pills in powder form that she's been eating. They were likely ground down to avoid suspicion. She has a good portion of my blood in her now, if she's been ingesting it for fourteen years. That's why she smells familiar and feels incredibly important to me. And that's aside from her being special to begin with."

"I...I..." Sarine trembled. Howard hissed, as he moved to hug her tightly to him.

"Will she be hurt by your blood?" Eremes asked suddenly.

"No. It was only the poisons that were used. Damn it! If I knew now what I was doing...it was never any intention for those drugs to be used on a child!" Kiehl snarled. "Especially on one so young and fragile!"

"As long as you know now," Howard muttered. Kiehl looked at him oddly and found himself starting to like this human. Howard gave a rather odd look back at him and smirked with the same exact feeling.

"I'm hungry," Sarine sighed, and Margaretha now moved quickly with Kathryne to get something for her. Eremes was thinking hard about everything, and was simply finding more and more things about Sarine that made him respect her.  _No child should ever have a past like hers. Just the fact that she did and survived to this day was a feat in itself._

"Well, I guess I'm traveling with you all until I'm defeated, too," Kiehl sighed. "She lets me think for myself, so I can easily be in control. It's strange. The ghost that possessed me is actually...quieted. Like I have no real need for it. I'm a mix of Homunculus and robot. Mainly an experiment to be used for experiments. I was given a form of emotions, but they weren't supposed to be real. With her...everything feels so incredibly real!"

"Yes. She has this ability to give us a form of human thought and emotion. It's different, I'll admit," Beelzebub chuckled. Baphomet Jr. hovered about Sarine's feet protectively and glared at Seyren. He knew that Sarine needed to be cheered up, and he knew that picking on Seyren always did it. At the little demon's glare, Seyren glared back.

"What? I'm not stepping on you!" the Knight growled.

"Sure. Tell that to my Dad when I tell him how you kicked me!" the little demon grinned. "Maybe I'll tell him that you swiped honey from me, too!"

"You walked in front of me! I didn't see you! You did that bit on purpose! And honey was needed to cook something for Sarine! You gave it to me, yourself, since it was to help her!" Seyren growled. Sarine started to giggle, and Kiehl found himself chuckling.

"Kiehl, you think that's funny? You should watch Seyren burn water!" Howard grinned.

"I don't burn water!" Seyren scowled, and Kiehl started laughing. The Blacksmith was getting a brotherly feel towards Kiehl. It was as though he always knew him. The same was being said for the strong monster, and it was getting harder for them to not like the other. It was a mutual, instinctive feeling, and it wasn't easy to ignore.

"Where were you guys going?" Kiehl asked, as he sat down. He blinked, as Sarine moved into his lap with a sigh. He smiled and hugged her gently. Beelzebub watched this and started to think.  _She could be seeing Kiehl as a true brother figure, if they shared blood. Or was it something else?_ He'd have to watch this closely. He didn't want to have his chance to be with her challenged by another.

"Beelzebub said we needed to get to Incantation Samurai," Margaretha said, as she brought out some hearty foods for Sarine. After hearing of her past, they got her far better meals from this point forward. Kiehl nodded and blinked at one of the fading burn scars under her arms. He looked away and shivered.

"Kiehl?" Sarine frowned, and he hugged her with a sigh.

"Just knowing that you were abused when you're so special..." he muttered. She turned and hugged him tight, since he had a hard past, too. He hugged her back just as tightly, and he found himself pressing a kiss to her forehead. She smiled with a soft blush and started to eat. At a thought, she offered him some food, and he accepted it with a small chuckle.

"Tell me about it," Howard nodded, as he ate. As the others started to settle down to eat, Baphomet Jr. got a bit upset. He was hungry now and wanted to eat, too.

"Hey, Meat Bag! Where's the grub?!" Baphomet Jr. scowled at Seyren.

"It's Sarine's job to feed you!" the Knight growled back. Sarine looked at her pet and pulled the little demon close to cuddle. He started purring and snuggling her to show he only liked her. Howard started laughing at Seyren's flustered look, and the others started snickering.

"Um, Seyren? Can you get me a jar of honey, please?" Sarine asked.

"Okay," Seyren nodded. Her pet clearly didn't like it when she was nice to him.

"And don't eat it! Fatty!" Baphomet Jr. grinned wickedly. The Knight glared, as the others started laughing. Sarine took the jar of honey to feed her pet, and the little demon let out a massive, air-shaking belch of satisfaction when he was done.

"Wow," Kiehl laughed. Beelzebub was grinning and suddenly looked up as a small adventure party looked over at them.

"Monsters!" the Hunter said.

"Don't hurt my friends!" Sarine shouted at them. Kiehl narrowed his eyes and watched Beelzebub call his Hell Flies to him from their patrols to help attack, if he had to. Now Kiehl grinned and called forth his support group of three Alicels and three Aliots. The Demonic robots set up their own protective barrier, and that made the Hunter gape with horror. Sarine's friends were floored, and Beelzebub was grinning wickedly now.

"Run away, little human!" Kiehl hissed, and he hugged Sarine tighter to him. His ghost was now blaring out in full. "I'm not here to play with the likes of you!"

The Hunter looked at his two other friends, and they wisely turned to head in a different direction. When the ghost seemed to die back down, Kiehl sighed with irritation and gave a small mutter that Howard normally did when he got pissed at something. Howard thought and now looked at Kiehl, as he said, "I like you."

"I like you, too," Kiehl nodded. "Brother?"

"Brother," Howard nodded, and they shook hands as brothers would. Sarine giggled at this, and Beelzebub knew that Baphomet was clearly amused at this from his Hell Fly's report. Kiehl adjusted his glasses and let Sarine finish eating in his lap. Now that there were far more monsters defending them, it would be incredibly easy to travel.

"Oh, Sarine, take these," Kiehl smiled and gave her his card, Morrigane's Pendant and Belt, a Dagger of Counter, two Old Purple Boxes, and an Old Card Album. Beelzebub noticed that Kiehl's card would help her with her skills rather significantly, and he would need to look out for a good headgear for her to use it with. Howard took the items from her, but they did open up the Old Card Album to get the card from the Aliot monster. That had Kiehl chuckling at the random convenience. The two Old Purple Boxes gave a basic sword and a regular set of shoes. They would be sold to make more money for the group.

When random monsters started to appear around them, Kiehl's supporters started to kill them off easily with the Hell Flies, and Sarine was clearly benefiting from it.

"We won't get any training this way!" Cecil sighed.

"Just try to kill off what we summon," Beelzebub shrugged. "I won't let them attack back. They're just minions to us, anyways."

"I'll do the same thing," Kiehl chuckled. Then Beelzebub thought and whispered to Kiehl. This made him blink and had an Aliot come over to prick his finger, as he said, "Sarine, take a drop of blood, please. Beelzebub thinks it's needed."

"Oh? Um...okay..." she frowned and took the drop from him. Howard watched this and mused to himself. Then he whispered to Kiehl. The strong monster looked at him, and Beelzebub blinked with surprise. Howard had his finger pricked, and Kiehl swapped a blood drop with him. Seyren gaped at this, and Eremes was completely floored. The three older girls were shocked at this, but Howard and Kiehl did claim each other as brothers.

"Wow," Howard blinked.

"Interesting," Kiehl thought, as he Healed himself and Howard. "You're right. Seyren does look like a giant monkey in a metal suit."

"I beg pardon?!" Seyren gasped out, and Sarine started to giggle like crazy.

"You...can hear his thoughts?" Beelzebub grinned.

"Yes. It's odd," Kiehl frowned. "It...feels completely natural, too. Like it was supposed to be like this. There's really no other way to explain it."

"You're telling me," Howard nodded.

"So, are we still going to find Incantation Samurai?" Seyren asked.

"Yes," Howard and Kiehl said together, and they blinked at each other. Now everyone started laughing. Sarine was snuggling Baphomet Jr., and he was now planning to make the trip incredibly fun. As they cleaned up the camp and regrouped, the vision came to an end...


	130. Chapter 130

"Wow!" Howard laughed, as Kiehl gave him an 'I told you so' look. "Okay, okay! You were right! We're still brothers!"

"I like Baphomet Jr. He reminds me of Ragged Zombie," Beelzebub snickered. "You know we'll have to share this vision with the others. They will want to see it."

" _Leave that to me,_ " Muninn nodded. Naght and Ifrit were clearly amused at the vision, and Thanatos was now thinking hard.

"Lord Thanatos, I'm sure that a dream vision with you will be done in time," Errende grinned. Thanatos smirked at him, and everyone laughed.

"I just realized something," Kiehl blinked.

"What's that?" Loomin asked, as Howard was gaping. Even Naght was amazed.

"If this dream vision continues, and Howard ends up being with Sarine before Lighthalzen now, her pregnancy may have thrived, since my blood is merged in his," Kiehl frowned. Howard squeezed her, and she shivered.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy sighed, and she hugged him tight. Then she blinked, as his body grew back to his stronger one, and she squeaked when he pulled her fully into his lap. He gave a small grin from the power rush. She blushed at him, and he kissed her deeply. He whispered to her, and she smiled when she whispered back. Beelzebub smiled softly, as he thought. Eremes decided it was best to change the subject now.

"We want the kids to see you in your original form," Eremes grinned.

"Hmm. Gunther might shit his pants," Doppy snickered, as he looked at him. That had Kiehl and Howard laughing. Sammy and Loomin were grinning. Keltin was softly laughing.

"Oh, they'll be so confused," Sarine giggled.

" _Eremes is right, though. The kids would need to know in case something happens, and you are in your original state with them. Gunther clearly resembles your original form, too,_ " Muninn chuckled. Now Sarine thought, and Howard found himself laughing again. She whispered softly to Doppy, and he roared out laughter when she launched herself at Muninn. Beelzebub laughed, as Muninn had no chance to see what was coming. Naght was roaring out his laughter, and Ifrit was hissing out his. She used Muninn, as he clearly needed her, and she sat in his lap with a form of triumphant pride. Loomin and Keltin were laughing, and Sammy was shaking with a quiet form of laughter. Errende and Thanatos were giggling to themselves.

"You weren't expecting that, were you?" Kiehl grinned.

" _Shut up, Kiehl!_ " Muninn growled and got them all laughing again. " _And you are in serious trouble, missy! Catching me off guard like that!_ "

"I don't know what you're talking about," she grinned, and he started to tickle her to make her squeal with laughter. When he finished tickling her, he kissed her lovingly before giving her back over to Kiehl and Howard. She snuggled between them both, and they hugged her. Howard still felt cold to her, and she needed him again.

"All right, so what happens now?" Beelzebub smiled. Then he blinked and looked at Sarine with surprise. She looked at him with a frown, and he growled instinctively.

"Beelzebub?" Doppy asked with a small frown.

"Her scent is calling me!" Beelzebub hissed.

"Ah...must be from being a husband," Thanatos mused. "First Mate Rights."

"But, that didn't happen with me!" Doppy growled. "I still had to fight to win those Rights! Actually...I'm stronger than him...but it still makes no sense!"

"I see what happened," Loomin said, as his God Sight activated. "Now that she is having all of her husbands on an equal level, she needs to ensure it. With time frozen, you're a First Mate, Thanatos. But, you'll be a First Mate in the next Demonic Mating. It was the same with Doppy, if I understand correctly, but, the reason it didn't happen like this before, was because this particular level of First Mate Rights didn't apply yet. When it started to become known, he was destined to be a First Mate next, anyways.

"Beelzebub would have to wait for the Demonic Mating that would happen with me, if that was told to us right, since Thanatos will become a First Mate with Eremes's pregnancy, but he's also not a husband. He's a mate that is bound to a slave by blood. Beelzebub would also have to wait until after Howard's triplets took place. She can't afford to wait that long for Beelzebub, if something happens. This is instinctive. All of us, her husbands, that is, must be on an equal level once it started to become known. I'm sure that it's what happened to me, and it will happen to any new husband that becomes known."

" _You're right!_ " Muninn said, as Beelzebub moved to scoop her up quickly before she could effectively fight him off. He had to be quick and gentle with her from her pregnancy. Sammy was just amazed at how effective Loomin was as her Eyes. _He was clearly needed for her this way._ Doppy suddenly grinned at the instinctive snarling shout of successful mating was given, and Sarine's keening cry to join it was heard soon after.

"When would I become a First Mate?" Ifrit asked. "I had given my Rights to Eremes."

"Hmm," Loomin frowned, as he thought. "Muninn, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he'll become a First Mate during Howard's triplets. It's either that, or Kiehl claims it again. Since Beelzebub is now a First Mate, he could become a First Mate with a Demonic Mating with my pregnancy. What do you think?"

" _It's touchy. He should be a First Mate with the pregnancy from Eremes, but Thanatos is already destined for it. He's needed to help keep the kids calm when they get out of hand within her. At the same time, he seems to be acting like a First Mate, anyways, because of Eremes's status as a husband. He could help calm her when she craves intense heat. I'm actually a bit stumped at all this,_ " Muninn sighed. Eremes looked a touch worried, and Ifrit was thinking hard.

"Has there ever been a tie for First Mate?" Loomin asked.

"No. It's impossible," Thanatos said grimly. "Right now, with time frozen, I'm a First Mate. When time comes back, I'm not a First Mate. I've never been a First Mate before, and I know I'm not going to want to give up the chance to be a fully recognized First Mate."

"I wouldn't want you to," Ifrit nodded.

"Hmm..." Naght thought, and looked at Howard.

"That would be odd to try," Howard frowned.

"To force something like that?" Kiehl asked.

"Like what?" Beelzebub asked, as he brought Sarine's weak form to them. Naght, Kiehl, Thanatos, and Doppy nodded to Beelzebub with equal First Mate Rights, and the Demon Lord nodded back to them with a small grin. Ifrit looked clearly distressed at how things were going. Then he paused and looked at Sarine with shock.

"Her scent is calling him!" Eremes grinned with a form of relief. Ifrit howled, as he moved to gather her up and claim her for himself.

" _Problem solved!_ " Muninn laughed, and the others just breathed sighs of their own relief.

"I was telling her what you all were talking about," Beelzebub said. "She seemed to agree that Ifrit should be something more when the time was right. Also, Muninn, you said that she would have multiple Demonic Matings with Loomin's pregnancy. I suggest that, when this happens, all of her mates should try to gain First Mate status. We should have certain ones be purposely clumsy to make the ones trying to become First Mates look good for her."

" _I think you're right,_ " Muninn nodded. " _This would include her slaves, if they join it. I'll have to tell them later on when time comes back. Oh, Kiehl? When did you want to try the questions? It should be done soon._ "

"Right. I was about to mention it. Let's have Ifrit come back with Sarine. She's going to have to get me in that state again. Howard?"

"I'll get a pencil and some paper," he nodded. He moved quickly to get what he needed, and he came back just as Ifrit brought Sarine back over to them. Eremes was grinning softly, as Ifrit felt a sense of his own profound relief. He needed to help Sarine with her future heat cravings if he had to, and this would help ensure it.

"Questions?" Doppy frowned. "Oh. Right. What he can do with her. Got it."

"Yes. We need to do this," Sammy nodded.

"Are you all right?" Kiehl asked Sarine, as she settled against him.

"I will be," she smiled and now thought.

"Get Yggdrasil Berries and water ready. She's mentally preparing herself to do this," Howard said. "I honestly have no idea what to expect."

"Right," Thanatos nodded, and Errende moved to help prepare everything. Once they had everything ready, Sarine moved onto Kiehl, and he shivered with want.

"Kiehl," she whispered in his ear. "No matter what happens, I love you. Make sure you come back to me and your children."

"I will, My Lady," he whispered back to show he got the order. Howard nodded to show he was ready to write, and Sarine snarled before biting down hard on Kiehl's neck to feed. He shouted, as he clung to her with his sudden release, but he found himself relaxing when she settled into feeding off of him. At first, he fought the feeling of slipping into that state of bliss. Then he let go and found himself in that state again.

Now that he was floating and free of everything, he was able to fully relax. Answers to questions came to him in rapid-fire motion, and time slipped by for him quickly. Howard was scribbling furiously on the papers he had, and ten sheets were quickly filled from top to bottom. He didn't use the back of the pages to ensure the questions wouldn't get mixed up with other ones. He managed to send out the more important questions, and the answers came swiftly. Muninn judged enough time passed by tapping on Sarine's shoulder, and she gently stopped feeding for Keltin to Heal Kiehl's neck. Now she had to hope that Kiehl would respond to her.

"Kiehl," Sarine whispered in his ear. "Come back to me. I need you. Your children need you. Come back to me, Kiehl. Please come back."

At first, there was no response. Kiehl didn't want to leave this peaceful state. Then he heard her voice again, and he realized that Sarine wasn't with him.  _This place wasn't heaven. She wasn't with me. No place was heaven unless she was with me._  Another voice filtered through, and it urged him to go back to her. That his kids were waiting for him.  _My kids._  That thought sent him screaming out of that state, and he woke up screaming. Sarine hugged him tightly to her, and small Yggdrasil Berry pieces were given over for her to feed him. This helped him recover a bit more from the blood loss, but he was shaking and gasping all over.

"Damn," Howard winced, as he forced himself to focus on the papers. Sarine was rocking and cradling Kiehl to show that he was all right. She kept his hands on her belly for his twins to kick at his palms. He was suffering right now. He was fine with it before, but he now felt he was almost ready to abandon his kids. The effect was horrific.

"My...Lady...!" Kiehl gasped out through his sobs, as she rocked him. "I...never...want to...do that...ever...again!"

"Hush now, love," Sarine whispered and kissed him. She nuzzled him, and he gave out a submissive whimper of need. She let him lay claim to her in full, and, right after he gave in to her, he locked his mouth on one of her breasts to drain it. Then he moved to the other and was finally able to start calming down. When he still seemed submissive, Doppy snarled out a challenge for his First Mate Rights. Kiehl was acting far too weak to him.

That snapped him back into focus, and Kiehl hissed out savagely when his dominance came back in full. At this, Doppy smirked and nodded with respect. That was when Kiehl realized why Doppy did it. A smirk was given back, and he sat up fully to pull Sarine into his lap.

"Thanks," Kiehl said, as Sarine was hugged tight.

"Anytime," Doppy nodded. Howard sighed with relief and handed Kiehl the papers.

"Are you all right?" Howard asked his brother.

"I'm fine. I'll admit, it was scary when I realized that Sarine wasn't with me," Kiehl winced. "It was even worse when I thought I was abandoning my kids!"

"I know. I was the one that urged you to go to your kids," Howard said.

"Thanks for that," Kiehl muttered and pressed a kiss to Sarine's forehead. Looking over the papers now, he was amazed at how many questions were answered.

" _Can you find any questions from me?_ " Muninn asked curiously.

"I'm looking now," he said, as he scanned them. "Okay. Observation will get Sarine pregnant with Doppy during the Demonic Mating. Beelzebub will get her to give him eggs, too, but that will be sooner than we think. It doesn't really say when. Right after she gets pregnant with Observation, Alexander will challenge him. I don't see the question on who will win. As for Loki...ah, here we go! Loki will have no chance to attempt anything with Loomin around. Loomin must be around Sarine at all times. Hmm...wow! I didn't know I could use that as a chemical reagent! I'll need to try that when I can."

"Anything about me?" she asked. Kiehl smiled and scanned through the questions a bit more. There was one that he found that made him blink, and a look of shock soon came over him. Howard moved quickly to look for himself and he hissed.

"What?!" Beelzebub frowned.

"The princes are going to try for the Demonic Mating!" Kiehl and Howard said together. "Even Elric is going to ensure that he tries to win!"

"Will they win any of them?" Sammy asked.

"Ah..." Kiehl said, as he looked through the writing. "No. However, if they take a portion of demon blood, there is a chance. Eremes, Elric may come to you for help."

"Why?!" Eremes hissed.

"He'll think that you owe him for saving you," Howard glared at the answer. When Eremes started to tense up with rage, Sarine gestured for him to help calm him.

"Remember, love," she whispered, as she stroked his cheek. "Yes, he took you in. He didn't have to. He owes you nothing. If anything, he helped keep you alive for you to meet me. However, you're a fighter. I'm sure you would have survived, regardless if he helped you or not. Right, Muninn? Or am I wrong?"

" _You are right,_ " Muninn nodded. " _He is destined to be with you for the prophecy to happen. Father Odin would have ensured that he lived! If Elric ever makes such a claim that you owe him, I will intervene, myself. Don't worry about it._ "

"If you say so," Eremes nodded and pressed a kiss to Sarine's mouth.

"All right," Howard sighed and pulled Sarine to him. He noticed how she trembled with relief, and he kissed her gently. "What happens now?"

"I think I need to be with you, Kiehl, and Sammy," she sighed. Beelzebub nodded at this and thought. Loomin looked over at him questionably.

"There will be a few questions regarding me being a husband," the Demon Lord said.

"Oh, there's something here that you'll all like," Kiehl grinned. "Ragged Zombie and Hibram will both become husbands. We'll be able to figure something out."

"Really?" Keltin blinked.

"Now that's interesting..." Eremes grinned.

"Doppy," Howard chuckled. "in the morning, Gunther will see your original form. The shock will be quite bad, at first. Be prepared for it!"

"I'll make sure to laugh my ass off!" Doppy grinned. "All right, we'll wait outside."

Muninn chuckled, and Kiehl put the papers aside. He'll have to look through them later. Right now, Sarine needed him, and he needed her.

"How are you feeling, Kiehl?" Sarine asked when it was just the four of them in the bathroom. Kiehl gave a weary sigh and leaned into her. Now that the other Demonic First Mates were gone, he could finally be himself again. When he started to tremble and cry, she muttered out, "Beelzebub, if you're listening, you are to do  _nothing_  to Kiehl's First Mate Rights! He needs me right now, and I'll ignore all attempts from anyone trying to challenge them!"

Howard gave a slight nod, and Sammy did, too. They were First Mates, but they were not bound to Demonic Rules. Kiehl shivered and pressed himself against her, as she whispered to him that she would always see him as her First Mate right now. Now he tensed at the thought of his Rights being threatened again, and his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. Any thoughts of submissive weakness suddenly shattered, as an instinctive fury took over his mind.

"I  _am_  your First Mate right now! I am  _always_  your First Mate!" Kiehl growled out. "I don't care what the others think! You are rightfully mine!"

"I know!" she said with a soft whimper, as he kissed her possessively.

"I won your Demonic Mating! I won the right to be at your side!" he snarled, as his instinctive, dominant Bragging Rights finally came out with a furious wave of power. If he was a demon, they would have appeared the moment he won the Demonic Mating. He had them, but it was just to show that he was her current First Mate. As a non-demon, he had to find another way to bring them out in full for them to take full effect. To know that he was being challenged as Sarine's current First Mate unlocked them.

His collar glowed for the gold loop link to gain a second diamond, and that had Howard gape with shock. Sammy blinked at that and wasn't sure what to make of it. They would need to ask Loomin or Muninn about it. Sarine watched him intensely, as instinct took over to respect her current First Mate.  _To submit to him and let him do whatever he wished with me._  At the feel of the Bragging Rights finally coming to play, she gave a small whimper and a heightened breath of instinctive pride.  _This was my powerful, protective First Mate, and he wasn't happy. He was in a killing mood._  She needed to please him now to keep him calm and focused on her.

"Sammy," Howard warned and a nod was given, as they both backed away to give them more room. Kiehl's ghost blew out completely, as Sarine watched with fascination. A First Mate had the basic Rights allowed to always have respect and be the first to claim the female that was won. Bragging Rights were another level completely. It showed true power, sheer male strength and other-worldly grace. This was why First Mate demons wanted the extra Bragging Rights, if they were able to get them.

Kiehl moved quickly to pull Sarine to him, and he glared into her eyes. She gave a plaintive, wanting, keening cry for her incredibly powerful First Mate. He silently felt her belly to feel his offspring respond to his touch, and he moved her on all fours to dominate her. As he took her at his leisure, Howard was simply shaking his head with amazement. Naght was clearly impressed by Kiehl now and kept quiet in the bedroom. Beelzebub kept a straight face at everything he heard. He knew that Kiehl was in a very powerful position right now, and he respected it as a normal First Mate would.

"What's going on?" Sammy asked softly.

"This is his Bragging Rights completely blown out," Howard said, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Apparently, Bragging Rights are a completely different form of respect and instinct from normal First Mate dominance. It's...hard to explain, really. Naght never experienced Bragging Rights before, so this is new to him, too. Thanatos might know more, but we'll have to ask him. Like I said before, it's hard to explain."

"You may as well try. If Beelzebub is listening in, then he'll need to know how to explain it to the others. And that second diamond! What does that mean?" Sammy frowned.

"I'm not sure," Howard admitted. "The only thing I can think of is that it's part of a stronger form of dominance. I know Kiehl will need various things as a slave, but he's far more of a husband than slave right now. Yeah, he won't need to comply to her orders, but I think he can easily dominate her now in his slave state. I mean, look at him right now! He can probably order the other slaves around, too, if you think about it."

"Well, slaves work together, anyways, right?"

"Yes, they do. But, he's a level above Errende when it comes to calling the shots, I think. He'll probably never take as much pain as Errende, but he can tell the slaves what to do. And they can't argue with him. I'm sure he'll do as Sarine asks when it comes to the kids. Everyone does that, anyways. But, when it comes to direct orders from her, he can simply give that order to another and focus on other things. It's an interesting concept."

"That it is," Sammy nodded and looked over when Sarine was brought to an intense release. Kiehl howled out his successful mating cry and trembled, as he clung to her. He was still under the heavy influence of his Bragging Rights instinct, and he hissed out his irritation that something wasn't right. Sarine wasn't moving at all. She knew she wasn't the brunt of his irritation, but it was the instinct to not get in his way that took over. Kiehl pulled her up to his chest to hug her tightly. He was still growling about something, and he moved a hand over her belly to feel the small kicks. That helped calm him down a little, but not by much. Only when his ghost was pulled back into his body did Howard know that it was safe to approach him.

"What is it?" Howard asked. He moved to sit by them. He gestured for Sammy to stay where he was for right now, and a nod of understanding was given.

"Hmm?" Kiehl blinked at him with an irritated growl.

"What's pissing you off? I'll find out for you," Howard said. Sarine shivered, and Kiehl tightened his arms around her protectively, as he looked at the bathroom door.

"Something doesn't feel right. There's something...off out there," he muttered. Howard gave him a weird look and put a towel around his waist. He moved to look out the door and realized that time had come back. Ragged Zombie and Hibram were clearly pissed that Beelzebub was made a husband, and they were arguing with him. When they looked over at Howard with his arms crossed in front of the open bathroom door, Beelzebub frowned.

"Kiehl's Bragging Rights are out in full force. He's pissed about something, and it's likely because he can't focus on Sarine. What the hell is going on?!" Howard growled out.

"He sensed us arguing?" Beelzebub blinked.

"Oh, yes. He did. He's not happy," Howard sighed. This made Naght think, and Eremes was now a bit amused at this. Keltin and Doppy looked at each with alarm, and Loomin was thinking hard to figure out the truth of things.

"Hmm," Thanatos mused. "His Bragging Rights are fully blown out, eh? Ah. That's right. Bragging Rights put him at a level above us. He sees all of us as his lesser comrades right now. It's instinctive. Can't do anything about it. Much like how First Mates can't fight each other in front of him, but that's for all current First Mates. His Bragging Rights put him on a much higher set of standards now. At each Demonic Mating she has, he's going to be fighting to keep these Bragging Rights with everything he has. Sarine will be expecting this, and she will expect to see more of this. The stronger the Bragging Rights, the higher level of standards he has. He should have been displaying this sooner, but it was likely because he's not a demon."

"I see," Doppy mused. "That's why he got pissed off when I challenged him for his Rights when he still looked weak. Of course, I only challenged him to help him refocus on his control. I would never take away his Rights. He earned them fairly."

"Oh, Loomin, what does it mean if a second diamond appeared on Kiehl's leash loop?" Howard grinned. Now Muninn even glanced at him with a small state of shock. This was unexpected and now alarmed the others at this change. Osiris and Pharaoh were with Amon Ra in the nursery, and they would need to be filled in later. Drake was working on the ship again, and Dracula was safe-guarding the arena. Wanderer and Incubus were actually helping Drake with the ship, since they had to help construct a safe room in the bowels of it. It was mainly for Markus and the kids, if anything happened to the ship.

"A second diamond?" Loomin thought, and now the slaves looked at each other with surprise. Errende was clearly puzzled, and Thanatos was gaping at this.

"It appeared right after Kiehl's Bragging Rights came out in full," Howard said slowly.

"No one piss off Kiehl anymore," Loomin suddenly said. "Right now, he's as dangerous as Doppy. That second diamond shows that he's completely immune to slave status. He shouldn't even be wearing a collar. But, the collar is permanent, so the extra diamond shows that, yes, he's a slave, but he doesn't have to act like one at all. The larger one above it shows that he is more husband than slave. The second one just reinstates the fact even more now. There are times that he will want to feel various things a slave does, since that's natural, but he doesn't need the slave treatment anymore."

"Are you serious?" Doppy asked with a grin. "He's as dangerous as me?"

"Very. In the state he's in now, he can see any of us as a challenge. Him thinking that he nearly lost everything in that state of semi-awareness provoked the Rights to finally come out. Could have even been the fact that he was challenged, too. Thanatos, you may be able to be the next First Mate at her Demonic Mating, but Kiehl's Bragging Rights are now a very permanent thing. That second diamond is there to ensure it. No matter who makes First Mate at any of Sarine's Demonic Matings, his Bragging Rights will always be there. If he wins another Demonic Mating, that diamond will either get bigger, or another one will appear," Loomin said with a sigh. "We can't complain, since it's needed for her."

"How is it needed?" Keltin asked.

"Have any of you noticed," Loomin smiled now. "how Sarine hasn't gotten sick or had an intense growth spurt yet? Even her cravings seem to be put on hold right now."

That made everyone blink with surprise.

"So, that's why Kiehl's so important to her right now," Howard blinked. Kiehl was listening to everything through Howard, as he kept hugging Sarine to his chest. He had a bit of pride showing now. He knew he was important to Sarine, and this just proved it even more. Sammy was listening to everything from where he sat and lightly meditated on a floor cushion. He could only chuckle to himself at what he was hearing.

"Also, Kiehl's not a demon. Certain Demonic Rules don't apply to him. Why else would the Bragging Rights not leave him? They will only get stronger with each Demonic Mating he wins. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he was recognized as a full husband by now," Loomin grinned. "But, the collar on his neck will keep him just under husband title. Sarine needs this, too, since he can still be a slave, if she really needs it."

"We all see him as her husband, anyways," Howard grinned back.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. Naght looked over at Doppy, and they seemed to sigh. If they won a Demonic Mating, Bragging Rights would be given, but then lost at the next Demonic Mating. It would be the same for any demon. With Kiehl, it was permanent. But, they couldn't complain, since it was instinctive. If Kiehl tried to step down, he couldn't. He would stop himself and challenge any that tried to force him. But, it made up for it by helping even more with Sarine's cravings and pregnancy. They simply couldn't complain about that.

"All right, so what happens now?" Beelzebub asked.

"Easy. You all settle down in here. I'm going back in there to help Kiehl, Sammy, and Sarine. In the morning, we'll talk to the two of you when we can," Howard said, as he pointed to Hibram and Ragged Zombie. "Don't argue. Just accept it for now. If Kiehl gets pissed off because he can't work with Sarine, the last thing we all need is him charging in here ready to kill someone! Sarine would get upset at that, and I don't want to see Kiehl fully pissed."

"I'd like to see that," Doppy admitted, but he nodded all the same. "We'll keep it down."

"If you need anything, let us know," Thanatos said.

"Is My Lady hungry at all?" Errende asked. Kiehl whispered to Sarine, and she seemed to shrug. Howard knew she was, and Kiehl wanted her to eat, too.

"Ah...yes. She is," Howard nodded at Kiehl's thought. "Errende and Byorgue should help her. Even Injustice can, too. We can't have any other First Mates in there right now, as a precaution. Sammy and I are likely the only exceptions, since I'm mind-linked to Kiehl, and Sammy has her pregnant, too. Naght might be all right, but I'd still be careful about it."

Naght hissed out laughter and knew that Kiehl wouldn't mind him. They saw each other as true blood brothers. When Howard was ready to move back inside the bathroom, Aliot pressed something into his hand for Sarine, and he grinned at the chocolate bar. Nodding to him, Aliot smirked and handed him a fur blanket, as well.

"We should just make another bedroom in there," Keltin sighed.

"Maybe a water-proof bed in the tub?" Thanatos asked.

"She wants a table, remember?" Beelzebub grinned.

"Well, let's see what we can come up with," Hibram suggested. Ragged Zombie was still a touch upset that he wasn't a husband. He wanted to be one, but he was told it would be talked about in the morning. He'll wait until then.

"What's going on?" Sarine frowned, and Kiehl kissed her deeply.

"Remember how we all thought that Hibram and Ragged Zombie would be jealous of not being a husband?" Kiehl smirked. That made her blush, and he smiled gently at her. At the sight of her craving dishes coming to her, she looked at Kiehl with a small frown.

"Love, you need to eat. Even though you're not really craving right now, it's needed. Come on," Howard smiled, and she nodded. Kiehl had her sit in Howard's lap, and Sammy moved over now to ensure that he could be seen.

"Am I really as dangerous as Doppy right now?" Kiehl grinned, as he fed Sarine some sushi. She blinked at him, but he kissed her forehead to show that everything was fine.

"Yeah, you are. Temper-wise, that is. Loomin confirmed that. Muninn was caught by surprise at the second diamond, though," Howard chuckled.

"What?" Kiehl asked. "I know you said it, but...I have another diamond?"

"You do, love," Sarine nodded. "It's a bit smaller than the other one, though."

"You heard what Loomin said, Kiehl. Your Bragging Rights are a permanent fixture," Howard said, as he ate with her. "You can't ever lose them."

"Really?" Kiehl mused, as he ran a hand over Sarine's back. "Well, Doppy is definitely stronger than me, but he has to respect me even more. Okay. I'll take what I can get."

Sarine started giggling, and Naght came in to hover with them. Kiehl nodded to him with respect, and Naght did the same to him. She sighed and started to think of something that made a small smile on her face. Kiehl looked at her with a grin, and Howard found himself thinking.

"What is it?" Sammy asked.

"She's thinking of the dream vision. If we went to Payon, and Baphomet Jr. was still a pet to her, how would Keltin come into play? Since she's special, would she be able to have two pets out at once? And, if Keltin was met with us, how would it work? We know the Sohees drop the garments she would need for the Frilldora card, and she would likely meet Keltin on the way there. Also, she would be meeting him with us, so he wouldn't have to get to know her like a pet would. Baphomet Jr. was able to be fully loyal to her once he knew what he had to do. No shyness at all. Keltin would likely be the same way," Howard said.

"That would be interesting," Sammy admitted. "And, with every strong monster summoned to her with a Bloody Branch, it would be harder and harder for anyone to defeat them, as they joined forces. The moment she was able to transcend, they would be freed, so she wouldn't need to backtrack to find them. If you think about it, she would actually have gotten a head start on everything. And...yes...her pregnancy would have survived."

"Well, things had to happen this way for a reason," Sarine sighed. "I'm...not going to fight it or question it. Yeah, it's nice to see how things would have went, if it was different, but I'd rather everything work out like this than any other way."

Naght sighed, as he would have never been found unless they braved his tower. Sarine looked at him lovingly, and he moved to caress her cheek. Kiehl smiled at this and looked out the lightly covered window. Then he paused and hissed with hate, as his temper flared.

"What?" Howard frowned and got up to look outside. "The arena is closed! Why is the Kafra Agent coming here?! What does she want?!"

"Beelzebub is already finding out, it seems," Sammy mused, as he saw a Hell Fly approach the Kafra Agent. Sarine was frowning and felt Kiehl pull her to him tightly. She turned to cling to him, and he hissed out a snarl. He was clearly as dangerous as Doppy right now, and it thrilled her to no end. Muninn was flying overhead, and he was scouting the area to learn more. Naght moved into the bedroom to talk to Beelzebub.

"It's Ripclaw. He needs help," Howard sighed, and Kiehl tensed up.

"Help with what?" Sammy frowned.

"He's asking to speak with Loomin," Howard said. Sarine scowled out, and Kiehl looked at her with a knowing nod. They didn't want Loomin to talk to Ripclaw, but that was when he was a child.  _As an adult, Loomin could see the truth._

"Fine. I'll get dressed. Have him come to the main room of the house. I won't have him in my bedroom," Sarine said. "This is supposed to be my night of relaxation! I didn't want anything else to happen!"

"Here, love," Howard smiled and gave her the chocolate bar he was holding. She gasped and took it gratefully. Kiehl nuzzled her, and she fed him a piece of it. Then he shared it with her, as he kissed her. They started giggling, as they fought over it with heavy licks. Howard found himself cringing with the want to experience that, too.

"After this issue with Ripclaw. Okay?" Kiehl grinned wickedly.

"Fine," Howard growled. Then she thought and took another piece of chocolate to put in her mouth. Now she moved to kiss Howard. Kiehl started laughing, but he knew why she did this.  _None of them knew how long it would take._  Sammy was laughing quietly, and Naght hissed out his amusement. After the kiss, Sarine was pulled back to Kiehl to get kissed, and he managed to help Sarine dress while he kept his mouth locked on hers. He nuzzled into her throat when he finished kissing her, and she helped him dress as much as she could. She was clearly getting exhausted now, but she had to find out what Ripclaw wanted. Howard and Sammy were ready to head out, and Naght led them. Loomin was waiting in the bedroom, and the others had already gone down the stairs. He was clearly not happy.

"If he lies to me even once," Loomin muttered. "I'll walk away."

"Good," Sarine nodded, as she reached for him, and Kiehl let Loomin hug her tight.

"I love you," Loomin said, as he held her.

"I love you, too," she said and squeezed him to her. "Oh, love? Can you look at Kiehl's leash loop and see if you can find out more about it? The second diamond, that is?"

"Sure," he nodded, and Kiehl moved his head up to give Loomin a good look. "Hmm...wow. Wow! Ah...wow..."

"What?" she asked with confusion. Now Howard looked at him questionably.

"Kiehl, that diamond is special!" Loomin blinked.

"Tell me?" Kiehl asked.

"It can...hold an extra power. Let me try something," Loomin thought and brought out his Divine Light. Then he focused on the diamond, and a small portion of his Light infused it.

"Did his diamond just...take your Light?!" Howard gaped. Naght looked over now with an incredulous rumble. Sammy was in shock. Now Beelzebub walked into the bedroom to confirm what he was hearing.

"That diamond is now permanently infused with one of my elements! Kiehl, you  _have_  to win more Demonic Matings! Each new diamond you get not only increases your Bragging Rights dominance, but those new diamonds can hold any of our elements as husbands! As a slave, you don't get a real husband rank. At least, you're not supposed to. But, these diamonds can easily put you up to par with us. You'll have to practice using the elements, though. We can't just teach you how to do it," Loomin said with a touch of excitement. Muninn flew in to revert to his human form to study everything that Loomin just said. He was completely floored.

" _I know I said that Kiehl would be important to her, but this completely proves it! I honestly think that Kiehl will need to win most of the Demonic Matings that happen with Loomin's pregnancy with her. He needs these diamonds. There's no choice in it now,_ " Muninn said with a shake of his head. " _I'll need to consult with Father Odin about this, but it will be done after Ripclaw._ "

"How far away is he?" Kiehl asked.

" _He's almost at the house._ "

"Let's see what he wants with my husband," she muttered. Muninn nodded, reverted back to falcon form, and flew out the window. Loomin kissed her passionately and helped lead her down to the main room. Seyren, Garrett, and Max were woken up to witness this. They paused at Kiehl's leash loop, and a grin was given to them.

"Another diamond?" Seyren blinked.

"Yes. And the new diamonds I get allow me to absorb elemental properties from the others, it seems," Kiehl chuckled. Eremes looked over with shock. Keltin and Doppy both had their jaws drop at this news. Beelzebub explained to them what would need to be done with Sarine's future Demonic Matings. This was clearly understood now. Once everyone understood the new functions that Kiehl was doing for Sarine, they settled down.

"Sarine," Ragged Zombie sighed.

"I know, love. We'll talk about it in the morning. Besides, I'm sure you'll become a husband, too," she smiled. "We just need to figure out how."

"Okay," he nodded. She moved to hug him tight and pressed a kiss to his lips. Kiehl snatched her up and set her in his lap. Howard moved close by, and Sammy was sitting by her, as well. Some tea was brought to her by Injustice, and she smiled lovingly at him. Byorgue growled, as Ripclaw walked in, and the Stalker paused at the small crowd there.

"I understand that you wanted to speak with me?" Loomin asked quietly, as he moved to sit by Sarine. She leaned over to caress his cheek, and he kissed the inside of her palm. He breathed in her scent, and she gave him a loving smile. She pushed away a long lock of silver hair from his face, and he chuckled warmly. For a moment, Ripclaw was forgotten, as Loomin focused on his wife. It was very easy to lose focus on everything else around him. On looking at him, Ripclaw had no idea how Loomin would have grown up to look like this with his immense beauty. Doppy smirked at the Stalker's stunned gaze, and Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"Ah...yes. I did," Ripclaw nodded. Then he gaped at the sight of Beelzebub and Hibram. He hadn't met them yet. Then he blinked when Drake, Dracula, Wanderer, and Incubus walked in to settle in chairs. When Osiris, Amon Ra, and Pharaoh came down from the nursery, he was in even more shock. Ragged Zombie seemed to snort, as he crossed his arms over his chest. He was studying this man a bit too close for comfort.

"Yes. I've been busy," Sarine mused at his discomfort, and a wave of chuckles spread through the room. Amon Ra was grateful that the stairs were rebuilt to support his chair at every twenty feet. He could walk, but he liked his chair now.

"Well, what do you want?" Loomin asked a touch irritably now that he couldn't focus on Sarine. "I need to sleep at some point. I'm not a monster, you know."

"Right, of course," Ripclaw nodded. "I was hoping you could help me convince some stubborn members of my Guild to come back to me."

"Bring them to me here, and I'll see what I can do. I refuse to leave my wife's side for any reason," Loomin said. "My Father has something nasty planned for her, and I cannot leave her unprotected. It simply cannot be done."

"Your father?" Ripclaw frowned.

"Yes. Loki," Loomin nodded. "He wants to get my wife with child. I won't let him."

"I see. Very well. I'll have to see what I can do to convince them to come here and speak with you. They may not come willingly, though."

"Tell me," Garrett said with amusement. "Are any of them wanted by the Prontera Guard? Or, if you know their locations, can they be made available?"

"What are you planning, Sir?" Max grinned.

"A surprise ambush. If they won't see reason, I can have my men apprehend them and bring them here. Loomin can talk to them and see the truth of their ways. It will make things easier for us. If they are wanted men and will not be swayed by the truth, we can take them in for proper court marshaling. Or, if they aren't in the system, it will give Doppy something to do, right?" Garrett smirked. That made Doppy grin savagely, and Naght hissed out laughter.

"Hmm," Ripclaw thought and started to chuckle. "All right. We'll beat it into them, if we must. I like that. Sometimes, it's the only way to get them to listen."

"Good," Loomin nodded. "Let us know in advance on who is coming here. If you are in the towns of Alberta, Morroc, Louyang, Payon, Amatsu, or Comodo, just mutter something. Beelzebub will hear of it. That's something he can do to any town that Sarine has been in."

"Alberta can only be heard around nightfall," Beelzebub reminded them. "The monsters cannot roam in the daytime yet. And, yes, I can hear things in Payon. I just can't move past the house. So, that's also an issue we need to deal with."

"Right," Loomin nodded. "Prontera should be added to the list of places after tomorrow night, if things go well."

"Oh, I just remembered something I read," Kiehl blinked, and Howard growled. Naght looked over at them with a hiss of hate, and that got Doppy concerned.

"What is it?" Loomin asked.

"Cedrick will dance with Sarine, but he'll be trying to charm her, too," Kiehl said with an unhappy tone. "Eremes, make sure you're close to her."

"Heard and noted," he nodded with a frown. Ripclaw wasn't sure what was being discussed, but Loomin simply smiled lightly at him to show that their conversation was over. The Stalker nodded and moved out to start finding his stubborn comrades.

"That was interesting," Seyren frowned.

"You're telling me," Keltin sighed. "What now?"

"Bed," Sarine said lightly, as she rubbed her eyes. Kiehl moved to pick her up, and he paused at a thought she had. Now Howard found himself blinking, and Naght looked at her with amusement. Sarine managed a small chuckle, and Beelzebub looked at her.

"Can you tell us what you're thinking of?" he asked.

"Oh, just thinking of what would happen if we did continue our dream vision. If How-How was locked up in Lighthalzen with the others, and if Kiehl was still able to hear his thoughts..." she grinned. "A rescue mission would be needed."

"A...oh..." Loomin blinked and grinned wickedly.

"I didn't see when Kiehl got to you all!" Seyren pouted.

"Muninn will show those that didn't. It was a special vision for us," Kiehl smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Mainly because my idiot brother kept thinking that I wouldn't see him as a brother through other ways!"

"Kiehl...shut up!" Howard muttered, and they all started laughing.

"No, that's not right! I heard that How-How is the kid in the candy store, and Timmy is the idiot! You're the smart ass, Kiehl!" Sarine grinned. That had everyone laughing even more. Howard stared at her with disbelief, and Naght was rumbling with laughter.

"A smart ass, eh?" Kiehl snickered, and she paled when he pulled her close to tickle hard. After that, he scooped her up to take her back to the bedroom.

"I am not a kid in a candy store!" Howard scowled, and Seyren barked out laughter. Naght now found himself completely agreeing with Kiehl's description of Howard's thoughts, and he howled with even more laughter. Sammy was chuckling, as he moved into the bedroom with Howard, and the others were simply dying with fits of giggles and snickers.

"At least I'm still the asshole," Doppy grinned and got them all laughing again.

"Well, I'm the pervert and proud of it!" Ragged Zombie chuckled. Garrett and Max moved into their bedrooms quickly. They knew their pregnant wives were waiting for them. As the others started to filter up the stairs, they suddenly looked over at the main door to find the Sniper, Greg, kicking it in. He looked up at all the monsters there and found himself getting swarmed over and dragged off to the dungeon.

"I'll have Baphomet look at him in the morning," Seyren grinned, as he walked back into the house. That had everyone snicker.

"Good," Doppy snorted.

"Ass Hat should have known better," the zombie growled. That got small chuckles from the others, and they were finally able to filter out into the rest of the house.

"Did he really try to come here?!" Sarine growled in Kiehl's arms on the floor of the bathroom. Naght had informed them of what happened. Kiehl was highly pissed off now, but the situation was under control. Howard was clearly not happy, either. Sarine was pressed between him and Kiehl to keep her body cool. Sammy was lightly meditating nearby. Naght was standing in front of the bathroom door to ensure that no one could get in. It simply wasn't safe for anyone right now.

"If I see him, I'll kill him!" Kiehl hissed, and Sarine pressed into him more.

"Let Baphomet see him first," Howard grinned. That made them snicker, and Sarine yawned with exhaustion. Kiehl kissed her forehead and watched her fall asleep.

"Smart ass," Howard muttered.

"Candy store kid," Kiehl grinned, and they both laughed softly. Sammy opened an eye to shake his head with his own soft laughter.

"It would be fun to see a rescue mission from Lighthalzen," Howard thought.

"True. But...I don't want to think about that right now. She's right, you know. Things happened this way for a reason. Let's just leave it at that," Kiehl said.

"Right," Howard nodded, and Sammy closed his eye to monitor her dreams. As Howard and Kiehl closed their eyes to meditate, neither of them knew that Loki tried to peer close at Sarine only for Kiehl's new Light infused diamond to sear outward with a Divine vengeance. It repelled him hard, and now he was floored at this new defensive measure. Loomin was forced to barge in with Naght close behind to find out what happened.

"Huh?!" Kiehl snapped out of his meditation and sat up with a small groan. Sarine was still sleeping, and Howard was now alert with Sammy.

"Loki was here," Loomin said lightly. "He...got repelled, though. By you."

"By me?" Kiehl blinked. "Ah...the diamond?!"

"Yes. I was about to fall asleep when I sensed him. The Light in the diamond instinctively repelled him," Loomin smirked. "You need to be as close to her as I do."

"At least I know that I can protect her even more this way," Kiehl nodded. Loomin let his Divine Light come out in full to completely repel his father away before drawing it back in.

"She's safe now?" Howard asked.

"Fully," Loomin said. "I'll be right outside in the bed closest to the bathroom."

"Good," Sammy said. After Loomin left, the room felt calm again, and everyone started to meditate. The rest of the night passed without any issues.


	131. Chapter 131

When Sarine woke up, she found herself fully in Kiehl's embrace. She smiled and moved to give a soft nibble to his neck. That snapped him alert, and he growled playfully at her.

"Morning," she smiled.

"Morning, love," he grinned and kissed her lovingly. "Hmm, I think we have about an hour before the kids wake up."

"You think so?" she giggled and felt Howard move a hand up her side.

"We need the kids to see Doppy in his original form," Howard chuckled.

"That we do," Sammy nodded, as he stretched lightly.

"Do I feel normal to you again?" Howard asked gently.

"Yes. You do," she smiled, and he kissed her softly before pulling her close to have her. Kiehl started to grin and waited for Howard to finish before he claimed her. Then she moved to Sammy, and he worked with her. When he was done, he felt her belly to check the growth of the developing babies and to feel his twins kick at him.

"Healthy and happy," Sammy nodded. "We should get you fed."

"In a bit. Um…I really want to see Doppy," she sighed. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other and nodded. _She missed him in his original form._ Last night was a rather intense moment for them, and she wanted it again. She did get up to take a quick shower and use the toilet. Then she dressed in an airy, light-blue nightgown in case the kids walked in on them. They dressed, and she moved into the main bedroom. The others were waking up, or mildly alert. Doppy was settled in a chair on the balcony. His eyes were closed in meditation, and his form was already in its original state. It was instinctive, and he had no idea it took place.

Howard made quieting motions with his hands, and the others just grinned with understanding. Sarine crouched down to Doppy's face and gently stroked his cheek.

"Hmm?" he blinked alert and looked at her. At the look in her eyes, he knew he was in his original form, and he pulled her close to hug with a harsh whimper. It would always be intense between them like this now. His armor was soon off, and he let her touch him to know that he was real again. It was something that couldn't be helped.

"Doppy," she whispered, as he took her, and he worked his mouth over her neck. He nearly tore off the nightgown to fully expose her, and they shouted their release together. He managed to sit up with her in his lap, and he hugged her to him.

"Is it always going to be like this, Sorry Sari?" he muttered, as he hugged her trembling form. "Always so intense? So…passionate?"

"It seems like that. Doesn't it?" she smiled softly, and he kissed her forehead when he hugged her to him. "I love you so much, Doppy!"

"Sorry Sari!" he groaned, as she moved herself on him again. He gave in to her and clamped her hips down hard over his. Moving her mouth to his ear, she started to whisper a song, and he softly whispered back his singing to join her. When their singing got louder and more moving, the others were just staring in shock. It was simply an overflow of passion and love that they could only express this way. When the song came to an end, they kissed desperately and clung to each other.

Another nightgown was brought to her by Errende, and she dressed in it, but Doppy didn't let her go yet. The kids were waking up, and they needed to see him in his original state. Sarine now realized that only those that were to see Doppy in his original body were present. Thanatos had told the others to wait in the nursery for now. Beelzebub was going to let them know when it was all right to come back in.

"Dad?" Gunther asked as he walked in. Howard grinned, as a fur blanket hid most of Doppy's features. Sarine was pulled down to rest against him, and Bianca was soon skipping in to see her father, too. They knew he was awake, since they heard him singing with Sarine, but were told to wait until they were done.

"What is it, Gunther?" Doppy asked. His voice was still the same, as well as his eyes and scent. But his appearance made his son's jaw drop.

"You're not my Dad!" Gunther scowled.

"Yes, I am," Doppy grinned and flicked his son's forehead. That made Gunther gape, and Bianca was in as much shock as her brother.

"He is your dad," Sarine smiled. "This is what he really looks like. You both only saw him enhanced by grandpa Odin and Valkyrie. This is your father before all of the enhancements. It's only temporary, though. I like to see him this way sometimes."

"So…Dad…you were weak?" Gunther blinked.

"In this body, yeah. It's why I only look like this to help your mom when she needs me like this. Most of the time, I'm in my stronger body," Doppy said. "You both needed to see me like this if something happens. I'm sure the others will, too, in time. I'm still your dad. I just look a bit younger and weaker. But, I can still beat the crap out of humans!"

"Dad!" Bianca giggled, as she now saw that it really was him by his attitude. Gunther was still a bit skeptical, but another flick to his forehead snapped him out of it. Kiehl and Howard were laughing at that, and now Doppy was easily diverting his son's attacks.

"I will always win!" Doppy grinned and poked his son in the sides. Sarine found herself giggling at this, and Gunther was clearly not happy that he was getting tickled. Now both kids tackled him, and he sat up to tickle them both to get them laughing. Sarine had a solid, motherly smile on her face, and she sighed with a shake of her head. Then the kids blinked, as Doppy's form grew back to the one they knew, and they both gaped with surprise.

"Now you're my Dad!" Gunther grinned.

"I'm always your dad, you little punk!" Doppy scowled and tickled him mercilessly now.

"I need to see to the other kids now," Sarine sighed. "They need to be nursed."

"That they do," Keltin nodded and gathered up Bianca. When she saw that her brother was still being tickled, she paled at Keltin's wolfish grin.

"No! Not again!" she shrieked and started laughing helplessly at his tickling. Doppy roared out laughter at his daughter's plight, and Gunther was getting the same treatment now. Byorgue came into the room and helped Sarine up. She smiled and gave him a caress, as he led her into the bathroom to help her dress in her Sniper gears.

"My Lady," Byorgue said, as she hugged him close. He was trembling, and she frowned.

"What is it, love?" she asked. He ran a hand up her arm, and she thought. Howard, Kiehl and Sammy walked in to let her feel reassured, and she pressed a kiss to her slave's mouth.

"I just…need…" he faltered, and she kissed him harder now to show that it was all right.

"Hmm," Sammy thought.

"Hmm?" Kiehl looked at him.

"Byorgue has been really craving her, hasn't he?" Sammy asked.

"You're right," Howard said. "I wonder why that is."

"He's not a First Mate," Kiehl thought. Then he blinked at Byorgue's harsh snarl for Rights, and he grinned. "He is now!"

"Maybe that was the whole problem," Howard thought and contacted Naght. Aliot, Injustice, and Errende were sent in, and they were gestured to sit aside. Loomin came in next to study what was going on.

"I see," Loomin smiled. "She's instinctively making First Mates out of those that are incredibly close to her! It's needed, apparently."

"So, her slaves aren't her husbands, but needed just as much. Then, if a mate becomes a husband, they'll gain First Mate Rights," Sammy thought aloud.

"Yes. Thanatos will become a First Mate next, so he's fine. But, these guys shouldn't have to compete for her. We'll need to keep an eye on Observation, though," Loomin said.

"Right," Howard nodded. Byorgue was able to drag himself away from her, and Injustice tackled her next with her scent clouding his mind.

"Why is this happening now?" Aliot asked.

"Well, with my Father lurking about, and with her needing to give children to others, this simply makes things easier for it to happen. For protecting her and to get her pregnant. This way, you all don't have to do the Demonic Mating if you don't want to. It would help, but, this way, you can still get her pregnant and not have to make the First Mate status. Aliot was destined to have kids with her, but he didn't make a First Mate ranking. This will ensure that everyone gets to have kids with her," Loomin said. "Same thing had to be done for me, come to think of it. As her husband, I shouldn't have to go through the Demonic Mating. It's odd how her body is working like this now, but it's important."

"It should be," Sammy nodded. He watched Injustice crawl away from her, and Aliot roared out his challenge before claiming her. Kiehl seemed to glare at first, since he was a lesser at the Demonic Mating, but Naght pointed out that he was an equal now. He was needed to help protect Sarine, and, more importantly, she bore him children. Kiehl gave a mental sigh and a nod. Naght was completely trusted by Kiehl, and he always took the old demon's advice.

"My Lady!" Aliot snarled out, as he released. She nuzzled him when he gasped and finally felt her scent leave his senses. He kissed her with a small smile at his new First Mate status and was able to move off her. Now Errende looked at her and knelt down to see if she needed help to rise up. Instead, she reached up to caress his cheek. Then he blinked as her scent clouded his mind and overruled every thought he had. Thanatos moved into the bathroom quickly at this, and Loomin explained to him what just happened.

"Wow. I knew it was needed for the others, but for Errende, too?" Thanatos asked.

"Anyone incredibly close to her is needed like this," Loomin nodded.

"And I'm next, anyways. Okay," he nodded. Then Muninn came in as his human form and was grinning rather intensely. At his grin, the others could only glance at each other.

"What is it?" Sammy asked with a touch of amusement.

" _There's been a rather interesting change in plans. You will all find out in a moment,_ " Muninn smirked. They glanced at each other again, and watched Errende shout out his violent release with Sarine. He shared a loving kiss with her, and he moved off her. When she sat up, she felt that she still wasn't satisfied. Then she looked at Thanatos and growled. Now he blinked, and his jaw dropped. Kiehl glared at him and back at her.

"You mean…he's going to be a First Mate?! Right now?!" Howard gaped.

" _Yes. Father Odin has decreed that Kiehl MUST win all of her Demonic Matings from this point forward! He wants Kiehl to gain the diamonds on his leash loop as quickly as possible,_ " Muninn chuckled. Thanatos was shivering with Demonic lust, as her scent clouded his mind, and he tried to shake free of it.

"I…should win the next one, though!" Thanatos argued. "To prove my strength in fighting! To help her with her pregnancies! Wasn't that the plan?!"

" _It was at first. But, we all know how the future can change. This way, you can help her with this one, too, should something happen. Right?_ " Muninn asked. Kiehl blinked at this and smirked. Then he looked at Thanatos and walked up to him to shove him at Sarine. That made him hiss with disbelief, and now her scent was too strong to resist. Howard and Naght were laughing at the whole thing, as Thanatos gave in to his instinct. Loomin was just amazed at everything. When Thanatos roared out his successful mating cry, Sarine called out with him. Now she was exhausted and panting from everything.

"You know…that none of us…can fight each other…right?" Thanatos panted, as he pulled her onto his chest. "It will…be seen…as a challenge…to you…"

"I know," Kiehl nodded, as he sat down by them. Doppy walked in now when Beelzebub told him it was safe to do so. He had Gunther and Bianca taken by Nigel, so they were in the nursery. He was looking at Thanatos now and thinking.

"What?" Thanatos grunted.

"We'll have to make plans to fight others," he said. "Or, we just beat the living shit out of each other at her Demonic Matings."

"I'm for both options," Thanatos grinned, and Doppy smirked. "How's my son?"

"Waiting for you. He was given a couple Old Card Albums, but he wants you there before he touches them. Angela is anxious to see us, too," Doppy said.

"My Lady?" Errende asked, and he moved to her side.

"I'm fine, love," Sarine smiled and sat up. Then she gave a retching cough, and Doppy hissed as he scooped her up to take her to the toilet.

"I thought I helped fix that?!" Kiehl gasped.

"Hmm…" Loomin thought. "She grows once a day. After that, you help her."

"Oh…" Kiehl sighed and shook his head.

"Feed her! Maybe while she nurses, but she has to eat!" Thanatos groaned. Then Doppy shouted, as she cried out from the pain of growth, and Sammy was there to check her.

"Thirty percent growth again. At least it's once a day, right?" Sammy sighed.

"True," Kiehl frowned, and he moved to help her rinse out her mouth. Beelzebub had kept the others out of the bathroom, and they swarmed her when she came out dressed and ready to go to the nursery. She was practically carried to the nursery to nurse the younger four, and she was fed while she did this. She was incredibly hungry. After she had her immediate hunger taken care of, she frowned in thought about something that needed to be done.

"Um, did Osiris, Amon Ra, and Pharaoh learn about my past at all?" Sarine asked, as she rocked Aliot's twins. Amon Ra paused in his movement on giving Serenity a ride and shook his head. The other two were the same.

"They'll need to read the letters, too," Loomin sighed, as he sat down. Beelzebub moved to them now and muttered to them on what needed to be done. Amon Ra nodded and set Serenity on the ground. She knew he had important things to do, and now she looked around to see who was showing up to see them all.

"Keel!" Serenity giggled, as she ran to him, and he gathered her up in his arms. She blinked at the new diamond and gasped at how pretty it was.

"That appeared last night. I'll get more diamonds, and they'll be even prettier," he smiled. "It also shows that I'm getting stronger."

"Really?" she blinked. "It looks white. Like…bright white. Sparkly white."

"Is that so?" Kiehl thought. "Maybe they'll become different colors depending on the elements I get. So, did you eat yet?"

"No. Um…Ed wants to use the card books now," she said. "Then we can eat."

"Okay. Edward! Get them and come sit with me," Thanatos said.

"Okay, Dad!" Edward said, as he moved to sit on his knee with the albums. Albert started to hiccup, and Aliot took up his son. He pat his back gently to calm him before letting him nurse again. Doppy moved to sit with them, and his kids started to cling to his arms with small grins. They were quite rowdy now.

"Behave," he growled, and they both nodded to act gentler. "Your mom is nursing nearby, and I don't want you guys to kick at something. Unless it's Howard."

"What?!" Howard glared, and Doppy laughed lightly. Siegfried ran over to Howard, and let him get pulled up to get held. "You're getting heavy!"

"Really?" Siegfried blinked.

"Yes, really. Are you getting fat?" Howard teased.

"No, Dad. You're getting weak!" he retorted. Howard growled to tickle him, as Doppy started laughing loudly. Serenity was giggling in Kiehl's arms. Sarine shook her head and watched Angela walk over to snuggle into Errende. Keltin moved to sit by Loomin, and Eremes leaned against a wall to smile at the kids. Beelzebub was listening to various conversations in different towns and gave a small, sharp laugh.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Remember how there was a plan to break into the Morroc house?" Beelzebub grinned savagely. Now Eremes narrowed his eyes, and nodded for him to continue. The Demon Lord hissed out, "Three Thieves are caught."

"I'll check…my house…" Eremes growled. Since it was Sarine's home, he could check it out leisurely. Byorgue ran over to him to show he was going to help, and Eremes nodded.

"Dad?" Siegfried frowned. Eremes looked over and winked to show everything would be fine as his form misted out.

"Be careful…" Sarine said with worry. That made Eremes stop and look at her. He never realized how worried she got over her men, even if they were in her territory. He moved to her side and planted a kiss on her mouth. He whispered softly to her and she nodded. Then he left with Byorgue. Ifrit hissed and moved out after him.

"I'll keep track of him," Beelzebub promised. She nodded and swallowed. Nigel took Aliot's twins so she could nurse Keltin's twins now.

"Mama?" Serenity asked. "Daddy Eremes is strong! He'll be okay!"

"I know," Sarine smiled. "I always worry about your daddies. It can't be helped."

"Dad?" Edward frowned, and Thanatos ruffled his hair.

"Let's wait for Eremes to get back, okay?" he said. Edward nodded and watched his mother with a frown. He didn't like it when she looked sad. Doppy looked over at her and had his kids go to Injustice. Maya Purple was waiting for everything to be all right before announcing that he was giving rides. Osiris, Amon Ra, and Pharaoh were busy learning about her life through Muninn and the letters. Drago and Observation weren't going to ease up until Eremes was safe and back in her line of sight.

Right when she finished nursing and fixed up her top, Maheo walked in to see her.

"Maheo?" Sarine asked, as she was handed some tea by Aliot.

"Ah, what were the plans for today? The others are curious," he said.

"Oh. Well, I was hoping to go to Gonryun first. To get Evil Snake Lord. Then a possible boat ride to get to Turtle General's island," she said.

"Okay! Hmm?" he blinked, as Gunther moved up to him.

"I need to ask you something," he said. Doppy now watched his son curiously.

"Oh? What would that be?" Maheo chuckled, and he knelt down to him.

"Why do you like Mom?" Gunther asked.

"Huh? Well…ah…" Maheo blushed at the question. Doppy cleared his throat in warning for his son to back down.

"I just want to know, Dad," Gunther said.

"Why?" Doppy frowned.

"I always see him watching Mom! That's why!" Gunther said.

"Gunther," Loomin chuckled and gestured for him. When the boy was in his lap, Loomin sighed and said, "You're mother is a very beautiful woman. There are going to be lots of men looking at her. We can't control this. Maheo is a valuable friend and ally. And, yes, he finds your mom very beautiful. But, since we value his friendship and he values ours, he keeps a distance out of respect. He is a very trusting young man."

"Maheo, come here and hold out your hand to me," Sarine said. Howard and Kiehl frowned at this, but it was to make sure. Maheo paused at what she asked for, but he moved over to her and held out his hand. She sniffed it and quickly moved away at the cough she gave. Kiehl gave Siegfried to Doppy, and he moved to her side to press her face against his neck.

"Sorry, you won't work with her," Howard said. "She can't tolerate full humans, apparently. It's something instinctive."

"So, if I wasn't a full human, I might have a chance?" Maheo asked.

"It's possible," Sammy said. "But, if you decide to talk to anyone, don't let Kavach know. He won't be good for her."

"Tell me something I don't know!" Maheo muttered, and now Beelzebub looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Keltin asked.

"It's hard for me to explain with kids around," he sighed.

"Go downstairs and mutter it out. I'll hear it," Beelzebub said. Maheo nodded and left quickly to do just that. Eremes had come back into the room shortly after and moved to hug Sarine close. The Hell Fly at the Morroc house told him everything going on, and he was letting Ifrit handle the Thieves now with Byorgue. Sarine hugged him tightly to her with a form of relief, and he sighed heavily when he pulled her into his arms. Then he moved and sat in her rocking chair with her in his lap.

"I'm here…" Eremes whispered and kissed her forehead. "Everything is fine…"

"I know," she shivered, and he hugged her tighter. Gunther frowned and moved off of Loomin's lap to stand by his mother. She gave him a soft smile, and Doppy had Gunther come back to him to sit in his lap with Siegfried.

"None of us can leave her side anymore," Loomin said. "Even for a little bit. It's too stressful for her. Don't do it anymore."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded, as he rocked her in the rocking chair.

"Mom?" Edward frowned, and Thanatos patted his back to show it was fine. Ragged Zombie and Hibram moved into the nursery to sit with them, and Beelzebub clearly didn't look happy at all. He moved over to Naght and muttered softly.

"Kavach is doing what?!" Howard hissed.

"Wow…" Kiehl blinked. "Is that even possible?"

"But it won't matter what he does to feel pleasure and pain. Sarine can't tolerate him!" Howard frowned. "Kiehl, do you remember anything about Kavach in the questions?"

"I'll have to check. Serenity, dear? Can you sit with Loomin for a bit?" Kiehl asked her.

"Okay, Keel!" she smiled and kissed his cheek before going to Loomin.

"How come you don't call him dad?" Loomin smiled.

"Um…well…he is my Dad, but I like calling him Keel! It's what I do with Daddy Kelty. I just like to say Kelty," she giggled. Kiehl chuckled and kissed her forehead before heading to the bedroom quickly. Keltin looked over at her with a grin, but frowned when Kiehl left the room. _Kiehl couldn't be away from Sarine for too long or she'd start craving him._ He was suddenly shoved back into the nursery by Byorgue, and the little slave was glaring at him. The Thieves were apprehended, and the Chief of Morroc took them to punish them. Byorgue had just come up the stairs to find Kiehl leaving the nursery, and he didn't like that at all.

"What are you looking for?!" he growled.

"Papers. They should be in the bathroom," Kiehl said.

"I'll get them. You stay here!" Byorgue growled. Kiehl nodded and moved to sit by Sarine. Howard whistled, and Injustice grinned with Nigel.

"None of us want My Lady to have a panic attack over you," Drago grinned.

"I know," Kiehl sighed, and Sarine smiled softly.

"Here," Byorgue said, and handed him the papers he needed.

"Thanks," Kiehl grinned. Now he looked through them intently.

"So, what are those?" Byorgue asked.

"They do have a right to know," Sarine smiled. "I'm sure it's fine."

"True," Sammy nodded and gathered the slaves together to tell them what it was. Ragged Zombie and Hibram were listening in, and they were rather impressed at the questions that were answered. Kiehl found the questions about Kavach and started to read them out loud.

"Okay, here is the first question about him. Who is Kavach Icarus? The answer is…a whiny little bitch. What the hell…?!" he blinked before gasping with laughter, and Sarine burst out into small giggles. Then she realized that the kids were snickering. Howard squeezed his eyes shut to keep from barking out his laughter at the true answer.

"Kids, do NOT repeat that!" she said sternly. At Beelzebub's hard glare at them, and Ragged Zombie's small grin, they took that seriously. The kids were no strangers to swears, since their Demonic fathers swore all the time when they got pissed, but they knew it upset their mother to hear them swear. Howard was still struggling to keep from laughing, and Eremes was hiding his face in Sarine's neck while he shivered with laughter.

"We need to save that question and answer," Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly.

"We will!" Loomin said, as he coughed down his own laughter. Doppy was shaking with forced control over his laughter, and Keltin was hiding his face in his hands. Sammy had to act like he was putting his face in his kimono to get something out of his eyes. Beelzebub now had a bit of a grin on his face. Hibram was biting his knuckles and grinning. Thanatos and Errende exchanged knowing grins and snickers.

"All right, all right," Kiehl sighed and shook his head, as he wisely glanced through them now. Howard was stammering with laughter at many of the answers, and Naght had an evil look of joy in his burning gaze. When Kiehl finally found a valid question, he said, "Found one. Will Kavach ever participate in a Demonic Mating? Answer is…yes. He will. He will find out by watching the others, but he will die at every attempt."

"Wonderful," Doppy growled. "Well, that just spoiled my mood."

"Um, Daddy Doppy," Edward said and pointed at the two Old Card Albums in his lap. That made Doppy grin and nod.

"Okay, my mood got better. We'll look at more questions later, right?" Doppy asked.

"Yeah. Probably when these guys are preoccupied. Pull the cards, Edward!" Howard said. Edward nodded and opened the first book to pull out a Picky card. Frowning at how weak it was, he rubbed his hands over it and changed it into an Apocalipse card.

"Nice! And the other one?" Thanatos asked. Edward opened the other book and pulled out a card from Eremes's clone.

"Keep that one!" Eremes said quickly.

"I am!" Edward nodded, and the cards were taken. Sarine snuggled into Eremes a bit more, and he kissed her softly before letting Kiehl take her from him.

"Gonryun, right?" Kiehl whispered to her.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I figure it's just best to get that place done. Um…if I get a house there, I'll make sure you're all with me."

"Of course," Howard nodded. "We won't leave your side."

"That's the floating town, right?" Loomin asked.

"Yes," Sammy winced.

"Why is everyone tense about it?" Loomin frowned. Sammy moved over to him and whispered softly. Beelzebub now looked over at him with shock and Loomin gasped. Sarine found herself getting pulled into Loomin's embrace and hugged tightly. He heard about it before, but he was much younger when it was told to him.

"I'm okay now, Loomin," Sarine whispered.

"I know…just…thinking that you would never be there for me…" he winced, and she hugged him tighter. She whispered softly to him, and he nodded. After he got comforted, Beelzebub was next to hug her to him.

"I need to eat, and so do the children," she said. Beelzebub kissed her hard and led her to the table that was in the nursery. Kiehl was settled next to her on her right and Howard was sitting on her left. Loomin and Sammy sat across from her, and Doppy sat with them. Keltin and Eremes were next to be seated, and the kids were quickly seated in their laps. Thanatos moved to sit down now and was given Edward. Once they were served their food, the slaves brought food for anyone else that needed it. Then they settled to eat.

"Dad," Gunther said.

"Hmm?" Doppy responded, as he tore into a roast.

"You and Mom were singing this morning," he said. "Um…it was actually really pretty! Can you sing again? That song?"

"Yeah! Can you?" Bianca asked. "We heard it outside Mom's bedroom."

"What do you think, Sorry Sari?" Doppy smiled at her. As a response, Sarine started to sing. Serenity and Siegfried gasped at how the song started out so softly and built up quickly with an intense passion. Howard found himself smiling softly, and Kiehl gave a small grin. Hibram and Ragged Zombie were surprised at it. When Doppy added his voice to compliment hers, the kids gasped at how the song took a deeper depth. Errende was squeezing Angela, as she was completely enthralled in the song. The other slaves were surprised at the passion and love that came from them. When the song ended, the applause could have been deafening.

"I wonder if Donnie can find a good beat for that song," Keltin grinned.

"What made you sing that song?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Ah…" Sarine thought and blushed. "If…you can keep a secret, all of you, that is, then I can tell you. What do you think?"

"I'm not saying a word," Hibram nodded. The kids all nodded, and the zombie nodded, too. Doppy sighed and got up from the table after he set his kids in his chair. The craving to be with Sarine in his original form had come back, and Sarine got up to join him. When she hugged him, his body tingled, and small gasps came from them at his original form. Now that his kids saw him in the Swordsman armor, they realized that he looked very strict and stern. Almost as though he was fighting for a very long time, and that this was their true father. The stronger body that their father had was needed to protect them and their mother. But this body was a reflection of his true self and was just as deadly. Gunther realized that he looked more like Doppy now than in his stronger body. He was fully convinced that this was his father.

"None of you can challenge Doppy when you see him like this. This is to comfort me only," Sarine sighed, as he rocked her. "This is what he originally looks like."

"Since the dream vision I had with her, I've been needing to be like this with her," Doppy said, as he kissed her forehead. "My kids saw me like this already. Since you all are close to her, it's fine to see me like this. The other kids needed to see this, too, and we can't let the others know. I'm Odin's Wrath and her Wrath. I don't have the ability to simply change back and forth. I'm also not very strong in this form. So, I have to be very careful about who knows."

"Okay," Ragged Zombie nodded. "I'll respect that. Are you sure that it was only when the dream vision happened that she needed you this way?"

"From what I know. Why?" he asked, as he ran a gloved hand up her back.

"Call it a hunch," the zombie said. "but I think she always wanted you like this. She likes us in our original forms. I think this was building up since you both first met."

"Hmm," Doppy frowned and suddenly glared at the entrance of the nursery with a protective hiss of irritation. He scooped up Sarine and carried her into the sitting area. Naght moved to effectively block the entrance. Sarine was able to see past him to look at Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy. When Doppy was in his original form and standing next to her, he was only six inches taller than her. She ran her hands through Doppy's hair to calm him, and he started to purr with a soft whimper of comfort. She cuddled him, and he sighed.

"What's the plan for today?" Seyren asked as he walked in.

"Gonryun after breakfast," Howard said.

"Ah. All right! Is Sarine okay?" he asked. "Where is she?"

"She's fine!" Doppy growled. Kiehl now got up to move past Naght. Doppy nodded to Kiehl, and they both hugged her. Kiehl had to keep himself calm now, and she was the only way to help with that. She ran her hand through Kiehl's hair, and she kept her other hand in Doppy's hair. It helped them both out, and, right now, they were both at equal height.

"Am I missing something?" Seyren frowned.

"Kiehl…is a lot stronger now," Howard said. "And he's also very susceptible to getting irritated quickly. He's like Doppy with a shorter fuse now. Um…"

"I'll tell him. You go comfort her. You, too, Sammy," Loomin said. They both nodded and moved past Naght, as Loomin got up to talk to Seyren. When the Lord Knight heard soft singing coming from the sitting area, he looked over with a touch of shock at how passionate it was. Then the singing got louder with the same passion and love that was sung just moments before. Loomin swallowed and sighed when the song ended.

"What am I missing?" Seyren asked.

"Just trust us when we say you can't know," Eremes said.

"I can keep a secret, and so can Baphomet!" he argued. Loomin looked at him to study his face intently and gave a small nod.

"Fine. Naght, he'll keep his word," Loomin said. Naght nodded, as he would know for sure. Seyren was led into the sitting area, and he paused at the sight of Doppy's original form.

"You can't challenge him like this. It's for comforting her only," Kiehl said, as his two diamonds winked in his leash loop.

"If it's to comfort her, then like hell am I challenging him!" Seyren said.

"Not many would understand," Doppy said.

"Apparently, there's a lot that I missed last night," he frowned.

"Yes. Talk to Loomin," Kiehl nodded. Howard seemed to smile, and Doppy kissed Sarine softly before his form returned to its much stronger state. Now he picked her up with one arm and grinned at her. He always liked the power rush he got from it, but it was to protect her and his family. She blushed, and they all moved back to the table.

"There's Dad again!" Gunther grinned.

"Oh?" Doppy grunted and flicked his forehead to get him scowling. Then he set Sarine down in her chair for her to finish eating her sushi and cookies.

"Do we take our steeds with us?" Thanatos asked. "I could ride that Nightmare, and Doppy could ride Nightmare Terror."

"That is a thought, isn't it?" Doppy grinned. "Maybe before we head off to find Evil Snake Lord? Oh, Sorry Sari, didn't you say there was a place south of Gonryun?"

"There is," she nodded. "But, it's mainly we walk in, recruit and walk out. Just a few monsters in there. Or, we could bypass that place completely. I think. Keltin?"

"Let me see…" Keltin thought as the information came to him. "There is only one monster that we can find there. It doesn't exist anywhere else. That's the monster, Rice Cake Boy. Also known as the Dumpling Child. We need to get him. After that, we can leave."

"Okay. We'll stop and get him first," she nodded.

"Um, guys?" Maheo asked, as he walked in.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Kathryne used a Dead Branch, and she couldn't attack this monster. It, ah, well, insisted to come here to see you after it glowed," Maheo chuckled. What came in was a small boy with a rather large head and giant eyes with blushing cheeks. His hair was in a twisted topknot and only appeared at the top of his head. The rest of his head was bald. An open red shirt and loose blue pants with small shoes finished his outfit. He appeared to have a bit of a pot belly, and he was always eating some form of candy in the form of sugary dough balls on a stick. He was also blowing his wind vane to make it spin and seemed to enjoy doing it.

"You're the Dumpling Child!" Keltin laughed. "We were going to find you!"

"Oh?" he asked with a blushing smile. "Well, I'm here! And I have candy!"

"Candy?!" Serenity giggled.

"Not too much, dear," Sarine warned. She nodded and moved to walk up to Dumpling Child. He gave her one of his candy sticks and she blushed.

"At least we won't have to make a trip to that part of Gonryun now," Doppy nodded.

"I heard the place is rather cute from the small reconstruction of various places there," Maheo grinned. "Oh, Beelzebub, you got everything, right?"

"Yes. I did," the Demon Lord nodded.

"Get what?" Ragged Zombie frowned. Beelzebub moved to whisper softly in his ear, and the zombie gave a savage grin at the blackmail list against Kavach.

"When he grins like that, it can't be good!" Hibram snickered.

"Oh, no. It's very, very good!" the zombie said as he grinned even more. Beelzebub was grinning now, and nodded to Maheo.

"We'll leave for Gonryun within the hour," Sarine said. "Oh. Is that guy still in the dungeon? We may as well have Baphomet talk to him."

"Oh, yes!" Seyren chuckled and sighed at Loomin. "All right. Thanks for filling me in. I'll let the others know what they need to know."

"Good," Loomin nodded. Now that Seyren was up to date, their attention was returned to the newly recruited monster. Seyren decided to wait a bit, though. He was in no rush to leave. He sat in a chair for now. The kids were clearly interested in the new monster, and he wanted to ensure that his nieces and nephews would be all right.

"So, do you have a specific name?" Serenity asked Dumpling Child.

"Hmm," he thought. "You can call me Rice Cake."

"Rice Cake?" she blinked. "Okay!"

"You're gonna get Baby Leopard, huh?" he frowned.

"We need to. Why?" Keltin asked.

"He steals my candy! All the time!" Rice Cake pouted.

"Maybe we can get him to share?" Serenity asked.

"Maybe," he nodded.

"Oh! Will you go fishing with us later?" she asked.

"Fishing? Huh! I guess so. You'll have to teach me how to fish," he shrugged. Siegfried seemed to frown at how much she was starting to like this monster, and he huffed.

"Ooh," Kiehl chuckled. "Serenity? You just see him as a friend, right?"

"Well, yeah. I just met him," she nodded. Siegfried still didn't like it. Naght rumbled to him, and Siegfried nodded with a sigh. Gunther and Edward looked at each other and back to Rice Cake. Angela and Bianca giggled to each other. They found him a bit cute.

"Oh! Um, Vessel of Odin? Here!" Rice Cake said, as he walked over to her and gave her his card. Sarine blushed and kissed his forehead to make him stammer and fall backwards onto the ground. His face was completely beet red, and the kids were giggling from it. It was a purely child-like motion and got everyone laughing.

"Dungeon?" Howard grinned.

"Yes," she nodded. She took a deep breath and ran a hand over her belly. Kiehl moved to squeeze her, and Doppy was at her side now to whisper a song in her ears. Seyren got up to follow them, and he mentally informed Baphomet to get ready for an appearance. She smiled and looked over at Pharaoh, Osiris, and Amon Ra. They were making their way back to the nursery, and, on seeing her, they all seemed to reach for her at once.

"They read the letters," Loomin winced. "They likely saw that slab, too."

"And saw Muninn's visions, I bet," Ragged Zombie sighed.

"Letters?" Maheo asked.

"Um…" Sarine frowned, but Kiehl calmed her. Seyren pulled Maheo aside to whisper to him of what the letters were about.

"I'm a fast reader. I'll be with you all shortly," the strong Mage said, and he moved out of the room to find Storm Caller. Sarine was now sitting in Amon Ra's lap, and he was hugging her to him. Pharaoh and Osiris were incredibly tense now. She sighed and whispered softly to Amon Ra. He kissed her and released her gently. She kissed Pharaoh next, and Osiris after him. They knew she was all right now, but the shock of seeing and reading everything always took a heavy toll. Hibram nodded to them with understanding. Osiris seemed a bit troubled by something, but he didn't want to reveal it now. He would mention something later.

"That room is gone, right?" Amon Ra asked.

"Yes. It's torn down," Sammy nodded.

"Good!" Pharaoh sighed.

"Where are we going?" Osiris asked.

"Gonryun. But first, Baphomet needs to talk to someone in the dungeon. Or should we just haul him out in the open?" Seyren asked.

"Let's bring him outside. We can give him a chance to run while we hunt him down and gut him open!" Doppy grinned. That made everyone laugh and snicker.

"Doppy!" Sarine smiled, and he winked at her. Kiehl moved now to keep his arms around her, and Howard helped lead her down the stairs. Rice Cake was going to stay with the other kids to help entertain them with the other cute monsters that filtered in. Maya Purple skittered down the stairs and let Kiehl set her on his back.

"You may as well join her," Maya Purple said. Kiehl nodded and settled on his back. They wanted her fully protected against the Sniper.

"You know, he did hit me," Ragged Zombie mused.

"You're right," Howard nodded. "If he tries to attack, you get first hit."

"Goody!" the zombie grinned savagely, and Doppy snickered. Thanatos watched Ifrit come back from the Morroc house after helping fix it back up to rights, and he was informed of everything through Eremes.

"What are we doing?" Donnie asked, as he strummed his guitar.

"Going to see an idiot," Hibram chuckled.

"Oh?" the Clown grinned. Seyren whispered to him, and he laughed sharply.

"Doppy and Sarine have a really interesting song they need a beat to," Seyren smiled.

"Really? Can I hear it?" Donnie asked.

"After we see to the moron," Howard said. Donnie nodded, and Egnigem walked over to get kissed by her husband. Karla was soon down with her Lif, and the others started to filter down to eat breakfast. Storm Caller came up to Sarine with a thoughtful look.

"Yes?" Sarine asked.

"I was thinking," he said. "Should we build small houses for each family? Or simply add smaller nurseries to each bedroom? Or should we just use the large nursery for everyone?"

"Hmm," Loomin thought. "We don't want to advertise that others are living on this island, you know? Let's stick with personal nurseries when the time comes. The main nursery should be for Sarine and our kids. I would say that, if we need to travel, their children can go into the main nursery for protection and care."

"Very good!" Storm Caller nodded. "As the time gets closer for each birth, the bedrooms will be modified. I just wanted to make sure."

"Of course," Seyren smiled, and kissed Karla. Garrett was escorting Cecil down the stairs, and the Kafra Agent in the house came over to him with a letter from the castle. Frowning, he opened it and read it. Now he was swearing violently.

"What happened?!" Beelzebub asked.

"Prison break. Those Rogues we found after Golden Thief Bug got out. Even William Rory escaped," he fumed. Coraline gasped, and Max pulled her into his arms protectively.

"How did they escape?!" Seyren asked.

"That's what they don't know," Garrett sighed.

"Father," Loomin grimaced, and now the Paladin glared at him. "He made the guards fall asleep and 'conveniently' had the keys fall near the cell doors."

"What the hell is he planning?!" Doppy snarled.

"He got bored. Why else would he do something?" Loomin tensed. "Kiehl, do you still have those papers? Is there anything on them?"

"Let me look," Kiehl said as he had them tucked away. He pulled them out and read through them. "Ah. Here we go. What is going to happen before we go to Prontera? Answer is…we will be prepared for a small war. This must be the small war. And, yes, we'll win. Once the King grants us permission to move through the town, all of them will be apprehended. It looks like it won't take place until nightfall. The prison inmates are all in hiding right now. No harm will come to anyone."

"Fine," Garrett said. "And…what are those papers?"

"Special questions and answers I got when in a state of suspension. It only happens on rare occasions with Sarine. And, no, I don't want to do it again unless it's a complete and dire emergency," Kiehl said, as he squeezed Sarine to him. "Oh, take a look at this…"

Garrett moved over and saw the questions about Kavach. He fell to his knees laughing at the first question and answer. He could only nod at how true it was.

"What is it?" Max grinned. Beelzebub moved to whisper to him, and he barked out laughter. Seyren had to find out, and he stammered out his laughter.

"I'm not going to see him the same way again," Ragged Zombie grinned. "Anyways, let's see to the other guy."

"Fine," Kiehl grinned, and Maya Purple was snickering. Drago and Observation opened the house doors for them, and they moved to the grove. Aliot and Injustice waited patiently near Maya Purple, and Nigel sat on the mossy ground. Errende sat by him, and Thanatos crossed his arms over his chest. Then he looked over to find the new swing bench there, and he moved to take Sarine to put her on it. Kiehl grinned at this and sat by her with a book for her. Nigel thought, got up, and handed her a cup of tea. She blushed at this, and her men sighed at how elegant she looked now. Aliot held out a small plate of cookies for her, and he looked over when Seyren and Garrett dragged out Greg to toss on the ground lightly.

"Why did you infiltrate my house last night?" Sarine asked lightly, as she sipped her tea. Kiehl ran a hand over her swollen belly, and Greg now gaped at how pregnant she was from just a few days ago. Sammy crossed his arms over his chest, and his ancestral ghost billowed out with a hiss to judge this one properly. Eremes and Howard stood on either side of the swing bench, and they let their forms fully mist out. Doppy sneered and glared at him. Keltin and Loomin seemed to shake their heads and sigh.

"I wanted to show you that I got stronger!" Greg said.

"But, the arena was closed. You know I'm pregnant. Yet, you challenged me, anyways," she frowned. "You may have gotten stronger, but your intelligence is still rather weak."

"What?" he blinked, and Kiehl grinned at this.

"On another note, you know I am with very powerful males and friends alike," she looked at him with a small glare. "Lucky for you, I will not be judging your fate right now."

"Oh? And who is?" Greg frowned. She nodded to Seyren, and Baphomet was called. The massive demon roared, as he charged into the grove, and Sammy held up his hand to remind him to keep his most angry thoughts to a minimum. Baphomet snorted and nodded, as he leaned on his scythe. He glared at the Sniper with his single eye and seethed with intense hate.

"Baphomet," Loomin smirked, as he moved to walk over to him. "As Sarine's Eyes, I can see the truth of everything. Would you like to hear what I have to say before you make a proper judgment? Or would you rather go with your instincts?"

"As much as I would take the latter," Baphomet snarled. "I'll hear what you need to say. It may make a difference. It may not. But, I'll listen."

"Very well," Loomin nodded. Muninn landed in a tree to perch and watch closely. Kiehl kept an arm around Sarine, and Howard moved to sit next to her on the swing bench, too. Sammy continued to let his ancestral ghost watch. Doppy growled and muttered, as Beelzebub grinned wickedly at him. Eremes and Keltin simply waited to hear what Loomin had to say.

"Why waste words on him?" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"Remember, this is the grove," Sammy said. "We must be calm, at first. It's why we are here. Everything must be calm for her."

"Right," the zombie nodded and waited. Loomin was studying Greg intently, and the Sniper was getting a feeling that everything about himself was being analyzed rather critically.

"All right," Loomin said, as he pieced everything together. "You mean well, but you're biting off more than you can chew with Sarine. Her destiny will be too much for you to handle. She needs to be with multiple men in order for everything to go right. You won't like it. You'll try to convince her that you are all she needs. She can't have that. Neither can we. You will never accept us as brothers. You will see us as competition. She can't bear you children, anyways. Human seed is too weak for her. She'll abort the fetus. If she aborts even one child, she will lose her ability to have children completely. You need to find another girl."

"She won't be able to have kids with me?" Greg paled.

"No. She won't," Loomin sighed. Seyren now looked at Howard, and Beelzebub moved to whisper to him softly. Sarine trembled a bit, and Kiehl whispered to her to help calm her. She sipped more tea, and Howard caressed her back gently.

"And how do you know this?" Greg asked.

"Because I aborted children before, and I didn't get pregnant again until I transcended!" Sarine said a bit stiffly, and Kiehl hugged her with Howard. It clearly hurt her to talk about it.

"We'll get them back, Sarine," Howard whispered, as he nuzzled her. "We know we're getting them back. Don't worry. We'll have them again."

"Hmm…" Eremes thought and looked at Muninn. "I need to talk…"

Muninn nodded and froze time. Everyone but Greg was able to move now, and Eremes cleared his throat while he pondered how to approach the subject.

"Eremes?" Doppy frowned.

"Ifrit, would you mind if Howard has his triplets before us?" Eremes asked.

"Hmm…" Ifrit thought.

"Eremes!" Sarine whimpered and shook. "That…wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I know. But this hurts all of us," he grimaced. Muninn landed and became human to talk to them now. Loomin was blinking at what Eremes wanted to do.

" _We cannot change what needs to happen, Eremes. As much as I want this to happen, it can't. The children need to grow in time to help with the war. Loomin should be having his children right after you, but the triplets were set by Father Odin, himself. Their souls can only be held in his realm for so long before something happens,_ " Muninn said carefully to avoid mentioning their stasis. " _We must go down this road that has been set before us._ "

"All right. It was…just a thought…you know?" he smiled weakly, and he moved into Sarine's arms when she reached for him. Baphomet looked at Greg's frozen form and seriously thought of simply slaughtering him for upsetting Sarine. Doppy was thinking the same thing, and so was Thanatos. Osiris, Pharaoh, and Amon Ra all knew of Sarine's frozen pregnancy and were still rather upset about it. They respected Eremes much more now, since he was willing to push back his own children to help Howard and Sarine.

"We should just kill him," Amon Ra muttered. Baphomet hissed out laughter now.

"Actually," Sarine blinked with a small smile, and Kiehl pulled out the papers to look through them. Howard started to laugh and leaned into Sarine's neck.

"It says right here. Who is Greg? Another whiny bitch. I'm not surprised at all!" Kiehl grinned, and they all started laughing. "Actually, that's a lie, I just had to throw that out there. Okay, it says that he will continue to try and be with Sarine. But, we can have some fun with him. We can tell him about the Demonic Matings and slaughter him at each one."

"I thought monsters couldn't lie?" Sarine frowned.

"It was a joke. Most jokes are lies," Kiehl winked and kissed her softly. "We can't lie outright about important things, but we can joke."

That made her giggle, and Loomin frowned when he glared at Greg's frozen form.

"I don't know if I want him around us," Loomin growled. "I only told you all what I saw about his current situation with Sarine, since he was listening. Not the full deal."

"Oh?" Baphomet rumbled. Naght and Beelzebub looked over at him now.

"Sarine, love, can you tell us how he first saw you? I can find out more from what you know," Loomin said. She sighed and nodded. Eremes kissed her deeply and moved to lean against a tree to listen to her.

"It was four months after How-How was in Lighthalzen. I made some good money from selling loot, and I wanted to buy better boots. So, I went into Prontera to see what the other Merchants were selling. I had just found a good deal, and then I saw that someone else had bought them! It was that guy," she said, as she pointed at Greg's frozen form. "He bought them before me on purpose to have me talk to him. He…offered to give them to me if I went out with him. I told him I was already claimed, and that the boots weren't that important, anyways. I figured I would just shop around a bit more. He got mad and started to insist that I date him. I said no. When he still wouldn't stop, I used a Fly Wing and made my way out of town. After that, whenever I went back to Prontera, I would make sure he wasn't around."

"Did you ever get good boots?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"No. I never did," she sighed. "But, it's okay."

"No, it isn't," the zombie frowned. "What kind of boots were they?"

"Why does this matter?" she asked. "It was a long time ago!"

"Because it matters to me!" he said. That made Kiehl blink and chuckle.

"They were just ordinary boots with a slot for a card," she shrugged.

"Keltin, what monster can give us boots like that?" he asked.

"Hmm…" Keltin thought and grinned. "We'll need Ungoliant. She has the boots."

"Awesome," the zombie grinned.

"What are you planning?" Seyren asked.

"We'll have Ungoliant give her the boots she needed after all this time to show that we can get her things for free!" Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly, and Doppy howled with laughter. "Actually, screw that. I gave her a set of Tidal Shoes that can hold a card. May not have much defense, but they're rarer and far more desirable. We can upgrade them, right?"

"We can," Howard grinned. Eremes and Doppy moved quickly to the treasury to get them. Right after they came back, Ragged Zombie took the boots to give to Sarine when time came back, and he nodded for her to continue. She was giggling at everything and thought.

"Okay, well, I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting him four more times in Prontera. Each time, he wouldn't leave me alone. He just wouldn't stop pestering me! Finally, after the fourth time, I decided against coming back to Prontera. I just…I couldn't do it alone. Especially after getting How-How's letter, and then the…other letter about How-How. I just…I couldn't go back to Prontera alone. Just too painful and stressful," she sighed, and Howard kissed her gently.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, and she nodded when he hugged her tight.

"I'm so glad you're with me again!" she whimpered, and Howard sighed. Kiehl ran a hand over her back, and now Loomin was pissed that Greg made his wife upset.

"When time comes back, I want to talk first," Ragged Zombie said. He was now ticked off and wanted to piss off the Sniper even more. Seyren and Garrett looked at each other and back to the frozen Sniper. They weren't very pleased at what they learned.

"Okay," Loomin nodded, and looked at Muninn. Everyone moved back to where they were before and time came back in full. Eremes nodded to Sarine to show he was fine, and Ragged Zombie cleared his throat to talk. She did move back into Howard's embrace to let him cradle her a bit more, though. They knew it was because she simply needed comfort.

"Sarine," Ragged Zombie said with a sigh. "Did you ever find those boots you wanted? Or a good set of boots in general?"

"Huh? Oh. No. He bought them before me, I think," she frowned. "I told you about it before. I went to find good boots, and he bought them before I could. I haven't found any since then. Really didn't have a need to."

"I still have them, but my offer still stands if you want them," Greg said.

"Forget about them," the zombie grinned and handed over the Tidal Boots to her. "I'm giving these to you. For free. No strings attached. But…"

"But?" she grinned. Keltin and Sammy glanced at each other with small grins.

"Instead of asking you out, I want you to marry me!" the zombie grinned. That had Kiehl and Howard gaping with surprise before barking out laughter. Garrett and Max looked at each other with wide grins. Naght and Beelzebub were clearly amused, and they realized that this was how the zombie would become a husband. Now Hibram was thinking on everything, and he remembered what he could give her. The zombie gave him the best idea ever, and he nudged Osiris to help him with the treasury. Beelzebub watched him leave with a grin. Greg was staring in shock at this, as the others were laughing.

"Hmm…" she thought. "Your offer is definitely tempting."

"Is it?" the zombie grinned softly.

"But, what would you be to me? What…element would you have?" she asked, as he leaned close to her. "Do you have an idea?"

"My element is a form of Water. Fog," he grinned, as his body started to produce the fog naturally. "I could make quite a bit of it to blind the enemy, you know."

"That's a good trick," she grinned back. "But…what would you be to me? Beelzebub is my Ears, and Loomin is my Eyes. How-How is my Armor. Doppy is my Wrath. Keltin is my Guardian. Eremes is my Weapon, and Sammy is my Life. What would you be?"

"I would be your Vengeance," he smiled. "The moment anyone talks bad about you, I make sure to twist it right back to them to make them lose focus. I do this all the time, you know. It's a natural trait for me, too."

"True," she thought, and now the others were finding this rather agreeable. "But, I think I need another sample of your talent."

"Do you?" the zombie thought and looked at Greg. "Well, Ass Hat, I guess I get to pick on you! Whether you like it or not!"

"I'm not an ass hat!" Greg hissed. The others started laughing again.

"No, you're not. That's just your name," the zombie nodded. "Then again, I could see you wearing a Poop Hat and that would let me call you Shit Head."

Doppy was sniggering, and Thanatos was grinning wickedly. Hibram came back with Osiris, and he had a rather large grin on his face now. Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited patiently. The zombie was having a lot of fun now, and they wanted him to keep it up.

"This is just stupid! Let me be with her now!" Greg scowled.

"No," the zombie glared. "I still haven't forgotten how you hit me."

"What?!" the Sniper blinked.

"He's right," Loomin nodded. "He did attack Ragged Zombie when his back was turned. It's time for him to hit back. And, if he lives, we'll talk further."

"Wait a minute!" Greg paled, as Ragged Zombie pulled out a rib and it burst into flames in his hands. He was only thinking of getting revenge now. Not only for himself, but for Sarine. She was wronged by this human and he was pissed. Loomin looked up at Muninn, and they both chuckled at each other. _This was how the zombie was important to her now. He would get back at anyone and anything that tried to accuse her or did wrong to her._

"Isn't Deviling's name Vengeance?" Howard grinned.

"Yes, it is!" Sarine nodded. "That would be funny if they teamed up!"

"I think it would be awesome," Keltin chuckled.

"Bye-bye, Ass Hat!" Ragged Zombie growled.

"Wait!" Hibram said. He scowled, but nodded. "I want to talk to Sarine first. Then you can hit him back. Okay?"

"Fine," the zombie pouted and put the fire on his rib out before shoving it back in his gut.

"What is it, Hibram?" she asked.

"I realized that I have the Dark Holy element," Hibram smirked, and now Loomin blinked at this. "And, I am your Heart."

"My Heart?" she frowned.

"But, I'm her Life," Sammy said.

"Yes. I am her Heart that keeps both you and Sarine alive. Think of me as what helps protect you to keep her alive. By keeping you alive, you keep her alive," he grinned. "I am your personal guardian, to put it lightly."

"Oh…" Sammy thought, and Beelzebub was very impressed by this.

"I have many Dark Holy attributes that are hard to remove. Many can only combat pure Holy. Dark Holy is something only a demon can have, and me, being a Fallen Bishop," he grinned with a small shrug. "I know I don't have any form of buffs. I don't have any form of Healings, but my protective attacks are far more potent. While they focus on the enemy, Keltin and I can protect you and Sarine at all times."

"He's right," Loomin grinned.

"I have a powerful Heal, as well as a dark form of Blessing," Kiehl nodded. "and I have a rather intricate range of attacks, too."

"Most of us can Heal," Doppy grinned. "But, what's your point, Hibram?"

"Right. My point is this," Hibram chuckled and got down on one knee. Then he presented his Spiritual Ring to Sarine and asked, "Will you marry me?"

"Ah…um…" Sarine blinked, and Ragged Zombie was chuckling. "Yes! I'll marry you both! Let's finish up here, and we'll go back to the house."

"Wow," Seyren grinned, and Baphomet was hissing laughter at Greg's shocked face.

"You know, Kiehl," Sarine said softly. "with all of these diamonds you'll be getting, I think I know what you will be to me."

"Hmm? Oh! Wow…" Kiehl blinked at this thought.

"Her Soul?!" Howard gaped.

"Yes. My Soul. You will have all of their elemental attributes, you know," she smiled.

"Your Soul…" Kiehl thought and pulled her close to kiss deeply. Muninn was a bit surprised at this, but he knew it would make the most sense. He was also far more of a husband than slave now, as it was. The other slaves nodded at this, and would only rely on Kiehl as a slave for emergency measures like Howard.

"Can I hit him now?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Oh, Greg," Sarine said, as she nuzzled Kiehl's neck.

"Yes?" the Sniper asked quickly.

"I understand you really want to be with me. But, you'll end up hurting me. Why, exactly, do you want to be at my side? In all honesty?" she asked.

"You're my dream girl! That's why!" he said.

"That's all I am? I'm not special? I'm not wealthy? I'm not…anything else?" she asked carefully. Howard and Kiehl were glaring at the Sniper now.

"I can make you happy! I don't care about your money or status! I just…give me a chance, and I know I can make you proud of me!" he pleaded.

"But I can't give you children," she said.

"It's fine! I…I can go without them," he said.

"That's a lie…" Beelzebub frowned.

"A big lie," Loomin growled. "If you want to even think about being with my wife, then you'll need to find out about her Demonic Matings. It's where any strong monster can compete to be with her. But, you'll be fighting over ten monsters. And these monsters fight each other, too. So, you'll need to be able to withstand various hits…"

"Like this!" Ragged Zombie grinned, as he pulled his rib out again, let it burst into flames, and he flung it at the Sniper hard. "Eat that, Ass Hat!"

Greg stood no chance against the attack and was on the ground before he knew what hit him. Errende smirked and watched Max and Garrett drag his body away to the arena to get Resurrected there. Once they got back, Sarine looked at the zombie and Hibram.

"I need to get wedding rings for you both," she smiled.

"Hmm…" Osiris thought and looked at Pharaoh. They would need to see what they could do in time. Even Amon Ra was thinking hard on what he could do for her. As Kings, they should be married to her to help her royal status.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy said. "before we head back to the house, I want to try fighting them. Once they marry you, I won't get the chance until a Demonic Mating."

"Are you serious, Doppy?" she frowned. "We still have to go to Gonryun!"

"I know, but I want to see how strong they are!" he said.

"Doppy…" she sighed and laughed softly. He moved to her with a bit of a grin on his face and kissed her lovingly.

"Ask me something to do for you, then," he smiled.

"Fine…" she smiled and whispered softly. Beelzebub found himself grinning, and he gave a small nod at this.

"I can do that," he nodded. "On the way to Turtle General, right?"

"Yes," she nodded. Howard and Kiehl blinked at this and would definitely look forward to it. Even Naght was anxious to see it.

"You'll crave me, though," Doppy said.

"What do you think the Captain's Quarters are for?" she winked and that had him laughing with the others. He nodded and kissed her again before looking at Hibram.

"I don't want to spar in the grove. Let's move just outside of it, okay?" Hibram said.

"Good idea," Sammy said. "Oh, Byorgue? Nigel? These Yggdrasil root sprouts are ready to be harvested. Can you get the berries?"

"Leave that to us," Nigel nodded. Maya Purple was tall enough to pluck the precious berries, and each stalk bore four berries at a time. Muninn warbled and settled on another branch that was closer to them, as Doppy and Hibram readied to spar.

"What's going on?" Dracula asked, as he came over. Moonlight Flower was judging again, since he was going to go with them to Gonryun.

"A small spar," Eremes chuckled.

"Oh, good! A fight worth watching for once," Dracula grinned, and that had everyone laughing. Sarine watched Doppy attack Hibram and how he tried to break through his defenses. Garrett and Max were quite impressed, and even Baphomet was pleased at the ferocity of the attacks. Hibram used his skills of Dark Cross, Grand Cross of Darkness, and Safety Wall. When he cast Safety Wall, Doppy snarled and slammed into him to knock him out the pink circle of light. Then Hibram used his skill of Silence on Doppy, and that caught the demon by surprise. It actually worked and he had no voice. They paused to find out how that happened.

"He can be Silenced?!" Howard gaped. Sarine gasped, and Doppy looked at her to show that he was okay, even though he couldn't voice it.

"That's not good!" Kiehl frowned. "We can't have any weaknesses!"

Muninn nodded at this and communed with Valkyrie quickly. As powerful monsters, none of them should be able to have their skills blocked or nullified. Quite a few monsters glowed, including Doppy, to fix this weakness. This was why sparring was needed.

"Good!" Doppy snarled, as he was able to speak again, and Hibram nodded before he got attacked again. Sarine was now trembling while she watched them, and Hibram rose up his hands to Doppy to signal to stop. He heard her small, frightened whimper escape her before Howard could quiet her. Then he pointed at her to show he was concerned when Howard and Kiehl were trying to whisper to her. Doppy grimaced and ran over to her to hug her tight.

"Doppy!" she whimpered.

"I'm fine!" he said and cradled her. "It's been fixed! See?"

"I know…just…" she shivered. Her mental wall was starting to crack, and Ragged Zombie hissed at how Howard and Doppy were starting to tense up. At a glance to Seyren, the Lord Knight gave a small nod, as he braced himself for insults.

"So, Meat Bag, do you still need a compass?" the zombie asked Seyren.

"Oh, shut up, you walking, putrid sack of skin!" Seyren growled, and Ragged Zombie barked out laughter at the retorted insult. Sarine sputtered out giggles, and the others just gasped with relief that she was laughing again.

"You burned out one…no…two pots…" Eremes thought aloud. "All for water…"

"Eremes! How the hell did you know about that second pot?!" Seyren gasped, and the zombie grinned at this. "Not even Kathryne knows about that!"

"You…destroyed pots…from boiling water?" Baphomet looked at Seyren with a look of complete disdain and disbelief. "Amazing…"

"Give me a break!" Seyren groaned, and Sarine was laughing even more now. Howard was simply amazed that the one that did most of the cooking in the past was so bad at first.

"Are you okay now, Sorry Sari?" Doppy smiled.

"Yeah," she nodded, and he kissed her gently.

"Hibram?" Doppy grinned.

"Let the zombie fight you," he said. Ragged Zombie grinned and cracked his knuckles.

"Careful. You might pull those fingers out," Doppy smirked.

"Or I'll shove one up your ass! Preferably the middle one," the zombie snickered, and Doppy cracked a grin. Beelzebub was giggling and watched Ragged Zombie start firing his ribs at Doppy. Fire wouldn't do anything to Doppy at all and it wasn't used. The zombie knew he was quite immune to elemental attacks. He had ribs firing out so fast that Doppy was only getting pushed back. When the zombie stopped on purpose to see how fast the demon could get to him, he was less than five feet away within half a second when the rib-throwing shoved him back twenty feet. This was another problem that Doppy faced. Then he used his skill of Auto Guard to reflect off some of the ribs. He didn't have the skill of Endure to keep moving while getting hit. If he had the skill of Pneuma, it would have made all missile attacks miss him. The Auto Guard skill let him get closer, but the zombie was firing out his ribs so fast that many of them still hit and shoved him back.

"Wow. He's as fast as you are with your bow," Howard grinned at Sarine.

"True," she smiled. "But, Doppy needs protection against this now. He should get the skill to Endure, shouldn't he?"

"Pneuma would work for him, too," Errende nodded.

"Don't…give him…anymore…skills!" Ragged Zombie growled, as he focused on keeping the demon back. Doppy just howled with laughter, as he kept pressing his attack. Muninn nodded, communed with Valkyrie, and both skills were granted to him. Odin didn't want his Wrath to be brought down if he could help it. When Doppy used the new skills, the zombie swore violently and bolted, as he kept firing his ribs to keep the demon back. Just as Doppy made it up to Ragged Zombie, Sarine called out to him.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked, as his killing mode was shut down, and he made his way to her side. The zombie gave a sigh of relief, and the others were laughing.

"I think it's safe to say that nothing can get in your way now, right?" Sarine whispered to him, as she caressed his cheek. He looked at her with such a loving gaze, that he kissed her passionately. Any rage he had was quickly diminished, and he grinned.

"Good fight!" Doppy smirked.

"Yeah, yeah," the zombie grinned. "Can I get married now?"

"Yes," Sarine chuckled and pulled him close to kiss deeply. Keltin suddenly leapt in front of her and caught an arrow that was launched at her. It was actually aimed at the zombie, but she was in his arms and it would have struck her. She gasped with shock, and Ragged Zombie hissed with disbelief. Keltin snapped it in half and reverted to his Champion form, as his Rage came out. Then he charged at Greg's fleeing form before anyone else could react without another thought. This was why he was her Guardian. Baphomet roared with hatred, as Keltin slammed the human into the dirt with his Asura Strike. Keltin came back over to them in his Champion form, and he was completely livid.

"If that asshole comes to any of her Demonic Matings, I'll kill him before he has the chance to compete!" Keltin snarled out. It was rare for him to get this pissed off. Sarine opened her arms to him, and he moved to pick her up and hug her tight.

"I'll make sure he leaves!" Baphomet hissed. "You all take her up to her bedroom."

"Right," Hibram nodded. Osiris and Pharaoh went with Baphomet, and Amon Ra made his way to the nursery. He felt that he needed to protect the kids now.

"Let's go," Doppy said to Kiehl. Both of them were exceptionally pissed now, and, when they walked into the house, the dark mood was clearly felt.

"What happened?" Lloyd asked.

"Let him tell you!" Kiehl hissed, as he pointed to Seyren. Sarine was carried up to the bedroom by Keltin, and she had to calm him first. She took a couple mouthfuls of his blood to ensure that she would have enough energy to sate her men. All of them were stressed now, and she had to calm them down. Once she was able to be with them, Osiris, Pharaoh, and Amon Ra made their way to her. Luckily, Drake, Wanderer, and Incubus didn't see anything. However, Beelzebub had to tell them, and they charged into the bedroom to comfort her.

"The ship be done," Drake said. "I'm not gonna leave ye side now."

"All right," Sarine nodded and smiled.

"Neither am I," Wanderer nodded.

"I'm staying with you, too," Incubus said. "I still have to prove myself."

"If you say so," she chuckled. He smiled softly at her and moved out to the bedroom. Ragged Zombie walked in now and shucked off his clothes. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy were lightly meditating nearby so she could see them. He was still very upset at everything.

"I should have killed him again!" the zombie growled. "That arrow was aimed at me!"

"Come here," Sarine said and opened her arms to him. He groaned and moved to do as she said. The moment she slipped her arms into his chest cavity, he cried out at the sensations. She cupped his heart in her hands, and he lost control of his senses. She bit his neck hard, but not hard enough to draw blood, and it sent him spiraling into a world of senseless pleasure and pain. He was knocked unconscious now, and she moved carefully from him to take a quick shower and wash off her arms. When she got back to him, she roused him gently, and he could only sigh while he gazed at her. A soft glow appeared on the floor next to him, and she slipped his ring on his finger. They kissed lightly, and he chuckled.

"I'm not ever gonna lose this finger!" he grinned, and Howard started laughing with Kiehl. Sammy cracked a grin and shook his head. Beelzebub was laughing hard in the bedroom, and it was followed with other bouts of laughter.

"You're like a cancer, Ragged Zombie," Howard laughed. "You grow on everyone and force yourself on others."

"That's…kinda nasty!" the zombie frowned and got more laughter erupting from everyone. Then he blinked, as Sarine's scent clouded his mind, and he snarled out when he claimed her for his Rights. He was gasping when he finished, and he couldn't believe what happened. Hibram walked in shortly after and gestured for her. Ragged Zombie chuckled and managed to move away from her to get to his clothes. When he left the bathroom, Hibram had his clothes removed, and he took her passionately.

"Hibram…" she whispered after he released with her.

"Yes?" he smiled. He blinked at the glow near them and she picked up the ring.

"You'll be my husband?" she smiled, as she put his ring on his finger.

"Always," he said softly. He kissed her hard before taking her desperately when her scent claimed his thoughts. She keened out with his successful mating cry, and they nuzzled each other softly. He let her rest against him and cuddle into him.

"We'll need to leave for Gonryun," she sighed.

"I know. I'll be waiting in the bedroom," he smiled and kissed her again before getting up to dress. She sat up and winced at a sharp kick in her belly. Doppy came in with Thanatos, and Kiehl moved to her side with Howard. Sammy ran his hand over her belly to evaluate her.

"A bit active, it seems," he chuckled at a healthy, responsive kick to his hand.

"We'll have to feed her while we travel," Thanatos nodded. "All right, what's the plan?"

"I need to be with her," Doppy said, as he pulled her into his lap, and she cuddled into him. When his form tingled, he hugged her tighter and kissed her forehead.

"Sarine, why do you need Doppy like this so much?" Sammy asked.

"It's just…been so long, you know?" she frowned. Kiehl and Howard understood, since they could hear her thoughts, and Naght was the same way. Doppy cradled her and frowned.

"I still can't believe that asshole fired an arrow!" he growled.

"Tell me about it!" Howard muttered.

"I'm glad Keltin was there," Sammy said. "He caught it instinctively."

"That's because I'm her Guardian," Keltin said, as he sat down with them. Beelzebub told him they were talking about him, and he had to come into the bathroom now.

"That's right," Kiehl nodded. Then he looked up when Loomin, Eremes, Beelzebub, Hibram, and Ragged Zombie walked in to join them.

"Are we having a slumber party?" Sarine giggled. Doppy smirked and nodded to each one with equal respect.

"Let's see," Howard grinned. "First we were told only four husbands. Then it was pushed to five. Then six. Now up to nine. Oh, wait, no. It's ten because of Kiehl. Hmm…"

"Don't you even dare!" Doppy scowled, and Howard laughed when Kiehl smacked him.

"Ow! I wasn't going to!" Howard muttered at Kiehl.

"Yes, you were! You and your jokes!" Kiehl sighed.

"Jokes?" Loomin asked.

"He says all of our names and starts it out like we're walking into a bar," Keltin grinned.

"Hmm…" Ragged Zombie mused. "I'd make it into a bathroom. Like how we are now."

"Oh, please!" Sarine gasped, and they all laughed.

"Well, I'm not a husband, so you can leave me out of it," Thanatos grinned.

"True," Howard nodded. "I do believe that it's Gonryun time, though."

"That it is," Loomin nodded.

"Oh…I was thinking…" Eremes said. "Loomin…if Sarine still wants a house in Rachel…can't you wear her Cloaking garment? To be hidden?"

"Now that's a possibility!" Loomin said. "I'll have to stay a bit in the shadows, though. Most of the Priests can see invisible things."

"Who do they worship?" Keltin frowned.

"The goddess Freya," Loomin said.

"Odin would know her, right?" Keltin grinned. "Maybe a dream can be sent to their most powerful Priests to show that Sarine is his Vessel? Just to help safeguard her?"

"It's…possible!" Loomin blinked. "Hmm. It would be better to ask for another's help, but I'm not. Then a favor would be owed. I'll have to speak with Odin directly. Muninn can help us with that later. Right now, let's focus on Gonryun."

"Okay," Sarine said. She did press herself into Doppy before he kissed her as possessively as he did in his dream vision with her. Instinct started to kick in that this was his female, and he gave a sharp snarl, but Kiehl gave an instinctive hiss to show who was in charge. His Bragging Rights instinct flared, and he tensed with sudden challenge. If he was ignored, his ghost would appear in full to show he was pissed.

"Sorry," Doppy grinned and nodded to him. Kiehl watched him revert to his powerful body, and Sarine was handed to him. She caressed Kiehl's cheek, and he sighed.

"I'm sorry, too," Kiehl said. He only said it to help keep Sarine calm. She didn't like seeing her loves fight and bicker amongst themselves over her. She showed how hurt she was the last time it happened, and he hugged her tight. _I won't let that happen again._ Howard nodded, and she was helped up to dress. Errende was ready with some sushi for her in the bedroom, and she was fed while she was led down the stairs. Cookies were given next, and she was soon sipping tea. She felt much better, and Seyren approached her.

"If that Sniper comes back, he dies!" he growled.

"Only in the arena," she smiled.

"He fired an arrow at you!" Seyren hissed.

"And Keltin caught it and avenged me," she said.

"It was actually aimed for me," Ragged Zombie frowned.

"I could put him on a wanted list," Garrett grinned.

"Maybe," she mused. "Let's talk about it as we travel."

"Okay," Garrett nodded. They decided against steeds for right now, but Nigel would be ready to become his Nine Tail form to help Sarine, if he had to. The town of Gonryun was incredibly small, so it would be easy to stick together. Muninn warbled and landed on Sarine's shoulders carefully to nuzzle her.

_:Kafra Warp? Or me?:_  he asked.

"The Kafra Corporation gets enough zeny from the arena," Sarine giggled. That sent murmurs of agreement through them all.

"Amon Ra will stay with the children. When he's needed, he will be brought," Beelzebub said. "He just muttered this for me."

"Okay," Sarine nodded. Maheo approached her slowly to carefully squeeze her arm with respect. She smiled softly and nodded. The pain in his eyes was all too clear that he read the letters. No words needed to be said at this. Muninn nodded slightly to show it was understood, and Loomin nodded to him, as well.

"What happened to you?" Timmy asked.

"I read some letters," Maheo said. That made many of them look at him with a sad form of understanding. Timmy was confused, since he hadn't seen the letters yet.

"Later, Timmy," Howard said. His brother nodded, and Armeyer pulled him over to whisper softly to him. She heard the letters through Errende that night. Muninn warbled, and everyone that wanted to go was present. Pori-Pori scooted down the stairs to help protect Sarine. Eddga was going, and so was Vagabond Wolf. The three monsters were always with her now. Naght and Ifrit were going to wait until it was safe to come forth. It was the same with Baphomet. Muninn warbled again, and they were taken to Gonryun.


	132. Chapter 132

They appeared in the center of town. The large party managed to spread out to make walking room, and Eddga rumbled when he glanced around slightly. Sarine was put on Vagabond Wolf's back, and the large wolf licked her hand.

"Thank you!" she smiled and scratched behind his ears. He clearly liked that, and his fur was incredibly soft to her. He moved slowly with her, and it felt rather natural for her to ride him. She knew exactly where to sit on his back for the best movement.

"My Lady acts like she's ridden Vagabond Wolf her whole life!" Nigel blinked.

"Well, she was supposed to be riding him to begin with," Sammy chuckled.

"True," Howard grinned. She actually looked like she belonged with the massive wolf. Muninn was still on her shoulders, and the massive wolf snarled at anything that looked threatening. Pori-Pori jumped up to ride with her, and she smiled with delight. Then she looked over, as the town Chief came up to them.

He was a man in Oriental dress. It was a blue overcoat with a white swirly pattern. A white undershirt and pants fit over his form, and the blue overcoat was attached to a red padded collar that fit over his shoulders with white designs. The overcoat was held around his waist with a red sash. His shoes were red and white, and he wore an intricate mask over his face to show his stature. His brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he was rather concerned. He wasn't sure why there were monsters here, but they were prepared to answer all of his questions.

"Ah, why are there monsters in my town?" the Chief asked.

"She is the Vessel of Odin," Loomin said, as he rested a hand on her shoulder. She smiled softly at the Chief, and Errende moved to help her reveal the Mark of Odin tattoo on her neck. That made the Chief stammer, and she gave a tired sigh.

"It's all right," Garrett said, and he walked over to identify himself. He explained who he was and what the monsters could do to fix up the town. The Chief thought and seemed to nod.

"Repair work and protection, you say?" he asked.

"Yes. You give her permission to help and live in your town. She'll purchase a house here to live in on occasion. The monsters will help maintain and protect the town," Garrett nodded. "She has done this in various cities already."

"And no people will come to harm?" he asked.

"No," Sammy chuckled. "I am Incantation Samurai. As you can see, Beelzebub is here, as well as Thanatos and Pori-Pori. We love and protect her. We respect her, as well as the places she lives in. You have nothing to fear from us."

"I'm Doppelganger. I won't hurt anyone, as long as she remains unharmed," Doppy nodded. Kiehl seemed to smile a bit, and he ran a hand over Sarine's back.

"Ah! Okay!" the Chief nodded.

"I can hear any conversation that happens in your town. If there is something nasty about to happen, I will know and inform you of it," Beelzebub said.

"If that is so, then I would appreciate that, greatly," the Chief nodded.

"Is there a house available for purchase here?" Sarine asked gently. The Chief looked at her oddly when she spoke with her dulcet tone, and he thought.

"It's possible. I will have to look," he said.

"Please do? I would need to let my Papa know once I purchase it. My Papa is the Emperor of Amatsu," she smiled. That made the Chief pause and realize now that he was speaking to royalty. Garrett and Max chuckled.

"Surely you jest! He has no daughter!" the Chief said carefully. Then Storm Caller brought Markus to them. He smiled and bowed to the Chief. Then he looked at Sarine with a touch of confusion as to where he was.

"My daughter? I thought I was going fishing?" Markus frowned.

"Sorry, Papa. He didn't believe I was your daughter. He is the Chief of Gonryun, and I wanted to get a house," she sighed.

"Really?!" Markus blinked. "My daughter, let me speak with him."

"Okay, Papa," she nodded. "Thank you, Storm Caller."

"Of course, Vessel of Odin. When you purchase a home, I shall inspect it. Eremes? Your home is finished, just so you know."

"Thank you," Eremes nodded. Sarine blinked slowly and looked towards the south-west section of the town. She trembled a bit at a memory, and Howard moved over with Kiehl to comfort her. They both whispered to her softly, and Beelzebub moved over to ready himself to pull her into his robe, if he had to. Vagabond Wolf whimpered, and Nigel growled to him. The wolf barked back, and Muninn glanced up now. He looked at Loomin and warbled.

"Hmm?" Loomin frowned and thought. Then he looked in the distance and saw past the shadows that made up the side of a house. He hissed and moved to tap Eremes on a shoulder.

"Yes?" he asked. He followed Loomin's gaze, and he nodded. Cloaking now, he knew that Sarine was given permission to have monsters roam the town. When he reached the destination, he Detected the older Cloaked Assassin Cross, and he growled when he Uncloaked.

"You saw me?!" Elric whispered.

"Yes. I'm a monster now. Loomin can see everything. He is Sarine's Eyes. What are you doing here?!" Eremes hissed.

"Checking on her pregnancy. Why else would I be here?" Elric shrugged.

"You will not live..." Eremes sighed.

"If I can get her with child, then that's all that matters!"

"You can't get her with child!"

"What?"

"She'll abort it! You'll kill off any other chances for her to have children!"

"You're...not serious! Are you?!"

"Very. Human seed...is far too weak for her body to support. It was proven before her transcendence. We will not risk it..."

"How would my chances increase then?" Elric asked.

"As if I would tell you?!" Eremes growled. "You'll hurt her! I will not risk her life for your lust! Even if you are my old mentor! I refuse it!"

"And don't say that he owes you, either," Beelzebub glared, as he approached from behind. Elric stammered and turned to stare into the Demon Lord's eyes. He was so busy talking to Eremes that he didn't hear or see the Demon Lord come over to them. "You got what you came for. My wife is still pregnant. You need to leave."

"I thought she was your mate?" Elric asked. Beelzebub smirked and removed the glove from his upper left hand to reveal the wedding ring.

"I'm her Ears. I hear everything, remember?" he grinned, as he replaced his glove. "Now you need to leave before the others find out you're here."

"It's Chicken Shit!" Ragged Zombie grinned, as Fenrick appeared to talk to them.

"Never mind," Beelzebub smirked.

"Stop hiding and walk out with me. Be honorable about it, at least," Eremes muttered.

"Fine," Elric nodded and walked over with them. He paused at the sight of Sarine's swollen belly, and Kiehl ran a hand over it lovingly. Then his eyes rose up to lock with Elric's, and the man felt a chill of complete fear run down his spine.  _Kiehl had gotten powerful. Intensely powerful._  Kiehl fixed his glasses and returned his attention to Sarine. She whispered softly to him, and he giggled with her. He kissed her forehead to comfort her.

"My daughter," Markus smiled. "A house has been located for you. Follow me."

"Okay, Papa," she smiled, and Vagabond Wolf stretched. He moved carefully with her, as he led her to the north-east part of town. The small house was dainty, and it was rather spacious inside. It was approved by Muninn and quickly purchased for the Warp to appear. Naght, Ifrit, and Baphomet moved through it now to stand with her outside the house.

"You need to make that place larger," Baphomet growled. Beelzebub giggled, and Storm Caller was now moving through the house with the monster builders. As they worked on reconstruction, Sarine let Naght come over to her to let his presence comfort her. Ifrit studied the small town and clearly didn't like how it was a floating town, considering that Sarine came here before when she was hurting. Eremes winced at that, but the town was needed.

"Sarine," Eremes said, as he moved to her side. "I know I shouldn't ask...but...where did you stand in the town long ago?"

"Ah..." she gasped, and Kiehl hissed at the memory. Howard grimaced and glared lightly at Eremes. "No, it's okay. I'll show you all. I can walk."

"Are you sure, My Lady?" Errende frowned.

"I'll be fine," she nodded. "I need to make good memories out of the bad ones. Right?"

"True," Kiehl frowned. Elric and Fenrick looked at each other questionably.

"I'll tell you both...but...keep quiet..." Eremes said. At their nod, he explained what Sarine would do when she came here. They both gaped at the thought of her actually thinking about jumping to her death. Sarine patted Vagabond Wolf fondly, and Muninn tightened his grip on her shoulders a bit more. She let him cuddle her, and now she led her men south of the main center of town. She brought them to a small bridge that led to various places around the town in the form of a scenic ring. Seyren wanted to know, and so did Baphomet. Her other friends were just as curious and followed at a distance to give walking room.

"I should be carrying you," Kiehl said.

"I'm fine," she smiled and let him keep an arm around her. Muninn leapt off her shoulders to scout the small town and to follow her closely. She made a right on the bridge and led them to a small stream of land that ended far out from the town. A single tree was here in the center of the last circular bit, and this was where she stopped. There were no railings here, and the edge of the small island was a sheer cliff drop into the clouds below the town. She turned to look at them with her hand on the tree, and it looked like she was ready to push herself away. Sammy gasped at the dream vision that came to him again, and he ran forward to pull her to him. He was shaking and trembling uncontrollably. His arms tightened around her, and, if he wasn't already pale white, he would have looked like a complete marble statue.

"Sammy?!" Howard asked.

"Get her...away from here...please...for me..." he whispered with wide eyes. His heart was racing, as he saw her form fading out from the clouds below them. He cringed and kept Sarine close to him. He wanted her nowhere near this part of the town ever again.

"Sammy?" Keltin blinked.

"It was... _here_...that I saw it...that vision...where it happened..." he trembled.

"Shit!" Howard hissed with realization, and Kiehl blinked at this with his jaw dropped. "Move her! Both of them! Now!"

Muninn screeched and landed near them to revert human. He moved faster than any known being could. He scooped her up to put her on one shoulder, grabbed Sammy to throw him over his other shoulder, and carried them swiftly into the middle of town. All that many people could see was a massive blur that moved past them. They had to follow them to make sure they were all right. Once he brought them here, he set Sammy down first.

"What was that about?!" Seyren asked.

"Remember when Sammy said he saw a vision of her succeeding in falling?" Loomin grimaced. "It came back to him in full when she stood on that spot."

"What?!" Seyren gasped.

"Is she okay?" Karla whispered.

"She'll be fine. It's Sammy I'm worried about," Loomin said. Now everyone was glancing nervously at each other. Sarine was settled solidly in Sammy's lap when he sat on the ground. Only when she was safe with him did Muninn nod to Sammy and revert back to his falcon form to fly off. She hugged him tight and got hugged back.

"Hush," Sarine whispered, and Sammy trembled. She ran a hand over his cheek, and he tried to calm himself. His ancestral ghost was out in full to show how concerned he was about all of this. His body couldn't stop shaking, and she knew what she had to do now. She looked at him gently and said, "Come with me."

He could only nod, as she rose out of his lap, took his hands, and led him into the new house. The walls were still up, and Storm Caller was informed that she needed to comfort her husband. He left with the builders to give them some privacy. Kiehl and Howard walked in and settled in small chairs to make sure that Sammy would be all right. Now that it was just them, he was able to try and relax. It was almost the same situation with Eremes and the rediscovery of his memories of his parents.  _He needed to be with her in a similar setting away from the others._

"I didn't...expect it..." Sammy sighed.

"I know," she said and nuzzled him. Then she moved one of his hands over her belly, and he sighed with relief at the kicks his twins gave him. They knew he was distressed.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she smiled and kissed him gently. "I'll never go to that area again."

"Okay."

"I promise."

"Good."

"I'll only come here with everyone else."

"It's a beautiful town. It's just...that one spot...that I don't like..." he whispered.

"I won't like it, either," she nodded. "Give me your child form, Sammy."

"Okay," he said and reverted to his child form. He shifted the large scroll on his back, and she saw he was fighting back tears. She pulled him to her to let him finally vent his tears on her shoulder. Howard looked at Kiehl and got a worried look back. Even Naght was fully concerned at the mental thoughts he was getting. This was what Sammy needed, though. His ancestral ghost understood that she was safe, but his child side was still very scared for her. He couldn't mentally heal unless he had reverted to his child form, since his adult form would have tried to hold it in. He needed to be comforted like this. Naght was telling everyone what was happening outside, and everyone realized how harsh it really was for Sammy now.

"I know you're scared, love," she whispered, and he cried harder. "I'm safe now. It's okay. We need to get Evil Snake Lord, and he is on a bunch of floating islands above us. I need you to be strong so that I can be strong with you. I probably won't have my eyes open very much, as we travel. I'll need your support with How-How, Kiehl, and the others, okay?"

"Can I...ride Windwalker...with you?" he asked weakly with a small shiver.

"Yes, love. Of course, you can," she smiled. He kissed her softly and snuggled into her tunic with a tired sigh. He rubbed his eyes on her shoulder, as more tears formed, and she hugged him. He started to whimper and sob again, as she rocked him. She hugged him to her tightly, and he finally shivered when the tears dried out.

"I've never seen him like this," Howard frowned. "Normally, he's the calm one."

"I know, right?" Kiehl sighed. "I'll ride with her."

"I'm sure the wolf will let me ride him," Howard nodded. Sammy didn't bother to shift back just yet, and he let her carry him out of the small house.

"Is everything all right, my daughter?" Markus frowned.

"Sammy is just very scared right now," Sarine sighed. Beelzebub moved to whisper softly to Markus, and his jaw dropped. Sarine winced, and Kiehl ran a hand over her back.

"Will you be all right?" Markus asked carefully.

"I'll be fine. I need to tend to my husband, though. He needs me," she said. Sammy was resting his head on her shoulder with his face pressed against her neck and had his eyes closed.

"I should see that vision he saw," Beelzebub said.

"No!" Sammy shivered and tensed up with a whimper. "No one should see it!"

"And no one will," Sarine said, as she glared at her men. This was a protective, motherly look, and it was to be respected at all times. When Sammy was in this form and hurting, it was invoked in a far more intense way, since he was also her husband. She was protecting him from being hurt any further, as they did for her. Beelzebub nodded with understanding, and she watched Windwalker land for her to get up on his back. He warbled and nuzzled her in greeting. She whispered to him, and he squawked with understanding. She moved onto his back with Sammy still clinging to her. Garm moved out of the house with Nightmare, Nightmare Terror, and Ktullanux. Keltin got on Garm and told him what happened.

"Not good! We can't have Incantation Samurai upset for so long!" the ice wolf growled.

"Sarine is comforting him. He's better than he was before," Keltin said.

"He speaks the truth," Loomin said, as he settled on Ktullanux. "I know he'll be better when we get back from finding Evil Snake Lord. We'll need to be careful on coming here again after this. For both him and Sarine."

"Right," Doppy nodded, and he got on Nightmare Terror. This Demonic horse actually worked better for him. Thanatos jumped onto Nightmare and was impressed. Howard was able to get back on Vagabond Wolf, and the Paladins grabbed their Grand Pecopeco mounts. The wild Pecopeco and wild Grand Pecopeco soon joined them.

"Okay," Lloyd said, as he hopped on the Pecopeco with Margaretha. Kathryne and Mitchell got on the wild Grand Pecopeco. Elric and Fenrick knew that they had to go elsewhere to see to other tasks and made their silent departure. Beelzebub watched them leave, and he would make sure they were tracked in any town he could hear in.

"Are we ready to head into the dungeon?" Seyren asked, as he stood by his wife. Karla fed Luna and readied her bombs. Nigel shifted into his Nine Tail form, and Byorgue was able to jump on his back. Injustice readied to walk with Errende and Aliot. Drago set up a rear guard with Observation and Maya Purple. Kiehl now moved onto Windwalker's back, and made sure that Vagabond Wolf was behind them.

"Actually, Howard, you ride Nigel. I'll take Vagabond Wolf. Nigel will make sure you stay in My Lady's line of sight, and I can help tear up the enemy with Vagabond Wolf," Byorgue said. Howard actually nodded, and the dominant wolf snorted with agreement.  _Nigel would definitely make sure that Howard was close to Sarine._ Eremes chuckled, as Matyr loped out of the house for him to ride. They were all ready to go.

"I want to ride something!" Timmy frowned.

"How about a wall?" Ragged Zombie smirked, and everyone laughed at Timmy's red face. Beelzebub whispered to Markus, and the Emperor gasped with shock and shook his head. Sarine was giggling, and Sammy managed a small smile while he rested. Kiehl was laughing hard with Howard, and Baphomet was clearly disgusted. Osiris and Pharaoh grinned at each other, and Drake laughed heartily. Dracula, Wanderer, and Incubus made sniggering sounds, as they moved to form their own protective spots around Windwalker. Pori-Pori made a face of disgust, and the others started laughing even more at it.

"Ah, I think I'll check on the kids," Markus grinned.

"Amon Ra is there," Sarine nodded. He chuckled and moved through the new Warp in the house. Sammy was still clinging to her, and she kissed his forehead. He was slowly recovering from his shock and had fallen asleep.

"He's sleeping?" Howard blinked.

"Apparently, he is," she smiled.

"Well, he does have the most comfortable place to do it," the zombie grinned, and Sarine blushed. Everyone gave soft bits of giggles and laughter.

"Wow!" Kiehl grinned, and Windwalker rose up his wings. Naght and Ifrit now set themselves up on each side of Windwalker. They moved into the dungeon and cleared out the entrance. In here, there were three monsters waiting for them.

"Ah! Bloody Butterfly, Zipper Bear, and Enchanted Peach Tree," Keltin said.

Bloody Butterfly was a beautiful, female insect monster that was bare chested with flower-like wreathes over her hips, shoulders, ankles, and wrists. She had on a gold necklace, and her back was where the large butterfly seemed to envelope her when she hovered around. Her headdress was like a giant butterfly with large antennae, and the wings came out of her back. They were colored a deep purple in the center and faded out to a light pink. Maya Purple nodded to her, and she looked at him with interest until he buzzed out his status to Sarine. That made her frown, but she understood. He was not for her to be with. His heart belonged to Sarine only, and she was royalty. He was also going to get children from her, and he wanted it.

Zipper Bear looked like a giant black bear with a white muzzle and a zipper down its back. It clomped over to them purposely and snorted, as it made ready to fight with them. Enchanted Peach Tree looked like a small tree with a grinning face and a large bushel of leaves on top. Four Yoyo monkeys lived in it and used the hard peach fruits that grew out as missiles to lob at enemies. The fruits were also popular to make into pies, and a few of these were given over gladly. All three monsters glowed with power, gave over their cards, and vanished to the island home. Sarine smiled at the cards and kept her arms around Sammy while he slept. His ancestral ghost had gone back down into the body to rest, as well.

"Okay. Ready?" Loomin asked. At their nods, they moved forward slowly, but surely. The place was teeming with enemies. Kiehl moved up behind Sarine to let her lean back against him, and he rested his forehead against her neck. She ran her hand over Sammy's sleeping form, as he slept against her. Muninn was clearly concerned over Sammy's health and helped watch over them, as he hovered over her. He was now Assaulting anything that got too close to them to ensure their protection.

"He got really upset, didn't he?" Kiehl frowned, as he looked at Sammy.

"He did," Sarine nodded. "He'll be okay, though. I think he needs this, and then he'll be fine. He's been so busy being worried about me that I think he started to neglect himself."

"He's a strong monster. He doesn't need to eat or sleep, if he focuses off of those needs. We all worry about you. I think it was just the vision he had. It did a number on him. I'm sure it would be the same for any of us, if we saw what he did," Kiehl sighed.

"Well, I don't want anyone to see what he did. If it made him do this...I worry about the rest of you," she admitted. He nodded and kissed her gently, as he cradled her. Beelzebub could only agree now. _If it made Sammy incapacitated like this, who knew what that vision would do to any of them._  Doppy slowed up Nightmare Terror, and he checked on them.

"How's Sammy?" he asked.

"He's still sleeping," Kiehl said.

"Are you serious? He's still sleeping?!" Doppy blinked. "Wait. He fell asleep?!"

"Yes, Doppy," Sarine said. "He did. It's clear that he needs this."

"I know he does," he nodded. "We're almost at the next area."

"Okay," Kiehl said. Sarine continued to hold Sammy, and he yawned before pressing his face into her shoulder again to sleep even deeper. She rocked him gently and kissed his forehead. She looked back to see Howard and sighed. Kiehl continued to let her lean against him, and they moved into the next area. When they got here, the place was clearly in the sky, and Windwalker tightened his wings up around her a bit more. As much as he wanted to fly around, he knew that she was scared of heights. He also remembered what she told him, and he didn't want Sammy to get worried again.

"There's Evil Cloud Hermit and Baby Leopard!" Keltin grinned.

"At least Rice Cake will appreciate seeing Baby Leopard," Ragged Zombie snickered.

"Oh, boy. Maybe we should have Baby Leopard with us so we can witness it?" Hibram grinned. "I think it would be funny to see."

"It would be funny to see," Loomin chuckled. Eremes grinned, and Doppy snickered. Baby Leopard looked like a little leopard cub, and it roared out playfully when it tumbled along the ground. Evil Cloud Hermit was something else completely. He was an old man with a long, grey beard and a spiked out mustache. He was bald with a tattoo of various symbols on his forehead. He had bushy eyebrows with sunken eyes and a long nose. He was in dark brown robes and pants. He was also barefoot and riding around on a cloud that held a rather simple face, as it gazed out around them. The cloud also attacked by firing missiles out of its mouth. He was also able to cast Thunder Storm spells. He floated over to Sarine and gave over his card. Baby Leopard scratched itself and pulled out its card to give over, too.

"We'll fight with you," Evil Cloud Hermit said after he glowed. "I'd like to be an adviser of sorts. I'm sure it can work out."

"Oh, it will," she nodded. "Storm Caller tends to do that, but I'm sure we can find something. Maybe a scribe? It would be nice to keep track of what's in the treasury."

"I can do that," Evil Cloud Hermit nodded. "Anyways, I know the way through here. Are you hungry? I do have something."

"Do you?" she smiled. He nodded and handed her a large circle of cheese. Kiehl nodded back to him and helped Sarine break it up into small pieces to eat. The scent of the sweet cheese brought Sammy out of his sleep, and he blinked his eyes.

"Huh?" Sammy yawned, as he stretched. "Did I...fall asleep?!"

"You did," she smiled. "Would you like some cheese?"

"Sure," he nodded and settled in her lap to eat. "But...I fell asleep. Wow."

"I know," Kiehl chuckled.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah, but still tense," he frowned. As he ate, he suddenly groaned, as her hands worked over his small back. "Need...this..."

"I know you do," she chuckled. Then she blinked, as Kiehl started to massage her.

"Stop that!" Sammy frowned, as she lessened in the massage. "If I don't get a massage from her because of you, I'll kick you! I mean it!"

"No, you don't, love," Sarine said. Sammy grumbled, but sighed while he ate a bit more cheese with her. Kiehl smiled and kissed her cheek. They continued to move through the various warps. Then they all paused on the giant checkerboard they ended up on.

"Don't stop! Keep moving!" Evil Cloud Hermit urged.

"Wow! Okay," Seyren said. Sammy was resting against Sarine again, and she was hugging him close. She looked back behind her to see Howard, and she blinked, as Sammy started to tug down the zipper to her top. It was just starting to show a couple of familiar damp spots, and Sammy was quick to act on it.

"Sammy?" Kiehl asked with a grin.

"She's lactating again, and I need her," he said. This had her blush, but Kiehl started to kiss her passionately when Sammy freed a breast to drain it. Howard was clearly jealous, but Sammy did need to be comforted by her. When he was done with her other breast, her top was zipped back up and now her shorts were being pulled off.

"Sammy, can you be an adult? Please? As your kid body it just...doesn't look right," Kiehl sighed. All he got was a smirk as a response at first.

"It's just a body, you know. I'm older than I look," Sammy said.

"I know you're about a thousand years old..." Kiehl said.

"Just keep her quiet!" he growled. Sarine gasped, as he took her, and Kiehl kissed her again to keep his mind focused on something else. Howard was just amazed, but he knew that Sammy was right.  _He was much older than he looked, and he did have Sarine in that original form to get her pregnant._ Right after Sammy whimpered out his release quietly, he reverted to his adult form to have her again in full. She was pulled against his chest when he gave in to her, and he finally felt more like himself.

"Feeling better?" Beelzebub chuckled, as he moved towards them.

"Much," Sammy smiled, and Kiehl laughed softly. "Help me dress her?"

"Sure," Kiehl nodded with a grin, and her shorts were put back on. Sammy looked out from Windwalker's wings to see where they were. When he realized they were still on the various floating islands, and fighting their way through them, he became his child form again to press himself into her with a shiver. She frowned at this, but hugged him tight.

"I don't think I'm going to like heights anymore," he admitted.

"I know," she sighed and looked at Kiehl with alarm when he growled protectively. Other adventurers were near, and he didn't like the intrusion right now.

"Party is full," Garrett said lightly. "But, do you know if Evil Snake Lord is still alive?"

"You want Evil Snake Lord? Hah! We already killed it!" a bragging voice was heard.

"Yeah. We got its hat and a spear. Not much, but it's something," another guy said.

"Really? Oh. Well, it's fine. We need to head to its location, anyways. Have fun!" Garrett said, and they moved forward.

"Oh, dear," Sarine sighed. Sammy frowned at this and muttered for Beelzebub to get Loomin. The Demon Lord brought him over, and Loomin peered in.

"Were they telling the truth?" Sammy asked.

"No. They lied," Loomin smirked. "Evil Snake Lord is still very much alive. Those two are following us now and hoping to steal the kill for themselves. They only stated the items were gotten from him, but it is well known as to what he gives over on defeat."

"But, we aren't going to kill him," Sarine smiled.

"Nope!" Loomin grinned. Doppy overheard what was being said and hissed out sharply in Demonic. Ragged Zombie thought and moved over to them.

"Can I kill them both? Please?" he begged.

"Well, if they attack you, then I don't care," she smiled. He grinned savagely, and Doppy roared out laughter. Keltin looked over at Loomin's gasp for air, and Eremes was grinning. Everyone was eager to know what Ragged Zombie had planned.

"Hey, idiot! Your mom is so stupid that she got a pet rock and it died!" the zombie hissed out, as he still grinned. He would have done a more elaborate taunt, but these humans were idiots to begin with. He had to start small to test their intelligence. Howard barked out laughter, as Seyren did, and the party had to stop to gasp for air from it all.

"What?!" the one with the bragging voice screamed out.

"You heard me! Or are you at the point that I have to reward you with a piece of fruit for paying attention, Monkey Boy?" the zombie shouted. Doppy had an unholy grin on his face, as ribs were quickly thrown and burst into flames before impact. Once the two were gone, he said, "Now I feel much better!"

"Amazing!" Hibram grinned. Then he looked over at the two Merchants and moved to help them kill off a rogue Evil Cloud Hermit. Loomin saw them struggling and Healed them, as Lloyd gave them some strong buffs. Neil was panting after the small fight, and he frowned.

"You'll get better," Eremes nodded.

"I know," Neil said. "It's just hard right now."

"Of course, it is," Hibram smiled. "That's why we are here to help you."

"Thanks, Hibram," Anna said, and he gave her a brotherly hug. Sammy had returned to pressing his face into Sarine's neck, and he had actually fallen asleep again.

"Again?" Kiehl asked with a soft smile.

"Apparently so," she sighed and gently rubbed his back.

"I wanted to ask Sammy something...oh! He's sleeping again?" Loomin frowned.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Hmm," Loomin thought, as he studied Sammy's form. "Huh. That's not good."

"What?" Kiehl asked.

"That dream vision put him in a state as though he was defeated," Loomin frowned. This made Sarine gasp with alarm, and Beelzebub now looked over with horror.

"How is that possible?!" Howard asked, and he had Nigel move over to them. Naght rumbled his concern, and Baphomet looked over with surprise. Ifrit was clearly puzzled about this, and Eremes was frowning. Her other mates were clearly at a loss of what to think on this.

"The dream vision put him in a state of shock. It drained him of every ounce of strength he had. He'll be fine when he wakes up again, but  _no one_  is to see the dream vision that did this to him! The same thing will happen to whoever sees it," Loomin warned.

"Oh, Sammy!" Sarine whimpered and hugged his sleeping body tight. Kiehl hugged her to him now, and Beelzebub quickly spread this news.

"He'll be fine?" Keltin asked.

"Yes. Like I said before, when we reach Evil Snake Lord, he'll be fine again. Let him sleep and recover. We need to keep going," Loomin said. Sarine nodded and kept Sammy close.

"He'll be okay," Kiehl whispered to her.

"Did Elric and Fenrick leave?" she asked.

"Yes. They had left before we came in here," Beelzebub nodded. She didn't see them leave, and she didn't want them to think of challenging Sammy like this. That made Howard hiss, and Kiehl gave a stern nod to her. _Sammy was very vulnerable right now, and he was her Life._ Hibram looked over at Windwalker and now moved to ensure that nothing would hurt him. As her Heart, he had to protect them both.

As they moved closer to Evil Snake Lord's lair, Sammy stirred and whimpered.

"I'm here, love," she said and he sighed.

"Can you sing for me?" he whispered. Smiling softly, she started to sing, and Donnie looked over at Windwalker now. Ollie and Thomas paused to listen and found themselves drawn to the song. Doppy suddenly turned with a small hiss and moved quickly to her side. He glanced over at Donnie, as he took out the Berserk Guitar to start playing out wild, electric notes on it. Kiehl found himself watching this with shock. Howard was going to get concerned, but Loomin was grinning with amusement. Sammy found himself listening intently, and Doppy now put his voice with hers. Those that hadn't heard them sing like this had to stop to listen.

"Max!" Coraline gasped, as he looked over with her. Many of them were in stunned silence. Then Sammy focused and started to sing with her and Doppy. When he thought his voice was too immature, he became his adult form, and the singing had improved drastically. He was now on the same level as Doppy. When the song finished, Doppy looked at him with a knowing smile and a nod.

"Now I see why you sing like that," Sammy said.

"Yes. It's revitalizing. Isn't it?" he chuckled.

"Very. I don't think I'll like heights, but at least I'm able to think again. How close are we to Evil Snake Lord?" Sammy asked.

"One more island hop away," Keltin said. "We've been moving from island to island. It's been slow, but we're almost there."

"All right. Loomin? What happened to me?" Sammy frowned.

"The dream vision defeated you. Think of it like that," Loomin said.

"No one is going to see that vision!" Sammy hissed.

"I confirmed that," Loomin nodded. "Don't worry. None of us will."

"I haven't felt that weak in...ages..." Sammy muttered, as he kept Sarine pulled close to him. "I'll be much better when we are done here. Let's keep going, shall we?"

"Right," Doppy nodded, and Eremes was relieved that Sammy was nearly recovered. Keltin was feeling the same thing. Then he blinked at Storm Caller, as he brought Gloom Under Night. The massive, white monster hissed and moved over to Sarine's side.

"He insisted on being here," Storm Caller chuckled. "Incantation Samurai? Are you well now? We are all worried for you."

"I'll be fine when we are done. Don't worry about me," Sammy nodded. His ancestral ghost came out to confirm this, and Storm Caller nodded before he vanished.

"Gloom Under Night?" Sarine frowned. He seemed to purr before hissing at Ifrit.

"He wants to meet Evil Snake Lord. Not sure why," Ifrit shrugged.

"Oh! Well, okay," she nodded. Sammy's ancestral ghost hissed at Gloom Under Night, and the white monster stared with disbelief. Kiehl frowned, but he kissed Sarine softly. He looked at Howard, as he came over again with Nigel.

"Sarine? You're all right?" Howard asked.

"I'm okay," she nodded.

"You're right. She hasn't eaten in a while," Kiehl sighed, and Thanatos came over at Beelzebub's whisper. He looked at Errende, and sushi was brought to her.

"I'll help her," Sammy said. "Give Kiehl the tea, and keep the cookies near us."

"Right," Errende nodded. "My Lady?"

"I don't understand why I didn't feel my cravings!" she frowned.

"Sarine, that's something that I can do for you, it seems," Kiehl chuckled.

"What?" she blinked.

"I can help keep your most severe cravings away. Loomin, you do know that I'll be the one helping her when she's pregnant with your kids, right?" Kiehl smiled.

"You're right!" Loomin blinked. Gloom Under Night seemed to chuckle and looked over, as the last Warp appeared for them to go through. Sammy kept his attention focused on her and let the others take care of the monsters around them. When they reached the Warp that took them into the island, itself, it was a bit easier to look around.

"Ah, there they are! Evil Nymph and Hermit Plant," Keltin grinned. Evil Nymph could have resembled another version of Bacsojin when it came to the hair and flowing robes, but her hair was solid black and in strands that seemed to frame her body. A lotus blossom was on her head, and her arms were outstretched while she hovered in the air. She was a very beautiful monster in her flowing, white robes with red trim.

"She would work well in the nursery," Thanatos mused.

"A nursery?!" Evil Nymph giggled with delight. "I can't wait!"

Hermit Plant seemed to mutter, as he looked like a ginseng root in the form of an old man. A short, stiff, and bristly set of white roots came out from around his mouth and nose to make a beard, and two more of the white roots were there as eyebrows for his eyes. A small stalk with four red berries were seen on the top of his head, and they could have resembled strawberries. Once he glowed with Evil Nymph, they both vanished away. Evil Cloud Hermit pointed to the back of the forest-like cavern they were in.

"He is back there. Come," Evil Cloud Hermit urged, and Keltin nodded to help lead the way. Loomin was thinking about something and turned to Donnie.

"Yes?" the Clown asked. He had put away the Berserk Guitar, now that it's main use was done, and he was using his basic guitar to keep others from seeing the powerful weapon. "Is there something wrong?"

"Not really, I just have a question for you. What made you play a tune with her singing?" Loomin asked. "The one she sang just a moment ago."

"Ah. Well, when there is a song, there has to be good tune with it, right?" he grinned.

"But, why did you use the Berserk Guitar?"

"It was a special song. Any true musician knows that special songs require special instruments. It's common sense to us," Donnie said.

"He's right," Thomas nodded. "It's a well-known fact."

"Next song she sings, I'll help out," Ollie chuckled.

"Now, why didn't the two of you help Donnie when he started to play?" Doppy asked.

"Ah, that's a good question," Thomas blinked.

"Donnie, you have an exceptionally rare gift," Loomin said.

"Apparently, it's not being a better pervert than me," Ragged Zombie grinned. Egnigem laughed, and Donnie made a face at him.

"No, that's your talent," Loomin smirked. At the zombie's laugh, he said, "Donnie, there's a significant reason that you became a Clown. Not only for entertainment, but you can use your music to motivate others to fight for what's right. Just as your sister dances to enhance your music, and your music enhances her dancing, the two of you, if you practice, can enhance the powers of others around you."

"Are you serious?!" Donnie blinked.

"Very," Loomin nodded. "And there's Evil Snake Lord."

The monster was a massive, white snake wearing a black, square hat that resembled a Scholar's hat. It had tassels hanging off it and a yin-yang symbol on top. The real source of the snake's power was the black ink that seemed to move and swirl around it from the brown jar that was stuck within it. An odd, shadowy face that blinked and smiled in the black ink around the snake showed where his voice came from. An open, worn, yellow scroll with various words written on it were plastered to the front of the snake's coils as though to help hold the ink to the snake. A giant paintbrush was locked within his inky coils. As he slithered up to them, the ink seemed to trail with him instead of pooling behind him to show the ink was supernatural. At one point it looked like the ink was helping him walk before he slithered on the ground. He seemed to move faster when he slithered.

"I am Evil Snake Lord," he said, as he flicked his tongue. "Who do I speak to in order to be free of this place? I have long been awaiting this time."

"Have you?" Sammy mused and finally pressed a kiss to Sarine's mouth before moving away from Windwalker to meet with him.

"Yes. I paint images on the ground, and they reveal things to me from all eras of time. I have foretold myself of what was expected," he nodded. "I am a teacher, too."

"We can use teachers," Seyren nodded and chuckled. Sarine whimpered, as Huginn came forth, and now she approached Evil Snake Lord quickly.

"Evil Snake Lord! I am Huginn! It is time for you to separate from your darker self to help our Lord Odin with a coming war! Separate from your darker self now to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed for all to obey! Separate now!" Huginn commanded. Evil Snake Lord howled with pain, and he writhed over his coils in agony before his darker double emerged and vanished away. Now Evil Snake Lord shook his head and nodded with respect.

"I am ready to help. What may I assist with?" he asked.

"As you said, you are a teacher. There are many children of the Vessel of Odin that require learning skills. They will need to learn as much as they can, and more children are eminent as you can plainly see," Huginn chuckled and ran a hand over Sarine's growing belly.

"Oh! Of course, I shall be delighted to teach the children!" Evil Snake Lord nodded.

"Hmm. We can build a school within range of the house, but we'll need a lot more books. I know we can go back under the Rachel Temple," Kiehl thought.

"Yuno has a massive library, too, but it will be risky to get there. It's very crowded at times. I'm not sure how else we can get more books," Mitchell frowned.

"You are all forgetting one place, too," Huginn grinned.

"What place is that?" Loomin asked.

"The Glast Heim armory will need a second visit," Huginn said.

"Ah...that's right! There is a small library there!" Keltin said.

"The books are older...falling apart..." Eremes frowned.

"I can remake them," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. "Take me to them, and I will help."

"Sounds like a plan," Sammy nodded. Huginn gave Sarine back to them, and she was caught by Howard. Gloom Under Night now moved over to Evil Snake Lord and hissed out softly. The two monsters conversed and seemed to come to an agreement.

"Gloom Under Night can help with the kids in the school, apparently," Ifrit said. "He has read quite a few books, and he can tell everything to Evil Snake Lord to write down. It will save us from needing to go back to where we found him."

Sarine came around and smiled at Howard. He whispered to her of where they would need to go soon to help the school, and she nodded at this. Kiehl suddenly glared off in the distance and gave a savage, bone-chilling, spine-tingling, bloodthirsty snarl of such intense hatred that it caught everyone by surprise. Howard moved Sarine to him quickly and gestured towards the entrance of the underground area.

"Who is it?!" Doppy asked, as his own hatred started to show. Whenever Kiehl got pissed off, it quickly alerted the others that had a First Mate ranking with Sarine. He was clearly the one that was in charge now, and it was instinctive to find out what alarmed him. Kiehl was clinging to Sarine and kept his eyes fixed on the entrance area. Sammy frowned and looked at Loomin for any form of an answer.

"We were followed this whole time, it appears," Loomin muttered.

"By who?" Beelzebub asked.

"The four that always wanted to take out the darker doubles, apparently," Loomin said.

"If they followed us..." Sarine frowned. "Why didn't they just come forward?"

"They didn't want to be bound by our rules," Loomin sighed.

"I'll slaughter them!" Kiehl hissed, and his ghost came out in full. He was still hugging Sarine to him, and Doppy was now realizing just how powerful Kiehl was. Since he wasn't a demon, Doppy couldn't get any stronger from him. In a way, he would be just under Kiehl in strength when more Demonic Matings were won.

"Hmm..." Doppy thought and looked at Kiehl. "Let us handle this."

"Why?" Kiehl growled.

"You're her Soul. Don't fight unless you absolutely must," Doppy said. That made Kiehl think, and he nodded. They all wanted to work together to help Sarine and keep her calm.

"Her Soul?" Evil Snake Lord asked.

"Yes. I'll let Loomin tell you," Kiehl said. He gathered up Sarine in his arms and took her over to Windwalker. Observation hovered protectively near them, and Byorgue kept watch with Vagabond Wolf. Maya Purple had his claws out and ready to attack. Nigel let Sammy get on his back, and Howard moved to join Kiehl this time. Injustice and Aliot made themselves ready to either help or attack, and Drago snarled, as he continued to stand guard. Errende walked over now, and nodded to Thanatos.

"My Lady? Are you all right?" Errende asked.

"I'm okay," she nodded.

"Do you have any chocolate?" Howard asked. Errende gave over a bar of it. He broke off a piece to have Sarine eat it, and Kiehl moved quickly to kiss her to share it. As the four intruders got closer, Kiehl snarled dangerously, but another piece of chocolate was shared between them. She had to keep him calm, and that was her main instinct right now.  _To please my powerful First Mate._  Howard made sure that Sarine could see Sammy when she needed to, and he listened to what Naght said to share the information with Kiehl.

Loomin was whispering to Evil Snake Lord of who Sarine's husbands were, including himself, and what they could do for her. This had the powerful monster thinking, as he flicked a long, forked tongue. Gloom Under Night was fairly impressed with everything, and he gave a small hiss when the four humans walked up to them. Kiehl tensed, as he felt them approach, and even Howard let out a sharp snarl when Kiehl's thoughts started to take hold in his mind. Naght brandished his swords, as he waited to see what they wanted.

"Nice to see you all again!" Martin said.

"And you couldn't...simply approach us...when you saw us?" Eremes frowned.

"Well..." Dominick said. "we didn't want to get in your way..."

"Sure you didn't," Loomin said with irritation.

"My duplicate is already created. You have no need to fight me," Evil Snake Lord said. "We have much to do now. Let us make haste."

"You are correct in that. We need to get back home," Sammy said.

"Oh? Where are you all going?" Clint asked.

"That is none of your concern," Howard growled out lightly from Windwalker's back.

"Sorry, but we don't want to baby sit you guys anymore," Ragged Zombie snickered.

"What do you mean by that?!" Dominick scowled.

"It's like he said," Beelzebub muttered. "Muninn, take us home."

Kiehl was only too pleased at Muninn's warbling tone, and the Warp happened far too quickly for the four men to notice it was being done.


	133. Chapter 133

Once they were back at the island home, Sarine sighed with relief. Even Sammy's mood improved drastically, and he moved to help her stand away from Windwalker.

"Feeling better now?" Kiehl asked.

"Much. I can easily say the same for you!" Sammy chuckled. They both felt her belly and smiled at the responsive kicks. Drake now had various foodstuffs placed in the ship, and Cameron was preparing hearty meals for everyone. Markus was hiding out in the Captain's Quarters of the ship, and was admiring the craftsmanship of the fishing rod he was given. They had decided to keep the emergency room a full secret in case something happened. There was no more time wasted, as the kids filtered down from the house to head to the ship.

"Aye, kiddies! Just follow me!" Drake said, as he led them from the house to the waiting ship. Sarine sighed and saw Obeaune, Merman, and Marc appear in the water to circle the ship protectively. As the children approached the ship, Valkyrie came down from Valhalla and hovered before them. Respect was quickly given to her with small nods.

"That's right! Odin's Pride needs her blessing," Sammy said. The kids gaped in awe at Valkyrie, and she gave them a beaming smile. Then she rose up her red-tinted golden trident with a sense of purpose, as she turned to the ship.

"May she never lose the wind from her sails or falter in speed! May she outrun any storm and stay steady through all hardships! May she never fall apart or lose any cargo or lives! May she never lose track of her destined course! Odin's Pride shall always remain whole and bear our Vessel of Odin well!" Valkyrie said, and her voice vibrated through every plank and beam of the ship. Then it glowed to have carved figures of ravens in flight decorating the outer beams of the ship and up the tall masts. The figurehead of a massive, perched raven with outstretched wings was on the stern of the ship.

"Now this be a ship!" Drake said, as he barked out laughter.

"Yes. She will bear our Vessel of Odin without fail," Valkyrie smiled and looked over at the children. "All of you are blessed with gifts from Valhalla. Use them wisely."

"We will!" Serenity nodded.

"I promised Mom that I won't ever use my skills for bad stuff, and my promise goes to you, too!" Gunther said with a stern nod.

"We'll protect her and each other!" Bianca grinned.

"I will bring life to places that need it," Angela said softly.

"I will defend my brothers and sisters," Siegfried vowed.

"I will help protect my family," Edward said with a nod. This made Valkyrie smile with pride at the honorable children, and she looked over at Loomin.

"Yes, Valkyrie?" Loomin asked.

"Your father is being a nuisance! Take this," she said and handed over one of her white feathers. As he took it, she continued, "Dissolve it in our Vessel of Odin's next drink and have her consume it. Should your father try to gain an advantage, the feather within her will block him from accomplishing his goal. It will only help once, but once should be enough."

"Thank you!" Loomin said with a respectful nod.

"Eremes Guile?" Valkyrie called out now, as she hovered in place.

"I am here, Valkyrie," he nodded.

"I understand that you are next to be with our Vessel of Odin, and that both Huginn and Muninn need to be present for their bonding to the developing children that shall bear their likenesses. As much as it pains me to say this, please do not be too hard on Huginn. He still has a true destiny to do with our Vessel of Odin. I know he has done much wrong, but he is trying to compensate for his actions."

"I understand..." Eremes nodded. Many of Sarine's men and companions didn't like this, but they knew that Huginn still had to make a child with her to help in the war.

"Valkyrie," Sarine said, and she stepped forward.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" she asked respectfully.

"I wish to ask you a private question," Sarine said. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other with curious expressions. Even Naght was puzzled. Sarine was hiding her thoughts carefully right now. Valkyrie looked at Muninn, and time was frozen.

"Sarine?" Kiehl frowned.

"Valkyrie," Sarine sighed. "Kiehl is too much like a husband now. Um...may I give him the choice to either remain as a slave, or to become a full husband?"

"Sarine," Howard said quickly. "Kiehl is needed like this!"

"But..." she frowned. Naght rumbled a purr to her, and Valkyrie rose up her hand.

"Kiel D-01, what do you think? The decision is truly yours," Valkyrie said.

"I want to remain this way," Kiehl said. "The collar is a part of me. I know that, if it leaves me, I'll be begging for it back. In many ways, I sort of see it as a fashion accessory now."

"What?" Sarine blinked.

"You have to admit that I look sexy as hell with no shirt and wearing this collar, eh?" Kiehl grinned, and she blushed hard. Howard started laughing, and Naght chuckled.

"So, you wish to leave the collar in place?" Valkyrie asked.

"Yes. But, Sarine is right. I am a bit more husband than slave. I even think the other slaves aren't going to see me is a true slave anymore, since I gained a status to Sarine being her Soul. Can another husband-like slave be named? In case something happens to me?" Kiehl asked. Valkyrie thought and seemed to smile. Muninn warbled and bobbed his head.

"Who would you choose?" Valkyrie asked.

"Maya Purple. He's royalty and can easily defend her now from his upgraded attack," Kiehl said. Howard blinked at this, and Naght was a bit surprised.

_:This was. Expected. Actually.:_  Muninn chuckled.

"I've been giving it a lot of thought. Since I'm going to be mainly protecting her as her Soul and winning her Demonic Matings to gain the diamonds I need, I think this will also help Maya Purple. Since he is royalty, he does deserve a bit more of a ranking than a slave," Kiehl said. "He protects the kids, too, and I also know that this will make him a better protector."

"Well, he has been trying to become more," Sarine smiled. "And you are right. Once you gain a ranking of sorts with me, you are far more of a husband than a slave. Maya Purple can be the one to comfort me, if you are protecting me with How-How."

"It shall be done, then!" Valkyrie nodded.

"Good," Howard nodded. Time came back, and now she moved to Maya Purple.

"Can you come down, please?" Sarine asked him. Maya Purple nodded and dismounted from his bug body. Howard and Kiehl were grinning at each other, and Beelzebub was painfully curious as to what was discussed.

"Yes, My Lady?" Maya Purple asked.

"How would you like to become a slave...and a husband, too?" Sarine smiled. "Since Kiehl gained a ranking with me as my Soul, someone has to fill in the gap that Kiehl is leaving behind. He still wants his collar to help me, but, if he's fighting for me, I'll need someone close to assist me if something happens."

"I would be honored!" Maya Purple said with amazement. This had a wave of chuckles and giggles through everyone, and even her slaves nodded at this decision _. It would appease Maya Purple, and Kiehl would be fully recognized as an emergency slave. Howard was a slave in secret._  Valkyrie leaned down and touched the leash loop for a small diamond to appear to show his new status within the slaves.

"You would think that any of us that gave her children would have this status," Aliot chuckled. "We'll still be her slaves, but it would show that we are fathers, too."

"That does make sense," Howard said. "We'll talk about that more later."

"Ah..." Sarine blinked, and Kiehl looked at Howard.

"I'm destined to give her children," Maya Purple said.

"As am I," Drago nodded.

"We're in line somewhere," Byorgue chuckled.

"Kiehl shouldn't be wearing a collar," Loomin said. "But, if it's his choice, then who am I to argue? Why did you decide to keep it?"

"Well..." Kiehl grinned. "Sarine thinks I look sexy in it."

"Enough said!" Loomin grinned and laughter was heard all around.

"Now I want to wear a collar or a necklace!" Howard frowned.

"Take this. It was from Isis," Osiris grinned and handed him a necklace. It looked like a shiny red stone in a gold casing. Howard nodded his thanks and put it on. It actually gave him a bit more vitality, and this was needed as her Armor. He grinned at Sarine and hugged her.

"How-How..." Sarine sighed, and he squeezed her.

"I will watch over your travels, Vessel of Odin!" Valkyrie said, as she ascended back to Valhalla. The kids waved to her, and she waved back when she vanished away. She found them to be absolutely delightful and couldn't wait to see them again.

"My Lady," Maya Purple said with a small smile, and she looked at her loves. She gestured for him to get on his bug body again and to follow her.

"We'll be on the ship," Doppy smirked.

"My Lady?" Errende asked with a small smile.

"Give me twenty minutes," Sarine sighed. Howard grinned with Kiehl. Naght would stay with the children, and Sammy moved to follow them into the house. Once in the bedroom, Maya Purple moved off of his bug body, and she pulled him close to her.

"The only way for this to work," she said softly. "is if you say my name."

"I..." Maya Purple paused. "My Lady..."

"Say my name," she whispered and nibbled his ear. Kiehl and Howard were now sitting in a couple chairs and going over a sketch. Sammy was quick to join them to give Sarine and Maya Purple a sense of being alone.

"It's hard to do," Maya Purple frowned.

"But, you can do this," she smiled and ran a hand up his chest to make him shiver. "If you really see me as your princess, then you can surely say my name. Can't you?"

"I've said My Lady for so long..."

"I know. But, if you can't say my name, then I cannot see you as a slave and a husband. You will always be just a slave. I don't think you want that."

"I don't! I just...okay..."

"Yes?"

"I love you," he whispered. He fought the instinct of not saying her name. "S...Sari..."

"I love you, too. Come on," she smiled and kissed him deeply. "You almost said it."

"Sarine," he sighed. Now with that instinct gone, he finally saw her as more than just his Lady.  _This was my wife._ He kissed her passionately before working her clothes off to have her. Now that she was his wife in full, he was able to take her the way he was wanting to all this time. At her heightened cries of release with him, Howard and Kiehl were looking over with surprise.

"He was holding out on her," Sammy mused.

"That he was," Kiehl said with surprise.

"Wow..." Howard blinked.

"Sarine," Maya Purple said, as he nuzzled her.

"Hmm?" she smiled and kissed him.

"Bite me," he said, and he nibbled her neck. He was still a slave, and she could do this. She growled, turned to face him fully, and sank her teeth hard into his neck to make him shout with release. She took two mouthfuls of blood from him, and he panted after Kiehl Healed him.

"We need to head to the ship now," she said. He nodded and gave a buzzing purr, as he nuzzled her. She giggled, and he helped her dress.

"You're going to teach me how to purr," Kiehl said to Howard. "I can make vibrations, but I want to purr!"

"You have some of Naght's blood, you know. You did get a direct blood link from me," Howard smirked. That made Kiehl blink, and he focused on his throat. When nothing happened, Howard brought out his own slight purr from Naght's blood, and Kiehl learned how he did this. When Kiehl tried again, the purr was there, but extremely faint. He wasn't happy.

"Nowhere near as intense as Doppy's," Kiehl frowned.

"He's a solid demon. Of course, it's not as intense!" Howard grinned.

"Hmm," Sarine thought and that made them look at her.

"You want to try a blood swap with Naght possessing Howard? With me?" Kiehl mused.

"It might do something," Howard chuckled.

"What are you planning?" Sammy asked.

"Kiehl wants to purr like Maya Purple and the others. I tend to purr with lots of demon blood. If Naght possesses How-How, and I take blood from him to give to Kiehl, it may help," Sarine smiled. "Of course, Kiehl, you do know that you'll become even more dominating and powerful with pure demon blood. Right?"

"Give me Naght's blood," Kiehl grinned wickedly, and Maya Purple laughed.

"Are you sure?" Howard asked.

"Just do it. Let's get this done before we leave," Kiehl nodded. Howard whistled and thought to Naght. Sammy sat down, and Maya Purple moved to his bug body to settle into it. When Howard's eyes glowed a dull red when Naght came forth from his tower, he nodded.

"All right," Naght said. "We need to do this quickly. They are all ready to leave, and Markus was found out. Serenity explored the ship and found him."

"It was bound to happen," Sammy chuckled. Sarine looked at Sammy and gestured for his help. He brought out his Masamune and lightly opened Howard's neck. Sarine had to pull an extra mouthful for herself, since she had forgotten how potent Naght's blood was. With the second mouthful she pulled from Howard's neck, she brought the blood over to Kiehl quickly for him to take in, and Sammy Healed his neck. Kiehl kissed her fully to take the blood, and he blinked after he swallowed it down.

"Anything?" Naght asked, as he watched him.

"Well, other than hearing your thoughts clearly now," Kiehl thought and focused. When a loud purr came from him, Sarine started to giggle.

"Nice!" Naght grinned. "All right, I'm heading back to the ship."

"We'll be there shortly," Sarine nodded. Then a sharp cry from the nursery startled them.

"I'll have Thanatos and Errende come over to help," Naght chuckled. Then he kissed Sarine lovingly before giving back Howard.

"Man..." Howard sighed. "I'm kinda torn."

"I know," Kiehl grinned, as Maya Purple and Sammy helped Sarine dress. "I doubt you're ever going to split from Naght."

"He's like you. The brother I never had," Howard said.

"Well, Muninn did say that everyone was permanently linked with their blood ties even if you all become human," Sarine said, as she was led to the nursery. That made Howard nod and feel much better about it. Errende and Thanatos were already there and gave her Keltin's twins to nurse first. As she rocked them in the rocking chair, Howard told them what happened.

"So, he can purr now?" Thanatos grinned. Kiehl looked at him with a grin, went over to Sarine, and felt her belly. At the small kicks given back, he started to purr deeply.

"Hmm," Errende thought.

"You should try it," Thanatos nodded. He showed Errende how to purr, and it quickly started to come forth. Howard chuckled, and Sammy laughed softly.

"It feels...rather good, actually," Errende blinked.

"Now, try it on her the next time you're with her," Maya Purple grinned. That made Errende grin rather wickedly, and Sarine was blushing hard. Thanatos took up Trina and Bernard when they finished nursing, and Aliot's twins were given over to nurse.

"Dad?" Trina frowned.

"He is getting ready to help your mom," Thanatos said gently.

"Dad!" Trina whimpered.

"I'm your dad, too, you know," he grinned.

"Dad?" she blinked now with a funny, curious expression, and he nodded.

"I may not be the one that fathered you, but I'm still your dad. Everyone that smells like you is your dad. You should know this from your brothers and sisters."

"Dad!" Bernard grinned and snuggled him. Thanatos smiled tenderly and watched him yawn from being cradled. Trina was still a bit awake, but she felt reassured.

"Um...go?" Trina asked.

"Yes. We are going to get Turtle General. Then we will come back," Thanatos said.

"I wanna go!" Bernard frowned.

"You are both too young," Errende said.

"But..." Bernard pouted. Keltin and Aliot walked into the nursery, as Beelzebub told them the kids were asking questions. Trina quickly reached for her father, and Keltin took her up to hold her and comfort her.

"Dad?" Trina asked.

"Yes, Trina?" he smiled.

"Um...we go!" Trina demanded.

"No. You are not strong enough," Keltin frowned.

"But...they go..." Bernard sighed fitfully. They wanted to be with their brothers and sisters. Even Albert and Alexis were making small frowns while they nursed.

"My Lady," Aliot said softly. "the kids are going to stay on the boat. Do you think it may be possible to have them stay on the boat, too? I'm sure they'll be safe, if Storm Caller and the water monsters stay with them. We can even have a few extra monsters join us. I can see about asking Sohee and Alicel to help. I know my sister would love to help, and even Evil Nymph, too. Bacsojin and Doll will be there, too, and I know that Stormy Knight and Golden Thief Bug will be there if the kids are."

"That...may be all right," Sarine thought. Beelzebub was listening in from the ship and told them what was going to happen. Storm Caller appeared in the nursery and moved to Sarine's side to talk to her directly.

"Vessel of Odin, Aliot does have a point. Markus will be on the ship, too, so it will be well protected. And Drake will be there to help with the children, as well as myself. I'll take a few of the extra cradles to the ship now, and they will be set up in one of the spare rooms," he said. "It may be easier this way, if these children need to nurse again. Beelzebub's Hell Flies can protect our homes while I am assisting you with the ship."

"All right," she nodded. Bacsojin and Doll were thrilled to be part of the ship ride and helped with the cradles. Other monsters came in to help take a few beds with them, in case the children needed to nap, and more beds would be constructed. Stormy Knight was contacted, and Lord of Death insisted to come along. Golden Thief Bug wanted to help, and Evil Nymph would station herself in the ship's new nursery with Sohee. Orc Lord and Orc Hero were definitely going now with Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader. They would bring their Goblin and Kobold minions to further protect the ship and help with the crew.

"Damn!" Kiehl grinned at who was coming along now.

"We're going, too!" Defender said, as he bounced in with the others. "We can help protect the kids, too! The dungeon is empty, and we have nothing to do."

"Okay," Sarine beamed at them.

"Angeling!" Trina giggled.

"That's right!" Keltin smiled and got a pat on the cheek. Once Aliot's twins were done nursing, Sarine fixed up her top, and the children were taken from her.

"Dah?" Albert asked Aliot.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Um...where go?" Albert asked.

"We are all going on a boat ride!" Aliot grinned.

"Really? We go?!" Alexis gasped.

"Yes! And Auntie Alicel will be there for you, too," he nodded.

"Yay!" Alexis giggled.

"Auntie!" Albert said with delight.

"Auntie?!" Trina blinked.

"Yah!" Alexis nodded. Bernard gave a near toothless grin from his teeth coming in, and this had Keltin laughing with fatherly pride.

"I hope the ship is large enough!" Sarine smiled.

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Kiehl smiled back. Howard helped Sarine up from the chair, and Sammy was soon helping her after checking on the health of the kids. The younger four were now very excited about everything, and they pointed at the ship with excitement when they approached it. Bacsojin and Doll were thrilled to be coming along on this adventure, and the Amatsu Captain was clearly coming with them. Alexander was, too, to help protect the children. He gave a mild glare at Observation, but it didn't last long. The powerful male Valkyrie flew up to the crow's nest to stand watch. He was thinking about various things, and he flew back down to confront Sarine purposely. She looked at him curiously, and Howard watched him closely with Kiehl. They still didn't fully trust him.

"Sarine, I remembered something," Alexander said, as he approached her.

"Oh? What is that?" she smiled.

"My true name," he said with a small frown.

"Your...true name?" she blinked.

"Yes. I'll always keep the name Alexander, since you gave it to me, but, in the ranks of Valkyrian warriors, my name is Demian," he said.

"Demian?" she asked.

"Yes. I know for a fact that, if you really need me, you can shout my name, and I'll be able to reach you from anywhere. It's something ingrained in me."

"I see. It's a very nice name," she smiled.

"Thank you," he smiled warmly. "I know that you needed to know."

"Okay. I understand. I will remember this," she nodded. He moved forward to kiss her cheek and flew back up to the crow's nest.

"I really don't like how he kisses your cheek," Kiehl growled.

"Love, I'd rather him kiss my cheek than my mouth," she said. That made him blink and sigh.  _At least the male Valkyrie was trying to prove himself more and more._  It was just the bit with Observation that put them all on edge now. The white-winged angel move to her side, and she hugged him to her. He gave a sigh of comfort, and she snuggled into him.

"Don't worry. You'll have kids when I do with her," Doppy nodded. "Muninn foretold it. She'll be pregnant with you before Alexander can do anything."

"That makes me feel relieved," Observation smiled. Harpy squawked to show she wanted to help protect the ship, and Observation flew up into the air to start an air patrol with her. Seyren grinned at Kathryne and a warning glare was given back to him. Karla glared at him, too, and that kept him quiet. Loomin was handed Trina to hold, and the little girl giggled with delight when Odin's Pride started to move away from the island once the anchor was up. All of the kids were now at the railings of the ship, and Serenity ran over to her mother.

"Mama! Mama! Grampa is here!" she trilled with delight.

"I know! It was supposed to be a surprise," Sarine chuckled. Markus came over to her, and he was being led by Gunther and Siegfried. Thanatos was holding his son, and Errende was holding his daughter. Both kids were very excited and laughed, as Obeaune leapt in and out of the water in a joyful display alongside the ship like a dolphin. Marc was soon joining her, and they leapt over each other to amuse the children even more. Merman was moving under the ship to protect it, and Storm Caller was leading the ship in the front over the waves.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy smiled and moved to her side.

"Hmm?" she looked at him, and he pressed a kiss to her mouth.

"Shall we?" he grinned. She got up from where she was sitting and moved to the front of the ship. He followed her, and now the others were watching expectantly. She started to sing softly and let it grow. The kids were always overjoyed to hear their mother sing, and Markus was now watching his daughter with amazement. Doppy added his voice to hers, and Donnie took out his Berserk Guitar to play with them. This time, Ollie was able to do back-up music with his harp, and Thomas played out a drumming beat on his guitar.

"Wow," Coraline said. "Her singing is always incredible with Doppy!"

"Yeah. Wow," Max nodded. Garrett and Cecil were listening to them as they relaxed in each other's arms along the railings. Margaretha and Lloyd were listening with rapt attention. Kathryne and Mitchell were linked arm in arm as they enjoyed the display. Seyren and Karla were giggling at each other as they listened. Timmy and Armeyer was leaning against each other. Laurell and Lilah were giggling at the whole thing. Egnigem and Wickebine were smiling, as their men played their instruments. Maheo and Kavach were equally enthralled from where they listened. Sarine's loves were clearly in awe of this, and Naght rumbled softly. The moment Howard knew the song was finished, he started up the fast song that Sarine enjoyed, and she giggled before joining him. Kiehl moved quickly to twirl her into a dance, and Coraline started to sing with her. Alexander was remaining vigil, as he listened with a soft smile on his face. Her slaves were able to rest, as they watched their Lady enjoy herself.

Then the Poring-type monsters started to bounce around in a dance to match the song, and that got the kids squealing with giggles and laughs.

"My Lady?" Errende smiled and handed her a violin. Sarine took this and started to play a tune to invoke the Clowns to try and keep up.

"That's not fair!" Donnie scowled, as he had to work the tune with quick fingers.

"You always liked a challenge!" Egnigem grinned.

"Quiet, woman!" Donnie smirked and yelped at a small pinch to his rear.

"Heh!" Timmy grinned, and Armeyer was grinning. Wickebine was laughing softly at the dancing kids from where she watched by the main mast. Laurell and Lilah were arm in arm, as they watched with a sense of amusement. Eddga and Vagabond Wolf were sitting near the back of the ship and were enjoying the rest.

"How far off are we?" Loomin asked.

"From Turtle Island, we have about another hour of travel," Drake said. "This ship be faster than all I've sailed before! Valkyrie's blessing be potent."

"As it should be! Oh! We need Sarine to eat this feather. Errende! Get me some tea?" Loomin asked. Errende nodded and let Angela sit in Amon Ra's lap, as he moved into the galley. He had Cameron prepare the tea, and it was brought out quickly. The moment Loomin put the feather into the hot beverage, it dissolved, and the brown liquid became stark white.

"Wow!" Errende blinked. Loomin could only nod with agreement, as he took the tea carefully, and brought it to Sarine. She was finally taking a break from singing and playing. Now was the best time to give it to her.

"Sarine, drink this," he said. Kiehl and Howard nodded, and Sarine took the tea to drink.

"Ugh! It tastes so...awful!" she gasped. Doppy hissed, as a flash of pain hit him, and he knew that it was the feather doing it. He moved to her side and hugged her.

"Drink all of it," Doppy urged. "It hurts me, and that's likely from the demon blood in your veins. Valkyrie said this was important."

"You're not the only one feeling the sting," Beelzebub grumbled. "I may not feel her pains, but I felt that!"

"Same here," Hibram winced. Even Thanatos and Naght felt it. Sarine took a deep breath and finished the tea in two swallows. Aliot hissed at the burning feel of the tea, but then it seemed to vanish away. Doppy was squeezing Sarine to him and finally let her go when the feeling was gone. Beelzebub was mildly dazed and so was Hibram.

"That was nearly as bad as the Holy water you drank to purge your system," Doppy frowned. Beelzebub now looked over at this news, and Sammy told him what they had to do help remove a fever from her system caused by her false mother. That made his jaw drop with shock. He didn't know about this. Neither did Hibram or Ragged Zombie.

"I'm glad she's dead!" Hibram snarled.

"You're not the only one," Ragged Zombie muttered.

"She got what she deserved," Garrett nodded. Cecil pressed into him, and he ran a hand over her belly. Kathryne was thinking and sighed. Then she scowled at herself.

"What is it?" Mitchell asked her.

"I talked with Entweihen Crothen a few days ago. He's been wanting to talk to Sarine. We've been so busy that I haven't been able to voice it until now," she frowned.

"Really?" Sarine asked and now looked over to Storm Caller. The Strouf nodded and vanished back to the island to bring the immovable demon to the ship. Then he reappeared at the front of the ship to lead it.

"Finally, I am brought!" Entweihen sighed. "After so long!"

"I'm sorry! I really am!" Kathryne frowned.

"I know. Much is needed to be done," the skeleton said. "You are not at fault."

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" Sarine asked. The venomous snake hissed and slithered over the skeletal demon while he thought.

"I wish to move about somehow. It will make things easier for me. I am a powerful magic caster, and I must help protect you," he said. His form glowed, and the thorny roses that pulsed around his form were able to become a set of tentacles to help move him around swiftly. This made him nod and feel a touch of relief.

"Better...?" Naght hissed with a touch of laughter. They used to be at war with each other before they met Sarine. Once she freed them, they agreed to a truce of equality.

"You know it!" the skeletal demon chuckled back.

"Such pretty roses!" Serenity giggled. Now that Entweihen was able to meet Naght's daughter directly, he purred and grew out a large, red rose just for her. She gasped, and he let it drop off for her. Rice Cake was a bit jealous of this, but he would be fine with it for now.

"That rose will never wilt, and you can wear it in your hair," Entweihen chuckled. "It will also protect you. Many monsters and humans will feel a bit dazed should they try to hurt you. It's small magic that I can do just for you."

"Just for me?" Serenity blinked.

"What about me?" Bianca asked. Entweihen laughed softly and saw Angela toddle up to him with a small smile. Two more large roses were grown and given to them. Angela held it, and the rose seemed far more vibrant with her touch.

"How did you do that?!" the skeletal demon demanded.

"Um...I give life to things..." Angela said softly. "It's my birth gift from Valhalla."

"Is it really?" he asked. Beelzebub moved to him now and muttered softly as to what each child could do. The skeletal demon was clearly amazed at their powers. Then a thorn-free vine grew out to carefully wrap around Angela's small form to pull her close to him. She blinked at this, but she found herself smiling with a form of comfort.

"Entweihen?" Thanatos frowned.

"I claim this one," he said. "I will protect her."

"She's my daughter and Errende's daughter," he growled. Errende was clearly not happy at this, and now the skeletal demon chuckled.

"I wish to help guard her. Eventually, I will be needed for the Vessel of Odin. This child is precious. Completely precious and will need intense protection. I can give her the protection she needs while she trains. Is Evil Snake Lord here?" Entweihen asked. In response, the massive white snake slithered over with a nod.

"Yes? What do you have in mind?" he asked.

"Claim a child to protect. This is needed," Entweihen said. At this, Loomin frowned and studied everything. Sarine was clearly confused, and Howard squeezed her with Kiehl. Sammy was musing at something, and Keltin looked at Eremes with confusion. Doppy was thinking about why this was needed, but he let Gunther and Bianca come to him and cling to his legs.

"Let me see," Evil Snake Lord mused and spilled his ink out onto the boards of the ship. Then he started to use his brush in rapid movements to create various images and pictures. Beelzebub watched closely. Loomin and Muninn were watching, as well. The falcon was perched on one of the higher railings from where Drake was at the ship's wheel to see everything and anything that happened on the ship.

"What do you see?" Sammy asked.

"Ah! Personal guardians must be given to the children when they start to train. It's something that is truly needed. Hmm," Evil Snake Lord thought. Gloom Under Night emerged from the bottom of the ship, and Sarine realized a Warp was placed there now. The massive, white monster moved over to Bianca and gestured for her.

"Dad?" Bianca blinked at him.

"It's fine. He'll be your protector when I'm not around," Doppy nodded. Bianca moved to Gloom Under Night, and he purred when he placed a massive hand around her protectively. Stormy Knight looked over at Trina, and he nodded to her from where she was in Keltin's arms. She was too young right now, but he would protect her when she was ready to move around. Garm thought and looked over at Bernard. When he wasn't being Keltin's steed, he would protect that one. Lord of Death was already looking at Siegfried. Ktullanux thought and seemed to shrug. The one he was to protect wasn't born yet. Eddga purred at Serenity, and she giggled when she got hugged by him. Beelzebub chuckled at a Hell Fly's report.

"Maya will protect Alexis, and the large machine, RSX-0806, will protect Albert," Beelzebub nodded. "Hmm..."

"What about me, Dad?" Gunther frowned.

"I protect boy!" Orc Hero said, and Gunther moved to get set on his shoulders now.

"I wait for new children to see," Orc Lord nodded.

"Should we help protect?" Goblin Leader asked.

"We see?" Kobold Leader mused.

"Possibly. The two of you are incredibly powerful now," Sammy nodded.

"I think I'll be protecting my son," Thanatos grinned. Edward smiled and cuddled him.

"That would be perfect for you," Loomin chuckled.

"I will be destined to protect one of Loomin's children. The girl," Evil Snake Lord said, as he studied the pictures he made. "Ktullanux is actually destined to protect your son."

"All right," Loomin nodded. "Makes perfect sense for Ktullanux, too."

"Ah...Moonlight Flower will be protecting Howard's triplets. All of them, it seems," he mused. "That will be quite a handful for her."

"All three? Why?" Howard frowned.

"I'm not sure. The ink gets cloudy after a while," he sighed.

"And my kids?" Eremes asked.

"Hmm..." Evil Snake Lord moved his paintbrush over the ink and more pictures appeared. "I see...Ifrit and Turtle General. Naght Seiger...ah. He will be helping Moonlight Flower with the triplets. As well as Kiehl. Hmm...oh. My ink was mixed. Moonlight Flower doesn't have a child to protect yet. But, she will be protecting a child. Could be one of the destined ones from Huginn or Muninn, or a future child that has yet to be created. As for the ones that need to be bound to them from Eremes, that is still unclear to me. Howard will be protecting another of his own daughters. That makes more sense. I'm sure, as more children are born, others will be able to protect even more kids. When they are grown, they shouldn't need protection, but this will help them grow stronger."

"Makes complete sense," Sammy nodded.

"Oh, Orc Lord will protect Kiehl's daughter. Goblin Leader will protect his son. Your daughter will be protected by Kobold Leader. Pori-Pori will protect your son," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. This made Pori-Pori wonder why he would be protecting Incantation Samurai's son, and now he couldn't wait for the child to be born.

"No one will be touching your son," Loomin grinned at Sammy, and that made everyone laugh and giggle. The protective monsters let the kids go back to their fathers, save Thanatos, since he was holding Edward. It made complete sense as to why he would be protecting his own son, since they looked so much alike.

"Oh, I have a gift for you," Entweihen said to Sarine.

"Really?" she smiled, and he gave her his card. She smiled, and he was able to hug her carefully. His scent didn't repulse her at all. Ragged Zombie thought and walked over to them.

"So, if you're supposed to be with Sarine, how are you going to have kids with her?" he asked. She gave him a look to remind him that the kids were present, and he grinned sheepishly.

"I'll manage," the skeletal demon chuckled, and Naght laughed at this.

"Howard, Kiehl, Sammy," Doppy said with a small wince. "I...need her."

"Okay," Kiehl nodded. Drake chuckled, and Dracula watched the kids gather up their fishing poles. Markus started to explain how to use them to keep the children preoccupied. Doppy was able to carry Sarine into the Captain's Quarters with Kiehl, Sammy, and Howard following him. They chuckled at the sight of an elaborate chess set, and Howard quickly challenged Kiehl to a game. Sammy smirked and knew that it would be tough, since they could read each other's minds.  _It would be an interesting match, to be sure._

Sarine snuggled into Doppy's chest. His body tingled and became his original state. He whimpered, as he held her, and they kissed desperately. Armor and clothes were tugged off without a second of hesitation. They had to touch and explore each other to make sure that everything was real before he finally claimed her. Only after their immediate need for each other was sated, were they able to look around from the bed they reclined in.

The room was done in rich, dark colors of deep browns and reds. The bed they were in was built into the ship, itself, to keep from being pushed around. The bed even held a set of privacy curtains that were rather gauzy to see through. A small window with ornate glass was near the back of the room to give them a view from what they passed by. A table was set with various charts and maps. Small lanterns were hung around the ceiling, and all of the desks and furniture pieces were sealed to the ship to keep in place.

"This place is nice," Doppy mused, as Sarine pressed herself into him. He ran a hand leisurely over her body, and she sighed. They both needed this, and it clearly showed.

"It is," she smiled. Howard was swearing softly at a move that Kiehl did, and Sammy laughed at it. Doppy ran his hand over her belly to feel the movement from the developing quadruplets, and he sighed with a form of contentment. He was purring at the feel of her hand in his hair when a knock was heard on the door. He pulled up the furred blanket and let her recline on his chest. Ragged Zombie came in, and the door was closed again.

"What's up?" Howard asked.

"I just had to ask something," Ragged Zombie said. "This has been bugging me for a while now. It's...odd, but I have to know."

"Okay," Kiehl said with a wary grin.

"Sarine has so many guys having her, and, well, I'll be damned if I'm puzzled about this," the zombie sighed. "Why...doesn't she have any, well, excess 'stuff' come out of her? I mean, it's kinda bizarre if you think about it!"

"Ragged Zombie!" Sarine gasped. Doppy found himself barking out laughter at the question. Beelzebub was clearly gasping for air and hiding his face in his robe up above, and Naght was now caught in a small pause of shock at Howard's and Kiehl's sharp, mental laughter. Hibram had run over to Beelzebub to find out what happened, and his jaw dropped at what he was told. Now they had to debate on telling the other husbands and mates. So far, it was a no, but it was going to change when their laughter was questioned.

"Her body is special!" Sammy said quickly, as he recovered. "She absorbs everything!"

"So, I could have her now, diddle her with a finger, and nothing will be there?!" Ragged Zombie asked. More laughter erupted from Doppy. Sarine was just completely blushing and speechless at the whole thing.

"Yes! Okay, you have your answer! Now go!" Sammy said. He had found himself blushing as hard as Sarine was. Howard and Kiehl were simply dying with laughter, and Doppy was trying to recover. When Ragged Zombie grinned and shrugged, Beelzebub was waiting at the door to haul him out and smack him with Hibram.

"He...is awesome...!" Howard gasped.

"He's crazy!" Kiehl hissed.

"Now I feel awkward," Sarine sighed, and Doppy grinned before he kissed her.

"Just know that your body is special. That's all we need to know," Sammy chuckled.

"But, he does bring up a valid point," Howard mused.

"Enough!" Sarine said, as she took a sudden deep breath and ran a hand over her belly. Kiehl looked over at this, and Sammy was at her side to evaluate her. Doppy sat up now with complete concern for her, and she leaned into him.

"I need Thanatos," Sammy said. The demon was quickly in the room at Beelzebub's insistence, and he moved to the bedside.

"Hmm," Thanatos said, as he studied the children. "Feed her. She needs to eat."

"They grew a bit, but not painfully. About three percent, so it's slow," Sammy said. Errende came down with sushi and cookies, as Nigel came down with tea. Byorgue was ready to help remove any dirty plates. Aliot came down and chuckled at her.

"You know, don't you?" Doppy grinned.

"Oh, yeah," Aliot smirked. Sarine shook her head with a blush, as she sipped her tea, and small chuckles were given. "Anyways, we're about ten minutes away from the island."

"All right. Let me finish up here, and I'll be up there," she nodded. Aliot kissed her gently and helped Byorgue with the empty dishes. Eremes, Keltin, and Loomin came down to see them now, and all of them were grinning.

"Ragged Zombie rules," Howard grinned back at them.

"He's a pervert!" Loomin scowled while still grinning.

"But...that's what makes him likable..." Eremes chuckled.

"He comes up with the oddest questions!" Keltin sighed, as he laughed.

"Tell me about it!" Sarine sighed and finished her tea. Doppy kissed her again before feeling his body revert back to his stronger one, and he helped her dress. Her loves couldn't stop grinning at the blushes she kept giving them.

"Oh, come on, Sarine!" Howard finally grinned, as she growled at him. "You have to admit, it was funny as hell!"

"Get me Ragged Zombie!" she sighed irritably. He was sent down, and now she grabbed him to pull him close to kiss hard. Once he was pleasantly caught off guard, she asked, "Why did you ask such a question, hmm? Can't you let such curiosities remain as curiosities?"

"Ah...well..." he hissed, as she lightly teased along the opening of his chest cavity. "It just made me wonder..."

"About what?" she smirked, and she moved a finger to lightly touch an exposed rib. He hissed and pulled her close to whisper. This had her sputtering with laughter, and Howard was dying with Kiehl all over again. Naght was now down in the room and glaring at Ragged Zombie with a form of pure mirth and amusement. Beelzebub's laughter was getting closer, as he struggled to get to the room, and Hibram needed to know what was being said.

"Why the  _hell_  are you asking such things of her?!" Beelzebub finally gasped out.

"Well, in case it suddenly happens, and we don't feel so bad!" the zombie argued.

"What is it? I know I'm going to regret asking, but what did you ask?" Keltin asked.

"Ugh..." Sarine sighed, pulled him close and whispered softly. Now his jaw was dropped, eyes were wide, and he was glaring at the zombie with amazement.

"I'm going to slap you!" Keltin scowled, and Howard was still struggling to breathe. Kiehl was nearly passed out, as he held his gut, and tears were streaming down his face.

"I mean, I know that at times, we want to pleasure you in various ways, and, after some of us had you and you need a little more..." Ragged Zombie started, and Sarine blushed even redder. "And for those of you that still don't get it, I'm talking about doing what she does to us when she purrs after being with one of us, but it's us doing it to her!"

"Ah..." Eremes blinked and found himself hiding his face in his hands.

"Okay. That's just...I'm not going to think about that!" Loomin said. "Her body is special, she's always clean, and that's that!"

"Exactly!" Sammy nodded.

"I can vouch for it," Doppy grinned, and that had Ragged Zombie gaping with disbelief.

"Oh! That's right! You can, huh?" Howard grinned. Kiehl was still trying to breathe, and Sarine had to go to him to help him calm down.

"Ragged Zombie, stop killing my other husbands!" she said, as she got Kiehl to calm down. "We all need to refocus, because we are going to be seeing our kids in just a moment!"

"All right," the zombie nodded.

"This ranks right up there with me telling Mitchell how to use his dick!" Doppy snickered, and Eremes barked out laughter.

"Wait, what?" the zombie grinned. Kiehl was recovering and fell right back to dying again. Sammy was groaning with disbelief, as Doppy relayed the scenario to him. Thanatos was grinning like crazy. Howard and Naght were laughing as hard as Eremes was now.

"Actually, I thought Timmy and the wall was pretty good," the zombie mused to get them laughing again. Loomin and Keltin were making fists and struggling to contain themselves. Beelzebub and Hibram were running out of air.

"All of you can either calm down right now...or I'll need a cookie," Sarine warned with a smirk. That made their laughter stop, and it was replaced with small growls of lust. "Come to think of it, I have a few new mates who haven't seen this yet. Do I need to...remind you all of how much I...like...eating cookies? Nibbling them to bits? Licking them with my tongue, as I rub myself all over while dripping wet..."

"You win!" Ragged Zombie hissed.

"Do I?" she smiled demurely, as she lightly unzipped her top. Her hands started to travel over the tops of her lightly exposed breasts to work down the front of her tunic.

"Yes! You win!" Loomin said.

"Good!" she chuckled and zipped her top back up. "Okay! Let's head up there!"

"Evil wife!" Howard growled.

"Extremely evil," Kiehl agreed. Doppy just grinned and pinched her rear. Now she turned with a hiss and tackled him against the wall to bite his neck sharply. That stunned him and floored the others. Naght howled with laughter, as she quickly made her way up the stairs to the main deck of the ship. The moment Doppy came back around, he glared around the room.

"Where did she go?!" Doppy snarled, as he looked for her.

"She's with the kids right now," Howard grinned and quickly moved up to see her with Kiehl and Sammy. Ragged Zombie was wincing, since he knew what she was like after her rear gets touched like that. Doppy moved up the stairs quickly to find her being smothered by children. They were showing her the different fish they caught, and they were planning to get even more. Cameron was making plans to show them how to prepare the fish and cook them in different ways. Drake was going to start teaching them how the ship worked and how to navigate the seas. Sarine finally stood up to stretch, and Doppy moved up behind her.

"We need to talk," he growled.

"No," she smiled.

"Please?" he whispered and ran a hand along her back. Howard and Kiehl were giggling now. He picked her up and carefully took her back into the Captain's Quarters. Five minutes later, he came out with a satisfied grin, she was exhausted, and everyone was snickering.

"Are we ready to board the island now?" she sighed.

"I think so," Sammy nodded. Windwalker flew down and landed carefully, as Harpy perched on the railing to stand guard. Alexander was still up in the crow's nest, and he made himself ready to attack anything that tried to board the ship that wasn't friendly. As they walked off the ship from the boarding plank, three monsters were waiting for them.

"Hmm," Keltin said, as he studied each one. "Thara Frog, Permeter, and Spring Rabbit."

"Oh?" Sarine smiled, as she was set on Windwalker's back with Kiehl and Howard. Permeter was a turtle that was all green and had a brown, earthy-like shell with a large plant growing out of it. The roots of the plant seemed to be gripping onto the shell itself. The berries that were on it looked edible and had some healing properties.

Thara Frog looked like a giant, pink frog with a frill on its back and black spots all over. Spring Rabbit looked like a mean, bluish-grey and white rabbit with red eyes and large teeth. Permeter stayed with them, as the other two went onto the ship to protect it, but they did hand over their cards to Sarine. She thanked them and leaned back into Kiehl.

"If we can't make it to Prontera tonight, then we'll go tomorrow," he said, as he kissed her cheek. She could only nod, and Howard frowned.

"Your questions said we would be going tonight," Howard said. "We have to help the town from those prisoners that escaped."

"Ah. That's right. We'll need to move through here quickly," Kiehl said. Muninn warbled, as he flew over them to show he understood. As they moved through the island, Observation told them that it looked like a giant turtle.

"Really? That would be funny to see," she smiled.

"I could show you..." Observation said. At her paled look, Kiehl frowned and hugged her, as Howard shook his head quickly. Muninn warbled and sent her small images of what the island looked like. This made it better for her, and she smiled.

"No heights!" Howard muttered. Observation nodded and now helped clear a path with the others. She leaned into Kiehl again and sighed.

"Getting tired, love?" he asked, as he rubbed her shoulders. She closed her eyes to press into his neck, as a response.

"The pregnancy is starting to affect her," Howard chuckled.

"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if a part of your craving was in her, too. Considering that you and I share blood," Kiehl grinned. "And certain cravings don't really leave her."

"Ah, not really. We swapped blood after the fact," Howard said. Kiehl suddenly blinked, as Sarine gave him all her weight, and now he looked at him with a raised brow. "Okay. Maybe you're onto something. It's quite possible."

Naght rumbled a soft chuckle, and Beelzebub moved over to them.

"We should let her sleep until we reach Turtle General," he said. "Huginn will likely wake her up, and I don't want him to do that. We should wake her."

"True," Howard nodded. As they continued into the island itself, they came upon a cave and continued through it. The cave was filled with crystal formations, and the floor had an odd pattern that resembled hexagonal shapes. It almost reminded one of the back of a turtle shell.

"Weird," Ragged Zombie said, as they moved further into the cave. In here, two more turtles were waiting for them. They had actually seen these turtles before, but none of them were recruited. One turtle was brown and appeared to have a tower built on its back. This one was called Solider. The other was an ice turtle with a block of ice for a shell, and it was called Freezer. They both glowed with power and settled with Permeter.

"We have to head south," Keltin said. "How is Sarine?"

"She's sleeping," Beelzebub said.

"Hmm," Loomin frowned and went to see her himself. Windwalker trilled softly and lowered his wings for him. Kiehl let Loomin reach over to carefully caress her cheek before pausing. Then he looked over at Sammy.

"What is it?" Howard frowned.

"He needs to ride with you two. Have him sit on Windwalker like he would a swing. Put her in his lap. The moment she wakes up, she's going to want to see him, and he won't reach her in time unless this is done now," Loomin said. Ktullanux looked at him with concern and huffed at Drago. The half-dragon nodded and informed Nigel and Sammy. Hibram hopped on Nigel's back, and they paused for Sammy to set her in his lap, as Loomin suggested.

"This way she can see all of us. Right," Kiehl nodded. As they moved through the area, they had to take turns crossing over mossy tree logs that passed over watery areas. It was rather swampy around here, but it faded out when they walked on the hexagonal ground again. After going through most of the area, Sarine woke with a start.

"Sammy?!" she whimpered. At a sudden squeeze, she looked up to see him, and he pulled her close to hug her tightly. He cradled her now, and Beelzebub was quickly at their side.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"She needed me, as Loomin said," Sammy frowned. She started to get over-whelmed with a sudden hit of intense sadness, and Howard gasped when her emotional wall shattered. Doppy froze up on Nightmare Terror, and Kiehl was hugging her with Sammy.

"He won't be defeated again!" Kiehl hissed. "He's okay now!"

"Ragged Zombie!" Beelzebub muttered sharply, and the zombie knew what had to be done. He walked right over to Seyren and nudged him to point at Windwalker. At the sound of Sarine's harsh sobs and panicked whispers to calm her, he frowned.

"Go for it. I'm ready," Seyren nodded. Karla smiled softly and chuckled.

"So, Seyren," the zombie started.

"Shut up!" the Lord Knight said irritably.

"Oh, just hear him out!" Donnie frowned.

"Don't you get in on this!" Seyren scowled.

"I just want to know how often you use your dick," Ragged Zombie grinned. "Unless you just don't know how?"

"Ah, my wife is pregnant. I'm sure I know how to use it!" Seyren said and heard Sarine's sudden soft giggle. Eremes had to Cloak and moved off a ways to laugh.

"Not often enough," Karla muttered out and got everyone snickering now.

"What do you mean by that?!" Seyren sputtered.

"I'm sure you needed help from Baphomet," Ragged Zombie grinned. "He probably gave you some pointers, right? Considering how you burn water and all..."

"Oh, keep quiet you maggot factory!" Seyren hissed, and Sarine finally burst out with laughter when her emotional wall came back up. Ragged Zombie was even laughing at the insult, and Sammy was grinning.

"Damn..." Howard sighed, and he shook his head from the onslaught of emotions.

"Is she okay?" Doppy asked, as he managed to reach them.

"She's fine now," Kiehl said. "Have them keep it up. She needs a bit more."

Doppy smirked and moved over to Ragged Zombie now.

"So, do you have any tips for Seyren?" Doppy grinned.

"Hmm. Well, I'm sure Mucus Boy does," the zombie grinned wickedly. That did it, and Sarine was laughing hard with everyone else. Timmy was clearly not amused, but he figured there was nothing he could do about it.

"Are you sure just him?" Eremes managed to grin.

"Maybe something with Whiny Little Bitch..." Ragged Zombie mused, and that got Garrett dying with laughter on his Grand Pecopeco. Sarine was forced to calm down to breathe for the sake of her developing children, and Beelzebub motioned for it to stop.  _If she couldn't breathe, there could be problems._

"Who is that you're talking about?" Maheo asked. Beelzebub whispered to him, and he stammered with laughter. "Show me! I want to see it!"

"This way," Beelzebub grinned. He led Maheo over to Windwalker and whispered softly to Kiehl. The papers were shown, and Maheo was dying at the various questions and answers. Keltin announced they were almost at the second area. With that said, Maheo went to help them.

"Hush," Sammy whispered to Sarine, as he kissed her softly. "Now, tell me. Why did you think I was going to be defeated again?"

"I don't...want to think about it..." she trembled, and he cradled her.

"Can we tell him?" Howard asked. At her small nod, he said, "She dreamt that she was comforting you in your child form again. That something bad had happened to you and that you weren't recovering right. Then...wait...shit!"

"Huginn?!" Kiehl growled. "What was he doing in her dream?!"

"He knew that Sammy wasn't monitoring her," Howard tensed.

"What did Huginn do?" Sammy frowned now.

"He kept trying to tell her that you would be fine, but that you were going to be weak for a long time. He was offering to help comfort her while you recuperated. Of course, it just made things that much worse, since she didn't want to leave you alone. Damn it!" Kiehl snarled. "Valkyrie told us not to hurt Huginn too much, since he is needed to make a child with Sarine. But, when he pulls shit like this...!"

"He's testing our limits," Howard muttered. Beelzebub was whispering to Loomin, and he moved to their side quickly. He ordered everyone to stop in their travel and to set up a border. He needed to speak with Sarine.

"Sarine, look into my eyes, love. I need to see something," Loomin said. She looked at him with a small nod. Doppy, Keltin, Eremes, and Hibram were walking over. Ragged Zombie clearly didn't like what Beelzebub was telling them, and he was soon there, too. Dracula, Pharaoh, Osiris, Wanderer, and Incubus looked slightly pissed. Her slaves set up a protective border now and waited for everything to be all right. Maya Purple stayed exceptionally close to Windwalker, as he took out anything that got in range.

"Able to find something?" Sammy asked. Loomin locked his silver eyes onto her tigers' eye gemstone ones and focused silently. After five seconds, he looked away. It was actually a bit longer than that to him, but it was nothing to them.

"Huginn is getting restless. He knows his time is coming to be outside her mind. He knows the risks that she will have, and himself, too. He doesn't mean to keep hurting her like this, but he's jealous. Muninn? Can you talk to him? He needs to understand that he can't keep doing this to her! You warned him once, but he misses her. Even though he's in her mind, he wants to be free like you are. She can't be mentally damaged by him anymore!" Loomin growled. "If he keeps this up...you know what will happen."

Muninn landed and reverted to human form to move quickly and lock eyes with Sarine.

"How did you know she would need me?" Sammy asked Loomin.

"Well, the last time she fell asleep and couldn't find Kiehl, she panicked. It was only common sense that it would happen to you," Loomin smiled lightly. "Also, on that same night, every time she woke up, she needed to see the three of you. If you weren't there, it would have been rather nasty."

"Very true," Sammy said with a touch of a nod. Muninn suddenly backed away with a hard frown, and he was tensing up with concern.

"Muninn?" Beelzebub frowned.

" _It appears that my brother may challenge me when he is freed,_ " he frowned.

"What?" Sarine frowned.

" _He will challenge me for the right to switch places with him. Where I am in your mind and he is free. I already know that I will win the challenge. He is too arrogant and will lose focus in his fighting. It is a known weakness with him. That and Father Odin will forbid it. We are not supposed to fight each other. To do so would be...dangerous._ "

"I don't want you two to fight!" she growled.

" _Hmm. If he challenges me, you should challenge to fight him. It will stop him completely and force him to listen to you. He does love you and doesn't want to see you hurt. You can use that against him. He's calm now, but, the next time she falls asleep, Incantation Samurai, you need to meditate with her to watch her dreams. We can't let this happen again._ "

"I'll do so," Sammy nodded. Kiehl was now livid and shivering with intense hate. Sarine looked at him, and he carefully pulled her into his arms to hug her tightly.

"You should be fine to go back to riding Nigel," Howard said. "Just stay close, if we need you. Errende, do you have another chocolate bar?"

"Here," Errende said as he gave it over. "My Lady? Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine," she sighed, as Kiehl buried his face into her neck. He was still trembling, and she had to help him now. Doppy seemed to nod in understanding at this. Kiehl's fuse truly was shorter than his.  _It was going to get even shorter, as his Bragging Rights got stronger. It would easily get to the point that, if even the tiniest thing upsets him, he'd want to kill something. It was the same mood that Howard got when his tattoo was active._

" _We must hurry through here,_ " Muninn urged. " _If we plan to make it to Prontera by sunset, then we must continue. Let's go!_ "

"Right!" Seyren said and had everyone regroup. Muninn became his falcon form again and hovered over them. Sammy got onto Nigel's back after Hibram dismounted, and they started moving again. Kiehl was sharing the chocolate with Sarine again and rubbing her belly to feel the kicks from his twins. He was purring now and holding her close to him.

"I'll be fine," she whispered and ran her hands through his locks of silver-white hair. He sighed, took off his glasses, and cleaned them before putting them back on.

"I know. I just...everything makes me so...pissed off now!" he growled.

"It's like how I was bearing Doppy's children," she chuckled.

"True," he smiled. Howard was mildly sleeping while they moved, and Kiehl thought.

"I'm a bit worried, though," she said.

"If Cedrick even tries anything in his dance with you, I'm killing him!" he promised.

"I wouldn't doubt it," she said and nibbled his chin.

"I love you," he whispered, as he nibbled her back.

"I love you, too," she said, and she nuzzled him. "I'll need another kimono."

"Hmm. Give me some design ideas?" he smiled. She nodded, and even Naght was able to help him out. Now that they could hear each other a bit better, it was easy. He could even help when it came to contacting Howard. They descended into the next area, and two more turtles were waiting to join them.

"Assaulter and Heater," Keltin said, as he identified them. Heater looked like a red turtle that shot out flames from its underside to help attack. It could also make elemental Fire based traps that exploded if one walked on them, and it also created Fire Balls to attack with. Assaulter was a turtle with a class of his own. He was a specialized Ninja-type turtle that had a throwing star strapped to his shell, and he stood upright. His front feet were actually stubby hands. He was able to Sonic Blow, shift his body around quickly, and even create duplicates of himself to help attack if the battle was too much. He was clearly the main muscle of the turtle army. He was also the only turtle, other than Turtle General, that could naturally speak.

Both turtles glowed and gave over their cards.

"Turtle General is expecting you!" Assaulter said. "I will help you get to him."

"Thank you," Keltin nodded.

"We need to head southeast of here," he said and moved to Windwalker's back to see Sarine. She looked at him and smiled softly with a slight nod given to him.

"Turtle General is to help us lead in the war ahead. Thank you for helping us reach him," she said with another soft smile. "He will be a great ally and a valuable leader."

"That he already is!" Assaulter said with pride. "I know we will all want to learn about you. Is that possible to do as we travel?"

"As much as I would love to explain my history and past, we must make haste. I need to be somewhere before sunset, and I would likely require Turtle General's aide. It would help me greatly, since I'll be meeting with royalty in Prontera. You could speak to anyone here while we travel, but you may want to see everything with Turtle General so that nothing would need to be explained again. As I have said, time is of the essence right now," she said. He nodded with understanding and gestured for everyone to follow him. Wanderer moved over to Assaulter and they started up a conversation. He was originally from here, and the two of them knew each other. This made Sarine giggle softly, as she didn't know.

"You're her mate?!" Assaulter blinked with disbelief, as they walked.

"I am," Wanderer nodded. "I have a status with her."

"She has Demonic Matings? Huh! Never would have thought about it."

"I know. She is worth the fight, though."

"Of course, she is! Tell me what you can?" Assaulter asked. Wanderer nodded and told him as much as he could. Kiehl sighed and held her, as she looked over to see Sammy. Then she snuggled into him a bit more. She had to keep him calm. He suddenly glanced up and snarled out sharply with hatred, as a scent infiltrated his senses. At his thought, Howard blinked awake and narrowed his eyes.

"A group is moving towards us," Loomin frowned.

"Do we know who?" Eremes asked.

"No. This one is unknown," he said. "One among them does seem familiar, though..."

"Tighten formations!" Seyren said. The group that approached them was comprised of two Hunters, a Priest, and a Sniper. The Sniper was the one that had caught Kiehl's hatred.

"Oh. Hi, Ass Hat!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"What the hell are you all doing here?!" Greg stammered. "And I'm not an ass hat!"

"That's who you are to me!" the zombie smirked, and the giggles started up. "Anyways, we can't play right now. Maybe when you grow up a little bit more we can talk like adults!"

"Greg?" the Priest asked.

"It's fine. Let's go," he said.

"Good little Ass Hat!" the zombie snickered, and Greg glared at him. He knew that the Sniper wouldn't dare try to attack him with so many monsters and people around them.

"Are you just going to take that?!" one of the Hunters asked.

"These are the ones from the arena, Hector," Greg frowned. "Even if I tried, I can't touch them. Let's just move on."

"Oh, come on! They can't be that tough!" the other Hunter said. Windwalker put his wings down to stretch lightly, and Sarine was exposed slightly with Kiehl and Howard. Now Greg tensed with a new reason. He didn't know she was with them.

"Don't try it..." Eremes warned, and he flashed his katars. "Do as you said. Go now."

"You know I simply can't do that now!" Greg hissed. "At least let me talk to her!"

"Kiehl is very...strong right now. I doubt...he will let you..." Eremes warned again.

"Kiehl?" Hector asked.

"Yeah. Kiehl. The monster Kiel D-01, to be more exact," Keltin smirked.

"He's not that strong!" the other Hunter frowned. Doppy looked over at them and grinned wickedly. At the sight of his unblinking, glowing red glare, it was enough to send chills of fear through them all. That made Ragged Zombie grin.

"Ah, we should go," the Priest said.

"Good idea," Lloyd nodded, and Margaretha giggled. Hibram looked over with a sneer, and Beelzebub growled with a slight glare. Naght and Ifrit seethed with hatred. Osiris and Pharaoh were not amused. Pori-Pori scooted in front of them and chittered angrily at them.

"Look at the cute Poring!" Hector grinned. "What are ya gonna do, little guy? Give me an item? Try to hit me? Hah!"

"Great," Thanatos sighed. "Now Pori-Pori's pissed. Good job!"

"Huh?" Hector blinked at the name and couldn't think of anything else, as Pori-Pori slammed into him. His body was now smashed into the ground, and he was clearly dead.

"Should we Resurrect him?" Errende mused.

"Nah," Ragged Zombie grinned. "They have a Priest. He can do it."

"Um...right..." the Priest said with a paled look at Pori-Pori. The powerful Poring-type monster glared at him, and Greg was clearly no match for him.

"I still want to talk to her!" Greg said.

"Your funeral," Donnie muttered, as he strummed his guitar on Egnigem's Grand Pecopeco. Windwalker glared at Greg when he walked over and gave a growl. Howard let his form mist out, and Kiehl nodded. When the Gryphon put his wings down, Greg saw that her belly was even larger now. Kiehl kept a hand on it to keep himself as calm as he could. When he locked eyes with Greg, the Sniper froze at the sheer, unblinking form of hatred and anger that raged in Kiehl's intense, deep blue eyes behind his glasses. He was clearly pissed off and not happy.

"What do you want with our wife?" Howard asked lightly with his arms crossed over his chest. Sarine was frowning and cuddled into Kiehl's chest a bit more. He tightened his arms around her and let out a bristling, bloodthirsty, inhuman growl. Doppy raised his brows now. Thanatos actually felt a touch of submission, but it was instinctive from Kiehl's Bragging Rights.

"You are wasting our time!" Kiehl snarled out. "Say something, or get out of the way!"

"I want to challenge you for her!" Greg managed to growl out.

"Really?" Kiehl asked with sudden amusement, and Sarine sighed with a shake of her head. Eremes winced, and Errende gave a small mutter of disbelief. Seyren was sending all of this to Baphomet, and the demon mentally laughed hard. Entweihen Crothen was on the ship to protect the kids, and even he was laughing hysterically in Kathryne's mind.

"Don't have too much fun," Howard grinned. Kiehl let his anger and hatred come out in full, as his ghost came out to hover about his form. His Bragging Rights instinct was now completely blown out at the challenge, and Doppy gave a small whistle.  _Kiehl was clearly pissed off to a whole new level._ Thanatos backed away lightly, and so did everyone else. Kiehl looked at Sarine with a protective, loving gaze, and she smiled at him.

"I love you, Kiehl," Sarine whispered to him.

"I love you, too, Sarine. I would never hurt you," Kiehl said tenderly to her to show that he would never be upset at her. He ran his hand over her belly again to smile softly at the responding kicks, and his fury to keep his growing offspring safe now showed. He kissed her possessively and let Howard pull her to him to help protect her. Kiehl moved off of Windwalker's back to approach the opposing humans. Greg's party, with the newly Resurrected Hunter, backed away with total awe and fear. He made slow, careful steps in front of the Sniper. It was as though he was evaluating his prey with each small movement he made. His hands were behind his back, too. He was making it seem like he was calculating out his mental strategy. He was actually stalking Greg. Doppy and Beelzebub grinned, as Thanatos and Naght waited to see the fight. Ifrit and Eremes were making mental bets on who would win. Of course, they voted for Kiehl. Loomin and Keltin seemed to sigh at how short this would be. The other monsters and friends with them bore silent witness.

"Let's make this quick," Sammy said, and he readied to judge the fight with Dracula. His ancestral ghost came out and hissed with hatred at the Sniper. Kavach actually pitied Greg now for challenging Kiehl. Ragged Zombie was gleaning blackmail information. Beelzebub and Hibram were watching with amusement. Sarine's slaves were watching and waiting to help if they needed to. It was the same with her other loves.

Kiehl suddenly let out a challenging, inhuman roar, as he used his skill of Wide Silence to block Greg's skills. It even affected his party members if they tried to help him. Then he used the skill, Dark Blessing, on himself and Power Up. When Greg tried to fire arrows at him, he used the skill, Pneuma. Now he glared at Greg, used Lex Aeterna, Bashed him back, used Lex Aeterna again, and used a powerful Magnum Break on him. Greg had no chance. Kiehl was terribly powerful with his critical attacks, and this simply proved it. The skills he used were ones he already had, and they didn't need to be upgraded. Doppy was amazed at how much of a power boost Kiehl's Bragging Rights gave him, too. Sarine was completely enthralled in her powerful First Mate, and she smiled with excitement and approval.

Kiehl roared out his victory, as his Bragging Rights were in full effect, and he seethed at the other three humans. His hatred for them was like a radius that was felt by everyone. Even the slaves trembled slightly at the feel of this raw, powerful hatred. Seyren was in shock at just how much the Demonic Mating changed him. Naght's blood had a bonus factor, too, by sending out a wave of Demonic Fear from him, as though to dare anyone else to challenge him now. Naght was clearly amused at this, and he was glad it was being used in such a promising way.

Figuring that the other humans were no threat to him, Kiehl glared at them all with a single warning look. Then he spat on Greg's body to show disrespect and moved swiftly back to Windwalker's back. He pulled Sarine to him and kept his eyes closed to keep from glaring at everyone. Right now, he could easily see them all as possible challengers for his wife and mate. Howard kept his eyes averted and would continue to do so until Kiehl's ghost was pulled back in. That would symbolize that he was safe around the others.

"Humph," Doppy smirked. Assaulter was simply in shock at what he witnessed.

"Let's go," Sammy said lightly. As they moved past the stunned party, they worked swiftly towards Turtle General's area. Kiehl was calmed quickly when Sarine ran her hands through his hair, and he was gasping with it. His ghost was pulled back in, and he was pulling her shorts down. Howard helped him with her, and Kiehl gave a harsh moan, as he took her. This was what he needed right now. If they heard anything, no one commented. They knew that Kiehl was still exceptionally dangerous. Complete silence was the best way to keep everything calm. After his roar of successful mating was heard, small snickers were made all around.

"Reminds me of you," Garrett grinned at Cecil.

"No. I make a sound like that," Cecil smirked at Sarine's keening cry with Kiehl's roar.

"You're right," Garrett nodded, as he cleared his throat.

"So, that's the sound you make?" Lloyd grinned at Margaretha, and she blushed. Kathryne was blushing at Mitchell, and small stutters of laughter were given. Seyren patted Karla's rear, and she gave a small look at him.

"Later, I'll get you back," Karla promised, and he growled. "With the Blinker."

"Ah..." Seyren went silent and forced himself to refocus on the enemies around them. Doppy and Thanatos were grinning. On Windwalker's back, Kiehl was draining Sarine's breasts and Howard was helping him. When they finished, her clothes were fixed back up, and Kiehl fixed up his pants before hugging her to him.

"I think I need to eat soon," she sighed.

"Okay. When we get to Turtle General's area, we'll get you something," Howard said. Beelzebub frowned at this and whispered to Errende. A cup of tea was soon handed to Kiehl, and a platter of sushi was given to Howard.

"We can't have her wait," Errende said. "Lord Thanatos knows that she needs to eat right now. Beelzebub told me what you said, and it was confirmed. So, we'll feed her on the run. She really needs her nourishment."

"Fine," Kiehl chuckled. Sarine started to eat and smiled softly to herself.

"Hmm. That's right. Eremes is to be with Sarine tonight," Howard nodded at her thoughts. "It was arranged."

"True," Kiehl nodded. "I won't go back on my word. How far are we now?"

"Almost there!" Assaulter said, as he took out some of his former brethren.

"We need cookies!" Howard said a bit loudly. Byorgue brought them to him quickly, as Vagabond Wolf loped over and back to the fray. Doppy was clearly enjoying himself, as he skewered various rogue turtles. When he found another card from a Freezer, he smiled and went over to Sarine to give it to her.

"Oh! Thank you, Doppy!" she beamed, and he got a kiss for it. Now he started up a competitive battle for cards and kisses. Muninn was trembling with laughter, as he flew over them. When they finally reached Turtle General's area, Assaulter was telling them where to go next. They had to make a left from the main room and down the pathway until it led to the center. The place was teeming with rogue enemies, and they couldn't wait any longer to get back to the ship. Kiehl kept his arms around Sarine, and Howard was doing the same. Nigel kept Sammy in her line of sight, as he used his mass skill to do random ailments to enemies. They reached the center quickly from their sense of urgency, and Turtle General was fighting off a group of adventurers.

"My Liege! I have come with the Vessel of Odin!" Assaulter shouted, as he rushed to help. The Creator looked over with complete surprise at the strong monsters readying to kill them. The High Priest and the Sniper paused at this, and the Lord Knight held up his hands.

"He's our fight!" the Lord Knight said.

"He will be in a moment," Sarine said, as Windwalker let her down. "Let me speak with him first. A stronger version of him will be available to you when I am done."

"Ah..." the High Priest blinked at her beauty. Then he noticed her pregnancy.

"You're from that arena, right?" the Creator asked.

"Yes. I am," she nodded. She studied Turtle General with a small smile. He was a large, upright walking turtle. He had a grey beard on his chin, a long, drooping grey mustache that he constantly pulled on to straighten, and white hair that seemed to cover his eyes. His feet were large and lightly clawed to handle any terrain for long walking. He had two swords that jutted out from his shell from the sight of the hilts. They looked almost like katana blades, but they had nasty split edges on the ends of them and he knew how to use them.

As for armor, he had on a green helmet, green spaulders, green gloves and leg guards. Bandaged wrappings covered his arms for extra protection. The top of his shell had fur on it, and this went down to the middle of his green shell. All of it seemed to be attached to his shell. He even had on a scaled, cloak-like cape that attached to the bottom of his back. His shell could have resembled a shield. Then she whimpered, as Huginn came forth, and Turtle General was just relieved that he was done fighting at long last. Even the recruited minions looked relieved.

"So, what's gonna happen?" the High Priest asked.

"Just stand back and watch," Seyren said.

"Turtle General! I am Huginn! It is time for you to help us with a coming war as our Lord Odin commands! Separate from your darker self now to keep the Balance that our Lord Odin has placed intact! Do this now!" Huginn shouted. Turtle General screamed, as his darker duplicate appeared and vanished just a bit off. Then Huginn looked at the small group and said, "Just head towards the back of the room! Go!"

"Ah, right!" the Lord Knight blinked, and they moved quickly to defend themselves.

"It is good to be free of here," Turtle General stated wearily with an old, wizened tone. "Too long have I fought worthless battles that held no honor! I wish to fight with true valor and honor! I wish to lead as it should have been done since the beginning!"

"And you will!" Huginn said. "Not only are you to help lead the war, you can also fight challengers at an arena. They pay to die, you see."

"Foolish ones, yes?" Turtle General grinned. "Very well. Where do we go from here?"

"Back to a ship. The children of the Vessel of Odin are there with Drake and a few others. We must either backtrack, or let Muninn take us there," Huginn said.

_:I will. Take there. Too long. To backtrack.:_  Muninn warbled.

"Then let's go," Huginn said, and Keltin caught Sarine when her body fainted. He carried her over to Kiehl and Howard to take up. When she came around, they were already next to the ship from Muninn's Warp. She looked around for Sammy and started to panic.

"Sammy!" Howard hissed, and Naght rumbled to have Beelzebub find him quickly.

"Sammy, get over to her!" Doppy snarled, as the burning sensation started to eat at him. Sammy had ended up behind a few monsters after the Warp and ran over to her quickly. At a glance at Doppy, it was quite clear that she needed Sammy right then and there. She was raced into the Captain's Quarters with Howard and Kiehl following them. Naght remained outside the door to ensure that no one could interfere.

"Mama?!" Serenity frowned. At Naght's purr of reassurance, she nodded and whimpered softly. He gathered her up to cuddle and let her snuggle into him.

"I'm here, Sarine," Sammy whispered to her, as she clung to him after his release. His wrist was Healed by Kiehl, and she was trembling hard.

"From now on, we all have to ride Windwalker," Howard frowned. "We can't risk this happening anymore. Not when she's this pregnant."

"You're right. I know that I'll tolerate Sammy when I'm pissed, because she's having his kids, too. If we have to, you can sit between us and hold her, Howard. That's if I get as pissed off as I did earlier. I don't want this to happen again!" Kiehl growled. At a knock on the door, Howard mentally told Naght that everything was fine, and Kiehl confirmed it. A fur was placed around Sarine, and Sammy pulled up his bejeweled, black kimono to cover them even more.

"Mama?" Serenity frowned, as she peeked in. Howard smiled and gestured to her to come over to them. The other kids quickly moved in to swarm the small bed and to make sure their mother was all right.

"I'm fine, dears," Sarine sighed. "Just a little scare. Everything is okay now."

"Why does this happen, Mama?" Serenity asked.

"It's a bad craving I have, sweetie. I don't have a choice in it. I have to see certain daddies, or I get scared. They have to show me that they are here, and that everything is okay," she smiled and decided to change the subject. "Did you catch a lot of fish?"

"Yeah!" Gunther grinned. "Lots of fish! We're gonna eat them, too!"

"Are ye all right?" Drake frowned, as he walked in.

"I'm fine, love," Sarine smiled.

"Evil Snake Lord be a fine teacher! He helped me make pictures of what I be telling the kids. It be easier ta explain ta them with it," he grinned.

"That's wonderful!" she smiled.

"Ah, Sarine. There you are," Evil Snake Lord said with relief. "I have spoken with Turtle General, and he will help assist in training with the arts of war and weaponry. He would like to meet your adoptive father soon."

"We need to get him before we go to Prontera, so that will not be a problem. Actually, isn't he still here?" she frowned.

"Oh! Yes, he is!" Evil Snake Lord chuckled. "He's in the galley helping with the fish. I'll have Turtle General meet him now."

"Thank you," she smiled. Now he looked at her curiously and flicked a red tongue before heading out to the deck. He informed Turtle General where to find Markus, and then he thought a bit, as he found a secluded area to ponder. He mused to himself and spilled some of his ink over the floorboards. Then he used his paintbrush to make various images of the future. What he saw made him pause with surprise. More images were now created, and he gazed at each one with rapt attention.

"And what are you thinking of?" Loomin chuckled at him from behind. Evil Snake Lord moved quickly to cover over the images and pull them back in, but Loomin saw them all.

"You startled me!" he said with a flick of his tongue.

"I'm sure I did," Loomin nodded. "Now, don't worry. I know what you were looking at. I want to know why. That's all."

"Ah...well, she is royalty," he sighed. "And beautiful. Graceful. She captures the hearts of everyone, does she not? I have been glancing at the images about her, but...some details of her past do not appear for me. There is much I need to know."

"Yes, there is. Especially that, for twelve years of her life, since she was two years old, in fact, she was left to die in darkness," Loomin winced. "She was freed when she was fourteen."

"WHAT?!" Evil Snake Lord let out a hissing gasp of disbelief. "That...that can't be true! There is just no way one like her would...wait...that would explain why my ink showed only darkness at certain times..."

"Yes. Your ink does not lie," Loomin nodded. "There are letters you will need to read."

"Letters?" he paused and pooled the ink on the floorboards again. "I will see them from the past and read them while we travel. I will have to ensure that I will not be disturbed."

"The letters still exist, you know," Loomin chuckled.

"They do? Hmm. I really need to see them now. How many letters are there?"

"Over three hundred."

"Seriously?! With that many, I would be exhausting my ink. Well, I suppose I'll have to wait for the island. It will help me reserve my energy. I could go through the Warp here, but I want to ensure the safety of the children."

"As we all do," Loomin nodded.

"How does one know if they belong with Sarine? Is it possible to tell?" Evil Snake Lord asked. "I know I'm mainly a snake, but, well...you know..."

"Well, if you want to know for sure, see if she can hug you or even be near you. If she's not repulsed by your scent, then you can attempt to kiss her. If you fit, then you belong with her. Judging by what your images show, it's quite possible that you do. You'll become a mate to her. Let me see if Sarine is all right," he said. Evil Snake Lord nodded and let his ink move with him, as he slithered after Loomin. At Loomin's gesture to wait, he coiled up on himself and waited patiently. He didn't want things to seem too awkward.

"Loomin?" Sarine smiled. The kids were taken above to help catch more fish, and she was dressed. Howard and Kiehl were playing another game of chess, and Sammy was letting her recline on him in the bed. Keltin, Eremes, and Doppy were settled in the room now and enjoying the downtime and relaxation.

"Evil Snake Lord would like to see if you are repelled by him," Loomin grinned. Now Kiehl and Howard looked over with disbelief. Hibram and Ragged Zombie walked in at Beelzebub's mutter, and they were curious about this.

"Are you serious?!" Sarine blinked. "He's a snake!"

"True. But, he's a very powerful and intelligent snake," Loomin said.

"I see," she sighed. "Well...I suppose..."

"Sarine?" Sammy frowned.

"If I don't, then Daddy will simply appear and order it!" she frowned. Howard and Kiehl winced at how true this was. When Evil Snake Lord slithered in, he approached her slowly.

"I know this is...awkward to say the least..." he started.

"Are you blushing?" she asked, as she saw red tinges under his eyes.

"Ah...maybe?" he flicked a tongue. That got them all laughing softly. She got up from the bed, and he let her smell him. She actually found his scent rather pleasing. It reminded her of old books and fresh ink that was just let out from a printing press.

"First test is passed," Loomin smiled.

"That's an odd way to put his scent," Howard mused.

"He's like a...library with old and new books?" Kiehl chuckled.

"That would make up my essence," Evil Snake Lord nodded. He focused, and the ink underneath him became a set of clawed feet. Sarine blinked at that, and he chuckled.

"So, you can just walk around?" Howard grinned.

"I can. I like to slither now and then, though. When I'm not making pictures, I'll walk," he nodded. "It's a novel thing to do, really."

"So, how did you get bound to the ink?" Sammy asked. "When I was a child, I found the scroll that bound my ancestor to me. Do you remember what happened to you?"

"Oh, yes. Of course, I do," he nodded. "I was a young snake and rather ordinary. Nothing special. That was until I slithered into the hut of a spiritualist of sorts. He had prepared a jar, and it was warmed to a degree to keep ink from spoiling. I found the jar rather comfortable and curled up in it. It was just my luck that the spiritualist was using the jar to hold a nasty ghost within it, too. He was hoping to use the ghost to illustrate images of the future with ink and brush like I can now.

"So, I nearly drowned in ink, got bound to the ghost, and I grew in size and stature rather swiftly. As I grew, so did my brush and pot. When the spiritualist found out what happened, a seal was slapped on me to bind me to my location, and the ghost was trapped to my form. Then he fled. Of course, there are other legends that I was a creation of an artists' passion, and that I am the painting that came to life from it. But, I know what I know. It could also be that the spiritualist was the painter. At least I was able to steal his hat while he fled the cabin. It's very stylish, if I do say so myself!"

Everyone laughed and giggled at that.

"So, you know stories about various monsters? How they came to be?" Sammy asked.

"You could say that," he chuckled. "The Nine Tail is only a true demon after all nine tails have grown. A century for each tail. Moonlight Flower and Cat O' Nine Tails were supposed to be guardians for them while they grew up. I know that the Nine Tail that Sarine had made a slave is far different from the others. He has all nine of his tails, but he is still considered a brute monster like his brethren. So, Nine Tail is, in fact, extremely old. All of the ones gathered have completely different stories and ways than their monster brethren. It's what marks us as 'special', you see? Storm Caller was a Priest of Odin for centuries while the others were not. Even Byorgue has the tell-tale signs of being a follower of Odin. It's monsters like them with traits like these that make us different.

"In fact, Beelzebub was originally a King who lost his faith with the Rachel priests. He was sent to the depths of the cursed chapel to be shunned just for losing his faith with them. As he hid and tried to repent for his sins, he invoked the anger of the spirit within the building. It was there that the demon of Beelzebub took over the King's body a few centuries ago. It was also how he became trapped, too. But, on being trapped away, the inner King found peace through his worship of Odin. So, he was given a second chance."

Now Beelzebub was standing in the room to look at them with disbelief. He'll have to inform the others of what was said later. This was too important for him.

"Are you serious? I was not always like this?" Beelzebub frowned.

"Of course not. I see that most of your memories were lost. Such is as it may be for others, too. But, I would say that this fate suits you better," Evil Snake Lord nodded.

"Beelzebub," Sarine smiled and reached for him. He chuckled and moved to hug her to him, as he purred softly. That made him agree that it was better this way.  _I am with Sarine._ That was all that mattered to him right now. Hibram now walked in to see what was going on. He was told what was being said and now he was curious.

"What of Hibram?" Beelzebub asked. The Fallen Bishop lost most of his memories, too, and now eagerly waited to see what could be told about himself.

"He tried to thwart a nasty attack and got stripped of his proper Holy powers from the being's retaliation. He saved a number of worshipers, though, so not all was lost. It's how he became a Fallen Bishop, you see, and got locked away in the same cathedral. Gloom Under Night was a Pope that tried to assist him, and he got transformed into the being he is today. He was actually supposed to be a 'defender of the faith', but his entrapment proves otherwise. The followers that lived with him became his minions, as I'm sure you all have seen. There is even a story about our Bongun, Keltin. Would you like to hear it?" Evil Snake Lord asked.

"I think I do. I know I'm not a normal Bongun, since I have a different name and completely different status from being a Warrior of Odin. I'd like to hear this story," Keltin nodded. He moved to Sarine, and she got squeezed by him. He looked back at Evil Snake Lord to show he was ready.

"Legend has it that there were three children. There was Bongun, Munak, and Hyegun. Yao Jun is also known as Hyegun, as the story goes. Bongun and Munak were very close playmates, and Hyegun got jealous of their bond. He loved Munak, but Munak did not love him back, and his jealousy only grew. He lied to Bongun one day and told him that Munak was lost in the forest outside of town. Bongun, concerned for his dear companion, ran into the forest to find her. Days passed by, and he never returned.

"Hyegun tried to convince Munak that he was lost, and that he, himself, would make a more suitable playmate and companion. She didn't believe him and ran into the forest to find Bongun. She never returned, either. After two weeks had passed, Hyegun realized his guilt of sending his two beloved friends to their death and killed himself out of grief. To this day, it's said that Bongun and Munak come out of the forests to play with misbehaving children at night. They try to lead them into the forest to never return," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. "Of course, it's an old story told to naughty children to have them behave."

"Wow!" Keltin blinked. "I've never heard that tale before!"

"So, will you lead me into the forest?" Sarine giggled, and he growled before tickling her.

"Actually, you did play with her in a forest," Doppy grinned. Howard and Eremes snickered, and Kiehl laughed at the memory Howard gave him.

"So true," Keltin grinned back and kissed Sarine passionately.

"Hmm. Is it possible for me to try kissing her?" Evil Snake Lord asked.

"Oh! Well...I suppose..." Keltin said. Sarine laughed a bit and got up to approach him.

"Um...I'm not sure how to do this," she admitted. He moved to press his white muzzle against her lips and flicked his tongue into her mouth. Then he backed away in thought.

"That's an odd feeling," he pondered. "Like a puzzle piece locking into place..."

"You fit with her," Loomin nodded.

"So...I'm a mate?" he asked with a bit of surprise.

"Yes, apparently," she smiled. "I'll need a drop of blood from you, and you'll need to give a drop of blood to the kids so they'll see you as a father figure."

"I...they will become mine?!" Evil Snake Lord reared up a bit with surprise.

"Yes. They will," she nodded.

"And I discipline them, if they get out of line," Ragged Zombie grinned. "I had Gunther pull a knife out of my gut."

"Ah...yes. I would see how that could easily be a fitting punishment!" he chuckled.

"Keltin?" Loomin asked.

"Hmm?" Keltin looked at him.

"What's wrong?" Loomin asked now.

"Well...after hearing that legend...I know Yao Jun hasn't come up yet...but..." Keltin frowned. "I'm hoping he sticks with Munak, if she goes to him. After Incubus went to Sarine I just...gut feeling, I guess. Do I have a right to worry about this?"

"Well, if he becomes a mate, there's not much that we can do about it," Eremes frowned. "Since he hasn't approached her...let us hope he doesn't find out."

"Would you know Yao Jun?" Sarine asked.

"No. The other Bonguns might, but I wouldn't. I wear the garb of a traditional Bongun monster, but I'm not a true Bongun monster. I am completely different from them. Muninn saved my body from the flames of Payon's destruction and kept my mind safe. Yeah, it took a while for my memories to come back, but I'm not about to stress it. I'll just hope that Yao Jun doesn't approach you. I mean, if he does, I can't stop it," Keltin sighed.

"I love you, Keltin," she smiled.

"I love you, too," he smiled back and hugged her tight to him. "I'm your first husband. I'm your Guardian. Nothing will get past me to reach you or our children. I promise."

"Keltin, can you tell me of your past? What you know?" Evil Snake Lord asked.

"Sure. We still have some time," Keltin nodded. He told him his story of the girl from his past and his envious rival. Beelzebub, Hibram, and Ragged Zombie listened carefully to this. They didn't know this yet, and Beelzebub was sure to tell the others of this later on. When he finished his tale, they were appalled that jealousy went to such insane measures. Keltin sighed and said, "That was pretty much how my village was burned down by a fire. I'm just...glad that I was led to Sarine by Muninn. She gave me Trina and Bernard. I love her so much for that."

"We all love her," Hibram smiled. "Even though I started as a mate, and I'm now her husband, every second with her is all that matters."

"I'll stick to being her mate," Thanatos grinned. "I like it this way."

"So, if I'm a mate, what does this entitle me?" Evil Snake Lord asked Loomin.

"Sarine?" Loomin grinned. Keltin kissed her softly and helped her undress.

"Uh..." Evil Snake Lord gazed at her with shock.

"I'll guard the door," Doppy smirked.

"I'm very pregnant, so be gentle, okay?" Sarine smiled. Evil Snake Lord moved quickly to wrap his coils around her like a sensuous massage. His ink coated over her in his mating embrace to hide everything and left her when he was finished. She was a bit dazed by how fast and wonderful it felt, and Eremes was laughing softly. Howard and Kiehl were clearly jealous. They needed to do something like that to her now. Keltin helped her dress, and Sammy gestured for Evil Snake Lord's tail.

"Ah, yes. Blood drop. And I need to give one to the kids?" he asked.

"Yes," Sammy nodded. "The kids don't need to give you their blood. They just need one from you. They'll recognize you as another father figure when they get it."

"I'll get the other mates and slaves here to get a blood drop from her so we are all on the same level," Beelzebub said. He waited until she got a blood drop so he could take one from her. When Evil Snake Lord left the room, her loves got their blood drops, and the slaves filtered in a few at time to get theirs. Once it was done, Sarine was given some tea, and Serenity came in with excitement. She chuckled and nodded at everything she said.

"Oh, Mama!" Serenity said.

"Yes, dear?" she smiled.

"We're almost home! We caught lots and lots of fish!" Serenity grinned.

"Very good! We'll have fish for dinner, then. I'll have to see when I get home from Prontera," she sighed. "Hopefully, you won't eat dinner without me."

"Mama has more work?" her daughter frowned.

"Yes, I do. But, I'll be coming home. If I don't, you'll need to help me get home, okay?" Sarine smiled. Serenity nodded, kissed her mother's cheek and hugged her.

"Babies grow?" Serenity smiled, as she giggled at the responding kicks.

"Yes, they did. They'll grow more each day," Sammy nodded. "Just don't tell them to grow so they'll be healthy with your mother."

"Okay!" she beamed and ran up the stairs to main deck. Then she tripped on the top-most stair and cried out with hurt and shock. Sarine looked up with alarm, and Howard moved quickly to grab his daughter to check on her. Then he brought her over to Sarine.

"Are you all right?" Kiehl frowned.

"Yeah. I just tripped," Serenity sighed with a soft whimper. Kiehl Healed her bruise and kissed her forehead. She smiled when the pain was gone, and she hugged him.

"Don't run anymore, okay?" Howard said. She nodded and hugged her mother again to show she was fine. Siegfried came over to them with a scowl.

"You fell down again?! Are you clumsy, Seri?" he asked.

"Shut up, Sig!" Serenity said back. "You fall down, too!"

"I'm a boy! It's okay for me to get hurt! Not you!" he argued.

"Kids, settle down," Ragged Zombie warned, and they both paled.

"Be more careful. Okay?" Siegfried said in a softer tone.

"Okay," she nodded. They hugged before carefully moving out of the room to keep from making the zombie mad. Everyone burst into light snickers and giggles of laughter.

"I am  _so_  glad you can discipline our kids!" Doppy said with a large grin.

"Like I said," Ragged Zombie grinned. "that's how you do parenting!"

"I think we need to get up to the deck, if we are almost home. I'll need a kimono made, and then we'll need to go to Prontera with Papa," she smiled.

"What kind of kimono?" Loomin grinned.

"You'll see," she giggled. Kiehl and Howard smirked before moving to find Errende to tell him what he had to make. They had to follow her up with Sammy.

"I need my kimono made," Loomin sighed. "He was working on it."

"He finished it," Thanatos grinned. "You can wear it when we get there."

"I'd like that," Loomin grinned back.

"We be docking soon, me dear!" Drake said, as he approached them.

"Wonderful!" she smiled and kissed him deeply. She blinked at his beating heart under his overcoat and mused at an idea.

"What be that grin for, eh?" he chuckled. Then he gasped at the feel of her hand moving to caress his exposed heart. Ragged Zombie hissed with jealousy now, as Drake scooped her up to move her directly into the Captain's Quarters. When he came out with her a short while later, he was grinning, and she was blushing. She saw Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy right before her craving kicked in, and she sighed.

"The island's in sight," Howard said, as he took her from Drake.

"Okay," she smiled and leaned into him. "I'm sure I'll need to nurse the children when we get home. We can probably go to Prontera after that."

"All right," Howard smiled and kissed her forehead. Markus came over to them with Turtle General and chuckled at his daughter.

"When you go to Prontera, I will go with you," Turtle General said. "And I'd like to speak with the Lord of Louyang, too."

"Well, you could probably do that on your own. Louyang is considered my territory, and monsters can easily move freely through it. You can use the Warps in any of my homes. Alberta and Payon are a bit restricted still, so you'll need to be careful," Sarine said.

"Very well," Turtle General nodded.

"Sarine, we must talk," Entweihen Crothen said, as he moved over to her with his thorny tendrils. "You were not repulsed by me, and I am needed for you. I want to become a father figure to these children."

"Ah...oh..." she blinked and blushed softly.

"Follow us," Kiehl smirked and led the demon to the Captain's Quarters. Howard squeezed Sarine, and Sammy sat down in a plush chair. Kiehl now sat on the bed, and Entweihen made several large, giant roses to cover over Sarine. She couldn't really kiss the skeletal demon, but she had the sensation of fitting with him when his thornless vines crept over her. Much like Naght, he used his very essence to mate with her, and he scratched open a vine for some sap to leak out. She tasted this and was able to smear a droplet of her blood onto his scratch. It soaked in to show that it took.

"Very good," he purred and chuckled.

"I'll need to give a blood droplet to my loves, and you'll need to give a blood drop to the kids. I'll need more tea after this," she sighed.

"I'll tell Beelzebub," Entweihen nodded and moved out of the room. Sarine sighed and smiled at her men, as they came forward bit by bit again to get a drop of blood from her. Tea was given right after, and Thanatos moved to her side. He blinked at a sensation he was given, and now he decided to try an experiment.

"Hmm," he thought and lightly tapped on her belly. A kick was given in response, and he tapped in a different area. Another kick responded there, and now he started to tap to get responding kicks back. Then he grinned and said, "Kiehl. Come here and do what I'm doing."

"Huh?" Kiehl frowned and started to tap on her belly to get the same responding kicks back. When he tapped in another area, a kick happened in the same place he just tapped. "What's going on? Is this bad?"

"No. They're  _playing_  with you, Kiehl!" Thanatos grinned widely.

"What?!" Kiehl blinked. Now Howard moved to do the small tapping and kicking game. Both of them seem to fall into a trance of fatherhood.

"Twins...playing with us..." they both said, and Sarine blushed at this.

"I wonder if mine will do the same thing," Sammy chuckled and started to do the tapping game with his twins. When they started to do the same thing, his own fatherly shock showed.

"How are they playing?" Sarine giggled.

"These four kids are incredibly smart. Mainly from Kiehl, but Sammy's lineage did it, too. I sensed they were...bored. So, I figured I'd try something with them. They like this. I wonder," Thanatos grinned and started up a bit more of a complex game where the kids would need to respond with kicks to the number of taps given. When they missed a tap, swirling about was felt. It was as though they were dancing. He laughed softly and said, "This is really addicting."

"My kids...are playing with you...in her belly...they're playing..." Kiehl gasped and ran a hand over his face before he leaned into Sarine's shoulder. Now Beelzebub came down with the rest of her husbands, and he was grinning at an idea.

"Let me try something," Beelzebub said and set down his book and staff. With four hands free now, he started a very complex game with the growing kids. At first, they didn't know how to respond to the random taps that happened all over her belly. Then, each child realized who was playing with them, what was going on, and one child focused on a certain hand. With four kids in her, this was easy to do. Beelzebub sputtered laughter and said, "They figured me out! Incredible!"

Sammy was now laughing softly, and Thanatos realized that this calmed the growing kids even more by giving them something to do. He wasn't sure if it would work for all of the future kids, but it was worth trying.

"Can you do this with your daddies?" Sarine chuckled, as she whispered to her belly. "Can you all start a game? I know it will be hard, since they can't see where you kick, but do you want to try? If you do, maybe we can test with daddy Doppy, since he can feel where you kick. It's okay! I'm sure he would like to play. Right, Doppy?"

"Oh?" Doppy smiled gently and moved to her side now. When the kids kicked somewhere, he felt it and tapped back. This seemed to make a sense of excitement in her womb, and now Doppy found himself drawn to playing with the growing kids.

"Incredible..." Kiehl whispered.

"You're telling me!" Howard said with a small chuckle. Naght was now with them to gaze at everything with silent shock. Even Ifrit was amazed at everything.

"This is incredibly calming," Doppy chuckled. "I think we found a way to keep both Kiehl and I completely at ease, if something goes wrong."

"You may be onto something," Sammy grinned. Loomin was just amazed at everything and found himself smiling. Keltin was smiling and nodding to himself at this.

"Okay, kids. We have things to do now. But, if you want to play with us, give out two sharp kicks. Doppy will feel it, and I'm sure your mother will tell us, too. Right now, she needs to rest. If we want to play with you later, we'll start tapping. Until then, rest with your mother," Thanatos said and rubbed her belly gently. The children seemed to settle down at his touch, and Sarine was just beaming with complete motherly pride at her babies.

"My kids are playing with us..." Kiehl kept muttering, and Sarine pulled him close to hug tightly. "I just...wow..."

"Mine, too," Sammy grinned. Hibram was chuckling softly, and Sarine was led up to the main deck again. Beelzebub told the older children what happened, and now they wanted to play with the growing babies.

"Later, kids," Keltin smiled. "Mom needs to rest a bit before we go to Prontera."

"Are they really playing?" Markus asked, as he walked over with Evil Snake Lord.

"Tap her belly and find out," Thanatos grinned. Markus tapped a couple times, and two kicks in his exact tapping location were given back. He tried again in another spot for the same thing to happen. His jaw dropped, and now Evil Snake Lord tried it with soft taps by using his tail. With the same responses given, he was clearly amazed.

"They're still playing..." Kiehl muttered, and Sarine giggled at him.

"You know we aren't going to be leaving you alone now, right?" Ragged Zombie grinned. "We'll do what we can, but we can only stay away for so long."

"I know," Sarine smiled. Seyren walked up to her now to try it, and he paused with disbelief when the growing babies started to play with him.

"I'll have to test this when my kid starts kicking!" Seyren blinked.

"That would be something to try, huh?" Hibram grinned.

"I think all of our future kids will be doing this..." Eremes smiled. A crushing weight filtered around them, and Odin appeared. The older kids squealed with delight at their grandfather, and he gave each one hugs and kisses to their cheeks.

"Daddy?" Sarine smiled.

"I want to play with my grandkids!" Odin grinned. This had everyone laughing, and Odin began a small tapping game with pure delight. Muninn warbled and perched on a mast, as he watched with a protective form of pride. Alexander watched from the crow's nest and found himself smiling with joy for her. The Amatsu Captain was even surprised at this and was grinning softly with amusement.

"And what brings you to us?" Sammy chuckled.

"My daughter, my Vessel, when you go to Prontera, do not leave anyone's side for any reason! The King's son will find his heart filled with lust, and he may do something fool-hearty," Odin warned. "As Muninn has said before, do not stay the night in the castle. Refuse it. Eremes Guile! Stay close to her at all times while she dances. You may be the only one able to readily thwart what may happen! Muninn! Do the same!"

"That prince promised us that he wouldn't hurt Mama!" Serenity said.

"Humans are known to make promises and break them. It is rare to find one exceptionally honorable. Hmm. We can use your promise against him," Odin mused. "My daughter, my Vessel, if he tries anything, remind him of his promise to the kids. In fact, have Gunther approach him to solidify it, should something go wrong. Cedrick made a pact with him for making a stronger weapon in return. It should be Gunther that appears with Serenity to enforce it and to remind him of his promise."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. Odin embraced his daughter again before vanishing, and the ship docked at the island home.


	134. Chapter 134

It took an hour of nursing and kimono fitting before deciding it was time to go to Prontera. The kimono Sarine wore was a rich, deep blue with gold trim. Small, elegant seed pearls were sewn into the sleeves, much like her green kimono had, and matching slippers were on her feet. This kimono was made larger to help with her pregnancy, and the same drastic cleavage was given. Her hair was done up once again in traditional Amatsu style. Her Coronet sat gracefully on her head, and her jewelry, makeup, and Elven Ears were worn. Kiehl was smiling at this. She could easily compliment his own blue and gold suit. Evil Snake Lord moved into the room and paused to admire her with a form of pride.

"Beautiful..." Evil Snake Lord chuckled, as he carefully nuzzled her.

"Thank you," she smiled softly. Loomin walked out in his kimono of stark white with silver and gold embroidery. He looked incredibly beautiful and handsome in it. She smiled, and he kissed her gently. Evil Snake Lord looked at them to study and went over to Kiehl's desk to grab a piece of paper with his mouth. Setting it on the floor, he spilled his ink over it carefully to start painting something with his brush. This time, the ink set to the paper to reveal a beautiful black and white portrait of Loomin and Sarine.

"Wow!" Loomin grinned, as it was presented to them.

"I think we found the one who is going to make our family portraits!" Sarine giggled. Evil Snake Lord thought and nodded readily. He would love to do this for everyone.

"But, who would put you in the portrait?" Keltin asked.

"I can draw myself," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. "I have always studied my own reflection in the water. The mirrors here are much clearer, and I can add far more detail to myself. I will be fine."

"Always a good thing," she smiled and leaned a bit on Loomin's arm. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy moved to walk with them, and she paused at Yao Jun standing in the doorway.

"Yao Jun?" Keltin asked with a bit of a narrowed gaze.

"Bongun," he replied in kind.

"No. I'm Keltin. Yes, I'm a Bongun monster, but I do not act like one," he said.

"Is that so?" he asked with surprise.

"Very," Eremes nodded.

"Hmm. And Munak?" Yao Jun asked.

"Single now," Incubus said behind him with his arms crossed.

"Fine. I'll see if she wants to be with me. If she refuses, I'll be back to speak with the Vessel of Odin," Yao Jun nodded and bounced away slowly.

"Wonderful!" Keltin scowled.

"How much time do we have?" Sarine asked.

"We can spare an hour, if that," Sammy said. "Why? You want to wait to see if he returns? We can't wait too long, you know."

"I know. I just need to find out. The last thing we need is him trying to track me down in Prontera. It wouldn't be good. So, we'll relax for an hour and prepare. The sun hasn't started to set yet. We'll be fine," she smiled.

"All right," Kiehl nodded. "At least he's not a human vying for your attention. I can tolerate him. I hate any humans that try to force themselves on you."

"I know, love," she smiled and kissed him gently. Injustice had a table set with sushi, cookies, and tea ready for her. As she ate, she thought and winced when Valkyrie appeared before her. Kiehl blinked at her, and Howard smiled softly.

"Yes, Vessel of Odin?" Valkyrie asked.

"Is there a way to show a fatherhood rank for my slaves? To show which ones had children with me? I know I can't give them a husband rank, but, perhaps a father rank?" Sarine smiled. This had Aliot and Errende gasp softly and smile with delight at this.

"I believe that something can be arranged," Valkyrie chuckled. She turned, as she hovered in the air, and lightly touched Aliot's leash loop and Errende's leash loop. They both glowed to reveal a tiny blue diamond and a tiny pink diamond in each of the gold loops. The pink was for a girl, and the blue was for a boy.

"That is perfect! Thank you," she smiled greatly.

"Kiel D-01, the same will be done for you! These small diamonds will appear on the sides of your elemental ones!" Valkyrie nodded and touched his leash loop now. "Any slave that is going to be a father from this point forward will bear the gems."

"Thank you, Valkyrie," Kiehl said.

"Kiel D-01, there is something I need to request of you," Valkyrie said. "Since I'm here, I need to ask you to do one thing for me."

"Anything!" Kiehl nodded.

"Do not show any hatred towards the Prince of Prontera in public tonight. Show it in private. We do not want the King of Prontera to know that ill will is being harbored towards his son. It will be hard to do, but you can do this, if you focus. Distract yourself with the growing children, if you must. If any hatred is seen, it will have consequences," she warned. "The same must be said for all of you here. The prince needs to be seen as an ally."

"Understood," Kiehl nodded.  _It will be easy to keep calm by playing games with the kids in Sarine's belly._ Once the warning was given, Valkyrie nodded and vanished back to Valhalla.

"My Lady," Errende said with a sigh of happiness, and she hugged him to her.

"I love you," Aliot whispered, as she hugged him next.

"I love you all, my dears," she smiled.

"These small gems are perfect," Thanatos nodded. "It will give them stability and a bit more of an established order to keep track of who has kids and such."

"I know," she nodded back. "It's why I wanted it. Yes, Kiehl was to be my slave and husband, but, with him having a true ranking, he's a bit beyond that stage. Now with Maya Purple filling that gap and gaining the gems when he has children with me, it will work out."

As her slaves moved to get hugs and kisses from her, Yao Jun waited patiently in the distance until he knew they finished showering her with affection. He bounced over slowly and stood still in front of her. His face was pained, and he looked like he was ready to cry.

"Munak...after all this time...she still rejects me!" Yao Jun whispered, as he trembled. "She...says her love is only for Bongun, and now that Bongun is no longer hers, she wants no one! I grieve for her loss of love, but what of me? Am I to have no one? Is there no one for me in this world now? I just...I don't understand..."

"Hyegun," Sarine said softly, and he looked at her with complete shock. He didn't think that anyone knew his true name. Keltin winced, but he knew that this was inevitable. In a sense, they were to be like brothers. _Maybe Munak could be seen as a sister._  All that he knew was that, ever since he saw how Yao Jun saw Sarine before her labors in Louyang, he knew it was just a matter of time for him to approach her. And now, with him like this, there was no way that he could turn him away.  _Even I experienced a form of betrayal in my life, too._  It hit hard with him, and now he wanted to see Yao Jun find happiness.

"Vessel of Odin?" Yao Jun asked.

"Come here," she smiled. He moved to her side, and she hugged him tightly to her to let him vent his tears on her shoulder. His scent didn't repel her at all, and she kissed him deeply. He gasped in shock at the very feel of fitting with her, and she sighed. He looked at her with wonder and shivered, as she wiped away his tears. Like Keltin, he was supposed to have been a young boy, but he was actually a bit older than that in looks. Keltin was eighteen when he died long ago, and Hyegun looked about the same. Even their clothes were the same, but Keltin was various shades of blue. Hyegun was black and gold.

"Get the others ready for another blood drop swap," Beelzebub said to Byorgue. "About ten minutes? You think?"

"About that much," Sammy nodded.

"I was there for your letter reading," Yao Jun sighed. "I...helped tear down that room, too. I even assisted in avenging the one in the arena! I didn't know what to expect..."

"He's a mate," Hibram said now. "He helped tear down the room, and he was already here for her letters. No arguments from me."

"Same," Ragged Zombie nodded.

"He helped attack my tormentors. I approve!" Errende nodded sternly.

"Do you go by Yao Jun or Hyegun?" she asked him.

"For you...Hyegun..." he smiled and kissed her again before letting her escort him to the bedroom. Keltin started to easily accept him now. Just knowing that he was there for everything eased a lot of the burdens. A kinship was forming quickly. In the bathroom, Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy were lightly meditating, and Sarine was busy with Hyegun.

"Have you done this before?" she asked, as she let him remove her kimono carefully.

"No," he admitted. "I'm sure many of us haven't, right?"

"Very true!" she chuckled.

"I think it's good that only you can be with us," he smiled.

"Of course, Thanatos and few of the other demons were with other females, but I'm not concerned of their pasts. They only want to be with me now, and that's all that matters. Come to think of it, I was never with anyone else, either. How-How was my first. Then it went to Keltin. I never strayed to any other. I've always been with my loves."

"And for good reason," he smiled and undressed himself. His body was not marred at all, unlike Keltin's which held the scars of battles and hard fighting. There was only one scar, but it was very faint along the side of his neck, and it was about an inch long. She had to remind herself to ask about that. His skin was smooth, pale, and rather youthful. His form was well-muscled and a bit lean in all the right places like an athlete's. She smiled, as he left his black and gold hat on with the gold tassel hanging off to one side. Then she realized that his voice was much like Keltin's, but it was a softer aspect of it.  _They could easily pass as brothers._

"I'd like to know of your past. Maybe..." she smiled.

"I'll tell you later. Just remind me," he whispered and kissed her passionately. He claimed her now, and she guided him on what he needed to do. He was able to release hard with her, and they clung to each other. As he rested with her, he sighed and said, "I waited so long to be with you. Why did I wait?"

"You were waiting for the right time to approach her," Sammy said, as he let himself become fully alert. "Now is the right time. More mates are needed to help keep her pregnant. Yes, it's hard on her, but, with so many trying to interfere with us, this is needed. All of the children she bears will have special abilities. Gifts from Valhalla that will help with the coming war, to be precise. Do you know what the current children can do?"

"I'm afraid I do not," he frowned.

"Talk to Storm Caller and Beelzebub. I'm sure Beelzebub is waiting to speak with you about this. He can hear everything, and he's Sarine's Ears, too. By the way, you can call her Sarine, now. Vessel of Odin is simply a formality title," Kiehl smiled.

"Oh? I'll do that!" Hyegun nodded. Then he paused at a kick to his gut from being pressed against her womb and he laughed. "All right! You'll get the blood drop! Give me a minute to get my bearings!"

"Huh?" Sarine frowned.

"Did you...say something to me just now?" Hyegun frowned.

"No. You responded after you got kicked..." she said slowly.

"Can you hear the thoughts of our children?!" Kiehl gaped.

"Ah...I think so..." Hyegun blinked. Beelzebub came in with Loomin now, and he got studied intensely. Loomin was now trying to piece together the truth about Hyegun. Thanatos came in shortly after to find out what was going on from how Beelzebub reacted. He was told what was discovered, and he thought with amusement.

"I can sense what they need. But, if you can actually hear their thoughts...what of the kids in the nursery?" Thanatos asked. "Can you hear their thoughts?"

"No," Hyegun said and blinked at another kick. "I'd better give you a drop of blood before they bruise me! They're threatening to. Some help, please?"

Sammy carefully cut Hyegun's finger and let Sarine take the drop. She gave him one in turn, and now Loomin was able to chuckle.

"You can only hear the thoughts of our children in her womb. When they are born, you won't be able to hear them anymore. However, you can only hear them when they become aware of what's going on around them. Mainly when they start kicking. Thanatos can sense what they need before that, so he's still a bit stronger in that aspect, and he can help ease them with Errende. But, you'll know for sure what the children need, if they require something that Thanatos can't pick up. The two of you will need to be permanently around Sarine to know what the growing kids require," Loomin grinned. "You should have approached us sooner!"

"I...wow..." Hyegun blinked.

"I guess this makes us partners," Thanatos grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Get dressed, give the other kids in the nursery your blood. They'll see you as a father figure."

"Those kids...will be mine...in a sense...?" Hyegun asked with disbelief.

"Yep!" Howard grinned. Hyegun found himself smiling with an inner peace that he thought was lost to him long ago. _I found where I belonged at long last._  He kissed Sarine intensely before getting up to dress and head out to the nursery. Another line of her loves formed to get her blood, and more tea was given to her. She was dressed back up in her kimono carefully. Her makeup and hair were fixed back to rights by Doll and Errende.

"He should become a husband," Keltin said, as he got filled in.

"You think so?" Sarine frowned.

"He can hear the thoughts of our growing children in you. Thanatos is blood-bound through Errende, so he already belongs to you, in a way. Sammy is also, as we know, a husband to you, since he can evaluate the health of our kids and your health, too. We can't let this opportunity pass by," Keltin said. "I'm sure he has a talent and a status with you."

"Why do you feel this?" Loomin asked.

"Well...he's like a long lost brother to me," Keltin admitted. "At first, I wasn't sure. I didn't really trust him. But, well...after hearing that legend and seeing him now...it feels like I found family again. Like Howard and Kiehl. Am I wrong about this? It's almost like, he's my polar opposite. Like how Huginn and Muninn are opposites, he's mine."

"Huh!" Loomin thought, as he studied everything. Muninn landed and reverted to human form to speak with them about this quickly.

" _Keltin is right! Hyegun can carry the 'Bliss' of Valkyrie. Not the Rage. He can make others forget what they were doing to catch them at a disadvantage! Almost like charming them to be allies when they are enemies. He is Sarine's Peace. The element he holds is a form of Earth which is based on Plants. Howard controls the Rock portion of the element of Earth to be my sister's Armor. There are many different types of elemental properties,_ " Muninn said. " _Such as Ragged Zombie has a form of Water known as Fog._ "

"Sarine's Peace, you say?" Sammy mused. "He can charm monsters?"

"Make them forget things," Kiehl grinned now.

" _Think of it like a hypnotist. He can control enemies with his charm skill and make them forget what happened. Even what they were doing. He could even control them, if his charm gets them in full. He...is very, very dangerous. Take this and give it to him!_ " Muninn grinned and handed Sarine a wedding ring. She blushed and giggled softly. Muninn became his falcon form to fly off, and Beelzebub was already grinning wickedly.

"What are you thinking of?" Howard grinned.

"Only what we can do to humans if they mess with us," he grinned. Doppy roared with laughter, and Eremes was grinning widely. Sarine laughed now and moved to the nursery to approach Hyegun. He had just given over his blood to the children, and he was Healed by Bacsojin. As Sarine approached Hyegun, she smiled and sighed.

"Hyegun, I need to ask you an important question," Sarine said.

"What is that?" he asked.

"Do you love me?" she smiled.

"Of course, I do! I...I think I always have," he said.

"Well...I think it's only fair that I tell you...that I love you, too," she blushed softly, and he moved to kiss her gently. "But now...I need you to give me your left hand."

"Sarine?" he frowned. She smiled warmly, and he placed his hand in hers. She slipped the wedding ring on his ring finger, and he stared with a slack-jawed look of shock.

"Husband," she smiled softly, and he found himself hugging her tightly to him. He couldn't believe what just happened. Tears came forth again, and he shivered while she comforted him.  _So much happened in such a short time!_

"How?!" Hyegun gasped. Beelzebub walked over to him to whisper, and now he was completely floored. Serenity ran up to Hyegun and clung to his leg.

"Dad!" she giggled, and he picked her up to hug her to him.

"Brother?" Keltin grinned, and Hyegun clasped hands with him before they hugged lightly. "I can see Munak as a sister, but only if she wants it."

"I'll have a fly ask her later on," Beelzebub nodded.

"You know..." Keltin grinned and whispered to Howard and Kiehl. Beelzebub looked over at him and sputtered laughter with the other two.

"Are you serious?!" Howard gasped.

"That's just...wow..." Kiehl laughed sharply.

"He's my polar opposite! You know I have to try it out when the time comes!" Keltin grinned a bit wider. Eremes and Doppy looked over curiously, and Beelzebub muttered to them.

"You know she'll have that craving again, right?" Doppy grinned wickedly.

"I know! But, doesn't doing that have, well, benefits?" Keltin asked.

"You're right," Kiehl nodded.

"You never explained that to me," Loomin smiled.

"Ahh. I'll whisper it to you, and Beelzebub can tell the others when the kids aren't around," Kiehl said. He muttered to Loomin how a double mating can give over various enhances to make a child be made from both fathers. He told Loomin what Muninn said about the triplets now being enhanced with his intellect and genius. He also described how they would have the original eyes and hair from Howard, the body type of Sarine, and Naght's Demonic rage. Loomin was surprised.

"So...it would be possible for any of us to do this to her when the time is right..." Loomin started. At Kiehl's small nod and smile, Loomin grinned and said, "I wonder what would happen if it was Sammy and I that merged in her together."

"I think you and Doppy would be the better bet," Howard smirked, and that made Doppy nod with full agreement. Loomin realized this was true, since Doppy was like his opposite, and he would be helping Eremes with making bodies for Huginn and Muninn. Then he realized that there would be a chance that Sarine would be craving to see him with Doppy and Eremes.  _She would need to have five men in her line of sight constantly. They would have to work it out._

As the news was slowly passed around, Eremes found himself wondering about his blood merging with Howard's blood to make a full set of kids for Ifrit and Naght together. Ifrit actually liked this idea and went to hiss it out to Naght. The powerful demon mused and thought it would make a wonderful alliance of sorts to cement their kinship. Of course, they saw each other as brothers now, but, if old habits came back, it would help to have some precautions set in place. If those bad habits did try to resurface, this would halt them fully.

"Daddy Ifrit?" Siegfried asked looking a bit troubled.

"Yes?" Ifrit chuckled, as he looked down at him. Siegfried's arms rose up to signal that he wanted to be held, and Ifrit smiled when he picked him up to hold him. None of the kids did this with him yet. He actually liked it. Then he paused, as Siegfried shivered and tried to get some heat from him. Ifrit gave him a bit more heat, but he was still shivering.

"Siegfried, are you all right?" Eremes asked now. He moved to Ifrit's side at the mental call for assistance. That question now had Sarine looking over with alarm, and Sammy was quick to move and evaluate the boy.

"Siegfried, were you playing in water? Eating anything bad?" Sammy frowned.

"Um...I tried a piece of raw fish. Daddy Drake said it was like sushi. He made sure it was safe for us. But...since I got home, I've been feeling cold," he frowned. "I thought Daddy Ifrit could help me, since he's all fire, but I'm still cold."

"Hmm," Loomin said, as Sammy felt Siegfried's forehead. "It's not really an illness. He has more monster than human blood in him, in a sense. Valhallan blood doesn't contract illnesses, either. Sarine, love? Hug your son, please. He needs it."

"Come here, sweetie," Sarine said, and he went to her. Now he seemed to sigh with relief, and he cuddled into her. Next thing they knew, he was sleeping.

"That was his craving for her, wasn't it?" Sammy frowned.

"It looks like it. He doesn't really cling to her like the others, if you've noticed. He's more independent of her. He always likes to be with demons. This is just a childhood phase. Did any other child do this?" Loomin asked. Thanatos blinked in thought and told him of how they were down below the house.  _While down there during the storm, Edward simply wanted his mother._ Errende added in how Gunther and Edward both wanted her in the new garden. They all thought it was just the kids wanting to be with her. They didn't realize that it was a much needed craving they had. Doppy thought and called for his daughter. He saw she was starting to tremble a bit, too.

"Yes, Dad?" Bianca asked.

"Go hug your mom," he said. Bianca frowned, but she moved to settle into Sarine's other side. She actually put her thumb in her mouth and fell asleep soon after.

"Angela was recently with her. We'll need to make sure that Sarine holds her kids every now and then. She gave them all hugs on the ship, though," Howard frowned.

"This is something else. When they start to feel cold, they need their mother," Loomin said. "When they get to their teenage growth, they'll be fine."

"Okay," Sarine nodded with understanding. She closed her eyes slightly to start up a soft purr. Hyegun looked at her with surprise, and she winked softly.

"Here," Doppy grinned to let her take some blood from his finger. When she got that, her purr was louder and much deeper. This had the two kids respond instinctively with their own purrs, as they slept on her. Kiehl actually felt his form of protectiveness rise at the sound of their purring, and he tensed up.

"Play with your kids," Howard muttered. Kiehl looked at him, but found himself going over to tap on her womb to start up a game. This calmed him right back down, and now he was trying to find ways to test their intelligence. Hyegun watched this with amusement and began to giggle at their thoughts.

"They know it's you. Whatever you try won't work," Hyegun grinned. Now Kiehl grinned back, placed his palm right over her belly, and started to drum his fingers over them. That baffled them, and Hyegun started to laugh. He nodded that Kiehl won that round.

"Hey, Hyegun," Keltin smiled and whispered to him. His new brother blinked at him with amazement, and Beelzebub found himself chuckling.

"Are you serious?" Hyegun frowned.

"We should try it before we leave," Keltin nodded.

"Try what?" Kiehl asked, as he continued to play with his growing kids.

"A direct blood swap with Sarine's help," Keltin grinned. That made Howard look at them with a small laugh. Kiehl looked over at them with an amused grin. Sarine looked at her loves with a small smile of thought. Another ten minutes passed by swiftly, and she nuzzled her kids to wake them up gently.

"Mom?" Siegfried asked. He snuggled into her again, and she kissed his forehead.

"Are you feeling better, dear?" she asked.

"Yeah. Lots better," he said with a soft smile.

"Okay. If you or your other brothers and sisters feel cold, come to me. I'll give you lots of love, and it will make you all warm again," she smiled. He giggled at this, and Bianca gave a small kiss to her mother. Siegfried did the same, and she let them run off to play.

"You are such a wonderful mother," Hyegun smiled.

"And you are an excellent father," she chuckled.

"Well...I'm not exactly a father yet," he said.

"But you will be," she nodded. "Just give it time."

"Right," he smiled and helped her up to stand. Kiehl assisted her carefully, and Nigel moved to make sure she was all right. She reassured him with a caress and thought.

"Nigel, exactly how old are you?" she smiled.

"Ah...is age really important?" he grinned.

"Not really. I mean, Naght is centuries old, Sammy is over a thousand years old...I'm sure my other mates are just as old or a few centuries old," she smiled.

"Oh! That's true. Well, I'm about eleven hundred years old, if you must know. When my last tail grew in, it was around two centuries ago. So, yes. Eleven hundred," he nodded.

"Damn! I feel young!" Keltin grinned. Hyegun laughed and squeezed her. Sarine smiled lovingly at her husbands, and she kissed them both before leading them to the bedroom. Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy had to follow her to help if needed and to remain in her line of sight.

"Hmm," Hyegun paused at something strange, and Loomin quickly ran into the room from Muninn's warning. Kiehl looked over with alarm, and, at Loomin's look, knew that something was about to go horribly wrong.

"Hyegun, I need to ask you something really quick," Loomin said. "It's a personal question, so it's private. Nothing serious."

"Loomin?" Sarine frowned.

"It's fine. Just a quick question. Can you follow me, Hyegun?" Loomin asked. Keltin frowned at this, but nodded to Hyegun. Loomin pulled Hyegun into his old bedroom and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Hyegun asked.

"You heard three other voices, didn't you? Other than the four in her now?" Loomin asked carefully. "I need to know if you heard them."

"I did! I was going to say something, but you stopped me," Hyegun said.

"Oh, thank heavens!" Loomin gasped out loudly, slumped onto the bed and sighed with relief. Hyegun had a wide-eyed look at his behavior and clearly didn't know what was going on. Loomin gestured for Hyegun to sit down. After he sat in a chair, it was now explained who the triplets were, who fathered them, and how they were hidden away in a very special stasis. Hyegun was floored by this news and now realized how drastic it would have been if Sarine found out about them.

"Howard's triplets?" Hyegun blinked.

"They were originally the triplets that Sarine would have had, if she could have had children with Howard before he became a monster. She had...lost the pregnancy. Odin was giving them back to her, but they came back prematurely."

"I didn't know!" Hyegun gasped.

"I know. Beelzebub is telling the other new mates now. She can't ever know about this stasis! It could either kill her, or cause massive problems to her health. That and Doppy would be skewering you alive from the pain he'd be feeling!" Loomin said with a wince.

"She won't know. If I hear the triplets, and they need something, what do I do?" Hyegun asked. "I want to know what can be done for them. They...know that I can hear them, and they want to be made known. Somehow, that is. If I ignore them, I may anger them."

"If they need something, mutter it softly, and Beelzebub will hear you. He'll tell us discreetly, and we'll work with their needs. This is also why you are incredibly important to Sarine. The triplets in the stasis are aware of everything, they just can't grow. What did they tell you? Can you let us know?"

"They said that they loved their mother and their family. That...they welcome me with open arms, and that they can't wait to meet everyone when their time has arrived. They also wanted more of Naght's blood. And more of Howard's blood. They wanted that. There was one other thing...oh, yes! A little rare meat would be needed," Hyegun said. "They've wanted it for some time now, but, since they couldn't voice it, they're suffering a bit. They are...really, really happy that I came along."

"Rare meat? Their blood? Oh...but, those are...cravings that she wanted with Howard's twins! She's not feeling the cravings, because of Kiehl! And you said they couldn't make them known, too, so the cravings aren't strong enough to show up. If they've been suffering...okay. We clearly don't want them to suffer! We have to play this by ear. I know that the blood helped satisfy her craving for rare meat. It was told to me by Keltin before. It's a good thing she doesn't want her other meals from Howard's pregnancy, but why the blood? Ah, it's a blood bond ritual. That's right. We'll have to see if Naght's blood and Howard's blood can ease that craving in the bond.

"They may not want anything from Kiehl now, since he has her impregnated with his twins. If something does show up for him, you'll need to tell us. As for the rare roast, we may have to slip it into one of her meals," Loomin muttered. "Or, just say it's an experimental meal and simply give it to her. Did they say anything about cold, hot, or in between meals? If I remember, that's what Naght's and Howard's twins wanted, too..."

"Blood bond ritual?" Hyegun blinked. "And, no, I heard of no other food requests."

"Well, that's good to know! Anyways, Demonic children require the blood of their Demonic father to keep the mother from becoming ill or losing her senses. It's really common in powerful demons. Normally, she wouldn't be having this, but it may also explain a few things about her cravings for Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy. I wonder if a blood bond ritual would be needed for them, but I doubt it. They actually miss their fathers, and she has to be with them. She has no other choice in it. It all started with Thanatos," he frowned. "Her craving for Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy can get really bad now, if she can't see them physically. It's not as bad as Thanatos, since he had to constantly touch her. However, it can get to that point, if she can't see them. It's why they have to be around her."

"There's a lot that I'm missing here," Hyegun sighed. "I...understood that she always needed to be with Thanatos before, but, since I wasn't close to her, I never knew why."

"Yeah, there is," Loomin nodded. "Let's get back to Sarine so you can do the blood swap with Keltin. While she's busy with that, I'll tell the others that Beelzebub hasn't told you yet about Sarine's pregnancy. I'll also tell them what you said as to what's needed from the triplets. I'm sure Beelzebub has heard everything, anyways, and is likely talking to the slaves now. You can always talk to everyone when we travel around to learn more. Even when we have downtime like this, you can learn more about her and us. Everyone will talk to you, if you ask."

"Right," Hyegun nodded. They walked back into the bedroom, and Keltin moved over to Hyegun. Loomin showed it was all right, and that he would be informed later.

"Is everything okay?" Sarine frowned.

"It's fine," Hyegun smiled and kissed her. "I want to do this blood swap."

"Okay," Keltin nodded. When they moved into the bathroom, Loomin told Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy what happened.

"She's craving the stuff from my pregnancy?! And Hyegun heard this?!" Howard gaped. Naght was now in the room with disbelief. Loomin explained what happened and how Hyegun now knew what was going on.

"He almost revealed it without even knowing," Kiehl winced. "All right. As long as he knows now. Howard, do the blood bond with Naght."

At his mental suggestion on how to do it, Howard nodded and tensed with excitement. Naght hissed laughter, as that would work perfectly.  _Howard wanted to be bitten now._  They all blinked, as they looked towards the bathroom when they heard Hyegun give out a roar for First Mate Rights. That had them chuckling before Sammy brought up the subject with her meals.

"What about the rare meat?" Sammy asked.

"Can sushi be made with it? Or maybe, an undercooked roast?" Kiehl asked.

"It's possible. Beelzebub, if you're listening, have a very rare roast prepared for Sarine," Sammy said aloud. He knew it would be worked on by the slaves. "If it works, she may need one once a day. Or once a week, depending on what Hyegun can tell us."

"I need you guys in here! NOW!" Hyegun shouted from the bathroom, and they moved in quickly for her to see them. On seeing them, she was calmed, and she sighed.

"Is everything all right?!" Kiehl asked, as he moved to her side. He gave a nod to Hyegun of equal respect, and it was given back. Keltin had already explained to his brother on what happened, so he knew what to expect.

"It is now," she nodded.

"I just heard the children within her say that they missed their fathers," Hyegun said carefully. "That they needed them close."

"Wow..." Howard blinked. _He was referring to the triplets. Since they were within her, it was a truth._ Kiehl's and Sammy's children needed them, too. They were very glad that Hyegun showed up when he did. _He would know when Sarine needed us._

"Was the blood swap done?" Sammy asked.

"It was. Needless to say, he can use my Rage to charge up his charming attack to go over great distances. Such as, a whole room. If he charges up even more, he can cover a whole town. I can use his charming attack to stun my enemies before I take them out," Keltin grinned wickedly. This made Naght howl with laughter, and Hyegun was quietly smirking.

"Ah, I need to talk to Sarine alone," Howard said.

"Why?" she frowned. He knew that Beelzebub was going to hear him, and he grimaced.

"He wants to feel you try to bite him," Kiehl smiled.

"Oh! Run the knife over him and bite him? Okay," she nodded.

"And...Naght wants to feel it, too," Howard said. Naght rumbled a chuckle now.

"Really?" she grinned. "You know what demon blood does to me..."

"I know. And I know we are going to Prontera. I think you might need the attitude to throw off that prince," Kiehl grinned. That had them all laughing.

"Okay. Oh, Hyegun?" she asked. When he looked over, she moved to his side to bite his neck sharply before pulling away. He gave a shout, gasped from the pleasuring pain, and trembled with disbelief.

"You like it," Sammy grinned.

"Like? I don't think that 'like' is a comparable word!" Hyegun shivered.

"Do you not like it?" she frowned.

"You'd better do that to me again in a more compromising position!" he grinned wickedly. That made her blush, and he pulled her close to kiss passionately.

"We need to leave soon. Please check and make sure that everyone is ready?" she asked.

"Later tonight?" Hyegun asked.

"Okay," she nodded. He kissed her again and left with Keltin.

"Sarine," Howard sighed. He wanted to call her his Lady, but, with Beelzebub able to hear everything, it was too risky. He knew that Beelzebub knew of his hidden slave status, but, now that Beelzebub was a husband, Howard knew that Beelzebub could possibly share the information with the other husbands. _It couldn't be shared._ He knew the Demon Lord would honor his promise, but the others would want to know, and they couldn't know. Sammy was also in the room, too. Then he looked over and noticed that Sammy wasn't moving. Muninn flew into the bathroom and nodded.

_:Do what. You must.:_  he warbled.

"Thank you!" Howard said and looked at Sarine. "Bite me, My Lady. I need it."

"How-How," she smiled and kissed him passionately. Naght went to his frozen tower and came forth through Howard just as she sank her teeth into his neck. He roared at the feel of the bite and pulled her kimono apart to take her while she fed. Time had already come back, and Sammy was lightly meditating. He didn't hear what Howard said to her, but he heard Naght's roar of pleasure. After the second swallow, Naght came back to let Howard be fed off of so his blood could change. He gasped when she pulled away, and Kiehl Healed him.

"I need you to bite me now," Kiehl smiled. "My Lady."

"Come here, then," she smiled and kissed him before biting him. He was still a slave from his collar. It was safe for him to say this and have her do such things. After he released in her and let her drink from him, she looked at Sammy.

"Ah...well..." he started and hissed at the feel of Howard's axe lightly running over his neck for her to feed and claim him. He clung to her, as he released hard, and panted when Kiehl was able to Heal him and himself.

"I...feel better now," she blinked. "But, I'm missing something else."

"You're hungry," Thanatos said, as he walked in. Errende moved in quickly to help set her kimono back to rights again and to lead her to the main room. The others dressed and followed her. A small roast was put in front of her.

"Is this even cooked?" she mused, as she watched Aliot cut it up for her with his claws. It was lightly cooked, and she wondered why it was served to her like this.

"We are trying an experiment," Nigel grinned. She frowned and ate a piece of it. Now she blinked at how delicious it was, and she tucked right in. Sushi, cookies, and tea were set next to her, and this was quickly devoured next. Sipping the tea with a form of contentment, Hyegun nodded to show that all of the developing children were sated.

"That's a lot of food," Howard grinned.

"After she gives birth, it's too much," Kiehl chuckled.

"We'll keep more of this handy for you, love," Loomin said.

"Okay," she smiled. "I just...wow...I never realized how hungry I was!"

"The children in you knew you were hungry. You need to keep up your strength, and meat is needed to help you with your future birth," Hyegun said. Sammy nodded at this, since all of this was true. "Lightly cooked like this does help. Should we give this to her once a day? I think she will need it. Howard's blood and Naght's blood would be needed, too. She needs this to help with her pregnancies. Kiehl might also be needed on occasion."

"We'll make it a part of her morning diet," Sammy nodded. Kiehl gave a small grimace, and so did Howard. Naght knew that this was part of what the triplets needed.  _It would be like this through Eremes's pregnancy, too._ They were denied much of this, and now the frozen triplets knew that they would be properly cared for.

"Are we heading to Prontera yet?" Garrett asked, as he walked over.

"We are," Howard nodded. Beelzebub moved over to Sarine and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a smile. She got up and let Byorgue and Injustice help her stand. Doppy was concerned for her once he was filled in. He didn't want her to suffer, or her developing children. Hyegun was thinking about something, and Doppy looked at him.

"What's up?" Doppy asked.

"The kids want a very...complex game now. Something that they can learn from, I think. I'm not sure what we can do for them," he frowned.

"I have an idea," Sarine smiled. "Doppy, you may be able to help. So can Donnie, if you learn some good songs from him. Sammy's kids are to be a Gypsy and a Clown, so we can teach them new songs by drumming it out on my belly. Then, when they learn the songs, we can either test their memories by starting off a certain beat and seeing if they can finish it, or continue to a certain point. Kiehl's twins can play, too, to help them. What do you think?"

"They want it!" Hyegun grinned.

"Wow!" Howard laughed.

"They'll have a head start on training!" Kiehl blinked.

"I know that there is a language called Morse Code that involves taps and beeps. Maybe we can create some sort of communication with small taps to help them?" Sammy asked.

"Maybe for emergencies," Hyegun nodded. "But, I'd rather you just stick with me."

"Very true," Sarine smiled, and he kissed her gently.

"Prontera?" Seyren grinned. At a hard kick, Hyegun barked out laughter. At this, Seyren looked over at him and asked, "What?"

"I can hear the thoughts of her developing kids. They are really curious on how you can possibly burn water!" Hyegun snickered. Ragged Zombie laughed hard, and Seyren had his jaw dropped with disbelief. Doppy and Keltin were laughing, and Eremes was hiding his face in his hands while he laughed. Howard and Kiehl were simply dying, and Sammy looked at Loomin with pure amusement. Hibram and Beelzebub sniggered to themselves. Hyegun hadn't heard the story of this yet, so it was clearly the developing children telling him this.

"Apparently for Seyren, it's not hard at all!" Kathryne grinned and got them laughing even more. More kicks and swirls were felt from Sarine. Hyegun was chuckling at it.

"What did they say now?" Doppy grinned.

"Oh, that they hope that their mother didn't suffer too much from Seyren's cooking while she was growing up," he grinned back, and Howard was gasping for air. "They're also glad that she isn't eating it, if he can burn water and still cook."

"I cook better now than I did back then!" Seyren argued.

"They want you to prove it," Hyegun smirked.

"Later, dears, mommy has work to do," Sarine smiled, as she whispered to her belly. Thanatos moved over now to place his hands on her with Errende to further quiet them down.

"They're sleeping now," Hyegun nodded.

"Good. We need to get to Prontera. It's almost sunset, and we have some jail-breakers to catch," Garrett said. Max heard this and pulled Coraline to his side to keep her calm.

"That's right. William Rory is loose," Sammy frowned.

"I...will...kill...him...again...!" Naght slathered and brandished his swords.

"Let me speak with King Reginald first. Then, when he gives me permission to have monsters protect the town, you can find him at your leisure," Sarine nodded.

"My daughter, I'm here! I'm ready to go with you," Markus said. Beelzebub moved to his side to whisper about Hyegun, and Markus gasped at his ability for Sarine.

"So, who are you to her?" Seyren asked.

"Apparently, I'm her newest husband," Hyegun chuckled. "And Keltin's brother. I'm Hyegun. You may also know me as Yao Jun."

"Ahh!" Seyren nodded. "That makes sense."

"We are going with you," Evil Snake Lord said, as he approached with Turtle General.

"It is needed," Turtle General nodded. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader approached next to show they were going. They wanted to show the King that they meant business, and they would help track down the escaped convicts.

"I think we're ready," Sarine sighed. Kiehl moved to run a hand over her belly. With the babies sleeping, there was no movement, but that was fine. Muninn warbled and Warped them all to Prontera without another second lost.


	135. Chapter 135

When they got there, the main square was crowded with adventurers and townspeople alike trying to get their shopping done. Beelzebub glared at anyone that stared at them for too long, but it was Garrett that made himself known. His men quickly moved to surround them at his order, and they started to ask him questions.

"Sir! It's been ages since we saw you last!" a Knight said.

"Oh, please! It's only been a few months, if that! I'm a married man, now, and my wife is pregnant. So don't do anything to upset her, or me," Garrett said lightly.

"Congratulations! Who did you marry?" a Paladin asked.

"Cecil?" Garrett smiled, and she moved to his side. He kissed her softly and chuckled at the puzzled looks on his men's faces. "The Vessel of Odin is like a sister to me. Cecil is her sister, too. Max is also married, and his wife is pregnant. We are charged to protect the Vessel of Odin and our wives. Is there any word on the escapees?"

"None, Sir. It's like they vanished," a Lord Knight frowned.

"I'm worried about William, Sir. He's been a right mess, since he was locked up, and his mind is addled," a Crusader muttered. "We think he found something important, and he may be trying to get it back. We don't know what it could be, but, if it's William, then it's treasure."

"That's not good. We need to get to His Majesty. The monsters with us are good and can help us track down the convicts. Let's hurry!" Garrett said. Now with new hope to find the criminals, they were led swiftly to the palace. Garrett moved up to his King's side and whispered to him. At a blink and a smile, he nodded.

"If the monsters are good and willing to help, then definitely!" the King said.

"Reginald! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Markus chuckled, as he walked over. "I know the last time we saw each other was a couple months back. I trust my daughter's arena is providing you with funds?"

"So, she is your daughter?" Reginald blinked. "I know you told me before, but I still have a few doubts here and there."

"Yes. My adopted daughter, but she is my daughter," Markus nodded. Now the guards shuffled about, as they realized that Sarine was royalty, as well as the Vessel of Odin. When they saw her, they all seemed to freeze at her royal beauty and stature in her kimono and jewelry set up. She blushed softly at their stares, and Naght hissed protectively. Kiehl tensed, but sighed while he adjusted his glasses. When they saw Loomin in his kimono and beautiful features, they instinctively knew that he was also royalty and likely married to her.

"Papa," Sarine smiled. "I would like to see about getting a house in Prontera."

"That would be a good idea," Markus nodded.

"Why not stay at the palace?" Reginald asked.

"I cannot do that, Your Highness. It would be rude of me. I would love to purchase a small home that is in your city, though," she smiled. Her royal etiquette stunned Sammy for a moment, but he was chuckling softly.

"I shall see what is available! Ah, what of the escaped men?" the King frowned.

"If you give me permission, I can have the monsters with me scour the town. They can also repair buildings and help protect the city. Beelzebub is my husband, too, and he can hear any conversation that happens to inform you of anything important. If you allow it," she smiled.

"I allow it! Definitely!" Reginald nodded. Beelzebub gave a small grin, and he started to listen to various gossips now. He pressed a kiss to Sarine's mouth and called forth several Hell Flies to start their search.

"My minions will find the criminals. Then we will go to them," Beelzebub said. "I cannot see where they are, but I can hear them. When my flies find them, we will strike."

"Excellent! When they are caught, I would love to hold another ball in your honor!" Reginald beamed. "Would that be all right?"

"Of course, Your Highness," she nodded. Then she looked up, as Cedrick was gaping at her from the top of the stairs. Kiehl tensed at this, but remembered Valkyrie's warning.  _He had to be seen as an ally right now._ Moving to Sarine's belly, he woke up the children with a few taps and started a game with them.

"What is he doing?" Reginald asked with a grin.

"My developing quadruplets are so smart that they can play games in the womb," Sarine blushed. "Where Kiehl taps, they kick back. He can do a memory sequence with them. It entertains them and helps me by keeping them calm."

"Truly?!" the King gaped. "May I try?"

"Of course," Kiehl chuckled. He led Sarine carefully up to the King, and he tried tapping on her belly. At a responding kick, he started to giggle. A few more taps and responses had him laughing softly. He looked up, as Storm Caller appeared with Amon Ra, Osiris, and Pharaoh. Evil Snake Lord and Turtle General nodded to them with equal respect.

"Oh! I didn't even realize that you had others!" Reginald frowned. "I apologize for not noticing you. You are all royalty figures, correct?"

"We are Kings, in a way," Amon Ra smiled. "We are also her mates, save Turtle General, Kobold Leader, and Goblin Leader."

"We are to help in the war!" Turtle General said sternly. "We will train your men with honor and battle knowledge, as well as her children."

"Come to think of it, several men that Sarine sent to me are almost done training in the old ways. I will need to have them approach you, then," Markus mused. Turtle General nodded and looked up at Cedrick with a bit of a frown.

"Is there something wrong with my son?" Reginald asked.

"He needs to be trained properly in the ways of honor," Turtle General said. "He can fight well, but he is not strong enough to help in the war ahead. I would like to train him, myself, since he is royalty, and this will strengthen his resolve."

"Father?! Are you seriously going to let this monster train me?" Cedrick frowned.

"Hold your tongue!" Reginald said sharply. "The old ways are traditional ways! I have heard of these fighting techniques, and you will learn them! I don't want to see you die, if a full war comes to Prontera! You will do as Turtle General, and these other good monsters, tell you."

"I...yes, Father," Cedrick said with a sigh of defeat. He won't fight his father's word in front of so many. Keltin mused at this, since he would likely be training him, too. Hyegun frowned, and Beelzebub whispered to him softly. This made him narrow his eyes a touch, but he understood. Then he looked over at Sarine and moved to her side to put a hand on her belly.

"Hyegun?" she frowned.

"They're hungry again. Sushi, mainly," he smiled. Sammy nodded, and Nigel was already presenting a plate of sushi for her. She was moved to sit at a table, and Maya Purple hovered over her protectively while she ate. Observation also watched over her, as he kept a watchful eye on everything. Aliot was ready to help remove the empty plate, and Errende was calming the babies a bit with his hands on her belly. Injustice stood nearby, if she needed anything else, and Drago snorted while he studied the castle interior. Byorgue growled at a guard that was staring too intensely at Sarine, and the guard looked away when Kiehl glared with a mild form of hatred.

"They work together so well," Reginald mused.

"Don't they?" Markus chuckled. Beelzebub suddenly glanced up and hissed.

"What is it?" Doppy asked.

"William Rory is planning a raid on the palace tonight. Actually...it's right now. He doesn't know we're here," Beelzebub grinned. "He has sided with the Rogues that escaped. He knows a special way into the palace. The same way he used to try to steal the royal Crown. He is going to lead them here now. He's going to walk into a nasty surprise."

"No one will come to harm," Garrett promised his King. "As you can see, we are well prepared. Who else can come here to help?"

"We will need to purchase a house to make a Warp within it," Sammy said. "Then monsters can come and go freely at will. Otherwise, Storm Caller may bring others."

"Find them a house!" Reginald ordered his guards.

"Can't she stay here at the palace?" Cedrick asked.

"No. It would be too much of a risk. A small house is better. It's less noticeable. Besides, I doubt you'd want your palace to be swarmed over with kids, right?" Hibram smiled.

"I adore children," Reginald giggled. "But, I understand your concern. The servants would get irritable, if they were pestered too much."

"Hmm..." Beelzebub frowned. He was starting to glean old, forgotten memories from the King he possessed now. Just by being within the castle walls started a chain of various images to come back. Places of familiarity began to appear to him now. Old faces of servants, guards, and friends started to come back in full. Smells that used to fill the castle filtered through his thoughts, and now he was judging how much they changed. He was still standing by Sarine, and she moved to rest a hand on his lower left arm. He looked at her and sighed.

"Talk to me, love? I know you're troubled. I can see it quite plainly. I am here, if you want to tell me," she smiled. He nodded and pulled up a chair to sit with her and whisper. Kiehl was busy playing with his kids, and Howard was helping. Naght simply watched over Sarine and mentally helped to keep them calm. She leaned into Beelzebub's shoulder, as he whispered to her of what memories came up. Small secrets that he knew of were whispered to her now, and there was one of particular interest that came out.

"Wait," Kiehl said, as he looked at him. "You know where the hidden entrance is?"

"I do," Beelzebub said with a nod. "Wait a minute. Do you think...?"

"Show us where it is," Howard grinned. "We'll make a welcoming party."

Beelzebub laughed at this, and the news quickly spread. Cedrick wanted to join, but Turtle General forbade it. Cedrick would be forced to help protect his father for now.

"Hmm," Beelzebub mused.

"What is it?" Doppy grinned.

"We should use Sarine as bait again," he said. "We let her sit in a chair near the hidden entrance. Maybe read a book to show she's caught unaware. I know this was done with the treasury, from what I'm getting from Cecil's memories. Of course, Eremes will be near her again and Cloaked. I'm sure Wanderer will, too. You can all summon clones of Eremes, right? If you need to? I doubt you will, but just so I know."

"We can," Seyren grinned wickedly.

"When they think they have her, we appear, and they die," Beelzebub grinned.

"Oh, goody! So, what did this William guy do?" Ragged Zombie asked. Donnie walked up to him and told him how the Lord Knight raped his sister as a Dancer and insulted Sarine in front of Naght. Now Ragged Zombie was livid, and he hissed, "Leave him to me, if he tries anything! I mean it!"

"You are her Vengeance," Keltin grinned. Storm Caller appeared and let Pori-Pori move to settle in her lap with a purpose.

"I will protect you, Vessel of Odin!" he vowed. "I won't let anyone touch you!"

"Likewise, My Lady," Nigel said and shifted into his Nine Tail form to curl up at her feet. Beelzebub grinned and became his giant fly form to settle on her shoulder.

"Good," Kiehl said. "Now I feel much better."

"It's what they did in Amatsu, remember?" Howard smiled and revealed the memories. Kiehl chuckled and nodded at this. He was with them when it happened, but he liked the refreshed memory boost. Naght hissed and moved to hide himself in a different room with Ifrit. Injustice brought over a chair, and Byorgue moved to hide in a corner. Then he moved to her side at her gesture for him, and he hugged her tightly.

"Nothing will touch you, My Lady," he vowed. She kissed him deeply, and he went to hide again. Beelzebub gave a warning buzz to show that the humans were getting closer. Garrett and Max waited nearby with their guards to apprehend them. Coraline was being protected by Donnie and Egnigem in the throne room. Max wanted her nowhere near William Rory, and Markus was being protected with Reginald. Kathryne and Mitchell were ready to protect the King with Cedrick. Margaretha and Lloyd had buffed everyone fully to prepare for anything that could happen. Loomin waited near Sarine with his arms crossed over his chest. Hyegun and Keltin both waited patiently. Doppy and Eremes waited with eager anticipation, but Eremes was Cloaked and standing next to Sarine. Kiehl had given her a book to read and was forced to move away from her with Howard and Sammy. She could see them if she needed to, so it was fine. Everyone was anxious for her.

The hidden entrance was actually in an old bedroom, so it was a perfect trap setting. Maya Purple was able to latch onto the ceiling with several flies nearby. Amon Ra, Osiris, and Pharaoh were waiting in the bathroom. Evil Snake Lord was waiting with the others just outside the door. Hibram and Ragged Zombie were with the other husbands in another chamber that resembled a kitchen just inside the bedroom. It was a Servant's Quarters, to an extent, and long forgotten. Incubus was also waiting in here in case he was needed. It was overkill with all of them there, and it wasn't much longer for the intruders to appear.

"Okay, we're in!" she heard someone whisper, and a section of the wall opened up. Pori-Pori was content in her lap, and Nigel looked over with a curious whine. Beelzebub buzzed his wings, but remained on her shoulder.

"We aren't alone!" Picks hissed at William. "You said that no one would know of this room! You'd better not have betrayed us!"

"It's just a woman with a yellow dog and a Poring!" William hissed back. "We'll be fine! Just follow my lead!"

When Sarine looked over in her royal stature, the men paused with shock. They had stumbled onto not just any woman.  _This was a princess and demanded respect._ They thought right away that this was a betrothal for Cedrick, and that she was using the chambers as a guest room. She patted Pori-Pori on the top of his body to keep him calm from being called a Poring. He knew they had to keep the ruse up for a bit longer.

"Oh!" she gasped and blinked softly. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"Ah..." William was speechless at her beauty. He didn't even recognize her from the treasury. She was in her golden gown before, but her hair wasn't done up like this. And she didn't have her royal persona yet. He didn't recognize her in the kimono and looking so incredibly regal. It was the same way with Picks. He saw Sarine on Windwalker, but she lacked the royal persona. Errende walked in as her servant, though he was her slave, and blinked at the sight of the men before looking back at her. He wasn't part of her group when William was tricked in the past, so he was unrecognized. He had dressed himself in a stark white kimono. It was a last minute decision, and it clearly helped with the disguise. Sarine actually liked it.

"My Lady? Do we have guests?" Errende asked.

"Apparently so," Sarine frowned. "What are your names? How did you get into my chambers? Who do you work for?"

"That's not important at the moment," William smiled, and Picks seemed grin with the thought of ransom money. "Who are you, exactly?"

"Me? Well...I'm the daughter of Emperor Markus of Amatsu," she said lightly. "Errende is my servant. How did the wall open up like that?"

"So, you're a princess?" Picks asked lightly. William grinned at how he bypassed the question about the wall completely.

"I am," she blinked with a frown. "I am a princess of exceptionally high ranking!"

Errende now glared at them with a protective look, and Eremes moved right behind Picks. Wanderer was Cloaked and moved behind another Rogue.

"So you are!" William smiled again. "And a rather lovely one, too."

"Thank you," Sarine blushed softly. "Why is that important? You don't...plan to kidnap me! Do you? To do so would be a mistake!"

"Is that so? Well, I don't think kidnapping was really on our minds," Picks lied. Loomin hissed at it, and Kiehl narrowed his eyes with hatred from where he was.

Her kimono actually hid her pregnancy from how large it was, but it would only hide it while she was sitting down. Nigel nuzzled her hand, and Beelzebub squeezed her shoulder to help keep her calm. She knew she was heavily protected, and she could see Eremes and Wanderer clearly with Sammy's bracelet. They wanted to kill them now.

"Are you here to marry Cedrick?" William asked.

"Oh, no! I came here with my Papa to visit the castle, you see. Mainly just a visit. Me marry Cedrick? Haha! That's so funny! He's not of an ancient honor, or old royalty, so he's not of my standards. All who's really here with me, other than Papa, is Errende, my servant and slave. And I also have my husbands, too. In fact, I'm sure we met before, 'Sir' William Rory. In a treasury on an island..." she now smiled coldly, and Pori-Pori grew three times his normal size. Nigel snarled and bristled, as he grew in size, too. Beelzebub moved off her shoulder and became his human form to glare with hatred at him.

"Ah...oh..." William paled now. Eremes Uncloaked to Berserk and Sonic Blow Picks to death while he misted out. Wanderer Uncloaked to kill off the Rogue he was behind. Naght roared out with fury, as the others finally charged into the small room.

"He's mine!" Ragged Zombie seethed. Kiehl moved quickly to let his ghost out, and he snarled out viciously with intense hatred at William. Doppy roared and moved in to gut various Rogues open with Howard and Sammy. Loomin watched with cold satisfaction, as he cast Safety Wall on Sarine to keep her protected from any stray swords or daggers. Thanatos sneered, as he took out a Rogue, and Errende simply Healed and buffed his comrades. Keltin and Hyegun were having a blast, as they fought off other Rogues. Evil Snake Lord waited outside the door to keep them from escaping. Pori-Pori was now guarding the hidden entrance to keep them from trying to escape through there.

"So pathetic," Beelzebub mused, as he placed a gloved hand on Sarine's shoulder.

"I know, husband," she nodded.

"What shall we do with them, my wife?" he asked.

"Garrett and Max need to take them to the dungeons again, but I think we should judge them ourselves in our dungeon," she smiled.

"Hmm. Six Rogues with their skunk of a leader, and a Lord Knight that wets himself," Ragged Zombie mused. "Awesome!"

"I don't wet myself!" William scowled, as he was held down by Maya Purple and Drago.

"You will by the time we're done with you," Ragged Zombie grinned. "Diapers won't do you any good when we're through!"

"We should just kill him!" Kiehl snarled out. Naght reflected his thoughts, and so did Howard. Sarine sighed and shook her head.

"Then what should we do, love?" Howard frowned.

"He shall be judged by his peers in Prontera. However, if he escapes again, we shall give him a far more fitting punishment than simply rotting away in a prison," she smiled.

"What were you hoping to achieve, human?" Evil Snake Lord seethed.

"Revenge!" William growled.

"On who? The King that imprisoned you? The guards that kept you here? Or are you hiding something that you don't want anyone to find out?" Amon Ra asked.

"That's none of your concern!" William scowled.

"It is now," Loomin said, and he walked over to him to glare with his silver eyes amidst long locks of silver hair. "I am Loomin, son of Loki and husband to the Vessel of Odin. You have a very big secret, don't you? And it's in these very walls. In this very room."

"What?!" William paled. "How...?"

"I can see the truth in everything. Let me guess..." Loomin mused now, as he walked over to a stone wall. As he felt along the old blocks, he found one that was loose.

"No!" William shouted and got kicked in the gut by Ragged Zombie.

"Shut up, Shit Head!" the zombie snarled. "What did you find?!"

"A very...priceless treasure, it seems," Loomin said. He had pulled the block out and removed four documents. Then he blinked, as he saw something sparkle. Reaching in again, he pulled out a diamond necklace. It was just as priceless as the documents.

"Ah!" Beelzebub hissed and seemed to bowl over with shock. Sarine frowned and let him lean on her for support. The King within him now fully emerged for the first time since his possession, and the Demonic side let him speak out at long last. "Those documents...they are castle records! They talk about my rule and are proof that whoever holds them is true royalty! I had them hidden away! He must have found them and kept them for himself! Most likely to sell them to the highest bidder. They need to go to Reginald! Or we can keep them safe with his consent, since he is currently King."

"And the necklace?" Sarine asked gently.

"It was a gift that I was planning to give to the woman I was to marry. My betrothed, you see. We were to be married within the month we met. But...she refused me outright when I lost my faith, and I was shunned by the Rachel Priests. They locked me away in the cathedral long ago. Through solitude and meditation, I found the Will of Odin, and I was told through a dream that I would gain a second chance at redemption," he sighed, and Loomin gave the necklace to him now. It was a beautiful, thin chain of gold and dotted with diamonds in each loop. One karat diamonds started on the back to become two karat diamonds towards the front. At the very center of the front was a massive three karat diamond. The necklace sparkled vibrantly in the dull light. Each gem held a fire of brilliance from their perfection in cuts, and each diamond was worth a small fortune on its own. The necklace was simply priceless. "Sarine, my wife, my princess. Will you accept this from me?"

"I will treasure it and always wear it for you. I will never remove it," she smiled. He placed it around her neck, and it looked as though it belonged there. Keltin blinked and realized that it could easily Blind someone if one got dazzled by it for too long. It was excellent protection for her. Loomin was awed that she looked even more like the princess she was with it on her.  _The necklace was meant for her._ Doppy smiled warmly at her and glared at the intruders. Garrett came in with Max and other guards to swarm the room.

"You could be a Queen right now," Maya Purple chuckled. "Beelzebub is a King, you know. But, it may be safer to say you are the Princess of Amatsu."

"It would be safer," Loomin smiled. "Considering that many of us are of royal standards. It would be fairer to everyone."

"What do we do with Shit Head and Dumb Ass?" Ragged Zombie smirked.

"We should judge them at the arena," Kiehl muttered.

"William was judged there once before," Garrett grinned. "If he gets judged again, it will likely be a death sentence. Especially, since he found royal documents and was planning to keep them for himself. Let us show them to His Majesty. He can make the final decision."

"Fine," Howard nodded. Beelzebub helped Sarine stand, and Errende moved quickly to support her. Nigel reverted to his human form to help her with him, and Byorgue was wiping his dagger clean of Rogue blood. The intruders were taken to the castle dungeons for now, and Sarine was carefully led back to the throne room.

"The fiends were apprehended! They are now back in their cells," Garrett said with a nod. "I say, depending on their judgment here, they should be judged at the island arena."

"Hmm. I'm sure they will all be judged guilty," Reginald mused.

"I'm sure they will be, too," Garrett smirked. "Oh, we found out what William had stolen from the castle. It was an old diamond necklace and some rather interesting documents. Beelzebub was actually one of the ruling Kings from here, long ago. The necklace was his, and he gave it to Sarine as a gift. The documents, well, we can store them here, or at the island for safe-keeping. I'll let you decide, Your Majesty."

"Let me see them?" the King asked. Garrett nodded and the old documents were shown. Reginald gasped at the vast importance of them and urged Sarine to guard them.

"I will take them!" Storm Caller nodded. He took the fragile papers and vanished with them. Now that the intruders were apprehended, the mood in the castle was much lighter.

"I would love to hold a ball for you," Reginald smiled at Sarine.

"I...suppose it will be all right. As long as I do not stay past it. My children need me," she said. "If they come to me here, then I will know that it will be time for me to leave. I still need to nurse my youngest ones, and I will not bring them here."

"Very well," he nodded with agreement. Doppy gave a light glare at Cedrick before watching the servants make the announcement that another ball was to be held. The castle was in a flurry of activity now, and she was settled in Kiehl's lap. He held her protectively, and Howard grumbled lightly.  _She was clearly disturbed by all the scents in the castle._

"Sarine, let's move to a window," Sammy said. She nodded, and a place was set up on an airy balcony for her. Once she was out of the enclosed area, she felt much better.

"My daughter? Is everything well?" Markus asked.

"Sarine has a condition that certain scents repulse her," Evil Snake Lord said calmly. "Being in an enclosure like this was making her feel ill. She is fine now. She may be able to accept a few dances, but not many. She must be in an open area right now."

"I see. I will help deter any others," Markus nodded. Evil Snake Lord bowed lightly with respect and turned to face Cedrick.

"May I see her?" the prince asked.

"She is recovering. She was nearly ill. The ball has not yet started. Please be patient and wait with your father," Evil Snake Lord said calmly. The prince was amazed at the manners of the monster, and he nodded.

"Killing them with kindness?" Sammy grinned.

"The only way with young ones," the snake chuckled. "How is she?"

"Doing better."

"She should drink some tea to calm her nerves."

"I'll let the slaves know," Sammy nodded. Errende was quick to bring out the tea, and Nigel had reverted to his human form to let her hug him. A sudden applause was heard down below, and Beelzebub growled. The Demon Lord side of him was back in control.

"What is it, love?" Sarine frowned.

"That dance troupe is here," he sighed. Donnie, Ollie, and Thomas made a quick barrier of themselves to block the balcony. Wickebine, Egnigem, and Max moved swiftly to help. Coraline was moved to sit by Sarine. Max wanted no stress to come to his pregnant wife.

"Why are they here?!" Sarine muttered with irritation. The blood she had consumed from Naght was apparent now, and Howard kept a hand on her shoulder.

"They are here to...do a public service, apparently," Beelzebub said, as he heard them speak with the King. "To provide music to the ball."

"Well, my mood is shot to Hell!" she hissed. "I want to leave!"

"Sarine," Kiehl smiled and nibbled her jaw. She gave a soft groan and pulled him close to kiss hard. After the kiss, she sighed, and he let her cuddle into his chest. Now that she was disturbed, Ragged Zombie was on a far more protective streak. Beelzebub continued to listen to what was going on and he scowled.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Cedrick just told Nikki that Sarine is here, and that the ball is held for her," Beelzebub grimaced. "She is now being looked for."

"If she comes over, I'm killing her!" Ragged Zombie spat.

"I'll arrest her first," Max muttered.

"No, you won't," Garrett grinned. "Not with me here. If she tries something, she's done. Let's see what she wants."

"The last time we waited to see what someone wanted...it almost became...deadly..." Eremes frowned. "I will not have Sarine stressed...for any length of time..."

"Sir, if she insults my wife, I won't be able to hold back!" Max growled.

"I know, I know!" Garrett sighed. Then at Cecil's small glare, he held up his hands. "If push comes to shove, I'll personally escort Sarine back home!"

"Fine," Kiehl said and nuzzled Sarine's cheek slightly.

"So, here is where she's hiding!" Nikki grinned, as she approached with Bruce, Victor, and Eliot. "I want to ask her a question!"

"Ask who a question?" Beelzebub asked with a hard glare. She swallowed and regained her nerves. She forgot the company that Sarine kept around her. When Kiehl glared at her, she could almost taste how much he hated her.

"Well? We're waiting!" Doppy hissed. Coraline gave a small sigh, and Max hovered near her protectively.

"I...wanted to challenge her to another singing contest," Nikki said.

"No," Sammy said sternly. "She is here on behalf of King Reginald, himself. She is not here for your amusement, or the amusement of others. Go do your public service and leave her be. If you don't heed my warning, it will be the end of you."

"Nikki..." Bruce warned.

"You promised us that you were done with that!" Eliot scowled.

"If you continue to do this, I'm leaving the group," Victor said. That made Nikki turn to stare at him with dismay. "I mean this. This woman is very nice to everyone. She is fair and just. She doesn't try to push herself on others at all, and she gives fair warning to anyone that angers her. She's also pregnant, and you can tell that everyone around her is on edge. That and Donnie is friends with her. I trust Donnie more than you!"

"But...just one more! Just a song!" Nikki frowned. Hyegun suddenly looked over at Sarine from the various kicks she was getting, and he moved to her side before Doppy could complain. He focused slightly to listen to the growing children, and he started to laugh.

"What is it?" Kiehl smiled.

"They like hearing her sing and play music. This challenge may actually be good for her, and it will keep the growing kids calm. Sarine, you won't be able to dance, but you can still sing and play instruments. Quite a few of us haven't heard you do this yet. I know that it may be stressful on you, but your babies need it. I would also like to hear you play and sing, too," he smiled. She looked at him lovingly now, and he gave her a kiss to help calm her.

"Well, if it will help my babies, then fine. But, only one song to play and one song to sing. I am too heavy with my babies to dance, so the rest will be fine," she sighed. Kiehl could only nod, if the kids needed it. Word was quickly spread, and Nikki triumphantly gestured for Sarine to come into the main room.

"No, she will stay up here," Sammy said. "She needs the fresh air. The throne room is large enough for everyone to hear her."

"My daughter, are you sure you'll be all right?" Markus asked.

"I'll be fine, Papa," Sarine smiled.

"Who are you?" Nikki asked Markus.

"I am the Emperor of Amatsu. Sarine is my daughter," Markus said with a frown. "If my daughter comes to  _any_  harm from this, I am holding  _you_  responsible!"

"Ah...of course, Sir," Nikki blinked. Bruce groaned, and Eliot shook his head. Victor was now making serious plans to talk to Donnie about joining up with him. He'll be talking to Bruce and Eliot later, too. He was sure that they would do the same thing.

Cedrick clearly felt the tension build in the room again, but he sat next to his father to see what the outcome would be. He hadn't heard Sarine sing or play instruments. He was doubtful that she could.  _She was a Sniper! She shouldn't be able to do such things!_  Even his father was curious about everything, and he chuckled at the wink that Markus gave him.

Sarine let Nikki go first with her songs, and, of course, she was applauded for everything. She didn't pay much attention. Kiehl was busy comforting her as she was comforting him. She was going to have to comfort all of her men before the night was over.

"We're up," Doppy smiled, and she nodded. He sat next to her, and she softly started to sing. Donnie took out his Berserk Guitar to play to her song, and the instrument alone made the other three Clowns gape at it. As her singing got more intense, Doppy started to sing to compliment her and to encourage her to sing more passionately with him. When the song reached its climatic ending, the room was in an uproar of applause.

"That is how music should be..." Victor whispered out softly, and Bruce could only nod.

"My Lady?" Errende smiled and handed her a violin.

"Try and keep up, Donnie!" Sarine grinned.

"Aw, hell!" Donnie groaned, and laughter was heard all around. Thomas drummed out a beat on his guitar, and Ollie played back up with his harp. Donnie started the tune, and Sarine brought in the violin with complete perfection to let instruments merge and dance with each other. Cedrick's jaw was dropped at everything. He couldn't believe what he heard and saw.

"I think that's enough," Sarine chuckled and gave the violin back to Errende.

"You cheated!" Nikki frowned. "There is no way that you can play that good! And you're a Sniper! You shouldn't be able to do any of this!"

"My daughter does not cheat!" Markus said angrily from where he sat. That made Nikki turn and put a hand to her mouth. "My daughter is the Vessel of Odin! She is my adopted daughter! Odin, himself, gave her to me to care for! She is Odin's daughter!"

"What?!" Nikki gasped, and Sarine gave a small sigh of irritation. Muninn landed to perch nearby to start keeping an eye on the Gypsy. Coraline was frowning, and Max was tensing up. He was getting ready to kill the woman.

"You are so jealous! Let it go!" Loomin said with a roll of his eyes. "And don't lie about it! You were here to only do a public service! Not attempt to humiliate my wife! Admit your defeat, continue your public service, and go on with your life!"

"I refuse to be outclassed by a Sniper!" Nikki said.

"Enough!" Reginald said, as he stood up. Cedrick had his brows raised now. It was rare for his father to become angry, and that wasn't good. "Your public service is completed! Leave now before you are escorted out of my castle for ruining my ball!"

"Ah..." Nikki started, but then she paused.

"You three can stay," Loomin gestured to the three Clowns that were with her.

"Oh, good. Maybe now we can show how music is meant to be enjoyed!" Victor said.

"You think so?" Eliot grinned.

"I'm all for it!" Bruce nodded.

"Guys?!" Nikki hissed.

"No. You're on your own. We warned you this would happen. Go find another group that will agree with your ideas. We don't!" Victor frowned.

"Welcome aboard!" Donnie grinned and shook their hands, as Nikki was sent off to Comodo. A message was already being sent to Augustus with a Hell Fly.

"Shall we play?" Eliot asked.

"Yes. I think we need to," Thomas chuckled. They set up a small area, and Coraline moved over to dance and sing with them. Cedrick waited an hour before getting up and moving over to Sarine. Doppy snorted and glared mildly, as Kiehl tensed. Sarine ran her hands through Kiehl's hair, and he leaned into her. Keltin and Hyegun watched closely, as Naght and Howard stared. Ragged Zombie, Hibram, and Beelzebub were clearly not pleased. Sammy had his arms over his chest, and Ifrit watched intensely.

"What is it?" Kiehl asked, as he mildly glared at him.

"I was hoping for a dance with her," Cedrick said. "I was told I could have one dance."

"Only one, and no funny stuff!" Howard growled. Eremes Cloaked from where he was hidden along the wall to follow them. Evil Snake Lord was in the main library to make copies of books for the future school, and Turtle General was examining the armory. At the report from a Hell Fly, they paused in what they were doing to head back to the throne room. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader were now standing nearby to help, if they had to. At the sight of so many powerful monsters, the guests of the ball were a bit more cautious.

Sarine was helped up by Byorgue, and a mild glare was given to Cedrick now. The prince could see how pregnant she was and couldn't believe how she got this big from just the other day. She was led down to the dance floor, and the scents of other people made her wince. Eremes was close by, and he moved his Cloaked form as close to her as he could. This helped her greatly, and she was able to nod to Cedrick.

"Do not lean close to me, and we will be fine," Sarine warned. "I'm on the edge of becoming ill. I don't want to vomit all over you."

"Ah...I'll be careful!" Cedrick agreed. Eremes gave a quiet chuckle to her and remained close. Muninn watched his sister carefully and clearly didn't like what he was seeing. When Cedrick tried to get her to lean into him, she gave a retching cough. Eremes Uncloaked to startle the prince, grabbed Sarine, and rushed her to the balcony quickly for fresh air. Beelzebub pulled her into his robes, and she was shivering from how close she was to vomiting.

"He does not come near her!" Kiehl hissed. Evil Snake Lord and Turtle General moved to help block the way to the balcony. Sarine was still quite dizzy, and she finally had to be moved to the railing to vomit. Howard winced at this, and her craving dishes were ready for her.

"Sarine?" Markus frowned, as he moved up to them.

"She got intensely ill," Evil Snake Lord sighed. "It could not be helped."

"The children within her were completely distressed," Hyegun frowned. He watched Sarine gasp with relief when Thanatos and Errende pressed their hands on her belly.

"We have to cut this short," Beelzebub said. "As much as we want to finish the night out, we can't. The others should stay, if they want to, but we can't. It's far too stressful on her."

"I understand. I'll let Reginald know," Markus said. "I'll take care of the house that will be purchased. Take my daughter home!"

"Yes, Sir," Howard nodded. When Cedrick came up to check on her, Kiehl let out a small snarl of hatred. Sarine pulled him close to rest his hands on her belly.

"Remember Valkyrie's warning," she whispered. He gave a ragged sigh at the feel of her hands in his hair. "Play with your children, love."

He nodded, and a tapping game started up quickly. She looked over at Cedrick now with a tired gaze, and Beelzebub kept his robe mildly about her body to keep the offending scents away. She leaned back into him, and he placed his lower hands on her shoulders.

"She got sick. Keep your distance," Eremes warned with a mild glare.

"What do you want, Cedrick?" Sarine asked in a very exhausted tone. The pregnancy was finally getting to her, and she desperately needed rest.

"When do you plan to come back?" Cedrick asked.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "There is still so much I have to do. My pregnancy is likely going to keep me home after tomorrow. If my babies grow again, it will be too risky for me to go anywhere. They have a massive growth spurt once a day. Tomorrow will judge if I can travel, or if I stay home. I'll have to see."

"Hmm," Sammy thought, as he rubbed his hand over her belly. "Hyegun? Can you hear anything from them?"

"Hear them?" Cedrick blinked.

"Yes. I can hear the thoughts of the children growing inside her. Once they are born, I can't hear them anymore," Hyegun chuckled. As Cedrick stood there in shock, Hyegun focused on her belly. "They don't like Cedrick. They think he's hurting Sarine. Ah...hmm. Eremes? Can you hug Sarine? They like you close."

"Really?" Eremes smiled and moved to get embraced by her. Howard grinned slightly at Kiehl, and Naght mused at this. Ifrit thought, and Loomin now studied everything.

"I get what's going on," Loomin grinned. "Eremes is next in line to get her pregnant. The kids in her figured something out."

"Oh?" Sarine smiled, as Eremes ran a hand down her back.

"What is it?" Doppy asked. Keltin looked over now, and Hyegun chuckled.

"The kids want her to build up some form of a 'reserve' of Eremes. In case her craving kicks in for him at her next pregnancy. It will buy him some time, if he's not close to her. It's a good thing he'll be with her tonight. I'm sure that Doppy and I will have to do the same thing. Probably on the night after tomorrow night, since tomorrow night is for the slaves. The more she's with us, the more her reserve will grow. Giving her blood will help. Hmm. Sarine, I need to let you know that you will still need Howard and Kiehl with you. You will need them close."

"Why? I understand with this pregnancy, but why with Eremes?" she frowned.

"You'll feel lonely without them," Loomin said carefully. "It will be instinctive for you to keep them close. Kiehl is also your Soul, and he has Bragging Rights. He will demand to be close to you, anyways. He will also help with your cravings. Howard will need to be close to help comfort you. In a way, the growing kids like him. They will want him close, regardless."

"Oh," she smiled softly. Doppy nodded with a small smile, and she said, "If you and Doppy are to help with the other children...I'll be craving to see you both, too?"

"It's possible," Loomin nodded. "If we travel, we will all need to be in your line of sight. It will be rough with five men, but we'll manage. Doppy, don't feel bad if you don't get to kill things in the front line, all right?"

"If it's to keep Sorry Sari healthy, then I'm not going to fight it," Doppy nodded. "In a way, she will be having another son from me. I will do everything I can to keep her happy."

"Hmm," Sarine smiled, and now Howard winced.

"You're right. She may be a bit dominant and need her craving dishes. And, if it's Loomin's kid, too, well, this will be fun," Kiehl sighed. "We don't know your real cravings for her, other than what Muninn told us."

"Bad cravings from everyone before me, and I'm sure there's something else food-wise," Loomin nodded. "I can't tell what it is right now."

"What are you all talking about?" Cedrick asked.

"We forgot he was standing there," Hibram grinned.

"Well, he's easy to forget about," Ragged Zombie snickered. Small chuckles were given, and Cedrick flustered. Sarine rose up her hand to calm them.

"Cedrick, Eremes is destined by prophecy to help me give bodies to Huginn and Muninn. Huginn is actually a bit more evil in nature, and Muninn is a bit more good in nature. Since Doppy is a rather evil demon, and Loomin is much like an angel, they need to help me create the bodies with Eremes to give their natures to the children. I have four children at a time. I will be giving Eremes a son and a daughter with the bodies of Huginn and Muninn," Sarine said softly.

"Oh," Cedrick frowned. "But, why only Eremes?"

"I rescued her from an evil fate...long ago..." Eremes said, as he squeezed her. "It almost killed her. If I hadn't...gotten to her when I did..."

"Hush," she whispered and kissed him gently.

"Did you see the slab to her old floor?" Sammy asked.

"No. Is that important?" Cedrick asked. Loomin moved to his side now and whispered to him about her past. He stared at him in complete shock. He doubted even his father knew of this. When Storm Caller appeared with the concrete slab, Cedrick looked at it, shouted, and turned away quickly from the vision that assaulted his mind. He gagged on the stench that lingered in his nose, and he gasped when everything left him. Now he looked at Sarine with horror at what happened to her in her youth.

"The blood...was there...only after her second capture..." Eremes said, as he hugged her trembling form. Kiehl was still playing with his kids, and her other men looked upset now.

"Was it? Who's was it?" Cedrick asked.

"He tore apart the guards that raped her and tried to remove her Mark," Keltin said with a small growl. "The blood you saw on the floor was from her when they were cutting up her neck. Same with the bits of hair. They had cut her hair short."

"I..." he hissed and shook his head. "Did Shoujin see that?"

"He saw the slab," Storm Caller nodded. "So did his father."

"My father needs to see that, but we'll wait until after the ball," Cedrick said. "You said that was a piece of her floor. I'm guessing the room was destroyed?"

"Yes. A garden is where the room once stood," Sammy nodded.

"And the one that imprisoned her?" he asked.

"Dead," Sammy nodded again. "I killed her myself."

"Her?" Cedrick frowned.

"Her false mother," Beelzebub said.

"She was a nasty witch in disguise," Evil Snake Lord said, as he spilled his ink over the ground and used his paintbrush to display various images. "She ensorcelled the Emperor and any in the castle. Since Sarine is Odin's daughter, she was immune to the spell. The witch took offense to it and imprisoned her at two years of age. I feel that there may be more, but this is what my ink can tell me. Usually, there is always more."

"Two years old?!" Cedrick gaped. "So young! And I know that winters are fierce in Amatsu! How could she have survived?"

"One of the Amatsu guards helped her. He wasn't in the palace at the time the sorcery took place. He's a Captain now and helps protect the nursery. He told us that she was grabbed by her hair and tossed into the room. He saved her life with what potions he had. She also lost any memories she had from the brutal move," Hibram sighed. "He...told us that she had to regain her trust in him. Any kindness she knew from Markus was gone with the memory loss."

"It was so long ago that I simply couldn't remember anything, too," Sarine sighed. "The only thing I can adequately remember was most of the things near the end of my fifth year. Even then it's...hazy at best. I'm surprised I survived at all."

"It's all right now," Howard said, and she smiled at him. Eremes blinked at a memory now, and Ifrit looked over at him with a touch of concern. At a mental whisper, Ifrit nodded.

"What do you plan to do now?" Cedrick asked.

"I need to get home. I'm sure my younger children need to be nursed," she said.

"Can't you stay a bit longer?" he frowned. At this, Serenity and Gunther appeared to move over to their mother. Sarine smiled and accepted hugs from them.

"Mama, Trina and Bernard are crying," Serenity said. "They want you."

"Okay. I'm going home now," Sarine nodded. Her mothering instinct clicked on, and nothing was going to keep her from her children.

"Remember your promise to me!" Gunther said, as he glared at Cedrick. "We made you something special! You promised that you wouldn't hurt Mom!"

"And you're right," Cedrick nodded. "I will see you again, I hope?"

"We will see," Sarine nodded. She got up with Aliot's help, and she gasped with sudden pain. Even Doppy gave a small shout from how severe it was. Sammy and Thanatos moved over to her, and Hyegun listened closely.

"They grew twenty percent," Sammy muttered.

"When she gets home, she eats!" Thanatos growled.

"The kids want to go home now," Hyegun said. "They grew to make a statement."

"They can control their own growth?!" Kiehl blinked at him.

"Apparently, they can. After the first growth spurt, they can control the rest. They don't want to hurt Sarine, so they try to keep calm. Playing with them helps. When they get irritated, they grow. Let's get her home," Hyegun said.

"We don't have a house yet, do we?" Sarine sighed.

"Allow me, My Lady," Errende smiled and made a Warp for them. She nodded slightly to Cedrick, and her kids held her hands to lead her back home and through the Warp. Garrett was going to tell the others that she had to leave, and that they could stay if they wanted to. Now that Prontera was considered a domain, it was like the island. Monsters could come and go as they pleased and not need her around.


	136. Chapter 136

Back on the island, she breathed a sigh of relief. The air was clear of offending scents, and she could visibly relax. She was led to the nursery to tend to her children, and she was carefully fed there. Aliot held his twins, as Sarine nursed Keltin's twins.

"I'm here," she cooed to them, as she rocked them in the rocking chair. They had cried for her the moment she sat down, and now they were content.

"Dah!" Albert said.

"Yes?" Aliot chuckled.

"Um...where go?" he asked.

"Nowhere right now. It's nighttime, and you are going to bed after you eat."

"But..."

"No. No 'buts', Albert. Mama is too tired, as it is. If the babies in her grow anymore, she won't be able to go anywhere. Okay?"

"Oh. Okay," Albert nodded. Alexis seemed to frown at this, but she nodded, too. Trina finished nursing, and Keltin moved to take her up to burp. Then she looked at him with a wide smile and patted his cheek.

"What?" Keltin asked.

"Duh?" Trina giggled, and Kiehl started laughing.

"Serenity!" Howard scowled, and the girl started laughing.

"I'm sorry, Dad!" Serenity giggled. "I was laughing, and she wanted to know why. So, I told her what I called Duh Dad."

"Oh, no you don't!" Howard growled, grabbed her, and started to tickle her mercilessly. She screamed, as she laughed, and Naght rumbled a purr to her. Aliot was laughing, as he gave his twins to Sarine, and Loomin was given Bernard to burp now.

"She called you 'Duh'?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Don't you start!" Howard muttered, and he laughed. Kiehl suddenly looked up and gave a bloodthirsty, hissing snarl of hatred. Serenity gasped at the sound he made. She never saw him do this before. The other kids went quiet, and now Howard looked at him with concern. Naght rumbled and moved to the front of the nursery.

"Kiehl?" Sarine frowned, as she rocked Albert and Alexis.

"A moment, love," Kiehl said in a soft tone to show he wasn't mad at her. He gave a warm smile to Serenity, and that made her relax.

"Keel?" Serenity whimpered. He moved over to gather her up and hug her.

"The only time I'll be mad at you is if you do something bad, okay?" Kiehl said.

"Um...can I still say Duh Dad?" she asked with a small giggle.

"Definitely!" he grinned and ignored the small glare from Howard. "Naght?"

The massive demon looked over and heard Kiehl's thoughts from Howard. Snorting a bit, he rumbled to Beelzebub and Amon Ra.

"Hmm..." Amon Ra frowned. "Anubis? Please remain on guard."

The massive monster snarled and readied his spells. Loomin moved over to him and whispered softly. Anubis barked out laughter and gave a nasty, toothed grin. He now knew that the intruder was incredibly weak to spells.

"Can someone please tell me what is going on?" Sarine sighed, as she rocked the twins in her arms. "I don't like secrets!"

"Cedrick is here," Beelzebub frowned. That made her growl, and Kiehl set down Serenity to move to Sarine's side. He whispered softly to her, and she looked at him with a small smile. She knew he would protect her and their children.

"Where is he right now?" Sammy asked.

"Outside the house. He's coming here from the arena," Beelzebub said, as a Hell Fly reported to him. "Apparently, he wants to challenge someone personally."

"Really?" Doppy grinned wickedly.

"He promised he wouldn't hurt Mom!" Gunther growled. He walked over in his dark red pajamas. He was clearly upset about this and didn't want anything to happen to his mother.

"Come here," Doppy said. Gunther moved to sit in his lap now. "He's not going to hurt your mom. We won't let him. He's going to try and hurt one of us. We will hurt him even more. Don't worry about your mother. We won't let her come to any harm. Humans tend to break their promises all the time. It's rare that they are kept. Remember that. Unless you know the human completely and fully, and you can trust the human, will a promise be kept."

"Okay, Dad," he nodded. "Who is he gonna try to hurt?"

"If it's me, he's a dead man," Doppy grinned, and Gunther matched his own grin. Edward moved from his bed now and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His dark blue pajamas fit him rather well, as he moved over to Thanatos.

"What?" Thanatos asked.

"Can I watch him get beaten up?" Edward asked.

"As long as you don't try to help," he said. Edward nodded and scowled at a knuckle rub on his head. Now Siegfried, Angela, and Bianca were awake and scrambled to get to their fathers. Serenity had moved back to Howard, and Naght was holding Siegfried. Doppy was holding his twins in his lap, and Errende was now comforting Angela.

"Who is going to be hurt, Dad?" Angela asked.

"I think the challenging man is going to be hurt," Errende smiled and straightened out her soft, light-blue nightie. "Don't worry. He'll still live. Just don't say anything to him."

"Aliot, please get your children," Sarine said. "Nigel, dear? Can I have some tea, please? I really need it right now."

"Of course, My Lady," Nigel smiled softly and moved to bring her some. Byorgue took up Albert, and Aliot held Alexis. Drago settled himself by the back cradles, and Maya Purple was stationed on the wall. Injustice was helping Sarine with some sushi, as Nigel was handling her tea. Observation was ignoring the small glare from Alexander, as he hovered by Sarine.

"Alexander? Please stop harboring ill towards Observation around me! It upsets me. If you need to do it, at least make sure I'm not around you. Please?" Sarine asked with a sad sigh.

"Ah...of course. I'm sorry," Alexander nodded. "It's...instinctive to do so. I'll try to curb it around you. I don't want to see you distressed."

"Thank you," Sarine smiled. Observation could only give a small sigh of relief. He knew they would be bound to fight, but at least this created an air of neutrality between them. If anything, they both cared about Sarine. Kiehl seemed to smile at her, and he looked up, as Beelzebub set himself right along the nursery door. Hibram and Ragged Zombie took up their stances now by the walls. Keltin and Hyegun readied to attack, if they had to.

"Hmm," Loomin frowned. "He's not going to challenge me again. He already lost to me. If he does, I'll kill him again."

"I don't want anyone to be challenged!" Sarine fretted. Kiehl put his hands on her shoulders, and Eremes moved to crouch down by her.

"Let us protect you," Eremes said. Doppy smiled at her, and she could only nod. Amon Ra looked over with a nod and moved his gaze to the door when it opened up.

"The Vessel of Odin is busy, Prince Cedrick. Please let her rest," Storm Caller warned. Ifrit hissed and flared out his heat in warning from the back of the nursery.

"It's my right to challenge any one of them!" Cedrick said. As he walked in, he paused at the sight of so many monsters waiting to tear in to him.

"You promised me," Gunther warned.

"I'm not here to hurt your mother," Cedrick said.

"But, by you coming here, you are hurting her!" Serenity said, as she stomped over to him. Howard got up to follow her, but remained in Sarine's line of sight. "What do you want?!"

"I just want to see if I'm strong enough for her," Cedrick said.

"But, you aren't!" Serenity argued. "You're not a demon! You're not an angel! You're not any type of monster! You're human! Mama can't be with humans!"

"Not even strong ones?" he asked.

"No! You need to be a monster! Mama's too strong for you! I don't want her to get weak because of you!" Serenity growled. "I don't want her to be hurt!"

"Then make me into a monster!" Cedrick said.

"No," Sammy said with a shake of his head. "That can't happen for you."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Your father would kill you first," Beelzebub smirked. "You should talk to him before making such a rash decision. And don't say that you already spoke to him! I know you haven't. I can hear conversations in Prontera now. And I can detect lies."

"As well as I," Loomin nodded. "Now, why are you here, exactly?"

"Dad?" Bernard asked, and he patted Loomin's cheek softly for attention.

"What?" Loomin asked gently.

"Um...stupid?" he asked, as he pointed to Cedrick. Loomin cracked a grin, as the others started to laugh. Serenity grinned proudly at her brother and nodded.

"Stupid head!" she nodded again, and Bernard grinned back.

"Stoo-pid!" Trina giggled. Cedrick sighed and shook his head now. He couldn't react to toddlers, much less the monsters in the room. As much as he hated to admit it, it was sort of cute. Sarine was laughing quietly, as Kiehl hugged her.

"Your son," Howard grinned at Sarine. She could only nod with agreement. Keltin was giggling a bit, as he held Trina. Doppy was grinning wickedly with his kids. When Turtle General walked in from a Hell Fly's report, Cedrick grimaced. He didn't want to be trained in the old ways. He thought he was fine with how he was training so far.

"If you lose, I will train you," Turtle General said. "If you win, I will not."

"Fine," Cedrick nodded. "I accept that."

"Well, you're wasting time. Who are you challenging?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"You," Cedrick said, as he pointed at him. Now the zombie grinned wickedly, and Doppy howled with laughter. Sarine just rolled her eyes, as Ragged Zombie took out a rib and let it burst into flames. Now Cedrick paled and fell to the onslaught of rapid-fire, flaming rib bones.

"I win!" the zombie grinned, and the kids cheered for him.

"Not bad!" Sammy mused.

"Weak?" Trina frowned at Keltin.

"Very," Keltin nodded. "He needs training."

"Let me speak with him!" Turtle General said, and he moved to grab Cedrick by the shoulders. "I shall have him revived, and I shall convince him to start training immediately."

"As long as he is away from me!" Sarine nodded.

"We should build a small house for training Warriors, you know," Hyegun thought.

"That's true," Keltin said. "A barracks for the Warriors of Odin. I know how mine was built from the past. We can use the same designs."

"I can sketch it for you," Kiehl said. "Tell me what you remember, and I'll do what I can. I'll have to stay close to Sarine, though."

"That's fine. We'll work with it," Keltin nodded. "Love? What do you want to do now? Is there anything on your mind at all?"

"I'm just...so tired..." she sighed, and Howard blinked at the feel of her emotional wall cracking. Doppy glanced at Ragged Zombie and hissed.

"So, Serenity, you like calling Cedrick a stupid head, eh?" the zombie grinned.

"Oh, yes! It's because he  _is_  a stupid head!" Serenity nodded. That got Sarine giggling.

"But, how is he a stupid head? Can you explain?" he asked.

"That's easy! It's because he's a stupid head!" she grinned. Sarine started laughing now, and the danger of her emotional wall cracking was avoided.

"What would you do, if Cedrick managed to become a dad?" he asked carefully.

"First I'd cry, because I'd have a stupid head for a Dad," she thought. "Then I'd have to make sure he was strong enough for Mama. I won't let any weak Dads near Mama!"

"Good girl," Howard chuckled.

"Duh Dad tends to be weak at times, but I still love him!" she grinned wickedly.

"Why you...!" Howard scowled and caught her swiftly to tickle her. "I am not weak!"

Doppy was laughing like mad now, and Sarine was shaking her head softly. Serenity squealed with laughter, and he moved her into her bed. She was still giggling when she accepted a kiss on the forehead from Howard and got her pink nightie straightened out.

"I love you, Dad," she smiled, and he hugged her.

"I love you, too. Go to sleep, and I'll see you in the morning, okay?" he smiled back. She nodded, and the other kids got tucked in. Sarine was helped up and moved to the cradles and beds to say goodnight to her children. Bacsojin began to set up soft, glowing lights around the cradles, and Doll took out a Mandolin to play for the children. Errende and Thanatos knew that they would be called back in to help with the kids, if they couldn't sleep.

Sarine was led into the bedroom, and Maya Purple whispered that the others were finally coming back from the castle. He felt their footsteps, and Beelzebub confirmed it.

"Seyren is coming to see you," Beelzebub said. She sighed and nodded, as she was changed into a dark purple nightgown. Eremes moved to hug her to him, and she leaned into him. He whispered softly to her, and now she looked at him with surprise.

"Is that so?" she smiled.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Tell me when we are together. Okay? I know that I will need to tend to the others after Seyren leaves us. Keltin? Make sure to drink some water!" she smiled.

"I'm on it!" Keltin grinned and started downing glasses of water when they arrived to him.

"Is it safe to come in?" Seyren asked, as he knocked on the door.

"For now," Doppy grinned and let him in the bedroom.

"What is it?" she frowned.

"Was Cedrick a problem?" Seyren asked.

"Nope. He tried and failed to hit me," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Good! Where is he now?" he asked.

"Turtle General has him," Hyegun said. Seyren nodded, waved them goodnight, and made off to his bedroom to be with Karla. The moment he left, Sarine pulled Keltin to her to kiss deeply. She was undressed with him, and blood was given to her. She took blood from Doppy next, and her sex drive was at a full peak. She used each husband, slave, and mate to have them give her everything they had. Eremes forced himself to wait to be the last one.

"Ragged Zombie! My Lady wants you in there again!" Byorgue grinned, as he pulled himself into a chair. The zombie gaped at this, but found himself moving to her side in the bathroom. Beelzebub actually had to sit down to recover, and Hibram was gasping from it.

"That Blinker! How does she do it?!" Hibram hissed.

"Well, considering she's using it on Ragged Zombie now..." Beelzebub grinned. Five minutes later, the zombie was leaving the bathroom.

"I swear, if my spine was severed, I'd be dragging myself in full!" Ragged Zombie groaned, as he pulled himself into a chair. Hibram grinned at him, and Thanatos laughed quietly.

"You may have to. She wants you again," Beelzebub grinned even wider. The zombie swore violently, and Hibram laughed with Doppy. Loomin walked out of the bathroom with Drake, and they both had to sit on beds to recover.

"She always be like that?!" Drake asked.

"Only with Keltin's blood," Loomin grinned. "Sex was a major craving for her, apparently. It comes back when she drinks his blood. And, now that she had demon blood from Doppy, it's in full force. What do you think?"

"What do I think? What form of question be that?!" Drake gaped at him, and Hyegun started laughing. "I'm sure it be a nightmare at times!"

"It can be..." Eremes chuckled. Incubus and Wanderer escaped to the nursery with Naght to recover. Evil Snake Lord was just as amazed at how much she wanted her men.

"I think...I'm going to rest..." Entweihen sighed, as he managed to leave the bathroom.

"We all do," Injustice grinned, as he sat down. When Ragged Zombie came out, he was dragging himself. Aliot and Byorgue helped him to a chair, and Observation was laughing at him. The zombie muttered something, and Beelzebub barked out laughter. Maya Purple pulled himself onto his bug body, and Nigel was laying back in a bed. Errende was already in a deep sleep. Drago was leaning heavily on the balcony railing. Kiehl now moved into the bedroom and stated that all of her slaves were needed again.

Thanatos grinned and woke up Errende with a mental shove. He was up quickly and back in the bathroom to see to Sarine's needs.

"She...doesn't stop..." the zombie gasped.

"Not until Howard helps her..." Eremes nodded. Ifrit was hiding in the nursery with Amon Ra, Osiris, and Pharaoh. The three old Kings were simply floored by her sex drive. When the slaves were able to leave the bathroom, Howard's tattoo was finally activated. Sammy had to hide out in the tub until he was finished. It was too risky to leave Sarine right now. The moment Howard roared out his release with her, they all breathed out a sigh of relief. Now Eremes moved into the bathroom and helped recline Sarine against the floor cushions with him.

"Eremes," she sighed, and he held her. "You said you had something to tell me?"

"All right. Howard, this was a long time ago, so...I'm sorry if it hurts you now," Eremes said. "I remembered it just a while back...so..."

"It's fine," Howard nodded. "Things are different now than they were then."

"Say what you need to. It's your night, in a sense," Kiehl smiled.

"If she needs to know, then tell her," Sammy said. Sarine blushed at them all softly and looked at Eremes now. He sighed and hugged her to him.

"You should undress," she smiled.

"I will after this," he chuckled. "Well...you remember the night you were with Howard before Lighthalzen? I'm sure you do..."

"I do," she nodded.

"Do you...remember how I tried to confront you?" he asked.

"Ah! Yes, I do," she nodded with a smile.

"Of course, it was right before you were with Howard..." he sighed. "But, I was trying to tell you how I felt about you. In full. It was...awkward for me...since I didn't know how to approach it. And I never spoke that much to begin with..."

"That's what all the long pauses were for?" she asked.

"Yes. Then when Howard approached you and whispered to you...and how you blushed at him...I knew that I couldn't say what I wanted to say. It was difficult...to watch you get stolen away from me...again..." he shivered.

"Eremes, love," she smiled and ran a hand over his cheek. "tell me what you wanted to say. In your words. I'm listening."

Howard was frowning at this while deep in thought, and Kiehl looked at him with a bit of surprise. _If Eremes had voiced out that he wanted to speak with Sarine alone back then, I would have let him._   _We would all have been separated from her for a year, from what we thought. I would never have deprived Eremes of his right to say what he needed to. Then again, I never knew that Eremes was intensely jealous of me, either. Things could have gotten nasty really fast._

"I was going to tell you about the mission I had of you. How I had promised to protect you. All of it was going to come out," Eremes winced. "I was going to tell you how I loved you, and how I was jealous of Howard. How you should have been mine..."

"Oh, Eremes...!" she frowned and pulled him close to kiss. "Things are so different now. You know this. And, I'm glad you didn't get the chance to tell me. I'm sure How-How would have found out, and it would have been horrid! Things had to happen as they did for a reason. You know this, as well as I do. I'm having your children next. Your twins! And you'll be assisting in making two additional sons for Huginn and Muninn to inhabit! There is so much for you to look forward to now. Yes, it's good that you told me this. But, know that I've always cared about you, Eremes. You were my best friend before. You were family to me. You still are family. You are my husband now, and I love you dearly."

He kissed her hard and shrugged of his clothes as fast as he could to have her. Howard seemed to chuckle softly, and Kiehl gave a small nod.

"What should we do while they go at it?" Howard grinned.

"Hmm. Ah! Let's see about designing the school. Think Keltin can help us?" Kiehl asked. Beelzebub had Keltin walk in, and they sat a bit away from Sarine and Eremes. As Keltin started to describe how the school looked, Kiehl started to sketch it out. Howard assisted with various details, and Sammy was watching everything calmly. Then the four of them looked over with shock at the heightened shouts and cries of release.

"Wow," Howard said.

"I guess he needed that?" Kiehl grinned.

"I can still hear you all..." Eremes growled, as he worked his mouth over Sarine's body. They chuckled and went back to designing the barracks. After a second set of cries were heard, they looked over to find Eremes pulling Sarine over his chest. He was reclining on a set of cushions with her, and she looked over to see Howard, Kiehl, and Sammy. Sighing softly, she rested heavily on Eremes and was sleeping soon after.

"So, how does it feel to be laying down?" Howard grinned.

"Different..." Eremes mused. "The only time...I lay down...is usually after I got my ass kicked. At least I know...that it's just resting now..."

"That's a nice way to put it," Sammy chuckled. "I'm going to meditate to watch her dreams. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Good," Kiehl nodded. When Sammy closed his eyes, he suddenly opened them and hissed with anger. Howard now looked at him, and Keltin narrowed his eyes.

"Get Doppy! Have him wake her in his original form! Now!" Sammy urged. Keltin was up and moving quickly, as Beelzebub was rousing Doppy from meditation. Eremes frowned at this and watched Doppy come into the bathroom.

"What did you see?!" Doppy asked, as his original state instinctively came back.

"Huginn's pulling stuff with her. He knows that we have to obey what Valkyrie wishes. Right now, he's trying to convince her that she doesn't need anyone but him!" Sammy growled. Doppy nodded to Eremes and moved to pull her into arms. At his familiar touch, she woke with a whimper and clung to him. He hugged her to him, and she shivered.

"Doppy!" she whimpered out, and he cradled her. Hyegun ran in quickly with Thanatos and moved to tend to Sarine. Thanatos put his hands on her belly, and Hyegun listened to the children within her. Beelzebub came in with Loomin and they didn't look happy at all.

"This was to be my night with her..." Eremes sighed.

"It still is," Doppy muttered, as he hugged her. "We have to calm her."

"I know," Eremes nodded.

"We got to her just in time," Hyegun sighed. "The kids were ready to grow from her distress. They keep thinking that they need to be out of her to help her. They know of the risk from their fast growth, but they want to help her. At least they're calmed now."

"Good. Do I need to wake Errende?" Thanatos asked.

"Not yet. This is enough for now," Hyegun nodded.

"Sarine, love, look at me," Loomin said softly. She sighed a bit shakily, and she looked at Loomin to lock eyes with him. After five minutes, she looked away from him, and he muttered, "Huginn is purposely doing this to try and force himself out of her body. I reminded him of what Odin would do to him, and that he would give all of us full permission to beat him to a bloody pulp. That shut him up. I told him that mental harm is just as bad as physical harm. When he didn't believe me, I brought up various memories from her to prove my point. He's going to stop for now, but I know he's crafty. In many ways, he's like my Father, but he hates my Father. I can use that against him."

"Good," Sammy nodded.

"Will she be all right now?" Howard asked. Doppy was still holding her, and she was shivering. He whispered softly to her, and she kissed him desperately. Beelzebub chuckled and moved out of the bathroom.

"The children in her are sleeping now. She'll be fine. I'll listen for any of their thoughts," Hyegun said. Keltin gestured for his brother to help out with their sketches, and Thanatos carefully removed his hands to check on the nursery. When Doppy was able to bring her to release with him, he whispered again to her, and she nodded. Kissing her gently, he moved her back to Eremes so he could dress. His stronger body came back, and he moved out to the bedroom. If he was needed again, he'd run right back in.

"Feeling better?" Eremes asked her, as she cuddled into him.

"Huginn really scared me," she frowned, and he hugged her to him.

"No one will pull you away from us!" he growled and kissed her possessively. "We will never let it happen!"

She could only nod, and Kiehl was looking over with Howard. Loomin knelt down to her, and he whispered to her and Eremes. At his nod, an extra cushion was pulled in for Loomin to recline on nearby. He wanted to be there in case Loki tried to take advantage of the situation. Observation was called in next to hover nearby to guard over her. He didn't need sleep and would be extra protection.

Eremes doubted he was going to get any sleep now. As a monster, he didn't need it. He felt her give him all of her weight, and now he was finally able to enjoy the feel of her against him. It was something he never felt before, and he knew he was going to want this again.

"Eremes," Howard said.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"I've been thinking about the week you're going to have her when she's healing. I know how you want to have Sarine in your old room, but we need to make sure that she isn't going to be craving to see Kiehl and I," Howard said.

"True," he nodded. "But, recall when she was with Sammy. She didn't crave to see you then, right? If it's true again, then everything should be all right."

"You have a point," Sammy nodded. "But, she shouldn't be away for too long. I was with her an hour each night at the most."

"It was the same with me," Keltin nodded. "About an hour, if that. Any longer could be risky. Muninn will need to help bring you back, if he has to."

"I could have Ifrit help, too," Eremes thought. "Where exactly...did you both go?"

Sammy told him of the places he took Sarine and Keltin told him of where Sarine led him. Now Eremes thought and Loomin chuckled.

"That place with the flowers always seems to be the final destination. I wonder why," Loomin mused aloud. "I want to look at that place in the morning."

"We'll plan for it," Sammy nodded, and he closed his eyes to watch her dreams.

"Okay, Keltin. So, what was the interior of the building like?" Kiehl asked, and the sketching started again. The rest of the night passed calmly with meditation, sketching, and sleep.


	137. Chapter 137

Sarine woke in the morning to Eremes claiming her. He had taken her multiple times during the night, and she was simply amazed at his stamina. Observation moved out of the bathroom now to inform the others that she was up and to get her food ready. Hyegun looked over at her and whispered softly to Howard. Loomin was already out of the bathroom, since he needed to eat something.

"Sarine," Howard smiled and moved over to her and Eremes. "I think you need some blood from me and Naght again. Remember what Hyegun said?"

"Ah...okay," she nodded. Eremes kissed her gently and got up to dress. Then he moved out of the bathroom. He couldn't wait to start spending more time with her during his pregnancy with her. He really liked her being so close. He still couldn't understand why it hurt whenever he separated from her. That was still a large mystery to him. Kiehl nodded to Keltin and Hyegun when they left. The sketches were taken with them to show to Storm Caller for the building to start getting constructed. Howard moved to her side quickly to have her, and she let Kiehl mimic the movement of running a knife over his neck before she bit down hard. Howard cried out with release and let her pull two mouthfuls of blood before Naght came through from his tower to give her his blood.

"Okay, let's feed you," Sammy said, and he Healed Howard's neck. Naght kissed her passionately before giving Howard full control again, and she was helped up to dress. After he dressed, she was led out to the bedroom. Then she cried out in pain, as Doppy shouted.

"Shit!" Howard hissed, as Errende pressed his hands against her belly when it swelled. Kiehl moved to let her lean against him, and Hyegun was at her side with Thanatos.

"Normal growth spurt," Sammy said.

"The kids in her just woke up, and that was when it happened. How much did they grow?" Hyegun asked. Thanatos was pressing his hands against Sarine's belly with Errende to keep the developing babies calmed.

"You're not going to believe this," Sammy winced. "They grew by fifty percent."

"What?!" Kiehl gaped.

"She stays home!" Keltin growled.

"So much growth..." Eremes sighed.

"It's too risky for her to travel," Hibram frowned. Ragged Zombie just nodded with agreement. She was at normal birthing size for a pregnant human woman. Another growth spurt like that would have her ready to give birth.

"It's been what? Five days now?" Doppy asked, as he eased into a chair.

"About that much," Sammy nodded. "Apparently, after five days, it's too risky for her to travel. That's how it was for the other pregnancies, too."

"I'll tell the others that we go nowhere until she's well again," Beelzebub said.

"I can still travel," she frowned and shivered hard. Howard looked at Hyegun, and Loomin moved to her side to hug her.

"Love, it's too risky for you to travel now. Where were you thinking of going?" Loomin asked. "We can't go anywhere that's too dangerous, you know."

"I was hoping for the Coal Mines, or even Magma Dungeon," she frowned.

"When you're pregnant with our children, we'll go," Eremes promised. "Let's have a beach day today. I'm sure the kids will like it."

"Ah. Okay," she nodded. She was having problems moving around now, and Injustice was working with Nigel to help her. Byorgue moved about the house quickly to help spread the news with Beelzebub. Thanatos had her sit in his lap to help monitor her belly.  _It was time to keep the growth of the babies slow._ When Byorgue got back, he winced at where she was, and he walked over to her. She ran a hand over his cheek and let him hug her.

"I was supposed to be with you tonight, My Lady," he sighed.

"I know, love. Maybe Errende and Thanatos can still help. If it's too much, I'll make sure you have the first night with me after my pregnancy. I didn't expect the babies to grow so much. I'm sorry," she frowned. He kissed her gently to show he understood.

"We'll see how you are tonight, My Lady," Byorgue nodded. She hugged him tightly to her and kissed him again. A rare roast was brought over to her, and Aliot sliced it up for her into small pieces. Sushi, cookies, and tea were set down next, and various dishes of food were set up for the others. She was eating quite heartily and even started on second dishes of the same foods. That surprised the others with her appetite. Little would they know that it was from Eremes's reserves. They would find out when she became pregnant with his children.

"Mama?" Serenity frowned, as she walked in. "Oh! Babies grew a lot!"

"Yes, they did," Sarine nodded, as she ate. "Did you have breakfast yet?"

"No. Not yet, Mama," she said. A small table was set up for the kids now, and they were pulled into the bedroom to eat. Thanatos kept his hands on her belly, and Hyegun looked at him.

"Can you play with them? They want to do something. You're keeping them calm, but they're bored," Hyegun chuckled. Thanatos nodded and started up a tapping game with the babies. Sarine giggled, as she ate, and Serenity moved over to her again.

"Can I play?" she smiled. Thanatos showed her what to do, and she laughed with delight as her unborn brothers and sisters played with her. As each child finished eating, they were able to take a turn to play with the babies in Sarine's belly.

"Are we going somewhere today?" Edward asked.

"No. Your mother is in no condition to travel now. It's a beach day today," Thanatos said. That had the kids jumping up and down with excitement, and they ran to the nursery to get their swimsuits. Sarine finished eating and was moved into the nursery to start nursing the younger four. Cooing to Trina while she nursed, Thanatos kept her in his lap the whole time. Kiehl and Howard were sitting near her and going over mental designs with each other. Sammy was checking on each child to ensure that everyone was healthy.

"Gunther, where did you get this bruise?" Sammy asked with a frown, as he saw the boy's leg. Bianca walked over to Sammy and whispered that he fell out of bed.

"I had a bad dream. Um...I didn't want to say anything," Gunther said.

"A bad dream?" Doppy frowned. "About what?"

"About Mom," he said. Doppy motioned for his son to come over to him to get Healed, and he set him on his knee. "I saw Mom as a kid like me. When she was really little. I..."

"It's okay," Doppy said and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Go on."

"She was being dragged by her hair by a woman that looked mean. She tossed her into a room and said that...that she was worthless! That she had to die! Mom...she cried, and I heard her get slammed into a wall! Then...there was nothing...it was all quiet. I wanted to run into the room, but I couldn't move. It was like...like I couldn't do anything," Gunther whimpered. Sarine had just finished nursing Trina and Bernard, as Gunther was brought over to her to hug tightly. She kissed her son's forehead, as he wept against her shoulder.

"I heard Gunther scream, and he fell out of bed," Bianca said softly. "I didn't know about what he dreamed of, though."

"Mom is not worthless! I won't let her die!" Gunther cried out, as he got rocked. Loomin moved over to him now and knelt down to see him at eye level.

"Gunther, what you saw was what happened to your mother when she was little. It did happen," Loomin frowned. "But, Sammy killed the woman that did that to her. Your mom is safe, and she's with us. You don't have to be afraid for her anymore."

"Mom..." Gunther sniffed, and Sarine kissed his forehead. "I...heard you had a bad life at first. Why? Why, Mom?"

"It wasn't supposed to be hard for me," she sighed and let him lean into her. "It's true, I almost died several times. But, I fought hard, and I won. I was able to meet Doppy and give birth to you. I love you and all of your brothers and sisters. I'm not going anywhere."

Gunther could only nod, and then he blinked when he got kicked by an unborn baby. He tapped back, and another kick was given to show that the baby wanted to play.

"Gunther, move off your mom so she can nurse Alexis and Albert. Stand off to the side, and you can still play with them, okay?" Doppy said. His son nodded and moved to do just that. As Sarine nursed the other two, Gunther continued to play with the babies in her.

"Where's your mother?" Seyren said, as he walked in.

"She's with Alexis and Albert," Siegfried said.

"It's a beach day!" Serenity giggled.

"The babies grew lots today," Angela nodded.

"She is nursing. What do you need?" Beelzebub asked.

"Cedrick is waiting to speak with her downstairs," Seyren muttered.

"Cedrick can kiss my ass!" Ragged Zombie scowled.

"Ragged Zombie!" Sarine growled out, and the zombie winced. The kids giggled, but grew quiet at the warning glare from Beelzebub.

"If you're all good, I may be able to give rides," Maya Purple said, as he skittered in. "But, you must all behave! Got it?"

"Oh! Yes! We'll be good!" Serenity nodded.

"I need to check on that flower area outside," Loomin said. Sarine nodded, and he kissed her gently before he moved out of the room. When she glanced at Byorgue, he nodded and went to follow him. Once the nursing twins were done, Aliot and Errende took them to burp, and Injustice helped her up with Nigel. Thanatos fixed up her top and remained close to her. Gunther was pulled up to Doppy's chest to get hugged.

"Hibram!" Anna giggled, as she walked in to get hugged by him. "What are we doing today? Anything special?"

"Nope. We are relaxing today," he grinned.

"Really? Oh. That's why," Neil blinked at the size of Sarine's belly and how she was being assisted. Rice Cake suddenly ran into the room screaming with rage, as Baby Leopard chased him. Serenity gasped, and Sammy frowned.

"He's trying to take my candy! Make him stop!" Rice Cake shouted, and he tried to dodge the pouncing beast. Nigel reverted into his Nine Tail form and snarled out sharply. That made Baby Leopard whine and crouch down low. He yipped out in a rapid-fire way, and this made Baby Leopard give out a soft, apologetic mew before slinking away. Serenity moved to gather up Baby Leopard to cuddle, and the monster purred. When Nigel reverted back to human, he sighed and shook his head.

"You'll be fine now, Rice Cake," Nigel said. "Baby Leopard knows better now. If he tries it again, find me. He won't chase you around anymore."

"Maybe not chase, but he'll pounce!" Rice Cake frowned. That had Howard laughing, and Kiehl just sighed and shook his head.

"Wow," Keltin grinned. Sarine moved to gently rest a hand on Rice Cake's shoulder to help calm him before nodding to show she was ready to head down to the others.

"You really did grow!" Seyren gaped at her belly.

"They grew by fifty percent this morning. Thanatos is now 'addicted' to her to keep the growth slow," Sammy said. Howard looked at Sarine, and then looked at Errende.

"She's hungry again," Kiehl said.

"My Lady, would you like to eat on the porch?" Errende asked.

"I think that would be wonderful. Thank you," she smiled. She was carefully led down the stairs and was moved past Cedrick. He was staring at the size of her belly from what it was just last night. A warning glare was given by Beelzebub, and the Demon Lord moved to stand by Sarine. She settled in Thanatos's lap, and she leaned back into his chest.

"Eat first. Then you can rest," Thanatos whispered to her. She nodded and found that most of her strength was drained. Her slaves needed to tend to her every need again. As she ate, Cedrick made his way to her, but Aliot and Observation kept him from getting too close. They didn't want her to get sick.

"Say what you need to from here," Aliot said. "If you come any closer, I'll kill you."

"As will I," Observation said. Drago hissed from where he stood, and Nigel growled. Injustice glared before assisting Sarine with some sushi.

"What do you want?" Errende frowned, as he held her tea. "My Lady is weak right now."

"Turtle General wants me to live on the island while I train," Cedrick said, and this made growls of mistrust happen all around.

"He speaks the truth," Beelzebub said.

"A barracks is being built, and you will be able to sleep there. For now, you should be able to use the smaller house that is used by friends," Sammy said.

"Where is Loomin?" Sarine frowned. "I miss him."

"He was checking out the flower garden in the back," Kiehl said.

"Oh..." she sighed. Howard looked at Doppy, and they both cringed.

"I'm here!" Loomin said. Byorgue was following behind him, and it was just luck that one of Beelzebub's flies was passing over them to report that they were needed. Loomin ran over to her, and she hugged him to her.

"Did you find out anything about the garden?" Hyegun asked.

"I did, actually," Loomin smiled.

"Tell us!" Hibram grinned.

"It's a very fertile area, in a sense. It tends to stimulate her to show that she's ready for children. That's why she ends up there on the last night. The water that flows there is incredibly pure! I was a bit surprised," Loomin said. "But, that's why she seems to go there."

"Loomin," Sarine whispered, and he blinked at her nuzzle. Then she pulled him into passionate kiss that made him groan softly.

"There is someone else here," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Shut up..." Loomin muttered in the kiss, and Howard found himself grinning wickedly. When she whispered to him now, Beelzebub stuttered with laughter.

"What is it?" Keltin grinned.

"She's still not really satisfied from last night..." Beelzebub grinned.

"Oh..." Ragged Zombie blinked.

"She's picking on Loomin now," Kiehl snickered.

"Wonderful..." Eremes grinned.  _As long as it wasn't me!_

"What's going on?" Cedrick asked.

"She needs me," Loomin glared at him mildly before refocusing back on her. "She's...building her reserve of me...I think..."

"She'll likely need me next," Doppy mused. Loomin had to pull Sarine fully into his lap now in order to hold her better, and Thanatos sat off to the side. She clearly didn't care if Cedrick was staring with complete jealousy. Naght's blood had awoken her lusty sex drive, and she growled when Loomin tried to pull away. Beelzebub knew the kids were likely going to be on their way down soon, and he moved to pull his robe around them to hide them. The moment Loomin started to take her, Beelzebub's eyes went wide at what she started to do to him.

"Are you all right?" Sammy asked. Howard and Kiehl were gasping with laughter at what she was doing. The Demon Lord was struggling to keep a straight face.

"Wait..." Ragged Zombie grinned. "Big robe. She's hiding in it, and she's craving. Okay, I know what's going on now."

"Shut up!" Beelzebub snapped and hissed at the feel of her tongue on his sex. When she started to nibble him, even Loomin found himself grinning at what he was witnessing.

"What is she doing?" Hibram asked, as he cracked a grin.

"Cookie...!" Howard was able to gasp out, as he laughed. That made her men cringe with lust, and Cedrick was clearly unaware of everything.

"The kids...are coming down now..." Eremes grinned. Beelzebub couldn't help the small snarl of release he gave her, as Loomin muffled his own. Once clothes were fixed back up, she was sitting rather regally in Loomin's lap, and Beelzebub had to sit in a chair.

"You are very evil," the Demon Lord grinned.

"And you love every bit of it," Sarine grinned back. That made him grin even more, and Ragged Zombie was laughing. "Okay, I'm actually a bit hungry now. Can I get something to eat? Maybe some tea, too, please?"

"My Lady," Nigel smiled and presented her with another plate of sushi, and Aliot was quick with the cookies. Keltin had whispered everything to Hyegun, and small fits of laughter were heard. After Sarine ate, Hyegun walked over to her to whisper.

"Hmm..." Sarine thought. "Remind me later. The children are coming down now."

"Right," he nodded. Serenity came out in her one-piece swimsuit, and Sarine was settled back in Thanatos's lap. Her daughter gave an odd look at Cedrick before moving to talk to her mother with excitement. Siegfried was next to come over to Sarine in his blue and red swim trunks, and he climbed into her lap carefully. He giggled at the hug and kiss he got.

"I think I'm ready to give rides," Maya Purple said, as he skittered over. "But, I must warn you all. The moment you start getting rough, I will have to stop. Gunther. Bianca. Don't bite my wing covers anymore. It's getting harder for them to heal. Got it?"

"Yes, Buggy!" Bianca nodded.

"I'll try not bite," Gunther said. Edward and Angela moved with the others, as they started to swarm over Maya Purple. He waited for them to get settled with Serenity and Siegfried in tow before skittering around.

"Um...can you all tell me what happened just a bit ago?" Cedrick asked now.

"Have you ever used your dick before?" Doppy smirked, and Eremes started laughing with the others. Sarine blushed, and Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"Yes, I have!" Cedrick said. "You'd be amazed at how girls simply throw themselves at me. Not a single one of them has been able to resist my charms once I set my eye on them. Well...except for you, Sarine."

"And you still have your eye on me?" she frowned.

"I do," he nodded.

"Loves, maybe we should visit the arena. The children are well protected by the water monsters. Then again, I am rather large..." she sighed.

"Did you want to go?" Thanatos asked. "We can get Windwalker to help you."

"I actually think the arena may be good entertainment for the kids," Doppy thought. "We can put them in the guest balcony, and they can watch with Seyren and the others."

"If anyone tries to challenge our kids, I'll kill them personally!" Kiehl snarled at her thought. "No one will touch them!"

"Okay. Send word to the others and Maya Purple?" Sarine smiled. Right when she got up to stand with Byorgue's and Observation's help, Thanatos swore violently, and Errende grimaced. At that moment, they knew he was being called back to his tower. Thanatos gave Sarine a passionate kiss and had Errende place his hands on her belly. He vanished right after to defend his tower. They all knew that they had a small time limit before he had to fight.

"Get those that can help!" Kiehl said.

"What?" Cedrick frowned.

"Thanatos can still be called back to his tower. However, we can help him from here," Howard said. Mitchell, Lloyd, and Margaretha came out of the house. Ragged Zombie walked right up to Errende and grinned.

"Who summoned him?" the zombie asked.

"It's a Creator, a High Priestess, a Gypsy, a High Wizard, and a Sniper. All of them are women and pretty powerful, too," Errende said.

"Perfect," the zombie grinned wickedly, and now everyone had to laugh at this. At his whispers, Errende started laughing, and Beelzebub was snickering. When Thanatos came back, he moved to pull Sarine into his arms to lift her up carefully.

"That was fast," Sarine giggled.

"Well, calling them the harlot girls really pissed them off," the demon grinned. Doppy started laughing, and Cedrick was clearly amused at this.

"That was all that did it?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Everything you told me to tell them pissed them off," Thanatos grinned. "That and my generals made very short work of them, too."

"Good," he nodded. "Arena?"

"Yes," Doppy smirked. Hibram and Eremes were laughing softly, and Keltin and Hyegun were smiling. Kiehl and Howard remained in Sarine's line of sight with Sammy.

"What's going on?" Seyren asked.

"Arena. The kids will be sitting with you and the others," Doppy said.

"Okay," Seyren nodded. Loomin chuckled and kept an eye on Cedrick.

"Do I sit with you guys?" Cedrick asked.

"You can sit in the royal balcony that is directly across from mine," Sarine said. "Since you are considered a guest and royalty, you will be able to sit there."

"Oh," he said with a bit of mild disappointment. At the small glare from Beelzebub, he decided to take what he could get. What he may have found odd was that, even though many women in the crowd had recognized him and were trying to get his attention, the prince didn't notice them. He didn't even realize what was going on. He truly did only want Sarine as his wife and queen at his side. Loomin noticed this, but he kept quiet. He didn't want to worry anyone, and he had no plans to have Sarine shared with the pampered prince.

When Cedrick was led away from them at the arena, Sarine was settled between Thanatos and Kiehl. Additional thrones were already placed for Beelzebub, Hibram, Ragged Zombie, and Hyegun. Her other companions were now seated in the guest balcony below and served refreshments. Maya Purple skittered over and let the kids greet their mother first before being moved to sit with the others.

"Fights?" Siegfried blinked, as he sat in Seyren's lap.

"Yes," Seyren grinned. "People from all over come here to challenge monsters. Your dads haven't lost a fight yet!"

"Wow!" Gunther blinked.

"Why can't we sit with Mama?" Serenity frowned.

"Sometimes, people try to challenge them. We don't want them to think that any of you can fight. If they did that, I'm sure your daddies would kill them on the spot," Karla chuckled.

"Hmm," Edward thought with a grin, and Kathryne tickled him to get him laughing.

"That kid looks like Thanatos!" a challenger said with amazement.

"He is my son," Thanatos said curtly. "If you touch him, I will kill you!"

"No one touches my children!" Sarine said sternly with her royal persona in full effect. "If anyone tries, they will answer to my husbands and mates! As they grow older, I'm sure they will make their own challenges. Right now, they are far too young!"

"Oh, please!" the challenger scowled. "Even as kids, they're obviously strong! I'm sure I can take him on and win!"

"My mate," Thanatos said, as he glared coldly at the human.

"Do what you must, love," she sighed. Errende moved to help keep the developing children calm, as Edward watched his father jump down to the arena. Angela gasped with delight at her strong father. Kiehl and Howard both growled as one. Doppy watched to make sure the challenger was soundly killed off to ensure that none of the kids would be called out. Right after Thanatos made a point out of the human, he was sitting back with Sarine and glaring at the others. Edward moved over to his dad to get picked up and set on his knee.

"Now you started it," Keltin grinned, as the other kids moved to sit with their respective fathers. Naght came over at Howard's thought and gathered up Siegfried. Serenity sat in Howard's lap, and Gunther was sitting in Doppy's lap with his sister. Angela was snuggling into Errende's arms, and they settled to watch the fights commence.

"Keel," Serenity said.

"Yes, dear?" he smiled.

"So...you're strong now, right?" she asked.

"Very strong," he nodded.

"He's as strong as me, if not stronger," Doppy grinned.

"No way!" Gunther blinked.

"I have something called Bragging Rights," Kiehl chuckled. "It's a special instinct. Since I'm not a demon, Doppy can't get stronger off of me from it."

"Which isn't fair," Doppy smirked.

"Quit your bickering!" Sarine smiled at them, and they laughed. She sighed and ran a hand over growing belly. She was in her Sniper gears, but Howard frowned at a thought.

"Eremes, can you get Ifrit? She needs a bit of heat," Kiehl said. "I didn't notice it, but there is a bit of a chill to the air now. It's getting close to fall. We'll have to plan to make her some warmer garments soon."

"True," Eremes nodded, and had Ifrit come over to flare out his heat. Naght rumbled and added a bit of his own heat, since he was both Fire and Ice. She felt much better and smiled.

"She needs a rare roast," Hyegun muttered out, and Beelzebub whispered to Nigel. The platter was brought over, prepped by Aliot, and served to her.

"Huh?" she frowned.

"Don't tell me you're not hungry," Kiehl grinned. She blinked and found herself tucking in from the delicious smell the meat gave off. Thanatos and Kiehl both started to sneak food off the plate, and she laughed at them. When she finished off the roast, she was handed some tea.

"Okay, I was hungry," Sarine smiled, and Kiehl kissed her gently. For three hours, the arena fights commenced, and the kids were completely enthralled by them. Sarine had fallen asleep against Kiehl after the first hour, and he let her sleep while Sammy meditated lightly to keep an eye on her dreams. When she woke, Kiehl kissed her gently, and Thanatos squeezed her.

"Oh, lovely..." Beelzebub growled.

"What?" Howard frowned.

"It's that Gypsy girl. With pink hair," he said. Coraline frowned in her seat, and Max put a protective arm around her. Garrett tensed, and Cecil placed a hand on his armored chest. Sarine looked over at the entrance to the balcony to find Entweihen Crothen moving to her side. A Hell Fly was making the report to her other loves, and the skeletal demon was ticked.

"Let me handle her, if she tries anything," the skeletal demon hissed. "I insist."

"By all means," Sarine smiled and caressed under his jawbone. As they watched Nikki in the challenger section, Howard thought about something, and Kiehl looked over at him with a bit of worry. Even Naght looked at Howard with a touch of concern.

"Sarine," Kiehl said gently.

"Yes?" she smiled.

"You remember what you craved with Howard's pregnancy with Naght, right?" he asked.

"Sure, I do! Spicy food, cold food, and stuff in between, if I remember it right. Why?" she frowned. "I'm sure we have enough food to cover it."

"I know," he smiled. "We'll have to make sure that you have a lot of spicy food for your next pregnancy with Eremes. Muninn said you would be craving a lot of heat. Fire and other things, that is. Then, if Doppy and Loomin are going to help with Muninn and Huginn in making their bodies, you'll be craving stuff from them, too, right?"

"I don't know," she frowned. "And I wouldn't know what I would crave with Loomin, yet. You do know that I'll be craving blood and raw meat with Doppy. And I'll be a touch dominant, too. If what you say, and what they say, about you keeping my cravings down, I'll need you really close, Kiehl. Especially with what I'll be doing with Loomin, if all of my other cravings with his children are worse."

"I know," Kiehl nodded and hugged her to him. "You'll be fine, love. We'll work with you however we can. Don't worry about that."

"It will be interesting to see what foods you'll crave with me," Loomin chuckled.

"Hopefully nothing too hard," she sighed. Kiehl ran a hand over her belly lovingly and paused at the kick given to him. When he tapped back, another kick was given. Laughing softly, as the growing kids wanted to play, he fully engaged them now.

"Put her in your lap," Sammy grinned to Thanatos. "I want to play with my kids, too."

"Sure," Thanatos chuckled, and she was moved carefully into his lap. Now with Sammy and Kiehl distracted and keeping the kids calm, Sarine leaned back into Thanatos with a sigh. Doppy now leaned towards Howard and made a motion to show he wanted to talk quietly.

"Howard, why did Kiehl ask about the other cravings?" Doppy frowned.

"To make sure that she didn't need them," he said softly. "Apparently, only the bare minimum is needed until they fully come to. I'm not going to complain about it!"

"If those cravings did come around, she would definitely know," Keltin whispered softly. Beelzebub could only nod and gave out a hiss, as Nikki approached the center of the arena.

"You cannot challenge the Princess of Amatsu!" the Kafra Agent said sternly. "Do you not see how pregnant she is?! Do you want to be labeled as a child killer?!"

"I got this," Entweihen snarled, and Kiehl nodded. Amon Ra reached the arena with the help of Storm Caller and settled his chair on the balcony with her. Osiris, Pharaoh, Drake, Wanderer, and Incubus weren't far behind. Evil Snake Lord made his way last after finishing off the last of the books with Gloom Under Night. The massive, white monster was following Evil Snake Lord and wanted to see the arena. Beelzebub told them who Nikki was trying to challenge, and Gloom Under Night seethed with hatred.

"Entweihen insisted to take over," Howard grinned. Serenity giggled, and Angela blushed at her protector. Doppy grinned wickedly now, and his twins echoed his grin.

"If she keeps it up, I'm next," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"Just mind the language," Sarine said. "There are children present."

"I know," he nodded. He leaned back in his throne and stared at the pink-haired Gypsy woman. Then he muttered, and Beelzebub grinned savagely. Howard was close enough to hear him, and he bit his tongue. Kiehl hissed his laughter at what Howard mentally told him. Naght rumbled his laughter, and purred at his son when he got cuddled. Doppy looked over at Beelzebub and got whispered to. Now he roared out his laughter, and the whisper spread without reaching the children.

"Wow!" Hyegun said, as he wiped away a tear.

"Kiehl, dear," Sarine smiled. "is there anything about her in your questions?"

"That's a good thought!" Kiehl grinned and pulled out the papers to rummage through them. When he found the few about her, he had to readjust his glasses after he started laughing hard. Howard was hugging Serenity to him to keep from dropping her. What he did find out was that the Gypsy woman was just a nuisance and not a real threat.

"What's so funny, Dad?" Serenity giggled at him.

"You'll find out when you're older!" he grinned and tickled her to get her laughing. On the arena floor, there was no laughter. Nikki was stammering at the sight of Entweihen Crothen.

"Why do you dare to challenge my mate during her pregnancy?!" he hissed.

"Um...um..." she paused.

"I shouldn't even waste any of my precious spells on you! You're a disgusting waste of flesh! A waste of my time!" he sneered, as four tentacles shot down into the earth and rose up around them. One would Heal him, one defended him, one cast powerful magical spells, and the last one attacked with various Sniper attacks. The only difference was that the attacks used thorns instead of arrows. While they were in the ground, he couldn't move, but that was fine by him. Kathryne watched her blood-bonded demon rip the Gypsy apart with an unholy joy with his powerful spells.

"How-How?" Sarine asked.

"Yes?" he smiled. She gestured for him, and Serenity was given to Loomin to hug. Howard moved to her, and Sammy let him take a spot by her. He frowned at her thought and kissed her forehead, as he said, "I don't know why she's picking on you. We warn people all the time to leave you alone. I don't think there is a true way to make her see what she's doing."

"Errende!" Hyegun hissed and moved the slave over to Sarine quickly to help Thanatos calm the children down within her. Keltin had scooped up Angela when she was dislodged from her father's lap to tickle her lightly to show that everything was fine.

"Dad?" Angela asked Keltin.

"Errende is needed for your mom right now. Something was about to happen, and it was stopped just in time," Keltin said. She nodded and watched her mother wince. Doppy set his twins in Hibram's lap and Ragged Zombie's lap to move to her side. He whispered a song in her ear, and Hyegun moved to Beelzebub to whisper to him.

"When?" the Demon Lord asked.

"Soon," Hyegun frowned. Entweihen moved back up to the balcony after Nikki was carted away, and Angela was given to him now.

"What happened, my dear?" the skeletal demon asked the girl.

"Mommy needs to be helped by my Dads," Angela frowned. "The babies in her were starting to make her feel bad, I think."

"How?" Entweihen asked. Hyegun moved over to him and whispered softly. Now the skeletal demon was a touch alarmed, but Beelzebub's light glare warned him to remain calm.

"Is Mama okay?" Serenity asked Loomin.

"She'll be fine. She really needs to rest. She can't have any more stress right now," Loomin said. Then he looked over to find Elric standing in the arena center.

"NO!" Eremes hissed. Sarine cringed, and Hyegun was only too glad that Thanatos and Errende had their hands on her belly to keep the babies calm.

"Eremes," Sarine sighed. "you are a monster. Remember?"

"Ah...oh..." Eremes now smiled, and Ifrit hissed laughter. "Yes. You can go to your realm and come out through me...if he challenges me..."

"Good!" Ifrit smirked and hovered with his arms crossed over his chest. Eremes moved over to Sarine's side now, and she pulled him close to kiss softly.

"After this, I want to go back to the house," she said. "I feel so...drained..."

"Okay..." Eremes nodded. When the Kafra Agent announced the Eremes was being challenged, Doppy smirked.

"Give him Hell!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and Gunther cheered him on in his lap.

"Get him, Dad!" Bianca grinned. Eremes now turned to face Elric and jumped down from the balcony to approach him.

"The kids are watching?" Elric frowned.

"Yes. This means...that I won't lose...since I have to set...an example..." Eremes growled. "What...are you doing here...?"

"If I win, I want to know when she gives birth!" he said.

"Idiot..." Eremes muttered. "Even after she gives birth...she has to heal..."

"So, there would be more waiting after?" Elric thought.

"Yes. For her to get pregnant right after birthing...it would kill her...so...I will give you the chance...to leave now. Unscathed. Remember. I'm a monster...I'm not human..." Eremes warned once. Elric blinked, as Eremes let his form mist out. Now he remembered that Ifrit could come through him, and, more importantly, Cloaking wouldn't work while Eremes was a monster.

"I'll accept your warning," Elric said quickly.

"Thank you. My wife...cannot take any more stress right now. Please leave," Eremes nodded. Sarine seemed to sigh with relief that her husband wouldn't be fighting. Doppy scowled at the lack of a good fight, but he knew that Sarine would have worried. Instead of walking away, Eremes Cloaked to make sure that Elric left. The moment the older man was gone, Eremes Uncloaked at Sarine's side.

"I'll challenge him!" a Champion shouted. "I need a good fight!"

"Ugh..." Sarine frowned.

"Make it quick!" Sammy muttered, and Eremes nodded. "We need to get her away from here. She has to calm down!"

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded again and made his way to the arena floor. Dracula was judging and waved to Moonlight Flower to show that she could judge after this fight was over. Eremes had already drank down a Poison Bottle, Berserked, Cloaked, and killed off the Champion before Dracula could tell him to start the fight.

"Rather fast, eh?" Dracula grinned.

"Sarine is unwell. It had to be fast," Eremes frowned. That alarmed Dracula, and Moonlight Flower was given the judge's chair. As Eremes and Dracula made their way over, Sarine was carefully lifted and cradled by Thanatos. Errende kept his hands on her belly, and she was moved off of the balcony. Loomin led the way, and Observation hovered over them protectively. When Cedrick approached them again, Keltin stopped him.

"She's feeling sick and exhausted. Don't stress her! Kiehl is in a mood that he could snap and easily break you in half without a second thought!" Keltin warned. "Doppy is the exact same way! If you want to hang out with us, then fine. Just don't do anything stupid."

"All right," Cedrick nodded. When Sarine's companions moved to follow, Donnie approached him with a rather pensive look on his face.

"What is the point of you being around her?" Donnie asked, and Egnigem sighed at her husband's questions. "I mean, you can't get her pregnant. I understand the training bit. You'll make her sick, if she smells you. Just...why? What is the motive?"

"If you're ever in love, then you'll understand," Cedrick said.

"Ah, I am in love. My wife is pregnant with my child. She used to have demon blood in her, but it was purged by Odin. Wonderful story! Ask me how it happened later on! Anyways, aren't there other girls out there for you?" Donnie mused. "I saw quite a few of them trying to vie for your attention earlier. Didn't you see them?"

"There were? I didn't even notice. Besides, none of them can compare to her," he sighed. "She is practically everything a woman should be. Beautiful. Intelligent. Graceful. Elegant. All of that. As a prince, it is my duty to try and wed her!"

"Even when she has a lot of husbands already?" Egnigem blinked.

"It doesn't matter," Cedrick said. "I'll join them, if I must. As long as she becomes my Queen. That is all at stake for me. There are no other princesses that I know of. I honestly doubt that any of them could even come to par with her."

"Ah, okay. Cut out the sentimental crap for just a moment," Donnie said. "Seriously. Take all of this into perspective. She has over twenty different men and monsters that she has to keep track of on a daily basis. She has to share herself among them to keep them happy, or they'll kill each other. One of these monsters isn't a true demon, but is strong enough to easily be mistaken for one, and will get stronger, from what I know. They can turn on each other easily. Especially with how they fight over her in their contests. If you want to continue your suicide mission, I'm not going to stop you. Go right ahead! But, do keep in mind that your scent makes her sick. It was proven, and you can't get close to her, anyways."

"Do you make her sick?" Cedrick frowned.

"No. I'm married to Egnigem and happy to be with her. I don't desire Sarine. I also knew Sarine when I was a Bard, so she and I have some history. Not much, but it's there. I see Sarine as a sister. She is a highly trusted friend that helped me out on several occasions. The things she did for my twin sister alone put her on a level that I would only want to view her from afar! On top of that, I'm human. Even if I wanted to be with her, I couldn't. She can't get pregnant from me, from what I know, and from what Seyren told me. Now, if I took demon blood, I may be able to have a chance with her. But, why should I? I have Egnigem. I love Egnigem. I have no intentions to ever remove myself from her side," Donnie said sternly.

"But..." Egnigem grinned and whispered to her husband.

"Quiet, woman!" Donnie scowled. Cedrick rose a brow at this, and the Clown simply smirked and said, "If you like pleasure and pain, then Sarine may be able to help you later on. Until then, if you're unsure, find Zealotus. She'll help you out."

"What?!" Cedrick blinked.

"You wanted to know what my wife whispered to me. That's all you'll get!" Donnie grinned and moved off to get to the others now. Cedrick was now plainly curious and decided to track down Zealotus. At the house, Sarine was nestled protectively in Thanatos's lap. Kiehl and Howard were settled on either side of her, and Sammy was in his child form and held tightly to her. She remembered what he was like in Gonryun, and she was on the verge of a crying fit.

"Vessel of Odin?" Pori-Pori frowned.

"She's not feeling well," Kiehl sighed. Pori-Pori thought, looked at her, and sucked in half his face. She burst out into laughter now, and Sammy was grinning. The rest of the day went smoothly after that. She was fed when she was hungry, and she watched her children play in the sand with her loves. Her friends were enjoying themselves and helped with the children. When she had to nurse the younger four, her slaves made a barricade out of themselves, and Beelzebub helped with his robe. It wasn't until nightfall that things started to go sour again.

The fire pit was set up and meat was roasting on sticks. Sarine was leaning heavily into Kiehl, and he was incredibly protective of her in her weakened state. Even more so than the last time she was like this from his Bragging Rights.

"No traveling for now, right?" Seyren asked.

"That's right. Thanatos and Errende need to keep her pregnancy going smoothly. She can't risk them to not have their hands on her at any time. They grew fifty percent this morning, and the same thing could happen tomorrow. We can't risk it with her," Sammy said.

"She needs rare meat again and her other craving dishes," Hyegun muttered, and Beelzebub informed Byorgue. Injustice and Nigel helped with the food, since Errende was occupied with Sarine, and Aliot was tending to his kids. All of the kids were there for the fire pit. Keltin and Hyegun both held Trina and Bernard. Loomin was reclining in his chair with Serenity in his lap. Ragged Zombie was playing with Gunther, and Hibram was tickling Bianca. Edward was being held by Eremes, and Angela was actually sitting with Doppy.

"Dad," Angela smiled.

"Hmm?" Doppy smiled back.

"How strong is your Heal?" she asked.

"It's actually very strong. It's a step up from a normal Heal," he said. "Strong monsters tend to have powerful Heals. Kiehl and Sammy do, too. So does Ifrit, I think."

"He does," Eremes nodded.

"I have a strong Heal from Valkyrie's blessing," Lloyd chuckled.

"That's right!" Karla smiled. "I have a powerful Potion Pitcher, too."

"Naght has the ability to do a Full Heal, but it can only happen once," Sammy said.

"A Full Heal?" Angela blinked.

"Yes. He can Heal both your physical and mental states in full," Sammy said. "Normally, he should only be able to do this to himself. However, thanks to your mother, he can apply this skill to others. It's possible that, when you get older, you can do the same thing at your peak of power. What do you think, Loomin?"

"Oh, easily!" Loomin chuckled. "In fact, I think I have that skill, too."

"Really...?" Naght rumbled.

"Yes. But, I can only use it in dire emergencies like you," Loomin nodded.

"I...can...use...mine...at...any...time..." Naght thought.

"But, it's best not to waste it," Howard grinned. "It does take time to come back."

"True..." Naght nodded slightly.

"I need to use the bathroom," Sarine sighed. Thanatos nodded to Errende, and Byorgue was at her side to help with Nigel and Kiehl. Sammy and Howard were there to help assist her. When she was helped up, she got dizzy and clung to Thanatos.

"Dizzy?!" Howard frowned. Sammy evaluated her, and Hyegun listened for anything that he could. He hissed out what was happening, and Beelzebub moved over to Kiehl to mutter in his ear. Howard winced at what Kiehl was told, and Naght was clearly concerned now.

"Your body is lacking in protein," Kiehl whispered to Sarine. "You need some of Howard's blood again. And Naght's, too."

"But...why their blood? Won't any blood work?" she frowned.

"You don't like the taste of my blood?" Howard asked with a small smile. That made her blush, and she sighed. "Don't worry. We'll make it fast, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. "Why do I get the feeling that this is like a blood bond?"

"Take blood from me next," Doppy said quickly. "I want to feel you bite me."

"Me, too, My Lady," Byorgue smiled. "It is supposed to be my night with you."

"Oh!" she blinked. "So it is! Okay!"

"And, if you taking Howard's blood will make you better, then it's all the better for us, right?" Byorgue winked. She pulled him close to kiss passionately, and Kiehl sighed with relief that she had forgotten about the mention of a blood bond. It took almost twenty minutes for her to get to the bedroom, use the bathroom, and take the blood of her loves before being brought back down.  _Everything had to go smoothly for her._

"I'll help her next time," Maya Purple said.

"Okay," Howard nodded. He was still recovering from the bite. Beelzebub was given Siegfried to hold onto, as Naght went back and forth from his tower.

"Mama okay?" Serenity frowned.

"She's fine," Loomin smiled and kissed her forehead. When she yawned, Gunther looked at her with irritation before he yawned next.

"I think it's time for bed," Lloyd chuckled.

"No!" Bianca frowned.

"Just a bit longer?" Edward asked.

"Fine. But, the moment you guys fall asleep, you'll be taken to bed," Thanatos said, as Sarine was settled into his lap. Kiehl whispered softly to Sarine, and she smiled with a nod. She started to sing a soft lullaby, and Doppy joined her with a knowing smile. The moment the children fell asleep, the slaves moved quickly to take them to the nursery.

"I think the older children will start needing their own bedrooms soon," Sarine thought.

"I don't know if that will work," Loomin chuckled. "They are all so closely tied together that they won't want to leave. Maybe when they start going to school, we can see about something. Maybe we can have additions to the nursery? I know my old room here could be used for one of them. It is right next to the nursery. Maybe have it branch into the nursery?"

"We'll talk to Storm Caller. I'm sure the barracks are nearly done, too," Keltin said. Garrett thought and started to ask questions about the barracks. Keltin started to go into detail about what it would be like, and was even open to various suggestions on new expansions to it.

"There was an area for magical training, right?" Kathryne asked.

"Oh, yes! Archery range, physical testing area, sword play area...pretty much anything that could be improved on was there," Keltin nodded.

"A mess hall, too?" Seyren grinned.

"The only mess needed is you," Howard grinned back. Now that the kids were gone, the bantering could start again, and Seyren made a gesture to Howard to get everyone laughing with shock and surprise.

"Seyren Windsor!" Karla growled. "That was uncalled for!"

"But, dear..." the Lord Knight winced.

"Apologize to him now, or I won't show off what I bought today," Karla said.

"I'm sorry!" he said. "What did you get?"

"Just a Bloody Branch," Karla grinned. Sarine blinked, but Huginn didn't appear.  _There was nothing special about this branch._

"Oh, good! We can use it and kill off what appears!" Kathryne grinned.

"You are staying back!" Mitchell said.

"You, too, love," Garrett said to Cecil.

"Well, of course, I have to stay back," Cecil grinned. Beelzebub, Entweihen Crothen, Evil Snake Lord, and Eremes helped make a protective wall around Sarine. Seyren Berserked and summoned up a random clone. It turned out to be one of himself, which was perfect for him. Margaretha and Lloyd did their buffs, and Naght brandished his swords. Ifrit flared out his heat, and Pori-Pori chittered with excitement. Baphomet even appeared at Seyren's call, and he wanted in on the fun. Drake, Dracula, Incubus, and Wanderer came forward from Beelzebub's report. Amon Ra, Osiris, and Pharaoh moved to help protect Sarine. Hibram stayed by Sammy to protect him. Maya Purple readied his claws, and her slaves made another protective circle around Sarine. Whatever was going to come out of that branch wasn't going to live long at all.

"Turtle General and Gloom Under Night are here now," Hyegun chuckled.

"Tell me what comes out?" Sarine smiled. She couldn't move from where she sat, and she couldn't see what was going to come out from the swarm of protective monsters there.

"Of course, love," Kiehl said. Naght would likely tell Howard, since he was in the front line. Seyren took the Bloody Branch from his wife, and she fed Luna before readying her bombs. When the branch was snapped, there was nothing that appeared at first.

"Nothing?" Keltin frowned. He was ready to use his Rage.

"Wait..." Loomin frowned. Now the mist formed to start solidifying into a monster. A hiss of hatred was given at Seyren, and now the Lord Knight gasped in recognition.  _It was the darker double of myself._ He couldn't attack his darker double. It repelled him like a magnet, and Pori-Pori moved in quickly to start the attack.

"I can't attack it!" Seyren growled. Then he noticed that his clone couldn't attack him.

"Help protect Sarine, then!" Kiehl growled. "Take out the clones it summons!"

"Right!" he said and started to help take out the support group. The darker clone didn't last long at all and vanished away in defeat.

"Okay, why couldn't he attack his dark side?" Sammy asked.

"Let me think," Loomin said. As he went over the situation, Karla was hugging Seyren to comfort him. Doppy was trying to remember what happened when his dark clone appeared, but he realized that he never got close to it.  _Pori-Pori took it out before it got too close._  He was sure that he would have been repelled, too.

"Vessel of Odin? Are you okay?" Pori-Pori asked.

"She was very safe," Howard nodded. Pori-Pori moved over to her and gave her a sword, a card, and some armor.

"Thank you," Sarine smiled. The card would be placed with the others, and the items were Identified and put in the treasury.

"I got it," Loomin said. "Seyren, you couldn't attack, because, in a sense, that dark clone was still 'you'. I'm sure it would be the same for all of the monsters that have darker doubles. It's true that you are far different from the others, but natural instinct kept you from attacking 'yourself', if you see it that way. Almost like looking in a mirror. Yes, that was your more evil side, but it's still an extension of yourself. It also has something to do with the Balance.

"Basic monsters that are recruited can kill off each other. It's the stronger monsters that have the disadvantage. Others can kill off darker clones just fine. It almost appears that a 'good' side of a separated monster can't attack the 'bad' side, and vice versa. I'm quite sure that, if that darker side tried to attack you, it couldn't attack, either. It would be as though you were attacking a reflective shield. Any damage it gave you, it would give to itself in full. It would have been the same to you, if you attacked the darker double. So, your instinct knew that you couldn't attack."

"Wow," Seyren blinked. "So, I can attack other darker clones, but not my own. If I attacked my dark clone, it would be like attacking myself, and it would be the same for my darker clone. Damage would have been reflected back onto me in full and vice versa, right?"

"Exactly," Loomin nodded.

"Come to think of it, that double hesitated when it approached Seyren!" Kathryne blinked. "It couldn't attack, either!"

"That's good to know," Sammy said. "We can keep the darker doubles away from Sarine that much more. We'll have to plan for that, if it happens again."

"Good thing I don't have a dark double," Thanatos mused.

"Or myself and Naght," Beelzebub grinned.

"I don't have a darker double, either," Ifrit chuckled.

"I actually got a darker double," Hibram said.

"As did myself and other monsters here," Kiehl frowned.

"Now I'm curious," Doppy mused. "If we used a Bloody Branch, and it summoned Beelzebub or Ifrit, or any others without a darker double, would they simply disappear and reappear? Would we have to fight them until we defeated them? Or would they simply wave, sip tea, and act like nothing happened?"

"Sip tea?" Beelzebub frowned, and Doppy laughed.

"You have me curious, since I don't have a darker double. Dark Lord is the same," Baphomet mused. "What can you tell, Loomin?"

"You may be right, Doppy," Loomin chuckled. "But, I think they are blocked from being summoned with the Bloody Branch. We'll have to ask Muninn about it."

"I can contact him now," Sammy said.

"Later on," Kiehl said. Sarine yawned and slumped back in Thanatos's embrace.

"I'll talk to him, then," Loomin said. "Let's get her to bed."

"Right," Howard nodded. Maya Purple came over to let her get set on his back. They slowly moved her into the house and up to the bedroom. Byorgue helped her get into a nightgown and into the bed.

"I'm so drained..." Sarine sighed.

"My Lady, I can wait until after you give birth," Byorgue smiled. "I don't want to exhaust you any further than you already are."

"Thank you, love," she said and ran a hand lightly over his cheek with affection. "You will have the first night with me after my pregnancy with Eremes."

"You know, Byorgue is immune to the element of Fire," Ifrit chuckled. "He was in my lair, after all. His main property is Neutral, but he is an exemption to the rule."

"You're right," Eremes nodded. "He may be one of the main slaves to help her."

"I could make myself immune to Fire with my flame rings," Nigel thought. "My natural property is Fire, too."

"We should be able to tolerate any element to help her," Errende frowned. "It would be needed. I would even say to have us be immune to that element for as long as she is."

"That's a very valid point," Loomin said. He moved to the balcony and called for Muninn. The falcon landed and was told the situation. Muninn reverted to his human form and thought about everything at length.

" _Your concern speaks true. It would be needed for all of her slaves and protectors to be able to withstand heat, to an extent. Howard and Kiehl could easily be immune to an extent from Naght's blood. This would be important. Kiehl should get the element of Fire added to the next diamond he gains. This will create a barrier around those that need to get close to her. It's almost like what Eremes and Ifrit could do to others to keep them immune to heat. It's the only thing that I can suggest. To simply make one permanently immune to Fire will not work. It will upset another Balance. But, if the instinctive skills are applied to make an immunity shield to others that need to be with her, this will work, since it's temporary. Just remember! Anyone that leaves this shielding will be susceptible to Fire that do not have natural immunities,_ " Muninn warned.

"Makes sense," Sammy nodded. "Oh, did you see and hear what we talked about with the Bloody Branches? We may as well ask while you are here."

" _Yes, I did witness the whole thing,_ " he nodded. " _You are right about Thanatos and the others being barred from Bloody Branches. However, there is a loop hole._ "

"Oh?" Beelzebub asked.

" _If a branch is used while you are all in your respective lairs, you can be called. Since this can happen at any time, do be cautious! Of course, if you are called, all rules about where you need to go with Sarine will be broken,_ " Muninn grinned.

"Let me get this straight," Thanatos grinned wickedly now. "If I'm in my tower and called with a Bloody Branch, defeat the opposing party, and survived, I wouldn't need Sarine to travel anywhere? I can simply...wander around?"

" _In a sense, you can,_ " Muninn nodded. " _But only so far. You would still need Sarine to be your tie, but I'm sure you would try to come back to the island. You would be able to travel a farther distance away from Sarine, though. To a certain extent. Maybe, to the edge of town, if you're in a town that isn't claimed yet. Or to the edge of a certain territory of land. You wouldn't have to be 'glued' to Sarine's side at all times._ "

"That could be beneficial," Beelzebub mused. "We could scout the area in full and ensure her safety. Of course, our minions would be tied to us, but we would be free to move around. The others will need to know this information."

" _That they will!_ " Muninn smiled.

"But, Muninn, how would they come to the island, if they are summoned?" Sarine frowned. "If I'm in a state like this, and they can't be reached, how can they be brought back?"

" _That is where Keltin comes in. In his human form, he can retrieve the ones that were called away. As long as he does not revert to his Bongun self, it will be fine. You will be incapacitated, and he would be the new link for them. He can go and bring them back. He can even have his own small support group to ensure that he will come to no harm._ "

"Now,  _that_  I needed to know!" Keltin chuckled.

"That is very good to know," Thanatos nodded. When Sarine reached for Muninn, he moved to her to hug her tight. He whispered softly to her, and she blushed.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you something important," Loomin said.

" _Yes?_ "

"It's about the Priests of Rachel," he said. Now Muninn gave his full attention and thought about the dreams that Loomin was describing.

" _It's very possible that Father Odin could do something! Especially if it is about Freya. I will speak with him about this, but nothing may be done until she is ready for future travel._ "

"Right," Loomin nodded. Muninn returned his attention to Sarine and pulled her into a loving kiss of affection. He blinked up at a sudden future vision and grimaced. He froze time, and she blinked at him when the others weren't moving.

"Muninn?" she frowned.

" _Sarine, there's something I need to tell you,_ " he sighed. " _I'm sure that Howard and Kiehl will find out with Naght, but you will need to reveal this to them. Kiehl is going to win all of your Demonic Matings from this point forward. Yes, the diamonds are needed, but there is another reason. As your Soul, he will need to increase in power as quickly as possible. Also, if he shares his blood with Howard again, he can pass this power onto him, too. It will be needed._

" _As your Armor, Howard will need to constantly increase his defense for you. Anything that Kiehl gains needs to be shared with Howard. The two of them are your True Mates. They need to be on an equal level at all times. Kiehl cannot outweigh his power over Howard. It needs to be done secretly. Naght is already a powerful demon, and, yes, his power will grow with Howard. It would also give Doppy a bit of a leg up, too, now that I think about it. It would be needed. I would have Kiehl, Howard, and Naght come into this time freeze, but the others will notice that they will have moved. They won't notice with you._ "

"I see. Okay," she nodded. "Um...Muninn..."

" _Yes?_ " he smiled.

"Why do I still crave to see Howard and Kiehl? Why do I...need How-How's blood? I just...I don't understand..." she sighed.

" _It's like Hyegun said,_ " Muninn said carefully to stick to the truth. " _The growing children need it. Don't fight it. Things need to happen for a reason, right?_ "

"True. And, they are my True Mates," she smiled.

" _Exactly,_ " he chuckled and kissed her deeply, as he brought back time. Kiehl and Howard blinked together at what she mentally told them, and Naght gave a small shiver at her want to know of the blood bond. Then he paused at the strength boosts and looked at Doppy. He wanted to tell him, but Beelzebub would overhear. Kiehl thought and did the only thing he could do. He gestured to Doppy to come over to his sketch area, and he quickly wrote out the information before destroying it. Doppy mused at this and seemed to nod.  _Nothing would be spoken aloud right now. Not until it was safe to do so._

"I missed you," Sarine smiled, and Muninn nuzzled her gently.

" _I know. We'll have time together soon._ "

"When?" she smiled again.

" _Likely the night after Byorgue and the slaves,_ " he winked.

"I think I claimed that night," Doppy grinned. "If not me, I know someone else did."

" _Reschedule it!_ " Muninn grinned back. Bits of laughter were heard all around, and Sarine sighed softly. " _Seriously. I need that night to bond with the growing fetus. Huginn will be out shortly before me, but, since he's within Sarine, he can bond with his growing body that way. What he can only do mentally, I can only do physically. We are polar opposites and do things differently most of the time. Most of her children become aware in the womb after the second day. I need to bond with my physical body before the mind becomes aware._ "

"Ahh. All right. The second night of her pregnancy is yours," Doppy nodded.

"Muninn, there's something that Sarine hasn't done to you yet," Howard said.

" _Eh...like what?_ " he asked.

"It deals with a cookie," Kiehl snickered.

" _I have to go!_ " Muninn cringed.

"Oh, no," Sarine grinned wickedly now, and Muninn swallowed. Now the other men winced with lust and pity for him. She worked up enough strength to force Muninn into a state of intense desire. She nibbled him and tormented him until he couldn't stand it before letting him claim her forcefully. He released hard inside her to a point that he was trembling. When he finally moved away from her, he kissed her passionately and found himself laughing.

" _I have a feeling that I'm not going to want to leave your side after my night with you,_ " he sighed. " _Byorgue, take my place!_ "

"Huh?" Byorgue blinked. Muninn moved quickly to push Byorgue into Sarine's arms to help escape her. The slave seemed to smirk at Muninn and said, "You can't take it, eh?"

" _It's not that,_ " he smirked back. " _You forget exactly who I am. Right now, she's not strong enough to handle me. I honestly don't want to leave her side, but I must. The lot of you may have to convince me to give her back to you in the morning after my night with her. I can tell you all that right now. It may not happen, but there is a high chance._ "

"I see," Kiehl frowned. "Well, when it gets to that point, we'll do what we can."

" _I'm sure you will!_ " Muninn agreed. " _I'll scout the island now. See you all in the morning! Oh, Byorgue! Don't do too much to her. You can give her what you want on your true night. She's actually fairly exhausted right now._ "

"Got it!" Byorgue nodded. Muninn gasped, lunged forward, grabbed Thanatos's hands, and placed them on her belly. He did the same to Errende, and now Howard looked at Muninn with alarm. Sarine let out a ragged sigh of relief, and Hyegun was gaping with shock.

"What was that all about?!" Doppy hissed.

" _She almost had a growth spurt that would have sent her into labor!_ " Muninn winced.

"Oh, my..." Errende gasped, and Hyegun could only nod to confirm it.

"What did the kids say?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"They wanted to meet Muninn," Hyegun cringed. "They are now demanding that Muninn be present for her birth, since he stopped them. They really want to meet you."

" _Really?!_ " he blinked. " _Okay. I'll be there. I promise this._ "

"They're sleeping now," Hyegun said. "Byorgue, she can't risk anything right now."

"I figured that," the slave nodded.

"I'm guessing this next week is spent here, right?" Nigel smiled.

"It will have to be," Sammy said. "Her children will need to be brought to her. We cannot risk her moving about too much until she is ready to give birth."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"Kiehl?" Sarine asked weakly. He moved to her side, and she pulled him to her gently to press into. Howard looked at him and nodded.  _She needed the comfort of her powerful First Mate._  Thanatos nodded to Errende, and they prepared to settle down for the night. Errende would sleep close by, and Keltin was in a smaller bed. Sammy moved to a floor cushion to meditate and watch her dreams. Howard moved to the drawing table to mentally work on things with Kiehl. Doppy settled by the door in a chair to meditate, and Eremes leaned into a corner. Ifrit settled in the fireplace and flared out his heat to keep the room warm. Muninn decided to stay in the bedroom to ensure that everything would be well. He had a feeling that something was going to wrong if he left. He was right.

"Guys..." Drago grounded out.

"What is it?" Beelzebub frowned.

"A storm is coming in fast!" he growled.

"What?!" Kiehl blinked. Sarine gasped, and Kiehl rocked her with Thanatos.

" _Let me check it out!_ " Muninn said quickly, shifted to his falcon form and flew out the balcony window. When he came back, he warbled with worry, and Hibram moved to check the weather. At Hibram's sharp mutter, Maya Purple moved onto his bug body to skitter over to the bed. At his nod, Sarine was moved onto his back carefully. At the knock on the door, Doppy opened it to find Seyren.

"There's a storm coming! Oh! You know?" the Lord Knight asked.

"Drago spotted it. Muninn confirmed it. Sarine is being moved now," Doppy said.

"The children?" Sarine frowned.

"If they wake up, we'll move them," Keltin said. She could only nod at this and let Kiehl pull her against him. The moment they got under the house, a loud booming sound rocked the house, and both Thanatos and Errende were careful to keep their hands on her belly. She was being rocked by Kiehl, as she was moved into the safety of the underground room. Once here, Osiris had come down with Serenity and Angela. They were spooked awake from the loud thunder and were crying for their mother.

"Mama!" Serenity whimpered.

"Mommy!" Angela trembled. Sarine hugged them both to her and sighed with complete exhaustion. The other kids were brought down now, and she was smothered with children. Once they were comforted, Sarine leaned back against Thanatos, and Kiehl pressed himself against her. Howard and Sammy made sure to be in her line of sight at all times.

"That storm showed up out of nowhere," Drago frowned.

"Tell me about it!" Keltin scowled, as he held his whimpering twins.

"How long will it last?" Aliot asked, as he cradled his frightened twins.

"I can find out," Drago said. He looked at Sarine, and she gave him a glowing look of affection. He smiled and said, "I would like to have a night with her after Muninn. I don't usually ask such things of her."

"None of us do," Nigel said.

"Well, my night with her was to be for us slaves," Byorgue chuckled.

"Would you let us?" Observation asked.

"I can't satisfy her by myself!" Byorgue smirked.

"True," Injustice grinned.

"Please..." Sarine sighed. "I'm just...so tired..."

"My Lady?" Errende frowned. She kissed him gently before letting Kiehl pull her back to him to lean on. Donnie and Egnigem came into the underground chamber next and waved slightly to everyone. Drago was told by Beelzebub that the storm was still in full effect. His Hell Flies had latched onto various trees to keep watch for them.

"We need to let her and the kids sleep," Loomin said in a quiet tone, as he held Siegfried. The boy was in a deep sleep already, and the other kids were finally in the same state. At the sound of noisy armor, Byorgue was out of the room and hissing at Cedrick to keep it down.

"My Lady is trying to sleep down here, the children are already asleep, and I highly doubt you want to put those kids to sleep yourself!" Byorgue snarled.

"My apologies," Cedrick said. "The others from the smaller house are on their way here from the storm. I was told where to go."

"Fine. Just keep it down!" Byorgue warned. Ifrit had already warmed the place considerably and glared lightly at Cedrick.

"Just grab a cushion and hunker down," Garrett said softly. "Keep your voice low."

"I understand," Cedrick nodded. Sarine pressed her face into Kiehl's neck to inhale his scent, and he gave a hard glare at the prince.

"His scent is confined in here, isn't it?" Howard winced. "All right. Move over, Errende. I need to help her stay calm."

"Right," Errende nodded and let Howard settle on the other side of Sarine. "Lord Thanatos, I'm going to end up falling asleep soon."

"I got it," Thanatos said.

"If the kids wake up, we'll tell you," Hyegun said. "I don't need sleep."

"Why is everyone down here?" Cedrick frowned, as he watched Armeyer, Timmy, Laurell, Lilah, and Kavach walk in to settle along the walls. Maheo came in next and nodded to everyone with a bit of concern from the storm. Wickebine, Ollie, and Thomas were next to settle in. Bruce, Victor, and Eliot were the last ones to find places away from Sarine at Doppy's gesture. He didn't want to risk their scents upsetting her.

"If you must know," Sammy said. "you remember the vision of her room, right?"

"I do," Cedrick nodded.

"The walls were too thin to support a storm. At every thundering crash, the room would shake and threaten to fall apart on her," Seyren said sadly. "She always insisted to sleep in caves when we traveled. She always got the most intense nightmares during a storm."

"You can hardly hear a thing down here!" Ollie said with amazement.

"Exactly," Loomin nodded.

"Storm Caller had Tao Gunka thicken the walls and soundproof everything," Sammy said. "Kiehl? Is she sleeping?"

"Yes," Kiehl said, as he supported Sarine's weight. Sammy relaxed and settled into meditation. Cedrick frowned with a question at this, and Doppy looked at him.

"She has enemies that invade her dreams," Doppy said, as he supported his sleeping son and daughter. "Sammy can see her dreams and ensure her safety."

"Who would want to do that?!" Cedrick asked. Byorgue growled at him to lower his voice, and it was done quickly.

"My Father and Huginn," Loomin said, as he yawned. "Get some rest. The next few days are going to be hard on her and us."

"Oh," Cedrick thought, and he nodded. Injustice helped Loomin get comfortable with Siegfried, and he was soon sleeping. Naght was holding Serenity, as she slept. Aliot was holding Albert, and Observation was holding Alexis. Keltin was in his Bongun form to keep from sleeping, as he held Trina, and Hyegun was now holding Bernard. Drago would be holding a child, but he couldn't for very long from his mutant arm. Injustice found himself holding a sleeping Angela. Eremes focused on his monster side to stay awake, since he was holding Edward.

Maya Purple was clinging to the wall to monitor vibrations, and to ensure the walls were safely secure. He knew they were, but it was a precaution for weaknesses in the stone. Hibram and Ragged Zombie started to try and outdo each other with lewd jokes, and Beelzebub continued to listen to the reports of his Hell Flies. The rest of the night passed, as the storm raged on well into the morning.


	138. Chapter 138

The next five days were nearly the same. A storm raged on each night forcing everyone down into the basement's safety. She would wake in the morning, take blood from Howard and Naght, eat breakfast, and nurse her youngest four. She had also gained an incredible appetite for reading books, and the children within her were calmed that much more by having books read to them. Cedrick was constantly kept at bay as much as possible, and, on the sixth day, he was denied the ability to see Sarine.

"Why?!" Cedrick frowned.

"She's going into labor today!" Doppy snarled. "You need to stay out of our way!"

"Already?" he blinked. She had grown slowly, thanks to Thanatos and Errende. Kiehl, Howard, and Sammy were constantly at her side. The more the developing children grew, the more she demanded to see them. The moment the children in her were alert, they demanded games to be played with them. Right now they were in a deep sleep. They couldn't be allowed to wake until Sarine got to the underground grove.

Sarine was fed breakfast and helped about to nurse the youngest four. Serenity was excited that her mother would be giving birth soon.

"I get to see Keel's babies!" she said with joy.

"I know!" Kiehl laughed and kissed her forehead. "Just remember! Your mom will be very weak for a good month, and the babies will need to grow before you can play with them."

"I know," she nodded. "And then Daddy Eremes will give me brothers and sisters! Oh, Keel, um, I thought of a name for my new sister from you."

"Oh? What is it?" he chuckled.

"Juliana!" she grinned. He paused at first and found himself grinning.

"I like it!" Kiehl laughed and picked her up to hug. "I really like that name!"

"Yay!" she giggled.

"Do you have one for your brother?" he asked.

"Um..." she thought. "Deagan!"

"Deagan?" Kiehl thought. "I like that one, too!"

"You do?!" Serenity giggled, and she got tickled as her answer.

"Any ideas for my kids?" Sammy asked.

"I dunno," she frowned.

"I have one!" Angela blushed. "Ah...Lena for our sister?"

"Lena?" Sammy mused. "Not bad, but maybe something a bit more of an old style?"

"Like what, Dad?" Edward asked. Sammy thought and reverted to his child form to remember better. Bianca laughed and was always happy to see him as a child.

"Let me think," Sammy said. "I want to remember my original name before I became Incantation Samurai. I can give that name to my son."

"Really?" Sarine chuckled.

"I remember it!" Sammy said with excitement. "Loo Shin was my original name!"

"Loo Shin?" Howard grinned.

"Sounds like lotion," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"Shut up!" Sammy scowled, and they all laughed. "I always got teased with that!"

"Oh. My bad!" the zombie said with pure sympathy.

"It's fine. But, yes. Loo Shin was my name long ago. Um...oh...I had a sister. An older sister. She got killed, though," Sammy frowned. Sarine reached for him after Keltin's twins finished nursing, and he moved to get held by her and comforted. Bianca frowned at this, and Angela was frowning, too.

"No Grampa or Gramma?" Serenity asked.

"No. They got killed a long time ago, too," Sammy sighed. "I saw them die."

"Oh!" Angela gasped.

"It's been a good two hundred years, so don't worry," he smiled. "Okay, my sister's name was Ming. So, my daughter's name will be Ming."

"Okay," Sarine smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Does your ancestor have a name? I know you said he forgot it, but maybe he can remember?" Doppy asked. Sammy thought and reverted adult for this. Pulling Sarine into his embrace carefully, his ancestral ghost came out, and he thought.

"It was so long ago that I honestly cannot remember," Sammy frowned.

"Oh! Get Daddy Snake Lord! Maybe he knows?" Edward asked. "He tells us old stories with his pictures all the time. Maybe he knows one for you?"

"He might!" Sammy chuckled. Byorgue moved swiftly to find the snake monster and came back with him. Evil Snake Lord was told of the ancient Samurai's past, and now he thought. Spilling his ink onto the ground, his brush worked frantically to try and create any images. As Evil Snake Lord studied what appeared, Sarine was helped to sit up to nurse Aliot's twins. The images that appeared were violent and full of war. He moved quickly to keep the children from seeing them, and he absorbed the pictures back into his ink.

"I must study the images where the children cannot see them. You were truly a violent and bloodthirsty Warlord!" Evil Snake Lord mused at Sammy. This had Doppy grinning.

"I know," Sammy sighed. "I had the time to reflect on a lot. Don't think I haven't been thinking on it! Sarine is my true path to redemption."

"That she is," Evil Snake Lord chuckled and moved out of the room. Keltin tickled his daughter lightly to hear her giggle, and she patted his cheek.

"Dad!" Trina smiled.

"Yes?" he grinned.

"Um...Ma...babies?" she asked.

"Yes. Very soon," he nodded. "You'll have to stay here when she has them. They'll be brought here for everyone to see, though. You may even be taken over to her to see them, if it's allowed. Are you eating good food now?"

"Yah! It...um...yummy!" she giggled, and Keltin was incredibly happy at how smart his daughter was. Her brother was the exact same, and, in the month ahead, they would grow even further to be nearly up to par with the other kids.

"They should be weaned soon," Bacsojin smiled. "The school is to be built, as well."

"That would be wonderful!" Sarine smiled.

"When is the birth going to happen?" she asked.

"Hopefully, within the next two hours," Sammy said. "It could be sooner."

"I shall start preparing the grove. Underneath it again in the cave?" Bacsojin asked.

"Yes. Always in that cave. It's easier to protect her," Thanatos said.

"Very true! Okay, I'll start preparing the area," she said. "Can I get some assistance?"

"Allow me!" Nigel nodded.

"I'll help, too," Injustice said.

"My Lady? What will you have me do?" Aliot asked.

"Ah...maybe start ensuring that I'll have a clear path with Maya Purple?" Sarine asked. He nodded, and Byorgue was quick to help him. Drago and Observation started to prepare the path from the outside, and, the moment Aliot's twins were nursed, they were taken by Doll and Pharaoh. Beelzebub moved to help fix her top and helped ease her onto Maya Purple's back. Errende and Thanatos had to ride with her. Hyegun ensured the children were still sleeping.

"Ready to be a father?" Howard grinned at Kiehl.

"Been ready," Kiehl grinned back. Sammy chuckled softly. He was waiting for this moment for centuries. They started to move slowly down the stairs to the main room when Timmy approached them.

"Howie! What's going on?" Timmy asked.

"Sarine is almost ready to give birth! Get out of the way!" Howard growled.

"Oh! Well...um...Dad wants to see you again. He's made a lot of changes in his life, and he thinks he's ready for you," he said quickly.

"It will have to wait a good month. I won't leave Sarine's side while she's weak. It will give him more time to prepare," Howard said. Timmy nodded and watched Maya Purple skitter out slowly with his precious cargo on his back. Timmy blinked at the size of Sarine's belly and looked away at Kiehl's glare. He was incredibly protective right now.

"Cedrick, stay back!" Garrett warned. "I don't want to tell our King how you were killed for interfering with the Vessel of Odin's birthing! Stay with me!"

"Of course," Cedrick said. As Sarine was led outside, Beelzebub hissed and forced the small group of humans in front of them back.

"Shoujin! Now is not a good time!" Sammy said. He recognized the Prince of Louyang the moment he appeared. "You need to keep your distance!"

"Oh?" Shoujin asked.

"Sarine is about to go into labor! If you need to speak with her, it will have to be much later. Go in the house and wait!" Loomin warned.

"I have items for the children to help with. I won't see them until I know that Sarine is fine. I will wait," Shoujin nodded and moved into the house with his guards.

"What impeccable timing," Sammy frowned.

"As long as they stay out of our way!" Doppy growled. They managed to reach the grove, and Maya Purple moved slowly down the steps. Naght was now at the entrance to the tunnel, and Pori-Pori was with him. It was the same setup they did before. Bacsojin was waiting with fresh blankets, buckets of hot water and mild soaps.

"Lay her here," Bacsojin said, as she pointed to the fresh furs and blankets on the ground near the therapeutic mint and tea leaf bushes. Thanatos positioned Sarine to rest against Kiehl and Howard. Sammy moved to sit in front of Sarine. She was carefully undressed, and a light gown was placed over her. Hyegun moved to let them know when the children within started to shift around, and Doppy was now laying back on the ground with his hand in hers.

"Never gets old," Doppy sighed.

"I know," she frowned. He sat up to kiss her gently before settling back on the soft furs. Eremes and Ifrit were guarding the entrance up to the grove from within the cavern. Hibram and Ragged Zombie were ready to push back any that tried to get in, and so was Keltin. Thanatos and Errende nodded to each other, and they moved away from Sarine to stand aside. Beelzebub watched his wife and mate carefully, as he listened to the conversations in the house.

"Hmm..." Beelzebub frowned.

"What?" Hibram asked.

"Elric is in there now," the Demon Lord muttered.

"He'd better not try anything..." Eremes scowled.

"Pharaoh, Turtle General, and Gloom Under Night are ensuring that," he grinned. "Baphomet is also there to help keep things neutral."

"Good," Eremes nodded. Hyegun made a small sound, and that redirected everyone back to Sarine. Bacsojin moved to check on her with Sammy, and Sarine took a deep breath.

"They just woke up," Hyegun said. "They...know it's time. It's just a matter of when."

"Okay," Sarine nodded.

"At least we have a bit of a warning," Thanatos grinned.

"Tell me about it!" Doppy sighed. A painful ten minutes passed by noiselessly, save for the shuffling and waiting of awkward new fathers. Then her scream and Doppy's roar of pain filled the cavern, as her waters finally broke.

"Here we go!" Sammy muttered, and Bacsojin moved to help guide her breathing. Another contraction hit, and Sarine cried out with Doppy's shout.

"Another push!" Bacsojin urged, and Sarine forced herself to push. Sammy held up a child with stark, straight black hair and deep, green-brown eyes. Sammy now realized he was holding his son, and he spanked him sharply to get him crying. The child was taken by Byorgue to be cleaned after the cord was cut. Sarine was told that Loo Shin was born, and she smiled softly. Then the next set of contractions hit, and she cried out while Doppy groaned. A hard push was given, and a silver-haired girl with Sarine's eyes was born.

"Your daughter!" Howard grinned at Kiehl. As she got spanked, Kiehl was just watching with a form of fatherly shock.  _She was absolutely beautiful._  Aliot took her to help clean her, and he was amazed at how much she looked like his own daughter. Alexis had white hair, and Juliana had silver hair, but the curls were the same and so were the eyes. Facial features would likely be different, as well as body structure, to further tell them apart.

"Two down, two to go," Sammy smiled. "Let me see my son while she's resting."

"No! Don't stop!" Hyegun warned. Sammy looked at him, as Sarine screamed at another contraction. Doppy was now passed out cold. Bacsojin helped her with another guided push, and a silver-haired boy was delivered with Kiehl's intensely deep, blue eyes.

"There's your son," Howard smiled. Kiehl didn't know what to think now. Another sharp push gave Sammy his daughter. She had black hair with curls and Sarine's eyes. The afterbirths were delivered and destroyed shortly after. With the birthing finally over, Howard took her fully to let her lean into him so that Kiehl could hold his twins for the first time. Sammy was now holding and inspecting his twins, and he looked over at Kiehl's children. What he diagnosed made him smile.

"Your kids will need glasses," Sammy said. "They appear to be fine now, but, as they grow in the next two weeks, they'll need them."

"At least that's one trait my kids will get from me," Kiehl sighed. Muninn walked down the stairs and moved to see the children. Only after they were cleaned up and swathed in new blankets were they able to be properly presented to him.

" _I promised to be here, and I'm here,_ " Muninn smiled. The four new children looked at him silently before giving soft smiles.

"They're...really smart. Aren't they?" Kiehl blinked.

" _Exceptionally! Don't be alarmed, if they start talking a bit normally while nursing!_ " Muninn chuckled. " _Any child created by you and Howard will be very intelligent._ "

Doppy came around and chuckled at the sight of the four babies. Sammy was simply marveling at how much his son resembled him before his possession. Kiehl was still close to Sarine, and he helped her support his twins to get nursed. Howard helped as well, and Doppy leaned back against the wall of the cave in a sitting up position.

"Put her in my lap? I know those idiots are up there and just dying to come down here," Doppy muttered. She was carefully moved into his lap, and she knew that Kiehl would need to be comforted, too. Keltin moved over to Hyegun, and they whispered to each other. Beelzebub listened calmly and seemed to nod.  _The triplets in their stasis were fully asleep._ Apparently, they would only become active when Sarine was pregnant with others. It would help with her healing and keep things believable that certain things were needed for her pregnancies. When she finished nursing Kiehl's twins, he took them to burp them, and Sammy gave over his twins to get nursed. She crooned softly to them, and they smiled at her.

"The crowd is forming up there," Howard winced. Naght and Pori-Pori were easily keeping them back. Only after Sammy's twins were finished nursing, and Sarine was made presentable, did Naght allow a small group of friends down. Seyren, Karla, Garrett, and Cecil were in this group. They were overjoyed at the new arrivals, and Doppy kept his arms around Sarine protectively. Howard helped Kiehl with his twins, and Nigel helped Sammy with his. Once all of Sarine's companions and friends were given a chance to see them, her mates came down with the other children. Amon Ra was holding Aliot's twins in his lap, and Doll was holding Keltin's twins. They were taken up and introduced to the new children.

"Fourteen kids now," Sarine sighed. "I'm exhausted!"

"Why do you think we are all here to help pitch in?" Nigel winked.

"So, she gave birth?" Kavach asked, as he walked over from the stairs.

"She has..." Kiehl said, and he glared at the Sniper. As a new father, he had every right to be incredibly overprotective. Even Sammy gave a mild glare at the Sniper.

"Get over yourself!" Errende hissed. "You can't take what she gives you!"

"I've been trying to do various things! I need to know!" Kavach argued back.

"Please!" Sarine scowled, as Doppy squeezed her. "No arguing in front of my children! Especially in front of my newborns! Kavach, come here now! Let's get this over with."

The Sniper wasted no time and moved to her side. At the sharp bite she gave his neck, he reeled back and gaped with shock. He still felt no pleasure in her bite. Loomin frowned at this, and Errende muttered to him about what Kavach can't feel. Now Loomin was amused and decided to make this a personal challenge.

"Hmm," Loomin thought, as he studied Kavach. "Wait until she's able to travel, and come to me around that time. I may be able to find out why you can't feel pleasure with pain. It's a long shot, but at least it gives us until then."

"Fine," Kavach nodded. "If you can help me...well...it's appreciated."

"Nothing is set in stone. I won't help you be with my wife, but I can try to help you figure out why you can't feel any pleasure from her. All right?" Loomin warned. Kavach nodded and left the cave. Errende grumbled, but Sarine managed to caress him with a loving smile. That quickly calmed him. When they all started to settle down, and the kids were calmed enough to sit contently still, Cedrick, Shoujin, and Elric walked into the cavern. Ifrit hissed and moved in front of them to keep them back.

"Ifrit, dear, their scents don't make me ill anymore. At least at this time," Sarine said, as she remembered that she was able to bite Kavach a moment before they came down. Much of her royal persona was a permanent thing now. "They can approach, if they remain respectful to me. Only if they try to harm me, you can do what you must."

"Sarine?" Ifrit frowned. He moved over to her, and he let her caress his cheek with a soft smile. A fiery kiss was planted on her mouth, but he kept himself back. He had a month-long wait before she would be ready for him.

"Now, what do you three want?" she asked calmly.

" _Don't forget that I'm watching you all!_ " Muninn warned from where he stood. Serenity giggled and moved over to him to get picked up and held.

"Uncle Muninn, why do they bother Mama after she had babies?" Serenity frowned. "Doesn't that hurt Mama?"

" _It can, if they aren't careful,_ " Muninn said.

"And I will ensure that they will do no harm!" Odin said after the crushing weight lifted around them. Sarine seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of her father, and now the three men shifted nervously. Beelzebub moved to whisper and mutter in Odin's ear. Now that Odin was informed on what was being discussed in the house, he turned and scowled, "Elric Helston! Step forward right now!"

"Yes, Sir?" he asked, as he did as he was told.

"Wait one month! That is all you need to know!" Odin said. Elric nodded lightly, as Odin continued, "Remember! She cannot become pregnant with you! The three of you are not strong enough for her! If you have my daughter, my Vessel, abort any child, I will personally see the one responsible skinned alive and hanging from my halls in Valhalla!"

Shoujin swallowed, and Cedrick cleared his throat. Elric pursed his lips together now.

" _Father Odin, rest assure that these three cannot even attempt to come to par with who they will be fighting against, should they attempt anything. They will fail at each try,_ " Muninn smirked. " _Also, they are simply not strong enough._ "

"We shall see," Cedrick muttered.

"So stubborn!" Odin frowned. Then he looked down at a small tug on his aged, fur-lined cloak, and he smiled greatly when he picked up Angela.

"Grampa Odin," she said. "um...I have a question for you."

"Go ahead and ask," he said gently.

"Why do so many want to be with Mommy when she's weak?" Angela frowned. "Mommy needs to rest now! Can't they leave her alone?"

"Why can't they leave my daughter alone, indeed?" Markus asked with a stern look, as he now moved to stand by Odin. Storm Caller had brought him over when the Hell Fly reported the children were born. The children swarmed over to their grandfather, and he gave all of them hugs before looking at the three men again.

"I really need to eat," Sarine sighed. Errende, Nigel, Byorgue, and Injustice moved quickly to set up various dishes for her over a low table.

"Now, while my daughter, my Vessel, regains her strength, I need you three to tell me why you're all here," Odin said carefully. "And, Angela, they feel that they need to see her to not only ensure that she gave birth, but that they can be tolerated around her, too. It's something that they simply cannot understand. They won't leave her alone, because each of them feels that she is the 'perfect wife' so to speak. My daughter, my Vessel, is far from perfect. But, this is what they feel, and they need to act on what they see."

"Oh," Angela frowned.

"Seyren Windsor! Where is he? I need to speak with him," Odin said. Byorgue bowed, ran off, and brought him in.

"Odin? Ah...is there something wrong?" Seyren asked.

"Oh, no! On the contrary! I just need a witness down here to help with these three. A neutral party is always best," Odin said.

"May I suggest we get Garrett and Max, too?" Seyren asked.

"Hmm. Very well!" Odin nodded. Byorgue was about to get them, but Beelzebub's Hell Fly already contacted them. When they walked in to stand with Seyren, Odin looked at Elric.

"I just wanted to know when her next Demonic Mating was. Now that I know, my business here is done," Elric said.

"I would strongly suggest that you watch the first one," Odin said carefully. "Only because you need to see exactly how fiercely outmatched you will be."

"Done," Elric nodded. He would be a fool to ignore such advice.

"If you stay in Morroc, a Hell Fly will contact you," Beelzebub said. "Normally, we do not advise when a Demonic Mating will happen. However, since Odin wants you to watch, it will be done this once."

"Very well," Elric said.

"I only brought weapons to be transformed by the children," Shoujin said. "I did not know that Sarine was giving birth today."

"You speak the truth," Odin nodded. Loomin also gave a slight nod at this.

"I just wanted to be close to her," Cedrick frowned. "I feel that I need to ensure her safety at all times. I also wanted to see if she could tolerate me now."

"She can tolerate you, but she has no need for your concern of safety," Odin said. Angela was frowning in her grandfather's arms, and Odin continued, "If you want her to kiss you, then now would be the time. However, if you do not fit with my daughter, my Vessel, then you need to abandon your quest to be with her. Understood?"

"And if they fit, but don't fit?" Elric asked.

"Then they will try and fail to fight for a place with her," Odin stated. The two princes nodded, and Sarine frowned. She clearly didn't want to kiss them.

"We'll let you wash out your mouth when you're done," Kiehl muttered to her.

"Okay," she nodded and looked at the princes. "I am too weak to stand right now."

"I understand," Shoujin said, and he moved to kneel next to her. Doppy snarled, but Sarine calmed him with a hand in his hair. Kiehl focused on his daughter, and she reached up to grab his glasses. He growled playfully, and his daughter let out a short laugh. That had everyone look at her with complete adoration.

"I'll make you a set of glasses later tonight, okay?" Kiehl smiled, and she reached up to put her palm on his nose. "Hey!"

At her laugh again, Howard was grinning, as he winced at a tug to his hair from Deagan. At this, Howard said, "They need toys, don't they?"

"Yes, they do," Sammy chuckled and winced at a few tugs to his ears and nose. "Behave yourself, Ming. If you're good, I'll make sure a nice toy is made for you."

That made her blink, and she clapped her hands. Loo Shin whimpered, and Sammy made the same promise to him. Now Kiehl's twins looked at their father with expectation.

"Like he said," Kiehl grinned, and the twins gave small smiles.

"Way too smart," Howard laughed. Sarine smiled in a pure, motherly fashion before looking Shoujin. She blinked slowly at him before letting him kiss her. As he drew away, she frowned. Howard and Kiehl seemed to smirk.

"You fit, but don't fit," Howard said. "Looks like you'll have to figure out what you want to do. You should watch a Demonic Mating before deciding to join it. It would be the only way, you see. Otherwise, it may be too much for you."

"That may be so," Shoujin nodded. He actually liked kissing Sarine. As much as it felt natural, there was a slight bit of it that felt that it didn't work. Cedrick moved over to Sarine now, and she accepted the kiss from him. It was the same thing that he felt with Shoujin.

"My daughter, will you be all right?" Markus asked.

"I'll be fine, Papa," she smiled. He nodded and helped tend to the other children now.

"My Lady, use this," Errende said, as he handed her a red potion to rinse her mouth with. She did so with a bit of relief and took up Juliana when the girl reached for her. She cradled her daughter, and the little girl fell asleep.

"She's as tired as I am," Sarine smiled. "Shall we try and go to the nursery?"

"Let's do that," Sammy nodded. Doppy squeezed her before letting her get assisted by her slaves. Odin blessed each new child and gave Angela to Errende. He glared at the three men in warning before vanishing away. Muninn remained by his sister's side until she was in the safety of the nursery. When he knew she was safe, he relaxed his guard, but didn't leave. Once she was settled in the rocking chair, Evil Snake Lord approached her with excitement. He glanced mildly at the three men that followed her, and he flicked his tongue.

"The children are beautiful!" Evil Snake Lord beamed. "Incantation Samurai, I found your ancestor's name! Do you want to hear it?"

"Definitely!" Sammy chuckled. Now that Sarine didn't need to see him, he could walk around freely. Sarine was curious, and the other children were distracted by playing with the cute monsters in the nursery.

"Your ancestral name was Gin Foo Lang," Evil Snake Lord said. "Apparently, you clearly are the last of your line. Your lineage was hunted down at first to keep any descendants from taking up the leadership that was stolen from you. However, in time, it reverted to superstition from the scroll that has you bound. It was believed that your family was cursed."

"Ah!" Shoujin gasped. "That was you?! I was told that all of the Lang dynasty family members were killed off long ago! Hunted down and slaughtered to the point of complete extinction! I know that everything is clearly forgotten by now..."

"No one will touch my children!" Sarine snarled out viciously to a point that her rage was radiated outwards. All of her children tasted Sammy's blood and were a part of him. Markus gave a small glare at the three men to show that he wouldn't allow anyone to harm his grandchildren, either.  _If they were threatened, the nursery would be filled with guards._

" _And no one will!_ " Muninn vowed. Kiehl took his daughter from Sarine, set her in a crib, and moved to carefully whisper softly to Sarine. Looking at her powerful First Mate, his vow that nothing would harm them was given. She was as deadly as any mate, slave, or husband in the nursery when it came to her children. She would fight to the death to protect them, if she had to, and they all knew it. No matter how weak she was, she would force herself to fight.

"You three need to leave! Now!" Howard growled at them. "She's completely livid! She may be weak, but she won't hesitate to attack you right now!"

Naght gave a warning hiss, and Ifrit echoed it with a flare of his heat. All of her men watched the other three leave, and Sarine calmed herself down with a forceful shiver. Errende gave her a bar of chocolate, and she actually declined it.

"You don't want it?" Keltin asked with surprise.

"No. I don't," she muttered. She was in a completely protective mood for her newborn children. No one had ever seen her this way before, since she never felt that her children were outwardly threatened. Maya Purple realized that she was acting like a Queen guarding her brood.  _It was much like what Mother did constantly in the nest._

"Sarine," Maya Purple said calmly, and this made many blink at him before remembering that he was also her husband now. He climbed off of his bug body and approached her. She gave a small grimace at him and seemed to look away. Thinking now, he moved away from her to look over what food was in the nursery.

"What are you looking for?" Beelzebub asked.

"Royal Jelly. It's a special honeycomb that can be used for royalty figures. It's also very nutritious and tasty," he said. Nigel blinked and took some out. He naturally carried a bit on him from his Nine Tail form. Maya Purple nodded, as he took it, and he offered it to Sarine. She accepted this, and, as she ate it, her mind was quickly soothed. Howard gave a nod of relief.

"Get her some in a tea," Kiehl whispered. "That will help her even more."

"We'll need a stockpile," Sammy said. Markus made plans to assist and moved out to start discussing various things with Storm Caller.

"My Mother can get some from the rogue Vitata ants in the new nest," Maya Purple said. "We can also harvest them from the rogue Nine Tails that Moonlight Flower can summon."

"We'll get to work on that later on," Byorgue nodded. Injustice brought over the tea, and Sarine greatly appreciated it. The tea calmed and soothed her that much more. She was still a bit irritated, and it would last throughout the rest of the day. Only when the day ended did she finally feel relaxed. Muninn refused to leave her side to ensure that she would not be bothered. At one point in the day, Muninn blinked and moved to Eremes's side. Very softly, a whisper was given, and Eremes blinked in thought before smiling. He would be more than ready when the time came for Sarine to be with him. Kiehl and Sammy were completely absorbed in their new children. It was going to be like this for the next two weeks.


	139. Chapter 139

As the last week of the month began, Eremes was anxious. Ifrit was making no plans to do anything until the final night. He knew she wasn't strong enough for him yet. Sarine had been exercising when she could to slim her body back down, and she was relieved when the new quadruplets didn't fully require her presence anymore. Feeling restless, as the sun set to end the day, she watched her children sleep. Kiehl pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I need to work down below. You'll be all right?" Kiehl asked.

"I will," she smiled. She didn't feel a real urge to see him, but Howard and Kiehl both remained with her in case she did. Hyegun hinted to them that the stasis was strong, but they still needed to be a bit close to her. Thanatos was just grateful that someone like Hyegun came along to help monitor the children he couldn't sense.

"If you need to see us, we'll know," Howard said. "We gave you quite a bit of blood today. Just give us a thought, and we'll come running!"

"I know, How-How," she chuckled. He hugged her tight and kissed her deeply before forcing himself away from her. She was satisfying them in various ways, but there was only so much that she could do. When they left, she felt that she missed them, but then she paused when Eremes came up behind her. At his approach, the thought of needing Howard and Kiehl vanished. There was something instinctive about this, and she was curious.

"There's something I want to show you," he smiled.

"Oh? Where?" she asked.

"It's...back in my old house. Can I show you?" he asked.

"Um...should anyone else come with us?" she frowned.

"It's personal," he said. This made her blink, and she knew that she would be in no danger. It was a powerful, instinctive feeling, and she nodded to him.

"Later tonight? When everyone is resting?" she asked.

"That would probably be now," he grinned. She blinked at this and found herself smiling. Normally, she would be in bed and the others would be resting around her. This was a bit different, and she wasn't sure why. Going with her gut instinct, she let him lead her through the Warp to the Morroc house.

"Where is it?" she smiled.

"Here," he whispered and kissed her desperately. The moment she responded with a harsh moan, he picked her up and carried her to his old bed. He noticed the mattress was replaced, but that was fine. He massaged her and undressed her, as he undressed himself. Then he claimed her with everything he had. Muninn was under strict orders from Odin to ensure that Eremes had as much time as he needed with her each night, and time was frozen for him. Eremes knew this, since Muninn told him what was to come. He had to ensure that there was enough of his essence within her to support what Loomin and Doppy had to do in the end.

"Will you cook for me?" she smiled, and she relaxed in his arms. At his loving gaze, he kissed her passionately before moving from her side to do just that for her. He did promise to cook something for her, and she always loved his cooking. He made a variety of different dishes for her to store away, and he brought over a hearty cooked roast to share with her. After it was eaten, he took her again. When they were sated in full, he took her back to the island home.

The next six nights were the exact same. He led her to his house, had her in his old bed, and shared a meal with her. There was no wandering around the island. There was no need to rush anything for fear of anyone waking up or looking for them. The moment they were fully sated of each other, she was brought back, and time was resumed. Eremes was able to be with her for as long as he wanted. On the seventh night, he didn't come to her side, and she was puzzled about that.

She had fallen asleep in her bed and woke up to stretch. She felt uneasy and had been dressed in a nightgown of deep blue. It had small sequins in it that seemed to wink as though she was wearing the night sky, itself. She moved out of the bedroom and through the house. The whole time she moved, Eremes was Cloaked and following her. He was planning on waking her, but this caught him by surprise. He was amazed at how beautiful she was. He followed her to the flower garden, and she was soon sitting by the water. Then he blinked with shock.  _She was ready for me. She was ready for Ifrit, too._

"Sarine?" Eremes asked, as he Uncloaked. She looked up at him with a smile and paused with complete surprise. The heat wave that was lost so long ago came over them with a furious vengeance. She gasped and trembled from it, as his eyes went wide at it. The flowers around them seemed to wilt, as sweat formed swiftly over their bodies. Lust filled her senses again, as the pleasuring and painful heat washed over her skin in searing waves. She started to gasp for air, and he was no better. The air scorched down her throat, and she shivered with excitement.

"Eremes!" she whimpered, and his eyes were still locked on hers. With unthinking movements, he removed his clothing, as she was forcing herself to remove her nightgown. Their clothes were clinging to them, and they were so full of sweat that one would have thought they fell into the pond nearby. Now he tried to move to her, and the heat seared them both to make them cry out with shock. He reached over to carefully caress her cheek, and she shivered from the fiery trail of sensations he left there. She gave a small cry from his very touch, and he tensed from the sounds she made for him.

She had no strength to fight him when he forced himself on her. They both screamed together when they joined. He pulled her into his lap, and that very movement was nearly their undoing. All he could do was cling to her, as she clung to him, and they were gasping for air. Every movement they did rocked them to the core. She cried out at every release he gave into with her. Finally, he locked his hands on her hips and thrust up sharply into her to cry out harshly with her in a heightened pitch.

He pulled her down onto his groin to lock her to him, as he gave her everything he could. As the intense heat finally started to die down to give them aftershocks of pleasure, Ifrit knew it was time. He went back to his lair and came forth through Eremes. When his pupils glowed, she tried to escape him, but she was completely locked onto him.

"Mine!" Ifrit snarled. Sarine cried out, as he gave her everything he had built up. He waited far too long for this moment. Eremes was given back to her when he was done, and he hugged her tight to him. Drago was chuckling from what he saw on the balcony.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked, as he blinked out of his meditation.

"Eremes had My Lady in the flower garden, it seems," Drago grinned.

"Shit!" Doppy snarled, got up and roused Loomin.

"What?" Loomin asked.

"We need to go! Now! Before we miss our chance!" Doppy hissed. Loomin blinked, realized what he was saying, and moved quickly with him outside. Eremes looked up at them and knew what they had to do.

"Quick! She's stunned!" Eremes said. Doppy and Loomin undressed swiftly, and Eremes moved away from her. He winced when he pulled away from Sarine to let the two of them position themselves. Loomin was surprised at how hot the area was and figured it was from her being with Eremes. He had heard of the heat wave they could make together, and this was the first time he actually experienced it.

"Ready?" Doppy asked, and he positioned Sarine.

"What?!" Sarine gasped out. Loomin nodded, and they both worked quickly to take her at once. After a month of waiting, it was easy to give in to their desires. A few seconds later, they withdrew quickly, and Eremes pulled her back into his arms.

"Still so damned awkward!" Loomin sighed. Eremes had Sarine in a heavy kiss of want and took no time in having her again. This time, the heat didn't disperse from her pregnancy. It hovered around them in a radius and was starting to cook the ground under them.

"They need that fireplace!" Doppy muttered. Sarine gasped and clung to Eremes suddenly, as her pregnancy with him happened instantly after it was done. Then she felt Doppy's son take place. The body of Huginn was now ready to grow, and Muninn's body formed quickly, too, as Loomin's son formed.

"Doppy, give her a little blood. She seems...ill..." Eremes frowned.

"That's right! Blood bond!" the demon blinked, and he pricked his finger on his sword to give her some blood. That calmed her quickly.

"I'm already pregnant with four kids?" she frowned.

"Yes. The prophecy took place. Now we have to see it happen," Loomin nodded.

"Where is How-How and Kiehl?" Sarine shivered. Hyegun felt the children in their stasis awaken with a fury, and he had already shoved the two of them towards the flower garden.

"Already?" Howard grinned, as he trotted over to them.

"Can I?" Kiehl asked with a smile.

"By all means," Eremes grinned. As they laid claim to her, Sarine's other loves came down to wait their turns. Once they were all sated, she was reclining in Eremes's arms again.

"Sarine, do you feel any cravings at all?" Loomin asked.

"Hmm," she thought and blinked. "Milk and cheese. I want that!"

"Your cravings for her kids, Loomin," Sammy chuckled. "Only one kid at this time, but that's the craving that she wants. Dairy products, it seems."

"Anything else?" Kiehl smiled. "Oh. Wow..."

"Are you serious?!" Howard gasped. "We won't be able to travel, if it's that bad!"

"What?" Doppy frowned. Naght found himself stunned. Sarine just cringed and trembled. Kiehl pulled her to him quickly, and she snuggled into him. With him near her, the nasty craving actually vanished away. Her slaves moved quickly to help her dress, and the others that needed to dress did so quickly. Howard noticed how much Sarine was clinging to Kiehl, and he gave out a small sigh.

"You won't be able to leave her side," Howard said.

"What is it?" Keltin frowned. "What did she need?"

"Loomin, your child gave her a rather nasty side effect," Kiehl sighed. "She...craves to see all of the ones that gave her children up to this point. Luckily, I counterbalance that. I'm sure that, when she has her Demonic Mating, any cravings she has will all be pushed aside. But, I'll need to be like Thanatos. Constantly holding her, that is."

"Hmm," Loomin frowned in thought. "You're right. And did any of you notice how...attractive Sarine is now? It's like her beauty increased by a tenfold! Almost as if it simply got enhanced. Her royal aura is even increased!"

"You made her even more beautiful?!" Ragged Zombie blinked.

"I did," Loomin sighed. "This is going to be one hell of a pregnancy."

"Especially with my partial kid in her," Doppy grinned. "She'll be craving to be dominant at night. Good luck, Byorgue!"

"Oh..." Byorgue paused, and everyone snickered. "But, I'm not doing that alone!"

"He's right. We are all in for it," Errende smiled. "I miss My Lady's dominance."

"It was why you were taken in," Thanatos chuckled.

"As long as I am not dominated," Beelzebub said. "I'll take a few things, but not much."

"Same..." Naght chuckled.

"I'm really hungry right now," Sarine said. "Almost like I'm starving!"

"That's from you, Eremes," Loomin said.

"And...I feel smothered. Um..." she thought.

"No! We can't let you wander around alone!" Howard said.

"Eremes, to counter this, you need to massage her," Loomin said. Eremes smiled and moved over to her to start working on her back. Any thought of being alone quickly melted away. Kiehl would need to start doing this while he was with her, too.

"My Lady," Nigel said, and he started setting spicy dishes in front of her. Milk and plates of cheese were next, as well as cubes of raw meat. Aliot remembered what needed to be done with the meat, and plenty was prepared beforehand. As Sarine finally started eating, Hyegun knew he wouldn't hear the other four children until they became aware.

"When she needs blood, we'll have Howard and Naght go after me," Doppy whispered softly. "It will help her with my craving."

"That's right! Okay. Do you think the need for blood will counter the rare meat? Even the raw meat? I know that blood tended to keep the rare meat craving down," Howard said.

"It should," Loomin nodded. She noticed that they were whispering things about her, and her mood took a sharp turn from pleasant to foul. Such a thing wouldn't take place until later in the day, but she was pregnant with Huginn's growing form. It was inevitable.

"I'm done eating!" Sarine said irritably, and she pushed away the cubed meat platter.

"My Lady," Errende warned. She growled at him, as her old mood swings came back from Doppy's pregnancy. "You are bearing one of Doppy's children, despite that one being made for Huginn. If you are not strong enough to feed yourself, you'll get sick. Do you want me to force-feed you? I will, you know!"

"And so will I," Nigel said.

"And me, too," Byorgue said, as he crossed his arms over his chest. Sarine scowled, and Kiehl instinctively snarled at her. She hissed, and they had an argument in Demonic. When she lost, he glared at her. He was also her slave and could easily talk to her in the same tone as the others. She also knew he had Bragging Rights and was much stronger than her. Frowning, she pulled the cubed, raw meat to her and started to eat again.

"This will be fun," Doppy smirked. Kiehl didn't say anything until Sarine had cleaned off all of the plates and drank the milk down last. Once it was finished, Kiehl pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

"Eremes, I suggest you practice on making us immune to Fire. I'm sure that, the moment she needs to feel warm, we will need to be kept safe," Sammy said. "We may have her blood to make us somewhat immune, but I know we'll need more protection."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded. Kiehl would need to get the Fire element the moment he got his next diamond. He wasn't sure how often Sarine would need Muninn's blood, since she was only having one child and not two from Loomin. Howard had agreed with that.  _As long as Kiehl was incredibly close to her, everything should work out._

"At least I know that  _he_  won't be able to touch her," Loomin sighed. "With my child in her, and with the prophecy happening, it would be a fool's thought to try anything. Odin is watching her very closely right now. Any time I get her pregnant, she'll be watched intensely."

"Always a good thing," Keltin said.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarine snarled. Doppy frowned lightly, and Kiehl growled to nip at her ear. As her powerful First Mate, he was instinctively distracting her to keep her calm. He could easily hear her thoughts through Howard and was able to stop her before it got too bad. Howard was worried about becoming human, though.  _Kiehl could only hear her through me. If I am sleeping, there could be problems. Kiehl could hear Naght, but it wasn't as clear as it needed to be._

"Sarine, I was wondering something," Howard said.

"What?" she asked. Naght looked at Howard with amusement, and Kiehl was thinking.

"Can you let Naght take some of your blood directly? I want to see if he can hear you this way and not just through me. I know I'll likely be human for the next two days, and Kiehl needs to keep track of your mind somehow. With me sleeping, it could be a problem. Naght doesn't need to sleep, and, if he can hear you, it will help Kiehl," he said. Sarine blinked at this, and Naght now moved over to take her from Kiehl and lift her in his arms. She actually snuggled into his red and blue embrace. Now that she was away from Kiehl, the urge to be comforted by the various fathers of her children came back.

"Hurry!" Kiehl hissed.

"Damn..." Hibram muttered, and Beelzebub could only agree.  _This could easily hinder our traveling, if we weren't careful._ Dracula and Wanderer looked at each other with concern, but they weren't in any danger of needing to be seen. It was only the ones that had children with her that she would need to see. Incubus and Evil Snake Lord started to discuss how they could help her. Amon Ra, Pharaoh, Osiris, Drake, and Entweihen Crothen all had to help in this, too. They had been told of the pact made by Ragged Zombie, Hibram, and Beelzebub when they were mates, and they were continuing it. Thanatos was still a part of this pact, since he wasn't married to Sarine, and Naght and Ifrit were still part of it, as well.

"It may be easier if we simply let you take blood from her finger," Sammy said to Naght. "You don't really have lips, so she can let the blood drip into your mouth."

"Fine..." Naght agreed. Her finger was carefully cut open, and she ran it along the inside of his jaw. He was actually surprised to find her blood rather sweet to him. As he thought about this, Kiehl blinked with Howard.

"That's interesting," they said together. "Stop it!"

"Do you hear him?" Sarine asked, as Doppy Healed her finger.

"I actually hear him a lot clearer!" Kiehl said. "Much clearer from before when I took his blood through Howard, which is odd. Naght, take some of my blood."

He nodded, and Kiehl had his finger opened to give to Naght. Howard grinned that Naght could hear Kiehl quite clearly now.

"Good. But, I still can't hear any of you!" she frowned. Kiehl just chuckled, Healed himself, took her back from Naght, and squeezed her.

"There is about three hours left before dawn," Drago said.

"I will need to keep her warm..." Eremes said.

"And I'll need to be with you," Kiehl said. "We'll have to test how well you can keep me immune to Fire. There's only one thing I'm worried about."

"Hmm?" Doppy looked over.

"When Eremes is human, he'll be sleeping. I don't think that Ifrit can make me immune to Fire. I can only hope that Muninn gives her some of his blood to activate the Demonic Mating before nightfall. We'll be fine tonight, but I really need to get the Fire element to work with it. I've been practicing with the Light element, and I know I will need the Shadow element, too, but Fire is the key to helping her survive this pregnancy with everyone else," Kiehl said.

"Very true," Loomin nodded. Muninn had already made plans to give her his blood after she nursed the children. It was something he had always done now, and he was making no plans to change it. He also knew that she would be craving his blood from time to time for the developing children.  _The more blood I gave her, the stronger the bodies for my brother and I would become. The downside was that it would result in a Demonic Mating each time._

"Let's head back to the house," Keltin said. They all seemed to nod, and she walked with Kiehl's arm around her waist. As they moved, she started to shiver. Kiehl looked at her with alarm. Howard moved over to Eremes and whispered to him.

"I'll try," Eremes said. "Those of you not immune to Fire, move away!"

"Eremes?" Sarine frowned. Kiehl had to be with her. Her husbands were also partially immune to the heat from having a status with her, but only by so much. Eremes pulled her close, and she gasped at how hot his body was to her. He blinked and realized that she actually felt like she was losing her body heat. He crushed her to him, and Ifrit helped enhance his own heat to warm her. While she felt pleasantly warm, the heat was nearly suffocating around them.

"Wow!" Hibram blinked. "It's like an oven!"

"What?" Eremes asked him.

"Focus on making us immune!" Beelzebub growled. "They can only tolerate so much! I'm fine, since I'm from Hell, but the others are not!"

Eremes nodded, as he focused, and the relief that the others felt was immense.

"Remember! Muninn said that any of us that stray out of his protective circle will be susceptible. We need to either be close, naturally immune, or far away from him," Sammy said. "This is why Kiehl is needed to have the Fire element. While Eremes keeps her warm, Kiehl can keep us unaffected and vice versa."

"That makes sense!" Loomin said.

"I also have Naght's Fire, so I can also keep her warm," Kiehl said. "We can switch roles this way, if we start feeling exhausted. I need to practice all aspects of the Fire element when I get it, so it will be a big project for me."

"Very true," Eremes nodded. Now that a plan of action was decided, he realized how exhausting it was to focus on keeping her warm and keeping the others immune. When Ifrit voiced this for him, it made them that much more focused on trying to ensure that Kiehl would win the Demonic Matings.  _He really needed the diamonds, if the elemental resistances were needed for her other pregnancies._

"Can't Kiehl warm me with Naght's Fire?" Sarine asked.

"It's possible, but he can't keep the others immune to heat like myself," Eremes said. "He may not be hot enough for you, though."

"Before we go in, I'd like to try it," she said. Kiehl nodded, and the others backed away considerably. Howard would be immune to Naght's heat, since he shared his blood. Kiehl pulled Sarine into his arms and tried to focus on bringing out Naght's heat. Nothing was coming forth at all.  _This was why I needed the Fire element. I don't have the natural ability to bring out the heat. The diamond would be the key to that._

"Okay. Now it's urgent," Kiehl growled. "Eremes, how long can you hold up, if it's just me you'll be protecting?"

"In the fireplace, I'm sure Ifrit can provide the heat, and I can focus on you. We can close off the entrance to it to keep the heat in. As a monster, I don't need sleep. But, it will be tiring. If it's only two hours, then I should be all right," Eremes thought. "I'll need to rest a bit afterwards, though. The doors are also a specialized, fire-proof glass, so she can still see those that she needs to. If you are with her, she shouldn't need to."

"I...could...help..." Naght said.

"That's true," Ifrit thought. "I am sure that, as her pregnancy progresses, she will be needing more and more heat. You will need to help me near the end of it."

"He's right," Loomin said. Naght and Ifrit both knew how important their alliance was to each other now. They had worked together all this time, and now it was even more important for them to do this. Keltin thought about something and needed to find out about it.

"Couldn't I try to help make the others immune?" Keltin asked.

"No. You work on the opposite of things. Remember in Ifrit's domain? You kept everyone cool. Eremes didn't really need to make anyone immune. If you try to cool everyone off while Sarine needs her heat, it could be drastic," Sammy said. That made Keltin wince, and he nodded. Hyegun was frowning, but he understood. "Now, if any heat comes out of the fireplace and makes us uncomfortable, that would be the time to help us."

"Right," Keltin nodded. Sarine was moved into the fireplace with Kiehl, Ifrit, and Eremes. The moment the entrance to it was sealed off, the heat rose up in it. The air was getting colder now, so the excess heat was welcomed. Even the balcony windows were closed off to keep the cold out. Howard was able to communicate to them through Kiehl, and Naght was able to do the same. No one could really hear what was said in the fireplace, and even Beelzebub had a few problems. The roar of the flames within it countered any form of conversation.

"Whoever needs to sleep, get it now," Howard said. "I know we'll all be very busy later in the day. I'm sure that a Demonic Mating is going to happen."

"No doubt," Doppy nodded. Hibram had settled on the stairs to help monitor the house, and he glanced down at the bottom of them.

"It will happen later today. If you want to stick around, then fine. Just don't get in our way! And don't Cloak! You seem to forget that we can see you!" Hibram growled. Beelzebub moved to the top of the stairs to cross his arms under his robe, as he glared at Elric's Cloaked form. The man Uncloaked, nodded, and moved to sit in one of the chairs in the main room.

Storm Caller had ingeniously made it so that any heat that was made in the bedroom fireplace was dispersed throughout the house. Kiehl had helped make various portions of the house fireproof to keep the walls safe. Heavy insulation was installed to ensure that much of the heat would remain trapped in the house. Excess heat, once the house was proving to get too hot, was to be equally dispersed through small tunnels under the workshop. The tunnels moved throughout the island, and it helped give some small comfort to the monsters that couldn't stand the cold. Small hills were constructed to help hold in small pockets of heat to further ensure this. The smaller house, school, and barracks were part of the massive heat pipeline.

The heat created in the fireplace could easily rival that of a small volcano. It was the only way to ensure that Sarine would be kept warm. Eremes was able to take most of the strain off of himself to simply focus on protecting Kiehl from the heat. Ifrit easily took on the job of handling the flames and scorching heat. Sarine was nestled on Ifrit's chest and in a deep sleep now. He was able to lay back on the floor of the fireplace. Eremes was there to keep Kiehl safe, and Kiehl had to be there to keep Sarine's intense cravings back.

Kiehl was mentally conversing with Howard at how successful the Hell Flies were at handling the small cameras they made. Each important section of the island now had stationary cameras. They all fed into the workshop, and small screens were lit up in various ways. The house was now rigged with electric lights and was a big improvement. Howard was designing special toys for Kiehl's and Sammy's kids. They needed challenging puzzles to occupy them. They were also starting to talk at an incredible rate, but Muninn told them that this was expected.  _Any child that was part of Kiehl's and Howard's brood would become exceptionally smart._ It was simply a given.

Naght thought of musical toys for Sammy's kids and technical toys for Kiehl's kids. That concept was easily worked with, and new sketches were made.

"What's this?" Ragged Zombie grinned at the drawings.

"Toys for the new kids," Howard said, as he continued to sketch. "Naght suggested musical toys for Sammy's kids. They can make their own music with them and create their own songs. Then there will be technical toys for Kiehl's kids. Puzzles that they can put together to make them work and move around. Like small robots, and they have to fit the pieces together."

"Nice!" Hyegun grinned. Then he blinked and looked at the furnace of a fireplace. "The triplets in their stasis want toys, too."

"We'll make some. Trust me," Howard grinned.

"Hmm," Doppy frowned.

"What is it?" Beelzebub asked.

"She'll be having Howard's triplets next. We all know this. But, she'll have a spot open for another child. We'll have to be cautious with her," he said.

"You're right," Keltin said. He had remained in his Bongun form to keep sleep away from him for now. "Should we wake up Loomin and tell him? Maybe he'll have an idea. Or do those papers with Kiehl's questions say anything?"

"Kiehl gave me the papers before he went in there for safety. Let's see what they say," Howard said, as he took them out. Kiehl was telling Eremes and Ifrit of what was being said, and now they were curious. As Howard studied the papers, Kiehl helped him find the question about it. There was only one listed, and he refused to go back into the mental state to find out more.

"Hmm..." Naght thought aloud. "Only...one...?"

"That's what it says," Howard sighed. "Who else will accompany the triplets? Four eggs and another baby. We know about the eggs being from Maya Purple and Drago. But another baby? That has me concerned. It says nothing about who the father is to this baby."

"Wake up Loomin," Beelzebub said. "We can't wake Sammy, since he has to monitor Sarine's dreams. We'll tell him everything later."

"Done," Thanatos said, as he nudged Loomin awake. They told him what was going on and what was found out. The other slaves were roused, and Sarine's mates were soon settling in the room to find out more. Sammy was mildly pulled out of meditation to listen in and watch Sarine's dreams. It was too important for him to simply be told later.

"Okay," Loomin thought, as he focused. "Get Muninn in here."

"On it!" Byorgue said. He moved to the balcony to carefully open a window, and he waved a bright, red flag. That was the signal for Muninn now, since the weather was changing. They couldn't leave the window open for too long, or much needed heat would escape. A specialized window was constructed for him that would open and close automatically, as he flew through it. Heating also surrounded it to keep it from freezing over in the coming months.

He reverted to his human form after he landed, and they told him what they discovered. He blinked, took the papers, and read the question and answer. He was clearly not happy. He had to look ahead for this, and what he found out was completely shocking.

"What is it?!" Howard asked.

" _When the triplets come to form,_ " Muninn grinned widely. " _have Naght Seiger have her to himself! That will ensure that no others will get her pregnant!_ "

"Me...?!" Naght asked with complete shock.

" _Yes. She will bear you a daughter directly from your essence! She already gave you a son, from Siegfried. She is going to give you a daughter, too!_ " Muninn chuckled.

"But, Serenity is his daughter!" Howard said.

" _For you and him both, yes. But, she is mainly yours. She inherited his swords to show she is of his blood. However, it is true that, eventually, you will need a son of your own that bears your features. He will appear in time. But, Sarine will be having all girls as her quadruplets. It will be a very...interesting pregnancy. Just so you all know!_ " Muninn grinned.

"Thanks for the warning!" Howard muttered, and they all laughed.

"I want to protect your daughter, Naght," Beelzebub said.

"Done..." Naght nodded.

"Any idea what she will become?" Keltin chuckled.

" _Hmm. Since she will be mainly Demonic, and he uses two nasty swords, it appears that she would be the same as Siegfried. A Lord Knight._ "

"Really?" Howard grinned.

" _Yes. A very intelligent Lord Knight. And one with a very nasty temper, if it's directed at someone she doesn't like in particular. Oh! This is interesting! Very interesting indeed!_ "

"What?" Beelzebub grinned.

" _She will be a part of Ifrit, too! Ah! This girl will be a bit of their 'alliance' act! I see!_ " Muninn smiled. " _A very, very powerful girl!_ "

Now Ifrit was speechless in the fireplace. Sarine was still in a deep sleep, and he wasn't planning on waking her. He would need to talk to Naght about it, and Naght was already thinking the same thing.

"But, what about her cravings, then?" Doppy asked.

" _Not that much Fire, but Naght can help with Kiehl. Ifrit, too, if it's needed. I do see the blood bond, of course, but there will be a new craving. I see...hmm...wow..._ "

"What do you see?" Loomin asked.

" _She'll be craving to be in Ice, too. So, she'll need heat and cold. Not together, obviously, but certain things she will require. Kiehl, make sure you get Keltin's Ice element after Fire. I'm sure a simple walk outside will work, but, for inside, a cold room would need to be made in advance. Keltin and Naght can help with cold. Loomin could help, too, since he's naturally immune to cold._ "

"Well, Naght is Fire and Ice," Keltin grinned. Hyegun smiled before wincing.

"Wake up Sarine and give her blood, Howard! The triplets are going to give you an hour to do this before they wake her up by force!" Hyegun growled.

"She'll need her craving dishes, too," Thanatos said. "The growing kids need it."

" _I'll give her my blood after she eats,_ " Muninn said. " _I won't leave._ "

"Fine!" Howard said, as Kiehl kissed Sarine awake.

"Mmm," she smiled and kissed him back.

"You need blood, and you have to eat. Doppy will give you some blood, and Howard will give you blood next with Naght. It will help keep the craving for blood down. Then you'll need to eat a bit more, okay?" Kiehl smiled. She nodded and kissed him again before letting the heat die down just enough to open the fireplace safely. When she was pulled out of it, her skin was simply warm. She was absorbing all of the excess heat for her growing children.

Doppy snatched her up to move her into the bathroom. When he reverted to his original form, he gasped, as she touched him and ran her hands through his hair.

"I missed you!" he whimpered, and they kissed in a desperate, wanting way. After ten minutes of simply touching and giving in to each other, he was able to give her the blood she needed. The ones that gave her children came in and sat around the bathroom door for her to see them. Aliot and Errende seemed to chuckle, as Thanatos got into a small discussion with Sammy. Kiehl and Howard were thinking of what toys to make for their kids. Naght and Ifrit were now talking about their future daughter. Keltin was talking to Hyegun about what to start for training regiments for the barracks.

"Doppy..." she sighed, and he held her after Healing himself. He ran a hand over her belly and smiled softly.

"You'll have more kids from me after Loomin," he grinned. "Don't worry."

"In a way, I'm having another son from you," she smiled.

"I know. And I'll make sure to beat his ass if he's bad!" he smirked. That made Beelzebub sputter with laughter, as he told them what was just discussed in the bedroom.

"I claim after Doppy!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"One of the slaves would likely be with his, right?" Keltin asked.

"With Doppy's?" Loomin thought. "I would think so."

" _You are right. It will be Observation, as we all know. We had discussed this earlier. Nigel will be with Ragged Zombie. Then Injustice will be with Hibram. Byorgue may actually be with Howard and Kiehl again,_ " Muninn thought, as he looked ahead. " _The children from Howard and Kiehl will always be needed._ "

"With their intelligence, I wouldn't doubt it," Sammy nodded.

"Why so many with them, though?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"It's a rather intricate case with Howard and Kiehl," Loomin said. "Because of the blood Sarine ingested in her childhood years, they have a bit of a bond between them. It's only natural for them to have so many with her. I know we'll be having more kids, too, so don't worry too much about it. Enjoy what is there now."

"Howard! Get over here!" Doppy shouted, as he reverted back to his powerful body. Naght rumbled and went back to his tower to prepare to come back through Howard. Once the blood was given over, and Naght was back, Sarine gasped at how starved she felt. Kiehl moved to quickly help her dress with Byorgue and Nigel before leading her to the bedroom to eat. Muninn was incredibly anxious now. He missed the pleasuring loop that she was able to give him. He needed that again.

When he looked ahead, he knew that, anytime she took blood from him for his developing body, it would not affect her stasis. _All of my blood would go straight to the fetus to make it stronger._ His blood would even be used for Huginn's body, too, yet he knew that a Demonic Mating would happen at almost every single feeding. He smiled, as he realized that he talked about this before when the triplets were first created with Howard and Kiehl. He was fortunate that the future didn't twist on him with this important need.

After the mass quantities of food was consumed, Sarine sighed and smiled with contentment. As she got up to leave the room, Muninn stopped her with a kiss to her neck.

"Muninn?" she frowned.

" _You need my blood. It's perfectly safe for me to give you my blood, as the bodies of Huginn and I are developing. You can take as much blood from me as you want right now,_ " he smiled, as he caressed her back. Keltin blinked at this, and Loomin seemed to smile. Sarine turned in Muninn's arms and kissed him passionately to show how much she wanted his blood.

"Bathroom," Howard chuckled. Muninn swept up Sarine in his arms and carried her into it quickly. His desire was rising for her more and more with each passing second. The moment she was fully undressed, he claimed her and gasped at the ferocity of the sensation. He pulled her into his lap, took out one of his own knives, and opened his neck for her. He shouted, as her mouth locked onto the wound, and he had to freeze time to let her take as much as she needed.

"He froze time?" Loomin frowned.

"That's right," Thanatos grinned. "Sometimes, this can take over several hours. He can't run out of blood for her. This will take some time."

"Huh!" Loomin blinked at the thought.

"Help me design some toys," Kiehl said. That had them all busy seeing what they could do, as Sarine fed off of Muninn. He had his eyes closed, and his body braced with a form of complete submission. He lost track of how many pulls of blood she took from him. He didn't count how many times he gave in to her from the pleasure of it all. After what seemed like several hours, Kiehl looked over at Muninn and Sarine. He was surprised that she was still feeding off of him. He wanted to pull her away from him, but Thanatos stopped him.

"This is needed for her Demonic Mating," Thanatos reminded him. "I'm sure they are almost at a point that they will become aware. Give it a bit more time."

"All right," Kiehl nodded. Another timeless hour went by before Muninn was able to move, and Sarine pulled herself away. Sammy walked over to Heal Muninn and evaluated Sarine. Judging that everything was fine, Kiehl was called over to hold her. He needed to keep her cravings for her men down to nothing.

" _It's time for her to nurse the children. After that, I'm sure she'll have the Demonic Mating happen. Remember! Kiehl must win it! It's important!_ " Muninn said.

"We know," Doppy nodded. "I'll still fight him, or any others in my way, but I'm sure he'll win, regardless. You know, I wonder if Naght can hear Howard's thoughts, too. You'd think he would, since he can like this."

"Hmm," Howard frowned. "Naght didn't hear me before. He was focused on throwing off Wanderer. I'm not sure who else will be joining, but he may be focused on simply fighting and not listening to me."

"True..." Naght chuckled.

"I'd like to try to make a higher ranking than last," Ifrit sighed.

"You can. Just don't beat me," Kiehl grinned. That made Ifrit nod, and now Ragged Zombie wanted to try fighting it out. Yet, at the same time, he wanted to see what a Demonic Mating was like. He decided to sit this one out to watch with the others. Hibram and Beelzebub would be fighting in it. Demons were instinctively called to her, and they would have to answer that call. It would be too strong to resist. Even Entweihen Crothen would be part of it. He would be interesting to fight, since he couldn't move if he used his thorns to help attack. When Sarine was dressed and ready to go to the nursery, time was resumed.

She was escorted to the nursery, and Kiehl's twins demanded for her first.

"Mama!" Juliana cried, and her father picked her up to take to Sarine. Once Sarine was in the rocking chair, her daughter was given to her. Deagan was next to getting settled in to nurse, and she cooed to them while she rocked them.

"Are we going somewhere?" Loo Shin asked Sammy.

"I don't know yet. You aren't strong enough to go anywhere. I'm not sure what is planned for today. When we know, we'll tell you," Sammy smiled. All four of the youngest children had impeccable vocabularies. Their minds had clearly grown in leaps and bounds before their bodies could catch up. Ming snuggled into her father's arms and looked at him.

"Daddy, um, if you don't go anywhere strong today, can we go? We'll behave!" she frowned. "Promise!"

"Like I told your brother, I don't know yet. Oh! Your mother is now pregnant with another sister and three brothers!" Sammy grinned. This had them gasping with joy, and the other kids caught wind of it. Serenity ran over to Howard to confirm this, and he grinned to show she heard it right.

"Are we going somewhere?" Edward asked.

"Not yet. You all have school starting today," Thanatos said.

"School?!" Bianca asked with excitement.

"We'll need to get more books, but, yes. Turtle General, Evil Snake Lord, and Storm Caller will start teaching you all various things today. Grandpa Markus may be sending over a few scholars, too, and others that he knows of that can help teach," Loomin smiled.

"I can't wait!" Angela beamed.

"And, since you four are so smart, you'll be joining them!" Kiehl smiled, and his daughter looked at him with a form of joy. "Bacsojin and Doll will help you all move about."

The moment Kiehl's twins finished nursing, they were taken from Sarine, and Sammy's twins were given to her to nurse. Trina and Bernard were busy toddling around the nursery, and Keltin was moving quickly to keep up with them. Byorgue was also trying to help him out, since Trina always loved to change things around to suit her needs better.

"Trina! Don't change that!" Keltin said sharply.

"But...Dad!" she frowned.

"No! That cup is there for a reason! If you go about changing everything you want, and someone needs that cup, how would you feel? Things are here in case they are needed," Keltin said sternly. "If you want to change things, ask us first. We'll tell you if it's okay or not."

"Trina, come to me," Sarine said with a soft smile. Her daughter moved over to her mother, and she gestured for her other children to sit around her. "I always told your daddies that things happen for a reason. It's important to remember that, yes, changes are good, but not always do they work for others. Sometimes, it's a stroke of luck that a change is accepted. Trina, dear, when you change something, you can upset what others think.

"Yes, you have a very powerful skill. But, if the wrong person sees what you can do, it can be exceptionally dangerous. It is very important that you make sure that it is safe to do this. You are all very young still. Gunther already promised me that he would never use his skills to show off. We don't even know what your new brothers and sisters have yet! So, for the time being, if you want to use a skill, come to us first. Let us know what you want to do. If it's okay, we'll say so. If it's not okay, don't argue. There will be times when your skills will be needed."

"So...it can be bad?" Trina frowned.

"It can be very bad," Sammy nodded. "Say, you want to change a spoon to a fork and you do it. You can only change things once. Then we give you some soup to eat, but you already changed the spoon into a fork! How do you eat soup with a fork?"

"It would be hard," Trina nodded.

"That's right," Keltin chuckled. Serenity and Angela giggled a bit, but they nodded.

"It's easy to eat soup! You drink it out of the bowl!" Gunther grinned.

"And what did you learn about etiquette just the other day?" Doll asked.

"Oh. It's not nice," Gunther frowned.

"Are you a child? Or are you an idiot?" Doppy asked.

"I'm not an idiot!" Gunther scowled.

"Well, only idiots drink their soup out of bowls directly. It's fine to do at the very end, but not in the very beginning. Remember when you tried it and hot soup got all over your tunic?" Doppy asked his son. Gunther looked away and fumbled with his hands in his lap.

"Would you do such a thing in front of guests?" Loomin asked.

"No," Gunther frowned.

"That's right," Doll nodded. "It wouldn't be nice, and it would give a bad first impression. Okay! I have breakfast ready for all of you! Remember! Napkins in your laps, elbows off the table, and chew with your mouths closed! Those that do a really good job will not have to help gather up the dirty dishes."

"I like washing dishes!" Serenity frowned.

"You do?" Howard grinned.

"Yeah! I like to help out around the house," she said.

"She has been trying to help keep up with her younger brothers and sisters around here," Amon Ra chuckled. "She's getting better at it."

"Is that so?" Sarine smiled. "Well, Serenity, that is wonderful, if it makes you happy! She is the oldest one, isn't she?"

"In terms of birth, yes," Sammy nodded. Naght rumbled a purr to Serenity, and she blushed. "Just remember, you're also still a child. You need to play and have fun, too. It's okay to help out every now and then, just not too much right now."

"I know, Dad," Serenity nodded. When Loo Shin and Ming finished nursing, Nigel and Byorgue took them to burp. Then they wanted to try some soft solids and were placed at the table with the other kids. Once they were taken, Sarine sighed and got up to stretch. Then she thought, as an odd, warm feeling came over her. Her scent started to filter through the air. The change in her stance, and in the nursery, took an immediate effect.

"Ah..." Aliot said, and he blinked before glaring at her. Kiehl made quick glances around the room before setting his eyes on Sarine and locked his gaze on her. Howard stammered, and Naght looked over at Sarine with a long, drawn out hiss of breath.

"Dad?" Serenity frowned. He managed to purr out slightly, as his gaze was still on Sarine. Doll smiled and moved to quickly whisper to the children to focus on eating. She also reassured them that everything would be fine. Sarine gave a smirk at Kiehl, moved quickly out of the room, and down the stairs. Wanderer and Incubus were quick to follow. Amon Ra felt that he wasn't needed yet and stayed in the nursery.  _Maybe her next Demonic Mating would pull me to her._

Osiris and Pharaoh were quick to follow her. Beelzebub and Hibram snarled at each other with instinctive challenge, as they waited outside. Naght and Ifrit moved to wait with them. Aliot let out a sharp hiss at Thanatos, as they stood to wait. Doppy glared at them all and growled. They were all First Mates and very pissed off now, save the ones that weren't husbands. But, it was when Kiehl appeared with his Bragging Rights that the real show of anger was given. He gave out a nasty, vicious, bone-jarring snarl of hatred at them all. It was completely instinctive, and his ghost was out in full force.

Hibram let out his ghost to show he was ready to accept any challenge given to him, but Sarine got their attention quickly when she moved in front of them all.

"It's about to start," Howard muttered out.

"I can see that! It's a good thing she stopped them from killing each other, too," Loomin grinned. He actually felt the excitement and tension in the air now. He had never seen a Demonic Mating before.

"I'll watch this one," Elric said, as he walked over. "Odin recommended it."

"Fine..." Eremes growled. Errende and Keltin frowned. Ragged Zombie, and Hyegun were going to watch and see how it all went. The other slaves were going to ensure that no one else tried to intervene. Sammy watched Cedrick and Shoujin approach.

"If you want to watch this one, stay with us. If you join them, stand with them. Not with her," Sammy said carefully. "Do not interfere, or you'll be slaughtered by them all."

"I will watch," Shoujin said.

"As will I," Cedrick nodded. Loomin nodded and was drawn back to Sarine when she gave out a hissing screech of defiance. The males that wanted her hissed in response.

"Twelve of them," Keltin mused. "Oh! Make that fourteen! There's Drake and Dracula! Hmm. Evil Snake Lord? Wait, look! There's Entweihen!"

"Sixteen now..." Eremes grinned. "This...will be one hell of a fight..."

"No kidding," Hyegun said with amazement. Elric, Shoujin, and Cedrick seemed to gape at how pissed off the monsters looked, as they glared at each other. Kiehl was on a completely different level. Elric saw Doppy fully enraged when his son needed to be punished. Kiehl now made him look like he was having a small fit. Just the look in his eyes alone was enough to know that he hated everything and everyone around him, and that he wouldn't hesitate to slaughter whatever came in his path. Sarine was the prize, and all of the males in her Demonic Mating were coveting her.

She seemed to stand tall, as though sensing the air. Looking at the males, she hissed with distaste at them all. It seemed like she was judging them all as unworthy. The effect was instant. Small growls and hisses were given to show that they all wanted to prove their worth to her. As she glared at them, Kiehl gave a sudden roar and leapt for her. She had already bolted a split second before he reached her. Roars of enraged ferocity were given out, as they all bolted after her at top speeds, but she was always faster than them.

"I see!" Loomin grinned, as the spectating group followed at a safe distance. "She tests them first with stamina! The ones that can't keep up are automatically out this way!"

"Are you serious?!" Cedrick gaped.

"So, she makes sure that they can keep up with her first before the actual fighting begins?" Sammy asked with disbelief. "That easily weeds out the weak ones first!"

"That it does," Howard grinned. Kiehl and Naght were vaguely able to pay attention to Howard's thoughts, but they both agreed that it was a very clever thing to do. _If humans couldn't keep up, they simply couldn't fight._ Thanatos and Ifrit were pleased with this news. The others would be informed after the Demonic Mating was over. Elric knew that he would have to enhance his stamina training now. Shoujin was thinking the same thing, and he was going to look into getting some lighter armor. Cedrick didn't know what to think at all.

Sarine led the dominant males all over the island and avoided the arena again. When she stopped at the hidden entrance to the underground chamber, she glared at the males and stomped on the ground to jump down the hole that appeared. Once the males jumped down it to follow her, the hole sealed up again and the stairs appeared.

"Okay! Let's go," Keltin grinned. Loomin, Hyegun, and Ragged Zombie were surprised at the ingenuity of the structure, and Sammy explained that it was all Storm Caller's doing. Elric took note of where the hole was that they went down. He would want to familiarize himself with the location so he would know when the chase stopped.

"Wow," Loomin blinked.

"Ditto!" Ragged Zombie said. The window let them see the pillared room safely, and Sarine was on the elevated flooring once again. She glared at the males, and Kiehl focused his mind on Howard. Howard readied himself to help Kiehl.  _Now was the time to help him win the fighting part of the Demonic Mating. He had to win to get the next diamond to help Sarine's pregnancy._  The moment she keened out, the room moved into motion, and he dodged a spear that came up from the ground within a blink of an eye. It retracted back into the ground just as fast.

"What the hell was that?!" Cedrick gaped.

"A spear," Sammy grinned wickedly, and now he explained to them what the room helped them do. Elric was in complete shock.  _Not only would I be fighting off monsters, but I'll be dodging spears._  Now he saw exactly how hard the monsters fought for respect with her. It was fully earned with the way she judged them. When he tried to find a pattern, he saw there was none.  _The spears simply came out at random. There were no sensors that told the spears who to attack around them. This happened all over the room._ Howard was no longer paying attention to anything but the room. As he informed Kiehl on where to dodge and attack back, Errende and Eremes were trying to do the same thing. They could help by giving a warning as to who was attacking who, but they couldn't see the spears like Howard could.

Shoujin was in sheer awe of the chamber, and his gaze moved to Sarine's safety platform. She was sitting on it with her legs crossed and evaluating each male critically. She was impressed with Thanatos and Ifrit, but her eye was mainly focused on Kiehl.  _Nothing was hitting him. No one could touch him._ She was getting far more impressed with him with each second that passed.  _And Kiehl knew it._  He was protecting his status and reputation with her. He simply had to. But, he had to focus off of her thoughts and back onto Howard's thoughts. Now that he knew what she was looking for, he had to keep it up. If even one thing was able to strike him, then he would lose favor. As a First Mate with Bragging Rights, he was not going to lose his rank without a fight. Kiehl was going to be a very imposing opponent in his own right.

"Nothing is touching him!" Shoujin muttered. Entweihen had an interesting situation. He was able to settle himself between the spears to let his thorns protect him, but he was still getting attacked by Naght and Beelzebub. The Demon Lord was in his massive fly form to attack with, and he was able to avoid the spears by narrow chances. Hibram had his ghost out to increase his chances of attacking and avoiding spears. He was trying to attack Kiehl with no luck at all. Kiehl was simply far too fast and accurate to attack.

In the end, he turned on Osiris, and Aliot was busy attacking Pharaoh. Doppy and Thanatos were busy trying to kill each other, as Naght and Ifrit had turned on each other. Evil Snake Lord was dodging and striking with lightning quick accuracy. When he took on Kiehl, he realized that he simply wasn't fast enough. Where he lashed out, Kiehl was already gone. When he thought he dodged a hit, he had already gotten hit. Hissing with disbelief, he turned to strike out at Wanderer to throw him off as a form of easier prey. He was furious that he couldn't attack Kiehl, and he was taking his anger out on anyone that was near him.

"Kiehl is so fast that he's pissing off the others so that they go after each other to take out their anger!" Loomin said with complete amazement.

"Nice," Howard smirked, as he kept his focus on Kiehl's surroundings.

"How long do these last?" Hyegun asked with complete fascination.

"About an hour or so," Sammy grinned.

"I would have to keep up this fighting for an hour?!" Cedrick hissed.

"Yes. You would," Eremes smirked. Elric was in shock again. He had no idea what he was expecting, and now he saw why it was important to watch and understand what he would be fighting. Keltin thought about something and grimaced before whispering to Sammy and Loomin. Now Sammy was wincing, and Loomin knew he couldn't say anything out loud yet. Hyegun and Ragged Zombie looked at each other and seemed to nod. Errende, Eremes, and Howard were focused on helping the ones bound to them.

Howard had it tougher, because he was working with both Kiehl and Naght. It was easier before, since it was just Kiehl that was paying attention to him. Now it was two monsters, but Naght already knew that Kiehl had to win. Naght was simply gleaning assistance on which monster was attacking Kiehl, and he was actually trying to help keep them off of Kiehl. He had pulled Drake's attention away from him, and he set Dracula and Incubus against each other. After learning that he would be getting stronger from Howard, he had no problems causing a chaotic mess among the rivals. It was the most fun he had in centuries, and he was thoroughly enjoying it. Howard could only grin, as he could understand why.

After a grueling hour of hellish fighting, Sarine stood up and keened out sharply. The males stopped dead in their stances, as the spears retreated. They all hissed at her in response. This was completely instinctive, and now they waited. Sarine swept her eyes over each male and closed them to think. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze went first to Kiehl. Then she moved to look at Thanatos, Ifrit, Naght, Doppy, Aliot, Beelzebub, Hibram, Entweihen, Osiris, Wanderer, Incubus, Pharaoh, Evil Snake Lord, Dracula, and finally Drake.

"Kiehl won again!" Sammy grinned.

"Lord Thanatos got second again," Errende sighed.

"But, he's a First Mate now, so it's fine," Loomin said. "Ifrit got third, and Naght got fourth. Wow! She was exceptionally critical in them all."

"As long as Kiehl won," Howard said. Kiehl roared out his fury right after the platform lowered, and he launched himself at Sarine. Keltin growled at Cedrick, Elric, and Shoujin to get their attention. Hyegun now saw that Kiehl was shredding Sarine's clothes off, as she fought him, and Howard now realized that the three humans were about to watch the actual mating.

"If none of you want to die, avert your eyes now!" Sammy growled. "Turn your backs to the window! Quickly!"

Elric and Shoujin took the advice, but Cedrick was harder to convince. Only when Keltin's Rage came forth after Howard and Eremes Berserked did he take their advice.  _They were not permitted to see Sarine naked._  Right after Kiehl bellowed out his successful mating cry with Sarine's keening wail, Thanatos took over, and the others followed suit. When Drake held her at the very last, Kiehl roared out, as his Bragging Rights got even stronger. Another small diamond appeared on his gold leash loop, and the other males nodded their respect to him. Sarine was clearly exhausted, and Drake nodded to Kiehl when he gave her over. At a thought from Howard, his temper flared with a violent fury.

"Find out if the three humans saw anything about Sarine just now!" Kiehl hissed, as he pulled her closer to him to cover her as much as he could. Doppy blinked and curled back his lip with hatred. Howard told him that they didn't, but Kiehl needed to be sure. Thanatos snarled out, and Ifrit flared his heat. The Fire elemental was pleased that he got a high ranking this time. Beelzebub moved over to Kiehl and Sarine in his human form and pulled his robe about them to hide Sarine's nakedness. Hibram and Aliot were gathering up her shredded clothing, and Errende moved to start stitching them back together.

"Maybe we should have an emergency kimono on hand," Sammy frowned.

"That would actually be best," Loomin nodded. "Oh! Here! I have an extra one of mine! Let her use it."

"Thanks," Kiehl nodded. Howard moved over to his brother and gave over his glasses. They had gotten smacked off his face again when Sarine fought him.

"When we get out of here, I'll give you the Fire element," Eremes said.

"Give it over now. It's getting cold out there," Hibram said.

"It is?" Ifrit frowned.

"Very. It's turning into fall, and islands tend to get colder faster than the mainland. We are surrounded by water, remember?" Sammy chuckled. Doppy had moved over to Keltin to make sure that the three humans didn't witness the mating frenzy, and Keltin smirked.

"They saw nothing. I warned them beforehand," Keltin said to Doppy.

"Fine," the demon growled. Sarine had Loomin's white, gold, and silver kimono pulled over her, and Kiehl kept cradling her. Then she gave a sudden gasp, and Doppy fell to his knees in pain. Kiehl blinked at this and snarled out viciously. Howard and Naght moved to her side to protect her, and the three humans were glared at.

"Get out of here! Now!" Howard hissed. "Sarine is in severe pain! If Kiehl thinks that you are here to harm her, you're all dead! Leave! Quickly!"

"Right," Elric said without a moment of hesitation. Shoujin followed suit, and Cedrick only left after Kiehl glared at him with intense hatred. When they left, Doppy was laying on the ground, as pain rocked Sarine hard.

"What's going on?!" Keltin growled.

"I can't hear anything," Hyegun frowned. "I don't know what it is."

"Ah..." Loomin blinked, as everything came to him in a rush. "Beelzebub?"

"What?" the Demon Lord asked.

"She's about to birth eggs for you!" Loomin said. Sammy moved into position to help her, and Beelzebub's jaw dropped with complete shock. Doppy hissed at this surprise and was forced to crawl to her side. The pain was so severe that it caught him off guard.

"Are you serious?!" Howard gasped.

"The questions did state that Beelzebub would be giving her eggs sooner than we thought, right?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"True," Kiehl frowned, as he supported Sarine. Her womb stretched just enough to show that the eggs were ready to come out, and she cried out again when Doppy roared with the pain.

"Maya Purple and Drago are supposed to give her eggs with your triplets," Keltin frowned. "Is this going to happen with them, too?"

"No. It was to take a day for them to form. Beelzebub is a powerful demon. This is actually normal," Loomin said. "I don't know if he'll be giving her eggs at each Demonic Mating. Do the questions say anything?"

"We'll find out after this," Kiehl muttered, as he was focused completely on Sarine. "Ifrit! I need some heat for her!"

"Right!" Ifrit nodded and flared out his heat to warm the air around her. Kiehl was actually taking full control of the others now. His stronger Bragging Rights proved him to be a powerful leader, and the others did as he said without any form of complaints.

"Okay, here comes the first one!" Sammy said. Sarine cried out, as she pushed, and Doppy groaned. A perfectly spherical, white egg with pearl overtones was taken from her. It was a foot in diameter all the way around. A second egg was quickly birthed next, and she lay gasping from the ordeal. Errende was surprised at how heavy the eggs were. Beelzebub was simply stunned at the fact that she gave him kids.

"We need a few slaves here," Kiehl said. Osiris and Pharaoh had already moved off to head back to the house. Incubus and Wanderer were heading to the nursery, and the message was sent quickly. Bacsojin was informed of the surprising news, and the makeshift nest for the eggs was now prepared and ensured to be soft and insulated. Maya Purple was quick to show up, and he took the eggs from Errende. Beelzebub trusted him the most, since he would know how to handle eggs the best.

Maya Purple was intrigued at how different the eggs looked from ant eggs.  _Ant eggs tended to be completely oval in nature._  Drago was next to show up, and he was a bit surprised at the eggs. Dragon eggs were round on the bottom and narrow up top like a bird's egg. They also tended to be spotted with various colors with soft ridges near the middle of them. They would both guard over the eggs when they could.

"Sarine?" Howard asked, as he nuzzled her. She was still feeling quite a bit of pain, and Doppy was out cold. Kiehl's ghost was still out in full to show how protective he was of her. This was truly not good at all. At a mental glare to Howard, the questions were pulled out, and he started to sift through them. Errende took out a Yggdrasil Berry, and Kiehl looked up at him with a small nod. Aliot cut it up, and Eremes moved close to help feed Sarine. Eremes and Ifrit were tolerable, as well as Loomin and Doppy. She was pregnant with their kids, and Kiehl understood this. Naght was a blood brother and fully trusted, as was Howard. With Beelzebub making eggs with Sarine, he was now tolerable to an extent, too.

"Hmm," Kiehl thought, as Howard looked through the questions. "Beelzebub, don't participate in any more Demonic Matings. There will always be a small chance that you can do this with her. Same for Drago and Maya Purple. We need to keep the eggs limited, or she'll be like this. I know it will be easy for them to keep from joining, but you can easily become a problem. If your instinct gets the better of you, then fine. Can't do anything. But, otherwise, it's a really big risk to her health."

"I see," Beelzebub frowned. "How many times will Muninn need to give her blood?"

"It doesn't say," Howard frowned.

"Wait," Loomin said, and he pieced together the situation. "It will be fine. Yes, there may be a chance that he will give her more in the future, but it won't happen again until his eggs hatch. I'll need to see the eggs to verify when they will hatch. Beelzebub may be giving her quite a few children, if he is with her at every Demonic Mating after his kids hatch out of the eggs. The same could be said for Drago and Maya Purple. If we want to balance out the children, we need to find out the incubation periods for each one."

"We know that Drago and Maya Purple will have nine days before they hatch," Sammy said. "Muninn verified that. We'll need to find out with Beelzebub's eggs."

"I'm starving!" Sarine growled. Her birthing pains were now replaced with raw hunger, and Naght was actually taken by surprise at this. Errende did have a couple hearty foods on him, but they weren't her true craving dishes. Thanatos winced, but she needed to eat something.

"My Lady, I have a roast and some sushi. The roast is fully cooked, though. It's not raw, like you need it. Would you like them?" Errende asked.

"Please? I just...I'm really hungry!" she sighed. He gave them to her, and she was able to clean both plates. It would sate her just enough until they got to the house.

"They don't taste right to her. Since she's not craving them, they aren't filling her up, but it's keeping her hunger down. Love? Can you walk with us?" Kiehl asked. Doppy was finally coming around, and he winced at the pain her hips gave out. Multiple matings followed by a birth of eggs was not something she was planning on at all. Now Kiehl looked at Errende and growled out, "Are her clothes mended?"

"Yes," Errende nodded and helped her dress in her Sniper gears carefully. Loomin was given back his spare kimono, and plans were made to have an emergency one for her in the future. It would definitely be needed, and it wouldn't be as elaborately made as the others.

"The three dunces are still out there. They're waiting to see her," Ragged Zombie frowned. Kiehl hissed with intense hatred and paused at the feel of Sarine's hand in his hair.

"Hush, dear," Sarine sighed and pulled him close. "There should be only one thing on your mind right now, other than me. Get the Fire element from Eremes. I know for a fact that I'll be cold when I go out there. The heat you work with will keep those men at bay. Reserve your strength for helping me cope. Yes, I'm weak right now, but I'll heal. I'm still hungry, and it's going to come back again. We'll try to take it easy today to help me recuperate. Can you calm yourself for me? Please?"

"Sarine..." Kiehl whispered and kissed her passionately. She would be the only thing able to keep him calm. His ghost wavered before getting pulled back into him. She knew his Bragging Rights instinct was always going to be revealed now. It would be instinctive for him to show them off. Now he looked at Eremes and nodded to show he was ready.

"Focus on the new diamond," Loomin instructed. Eremes did and flared out his intense heat wave, as Ifrit kept the others immune to the heat. Kiehl's new diamond took on a fiery red color and even seemed to flicker with flames within it. Now that this was done, Kiehl was going to have to learn how to control it.

"I'm not sure what to expect," Kiehl admitted, as Doppy stood up. His armor would help him keep a lot of the heat back. It was proven long ago when he was forced to pull Sarine away from Eremes at the first ball they were at in Prontera.

"Do you want me to carry her?" Doppy asked.

"Just support her with me," Kiehl said. The demon held a lot more respect for Kiehl now from the advanced Bragging Rights. He also knew that he would be gaining a bonus in this power once Howard was given a boost from Kiehl's blood. As it was said, Naght would get stronger, also, and Doppy could get stronger from Naght through that.  _Like hell am I going to piss off Kiehl!_  The two of them were be a force to be reckoned with, as it was.

Sarine was now moved carefully to stand, and she gasped when she clung to Kiehl. Doppy coughed and winced at the pain that rocked him, and Kiehl hissed at this. He swept her off her feet into his arms, and that reduced a lot of the pain.

"She'll be fine later today," Sammy said. "We'll do as she says and let her recuperate. Love? What did you want to do?"

"I know if I go to the arena like this, all of you will want to kill anyone that looks at me," she sighed. That got a few laughs and chuckles, but Kiehl knew how serious she was. Her belly started to rumble fiercely, and Howard sighed. Eremes's pregnancy had fully enhanced her hunger. _Not only did she crave heat, but she needed food._

"Rare roast, cheese, milk, and spicy dishes! Quick!" Thanatos growled out. Beelzebub nodded and focused on his Hell Flies to have the house prepared. Hyegun couldn't tell what the growing children needed, since they weren't aware, but the triplets in their stasis were sated right now. He muttered this out, and Beelzebub gave a slight nod.

"You know that she'll have no cravings from any of the ones that give her eggs," Loomin chuckled. "Hmm...oh! Evil Snake Lord could be giving her eggs next, you know. I'm not sure about Entweihen Crothen, since he's like a Demonic plant, if you think about it."

"Ah..." Sarine blinked at this news, and Beelzebub found himself grinning. Doppy gave out a small groan, and Kiehl smirked.

"Maybe we can limit her to one feeding a day off of Muninn?" Keltin asked.

"Not sure, but it's an idea. Doppy, would you feel the urge to fight in each of her Demonic Matings? Or can you hold out, if these intricate births happen?" Sammy asked.

"I don't think I'll be able to," Doppy frowned. "It's instinctive to join them. I recover faster than many know. While she rests, I'll rest. I'm going to always want to improve my ranking to be up to par with Kiehl. That will be a given. So far, Thanatos has always made second. I want to dislodge him."

"Fat chance," Thanatos grinned, and Doppy scowled, since he was forced to nod to him.

"Quit it!" Kiehl growled, as his irritation started to show, and he gasped when Sarine ran a hand through his hair. As they started to move back to the house, Elric, Shoujin, and Cedrick approached them. Kiehl glared with intense hatred, and Doppy moved in front of him with Howard. Naght snarled out, as Thanatos and Ifrit flanked Kiehl. Ragged Zombie, Hibram, and Beelzebub moved to help intervene.

"Back off!" Doppy hissed. "Are you guys this desperate to die?!"

"You should know...better...than to approach...demons...after a Demonic Mating..." Eremes muttered. "They are still...very powerful...and full of fight in them..."

"Is she all right?" Elric asked.

"She's fine," Kiehl said darkly.

"When is her next Demonic Mating?" Shoujin asked. Sarine rose up her hand to get their attention. At the smile on her face, Howard grinned softly, as she was able to lie. Loomin could, too, and would likely chip in, if she wasn't coercive enough.

"I tend to have a Demonic Mating every two months. Now that I had this one, you will have to wait. Please be patient," she said. It was a bit of a truth, since she didn't know what to expect with Muninn's blood now. The others knew better, and they all nodded to each other.

"And what do you say, Loomin?" Elric asked.

"This was the first Demonic Mating I witnessed," Loomin shrugged. "I can only go by what they tell me. She has a Demonic Mating with each new pregnancy, and that's it. I don't know anything else past that."

"Fine," Elric nodded. Cedrick didn't know what else to expect, but he would go with it for now. Eremes knew that Elric would still be checking back with Sarine.  _If he tried to fight for her, he wouldn't live._ Elric was actually having doubts about his fighting technique. He would be working on improving them throughout the day and through the night.

"Kiehl..." Sarine frowned, as she clung to him, and he let out a hissing snarl. He had to get away from the humans and tend to his mate. He hugged her tightly to him and bolted with her. His speed was a blur, as he ran, and now the others were moving to catch up with him. By the time he got to the house, Byorgue and Nigel had just finished preparing the dining room table for her. It was too cold for her to eat outside. At the sight of Kiehl, they knew he wasn't happy.

"What's going on?!" Byorgue growled.

"The three humans. They pissed me off," Kiehl muttered darkly. Byorgue and Nigel nodded, and let Kiehl set Sarine in front of the platters of food. She was starting to shiver, and Kiehl focused to bring out the heat. He was able to bring out just enough of it to warm her, and he sat right next to her to help her eat. Howard, Sammy, Eremes, Doppy, and Loomin reached them first. As the others started to filter over to find places to sit, Byorgue blocked off Elric, Cedrick, and Shoujin. Injustice and Observation formed another wall behind Byorgue. The green whip that he used to attack was snapped about in warning. It was rare that he had to use it, but it got their attention easily.

"Kiehl is pissed at you three! If you know what's good for you, you'd leave! Now!" Byorgue warned. "We can't control his actions. He's too strong for all of us!"

"Don't you have a Guild to run, Elric?" Loomin frowned, as he buttered a bit of bread to eat. "I'm sure your Guild can't be that self-sufficient."

"When they need me, they call for me," Elric said lightly. "What more is there for me to ask of them? They know I'm here, anyways."

" _The three of you need to go to the barracks near here,_ " Muninn said, as he walked up behind them. " _Turtle General is ready to call for you all._ "

"Why me?" Elric frowned.

" _He figures that, after what you've seen with the Demonic Mating, you need to be trained in the old ways of honor. He feels that you need it._ "

"Are you serious?" Elric blinked. Cedrick scowled, but he nodded all the same. Shoujin didn't realize that Turtle General was teaching the old ways of fighting, and now he moved off to find the honorable monster. Cedrick and Elric sighed with defeat, and they moved off to follow him. Maybe there was something they could learn that would help them out.

"Finally!" Kiehl growled, as he sensed them leave. Sarine pulled him close to her, and he practically yanked her in his lap. He gave out a small growl of challenge at first, but she ran her hands through his hair to calm him down. Doppy couldn't believe what he was seeing.  _Kiehl definitely had a much shorter fuse than I did now._

"She's making him crave her," Loomin mused. "This makes it so that she can't be harmed by her cravings, and he's kept calm at all times. Very interesting!"

"Will this happen...with all of her pregnancies?" Eremes asked.

"With the way he is now, I wouldn't doubt it," Loomin said. "His Bragging Rights will get stronger with each time he wins. If a pin drops, and he doesn't approve of it, he'll go off."

"Sarine, here," Howard grinned and slid a chocolate bar over to her on the table. Kiehl caught it for her and broke it up into small pieces. Feeding her a piece, he kissed her heavily to share it. This was something he definitely needed right now. When all of the chocolate was used up, she whispered to him, and he grinned wickedly at her. Howard smirked, and Naght was now a touch amused. Then she looked over at Evil Snake Lord, and he nodded to Kiehl. When he got nodded to back, he settled himself to speak.

"Sarine, my dear, when did you want to go to Glast Heim? We need the books that are there. The children are still in class, but we sorely need more books. We can't ever have enough, you know," Evil Snake Lord said.

"Books shouldn't be that hard to get," Doppy said with a grin.

"You would think so," Kiehl sighed. "Well, as long as the kids don't tag along, we should be able to get there quickly. They are on the first floor of that armory, so it won't take too long to reach them. We can't say anything, though. They'll want to come along. How much longer do they have school for?"

"Five hours, roughly. Lunch will be served there, but the younger four will need to be nursed. Their lunch is in an hour. I would suggest that we wait until their lunch is over. We'll have four hours to do what is needed," Evil Snake Lord said.

"Let's do that," Sarine smiled. "It will give Kiehl some time to practice with the Fire element, and it will give me a little more time to recover from the eggs."

"I like that idea," Kiehl grinned and hugged her tight. "Love, let's go to the nursery. I want to see Beelzebub's eggs."

"Oh?" she smiled, and now Loomin was curious again. He needed to see when they would hatch. They moved up to the nursery and approached the small area made of soft leaves, grass, and warm sand. The nest was made to be at hip level for easy examinations. Loomin carefully lifted one egg up and ran his hand over the top of it. Beelzebub was incredibly anxious, since they were his kids, and he didn't want them harmed.

"Interesting," Loomin said, as he studied them. "They will hatch on the same day that Sarine gives birth. I honestly think that all of the eggs will be like this, regardless of when they are supposed to properly hatch."

"You think so?" Drago frowned.

"It's always been nine days for ant eggs," Maya Purple said.

"That may be true, but Sarine isn't a full ant, either," Loomin grinned. That made Maya Purple think and chuckle with agreement. Now Loomin studied Maya Purple and blinked at a discovery, as he said, "Now that's interesting!"

"What is?" Maya Purple asked.

"Your human part is sterile. The bug part is fertile," Loomin said with a touch of surprise. "This must explain quite a few things, doesn't it?"

"Ah...what...?" Maya Purple frowned. "I am sterile?!"

"Not your bug body," Loomin said. "When you separate from it, you are sterile."

"You did say that you wanted to have Sarine with your bug body, right?" Doppy asked.

"Well...yes..." Maya Purple nodded.

"That must be why," Sammy said. Maya Purple was still a touch upset on learning this, and Sarine opened her arms to him. He climbed off of his bug body to move and hug her tightly to him. He didn't like thinking that he couldn't have kids with her.

"Where's Muninn?" Sarine asked, as she cradled Maya Purple.

" _I'm right here,_ " he said, as he walked over. He hadn't bothered to become his falcon form yet, since he knew he was needed for this. " _Sarine, what is it? Ah. Maya Purple. Okay. I know what is going on. He's not meant to have children with you in his human portion of the bug body. It's all in the bug body, itself._ "

"Muninn, is there a way to make both parts of me fertile?" Maya Purple asked.

" _It can be done, but we must wait until after she has eggs with you first. You would be getting her pregnant, and it would need to be done after Byorgue. If you can wait that long, then you will be pleased with the resulting offspring._ "

"I can wait," Maya Purple smiled. "As long as I know that it can be done."

" _Certainly!_ " Muninn nodded. " _Sarine, the children are ready to come here to nurse. Are you ready for them? Or do you need more time?_ "

"Yes, I'm ready. Kiehl? Can you help me to the rocking chair, please?" she smiled softly. Kiehl helped her walk to the chair, and Doppy still winced at the small bits of pain.

" _Expect this pain to be felt tomorrow, too,_ " Muninn sighed. " _Evil Snake Lord will be the cause of it, you see. As a strong monster, his eggs will form just as swiftly._ "

"I will?" Evil Snake Lord reared up slightly.

" _You saw your images!_ " Muninn grinned now. " _Also, Entweihen Crothen will have her give birth to something resembling seeds, as you all thought. This will happen on the day after tomorrow. The seeds will need to be planted in the grove, or you can make a special area here in the nursery for them. I'll show you what to do._ "

"Wow," Sammy blinked. "We'll talk to Storm Caller to set this up."

"Seeds? Let Entweihen know," Loomin said. Beelzebub nodded and sent off a Hell Fly with the message. He was sure the skeletal demon would come to the nursery to learn more.

"Muninn, I have a question for you," Sarine said, as she rocked herself in Kiehl's lap.

" _Yes?"_

"If you are to be with me tomorrow night, you know that I may be craving to be dominant from Doppy's son in me. Will you be forced to give in to my whims?" she asked with a bit of a smile. "You know how his blood makes me after sunset."

" _Ah...oh..._ " Muninn blinked and fell silent. Kiehl started to snicker, and the others started to laugh at his expression. " _I'm going to be in trouble._ "

"But, think of it this way," Sammy grinned wickedly. "If Huginn is let out while she's dominant, he'll be in trouble, too. Maybe even more than you."

Now Muninn found himself laughing hysterically at a future vision, and he knew his brother was in a state of shock in her mind.

"I won't let anyone lay a finger on Huginn. That's my job tomorrow night," Sarine grinned in such a wicked way that everyone started to pity Huginn. Errende brought over a Spicy Shrimp dish for her, and she enjoyed it thoroughly. When she finished it, Sammy's twins and Kiehl's twins were brought in to be nursed. She took Loo Shin and Ming first, and it was Juliana that noticed something in the nest.

"Eggs?!" she gasped.

"Yes. My kids," Beelzebub chuckled. She clapped her hands in delight for him, and Kiehl watched his daughter get gathered up and held with affection by the Demon Lord.

"Will they grow bigger?" Deagan asked.

"That's something I don't know," Beelzebub admitted. "We'll have to wait and see."

"Oh!" Deagan said and squinted a bit.

"Where are your glasses?" Kiehl frowned.

"Um...they fell off at school," he frowned. Juliana had hers on, as they were in a snug band that was carefully fit over her head. Byorgue clucked his tongue, ran out, and came back a bit later with the glasses. Sarine was nursing Kiehl's twins now, and Byorgue handed over the glasses to Kiehl.

"Hmm. Oh. The band snapped. Okay. I can fix these. The next time this happens, let us know, okay? You know you need your glasses," Kiehl said.

"I know," Deagan sighed. "I didn't want to bug anyone."

"If you can't see then you can't learn," Kiehl chuckled.

"I'll help you," Howard chuckled and took the glasses. Since Kiehl was keeping Sarine's craving down on needing to see her men, Howard was free to run down to the workshop to repair them. Bringing them back up, Kiehl watched Howard carefully place them back over Deagan's head. Giving out a small sigh of relief, the small boy nodded in thanks. When they finished nursing, Kiehl kissed the foreheads of his kids and let Doll take them back to the school.

The place was well fortified, since Gloom Under Night, Baphomet, and Atroce were keeping watch. Emperor Markus had sent over several of his most seasoned guards to patrol around it, too. Hell Flies made their patrols over it constantly to ensure the safety of the children in specific rounds. No one was taking any chances, and there was even an emergency tunnel dug out that led straight into the workshop from the classrooms. The trick doors would only open for monsters and kids. This tunnel was well protected by various monsters, too.

"I'm hungry again," Sarine frowned.

"Really?" Kiehl blinked at this, and he looked at Eremes. "If you make her get fat, I'm holding you completely responsible!"

"Heard and noted..." Eremes smirked. "Yet...I think it's only because her metabolism is sped up. Howard? Remember how at times...I was always eating something?"

"Wow. You're right!" Howard mused. "It's why you always had your own personal stockpile of food. When we ran out, you offered up some of yours."

"Yes. Because of my build...I never get fat. I burn it off quickly. I think...this is a result from that. Such as, when Sammy made Sarine sad...Doppy gave her violent mood swings...her book reading from Kiehl...I gave her a fast metabolism. She will never get fat. But...she will need more food at times," Eremes nodded. "Sarine, love? What do you want?"

"Um..." she paused.

"Spicy food, milk, cheese, and some raw meat. No blood yet," Kiehl said. "Mainly her craving dishes. We'll need to double our supply of everything."

"We turn human tonight, too," Howard sighed. "Triple the supply."

"I'll tell Karla!" Byorgue nodded and ran off. Howard was glad the raw meat from Doppy's craving also sated the frozen triplets. Kiehl blinked at this thought, and Naght rumbled softly to Doppy. That made him a bit relieved, but now he thought.

"Sorry Sari, when do you need blood?" Doppy asked.

"Oh. Ah, maybe after I eat? We should be able to go to Glast Heim by then," she smiled. Kiehl nodded at this, and Howard helped bring her to the bedroom. With the way Kiehl was, they had to keep her safely away from the others.  _Anything could piss him off._  At a knock on the door, Kiehl flashed his nasty temper with a scowl.

"Seyren?" Loomin asked, and he approached the Lord Knight.

"Hey. What's the plan for today?" Seyren asked.

"Well, Kiehl is ready to slaughter anything that pisses him off right now, so don't go in the bedroom. We plan to go to Glast Heim to get those books. They are needed for the school," Loomin said. "We hope to leave within the hour. We can't let the kids know that we are going somewhere today. We need to make this trip as fast as we can."

"Makes sense. I'll inform the others," Seyren nodded. "Karla already left to do some shopping for us with Lloyd and Garrett. They'll be back soon."

"How is Karla's pregnancy, by the way?" Sammy chuckled.

"Well, she's growing! No movement yet, but, with how big she is, it could change," Seyren grinned. Muninn walked over after looking ahead, and he was smiling.

" _By the time Sarine gives birth, all of the developing children will be moving. Coraline and Max did accept blood from Hibram, and her pregnancy is now on par with the rest of you. By the time Sarine is pregnant again, they may not be able to travel much with everyone, so the traveling party will be less,_ " Muninn said.

"What's going on with Wickebine and Thomas? Or Laurell and Lilah?" Sarine asked, as she started eating. Muninn walked over to her, and Kiehl smiled at him softly. Muninn was definitely trusted and seen as a blood brother of sorts.

" _They will eventually become wedded couples. Wickebine and Thomas seem to be growing closer more and more. I wouldn't doubt it if it happened near the end of the week. Lilah seems to be waiting until she transcends. Much like how Timmy is. They are both getting close to doing so. Eventually, it will happen. Likely by the time you are ready to give birth, or when your next pregnancy happens. I'm sensing that it may be the latter. As always, the future of it could easily change, but this is what I see right now._ "

"Good to know," Howard nodded. "Oh. Timmy mentioned a while back that my parents wanted to see me. I'm not really amused at the idea."

" _Don't be,_ " Muninn warned. " _Your father has changed by leaps and bounds, but some of his old self is still there. He is safe enough to see the children, but that's it. I would say, before he does, see if he will consent to your family house being fixed back up. State the fact that you want the kids to see your old room and how it was in the past. That and it would give a good impression to the kids. If he consents, you'll get your old room back..._ "

"I see..." Howard grinned. Sarine blushed at this, and Kiehl squeezed her.

"Would you like me to send a message?" Beelzebub asked.

"Yes. To Markus, specifically. Then he can send a message to my parents," Howard nodded. "I'd much rather have it come from a neutral guard than one of us. It will show I still don't trust him. It will force him to work on proving himself that much more."

"Good idea," Kiehl nodded.

"I am loving this roast!" Sarine sighed, as she tucked into it. It was incredibly rare and seasoned with hot peppers and hot spices. It satisfied her two cravings for raw meat and spicy food. More roasts like this would be planned for her. She finished off the cheese quickly, and went through her other spicy meals with a hungry vengeance. When she finished off the milk, she leaned back into Kiehl with solid contentment.

"Now would be the time to go to Glast Heim," Howard said. "Before her hunger kicks in again. Let's get moving!"

"Right," Keltin nodded. Hyegun knew the triplets were mostly sated, but he muttered that blood was still needed for her.  _The triplets wanted the blood._

"Hold it," Beelzebub said. "Sarine still needs blood."

"That's right," Kiehl said. "Okay, let's do this."

"Sorry Sari, take from Howard and Kiehl first. I'll go after them, if you need me, too," Doppy said. At the look in his eye and the tone in his voice, she remembered why and nodded.  _He needed to ensure that Howard got some of Kiehl's blood to empower Naght so that Doppy could benefit from it. This would also help for the blood bond for Huginn's developing body._  She was taken into the bathroom, and Kiehl was swift to undress her and himself. He was as eager to feel her bite as she was to feel him pressed against her. His mouth was locked on hers, as he settled on the floor with her, and he purred deeply in the kiss when her hands moved through his hair.

"Will you let me bite you, Kiehl?" she whispered, as he moved his mouth over her throat.

"Always," he muttered thickly. He groaned, as her tongue licked over his skin to find his jugular. He shoved himself into her, as she bit down, and he shouted with the painfully pleasuring release. He rocked her on him, and Howard moved over quickly to take the blood from her to swallow down in her kiss. This would need to be done every time Kiehl won her Demonic Mating. Howard hissed at the power that coursed through him, and Naght went back to his tower to come through Howard to get a share of Kiehl's blood. Now that he felt the boost in power, he released Howard and came back to approach Doppy.

"Impressive!" Doppy grinned. His strength grew to slightly become more than Naght's. This was very important. As Odin's Wrath and Sarine's Wrath, he had to be a force that no one would be able to survive against. Sarine took two extra mouthfuls of blood from Kiehl to sate her need for blood, and she sighed. He Healed himself and caressed her.

"Feel better?" Kiehl asked Sarine, as he nuzzled her.

"Much," she smiled, and he kissed her possessively. "Do I really make you crave me?"

"I  _always_  crave you!" he grinned, and she blushed softly at this.

"Hmm," Howard thought, and Sarine looked at him. Reaching for him, he got pulled closed and kissed lovingly. Kiehl looked over at him with amusement now.

"Are you sure you want to try that?" Kiehl asked.

"We need to see how much you crave her," Howard said.

"True," he nodded. "Okay."

"Kiehl?" Sarine frowned. He kissed her gently and moved away to dress and walk out of the bathroom. Howard held her and comforted her, as she needed him now. He had to undress quickly so that she could take blood from him and Naght. Beelzebub was told of what was being tried, and the Demon Lord nodded with understanding. After ten minutes, Howard paused and saw Kiehl charging back in to pull Sarine to him with a shivering form of complete need. He didn't need to mate her. He just needed her in his arms. He was craving to hold her close to him, and his arms ached with the feeling of needing to feel her warmth and touch.

"You just get the urge to always want to hold her," Howard thought.

"The feeling was slight at first. Then it got worse and worse to the point that I just...I had to hug her to me," Kiehl sighed. "I can't stand being away from her at all."

"You do keep her nastiest cravings at bay," Howard grinned. "And she hasn't gotten sick yet. Did you notice that?"

"Hmm?" Kiehl asked, as he was busy kissing Sarine. The ache to simply want to hold her melted away, as he hugged her tight to him. She sighed and snuggled into his chest. This was also what she needed, too.

"We should go to Glast Heim," Sammy said, as he walked in to see them. "Now would be the time to go. Karla is back with Lloyd and Garrett. Windwalker is ready. Pori-Pori, Eddga, and Vagabond Wolf are waiting. Everyone is getting their steeds. Kiehl? Do you think you'll be able to work with the Fire element successfully?"

"Only one way to find out," Kiehl chuckled. Sarine blushed, and Howard dressed quickly before helping her dress. They managed to take her out to the main room, and, as she walked outside, Kiehl suddenly pulled her close, curled his upper lip back into a blood-thirsty snarl, and glared at Kavach when he walked over. The Sniper blinked and gaped at the chilling feel of solid and complete hatred in Kiehl's glare.

"Love," Sarine smiled softly and nuzzled him. He snapped out of the mood quickly to nuzzle her back and got her onto Windwalker. Once she was secured with him, Howard joined them. She pulled Kiehl into a kiss and whispered, "Focus on me. That one is not worth your attention. Worry not about him, dearest."

He gave a small growl in response and continued to kiss her thoroughly. Eremes was settled on Matyr's back, and Ifrit was warming the air around them. Howard got an idea, and Kiehl now looked at him with a grin.

"That did work, didn't it?!" Kiehl said with a thought. "Errende! Do you still have that blanket that we used in the Ice Cave? We used it to warm Sarine up considerably, and it didn't bother that many at all!"

"Oh! That's right!" Errende said and moved into the house quickly to grab it and bring it out. "We'll need to make more of these for the children."

"True," Loomin nodded. Aliot and Observation were able to wrap up Sarine, Howard, and Kiehl on Windwalker's back in the massive blanket. Kiehl focused on the Fire element and his diamond shimmered with a flickering light. Windwalker warbled at the excess heat and seemed to look distressed. Loomin jumped on Ktullanux's back, and told Keltin to ride Garm exceptionally close to Windwalker. Their chilling presences helped Windwalker immensely.

"I had an idea to help warm the island when we leave," Sarine smiled. "We have quite a few Fire-based monsters. Can't we build small areas that they can reside in to help spread their heat while Ifrit is away? I know about the heating system built, but, if the air is getting colder, I worry about the other monsters that need heat."

"That's a very good idea," Kiehl thought. "We can have Magmaring help warm the school. He looks cute enough and gives off enough heat that he won't harm the children."

"Salamander and Kasa can also help," Ifrit said. "They can stay in the barracks and the guest house. There should be enough heat spread between them that way. Fire Imp can help in various spots around the island, too. I know there is a Lava Golem that we will need to recruit. It can easily help pick up the slack while we are gone."

"Lava Golem is in Magma Dungeon. There are a few other monsters there, too. We'll need to grab them when we can," Keltin nodded. Sarine saw him and seemed to smile with a touch of relief. Doppy saw that and edged Nightmare Terror closer to Windwalker.

"Hmm. Nigel, make sure that Sammy stays close in case something happens. I'll do the same with Nightmare Terror," Doppy said. Naght rumbled to him, and they all agreed to keep the ones that gave Sarine children in her line of sight. They needed to make sure that her cravings would be sated, if they came back around in full. Thanatos and Errende moved to walk on either side of Windwalker. Aliot now walked behind Windwalker with Sammy. It was going to be rough on how the traveling would work, but they would make it work. Muninn finally reverted to his falcon form to hover over them all. Kiehl looked up at him and nodded to show Sarine was ready for travel.

_:Anymore coming?:_  Muninn asked.

"I don't think so," Seyren said. "Most of the others are staying in from the cold. We have Karla, Garrett, Cecil, Margaretha, Lloyd, and myself. I think Max and Coraline are staying in. Okay, there's Donnie and Egnigem."

"The others aren't budging," Egnigem chuckled. Her armor was adjusted to work with her pregnancy, since they took Hibram's blood, too. Anna, Neil, and Margaretha were overjoyed at their new siblings and extended family members.

"I still don't think we should go. I don't want anything to happen to you or our kid," Donnie muttered. Egnigem sighed, and Maya Purple moved over to them.

"I'll help protect her," he said. "Don't worry."

"Thanks," Donnie nodded.

"Vessel of Odin?" Pori-Pori asked in his deep voice.

"Yes?" Sarine smiled.

"Your daughter, Serenity, has been asking odd questions about training," he said. "Mainly about when to start and what to start attacking. I'm not quite sure what to tell her."

"Leave that to me," Beelzebub said. "Since they are in a school, they will be taught all of that. Thank you for bringing it to our attention."

Pori-Pori nodded and readied himself to travel.

"Oh, Pori-Pori! How is Loo Shin?" Sarine asked.

"I like him!" Pori-Pori beamed at her. "I can see why I will be protecting him!"

"Why is that?" Sammy asked. Sarine smiled and asked the question for him.

"Well, considering that he is like Incantation Samurai in his youth, he sparks something within me that I only really feel around you. It's inspiration, I think," Pori-Pori thought aloud. "He also plays a very good beat!"

That got chuckles and small bits of laughter from everyone.

"I still can't remember what I used to play in my youth," Sammy sighed.

"You would think it was a Mandolin," Donnie said.

"True, but it was something more intricate. Muninn, I hate to ask this, but can you help remind me of what it was? It's going to bug me!" Sammy muttered.

_:Hmm. Oh! Gumoongoh! Board with. Strings! Levers! Is hard. To play!:_  Muninn warbled. That made Sammy blink with recollection, and now he knew he would have to find the instrument again. Sarine was definitely curious about this, and Karla knew she would have to keep her eye out for it.

"It's sold in one of the Comodo shops!" Donnie said. "Practically any instrument in the world is found in that shop! We'll need to pick one up. Maybe Augustus can for us."

"I'll send him a message, as we travel," Beelzebub said.

"An instrument like that is sold in the shops?" Sammy frowned. "I know that Bards and Clowns can use them as weapons, but I thought they were rare."

"There are stronger versions of it, but it's the more basic version. We'll get one to you as quickly as we can. I don't know how to play it, but I know how it's used. No one really knows how to play them anymore, but they are sold there as a novelty instrument," Donnie said.

"I'll definitely want to see it," Sarine smiled.

"I think we are ready to go," Howard said. He blinked when Lord of Death and Dark Lord came over to them. Dark Lord clearly wanted to see other parts of his domain, and Lord of Death wanted to go, too, since it was Dark Lord's lair.

_:Here we. Go!:_  Muninn warbled and Warped them all to Glast Heim.


	140. Chapter 140

Evil Snake Lord looked around curiously and made sure he had enough power to fix a decent number of books. Dark Lord was taking in the outside of his domain with a bit of delight. Kavach and Maya Purple were already ensuring that the area was clear of monsters.

"We'll need to walk to the Armory section again. Let's go," Keltin said. Garm and Ktullanux stayed close to Windwalker to keep the Gryphon from overheating. The blanket was clearly something that would need to become a more permanent fixture in the cold months for Sarine. Kiehl was able to keep the warmth going in the blanket, and Eremes and Ifrit helped with the outside of it. Sarine was snuggling into Kiehl's and Howard's embraces. Then her belly rumbled. Naght hissed out to Thanatos at the thoughts he gleaned, and Errende was quick to hand over a spicy, rare roast. Aliot moved to quickly cut it up for her to make it easier.

"There's just enough blood in the center to give it a 'raw' feel," Thanatos grinned.

"Good. And it's cooked just enough on the outside to make it rare?" Doppy asked.

"Yes. And extremely spicy," Errende nodded.

"Perfect..." Eremes nodded. Milk and cheese were given over next for her, and they were quickly consumed. Howard sighed at the fact that she had eaten three full meals already.

"She may be eating up to six meals a day. Maybe more," Kiehl frowned. Beelzebub heard this and whispered to the others. Meals would now be prepared in bulk.

"I am curious about something," Maya Purple said.

"About what?" Byorgue asked, as he took out a rogue Gargoyle with Vagabond Wolf.

"Who would I get Sarine pregnant with?" he asked.

"Probably me," Hyegun grinned. "But, if Muninn has it planned out as he does, It won't be for a while. Normally, what he says always comes to pass."

"That is true," Keltin nodded. "If that's the case, then, after Maya Purple's pregnancy with you, I want to have kids with her and with yours."

"Seriously?" Hyegun asked with a bit of surprise.

"Why not?" Keltin countered. That made him chuckle, and Naght rumbled with amusement. As they moved forward through Glast Heim, a small adventuring party stopped them with gaping looks at Dark Lord.

"Don't try it," Loomin warned them. The Hunter, Priest, Assassin, and Bard team seemed to frown at this. Dark Lord leered at them, and Kiehl had to keep all of his focus on Sarine. Windwalker growled lightly, as he trudged past them, and Seyren nodded to them lightly.

"Are they following us?" Ragged Zombie smirked.

"Yes," Hibram frowned.

"We'll lose them in the Armory," Evil Snake Lord mused. "Since Dark Lord is with us and holds no double, he still has quite a bit of power here. He can direct the monsters to attack whoever he wishes. That is, if he's in a decent mood."

"Hmm," Dark Lord thought and now called forth a few Abysmal Knights in the area to throw off the smaller party. "I had forgotten I held power here. Fine. I'll distract the humans."

"I could have charmed them away," Hyegun grinned.

"Nah. Dark Lord needs to have some fun," Keltin grinned back. Naght seemed to chuckle, and Eddga rumbled in agreement. Lord of Death laughed, as they continued to travel. When they reached the Armory entrance, they got inside quickly and veered to the left. Sticking to the wall, they made their way to the back and then north through the trashed sitting room. It was here that the library was found, and Evil Snake Lord went to work quickly.

Nigel, Byorgue, and Injustice started to pull books off the shelves as fast as they were repaired. Karla was able to start gathering them up to store in her cart. Everyone else picked up as many books as they could. When they had enough, Dark Lord thought.

"Make duplicate books and leave them here. I do not want any humans to know what went on! Such a thing could bring about disturbing thoughts," Dark Lord said.

"Of course," Evil Snake Lord nodded, and duplicate books were set on the shelves.

"This place is interesting," Beelzebub said. "I'd like to visit it again at some point."

"I'm sure you would," Dark Lord hissed. "My realm is just as dark and vile as your cathedral. I'm not surprised you would feel at home."

"I don't feel at home. I just feel as though there is something else here," Beelzebub stated. "Some place that is unexplored still."

"Oh?" Sarine asked from her warm and toasty blanket.

"You must mean the sewers," Dark Lord said.

"There are monsters there that we need to get," Keltin sighed. "The monsters are Sting and Anolian. We can reach them faster through the Churchyard where we found you, Dark Lord. We can do this quickly, if we are unopposed."

"Then let's move quickly!" Dark Lord said. Sarine frowned, as she wasn't planning on staying for too long, and Kiehl kissed her forehead to comfort her.

"Dark Lord can keep the monsters away from us. It should be fast," Howard whispered to her. "Adventuring parties can be kept away with Hyegun's help. It shouldn't take too long."

"Okay," she nodded. Dark Lord had to lead them out of the Armory, and they had to back track to the central building before the dungeon system. Leading them here, they moved rather quickly through the main Church section and headed east. Beelzebub took in everything with mild appreciation. Doppy snorted, as he rode Nightmare Terror, and Thanatos knew that his tower was far more impressive than this. Errende was just enjoying himself with the others. He was content to simply be in Sarine's presence. Just by coming back here made a lot of old memories come back to him. Mainly how he first saw her and became her slave. Thanatos gave him a mental chuckle, and they started to compare various things.

"Errende!" Howard called out. "Sarine wants to talk to you!"

"My Lady?" Errende asked, as he walked over. Sarine reached out, grabbed him by his collar, and planted a kiss on him that seared him to the core. A heavy, dominating snarl came from her, and Howard was forced out of the blanket to let Errende take his place.

"Damn!" Doppy grinned wickedly. Hyegun and Ragged Zombie had their jaws dropped.

"Wow," Loomin chuckled. "Been awhile since I last saw that! It was right before we went to get Hibram, Ragged Zombie, and Beelzebub. Right?"

"Yep," Keltin nodded. "That was also the night that Seyren got his ass kicked by her."

"Quiet!" Seyren muttered, and Karla pressed into him with affection. He ran a hand over her growing belly and smiled softly.

"Your birthday is coming up," Margaretha muttered to Lloyd.

"And your point is?" Lloyd chuckled.

"She's going to be dominant again," she grinned. Lloyd blinked at this, and Beelzebub snickered loudly. Egnigem gave a bit of a grin to Donnie, and he stammered.

"Next two nights are claimed," Sammy said. "The slaves need her tonight, and Muninn must be able to bond properly with the growing body tomorrow night. The night after, well, we can make plans. We'll have to see how Sarine is."

"Oh, good!" Margaretha nodded.

"Garrett?" Cecil smiled. He gave a small smile at her and seemed to shiver.

"I don't think I need it," Garrett said.

"Don't tell me that!" Cecil laughed. They all looked over, as Errende pulled himself from Windwalker's back and forced himself to walk properly.

"Byorgue!" Sarine grounded out. He blinked and had Errende ride Vagabond Wolf to recover. Moving over to Windwalker, his collar got yanked on, and he got hauled up to be with her next. Ragged Zombie had his eyes wide at this now. Errende was given a Yggdrasil Berry, but he still barely had the strength to hold his head up.

"What did she do to you?" Loomin frowned at Errende. The High Priest gestured for Thanatos to speak for him.

"Oh, he got scratched up, bitten, blood drank down, used...the usual stuff," Thanatos grinned wickedly. Keltin swallowed, and Hyegun was speechless.

"She used a...Blinker, too..." Errende sighed. That made Seyren look over with shock.

Moments later, Byorgue had to drag himself away from the Gryphon, but he looked at Observation and pointed to Windwalker. The angel actually shivered with excitement when he moved over to get the same treatment.

"Wow..." Keltin said.

"She knows her slaves miss this," Howard grinned. "She's going to be even more elaborate tonight. Trust me."

"Seriously?!" Byorgue blinked at him.

"Oh, yes," he nodded. Kiehl was simply bearing witness to every dominating attack she did to her slaves. He was holding her shorts, as she hauled Observation under the hot blanket, pulled a Blinker over his eyes, bit his neck next, ran her nails up his back while she fed on him, and used him to her hearts content. When she finished using him, the Blinker was removed.

"Get me Injustice!" she growled in Observation's ear after Kiehl Healed his neck.

"Yes...My Lady..." Observation gasped. Kiehl was easily keeping her want to see her men back now. He did know that Howard would eventually be needed for her. The moment the triplets within her started fighting for affection from the other four when they became aware, he knew it would be inevitable. She leaned back into Kiehl, and he kissed her possessively with a dominating snarl of his own. A submissive, instinctive whimper was given in reply. He had to remind her who was truly in charge now. Her dominating streak needed to be kept in check, and only he could do that with his Bragging Rights.

He watched her use Injustice next, and then Aliot was sent over to her. When Aliot was fully dominated, Drago was sent over. He was a bit tough to work with at first, but they managed. Nigel was next, and Sammy had to walk for a bit until he recovered. Nigel hadn't fully gone through Sarine's dominance until now. He clearly liked it.

"Give me a bit," Nigel said to Sammy and a nod was given. "I've only...been through bits and pieces of this. Not the full thing. She wants Maya Purple now."

"We'll need to stop, then. I can't have my bug body move by itself," Maya Purple said.

"Well, we are in front of the sewer systems. Okay. We'll take a short break," Keltin said. Dark Lord seemed to laugh with amusement, and Naght was chuckling. Maya Purple got off of his bug body and moved over to Sarine's side.

"Finally!" she snarled, grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to her. The moment she finished with him, he found Byorgue helping him to his bug body to have them continue walking. Loomin had never seen her like this before with her slaves.

"Who do you want now?" Kiehl grinned.

"Get me How-How," she snickered. He found himself laughing at this, and Howard was wincing. Sammy watched him from Nigel's back and started to smirk.

"What are you doing?" Doppy asked.

"She asked for me, since I like feeling what a slave goes through," Howard sighed.

"Good luck!" Byorgue grinned.

"Wait," Beelzebub said.

"If I wait, she'll get pissed," Howard warned.

"I know, but I just want to know something really quick," the Demon Lord said.

"What?" Howard asked. He whispered in the Whitesmith's ear, and a glare was rewarded to him. Kiehl started laughing, and Naght snorted with amusement.

"Tell me? I won't say a word. You have my promise," Beelzebub said.

"Fine. No one else knows!" Howard muttered.

"Howard!" Sarine scowled out.

"A minute!" Howard called back and whispered softly in Beelzebub's ear.

"How could you have...no. That's impossible! It's a foolproof mishap!" Beelzebub said with amazement. Howard gave a warning glare, and the Demon Lord relented.

"Hmm?" Doppy looked over with curiosity.

"Nothing," Beelzebub said with a shake of his head. Kiehl whispered to Sarine that he wanted to know of Howard's mistake as a Blacksmith when he forged for the first time. That got her giggling like crazy, and Kiehl hugged her to him.

"I mean, it's common knowledge!" Sarine sighed.

"But, he was just starting out," Kiehl said.

"Yes, I was!" Howard grumbled, as he pulled himself onto the Gryphon and under the hot blanket. The heat didn't really bother him now, and he realized it was from Naght's blood and Kiehl's empowerment. She pulled him to her, and he rested in her embrace.

"Well, the blanket is smothering our voices now," Kiehl chuckled.

"I mean...how the hell did I know at the time that I needed full iron and not the rough pieces to forge with?" Howard muttered irritably. Sarine started to laugh softly, and he nuzzled her. "I just thought that anything would work! And then I tried to use Starsand instead of Star Crumb, and I didn't realize that I had to smelt ten pieces of it together to make the Star Crumb. Same with the rough pieces of elemental stones!"

"Well, you know better now," Sarine smiled and kissed him gently.

"You tried to forge with the rough pieces of everything. Wow," Kiehl grinned.

"Shut up!" Howard muttered.

"What's really funny was that I pointed it out. I knew nothing about forging, too," Sarine mused. "Why do you think that is?"

"You're special. That's why," Howard sighed. "Markus said that all options are open to you. I never doubted that. I'm never going to doubt that."

"I love you, How-How," she smiled.

"I love you, too, Sarine," he smiled back and pulled her close to kiss deeply. They all moved through the first level of the sewer systems, and Dark Lord kept them traveling swiftly. They were not attacked at all, and they made it to the second level of the sewers. Not finding what they needed here, they had to travel to a far upper right corner of the place to get to the third level of the sewers. On reaching here, they finally had one of the monsters approach them.

"There's Sting!" Keltin said. Sarine peered out of the blanket and through Windwalker's wing feathers to look at it. It was a giant, gloved hand on a pile of purple mud. The glove was white and had a red, silk bow tie underneath it. The mud formed a type of arm, much like a blob of sorts. It waved at them and moved over to Windwalker.

"Oh!" Sarine blinked. It gave over an Amethyst, a Great Nature, a lump of Coal, and its card. "Thank you."

Sting made a thumbs up sign before turning to slap a rogue Gargoyle away.

"We saw these guys in your tower," Eremes mused to Naght.

"Yes...but...they...were...fake..." Naght nodded.

"We saw Anolians, too, but they didn't join us," Seyren said. "Where do we need to go to find Anolian? Is the exit close?"

Sting made a gesture for them to follow, and Keltin nodded. As they traveled to the lower left corner of this floor, Sarine turned her focus back to Howard. She had pushed his tunic off of him, and she started to have him remove his pants.

"Not all the way," Kiehl muttered. "Only just enough."

"Fine," Sarine growled. Howard was shivering with submissive lust, as she used him for everything he had. The heat in the blanket only added to the pain he was getting from her, and he wanted more of it. It didn't take long at all for her to sink her teeth into his neck to feed. She pulled him into a heavy pleasuring loop, and he gasped when it was finally over. Kiehl had kept a Yggdrasil Berry on him for emergencies like this, and he gave it to Howard after he was Healed.

"Thanks..." Howard said weakly, as he ate it. She took quite a bit of blood from him and finally felt sated of her craving for blood. Kiehl judged she took two mouthfuls from each slave, but she took four from Howard.

"Now I'm starving!" Sarine growled irritably. Naght rumbled to Thanatos, and Errende was quick to give over another roast.

"She's eating...again?" Eremes asked with surprise.

"Yes," Errende nodded.

"It's more than you ever ate, Eremes," Seyren smiled.

"I know..." Eremes frowned.

"Well, she has four growing kids in her," Karla chuckled.

"That's true!" Loomin grinned.

"I still don't feel satisfied," Byorgue sighed.

"What?" Beelzebub asked. "What do you mean?"

"My Lady dominated me, but she didn't bring me to that point," Byorgue said. "She did before, but it was a long time ago."

"Wait...for...tonight..." Naght said.

"Tonight?" Byorgue asked.

"Yes..." he nodded. "It...will...happen...then..."

"Okay," Byorgue nodded. Sarine knew that she didn't bring her slaves to that point of pleasure and pain yet. She was holding back on them. She wanted to get them built up to that point so that they would be able to take everything she could give them. It had been awhile since she had her dominance come out in full, and she didn't want to weaken them right away.

"We are going down the last set of stairs!" Keltin said.

"Good," Sammy said. "We need to hurry!"

"That we do! The children are nearly done with school," Evil Snake Lord said. Sarine blinked at this news, and the group moved down to the fourth level of the sewer system.

"Anolian! There he is!" Keltin said. The reptilian monster bounded over to them and hissed with joy. He had green scales, large black eyes, and a small bandage on the end of his tail. He carried a sword with a wide end on it that could also be used as an axe. A large, red scarf was tied around his neck, and small shoulder plates functioned as his armor. Ridges went down his back, and now he moved over to them with small, hopping motions when he walked. He moved over to Sarine, as he glowed with power, and he handed her his card, a slotted Brooch, and a full Oridecon piece. She thanked him, and Howard took the items.

"Not bad!" Howard grinned. "You have a card from him when Cecil gave it to you. For your birthday, remember? It's part of an intricate set of a cards that will help you."

"You're right!" Sarine blinked. "If that's the case, I need to put them to use and see what they can do. Shouldn't I?"

"That you should," Kiehl nodded. "We'll need to fashion another bow for you."

"We'll work on it when we find the time," Howard said. "We should head back now."

"True," Sarine nodded. At Muninn's warble, the group banded together and got sent back to the island home.


	141. Chapter 141

The moment they got back to the house, Sarine was taken up to the nursery. The kids were all going to be running in soon, and she needed to nurse the youngest four. The books were taken to the school to be arranged and studied. Kiehl was cradling her in the rocking chair, and she was hugging Eremes close.

"You are starting to feel cold," Eremes frowned.

"I am?" Sarine asked.

"Yes. I can...sense your body heat dropping..." he said. "After you nurse the kids, we need to heat you up again."

"We'll do that," Kiehl nodded.

"Trina! Bernard! Slow down, or you'll trip!" Doll scolded.

"Daddy!" Trina gushed, and she ran to Keltin.

"Hey!" Keltin laughed, as he pulled her up to kiss her cheek. "It's all right, Doll."

"Good. Now I have to run after Alexis and Albert," Doll sighed.

"Kids!" Aliot glared at his twins lightly, and they frowned when they came to a stop in front of him. "What happens if you run?"

"We can trip," they both said together.

"That's right. Don't run in the house anymore!" Aliot said sternly. Then he grabbed them both to hug and let them snuggle into him. "Did you learn some neat things?"

"Yah!" Alexis nodded. Errende found Angela in his arms, and she started to talk about her day. Edward moved to Thanatos and got gathered up. Gunther and Bianca moved to sit with Doppy to talk to him. Serenity and Siegfried sat with Howard, as small grins were on their faces.

"I guess you all had fun?" Howard grinned back.

"Oh, yes! We got to practice training with Turtle General!" Siegfried said.

"Daddy Amon Ra told us what monsters we would start training on," Serenity said.

"Really?" Kiehl chuckled, as his twins were brought over to Sarine to nurse.

"Um...we were told that Poring Island would be needed soon," Angela said.

"Can't Defender, Vengeance, and Mastering make mobs for them?" Sarine thought.

"Yes, they can," Beelzebub grinned. Pori-Pori bounced over to Sarine and glanced up, as Loo Shin and Ming were brought over to Sammy. Loo Shin saw Pori-Pori and grinned his somewhat toothless smile.

"Teeth coming in already?" Sammy chuckled.

"No one bites me!" Sarine said sternly. Deagan and Juliana seemed to glance at each other as they nursed, but they weren't planning on doing that at all. Kiehl was still a bit surprised at the fact that Sarine hadn't gotten sick yet. Howard mentally thought that it could be because Huginn and Muninn had to bond with their developing bodies.  _Or it could be from Kiehl's ability to keep it back._  Naght gave an agreeable tone to the idea.

"What do we do now?" Edward asked.

"I don't know," Thanatos said. "Maybe we can have a fire pit night?"

"I think we can do that," Sarine nodded. Nigel and Byorgue took Kiehl's twins to burp so that Sammy could give her his twins to nurse.

"Sammy! I bought something for you!" Karla said, as she walked in.

"Oh?" Sammy asked. She smiled at Sarine nursing his twins and produced the Gumoongoh instrument. He was a touch speechless at it, and he studied the instrument.

"Was it the same one?" Sarine asked.

"It looks like it. However, it looks a bit more modern. I'm sure that, over time, they would have improved the design of it," Sammy said.

"What's that?!" Loo Shin asked, as he stopped nursing to look over with fascination.

"This was an instrument that I used to play as a young child. It's called a Gumoongoh. It's very hard to play. Hold on," Sammy mused and reverted to his child form. Shifting the massive scroll on his back, he set the instrument on the ground and had it cradled on his knees. He started to pluck the strings and frowned. Muttering to himself, he tried to tune it. As he did this, he looked at his son and said, "Finish eating! If others come in here, because of this, it will embarrass your mother. I'm just tuning this right now. I'll show you how to play it in a bit."

Loo Shin nodded and went back to nursing. Kiehl started laughing, and Howard was grinning with him. Sammy gave them both irritated looks, and they both burst into laughter.  _He clearly had different personalities as an adult and as a child. His child form was far more impatient than his adult one._

"Do you remember how to tune it?" Sarine asked.

"I do. It just takes some time. I may be ready to play this at the fire pit," Sammy said.

"You could ask Donnie to help you," Ragged Zombie said.

"Donnie couldn't string this if his hands were tied behind his back, and he had to use his feet!" Sammy snorted. The zombie burst into laughter at this now, and Trina toddled up to him.

"Dad?" she asked.

"Yes?" Sammy smiled.

"Um...there is a better one of that. I think. Can I?" she asked.

"Karla, how expensive was this?" Sammy asked.

"Not much at all. Around sixty thousand zeny, if that," she said.

"That cheap?!" he frowned. Looking at Trina, he nodded to her. Trina touched it, and it gained an extra slot to hold two monster cards. That made him blink, and he smiled. His twins finished nursing, and Hyegun took Loo Shin to burp, as Loomin took Ming. Once Sarine was fixed up to receive her friends, word was sent to Donnie.

"You got one!" Donnie grinned, as he walked in. "Hmm. I see why you have it on your lap. You're too short for it, as a kid. It's supposed to rest on your shoulder from the small hook, and then it hangs down your side. You're supposed to stand and play it, from what I know."

"Really?" Sammy blinked. He became his adult form and rested the instrument on his shoulder. "Wow. This really does make a difference! Ahh, when it's on the ground, the sound is muffled! Okay. I had it tuned all wrong to begin with."

"Do you want Sarine to try and tune it?" Howard asked. Now Sammy thought and gestured for Sarine. She stood up and set the instrument against her in such a professional way that Donnie was gaping with shock. She tested each string and twisted the nobs carefully until the proper pitch was found. She gently plucked each string for deep, subtle notes to come forth and filter through the room. The kids were captivated by it and gasped with complete delight.

"Tune my guitar!" Donnie said. Sarine giggled, as she handed the Gumoongoh back to Sammy, and she tested Donnie's guitar. Listening closely to each string, she adjusted the pitch carefully before handing it back to him. The Berserk Guitar was next, and this was fixed up properly. Donnie was muttering under his breath, and Beelzebub was grinning.

"Vessel of Odin? Evil Nymph was kind enough to give us this instrument," Storm Caller said, as he walked in, and he handed her a Lute. She paused, as she studied it, and Donnie grimaced.

"Those are nightmares to play and tune!" Donnie said.

"To you," she smiled and carefully plucked the strings before adjusting the nobs easily.

"How do you do that?!" Donnie gasped.

"I just know," she shrugged and now started up an elegant little musical score. Loo Shin was completely enthralled. He was destined to be a Clown, and this proved it.

"Mom," Loo Shin said. "I...I think I know all that you do about instruments!"

"You think so?" Sarine smiled greatly at her son, and he blushed. "When you get a little bigger and can handle them, we'll test it. Okay?"

At his furious nodding, Ming thought and whispered to Loomin.

"Do you? Well, if you think you know all about dancing, then we'll have to test that, too, right? We'll find out what everyone knows, and we will see what happens," Loomin smiled.

"Okay, Daddy," Ming smiled, and he kissed her forehead. He loved all of Sarine's children, and Ming had a small portion of his blood in her like the others. They were all his kids, and he would protect them fiercely with everything he had.

"Hey, Sarine..." Maheo said, as he came in and paused, as he stared at her. The book in his hands dropped to the floor, as he went speechless.

"Maheo?" Sarine frowned. Kiehl hissed and pulled her to him tightly. Eremes was standing along a corner behind her and moved to step in front of her. That snapped Maheo back into focus, and Loomin was groaning.

"What?" Sammy asked.

"Sarine's beauty from me..." Loomin grumbled. "It's starting to take effect. We don't sense it, because she's always with us. But, to others, their reactions can become old really fast."

"You are not serious!" Doppy scowled.

"Let's put it to the test, then," Beelzebub said. "Blent is back. He just transcended. He's heading here now."

"Wonderful," Howard muttered. Gunther frowned at this and moved to sit in his mother's lap. She hugged him to her, and he snuggled her.

"If he's not strong, I'm not talking to him!" Gunther snorted. Doppy laughed sharply at this, and Thanatos was grinning. Hibram looked over to see Blent, and he narrowed his gaze.

"You just transcended," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"I did. I just became a Stalker. What happened while I was gone?" Blent asked.

"I don't know you yet," Amon Ra mused. Blent blinked at the sight of him, and he looked over when Pharaoh and Osiris moved into the nursery.

"Drake would like to plan another boat ride soon," Osiris said. "And Sarine? I found out something that would interest you."

"Oh?" she smiled, as she held her son. He walked over to her and whispered softly. Kiehl blinked at this, and Howard found himself grinning. Osiris nodded to Kiehl after that and got a nod back. She looked at him and blushed.

"Poison, eh?" Howard grinned. "And what would you be to her?"

"Her Touch," Osiris said. "I noticed that, when I touch something with my bare hands, I can actually see the history of that item. I discovered it by accident when I picked up the doll that was made for Sarine long ago. I first used bandages, but something made me want to feel it for myself. When I did this I...I saw things. Very disturbing things. I didn't say anything at first. I didn't want to alarm anyone. But...I knew it was just a matter of time before I knew I had to say something."

"What did you see?!" Howard asked now. He became alarmed at this news.

"Not with the kids," Osiris said. "They will get upset."

"Fair enough," Sammy nodded. "Pharaoh? Do you have a place with Sarine?"

"I think I am her sense of Smell. I am able to pick up various scents in the wind, itself," Pharaoh said. "This started to become known just a short while ago. Almost as if it was dormant until it knew it had to come forth. As for an element, I am naturally Shadow. But, it is not as strong as Loomin's Shadow. He can make things a full, solid black and track things with it. I tend to make things...invisible with the right amount of Shadow. Such as, I can Cloak others with mine, as long as they are close by."

"Now  _that_  is useful! And, if Kiehl can eventually do that, too..." Hibram mused. Kiehl found himself grinning. "Amon Ra? Do you have anything?"

"Hmm," Amon Ra thought. "I honestly don't know what I have for her."

"Amon Ra," Sarine smiled and moved to settle in his lap. Doppy took Gunther from her, and his son frowned at first, but he knew that something important was happening. Amon Ra held her to him, and then he blinked. He started to feel that something was going to go wrong.  _Very wrong._ He looked over at Blent and noticed that the Stalker was staring at her with disbelief.  _He needed to leave the room immediately._

"You. Out. Now," Amon Ra said, and he pointed at Blent. The young man paused, but Maheo grabbed him by his fur-lined vest and yanked him out of the nursery.

"What was that about?" Ragged Zombie asked. Then he looked at Kiehl and gaped. Kiehl had a look of murderous rage on his face, as he glared at the door. Howard now realized that Amon Ra just saved Blent's life. _If it had been a second later, the Stalker would have been dead, and the kids would have witnessed a violent kill that may have shaken them for days._

"Amon Ra, you just helped Sarine avoid a rather nasty confrontation," Sammy said.

"There were kids in the room! I was thinking of, not only her safety, but theirs, too. I just sort of...knew that something was going to go wrong really badly. It didn't really happen until I held her," Amon Ra said. She whispered to him, and he nodded. Letting her go, she moved over to Kiehl and let him pull her tightly to his chest. Amon Ra watched Kiehl, and everything started to mellow out. A rather neutral feeling filtered around now that was calming, yet aware at the same time. Kiehl, now at ease, looked at Amon Ra with a grin of thanks.

"You're her Balance," Loomin grinned, as his God Sight helped him realize what happened. "It's as though you have the ability to keep things from going out of control quickly. It's why the kids respond to you so well, too."

"Her Balance?" Amon Ra smiled softly. "That would make sense."

"But, what is your element?" Keltin asked.

"Normally, I'm Earth based. I think I still am," Amon Ra mused. "In the past, I was always able to create successful harvests. Anything I planted, or helped plant, always came up. I was told by ancient priests that I had the ability to make rich soil out of anything."

"So, Hyegun would be Plants, Howard would be Rock, and you would be Soil," Sammy thought. "The three of you could easily reshape this island."

"Tao Gunka would be happy," Doppy chuckled. "But, we need to test all of our elements. Maybe we can do that now?"

"It's nearing sunset," Errende said. "My Lady will be dominant soon."

"That's right," Howard said. "We'll have to test our elements tomorrow."

"I'm not sure if we can travel anywhere, or even do any elemental tests," Sarine sighed. "If I'll be drinking Muninn's blood again, and get a Demonic Mating with the possibility of making eggs, I may be in too much pain to go anywhere or try anything."

"Well, maybe this can be our time off from traveling," Kiehl said to her. "What do you think, love? I don't want you to move around, if you'll be in pain."

"I'll need to see how I am after each one," she sighed in his embrace. He glanced down at Serenity when she tugged on his undercoat piece. Howard picked her up, and Kiehl smiled at her. She seemed a bit confused, as she tried to put her thoughts into words.

"Keel," she frowned. "um...are you mad at me?"

"No!" Kiehl said and kissed her forehead. "It's just very easy for me to become mad now. I get mad at anyone that might try to hurt you or your mother. Yes, I'm getting stronger. I'm sure you can sense it. In the next few days, I'll get even stronger than this. It's something that needs to be done. Like I told you before, I'll never be mad at you, unless you do something bad. If you don't do anything bad, then I'll never be mad at you."

"Okay, Keel," Serenity said with a nod.

"Remember..." Eremes smiled. "he is giving you...three sisters...next...with Howard. Also...it may be possible...that...Naght and Ifrit...will be giving you a sister, too."

"Really?!" Serenity gasped at this, and Naght rumbled a purr to her. Howard gave her over to him, and she snuggled into Naght's chest.

"It's not quite sunset yet. What do you want to do?" Kiehl asked.

"You three. Bedroom!" Sarine said to Osiris, Pharaoh, and Amon Ra. They all laughed softly and left the nursery. Howard, Doppy, Loomin, Sammy, Keltin, and Hyegun followed them. Errende and Byorgue were close behind. The others stayed in the nursery to help them.

"Sarine! There you are," Entweihen Crothen sighed.

"Is there something wrong, love?" she frowned.

"I'm your Mind, since I can do powerful magical attacks. Also, my element is Chaos," Entweihen said. "With my element, I can Confuse others to a point that they simply can't attack. They lose focus and become extremely vulnerable. It's far more deadly than simply Stunning them, you see. But, if they are Stunned and Confused, they're simply dead."

"Nice!" Loomin grinned wickedly.

"Okay. Bedroom!" Sarine smiled.

"I want to know what Osiris saw with your doll," Sammy said.

"After he gets married to me," Sarine said. He nodded, and they moved into the bedroom.

"Who goes first?" Osiris asked. As a response, Sarine moved to grab his hand and pull him into the bathroom. Kiehl walked in with her to keep her cravings calm.

"Anything from the triplets?" Keltin asked Hyegun.

"No. They're fine. I won't be able to sense anything from the others until tomorrow night or after, I think. They need to become aware," Hyegun said.

"True," Thanatos nodded. "However, let's prepare her craving dishes. With all the sex she's going to have, I know she's going to be hungry when she's done."

"Right!" Errende nodded, and Byorgue moved to help prepare the table. In the bathroom, Osiris claimed Sarine as his, and she was giggling at him.

"What?" he smiled.

"Normally, mummies are supposed to look dried up and old. Yet, here you are with old bandages covering you, and you are nothing like that underneath them!" she smiled.

"Well, Valhalla blessed me to be undead, yet youthful for you. I'm not going to complain!" he grinned. She ran a hand through his lanky, black hair, and he leaned into her caress. Then he looked over at the glow that appeared next to them, and she picked up the ring that appeared. He unwrapped his left hand and let her put the ring on his finger.

"Husband?" she smiled.

"For eternity," he muttered, and he kissed her. He took her again to claim his First Mate Rights, as her scent took over his senses. After he released with her, he whispered, "When the others are married to you, I'll tell you what I saw when I held your doll. I don't want to disturb you with those thoughts right now."

"Okay," she nodded. He kissed her gently and moved to let Kiehl hug her tight. Once his craving to hold her was gone, Pharaoh came over next to pull her close and claim her. As they lay gasping in each other's embraces, the wedding ring appeared in a flash of light, and she slipped it on his finger.

"My wife," he sighed and kissed her hungrily to have her again when her scent filtered through his mind. Right after he claimed his First Mate Rights with her, she saw Kiehl tremble.

"Sarine..." Kiehl winced, as the ache to hold her was taking its toll on him. Pharaoh looked up with alarm and moved slightly to let Kiehl hug her to him. Howard was almost ready to burst into the bathroom, but everyone understood why Kiehl needed to be with her and no one was fighting it.  _He helped keep Sarine's cravings in control._  Nothing else needed to be said.

"Are you all right?" she frowned. Kiehl sighed with a nod and was able to let her go long enough for Pharaoh to finish with her. After she shared a kiss with him, Kiehl pulled her back to him. He shivered, as he held her.

"This is rough for me," Kiehl muttered.

"Now you know how I feel," she grinned softly, and he smirked. Nuzzling her and cradling her, he started to feel much better. "I have to tend to Amon Ra and Entweihen. I don't know why, but I feel that Evil Snake Lord is important, too."

"Well, he can see various visions from his ink. And he'll be giving you eggs tomorrow," Kiehl thought. Howard knew that Beelzebub was going to find out.

"I just don't understand why so many need to be around me now," she frowned. Kiehl blinked at the thought of wanting to be alone, and he started to massage her. When her teeth started to chatter, he activated his Fire element to warm her back up. Amon Ra walked in quickly to let his presence balance out the mood. Once he knew she was stable again, Kiehl nodded to him in thanks, as he nodded back with respect.

"Sarine?" Amon Ra asked. She looked at him, and he was able to pull her into his embrace. As Kiehl sat back to let him claim her as his wife and gain his First Mate Rights, he blinked at a thought from Howard. Now he mused over it and had to figure out how to voice it.

"Husband," she sighed, as she slipped the ring on his finger. He hugged her to him. After the kiss he shared with her, he let Kiehl pull her close, and he got up to dress and leave the bathroom. She ran her hand up Kiehl's chest, and he kissed her softly.

"I knew you had it rough," he muttered. "It's a novel sensation to know exactly what you're going through. I mean...damn...!"

"Hush," she smiled and kissed him thoroughly. "Entweihen is here. Let me tend to him. We'll see what needs to be done after him."

"You're not finished, actually," the skeletal demon chuckled.

"Oh?" she frowned.

"There is one other that we discovered," Entweihen said.

"He's right. You'll find out after him," Kiehl grinned. The skeletal demon nodded to Kiehl, and he got a nod back. Several thornless vines reached out to carefully wrap around Sarine to carry her close. Various large roses grew out, as he took her with his essence, and the ring was gathered up to give to her. She placed it on his skeletal finger, and the ring tightened around it to keep from slipping off. That made him chuckle, and he claimed her again for his First Mate Rights. When her scent left his senses, he chuckled again.

"Normally, I'm Shadow based," Entweihen said. "But, Valhalla changes us differently. It will throw off others at the arena."

"That it will," Kiehl grinned. "I'm Shadow based, as well, come to think of it."

"Kiehl, I think with you gaining all of these elements as my Soul, you may gain the Neutral element," she smiled. "It's actually a rather uncommon element, too."

"You think so?!" Kiehl blinked. "You may be onto something! Once all of the diamonds I get are filled with various elements, I'll be literally immune to them all. Okay, now I have to get the elements! This will be needed."

"That it will," the skeletal demon agreed. When Kiehl started to look uncomfortable, Sarine was given back to him quickly, and Entweihen left to get the last one needed for her at this time. She was highly curious of who it would be and Kiehl squeezed her.

"You'll need to be heated up before we do anything," Kiehl said.

"I know," she nodded. "I'm sure I'll need to eat, too."

"Maybe you'll eat first, and then get heated up," he thought.

"That would be best," she smiled. She kissed him, and he cuddled her. She looked over at Evil Snake Lord, as he came in, and she beamed at him.

"Apparently, I am your Memories. I record everything and keep them cataloged. Sage Worm has been helping me rather effectively with the new library for the school, and Evil Cloud Hermit is a wonderful assistant to me! My element is naturally that of Ghost," Evil Snake Lord said. "With my element, I can Teleport others to short distances. Much like how a ghost can vanish and appear at will. It is a much needed element! So, how do we do this?"

"Go show him," Kiehl grinned. Sarine kissed him passionately, and she moved from his side to approach Evil Snake Lord. He coiled around her quickly, as his ink covered her up, and he claimed her with everything he had. When the ring appeared with a soft glow, she was able to pick it up and she paused at how he was to wear it.

"Replace one of my hat tassels with it," Evil Snake Lord said.

"I don't think that will work," she frowned. Kiehl moved over to hug her carefully and tried to help her figure it out.

"Maybe at the very end of his tail?" Kiehl thought. Evil Snake Lord poked his tail through it, and the ring stuck on it in a rather permanent way. This made them nod, and now Evil Snake Lord shuddered when her scent filtered through his mind. He launched himself at her, and Kiehl let him have Sarine, as he needed to.

"I still have to read your letters," Evil Snake Lord sighed when he was calmed down. "I've been so busy with the school and the new library that I neglected them."

"Then go see them," she nodded. He flicked his tongue on her lips and moved out of the bathroom. Kiehl gathered her up to hold her and help her dress.

"You need to eat," he said. She nodded at this, and he led her out to the bedroom to sit at the waiting table. Eremes moved over to check her body heat, and he hissed with shock.

"We know," Howard nodded. "She eats first. Then she needs to get heated up."

"Fine," Eremes said. Ifrit charged in at the mental call and moved straight into the fireplace to start heating it up.

"We should build a small furnace in the workshop," Kiehl said. "When we get Lava Golem, it can heat up the house there. I can also use the heat to work with metal and such."

"Good idea," Loomin said. Byorgue moved out to tell Storm Caller to get the furnace built. Such a thing would be needed as a backup heat supply. Sarine was tearing into the roast, and had finished it off quickly from her intense hunger when a knock was heard on the door. She paid no attention, as she started on the cheese, and Doppy opened the door slowly.

"She's eating. What is it?" he growled.

"I wanted to ask Sarine something," Kavach said. Errende sneered and moved to Sarine's side. She ran a hand through his hair to calm him, as she finished off the milk.

"Ask where you are. She can hear you," Howard said.

"I want her to try and give me pain and pleasure again," he said.

"I doubt you'll live," Sarine said with a smirk. "I'm going to have my dominance in complete control now. However, if you still want to try, the only time I can do this is after tomorrow night. I am busy tonight and tomorrow night. On the third night, I may be dominating others. Wait until then. If you try any other time, I'll kill you."

"Oh...all right. I can wait," Kavach nodded. She gave a wicked grin to Errende, and he knew that she wasn't going to go easy on him at all. With her dominance, she could be around others that weren't meant for her. What she had planned for Kavach was going to make what she did to Seyren look pale in comparison. Howard and Kiehl both seemed to wince at her thoughts, and Naght was hissing with laughter in the nursery.

When the door closed, she yanked Errende close by his collar with a snarl and kissed him hard. Now that he was horribly turned on, she shoved him back, and grabbed Kiehl and Eremes to pull them into the fireplace.

"Not fair..." Errende sighed. Kiehl whispered to Sarine and she gave a grin.

"Errende, want to be a test subject?" Howard asked.

"How?" he asked back.

"Go into the fireplace. Kiehl will protect you from Ifrit's heat," Howard said. That made Errende nod, and Thanatos walked into the bedroom to ensure that everything would go well. As Errende walked into the fireplace, Kiehl focused on making him immune. When the door to the fireplace closed, and the heat increased to volcanic levels, Errende was still unharmed.

"It worked," Thanatos grinned. "He just feels a bit warm."

"Good," Sammy said. Now that Sarine was able to fully satisfy Errende, Doppy glared at the door, as it was knocked on again. Finding Kavach there, he growled.

"I just wanted to ask Thanatos something," Kavach said. "I was told he came in here."

"What?" Thanatos asked.

"I...really want to have some of your blood back," he said.

"No. Piss off," Thanatos muttered, and Doppy grinned. "You had it before, and you didn't know how to control it. You only want it now, because you want to be with Sarine. Not going to happen with me. Ask someone else."

"Don't ask me," Beelzebub warned. Doppy hissed with his own warning. Hibram actually shook his head. He didn't trust Kavach at all.

"What you want is foolish," Sammy said. "You should go to Turtle General for training in the old ways. He may have some advice for you."

"He won't teach me anything, since I'm not worthy of it," Kavach frowned. "I already asked him. He turned me away."

"Liar," Beelzebub snorted. "You never asked him."

"Turtle General trains anyone who wishes to know," Osiris said, as he crossed his bandaged arms over his chest. The flickering orange light in his eyes settled on Kavach's face. "He is a very honorable monster. By you lying to us, it shows how desperate you are."

"I just...I've been fighting to be with her for so long!" Kavach finally said.

"And, as a human, you will make her abort a pregnancy!" Loomin hissed. "You would sacrifice her ability to have kids for your own happiness?!"

"No!" Kavach argued back. Kiehl tensed in the fireplace. He sensed something was amiss, and Sarine was clearly getting excited from the arguing. Errende was now the brunt of her excitement, and Eremes was gaping with Ifrit at how she was using the slave.  _Errende was now in serious trouble._ Kiehl sent this news to Howard, and action was instantly sought out.

"Stop!" Howard warned. "Sarine is sensing the negativity out here, and it's almost sunset! Drop everything and go! Now! We'll talk about this later! Maybe when she is ready for you. Not now."

"Get Errende out of there!" Thanatos growled. "Byorgue, take his place! Now!"

"On it!" Byorgue said. He was immune to heat and offered himself up to Sarine. She grabbed him eagerly, and Eremes was able to help Errende out to the safety of the bedroom. She had drained so much of his blood and stamina that he could barely move.

"She did that to him?!" Loomin asked in shock.

"Yes. If it was any longer..." Thanatos frowned. Sammy, Doppy, and Keltin were Healing the High Priest back to normal, and a Yggdrasil Berry was given to him with several cups of water. Kavach saw what Errende looked like, and he turned to leave quickly.

"Sarine!" Kiehl warned, as she attacked Byorgue's throat. She glared at Kiehl, but his Bragging Rights put her in place quickly. The small slave groaned, as she used him for everything he had. She was forced to only take three mouthfuls of blood before surrendering him. Ifrit had Byorgue leave quickly to recover and get Healed back up.

"You almost had Errende in trouble..." Eremes said.

"I...I did?!" Sarine gasped now that she was in control again. "Where is he?!"

"He's alive and fine now," Kiehl said. "You took a lot of blood from him. It was almost too much. It's been so long since you were dominant that you weren't prepared for it."

"I need to see him," she whimpered. Eremes nodded and knew that her body heat was stabilized again. She was able to walk out of the fireplace with Eremes and Kiehl. Ifrit remained in it to keep it hot for her. She saw Errende reclining in a small bed, and she moved to his side.

"I'm fine, My Lady," he smiled, and he sat up to hug her tight. "It's all right."

"No, it isn't!" she shivered, and he kissed her lovingly. He rocked her and whispered softly to her to show that he was truly recovered. She blinked at him, and he kissed her forehead while he sighed. Another kiss was given to her, and she finally felt reassured.

"Wow," Ragged Zombie grinned. "Intense much?"

At this, Sarine turned to look at him, and the glance he got made him freeze up with a form of excitement and fear. Then she whispered, "You want intensity? You got it! You'll be the first to witness what I can do tonight!"

Beelzebub was laughing hysterically now, and Hibram was cringing. Kiehl and Howard were clearly jealous of this. Sammy and Keltin gave each other looks of anticipation and dread. Doppy and Thanatos were howling with laughter.

"Lucky bastard!" Byorgue growled, and Eremes was hiding his face in his hands. Sarine now reached over to the wall, pulled a leash off of it, and clipped it on Errende. Then she hauled him to his feet and gave a smirk to the others. Another leash was grabbed and clipped on Byorgue's collar. Both slaves showed instinctive submission, and she led them out the door. Kiehl had to follow her in case his own craving to have her close came back.

At the sight of her leading her slaves outside, Aliot and Injustice growled with jealousy, as they followed her. Observation and Maya Purple shivered with a form of lust and had to follow her. Drago instinctively moved to be near her in case she needed him, and Nigel had followed suit. When she got outside, the fire pit was being set up. Everyone stared at her with small giggles and looks of surprise. They had an idea that this was going to happen, but they didn't know when. Seyren was clearly on edge, and Karla knew it.

"Errende. Byorgue. All fours. Now!" Sarine snapped. They both moved to do her bidding. She sat on Errende's back and put her feet up on Byorgue's back. A small glare at Injustice had him kneeling before her, and she ran a hand through his hair.

"Ah..." Seyren blinked at the dominant display, and Karla hissed in his ear. That made him look at her and growl. Garrett was trying to avert his eyes, but Cecil knew he missed it.

"Later tonight," Cecil promised him. That made him sigh, and he hugged her.

"Oh, here! I have an extra one!" Karla giggled and handed Cecil a Blinker.

"Thanks!" Cecil grinned. Now Garrett opened his eyes wide at this and tensed.

"You know you want it," Egnigem muttered to Donnie.

"Shut up!" Donnie muttered back.

"So, what's the agenda for tomorrow?" Lloyd asked, as he started to hand out cooked meat. He had made sure to have some rare strips for Sarine, and this was eaten gratefully.

"Well, it depends on how I am," Sarine said. "Apparently, Muninn needs me to drink his blood on occasion to help the growing body I'm making for him. It has...side effects that could affect me. Depending on how bad they are, it will help decide on what we are doing. We need to get to Magma dungeon for Lava Golem and other fire monsters. They are needed to help warm the island during the winter months."

"Makes sense!" Coraline giggled. "Hmm. Max?"

"Yes?" he asked, as he held her. She whispered to him, and he stared at her with shock. "No. Absolutely not! I won't do that!"

"You may as well," Beelzebub grinned. "It may be the only time you can really experience it, you know. Why not?"

"I see how Garrett is, and, well...no," Max said.

"Just do it," Garrett sighed. "If you don't, I'll order you!"

"What?! You wouldn't dare!" Max paled. "As a basis of our friendship, you simply can't do that! It wouldn't be right!"

"You will do this when we all do this!" Garrett said. "You have to experience it at least once! I know I was against it at first, but...it's addictive. I admit it."

"You need it," Seyren nodded.

"Dear, I think it would be all right if you had a session with her when the others do," Karla smiled. "I think you need it, too."

"He's been obeying you?" Sarine asked carefully.

"Oh, yes! Especially with my pregnancy," Karla nodded.

"All right. I can do a reward session," Sarine mused. Seyren tensed with excitement, and Karla giggled. Errende shivered with lust, and Sarine caressed his back while she continued to sit on him. Byorgue wasn't used to being in this position for so long, and she unclipped his leash to have him stand up. Injustice quickly took his spot, and her feet were now on his back. "I've been neglecting your training. All of you. You'll all get a quick trial run tonight. Understood?"

Her slaves voiced their understanding, and Byorgue now realized why his night was going to be a night for them all.  _They wouldn't be getting any rest._  Nigel didn't experience any of this yet and couldn't wait for it to happen. Byorgue only got the tail end of it. Kiehl was a bit disturbed, since he was incredibly dominant.  _She would want to work with me, too._

"Sarine," Kiehl said lightly, as he moved to hold her. "I don't think you should work on me. I know I'll fight back."

"I know. But, I'll do it anyways just to piss you off," she grinned wickedly. That made him hiss, and he gasped when she yanked him close by his collar to kiss him possessively. His old slave instincts came back to a point that he gave a mildly submissive whimper. This had Doppy look over with Thanatos. She glared at them with a low growl to show that he would not be challenged. If they tried, she would ignore them.

Kiehl was her First Mate and had powerful Bragging Rights. He could easily snap out of his submissive state and kill off the ones that tried to challenge him, if he really had to. Howard was frowning now. He knew that Kiehl was going to need this, but, with the way the others would see him as weak, it would need to be in secret like him. Mental agreements for Muninn to be contacted later were made. Naght would not want to be part of this, and it was understood. He can't be dominated. As a demon that won her very first Demonic Mating, it was something ingrained in him now.

"It's sunset," Nigel said lightly.

"That it is," she nodded. "I think I need to talk to Ragged Zombie. Right?"

"Ah...yeah..." the zombie swallowed lightly. Kavach had to force himself to stand back, and Maheo found himself thinking. Loomin watched Maheo out of the corner of his eye and seemed to chuckle. He was actually coming to appreciate the powerful Mage. There was something about him that made Loomin come to a form of understanding.  _I'll have to talk to the others later on about Maheo._

"Sarine?" Osiris asked lightly.

"Yes?" she asked, as she looked at him.

"I...really should tell you what I saw..." he said. That made her pause, and her dominant mood was put on hold. She got off of Errende, and a proper chair was brought for her. Injustice moved to stand near her now. Kiehl sat down first and pulled her into his lap. Howard sat right next to her, and Eremes was on the other side of her. Everyone else settled to listen and gave Osiris their full attention.

"What did you see?" Sammy asked calmly.

"It was as though I saw through the eyes of the doll," Osiris explained. "What Sarine did not see in her youth, the doll saw everything. Up to certain points, of course. But, I saw when Sarine was first given the doll by Markus. She was extremely overjoyed and was every bit as beautiful as the doll, itself. The doll was made in likeness of her at only one year of age."

"Only a year old, and her beauty still showed like that?" Loomin blinked.

"Yes. I was surprised, too," Osiris smiled. "But, the doll was slept with, played with...everything she did, the doll was a part of. It was clearly a very happy and joyful time. The doll also witnessed when that false woman came to the castle. The only look that showed, from what the doll revealed, was intense hatred and jealousy at Sarine. I saw her rip the doll from Sarine's grasp, toss it aside with disgust, and then I...saw her grab Sarine's hair and yank her out of the nursery bedroom. She was...screaming with so much pain and fear..."

"Osiris..." Sarine shivered, and he moved to hug her tight to calm down.

"Tell us what else you saw," Kiehl said lightly.

"Ah...well...I saw a guard, the one in the nursery, actually, pick up the doll to fix it back to rights and set it in the treasury. Much of everything else was darkness, save the few times that Markus did appear to glance at it. His eyes were full of rage and regret! He was crying at times, too. He looked tired. Tired of mentally fighting that woman. Tired of how he was being forced to treat Sarine. Each time I saw his face through the doll, he looked older and older. It was as though that woman was draining his strength. The last thing I saw was Eremes reaching down to pick the doll up. After that, well, the rest you all know."

"The doll saw Sarine's attack from that bitch!" Doppy hissed and tensed with rage. "And the doll was tossed aside, too! She died too easily!"

"Let her stay dead!" Sammy growled. "Sarine! Where are you going?!"

She had started to rise up to leave the area, but Kiehl was quick to hug her to him. She was scared. She was getting cold again. Old memories of her abuse were quickly rising to the surface, and Kiehl looked over at Howard with a mental hiss. Howard moved so that Sarine could see him, and he took out his Vecer Axe. He dropped it and fell to his knees with his arms out for her. Kiehl didn't fight her when she tore away from him to leap into Howard's arms. It was instinctive to let Howard do this. Sarine saw Howard as her safe place in a time like this.

"Hush, love. Shhhhh. It's okay. I'm here. I'm protecting you. Nothing with touch you. It's okay," he muttered in soft whispers to her, as she vented her tears against his neck. Osiris was in shock at this. He didn't know how much this still affected her. Naght flew out of the house and settled with her now. Kiehl's ghost was fully revealed to show that he was instinctively protecting her. No one dared to challenge him.

"No one mention that woman! Ever!" Kiehl snarled out. "Not around her, if anyone can help it! I don't want to see her cry like this!"

"None of us do," Eremes said with a heavy frown. Ragged Zombie was thinking hard on what he could do, but the moment wasn't quite in the clear for him to try and cheer her up. Seyren thought, and Karla looked at him to nod. Then she looked at Luna to feed her, and she put her in front of Seyren. It looked like she was moved off the cart to get something. The little green Homunculus already knew what she had to do, and she was eager to help out. She moved over to Seyren and kicked him in the shins with a harsh viciousness to show he did something when he clearly didn't do anything at all.

"Ouch! What was that for?!" Seyren scowled at her.

"Don't blame Luna for anything!" Karla scolded him. "I put her down to get a potion out of my cart! What? Are you saying she kicked you for no reason again?"

"She did kick me for no reason! Oh, stop it!" Seyren growled, as Luna stuck out her tongue at him. Sarine started to giggle, and Howard smiled.

"Seyren Windsor..." Karla fumed at him, and Seyren stammered. Luna seemed to make a little sound of defiance and kicked his shin again.

"Ouch! Quit it!" Seyren growled and gaped at Karla's hard, motherly glare. "Ah...she's kicking me! Come on, Karla!"

"Well, you were mean to her before! You obviously did something to her!" Karla argued. "She doesn't just kick you for any reason!"

"Maybe it's because he still can't boil water," Kathryne smirked.

"Don't you get in on this!" Seyren said sharply and gave a sheepish grin to Karla. Sarine was laughing now, and Howard was laughing with her. Now that the crisis was averted, Karla handed Seyren a slim white potion to heal his ankles, and Luna was picked up to hug.

"Very clever," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I know," Seyren nodded. Howard was still cradling Sarine, and Kiehl knew she was still upset. Looking over at Seyren, he studied him.

"Strange," Kiehl muttered.

"What?" Seyren asked.

"How someone with your denseness ended up with Baphomet," Kiehl grinned.

"I am not dense!" Seyren scowled.

"Kathryne," Eremes grinned. "did you know...that he burned two pots on water?"

"What?!" she hissed, and Seyren glared at Eremes. "So  _that's_  why a new pot was given to me as a gift of sorts! I always wondered that about you. I knew that something happened to my old pot! And the new one you got me was junk!"

"You got her junk?!" Howard asked incredibly.

"It was cheap! You were the one hoarding all the money!" Seyren argued.

"Now it makes sense as to why you were frantic in every town we went in," Margaretha mused. "You were looking for cookware!"

"That wasn't always the case!" Seyren said.

"He was looking to get laid," Howard muttered. Kiehl was laughing hysterically now, and Sarine was shaking her head at everything.

"I was not looking to...oh, whatever!" Seyren sighed.

"Seyren," Sarine said softly. "wasn't there that one time that we went to Alberta, and you were looking for some super-secret thing? It took you all day to finally catch up to us, and all you got were a new set of shoes?"

"Ah, well, not really," Seyren said.

"Then what were you looking for?" Sarine asked, as a hint of her dominance came out.

"If you want the truth," Seyren said slowly. "I was actually trying to find clues about your past. I was asking anyone I saw if they recognized you. Apparently, because you were locked away, no one knew you. It was as though you never existed. Yes, it was risky with what I did, because I was endangering you, but I didn't know. After a year, I stopped doing it."

"Okay, that was rude of you," Kiehl glared at him.

"She never asked us about our pasts, and you go out of your way to find out about hers?!" Howard scowled. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"It was in the past, How-How," Sarine said. "Besides, it's only fair that I get even with him for telling us this. Seyren, prepare yourself. In the next two nights, when it's your turn to be worked with, I'll show you how much I...appreciate...such secrecy."

"Ah..." Seyren blinked and paled. Kiehl now had a massive grin on his face, and Thanatos was laughing softly. Beelzebub and Hibram nodded to each other. Osiris and Pharaoh had small smiles on their faces.

"Sarine, I have a question," Hyegun said.

"Yes, dear?" she smiled.

"I'd like to do a dream vision of something. Keltin was telling me how they worked, and, well, I'm curious. After it, I'm sure you'll need to be dominant, but I'd like to experience one. Can we do this?" he asked. Sarine smiled softly, and Howard squeezed her before letting Kiehl hold her. She nodded at this, and now they had to decide on what it would be on.

"As much as I want to do a continuation with me, let's do Thanatos," Beelzebub said.

"Actually, let's do both," Kiehl said. "It will be fun!"

"You just want to do it, since it will be a continuation with you, too," Sarine smiled. He nibbled her neck, and she growled at him. He pulled her into his lap and nodded. Muninn flew down and landed to show he was going to help them. Amon Ra was informed on what was going to happen, and he made his way down to join them. Evil Snake Lord was curious and came over now to settle with them, as the other mates came over. Wickebine, Ollie, Thomas, and the other friends were already settled in. Timmy was very curious about this, and Anna and Neil were grinning. They couldn't wait to see it, and they both sat by Hibram. Neil had grown much since taking Hibram's blood, and he was actually becoming a rather handsome young man. Anna was very pretty in her own right, and Hibram was proud of his siblings.

_:Dream vision? Okay! Of what?:_ Muninn warbled.

"Me meeting up with them," Thanatos said. "Continuation, of course."

_:Okay!:_  Muninn nodded. The moment everyone settled in, the dream vision started...


	142. Chapter 142

A year had passed since Beelzebub and Kiehl joined the group when they traveled. They all agreed that it was too risky for Sarine to try to approach Amatsu to find Incantation Samurai. They thought it was best for her train more before attempting it. They couldn't risk her capture. They always had her train in areas that were hard to reach, and it was easy to do with strong monsters with them. Now it was time for Sarine to become a Huntress at long last. They had taken up a room in the town of Hugel where the Hunter Guild was, and Sarine was clearly excited. Beelzebub and Kiehl were constantly challenged, but no one could touch them. Their combined strengths were simply too much to handle. That and Sarine got in the path of the attackers every single time.

In the inn, sleeping arrangements were tricky. Both strong monsters didn't want to leave Sarine alone. Howard was fine with Kiehl, since they claimed each other as brothers, but Beelzebub always insisted to be in the same room as Sarine. It made privacy a bit of an issue. They finally arranged it so that, when Sarine slept, he could sit in the room with them. When she was awake, he would move out to sit in front of the door. It helped keep Seyren back with a lot of effectiveness. Seyren didn't like it at all. Eremes didn't like it, either, since Beelzebub and Kiehl both saw him when he Cloaked. When he tried to get into the room on the first night with them, he saw the monsters were there. He liked to watch Sarine sleep at times, but he wouldn't be able to in an inn anymore. It's why he always liked it when they slept outdoors.

In the bed, Howard and Kiehl would lay back and let Sarine snuggle between them. Kiehl would watch over the room, as Howard and her slept. It was a good thing that both monsters were in the room on this particular night. Something nasty was planned, and it was only by chance that they were in this particular room to begin with.

"Hmm?" Beelzebub frowned, as he looked over at the door. He could hear anything that happened around them with acute clarity. Since Sarine didn't have a permanent home, his gift of hearing wasn't fully given to him. He also couldn't hear anything in his domain, since he was summoned with a Bloody Branch and couldn't get back there. But, in Sarine's company, he heard everything that went around her with complete focus. He heard the knob gently twisting in the handle. Kiehl adjusted his glasses and now averted his attention to the door with irritation.

"It's in the middle of the night! I don't think Seyren is constipated again," Kiehl said.

"No. That was last night. He doesn't come here, unless it's an emergency. We know his footsteps. I think we have a break-in..." Beelzebub grinned. Their monster support groups were summoned and carefully hid around the room. They were able to unsummon and re-summon their supporters. The same ones always came back, unless they were defeated.

"What do we do?" Kiehl mused.

"Act stupid. What else?" Beelzebub smirked. Kiehl mentally nudged Howard awake and told him what was going on. Howard grinned and felt Sarine snuggle into him a bit more. Her Baphomet Jr. pet was sleeping rather deeply, and he was nudged awake now. At his grumbling, Kiehl whispered to him.

"Intruders?" the little pet frowned. "Okay. I'll pretend to sleep."

"We don't want Sarine harmed," Beelzebub said.

"I know," he agreed and feigned sleep. Now that Sarine's safety was their primary concern, the little demon wasn't going to fight them or argue. Once the Demonic pet knew that it was to help Sarine, he never talked back about anything until Sarine was cared for. The handle jiggled again, and the sound of poking and prodding was heard. The lock was now picked, and the door swung open. Beelzebub was hiding in a dark corner of the room. Kiehl looked like another person sleeping in the bed.

"Okay! Search the drawers!" a voice hissed out.

"That Archer girl looks rather pretty!" another voice whispered.

"We aren't here to rape anyone! Besides, she has two guys with her! Likely a whore. Stick to the plan!" the first voice hissed out again. Beelzebub glowered at the insult to Sarine, but he waited. There was nothing of value in the room to begin with, since Beelzebub was carrying everything for her. As the two men walked into the room, Beelzebub moved to silently swing the door closed, and the lock was set back into place. Kiehl had an Aliot and an Alicel hiding under the bed. One man bent down to look to see if anything could be found there, and he saw the Aliot's glowing red glare staring back at him.

"Pete! There's a monster under the bed!" the second man hissed.

"Oh, shove it, Sten! There is no such thing!"

"Go look!"

"Fine!" Pete growled and bent to look. Aliot swiped out at him with a clawed hand and scratched the man's cheek wide open. He shouted, and now Kiehl sat up to glare while his ghost came out in full. Howard was hugging Sarine to him, as the man's shout woke her up.

"Sarine is not a whore!" Baphomet Jr. snarled out viciously, and he started to attack their ankles. Neither man saw the little pet demon, and they shouted in outrage at this. When the Hell Flies appeared from their hiding spots, both men fainted.

"Idiots!" Kiehl growled. He pulled his ghost back in. Eremes was at the door from the commotion, and he was let in. Beelzebub told him what happened, and the Assassin was not happy. He wanted to gut them open.

"Who are they, How-How?" Sarine frowned.

"I don't know," he said.

"Rogues. Both of them," Eremes said, as he studied their bodies in the pale light of the room. Kiehl was clearly pissed off, and Beelzebub was in the same mood.

"Well, we need to get them out of here," Howard said. "Sarine needs more sleep if she's to pass those tests in the morning."

"True," Beelzebub nodded. Eremes walked out to wake up Seyren and brought him in. The Knight muttered irritably at the stupidity of the men and helped haul them out.

"Go back to sleep," Kiehl said softly to Sarine. "We'll protect you."

"Did they really...call me a...a whore?" Sarine frowned. She heard what her pet said, and the insult clearly upset her greatly.

"Ignore it!" Howard hissed, as he hugged her. "We know you aren't!"

"They just saw me and Howard sleeping with you and assumed it. We know you're pure, and they are just morons," Kiehl said.

"Baphomet is livid," Beelzebub grinned at his Hell Fly's report. His fly was still with Baphomet, and it was even helping him attack other adventurers. Sarine was still a touch upset, and she moved from the bed now to use the bathroom. Kiehl and Howard both frowned at this, and her pet was clearly concerned for her. She still had her emotional wall up, and she focused on keeping it in place. She sat on the bathroom floor with a heavy frown. One of the Aliots came up to her, since he was hiding here, and sat with her.

Little did they know, it was this Aliot that would end up joining her later on. Kiehl had summoned him some time ago, and Sarine didn't want him hurt. Aliot made a promise to her that he would not help attack others unless he absolutely had to. Kiehl would have to know of it eventually, but right now it was a secret. It wasn't going to be for very long, as Beelzebub was listening in to them. He was concerned for her, and this was going to surprise him. He would have known sooner, but he was always focused on listening in to their surroundings when they slept outside.

"Everyone is worried about you," Aliot said softly.

"I just...I'm not a whore!" she shivered, and he hugged her.

"I know you aren't. They know, too," he smiled. "Humans are idiots. Most of them, anyways. So, don't worry about that. All that matters is that we know the truth."

"I was all excited on becoming a Huntress, and, yeah, I still am...but..." Sarine sighed. "I don't like what people think of me!"

"Then don't care!" Aliot grinned. "Why should you care about what others think of you? Yeah, the ones that care about you should care. But those men? Hah! They'll end up dead! So, don't worry about them. All of us will protect you from humans like them."

"You will?" she frowned.

"Yes. We will," he promised, and she hugged him. He hugged her back and had her use the bathroom before watching her move back into the bedroom.

"What took so long?" Howard asked.

"She was talking to an Aliot," Beelzebub chuckled.

"What?" Kiehl blinked.

"Sorry, Master," Aliot smiled, as he walked out of the bathroom.

"You're talking? Normally?" Howard blinked.

"He's...special, How-How," Sarine smiled.

"And when were you going to tell me this?!" Kiehl growled.

"Eventually," she smiled and shrugged. "Don't get mad at him! I was feeling sad, and he helped cheer me up! He's good!"

"Okay," Kiehl nodded. "As for you, fine. If you're special to her, I won't argue. But, if you're defeated, there's nothing I can do."

"Just re-summon me," Aliot shrugged. "I'm a basic monster. You know this. I've actually been keeping myself from getting in the way of attacks. I only attacked the ones that tried to get in her way."

"So, that's why!" Baphomet Jr. blinked at this. "I thought you were a coward!"

"No. I don't want to be defeated, because I don't know when I'll get to be with her again to help protect her. So, I keep myself in the background," Aliot said. "I also promised her that I would keep myself safe. I intend to keep my promise."

"Okay," Baphomet Jr. nodded. "Sarine? We should go back to sleep now."

"All right," she nodded. Howard settled back in the bed with her, and Kiehl was sitting up to watch over the room with Beelzebub and Aliot. When they fell asleep, Beelzebub looked over at Aliot with a touch of a smirk.

"How long have you been with us?" Beelzebub asked.

"About two months," Aliot said.

"Since you helped her in the bathroom, I'll trust you. You're my minion, anyways, so it's a given," Kiehl said. "How much do you know about her? You deserve to know."

"Not much," Aliot admitted. Beelzebub nodded and spent the rest of the night explaining Sarine's history to him. In the morning, Aliot was fiercely loyal to her, and Kiehl helped awaken a stronger portion of his killing instinct. Seyren knocked on the door, and Beelzebub answered it. Sarine was in the shower, and Howard was getting his cart ready to move out.

"We dropped off those guys at the local guard station. Apparently, they were both heavily wanted," Seyren said. "Is Sarine all right?"

"She's fine, Meat Bag!" Baphomet Jr. grinned wickedly.

"Oh, shut up!" Seyren scowled.

"They called her a whore while she was sleeping..." Kiehl was still fuming about it.

"They said...what?" Seyren asked slowly.

"You heard me!" Kiehl growled.

"They should have died!" Seyren hissed. Then he looked over at Aliot and blinked at how furious the monster looked.

"That one is special," Howard grinned.

"If I knew more about her, I wouldn't have hesitated to open their throats!" Aliot hissed.

"Why do you think I told you about her?" Beelzebub chuckled. "Anyways, Sarine is almost done. Aliot, wait with me in the hallway."

"Okay," he nodded. Seyren was pushed out, and Sarine was walking out in a towel. Both Howard and Kiehl turned away quickly with small blushes, as she gathered up a few things to take into the bathroom. When she came back out, she was dressed and ready to go.

"You'll need plenty of arrows," Howard said, as he turned to get hugged by her. She hugged Kiehl next, and he squeezed her.

"Excited?" Kiehl chuckled.

"Yes! Um...you'll have to wait for me, won't you?" she frowned.

"We will," Kiehl nodded. "But, that's okay. Baphomet Jr. will need to wait with us, too. He may have to go back into an egg form for this."

"I don't wanna!" the pet scowled. "I'll wait with you, but no egg!"

"It would seem strange to the others," Howard said. "Unless, you act like you're my pet for the time being. We all know you're different from other pets and don't really apply by their rules. If you can hang out with me, then you won't need to go back into an egg form."

"Fine. I'll do that!" Baphomet Jr. nodded. "I hate that egg!"

"You were only an egg once!" Sarine frowned.

"And I hated it! I know it was for you to hatch me that first time, but it's so...cramped! No more eggs!" he said. She smiled and moved to gather him up to snuggle him. Purring at this, he gave a loud sigh and was set back down to move out of the room. Beelzebub gave her a small hug and led her down to the dining room with Aliot. She gave her pet a jar of honey to eat, and she was served a hearty breakfast.

"Let me tell you what to expect, little sis," Cecil said.

"Okay," Sarine nodded. As she ate, she was told the test came in three parts. Cecil told her the first part of the test on what she would need to do to pass it, as well as the various questions and answers given. She was further told of various items that may need to be gathered as the second part. Then she was told of the last physical part of the test. Once she was informed, she was ready to go. Kathryne and Margaretha were excited for her, and they were rather shocked about the break-in that happened in the middle of the night.

"Let's go take those tests!" Howard grinned. Eremes was clearly eager to see her pass them. Then he blinked at Seyren's whisper, and he glared at the ground with hatred. He didn't know that Sarine was insulted. He was now making plans to gut the men open, if they still lingered in town. Sarine was led up to the Hunter Guild, and she was given her item list on what to gather. She needed the quills of the Caramel monster as one of the items on her list, and that monster was right outside town. When they all moved out there to start hunting the monster, they paused at a small group of Hunters.

"Hmm," Beelzebub mused.

"What is it?" Kiehl frowned, as Aliot brought over some quills for Sarine.

"They have a Bloody Branch," the Demon Lord said. Sarine was now in the center of a protective circle, as he continued, "These Hunters passed their tests, and they are celebrating. Let's see what comes out, shall we?"

"Do we have to?" Sarine winced.

"If it's my Dad, then we have to," Baphomet Jr. muttered. Kiehl nodded to him, and they all heard the sharp crack of the branch when it splintered open. The group of Hunters had no chance when a powerful Storm Gust hit them all to freeze them, and they all died in one shot with a powerful Lord of Vermillion spell.

"Fools!" the strong monster hissed. Then the monster paused, as others were sensed, and Sarine whimpered softly. At the sound of the whimper, the monster's attention was quickly pulled to her. When the monster saw Beelzebub, it was with a touch of shock.

"And you are?" Beelzebub grinned.

"Thanatos," the monster said. Sarine was able to peer out to see the strong, handsome, blue-black haired demon in armored skeletal mail. His red cape fluttered about behind him like a set of bloody wings, and he turned to approach them even more.

"I'm Beelzebub. This is Kiehl, also known as Kiel D-01. Nice to meet you," the Demon Lord grinned even more. "Before you approach the one that calls you, I must speak with you."

"Oh?" Thanatos asked with irritation, but he understood. Beelzebub now muttered and whispered to him, and Kiehl had his minions continue to hunt for Sarine. Aliot remained by her to help protect her. A heavy Demonic swear was given by the powerful demon, as Beelzebub whispered to him about her life. Kiehl walked over now to help him understand more.

"As long as you are not defeated, you can travel with us," Kiehl said. "With our combined forces to protect her and each other, we can't be touched."

"I see..." Thanatos grinned. "All right. I'm game. Let me see the girl."

"Her name is Sarine," Beelzebub said. "She is the key to saving us all. Baphomet confirmed it. She is to be respected at all times."

"Understood!" he nodded. _If Baphomet confirmed this, then I'm not going to argue._  When he approached Sarine, she looked at him shyly, and he was stunned by her simple beauty. He also scented the other brandings she had received from Baphomet, Kiehl, and Beelzebub. That made him pause instinctively, and now he thought. Taking his sword, he opened his finger and offered her a drop of his blood.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"Trust me," Thanatos said. Beelzebub grinned, and Kiehl chuckled. She nodded and took the drop of blood. When it merged in her perfectly, he blinked.

"She's special," Beelzebub muttered. Thanatos now studied how Howard was protecting her with Eremes. Even Kiehl seemed to hold affection for her. Beelzebub clearly showed how much he liked her. He frowned in thought, set his sword on his back, and he crossed his arms. He seemed to smirk at a whisper from Beelzebub, and he moved over to Sarine to gesture to her to come closer to him.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"Here," he grinned and handed over his card. Her friends were gaping at this, and she giggled with pure, childish delight. That made Kiehl and Beelzebub grin.

"Thank you!" she said, and she gave him a hug. That made the demon pause at the sensation, and he purred when he hugged her back.

"What now?" Thanatos asked, as he gazed down at her in amazement.

"She was in the process of taking the Hunter trials," Kiehl said.

"Fine. I'll help," he said. Sarine was still a bit surprised at Thanatos.

"Sarine?" Howard frowned.

"Just...give me a moment. Okay?" she smiled softly. Beelzebub looked at her with concern, and Kiehl sighed softly.

"What's wrong?" Thanatos asked.

"The attention..." Eremes said lightly.

"He's right. It's getting to her," Howard nodded.

"There it is! Kill it!" a Hunter shouted at Thanatos. The group was Resurrected by Margaretha while they were all talking, and she warned them to stay away. The Hunters ignored her warning, and she shrugged. As the group of Hunters walked over to attack, they stared in shock at Beelzebub and Kiehl.

"Touch me and you all die! Again!" Thanatos said sharply.

"Don't hurt him!" Sarine scowled and marched in front of Thanatos.

"Kid, get out of the way!" a Hunter scowled back.

"No!" she fumed. Thanatos didn't want her hurt, and he moved to put an arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

"I can kill them," he whispered in her ear. "I have allies now. I'll be safe. You need to be protected. Let us protect you."

She looked at him with worry, but his gentle smile at her was the proof she needed to show that he was right.

"Beat them all up for me!" she growled. That made him grin wickedly, and he let Howard take her from him. She gave a nod to Kiehl and Beelzebub. They attacked with an unholy joy, and the party died again.

"Don't Resurrect them!" Thanatos hissed. "Let someone else do it!"

"Okay," Margaretha nodded. The other items that Sarine needed were gathered, and they headed back to the Hunter Guild. Everyone that saw the new strong monster in the party was staring in shock. Yet, many had heard of the girl with odd monster companions that didn't hurt anyone. This was proving it on a whole new scale. As she went to take the last two tests, the small group waited patiently.

"Little sis will be fine!" Cecil chuckled.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, too," Howard smiled. When she came out wearing her new Huntress gear, they all applauded her and hugged her. Howard couldn't stop staring at her figure, and Eremes was clearly no better. He regained himself before Howard could see him.

"You look good..." Eremes smiled.

"Thank you," she giggled and hugged him tight. "I need to train to get a falcon."

"Well, we can go right outside town for that," Kiehl chuckled. As they moved to head out of Hugel, a powerful group of adventurers approached them.

"So, this is the group with the strong monsters!" a Monk said.

"We will defeat you all!" a Priestess said defiantly.

"We'll send you back from whence you came!" a Crusader said sternly.

"No, you won't!" Sarine growled out and glared at the group. "They have done no wrong to you or to anyone! They help me and protect me! You touch them, they will kill you! Just let us go and do what we must! If you stop us, you'll all die."

"Then we will kill you, since you are the one that leads them!" the Knight with them said. Now he stammered at the murderous glares he got from her entire party.

"If you kill me, an innocent that's done nothing to you, it's considered murder! Are you willing to put that on your conscience? I am not a monster, you moron!" Sarine growled out.

"But I am!" Thanatos snarled, and his sword gutted the Knight open in one powerful move. The other three stared at him with complete shock. A nasty reaction in the monsters with her appeared the moment Sarine was threatened. It pissed off Thanatos to a totally new height. He called forth his support group to stand with the Hell Flies, Aliots, and Alicels.

"Still want to attack her?!" Kiehl growled, as his ghost came out.

"No!" the Priestess whimpered. The Monk was stammering, and the Crusader was in complete shock that their Knight went down so fast. Sarine was clearly upset at this, and her good mood was gone. Thanatos moved over to whisper to her, and she shivered with forced control. Kiehl moved over to whisper now, and that made her nod. She wanted to train and didn't want anyone to get in her way.

"Don't follow us!" Sarine snapped at the group and started to move off. Howard had never seen Sarine so pissed off before, and Seyren was even taken by surprise. Beelzebub was grinning at this change, and he knew that it was from Thanatos's blood drop.  _Things were going to get interesting now. Very interesting._ As they were finally able to leave unchallenged, the dream vision ended...


	143. Chapter 143

"Excuse me," Thanatos said to Kiehl, as he pulled Sarine to him to kiss passionately. Then he whispered, "I'm sure that, if it was just me that was summoned without the others there, I would have demanded for you to be my bride."

"You think so?" she giggled. "We'll have to see at a later time, then."

"Yes, we will," he grinned. Doppy was chuckling at everything, and Loomin was sighing.  _I really do want a dream vision done of me with her. I'll have to voice it out later. Right now, Sarine's dominance was ready to come out in full, and we can't waste any more time._ Muninn was clearly amused at what the dream vision held.

"Okay, Meat Bag, we'll see you later!" Ragged Zombie grinned to get everyone laughing. Seyren sputtered and glowered at him. At Sarine's gaze on the zombie, there was a pause and a shiver of excitement.

"It's time," Sarine said. She nuzzled Kiehl, and he released her to let her lead her slaves. Naght rumbled and went back to the nursery at her smile of understanding. Errende still had his leash on, and he was now led by her. As Nigel walked with them, she paused and clipped the spare leash she had on him. He gasped at this and let her lead him. He hardly ever received this treatment, and she had to start training him with it.

"Nigel," Howard said with a grin. "After Ragged Zombie, you may be next. Just so you're prepared for it. Got it?"

"Right..." Nigel said, as he was led to the dominating chambers. There was now a small chamber created before the main one, and she realized that this was more like a greeting room of sorts. She clearly liked this. There was a warning plaque set up here to inform others of where they were and to turn back if uninvited.

"Not bad," Doppy mused.

"That is definitely needed!" Thanatos said. He remembered what happened with Kavach. "The door won't open for anyone without an invitation, too. I like that."

"As do I," Sarine purred and led her men through the open door. It closed right behind them, and she noticed the main chamber here was enlarged. The smaller rooms were fully set up with basic dominating devices, and a slightly larger room was set up in the form of a bed chamber for her use only. She really liked that. Unclipping Errende's leash, she had him stand back, and he was now kneeling before her. She unclipped Nigel's leash to have him do the same. Her husbands and mates were standing along the walls. Those that didn't know what to do only had to watch the others to know what was needed.

"This has me curious," Incubus grinned. "I only made clothing before."

"We know," Sammy grinned back.

"Quiet, please!" Sarine said sharply. She let Kiehl get his fill of her with a tight hug before having him stand back. As much as she wanted him to kneel, she knew he couldn't.  _It would need to be done secretly._ She knew that Howard wanted to do this, too. Looking at Ragged Zombie, she gestured for him to come forward.

"Um..." he swallowed, as he walked over to her. He had never seen her like this.

"Undress now," she said.

"What if someone walks in?!" he growled.

"Then I kill them," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Now, I will not repeat myself again. Undress. Now."

He blinked at this and found himself undressing. Aliot moved over to take the zombie's clothes to set aside. She nodded at this with a small smile and looked at Ragged Zombie. Her hand out to Errende, he knew she wanted the Blinker, and it was given over. No one dared to make a sound, as she thought.

"Your Dominatrix clothes are in the bedroom chamber," Kiehl said.

"Good," she smiled. This had Errende shiver with lust. She had Kiehl and Howard help her dress in the leathers, and she had stares of lust at her when she came out wearing them. The criss-crossing strips of black leather flowed along the contours of her body again perfectly, and she now grinned at Ragged Zombie's wide stare. Then she turned, bent over to stretch and muttered, "I'm guessing you all approve?"

Doppy was snarling with want, but her sharp glare made him falter. _It was not his turn yet._  Ragged Zombie was completely floored at what she was doing. She moved close to him and grinned wickedly at him.

"Should we feel sorry for him?" Hibram muttered lightly.

"No," Beelzebub grinned.

"Ragged Zombie," Sarine chuckled with a throaty tone. "How much do you like pain?"

"If you give it to me, then a lot," he said.

"Oh?" she smiled. "Well, you do have a point. But, I'm going to try a rather nasty experiment. If it works, you'll be in trouble."

"Wow..." Howard said, as he cleared his throat. Kiehl was just staring at Sarine with shock. She now moved to lightly touch along the zombie's ribs to make him shiver with lust. At the little bit of green goo she collected, she licked it. Now she paused at the taste, and Howard was struggling not to laugh out of surprise.

"Chocolate?! He tastes like that to her?!" Kiehl gaped.

"What?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"As her husband, he's not meant to be repulsive at all," Loomin said, as the information was gleaned. "He is meant to be only for her. Yes, we all will get different vibes from Ragged Zombie. However, he is meant to be strictly for her, and she will never find anything bad about him. And, if his insides taste like chocolate..."

"I wonder what your heart tastes like," she grinned savagely, and now Ragged Zombie knew he was in trouble. "I won't rip it out of you or hurt you. Just work with me as you always have. Okay? Trust me."

"Okay..." the zombie whimpered. She kissed him possessively and pushed him onto the floor. She reached up into his chest cavity to make him hiss with erotic lust, as she found his heart. Letting it beat in her hands for a bit, she withdrew her hand to find a darker green substance in her palm. It was his blood. Normally, she only had mild mouthfuls or drops. This came straight from his heart. Tasting this, it was like rich, molten chocolate to her.

"He's in trouble!" Kiehl winced.

"Yeah, he is," Howard agreed.

"How?" Keltin asked.

"He really does taste like chocolate to her," Howard said. That had Hyegun gape with complete surprise, and small mutters of disbelief filtered throughout the room.

"Quiet!" she snapped and silence was given. "Yes. It's shocking. Disturbing. Yet, think about it. How many people would want to mess with me, if they see me eating a zombie's insides, eh? I doubt many will."

"You're onto something," Hibram grinned.

"Eat my insides?!" Ragged Zombie freaked.

"Oh, come now!" Sarine grinned. "Maybe not that. I may lick. I know I can't really do that to you. But, what they don't know won't hurt me. If anything, you'll get a new rise out of it. Shall we test the theory?"

"Ah..." the zombie blinked. He hissed when her tongue licked along the edge of his ribcage, and he went completely speechless. Then her hand went in to find his heart again, and he passed out from the overplay of pleasure.

"Hmm. He needs to be worked up to it," she frowned. "Ah, well. It's expected. Errende! There is a bath in that bedroom, right?"

"There was when I checked, My Lady," he nodded.

"Good. You and Kiehl need to help me bathe quickly before he wakes up," she said. As the two of them moved off to help her, Howard walked over to Ragged Zombie to nudge him awake. The zombie groaned when he mildly sat up, and now Howard bent down to whisper softly in his ear.

"You think so?!" the zombie grinned.

"Oh, yes. Trust me," Howard smirked. Beelzebub was hissing with laughter, and the zombie lay back down to close his eyes and rest. When she came back out, Errende moved to kneel before her, and Kiehl stood by Howard.

"Hmm?" Ragged Zombie said, as he blinked awake. "Oh! Um...I had a question for you. You might find it worth your while."

"And what would that be?" she smiled.

"Since you like the taste of my insides so much, it's only fair that I taste yours," he said, as he sat up. This had her look at him with complete amusement, and now her other men were snickering from where they knelt and stood.

"Go on," she grinned.

"I'd much rather show you what I mean," he said with a smirk.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she smirked back. That made him grin and start yanking aside the strap that went between her legs. She looked over at Nigel and gestured for him to come over.

"My Lady?" Nigel asked.

"Don't release," she grinned wickedly, and had him fully undress to work on him, as Ragged Zombie worked on her. For twenty minutes she tormented her slave like this before she gave in to the zombie. Right after he pulled away, she ordered Nigel to lay back on the ground, and she had him release hard in her. He was stunned at how much the release hurt and felt incredibly pleasuring at the same time.

"What now?" the zombie asked. In response, she fixed up her leather strap, moved quickly to get behind him, and tied the Blinker tightly over him.

"Now you get to experience true pain and pleasure!" she snarled in his ear, as he gasped. Errende and Byorgue watched with complete jealousy at how she was tormenting Ragged Zombie now. Nigel was kneeling in his slave clothes the moment he recovered, and Maya Purple had moved off his bug body to do the same. Drago and Observation watched with fascination. Injustice and Aliot were shivering with complete want. The moment Ragged Zombie passed out from the painful pleasure he built up, she glared at Errende.

"What is your command, My Lady?" Errende asked. She moved over to him and ran a finger under his chin to tilt his face up to hers. She could hear his heart hammering with excitement in his chest as she knelt down to purr in his ear.

"How many Blinkers are here, my pet?" she crooned.

"Ten, My Lady," he whispered.

"Get them for me?" she smiled. He got up and moved to retrieve them quickly. Taking them, she moved over to Howard and Kiehl to give them each one to hold onto. At her thought, they seemed to shrug at each other to show that they had no idea what to expect. They knew that it was for much later. She had her slaves come to her now and kneel before her. Each of them had a Blinker tied on them, and now she methodically used and dominated each one.

"Wow..." Loomin gaped.

"This is her dominance fully blown out," Doppy muttered softly. "It's starting to get late. I have no idea what is going on at the house,"

"Everything is fine," Beelzebub said. Amon Ra, Pharaoh, and Osiris were just floored at how Sarine was. This was the first time they were witnessing her dominance. Drake, Hyegun, Dracula, Evil Snake Lord, Incubus, Wanderer, and Hibram were also the same way. Sarine was a true force to be reckoned with in this mood. Once her slaves were given full pain and pleasure, she took back the Blinkers and asked for the time.

"It's almost midnight," Keltin said. "Ah, never mind. It is midnight!"

Howard and Eremes had become human, and Sarine grinned wickedly. Eremes was called over, and he paused at the feel of her body heat.

"You're too cold!" Eremes hissed. Sarine gasped, as the craving for heat finally struck her with full force. Kiehl was so effective that she never realized how badly she needed heat. "She needs a furnace! Now!"

"Get Ifrit! Use an empty room!" Sammy said. Ifrit was called, and he charged in with fiery fury. He gathered her up and took her straight into one of the small rooms. The room wasn't designed to hold heat effectively, and the door started to glow red hot.

"We'll need a furnace down here in case this happens again," Kiehl said. "Byorgue!"

"On it!" the slave said, and he ran up the stairs to tell Storm Caller.

"We need her craving dishes!" Thanatos said. The bedroom was set up quickly for her, and her dishes were set down. Now that her men were anxious for her safety, the dominant mood was put on hold. Ifrit was hugging her tightly to him and heating her body back up to where it needed to be. She was gasping with relief at each wave of heat he gave her. Her body absorbed most of it, and the excess radiated throughout the small chamber. Byorgue was able to walk in with no problems, and he told her that an emergency furnace was going to be placed here. She just nodded to him and caressed his cheek. Kiehl walked in, as he activated his immunity to heat, and moved to hug her tight.

"Your food is ready, okay?" Kiehl smiled.

"Okay," she nodded. "I think my need to dominate is done now."

"For now, anyways," Kiehl chuckled, and she kissed him passionately. Ifrit nodded to Kiehl and got a nod back in kind. Her belly rumbled fiercely, and Kiehl carried her out so that Ifrit could cool the room back down. When he wasn't enough, Keltin was quick to help. She was taken into the bedroom, and she tore into the peppery, barely cooked roast with a savage hunger. Aliot had sliced it up into small pieces for her to chew with no problems. A plate of cheese and bottles of milk were set down the moment she finished off the roast. When those were consumed, she sighed with contentment and relaxed against Kiehl's chest. Byorgue moved in to clear away the dirty dishes, and he noticed that she looked exhausted. He frowned at this, but most of the night was already spent dominating him and the others. She noticed his frown, and Howard nodded to her.

"Byorgue!" Howard said before the slave went up the stairs.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Stay in the fireplace with Sarine tonight. Yeah, you'll be sharing with Kiehl, Eremes, and Ifrit, but stay with her. She wants you to do this," Howard said. Byorgue thought and smiled with a nod.  _I'll definitely do this._  When he got back, Sarine was in her Sniper garments and heading back to the house. She reached for Byorgue and pulled him close to hug tight to her. She whispered to him, and he grinned with a nod. Beelzebub chuckled and turned to look at Ragged Zombie, as he had just barely recovered to walk back with them. As they moved back to the house, she paused and looked towards the arena.

"She heard something," Kiehl muttered, as his eyes narrowed with hatred. She looked at Loomin, and he was staring in disbelief at a rogue Bapho Jr. running towards them. He was obviously someone's pet and looked very malnourished. He was running straight for Sarine, and he panted with exhaustion when he settled in her arms.

"Someone didn't feed him, and he ran away," Loomin frowned. "He's starving!"

"Oh!" Sarine frowned, and a jar of honey was quickly found and given to her to give the little demon. He ate hungrily and moved to snuggle into her arms. "You poor thing! Get me Baphomet? Someone?"

"On it!" Byorgue said and ran off to wake up Seyren. The Lord Knight appeared shortly after with Baphomet appearing in the distance.

"One of my sons was tamed and got mistreated?!" Baphomet hissed. Sarine gave over the weakened pet, and Baphomet carefully held him in his palm. "Who did this? Can you tell me? I will get vengeance for you!"

"We all will," Seyren growled. The little demon whispered weakly in Demonic, and Beelzebub snarled out with hatred.

"Greg tamed him, didn't feed him, and then tried to take his blood. Your son ran away in fear for his life," the Demon Lord growled. Loomin blinked, gestured to Baphomet to let him study his son, and he carefully held the pet to see what happened. Another jar of honey was made ready to give to the runaway pet, and Loomin gave it over the moment it was reached for.

"It's all true. This pet was clearly abused by that human," Loomin muttered. "He was thinking that, if he tamed a Demonic pet, that he could drink its blood to be with Sarine. Absolutely sickening! But, to not know what to even feed a pet to begin with?! And not ask for help? It floors me. It really does."

"Oh, the poor little dear!" Sarine frowned. "We'll protect you! You can go with your daddy, or you can stay with us. What do you want to do?"

The little demon looked at her and reached for her to snuggle into her.

"Choice was made!" Keltin smiled.

"He can stay in the nursery to protect the other kids. But, now I'm curious," Sammy thought. "If a pet runs away on the island, they automatically stay here?"

"That appears to be the case," Loomin said. "You know, we could ask Valkyrie to make it so that any pet that runs away comes here. They will be protected and kept safe. And, since they are already tamed, they'll be ready for the kids. Now, I don't know how it will truly work, but it's something we could do."

"We will need to see about that," Sarine nodded, as she pet the Bapho Jr. fondly. "But, just the thought of that man wanting to steal blood from a pet monster?! That's intolerable!"

"And the fact that it was one of  _my_  sons that he tried to do this to...that's inexcusable!" Baphomet snarled out. "If he steps one foot on this island, he's dead!"

"We could put out an alert," Hibram grinned.

"I say we just put up a reward," Ragged Zombie smirked. "If he's found and killed, the reward is a free fight at the arena. The monster chosen depends on how strong the challenger is."

"That could work," Doppy mused. "The proof would be a lock of hair."

"Like Fenrick?" Eremes snickered, and Doppy grinned widely.

"And, if he runs out of hair?" Sarine smiled.

"Skin works fine," Beelzebub grinned wickedly.

"I'd say pubes, but who knows what's crawling through them," the zombie snickered. That made looks of disgust at him, and the zombie laughed.

"Well, let's get you to the nursery. Did you get a name at all?" she asked. The Bapho Jr. seemed to weakly shake his head, and she smiled. "I'm sure my children will give you one. We'll tell Doll and Bacsojin about you so they can help give you proper care, okay?"

He gave her a lick to her cheek and sighed. He was still very shy as a pet now, and he would need to be fed more to rebuild his confidence in others. He did know that he could trust her, and she knew that he would be running to her until he got used to the kids.

"Get back here! Where did you go?!" Greg shouted in the distance, and the little pet trembled with fear. Sarine hissed with intense hatred, and Kiehl now echoed her hiss with a heightened sense of bloodthirsty anger. Keltin was ready to let his Rage out, but Sarine rose up her hand. Kiehl was her First Mate. She wanted him to take care of the human, and she voiced this. Baphomet had a different idea and rumbled in Demonic. Now the others were laughing, and she nuzzled the little pet.

"I'm going to give you to Howard. He can hear my thoughts and is very trusting. Your daddy has a nice surprise for your previous owner," she grinned. A small nod was given, and Howard took the little demon. Seyren was grinning with suspense, and he was surprised when the little Bapho Jr. decided to go to him.

"Ah. It's because of my blood link with Baphomet, I think," Seyren said, as he held the small pet. "Heh. Maybe this guy should belong to me."

"That's a possibility," Sammy chuckled. "Anyways, let's hide."

"Right," Hyegun grinned. Seyren clearly liked the little demon, and it was apparent that a bond with him was going to be cemented. Baphomet called his advanced son over, and the powerfully built Baphomet Jr. nodded with understanding at the situation.

"Vessel of Odin," Baphomet Jr. said. "I will help you get vengeance for my brother!"

"Good," she nodded. She realized that this particular demon was incredibly handsome in a sense, but that was because her blood was fueled with Doppy's blood now. Baphomet Jr. was thinking, as he saw her, and he knew of her Demonic Matings. Plans to see her next one were now in motion. Right now, though, he wanted to kill the human that abused his brother. Baphomet moved off in the distance to hide, and Sarine's men dispersed.

"I was there for your letters," Baphomet Jr. muttered to her in his deep voice. "And I was one of the first monsters to come to you, of course. Since it was my Dad that told me to."

"That you were," she nodded. "You know all about me, then."

"Yes. And I helped my Dad tear down the trees to expose your old room."

"That is very true. You are a wonderful ally."

"Thank you," he smiled. Kiehl and Howard seemed to glance at each other in knowing.  _As a demon, his blood could be used to help her with various cravings. He would also be a worthy mate to her._  As Greg got closer, Sarine found herself lifted in Baphomet Jr.'s arms. She giggled, as he grinned a fanged smile from his goat muzzle. He actually pressed a kiss to her mouth, and she blinked at how well he fit with her. That caught her by surprise, and Kiehl had to chuckle. Naght found himself rather pleased at the thoughts. _The offspring she bore for Baphomet Jr. would be a form of an alliance this way with Baphomet._

"There you are!" Greg fumed and paused at the size of this Baphomet Jr. monster. Then his jaw dropped at who the powerful monster was carrying.

"Oh? Who were you looking for?" Sarine asked. The demon bared his teeth and brayed out in anger at him, but she calmed him with a gentle caress to his neck.

"I was looking for my pet. It ran away from me," Greg said.

"You mean the smaller Bapho Jr. that found me when he was sick and weak from not being fed?" Sarine glowered. "I found him. He's being cared for by me. His father is not happy at what his son looked like."

"His...father?" Greg blinked. Now he thought that Baphomet Jr. was Baphomet, but that changed quickly at the shadow that loomed over him.

"Yes. His father!" Baphomet snarled out and brought his scythe down hard. Greg just barely dodged it in time, as he bolted. Baphomet Jr. set Sarine down gently and ran after the human with his father in full pursuit. The sounds of hacking and coughing blood reached them, and Sarine smiled at Kiehl when he hugged her.

"I like that sound," Doppy grinned.

"Brings back a lot of memories," Thanatos smirked.

"Tell me about it!" Hibram laughed. The others laughed loudly, and Seyren announced that the Sniper was dead. Again. Sarine sighed and beamed at the little monster making a bond with Seyren. Now the Bapho Jr. was Seyren's pet and felt fully relieved.

"Give him a name yet?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"We'll see," Seyren said.

"As long as he calls you Meat Bag, I'm fine with it," the zombie snickered. The little pet looked at Seyren with amusement, and the Lord Knight scowled. Laughter erupted again, as they all moved to the house to settle in.

"You know, Luna did the same thing when Karla didn't feed her. When we first met them, remember?" Keltin said, as they reached the bedroom. "Since you fed the Bapho Jr. and Greg didn't, he became yours!"

"If that's the case," Loomin said. "she can give owners a second chance to reclaim their pets! But, only if they are present. If she feeds them, the pets stay with her. This can be beneficial to us, if we travel around and find owners that are abusing their pets. Or just don't know how to care for them in general. We'll have to think on this."

"Well, right now, I'm exhausted," Sarine sighed. "Kiehl? Where do you plan to be tonight? What is going on with you?"

"I need to stay with you," he smiled. "Howard can easily work away from us, since I take all of your cravings away, it seems. I can read your mind now, so, if you need him, I can help get him. Naght can, too."

"I'm actually human for the next two nights. I need sleep again," Howard sighed. Kiehl gave a small nod at this, and it was arranged to have him sleep in the large bed. Sammy settled himself on a floor cushion to meditate when Sarine fell asleep. Loomin got hugged tightly by her, and Doppy was next to get embraced. Hyegun was still a bit upset that he couldn't hear the developing children, but he muttered that the triplets were sleeping. As Sarine was about to head into the fireplace, a small chuckle was given, as someone walked in.

"Oh!" Sarine blushed at the powerful Baphomet Jr., as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's right. His kiss fit with her," Howard grinned.

"You'd better make it quick. You need heat, and you need rest," Eremes said. She nodded, moved to Baphomet Jr. to grab his clawed hand, and pulled him into the bathroom. He barely held onto his scythe, as she did this to him, and Ragged Zombie was laughing softly.

"I need a drop of your blood," Sarine smiled after he claimed her, and the demon snorted with a nod. He brought his scythe over to where he reclined on the floor with her and pricked his finger and her finger. Once the droplets were exchanged, he felt even stronger. Looking at her with a fanged grin, he mated her again before letting her go, and a line formed quickly to get blood drops from her. The moment it was done, Muninn froze time and flew into the bathroom.

_:You need. To be. With. Howard. And Kiehl.:_  Muninn said. She smiled and looked over at her True Mates when they walked into the bathroom. They both still had the Blinkers.

"My Lady," Howard whimpered, as he knelt before her.

"My Lady..." Kiehl said with reverent respect, as he knelt now. Her dominance rose up with a sudden fury at their submissive display, and they both shivered with excitement.

"Put on the Blinkers! We don't have much time!" she said. It was done, and now she moved to use them both to her hearts content. When Howard was brought to a gasping mess of sensations, she bit down hard on his neck to make him scream and give in to her. She took two mouthfuls of his blood before letting Kiehl Heal him and rest. When Kiehl was brought to that height of pleasure and pain, she bit down on his neck to feed off of him.

She was careful not to do too much, since she didn't want him to slip away into that realm of answers and questions. Right after he Healed himself, she pulled them both close to her to let them start to explore her body. They still had on the Blinkers and it turned into an erotic display. Kiehl used his mouth to explore with, as Howard used his hands. She found herself crying out with release at how they massaged her and worked her body into a frenzy of need.

A solid, timeless hour passed like this. After the Blinkers were removed, they all agreed it was time to get to bed when they lay there spent on the floor. Kiehl decided to try sleeping.

"Are you sure?" Howard smiled.

"Why not? I can't leave her side right now," Kiehl grinned.

"Well, it's time for bed, so let's go," she smiled. They dressed her in a soft, blue nightgown, and Kiehl nodded to Muninn. Time came back, and she was led to the fireplace.

"My Lady?" Byorgue smiled. She grabbed him by the collar and yanked him to her, as the fireplace door closed to seal in some much needed heat. Sammy settled down to meditate, and everyone found their places to either sleep, stand guard, or patrol as needed for the night.


	144. Chapter 144

In the morning, Sarine woke with a sharp moan at Byorgue having her. True to his word at her command, he stayed up all night to pleasure her at every thirty minute mark. He didn't even feel exhausted, and now he was finally at a point that Sarine was not a major need for him.

"Now that's a way to wake up!" Kiehl grinned. He had managed to sleep by her side with Eremes. Ifrit was standing back in the fireplace to keep the small chamber hot. He missed feeling her against him, but he knew that Byorgue needed this. Eremes was still sleeping next to her, and Kiehl was on the other side. Byorgue had kept himself on top of her, and he rested on her after each mating. Tonight, Huginn and Muninn would need to bond with their growing bodies.  _It would be a tense time with Huginn freed from her mind._

"We'll need to see when Huginn is free of My Lady," Byorgue said. He finally moved away from Sarine to let her get a bit more rest.

"You're right," Kiehl said. "I'll see what my papers say about it."

"That would work," he nodded. Ifrit seemed to nod at this, as well.

"When will the children wake?" Sarine asked with a tired yawn.

"Another hour, if that," Byorgue said. She smiled softly and pulled Kiehl to her to snuggle into. When she was asleep on his chest, Kiehl blinked at a thought from Naght.

"Hmm," he mused. "Ifrit! Naght is thinking of Baphomet Jr.'s offspring as being a form of alliance with Baphomet, himself. What do you think?"

"I like that!" Ifrit chuckled. "It would work out very well."

"I would much rather prefer his son than Baphomet, himself," Byorgue admitted.

"Very true," Kiehl nodded. "Baphomet sees Sarine as a bit of a grandchild. At least, now, he can really see her as family."

"And, with Baphomet Jr. giving his blood to the kids, they really will be his grandkids," Kiehl smiled. "I'm just glad that his son was able to grow a lot more. It would have been odd seeing a tiny demon trying to be with Sarine."

"Funny, but odd," Ifrit grinned. He moved to check Sarine's body heat, and he gave a small nod to himself. _Her body heat was fully stable._

"It was a very close call, wasn't it?" Byorgue frowned.

"Yes, it was," Ifrit said. "I was in shock when Eremes told me that she was nearly an icicle. We need the kids to become aware in her so that Hyegun can help us with that. Hopefully, that will be done by tonight."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes said, as he blinked awake and yawned. "We were almost in a serious bind. She's still sleeping?"

"Yes," Byorgue nodded.

"We should have Thanatos see if he can sense any cravings for her. I can make him immune to the heat in here," Kiehl said. "Byorgue, can you get him, please?"

"On it!" the little slave said, and he carefully opened and shut the fireplace door.

"I wonder if ranks can be given to slaves," Ifrit mused.

"Huh! That would be interesting, wouldn't it?" Kiehl grinned. "Maybe we can ask Muninn, or even Sarine when she wakes up."

"I am still curious...about Guild castles..." Eremes sighed. "We will need to get...those monsters...in their dungeons..."

"That we will," Kiehl said. "Maybe Muninn can rig the Dead Branches to bring forth the ones we need and set us up with a special treasure chest. It would be a bit of a waste to go after a castle and then let it go after we finished with it. You know? Or, we take a castle, Muninn replicates that particular chest for us to have it appear here this way we don't need to keep the castle. It's something we'll all have to discuss at length."

"And, with her getting pregnant all the time, she can't fight that much," Ifrit said.

"Certain items...can only be gotten in those chests..." Eremes frowned. "We need them...to assist in making stronger items..."

"Or see if Trina can make them for us," Kiehl grinned. That made Eremes and Ifrit glance at each other with their own grins.

"We'll test it," Ifrit agreed. "But, we will need the monsters."

"We'll talk to Muninn later," Kiehl said. When Sarine started to shiver in her sleep, they opened the door to find Loomin walking in. Immunity to heat was given quickly to let him near her. Loomin gestured for her, and Kiehl gave her over.

"She needs me," Loomin said. "Sammy saw Huginn in her dreams. He's not really pestering her, since he doesn't want to hurt her, but he's making her uncomfortable."

"And Valkyrie said...not to touch him..." Eremes growled.

"I know," Kiehl frowned. Loomin gently woke her up with a soft kiss.

"Loomin!" she sighed, and he hugged her tightly. He cradled her and kissed her softly.

"It's okay. I'm here," he smiled and ran his hand over her back. "You need my blood. Doppy will come in here after me to help give you his blood, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her passionately. Her nightgown was removed, and his clothes soon followed. Kiehl was a bit impressed that the heat immunity went to the clothing to keep them from being charred to nothing. Her overheated body had Loomin gasping with disbelief at how fast she nearly forced him to release. She bit down on his neck lightly to make him cry out, and Eremes moved to run a knife over where she bit. She fed off of him now, as he fell into a mild pleasuring loop. Ifrit watched this curiously, and Eremes looked at him with surprise. Ifrit wasn't sure if he could give her blood directly. He wanted to try it after Doppy.

"You need a shower," Loomin whispered, and Kiehl Healed him.

"You think so?" she smiled. At his grin, she giggled, and Kiehl pulled her to him to hug her tight. She held him until his craving to hold her was gone, and she got up to stretch and carefully walk out of the fireplace. Doppy was quick to gather her up and rush her into the bathroom. The moment his body tingled to become his original state, she was already in a shower with hot water blasting over her skin.

He moved over to her after removing his armor, and he started to help scrub her skin clean. She touched and explored his body in the heated water. Kiehl was forced to walk in to hug her, and Doppy nodded to him.

"Sorry," Kiehl said.

"It's fine," Doppy grinned. "Help me wash her hair."

"She'll need to eat after this," Kiehl muttered.

"I know," he nodded. She didn't say anything, as they washed her hair. It felt too good, and Kiehl smiled, as she really liked it. They were massaging her at the same time.

"I need more of this," she sighed.

"That you do," Doppy said. "But, there's something I want to do now, Sorry Sari."

"What's that?" she smiled.

"I haven't tasted you in my original body yet," he growled in her ear. Kiehl grinned at this, and Sarine gasped when Doppy proceeded to run his mouth all over her body. She let him use her as he needed to, and, as she released from his heavy purr, Kiehl was quick to muffle her cries with his mouth. After she regained herself, she pushed Doppy to the tiled floor and moved to use her mouth on him, as Kiehl started to take her. Doppy was close to giving in to her when Kiehl gasped out his release, and she moved quickly to ease herself onto Doppy. He clamped onto her hips with his hands and gave her everything he built up.

"Here," Kiehl whispered and used a small knife on the demon's neck. Sarine bit down hard on the wound to pull the two mouthfuls she needed, and Doppy shouted before screaming out his mating roar when she ran her teeth over the wound. He fell back against the tiled floor and Healed himself. She rested on his chest now, and Kiehl sat by them.

"I needed that..." Doppy grinned. Kiehl laughed softly, and Sarine blushed.

"I'm starting to get hungry," she smiled.

"Okay, Sorry Sari," he said and kissed her passionately. Then he rolled over and took her again. When she cried out with him, he rested for a minute before finally moving away from her. Kiehl pulled her into his lap, and Doppy regained his powerful form.

"Too bad you can't change back and forth at will," Kiehl said.

"I know, but this is needed for a reason," Doppy sighed. "At least we can satisfy our need for each other this way. I think her food is ready out there."

"Doppy," Sarine smiled and reached for him. He smiled gently and helped her stand up so she could hug him. When the bathroom door opened, he stood in front of her quickly to hide her form with his massive, lean, powerful frame. Kiehl was slightly jealous that he couldn't do that, but he knew that Sarine loved his body the way it was.

"What is it? She's ready to get dressed," Doppy frowned.

"Dad?" Gunther asked.

"I'm showering with your mother. Give us a minute," he said. Gunther nodded, and Beelzebub's snickering was heard, as the door closed.

"They let Gunther in here?" Sarine frowned, as the shower was shut off. Doppy moved her with Kiehl to help her dry off and start dressing.

"Howard says that Gunther didn't believe anyone that she and Doppy were bathing," Kiehl grinned. "Gunther feels slightly embarrassed."

"Wonderful," Doppy grinned. Sarine pulled Doppy close to kiss him again, and she let Kiehl hug her tightly to him. When they were dressed, she was led out and taken straight to the table to sit down and start eating.

"Mom!" Gunther grinned and looked at the roast she was devouring. "Wow! You're eating a lot! Hmm. Can I try some?"

"Sure," she smiled and had an exceptionally raw piece of the roast plucked out to give to him. He chewed it and blinked at how good it was.

"My kid, all the way," Doppy grinned. The other kids started to filter in now to eat breakfast with her, and Serenity was talking to her about Rice Cake.

"He's funny!" her daughter giggled.

"Oh? How funny?" Sarine smiled, and she drank down her milk.

"I still don't know about him," Siegfried frowned.

"Why's that?" Howard asked, as he pushed back an empty plate.

"He's too...nice to Seri," he said.

"Really?" Kiehl chuckled, and he finished eating.

"Yeah. He's okay with me and my brothers, but he seems...I dunno. Nicer to the girls?" Siegfried said, as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"He's flirting with them," Loomin chuckled.

"Well, someone will need to talk to him," Sarine said gently. "And Siegfried! Did you know that you have another daddy?"

"What?!" he blinked. Serenity gasped and looked over at Baphomet Jr., as he walked in.

"They all need a drop of your blood," Beelzebub muttered to him. The demon nodded, and the kids lined up to get a blood drop. When Sarine finished eating, she let the youngest four get the blood drop they needed before settling down to nurse them.

"When did you want to go to Magma dungeon?" Keltin asked.

"I was thinking when I was done nursing," she said, as she rocked Kiehl's twins.

"Can we go, Mommy?" Bianca asked.

"This place is a very hot place. It may be too much for Eremes and Ifrit to keep you all cool. I know that there was another place that I wanted to go to, so, maybe you can come with us there. So, for this place, I'll have to say no," Sarine said sternly.

"But...Mama!" Serenity frowned. Naght rumbled to her and looked at Ifrit.

"Kids, gather around me," Ifrit said. "I'm going to give you all a sample of how hot this place will be, okay? If it's too hot for you, sit down."

"Okay, Dad," Angela smiled. Trina and Bernard sat next to each other, and Alexis and Albert did the same. Edward sat with Angela, and Gunther sat with Bianca. Serenity and Siegfried sat together, and they all formed a circle around Ifrit. Then they all stood up to show they were ready. Ifrit flared out his heat with a somewhat violent force. Angela gasped, and Edward sat down quickly with her. Trina and Bernard sat down next with Alexis and Albert. Serenity and Siegfried were still standing with Gunther and Bianca.

"Okay. Since Doppy has some immunity to heat, and Naght mainly has a good portion of Fire built into his system, it appears that you four will be able to tolerate a good portion of the heat we'll be facing. BUT! If it gets to be too much for you, you HAVE to tell us!" Keltin said sternly. "What we may do is have you four ride with me and Loomin. Ktullanux can help keep you cool, and so can Garm. The rest of you will need to wait here. You guys aren't strong enough to handle the heat."

"Okay," Edward nodded. The others nodded, too, and understood this. They tried to work with Ifrit's heat and couldn't do it right away.

"I may be able to offer a bit more protection, and so can Kiehl," Keltin thought. "Eremes can, too, but we can only do so much. We'll all have to travel together. What do you think, Sammy? How many should travel with us?"

"I think it depends on who wants to go," Sammy said.

"Regardless, I'm going," Hyegun said.

"As am I," Osiris said.

"I'll stay with the kids," Amon Ra said. Anubis moved forward and snorted to show that he wanted to go. He could help with his spells. As the others decided on who was going and staying, Alexander suddenly flew over to Sarine and landed by her rocking chair.

"What is it?" she asked at his distressed look.

"I just had a bad vision!" Alexander winced. Kiehl looked up and at him instantly, and now full attention was given to him.

"What was the vision?" Loomin asked.

"Loki may pull something today," Alexander said. "I don't know when or where, but it's just a...a feeling. We need to be alert at all times."

"Hmm," Loomin frowned, as he thought. "I'm not picking up anything unusual, but I won't disregard a warning. Okay. Everyone look away!"

As eyes were averted, Loomin let his Divine Light spill out brilliantly to protect Sarine before pulling it back in. Alexander nodded, but he knew that it may not be enough. He would be watching and listening for anything out of the ordinary. Sarine crooned to Juliana and Deagan, as she nursed them, and they both blinked at her through their glasses. When they finished nursing, Alexander was already back on the balcony, and Observation was on a protective alert. Loo Shin and Ming were given to her to nurse now, and she watched Kiehl and Hyegun burp Juliana and Deagan. She smiled softly at this and watched her children talking and playing with their fathers and cute monsters that filtered in. Serenity, Siegfried, Gunther, and Bianca were carefully suited up for travel. Beelzebub had his flies inform Garm and Ktullanux of what was going to happen.

"You four come with us so we can see how seating arrangements are going to work," Loomin said. The kids followed him outside, as Keltin moved after them.

"What do you want to do after we get back?" Kiehl asked Sarine.

"The arena, maybe?" she smiled. Doppy nodded to her, and Eremes thought.

"We'll feed you first..." he said. "then the arena."

"Okay," she nodded. Loo Shin looked at her with a small frown, and she looked back at him with a smile. He stopped nursing to talk to her.

"Mama, um, when can we travel?" he asked.

"You need to grow a bit bigger, dear," she smiled. "Yes, your minds are very evolved, but your bodies aren't that strong yet. You are very vulnerable right now. So are your other siblings. When you are able to travel with us, you should be able to walk better and move better. Until then, you need to stay home where it is safe."

"Okay. Mama? Can I see the arena later?" he asked.

"No," Sammy said before she could respond. "The arena is too violent a place for you right now. Maybe when your mother is pregnant again, you'll be able to see it. We won't even allow Albert, Alexis, Trina, or Bernard to see the arena yet. The humans there will think you are someone they can fight. We will not allow it."

"We can fight back!" Bernard frowned.

"No," Beelzebub said, as he glared lightly to put the small boy in his place.

"The humans are ignorant," Aliot said. "They don't care about anything. All they want to do is win. If a small child is in their way, they won't care."

"So mean!" Angela frowned. Gunther came back up to tell his father that they were ready to go, and he paused at the conversation.

"I remember when they wanted to hurt me," Edward said.

"And I hurt them for you," Thanatos nodded. "It's still very risky for you all to be there. By the time we come back, it may be time for your naps, anyways."

"Naps?!" Gunther said with disgust. Amon Ra shifted in his chair slightly to reveal the goo-coated knife, and this made Gunther fall quiet and look at the ground.

"Yes. Your naps," Doppy said with a nod. "Don't fight us. Eventually, you won't need naps anymore. Until then, you do."

"Okay," Gunther said. Doppy tussled his son's blond hair, and Gunther smirked. "We're ready to go. Daddy Keltin and Daddy Loomin know how we are going to travel."

"Fine. When your mother is done nursing, we'll be downstairs," Doppy said. When Gunther left, Ragged Zombie gave a small grin.

"Knife still works," Hibram chuckled.

"It had better," the zombie grinned a bit wider.

"Oh, um...Daddy Doppy?" Angela said, as she toddled over to him.

"Yes?" he asked, and he picked her up. She whispered softly to him, and Beelzebub looked over with surprise. Doppy narrowed his eyes at this, and she whispered a bit more.

"Why wasn't that brought to our attention?" Beelzebub asked.

"Um...Deagan helped us fix it," Angela said.

"Deagan?" Kiehl asked his son.

"Yes, Dad?" Deagan asked.

"What are they talking about?" Kiehl asked.

"Oh. We were having dinner last night, and Gunther thought Angela had more than him. I pointed out that he had just as much as her, and that they had the same amount. When he didn't believe me, I asked Doll to get me a scale. Yeah, I weighed their plates. They were even," Deagan said. "When Gunther saw that, he didn't argue and went back to eating."

"You went out of your way," Kiehl said with a massive grin on his face. "to weigh their dinner plates?! To keep them from fighting?!"

"Yes," Deagan grinned back.

"Your kid," Howard said. "Hands down."

"Goodness!" Sarine blushed, and Sammy's twins giggled when they finished nursing.

"Wow," Doppy said, as he laughed.

"Way too smart..." Eremes chuckled.

"Okay, I think I'm ready to go," Sarine said, as she fixed up her top. Pharaoh was going to help with the kids, and he had taken the twins from her. Evil Snake Lord was busy in the school's library and told a Hell Fly that classes would need to take place when they got back.

"Naps will have to wait for them," Doppy mused.

"Their schooling is needed," Sammy chuckled.

"Well, they need naps," Kiehl smiled, as the youngest four started yawning. When they were set in their cradles and sleeping, Sammy and Kiehl both kissed Sarine before leading her downstairs with the others. Keltin was told by Gunther what happened, and Loomin was grinning with pure amusement. Muninn swooped down to hover over them, and Beelzebub filled him in on various things. The falcon clearly did not like Alexander's vision.

_:I shall. Remain. On guard!:_  Muninn warbled.

"That's all we can ask for," Loomin nodded. Huginn was far more alert, since the time was coming close for him to bond with his growing body, and he clearly wasn't going to stand by if something happened. He knew Valkyrie's feather was still in Sarine's system, and he would help invoke it, if he had to. Muninn knew this and was counting on it. He saw Seyren, Karla, Cecil, Garrett, Lloyd, Margaretha, Mitchell, and Kathryne filter out of the house.

"The others are staying here," Seyren said. At this, Muninn made sure that everyone was ready for travel. Gunther and Bianca sat with Loomin on Ktullanux. Siegfried and Serenity sat with Keltin on Garm. Maya Purple moved to walk behind them. Windwalker landed for Sarine to be placed on his back. Doppy was now on Nightmare Terror, and Thanatos was on Nightmare. Eremes was on Matyr's back, and Sammy sat on Nigel's Nine Tail form.

Naght, Ifrit, Eddga, Pori-Pori, and Anubis settled to move with them. Stormy Knight approached them to assist, since they were going into a volcanic area, and he knew he could help. Errende and Injustice made ready to walk. Aliot checked his claws, and Observation hovered over them with Muninn. Byorgue jumped onto Vagabond Wolf's back to show he was ready. Kiehl and Howard were now sitting with Sarine on Windwalker. Drago had moved to walk in front of Windwalker. Lloyd and Margaretha were on the wild Grand Pecopeco, and Garrett had gotten his Grand Pecopeco for Cecil to ride with him. Kathryne and Mitchell were on the wild Pecopeco. They looked over, as Egnigem appeared on her Grand Pecopeco with Donnie. Max was now approaching them on his Grand Pecopeco with Coraline.

"I wanted to go somewhere," Coraline beamed.

"You aren't attacking!" Max frowned. Her belly was as large as the others, thanks to Hibram's blood. It was going to be another two months before she gave birth.

"Looks like they're gonna pop with you," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"Quiet!" Hibram scowled with a grin. "Don't insult my future nieces and nephews!"

"Wait for us!" Neil said, as he and Anna ran over. "We need more training!"

"That you do," Hibram nodded. "Just stay close so we can protect you from the heat."

"Okay!" Anna nodded. Neil caught a glimpse of Sarine, as Windwalker put his wings up, and he frowned. He wanted to talk to her later. He was fifteen now, since he aged a year in one month from Hibram's blood. Muninn warbled sharply and Warped them all to another area.


	145. Chapter 145

They appeared outside a cave, and Mitchell recognized the area.

"Yuno territory," he said. "Let's get inside, quickly!"

"Right," Loomin nodded. As they walked in, searing heat greeted them, and Sarine was sighing with a form of delight. Kiehl, Eremes, and Ifrit worked on forming a barrier of immunity for the others that needed it. Kiehl had Sarine pulled to his chest, and he rested his head on her shoulder while he focused. Howard had his chest pressed against Sarine's back. The moment they walked inside, the five monsters that roamed the first level of the dungeon were waiting for them. The only problem was that they were waiting at the other end of the dungeon. The group would have to fight their way to them. Keltin voiced this, and now Anubis let out every non-Fire spell he had with Loomin, Kathryne, and Mitchell. Maheo didn't join them this time, and they could have easily used his help with Laurell's.

"Sarine? Can you get Storm Caller?" Loomin asked, as he moved Ktullanux close to Windwalker. Sarine thought, and the powerful Strouf appeared.

"I could assist in here," Storm Caller mused. "What is your will, Vessel of Odin?"

"Please speak with Loomin," she said. Storm Caller nodded and moved over to him. On hearing his request to have others brought, the Strouf nodded and vanished.

"Neil," Hibram said and moved to his side to help him against a couple of Kaho monsters. They resembled human-like pillars of smoke and flame, but they were mainly Demonic in nature. As they attacked the monsters, Hibram mentally asked Neil why he wanted to see Sarine. Neil frowned and made the mental comment that he felt he was needed for her. That made Hibram pause in thought. He wasn't old enough for her yet, and Neil knew this.

"How can I know?" Neil asked, as he kicked away another Kaho. Hibram gestured for him and went over to Windwalker.

"Sarine, can you kiss Neil?" Hibram asked.

"What?!" she blinked with surprise, and Neil's jaw dropped.

"He feels that he's needed for you," Hibram explained. Kiehl looked at Howard with a heavy frown, but they both knew that Sarine wasn't rejecting scents from her dominant side. And they both knew that Neil had Hibram's blood.

"Sarine?" Kiehl looked at her. "What do you want to do?"

"Um..." she frowned. "well...I suppose. Before the others get here."

"Especially with Maheo," Howard sighed. "Do it. Quick."

"Wait, what?!" Neil asked. Hibram moved behind his younger sibling and casually nudged him closer to Sarine. Before he could back away, she pulled him close and planted her kiss on his mouth. The result made Howard and Kiehl gape with surprise.

"He fits?!" they both said together. Neil had no idea what just took place other than the feeling of belonging with her. It felt so natural that he didn't know how to describe it.

"He does," Hibram sighed. Beelzebub's eyes were wide, and he had to spread the news to the others. Now Loomin had to dismount from Ktullanux, but he knew the powerful ice dragon would protect the kids on his back easily.

"Neil fits?" Loomin asked.

"I guess I do," Neil said. "But, I'm not old enough, yet."

"True," Loomin said. "I think Muninn may be able to boost your age to an hour a year like he did for me. He just might stop your growth at eighteen years. We can't let you grow faster than your sister. Besides, since we're doing this, I wanted to talk about Maheo."

"Why?" Howard asked. Kiehl looked over with a small growl, but Sarine calmed him.

"Call it a hunch, but he's important, too," Loomin said. "There were a lot of things I noticed about him. He's honorable."

"True..." Eremes nodded, as he Matyr brought him over. "He respects her..."

"He does know his boundaries," Doppy nodded.

"He hates Kavach," Ragged Zombie grinned. "That's a bonus in my book!"

"But, he's a Mage!" Sarine frowned.

"A very powerful one," Loomin reminded her.

"I can give him some of my blood," Hibram grinned. "I don't mind that."

Sarine groaned, and Kiehl hugged her tight with a sigh. Howard clearly didn't want any others to be for her, but Odin would likely insist on this. Muninn was quite amused and knew that Maheo was honorable.  _He would be worthy for Sarine._

"I'll talk to him when he gets here," Loomin said and caressed Sarine's cheek before going back to Ktullanux. Beelzebub was in deep thought on everything. He knew that Maheo took the time to read her letters, and he was there for the discovery of her old room. When Storm Caller appeared with Laurell and Maheo, Loomin gestured for Maheo to come over to him. As they attacked the fiery monsters, the group progressed forward slowly.

"Look out!" Keltin hissed at Seyren, as a rogue Lava Golem charged at them. It resembled a large, bubbling, dripping pile of lava rock with a gaping mouth, green teeth, and glowing green eyes. On its defeat, it dropped a special fist weapon and an armor. Karla Identified them and grinned.

"Keltin! Take this Magma Fist!" she grinned. Keltin gaped at it, and she gave Seyren the full plate mail that could hold a monster card.

"Very nice!" he grinned. The little Bapho Jr. monster with him was riding with Luna on Karla's cart, and he smiled softly. A bit farther off, Loomin was deep in discussion with Maheo, and the information the Mage was receiving was surprising.

"Hibram is willing to let me have his blood?!" Maheo blinked.

"Yes," Loomin nodded. "You are very honorable. We all recognize it."

"I'll talk to Hibram later," Maheo said and helped kill off a fiery red bear called a Grizzly. One had already joined them from Louyang when they had to get Bacsojin. A swarm of bats with red wings flew at them, but their main bodies were that of fireballs with a set of glowing white eyes. They were known as Explosions. The last type of Fire based monsters they saw on this level of the dungeons were large fireballs called Blazers. They were Demonic creatures that blew flames at them and hovered through the air while they stared at everything with beady, white eyes. Eremes found a Blazer card and moved to give it to Sarine.

"Thank you!" she giggled and pulled him close to kiss passionately. Another card war started up quickly when that happened. This made traveling go by even faster, though it was slow due to the narrow pathways and bridges. They finally reached the entrance to the second level when the cavern to go downward appeared before them. All five monsters that were waiting for them glowed with power and vanished away. Storm Caller was forced to leave them to show the new monsters what they had to do to help warm the island home. Stormy Knight and Garm readied themselves to prepare to help attack what was waiting for them. Anubis prepared his spells, and Pori-Pori chittered with excitement.

"Are we ready to see what lies down here?" Hyegun asked.

"Let's move!" Doppy grinned. When they reached the bottom, Eddga let out a Stunning roar, and they killed off a wave of rogue Nightmare Terrors. Four monsters approached them now, and Sarine studied each one while Keltin named them off.

"Gig, Deleter, Sky Deleter, and Diabolic," Keltin chuckled. Gig was a large, fiery yellow scorpion. Deleter looked like an Earth Petite, but it was red and pink instead of green. Sky Deleter was a flying red dragon with spikes on its head and a stubby body. They needed to get the Sky Petite dragon which was purple. Diabolic was a bright red Deviruchi-type monster holding a flaming pitchfork. Once those monsters glowed and vanished away, Sarine thought.

"There aren't any others here, are there?" she asked.

"No," Keltin said. "Did you want to explore anyways?"

"I would, but I just saw Serenity yawn," she grinned. Her daughter tried to feign innocence, but Siegfried yawned after her. Gunther and Bianca clearly didn't want to go back, but it was inevitable. Margaretha said that she made the place into a Warp point, since Gig claws were needed to make a powerful dish. Kathryne appreciated that.

"We'll harvest the Gigs! We are human now, so we can do this. You guys can go home," Kathryne said. "We'll be there when we have enough claws."

"I need to talk to Hibram, anyways," Maheo nodded. Hibram chuckled with a small nod, and Muninn took back everyone that needed to get back home.


	146. Chapter 146

When they got back, Sarine was taken up to the bedroom, and the four children were taken to the nursery. Hibram and Maheo walked to the grove to talk about everything, and Muninn circled over the island carefully to watch over it. In the bedroom, Kiehl was hugging Sarine to him, and she was nuzzling him with small giggles.

"When did you want to go to the arena?" he asked.

"Soon, I think," she nodded. "What is going to happen with Neil and Maheo?"

"That is something we will need to discuss with Muninn," Sammy said. "Maheo is easy, since he's already grown. Neil will be a decision maker."

"I'll get Muninn," Loomin said. As he went to the balcony, Sarine was enjoying a massage from Kiehl and Eremes. She was starting to get thoughts of solitude, and Howard told the Assassin Cross. Ifrit moved into the fireplace to start up the heat, and Lava Golem was in the new forge in the workshop to add even more heat. Storm Caller reported that a new fireplace was in the dominating chambers in case it was needed.

_:I am. Needed?:_  Muninn asked, as he flew in to perch.

"Yes. Neil is important to Sarine. His kiss fits her, as I'm sure you know, but he's not an adult yet. Can you have him age a year an hour up to eighteen with his sister? After that, they can grow a year each month again. We don't want them to grow too far apart," Loomin said.

_:Oh! Yes! I can! But. Neil will. Grow. To nineteen. So his. Sister. Can get. To eighteen.:_  Muninn nodded. Loomin nodded at this. He had forgotten that they weren't twins. Muninn reverted to his human form to show he was ready to speak with Anna and Neil. He looked over at Sarine and forced himself to keep from going to her. He had to wait until later to bond with his developing body.

"Is something wrong, Muninn?" Loomin asked.

" _I need to wait until tonight to bond with the growing body in Sarine. I want to do this now, but, if I do, Huginn will have a chance to challenge me. I'll be weak after bonding. So will he. I have to restrain myself until he finishes first,_ " Muninn sighed. " _It's too risky._ "

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"You wanted to see us?" Anna said, as she walked in with Neil. He looked around the bedroom with silent awe. He had never been here before, and his sister was the same way.

"Anna, your brother is to be with Sarine," Sammy said carefully. "He kissed her, and the kiss was a match. We know he's young, so, Muninn is going to have the both of you age a year an hour. However, it will only be for four hours. Neil needs to be at least eighteen years old in order for him to be at Sarine's side. We know he will need to transcend, but he'll grow quickly with Valkyrie's blessing, so that won't be a problem. At the end of four hours, he'll be nineteen, and you will be eighteen. The two of you will also be ready to take your destined tests to advance yourselves. Right, Muninn?"

" _Yes. The two of you have been training exceptionally hard, and the time has come, as well. I can start advancing your ages now, or you can wait._ "

"Let's do this now," Neil said. "We can pass the time by taking our tests."

"We can do that, huh?" Anna giggled. "I doubt any of our old acquaintances will recognize us, if we see them!"

"They likely won't," he mused, as he thought of Derrick. "I'm not complaining!"

"He reminds me of a young How-How!" Sarine blinked, as she whispered to Kiehl. That made Howard look over with a bit of a grin. The clothing that Neil would be wearing was something he wore as a Blacksmith long ago. He knew that old memories would come back to her. Kiehl agreed that they would need to comfort Sarine with various memories. Naght mentally chuckled at this and agreed, as well.

"Howard, what can you tell me about the tests? Any tips?" Neil asked.

"Don't be afraid to go to Karla for items. Take your time. And do remember this," Howard said gravely. "An honest Merchant is a profitable Merchant. Money and power is nice, but it won't get you allies. Honesty and integrity will. It's a lot more work, but it pays off in the end. Just look at my parents as examples. I went the honest route. They went the money route. Look at where I am compared to them. I'll share my materials with you easily. Just don't double-cross me, or anyone that sees you as an ally."

"Never!" Neil frowned. "I know that money is important, but it can't buy trust."

"Exactly!" Howard grinned. "Just remember that, and you'll do just fine!"

"I know you'll succeed," Sarine smiled at him. "Both you and your sister are very smart. Just go with your gut instincts. If something doesn't feel right, don't do it."

"Funny you said that," Neil smiled. "I felt completely right with wanting to kiss you."

"And you see what happened!" she giggled. Neil nodded and swallowed before moving to kiss her gently. She kissed him back passionately, and it caught him by surprise. The next thing he knew was Doppy grabbing him by the collar and shoving him at the door.

"Go pass your tests and grow for three hours!" he scowled. "You'll be old enough by then!"

"Ah...right..." Neil gasped with a massive blush on his face, and Anna teased him to get him back into focus when they left. Ragged Zombie was snickering with a few others when the door closed, and the door opened again to show Maheo walking towards her. He paused at the sight of the bedroom at first, but he refocused on what he needed to do.

"Hibram gave me some of his blood," Maheo said. "Bitter, but different. Um..."

"Did he really?" Sarine chuckled. "Tell me, Maheo, do you plan to advance?"

"I was thinking about it," he nodded. "I was thinking of going High Wizard."

" _You could be a transcended Mage already,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _You are strong enough to go to Valhalla. I could send you there?_ "

"That would be great!" Maheo said. "But, first, I need to do something."

" _Of course! Just call for me when you're ready,_ " Muninn said. He needed to get out of the room. Loomin nodded, as Muninn reverted to his falcon form and flew out the window with relief. He had to hold himself back.

"Kiehl?" Sarine smiled.

"Don't be too long," he sighed and hugged her. "I don't know what will happen if I'm away from you for longer than ten minutes."

"I'll run in, if anything happens," Howard said.

"Won't my cravings come back to see everyone?" she frowned.

"It's possible. If it does, I'll run in," Kiehl said. She nodded, and he kissed her. Hugging him tight, she let him get his fill of her before she turned to Maheo. Now she moved forward and pressed a kiss on his mouth. At the shocked look on his face, the answer was apparent.

"He fits," Hibram chuckled.

"Wow..." Maheo blinked, as he shivered. "Um...would I become a husband to you, then? Since I'm mainly human? How does this work?"

"Well, first we need to see what element you would carry and what you would be to me. Right now, you fit as a mate status. You are someone that can be with me and be a part of the group, so to speak. When we find out what you are and what element you hold, you will become one of my husbands," she smiled. "It's not often that it happens, though. We'll have to see."

"If anyone insults you, they get raped with a fireball up the ass!" Maheo growled.

"Okay. I approve of him!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and everyone snickered.

"You know," Sarine frowned. "I haven't seen Evil Snake Lord. Ever since he said he was going to read my letters. I mean, I saw him around, but he hasn't approached me in full. He seems to be working in the school library constantly now."

"You're right," Loomin frowned.

"I'll send a Hell Fly for him when we go to the arena," Beelzebub promised.

"That will work," she smiled. "Considering that I'm supposed to be having a Demonic Mating at some point today..."

"Very true," Hibram thought. "Go be with Maheo. We'll make sure the others are ready. Didn't Muninn say that he wanted to be with you, but he couldn't?"

"It should be all right, if he has to give her blood," Loomin said. "I'll talk to him while she's with Maheo. We have a lot to do now. Maybe Kiehl can be with her when she takes Muninn's blood to keep certain things from happening."

"We can only try," Kiehl said. "I need those diamonds."

"Yes, you do," Sammy said. "Which element do you plan to get next?"

"Ice," Kiehl said without thinking. "I'll get Shadow after that. Munnin said I needed Ice after Fire."

"Right," Doppy nodded. "Let's see what else you'll need."

"All of them," Howard grinned. That made murmurs of agreement, and Sarine pulled Maheo into the bathroom. He gaped at the sheer size and design of the room at first. Then his gaze was settled on her when she undressed and walked away from him.

"Sarine?" Maheo blinked.

"We don't have much time," she said. "Hurry up and undress, please. I'm sorry if this is to be rushed, but I don't know how long Kiehl can be without me. He craves to hold me now, and he helps keep my fiercest cravings back. He also has an instinct called Bragging Rights that have developed rather strongly from winning my Demonic Matings. I'm sure you saw him attack that Sniper before when we went to get Turtle General a month ago. Since his instinct only gets stronger from winning, his temperament is unpredictable right now. I can't risk him Berserking and going out of control."

"I see," Maheo nodded and stripped off his clothes quickly.

"I'll also need a drop of your blood when we are done. Then you will need to give a drop of your blood to the kids so they can see you as a father figure," she smiled. That made him pause with a bit of surprise.  _Her kids would become mine._   _I'll protect them with my life._ He knew this from the deepest part of his soul. He wanted this more than anything.

"To be a part of your life and their lives..." he whispered, as he moved to pull her against him. "I don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything..." she smiled and kissed him deeply. He had been with other women before and had enjoyed it. He didn't mind it when they left him to pursue others. He considered himself someone that they could learn from and remember fondly. Sarine was different. She invoked something primal in him that he could never grasp before. She made him feel new emotions that he never knew existed. She made him feel a special form of nirvana that was unattainable.  _Until now._

Now he could see why the others didn't want to be with any other women after being with her.  _Everything about her was perfectly formed and designed._ When he finally claimed her, the warmth she gave him rocked him to the core, and he lost any resolve he had. He was known for his stamina and being an excellent lover. She brought him right back to square one, and now he had to fight with himself to keep from giving in. He failed miserably. Since she was unlike any other woman he had ever encountered, it was like he was having his first time all over again. He lost his control. He lost his focus. The only instinctive thought in his mind was to make her his. When it happened, he was shivering with disbelief.

"I...I'm sorry..." he sighed, as he lay next to her.

"About what?" she frowned.

"My performance," he said.

"I found nothing wrong with it," she chuckled.

"I'm known for being a wonderful lover," he said. "But...with you...I just...I lost control of myself, and I gave in too early!"

"Well, there is an old saying," she grinned. "Practice makes perfect!"

"That's true, isn't it?" he grinned back and kissed her hard. Now he was able to regain that focus and bring his experience to light. She cried out sharply with him this time, and he ran his hands over her form. She knew where a knife was nearby, and she had to move away from him to grab it. She settled back on him and gestured for his hand. Pricking her finger and his, the blood drops were exchanged. When she moved to stand, Howard ran in quickly, and the look on his face was complete distress.

"Sarine! Kiehl is out of control!" he hissed.

"Stay here!" Sarine growled to Maheo, and he blinked. Her demoness side kicked in to take control of the situation. "We'll get you when it's safe! How-How, swap a blood drop with me so Kiehl can smell Maheo on you in case he gets offended! Quickly!"

"Of course," Howard nodded. Her instinctive drive to keep her powerful First Mate calm was now in full control, and Howard knew better than to question it. He took a blood drop from her to secure Maheo's survival around Kiehl.

"How-How, walk out slowly with me," she said. He nodded, and Maheo sat on the ground to wait. Hibram was agreeing with everything, since he could now hear the Mage's thoughts. When Sarine walked out, she saw Kiehl's ghost out in full, and he was glaring at Doppy. The demon was keeping his eyes lowered respectfully to keep from being the brunt of an attack. Thanatos also had his eyes lowered with everyone else that was a part of her most recent Demonic Mating.

Kiehl was trembling and glaring at anyone that could be a possible threat. He knew where she was, but, when the time came to hold her, he forced himself to keep from running to her side. Now his instinct was making him think that she was in complete danger, and that he didn't know where she was. His body felt as though it was on fire, and he was ready to snap into an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty rage of hatred and full blown violence.

On the sound of the bathroom door opening, he turned to glare sharply at the intrusion, but then he paused on seeing her. Howard kept his mind blank, since Kiehl wouldn't be listening to him, anyways. Sarine slowly moved forward and stood in front of him. When he scented Maheo on her, he let out a low, guttural snarl of hatred. Then she pointed at Howard with the mental thought to scent him. At the same scents on her going through his brother, he frowned and seemed to nod with understanding.  _Maheo was an ally now and could be trusted._  He was still extremely enraged that she was gone for so long, and now she carefully moved to place a hand on his cheek. Her very touch sent a dizzying chill of sudden relief through his mind.

"Ah..." Kiehl blinked and tried to speak, but she put a finger to his lips. He was still exceptionally dangerous, and she had to calm him down.

"Warm me while I cool you off?" she smiled. He frowned and trembled for some sort of control, as he gave a sharp nod. She gestured to the fireplace, and Howard was already opening it up. Ifrit was in a constant mental link with Eremes, and his eyes were lowered. He nodded with respect when Kiehl came in with her. Once Howard closed the fireplace door, everyone sighed with relief and started to relax.

"We aren't out of the woods yet," Howard warned. "We need to wait."

"I'll talk to Maheo about her hidden pregnancy," Hibram said. Beelzebub moved to join him with Keltin and Hyegun. In the fireplace, Sarine was helping Kiehl slowly remove his clothing, and her very touch was sending cold shivers of relief through him. He knew how bad her cravings got to where she needed to be cooled down. Now he was experiencing them for himself. He slipped into her, and he released with a sharp cry of relief. His ghost was finally starting to waver, and it got pulled back into him when she ran her hands through his silvery white hair. He was gasping, and she nuzzled him lovingly.

"You took...so long..." he whimpered, and he held her tightly to him.

"I know. I'm sorry, love," she sighed. "I didn't intend for that to happen."

"It could happen again with Neil..."

"I know this. When you feel the urge to hold me, don't fight it. Come to me. You don't like seeing me suffer. I don't like seeing you suffer. Don't do this again."

"Sarine..." he winced, and she let him rest on her, as he needed to.

"Take a drop of my blood," she whispered to him, as she nuzzled his neck. He shivered, and Byorgue came in to prick her finger for them. When they both took a drop of blood, Eremes came in to take the next drop.

"I'll help make the others immune..." he said. "Sarine, you need more heat. Ifrit will help you. Kiehl? Are you all right?"

"Not a hundred percent, but I'm focused," Kiehl admitted. Howard gave the okay to the others to walk into the fireplace one at a time to get the drop of blood they needed. Right after they finished, they walked out to keep Kiehl calm. No one wanted to piss him off. While they did this, Kiehl had taken off his glasses and pressed his face into the back of her neck to breathe in her scent. It calmed him down that much more, and she didn't mind it at all. Evil Snake Lord approached last, and Sarine looked at him with a small smile.

"I'm sorry I did not approach you after reading the letters," he started.

"I missed you," she said.

"You did?" he paused at this.

"Yes. I know how disturbing my letters can be, and I know that you are busy with the library for the kids. Why didn't you approach me?" she asked.

"Well, like you just said, other than being busy, the letters have made me hesitant on approaching you. I'm sorry I made you worry about me. I never read such painful words..."

"Come here," she sighed, and he pressed himself against her with a shiver. Kiehl understood what he was going through. He read the letters only once, and that was after his second viewing of her past. He could easily relate with everything. She gave Evil Snake Lord a drop of blood and ran a hand over his sinuous body.

"I heard rumors that another will be needed?" he asked.

"Yes. Neil will be needed. Beelzebub and Hibram can fill you in," she nodded.

"You will be bonding with Huginn and Muninn tonight?"

"Yes."

"Will you have another Demonic Mating?"

"It is highly possible. Remember, I'm supposed to be giving you eggs next," she chuckled. He looked at her and flicked his tongue on her lips before nuzzling her.

"I shall ensure that the nest in the nursery has enough room," he said.

"I plan to go to the arena at some point to view the crowd and fights. Will you join me later on, if you can?"

"I will see what I can do," he nodded. When he moved out of the fireplace, Kiehl squeezed her, as he put his glasses back on, and Eremes sat next to her. Howard came in and sat in front of her to talk to her.

"Loomin is talking to Muninn right now. Since his blood is needed for you, he can give you the blood now, and it will be safe. All of the kids are sleeping, so you don't need to nurse our youngest kids right now. It's possible that, before you go to the arena, you may need to nurse them. You need to eat first before taking Muninn's blood."

"Okay, How-How," she smiled. He hugged her tight and pressed a kiss to her mouth, as Byorgue, Nigel and Errende walked in with her craving dishes.

"You are well, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"I'm fine, love," she chuckled and tucked in to the roast quickly. She was clearly starving, and she wolfed down the cheese and milk before the heat got to them.

"We should see what melted cheese dishes are available," Nigel grinned.

"We can talk to Kathryne. She's back now," Byorgue nodded.

"I'll work on a few more kimonos for you, My Lady," Errende said.

"Thank you," she nodded. "You may get a break from me tonight, if I'm dominating Huginn and Muninn. I'm sure it will be fun."

"It will definitely be fun to watch!" Errende grinned wickedly, and Ifrit hissed laughter with Eremes. Kiehl and Howard were grinning with Nigel and Byorgue.

" _I'm here! Is she ready?_ " Muninn asked, as he walked in. As a response she reached forward and grabbed him to pull him close. He fought with the urge to place his hands on her belly and focused on bracing himself on the ground. She bit down on his neck, and he gasped. He had a dagger appear to help her get his blood. Once she latched onto his neck, time froze, and he surrendered to the pleasuring loop she gave him.

"She wasted no time," Kiehl smiled, as he kept himself pressed against her back.

"Of course, she didn't!" Howard grinned. "Are you all right, though?"

"I'll be fine when her Demonic Mating hits," Kiehl smirked. "Trust me on that."

"I'll see who is still moving and have them get ready," Byorgue said. "I think I would like to watch this time."

"As would I," Nigel said.

"You can. Just stick with me and the others," Howard said. They nodded and walked out of the fireplace. Eremes lay back on the hot feathers and rested with his eyes closed, as Ifrit kept his heat going. Maheo stormed in with a furious rage, and Kiehl looked up at him with a frown. Heat immunity was now shifted to help protect the powerful Mage.

"Sarine can't hear you," Kiehl said. "What's wrong?"

"Kavach found out about her Demonic Matings! Can I kill him?!" Maheo growled.

"He...what?" Eremes blinked, as he opened his eyes. "How?!"

"He noticed that everyone was standing around outside. So...he doesn't really know, but he's determined to find out what everyone is waiting for," Maheo muttered.

"Is he frozen in time?" Howard asked.

"He is. It's why I want to kill him!" he said.

"If he tries to keep up with us, then fine. But, if he tries to fight us, he'll die," Ifrit smirked. Naght came into the fireplace now to hiss, as he hovered over Sarine's feeding form.

"If...he...fights...he...dies...!" Naght snarled.

"And, if he tries to go after Sarine after being defeated, she'll kill him herself," Kiehl said. "Then again, I'll kill him first!"

" _Ah...she will always...see him as weak...if he's defeated..._ " Muninn managed to whisper out. " _She won't...fully acknowledge him...until her next Demonic Mating..._ "

"You can focus on talking through that?!" Howard gaped.

" _It's because of the...urge to bond with my...developing body, you see. I have to...fight it. This helps,_ " he shivered, and she finally moved away from him. Kiehl Healed him, and he kissed Sarine deeply before leaving quickly. She frowned at this, but she knew that he was forcing himself away from her to ensure that Huginn couldn't challenge him. She would have her chance to fully be with him later in the night.

"Sarine?" Eremes asked. She stood up to have Byorgue dress her, and Howard noticed that time came back. Kiehl stood up now and found himself glaring at her. She was becoming warmer than usual, and she sighed when she moved out of the fireplace. Kiehl was forced to follow. Her scent was now locked in his mind, and Ifrit had no choice in following her, too.

"It's starting already," Howard muttered. "That was fast! Maheo! Nigel! Byorgue! Stick to my side! Now!"

"Oh!" Maheo blinked and found Sammy, Loomin, Eremes, and Keltin joining him. Hyegun and Ragged Zombie joined them next, and the group moved swiftly out of the house. Doppy, Beelzebub, and Hibram were already outside and waiting. At the sight of Kiehl, they snarled, but Kiehl's glare quickly silenced them. His advanced Bragging Rights instinct was in full effect again, as his ghost hovered around his form.

"Shit!" Eremes hissed, as Elric appeared to stand with the Demonic males. Ifrit glared at him before refocusing on Sarine. Thanatos, Evil Snake Lord, and Baphomet Jr. approached to settle with the males. Pharaoh, Osiris, Entweihen, and Dracula were the next ones to stand with them. Drake, Incubus, Aliot, Wanderer, and Naght were the last to appear. At the sight of Elric, distaste seethed from them. No human had ever joined a Demonic Mating before.

"What's going on?" Kavach asked. Sarine glared at him and curled her lip back at the question. Kiehl kept his eyes locked on her form and had no regard for the humans now.

"If you don't want to die, come over to me," Howard warned. "If you stand with them, then you have to fight them. If you can keep up with them, that is."

"What?" Kavach blinked. Maheo smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. He actually felt much stronger from Sarine's drop of blood. He could easily fight for her, but there was no need to. He was happy by being a part of her life as her mate.

"Idiot! Move!" Byorgue spat. "Get away from them!"

"My Lady will tear him to shreds," Errende sighed. "Oh, well."

"That she will," Sammy muttered. When Sarine stood in front of the challenging males, she keened out her mating cry, and they hissed with response. Elric didn't know how to respond, but he watched her closely. Kavach still had no clue as to what was going on.

"Is this a dominating thing?" he asked. Sarine now glared at him with a hatred that made him wince, and she seemed to bristle. Then she bolted when Kiehl leapt out at her. Elric had been trying to train extensively for this since yesterday, and he was able to keep up with the running demons. Kavach was easily left behind. He still had no idea as to what was going on.

"Moron!" Errende scowled, and Howard nudged him to have him move quickly to head to the hidden chamber. Hyegun noticed that Kavach was following them, and he sneered.

"Run..." Eremes muttered, and now they all did quickly. Kavach clearly wanted to know what was going on and tried to run after them, but he was far too slow. They had caught up to where Sarine was just seen jumping down the hole in the ground, and the dominant males were quick to follow her. When the stairs opened after the hole sealed up, Howard led them down them, and, because Kavach was trying to find them, the stairs closed up securely to obscure their tracks a bit faster than they usually did. Errende breathed a sigh of relief and focused his attention to the hidden viewing window.

Sarine sat down on the safety of the raised platform. She keened out the starting cry, and now studied each male critically. Elric was fighting for his life now, as every male was out to kill him. Kiehl was letting them take care of the human, as he began to impress Sarine with his grace, power, and uncanny dodging ability. Ifrit was flaring out his heat to try to stall other monsters, but it was Naght and Doppy that ended up cornering Elric to give him the real fight of his life.

Thanatos saw who they cornered and was quick to help end the human's life. Without demon blood, Elric stood no chance, as he was impaled by Doppy, frozen and cooked by Naght, and gutted by Thanatos. They roared their victorious howls to show one was defeated, and Sarine purred with this knowledge. Now they turned on each other with boosted egos. Kiehl didn't lose any favor at all with her. His advanced Bragging Rights held a much higher place in her mind. If he defeated Elric, it would have been nice, but he would have risked getting hit. _As long as I remained untouched by everyone and everything, she would continue to see me as her favorite male._  That was what he wanted, and it was important.

Naght decided to test Kiehl for himself and turned to attack him with vicious swipes of his swords. Kiehl seemed to grin wickedly and dodged everything with lightning-fast movements. Then Naght felt the sting of a spear hitting him from a pillar. Kiehl distracted him and moved him into the range of one. That pissed him off.

"Wow!" Howard blinked, as Kiehl ducked and countered every move that Naght did. They weren't even reading each other's minds. It was all instinctive. Sarine studied them carefully without a single reflection of a thought. But, when her eyes landed on Kiehl's face and form, she would purr softly to herself with complete adoration. She looked over at Thanatos and Doppy attacking each other, and she smirked softly. Then her eyes moved to touch every other male that fought for her attention. She was a bit impressed with Baphomet Jr. and how he was holding off Evil Snake Lord.  _His scythe was a shield, as well as a weapon._ Yet, it was always Kiehl that pulled her attention back to him.

Just as she rose up to stop the fighting, she suddenly stared up at the ceiling with a hissing snarl of such intense hatred and rage that all of the males stopped fighting to stare at her. They ignored the spears that came out now. She wasn't paying attention to it, and any hits they got didn't count. Of course, Kiehl was still instinctively dodging any that appeared in case she did try to look at him. Now they all looked up at where she was staring.

"What made her mad?" Loomin asked quietly.

"I don't know," Sammy frowned.

"She heard something. Like a stomping on the ground that covered this place," Howard fumed, as Kiehl's and Naght's rage started to affect him.

"We'll need to find out what it is," Byorgue said. Sarine keened out sharply, and Kiehl quickly moved forward. The spears had stopped at her cry now, but her platform was still raised up. _She felt threatened._ Kiehl glanced at Naght, Doppy, Ifrit, and Thanatos. As Kiehl's Bragging Rights were still at full peak with Sarine's mating scent, they muttered to each other in Demonic. They weren't quite sure on what they could do. Eremes was translating for Ifrit. Beelzebub and Hibram looked at each other and growled.  _The Demonic Mating wasn't over yet. None of them could leave until it was over._ Kiehl looked at Sarine and gave out a low hiss. She replied with a frown and a low growl in Demonic.

"Come on, Sarine. Pick your choices!" Howard tensed. "We can't find out who is up there unless you're done! Finish it!"

Kiehl looked her with a determined glare, and she closed her eyes. She saw him first. Then her eyes moved to Thanatos, Doppy, Naght, Ifrit, Baphomet Jr., Beelzebub, Evil Snake Lord, Hibram, Aliot, Wanderer, Entweihen, Dracula, Osiris, Pharaoh, Drake, and, finally, Incubus. Only after the choices were made did the platform lower for Kiehl to roar out his mating challenge. Sarine scowled at him, and he dodged all of her attacks while he shredded off her clothes. He actually managed to keep his glasses on this time.

"This is what happens?!" Maheo gaped.

"Yes," Sammy nodded. Howard was only sighing with relief, as Kiehl started to take her. Right after he roared out his cry of successful mating with Sarine's keening cry, Thanatos moved quickly to take over. The procession of males was lengthy, but was rather quick to go through. When Incubus held her as the last one, Kiehl roared out his powerful Bragging Rights, and another diamond appeared on his collar loop. The males nodded as one, and now they turned their attention to the ceiling.

"Do I Resurrect Elric?" Errende asked, as they moved into the room after the wall opened up for them when it was safe. Thanatos handed Errende Sarine's shredded clothes, and Loomin gave over his spare kimono again.

"You can..." Eremes said. "We know that...he will be killed...if he tries to go after Sarine. That is inevitable."

"Wait until she leaves!" Kiehl hissed out his hatred. Incubus nodded to him and gave over Sarine for him to hold. Right after that, Doppy roared with pain, as Sarine screamed.

"That's right! Evil Snake Lord gave her eggs now!" Howard groaned. Now that she was in pain, Kiehl's protection for her rose up to its peak, and the other males were the same way. Doppy was moved quickly by Nigel and Byorgue to lay back on the ground near her. Sammy moved to assist, and Beelzebub had a Hell Fly inform Bacsojin to prepare room in the nest next to Beelzebub's eggs. He also had a small squad of Hell Flies scout over the ground above them. What he found made him hiss with complete and absolute disgust.

"Eremes. You have friends," Beelzebub growled out.

"They followed him..." Eremes fumed, and he Berserked. Ifrit moved to support him, and Thanatos was quick to help. Hibram, Wanderer, and Baphomet Jr. weren't going to let another battle escape them, either. The other males stood in front of the exit leading up when it appeared to protect Sarine during her birthing weakness. Her womb had stretched out to show that the eggs were ready to come, and Sammy nodded with encouragement for her.

"What can I help with?" Maheo asked.

"Just stay out of the way," Kiehl muttered. "Help the others guard this place, if you want. Just don't interfere with this."

"Very well," Maheo nodded. Kiehl gave a small smile at this and looked over at Sammy. Evil Snake Lord was waiting close by, as Doppy shouted at a contraction that Sarine felt. Another push was given, and a soft, white, oval-shaped egg was birthed. It looked completely like a snake egg, and the shell would harden when the egg got closer to hatching.

"Be  _very_  careful, Nigel!" Sammy warned. "This egg can easily rupture inside with too much movement! Don't turn the egg! Keep it just like this!"

"Of course!" Nigel nodded.

"When the other is birthed, I would prefer an escort to the nursery," Evil Snake Lord said with a touch of worry. "I don't want whoever is up there to harm my children."

"I have something better in mind," Loomin smiled. "I have the nursery as a specific Warp point. I can cast the portal, and they can go straight there. I figured, with what happened with Gunther acting up before, that it would be needed."

"That is impressive! Yes! Much safer!" Evil Snake Lord nodded vigorously.

"I have to wonder what will happen tomorrow. I am destined to have children with her next in the form of seeds," Entweihen sighed. Doppy gave a small swear, and Sarine just panted before shouting with him at another contraction. The second egg was delivered, and Byorgue cradled it with extreme gentleness and caution. They were his kids, too. Loomin made the Warp, and both slaves went through it quickly. They would end up running back with the other slaves at their report of the intruders. Sarine's clothes were mended shortly after, and Errende helped her dress under Kiehl's supervision. Doppy was able to sit up, and he groaned.

"I'm not gonna tease you about pain. Ever!" Ragged Zombie swore.

"Good," Doppy growled, and Kiehl grinned.

"Doppy," Sarine sighed.

"Sorry Sari," he smiled and was able to pull her close to hug tight. "I'm fine."

"I know," she chuckled. "What is going to happen with Elric?"

"We leave him to rot!" Kiehl growled. Doppy grinned wickedly, and Sarine giggled.

"I will Resurrect him," Errende said. "if My Lady wishes it."

"You may as well, if his Guild is up there," she shrugged.

"Chicken Shit's here?!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and they started laughing. Kiehl moved to stand with Sarine, and she winced. Doppy hissed from how weak she was, and now Kiehl lifted her in his arms to carry her.

"She should go straight to the nursery," Loomin said. "I will not allow her to be confronted like this where she is at risk."

"I agree," Kiehl nodded. Sarine shivered, and he activated the Fire diamond to give her some heat. "Keltin! Give me your Ice, please?"

"Sure!" Keltin nodded. He focused on Kiehl's new diamond, and the chilling blast of Ice came forth with a fury. The diamond absorbed it and now winked a rather pretty light blue color. Sarine had her teeth chattering, and Kiehl snarled at this. Keltin drew back the Ice, and Kiehl flared out the heat quickly. _It wasn't enough. She needed the fireplace._ Loomin made the Warp to the nursery, and Kiehl left with Sarine through it.

When she appeared being carried by Kiehl, the kids looked at her with concern before pausing at the sight of Kiehl's ghost hovering about his body. Amon Ra saw this and made himself ready to comfort the kids, if they got scared. Yet, it was Serenity that spoke out first to help her brothers and sisters.

"Is Mama okay?" Serenity frowned. She remembered that Kiehl always told her that he was never mad at her unless she did something bad. She didn't do anything bad.

"She needs to get warmed up. She did just give birth to eggs, you know. There are also intruders on the island. Stay here where it is safe," Kiehl said with a forced smile, as he moved Sarine quickly to the bedroom. He was able to open and shut the door to it, as the other slaves were tending to the intruders. Serenity wasn't satisfied with that answer and ran after him before Amon Ra could catch her. Knowing that she would be safe, he turned his attention to the others.

"Keel?" Serenity asked, as she knocked on the fireplace door. Kiehl sighed, kissed Sarine deeply, as his ghost settled back down, and he opened the door carefully.

"Yes, dear?" he smiled softly at her.

"What's wrong with Mama?" she asked. Kiehl sighed again and let her walk in, as the door closed. She was rather immune to the heat, thanks to Naght's blood, and she was able to move to snuggle with her mother.

"I'm fine, sweetie," Sarine smiled and hugged her. "You'll be getting a brother and sister from daddy Entweihen tomorrow."

"Really?" Serenity smiled.

"Yes. Because he is made up of mostly plants, I'll be making seeds that will need to grow up from the ground," she said.

"So, that's why special dirt is being brought in! From that pretty place here," Serenity said. "It's for my brother and sister?"

"That's right," Kiehl grinned, and she cuddled into him when he sat with her.

"Um...you said there were mean people here?" she asked.

"There are. Everyone is working on keeping them away right now. It shouldn't be much longer. Howard just told me that Eremes was able to talk to them without much attacking. Apparently, Fenrick, Tatya, Shadow, and Slade were worried about Elric. Lloyd was called to Resurrect him. Thanatos wouldn't let Errende touch him."

"But, how did they know where Elric was?" Sarine frowned.

"They followed us like Howard does with the others. They were at a much farther distance away. That and Guild mates have a tendency to know where other members are. Hmm. Oh, hell no!" Kiehl growled.

"What is it?" Sarine frowned.

"Kavach went to Cedrick and Shoujin to find out about the Demonic Matings!" Kiehl hissed. "Beelzebub's fly just reported this! We know you'll be having one tomorrow in order to give Entweihen his children, too! I'm sure this likely means that they'll be keeping an eye out for the next line up. I swear..."

"Keel?" Serenity sniffed.

"Hmm?" he asked, as he looked at her.

"Promise me this," she said.

"What?"

"Beat them all up!"

"Hah! How about this? I let your other dads take care of them, as I impress your mother. Does that sound like a good deal to you?"

"Okay! As long as they all get beat up!" Serenity nodded. He hugged her and kissed her forehead, as he chuckled. Sarine leaned into Kiehl, and he nuzzled her.

"Are the others coming back?" Sarine asked.

"They will shortly. They're escorting Elric and his Guild off the island right now. They don't want any of them to come here with how you are," he said.

"I'm starting to get hungry again," she said.

"Mama gets hungry a lot now!" Serenity giggled.

"That's daddy Eremes's fault," Kiehl grinned. "Love, focus on me to keep your hunger back a moment longer."

"It's hard to do that," Sarine muttered. He pulled her into a kiss now that started to deepen in intensity. When he started to growl with need, Serenity's sharp giggle at him brought him back to focus on who was with them.

"Keel and Mama make more babies?" Serenity blushed.

"After your mom's current pregnancy, yes," he grinned and tickled her lightly. She laughed and snuggled into him. Sarine smiled softly, as he pulled her close, too.

"Where is Dad?" Serenity asked.

"He's on his way back now. We may be going to the arena in a bit. If you want to go, make sure you eat lunch, and see if everyone else is awake. Tell Byorgue or the other slaves, okay? Mom will be in the nursery to see you in a bit," Kiehl smiled. Serenity nodded, and Kiehl helped her leave the fireplace. The moment she left, he turned to Sarine and growled, "Now, where were we before she giggled?"

"Remind me?" Sarine chuckled, and he moved over her quickly to kiss her with a possessive branding of lust and solid need. Clothes were pulled aside, and he gasped at her heated warmth when he slipped into her.

"Mine!" he snarled. His First Mate Bragging Rights flared in full, and she whimpered with full submission. "You...are...mine!"

She didn't argue with him, as he took over her senses. When the fireplace door was knocked on, he let out a hiss of hatred. He felt Howard sense what was going on, and Naght had quickly blocked off the fireplace to ensure that Kiehl had more time. The massive blue and red was demon was impressed at the temper that Kiehl held right now. _It was more Demonic in nature than normal from the Bragging Rights._ Howard was going to need Kiehl's blood again, and Sarine would have to feed off of him, too. Hyegun had already mentioned that the triplets needed this, and Kiehl gave out his successful mating roar with Sarine's sharp cry. Only after he fixed up their clothes did Howard walk in to sit with them.

"Sarine, I need Kiehl's blood again to empower Naght. I know you're hungry again, too, and this will help, since you need blood. Okay?" Howard smiled.

"Serenity was...looking for you..." she said with a touch of exhaustion.

"I know she was. I saw her before coming here. Let's get the blood done, and then you'll eat. I know Kiehl's and Sammy's kids need to be fed after you," he chuckled. Kiehl nodded, and Naght entered the fireplace now to help keep it hot.

"Ifrit...is...concerned..." Naght rumbled.

"About what, dear?" Sarine frowned.

"Your body heat," Howard said, as he picked up the demon's thoughts. "It drops considerably after so much time goes past, and it can get dangerous. If you go to the arena, you may need to be held by Ifrit. Storm Caller knows it's getting much colder now, so he's constructing a special roof to go over our balcony seating. It will keep a lot more heat in. Not so much that it will hurt those that can't tolerate it, but it will provide a lot more insulation. It can be taken down when the weather gets warmer."

"Kiehl, let me get some blood from you," Sarine said. "Let's do this really quick."

"Right," Kiehl said. Sarine needed to take some of his blood and Howard's, too, so she was able to bite down on Kiehl's neck to get the blood she needed. The second mouthful was given to Howard. Kiehl Healed himself and watched her take blood from Howard now. Naght vanished briefly to appear through Howard to give her his blood, and he came right back to her when it was done. Kiehl Healed his brother and pulled Sarine close to him.

"I missed that!" Howard grinned and looked at Naght. "Oh?"

"Hmm. We can try," Kiehl smirked.

"Try what?" she asked.

"Naght wants you to try and take some of his blood directly. Not through me," Howard grinned again. That made her blink, and Naght held out his hands to her. His hands were the most concentrated form of his Fire and Ice body.

"Take from the Fire side of him right now," Kiehl said. "Cold might be dangerous."

"Okay," she nodded. Naght didn't really have skin for her to cut through, but he placed a flame-like finger in her mouth. He growled, as he was able to leave a small portion of his essence within her. She blinked at this, and Kiehl realized that she had no thoughts as to how she could accurately describe what it was like.

"Kiehl, take some of her blood now," Howard smirked. "Quickly. Her body is actually absorbing his power. It's...sort of what happened to me in Lighthalzen. Naght doesn't have blood, but his very essence is enough to take over. Apparently, with me, I was given a full liter of his essence. In that sense, he became a permanent link to me. Sarine only got less than an ounce. You'd better take her blood."

"Right!" Kiehl grinned and pulled her close to kiss hard before biting her neck to make her cry out. The blood he pulled from her charged into his system to empower everything within him. It was a complete power rush, and now he knew what Doppy always said about feeling it again after going back and forth between original and strong forms.

"Now you are a bit more Demonic in nature. Likely a hell of a lot more dominant, too," Howard laughed softly. "I pity anyone that challenges you."

"Good," Kiehl nodded. "Sarine, I'm going to suggest something to you, because of this."

"Yes, love?" she smiled. He Healed her before pulling her close to squeeze her.

"I'm not going to wear my slave clothes anymore, as a precaution. I'll still keep them, but I won't wear them. I may wear them on various occasions, but not right now," he said. He had actually stopped wearing them after the second Demonic Mating when he received his Bragging Rights. No one really noticed this, but it was expected at the same time.

"I understand," she nodded.

"Should she have a slave to replace you? Since you have a 'formless' rank, do you think it would work?" Howard asked curiously.

"No. As long as I wear the collar, I still take up the spot," Kiehl smirked. "And like hell am I ever giving up my collar!"

"Hmm..." Naght thought, as he sensed something going on in the bedroom. Kiehl looked over with a heavy hiss and pulled Sarine tight to his chest. Sarine was clearly curious, but Doppy entered the fireplace quickly to close the door behind him. He was tense with rage, and Kiehl let Sarine move to hug him and run her hands through his hair. This made him sigh with a form of defeat, and he fell to his knees in a purring lull.

"What's going on, love?" Sarine asked, as she cupped his face in her hands to have him look at her. His dark blue eyes with glowing red pupils were only gentle for her, and he carefully pulled her close. Resting his head against her chest, he sighed with mild comfort.

"Doppy?" Kiehl asked slowly. The demon smirked at first, as he felt himself grow in power from Naght. The blood Howard took from Kiehl had easily taken effect on Naght, and Doppy was able to gain the full benefit now. He would have given off a show of Demonic dominance from the power rush, but Sarine was keeping him incredibly calm.

"Kavach," he muttered. It was all that he needed to say.

"I should kill him myself!" she growled. As a tiny portion Naght's essence was infused in her body now, her temper was at a nasty peak of hatred. Doppy gave a light grin, and Kiehl mused at this. Howard looked over, as Eremes walked in and sat down with a grumble.

"What exactly does Kavach want?" Howard frowned.

"What else would he want?" Eremes replied with a form of disgust.

"I'm killing him!" Sarine scowled, but Doppy held her to him to keep her from leaving.

"Stay with me, Sorry Sari," he whispered, as he tightened his arms around her.

"Doppy," she sighed and draped her arms around his neck to hug him back. Pressing a kiss to the top of his head, she felt him shiver with solid protection for her.

"You're going to have to nurse our children," Kiehl said.

"True," she nodded and remembered something. "Doppy, you'll like this."

"Hmm?" he smiled, as he gently pressed a kiss to her mouth.

"Serenity wants all of you to beat up any humans that join my Demonic Matings!" she grinned wickedly. That made him start laughing, and he stood up to carry her with one arm.

"Show off," Kiehl chuckled.

"Ifrit just said that Loo Shin is crying for you," Eremes said to Sarine.

"He is?!" she asked with alarm. Now no one could keep her away from the children, as her mothering instincts emerged in full. Doppy nodded to Kiehl, and he carried her out of the fireplace. Naght snarled with hatred at Kavach. The Sniper had waited for her to come out.

"You're not hurt in there?!" he gaped.

"No. Eremes's blood and Ifrit's blood make me immune to flames and heat. If anything, I crave to be within it. My son is calling for me. I need to feed him. If you want to talk to me, you will speak to me at a safe distance. I will not let you watch me nurse," she said sternly.

"All right," he nodded. Doppy growled at him, as he carried Sarine with only one arm. His other hand was waiting to go to the hilt of his sword, if he had to. Then he purred at the feel of Sarine running a hand up his armored chest, and he carried her to the nursery. Sammy was already there and holding his son to comfort him.

"There's mommy. See?" Sammy said, and Loo Shin reached for Sarine. Doppy set her down and she gathered up her son.

"Mommy is warm!" Loo Shin said with surprise before snuggling into her with comfort.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, as she kissed his forehead.

"Yeah," he nodded. Albert and Alexis ran over to her to snuggle against her warm legs, as she sat in Kiehl's lap in her rocking chair. Deagan was whimpering for her next from his hunger pains, and Howard brought him over.

"The girls aren't as hungry as they are," Sammy said.

"That's fine," Sarine smiled. As she nursed her sons, Kiehl studied the glasses his son wore to make sure they were snug. She crooned to her nursing children and noticed Beelzebub walk in and ready himself to defend her. Aliot, Byorgue, and Injustice were quick to help, as Nigel and Observation brought in her craving dishes. Maya Purple had settled himself along the cradles, and Drago took up a new position to guard the nest. Evil Snake Lord was also guarding the nest, and so was Entweihen. Amon Ra was giving rides to the children to keep them calm.

"Maheo?! What are you doing by going in there?" Kavach frowned.

"Sarine likes me. I'm trusted by her and the others," Maheo replied. He didn't say anything about being her newest mate. Keltin and Ragged Zombie had hinted this, and he caught on very quickly. Kavach didn't know about mates yet, and they didn't want him to know. Loomin walked over to sit with Sarine to help Doppy with Gunther and Bianca.

"Settle down!" Doppy growled at his son when the play got rough.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm just restless!" Gunther frowned.

"They need new toys and stimulation," Loomin mused.

"Did you already fix up those weapons from Louyang?" Doppy asked.

"Yes. I want to do more!" his son sighed.

"Beelzebub? I need you to send a message to my Papa, please," Sarine smiled.

"Yes, my dear?" he asked, as he moved over to her side.

"I know that he has an armory and a treasury. I think he has old armor that can be upgraded, too. With various weapons. I know How-How has been forging for him, but I also know that he has a lot of old stuff. He should bring some of that for the children to work with," she smiled. Gunther and Bianca grinned, as Serenity overheard everything. Edward was clearly bored, and Thanatos was busy tickling him mercilessly.

"I'll send the message," Beelzebub chuckled.

"How are the eggs?" Hyegun asked.

"I don't think they will develop until Sarine's pregnancy starts to advance," Sammy said.

"You're right," Loomin nodded. "She hasn't had any growth spurts yet. They won't get any growth spurts until Huginn and Muninn are able to bond with their bodies later tonight. I'm pretty sure a massive growth spurt will be done. Be aware of this, Doppy."

"Thanks for the warning," the demon sighed. Sarine smiled softly and let Nigel and Byorgue take her sons from her when they finished nursing. Ming and Juliana were given over next to nurse, and she leaned back into Kiehl, as he rocked her chair. Hibram came over to whisper to Sarine, and she beamed at the news he gave her.

"They both passed their tests?! How wonderful!" Sarine laughed.

"Neil is coming here now," Hibram said.

"She needs to eat first," Thanatos said. Since she was still nursing her daughters, her slaves moved to help her eat. Hyegun moved over to Hibram and muttered softly.

"Does he know of the triplets?" he asked.

"Yes," Hibram nodded. "He swore to secrecy. He's actually been back since the Demonic Mating finished. He's been reading her letters and learning more about her history. He already saw the slab, as we know, so he's just getting all of the details he needs."

"Good," Hyegun said. Beelzebub nodded, as well, and moved to check on the eggs in the nest. Evil Snake Lord had actually coiled himself around all of them to ensure their safety, and the Demon Lord was grateful for this.

"We need more heat for the eggs," Evil Snake Lord said.

"We can get Blazer or Explosion to help with that," Amon Ra said.

"True," Beelzebub thought, and a Hell Fly was dispatched to get the fiery monsters. Both monsters came in, and it was decided for Explosion to help, since it could hover close or at a distance on its bat wings. Blazer moved to settle in the small fireplace here to give more heat.

"Not bad," Sammy chuckled, as he burped his son.

"Dad?" Loo Shin asked with a small tug on the jeweled, black kimono.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Um...I heard I was named after you," his son said.

"That's right. You have the name I was given before our ancestor took over my body. I became the strong monster, Incantation Samurai. Normally, I would give you a different name. But, since my old name is no longer suitable, I gave it to you," he chuckled.

"Oh!" Loo Shin blinked. "Do I look like you?"

"Absolutely!" Sammy smiled. "And your sister, Ming, looks almost exactly like the older sister I had a long time ago, too."

"I have an Auntie?" he asked.

"No. She died when our family was hunted. I saw her die," Sammy sighed.

"Oh..." he shivered.

"We are not hunted anymore," Sammy said gravely. "If it ever happens, I will stop it in its tracks, and so will your other fathers and your mother. Grandpa Markus will also keep this from happening, as well as Grandpa Odin. Even Uncle Muninn promised to protect everyone. There is nothing for you to fear about that."

"It's been forgotten?"

"Yes. It happened centuries ago, and many think it's only a legend now. Everyone is safe. Everyone is protected and secure," Sammy smiled softly.

"No one will harm my children!" Sarine snarled out, as she nursed her daughters, and Kiehl squeezed her to show she was right. Beelzebub gave a small nod at this, and Hyegun picked up Trina, as Keltin was now holding Bernard. Doppy's gaze smoldered with utmost protection, as he held his kids. Thanatos was hanging Edward upside down by his ankles, and Errende was hugging his daughter. Naght had gathered up Serenity and Siegfried. Albert and Alexis were still hugging their mother's legs, and they were gathered up by Aliot. Nigel was holding Deagan, and the small boy looked at him.

"What?" Nigel grinned.

"I want Dad," Deagan said.

"I am your Dad," Nigel grinned again.

"I know. But I want him!" Deagan said, as he pointed to Kiehl.

"He's helping your mom. You know, Howard is the same as him, too. Their blood is linked. Even Naght has blood linked with Kiehl," Nigel said.

"Really?!" Deagan asked.

"Oh, yes! In fact, after your mom has this pregnancy, she'll be pregnant with sisters for you from Howard, Kiehl, and Naght!" Nigel grinned. Deagan gasped and now gestured that he wanted Howard. The Whitesmith laughed at this and gathered up the boy to let him get cuddled.

"All of us are your dads, Deagan. All of us have the same blood as you," Howard chuckled. "It doesn't matter who really made you. All of your brothers and sisters are the same. I thought you knew this!"

"I do," Deagan said. "I just, well...feel comfy with my true Dad. Like how Serenity likes you the most, and how Siegfried likes Daddy Naght."

"Very true," Loomin smiled warmly.

"Mama?" Juliana asked, and she stopped nursing.

"Yes, my darling?" Sarine smiled.

"Do you have...um...special babies in you right now?" she asked.

"In fact, I do," Sarine smiled. "Remember uncle Muninn?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"I am giving birth to a special body for him to inhabit. Even his brother, Huginn, will have a body. How did you know?" she asked.

"Well...Seri always told us that you get big fast. And, well...you're not getting big," Juliana frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, dear. Muninn and Huginn need to bond with the growing babies in me. After they do that, expect to see a big tummy!" Sarine smiled and gave her a tickling nuzzle. Kiehl found himself grinning at this, and Juliana laughed when her father gently tickled her side.

"Are you done eating?" Kiehl smiled.

"No!" Juliana said and started to nurse again. Sarine laughed softly and got kissed by Kiehl. There were only fatherly thoughts running through his mind now, and Howard was thinking the same thing while he held Deagan.

"That reminds me of something I wanted to ask you, Dad," Gunther said.

"And what's that?" Doppy asked.

"Why do you always lay down next to Mom after she has babies? Or hold her in your lap?" he asked. "I never knew what was going on."

"Well," Doppy said. "I can feel your mother's pain. What this means is that I feel everything she does when she gives birth to your brothers and sisters. I can also feel anything that happens to her. Such as, if Kiehl pinches her, I'll feel it. Just like when your brothers and sisters were doing the kicking game in your mom. I felt where they kicked, and I was able to react to them."

"You can feel all of Mom's pain?!" Bianca gasped.

"Yes. It's why I get mad when you guys do something to hurt her," Doppy said seriously. "I can't feel mental pain, but I can feel her emotions when they get out of control. Howard can do the same thing. I can't read her thoughts like he can, but I can feel her pain. It happened when I gave her some of my blood to mark her as mine. It's also what started for us to all share blood to make all of them your dads, too."

"Oh!" Gunther said.

"Is this for real?" Edward asked, as he was still dangled.

"Yes, it is," Thanatos said and started to poke his sides to make him squirm upside-down.

"Thanatos!" Sarine smirked, and he grinned at her. "I think you tormented our son long enough. Edward, dear? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom!" Edward said, and he grinned an upside-down copy of Thanatos's grin.

"You two are clones!" Ragged Zombie grinned now.

"Ain't that the truth?" Thanatos chuckled and started to poke his son's sides again.

"My dear," Beelzebub said gently. "your papa is in a meeting with Jiao Lin right now. He will send what he can for the children tomorrow morning."

"Oh? That's fine," she smiled. "And a meeting?"

"Yes. Shoujin told his father about the barracks here being for the Warriors of Odin. Markus and Jiao Lin have decided to go through their best ranking guards to send them here for training in the old ways. You are one of them," the Demon Lord said to the Amatsu Captain.

"I will look forward to the training!" the Captain nodded.

"There is much that we owe you for," Doppy said lightly. "You saved her life."

"Just by her remembering me and letting me stand guard over the children is plenty for me," the Amatsu Captain smiled.

"We should refer to you by your name," Hibram said. "Considering that we never learned your name in the first place."

"There is no need for that," he insisted.

"Why not?" Howard asked.

"Well, my past isn't very colorful and cheery. Not as bad her Highness, but it's not nice," he admitted. "To put it as straight to the point as possible, I was a very nasty vagrant in my youth. I was thrown into the palace guard as a way to learn discipline. I fought it all the way. But, it was these very actions that promoted me, too. I broke a rule about ignoring a stupid Merchant, and the man stopped complaining. Before, we had to tend to every person's requests. This Merchant wanted me to do an act of picking up all of his gear as he dropped them. I said I wasn't a Kafra Storage and walked away. That action made the guards realize that they weren't, either. It impressed them, and Emperor Markus realized exactly what idiocies we had to deal with. He dropped that rule to only have it done for dire emergencies, which made sense!"

"Wow! Sounds like something my Father would have done to you," Howard mused. At the Captain's grin, Howard scowled. Kiehl started snickering like crazy, and Doppy roared out laughter with Thanatos. Sarine was just laughing quietly, as she nursed her daughters.

"Yes, it was him that wanted me to do it. Anyways, long story short, I was ready to announce that I wanted to leave the guard. That I wanted nothing to do with any of it. I was still reckless and wanted my freedom. I think I was about twenty-two at the time. Then I heard Sarine's baby cry from the new nursery. I didn't know that our Emperor had a baby! I hadn't heard the story in full until the next morning when I approached him with questions about her. But, in the end, it was Sarine that made me stay with the guard and change my ways. She was crying, because she was lonely. My Emperor was off seeing to new trade routes, and the nannies were busy making new bottles for her.

"She must have heard me walking past her door when she cried out. I walked in, and I just...stood there in silent wonder. I had never seen such a beautiful baby girl in my life! I wanted to hold her, but I didn't know what the others would think. A vagrant being gentle with an infant?! Ridiculous! But, I was, all the same. I walked over to the cradle, and her eyes rested on mine. A bond had formed right then and there. I swore protective honor to her, and...she surprised me with a smile. It was as though she understood me. She trusted me. No one had ever trusted me before. I stayed with her until the nannies were coming back, and I left shortly after to keep from making a scene. She cried for me when I was gone and wouldn't stop crying.

"My Emperor didn't know what was wrong. For a whole day she cried and fussed about to no end! He was about to call a doctor, but I told him to wait. He saw me walk into the nursery, and, at my presence, she stopped crying. Then she laughed and clapped her hands. Needless to say, I was stationed as her personal guard on the spot."

"Amazing!" Maheo chuckled.

"So, she was even beautiful as a newborn?" Sammy smiled.

"Ah..." the Captain suddenly blushed and fished around in his pouches to pull out a small portrait. "I was a slight bit of an artist. I drew a portrait of her, as she slept. About a week later, that is. The color is a bit faded, but you can make it out. I kept it safe after all this time."

"Give it to me!" Kiehl said quickly. "Let me see it!"

"I can revitalize it!" Evil Snake Lord said from the nest. Kiehl got the small portrait first, and his jaw dropped at the sketch with faded colors. Howard was speechless, as he saw Kiehl's thoughts of what he was looking at, and Naght looked over now with complete surprise.

"I..." Kiehl shivered with control. "am so glad...that the bitch is dead!"

"Kiehl!" Sarine hissed at the swear, but he ignored the warning. The kids already understood not to repeat it. The little portrait was passed around carefully now, and Sammy's eyes narrowed when he gazed down at it.

"I should have demanded for you the moment I was told about you!" Sammy fumed. Loomin saw the portrait, and he gasped sharply at it.

"You were such a beautiful girl!" Loomin winced. "To know that a grown woman gave you such a horrible childhood is just...it's unreal!"

"She was not a woman!" the Amatsu Captain growled. "She was a thing! Someone that was more of a monster than all of you combined! Luckily for me, I was out scouting the territory when she came into the palace. My group of guards were free of her enchantment with me. I knew that something was wrong when I walked into the palace later that night. I just had this horrible, nasty feeling of my skin crawling through my armor. Then I rushed straight to the nursery. If I was there to bar the way in, she would have been safe. But, I was too late. I saw her Highness's brutal attack, and it crushed me that I failed her.

"I was her best friend, and she always looked forward to seeing me. She loved to talk to me about my adventures. When that monster left to prey on others, I ran into the tiny cell to find her laying on the floor and unconscious. My men didn't know what to do when I told them what happened. I had them give me all of their potions and provisions, and I gave them the order to keep the monster away until our Princess was able to move again.

"It took two days to nurse her back to health, and even more to help her recover. The monster was kept preoccupied with false alarms. Our Emperor knew what we were doing. The look in his eyes showed how horrible he felt. We knew he couldn't do anything. In the end, when our Princess woke up...like I said before. She didn't remember anything."

"Wait," Sarine blinked. "I...think...I remember something. Vaguely."

"Take the girls!" Kiehl urged. "They're done nursing."

"Come on!" Injustice smiled and kissed Juliana's cheek, as he lifted her. Ragged Zombie took up Ming to cradle, and he now looked at Sarine. Kiehl fixed up her top and squeezed her.

"You're right. It's fuzzy," Howard sighed. "Try and focus, love."

"I...remember screaming at someone. Someone that said she was my mother. I kept saying that she wasn't. That I...had no mother. That I was telling her to leave me alone. I remember saying that I wanted my Papa. She...laughed at me. Saying that I wasn't his daughter. That I was a special child and needed to be destroyed. That...that I was no longer needed. That she would make another special child to replace me!" she gasped. "But...that's the only thing I can remember of it."

"She tried to kill you all that time..." Kiehl fumed and squeezed her. "She knew you were special! She  _knew_  it!"

"She was never planning on giving you over to me," Sammy said with shock.

"No, she wasn't," Loomin said, as he tensed up. "Eremes, be glad you saved her that night. If you hadn't, she probably wouldn't be with us today."

"What?!" Eremes blinked at this.

"Sarine, do you remember anything that you ate that night?" Loomin asked carefully. "The night of your rescue? Anything at all? Or earlier in the day?"

"I don't think so. Um...Oh! I remember a piece of cake. But, it was so bitter that I only had one mouthful. I think I spat it out, too. I couldn't finish it off, much less the bite I took. It reminded me of the white powder I was given on my food, only concentrated. Like a lot was used. Normally, I wouldn't eat something, if it was bitter and covered in powder. Now that I think about it, it was almost as though the frosting was made up like it to trick me!

"Of course, How-How showed me what powdered sugar was, and I trust that! Anything he ate first and had me try, I trusted fully. But, anything powdery white and was bitter I decline right away," Sarine said. Howard's jaw dropped at this news, and Kiehl was struggling to keep from exploding into a furious rage. Now Howard remembered how hesitant she was when she saw the powdered sugar.  _I had to eat some first to show her it was perfectly safe. It was the same with flour for baking and any other new foods I introduced her to._

"I am so relieved to hear that you didn't eat the whole thing!" Loomin sighed. "Kiehl, think of that small slice of cake as being ten of your pills ground down to powder form and served to her at fourteen. It may not have been that many, but the results of it still would have been drastic! If she ate the whole thing..."

"It would have killed her, and, if not that, put her in a coma or worse..." Kiehl and Howard said together. Serenity gasped at this, and Naght rumbled a purr to her.

"I'm sure that woman was trying to only knock her out for possible transport to Sammy at the time, or something else, but, with that much powder," Loomin said with a narrowed gaze.

"Stop talking," Doppy said, as Gunther and Bianca whimpered. "Just...stop."

"Fine," Loomin nodded. A sudden crushing weight filtered around them, and Odin appeared in the room. He smiled at the kids, as they waved to him, but his focus quickly centered on his daughter. He moved to her side to put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"My daughter, my Vessel, I have been harboring a large secret. One that I know that Muninn and Huginn will both flog me for if they can when they find out," he said.

"Yes, Daddy?" Sarine frowned.

"Do you remember the few times that you were ready to give in and you felt new strength revitalize you? I know you mentioned this before," he said.

"I do," she nodded.

"My daughter, my Vessel, that was me giving you my strength to help you survive," he said softly. Kiehl stared at him with disbelief. Howard was gaping again. Silence was the only thing that filtered through the room right now.

"You...helped me, Daddy?" she whispered.

"I did," he nodded. "I had ordered Muninn and Huginn not to raise a finger to assist you, but I knew I couldn't stand by and watch you perish. And, I didn't order myself to keep from helping you. I knew that such a hardship would force others to join your cause on hearing it, but I couldn't have you die from it. To do so would have destroyed everything that I was striving to do with you! I had to help you. I also had my own form of vengeance against the witch."

"You did?" Loomin asked.

"Oh, yes! I kept her from bearing children with Emperor Markus! I kept her sterile for daring to oppose my will!" Odin said with a grin.

"And I appreciate that!" the Amatsu Captain grinned widely.

"Lord Odin," Alexander said, as he hovered in from the balcony.

"Yes, Demian?" Odin smiled.

"Eh..." he paused at his name before shaking off the feeling. "I have a special request."

"Name it. If it can be done, then we will see," Odin nodded.

"I wish to go to Nifflheim and destroy that monster's soul!" the male Valkyrie glowered.

"To obliterate it fully?" Odin mused.

"She deliberately tried to kill our Savior and your Vessel! Such a soul should not even exist in any plane of existence!" he argued.

"You make a rather just case," Odin said. "Loomin. What do you think?"

"As long as Sarine is not harmed by that creature, then do what you must," Loomin said. The others were in full agreement of this.

"If he gets to kill that thing off, then I want in!" Doppy snarled.

"Let us call Muninn and see what he says," Odin chuckled. At everyone's nod, Muninn was called in, and he reverted to human form when he landed.

" _Father Odin! You should have told me that you were assisting her!_ " Muninn sighed.

"And, if I did, it would have encouraged you to help her," Odin frowned. "I couldn't have that. Now, Demian wants to obliterate my daughter, my Vessel's, tormentor once and for all. What are your thoughts about this?"

" _I want this done!_ " Muninn growled fiercely. " _Father Odin, you have_ no idea _how badly I have been fighting against myself to do the same thing! Huginn should also take part of this!_ "

"I want to do this, too," Loki said, as he appeared. Odin rose up his hand quickly to keep Alexander and Observation back. When he was present, Loki could do no harm. Loomin tensed slightly and moved to stand in front of Sarine. Alexander winced and realized that this was what he felt.  _Loki made an appearance, but it was not for malice against Sarine this time._

"And why do you want to do this?" Odin asked.

"My son was made to be specifically for Sarine! Regardless of what I want! If that monstrous whore got her way, then my son would have no one!" Loki hissed.

"Whore?" Edward blinked.

"Keep quiet," Thanatos warned. "If you behave I  _might_  tell you what it means later."

"Okay," his son nodded. Loomin looked over with a small grin, and Ragged Zombie cleared his throat. Sarine just kept quiet and shook her head.

"So, it is apparent that everyone wishes to kill off this soul?" Odin asked.

"It is," Kiehl nodded.

"Should we let Markus know?" Beelzebub asked.

"I think Papa should know," Sarine nodded. "He was a victim, too."

"I shall have a Hell Fly inform him," the Demon Lord said. "When will this take place?"

"I would say before Huginn touches Sarine," Keltin said.

"When the arena is empty?" Odin suggested. "We can let everyone take a turn to destroy her. I will give her a physical form, but it will be Muninn, Huginn, Loki, and myself that will deal the blows to the soul. And, since Demian gave us the idea, he shall be the one to finish it off! My daughter, my Vessel, will be safe with Kiel D-01. Loomin will also ensure your safety, so you need not worry about any harm coming to you."

"After the arena, I would say that it would be time for the bonding to happen," Loomin said. "It will need to be done."

" _True. However, no growth spurts will occur until Sarine gives Entweihen Crothen seeds. This will ensure that her womb will not be overcrowded,_ " Muninn said.

"A bit of a relief for me, then," Doppy mused.

"What will happen now?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Neil Callow needs to be with my daughter, my Vessel," Odin said. "After that, see to the arena. When the arena is empty, I shall return."

"I will inform Markus," Beelzebub nodded.

"I'll come back when everything is ready," Loki said. Loomin nodded and watched his father leave. As the children were tended to, Howard blinked at something.

_:Yes, I am speaking directly to you, Kiel D-01, Naght Seiger, Loomin, and my daughter, my Vessel. Loomin must know, since he will be able to sense the truth of things. Beelzebub may know in time, but not right now. When Muninn is able to bond with his physical form, I am going to request an urgent dream vision to be done that only you and those mentioned will see. I want to know what my daughter, my Vessel's past would have been like if it was undisturbed. I will want no breaks, unless it ends naturally. It may take some time, so, Muninn will have to freeze time for us. If anything important happens, the others will be notified, but, until that time appears, I want to keep the group incredibly tight. Simply nod, if you understand.:_  Odin said directly in their thoughts. They nodded slightly, and now Sarine shivered with a bit of nervous tension. Kiehl squeezed her and let the others think that it was from seeing her tormentor again. Most of it was, but this added a whole new twist to everything.

Now that the agenda was set, the kids were settled to eat their lunches, and Sarine watched her father vanish away. Muninn smiled and nodded to her before becoming his falcon form to fly off. As she was ready to be escorted out, Neil was walking into the nursery.

"Oh. It's you," he muttered to Kavach. "Out of the way!"

"What?" Kavach blinked at his growth spurt.

"I have business with Sarine. You don't!" Neil growled. Kiehl seemed to nod at this, and looked over with irritation at Kavach.

"What is it, Kavach?" Sarine frowned. "You heard what my Daddy and the others said. I will have a busy enough agenda soon."

"I'll talk to you later," Kavach said lightly and walked away.

"Idiot!" Errende growled in a low tone to keep his daughter from hearing him.

"I know, love. I know," Sarine sighed. "Neil. I understand you passed your tests?"

"What do you think?" he grinned and showed off his new Blacksmith clothing. "I think I can finally use that axe Serenity made for me, too. I'll have to grab it from the treasury."

"We'll get it," Hibram nodded. "Anna is close to using hers, so we'll get that, too."

"Thanks," Neil said. Sarine was simply staring at Neil now, as various memories of Howard resurfaced. The young man had a much broader build than Howard, but carried much of Howard's personality. Kiehl blinked at a few things she revealed, and Howard softly muttered. Beelzebub looked over with a grin, and Sarine finally came around.

"I need heat," she said. "Kiehl?"

"Yes, dear. I'll make sure he doesn't get burned," he chuckled.

"What's going on?" Neil frowned.

"If you don't mind me being in the same area as you, this will work. Sarine is craving a lot of heat right now. She gets cold way too fast. I can help make heat, thanks to one of the diamonds in my collar loop. I can also make you immune to it, but it would require another to help. So, both Ifrit and I would need to be with you, as Sarine is with you. We'll meditate so we won't see anything. It will be like we aren't there. There is also an issue with me that I need to hold her after ten minutes. I keep her worst cravings away, too. Otherwise, she'll be wanting to be with all of the ones that gave her children, want to be alone, want to be mean...cravings we don't need her to have."

"Oh!" Neil said. Hibram mentally confirmed that everything would be fine and to trust in what Kiehl was saying. "Well...if you won't really be seeing anything..."

"It won't matter in the end," Hibram chuckled. "It helps to see how others are with her. You actually learn new, eh, techniques."

"Interesting ones, too," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Quiet!" Keltin growled, and Hyegun snickered.

"Well, for my first time with her, I'll go with this. We'll see about the other times," Neil nodded. "Just don't let Anna know."

"Too late!" Anna sang, as she walked in wearing her Alchemist clothes. She had become a very beautiful girl, and she was giggling. Her brown hair was long and ended in small curls that framed her figure perfectly. Neil's hair came just below his ears, but it was kept in order.

"You'll have to wait to talk to me," Neil smirked, and he moved to Sarine's side.

"Hurry up," Howard said, as he forced a chuckle.

"Don't be jealous!" Kiehl grinned.

"I'm not jealous!" Howard growled.

"Yes, you are," Kiehl grinned a bit more. "You're jealous, because he looks almost like how you did long ago."

"Do I really?" Neil blinked.

"Shut up, Kiehl!" Howard grumbled, and Sarine blushed. "Smart ass!"

"Candy store kid!" Kiehl muttered.

"The men I put up with!" Sarine sighed, as she shook her head. "Behave! Both of you!"

"Or what?" Howard grinned. She gave him a mental image that made his jaw drop, and Kiehl was no better. Then she smirked, grabbed Neil's hand, and pulled him into the bedroom.

"In here," she smiled and pushed him into the open fireplace. Just as he was about to complain about the heat, Kiehl quickly activated the immunity for Neil.

"I think I got singed," Neil frowned, as he checked his arm. Kiehl Healed him, and Ifrit nodded to him when he came in. Once the fireplace door was closed, Ifrit settled to meditate with Kiehl. Sarine sighed with relief at the heat she was given, and Neil was amazed that he wasn't getting burned to a crisp. Howard knocked on the door to bring in some more coal, and Ifrit roused himself from meditation to help spread them under the bed-like section of the fireplace. She hugged Howard tight to her, and he kissed her forehead.

"I think I'm going to need you tomorrow night," Howard muttered. "Especially after tonight. You know? I'm going to want to keep you safe."

"I know," she smiled, and her thoughts revealed what his reflected. Kiehl nodded at this, since he was going to want to be a part of it. He was sure that Naght would, too. He wasn't too sure about Loomin, but they would find out later. They had to keep quiet to keep Beelzebub from learning what Odin wanted to do. "Eremes should be with me after tomorrow night, then. I have a feeling I'm going to need a lot more heat. He may even need to be with us tomorrow night, if the growth spurts get bad enough."

"I know. We'll see how it goes," he nodded. He kissed her hard and nodded to Neil with a grin, as he said, "Be gentle with her and hope that she's gentle with you!"

"Okay," Neil nodded. When Howard left, he watched Kiehl and Ifrit settle into meditation. Then he looked at Sarine and said, "So, what did they react to before you pulled and pushed me into here?"

"Get undressed, and I'll tell you," she winked. He found himself grinning now, and he started to do just that. When he turned to find her naked with flames licking along her skin, he went speechless at how sexy she looked now. Kiehl opened his eyes lightly, as he heard Neil's gasp, and he tensed from where he was. But, he remained where he was, as his eyes closed again. Ifrit trembled with desire, yet he forced himself to remain calm.  _Neil needed to be with her, and she needed a blood drop from him._

"Wow..." Neil blinked, as she moved over to him in a sultry manner.

"Tell me," she purred, as she ran a hot hand over his cheek. "Have you ever had a girlfriend before? Ever been kissed by another?"

"No..." he said, as he tried to focus on control.

"Really?" she mused and traced a finger up his chest. He gasped and almost lost it, but she pushed him on the ground with a grin.

"I think...I can't describe this..." he shivered.

"Then don't think about it," she whispered and moved herself onto him. He cried out sharply, as he gave her everything he had, and she rocked herself on him to force him to release again. The heat she gave him was too much right now, and he passed out.

"He passed out?" Ifrit chuckled.

"I'll let him rest," she smiled and bent to kiss his forehead. As she went to move off him, she found herself locked down with his hands.

"I'm not done yet!" Neil growled. Hibram was able to help revive him quickly and give him a second wind. Now she was rolled underneath him, and he thrusted sharply into her to make her cry out. Only after he shouted with her, did he move onto his side with her pulled close against his chest.

"Sarine," Kiehl winced.

"A moment, Neil," Sarine said, and he nodded. He was told about this and knew that Kiehl needed to hold her. Hibram told him what happened with Kiehl not long ago with Maheo. They couldn't risk it happening again. When Kiehl was able to get his fill of her, she yawned and stretched with a form of lazy contentment, as he backed away. Neil pulled her to him and thought about something with a small grin.

"You said you were going to tell me what you showed Howard and Kiehl," Neil smiled.

"That's right," she grinned. Pulling his head closer, she hissed out a whisper in his ear, and he started to tense up more and more with each descriptive detail she gave him. He was horribly aroused again and took her quickly only to give in to her just as fast.

"Very interesting thoughts for a princess," he grinned ruefully.

"Why do you think I wear out my men so fast?" she smirked. "Just wait until I have more kids for Keltin! I'll be craving sex again!"

"You'll crave...what?" Neil blinked with shock, and Kiehl started laughing.

"Speaking of Keltin, I think I should take some blood from him. I'm sure I need to see to the others really quick," she mused. Kiehl grinned at this, and she gestured for Neil to come close to her, as she whispered, "I need a drop of your blood, and you'll need a drop of mine. Then you need to go to the kids in the nursery to give a drop of blood to them."

"Sarine," Kiehl said. "I think that, well, when the eggs hatch for Beelzebub and Evil Snake Lord, the children that come from the eggs will need drops of blood from Maheo and Neil, too, won't they?"

"You're right," Sarine nodded. "They aren't developing in me. Entweihen's children will be fine, since they'll be current when the seeds are made. Baphomet Jr. will need to do that, too, actually. Won't he?"

"Yeah, you're right," Kiehl chuckled. "Neil, do you have a small knife on you?"

"I actually do," he said and moved to fish it out of his pants. "Just a drop?"

"Yes," she smiled. He pricked his finger and hers to exchange the blood drops before kissing her passionately. She nuzzled under his jaw, and he growled at the action.

"My turn," Kiehl said, and his First Mate Rights flared out. Neil blinked at the instinctive feel of submission, but he realized it was from Hibram's blood. Giving a small nod to Kiehl, he dressed quickly and headed out.

"Why did he leave so fast?" she frowned.

"I think it was instinctive," Kiehl said, as he pulled her into his lap. "It was. Howard confirmed it through Loomin. Neil has Hibram's blood, so, it's instinctive for him to give way to me. He's all right. We'll make sure you can spend more time with him later."

"Okay," she nodded, and Kiehl kissed her with a groan of need. Clothing was shifted aside, and he claimed her with several sharp thrusts. When she gave him a blood drop, he moved off of her to fix up his pants and watched Keltin walk in. He gave her two mouthfuls of blood to peak her sex drive, and a drop of blood was given in return after he let her use him. Each of her men were able to be with her and get a drop of blood this way. Howard waited to be one of the last ones after Loomin and Doppy.

"I need to stop her craving," Howard said. Ifrit nodded and gave a nod to Kiehl, as he moved out of the fireplace. Right after Howard got a drop of her blood, she pressed down on his tattoo, and he roared with fury. As he claimed her, Kiehl felt something odd. He knew that Howard was his brother, and he trusted him with his life, but this Demonic lust that took over Howard started to do something to his own Bragging Rights instinct. Howard sensed it, too, and now he glared at Kiehl with a mild form of anger and disbelief.

"No!" Sarine whimpered. They both looked at her, and Kiehl forcefully pushed aside his instinct. Howard growled, as he started to take Sarine again. Just as she was nearing completion, Kiehl lost his focus, stood up tall, and hissed with instinctive rage and challenge. Naght now looked at the fireplace with shock and moved in quickly. Howard howled out his successful mating with her, and he snarled out at Kiehl with his own retorting challenge. He couldn't return to normal with a challenging male in his presence. Naght caught Kiehl's attention and bellowed out fire, as he roared out mental warnings.

The moment Howard moved off of Sarine, she leapt onto Kiehl and hugged him tight. The very feel of her touch weakened his resolve, and he fell to his knees with a sharp cry. Once the threat of a challenge was gone, Howard was able to come around again.

"What...the hell...happened...?!" Howard gasped, as his chest heaved.

"I felt...challenged..." Kiehl winced with his own realization. "I actually thought that...you were challenging me!"

"Don't fight..." Sarine whimpered, and Kiehl hugged her tightly to him.

"We're not," Kiehl said, as he caught his breath. Howard could only nod and lay back against the heated feathers. Naght relayed to them what he heard in their minds, and they both visibly grimaced.  _They would have to be incredibly careful, if this happened again._

"We know now," Howard nodded. Naght gave a small nod back. At the sound of the fireplace door opening, he turned to watch Hyegun come in carefully. Kiehl made him immune to the heat, and now Howard was whispered to. Sarine was still a bit in shock as to what nearly happened, and Kiehl squeezed her even tighter to him when Howard relayed the whisper. Now Naght was alarmed. _The triplets were upset. Their fathers were going to fight each other._   _We need to appease the triplets quickly!_

"Everything's okay," Kiehl muttered to her and to the triplets in their stasis. "Nothing's wrong now. It's okay. It was an accident. It won't happen again."

Naght purred to her, and she started to calm down. Howard moved to her side to let her cuddle between him and Kiehl. Hyegun gave a small nod to show the triplets were calmed and appeased. Now he smiled, as she looked at him.

"Is everything all right out there?" she asked.

"We saw Naght go in, and, well, they wanted me to come in here to make sure that everything was okay," Hyegun said. It was the truth, since Loomin saw Naght storm in, and the first thing on his mind was the triplets. He couldn't hear their thoughts, and he had to make sure that they were safe. They had to send in Hyegun to confirm that all was well.

"But, why you? The babies in me can't be aware yet, right?" she frowned.

"Well, it was either me to use my charm control to forcefully stop everything, or Keltin's Rage. They chose me," Hyegun chuckled.  _That was also a truth._

"I see," Sarine said. She had the suspicious feeling that something was hidden from her, and Kiehl started to massage her back. That made her lose all train of thought, and they bought more time. Howard smiled and kissed her gently when the massage was done.

"Do you want to go to the arena?" he asked.

"I think I do," she nodded. "I'll need to eat when I get there."

"You can sit in Ifrit's lap," Kiehl said. "I'll sit next to you, and Eremes will sit on the other side of you. I know you'll need the heat."

"Okay," she smiled and kissed him possessively. He wanted her again, but she was already moving to dress. Naght chuckled and watched Byorgue come in to help her dress.

"My Lady is well?" Byorgue asked.

"Right now, yes," she nodded. "I'll need to eat when we get to the arena."

"I'll tell the others," he said. She gave him a caress to his cheek, and he left the fireplace.

"If the kids aren't napping, they might be able to join us," Kiehl said.

"I don't know," she frowned. "Maybe some of the cute monsters can keep them distracted? If we are waiting for the arena to empty out, they will want to know why."

"True," Howard sighed. Naght thought and moved out of the fireplace to tell the kids directly that the arena could not be seen. They would be able to see it tomorrow. The kids were there when Odin was in the nursery, and they all agreed. Bad things may happen, and they needed to be protected. Gunther started to complain, but it was Deagan that helped him see reason.

"Wow!" Kiehl laughed.

"Your kid is scary," Howard grinned.

"Just knowing that he can talk sense into Doppy's kid is unbelievable!" Kiehl grinned back. "Okay, so, arena?"

"Yes," she nodded. They all dressed, as Hyegun went to tell the others. Meals were already stationed at the arena balcony. When she got there, Ifrit sat with her on the couch to make sure she was securely in his lap. Eremes sat on her left side, and Kiehl sat on her right. A small table was set in front of her, and she started to eat hungrily.

As she ate, she noticed that the chairs seemed warmer and far more plush than they were before. She later learned that Storm Caller upgraded all of the seats to have Kasa feathers placed within them. This would help keep the guests warm, and it would help keep the winter chill away. It was also why Ifrit was able to sit on the cushion without burning it. She also studied the new structures that covered her balcony, the special balcony across from her, and the guest balcony below her. There was even a cover that seemed to fit over the crowd seating to help retain heat with the same designs as the new structures. They appeared to be golden poles that rose up from various areas around the balconies and stadium boundaries, and heavy drapes covered the sides like sturdy walls. The drapes, themselves, were lined with an inner heavy cloth and filled with more Kasa feathers. Ifrit was summoning the Kasa bird monsters, and the feathers were easily harvested this way.

Once the fighting started, she snuggled into Ifrit with a sigh. He happily cradled her to keep her warm. He was clearly enjoying this, and Kiehl could only smirk while he kept a hand on her leg to keep contact. He had to remain calmed, and this helped him. Eremes watched the fights happen, but the somewhat peaceful mood always had to come to a close at some point.

"Hmm..." Beelzebub frowned, as he stared at the challengers. "That's interesting..."

"What is?" Doppy asked from his throne.

"That Gypsy girl is back..." he said.

"What?!" Kiehl hissed with hatred, and Sarine looked over with dismay.

"If she tries anything...she dies..." Eremes vowed. She was easy to spot in the crowd from the pink hair. Yet, it was who she was with that made Sarine snarl with absolute hatred. That caught Errende by surprise. He was serving her some milk, and he nearly spilled it. Thanatos caught the pitcher and looked over at the challengers. Now that Kiehl was alarmed at Sarine's hate, all of the males with her were braced for a fight.

"Misty," she growled out. Errende shuddered with disgust, and she had him sit at her feet for a foot to go into his back. Beelzebub mused at something, and had a Hell Fly call Pori-Pori to help them. He scooted over to her and settled in her lap comfortably.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked, as he looked at Sarine.

"Not yet," she smiled and pat the top of his body gently. "But, I may be challenged."

"You were hurt before, Vessel of Odin. I won't let it happen again!" he nodded.

"Good," Kiehl muttered. Pori-Pori gave a chittering snort and glared at the challengers now. Many of them knew who he was and made no motion to challenge him.

"Why is everyone so uptight?" Donnie asked when he walked over. He blanched at Sammy's whisper, and now he stared into the crowd of challengers. "If they try anything, I want in! I mean it!"

"They'll both end up dead, if they do," Doppy glowered. Loomin was clearly pissed now, and Keltin was tempted to show off his Rage. Hyegun was wondering if he could charm the girls into starting something in the challenger section. When he voiced this, Hibram and Ragged Zombie were grinning.

"If they try something, do it," Ragged Zombie snickered. "But, I'd like to make a suggestion. If I may?"

"Sure," Hyegun grinned. At the zombie's whisper, he stammered with shock, and Beelzebub barked out laughter. Sarine looked over with curiosity, and Ragged Zombie moved to her side to whisper softly to her.

"Ever want to see two girls go at it in front of a crowd?" the zombie hissed out wickedly.

"As in how?" she asked slowly.

"Embarrassment for the rest of their lives!" he grinned. Kiehl and Howard had their jaws dropped, and Naght was roaring out his own laughter, as he rumbled in Demonic. Seyren easily overheard everything, and now Karla was a bit disturbed at this.

"If this happens, you can watch. But, don't even think about anything else!" she warned.

"My dear wife, this is something I've always wanted to see! Once I see it, I doubt I will ever want to see it again," Seyren vowed. She gave a nod, as he was telling the truth.

"This is going to be interesting," Cecil mused.

"I'm actually scared," Garrett admitted.

"It will be what they both deserve!" Kathryne nodded.

"Wow," Mitchell chuckled, and Kathryne squeezed him.

"Should I even watch it?" Lloyd asked after he heard what was to happen.

"That's up to you," Margaretha smiled. "And you should take a bit of Hibram's blood."

"Well," he smiled. "Considering that our child is already a part of his blood, too, and you were bound by his blood to begin with, couldn't I just take some of your blood?"

"Oh..." she blinked and blushed at this. "But, you already did to get me pregnant, now that I think about it!"

"Well, maybe I want a little more to ensure it," he grinned. This made her blush even more. He was proving himself to her by not wanting to watch other women. He didn't want to be there until it was over, and Margaretha loved him even more for it. He was as devoted to her as she was to him. He kissed her gently, and they both decided to leave the arena for a while. Hibram would let her know what happened.

"Where's Loomin?" Sarine asked.

"You need him?" Eremes asked.

"I do," she nodded. Kiehl thought he was keeping her cravings down, but this one slipped through his grasp. Loomin rushed to her side, and she reached for him to get held and cuddled. Pori-Pori chittered, as he bounced off her lap to wait nearby. Errende had moved aside to let her get closer to Loomin, and he waited patiently.

"What's wrong, love?" Loomin whispered, as he nuzzled her cheek.

"Worried, really," she frowned.

"About tonight?" he whispered.

"Yes," she sighed. He knew that it wasn't just her tormentor's spirit that she worried about, and this had Kiehl frown.

"You'll be safe," Loomin promised and kissed her gently before it turned fierce. He almost forgot where he was when the kiss got far more intense. It would have turned into something else, but Ragged Zombie cleared his throat.

"Later," she promised, and Loomin smiled, leaning into her caress while he held her. Another kiss was planted on her mouth, and he squeezed her to him.

"I want to challenge him!" a Stalker shouted, as he pointed at Loomin.

"No," Loomin said with a hard glare. "I refuse."

"Why?!" the Stalker pouted.

"I don't fight. That's why," he replied.

"Oh, come on!" the man argued.

"I'll fight you!" Doppy snarled out with hatred. Kiehl was ready to shout, but Doppy was right about one thing.  _Sarine needed him more at her side._

"Okay!" the Stalker grinned. "I already paid my fees!"

"No. You didn't," Doppy grinned wickedly, and the arena went quiet. Many of them were returning customers and knew what the demon was like. Those that didn't get to see him fight yet roared with approval now, as Doppy leapt down to the center of the arena. Dracula didn't even announce the fight to start when the Stalker was Stunned, gutted in half, and left for dead. Doppy smirked, as he wiped his sword clean on the Stalker's clothes, and went back up to the balcony to be with Sarine.

"All right, then! Doppelganger wins!" Dracula announced, and the crowd cheered.

"My demon fought well!" Sarine giggled. Loomin gave her over to Doppy now, and he purred at the feel of her hands in his hair.

"Always your demon," he muttered, as he kissed her. She gasped, as he ran his tongue over her throat, and he suddenly looked up with a savage snarl of hatred at the Kafra Agent's approach. She blinked, and Sammy moved quickly to speak with her.

"May I help you?" Sammy asked.

"Is the Princess of Amatsu pregnant?" the Kafra Agent asked.

"Yes. She is," Eremes frowned. "With my children."

"She should never be available to be challenged," Sammy muttered. "We stated this multiple times for the past few months."

"Then I shall tell the challenger that she is not available," she clipped and turned to report the news. Beelzebub moved quickly and backhanded Misty's Cloaked form, as the Assassin girl tried to sneak onto the balcony. Errende seethed with hatred, and Thanatos was ready to impale her. Doppy hissed with disgust, and Kiehl's ghost was out when his Bragging Rights instinct took over in full. Without letting the girl speak or beg for mercy, she was dead, as Kiehl's powerful Brandish Spear and Magnum Break skills smashed into her.

"Damn!" Ragged Zombie whistled.

"If she goes after Sarine again, I'll invoke my skills," Hyegun promised.

"Kiehl," Sarine said with a soft smile, and Doppy gave her over to him quickly. Howard kept an eye on Misty, as she was dragged away by Hibram and Keltin. The Gypsy was in gaping shock at what happened. Kiehl was now under Sarine's control again to be kept calm, and he was nuzzling her with affection.

"I killed her quickly?" he grinned.

"Lightning quick!" she giggled. "Want to do the same to her friend?"

"No. I'll let Hyegun show off for a bit," he muttered and kissed her hard. He continued to kiss her, as Nikki helped her current friend to her feet after being Resurrected, and they both moved to the arena center with a new sense of purpose. Muninn swooped into the enclosed balcony and perched to watch this now.

"The two of you were both warned against challenging our pregnant wife!" Beelzebub snarled out with anger. "Misty was warned that she would die in full, if she tried to challenge Sarine again! Even Errende promised to kill her, himself!"

"I'm not after him anymore, and I'm not the one that challenged her!" Misty hollered out. "I was going after Eremes!"

"What?" the Assassin Cross glowered, and Sarine tensed now. Kiehl moved to let her sit between Eremes and him.

"I was told by Elric that, if I fought him and won, I would be able to get into the Assassin's Guild permanently!" she said.

"Liar!" Loomin grounded out. "What you mean to say is this. You thought you could take on another Assassin-type person, since Eremes is human right now until tonight, with hopes of getting revenge on Sarine! You can't stand her being better than you! Apparently, Nikki found you, and you both realized that you had a vendetta against my wife!"

"How the hell did you know?!" Nikki gaped.

"I am the son of Loki," he growled, as he glared at her. "I can see the truth of everything, and I can detect lies! It's a miracle that we let you both live as long as we have!"

"I'm sure Augustus will be absolutely delighted to hear about you showing up here again after you swore to him that you wouldn't!" Donnie glowered from where he was. Coraline was frowning, and Max kept a protective arm around her.

"And why do you keep insisting on this nonsense?!" Sarine finally asked.

"Because I can!" Nikki said proudly.

"Just...do it, Hyegun," Keltin muttered.

"You sure?" he grinned.

"Do it," Loomin smirked.

"Make them regret coming here," Sammy nodded. Everyone nodded in agreement at this, and Muninn nodded, too, as he shook with laughter from his perch. He had to witness this to ensure that all would go well. And he had to be there for later. He made no plans to leave the arena. Hyegun moved now, and Sarine reached out to grasp his hand warmly. He looked at her and leaned over to whisper to her.

"Should I make them humiliate each other?" he asked.

"I think it's time that they learned that others can control their actions," she smiled and kissed him lustfully. At his shiver, she grinned wickedly, and he realized why she kissed him like that. Then she muttered, "Make them beg for mercy!"

"By your command," he grinned and kissed her again. Now he looked over at the girls and crossed his arms over his chest. Misty got an uneasy feeling and blinked at how Nikki was looking at her.  _Why am I being studied as though a man was watching me?!_

"You're very pretty, you know," Nikki smiled.

"What?!" Misty gaped. The crowd started to grow quiet and blinked in confusion. Dracula had to bite back a laugh at a Hell Fly's report. Hyegun was able to easily infiltrate Nikki's mind to control her actions. He made her find Misty incredibly attractive to a point that she had to do something about it. Regardless of where she was. What was funny was that he actually found out that she did have a distinct liking for her. He simply had to magnify it now, and he did so with an unholy joy.

"Ever try doing it with a girl before?" Nikki grinned. "In public?"

"No! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Misty asked with a stare.

"I found you pretty when I first saw you. Don't you think I'm pretty?" she asked.

"Look, okay? I'm getting uncomfortable! And there's people watching! I don't like you that way, okay? I agreed to come here with you, since we both had a common issue. Her! That woman up there! There was no need for anything else!" Misty growled.

"I want to show you how I feel, though. In front of everyone, as proof of how much I want you!" Nikki growled back and moved to tackle her. Ragged Zombie was hissing with laughter. Misty was now screaming and running from the Gypsy with shock. Sarine gave a small snort of disgust to show that such a thing shouldn't be allowed in her arena. Her loves gave no other noticeable reaction to the display at all other than laughter. They had no need to watch something like this with any other interest. Hyegun continued to keep his focus completely in Nikki's mind. He was forcing her to give in to her desires.  _To make her show Misty exactly how she felt about her in front of a massive crowd..._

"Wake up! They have to be controlling you!" Misty hollered out, as she stumbled and got tackled. Her cries of warning were ignored, as Nikki's hand moved to rub hard between her thighs, and she gasped with complete outrage. She tried to fight off the Gypsy, but spent most of her energy trying to outrun her. When Nikki kissed her, it brought her mind into a full state of shock. Now Hyegun grinned savagely and took her over, as well.

"I think they're both going to be screwed," Keltin smirked.

"I think they're well on their way," Loomin smirked back without even glancing. The crowd was in shocked silence, as the sounds of clothing was removed, and gasping cries of ecstasy started to emerge. At their screams of release, Hyegun released their minds to let them both stare in shock at each other. They were trembling, completely humiliated, and quickly scrambled for their clothes. Their names and faces were forever marked by this. There was still silence, even as they left through the Kafra Agent.

"Now  _THAT_  was entertainment!" Donnie said, and he barked out laughter. Egnigem looked at him with dismay, and the crowd finally started to come back to life.

"Karla," Seyren said with a small cough.

"Yes?" she smiled.

"I think we need to retire to the bedroom for a bit," he grinned at her.

"Do we?" she asked. As a response, he gathered her up in his arms and carried her away.

"He does have the right idea," Donnie chuckled at Egnigem. "But, I'm not strong enough to carry you. Will you join me?"

"I suppose," Egnigem chuckled back, and, anyone else that was a couple, left quickly after them. Wickebine and Thomas looked at each other now with small smiles.

"Marry me," Thomas said lightly.

"Okay," Wickebine grinned, and he led her away.

"Lilah," Laurell said, as he looked at her. She crossed her arms and looked at him with amusement. Then she got up, grabbed his hand, and hauled him off. Ollie had been watching Anna ever since she came back, and he moved over to her casually. It was just his luck that she was sitting with her brother.

"Touch her, and I'll kill you," Neil warned without looking at him.

"Right, then," Ollie nodded and silently moved away.

"I think he's cute!" Anna giggled.

"I don't think he's right for you," Neil said. "and neither does Hibram."

"True," she nodded and seemed to shrug. "It's a shame, though."

"What is?" he asked.

"You have someone now, and I have no one!" she frowned.

"I'm just protecting you from a bad mistake, okay?"

"If you say so."

"I do."

"Neil?" Sarine called out. He blinked and ignored his sister's pout, as he moved to his mate's side. He hugged her tight to him and kissed her thoroughly.

"You called?" he smiled gently.

"What's wrong with Anna?" she asked.

"Ollie tried to make a move on her," Neil muttered.

"Did he really?" Howard frowned.

"He did," Beelzebub smirked.

"She's upset now," Hibram sighed.

"I'm just protecting her from a bad mistake!" Neil said.

"And you did," Hibram nodded.

"I'd actually feel better if Edward or Gunther was with her!" Neil grumbled.

"My son and your sister?" Doppy mused.

"You know there would be a fight for her affections," Thanatos chuckled.

"It would be fun to watch," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"They are too young!" Sarine scowled. "And I'm starving again!"

"Oh, look! There goes Timmy and Armeyer," Keltin blinked.

"They agreed to get married," Beelzebub grinned.

"No way!" Howard gaped.

"Wow," Kiehl laughed softly.

"Maybe he'll put a wood plank between her legs with a hole in it," Ragged Zombie mused. Everyone on the balcony died with laughter and shock. The moment they recovered, Neil moved aside slightly, as food arrived, and he was offered some to eat with Howard and Eremes. Maheo was given some next, and everyone else was quickly served up various foods. Sarine gave a tired sigh and started to tear into her rare roast after Aliot sliced it for her. She finished it and declined the milk and cheese from Byorgue. Kiehl took the plate to hold, and Errende looked up at her from where he sat on the ground at her feet. She hadn't had him move yet to keep him comforted.

"My Lady, you need to eat," Errende said.

"I'm not hungry anymore," she announced.

"You know you are," Loomin grinned.

"No," she said. Kiehl started to growl at her, and she got into a short argument with him in Demonic. He finally picked up a shard of cheese and pushed it into her mouth. At the taste of it, she blinked and started to eat again.

"I'm glad that my kid isn't aware in her yet," Doppy said. "That could have been seen as a forced feeding. She might have gotten sick, if she was thought of as weak."

"Ah..." Kiehl blinked at that and shook his head. "You're right. I'll be more careful about it in the future."

"How much longer should we stay here?" Keltin asked.

"We need to wait for the crowd to leave," Loomin said. Eremes gave a warning hiss about her body heat dropping. Kiehl was quick to take action.

"Ifrit! Sit with her again!" Kiehl said. She was lifted right after she finished eating and settled in the fiery monster's lap. She leaned back into him with a tired sigh, and he cradled her. Eremes thought and focused on his hands to make them incredibly hot. Then he started to massage her, and he grinned at the small sighs of relief she gave out.

"Kiehl. Make your hands hot. Help me," Eremes said lightly. Kiehl grinned and focused before helping out with the massage.

"Her body heat is still unstable," Ifrit frowned.

"Hmm," Kiehl thought and looked at Eremes. "How much power do you have on making the others immune to heat?"

"Some. Not much," Eremes said.

"Love, settle between me and Ifrit. Naght! I need you to stand with your Fire side towards us and your Ice side towards the others!" Kiehl grounded out. Naght mused at his idea and moved to quickly assist. Pori-Pori and Errende moved out of the way, as Byorgue and Nigel kept close to assist, if needed. Keltin was going to help keep back any excess heat, but Howard had a very strong idea.

"Wait. Get her a heavy blanket instead!" Howard grinned. Kiehl thought about this and started to nod. He was just afraid that the blanket would burn up. Then he had an idea.

"Kasa feathers. We'll need them," Kiehl said. "If we can make her a blanket, the feathers will soak up the heat safely."

Ifrit was forced to place Sarine in Kiehl's lap, and he moved to the arena center. Now he looked at the challengers with a fiery smirk, as he hissed out, "I need assistance, please! I must summon Kasa monsters to harvest their feathers! Whoever wishes to assist me can help. Do not attack me! Just the Kasa monsters! Remember! Do not attack me, or I will attack right back! Whatever items you all get from my summons, you may keep, but I need the feathers!"

"I'm game!" a Sniper said.

"Same here!" a Champion grinned. Others voiced their acceptance, and Sarine shivered from the loss of heat. Eremes hissed at this and pulled her close to warm her as much as he could without making the others uncomfortable.

"Take her to the bedroom to warm her back up," Loomin said.

"Sarine..." Naght rumbled and now he moved to physically sit with her in his lap. This was the first time he ever sat with her. She snuggled into his fiery side, and he kept his cold back from harming her. Eremes wanted to invoke his heat with her, but it would cause too much discomfort. _She needed more heat, and the Kasa killing was taking too long._

"Pori-Pori! Help Ifrit harvest Kasa feathers!" Loomin said. With a nod, Pori-Pori scooted to the arena floor swiftly, and the harvesting took a massive increased turn. When the harvesting was over, Ifrit quickly moved back over to Sarine, and Kiel moved aside to let her snuggle between Naght and Ifrit. Pori-Pori had gathered up all of the feathers and moved over to Errende to spit them out at his feet. Working swiftly, a heavy blanket started to form.

"They look more like pieces of hair than feathers," Thanatos mused, as he picked one up to study closely. "Odd."

"As long as they work for My Lady," Errende said, as he pieced together several layers he made. "This could be the perfect blanket for her, if we travel."

"You have a really good idea," Hibram said. The thick, flame-colored blanket was completed and quickly thrown over Sarine. Ifrit heated it up, as she clung to him, and Kiehl was amazed that all of the heat was kept within it.

"I'm curious of something," Howard said. "Wrap her up in it fully and see if any heat escapes it. If it doesn't, it won't hurt Windwalker."

"Oh!" Sarine blinked, as she was lifted and swathed in the hot blanket. Kiehl confirmed that all of the heat was being retained.

"We'll need more blankets like these!" Eremes said quickly. "I would also like to test their outer heat resistance. If they work, it will help with Fire immunity..."

"Very true!" Loomin blinked. "Maybe we could make smaller blankets for us."

"That's the idea," Eremes nodded.

"We'll have to test this one," Kiehl said.

"No need," Errende chuckled. "There were enough furry feathers to make a small blanket for emergency use."

"I'll test it," Maya Purple said.

"No. Your body is too big!" Sammy said.

"Not if I separate from it," Maya Purple smiled.

"Don't make me worry," Sarine frowned. At this, he skittered over to her and let her reach out to hug him. She sighed softly and whispered, "I can't let you make me worry over you. I'm having your children with my triplets next, aren't I?"

"And Drago's, but, yes. You are having my kids. Even if it's from eggs and not from a real pregnancy," he smiled, and she kissed him softly. "I told Mother about this, and she is completely thrilled! And she definitely wants to help protect the nest, too. I think she was working on something."

"Was she?" Beelzebub smiled.

"Yes. She was actually thinking of setting up her own form of a hatchery in the nursery with some of her eggs to help confuse others. Mainly to set up false areas in case the nursery came to harm. Of course, I doubt it will happen, but it's a precaution," Maya Purple said.

"Hmm. Rogue eggs to disguise the real eggs," Sammy thought. "But, you can tell which ones are different."

"He's right. My eggs with Sarine are quite round," Beelzebub said.

"That may be true, but the eggs could have a false nest above them, right?" Maya Purple grinned. "It can help with insulation and make a protective barrier."

"Now that I like!" the Demon Lord grinned.

"Good! I'll inform Mother, and the nest will start construction. We'll need to tell Evil Snake Lord about it so he won't be alarmed. The kids can help build the nest, too. It will give them something to do with Mother," he grinned back.

"That is a wonderful idea!" Sarine smiled and kissed Maya Purple deeply.

"You know, you have me thinking," Beelzebub mused.

"Hmm?" Maya Purple asked in the kiss.

"If you could get her pregnant, I wonder if I could, too," Beelzebub thought aloud. "If I possessed a King, then, surely, a set of royal heirs would be needed..."

"Maybe you and I could get her pregnant together," Maya Purple chuckled.

"I can see that happening," Loomin grinned.

"It would have to happen after Byorgue's twins," Keltin said. "Then, maybe, after you two have your kids born, Hyegun and I would be next."

"I have a birthing schedule now?!" Sarine gaped with disbelief, and Howard died with laughter with Kiehl. "It's like How-How's point system!"

That had Howard gasping for air, and Keltin was laughing uncontrollably now. Muninn warbled with agreement, as he thought.

_:My child. With Huginn's. Born with. Loomin's twins. After triplets. Lots of. Children!:_  he warbled and bobbed his head.

"I am curious, Muninn," Loomin said. "What will happen with your body and Huginn's body after they get birthed?"

_:After they. Are weaned. Father Odin. Will take. Them. To Valhalla. To train. Then. When grown. They will. Return. Oh! Valkyrie Maidens. Are protectors. For them!:_  Muninn blinked in thought. Sarine was a bit disturbed that her sons would be taken from her, but she knew that her father would let them visit her when they needed her.

"Think about it," Kiehl smiled, as Sarine was given over to him. "They would need to learn from Odin, himself. Especially if they are the physical embodiments of Huginn and Muninn. They would need to be kept safe at all times. And, when the time comes for you to give birth to their sons, they would likely grow very swiftly and would need the aura of Valhalla, too. If anyone discovered who they were, it would be risky."

"Very risky," Loomin nodded and looked over as a black-haired Champion walked to the center of the arena to look at them.

"I want to challenge the strongest one of you up there!" the Champion shouted.

"That would be me," Sarine frowned.

"No. It's me," Kiehl grinned.

"He's right. It's him," Doppy smirked. "I can't get stronger off of him. Only off of Naght. Remember?"

"True," she mused. "Why do you wish to challenge...Kiel D-01?"

"He's the strongest?" the Champion grinned ruefully. "That can't be right!"

"Now I'm pissed!" Kiehl snarled, as his strength was questioned, and his Bragging Rights flared out in full. His ghost seemed to leap out to hover over his form, and now he stood up to turn and glare. The hatred and disgust in his gaze actually made the Champion pale and go slack-jawed. Doppy nodded with respect to Kiehl, as did the other males from the Demonic Mating, and Kiehl moved to plant a possessive kiss on Sarine's mouth. She gave an excited growl in his kiss, and he grinned at her.

"Donnie's laughing," Hibram smirked. "He wants to see this."

"Moron," Maheo sighed and shook his head.

"Looks like we'll get to see a good fight!" Neil grinned wickedly.

"He won't live!" Anna said with a frown.

"Of course, he won't!" Ragged Zombie snickered. No one had seen Kiehl fight yet from the arena crowd standpoint. However, by how the Champion had responded to Kiehl's glare, and how Dracula even winced at the fight that was to come, they all judged that it was going to be very swift. Bets were now being made in silence.

"I'll be quick!" Kiehl promised.

"Make him suffer!" she seethed, and he kissed her again. Beelzebub sent out a message to her other mates and husbands. They quickly formed on the balcony to watch the fight.

"I should scrub me decks with the fool's blood!" Drake muttered.

"We could scalp him," Incubus mused.

"Tattoo a hideous picture on his skin?" Evil Snake Lord chuckled.

"Or we could just skin him," Wanderer said.

"Impale him on stakes," Baphomet Jr. growled. Amon Ra was brought to the arena with Storm Caller's help, and Osiris and Pharaoh stood to watch the fight in silence. Amon Ra didn't have to nod to Kiehl, but the other two did. The moment Entweihen appeared to settle himself to watch, Kiehl waited a moment longer to show he was biding his time.

Before he decided to move to the arena floor, he saw Seyren, Karla, and various others start to filter back into their seats. Donnie clearly wanted to see this, and he helped Egnigem sit down before he sat with her. Wickebine and Thomas flashed their new wedding rings, as did Timmy and Armeyer. Laurell and Lilah were sporting their wedding rings, too.

"I want to see a bloody mess!" Doppy grumbled.

"Let's just sit back and see what happens," Sammy said.

"Sure," Keltin smirked. Hyegun grinned, and Loomin crossed his arms over his chest. Beelzebub simply glared at the Champion now. Nigel and Byorgue were shaking their heads with disgust, and Drago growled with dislike. Observation and Aliot exchanged glances. Errende and Thanatos exchanged grins of amusement. Injustice and Maya Purple made small bets on how the Champion was going to die.

"Dismemberment," Injustice muttered.

"Total decapitation," Maya Purple snickered.

"Gut open, perhaps?" Aliot grinned, as he commented on it.

"Quiet!" Kiehl snapped, and the slaves quickly obeyed him. "As long as he dies, I don't care what he looks like afterwards!"

"You could use your gems on him," Ifrit cackled.

"Fire and Ice..." Eremes mused. "Interesting effect..."

"Freeze him and smash him to pieces?" Howard grinned wickedly. Kiehl looked at him with a grin of solid amusement now, and Naght rumbled out laughter.

"Don't use my Light, though," Loomin said. "Keep it as a precaution. It's meant for defense and not offense for you."

"Right," Kiehl nodded. "Sarine..."

"Yes, Kiehl?" she smiled and nuzzled him.

"I'll be wanting you when I'm done," he growled and kissed her.

"We can test to see how sound-proof the blanket is," she grinned and that made him give a throaty growl of lust. She fixed his glasses for him, and he pressed another kiss to her mouth before forcing himself to pull away from her. The only thought on his mind now was to protect his mate. Now that he was being watched by his instinctive lesser peers, he was going to prove his power over them. Dracula gave a small nod of respect to him, and Kiehl felt Naght's silent nod with the reminder to use the Demonic Fear he was gifted with. He gave a cold, savage grin and activated it. The air was now tense and thick with fear and frozen awe. His Bragging Rights magnified that fearful wave to cover over the entire arena.

The challengers in their section were paralyzed with the grip of Demonic Fear. The Champion in the center now realized exactly how powerful Kiehl was. He signed his own death sentence, and Kiehl was going to deliver it. Doppy actually cringed at the waves of sheer power that Kiehl was giving off now. It was rare for him to cringe at another, but this was instinctive. Sarine watched her powerful First Mate with complete satisfaction. She was instinctively pleased to have given him offspring and couldn't wait to give him more. Kiehl gave one small, warm glance back to her with a shiver of pride.  _I will always be hers for the taking._

"Focus..." Howard muttered and prodded Kiehl mentally to go back to the fight. Kiehl gave a look of annoyance at him, but he understood.  _Get the fight over with quickly, and then claim the prize._  Kiehl leapt down to the arena floor and stared at the Champion with a gaze of solid hatred and loathing.

"Anything you want to say before you die?!" Kiehl hissed, as he moved to stalk him.

"Ah..." the Champion blinked. He tried to regain himself from the crushing wave of Demonic Fear bearing down on him.

"Let the fight begin!" Dracula announced. The moment his hand came down, Kiehl had already used Dark Blessing, Power Up, Wide Silence, and Lex Aeterna. The Champion was powerless, as he was knocked back with a powerful Bash skill. His only hope was to try to run away from Kiehl until his Silence wore off. He didn't have the chance when Kiehl froze him with his Ice diamond. Then he set the man ablaze, as the Fire diamond glowed. The effect was intense and looked quite painful.

"I'll need to get Lightning after Shadow," Kiehl grinned and ran at him to strike out with his massive Brandish Spear attack. Once the Champion was on his knees, Kiehl snarled out with rage, and his ghost took on a dark, blood-red glow to it, as he finally finished off the human with a bone-crushing Magnum Break. Kiehl roared out at the successful kill, as blood seemed to ooze out of the Champion's skin. There was no need for Dracula to announce the winner. Kiehl had proved himself to be just as savage as Doppy.

Now he moved quickly to Sarine's side to join her under the hot blanket. The heavy drapes were pulled closed, as the arena started to come back to life. Howard was grinning with the others at Sarine's muffled, keening cry and Kiehl's successful mating roar. A bonus to the blanket was that, if whispers were done, Beelzebub couldn't hear them.

"My powerful mate," Sarine shivered, as he ran a hand over a breast.

"My sexy wife," Kiehl growled and moved his mouth over chest to take in the milk that built up there. They had to strip off their clothes to keep them from becoming damp with sweat. He gave out a sharp gasp at the feel of her hands in his hair. He rocked himself deep within her and released again, but he still didn't feel satisfied of her.

"Kiehl..." she moaned, as he took her again. He thrust up hard into her for his third release, and that finally took the edge off of his killing mood.

"The fight pleased you?" he grinned, and he nuzzled her throat.

"Greatly..." she sighed and shivered, as he continued to move his hands over her body.

"Do you really want more children with me?" he asked softly.

"Always!" she said with a trembling smile, and he hugged her to him. "I'll always want children from you! As many as you can give me! As often as you can!"

"Mine!" he snarled in her ear and ground himself into her to release a fourth and final time for now. "I want to get you pregnant again! I will get you pregnant next, too!"

"The triplets...are yours and...How-How's and Naght's...right?" she smiled.

"Yes. They are," he grinned and cradled her with his head against her neck. "They always were, I think. Personally, I think they just couldn't form without me. Despite human seed not being enough. I was needed for them to help develop."

"What about Naght?" she asked, as she kissed his forehead.

"He'll give them strength and Demonic cunning," he chuckled. "And, I think that Howard is right. We need another night together."

"Plenty of that for my next pregnancy, right?" she smiled.

"That may be so. But, I'm thinking of now," he muttered and kissed her possessively. He growled at Howard's mental poke that the arena was finally emptying out. He frowned and decided to have him give another alert when the arena was empty. He needed more time with Sarine. Howard gave the impression of jealousy, and Kiehl cracked a grin.

"Hmm?" Sarine frowned.

"Howard's jealous," he grinned and nuzzled into her throat. At his small bite, she writhed in his arms, and he shivered with another bout of need.

"Again, Kiehl?!" she gasped, as he moved in her.

"I just...need you...so badly...!" he whimpered. He cried out, as her hands moved through his hair again. "I never...felt this bad..."

"Bite me, Kiehl," she whispered in his ear, and he shivered again with excitement. "Take my blood. Make me yours! Brand me!"

"Damn it, Sarine!" Kiehl swore and finally bit her neck hard. Howard had warned Doppy in advance for the demon to be prepared for the pain, and he was able to keep the others from being alarmed. Kiehl took down two mouthfuls of her blood and Healed her before it could affect her pregnancy. Then she bit down on his neck to send him reeling into ecstasy. She pulled two mouthfuls from him, and he had to focus on Healing himself.

"Mine..." she muttered, as she ran a hand over his back. At his growl, she pulled him close with his leash loop and kissed him. At another mental prod from Howard, he sighed.

"I need to dress you. The arena is empty now. Muninn said that Odin is ready to appear the moment you are ready. Huginn needs to be let out. Then we can take care of that thing from your past," Kiehl said, and he held her tight.

"You still need me?" she smiled, as he forced himself to move carefully and start unwrapping the blanket. He stopped at the question and looked at her with a form of worship. At his loving gaze, she pulled him back to her. The blanket fell back into place around them.

"I will  _always_  need you!" he trembled. "You're my heart. My life. The very air I need to breathe just to continue living..."

"My Soul," she whispered, and he gave out a small cry when he clung to her. Howard was blinking at how bad Kiehl's craving for her was now. Naght looked at him and back at the movements in the thick blanket.

"Loomin," Howard sighed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Kiehl's actually craving Sarine pretty bad right now. Any ideas as to why?" Howard frowned. Doppy looked at him with surprise, and Keltin looked at Hyegun with concern. Sammy thought about this, and Eremes exchanged a glance with Ifrit. Concern filtered around everyone now, and they watched the blanket slowly come apart. Sarine was clearly going to need a hot shower after everything was done. Excess heat was released from the blanket quickly, and the drapes were lightly pulled apart to help relieve some of it. Right after they were dressed, Sarine and Kiehl were given cups of water to rehydrate themselves.

"Kiehl," Loomin said. "Step back from Sarine for a moment."

"Why?" Kiehl asked with a small glare.

"I want to see how bad you're craving her," he said.

"Oh!" Kiehl blinked. He was caught off guard from that. Sarine kissed him softly, and the blanket was draped over her shoulders. Ifrit reheated it again and watched Kiehl move away from Sarine. Not even ten seconds went by before he found himself running back to her side to hug her tightly to him. Howard and Naght were gaping at what happened.

"Howard?" Loomin asked.

"That same fiery feeling that Sarine feels when her cravings get bad hit him!" Howard said. "He almost lost control!"

"I see now," Loomin frowned. "With every Demonic Mating he wins, his craving for her gets stronger. It's as though he has no choice in the matter. He will always need to be close to her as much as possible. Likely for her pregnancies, but I'm not sure. When he fights for her, the craving clings to him, in a way. He should be fine after an hour, but, until then, he has to be at her side. He's going to be stealing her from us a lot."

"Sorry, guys..." Kiehl sighed.

"You keep her cravings back, but she gives you one, too," Doppy thought aloud. "It's as though, yes, you get stronger, but this is your drawback. She is your weakness now. When you fight, you don't need her, because you are fighting for her. When the fight is over, you need her to show that you protected her and to get praised by her. I'm not saying that you are weak at all. It's just...well...she's a liability to you now."

"That may be the case, but I refuse to let anything stand in my way when she is threatened! I will also accept any challenge for my Rights to prove my worth to her, and to prove how strong I am!" he snarled out. He was still very easy to upset, and Doppy simply nodded with respect to show that his Rights weren't threatened.

"When can I be with her again?" Maheo asked.

"We'll have to make some form of an arrangement tonight. Remember, she has to be dominant, and Huginn needs to bond with his body first. Then Muninn needs to bond with her. None of us know how long this could take. If we're lucky, they may freeze time. Odin should be here at any second," Sammy reminded him. "We all need her, and she needs everyone, too. We will find a balance for everything that needs to happen. Things happen for a reason."

"That they do," she smiled, and Kiehl pressed his face into her neck. She pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and he smiled softly. Then she blinked at a thought and said, "Oh, Doppy! We should have Bianca try making recipes with Kathryne!"

"Yes. Yes, we should!" Doppy grinned. "If she can make things all the time successfully with her hands, then we won't waste any ingredients!"

"I'll let the others know," Beelzebub chuckled.

"That was a random thought," Kiehl muttered.

"But, it was a good random thought," she giggled, and he pulled her fully into his lap. At another thought she had, he frowned and glanced at Howard.

"If he can part from you long enough to help kill off the bitch, maybe. Otherwise, he's stuck with you, if he can't leave you," Howard said.

"I think I would feel better, if you stayed with me," she said with a small wince. That was enough for Kiehl. He wasn't going to leave her side. At his consenting nod, she ran a hand up his chest and through his hair with complete comfort now. Letting a heavy purr come forth, he started to nuzzle her. Then he glanced at the center of the arena with hatred. He sensed someone there, and a harsh snarl ripped from his throat.

"Who's still out there at this time of night?!" Howard grumbled.

"Let me check," Loomin said, and he stood up to walk over to the balcony railing casually. Drago snorted and looked with him. When they discovered the Cloaked Assassin, Loomin frowned and shook his head with disgust.

"The arena is now closed! You need to leave!" Dracula said, as he started to walk over.

"I never got the chance to challenge anyone! I never get the chance!" the Assassin scowled, as he Uncloaked. Sarine looked over at the blonde haired Assassin guy and frowned. The light purple straps criss-crossed over his chest neatly, and he had a pout on his somewhat handsome face. He always had to show up right as the arena closed, and he wasn't budging.

"And just who do you wish to challenge?" Sarine asked. Kiehl tightened his arms around her and she kept him calm with her hands in his hair.

"You!" the Assassin said, as he pointed at her. Kiehl gave out a bloodthirsty snarl, but she clung to him and shook her head sadly. Her companions just stared with outrage at this and were already threatening to tear into him. Seyren called out to Baphomet, and the massive demon made himself ready to charge out, if he had to.

"I am with child. My loves will not allow me to be harmed," she said.

"She's pregnant...with my kids..." Eremes glowered, as he Berserked. "I'll kill you now...for challenging her!"

"Wait a minute!" the man said, as Eremes charged down with a furious vengeance.

"Why?!" Eremes snarled out, as he glared. He came to a stop less than a foot away.

"Now  _he_  is one overprotective dad!" Ragged Zombie chuckled.

"You will be, too," Loomin smirked. "Come to think of it, she's technically pregnant with my son and Doppy's son."

"You're right," Doppy grinned wickedly and stood up to stand with Loomin at the balcony rail. "I say we cut him down."

"Let's see what Eremes does first," Loomin said. Sarine had to keep Kiehl calm right now. She whispered softly to him, and he kept his face pressed into her neck. If he tried to fight, he would end up elongating his constant craving for her.

"I just want to attack the strongest one, that's all!" the Assassin said quickly to Eremes. "I was told that she was the strongest! If that's not the case, then I'll take the next one!"

"Kiehl," Doppy muttered. "Would you like me to fight in your stead? Or do you want to gut him open? We know how you need Sarine right now."

"I'll take him on!" Kiehl seethed, as he ghost came out. Sarine gave out a soft sigh, but it was full of instinctive pride. His craving to be near her dimmed, and he didn't even wait to hear Eremes tell him to stop. The Assassin was dead before he even hit the ground after Kiehl slammed into him and ripped him apart with a vengeful fury.

"Wow!" Neil said.

"Quicker than last time," Maheo mused. "But, now he needs her for another hour."

Kiehl howled out his victory and shivered with aching, fiery need. His craving for her almost brought him to his knees, and Naght roared out with worry. Howard winced, though he felt none of it. It was all of Kiehl's thoughts that hit him that he needed her quickly. Howard moved, scooped up Sarine with her blanket, and ran down to the arena with her. At the sight of her, there was only one thing that Kiehl could softly whimper out, as he fought back the force of the fiery pain, and that was ever so softly spoken. "Sarine...!"

"I'm here, Kiehl! I'm here!" she crooned to him and hugged him tight to her body. He actually started to shed tears from the pain that racked him, and Doppy couldn't believe that Kiehl was feeling the same fires that Sarine felt. Thanatos was hissing with alarm.

"No one challenge Kiehl!" Loomin warned. "This is his craving for her!"

"I know," Beelzebub said with understanding.

"No one will question your strength, my mate," Sarine whispered softly. "They know you are powerful and very strong. That this is all because you need me. Your Rights are safe."

He couldn't say anything, as he held her, and he let the fiery feeling start melting away at long last. He knew she had it bad when he wasn't there on the night she was with Loomin. Now he was experiencing it in full for himself.

"I'm just glad I can't feel his pain!" Doppy snorted. "Come to think of it, I can't really feel anyone's pain since Naght kicked Keltin off the bed long ago!"

"You can only feel things from us when we are in immense danger," Loomin said, as he thought it through. "Naght wasn't fully an ally yet, right?"

"He wasn't," Howard nodded. Naght sighed, but he understood everything.

"If any of us get struck in an attack, yes, Doppy will feel it," Loomin said. "Of course, he feels everything from Sarine. That can't be helped."

"At least I don't have to feel everyone all the time," Doppy nodded.

"Oh, yeah. It would be awesome to feel someone have gas, though, eh?" Ragged Zombie grinned. Doppy gave him a look, and the zombie grinned even wider. Kiehl snickered against Sarine's shoulder, and she sighed with a soft chuckle.

"Leave it to the dead man to spoil the mood," Nigel grinned.

"Or just spoil away in general," Maheo snickered.

"Quite a few of us are undead, too," Keltin warned, and Hyegun cleared his throat. Injustice sighed and crossed is spiked arms over his chest.

"What do we do with that mess?" Errende asked, as he pointed to the dead Assassin.

"We'll take care of him!" Margaretha said. She was led down by Lloyd to help. As they reached him, a crushing weight filtered around them, and Odin appeared to stand over the Assassin's corpse. He rose up his hand to stop them to show he was handling it, and he bent down to whisper in the dead man's ear. When he was done, he gestured for them to proceed. When the Assassin sat up whole and complete, he looked at Odin with complete awe.

"If you wish to become stronger, go to Amatsu and speak with Emperor Markus. Tell him that Odin sent you," Odin said. No words of thanks were given, as the man stood up and moved off to do as he said. "My daughter, my Vessel, are you ready to face the tormentor of your past? Or do you need more time?"

"Kiehl, love, can you put yourself into a working thought process for me? Like you did before some time ago? I really need to discuss something, and I cannot have you hurting over it," Sarine asked carefully to keep her thoughts concealed. Kiehl blinked at this, but he felt how important this was for her. "You can keep your arms around me, and I will not leave your side. I know how much you need me right now. Okay?"

He nodded at this and hugged her tight. When his mind was safely thinking of random designs, she looked at Howard with pure worry.

"You're right," Howard grimaced. Naght hissed with hatred, but he nodded, too.

"What is going on?" Odin asked gently.

"Daddy, this tormentor of mine sexually assaulted Kiehl in the past, and he did not know it was her," she said carefully. At gasps of shock to those that didn't know, she continued, "The only thing that he remembers of her is that she stole his drugs from him. I don't want him to see her. She may try to use various memories to her advantage. I had Kiehl delete the memories of her being with him from his mind, and I had others forget that he spoke of it, but I don't want these memories forced on him. I will have to remain on my balcony with the curtains drawn. I will not witness her defeat, but I know I will feel it. As much as I know that everyone wants me safe, I want to keep Kiehl safe, too."

"I understand," Odin nodded. "As an added measure, I will have Muninn remove such knowledge from everyone! Should something happen, it shall be seen as a lie! Loomin, you will have to focus hard on this. I know you see the truth in everything, but my daughter, my Vessel, has a point. What would happen if Kiel D-01 discovered his missing memories?"

"I..." Loomin blinked at this and went silent for a moment. "It would be bad. That is all I can say. Sarine already asked Kiehl to be with her throughout this process. If it would help, should such a memory hit me, I will see it as a truth, but I will not voice it. I will simply state that it was a vision, since that is what it will be. Dream visions happen all the time, and I can refer to it as such. I will not say if it is real or false."

"That could work," Sammy nodded. "Or only Howard and Naght have the memories removed from them with Sarine. This way Kiehl can't read their minds about it. We will know, but none of us will say anything."

"Better do the same for those that are here and not meant to be with her," Maheo muttered. Kavach was with them, and so were several Clowns. He was sure the princes would be showing up, if they heard something, but Turtle General was keeping them preoccupied with training. Maheo wanted nothing to be used as an advantage against Kiehl.

"Do this, Muninn!" Odin said and the falcon flew into the air. Sarine felt a light tickling in her mind and seemed to sigh with relief that something nasty was removed. Howard and Naght felt the same way. When it was safe again, she kissed Kiehl passionately to bring him back around to her and he squeezed her.

"I don't like doing that," Kiehl muttered.

"It should be the very last time you need to do it," Sarine smiled. "I...can't really remember why I had you do it, but it was important."

"You can't remember?" Kiehl frowned.

"It was needed, since the same thing just happened to us to help you," Howard said. "It was about your deleted memories, I think. I don't know what they were about now, but I think that's why we had you do that."

"Oh," Kiehl blinked at this and nodded. "I'm fine with it, then."

"Good..." Naght rumbled.

"My daughter, my Vessel, it is time for me to release Huginn!" Odin said to her. She took a shaky breath, and Kiehl grimaced at this. Then he realized why he was needed to be close to her, too.  _Her mind would be unprotected, and my Light diamond would be needed to protect her against Loki._ Howard looked over, as Alexander flew down from the sky and landed by Odin. He was ready for Loki, if he acted up, and he was there for the impostor. When Loki did appear, Alexander and Observation both tensed up.

"Oh, get over yourselves!" Loki muttered.

"I will when you're gone!" Observation growled.

"Same to you, Loki," Alexander grumbled back.

"Kiehl, love, when Huginn comes out, take me up to the balcony?" Sarine smiled.

"Yes," Kiehl nodded and continued to hug her. His arms kept aching to hold her, and he made sure to keep her secure in his embrace. Muninn landed to revert to human, and Sarine looked over with a soft smile. When she looked at her father, she shivered at the intense headache she felt right afterwards. Now she looked at Huginn, and he was trembling with control to keep from bonding with his body.

"Go up there! Quickly!" Odin urged to her. "Huginn! Muninn! Get the others here to ready the attack on the monster's soul!"

"Yes, Father Odin," Huginn nodded in his whispery tone.

" _Yes, Father Odin,_ " Muninn said, as he was already spreading his awareness around the island. As monsters, friends, and lovers gathered to the arena, Kiehl moved with Sarine to the balcony. The curtains were drawn closed, and he pulled the blanket tightly around them.

"I love you," she whispered to him, and his Fire gem warmed the blanket.

"I'll never stop loving you," he whispered back and cradled her to him. She whimpered, as she felt the presence of her tormentor, and he snarled protectively. He needed to be with her. She would not have been able to focus properly, if the vile soul was confronted by her. He kissed her lovingly and whispered, "Focus on me, my heart. This is why I'm here with you. Stay with me. Let me keep you warm. I'm here to protect you."

"Kiehl!" she shivered, and he hugged her tight. He refused to let that thing control her any longer. He purred loudly to drown out any sounds that may reach them from the outside. At the feel of her soft nibbling to his neck he groaned and pressed into her.

"I don't think that I...have anything left!" he gasped, as she started to undo the buttons on his overcoat. At the feel of her heated hands moving over his undershirt, he moaned and realized that she was massaging him. He yanked off the tunic to let her touch bare skin, and he closed his eyes to enjoy the pleasuring massage. The couch wasn't large enough for them now, and he studied the blanket.  _It was large enough to move over the floor and fold over us like a large sleeping roll to protect it from the searing heat I have to give her._ They still had enough room to move within it when it was draped over them, too. As long as she was touching him, his craving for her was kept in check. She worked on his back now that he was able to stretch out, and this helped preoccupy them both.

"How is she?" Keltin asked Howard.

"She's fine," Howard said. "At first, she felt the presence. Now, she and Kiehl are preoccupied with massages. Is that thing almost dead?"

"Hard to tell," Doppy snorted. "We all took a turn hacking at it. Odin would turn it to flesh to let us kill it off over and over. As long as Alexander can finish it off, I'll be fine."

"You're going to need her, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes. Not right now, but I will," Doppy nodded.

"Kiehl knows this, and he, eh, wants to try something with you," Howard grinned.

"I think I have a vague idea," Doppy said, and he grinned back.

"Good," he smirked and watched Sammy skewer the tormentor's temporary body again and incinerate it to ash. Howard had already cleaved the body in two, and Doppy dismembered it. Odin simply kept reforming the body in full to keep the torture going. The list was halfway through on who was killing the thing, and they all seemed to be taking their time. They were not going to let up on what they could do. Up in the balcony, the massaging took another turn.

"I'm going to need to be dominant soon," Sarine said, as she rose herself up on Kiehl's hips. He snarled at this and locked his hands on her to hold her in place. Their massaging turned needy, and clothes had to be pushed aside. He was amazed at his stamina for her.

"You will. Just not now," he muttered, and his Bragging Rights flared in warning. Instinctive respect was given for her powerful First Mate, and she gave a soft whimper of submission. He dominated her body, mind, and soul right now. Nothing else mattered to him. Moving to sit up with her, he kept himself locked within her, as he growled, "You will bear my offspring next. It's been foretold. Nothing will sway this. I have also heard that, to fill the fourth spot in you, Naght and Ifrit may merge in you to give you a child."

"You know this?" Sarine asked softly with wonder.

"It's been thought about. They want a solid alliance, and a child would be perfect. It would also keep others from wrongfully impregnating you."

"I see."

"We all know that Drago and Maya Purple will give you eggs. Entweihen will give you seeds at the next Demonic Mating," he mused, and he nibbled her neck. "But, I am curious."

"Of what, my mate?" she shivered.

"Did you want me to slaughter any humans?"

"It...would be nice to see...but..."

"But?" he grinned, as he nipped under her chin.

"There would be...no real need..."

"For killing them, that's true. But, a need for you...that's what I have right now!" he hissed in her ear and brought her to release with him. Right after they rested, Howard gave Kiehl the mental alert that Alexander just smashed the tormentor's soul to nothing.  _The soul was dead and fully gone._ A massive form of relief seemed to show on Sarine's face, and Kiehl reported this.  _She felt her tormentor finally die._

"It's done?" she asked with a hesitant look.

"Yes. It's done," he smiled, and she hugged him tight with a small, gasping sob. She would never have to worry about the soul breaking free or coming back to life ever again. The kiss he gave her now was one to not only comfort, but to brand her as his. No male was going to steal her from him. Nothing was going to stand between them after this. He'll kill off any challenger, if he had to. She belonged to him, and that's how he was always going to see it.

"We need to dress, don't we?" she asked with her face pressed against his neck.

"We do. Everyone is waiting for us," he muttered. She didn't want to leave the warm, toasty blanket. It was far too cold for her outside now.

"I'm going to have to check on the children," she sighed.

"In time. I'm sure they're all right. I'll keep you warm."

"Will you?"

"Yes. Ifrit and Eremes are coming to help now."

"I'll need warmer clothes..."

"No. You just need me," he grinned and kissed her passionately. Only when Eremes and Ifrit were there did the blanket get pushed aside. Ifrit flared out his heat to keep the area warm, as she dressed. Kiehl dressed shortly after, and he let Eremes run a hand over her belly.

"No growth?" Eremes frowned.

"I think Loomin said that they will all grow after the bonding. Wait, no! After my Demonic Mating tomorrow!" Sarine corrected herself.

"That's right. Okay. Your father is waiting..." Eremes said. She kissed him hard, and she moved with them to the arena center. Odin moved over to Kiehl and studied the gold leash loop with a form of appreciation. Then he thought and touched the golden loop. A diamond appeared on the inside of the gold loop that would be hard to spot, and it seemed to flare out with a fiery form of brilliant light before flickering out as though hibernating.

"Daddy?" Sarine blinked.

"I gave Kiehl a smaller version of my Light of Odin," he grinned a touch savagely, and everyone paused with shock. "It needs to be used in dire emergencies, like your own. Once a day, if that. Only if the tide appears to be turning. I, ah, made it a bit special. Such as your Guardian's ability to reflect your Light of Odin if it hits him, Kiel D-01 can have a bit of the same reaction on his own."

"Amazing..." Kiehl swallowed. Doppy was gaping with shock, and Howard was no better. "But...why?"

"You are her Soul. That's why," Odin said. No other questions were asked. "Now, it is time for Huginn and Muninn to bond with their bodies. My daughter, my Vessel? Are you ready for them at this time?"

"Yes, Daddy," Sarine nodded. "Um, I will need to be dominant, though."

"I know," Odin grinned. That got her men laughing. Huginn and Muninn actually glanced nervously at each other. "To ensure they cannot escape you, I am blocking their Teleport and shifting powers."

" _Father Odin!_ " Muninn gasped.

"But..." Huginn said weakly.

"No. She needs this, and so do the two of you!" Odin said sternly. "Now go! Don't disappoint her or me!"

" _Yes, Father Odin,_ " Muninn sighed.

"Very well, Father Odin," Huginn muttered. Sarine smiled as her father left, and now she turned to glare wickedly at Huginn and Muninn.

"Let's get going," Kiehl smirked.

"Yes. Let's go," Sarine grinned. If there was any pity felt for Huginn, it was felt now. She led them down to the dominating chambers, and she had Kiehl and Howard help her into her leathers. Kiehl was finally at a point that he could back away from her for ten minutes at a time.

"Punish Huginn for us!" Kiehl growled.

"Make him suffer!" Howard hissed.

"With what I have in store for him, I think you will both appreciate it," she snickered. They grinned at her thoughts, and Naght rumbled laughter in the other room. When she walked out to face her two brothers, they both stared at her with shock and lust.

"My Lady?" Errende asked.

"Since Huginn needs to bond with his body first, he needs this done first," she crooned out sweetly. "Blinker. Now."

"Yes, My Lady," Errende nodded and handed one to her.

"Sarine..." Huginn warned. She snarled at him in response, and she pointed to the floor. Errende knelt down to show what she wanted. Huginn wasn't budging.

"Kneel!" Sarine hissed. "Or you aren't touching me!"

"That isn't fair!" Huginn growled. At her glare, he swore and ended up on his knees. His armor removed itself before he knew what happened, and he gasped at the Blinker being tied on him. Now she circled him warily. She knew he could sense her.

"Don't react to anything I do," she grinned. Huginn muttered, but hissed in surprise at her suddenly lunge to bite his neck. She moved so fast that he missed what she did. Now that he was caught by surprise, it was easy to dominate him. Nails raked over his back to make him gasp with disbelief. A high heeled boot to his back made him cry out with dismay. She was actually punishing him. She told him not to react, and he was reacting to everything. When he was a solid mess of sensations, she grabbed his hands and placed them over her belly. That got a completely different reaction from him.

"He fell into a trance!" Loomin blinked. Huginn had an odd purring noise come from his throat, as he pressed his palms harder onto her womb. His destined body seemed to be pressing back. It seemed to be confirming it was him. Sarine gasped and fell to her knees, as she trembled.

"Sarine!" Kiehl winced, but Muninn held up his hand.

" _This is expected. The same thing will happen to me. He will need to give her blood and be in his own form of a pleasuring loop for the bond to be fully successful. Help her,_ " Muninn said. He was able to reassure them, and they nodded to him.

"My craving for her..." Kiehl growled.

" _Is put on hold. Don't you notice this?_ " Muninn smiled. " _It will return with a furious vengeance after we are done bonding. Right now, you have to let us do this._ "

"Right," Kiehl nodded. He gave an uneasy breath. He didn't like Huginn having to be so close to her.  _Muninn would be all right._ He saw Muninn as a brother, in a way. Loomin and Observation were on a high alert.  _Sarine was exceptionally vulnerable right now._  Naght rumbled at Kiehl's thought and moved to guard the entrance to the chamber. Others now did the same.  _We can't let anything disturb us._

"She needs to get undressed," Howard said. Errende and Byorgue moved quickly to help her. Once it was done, Huginn blindly pulled her onto him. He arched his neck to let a blade open his skin. The scent of his blood called to Sarine, and she hungrily locked on the wound. Huginn gave out a gasping sigh, as the pleasuring loop claimed him. When she thought she wasn't getting enough blood, she snarled and pulled his head further to the side to feed better. The action brought a shiver to Howard, since that was what she did to him long ago.

"How long will this take?" Thanatos asked.

" _Not much longer. Unlike me, she can pull away from Huginn,_ " Muninn chuckled. He saw his brother give out a ragged breath to show the bonding was successful. Sarine wasn't letting up on him, and he wasn't about to disturb her. He missed this, and he wanted to get everything she could give him. After thirty minutes passed, she pulled away, and Kiehl Healed him quickly. A long kiss was shared, and the Blinker was removed.

"It's done," Huginn sighed and leaned against her weakly. "I'll have more time to mentally bond with the body. The physical part is always what's draining."

"I did miss you, Huginn. I won't lie to you," she said softly. "I just hate it when you hurt me. You always promise that you won't, and then you do it to deliberately piss off my men. It has to stop, Huginn. It needs to stop."

"I just...I wish I had more time to be out of your head and with you," he admitted.

"Well, maybe as 'good behavior', I can ask Daddy for his help in this. But," she warned. "you  _have_  to keep from upsetting me and my husbands! I appreciate how you are helping me with Loki and other things. Just...don't push me away from my loves. You know how important they are to me. Don't you?"

"I do," he nodded and hugged her tightly. "I don't mean to hurt you..."

"Then don't hurt me anymore!" she pleaded. "I'm destined to give you a son, anyways! Just...stop being an asshole!"

That got Kiehl snickering, and her men gave out small grins.

"I can't promise anything," Huginn sighed. "But, I'll try. I'll try my best."

"All right," she nodded. "And don't try anything else in my dreams! I lose sleep over it, and it pisses me the hell off!"

"Understood!" he grinned at her glare.

"You had better!" she muttered, and she let him kiss her again. After the long kiss was finished, she got up and he rose up right after. Then she blinked at an intense headache to find Huginn gone. Odin placed him back in her mind right after his bonding was complete. Now she looked at Muninn, and he swallowed. The Blinker was in her hand, and she moved to stand behind him. He shivered with nervousness, and she ran a hand over his shoulders, as she whispered, "Muninn, why are you so nervous? You know that I would never cause any harm to you, right? Is there something wrong?"

" _No,_ " he admitted. " _I just...well...I don't take to being blinded very well..._ "

"Is that so?" she frowned.

" _I am supposed to be the Eyes of Odin, himself. When I am blinded, I feel handicapped. I know that Huginn was fine with it, and, even though I know it will be temporary, and that I will find it pleasuring, it's something instinctively ingrained in me. I don't like being blind._ "

"Then I will not blind you," she smiled and tossed the Blinker back to Errende.

" _Thank you,_ " he sighed and gasped at the sharp bite to his neck.

"But, like  _hell_  are you getting out of everything else!" she snarled and that caused laughter to erupt from the others. He gave a shout at the feel of her nails along his spine, and he tried to follow every command she gave him to the best of his ability. He had to help her, and he had promised to see to her every need. After an hour, she finally grabbed his hands and pushed them onto her womb. He gave out a startled cry of need at this, and she settled on him quickly. Right after that, he started to make the same, odd purring sound that Huginn did during his bonding. The child destined for him within her moved to press hard against his hands. The pleasuring loop needed to start for everything to become successful. A knife was moved over his neck, and time was frozen when she started to feed.

"Now he's the longer one," Thanatos mused. "Okay. She's feeding off of him. What do we do while this is happening? I'm sure we have a few frozen hours to kill."

"She's in a trance with him and enthralled in the taste of his blood. We can talk about anything, and she won't hear us," Kiehl said. "Hyegun, can you hear anything from her?"

"Not yet. Likely won't happen until they start kicking in her," Hyegun responded.

"Okay. She may need to eat after this," Keltin said.

"Hmm," Doppy frowned. "Now I have to wonder."

"About what?" Loomin asked.

"She's consuming their blood. Lots of it. How long does it usually take for a Demonic Mating to appear after she does this with them? Does anyone recall?" he asked. Sammy looked at him with surprise, and Kiehl growled at his insight.

"We were told it wouldn't happen until tomorrow," Hibram said.

"It's...close to midnight..." Eremes frowned. That made them all pause and stare at each other. "It will be two hours...until then...when Muninn gives back time..."

"Shit..." Thanatos growled.

"I really hope that's not the case," Evil Snake Lord sighed.

"It may just be the case," Aliot said. "My Lady is always in that state after feeding from Muninn, right? And, if she fed off of Huginn now..."

"The last time she did that was when I got her pregnant with my kids," Thanatos said. "If I remember correctly, it was morning when everything hit. Right after she nursed the kids."

"But, Lord Thanatos, today it happened almost instantly!" Errende reminded him.

"You're right," the demon sighed. "Well, Doppy, hope you're up to more pain, if it happens! She'll give Entweihen his seeds next,  _and_  the kids are supposed to grow in her right after! Aren't you looking forward to it?!"

"Shut up, Thanatos!" Doppy muttered, and they all laughed softly. "You all try bearing her pain! I know Kiehl already felt some of what I can feel!"

"It's no laughing matter," Kiehl agreed. "Those craving pains are just...horrible."

"With the way you're describing them, they can be!" Howard sighed.

"Beelzebub, remember when Sarine consumed that Valkyrie feather?" Doppy asked.

"Yes," the Demon Lord nodded. Aliot gave a small wince at the memory.

"Okay. Imagine that pain, but magnified by a thousand!" Doppy growled out. That had all of the demons wincing. "It's worse than Holy water!"

"Enough said! You put it all together for me," Hibram shuddered.

"I never would have thought it," Beelzebub frowned. "At least time is frozen, and we won't have to worry about intrusions."

"You said it!" Ragged Zombie nodded. "Now would be the time to roam about up there and slaughter any human that shouldn't be here."

"I like how you think!" Doppy grinned wickedly.

"I'll stay here," Kiehl said.

"Same," Howard grinned. Kiehl and Howard ended up being the only ones there, as the others left to bide their time. The slaves left to head to the house to gather supplies to bring back, and the others went to scour the island. What they didn't expect was for Sarine to give away to Muninn just moments after they left. Muninn gasped, as his bonding finished, and Sarine nuzzled him when she pulled away. Kiehl Healed him and yanked Sarine into his embrace. Muninn was right about his craving for her coming back.

" _Time is still frozen. Where is everyone? Oh! Well, in that case, since they are gone, was there anything you two needed to do with her?_ " Muninn asked, and he stretched out his weary body. She already had Kiehl in a long, passionate kiss, and that had Howard grinning. Then he paused and gaped at her with shock.

"Muninn..." Howard said with a soft shudder. "She still had some of your blood...in her mouth, and now...can it get transferred?!"

" _WHAT?!_ " Muninn gaped with disbelief. Kiehl broke the kiss and looked into her eyes with a form of amusement. She blinked at him softly. She had no idea that some of Muninn's blood was still there. Kiehl now flicked his eyes to Muninn and grinned savagely. The power rush he felt had flooded his senses and completely empowered him.

"Will he be all right?" Howard asked with a small swallow.

" _I...honestly don't know..._ " Muninn said with shock.

"I'll be fine," Kiehl chuckled. "If anything, it just made me a little stronger. Don't worry, Muninn. You have my word that I will only show off this new power when it comes to protecting Sarine. If anything, this is needed. It will ensure that I'll win all of her Demonic Matings, and I'll easily settle the score with anyone that challenges me."

" _Hmm. How much blood do you think you had?_ "

"I would say about a drop, if that. It was just a taste. Why?"

" _Do you still have those letters on you? The ones with your questions?_ "

"I have them," Howard said, as he pulled them out.

" _Find any of them that mention my blood and Kiehl_."

"Okay...oh! There is one here!" Howard blinked. "What happens if Muninn's blood merges with Kiehl's blood? Answer is...wow. Don't fuck with Kiehl."

"What?!" Kiehl gaped, and he moved to grab the paper to read it. Sarine was gasping at the severity of the answer. Muninn was just running a hand over his face now. The others would need to know when he could tell them.

"It's what it says!" Howard grinned. "But, if that's the answer, I'm actually quite scared to know of what you can do now."

" _I know what he can do. Great..._ " Muninn sighed.

"Oh?" Sarine frowned.

"And what can I do now?" Kiehl asked.

" _You can wield both Demonic and Angelic attributes. This is something that was a part of you, being Homunculus and robot. The Demonic part attached to the robot. The Angelic part attached to the Homunculus. Naght's essence was Demonic. My blood was Angelic. Let's just say that you can take out either side of the party, and Howard can take out anything in between. Loki will have his hands full, if he dares to try anything with you now._ "

"You're saying that I am up to par in power with Loki?!" he gaped.

" _Easily,_ " Muninn nodded. " _My blood did it. I wouldn't chance a drop of Huginn's blood, though. Mine should be enough. I'm not sure if the others should know, but it may be for the better. They will know that you will easily protect her. You will need the Shadow element next, and you will have to master it. You need to practice constantly with each new element you get. Just don't touch the one Father Odin gave you. That one will be instinctive to use. But...wow...you got a drop of my blood!_ "

"I didn't even realize it until I tasted it," Kiehl sighed.

"But, if it's used to protect me and our family," Sarine smiled.

"It's worth it," he smiled and kissed her softly.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Howard asked.

"Very," she winced.

" _Get her dressed. I still feel that I'm not quite done with her. The bonding is complete, but I feel that I need more time with her._ "

"Don't worry. You already claimed tonight. Are you immune to heat?" Kiehl grinned.

" _That I am,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _When the others come here, time will resume._ "

"All right," she smiled. "Muninn?"

" _Yes?_ " he asked.

"Can you...get the others here now?" she asked, as a rather familiar, warm feeling came over her. All forms of hunger vanished. Kiehl blinked and looked at her with a panting hiss.

" _You're having the...ah. I'll resume time!_ " Muninn agreed. The moment time resumed, his awareness quickly spread out to find a Hell Fly nearby. Beelzebub was notified and word spread. She had just started to fight off Kiehl's advances and slipped out of his grasp.

Howard backed away quickly, and Muninn decided to watch this Demonic Mating of hers. He wanted to see how Kiehl did now. She ran up the stairs and out of the chambers to find a line of males already waiting for her. Now, in close proximity of her, the dominant males were seething with hatred at each other. When Kiehl emerged, they all stared at him with a mixture of hatred and awe. His power had tripled from Muninn's blood, and Doppy glared at Howard to find out how. He couldn't ask the question, but the look was understood.

"Later," Howard muttered. "It will be told later."

Doppy snorted, but he knew that he would gain a bonus later from Kiehl's blood. A sharp nod was given, and now Howard realized something else.  _Sarine was naked._  He gave a small, intake of breath and pulled Eremes over.

"What? Oh! Her clothes..." he frowned. With a nod to Byorgue, they were retrieved, but Sarine was already running off and away from the others.

"Ah, shit! She's running around naked!" Howard winced.

"Don't worry. Any others wandering around aren't alive anymore. Come on!" Loomin said. "Tell me what happened as we follow!"

"She had...Muninn's blood...in her mouth...unknowing...and she kissed...Kiehl..." Howard said, as he ran with the others.

"Are you serious?!" Sammy hissed, as he ran with Howard.

" _It's true,_ " Muninn sighed, as he ran with them. " _He can fight off Loki now._ "

"He's that strong?!" Keltin gaped.

" _Very._ "

"Wow," Hyegun sighed.

"Is he stronger than Doppy?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Very," Howard muttered.

"That's...impressive?" Maheo chuckled.

"His kids are going to be really strong, eh?" Neil asked.

"I don't know," Howard said. "Since Sarine already has the triplets in a stasis, that's something I wouldn't know. Muninn? What do you think?"

" _Not really strong, but more like extreme geniuses. Even the child made for Naght and Ifrit will have the same intellect,_ " Muninn said. They came to a stop to head down the stairs. Howard gave a sigh and looked up in shock at what he saw through the window. Kiehl was so powerful that he was already dodging spears and attacks. He actually found a spot between a set of spears and was able to dodge the attacks of others without being hit by anything or anyone.

"It may be time to change up this place. You think?" Loomin grinned.

"You're right," Howard mused. Kiehl seemed to smirk at the thought. Sarine was sitting with her legs tucked underneath her, as she watched her dominant men fight over her. Then she looked up and screamed with rage, as Elric tried to sneak up on her. Her men were so busy fighting that they failed to see the Cloaked man already standing on the platform. He had actually reached this area early and waited for them to arrive. He had his Guild leave, and he waited until it was safe to come back. Then he set up a small camp to make sure he would catch Sarine off guard. When he heard them approaching, he was quick to prepare himself.

His Guild marked the area, and all he had to do was wait for the chance to grab Sarine when she was defenseless. He almost lost his train of thought when he saw her nude. When she opened the ground, he had jumped in after the others and moved up to the platform. None of the demons sensed him, since they were taken over with the Demonic Mating instinct. He waited for the fighting to fully take effect before attempting this. However, he had forgotten that she knew how to fight as a demoness would. Now he had his hands full.

"No!" Eremes snarled out. Ifrit roared with hatred, but Kiehl was already on it. He jumped up to the elevated floor and swung himself up onto the platform with effortless grace. Muninn's blood had enhanced him at a near impossible rate. Doppy, Thanatos, and Naght waited down below as a small crowd of the dominant males pooled together into a savage mob at this outrage.  _Elric tried to cheat in the Demonic Mating._ No demon or monster would ever think of cheating. He was now seen as a traitor in their eyes. Sarine was clearly fighting off Elric expertly, but, the moment Kiehl had his feet on the platform, the fight was over. What was even worse was that Sarine was already nude. Elric had now seen her naked, and Kiehl was livid.

"He tried to cheat...what an idiot!" Loomin sighed. "Muninn? Your thoughts?"

" _He will not be respected! He will need to try and make up for this blasphemous deed at her next Demonic Mating. He'll be scowled at and spit on to show disrespect for his actions!_ " Muninn growled. " _This is why humans should_ never _be allowed at events like these! This is a very sacred thing to demons, and Elric just showed his shame!_ "

"She'll need a protector up there with her after this," Keltin frowned.

"I'll do it," Loomin said. "As her Eyes, it would make the most sense."

" _Make it known to them after this is done,_ " Muninn said. " _Storm Caller will likely create something to help you get up there with her. You may need to wear something to show neutral guardianship to show you are protecting her and not fighting with them._ "

"Will that even be allowed?" Hyegun asked.

"It will. Lord Thanatos says that it's rare, but, after this, it will be needed," Errende said. They watched Kiehl slam into Elric to shove him off the platform. Instead of claiming Sarine for himself, Kiehl jumped down to show he respected the others as much as they respected him. This very act of trust now upped his status in Demonic instinct and instinctive ranking. He was not only powerful, but loyal and trustworthy. He was a leader of demons, if he had to be.

" _Kiehl just proved his worth to the demon race!_ " Muninn said with his jaw dropped. " _No demon will ever question his judgment now! Instead of taking Sarine for himself, he left her alone to show that he respected the others!_ "

"Normally, a demon would take advantage of the situation, right?" Ragged Zombie asked. "But, since Kiehl's not really a demon..."

" _He doesn't apply to Demonic Rules, but he's respecting them,_ " Muninn grinned. " _Such a thing is rare and not easy to accomplish. The demons around him will never question his actions after this is over. He has gained their trust completely._ "

"Incredible," Howard grinned. Elric's body got torn apart. He would be Resurrected later by Lloyd or another High Priest. Maheo and Neil nodded to each other that this was a justified punishment for Elric's crime.

"To think that Kiehl started out as a slave to end up like this in such a short time," Byorgue grinned. "As her Soul, he is truly needed to help protect her."

"I know," Sammy said. "I shouldn't be surprised to find out that Elric tried to cheat, but I am surprised, all the same. You would think he knew better!"

"As a human, he tried to get the upper hand," Keltin frowned.

"I think he forgot that Sarine has the mind of a demoness in this state," Howard smirked.

"I think you're right..." Eremes nodded. Sarine stood up and keened out to show the fighting was over. When the platform lowered, she was trembling from the outrageous attempt from Elric, and her mind was near the breaking point. Yet, she looked at Kiehl first with a whole new form of respect. She rose out her arms to him, and he moved to her to gather her up and hug her tight. The other males roared out their approval at this.  _He saved her from a traitor. He was not a demon, yet he respected their rules. He was honorable and trustworthy._

Thanatos stepped out and muttered in Demonic softly. They all paid close attention and seemed to nod. They all spat at once on Elric's dismembered body.

"Elric is now shunned and disrespected whenever he appears. Unless he tries to fix his reputation by appearing properly at the next Demonic Mating, he will not be welcome," Errende whispered. "I think he'll be lucky if he isn't slaughtered on sight each time."

"Let's tell Greg, those two princes, and Kavach how to cheat!" Ragged Zombie grinned. That made everyone laugh, and Kiehl looked over at the window to smirk. He muttered to the others around him to verify that the traitor was dead. A rumble of agreement seemed to come from them. Sarine whispered to Kiehl, and he thought. Then he looked at the others and growled out. Naght rumbled back with Doppy.

"Now, that's odd..." Loomin chuckled.

" _It is! They all want Kiehl to be the only one to lay claim to her! But, Entweihen needs to have his seeds with her. Tell this to Kiehl and Naght!_ " Muninn urged to Howard.

"That's right!" Howard nodded and thought out the issue. Kiehl blinked and whispered to Sarine. She sighed and nodded, as she closed her eyes. She had to look at Kiehl first, Thanatos was second, Naght was third, Doppy was fourth, and she continued to glance at the others there silently. When Dracula was looked at last, Kiehl hissed, and she didn't even fight him when he lay claim to her. There was a complete difference in how each male took her now. There was no fighting in this one. _A traitor was exposed and rightfully killed off._ Each male was surprisingly gentle with her. They all knew how stressed and upset she was over everything.  _The next Demonic Mating had to go right. This one was nearly ruined._

The moment Dracula was done, Kiehl helped position her on the floor, and Doppy was close by with his hand in hers. They were preparing for the seeds. The wall opened, and Sammy moved into position to help. Eremes hissed at a dismembered hand from his old mentor and kicked it away with disgust. His attention returned to Sarine when she screamed with Doppy's shout. Her belly stretched quickly, as the seeds were formed, and Kiehl held her in his arms. Another cry was released from her, as a seed was pushed out. Sammy took up the teardrop-like seed to hand carefully over to Byorgue.

"Another push!" Sammy urged, and Sarine sobbed out another cry while Doppy groaned. The second seed was delivered, and Entweihen was intrigued that the seeds were stark white in color. Each of them were a half a foot long and ready to be planted into the earth. As Sarine was trying to regain her breath, she suddenly screamed again, as Doppy roared out his pain from a horrendous growth spurt.  _The children within her finally grew._

"They...grew...so much...!" Eremes gaped with wide eyes.

"Fifty percent, to be exact," Sammy winced. "Maybe a touch more. They had to get up to where they were supposed to be. There was no choice in it. They'll be moving in the morning and alert. We need to get her to bed."

Kiehl muttered softly to her trembling form and carefully pulled her into his embrace. She was in so much pain that her body was shaking. Doppy was panting and sweating from how bad it was. She was rocked gently, and Loomin thought before clearing his throat.

"I wish to protect her against something like this," Loomin said. "As her Eyes, I will ensure that this does not happen again!"

"Done," Thanatos said. Kiehl gave a small nod of approval, too.

"How will we know not to attack him?" Doppy asked weakly when he sat up.

"He can wear a Demonic sigil," Thanatos said.

"True," Beelzebub nodded. "Or a specific rune?"

" _I can give him my rune,_ " Muninn said.

"That will work," Hibram said.

"Your...rune...will...show...neutrality..." Naght rumbled.

"Since we all respect you, it would make sense," Hibram said.

"What about this waste of blood?" Baphomet Jr. snorted, as he kicked over a leg.

"Leave it for another to Resurrect," Kiehl growled out. "It will give him time to reflect on what he did, and, maybe, decide to play fair, if he tries to redeem himself."

"We should just slaughter him, if he appears!" Entweihen hissed.

"What do you think the Demonic Matings are for?" Aliot grinned wickedly.

"I still say we should tell Kavach, that other Sniper, and the princes how to cheat," Ragged Zombie smirked. "It would give all of us a reason to ignore them even more."

"There should be no more traitors," Kiehl frowned. "Events like this are usually hard to come by, and even harder to be a part of. We trusted Elric with this knowledge, and he spit on us with his act of treason. No demon or monster has ever tried to gain the advantage like this before, from what I know. Right, Thanatos?"

"It's true. Demonic Law is strict. Usually, cheating is only attempted by those that aren't demons. They think they can get away with it. It's why we never allow any others to join, as it is. It was risky letting a human try this. We should ban all humans from it, unless they have Demonic blood," Thanatos said. "Twice in a row, the Demonic Matings were interrupted by humans! Such a thing is unheard of!"

"Loomin, I need your Shadow element," Kiehl said, as a fourth diamond visibly appeared on his leash loop. Loomin nodded and forced himself to relax. Then he focused on his Shadow element. The area got dark and pitch black rather quickly. It was as though he instinctively knew that this was important, and he gleaned the knowledge of this to use the element better.  _It works best with instinct._  Once the diamond turned black, the element was pulled back in. Loomin would have to practice more with the element and so would Kiehl. Now that it was done, all attention was given back to Sarine, and she was freezing.

"I'm so cold..." Sarine shivered. Kiehl snarled out savagely, and Loomin made a Warp to the nursery. Ifrit was already right behind Kiehl to heat up the fireplace mercilessly the moment they got into the bedroom. Luckily, all of the kids were sleeping. The seeds were carefully being planted by Bacsojin and Doll with Sammy's guidance. Entweihen was going to remain with them to ensure their safety, and Evil Snake Lord was already at the nest with Beelzebub. Muninn still needed to be with Sarine, and he went to join her in the fireplace.

" _I see why you needed my blood now,_ " Muninn sighed, as he settled next to Sarine in the fireplace. " _You had to help prevent Elric's treachery._ "

"That I did," Kiehl nodded and helped feed Sarine. "Anything planned for tomorrow?"

" _Elric will try to explain his actions,_ " Muninn muttered.

"Elric can piss off!" he snarled out. Ifrit only agreed completely, and Naght was informing everyone in the bedroom. Sarine just shivered with revulsion, and Kiehl let her press into him. Howard looked up from the drawing pad to the knock on the door, and he growled. He and Eremes had become monsters again and were on a high, protective alert. Doppy opened the door to find Cedrick there, and he sneered.

"I heard a Demonic Mating happened. Why didn't anyone get me?" Cedrick frowned.

"Demonic Matings are something that you need to find out on your own," Thanatos muttered. "We don't fetch those that are interested. If you aren't there, you miss out. If you're there, you compete. That's how it works. We notified you the first time, but it was only because Odin insisted so that you could see how it works. As it is, we don't know when her next one will be, and like hell are we going to tell you when it starts!"

"Fine. Where's Elric?" he asked.

"Dead," Doppy smirked.

"He tried to cheat. He died," Beelzebub hissed.

"He tried to cheat?!" Cedrick blinked.

"Yes. He's branded as a traitor to us now," Hibram said. "We will not show any form of respect to him. He can try to make up for it at the next Demonic Mating, but that's if someone finds him to Resurrect him. Until then, we see him as a piece of dirt."

"A soiled piece of dirt, I bet," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"What happened?" Nigel blinked. Beelzebub gathered the slaves together that weren't there, and he muttered to them. They were all outraged at this.

"Oh, guys," Howard said. "Kiehl was kissed by Sarine after she had Muninn's blood. On saying that, Kiehl has a drop of Muninn's blood in him now. She didn't realize it, but that's why he is so powerful now."

"That explains it," Doppy mused. "Can I see her?"

"Ah...yes. I'll join you," Howard said. Kiehl whispered to Sarine, and she smiled softly. Then she blinked, as time froze, and Ifrit was found frozen.

" _Kiehl, give Howard some blood so he can be up to par with you,_ " Muninn said.

"Right," Kiehl nodded. They couldn't let any others know how strong Doppy was getting, or how he was getting stronger. Sarine was able to give over the blood to Howard and Naght easily now. Doppy accepted the power boost and waited for time to resume before continuing into the fireplace. His body became his original one, and he nodded to Kiehl.

"Doppy," Sarine smiled, and he kissed her hard. Then he looked at Kiehl and smirked.

"Want to try an experiment?" he grinned. Kiehl laughed, and Howard started snickering.

"What? Oh!" Sarine gasped, as Kiehl claimed her with Doppy. Muninn was laughing softly at everything, and now Howard thought.

"You're going to have to do this with Huginn when it's time for your kids, aren't you?" Howard asked. "Or am I wrong?"

" _I don't want to think about that!_ " Muninn scowled. That got Ifrit laughing, and Eremes looked over at the fireplace with amusement. Kiehl and Doppy had finished before they realized what was going on. Sarine was simply shivering with what happened, and she didn't fight Kiehl when she got pulled against his chest. Doppy was smirking at Muninn, as he reclined by Sarine.

"So, how are the sleeping arrangements going to work?" Howard mused.

" _I'm supposed to be spending time with her tonight. I cannot become her falcon again until morning, now that I think about it. I'm stuck with her,_ " Muninn sighed.

"Is that a bad thing?" Sarine asked softly, and he growled when he reached for her to hug.

"You can work in the workshop for me," Kiehl said to Howard.

"I miss her, too!" Howard muttered. She sighed and ran a hand over her belly. Ifrit moved to check on the growing children, and he paused at a hard kick given to him.

"What the...?" Doppy blinked.

"Get Hyegun!" Kiehl growled out. Eremes was informed from Ifrit, and Hyegun walked in with him. Immunity to heat was quickly shared, and Kiehl found that it was much easier to control. Hyegun listened intently and blinked.

"Muninn, apparently, your body is demanding cheese and milk. Now," Hyegun said. "I'm surprised you aren't able to hear yourself!"

" _Ah...well, this is new to me! I'll have to focus more,_ " Muninn sighed. Eremes walked over to run a hand over her belly. Feeling his twins kick at his palm, he paused in shock.

"And your twins are happy they can finally say 'hi' to you," Hyegun grinned.

"My kids...wow..." Eremes swallowed. Another hard kick was given for dairy foods, and Doppy grinned. Naght was able to inform Byorgue for the cheese and milk to be brought in for her. As she ate, Eremes was still feeling his twins kicking him.

"Try playing a game," Kiehl grinned. Eremes smiled softly, and the game was easily started up. At the responding kicks, Eremes fell into silent shock again.

"He went stupid!" Howard laughed. Muninn laughed softly, and Doppy reverted back to his stronger body. He didn't feel like going anywhere, though, so he reclined in the fireproof bed. He actually felt extremely comfortable.

"Amazing..." Eremes said, and he shook his head.

"Well, I need to sleep, and these kids need to go to sleep!" Sarine said, as she yawned.

"Sarine...I...want to be with...my kids a bit longer..." Eremes said.

"Just have them kick softly so I can rest," she smiled. He nodded, and it was easily arranged with Hyegun's help. Sarine now reclined against Muninn and Kiehl before giving them her weight in sleep. Doppy was smiling softly, and Howard was doing the same.

"How much will they grow now?" Eremes asked.

" _That's a good question,_ " Muninn thought. " _It's different for all of her pregnancies. We'll see how much they grow in the morning. That will tell us._ "

"All right," he nodded. "I still can't believe that my old mentor would stoop so low..."

"He didn't know, and he paid the price for it," Kiehl growled. "A very heavy price."

Howard looked at Kiehl now from Naght's mental whisper. Beelzebub left a Hell Fly to watch over Elric's dismembered corpse. His Guild came to rescue him and were appalled at what they found. Elric was Resurrected with a Yggdrasil Leaf they had, but now they were attempting to come to the house. Elric tried to tell them what happened, but they wanted revenge. Kiehl gave out a savage hiss, and Howard muttered out what was going on.

"Pori-Pori is on the stairs. So is Hibram," Howard said. "Ragged Zombie is waiting just inside the bedroom door, and Naght is in the nursery with Thanatos."

" _Let me take care of them!_ " Muninn growled out. Sarine was shifted onto Howard, and he rose up to walk out of the fireplace only to find Odin in the bedroom.

"You go back in there!" Odin said sternly. "I shall handle them! You are needed with her! Go back to her!"

" _Father Odin! Um...of course,_ " Muninn nodded. When he walked back into the fireplace to get his position back with Sarine, Kiehl was grinning wickedly.

"Good. Let them deal with Odin in a bad mood!" Ifrit hissed out with laughter. Odin could only agree. He didn't want his grandchildren, or his daughter, to come under any more stress. Her pregnancy was his prophecy now, and he refused to have it tampered with. He was now going to break a very big rule by intervening. He didn't want Loki to do it. He wanted to ensure that this would stop everything, and he would only trust himself to do that. He vanished from the bedroom and appeared in the path of the Assassin Guild.

"Odin!" Elric gasped. Now the four Guild members looked at the powerful man with complete shock and surprise.

"You four need to cease your attack right now!" Odin growled out. "Elric tried to cheat in the Demonic Mating trial! What happened to him was justified!"

"Justified?!" Fenrick snarled. "They tore him apart!"

"He tried to rape my daughter, my Vessel, as she was judging their efforts!" Odin snapped. "They see him as a traitor!"

"Elric?!" Tatya blinked now.

"I tried to gain an advantage dishonestly. I didn't know what happened until I was doing it. I thought it would work. It didn't. I need to regain their faith in me by joining the next Demonic Mating honorably. I didn't realize that they saw what I did as a form of cheating. I will not do that again," Elric sighed. "I had also forgotten that Sarine knew how to fight off those that were not meant to be with her without a ranking."

"That you did!" Odin scowled at him.

"But...the way they tore you apart..." Shadow frowned.

"It was out of vengeance for tarnishing something that they all recognized as honor in fighting. I know the others will not regard me until I prove myself. I honestly did not know that what I did was wrong," Elric said.

"You do speak the truth," Odin mused. "You clearly didn't know. I'll talk to them for you, but do heed my warning! If you all step one foot in that house tonight, none of you will be leaving this island alive! I will help them, if I must."

"Oh..." Slade blinked. He just got threatened by Odin personally. He was not going to get on his bad side.

"Lord Odin, I know I cannot get your daughter pregnant, but I do wish to regain their trust. What can I do to right this wrong? Can you tell me?" Elric asked.

"Hmm," Odin thought. "There is something you can do. She may have another Demonic Mating at some point during the day, but, it's questionable, since her pregnancy has finally taken off. I will speak on your behalf tonight. If you approach them during the day, you are to show no fear. The moment you do, you'll be killed on sight. Do you understand?"

"I do," Elric nodded.

"I would like to see this," Fenrick said.

"If you do, you can watch up to the part where she chooses her mates in order. After that, you must turn your back immediately! All of you! Otherwise, you will all be killed," Odin warned. "My daughter, my Vessel, is mated with right after each fighting session. You will see how hard they fight for her. And you will see why Kiel D-01 is the only one allowed to win her Demonic Matings. As it is, he is stronger than Doppelganger. He is also much easier to get upset, and, believe me, if I didn't intervene, the lot of you would have ended up like your Guild master just moments ago!"

"He's that strong?!" Fenrick asked.

"He can take on Loki, if he must," Odin said with a wry smile at their shocked looks. "Now, I must speak on Elric's behalf. The five of you need to leave now. If you stay, you will awaken the wrath of everyone here. What happened to Elric has been explained, so you all see the justice of what was done. Now go in what peace I can extend to you."

"Thank you, Lord Odin," Elric nodded respectfully. The others nodded in turn and left quickly through the arena. The moment they left, he reappeared in the bedroom and mentally called Sarine's men to attention. He didn't need them to gather around him, and he was able to speak out mentally and physically for all of them to hear him. He would also be able to hear them and respond to them when they spoke out, regardless of where they were.

"Elric did not know what he did. He apologizes and will fight honorably next time. He did not know how Demonic Honor works. He does now. His Guild wishes to witness the next Demonic Mating. One may take place during the day. My daughter, my Vessel, may need Muninn's blood as a craving. She will bear no other children. Should Elric appear fearful, kill him. If he shows no fear, let him fight honorably," Odin stated.

"As you say," Thanatos nodded respectfully from the nursery.

"Should we still shun him?" Hibram asked from the stairs.

"By all means! He is bound by Demonic Law and has broken Demonic Law! Should he attempt to fight, do not shun him, as usual. Just kill him as he fights," Odin grinned.

"Do they know how strong I am now?" Kiehl muttered in the fireplace.

"Yes. They do," Odin grinned, as he heard him clearly.

"Do they know that I'll be guarding Sarine?" Loomin smirked.

"No. They don't," Odin grinned again.

"Do you know how many more Demonic Matings she will have? I worry for her health, if her pregnancy is growing now," Hyegun frowned.

"She may have two more before sufficient blood is gathered from Muninn. After her last Demonic Mating, she may be too heavy to move. Also, before I forget, she will be dominant tonight. Make sure that any that need her dominance are informed. Best to get them out of the way. If you want to make my daughter, my Vessel, happy, take her to the Coal Mines and see about finding the location of Vesper. Mitchell Anderheist can help with that, and it will be good traveling time for all of you. However, I would suggest to leave the children behind when pursuing Vesper. The place is not safe at all," Odin warned.

"When should we...attempt Lighthalzen...and gather the monsters there?" Eremes asked.

"I do not want my daughter, my Vessel, anywhere near Lighthalzen!" Odin scowled. That caused alarm, and Howard frowned intensely.

"Sir, with all due respect," Kiehl said softly. "there are valuable research notes that I need there. Can Muninn help us retrieve them?"

"Have Evil Snake Lord conjure up the notes you need," Odin said. That made Kiehl blink and scowl that he didn't think about that. "As for the monsters you need, I'll bend a rule for you all. Tonight, after you find Vesper, use some Dead Branches. I will have various monsters appear that you would have to find there."

"I will gladly assist Kiehl with restoring any notes he requires," Evil Snake Lord said from the nursery nest. Odin nodded at this before giving a final, mental nod to them all, as he vanished back to Valhalla to watch from afar. He was incredibly protective of his daughter while she was bearing Huginn's and Muninn's bodies. He knew he was breaking a lot of rules, but he couldn't afford her being stressed and worried.  _It could harm her health._  He also knew that he would be the same way with her next pregnancy. He didn't want her to lapse into any form of sadness from the triplets. He knew how bad it could get.

"At least my old mentor...will try to regain what he lost...to an extent..." Eremes sighed.

"Or die trying," Doppy smirked. Sarine seemed to sigh in her sleep, and she pressed herself into Muninn. Kiehl chuckled softly, and Howard was already reclining to show he was ready to either sleep or meditate. None of them wanted to leave her right now.

"What are the others up to out there?" Eremes asked.

"Either sleeping, meditating, or getting things ready for her and the kids," Kiehl said lightly. "I don't think that anything else will happen."

"I doubt it," Doppy agreed.

" _Then let's rest. She will wake before the children do,_ " Muninn said. That made them nod and the rest of the night slipped past uneventfully.


	147. Chapter 147

Sarine woke with a small hiss of pain, and Doppy's eyes popped open at the intense kicking.  _The kids wanted food, and they wanted it right away._

"She's starving, and so are they," Hyegun said.

"Get Errende or Thanatos in here!" Kiehl growled. The sun was nearly showing now to announce the new day's arrival. She gave out a low growl at Kiehl, and he paused at first. Then he growled back and pounced her. At first Eremes was concerned. Then, when Sarine started laughing from Kiehl's tickling, he realized that she was actually a bit playful.

"Wow," Howard smiled. "Huginn's body is actually making her want to play?!"

"Hidden side effect from him, I think," Doppy grinned.

" _I think you're right,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _He always did play with her when we took care of her. In a way, it makes sense._ "

"And what did you do?" Ifrit asked.

" _I helped maintain her focus,_ " he said. " _Mainly for training and hunting. Ouch!_ "

Sarine growled at him after she nipped his arm, and he shook his head with a grin. Then she blinked and sat up with a stretch. Byorgue and Nigel came in with her food, and she started eating the moment she got the plates. Kiehl watched over her silently and looked up, as Loomin walked in with a nod. Immunity to heat was given to him when he sat down.

"Muninn, can I get your rune to show neutrality?" he asked.

" _Yes. I need a silk cloth of some kind,_ " Muninn said. Howard thought, and Errende grabbed a strip of white silk before walking in. He placed his hands on her belly, and Sarine whimpered with a form of relief. Kiehl narrowed his eyes at first, but she went back to eating.

"Sarine?" Eremes frowned.

"I'm okay, love," she smiled. "I'll need a shower. It's been awhile."

"We will prepare one when you finish eating," Nigel said.

"I need to find out exactly who needs to be dominated tonight. Do we have any plans for today?" she asked, as she tore into the peppery roast.

"Odin came by last night," Kiehl said. This had her look at him now with concern. She was told what happened while she slept, and she grimaced the whole time.

"So, other than the Assassin Guild wanting to see how your Demonic Mating works, Odin suggested we go to Coal Mines and find Vesper today," Howard said.

"If that's the case, I should have my Demonic Mating first. Otherwise, there will be problems," she said, as she sipped her milk. "That's the last thing I need."

"True," Doppy nodded. He winced with her at various kicks she got.

"Eremes, play with your kids," Hyegun smiled. Eremes nodded and started up a game with them. Now that the developing children were preoccupied, she could finish her meal.

" _Here, Loomin,_ " Muninn said, as he traced his runic pattern over the white silk. " _Wear it over your shoulder so it will be in plain view, and keep it on you at all times._ "

"Thanks," Loomin said. "I'll tell the others of what's going on."

"Naght already did," Howard said. "The kids are waking up."

"We'll let her shower first. Very hot water," Kiehl said. Byorgue nodded, as he took up the dirty plates, and the shower would be prepared. When she was ready to move, she winced at how sore her body was from the exertion of constant Demonic Matings and births. Doppy reflected her pain, and Kiehl hissed with alarm.

"We were told that you would have two more Demonic Matings, but no more kids will need to be born," Howard said, as he helped steady her. Eremes was right at her side, and Ifrit knew that he would have to wait until she was done with her shower.

"I need the toilet," she sighed. Kiehl lifted her in his arms to carry her out. While she was in the bathroom tending to her needs and showering, Sammy thought of what was going to happen. Muninn was able to shift back to his falcon form for her, but he decided against it. He would wait until they were ready to travel.

"How is she?" Neil asked.

"Very sore," Hyegun sighed. "A touch weak, too."

"The kids are looking for her," Thanatos said.

"She's almost done bathing," Ifrit said, as he moved from the fireplace. "The kids are moving within her. Should we tell the children?"

"I will," Hibram chuckled, and he walked out. Sarine came out of the bathroom dressed in her Sniper gears, and they all knew she would need something warmer. She was still a bit hungry, and Aliot was ready to give her some cheese when a small knock came on the door.

"Hmm?" Doppy frowned. When he opened the door, he grinned softly at the sight of Deagan tottering in with a wobbly frame. Kiehl looked over with pure fatherly pride and scooped up his son to press a kiss on his cheek.

"Dad got stronger?!" Deagan gasped.

"Yes," he grinned and tickled him lightly. "And you walked here by yourself?"

"Dad!" Juliana giggled, as she tottered in next. He grinned and moved to scoop her up to kiss her cheek now. Then he gave a protective hiss, as he held his offspring. Deagan blinked at his father at first before looking at his mother.

"Mom grew! Look!" Deagan said, as he giggled.

"Big tummy, Mommy!" Juliana laughed.

"She'll get larger," Eremes said with a soft nod.

"Are they moving?!" Serenity asked, as she ran in.

"They are," Eremes smiled with pride. She jumped up and down before running out to share the news. Sarine sighed, as the cavalry of kids swarmed in now.

"Settle down!" Ragged Zombie warned. "She's not feeling very well, and she will have work to do later today! Be on your best behaviors, and we might be able to let some of you come with us to one of the places. Okay?"

"Yes, Dad," Gunther nodded. Siegfried moved to his mother and kissed her cheek to get a hug in return. Loo Shin and Ming carefully tottered into the room with Doll's help and went straight to Sammy. He smiled at his kids and picked them up to hold them.

"Did you all eat yet?" Errende asked.

"Not yet," Angela said.

"Well, it's too crowded in here. All of you, back to the nursery to eat! We'll bring your mother in there to nurse, and you all can be with her there. I'm sure you all have school later today, too," Howard said. Aliot now moved to escort his kids back out with Keltin guiding his kids. Serenity didn't want to leave her mother's side right away.

"What is it, dear?" Sarine frowned.

"Um...Mama? Are you feeling okay?" her daughter frowned.

"I'm in a bit of pain from giving birth to six babies. Even though they are eggs and seeds, they are still babies," she smiled softly. "It's going to be very rough for me for a while."

"Daddy Loomin, I need to talk to you," Serenity said to him now.

"What's going on?" Loomin asked, and he knelt down to her.

"Grampa Loki talked to me in my dreams last night," Serenity said. This had Loomin narrow his eyes, and Howard looked over with a growl.

"What did he say?" Loomin asked slowly. Muninn now moved to listen carefully. Everyone was on high alert at this and wanted to know what happened.

"He asked how I felt about having a brother or sister with Mama from him. I told him that it was wrong, since he was my Grampa, and that it wasn't right," Serenity said. "Then he told me that Uncle Muninn was going to give me a brother."

" _Serenity,_ " Muninn frowned. She moved to hug him tight, as he knelt down to her. " _What he told you...was the truth. Both Huginn and myself will be giving your mother sons. However, it is to help with the war, and Father Odin saw this himself. Yes, we see your mother as our sister. However, we are not truly related by blood. We were created to help Father Odin see the world as his Eyes. Your mother is needed to show that his presence is among everyone. What Loki told you was mean, but it was the truth._ "

"So...you're not my Uncle?" Serenity frowned.

" _I am your uncle, if you want me to be your uncle. Do you want me to be your uncle?_ "

"Yes! I will always see you as my Uncle! But...if you give me a brother..."

" _He will see you as a sister and protect you with your other brothers and sisters._ "

"Okay," she nodded. "Grampa Loki also told me something else."

"What was that?" Loomin asked.

"He said that I could see any of my brothers as a possible...um...match? I don't know what he means by that," she frowned.

"Serenity, your brothers are your brothers," Loomin said gently. "Grampa Loki can be a bit devious at times. A troublemaker. Yes, he will always tell you the truth, but remember. There can be two sides to every truth. There is the side that makes sense, and the side that can cause confusion. Here is a good example for you."

"I'm listening!" Serenity nodded.

"Good. Take an orange. It's a fruit, it's edible, and it's round. Someone could say that it's a ball. It could be a ball, but it doesn't bounce very well. And you can't eat balls, can you?" he smiled. At the shake of her head, he smiled again and said, "The same thing can be said with words. I'm sure there are plenty of times that you say something, and it's heard as something else, right? That has to have happened."

"All the time with Gunther!" she nodded. Doppy chuckled, and the others agreed.

"So, you see what I mean," Loomin said.

"But, what did Grampa Loki mean as seeing someone as a match?" she asked.

"Sweetie, you know how I get other daddies, right?" Sarine asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Loki means that, well, any of your brothers can help you make children so that your brothers can be their daddies. Do you understand?" Sarine asked with a soft frown.

"That...ew!" Serenity gaped. "No! Me and Gunther?! Or with Edward?! Ew! No!"

"And that's how you need to see it!" Howard nodded sternly. Serenity was completely disgusted now, and Muninn could only smile.  _The kids would never see each other as matches after this._ Howard pulled Serenity to him and kissed her cheek before giving her a big hug. She hugged her father tight, and Kiehl could only chuckle at the looks his kids were giving each other now. They were completely mortified by this. Even Sammy's twins were shaking their heads. Doll had made sure to tell them how procreation worked, since they had started asking questions. They were smart enough to know everything.

"Icky!" Serenity was still muttering to herself. Sarine just sighed, and let Observation help her stand up. She needed to nurse the younger four, and the other kids were waiting to see her. She blinked at a thought and looked at Kiehl.

"Serenity, it will be your decision to tell your brothers and sisters what you learned," Kiehl said to her, as Howard carried her. "I think you should only so that they see how wrong it is. We don't want them to get any bad ideas."

"I don't know," Serenity frowned. "I wouldn't know how to explain it right."

"I'll tell them, Dad," Deagan said. "After I eat, that is."

"All right," Kiehl nodded and kissed his son's forehead.

"Besides, I think Edward really likes Anna," Serenity grinned.

"Does he really?" Ragged Zombie grinned back.

"Yes. He keeps talking about her. Gunther gets mad, though. I think he likes Anna, too," she giggled. "They want to make her presents."

"Thanatos will just love this!" Hyegun laughed. Muninn thought ahead and found himself laughing. Now Loomin looked at him for an explanation.

" _They may end up sharing her!_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Seriously?!" Sarine blinked.

"Come to think of it, Anna likes them both," Neil smirked.

"If she can keep Gunther in line, then I won't care," Doppy snickered.

"They do look like ten-year-olds now, don't they?" Neil smiled.

"The growth spurts are attacking the height now," Howard agreed, as Sarine was set in her rocking chair. "Serenity and Siegfried are eight months old and look eleven years old. I'm not sure if they'll look like teenagers by the end of the year, but definitely by next year."

"As long as they know what they will be training for," Sarine smiled. Kiehl gazed at her lovingly, as he handed her his twins to nurse. As he sat with her, he looked over towards the nursery entrance with a low growl. Doppy tensed at it, and Thanatos looked over now. Naght rumbled slightly, and Entweihen moved his skeletal gaze to the door. Beelzebub frowned, and Evil Snake Lord coiled up even more on the nest. Even though the false nest was over the real one, he wasn't taking any chances.

"It's me!" Seyren said. Baphomet was told by his son about Kiehl's new power, and Seyren was warned to take all precautions. At his voice, they all visibly relaxed.

"Everyone is on edge right now," Keltin sighed. "Did you hear about what Elric did?"

"Through Baphomet and his son, I did," Seyren nodded, as he walked in. "And he plans to come back later today?"

"Yes..." Eremes nodded. "I will not be able to trust him..."

"I wouldn't!" Doppy snorted. As the other kids ate, they talked about what was planned for the day. Seyren agreed to talk to Mitchell to find out Vesper's location. On hearing about the Dead Branches, he nodded.  _Lighthalzen wouldn't be trusted, if Odin didn't want Sarine to go there._  He wouldn't chance it, if Odin objected.

"Timmy has to go there to find out how to make a Homunculus," Seyren said. "But, where he has to go is a bit different. He'll also be disguised. The guards there are sort of stupid when it comes to that."

"As long as no connection is made to me through him," Howard nodded.

" _Don't worry. You slaughtered all of the scientists that worked on you with Naght's help long ago. Timmy will be perfectly safe,_ " Muninn said. That actually made Howard grin, and Kiehl nodded with approval.

"Kiehl, dear? Why don't you have Evil Snake Lord create those notes you need while I nurse Sammy's twins? I'm sure it can be done," Sarine smiled. Kiehl thought about that and pressed a kiss to her mouth before nodding to Byorgue.

"I'll get the papers," Byorgue nodded.

"Dad," Deagan said.

"Yes?" Kiehl smiled.

"Why are you so strong now?" he frowned.

"Your mother gave me a taste of Muninn's blood. It empowered me," Kiehl said.

"Really? But, I thought Uncle Muninn was too strong for you!"

"A mere taste is okay. Any more than that could be a problem. I don't think that I'll be getting any more. And don't worry. Like your brothers and sisters, I will only use my strength and attacks to protect your mother and my family. That reminds me, Deagan. Do you have any special powers yet? Do you know of them?" Kiehl asked curiously. Sarine gave his twins to him to hold, as Sammy gave her his to nurse.

"Good question!" Deagan blinked, as he thought.

"I don't think we have them yet, Dad," Juliana said. "I know that Ming and Loo Shin know all the stuff their future classes do."

"Well, that's obvious," Kiehl nodded.

"Other than us being ridiculously smart from you," Deagan grinned, and he laughed at the soft tickle to his side. "Do you think that counts as one?"

" _It's highly possible!_ " Muninn nodded.

"I heard that I was to be a Paladin, right?" Juliana asked.

"That is what Muninn saw you as," Kiehl said.

"And I was to become a Creator, right?" Deagan asked.

"That's right!" he grinned.

"A Paladin with glasses," Juliana sighed.

"There have been stranger things," Howard grinned. "Seyren is a monkey in a metal suit! A big stinky monkey!"

"He is!" Serenity giggled from where she sat at the table. Byorgue came back with large sheets of paper, and Evil Snake Lord now moved his ink over them to start bringing out all of Kiehl's old notes. While he was busy with that, Deagan was trying to think of what he knew as a special power, and it was starting to bug him.

"Dear, don't think about that now," Sarine smiled. "There is no need to be mad about it."

"But, I should know, Mom!" Deagan frowned.

"Listen to your mother," Kiehl grinned. "You'll find out in time."

"Yes, Dad," he nodded.

"Who is a strong Paladin?" Juliana asked.

"Garrett is. Egnigem and Max are strong Paladins, too," Sammy said.

"Oh! Um..." she thought.

"When your mom is done feeding your brother and sister you can talk to him," Kiehl said. "We'll arrange it."

"Cecil just told him," Beelzebub chuckled. "He'll come here when she says it's safe."

"Thank you, love," Sarine sighed. She was clearly exhausted now, and Muninn frowned.

"What is it?" Kiehl asked.

" _It's my side effect. Her strength is being drained rapidly. I'm trying to see what we can do to counter it. Yggdrasil Berries don't work,_ " he said.

"A rather nasty side effect," Hyegun frowned.

"Give her some Royal Jelly," Loomin said. "She needs that."

"I'll get it," Nigel said. He moved out of the room quickly to head to the kitchen. Sarine gave Sammy his twins when they finished nursing, and she fixed up her top with Eremes's help. Garrett came up with Nigel to help with the Royal Jelly honeycombs.

"Deagan. Juliana. Go to Injustice. I have to help your mother," Kiehl said.

"Okay, Dad," Deagan nodded. As they were handed to the slave, Juliana motioned to Garrett to talk to him about being a Paladin. Kiehl moved to shift Sarine into his lap in the rocking chair, and he started to massage her. This made her shiver with delight, and he kept his hands hot to give her some much needed heat. Eremes helped by massaging her arms and legs. She was given a couple honeycombs to eat, and this helped her strength.

"We'll need a lot more of these," Kiehl muttered. "Muninn, I need to know when she has her next Demonic Mating."

" _Within the hour,_ " Muninn said with a nod. " _Hmm. Elric is already on his way here._ "

"I know," Beelzebub growled with disgust. Garrett looked over at him now on getting a few of his thoughts. On swapping blood with Cecil, he was able to understand a few things about the Demon Lord's mind.

"I'll help kill him," Garrett said without a second thought. Beelzebub smirked and nodded slightly.  _It would help keep the traitor in line._ At another Hell Fly report, he hissed.

"Apparently, the princes and Kavach plan to keep an eye out, too," the Demon Lord growled. That made Kiehl hiss with intense hatred, but he grinned at Doppy's look of amusement.  _They would be easy to tear to pieces._

"I'll protect her, as we agreed," Loomin said. "How would I make sure to be at her side when she is ready?"

"We will allow you to go ahead of us. You know where we gather," Kiehl said.

"Storm Caller was made aware of everything. He set something up for you," Beelzebub nodded. "Go and speak with him now."

"I will," Loomin nodded. He gave Sarine a deep kiss and moved to find the strong Strouf. He wanted to make sure that everything would be ready. Sarine looked disturbed, and Kiehl nuzzled her softly. She was hiding her thoughts from him.

"What's on your mind, love?" he muttered in her ear. She simply shook her head and shivered. Howard looked at her, and Kiehl looked at Eremes.

"Normally she tells things...to Seyren..." Eremes frowned.

"I need to talk to her," Kiehl said. "I won't let her go to him."

"Fine," Eremes nodded. "I'll be nearby."

"So will I," Howard said. Kiehl gathered her up carefully from his lap and carried her into the bedroom. Doppy frowned, but he knew that she would easily open up to Kiehl. She was moved right into the fireplace, and she sighed with relief at the intense heat.

"You're not leaving here, until you tell me what's on your mind," Kiehl muttered, as he pressed Sarine against the fireplace wall. "You can tell me. I'll make everything better."

"Will you?" she whispered. At his nod, she clung to him and growled out, "I don't like it when Loki talks to my children in their dreams!"

That made him hiss with hatred, and he was in complete agreement. He would need to see what he could do to safeguard their children. He didn't want Loki trying to destroy the lives of their kids, either. He already tried to hurt Serenity, and that made him upset. He caught up Sarine in a heavy, passionate kiss, and he nuzzled into her neck.

"I'll talk to Muninn and Alexander. I'm sure they may have some ideas," he said, as he nibbled along her neck. Then he hissed and turned quickly, as his ghost flared out in full. Loki was in the fireplace with them and unharmed by the heat.

"Just ask me what you want to ask them, since it's about me, anyways," Loki smirked. Kiehl seethed with intense hate at the intrusion, as he glared with an unblinking stare. "Oh, stop it! You can't hurt me!"

"Loki, why are you pestering my children?!" Sarine frowned, as she ran a hand over her belly. "And why the hell are you here now?!"

"I thought that Serenity should know a few truths," he shrugged. "I kept my promise to Loomin by not being in their presence physically without him there..."

He didn't even see the fist that slammed into his jaw from Kiehl's sudden move. Kiehl was severely livid and wasn't going to take any chances. It completely caught Loki by surprise, and now he glared back at Kiehl. Sarine just stared in completely shock and amazement. _Muninn was right about him being able to hold back the powerful god. Kiehl was able to harm Loki._  Sarine gasped, as Loki's eyes sought her face.

"You will not touch her!" Kiehl snarled.

"I don't have to touch her to keep from doing something, you know," Loki smirked. "Besides, she's safe from me. Father would kill me, if I touched her with the developing bodies of Huginn and Muninn. Hmm. That's odd. There's something...emanating from her. Something from Valhalla. It's warning me..."

"Then get away from her!" Kiehl hissed, as he struck out again and managed to land his next punch in his gut. Sarine knew it was Valkyrie's feather in her system, and he knew it, too. If Loki tried something, the feather would react. Right now, it was giving out a warning to keep away. Loki tried and failed to block Kiehl's ferocious attack, and he knew he wouldn't be able to get past the protective father.

"I'll be back for her!" Loki scowled and vanished away. Kiehl roared out his challenging cry and turned to quickly press himself into Sarine's embrace.

"My protective mate..." she whispered, as he kissed her.

"My heart...my life..." he groaned, as her hands worked into his hair. "I'll kill him, if he touches you! I swear it!"

"Make me yours..." she pleaded, and he pulled her shorts down quickly. Once he exposed himself and slipped into her, he gave a sharp cry with her at their hard release. He pressed his face against her neck, and he growled when Howard was told what happened. He was floored that Kiehl hurt Loki. Word would spread quickly, but no one would dare to approach Kiehl until he was calm again. Howard knew that Kiehl saw Sarine as his. As much as he would be jealous, he knew he couldn't be, since Kiehl was an extension of himself. Kiehl snarled suddenly and turned at the feel of another presence, but it was Odin. He shivered with control and moved quickly to fix up his clothes and hers. Odin waited until they were ready, and he nodded in greeting with a form of respect. Kiehl gave a small nod in kind.

"Kiel D-01, I felt Loki's presence. Did he come here?" Odin asked.

"He did. I punched him in the face," Kiehl nodded. "Then in the gut."

"Really? Good!" Odin grinned. "I think I'm going to give you a small gift for holding him off as you have. It will be given to you when Sarine is ready to carry the triplets."

"Oh?" Kiehl blinked now. "I will look forward to it!"

"Just don't let it get the better of you," Odin smiled. "My daughter, my Vessel? You are safe? If Loki tries to touch you even once, he's skinned!"

"He said that he didn't have to touch me to harm me," Sarine frowned.

"Did he?" Odin asked with a hint of rage in his voice. Now he moved over to her and pressed a finger to her head. She gasped, and Kiehl winced with sudden pain.

"Daddy?!" Sarine whimpered, as she held her head.

"Sorry, my daughter, my Vessel. I was putting a protective ward on your mind. It has spread to your Armor, your Soul, and to Naght Seiger. Loki will not be able to invade your dreams. And, if Huginn tries anything, he will be blocked, as well!" Odin said sternly. That caught Huginn's attention now.

"Thank you, Lord Odin," Kiehl nodded.

"I will personally ensure that Loki does not pester my grandchildren in their sleep from this moment forward! If he wishes to speak with them, he will keep to Loomin's word," Odin said. "I do not wish to see my grandchildren accepting each other as possible mates. It would not be right, and it would clearly dull the blood in the end."

"Thank you, Daddy," Sarine smiled. He nodded to her and vanished away.

"This is the most I've seen him come out," Kiehl sighed, as he hugged her tight. "He really is keeping a sharp eye on you now. Are you all right, love?"

"I'll be fine," she smiled. He kissed her hard, and she sighed, as she whispered, "I think I have an idea of what he will do for you."

"Do you?" Kiehl smiled. Then he paused at her thought before excitement hit him. "He'll...let me make you mine?! As your first time?! You think so?"

"It's a possibility, but he said not to let it get to you. I don't want you to think that I'm completely yours. I belong to the others, too."

"I think it's a bit too late for you to have mentioned that," Kiehl said, as he gazed at her face. "I already thought you were mine the moment our first wedding night took place."

At her speechless pause, he kissed her hard and eagerly hoped she was right about Odin's gift to him.  _If Howard had her before as her first, then I clearly should, too._ A moment later, Howard walked in with a look of annoyance on his face.

"Sarine, why didn't you tell me about Sammy?" he asked.

"Huh?!" she gasped. Kiehl ran his teeth over her neck, and he glared at Howard in warning. He didn't want her upset, and Howard nodded as he took on a gentler tone.

"Sammy had you as a first. You didn't tell me," Howard said.

"Oh..." she blushed and looked away. "Um...Daddy did it from his dream vision with me. I...really had no control over that."

"Odin...was responsible? Oh. Then I have nothing to complain about," Howard sighed.

"And, if Doppy has you as a virgin, he won't let anyone else touch you," Kiehl mused. "It's likely why he isn't going to have you as a virgin, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "How-How? What's wrong? Please tell me?"

"I was supposed to have been your first and only!" he muttered. Kiehl looked at him and growled out softly. Howard looked at him now and winced. He found Sarine in his arms and hugging him tightly. He hugged her back just as tight and looked at her.

"How-How," she said with a shiver, and he trembled. "My Demonic Mating is going to happen soon. I can...feel it. I hate them! I really do! But, I have no choice in them. What am I supposed to do, How-How? You tell me."

"I can't...tell you what to do..." he sighed with defeat, and he cradled her. "You have no control over this as much as I do."

"I did love you first, How-How! I still love you! No matter what happens!" she whispered, and he kissed her hard. Kiehl watched everything silently and thought to himself.  _Tonight was needed for the three of them._

"Howard," Kiehl said softly. "Tonight will be a wedding night between you, me, and her. I'm strong enough to support her heat by myself, and I can keep you immune, if I have to. I know what you're going through. Hell, I hear it in your head!"

"Kiehl, love, listen to me," Sarine said, as she focused herself. "Do not have a wedding night with me until my triplets are ready to be formed. Trust me on this. Be with me tonight, if you want. Just no wedding night."

"Sarine..." he growled.

"She's right," Howard said. "Think about it."

"Fine..." Kiehl sighed, as he heard Howard's mental argument. "You're right. It would be more appropriate, if she was given back her virginity for me."

"I'll even let you unwrap me again," she smiled. That made him grin with desire. He would easily wait now. She shivered and hissed, as Kiehl growled. Her scent was filling his senses. She was trying to hold back the Demonic Mating, but it was too hard.

"That's right. She had Huginn's blood and Muninn's blood. If I recall, Huginn's blood brought about the first Demonic Mating for Thanatos, and Muninn's blood let her have twins with him. Now that there is no need for extra kids, it's back to back Demonic Matings. Damn!" Howard muttered.  _I have to get Sarine out of the fireplace._  Kiehl was trying to give her a fair chance to leave before his instinct kicked in to grab her.  _At least she was dressed this time!_

"How-How..." she winced.

"Go," Howard nodded to her. She kissed him passionately and moved quickly from the fireplace. Kiehl snarled out after her and was forced to follow. She ran out to the front of the house, and a line was already there. Among them was Elric, Kavach, Shoujin, and Cedrick. None of her mates, husbands, or slaves were happy at all.

"They'll be slaughtered," Errende growled.

"No kidding," Byorgue growled back.

"What do we do?" Tatya asked.

"Stay with us and don't try to help anyone!" Howard muttered. "Elric needs to regain his lost honor by himself!"

"Right," Slade nodded.

"Nice to see you, Chicken Shit!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Shut up!" Fenrick hissed.

"And you still respond...amazing..." Eremes chuckled. That had Fenrick color up, and Keltin bit the inside of his cheek. Hyegun snickered at it. Sarine snarled out her hatred at Elric to show that she saw him as a traitor. He would need to work on trying to prove his worth again. When Kiehl moved out of the house, the dominant males looked at him with silent respect. They didn't hiss at him or snarl with hate. They fully honored and trusted him. He was their instinctive leader. Kiehl looked over at Elric with a form of seething hatred, but he looked away to focus on Sarine.  _Odin said to give him a chance to regain his honor._ He trusted Odin's word more than anything. If it wasn't for Odin telling him to give Elric another chance, Kiehl would have slaughtered him on sight. Naght looked over at Sarine and ignored the other humans. He knew they were all going to die.

"What are we waiting for?" Shadow asked.

"Quiet!" Howard warned. "Just wait and watch!"

Loomin walked over to Sarine to display his sash of neutrality with Muninn's runic symbol. The males nodded with complete respect to him. Once Loomin showed himself, he had already moved on ahead. He wanted to show himself to them to remind them of his status. He was there to guard Sarine against any further intrusions, as they had all agreed on. Beelzebub kept his eyes on Loomin, and he tensed when Sarine made herself ready to bolt.

" _Good. I didn't miss it,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over. " _This will be interesting._ "

"Will it?" Sammy whispered.

" _Yes. You'll see why,_ " Muninn chuckled. Sarine stared at the various mates and husbands that stared back at her. Aliot let out a hissing breath, and Doppy growled with impatience. Kiehl made himself ready to launch at her, but it was Cedrick that ran at her first. He was shocked to find that Sarine had bolted ahead with her Wind Walk skill. She was heavy with her children, but she wasn't at a point that she could keep herself from running. If anything, she was instinctively holding her belly while she ran to ease the strain.

"There they go!" Neil grinned. Hibram and Thanatos roared in challenge, as they ran after her. Shoujin was barely able to keep up. He wisely chose to wear lighter armor. Cedrick and Kavach were quickly left behind.

"Damn it!" Cedrick hissed.

"Should have worn better armor!" Ragged Zombie chuckled.

"So fast..." Kavach gasped.

"The two of you...have not kept up...and are...disqualified..." Eremes said, as he ran past them. Cedrick stared after him with disbelief.  _I was already disqualified?!_

"I'll need to work on my stamina," Cedrick muttered to himself, and he headed towards the barracks. Kavach was grimacing and decided to see if Turtle General could help him, too.

"At least that's two down!" Errende grinned.

"So true!" Howard said. Muninn already knew it was going to happen. When they caught up to Sarine, she was already down the hole with her men following her. Shoujin and Elric jumped down last. When Howard led his group down the stairs, they paused at what they saw in the window.  _The place was different now._

Loomin was now standing on the platform with Sarine and glaring at everything the room had to offer. He wasn't letting anything touch her uninvited. A small door had opened for him from the stairway, and he was able to join Sarine before her platform raised. The room had new additions now. The spears had changed locations, and there were smaller holes seen along the walls. They almost looked like they blended in, but what reflected from them was seen. Howard told Kiehl to study them, and they both hissed mentally.  _Arrows filled them._  Along the ceiling were axes that were ready to swing the moment they were released from their locks.

" _Arrows and axes are added to the spears. Not bad!_ " Muninn grinned.

"You said it was going to be interesting. You were right!" Maheo gaped.

"Elric won't live!" Shadow winced.

"But, he'll regain what honor he lost...by fighting for it this way..." Eremes nodded with his arms across his chest. "He had better...fight well..."

"I bet Shoujin dies in the first five minutes!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"You're on!" Byorgue nodded. Sarine keened out, sat down, and the room came alive. Howard was focusing on everything for Kiehl, but he really didn't need to. Kiehl's senses were completely honed by Muninn's blood, and everything was dodged by narrow margins. It was almost as though he was doing it on purpose. He ignored everyone and everything around him, as he dodged the traps. As always now, Sarine's eyes were focused on him, and pride filled her mind. She looked over, as Shoujin had managed to make his way over to Kiehl to try and fight him. All Kiehl had to do was lure him into the path of a falling axe. Now, with Shoujin distracted, he was cut down swiftly, and he roared out his successful kill.

At Kiehl's bragging roar, the other dominant males got pissed. They respected him, but they didn't want him to gain any further attention from Sarine. This gave him extra bonus Rights on top of what he was aiming for. Sarine purred with complete delight at this. Baphomet Jr. now focused his hatred on Elric and brayed out his anger. His scythe swiped outwards, as though to carve him in half from the groin up, but Elric used his Back Slide skill to get out of the way. He used his skill again to dodge an attack from Doppy. Then again to escape Thanatos's sword. Ifrit flared out his heat to try and trap the human, but Elric was swift in escaping. He had learned that the monsters could attack each other, if he lured them to each other.

As he had monster against monster, he tried to make his way to Sarine's pedestal. It was here that he was blocked by Kiehl. He was too fast for any others to hit, so he was avoided most of the time. Kiehl seethed with complete hatred, as he lunged at Elric. Naght looked over at Kiehl's thoughts and didn't want him to be distracted by a human.

"Help him, Naght!" Howard muttered.

"I thought we can't help the others?!" Fenrick said.

"He is mind-linked to Naght and Kiehl. Most of the time, they ignore him. Mental help is fine. Physical help is not allowed," Sammy said.

"That's cheating!" Tatya gaped.

"It isn't when there are others that can do this," Errende smirked. "I'm linked to Lord Thanatos, remember? Half the time, he goes off of instinct, anyways."

"And I am linked...to Ifrit..." Eremes said. "Most of the time...Ifrit is last...but...he is improving...slowly but surely..."

"How many matings has Kiehl won?" Shadow asked.

"Four so far," Keltin grinned. "And he gets stronger with each win."

"No way!" Slade hissed.

"Oh, yes," Neil grinned, as he watched the fighting happen.

"Well, I can't just sit here and watch him die!" Fenrick growled.

"The moment you try to help him, you're dead!" Ragged Zombie warned. Fenrick winced at this, but it was too late. Kiehl had already cut Elric down by using the other traps as distractions. Naght didn't have to do a thing.

"Elric!" Tatya whimpered.

"He'll be Resurrected..." Eremes said. "He regained his honor through them..."

"But, he still died!" Fenrick argued.

"That doesn't matter," Sammy said. "As long as he showed he tried to fight. That's all they care about. If he tried to cheat again, he would have been killed every time we saw him."

"Seriously?!" Shadow asked with wide eyes.

"Yes..." Eremes nodded. Kiehl roared out another victory kill, and the remaining males snarled with fury. They wanted the extra bonus kills and lost them. Entweihen was having problems trying to dodge attacks and use his attacks. The traps were knocking him down in status. Naght saw this and moved to help him fend off the traps. Sarine studied this and realized the handicap that Entweihen was facing. Her mind worked frantically to see if something could be done for those that could not move while attacking.  _At least for him._

"Interesting," Howard muttered.

" _What?_ " Muninn asked.

"Sarine is sensing that some traps are too much for various mates. Entweihen can't move as he attacks, so he gets hit with traps constantly. Naght is helping him now. She wants to see what can be done in the future for those with handicaps like this," Howard said.

"I'll send word to Storm Caller after this is done," Byorgue said. Loomin was watching everything silently and had to cast his Pneuma spell over Sarine to ensure that no stray arrows would hit her. Many arrows were being deflected and were hard to control. Another grueling twenty minutes passed, and she stood up to keen out sharply. The room reset itself and went silent, as her dominant males stood for her to assess them.

"Good thing Loomin was there," Hyegun said. "Hmm. We'll need her to eat after this is done. The children in her are waiting patiently, but she's going to be starving."

"I brought food for her," Errende said. Then he looked at the Assassin Guild members and growled out, "You four need to turn your backs now! The moment she chooses the order of them, they'll all reach for her in turns!"

"He's right. Turn around. Now," Eremes warned. He wouldn't hesitate to kill any of them, whether they were old comrades or not. They nodded and turned. As an added measure, a special curtain was placed in over the window. This was drawn now, but Howard continued to peek through it to help tell the others who won.

Kiehl hissed, as he watched the pedestal lower, and Loomin nodded to them all with respect before backing away carefully. He wasn't going to lower his guard until everything was fully done. He said he was going to protect Sarine, and he meant every word. Sarine had her eyes closed in thought as she assessed them all. She looked at Kiehl first. Then, to everyone's surprise, she looked at Naght second. Then it was Thanatos.

"Lord Thanatos got third?!" Errende hissed with surprise.

"It's because Naght helped another. She was impressed by it," Howard said. "So, for this Demonic Mating, Thanatos got dethroned from second."

"He's not happy," Errende sighed. Thanatos was clearly not happy, but he heard she had one more Demonic Mating to do.  _That would be tomorrow._ He would regain his second rank status with everything he had. At the very end of the long line of mates, Wanderer was seen as last. Kiehl roared out his Bragging Rights, as another diamond appeared on his leash loop.

"What element should he get next?" Hyegun asked.

"I'd say mine. Earth," Howard chuckled.

"Elements?" Slade asked with his back turned.

"Yes. As Sarine's husbands, we have special elemental attributes that we can use to attack with. They are not just our weaknesses," Sammy said. "We all have special places and spots around her. Every husband she gains has a special rank, place, and element."

"Is that so?" Tatya wondered aloud.

"Yes," Keltin nodded. He wasn't about to go into details. Howard watched each dominant male take Sarine, as she saw them. When Wanderer held her last, Kiehl roared out his Bragging Rights again, and the males nodded to him. The fifth diamond appeared on his leash loop right after he finished his bragging roar. Sarine was given to him without a fight, and he sat on the ground to cradle her in his lap.

"Here," Loomin said, as he handed her a spare kimono.

"Thank you," Kiehl nodded to him respectfully. "Please gather up her clothing so Errende can fix them. From what Hyegun has said, she needs to eat."

"Right," Doppy nodded. As that was being done, Howard walked over to Kiehl, and they smirked at each other. Naght rumbled to them both, and they all nodded.

"Ready?" Howard grinned.

"It's your first time doing this, so, sure. Focus on the diamond," Kiehl grinned back. Howard focused and thought of becoming a form of solid rock that made him Sarine's Armor. It was actually quite natural for him to do this, and it caught him by surprise. His skin seemed to be coated over with it, and he had to physically reach out to touch the diamond. When it gained the color of grey stone, the transfer was complete.

"How-How?" Sarine asked softly. He leaned down and chuckled. His body was still coated over with stone, and he blinked when a knife struck his back and slid off harmlessly.

"Who was that?!" Howard growled, and Kiehl gave out a hiss of hatred, as he pulled Sarine closer. Fenrick wanted to see how tough the stone skin truly was and threw the knife.

"Idiot!" Eremes snarled out, as he Berserked.

" _Like I said,_ " Muninn grinned. " _This one was going to be interesting..._ "

Ifrit and Naght turned to kill Fenrick, and Doppy was quick to block off the other three from helping him. Tatya was sighing with pity for her comrade. Shadow and Slade were just dumbfounded that Fenrick tried something like that.

"I hope you brought some Yggdrasil Leaves," Errende sighed, as he stitched together Sarine's Sniper garments. "I doubt I'll be allowed to Resurrect him."

"You're not touching anybody!" Thanatos snarled out, as he helped impale the human.

" _I'm not the Healer. Huginn is,_ " Muninn shrugged. He walked over, and Beelzebub nodded to him with a savage grin.

"Lloyd and Margaretha are coming here now," the Demon Lord said.

"Let them revive them after we're gone!" Kiehl snapped.

"Why...do such idiocies...happen...?" Sarine sighed out with exhaustion.

"That's one of the many wonders of life," Kiehl said gently to her, as he cradled her.

"I'm starving!" she winced. Kiehl watched Byorgue quickly start offering her various craving dishes. Aliot nodded to Kiehl and helped Sarine eat by slicing up her roast. When she finished the roast, Errende had her Sniper garments fixed back up. Beelzebub moved to cover his robe over Sarine and Kiehl so she could dress in privacy. When he backed away, Loomin was given back his spare kimono. The exit out of the chamber was now open, and many of her mates and husbands left to do what they needed to do.

As they started to finally settle down, Howard blinked at a sudden mental thought, and it wasn't from Sarine, Kiehl, or Naght. He gave a grimace and noticed that time was now frozen.

"Howard Alt-Eisen!" Odin said, as he walked out from behind a pillar. Muninn smiled again, as he foresaw this. A nod of respect was given, and he stood aside.

"Sir," Howard nodded. Sarine looked over with Kiehl, and she realized that everyone else around them was frozen. Kiehl cuddled her with a soft smile, and Loomin found himself sitting with her. Naght rumbled softly and nodded to Odin with respect.

"Something was supposed to have taken place last night, and it didn't," Odin said. "I want it done now. I know the others will be filled in later on, but this is important."

"Of course, Sir," Howard smiled.

"Daddy, should this wait until my triplets are formed?" Sarine asked. Odin gave a small smile, as he knew with the others that they were already formed.

"I'm afraid that it cannot wait," Odin said.

"Lord Odin," Kiehl said. "I would have to agree with Sarine. If everything goes well, I'm sure that a wedding would take place within the dream vision. Can we save this dream vision as another wedding gift from you? Sarine is so weak right now, and she needs her strength back. It worries me, if she has to go through something so stressful. I don't want her developing children to come to any harm from this."

"Hmm..." Odin frowned.

"Lord Odin, I would also like to request that I will not be a part of this, if it will be their wedding night," Loomin said. "I will likely see everything with the others through Muninn."

"Loomin?" Sarine frowned. He smiled at her and moved over to hug her with a sigh.

"Well," Odin thought. "as you say, there may be a wedding involved in the dream. If there is, then I'm sure that something can be arranged right after it is done in secret."

"I...am...sure...it...would...be...best..." Naght rumbled with a nod.

"Very well. We shall withhold this dream vision until the triplets are ready to come to pass. It shall be done before either of you touch her," Odin chuckled. That made Howard and Kiehl laugh softly with understanding. "And, yes, you are correct in assuming that her body will be purified as your 'gift', Kiel D-01. So, you can look forward to that!"

"Thank you, Sir," Kiehl nodded with his eyes lowered. Odin vanished away, as time resumed, and Sarine was pulled fully into Kiehl's arms to get cradled. Eremes walked over to check her body heat, and he hissed with alarm.

"She needs heat!" Ifrit said, as he moved to stand next to her. "Where is that blanket?!"

"It's at the arena," Byorgue grimaced. "I'll get it quickly!"

"Hurry! She'll be in the fireplace!" Howard said, as Loomin quickly cast his Warp to the nursery. Once again, the kids saw Kiehl rush through with Sarine in his arms to head into the bedroom. Loomin wisely decided to make another Memory point to be directly in the bedroom to keep from alarming the kids.

"Good idea," Sammy said, as he saw what Loomin did. "How is she?"

"Cold..." Eremes frowned, and he walked into the fireplace after her and Kiehl. She gave out a sharp, gasping sigh of relief at the heat, and Kiehl pressed his face into her neck. It took a bit of time for her to stop shivering. Only after the shivering stopped was her body heat stable again. Byorgue walked in with the blanket, and it was super-heated quickly to wrap around her.

"As long as the blanket is kept hot on the inside, she'll be fine," Ifrit said.

"And she can travel in it. The outside will only be warm, so it won't hurt us," Byorgue nodded. "What were the plans for today again?"

"Odin suggested we go to Coal Mines and then find Vesper afterwards," Kiehl said. He snuggled Sarine in the blanket. "I was thinking we find Vesper first. Then, depending on when we get done, we go to Coal Mines. I don't recall any strong monsters there."

"There aren't any strong monsters there," Keltin said, as he walked in. Naght was telling everyone what was being discussed. Beelzebub felt out of place, since he couldn't hear anything from the roaring heat of the fireplace. "However, there is one monster there, and that's the monster known as Myst. It can only be found there."

"I would love to see the area south of Gonryun. Just to explore it," Sarine sighed.

"Maybe we can do that after we find the other monsters as a good source of training for the kids," Kiehl smiled. "I'm sure we can work that in."

"It would be appreciated," she nodded. "As for going to Coal Mines to simply find one monster, well, we should find Vesper first. I'm quite sure that a lot of other monsters will be found. Oh! Weren't the other versions of those robots found there?"

"You're right," Keltin chuckled. "We still need the other robots that have other elemental properties, and they are found there."

"Has Mitchell found anything out?" Eremes asked. "Considering that Vesper is in...Yuno territory...last I heard..."

"Kathryne was talking to him about it. I'm sure he would know more," Ifrit said.

"Well, if we are going there, the kids aren't going!" she frowned. "Daddy said that the area was too dangerous, as it was. And they have school."

"That they do," Kiehl nodded.

"Mitchell's in the bedroom. Love, are you warm enough?" Howard asked, as he walked in. The blanket was quickly wrapped around her, and Kiehl was able to help lead her out. Holding her form in his lap in one of the many chairs in the bedroom now, Mitchell looked at her with a smile, and he nodded to her. He adjusted his glasses, and everyone chuckled when Kiehl did the same movement to his own glasses.

"What did you find out?" Beelzebub asked, as he walked in from the nursery.

"I know where we have to go, but it may be safer to have Muninn take us straight there. If anyone finds out we are going to the ancient site of technology, well, we could have a crowd of scholars with us," Mitchell frowned. "They always wanted to find out everything they could about our ancestors. They send out teams of expeditions from scientists to adventurers daily. If we run into them, don't be surprised. Any artifacts we find, they will want to have. And, from what I know, the place is teeming with enemies. Mobs of robotic enemies."

"I should upgrade the robots we have here, then," Kiehl mused. "And, if there are robots there, we should see if the strong monster, RSX-0806, wants to come with us. We could invite Ungoliant, too, since she is familiar with robots to an extent."

"I'll ask them," Beelzebub said, and his patrolling Hell Flies sought them out. "Oh, Keltin, Munak wants to be a sister, if she can. I spoke with her last night while everyone slept. She told me that, if she can't have your love, she'll have your friendship in this form. She'll still feel loved as family, if not as your match."

"I'll talk to her later with Hyegun," Keltin nodded.

"When we get back, you think?" Hyegun asked.

"Yeah. And I want Sarine with us," Keltin said gently. "As a precaution."

"Maybe you should have Incubus there, too," Howard smirked.

"Good idea," Hyegun grinned.

"Ungoliant and RSX-0806 will join us," Beelzebub said. "They will wait outside the house with Windwalker, Eddga, Pori-Pori, and the steeds that will carry various ones of us."

"Good," Sarine smiled.

"Oh, call over Apocalypse. I want to see how I can upgrade that robot really fast. Sarine, love, would you like to come down to the workshop with me?" Kiehl smiled, as he nuzzled her.

"I would love to see how my Kiehl works," she blushed.

"I gotta see this," Mitchell grinned.

"Me, too," Neil chuckled. Howard grinned and they moved down to the workshop. Once here, Sarine was set in a plush chair. The large, white robot lumbered in and paused at the sight of Kiehl. It instinctively knew that Kiehl was powerful. Far more powerful than any other monster it came across. Kiehl grinned, and Apocalypse gave out a chirring sound of whirrs and blips. Kiehl responded in kind. The massive, white robot now moved to let him gain access to its control panel, and Kiehl got to work.

"I'll need an upgrade, too," Aliot frowned.

"In time, Aliot," Kiehl muttered. "Just assist me with Howard, please."

"Yes," Aliot nodded. "Do you want me to get Alicel?"

"Please do," Kiehl said. Howard was able to take Kiehl's place when he needed to hold Sarine when his craving took effect. Once it was gone, he switched places with Howard. Muninn walked into the workshop to stand with Sarine, and he placed a heated hand on her shoulder. Howard nodded to him, and Eremes found himself drawn into watching Kiehl work on Apocalypse's upgrade. He was finding it rather fascinating.

"I want to do something," Neil frowned.

"I need some coils of wire. You can strip them from older machines," Kiehl said. Howard brought over an odd, broken machine, and it was quickly taken apart. Howard took Kiehl's place to help add a boosting agent to Apocalypse's attack. Sarine was lifted into Kiehl's arms and hugged tight.

"Almost done?" she smiled.

"Almost. Oh, I found this for us on Apocalypse. It wasn't needed," he grinned, as he showed off a gun called a Destroyer. She giggled and now thought. He looked at her with a sigh and said, "I don't think we'll have any kids that wouldn't want to transcend. I know what you're thinking of with Gunslingers and Ninjas. We'll have to see if they can eventually become stronger in their experience. From what we know, those classes are a bit new. It would be nice, if a Ninja could become a Samurai. Gunslingers could even become, oh, Outlaws? Not sure. It would depend on how much stronger they can become. Our children need to have these special transcendent areas, too."

" _That reminds me,_ " Muninn grinned. " _Stronger classes will be made available when the war is over. It comes from revealing the new world._ "

"What?!" Sarine, Kiehl, and Howard said together.

"Do you know what they are?" Neil asked now.

" _Not off-hand. It will come to me in time,_ " Muninn chuckled. Kiehl kissed Sarine intensely now before setting her back in the chair to finish his work on Apocalypse. Beelzebub came down to see everyone, and he moved to Sarine's side.

"I think," Beelzebub grinned. "that the children you have with me, and with the others that are eggs and seeds, should become the ones that do not transcend."

"You think so?" Sarine smiled.

" _I can actually see that happening!_ " Muninn blinked.

"It would be for the best. They will already be rather strong, coming from us. Should I manage to impregnate you, those children should be able to transcend. But, the current ones should not," he smiled gently at her. She reached for him, and he carefully gathered her up to hug her in his robe. The excess heat didn't bother him at all. She still wore the diamond necklace he gave her, and he could only let out a soft sigh of contentment at that. She sighed now, and he ran a hand over her form affectionately. When Apocalypse was checked out and put back together, its attacks were completely upgraded, as well as its movement speed. Kiehl grinned at the compliments he was given, and he moved back over to Sarine. Beelzebub nodded to him and gave her over.

"All done! Are we ready for travel?" Kiehl asked, and he nuzzled her.

"I think so. Alicel is going to come with us?" she smiled.

"I would think so," he nodded. "I'd see about upgrading RSX-0806, but we have a schedule to keep. Don't we?"

"I wouldn't know anymore," she admitted. He could only agree with her.  _So many things changed all the time around her now._ Eremes walked over to her to help reheat her blanket, and he thought.

"What's up?" Howard asked.

"Would the children need to be fed?" Eremes asked.

"They're fine," Beelzebub said. "They have school right now. I'm sure that, if the youngest ones need to be fed, they will be brought to us."

She nodded, and Kiehl carried her outside. She was still swathed in the massive blanket to keep her body heated. Then he took it from her.

"Ifrit, hold her and keep her heated up. I need to see how Windwalker is going to carry her with the blanket," Kiehl said. Ifrit nodded to her, and Howard chuckled to himself.  _Kiehl was already telling the others what to do._  He moved to Kiehl's side, as Ifrit gathered up Sarine to cradle her. Naght rumbled a purr to her, and Doppy jumped onto Nightmare Terror's back.

"I think we should try going to the Dragon's Den tomorrow," Doppy said. "I really want to see if we can reach Detale. I mean, yeah, the Coal Mines would be nice, but I would like to gather the dragons together."

"I heard that there is a massive treasure horde where Detale is, too," Drago grinned.

"Okay, now we have to go!" Doppy grinned back.

"When everyone is together, we'll call a vote," Sarine said. They all agreed to that. Kiehl and Howard managed to drape the blanket over Windwalker's back neatly and folded in the edges to keep his wings from getting snagged. Ifrit brought Sarine to settle in the middle of his back. Kiehl moved so she could rest her back against his chest, and Howard moved to press his chest against hers. Now the blanket was carefully pulled up and around them.

"Ifrit, go ahead," Kiehl nodded. Ifrit nodded back and moved his hand under a fold of the blanket. The inside of it heated up to an infernal level, but the Kasa feathers held it all in. Windwalker felt pleasantly warm from the cold around him, and he crooned his relief.

"He's good," Nigel grinned.

"Great!" Howard chuckled.

"Muninn?" Sarine called out. "Do you know where we have to go?"

" _Yes, I do,_ " he nodded. " _And, just so you all know, she needs to sleep under the house tonight. A massive storm will move through here, and it will start to bring in an early winter. It won't happen until much later, though, so we are fine for now._ "

"Heard and noted!" Eremes growled. "Is there a furnace under there?"

"In the workshop, but I'll alert Storm Caller to make one in the safe room," Beelzebub nodded. "He has now been informed."

"Sarine needs blood from Howard and Naght. Doppy, too," Hyegun winced. Doppy looked over at him and nudged Nightmare Terror over to Windwalker.

"Sorry Sari, I have to give you some blood," Doppy sighed.

"Am I going to have to swap places with you already?" Howard grumbled.

"How-How?" Sarine frowned. He sighed and kissed her hard before moving out of the blanket. Kiehl made a quick gesture to Doppy with his head, and the demon quickly dismounted Nightmare Terror to move into the blanket.

"I have to give Howard some blood, anyways," Kiehl smirked. That made Doppy grin, and Sarine's shorts were yanked down, as he pulled aside his armor. Her friends were starting to filter out of the house, and Doppy growled. Howard moved to help keep the others from getting too close to Windwalker, as his wings were up.

"We're trying to retain heat," Howard muttered to Seyren. "Hyegun said that Sarine needed some blood from Doppy. Give them a few minutes. When he's done giving her blood, I have to go in there to help Kiehl."

"If it's a craving, I'm not going to stop it," Seyren said.

"Speaking of cravings," Karla frowned, as she ran a hand over her belly.

"Hmm?" Seyren asked, and he moved to her side. "What do you need?"

"Honey. Lots of it," she said.

"You crave honey?" he blinked. "Well...Baphomet's kids eat it. I guess it's only natural. Um, okay. I need honey! Fast!"

"Here!" Byorgue said. He placed a jar in Seyren's hands. Karla was now quickly devouring its contents, and Seyren was happy that it wasn't anything too complicated.

"Garrett," Cecil sighed.

"Yes, dear? What do you need? Tell me," Garrett smiled gently.

"I need something bloody," she grumbled.

"Bloody?" Garrett blinked.

"Yes. Fresh and bloody," she nodded.

"Wow. Um...guys? Any ideas?" he asked.

"Try this," Injustice said, and a cut up Immortal Heart was given over. Cecil sniffed it and shook her head. "No? Hmm. Garrett, just give her some of your blood."

"Seriously?!" he gaped.

"Just do it," Thanatos smirked. Garrett's finger with pricked, and Cecil took down the droplet to right her senses, but that was it. She still needed something else.

"Oh. Seyren, make sure Karla gets a drop of your blood," Sammy said.

"Got it," the Lord Knight nodded, as he remembered the blood bond.

"Hmm..." Beelzebub thought, as he listened to Cecil's thoughts. "I know what she needs. It's a bit intricate, but it can be done."

"What's that?" Garrett asked.

"She needs what Sarine needs. A lightly cooked roast. Quickly!" Beelzebub urged. It was brought to Cecil, and she tore into it with glee. Garrett found himself chuckling, but was a bit awed at this craving of hers. It seemed to make sense, since she was supposed to be Sarine's sister. More lightly cooked roasts would be prepared.

"Um...Mitchell..." Kathryne winced.

"What do you need, dear?" he asked with concern.

"This will be good. We'll get to see what Entweihen needs for his kids, eh?" Keltin grinned. "Of course, it won't affect Sarine, but it's good to know."

"True," Sammy nodded. "Kathryne, what are you craving?"

"Water," she said.

"Because he's mostly a plant! But, nothing else? Just water?" Thanatos asked.

"Ah...it's hard to describe," she admitted.

"She needs water tainted with a drop of blood," Entweihen said, as he came out of the house to help her. "Mitchell, you should be the one to give her the blood. It will also count towards a blood bond, and it will satisfy her craving, too."

"Me?! Um...okay..." he winced.

"Wow," Maheo grinned.

"No kidding," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"We'll have several flasks ready for you," Errende said. "Just put a drop of your blood in each one. It's really not as bad as you think it is."

"You're right. It just caught me off guard," Mitchell nodded.

"My Lady was craving a lot of blood with Doppy's pregnancy," Errende chuckled.

"She still is!" Doppy growled, as he moved away from Windwalker. "Howard, she needs you! And I don't know how much blood she'll take, either!"

"Shit..." Howard sighed. "How much did she take from you?"

"Four swallows," Doppy winced. "I need some water."

"Four?!" Loomin gaped.

"We can all help with this," Nigel said.

"That we can. I'll help balance out her blood, if she needs it," Observation said.

"That's right. She can't have too much Demonic blood," Keltin frowned. Byorgue was already handing Doppy some water, as he got back on Nightmare Terror's back. In the blanket, Sarine took three swallows from Howard before she found herself sated of the need.

"As Huginn's body grows, she's going to need more blood," Kiehl sighed. "Since it's Doppy's kid, that's where it happens."

"Yeah," Howard muttered, and he rested on Sarine. Her clothes and his clothes were fixed back up before a flask of water was handed to him by Eremes. "Thanks!"

"Of course..." Eremes said. "I'll help her next...when she needs blood..."

"I might take a lot from you," she sighed.

"It's fine," Eremes chuckled. "It's for my kids, too..."

"That's right," Kiehl nodded. "Are we ready to go?"

"Almost. Egnigem, Coraline, and Margaretha are all experiencing cravings from Hibram's blood. It's all various forms of meat dishes..." he said. "No real type."

"It could be different with me," Sarine smiled. "They all have pregnancies through others. Mine will be from Hibram, himself."

"True. But, it does give us an idea of what you might want," Howard smiled, as he hugged her. "When they finish eating, we need to get going!"

"Heard and noted," Eremes agreed and moved off to check them. Kiehl let Sarine lean back into him, and he nuzzled into her neck. At her thought, he started to grin.

"I don't think you should put their lives in danger!" Howard frowned.

"She did it to you and Doppy. Even to me to get the questions. We all lived through it," Kiehl shrugged. "If she needs blood later on, we'll talk to Eremes about it."

"We don't want to kill him," Howard sighed. "Errende was in trouble before, too."

"Eremes might like it," Kiehl grinned. Sarine blushed softly, and Kiehl activated the Fire diamond to make more heat. At the sound of Muninn's warbling falcon voice, they knew they were ready to head to the ancient ruins where Vesper was waiting.

"The moment we get there, we have to run into the Warp gate we see!" Mitchell warned.

"Sarine, love," Loomin said, as he moved Ktullanux over to Windwalker. "Stay hidden in that blanket! Since your cravings are becoming more apparent, I know it's just a matter of time before the beauty I gave you starts to become a serious issue with other adventurers!"

"Thanks for the warning!" Kiehl hissed, and he hugged Sarine possessively.

"I wish to accompany you on your travels," Shoujin said, as he walked up to them.

"Same goes for me," Cedrick said.

"Is this really necessary?" Maheo frowned.

"Let them come along," Donnie grinned.

"It will give us someone to piss off," Ragged Zombie snickered.

"Sounds like fun," Hyegun smirked.

"Who is coming with us?" Sarine growled, as Howard muttered what Naght told him.

"If they try anything, they die!" Kiehl snarled.

"Hush, love," Sarine said, as she nuzzled his neck. "Shoujin died in the trial. He is far too weak for me. Cedrick couldn't even catch up. They are both unworthy of our attention. Let the others crush them under their feet. They are not worth your time."

"They are not worth my time..." Kiehl muttered, and he kissed her. She flipped herself around carefully in the blanket to press herself against him now, and he groaned at her hands in his hair. Howard leaned back against the wall of the blanket to grin.

"No. They aren't," she smiled and let him lock his hands on her hips. "Let me get some blood from you. How-How needs some blood. Right?"

"Yes..." Kiehl said hoarsely. She had complete control over him right now.

"Will you let me bite you?" she asked, as she nipped his neck. He gasped and tilted his head to the side for her. He gave out a pleasuring moan at the feel of her teeth piercing skin, and she pulled a mouthful for herself. Then she pulled one for Howard. Kiehl Healed himself, and she bent backwards for Howard to move over to kiss her and take the blood.

"I think you already gave me blood earlier, but I'll always take more," Howard chuckled.

"Good!" she beamed at him, and Kiehl pulled her close with a sigh.

"We're finally leaving," Sammy said, as Nigel moved close to Windwalker.

"About time," Kiehl growled. Muninn warbled, and they were Teleported away from the island and into Yuno territory.


	148. Chapter 148

When they all appeared, it was right outside the Warp gate. Mitchell urged them to walk into it, and they found themselves in an underground tunnel.

"The moment we walk in, it will be a warzone!" Mitchell warned. "Be prepared!"

"On it!" Byorgue growled on Vagabond Wolf's back. Garm snarled out with Keltin on his back. Hyegun didn't have a steed yet, but that was fine.

"Hyegun! Get on!" Keltin said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Get up!" Garm growled. Hyegun grinned and was now sitting behind Keltin. Eremes moved ahead slightly with Matyr. Thanatos was happily riding Nightmare again.

"How is Sarine?" Cedrick asked.

"She's fine," Doppy muttered. "You don't need to concern yourself over her."

"Just focus on keeping yourself alive," Seyren smirked. He moved to help lead the group. Garrett moved his Grand Pecopeco behind him, and Cecil snuggled into his chest.

"Anyone with pregnant women need to fall back behind us a bit," Hibram said. "Let us protect you guys! We'll rely on your strengths only if we need the help! Focus on protecting the women! We don't need anyone hurt."

"Right," Lloyd nodded. Margaretha sighed, but listened to Hibram's advice. Seyren scowled at this, but Karla nudged him.

"I'll go back there and stay safe. You need to help with the front line," she said.

"But..." Seyren frowned.

"Don't argue with me!" Karla warned.

"Yes, dear," he smiled. The little Bapho Jr. moved off of Karla's cart to help him attack. He was quickly getting better with the care he was receiving. Shoujin moved to help with the front line, and Cedrick was at his side to give his support. Beelzebub smirked at this and called forth four Hell Flies to help with the defenses. Thanatos thought and grinned, as he called out his powerful generals. Nothing was going to get past them now. Eddga rumbled his laughter, and Pori-Pori was already setting up a protective perimeter around Windwalker.

Mitchell told them where to go, and that was straight ahead.

"Entweihen had to stay and protect the nursery," Kathryne sighed. "We could have used his help. Don't you think?"

"I don't think that anything is going to break through," Mitchell grinned. Maheo was already checking his spells, and Loomin was buffing everyone with everything he had available. Muninn warbled, as he hovered over them, and they all went through the second Warp gate. What they found was a slaughter house. A previous party had just gotten wiped out from the nasty mob of robots that awaited them, and the area was quickly cleared out by Sarine's group.

"Do we know these guys?" Neil asked, as he took out a rogue Venatu.

"Nope!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I'll Resurrect them!" Lloyd said. The group of five thanked them for bringing them back to life, and a small conversation started.

"Wait! I know you!" the Lord Knight in the group said. "I'm Darryl! You brought me back from Glast Heim! Around that book area!"

"So, we do know you," Seyren chuckled. "And we helped you again. What are you doing here? Basic training?"

"Not really. We were asked to find odd samples to take back for study," Darryl said.

"Is that so?" Mitchell frowned. "What samples?"

"Well, these Venatus have weird crests. Each elemental one has a different crest. They sell for quite a bit as scrap, but they could have different uses," Darryl said.

"I see," Mitchell mused. "I have a couple here. I'm going to ask our robot expert."

"You have an expert?" Darryl blinked.

"Yes. The one who built us," Aliot said, and Alicel giggled. "Kiel D-01 is our creator. He may have an idea about the crests."

"Kiel D-01 is with you guys?!" the Sniper with Darryl asked.

"Um...yes?" Ragged Zombie said with a roll of his eyes.

"Aliot? What is it?" Kiehl muttered under the blanket. Windwalker chirped and stretched out his wings before lowering them.

"Do these crests mean anything?" Aliot asked, as he presented the oddly shaped, various colored metal pieces to him. Kiehl reached out carefully to take them, and he studied them under the blanket. Sarine smiled at him, and he kissed her forehead.

"They look like simple designs. Nothing else is special about them," Howard said.

"True. And, if they are simple designs, I could do something with them. We should collect our own supply of these," Kiehl chuckled. "Nothing of value to the scientists, but they would be good for various decorations."

"We were told that they can help turn a tidy profit," Aliot grinned.

"Is that so?" Kiehl smirked. "We should get a stockpile of them for emergency cash."

"That would be a good idea," Sarine smiled. "But, the arena tends to do that already."

"Better safe than sorry, love," Kiehl said gently. She blushed at him, and he gave the crests back to Aliot. "Nothing of scientific worth, other than decorative designs."

"Of course," Aliot said with a nod and reported what was said to the others. Ungoliant chirred and clicked to Maya Purple, and he thought.

"I'm not sure. It's possible that something else can be found here," Maya Purple shrugged. "We'll just have to explore to find out!"

RSX-0806 blew out a wave of black smoke from the smoke stack and made short work of the rogue robots that tried to attack. They didn't stand a chance after Byorgue ran through them all with Vagabond Wolf. The five adventurers were simply shocked to see monsters working with humans in fluid cooperation.

"They're from that arena," Darryl whispered to them.

"So, that explains it!" the Priestess with them blinked.

"Yeah. Anyways, we'll get going. Thanks for the help!" Darryl said.

"Don't mention it!" Garrett chuckled.

"Wait!" the High Wizard with Darryl's party said.

"What?" Darryl frowned.

"If they are from the arena, who's the strongest one?" he asked.

"That would be Kiehl," Loomin grinned.

"And I doubt he'll fight you. He's comforting Sarine right now," Sammy said.

"Don't even think of challenging him," Ragged Zombie said. "Just trust me."

"I'd see it as a form of entertainment!" Donnie grinned.

"We're on a schedule. If you want to challenge him, do it later at the arena," Max said. Coraline sighed, and he hugged her gently. Then he urged his Grand Pecopeco forward.

"I should challenge him!" the High Wizard scoffed.

"Then I'll gut you open!" Doppy grinned wickedly. That made the human back down.

"Maybe now we can continue in peace!" Hyegun sighed. "Ah...Eremes!"

"Yes?" he asked and had Matyr go over to Garm.

"She needs blood again. You had volunteered. Your kids want your blood. Make sure you have a Yggdrasil Berry ready," Hyegun warned.

"Hmm..." Eremes frowned.

"She wants blood again?" Doppy frowned.

"His kids want it," Hyegun said. That had Doppy nod, and Eremes was already at Windwalker's side. Howard didn't want to leave Sarine's side, so he was able to scoot as far back as far as he could in the blanket. A small entrance was made for Eremes to squeeze in, and he settled himself neatly with her in his lap.

"It feels...cramped in here...from the blanket..." Eremes chuckled.

"Sorry, love," Sarine smiled. "Um...why are you here?"

"Hyegun said that Eremes is needed for his kids. You need his blood," Kiehl said.

"Oh?" she frowned. When Eremes opened his neck with his katar, the scent of his blood made her glare at him with a savage snarl, and she attacked him.

"Wow..." Howard said with amazement. Eremes hissed with surprise at the attack, and he gasped when her teeth bit down on the wound to draw more blood out.

"Sarine, ease up on him!" Kiehl growled with warning. She looked at him with a glare, and he glared back at her. If it wasn't for him, Eremes would have been drained of every last drop of blood he had. When she finally pulled away after five mouthfuls, Kiehl Healed him and a Yggdrasil Berry was given over quickly.

"You weren't...joking...about the blood..." Eremes sighed weakly, and Sarine gasped at what she did. He smiled at her and hugged her to show he was fine.

"You'll need some water," Howard said.

"I know," Eremes nodded. When he left the blanket to return to Matyr, Sarine was pulled into Kiehl's embrace. She turned herself around and clung to him with a sigh of exhaustion.

"Sleep if you need to," Kiehl whispered to her. She just nodded, and Howard quickly hissed in warning before she cried out in pain. Doppy roared, as the pain of developing growth hit hard, and Ifrit was at Windwalker's side.

"How much did they grow?" Kiehl asked.

"I'm not sure," Howard frowned.

"Let me see her!" Sammy said, as Nigel loped up close to them. The blanket was pulled down, and a defensive barrier was set up. Sammy reached into the blanket to place a hand on her heated belly and he frowned.

"How much?" Loomin asked.

"Twenty percent. At least she's not getting sick!" Sammy said.

"Feed her!" Thanatos said.

"Raw meat and dairy products," Hyegun said.

"Where are the ones that we need to recruit?" Hibram asked.

"Let me see if I can pin point them," Keltin said. As he thought, Beelzebub glanced behind them and hissed with warning. The party they Resurrected earlier was approaching them.

"What's going on out there?" Sarine frowned.

"Too much," Kiehl muttered, and he kept his face against her neck.

"Excuse us again," Darryl said. Seyren walked over to him.

"Yes?" Seyren asked.

"Where exactly do you plan to go? We're trying to get to the core of this place," Darryl said. "We need to see what is going on within it."

"Funny. We're heading to the core, too," Seyren frowned. "The Vessel of Odin needs to speak with Vesper. That's the strong monster down there."

"Do you think we can go with you all as a support group?" he asked.

"That would be up to her. Let me ask," Seyren sighed. Karla frowned at her husband, but he kissed her gently and chuckled at a small kick. Then he blinked.  _My kid kicked me._  He looked at her with shock, and she blushed.

"Yes. Our baby has been kicking at me while we were walking. I didn't want to say anything..." Karla said, and now Seyren looked over at Garrett.

"Cecil, is our baby moving, too?" Garrett asked with a grin. At her small blush, Beelzebub walked over and confirmed it.

"After this mission is over with, I would suggest that all pregnant women stay home," the Demon Lord said. "I would say that this would include Sarine, but she has some travel still left."

"No!" Kathryne frowned, as Mitchell pressed a hand to her belly to get kicked.

"We'll stay home when Sarine does! Or until we can't move!" Coraline nodded.

"Love, we'll worry about you!" Max frowned.

"Well, it will make you all work that much harder to protect us," Egnigem grinned.

"Evil wife!" Donnie growled.

"We are not ones to be coddled," Margaretha said sternly.

"Not even a little?" Lloyd grinned, and he hugged her.

"I'll coddle and pamper you," Howard smiled gently, as he pressed against Sarine's back. She giggled, as Kiehl pressed a kiss to her mouth. At Naght's mental question of the group coming with them, Howard whispered to her, and she sighed.

"Like the other group when we found Pharaoh. They can follow, but, if they interfere, they need to be removed," Sarine nodded.

"I'll tell Naght," Kiehl smiled, as he kissed her passionately. She continued to keep him occupied and fully focused on her. He was her protective, powerful First Mate, and she needed to keep him calm. Naght rumbled to Seyren, and the Lord Knight looked over at Darryl.

"Everyone is on edge, since a lot of our wives are pregnant. You all can come with us. However, if anyone interferes with us, you'll die. Got it?" Seyren warned.

"Right," Darryl nodded.

"I still want to fight the strongest one..." the High Wizard moped.

"If you do, then you won't come with us," Loomin said with a stern glare.

"Stop it, Lander! You promised us you wouldn't pick fights with any others!" the High Priest moaned. "Every time you do this, you end up flat on your ass and crying!"

"Fine! I won't do it!" Lander growled.

"For now," the Creator sighed. "Watch. The moment he finds an opportunity, he will!"

"I just said I won't, Chuck! So stop it!" the High Wizard growled. Windwalker paused and lowered his wings to stretch. The smaller group took this moment to look over to see a massive blanket that resembled flaming red, stitched feathers moving around slightly. Injustice and Aliot were moving quickly to give over craving dishes and removing dirty plates. Observation was hovering over them to ensure that the blanket was undisturbed. He was going to make sure that the blanket was closed as much as possible.

"Is she in there? That princess?" Darryl asked.

"She is. And she must be kept heated up," Hibram said.

"She cannot afford...to feel cold...right now..." Eremes said, as he gave a light glare.

"Why is that?" the party's Assassin asked.

"Because...she is pregnant...with my kids...and they crave heat. Especially...since Ifrit is also...partially their father..." Eremes replied with a small nod. Ifrit hissed out laughter at them and flared out his heat wickedly to show off just how much heat she needed.

"Ifrit! Give some of that heat to her!" Hyegun said. That made the fiery monster pause and move swiftly to her side to heat up the blanket from the inside.

"Yeah. She needs it," Howard grimaced at her soft whimper of relief.

"Are you sure we should try going to Detale's lair tomorrow?" Kiehl frowned.

"Vote..." she sighed.

"That's right, huh?" Howard grinned and thought to Naght. The demon rumbled to the others, and now they looked at him.

"You all can understand him?" Darryl blinked.

"Yes, we can," Seyren nodded. "A vote? For Detale tomorrow?"

"We can find treasure there!" Doppy grinned.

"I'm for it!" Garrett chuckled. At Cecil's smile, he knew she was, too.

"Treasure and dragons? Count me in!" Neil said. Maheo was grinning at that.

"I dunno. With the way you're growing...oh, don't look at me like that! Fine!" Donnie scowled at Egnigem's small glare.

"We'll go!" Lloyd said, as Margaretha cuddled him.

"Coraline? Are you sure?" Max smiled. At her nod, he voiced their consent.

"Just face it. They all want to go!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I think it would be a nice fight!" Cedrick smirked.

"I bet that, two steps in, he falls flat on his ass and can't move!" Byorgue snickered.

"I'll take that bet," Drago grinned. Maya Purple thought and voiced himself in on the bet, too. Injustice snickered, and Nigel yipped with agreement. Under the blanket, Sarine sighed and thought with a small frown.

"Sarine? You want him?" Howard asked with a smile.

"That's a first," Kiehl chuckled. "Drago!"

"My Lady needs something?" he asked, and he lumbered over.

"Yeah. She wants you," Howard said.

"Um...I can't get on the Gryphon," he said. The blanket was pulled down to reveal her, and Darryl finally caught a glimpse of her when she hugged her slave close.

"Wow..." Darryl blinked. Then Loomin moved Ktullanux in front of him, and he shook his head.  _Her beauty was clearly growing by leaps and bounds now._

"My Lady?" Drago asked, as he purred softly in her embrace.

"You'll come with us to the dragon caves?" she asked.

"Always, My Lady," he smiled and accepted the kiss from her.

"I've been neglecting you," she frowned.

"No, My Lady. You have never neglected me. I was always there for you when you needed me. I think this is because my eggs are going to be formed soon. What do you think, My Lady? Am I wrong?" he asked.

"No. You may be right," she smiled.

"You're not affected by heat, are you?" Howard asked.

"I can withstand a lot. Being cold-blooded helps," he grinned.

"Make yourself available tonight. We know the storm is going to hit hard, and she may be wanting you after she dominates," Kiehl said.

"I'll do as you ask," Drago nodded. He suddenly gasped and hissed at the bite to his neck. He let her take two mouthfuls of blood off of him before feeling Kiehl's Heal take effect. She blushed at what she did, and Drago simply smiled and hugged her tight with his good arm.

"Sorry," she sighed.

"Never say that you're sorry, My Lady," Drago said, and he nuzzled her. "If you need blood, you can take all that you want from me. Don't worry about that."

"I love you, Drago," she smiled.

"I love you, too, My Lady," he said, as he closed his eyes with soft contentment.

"As much as I hate to do this," Kiehl sighed. "she needs heat again."

"It's fine. I'll see about joining her later tonight in the fireplace," Drago said.

"I'd like that," she smiled. He kissed her deeply and moved to help guard her.

"It's about time you went after him, anyways," Kiehl grinned, as he helped pull the blanket back into position.

"He's one of my slaves that is simply content to be at my side," she smiled.

"That he is," Howard nodded. The blanket was about to be closed up, but Kiehl stopped at the heavy frown on Keltin's face.

"What is the problem?" Kiehl asked.

"The monsters we need to recruit. That's what the problem is!" Keltin sighed. "It's only Dimiks that I'm detecting. The Venatus are beneath us. Mitchell said that there is a special elevator here that can take us to the lower floor that we'll need. The current problem right now is that the Dimiks we need are spread out all over this abandoned place!"

"So...we have to move around to get them?" Sarine asked with surprise.

"Yes. They aren't grouped together. It's as though their rogue counterparts were expecting us, and they purposely hid them away. It's troublesome," Keltin said.

"Well, we can't leave here without them," Howard said. "We need the crests the rogue Venatus give us, anyways."

"And the Dimiks do give us the Royal Cooking sets for recipes," Keltin mused. "That and we are getting a lot of steel here."

"It's good training for Anna and Neil, too. Just lead us around until we find them all. Then we'll head to this secret elevator," Kiehl nodded. Sarine could only nod, and she shivered from the lack of heat. Keltin was able to reach in and hug her tightly. He was rewarded with a passionate kiss for his efforts.

"Are you all right?" Keltin asked her.

"Just...very tired..." she sighed.

"Sleep, love. We'll wake you when we reach the next area," Kiehl said. She nodded, and the blanket was securely pulled back around her, Kiehl, and Howard with Observation's help.

"Ifrit, they need to be reheated!" Keltin said. Ifrit helped with that easily and traveling now took on a new twist.

"So, how many of these robots are we supposed to find?" Cedrick asked.

"From what I know, we already have the Dimik with the element of Wind. We are missing the ones of Neutral, Fire, Earth, and Water," Keltin said. "They are spread out all over this upper section. I won't know about the Venatus we need until we get down below."

"How is Sarine?" Doppy asked.

"Sleeping..." Naght rumbled.

"Fine," Thanatos nodded. Howard was only too glad that the blanket muffled out a lot of the sounds from outside of it. Kiehl would have easily gotten irritated at the small arguments that Cedrick and Shoujin were having.

"What's going on?" Loomin asked.

"Something fell from that last Dimik, and Cedrick won't show me what it is!" Shoujin said. "It looked like glass of some kind."

"Glass?" Aliot asked and walked over with Alicel hovering over him with curiosity.

"It's probably nothing special," Cedrick said.

"Just show it to me," Aliot said. Cedrick sighed and took out the red transparent plate. Naght moved over to study it for Kiehl, and there was a pause in thought. Naght rumbled out Kiehl's answer and moved over to help Eddga clear a mob with RSX-0806.

"What did he say?" Shoujin frowned.

"It's mainly decoration. Just like the crests. They look really cool, so we can use them for other things. Other than that, nothing special, like you thought," Aliot grinned. They managed to continue traveling all throughout the area. They had to travel to practically all four sections of the ruined architectural world just to find the four Dimiks they needed. Once they were found, each one would glow with power and vanish away. When the Fire Dimik was found as the last one, Keltin looked at Mitchell.

"Okay. Lead us to the elevator!" Keltin said.

"Right. It's actually on one of the central pillars west of us. We are on the lower east side. We'll have to cross a bridge to reach it, and it will be a warzone again. One of the pillars has a narrow set of stairs heading up to the top of it. That is where we need to go," Mitchell said. "Can someone make a Memory point of this place? I'm sure that anyone with a cart is gonna have to unload and come back."

"You're right," Armeyer said.

"I'm almost at max weight here," Timmy said.

"Should we travel up to the elevator now? Or should we unload and come back?" Neil asked. "How much stuff does everyone else have?"

"I need to unload soon," Karla said.

"Same," Anna frowned.

"Let's fight our way to the elevator. If this place is ancient, we likely can't Warp back from the inside of this place," Hibram said.

_:_ _I can. Help. If needed!:_  Muninn warbled, as he hovered over them.

"That's right! We have trump card!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Okay. I don't feel so worried now," Mitchell chuckled.

"How is Sarine?" Sammy asked, as Nigel brought him over.

"Still sleeping. When we get inside there, we'll wake her up," Kiehl said.

"She's sleeping? And I've been awake?!" Sammy hissed. Howard blinked and looked at Sarine's sleeping form. "Nigel, I have to meditate for a bit to make sure nothing is going on."

Nigel yipped and nodded to show he understood. Beelzebub moved over with his Hell Flies to ensure that nothing would happen to Sammy. Hibram was quick to help stand guard.

"Dolor. Protect them," Thanatos said to his general. The small monster nodded and settled in with the others. Even though he was much larger than before, he was quite small. When Sammy closed his eyes, they popped right back open, and he jumped off of Nigel's back to reach Sarine. Doppy saw this, and so did Naght. Kiehl was quickly made aware, and the blanket was yanked down by Sammy so he could see her.

"Wake her up!" Sammy hissed. Kiehl narrowed his eyes at this and gently moved to nibble under Sarine's ear. When she was not responding, he started to massage her, and Howard was quick to help. That got a reaction. She coughed a bit at first and blinked her eyes awake. She looked at Kiehl and clung to him, as she shivered. At the thoughts he got from her, he roared out his hatred. Howard pointed at Loomin and gestured for him to come over quickly.

"Your Light! Shine it! Now!" Howard hissed. Loomin nodded, as a look of protection came over him. His Divine Light came forth, and Sarine gasped with a choking sob of relief.

"What happened?" Loomin asked, as his Light got pulled back in.

"Your father managed to try and infiltrate her dreams. Odin's barrier kept him from fully getting in. Huginn was trying to turn Loki away, and he was in danger of being convinced that Loki was needed for her. Sarine actually felt me looking in on her, and she was incredibly fearful of what was going on. She called out to me for help," Sammy winced.

"He would dare..." Loomin seethed. "How are you, love?"

"Loomin..." Sarine sighed, and he gathered her up to hug her tight. Kiehl nodded to him, and Muninn landed to perch on Howard's shoulders.

"Damn! Heavy ass bird!" Howard muttered.

_:_ _Stupid human!:_  Muninn warbled back. That got Sarine smiling a little.

"What do you think, Muninn? Is Huginn going to be able to repel Loki's attack again?" Sammy asked. "Or will he give in?"

_:_ _He will. Repel. After this. He feels. Ashamed. Will not. Let it. Happen. Again.:_

"Good," Loomin said. Sarine was settled back in Kiehl's embrace and comforted with Howard. She looked at Kiehl before he nuzzled her and let her rest against his neck.

"We are heading to the elevator now," Kiehl whispered to her. "When we get there, a quick return and drop off will be done. Then we'll go down into the elevator."

"Okay," she nodded.

"The other Dimiks were found," Howard said. She pressed back into him, and he squeezed her. She gave another thought, and he found himself blushing.

"You're blushing?" Kiehl grinned.

"Shut up, smart ass," Howard muttered. Sarine started giggling, and Kiehl purred in her ear. Now Howard was thinking on what she sent him.

"It will be tough," Kiehl agreed. "Hold on..."

"Oh. Right," Howard grinned and helped fix the blanket back up. If they were going to whisper of secret things to each other, then it would be best if Beelzebub didn't hear them. Nothing could be heard in the massive, heated blanket when it came to soft whispers and mutters. It was something they enjoyed as a bit of privacy.

"Yeah," Kiehl whispered now. "I'm going to have her virginity, but it may be your wedding night, if the dream vision has one. But, at that time, it should be safe for both of us to have her at the same time. I'll just have her, and, before I give in, you'll join in."

"Naght should be present through me, too. To ensure our triplets will have everything," Howard thought. Naght agreed with that. _Even if they were in a stasis, they weren't fully formed. Their souls were simply within her and waiting._ Hyegun blinked, as he rode Garm with Keltin, and he looked over to wave at Naght to get the demon's attention.

"Hmm...?" Naght rumbled, as he moved over to them.

"The triplets know they are being spoken of. They are...very excited," Hyegun chuckled. "There is something else, too. Now that the children in Sarine are fully active and kicking, they're bored. We should try playing with them. At least, Eremes should when Sarine has to feed the youngest ones."

"What?" Eremes asked, as he looked over. Hyegun grinned and whispered to him. Beelzebub found himself grinning. At Hyegun's whisper, Eremes looked at him with shock and said, "Play with my kids? I know I did this before, but...they need it again? Are you sure?!"

"Oh, yes," Hyegun nodded. "Quite sure."

"We reached the pillar we need to climb! Single file all the way up!" Mitchell said.

"What is the name of this place?" Sarine asked.

"Juperos," Kiehl smiled. "It's what I heard when I was in my old Lighthalzen lab."

"So, you knew about this place?" Howard grinned.

"Yes. In fact, one of the ingredients to that damned poison was steel. Ground down and turned into powder. Yeah, metal fillings were deadly, but, in powder form, it caused a poisonous reaction to human blood," Kiehl winced. Sarine ran a hand over his cheek and sighed.

"Love, Doppy was able to find out a cure for me, as you know. Um..." Sarine thought and let her memories of what happened after the fever broke come forth.

"Black sludge?!" Kiehl hissed and hugged her. "That was a...byproduct of the poison. What it left in the body. The scarring...yeah. It did that with intense illness conditions. Of course, Doppy would have heard and seen a few things. On his level in Geffen Tower, various branches and leaves were filled with toxins from the city above. Mainly from discarded magical concoctions that failed. Those needed to be harvested to form the other poisons that would have been left in the body. It's also what caused the black leftover stuff that you threw up. I'm sure he would have overheard the scientists talking to each other. I am so sorry, love...!"

"Hush, Kiehl," Sarine smiled and kissed him lovingly. "Just like how How-How didn't know what was going on when he accidentally attacked me, it's the same thing for you. So, if you think of it this way, you both nearly killed me, but saved me. How-How? Go ahead and smack Kiehl, since he smacked you before!"

"What?!" Kiehl blinked and winced from the smack to the back of his head.

"Now I feel better!" Howard nodded. Kiehl glared at him, but lost focus when Sarine nibbled up his neck. Now it was time to distract Kiehl, and she knew how.

"You know, I heard an old rumor that virgin blood was quite potent," she purred in his ear. "You should test this out when I'm purged for you."

"Ah..." Kiehl blinked and suddenly pulled Sarine close to him, as Windwalker attempted to climb the stairs. When it didn't work, he flew up to the top pillar and settled there quickly. Sarine didn't know what happened, and Kiehl was quick to comfort her with Howard.

"What was that?!" Sarine gasped.

"Windwalker couldn't climb the steps. So...he had to do the next thing available. He took a quick jump-flight up. It's okay now," Howard said. She shivered and nodded. Once everyone was around the elevator entrance, the Warps to town to unload and sell things took place. Darryl and his party were promised that they would be waited on, but only for a certain amount of time. When they were gone, Kiehl knew that Sarine was still a bit shaken up from the jump-flight, and he knew how to calm her.

"So, you mentioned something about virgin blood?" he growled in her ear to send her heart racing with desire. Howard chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yes..." she whimpered, as his hot breath washed over her neck to take in her scent. At the sound of someone coming over, he let out a low, dangerous snarl of warning.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Byorgue hissed, as he blocked of Cedrick. Observation landed now to help block off the prince. Naght roared out his warning and to tell the others that Kiehl's Bragging Rights were in effect.

"Oh, please, go up to Windwalker and just die already!" Donnie groaned.

"Seriously. Help Donnie entertain us while we wait for the kids to come back from shopping," Ragged Zombie smirked. "Maybe he'll learn a new song and dance! A song to sing while Kiehl rips you to pieces, and a dance that I do on your grave!"

"He was never that strong of a monster to begin with!" Cedrick argued. "Surely, he's only bluffing! He can't be that hard to kill!"

"Idiot!" Doppy snarled. "He has won  _five_  Demonic Matings in a row! Every time he wins, he gets stronger! He can easily kick my ass and evade me, too!"

"Who...challenges me...?" Kiehl seethed from Windwalker's back. When the blanket fell, his ghost was out in full, and Sarine was shivering from the sudden heat loss.

"Sarine!" Eremes whispered. "Her body heat..."

"Ifrit! Take her!" Kiehl snapped. "Keep her warm while I teach the human a new lesson. The lesson is...how to chew a foot when it's placed in the mouth."

"Kiehl..." Sarine frowned. "he's not worth it."

"He said I was weak!" Kiehl hissed. She planted a kiss on him, and it made him reel in his senses. He was gasping, as he fought for control, but she already had Howard pulling the blanket back up to cover them. Donnie whistled, and Garrett glared at Cedrick.

"I know you are my King's son, but I'll be damned if I have to protect you from him!" Garrett growled at Cedrick. "I have Beelzebub's blood in my veins now, and even  _I_  know that I can't touch Kiehl! Count your blessings that Sarine was able to curb his anger!"

" _And he took in a drop of my blood!_ " Muninn said, as he reverted to his human form. " _If you go up against Kiehl, it's your death! You are out of his league!_ "

"He took a drop of your blood?" Max asked.

" _Yes. It was a bit accidental, but it happened. It's needed to keep Loki back. Considering that he did punch Loki in the mouth,_ " Muninn smirked.

"Okay. Yeah. Don't mess with Kiehl," Mitchell blinked.

"I still think that I can take him," Cedrick pouted.

"If you want to lose more honor, then be my guest," Shoujin shrugged. "I see the warning signs and abide by them. I lost in the challenges. I'll still try, but, if other monsters tell you who to avoid, I will listen. Monsters cannot lie."

"But, they can be defeated!" Cedrick growled. Windwalker screeched with warning, but it was too late. Kiehl heard him through Naght.  _The challenge was now accepted._ He had to prove himself to the lesser comrades around him.

"Kiehl..." Sarine sighed, and he nuzzled her with a low growl. "I know you need to kill the little princeling now. Just remember one thing. He is still an ally of Prontera. Do what you must. Teach him your lesson. Don't show mercy. Leave him in one piece."

"My mate...my heart..." Kiehl purred, and she nuzzled him back.

"You are my Soul. My powerful mate, husband, and protector. And, yes, you are my slave, too. Be quick. Be efficient. If you do well, I'll bite you and feed," she smiled. That made him shiver with lust. Biting meant mating, and he intended to do it.

"Don't feed too much," he muttered.

"I'll only take a mouthful," she promised. He kissed her hard and passionately with a low moan escaping him. Now he was aroused, pissed off, and overly protective. Howard was given Sarine to hold and to keep warm. The blanket was soon pulled down again, and Kiehl dismounted from Windwalker. The Gryphon hissed, but accepted a light pat to the beak to show that Kiehl understood everything.  _The human will die for his insults._

"Ah, lovely. Kiehl's pissed off. Good luck!" Donnie grinned, and Egnigem sighed.

"Fool!" Shoujin said, as he shook his head. "I fought Kiehl and couldn't touch him. He used the traps in the room to take me out. I will not grieve your death."

"Oh, shut up!" Cedrick scowled, as he took out his sword. Seyren watched with Garrett and Max in silence. Baphomet watched through Seyren's eyes and was already sniggering with delight. He did get the idea to try fighting Kiehl in a duel. He may not win, but it would be fun.

"Kiehl," Seyren grinned.

"Hmm?" Kiehl looked at him.

"Baphomet wants to try fighting you later," he grinned a bit more.

"Really? Now that sounds like fun," Kiehl smirked. "We'll have to see later on."

"Baphomet never joined a Demonic Mating, so it would be seen as a true spar to any of us. That does sound like fun," Thanatos grinned. His feminine general, Maero, simply let out a throaty chuckle of agreement, as she floated in the air. Sarine was pulled hard against Howard's chest, and Keltin moved over to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I will be when Kiehl wins," Sarine smiled and let Keltin hug her tight. "Can you get me Ifrit? I need his heat."

"I will," he nodded and kissed her gently before gesturing to Ifrit. He moved over to her side quickly to give her some of the heat she needed. Kiehl nodded at this and turned his attention to Cedrick. Now his gaze narrowed under his glasses, and his ghost seemed to turn a dark, bloody shade of red. Muninn stood away with his arms crossed, as he bore silent witness.

"You still wish to challenge me?" Kiehl asked calmly.

"I do!" Cedrick said. Then he paled when Kiehl locked his eyes directly onto his, and he could taste the hatred and intense, sheer rage that moved through the strong monster's mind.

"Good!" Kiehl snarled and leapt at him quickly. Sammy had his ancestral spirit out to help judge the fight. Cedrick had just barely blocked the attack, but his sword broke in the attempt. Howard whistled and figured he'd be repairing it later. Cedrick tried to block another attack, but his shield was shattered next. Doppy was grinning wickedly at the armor and weapon breaking skills that Kiehl was granted with. When Cedrick tried to attack, Kiehl was able to dodge him with split-second precision.

"He didn't have those skills before to break things, did he?" Hyegun asked Loomin.

"No. These were apparently given to him when he kept winning. He really is as deadly as Doppy," Loomin chuckled. "Kiehl is playing with Cedrick."

"Playing? That is playing?" Hyegun blinked.

"Of course, it is. Why else do you think Cedrick is still alive?" Loomin grinned now. That made everyone pause in silent surprise. The prince was now in serious trouble. Kiehl was whittling down his strength and defenses like a cat playing with a mouse.

"Never...challenge...me...again...!" Kiehl said right before he seethed, and a roar ripped from his throat when he did a finishing Brandish Spear kill. He roared again for his victory kill, as Cedrick slumped lifeless to the ground. Then he shuddered and trembled, as the fiery need for Sarine ate through him.

"That's right!" Doppy winced. "He fights and then he needs her!"

"So...now would be the time to attack him?" Shoujin asked.

"What?!" Kiehl snarled out, as the need for Sarine quickly vanished at another challenge. Before anyone could blink, Shoujin was on the floor with Cedrick and just as lifeless.

"Kiehl!" Sarine called out to him, and she jumped off of Windwalker's back. He was on his knees, as he shivered with pain, and Sarine moved to press herself into his arms. He couldn't speak and could only hug her tight, as she gently caressed him.

"We're back!" Darryl said, as he came through a Warp. "Did we miss anything? Oh...um...wow...they died."

"Yes. They did!" Kiehl said with a savage hiss. Sarine calmly pressed his face against her neck, as he hugged her tight.

"They said Kiehl was weak. He proved them wrong," Sarine said. The five adventurers were stunned by her beauty. Her pregnancy was clearly eminent, but they seemed to ignore that fact. Observation moved to spread his wings in front of her to distract them, and Beelzebub quickly pulled his robe over her and Kiehl.

"Get back to Windwalker," Beelzebub whispered softly to them. "I'll hide you both."

"Thanks," Kiehl muttered.

"There is no way that both of them went down by one monster!" Lander hissed. Kiehl gave out a dangerously low, bloodthirsty snarl of hatred. He was still being thought of as weak.

"Beelzebub, step away, please," Sarine sighed. The Demon Lord frowned, but he nodded and did as she asked. When her beauty was exposed again, she looked at the High Wizard with irritation and growled, "My mate is incredibly pissed right now! You would dare to irk his wrath? If that is so, then continue! They both saw him as weak, and he proved them wrong!"

"I just don't understand how a single monster can do that!" Lander argued.

"Prove him wrong, love," Sarine whispered to Kiehl, and he tensed with protective vengeance. "Quiet him, and then we'll have some peace to ourselves."

"Done," Kiehl muttered and stood up with her to let her go to Ifrit. She needed to be kept warm. Kiehl seethed with hatred once again, and Lander's companions all stepped away from him. Before anyone could think of what was going to happen, Lex Divina was cast quickly to Silence the High Wizard. Now with Lander powerless, he was quickly leveled to the ground.

"Kiehl," Sarine smiled at his victorious roar. Ifrit released her so she could run into Kiehl's arms and lead him back to Windwalker. When the blanket was pulled over them, Kiehl's ghost was pulled back down, and Howard had to help Sarine with her shorts. Windwalker kept his wings up to hide the movements under the thick blanket.

"I killed them well?" Kiehl growled after his release.

"Very well," Sarine crooned and kissed him lovingly.

"Should I kill them again?" he grinned.

"Save your strength," she smiled and nibbled down his neck. He gasped out with ecstasy at her bite and gave in to her at the mouthful of blood she pulled. He Healed himself and hugged her tight to him. She nuzzled him, and he closed his eyes with the sheer bliss he felt.

"Everyone is here. We're ready to go down to the next area," Keltin whispered to them.

"Good. We're ready," Howard said.

"Do you know what to expect?" Sarine asked Kiehl.

"Not really. The expeditions from Lighthalzen never really made it past the second level of Juperos. From what I do know, there are various switches that need to be destroyed. Once one is hit, we  _must_  destroy the others within a time limit or they will be replaced," Kiehl said. "The teams that were sent here were never fast enough to hit the switches and make it through the doorway in time. So, there is no knowledge of what lays beyond."

"Maybe we can send others after the switches, and we remain at the doorway?" she asked.

"It's possible. We don't know where the Venatus we need to recruit are, though," Howard frowned. "Hopefully, they'll be at the doorway."

"We can only hope," she nodded, as Kiehl leaned heavily into her. He hadn't bothered to let her go or let her dress. This was what he needed right now.

"Kiehl, you both need to dress," Howard grinned.

"No," Kiehl muttered.

"Love, you'll have a lot more time with me tonight," she smiled. Kiehl shivered and hugged her tighter.  _He didn't want to wait until tonight._ She thought and grinned, as she whispered, "Your kids might need to be nursed soon. Do you want them to see you with your pants down? Hmm?"

"They'll need to learn about the facts of life, anyways," Kiehl grinned. That got him rewarded with a light smack to his shoulder, and he laughed softly. Only she would be able to strike at him and live. Even if it was jesting, any others would have been slaughtered in retaliation. It was the same with any other male that was hers.

"Let me dress, and you get dressed. Then I'll snuggle you again," she smiled.

"No," he frowned. "I don't want to separate from you."

"Are you seriously going to keep yourself that hard?" Howard grinned ruefully.

"I'm a partial robot. I can do whatever I put my mind to," Kiehl grinned back. To prove a point, he activated his vibrating sensors to make her gasp and writhe on him. He held her down on his hips until she released hard. Then he smirked at Howard when a touch of jealousy was shown.

"Storm Caller is about to bring the kids. They need to nurse," Beelzebub muttered to them, as he walked close to Windwalker. Kiehl scowled, and Howard started laughing.

"Shut up, Howard!" Kiehl growled. "When they're done, I'm reclaiming her!"

"We'll see," Sarine smiled, and he hissed with lust. He brought them to release again before finally separating from her. Once their clothes were fixed up, the blanket was pulled down to reveal where they were.

The elevator had brought them to an incredibly large room that was filled with metal walkways, ramps, and solid sheets of metal floors. Various structures were here that held a purpose at one point, but lost their functionality long ago. Rogue Venatus and rogue Apocalypse robots were in pure abundance here. The rogue Apocalypses were docile and left well enough alone, but, on killing one, it yielded components that Kiehl needed for his workshop. They would be killed while they traveled to harvest the parts. Keltin had brought them to the next Warp gate, but it wouldn't open until all of the switches were destroyed.

"Sarine, this is what we were going to do," Keltin said, and he walked up to her. "I was going to go around in my Champion form and have various monsters attach to me. I'll Teleport around to find the Venatus and destroy the switches. You will wait here with whoever stays with you. When the switches and Venatus are found, I was going to revert back to Bongun form to be instantly brought to your side with the others."

"It sounds good, but will the Venatus we need stay with your Bongun form? Or will they go back to where they were before?" she asked.

"That's something we don't know," he admitted.

_:_ _They will. Teleport. With you.:_  Muninn warbled.

"That's a relief," Howard said. "Okay. She can likely nurse the youngest kids while you do this. Who would go with you?"

"Eddga, Pori-Pori, and Naght," Keltin said.

"I'll have Maero and Despero go with you," Thanatos said. "Odium and Dolor will stay with us to protect her."

"That will work," Keltin nodded.

"My Lady is well?" Errende asked.

"I'm fine, love," Sarine smiled. "Storm Caller will be bringing children here, since I need to nurse them. Will you make sure the area is secure, please?"

"Yes, My Lady," he smiled and got hugged by her. "Ah, My Lady, I have a favor to ask of you. If it isn't too much..."

"What is that, dear?" she smiled. He whispered to her, and Beelzebub looked over with a grin. Sarine thought and noticed that the other party was looking at her. Now Kiehl grinned, and Howard clapped a hand over his mouth. She hissed out savagely and sank her teeth into Errende's neck. Thanatos looked over with a wicked grin, as Errende gave out a cry of pleasure.

"What was that?!" Chuck asked, as he looked at what happened.

"Errende is her slave and misses a little pain here and there," Byorgue said with a small shrug. "My Lady is always ready to help give us what we need."

"I think I need a bite next," Injustice mused.

"Form a line," Drago smirked.

"You got bit just a while ago!" Aliot fumed.

"So? You snooze, you lose, as they say," Drago grinned.

"My Lady may need some blood from me," Observation thought. "Just to balance out."

"Okay. Go before me," Byorgue nodded. Maya Purple looked over with a small smile and decided to wait until the others were done.

"She needs blood, anyways," Hyegun said.

"Does she?" Sammy frowned.

"Apparently, when Doppy helped make Huginn's body, the cravings are like that of twins. At least, that's what I was told. It shouldn't be this bad, but what do I know?" Hyegun shrugged. "As long as she gets what she needs, why complain?"

"True," Doppy mused. "When are the children going to be here?"

"When Sarine finishes feeding off of the slaves," Beelzebub said. "That is when they will come. Are we nearing the Warp gate?"

"Almost there!" Keltin said. "Just a couple more ramps to move down until we hit the actual steel floor! Then we'll get there!"

"I'll make sure to attach a couple Hell Flies to you. Protecting one area will be easy," Beelzebub nodded. "And you five. What will you do? Wait? Or try to help with the switches?"

"Well," Darryl said, and he blinked at a shout from Observation. "Ah, we were going to stay. It would be easier this way. Once the switches are pulled, and he comes back, we would go in as a group. I have no idea what to expect."

"None of us do," Mitchell nodded.

"I've been recording everything," the Professor with them said.

"Nothing about Sarine, right?" Eremes growled.

"Ah, well, orders were to record everything..." the man said.

"Remove...all evidence...of us...and Sarine...now..." Eremes growled out lower in warning. "Or Kiehl...will pull the notes...himself...off of your cold...dead...corpse..."

"That I will!" Kiehl hissed. Naght seethed his own hatred, and Doppy looked at the human with sadistic glee. He clearly wanted to kill the human and pry the notes off him.

"I'll remove everything about meeting the lot of you," the Professor said quickly.

"Wise choice," Beelzebub smirked. Hibram chuckled, and Ragged Zombie looked pissed. He clearly wanted to do something.

"How was your dirt nap?" Ragged Zombie grinned at Cedrick.

"Shut up!" the prince replied and scowled. He had Neil repair his equipment, since Howard was busy comforting Sarine. Even Shoujin needed his armor repaired.

"Is Sarine almost done?" Hibram asked.

"She's finishing off her bite with Maya Purple," Nigel grinned. He had to get in on the biting. They were far too addictive. Donnie started to strum his guitar, and Thomas laughed.

"What?" Donnie asked.

"Wonder what's down below here?" he asked.

"Well, that's why we're here, right?" Donnie frowned.

"True, but what strange monsters await us next?" Thomas mused.

"Maybe something smarter than you?" Ragged Zombie grinned, and Wickebine snickered. "Either way, I'm sure it will be blast."

"My Lady, I remembered a monster that we need to find near Comodo. And he can only be found near Comodo," Drago said.

"Oh?" Sarine smiled, as she let Maya Purple hug her tight. He had separated from his bug body, and he was glad that Beelzebub stood next to it to keep the nosy adventurers away.

"It's a monster called Mobster. He looks human, but he isn't. A bit of a vagrant, but he would be good to collect when we can find him," Drago said.

"Huh!" she smiled. "We'll need to see about getting him!"

_:_ _Hmm.:_  Muninn thought and landed to revert human.

"Just who are you?" the Professor asked.

" _I am Muninn, and Sarine is my sister. You will not record anything about us,_ " Muninn said. At the gaping Professor's nod, Muninn looked at Karla and grinned, as he said, " _Pull out a couple of Dead Branches, please. Father Odin wants us to do something before the kids get here. Keltin, after the children arrive, you are to start finding the switches._ "

"Right!" Keltin nodded. Kiehl was deep in thought about something, and Howard looked at him curiously. Sarine gave Maya Purple a kiss, as she settled back into Kiehl's arms.

"I'm missing something about Juperos," Kiehl muttered. "It was a metal city above us, right? All of the structures were empty, and robots were running around?"

"Yeah. From what Naght showed us," Howard said.

"There's something about Vesper that I'm not grasping," Kiehl frowned. "Evil Snake Lord might know something. Or...hey, Muninn!"

" _Yes?_ " he asked, as he walked over.

"What am I missing about Vesper?" Kiehl asked.

" _Ahh. He was a mad scientist and built Juperos long ago. Needless to say, he was driven mad by his own inventions. Much like the odd legends of you, but legends are legends, as they go. It's still rumored that you can hear his maniacal laughter the closer we get to the core. It's supposed to drive one mad._ "

"A scientist, you say?" Kiehl mused.

" _Yes. As intelligent as you. And those crests you saw? I'll give you a tip. They are needed to reach him. You'll find out why. Keep one of each, and you'll see,_ " Muninn grinned.

"Keltin!" Howard said.

"What?" he asked, and he had Garm move over to them.

"We need the crests the Venatus drop! Muninn gave us an important clue. Try to collect a lot of them when hunting those switches!" Howard muttered.

"I'll do that. Anyways, why the Dead Branches?" Keltin frowned.

" _Use them and find out!_ " Muninn said. Sarine smiled, and Kiehl pressed a kiss to her forehead while he held her. She leaned into him and sighed while he cradled her.

"Two Dead Branches!" Karla giggled, and she handed them to Seyren.

"I can only wonder what will come out now," Hibram grinned.

"I have an idea on one of them," Drago said.

"Do you?" Observation asked. At Drago's nod, the angel chuckled and watched the first branch snap. A cloud of blue smoke appeared and quickly took on an odd shape. It started to resemble a large, purplish-blue dust cloud holding a shield, and a single hand tried to reach out for anything around it. The monster seemed to falter now and turned to face Sarine.

"That's the Myst from Coal Mines!" Keltin grinned.

"So, that would be the only monster we would need?" Sarine blinked.

"That's right," Keltin nodded.

"Interesting," Kiehl mused. Myst seemed to waver, as it glowed with power. Then it moved up to Sarine to hand over a card before vanishing.

"Not a bad card!" Howard grinned, as he looked at it. "Use the other Dead Branch!"

"Okay," Seyren grinned and snapped it. At first there was nothing until the sound of sandals stepped up to them. What appeared was a well-muscled man with spiked orange hair. His shirt was half off of him to expose a bandage on his arm and another over his gut. A set of shorts with black sandals finished him off. He seemed to be constantly flicking a poisonous dagger in one hand, and his other hand was in his shorts pocket.

"We did see a few of those guys in Naght's tower, but none of them joined us," Garrett said. "At least we won't have to search for him!"

"What's up?" Mobster smirked, as he glowed. "Nice! Powerful! I like that! So, eh, who do I talk to so I can thank whoever it was that freed me? Or something?"

"That would be Sarine, the Vessel of Odin," Sammy said.

"Cool. Can I, like, see her?" he asked.

"Go up to the Gryphon. Just be careful. She's pregnant, and her husbands, mates, and slaves won't hesitate to punch you out," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Really?" Mobster grinned back. He looked like a monster that loved to pick fights. He paused for a moment to spit before walking over to Sarine.

"Hello. A pleasure to meet you," she smiled.

"Um...uh...here..." he blinked and handed her his card and a ring with a spot for a monster card. She blushed softly at this, and Kiehl let out a bristling snarl.

"Thank you. Kiehl, love, be nice," she frowned.

"This card would benefit Doppy's kids when they become Thieves," Howard mused.

"Yeah. I know a few Thief moves," Mobster nodded. "So, what are you all doing?"

"We were going to find Vesper. But, it looks like I need to nurse my children first," she sighed, as Storm Caller appeared with Juliana and Deagan.

"I want to help do something for you," Mobster said.

"Help Keltin, then. He needs to find various switches to let us progress through here," she said. He nodded, and Keltin became his Champion form. Various monsters were able to attach to him, and he moved off quickly. There was a force in the air that kept Teleportation from being done, but, with all the monsters supporting him, it would be easy to run through.

"I don't like him," Kiehl growled. At the sight of his offspring, he calmed down to show he wasn't upset at them.

"Mommy!" Deagan said, as he reached for her.

"Hungry, dear?" Sarine crooned to him, and he nodded. The blanket was drawn up, and Maya Purple moved to help shield her, as Windwalker rose up his wings.

"Is school going well?" Kiehl smiled at his daughter.

"Yeah!" she grinned to show her teeth coming in and started nursing. Now that his kids were with him, no one was going to even try to talk to Kiehl. He could easily snap and see anyone as a threat. When they finished nursing, Kiehl held his son, and Howard held Juliana.

"Sarine? Are you ready for my twins?" Sammy asked.

"Bring them to me," she smiled. Kiehl smiled softly at Sammy to show he was tolerant of him. Ming and Loo Shin were given over now, and they settled into nursing rather quickly.

"They were hungry, too," Juliana said.

"Were they really? Well, I'm glad I'm feeding them now," Sarine smiled.

"Dad," Deagan said to Kiehl.

"What is it?" he smiled.

"We were told that we could see the treasury later today. When you got back," his son said. "We were supposed to see what treasures looked like."

"Oh? Well, that can be arranged," Kiehl chuckled.

"Why don't they show you without us?" Sarine frowned.

"Daddy Drake says it's important for everyone to be together in the treasury. Apparently, new designs are needed for it," Deagan said.

"New designs?" Howard asked.

"Yeah. I'm not sure of all the details," Deagan admitted.

"That's because you were falling asleep in class!" Juliana said.

"I was not! My glasses were slipping, and I was squinting!" he argued.

"Kids..." Kiehl growled slightly to bring them back under control. "Let me see your glasses, Deagan. I'll fix them."

"Yes, Dad," he nodded and took them off. Kiehl studied them and tightened the band a touch. When they were placed back on, Deagan sighed and said, "Much better!"

"Good. When you outgrow the band, we'll get you better glasses," Kiehl said.

"Okay," he smiled and got a kiss to his forehead.

"Um, Mama?" Ming asked, as she finished nursing.

"Yes, dear?" Sarine smiled. Loo Shin was still nursing, and she wasn't going to disturb him. Sammy hadn't left her side at all, and fatherly pride was quite clear on his face.

"I want to see a big treasury!" Ming giggled.

"A big treasury? How big?" she smiled.

"Lots of gold! And jewels!" Ming blushed.

"Sounds like a treasury I had a long time ago," Sammy mused.

"You know, if we go to find Detale, we might be able to bring the kids to see the place. Of course, it would be after we recruit him, but before his darker form splits. This way, Detale can keep the monsters back long enough for them to see it. What do you think?" Howard chuckled. "I'm sure the treasury we have would become Detale's lair, too."

"You would think so," Sarine chuckled. Ming cuddled into her, and Sarine gave a soft purr. Sammy chuckled, as he watched his son finish nursing and reach for him.

"Had enough?" Sammy smiled. Sarine fixed up her top, and Loo Shin snuggled into his father's shoulder. Ming continued to rest in Sarine's embrace, and Kiehl looked over at Beelzebub when he walked over to them.

"Have they finished? Keltin is on the last switch. There were three of them, and all of the Venatus we needed have been gathered. Crests are stockpiled, too," the Demon Lord said.

"They have finished. Dears, you need to go back with Storm Caller now. We are almost done here, okay?" Sarine smiled. Ming nodded, and she gave her kids hugs and kisses. Storm Caller was waiting patiently to take the four kids back.

"Vessel of Odin, all of the children miss you," Storm Caller sighed.

"Let them know that I'm almost done here. Oh! Let them also know that, if they're good, they may be able to see a dragon's treasure room tomorrow," she smiled. Storm Caller chuckled and knew that would help keep them happy. The moment they left, she saw Keltin instantly appear next to her in his Bongun form with the other monsters.

"It's good to know that I can come back to you in an area you don't control," he smiled, and she hugged him tightly to her. She clearly missed him.

"We have plenty of crests?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. I think we're ready to continue. The gateway is opened!" Keltin said.

"We need to head through quickly, then!" Sarine urged. Muninn became his falcon form to hover over them, and the smaller party had already gone through. No one liked that at all.

"If they get in our way, they die!" Doppy hissed.

"I know!" Thanatos snarled. They all walked in just before the gateway closed. They found themselves in a small chamber with a lever and a control panel. An odd tray was exposed as though it was waiting for something to be placed within it.

"I'll check it," Howard said. Kiehl nodded and pulled the heavy blanket around Sarine and himself. "You guys, move it!"

"I'm recording things here!" the Professor said.

"We are on a time limit! You can sit and stay all you want, but we have to continue!" Mitchell scowled. "This was one of the reasons I left Yuno. All those rules just suck!"

"Tell me about it," Kathryne sighed. He rubbed her belly and smiled at a kick.

"I need one of those crests!" Howard said. He figured out what the tray was for, and Kiehl mentally confirmed it. Keltin handed him a brown piece of metal that looked like a double 'v' type of crest that had angled spikes in the shape of an upwards arch. The end was pointed downward, and it could have looked like a bug's antennae. Howard fitted the crest in and pulled the lever. The tray pulled in to make a series of beeps and whirs, as the machine sprung to life. As the room shifted like an elevator, a swarm of robots appeared to attack.

"Protect Windwalker!" Doppy hollered. The robots were dead before they could attack. Eddga stomped on the ground to make them lose balance, and Pori-Pori smashed them all to pieces. Kiehl snarled out protectively, as he clung to Sarine, and Windwalker was quickly swarmed by her husbands, mates and slaves. Her companions made another wall of protection around her, and her pregnant friends were huddled near Windwalker.

"This isn't fair!" Karla fumed. "I want to have some fun!"

"When the baby is out," Seyren promised.

"I want to kill something, too!" Cecil pouted.

"How about this," Garrett grinned and whispered to her. Now she blushed hard, and Beelzebub was snickering. "Remember, you want me to be dominated tonight. Take your anger out on me then when I come back to you, okay?"

"You'll like it," she grinned.

"Why do you think I'm telling you this?" he smirked. He found himself getting kissed hard, and Howard whistled. He gestured for another crest when the tray slid back open. It was empty to accept another crest. Keltin handed him one that looked like a blue, teardrop shaped metallic piece that was slanted with a simple design cut out of the center. It was placed in, and the crank was pulled. Another wave of monsters appeared and were quickly destroyed. Sarine kept Kiehl calm by having him focus fully on her.

"I should kill them all!" Kiehl hissed.

"No, love. I need you with me. You need to give me heat," Sarine whispered.

"You...need me?" he asked softly. She blushed and nuzzled him.

"Always, love," she smiled, and he found himself smiling back. Howard could only sigh in relief that she was able to keep Kiehl so calm and focused.

"Next crest!" Howard said, and the tray opened again. The third crest that Keltin gave over looked like a shorter version of the first one, but was slightly more purple in tinge. The inner, decorative spikes resembled small thorns. This one was placed in the control panel, and the lever was pulled. Another wave of robots appeared and were destroyed. Now the wall seemed to open to reveal a hallway. As they all fought through it, they approached an elevator that led down.

"Here we go!" Darryl chuckled.

"We don't know what to expect! Be on guard!" Loomin warned.

"As always," Hibram nodded.

"How is Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked.

"Keeping Kiehl calm," Howard sighed. "He wanted to come and help kill stuff. She convinced him not to. There's another control panel here with a lever. I need the last crest."

"Here it is!" Keltin said as a green, spiked, v-shaped crest was handed to him. This one looked like branched wings with a sharp set of spines jutting up from where the v-line arched out. It was set in, and the lever in here was pulled. Now the elevator started to move, but several monsters appeared to attack them.

"More?!" Lander blinked.

"Don't complain! Just kill them!" Ragged Zombie growled. This time, waves of Venatus and Dimiks appeared only to be crushed down to scrap. Then a set of new monsters appeared. They were distance attackers and appeared to be bouncing bags of air with gems hovering over them. The bags each had a distinct gem color. The colors of the gems were red, blue, yellow, and green. Four of these robotic monsters glowed and helped attack the others in the room. Kiehl had to peer out of the blanket to study them. He would want a closer inspection of them later. They gave him several excellent ideas for defense.

"Those are Photon Cannons!" Keltin said, as the information came to him. "Very accurate, and they hit exceptionally hard! They're elemental based, too."

"Good. We can use them on the island," Howard grinned. He easily reflected Kiehl's thoughts. Naght rumbled with agreement, as the four new monsters vanished away. The elevator came to a stop and opened up. The smaller group ran out quickly to see what the core held, despite Darryl's warning. They were all massacred by the robots that waited outside. One of them looked like a man in a white robotic suit. He appeared to be a mechanic of sorts, as he hovered around on a jet pack and fired away with guns attached to his arms.

"That's an Archdam," Keltin whispered to Sarine. "I think their cards are useful to Crusaders and Paladins."

"Really? Should we have a card harvest?" Sarine giggled. Keltin chuckled, and Kiehl sighed with contentment while he held her. "Vesper should be coming here soon."

"I'll kill him, if he tries anything!" Kiehl muttered. She smiled, pressed a kiss to his mouth, and it quickly deepened into something more. When Windwalker started to move again, there was a tight circle of protective monsters and companions around him.

"What do we do about the others? The ones that got slaughtered?" Seyren frowned.

"What about them?" Doppy smirked.

"Darryl's okay. The others...eh. I could care less," Hyegun said.

"True," Sammy said. "Darryl has shown nothing but respect."

"Shall I Resurrect him?" Errende asked.

"As long as he doesn't bring back his buddies," Thanatos growled. Errende quickly brought the Lord Knight back to life, and Darryl sighed.

"That's three times I owe you guys! I tried to get them to stand back, but, of course, no. They don't listen. What's to happen with them?" he asked.

"Were they the same ones that left you for dead in Glast Heim?" Seyren mused.

"In fact, they were," Darryl nodded.

"Someone else will come along and help them," Garrett grinned. "Or, Muninn may show what kindness he has in his heart and send them back."

_:_ _Maybe after. We find. Vesper.:_  Muninn warbled out a chuckle, as he flew over them. In his human form, he couldn't Resurrect them. In his falcon form, he could. He was able to do it before on various occasions, but he didn't like to let that little secret about himself known to too many. Huginn was always the main healer in his human form.

"Good call..." Eremes smirked. Ifrit could only agree. _The less to distract them the better._  As Keltin led them towards the core, a broken Archdam lay against one of the walls, and Sarine quickly called attention to him.

"He needs to be fixed! The poor dear!" Sarine fretted.

"Oh?" Kiehl asked. The robot was falling apart at the joints as though he was poorly made. When Kiehl studied him again, he narrowed his eyes. _It was almost as though he was purposely dismantled..._

"Can you fix him, love?" Sarine frowned.

"That's the one we need, too," Keltin sighed. "What happened?"

"We'll find out. I'll be okay for a bit, love. Just stay on Windwalker, and keep the blanket around you. Ifrit, please help her? Howard, sit with her!" Kiehl said.

"Got it," Howard nodded. Aliot and Alicel moved to help assist Kiehl. RSX-0806 opened up various compartments for spare parts, and Apocalypse kept a look out for anything that got too close. She watched Kiehl crouch down by the broken Archdam and various tools were handed to him by Aliot. Once Archdam was quickly repaired, he stood up and nodded his thanks, as he glowed with power.

"I'll check you again when we're done here," Kiehl said. as his tools were set back in RSX-0806. "At least now you can walk and move around."

"Thank you," the robotic man said in a monotone voice. "I wish to repay you."

"You can help me out in the workshop after we are done here," Kiehl nodded. "Do you know where Vesper is?"

"Vesper? Oh. My creator. Yes. He's here. He was the one that did this to me. He knew I was different. So, he tried to break me," Archdam frowned.

"Well, it won't happen again!" Sarine said angrily.

"Who dares to challenge my judgment?!" a shrill voice echoed throughout the core. Sarine narrowed her gaze to the tall pillar before them, and everyone stepped back. Kiehl moved in front of Archdam, and his ghost came out in full. Doppy grinned wickedly and dismounted Nightmare Terror to ready his attack. Howard helped Sarine carefully, as Naght and Ifrit moved to help keep her warm at a distance. Thanatos smirked and took his sword off his back. His generals readied their attacks. Muninn warbled and landed on Sarine's shoulders.

"My creator comes," Archdam said. Vesper walked over to them with purposeful strides. Long gone was any form of humanity. His mind was firmly implanted in the heavy, white machine. He looked like a giant Apocalypse, but was fully beefed up to sustain a lot of damage. Gaseous, flame-like wisps of hair streamed out from the sides of the head, and two lights blinked off and on in the eyes. The arms were massive cannons to fire meteors from, and a set of giant, yellow-clawed feet kept the massive frame up. His body almost looked like it could wear a cape, but it was just the design of the machine to keep balance.

"You broke your own creation?!" Kiehl seethed. "You are a horrible excuse for a scientist! You could have at least rebuilt him, or made him stronger!"

"And who are you to tell me what to do?! Oh. You're Kiel Hyre, aren't you?" Vesper seemed to smirk. "Another mad genius like myself!"

"I am  _nothing_  like that puppet is!" Kiehl snarled. "My name is Kiehl Tao-Alt-Eisen-Guile! I will not be anything near that Hyre name! Yes, I am a reproduction of Homunculus and robot hybrid, but I am  _nothing_  like my former creator!"

"Enough!" Huginn shouted after Sarine's soft whimper, and Muninn launched into the air to hover. "Vesper, our Lord Odin commands that you join us to help fight in the approach of a coming war! It will destroy you, your work, and everything else you hold of utmost value! I am Huginn, and I enforce Lord Odin's will! If you have anything to say, say it now!"

"Huginn?! The being of legends?" Vesper paused now. Then he laughed and cackled with a form of glee, as he cried out, "The power of Valhalla will be mine!"

"Wrong!" Huginn grinned and glared at the robot. "Long ago, you lost yourself in your experiments. Shall we see what happens when we separate the madness from the sanity? I'm sure you may find much regret in a lot of your work."

"I regret nothing!" Vesper howled with rage.

"Then separate from your darker self now! I command you!" Huginn shouted. At first nothing happened with Vesper. Then he started to shake. Then he screamed out in pain, as his darker double was separated from him and vanished away. Once the pain was gone, Vesper stood up and actually looked tired and weary. He looked around before looking down at his hands. He started to shake as though with complete disbelief.

"What did I do to myself?!" he whispered with a touch of horror.

"You became what your mind drove for. An immortal creation of your own hands," Huginn said. "Now that your mind is clear again, there is much work for you to do."

"I tried to use my creations to help not to...the city above. How is it?" Vesper asked.

"Destroyed," Archdam said. "You ordered us long ago to clear out the living humans for fear that they would interfere with your plans. The place is overrun and abandoned."

"Juperos is gone? The city I made myself?" Vesper trembled.

"You can help rebuild a new city and a better army," Huginn said softly. "Join us, and you will learn much. Will you help us?"

"Yes. I will," Vesper nodded. "Kiehl. That is what you said you were called by?"

"Yes," Kiehl nodded.

"I will need to talk to you in depth at some point in time," he said.

"It will be arranged. Right now, we need to get Sarine home. Huginn is in her body, and she's also the Vessel of Odin," Kiehl said.

"The Vessel of Odin?! Then the war is true! Yes! Let's go quickly!" Vesper urged.

"We need more components, though," Kiehl sighed.

"I'll make them for you. We have much to do!" Vesper urged again. Huginn nodded, and Sarine's body fell into Kiehl's arms. He held her until she woke up, and he whispered to her what was going on. She smiled softly and looked at Vesper with a nod of respect.

"Let me show him the Mark of Odin," she said. Kiehl helped her reveal the tattoo, and Vesper seemed to bow in front of her. Only then did Muninn warble to show he was ready to take them back to the island.

"Here. In case I don't get a chance to give these to you," Vesper said. He had a special compartment open up in his chest to display his card, four types of special core pieces that added a boost to various defenses, and an Old Purple Box.

"What are these for?" Sarine asked, as she picked up the odd gear-like accessories.

"When you have them on you, they can increase speed and power. I have a few more within me. I created them long ago, and I think you need them more than I do right now," Vesper said. "I'll help upgrade your defenses in the workshop."

"Good. It will help us, since I can't really leave Sarine's side," Kiehl chuckled.

"Can I tag along with you guys?" Darryl asked.

"Sure. Just don't get in our way," Thanatos grinned. Muninn seemed to chuckle, and he flew over to the defeated party to Resurrect them. Then, before they could ask what was going on, Muninn took Sarine and her party back to the island home.


	149. Chapter 149

Once here, Mobster was instantly impressed and moved off to explore at his leisure. Vesper moved down to the workshop to start making new components for Kiehl with Archdam's help. Sarine was moved up to the nursery to see her children, since they missed her.

"Mama! Are we really going to see a big dragon's treasury?" Serenity asked with excitement. Siegfried was hugging Sarine in one arm, and Gunther was snuggling her in the other. Bianca and Edward were clinging to her legs, as she had sat down in the rocking chair. Angela had settled in her lap. The moment any of them moved away, Trina, Bernard, Alexis, and Albert were ready to take their places. Sammy urged them to do this to get their fill of being with her. No one wanted them to start craving her with cold chills.

"It's very possible," Sarine smiled. "Did you all eat yet?"

"We did," she nodded.

"But, you haven't," Kiehl muttered to Sarine. He was sitting underneath her to keep her in his lap. "Have you guys gotten your fill of your mother?"

"I want a hug!" Edward pouted. Gunther hugged Sarine again and let Edward get hugged next. Thanatos chuckled and Errende started to set a table for Sarine.

"We got to try killing some Porings today," Bianca smiled.

"Really? Was it good training for you?" Doppy asked.

"It was boring! They were too easy!" she pouted.

"You have to start out small," Howard said. "Eventually, you'll get to harder monsters. Right now, you have to test your limits."

"They were hard for me," Angela frowned.

"Give it time. They will get easier," Sarine smiled and kissed her forehead.

"How are my kids?" Beelzebub asked Evil Snake Lord.

"The shells are hardening a little. It's the same with mine. Entweihen's seeds have sprouted and are starting to grow," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. Howard moved to check on the small garden and saw the sprouts appearing. Large leaves were still tightly curled up, and the seed was starting to get pulled from the ground. The babies were likely hidden in the seeds, themselves, and they would be revealed when the hard cases dropped away from the plant. Entweihen and Sammy were constantly monitoring the soil to ensure that it was rich enough, but Amon Ra had taken over that job. He was using his element expertly. It was another reason as to why he wanted to remain in the nursery.

Siegfried pressed a kiss to his mother's cheek and moved off of her to play. Trina was given over next, and Edward made way for Bernard. Keltin's twins cuddled into her with comfort now and seemed to sniffle softly. They clearly missed her, and Sarine snuggled them to her to show that everything was fine.

"Don't cry, loves," Sarine cooed to them, and Kiehl managed to purr out softly to help them feel a bit more comfort. On hearing him purr, they knew a protective father was with them. Trina snuggled into him a bit, and Kiehl pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he looked up and hissed in warning. Serenity looked at the entrance of the nursery and growled in response. The moment her family was threatened, she was quick to help voice it.

"Serenity, don't do anything!" Howard warned.

"But, Dad..." she frowned.

"No. Don't do it," Howard said and lifted her up to hold her. "Let us handle it!"

"Okay," she sniffled. He kissed her forehead, and Naght readied his swords.

"It's just Darryl," Seyren said, as he walked in. "He wanted to see the nursery."

"As long as he behaves," Beelzebub muttered.

"I'll make sure of it," Loomin nodded. Kiehl growled softly and blinked at a stare from Trina. He made a face at her, and she made one back.

"Pori-Pori would beat you in a funny face war," Kiehl grinned.

"Nuh-uh!" Trina said. "I'm the funniest!"

"Byorgue! Find Pori-Pori!" Angela grinned. The slave chuckled and moved off to find the powerful monster. While he left, Nigel was in his Nine Tail form to entertain Juliana and Ming with sloppy licks to their cheeks. When they wiped the slobber off, he licked them again.

"Nooo!" Juliana laughed.

"Ew!" Ming said. She started giggling, as Nigel pressed his tickling muzzle into her neck. Sammy was laughing softly, as he held Loo Shin and Deagan.

"I wonder how many kids want rides," Maya Purple mused, and he skittered onto a wall.

"Rides?!" Serenity gasped with delight.

"Outside," Doppy grinned, as the older kids moved to follow Maya Purple out. Alexis and Albert got hugs from their mother first before moving to follow them.

"Maya and Golden Thief Bug are going to help with that," Beelzebub said.

"Wow! A lot of kids! Where are their parents?" Darryl asked as he walked in.

"We are their fathers. Sarine is their mother," Doppy said lightly.

"What? How old are they? Ten? Eleven?" he asked.

"Far from it," Howard grinned. "The oldest two are about eight months, and the youngest ones here are about two months."

"What?" Darryl blinked.

"We are all monsters, or have a form of monster blood in our systems. So, our kids grow differently than others," Keltin chuckled.

"Pori-Pori is out there with the others," Byorgue said, as he walked in. Then he gave a mild glare at Darryl before moving to help Sarine to the table to eat.

"How many kids is she pregnant with now?" Darryl asked.

"Four," Loomin said. "And she has four kids with each pregnancy now, other than her first one which was only twins."

"Any more than that could hurt her," Keltin said.

"Why do you want to know all of this?" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"Oh, I just, well..." Darryl sighed.

"If you're curious, go talk to Storm Caller," Sarine said. "He is a very powerful Strouf, and he can explain a bit more detail to you."

"I'll go do that!" Darryl nodded. When he left, Kiehl muttered and smiled at a piece of rare roast offered to him. He took it and sighed, as he chewed. She finished off the peppery roast and started on the milk and cheese.

"Mama, can I try some?" Juliana asked when she saw the cheese.

"Of course," Sarine smiled. Loomin helped Kiehl with the girl, and Drago snorted with irritation from the nursery balcony.

"You see it, too?" Alexander asked as he hovered nearby.

"Yes. We should stop it," Drago growled.

"What is it?" Howard asked.

"Darryl's original group is walking over from the arena," Drago said.

"The kids are out there playing!" Sarine frowned. Byorgue, Nigel, Aliot, and Naght all left at once. Thanatos and Doppy were quick to follow.

"Pori-Pori is out there, too. So is Maya Purple, Golden Thief Bug, and Maya," Drago said. "The kids won't get touched. And there's Baphomet with his son. Yeah. They'll be safe."

"Still..." Sarine frowned.

"Mommy," Ming frowned, and Sarine smiled at her.

"I know your brothers and sisters will be safe," Sarine smiled. "I still want to check on them, though. We can go to the grove."

"Are you done eating, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"For now, I am," she nodded. "We still have a couple hours before sundown."

"That we do," Hyegun nodded.

"Osiris and Pharaoh are out with the kids now. Amon Ra is there, too," Drago said.

"Well, I need to get out there now," Sarine muttered.

"Can we go too, Mommy?" Ming asked.

"Of course, dear," she smiled. Sammy gathered up his twins, and Howard gathered up Kiehl's twins. They clung to him happily, and they moved out of the nursery.

"Nothing will happen to our kids," Kiehl growled.

"I know," Sarine smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. She got rewarded with a squeeze, and they walked out of the house. Beelzebub had decided to walk with them, as an extra measure. He stood in the grove with them, as Maya Purple brought over Serenity and Siegfried. They were clearly having a blast on his back and squealing with laughter.

"Mama! We had so much fun!" Serenity laughed.

"That's good, dear!" Sarine chuckled and was settled on the swinging bench with Kiehl. His twins were given to him, and she got hugged by Deagan.

"I love you, Mommy," Deagan said and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I love you, too, Deagan," Sarine smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Dad," Juliana said to Kiehl.

"Yes," he smiled.

"Why do you always get mad now?" she frowned.

"I get mad," he said, as he gathered her up fully to hold. "because I keep getting stronger. Others say I get weak, and I have to show them that I'm not. Also, it's because I keep feeling that I have to protect you and your mother. I need to protect my family. Why do you ask? Do I always look mad?"

"No. You don't play with us," she frowned. Then she paled at his grin, and she started to laugh at his tickling. "Daaad! Nooo!"

"I don't play with you, eh?" he growled playfully and got into a full father mode with his daughter to play with her. Howard leaned over to snatch up Serenity, and she now suffered the same playful tickling that her sister got.

"No, Dad!" Serenity laughed.

"Oh, no! My tickling has become...kisses!" Howard gasped, and Serenity squealed when he started pressing kisses to her face.

"I don't want these kisses!" Serenity pouted.

"Nigel, dear?" Sarine called out, and he loped over in his Nine Tail form. "Serenity doesn't like How-How's kisses. Can you show her other kisses she can get?"

"Mama! No!" Serenity paled now, and Nigel started to give her extra sloppy licks to her cheeks. That had Howard laughing, and Kiehl looked down at Juliana with a grin.

"Um...no?" Juliana whimpered, and Kiehl just laughed softly while he hugged her.

"Kisses are for girls!" Deagan grinned. Then Sarine pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he blushed, as he said, "Mommy's kisses are different! I like your kisses."

"Good!" she smiled and nuzzled him with a soft purr. Maya Purple chuckled, as Siegfried sat on the grass to laugh at his sisters. Maya came by next with Gunther and Bianca. Trina and Bernard were held in her arms, and Keltin was there to take them from her. He sat on a cushion by Sammy, as he held his twins. Doppy pulled up a chair to sit in, and his twins scrambled to sit in his lap. Golden Thief Bug skittered over with Alexis, Albert, Edward, and Angela under his wing covers, and they got out to run to their fathers. Thanatos was holding Edward upside down and poking his sides, as Errende had Angela in his lap the moment he sat down on the ground by Sarine. She placed a foot in his back, and he leaned against her with comfort.

Aliot walked over to sit down and got smothered with his kids. Sarine gazed at her children with pure delight, and she looked over when Naght and Ifrit settled near her to keep her warm. Observation had her blanket, and he was quick to arrange it with Injustice so that it covered the swinging bench neatly, but didn't obscure her view. Eremes chuckled, as he walked over to lean against a cherry tree, and Siegfried was quick to move over to him to get held. Naght rumbled to Siegfried, and his son blushed.

"I like Daddy Eremes, because he saved Mommy," Siegfried said with a smile.

"Is that all?" Eremes asked.

"Well...you're also cool!" he grinned. That got a rewarding tickle and a small kiss to the forehead. "Um...Daddy Eremes?"

"What?" he smiled.

"What does a girl Assassin Cross look like? What do they wear?" he asked.

"A lot less than me," Eremes grinned.

"Think Sarine could pull it off?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I am unsure if she can wear the garments."

"She was able to wear a belly dancing suit. Normally, only Gypsies can do that," Maheo said. "I'm sure she could."

"As long as it isn't for too long, right?" Neil asked.

"It's possible," Loomin thought. "All options are open to her."

"I prefer Sniper, though. I love the bow and arrow," Sarine smiled.

"We know. But, it would be interesting to see you in the gears of other classes," Howard grinned. "We should experiment."

"Later," she said. "We'll test it when I get pregnant with the triplets."

"I'll hold you to that," Kiehl grinned.

"I'm sure you will," she chuckled. Beelzebub whispered to Byorgue, and he ran off. A moment later he came back with some papers.

"Kiehl, Evil Snake Lord finished your notes!" Byorgue said, as he gave them over. "He said that he did before, but he wanted to make sure that you had them on you."

"Thanks! I'll look at them later," Kiehl nodded and set them aside in his coat pocket.

"Notes?" Deagan asked.

"From my old workshop from Lighthalzen. Evil Snake Lord was able to see them and recreate them for me," Kiehl explained.

"Everyone is out here?" Cedrick frowned, as he walked over with Shoujin. Baphomet and Seyren weren't far behind, and they didn't look happy.

"Darryl is trying to convince his old friends to leave," Seyren grumbled. "When he learned they came here, he had to stop talking to Storm Caller to help deter them."

"I offered to gut them open, but was declined," Baphomet smirked.

"They are all children!" Osiris muttered, as he walked into the grove to stand by the others. Pharaoh was quick to follow, and Amon Ra soon found Angela in his lap.

"It's not safe to give rides right now, my dear. Let's wait until it's safe," Amon Ra said. She nodded and moved back over to Errende. "I heard a storm is coming tonight?"

"Yes," Howard nodded. "The safe room below the house will be used."

"A furnace is there. I inspected it," Ifrit said.

"Good," Sarine smiled.

"Mama," Serenity said, as she tapped her arm.

"What, dear?" she smiled.

"Um...you haven't sang for us in a long time," Serenity frowned.

"Do you miss my singing?" Sarine asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. All of the kids voiced this, and Sammy gave his son to Hyegun to hold. His daughter went to Loomin when she reached for him. She clearly liked Loomin, and she got a kiss to her forehead when she snuggled him. Sammy took out the Gumoongoh and winked to show he was ready to play.

"Shall we, my dear?" Sammy chuckled.

"She's going to sing?" Darryl asked.

"Yes, she is," Seyren smiled. "Byorgue, you might want to get the others. If they miss this, they might get mad."

"Gotcha!" Byorgue nodded. He moved up to Sarine to press a kiss to her cheek and ran off, as Beelzebub used his Hell Flies to help inform any others. It took ten minutes for the grove to fill up. Cedrick and Shoujin were already standing there, and they weren't going to budge from where they were. Cedrick heard her sing before. Shoujin hadn't. Evil Snake Lord chanced to come down from the nursery with Entweihen. There were quite a few Hell Flies there, so the nursery was well protected with Bacsojin and Doll. Drake came from the ship, and Cameron was allowed to join, since he was doing so well. Baphomet and his son settled nearby, and the little Bapho Jr. settled with them.

"It's been a while since we heard you sing!" Coraline giggled.

"I know," Sarine smiled.

"It's an event?" Darryl blinked.

"It always is...when it comes to her voice..." Eremes smiled softly.

"She has the 'Perfect Voice' with Doppy," Donnie grinned and took out his Berserk Guitar to help with the tunes. Ollie and Thomas took out their instruments to help.

"Where did the other Clowns go?" Sarine asked.

"Oh, you mean the other three? They decided to see who else they could gather to help revitalize the Bard Guild. They'll be around, though," Thomas smiled. Sarine nodded at this and smiled, as Drago moved to settle near her. Doppy looked at her expectantly, and she made sure everyone that wanted to hear her sing was there.

"Wait!" Orc Lord said, as he ran over with Orc Hero. Goblin Leader and Kobold Leader weren't far behind. Gloom Under Night was next to appear, and even Vesper came over.

"I had to see what this was all about," Vesper said. "I'm ready!"

Muninn warbled and landed nearby to listen. Practically all of the monsters were coming over to hear her sing. She blushed softly, and Kiehl kissed her cheek.

"Don't you dare leave us," Kiehl whispered to her.

"I don't recall going anywhere," she smiled and kissed him gently.

"Good," he smiled back and nuzzled her. She felt Deagan rest against her chest, and she softly started to sing. Sammy plucked on the strings of his Gumoongoh, and the Clowns provided her back up music. Doppy started to sing with her, and they did something of an echoing song. When she started to have fun with it from random, long notes, Doppy easily replicated them with his strong, deep, and operatic tone to influence her voice. At a point it became a small contest to see who could outdo the other, but it ended in a draw at their smiles. It caused small gasps of delight and small chuckles all around. The kids giggled at the playful song, and when it ended they got applauded.

"Sorry Sari, sing with me," Doppy smiled gently at her. He started up a song, and she easily sang with him. The passion held in the song came out quickly, and it easily caught the others up in the emotion. When she finished singing with him, more applauding happened, but there were also gasps of disbelief. She looked up to find Darryl's party there.

"Can I help you?" she frowned. She looked so beautiful and elegant on the swing bench with her son in her lap right then. The men wanted to swoon.

"Ah..." Lander started. Then a fist connected with his jaw. Mobster was there with a scowl on his face, and Ragged Zombie was grinning with complete appreciation.

"Don't stare at her!" Mobster growled. "That's just rude!"

"Why you...!" Lander hissed and found himself blinded, as sand got tossed into his eyes. Mobster was a solid brawler and another fist connected to the human's gut.

"Stop!" Sammy said quickly. "This is the grove of the island! It is not meant for any negativity! Stop what you're doing right now!"

"Ah...sorry..." Mobster sighed. "I just...didn't like them staring at her..."

"That's all well and good, but wow! What a right hook!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I have to agree with you," Donnie grinned with amusement.

"Perfect form, too," Keltin mused.

"Heal him and find out why they are here, please," Sarine sighed. Deagan gave a small, little growl, and Kiehl found himself beaming with a bit of pride.

"Like father like son, eh?" Hyegun chuckled.

"You bet!" Kiehl chuckled.

"We came here to find out more about you," the Professor said. "Um...my name is Willis. I turned in my notes about the core and came here. I didn't report anything about you."

"Good," Loomin said. "If you did, it would have been drastic."

"Oh?" Willis said.

"They would have used her for experiments," Mitchell said with a small glare.

"Ah! Well, don't worry! I didn't mention anything about you guys after your warning," Willis promised. Loomin studied him and knew he was telling the truth, but something still felt off. At his frown, Evil Snake Lord had an idea.

"Hmm," Evil Snake Lord thought. "Byorgue, I need some paper."

"Okay!" the slave nodded and actually had some sheets on him. Kiehl grinned at this, since it was to help keep him with Sarine. Evil Snake Lord had them placed on the ground, and he spilled his ink over them. His brush worked quickly, and writing started to appear.

"Those are my notes!" Willis blinked.

"Yes. Loomin may know that you speak the truth, but I want to make sure," Evil Snake Lord muttered. Now Naght moved over to help see what Howard and Kiehl couldn't. The notes revealed were basic and straightforward. The only thing that Evil Snake Lord saw that he didn't like was that a random party was encountered and helped assist them.  _That was cutting it close._ At the glare given to the Professor, he stammered.

"I didn't say who you guys were," Willis said quickly.

"You still mentioned that you met with another party. They will want to know who this party was. If they find out it was us, you will be held responsible," Loomin frowned. Sarine gave out a small sigh and noticed it was an hour before sunset.

"When is the storm supposed to hit the island?" Howard asked.

_:Four hours.:_  Muninn replied from his branch.

"Well, Sarine needs to be dominant. Kids, it's time to go back up to the nursery," Kiehl said with a soft smile. At some of their frowns, he added, "Take your naps now so you can be up with us later. We may do more singing and Dead Branches, okay?"

"That's right. The Lighthalzen monsters can be summoned with them," Howard nodded.

"I'd also like to try my Hocus Pocus skill," Mitchell grinned.

"Nice!" Gunther grinned. "I'll take a nap!"

"Me, too!" Bianca giggled. The other kids voiced their agreements, and Thanatos gave his son another upside down tickle before letting Naght snatch him up. Beelzebub wanted to help protect the nursery, and Pori-Pori was going to keep the smaller group from following Sarine to the dominating chambers.

"Garrett, Seyren, Lloyd, Mitchell, Max, and Donnie. You six need to follow me," Sarine said, as her demeanor took on a whole new change. "It's time."

"Do I have to go?" Max frowned.

"Just do it! I'll wait for you when you get back," Coraline smiled. Then she whispered to him, and he growled. Karla moved over to Sarine to whisper to her, and Beelzebub smirked. Sarine was now able to do anything she wanted to Seyren to ensure he would be kept in line. Cecil and Margaretha moved over to whisper next to her to allow the same thing. Karla whispered to Egnigem about it, and Egnigem nodded her permission.

"Coraline," Karla grinned and whispered to her.

"Um..." she frowned.

"Don't worry. It will be perfectly safe," Karla promised.

"Okay!" Coraline nodded. "I'll allow it!"

"I'll test how far I can go first," Sarine said gently. "I will not go over what they cannot handle. Don't worry about that. I may not need to do much at all."

"That makes me feel better," Coraline smiled.

"Whip Donnie, if you want," Egnigem smirked.

"Quiet, woman!" Donnie growled. Sarine gave him a look that sent a mixed form of fear and lust through his body. She smiled with a soft purr and gave her kids hugs and kisses before they got sent away.

"Whip?" Cedrick asked once the kids were out of earshot.

"Yes. I must be dominant, or else Doppy's child within me will make me ill for appearing weak. It's something I cannot avoid," Sarine said lightly.

"We'll be up at the house!" Margaretha chuckled. Cecil waved to Garrett and blew him a kiss before walking away with Kathryne giggling behind them. Egnigem and Coraline started up a nice conversation about what they were going to do with their men when they got back.

"Behave yourself, and I'll extend your reward," Karla promised her husband.

"I'll look forward to it," Seyren grinned and pulled her into a lusty kiss before letting her pull away from him. She snapped his collar on his neck to show he was claimed and walked to the house. Baphomet smirked and glared at the intruding party.

"You five need to leave now," the massive demon warned.

"I need to talk to Storm Caller again. I got interrupted," Darryl said.

"Fine. Then you four need to go," Baphomet growled.

"Or get sent off in small pieces," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Black and blue?" Mobster snickered.

"Add some color to them," Donnie nodded.

"Hey, Mobster," Howard said.

"What?" the monster asked.

"Sarine needs a hug," he grinned.

"Ah..." Keltin blinked and chuckled. Neil and Maheo grinned at each other. Doppy and Thanatos seemed to sigh. Loomin found himself shaking his head, and Sammy was reflecting it. Hyegun and Hibram looked at each other with shrugs. Beelzebub muttered to Osiris, Pharaoh, Amon Ra, Evil Snake Lord, and Entweihen in the nursery.

"Are you sure?" Eremes frowned. Ifrit snickered and moved off to the nursery to be with the kids. He couldn't be dominated. The slaves glanced at each other and gave small chuckles.

"Yeah. Are you really sure?" Kiehl asked. Sarine moved over to Mobster to hug him.

"Thank you for defending me," she smiled.

"Um...don't mention it?" Mobster said nervously. When she planted a kiss on him, Cedrick and Shoujin were just in shock.

"And he fits," Howard nodded.

"Wow..." Mobster blinked.

"Come with me?" Sarine smiled and nuzzled him.

"Sure," he nodded. He was completely under her thumb now. When Cedrick and Shoujin tried to follow, three Hell Flies blocked them to show they were not allowed.

"Oh, come on!" Cedrick frowned.

"Can I kill them?!" Doppy hissed. He gasped, as Sarine had quickly moved to run a hand through his hair, and she pulled his head down to hers.

"They can't even come into the chamber if they tried. Remember?" she chuckled softly and kissed him passionately. That made him grin, and she smiled softly, as she whispered, "There's my demon. I have a lot of work to do now. Let's go."

"Always your demon," he muttered and kissed her hard before letting her go. She was his wife and mate. No other would ever hold his heart.

"Who do you think she'll pick on first?" Thanatos asked him.

"Donnie. Hands down," Doppy grinned.

"I say it would be Seyren to show the others what they're in for," Thanatos mused.

"Nah. Donnie," Doppy insisted.

"We'll see," Loomin grinned. Sarine thought and looked at Errende.

"My Lady?" Errende asked. She ran a hand over his cheek, and he shivered with want.

"How many Blinkers are in the chambers, currently?" she muttered in his ear.

"Eight," he replied. "You had given two of them to Howard and Kiehl..."

"So I did," she mused. "And how many leashes are in the chambers?"

"I...don't recall any..." he whispered, as her hand moved to massage his scalp. They weren't even in the chambers yet, and she was already in her dominating mood.

"Sarine, let's get into the chambers," Kiehl said gently. She gave him a look, and he growled at her in warning. She smirked, yanked him close by his collar, and kissed him. When he was thoroughly shaken, she set her attention back on Errende to do the same thing to him.

"Byorgue," Sarine called out lightly. Her slave was at her side, and he got yanked to her to get kissed next. After he gasped when she finished, she growled, "Run back to the house. Get me ten leashes. If there aren't enough, have Incubus make more and bring them to me. Go now, and do this for me."

"Yes, My Lady," Byorgue nodded, and she let him run off. She moved over to Kiehl to pull him close to walk with her. As they moved down the small tunnel into the chambers, Garrett was in awe at the change of the place.

"Um...wow..." Donnie said with complete surprise.

"Indeed," Sammy grinned. Mobster was pulled over to the wall by Thanatos, and he started to whisper to him of the things that every new mate needed to know. Hyegun walked over to Eremes and muttered to him. Eremes cringed and walked over to Sarine quickly.

"Fireplace. Now. Our kids need heat. Hyegun says so," Eremes whispered.

"Oh!" Sarine blinked, and Kiehl moved her into the new furnace to heat her body temperature up considerably. Once her body was heated to a point that she would be fine outside of it, she was able to walk back out. Errende moved over to her to place his hands on her belly, and she leaned into him with a grateful sigh. Incubus came in with Byorgue shortly after and handed her the new leashes. She pulled Incubus close to kiss him lovingly, and he blinked at it.

"That's right. You never really got to spend much time with her, huh?" Ragged Zombie chuckled. "And I think I figured out how you can."

"Do tell," Incubus smiled. He walked over to hear the zombie's whisper, and he thought. "I can do that. I'll have to get to work on it."

"On what?" Doppy grinned.

"Outfits for her," Incubus winked. Errende looked over now, and Thanatos wanted to help give over some new ideas. Keltin was grinning, and Howard was clearly going to want in later on. Sarine smiled at her loves and looked over at the six men.

"We can do this one of two ways," Sarine said. "I can work on each of you privately, or as a group. Don't worry, none of you will touch each other. You'll hear each other, though. Discuss it at your leisure. You have ten minutes. I need to change clothes. Kiehl? How-How? Please help me?"

"Of course," Howard smiled, and Kiehl was already scooping her up to carry her into the small bedroom. They helped dress her in her dominating leathers, and Kiehl had her against a wall. She snuggled into him after their release, and she frowned at a thought.

"You're right," Kiehl sighed. "If there is a storm coming, it will be almost impossible for Howard and I to have you to ourselves tonight. We'll have to see what happens."

"I need to spend time with Loomin, Doppy, Eremes, and Ifrit, too," Sarine smiled softly. "I am pregnant with their children."

"I know," Kiehl smiled gently and nuzzled her. "And I do see them as my kids, since my blood is running through your veins. Okay. We'll definitely have to see what happens now."

"I'm looking forward to our wedding night," Howard grinned.

"Like  _hell_  is anyone going to get in on it!" Kiehl snarled.

"Once our triplets are formed, Naght and Ifrit will need to be with me briefly, remember?" Sarine whispered, as she nuzzled him. "Or did you inform me incorrectly?"

"No. You're right," Kiehl grimaced lightly. "As long as Ifrit is with you after us, of course. It will be the only way."

"Well, no doubt," she giggled, and he pressed himself against her. "I would be lying if there wasn't something that I didn't want right now. Despite how risky it is."

"Ah..." Howard winced. "I know. Trust me. We both know. Even Naght knows. I can guarantee to you that it will happen on our wedding night."

"It had better!" she grinned, and Kiehl growled at the nip she gave him. "I have six men that need to get rewarded and introduced to dominating. Are you well enough for me to leave your grasp for now, love?"

"For now," Kiehl nodded. "Each ten minutes, I'll need you."

"I know. Just reach for me when you need me. I give them each ten minutes, anyways," she smiled and kissed him lovingly. He tensed at the feel of her hands moving up his chest and over his shoulders to caress him. At a small thought, he found himself blinking.

"I am your first and only," Kiehl said.

"I know that," she smiled. "I just think...to be fair...if you were both somewhat purged with me to make it a bit more even on the scales."

"I don't think Naght would need that, but, I think to have us go that far, well, it would be a bit much," Howard frowned. "It's safer with only you."

"Okay. But, I will request one thing," she said a bit seriously.

"And that would be?" Kiehl smiled.

"I want you, Naght and How-How to be sharing one mind when it comes time to be with me. I think you understand," she smiled back.

"We do," Howard chuckled. "And I have a really big feeling that it will be done."

"It would be interesting if each particular triplet daughter had a distinct personality. You think?" she giggled. That made Kiehl shiver and laugh softly. Howard could only agree, and Naght gave a mental chuckle.  _It would make the most sense._  She kissed both Howard and Kiehl now before moving away from them. Kiehl dressed quickly, and she checked the leather straps before making her way out to the main chamber.

"So...uh..." Donnie gaped at her. Her belly was showing her pregnancy, but not by much. She looked at each person with a small smirk on her face, and Errende moved to kneel in front of her. She rested a hand on his cheek and gazed at him.

"My Lady..." Errende sighed. She purred softly and let him stand so she could hug him tight. He gave her two beautiful children, and she loved him dearly for it.

"Have they decided on what they wanted?" she asked.

"They would prefer private sessions," he said. She nodded and kissed him gently. Moving him back against the wall, she left him there, as she turned to the others.

"Now..." she grinned. "I need to decide who will go first."

"Here we go," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I still say Donnie," Doppy smirked.

"Nope," Thanatos snickered.

"Seyren. Come forward," she said. He nodded and moved over to her as he knelt before her. Doppy growled, and Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"Mistress?" Seyren asked.

"You will be last," Sarine grinned. Now Thanatos scowled softly, and Doppy grinned.

"Yes, Mistress," Seyren nodded.

"Donnie," she said, as she looked at him. "You will be second."

"So we were both wrong," Doppy sighed.

"Very," Thanatos nodded. Loomin just laughed softly, and they all quieted at her small glare in their direction. She stepped back into Kiehl's arms so he could hold her close when the need for her almost became too much. She thought, and Kiehl whispered to her.

"You think so?" she grinned.

"Trust me," he grinned back.

"Mitchell, you're first," she smirked. The Professor swallowed and nodded. "Lloyd will be third. Garrett will be fourth. And Max will be fifth."

"Good luck," Donnie muttered.

"Same to you," Mitchell muttered back. He wasn't sure what to do about his glasses, but Kiehl offered to hold them. He would know how to care for the fragile eyewear, and Mitchell gave them over. He could still see, but it was just enough to know what was happening. She gestured for Mitchell to step forward and to follow her. He took a deep breath and walked into the small chamber she led him in.

"Now..." she said. The moment the door closed, she quickly had him pressed against a wall. He gasped, and she grinned. "Do you really want to feel pain and pleasure? Do you want to know what it's all about? If you don't, say so now."

"I honestly don't know," Mitchell said with a shiver.

"Shall I help you make the decision?" she asked. She ran a finger up his chest, and he gasped with shock at how turned on he was already. "Undress for me. Down to your briefs. I don't need to see you naked. Then kneel before me."

"Okay..." he said, as his heart pounded in his chest. She watched him remove the long robes and fur sash to set aside with shaky fingers. He was actually quite nervous. He had never undressed for anyone other than Kathryne before. He didn't know that Kathryne gave Sarine full permission to do whatever she wanted with him. Sarine wasn't going to touch him inappropriately.  _There was no reason for it._ When he knelt in front of Sarine, she walked behind him and ran a finger down his spine to hear him gasp.

"Ten minutes is all I will need with you," she said in a low, throaty whisper. "Since this is your first time to experience everything, I won't use a Blinker. This way you can see what I do. Maybe, if there is another session, I'll use a Blinker. Until then, brace yourself."

After that, he was lost in the sensations she gave him. She wouldn't let him give in to the pleasure, and she wouldn't let him shout when she gave him pain. When ten minutes was up, she had him dress, and she nodded to him.

"Now...what do I do...?" he winced.

"You can go back to Kathryne," she grinned. Mitchell blinked at this, but he nodded. Now he realized why she sent him right back to his wife.  _She didn't want me to fulfill any real pleasure with her. She was just giving me a sample of what I could experience._

"Thank you for this," Mitchell said with a small blush.

"I can show Kathryne what to do for you, too," she grinned. That made him pause, and he found himself laughing. Now he realized why Seyren liked it so much.

"Still, thank you," he smiled. She gave him a hug, and he hugged her back tightly. He saw her as a dear friend and sister, yet he did desire her in various ways. He was too ashamed to voice it. She nodded to him and walked him into the main chamber.

"Go back to Kathryne," she said, and he gave a small grin to Donnie when he made his way out. Kiehl walked over to her to hug her now, and she kissed his cheek. Mitchell reclaimed his glasses from Kiehl, and he headed out quickly.

"I'll let hugs happen, but nothing else!" he growled.

"I know, love," she giggled. He kissed her possessively and held her until the aching need was gone. He squeezed her again and gave a mild look to Donnie.

"Right. My turn," Donnie grimaced. Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly.

"That's right," Sarine chuckled. She kissed Kiehl again, and he let her go. Donnie followed her into the small chamber, and she pinned him to the wall the moment the door shut.

"Ow!" Donnie hissed, as his back smacked into the wall.

"Do you want to do this?" she purred. That sultry purr was nearly his undoing. He recalled what she did with that cookie and the piece of sushi not too long ago.

"Um...well..." he gasped, as he tried to keep himself calm.

"All you have to do is undress down to your briefs and kneel before me. I'll only use up ten minutes of your time. I won't kiss you or touch you in an inappropriate manner. Trust me in this, and you won't regret it," she promised.

"Well, you've never steered me wrong before," he sighed. He could hear Hibram chuckling in his head, and he gave a small scowl. He managed to undress and set his clothing aside. Now in his briefs, he shivered a bit nervously, as he knelt before her.

"How much pain can you take?" she asked carefully.

"Um...I've only been mildly experiencing it. Your bite and a few pinches from Egnigem here and there. Nothing really that fancy..." he admitted. Then he hissed at the feel of her nails raking over his back. He was gasping with disbelief at the sensation.

"How far do you want to go?" she asked, as she traced a finger up the back of his neck.

"Ah!" he shivered and tensed. "How...far can you go...with me?"

"I could go all the way...but, you are a married man. And I only promised you ten minutes," she chuckled. "So, I'll introduce you to the Blinker, since you are a touch familiar with various ways of pain and pleasure."

"The...Blinker?!" he tried to grasp the idea and gave a small cry at how tight she fitted it over his eyes. The next ten minutes was a blurring whirlwind of pain and pleasure to the likes he never felt before. He wanted to give in to his desires, but he forced himself away from them at her commands. When the Blinker was removed, she leaned low to growl in his ear.

"Get dressed and go straight to your wife!" she hissed. He was shaking like crazy when he finally found himself able to move. When he dressed and moved out to the main chamber, Hibram was laughing with his hand over his mouth.

"We'll talk later!" Donnie muttered and just got more laughter from him. When the Clown left, Sarine moved over to Kiehl to let him hug her.

"Almost too late," he winced.

"Hush, darling," she sighed, and he gave her some much needed heat. "I'm trying to work quickly. I want to be done before time is up for the storm."

"You're making good time," he managed to chuckle. "Lloyd is next, right?"

"Yes. He is," she nodded. He kissed her softly and shivered, as the fiery craving finally lifted from his arms. "I can't hear your thoughts. I am trying to keep everything within a ten minute window to get back to you."

"And I'm grateful for that," he smiled and squeezed her before letting her go. She turned to nod to Lloyd, and the High Priest sighed.

"I guess it's my turn?" he chuckled nervously.

"You'll be fine," Hibram grinned.

"Don't laugh too hard," Lloyd muttered, and Hibram grinned again. She moved to kiss Hibram hard and whispered in his ear. That made him sputter with disbelief, and Kiehl started laughing with Howard. After that, she led Lloyd into the small room, and, just as with the others, when the door closed, he was pressed against a wall.

"Were you looking forward to this?" she purred.

"If I said I wasn't, I would be lying," he said mildly.

"Is that so?" she smirked.

"To tell the truth, I always...well...found you desirable. Especially after your transcendence. Um...I love Margaretha dearly. I know she is the one meant for me. I value you as a very dear friend of mine. I...just wanted to let you know that I still...well...dream about you and I. Sometimes. Not all the time, but..." he winced. She put a finger to his mouth and smiled with complete understanding.

"I will not kiss you or touch you in any odd way or form. You belong to Margaretha. If I did do something, I know you would regret it. She did give me permission to do whatever I liked with you, but I will not. I respect you as a dear friend. Therefore, as with the other two, you will only get ten minutes to experience what I have to offer. If you like it, I can show Margaretha what to do. She can do more to you as she pleases, but I will not," she said slowly.

"I feel...a bit disappointed," he admitted.

"You are also an honorable man. Do not give in to your desires," she growled out sternly. "I will work with you for ten minutes only. Then you will go back to your wife."

"Understood," he nodded. He knew that Margaretha knew that he desired Sarine. They had talked mentally about it for a long time, but he was able to repress his feelings with her help. Hibram was the one that was helping him now, and he appreciated all of it. He was told to give Hibram his lusts, and he would help Lloyd gain what he wanted later. Hibram would do everything he wanted to do to Sarine when the time came. It would be the same for Max when it was his turn. He even offered it to Donnie, and it was readily accepted. Hibram would then let them share his mind to experience everything in full to make it seem like they were with her. It was risky to do, but it would be the only way to fully help them out.

"Undress down to your briefs and kneel before me," she said softly, as she backed away. Lloyd nodded and did just that. "Now, I'm going to give you a choice. Do you want to see what I do? Or would you like to wear a Blinker?"

"Ah..." Lloyd thought, and Hibram urged him to go with the Blinker. "I'll take a chance and feel what you do to me. The Blinker, please."

"Very well," Sarine purred, and he hissed at how tightly it was put on. Then he gasped, as the pleasuring touches started along his back and shoulders before the pain was given to him. Ten minutes passed by in seconds to him now. When the Blinker was pulled off, he couldn't think properly much less try to move.

"I...never expected..." he whispered, as he tried to breathe.

"Relax. Now you must dress and go back to Margaretha quickly," she smiled. He looked at her with solid lust, but Hibram reminded him on what would be done later. Lloyd tore his eyes away from her form and forced himself to dress. When he walked into the main chamber, Kiehl was quick to run over to her and grab her.

"Sarine!" he whimpered. She wrapped her arms around him and rocked him until he was calm again. When he was able to think, he hugged her tight and whispered to her, "Hibram is going to end up taking you three times after Seyren. The ones you are dominating that have his blood all desire you. Hibram is going to let them feel everything, one at a time, through his mind when he has you. So, it will be like they are having you, but it will be Hibram, instead."

"A rather risky thing to do," she frowned. "I know I want you, How-How, and Naght to do that, but with others...I don't know..."

"We all know," Howard muttered, as he moved to her side. "Entweihen is going to help Mitchell, and Beelzebub will likely help Garrett. I'm sure that Baphomet Jr. is going to help Seyren, if he can. Neil and Maheo will want to be with you, since they can feel Hibram, too. By the time everything is done, I'm sure it will be time to head to the safe room under the house."

"Sounds good," she nodded. She kissed Howard deeply, and Kiehl was next to be kissed.

"Give Garrett hell!" Kiehl growled. She grinned wickedly, and he let her go. She gestured to Garrett, and the Paladin swallowed when he moved into the small chamber. When the door closed, she looked at him.

"Undress to your briefs, please," she said.

"Right," he nodded. The moment it was done, and he was kneeling, he muttered, "Cecil told me that she wanted you to try and go further with me."

"Oh?" she looked at him now. "How so?"

"She wants you to...well...touch me...in various ways..." he said nervously. She thought about this, and Howard went to Loomin to whisper to him. Kiehl walked in now to hug Sarine tight, as he looked at Garrett.

"We are getting a confirmation on this first. Until then, I have to hold her," Kiehl said.

"I understand. Um...should I dress in the meantime?" Garrett asked.

"Go ahead," Sarine nodded. Kiehl could tell that Sarine could see that Garrett had a very impressive body. He also knew that she preferred Howard and Kiehl even more.  _If she wanted a muscular form, she would go to any of her other men. Doppy or Loomin were the best ones for her, if she really needed a muscular male. Even Thanatos fit the bill for her._

"Should I alter my body?" Kiehl mused.

"Don't you dare!" she snarled at him, and that made him laugh. The kiss she shared with him was one of complete love and desire. It actually made Garrett long for Cecil to kiss him like that. He gave a small sigh, but looked over at Howard as he walked in.

"Cecil gave the free and clear," Howard shrugged. "No funny stuff!"

"I'll accept whatever Sarine wants to give me," Garrett said.

"Fine," Kiehl growled. He kissed Sarine again and was able to leave the room with Howard. Sarine saw that Garrett was already undressing again, and he knelt in his briefs once more. She walked up to him to crouch in front of him. Watching his face carefully, she could tell he was quite nervous. She sighed and thought.

"So, how far do you want to go?" she asked carefully.

"How much farther is there?" he asked.

"What all has Cecil done to you?"

"Lately? Not much. With her being pregnant, her sexual peak is practically gone. It...really is starting to hurt. She kisses me and shows a lot of affection, but nothing else. It's hard to focus, sometimes. So, in a way, she thinks that you might be able to help me with this," Garrett winced. "I know it's not right..."

"No, it isn't," she agreed. "I will not do what she wants me to do. She is your wife, and, therefore, needs to do various things to you. I'll give you pleasure and pain, but I will not touch you as she wants me to. I'll tell you this. I only did that to one man, and that was Seyren. I don't need to do that to him again, and it was to only figure out exactly what I needed to do."

"He told me about that," Garrett nodded. "But...now I'm curious."

"About what?"

"Can you show me what...I need?"

"What you need?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. I do like a bit of a challenge..." she thought. "From what I understand, Hibram is going to let those bound to his blood that were just dominated tonight to 'feel' what he feels. You could do the same with Beelzebub. In fact, I understand that he plans on it."

"He does?!" Garrett blinked.

"Yes. So, you'll be with me, in a way, but through Beelzebub. It's very risky. I don't want it to become an addiction to others. But, it would be legitimate, since I wouldn't be with you. You would just be feeling it out through him."

"I think I'd actually like that," Garrett nodded at the thought. "Okay. Do what you can do with me now, and I'll save everything else for Beelzebub."

"And don't worry. I'm sure that Cecil will not deny you anything by the time I'm done with you," Sarine winked. "I'm quite sure about that."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Garrett grinned.

"Blinker?"

"Yes."

"Okay," she chuckled. He took in a deep breath and tensed, as the Blinker was placed over his eyes. She brought him to that point of pleasure and pain easily. There was only one main difference now. She had him linger at that point of ecstasy. He was dripping sweat from the violent need to release, and she didn't let him give in even once. He wanted to beg, but she ordered him silent. When he got to the point that he almost couldn't take it anymore, the Blinker was off. Ten minutes was done.

"That was...ten minutes?!" he hissed with pent up need.

"Yes, it was. Now get dressed and go to Cecil. Now!" Sarine growled at him. He needed no further orders. The only thing that excited him even more than what he just experienced was that Beelzebub was going to let him feel what it was like with Sarine. The Demon Lord was curious as to how it would go, and he would easily keep the Paladin in line.

"Sarine! Quick!" Howard urged. She moved quickly to pull Kiehl into a kiss right before he lost control. He was ready to snap and vent his anger out on someone. Doppy would have intervened, if Sarine took any longer. Only he could help keep the others safe from Kiehl's craving rage. Sarine's touch cooled Kiehl's fiery, raging craving for her, and he clung to her while he took deep, even breaths.

"That's it. I'm here, love," she whispered. He needed her, and he felt himself get pushed into the fireplace by Howard. She needed heat, and Kiehl was quick to give it to her. The heat seemed even more intense, as he gave in to his own needs with her. She let him take a touch of her blood, and that helped him focus completely when he released with her.

"I can't stand...being away from you..." he whimpered.

"Two more are left. Then you can be with me, as I'm with a few others," she smiled and nuzzled him. "Calm yourself. It's not much longer. Have faith, love."

"They all want you when you finish with them..." he grimaced.

"And they will experience being with me through the demons they are blood-bonded with. I will not touch them directly, and I haven't touched them directly. I only gave Mitchell a hug, and that was the most I will do."

"Okay," Kiehl nodded, as he felt more in control. "Just...five more minutes with me..."

"Of course, dear," she smiled.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Kiehl. With everything I have."

"You'll have my triplets next..."

"Our triplets with Howard and Naght. Yes."

"Triplets...I can't wait..."

"I know," she said with a sad smile, and he hugged her tight. She needed to know that she was pregnant with them already, but he couldn't say anything. _I want to tell her so badly!_ She was still hurting that she lost them long ago. She was actually getting ready to cry, but he rocked her gently with a heavy purr.

"We'll get them back," he whispered. "They'll come back to us. Don't worry about it."

"Sarine," Howard sighed, as he moved to sit with her. Kiehl gave him a mild form of immunity to heat. As always, Naght's blood was protecting Howard.

"How-How," she frowned, and he hugged her tightly to his chest.

"The moment it's our wedding night, they'll be created," Howard whispered to her. "We know this. Hush, love. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"It just...it still hurts..." she winced, and he nuzzled her.

"You have Max to work on next," Kiehl said, as he ran a hand over her back. "How do you want to work on him? Can you tell us?"

"Well..." she sighed, as she was carefully moved off of the painful topic. "I was thinking of giving him the choice to have a Blinker or no Blinker. I didn't use a Blinker on Mitchell, since he didn't know what to expect. I may do the same for Max."

"That could work," Howard smiled. "I think he's a lot more tolerant than Mitchell, though. Then again, I could be wrong. We won't know until he's approached."

"I'll try to be quick," she said. Kiehl nodded and kissed her desperately. "Try to stay in control. Okay?"

"I'll do what I can," he promised. She kissed him back just as desperately, and they both dressed quickly. Howard led them out, and Sarine motioned to Max.

"Let's get this done," the Paladin mumbled.

"Perhaps," Sarine smirked. That made him raise a brow, and she grinned when he followed her into the small chamber. When the door closed, she turned to pin him against the wall with a heavy hiss. That caught him off guard, and he shivered with surprise.

"So...what do I have to do?" he asked.

"First," she growled. "is this what you really want?"

"I'm at a loss, really," he admitted. "Everyone's been talking about it, and, yeah, I'm curious, but I don't know if I really want it..."

"Well, I can help satisfy your curiosity, or you can stay curious," she grinned.

"My Captain ordered me to do this..."

"Hang his orders! What do  _you_  want to do? Yes or no? Do or don't? Do you want to continue? Do you want to know what real pleasure and pain is like? Or not?"

"What happens if I say no?"

"Then you leave and go back to Coraline to face her disappointment."

"And...if I say yes?"

"How about this," she sighed. "You undress down to your briefs and kneel before me. If you can do that, then we'll proceed. If you can't, then you leave."

"Oh..." he blinked. He wasn't expecting that answer. She backed away and crossed her arms over her chest. He was clearly torn. He knew how Coraline was a touch defensive about this. When he was about to decline her offer, Hibram mentally whispered to him that Sarine would never touch him in the ways he thought, and he wouldn't regret a thing. If it wasn't for Hibram, Max would have been walking out. Feeling reassured, he started to remove his armor.

"Leave your briefs on, please," she said calmly to remind him. He nodded and was soon kneeling before her. She walked behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. That simple, innocent touch sent a scorching wave of lust to his core. Now she leaned close to whisper in his ear, "Since you have never done this before, I will offer you a choice. With Mitchell, I refused to give him this choice, but you seem to have a better head on your shoulders. I can do this with a Blinker or without one. What do you want?"

"Eh..." he grunted and barely heard Hibram's advise on the Blinker. "Blinker."

"Very well," she said with a throaty purr. That caused another wave of lust to slam into him. Coraline was never like this. She had a sultry innocence that was incredibly becoming of her. It was what truly attracted him to her. Sarine's dominance had a different feel completely. It was wild and untamed. She was a firecracker of lust and seduction to the point that Max was looking forward to the mind link with Hibram. He lost all train of thought when the Blinker was tied over his eyes, and he surrendered to the pleasure and pain he was given now. When he was about to finally give in to his release, the Blinker was off, and the urge was delayed.

"NO!" he cried out, and he was forced to hold back. "I was...almost there...!"

"Dress and go to your wife!" she hissed. "Now!"

Instead, he leapt up and moved to pin her against the wall. She screeched, and Hibram burst into the room with Kiehl. Hibram pulled Max back quickly, and Kiehl moved to press his back against Sarine to get hugged tight, as he glared at the Paladin.

"Remember!" Hibram hissed. "I'll help you later! Go to Coraline! She needs you, and so does your unborn child!"

"My...child...yes...oh! Sarine! I'm sorry!" Max fretted, as he quickly dressed.

"It's fine," Kiehl said quickly. "This was a bit expected. If this happens again, you'll know better. Go to Coraline! Go!"

"I'm going!" Max winced, and he ran out quickly. Kiehl had turned in Sarine's arms to hug her tight to his chest to show that everything was all right now.

"He'll know better next time," Hibram said.

"I know he will," Sarine nodded. "He just...caught me by surprise. No one else had ever done that. Well...other than you, Kiehl."

"Damn straight!" he grinned and kissed her deeply.

"You saved me," she murmured against his mouth, and she got kissed again.

"Always for my wife, mate, and Lady," he muttered against her lips.

"Seyren is next. I...do have a bit of a surprise in store for him," she grinned. At her thoughts, he hissed, and Howard walked in with a frown.

"That's risky, Sarine," Howard said.

"I know. Just stay close, if this happens with him," she said. "Karla wants me to reward him. It's completely different. I still won't touch him improperly. It will just be more pleasure than pain this time around."

"All right. Just...be careful," Kiehl said. She kissed him long and lustfully before breaking the kiss to let him leave with Howard. Hibram moved to kiss her softly, and he nuzzled her with a heavy sigh.

"When Seyren's done, I'll likely be having you," he smiled.

"I know. That's fine," she giggled and kissed him passionately before letting him leave the small room. Seyren walked in now, and the door closed. He was already undressed down to his briefs and kneeling before she could say anything.

"Mistress, what will you have me do?" he asked.

"You don't need to do a thing. However, answer this question. Blinker or no Blinker?" she smiled. "It won't matter which answer you choose, since this is a special session."

"I'll...take the Blinker, Mistress," he said. She nodded and moved to place it over his eyes. He whimpered softly at how tight it was.

"Karla wants me to reward you. Therefore, I will. What I will do to you is something you will not expect out of me at any given time!" she hissed in his ear.

"I understand," he said. Then his jaw dropped at the feel of her body pressed up against his back. Her hands moved to work over his shoulders, up his neck, and through his hair. He was speechless. He didn't know what to expect now. Her mouth moved over his skin, and she bit down hard on his neck. That got him to cry out, and his body spasmed with even more pleasure when her tongue licked over where she bit.

"Don't you dare release!" she hissed. He whimpered, as she moved quickly to press his back down against the floor. When she sat up on him into a teasing straddle, he fought the urge to feel over her body and try to thrust up into her. It was a very dangerous thing she was doing. She ground herself down on him for a few more seconds before standing quickly. She forced him to sit back up into a kneeling position. The Blinker was pulled off of him, and he was shaking all over with barely any form of control. She waited for him to calm down enough to think, and she chuckled when she faced him with her arms over her chest.

"I..." he gasped, as he tried to figure out how to talk to her.

"You can talk normally now, Seyren," she smiled. At that, he glared at her.

"What you did was almost your undoing, you know?" he growled.

"I know. But, I trusted you enough to know how to control yourself."

"You have no idea how badly I..."

"Go to Karla."

"But..."

"Go to Karla," she said again. "Maybe, if it can be done, you can feel things through Baphomet Jr. My mate, that is. It might be possible for you to feel things through his mind. He is a part of Baphomet, so, if you can mind link with Baphomet Jr., you may be able to feel things that he does to me. Go to Karla first, and then talk to Baphomet Jr."

"I...never thought I'd say this," Seyren winced. "For the first time since I've known you, I actually want you. I still see you as a sister...but...at the same time..."

"And I'll tell you something," she sighed. "Muninn and Huginn are my brothers, but we are not blood related. So...they have been with me. I am destined to give each of them a son to help with the war. It will happen with Loomin's twins. Even Daddy saw this, too. I know what you're going through. Trust me. I know. And, yes, what I did was very risky. But, you belong to Karla. You are wearing her collar. You belong to her. Not me."

"Muninn had sex with you?!" Seyren gaped.

"Yes. He did. So did Huginn. It's how the Demonic Matings happen," she sighed.

"And they see you as a sister right afterwards?"

"They do. Well...at least Muninn does. Huginn has a different mindset."

"Well, I don't want to hurt Karla. I'll...I'll go to her."

"Good."

"I'll talk to Baphomet Jr. and see what can be done."

"Okay," she nodded. He got up now and moved to dress. She smiled softly and nodded to him, as she stretched lightly. She was getting tired. When she turned to look at the door, Seyren had her braced against the wall, and his mouth was on hers. She tried to fight him off, and he backed away from her. Howard and Kiehl charged in as swiftly as they could. _It was too late._ The result was completely shocking.  _He fit with her._

"No!" Howard and Kiehl gaped.

"I..." Seyren blinked with shock at what he did. He wasn't planning on it. There was no way he wanted to do it. Then he saw her stretch, and the lust hit him again. It was something he couldn't control. Even as he felt himself rise up, he tried to fight it, and he failed miserably. The urge to grab her and kiss her was simply too strong to ignore. Muninn walked in now and had Karla with him. Time was frozen for everyone else, and Karla was clearly distressed about everything. Sarine was in her own state of shock. Karla knew that it wasn't her fault.

"I forgive you, Sarine," Karla said gently.

"I didn't...he shouldn't have..." Sarine whispered, and both girls hugged each other.

" _Seyren will still stay married to you, Karla,_ " Muninn said gently. " _In a way, he will be like me. He will never have Sarine's blood for himself, but he can give her blood. He will see her as a sister, save rare times. If this helps, he will never give her children, since he will not be a husband or a proper mate or slave. He knows his place is with you. He will never desire Sarine, but it will happen, if she dominates him. Do you understand?_ "

"So..." Karla blinked, as she absorbed it. "he will still be immune to her except when she's dominating him? He'll still be mine?"

"I'm always yours!" Seyren gasped, as he crushed his wife to him. "I'll always see Sarine as a little sister! I didn't plan on this! Neither did she!"

"Just shut up!" Kiehl hissed and gasped, as Sarine hugged him to her.

"He won't have children with me," Sarine whispered to him. Howard hugged her, too, and gave a hard glare at Seyren. "I'll always be his little sister!"

"But, if you dominate him, he'll want you!" Howard growled.

"Then I won't dominate him anymore!" she said.

"I love you, Karla," Seyren sighed, as he cradled her.

"I love you, too, Seyren," Karla muttered in his armored embrace. "Muninn got me the moment the kiss happened. But...well...if you're not going to get her pregnant, and you know you're not always going to be lusting after her..."

"Are you saying that you won't mind me being with her?" Seyren frowned.

"I know it's silly, but, well, I did give her permission to do whatever she needed to with you. I sort of brought it on myself," she admitted. "And, as long as I know that it will be rare that this happens with her and not all the time...and that it's not being hidden from me..."

"I see Seyren as a brother who's a massive, brash jerk," Howard muttered.

"And you see me as a smart ass," Kiehl said with a shrug of mild defeat.

"As long as Timmy doesn't touch me," Sarine said.

"Oh, to hell with that!" Howard growled, and that got her laughing.

" _Don't worry. Like I said before, he will be like me. I see you as my little sister at all times, save the times that you need blood from me. It can be like that with him now. Even to help you dominate. The others should know slowly, but surely to keep the shock of it away. Seyren cannot take as much as Errende, though. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a contest about it,_ " Muninn grinned.

"Hell no!" Howard growled, and Seyren started laughing.

"So, what do we do now?" Karla frowned.

"I told Seyren to go back to you. I guess it's your order to see what he wants now," Sarine shrugged. "It's up to you."

"My Mistress, what will you have me do?" Seyren asked gently in submission.

"Well," Karla sighed. "I'm pregnant and not really in the mood. Ask Sarine if she wants to finish what she started with you. If she does, then fine. If not, then I'll see what I can do."

"Mistress?" Seyren asked Sarine, and Howard groaned with Kiehl.

"I suppose it's only fair," Sarine nodded. "Keep time frozen for this, Muninn. When it's done, Seyren, you'll go straight to Karla."

"I understand," he nodded. "Eh...sorry guys..."

"Just don't get used to it!" Howard snapped.

"At least you help cheer her up," Kiehl sighed. "That will help me get over it."

"No one else should know about this except for those close to Sarine," Karla said.

"We already know," Howard nodded. "The monkey in the metal suit with my wife. Wonderful. I feel just dandy!"

"Oh, go find a candy store!" Seyren snorted.

"Meat head!" Howard growled.

"Axe-wielding idiot!" Seyren retorted.

"Behave, or I'll withdraw my decision!" Sarine warned. That got Seyren to go quiet, and now Howard had to smirk. She kissed Howard and Kiehl passionately, as Seyren got kissed just as passionately by Karla. Muninn nodded and walked out with Howard and Kiehl.

"I didn't want to hurt you," Seyren muttered, as he held his wife.

"I know," Karla smiled.

"I'm not keeping any secrets from you," he promised.

"I would have found out, anyways. I can read your mind through Baphomet!" she grinned. "But, I understand the situation. As long as I know you won't leave me..."

"Never!" Seyren growled and kissed her again. "I am yours!"

"As I am yours," she smiled, and Sarine smiled softly for them. "Okay. Don't have too much fun! I mean it!"

"I won't," he grinned. "If anything, you can learn what she did and do it to me!"

"That's actually a good idea!" she grinned. Sarine giggled a bit, and Seyren sighed. Karla walked out of the room right after that. Now he looked at Sarine and frowned softly.

"It's okay, Seyren," Sarine said gently.

"I honestly didn't mean to kiss you," he said.

"Like you said, and what How-How and Kiehl said. What I did was dangerous and risky. This was the price. As long as Muninn knows that everything will be fine, then we can do this. Just expect to be treated as you normally do outside of being dominated."

"I'm fine with it," Seyren said. "I wouldn't expect any less."

"Okay. Go ahead and undress. Quickly! Before I change my mind!" she snapped. She had to get back into the dominating role for this to count. She couldn't let him have her outside of being a submissive.  _That wouldn't be right._

"Yes, Mistress!" Seyren said, and his armor was quickly removed once again. He knelt before her. This time, his briefs joined the pile of armor on the ground.

"Blinker or no Blinker?" she asked.

"No Blinker," he said. He wanted to see her in full for this. She nodded and sighed.

"Help me undress," she said. This made him pause at first before he rose up to help her remove the various straps. At the sight of her perfect form, he caught his breath.  _Karla was beautiful to me. Sarine was simply perfection._  Now he realized why the others didn't want anyone to see her naked. He had no idea that such perfection existed.

"Mistress..." he whispered.

"Tell me, Seyren," she growled huskily. "What do you want to do to me?"

"Too much, Mistress," he admitted in a hoarse whisper.

"You have ten minutes to show me what all of it is," she hissed in his ear. And for ten minutes, he did. He took her against the wall. Then he moved to the floor with her underneath him. He finally released with her on top of him in the very position that made him lose control. He thrust up hard into her and shouted with her at the hard release. He could scarcely believe what happened. He was breathing as hard as she was, and he was now sitting up and hugging her to his chest. He groaned softly when her hand moved up his chest to settle on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and trembled with a rare form of contentment.

"Mistress," he sighed.

"Yes, Seyren?" she asked.

"I...think I love you, Mistress. As much as Mistress Karla," he winced.

"Seyren," she sighed and hugged him to her. "I love you, too. As much as all of my other slaves. Just remember that you belong to Karla and not me. She is giving you a child, too. What just happened between us can only be done with you like this. No other time."

"I know," he nodded. In his submissive state, it was easy to show this form of love to her. They kissed deeply, and he pressed his forehead to hers.

"It's time for you to go back to Karla," she said. He could only nod, and he squeezed her to him. His brotherly mind was already starting to kick back into gear, and he was starting to go into a mild form of shock at what he just did with her. When they were both dressed, Seyren saw her as his sister again, and he was grimacing with everything.

"I can't believe we just did that!" he muttered with a form of outrage.

"Believe it," she shrugged. "As long as it doesn't happen all the time, right?"

"Well...I guess so..." he sighed. "No kids, right?"

"No. Muninn saw no kids," she nodded.

"Only when you dominate me this happens?"

"That's what was foretold, too."

"And Karla understands. Okay. I'll roll with it. I doubt I have much of a choice."

"You and me both," she smiled. Before he walked her out of the small chamber, he did plant one last kiss on her, and it nearly did him in. He forced himself to pull back, and he refocused on his wife.  _I need to see her._ He had a lot of pent up need that came back up with that kiss, and he didn't want to use any more of it on Sarine. He could see that time was moving again, and he didn't want to look too weird. _The others would be told soon, and none of them would be very happy with me._ He knew this and could only sigh inwardly. He nodded to Howard and Kiehl, as he left the chambers to find Karla back at the house.

"Let's heat you back up," Kiehl smiled, as he pulled Sarine to him. At the intruding scent on her skin, he grimaced. "We'll scrub off Seyren's scent, too, while we're at it."

"Just replace it with yours," Sarine muttered, and Kiehl growled at Seyren's scent on her breath. It was fine if one of her true men kissed her. Even Muninn was all right. But, when it came to Seyren, there was something off about it that pissed him off. It was likely because her blood wasn't in his system, and he found it offensive. _Even challenging._ Muninn was different. Even though her blood wasn't in his system, it had a far more neutral effect. It was easy for him to accept it, and he trusted Muninn like a brother, too.

"Drink this," Howard said and gave her a cup of milk. "You need it, anyways."

"Thanks," she smiled and drank down the cold beverage. That improved Kiehl's mood quickly when the imposing scent on her breath was gone.

"I need hot, soapy water!" Kiehl growled. Howard told the other slaves about it, and it was quickly retrieved. The large sponge was soaped up, and Sarine had the dominating leathers removed. They were given to Incubus, and he would be able to properly clean them. Byorgue and Nigel were able to help her, and Eremes walked in to assist as well. When they smelled Seyren on her, it puzzled them and infuriated them in an instinctive way. It was now that the issue of Seyren was told, and her two slaves hissed with disgust. They moved quickly to help Kiehl scrub off Seyren's scent. The other slaves came in now at this news and paused at the scent they detected. Now they helped to scrub her thoroughly clean with the pleasingly scented soaps they had. They found Seyren's scent hideous and wanted it off of her.

"Wait," Eremes frowned, as Howard told him what happened. "Seyren...did what?!"

"You heard him," Kiehl growled, as he scrubbed her skin clean.

"And Karla is fine with it?!" Eremes hissed.

"It was also her fault, in a sense," Sarine frowned. "Please, Eremes. Muninn foresaw no children, and it will be rare that Seyren wants me like that."

"Except for when you dominate him," Howard muttered.

"Well..." Eremes sighed. "if Muninn saw no harm..."

"Get me Doppy and Loomin, please?" she smiled softly. He leaned into her to kiss deeply and moved to get them. When they walked in, heat immunity was given to them.

"What's going on?" Doppy frowned at the scrubbing.

"Sit," Howard grumbled. "Both of you. What we're gonna tell you will piss you off."

"What?!" Doppy hissed. Loomin frowned now and sat down with Doppy. When the information was given to them about Seyren, Doppy was fuming.

"His kiss fit with her?! But he's married to Karla!" Loomin snarled out. "How could he let himself do that?! And to Karla?!"

"And, because he can't fully belong to Sarine, his scent is...off to me," Kiehl growled out, as he finished scrubbing off Sarine. "I'll have to scrub her clean of his scent every time!"

"Shit!" Doppy hissed. "His scent won't smell right to any of us!"

"Please, loves..." Sarine sighed sadly, and Kiehl cradled her in his lap now.

"I'll trust what Muninn says," Loomin said with a small groan of defeat.

"Is Naght jumping for joy?" Doppy snorted.

"Nope!" Howard and Kiehl both said together.

"Didn't think so," the demon grinned.

"I'm trying to let the others know slowly. Seyren doesn't deserve any hatred," she said. "He regretted everything and will not leave Karla's side."

"At least...she knows that everything...will be all right..." Eremes sighed. "Let me tell the others. If they have questions...you can answer them later..."

"Start out with 'Muninn said this', and it will go easier," Loomin advised.

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded, as he left the fireplace.

"I guess it was just a matter of time," Doppy growled. "Just don't do that with anyone else! We don't need you scrubbing yourself clean all the time!"

"I would never do that!" Sarine said with a hard blush. Doppy found himself chuckling, and he looked over when Hibram walked in with Sammy and Keltin. Heat immunity was given over to them, and Kiehl didn't even appear to be strained with it.

"So, Seyren is the real temp slave, eh?" Keltin frowned.

"No kids, so fine. But...why the bath?" Sammy asked. "Am I missing something?"

"His scent isn't right," Kiehl said. "It pissed me off."

"Easiest thing to do was scrub her clean," Howard said.

"I don't think Seyren's scent on her will smell right to any of us. If it happens again, we'll have to test it. As much as I hate to suggest it," Doppy muttered.

"Makes sense," Hibram grinned. "All right. Time's burning, and I have to claim her three different ways to appease three guys that you dominated. Entweihen and Beelzebub are on their way over now. When we're done, we'll go to the house."

"Okay," she smiled.

"I'll stay here, since I need her," Kiehl said.

"Same," Howard said. Hibram nodded, and Sarine got kissed by the ones leaving the fireplace. The bucket and sponge were removed, as the slaves left. Eremes came in to help keep the heat up, and Ifrit appeared shortly after. He was clearly not happy with Seyren. The others were told around the island from where they were. They would not hold a grudge against the Lord Knight, but they wouldn't like him being dominated by Sarine anymore.

"So, how is this supposed to work?" Sarine asked.

"Well, first, I'm going to check and see who's paying attention," Hibram chuckled and focused his thoughts. He grinned and muttered, "Hello, Max! Okay. He's ready."

"Max?" Sarine blushed. When Hibram looked at her, it was the same way Max looked at her with lust. She gave a small gasp at first, and Kiehl gave a small growl.

"It's Hibram," Howard reminded him. Kiehl grimaced a bit, but he nodded.

"Um..." Sarine paused at first.  _I am completely nude!_

"Hibram, can Max see her like this?!" Kiehl hissed.

"No," Hibram whispered. "He can only feel things. Like a Blinker is on him."

"Okay," Howard nodded. "That reminds me. Elric saw her naked."

"We'll slaughter him until he forgets what she looked like!" Kiehl snarled.

"Discuss it later," Hibram muttered. "We need to keep with the time."

"Fine," Kiehl sighed. Naght was going to look into Elric for them.

"Ready?" Hibram whispered in her ear. She nodded, and he slowly started to feel up her body. In Max's bedroom, Coraline was in a deep sleep from what he just did to her. His body was relaxed, and his mind was in tune with Hibram's. He wanted to see where Hibram touched Sarine, but he knew that it was safer to go by touch alone.  _It was also far more erotic._  He could tell that Sarine's body was firm and smooth. Silky and incredibly warm from the fireplace she was in. When Hibram finally started to take her, Max gasped and went taught from everything he was experiencing. Coraline woke next to him at his gasp, and she frowned.

"Max?" she whispered.

"H-Hibram..." he whispered back. That made her smile and she nodded. He had told her that this was going to happen, and she knew that it was something he wanted. Hibram had also mentally prepared her for this, and she could only smile a bit more. She knew that Max would never stray from her or betray her. _This was the safest way to go._

"Okay. Um...do you need me for anything?" she blushed. He moaned and pulled her to him to start mimicking the movements that Hibram was doing to Sarine. As Max worked with his wife, Hibram was able to time his movements in perfect sync with Max's movements. They both brought their wives to release with them at the same time, and the effect was rather satisfying. When it was done, he was able to release Max's thoughts. Hibram was able to chuckle and pull Sarine close.

"So, what was it like?" Howard asked.

"I'll try to explain it, as she calms down," Hibram said. He sat up and described in the best detail that he could of what happened.

"That almost sounds like what will happen with us," Kiehl mused.

"You think so?" Howard grinned.

"Hmm..." Eremes thought, and Ifrit seemed to want to try it later on.  _It would be interesting to see what happened._

"Have you recovered?" Hibram grinned at Sarine.

"Just barely!" she chuckled and stretched. "Who's next?"

"Ah...hmm...oh. Hello, Donnie," Hibram smirked.

"This will be good," Howard grinned. In Donnie's bedroom, Egnigem watched her husband hiss, as he made mental contact with Hibram.

"So, it's starting?" she smiled.

"You're blood-bonded to him, too!" Donnie growled. "Of course, it is!"

"What do I have to do?" she asked.

"Well...just lay there...for now..." Donnie muttered, as Hibram's mind took solid hold of his. Hibram's hands felt over Sarine's body once again, and Donnie started to carefully mimic the movements on his wife's body.

"Can you see anything?" Egnigem frowned.

"No...only touch..." Donnie whispered. "It's like...a Blinker on my eyes..."

"I see," she smiled and arched under his hands. This was a completely different thing she was used to. Hibram couldn't let Egnigem, or anyone else, see or hear what was going on. Once he had a mental lock on another, everything else was blocked off. Donnie didn't bother to think much about it, as Hibram took full control. Just like with Max, his movements started to match up with Hibram's now. Sarine's warmth was a whole new level of excitement, and he could barely tell that he was with Egnigem from the strong sensations Hibram was giving off. At their timed release, Hibram let go of Donnie's mind, and he blinked his eyes to gaze down at Sarine.

"I hope he...appreciated that..." Sarine whispered with a small chuckle.

"Oh, he did. So did Egnigem," Hibram grinned.

"Egnigem could hear your thoughts, too?" Kiehl frowned.

"No. When I link to the mind of a blood bond, I can only focus fully on that one. Everything else is blocked off. He was working with Egnigem, as I was working with Sarine. I was able to have him time his movements with me to make it seem like he was having you. Max was doing the same thing with Coraline," Hibram chuckled. "It's quite the spectacle!"

"You're serious?!" Howard gaped.

"Interesting..." Eremes grinned. "So...Lloyd is left?"

"Yes. And he's waiting," Hibram smiled.

"Okay," Sarine said with a sigh. "I'm ready."

"Are you?" Hibram frowned.

"How's this for proof?" she grinned and pulled him close to kiss passionately. Lloyd was sitting up in his bed and grunted at the sudden feel of Hibram's mind grabbing hold of his. It felt like possession to him, but it was for a completely different reason.  _And this possession gave me the ability to feel someone I desired..._

"Hibram told me what to expect," Margaretha whispered to him. "If you need me, reach for me. You know you can."

"It's...different! So different!" Lloyd gasped at the pleasure that coursed through his body. Everything that Hibram was experiencing was being given to him with sensations. When he started to groan, he ended up pulling Margaretha to him. The need to touch and explore her was too strong to resist now. When Hibram started to work with Sarine, his movements were matched up with Lloyd's. Both Sarine and Margaretha were brought to release at the same time, and Hibram was able to release Lloyd's mind right after it was done.

"Okay. I think that wraps up my three," Hibram chuckled.

"And what about you?" Sarine purred, and he paused in surprise at her.

"She's craving," Howard winced.

"Yep," Kiehl grinned. "Good job, Hibram!"

"Ah...well..." Hibram started and got pulled down into her embrace. Now that he was only working with her and not any others, it was easy for him to give in to her wants. When he was able to move, Entweihen was able to come into the fireplace. Kiehl was quick to grant him heat immunity, and the skeletal demon chuckled.

"Mitchell is waiting patiently. Shall we?" Entweihen asked, and a thornless vine moved over Sarine's legs. She blushed, and Howard started to snicker with Kiehl.

"Beelzebub is waiting outside," Ifrit said, as he looked out the fireplace window.

"After him, I think I'm going to need her," Kiehl said. "Then she needs to go to the house and the safe room."

"I think, if we have time, Drago should be with her real quick," Howard said.

"True," Hibram thought. "I'll let him know."

"Good thinking," Kiehl nodded. Hibram nodded back to him and dressed before heading out to the main chamber. Entweihen now had Sarine in a mess of sensations with his thornless vines, and Mitchell was just amazed at the sensations he was getting.

"I can't hear him! What's going on?" Kathryne frowned.

"Ah..." Mitchell shivered and grabbed her to kiss her hard.

"Tell me?" Kathryne whispered.

"After...he's done...promise..." Mitchell hissed at the pleasure that was being relayed to him. She could only nod, and she cried out when he started to take her at the same time that Entweihen was taking Sarine. Movements were easily matched now, and it turned into a frenzy of lust and need by the time their release finally hit. Mitchell's mind was released quickly, and Entweihen chuckled while Sarine lay there gasping.

"Are you okay?" Howard asked Sarine.

"I'll be...fine..." she sighed, as she lay back on the heated coals.

"Beelzebub will be in shortly," Entweihen purred. He gently caressed her with a thornless vine. When he moved out, Beelzebub walked in to gain the heat immunity. He didn't really need it, but he knew the Kiehl was acting on instinct to protect others.

"Garrett is intrigued by everything. Cecil is excited. You have two hours until the storm hits, so we'd better get a move on. Shouldn't we?" Beelzebub smiled, as his robe dropped. He undressed out of his royal purple suit, and he set his staff and book down. His crown was elegantly set down next, and he moved over to recline next to Sarine.

"She needs to rest for a bit after you're done," Howard said.

"I'm sure of it," the Demon Lord nodded. "Don't worry. Drago will wait until she is refreshed and ready for him. He misses her more than we all know."

"Does he?" she frowned.

"He does. Same can be said for us all. I already know that Maheo and Neil will need you, too. They are waiting patiently in the sidelines," Beelzebub sighed.

"So many..." she sighed.

"I know," he purred and kissed her gently. "Hmm. Garrett is ready."

"Give me a few minutes?" she asked. He nodded and let her curl up against him. He nodded to Kiehl and received a nod back.

"I don't think that Garrett should know about Seyren," Ifrit said.

"It would be best not to inform anyone else," Beelzebub muttered. "We don't want anyone to get any...ideas. If you know what I speak of."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded.

"Doppy did make a valid point," Kiehl growled. "I don't want to scrub off Sarine after each dominant scene. We should keep Seyren at an arm's length from her when it comes to dominant stuff. In a submissive phase, he's a hazard. Out of that phase, he's a valuable ally."

"And a nuisance," Howard smirked. That got laughter and chuckles out of them. Sarine blushed softly and reached for Kiehl. Beelzebub nodded at this. He knew that Kiehl needed to hold her, and he moved away to let the powerful First Mate hug her tight.

"With you in the same area as me, it's easy to repress everything," Kiehl sighed. "But, only for so long. How did you know?"

"You looked irritable," she grinned. That made him giggle with her, and Howard grinned. They were both concerned with the coming storm.

"Hurry up with him. I'll be with you when he's done," Kiehl muttered against her mouth. She smiled and kissed him heavily to show how much she needed him. He almost gave in, but he heard Beelzebub chuckle. She gave a small pout, but he promised her with a single look that he would be with her soon. She smiled with a nod, and went to snuggle Beelzebub.

"Is Garrett ready?" she whispered.

"Been ready," the Demon Lord growled before kissing her with a lusty passion. In Garrett's bedroom, the Paladin was trembling with disbelief at what he was feeling.  _Not since the days that I was possessed by Loki, did I ever imagine wanting to be with Sarine again. Dominating had a lot of ups and downs. This was one large downside for me._  Beelzebub knew that it was almost exactly like Seyren, except for one major issue.  _His kiss didn't fit with Sarine._ Now he had to wonder if it would be different, but he doubted it.

"Honey?" Cecil frowned.

"It's starting..." Garrett whispered. She smiled and moved to settle in his lap. Beelzebub had warned her not to decline Garrett in any way.  _He would definitely need her._

"What can I do?" she whispered.

"Let me...go at my own pace...with you...okay?" he shivered. At Cecil's nod, he lay her on the bed and gave a sharp moan. Beelzebub fully grabbed hold of his mind and was giving him the sensations being felt in full. He couldn't think for himself now. All he could do was mimic the movements that Beelzebub did to Sarine on Cecil. The sensations he got from the Demon Lord completely overpowered everything he was doing to his wife. It was as though he was finally with Sarine. The feeling was mind-blowing to a point that he didn't want it to stop. When the release happened, he shouted as Beelzebub did from the ferocity of it.

As Garrett opened his eyes, he expected to find Sarine there. When he saw it was Cecil, a touch of disappointment hit, but he shoved that aside.  _Cecil is my wife. She me bearing me a child._   _I love her._  That completely removed any other sensation he had about being with Sarine. Beelzebub blinked slowly, as he monitored Garrett's thoughts.

"What is it, love?" Sarine asked.

"It appears..." the Demon Lord said slowly. "that Garrett still has a hidden fondness for you. However, it was from the dominating. Being with Cecil helps purge it."

"You know what happened to him with Loki, right?" Howard growled.

"Yes. I heard his thoughts about it," he nodded. "He is a very strong-willed man. He pushed the thoughts away. He is loyal to Cecil. I don't think this should happen again, if he still shows any form of want for Sarine."

"His kiss didn't fit with her..." Eremes frowned.

"It didn't, but that was before Cecil gave him her blood. He was also being controlled by Loki. Can a kiss change?" Beelzebub frowned. "In any case, I don't want to find out."

"Neither do we!" Kiehl snarled out. Ifrit hissed his dislike of the whole thing.

"Give her to Kiehl!" Howard grounded out. Kiehl was getting completely livid, and he gasped when Sarine was settled against him. She was able to keep him calm, and he loved her completely for it. She nuzzled him, and he started to fumble with his clothes to get them off.

"Why...do I wear...so much?!" he growled.

"It gives us more to unwrap," she giggled. That made him pause, and he found himself smiling. He ran a hand over her cheek lovingly.

"That it does, doesn't it?" he breathed and kissed her in a form of violent possession. Ifrit reheated the fireplace and left with Beelzebub. The Fire elemental knew that Kiehl's Bragging Rights were about to come out, and he didn't want to be the brunt of a challenge. Neither did Beelzebub. Howard nodded to Eremes slightly, and the Assassin Cross smirked.

"I'll find out...about Elric..." he said.

"Talk to Naght," Howard said.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes chuckled and left the fireplace, as well. Now that Kiehl was preoccupied with Sarine, Ifrit went back to the house to talk to Naght. On his way there, he paused, as he spotted something unusual. Eremes was contacted, and Doppy was brought with him. Loomin wasn't far along to see what Ifrit thought he saw.

"Where?" Loomin frowned.

"Just around the shoreline. It didn't feel right," Ifrit hissed. Doppy growled, and Eremes Cloaked if an ambush was needed. Beelzebub sent over several Hell Flies to help patrol. Loomin kept a close watch on the patrolling monsters. If they saw something and circled, he would know something was definitely found. It didn't take long at all for them to locate the issue. Loomin signaled to the others, and they cautiously moved forward. They found themselves heading back to the dominating chambers.  _That wasn't good._  As they got closer they heard two familiar voices. Now they were pissed.

"Cedrick, we should not be here!" Shoujin scowled. "If they find out we came here..."

"Oh, it's fine! What are they going to do? Crawl out and kill us?" Cedrick grinned. "Besides, we just want to know where they all are."

"Right behind you!" Doppy snarled. That made the princes pause with shock.

"I blame you for convincing me to join you on this honorless escapade!" Shoujin growled. "I told you we should have stayed at the house!"

"Ah...hi, guys!" Cedrick grinned, as he turned and waved.

"You have...ten seconds...to go back...the way you came..." Eremes seethed, as he Uncloaked right behind him. That startled Cedrick, and he turned to glare back at him.

"I just want to know what goes on in there!" Cedrick said.

"Sarine gets violent down there," Loomin said with a shake of his head. "She tortures others to prove to her developing children that she is a strong woman."

"She...tortures?" Shoujin blinked.

"Yes. She makes people bleed," Doppy grinned savagely.

"She makes them beg for mercy!" Ifrit cackled.

"Well, you two had better leave. Now. If she finds out you both are here in her dominating mood, you both may not survive," Loomin warned.

"Oh, please! She can't be that bad!" Cedrick grinned. Down below, Beelzebub was telling them what was going on. Her men wanted to kill them. Howard was informed when Kiehl sensed something going on, and he had to find out. Kiehl told Sarine what Howard learned, and what the others wanted to do to the princes. Sarine had a better idea.

"That's dangerous!" Howard growled, as he walked into the fireplace again.

"Why not?" she smiled. "They think I'm weak."

"Hmm..." Kiehl thought. "All right. But, I'm standing right there with you!"

"I need to prove that I'm not weak. This will help," she smiled. She kissed Kiehl hard once more before moving off of him. He had taken her in various positions until he couldn't move. She had her dominating leathers given back to her and was pleased that they were well cleaned. _Incubus did a wonderful job._

"My Lady," Drago said, as she pulled him close.

"I'll cuddle you at the house," she smiled and kissed him hard. He smiled after that and prepared to help back her up. Observation landed near her and got yanked over to her to get kissed hard next. Injustice was claimed for a kiss to leave him dazed. Nigel and Byorgue were both kissed, and Aliot was pounced on for a kiss after them. Maya Purple was in the nursery to help with the kids, and she would make sure to kiss him later on.

"My Lady?" Errende smiled and gasped, as she yanked him close to get kissed now. He placed his hands on her belly to help soothe her a bit, and she leaned into him with appreciation.

"Kiehl," Thanatos said. He nodded to him and walked over.

"Hmm?" Kiehl looked over at him.

"You notice that she, eh...hasn't gotten sick yet? Or had a massive growth spurt?" he frowned. "What would cause that?"

"You're right," Kiehl thought.

"We'll ask Loomin. Anything from Hyegun?" Howard asked.

"The kids are sated," Hyegun whispered. "Nothing wrong."

"Odd," Kiehl thought. "Let's go mess with the two idiots up there, and we'll talk to Loomin while we go to the house."

"Sarine should change into her Sniper clothes before she leaves here," Sammy said.

"Right," Keltin nodded. "We don't want any dominating flash backs."

"No. We don't," Hibram nodded.

"I gotta come up with a couple good names," Ragged Zombie mused.

"Oh, yeah," Mobster grinned. Now Sarine looked at him, and Kiehl found himself laughing. Mobster looked back at her and asked, "What?"

"I need to make you mine," she grinned. "When I'm done up there and have to come down here to change into my proper clothes, you'll help me with that. I need to swap a drop of blood with you, and the others will need drops of blood from me. Then you need to give blood to the kids so they can see you as a father."

"You're not serious!" he gaped.

"She is," Howard grinned.

"You'll need to talk to Storm Caller," Sammy said. "That will be important."

"All right. I will when we leave here. I guess," Mobster shrugged.

"Good," she smiled and pulled him over to kiss. That made him want everything she was going to give him. He fell in love with her.

"Sarine," Hyegun said, as he walked over.

"Yes, dear?" she smiled, and he hugged her. Then he whispered to her, and she blinked at the thought. Kiehl and Howard looked at each other and Keltin was curious.

"I think it's time," Hyegun smiled.

"Let's see how tonight unfolds," she smiled. "Then we'll see if there is time for you to tell me how you died. Okay?"

"Okay," he nodded. That had many of her men look at each other with complete curiosity now. When she was ready to head up, Errende gave her a whip. She grinned, as she took it, and saw he had already placed various leashes around the room. She grabbed a black one with a nice twist in it and clipped it on him.

"Let's greet the morons upstairs," she smirked. Kiehl gave a small growl at her, and she snorted at him. That made him grin, and he pulled her close to kiss her hard.

"Mine..." he growled in her ear.

"Since when?" she teased. That made him glare at her, and she nipped his chin. She yanked Errende to her and had him follow her up with the others behind her. As they reached the island ground level, she paused to show distaste at what she saw.

"Sarine?" Eremes grinned.

"Not done playing, eh?" Doppy grinned. She had Errende get on his hands and knees to use him as a chair. She glared at the two princes that were staring at her.

"What the hell are the two of you doing here?!" she snarled with outrage now.

"We just wanted to know where everyone was..." Cedrick said.

"He convinced me to follow him," Shoujin said quickly.

"On your knees! Both of you!" she snapped, as she stood up, and the whip cracked over them. The aura she gave off was completely challenging now. If they didn't do as she said, something bad was going to happen. Shoujin quickly did as she said. Cedrick just stood there in shock. Errende remained on his hands and knees in case she needed him.

"You'd better listen to her..." Keltin sighed.

"Loomin," Sammy whispered. Loomin looked over and walked over to him carefully. As he was whispered to, Kiehl had to put a hand on Sarine's shoulder to keep her calm.

"You are pathetic!" Sarine hissed at the prince. "You come to my chambers expecting to see me as a docile princess?! I have a Demonic child that I'm giving birth to! Do you think I have time to be a simpleton like yourself?!"

"Wow..." Ragged Zombie blinked.

"Harsh," Mobster agreed.

"I..." Cedrick started.

"Get on your knees. Now. Last chance to impress me," she hissed. Kiehl still kept his hand on her shoulder, and he glared at the disobeying prince. When Cedrick gave in and fell to his knees, she gave a frustrated sigh and shook her head. A slight breeze passed over them, and Drago glanced up at the sky towards the ocean.

"My Lady..." Drago frowned. "the storm is coming..."

"Is it?" she frowned with worry. Sure enough, the clouds were gathering, and the scent of rain was starting to appear. She shivered inwardly, and her dominating presence was dropped.

"You two. Leave. Now," Kiehl said quickly. "Before she snaps back into Dominatrix mode and whips both of you to shreds!"

Shoujin said nothing. He now realized how dangerous Sarine could be in this mood. He would be treading on thin ice around her like this. Cedrick was still oblivious, but he took the hint. They both went to the barracks to confront Turtle General. Kiehl waited for them to be out of eyesight and earshot before scooping up Sarine to carry her back down to the chambers. He needed her to change clothes. Howard was quick to help, and so was Errende. She unclipped Errende's leash, and he hugged her tightly to him.

"I'm neglecting you," she frowned.

"Never, My Lady," he smiled and kissed her forehead. "You never neglect me."

"How is that?" she asked.

"I'm always at your side. That alone is all I need," he chuckled.

"Much like what Drago said," Howard grinned.

"Did he?" Errende grinned back.

"That he did," Kiehl nodded. "Anyways, safe room. Give her to me so I can run with her. It'll be faster that way. Then you can get what she needs to eat and check on the kids. Have Drago meet us there. She wants to be with him."

"Of course," Errende nodded. Kiehl pulled Sarine to him to kiss passionately before lifting her into his arms. She pressed her face against his neck, as he ran swiftly out of the chambers. Doppy was about to urge him to hurry, but he grinned.  _Kiehl was already doing just that._ Lightning was on the horizon now, and the waves were getting choppy. He felt her tense in his arms, and he ran faster. Those that were in the main room of the house saw a quick blurring motion run down the stairs to the workshop. Vesper looked over with alarm, as Kiehl stopped running with Sarine in his arms on approaching the safe room. He didn't even break a sweat.

"What's going on?" he asked, and he set aside some components he was building.

"There's a storm coming. Sarine...has bad dreams and bad memories with storms. We keep her down here where it is heavily reinforced with stone," Kiehl said, and he kissed her forehead. Vesper was clearly perplexed by this. Only when Kiehl had settled himself on a pillow near the new furnace in the safe room did he look up at Vesper.

"Please elaborate," Vesper insisted.

"It will take some time. The others are on their way here," Kiehl sighed. "Did you talk to Storm Caller at all? Since you've been here?"

"Alas, I have not. I have been busy building materials for you," Vesper admitted.

"I'll tell you what I can. You and Mobster can both find out more. Ah, that reminds me! Mobster still needs to be with you, love," Kiehl grimaced.

"In the fireplace later, then," she sighed. "Or tomorrow morning. Let's see what happens. The storm started up so suddenly..."

"Hush, darling," he whispered and kissed her gently. "You're safe with me now."

"I know," she smiled. She rested against him, and Kiehl started to tell Vesper of her past. The more he revealed, the more outraged Vesper became. Mobster had found his way to them and started to listen in. Drago and Howard came down next to settle with her and Kiehl. She was moved to sit between Drago and Kiehl, as more of her men came down to the safe room. As Kiehl got into a few of the most painful parts of her past, she pressed herself into her slave, and he covered her with his single wing.

"It's okay, My Lady," he whispered.

"I hate these memories..." she trembled. He tilted her face to his with his single good hand and kissed her hungrily. He never admitted how badly he missed her. Whenever he felt he had to say something, she had already started to help all of her slaves in the way they needed her. He was kept sated and calmed that way. This time it was different. She was having his eggs next with Maya Purple. He never complained about needing more time with her or having a special ranking. He was happy to simply be at her side. He loved her for that.

"Don't think of them," he growled and nuzzled her. He took in her scent and felt his desire for her heighten in full. When Howard tapped him on the shoulder, he hissed at the intrusion, but calmed himself quickly.

"Fireplace," Howard grinned. "Go in there."

Drago simply nodded, and Sarine moved with him. Kiehl would be fine without her for a while, but he would follow her in the moment his craving for her started. The new furnace was simply warm from the lack of infernal monsters, so it was easy for him to tolerate the heat.  _This was my time with her._  She watched him remove her shorts with one hand, and his mutant arm hissed with Draconic pleasure. She had him move to lay back on the ground carefully, and she pulled down his black leather pants to help him. When her mouth found what she wanted, he gasped for control. He clearly needed this.

"My...Lady..." he whimpered. She worked him into a frenzy before moving over him.

"How bad do you need me, Drago?" she whispered softly in his ear.

"Please..." he begged. "I don't...want to wait..."

"Wait for what?" she teased and nibbled his neck. "Don't release, Drago."

"Yes...My Lady..." he whimpered again and cried out at her sharp bite. Her nails moved to rake over his back, shoulders, and chest. She brought him to that pinnacle point of pleasure and pain that he craved to feel. Only when she knew he was at his limit of needing her and begging for her did she finally let him have what he wanted. He roared out his release, and his Draconic arm bellowed with its mating cry. He held her on his hips with a brute force that was revealed only one other time, and that was when he claimed his First Mate Rights with her long ago. He emptied everything he had in her before falling back with exhaustion. She rested on his chest, and he had his eyes closed.

"Drago? Are you all right?" she asked softly.

"I'm...happy, My Lady," he purred out softly.

"Are you?" she smiled. He squeezed her as a response. This was something he never thought that he'd ever feel before.  _It was contentment. Solid and full contentment._

"I love you, My Lady," he whispered.

"I love you, Drago," she blushed, and she pulled herself up to kiss him gently. "Kiehl may be in here soon. He does need me, too."

"I'm sure he'll come in here," he said. She caressed his cheek and kissed him again. As if on cue, Kiehl walked in with a staggering movement. Drago kissed her forehead and let her move to help her powerful First Mate.

"Sarine..." he sighed and rested against her.

"You should have come in sooner," she frowned and helped him sit down by Drago. "How much heat can you tolerate, Drago?"

"I'm cold-blooded to a certain point. I can take a lot of heat," he grinned. Kiehl let the Fire diamond flicker, and the fireplace heated up quickly. Drago laid back a bit more and enjoyed the sauna. He clearly needed the warmth, too.

"What's going on out there?" she asked Kiehl.

"The storm is over us in full now," he said, as he held her. "The kids are outside waiting for you to come out. My twins and Sammy's twins are getting hungry, too."

"I'll feed them after my body heat stabilizes," she smiled. "What are the plans?"

"Well, Mitchell wants to try his skill, Hocus Pocus. We have a few Dead Branches we need to break. Doppy also wants to map out the plan for the Detale's lair," Kiehl thought aloud.

"When do you think I should see Mobster?" she asked.

"Maybe after you nurse the kids," Kiehl smiled and hugged her. "Neil and Maheo wanted to have some time with you, too."

"I figured they would," she chuckled. "How's Seyren?"

"He's all right," Kiehl admitted. "It's like nothing happened."

"Good," Drago snorted, as he sat up. "She has a Demonic Mating tomorrow?"

"I think so. Last one for this pregnancy, if I recall," Kiehl thought.

"Get Sammy's Water element," Drago said. "You might need it."

"Really?" Kiehl frowned. "All right. I was going to with Doppy's Wind element."

"No. Get Water," Drago urged. "Dragons are mainly Earth based. Water is our weakness. Poison will work, too, but Water tends to be stronger at times."

"Do you know what Detale is weak against?" she asked.

"He is made up of Shadow," Drago thought. "So, Holy is his weakness, I think."

"Well, I have that now from Loomin's Light," Kiehl grinned. The slave grinned and yawned slightly to expose small fangs. He felt incredibly relaxed right now. She leaned over to run a hand over his chest, and Drago shivered at her touch.

"Um..." she smiled, and he looked at her expectantly. "Drago..."

"Yes, My Lady?" he smiled.

"I know I'll be here tonight. In the fireplace," she blushed.

"Drago, sleep with her here later tonight. Got it?" Kiehl grinned.

"Will do," he nodded.

"I think she's building up a reserve of you. I'm not sure. Either that, or she just misses you. Or I could be wrong," Kiehl shrugged.

"I think it's just that...well...I feel that I'm not with him enough," she frowned.

"I think that's it," Drago chuckled. "My Lady, I'm at your beck and call. I will never be too far from your side. I promise."

"Good!" she grinned and pulled him close by his collar to kiss him passionately. He purred deeply, as he let her cuddle him. "Okay. I need to see to my children."

"Of course, My Lady," he nodded. Kiehl got up with her, and she helped Drago dress. Kiehl helped her dress, and they walked out to the main room.

"Mama!" Serenity beamed from Naght's arms.

"Hello, my dears!" Sarine smiled, and she settled in Kiehl's lap on a floor cushion. She gave each of her children hugs and kisses before Sammy gave her his twins to nurse. Maya Purple settled himself neatly in front of her to hide her from the others. Beelzebub stretched out his robe to shield her a bit more.

"So, we're going to Detale's lair tomorrow?" Karla asked, as Seyren pulled her to his side. "If we are, I need to prepare some bombs and potions."

"Let the kids watch you do that," Howard grinned. "They always like to see it."

"That's true!" she grinned. "Seyren, dear? What do you think?"

"We'll let the kids watch," he grinned back at her. His Bapho Jr. pet was eating a jar of honey, and Luna was eating her food next to him. The little pet looked much healthier now and was ready to start helping Seyren attack things at a moment's notice.

"Find a name for the little guy yet?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Not yet. I'm not sure what to name him," Seyren admitted.

"Maybe he has a name of his own?" Sarine whispered to Kiehl. Beelzebub smirked, and Howard cleared his throat to voice her question.

"Does he want to pick his own name?" Howard grinned.

"That's a neat idea," Seyren grinned. "What do you think?"

The little Bapho Jr. looked back at him with a small snort. He couldn't talk yet, but he nodded with a happy look. He got a scratch to the top of his head and got picked up by Siegfried. The Demonic pet was careful to keep the nasty scythe away from skin, and he was able to play with Siegfried this way. Gunther and Bianca were quick to join in the light playing. They loved to play a 'keep away' game where they tickled his fur, and he mock snapped his mouth at them. It made them giggle and pull their hands back before trying again. Baphomet Jr. was very glad that his brother was making such a fast recovery, and he even chuckled at the innocent game that was played with him.

"Hey, Kiehl," Howard chuckled, and his twins tottered over to his side. Kiehl let them cuddle into his sides, as he held Sarine and the nursing twins in his lap.

"Bit of a handful?" Beelzebub mused.

"My offspring. Their mother. Not a handful at all," Kiehl grinned.

"Do you need me to move?" Sarine smiled.

"No," Kiehl said and let her lean back into his chest. Drago helped support Ming, and Sammy was supporting Loo Shin.

"That storm is horrible!" Cedrick said, as he came down soaking wet.

"I could barely see outside," Shoujin frowned.

"Is that so?" Garrett asked. A sudden crack and boom of thunder was loud enough to be heard through the thickness of the rock above them. Sarine gasped, and Howard looked over at her with a warning hiss.

"Come to me, kids," Drago said gently to Juliana and Deagan. "Your dad needs to help your mother. It's okay."

"That was loud!" Deagan shivered, as he snuggled into Drago's side.

"Yeah! Why was it so loud?!" Juliana whimpered. Drago purred and shielded them both with his single wing. He was rather warm from the fireplace, and they got comfortable. Sammy's twins had trembled in Sarine's arms, as she tried to calm them, and Kiehl helped support her and them with Sammy.

"Mommy okay?" Albert asked, as he moved over to her.

"I'm okay, dear," Sarine smiled. Alexis walked over next, and Aliot moved to sit by her to help the kids. Doppy sat down close to her, and his twins ran to him to snuggle into his broad chest. Serenity and Siegfried both ran to Naght. Edward was pulled up to Thanatos, and Angela was soon with him. Errende needed to help keep Sarine's developing children calm. Hyegun gave a warning sign that they were distressed by the storm.

"Dad!" Trina whimpered.

"Come on," Keltin said gently, and he gathered up his twins. "The storm will be over soon. It is rather odd for it to be this loud, though."

"It is odd," Loomin frowned. Eremes looked over now with concern.

"Can you detect anything?" Hibram asked.

"I'm trying," Loomin frowned, as he focused. Sammy had taken his twins to comfort, and burp them so Kiehl's twins could nurse.

"Hurry up and eat," Kiehl smiled, and they settled quickly against Sarine to nurse and get their fill. Maya Purple remained in front of her to keep shielding her. Beelzebub continued to hover over her with his robe around her, Kiehl and the nursing twins. Evil Snake Lord and Entweihen were stationed in the nursery to guard the nest. Doll was with the other kids down below, but Bacsojin voted to help with the eggs, if anything happened. Wicked Nymph was helping Alice and Aliza change bed sheets and tidy up. Even Sohee was helping to pick up after the kids. Pori-Pori came down to see them, and he bounced over to Trina.

"So, who said they had a funnier face than me?" Pori-Pori grinned.

"Me!" Trina giggled and made a face at him. He bugged out his eyes, and got her laughing hysterically. He was easily lifting the mood to keep the storm away. Another thunderous boom leaked through the rock, and Sarine cringed slightly.

"You're safe," Kiehl whispered and gently rocked her. His twins were distressed, but they knew they were safe with their father. Errende kept his hands on her belly. He needed to do this. They were reacting to Sarine's distress, and it wasn't good.

"What's causing their distress?" Doppy asked Hyegun.

"They're aware that something is upsetting her," he sighed. "Oh! Give her the peppered, rare roast! Quick! It's needed!"

"My Lady," Byorgue said. "I know you don't like us feeding you..."

"It's okay. I'm nursing twins, and I can't move much. Errende is keeping the growing babies calm. I think it will be all right," she thought. "Hold the food out to me, and I'll eat it myself. This way, you're not force feeding me. Just assisting me."

"That should work," Kiehl nodded. "Will it?"

"The kids are sleeping now. It should be fine," Hyegun said. "If not, I'll tell you."

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded.

"Why do you always say that?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Force of habit..." Eremes chuckled. "At times...while training as a child...my old mentor would think that I wasn't paying attention. So...I started to say that. Needless to say...he realized I was truly paying attention."

"So that's the story, eh?" Seyren grinned.

"Pretty much..." Eremes shrugged. He looked up at the ceiling at the sound of another crack of thunder. Then he looked at Loomin.

"This storm is being enhanced," Loomin growled. That caught everyone's attention.

"How?!" Osiris hissed. Pharaoh narrowed his eyes, and Amon Ra frowned.

"Who do you think?" Loomin said calmly.

"He would dare to do this?!" Sammy snarled.

"He must be bored," Kiehl scowled.

"Grampa Loki needs to stop it! He's hurting Mama!" Serenity frowned. "He's not supposed to hurt Mama! If he wants to be better with us, then he has to stop!"

"He's not trying to hurt her," Loomin said. "I'm not defending him in any way. He was curious to see how thick this stone truly was. Now that he knows, it was only a matter of time for someone to speak out against him. He's letting up now."

"If he shows up here, I'll kill him!" Kiehl snarled savagely. Loomin looked over at where he was behind Maya Purple and under Beelzebub's robe. He grinned a bit wickedly.  _Kiehl would easily put Loki in his place, if he had to._  Kiehl was seething with hatred now and was quite easy to piss off. Sarine sighed, and she leaned back into him a bit more. Even his twins gave small purrs to help. It definitely helped him calm down, and he gazed down with loving protection at his nursing twins. He added his purr to theirs, and they gave small giggles while they nursed. That made him smile with fatherly pride.

"And what are you guys giggling about?" Drago chuckled.

"Um..." Deagan started, as he paused in feeding. "That we are going to have three sisters soon! They'll be smart, too, right?"

"Very smart," Kiehl smiled. Deagan grinned at him and went back to nursing.

"Tired?" Sammy smiled at Sarine's yawn.

"A bit," she admitted. "I only had a rather interesting past few hours."

"True," he grinned. "How much longer do you think you'll be up for?"

"I'm not sure," she shrugged. "We'll have to see."

"We will," Kiehl smiled and kissed her cheek. She kissed him back, and he caught her up in a long kiss of loving proportions. At the sound of a small giggle, he broke the kiss and saw Ming blushing at him. He chuckled and leaned back against the wall with Sarine resting against his chest. Sammy tickled his daughter to get sharper giggles to come out, and Keltin grinned when he looked at his twins.

"Dad..." Trina blinked and gasped out laughter at the tickling she got. His son was now being tickled with his other hand. With the tickles starting, the other kids paled at the grins their fathers gave them. Bianca and Gunther were screaming, as Doppy pinned them down easily. Serenity and Siegfried were in the same predicament with Naght.

"Dad!" Angela whimpered. Thanatos grinned, as he now got his kids screaming with laughter. Aliot had his twins laughing at the pokes to their sides. The moment Kiehl's twins finished nursing, Kiehl was poking their sides to get them laughing and giggling.

"Soon, we'll be tormenting our kid, too," Seyren grinned at Karla.

"Hopefully," she giggled. Garrett squeezed Cecil, and she blushed. Max was giggling with Coraline. Mitchell poked Kathryne's side to hear her laugh, and she smacked him back. Egnigem sighed, and Donnie looked at her.

"What's wrong?" Donnie frowned.

"I feel movement, but no kicks," Egnigem sighed.

"Really?" Loomin asked. Sammy was now concerned.

"Let me check something," Hibram said. Egnigem nodded, and Hibram moved to place his hand on her belly. As he traced his blood in her system, Loomin was studying her carefully.

"Too bad Hyegun can't hear the thoughts of other kids," Thanatos shrugged.

"I know. You'd think it would make everything easier, right?" Hyegun chuckled. Sarine was able to finish eating what Byorgue was helping her with, and he helped her fix up her top. With a sigh, she was given some cheese to eat, and she smiled, as the children wanted some, too.

"I'll get more cheese," Nigel chuckled. Maya Purple moved to settle against a wall, and Beelzebub pulled back from her to stand alongside her. Sarine did look over at her slave, and Maya Purple smiled back warmly. At the gesture for him to come to her, he released himself from his bug body and moved to her side. She yanked him close by his collar to kiss him hard, and he gasped from it. The other slaves grinned, since she didn't kiss him like she did to them. Only after he recovered did he settle himself back on his bug body. Then he paused.

"Someone's coming down here. With Storm Caller," Maya Purple frowned at the vibrations he got. "I think it's Darryl, but I don't know. I should know his footsteps now. If it is Darryl, then I'll know for sure after this."

"Is that so?" Eremes frowned. He Cloaked and moved off, as Beelzebub contacted his roaming Hell Flies. Then he listened for anything.

"Egnigem, your child is healthy. I just detect that, well...it's shy," Hibram grinned.

"You're going to have a very shy and sweet little girl, I think," Loomin chuckled.

"A girl?" Donnie blinked.

"Shy and sweet?!" Egnigem asked with surprise. "That's not like either of us!"

"It was a mild characteristic of mine long ago," Hibram mused. "Your child will be a lot of fun to work with. She may even become best friends with Angela."

"They would both have the same temperament," Loomin agreed. "But, that's what I got. Anyways, intruders? Who?"

"It's a guard from Prontera," Beelzebub said, as he heard the talking going on to Storm Caller. "Apparently...hmm...interesting..."

"What about?" Garrett said quickly.

"William Rory escaped again," Beelzebub mused. Max growled, and held his pregnant wife close to him. Coraline whimpered, and Ragged Zombie thought.

"What does this guy want?" Mobster asked.

"His treasure back. My diamond necklace that I gave to Sarine," Beelzebub frowned heavily. He glanced over at her and she frowned. She was still wearing his necklace. She promised that she would never remove it, and she still hasn't done so. That made him sigh with a form of relief, as he thought a bit more. "I can actually hear his grumbles in Prontera."

"He's still at the city?!" Max gaped.

"Yes. I have a Hell Fly trying to track him down now," the Demon Lord muttered.

"You know," Sammy grinned. "Shinobi can Cloak."

"And you can summon quite a few of them, too," Howard grinned.

"It puzzles me," Sarine thought.

"Hmm? Oh. You're right. That is weird," Kiehl shrugged. "You would think that duplicates can't summon their supporters. But, Howard can with the others, yet it's only one at random as monsters only. Huginn allowed that, too. It is a bit strange, now that you think about it."

"When you find out where that asshole is, I want to know!" Max growled.

"Everyone will know," Beelzebub smirked. "I'll alert the entire guard for you."

"Good," Garrett nodded. Neil and Maheo looked at each other, and Hibram grinned.

"Loomin, did you find anything out about what I talked to you about?" Sammy asked.

"Ah, not yet. I'll check now. Sarine, love? Focus on me for a bit," Loomin smiled. She smiled back and nodded. Kiehl nodded to him, and Errende moved over enough to let Loomin examine her. Hyegun paid close attention to make sure the developing children wouldn't wake up. Loomin placed a hand on her belly, and she took a deep breath. At first, Doppy was concerned, but Loomin held up his other hand to show that it was fine.

"Now, that's interesting..." Beelzebub muttered.

"What is interesting?" Hibram asked.

"It appears that our little convict is coming here...to the arena..." Beelzebub grinned. "He's going to try and push his luck around us personally."

"Is that so?" Kiehl growled. Naght hissed and gave Serenity and Siegfried over to Howard. He hugged his kids close to him, and the massive demon was quick to have his swords in his hands. Ifrit snickered and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Eremes is checking now," Ifrit nodded.

"Is he?" Sarine frowned. Byorgue noticed her distress, and he ran out to find Eremes. Ifrit was keeping in close contact with him. The Assassin Cross wanted to find the despicable Lord Knight, but Sarine mattered more. _She was having my twins. She couldn't be upset for too long._ Byorgue walked back in with him, and Eremes moved to sit in front of Sarine to show he was fine. Loomin gave a small nod to him and continued to examine Sarine.

"Move your hands, Errende," Loomin muttered softly.

"Very well," Errende nodded and pulled back his touch. Loomin focused a bit more and let everything piece together for him.

"Get Muninn," Loomin said gently. "I have some questions to ask him."

"Is it bad?" Sarine frowned.

"No. Just curious, mainly," Loomin smiled and showed that everything was fine. "The kids have been growing, they just aren't giving you any pain. You haven't felt any pain, since this morning after the Demonic Mating, right?"

"Right," she nodded.

"They've been growing?" Eremes frowned. "How much?"

"They actually grew by twenty percent at her distress from the storm," Loomin said.

"I didn't feel anything!" Doppy gaped.

"Neither did I!" Sarine blinked.

"Which is why I need Muninn," Loomin smiled.

"He's coming," Sammy said. Muninn flew in from the special entryway and settled near them on a small wall perch.

"Why isn't Sarine feeling any pains from the growth of her children?" Loomin frowned.

_:You know. The answer!:_  Muninn warbled.

"So...it  _is_  my blood that's doing it? But, she felt pain earlier!" Loomin argued. Muninn sighed and landed to revert to his human form. He sat on the ground now and found himself getting swarmed with kids. He laughed softly at this, and he let them climb over him to find various places to sit by him, on him, and around him. He loved his nieces and nephews!

" _Okay. This is what's going on. She feels pain until they become aware. That's what your blood does,_ " Muninn said carefully. " _She did feel pain from their first growth after the Demonic Mating, if you think about it, but it stopped after that. So, after the first growth spurt, that is when your blood fully takes hold. It could be different, since it's my body growing in her. But, this is what we know now. So, not only do you give her dazzling beauty, but you keep the pains from happening. I'm not sure what will happen with her labors, but the growth pains are gone. It will only be like this when you impregnate her. You could say that this is more of a benefit from your blood rather than a problem._ "

"That's something worth knowing," Sammy smiled. "Now that we know this, she has only one more Demonic Mating?"

" _Yes. It will happen tomorrow, as you all thought. And, for any of you thinking you can win when you can't,_ " Muninn warned with a small glare to the princes and Kavach. " _Kiehl will be in a rather blood-thirsty mood. You'll find out why when it happens._ "

"Is that so?" Kiehl growled. Drago smirked and let the twins he held go back to snuggle with their father. Kiehl still held Sarine in his lap, and his kids were quick to snuggle into his sides again. Eremes chuckled at this and now looked over at Loomin. He was deep in thought.

"No..." Loomin suddenly blinked at his discovery. "Oh, hell no! That can't happen!"

" _So, you were able to find out?_ " Muninn asked with a bit of surprise.

"Father decided to give me the benefit of the doubt. Considering that he's amused by it now,"Loomin snarled. "That's just...no!"

"What is it, Loomin?" Howard frowned.

"It's too horrible!" Loomin winced.

" _Tell them,_ " Muninn nodded. Serenity frowned, and Siegfried blinked with alarm.

"It appears that William Rory is going to find out about the Demonic Matings," Loomin grimaced with dismay. "He'll see everyone standing outside and not attacking each other."

"WHAT?!" Kiehl and Howard shouted together.

"I..." Sarine gasped with shock.

"I'll slaughter him!" Eremes snarled.

"I'll kill him off before he has a chance!" Beelzebub seethed.

"No, I'll do it!" Max hissed.

"No," Loomin said to him quickly. "You can't be there. If you show up, you may instinctively want to join. Hibram will do the honor for you. Since his blood runs in your veins, you'll want to compete. You might even make a ranking. We can't have that."

"Protect me. Okay?" Coraline frowned. Max grimaced and hugged her to him. She was his wife, and he would lay his life down for her.

"Kiehl," Max growled out. "Rip out his insides for me and make him eat them!"

"I can do that," Kiehl grinned savagely.

"Same here," Doppy smirked.

"I have a much better idea," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"And what would that be?" Osiris asked.

"I'd shove my hand down his throat, grab whatever is in his chest cavity, and yank it up through his mouth," the zombie said with a far more savage grin.

"Creative!" Thanatos mused.

"Far more painful, too..." Eremes grinned.

"I vote for that," Amon Ra grinned.

"Where is he now?" Sarine frowned.

" _He is hiding out by the arena,_ " Muninn said. " _I could send Stormy Knight and Dark Lord his way. They are in the area, and I'm sure Seyren could get Baphomet, too._ "

"I want him to be exhausted before he even tries to approach us," Sarine said with a soft grin. "I'm sure he can outrun everyone, but I want to make sure he truly stands no chance."

"Can I help?!" Pori-Pori beamed.

"Of course, you can!" she giggled. At that, he scooted out of the room. Now everyone started to laugh. "He's on  _my_  turf! I want him to suffer!"

"Let's call out random clones and have them help," Howard grinned. "They can run anywhere they want on the island, too."

"I'll send some Hell Flies," Beelzebub snickered. Thanatos was already contacting his generals to help out, as clones were summoned and sent off to hunt. William Rory was either going to die, or spend a wet, hellish night running around to save his sorry hide.

" _I shall watch what happens,_ " Muninn smiled. He hugged the kids around him before shifting into his falcon form to fly out of the room.

"I miss him," Sarine sighed.

"He'll help you tomorrow," Kiehl muttered in her ear. "We have a couple hours to kill before the kids need to sleep. What do you want to do?"

"I should probably be with Mobster," she smiled.

"Huh?" Deagan blinked.

"You guys get another dad," Kiehl grinned.

"Really?!" Serenity grinned. "Who?"

"That would be me," Mobster chuckled.

"Another Dad?!" Gunther asked. "He looks cool!"

"I want another Dad!" Angela blushed.

"What the kids want, they should get. Right, My Lady?" Errende winked.

"Very true. Okay. Children, stay out here. I'll try to be quick," Sarine smiled.

"Go play with your uncles for right now," Kiehl said to his kids.

"Okay, Daddy," Juliana giggled and got a kiss pressed to her cheek. Kiehl watched them totter over to Garrett and that made him chuckle.

"Neil and Maheo should get their blood drops last," Sarine whispered. "They need me, so it would be best that way."

"Sounds good," Kiehl nodded. He scooped her up quickly to stand with her, and he carried her into the fireplace. Ifrit went to join them, and Mobster was sent in shortly after.

"So, how does this work?" Mobster asked. Kiehl only sighed.  _It was the most frequently asked question all around._  Sarine moved up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"How do you think it works?" she grinned. Mobster hesitated at first before deciding that he was wearing too many clothes. Kiehl started to grin, as he watched them undress and fall to the floor. He sighed and closed his eyes to meditate for a bit.

"I never would have imagined this," Mobster sighed, as he reclined with her along the floor. He had no idea how hard he released with her. It was physically draining for him.

"None do until it happens," she smiled and snuggled him. "Why do you have so many bandages on? Are you hurt?"

"Nah," Mobster grinned. "Mainly, it's just extra protection. That and it shows that I can take a beating and keep on going, you know? Like, I kick ass and can take it, too."

"Oh," she smiled. "So, I can take off the bandages?"

"You don't think they make me look tough? Or sexy?" he grinned again. She blushed, and he kissed her with a renewed sense of hunger. After this release, she felt Kiehl move over to her to lightly prick her finger with a small knife. Mobster was puzzled at first, but remembered what she said about the blood drops. He let her run her finger in his mouth, and his finger was pricked to let him do the same to her. They nuzzled each other, and he moved off of her to dress.

"The others will come in slowly," Kiehl said after he took his drop of blood. Ifrit got one from her next, even though he didn't have to. If anything, he was now able to understand Demonic Language and didn't need to go through Eremes for translation. Each of her men came in one at a time to take a drop of blood and walk back out. Drake was summoned from the ship, and he found himself talking to the kids when he was done. Neil was one of the last to walk in, and Maheo was waiting for him to come out.

"Neil," she smiled. He moaned in the kiss he gave her and lost himself in her warm embrace. After what Hibram did for the others, he had lost all of his resolve. He couldn't hold back. As they rested from the violent release they gave each other, he sighed.

"I don't want Hibram to give blood to anyone else for a long time," Neil muttered.

"Why is that?" she frowned.

"I mean...if they're married or mated to you, fine. But, I just...any other single guys would be overkill, I think," he said. "It's hard to explain."

"I think I understand," Kiehl said. "It's when he locks minds with someone else that isn't supposed to be with her, right?"

"Yeah. That's right," Neil nodded. "I mean, it's good for Maheo. I see him as a brother now. So, it's fine. Just anyone else. I mean, look at what happened with Seyren!"

"I know," Kiehl agreed. "I am a bit worried about Seyren, though. If the others start to talk about their experiences, he won't really know how to relate with them."

"Well, I'm not having Baphomet touch me!" Sarine frowned.

"Ah, no. That's not gonna happen," Neil said quickly.

"Hmm," Kiehl thought. "When you send in Maheo, talk to Baphomet Jr. and see what he can do. Maybe we can do something tonight."

"Seriously?" Sarine sighed.

"Yes. It's a precaution," Kiehl said. "Howard and Naght both agree on this."

"Okay," she nodded. Neil kissed Sarine thoroughly before taking his blood drop. Then he got up to dress and walked out of the fireplace. He went straight to Baphomet Jr. and started to whisper to him. The demon blinked and nudged Seyren to talk to him in the workshop. Maheo walked in shortly after and stripped his clothes off quickly. He didn't look too happy.

"Something wrong?" Ifrit asked.

"Kavach. That's what's wrong!" Maheo growled. Sarine sighed and opened her arms to him. He smiled and moved into her embrace. As she started to work with Maheo, Kiehl learned from Howard what was going on.  _Kavach was trying to find out how so many could be with Sarine without being a husband or a slave. He still didn't know about mates, but he knew mates were present. He thought that a mate was another type of husband. In a way he was right, but he was also wrong at the same time._

"Moron..." Kiehl grumbled under his breath.

"What do we do?" Ifrit asked, as Eremes told him everything mentally.

"Slaughter him at each Demonic Mating. That's what we do," Kiehl said sternly.

"True. But, he's nosy," Ifrit snorted.

"Then we need to lead him astray," Kiehl mused.

"You think so?" Ifrit snickered.

"Definitely."

"I suggest we get the others in on this!" Maheo said, as he was finally resting with Sarine. She was clearly amused with everything and was being squeezed against his chest.

"Feel better?" she giggled.

"You could say that I needed that," Maheo grinned and kissed her passionately. "Have I lost my touch? Or did you feel just as good?"

"I always feel good with those I love," she blushed.

"Ow!" Maheo blinked at a sharp kick given to his mid-section. Kiehl looked over with alarm, and Eremes was seen coming in to the fireplace with Howard and Hyegun.

"Here," Sarine said and gave Maheo a drop of her blood before he got pulled away from her. He kissed her gently and moved aside, as Kiehl claimed his place.

"I'm repressing this too much," Kiehl sighed, and he hugged her tight. She nuzzled him and blinked, as Eremes pressed his hands to her belly. She winced a bit as his twins started to kick his palms incredibly hard. It was almost as though they were berating him.

"Yeah...they missed me..." Eremes frowned.

"Looks like you, Doppy, Loomin, me, and Kiehl are all going to be in the fireplace tonight. With Drago and Ifrit, too, may I add," Howard grinned.

"I should be in here, too," Hyegun said. "They are quite upset that Eremes was away from them. Ah...damn..."

"What?" Kiehl asked.

"Get her dressed and get her out there. Muninn needs to talk to the growing bodies of him and his brother," Hyegun winced. "They are starting to ask questions."

"About what?" Sarine frowned, as Kiehl had her stand to dress.

"Oh, what to expect, what's going to happen to them...pretty basic stuff. But, it's a lot for me to say. Some of the questions I simply can't answer," Hyegun sighed. "Huginn is trying to give them information, but they want to talk to someone on the 'outside' if you catch my drift. So, they need to talk to Muninn."

"Okay," Howard said. Ifrit seemed to chuckle and waited for her to be fully presentable.

"Anything else...?" Eremes asked. He was hinting about the triplets in their stasis.

"No. Everything else is fine, from what I can tell," Hyegun said with a knowing nod.

"You have her sit in your lap out there. I'll sit next to you," Kiehl said to Eremes.

"Heard and noted," he nodded. Eremes then proceeded to scoop up Sarine into his arms to carry her out. She clung to him, and he found himself grinning.

"Lucky schmuck," Howard smirked.

"Always," Eremes smirked back.

"Sorry Sari, what do you want to do?" Doppy smiled. He moved to sit by her, and his hand went to her belly to help comfort Huginn's body. Loomin was next to do the same for Muninn's developing body. Eremes settled her in his lap, and he placed both hands on her belly for his twins. The growing quadruplets needed this form of comfort.

"Um, Muninn needs to see to the growing babies," she frowned. Sammy nodded and called Muninn back. He flew back in and landed to become his human form.

" _Okay. Let me talk to them really quick,_ " he muttered. Doppy, Eremes, and Loomin pulled their hands away to give Muninn all the room he needed. She nodded, and he pressed his hands to her belly. She actually winced, and Doppy grunted with her. It felt like an hour had passed, but it was actually a few minutes. When he pulled his hands away, he nodded, and they put their hands back on her belly to comfort the growing kids.

"Whatever you told them calmed them down," Hyegun chuckled.

" _I may need to talk to them tomorrow, too,_ " Muninn sighed. " _I'll know by then._ "

"As you say," Loomin nodded. Muninn chuckled and became his falcon form again to fly back out. When he left, Eremes squeezed her and whispered to her.

"We have Dead Branches to use, right?" she asked.

"We do," Loomin nodded.

"Dad? What are you doing to Mom?" Gunther frowned at his father.

"Your brother needs it," Doppy grinned and flicked his forehead to make him scowl. "Your brother is going to have your uncle Huginn's face and form. It's the same thing with Loomin's son being Muninn's face and form. Your grandpa Odin knows this."

"So...Uncle Muninn will be my brother?!" Bianca blinked, as she tried to grasp it.

"In a way. Only in the physical form. He'll be your uncle as a falcon, and as a superior creature in reality. This is to help with the coming war," Loomin smiled. "It will help them travel with us without being questioned too much."

"Will they grow up with us?" Serenity asked, as she walked over.

"Until they're done nursing, yes," Loomin nodded. "Then Odin will need to take them to Valhalla to train them properly. Don't worry! They'll visit us when they want to see us."

"Okay," she nodded. "I want to see my brothers! And my sister!"

"And you will..." Eremes smiled gently.

"Do you have names for them, Daddy Eremes?" Angela asked, as she walked over now.

"Yes. They are to be named after my parents," he sighed. "Elenor and Joseph."

"What happened to your mom and dad?" Edward asked from Thanatos's arms.

"There was a nasty sickness that happened. Long ago. They died from it," Eremes frowned. Sarine pressed herself into him, and he sighed against her neck.

"Tell me something," Loomin said. "Just humor me, if you will. When did this illness happen exactly? Do you remember?"

"Ah..." Eremes frowned, as he thought back. "I was about...twelve...thirteen at the time. I think. Why do you ask?"

"Howard, you said that a wasting sickness went through Amatsu. Sarine was ten when she got sick. How old were you?" Loomin asked now.

"I was about thirteen, too! Wait...you don't think they were related, do you?!" Howard gaped now. Kiehl narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Get Evil Snake Lord," Sarine said gently. "Let's see if he can paint some pictures for us. He may be able to tell us more."

"True," Loomin said. Byorgue was already set to run out, but Beelzebub waved his hand to show he was already told from a Hell Fly.

"I don't recall an illness in my youth," Seyren frowned.

"There were no illnesses in Prontera, either," Cedrick nodded.

"There was never one in Louyang," Shoujin thought. "That I know of, anyways."

"I am here," Evil Snake Lord said, as his ink walked him in. "Let me see what I can discover. Let's see..."

He poured his ink over the ground, and his brush started to work. Muninn actually flew back in to see what was going on. Odin wanted him present for it, and he wasn't going to pass up this priceless moment for anything. Drake looked up at him and frowned.

_:William Rory. Is on. The run. From everything!:_  Muninn warbled with laughter.

"Good!" Doppy grinned. Loomin snickered a bit, as he watched Evil Snake Lord work the brush. When the paintings stopped, the way was cleared for them to be revealed. Loomin's jaw dropped at what he saw, as they pieced together for him.

"These images..." Evil Snake Lord fretted now. "It can't be!"

"It is!" Loomin growled. "That witch found out about Sarine's prophecy! She tried to kill off both Eremes and Sarine by creating the illness, herself! She tried to interfere with Odin's plans! What the hell was going on in her head?!"

"She's dead and gone," Sammy said sternly. "Her soul is even destroyed. She can do no more harm to anyone now. She is nothing."

"I know...but still..." Eremes fumed. Kiehl was just as pissed off, and Doppy was shaking with anger. Sarine sighed and reached out to touch each love gently to help calm them. Muninn was clearly enraged at this now. He actually sensed that Loki was furious. Odin was clearly unhappy by what he could sense from his creator.

"Errende!" Hyegun hissed. "Help her!"

The High Priest ran over quickly and placed his hands on her belly. Loomin looked over for an explanation, and Eremes was doing the same. Hyegun gave a light glance to Muninn and time was frozen. He sighed with relief and rubbed his forehead.

"What almost happened?" Howard frowned at Sarine's frozen form. Her men were able to move about while the others were frozen to keep from overhearing anything.

"The triplets. They got upset at what they heard," he winced. "They were getting ready to try and fight the stasis to help her!"

"Wow..." Kiehl blinked. "Are they okay now?"

"Errende's touch calmed them. They know their time is getting closer. They know that, after this pregnancy, it will be their turn at last. They're getting impatient," Hyegun frowned.

"Great," Howard groaned. "What do we do to keep them calm?"

"Thanatos. Errende. Watch for any signs from her. She doesn't have any pain when the kids grow in her now. It's all from my blood, so Doppy gets a bit of a break. But, if she worries or feels stress, be quick to help her," Loomin said. "She's having a Demonic Mating tomorrow. Likely in the morning? As usual?"

_:Yes. That is. What. Will happen.:_  Muninn nodded.

"I'll likely be her guard again," Loomin said. "I'll wear your runic badge. Until then, we need to be extra careful with what we do. We plan to go to Detale's lair. Who else do we need to find? Lady Tanee and Gopinich? Was there anyone else?"

_:No others. Just them. I suggest. Gopinich. First. Then. Lady Tanee. When triplets. Are formed. Or else. Too dangerous. Risky.:_  Muninn warned.

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. "Now...before time comes back...what do we say to ease Sarine? That her babies were becoming...upset? I don't want to leave her...in the dark...so to speak..."

"True," Hyegun sighed. "I know what to say."

_:Okay!:_ Munnin warbled and brought back time.

"That was close!" Hyegun sighed. "You need to eat. You almost got sick."

"Really?" Sarine frowned. It was a clear truth.  _If the triplets formed, she would have definitely gotten incredibly ill, and the developing children did need their craving foods._ Loomin nodded, and her slaves were quick to bring her the meals she needed. Serenity hugged her mother before moving to let her eat.

"Mama? Are you okay now?" she frowned.

"I'll be fine. I have wonderful daddies!" she blushed. Serenity giggled, and Kiehl chuckled. "While I eat, let's use the Dead Branches. Agreed?"

"Actually, I'll make some potions first!" Karla winked. The kids gasped and crowded around her with delight. Deagan and Alexis were destined to become Creators and took a vast interest now. They were set up close to Karla so they could watch and learn various things.

"Howie," Timmy said, as he walked over.

"What?" Howard asked.

"I'm almost at that point that I can transcend. I think. Um, I still need to get a Homunculus made, but I can do that now. I just need the materials. Anyways, how would I transcend? Any particular way?" he asked.

"Well," Howard thought. "I went through a forced transcendence. You don't need that."

"I had to pay upwards of two million zeny for mine!" Karla scowled, as she botched a potion. "Sarine and Lloyd did, too."

"Muninn got me there for free," Mitchell grinned.

"Can Muninn do that for me, too?" Timmy asked.

"Ask him?" Sarine shrugged and accepted a slice of rare, peppered roast.

"Muninn? Can you help me transcend?" Timmy asked slowly.

_:Hmm...:_  Muninn thought and looked at him.  _:Not ready. Not yet. You need. A little. More training. Another month. Or. Confront parents. First. Then maybe. Yes.:_

"That's right! Mom and Dad wanted to see us!" Timmy winced. "So, if I see them, I'll be ready? Okay. Armeyer?"

"You know I'll go with you," she smiled and placed her arm around his waist. He smiled and squeezed her. He knew he would be lost without her.

"Glad to see you found someone to love," Howard chuckled.

"Well, we did get married," Timmy shrugged.

"That we did," Armeyer giggled. Serenity walked up to her uncle and looked at him.

"Yes, Serenity?" Timmy asked.

"Don't be a stupid head anymore!" Serenity said. That made Howard burst out with laughter. Kiehl was coughing, and the others were trying to hide their amusement.

"I think I'm past all of that," Timmy promised and handed her a Chonchon doll. She gasped and snatched it from him to hug.

"Clever," Beelzebub mused.

"Well, what uncle wouldn't want to dote on his nieces and nephews?" Timmy grinned. "That reminds me. I went on a small shopping spree. Karla gave me some money."

"Did she?" Seyren chuckled and winced at a poke to his side.

"Well, the holidays are coming up, and I figured that everyone would just get some gift boxes from me. I can't be held responsible at what comes out!" Timmy grinned a bit more. "I may get more, so you all can think of this as a trial run."

"That's right!" Margaretha giggled. "And some birthdays are due!"

"Ah..." Lloyd blushed now, and she snickered.

"Mine passed..." Eremes grinned.

"What? When?" Sarine frowned.

"Three months ago...in June..." he chuckled. She frowned, and Howard got tossed an Old Purple Box by Karla. It was given over to Sarine, and she gave it to Eremes.

"Open it!" Sarine smiled. Eremes found himself giving a rather rare blush of surprise.

"Blushing?" Kiehl grinned.

"Shut up..." Eremes muttered, and now the others laughed softly. When he opened it, an Old Blue Box was revealed. None of them had any clue as to what was in it. When it came to old boxes, there were always surprises. Eremes paused and opened up this Old Blue Box to reveal another Old Blue Box. Now he stared with confusion.

"Just keep going!" Loomin grinned. "There has to be something good!"

"Okay..." Eremes sighed and opened this one to reveal yet another Old Blue Box.

"No way!" Maheo gaped.

"Okay, there has to be something else!" Neil said. Eremes simply blinked and listened to the shocks of small laughter now. _No one had any control over these things._ He sighed again and opened up this Old Blue Box. He pulled out a flower. Now everyone died laughing.

"CLASSIC!" Donnie howled, as Egnigem was struggling to breathe. Muninn was shaking with laughter. He had no idea what was going to happen.

"Wow..." Eremes said, as he stared at the flower. Then he started to laugh softly and leaned into Sarine's back. Doppy was laughing as hard as his kids were. Thanatos was rubbing his hand over his face. Sarine was trying to focus on calming down.

"That was crazy!" Keltin grinned.

"I had nothing to do with it!" Timmy said.

"I didn't know that such things could happen!" Evil Snake Lord chortled.

"I doubt that any of us did," Vesper nodded. "I wonder if I can replicate those boxes..."

"If you do, it would be a form of cheating," Kiehl grinned.

"Is there another one, by chance? I know I gave you one before. Could I have it back, please?" Vesper asked. Karla looked around in her cart and pulled it out for him. He took it and studied it closely before putting it back in his compartment for later.

"I've been replicating Pilule," Kiehl said.

"I saw that. It's a much needed medicine. I have not tampered with it," Vesper said. "If anything, I'll continue to monitor its development for you."

"Thanks," Kiehl nodded.

"Open another one, Daddy Eremes!" Siegfried grinned.

"I don't know," Eremes admitted.

"I'm sure you can get something good this time," Sarine smiled.

"Do we even have another one?" Howard grinned.

"We do!" Karla giggled and gave it over. "It's the last one, though."

"Okay," Eremes chuckled, as he got it. He looked at it with an untrusting stare, and Sarine nuzzled him. He kissed her gently and opened the box. He pulled out a katar set and blinked. He was honestly thinking that it would be another Old Blue Box.

"Let me check for you," Howard offered. Eremes nodded and gave them over. He studied them with his Identify skill. Then he whistled.

"What are they?" Eremes asked.

"Inverse Scale katars! Holy based! Made from dragon scales, too!" Kiehl blinked at what Howard revealed. "Now these are rare!"

"Really?" Drago grinned wickedly. "Those can do random effects to monsters around them! It's called Dragon Fear! It's actually the same thing that Sammy has, now that I think about it. But, with these weapons, the higher the upgrade, the better the range on the Dragon Fear that they are imbued with. I know that there are dragons in Detale's lair that drop these katars. We should stockpile them!"

"I...wow..." Eremes blinked and chuckled. Sammy mused at what his skill was truly called, and he realized that it did suit him completely.

_:Happy birthday!:_  Muninn warbled.  _:Father Odin. Thought. You would. Like them!:_

"Odin gifted me with these?!" Eremes gaped now.

_:Yes!:_  Muninn warbled happily.

"I...thank you," Eremes said humbly. Sarine cuddled him, and he hugged her tight.

"You could use those against Elric," Ifrit hissed.

"He could. Couldn't he?" Doppy grinned. "But...damn! I want that Dragon Fear effect! That would be so cool to have! And it could only activate if I end up Berserking in battle..."

"Don't give him any more skills!" Ragged Zombie pleaded. That got everyone laughing.

_:Granted! You have! Dragon Fear! Emergency use. Only.:_  Muninn warbled, as Doppy glowed. Now he laughed, and Kiehl grinned.

"I have Demonic Fear, thanks to Naght," Kiehl mused. "That makes everyone tremble in fear. It's enough for me."

"Hmm," Drago mused. "You would think that, as an upgraded monster and My Lady's slave, I should have Dragon Fear, as well, to attack with."

_:You are. Right!:_  Muninn warbled, and now he glowed. He grinned a lightly fanged grin, and his Draconic arm hissed with appreciation.

"Not bad!" Observation chuckled. He looked up, as Alexander flew into the room. They gave nods of neutrality to each other, and this made Sarine smile. They were both making sure not to upset her. Neither of them wanted that.

"There is a Lord Knight trying to run up to the house," Alexander said. "Can I kill him?"

"Please do!" Max growled.

"Can't he be lured away from the house?" Sarine frowned. "I don't want him to come here! Naght? Can you turn him away?"

"With...pleasure...!" he hissed with glee. Ifrit wanted in and went to help him out.

"How is the storm up above?" Loomin asked.

"It's almost gone," Alexander said. "I would still remain down here."

"That is what we plan on doing," Kiehl nodded.

"I also sensed that Loki was behind the storm," the massive male Valkyrie frowned.

"He was, to an extent," Loomin sighed. "He gave up."

"No. He's still here," Alexander said with a tense look. "I can feel him."

"Can you?" Observation asked.

"Yes. I can sense him anywhere. You can only sense him when he shows himself. Incantation Samurai? Do you still have Loki's Whispers?" Alexander asked.

"I do," Sammy nodded.

"Give it to Observation. It will help him a bit more," he said.

"Here," Sammy said. The small, cat-like, two-tone ball was given over. Observation took it and now glanced at a corner of the room. When Observation tensed and readied to attack, Kiehl stood up and glared. Alexander swerved quickly with alarm and seethed.

"All right! So, I've been found out!" Loki sighed, as he revealed himself.

"Leave!" Loomin warned him. "Now!"

"Oh, please, Loomin!" Loki frowned. He never saw Kiehl suddenly leap out and smash his fist into his jaw. Deagan gaped at how fast his father attacked. Juliana was just surprised at how deadly accurate her father was. Everyone was in shock that Kiehl was able to attack a god.

"Nice hit!" Observation grinned.

"The next one will be my foot up your ass, if you don't beat it!" Kiehl snarled. Loki was still reeling that he was attacked and hit. _Again._  In the same spot as before.

"You were warned," Loomin sighed. Muninn would be laughing if he wasn't as livid as he was for Loki even being there.

"You didn't even give me a chance to defend myself!" Loki growled.

"I take no chances with you!" Kiehl growled back. Doppy snorted, and Eremes pulled Sarine tight to him. Alexander moved to hover in front of her, and the kids all moved behind him. Doll moved swiftly to help protect the children, if she needed to.

"I'm not going to touch Sarine!" Loki argued. "She's pregnant with my son's kid! And it's with the prophecy, too! If I did anything, I'd be an idiot!"

"This means that you still won't stop...once it's done..." Eremes muttered.

"As if I could!" Loki said, as he continued to rub his jaw. Serenity marched out in front of Alexander, and he hovered behind her protectively.

"Grampa Loki!" Serenity said with a mean look in her eye. "You are gross to tell me what you did in my dreams! My brothers are my brothers! What you said was icky!"

"It was just a truth," Loki explained calmly.

"It's an icky truth!" Serenity scowled. "Stupid head!"

"What?!" Loki gaped. Now Loomin cracked a grin with a few others. Howard tried and failed to choke down a laugh. Kiehl would be grinning later. Right now, he was too pissed to react properly to it.

"What can we do?" Cedrick whispered.

"Nothing," Beelzebub frowned. "Let Kiehl and Loomin handle it. And the angels."

"I will tell you this," Loki said with a hard sigh. "Her Demonic Mating tomorrow will be problematic. I only say this, because another human will attempt to join."

"If you mean William Rory, then we know," Loomin scowled.

"No. There will be another," Loki frowned.

"What?" Kiehl glared.

"What do you mean that there will be another?!" Howard growled.

"Oh, dear..." Sarine frowned. Eremes hugged her, and Errende pressed his hands to her belly a bit more. Serenity saw that her mother was getting upset, and she growled dangerously.

"No, Serenity," Howard muttered to her, and he quickly pulled her to him. "Let Kiehl and the others handle it. You stay with me."

"But...Keel could use my help?" she frowned.

"I'll be fine," Kiehl said lightly to her. "Loki. Tell me who it will be, and I won't hit you again. At least at this time."

"Keep them off me, and you have a deal," Loki nodded, as he gestured to the two angels.

"Guys. Stand down," Kiehl said. The angels looked at him and nodded. Muninn knew that nothing was said about him. That made him chuckle inwardly.

"You all remember Ripclaw, right?" Loki asked. That made hisses of disgust and dismay happen all around. Loki only nodded to show that he would be there tomorrow.

"Grandfather Loki?" Deagan asked.

"Yes?" Loki smiled gently.

"Why do you always make us mad? Can't you just...well...be good for once?" Deagan frowned. "I don't understand why you have to be like this."

"Unfortunately, it's in my nature," Loki admitted. "It's something that I can't help. Much like how adult demons have instincts and can't overrule them, it's the same way for me."

"But, you want to be with Mama, and it's not right!" Juliana frowned.

"How do you know that?" Loki frowned.

"I'm smart! Daddy made me this way!" Juliana said. "I know things! Lots of things!"

"Is that so?" Loki smiled.

"Yes. And I know your weakness!" Juliana growled.

"What?" Loki frowned now. Kiehl looked over at his daughter curiously.

"Your weakness is your own words!" she said defiantly. "It's also my Daddy! Daddy may have agreed not to hurt you, but that's because he agreed of his own accord! And not to hit you  _at this time!_  If I ask him to hurt you, then guess what?! He will! Because I asked him to!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Loki hissed with disbelief. Now Kiehl was grinning wickedly, as he readied to attack. Muninn now realized that his daughter could see the true weakness of any living thing.  _She would be very valuable in making sure there were no weaknesses in anyone fighting for the war._ Deagan was grinning at his sister, and now he thought to himself.

"Oh, Dad?" Juliana beamed at him.

"Yes, my dear?" Kiehl smirked, as he glared at Loki.

"Grandfather Loki is hurting Mama. Can you make him go away?" she asked.

"With pleasure!" Kiehl snarled, and Loki vanished away before he was able to launch himself. Once Loomin confirmed he was gone, Kiehl moved over to his daughter to gather her up and hug her. She snuggled into him happily, and he chuckled.

"I love you, Daddy!" she purred, and he kissed her forehead.

"Dad," Deagan grinned.

"Yes?" Kiehl said, as he gathered up his son next.

"I want to show you something," he said.

"Oh? Like what?" Kiehl asked.

"Get me some spare parts?" Deagan grinned a bit more.

"Allow me," Vesper chuckled. Various components were brought over and set on the ground. Deagan was put down, and he tottered over them. Studying them, he started to piece them together and fit various wires together. Kiehl watched carefully. Then his look turned into one of complete shock. Then it was surprise.

"There we go!" Deagan giggled. "Look!"

The kids gaped at the new robotic toy that was made.  _Deagan was able to create a machine out of spare parts with no blue prints or practical thought._

"How did you do that?!" Howard gaped.

"I just knew how they had to fit?" Deagan shrugged. Sarine gestured for her son, and he moved over to her to get hugged. Sammy looked at his twins, as they tugged on his kimono.

"Do you both know what you can do now?" Sammy grinned.

"I do!" Ming giggled. "Um...other than know everything a Gypsy does for dancing, that is. I know something else!"

"And what is that?" Doppy asked.

"Can I have a box? Like one that Daddy Eremes had? Or another one?" she asked.

"Okay," Karla giggled and pulled out an Old Blue Box. It was given to her, and she looked at her father. He looked back at her curiously.

"Um, what do you think I can pull out?" she grinned.

"Okay," he thought. "How about something easy?"

"Like what?" she smiled.

"Oh! I know!" Ragged Zombie grinned. "Boots with a slot in them!"

"Really, now," Sarine frowned.

"It's okay, Mommy," Ming smiled and opened the Old Blue Box to pull out a set of shoes. Howard Identified them, and his jaw dropped.

"You're telling me," Sammy now looked at his daughter with shock. "that you can manipulate those boxes?!"

"Yah!" she grinned.

"You are NOT showing off that talent! Ever!" Loomin warned.

"I know, Dad!" she nodded. "I can do it to those purple boxes, too."

"What about Old Card Albums?" Edward asked.

"Um...I dunno about those," she admitted.

"Open another box and get an Old Card Album. Try it!" Edward urged.

"Okay. Auntie Karla? Do you have another box?" she asked.

"I have a few of them," Karla chuckled and gave another one over. Ming took it and thought. Then she frowned and shook her head.

"I don't think I can do it," she said.

"You can't with that Old Blue Box," Loo Shin said. "You need an Old Purple Box."

"How do you know?" Sammy asked.

"I just do," he grinned. "I know where to find stuff and what monster gives what! Um, Daddy Eremes? Can you get Daddy Ifrit? He can help us."

"All right..." Eremes nodded, and he thought. Ifrit came in from his joyful chase. He couldn't move about too much in the rain, but he was able to help protect the house.

"I am needed?" Ifrit asked.

"Yeah!" Loo Shin nodded. "You're keeping some items from us!"

"Oh?" Ifrit asked.

"You still have a Hellfire Axe!" Loo Shin giggled. Ifrit smirked and produced the axe to show that he was correct. "And you have two powerful rings. Don't you?"

"I do," Ifrit mused. "They are far too powerful for just anyone."

"I know," he nodded.

"What rings?" Cedrick asked.

"My Ring of Flame Lord and my Ring of Resonance," he hissed. "They can give anyone the chance to use any skill at random. Much like Mitchell's Hocus Pocus, but it's only activated on attacking. It could be dangerous, if Sarine uses them with her fast bow skills."

"That would be nasty!" Eremes nodded.

"And you have an Old Purple Box!" Loo Shin grinned.

"Yes! I do!" Ifrit chuckled and gave over the box to Ming. She opened it to bring out the Old Card Album. Edward clapped his hands and gestured for her to open it.

"What card should I try for?" Ming asked.

"I say the card from Byorgue!" Serenity nodded.

"Why?" Byorgue asked.

"Um...so I can have a picture of you with me?" she blushed.

"Serenity..." he said.

"I know! I know you're also my Dad, but I still think you're cute!" she said.

"Serenity!" Sarine frowned. Howard looked over at his daughter, and she shrugged.

"It's all right, My Lady," Byorgue smiled and walked over to her. Doppy shook his head with amusement, as Byorgue hugged Sarine tight. She sighed and rested her head against his chest. He kissed her softly and reassured her that his heart only belonged to her.

"Well, try and get Byorgue's card," Edward nodded.

"Okay," Ming said and opened the album. The card she pulled was that from the fire monster, Explosion. "Oh. I guess I can't pull cards that others want."

"And I can't make cards that others want," Edward sighed. "We'll have to see if one of our future brothers or sisters can do it. If it can happen, we can make some awesome stuff!"

"I'll say!" Cedrick grinned.

"I wonder if one of our other brothers or sisters can summon monsters from Dead Branches," Serenity giggled. "That would be fun!"

"It could also be dangerous," Keltin frowned. "If the monster is too strong, how would you kill it? If you were alone, how would it go?"

"Then it would be done with everyone around," Albert said. Aliot smiled and chuckled.

"It would have to be!" Alexis nodded.

"Okay, children," Sarine smiled. "I know that several Dead Branches are to be used to get a few pre-set monsters from my Daddy. And that is your grandpa Odin. So, let's do this now, and then we'll see your uncle Mitchell use his Hocus Pocus skill. Sound good?"

"Yah!" Siegfried grinned.

"Awesome!" Gunther whooped. Bianca was ready to watch, and Eremes had Byorgue help move Sarine into the underground arena chamber. Doppy and Loomin were close by, and Errende was able to remove his hands from her belly. Hyegun would let him know when he was needed again. Thanatos let Angela go to Errende, as he continued to hold Edward.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy whispered to her.

"Yes?" she smiled, and he hugged her with a sigh.

"I'll need you later," he muttered.

"I know. I'll need you, too," she said with a soft blush. He gave her a gentle kiss and nodded to Kiehl, as he came over to hold her. Seyren and Garrett had the Dead Branches they needed. Max was there with Mitchell, and Donnie was ready to help support them with his tunes. Coraline could even help Mitchell by dancing with her brother. They had a song they could play together to reduce the number of gemstones needed to cast things. It would make it easier to use the skill and conserve the gems.

"Are we ready? How many Dead Branches are we actually using?" Seyren asked.

"Okay," Keltin thought. "We will need three of them. They will summon what we need. The others can be used for fun."

"Where is Naght? Was he able to chase off that guy?" Sarine asked.

"Hmm..." Kiehl thought. "Yeah. Naght's free to come back. Baphomet, Lord of Death, and Dark Lord have Rory holed up in a cramped cave. Tao Gunka is ready to kick him out. Do you need Naght? Are you craving him?"

"I...yes..." she frowned. Kiehl blinked at this, and Naght was swiftly moving into the chamber to sink his swords into the ground and gather her up into his arms. She shivered and snuggled into his red overcoat. He purred and shifted her in his arms a bit to let her recline more into his Fire side. Then he hissed in warning to Cedrick and Shoujin when they saw his swords.

"We weren't doing anything!" Cedrick paled.

"Naght..." Sarine sighed, and he gazed down at her.

"Stay close to her," Loomin frowned. Naght looked over with concern now.

"He's right," Hyegun grimaced lightly to Howard. "The triplets want him close."

"Why?" Howard frowned. Naght and Kiehl turned their attention to Howard's thoughts.

"They hardly ever get to be around him. They want him," Hyegun whispered. "Kiehl can't stop this craving. It's instinctive."

"Gotcha," Howard nodded. Naght was clearly alarmed now and held her closer, as he hovered over the ground. Doppy looked over and got whispered to. He snorted and nodded in agreement.  _Naght would stick with Sarine for now._

"Naght?" she whispered.

"Yes...?" he rumbled softly.

"Um...can you come back through How-How for me? Just for a bit?" she asked. He looked over at Howard, and the Whitesmith was quick to get to her side. Kiehl blinked at how strong this craving for him was. It actually worried him a bit.  _Hyegun said that the triplets were getting impatient. This was proving it._

"Not...long..." Naght rumbled with concern.

"No. Not too long. Just enough," she said. He set her down in Howard's arms gently and grabbed his swords before vanishing away. Howard's pupils glowed a brilliant red, as Naght was able to come through, and he hugged her tighter. Cedrick gaped, and Shoujin hissed with surprise. Naght smirked and returned his attention to Sarine.

"Are you all right?" he asked through Howard.

"I just...really missed you like this..." she whispered and kissed him hard.

"Sarine! The kids are around us!" Kiehl warned. Naght seemed to glare with annoyance before scooping her up and carrying her quickly into the fireplace.

"Use the Dead Branches, guys," Loomin said. "She'll be back shortly!"

"Right," Seyren smirked. Kiehl nodded to the others and moved to head into the fireplace now. When he got inside, he found himself grinning. Naght was taking her in Howard's body, and the sheer form of lust that had built up had reached its peak. She keened out with his successful mating roar at their release, and he found himself panting from the exertion.

"I guess you both needed that?" Kiehl grinned.

"You could say that," Naght nodded.

"Um..." Sarine frowned.

"No!" Kiehl said sternly. "We can't do that yet!"

"Why not?!" she countered, as she sat up. "You did it before! Why not now? Why is everyone hiding something from me?! I deserve to know!"

"Sarine..." Naght winced, and Howard was panicking.  _She wasn't going to give up easily. The need to know was simply too strong. The cause of it all was from the triplets._

"Fine. I'll tell you," Kiehl said. Howard hissed mentally, but then he paused. Kiehl wasn't going to say anything about the stasis. There was a way around it and still tell the truth.

"Just...tell me..." Sarine whimpered. He sat on the ground of the fireplace to let her lean into both him and Howard. Naght came back from his tower to settle with them and to help keep the place warm. He was clearly unhappy by this, but she deserved to know most of it, if not all of it. It worried him on how she would take it.

"Sarine," Kiehl sighed. "Odin told us that, well, if Howard and I took you like we did before, it would result in a pregnancy every time. That first time we did it was a fluke. It was a stroke of luck that we didn't impregnate you on the spot! If we did this again, the triplets would form, and you'd be giving birth to seven kids and not four. I'm fairly sure that we told you this before, but only that you might give birth quickly from Keltin's Rage at the time. This is mainly why we can't have you at once. You would have too many children growing in you."

"What?" she blinked with complete shock.

"We didn't know how to tell you," Howard frowned, as he took her hands. "We want to do it. Trust me! We do! It's just...it could hurt you so badly, and it could be disastrous..."

"I see..." she trembled.

"As your True Mates, we would always impregnate you, if we took you together. It would tear you apart! Odin told us when it would be safe to do this again, multiple times even, and that is after this pregnancy. When you are pregnant with our kids. Only with our kids. Muninn and Huginn also confirmed this. Yes, Eremes wanted to give you our triplets first, but the prophecy with this pregnancy needed to be seen to before anything else. Everything was already arranged. So...now you know..." Kiehl said with a deep breath.

"And the others knew?" Sarine frowned.

"Yeah. They did," Howard nodded with a hard swallow. "I'm sorry that we didn't tell you this sooner. We were just...very scared of what would happen..."

"All this time, you kept this a secret from me," she shivered and pulled away from them now. "I'm never allowed to keep secrets from you, but this..."

"Sarine, please..." Kiehl winced.

"No. I'm sorry," Sarine said, as she shook her head. "I just...I need to be alone for a bit. Please leave me alone."

"No!" Howard and Kiehl said together. Naght roared out his own defiance at her request.  _They couldn't risk her being alone._ She broke down into tears, as her emotional wall shattered. Kiehl clung to her, as Howard stood there unable to think or move. Naght left quickly to get help.  _She needed to be calmed down._

"You are not worthless!" Kiehl hissed, as he cradled her sobbing form. "We aren't trying to plot against you! We didn't know how else to tell you! It's so dangerous!"

"Then why..." she gasped and shook harder. "do I still...crave to see...you and How-How?! And Naght?! I know that...Loomin said...that I would crave...to see...everyone...I had kids with...but...but...it's always more with you three! Why?!"

"Sarine..." Kiehl winced, and he hugged her tighter. He couldn't tell her.  _This was the true secret._ And she knew it.

"It's just...another damned secret!" she wailed. "Always...with the secrets!"

" _Sarine!_ " Muninn said, as he ran into the fireplace. He pulled her away from Kiehl to cradle her and let her vent her tears of rage on his shoulder. Thanatos and Errende were next to come in and their hands were placed on her belly. She gasped at this, and more tears fell. Kiehl was completely distraught. He hated keeping secrets from her, but how can he tell her one that could kill her if she knew?

"I'm tired...of the runaround...of the secrets..." she gasped and shivered.

" _I'm sorry,_ " Muninn whispered to her, as he rocked her. " _Father Odin will not allow us to say anything until your triplets are ready to come to pass. It's something that could easily endanger your life! We promise you that, when it is time for your triplets, you will know EVERYTHING! I swear to you on this!_ "

"Until...the next secret...is made against me..." she whimpered.

" _No. There will be no more secrets,_ " Muninn vowed. " _I promise you personally._ "

She didn't say anything now.  _How could she?_ She felt betrayed by everyone she loved. When Naght came out to get help, Doppy was gasping from the emotions that slammed into him. Hyegun had suddenly cried out in warning that something was wrong. Loomin had shoved Thanatos and Errende towards the fireplace, as Muninn was running into it. The kids were scared and didn't know what to do. Everyone was waiting to make sure that Sarine was going to be all right. Beelzebub was at a loss. All of her loves didn't know what they could do to remedy this.

"The children need you, My Lady," Errende said with a small wince.

" _Sarine, you need to be strong,_ " Muninn urged.

"Errende..." Sarine suddenly spoke out. "You know what's going on...surely..."

"NO!" Thanatos snarled. "Errende! Say nothing! You can't say anything!"

"Sarine," Kiehl whispered. Then she noticed that he was shaking. _He was afraid._  The fear in his eyes was so real that she could taste it, and her heart ached.  _I really want to know what was going on so badly, but, if my most powerful mate was clearly afraid for my life..._

"Okay," she finally nodded, and he hugged her with a soft whimper. "I won't ask. I'll wait. But, I will want to know. When the time is right, you need to tell me everything."

"I promise you!" Kiehl said, as he shook uncontrollably. "I swear! You will know!"

"I don't like secrets..." she winced.

"Neither do we," Errende frowned, as he pressed into her. "But, My Lady, I had made a vow to do everything I could to protect your life. We all did. This is something that hurts us all, but it's also something that we must guard against you, until we know it is safe. I don't want to find out that you could suffer for the rest of your life! I love you too much for that, My Lady. Far too much. Please, My Lady, trust in us. Confide in us. Everything that we are doing, we are doing for you! It truly does hurt to see you in pain like this! Just...endure this with us for a bit longer. Help me endure this pain with you."

"Errende," she said and pulled him close to kiss hard. Muninn seemed to sigh with relief and backed away to let her use her slave in full. She needed to vent her rage and anger.  _This was what he was here for._ Thanatos took a step back, and Sarine's emotional wall came back up. Howard was gasping from everything he felt, and Kiehl was slowly recovering from his own near shock. Naght was keeping Doppy out of the fireplace for now and forcing him to wait.

Errende brought her to a heart-wrenching release with him, and he lay next to her shivering and trembling from the aftershocks of it. Kiehl and Howard were just glad that she was accepting everything now. They knew it wouldn't be that much longer to wait.

"My Lady," Errende sighed, as he hugged her. "is there anything more you need of me?"

"I..." she shivered, and he gazed at her lovingly. "I want you to say my name, Errende."

"My Lady!" he gasped with surprise at the request.

"Sarine, you know he can't do that," Thanatos frowned.

"Only those that are to be a slave and husband to you can do this," Kiehl sighed. "Maya Purple is that now. Errende can only be your slave."

"But, he is the one that can do everything for me!" she said. "He doesn't have to be my husband. I just...I want to hear him say my name. Even on a rare occasion. It doesn't have to be constant! Just something that he can do for me."

"Sarine," Howard frowned.

"No, I got this," Errende said, as he held up his hand. "She is right. I am the one that does all of this for her. I am her First Slave. Her true slave. The others are finally seeing that goal, but I have already gotten there. It's something that I was always meant to be to her. My Lady, if I do this for you, it can only be done with us here. I know you don't like secrets, or to keep secrets from others, but this would be important."

"I understand, Errende," she nodded. Muninn seemed to nod at this. At his nod, Thanatos gave a short nod in return.  _This could help her cope with various things._ Kiehl and Howard looked at each other, but Naght actually agreed with this. _It was needed for Sarine._

"Sarine," Errende said gently, and she trembled. "I love you more than life, itself."

"Errende!" she whimpered, and he hugged her with a sigh. It actually felt natural for him to say her name, but he knew that the others wouldn't understand.  _Much like Howard being a husband and a slave, it would need to be kept secret._ Loomin would come to know, but he would understand. Even as fresh tears fell, Errende was already wiping them away and snuggling her to keep her comforted.

"He should become a husband in full," Howard sighed.

"No," Errende said with a shake of his head. "I am her slave. I will never give up this role to her. She needs me this way. She...offered to take away my collar once, and I fought her. If she took it away, I'd be begging for it back. Kiehl, you would be the same way. We all saw what happened with Injustice. How his collar got torn from him by Zealotus. He almost went into shock and nearly lost control of everything. I would become the same way."

"Hmm," Thanatos frowned. "Well, I think I might have a solution for this."

"Really?" Errende grinned. "You would do this for us?"

"Why the hell not?" he grinned back.

"Do what?" Kiehl asked.

"Please tell me..." Sarine shivered. Thanatos moved over to Muninn and whispered to him. Muninn paused and mused at this.

" _This could work!_ " Muninn chuckled. " _Okay. Go ahead and do this._ "

"Do what?!" Sarine demanded.

"Marry me," Thanatos said. "That's what!"

"This way, I can be the slave, and he can be the husband," Errende grinned.

"Now that's clever!" Kiehl grinned back.

"I like that. You'll still have the tattoo, right?" Howard asked.

"Of course! I'm not giving that up!" Thanatos smirked. "That's mine!"

"What would you be to me?" Sarine frowned.

"Good question," Thanatos sighed. "Let's see..."

"You could be her Strength," Kiehl said. "You help keep her strong during her pregnancies by soothing the kids, and you also tend to keep a second ranking in all of the Demonic Matings. Well, save this one. Naght took that from you this time."

"I'll get that back!" Thanatos promised.

"My Strength?" she smiled. He moved to sit with her and gathered her into his lap.

"I like that," he smiled and placed his hands on her belly.

"What element would you have, though?" Howard asked.

"Normally, I'm Ghost. Like Evil Snake Lord," Thanatos sighed.

"Demonic Ghost, I think," Kiehl said.

"Demonic Ghost?" Sarine frowned.

"He's a demon and Ghost property. He can be summoned to his tower like a demon ritual, or like a ghost to an old grave. Demonic Ghost," Kiehl nodded.

"But, what can this element help benefit?" Errende asked.

"I think I can make everyone around me into a Formless state," Thanatos mused. "I can change the weaknesses that we have into something else."

" _I can see that!_ " Muninn nodded. " _You'll need this._ "

"Oh!" Sarine blushed, as she was given a wedding ring. Thanatos looked at her and smiled, as she put the ring on his finger.

"I knew it was just a matter of time before you'd be my bride," he smiled.

"Is that so, husband?" she blushed again. He kissed her passionately, and Errende was forced to move away from her when the lust hit hard.

"How many husbands now?" Howard thought.

"Sixteen and me," Kiehl sighed. "And Maya Purple. Eighteen all together."

"My Lady has so many," Errende frowned.

" _It's needed,_ " Muninn shrugged. " _Father Odin approves of everything. When Thanatos is done, Sarine needs to meet with the new monsters that are waiting for her. She also needs to comfort the kids. After that, Mitchell may use his Hocus Pocus skill. Then she should sleep. I'm honestly not sure how she will be after her Demonic Mating tomorrow. If her belly grows even more, Detale's lair may have to wait. Unless, Thanatos and Kiehl ride with her on Windwalker. It may be the only way for her to travel. She will need to be heavily monitored._ "

"We'll make arrangements," Kiehl nodded. Sarine keened out with Thanatos's successful mating roar, and she pressed into him while he clung to her.

"Hush, love," Thanatos whispered and kissed her forehead, as she shivered. "Everything that's done is all for you. Nothing else matters. Only you matter to us. We would all be nothing, if you were gone. You are the only one that keeps us from tearing at each other's throats!"

"I think...I can believe that..." she sighed. He smiled tenderly and continued to rock her in his arms. "I'm so tired now..."

"Sarine," Errende smiled, as he sat by her, and she let him lean into her. "Our children need to be comforted. Let's get you dressed and presentable. We'll feed you again, too."

"Okay," she nodded. Thanatos kissed her forehead, and Kiehl moved to hug her tight to relieve his craving for her. When it was gone, they helped her dress, and Doppy was right outside the fireplace to hug her tight.

"Sorry Sari, are you all right?!" he frowned. Sarine hugged him back with a shiver, and Kiehl winced. He gestured for Doppy to be quick. _She needed him now._

"I'll go talk to the kids," Howard said.

" _I'll join you with that,_ " Muninn chuckled. Back in the fireplace, Doppy was in his original form and hugging Sarine tight from his intense release.

"So, Thanatos is a husband now?" Doppy grinned.

"Yes," she nodded. "And...um...Kiehl told me a few things, too."

"I know," Doppy sighed. Naght had informed them of what was said. "We never meant to give you the runaround, Sorry Sari. It's something we didn't want to do, but we have no choice. It's your dad's orders, after all."

"Yeah," she frowned and nuzzled him. He kissed her deeply, as his body became stronger, and he pulled her fully into his arms to rock her and hold her. She yawned, and Doppy smiled. He knew she was tired.

"As much as it would be painful, I still want a continuation dream vision with us," he said. "I want to know what would have happened, if you came back to me."

"It would be painful," she winced. "But, let's see what happens first. There is so much I have to do now. Maybe...maybe after the last three strong monsters are found? We are supposed to get Detale tomorrow. And, when I am pregnant with my triplets, we need to get Lady Tanee and Gopinich. Maybe after they are found."

"Okay. I can wait until then," Doppy smiled.

"I'm sure a whole mess of dream visions will happen, but that will also be the time that I can get a bit of a breather, too," she smiled. He nodded at this and kissed her softly. Then he helped her stand and dress before dressing himself. He led her out to the arena chamber, and all of her children were waiting for her. When she sat down in Kiehl's lap, she got swarmed.

"Mommy!" Angela whimpered.

"Mama!" Serenity cried out. She hugged and cuddled each set of twins lovingly to show that she was all right. Deagan and Juliana showed signs of hunger, and Beelzebub moved to cover her with his robe. Kiehl rocked her, as she nursed his twins, and she sighed.

"Loo Shin and Ming are fine," Beelzebub said gently to her. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be okay," Sarine nodded. "There was just...a lot to take in. That's all."

"I hate how I can't hear anything from a furnace!" the Demon Lord growled. "The waves of heat distort all vocal speech!"

"It's not that bad!" Kiehl grinned.

"I am her Ears. I need to know everything going on for her and around her," Beelzebub frowned. "If I can't do what I need to do, then what good am I?"

"Love..." Sarine smiled, and he purred softly at her with a sigh.

"All right, I'll go with it. For you," he smiled.

"Thank you," she smiled up at him, and he looked over at the underground arena. The three monsters that were needed from Lighthalzen were summoned and waiting for introduction.

"She's almost done," Howard said. "I am surprised that you survived, though."

"I know," Gemini's male voice said. "I actually encountered her when she came through the first time. I didn't know who she was, and my mind was stuck in the haze of bloodlust. She defeated me. It was humbling, to say the least."

"She did?!" Seyren grinned.

"Yes, she did," the female voice said, as Gemini changed to being a female. "And it was after she defeated me that I regained myself."

" _I could see about separating your male and female counterparts,_ " Muninn said.

"Don't bother," the male voice said. "I like making others cringe with distaste!"

"You always did..." Eremes mused.

"Well, I always wanted to be together forever with my boyfriend," the female voice sighed. "I didn't realize what the lab was going to do literally with me. At least I'll know he'll never cheat on me this way!"

"Well, if I talk to myself, I always know why," the male voice laughed, as the body switched to the male one. "It will be amusing, if that."

"Of course," Sammy nodded. Howard took Kiehl's twins from Sarine, and she fixed up her top. Beelzebub gave her a small kiss and pulled away from her. Now that she could see the Gemini monster, she gave a small frown at the memory of it.

"I do know you!" Kiehl blinked. "You are actually Gemini-S58! Some sort of secret mutation that was being cooked up. All right. I'll accept you as an ally, since you regained your senses, but just remember. If you attack Sarine again, you'll have problems."

"Don't worry! That won't happen!" Gemini said in the male phase. "It's nice to meet you again. Sorry about before..."

"It's all right," Sarine nodded. "Things were different back then. Let's just move forward from here. There is much that needs to be done."

"True!" the female version nodded. A card was handed to her, and she thanked Gemini. As the odd monster walked off to stake out territory, the red-suited monster, Remover, came over. He seemed to nod to her and hand over a card before making his way out. The small group of flies known as the monster, Anopheles, dropped a card, buzzed past her, and out to the island. She looked over the cards and chuckled at what they did.

"That was all of them?" Sarine smiled, as she gave the cards to Errende.

"Yep!" Keltin smiled and moved to hug her. "Feeling better, love?"

"A bit," she nodded. "Still...a touch stressed, though..."

"I'm sorry," Kiehl frowned. She nuzzled him with a small smile.

"I'll be fine. Honestly, I will," she said.

"May I?" Sammy asked, as he moved over to her. Kiehl chuckled and nodded. Sammy pulled a floor cushion over to her now and had her sit in his lap. He let her rest against him, and he calmly removed the stress that plagued her. She sighed in comfort, and he closed his eyes to show he was at peace with her in his arms.

"Are we ready for some Hocus Pocus skills?" Mitchell grinned.

"Yah!" Trina giggled.

"Go for it!" Gunther grinned.

"Settle down," Doppy growled and let his kids move into his lap. As the kids moved to sit with their fathers, Loo Shin and Ming were gathered up by Loomin and Nigel.

"Mama's okay?" Ming asked.

"She'll be okay. She's just very tired right now," Loomin said. "Everything is fine."

"Okay," Loo Shin nodded. Ragged Zombie thought and looked at Mobster.

"Want to find out where that Lord Knight is and kick his ass?" the zombie muttered to him. Mobster grinned wickedly, and they walked out. Beelzebub smirked and would keep an ear out for them. Sarine rested between Sammy and Kiehl now, as Mitchell started to use his skill.

"I had forgotten how you can help me," Sarine whispered to Sammy.

"I know," he sighed and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry. That's why I'm here."

"I'm glad," she smiled, and he kissed her gently. He looked over at Mitchell when he cast Hocus Pocus and killed himself with a Grand Cross skill.

"Wow!" Lloyd blinked, and he Resurrected him.

"Yeah. It's going to suck!" Mitchell winced, as he got Healed.

"That was unexpected!" Garrett admitted.

"Okay, here I go again!" Mitchell said. He started to cast the skill over and over again. Various skills were being displayed now, and Sarine found herself completely amused at it. When Mitchell summoned a monster, it was one she had never seen before.

"Oh! Where am I?!" the blond-haired girl asked. A green demon-like monster was holding a giant matchstick and was leering at everyone from the pouch in the girl's dress.

"You're Chepet, aren't you?" Keltin asked from where he stood.

"I am!" the girl nodded. The green monster snarled, and Kiehl now realized that it was that monster that controlled the girl's body. Chepet glowed with power, and the green monster looked at the girl's body with shock.

"What just happened?" Sarine frowned.

"Apparently," Loomin grinned. "the body the little monster rides in gained a life of her own. She doesn't have to care for the little beast anymore."

"I can think for myself!" Chepet gasped. "And as for you...!"

"No! You belong to me! I made you!" the green monster scowled.

"Fine. You did. But, I have my own mind now. We will work together from now on," she said. At the scowl she received, she glared, and the green monster sighed with agreement. She moved up to Sarine to give her a card and a large matchstick. After those were given over in thanks, she went to explore the island.

"Another monster off our list," Keltin grinned.

"Interesting..." Beelzebub mused.

"Truly," Hibram nodded. Mitchell chuckled and started to use his Hocus Pocus skill again. After he died and got Resurrected three more times, he decided to call it a night.

"Aww!" Gunther pouted.

"You try dying and coming back!" Mitchell scowled and mussed up his hair. "I'll see about doing more after Detale's lair tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay!" Siegfried nodded. Deagan and Loo Shin were already yawning, and Sarine was no better. She was clearly exhausted.

"I think it's bedtime," Doppy smirked. The kids were clearly not ready to sleep, but Beelzebub gave a mild glare to keep them quiet.

"Remember," Howard chuckled. "We may be letting you all see a big treasury tomorrow. You all need to be well rested."

"Oh, yeah!" Edward grinned. Sarine gave hugs and kisses to her children before they were set up in the stone nursery, and Kiehl scooped her up to take her into the well-heated bedroom fireplace. Kiehl let her cuddle between him and Drago when her slave stretched out next to her. She snuggled into her slave, and he purred.

"I thought dragon scales were hard," she mused, as she ran her hand up his arm.

"They can be depending on the dragon," he smiled and shivered at her touch. "Since I'm only half dragon, it's a bit more like skin."

"Is that so?" she smiled and her hand moved up into his long locks of dark purple hair. He gasped and groaned, as he let her claim everything he had. Kiehl sighed and lay back against the Kasa feathers that lined the floor. It didn't take long to find her in his arms and using him in the same manner. When Loomin and Doppy walked in, she claimed them next.

"She's craving..." Howard blinked.

"Yes..." Loomin hissed, as he released hard in her. Doppy was laying back in a purring daze with his eyes closed. When Hyegun walked in to check on her, he was gestured to.

"You need to sleep," Hyegun muttered, as she kissed him.

"I will...after you..." she chuckled in the kiss and let him have her. Only then, did she make good on her word and move to snuggle back into Kiehl's arms before his craving for her took effect. Drago actually fell asleep. She was resting on Kiehl's chest when sleep claimed her.


	150. Chapter 150

When she woke in the morning, it was to sharp pains of hunger. Hyegun had woken up ten minutes before her and had already alerted the other slaves of her needs. She was fed and comforted quickly. Errende was placing his hands on her belly with Thanatos. It was now that Thanatos noticed something odd.

"Hmm," he frowned.

"Lord Thanatos? Are you sure?" Errende blinked.

"Can't you feel the difference?" Thanatos asked him. "Loomin! Get over here! Check out her belly, and tell me if they grew or not!"

"Okay," Loomin said, and he carefully placed a hand on her womb. Eremes looked at Ifrit with concern and back to Sarine.

"What's going on?" she frowned.

"They grew. A lot," Loomin sighed.

"How much?" Kiehl asked.

"Forty percent," Loomin winced.

"Are you serious?!" Eremes hissed.

"Yes," he nodded. "Sammy can even confirm it. Thanatos, Muninn was right about you needing to ride with Sarine and Kiehl today. Or Errende can, too. She needs to be monitored closely. We are getting near that point in time that her pregnancy will need to be forced to slow down. I am concerned about the Demonic Mating you will have, love."

"I can still walk around," she smiled. "Thanatos? Has there ever been a Demonic Mating with a heavily pregnant female before?"

"No, there hasn't," Thanatos grimaced. "I honestly don't know what to expect with you being this way. There is no record of it that I know of."

"Would Evil Snake Lord know?" Howard asked.

"Hmm..." Eremes frowned.

"I'll ask!" Byorgue said. She caressed his cheek, and he ran off.

"Maybe I can help her," Loomin thought. "You all see me as a neutral. I could carry her to the Demonic Mating chamber. You think?"

"That would be risky of itself," Thanatos said. "We could get the wrong idea that you were stealing her from us. We'll need to see what happens."

" _I'm here to help her,_ " Muninn said, as he walked into the fireplace. " _She needs my blood, and so do the growing bodies in her. The children in the nursery will not wake up until the Demonic Mating is over._ "

"Muninn, she's heavily pregnant now. How is she supposed to run from the others like this? Do you have any ideas?" Loomin asked. Muninn now pondered in thought, as Evil Snake Lord came into the fireplace. Kiehl made sure to keep the papers set on the ground from being crisped, and ink was soon layered over them. As the brush went to work, Sarine looked worried.

"Don't worry, darling," Kiehl said, as he cradled her. "We'll work something out."

"I can only hope so," she said, as she nuzzled into his neck.

" _If I must, I will help her,_ " Muninn said. " _All respect me, regardless of who I am._ "

"That might work," Thanatos thought.

"I'm not finding anything of historical or present interest on this. But, I did find out that Kiehl is the only one in existence that has won so many Demonic Matings in a row," Evil Snake Lord mused. "In fact, it says in Demonic Law texts that, should one win over ten Demonic Matings, there will be a hidden power gained from it. On top of this, it also states that no demon can win more than ten Demonic Matings, because of this fact. However, Kiehl is not a demon. That rule does not apply to him. Anything on this, Thanatos?"

"Ahh..." Thanatos said, as it came to him. "Yes. The rules are correct. No true demon can win more than ten times, but three were the most that any demon had won in a row, if I remember correctly. Kiehl has already won five Demonic Matings. He's destined to win even more. Kiehl, at the tenth win, let us know how you feel. Just remember this. From what I know and heard, if one that wins ten Demonic Matings, that one will no longer feel the urge to compete. You have to override that instinct if you get it. Odin needs you to get all of the elements we have. It's important. As you know, it's definitely more than ten."

"I know," Kiehl thought. "I'll let you all know what happens."

" _I need to give her blood now,_ " Muninn said. " _We'll all figure out what needs to be done after she gets my blood. Is this all right?_ "

"Yeah," Doppy nodded. Kiehl nodded with the others now. Time froze, and Muninn scooped up Sarine to cradle against him. She was actually afraid of this Demonic Mating.

"I'm worried," she frowned.

" _Don't worry for now,_ " Muninn smiled gently and kissed her. She let herself get pulled into his desires, and her hands moved to run through his black hair. He gave a sharp groan and claimed her quickly, as he opened up his throat for her. She locked her mouth on his neck to feed, and Kiehl thought.

"We'll figure something out," Howard said.

"Let's do that now," Kiehl said. "Byorgue, round up all of the ones that plan to join her Demonic Mating. Quickly!"

"Right!" the small slave nodded and bolted off. Muninn seemed to chuckle and helped unfreeze then refreeze time for her mates, slaves, and husbands to be able to come over to them. After he did that, he slipped into his pleasuring loop with her.

"What's going on?" Mobster frowned, as he walked in. There was no heat to give over for now, so they all managed to walk out of the furnace of a fireplace to settle in the safe room.

"Sarine is going to have a Demonic Mating after she feeds on Muninn," Kiehl said. "She's extremely heavy with child. It's risky for her to run from us."

"Hmm..." Beelzebub frowned. Thanatos told them all what they learned with Evil Snake Lord, and the paper notes were shown.

"Muninn...should...carry...her..." Naght rumbled.

"True," Hibram nodded. "We all see him as a clear neutral."

"Muninn and Loomin can both protect her, as we fight for her," Osiris said.

"I don't want her...to run...for a long period of time...as she normally does..." Eremes sighed. "It's just too risky..."

"We know," Keltin said.

"That we do," Hyegun nodded.

"I'm sure that, when we see how pregnant My Lady is, we won't know what to do," Aliot said. "If Muninn grabs her, we would run after him, anyways, right?"

"It's possible," Entweihen said. "Unless we have all non-demons sit this one out to make it a touch easier on her. She will not be able to fight us off when we claim her."

"True," Kiehl frowned. "The only other thing is we simply fight each other after we stand around. We just can't do that in front of the house."

"Maybe the ruins?" Incubus asked.

"Demonic Mating chamber is better," Wanderer said. "A lot more fun and much safer."

"Very true," Kiehl mused. "But, I will suggest this..."

"Hmm?" Thanatos looked over at him.

"If she can't run, and if we don't let her get taken away," Kiehl said with a grin. "we slaughter any human that stands with us. Instantly."

"Go for it!" Maheo grinned.

"I'd love to see that!" Neil smirked.

"I'd pay money to see that!" Ragged Zombie chipped in.

"Or I 'accidentally' gut them open before it starts..." Baphomet Jr. grinned wickedly.

"I'm all for that!" Doppy grinned back.

"Regardless," Howard said. "Sarine is simply too heavy to be chased. She can sit in the Demonic Mating chamber, but she can't run."

"Let them chase after Muninn, then," Loomin said. "I'll wear my neutrality badge."

"No," Sammy said. "If they chase after Muninn, they'll chase after you. I would say not to show yourself, but to wait in the chamber, itself. They will recognize you there and realize what Muninn did to assist. That is the safest thing to do."

"He's right," Thanatos nodded.

"Then we should all agree to this," Pharaoh said gently. With that agreed on, Amon Ra was in thought. Hibram looked over at him curiously.

"The children in her are growing at an intense rate," Amon Ra sighed. "Errende needs to sit with her. I have a really bad feeling that the children will grow during the Demonic Mating."

"Do you think so?" Ifrit asked with solid concern now.

"What do you think, Loomin?" Eremes asked.

"Hmm..." Loomin thought. "He may be right. This is the pregnancy of prophecy we are dealing with now. She can't afford to come to any stress or harm. Errende, stand with me to show neutrality. It may be the only way to ensure that her children will not develop faster than they need to. Now that they are aware, it's just a matter of time."

"And with our triplets getting impatient..." Howard winced to Kiehl.

"Errende will stand with Sarine!" Kiehl growled, as his Bragging Rights came out. "This is for her health! Any objections?!"

The silence was there in full force. None of them wanted her to come to any sort of harm. Drake did step forward to clear his throat.

"I just have one question," he said. "but not about your decision."

"What's that?" Kiehl asked.

"Is Detale's lair on an island? Or in the mainland?" he asked.

"Ahh. Drago would know for sure," Loomin nodded.

"It's near Hugel in the mainland," Drago said. "The entrance can be opened with a dragon's tooth, scale, and tail pieces. All three will be needed to open the cave up to us. It only stays open for less than thirty seconds. The entrance is located in the center of an island and surrounded by a deep lake. An abyss of sorts. Best bet is to let someone who can Warp put in the parts, get there, Memorize the location, and then get back to everyone else. Then the parts can be put into the key area again, the Warp can be made for everyone, and then we can all go into the dungeon quickly."

"So, we carry double the parts. Or even triple, if necessary. We have them, so that's not a problem," Keltin nodded. "I'll make the Warp point. I can do that much for us."

"Okay," Loomin nodded. Hyegun suddenly blinked, as time came back, and he moved quickly to shove Kiehl back to the fireplace. He ran in to scoop up Sarine and hug her, as Muninn was recovering. A quick Heal was given to him, and Sarine was cradled.

" _So, what is the decision of the Demonic Mating?_ " Muninn asked.

"Loomin will not show himself to us, but he will run ahead with Errende. Her slave is needed to keep the developing children calm. We fear that they may grow significantly, if they are not monitored," Kiehl said carefully. "You are to grab Sarine and run with her. When you stand on the platform with her, we have all agreed that we will see you as a neutral when you stand with Loomin and Errende."

" _Should Errende bear my rune, as well?_ "

"No. Thanatos will ensure his neutrality. We have that covered."

"Kiehl," Sarine sighed.

"Yes, love?" he asked and nuzzled.

"I feel...a bit ill..." she winced. He gasped and charged out of the fireplace with her to run straight into the bathroom for her to get sick. Thanatos and Sammy gaped before running over to help her. Howard was wincing, and Loomin stared in shock.

"The kids got pissed!" Hyegun scowled. "They knew we were talking about them!"

"And they got mad, because they couldn't get any real attention out of it," Loomin sighed.

"My kids...got upset...because they couldn't be the center of attention...?" Eremes asked with complete surprise. Ifrit didn't know what to think now.

"Mainly Huginn's body doing this," Loomin frowned. "But, I'm sure they grew."

"They did," Errende said, as he shook his head with sadness. "Thirty percent."

"WHAT?!" Eremes asked with wide eyes as he started to shake. "I...what do we...?!"

"We remain calm," Loomin said to him sternly.

"Now you feel what I was going through with my Rage," Keltin chuckled softly.

"I shall help keep the developing children docile," Errende said.

"Sarine..." Eremes winced now, and he moved to find her. She was resting weakly in Kiehl's arms, and he moved to place a hand on her belly.

"Eremes. I'll be fine," she smiled softly.

"You shouldn't be having a Demonic Mating!" Eremes growled.

"Tell us something we don't know!" Thanatos grumbled. The reaction to Eremes's touch was instant from the hard kicking and swirling that greeted him. He shivered with fatherly pride now, and Kiehl nodded to him to let him hold her.

"They grew...so much..." Eremes sighed.

"We know," Sammy nodded.

" _I will keep her from running,_ " Muninn said. " _And I need to do that now. Please give her to me. Her Demonic Mating is about to happen shortly. I will take her outside. Those who plan to join must line up now._ "

"Very well," Kiehl nodded. Eremes did give Sarine a red potion to rinse out her mouth with before hugging her again. She kissed him gently, and Muninn was able to take her in his arms to carry her carefully. When he got outside with her, he glanced into the future and gasped.

"What is it?!" Loomin asked him before he ran off to the Demonic Mating chamber.

" _Something bad! Very bad!_ " Muninn winced.

"What is bad?!" Howard hissed, as he ran over now. Kiehl hissed with rage that something was going on. Her scent was already affecting the males that gathered outside.

" _This is why Kiehl is going to be in a furious rage!_ " Muninn cringed. " _Errende! You must NEVER drop your hands from her belly when we get there! I'll explain later! Just trust me! If we plan to keep everything smooth, keep your hands on her! Head there now with Loomin! Go quickly!_ "

"Lord Thanatos!" Errende grimaced. All the demon could do was nod to him to go. Loomin grabbed Errende by the collar of his overcoat to haul him towards the Demonic Mating chambers. Ifrit sent a stressful thought to Eremes now, and it didn't take long for him to approach to find out why he got the message.

"What...is going on...?" Eremes asked with worry.

"He won't say," Sammy frowned. Sarine started to feel warm, as her Demonic Mating began to take full effect. Doppy snarled with hatred at the sight of William Rory, Ripclaw, Elric, and Kavach. William had no idea what was going on, but it seemed important. Ripclaw had come to speak with Sarine.

"Ripclaw! Get away from them, or you'll end up dead!" Keltin growled.

"What's going on?" Ripclaw frowned.

"Just come over here with us," Howard sighed. "If you want to talk to Sarine, you need to wait in the house! It's safer in there!"

"It's just a fight!" Cedrick grinned, as he walked over with Shoujin. Now Beelzebub seethed with hatred, and Kiehl tensed.  _Too many humans were here, and William wanted to find out what this was all about._ Sarine wanted to show she was strong, but instead she whimpered. The babies within her were reacting to the sudden change in her body and her emotional stress. Now Kiehl only saw a dark shade of red. He heard her whimper. Now he roared with rage, as his powerful Bragging Rights came out. Muninn had no choice. He had to run with her in his arms. If he waited, the children were going to cause her severe mental pain.

"Sarine!" Howard grimaced. Naght howled his own rage at her weakness. He knew that something was wrong with her. The others felt this, too, but the humans didn't. Muninn didn't zigzag around the island like she would have done. He went straight to the Demonic Mating chambers and down the hole in the ground. He set her on the pedestal quickly, and Errende pressed his hands on her womb. She shivered and gasped, as sweat started to form.

"Muninn?!" Loomin gaped with shock at her condition.

" _She shouldn't be having a Demonic Mating!_ " Muninn growled. " _Her body needs heat! Severe heat! Any heat she has now is quickly being lost!_ "

"Will she lose her children?!" Errende gasped.

" _Just keep your hands on her! Don't let go!_ " Muninn warned. Errende nodded and watched the males jump down the hole to approach her. When that hole closed up, the pedestal lifted to keep her protected. Kiehl approached her rising form, saw her condition, and paused. He was trembling. At the sight of their instinctive leader shaking with rage and fear at Sarine's condition, Doppy and Thanatos winced with understanding.

"Sarine..." Howard ached for her behind the glass window. He could tell she was in complete distress. Eremes saw this and feared for his children. Kiehl now snarled in Demonic, and the males looked at each other with intense worry. They couldn't focus on fighting each other with her in so much trouble.  _Her mind was in turmoil, and she wouldn't be able to judge them properly._ Thanatos knew that this was why pregnant females never had a Demonic Mating.  _It was never justified until now._

" _What will you do, Kiehl? You are their leader,_ " Muninn said sternly to him. Elric didn't try to attack. He realized that something was wrong. Cedrick swallowed and tensed. Something told him that, if he drew his sword, he'd end up dead.

"She cannot do this," Kiehl said with a heavy frown. Sarine gasped again, and Errende kept his hands on her belly. William saw how weak she was and ran at her with a grin with his sword drawn for a quick kill. Loomin killed him quickly with several powerful spells he had prepared. He was her guardian during her Demonic Matings and proved it with a vengeance. Kiehl just stared in complete hatred at William's corpse. _He tried to attack a weak, pregnant female during her Demonic Mating._ Ripclaw had just barely caught up with them to see what happened, and he was disgusted when he stood with them. Kavach was left behind again for being too slow and didn't see what happened. Shoujin shook his head with complete pity.

As Kiehl was about to vent his rage on the dead man, Sarine whimpered again. He looked up at her with pain in his eyes. He looked at the others, and they nodded to him. He wasted no time to jump up to her platform and hug her to him.

"They let him get close to her..." Eremes said with awe.

"He's their leader, in a sense," Howard sighed. "She can't do this Demonic Mating the right way. She's in too much pain."

"She's hurting?" Keltin asked.

"Mentally, she is," Howard said. "She is far too worried for her developing babies to do this properly. The stress is starting to hurt her."

"Hush, darling. Hush..." Kiehl whispered, as he rocked her. "We won't fight this time. There is no need for it..."

"There is..." she winced, and he scowled at her thoughts. Naght rumbled to the others now, and they conversed in Demonic.

"What are they discussing?" Cedrick asked. Muninn said nothing. Loomin was hiding his grin, and Errende kept focusing on keeping his hands on her belly. Kiehl snarled out viciously. _The extermination of all humans was in effect._ Sarine couldn't judge on how they fought each other, but she could judge who had the most kills.

"Very clever," Howard grinned now. "She would rather judge how they kill off the intruding humans. Whoever has the best way to do it will get a nice ranking."

"What about Kiehl?" Hyegun asked.

"He is her First Mate for helping her here," Howard smiled softly. "He wins by default."

"A bit of cheating, isn't it?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Just by having him close is helping her keep the kids under control with Errende," Hyegun said. "I see now why he is First Mate again."

"He is keeping her mind focused and free of mental pain," Sammy said. "That is more than any of them can do right now. It's simply too risky for him to leave her alone."

"Three botched Demonic Matings," Nigel frowned. "Does My Lady require anything when this is over?"

"We need her blanket," Howard said.

"I brought it," Byorgue said, and he took the folded, heavy Kasa feather fabric out.

"You're a life-saver!" Hyegun sighed.

"I have her craving dishes," Nigel said.

"Excellent!" Sammy nodded. The whole time they spoke behind the glass, Kiehl was watching the others with Sarine. Muninn and Loomin watched with their arms over their chests. Errende didn't budge his hands once from her. Only after each human was lifeless on the ground, did she finally sigh softly. The platform lowered, and she shivered. Kiehl got nuzzled by her, and he purred to help comfort her. When she kissed him, it signaled that he was first. Errende moved behind her to keep his hands firmly on her belly. When Kiehl finished, she would glance at the next one that impressed her to get taken in the gentlest of ways.

"Thanatos reclaimed second place," Howard chuckled.

"The kids are a touch pissed off," Hyegun winced.

"Are they?" Eremes frowned.

"Yes. They need their blood bonds, their heat, their food...they feel deprived," Hyegun grimaced. Eremes focused on Ifrit, and the powerful Fire elemental hissed out what was going on with her. Kiehl snarled at this, and efforts were carefully doubled to finish off the matings.

"At least her clothes are in one piece this time," Errende sighed. That actually got a small smile from Kiehl. The moment the wall opened up, Byorgue was quick to wrap the blanket around her, Errende, and Kiehl. Ifrit heated it up inside to a point the Errende wouldn't feel cooked, and Kiehl had her take some of his blood. Howard was next to help. Loomin and Doppy had to assist before letting Eremes give her blood. When that desperate need was taken care of, she was fed her craving dishes.

Once she was fully tended to, Kiehl glanced at the bodies of the humans on the ground and snarled out his hatred and disgust. Another diamond appeared on his leash loop, and he looked over at Sammy with a nod.

"I need your Water element, please. It's needed for Detale's lair," Kiehl said.

"Quite true," Sammy nodded. He focused and the air started to feel steamy. Then it quickly started to feel damp and humid. Sarine whimpered softly, and Eremes was quick to keep her secure in the heated blanket. Kiehl's new diamond took on a dark blue color when the element was absorbed, and the damp air was quickly killed off with searing heat from Ifrit.

"Kiehl..." she sighed. He moved his mouth over hers gently, and he hugged her to him.

"It's all right, love," he whispered. "It's okay..."

" _Your children are waking up. You need to get to the nursery,_ " Muninn said to her.

"Get Maya Purple or Windwalker," Howard said. "She's in no condition to move too much. And I'm not going to recommend on anyone bringing them back until she's gone."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes said, as he smirked at the corpses on the ground.

"He should stay dead!" Doppy snarled and kicked William's body.

"Imprison him," she whispered. "He tried to attack me."

"That he did," Kiehl snarled. "Let's see how he likes Zealotus!"

"I'll take him," Baphomet Jr. grinned. "Dad wants to help!"

"We'll see what Ripclaw wants," Keltin said. "Loomin, can you Warp them to the nursery? It'll be faster, less stressful, and I'm sure she really needs it."

"Yes," Loomin smiled. Kiehl nodded and lifted up Sarine carefully. Muninn, Errende, Eremes, Hyegun, Howard, and Naght walked through the portal with her, and Loomin was quick to follow. Once in here, she was settled in a chair on Kiehl's lap.

"Mama?" Serenity frowned, as she moved to her side.

"Your mother is very weak right now," Kiehl said softly. "Your brothers and sister are making it very hard on her to do things."

"That's not right!" Serenity scowled and now glared at Sarine's belly. "You babies should love Mama! If it isn't for her, I can't meet you! Don't make Mama sad or sick!"

Errende felt the babies within her pause at this. _Did they know they were hurting her?_

"Serenity," Hyegun chuckled and whispered to her.

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll make you all a special promise!"

"They are listening," Hyegun nodded. Kiehl looked over at Eremes with a shrug.

"On the day you all are born, I'll make sure you all get special presents! But, none of you can make Mama upset from now until then. Can you all make sure that you don't make Mama sad? I can make special weapons, you know! I can make special stuff for all of you! And Trina can, too. Even Gunther can do things! We all can. But, we won't do anything, if you all make Mama upset. Can you all be good for Mama and for me?"

The babies within Sarine's womb seemed to swirl and settle down. Now Muninn had to smile.  _As long as Hyegun, Errende, and Thanatos were able to help appease the children, they would keep their small promise to their older sister._

"Mommy!" Juliana whimpered from her crib. Eremes gathered her and Deagan up to give to her to nurse. The moment they settled into feeding, Beelzebub walked into the nursery with Pharaoh and Osiris. They barred the way into the nursery swiftly, and Doppelganger charged past them to brace himself in front of the sitting area doorway.

"Doppy?" Howard frowned.

"We are about to get a lot of uninvited guests!" Doppy hissed. Now Kiehl glared and let out a low, guttural growl of protection. Sarine saw Byorgue run in next with Nigel, Aliot, and Injustice. Observation and Drago made their way in after them. Maya Purple readied himself to defend the nest, and Alexander hovered partway in the nursery room from the balcony. Errende kept his hands on her belly, as he sat by her.

"The princes are coming," Ifrit growled. He reheated the blanket carefully to keep Sarine warm. At the sound of her nursing children giving soft whimpers, she seemed to bristle with a form of protection that only a mother could give.

"Kids," Amon Ra said gently. "go in the sitting area with your mother. We can protect all of you better that way."

"Yes, Dad," Angela nodded. Edward saw Thanatos walk in smartly and look down at him with a nod. Then he got a knuckle rub and sent off to sit with Sarine.

"I'll read you all a story," Evil Snake Lord said, and he moved in to settle by the book shelf. "Siegfried, pick one."

"Okay," Siegfried grinned and went to look at the shelves.

"Um, can we take turns reading?" Ming asked.

"Of course!" Evil Snake Lord chuckled. Sammy had made his way in with Keltin, and Hyegun whispered to them. Sammy let his ancient Samurai ghost hover over him, as he moved to help protect his children. Keltin was ready to let loose his Rage.

"The nest!" Entweihen said, as he moved over to protect it.

"Covered," Beelzebub said lightly. His Hell Flies moved into position.

"We just want to make sure she's all right!" Cedrick was heard in the hallway.

"She will be fine!" Loomin called out from where he sat with Sarine.

" _They will never learn,_ " Muninn sighed.

"I still need to speak with her. When will it be safe to do so?" Ripclaw asked.

"She's nursing Kiehl's twins. Wait until she's fully done. You can wait in the main room of the house," Sammy said in a neutral tone.

"Very well. I didn't know what was going on out there..." he started.

"It was a fighting spree over Sarine, but something was wrong. Be lucky you didn't experience the full thing!" Loomin scowled. "Go wait in the main room!"

"Fine," Ripclaw said, and he walked off. Elric had left the island already. He knew that Sarine would be fine in the care of her men. William was Resurrected in the dungeon. Shoujin had wisely gone back to the barracks to train with Turtle General.

"Go train with Shoujin!" Beelzebub growled. "He has the right idea!"

"Or go back to Prontera," Hibram muttered.

"I can't go back!" Cedrick frowned. "But, she's all right?"

"She's fine..." Eremes hissed out with annoyance. Cedrick left shortly after.

"They just don't stop, do they?" Sarine frowned. Kiehl sighed and kissed her cheek, as he looked down at his nursing children. The moment they finished nursing, Ming and Loo Shin were given to her to feed. Evil Snake Lord was carefully assisting the older children in their reading skills. Sarine smiled softly at this, and Kiehl squeezed her.

"When do we plan to head out, Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked, as he sat by her.

"Likely when these two are done eating," she smiled. He smiled gently and rubbed a hand over her belly. Then he looked over at the doorway to find Kavach trying to get in.

"Just kill him!" Errende muttered.

"Hush, love," Sarine said, and he pressed his palms into her belly a bit more.

"What do you want, Shorty?" Ragged Zombie smirked.

"What did you call me?!" Kavach frowned. The kids started giggling.

"I only called you half of what I really want to call you," the zombie smirked again. "Anyways, what do you want? My wife is nursing the kids."

"I never got to talk to her! And I never got dominated, either!" Kavach argued.

"Well, his loss," Errende grinned. Kiehl made a pleasing tone, and Howard got up to confront Kavach with Naght.

"You think you can take pleasure and pain, eh?" Howard asked.

"I know I can now!" Kavach said.

"Pinching yourself in various ways?" Maheo grounded out, and he walked in past him.

"What? Eh...ick?" Neil shivered, as he was following him. The Sniper muttered to himself and decided to try and play dirty.

"Anna is really pretty," Kavach said with a shrug. "Think she can help me?"

"You touch my sister, and I'll mess you up!" Neil snarled, as he swerved to punch him in the face. Hibram was quick to intervene for the sake of the kids, and now he glared at Kavach. Sarine was in shock at what Kavach said.

"Anna is my little sister now," Hibram warned. "If you touch her, you answer to me!"

"And me!" Gunther growled viciously.

"Me, too!" Edward said with a heavy glare.

"Kids," Thanatos said, as he found himself grinning. Beelzebub clearly didn't like the threat, and two Hell Flies were sent off of their patrol to start protecting the innocent, young woman. Word was spread quickly, and Kavach realized how stupid a move it was.

"Neil," Sarine called out gently, and he managed to get to her side.

"If he touches her..." he seethed and sighed at the caress he got to his cheek.

"He won't, love," she promised. Neil cringed a bit, but relaxed again at her touch.

"I'm gonna bite him!" Gunther snarled.

"No. You let me gut him open!" Doppy growled. That made his son nod.

"Can I kick him?" Edward asked his father.

"Maybe when he's a corpse," Thanatos grinned.

"Good. Make him a corpse!" Edward smirked.

"Edward!" Sarine frowned.

"What? Dad said I could kick him if he's a corpse!" Edward frowned back.

"Edward, don't you argue with me!" Sarine said with a mild glare. "I know what your father said. I have ears, too! I don't want you talking like that around your brothers and sisters!"

"Oh," Edward blinked. "Sorry, Mom."

"Um...it's okay, Mommy," Angela smiled.

"No, it isn't," Sarine sighed. "I have enough stress going on with everything else..."

"Do I need to get the knife?" Ragged Zombie asked lightly. That made violent head shakes quickly. They would obey their mother's wishes.

"I know your father said that you can kick him," Sarine said carefully. "I just don't want such a thing to happen in the nursery. I don't need any bad things to happen here, okay?"

"Okay, Mom," Edward nodded.

"Think of the nursery as the grove," Sammy said gently. "We all protect you in it, but we need to try to keep even temperaments."

"And you need to leave before something bad happens," Amon Ra said with a glare to Kavach. "You have overstayed your welcome in this room!"

"But, what about her agreement to seeing if I can be dominated?" Kavach frowned.

"How about this," Sarine sighed. "Kavach, if you can feel pleasure with what Zealotus does, there may be a chance you can feel something from me. If you feel nothing from Zealotus, then you will never be able to be dominated by me."

"Ah..." Kavach thought. "Fine."

"Good. Now go!" Beelzebub growled. Kiehl waited for him to leave before giving out another growl of protection. Sarine nuzzled him to help calm him, and Muninn moved to help take Sammy's twins from her. Her top was fixed up, and she reclined into Kiehl's heated embrace. Errende didn't budge his hands once from her, and Thanatos moved to place his hands on her belly to help give Errende a break to move around.

" _Kavach is like Seyren now,_ " Muninn sighed. " _He's a nuisance when it comes to being dominated, but he's an excellent ally to fight with. A shame he simply doesn't realize various things, but he never will._ "

"What things?" Maheo asked.

" _He cannot grasp the concept of pain actually being pleasureful. That is his problem. He thinks that pain is pain and pleasure is pleasure. He's taking it too hard and at all the wrong angles. It's best that he never achieves the goal._ "

"That's what his problem is?" Howard frowned. Loomin thought and smirked. He realized that he had no reason to see what was wrong with Kavach now.  _Muninn answered all of the questions I would be trying to find answers for._

" _Yes. But, we are wasting time now. We need to go to Detale's lair and recruit him. Once he is recruited, we will need to focus on Lady Tanee and Gopinich. We will need to strategize and find out where they are. I can locate them, but I cannot reveal how to reach them. That will be your jobs to do._ "

"Well, we do need to show what we can do, right?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"The Kafra Agent is approaching the house," Alexander frowned.

"What?!" Doppy growled.

"Oh, what now?" Sarine winced. Kiehl nuzzled her and looked over at Beelzebub.

"A Paladin wants to challenge Doppy," Beelzebub muttered, as he listened intently.

"Hmm," Doppy frowned. At Sarine's worried glance, he moved right in front of her to smile softly. His gaze was all she needed to know that it would be quick.

"Please hurry back," she trembled.

"I'll be less than ten minutes. Time me," Doppy grinned.

"I'll go with him, Vessel of Odin," Pori-Pori said, as he scooted over to her.

"As will I," Pharaoh nodded. Thanatos wasn't moving from her side. His hands were locked to her belly now. Hyegun gave a small grimace at a thought he received.

"What's wrong?" Kiehl asked him quickly.

"Ah, Doppy, your son wants you to bring back a trophy," Hyegun sighed.

"I know what I'll bring," Doppy grinned wickedly. "I'll meet you all outside before you leave. Count on that."

"Okay," Sarine smiled. He kissed her gently and moved to leave the room with Pori-Pori and Pharaoh following him. Kiehl had Thanatos help wrap the blanket around her securely, as she was carried out of the nursery and through the house. When they reached the main room, Ripclaw was there to confront her. Kiehl hissed, and Howard stepped in front of her quickly.

"What do you need, Ripclaw?" Howard asked slowly.

"I found the locations of my old Guild mates. The stubborn ones," Ripclaw said.

"Give Garrett their locations and any history of past crimes they may have done," Loomin said. "If they are in towns that Sarine has a home in, the Hell Flies can grab them."

"There are quite a few in Payon," he frowned.

"That could pose to be problematic," Beelzebub sighed. "We do not have authority to roam the town yet. Maybe we can change that when we get back?"

"We can see about it," Sarine smiled. When she was about to be carried outside, Markus showed up with various guards, and they were holding old weapons and odd bits of armor.

"Emperor Markus!" Sammy chuckled. "And to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit? Giving over things for the kids to do?"

"You could say that," Markus smiled. "My daughter, how are you?"

"Weak," she sighed.

"Why?" he frowned.

"I'll tell him," Keltin sighed. Loomin went to help the older man get caught up on current events, and Sarine thought with a small frown.

"Sir, where is Sarine's grandmother?" Howard asked. "She never came by to see the newest kids yet. Is she all right?"

"She's been bedridden," Markus admitted. "I've been treating her with everything I have available to me, but I don't know what it is."

"Howard," Kiehl muttered.

"Right!" his brother nodded. "Markus, give her this."

The spare Pilule pill was given over, and the Emperor gasped.  _It would cure the ailing woman quickly._ He gave the precious medicine to one of the Priests with him, and the man left as swiftly as he could. Sarine smiled softly at this and sighed.

"I am sure she will be here later for the children," Markus smiled. "Where are you going now, my dear? Another monster to recruit?"

"We are going to Detale's lair," Doppy said, as he walked back into the house. He pressed a lock of hair into Sarine's hand to appease his growing son, and it worked like a charm.

"Detale? The large dragon, correct?" Markus smiled a bit more.

"Yes, Papa," she smiled. "The kids were going to see his treasury after we recruited him. Did you want to be part of it, too?"

"I would be honored!" he beamed. "I will be with the kids and learn what I missed through your men. Was there anything else of interest I need to know of?"

"My triplets...the ones that were lost long ago..." Howard winced with a sad smile. "They will thrive again after her current pregnancy is done."

"Truly?!" Markus smiled greatly now. "Well, when they are within my daughter, tell me. I would love to witness their development."

" _Emperor Markus,_ " Muninn said and gestured to him. Time was frozen briefly to inform him of the dream vision that would occur and what would happen when the triplets were finally created. Markus blinked at this and seemed to nod.

"May I be a part of such an event? For the dream vision?" he asked.

" _You can. It will be sent to you from afar. I will assure it,_ " Muninn nodded. " _After Detale's lair is done, Sarine will be too weak to travel any further until she becomes pregnant again. Your mother should be well enough to come and visit the children tonight._ "

"That is good to know," he nodded. "Why is my daughter weak?"

" _I am sure you heard of the Demonic Matings she has?_ "

"Not quite."

" _Allow me to explain briefly._ "

"I am listening," he nodded. As he was given the basic run down of how a Demonic Mating worked, he was in thought. When Muninn finished explaining it, he asked, "Would it be possible for me to bear witness to such an event?"

" _Of course!_ " Muninn nodded. " _What happened with this one was that she is heavily pregnant and could not properly participate in it. And, just to warn you, humans are not supposed to participate in Demonic Matings. However, they are starting to. They are simply too weak to defend themselves against the attacks of the others around them. So, if you witness this, be prepared for death and bloodshed._ "

"It's fine," Markus chuckled. Muninn nodded, and time came back in full.

"Papa?" Sarine frowned. He moved to her side and whispered softly.

"You...want to witness it...?" Howard frowned.

"I do," Markus nodded.

"Well, she's not due for another until her triplets are formed," Kiehl said. "If you want to spectate, we will inform you of when it's going to happen. You can't get in the way, though."

"I'm not planning on that," Markus nodded again.

"If you want to see Detale's lair when we get to the treasury, that's not a problem," Keltin smiled. "Just stay with the kids. When we get them, we'll get you, too."

"I like that plan," he chuckled and moved upstairs to surprise the kids in the nursery.

"I don't know if I want my Papa to witness what happens to me," Sarine admitted.

" _He will only see up to the part before you are mated with,_ " Muninn said gently. " _Drago and Maya Purple will be giving you eggs. Remember?_ "

"I do," she smiled. "Um...how will it work, exactly?"

" _The eggs will take about a day to form. Then you will birth all four of them in the early morning hours. Right after that, your inner pregnancy will take full hold._ "

"I see," Kiehl nodded. "Okay. Are we almost ready to go?"

"Pretty much," Doppy said, as he got on Nightmare Terror. Thanatos eased himself onto Windwalker, and Kiehl moved with Sarine. He was exceptionally careful to keep Thanatos's hands on her belly. Howard got on Nightmare's back and found it rather enjoyable.

"Who else is coming with us?" Loomin asked. Seyren came down, but Karla wasn't with him. Sarine looked over questionably.

"She's not feeling well," Seyren sighed.

"Oh?" Sammy frowned.

"I should have some Pilule replicated by now," Kiehl said.

"I'll check," Byorgue nodded. Muninn thought about everything, and Loomin was trying to make sense of it. Garrett came down without Cecil, and it was the same for Lloyd being there without Margaretha. Kathryne was even staying away on this journey. Max was very concerned for Coraline, and Donnie was the same with Egnigem.

"All of the pregnancies are having illnesses?" Sammy now asked with concern.

"It looks that way, doesn't it?" Garrett grimaced. Beelzebub looked at Hibram, and they both thought. Entweihen had moved to Kathryne's side in her room to assess her.

"Don't use the Pilule!" Loomin said quickly. "Let me study one of the girls first!"

"I'll get Karla," Seyren said.

"Actually, bring them all down here," Loomin said. "I need to see them all."

"We'll have the Pilule on standby. Just in case," Kiehl said. Loomin nodded, and Muninn was still a touch puzzled about everything. The moment Loomin saw Karla, he moved over to her side.  _She looked feint, pale, and anemic. The others looked the same._

"Have any of you been giving them blood?!" Doppy gaped.

"We have!" Seyren said. "I've been giving her as much as she needs!"

"As I have with Egnigem," Donnie frowned, as he supported his wife.

" _Their blood is not strong enough to support them! Hibram, give a small portion of your blood to Egnigem, Margaretha, and Coraline. Baphomet will need to give some to Karla. Entweihen needs to help Kathryne. Beelzebub, take care of Cecil,_ " Muninn said.

"You're right," Loomin nodded. This had the men a bit surprised, but Baphomet appeared at Seyren's call to help Karla. He wanted to go to the Dragon's Den, anyways.

"Here," Baphomet rumbled, and he pricked a finger open. Karla took down the large drop of blood and gasped, as a form of relief swept through her.

"She'll need that once a day from now on," Loomin said. "All of them will."

"Just a drop from us?" Hibram asked.

"That's what it looks like. I don't know how it will be when they grow in size, but, for right now, yes. That's needed. Maybe you can fill up a vial for them so that you aren't called to their side. Later on, of course," Loomin nodded. Hibram was quick to give over his drops of blood, and Beelzebub had the same urgency. Entweihen had no problem giving blood to his blood mate. The child she bore would be a sibling of sorts to him.

"I feel...so much better..." Cecil sighed, and Garrett cradled her.

"I think you guys should sit this one out," Howard said.

"Oh, no!" Karla scowled. "I want to see the dragon's treasure!"

"Me, too!" Coraline said. The others were adamant in going now.

"If we can think and move, then we can travel," Egnigem said.

"Fine!" Donnie said. "You'll travel. Just don't expect to attack anything!"

"You sit on your cart, and I'll pull it," Seyren said to Karla. That made her blink.

"You never did that for me!" Howard frowned.

"I'm not married to you," Seyren smirked.

"How-How," Sarine giggled. "I thought you liked pulling your cart to give me rides."

"Oh, I did," he grinned and moved to her side with Nightmare's steady movements.

"And you still haven't given me a ride in your cart when you're able to," she muttered in his ear. He growled and kissed her hard. Kiehl was grinning, and Thanatos was snickering.

"First thing on my list when I turn human. I promise," Howard murmured against her lips, as he kissed her again. "Now let's find us a treasure room to make our kids happy."

"Lead the way," she grinned and nibbled under his jaw. Now he was aroused, but Kiehl smirked at him with a thought. He grimaced and nodded.

"When we get back," Howard promised her.

"I hope so," she smiled. Doppy looked over with a chuckle and sighed. She looked over at him with a small smile. She knew that all of her men were very anxious for her now.

"We'll take care of you," Kiehl whispered and nuzzled her. "Nothing bad will happen."

"I know," she nodded. "Let's find Detale before anything else happens."

Muninn had reverted to falcon form to hover over the group. Anubis came over with Baphomet Jr. to ensure her protection. Eremes steadied Matyr, and Errende made sure to remain close to Windwalker's flank. Nigel snorted and yawned, as Sammy thought.

"Errende, come ride with me," Sammy said.

"I prefer to walk by My Lady's side," Errende said. "The moment she needs me, I'll be right there to help Lord Thanatos."

"He's right," Hyegun nodded on Garm's back with Keltin. "He's fine where he is."

"We need to get a move on!" Loomin said. "Is everyone ready?"

"Been ready!" Maheo said, as he checked his spells.

"My cart's empty!" Neil said.

"Mine, too," Anna smiled. Timmy showed he was ready with a nod. Doppy curled back his lip at the sight of Cedrick and Shoujin.

"Doppy?" Sarine called out. He moved Nightmare Terror to her side.

"Yes, Sorry Sari?" he asked, as he sidled up to Windwalker.

"Stay close. Okay?" she frowned. He reached over to run a hand over her belly under the blanket. Kiehl seemed to grimace. Her mind was still a touch out of control.

"Are you all right, Sorry Sari?" he asked.

"I...don't know," she shivered, and Thanatos pressed his hands to her belly a bit more. "After this, I know I can't travel anymore until my next pregnancy."

"It's a given," Doppy agreed. "Just relax and don't stress yourself."

"Easier said than done," she sighed. He gave her a small grin and moved to kiss her gently. Nightmare Terror snorted and settled to remain at Windwalker's side. Ktullanux looked up at Loomin and appeared worried.

"We'll keep Windwalker protected to help stay close," Loomin said. That made the ice dragon nod. Muninn warbled sharply to show the Warp was going to be done, and it was completed within seconds before anyone could voice they were ready.


	151. Chapter 151

They found themselves standing in a jungle-type area. Drago was clearly appreciating the heat of the place. Sarine looked a touch relieved, too.

"Let's find the area to put these dragon parts in," Keltin said.

"Right," Seyren nodded.

"Am I supposed to be here?" Ripclaw frowned.

"Well, you stood with us," Donnie smirked.

"Just come along and don't get in the way," Hibram said. "Maybe you'll find something useful. I'm going to stand with Sammy and Windwalker."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes said.

"When we find the spot to put in the parts, I'll become my Champion form to make the Memory point. Then I'll come back to you guys as a Bongun," Keltin said. "After that, Champion form again to make the Warp for all of you."

"Makes sense," Doppy nodded. Howard suddenly glanced over at Windwalker with worry. He thought and looked over at Hibram.

"Hey, Hibram!" Howard said. "Take over as Nightmare's rider, will you? I need to sit with Sarine. It's important."

"Really?" Hibram frowned.

"Yeah. She misses me, apparently," Howard sighed. Hyegun gave out a soft mutter, and Beelzebub hissed. At that, the trade was done quickly, and Howard moved over to Windwalker.

"How-How?" Sarine winced.

"I'm here, love," Howard smiled. Kiehl pulled the blanket apart carefully so that he could hold her between Thanatos and Kiehl. She leaned back into him, and he hugged her tight. It was warm enough outside so that the blanket didn't need to be fully reheated.

"What happened?" Loomin whispered.

"Triplets..." Hyegun grounded out lightly. That was all he needed to say.

"At least they will finally come about next..." Eremes sighed.

"I know," Doppy frowned.

"I think they'll be pretty high maintenance," Sammy chuckled.

"She's going to have an all-girl pregnancy!" Keltin smirked. "Of course, it's going to be high maintenance! I wouldn't doubt it."

"I...wonder...what...she...will...crave...with...me..." Naght mused.

"And with me, too," Ifrit nodded. "She will be having our daughter, from what Muninn saw. Straight from us. I am very curious."

_:Heat. And cold.:_  Muninn warbled, as he hovered over them.  _:Will be. Tricky.:_

"Thanks for the warning," Loomin grinned. Keltin chuckled and moved off of Garm to become his Champion form when they approached the box that would hold the dragon parts. As he got closer to it, he paused at the sight of a large, green lizard flicking a red tongue. The tail was striped, and it walked upright on its hind legs. It was as though trying to charge at him. It stopped in front of him and seemed to nod.

"Green Iguana!" Keltin grinned, as it glowed. A card was handed over before it vanished.

"No other monsters out here?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"I know there's two other monsters out here, but we can't recruit them. From what I can tell, that is," he said. "They're both dragons called Red Novus and Yellow Novus. Infant dragons. All rogue out here. Inside, we'll find the ones we need. Same with the other various dragons, from what I sense."

"Well, let's get moving..." Eremes nodded. Keltin got off of Garm's back to put the pieces into the slots revealed to him. He got Teleported away instantly to the mouth of the opened Dragon's Den, and he made the Memory point quickly. He reverted back to being a Bongun and got pulled back to Sarine's side.

"It worked," Keltin grinned. "Let me put the parts in again, and I'll make the Warp for all of you. If you go in, make sure you're ready to fight!"

"Got it," Byorgue nodded.

"Keltin?" Sarine called out.

"I'm here!" he said, as he walked over to her quickly.

"Be careful," she frowned.

"Love, I'm walking in with you," he smiled and kissed her gently. "Don't worry."

"Okay," she smiled and nodded. Howard looked at Kiehl with a glance of concern. Thanatos kept his hands on her belly and was trying to figure out an easy way to do it.

"Move her so that she's reclining on me, but laying over the two of you," Thanatos grunted. "Less of a strain on my hands this way."

"Okay," Howard nodded. Kiehl chuckled and started to massage her legs when they were set on him. She sighed and relaxed on Thanatos's chest now, as Howard started to massage her lower back. She clearly needed her lower back worked on. Windwalker started to move through the Warp and waited for Keltin to appear with him before moving into the cavern.

"Why aren't the dragons attacking us?!" Seyren frowned. Baphomet rumbled and looked over at Drago for help to talk to them. Drago moved over to a massive, green dragon called Green Ferus and started to growl. Sarine peeked out to look at the dragons around them.

The Green Ferus looked like a dragon with a smooth back, a small, clubbed tail, and pointed ear-like frills at the top of its eyes. It had a whip-like appendage on the top of its head. It almost resembled a giant green Petite with how it moved around. There were dragons called Red Ferus, too, and they looked like red versions of the green ones, except for the spiked ridges on their back, the frills around their face, and the fin-like tails they had. The dragons appeared to be expecting them and watched them anxiously. Normally, they attacked on sight.

"This is bad," Drago frowned.

"What is it?" Loomin asked.

"Detale can feel us here, and he's weak. He's so strong that he can control everything within the cavern, itself. He needs us to help him. The dragons we need to recruit are with him, and there are a few on the second level here. He'll tell us more when we reach him. He will not allow any of us to get attacked. His awareness even goes to the Ancient Mimics and Penomenas around the cavern. He knows that there are various items and weapons that we will need, and the dragons will provide them to us readily," Drago said.

"Detale is in danger?" Sarine blinked.

_:Odd...:_  Muninn thought, as he hovered. He communed with Odin while they traveled, and, as they were promised, they were not attacked. The dragons around them watched them with a form of hopefulness. Drago was clearly concerned and moved to Windwalker's side.

"Dragons are not like this," he muttered to them.

"You would think so," Thanatos growled. "Can they tell you anything else of what's happening? Something that could give us a clue?"

"They've been ordered not to," Drago sighed. "Detale wants to speak his issue, himself."

"We'll meet him soon," Kiehl nodded. Sarine reached out to caress Drago's cheek, and he leaned into her touch. She smiled and he purred.

"I'll be close," he promised.

"Good," she smiled again.

"He'll sleep with you again tonight," Howard chuckled. "Don't worry about that."

"I'm not worried," she said. "I just miss him. Where's Doppy?"

"Doppy?" Thanatos frowned. Kiehl thought to Naght, and Doppy was quick to appear at her side. She reached for him carefully, and Nightmare Terror matched Windwalker's pace to let him hug her tight. He gave a small glance at Kiehl, and a worried look was in his eyes.  _The pregnancy craving to see her men was getting stronger._ They all knew it.

"Howard, trade places with me," Kiehl said lightly. He had to be able to hold Sarine with Thanatos now. Loomin and Eremes noticed what was going on, and they were quick to approach her to get hugs from her. Eremes checked her body heat and nodded that she was stable. The caverns were well heated for the dragons within.

"Let's feed you," Thanatos said, as he nuzzled her. Kiehl managed to settle her lower back in his lap, and Howard was able to support her legs.

"No more traveling after this," Doppy muttered.

"We know," Howard nodded. A wince was given by Sarine, and Doppy hissed at the hard kick given to her. Hyegun muttered to Errende, and her craving dishes were brought out.

"Double them!" Hyegun growled. "Her appetite is growing, and the kids need more food. How much do we have?"

"About six full meals," Byorgue said.

"We'll need to make more in bulk. She may be eating three sets per meal by the time the kids are born," Loomin grimaced. "Hyegun is correct in this."

"Seriously?" Eremes whispered.

"Yes. She'll still feel famished by the time she finishes this meal. She'll need another one. Sammy? How is her health?" Loomin asked.

"Stable," he nodded. "Her metabolism is through the roof, though."

"Hmm..." Eremes frowned. He didn't expect her to eat so much.

"I'm going to get fat!" Sarine complained.

"No, you won't," Kiehl smiled. "The kids need this more than you do."

"I don't want to eat anymore!" she growled.

"Sorry Sari," Doppy sighed.

"My Lady, if you don't eat, I'll feed you," Errende warned. Kiehl growled at her, and she hissed at him. Right before a hissing spat could start, Drago reached over to rest a hand on her shoulder. She shivered and cringed.

"How can I help you, My Lady?" Drago asked. She wanted to explode with rage from her building temper, but she also knew there was no reason for it to happen. She threatened to snap, and Sammy was hissed at to help her.

"Stop walking for a moment!" Sammy said sharply to the others, as he got off of Nigel's back. He moved right over to her side to pull her carefully into his embrace. Very softly, he whispered to her, and she started to relax. A gentle kiss was given to her now, and he smiled.

"Sammy..." she sighed.

"I'm right here," he said, and he gently caressed her. "I know traveling is rough on you. We promised the kids, and your papa, that they would get to see Detale's treasury. When it's done, we'll relax and have a fire pit night. I don't know if you can be dominant now, but we'll let your slaves serve you and see to your every need. Will that help?"

"I...I think so..." she nodded. He pressed a kiss to her temple and held her a bit more to ensure that she was fully calmed and relaxed. He was able to remove all of her stress, and he had to make sure that he was able to do so at all times.

"Keep close," Kiehl said. "I know you'll be needed, as the pregnancy progresses."

"If I have to, I'll let her rest on me with Thanatos touching her. It will be rough, since you need her, too. We'll make it work," Sammy nodded.

"I'm so tired..." she frowned.

"Finish eating, and you can sleep afterwards, okay? I'll monitor you on Nigel's back and make sure your dreams are safe. Let me know when she falls asleep," Sammy said.

"Done," Thanatos nodded. Sammy gave her another squeeze and made sure she was comfortably settled on Thanatos's chest. They waited for her to finish eating before giving the okay to move forward.

"Thanatos," Sarine said.

"Yes, love?" he smiled.

"Um...can you tell me a bit more about you? Your past, that is?" she asked.

"Well..." he thought, and Kiehl grinned a bit with Howard. "I suppose I could. To help pass the time with traveling. Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes. I know about the whole bit with demoness bitch," she muttered, and Howard snickered. "I want to know...why you were locked away. Really."

"Why I was locked away?" Thanatos mused. "Sounds reasonable enough."

"Is it?" Kiehl chuckled. Beelzebub smiled a touch, as he listened in. Naght was going to help inform the others of what was told.

"As everyone knows, I was the Lord of a tower," Thanatos started. "It didn't mean I was a nice Lord. I was a bit bloodthirsty. Much like Incantation Samurai in his Warlord days. The only difference was that I used others specifically for my own amusement. It was just my luck that one of them was a demon in disguise."

"Oh?" she frowned.

"You heard me right," he smirked. "I was cursed to become a demon and to never know the joys of humanity. In a rage, I decided to summon an army. But, not just any army. I tricked a party of angels into allying with me. Since they agreed to help a demon, they became bound to my servitude. They became corrupted. Vile. Forever denied the ability to return to the heavens of Valhalla, you see. At least, this is what I can recall. Of course, only a select few are able to redeem themselves, thanks to you."

"He speaks the truth," Observation smiled softly, as he hovered with Muninn. She gave him a soft blush and returned her attention to Thanatos.

"And, with you, I get a shot at redemption, too. But, I think I like being a demon. It suits me. As for why I was imprisoned, well, I kept threatening to have my minions swarm from the tower. In retaliation, my soul was torn to pieces and sealed away. Thanks to you, though, you freed me. For the first time in my life, I realized, through Errende, too, just how much I wasted my life away. And you gave me a beautiful son and daughter. Not only through the other kids, too, so I think I'm going to stay this way. I can protect you better," Thanatos smiled and kissed her gently. "And, I will say this..."

"Say what?" she asked.

"As much as I want more kids with you, I think I'll stick to my only two," he admitted.

"Why?" she frowned.

"I don't want you to go through a pregnancy like mine ever again," he said sternly. "You are the only one that made me feel afraid for our children. You remember what it was like?"

"I do," she nodded, and Kiehl winced with Howard. "But, the rewards for such endurance are vast, aren't they?"

"Yes...they are..." he nodded. "But, I don't want you to risk your health again. When I first learned that you were pregnant through Huginn, I wanted to faint. I was happy, but, at the same time, I was scared. Terrified, even. Odin had to bring my body to you so that I could help you with the craving when it first started! To this day...it's the one thing that scares me."

"And now I feel it when I'm away from you," Kiehl muttered to her. "He is right in the sense of not letting you become pregnant again with his offspring. I know I'm still going to need you at my side. He'll have to be constantly holding you, too! Can you only imagine how awkward it will be? For him and I to constantly have to hold you? Together?"

"I like him as a brother, but I'm not  _that_  close to him," Thanatos mused.

"Then maybe it's time to take it up a notch?" she said with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"What?" Thanatos blinked. Howard hid his face in his hands, as he snickered.

"Are you serious?!" Kiehl gaped at her. "With your current condition?!"

"Let me show you how serious I am," she growled and pulled him close to kiss hard. At first, Thanatos was confused. Then he found himself laughing softly, as the blanket was pulled up over them securely. Beelzebub was hiding his face in his robes, and Naght started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Seyren asked. Naght rumbled to him, and the Lord Knight blushed.

"I guess she liked Thanatos's story that much, eh?" Keltin grinned.

"I'm jealous..." Eremes grinned back. Ifrit snickered, but he made sure the blanket was well-heated before settling back to move with the group.

"Hmm," Doppy mused and got some ideas for later in the night. Under the blanket, Howard was brought to release with her mouth, as Thanatos and Kiehl were taking her together.

"I'm hungry again," she sighed, as she had her shorts fixed back up. Kiehl was just groaning with a shake of his head, as pants were fixed back to rights. Howard was no better. Thanatos was clearly amused about the whole thing.

"The things you do to keep us calm," Howard chuckled.

"But, How-How, now I'm curious," she said, as Aliot handed her a pre-sliced roast.

"About what?" he asked.

"How did they force you to transcend?" she asked. Thanatos looked at Howard curiously, and Kiehl helped her start eating.

"I'm not really sure," Howard admitted.

"I can answer that," Kiehl frowned. "Rekenber was experimenting with pieces of the Heart of Ymir. They managed to obtain a piece from Yuno."

"You're shitting me!" Howard gaped.

"No. I was the one that helped them get the piece. Yuno is in a constant fight with Lighthalzen to get the piece back. Apparently, when Naght came out of you to help you destroy the place, a fire burned everything down. The first two levels were saved, but the third...well...the fire couldn't be contained. This is what I heard before I was 'outclassed' by my newer body. It was easy for their bio-weapons, you guys, to claim free reign of the place," Kiehl shuddered. "No one knows what happened to that piece of the Heart, too. As far as we know, it was lost in the fire. I wish I never assisted in it! I wish I never made that poison! So much happened that I want to undo..."

"It's okay now," Sarine smiled and hugged them both to her carefully. Thanatos had to keep his hands on her belly, and Howard kissed her softly. "Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" Kiehl asked.

"Um..." she thought and blushed slightly.

"Oh," Howard grimaced.

"Hmm?" Thanatos glanced at him.

"Yeah, don't worry too much. It didn't happen before you gave birth, right?" Kiehl smiled. "What we just did, Thanatos. She's rather glad it didn't happen before her first twins came. You can imagine how painful it could be."

"Ah. Enough said," Thanatos agreed with a slight grin. The only issue Sarine had was that it was going to happen with Howard and Kiehl on their wedding night.  _She was to be purified._  At Kiehl's nod, and Howard's soft smile, she knew they would be as gentle as they could. She gave a sigh and started to look exhausted.

"We're almost at the second level down," Keltin said. "She's okay?"

"She's fine," Errende nodded. "A bit tired now."

"If she sleeps, I'll meditate," Sammy said. As they descended, two dragons were waiting for them. Yellow Novus and Red Novus snuggled into Keltin first before moving to stand with Drago.  
He chuckled and flapped his single wing.

"The baby dragons, Yellow Novus and Red Novus," Keltin smiled.

"Babies?" Sarine smiled and peered out of the blanket. Yellow Novus had all yellow scales. Its eyes were frog-like from how they sat on its head, yet also sat off to the side as though on stalks, and it jumped around on two legs. It had tiny arms that waved about, and a forked tongue seemed to stay out of its mouth.

Red Novus was completely different in form, being red and green. The body was red, but the top of its head was green. It hopped about on two legs, and its tail acted like a spring to help. It also had two small arms and a forked tongue, but, as Yellow Novus was short and squat, Red Novus was tall and slender. A set of antennae-like whiskers sprouted at the base of its pointed snout, and its eyes sat under its thin, stream-lined skull.

"They look so weird..." Howard grinned.

"How-How!" she giggled, and she lapsed into a small trance of comfort when he started to massage her legs. As her eyes started to close, she snapped out of her trance at the sound of Doppy snarling with rage. Ifrit was seething, and so was Baphomet.

"Shit," Thanatos growled. "It's that Sniper. Greg."

"Ass Hat, you really gotta stay out of our way!" Ragged Zombie scowled.

"I'm not an ass hat!" Greg growled out.

"But, you responded..." Eremes grinned. That made Greg fluster.

"What was he doing here?" Sarine frowned.

"Training, apparently. Hmm," Kiehl mused and pulled the blanket down to call Drago over. The half-dragon was at Windwalker's side and now whispered to. Beelzebub gave a grin and gestured for Sarine's group to carefully band together.

"She's with you, isn't she?" Greg asked.

"And who is she to you?" Cedrick frowned. Shoujin was clearly curious now. Ripclaw had no idea what was going on, but he remained quiet to see what was happening.

"She's my future wife!" Greg said proudly.

"Ah, no. She is a princess. I am a prince. So is Shoujin. She is to be with us," Cedrick said with a murderous glare. "I am Prince Cedrick, son of King Reginald of Prontera City!"

"I am Shoujin Yun, son of Lord Jiao Lin Yun of Louyang," the Oriental prince said. "You have no business with the Princess of Amatsu."

"Neither do either of you," Beelzebub growled out. "Considering that I was once a Prontera King, myself, at one point..."

"Beelzebub? I need you!" Sarine said quickly. He paused in his banter and moved to her side swiftly. Once there, he was hugged tight, and she was shivering.

"He won't fight him, love," Kiehl said softly. "No one will fight him."

"I was going to defend your honor..." Beelzebub whispered, but she placed a finger to his lips with a soft, sad look. At the shake of her head, he nodded and cradled her gently. The diamond necklace he gave her winked at him in a multitude of colors, and he sighed while he held her. He was a bit surprised that the kids never questioned it, but they knew she wore jewelry at times.

"You need to leave! And you two need to stop now!" Hyegun scowled at three humans. "I can  _hear_  the children within her! They are getting pissed that she is getting upset! You! Sniper! Go your way! We'll go our way!"

"Errende!" Thanatos hissed. The High Priest was at Sarine's side to add his touch to her belly. Muninn warbled with worry now. Sammy was off of Nigel's back to comfort Sarine, and Nine Tail was back in human form to help keep her calm.

"Get lost!" Garrett growled at Greg. "I am Captain Garrett Lockheart of the Royal Guard of Prontera! By the order of King Reginald, himself, I am guarding this princess! You are upsetting her! That upsets  _me_!"

"Ah..." Greg blinked. Then he saw Baphomet and Baphomet Jr. snarling at him from where they were. They still didn't forgive him from nearly killing their kin. Mobster made himself ready to punch him. Ragged Zombie was ready with a rib. Doppy was preparing to impale him. Eremes and Ifrit were far too concerned about Sarine to worry about Greg.

"Love?" Eremes whispered to her softly.

"Just...make him leave..." she cringed. Kiehl snarled out with a hiss of rage now. Loomin didn't want Greg to see her at all costs. Keltin looked over at Drago, as he let out a low, dangerous growl of warning. The group now stopped and gave small snickers to each other.  _They were promised not to be harmed. That was not extended to Greg._

"This is going to get messy," Thanatos snickered wickedly. Hibram watched the dragons start to slowly circle around the Sniper, and it forced the human to use a Fly Wing to get out of danger. A sigh of relief went through everyone.

"He's gone, love," Sammy smiled.

"The dragons here will make sure he never approaches you without a fight," Drago said. "Detale has been informed. If we keep moving quickly, we'll get to the next level where Detale and the other dragons we need are."

"Then let's hurry," Sarine nodded. "I don't want my other friends that are carrying children to come to any stress, either."

"Good call," Beelzebub muttered, and they all started moving again. Thanatos was able to let Errende remove his hands to walk with them, and the blanket was heated up to a point to make her comfortable. Doppy was on a high alert to make sure nothing else would bother them.

"Interesting dragons..." Eremes mused at the two flying ones seen.

"That's Gold Acidus and Blue Acidus. The ones we need are with Detale. It's the same with Hydrolancer, a three-headed dragon, and Green Ferus and Red Ferus," Keltin said.

"Good to know," Loomin chuckled. Blue Acidus was a winged, blue dragon that constantly hovered in the air. Two, small forearms hung down to help it attack and cast spells, as it flapped its large wings. It lacked hind legs, yet sported a pointed crest from the middle of its forehead and down its back. Gold Acidus was another hovering dragon, but it had front legs and hind legs, smaller wings, and harder scales colored in gold. Sarine held no doubt in her mind that the dragons were going to make her treasury their new lair.  _It would be for the best._

"We're moving as quickly as we can," Kiehl said, as he rubbed a hand over her belly.

"I know," she sighed. "I just...feel that it isn't fast enough..."

"Why do you think that?" Thanatos frowned.

"I'm getting restless," she winced. "I feel that...um...oh..."

She had lost her train of thought when Howard and Kiehl started to massage her. Thanatos kept one hand on her belly, and his other hand started to work on her shoulders. She sorely needed this, and it was helping her faster than they realized.

"We're almost done," Thanatos whispered gently in her ear. "I am a bit worried about Huginn needing to see Detale. With your condition, I don't think you should be walking around. Let's have Windwalker position you so that you can be seen and heard. That may be the only way. We can't have you lose too much body heat, and I can't let your belly go untouched."

"If Huginn tries to pull me away, hold me down, then," she said. They all nodded.  _She couldn't have any risky movements done right now._

"We are almost near the third area!" Keltin said.

"Keep going!" Howard shouted. "She's getting restless!"

"Onward push!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"At least nothing is attacking us," Max said. "This makes it easier."

"Much easier," Karla nodded. "Less stressful."

"Which is what we need," Seyren smiled, as he pulled her cart with her on it. Baphomet, Naght, and Eddga were on a constant alert, and Pori-Pori was easily keeping the pace with them. Kathryne had fallen asleep on Mitchell, as they rode the wild Grand Pecopeco. Cecil was yawning in Garrett's arms, and he easily helped her get comfortable on his Grand Pecopeco.

"You're driving this bird. Try not to get drowsy," Donnie muttered to Egnigem.

"You're not the one who's pregnant," she muttered back, as she yawned.

"The pregnancies are taking their tolls," Lloyd sighed, as Margaretha was snuggling him on the wild Pecopeco with a sleepy look. "When are they due again?"

"Around the same time Sarine gives birth to the next pregnancy. The one with the triplets," Sammy said. "I don't believe that any of your wives should be traveling around."

"We may be doing some solo missions," Kiehl chuckled.

"Hang that!" Karla frowned. "If we can move, we travel!"

"Most women can move in their last trimester," Coraline sniffed.

"We'll see how you are by then," Max promised. "If you can't move, then you stay home. I'll even stay home with you."

"Will you?" she asked. He smiled and kissed her softly. She snuggled into him, and he gave a protective, fatherly glance around them. Wickebine and Thomas looked at each other with small smiles. They clearly wanted kids.

"So," Thomas spoke out. "who do we talk to if I want a kid?"

"Me," Hibram nodded. "I can give you both my blood, if you want it. Or just wait for the next available window. Then again, you're both human. You can get her pregnant whenever you want, right?"

"Well, we want to be on par with all of you," Thomas admitted.

"It would be best," Wickebine blushed.

"I'll talk to Dad after we're done here so I can transcend," Timmy said. "Armeyer and I might be ready by then, I think. Will we?"

"I think so," Armeyer smiled. "I'll go with you when you talk to your dad."

"Of course, you would," he grinned and kissed her softly.

"Oh, lovely. I'll get to be an uncle to someone who came from a somewhat stalking woman and an idiot brother," Howard muttered. Sarine frowned at him, and he grinned sheepishly. Kiehl smirked, and Thanatos was laughing softly. When she shook her head, she blinked and gave a retching cough.

"Stop!" Hyegun shouted. Windwalker had already paused in his tracks to let Thanatos help Sarine vomit away from them. Eremes and Ifrit were quick to head to her side. Kiehl was kneeling with her and Thanatos. Howard remained on Windwalker to keep the blanket warm.

"She needs to eat, and now she needs blood," Thanatos frowned.

"Very true," Hyegun nodded. "She needs a lot of blood right now."

"Here..." Eremes whispered and handed her a red potion. She rinsed out her mouth and shivered, as she threw up again. Seyren looked at Karla with a worried glance.

"Why did she get sick?" Keltin asked.

"Stress. Lack of food and blood. Anxiety. It was all building up," Sammy frowned.

"And with me keeping her cravings back, none of you could tell, right?" Kiehl winced.

"Yep," Thanatos nodded. "And lack of food? She's been eating all this time!"

"She needs more," Hyegun grimaced.

"The dragons understand. They will act as sentries," Drago said. "My Lady cannot travel in this condition. My Lady? How may I serve you?"

"I...don't know..." she whimpered, as she vomited a third and last time. Another potion was given to her, but she threatened to get sick again. The cavern was spinning when she opened her eyes, and Doppy was quick to give her his blood at Kiehl's hiss. He had opened his wrist for her, and she was latched onto it as though it was her life line. He didn't complain at how much she took. He didn't need to say a single word, as he Healed himself and accepted the Yggdrasil Berry. Loomin was next to give her blood, and he winced slightly at how hard she pulled the swallows from his wrist. When she finished with his blood, Eremes was already presenting his wrist to her. She didn't even hesitate to grab it and feed.

"Will she need us?" Howard muttered to Hyegun.

"You and Kiehl, yeah," Hyegun nodded. "Naght, too. It's...really bad right now."

"Done," Kiehl sighed, as he heard Howard's thoughts. "Howard!"

"I'm coming," he said. He hopped down from Windwalker quickly to run over. Naght vanished away to his tower to come forth through the Whitesmith, and he offered his wrist to her. She snatched the offered limb to feed, and he winced.

"Easy, Sarine," Kiehl soothed. After two mouthfuls were pulled, Naght released Howard to let her get some of his blood. Kiehl gave over his wrist last, and she sucked greedily at the open vein. Eremes was in shock at everything.  _She was craving blood so badly that she still needed more._ Drago came over now to help, and Byorgue was after him. Injustice gave her some of his blood, and she finally felt the craving start to edge off.

"Nigel? Can you help her?" Sammy asked. Nigel reverted to human form and ran over.

"Always," Nigel nodded. He moved to her side now and let her take as much blood as she needed. They moved her right back into the blanket when she finished taking blood, and Ifrit reheated the inside of the blanket for her. Meals were offered to her next, and she ate without any hesitation. Observation kept an eye out from afar with Muninn to ensure that no stray adventurers were getting close.

"I'm so...drained..." she whimpered.

"I know," Kiehl sighed and ran his hands along the small of her back. Then he noticed the size of her belly, and he looked away. Howard was next to pause in shock, and Thanatos hissed softly. Sammy was quick to evaluate her, and he shook his head.

"Eremes," Sammy said grimly. "Doppy. Loomin. No more traveling after this. She grew fifty percent. This is stretching it to the limit, as it is."

" _Fifty percent?!_ " Eremes gaped with complete shock. Doppy and Loomin were in the same amount of shock. Keltin looked at Hyegun, and they both winced.

"More heat!" Hyegun grounded out. Ifrit placed his hot hands directly under her back, and she gasped with a small cry of relief. Kiehl gave a protective hiss and applied his own heat to help her. Naght rumbled to Howard, and he vanished back to his tower to come back through him. Now his heat was applied to help her.

"Keep me immune!" Thanatos grimaced. Kiehl looked at him to apply the heat immunity, and the demon sighed with his own form of relief. "It's a mini volcano in here!"

"It has to be," Ifrit whispered. "My offspring with Eremes are demanding heat. I can feel it. Her body heat is dropping so much now..."

"I don't know...if a fire pit...will happen..." Eremes sighed. "Unless she is...actually inside the fire pit...you see..."

"Let me see her," Hyegun said, as he moved to her side. As they walked, Hyegun focused on her belly and said, "It wasn't your fault that you all made her upset. The next time you need something, tell me. I can hear you all. Before you make your mother sick again, let me know what you need. I won't tell Serenity what happened. It's all right."

"They didn't mean to make her ill, did they?" Kiehl smiled.

"No. They couldn't be heard," Hyegun sighed and rested his hand on top of her covered belly. "Now they know. Ah, Eremes? Can you play with them? I'm sure Matyr will be able to keep you moving with the others."

"Play...right..." Eremes smiled softly. Kiehl and Howard echoed his smile, and Thanatos happily started to help playing with the kids. Doppy felt the odd kicks and chuckled.

"Hmm?" Hibram looked at him.

"They're playing with the kids," Doppy grinned. That made Hibram grin right back, and they continued to move. They got to the third lower level entrance and moved down it quickly.

"And there they all are," Keltin said, as the dragons they needed gathered around them. Gold Acidus, Blue Acidus, Green Ferus, and Red Ferus glowed with power and vanished away quickly. Hydrolancer rumbled with all three heads, as it glowed, and it moved over to Sarine to look at her anxiously. She looked up at the dragon and smiled. The body was that of a grounded red dragon on hind legs with tiny forearms, and the central head was clearly the main part of the body. It held itself upright with the help of its balancing tail, as the yellow head on the left and white head on the right sniffed at her with concern. The yellow dragon head looked more golden up close and was spiked all over the back of the skull. The bluish-white dragon head had a flat crown and covered in hard ridges. The central red dragon head was covered with fine, spiny bumps all over the top of its skull and under the jaw. It was clearly a force to be reckoned with.

A heavy roar vibrated through the air from Detale, as the massive, red dragon lumbered forward. He had a white underbelly, strong legs, and a massive tail that easily swept aside coins and small treasures when he made his way to them. His muzzle held a small bump on the top in the form of a nose, and his face looked strangely like a lion's muzzle. The top of his head sported two, large, silvery-white horns that resembled blades, and a single green crest sat between them. Massive, red scales lined his back, and his lower body rippled with power.

"Detale," Sarine sighed with a small nod of respect. Detale looked at Drago and rumbled his concern for her. Drago growled and snorted back to explain what happened. Now the red dragon was clearly at a loss of what he could do.

"Let him tell us his problem," Kiehl said. Drago nodded and hissed at Detale.

"From what he says," Drago said, as Detale rumbled. "a group of adventurers has been harassing him night and day. They steal his treasure and cause havoc all over the place. They are getting stronger, and he feels as though he is getting weaker. I told him he could have a shadowed double to defend the place to fully protect Sarine. He doesn't really want to separate from his darker side. He wants to be able to defend his territory. This is his home and his treasury. He does, however, allow us to live with him, and we can use this place as a refuge, if we need it. It would be good to consider, if the house is in danger."

"That it would," Sarine smiled. Muninn warbled and landed to become his human form. He moved to her side first to make sure she was well, and then faced the massive dragon.

" _Detardeurus, I am Muninn. Normally, Huginn would speak with you, but my sister's condition with her growing children is too much for her to sustain with him. I understand what you are saying, and Father Odin has agreed to your idea. As for the ones that cause havoc to you, your kin, and your treasury, it will stop as of now,_ " Muninn said with a grin. " _I know there will be other adventurers, but any that deliberately harass you will be stopped in full. Beelzebub? Will you be so kind as to place a few of your Hell Flies here? Just order them to attack any that appear more than five times and have defeated Detardeurus as much. It will make him harder to defeat, and it will force the adventurers back for a time._ "

"Gladly," Beelzebub grinned and summoned them.

" _There is also a treasury that belongs to my sister, the Vessel of Odin, on her island home. I am sure the dragons from here can easily help defend it,_ " Muninn said. Detale thought a bit, and he rumbled. Muninn thought with amusement. " _That would be...beneficial!_ "

"What?" Sarine asked.

" _His treasury and your treasury merged together. Instead of intruders finding a room behind the heavy doors, they find a Warp. A special place will be set aside here for the dragons to guard. That is where our treasury will be. A hidden door in the rock wall, you see? The Warp from our treasury room will lead to the center of Detardeurus's lair. Anything that is not welcome will be torn to pieces. The return Warp to our treasury room will be in the treasury hidden here. Do you understand what I am getting at?_ "

"I do," Kiehl grinned. "It's perfect! This way the kids can see a dragon's treasury, and, when they get strong enough, they could even train here under Detale's supervision."

Detale rumbled now, and Drago purred. The massive, red dragon seemed excited.

"He wants to see the kids," Drago grinned.

"Oh, Detale," Doppy said, as he dismounted from Nightmare Terror. "what do you think of carrying me on missions with Sarine? I'm Doppelganger, by the way."

Detale thought and seemed to snort. He didn't really like the idea of being a steed. Then he noticed how strong Doppy was. He moved to his side, and Doppy sat behind his head. It didn't work. He moved up to the massive back and clamped his legs carefully around the red dragon's large scales. That worked out much better in the end.

"Is it a go?" Sammy grinned.

"Oh, it is!" Doppy snickered. Detale moved around carefully before charging experimentally. Doppy didn't lose his grip once. Then he thought and said, "Detale, you're naturally a fire dragon, but Shadow based. You could help keep Sarine warm."

Detale snorted questionably, and Drago rumbled to him again. The red dragon clearly wanted to help her, if she needed him. Muninn suddenly glanced up and smirked.

" _Your visitors are here, Detardeurus,_ " Muninn muttered. Detale roared with fury, and Doppy grinned savagely when he pulled out his sword.

"Let's go welcome them!" Doppy smirked. Kiehl laughed with Howard. Eremes was amused, but he continued to play with his kids. Ifrit remained with Sarine to keep her heated up. Pori-Pori, Naght, Baphomet, Beelzebub, and Eddga were quick to help be a welcoming committee. At the screams of surprise and outrage, it was doubtful the party would come back.

"It was the same group of guys that liked to kill off the doubles," Beelzebub said, as he came back over. "Once they saw we were here, they knew it was over."

"Let's bring my Papa and the kids here," she said. Thanatos helped ease her into a more comfortable position to recline on him, and Kiehl helped support her. Howard knew she was getting upset. The stress of everything was threatening to hit again.

"Where's Sammy?" Howard asked. He was brought over quickly, and she was hugged gently. Loomin was frowning, as he watched what was going on.

"Huginn's growing body in her is making all the stress. It can't be helped," Loomin sighed. "Apparently, he doesn't mean for it to happen. It's just the result of him being of Doppy's blood. Was she like this before?"

"Yes," Keltin said grimly. "When she couldn't be dominant, it was the worst time for her. She was constantly stressed, restless, irritable...everything in one bundle. Thanatos could barely help her. He didn't have Errende's calming touch at the time, too. As it is, Thanatos is able to give her some relief on his own, as you can see."

"Wait," Loomin blinked. "Errende isn't helping Thanatos right now?!"

"No..." Keltin frowned. Loomin moved to have Errende place his hands on her belly. Sarine gasped and cringed at the soothing touches, as they started to work. Kiehl looked at Howard with surprise. Hyegun looked over at Loomin.

"The two of them need to help her now," Loomin said. "If you can tell the kids are asleep, that will be the only time that one of them can move from her. When they wake up, both are needed at all times. If the kids in her aren't calm, neither is she! This can also help her when she needs to be dominant. When they are sleeping, the need is lessened considerably."

"The kids," Hyegun thought, as he listened to something. "They're fighting off the touches. They were doing it with Thanatos, to an extent, but, with Errende, it's a losing battle. If they can't hear what's going on, they get really upset. At least, that's what I'm getting from Huginn and Muninn within her. Their bodies. Eremes's twins are more docile. They know to behave. The triplets are another problem of their own."

"How?" Keltin asked.

"How else? They are getting impatient," Hyegun said. "I already know that the moment this pregnancy is done and she's strong enough to support them, they are going to make her miserable with cravings to bring them about."

"Do we pity Howard and Kiehl now or later?" Loomin mused.

"Later," Keltin said, as Storm Caller appeared with Markus and the kids. Detale lumbered over to them, and Doppy got off his back to gather up his twins.

"How is my daughter?" Markus asked.

"Not very good," Eremes sighed and whispered to him what happened. The Emperor narrowed his eyes with concern and moved quickly to see to her. At the sight of her pregnancy, he paused and showed his concern.

"Papa?" she asked with exhaustion.

"Sarine, I'm here," he said. "The kids are here, too."

"Good..." she winced. She was helped to sit up a bit. "Where are Deagan and Juliana?"

"Here," Nigel said, and he brought them over. They were clearly hungry, and Maya Purple had brought over Sammy's twins. Beelzebub ensured her privacy. Windwalker rose up his wings a bit, as the blanket was pulled down so she could nurse her children. Soft, contented purrs were given now, and Kiehl added his own purr to theirs. When they finished nursing, Howard took up Juliana, and Kiehl was letting Deagan snuggle into him.

"And who are you?" Markus asked, as he saw Ripclaw.

"My name is Ripclaw. I'm the Rogue Guild leader. My story is a bit complicated. If anything, I'm here, because I need their help," he sighed.

"And you will need to talk to me about that," Garrett said with a nod from Beelzebub's thoughts. "Tell me what you can, and we'll set a course of action."

With that issue being taken care of at last, Markus returned his attention to Sarine and his grandchildren. Kiehl was giving fatherly smiles to his nursing twins and helping support them.

"Feel better?" Kiehl smiled. At his son's nod, he watched Sarine take up Sammy's twins to nurse. Detale was clearly enjoying himself with the company of various kids.

"Big dragon!" Alexis giggled.

"Um...can we ride you?" Angela asked softly. Detale purred and found himself getting swarmed with kids. He was completely amused when Edward, Serenity, Siegfried, and Gunther latched onto his legs. Doppy gave a warning glare for them to settle down.

"So, this is your home?" Serenity asked Detale, as he lumbered to the center of his lair with them. They gasped at the mounds of treasure here, and he looked over at Drago to rumble.

"Detale says that each of you can take one thing for yourselves. Just one, okay?" Drago said. "You can keep it safe here, too. Our treasury is going to be moved here."

"Oh!" Serenity gasped with delight.

"You're hurting?" Angela frowned at Detale. The massive, red dragon looked at her oddly. She was on his neck and had found a broken scale. He knew it pinched now and then, but broken scales grew back into new ones. He paused at the feel of her soft touch on the scale, and he realized that the small pain was gone.

"She has the power to Heal things rather extensively," Drago said to him. Detale rumbled, and Drago had the kids back away from him. Now Detale rolled onto his back to expose his belly, and Angela was quickly finding all of the broken scales he had to fix them. He gave a happy, soothing purr, as he rolled over onto various sides to let her find broken scales.

"I think Detale is in love with our daughter," Errende grinned.

"I think you're right," Thanatos mused.

"Entweihen already claimed to protect her," Kiehl said.

"She will need the most protection. The dragons seem to know it," Loomin chuckled, as a line of dragons started to form for her Healing talents.

"Okay, your tummy should feel better! Oh, you have a sore tooth! All better now!" Angela beamed at each dragon she helped. One of the dragons brought her an egg, and she blinked at it. Drago moved to her side to help her find the problem.

"This egg should have hatched, but it didn't," Drago frowned.

"I don't know if I can help this one," Angela frowned greatly.

"Try it, Angie!" Edward said. She looked at him and nodded. She carefully rubbed her hands over it, and it started to rock. She blinked, as a green dragon hatched from it.

"That's not a dragon from around here!" Drago said with shock.

"You're right," Keltin said, as the information came to him. "This is called a Draco. Must be the start of a new breed of dragon. You think?"

The little green dragon had large, brown eyes, and a small crown of spikes on its head. Its body had forearms, hind legs, wings, and a small, clubbed tail with spikes on it. It purred and snuggled into Angela. Detale sniffed this new dragon and rumbled.

"He says it doesn't smell of this world," Drago said with confusion. Loomin was called over to evaluate the dragon, and Muninn was close to follow.

"Father...damn him!" Loomin growled.

" _He deliberately pulled a creature from the new world into this one?!_ " Muninn hissed.

"This little guy shouldn't exist here. Father wanted to show that dragons existed on other planes and in other worlds. Since it hatched here, it now 'belongs' here. We would have seen them, eventually, but now..." he sighed.

"Can I keep it, Daddy?" Angela asked gently. The little Draco was quite content with her and clearly attached to her. It was too late to pull it away.

"She thinks you're her mother," Drago said. He rumbled to the little dragon, and Draco crooned softly. "She wants to stay. She now knows that you aren't her mother, but she still wants to be with you. You helped her when she couldn't hatch. Now she wants to help you."

"So...I can keep it? Her, I mean?!" Angela blushed.

"I suppose," Loomin sighed. "Just remember. You will need to feed her, play with her, and train her to be nice. Drago can only help you so much, so remember this, okay?"

"Okay!" Angela giggled. "My brothers and sisters can help, too!"

"Can we?" Trina asked. At Angela's nod, Draco found herself swarmed, cuddled, and petted by the kids. She loved the attention.

"You'll like Rice Cake!" Serenity said to Draco.

"No, you won't," Siegfried frowned.

"And why not?" Serenity scowled. "He's a friend!"

"He likes you too much," he said.

"Kids," Keltin said, and he knelt down to them. "What's going on with Rice Cake?"

"He's too nice to Seri," Siegfried said. "He likes to only play with her most of the time. He gives her candy all the time. It's like he wants to be with her."

"Hmm..." Naght rumbled.  _I'll have a little talk with Rice Cake later._ Serenity was his daughter, and Howard was going to enjoy listening to the conversation. Kiehl was snickering with him. Siegfried nodded that Rice Cake would get spoken to.

"I don't like the monster, Vanberk," Gunther grumbled.

"He gave me a weapon! What's wrong with that?" Bianca asked.

"Did he?" Doppy mused, as he moved to his kids now. "And why don't you like him, Gunther? When did this start up?"

"About a week ago," Gunther said. "Bianca and I were playing outside with Maya Purple and the others. Vanberk came up and sat down by Bianca. He doesn't really say anything, but he gives her small presents. At first, I thought it was fine. But, now he gave her a weapon. The only time that happens is if something is going to happen."

"So, it's okay for flowers and candy to be given to your sister, but not a weapon?" Doppy asked with amusement. "Why's that?"

"It means, to me, that he wants to help her train. That means he wants to get closer to her! I mean, Gloom Under Night is her protector. I understand that. But Vanberk? Please!" Gunther snorted. "He just wants to get close to her!"

"If that's the case, then I'll have to talk to him," Doppy said sternly. _My son had a very interesting point._ "Maybe Gloom Under Night will talk to him, too, since they are from the same area. Angela? Has anyone talked to you yet?"

"Yes," she said. Now Thanatos glanced over with a hard glare. Errende looked at Hyegun and was given the okay to leave Sarine's side. The developing children were sleeping deeply, and Errende was free to sit with his daughter.

"Who started to talk to you?" Errende asked softly. She snuggled into her father's chest and sighed with a sad look.

"Um, Grampa Markus was having soldiers come back. Ones from training. Um...one of them spoke to me," she said. "Today, that is. Before I came here."

"Who was it?" Errende asked a bit more sternly now.

"Ah, he said his name was, um, Jenks? I think?" she said in thought.

"He's honorable," Sammy said. "Muninn verified that."

"I'll still want to talk to him," Thanatos growled.

"Please do!" Edward scowled. That got Errende and Thanatos looking at him. "He took one look at Angie and won't stop staring at her now! I want to kick him!"

"Not until I talk to him first!" Thanatos muttered. "Angela! The next time he tries to talk to you, come straight to me! Or to Errende!"

"Entweihen wants to be approached, if needed," Beelzebub said. "You are to approach any of us. It's important to us that you stay safe."

"Yes, Daddy," she nodded. Errende hugged her close and sighed.

"What do we do now?" Sammy asked gently, as he took up his twins to hold. Sarine fixed up her top and helped calm Thanatos by reclining into him a bit more.

"I think it's time to head to the island," she said. "Apparently, my husbands and slaves need to speak with various monsters and men. Right?"

"Right," Thanatos said with a touch of irritation. She reached up to gently caress his cheek, and he kissed her passionately.

"You're sure no more children with me?" she purred in his ear. He shivered and squeezed her with a sigh.

"For now, love," he said. "Let's let the others have kids with you first. Then we'll see."

"Okay," she nodded. Windwalker warbled softly and turned to watch Storm Caller appear with the building crew. A section of a wall was taken out and rebuilt into a hidden door. Detale watched with fascination, as a Warp appeared in the new room, and another Warp appeared in the center of his lair. Now various decorations, bricks, and treasures were being transported into the new treasury. Detale rumbled to his minions, and even more treasure was added to this room. He was purposely adding his own treasure to it to give himself even more of a reason to defend it. He even had his minions add things on them that they were carrying. Muninn was impressed.

"I like this!" Bernard said, as he found a three karat diamond.

"This is better," Trina giggled. She found a treasure chest filled with coins and gems.

"Yours is better," her brother sighed. She changed the diamond into a treasure chest, and he grinned at her in thanks. Detale saw this with shock.

"Let me explain," Drago grinned and rumbled to him on what each child could do. Detale moved over to Trina and nudged another treasure chest to her.

"You want me to change it?" she frowned. At his nod, she looked at Keltin.

"It's okay. If he wants you to do it, then it's fine," Keltin chuckled. She grinned now and thought about what she could change it into.

"Um, this is the best it's going to be. Maybe another item?" she asked. Detale thought and a ruby was brought over. This was changed into another treasure chest.  _She can replenish my treasure!_  He hovered over her protectively, but Keltin sighed.

"Stormy Knight is her protector," he smiled. Detale seemed to pout.  _I want to protect a child!_ Beelzebub moved over now to offer some help.

"We have eggs and seeds that Sarine gave birth to. They will be special children, and they may not need a protector, but you are welcome to see them when they hatch and sprout," Beelzebub said. "Eggs were made for myself and Evil Snake Lord. Entweihen Crothen was given Demonic seeds. When she is pregnant again, she is destined to give birth to eggs for Drago and to Maya Purple. The ones she is pregnant with will already have protectors. But the eggs and seeds are still lacking them."

Detale thought about this and rumbled to Drago. The half-dragon nodded and said, "He will look at the children when they hatch and sprout, but he feels he is destined to protect a child that is naturally birthed."

"We will have to see," Beelzebub nodded. Gunther walked over to Detale and tapped on a scaled arm. Detale looked at him questionably.

"You have some broken weapons and armor. We can fix them and make them better for you. If you want us to?" Gunther smiled. Detale nodded, and the kids moved to help. The large dragon watched with amazement at how the weapons and armor were repaired, broken down, and made stronger. Trina changed various weapons and armors into others, if duplicates were made.

"Is Mama okay?" Juliana frowned at her mother's yawn.

"She's very tired right now," Kiehl said gently.

"Can we sleep with Mom?" Deagan asked.

"She needs to sleep in a very hot place. I'll protect you, though," Kiehl chuckled. "Guys, Sarine needs rest, and the younger kids want to be with her. We need to head back."

"We'll watch the kids here," Beelzebub nodded.

"Those of you heading home later, use the treasury Warp. Or go through mine, if you want to leave now," Loomin said, as he made his Warp to the bedroom. Muninn, Hyegun, Eremes, and Ifrit had to go with Sarine. Sammy knew his twins needed their mother and went through the Warp. Windwalker found himself in the bedroom, but he was able to move to the balcony. Loomin appeared last and was able to help with Sammy's kids. When Windwalker was freed, it was easy for him to jump off and fly about to patrol. Muninn became his falcon form to help out, and to give them all some much needed privacy.

"I can protect all of you, if Eremes and Ifrit focus on the heat," Kiehl said.

"Heard and noted," Eremes nodded. Ifrit moved into the fireplace first to heat it up. Sarine was cradled by Thanatos and moved into the fireplace next. Kiehl lay back next to her to let her rest between him and Thanatos. Sammy sat down on a Kasa feather pillow near Thanatos. Howard settled on the other side of Kiehl easily. Juliana was moved to rest on Thanatos's chest, and Deagan was snuggled into Kiehl's chest. Sammy let Loo Shin rest on his shoulder, as he got cradled. Loomin was comforting Ming. Hyegun lay back along the wall of the fireplace by Eremes and Ifrit. The moment Sarine and the children were sleeping deeply, Sammy started to meditate.

"I think a couple hours can go by," Hyegun said, as he put his arms behind his head.

"That should be safe enough," Thanatos nodded.

"Detale is enamored with the kids," Loomin grinned.

"Everyone is enamored with the kids," Howard chuckled. Kiehl could only agree with a drowsy nod. He didn't realize how calming it was to feel his son sleeping against him with Sarine so close by. When he closed his eyes, two hours slipped by with no ill results.


	152. Chapter 152

When Kiehl opened his eyes and let them adjust to his glasses, he noticed that Sarine and the kids were still sleeping. Sammy was still meditating. Everything was quiet and incredibly calm.  _Why am I awake?_ He looked around slowly and found Loomin watching him. Ming was still cradled and sleeping comfortably.

"What's wrong?" Kiehl asked.

"Nothing, really," Loomin admitted. "I just have an...odd feeling. I guess."

"Talk to me," Kiehl muttered. He didn't want anyone to wake up. Howard was mildly awake now, but had his eyes closed while he listened in. Naght was still in Detale's lair with the older kids. Everything was going just fine there.

"The triplets are going to do everything that they can to come about when they know their time is near," Loomin said. "Hyegun knows it. We all know it. Let's face it, Kiehl. Those triplets are going to keep us on our toes. They should have been the first set of kids to be born."

"Don't remind me," Howard sighed, as he finally opened his eyes. "It's painful enough just knowing that Sarine lost them in the first place. She had forgotten about them and only just remembered them a few months back. It's still painful to think about. I don't think I'll be okay until I know they are developing in her again."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes said, as he blinked awake and sighed. Ifrit woke him up for this. "I was...shocked...to hear of it, too. We all were."

"Just knowing that they get a second chance is more than I could have ever hoped for," Howard said bleakly. "I still blame myself that I wasn't there for her when she needed me. She even said that something didn't feel right about the Lighthalzen experiment. That something didn't add up to her. There were quite a few that were lured in, and not many made it out alive."

"Tell me something I don't know!" Kiehl muttered.

"Not so loud," Thanatos said softly. Juliana shifted slightly, but was still sleeping on him while he kept his hands pressed to Sarine's belly. He thought, and Errende came in quietly.

"Lord Thanatos?" Errende asked.

"Help me. Don't wake her. I just need your touch on her so I can stretch for a bit," he said. Errende nodded, and the careful exchange of touch was done. Hyegun and Ifrit seemed to smile, as they watched this now.

"The kids are starting to learn about how to ride dragons," Errende smiled. "Detale is going to make sure they all have a ride until their destined steeds are ready for them."

"Not bad," Howard grinned.

"Doppy spoke with Vanberk, too," Errende said. "And so did Gloom Under Night. Apparently, Gunther's instincts were correct. Vanberk was trying to get close to Bianca. He promised he would never hurt her, and he would see her as a dear friend until she was old enough for him. When Rice Cake heard that Naght wanted to talk to him, he went a bit into hiding for now. I think he's working up the courage to talk to him."

"Now that's funny," Kiehl said, as he laughed softly.

"What about Jenks?" Thanatos growled.

"Emperor Markus is going to talk to him now," Errende said. "The kids are going to school, but these guys are exempt, since they need My Lady."

"Right," Loomin nodded.

"The others are in their bedrooms. The pregnant women are too exhausted to do anything right now. What are we to do when My Lady wakes up?" he asked.

"Possibly a fire pit..." Eremes said. "Not sure."

"I don't know if she can move," Howard admitted. "Not without help, anyways."

"I don't like it when she gets sick," Kiehl grimaced.

"The kids needed stuff, and we couldn't detect it," Hyegun said. "They're all sleeping right now. Don't stress too much about it."

"No promises," Kiehl said. Sarine yawned, stretched, and sighed, as she slipped into a deeper sleep. Kiehl pressed a soft kiss to her temple and smiled. A soft tap was heard on the fireplace door, and Hyegun got up to open it quietly.

"She's sleeping," Hyegun warned Doppy, as he came in.

"Okay," he nodded and settled by the door, as it closed. "Plans?"

"She sleeps..." Eremes said. "When she wakes...we'll see..."

"That's fine," he agreed. "No traveling?"

"Like hell are we traveling," Thanatos said dryly. "There's no way."

"Good," Doppy smirked. "I would have been against it."

"And everyone else here," Howard said.

"Topic of discussion?" he asked.

"Triplets," Loomin sighed.

"Hmm," Doppy thought, as he found a better place to sit down and relax. "Normally, it takes less than a day for her to get pregnant. For a demon, that is. For anyone else, they need a week. From what we were told, Kiehl and Howard will get her pregnant instantly with Naght. Any idea on how her last week of healing is going to unfold?"

"No idea," Kiehl chuckled. "You would think that we would have to wait until the last day. How long did you have to wait when Serenity and Siegfried were born?"

"Only two weeks, since it was twins," Doppy said. "With quadruplets, it tends to be three now. Unless you start having her at night during her last week."

"Well, I don't think that will work," Howard admitted. "He had some of Naght's blood directly. And a drop of Muninn's. We may end up waiting until the last day of her healing period. And, from what Hyegun's been telling us, the triplets are going to be driving us up the wall to get things started."

"Don't remind me!" Kiehl sighed.

"Quiet!" Thanatos hissed, as he placed his hands over Sarine's belly. "Let her sleep!"

"Hmm?" Sarine voiced out, as she yawned. Kiehl pressed a soft kiss to her mouth and purred just as softly. It made her drowsy again, and she easily slipped back to sleep.

"That was close," Sammy chuckled, and he moved back into meditation. The four kids were still sleeping, and they clearly needed this. They weren't able to get in the full naps that they desperately needed with the older kids becoming more active.

"We're going to have to build a separate area for the older kids," Kiehl sighed. "They are going to outgrow the nursery."

"Add bedrooms to it," Loomin said.

"We'll have to talk to Storm Caller," Ifrit said. "I would say that they get moved to the advanced areas when they become a year old."

"They need to be moved now," Thanatos said, as he added his touch to Errende's on Sarine's belly. "Serenity, Siegfried, my twins, and Doppy's twins are all old enough to have their own bedrooms. The boys can share one, and the girls can share another. It will help keep the noise level down when these guys need their naps."

"Aliot's twins and Keltin's twins seem to be lacking in naps, too," Hyegun frowned. "They all need naps, but the older ones are waking up sooner than the younger ones. Then they wake up the younger ones, and they can't sleep."

"By the time Sarine is pregnant with the triplets, they will be old enough to have their own bedrooms," Howard said. "What do you think?"

"That works," Kiehl nodded. Naght was informed on what was going on, and the kids were safe in the school. He made his way into the fireplace, but he stood in front of the entrance of it to warn others to remain quiet. He rumbled lightly to himself, and Howard muttered what he said out there, since they couldn't hear him. Then they all blinked at the thought.

"That could be an idea!" Loomin mused. "Eremes, how did she react around her last week of pregnancy? Do you remember?"

"Restless, really," he thought, as he recalled. "Why?"

"Well, like Naght said, we could have her help with some house redecorations. Let her help in rebuilding and such. If she doesn't feel restless on her last healing week, that could help her. Then, when it's time for the triplets, it should be safe for her to be with Howard and Kiehl," Loomin said. "We'll need to see how she is during her last week."

"If she starts to help redecorate, we'll know for sure," Kiehl nodded. "Anyways, how long should we wait before we see about her giving birth? And what are the plans for tonight?"

"We should try to have her kids grow for another five days. As slowly as possible," Thanatos said carefully. "As for tonight, well, I think we just need to leave her as she is. She's comfortable. She's safe. I don't want to move her."

"Should we move them?" Howard asked, as he gestured to the sleeping quadruplets.

"No," Kiehl smirked. His son was still sleeping against him, and he was completely overprotective right now. Juliana was sleeping peacefully against Thanatos and her mother. He loved watching his family sleep. Ming was settled in Loomin's protective embrace in her own deep sleep. Loo Shin was warm and snug against Sammy's shoulder. None of them wanted to wake the kids now.

"I can't wait...to hold my kids..." Eremes sighed.

"I have a feeling that we know," Errende chuckled.

"So, what do we discuss now?" Thanatos asked.

"Design layouts of future rooms?" Kiehl suggested with a shrug. Howard chuckled, and they started to do just that for the next hour. When Sarine stirred, Deagan started to yawn and stretch. She was still exhausted, but the kids were hungry.

"Mommy?" Deagan blinked a bit sleepily, and she looked at him with a motherly smile. She kissed his forehead, and Ming woke up next to be nursed alongside her brother. Kiehl purred softly with pride at his son and looked over, as Juliana blinked awake.

"Hey," Thanatos grinned at her, and she gave a small blush. Eremes chuckled and sighed softly to himself. _The kids needed to be with them more._  Sammy made a face at his son, and Loo Shin giggled. Doppy glanced over at the fireplace door, as it opened.

"What is it?" he asked Keltin.

"The kids want to see their mother. Think it's possible?" Keltin asked. Sarine looked at Kiehl, and he nodded. He would help give them heat immunity, and Ifrit would help, too. Eremes would keep the heat going. As the kids were let in carefully, Deagan and Ming were switched out for Loo Shin and Juliana to be nursed next. Sarine was gently smothered with her kids, and she listened to all of their talk of school. She was starting to show exhaustion again after the nursing finished, and the kids saw this. Serenity was clearly concerned, but she knew it was the pregnancy. Naght had moved into the fireplace to watch over Sarine and the kids calmly. Everyone wanted to keep the mood as calm as possible.

"Mama will be okay, right?" she asked.

"She'll be fine," Howard smiled. "You know she gets tired now."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Um, we have a fire pit later?"

"Your mom can't be moved right now," Doppy said. "It's too much for her."

"We wanted to do something, but the growing babies have other plans," Loomin chuckled. "So, we need to let her rest."

"Okay," she nodded. At this, the kids moved out to the nursery. Doppy was able to help with the younger four. Sarine gave a soft sigh, and Kiehl nuzzled her.

"Love?" he frowned.

"I'm just...drained..." she said with a light shiver. Loomin frowned at this, and Thanatos pressed his hands against her belly a bit more. Errende was quick to help, and Hyegun walked in quickly to look at her.

"Feed her," Hyegun said quickly. Howard blinked, and Naght moved out to inform the slaves. Byorgue and Nigel walked in easily to help, as Drago helped ease her into a sitting position. "We can't let her leave here at any time. The only time she can be moved is if she needs to use the bathroom. Even then, we need to keep the way heated for her. We may even have to go so far as to preheat the bathroom with steam. If we try to move her for any other reason, she'll lose too much heat. It's very dangerous for her to cool off right now."

"I'll only hope that a storm doesn't happen," Kiehl muttered.

"I don't think one will," Loomin said.

"We can only hope," Sammy said. Sarine was already sleeping again, and Sammy moved to start meditating. Kiehl looked at Howard, and they seemed to grimace at each other.  _The start of another grueling week had just begun._


	153. Chapter 153

They were expecting five days to pass. Instead, it turned into four. On the fourth day of her advancing pregnancy, she had to use the bathroom near the middle of the night. Thanatos moved his hands from her belly to help her. The moment his hands moved away, the easing touch was suddenly gone, and it caused her to fall to her knees from the intense kicking she got. There was no pain. It was simply a ton of movement. That alarmed everyone instantly.

"Shit!" Thanatos hissed, and Errende was quick to run in to help him. Sammy was called for, and Kiehl was clearly panicking at her distress. Eremes hadn't left her side once, and Ifrit had to continuously hover near her with Naught to keep the air heated for her.

"What was that?!" Doppy snarled, as he moved into the bathroom.

"They grew," Sammy grimaced. "The birth is about to start."

"WHAT?!" Eremes gaped.

"We can't take her outside!" Howard said, as he charged in. "It's too cold!"

"Fireplace," Kiehl muttered. "Get Bacsojin! Let the others know, and let's get this ready! I don't think we have much time!"

"We don't," Sammy nodded. Hyegun was next to come in, and the look in his eyes was shock. He knew the kids were ready. The moment they grew, he heard them clamoring with excitement.  _They wanted out of her, and they weren't going to wait._

"Hurry!" Hyegun urged. Thanatos and Errende pressed their hands to her belly, as she was getting moved, but the kids were resisting their touch now. Right as they reached the fireplace and set her on the coals, she screamed, as the labor pains rocked her. Doppy shouted with disbelief, and fell to his hands and knees from the severity of the pain. He hadn't felt the pain all this time, and it caught him off guard.

"Out of the way!" Bacsojin said, as she moved to Sarine's side. "Oh, this won't do! The place is too cramped!"

"We have no choice," Sammy said. "She cannot be exposed to cold weather."

"Very well," Bacsojin nodded. Ifrit and Eremes watched intensely, and Kiehl gestured for Eremes to come and help support her. Another cry from Sarine was torn from her, as the birth waters spilled out. Ifrit had to flare out his heat quickly to force them to sizzle away. Howard looked over, as Loomin settled in, and Thanatos remained close by with Errende. The other men were sitting in the bedroom and on high alert. Naght stationed himself outside of the bedroom door to keep any curious friends back.

"What's all that racket?" Seyren muttered, as he looked out of his door. When he saw Naght outside Sarine's bedroom with a purpose, his eyes widened. Then he heard Sarine's cry with a baby's cry right after. "Oh, no! It's starting! All right. At least I know what's going on! I thought it was supposed to happen tomorrow! Okay. Something must have happened. I'll find out later. I'd better make sure everyone else knows."

"A girl!" Sammy said, as he spanked her to make sure the baby would breathe properly, and Bacsojin took her to clean up. Eremes was just in shock, as he was handed his daughter. She held Sarine's hair and eyes. The rest of the features were his. Hyegun made a warning sound, and Doppy roared out in tune with her cry, as Muninn's body was delivered. Odin suddenly appeared with a crushing force with the Valkyrie from Valhalla and the warrior Valkyrie. Full heat immunity was granted to all there that needed it. This was far too important for him to sit back and watch from afar.

"I am bearing witness to their births!" Odin said. "As are my Valkyrie maidens!"

Muninn charged in soon after to look at his physical body. The baby was handed to him, and, within minutes, Huginn's body was birthed and given to him next.

" _At last!_ " Muninn sighed.

"Not done," Sammy said, as Sarine panted and pushed out Eremes's son. The boy was a perfect copy of his father. After the afterbirths were delivered, she gasped and lay back against Kiehl. Howard squeezed her hand, and Doppy forced himself to sit up with a shake of his head. Eremes was now holding his twins, and he had his eyes closed with silent disbelief.

"Let her nurse them," Kiehl said to him. "They need to nurse."

"Right..." Eremes nodded. Sarine took them up and was eased carefully into a sitting position. Odin was examining the physical bodies of Huginn and Muninn carefully. They were in perfect health and form. The moment Eremes's twins finished nursing, the prophesied twins were given over to be nursed. Muninn looked over at Odin and nodded. The special order to ensure their survival at all costs was given.

"It's so hot..." Sarine winced.

"Let's move her to the bedroom," Sammy said lightly. She no longer needed the intense heat, and she was in danger of sweating too much. Kiehl gave her some heat immunity, as they moved her gently, and they set her in the bed. Odin's heat immunity didn't spread to her at first, since she needed the heat at the time. Doppy was able to move himself, and Byorgue helped him recline next to her. Eremes was still holding his twins to him. He was clearly still in a state of over-protective fatherly shock.

"They should be introduced to the other children," Keltin chuckled. Muninn watched his physical body finish nursing, and these twins were now given to him. While they were around Sarine, he had to be the one to help assist with them. They were too important for any others to handle unless there was no choice.

"That's my son, too," Doppy smirked. Muninn chuckled and handed over Huginn. Loomin was given Muninn's body, and he sighed.

"I have a son. In a sense," Loomin chuckled. "It will be a bit hard to call them by name. Especially if you are around. I'd like to be able to keep the names separate."

"You do bring up a valid point," Odin grinned, as he walked over. The two Valkyries smiled and nodded to each other. "You may call Muninn's physical form, Moon. Call Huginn's physical form, Sun. It may help a bit."

"That we can do," Doppy nodded. "But, if they get out of line, we shall shout their true names. The false names will help hide their identities."

" _Right you are!_ " Muninn agreed. " _Father Odin? Is there anything else you require?_ "

"Not at this time. Don't worry. I'll be keeping an intensely close eye on you, my daughter, my Vessel! Oh! Before I forget," Odin thought and looked at Kiehl. "she will only need to rest for two weeks. You will know why."

"Ah...yes. I understand," Kiehl nodded. Howard blinked at this news, and Naght chuckled from his place outside the bedroom. Sarine was still exhausted and was already sleeping. This had Odin concerned, and he moved over to her side to study her.

"Odin?" Howard frowned.

"She has not fallen asleep before," Odin frowned. "Normally, she eats and recovers her strength after a child birth. Something is not right."

"Allow me?" Loomin asked. Odin nodded and let Loomin study her. Sammy sensed no physical problems with her. Hyegun looked at Keltin and shrugged. Her stasis was silent now that her body needed to rest, so the triplets weren't demanding anything. They knew it wouldn't be much longer before they could start to appear.

"What do you see?" Odin asked. The Valkyries watched closely now. Loomin seemed to think and moved to Kiehl to whisper to him. At a nod, Kiehl gently woke up Sarine.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"You need to eat first, love. Then you can sleep," Kiehl whispered, as he stroked her cheek. She seemed to groan, but then she realized that everyone was watching her.

"Sarine, you need to eat. You're tired, because you lack energy. When you eat, you'll feel better. You need to drink, too, to recover your fluids. Okay?" Loomin said with a gentle smile. "We are all concerned about you right now. You just gave birth. You need to recover."

"Okay," she nodded and various meals were brought to her. Odin nodded, as he watched her start to eat. Muninn nodded at this, too, and he gathered up Moon and Sun from Doppy and Loomin. When Sarine was able to focus properly, he showed them to her. She smiled greatly, and they smiled back at her.

"Sarine?" Eremes smiled, as he held his twins.

"Yes, dear?" she smiled. He brought over his twins to her so she could see them again. She cooed to them, and they laughed. It was still in the middle of the night, so the other kids were sleeping, but a cry from the nursery did happen. Naght moved swiftly and brought Deagan and Juliana to her. They weren't quite weaned yet, but they were getting close. It would be another week and they would be fully on solids.

"Mommy! You had our brothers and sister?!" Juliana blinked, as she was brought over.

"Yes, I did!" Sarine beamed and hugged her children to her so they could nurse. Deagan finished nursing first and was now wide awake to see his new siblings.

"Your mother needs to sleep more," Kiehl said softly.

"Oh. Um...can I sleep with her again?" he asked. Odin found himself chuckling.

"Okay, but she may have to wake up now and then to tend to them," Howard said. Doppy was smiling gently, as he moved to settle in a chair. Muninn nodded to Odin now.

"I'll be keeping a close eye on things," Odin said. Then he glared irritably when Loki appeared. "If you touch her, you will regret it!"

"I know, Father," Loki nodded. "I'm here to see the new arrivals."

"I'm sure you are," Loomin growled. Loki glared at his son mildly, and Sarine frowned. Loomin knew that his father was really there to see how Sarine was.

"Loki, my daughter, my Vessel, is still protected," Odin warned.

"I know she is. At all times, she is," Loki said calmly. Kiehl gave out a snarl of intense hatred at him. That made Loki remember that he could be attacked quite swiftly. Hyegun suddenly blinked and moved to sit by Sarine with a heavy frown.

"Hyegun?" Sarine asked. Muninn looked ahead and winced.

"Muninn?" Odin asked.

" _Loki needs to leave now!_ " Muninn scowled. " _Right now!_ "

"Why?" Loki asked. He found himself repelled with Loomin's Divine Light, and she became protected from him. Only after Loki was repelled did time freeze for Sarine and the children to be stuck in it. Everyone else was active.

"Explain!" Odin demanded.

" _The stasis in Sarine was wavering with him around!_ " Muninn growled.

"What?!" Kiehl gaped.

"I heard the triplets. They don't like Loki," Hyegun said with a shake of his head. "Now that they know their time is coming soon, they will do everything that they can to appear. I honestly don't know what I can tell them to keep them calm."

"If Errende or I try to help her, she'll question it," Thanatos winced. "And it's a stasis. I don't think our touches will work."

" _If Loki tries to appear again, the stasis will start to remove itself. Father Odin, can you make the stasis stronger? At least for two weeks?_ " Muninn asked. " _You are the one in control of it right now._ "

"Hmm. Bring time back. I have an idea," Odin smiled. Muninn nodded and time came back. Odin walked up to Sarine and sighed. "My daughter, my Vessel, I need to touch your womb. I must prepare it for the coming triplets so that your body will readily accept them when the time comes. With Loki appearing, he may do something drastic."

"Oh!" Sarine blinked. Kiehl and Howard seemed to give mental sighs of relief. Odin was able to move to her side and lightly touch where her womb was. Doppy gave a wince, but Odin was reinforcing the stasis. Everyone knew that it would only last for two weeks, but it would be enough. By the time the stasis broke, Howard, Kiehl, and Naght would be with her.

"There. In the morning, be sure to allow everyone to see the new arrivals. Come to think of it, I believe Seyren Windsor is approaching," Odin chuckled. At the knock on the door, Naght waited for the mental approval that Sarine was presentable before he was let in. The Lord Knight smiled greatly at the children in the room and was in awe of Moon and Sun.

"I heard the screams and the new cries," Seyren said. "Congratulations, Eremes!"

"Thank you," Eremes nodded, as he reclined in the bed with Sarine. "In the morning...they will be put in cradles..."

"Still in shock?" Howard grinned.

"You could say that..." Eremes smiled. He blinked, as his son reached up to tug on a strand of hair. "Joseph..."

The boy seemed to grin and gurgle. His sister yawned and sighed, as she fell asleep against his chest. Kiehl chuckled, and Howard knew the feeling all too well. Odin was quite pleased with everything and nodded to the Valkyrie maidens. They blessed the new arrivals and vanished away. Muninn was still holding his physical form close with his brother's form.

"I shall have two Valkyrie maidens stationed around them at all times!" Odin nodded. "This will be done first thing in the morning when they have destined cradles."

" _Yes, Father Odin,_ " Muninn nodded.

"New brothers and a sister!" Juliana beamed.

"That's right," Kiehl grinned and kissed her forehead. "Now, you and your brother need to sleep so you can see them in the morning."

"Okay," Deagan said with a small stretch and a yawn. Kiehl purred, as his kids snuggled between him and Sarine. Odin nodded to them all and vanished away.

"I have kids..." Eremes sighed, as he cradled his twins in his arms. When he looked at Sarine, the look in her eyes showed how much she loved him. He smiled greatly at her and nodded. Ifrit came over now and was able to gaze down at them.

"They don't have much from me," he hissed out.

"Right now," Eremes smirked. That made Ifrit chuckle, and it was quite clear that both children would be immune to heat. "I would not be surprised...if immunity to heat was for them both...but...one could make fire...the other could heat up things around them..."

"Almost like what Siegfried can do with blade weapons," Howard grinned. "Of course, your kids would have a more advanced version."

"When it comes to Fire..." Eremes nodded. Ifrit could only agree, but they have yet to see if they would be correct in their assumptions. When Sarine was ready to fall asleep, a large commotion happened in the nursery.

"My kids!" Beelzebub blinked.

"The nest!" Evil Snake Lord gasped. Entweihen Crothen was already there when they appeared, and he was helping the small bodies out of the hard seed shells. The babies would be attached to the large, blood-red flowers until they were weaned off of the nutrient soil. Then they would be able to walk around and move. Both were a beautiful boy and girl. Sarine was carried over to the babies, and her rocking chair was brought over. She was still able to nurse them, and the stalks of the flowers they were attached to were high enough for her to tend to them without bending the plants they needed.

"They'll need blood drops," Doppy muttered. "from Baphomet Jr., Neil, and Maheo. Not yours, but Beelzebub's and Evil Snake Lord will need their blood."

"True," Entweihen nodded, as he studied his offspring. Byorgue heard this and got the three mates. They waited patiently for the eggs to hatch, and they admired Entweihen's twins with fatherly pride. The boy held a shock of dark blue hair and had eyes to match. The girl had golden blond hair and Sarine's eyes. Beelzebub moved to his eggs now, as they were brought out. The pearly color was gone to show a clear shell, and he helped open them up while they rocked around. Now his son and daughter were squirming in his arms, and the slaves were quick to help comfort them and get them nursed from Sarine. His son had his white hair and black eyes, but held Sarine's nose and mouth. The girl also had his hair, but the rest was all from Sarine. The Demon Lord was simply in shock.

"My eggs!" Evil Snake Lord hissed. The oval eggs were brought out, and Byorgue carefully helped break open the leathery shell. Small squeals of cries were given, as Bacsojin cleaned off the expired egg sacks, and Sammy made sure to check all six newborns. Evil Snake Lord's offspring were exceptionally pale, but both children had Sarine's hair and eyes. It also appeared that the boy's hair would be rather straight, and the girl would hold the curls. It surprised the others, since they knew his son was going to appear exceptionally frail from looking so beautiful, and Loomin had a feeling that his children would appear the same way.

"Here's my drop," Baphomet Jr. snorted.

"Here," Maheo smiled and gave over his drop of blood.

"Mine, too," Neil nodded, and the kids that needed their blood were quick to receive them. After it was done, a sense of calm finally took place.

"Ten kids..." Eremes found himself chuckling with amazement.

"But, will we be getting her pregnant at each Demonic Mating?" Beelzebub frowned.

" _No. I took a closer look at the future. As long as she has other eggs destined for her and developing, it will not happen. If she has other Demonic Matings after they are birthed, then it may be possible. However, no. You can be safely assured with that,_ " Muninn smiled. Sarine seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and Doppy did the same.

"I'm so exhausted," Sarine sighed. "But...well...I'm not sure of names for our children."

"Hmm," Beelzebub thought. "Proserpine for our daughter. Stolas for our son."

"As for ours, I choose Atsuko, for our daughter. I will also choose Takeshi for our son. Given my background and where I was, it would be fitting," Evil Snake Lord chuckled.

"I have given this some thought. As Beelzebub is a Lord and Prince of Hell, I, too, can rank a bit up there with him. The names he has given his children are powerful names for demons of royal blood. I am not fully a bit of a royal demon, but the names I picked are powerful, nonetheless. Therefore, I shall give my daughter the name of Astaroth, and my son will be Damas. It is fitting," Entweihen chuckled. Sarine smiled and nodded at the names.

Beelzebub was going to be defending the nursery with everything he had available now. Nothing was going to get in or out.  _As if it could, anyways._  Sarine gave out a tired yawn, and the others knew she had a long day. They were just lucky the other kids slept through everything. When they got back to the bedroom, she was placed in the bed. Eremes was settled next to her with his twins securely against his chest. Kiehl had carefully moved his twins to settle between him and Sarine again. Muninn was already assisting with new cradles, and the Valkyrie maidens appeared to set up their watchful posts. Sarine was already sleeping deeply again, and the rest of the night passed without incident.


	154. Chapter 154

 The next two weeks went by in a blur. Muninn constantly kept watch over his physical body and Huginn's body. The Valkyrie maidens were stationed in the nursery and kept solid watch over the prophesied twins. Markus was called for, and his mother was able to finally see the other children, too. Sarine was living in the nursery constantly, and Eremes was fully protective over his new children, at first. When they started to grow a bit, he was more relaxed. It was the same thing the others did when they became new fathers. Loomin had to shine his Divine Light over Sarine every morning to ensure that Loki could do nothing. Hyegun was pleased that the stasis was stable, and the triplets appeared to be frozen within it.

Beelzebub had his hands full with his kids. They knew they were Demonic Royalty, and he had to glare at them constantly to keep them in line. Serenity did make good on her promise, and special weapons and armor were made for them all to please the kids. Ragged Zombie was waiting for the day that he would be able to punish them with the knife, but they seemed to be given fair warning by the other kids. Evil Snake Lord had exceptionally gentle children. The others had expected this. Entweihen's children were still attached to their flowers, and their dispositions were still questioned as to how they would be.

On the night the second week was up, Sarine had moved to the balcony and had her arms over her chest. She looked troubled, and Kiehl was quick to notice this.

"Love? Is something wrong?" he asked. She leaned into him, and he nuzzled her.

"Can we walk somewhere? I'm feeling cooped up, and I really need to get out," she sighed. Kiehl thought, and Howard reminded him on how she felt restless when her usual week of being with another started. Naght was instantly made aware, and he waited outside for her to appear. Now Kiehl started to feel anxious. He wanted to be with her. Howard was ready to help cement it. She frowned and shivered a bit from a cold breeze.

"We can walk somewhere, but Howard and Naght need to come with us. Howard can help ensure your safety, and Naght can help keep you warm. Okay?" Kiehl smiled. She smiled back with a nod, and he put a protective arm around her. He led her out of the bedroom, and Howard was there in the hallway to meet up with them. When they led her outside, Naght had the air warmed up around him to help her with her walk. Kiehl activated his Fire diamond to help heat up the air a bit further.

"Where to?" Howard asked.

"Underground grove," Kiehl said. "Easier to keep her warm."

"True..." Naght nodded. Then he remembered that it was there that Doppy took her when it was his time with her. Kiehl seemed to nod, and Howard did, too. Sarine blinked at them, but she was led quickly to the grove and down below it. Kiehl and Naght easily heated up the cave to a comfortable level for everyone.

"Been awhile since I was last here," she smiled.

"We know," Kiehl chuckled. They sat on the ground, and Naght hovered over them to keep her warm. She noticed that Kiehl and Howard looked nervous, and she frowned at them.

"Sarine," Howard started. "Remember...the secret we promised that we would tell you in time? The one we couldn't say until you were ready?"

"Oh!" she shivered and swallowed. "Yes..."

"It's time to tell you," Kiehl said. Then he blinked, as time seemed to freeze around them, and Muninn walked down the tunnel to approach them.

" _Not yet. First, you need to have a dream vision done. Then it can be told,_ " Muninn said. " _Once the dream vision is complete, everything will be revealed._ "

"Ah," Howard sighed. Naght took a deep, hissing breath and nodded.

"That's right. We need that first," Kiehl said.

" _Yes. And I was told to ensure that nothing would happen until it was done. Also, I need to make sure that you have all the time needed for it to happen. So, I froze time, as you can see. Anyways, are you ready for the vision to start?_ "

"Yes, Muninn," Sarine nodded. Muninn had also alerted Markus so that he was part of the time freeze back in his palace. He would see it as a dream in sleep. Howard and Kiehl placed their hands in hers, and Naght settled himself to meditate for the dream to start...


	155. Chapter 155

A year had passed since Sarine came to Markus's palace. He had given her the doll and was delighted at how much she enjoyed it. He knew she needed more than a doll, though. _She needed a playmate. Someone that could grow up with her and help protect her when the time came._ The only problem he had was who to choose. He didn't want another royal or noble boy to do this. He wanted someone from his own village of Amatsu. And he didn't want just anyone to be with his daughter. Markus moved to his balcony and gazed out over the town. There were a few kids that caught his eye, but one in particular stood out. It was a boy with ocean-blue eyes and light green hair. He knew the Alt-Eisen family was questionable at best, but he felt that the young boy they had was honorable.  _His eyes showed that he was clearly different from the others._ It was a gut feeling, and he trusted his gut more than anything. Already, he started to muse to himself as to what he knew about this one.

"Hmm. He's four. Three years older than my daughter. Not too old, if that. And such a runner! He's making a promising Merchant, too. Already spotting things to hold onto to sell later. Such is the family trade. He seems to be getting good things, though. Nothing like his father. If I remember, he does have a younger brother that was born not long ago. A little over a year after I got my daughter, but that one I do not think will work. Not only too young, but something is telling me that he isn't the one. This promising young boy will do, I think. I'll see how he is for a week and watch over him," he muttered. "This will be interesting."

And, with that decision made, young Howard was watched from afar for a solid week. Markus had his guards find out everything about him discreetly. What he found out, he really liked. He was told that Howard was exceptionally smart for his age, and he was very loyal when it came to keeping his word.  _Such a thing was rare. Especially to a boy that was going to become a Merchant._  He was right about the younger brother, too. Howard was far different than his family was as a whole, and it greatly impressed Markus. In the way it should have happened, Howard would have been spotted when Sarine was two years of age. But, in this dream vision, things were supposed to go as normally as possible.

When Howard was stopped by a guard and told to go to the palace, he was nervous.  _No one is simply told to go there unless it was either to be punished for a crime, or to get information._ He swallowed and nodded, as he moved into the main palace doors. He kept his hands at his sides to keep from touching things, and his lightly baggy, tan pants made small sounds when he walked. His shoes looked heavy, but were rather light on his feet. His white cloth shirt covered him just enough to leave his arms free. Markus was sitting in his throne of etched gold wood, rich purple seating and hand-carved designs of ancient dragons in play. He looked at Howard in thought, and he beamed at the young boy with a wave of his hand to urge him to come close. He stood up from his throne now, and the boy just looked at him in awe.

"I am here, Sir," Howard said in his youthful voice. He looked tiny compared to the tall stature of the Emperor, and Markus could only chuckle at it. Howard was only two feet tall right now, but he would grow much taller in time.

"That you are! And such a bright boy you are, too!" Markus grinned, as he nodded. "Come walk with me. I have something important to speak of with you."

"Yes, Sir," he nodded and followed him in a tottering motion.

"You are nearing a stage that you are going to train to become a Merchant?" Markus asked. "Or do you plan another profession?"

"Um, I am not really ready to train yet, Sir. Maybe in a couple more years. Being a Merchant is in the blood, Sir. I have a good eye for things. As Father tells me."

"That you do. Your name is Howard?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I am going to tell you a big secret, Howard. No one else can know until the time is right. Do I have your promise that you will keep this secret?"

"Of course!" Howard nodded. "I vow not to say a word!"

"Even if your life is threatened?"

"I will take this secret to my grave, if I have to, Sir."

"Good!" Markus said, as he was very pleased. "Well, Howard, have you heard any rumors of me having a daughter?"

"Um..." he thought. "Sort of. It's...something that I'm still unsure of."

"Well, the rumor is true. I do have a daughter. A very special daughter. I would very much like you to meet her."

"Really, Sir? Me? Why me?"

"Because, I know you are honorable. You are very different from the other boys I have seen. I know that I can trust you."

"Oh. Well, I would very much like to meet her."

"And you are so polite for your age! Nothing like your parents at all."

"I don't think I like my family very much," Howard admitted. "They do things that make me wonder. I want to be different from them."

"And you are," Markus agreed. "When would you like to meet her?"

"Um...can I meet her tomorrow? If she likes toys, I'd like to make her a present."

"Oh! That can be arranged! You can join us for breakfast. I will let the guards know to expect you. If you have problems appearing, I will have a guard ready to escort you to me."

"That may be best," he nodded. "Mother and Father always expect me to be there for breakfast with them. It gets boring. Ever since Timmy was born, they pay more attention to him than me. They never listen to me anymore."

"Well, tomorrow, you are my guest," Markus said. "A guard will appear to ask for you to join him. Your parents cannot refuse."

"Thank you!" Howard grinned. Markus walked him out and smiled. He knew he made the right choice on this one. Making his way to Sarine's room, he sat on the ground lightly and chuckled, as she moved into his arms to hug him. She was in a small, pink kimono that was comfy to wear and move in. Tiny slippers were on her feet, and he was overjoyed at how smart she was. Her straight, brown hair was kept tidy with the softest of brushes, and her soft, brown eyes shimmered with adoration. He knew she was special, and she never ceased to amaze him. He was even amazed when his mother introduced her to musical instruments, and she was starting to play them with amazing accuracy!

"Papa!" she said happily. "I missed you!"

"I know, my daughter. But, I may have found a friend for you! A special playmate! It's a boy who wants to play with you, and he's excited to meet you! He will be here tomorrow, and I will have him join us for breakfast," Markus said. "Tsurga, I need you to go the Alt-Eisen house tomorrow and escort young Howard here. First thing."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard nodded. This was Sarine's protector that he spoke to, and he would see to the order with maximum precision.

"A boy to play with? For me?" Sarine blinked.

"Yes. I picked him out, myself," Markus smiled. She beamed at him with her soft, brown eyes, and his heart soared with pride for her. Ever since the cloaked messenger gave her to him as a newborn, he had guarded her with his life. She was the best thing that ever happened to him.  _This is my daughter._ The rest of the day was spent with her.

The next morning, Tsurga went to the Alt-Eisen home and knocked on the door.

"Yes?!" Anthon growled with irritation. Then he gaped at the guard.

"I am here for Howard. By the order of our Lord and Emperor of Amatsu," Tsurga grounded out. "It was arranged yesterday."

"What did he do?! I'll flog him!" the man growled.

"Father, it's fine. I didn't do anything bad," Howard said, as he appeared already dressed to leave. "I agreed to have breakfast at the palace. I'll be back later."

"What? What's this now?" Anthon gaped.

"Much later," Howard sighed. He held a small bag with him, and he nodded to the guard. "Let's go. I don't want to keep the Emperor waiting."

"Right," Tsurga said with a small grin. He clearly liked this boy now. He was exceptionally smart for his age, and that had him wondering. He wasn't one of the guards keeping track of him, since his primary duty was to guard the princess. Nodding to Anthon, he turned, and Howard moved ahead of him quickly. When they got to the palace, he was escorted to a small dining room. When he saw Sarine, he stopped in his tracks and blinked at her.

"Howard! How lovely to see you! Come and have a seat," Markus said with a smile. "Sarine, this is Howard. He is to be your playmate."

"Oh?" Sarine blinked from her high-chair and beamed at him. "Hi!"

"Hi," Howard said. He couldn't stop staring at her.  _She was very pretty._  To adults, she would have been considered beautiful. His mind could only tell him that she was younger than him and very, very pretty. He was now incredibly happy to be her chosen playmate, and he would make sure she was always smiling. "I made you something."

"Really?" she asked. He nodded and moved to sit in the chair next to her. It was boosted up for him to eat at the table. Sweet rice and milk in a bowl was served to him now, and he took a mouthful of it before giving her the bag. He found himself swallowing another mouthful of the tasty food, and he smiled at her when she took the bag. She wasn't sure how to open it, so Tsurga helped her by undoing the knot at the top. She gasped with delight at the doll that was carved for her, and she took it out to start playing with it.

"You made her a doll?" Markus smiled.

"Yeah. It was something I had started, and I wasn't sure what to do with it. But, when you told me about her, I had an idea on how to finish it," Howard nodded.

"Thank you, How-How!" Sarine beamed.

"How-How? My name is Howard," he grinned.

"Um...well..." she frowned. It was still a bit hard for her to pronounce his name.

"It's okay!" Howard said quickly. "You can call me How-How."

"Okay!" she beamed at him again. He clearly didn't want to upset her. "So...do you want to play with me?"

"Of course, I do!" Howard nodded. Markus chuckled, and the breakfast continued with high-pitched gossips of questions and answers. Already, he could tell that the two of them were becoming close. Howard stayed all through the day and had to leave at sunset. Sarine clearly didn't want him to go, but he promised to come back in the morning. He kept his promise.

For five months, he spent his days the same. He would get up, leave with the guard, and play with Sarine. Their friendship was exceptionally strong now, and he made sure to bring her presents whenever he could. When his birthday happened, his family seemed to have forgotten about it, but Sarine had a small party ready for him at the palace. That made his bond with her even stronger. The days and nights seemed to pass by without any problems. Another month had passed without any notice of how fast it went by.

Then a storm happened in the night. He woke up from the booming crack of thunder and a flash of lightning. As he huddled in bed, something hit him.  _How was Sarine faring through this?_ The more he wondered, the more worried he got. He had to see her. He knew his younger brother, Timmy, could sleep through anything. But, he was worried sick about Sarine now. He knew that storms were rare in Amatsu, and this was likely her first storm. He dressed warmly and grabbed some sweets that he was saving for her. Once that was done, he crept out of the house with the lightning guiding his movements.

Outside, he braved the wind and rain to run to the palace. Even though he was sopping wet, he didn't care. _Sarine was all that mattered! I have to reach her!_

"Halt! Who goes there?!" a guard growled.

"It's me! Sarine's playmate, Howard!" he said. The guards knew he was special and had direct orders to let him come by whenever he wanted. They dropped their defenses, and they all nodded to let him pass. The head guard noticed how hard it was raining now.

"What are you doing out here?" the guard had to ask. "You're soaked to the bone!"

"I'm worried about her!" Howard said, as he ran down the hallway. He saw Tsurga holding her frightened form, and the nannies were trying to calm her down. Markus was even in the room and fretting on what he could do. Now he looked over at Howard, and he found the boy soaked and shivering slightly.

"Howard?!" Markus asked with pure surprise. "You came here?"

"I had to," he said. "Sarine? Are you okay?"

"How-How?" she whimpered. She was too young for him to feel her emotions, but he knew she was scared. Something made him fall to his knees and open his arms out to her. She let out some form of a high-pitched squeal, and she tore herself out of Tsurga's arms to run into Howard's. She sobbed, as he hugged her and comforted her. A towel was brought over by Tsurga to help dry Howard off a bit now, but the boy ignored it. His entire focus was on Sarine.

"It's okay. I'm here now," he soothed. Markus was gaping with shock. Everyone was surprised at this. She started to hiccup, and he giggled at her. He sat on the ground with her. "I have some sweets. Would you like some?"

"Sweets?" she asked. He pulled out his bag of candy and started to share it with her. She was easily warming his body up by huddling into him, and the towel drying did help a bit more. She would need another nightgown from the dampness of his clothes, but that thought was pushed aside. When another crack of thunder hit, she cringed, and he soothed her gently. Markus could only watch with pure wonder at how he was handling her. _It was almost instinctive for him to do this._ Tsurga and the nannies were completely mystified with the whole thing. When Tsurga judged that Howard was dry enough, he removed the towel to let the children comfort each other.

"Howard," Markus said softly.

"Yes, Sir?" he asked.

"Do you plan to leave at some point?" Markus asked lightly. At Sarine's frightened whimper and fearful gaze, Howard shook his head.

"No. I'm staying here. She needs me," he said. Markus nodded, and the nannies in the room were a bit disturbed.

"He is her playmate. She trusts him. I trust him, too," Markus said to calm them. "If your family asks where you are, I will have a message sent that you are with me. If they demand your return, it will be your choice in that matter."

"I may as well live here!" Howard frowned. "They stopped caring about where I go now, anyways! If Sarine needs me, I don't go anywhere!"

"Is that so?" Tsurga frowned.

"Yeah. They take the stuff I find all the time, too!" Howard nodded. "I'm five now. I know I'm supposed to be with Mother and Father. But, since I've been coming here all the time, they don't ask where I am anymore. They even forgot about my birthday! They care about Timmy more. So, they can care about Timmy from now on. I don't need to be anywhere else. I am needed here. I'm not leaving her alone to be scared."

"How-How?" Sarine frowned, and he hugged her. He was clearly not budging from her side. Markus was just amazed at his determination. After a bit of thought, he nodded.

"Set up a spare bed and get him out of those damp clothes before he catches a cold," Markus nodded. Howard was able to help Sarine back into her bed. Tsurga and the nannies took him aside to carefully dry him off thoroughly before setting him up with some clean, dry sleeping clothes. Sarine was done the same with a fresh, dry nightgown. When they all left, and the room was empty, Howard lay back in the soft mattress with a sigh. It was much better than his old bed, and it was easy for him to start falling asleep. Then he blinked, as he felt Sarine creep into the bed with him to cuddle into his side.

"Sarine! You need to sleep in your own bed!" Howard said with a hard blush.

"But..." she frowned and whimpered from another booming crack of thunder. He sighed and nodded to her. She snuggled next to him, and he put his arms around her. They slept through the rest of the night just like that.

In the morning, it was Tsurga that found them first. He paused at what he saw, and he moved to her bed to study how the blankets were settled. That was when he discovered that she left her bed to go to his. _Howard did not take her to his bed._  He nodded to himself with a small smile. He heard a gasp, and he turned slightly with a small grin at Howard's worried look.

"It's all right. She left her bed for yours, right?" he asked.

"Yes. I told her she shouldn't, but the storm still scared her," Howard frowned.

"It's fine. I'll explain everything to His Majesty. Just keep her safe," he said. Howard nodded and couldn't move if he wanted to. Sarine had effectively curled up on his chest and was sleeping quite deeply. He put his small arms back around her and sighed, as he closed his eyes to go back to sleep. When Markus heard the news, he was shocked, but he knew his gut was right about the young boy.  _He was important to Sarine._

In the end, Howard ended up living at the palace. He tried to live in his own home for another month, but it became a futile effort. Another storm saw to that, and his family never noticed he was gone. It was as though they had forgotten he had existed. Four years had passed without any incidents. He was everywhere with her. He escorted her during her outings to town. He protected her against any rumors or insults. He was clearly her playmate and a true friend to her. He even started to become known for being Sarine's chosen betrothed. He was delighted with the news, but Markus knew that there was one problem.  _Howard wasn't of a noble bloodline._ Many Chiefs and Lords from other towns and villages were becoming concerned. Even King Reginald from Prontera had taken notice of her and was planning to send his son to her. Sarine was a princess in many ways. Talk was being filtered of various young princes and heirs to start appearing on trips.

"Sarine," Markus said one morning over breakfast.

"Yes, Papa?" she asked. She had grown into a stunning young girl. The kimonos she wore only enhanced her physical beauty. Howard was only too happy to witness her growth. He was becoming a rather handsome young man, too, at nine years of age. It was also because of this that he was given his own bedroom, but it was adjacent to hers so he could help her if there was a problem. He was needed to help comfort her during each stormy night.

"The Prince of Prontera is going to be here to visit in a week," he said.

"Oh..." she frowned. "Any reason?"

"He wants to meet you," Markus smiled.

"I see," she shivered.

"Why?" Howard asked now. Tsurga listened from where he stood along the wall. He didn't like this bit of news at all.

"Well..." Markus said carefully. "my daughter is becoming a beautiful young woman. With her being a princess, she needs a special husband."

"You mean a prince?" Howard frowned. "I thought she was to be with me."

"As much as I want it to happen, Howard, you are not of noble blood," Markus frowned.

"That's a load of bull!" Howard growled. Sarine blinked at him. It wasn't very often that he spoke back to Markus like this.

"The others will not recognize you," Markus said.

"Then I'll have to find a way to become noble, won't I?" Howard thought.

"Sir," Tsurga said, as he stepped forward. "May I speak with him privately?"

"Of course," Markus nodded. Howard pressed a kiss to Sarine's cheek and followed Tsurga behind the palace. There was a hidden little lake here, and this was where Howard and Sarine would sit together when they wanted to be alone. Tsurga discovered them when he was looking for Sarine one day, but he saw they were always innocent with each other. Howard never needed to do anything more with her than to sit with her at her side and have his arm around her waist to hold her close. Howard had also taken to Tsurga like an elder brother. They were easily able to talk on normal terms.

"It's not fair, Tsurga!" Howard grimaced. "She's destined to be for me!"

"I know," he agreed. "Ever since the storm that night, I knew. I may know of a way that you can try to claim her as yours legitimately."

"Do you?"

"Yes. However, you need to start training, and that means time away from her. I heard, a rumor mind you, that the monster, Incantation Samurai, was a Warlord from the past. I'm not sure if he can help you or not, but everyone knows that Sarine is special. I'm sure His Majesty told you how she came to us. It won't be easy to confront Incantation Samurai, much less reach him. I could see about helping you get to him, but you need to train. You're not a proper Merchant yet, and it's time for you to start thinking about that."

"I'll worry for Sarine, though."

"I can protect her. You need to get stronger to protect her. You and I both know this."

"True. Okay. How long should I train for each day?"

"As much as you can. I know that, if you are away from her for too long, she'll worry. You haven't left her side for a long time. Since you both first met, if you think about it. Even more after that very first storm hit. You need to start pulling yourself away from her slowly until she is accustomed to it. Here. Take this. If anything happens here, it will vibrate," Tsurga said, as he handed Howard a small charm. "It's not much, but, if something is wrong, it will alert you. You can make your way back to her quickly."

"Thank you," Howard nodded. "I'll talk to her now."

Tsurga nodded and led him back to her side. She was in her room hugging the doll that he made for her. She was clearly upset about everything. Looking up at him, he winced at the look in her eyes.  _She was depressed and quite worried as to what was to come._  He sat next to her and pulled her into his lap to let her bury her face into his neck. She knew he was upset, too.

"What's wrong, How-How?" she asked.

"I have to leave you to train now," he sighed, as he hugged her.

"For how long?"

"Most of the day. My training will take on longer hours, surely, but I won't just leave you alone until I know you are okay. And, if those other guys show up, I won't leave you alone with them! You have my word on that! Tsurga will also protect you while I'm gone, so you will be safe. You'll be fine. Okay?"

"I will never be okay while you are gone."

"You must be strong for me."

"It's just not fair!"

"I know it isn't fair, but I have to!" he grimaced and squeezed her. "I have something that will tell me if you need me, though! The moment anything happens to you, I will know, and I'll come right back to you. I need to get stronger to protect you better!"

"I just...don't want to be...with any other..." she whimpered, and he nodded.

"I won't let it get to that point," he promised.

"You're my How-How!"

"And you're my Sarine!"

"I don't...want to be...with anyone else..."

"You won't," he whispered and rocked her. "I swear it."

"I don't want you to leave today."

"Okay. I can start training tomorrow."

"I...love you...How-How..." she said with a shiver, and he trembled.

"I love you, too, Sarine," he swallowed. She looked up at him now, and he pressed an innocent kiss to her lips. She blushed, snuggled into him a bit more, and he continued to rock her. Tsurga could only nod to himself.  _This boy was meant for her. It was clearly obvious._  The rest of the day passed with small, blushing glances at each other and small talk from her papa. In the early morning hours, Howard left to start training.

Six months later, the young noble boys from various towns, villages, and cities started to appear. Markus was told that they were going to arrive within the week he heard of them, but Tsurga had convinced him to postpone it. He wanted Howard to get stronger to protect her, and Markus had to agree with his insight. When the nobles and royals started to appear, Howard was made aware of this rather quickly by the blaring of trumpets in the early morning. He scowled at it and made no plans to train until they were all gone. He moved straight from his room to Sarine's room and found her in his arms. He was a couple inches taller than her up close, and she pressed herself into his chest.

"What's going on?!" she frowned.

"The idiots are here!" Howard growled. She cringed, and he kissed the top of her head gently. "I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry."

She only nodded and looked over, as Tsurga walked in grimly. His look confirmed everything, and he wasn't happy, either.

"They're not touching her!" Tsurga muttered. "My Emperor is talking to various leaders now. Their sons are waiting in the main room to meet her. All of them are not worthy of our Princess! I should say that she is ill!"

"Please do!" Howard nodded.

"How-How..." she whimpered, and he squeezed her to him.

"You belong to me, and I belong to you. We can go out to meet them, but I'm not leaving your side for anything. I'll protect you with everything I have," he promised. A gentle, innocent kiss was pressed to her lips, and she gave a hard sigh. They loved each other intensely, and Tsurga could easily tell just by how they gazed at each other. He was close to becoming a Merchant, but still a ways off. He was in his Novice gears, but was increasing in strength daily. He would have been training sooner, but he was with Sarine as her playmate.  _She always came first to him._  So, with him training now in so late of his years, he was quick to gain strength and endurance. He kept her hand in his gloved one, and Tsurga stopped him.

"Change your clothes. Put on a kimono with Amatsu's seal. The one you normally wear when you and our Princess walk the town in. I know that these pompous brats will try and take advantage of your late training," he warned. Howard smirked, but he nodded. He moved swiftly to his room to change. When he got out, he was wearing a light green kimono that easily matched his hair color. The Amatsu symbol was set over his heart in the same blue-green ocean color as his eyes. He looked a touch like a noble, but he still lacked the nobility of blood. Sarine moved to slip her hand in his, and he smiled gently at her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and another innocent kiss was given to her to help comfort her. She knew he was the only one for her. No other would do, and he knew it, too.

"Let's see what they want," he muttered. She nodded, and Tsurga checked his gear before leading them to the main room.

"And there is my daughter with her guard and protector," Markus smiled with a nod.

"Papa..." she trembled nervously, and Howard stayed in front of her.

"He's not noble!" a rather handsome, blond-haired swordsman with blue eyes scoffed. Howard already didn't like him, even before the royal boy spoke. He was wearing a shirt of deep purple with ruffles around the shoulders, and tight, black pants that shimmered of silk. It was clearly a regal look for him, but Howard was unimpressed. That seemed to irk the royal boy even more, and he wasn't used to that.

"Cedrick! Mind your tongue!" his father, apparently a King, said sharply. "My dear, I am King Reginald of Prontera. This is my son, Prince Cedrick."

"Oh..." she said with a soft nod. Howard curled back his lip slightly with disdain.

"It is an honor to meet you. I am Shoujin. My Father is the Lord of Louyang," another swordsman said with a topknot of brown hair and a small nod. She nodded back to him. As other boys introduced themselves, Cedrick was ignoring them all. He saw himself with a higher rank on being a true prince. He was completely smitten with Sarine's beauty and innocent grace. He also noticed how Howard never took his eyes off him once.

"So, Sarine," Cedrick mused, as he walked over to her. Howard pulled her behind him, and Tsurga even tensed with protective awareness.

"Don't you dare come near her!" Howard growled.

"It's just a question! Anyways, Sarine, why do you have such a commoner at your side?!" Cedrick asked. "He's clearly nothing to look at, much less someone that can protect you! Surely you can do better?"

"How-How is far more honorable than you will ever be!" she said with outrage. Now Markus looked over with a frown, but he said nothing. He wanted to watch it unfold. "How dare you judge who I keep in my company!"

"You disgusting, spoiled rotten jerk!" Howard scowled. "Where are your manners when speaking to a princess?! Especially one with ancient, royal lineage?!"

"Ruffian!" Cedrick hissed. "I am a prince! I am as royal as she is!"

"A princeling is more like it," he smirked. "And you as royal as her? I doubt it!"

"I'd challenge you to a duel, but only  _nobles_  and  _royalty_  can participate in them," Cedrick grinned knowingly. "Someone with poor blood like you can't qualify!"

"Doesn't mean I still can't smash my fist into your jaw to defend her honor!" Howard grounded out. He was about to make good on his threat, but Tsurga stepped in front of him.

"She should marry me! We should be betrothed!" Cedrick said arrogantly.

"I don't think so!" Howard retorted. "You won't protect her or care for her the way she needs it! You only like her, because she's a beautiful princess! You don't want to know her for who she truly is! Unlike you, she is beautiful on the outside and the inside. You are only skin deep! I bet you're as rotten as a Zombie underneath!"

"How dare you!" Cedrick gaped, as his temper flared. "I'll kill you for that!"

"Cedrick, that's enough!" Reginald snapped. Now his son looked at him with a wince.

"I was the one that chose young Howard to be her protector and playmate long ago. Yes, he is not of noble blood, but he is noble in heart and mind. My daughter and he are exceptionally close, and he protects her with everything he has. If Howard was of noble blood, he would be betrothed to her, and you would not be here! To know that such shameful things were said to my daughter has me very displeased! And it was all said in front of me, too," Markus said with a frown. Shoujin looked at Cedrick with a small smile and a shake of his head. The other boys seemed to whisper, and the prince colored up at some of them. Shoujin did desire Sarine, but he knew well enough to keep his temper in check. Now he knew that he may not even get the chance to speak with her again until later in his life.

"Let's get out of here," Howard muttered to Sarine.

"Please!" she nodded. Tsurga was all too eager to get her away from the young boys. Reginald apologized for his son's behavior and decided that he needed to grow up more before coming back. Now that Sarine was upset and flustered, the meeting with the others was cut short for them to leave. Howard held her by their small lake, and she was trembling and shedding small tears against him.

"I'm not leaving you until they're all gone," he vowed, as he hugged her to him.

"They were all...so mean...so rude..." she trembled.

"Shoujin showed some honor, but I could tell he was still not worthy of you," Tsurga sighed. "You don't belong with any of them."

"No. She belongs with me," Howard muttered. "It's okay, Sarine. I'm right here..."

He ended up staying with her for the rest of the month to ensure that none of the others came back. Only when he knew that everything was back to normal did he started training again. Several months later, he felt that something was wrong. His amulet didn't go off, but he simply felt that something wasn't right. He went back to Amatsu, and he paused at the sound of people coughing. He knew that an illness of sorts was sweeping through the town. He didn't realize how bad it was. Then he thought and paled, as he saw several doctors run into the palace.  _Sarine!_  He ran to her bedroom and paused again at the sight of her in the bed, unconscious and sweating like crazy. The doctors were giving her medicine, but she wasn't responding to it at all.

"The illness simply swept through all of us!" Markus grimaced. "Howard! You are not sick? How is this possible? Even I had symptoms!"

"I don't think I've been here long enough for it to affect me," Howard frowned. A doctor did give him an antidote just in case, but his concern was for Sarine.  _She was struck hard with it._  From how he saw it, he could almost swear that she was targeted for it with how severe it was.

"We have done everything we can," the doctor frowned. Howard grimaced and shivered.

"There is nothing else we can do?" Markus asked. Tsurga didn't know what to think.

"Well...there is a medicine called Pilule, but it's very rare," the doctor thought. "That may be the only thing that can cure her."

"Where can we find this?!" Markus demanded. In reality, Sarine was never offered this rare drug, since the Empress only told the doctor to give her the antidote they had.

"We can't. It can only be found in those purple boxes," the doctor frowned. Howard blinked and glared at the ground. Then he remembered other Merchants selling them in Prontera. He went swiftly to the town and bought several of them with all the money he had saved up. Taking the boxes out, he found a small section of town that wasn't traveled by very much and prepared to open them.

"Please give me the Pilule!" he fretted and opened a box. He pulled out a Poring Doll, and he scowled. Another box revealed a ruby. He winced and opened another for a basic shield. When he reached the last two boxes, he looked up at the sky and muttered, "Please! If there is anyone up there watching that cares about Sarine...please help me! If our Lord Odin is watching, please assist me! I'm begging! I'm praying to you! I need this medicine to save her life!"

As though in answer to his plea, the two boxes glowed. He stared at them in shock and opened them nervously. The golden pills that he needed were now his. He couldn't say anything. If he did, someone would likely try to steal them from him. He pocketed them and went straight back to Amatsu with the funds he had from selling the unneeded items. He went right into the palace and grabbed Markus's hand to press the pills into it.

"Howard! How...?!" the Emperor gaped.

"I prayed. I was answered. Make Sarine better!" Howard growled. One of the pills was given to the doctor straight away. The other was locked away in case it was needed later on. Right after the medicine was given to her, the fever broke, and she improved drastically before their very eyes. Then she sat up as though nothing was wrong. Howard was at her side, and he hugged her tight. Markus didn't know what Howard had to go through to get the rare medicine, but he had already proved his worth by a thousand-fold in his eyes.

"How-How..." she whispered weakly, and he kissed her forehead.

"I will always protect you. In sickness and health," he muttered. He cradled her with a sigh of relief and whispered, "I still need to get stronger, but I will always come back to you."

For a week he stayed with her to ensure that she was back to full health. Tsurga was clearly amazed with Howard, and he gaped at how Howard got the pills.  _Odin answered his prayer!_ Now he knew in full that Howard was meant to be with her. He would not want them to be separated for any reason.

Howard trained for three years after that. He would come back to be with her at night to reassure her before leaving the next morning. Then the fateful day came when he was training after reaching his Merchant title. He had just gotten his cart when the amulet vibrated. It only vibrated when Sarine was under some form of attack. It was the first time it did this. Everything he had planned for the day shattered. He made his way to Amatsu with the Kafra Agent services. It was nightfall now, and already he could feel that something was wrong.  _How was it nightfall so soon? Where were the stars? Or even the moon, for that matter?_ He set his cart aside to move faster. He knew he could get it back from the Kafra Agency. _This was important._ He made his way to the palace and paused.  _Something clearly wasn't right._

He went straight into Sarine's bedroom to find her huddled in a corner, and he approached her. She was shivering and trembling from head to toe. Now he stared at her in shock.  _I can feel her emotions. She's terrified._ On looking at him when he fell to his knees for her, she ran into his arms, and he cradled her. She didn't appear to be hurt, but the amulet actually felt the hostile spell being cast around the town. She was under a serious threat, and all Howard could think of was that he reached her just in time.

"How-How!" she sobbed, and he squeezed her.

"What happened?!" he asked.

"Papa! He's not right! I...I don't know what it is! But, he told me...that he didn't love me anymore...and...and..." she shivered.

"No. That's not right at all!" he growled. "Okay. Something keeps telling me that it's dangerous here. We need to get out of here now!"

"How? Even the guards are mean!" she swallowed. He picked her up, and she didn't realize how strong he was getting. He was fourteen and already started to show his strength. When he went to a window, Tsurga was waiting for them. He had just gotten back from patrolling, and even he had the same feeling that something was horribly wrong. It was just his luck that he saw movement in Sarine's bedroom from outside, and he made no hesitation to help.

"Come!" he urged. Howard nodded and handed Sarine to him.

"What do we have here?" a woman crooned. Howard turned to see the woman that was the source of the problem. "We have a rat. Such a thing needs to be caged."

"I doubt the rat will go willingly," Howard glared. He could feel how vile she was.

"And the rat is stealing cheese," the woman muttered, as she saw Sarine.

"Cheese unfitting for something lower than rot!" he growled. Now she was furious and called for the guards. Howard realized that she was controlling them. _The guards she called for were the same ones that used to call me a friend._   _They had no emotion in their eyes._

"How-How!" Sarine cried. She watched him duck under and around them. The only problem was that he was a Merchant. He was much slower than most people, but he was far stronger. Tsurga knew he needed to help him.

"Stay here!" he whispered to Sarine, and he set her down in a set of bushes. She nodded and waited silently. She found it odd that there was no moon out.  _There were no stars, too._ As she waited in the safety of the bushes, Tsurga made his way through the palace quickly. The woman had just gotten Howard pinned to the ground by the guards. Her back was turned. His sword flashed out and pierced through her spine to appear out her front. Her dying shriek was the last thing that came from her mouth, and the guards found themselves blinking awake. They looked horrified at what they did. They were even more in shock at the fact that they were attacking Sarine's chosen protector.

"Sir!" a guard gasped, as he looked at Tsurga.

"Release Howard!" Tsurga growled. "I just killed the one that had all of you under a spell! Check on our Lord and Emperor! Princess Sarine is hiding outside!"

"Yes, Sir!" the guards said, and let Howard up. He straightened out his clothes and ran outside to find Sarine. On finding her curled up in the bushes, he picked her up and hugged her tight. He was making no plans to move from her side for the next month. Markus was relieved that the woman was dead, and he promoted Tsurga to Captain for his efforts.

"What do we do with the body, Your Majesty?" a guard asked.

"Transport it away from here and burn it! If this one has done this to me tonight, I do not want this vile creature to have the chance to do it again!" Markus commanded. "I was also ensorcelled and forced to do things that I am not proud of!"

"If it wasn't for Howard, Sarine could have been in a lot of danger," Tsurga said.

"I know," Markus sighed. "I am fully aware of this."

"They need to become betrothed."

"I know that, too."

"He should be called a noble for saving her life!"

"You know my word alone is not enough!"

"Well, why not?!" Howard scowled, as he carried in Sarine. "I doubt that those other flippants would have done what I did tonight! They would have sent their guards a day later! I came here personally to protect her the moment something was wrong! They would have sat back, picked their noses, and scoffed at the whole thing!  _I_  am the one who guards her!  _I_  am the one who loves her!  _I_  am the one who needs to marry her! I don't care what the others think!"

"Howard," Markus warned. The young man was oblivious to the warning.

"No, Markus. I can't sit back and watch her go to some spoiled, snotty brat in rich clothes with a title!" he growled. Sarine gasped, and he crushed her to him. Tsurga was in shock that Howard referred to their Emperor by name as another equal. Markus paused at first with his own form of shock. Then he stifled a giggle. Tsurga thought and whispered to his Emperor.

"Do you think so?" Markus frowned. At more whispering, a gleam of hope seemed to appear in his eyes. "Escort him. Send a few guards with him. See if it's true."

"Yes, My Liege," Tsurga nodded. "Howard, you are going to join me and a few of my men to see Incantation Samurai. Are you up for it?"

"Yes. I am," he nodded. When Tsurga moved to start the mission, Markus stopped him and pointed at Howard. He remembered something, and it was going to make it a touch harder.

"However, before we proceed, we need to make sure the rumor is true. I know that Yuno holds a wealth of knowledge. You find the proof and bring it to me. Then I will allow it to happen. Understood?" he asked.

"Why can't I just go to the source?!" Howard argued.

"Because I cannot risk lives! That and, if the rumor is false, it will be a waste of effort!" Markus said. Howard tensed with anger, but he blinked when Sarine placed a hand on his cheek.

"Find out if it's true, How-How," she said gently. "For me? As much as I don't want you to go, it's apparent that Papa will make you go, anyways."

"All right," he nodded. "For you, I will."

He hugged her and sighed. He didn't want to leave her side right then and there, but it was far too important. _I need to get the information._  He kissed her cheek, set her down on her feet, and left quickly.

"Your Highness, you need to rest," Tsurga said softly.

"I will not rest until he comes back. He has been forced to leave me. Therefore, I will wait for his return," Sarine said, and she walked back to her room. The woman's body was already removed, and the place was cleaned up. She moved to sit on a floor cushion and hugged Howard's doll to her.  _No other will ever have a place in my heart. He saved my life. I want no other._ Tsurga had followed her to watch what she did closely. He saw her mind was made up, and he went straight to Markus.

"Sir, why are you having Howard do this?" Tsurga asked.

"I know that Howard is meant for her. Everything that he's done for her simply proves it more and more. But, he's not old enough for her. He's not strong enough. That and he needs the evidence. Not just for me, but for the others that question him, too," Markus sighed. "You remember how those nobles were! They challenged him! Well, that one prince did. Then when he put that one in his place, Sarine was questioned. Yes, Howard defended her, but he needs to prove that he will become noble. Only then will he truly put that prince, and those other noble boys, in their place. They will not be able to question anything further."

"I see," Tsurga nodded.

"As much as it pains me to see my daughter suffer in his absence, I have no choice. I must protect her reputation and his. The same thing goes for my own."

"I doubt it would matter in the end."

"Why do you think that?"

"They love each other. That's why."

Markus could only nod. He was told how the two of them confessed their love for each other a few years ago. He was actually quite pleased with it. As much as he wanted to show the world that Howard was to be with Sarine, he knew that it would all be met with scrutiny. He saw the other princes and nobles that appeared to see Sarine. He knew that Howard was right in his assumption of them.  _Howard had made it a point to be there. I saw how Howard defended Sarine when the young prince scoffed at her for taking a 'poor child' as a worthy suitor. He ignored the 'ruffian' name he was called when he berated the prince. He was protecting Sarine. He didn't care what others thought of him. It was what they thought of her that he cared about._

"And he is right," Markus sighed. "None of them would have come here, themselves."

"Sarine said that she would not rest while Howard was gone," Tsurga frowned.

"Did she really? I see," he nodded. "Just...be watchful of her. As always."

"Yes, My Liege," Tsurga nodded with a small, respectful bow, and he moved to stand guard over her bedroom. In Yuno, Howard was researching everything he could about Incantation Samurai. He was getting nowhere from how disorganized everything was. All that he could find was that Incantation Samurai was a powerful monster that resided in Amatsu. He knew there had to be more. Other scriptures pointed to a certain book that held more records, but he had no clue where it was.

"Oh, where is it?! Everything is so jumbled and out of order!" Howard scowled.

"Can I help you?" an assistant asked.

"I'm looking for references on Incantation Samurai," Howard said. "I'm from Amatsu, and I'm curious of the history. Apparently, there are hints that there is a specific book that holds more information about him, and that it should be stored here. If it's not here, then...well..."

"Ah! This way! We can check our references in the main index!" the young man smiled. As Howard moved to follow him, he paused, as a book seemed to shake itself loose from one of the highest shelves and fall to the ground. He had no idea how it could have happened, but, if he had God Sight, he would have seen that Muninn was the cause.

"Hold up," Howard said, as he moved to pick up the slender, dark red book. It looked fairly old and delicate. He flipped through the pages and blinked that the book contained everything he needed. "I think I'm fine. I found what I need. Can I take this book with me?"

"I can make a copy of the book for you," the assistant said.

"If you could? How much would it be?" he asked.

"Let me see...oh! We already have another book like this. You can take it," the man smiled, as he checked the library index. Once again, Muninn had a hand in it. Howard found it rather strange, but the book held all of the proof he needed. Now he had to get back to Amatsu quickly to show what he found. He literally ran back to a Kafra Agent and had her Warp him back to Amatsu. When he got there, it was nearing sunrise. He was walking to the palace, but he heard Sarine sobbing. He steered towards the sound.

Ever since the attack on her room, a secret exit was created to lead straight to the outside for safety, and it let her leave in an unnoticeable way. It was done swiftly while her room was getting cleaned up from the attack that was done just hours ago, and Tsurga pointed it out to her when she wanted to go outside without being seen. He found her sitting by their lake, and he sat by her to hug her tight. She had small circles forming under her eyes from exhaustion and worried crying.

"You're back?!" she shivered, as she pressed herself into him.

"Yeah. I found what I need. Why aren't you sleeping?" he frowned.

"I...didn't want to rest...until you got back..."

"Sarine..."

"I'm so...scared, How-How..."

"Don't be. I'm not going anywhere. I need to talk to Tsurga and Markus. I found a book to show them that Incantation Samurai could possibly help me. While I do this, you need to sleep. Don't worry. We  _will_  get married! We'll belong to each other."

"How-How..." she sighed, and he continued to hug her. _I'm not going to allow another man to steal her away from me._ He refused to think it was possible. Getting up with her, he led her into the palace. To his surprise, Markus and Tsurga were waiting for them. Tsurga never slept until Sarine did, and, even then, it was only for short naps. The moment Howard got back into Amatsu, he was notified, and the Emperor was roused from his bed.

"You have found proof?" Markus grinned. Howard nodded and showed him the book. He blinked his surprise and looked at Tsurga with a nod.

"We leave now. Your Highness, will you please get some rest? I will keep Howard safe," Tsurga vowed. "I will make sure he returns to you unharmed."

"On one condition," Sarine said.

"Yes, my daughter?" Markus asked.

"I want to be betrothed to him. Now," she said. Howard looked at her with surprise. "I had time to reflect on this, and this is what I want."

"Sarine!" Markus warned.

"No, Papa! You know very well, as well as everyone here, that How-How is to be with me!" she argued. " _He saved my life_ , Papa! Twice he did this! Once when I was sick, and another when I was almost attacked! Who knows what that woman would have done to me, if she caught me! And we love each other, too! Blood be hanged!"

"My daughter, I can't simply do that!" he winced.

"Sarine," Howard said softly, as he moved to gaze into her eyes. "Let me see what Incantation Samurai will do first. Let me learn what he knows. We will see what can be done when I come back, okay?"

"But..." she frowned. He kissed her fully now. It was soft and gentle, but full of love. Markus cleared his throat, but he knew that there wasn't much he could do.

"Let me do this for you. For us. I have come so far now, and I have proof! Let me talk to Incantation Samurai, and I'll come straight back to you. I promise," he whispered. She nodded now, and he hugged her to him.  _This was my girl I'm fighting to be with._ He led her back to her bedroom and made sure she was sleeping before heading to Tsurga. He nodded and said, "She's sleeping. Let's go. Before she wakes up to find me gone."

"You kissed her," Markus mused.

"She needed it," Howard grinned. That made him sigh, but he nodded, too. Tsurga had four of his best men suited up and ready to go. They left within the hour with plenty of supplies. They moved outside the town and descended into the Amatsu temple. They made their way through the tricky main floor, and Howard was handed anything he may need to sell.

"Howard, do you plan to advance?" Tsurga asked.

"Yes. I want to become a Blacksmith," he nodded. Now smithing supplies were given to him, and he chuckled his thanks. They made it to the lower area, and they fought their way through here. When they reached the underground shrine, they paused to look around first.

"Where do you think Incantation Samurai is?" a guard frowned.

"I don't know," Tsurga said. "I don't want us to spread out."

"Let's head to the back area?" Howard suggested. They all nodded and started to move.

"Odd. The monsters aren't attacking us!" another guard whispered.

"That's because I was expecting you," a boyish voice giggled out. The small, white-haired child in a black kimono padded out to meet them. The massive Samurai ghost that hovered over him hissed at them curiously. "Emilia told me about a young girl that may come to me with a team of Amatsu guards. Do you have her?"

"No. We did not bring a girl to you," Tsurga said. "I am Tsurga, Captain of the Amatsu Royal Guard. What girl do you speak of? Who is Emilia?"

"So, you are intruders?" the boy frowned.

"No. I came to seek you out personally," Howard said. "Please hear me out."

"Hmm. I shouldn't, but okay. There's something about you. Go ahead," he nodded. The guards were nervous, but remained vigil. Howard now explained his problem. Incantation Samurai thought of the whole thing, as he shifted the massive scroll on his back.

"So, you see," Howard sighed. "in order for me to marry her, I need noble blood."

"This girl you speak of. How did she get to the Emperor?" the child asked.

"A cloaked messenger brought her to our Emperor," Tsurga said.

"She is the girl! The special one!" he said with excitement.

"Is she?" Howard blinked. Now he told her of the strange woman that tried to attack her, and Incantation Samurai seethed with hatred. When Tsurga described how she was killed, Incantation Samurai clearly showed how pleased he was.

"So, she's dead! Good!" he nodded. "And I see that you will protect her, too. She is special, you see. She needs to be protected! As for your problem...well..."

"Can you help me?" Howard asked. He brought out the book to show him, and Incantation Samurai took it to read silently. They waited until the monster was finished. The massive ghost took over the body to speak out.

"I haven't seen this book in ages! It represents my ancient lineage, and it is more like a family tree to show my roots. Hmm. Since you found this as proof of my Warlord past, it is possible that I can help you. However, your body is not strong enough to handle my blood right now," he said. "I want to protect her, too. Through you, I know I can. Don't think I am not interested! I truly am. You simply need to grow more and get stronger. Tell me. Are there other suitors that are trying to vie for her affection?"

"Funny you should ask," Howard growled and described the other princes and nobles.

"Disgusting!" Incantation Samurai snorted. "All right. Take this. It's temporary proof of your nobility to me. It will be enough to allow her to be betrothed to you. Make sure she has this, too. If anyone tries to do her any harm, this will Teleport her right to me!"

"Thank you!" Howard nodded. He took the sacred sigil to pin on the front of his tunic, and he took the amulet he was given. The sigil almost resembled a long fang coated with blood. The amulet resembled a small circle of gold with a vibrant red stone in the center. It was attached to a slender chain. "When will I be strong enough for your blood?"

"After you grow a bit more. I would say, as a young adult," he nodded.

"When I am ready, how can I reach you?"

"Keep the sigil on you. You will not be attacked."

"I understand. I'll go now!" Howard said. The monster nodded and watched the party leave. He turned to see Muninn stepping out of the shadows. Ever since Howard prayed to Odin for the medicine, Muninn was allowed to assist in various ways in the background.

" _Don't worry. There is much that will be revealed in time. Just be patient, Incantation Samurai. Our Lord Odin is watching everything,_ " Muninn smiled.

"I worry for the girl," the monster admitted. The powerful man just nodded, rested a hand on his shoulder, and vanished away. In the town, Markus was overjoyed that Incantation Samurai gave Howard the proof needed to show he could be descended from an ancient lineage. He let Howard move into Sarine's bedroom, and she got woken up.

"How-How?!" she blinked.

"Sarine," Howard smiled and gathered her up to hug her tight. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she gasped, and he kissed her.

"I'll still have to train, but Incantation Samurai agreed to help me. He is a true Warlord, and he gave me his sigil as proof of my new heritage. And this is for you from him," he said, as he gave her the amulet. "If you are ever under attack, use that to go straight to him. He can protect you when something happens."

"Okay," she said, and he slipped it over her neck.

"In the morning, I'll need to train again. Right now, I'm not leaving your side," he grinned, and she hugged him tightly. He was now her betrothed, and the feeling was incredible.

Three years went by with no issues. He would go out to train and come back to her side every day. She had even started to gain a keen fondness for the bow, and she was allowed to start training as an Archer under Tsurga's supervision. When the day came for him to take the Blacksmith tests, he had to leave earlier than usual to ensure he would get it done. The only problem was that he didn't come back. He had met up with Seyren, as he was in Izlude. He was trying to find something good for Sarine, and he got caught up with the Knight. Then, in some strange circumstance, he forgot about Sarine completely. When the day turned to night, and he didn't return to Amatsu, Sarine figured that his test took longer than she thought and said nothing. A day turned into a week. Then it became a month.

"Where is How-How?" Sarine asked Tsurga.

"I don't know," he frowned.

"It's not like him to not come back to me," she frowned.

"I know that," he agreed. "Would you like me to send out a message for him?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea. If he's still taking a test...well..."

"Shall we continue to wait?"

"I guess so..." she shivered. He was worried for her now. When another month passed with no response, he noticed she was starting to skip meals. She stopped becoming involved with others.  _She was slipping away from us._  Her grandmother was clearly starting to worry, and she dropped her son a message about a man that was known to do missions for royalty. Markus knew it was time to do something.

"Tsurga," Markus winced.

"I have been watching her. What do we do, Your Majesty?" Tsurga asked.

"We need to find Howard."

"Do I search for him?"

"I need you here for my daughter. We will need to hire someone. I have an idea on who, thanks to Mother," Markus nodded. "Contact one by the name of Eremes Guile."

"Yes, My Liege," Tsurga nodded and left to send the message. After it was sent, he went to check on Sarine and found her by the small lake. She was gazing at it in her deep blue kimono. She looked exhausted. He moved to sit by her and she shivered.

"Anything?" she asked softly.

"We are going to have someone find Howard. This man is supposed to be very efficient with his work. Don't worry," he said. All she could do was sigh with a nod.

"I'm going to eat my dinner and go to bed."

"But it's not even sunset!"

"I'm tired."

"Your Majesty..."

"Just let me be," she whispered, as she got up and walked away. Tsurga moved right behind her. The worry was clear on his face. As she walked into the palace towards the kitchen, she didn't even look up to see the tall, lanky, blue-black haired Assassin in the throne room. He had responded to the call instantly on hearing that royalty needed assistance. His long, blue-black hair was like a slightly frayed cloak down his back, and he wore all black clothing.

"Sarine?" Markus called out. He spotted her moving from the kitchen to her bedroom with a small meal. The rice ball was clearly not enough for her, but it was all she would eat. Tsurga was simply at a loss for words at how thin she was getting. She looked over silently with a frown before turning away. Eremes looked at her in shock at how beautiful she was.

"She is unwell," Tsurga sighed, and he followed her to watch over her bedroom.

"As you can see, we need to find Howard Alt-Eisen. He is her betrothed. It's been two months, since we last saw him," Markus said. "She is barely eating. She is listless. If it is much longer, then I fear the worst."

"I see..." Eremes frowned with his deep, yet quiet voice. "I accept...your mission..."

"Thank you!" Markus smiled.

"No payment."

"Oh?"

"I like...a challenge..." Eremes mused. Then he walked out. He wasn't going to start his search just yet. He needed to get Howard's image, and he planned to talk to Sarine directly for that. There was something about her that clearly sparked his interest. No other had ever done that to him before. He needed to know why. He Cloaked and waited for nightfall to appear in full before slipping into her bedroom. He moved to her bedside, and she woke at the instinctive feeling that she was being watched.

"Who's there?!" she cringed.

"Someone who is to find your betrothed..." Eremes said in the softest of whispers, as he Uncloaked. "I am Eremes Guile. You saw me speaking with your father. He told me of who I needed to find...but...I need to know...what he looks like..."

"Oh!" she blinked. "Well..."

He listened intensely to the sound of her voice, as she described Howard. There was definitely something about her that drew him to her. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was incredibly jealous of her betrothed. Then he thought _. Couldn't I simply say that I was searching for the man, but not instead? It would give me more time to get her to trust me._  He would still do the mission, but he really wanted to see what else this girl was to him.

"Thank you. I have enough..." he nodded.

"All right," she said with a soft sigh. "Please find him..."

"I will do my best..." he said with a light shrug. Then he Cloaked and moved off. He had no intention of finding Howard right now. He wanted to get close to Sarine. His personal mission finally started.

For almost a year, he gave false reports that he could not find the green-haired man. With all that time, he continued to secretly court Sarine. The only problem was that he could never pierce her heart. She grew to welcome his presence, but she never budged past friendship. He did defend her when others tried to bother her, and she did appreciate it. It wasn't often that the princes and nobles tried to get her attention, but Eremes was quick to ward them off. Word was spreading that her betrothed went missing, and many of the young men tried their luck to replace Howard. She refused them all outright. Cedrick was kept from seeing her, and so was Shoujin. Only when the nobles and high-ranking young men stopped appearing did Eremes decide it was time to see if he could get a bit closer to her.

"Hello, Eremes," she said with a soft smile. She was sitting by the small lake, and he moved to sit by her. He knew that Tsurga seemed to be catching on to what he was doing. He was trying to remain calm about it.

"I am still unsure of Howard's whereabouts," Eremes frowned.

"I see," she cringed. "Then...I suppose it's time."

"Time?" he asked.

"To contact the other princes and nobles to let them know that...that I'm available..." she shivered. "Apparently...How-How is lost to me."

"What?" he frowned with shock.

"I am a princess. It is my duty to be with one of noble or royal blood..."

"I see..."

"So, I shall talk to my Papa about this now. Thank you for your help, Eremes. I know you tried," she said with a sad sigh, and she rose up to walk away. Eremes sat there in stunned silence, and he grimaced. He didn't expect this to happen at all.

"You had better find him!" Tsurga hissed, as he walked over now. "I refuse to see my Princess being sent away into the arms of those that will not care for her as she needs to be cared for! Incantation Samurai will  _not_  be pleased if he hears of this!"

"What?!" Eremes gaped. He was never told this part.

"You didn't know?! Howard was going to become an heir to a Warlord of the past! He would gain an ancient and powerfully royal bloodline! If Incantation Samurai finds out that our Princess is not going to Howard, he will be livid!" Tsurga scowled. "You  _have_  to find Howard! Now! Before it's too late!"

"Done..." Eremes nodded and bolted. Now he had to search as though his life depended on it. In the throne room, Markus was in shock at what Sarine was telling him.

"My daughter," he frowned heavily. "are you sure you wish for me to inform the other villages, towns, and cities that your betrothed is no more?"

"It's been almost a year, Papa," she whimpered softly with her heart aching. "How-How...I don't know where he is. It's like he's just...gone."

"Wait one day," Tsurga urged, as he walked up to them. "Just one more day. If Howard does not appear, then send the messages. But, please, just one more day."

"Why wait? I doubt it will matter in the end. I am not allowed to make any decisions for myself. So...what will another day bring, but more of the same sorrow?" Sarine frowned. Then she turned and walked to her room to lock the door behind her. The curtains were drawn over her window to keep daylight out and to seclude herself from the world. She declined anyone that wished to see her. Her papa was even declined, much to his surprise. She even declined her meals. As far as she was concerned, she was sentencing herself to a life of misery. An hour later, she would slip out the hidden emergency exit to her room to sit by the lake and mourn for the love she lost one last time.

Against Tsurga's wishes, Markus sent out the notices to the other kingdoms. The responses were instant. As the young bucks started to appear outside the palace to wait for Sarine's appearance, Eremes was in Morroc. He had heard of a green-haired man with a party approaching the town. He moved into the bar and waited. He didn't have to wait long.

"Are you sure, Seyren?" Howard scowled, as he walked in. Three women that were a Huntress, a Wizard, and a Priestess all seemed to chide Seyren, and he glared at them in a purely brotherly way. He was quite used to the banters at him.

"I'm thirsty as hell!" the Knight growled. "And don't snide me, Kathryne!"

"Why not? Every time you drink, we stop for you to relieve yourself!" she scoffed.

"And you always said we had to make good time," the Priestess clucked her tongue. "Especially since I know that Geffen has that promotion for the tower! And I need more bottles, too! But, if you want to get drunk at a bar first..."

"Come on, Margaretha!" Seyren winced. "Cecil, back me up!"

"Nope!" the Huntress grinned and moved to order at the bar. When Howard made his way over next, his eyes went directly to the Assassin staring at him with disbelief.

"Are you Howard Alt-Eisen?" Eremes asked, as he suddenly stood up to approach him.

"I am," he said. "Why?"

"You need to go to Amatsu! Now!" he hissed.

"What?" Howard blinked. "Why?"

"You have forgotten someone long ago. Something bad is happening!" Eremes urged.

"Howard?" Cecil frowned. Howard thought. Then he paled. Now he was shaking. A hand flew up to cover his heart, as he gasped. Memories of his betrothed rushed back to his mind. It was as though a cork was finally pulled after so long.

"SARINE! NO!" he cried out. Now he looked at Eremes with a form of desperation as he asked, "What is going on?! What is happening there?! What do you know?!"

"She thinks you're dead!" Eremes hissed. "She is having her father send out messages that she is available for marriage!"

"Ah! I promised her...I would go back to her...and now...!" Howard gasped, and he bolted for the nearest Kafra Agent. He even left his cart with them for now. He had no idea how he could have forgotten about her for so long. It was actually Odin that was held responsible for the memory loss. _Howard needed to find the others and get stronger._  It was painful for Odin to do, but it was needed. Kathryne and Margaretha were frowning, as they moved to follow him to Amatsu.  _Whatever got him this upset had to be important, and he may need our help._  When Howard got there, he snarled at all of the men waiting for Sarine to appear. He knew where she would be. As he moved past Tsurga, the Captain stopped him.

"So, the Assassin found you," he said.

"Yes," Howard nodded. "I came here as fast as I could!"

"Funny. He said he was searching for you for quite some time and could not pin-point you. Now I have to seriously wonder if he was holding out to get to know our Princess."

"What? Who are you talking about?" Howard asked with confusion. Tsurga informed Howard of everything, and the Blacksmith started to shake with rage. Then he forced it down.  _It will be dealt with later. Right now, I have to give hope back to Sarine._ He moved to the small lake where she was sitting at sadly, and he paused at the look of her.  _She was much thinner than she should have been. Her eyes were dark circles from lack of sleep and constant crying._ He swallowed and moved to sit next to her. He could feel the sorrow and pain coming from her, and he had to keep it from affecting him. She didn't even have to look at him to know he was there. The simple, familiar sound of him sitting down was enough to jolt her senses.

"You...came back..." she said lightly. Even her voice was weak.

"Yes. I did," he winced.

"You were gone for a long..." she shivered and forced down the tears. He pulled her right into his lap and crushed her to him. She sobbed with relief now, and he shed tears with her.

"I'm sorry!" he gasped. "I'm so...sorry..."

"How-How!" she whimpered, and he kissed her hard.

"I'll never again leave you like that! Never!" he vowed. "Never again!"

He rocked her in his arms and kissed her again. Then again. Each kiss he gave her was a branding to show that she was still his. He was still upset that he forgot about her, and she was upset that he never came back to her. After the tears dried out, he just rocked her and held her close. He knew she felt she was still dreaming that he was there. The familiar feel of his arms around her and the scent of his skin filtered through her mind. Just by hearing his strong heart beating against her ear while he cradled her finally reconciled her that he was back at last. Another long, loving kiss was given to her, as another form of proof. At the sound of voices, he looked up with protective alarm, but he relaxed when Seyren appeared with the others.

"There you are! Who's she?" he asked.

"This is Sarine. The Princess of Amatsu and my betrothed," Howard sighed and squeezed her to him when she clung to him. "I...had forgotten about her for some reason. After I passed my test to become a Blacksmith. I don't know why. But...I'm not letting her out of my sight from this point forward!"

"Are you a prince or something?" he asked. "You don't look like a prince."

"Ugh..." Howard grimaced. "I need to get to Incantation Samurai! I need his blood to become his heir! Then I can put those stuck up assholes in their places!"

"How-How?" she frowned.

"I'm going to have to leave you again..." he frowned back. She pressed her face into his neck, and he rocked her. She didn't want him to leave, and he didn't want to leave her, either. He looked up as Eremes approached them, and he glared with hatred.

"Eremes?" she asked.

"Sarine," Howard growled. "This man was not looking for me all these months. He was trying to get close to you."

"What?!" she gasped.

"It is true..." Eremes sighed. "But...I found him in the end..."

"Why?!" Howard seethed.

"Something calls me to her..." he said calmly in his deep, yet quiet voice. "I cannot explain it. But...I could not see her suffer so much..."

"He never hurt me, How-How," she said. "He did protect me from others at various times. I do trust him."

"But I don't!" Howard scowled. At her pleading look he relented and glared at the Assassin again. "Fine. You can watch over her while I find Incantation Samurai. But,  _don't you dare_  touch her! I mean it!"

"I vow," Eremes nodded. Howard kissed her once more before setting her aside gently.

"I promise you, Sarine," he whispered. "I'll be back as quickly as I can!"

"Okay," she nodded. Howard got up and gestured to Seyren to follow him. The Knight was completely bewildered at his friend's attitude. He had never known Howard to be like this. The girl clearly belonged to him, and he wanted to know everything. Once they left, she looked at Eremes with a sadness in her eyes. "Why?"

"Like I told him..." Eremes grimaced. "I...wanted to get to know you..."

"Even though I suffered?"

"I am sorry..."

"Promise me that you will not do that again, Eremes. I...I do value our friendship now. Just don't let me hurt like that anymore!" she trembled.

"I promise..." he nodded. He meant it, too. For an hour, they simply watched the waters of the lake in silence. It was something they had always done before. It felt different now. As though a small bit of peace had finally returned to them both. Under the Amatsu shrine was a different feeling. Howard was excited and anxious at the same time.

"Are you sure about this, Howard?" Seyren frowned.

"I left my betrothed alone here for almost a year!" Howard growled. "I swore to her that I would never leave her, and I did!"

"I wonder what caused you to forget?" Margaretha frowned.

"I don't know. But, it's not going to happen again," Howard vowed. "I've known her since I was four and since she was one. She's my childhood love."

"Wow," Seyren whistled. "That's very odd as to how you could have forgotten her!"

"It's as though something caused it," Kathryne thought aloud.

"You think so?" Cecil asked.

"Howard, was there ever a time that you called on a favor?" Kathryne asked. "From something powerful, maybe?"

"Um...yes! I prayed to Odin to help me find a cure for Sarine when she was sick! I needed the rare Pilule medicine to cure her. Ah...I had two of those purple boxes, and they glowed after I prayed," Howard said.

"They did?!" Margaretha gaped.

"I think we may have found out who made you forget," Seyren said. "But, that's done with. Let's find Incantation Samurai."

"Yeah..." Howard frowned. Now he was deep in thought.  _Could Odin have kept me from remembering Sarine?_  He didn't know. Then he paused and took out the ancient sigil  
to set back on its rightful place over his heart. He was still angry at himself for not realizing what it was, and he was still hurt that he had forgotten about Sarine. It was going to take time to heal. He already knew that, if he had to leave to train more, she was going to hurt if he didn't come back in time.  _I will have to prove to her that I will never leave her like that again._

As he led the others deeper into the tricky first floor, his companions were baffled that they weren't being attacked. The monsters simply saw Howard, saw the sigil, nodded to him respectfully, and went about their way. He answered them easily, "Incantation Samurai gave me his sigil. It's like a pass to me, you see. It keeps me from getting attacked. It shows that I'm trusted by him in his domain. Apparently, this goes to allies, too. Just stick with me."

"Right," Cecil nodded. They got down under the main floor and moved through the cave system to the underground shrine. The moment they walked in, Incantation Samurai was waiting for them. He did not look very happy. He actually looked like a father waiting for his son to return from a night out of camping or partying. Seyren knew that look rather well.

"Howard! What took you so long?!" the small child growled, as the ancient Samurai ghost hissed with impatience. "You should have been here months ago!"

"I was getting stronger and making friends," Howard said.

"Hmm. That's only half true," Incantation Samurai frowned.

"He forgot about Sarine," Seyren said. Howard glared at him, and the monster gaped.

"HOW?! There is no way that could have happened!" he argued.

"I know," Howard sighed. "I don't know how it happened, either."

"Well, you're here now," the monster muttered. "How is Sarine?"

"She was upset when she saw me again, since it was so long. But, she knows I'm there for her now. I need to get back to her quickly. Word was spread that I was killed, and now there are suitors trying to gain her attention again," he said. Incantation Samurai scowled at this and gestured for Howard to kneel before him quickly.

"Howard, with my blood I call you my new son. If you had any previous relations, you are severed from them as of now! My blood is of an ancient lineage, and you will no longer feel accepted among those lower than intensely royal, anciently royal, or old noble standards! Normal noble blood or basic royal blood will not be up to par with you from this point onwards! Accept my blood now and be my new heir!" Incantation Samurai said sharply. He cut his finger on his Masamune sword and gave Howard the precious drop of blood. Seyren watched his friend gasp sharply, as the monster's blood coursed through his system. It overrode a bit of his human blood and changed it to accept the more intense monster part of it. Seyren's jaw dropped, as an ancient form of royalty and dignity infused itself into the Blacksmith. When Howard rose up, he gave off an aura that simply dared any to challenge what he was now.

"I'm ready to find Sarine and make her mine," Howard muttered with an air of unrivaled dignity. He held the proper tone of challenge and daring acquisition. He was of an ancient line of royalty now and had the proof from the very aura he gave off. He was ready to put the other royals and nobles in their place. Margaretha simply nodded to him, and Kathryne was grinning. Cecil smirked, and Seyren gave a haughty laugh. Incantation Samurai gave a knowing grin.

"Remember. If anything happens, you have the ability to call on me now," the strong monster giggled. "I look forward to seeing new family!"

"The moment she becomes pregnant, I'll call for you. Or, maybe you can be there for the wedding. We'll see what happens," Howard smiled. Incantation Samurai gave a fond squeeze to his arm in a fatherly way and sent them back to Amatsu.

As Eremes was about to wonder where Howard was, he heard others approaching. He Cloaked to get ready to ambush, if he had to. It was the Prince of Prontera with the heir from Louyang. They found their way to the small lake where she was, and they stared at her with shock. They were always childhood friends, but that was going to change quickly. She looked so lovely and dainty where she was that they lost all other train of thought.

"Neither of you are allowed here! Go wait with the others!" she said, as she paled.

"Wait with them? They are swine compared to us!" the prince boasted. "Do you remember me, my dear? I am Cedrick! I have come to finally make you my Queen!"

"Honorless dog!" the heir of Louyang growled. Then he turned to Sarine and said softly, "I am Shoujin, if you have forgotten."

"I am not honorless!" the prince scoffed.

"Cedrick, she is far more suitable to be my bride than yours! I hold far more honor than you! Not once have I ever treated her with disrespect! You hold more shame than anyone that I know!" Shoujin said with a touch of protection for her.

"What do you mean by that?!" the prince scowled.

"You disrespected her when you first saw her! You're going to do it again like the child you really are! You know nothing of true honor!" the Oriental youth argued.

"Why you!" Cedrick seethed and swung a fist at him. Sarine never saw such violence before, and she cringed. She hid her face in her robes to shield herself. Eremes suddenly Uncloaked and had his katars out to be used. He stepped in front of her quickly to shield her even further from the brawling men.

"Leave. Now. Only warning," he growled lightly. The two young men looked at him with gaping jaws. They knew who he was. Then they saw Tsurga walk out with his arms crossed over his chest. He was clearly close to being livid. Then they both turned, as someone cleared a throat. Howard had returned and was fully successful in receiving Incantation Samurai's blood. A profound sense of royalty and ancient honor seemed to radiate from him now. Shoujin sucked in a breath. He found himself outclassed and at a loss for words.

"Step away from my betrothed. Now!" Howard growled with an air of defiance and royal challenge. Both men were floored and did as he asked. He gave a curt nod to Eremes in thanks for protecting her. Then he nodded to Tsurga, who was grinning like a mad man. When he moved to Sarine, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her off to the palace. He gave her a warm, loving smile, and she reflected the same smile to him. He was concerned at the weight she lost, but he wasn't going to let it bother him right now. He would see to it personally that she would gain the weight back and get her health back under control.

"Where are we going?" she blushed.

"Well, you need a few more years on you before we can get married," he chuckled. "But, first thing's first! I'm going to prove to the others trying to court you that you're mine."

She blushed even more, and he set her down next to him. All of the men in front of him were gaping with shock, and Markus was quick to move to his side. At his very presence, Howard turned to nod to him with an equal status.  _Amatsu was known for ancient royalty._

"I see you are of royal blood now," the Emperor mused. "My Mother will be pleased."

"Good. As to the rest of you, this princess is my betrothed. If any of you approach her without consent, you'll die. That is all," Howard smirked. Then he kissed Sarine passionately to make the men before him gape and scoff with jealousy. When Howard glared at them, many couldn't hold his stare and left. Those that tried felt outclassed by the ancient royal honor that empowered him now. He was a level above them all, and they could say nothing. His companions even showed that they were ready to defend him, if they had to. They bore witness to Incantation Samurai giving Howard his blessing, and they saw him receive the precious drop of blood. After the rest of the men had left, Howard looked at Markus with a small grin.

"The moment she comes of age, you'll be married," Markus nodded.

"I look forward to my wedding day," Sarine smiled.

"I am looking forward to the wedding night..." Howard muttered in her ear. She blushed crimson, and he grinned wolfishly at her. When this was said, and he took her into the palace, the dream vision finally came to an end...


	156. Chapter 156

Howard had Sarine locked in a long kiss of intense passion. _That was the way it should have been._   _She would have belonged to me alone. I would have been able to give her the triplets then from Sammy's blood._ When he started to tug off her gown, Kiehl cleared his throat, and Howard looked at him with a touch of annoyance. Then he remembered.

"Right..." he shivered, and he pushed aside the need for her. Muninn quickly unfroze and refroze time to bring in Odin, and a crushing weight filtered around them all.

"My daughter, my Vessel, please come to me," Odin smiled. "She shall be returned to the three of you, her True Mates, shortly."

"What?!" Kiehl asked.

" _My sister must be prepared for her wedding to you,_ " Muninn chuckled. Now Howard, Kiehl, and Naght looked at him with disbelief.

"A ceremony?!" Howard asked.

"Now?" Kiehl blinked.

"Why...?" Naght asked.

"You three are her True Mates. It is needed," Odin chuckled. "If the three of you could call witnesses to this, who would you choose?"

"I don't know," Howard frowned. "I'd choose Seyren, but, well..."

"Loomin, most likely. Maybe Beelzebub, but it's risky all around," Kiehl thought.

"Emperor...Markus..." Naght hissed.

"Ah! A prime witness indeed! And very much needed!" Odin grinned at this.

"Her papa!" Howard mused.

"He would work," Kiehl nodded. "The others will likely know in time, but they will want to be with her, too, if they saw her like this."

"She...is...to...be...ours...tonight...!" Naght growled.

" _And you are correct in that,_ " Muninn nodded gravely. " _It is needed._ "

"The others will see the dream and know in time," Kiehl nodded. "Right now, this is for us. We can have Markus here as a witness."

" _I did let him see the dream vision as a dream. So, he knows what is expected. I shall bring him here. Is this acceptable, Father Odin?_ "

"Yes! Bring the Lord and Emperor of Amatsu here!" Odin said. "Now, my daughter, my Vessel, let us have the ceremony in my main hall!"

"Oh!" Sarine blushed. She found herself in an elegant bedroom and suddenly fawned over by various Valkyrie maidens. She was moved into a tub and scrubbed thoroughly before having her hair dried and coiffed in elaborate designs. Then jewelry and makeup was applied to her before they started to set her in a dress. They thought about removing Beelzebub's necklace, but they realized it made a stunning piece to go with the dress and left it. As this was happening, Kiehl, Howard, and Naght found themselves in another room with Muninn.

"Where is Sarine?" Howard frowned.

" _It's bad luck to see a bride before the wedding,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _She's being prepared, as we speak. Don't worry. It won't be much longer._ "

"What will happen to my status with her?" Kiehl asked.

" _It will remain the same. The only difference is that you three will have an actual ceremony with her. I'm sure the others will be mildly jealous. Keltin will not be very pleased, but he will understand why it happened. Let her comfort him first when he learns of this._ "

"Got it," Howard nodded.

" _And this is for you,_ " Muninn smirked and handed him a tux.

"Oh, do I have to?!" he groaned. Kiehl laughed, as Howard became human, and Naght rumbled out his amusement. Muninn could only laugh with them now.

"I think this is one of those times that you should," Kiehl grinned.

" _Considering how my sister is going to look, you'll want to look the part,_ " Muninn smiled softly now. That made Howard stop complaining straight away.

"When does this start?" Howard asked, as he dressed in the tuxedo.

" _Within the next few minutes. Are you three ready?_ " Muninn asked. When Howard nodded, Kiehl straightened the bow tie, and Naght chuckled.

"Let's go," Kiehl said. Naght rumbled his agreement, and Muninn led them up to Odin's throne. It was here that he had them stand, and he pointed towards the massive double-doors of gilded gold. When they opened, all three grooms paused with silent shock. The first thing that appeared was the procession of Valkyrie maidens to line the aisle. The Valkyrie from Valhalla and her sister warrior from the fields of Odin Temple were the next to appear. Then, to their surprise, Storm Caller was seen coming towards them. He was a last minute decision, and he was honored to finally grace the halls of the one he praised and communed to.

"Storm Caller?" Howard blinked with surprise.

"I know. I am just as surprised, but I would not miss this for the world," he grinned. "You may call me your 'best man'?"

"Definitely!" Kiehl grinned back, and the powerful Strouf moved to the opposite side of the throne. "You would think that Sarine's grandmother would be here."

"We feared the shock of her being here would have ended her life sooner than we liked," Storm Caller sighed. "She is, herself, a very wonderful woman for her age."

Howard gave a small chuckle, and Storm Caller gave him a look that made him smirk. Now they looked down the aisle and caught their breaths. Odin was escorting Sarine on her left and Markus was on her right. She was dressed in a gown that flattered her form and seemed to make her float over the very ground she walked on. It hid, yet revealed, her features so perfectly that it was making them cringe with want. It shimmered with various iridescent colors and enhanced her beauty to a point that it hurt them to simply take their eyes off her. She was utter perfection, and the three grooms were just in awe that she was being wed directly to them.

When she was brought up to them, Markus stepped aside, and Odin moved to stand in front of his throne. He watched the three, eager groomsmen calmly and with a touch of mirth.

"Now, let us proceed! Howard Alt-Eisen! Kiel D-01! Naght Seiger! Do you three truly wish to be wed to my daughter, my Vessel? Do you three vow to always protect her through her health, illness, or weakness? Do you three vow to never betray her or do her any harm?"

"I vow," Kiehl said sternly.

"I vow," Howard nodded with determination.

"I...vow..." Naght hissed out.

"Do you three vow to love her, despite any circumstance? Do you three vow to always remain at her side in any fights? And, do you three vow to always claim vengeance for her, if wrongful ways are done to her?" Odin asked. Once again, the three vowed, and he looked at Sarine to say, "My daughter, my Vessel, they vow all of these things. What do you say to them? Speak now and let them know your thoughts."

"Howard," Sarine smiled. "I have always loved you the most. At first. Then Kiehl made himself known, and I have grown to love him as much as you, as he is an extension of you. Naght, I have come to love you as much as them, too. As much as I love the others, I will love you three the most. You three are my True Mates. I have no doubts that we were all destined to be together in one way or another. As much as it would pain me to never have known my other husbands, mates, or slaves, you three are permanently entwined in my life from this point forward. I am very...happy that...this has happened..."

"Sarine," Howard smiled, as he felt her joy. "The moment I laid eyes on you, I just knew that you were meant to be for me. I have been there for you the moment I held you close. I will never falter my love for you, and I will never give up my place at your side."

"Sarine, I don't know where I would be right now, if you had never come into my life," Kiehl swallowed. "I will kill anyone and anything that would dare to try and hurt you!"

"There...is...no...other...for...me..." Naght hissed. Odin nodded his approval and placed a hand on her shoulder. She trembled slightly, as her body was purified. Now Kiehl gave out a small, guttural growl. _Virgin blood._ It called to him to possess her. Naght gave an eager hiss, and Howard blinked at the change in her scent now. He didn't notice it before. Naght's blood wasn't awake in his system for him to realize how potent it was.

"Be gentle with her!" Odin warned. Kiehl trembled with control and nodded. "However, before I leave her in your hands, there is one last wedding gift I would like her to have."

"And that would be...?" Howard asked.

"The knowledge of her birth mother," Odin said. Now Sarine looked at him with shock, and Markus was intrigued. Storm Caller looked at Odin now, and even Muninn was a bit surprised. Odin sighed, as he continued, "Her name was Penelope. She did not come from your world, but from another, you see. She was a Divine figure of Light, and she championed heroes in need. A true warrior woman of old, she touched my heart when she prayed for assistance against a throng of enemy strongholds. It would have been a losing battle for her, if she did this on her own. I aided her, myself, with my sons, Thor and Loki. She fought with the gods. She fought well. When the battle was over, we commented that her offspring would be as championed as she was. It was then that she informed me that she could not have children from an old battle wound that rendered her sterile. It was actually a magical curse, but it was done so long ago that it could not be lifted or healed.

"Muninn looked ahead and informed me that her child would be the one to assist me with the war. Her child would become my Vessel. So, as she begged me for assistance, I begged her to allow me to help her create a child. She agreed, and thus, Sarine was created. I was able to invoke her fertility to an extent. But...her body could not handle the child birth. When she was rendered sterile long ago, it wounded her body in such a way that it was too much for her. I promised to protect the child I created with her. To this day, I have kept my promise."

"Daddy!" Sarine whimpered, and he hugged her. Now Odin focused and brought forth Penelope's soul to stand before her daughter. Howard, Kiehl, and Naght stared with complete shock and disbelief. The woman before them was proud, honorable, and just. She was incredibly beautiful and benevolent. Her hair was a soft, light brown and straight. It reached the floor and was tied back. She held the same soft, brown eyes that Sarine had in her youth. She wore a soft, green gown, but her body was completely different from what they thought it would be. It was slender, delicate, yet hardened from fighting various battles.  _This was Sarine's birth mother._ There was no doubt about it.

"My beautiful daughter," Penelope crooned out. Even her voice was utter perfection. "I gift to you my battle armor. Your father has it. When the time comes for you to wear it, do so with honor and just pride!"

"Yes, Mother! I will!" Sarine promised. Penelope smiled warmly at her men and nodded with devotion to Odin. When he nodded back, she vanished back to the Hall of Heroes to sit with the others that waited to assist with the coming war.

"There may come a time that you will fight alongside your mother. If but briefly," Odin mused. "I shall hold your battle armor until the time is right for you to wear it. Right now, you have a set of triplets that are waiting to come into existence!"

"Yes, Daddy," she smiled. Markus gave her a tight hug now and smiled greatly at her.

"I shall look forward to seeing my future grandchildren," he said.

"It will be an all-girl pregnancy from what I know," she giggled.

"Truly? Well, this will be interesting!" he grinned. She could only smile and found Kiehl moving close to her to pull her against him possessively. He had waited long enough. She blushed again, and they found themselves back in the underground grove.

"Remember, Kiehl," Howard muttered. "she belongs to all of us."

"I know," Kiehl tensed, as his Bragging Rights flared out. Naght snorted, but he waited.

"So, is virgin blood as potent as I thought it would be?" she asked.

"Far...too potent..." Kiehl admitted. He was sure that, if she was older in her dream visions, the strong monsters she encountered would have wanted to lay claim to her right away. Right now, it was time for him to finally lay claim to her.

"Unwrap me?" she asked. He growled, and their little game started. Howard was possessed by Naght when the demon went back to his tower to come forth through him. Now he was helping her undress, and she was removing his tux. Kiehl's movements got more frantic with each piece of clothing that was removed, and Naght gave out a hiss of impatience through Howard. Then he stepped back to let Kiehl lay claim to her. He set her on the floor, and she shivered with a form of submissive need at her powerful First Mate.

"I'm making you mine! Watch me as I do so!" Kiehl snarled, as he placed himself over her. Sarine gave a soft whimper and cried out from the pain, as he thrust up sharply into her. He locked her gaze with his, as he claimed her. He held himself there for a moment and moved to bite down on her neck. The moment he did that and heard her other cry, Naght moved Howard's body quickly to possess her with Kiehl. She was lifted up into a sitting position and claimed without any further delay. She gave out a small squeal of brief pain from the double mating. She cried out again at the other bite done to the opposite side of her neck. In this brief moment, the three of them joined minds to ensure that it was as though they were all merged as one. They only took two swallows each of her potent virgin's blood before it dwindled to normal, as they released in her. They both pulled away, and Howard was gasping when Naght released him to come back. Kiehl wasn't sure what to expect, as he moved away from her to let her rest. Her virgin blood empowered them to a whole new level, and the feeling was incredible.

"Sarine?" Howard asked. She seemed to shiver at first, and Kiehl swallowed after he Healed her neck. Now she looked at them both with a touch of amusement.

"And why did you both stop?" she asked.

"What?" Howard blinked. Kiehl looked at her and started to hang his head with laughter. Naght had come back from his tower and seemed to chuckle.

"You heard me! This is my wedding night with you three! At no point are any of you supposed to stop! So get back to it!" she growled. Kiehl hissed and gasped when she attacked him now. Howard found himself getting pulled to her next, and Naght gave her his essence when she looked at him. It wasn't until much later that Kiehl gave a soft sigh.

"You think so?" Howard frowned.

"Yes. Sarine. We were going to tell you something before the dream vision happened," Kiehl said, as he sat up. She looked at him, and he pulled her into his lap.

"I'm listening," she nodded.

"On the morning that Howard and I had you together while you were still pregnant with Keltin's twins and Aliot's twins...well...we had gotten you pregnant on the spot," Kiehl said grimly. "The morning after our wedding night."

"Huginn took you over quickly to stop the triplets from forming. Muninn had to freeze time for Odin to come and halt the triplets from fully forming with a specialized stasis," Howard said bleakly. "We were warned that, if you ever learned of the stasis or the triplets..."

"They...would...have...grown...fast..." Naght sighed.

"So...that's why no one could say anything?" Sarine blinked.

"Yes. We wanted to! Oh, we did! But, if you learned about them, you would have been giving birth to seven kids!" Kiehl winced. "It could have killed you or caused intense pain!"

"It's also why Eremes offered to wait for his children with you," Howard said. "To let us go first so that we wouldn't have to have you go through with all the waiting."

"So, all this time..." Sarine paled.

"Yeah. You had our triplets in you. It's...also why you were craving to see us and needed our blood. It was from them," Kiehl said. Now her jaw dropped, and she started to shake. Everything started to piece together for her. Kiehl hugged her tight, and she started to sob with a form of relief that she finally knew everything.

"Every time...Kiehl and I...have you...together...you'll get pregnant!" Howard hissed, as he hugged her with Kiehl. "But...when you are already pregnant..."

"It's safe?" she asked with a shivering whimper. "For you both to be with me?"

"Yes," Kiehl said. "It is."

"Hmm..." Naght thought, and Howard looked at him. Then he left to get Ifrit.

"Sarine, we're not done. Naght and Ifrit need to get you pregnant with their daughter now," Kiehl whispered. "We need this done."

"Okay," she nodded. She was still recovering from her shocked surprise that the three babies she lost long ago were safely back inside her and waiting to grow.  _My husbands, mates, and slaves were keeping them safe with me._

"I told you...we would get them back..." Howard shivered. She turned to him now with a soft, heart-wrenching sob, and he crushed her to him. "They'll start to grow...after you give...Maya Purple and...Drago...their eggs..."

"I...don't want to...lose our babies...ever again...!" she cringed.

"You won't," Kiehl promised. "From this point forward. None of our children will ever be lost to us. We won't allow it to happen!"

"Ifrit..." Naght hissed, as the fiery monster appeared with him. "Hurry..."

"Sarine?" Ifrit asked with worry. She looked up at him with a frown, and he reached for her. She snuggled into his heated embrace and gasped, as he and Naght merged their essences within her. Once they knew their offspring would form with the other three babies, Ifrit nodded to Kiehl to give her back to him.

"She'll be fine, Ifrit. She's just...relieved that she knows everything about the triplets now," Kiehl sighed. "She needed to know."

"She is safe now?" Ifrit asked.

"Yes," Kiehl nodded. "In the early morning, we'll bring her back to the bedroom for the others. Right now, she really needs us."

"I understand," Ifrit nodded. "It is getting colder. I worry for her body heat."

"I...will...help...her..." Naght hissed.

"I still have control over Fire, too. Don't worry," Kiehl chuckled. Ifrit nodded at this and decided to wait just outside the underground grove entrance. He didn't know if his heat would be needed, and he didn't want to chance being away from her. He felt oddly protective, since it was purely his essence with Naght in her now. It was a powerful instinct that couldn't be ignored.  _I have to be at her side for this pregnancy._

"So...when would my babies start growing?" she asked.

"After Maya Purple and Drago get their eggs from you. Likely by tomorrow, you'll have the Demonic Mating, and the eggs will start forming. Once you give birth to them a day later, our daughters will start growing," Kiehl said. She nodded and sighed. Howard moved to help cradle her in his arms, and it was something she truly needed. He knew she was still shocked that she was going to have their lost triplets again.  _This time I'm going to be there for her when she needs me. This time I know they are going to survive._

"Don't worry," Howard muttered against her neck. "I'm not leaving your side for anything. Regardless of the situation. I am making sure of that!"

"I don't know if I'll be able to work on much, too," Kiehl sighed. "I had heard that our triplets will be wanting us close constantly. It's something that we just can't help. Are you feeling all right, love? What do you feel that you need?"

"Just...both of you...and Naght..." she sighed.

"Ifrit likely won't be needed until his and Naght's offspring becomes aware. Love? Are you hungry right now? Thirsty?" Kiehl asked.

"Um..." she thought and looked at Howard before growling and biting hard into his neck to feed. He gave a sharp cry of shock, and Naght realized it was the triplets demanding their blood bond. He went back to his tower to come back out through Howard to give her the blood she started to crave in full. She took down three swallows of the now potent blood and drew back. Kiehl winced and Healed Howard just as she turned to sink her teeth into his neck next. He took a deep breath for control to let her feed, and he Healed himself right after. Naght returned from his tower and rumbled to her.

"Feel better...?" Howard asked a bit weakly.

"Sorry, How-How..." she cringed, and he smiled as he hugged her tight.

"Don't be," he smiled and placed a hand on her belly. "Triplets. Our triplets. I've been wanting to say that for so long now..."

"Should have been our first ones..." she whispered. "I just find it odd that I haven't felt my belly take them yet. Normally, I do."

"They could still be in a form of stasis until the eggs are birthed for the others," Kiehl frowned. "We can see if Hyegun can sense them. He always could."

"He...?" she blinked.

"Yeah. It's how we knew what other cravings you had. With the rare roasts and our blood," Howard muttered. "He almost told you when he heard them the first time. Loomin had to stop him before something bad happened. Remember? Before Keltin and Hyegun had you together after Hyegun became a husband? Loomin asked to talk to him privately."

"He heard them...and..." she seemed to go into another state of shock.

"It's why Muninn couldn't share his blood with you at first," Kiehl sighed. "The stasis may have shattered. It's also why Doppy had to sing to you on occasion, too. And why you liked to hear tunes from Donnie. It...helped calm them down within you. Donnie didn't know about them. No one else could know..."

"All of this...you all knew...and..." she cringed, and Howard hugged her tighter.

"I'm sorry, Sarine!" Howard shivered, and she snuggled into his embrace. "It should never have been like this! We should never have lost our children to begin with!"

Kiehl now blinked at the memories she revealed to them of how the pregnancy started, and Naght paid close attention. Howard's eyes got wide, as he gleaned them. The lack of a period and the feeling that something special had happened. They saw her experience the unknown pains two weeks later, as her body started to reject them. She showed them how she had fought to keep her little lives alive within her. Of course, she didn't know it was triplets then, but she did everything she could to try to help the pregnancy thrive.

Then Howard felt the crushing despair, as her next period happened, and it was much heavier than it should have been. Now they all felt her mental anguish and disbelief that her pregnancy had failed. They felt how she believed she lost everything that Howard could have given her before he left for Lighthalzen long ago. They saw how she struggled to cope for two months until she forced herself to forget to move on.  _It was the only way she could survive and keep herself sane._

Naght roared with outrage, as Kiehl seethed with a form of control. Howard could only rock her, as she sobbed. There was a reason she couldn't think about it fully right now.  _She was incredibly afraid that she would lose the triplets again..._

"You won't lose them!" Kiehl hissed, as he pressed himself against her. "I won't allow it! None of us will! Never again will you lose any children!"

"I honestly think...that this will be...my hardest pregnancy..." she admitted. "Because of what happened before...you know?"

"I'm not leaving your side," Howard vowed. "I don't care if it seems like I'm stealing you. This was  _my_  pregnancy with you that you lost!"

"How-How..." she shivered, and he kissed her hard. Naght snorted with agreement and looked up towards the entrance of the cave.  _It was becoming lighter outside._

"We need to go back," Kiehl sighed. "The others will start to worry."

"Her dress is gone, but the nightgown's here. Okay. Sarine, we need to dress you," Howard smiled. "And I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her passionately.

"Triplets!" he said with excitement, and she found herself blushing. Kiehl chuckled and adjusted his glasses, as he finished dressing.

"Howard, your tux is back to your clothes again," he grinned.

"Well, that's one bit of good news. Other than triplets!" Howard grinned, and Sarine blushed a bit more. He was purposely trying to keep her happy. When they finished dressing, Kiehl scooped her up and made his way out to the grove. He found Ifrit keeping the air warm specifically for her. He nodded his thanks, and they moved back to the bedroom. Before they walked in, Howard muttered to her, "See to Keltin first. Muninn said for you to do this."

"Oh? Okay," Sarine nodded. When the bedroom was reached, she was moved into the bed, and she woke Keltin with a tight hug.

"Hmm?" Keltin smiled and yawned. "Sarine? Is everything okay?"

"Well..." she started with a sad smile. That got his attention instantly, and the others were quickly roused and gathered.

"What happened?" Eremes frowned.

"I was just with Kiehl, Naght, How-How, and Ifrit," she sighed. "And...I learned of my hidden pregnancy..."

"Oh..." Thanatos winced.

"Is everything all right, My Lady?" Errende frowned.

"It is now. I just never realized how bad it was to keep it hidden from me. Now that I know, I understand. I just...wish it never had to happen. Um, I also had a dream vision with How-How, Naght, and Kiehl, too," she said.

"Of what?" Doppy asked.

"Of what it would have been like if I met her properly long ago," Howard said. Small gasps and wary glances were given all around.

" _Allow me to help you all,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in. He focused lightly, and the dream vision was now shared with the others.

"I think I'm going to kill a few humans. Especially that idiot prince," Doppy hissed.

"I actually...kept myself...from doing a mission..." Eremes said with disbelief. "I feel ashamed...very ashamed..."

"It was a dream, Eremes," she smiled. He still grumbled a bit, but he walked up to her and kissed her deeply to show how much he loved her.

"Still. That was unprofessional of me," he said. She ran a hand over his cheek, and he sighed. Kissing her again, he went back to the wall to lean against it.

"There was something else that happened after the dream vision, too," she said.

"Oh?" Loomin smiled. Sarine looked at Keltin and hugged him tight. This had them all puzzled. When she whispered to him, Beelzebub looked at her with shock.

"A formal wedding?!" the Demon Lord gaped. "In Odin's hall?!"

"Yes," Kiehl nodded. Now Keltin realized why she was hugging him. He always considered himself Sarine's first husband. With Howard having the ceremony with Kiehl and Naght, he felt that he was no longer that rank with her.

"Am I...still your first husband?" Keltin winced, as he hugged her back.

"Yes," Sarine smiled with a soft nod. "You are my Guardian and my first husband. Without you, I likely wouldn't be where I am today."

He kissed her hard and found himself giving in to what she needed. Then the others realized that she was safe to touch, and she was able to sate them all.

"What happens now?" Drake asked.

"Sarine will need to take blood from Muninn to get a Demonic Mating started. She may need to nurse the children first. After she nurses them, I'm sure it will happen. Drago and Maya Purple will need to take part in this," Kiehl chuckled. Both slaves looked at each other and nodded. "But, she also didn't get much sleep, either."

"I was up all night," Sarine sighed.

" _I can freeze time to let you get enough sleep,_ " Muninn said.

"As much as I want that to happen, I can't," she frowned.

"Why?" Howard asked. Then he blinked at her thought, and he cringed as he said, "Sarine, love, nothing will happen to the triplets in the time freeze!"

"There is no reason for you to be worried," Kiehl said gently.

"I told you...this pregnancy...would be the hardest..." she whimpered. Sammy moved to her side to hold her and whisper to her. Then he thought.  _I need to change the subject to help her remain calm, and I think I know what to talk about._

"Howard, come here," he said.

"What?" the Whitesmith asked, as he walked over.

"Let me give you some of my blood directly. Think you can handle it?" Sammy grinned.

"Some of your...oh..." Howard blinked and started to grin. "You think it's needed?"

"Oh, yes," Sammy smirked. Doppy cracked a grin, and Loomin was laughing quietly. Keltin and Hyegun glanced at each other with wider grins. Eremes found himself thinking and nodding with amusement. Thanatos and Beelzebub looked pleased. The slaves seemed to snicker among themselves.

"Now, if this puts those two royal retards in their place, I'll be one happy dead guy!" Ragged Zombie grinned. That got many of the men laughing. Sarine blushed and thought.

"You want to give How-How just a drop? Or have me help give a full mouthful?" she asked. "In the dream vision, you just gave a drop, but that was when he was human."

"True. Let's do a mouthful," Sammy nodded. Sarine moved to position herself on him, and Byorgue helped give her access to the blood at Sammy's neck. He gasped, as she pulled the mouthful, and Howard moved to receive it quickly. When he swallowed it, he felt that ancient royalty filter through him. He stood up tall and grinned. Everyone recognized the aura that filtered from him now and it was unmistakable.

"It worked," he mused. Sarine blushed at him now.

"I should get that, too," Kiehl chuckled.

"I don't need it," Doppy grinned.

"Count me in for some blood?" Eremes smiled. Keltin decided to opt for it, too.

"Okay, now I know how Sarine feels," Sammy muttered, and more laughter started. Kiehl, Eremes, and Keltin were now given the blood, and Sammy was able to Heal himself to rest. Hyegun did think about it, but he was fine as he was for now. There was no need for it, but he knew her cravings were kicking in. He gave a warning sign, as Sarine sighed and blinked at an intense craving. Loomin was quick to ensure the slaves were ready.

"Rare meat!" Thanatos said.

"Yes!" Howard nodded. A rare roast was brought to her, and she tore into it happily. Then she wanted her hot, cold, and in-between meals, and those were brought to her. She didn't ask for cookies or tea. They were sure it would come up later on. Then she craved a spicy dish, and it was decided to try and merge a few of the meals together.

"We'll get Bianca to help make some recipes," Eremes smiled, as Sarine fell into a deep sleep after eating so much.

"She may be sleeping a lot, too," Howard sighed.

"Rather sleeping than getting sick," Kiehl smiled. Everyone agreed to that.

"How long do we let her sleep for?" Errende asked. Sammy was meditating on a floor cushion to monitor her dreams.

" _Time is frozen. When she wakes, time will resume,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _And, when she wakes, I will give her my blood._ "

"All right," Doppy nodded. Howard was still human and seemed a bit baffled by it. Kiehl didn't know what to make of it, either, but they both agreed that it was from the triplets. Eremes was a monster, but he would become human when nightfall came.

"Muninn, why am I still human?" Howard asked.

" _Ah! You will change back when she wakes up,_ " Muninn nodded. Kiehl chuckled at that, and Naght seemed to acknowledge it. Doppy was still a touch livid about the humans from her dream vision. He wanted to kill something.

"Doppy?" Loomin asked him, as he looked at him.

"Hmm?" he responded from where he sat on the chair.

"What's up?" Loomin asked.

"Pissed," he muttered.

"Tell us something we don't know?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"True," Doppy grinned wickedly. "Oh, just thinking about the royal asses from the dream vision. The nobles, too. I want to kill them."

"You and me both..." Eremes growled softly.

"We could hold a royal event," Beelzebub thought. "A ball here. On the island. Royalty and nobles only to attend. Any that challenge us will be a free kill."

"Or any that look at Sarine?" Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"I like that," Howard smirked.

"Count me in," Kiehl mused.

"We should ask Sarine," Keltin said.

"My Lady should be included in this," Errende nodded.

"Likely after the Demonic Mating," Maya Purple said.

"Preferably after," Drago agreed.

"It would make sense," Pharaoh chuckled. Osiris and Amon Ra were already grinning.

"Shall we spread the word?" Byorgue asked.

"Let's wait until Sarine wakes up," Loomin said. "In the meantime, we should prepare her meals. How are the children?"

" _Time is frozen, but they are still sleeping. They may not wake up until she does,_ " Muninn said. " _As for your idea about a ball, I do believe that it will happen. However, Howard and Kiehl are not to leave her side for any reason. And I do mean_ any _reason! The triplets within her may not be growing, but they are painfully aware of everything around them._ "

"He's right," Hyegun frowned. "They aren't happy right now, as it is."

"Why?" Thanatos asked.

"They aren't growing! They have to wait a bit longer for the eggs. Ah...Thanatos put your hands on her now!" Hyegun gaped with wide eyes. Thanatos moved swiftly to her side and placed his hands on her belly just as Sarine gave a wince in sleep.

"What happened?!" Aliot asked.

"Kiehl! Howard! Get on either side of her! Naght needs to be present, too!" Hyegun hissed. "These triplets are incredibly demanding..."

Howard and Kiehl had to set themselves up on either side of Sarine's sleeping form, and Naght hovered closer to the bed to let his presence reach her. She gave a soft sigh of relief and seemed to slip into a deeper sleep. Then she turned and snuggled against Howard's chest like she always did long ago. He blinked at this and looked at Kiehl.

"Yeah. We don't leave her side," Kiehl muttered, and he sat up to remove his overcoat and tunic. Aliot took them from him, and Howard gave over his tunic and suspenders.

"Think we can take a break from making defenses?" Howard mused.

"Vesper is doing well enough, as it is. We need to help our triplets, as well as the offspring from Naght and Ifrit. Oh, guys. Odin showed us Sarine's true birth mother."

"He did?!" Beelzebub gaped.

" _Here,_ " Muninn said and allowed Penelope's image to come forth for them to see. Shocked looks and gasps of awe were all that could be given.

"A true Warrior," Loomin said with soft respect.

"Nothing like that other!" Hibram growled.

"Don't think of that thing!" Ragged Zombie scowled.

"What did Sarine look like in her wedding dress?" Evil Snake Lord asked, as he placed a sheet of paper on the ground with his mouth. Muninn nodded, and the image changed to what Sarine looked like. Now there was a speechless silence all throughout the room.

"I..." Doppy blinked and looked away.

"Amazing..." Eremes sighed. Evil Snake Lord was quick to put the image to paper and included color. Another paper was set on the floor and a black and white version of it was done. Byorgue carefully lifted them up and set them aside.

"Thanks," Kiehl smiled.

"Stunning. Absolutely stunning," Loomin said with amazement.

"Now when do we get that treatment?!" Keltin muttered.

" _I'm sure something can be arranged in time. Maybe after the last two strong monsters are collected,_ " Muninn hinted. Now Hibram and Beelzebub looked at each other, and Doppy nodded in thought. Naght and Ifrit seemed to chuckle.

"Father will want in on this," Baphomet Jr. thought aloud. "To bear witness."

"Everyone will," Howard nodded. "Until then, let's focus on the other two monsters we need to find. What do we know about them?"

"Lady Tanee is located near a town called Ayotha. Gopinich is near a town called Moscovia. That's really all I can sense," Keltin frowned. "We won't know more until we go there. I can lead us towards the monsters, but not the town. Even then, we need to be in their dungeons for it to work."

" _I can handle that,_ " Muninn nodded. " _Finding the monsters is up to you, but I can help with the towns. I can even direct you to where the dungeons would be._ "

"Good. We'll need that sense of direction," Kiehl nodded.

" _We could take the ship to Moscovia, though. If you wanted to take the kids along safely. It is something you could consider,_ " Muninn smiled.

"That would be a good idea. Not the youngest four, though. The others, sure. I can see that. Well..." Keltin frowned.

"As long as they are protected..." Eremes said. "My kids...after all...with Moon and Sun...so...must be protected..."

"Those Valkyrie gals will be with them," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"I think they'll be protected," Loomin mused.

"I may remain on the ship," Entweihen chuckled.

"I can leave a few Hell Flies," Beelzebub said.

"Good. Think tomorrow, after she births eggs, we should go?" Maya Purple asked.

" _That would be the best idea, unless something changes,_ " Muninn nodded.

"We'll stick with that plan," Howard said. "Sarine should sleep for another two hours."

"Heard and noted," Eremes agreed. Muninn had time come back, now that the main talk was over. The slaves moved to start preparing meals for her and the children. Doppy and Loomin conversed softly on what they would do at the future ball. Sammy was quick to start meditating to monitor Sarine's dreams. Keltin still looked a touch upset, but Muninn did hint that something may happen for the rest of them. He would have to hope that it was true. Kiehl kept silent watch over Sarine, and Howard decided to take a small nap with her. She had moved over his body completely, and he couldn't move if he wanted to.

At a knock on the door, Doppy answered it to find Seyren there.

"Any plans for the day?" he asked.

"A lot," Doppy nodded. Loomin and Eremes moved to talk to him and inform him on what happened. Seyren was floored at the wedding that took place and was intrigued by the dream vision that happened. Muninn let him see everything to make him feel that he was there. Seyren was lightly upset that he wasn't present for the wedding, but he understood why. He was in full agreement with the ball.

"If it happens, I'll help play body guard. If Karla doesn't need me," Seyren growled.

"Good. We may need it..." Eremes nodded. Ifrit hissed, as he kept the room warm, and Howard grumbled softly when he blinked awake. He had become a monster again, and Sarine was yawning while she stretched.

"Hey," Howard smiled. She smiled back at him, and he kissed her gently. "Ready to eat and feed the kids?"

"Yes. I am," she nodded.

"Triplets!" he said with a childish giggle, and she blushed. Thanatos had moved aside when Howard fell asleep, but he remained close in case Hyegun said that he was needed. Sarine was led into the bathroom first to get scrubbed down carefully and dressed in her Sniper gears. Howard, Kiehl, and Naght all had to be near her. The moment she left their side, they were called for quickly. Naght was clearly disturbed by this, but he was also warned. They took her into the nursery where Sun and Moon were already waiting for her with hungry whimpers.

"I'm here!" Sarine cooed to them, as Muninn brought them to her. She was settled in her rocking chair, and he sighed, as she nursed them.

" _After they nurse, you will need blood from me,_ " he said gently.

"Okay," she nodded. Howard and Kiehl sat on one of the nearby couches and were swarmed with kids. Now they were able to play with them and answer all of their questions.

"Going to school today?" Howard grinned at Serenity's nod.

"Yah! We get to learn about our skills and stuff!" she giggled.

"Very good," Kiehl smiled and tickled Deagan lightly. "How are your glasses?"

"Still on," his son smiled. His silver hair got tussled slightly, and Juliana was snuggling into his chest. Keltin was holding his twins and glanced at his son curiously.

"What is it, Bernard?" he asked.

"Just this, Dad," Bernard giggled and held out his palm. A spirit sphere appeared, but he added a touch of his inner Rage to it to magnify the power. Keltin's jaw dropped, and Doppy looked over with a massive grin on his face.

"Don't you dare throw that!" Sammy warned, as Loo Shin and Ming settled in his lap.

"I know, Dad," Bernard nodded and let it vanish away as quickly as it appeared.

"And how did you figure out how to do that?!" Keltin scowled at him.

"Um...Trina suggested it?" he grinned. Now Trina was looked at, and she blushed.

"I just asked if he could put them both together," she giggled. Now she squealed, as she got tickled, and Gunther gaped at Doppy's wicked smirk. The older kids were snatched up and tickled mercilessly to tire them out a bit. Sarine just smiled and shook her head at the sharp peals of laughter that happened around the room.

"Oh, Serenity," Howard grinned after he finished tickling her and whispered.

"REALLY?!" she squealed with joy. "My sisters are almost here?!"

"Maya Purple and Drago need to make eggs in her first, but, yes. They are in your mom," Howard laughed, and he got hugged tight. Alexander gave a small mutter, as he spotted the arena's Kafra Agent coming up to the house. Beelzebub looked over now and gave a look of irritation, as he gave over his twins to be nursed. Eremes held his twins, and Ifrit moved to help him hold them. They were clearly immune to all forms of heat, and it pleased Ifrit to no end. Doppy looked over at Beelzebub and frowned.

"What's going on?" he asked, as he held Gunther and Bianca.

"Kafra Agent," Beelzebub growled. That made Doppy snort with hatred.

"No rage!" Sammy said quickly, and the demon cleared his throat to curb it. He had forgotten who Sarine was pregnant with, and that she could not be around any negative behavior.

"Errende, put your hands on her belly. Just in case," Hyegun said. The slave nodded, gave Angela a squeeze, and let Thanatos take her up while he held Edward. Angela looked over at the little Draco and giggled at the protective growl she gave off. Not only did the rare dragon act as a cute monster, but she was fiercely protective of the kids and the nest. When the kids weren't able to play with her, Drago was silently instructing Draco on proper dragon etiquette. The other two baby dragons were also in the nursery, too, and they learned from him when they had to.

"What does the Kafra Agent want, Dad?" Edward frowned.

"Someone is requesting to fight one of us," Thanatos said.

"I'll take care of it," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Please do," Sarine sighed, as she rocked Proserpine and Stolas. "And these two are done. Eremes, dear? Hand me Elenor and Joseph, please?"

"Here," Eremes smiled. He gave over his twins, as Beelzebub gathered up his to help burp. Stolas looked at his father and grinned a toothless smile.

"What?" Beelzebub mused.

"Dad!" he said. That got small bits of chuckles and laughter all over the room.

"That's right," Beelzebub purred affectionately, and he let his children snuggle into his shoulders while he held them. They soon started to give out their small purrs, and those dwindled out when they fell asleep on him. He enjoyed holding his offspring. Entweihen was busy keeping his children preoccupied. They were still bound to the flower stalks. The kids loved to play peek-a-boo with them by hiding under the large, red petals beneath the babies. Sarine had to finish nursing the other four kids, and she was able to do so rather quickly. Right after they fed, she fixed up her top and sighed with a bit of exhaustion.

"We need to let her get blood from Muninn," Howard said.

" _I'm right here. I have her,_ " Muninn smiled. He moved to sweep Sarine off her feet and carry her out of the nursery. Howard and Kiehl were quick to follow them. Hyegun looked over at Naght to nod, and he moved to hover with them. Her pregnancy was so intense with just the triplets alone that they all doubted they would let her feed off of Muninn in peace. Their assumptions would be correct.

When Muninn sat on the ground nude with her, she gestured for Howard, Kiehl, and Naght to get as close as possible. That even surprised Muninn. Normally he stopped all of her cravings, and so did Kiehl.

"I think it will be this way until the triplets start to form," Kiehl frowned.

" _You are correct!_ " Muninn blinked. Then he hissed when Sarine settled on him, and he opened his neck for her. When she settled to feed, he slipped into the pleasuring loop. Howard looked at Naght and seemed to nod. He was going to try leaving. When Naght went to hover away from her, Sarine made a small, plaintive whimper, and he was quick to get back to her.

"We can't travel with her, if she's going to be like this. We will need to wait until the triplets start to grow," Howard grimaced. "How is her Demonic Mating going to work, if she needs the three of us at her side?!"

"I don't know," Kiehl muttered. "Beelzebub, if you're listening, discuss this at length with the others. Let us know what to do."

"Markus wanted to witness this Demonic Mating. The only thing is that it isn't a normal one. What do we do about that?" Howard asked.

"I don't think Markus should see this one. It would have to be the next one. Unless we get him now, but he would need to understand that, normally, she would run on her own. We could tell him how it normally worked. I'm a bit stumped," Kiehl admitted.

"Well, if we want to get Markus involved, now would be the time to do it. Let Beelzebub know so he can appear. Maybe he can help keep others out," Howard mused.

"I'm sure Beelzebub is doing that right now," Kiehl nodded.

"Time isn't frozen, either," Howard thought. "Muninn normally freezes time!"

To their shock, Sarine finished feeding quickly. This was why Muninn didn't freeze time. Her triplets in their stasis had already absorbed much of his blood from her previous pregnancy. Loomin walked in now to study her, and Muninn was Healed.

"As we agreed earlier, we are not traveling until the eggs are created," he said. "The triplets are extremely agitated, and will always be agitated until they start growing in her. Howard? When she's ready to start running, you need to stand with me. Errende will also need to stand with us. It may be the only way to help keep them calm during the Demonic Mating."

"What about Markus? What do you think?" Kiehl asked.

"As long as he stands away from the others and with Sammy to spectate, it will be fine. No soldiers should be present with him. It can only be him," Loomin advised. "Should soldiers and guards be present, it may be seen as a threat."

"Will the others know?" Howard asked, as Sarine leapt into his arms. She was becoming a purring, growling mess, as her body got warm, and now Kiehl glared at her with a hiss. She seemed to look at him with amusement, and she nuzzled into Howard's neck.

"Ah, Howard, run with her! Quick!" Loomin urged. The Whitesmith blinked and peeled out of the bathroom, as various demons, husbands, and mates stared at him. He got outside with her, and she had him stop outside the house with a mental thought. She clearly didn't want to be apart from him, and he could feel that she was starting to suffer without Kiehl and Naght.

"Kiehl..." he sighed. His brother appeared and walked to her side to nuzzle her. Naght hissed, and now the demons conversed. Muninn was next to her now, and he looked at the males. Then he glared at the sight of Elric, Kavach, Shoujin, and Cedrick. Ragged Zombie came back from the arena and was quite pleased with how he did. But, it was the reaction that Cedrick and Shoujin gave to Howard now that made him smirk.

"How are you so royal?!" Shoujin asked with disbelief.

"Stand down from my wife!" Howard snarled, as he pulled Sarine to him possessively. Kiehl was giving off the same aura now, and he glared with hatred at them. When Markus appeared, Sammy gestured for him to stand away from the others. When he saw how his daughter was, he became concerned, but Sammy explained how it was going to be very different from her usual ones. At this, Markus nodded, but he was still frowning. When Sarine gave out a keening, plaintive, needy cry, the males that were going to fight for her snarled and hissed.

" _Howard, run!_ " Muninn suddenly growled out, and Howard was quick to do so with her in his arms. Kiehl roared out his rage at her getting pulled from him and darted after her. The others snarled and quickly followed suit. Sarine used her skill of Wind Walk on Howard, and he ran faster in his monster form. She continued to snuggle into his embrace, and he was just barely able to reach the hole in the ground before the others could catch up to him. He was not as swift as Sarine was, and now he fully realized what she had to go through each time. The only problem was that he was slow enough for all of the humans there to make it into the Demonic Mating chamber. This included Kavach.

Markus was simply amazed at how fast everything was going. Sammy had warned him that such a thing was going to happen, but he didn't believe it. Then he muttered, "I haven't run like this in years! I don't think my kimono can take it!"

"Be glad you aren't competing," Sammy chuckled. "And kimonos aren't bad, if you know how to move in them. Right, Nigel?"

"Very true!" the slave chuckled. "I don't dare try to become my Nine Tail self during this. I don't know how the competitors would take it. We're almost there. Just stand back with us, and you'll be fine. Normally, she'd run by herself. Howard isn't fast enough with her."

"Obviously!" Byorgue snorted. Markus was just amazed at what his daughter had to do at each Demonic Mating. When they got to where the others had stopped, Sammy held up his hand to keep Markus back, and a warning glare was given, as well. No one knew what to expect.

"Remain silent. Just watch," Eremes muttered, and Markus nodded.

Sarine glared at the males, as she snuggled even more into Howard with a seething hiss. Then she blinked and cringed. Kiehl seemed to pale and ran over to grab her from Howard. Thanatos growled and moved next to place his hands on her belly at Kiehl's Demonic mutter. Errende was called for to help. The triplets were furious and needed to be sated quickly. Kiehl growled out in Demonic, and Naght moved close to let his presence calm the triplets. His offspring with Ifrit would remain silent until they were all ready to grow.

" _The triplets within her will not allow Kiehl, Howard, or Naght to stray far from them,_ " Muninn said, as he reached them. " _Shall we allow them to sit this fight out?_ "

"I must fight," Kiehl growled. "As long as I can reach her platform to help her, it will be fine. I will not allow myself to miss a Demonic Mating!"

"We must fight," Maya Purple said, and Drago snorted out a hiss of agreement.

"I want to fight..." Thanatos muttered. Sarine gave a thought to Kiehl, and he laughed when he growled out her suggestion in Demonic. At this, the hole in the ground was activated, and they all moved down it. Loomin was already waiting there, and he was told what was going to happen. Markus was now led down the stairs that appeared, and he was in shock of what the underground chamber looked like. He had never seen anything like it.

"Remember. Watch only up to where she chooses who is to be with her," Sammy reminded him. "Otherwise, you may become uncomfortable."

"True," Markus nodded. "I will do as you advise."

"There will be a bit of bloodshed and death. We warned you before," Keltin grinned.

"Mainly human bloodshed and death," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I'm aware of it," Markus winked. Maheo chuckled, and Neil waited for Sarine to start the room up. When she did, Markus gaped at the room when it started to move.

"Storm Caller is a genius, isn't he?" Sammy grinned, and Markus looked at him. "Now, we will watch through the window and wait for it to end."

As they informed Markus of how a normal Demonic Mating would work, Kavach was in shock that he actually made it into the chamber. He had never been here before and was simply in awe of the place. He had no idea what he was getting himself into just by standing there. Doppy waited until Sarine was safely on the pillar to activate the room, and he turned to gut Kavach open quickly with a savage roar. Kiehl remained close to the pillar to help guard her. When he felt her start to need him, he would gracefully jump to her side to help her.

Naght could only share his essence through Howard, and that seemed to be enough for now. When it got to be too much, he moved to hover near Kiehl to be more effective. For this Demonic Mating, they had a neutral truce. It was to protect their growing offspring, and neither of them wanted to upset Sarine by fighting each other. They remembered what happened in the fireplace with Howard's Demonic lust and how the triplets were upset. Errende kept his hands on her belly, as Thanatos fought and helped slaughter the humans down below.

Maya Purple was actually incredibly agile in his bug body, and he was dodging traps along the walls when he skittered over them. Even Drago seemed to be fairing remarkably well. Muninn watched the humans die off quickly and glanced over to where the others were watching through the window. He gave a small nod to Markus, and he knew he was being informed on why Muninn, Loomin, Howard, and Errende were with Sarine. He chuckled and looked over at Entweihen. A special section was created for him to help shield him from the arrows and spears, since he couldn't move when he attacked. Drake and Evil Snake Lord were battling it out, and Beelzebub was fighting Hibram. Naght and Doppy were now squaring off with a bloodthirsty vengeance. As always, none of them could touch Kiehl. Howard could only grin softly, as Sarine's virgin blood enhanced all of his senses permanently.

He felt Sarine snuggle into him even more, and he growled softly in response. She was thoroughly enjoying his scent and was enthralled in watching the males fight for her down below. In the viewing room, Eremes and Keltin were simply in shock over her mood.

"All of that is from the triplets?" Keltin frowned.

"I think so..." Eremes nodded.

"It is," Sammy sighed. "Not much we can do."

"Another Demonic Mating done awkwardly. But, it was expected," Maheo said.

"Was it?" Markus frowned.

"Yes. We told you before that normally she is up there by herself. Loomin has to be her guardian on the podium, since one tried to reach her without fighting. It's needed. All we can hope for is that the next Demonic Mating she has goes smoothly. It's questionable, though. None of us know what to expect when it comes to her," Sammy frowned.

"What else is there to expect with her?" Neil asked.

"We won't know," Mobster muttered, as he had his arms crossed over his chest.

"Sarine is ready to judge the others..." Eremes said, as Sarine keened out again to stop the room. "Markus. Turn now!"

"Let me know when she's done," Markus said, as he turned. "If you would be so kind?"

"Certainly," Sammy nodded. "Don't worry about that."

They returned their attention to the podium, as it lowered, and Kiehl was quick to claim his Rights. After that, it was Thanatos who moved to claim her. The procession of males followed now, but Howard was forced to back away when Maya Purple skittered over to quickly use his bug legs to pin Sarine to the ground. She screamed with fury, but she couldn't have moved if she tried. The others watched with mild fascination, as the end of his bug abdomen seemed to curl down and plant down between her legs. Maya Purple seemed to be in a trance-like state, as he claimed her. When he moved off her, Drago was quick to take her next.

"So, the eggs won't develop right away?" Loomin asked.

" _No. She won't show that she's carrying them until much later. Then they will grow in her swiftly to be birthed out by tomorrow morning. However, as we all know, the future shifts and changes around her constantly. I can only tell you what I see right now. You all have agreed to no traveling until then. I would suggest holding the ball tonight,_ " Muninn said.

"Tonight?!" Howard asked incredulously.

" _Yes. This way, Father Odin can see to helping the triplets,_ " he said with a soft smile.

"Oh," Howard sighed with a nod. When the last of the males was with Sarine, Kiehl stood up and roared out his enhanced Bragging Rights. The males nodded and he looked at Doppy with a small smile.

"Can I get your Wind element, please?" Kiehl asked.

"As long as I can be with her when we get back. I miss her," Doppy said with a small wince. That made Kiehl nod with understanding. The new diamond on his leash loop winked and turned a brilliant shade of yellow, as it absorbed the wind storm that occurred around them.

"Thanks. Sarine? Are you all right, love?" Kiehl asked, as he moved to her side. She clung to him with a whimper, and he hissed as he pulled her close. "I'm here. Hush..."

"I want cookies!" she said with a tremble. "And I want tea!"

"Offshoot from you and the triplets," Howard grinned. "It finally kicked in."

"True. Errende? Who else is back there?" Kiehl asked.

"Quite a few. Ah, I'll need to check," Errende frowned, as he moved to the back room to let everyone know that it was safe to come out.

"Markus is here. He saw everything," Eremes said, as he walked over.

"Papa?!" Sarine blinked, and Kiehl nuzzled her. Loomin gave over his spare kimono to cover her up, and Kiehl nodded gratefully.

"I was told I could see this one," Markus said, and he walked over to chuckle at her. "I would like to try and see a normal one."

"When it happens, we'll get you," Beelzebub nodded.

"What did you think?" Thanatos grinned.

"I was not expecting this!" Markus admitted. "But, what is going on tonight?"

"A possible royal ball," Loomin said.

"Truly?! Then I shall leave now to prepare myself for later. Let me know when to appear, please," Markus said. He knelt down to give a fond, fatherly caress to Sarine's cheek to show he was proud of her, and Loomin helped Warp him back to the house.

"Well, Errende is here. Who else is here, slave-wise?" Howard asked.

"Byorgue and Injustice are. Nigel is here with her craving dishes. Aliot is here, of course, with Drago and Maya Purple," Errende replied. He moved to place his hands back on her belly. She gave him a growl and yanked him to her to bite down on his throat. He gave a cry of shock and pleasuring alarm when she fed. He was Healed when she released him, and she cringed at what she did. When Aliot went to check on her, she hissed at him.

"Sarine," Kiehl warned, and she growled. "She's very hungry. What do we have for her? And Muninn. Are you sure about a ball? With her current attitude?"

" _Observation needs to help her,_ " Muninn advised. " _Loomin can also help._ "

"She has an awful lot of demon blood coursing in her veins. I see," Loomin nodded. "Let's take her back to the bedroom. It will be safer there in case these guys get Resurrected."

"Hurry," Hyegun said with a small, grim frown. At that, Loomin made a Warp to the bedroom and they all left through it. She was moved into the bathroom, and Doppy's form tingled to become his original one. The moment their eyes met, he gave out a harsh groan. Any hunger pains or cravings she had vanished in that single glance.

"Doppy!" she breathed, and he pulled her from Howard to kiss her hard.

"At least she's not craving us for now," Kiehl chuckled.

"We'll still remain close, just in case," Howard nodded. Doppy had already dropped all of his armor, and Errende was holding onto Sarine's clothing. When Loomin's kimono was discarded, it was handed back to him for safe keeping.

"I missed you!" Doppy whimpered out, as he slipped into her.

"I know..." she gasped, and he kissed her possessively now. Then they touched and explored each other with a complete sense of heightened arousal. Howard and Kiehl glanced at each other, and Naght even found himself chuckling. After they sated their intense need for each other, they were able to start enjoying each other a bit more leisurely.

"I came in third," he muttered, as he kissed her.

"Killing Kavach helped my decision," she grinned wickedly. That made him grin just as wickedly, and he made plans to do so at every Demonic Mating he appeared at.

"You'll give birth to four eggs tomorrow. Then your pregnancy will start. Which monster did you want to go after first? Gopinich or Lady Tanee?" he asked.

"I would say Gopinich," she smiled. "We could use another dragon."

"A three headed one," Howard chuckled. She looked at him lovingly, and he smiled back warmly. Kiehl could only agree.

"The...ball...is...tonight...?" Naght rumbled.

"It's what Muninn wants," Howard nodded. "Odin is supposed to help us with the triplets. I think he may also want to be there to keep an eye on a few of the nobles."

"As long as I can gut open whoever tries to touch her, I don't care," Doppy smirked. He grinned at Sarine when she poked his side. "Okay, Sorry Sari. What do you think I should do?"

"Be my demon," she smiled and ran a hand over his cheek.

"Always your demon," he muttered and kissed her passionately to have her again. "Only your demon...only yours..."

"Doppy!" she cried out, and she arched against him at his release. He was purring heavily, as he ran his mouth over her neck. When his body reverted back to his stronger one, he let out a heavy, inhuman snarl and took her with a rush of fresh energy. She shouted at his successful mating roar, and he crushed her to his chest.

"My demon?" she whispered against his neck.

"Always," he muttered thickly, as he reclined on the ground with her. "No one else's."

"She needs Loomin's blood to balance hers out," Kiehl said. "Almost done?"

"Yeah," Doppy nodded. Loomin walked in when he knew it was time and let Sarine snuggle into him. He pressed a kiss to her mouth and groaned when she moved to settle on him. He cried out sharply when his throat was opened for her to feed, and he gave into the pleasuring loop quickly. Doppy winced slightly, as Loomin's blood balanced hers, and Observation was called for to help next. They all knew it was needed. When she moved off of Loomin she pounced on the angel, and he gasped in ecstasy at the bite she gave him.

"After this? What do we do?" Howard muttered.

"I'll contact Markus and inform him of the ball tonight. He knows of it, but I will tell him it will happen and to definitely prepare for it. I'm sure Storm Caller can prepare a chamber for such a thing," Beelzebub said, as he walked in. "My Hell Flies will send the messages out to each town they are stationed in."

"Then Markus will send messages out to the towns that we haven't seen yet. Makes sense," Kiehl nodded and watched Sarine pull away from the angel's throat. Observation was Healed, and then she pulled him close to cuddle.

"Are you all right, My Lady?" he asked. She nodded with a soft smile, and he encircled his wings around her in his own protective embrace. Then she winced, and Howard was right at her side with Kiehl. Naght snarled at her thoughts, and Doppy frowned.

"What is it?" Doppy asked, as Observation gave her over to Howard.

"Sarine, no other man will touch you!" Howard vowed, as he crushed her to him. "Our triplets are safe! We'll slaughter anyone that tries!"

"She's right," Kiehl grimaced, and he pressed himself against her. "This is going to be one of her toughest pregnancies. She's always going to think that her triplets are endangered. Loomin, is there a way to counter this?"

"Hmm..." Loomin thought, as he focused on her. "No. There isn't. Most of this is from her memories. It's not a craving. She's genuinely afraid that she's in danger of losing them. Even as they grow within her, it will be rough."

"Howard! Kiehl! Put your hands on her belly! Soothe the kids!" Hyegun hissed, as he ran in. It was done, and Sarine shivered hard.

"We have our babies back," Howard murmured in her ear, as he rocked her. "Our babies are safe. I'm here to help you. I won't leave your side."

"Promise?" she sniffed.

"I swear. I vow..." he said gently, and he ran a hand up her spine.

"I don't know how responsive she'll be to anyone else," Kiehl sighed.

"It was her first pregnancy. Don't worry about it," Loomin nodded.

"None of us want this one to go wrong," Doppy growled.

"We were expecting something like this, actually," Beelzebub nodded.

"My Lady?" Errende asked, as he walked in. "The children in the nursery are asking for you. They want to see you before they go to school."

"Okay," she nodded. She was dressed carefully, and Howard led her out with Kiehl. Naght was incredibly anxious for her, as he hovered behind her. Ifrit wasn't sure what he could do, but he did keep the air as warm as he could. When she reached the nursery, Howard moved to sit in the rocking chair for her, and he paused when Storm Caller moved towards them.

"For this special pregnancy, I had something created that may be a bit better," Storm Caller chuckled. The monsters, Zerom and Requiem, came in, and they were carefully holding various lengths of wood. Wootan Shooter and Wootan Fighter came in next with curved pieces of wood. Alice and Aliza waited patiently for them to build what they needed before cleaning up the debris left behind. When Knocker and Giearth came in to decorate what was made, they waited again to clean up the wood chips. When they left, Kiehl, Howard, and Sarine stared in wonder.  _They made a rocking bench for her._ It was decorated with light details of vines and flowers all over it. The bench looked as though it belonged there and was absolutely lovely.

"This will work!" Thanatos said quickly. The rocking chair was set aside and would be used on occasion to help others assist with various children. The rocking bench was now used with enthusiasm. Sarine was set between Kiehl and Howard so they could help rock her and monitor the children while she nursed them.

"My children are almost ready to come off of the plants," Entweihen said, as he moved to her side. "They will be strong enough by the time you give birth again. Hopefully sooner, but we will have to see."

"I can't wait to hold them fully!" Sarine smiled warmly, as she nursed Moon and Sun. She looked up when Muninn walked in to talk with her. Looking at the discarded rocking chair, he chuckled and sat in it. His physical body was given to him with Sun so he could help assist in their care once they finished nursing. When she was given Elenor and Joseph to nurse, Eremes stood behind her protectively.

" _Sarine, Father Odin has decided to have his warrior Valkyrie from his fields to help assist here to guard the nursery when the ball happens. Just in case something goes wrong. However, she will not show up right away. There is a chance that she won't be needed, but she is alerted and aware that she may be pulled here,_ " he said softly. " _Also, we still have someone in the dungeon. Now would be the time to see to his judgment after the nursing is done here._ "

"We'll have Max and Garrett present," Hibram said, as he walked over. "As it is, I doubt that any traveling will be done by Egnigem, Margaretha, or Coraline. Armeyer is still thinking about taking my blood. She's not pregnant yet, but it's fine."

"How-How," Sarine said, as she looked at him with a thought.

"That would be true, wouldn't it?" Howard mused. "If that dream vision with us continued, I probably wouldn't have recognized Timmy as my brother. Sammy's blood overruled all of that. And they ended up forgetting about me after I found my place with you, too."

"I think Odin did that," Kiehl chuckled.

" _It's possible. But, I think that would have been my doing,_ " Muninn grinned.

"You would think so, eh?" Howard grinned back. The next hour was dedicated to the kids getting nursed, fed, and played with until they went to school. The older kids had their own rooms now. Like they wanted, the girls had a bedroom for themselves, and the boys had one to themselves. When they outgrew those rooms, there were other rooms set up for them to live in separately when the time came. Another house was possibly in the works for Sarine's companions to free up the rooms they were in for the kids. It was either that, or another full wing would be added to the house specifically for the kids to grow up in. Sarine was actually leaning more towards that idea. She liked having her friends as close as her loved ones.

As Sarine was moved to the table to eat her craving dishes, everyone looked over when Kavach walked in with a heavy frown on his face. Errende muttered under his breath and moved to press himself into Sarine's side. She smiled and had him help her eat, which he did so with a grateful smile. Thanatos looked over irritably and moved to approach the Sniper.

"What do you want? She's in a delicate state right now," the demon growled out.

"When does she plan to be dominant again?" Kavach asked.

"Not for a while. She's extremely anxious for this pregnancy. She is pregnant again with the triplets that she lost long ago," Hyegun said. "I doubt she'll be very dominant at all."

"My babies..." she shivered.

"They'll be fine," Howard soothed and rubbed his hand over her belly. "I'm here now. I'll help you protect them. You won't lose them again."

"You haven't lost any pregnancies with us, and we won't let you lose any of them," Kiehl promised. "Don't worry."

"What did you want to do today?" Errende asked with complete concern. No one had seen her act this way over a pregnancy before, but they understood why she was like this.

"Um...I wanted to try and get Gopinich...but..." she cringed.

"Sarine, our babies are fine! Our triplets will come to no harm!" Howard sighed hard and cradled her. "Hush, sweetheart. It's okay..."

"If she's going to worry so much about this pregnancy, can we really travel?" Ragged Zombie winced for her. Mobster was even concerned about this one. Neil and Maheo looked at each other and glared at Kavach.

"I don't know. We'll need to see how she is by tomorrow. We aren't traveling today, as it is. We want her to birth the eggs for Maya Purple and Drago first. That won't happen until tomorrow morning. This is possibly because the triplets haven't fully taken to her womb yet. They won't form until the eggs are out of her," Loomin said, as he studied her.

"You. Out. Now," Amon Ra said, as he pointed to Kavach.

"What?" the Sniper asked.

"She is in such a state that anything can bring her stress!" the old King growled. "She can't have that, and neither can we! So, get out!"

"You heard him!" Thanatos hissed, as his gaze started to smolder. Doppy was ready to jump up and help, but the Sniper relented and left.

"Is he going to hurt my babies?!" Sarine winced.

"No!" Howard said with a fierce shake of his head. "Nothing will happen to our triplets! I promise you! Damn it! She's going to fret all through the ball! We can't have one tonight!"

"It's all the triplets, too," Hyegun sighed softly. "They've been left out of the loop for so long that they are going to continue to keep this up. Ah! No! Feed her! Now!"

"Shit!" Howard grimaced at her retching cough, and she was rushed to the nearest toilet to get violently ill. "Hyegun! What happened?!"

"They are very irritated and demanding. They can't grow yet, and they are forced to wait another day. We can't play with them, or feel them moving. Even when they start growing in her, I know they'll be fiercely demanding for attention. Naght and Kiehl will need to constantly be about her while Howard sleeps in his human form. The moment she shivers, she'll need to be reconciled. The three of you can't ever leave her side for this one," he frowned.

"I told you...this would be...my hardest...pregnancy..." she whimpered and rinsed out her mouth with a red potion. Howard didn't say anything, as he swallowed hard. He knew it was going to be tough for him, too. _It was my pregnancy that had failed at first with her, after all._ He was just as affected by everything as she was. He pulled her against his chest and cradled her with his arms securely around her. No one was going to be able to pry her away from him.

"We got them back, though. It's all right. We'll get through this..." he whispered in her hair and kissed her forehead. "It's okay. It's okay..."

"If we have that ball tonight, no one is allowed to approach her," Kiehl growled. His protectiveness for her was at nearly full peak from how she was.

"Does this include certain princes?" Doppy smirked wickedly.

"Oh, you know it!" Kiehl grinned with his own wickedness in it. "Otherwise, we should set up a balcony area for her. Much like the ballroom in Prontera."

"It may be...too cold for her, though..." Eremes thought aloud. "The ball...I think...is a bad idea when she is like this."

"You think so?" Howard frowned, as he ran a loving hand over her belly.

"Look at her, Howard. Any man that she does not know...if they approach her...she will think they are out to hurt the triplets. She thought such with Kavach," he pointed out. "She knew him...but...she does not trust him..."

"He's right," Kiehl sighed. "And, if we approach that prisoner..."

"Shut up!" Hyegun hissed. "Right now! Say nothing about him!"

"Hmm?" Doppy frowned.

"He  _did_  try to attack her last pregnancy..." Hyegun warned. That made Howard's eyes narrow with hatred, and Sarine gasped. He remembered what happened. Now he was tense and livid with over-protective instincts. He gave a small glare at Kiehl.

"Just kill him," Kiehl muttered. "Tear him apart. Scatter his organs all over the ground. I don't care. Just...kill...him..."

"If he...escapes and...and..." Sarine shivered, and Howard hugged her tighter.

"What does Muninn see?" Howard asked with a carefully controlled breath. "I can't leave her side. And like hell am I going to right now!"

" _I'm here!_ " Muninn said, as he sat down with them. " _Sarine, nothing will happen to your growing children. Father Odin will assist with tonight. It's why he wants to be there. He will enforce the rule that you can only be seen from a distance. He is going to break quite a few rules tonight, because of how you are. In fact, Baphomet, Dark Lord, Eddga, and various other strong monsters will be waiting at the arena. The moment anyone upsets Father Odin, he will send them there to get punished by the waiting monsters._ "

"Okay. I would  _so_  pay money to watch that!" Ragged Zombie said, and everyone started laughing. Now they had various thoughts filter about that something could be arranged, but not now. Naght was chuckling, but he would protecting Sarine. She would need him close.

"How-How..." she sighed, and Howard lifted her up in his arms. He glanced at Kiehl with worry. Her concern for her triplets was clearly starting to affect him.

"Lay down with her," Kiehl said.

"Kiehl?" she frowned.

"I'm right here," he smiled and kissed her gently. "Better come with us, Naght. Not sure what to tell the rest of you."

"I will remain close by with her craving dishes," Errende said. Ifrit was planning to stay near her to keep the air warm. He wasn't sure what else he could do.

"Speaking of which..." Howard smiled, as she showed signs of hunger. "Okay, love. We'll feed you. We'll eat in the bedroom."

"Here," Aliot smiled and pressed a couple chocolate bars in Kiehl's hands. A smile of gratitude was given, and he moved quickly to sit by Sarine to keep her from worrying about him. The next three hours flew by with them simply taking care of Sarine's needy triplets.

"What are they demanding now?" Howard asked, as Sarine's form was in a deep sleep on him in the bed. Kiehl was pressed against her side, and Naght was hovering near the bedside.

"They are finally sleeping," Hyegun said with relief.

"Wonderful news!" Kiehl chuckled. "Too bad we don't know for how long."

"The chocolate helped," Hyegun smiled. "Eremes may be right about the ball, though. It can be a very bad idea, if we aren't careful."

"As long as Odin is going to be there," Howard said.

"Odin...will...make...sure...she...is...safe..." Naght hissed.

"Very true! Ah, Naght, come back through Howard!" Hyegun cringed. Naght rumbled and vanished to his tower to come out through his blood mate quickly. Howard's pupils glowed a dull red, and he ran a gentle hand over her belly. The triplets had been demanding this form of contact from him quite a bit when they could.

"I thought they were sleeping?" Naght mused.

"You spoke and woke them up," Hyegun sighed.

"High maintenance kids!" Kiehl grinned.

"I doubt you'll be leaving her side, too," Naght chuckled at Hyegun.

"At least, right now. Thanatos can't really sense them, since they aren't fully formed," he shrugged. "He can get the most intense cravings, but that's about all he can get. I don't need to sleep, anyways. I'll be fine."

"Do you think you can still hear them when they start to develop?" Kiehl asked.

"I'm sure I could. I can hear them like this. Only one way to find out, right?" Hyegun grinned. Naght suddenly hissed, as his tower was starting to get infiltrated. Sarine woke out of her sleep with a whimper, and Kiehl was quick to comfort her. It was rare for his tower to be explored, but even rarer for any adventurers to succeed in reaching him. He had decided to let an alarm chime out at the halfway point of his tower, and then chime at every ten levels. Not many could even get that far anymore. Naght released Howard, and he came back to help comfort her quickly. He had to prepare to defend his tower, if he had to, but he hovered close by for now.

"It's okay!" Howard soothed, as he hugged her back to his chest. "Not many of them can reach him, remember?"

"But..." she whimpered, and Naght leaned down to run a gentle hand over her cheek. She sighed and found herself relaxing. He purred deeply at her, and he finally moved to simply lift her up to cradle her. She wrapped her arms around his skeletal neck, and he held her close while he rocked her in his arms. Neither the hot or cold side of him bothered her at all. She was actually quite content to be so close to him. Then Howard and Kiehl started grinning when Naght began to pleasure her with his essence. Right after he wore her out, he set her back down on the bed between his two blood brothers and nodded to them. Then he snarled with hatred, as the alarm in his tower went off again, but it was still a bit far off.

"Naght..." Howard grimaced. He had Sarine pressed as hard as possible into his chest.

"Don't worry. Naght will be fine," Kiehl smiled and ran a hand over her back. She nodded, and Muninn walked over.

" _It's the ones that like to fight off the duplicates. They are braving your tower, Naght. Because Sarine needs you so close, Father Odin is going to break a rule. You may take one ally with you to assist this once. Who do you choose?_ " Muninn asked with a savage grin.

"Just...one...?" Naght laughed out.

"Take Doppelganger," Keltin grinned.

"Yeah. Him," Eremes smirked.

"I want to go!" Thanatos scowled.

"No, I should go," Doppy nodded. "I am her Wrath. She needs Naght for her pregnancy. I will ensure that he gets back to her quickly."

"Oh. Okay, fine," Thanatos sighed. He did grin all the same, though.

"I'll bring you back a present," Doppy snickered. That made Thanatos grin wickedly.

"Make sure it's a scrap of skin!" he chuckled.

"Or an arm!" Ragged Zombie laughed. Loomin was just grinning like mad at everything. Hibram and Beelzebub were going to make bets on what was brought back. Amon Ra, Osiris, and Pharaoh were all too pleased.

"Thanatos! Help her!" Hyegun suddenly hissed out, and the demon moved swiftly to place his hands on her belly.

"Another reason why it's me!" Doppy shuddered at the repressed feeling of pain. Errende was mentally called for to help now, and his added touch eased the irritated triplets.

"That was the eggs," Loomin frowned, as he studied her. "They grow slowly, but steadily. Just give it time, and they'll be there. The triplets are simply responding to their growth. That's why the touch was needed."

"I thought they were going to form tomorrow morning!" Howard frowned.

"No. They'll be birthed by then. They still have until then to form. She may look heavily pregnant by the time the ball happens," Loomin sighed.

"What's this about my kids?" Drago asked, as he moved towards them. Maya Purple moved off of his insect body to find out more now. As Loomin talked to them, Sarine started to fret about her pregnancy. Howard and Kiehl were both soothing her, and they actually called Sammy over to help.

"What can I do?" Sammy asked, as he moved to the bed.

"Undress and lay between us. Or at least pull your kimono down enough to expose your chest," Kiehl sighed. "You may have a better chance of helping us keep her calm."

"How-How?" she blinked, and Howard pulled her close to help make room for Sammy to lie down with them. The moment she was put on his chest and had his arms around her, she started to relax. Then she got drowsy.

"That's it," Sammy whispered, as she started to give him her weight. "You're safe. It's all right now. Hush..."

At the sound of his soothing voice, and the feel of his protective, soft rocking, she fell into a deep sleep. He hadn't laid down in a bed with her since the dream vision with him, and he realized that he would need to see about doing this more often. Closing his eyes, he began to meditate to watch her dreams. Hyegun looked over at Thanatos and Errende to nod to them that it was fine to remove their touch. Errende nodded back and sat near the bed to wait until he was needed. Thanatos sat at the end of the bed to listen to the others talking. He was curious about what the night would bring about. Ifrit simply hovered by Eremes to keep the room as warm as possible. He wanted nothing to upset her when it came to temperature.

"What's going on with the ball?" Kiehl asked softly.

"It's under construction," Beelzebub nodded, as he listened to a Hell Fly's report. "What do we do about that one in the dungeon?"

"Like I said. Kill him," Kiehl muttered.

"When Naght's tower is free of intruders, we'll do that," Doppy smirked.

"The alarm chiming stopped at the sixtieth room mark," Howard mused. "I wonder if they all died. I hope they all died!"

"Quiet," Sammy muttered, as he lightly roused himself from meditation. Hyegun wasn't detecting anything from the triplets. They began to quiet down after the effective touches from Thanatos and Errende. They were also slowly understanding as to when the eggs would start to develop, and they seemed to know that their time would soon come. Doppy suddenly gave a small grunt with a scowl right after it.

"Those eggs grew again!" he mumbled.

"They need to grow," Loomin sighed. Naght was about to agree when he hissed with hate at the sound of another alarm. If it went off again, the intruders would be ready to face him. But, that was if they survived that last few rooms. Each room held a chime after the eightieth floor, and now they slowly went off one at a time. Doppy seemed rather anxious now. He wanted to slaughter the small group ever since he met them in the Pyramid. Ever since meeting them with Osiris, the group was a thorn in his side. He slaughtered them in Detale's lair, but he was always up for killing them again.

"How is she?" Osiris asked. He walked in with Pharaoh.

"Sleeping on Sammy," Kiehl said. They nodded to him, and he continued, "The eggs are developing slowly, but surely. When she wakes up, we'll let her oversee the ballroom construction. Where is it being held?"

"In the main room," Pharaoh said. "Pori-Pori is going to guard the stairs. Alexander, of course, is in the nursery with the Valkyrie maidens. Quite a few of us will likely be in there. Any monster that can Cloak will guard the main hallway past the stairs. Any intruders will be caught and booted from the island. Or just sent to the arena."

"Send them to the arena!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Laughter erupted in a rather quiet way with rounds of agreement.

"Hmm," Drago seemed to growl out. The Kafra Agent was approaching.

"Who wants to challenge us?" Observation asked.

"Beelzebub, you should just tell her to talk to a Hell Fly. If we can make it, the fly can give a sharp buzz. If we decline, the fly can kill the challenger off!" Keltin sighed angrily.

"That's not a bad idea," Kiehl grinned.

"I'll tell Dracula to tell her," Beelzebub nodded and contacted the nearest Hell Fly to report to him. "As for who wants to challenge us...hmm. It's the Sniper. Greg."

"Kill him!" Kiehl hissed. "I don't want Sarine to know he's here!"

"She's not going to the arena at all during this pregnancy," Howard grounded out.

"No...she is not..." Eremes nodded. "Who is this one challenging?"

"Who do you think?" Beelzebub growled, as he gazed softly at Sarine's sleeping form.

"I'll take him on!" Ragged Zombie snarled out. Mobster voted to go with him. Right after they left, Sarine woke with a stretch and a yawn. Sammy ran his hands over her back, and she gave a heavy sigh of comfort.

"Hey," Howard smiled gently and kissed her softly.

"What's going on?" she smiled back.

"Doppy is going to help Naght in his tower. Odin is allowing it, since Naght needs to be with you, and Doppy is his and your Wrath. When we know everything is fine, we'll take a look at the ballroom. Okay?" he chuckled.

"Okay," she nodded. She was incredibly comfortable, and no one was making any plans to move her until she was ready.

"Are you hungry, love?" Kiehl asked, as he sat up.

"Yeah, but I don't want to move," she sighed.

"No need," Howard chuckled. Aliot, Errende, and Byorgue were quick to appear with her craving dishes, and Howard helped feed her. When she was carefully sitting up to sip her tea, Sammy continued to hold her in his lap.

"What's going on right now?" she asked.

"The ballroom is being constructed," Kiehl smiled, and she beamed at him.

"Say nothing about the arena..." Hyegun muttered.

"Don't worry..." Eremes nodded.

"Doppelganger..." Naght hissed and rumbled out that it was time to make friends. Doppy grinned savagely, and Muninn was still in the room specifically for this.

" _Sarine, I would like to show you what happens in the tower. I can create a vision in the air, like a small window, and everyone can watch. Would you like this?_ " he asked.

"I suppose," she nodded.

"Don't worry. The ones being killed don't know about our triplets. And you're here while they are there getting their asses handed to them. You're safe," Howard smiled. She blushed softly, and he hugged her with a small grin. When Ragged Zombie and Mobster walked back into the house, Hibram was there to warn them about not saying anything about the arena. They both nodded, and the three of them moved into the bedroom.

"We're going to watch Doppy and Naght slaughter some idiots. Have a seat!" Thanatos grinned. Seats were quickly taken, and the window was created. Evil Snake Lord and Entweihen came into the bedroom now to watch with amusement. Dracula had Moonlight Flower take over so he could see what the fuss was all about.

" _Naght's tower will be off limits after this fight. He is needed for my sister,_ " Muninn promised. Sarine smiled and nodded in understanding with the others. Her men watched and cheered on Doppy and Naght, as the men walked in and paused at the sight of them ready and waiting to kill them off.

"Um..." Sarine frowned, and Howard blinked at her with surprise.

"No. They won't harm our triplets," Kiehl said quickly, as he hugged her. "They don't even know where we are. You are safe."

"I just keep thinking that...well..." she winced. Howard rubbed his hand over her belly, and Kiehl did the same. Keltin frowned, and Eremes was clearly concerned about this.

"I don't think this ball is a good idea," Ragged Zombie muttered. "The kids had better be asleep when it happens. All I know is that I'm gonna be chewing out a lot of people if any shit's pulled! You can count on that!"

"Same here," Mobster nodded. The two of them easily saw each other as brothers.

"Muninn?" Loomin asked him, and Muninn sighed.

" _It can go in various ways tonight. If it proves to be too stressful to my sister, we will remove her from the ballroom. Only time will tell how it goes,_ " he frowned.

"You can't see it?" Keltin asked.

" _I can, but the future always twists and turns. It shows that she'll be all right, as long as everyone is close to her. At the same time, it could go poorly, if she worries too much, or if her pregnancy with the eggs takes a turn for the worse,_ " he admitted.

"She shouldn't be seen..." Eremes grumbled.

"Someone could hurt my babies?!" Sarine whimpered.

"No!" Howard said, and he pulled her hard against him. Sammy ran a calming hand down her back, and she trembled when her anxiousness left her.

"I think Amon Ra can help with this. He's her Balance, right?" Drago asked.

"That he is!" Sammy nodded. Beelzebub was already quick to inform the older King to appear, and Amon Ra came in as swiftly as he could with his chair. Sarine was scooped up by Howard and settled in his lap. She snuggled into Amon Ra's chest and sighed with a bit of relief. He gathered her up a bit more securely in his arms to cradle her.

"You and Sammy may need to be with her quite a bit," Loomin smiled.

"I am starting to think the same thoughts," Amon Ra nodded.

"Could we convert your chair into a rocking chair for purposes like this?" Howard asked. That made them all wonder, and Muninn thought.

" _I can give you a 'rocking' ability when you hover. Since you are not going to be moving around, it can be held indefinitely. Think that will work?_ " he grinned.

"Let's try it!" Amon Ra nodded. Muninn moved to the chair and made the adjustments. The chair seemed to lift a bit more off the ground, and it was just enough to give a gentle swaying back and forth motion. This would be beneficial to help the kids sleep.

"It works!" Sammy chuckled. Sarine fell asleep in Amon Ra's arms.

"I'll hold her at the ball, if I have to," he said, as he cradled her.

"Good. We'll still be close by. Oh, what's going on in the tower?" Kiehl smirked, as he looked in the small window of air. Doppy had just finished gutting open each intruding member, and Naght quartered them to pieces. When they were back in the bedroom, they were brought up to date, and Doppy was very impressed with Amon Ra. Much to everyone's delight, various locks of hair were brought back as trophies to be put away.

"Yeah. Keep her calm. I don't want her emotions to falter me," Doppy nodded.

"True," Amon Ra agreed.

"Get her food dishes ready," Hyegun warned. The slaves moved with a flurry of activity. A table was set, and she jolted awake with hunger pains. Amon Ra moved with her to the table to keep her in his lap. Now that she was fed and pampered, Naght rumbled to her on his success with Doppy. She beamed at him, and winced in time with Doppy, as her belly grew an inch from the eggs within her. Sammy looked at Thanatos with a frown.

"I can't do anything. It's eggs. Not developing children," Thanatos sighed. "I can't sense them. What about you, Hyegun?"

"I can't, either," Hyegun frowned. "We'll just have to help her ride out the pain the best we can. Give her some chocolate!"

"Here," Kiehl said and handed her a bar. "Triplets are awake?"

"Very," Hyegun nodded.

"The kids need her," Beelzebub said. An hour was spent to nursing the younger children and making sure her needs were met. As Eremes was holding his kids after they nursed, his hair got tugged on by Joseph.

"Ouch!" Eremes frowned. "What, Joseph?"

"Dah!" he grinned. That had Eremes smile greatly, and he kissed his son's forehead.

"Dah!" Elenor said now to get the same attention.

"Talking kids," Doppy chuckled.

"Dah?" Sun asked him.

"Yes. I'm your dad," Doppy grinned and picked him up from the cradle.

"Um..." Moon said, as Loomin gathered him up.

"And I'm your dad," Loomin chuckled.

"Dah?" Moon blinked and giggled, as a tickling poke was given to him. The Valkyrie maidens seemed to giggle to each other, as they adored their charges.

"Duh!" Stolas said to Beelzebub, and everyone broke out into sharp laughter and snickers. At first Howard thought Serenity said something to the younger kids.

"No. It's dad," the Demon Lord corrected. "Or father. You said it correctly before."

"Duh?" Stolas asked, as he pointed at Howard. Now Kiehl broke down into laughter.

"I'm going to talk to Serenity," Howard sighed with a soft laugh. Now he knew that Serenity definitely said something. Doppy was grinning from ear to ear, and Beelzebub was grinning just as wickedly. Evil Snake Lord was soon in the nursery to let his kids settle in his coils to play gently.

"Dah?" Atsuko asked with a soft gaze.

"Yes, my daughter?" Evil Snake Lord chuckled.

"Mah!" she grinned a near toothless grin, as she pointed at Sarine.

"Very good!" he praised and gave her tickling, flicks of kisses with his tongue. When Sarine finished tending to the children, she gave a hard sigh and shivered.

"Sarine?" Howard frowned. Then he looked at Doppy and pointed to her.

"Really?" Doppy blinked. He gave Sun over to Aliot, as he moved to her side quickly. He lifted her into his arms to cradle. He wasn't sure why she wanted him, but he wasn't going to complain. Kiehl was trying to make sense of her thoughts, and then he seemed to nod.

"She wants you, because she feels you can help defend the triplets. I see now," Kiehl sighed. "In fact, she's going to want all of us exceptionally close at times."

"Is she really?" Doppy asked and growled at the hard nuzzle under his chin that she gave him. She started to purr, and he began to nuzzle her back in the same manner. Then something instinctive clicked in him.  _She was pregnant and worried about her pregnancy._ He moved to sit in a chair with her, and his body became his original one. He held her closer to him in one of the gentlest manners he could. Then his purr took on a deeper, far more intensely protective tone that soothed and relaxed her. Kiehl watched with complete shock with Howard at what her thoughts revealed, and even Naght was paying incredibly close attention to what was happening.

"Wow..." Thanatos voiced aloud, as he watched. "I almost forgot that we could do this. Male demons have the natural ability to soothe their pregnant mates. When the possibility of developing offspring coming to any sort of harm becomes known, the females start to panic. Much like how she is now. The purr that Doppy is doing is a natural, instinctive reaction. Not only does it calm her, but it soothes the growing children, too! I didn't really think about it before, because she never worried about a pregnancy until now. Kiehl, you have to learn how to make that purr! It's important!"

"I guess I do," Kiehl frowned. He watched Sarine fall into a trance-like sleep. When Doppy's purr started to dwindle, she gave a small whimpering, shiver, and his purr came back. Sammy watched her and settled on a cushion to meditate. No matter what type of sleep she was in, he had to watch her dreams to ensure she would be safe. Howard seemed to nod at this, and now thought about the purr that Doppy was doing.

"He can't keep that up forever, though," Beelzebub frowned. "That purr does drain at times. Doppy? Can you speak with us about this?"

"To an extent..." Doppy muttered through the purr. He could only manage short sentences through it. He'd lose too much focus, otherwise. "You're right. It does drain. I have an idea. For Kiehl to learn. How to purr."

"What idea do you have?" Howard asked.

"First. Let Hibram take over," Doppy said with a wince. The Fallen Bishop was quick to take her up from him. When Sarine started to show worry again, Hibram sat down with her and focused his concern to keep her pregnancy safe. Very slowly, the same purr that Doppy did came out, and Sarine sighed with comfort.

"Very intense," Sammy chuckled.

"Yeah," Doppy nodded and stretched, as his form reverted back to his stronger one. "Apparently, I can only do that purr in my original body. I'm sure I could last longer in my stronger one. It's fine, though. It's to comfort her, anyways, and that's what my original form is for. As for my idea, I say that all of the demons that belong to her give Kiehl a direct blood drop. In all seriousness, Kiehl is her current First Mate from the Demonic Matings, and he's a bit of our leader now. He can take this burden easier than us. Maybe far easier than we know."

"Muninn?" Beelzebub asked him.

" _Not only is Doppelganger her Wrath, but he has a lot of insight! He's correct on his thoughts. However, Kiehl should let all of the blood drops collect in his palm. Then he can consume what is there as a mix of the blood collected,_ " Muninn suggested.

"Ah! I see!" Loomin said with a sharp nod. "This way it seems like he's getting all of the blood from everyone at once and not as separate doses. It will be far more potent that way!"

" _Exactly, Loomin! Hmm. Doppelganger? What else is on your mind?_ " Muninn asked.

"I think a continuation with me in a dream vision is needed. Howard. Kiehl. Does she ever have doubts that none of us would help her pregnancy, if it started to fail?" Doppy asked.

"She does," Howard sighed. "Constantly."

"Then we need to see how it will play out. She needs to know that, no matter who she encounters with a pregnancy, we will always help her and see the children as ours," he said.

"Do it," Hyegun nodded. "The triplets want to know, too."

"Seriously?" Kiehl smiled.

"Well, what the triplets want, they should get. Right?" Howard chuckled.

"This will actually help the triplets know that everything will be all right. And Sarine will know that she is safe with any of us, regardless of what she's fretting about," Loomin said.

"Let me get the blood first. Then we'll do the dream vision," Kiehl said.

"Now you're going to be even more powerful!" Ragged Zombie smirked.

"It's needed," Kiehl chuckled.

"You're going to become a lot more demon than formless," Howard grinned.

"Would that be bad?" Keltin asked.

"No," Kiehl smiled. "I'll be fine."

"After you take the drops from them, Observation and I should give you a drop of our blood," Loomin said. "You need the Angelic portions, as well as the Demonic. This is needed."

"To stay balanced. I see," Kiehl nodded. "All right."

With that said, the Demonic husbands and mates gathered together. Aliot was also ready to give over his blood drop. Kiehl cupped his hand out, and Doppy gave over his blood first. Then Thanatos was next, and he had to move over to Hibram, since he was holding Sarine. Beelzebub came over next, and Entweihen smeared a touch of sap into the small pool. Aliot now moved to give over his blood with the others. Baphomet Jr. and Incubus came over next with Wanderer. Naght had already given over much of his blood before, but he came forth through Howard to ensure it was given over again.

"That's everyone," Loomin said. Kiehl looked at the small pool of black blood in his hand, took a deep breath, and downed it. He licked his palm clean and paused before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. As he worked with the new blood, Loomin gestured for Observation to come over.  _It was time to balance his blood out a bit._

"I'm ready!" Observation nodded.

"Kiehl. Cup your hand, please," Loomin muttered. At first, there was no response, but Howard mentally prodded him, and Kiehl's hand extended and cupped to receive the two drops of blood. The moment he took the blood in, he winced at the mild burning sensation. After that, he was fine. Kiehl took another deep breath and looked up with a nod.

"Where is Sarine?" he asked now.

"She's still with Hibram," Doppy said. Sammy was still meditating to keep watch over Sarine's dreams. Kiehl moved over to Hibram, and she was settled in his lap. She whimpered at the exchange, but Kiehl nuzzled under her neck and began to purr. At first, it was a normal purr. Then it got deeper and just as intense as Doppy's did. Then it got even deeper, much to everyone's surprise. His deep, resonating purr took on a whole new meaning. He was her powerful First Mate with incredibly powerful Bragging Rights. She knew who he was, and she pressed her face into his neck to breathe in his scent.

"Kiehl..." she whispered, and he smiled tenderly.

"You're safe..." he whispered back in her ear, and she rested her head against his shoulder. The demons in the room chuckled softly to each other now. Sammy blinked his eyes open, since she wasn't sleeping, and smiled softly.

"Don't leave me..." she murmured.

"Never," he vowed softly. He ran a loving hand over her belly, and she gave a contented sigh. A sharp glance was given to the others around the room before he thought.

"I can check with Vesper to see what is going on in the workshop," Howard nodded.

"Allow me..." Beelzebub muttered and checked a Hell Fly. "It's fine. Defenses are being upgraded, as we speak. There are even hiding spots being made in the ballroom for my flies to hide around in every nook and cranny of the room."

"Good," Kiehl nodded and gave a rather irritated glance at the door, as it was knocked on.

"My babies..." she cringed.

"Safe," Kiehl promised and rose up with her in his arms to take her to the balcony. As Doppy handled Seyren, Sarine was getting affectionate nuzzles from Kiehl. Right after Seyren left, Kiehl moved her back into the room.

"Dream vision?" Doppy asked.

"Now," Kiehl nodded.

"Huh?" she frowned.

"I want a continuation, Sorry Sari," Doppy smiled, as she was settled between him and Kiehl. "This way, you will know that I will protect your pregnancy, if you came back to me. Everyone else will, too, but this will help us find out for sure. Okay?"

"Oh. Okay," she nodded.

" _Ready?_ " Muninn asked. When they all nodded to show they were ready, the dream vision came forth to start...


	157. Chapter 157

Doppelganger was contentedly patrolling his area below the tower in Geffen. Sarine had made sure to visit him once a month, to every other month when she could. She was keeping her promise to see him, and he was always anxious to see her again when she came around. He saw her just the other day and was heavily deep in thought.  _I really do like the group she's with. It's fun listening to them bicker and argue with each other nonstop._  But, he was concerned about two humans in particular.  _She was getting incredibly close to her Blacksmith protector._ He didn't really like that.  _She belonged to me and no one else._  He had even noticed how the Assassin was trying to get close to her, too. He didn't like that, either.

What really baffled him was the pain he felt in the night. It made no sense to him. He always felt her pain now. In a way, it made him closer to her. He experienced her monthly pains, and the pains felt when she got hit in her training battles. But, the pain he felt during the night was completely different. _It was a single, sharp pain before it went away._ Then it never returned, and it was in his groin area. He wasn't sure what that meant, and it had him concerned.

He turned to move towards the back of his domain and paused. He felt her returning to him.  _So soon?_ He blinked and frowned. Something didn't feel right to him at all. He moved to the entrance of his domain now and waited patiently. Within the hour, he saw her, and he smiled. She had gotten a falcon after she became a Huntress, and the bird was very familiar with Doppy's scent. It chirped in greeting, and Doppy nodded back when he approached her.

"Sorry Sari," he said. Then he noticed something.  _She was alone._  "Where are the others? Sorry Sari! What happened?!"

She was in tears now, and he moved swiftly to gather her into his arms. He ran with her to the safest place he knew of. She kept her face pressed against his neck and kept whispering, "I'm sorry...Doppy...! I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry for what?!" he demanded to know, as he set her in his lap. Her falcon made itself at home on one of the various perches designed for it to roost, as she got comforted by Doppy. He was sitting in the ruins he kept her in long ago. Whenever she visited, she would stay the night with the others.

"I know...you said I was...yours...but..." she winced. He looked at her oddly. Then he caught her scent and hissed with hatred.  _She wasn't pure anymore. One of the humans made her their own. That's what the pain was that I felt in the night. She lost her virginity to another._

"Who did it?!" he growled out. "Tell me!"

"I..." she gasped, and he looked at her now.  _She was distraught. She was scared. She was away from the others._ He reigned in his anger and tried a different approach.

"I'm sorry..." he sighed and cradled her. "Don't tell me yet. Just tell me where the others are, okay? We'll deal with the...other part...later."

"We...went to Lighthalzen..." she cringed, and he looked at her with surprise. "They were...holding experiments. They said that...it would be for a worthy cause. And that the benefits would be...well...immense. We thought we should try. So...we signed up. I didn't qualify. The others did. The experiment...was to last a year..."

"A year?! And they didn't say this in advance?" he grimaced.

"No. So...last night...before he left with the others...How-How...made me his..." she trembled, and he sighed. Now he knew why it was done.  _She wasn't going to be seeing him, or any of her extended family, for an entire year._

"I see."

"I love How-How as much as you, Doppy. You know this."

"I had a feeling about it."

"I promised How-How that I would let no other man touch me."

"Well, I'm a demon. Not a man," he grinned. That made her blush, and he hugged her to him with a heavy sigh. "At least you're safe and with me. You can wait out the year at my side. I won't let you get hurt."

"I did...promise How-How something, though."

"Oh? What was that?"

"That I would write him daily, you see. I figured, this way, I can bring supplies down here, too. I'm sure we're running low, right?"

"Yeah. We have enough for tonight, though."

"Okay."

"You could live off of the Yggdrasil Berries, too."

"I'll need meat, Doppy."

"Plenty of that here," he grinned wickedly, and she blushed hard. "As always, I'll need to make an appearance out there every now and then. Kick the humans around a bit. At least the underground room is available."

"True," she smiled and cuddled into him. During one of her past visits, other humans made it a point to constantly interrupt her party with pointless bantering and egging on. It was decided to make a small safe room below the ruins. It was hard work to do, but it was done. Food was also stored here, and any valuables were stored, too. Only Doppy knew how to open it, and it was here that he brought Sarine into the underground room to keep her safe.

For the next week, she sent off a letter every day to Howard and started to rebuild the storeroom supplies. Near the end of the week, Doppy noticed something was off about her.

"Sorry Sari, come here," he said.

"Hmm?" she blinked and moved to his side.

"I've been attempting to monitor you, and, eh, well, you smell different."

"I do?" she frowned.

"Yeah. Hold on," he thought aloud and carefully sniffed over her body. He was doing an instinctive scent check that Demonic males did to their mates. He was checking for offspring, and he didn't realize it. Until he caught the scent around her belly. The scent that came off of her wasn't his.  _It was someone else's._ "That...bastard...!"

"What is it, Doppy?!" she grimaced.

"You're pregnant! He got you...grrrrrr!" he snarled out and clenched his hands.

"How-How gave me babies?!" she gasped with a mix of shock and childish delight. "I...I don't know what to do..."

"Get rid of it!" he hissed.

"No!" she cringed and put her hand protectively over her belly. "I can't do that!"

"Why not?!" he demanded.

"Because...if something goes wrong...if How-How doesn't come back to me..." she trembled fretfully, and now he paused with silent shock.  _She was right._

"I..." he faltered.

"And it's yours, too! You branded me as yours, right? So...your blood is also in this baby...right?" she frowned at him. His jaw dropped.  _She was right once again._

"We aren't getting rid of it," he said now in a rather gentle tone. "You're right. This baby is mine, too. We'll raise this one. Protect it..."

"Doppy..." she breathed, and he kissed her hard in a branding way. He had no way to tell if it was more than one baby developing, but he felt a form of fatherly pride in it, all the same. For the next week, everything was exciting and different. He took on a far more drastic approach to his fighting.  _I am protecting my mate, and she is bearing offspring._ He was fighting to protect the underground room, which was now a form of a nursery nest.  _Nothing_ was getting past him! Word was sent up to Dracula on the level above, and even he worked harder to protect the lower domain from being breached.

Each day, she sent off a letter, and Doppy was waiting anxiously for her to return. They had both decided against telling Howard of the pregnancy. Neither of them wanted him to worry and do poorly in the experiment he was a part of. If they knew he wasn't even receiving her letters and was in a lot of life-threatening danger, it would have been a different matter completely. Doppy would pace around and fret until he saw her appear again. Then he was quick to sweep her off her feet and run back with her to the underground nursery room. The moment she was nestled against him and safe was the only time he could truly relax.

The next night was going to make all of that bliss and joy crash down hard.

"Sorry Sari?!" he gasped, as he jolted out of his meditation. She had just gasped and cried out at the sharp pain her body started. He moved swiftly to press a hand to her belly.

"Doppy?!" she shivered.

"Hmm," he frowned. "Ah...oh, hell..."

"What?" she asked, and she trembled through another sharp pain.

"Your body..." he trembled with her. "It's...fighting off the pregnancy..."

"What? My baby is in danger?!" she winced.

"It's not accepting the pregnancy..." he said with shock. He Healed her to buy him more time to study the problem. He felt her body out with his blood. He realized he had this ability long ago when she was poisoned by a random monster. He was able to find the cure, and an antidote was made. What he found out now was both shocking and heartbreaking.

"Doppy?" she asked. Her falcon was watching her from its roost the moment she had woken in pain with him. There was nothing it could do. It seemed exceptionally concerned, yet all it could do was watch.

"Howard..." he sighed sadly. "he's only human. Your body thinks he is not strong enough to make children with you. The pregnancy is being aborted."

"NO!" she shouted and started to sob. "I...won't let...that happen...!"

"Neither will I!" he hissed. There was one thing he could do for her. It was incredibly risky, and there was a chance that it could fail, but he was willing to try. "Sorry Sari, I may know of a way to help save this. But, I will need something from you."

"Doppy...please..." she shivered. "Help me...keep my baby alive!"

"Say I am your mate, Sorry Sari! Tell me that I am the true father of this pregnancy!" he urged. "It's the only way!"

"You are my mate...and the father of my baby," she whimpered.

"Drink two swallows of my blood," he said, as he opened his wrist with his sword. She took down the two swallows, and she gasped when his blood charged through her body. He was taking deep, controlled breaths from how erotic it felt. Then he pulled up her wrist to open it and take in two swallows of her blood before Healing them both. When another sharp pain hit, he grimaced.  _Now was the time to prove that I was the father._

He undressed her quickly and dropped his armor.

"Doppy?!" she blinked with a form of surprise. When she saw his size, she blushed and felt a bit scared at the pain he was going to give her.

"I am the father of your pregnancy," he muttered, as he lowered himself onto her. He pressed his face into her neck and breathed in her scent. She whimpered and gasped at the sharp thrust he did to take her. He knew her womb was opening, and he had to act quickly. He shoved himself into her harder to make sure that he was in her as far as he could possibly go, and he held her down to ensure that she couldn't move away. He flexed his hips a few times before roaring out his mating cry. She found herself shouting with him, much to her own shock. His seed was swift to overpower Howard's weaker counterpart, but it didn't replace it. Instead, Doppy's seed enhanced Howard's seed.

A normal human pregnancy should not have let this happen. Sarine was not exactly a normal human. She needed something more of a monster than a human for her pregnancy to thrive. The two of them were now true fathers to this pregnancy, and Doppy would regard Howard as an equal of sorts, if they met again. Sarine was gasping from everything, but the pain was gone.  _My pregnancy was saved._

"My baby..." she whispered.

"Safe. Whole. Mine..." he smiled and kissed her hard. For the rest of the night, he didn't leave her side, and he was still locked within her when the dream vision ended...


	158. Chapter 158

Doppy had Sarine locked in an intense kiss of passion, and he was in his original form.

"You saved my babies," she smiled, and he nuzzled her.

"Yeah," he muttered, and Kiehl chuckled to let him gather her up to take her into the bathroom to be with her. Everyone was rather impressed by the dream vision.

"How would Doppy have known what to do?" Keltin asked.

"It was instinctively ingrained in him," Thanatos explained.

"It was?" Loomin asked now.

"Hmm," Hyegun thought. "Howard. Kiehl. Naght. Go in there with them."

They were quick to respond and sat down around her, as she rested on Doppy.

"Any of us would do everything we could to protect any pregnancy you have, Sorry Sari," Doppy mumbled against her throat. "You're safe with any of us."

"I know now," she sighed. "I've always known. I just...don't know why else..."

"It was our triplets," Howard said gently. "They wanted to make sure."

"I see..." she winced, and Doppy purred while he held her. "Hmm..."

"Hmm?" Kiehl looked at her and blinked. Then he grinned wickedly, as Naght hissed out laughter. Doppy looked at them both with a raised brow.

"She's thinking about what would have happened if that Sniper, Greg, tried to follow her to your domain. While you were protecting her pregnancy," Howard grinned.

"Slaughtered, quartered, and hung up for monster meat," Doppy snickered.

"Really? I think...I'd actually like to see that..." Sarine giggled, and he kissed her gently. His kiss got more possessive, and he finally moved to claim her. She moaned with him, as he released, and she was moved to sit up with him on the tile floor. She sighed happily with him, and they started to laugh softly.

"Kiehl. When do we see the ballroom?" Doppy asked, as he helped dress her.

"Let's go now," he said. Doppy's form changed back to his powerful one, but he winced with her when her womb grew with the eggs. Kiehl was quick to sweep her off her feet to carry her. She snuggled into his chest with complete comfort. He started to purr deeply for her, and she nuzzled under his chin. Howard smiled, and Hyegun walked over to them.

"Feed her," he muttered. Kiehl blinked, and her craving dishes were given over. Her slaves swarmed over her to pamper her, yet remained cautious around Kiehl.

"My Lady, you are well?" Errende asked, as he walked up to her. She pulled him close and hugged him tight. Kiehl paused at this, but he knew that her slaves needed her, too.

"I'm okay, Errende. I feel I will always be worried about this pregnancy, though," she sighed. "I know everyone will protect me..."

"We know, My Lady," Errende smiled softly. "We understand that it is your triplets that truly need the attention. Don't worry. We will all do what we can to help."

"I love you, Errende," she sighed again, and he closed his eyes.

"I love you, too," he whispered. He couldn't say her name while time was moving. He wasn't sure how Beelzebub would take it. Thanatos walked over now to whisper in her ear gently. She smiled and nuzzled into him.

"A dream vision to where she just meets you?" Howard frowned.

"I think it's deserved," the demon grinned.

"Maybe," Doppy grinned back.

"Why don't we do that after we see the ballroom?" Kiehl chuckled.

"You think we can?!" Thanatos grinned even wider now.

"Why not?" Sammy chuckled. Now he was excited and couldn't wait.

"Hurry up to the ballroom before I take her from you!" he smirked. Kiehl gave him a smirk back and pulled her back against his chest. She playfully nipped under his chin now, and he growled at her in response. She nipped him again, and he nipped back to make her giggle.

"At least she's picking on you..." Eremes smiled.

"He can handle her," Howard grinned and now laughed, as Sarine started to nibble his brother's neck. It wasn't helping his focus at all.

"Wait until after the ballroom," Kiehl growled. She seemed to pout, but she nodded. The ballroom was actually a smaller building separate from the main house, but still attached by a slender path. At first, they were thinking of the ballroom being the main room of the house. But Storm Caller, being as wise as he was, decided against it. If Sarine was worried about her pregnancy, he wanted to make sure that no one could follow her. Various strong monsters would be at the arena, but others would be ensuring that unwanted guests could not get into the main house without a fight.

"I actually like this better," Howard muttered.

"Same," Kiehl nodded. Sarine wasn't saying anything right now. She was happily nestled against his chest and sighing with a form of relief at his closeness.

"Hmm?" Doppy grunted and looked out into the distance. Drago looked over now, and he hissed out in warning. Nigel bristled in response, and Byorgue leapt in front of Sarine protectively. Maya Purple readied to attack, and Injustice nodded to Observation that they were ready. Aliot narrowed his eyes and tensed. Errende frowned, and looked at Thanatos.

"Hide her!" Hyegun winced. Kiehl seethed at the warning, and Ragged Zombie grinned with Mobster. They could see that it was Greg coming up to the house.

"He doesn't learn..." Eremes grumbled.

"Huh?" Sarine frowned.

"I'm killing him!" Keltin grounded out, as he readied to attack.

"No. Let us take care of him. You take her to safety!" Beelzebub said. Hibram, Amon Ra, and Sammy were quick to help move her into the ballroom building. Howard watched Naght move to the entrance of the building to ensure nothing would get past him. Pori-Pori was quick to appear and help stand guard.

"My babies are threatened?!" she cringed.

"No," Kiehl said gently and smiled tenderly at her. At his confident, gentle smile, she relaxed and rested against him.  _My powerful First Mate is guarding me and protecting me. I have nothing to fear._ A slender, white chair was brought over, and he sat down in it with her. Once she was secure and calmed, he let her look around the room. The floor was oak hardwood and had a dark stain finish. The walls were tiled with white marble with silvery swirls through it. The ceiling was vaulted, and various chandeliers were hanging down. A small stage was set up for monsters or humans to perform songs and play music. Bathrooms were set along the back of the room. Chairs much like the one that Kiehl was sitting on with Sarine were all over the room. Small tables were there, too. Refreshments were being made in the main house kitchen by various monsters, and a small buffet table was being set up.

Naght had to return to her side at Hyegun's warning, and Pori-Pori was able to help chase Greg back to the arena. Naght and Howard had to remain at Sarine's side.

"Not bad," Hibram chuckled.

"My Lady? Do you need anything?" Aliot asked, as he moved to her side. She shook her head and planted a kiss on his mouth. He smiled and nuzzled her before moving to help set up the ballroom a bit more. Sarine sighed and balled herself up in Kiehl's lap. That alarmed him.

"Love, our triplets are fine," Kiehl whispered to her. She just shivered, and he grimaced.

"What's this place?" Cedrick asked, as he walked in to look around. At the sound of his voice, she whimpered, and Kiehl snarled out with protective hatred.  _She sensed him coming._  If Naght and Pori-Pori were still at the door, they wouldn't have gotten in.

"It's a ballroom. For tonight," Eremes said, as he walked over. "Sarine is pregnant and in a delicate state of mind. Do nothing...rash..."

"Oh? Is she all right?" he asked. At Naght's glare, he stopped in his tracks.

"She's pregnant with the triplets I lost in the past," Howard said with an edge to his tone. "She's in such a state that she feels that anyone that is not of her own is ready to harm her and the pregnancy. Keep your distance for now, or we will be forced to slaughter you!"

"Anyone that isn't her own?" Cedrick frowned.

"She sees friends as enemies right now," Loomin grimaced. "It took a bit for her to calm herself just to know that none of us would harm her."

"Seriously?!" he gaped.

"Like I said. Her body aborted this pregnancy in the past, and it was mine. I'm also very anxious for her. Don't piss us off," Howard warned. Kiehl gave out a low, blood-chilling growl, as he kept her form close to him. That alarmed Cedrick, and he backed away slowly. Naght hissed at him now, and Ifrit flared his heat mildly. When Seyren walked over, he stopped and rose up his hands to show he meant no harm. He was warned that this was happening. Baphomet Jr. was able to establish a mild mental link with him to help him out.

"No traveling until tomorrow, right?" Seyren asked slowly.

"Right. Not until the eggs are out of her and the kids start growing," Howard nodded.

"Why in the hell is a ball happening when she is like this?" he asked now.

"Odin wants it done," Doppy said. Now Seyren sighed with a nod.

"I warned the others of her condition. We'll be careful," the Lord Knight said.

"Fine," Kiehl muttered. Baphomet Jr. walked over, and Sarine looked at him with a smile. He knelt down to mumble in her ear. She blinked at this and smiled even more.

"That was smart!" Howard grinned. "Seyren, you're safe to approach her now. Anyone that has monster blood coursing in their veins is an ally to her. Thank you, Baphomet Jr."

"It would make the most sense," the demon gave a mildly fanged grin. "Monsters here don't hurt her, as a rule. Any with monster blood will know to protect her and will be tolerable."

"But, those that don't?" Seyren asked.

"They'd better stay back," Thanatos warned.

"Hmm," Beelzebub thought, as he walked over. "Storm Caller has just sent out the invitations. The towns my flies are in are reporting intense havoc now. Quite a few young nobles and royals are getting ready to flock over quickly. However, Markus is coming here, too. He received an invitation to be here before the others, and he needs to be here for support. He is on his way to us now. Sarine, love, we should have the Amatsu Captain with us."

"Tsurga?" she smiled. Sarine should have remembered his name, but it was so long ago that she last talked to him as a child that it was forgotten. Howard chuckled, and Kiehl nodded. Beelzebub looked over, as the Captain walked in with a bit of a humorous grin on his face.

"Discovered my name, did you?" Tsurga laughed softly. Then Muninn walked over to him to show him the dream vision that was done with Howard, Kiehl, Sarine, and Naght. He blinked and seemed in a state of surprise. "That's how it would have turned out?! Amazing..."

"We owe you our gratitude," Beelzebub nodded.

"You know, if you ever want to become a bit of a demon..." Hibram hinted. Sarine looked at him with a smile of genuine delight.

"No, thank you. I am happy the way I am," Tsurga chuckled.

"You should," Markus said, as he walked up to them from the main house. There was a Hell Fly on his shoulder, and it was decided to have one with him at all times. The decision was made when he learned of the ball invitations to further protect him. "It would make me feel that much better with you around her and the children."

"Is my loyalty alone not enough?" Tsurga scowled.

"It is his choice, you know," Sarine giggled softly. "I will always see him as an ally, regardless. Whether he has monster blood or not."

" _My sister is quite right. But, the choice is ultimately your own. Anyways, we have a slight problem. The humans are coming now. Despite the warning to wait until nightfall. We must move my sister up high. A balcony is being constructed now with a window to let in fresh air. We should move her,_ " Muninn warned. She cringed, and Kiehl was up quickly with her. The balcony actually resembled the one from the arena with the stairs off to the left instead of the right. It was large, spacious, and had duplicate furniture on it. Tsurga stationed himself right on the stairs to keep anyone from seeing her. Sarine thought and whispered to Sammy. He chuckled, reverted to child form, and removed a small lock of his hair to fashion into a bracelet. Then he shifted the massive scroll on his back and poked Tsurga's side to get his attention.

"Incantation Samurai?" the Captain frowned.

"Wear this! When you focus with it, you can see invisible things. It's my hair. Don't abuse it!" Sammy warned. That had Tsurga blink with surprise, and he accepted the powerful bracelet readily. He slipped it on his wrist and nodded. Sammy became his adult form again and stretched out. Moving to sit in a throne-like chair, he felt better.

"And now they come..." Eremes growled. Howard and Kiehl had Sarine huddled between them. Beelzebub was standing over the couch now with a silent form of protection. Loomin watched each human move in and gaze at Sarine up on the balcony.

"Can we approach her?" a young man asked.

"No. She's pregnant and in a delicate state of mind," Evil Snake Lord hissed out, as he let his ink walk him past the human. "Approach her and you will die. Only warning."

"Especially by my hands!" Odin thundered after the crushing weight appeared around them and lifted. "My daughter, my Vessel, will not be touched! I have ordered this ball to happen to see who the most loyal are. Those that appear here early are not of true noble or royal standings! Those that are shall undergo training as a Warrior of mine!"

"I see now," Loomin mused. Several men already had their minds wiped clean of getting the invitation of a ball and sent back home by Muninn.

"Weeding out the unloyal ones?" Keltin grinned.

"Very..." Eremes smirked. Now that Odin was there, Sarine was able to relax a lot more. All of her men were on high alert for anything to happen. Thanatos could barely contain his excitement that a dream vision was going to be done with him meeting Sarine by himself.  _How was it going to work? Would she be with the others? Would she be by herself?_

"Lord Thanatos, we will have to wait and see," Errende mused to him lightly.

"I know, I know!" Thanatos muttered. Sarine looked over at him and smiled. He found himself giving a small grin back, and he moved to pull up a chair to sit near her.

"When we are done here, we'll have the vision. Um...how are the children?" she asked.

"They're fine. School is going well for the older ones," Beelzebub nodded. He looked over, as Tsurga glared down at a young nobleman before Odin judged him unworthy. After he was sent away, things seemed to calm down. Kiehl and Howard both kept their hands on her belly, as Naght hovered close by. She was fed her craving dishes and kept happy. She looked at the entrance to the ball. She cringed at the sight of Shoujin and Cedrick walking over.

"Our babies are fine," Kiehl muttered in her ear with a deep purr. She pressed her face into his neck, and he smiled softly while he ran his hands over her form to comfort her. Her sigh of contentment made him purr even deeper as he held her closer.

"The two of you need to leave!" Odin said sharply at the two royal figures.

"Odin!" Shoujin blinked. He stopped right in his tracks and bowed deeply. Then he turned and left without another word. Cedrick paused at first and frowned.

"I just wanted to make sure that Sarine is well," he started.

"My daughter, my Vessel, is as well as can be. You need to leave!" Odin said again. At that, Cedrick nodded and left.

"Idiot!" Ragged Zombie growled, as he walked in with Mobster.

"That Sniper might come back," Mobster frowned. "He came back twice after we got rid of him. He's a pain in the ass!"

"Hmm," Odin thought, and he walked over. "It is true that this human has caused my daughter, my Vessel, much grief. I could have Muninn remove his memories of ever seeing her. He wants something that he simply cannot ever have."

"Sarine," Beelzebub whispered. He knelt down to her to make sure the others could hear him. "Your father would like to permanently remove Greg from your life. He's thinking of having Muninn remove his memories of seeing you. I'm all for it. What about you?"

"I just...don't want him to...hurt my babies..." she frowned. Kiehl gave a small growl, and he squeezed her to show she was still safe in his arms.

"He's not touching our triplets," Howard promised.

"He may end up seeing you again and doing the same thing," Loomin frowned.

"He's fun to kill," Doppy grinned. That got small bouts of laughter.

"Every time he appears, it's easy to get rid of him," Hibram smirked.

"He fired an arrow at Sarine," Keltin growled. Hyegun looked at him with disbelief.

"It was aimed for Ragged Zombie," Sammy said.

"Doesn't matter..." Eremes glowered.

"Hush, love," Kiehl murmured to her and purred even deeper. She sighed and closed her eyes to let her body fully relax. "That's it, my heart. It's all right now. Rest on me..."

She gave him her weight, as sleep took over, and Sammy settled himself to meditate.

"Anyways, about Greg..." Eremes muttered.

"Ass Hat is fun to kill! I say let him keep trying," Ragged Zombie smirked. That got small bits of giggling laughter from them, and the message was sent to Odin. Thirty minutes went by silently before the talk started up again.

"We should have some curtains up here," Loomin thought.

"Not very sound proof, though," Amon Ra said.

"Ouch..." Doppy winced. Sarine's belly grew two inches from the swelling eggs.

"That's a bit of a growth spurt," Drago frowned.

"She's waking up," Sammy said, as he came around. "Nigel, become your small Nine Tail body and go up to her. She wants to snuggle something soft. She was doing that in her dream, and I doubt the feeling has left her."

"Oh?" Nigel blinked and became his original form. He trotted over to Howard and got picked up to settle in her lap. The moment she opened her eyes, she giggled.

"Nigel!" Sarine sighed and hugged him. Nigel gave a soft yip and nuzzled into her.

"Howard, I think this is from one of your triplet personalities," Hyegun chuckled. "Apparently, this one loves soft, cuddly animals."

"Are they already showing themselves?!" Howard gaped.

"To an extent. I know that the other two will eventually. Right now, though...hmm. Okay. That's odd," Hyegun blinked, as he focused.

"What is odd?" Kiehl asked now. Nigel was paying half attention from the snuggles and petting he was receiving. She clearly did love his fur, and he was enjoying the affection.

"I thought it was one triplet that loved furry animals. It's all three. It appears to be a small weakness of theirs. This is good to know," Hyegun chuckled. "Nigel, if Sarine starts to feel upset, feel free to help her."

He yipped and rubbed his head against her face gently.

"I think we are all going to be needed in some way to help her," Aliot said.

"True," Injustice nodded. "This pregnancy will be challenging, but we'll do what we can. My Lady? Do you need something?"

"I want to be away from here," Sarine frowned and shivered a bit. Kiehl gave a small, protective growl, and Howard saw Markus walk into the ballroom. He had moved to the nursery to see the children, and he came back to see how everything was going. Odin moved to consult with her adoptive father. Beelzebub listened closely to everything that was said.

"Does she have to sit here all day?" Thanatos frowned.

"It's what Odin wants. He has to judge and see who is worthy out there," Sammy said.

"Where is Tsurga?" she suddenly asked. Kiehl looked at her and swallowed a chuckle. Howard cracked a grin and called her guard over. The Captain walked over now and knelt to speak with her with a respectful nod.

"Your Majesty? Is everything all right?" he asked with a small frown. Howard took Nigel momentarily, as Sarine reached out, grabbed Tsurga by his uniformed collar, and pulled him close to kiss him. That had the others cough and laugh with surprise and acceptance.

"He's not a monster, though!" Keltin said with concern.

"I think he might be soon. He fits, yet doesn't fit. I think, if he accepts the blood of one of us, he'll fit. That's probably what that kiss means," Kiehl thought.

"You're right!" Loomin mused. "If they fit, yet don't fit, it means there is a chance that they can fit if they accept monster blood. So, if Tsurga accepts monster blood, he'll work with her. Otherwise, he'll be in the same state as the others."

"Your Majesty!" Tsurga gasped with a bit of his own shock.

"My loves, which one of you will give Tsurga some blood?" Sarine mused, as Nigel was settled back in her lap to get cuddled.

"I'll do it," Doppy smirked.

"Really?" Hibram grinned.

"Sure, his kids with her may want blood and raw meat, but I'm impressed with him. And he'll protect her better, since it's my blood. I'm her Wrath," he said. "The moment she, or the family, is under attack, I don't take any shit from anybody. That mood will go to him."

"Maybe he should take my blood," Sammy said. "I am old royalty, you know."

"No, it's me," Doppy insisted.

"Tsurga, the choice is yours. Just remember. If you take blood from them and become one with me, the kids will need blood from you," Sarine smiled softly.

"Your Majesty, I would be compromising my position as a Captain of the Amatsu Royal Guard," he started. Then he glanced at Maheo and Neil, as they approached. They were listening to Hibram's thoughts and had to voice out their opinions.

"Don't be an idiot! Take the blood!" Neil said.

"You may never get this chance again. And it's from Doppelganger! If anyone questions you, all you have to do is gut them open and it's done," Maheo smirked. "Besides, Garrett is the Captain of Prontera's Royal Guard and has Cecil! He didn't lose that spot. Even Max is his First in Command. He's with Coraline."

"That is very true," Tsurga chuckled.

"Sarine, didn't you always like a man with a powerful position?" Kiehl chuckled. She blushed, and Tsurga sighed. Muninn walked over with a grin on his face.

" _Tsurga Din, it is time for you to make the choice of a lifetime. Doppelganger is correct in how his blood will benefit you more. Oh, Doppelganger, don't worry about feeling any of his pain. That only works with my sister, or if he comes to any form of attack. Tsurga, the time to make the choice is now,_ " Muninn said.

"I see," Tsurga sighed. "Well, my Emperor did tell me to do this, too. Not only that, but it...sort of feels right. All right, Doppelganger. Let's get this done!"

"We owe you a great debt for saving her life. This will put you on par with us," Beelzebub nodded. Odin looked up at the balcony and gave a nod of respect to Tsurga. That alone made the Captain's decision all the more final.

"It was a matter of time, I suppose," Tsurga chuckled.

"No matter. This way," Doppy said and led Tsurga to the back of the balcony. When the blood was exchanged, he muttered, "Go to her again and kiss her now."

Tsurga's blood felt charged to a whole new level. He felt a fierce hatred and loathing for anything that would want to hurt her or the children. It surprised him. He was normally rather calm when it came to defending her. This was Doppy's blood changing much of his mood. He walked over to Sarine purposely, and he knelt before her. She smiled at him, and he kissed her again. This time, he fit perfectly with her. Nigel was moved, as Kiehl and Howard left the couch to let Tsurga be with her. Beelzebub moved to hide the view of them with his robe.

"Go to the children and give them a drop of your blood," she smiled and nuzzled her new mate, as they exchanged blood drops. "Oh. Before I forget. Call me by my name when we are like this. All right?"

"Your Majesty..." Tsurga shivered, as he hugged her tight. "As you say, Sarine."

"You are a mate of mine now, Tsurga. There is no need for you to train with Turtle General. You are stronger than many now. Go to the children and come back to me," she whispered. "Help protect our babies."

"Our..." he shivered and ran a hand over her belly. There was no movement yet, but he knew he would be guarding over her even more fiercely now.

"Would he need to stay away from the Demonic Matings?" Doppy asked.

"No. I'm not affected, and you think I would be from Lord Thanatos," Errende said.

"Ah. You're right," Doppy nodded.

"Seyren can't join, unless Baphomet does. Those that have blood bonds here are fine, since the monsters they are bonded to are already mated to Sarine," Loomin said.

"Tsurga should watch her next Demonic Mating, though. So he knows what goes on," Kiehl thought. "That and, if she needs protection, it wouldn't hurt to have another guardian on hand. He could easily help, if others can slip past magical protection."

"True," Loomin nodded. "Go to the kids, Tsurga. The older ones should be done with school by now, so they may all be together."

He had just finished dressing when he nodded, and Sarine was helped to dress now. When she was settled on the couch, he knelt down to smile at her and said, "Sarine, I think I've always loved you, deep down. It pains me that I was not there to protect you as you were growing up. I refuse to let that happen again."

"Tsurga, I always cared about you. You did become second to my Papa, in a sense, with how you helped me in my time of need. I can never thank you enough for that. I would have easily perished those first few years without your help. I did learn just some time ago that Daddy was secretly giving me his strength to survive at times. But..." Sarine winced.

"Well, none of our children will suffer like you have! You have my vow as of right now. I'm sure Serenity will be overjoyed at this. You know, she was constantly begging me to become a dad to her," he grinned. "She would always hint it to me."

"Was she really?" Sarine asked with a blush. That had Beelzebub chuckling with a soft nod. Even Amon Ra bore witness to the kids stating that Tsurga should have been a dad from how he helped their mother. Now the kids would be ready to smother him the moment the blood drops were given, and he would be ready to enjoy them as his own. When he left, she started to give blood drops to her men. Within the hour, Beelzebub was reporting that Tsurga was sitting on the ground in the nursery and covered with happy kids from head to toe.

"Haha! The kids are trying to upgrade his armor and weapons!" Beelzebub chuckled.

"I'm sure they're making him some powerful stuff," Kiehl grinned. Sarine gave a soft, motherly smile and cuddled Nigel. She really did love the luxurious texture of his fur.

"You should be her pillow while she sleeps when she's not using us," Howard said. Nigel thought and gave a small nod. He already knew that her triplets would be doing that with him.  _They were bound to share a cradle and have different colored nightgowns to tell them apart._ When the youngest children needed to nurse, she was alerted.

"We'll take her there. Entweihen's kids can't leave their plant state just yet. That likely won't happen until she gives birth," Kiehl frowned. "It could be sooner, but I'm not sure."

"That's true," Loomin nodded. "Who else will go with her?"

"I will," Sammy said. Doppy was already up with Keltin and Eremes. Loomin needed to be with her, and Hyegun was quick to follow. Beelzebub and Hibram were next to move. Muninn had already left. He had foreseen something and needed to be in the nursery.

"I shall stay for now," Evil Snake Lord nodded. The others agreed with him and settled to watch and see who else would appear when they weren't supposed to. Of course, her slaves were going with her. Kiehl and Howard settled themselves on Maya Purple's back with Sarine, and Nigel became human to walk with them. When they reached the nursery, she was moved to the rocking bench and given Sun and Moon to nurse. Tsurga was still smothered with kids, and he was telling them stories of Amatsu's history. Sammy moved to his side to help fix a few of the old legends he was told.

"Ow..." Doppy winced with a sigh, as Sarine's belly stretched slightly again. Tsurga looked over with a grimace. He actually felt that pain, and Doppy looked over at him with shock. He didn't know that his blood would allow him to feel Sarine, too.

"Yes. I felt that," Tsurga muttered.

"You'll be feeling her labor pains, then," Doppy sighed.

"What?!" Tsurga gaped.

"Yeah. You will..." Eremes sighed with a form of pity for him.

"At least it's not an intense growth," Thanatos smirked at him.

"I know. Still, it hurts," Doppy muttered. Tsurga could only agree with him. Eremes gave over Elenor and Joseph, and Muninn took Sun and Moon. For an hour, the kids were nursed, and the older ones were played with. Serenity was sitting in Howard's lap, and Siegfried was held by Naght. They had all grown quite a bit, but they still loved to be held. They almost resembled ten-year-olds now.

"Dad," Edward said, as Thanatos was holding him.

"What?" he asked.

"Why did it take so long for Daddy Tsurga to become a Dad?" Edward frowned.

"He was always a guard. He wasn't supposed to be a dad, but he is now. Do you like him better as a dad or as a guard?" he grinned.

"He's better as a Dad," Edward grinned back the same grin. Then he got held upside down and tickled mercilessly. Doppy glanced down at his twins, and they swallowed. Keltin grinned wolfishly at his own twins, and the tickling started. Hyegun moved to Sarine's side and gently ran a tickling hand over her belly to act like he was tickling the triplets. They wanted to be in on the fun even though they couldn't be felt yet.

"Babies move yet?" Serenity asked after the tickling stopped.

"Not yet. They won't start growing until the eggs are out of your mom," Howard smiled. "Are all of the other kids nursed?"

"Yes," Sarine smiled. She had moved away from Damas when he was done. She gave all of her nursing children plenty of attention and nuzzled each one.

"Ma?" Damas whimpered.

"Yes, dear?" she smiled. She gave him more cuddles at his outstretched arms, and he sighed. Astaroth had her arms outstretched, and she pulled her close next. Entweihen chuckled and took a close look at where they were attached to the plants.  _Their feet were starting to show._  He judged that it would be two more days before they would be free of the plants. It could be sooner than that with how they were reacting to her.

"We should go back to the ballroom," Loomin sighed.

"Dad, Mommy is upset," Juliana frowned.

"I know," Kiehl nodded, as he held his daughter. "You know she's having a pregnancy that she lost long ago, right?"

"Yes. But, why is she scared?" she asked.

"It's difficult to explain," he admitted. "She lost the pregnancy long ago. She's afraid that she might lose it again. She knows she is not, but it's instinctive. She can't help it. She is very afraid for this pregnancy. In time, this feeling should fade. It's what we're hoping for."

"Mama will have our sisters! They'll be healthy!" Serenity nodded.

"And that reminds me," Howard grinned, as he poked her side. "How many of your brothers and sisters did you tell about calling me 'duh'?"

"Um...all of them?" she said with a sheepish grin. Then she screamed at the intense tickling she got. Stolas seemed to smirk from his crib, and he reached for Sarine when his brother and sister were done getting attention.

"I'm here, Stolas," Sarine murmured softly, and she picked him up to cradle. He was going to be a fiercely protective little demon prince. And that was apparent when he looked at the entrance to the nursery and hissed out a snarl of hate. "Stolas!"

He frowned, but glared at the entrance again. Beelzebub was quick to walk over and take his son. Then he muttered, "What is it?"

"Bad man!" Stolas frowned. "Smell bad man!"

"Where?!" Gunther growled.

"Let us handle it!" Doppy hissed. That made Gunther huff, but he nodded. He knew better than to get his dad pissed off. That happened once, and it didn't go well. Muninn stood silently with Sun and Moon in his arms, and he sighed. This was what he foresaw.

"Where is Thanatos?" Sarine frowned.

"Triplets want him, because of the dream vision happening later," Hyegun muttered. Thanatos gave Edward to Errende and moved to Sarine's side to hug her.

"Kids, go into your bedrooms. Younger ones need to go in the sitting area," Kiehl said lightly. "Go on and wait there."

At first, the older kids paused at this, but they moved swiftly to obey him. They knew that Kiehl was extremely powerful now and easy to upset.

"Come on," Byorgue chuckled to the toddling bodies of Juliana and Deagan. They both held his hands, as he lead them away. Nigel was leading Ming and Loo Shin. Injustice and Aliot moved to guard the cradles with Maya Purple. Eremes and Ifrit glanced at each other and nodded slightly. Thanatos continued to hug Sarine to him, and they listened quietly.

"Who are you?" Evil Snake Lord asked in the hallway. He was coming to check on his children and spotted the intruder easily.

"Do you not see nobility when it is in front of you?" the haughty man asked.

"I see an obtrusive human about to die," Evil Snake Lord hissed out. "Considering that you are encountering the nursery..."

"The Princess of Amatsu has children?!" the man asked with distaste. Doppy glowered, and Errende fumed. Thanatos growled, as he felt Sarine squeeze him. Kiehl moved to her side with Howard, and she whimpered softly.

"The triplets are safe," Kiehl muttered softly. "If he comes in here, he dies."

"Yes, she does. Considering that she gave me two children!" Evil Snake Lord seethed.

"Dah?" Atsuko whimpered from her cradle. Takeshi frowned and looked for his father. Loomin moved to carefully gather them up, and they snuggled into him. They liked him, since they almost resembled him in beauty.

"Your father will be in here soon, okay? I'm also your dad, too, so you're both safe with me," Loomin smiled gently, and Atsuko started to suck on her thumb in comfort. The Valkyrie maidens in the room were ready to attack, as they hovered over the cradles of Sun and Moon. Muninn had set the prophesied twins back in the cradles to sleep. They were well protected. Now he was sending a message to Odin, and he waited calmly. The warrior Valkyrie wasn't called on yet, but she would appear, if things got nasty.

"How did he get past the others?" Sarine frowned.

"There were a bunch of them that worked together to distract the monsters," Beelzebub sighed. "All were sent away, but this one was missed."

"If you have no business here, you should leave now!" Evil Snake Lord hissed out and moved past the human quickly. He entered the nursery, and Loomin let his children relax in his coils. Naght was quick to hover behind Tsurga, and the Captain moved to brace himself in front of the door. Doppy smirked at this, and Eremes grinned. Keltin was ensuring that Trina and Bernard were safe with the other kids in the sitting room area. They were almost old enough that they could share the rooms with the older kids. Aliot was also guarding his twins in the sitting room area. All eyes were on the entrance door when the nobleman tried to walk in.

"I am Cervantes, third heir to...to..." he gaped at the sight of Tsurga and Naght.

"Leave or die. Only warning," Tsurga growled. Naght seethed and glared with complete and absolute hatred at the human.

"Protect my babies!" Sarine whimpered, and Kiehl gave out a bloodthirsty snarl. He was exceptionally close to snapping and charging over to slaughter the human.

" _Get him out of here!_ " Muninn winced, as he looked over at Sarine. Tsurga needed no further coaxing. The man was kicked out of the room quickly and pursued out of the mansion. Thanatos had his hands on her belly, but the soothing touch would only work on developing babies. It didn't work on eggs.

"Help her!" Doppy grimaced at the pain he shared with Sarine. The eggs within her doubled in size. Kiehl and Howard were quick to move her to the rocking bench. The younger kids looked at each other and back to their mother. They clamored for her now, and the older ones came out to help give her comfort. Out in the hall, Tsurga stammered at what he felt, but he continued to chase out the nobleman at Doppy's prodding.

"Mom?" Bianca frowned. Doppy scooped her up and did the same with Angela. Edward and Gunther were grabbed by Thanatos. Errende wasn't sure what he could do, but he and the other slaves were quick to help with the kids. Maya Purple continued to protect the nursery.

" _We need to go back. It is starting to near sundown,_ " Muninn sighed.

"Did time really go by so fast?" Kiehl blinked.

" _Father Odin willed it. It would be mid-day by now, but he needed time to pass quickly. He wants his Warriors to be chosen and to start training. The sooner it starts, the sooner they will be stronger. Once my brother and I assist in making children, the real timer will start._ "

"Hmm," Loomin frowned. "The kids are secure now?"

"I think so," Keltin chuckled at Trina's sleeping form in his arms.

"What are you all going to do tonight?" Gunther asked.

"Well," Thanatos started, and he set Edward down on his feet. "your mother is going to have a special vision with me. To see what it would have been like if I was the one that found her. It's just a dream, but it can be very real."

"A dream vision?" Juliana blinked.

"Yes. Exactly that," Kiehl nodded.

"Um...can we see it, too?" Serenity asked.

"I don't think so," Howard frowned. "They can be very painful."

"Please? We'll know it's just a dream!" Angela begged.

"As long as you all know that I may be taking your mother away for a bit when it's done," Thanatos grinned. That got blushing giggles from the kids, and Edward grinned.

"So, you all know what that means!" Howard said, and he chuckled at the kids. "Nap time now so you can be up later. Got it?"

"Okay, Dad!" Serenity nodded. Sarine gave hugs and kisses to her kids as they went to bed, and she tucked in those that wanted it. They all wanted her to tuck them in. She leaned into Kiehl as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and nuzzled her gently.

"All of our little princesses and princes put to bed?" he smiled.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I don't...really want to go to the ballroom..."

"I know," Kiehl sighed and squeezed her. "It will be over quickly."

"Did you want to dress up, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"No," she shivered. "I don't want to draw too much attention myself."

"Our triplets are fine," Howard soothed and ran a hand over her belly. She winced at another growth spurt from the developing eggs, and Doppy cringed. Muninn thought and whispered to Kiehl. Beelzebub looked over with shock.

"Are you serious?!" Kiehl hissed. "You want to...why?!"

" _It may help,_ " Muninn said.

"It could also hurt her!" Howard growled.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"He wants to induce the growth of the eggs," Beelzebub muttered to him.

"Oh, hell no! Do you know how much pain she's going to be in?!" Doppy winced.

"It's not wise," Loomin said now. "The moment the eggs are out of her, she will experience the full cravings from the triplets, and from the other daughter from Naght and Ifrit. It will be too much for her. Especially if she has to deal with the ballroom."

" _It may happen anyways..._ " Muninn sighed.

"What do you mean?" Eremes asked now.

" _Think about it. These are young men. Adolescent youths. They want to prove themselves to her. How do you think they will do it? You know they may be challenging each other to try and impress her,_ " Muninn frowned.

"She's not going back to that ballroom!" Keltin scowled.

"I don't know if she should, either," Hyegun muttered. "The triplets are curious to see what the humans will do, but they also don't want their mother distressed."

"Kids," Thanatos said, and he leaned close to Sarine's belly. "We'll go back to the ballroom on one condition. Don't make your mother think that she's in any danger. The moment she thinks that she is, we have to move her away."

"They agree," Hyegun nodded. Kiehl swept up Sarine to carry her, and Maya Purple skittered in front of her quickly.

"Let me help with that," he grinned. Kiehl nodded and set her up on his back. She pulled Kiehl close when he sat up with her, and he gave a harsh snarl of protection.

"Easy, Kiehl," Howard smirked. Kiehl smirked back at him and smiled at Sarine when she pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose.

"Our triplets are safe," Kiehl muttered, as she kissed him hard. He ran a hand over her belly and could actually feel the contours of the four eggs in her. Howard looked over at Drago and whispered to him.

"Really?!" Drago blinked and now moved to see if he could find his eggs in her. "Hmm. Mine are the upper set. The lower set may belong to Maya Purple."

"What?" Maya Purple asked now.

"Take her to the ballroom balcony, and you can feel the developing eggs," Drago grinned. Maya Purple gaped at this and carefully quickened his speed.

" _They have another two hours, and then they will be ready to come out. The growth spurt she had earlier quickened their development. It's possible to keep the growth slow, but it will be hard to do that. She will need to be kept calm at all times,_ " Muninn warned.

"Easier said than done," Hibram frowned. Naght rumbled, as he approached them with Tsurga. They chased the human to Odin, and the man was sent away. Naght paused at the size of her belly and was filled in on what he missed. Kiehl had kept her so calm that she didn't even realize that Naght wasn't there. The moment she saw him again, she found herself shivering with a form of intense relief. The massive demon was quick to place a hand on her cheek to show he was well, and that calmed her down fully.

"To keep her calm will be hard to do," Tsurga frowned. "I'll run ahead and tell the others what to expect. We should have all of her men present."

"True," Beelzebub nodded and sent out the message through his Hell Flies. When they got into the ballroom, Sarine had her face pressed firmly into Kiehl's chest. The instinctive feeling of her pregnancy being threatened started to come back, but the triplets wanted to sense what the humans would do to each other. As they tried to repress it, Sarine got a bit calmer. Kiehl kept his arms around her, and this helped. Several of the humans pointed at Maya Purple, and the slave growled at them in warning.

"Pointing is rude," Ragged Zombie muttered. He walked over to help get her to the balcony. Odin watched everything, and Markus was very pleased at what Tsurga told him.

"You took Doppelganger's blood?!" Markus now said with surprise.

"He insisted," Tsurga chuckled. "Needless to say, I feel an absolute hatred towards anything that would wish to harm my Princess."

"Is that so?" Markus grinned. Then he paled at the look of sheer loathing Tsurga gave at another man that tried to glimpse Sarine. "I see..."

"I have to fight the urge to slaughter everyone at times now," he muttered.

"It comes with the job," Doppy grinned wickedly, as he walked over. "Good to see you, Markus. Tsurga, where is the little schmuck that pissed you off just now?"

"Corner by the stairs," Tsurga growled. Doppy locked his eyes on the target, took out his sword, and made quick strides at the man. Odin plucked the human out of harms' way and smiled at Doppy with a shake of his head.

"Doppelganger, curb your Wrath for now. Do not waste your strength. Save it to protect my daughter, my Vessel," Odin chuckled. Doppy gave a small nod and made his way up to the balcony to stand by Sarine. Maya Purple had already detached himself from his bug body and was feeling his forming eggs with Drago.

"Why does she love monsters and not men?!" a nobleman huffed. Sarine winced, but Odin had already spirited him away. However, he was sent to the arena for insulting Sarine. Only after he got a fine reprimanding there was he sent home with a cleaned mind and thoughts that he got into a nasty scuffle. Now that it was sunset, the nobles and other lower royals were coming in. Shoujin and Cedrick were able to make a reappearance, but they only kept their attention towards the new young men coming into the room. Turtle General warned them that Odin was keeping a sharp lookout on everything and to not draw attention to themselves. They were going to help find worthy ones for training as a Warrior of Odin.

Beelzebub muttered this to Sarine and the others. They seemed to nod, and her slaves moved to feed her when she got hungry. They didn't want to cater to the humans, and Sarine clearly wanted them with her. Other monsters worked with the buffet table to keep it filled. Only when the humans were settled did Odin speak out, "I thank those of you for waiting for the appointed time to appear! Many came early and were banished! I also thank those of you for heeding the warnings. The reason as to why this ball has happened was a test of true loyalty! I wish to train only the most loyal of you in the old ways of honor and valor! The ones that I call forth now are ones that I know will be loyal to my cause. The ones I do not call will need to prove their honor as time allows!"

As he started to call names, Markus gestured to the ones that responded to stand alongside him. Sarine watched carefully, as Kiehl and Howard kept her calm in their arms. Doppy and Keltin studied each man crucially. They would be training these men after they trained with Markus's soldiers and Turtle General.

"I don't like that one," Doppy muttered to a man in shadowed corner.

"Hmm," Keltin frowned. Hyegun thought, and Beelzebub had a Hell Fly crawl over stealthily to give him a better look. He had short, white hair that came down just past his ears and deep green eyes. He almost seemed to stick out like sore thumb, but he knew how to hide himself well. He wasn't Cloaked, but was in a dark corner of the room that was overlooked.

"He's an Assassin. Quite new, from the looks of it..." Beelzebub muttered. "He doesn't appear to be of royal or noble standards that I can tell so far."

"Then how did he get here?" Hibram frowned. "How did he find out about the ball?"

"I'll find out..." Eremes said, and he Cloaked and made his way over to the man. When he Uncloaked, the Assassin seemed to blink with disbelief that he was seen. Eremes whispered lightly, and a small conversation started.

"His name is Terin. Apparently, he overheard talk of a ball from a brash noble that got too drunk in Alberta. He speaks the truth. The noble was one that was sent away earlier. Sarine, would you mind meeting with him? He actually appears honorable," Beelzebub mused. "He showed up at the proper time, and he's not getting in the way of anyone."

"He won't hurt my babies?" she frowned.

"No one will touch them," Kiehl smiled and purred deeply for her. "We'll see him, but make sure he is respectful."

Ifrit had never left Sarine's side, and the message was passed. Eremes gestured for Terin to follow him, and they walked up to the balcony. Muninn watched this one critically and seemed to nod at something. Then he chuckled, and Odin looked over with a small grin.

"My name is Terin. A pleasure," the Assassin nodded slightly, as he gazed at Sarine from the entrance of the balcony. She studied him and smiled softly with her own nod. He was actually incredibly handsome, and it surprised her. His build was as lean as Eremes's was, but he had a touch more muscle in the chest. His face was narrow, yet squared off slightly at the chin, and high cheekbones enhanced his eyes in a rather noble way. The way he stood even showed an aura of royalty about him, and even Kiehl recognized it from Sammy's blood. Even the way he spoke in his soft, youthful tone held an air of power, yet it wasn't fully recognized by him. _He was definitely of some form of royal standing..._

"I am Sarine. Um...you are not noble or royal?" she asked. "You look like you could be, you know! You do have the structure needed for the bloodline."

"No. Just a regular commoner here," he said with a mild shrug.

"Really? I think you've been told wrong," Beelzebub smirked. "Now that you're close enough, I can smell royal blood in you. Either you come from a forgotten line, or your family abandoned it long ago."

"What?!" Terin blinked.

"He's right," Amon Ra nodded. Pharaoh and Osiris were already in agreement.

"Only those of noble or royal standing will learn of this ball. Humans with basic upbringing would not be able to approach here on their own. Only truly noble or royal humans with ancient honor would have appeared at the proper time, as you have. Now you have me curious. Was your family originally from Amatsu? Or Louyang?" Loomin asked with amusement. "Your lineage appears to be ancient."

"Neither, actually," Terin frowned as he thought. "I'm descended from Prontera."

"Is that so?" Beelzebub blinked. "What is your last name?"

"Gomin," he said. "I'm one of the last few with that name."

"Terin Gomin," Beelzebub thought, and he let the old King's memories filter through. "I do know your family name. They were a part of my council before I was trapped away. They were...very loyal to my cause. Tried to help me, I think. Because of their loyalty, they were made into royals to aid me when needed. They denounced the loyalty to the throne when I was torn from it to keep loyal to me. Terin, I am the King that was imprisoned long ago. I fully reinstate you back into the ways of old nobility and royal standings."

Terin's jaw dropped with complete shock. He was not expecting this at all. Maheo looked over at Neil, and they grinned at each other.

"What does he do now?" Sarine asked, as Kiehl nuzzled her.

"I'm not sure. He does bear a striking resemblance to his ancestor, though," Beelzebub chuckled. "I'd say to sign him up for training with Turtle General."

Howard thought and whispered to Sarine. She frowned and said, "I have enough mates already! Why do you want that of him?!"

Beelzebub barked out laughter, and Thanatos looked over with a grin.

"He's honorable. Clearly ancient royalty, too," Howard grinned. "And, if Beelzebub knew his family in the past, he can't be all bad, right? Terin, do you plan to become an Assassin Cross? When you transcend, that is?"

"Ah, well, yes..." Terin nodded. "I'm only a month into my Assassin training, though."

"I know how to solve this," Ragged Zombie said, as he walked over. He started to whisper to Terin of the one called Greg and everything the Sniper did up to this point.

"He did  _WHAT?!_ " Terin gaped with outrage. "He fired an arrow?! At you? And it was aimed for her?! Why the hell would he do something so stupid?!"

"I like him," Ragged Zombie grinned, and the others laughed with their approval.

"Hmm," Errende thought and walked over next to tell him about Kavach. Now the Assassin was glaring at him with disbelief. Odin looked up at the balcony with pure amusement in his eyes, and he focused on Beelzebub.

"Give him your blood!" Odin ordered. Beelzebub blinked at this, but figured it would make the most sense.  _I did know his family from long ago._

"Another one?" Sarine winced.

"Another to help protect our triplets," Howard soothed. That made her blush, and Kiehl had never stopped his deep purr for her.

"Follow me, Terin," Beelzebub grinned.

"Um...do I have a choice?" Terin asked.

"Odin, himself, ordered it. No," Beelzebub smirked. Terin paled and could only nod. "Besides, there is a Sniper named Cecil that has my blood, as well as a Paladin by the name of Garrett that has my blood, too. He's the Captain of the Prontera Royal Guard, by the way."

"He has your blood?!" Terin gaped. "Ah...we don't get along very well..."

"You will after this," Beelzebub nodded. "You'll be annoying brothers to each other."

"He...is my brother..." Terin winced. "in a sense. We're cousins..."

"What?!" the Demon Lord asked now and focused on Garrett. The Paladin showed up moments later and was able to approach the balcony.

"I never thought I'd see you again," Garrett muttered at Terin.

"Likewise," the Assassin frowned. Sarine sighed at this, and Kiehl nuzzled her.

"We all need to talk. Now," Beelzebub muttered. "First thing is first, though. Terin, this way. Garrett. You stay here."

"Are you serious?! He's getting your blood?!" Garrett gaped.

"Odin's orders," Doppy smirked. That made Garrett grimace, but he sighed. Then he blinked at a thought and had to find out.

"Wait...that means that he'll be with Sarine, right?" the Paladin asked.

"Yes," Sammy chuckled. Garrett gave another grimace. Then he paused. The moment Terin accepted Beelzebub's blood, and the demon took his in turn, the three of them started a mental conversation with images and telepathy.

"I...wow..." Garrett blinked, as he reviewed the old feud from long ago from Terin's side. "You were innocent of that. I saw it wrong..."

"I told you I was!" Terin scowled at him.

"Well, it's resolved now," Beelzebub said lightly. "You thought he stole something when he was preventing it from being stolen. He gave the item back later when it was safe. You resented him for almost five years. For nothing. Anyways, let's let bygones be bygones."

"Right," Garrett sighed. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, Terin."

"Likewise," his cousin nodded.

"If there are anymore arguments, I'll know," Beelzebub muttered. "And we will resolve them the same way we did now. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Garrett nodded sternly.

"At least something went right for once," Terin sighed.

"How are you cousins?" Hibram asked.

"My Mother and his father are brother and sister," Garrett said with a mild shrug. "We got along well until a small inner war started. Still not sure what it was over, but we stopped talking to each other. It was a long time ago, you see. We never knew each other that well to begin with. When Terin and I saw each other again, we tried to catch up, but it was hard. Then that thing happened, and we lost touch. I never thought I'd see him again. Maybe we'll finally be on better terms with each other. Hopefully, it will only get better from here on out."

"Yes, it will," Beelzebub nodded. "That may also explain why you were drawn to Cecil, come to think of it. And, because of your royal relation with Terin, you are also a form of honorable royalty, but I didn't sense it. Likely because of Loki's meddling. Interesting..."

"Very," Garrett grinned and grimaced slightly at the mention of Loki. He was a bit intrigued that he was now a form of old royalty.  _I'm actually a prince, and, technically, Cecil is my princess now. My growing child in her would now be royalty._  Of course, he was making no plans on giving up his position in the Royal Guard.  _But, if something happened to either Cedrick or King Reginald, I could become the next one to gain the throne due to this status._  This was unexpected. "Speaking of Cecil, I need to get back to her. She's been needing me close, as you know. I'll come by when I can."

"Good," the Demon Lord nodded and watched him leave.

"How much more of this day will shock me? Is it over?" Terin sighed. Then he blinked, as Sarine had moved in front of him to pull him close and kiss passionately. The sensation of fitting with her completely caught him off guard. "I...stand corrected..."

She just giggled, as the others laughed and chuckled. She nuzzled under his chin and whispered in his ear, "Will you help protect my babies?"

That made him growl, and he kissed her again. The balcony area was now blocked off from sight and sound, as Terin made her his. When the blood drops were exchanged, he shivered, as he rested against her. Beelzebub now started to mentally tell him of her life, and he even showed the dream images with the letters. He clung to her at various points, and she held him with a sigh. Tsurga was there for most of it, so he had no need to learn from Doppy.

"I think the ball is almost done. We'll need to go back soon," Sammy said.

"Can we go back now?" she asked. Keltin and Doppy seemed to nod, and Kiehl quickly gathered her back up in his arms to help her dress. The craving to hold her had nearly kicked in. Howard could only sigh and let Sarine pull him close to hug tight. Terin and Beelzebub were still in heavy mental conversation, as they followed the others into the house.

"Go to the kids," Hyegun said to Terin. "Give them your blood. Just a drop."

"Oh!" the Assassin blinked and moved off to do just that. She started to give drops of blood to her men when they reached the bedroom, and Serenity darted in with excitement.

"Another Daddy!" she giggled. Howard scooped her up to kiss her cheek and tickle lightly with a grin. Kiehl laughed softly, as the other kids filed into the room to climb onto the bed and be with Sarine. When the younger children needed to be nursed, Sarine was taken into nursery briefly to nurse Entweihen's twins. Then she was brought back to the bedroom to be given the others. When Sun nibbled on her while he nursed, she grimaced.

"Huginn!" Doppy growled angrily. That made the boy whimper and nurse without a fuss. Ragged Zombie started laughing at it, and Loomin was grinning. Terin found himself sitting in a chair with Bianca in his lap. She started to ask him questions on being an Assassin.

"Well, I'm still working with this trade, you see? I just started it," Terin smiled. "Eremes would be better off to talk to about this."

"Well, what can I expect when I start out?" she asked. That made him chuckle, and he started to tell her of the tests he had to do when he started. Eremes walked over after his twins were settled to help him out. When Gunther started asking questions on being a Thief, Eremes was easily able to help with this. He excelled at handling children working with their skills in this area. After their questions were answered, it was time for bed. The moment the other kids were set in their beds and cradles, Thanatos walked over with a touch of impatience.

"My dream vision! Now!" he grinned ruefully.

"Oh, all right," Sarine smiled with a soft sigh. Doppy was smirking, and Errende had Byorgue round up the men. Beelzebub sent out a message through the Hell Flies. When the bedroom was filled with her husbands, mates, and slaves, they all settled in various areas to get comfortable. Chairs were brought in and beds were sat on.

"Dream vision?" Terin asked, as he sat in a chair.

"I'll explain," Sammy smiled. Tsurga was already sitting on a floor cushion and quite anxious to see how it started. Hyegun was smiling at how the excited the triplets were. Sarine was now seated between Thanatos and Kiehl.

"Remember. It's just a dream," Sarine smiled.

"I know," Thanatos nodded. "Let's make it start."

" _Ready?_ " Muninn chuckled. At their nods, they all moved into a trance...


	159. Chapter 159

It was almost a year that Howard was in the Biological Laboratory, and Sarine was in Prontera sending off another letter. She could only hope that he would be released soon, and that she would be reunited with him. As she was leaving, the Kafra Agent flagged her down with a letter. It was from the Lighthalzen laboratory, and it made her shiver with joy. Her falcon settled on her shoulder and chirped at her curiously. She smiled at it and scratched its back carefully. It appeared to be just as curious about the letter as she was.

"Maybe this will tell me if How-How is out soon!" she beamed. Her falcon warbled softly. She was about to open the letter, but Greg tapped her on the shoulder and startled her. She spun around so fast that her falcon hovered off her shoulder before settling back on with a ruffle of irritation from being moved.

"Hi, there!" he grinned.

"Oh. Hi. Sorry, I'm busy," she frowned and quickly pocketed the letter in her tunic. She wanted to read it alone, and she didn't want him to try and take it.

"Listen, some friends of mine have a Bloody Branch. Want to join up with me and use it with us? It could be fun!" he grinned.

"No. I have no time for that!" she growled.

"Oh, come on! It will be all right! You can think of this as a test date!"

"For the last time! I have a boyfriend! You are not him! Leave me alone!" she hissed.

"I won't bug you again, and it will likely be very fast."

"Ugh!" she grimaced. "I can't believe I'm saying this...fine. Just this once. And  _don't you dare_  say I'm your girlfriend! The moment you do, I'm leaving!"

"You won't regret it! This way!" he smiled. She muttered to herself and followed him to where a small group of other people were. A Priest, a Knight, and a Wizard were waiting for them. Greg waved, and they waved back.

"Who's she?" the Knight asked.

"This is Sarine. My...ah...friend, you see. She's interested in seeing what comes out of the Bloody Branch," he said. He almost said girlfriend. He didn't want her to leave his side.

"Hi," Sarine said with a light smile. The Knight noticed her tenseness and thought.

"Hello," the Wizard chuckled. "Anyways, yes. I found the Bloody Branch, and I say we use it outside of town. It should be fine."

"With Novices around? They might get hurt, if we can't kill what comes out! Are you crazy?!" Sarine hissed. "Not only is that cruel, but we could all get in serious trouble!"

"She's right," the Priest frowned, as he nodded his blond-haired head. "I know a route to Mount Mjolnir. It's not that far off, and it would be safer to do this there."

"Let's do that," the Knight nodded. Sarine readily agreed to that option, and Greg seemed to shrug. He was going to go with whatever she said.

"So, are you two dating?" the Wizard asked.

"No!" Sarine said with a sharp snap and a scowling shake of her head. Her falcon seemed to glare at Greg before preening itself. That made his brows raise up with curiosity.

"It's a possibility..." Greg started, but fell silent at her glare.

"It's a friendly outing. Nothing more," she warned. "I have someone I already love, and I should be reunited with him soon. That's all I am going to say."

The Knight whistled with amusement. The Priest cleared his throat nervously, but they all set foot out of Prontera and headed towards the northern path to the mountainside. When the silence was nearly unbearable, the questions started up.

"So, who is your love?" the Wizard asked.

"His name is Howard Alt-Eisen. He was accepted into the Lighthalzen Biological Laboratory experiments about a year ago. He should be let out soon. Hopefully," she smiled.

"Ah...that place? Last I heard, it was under attack a few days ago," the Priest frowned.

"What?!" Sarine now looked at him with shock.

"It was rumored that something went out of control. That the whole building was in lock down..." he continued, and she paled. He went silent at the Knight's glare.

"I'm sure it's nothing!" Greg said quickly. She could only nod silently and felt the letter pressed in her tunic. Now her heart was aching. She needed to know what was in the letter as quickly as possible. The Knight looked over with concern. _If the one she loved was killed in the experiment, I can only imagine the heartache she was going to feel next._  He understood more than Greg ever would. When she sent off her falcon to hunt, he slowed up to talk to her.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," the Knight whispered to her.

"I hope so," she trembled. "I really do."

The Wizard now looked at the others with a frown. They didn't know her, but they could already feel the grief she was going to experience. Her falcon came back from hunting and settled back on her shoulder. She sighed, and it chirped at her.

"Let's use the Bloody Branch here," the Wizard said. "It's close enough."

"No, it isn't, Kennard! We have another mile to go!" the Priest frowned.

"Kennard, we need to use this off the main road," the Knight sighed. "Like we agreed."

"Well, I don't know where that is! You're the Knight, Kalen! You find the path for us!" Kennard scowled now. "I want to know what this thing will summon! Don't you, Grant?"

"Not around innocents!" Grant insisted. Sarine was lost in her thoughts, as the others argued, and even Greg seemed to have forgotten about her. She was afraid, nervous, and anxious for Howard's safety. She felt cold and incredibly alone. Regardless, she had to keep walking.

"Are you all right?" Kalen asked gently. At the look in her eyes, he winced and seemed to nod. "Did you receive anything of his lately?"

"A letter. I just got it today. I was going to read it, but I was stopped by him," she frowned and gestured to Greg. Kalen thought and saw the others were still arguing to themselves. He pulled her into a slower walk and looked at her carefully.

"Open it and read it when we stop. Just find a secluded spot and read what it says. Join us after. I never really liked Greg all that much, and I can see how he's treating you even now. So, if something is wrong, and you need to talk to someone..." Kalen said softly.

"Thank you," she smiled and nodded. He reminded her of Seyren, and she actually felt some comfort in the fact. As she pondered this, she studied his features. His hair was long, dark brown, and tied back. His eyes weren't light blue like Seyren's. They were just as brown as his hair, but it was his attitude that was nearly the same. The sound of his voice was a touch lighter, but it sent a small wave of nostalgia through her. Instead of the usual brown garments a Knight wore, his was dyed a pleasant dark green. It looked a bit nobler on him with the armored tassel, leggings, and gloves he had. When she looked at him again, the sense of nostalgia hit her again. It was a brotherly feel that she trusted.  _As though I could tell him anything like I could with Seyren._ When Greg looked back at them, jealousy hit his face, and he moved to intervene.

"So, Sarine," Greg started.

"Don't start!" she growled. "I'm not in the mood!"

"She really isn't," Kalen bristled lightly. "She's clearly upset and truly anxious about her boyfriend. She'll be in no mood to do anything, if something is wrong. Just leave her alone."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?!" Greg scowled and reached over to grab Sarine's arm. "Come on, Sarine! We're almost there!"

"Don't you dare touch me!" she snarled out, and he blinked at her. Even her falcon made a gesture that it was ready to peck off a few of Greg's fingers. Kalen narrowed his eyes, and he gently moved his walk to be in front of her. He was protecting her like she was his younger sister. She missed the feeling.

"I'm not touching her. I'm not disrespecting her, or getting in her personal space. I am keeping you from pissing her off. She is in  _no mood_  for you, or any of your bullshit! Let's use the Bloody Branch and leave it at that!" he glared. Greg seemed to mumble something and walked ahead of the others. Sarine mouthed her thanks to Kalen, and he winked at her. The other two in the group decided to try and cheer her up. They waited until Greg had walked a bit further up the road before whispering and muttering about him.

"Greg was never good with girls, anyways," Grant smirked.

"Too pushy," Kennard mused. She gave a soft chuckle and seemed to nod.

"Well, considering he's been bothering me non-stop when he first saw me, it would make sense," she sighed. Now the three of them looked at her with shock.

"He's picking on you?" Grant frowned.

"That's not right," Kennard groaned with a shake of his light-brown haired head.

"He's not touching you," Kalen nodded. The others nodded, as well.

"We'll keep him busy," Grant promised. She could only sigh with a form of relief, and it didn't escape their notice. She crossed her arms over her chest, as though to hug herself, and she trembled. She was worried about Howard. Her falcon chirped at her, and she swallowed.

"How-How...please be okay..." she shivered. Kalen saw she was on the verge of tears. He looked at the others, and they quickened their walk. When they came by a little lake, it looked calm and peaceful. There didn't appear to be anyone else around them, either.

"Read your letter here. We'll use the Bloody Branch a small ways off. We'll keep Greg busy and give you some piece of mind. Remember. If you want to talk, let me know," Kalen smiled, and she nodded. She curled up by a tree and pulled out the letter. Her falcon chirped and moved to settle in the tree just above her. She smiled at it before refocusing on the letter. She needed to know what was in it. She took a deep breath, and, with trembling fingers, she started to open the seal to pull out the folded paper to read it. The others walked over to a small clearing and got Greg's attention with the sight of the Bloody Branch.

"Ready?" Kennard grinned.

"Do it!" Kalen grinned back. Greg readied his arrows, and Grant cast his Bless and Agility skills on the party. The Bloody Branch was cracked and nothing happened. Then the wind picked up, as a form materialized in the breeze. A tall, incredibly muscular man was revealed with a flowing red cape. Skeletal type armor, a massive sword on his back, and a shadowy mask around glowing white eyes among locks of blue-black hair completed his look. He looked severely pissed and ready to kill anything that moved. There was also a sneer on his handsome, chin-cleft face.

"That's Thanatos!" Grant gaped.

"Fools!" the demon snarled and reached back for his sword. Then he paused at the horrific scream that echoed out in the distance. His attention turned to the sound quickly with a completely instinctive drive of intense worry. _Someone special was hurting and in pain._ This special being was suffering, and the sound of the anguished, agonizing cry he heard next tugged at him. He actually gave a gasp and shivered. Whoever it was appeared to sound female, and she was echoing out what his soul was.  _Agony. Hatred. Misery. Despair._  Harsh sobbing was heard next, and Kalen forgot that he was fighting a monster when he looked in her direction.  _That sound could only mean that Howard didn't survive the experiment._

"I'm sorry, Sarine..." Kalen winced. "I'm so very sorry for your loss..."

"What loss?!" Thanatos demanded now. "Who is that?! Who is grieving?!"

"Die, monster!" Greg hissed, and he got killed with Storm Gust spell followed up with a powerful Bash skill without a second thought. When the demon looked back to Kalen, as he put his sword away on his back, he nodded for him to continue. Grant and Kennard were just gaping at how powerful the demon was.

"That is Sarine. Apparently, she just learned that someone she loved has been killed. I don't know all of the details, but she was waiting for him for a long time. About a year, from what she told me. She had received a letter that possibly stated what his status was. I don't think it's good news, if she's crying as hard as she is," Kalen frowned.

"What do we do?" Kennard asked. "About Thanatos?"

"Well, he's not attacking us. Does this mean that he's a different monster? I guess?" Grant frowned. "If we attack him, we're dead."

"That you are!" Thanatos smirked. "Where is she? This girl? Where is she grieving?"

"Just past the few trees by the lake," Kalen said.

"Wait here!" Thanatos growled. "Maybe I'll come back and kill the lot of you!"

"We should get out of here," Grant muttered. Then Thanatos summoned his minions with the orders to keep them where they were. Kalen wasn't planning on going anywhere. Thanatos seemed to nod silently to him, and he made his way to where the sobbing originated. At the chirping of her falcon above him, he seemed to know the bird was hers. He gave a small nod to it, and the falcon actually gave a nod back. It knew he was going to help her. When he saw Sarine balled up on herself and shivering with wracking sobs, he couldn't stop himself from sitting next to her. Then he gently lifted her from the ground and settled her in his lap to hug tightly. Her crying got even worse, and all he could do was start purring to calm her.

"I'm here..." he soothed softly. "I'm here..."

"How-How..." she whimpered and started crying again. For the next hour, all he did was hug her to him and rock her. When she fell asleep, he didn't stop his purring. He looked out over the small lake and studied the landscape to pass the time. Then he noticed that her hands shifted, and the paper she had crumpled in them was free. He carefully plucked it loose and studied it to read the contents.

"A notice of death," he grimaced. "I see. You waited all this time for him only to find out he was dead in the end. You must have loved him very much for such emotions to come forth. That probably means that you have no one else to turn to. I don't know why I feel so protective over you. Maybe...this is a sign for me. I have no desire to leave your side."

"How-How..." she mumbled with a soft whimper in sleep, and he purred deeper to comfort her. He looked over sharply to watch Kalen walk up to them and sit at a respectful distance. Thanatos gave a small nod and glanced back at the paper.

"What was the letter?" he asked, as he saw the demon looking at it.

"A notice of death," Thanatos frowned. He showed him the paper, and the Knight studied it with a form of complete shock at what it was. Now he realized why she cried so hard.

"A death certificate?!" Kalen cringed. "That...would definitely do it..."

"Do you know the story of what could have happened?" he asked, as he rocked her.

"Not really. Grant knows a bit more, I think. He listens to town gossip all the time."

"Bring him over. I want to know everything," Thanatos muttered.

"Um...why are you acting this way?" Kalen asked.

"This girl is special. She calls to me to protect her and guard her. She's...very different from other humans. That's all I can sense. I will not attack you, unless you attack me. And I will not leave her side. So, get me the one you know of so I can learn more about what happened and why she would be like this," he growled lightly. Kalen nodded, gave back the death certificate, and left quickly. He was able to bring Grant over to them. Kennard was able to follow them, and Greg's lifeless body was left where it was for now. Thanatos looked over at Grant, and the Priest was able to tell him what he knew.

"So, you see," Grant said, as he finished telling him what he had told Sarine earlier. "we don't really know what truly happened. Only that something went wrong. Very wrong."

"And her lover was a part of it. All right. She's going to be in a lot of pain for a while. I'll take her and go elsewhere with her," Thanatos said, and he rose up easily with her in his arms. "The three of you don't need to worry about her. I'll care for her from here."

"Wait!" Kalen said. "How do you plan to feed her? Care for her? She's not a monster! She'll need human accommodations! If you walk into a town, you'll be encountered and put her in danger. What are you going to do to help her in that situation?"

"You actually bring up a valid issue," Thanatos thought. "I'm impressed."

"Kalen, what are you doing?" Kennard muttered.

"Looking out for her safety!" Kalen replied.

"Why?" Grant frowned.

"I feel it's my duty to help her. She just had something precious torn from her. I can easily relate. I know what she's going through. She'll be hurting for a very long time," he sighed. "And, before you all ask, I lost my parents in a fire. So, yes. I know what she's going through. Every little bit of it."

"Huh?" Sarine frowned, as she woke up. She gasped when she found herself in Thanatos's arms, but she blinked at the gentle, warm smile he gave her. Tears fell again, and she found herself hugging him tight. He hugged her back and gave a protective glare to the three humans. Then he whispered softly to her, and she looked at him with surprise, as she whispered, "I don't know. I would have no idea what to think on that."

"There is no option to think of. I can protect you to the fullest this way, and you won't be alone. I think it's needed," Thanatos smiled. Her falcon chirped and landed on his shoulder now. At this, he grinned and said, "See? Your bird agrees, too!"

"I don't...even know you..." she frowned. "Much less your name..."

"Plenty of time for that afterwards. Right?" he chuckled. "And my name is Thanatos."

"But...if something happens to you..." she whimpered, and he hugged her fiercely.

"Nothing will happen to me," he vowed. "I'm not a human. You don't have to worry about that. I'll protect you with everything I have and more."

"What are you suggesting to her?" Kalen asked.

"To be my bride," Thanatos smirked at him.

"That's not right!" Kennard scowled.

"She could be labeled as a monster lover and shunned," Grant said.

"So? If anyone complains, I'll just kill them," Thanatos grinned.

"She should be with a man," Kalen growled.

"Like who? You?" the demon hissed. "I could kill you off instantly!"

"Please..." Sarine whimpered. He looked at her and nuzzled her gently.

"What does she want to do?" Kalen asked. "Sarine?"

"I don't know," she trembled. "I just found out that the love of my life is dead. I...want to know what happened, but I need to wait. I'm so confused! I'm hurting..."

"Hush," Thanatos soothed and let her press her face into his neck. "Are there any caves out here? Places that she can rest without walking into a town for now?"

"I think so," Kalen nodded. Thanatos started to walk with her in his arms, and his four minions gathered around him to follow.

"What do we do with Greg?" Grant asked, as they passed his body.

"Leave him!" Sarine spat. Now Thanatos looked at her curiously, and she told him what the Hunter normally did when she was seen by him.

"Yes. Leave him," Thanatos growled.

"How about this. You guys go up ahead, and I'll Resurrect him. I'll tell him that all of you went back to town, and I'll catch up with you after I send him back," Grant suggested.

"Whatever you want. Just don't let him see my bride!" Thanatos growled.

"Your bride?! She agreed to nothing!" Kalen said.

"Doesn't matter," the demon grinned, and Sarine pressed herself into him a bit more. "She needs me. I'll protect her. Already, she's trusting me more and more. Yes, she'll need to stop into a town now and then. And, yes, I'll be walking into the town with her. Oh, well. As long as she and I aren't attacked, I'll be fine."

"I don't know," he frowned.

"Who are you? Her keeper?" the demon growled now. He paused at the feel of her hand on his cheek, and he nuzzled into it. Then, to the shock of the others, she pulled him down to kiss deeply. He smiled at her after it was done and whispered to her, "Be my bride?"

"Yes..." she said with a soft blush. He knew she didn't want to be alone.  _She wanted a strong protector and someone she could trust._  She didn't know this demon, but she instinctively knew that he would protect her. He would never leave her.

"I'll love you and protect you with everything I have," he muttered, and he kissed her again. "Nothing will touch you..."

"Are you serious, Sarine?" Kalen frowned. "You are going agree to what Thanatos wants? Despite what others will think?"

"I am, Kalen. Um...thank you, though. For understanding what I was going through. I just...I feel this is right for me. In time, I may be able to find out what happened to How-How. But, right now...this is what I need," she smiled.

"Hmm. All right. Kalen, since you showed respect to her and myself, I'll trust you. To an extent. You can travel with us and help us, if you want. I don't know about you two," Thanatos thought, as he looked at Grant and Kennard. "How did they treat you, my love?"

"They kept that guy from me," Sarine said. "They helped me, too."

"Okay. They'll be fine, too," he nodded. At the sudden sound of thunder in the distance, she cringed, and he frowned. "A storm out here? Hmm. Where is the cave?"

"This way," Kalen said and started to lead them away. They reached the small cave, and Thanatos moved her into the far back of it. His minions blocked off their area, and her falcon settled on a small rock to roost. As rain suddenly poured down, she shivered, and he nuzzled her.

"Take a drop of my blood. It will protect you and mark you as mine," Thanatos urged.

"Okay," she nodded. After he gave her the drop, she cringed from the raging storm.

"Don't think about it, my bride," Thanatos muttered, as he kissed her. "Think of me..."

"Of you?" she asked with a slow blink.

"As of now, I am your husband. I will protect you."

"You...will protect me...husband...?"

"Always," he muttered, as he kissed her urgently. "My wife..."

Her mind was lost in a wave of pleasure, as he pulled her clothing aside and made her his. She was his mate now, and he howled his successful mating roar when he released in her. The three men near the entrance of the cave were alarmed at first, but, at the soft chuckles of the minions, they found themselves blushing. They realized what happened.

"I'm not alone..." she murmured softly in his arms.

"Never alone," he grunted, and he held her tight to have her again. "Never..."

The dream vision faded, as the rain poured down from outside the cave...


	160. Chapter 160

Edward was shown the dream vision with the other older kids in the form of a dream, and he was awake the moment it ended. He ran from his bedroom into his mother's bedroom, and he jumped into his father's arms before he could run off with Sarine.

"Dad!" he whimpered, and Thanatos had to hug him with a grin.

"It's a dream. You know that, right?" Thanatos chuckled.

"It was so real, though!" he shivered.

"That's right. The children wanted to see it," Sarine frowned. Kiehl nuzzled her and saw Serenity, Siegfried, Angela, Bianca, and Gunther run in.

"You all left that guy dead!" Gunther grinned. Doppy laughed, and Ragged Zombie was all too pleased with Greg's outcome.

"He was a stupid head, anyways," Serenity grinned, and laughter came from everyone.

"That's right, huh?" Thanatos smiled. Sarine found herself smothered with her children, and she felt Howard sitting behind her. The dream reopened an old wound that was still healing for him, and he needed her.

"Kids, daddy Howard needs to be with your mom for a bit. Come and sit with me," Loomin chuckled. Sarine gave hugs to her kids before they did as Loomin said, and Howard was quick to pick her up. Naght, Kiehl, and Thanatos were following her. When they got into the bathroom, Howard sat with her on the ground and crushed her to him.

"How-How..." she sighed, and he shivered.

"I can't believe...that I actually thought...that you stopped loving me...that you forgot about me..." Howard gasped, as his tears fell. "You suffered so much..."

She rocked him now, and Kiehl had his eyes lowered. Naght and Thanatos looked at each other with hissing sighs escaping them. She let Howard claim her with everything he had, and he was still shivering with mental pain. She kissed him passionately, and he rested his head against her shoulder. At the feel of her tears, he kissed her and cradled her. She whimpered softly, "And to know that...my babies didn't survive..."

"They are alive now!" Kiehl growled and pressed himself against her. He was waiting for the thought to emerge, and he was prepared for it. "When the eggs are out, they'll grow! We'll all watch them grow. They'll thrive, and we'll play with them as soon as they start moving around in you. They'll be loved and protected with the other children."

"I can't wait for our triplets to grow," Howard smiled and nuzzled her. He ran a loving hand over her belly, and Kiehl did the same. Thanatos chuckled and moved over to feel her belly next, but he paused at her cry of pain. Doppy ran into the bathroom now, and Hyegun was hot on his heels. _Something very wrong had just happened._ Tsurga was stammering in the bedroom at the pain he was feeling, and that alerted the others to what was happening.

"Sorry Sari!" Doppy winced and fell to his knees as more pain rocked him.

"Sammy!" Hyegun shouted. "She's in labor!"

"What?!" Sammy gaped.

"It's true!" Tsurga winced, as he gasped.

"The triplets..." Howard cringed.

"Yeah. Them," Hyegun sighed. "They want to grow. Now. Only way to do that? Get the eggs out of her. From the stress she just went through, the eggs tripled in size. They're ready to come out now. Drago! Maya Purple!"

Keltin ushered the two slaves in to get ready to receive their children. They were alarmed at this, but they all knew that dream visions were risky. Then they realized why Muninn said that the eggs would arrive quicker than normal.  _He saw this._  The children were already taken into the nursery and being comforted. Errende was close by to help Heal her, if he needed to. When Sarine cried out, and Doppy roared his pain, the first slender, oval egg was delivered.

"Maya Purple's, I think," Sammy said, as he carefully gave it over. Another egg of the same type was birthed and moved into the nursery. Sarine panted, and Doppy was groaning. She gave another cry, as Doppy cringed with a shout for another egg to appear. It was wide on the bottom and narrow on top. Soft ridges were near the middle with various darker spots on it.

"Mine," Drago smiled and watched Byorgue take it carefully. Nigel had the other shortly after, and Sarine winced when her true pregnancy took hold. Tsurga was blinking at what he just felt and was only too glad that it was over. He was able to muster through the pain with intense mental focus to keep from screaming. He knew it would happen again, but Doppy was faring the pain just as well as he was. Eggs were easier to deal with than a true birth of babies, and he knew he would likely be right on the floor by Sarine when her true birth happened.

"Our triplets, Sarine," Howard whispered and hugged her tight. "Our triplets..."

"Our babies?" she smiled, and he nuzzled into her. Kiehl ran his hand over her belly.

"Ah, feed her!" Hyegun grimaced. Her craving dishes were brought in, and Doppy was able to sit up while she ate. He snuck a couple pieces of meat off her plate to make her giggle.

"Um, I feel a bit cold," she frowned.

"Naght and Ifrit's daughter," Hyegun muttered. "She's starting to crave heat and cold. If we can keep her evenly warm, that should do the trick."

"I thought you couldn't sense them unless they were alert?" Thanatos frowned.

"This pregnancy is different. At first, it was only the triplets I could hear. Now it's all four of them. Are you complaining about it?" he grinned.

"No," Thanatos smirked. "I just found it odd."

"What's there to be odd? Kiehl, get closer to her. Naght, are you able to give her both heat and cold at once? Is it possible?" Hyegun asked. Naght thought and tried to activate both of his elements. Sarine seemed to sigh with relief, and now Doppy chuckled.

"Looks like Ifrit can take a break?" Doppy asked.

"It looks like it for now. We should have Keltin and Eremes help at times, too. Even Kiehl can try to activate two elements at once. Might be risky, though," Hyegun frowned.

"Mama?" Serenity asked, as she peered into the bathroom. Sarine was dressed with Howard, and she was brought out carefully. Serenity gasped with joy at the news of her future sisters and word was quickly spread to the other children. Juliana and Deagan were waiting patiently to see their mother and were snuggling into her the moment she was on the bed. They were able to see the dream vision, too, and were concerned. When they fell asleep on her, she knew she wasn't going anywhere for the rest of the night. Kiehl did manage to pull them off her, in case she needed something, and they instinctively clung to him in sleep.

"Markus is approaching," Beelzebub said gently.

"We have sleeping kids now," Kiehl frowned, as he lay back with his twins. Howard found Serenity and Siegfried snuggling against him, and he was smiling softly. They had seen the dream vision and wanted to be with him for the night. Edward and Angela were snuggling down with Errende in his bed. Even Doppy was holding his kids in the chair by the door. More kids had slowly filtered in so that Aliot was holding his twins. Keltin had his gathered up with him in a smaller bed. Sammy was sitting on a floor cushion, and he found Ming and Loo Shin nestled in his lap. The other younger six were in their cradles and sleeping, other than Entweihen's that were sleeping in their plants.

"So many kids," Terin smiled.

"In time, she'll give you kids, too," Hyegun chuckled. "Considering that the kids are partially yours in here to begin with. You gave them some blood. They became a part of you."

"That's true, isn't it?" Terin sighed with a small grin. Loomin chuckled from where he was at in a bed along the wall. Small snores from various kids were soon heard around the room, and several of the guys laughed softly.  _It was definitely a night for the kids._

A light knock on the door was given, and Beelzebub opened it to let Markus in quietly. The Emperor smiled at all the sleeping kids and asked, "Is this a slumber party?"

"You could say that," Sammy chuckled.

"The kids saw a dream vision of me meeting Sarine," Thanatos sighed. "Needless to say, it opened up a few old wounds. The kids need the comfort."

"Is that so?" Markus frowned.

"Sarine..." Howard frowned at her thought, and he kissed her gently.

"The dream vision happened around the time she learned of Howard's death," Kiehl sighed. "It was very painful for all of us."

"Really?" Markus frowned. Muninn walked up to him and revealed the dream vision. That had the Emperor cringe with sorrow. Then he thought and said, "That Knight in the vision. He is very honorable. We should find him."

"You think so?" Dracula asked. "I was thinking the same thing."

"The other two, as well?" Tsurga asked.

"It's an idea," Ragged Zombie mused. Eremes thought and stepped forward.

"I can have the Assassin Guild look for them..." he optioned.

"Might be best. Garrett is tending to Cecil. In fact, those that are pregnant are getting close to having their kids. I don't think they'll be traveling around at all, so our traveling groups might be smaller," Keltin said. "Sarine, which one did you want to go for first? Gopinich? Or Lady Tanee? It's up to you."

"I was thinking Gopinich," she smiled. When she yawned, Markus chuckled.

"Well, the ball was a bit of a success. We have quite a few nobles and lesser royals training in my ranks. Their families were contacted, and Odin even visited them when he needed to. They had no questions about anything after he spoke with them. Some of the young men were more noble than the family!" Markus sighed. "It was a touch shocking to me."

" _It was expected. Remember young Jenks? His family was very much the same. But, it is time for my sister to rest. Her true pregnancy finally took place,_ " Muninn smiled.

"Did it? Oh, how wonderful! All right, I'll see you all soon," Markus grinned. When he left, the door was closed, and Sarine gave a soft sigh.

"Our triplets," Howard smiled, and she leaned over to kiss him gently.

"I think it's time for you to sleep," Kiehl smiled softly. He had Deagan snuggled against his neck, and Juliana was pressed into his side. He was quite comfortable where he was. Naght hovered just inside the doorway, and Hibram was settled in the hallway. The night passed swiftly for those that slept and meditated.


	161. Chapter 161

"Dad!" Juliana giggled softly and patted Kiehl's cheek. He blinked out of meditation to look at her with a rueful grin. "Wake up, Dad!"

"Awake already?" he smiled and got rewarded with a sloppy kiss to his cheek. He sat up carefully and supported Deagan's sleeping form with a fatherly ease. Doppy's kids were still sleeping on him, as he roused from his meditation. Howard was still sleeping with his twins, and Sarine was sleeping just as deeply. Eremes was in his own deep sleep, as he leaned against a wall. Eremes and Howard became human during the night.

"Apparently, she's the only one awake," Thanatos grinned. "Why are you awake?"

"Um, I need to go potty..." Juliana smiled. The younger four were easy to toilet train from how smart they were. Kiehl let Thanatos pick her up to help her. Hyegun wasn't detecting anything from the growing children and chuckled softly. When she was brought back, she snuggled back into her father's side happily with a yawn.

"Back to sleep?" Kiehl smiled. She nodded with a sleepy smile and closed her eyes with a sigh. Within moments, she was sleeping again.

"How much longer should we let everyone sleep for?" Doppy asked.

"We can give them all another two hours," Aliot smiled. He would never get tired of holding his children. They were sleeping snugly against his sides. Byorgue and Injustice started to work on getting breakfast items ready. Errende was sleeping with his children, and Thanatos watched them sleep with a show of fatherly pride. He still wanted to be with Sarine, but she needed sleep. Keltin was sleeping with his twins pressed against him. Eremes was nudged awake by Beelzebub, and he muttered to him.

"Really?" Eremes frowned. He followed the Demon Lord into the nursery and came back out with his twins. Beelzebub had his in his arms, and they were content to simply relax in their embraces. Evil Snake Lord had moved into the bedroom with his children snuggling down to sleep in his coils. All of the children wanted to be with their natural fathers.

"All the kids are here," Kiehl chuckled softly.

"Other than Entweihen's twins," Beelzebub grinned. "Sun and Moon are still sleeping, too. So, it's Gopinich today?"

"That's what My Lady wants," Observation nodded. "Then we should see how she is before going after Lady Tanee."

"True," Kiehl agreed. "As it is, those that are pregnant won't be moving much."

"They may still want to go," Beelzebub sighed.

"What makes you think that?" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"Cecil has been arguing with Garrett. Even though she's large, she still wants to travel. I wonder if Hibram is getting the same thing," the Demon Lord mused.

"I'll ask him," Neil said and thought. "Yeah. They are."

"As long as they ride close to Wind Walker they should be fine," Aliot said. Then he looked over at Entweihen, as he came in.

"We need to wake Sarine. My children are ready to come off the plants and will need to be nursed right away," the skeletal demon said anxiously. That had Kiehl crack a grin, and he mentally nudged Howard awake with the news. The Whitesmith was up, and Nigel was helping take Serenity and Siegfried off of him. Naght took them up to hold to let them keep sleeping.

"Love," Howard whispered, and Sarine woke with a yawn.

"Hmm?" she smiled.

"Astaroth and Damas are ready to leave the plants," he smiled. That had her up and out of the bed as smoothly as she possibly could. Howard helped her, and Kiehl had to continue to lay back with his twins. "We'll get them and bring them back here, all right?"

"Okay," she smiled. She moved into the nursery with Howard, and Entweihen led her to his children. Damas looked at his mother and whimpered. She carefully took him into her arms and blinked, as he simply came off the plant. Right after that happened, the stem withered away. Astaroth reached for her next, and she plucked her up for the same thing to happen to her plant.

"Finally! They are free of the plants!" Entweihen sighed with relief. Sarine cooed to the children, and she was taken back to her bedroom to settle in the bed. They started nursing the moment her gown was shifted aside. She gave a motherly smile at them, and Howard smiled with her. Kiehl looked over and gave a soft grin.

"They look great!" he chuckled. Sammy nodded from where he was. His kids were securely in his lap, and he wasn't going to shift them around. All of the kids seemed to be lacking in sleep, and this was something they desperately needed. When the nursing twins finished, Entweihen took them in his thornless vines, and Muninn approached with Sun and Moon to be nursed. She gave them little kisses to make them giggle before letting them nurse.

"Odin is pretty strict on only having you work with them," Doppy mused.

" _A necessary precaution. When they are weaned, they shall go to Valhalla to start training. They will grow much faster there. Also, when they want Sarine, they will be brought to her. They will not be denied their mother, of course,_ " Muninn nodded.

"I would hope not!" Sarine frowned. Moon finished nursing and looked at her.

"Mah?" he smiled. She beamed at him and gave him tickling kisses. Loomin was up now and sitting on the bed by Howard.

"Do you know who he is?" Howard gestured to Loomin.

"Dah!" he giggled. Loomin was reached for, and he was picked up to play with. Sun finished nursing, looked over at Doppy and back to Sarine.

"He's your daddy," she smiled.

"Duh?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

"It's dad," Doppy corrected with a small growl.

"Duh!" Sun insisted. Howard was biting his tongue to keep from laughing with the others. Sarine sighed and couldn't help letting a small chuckle escape.

"Take my kids," Doppy muttered to Ragged Zombie. The zombie was grinning wickedly, as he took the sleeping twins. Doppy got up to stretch and walk over to Sarine. "It's dad. Huginn. Duh is Howard!"

"What?" Howard mouthed with disbelief, and Kiehl started to snicker.

"Huginn," Sarine said gently, and her son looked at her with his golden eyes. "All of them are daddies. Not duh. If you are doing this to be funny, then okay. But, it gets old very fast. It's okay for the first few times, but try to keep it to a minimum. Okay?"

"Mah?" he frowned. "Um...kay."

"Good," she smiled and kissed his white-haired head. He blushed with a small giggle, and Doppy sighed with a chuckle. Now her son snuggled into her with comfort, and Howard knew that he was going to become incredibly overprotective of his mother. _That bit must have come from the true Huginn's persona with the link._ When Joseph and Elenor showed their hunger pains, she whispered, "Okay, Sun. I need to nurse your other brothers and sisters now. Go to your father and be a good boy for me."

He nodded and reached for Doppy. He gave him a rueful grin, and Sun tugged on his nose playfully. He made a mock sneeze and got his son laughing at him.

"Nice," Loomin chuckled. Moon was sleeping on his shoulder. Muninn smiled at his growing physical body and watched Eremes's twins start nursing.

"I still can't believe...that I have twins..." the Assassin Cross sighed. "Amazing..."

"Hmm..." Beelzebub frowned, as he held his children. "You two need to go to Eremes for a bit. I need to check on something."

"What is it?" Kiehl frowned.

"Main room," he muttered. Sarine looked over with alarm, and Kiehl stiffened.

"Our triplets are safe," Howard said, as he nuzzled her and ran a hand over her belly. Ifrit moved to follow Beelzebub, but then got called back by Eremes's mental tug. Sarine needed him close to her. The urge to see him with Naght, Howard, and Kiehl was now hitting her.

"Sarine?" Ifrit asked. He pressed a heated hand to her cheek, and she sighed.

"Don't leave her side," Kiehl said. Ifrit nodded to him, and Eremes was forced to remain close, too. He was holding Beelzebub's twins, so he needed to keep them safe. Hyegun looked over at Naght, and then over to Thanatos. Sarine was still nursing Elenor and Joseph.

"What's going on?" Thanatos asked.

"The triplets are anxious. So is the developing offspring of Naght and Ifrit. They'll be growing a whole month in one day. We  _have_  to keep her calm at all times. If I remember, from what you all have told me before, any stress will make the kids grow. Courtesy of Naght and Howard. Ifrit gave over his pure essence with Naght for that single child. This child is just as intelligent as the triplets. But, the temperament is twice as bad as all of theirs put together. The child knows she is going to be powerful. But, the child also knows that she doesn't want to hurt her mother. We know this child is going to be a girl with the other triplets. Wait..." Hyegun frowned and looked over at Sarine with complete concern. He moved to her side and placed his hands on her belly to focus.

"Hyegun?" Sarine frowned. Now Kiehl looked at him, and Howard was narrowing his eyes. Thanatos and Naght were paying close attention. Ifrit and Eremes had no clue what was going on. Doppy frowned at the way Hyegun was focusing.

"Loomin, study her and confirm what I think is going on, please," Hyegun muttered. Muninn took Moon from Loomin and stood aside. Loomin placed a hand on her belly and thought. Then his jaw dropped.

"Impossible!" Loomin blinked. "But..."

"Five kids in her," Hyegun sighed. "Naght and Ifrit gave her twins. A boy and a girl."

"What?!" Ifrit hissed with disbelief. Naght purred exceptionally deeply at this news. Eremes now blinked with surprise, as this bit of news sunk in. Muninn gave a soft chuckle. He had a faint idea, but he wanted them to find out for themselves.

"That's where I saw Moonlight Flower as a protector!" Evil Snake Lord thought. "She will protect that fifth child!"

"So...she's having five kids?" Doppy frowned.

"Yeah," Hyegun sighed. "I didn't hear the thoughts until now. This one...knows it is a boy, too. He wanted to be a surprise. He pulled that off!"

"Oh..." Sarine blushed, and Kiehl pressed a kiss to her cheek. Howard grinned at her.

"Quintuplets!" Howard said, and that got her blushing even more.

"That must explain why warm air works best for her," Thanatos thought. "The boy balances out the need for hot or cold."

"You're right," Loomin nodded. "I thought she could only have up to four, though."

"Five is pushing the limit. Let's leave it at that. Anyways, she needs to eat," Hyegun said. He moved from the bed to nudge Keltin awake. His brother yawned and blinked at the soft whisper he got. Now Keltin was wide awake, but still laying back with his kids.

"Seriously?" Keltin frowned.

"Yeah. Five kids," Hyegun nodded. Keltin whistled softly with surprise.

"And how long was everyone awake for?" he asked.

"Not that long. Entweihen's kids are off the plants," Hyegun chuckled. "And Beelzebub went to see who approached the main room."

"Well, I'm not budging," Keltin muttered.

"I'd better see what's holding him up," Ragged Zombie frowned and gave Doppy's twins to Tsurga. Mobster was quick to go with him. Neil and Maheo were next to leave. Tsurga and Terin frowned at each other.

"What do you think?" Terin asked.

"We wait. The kids are here. Not in the nursery," Tsurga nodded, and the twins clung to him in sleep from Doppy's blood in his system.

"True," Terin nodded back. He looked over, and Sarine beamed at him. He found himself blushing, and Thanatos grinned.

"You are the newest one, technically," Doppy smirked.

"Don't remind me," Terin sighed and small chuckles were given out.

"Can you take Eremes's twins?" Sarine sighed, as they finished.

"You take these two. You have Beelzebub's blood, and they'll respond to you better," Eremes said. Terin took Stolas and Proserpine into his arms, and they snuggled into him with comfort. He found himself becoming rather protective of them. Eremes took up his twins from Sarine, and she fixed up her gown. Howard nuzzled her, and she kissed him hard.

"Five kids..." she sighed. "I'm very hungry..."

"I'm on it!" Byorgue nodded and was quick to give over a large cut up roast for her. It was spiced up with peppers, and she enjoyed it, as she tucked into it. As she ate, Thanatos watched her silently. He still needed to be with her from the dream vision. Errende was still asleep in his bed with his twins, but Howard knew what the demon was thinking of when he looked at Sarine. He thought and gave a small grin.

"Think you can be quiet about it and in the bed?" Howard asked, as she finished eating.

"Hmm?" Thanatos looked at him.

"Yes, I'm talking to you," he grinned.

"Oh! I'm sure I'll manage," the demon smirked. Sarine blushed at him, and Howard moved to let Thanatos get close. His armor faded out, and he pulled her to him. "Ready, my wife? You know I'll protect you with everything I have."

"I know, my husband," she smiled, and he kissed her passionately. It didn't take long at all for him to give in to her, and she was resting happily on his chest when he was done.

"Feel better?" Kiehl grinned.

"Much," Thanatos mused. Doppy was grinning, and Eremes was only too happy that the kids were all still sleeping throughout the room. They had managed to be exceptionally quiet about everything. Thanatos muffled his instinctive roar by pressing hard against her neck, and Howard kissed Sarine deeply to muffle her. Errende blinked his eyes open with a soft chuckle, and he still had Angela and Edward sleeping against him.

"The kids were all wiped out. Weren't they?" Injustice smiled.

"Well, they were training pretty hard in the school," Evil Snake Lord sighed. "Should this be an off day for them? To recuperate?"

"It may be needed," Sarine nodded. Thanatos kissed her again and moved so that Howard could let her cuddle into him.

"Mah!" Atsuko whimpered awake with hunger pains, and she was quickly given over to be nursed. Her brother made the same sounds, and he was brought over shortly after. She cooed to them and seemed to sigh with a touch of worry. Kiehl watched the twins nurse, and he thought with his own sigh. He fully agreed with her thought.

"It's true. The kids still need you here. I don't know if it would be wise for us to do any traveling with this many kids needing you. We'll be stopping for a couple hours at a time, if that was the case. And you'll have nine kids to tend to after these ten are weaned! So many kids," he sighed with a chuckle. "All of them worth it."

"I know," she smiled, and he purred for her. Juliana was still nestled into his side, and Sarine carefully leaned over to kiss him deeply. He smiled and gave her a gentle nuzzle.

"Our triplets are safe and loved," he muttered and kissed her again. Then he looked at Terin and asked, "What is taking Beelzebub so long to get back?"

"An Assassin Guild leader is in the main room," Terin frowned. Sarine cringed, and Howard carefully pulled her into his arms to whisper softly to her. Eremes wanted to confront his old mentor, but he had his twins. Ifrit couldn't leave the room, as Sarine needed him close. Hibram, Osiris, Pharaoh, and Amon Ra were waiting in the hallway to the bedroom. Naght was holding his twins, or he would have barred off the door. Pori-Pori was stationed at the base of the stairs now. There was no way he was letting anything get past him. He was told about Sarine's worry of her pregnancy, and he was ensuring that nothing would make her worry at all.

"What do you want, Elric?" Beelzebub asked. "Sarine is very timid about her current pregnancy. Any stress she gets will be bad for her. State your business and go."

"That bad?" Elric frowned.

"It was a pregnancy she lost in the past. Her first one with Howard," Hibram said, as he walked over. "Also, since Naght is a part of Howard, it's known that any stress she gets will force them to grow. On top of that, she is extremely anxious for this pregnancy with the rest of us. She does not trust you. She will think you are out to hurt her pregnancy. None of us will let you near her, because of this. Howard is also very protective of her, and Kiehl is no laughing matter, either. So, what do you want?"

"I had heard that a ball had happened here. I was in Morroc when word reached me. I had Guild issues when I tried to attend," Elric said with a touch of irritation.

"Wait. You heard about the ball? How?!" Beelzebub asked now.

"Well..." Elric sighed. "I didn't say anything. You all are the first to learn this, too. I am actually descended from an ancient line of nobility from Morroc. I...never really knew my family roots. It sort of goes back to when the Pyramids were built..."

"Stop," Hibram said now and looked at Ragged Zombie. "Get Pharaoh, Amon Ra, and Osiris! Get Loomin, too, if you can!"

"Sure," Ragged Zombie frowned, but went up the stairs. He whispered to the three old Kings, and they moved into the main room. Then he moved into the bedroom to tell the others what was going on, but Terin had already relayed everything.

"If my old mentor was nobility..." Eremes frowned. "No. He cannot be with Sarine!"

"We know," Doppy growled. He still hadn't forgiven him for trying to take advantage of a Demonic Mating. Kiehl curled his lip back and seethed with hate before curbing it to keep Sarine calm. Howard was still comforting Sarine and nuzzling her gently. Loomin was already heading down the stairs with Ragged Zombie, and they confronted Elric.

"You may have redeemed yourself in Demonic Rights, but many of us still haven't forgiven what you tried to pull at a Demonic Mating ritual. You do have a very ancient bloodline that is worthy of being with Sarine, but none of us trust you," Loomin frowned, as he studied him. "Even I don't know what to make of you."

"I do recognize the bloodline, too, now that I am able to study him up close," Osiris sighed. "He is descended from one of my most loyal advisers. I know this, because he has the same eyes and body structure. I noticed the familiarity when I first saw him, but I couldn't place it right away. Yet, I was there when I saw the attempt on my wife. I understand that you did not know at the time, but it was a heavy blow to your own pride and honor. Kiehl is very much our leader now. He has won so many Demonic Matings that his power is unmatched. You know this. You fought him before."

"Yes, I have," Elric grimaced. "I still regret what I have done to this day."

"Hmm," Pharaoh thought and whispered to Beelzebub.

"She can't have him leave her side!" the Demon Lord winced. "And you know that, if you bring him into the bedroom, everyone will kill him on the spot! This includes Kiehl! And Eremes has his twins in there, too!"

"And your twins are also in there. All of the kids are," Amon Ra sighed. "I can try to keep the Balance in the room, but I know it will only be for Sarine. I can see about keeping her calm. I don't know about the others. Naght will be a challenge on his own."

"I know it," Loomin frowned. "Ifrit will be another, too. All of us."

"What can I do to redeem myself?" Elric sighed.

"Hmm," Beelzebub thought, and Terin mentally gave him an idea. "There may be something. We are trying to find three men. There is a Knight named Kalen, a Wizard by the name of Kennard, and a Priest called Grant. If you can find them, you may be able to have an audience with Sarine in a form of neutrality. Eremes would look for them, but he is needed for his children. These three men did nothing wrong, but they are very honorable."

"All right. I'll do what I can," Elric nodded.

"Wait," Beelzebub frowned. "Kiehl wants to speak with you."

"What?" Loomin frowned back. "Seriously?"

"Yes. He is our leader, in a sense. He wants to judge him personally, as a true leader would," Beelzebub sighed. Muninn had already taken Sun from Doppy, and Kiehl had Thanatos resting with Sarine and Howard. She clearly didn't want him to leave her side.

"Love, I need to do this," Kiehl sighed and leaned over to rub her belly. "My offspring, I'll be quick. I need to judge this one."

"They'll give you ten minutes," Hyegun nodded. "Hurry!"

Howard had Juliana and Deagan snuggling into him, as Kiehl kissed Sarine fiercely. Then he moved out with Doppy following him. When Elric saw Kiehl, he could already feel the waves of hatred radiating off him. Elric cleared his throat and nodded respectfully.

"Kiehl," Loomin sighed.

"I have ten minutes. Hyegun said so," Kiehl muttered. When his dark blue eyes locked with Elric's blue eyes, the man actually cringed. "I understand that you want to be with my wife, mate and Lady. I say no. I will  _always_  say no. Even though you had no idea as to what you were doing, you insulted a very precious ritual done by demons. And, even though I am not a demon, I respected their rules to the fullest. I did not touch Sarine after I took you out. I left her alone. I gained the respect of the demons there. I still respect her during the rituals when she has them. As much as I appreciate what you have done for Eremes in his youth, which is the  _only_  reason I am not slaughtering you right now, you have a long way to go to earn my trust."

"I know what I did was blasphemous..." Elric sighed.

"It was disrespectful!" Doppy hissed. "Only a human could have done such a thing! It's why humans were never allowed to know about Demonic Matings, much less participate! Monsters from other races always understood the rules. We knew that humans were risky!"

"Let me talk to him about that," Thanatos growled out, as he walked over. "Kiehl, I convinced the growing children to give you another ten minutes. They are curious to know how this is going to turn out."

"Are they really?" Kiehl chuckled at him.

"Oh! This is interesting," the demon grinned. "Hyegun just told Errende to tell me that the triplets want Elric to go through a test for them."

"What?" Doppy blinked.

"I second that question!" Ragged Zombie said. Maheo and Neil looked at each other with small shrugs, and Mobster was frowning in thought.

"If he passes the test?" Kiehl asked.

"They want him to become a dad," Thanatos winced. "But, if he fails, he cannot approach Sarine again unless it's for business matters. This includes participation in Demonic Matings. He will be unable to join them, if he fails their test. What do you think, Elric? Will you take the challenge of the unborn triplets?"

"They are that intelligent?!" Elric gaped.

"Very. Thanks to me," Kiehl smirked. "I won't go against what my kids want. Howard, Naght, and I were all with Sarine at once. No, I'm not going to describe it. Needless to say, it was done. I gave them all enhanced intelligence. My twins, too, are very intelligent. They were able to speak flawlessly by the time they were three weeks old."

Elric was speechless at first. Then he regained himself with a nod and said, "I'll accept their challenge. What would they like me to do?"

"Okay, let me see," Thanatos thought, and he sent the mental message. At what Errende told him next, his jaw dropped. "No...way..."

"What is it?" Kiehl frowned. Then he heard the thought from Howard, and he started laughing hysterically. Beelzebub had no idea what to say about it as he sputtered with laughter.

"What is the challenge?" Hibram asked with a grin.

"To last...twenty minutes...against me...in a one on one fight!" Kiehl said, as he gasped for air. "To survive against me!"

"Are you serious?!" Amon Ra gaped. Doppy and the others burst into laughter.

"That's impossible!" Elric cringed. "Even then, where would this take place?!"

"Tonight! At the arena!" Kiehl said, as he wiped his glasses clean of tears.

"If you manage to survive against Kiehl, I'll give you my blood directly," Osiris grinned with amusement. "This way, you can be with Sarine. That will be my only time to offer."

"You're joking!" Kiehl now looked at Osiris with shock. "Please tell me you're joking! You have  _got_  to be joking!"

"He is descended from my adviser. I do not jest on this," Osiris said with a small smile. Doppy clearly hated this decision. He was now looking at Kiehl with only one thought. _Elric could not survive for twenty minutes._  Kiehl was already thinking the same thing. When Tsurga thought to Doppy about the Assassin Guild leader, he was informed on what happened before. Now Tsurga hated the fact that the man had a chance to be with them.

"Think about it, Kiehl," Loomin sighed. "The triplets know what they are requesting. If Elric survives against you for twenty minutes, he will be strong enough to help protect them. But, he only gets this one chance. Yes, he will never win in a Demonic Mating. This puts him on a more flat-line level with you, but it's still a very slim chance that he will succeed. You also have stronger blood in you from the demon blood you ingested. And you have a drop of Muninn's blood in your system, too. You are the strongest monster in our company. Doppy is only second to you. Also, you have elemental gems that you can use to your advantage. Elric may be ducking and dodging, but that can only go so far. If he gets close to you, he dies. If he's far away from you, he might live, but that would be a coward's way to go."

"Unless he waits until the last second to approach him," Hibram frowned. Elric already had a plan formulating in his head.  _I will not run from Kiehl._ That was already a given.

"I'll find the men requested of me with my Guild's help. Then I shall return at sunset for the challenge of the triplets. I will be preparing myself tirelessly until then," Elric nodded and walked out of the room to head back to Morroc.

"I'll slaughter him!" Doppy snarled out viciously.

"No! That's my job!" Kiehl seethed with hatred. "As much as I love my kids, I hate the torture they are doing to my judgment! No matter. We agreed to their terms. We will honor their terms. I need to get back to Sarine. She needs me. And I need her, too. I'm surprised I lasted this long..."

"Hurry," Loomin frowned. Kiehl moved swiftly to the bedroom and was back in the bed with Sarine to calm her and soothe her with his deep purring. Evil Snake Lord had taken his twins back, and she was nursing Beelzebub's twins now. The older kids were finally waking up around the room, and Gunther was scowling at Tsurga.

"What?" Tsurga asked with a grin.

"You tickled me!" Gunther pouted. Then he yelped, as Doppy lifted him up and tickled him mercilessly. "Not fair! This isn't fair!"

"Then don't complain to Tsurga anymore when it comes to tickling!" Doppy grinned wickedly, and Bianca was giggling. Then she squealed at Tsurga's tickling.

"I'm hungry, Mama," Serenity said, as she rubbed her eyes in Naght's arms. He purred at her, and she snuggled into her father. Injustice, Byorgue, and Nigel were already setting a table with meals for the kids.

"Are we going somewhere today, Dad?" Angela asked Errende, as he sat up. Edward yawned and got pulled up into Thanatos's arms to get held.

"It depends on how My Lady is feeling, Angela. She wanted to find the three-headed dragon, Gopinich. We don't know what the area is like. So, you may be going to school while we find the strong monster. Okay?" Errende smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Dad," she smiled, and he chuckled when he hugged her.

"I love you, too, Angela. Now, go wash your face and hands before you eat. Just like how Doll taught you. The others should do this, too," Errende smiled.

"Errende, dear, we were thinking that today should be an off day for them. They trained hard at the school, and they are all still very tired. As much as I want to find Gopinich..." Sarine frowned, and Kiehl had her in his embrace with his intensely deep purring. She was soothed and reconciled within seconds. Because Kiehl wasn't a demon, he wasn't drained when he did the intensely deep purr she needed. If he started to feel tired, he had back-up motors from his robotic side that could keep the purr going while his physical side rested.

"When did you want to go after Gopinich?" Kiehl asked gently. He helped give Beelzebub back his kids when they finished nursing.

"Soon, I think," she nodded, and he nuzzled her. She kissed him deeply and blinked. Then she gave a retching cough, as Kiehl was quickly moving her into the bathroom with Howard and Naght following her.

"That's right," Keltin sighed. "Pregnancy sickness."

"Wow," Terin frowned. Then he looked at Beelzebub curiously.

"Keltin, she wants you in there," the Demon Lord said, as he comforted his twins. His son was clearly concerned about his mother, and he purred to keep him calm. Keltin gave his kids over to Nigel and got up to stretch. He moved into the bathroom to see what was going on. When she rinsed out her mouth, she settled on the floor with Kiehl. Howard was clearing his throat at her thoughts, and Kiehl was biting back a laugh. Naght was sighing with disbelief.

"Sarine? Are you all right?" he frowned and sat on the floor by her and Kiehl.

"I need some of your blood," she smiled.

"Why? You know what it...oh..." Keltin blinked, and Sarine giggled wickedly. He had no chance when she pounced him. She used him to her hearts' content before taking four full swallows from his throat with Kiehl's help. Howard was groaning with disbelief, as her sex drive soared and reached its peak. He was told to not say anything as to who she was going to want next. Instead, he went out there to see Beelzebub and Terin cringing with laughter. Terin was now in for a shock when he was to go and see her. Tsurga was next after him. Neil and Maheo were called for with them. By the time they all came out, Sarine was calling for all of her slaves.

"Is Mama okay?" Serenity asked, as she saw how many were going back and forth.

"Your mother is fine," Doppy smirked. "She just wants to be with us for a bit."

"Make babies?" she giggled with a blush, and Doppy just nodded.

"Yes. But, she already has babies. She just wants to be with us to make us feel better. We don't get much time with her like this. What?" Doppy asked. He was called for and he grinned. "Finish eating, kids. Your mom will be done soon."

Gunther and Bianca were snickering to each other. Then they stopped when they saw how Byorgue looked when he came out of the bathroom. He was drained, exhausted, and deliriously happy at what happened. When he was called back to her side, he groaned, but he got up and moved to do as she wished. As Observation walked out of the bathroom, they were concerned at how pale he was, but he told the kids that he was fine and would recover. When her other husbands were called in, Eremes winced, but his twins were taken back into the nursery first with the other younger ones.

"Did you have to give her your blood?!" Ragged Zombie scowled at Keltin when he sat down. "She's going to kill us all!"

"You weren't complaining in there," Hibram smirked.

"Kinda hard to do that when she's holding my heart..." the zombie muttered.

"What Sarine wants, she gets. Especially with her current pregnancy!" Keltin growled.

"Oh. Right. No stress or negativity. Gotcha," the zombie nodded.

"Wow..." Mobster sighed.

"Howard is finishing it off now," Thanatos sighed, as he sat in a chair. Beelzebub had to sit down as well. Tsurga and Terin were just in shock at how needy she had gotten.

"Don't you remember how she was before?" Beelzebub grinned. "You were there for Keltin's pregnancy with her. Weren't you?"

"Yes. I was. I was not a part of this, though," Tsurga smirked.

"Hmm," Drago frowned, as he managed to look out the window. "This doesn't look good at all. Beelzebub, look."

"What?" the Demon Lord said now. At the motion to come to the window, he got up to send a Hell Fly to where Drago was concerned. He stammered at what he saw and heard now. "Howard just finished. Get the kids in the nursery. Now. All of them!"

"What's going on?!" Ifrit seethed. Sarine was having his twins, and he was overprotective. "Tell me!"

"Kiehl will know this one better than all of us," Beelzebub muttered and moved into the bathroom. Howard was gasping on the ground with Sarine in his arms. The Demon Lord wasted no time. "Kiehl. Problem."

"What?" Kiehl asked, as he looked at Beelzebub. "What problem?"

"You said before that you were...discarded...when a stronger body was made, right? Well...I think that stronger body is paying us a visit..." the Demon Lord growled. Sarine gasped, and Kiehl had to focus with everything he had to remain calm. He had to keep the rage in check, and Howard was helping him keep focus. After a moment, Sarine thought, and she remembered various things that she had to voice out when a touch of her dominance rose.

"Kiehl," Sarine now said gently, yet sternly, and was able to move into his lap to hug him. "Remember, love. You are stronger now. You are mine. My mate. My husband. My slave. I told you before that, if anyone asked anything of you, it was your decision to obey them. That rule still stands as of now."

"My Lady," Kiehl sighed with a gentle smile on his face, and Beelzebub seemed to nod at this with understanding.  _She was purposely bringing out his slave instincts to protect him._ "I remember. I only obey you. None other. Okay. Sarine, darling, will you be all right here without me for a bit? If I'm longer than ten minutes, come to me. It's either that, or I'm running to you, anyways, but you understand."

"I will," she smiled, and he kissed her fiercely. His Bragging Rights came out to display his dominance before pulling back in. Then she thought and said, "Oh, before I forget. Do you have any old codes in that robot mind of yours that might be used to an advantage? Like how you awakened Aliot's killing mode for me at the arena a while back?"

"That's actually a very good thought," Kiehl frowned and focused on his internal programming mind. "Found several...overriding passcodes...establishing you as full administrator and controller..."

"Weird," Howard grinned, as he watched Kiehl's mind work. Then Sarine thought of something else. When her mind was in a dominant state, it was easy for her to bring up the most important of details to get them seen to.

"How-How, do you still have those questions and answers that Kiehl did for us? Is there anything about this meeting?" she asked. Now Howard got up to find the sheets and searched through them. At his frown, there was nothing stated about the visit. When Muninn walked in calmly and sat down, he was smiling.

" _Remember. Sarine is holding a pregnancy that was lost to her. Naght and Ifrit have alliance offspring growing in her, too. Father Odin is watching everything_ very _closely. If anything, this 'newer body' will be shocked and defeated, if an attack is tried. However, there is back up waiting to assist this one. This back up is also a form of surveillance. Remove the back up, and the 'newer body' will be free to be normal. Have Doppy, Thanatos, Ifrit, and Beelzebub support you, Kiehl. Storm Caller will guard the house with Pori-Pori. Naght will guard Sarine with Howard. I shall become her falcon to watch from above. And, Kiehl, delete your override command code for Lighthalzen officials. That needs to be done now,_ " he advised.

"Done," Kiehl nodded. He winced from the small headache, but even he knew that this particular code had to be removed. "Sarine, I am now completely yours. From the outside to the inside. I should have just established all of this when I met you..."

"Better late than never, right?" she smiled, and he kissed her. "Do the same with Aliot?"

"Let's do that now," Kiehl nodded, and Beelzebub had the slave come in. "Get Alicel, too, would you? Alice and Aliza will also need this. Aliot, an 'old friend' is coming by..."

"I know," he muttered. "Terin told us."

"I need to delete some old coding in you," Kiehl said. "Ready?"

"Do it," Aliot nodded. Kiehl whispered the proper commands codes, and new commands were set in place. Then he had Sarine voice out a few commands for Aliot to do a voice registration. "Imprinting done. New owner established. New command codes and voice imprints accepted. Anything else you require, Master?"

"No. Reboot and go to normal mode," Kiehl said. Aliot seemed to droop for a moment. Then he blinked his eyes with a shake of his head.

"Aliot?" Sarine frowned.

"My Lady," Aliot sighed with a form of intense relief and moved to her side to let her cuddle him. "I'm fully yours, My Lady. I always was. Now it's far more permanent."

"It was permanent the moment you took my collar!" she frowned, and he grinned at her. "And I gave you children, too!"

"Yes, My Lady," he nodded, and accepted the kiss she gave him.

"Mine!" she grinned, and he grinned back. "Now help me shower."

"Of course, My Lady," he said. Kiehl was quick to assist with Howard. When she was dressed with them, they walked into the bedroom to find Alicel, Alice, and Aliza waiting for Kiehl. The same commands and instructions were given to them in turn. When it was done, Beelzebub announced that Vesper had an idea on installing better weaponry on them in the future. Kiehl would have to check on it, but there was no way it could be done now.

"If he can bring me the designs, I'll look at them. Either that, or I can just head down there with Sarine and Howard. Anyways, I need to see to this 'guest' and shoo this one off. Doppy, Thanatos, Beelzebub, and Ifrit. I need you four with me as my escorts. Everyone else, hang back and wait. Muninn said this needed to be done," Kiehl muttered.

"If Muninn said so, I'm in," Doppy nodded.

"Odin will also be watching," Beelzebub stated.

"If you need me, I'll be waiting," Ragged Zombie said.

"That goes for all of us," Sammy said sternly.

"We'll all wait in the main room," Hibram said. "Easier for you to reach Sarine, if she needs you, right? The kids are all in the nursery. You will also be pleased to know that the warrior Valkyrie from Odin's fields has taken up a small residence there for this occasion. The children are protected from everything."

"Good," Sarine said with a nod. "Kiehl, don't be too long."

"I won't," he smiled and kissed her. Drake and Dracula nodded to each other, as Evil Snake Lord and Entweihen Crothen settled by the stairs. Incubus, Wanderer, and Baphomet Jr. moved to settle near the door. Maya Purple was now clinging to the wall and ready to fire his darts, if he had to, by the stairs. Sarine's other slaves set up a protective wall around her. Howard and Naght were not going to leave her side. She snuggled into Howard, and he kept his arms around her. The other men braced themselves for a possible fight. The only difference was that they were incredibly calm about it. They didn't want her to stress over the situation.

"Put your hands on her belly, Errende. Precaution," Hyegun advised. Errende nodded and did just that. Kiehl looked at Thanatos with a grin.

"Let's go say hi," he smirked. Thanatos grinned wickedly, and Doppy chuckled with a very intense eagerness at the possibility of killing something. Beelzebub said nothing, but he nodded slightly, as Ifrit growled. They walked outside to see an exact look-alike of Kiehl standing there. There were only a few main differences about him. One of them was the fact that this one didn't have a ghost. He also didn't have a collar and lacked Sarine's blood.

"Kiel D-01. Stand down," the newer model said. "Access control password 'K Hyre'."

"No, Mr. Hyre. Access denied! Invalid passcode!" Kiehl hissed. "I have a new owner. That owner is my wife. That's right. I'm married. I have kids here. She's pregnant again with them. If you try anything stupid, the ones with me aren't even a handful of the other supporters that will stop you. Why are you here? Just state what you want and leave."

"You were able to create children?!" his newer double blinked.

"He has. We have kids, too," Doppy growled. "And I'm Doppelganger. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't gut you open and leave you to rot!"

"We should have Loomin out here," Beelzebub muttered. "He can find out the truth."

"Get him," Kiehl nodded. Ifrit flared out his heat, as he hovered to force the newer model to break into a light sweat of sorts. The others were immune to a good portion of his heat, thanks to Sarine's blood. Thanatos thought to Errende, and Loomin walked out of the house calmly. He crossed his arms over his chest and stood at equal height with Doppy.

"Who are you?" the duplicate asked. Loomin studied him silently and sighed.

"Someone who knows why you are here," Loomin said with narrowed eyes. "Leave now. You have no more claims over Kiehl and the other robots here. They all have new command codes and will not obey you. You thought you could control them to lead them from here to go back to Lighthalzen. Guess what? If any of them leave, my wife will panic. My wife is also Kiehl's wife. She's special. And, no, you aren't going to meet her. Also, don't try to call for your support groups. They will die. There are almost thirty strong monsters waiting to run out of that house to kill you off, not to mention the enhanced ones waiting all over the island, too. You need to leave right now."

Kiehl snarled out with absolute hatred at this news, and his duplicate's eyes widened with horror at the wave of anger and loathing aimed at him. When his ghost came out from the Bragging Rights, the dark red glow coming off of it was new to him, and it showed exactly how powerful Kiehl truly was now. His duplicate would have no chance, if anything was tried. The army that was waiting to appear would all be slaughtered single-handedly. The monsters with Kiehl were clearly at a whole new level of power, too. As Kiehl seethed with hatred again, he suddenly paused. He was away from Sarine for too long, and his body started to ache.

"I need her..." Kiehl winced. "Get rid of him. I don't care how."

"Gladly," Thanatos grinned satanically, and Doppy howled his hatred.

"Wait! You need to tell me how you got stronger! I have a right to know!" his duplicate said. "Yes, you made me better, but now you are the better!"

"I got upgraded from Odin, himself," Kiehl smirked. "And, not only am I a husband, but I'm a slave, too. And I'm damned proud of it!"

"A slave?!" the other asked. Now he saw the collar lined with various colored diamonds with the larger one above the others. When the etched marking of a raven in flight was seen, he gaped. Then he saw Doppy's armor and how it was etched with ravens. He would fight a losing battle, if he tried anything. He knew he had no choice in the matter. Rekenber's soldiers were keeping a close watch on him, and they were already closing in to help him capture what they thought was theirs.  _They wanted the robots back to study them and wouldn't leave without a fight._  That much was already a given.

"Get to her! Now!" Doppy suddenly hissed, as his body felt warmer. They were careful not to say Sarine's name. They didn't want her name to be found out. Kiehl swore and ran back into the house quickly to scoop up Sarine to cradle.

"I'm here..." he soothed and purred deeply for her. He felt the same relief she did when his own ache to hold her melted away.

"Kiehl..." she sighed, and he kissed her gently with a nuzzle. "My babies..."

"Safe," he smiled and continued to purr. A sudden explosion happened outside, and Sarine gasped with alarm. Kiehl didn't stop his deep purring for her, and Errende still had his hands on her belly. He refused to pull his hands off her at any given time.

"An army was called and arrived," Drago snarled out.

"You all can go play. I'm comforting her now. I'm busy," Kiehl smirked. Storm Caller protected the house using various ice storms, and Bacsojin used her barriers. Pori-Pori chittered, as he bounced out the door to help. Sarine was cradled and cuddled calmly by her powerful First Mate. She knew he was protecting her. She had no reason to worry or feel stressed.  _As long as he was with me, my babies are safe._ With those thoughts running through her mind, he whispered, "That's right, love. I'm protecting you. Everything is fine. Don't worry."

"What's going on?!" Seyren asked, as he charged down the stairs.

"Kiehl's 'newer' body came over to check us out. With a small army. Stay in the house and keep Karla safe," Howard warned. "We got this."

"Ugh...all right. Baphomet is out there now," Seyren nodded. He went back into his room to comfort his heavily pregnant wife.

She sighed, and Howard nodded to Kiehl while he watched the door. When the fighting was over, they were told that the duplicate was pinned down by Pori-Pori and Doppy.

"What happened to the ones that supported him?" she asked.

"They were taken to the arena to be sent away," Kiehl said. "I think Muninn mind-wiped any of the non-robotic ones, too."

"So, it's just your duplicate out there now?" she asked carefully. She remembered what Muninn said about the support group being monitors. _If they were gone, it was safe for me talk to him. I really want to do that on my own terms._

"Yes," he nodded.

"I want to see him," she said.

"Why?" Kiehl asked.

"I have my reasons," she replied. Her royal persona was out now. "Trust me."

"Okay," Kiehl smiled, and she kissed him lovingly. He placed an arm around her and led her outside. Storm Caller moved behind her to protect her, if he had to. Pori-Pori looked up at her, and she smiled at him to show she was fine.

"Raise him to his feet, please," Sarine said gently. At the sound of her voice, the duplicate looked up sharply. Then his jaw dropped at her beauty. She pressed a kiss to Kiehl's mouth and looked at the duplicate again. "Mr. Hyre, please tell me, in your own words. Why have you come? Why do you seek to take my husband and slave from me to cause me worry?"

"I..." he started, but found himself speechless. He never knew such beauty existed, and now the strong instinct that something special was in front of him took hold. It was a solid instinct to protect her and hide her away from harm.

"Oh, dear. Your glasses are cracked," she frowned, and she moved over to him to gently push them back up the bridge of his nose. Then she ran a hand over his cheek, and he convulsed with shock. Doppy and Thanatos were easily holding him back, and they had no clue what she was doing.  _He was completely affected by her._

"Hmm," Beelzebub frowned.

"I feel badly for you, Mr. Hyre. I truly do. It's amazing that Kiehl made you exactly in his image. I believe I know why you are reacting to me like this, too. You think that I'm...something important...right? That you need to steal me away, and keep me safe?" she smiled softly, and he looked at her with quick inhale of breath. "I can tell you why."

"Can you?" he asked bleakly.

"Yes. But, in exchange, you need to do something for me," she smiled.

"What would that be?"

"You need to tell us what Lighthalzen is doing. You are on the inside. You can help us. In exchange, I will let you come and see me in peaceful conditions," she beamed. Kiehl looked at her with shock. Howard clearly didn't like where this was going. Muninn landed on a nearby perch, but didn't change human. Instead, he was bobbing his head with agreement at her.

"To see you..." the duplicate shivered. "All of that just to see you..."

"Let him go, please," Sarine said to Thanatos and Doppy. The demons grumbled, but they did as she asked. Naght seemed to hiss, but he purred at the pat she gave his hand.

"Will you tell me about you?" the duplicate asked, as he straightened out his clothes.

"I will have my brother, Muninn, do that for you," she nodded. "Storm Caller? Please show him the letters and the slab of my old floor. Kiehl, love. I need to speak with you."

"Why do you want that thing to learn of your life?!" Kiehl hissed, as his double was led into the house by Muninn and Storm Caller. "It makes no sense to me!"

"Darling, how can I hurt something that was not only made by your hands, but is also an innocent being used for other means?" she frowned. "We'll have an ally inside Lighthalzen this way. He needs to know that he's not alone in his struggles. He will never be a mate of mine, but he could become a trusted friend. That and...well...if something happens to you, he can fix you. I know How-How could, too, but..."

"I see..." Kiehl frowned. Then she moved close to murmur in his ear.

"I saw good in him. He responded to me exactly as you did when we first met. He knows I am special, and that I need to be protected. At first, I was afraid of what he would be like. Then I remembered that you made him to be exactly like you. Just newer. More evolved. I will always love you, Kiehl. You are the one my heart aches for. Besides, don't you have old codes in him that you can access? Can't you find a way to see what he sees?" she asked.

"I can," Kiehl mused now. "Now that I think about it..."

"Let's wait until he finishes being shown everything about me. Then we'll see about finding Gopinich," she smiled, and he kissed her passionately. "I love you."

"And I love you," he muttered before kissing her again. "My wife. My mate. My Lady. That is who you are to me. It's who you always are."

"Better believe it!" she grinned, and he grinned back. She nuzzled him, and he purred deeply to soothe her. "I think I'm getting hungry."

"Oh?" he frowned. Then he noticed a change in her attitude that made him hiss softly.

"And...I need to show Tsurga and Terin how I eat a cookie," she grinned savagely.

"Evil wife..." he growled, as he tensed.

"Considering that I want to eat cookies, anyways," she smirked.

"What is she going to do?!" Howard asked. Naght rumbled his disbelief, and Beelzebub was cringing with lust. Terin watched her move up to him, and she pressed her mouth to his ear to whisper. His eyes went wide, as he was obediently led up the stairs to the bedroom.

"Why is she like this?!" Keltin asked. "I thought she only craved sex with me!"

"Ifrit is heat. Warmth can be like lust. Right?" Loomin said with a small grin.

"And...it was his pure essence she had...with Naght..." Eremes thought aloud. "It didn't really happen when it was me and Ifrit. He went through me. Now...it's just him..."

"So, this is all lust?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Yes. And it's going to be just as bad as her craving from Keltin. May not be as intense, but we'll have to see," Loomin sighed. Sammy found himself laughing softly. Doppy chuckled before gesturing to Kiehl to get to her. When they got in the bedroom, Terin was naked, on the floor, and completely incoherent. Sarine effectively wiped him out.

"Yes. He's in a sexual coma," Beelzebub sighed, as he walked in. Then he hissed when Sarine tackled him. At the intensity of her pleasuring, the Demon Lord was soon in the same way. What happened next would amaze her men. A wave of lust poured from her like the heat that came off of Ifrit. Kiehl roared out his Bragging Rights challenge instinctively to show he was in charge. The males in the room started to glare at each other. The few that were able to think had to voice out their thoughts quickly before instinct took over.

"This is almost like...!" Thanatos gasped.

"It's her scent, but not her Demonic Mating scent!" Hibram grimaced. Then she let out a sultry purr that rocked her men to the core. Ragged Zombie was actually in a state of full blown shock. He was now going to experience an all-out mating frenzy unlike anything he had ever witnessed or been a part of. The others were going to be a part of the same thing. Keltin's sex drive let her pick and choose the men she wanted. She was in control, but always wanted more. Eventually, it could be stopped.

With this state of lust, it was instinctive. It was wild. It was intense. It called to her men in such a primal way that they were reacting to her like a Demonic Mating, but this was strictly for mating with her. There was no control over who she would be with. She would not be judging them. It wouldn't stop until they all either had their fill of her, or until the scent wore out. It was first come, first serve. They all wanted to be the first to be served. And, as far as they saw it,  _they were all in each other's way..._

"Who wants to be my next cookie?" she asked with a wicked, grinning purr.


	162. Chapter 162

Two hours went by quickly. Sarine was sleeping deeply against Kiehl's chest. Ifrit was recovering in the nursery with Naght. Those that could move out of the bedroom had done so the moment they found the strength and control to do it. None of them were able to leave the room until the lust wave had worn itself out. It floored Loomin completely.

"What did she do to me?!" Terin grimaced, as he finally gasped himself awake.

"Something that may happen frequently," Loomin replied from where he lay back on his bed. "Now I have to wonder about traveling with her."

"What the hell did she hit us with?!" Doppy asked, as he came around.

"Lust. Uncontrolled and untamed. Sorry for punching you in the face, Eremes," Loomin sighed. "We were all fighting over her..."

"It's fine. You Healed me after it was done. If I wasn't human, I would have easily dodged it. And you're right. If we travel, and she starts to let that out..." Eremes winced.

"Not good," Thanatos muttered, as he tried to move.

"Traveling is a bad idea," Howard grumbled, and he stretched himself out.

"No kidding," Kiehl said, as he kept his eyes closed. He had taken her several times throughout the lust wave. At the feel of her hand moving up his chest, he gave out a small growl. She opened up a sleepy eye at him and chuckled. A tinge of her lust hit him, and he snarled out with instinctive challenge when he took her again.

"She's still going at it?!" Doppy asked with disbelief.

"Instinctive craving," Howard sighed. "Can't be helped."

"Unbelievable," Tsurga winced. He felt bruised and drained, but he would heal. They had all fought over her so violently that Storm Caller was going to have to fix a few chairs. At the knock on the door, Doppy grabbed a towel to throw around his waist before answering it.

"Seyren. What is it?" he asked with a touch of exhaustion.

"What did she do to you?" Seyren asked with concern. Normally, Doppy was pissed off when he knocked on the door.  _Something bad had to have happened._

"Keltin had her craving sex, as you know. Ifrit's solid essence makes her radiate lust. She can't control it. It affects all of us. We fight over her to be with her. All at once. So, yeah...it sucks," Doppy muttered. "Anyways, what do you want?"

"Lust?!" Seyren blinked. "Do you really want to travel, if she's going to be giving that off at random? Would it affect me or the others?!"

"We don't know," Loomin said, as he walked over with a towel on his waist. "That's what we're afraid of, too. I could try to study it, but she would need to give out that lust again. I can't fight it. The moment it hits our senses, we lose control and just want to fight each other to get to her. So, we're a bit screwed in that department."

"No. We get raped in that department! We beat the shit out of each other, too!" Ragged Zombie scowled, as he came around. Small snickers were now heard around the room.

"It's a chance we may have to take," Sammy said. He stretched and Healed himself of a forming bruise on his arm. They all had taken quite a beating on each other. Kiehl was the only one unmarked from his insane ability to dodge them all.

"Or we convince her not to go anywhere," Keltin sighed.

"Who is there?" Sarine frowned, as the blanket was pulled up around her.

"It's Seyren," Doppy said.

"Really?" she mused. She started to sit up with interest.

"Sarine..." Howard warned.

"How else are we to know? If he becomes submissive, then it will be fine," she said.

"You'll need a shower afterwards," Kiehl growled. "Remember what happened before?"

"Why do you think I should test it with him?" she smirked. Hibram wasn't happy with this. None of her men were. "Seyren Windsor! Get in here now!"

"Mistress..." Seyren winced, as his submissiveness came out. "Would it be all right? I mean...Mistress Karla doesn't know I am here..."

"Errende. Go to Karla and explain the situation!" she snapped. Errende got up to stretch, dress, and move out of the room quickly. "Act normally until he comes back, Seyren."

"Sarine, what are you trying to do?" Seyren asked when his brotherly side reappeared.

"They want to see if my lust will affect others that are not mine," Sarine sighed. "If it does, I will not be able to travel. I can't control the lust that comes out. It's like I go through a Demonic Mating, but it's not a Demonic Mating. It could affect everyone, and they all fight over me so harshly! I can't stop them, either. I honestly don't know what else to call it."

"Well, if I'm not affected, then good. But, if I am, I see what you mean. What about a normal human? One with no monster blood? Would they be affected?" Seyren asked.

"That's a good question," Loomin frowned. "I wouldn't know."

"Well, we can test on the moron in the dungeon. I wouldn't test it with Kavach or the others," Ragged Zombie thought aloud. "At least the moron is contained, and we can kill him."

"A very valid point," Sammy thought.

"And, when your lust is in control, you don't worry about our babies," Howard smiled and nuzzled her. "It's a bit of your dominance, in that aspect."

"True," she smiled. "I don't worry about them with Kiehl around, too. I did before when they weren't forming, but I know they are now. It's...easier to handle. With Kiehl, I know that I am safe, and that everything is fine."

"That's a relief," Keltin smiled. Thanatos nodded and stated that Errende was on his way back. Sarine smiled, and Kiehl squeezed her.

"My Lady," Errende said, as he closed the door. "Karla would very much like to try traveling. She said to go ahead and test Seyren. She hopes he will not be affected."

"Okay. Seyren, we will try in your current state of mind. If there is no effect, we will try with your slave mind. If I affect you both times, then we may not be able to travel," she frowned. "At least in a party. It would be safer if I was just with my men. Or, if the others really wanted to travel to the other places, we would have to wait."

"I understand," he nodded.

"I should be alone with him in the bathroom. My lust appears to come out in a wave. I don't want you all fighting over me when I'm testing this. I will be fine," she said.

"The children in her are agreeing. They want to see Gopinich, so they will curb their need to see their fathers. Have Naght and Ifrit in here, just in case," Hyegun said.

"Seyren, this way," Sarine said, as she moved. She didn't bother to dress or cover herself. The Lord Knight's gaze locked on her perfect figure, and he followed her obediently. The moment the bathroom door closed, Kiehl's mood took a turn for the worst.

"Scrubbed. Head to toe. The moment he leaves..." Kiehl hissed with hate.

"We know," Byorgue nodded.

"Before that's done, we need to see what she smells like with his scent. A precaution," Doppy said. "Yeah, we may hate it, but we all need to know. I said it before, remember?"

"Fine," Kiehl nodded. In the bathroom, Sarine had Seyren stand back, and she took a deep breath. She looked at him and studied him with an interested gaze in her eye. As Seyren was about to question her, the wave of lust smacked into him, and he shook his head to focus.

"Anything?" she smirked, as a sultry purr came from her now.

"Yes. A lot," he admitted. He fought down the urge to rip off his armor and have her.

"A pity. And this is with you in control, I guess?" she asked, as she stretched. He wanted her, but, in brother mode, he was loyal to Karla. He knew the others wouldn't have much of a chance. He was pushing his control to the limit, if barely. He realized that, if he waited any longer, he would give in. Then she thought and muttered, "And...as a slave...?"

The moment his submission came out, he shouted, ripped off his armor, and pinned her to the floor to have her. With his control gone, he was vulnerable. When he was finally able to think, he was a whimpering, trembling mess. He was surprised at himself for reacting like that. He had never reacted to any other woman this way, but he knew that most of it was from Baphomet's blood in his system to claim her. He shivered and cringed, as he said, "Sorry, Mistress. I had no control. I had some control out of submission, if any, but...like this..."

"It's all right, Seyren," she smiled and hugged him. "However, you need to dress and go back to Karla. I'm sure she needs you now."

"Yes, Mistress," he nodded. He kissed her fiercely before standing up to shower quickly and dress. The moment he was dressed, he grimaced at what he did.

"I know, Seyren," she smiled. "But, thank you for helping me test it."

"You're welcome," he smiled back and walked out of the bathroom. Kiehl charged right in to hold her, despite the scent of Seyren on her. He hated it, but he needed to be with her before his body started to fight him. He would tolerate the scent for now. Howard walked in and growled at the scent instinctively. He was able to recover, and he sighed.

"So, we can't travel with the others," Kiehl frowned. "Howard?"

"Doppy wanted to smell her after she was with Seyren. So do the other guys. Let's see what happens, shall we? I think we already know what will happen, but they want to make sure," Howard mused. Naght had moved into the room, and he paused at her scent.

"Get...that...scent...off...her...!" Naght hissed. "Wash...her...!"

"After the others check her out," Howard nodded. Doppy came in now, and he stared at her with a form of rage. He couldn't help the bristling snarl that came out. Thanatos came in next, and the reaction was the same. The slaves already knew what she smelled like, and their reactions were the same, yet they forced themselves to wait before tending to her. When Eremes came in, he was also forced to pause and scowl.

"If Seyren wasn't a friend, I'd be killing him..." Eremes fumed.

"It's only when he's submissive," Sarine reminded him.

"Bathe her!" Loomin demanded, as he approached her.

"Not yet..." Kiehl growled. The verdict was the same with the others that came in.  _They all couldn't stand the scent of an unclaimed male on her._  Beelzebub was seething with rage. Hibram had to focus inwards to keep from punching something. Keltin's Rage came out momentarily. It was Hyegun that had a thoughtful look on his face when the others were done examining her. He was able to put it into complete perspective after his own shock left him.

"When I smell her, I think she was raped, and that we need to claim vengeance," Hyegun frowned. "That is the only thought that is running through my mind. Someone unclean touched her. Someone we don't trust needs to die for doing this to her."

"You're right," Doppy nodded. "We trust Seyren as a friend. Not as one of us when it comes to being a mate. Yes, he has Baphomet's blood, but we don't have his blood."

"Come to think of it..." Eremes thought. "it's why I slaughtered those guards like I did. Not only from the rage. Long ago...Sarine's second capture..."

"Quiet," Doppy warned. Eremes nodded, but it made a lot of sense to everyone.

"Very true. I couldn't even focus to find out why I behaved like I did just now. I just want her bathed and clean," Loomin sighed. "He's someone we can fight with, but that's it."

"He's not one of us," Kiehl agreed. "I'm going to wash my mate."

"I'm helping you!" Howard growled out now.

"Count me in," Doppy said. Her slaves now poured in from the bedroom to help scrub off the offensive scent. When she was free of the scent, they all visibly relaxed, and Kiehl sighed with intense relief. At her thought, he frowned.

"Now would be the time to test that, huh?" he muttered. "Hmm..."

"Are you serious?" Howard grinned.

"It would make the most sense," Kiehl smirked. "She wants to test what happens with that idiot in the dungeon. However, only I will be next to her. When her lust gives in, I'll claim her in front of the prison cell. After I kill the human in an instinctive haze, of course."

"I like it," she grinned, and he kissed her hard. "After that, we should see how your duplicate is doing. He should be done learning about me by then."

"True," he nodded. "Very well. Let's go."

She was dressed, fed, and was soon on her way to the dungeon. On their way out, Garrett was talking to Beelzebub and Terin. He was clearly in agreement with no traveling, and he nodded to Sarine when he made his way back to Cecil. Lloyd and Donnie were in agreement with Hibram. Mitchell agreed with Entweihen.  _No one wanted to fall under the spell of Sarine's lust._

"We will all stay here for this pregnancy. Unless it is just us going to travel. The others will stay here," Beelzebub said. "Anyways, we are going to see William Rory?"

"Yes," Sarine nodded. "There was something that I discovered when I tested Seyren."

"Oh! You're right! Your lust can be controlled, if you bring it out on occasion. But, anyone can be affected by it. As long as you keep someone with you when it comes out, everything will be fine. Maybe in small bursts. We'll test it in the dungeon," Howard nodded. Sarine kissed him deeply, and he kissed her back with a look that showed he was going to need her later. She smiled and nuzzled him with understanding. Kiehl chuckled, and they headed out to the dungeon. Maya Purple skittered in front of them for her to hop on his back.

"No need to have My Lady walk around," he winked. She giggled and nodded. Then she playfully tickled an underside of a wing cover, and he shivered from the feeling. "Sarine!"

"When the kids do it, you're ticklish," she mused.

"When you do it, it's a turn on!" he growled. Now she grinned wickedly, and he shook his head with a small laugh when he walked. Kiehl started laughing at the torment she was putting him through with soft touches and tickles. One particular touch near his back had him give out a gasping cry of shock, and he trembled. When they reached the dungeon, he had to jump down from his bug body to approach her with a growl. Kiehl was grinning cheerfully and moved to let him punish her for the tormenting tickles.

"I guess it is a turn on for you," she giggled when he finished with her. He kissed her lovingly with a chuckle before letting Kiehl pull her close. They both dressed her, and Howard hugged her to him. She knew he needed her, and she whispered, "Let me test this first. When that human is dead, come in to see me. Okay?"

"I will," Howard nodded. He could be with her and Kiehl now. It was safe, and he was eager to claim her as his again. Naght suddenly seethed and turned to glare at the movement behind him. Kiehl snarled out protectively at what Naght saw.

"Hey," Kavach said, as he walked up to them.

"No. Stop. Leave!" Loomin warned. "Come no closer!"

"Kiehl is out here? I thought he was in the house!" he frowned.

"It's a duplicate of him that was made. Don't bother that one. He can still kill you as fast as Kiehl can. Now, what do you want?" Sammy asked with a small glare at the Sniper.

"Was anything going to be planned today?" he asked.

"We don't think so. Sarine is in a very delicate state right now. You know this. That's all we can tell you," Sammy said.

"Yeah, so go train, Short Shit!" Ragged Zombie growled. Small bits of laughter came forth, and Kavach colored up. Errende was clearly enjoying it, but he had moved to Sarine's side to keep his hands on her belly. She knew there was no way that she was going to have Kavach around when she brought out her lust.

"I'm not that short," Kavach sulked, and he turned to leave. He paused to see Maheo and Neil walking over to help when Hibram contacted them. Tsurga and Terin were next to appear, and now Kavach was in shock. "How are all of you able to be with her?!"

"I am the Captain of the Amatsu Royal Guard. I protect her against anyone that wishes her harm!" Tsurga growled with impatience. Doppy smirked and grinned wickedly.

"And I am an Assassin that has been specially trained to defend her, as well. Odin commanded me to," Terin smirked. "Why do you want to know?"

"Oh. No reason..." Kavach pouted. Loomin sighed and decided it was time to talk to the Sniper. He walked over to him and whispered lightly. Now Kavach was gaping.

"That is why you can't feel pain and pleasure at the same time. You're trying too hard. Don't try. Just accept it. If you can't do that, then it will be forever out of your reach. Will this get you closer to my wife? No. But, it may give you some peace of mind," Loomin said. "Now go and test this theory for yourself."

"Okay," Kavach nodded and left with a new purpose.

"Maybe now he'll leave her alone," Keltin muttered.

"No, he won't. But, he still won't be able to take what she can dish out," Loomin smirked. "He'll feel pain and pleasure, but it will always be too much for him."

"You think so?" Kiehl grinned.

"I know so," Loomin nodded. "Anyways, let's do this test and see what happens."

"On it," Kiehl chuckled, and they descended.

"Hey guys!" Zealotus said, as she walked up. "What's going on?"

"I'll talk to you to inform you on what's going on. Kiehl and Sarine need to see the prisoner. The rest of us are waiting out here," Sammy said. As Zealotus was informed on what was going to happen, Kiehl led Sarine into the dungeon chamber area. The Lord Knight was already at the bars of the cell and ready to lash out at his tormentor. When he saw it was Sarine with Kiehl, he blinked. He wasn't expecting this.

"William Rory, I presume?" Sarine frowned. "A pity. How one that was a Royal Knight is now a delinquent. I would have thought of much more than this."

"So, you're the whore for monsters," Rory sneered. Then he paled at Kiehl's look of intense hatred and loathing on a grand scale. At the feel of her hand to his cheek, he was calmed quickly, and he looked at her with a heavy frown.

"No, Kiehl. He's right. The only difference is that I am loved by the monsters I come to be with. And all of them want to kill you right now, William. Did you know that? Of course, you did. They killed you off before, and they'll easily do it again. You even broke into the palace and tried to kidnap me for ransom. Didn't you?" she smirked.

"What of it? And I thought you had brats in you when I last saw you," he growled.

"Oh! You mean the offspring of Eremes Guile and Ifrit. Yes. I did have them in me when you last saw me and attacked me. Or tried to, I should say. Now I have more children. From Kiel D-01 here, Howard Alt-Eisen, Naght Seiger, and Ifrit once again. They really want to see you, too," she giggled. "But, Kiehl is the strongest monster out of them all. He's even stronger than Doppelganger! Can you believe it? As you can see, Kiehl  _really_  wants to shake your hand...and maybe even tear it off."

"I want to do more than just rip off one piece of him!" Kiehl snarled out with a bloodthirsty hiss of hatred. Then he paused and rubbed a hand on her belly with a deep purr to soothe her. He couldn't let too much negativity hit her, and Howard had to remind him of it.

"It's possible that you just might. However, it all depends on one thing," she smiled. The Lord Knight seemed to cringe at Kiehl's glare again. The human knew he wouldn't live, if this monster attacked him. Then she looked at him with an interested smile. Her wave of lust slammed into the human, and he gasped with desire when Kiehl roared out his Bragging Rights.

"Let me be with you! I'll do anything!" he begged now.

"No traveling!" Kiehl snarled out, and he used his powerful skills of Magnum Break and Brandish Spear. The Lord Knight had no chance and died on the spot. Howard came in shortly after to help claim her with Kiehl. They both took her at the same time, and she cried out with them. Only after they recovered, and she was dressed with them, did they look at the dead Lord Knight in the cell. Naght came down next with Ifrit. Ever so slowly, the others filtered in.

"He will never change," Loomin frowned. "We should incinerate his body."

"Coraline will never trust him," Hibram muttered.

"Even if he does realize his wrongs, none of us will trust him. He tried to attack Sarine while she was pregnant at a Demonic Mating! That's worse than what Elric tried to pull!" Kiehl seethed. "What he did is disgusting! His body should be disintegrated!"

"So, Kiehl," Sarine murmured in his ear, and he tensed. "are you saying that you trust Elric more than Rory?"

"Ah..." Kiehl winced and scowled softly.

"He has been trying to make amends, you know," she smiled.

"Well, he still has to survive against me! I'm going all out!" he hissed. Then he gasped at the caress he got to his cheek. He shivered when her hand moved up into his hair, and he started purring at the sensation. Her other hand moved to massage the back of his scalp, and he lost his anger when he became a lulling mess of sensations.

"You need to do that more often," Doppy smirked.

"What do you think?" she crooned to Kiehl. All he could do was groan and rest his head against her shoulder. She kissed him passionately, and he responded urgently. "That's it, love. Give in to me. Let me help take away your rage..."

"Mine..." he muttered, as he lifted her onto the steel table to kiss her and grope her. Loomin chuckled at how she was keeping him calm. Naght rumbled out his laughter and glanced over at the entrance to the room.  _Something didn't feel right._  Howard frowned and knew that it was actually Kiehl that was sensing it.  _Something felt very off._

"What's going on out there?" Howard asked now.

"I'll check," Byorgue nodded, and Aliot went with him. They came back with Injustice, and the undead slave was very pissed off.

"Zealotus..." Beelzebub sighed. "She tried to convince him to go back to her."

"WHAT?!" Sarine suddenly seethed with hate, and winced as Doppy shouted.

"NO!" Kiehl gasped, and Thanatos moved swiftly to place his hands on her belly with Errende. Howard was in a state of shock, as his thoughts moved to the safety of his triplets. Loomin was cringing, as Sammy inspected the growth. Tsurga hissed and leaned against the wall until the pain passed. He would never get over it, and Doppy could only mentally apologize to him. Errende was calmly running his hands over her belly to soothe and calm the triplets.

"That was close!" Hyegun scowled out softly. "Thanatos and Errende reached them just in time! They only grew a little."

"Five percent," Sammy confirmed. "It would have been worse."

"Much worse," Thanatos frowned. "We need to feed her."

"Injustice..." Sarine fretted, and the slave was at her side for her to hug tight.

"I'm yours, My Lady," Injustice said, as he nuzzled into her neck.

"Tell me what happened," she whispered. Kiehl and Howard were recovering from the small heart attacks they had from the stress and rage she felt. Naght was hissing out his temper in Demonic. Loomin needed to know what happened and moved over to them.

"While you were with Kiehl and Howard, she came up to me. She said that she missed me and my insight. She promised to be nicer to me. I asked about the other Injustices, and she said that they were nice, but they weren't the same. I told her that I could not go back to her. That you were my owner. That you were My Lady. She knew this. Then she stated that I could be shared. I told her that was not possible. I said I could only see her as a distant friend. That I would advise her when she needed it, but that was all. It seemed all right, but she confessed that she wanted more. It was starting to irritate me, and that was when Byorgue and Aliot appeared to help me get away from her and back to you," he muttered in her ear.

"So, she didn't hit you?" Sarine asked carefully.

"No. She only spoke to me," he said.

"Fine. I will not punish her over words. If she struck you, I would have dealt with it. Injustice, dear, the next time she tries to approach you, I want you to get another to help you. I told you this before!" she frowned.

"Everyone was there, My Lady. Beelzebub was listening in, too," he said.

"He's right. If she tried to raise a hand to him, I would have stopped her. He was doing well enough on his own," the Demon Lord nodded.

"I see," Sarine smiled. "I worried for you. I worry for all of my loves."

"No need," Injustice smiled, and she kissed him hard. He loved her with everything he had.  _I am her slave, and I won't have it any other way._  She was fed her craving dishes after that, and the focus returned to the dead Lord Knight.

"I think it's time for Muninn to help us," Loomin sighed. When that was said, Muninn was already flying in and becoming his human form. He moved over to Sarine to hug her protectively and smile softly.

" _I will talk to Zealotus later for you. Don't worry about her anymore. As for William Rory, Father Odin wants me to try and work with his memories. If he dies, he will die. I believe he will die. He is so set in his ways that it will be hard for even myself to change his views. I will try, but I doubt any good will come of it. However, you need to go back to the nursery. The children will need you soon,_ " he said. " _I'll show up the moment I am done here._ "

"Do what you must with him. I honestly don't believe that he is worth saving. He did try to attack me..." she frowned, and Loomin moved over to hug her.

"And I killed him for it," he muttered in her ear. She smiled at him, and Kiehl only nodded. "Let's let Muninn do what Odin wishes him to do. We should go check on the children. I'm sure they need us and you. All right?"

"Okay," she sighed. Kiehl nuzzled her, and she leaned into him. He scooped her up to cradle, and Howard chuckled.

"You're hogging her," Keltin grinned.

"I keep her calm, and she keeps me calm. I have to do this," Kiehl seemed to shrug.

"True," Keltin nodded.

"I'll use my lust later," Sarine promised. That made Keltin swallow, and Ragged Zombie groaned with disbelief. "Don't worry, Ragged Zombie. I'll make sure you get the brunt of it, since you like it so much!"

"Ah..." he started and went speechless at the purr she gave out. Kiehl looked at her with a small hiss of want, and she smirked at him. Eremes and Doppy tensed up, but contained themselves. Howard just gave a small grin, as they continued to walk out of the dungeon. Injustice remained close to Sarine, and she thought.

"Hyegun," she said, and he came over to her. "You never did tell me how you died."

"Oh!" he blinked. "That's right, huh?"

"You should save it for later. Maybe after the kids," Sammy suggested.

"No!" Sarine said with a shake of her head. "He always says that he will tell me, and then it never happens! I want to know!"

"Okay," Hyegun chuckled. "Well, you know the scar on my neck, right?"

"Yes," she nodded. The others listened in, as they walked with her.

"Well, the legend about Bongun and Munak was a bit true. I know Keltin is not the Bongun from the legend, but there was one very much like him. Munak was very much the same, so, I will stick with those names to tell my tale. Anyways, as I said, it was true. I tricked Bongun into going out to the woods to find Munak out of jealousy. She left to find him when he never returned, despite my pleas for her to accept me. The scar was where I killed myself when I sliced my neck open out of guilt. If I had known that they would have made it back safely a few days later..." he sighed. "If I only knew..."

"Hyegun," she sighed, and Kiehl let her get held by him now.

"They had found each other at an old woodcutter's cabin in the woods. He took care of them and gave them supplies to make it back. But, because I killed myself out of grief and spite, I came back as a monster and bound to Louyang. That was where I lived with Bongun and Munak at the time. Munak, as a monster, was able to stay with me and the others of my kind and her kind. But, as for Bongun, I had never seen him again. He was locked away in Payon with Munaks to play with there. Payon is a forest town, so it was like he was still in the forest. It was...odd how that turned out," Hyegun admitted.

"So, you were separated from Bongun from your jealousy, but had Munak to play with. At the same time, Bongun was still with Munak, yet she was able to appear for you, too. Both Munak and Bongun were your friends, and you were forced to only have one friend with you. One that would never love you the way you loved her. In the end, you were still sad that you would never see your Bongun friend again," she said thoughtfully. "Well, I am glad that I reunited you with her. And with Keltin, in a way."

"As am I," he smiled and kissed her gently. "Oh. This is for you. A long time ago, I had fashioned a doll to play with. I want you to have it."

"Hmm?" she smiled and found a doll resembling Munak in her hands. She beamed at him, and he hugged her tight. "I love you!"

"I love you, too!" he whispered, as he crushed her to him. "My beautiful wife..."

"Shall we check on the children now?" she smiled.

"Yeah," he smiled back and kissed her deeply. Then he looked at her belly and said, "Yes, I love you guys, too! Don't worry!"

That got laughter from Kiehl and Howard. Naght and Ifrit chuckled, as they moved with her. Maya Purple followed them with the others. When they got into the house, Max was waiting for them with concern in his eyes.

"Is Muninn really working on Rory?!" he growled.

"Remain calm!" Sammy warned. "Sarine cannot handle any stress right now. Her pregnancy will grow, if any negativity or rage affects her."

"Oh. I'm sorry," he winced.

"It's all right, Max," Sarine smiled. "But, yes. Muninn is looking through that man's memories. If he dies during it, then he will die. Daddy wanted it done."

"I see. Okay. If Odin said so, then there is no other way around it," he nodded.

"Right," Loomin nodded with him.

"You'd better get back to Coraline. I'll be there in a bit to give her some blood. I'll have to do the same with Egnigem and Margaretha," Hibram said. "No traveling will be done right now. Sarine has an...odd craving. It can affect anyone."

"Oh!" Max blinked when he was mentally informed, and he cleared his throat. "Right. I'll get back to Coraline now."

"Good," Kiehl muttered, as Max left. "The last thing we need are men that don't belong with her to fight over her! That wouldn't be something we want to look forward to."

"Hmm," Sarine thought, and Kiehl looked at her with shock.

"NO!" Howard said sharply. "Get that out of your mind right now!"

"Sarine..." Naght hissed with a form of disgust.

"What is she thinking of?" Beelzebub frowned.

"Arena. Full of people. Lust wave," Kiehl grimaced.

"Ah, no. No!" Loomin winced.

"No arena for you!" Ragged Zombie scowled.

"But, can you imagine how much fun we all would have watching them kill each other?" she giggled madly. "It would be amusing."

"Maybe, but also very dangerous," Thanatos frowned. "We worry about you enough."

"Of course, you do," she smiled. "But, I was thinking of something else."

"And that is?" Kiehl asked.

"I think that, since I'll likely not be doing any traveling, well..." she thought.

"Oh? A dream vision about Loomin?" Howard asked.

"Yeah. Maybe after the kids are tended to, and Kiehl's duplicate is gone?" she beamed.

"I'd like that," Loomin smiled.

"I want a vision of just me meeting you," Kiehl smirked.

"It would likely turn out like me," Thanatos grinned.

"We don't know that!" he scowled.

"Let's do a couple a day, all right?" she giggled. "We just had one with Thanatos. Loomin will be next. Then, if we have some time tonight, we'll see about you."

"What do you mean 'if there will be time tonight'?" Kiehl frowned.

"Do we want to have a fire pit night?" she asked.

"If your lust hits at random, I'm not sure we should," Keltin sighed.

"I wonder," she mused and focused fully on Keltin. He gasped at the trembling mess he started to become. Kiehl was holding her and was instantly affected, but none of the others seemed to have a problem.

"Wow," Loomin said, as Keltin raced up to the bedroom with Kiehl. "She was able to affect only Keltin! But, since Kiehl was holding her, he got affected, too."

"This could simplify things so that traveling would be possible," Howard mused. Naght hissed at Howard, and they both moved up to the bedroom to let Sarine see them. Ifrit followed in case he was needed, and he got pulled into the lust wave that greeted him. Beelzebub had the others go into the nursery and wait for Sarine there. Those that needed to give blood to the other pregnant women were able to do so. When she finally got to the nursery, Kiehl was busy Healing Howard from the beatings he took from Ifrit and Keltin.

"They hit hard. Don't they?" Kiehl grinned.

"Damn you and your dodging capability!" Howard growled, and Kiehl laughed. Sarine was seated between them on the rocking bench, and she was handed Sun and Moon to nurse first. Beelzebub was holding his twins when his son gave a small growl.

"What?" he asked his son.

"Bad man," Stolas frowned. Maya Purple confirmed that someone was approaching the nursery by the feel of footsteps.

"Dad?" Angela frowned.

"Go wait with your mother," Errende said. "Lord Thanatos? Where is Edward?"

"He's with us," Kiehl said. Edward was happily looking through some books.

"Who's coming here?" Edward frowned.

"Not sure. It may be someone that I built to look like me a long time ago. He's me, but he's not me. Don't be alarmed. Let us handle it," Kiehl said with a small growl.

"You made another like you?" Deagan frowned.

"Before I met your mother, I did," he nodded. "It's a long story, and I'll tell you when you get older. Okay?"

"Kay," Deagan nodded back and got a kiss pressed to his forehead.

"Is this other one mean?" Juliana asked.

"It's not that he's mean. It's the way he has to do his work," Kiehl said carefully.

"Oh," she blinked.

"Where is Doppy?" Sarine asked. The demon heard her in the main part of the nursery, and he was quick to head over to her. He sat near her, and she smiled.

"What is it, Sorry Sari?" he asked with a gentle smile.

"I was thinking a beach day. Maybe later on. I know it's risky to travel, but, well, if the rest of the day goes fine, this will help. You think?" she asked.

"That may actually work," he agreed.

"Use up some lust in the morning, and see if it curbs it for the rest of the day?" Howard thought. "It may work. This would be a definite way to test it."

"Mommy?" Ming asked, as she toddled over to her. Sammy was at her side and guiding Loo Shin with a small grin.

"Yes, dear?" Sarine chuckled. She let Muninn take Sun and Moon so she could nurse Eremes's twins. Howard let Ming climb into his lap to be next to Sarine.

"Can you sing, Mommy?" she blushed.

"It has been a while since I have," Sarine smiled warmly.

"She's going to sing?" Beelzebub chuckled.

"Mama is going to sing?!" Serenity gasped with delight. The other kids were made aware, and the younger ones clapped their hands. Terin had never heard her sing before, and he was surprised at the gathering of males that appeared just to hear her. Sammy took out his Gumoongoh and readied it to play for her. She started to sing softly to let it build up into a beautiful operatic soprano.

"Wow..." Terin said.

"I know," Keltin chuckled.

"I'll never get tired of hearing her sing," Hyegun sighed. Doppy joined in to compliment her voice, and his twins were grinning with pride. When that song finished, they were both applauded. Then she started up an upbeat song that she had heard recently in Comodo. Doppy looked at her with a grin, as he learned the lyrics. Kiehl and Howard found themselves laughing at it. The kids started to dance to it, as Sammy tapped lightly on the wood of his instrument to simulate a beat, and even his ancestral ghost came out to enjoy the music. When that song finished, she had started nursing Stolas and Proserpine when Byorgue growled out a warning.

"This is the nursery! Go wait in the main room!" the slave hissed out.

"I see..." Kiehl's duplicate said.

"Wait!" Kiehl said, as he got up. "You two are going to be with me. Howard?"

"I'll join you," he nodded.

"So will I..." Eremes muttered. Ifrit took Joseph and Elenor from him, and they snuggled into his fiery form with complete contentment. Kiehl approached his double with his twins clinging to his arms in comfort.

"Children?" his duplicate asked.

"My twins," Kiehl said lightly. "Their names are Deagan and Juliana. Kids, this is my duplicate. The one I made before I met your mother. Tell him how old you both are."

"Oh," Juliana blinked. "We're only four months old."

"If that," Deagan said, and he adjusted his glasses. "What do you want with Dad?"

"Dad is good!" Juliana frowned. Howard leaned over to give a tickling push to her glasses, and she giggled. Her silver hair was already curling to match her mother's curls, and her eyes clearly belonged to her mother. Deagan was gaining a strong resemblance to his father, but Sarine's nose and mouth gave a delicate hint of beauty to him.

"Aliot!" Kiehl said. "You have your twins?"

"Albert. Alexis. Come to me," Aliot smiled, and his twins ran over to him to snuggle into his arms. He carried them over easily, and Kiehl's duplicate was in even further shock.

"She had kids with you, too?!" he asked.

"Yeah. My Lady did give me children. I'm her slave in full. Eventually, we will all get children from her. Kids, this is Kiehl's duplicate," Aliot said.

"Really?" Albert frowned.

"He looks like Daddy Kiehl!" Alexis said with amazement.

"That's right. I made him before I met your mother. He was to be my replacement," Kiehl said slowly. "He thought he could come here and take me and Aliot away."

"No!" Deagan shivered and clung to his father.

"We won't let you take away our Daddies!" Alexis now said with horror.

"I'm not going to do that now," the duplicate promised. "I had no idea what was going on. Now that I do, I won't separate them from any of you."

"Sarine..." Howard winced, and Kiehl had to go back to her with him. Sarine was nursing Damas and Astaroth now, and she saw them with relief.

"He can't take you from us!" Juliana cringed. Kiehl pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and he purred to comfort her.

"Hush now. It's okay," he soothed. The Valkyrie maidens both eyed the duplicate to show they were ready to defend the nursery. Muninn had set Sun and Moon back in their cradles for the Valkyrie maidens to fully guard over them. The warrior Valkyrie was sent back to the fields of Odin's temple right after the small battle was over, but she would easily be called back, if needed. Alexander was watching silently from the balcony the whole time and keeping a close eye on things. He would not allow the nursery to be threatened.

" _Kiel Hyre. I need to speak with you,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over to the duplicate. " _Follow me, please. Your life depends on it._ "

"Of course, Muninn," he nodded. He was introduced formally to him after he read the letters and saw the slab of old flooring. As Muninn led him away, the tension in the room eased up significantly. Kiehl was still comforting his twins, and Howard was running a loving hand over Sarine's belly. Aliot was now keeping his twins calm.

"You're not leaving us?" Albert asked with a hard frown.

"No," Aliot smiled and let his kids cling to him. Alexis was rubbing her tears away on his vest, and he soothed them with his purring.

"We won't let anyone get taken away," Doppy said with a nod. "Don't worry."

"They'll have to go through us first," Thanatos grinned.

"Don't worry about it, kids. None of us are leaving," Sammy chuckled. Serenity and Siegfried looked at each other with small grins. Gunther and Bianca gave short growls, as Doppy held them in his lap. Edward and Angela had frowns on their faces, but Maya Purple was going to change all of that quickly.

"Mother and I are giving rides," Maya Purple grinned.

"Rides!" Serenity gasped.

"Remember! No biting, hitting, or tickling! The ride will stop the moment that's done, and I won't have it anymore!" Maya Purple warned. The kids knew he was being serious. He was now going to be a father from the eggs in the nest, and he meant every word.

"Yes, Buggy," Bianca nodded.

"Who else will be helping, Dad?" Angela asked.

"Well, other than Mother, I think Golden Thief Bug is," he chuckled. Edward whooped, and Gunther raced him out the door. Sarine smiled softly, and Howard kissed her gently.

"What did you want to do after the kids are done nursing?" he asked, as he helped her get Atsuko and Takeshi to nurse. Nigel took away Entweihen's twins to set in Errende's arms to calm down for naps.

"I was thinking of getting into a swimsuit and soaking up a bit of sun," she grinned. That made him growl, and Kiehl tensed at the vision.

"Maybe a beach day and fire pit night would be good for everyone. We can see how the others are and check up on their pregnancies," Doppy said.

"I do like that idea," she smiled. He moved in front of her now and sat in front of her to rest his back against her legs. Doppy glanced up at the feel of Takeshi's small hand patting him on the top of his head, and Howard started to snicker. When Atsuko looked at him and giggled, he made a face at her to make her laugh with her brother. They went back to nursing, and Evil Snake Lord came over to chuckle at them. He looked over at the entrance to the nursery with a protective hiss. He was as much of an over-protective father as the others.

"Is Sarine in here?" Cedrick was heard asking, and Doppy snarled out softly.

"She is. And she's tending to children. Why?" Amon Ra asked.

"I just wanted to ask her what the plans were for today," he said.

"So far, it's just relaxation. We were hoping to travel, but she has developed a craving that could put everyone at risk. She gives out a form of lust that no male can resist. She can't control this. It's from Ifrit's pure essence. You remember the Demonic Matings? Think of it like that, but no chasing after her or judging at the end. It's mainly solid fighting just to be with her. It's not something you want to be a part of," Hibram said carefully.

"Oh..." Cedrick blinked. "No, I don't think I want that."

"You don't," Osiris frowned. "But, that's the plan for today."

"Relaxation," Hyegun said with a small nod. Then he moved over to Sarine's side to kneel down to her belly, and Doppy moved over for him. "Kids, you don't want that. You made your statement with Elric earlier. Don't suggest that."

"Suggest what?" Doppy frowned.

"Having Cedrick go up against Kiehl," Hyegun grimaced.

"No. He'll die," Kiehl growled. "I might be able to tolerate Elric. That's if he survives against me. I want to avoid having others like  _that_  guy out there becoming one of us."

"He's not honorable," Sammy frowned. "Shoujin would be the only other choice, but it's still questionable. At least he understands his boundaries."

"I would rather not. Shoujin may expect me to be at various places with him like a true Queen would. I simply can't do that," Sarine frowned. That made small murmurs of agreement all around. Terin walked past Cedrick and moved right over to Sarine's side to sit in the room with her. "Is something wrong, Terin?"

"Irritated," he admitted.

"Oh?" she frowned.

"There's a lot that I'm learning about you now. An awful lot. I just wish there was something I could do, you know?" he sighed.

"Well, there is something. Can you take these two, please?" she smiled, and he chuckled. He took up Evil Snake Lord's twins to burp them. They cuddled into him, and he sighed when he sat back on a couch with them. Takeshi looked at him and patted his cheek.

"What?" he smiled.

"Dah!" the boy giggled, and Terin's grin got rather wide at this.

"That's right!" he said and got his nose pinched. "Hey!"

Takeshi laughed and clapped his hands. His sister was already sleeping on Terin's shoulder. Sarine gave a soft, motherly smile, as Kiehl chuckled.

"Done nursing?" he asked.

"I think so," she nodded. Howard helped put her top back to rights. Loomin walked over to her, and Doppy looked up at him. He was still seated in front of Sarine, and he was now enjoying the feel of her hands in his hair.

"When did you want to do the dream vision?" Loomin asked.

"Let's wait and see what happens with Kiehl's duplicate. Until then, I want to get some sun," she smiled. Juliana and Deagan were happy that they were going to get to play on the beach. Sarine was taken into the bedroom to change, and Doppy was there with Loomin to help her. Kiehl gave her a passionate kiss, and Howard squeezed her.

"Did we ever find out what Muninn did to that one in the dungeon?" Loomin asked.

"No clue," Doppy muttered. "Hopefully dead."

"We'll ask when we see him," Sarine nodded. As she walked out into the hallway in her gold bikini, she paused at the sight of Kiehl's duplicate falling to his knees at the sight of her. She was absolutely stunning, and he lost his focus. "Are you all right?"

"I..." the duplicate trembled and gasped at the feel of her hand on his cheek.

"Hmm," Kiehl frowned.

"You think?" Howard mused. "But, how would it work? He has to be in Lighthalzen to keep the suspicion down. If he's discovered helping us..."

"Tell me what's wrong," Sarine whispered, and the duplicate placed his hand over hers. He was shivering and trembling all over. He clearly wanted her.

"Listen," Kiehl said, as he leaned down to look into his duplicate's eyes. "I made you. You dumped me down below in that factory. She found me. You found out I was gone, in a sense, and came here to find out why. Which means you saw past my darker duplicate. However, now you know why I'm with her. Do you plan to expose her to anyone? Do you plan to bring her to any harm?"

"No," his duplicate said sternly. "That was never my intention. All I was told to do was to retrieve you to find out what was different about you. I didn't know about her until today. I didn't know of the children. There was just so much that I didn't know..."

"What do I call you?" Sarine asked, as she pulled the duplicate into a tight hug. He gave a gasping sigh, as he hugged her back.

"Call me...Kiel..." he shivered.

"This is going to be weird," Howard frowned. "How is this going to pan out?"

"She can't take any of his blood," Loomin said. He studied the situation rather intensely. "He can't take any of hers, either. It would have to be done like Seyren. Sex, but that's it. I know we may have to scrub her clean, but it would be the only way."

"I'll be your eyes in Lighthalzen," Kiel whispered. "I'll do whatever I can just to see you. It's easy for me to falsify a report of what happened. Most of the soldiers that were with me were all robots, anyways, of my own design. Muninn also said that he would help remove memories from those that I can't touch. In fact, I think he already did that. Regardless, you have my word. I won't bring you to any harm, and I'll send you the most updated technology I come up with. I can send it in pieces, and it can all be sorted through here."

"That's easy to do," Kiehl nodded. "That can work."

"Kiel, come with me," Sarine said, as she stood up, and he rose up obediently to follow her. Howard gave a light sigh, but he nodded. Naght seemed to watch this with disbelief, but he understood why it was being done.

"She's going to want him to be protected," Kiehl frowned. "What can we do about that?"

"Have Vesper make something for him," Loomin said. "I'll go talk to him."

"Good," he nodded. As that was going on, Sarine led Kiel into the bathroom.

"Undress for me?" she smiled. It was done without a second thought, and her mouth planted on his urgently. The odd thing was that the feel of fitting didn't take place. She would have to discuss it later. For now, she let Kiel do what he wanted with her. She noticed that Kiel's body was slimmer than Kiehl's body.  _It was longer and leaner, as though a bit more refined._  She loved her Kiehl better. He would never be replaced in her heart. When Kiel was finished, she chuckled and asked, "First time?"

"Yeah..." he blushed slightly. "How did I do?"

"Far better than I thought," she grinned and kissed him hard. "You need to get back to Lighthalzen. I don't want them to discover that you're gone or switched sides."

"Right," he agreed only to find himself kissing her back. Right after he claimed her again, Kiehl walked in with a growl. Kiel nodded and pulled himself away from her to let Kiehl pull her into his embrace. He almost snapped, and he winced at the cooling relief he felt with her in his arms. He just clung to her until he was able to think again. She nuzzled into his neck until she heard him sigh with complete relief.

"Kiehl, dear? Are you all right?" she frowned.

"I am now," he said with a nod. Then he looked at Kiel and said, "You need to speak with Vesper down in the workshop. We made some protective gear for you."

"Thanks!" Kiel nodded and left quickly after he dressed.

"Good thing he can't take me away. I would have snapped, killed him, and anyone else around him. What is it, love?" Kiehl asked, as he nuzzled her.

"Do you find it odd, too?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh. Well, I think it was expected. I did build him, so, technically, he's still 'me', and there was no need for him to fit with you. In fact, his scent is pretty much mine to a point. So, I don't feel the urge to scrub you clean. Strange," he admitted.

"Well, I will always prefer 'you' over 'him'. You are the one I fell in love with. Besides, I want to get back in my swimsuit to lay out on the beach," she smiled. He kissed her fiercely in the way she always knew, and he hugged her to him while he cradled her.

"My Lady. My wife. My mate," he muttered in her hair.

"My slave. My husband. My mate," she sighed, and he kissed her in a far more intense way. Clothing was discarded rather swiftly.

"Watch me make you mine," he growled, and she shivered with want. Their gazes locked, as he thrust up into her sharply to make her cry out. _This is why he is my mate. This is why I love him so much._ They cried out as one, and he trembled with the ferocity and passion of the whole thing. He rested with her, as he had her crushed against him.

"We need to go out there," she sighed and ran a hand over his chest.

"In...a moment..." he said, as he focused on recovering. He found himself getting drowsy, but Howard gave him a mental tap that his kids needed him. Kiehl wanted to stay in Sarine's arms a lot longer, but he knew his kids were still a bit upset from earlier. At another mental tap, he scowled and muttered, "We need to get out there, like you thought. Deagan and Juliana are asking for me."

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her intensely. He rubbed a hand over her belly.

"Triplets," he grinned, and she blushed at him. "And another two in there with them."

"Yeah," she giggled, and he kissed her once again before helping her stand with him to dress. He put on his dark blue swim trunks, and she had on her gold bikini. He slipped an arm around her waist and led her out of the bathroom. Nigel went to gather up the clothes, and she pulled him close to hug tight.

"My Lady?" he asked.

"Relax out there with me when you're done," she said.

"Of course, My Lady," he nodded with a smile and got kissed deeply. A touch of her lust started to reveal itself, and he let out a low growl.

"Later!" Kiehl hissed. "The kids are nearby!"

"He's right," she sighed. "Relax with me, and I'll make it up to you later tonight."

Nigel could only nod, as she kissed him again and yanked on his collar to pull him closer. She left him a gasping, heaving mess, and she giggled at him. He pulled her close to mutter, "I will have to get even with you later, My Lady. I will not forget."

"I doubt you could last a whole night with me," she smirked.

"Is that a dare, My Lady?" he grinned wolfishly.

"Maybe..." she said with a growling purr to get his blood boiling, and he shivered.

"I'll prove to you that I can tonight, then. Won't I?" he growled low in her ear to make her shiver. Kiehl started laughing at her hard blush, and Howard called the slave over to whisper to him. As Nigel started to learn some good pointers, Sarine was led outside to see her kids playing in the sand and making sand castles.

"Mama!" Serenity grinned. "Look at what I made!"

"How lovely!" Sarine chuckled at the castle. Small seashells decorated it, and Gunther was busy setting up small figures getting massacred by monsters. Doppy squatted down in his yellow swim trunks, and he started to help him with some decapitations.

"Nice, Dad!" Gunther grinned.

"Tear off an arm on that one!" Bianca snickered.

"Doppy!" Sarine frowned, but she giggled at his loving grin.

"What's the point of building a castle if there are no monster attacks?" Doppy grinned.

"A peaceful one?" Howard laughed, as he set up a few chairs with Nigel.

"Boring!" Thanatos smirked, and he started to help out with the figures. Edward stomped on a couple to flatten them into the ground.

"My husbands..." Sarine sighed, and they all laughed. She reclined in the chair, and Nigel moved over to her in his silver swim trunks. He lay back against her and sighed at the feel of her hands in his hair. Byorgue moved to sit in front of her, and he gasped with comfort at the feel of her foot in his back. Kiehl shivered and needed it done to himself. The moment her other foot made contact, he let out a small groan of ecstasy. At the look Thanatos gave him, Kiehl gave a small glare in response. That made an instinctive nod happen, and Kiehl closed his eyes. There was still a touch of his slave aspect from the collar, but he was far more dominant now than ever. What's more was that he would be ready to defend his Bragging Rights the moment he was challenged. He was not to be underestimated at any time.

"Hmm?" Nigel frowned and narrowed his eyes at something in the distance. His sharp growl alerted all of them. Kiehl opened an eye and hissed.

"Remain calm," Beelzebub said. He had a Hell Fly sent over. When it got attacked, the entire island was alerted. Kiehl was up, standing, and his ghost was out to show he was ready to kill. Sarine soon had all of the kids around her and was guarded to the teeth. Seyren came out of the mansion at the alert, and Baphomet appeared quickly at his distress call. He had warned the others to stay with their wives to protect them. Karla had her bombs to use, if she had to. Naght roared with challenge, and Errende was keeping his hands on Sarine's belly just in case.

"Who is it? Do we know?" Seyren frowned.

"No. Go back inside and protect your wife," Howard said.

"She has her bombs!" he growled.

"She needs you. Go," Baphomet hissed. "If we need you, I'll call for you."

"All right," Seyren nodded and went back to Karla.

"Let's let this one get closer," Loomin said calmly. He couldn't tell if it was male or female yet, and Beelzebub couldn't get a good glimpse from his attacked Hell Fly. "I can already see that this human is up to no good, but let's see how far this person can get."

As the figure started to move closer, Stormy Knight, Dark Lord, and Lord of Death charged at the human from behind. Now a look of surprise was detected on the intruder's face, and a dead run towards the mansion was made. Pori-Pori bounced out of the house happily to charge into the human. Baphomet grinned wickedly and picked up a stride to meet the human with his scythe out.

"Kill the human," Kiehl muttered, as his leadership rang out. That sent a wave of excitement and roars of challenge through the males, as they charged forward. Kiehl stayed with Sarine, and Howard wasn't budging. Eremes was Cloaked and waiting patiently. Naght and Ifrit were assisting with the charge to protect her and their growing offspring. Loomin just gave a small sigh of annoyance, as Beelzebub muttered to him.

"Who is it?" Howard asked.

"A certain female Assassin," Beelzebub sneered. Errende scowled, but sighed at the caress to his cheek by Sarine.

"Did she transcend?" Sammy asked.

"She did. It's how she was able to wound my Hell Fly. But, she's on the ground now," Beelzebub smirked. "Kids, stay here."

"Okay, Dad," Gunther nodded.

"Why would anyone want to hurt Mommy?" Angela asked.

"Humans are stupid like that," Ragged Zombie grinned. "I wonder where her girlfriend is. If they still want to see each other..."

"Nice," Hyegun snickered. When Misty was dragged over, her new outfit was different for being an Assassin Cross. Straps came up to cover her chest and attached below a belt from her groin. Gloves covered her hands, as her arms and shoulders were bare. High heeled boots were on her feet, and a tattered half-skirt covered her backside. A red sash fluttered about from her neck. It was a very revealing outfit, but Sarine's males didn't care for it. If Sarine was wearing it, their response would have been their own form of lust.

"Why did you come back here?" Beelzebub growled.

"I was told...by Elric...that if I could...defeat one of you...he'd let me into the Assassin Guild!" Misty cringed, as she lay on the ground where they dropped her.

"I'll find out," Beelzebub muttered and contacted his Hell Fly in Morroc. "He's coming here. He wants to see her for himself."

"Is he really?" Eremes growled, as he Uncloaked.

"Calm," Sammy reminded him. Eremes blinked and nodded.

"Maybe we should have traveled today," Sarine sighed.

"Hush," Kiehl muttered, and he went to her side to purr deeply.

"Is our beach day over?" Serenity frowned.

"No. Just interrupted. Go into the house until we tell you to come out," Howard said.

"Okay," Siegfried nodded. Gunther scampered into the house, and Angela followed after him. Bacsojin came out with Doll to help escort the other kids up into the house, and Storm Caller remained close by to attack, if he had to. Muninn watched everything from the nursery balcony silently. He knew they would have everything under control. Once the kids were safely in the house, Doppy roared out his disgust at the Assassin Cross girl.

"Doppy..." Sarine sighed, and he looked at her with concern. He was at her side instantly to get held, and she snuggled into him. "She's not worth it."

"She keeps trying to do this shit to us!" he argued.

"And Elric will be here to resolve it," she smiled. "Keep me happy, Doppy."

"Keep you happy?" he asked softly. He purred deeper at the feel of her hands in his hair.

"Are you my demon?" she growled in his ear.

"Always your demon..." he muttered, and she caught him up in a heavy kiss. He never got tired of this, and she knew it.

"Elric has arrived," Beelzebub said. "He's running over now."

"Can you tell me what happened to your girlfriend?" Ragged Zombie smirked. "You know? The slut with pink hair?"

"What happened...was a mistake...!" Misty scowled out.

"And here's Donnie," Hibram grinned.

"Oh. She's alone. Drat," Donnie frowned. "I was hoping for another show."

"You might get one," Thanatos grinned at how Doppy had half-pulled Sarine into his lap to kiss her even more thoroughly. He growled at Donnie's glance, and the Clown looked away quickly to show he meant no intrusion. Kiehl chuckled, and his look went from warm to ice cold at the sight of the Assassin Guild leader appearing. He had Fenrick, Shadow, Slade, and Tatya with him, too, to help bear witness. Misty's eyes widened at this. She wasn't expecting the whole Guild to appear, and she knew she was in for it. Unlike Misty's more revealing Assassin Cross outfit, Tatya's outfit in the Assassin Guild was a solid black piece to show she was a trainer and far different from the others.

"Do you know her?!" Kiehl asked with a hissing snarl.

"No," Elric frowned. "I don't. Not personally, that is."

"You heard my Hell Fly's report," Beelzebub said lightly. "What do you think?"

"My name has spread far and wide, as the Assassin Guild leader. I do know she took the tests to become an Assassin. It was a long time ago, but she did pass them, as we can see. I do remember allowing her the chance to take the tests, as that is what I need to do with all future Assassins. As to why she is saying that I am telling her to attack all of you, I have no idea," Elric admitted. "I never tell anyone to challenge another to join my Guild."

"Hey, Chicken Shit! Long time no see!" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"Shut up!" Fenrick scowled.

"You promised you wouldn't respond to him," Tatya sighed.

"But, he's so annoying!" Fenrick growled.

"Much like someone I know," Slade muttered. That got a lot of chuckles and laughter.

"Anyways," Eremes said, as he stepped over with his arms crossed over his chest. "if you didn't tell her...to attack...then she's in some very...serious...trouble..."

"Just get rid of her!" Kiehl hissed. "She pisses me off and upsets my wife!"

"Why should we listen to a slave?" Fenrick asked.

"Ah," Elric said quickly. "he's the one I have to last twenty minutes against. He's stronger than all of these monsters put together. He's a slave, but also something more."

"He dares to challenge me?!" Kiehl snarled out now, as he felt that his Bragging Rights were threatened. Sarine sighed, and he turned quickly to move to her side. "Our triplets are fine. It's all right. Hush, love. Everything is okay..."

"Kiehl..." Sarine shivered, and he purred deeply in her ear to soothe her. Howard now turned to glare at the humans with hatred, and Naght seethed with fury.

"Take her and go," Howard muttered. "She worries about this pregnancy, since she lost it in the past. And it was my first pregnancy with her. Take the girl and leave."

"I'll be back later tonight," Elric nodded.

"No! Wait!" Misty pleaded, as she was hauled up by Shadow and Tatya.

"For what? Another chance to die?" Donnie frowned. "I'm bored already. I'm going to see Egnigem. Toodles!"

"You bored Donnie. Wow," Maheo grinned, as the Clown left.

"That's a first," Neil blinked. Now Elric stood before Misty. Fenrick and Slade stood on either side of him with their arms crossed over their chest.

"I commend you for transcending to a stronger class," Elric said before leaning close. "But, if you  _ever_  say that  _I_  told you attack these people ever again, I will hunt you down and kill you myself! No Assassin has ever done such a thing! Yes, I understand arrogance, but to use  _my_  name to help inflict harm is intolerable!"

"Elric," Sarine sighed and sat up in Kiehl's arms. "Come here for a moment."

"What is it?" he asked and moved to kneel to her side. She gently pulled his face close and whispered to him of all the things the girl had done. The first episode at the arena was told in full detail. All of the arena visits were now told. When he learned of what Hyegun did with her and the Gypsy, he sputtered with laughter. All the while he was learning this, Eremes was watching his old mentor closely. He wasn't very happy with him, but he knew that it wouldn't be his decision soon. _If he could pass the trial of the triplets, he would be seen as a brother. If not, then as a distant acquaintance._

"So, you see how much damage she has done," Sarine sighed.

"I do. Well, I will not let her into the Guild after this outrage! What do you four think?" Elric asked his Guild mates. "This one has only caused problems."

"A multitude of them..." Shadow frowned.

"I don't like her!" Tatya growled. "She gives female Assassins a bad name!"

"We could keep her around to piss off the dead guy," Fenrick mused.

"You can make her your girlfriend," Slade smirked.

"What?" Fenrick scowled.

"He's into men. Remember?" Ragged Zombie grinned. Elric busted up laughing with the others, and Fenrick colored up horribly.

"I am not!" he growled. "I'll prove you all wrong!"

"How?" Eremes mused.

"I'll personally change her ways!" Fenrick said. Elric stopped laughing to glare at him.

"Well, you can do that on your own time. She's not joining us," Elric said flatly. "She insulted me by misusing my name. You have no idea how pissed I am about that!"

"I know..." Shadow nodded. "Anyways..."

"Yes. Get her away from us," Eremes said with a nod.

"As for those three men, we're still looking for them. Do you happen to have a picture of them?" Elric asked. Misty was now hauled off by Fenrick. He had his work cut out for him, and he knew it. Slade just smirked at him and shook his head.

"Idiot," Slade sighed.

"There goes Chicken Shit with Super Slut," Ragged Zombie grinned. Elric groaned, as he laughed again with the others. Evil Snake Lord had gone into the house, and he came back out with the freshly made portraits from the dream vision moments later.

"Here. These are the three that were seen before. I am not sure what they look like now," Evil Snake Lord sighed. "I hope this will be enough."

"It will be. Thank you," Elric nodded, and Tatya took the papers. Slade and Shadow studied them intensely before letting the images engrave in their minds.

"We'll leave now," Slade nodded. Shadow Cloaked with him and they sped off.

"We haven't heard from Ripclaw in a while," Sarine thought. "Not since Detale's lair."

"Let that one remain forgotten!" Loomin muttered.

"Loomin?" she frowned. Doppy moved for her to embrace Loomin now, and he shivered with a form of disgust. It was rare for him to show this.

"Just knowing that he thought he could use my powers to get his Guild back together..." he muttered. "I know why, but it's just..."

"Loomin," she smiled and whispered softly to him. He looked at her with a grin, and Beelzebub now looked at Elric. All thoughts about Ripclaw were gone.

"You should go now," the Demon Lord advised. "She's going to dance for us, and you need to be elsewhere."

"Very well," Elric sighed.

"Wait," Sarine smiled. "Kiehl..."

"Are you serious?!" Kiehl groaned at her thought of what she wanted to do.

"I just want to give him a taste of what it would be like," she winked.

"Fine..." Howard growled and whispered to Eremes.

"Why?!" Eremes hissed, and he paused at Sammy's glare to remain calm. "All right."

"I love you," Sarine said, as she stood up and moved into Eremes's arms to kiss him. That got him to sigh, and he smiled back.

"I love you, too," he whispered, as he hugged her. "Tatya. You need to go help Slade and Shadow. Elric will be with you...shortly..."

"Oh. All right," Tatya nodded. At Elric's nod, she sped off. Then he sat down and was surprised at the kids that ran out of the house to get back to playing.

"Dad, why is he here?" Serenity asked Howard, as she got lifted into his lap.

"There's a chance that he might become a dad. A slim chance, but a chance. Your sisters in your mom want to see if he can last in a fight against Kiehl for twenty minutes," he said. "If he can, then he will join us."

"Him? Against Keel?" Serenity blinked and started laughing with hysterical giggles. Now the other kids wanted in on what was so funny, and several of them fell to the ground laughing hard. Doppy scooped up Gunther to tickle him mercilessly to hear him scream.

"Go on and play now," Doppy smirked and let his son go. He gave a side-long glance at Elric and snorted, as he moved to sit by Sarine. He clearly wasn't happy, but Sarine sat in his lap and whispered to him. Now his brows rose up, and he grinned.

"My demon?" she asked. He kissed her hard, as a reply, and let her get up to stretch. Then she gathered up all the kids and asked, "Want to see mommy dance?"

"Mama is going to dance!" Alexis squealed with joy.

"Yes! Mommy needs to dance!" Angela nodded.

"I want to see the dance!" Ming giggled.

"Go Mom!" Edward grinned and blushed at the kiss to his cheek. Sarine moved to Errende and whispered to him. He looked at her with a smile and gave in to the kiss she gave him. Angela blushed, and Edward cackled.

"Go get it for me. Then help me dress," she crooned in his ear.

"Yes, My Lady," he trembled and gave in to another kiss from her before leaving to fetch what she needed. When Anna skipped out of the house after coming back from training, Edward and Gunther ran up to her to greet her. She blushed and sat down to talk with them.

"That's my sister," Neil muttered to them, and Gunther smirked at him.

"We're just talking!" Edward scowled.

"We can't just talk?" Gunther frowned.

"Talking is okay. I'm just letting you know that I'm watching you guys," Neil said.

"We know, Dad," Edward frowned.

"Wouldn't that make me their aunt?" Anna frowned.

"No!" Gunther said quickly. "You're different!"

"You're special!" Edward nodded. "Like how Mom is!"

"Kids," Thanatos said, as he walked over now. "What you're saying is right, but she is still Neil's sister. Until you guys are old enough for her, she will be seen as family. Got it?"

"Yes, Dad," Edward nodded. At this, Anna blushed and nodded.

"Um...we don't have to call you Auntie, do we?" Gunther cringed.

"No!" Anna giggled. "Just think of me as a best friend. Okay?"

"Okay!" Edward said, and their conversation got more in general. When Errende came out with what Sarine requested, her slaves moved over to her to conceal her form, as she changed. Maya Purple effectively blocked off all sight, and he blinked with a small chuckle when Nigel claimed her from the build up from earlier.

"Tonight," Nigel growled after his release.

"I know," she beamed and kissed him thoroughly before moving away from Maya Purple. Elric looked over and paused. He had seen her in this dress before when he first approached her and got kissed by her. She was wearing her belly dancing outfit, and her men had their gazes locked on her. She started up a small dance with a swing of her hips.

"Why is he here again?!" Eremes growled, as Elric watched her dance.

"Sarine wanted to show him what it would be like to be a part of us," Howard muttered. "To give him an incentive, and to let him know exactly what we are about."

"He's clever," Eremes frowned. "I know he has a plan."

"You think so?" Kiehl mused.

"I know it. It's why he accepted the challenge. Why else would he appear to be in a state of calm before the storm?" Eremes pointed out. "He has something in motion."

"He didn't know what the triplets wanted him to do until he accepted it. But, you're right. He has made no motion to back down. I can't help it. I'm curious as to what he has planned," Kiehl sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it..."

"And now she wants to make Elric jealous," Howard grinned. "Go up to her, Eremes."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes grinned back and moved up to Sarine's dancing form. Doppy sniggered and glanced over at Elric's face.  _The look was genuinely priceless._

"Ooh! Daddy Eremes is dancing with Mommy!" Juliana giggled.

"Daddy Eremes is so cool!" Bianca grinned. Eremes twirled Sarine around and pulled her close to grind his hips against hers.

"Any takers tonight?" he muttered in her ear before letting her twirl from him.

"Nigel wants an all-nighter. I dared him to try and do it," she giggled, as he pulled her close again. "And Kiehl with How-How, of course. With Naght and Ifrit."

"A must," he agreed. "Still need to dance?"

"I'm good. Can you recline on a chair? So I can lay down on you?" she smiled. He kissed her gently and took her by the hand to do as she asked. He wasn't wearing swim trunks, but that was fine by her. His chest was still somewhat bare in his original Assassin Cross clothing, and he relaxed at the feel of her against him. Elric was not happy. He was clearly jealous and had to stand quickly to look away.

"If you survive against Kiehl and manage to become one of us, the feelings of jealousy and anger will fade into acceptance," Loomin said, as he walked over to the Assassin Guild leader. "This is just a sample of what it would be like, if you were one of us. What do you think? Is it something you would like? Or something you don't want?"

"I actually feel...like a part of you guys. To an extent. What else happens?" Elric asked.

"Well, after Osiris gives you blood, you would give a drop of blood to Sarine. She would give you a drop in return. You have to consume this, just so you know and are aware. Then you would give blood drops to the kids for them to consume. When that's done, you would become a father figure to them," he chuckled.

"Seriously?! All of these kids..." Elric swallowed. He already knew he would protect them as his own, if he did win.

"Yes. But, it would become hard for you to be away from Sarine. She likes all of us close. Even the kids would want you close. As close as possible. It would be a challenge to be a part of her group and a Guild leader, too," Loomin sighed. "She worries over all of us, if we aren't around her. It's a given."

"It would be something for me to think about," Elric nodded. Then he saw Terin walk out of the house, and his jaw dropped. "Terin?! Terin Gomin? Is that you?"

"Yep!" Terin chuckled and waved.

"What are you doing here?! I thought you were training," Elric frowned.

"I'm Sarine's newest mate. That's why I'm here," he grinned. "Beelzebub recognized my bloodline. I'm a form of ancient royalty and never really knew it. My family supported him long ago, and he reinstated my royal heritage."

"What?" Elric blinked.

"Yeah. I heard of the ball and got here. Beelzebub recognized me from an ancestor he trusted, like I just said. He gave me his blood. Odin's order, actually. So, I'm here," Terin shrugged. "Do you think you can survive against Kiehl? I know I couldn't!"

"I have something I can try. It has yet to be proven. Anyways, it's nice to see you again. You were always a most promising pupil, and I was hoping to get you into my Guild," he chuckled. "You're welcome to be in it at any time."

"That reminds me," Loomin grinned and moved to whisper to Terin. Now the Assassin blinked and moved straight to Sarine's side to whisper to her. She kissed him passionately to recruit him, and he grinned at her.

"When do we start taking castles?" Terin asked gently.

"Probably after I get Gopinich and Lady Tanee. That would be the time to decide what to do, right? I want to have as many monsters as I can before going after the ones in the dungeons there. It would make the most sense," she smiled.

"It would..." Eremes muttered with his eyes closed. Then he opened one storm-grey eye to glance at Elric before closing it again.

"It's time for you to leave," Sammy said. His Samurai ghost hissed, as he moved to show the ghost was in control. "We will see you later tonight after the arena closes."

"Very well," Elric nodded. He gave one last glance at Sarine and moved off.

"He won't survive," Kiehl muttered. "I'll ensure it."

"He's a nice guy. Just not around Sarine," Terin sighed.

"Promising pupil to him?" Doppy smirked, as he sat down in the sand to help his kids make more massacred sand people. Sarine was already in a deep sleep on Eremes, and he kept his arms around her. He actually fell asleep with her, and Injustice moved quickly to set up some shade with Byorgue. Kiehl found himself sitting by their sleeping forms in his own chair, and Howard was with them. Kiehl kept himself calm by placing a hand on her arm. As long as he was in a form of direct contact with her, it was all he needed. Ifrit hovered close by on one side with Naght on the other. They would ensure that nothing would wake her.

"Sleep was one of the cravings, right?" Kiehl asked with a soft smile.

"Yeah. It was a major one. She wouldn't wake up unless Naght and I were with her. Likely the same way, but you would need to be with us, too, I think," Howard thought.

"Let's let her sleep," Kiehl said. "She needs it."

"She's sleeping?" Sammy asked. At their nod, he had a cushion brought over to him so he could sit on it and meditate.

"What's Dad doing?" Loo Shin asked.

"He's watching your mother dream. There are many that try to hurt her when she sleeps. He makes sure that nothing happens," Hyegun said as he sat down to let the boy settle in his lap. At this news, Loo Shin frowned, but he nodded with understanding. A moment later, Sammy opened his eyes, and his jaw was dropped.

"Sammy?!" Kiehl asked.

"Try and wake her up..." he urged. "Please..."

"What did you see?" Loomin asked. He saw Howard, Naght and Kiehl move around Sarine to rouse her gently. "Was it bad?"

"If you call Huginn helping her with a dream form of the triplets bad..." Sammy grimaced. "The triplets were getting upset with him..."

"Errende! Thanatos! Hands on her! Now!" Hyegun shrieked, and it was done within half a second. Doppy coughed at the brief flash of pain he felt when she woke up. Tsurga looked over with a wince and frowned hard.

"What happened?!" Eremes asked, as he jolted awake.

"My babies...!" Sarine whimpered. "Huginn...is not their daddy...!"

"The lousy son of a...!" Kiehl hissed before forcing himself to calm down for her. "I'm here, love. Howard, Naght, and I are here..."

She shivered, as the touches of Thanatos and Errende kept the growing children calm. Loomin moved to gaze into her eyes now, and he focused silently. Hyegun was listening to the angry thoughts of the triplets in her, as he comforted Loo Shin. Eventually, the calming touches Sarine was getting had soothed them down into a form of sleep. Sammy was muttering to himself before focusing on calming down to remain peaceful for her.

"That's it," Howard soothed. "We are the fathers of your babies, and we're here."

"How-How!" she cringed, and he pulled her off of Eremes and into his arms. He cradled her and pressed his head against hers. She breathed in his scent, as he cradled her.

"Easy..." he whispered, as she started to relax. When she was calm enough, Kiehl took her into his embrace to purr deeply. Now she rested fully against him with a sigh of comfort.

"Huginn was trying to gain an advantage over the triplets, but they know better," Loomin frowned. "They won't trust him for a long time."

" _What did you see?!_ " Muninn asked, as he reverted human. He took a quick flight down to find out what his brother was trying to pull.

"Sarine was actually holding the triplets and playing with them. Huginn had appeared and tried to convince them that he was the father. They got fussy to show they were upset, and Sarine was desperately trying to soothe them to no avail," Sammy frowned.

"So...our triplets were interacting with her..." Howard blinked. He started to hear some of it, but now, with an in-depth conversation on what happened, he was in fatherly shock.

"My babies..." Sarine frowned.

"Safe," Kiehl smiled and held her closer, his purr deepening even more. "Always safe."

"Mama?" Serenity frowned.

"She had a bad dream," Howard said softly, as he regained his thoughts. "She's fine."

"Oh? About what?" she asked.

"We'll tell you later. Not now," he promised. She nodded and watched her mother fall asleep again. Sammy settled himself to meditate, and Loomin knew that Huginn wasn't going to try anything with Kiehl so close to her. _She wouldn't listen to Huginn, regardless._ Muninn nodded to Loomin to show his thoughts were correct.

"Sorry, Eremes," Kiehl sighed, and he leaned back in a recliner with her.

"No. It's fine. I won't have her pregnancy jeopardized. All of her kids are mine, too. Don't worry about this. I would have done the same thing. In fact, I did..." Eremes mused.

"When?" Howard asked.

"Jawaii. The three..." Eremes started, and Howard rose up his hand to nod.

"I remember them, and you're right. You took her away from them. It's all good," he chuckled. Kiehl looked at him, and now the memories were shared. Howard had actually told him what happened on the very morning they made the triplets in Sarine. Now that he was seeing the memories, his eyes narrowed. Naght remembered it, too, but he was still in his tower when it happened. Kiehl was making plans on what to do to the girls, if they ever ran into them, but he also knew that Odin was keeping them away for a reason.

"If we see them, they die," Kiehl muttered. That got small nods all around. He pressed a loving kiss to Sarine's forehead and cradled her while she slept. His deep, intense purring was the only thing that was heard from him for the better part of an hour, as the others rested and played with the kids. When Kiel walked out of the house, Loomin was quick to stop him.

"Kiehl is comforting Sarine right now, and she's asleep. She needs his closeness for her pregnancy. Are you going back to Lighthalzen?" he asked.

"Yes. I need to get back there. I'm going to try to visit once a week. Vesper made me a communication device to keep in touch with him. It's untraceable. He also made me armor that I can wear under my clothes. It boosts my defenses and increases my speed, if I need it. Can I see her? Before I go?" Kiel frowned.

"Come on," Loomin smiled and led him over. Kiehl looked up to nod at his double.

"Leaving?" he asked.

"Yes," Kiel nodded.

"All right. Sarine? Darling?" Kiehl whispered gently to rouse her just enough.

"Mmm?" she smiled.

"Kiel is going back now," he said softly.

"Oh! Be safe, Kiel," she said with a light smile. Kiel leaned down, and she kissed him in such a gentle way that he trembled.  _No one will ever find out about her from me. She claimed my heart and everything else that I was made of._

"I have a way to talk to you all. I'll be in touch," he promised.

"Okay," she nodded. When he left, she rested against Kiehl again with a sigh. "I'm still very tired, but now I worry about him."

"He'll be fine. Vesper gave him some intricate armor. Don't worry," Loomin smiled.

" _Since you're awake, I need to tell you. William Rory lived. He's been rethinking about everything, but I seriously doubt it will change him. If he comes over to us with spite, I will kill him personally. If he comes over to us to beg for forgiveness, it should be given so he can start training with Emperor Markus. But, if he leaves without saying another word to us, we will never see him again. I think that would be the best thing,_ " Muninn said, and he sat down with them. " _Father Odin does see a lot of potential in him. I see him as a threat._ "

"I will  _always_  see him as a threat!" Kiehl growled and nuzzled Sarine gently.

"You'll protect my babies?" she whispered.

"Always..." Kiehl said with a smile, as he purred deeply for her. He kissed her forehead and cradled her.  _The scare with Huginn had brought back her fear for her pregnancy._ "It's all right now. Hush, love. No one will touch you."

She sighed and leaned into him harder. Hyegun was frowning, and Thanatos wasn't sure what to make of it. Loomin was clearly not happy. When she shivered at a thought, Kiehl gave out a small, hissing growl of protection.

"You won't come to any harm in your dreams!" Howard vowed. "Sammy watches you dream, and Kiehl will always be at your side! So will I!"

"Don't forget, My Lady. I will be at your side all through the night, too. Especially tonight," Nigel said with a small smile. That made her blush, and Kiehl chuckled. Loomin walked over now, and she looked at him questionably.

"We could do our dream vision," Loomin said with a touch of eagerness in his tone.

"Well...maybe..." Sarine smiled. "What of the children?"

"They look sleepy," Errende grinned at Serenity's yawn.

"Nap time! We might have a fire pit night tonight. You guys know what that means," Ragged Zombie smiled at the kids.

"Nap now to be up later!" Gunther nodded.

"Right! Now go on," Doppy chuckled. The sand castles and people were demolished before heading into the house. Word was spread that a dream vision was going to happen, and Muninn was even highly curious about this one.

" _Father Odin is paying attention to this particular vision,_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Is he?" Loomin mused.

" _Yes. You are the son of Loki. He is wondering if your father will make an appearance. It would be interesting, if it happened,_ " he grinned.

"As am I," Loki said, as he appeared, and Loomin glared at him now. "Don't worry, son. Yes, I know I am an ass, but I am genuinely curious."

"My babies..." Sarine winced.

"He's not touching you...!" Kiehl seethed, and Loki paused at how strong he was now. This monster could easily be more than a match for him, and he could sense it. She was pulled fully against Kiehl's chest now, and he nuzzled his mouth against her ear to let his purring be the only thing she could hear. It was the only way to keep her calm. When Kiehl gave a glare at Loki, the god actually took a step back. Even he felt the wave of sheer, insurmountable hatred that came from that small look. Howard smirked, but glared at Loki, as well.

"You have my word. I will do nothing to your pregnancy," Loki vowed. Alexander flew down from the nursery and gave a small nod to Observation, as they hovered over Sarine.

" _You will do no harm to ANY of her pregnancies!_ " Muninn growled, as he stood in front of his sister now. " _She is destined to give Huginn and I children to help in the war!_ "

"Is she?!" Loki blinked with surprise.

"Oh. That thing you wanted to know so much about?" Loomin said with a light mutter. "It was her pregnancy stasis with the triplets in her. If she found out about it before she was ready for them, they would have grown and likely killed her. She is pregnant with those triplets now. And, on top of that, she is also pregnant with twins from Naght Seiger and Ifrit. So, do the math. She has five kids in her. Four is the normal limit. And they  _will_  grow, if she gets too stressed out."

"I understand," Loki nodded. "Very well."

"You will not harm my daughter, my Vessel!" Odin boomed, as he appeared in a crushing wave of force. "I know you are curious of this dream vision, as am I, but I want your vow. Right now. That you will  _never_ harm her or her pregnancies!"

"You have my vow," Loki said with a soft frown. Loomin narrowed his eyes at his father, but gave a small nod that he was telling the truth.

"I have Marked you, Loki! If you go back on your word, I will know!" Odin snapped. He was incredibly protective of his daughter right now. _She was bearing a pregnancy that caused her severe pain long ago. That pain was ready to come back in full, if she felt threatened._ He was not going to chance it. Loki knew this and visibly paled slightly.

"Easy, love..." Kiehl murmured in her ear, as he purred deeply. "Your father is here now. He's helping to protect you, see? Everything is fine."

"Kiehl..." she sighed, and he chuckled. He ran a loving hand over her belly. Hyegun looked at Thanatos and Errende. They were quick to help her.

"What do my grandchildren say?" Odin asked Hyegun.

"They are very curious about Loki. They know he is dangerous, but they also don't want their mother to be harmed. If he tries anything, they will try to force themselves to grow," Hyegun winced. "We need to avoid that at all costs."

"Please?!" Doppy grimaced. "I don't need them to grow so fast!"

"Like Serenity and Siegfried," Howard nodded.

"They...will...not..." Naght rumbled with his own nod.

"Do you want to see my dream vision?" Loomin asked her, as he knelt down to see her. She blushed softly, and he kissed her. "All of your kids are mine, too. It's always known."

"Muninn, freeze time when everyone gets here," Odin said. Muninn nodded and sent out a mental call to the others. It took a bit of time for them to be reached and settled around them.

"I think we are all accounted for," Beelzebub nodded. "From what I can tell."

"Anyways, I'm eager to get started," Loki said. Alexander and Observation glared silently, but hovered over her protectively. Odin nodded at this and watched Sarine's loves gather around. Those that haven't seen Loki yet were given brief introductions. They didn't look very happy on seeing him at all. Loki didn't seem to care, and that irked them even more. Once they were all gathered, the dream vision started up...


	163. Chapter 163

It was winter in Amatsu, and Sarine was nine years old. She was huddled against the palace wall in her dark room, and the candle she lit barely had enough heat to give her. It would last a short while, so she would save it for when it got the coldest. That was in the middle of the night. All she could do was whimper softly to herself, as she always did. Her clothes were barely clothes, if that, from what the candle revealed. Her teeth chattered horribly, and it was why they were a touch more worn down than usual.

She looked over at the half-eaten tray of nearly stale food. Most of it was frozen now. She painfully reached over to pull a small chunk away and gingerly held it over the flame to warm it. There was a rather large piece of white powder that was picked up with it. It was actually a small, solid piece of a pill that was missed in the grinding process. In reality, it did exist, but it would have been brushed off with the powder. It was frozen in a mound of food. When it was swallowed, nothing happened right away. She huddled against the wall and cringed at the feel of a nasty headache slowly hit her. Then she was knocked out to start to slowly succumb to the cold room. If she wasn't already leaning against the warm palace wall, her death would likely have been swift, and she would have never stood a chance.

Outside by the shipping docks and nearby Kafra Agency, a large caravan decorated with gold and silver scarves appeared from the Kafra Agent Warp. Figures that resembled priests and Divine figures appeared, as though guarding the cargo within it.

"We have reached Amatsu, Your Grace. You are sure there is something here?" a woman's voice asked from within the caravan.

"Yes. There is something here. Something...very wrong..." a teenage boy's voice rang out. "I felt it all the way from Rachel, too, and it woke me right up! You know it's a serious matter when that happens! The answer is in the palace, but flag down anyone that looks like they may know more! I know it's in the early morning hours, but there should be someone still up! At least, I can only hope so."

"You heard him! Find someone still awake!" the woman called out.

"Of course!" a guardian priest nodded. An odd, pointed hood was worn over his head and left his arms bare, yet the cold never bothered him. He searched around through the slits in the hood, and he spotted a light-green haired teenage youth running around in Merchant clothes. "You! Stop! I need to speak with you!"

"What?" the Merchant frowned, as he turned to look at the man. "Look, it's freezing out here, and I didn't steal anything! I'm not like my Father! I was only getting some more wood. The fire is almost out at home, and I'm the only one who remembers to keep it going."

"We need information! Will you please step into the caravan?" the guard asked. The Merchant blinked his ocean-green eyes, but he nodded. When he got in, he paused at the woman in a white dress. A slender, gold belt held it to her securely. A similar white hood was over her eyes, and she nodded to him with a form of neutrality. Then his eyes fell on the teenage boy with nearly silver-blond hair and a beauty that couldn't possibly be from a mortal human. Silver eyes focused on the Merchant now with a small nod, and a gesture for him to sit down was given. The beautiful teenage boy looked very stressed and worried, as he watched the Merchant sit with them. He needed answers, and he knew this Merchant had them.

"This place is warm, so don't worry about the cold. I am Loomin, a Divine Child of Light from the town of Rachel. We worship the goddess Freya. I have the ability to locate severe wrongs that have been done, and I have made my way here from a sensation that refuses to let me sleep. When that happens, I know that something foul is at play, and that time is running out for me to fix this. I feel that something is horribly wrong here! Do you know anything?! Anything at all?" Loomin asked. "Like I said, time is of the essence right now!"

"Funny you should ask. I'm Howard Alt-Eisen. It's...pretty coincidental that you met me and no others. Regardless, it's true. There is something wrong here," he nodded. He told Loomin about the odd night that happened, and of the Empress that took over within a night seven years before. Then he explained how things had changed around the town and in the palace. What was once warm and welcoming had become a rather cold and cruel place.

"Hmm. You seem to have something hazy over your eyes. Here..." Loomin said, and he leaned forward to carefully let a glow of warm, white Light emit from his hand. The woman with him gave a soft gasp and whispered a silent prayer at the small miracle done. The Merchant shook his head as though a mist lifted from his mind. In Howard's dream vision with Sarine, he wasn't there when the spell was cast by the vile woman. On him being there as a child, he was easily overcome by the enchantment without him knowing. In reality, he was actually enchanted, but it wore off when he naturally forgot about Sarine. He wouldn't remember what was said about her until Markus mentioned her at the arena with his developing twins. Loomin nodded and said, "So, the Emperor was kind before? He showed no cruelty?"

"Very. He...actually told me he wanted me to meet his daughter..." Howard blinked at how he just remembered her.  _Why didn't I remember her before?!_

"That's where the problem is! Her! The princess here!" Loomin gasped, as it became known. "She's in grave danger! Do you know where she is?!"

"No. Ever since that woman appeared, all talk of her was gone. I hadn't even really remembered her until just now!" he cringed. "Until your hand glowed in front of me!"

"She cast a spell on this town. A powerful one. And, with you being in my presence, I sensed the enchantment. I lifted it from your mind. You are a much needed ally, and I know I am going to need your help. I am starting to think that the princess wasn't affected at all by this enchantment, and that is why she is in danger. Will you help me find her?" Loomin asked.

"I was supposed to meet her. I need to find her now. To hell with the wood! My family will have to start remembering to keep their own fires lit. I'll brave the cold!" Howard growled. "It's now something ingrained in me! I have to find her!"

"Hmm. I see. You're soul-bonded to her. In a way, I am, too," he thought.

"Your Grace?" the woman asked. "Is this young man interfering? Can it wait?"

"No, Delia. This is urgent. This princess...a truth has been revealed to me. She's a daughter of someone exceptionally powerful. She's not from Amatsu. Further information is being withheld from me, but she's close to death right now! There are many that will need to belong with her. Not now, though, but later in her life. We need to find her!" Loomin grimaced.

"Shall we arrange for a meeting in the palace? Will we have a better chance to find this one that way?" Delia asked. A strand of golden blond hair escaped some of her hood, and it framed the bottom of her face neatly. Howard knew that his brother would have been mesmerized, but it held no effect on him at all. His mind was absorbed in finding the princess.

"Yes. Now. We will wake her up, so I can judge her for myself to see what she is like. Howard, we'll give you a coat to keep warm in while you search. Look for  _anything_  out of the ordinary! I cannot stress this enough! We have to search everywhere!" Loomin said, as a coat was given over. "Leave no stone unturned!"

"Trust me. I will," Howard nodded, as he put on the warm garment. "I'll tear up the ground, if I have to, in order to find her!"

They both nodded and shook hands. Howard left to scout around the palace, and Loomin had his caravan moved to the main palace doors to draw attention.

"Who goes there?!" one of the palace guards rang out.

"We come from the Holy city of Rachel! We bring Loomin, our Divine Child of Light! He is visiting this charming town for a time. We seek to gain shelter from the cold," the guardian priest said. It was a well-rehearsed line for him.

"Oh. Let me get our Empress," the guard said.

"We need the audience of the Emperor, as well!" Loomin rang out.

"The...Emperor normally doesn't appear for meetings..." the guard faltered.

"He will for mine!" Loomin growled. That made the guard pause with shock before nodding and doing as he asked. The other guards there moved with him as an excuse to get out of the frigid air. As Loomin was expertly diverting attention to the inside of the palace, Howard was scoping out the palace walls on the outside.

"I know you're here somewhere," Howard muttered to himself. "If you suffered for so long without a chance to defend yourself..."

It pissed him off to no end, and that fueled his desire to find her even more. He rounded a corner and found an odd mound of dead vegetation. He found that very strange, as the rest of the palace was neatly tended to.  _Why was this spot left alone?_ Then he realized that he had always seen it, but paid it no heed. _It was from the spell I was enchanted with._ He ground his teeth together at this and cringed. Then he refocused on where it was. He judged it was right along the main side of the master hall to the dungeons. He carefully poked through the dead branches and pulled them back just enough to reveal a small room covered by the frozen vegetation. It looked fairly small, too.  _Just enough space to hold someone..._

He gasped and tried to peer into one of the small holes of a corner that was warping away. Unfortunately, the candle had died long ago, but he thought he heard something breathing in there.  _Or maybe someone. She had to be in there._  And then it struck him at how cold it was outside. He put his hand on the wall to see if there was any heat at all and his body froze up.  _There was no insulation in that room! She was sitting in a freezer!_  Then he realized that it would have been a sweat box in the summer, and he started to panic.

He swore heavily to himself and took out his axe. It wasn't his red one. He would make that one later on in his life. The basic axe did nothing at all to the wall, and he gasped with despair. The wood was frozen over and far too dense to work with. It wouldn't chop down with the axe he had.  _We have to rescue her from the inside of the palace._ He put his axe away, and he mentally traced where the room was from the entrance.

"Find anything?" Loomin muttered, as he saw the Merchant running over.

"Yeah. A small room covered in dead trees. No heat. It can be reached from inside the palace," Howard said with a panting breath from how hard he ran over.

"I'm still waiting for this Empress. Show me!" Loomin urged. Howard nodded and led him over to the partially hidden wall. Delia was with him to bear silent witness to Loomin's great deeds, and even she gasped at what was found.

"Listen," Howard whispered. Loomin pressed his ear to the small hole and focused.

"It's her. It's definitely her!" he gaped. "Bust this open!"

"I can't! My weapon isn't strong enough!" Howard frowned. "I tried."

"Then we have to get to her from the inside. Like you thought," Loomin nodded.

"How do we go about this?" he asked.

"Leave that to me," Loomin smirked. Then he pressed his face to the small hole in the wall to whisper, "Don't worry. We'll get you warm soon and free of this nightmare!"

"Your Grace, I sense no movement and very light breathing. I truly hope this one is not frozen!" Delia frowned. "We must get her out of there!"

"We will," Loomin nodded, and they moved back to the caravan. They got there just as the guards returned with the Empress. She looked very irritated from being pulled from the warmth of the palace, but even she knew that anyone that came from Rachel could be her undoing. She had to play along until they were gone.

"Oh. Hello. You say you came from Rachel?" she asked under her mound of furs.

"Yes. I have. We came a long way to get here. May we step inside?" Loomin asked.

"Well...if you really need to..." she frowned.

"It's needed," he said lightly. She seemed to mutter disbelief, but waved her hand to let them in. Loomin clearly didn't like her.  _She was vile to the core._  Howard wasn't recognized at all. The massive coat was done in Rachel style, and he looked like another that assisted Loomin.

"I've never seen you before," she stated. She studied his pale, beautiful features calmly. The silver-white robe and pale blue belt he wore went neatly with his complexion. Delia could feel the evil coming from the woman, and she kept her eyes lowered in silent prayer.

"I go where I am needed. Apparently, I am needed here," Loomin said neutrally.

"How long do you plan to stay here for?" she asked with a touch of impatience.

"It depends. I requested to see your husband, the Emperor," Loomin said.

"He's resting. The weather is far too much for him right now," she shrugged.

"I was told he would be here," he growled, and a guard paled.

"Well, I heard nothing of it. Like I said, he's ill and resting," she sniffed.

"I also heard that you became an Empress overnight. Rather odd for that to happen," he said slowly. "How was that possible? Normally, a day long ceremony is traditional."

"Well, the Emperor loved me instantly on sight and decided to do away with tradition. I told him it was up to him as to what he wanted," she said with a soft chuckle. Now Loomin was pissed. Ancient Amatsu tradition ran deep in this town, and even he knew that. _It was time to throw down the gloves and get nasty._

"Stop lying to me!" Loomin hissed out now, and she looked at him with shock. "I know you cast a spell on this palace and on the town! I know you are tormenting the princess here! I. Know. Everything. And I will stop everything!"

"You think you're so clever?!" she sneered at him now, as her patience snapped. "I am the one in charge! Markus is nothing! My rule is everything now!"

"And what of the girl that was here before?" he asked now with a narrowed gaze.

"What of her? She'll be given over to Incantation Samurai, if she's not already dead!" she smirked. "She's a dirty girl with no concern of yours!"

"She's a very special girl, and you know this!" he seethed. "If she dies..."

"It means nothing! Guards! Seize him!" the Empress ordered. When they stepped towards him, Loomin let his Divine Light spill forth to awaken them from her spell. Delia dropped her head with a silent word of prayer. _Whenever he did this, evil was stopped in its tracks and forced to flee._  When his Light pulled back in, several guards blinked their eyes.

"What...happened to me?!" a guard gasped.

"Back in place!" one her loyal guards scowled.

"No!" another guard said quickly. "We were enchanted!"

"How...?!" the Empress gasped, and now Loomin glared at her.

"The girl. Now. Where is she?" Loomin asked slowly.

"Like hell will you know!" she snarled out and lunged to hit him. This was the first time that anyone tried to outright strike him down out of hatred. As Loomin waited for the hit, it never happened. Her hand was caught by another. Delia's gasp went unheard. The man was tall, had long, silver hair that went down to the floor, and eyes as silver as Loomin's. His beauty was just as unmatched. He wore rich fabrics and furs. A long cloak fell down to his feet under his hair, and he smirked with a sneering grin at the shocked Empress. Waves of power fell from him to show he clearly wasn't mortal.

"Touch my son and you die," the powerful figure said with a form of amusement mixed with vile loathing. He possessed a silken voice that seemed to drip with honey and venom. He placed his mouth right up to the Empress's ear to whisper seductively, "I had made a vow not to appear until someone tried to harm Loomin. So, thank you for letting me come out so that I can kill you myself! And, just so you know, I am the god of Mischief and Lies. I am Odin's son, Loki. I'm quite sure that you've heard of me."

"Loki?!" the Empress gaped. He wrenched her arm back and pulled her against his chest cruelly to show he didn't care one bit about her fate. She had no power with him around.

"Yes. Emilia. And, not only did you try to hurt my son, but you're trying to hurt one that could be considered my half-sister," Loki said, as he curled his lip back. When she paled, he grinned wickedly and said, "Yes. The girl you despise so much? Remember her? The one nearing  _death_  right now?! She's Odin's child! His daughter! You knew this, too, despite everything. Didn't you? And, believe it or not, my son is destined to be with her, and I will not allow you to muddle in the affairs of the gods any longer! You have  _no idea_  how long I have been silently waiting for this day to come! The only thing that would be better than this is if Father was here to show how much he detests you! Anyways, time is running out. Loomin! You, there, Howard, too. Go save her! She doesn't have much fight in her left! As for this waste of life, don't worry. I'll take care of this wretched ingrate personally..."

Loomin was in shock at who his father was, and Delia gave a silent prayer to the goddess Freya for protection.  _Their Divine Child of Light truly was from one of the gods. But, the god that sired him was Loki, the god of Lies! In the end, it didn't matter. Loki was free on the world now and would slaughter any that tried to harm his son._ Yet, Delia also knew that Loomin was good. She had witnessed the miracles he did to help others in need, and this was one rescue mission that needed to be done.  _If a child of Odin, himself, was in danger, it made all of Loomin's other rescue missions pale in comparison from the importance of this one._

"This way!" a guard said and led them down the hallway. The guards that were at the door were loyal to the Empress and were quickly apprehended to make way. When Loomin opened the door, a wash of cold air greeted him with the stench of filth and excrement. He gagged at first before calming down, but it was Howard that ran in next to scoop up the half-frozen girl from against the wall of the palace.

"She's out cold! Not to be taken lightly as a pun," Howard winced and brought her into the palace. She was incredibly light and shivering uncontrollably. Markus was freed from his enchantment the moment Loki killed Emilia with a sickening snap to her neck. and now the Emperor was running to their side with horror on his face. He had never stopped thinking about his daughter and the things he was forced to witness.

"My daughter! No! Hurry! My room!" he said. "It's the warmest place!"

"Good to have you back, Sir," Howard smiled, as he ran into the royal chamber with the shivering, unconscious princess.

"I'll be in a better mood when my daughter is well!" Markus grimaced.

"Only one can make her better," Loki frowned, as he walked in. He had destroyed Emilia's body completely and locked her soul away in a locket to forever hang from his neck. "and that is the monster, Incantation Samurai."

"She was to go to him! There is no need for that now!" Markus growled.

"Then we will bring him here for a time. With his Miyabi Ningyo assistant. Only they can properly nurse her back to health. You will see why," Loki said. "He would have cared for her, if she ever did go to him, too. It would have been best, if that was the case."

"He speaks the truth," Loomin sighed. Howard was still hugging the frail princess and trying to warm her up. He had managed to wrap the warm coat he wore around her to try and help. "Emperor Markus, what is her name?"

"It's Sarine," Markus said with a painful look. "That woman attacked the palace at night. She took everyone over! All save my daughter, and Tsurga with his men. He was one of my guards, and he was her personal protector. He was patrolling the city when the attack in the palace happened. He might know more on what happened."

"I will find Tsurga and have him come back. Loomin, you are to remain here with her to ensure her health is safe. I will bring Incantation Samurai here," Loki said.

"She's still not responding to us," Howard muttered.

"What did she normally eat?" Loomin asked.

"As much as I hate to say it," Markus shivered with regret. "one meal for a whole week. Emilia would put this powder on it. She said it was medicine to calm her..."

"What?" Loomin now looked at him with disbelief, and a guard was dispatched to bring over the half-eaten, frozen plate. The white powder was easily seen in the light, and Loomin studied it intensely. Now he screamed out with rage, "This isn't medicine! It's  _POISON!_ "

"WHAT?!" Howard asked with horror. Loki vanished right after this discovery was made. Markus had his hands over his face, as he wept with tears of sadness and anger. He had no idea that Emilia was poisoning his most precious of treasures.

"How long?! How long has she been eating this?!" Loomin demanded now.

"Since...she was...two...!" Markus gasped through his tears and, if Loomin could get any paler, he easily would have. "For seven years! I had...no idea..."

"She must have eaten a large quantity of it just a bit ago," Loomin shuddered, as he studied the platter. "It was a short time ago that I woke from sleep to get here. I wasted no time. Look. It appears that she's been trying to brush it off the food in various places. It must not have tasted good to her. She must have eaten something that either may not have been fully powder, or was heavily concentrated in the food. I can't really tell, otherwise."

"If only I could have...stopped..." Markus shook with his own horror.

"And you couldn't do anything about it..." Howard fretted, as he continued to hug Sarine's unconscious form. "What happened on the night the attack happened? How was she caught and imprisoned? Do you know?"

"I was confined to my chambers. I don't know," the Emperor said, as he grieved softly.

"I do," a guard said, as he walked in with a bowl of warm water and a cloth. "I came when I felt that it was safe to come back. I know what happened, because I was here."

"Tsurga!" Markus hissed, and now the loyal man rushed to the bedside to help with Sarine. "Please! Tell us what you can! Anything you can remember!"

"Please do," Loomin nodded.

"On the night that it all happened long ago," Tsurga started, as he helped seep some warm water into Sarine's mouth. "I came back from scouting to watch that thing grab my Princess by her hair. She was hauled out of the nursery in tears and tossed into that small chamber."

"Emilia...yanked her hair...and tossed her...?!" Markus gasped with rage.

"Yes. When my men got that horrible creature's attention, I slipped in the room. My Princess...the back of her head was severely wounded, and she was losing a lot of blood. I was able to use what potions I had on her, and my men were able to give me what they had, too. She lost her memories, though. Most of them. It took a solid week for me to secretly nurse her back to health. She did not know who I was when she woke up. She was so young, and she had lost so much blood! I was both amazed and relieved that she didn't die on the spot..."

"Enough!" Howard growled, and he hugged the weak girl to him gently.

"Well, Howard, you and I are both destined for her, it seems," Loomin said bleakly. "How old is she? She looks like she's five! I know you said she was eating that stuff for seven years, but how old is she?"

"She's nine," Markus cringed.

"Malnourished. Completely dehydrated..." Delia muttered, as she studied Sarine.

"We'll need to introduce ourselves slowly. She knows me. I hope she remembers me. The last time I saw her was four years ago, so she may remember me. But, she doesn't know any of you. She should know me well, because I tended to her for three years in secret. I would stay in her small cell on the coldest nights to keep her warm, and I kept her company when she needed it the most. She would trust me on sight," Tsurga said carefully. "When she starts to come around, I should be alone in the room with her first. Then, I'll do the introductions and explanations on what happened. Agreed?"

"Yes," Markus nodded. "I do remember what you did. Of course, that vile creature had ordered me to never speak at any time, so I was able to keep your secret."

"I know," Tsurga sighed. "Anyways, what of you two? Do you agree, as well?"

"It would be best," Loomin agreed.

"I understand, and it would make the most sense," Howard nodded.

"You were supposed to be her childhood playmate, Howard," Tsurga chuckled.

"He's right," Markus sighed. "I had hand-picked you out."

"Well, if the offer is still open, I can take a break from training," Howard nodded.

"I doubt I'll be leaving here anytime soon. This town is free of evil. Delia, send a report to Rachel, but say  _nothing_  about Loki at this time! This includes any knowledge of Sarine being a daughter of Odin. I have my reasons, and you know why. We don't want wide-spread panic," Loomin warned Delia. The woman nodded reverently and left quickly.

"She is...Odin's daughter?!" Markus asked with astonishment. "My adopted daughter?!"

"Who gave her to you?" Loomin asked.

"A messenger in a feathered cloak," he said. "He wore all black and appeared when I prayed for a child of my own to care for and protect. I was told that, since I held ancient honor and tradition, as well as upheld it, that I was chosen to be her foster father."

"Likely Muninn or Huginn," Loomin thought. Now Markus paled. "You are not at fault. You were caring for her properly before the interruption, yes?"

"I saw to her every need!" Markus said sternly. "She was my joy! My life! She still is!"

"You are not the one to blame. But, now I have to figure out how that thing found out about Sarine. She specifically targeted Amatsu for her. To cause her harm. In fact, Loki...Father, that is, said that the Empress knew who Sarine was the whole time. I'll need to think about that one," Loomin sighed. He looked up, as Loki walked in with a small, pale skinned, white-haired boy in a black kimono following him. A massive Samurai ghost holding giant, dual, spectral katana swords was hovering over him, and the boy's black eyes settled on Sarine's weak form in Howard's arms. A pretty young girl in a purple and pink flower kimono came in next. When she turned her head, a hideous face peered out from her locks of black hair.

"So, that's her?" the boy asked, as he shifted the massive scroll on his back.

"Yes, Incantation Samurai. I told you everything on the way here," Loki nodded. "Let him work with Sarine. I need to return to Valhalla for now. I'll be watching closely."

"Yes, Father," Loomin nodded. Loki chuckled, rested a hand on his son's shoulder, and vanished. When he was gone, Loomin's attention refocused on the monster in the room. "What do you think, Incantation Samurai?"

"Call me Sammy," he muttered. He had Howard set Sarine down in the bed. A stool was brought over for him to stand on, so he could evaluate her better. Now that he was able to study her, his doctor mode came out in full, and he was not happy. "I need warm, damp towels, fresh clothes, and mild soaps. Make sure the clothes are loose and very soft. She appears to have burns on her arms, legs, and back. Doll! Brush her hair, scrub her clean, and dress the wounds! You! Markus! Get me broth from soups and lots of warm fluids! Now!"

"I'll do it! My Emperor will stay here! Tell me to get things for you, Incantation Samurai!" Tsurga said, as he left quickly. Now they all realized why only Sammy could save her.  _He was able to see what was needed right then and there._

"What about the poison?!" Howard asked.

"I'm getting to that," Sammy frowned and felt Sarine's forehead. "She's still cold, and the poison has made her unconscious. She hasn't gotten truly sick, from what I can tell, so that's a relief. We may have just stopped something from happening. Good! Water! Excellent! Is it warmed up? Good. I want no cold water! It  _must_  be warm! With proper care, the poison will lose hold, and she'll heal better."

The moment Tsurga came back with the water and warm soups, they were taken up quickly. Now Sammy was busy carefully feeding Sarine some much needed fluids. He rubbed her throat gently to let her body instinctively swallow what was there. Sarine's tattered clothes were removed, and warm towels were draped over her with utmost care. They didn't want too much skin revealed, not only for modesty, but to keep back the cold.

As Doll gently scrubbed her clean in a shallow basin of warm water, they found out that the burns were caused by the candles when they melted. The burns would happen when the hot wax touched her skin when she slept on the floor. The water started to turn black from how much filth was on Sarine's skin, and everyone cringed with horror. The water had to be changed three times. Many of the burns were infected and would scar, but soothing ointments would help them fade with time. As Sarine's horrific condition was finally being revealed from under all the filth, everyone could only stare in complete shock.

She was skin and bones with hardly any muscle on her. Her eyes looked bruised from lack of sleep and nutrition. The burn marks were in random areas all over her back, arms, and legs. The more severe ones were still infected and bleeding. The ones that closed up had to be reopened to allow proper drainage, if they still looked puffy. Much of her hair had to be cut away when the tangles were too bad to brush out. Her skin was dry and cracked in various areas. It was also tightly pinched around various bones and joints, not to mention calloused from lying on hard cement for seven years. Practically every part of her body was underweight and light.

"I want that room torn down now!" Markus hissed, as he saw how badly his daughter was after such mistreatment. Howard told them how to find it from the outside, and that the plant growth would need to be cleared away. Tsurga nodded and sent out several guards that were going to post billboards all over the town for assistance. They wanted the room destroyed. They never wanted it to be used again, and they would ensure that it was fully gone.

"How long before she's awake?" Loomin frowned.

"We could be looking at a week," Sammy admitted, as he felt under her neck. "The damage to her is extensive. And, you said she was tossed into a room at a young age? Hmm. Wait. What's this? There is an odd bump under her cranium..."

As they carefully lifted her hair away, they saw the nasty scar from where she was tossed into the room and nearly died. In the first dream vision with Sammy, this vital bit of knowledge was missed completely, as there was no need for her to be examined for head trauma. He never learned of how she was caught by the Empress and treated.

"That's where I placed various potions on her," Tsurga winced.

"At least that thing is dead!" Sammy snarled out and worked on helping to further clean Sarine's skin clean of grime and filth. The rest of the week was grueling, but Sarine finally started to open her eyes. When she started to show movement, everyone was ushered out of the room quickly. Tsurga was there alone in the room with her, and she blinked her head groggily from where she was.

She was expecting to see the familiar blackness of the cell, but, instead, she found herself in a luxurious bed with soft lights to keep her eyes from hurting. She looked around as though she was dreaming. Then she saw Tsurga sitting near her on the bed. She looked at him curiously at first, as though to place his face. Then she recognized him. She squealed with relief, and he caught her up to hug as gently as he could muster. She was far too fragile for the real hug he wanted to give her.

"Easy, my Princess," he soothed, as she sobbed. "It's over. I need to introduce you to the ones that saved you and made you better. It's all right now. The Empress is dead."

"My...bad dream...is...gone...?" she shivered. Her voice was so frail and weak that he felt his own tears fall at the sound.

"Yeah..." he swallowed and let her cling to him. He thought of her as a small sister, and he vowed to never let such a thing happen to her ever again. Only after he regained control of his emotions, did he look at the door. Very slowly, he had Howard come in first to be introduced as her playmate. Then it was Loomin who came in to be revealed that he was the one that helped rescue her with Howard. Doll walked in with a small smile on her face, and Sarine was told that this monster helped nurse her back to health. At the sight of Incantation Samurai, Sarine was afraid at first, but his gentle smile showed he was a true friend and very concerned for her. When Markus came in, she looked at him with shock.

"Father?" Sarine whimpered and cringed in Tsurga's arms.

"No. It's Papa," Markus gently corrected. That had a small bit of memory come back to her. She did call him her papa before. If she had succeeded in getting severely ill, she would have lost the precious memory. She started to cry for him, and he scooped her up with relief to hold her as tightly as he dared. "Our nightmare is over, my daughter! It's over..."

As they all watched her in her papa's embrace, the dream vision faded out...


	164. Chapter 164

When Sarine came around from the vision, Thanatos and Errende had their hands on her belly just in case. Loomin was kissing her desperately, and Howard was at a loss on what to think with the others. It was a very powerful dream vision and left them all quite speechless.

"You know we are all comforting her!" Doppy growled.

"Goes without saying," Kiehl muttered. The image of what she looked like as a child from her abuse clearly affected him more than he knew. Eremes was shivering with disbelief at what he was recalling. Keltin had tears falling down his cheeks. Sammy was even more affected, since he had her first dream vision with her to reveal just how badly she was at that age. It was only that his dream vision happened when she was deathly ill.

"Sarine," Sammy said now, as he moved to sit by her. "Can I check something?"

"What would that be?" she asked, as Loomin backed away. Sammy tenderly moved his hand along the base of her skull. When he felt no scarring, he paused in thought.

"What is it?" Howard frowned.

"I just realized that her tattoo would be on the exact spot her scar would have been," he winced. "I didn't even think about that..."

"Tattoo?" Terin asked curiously. Sarine turned to let her hair get flipped up to reveal the Mark of Odin. His jaw dropped at this, and he fell to one knee with his fist over his heart to show instant respect. Tsurga gave out a hissing breath and did a similar move. It was instinctive for them to honor the symbol. Ancient honor and royalty would always do this. Tsurga had a form of ancient honor just by serving Sarine when he could. When they did this, Eremes blinked and gave a mild scowl. He mildly recalled Elric doing the same thing when he first met Sarine and she showed him her Mark. That was proof for him, and he muttered this out. Kiehl could only grumble, but Loomin put it into perspective.

"This is good to know," Loomin mused. "We can easily test out various people to see who does this on looking at her Mark."

"A valid perception!" Odin nodded, as he walked over. "I am a bit surprised that Loki went to such measures to assist. And he kept a soul on him, as well."

"That bitch was going to harm my son!" Loki growled.

"Unless it's you doing the harming?" Loomin muttered. That made his father stammer, and Odin looked at Loki with a hint of amusement.

"Anyways," Sarine said with a soft sigh. "Keltin?"

"Sarine..." her first husband sighed and made his way to her. He was still weeping for her, and she hugged him tightly. "I saw other dream visions, but...to see one like that..."

"I know," she nodded, and he squeezed her.

"I am curious now," Eremes thought. "You were just as bad when I left you at the Novice Center. How did they help your body so fast?"

"I don't know," she frowned, as she got held by Keltin. "It was only three days that I was there, too. Then I was strong enough to leave. You're right! I should have taken much longer to recuperate than only three days!"

" _I can shed some light on that,_ " Muninn sighed. " _And I know that Father Odin will not be happy at all when he hears this, but it was needed._ "

"Explain," Odin said warily.

" _I became one of the Novice Trainers temporarily. I changed my form to be one of them. Father Odin, there was NO WAY that she would have been able to recover like she needed to, if I hadn't done this! I had no choice! I gave her a Pilule capsule, and, instead of normal juice, I gave her Yggdrasil Berry juice to go with her meals. Even then, the portions she took were small, but the juice fueled her. It was the only way she would have had the strength to survive on her own before Eddga found her. Yes, I broke a rule about interfering with her. But, I knew that, if Eremes had gotten back to her, things would not have turned out like this,_ " Muninn frowned. " _I even took charge of her bathing schedules, and I gave her special soaps to help heal the wounds. I never let her out of my sight until I knew that she would be strong enough to leave._ "

"I see why you did it. You foresaw various events. Very well. I accept your decision. You only did this once and not twice," Odin nodded. "And you did not alter any minds."

"So...you kept her from me..." Eremes grimaced.

" _I had to. Otherwise, you would not have fit with her as well as you do now with the others. Do you understand now?_ " he asked.

"Yes. I do," Eremes nodded.

"I bet Huginn will be pissed," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"I'm sure he is," Hibram chuckled. "Muninn interacts with her on a larger scale. There is no choice in that matter. We all know what he does to her when he feels like it."

"What?" Loki frowned. "Huginn does things to her?"

"You will do nothing..." Kiehl warned with a small glare.

"Right," Loki said with a slight wince. Only Loomin and Kiehl caught the wince.

"You do realize that, since she never got sick, Eremes's parents may have lived," Beelzebub said with a mild thought. Eremes looked over now with shock and a slight drop in his jaw.  _He was right about that._

"Eremes?" Sarine frowned, and he moved to her side to get hugged by her. Keltin was still hugging her, and Kiehl gave another glance at Loki. The mischievous god seemed to shift in his stance. Kiehl was actually making him nervous, and Odin looked very amused by it.

"We need to comfort her now. What is the plan after that?" Kiehl asked.

" _I can lead you to Gopinich, if you like,_ " Muninn said. " _That's not an issue._ "

"Sounds like a solid plan," Sammy nodded.

"After we are with her, she should eat. We'll see who else wants to come with us, afterwards. I don't think that very many will be joining us," Thanatos said.

"Do we want to travel? With her lust?" Ifrit asked with concern.

"It will be a chance that we have to take," Howard sighed. "We need the monster."

"If no one else travels with us, it should be all right," Eremes thought.

"Go tomorrow," Odin said. "My daughter, my Vessel, will need you all soon enough. Muninn, how severe will her craving of lust be?"

" _Tonight, it will be bad,_ " Muninn thought, as he looked into the future. " _To a point that any can be sucked in. I would strongly suggest that she stays the night in the dominating chambers. The bed there will work. Hmm..._ "

"Muninn?" Loomin frowned.

" _Because of this vision..._ " Muninn thought, as he narrowed his eyes. Then he gaped in shock and hissed, " _Take her there now!_ "

"What do you see?!" Odin demanded.

" _Her lust wave will happen shortly and will affect anything in half mile radius! Take her to the dominating chambers NOW! Before I run off with her to keep you all safe!_ "

Kiehl needed no further convincing. He pulled Sarine back into his embrace, leapt out of the reclining chair, and bolted with her. As he neared the dominating chambers, he gasped at the feel of her body getting hot in his arms. She gave out a sultry purr against his throat, and it made his blood boil. He panted now and growled sharply with response, as he carried her down below. Then he wondered why no one was following him. It was only when she ran a heated hand over his cheek that he lost all train of thought. He just barely made it into the main chamber before her scent started to assault him. He wasn't going to make it to the bedroom within the place.

" _MINE!_ " he snarled out, as he ripped off his clothes and hers to possess her. The lust wave exploded into a whirlwind of heat and solid need around him. He lost count of how many times he had her. He couldn't recall her screams and keening cries with him after he regained his senses. Even when she lay limp and exhausted in his arms, she was still emitting the lust wave, and he found himself giving in to her time and time again. It was an hour later when the last few waves of lust finally extinguished out. He was as exhausted as she was, but he was able to recover much faster. _Being a partial robot definitely had its benefits._

"Where...are...?" Sarine asked weakly, and, only now, did Kiehl frown at her thought.

"I don't know," Kiehl sighed and hugged her close. He ran a hand over her belly, as he nuzzled her, and looked over at the chamber doors. Howard finally walked in and sat down with them. Naght and Ifrit appeared next to settle with them.

"Muninn held us all back," Howard said slowly. "We were pissed, but...at your thoughts at how she was..."

"We...would...have...slaughtered...each...other..." Naght growled out.

"It was safer to simply let you have her and calm her," Ifrit nodded. "We all agreed."

"We waited it out until it was safe. I mean, damn! Eremes tried to follow you and actually stopped halfway! He said that he felt some form of explosive wave unfold from here!" Howard grimaced. "He was grateful that he didn't follow!"

"It was bad," Kiehl nodded. "I...couldn't think through it..."

"Is it bad?" Sarine frowned, and Kiehl nuzzled her with a heavy purr.

"No. It's fine. Do you guys think that I should be the only one to be with her, if it happens again?" Kiehl asked. "I actually feel like Howard does after he helps Sarine with her sex drive! What happened with Odin and Loki?"

"They went back to Valhalla, but they may be back soon," Howard said.

"If Loki tries anything, I'll kill him!" Kiehl hissed, as he continued to nuzzle her.

"As for what you thought with her lust, I think you're right. It should just be you. But, of course, it depends on when it happens, and who's around you. Oh! Hey, Terin," Howard chuckled. The Assassin sighed, as he came down the steps and looked around curiously. He wasn't exposed the dominating chambers yet, and Sarine seemed to give a wicked grin.

"Not now. Later," Kiehl growled. She sighed and nodded to him, as he purred deeply to keep her calm. "What's going on?"

"Beelzebub wanted me to tell you that he and the others agree with everything. You handle her lust. He also wanted me to check this place out. Tsurga's almost here, too," Terin said. "Oh. There he is!"

"This place makes me nervous," the Amatsu Captain admitted, as he walked over.

"It should," Sarine grinned softly. That made him blink, and Kiehl growled in warning.

"I'm not sure if it's safe for her to return to the others yet," Howard frowned.

"But..." Sarine shivered, and Kiehl hugged her tight.

"My clothes and her clothes were ripped apart. And it was her belly dancing gown. Errende needs to fix them," Kiehl said, as he sat up with her. "Everyone wants to comfort you, love. Keep yourself calm, and we'll go back. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. Errende was already walking down the steps from what Beelzebub had overheard. The High Priest quickly pieced the clothing back together and handed the fixed garments back to them. When Kiehl and Sarine dressed, she was led back to the mansion.

"It was a pretty bad dream vision, My Lady," Errende frowned.

"I know," she agreed. "But, that's what I was like. I...honestly don't know what could have happened...if Eremes didn't get to me in time..."

"We aren't going to think of that," Kiehl muttered in her hair, as he carried her. "He rescued you. I don't want to know what your fate would have been if he hadn't."

"Maybe we should know," Tsurga said lightly.

"Why?!" Howard growled. Ifrit and Naght looked at him with a bit of surprise.

"If you think about it, Muninn or Huginn could have intervened by then. Especially if she was going to be killed," Tsurga said with a light grin. "It would be interesting to see what they would have done. Even Odin, too, if you think about it."

"We just saw a horrific dream vision of her and what she looked like at nine years old!" Kiehl shuddered. "To know that it may have been possible for her to have been killed..."

"Love," Sarine said gently, and he squeezed her to him.

"What do you think? We already saw three dream visions today! And it's approaching sunset. Elric will be ready to appear to take up the challenge to survive against Kiehl! I just don't think it would be right," Howard frowned.

"Then let's do this," Sarine said carefully. "If Elric survives, we will see what would have happened with me. This way, he can see what a dream vision is like. If he fails, we will hold the dream vision for a later time."

"Sarine..." Kiehl grimaced, and she kissed him hard to calm him. He didn't want to see her in such a weakened state again. He didn't want to know that the evil woman would get what she wanted. He was trembling slightly inside, and Sarine just hugged him tightly to her.

"We'll call a vote?" Terin asked. Kiehl looked at him now and seemed to nod. When they got to the others, Doppy was quick to move to her side, and Kiehl let him hug her tight. Beelzebub told them what was being discussed, and now they were voicing their thoughts.

"I don't want to know what could have happened," Doppy frowned. Kiehl nodded to him for his decision. There were thirty-seven males that belonged to Sarine, and all of them cast their votes. It was tied, save for one.

"Hmm..." Naght sighed. He was actually quite torn. Both Howard and Kiehl didn't want to see the dream vision happen at all. But, he wanted to know what would have happened in the end. He snorted and growled out, "I...will...see...it..."

"Naght?!" Kiehl scowled.

"It...is...important...to...me..." the demon rumbled. "To...all...of...us..."

"True," Howard sighed. "All right. When will it take place?"

"I would say after Elric is done. Regardless of whether he wins or loses," Beelzebub said. "This is too important. We can't pass it up. It must be done."

"Well, I want to be with Sarine first," Keltin sighed. He didn't want to see the dream vision. Sammy was grimacing at the thought of seeing her so weak again. Eremes was also on the side of not wanting to see it. All of her slaves, though, did want to see it. Thanatos was actually in favor of not seeing it, and he was in the middle of a mental battle with Errende on why it should and should not be seen.

"We'll each take turns with her in the bathroom," Kiehl said. They all nodded, and he carried Sarine into the bedroom. A soft, plush cushion was set down on the tile of the bathroom for her, and she let her men finally comfort her so she could comfort them. Loomin and Errende took a bit longer than the others from their sensitive natures. Eremes was the last one to be with her, since he would be leading her to the arena. It was already confirmed that Elric was there.

"He won't win," Eremes muttered against her neck.

"We don't know that," she sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "If he does, will you hold a grudge against him?"

"No. I'll see him as a brother and be more than happy to box his ears in," he smirked. That got Kiehl and Howard grinning at each other, and Ifrit was hissing with laughter.

"I'll still make sure he doesn't win," Kiehl sighed. Sarine looked at him and moved into his arms. When he hugged her, she gave a hard nuzzle under his chin and a sharp bite. He gasped with a hissing swear and glared at her. Howard was trying not to laugh, as Sarine nibbled where she bit. Then he blinked with surprise when she yanked Kiehl's head to the side to bite down savagely. Eremes's eyes went wide, as he moved away.

"She needed blood," Howard grimaced, as Hyegun ran in.

"She'll need it from you, too!" he said. "The triplets are demanding it. They want to be prepared for Elric, if it comes down to it."

"I see," Howard sighed. Kiehl was now comforting Sarine after Healing himself. At first, he didn't know why she bit him like that. Since it was instinctive, he knew she was not at fault. Eremes could only nod, and Hyegun looked at him.

"Can Ifrit come through you? To give blood?" he asked.

"It's needed?!" Ifrit asked with concern. Eremes was clearly in shock at this. Naght had already returned through Howard and was giving Sarine the blood she needed.

"Yes. The twins are demanding it," Hyegun nodded.

"Help the twins," Naght growled through Howard before letting him go to come back. The moment Ifrit left and came back through Eremes, he found himself tackled. The only problem was that she couldn't bite him. Sarine had managed to feign a knife over Howard's neck before biting him. Kiehl had to help assist her with Eremes now. She took down three mouthfuls of his burning blood and shivered, as he got Healed.

"Feel better?" Eremes asked, as Ifrit released him and came back.

"I think so..." she frowned. He hugged her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Elric is waiting," Beelzebub said, as he walked in. "Surprisingly, he's very patient."

"He has a plan," Eremes sighed.

"Well, we'll see if it works," Kiehl growled, as he stood up to dress. Sarine was quickly showered, dressed in her Sniper gears, and he moved to carry her in his arms.

"I can walk, you know," she giggled.

"I'm pampering you. Quiet," Kiehl grinned and kissed her passionately. "I'm actually a bit curious as to what Elric has planned."

"One way to find out, right?" she smiled and kissed him back. When they got to the arena, her men were waiting in the balcony area. Her slaves had moved to keep the couch warm, and she saw Seyren and Garrett sitting in the stands.

"We are going to see what happens," Seyren nodded.

"Max will be here shortly. Cecil is sleeping, and she's fine where she is," Garrett said.

"I'm here!" Max said, as he jogged over. Donnie appeared next to sit down.

"I want to see what goes on," the Clown muttered.

"Did I miss anything?" Mitchell asked, as he sat in one of the chairs.

"Not yet," Neil grinned. Lloyd was staying with Margaretha, since she needed him close. Kiehl was settled with Sarine in the balcony, and Howard was now warming her with Eremes. Elric looked up at the sky, as it appeared to be ready to snow, but he had on several various monster cards that would make him immune to various elements. He knew that they wouldn't help too much, but they would help him survive. He also had another trick up his sleeve. He would reveal that the moment Kiehl attacked him.

"I love you," Sarine whispered, and Kiehl kissed her deeply.

"I'll make him suffer," he growled and kissed her again.

"He is not challenging you. It is just to survive. This is for our triplets," she smiled.

"Yes. Our triplets," he purred and nuzzled her.

"Twenty minutes. Be quick..." she said with a soft sigh. He hissed out his hatred when he glared down at Elric now. The human felt the glare and trembled inwardly, but showed nothing else. Kiehl jumped down and approached Elric with slow, stalking steps. He could feel the cold in the air, and even he knew that twenty minutes could be a drastic thing for Sarine.  _Ifrit had the right idea to remain as close as he could to her._ As of right now, Kiehl got into the mindset that his Rights were being threatened. That his triplets wanted him to prove to them that he was stronger than the human in front of him.  _I am going to show no mercy._

"Are you ready for the challenge of the triplets?" Sammy asked from where he was on the balcony. The monsters, mates, slaves, and husbands roared. Sarine's companions grinned from where they watched. Kiehl seethed with loathing, and Elric took a deep breath to steady himself. Osiris watched Elric carefully, and Beelzebub snapped his gaze over to the guest side of the arena across from them.  _The Assassin Guild was there to bear witness._  Misty was sitting by Fenrick, and she was heavily warned to remain calm. She was also warned that she could not try to assist in any way and to show no malice.

"He dared to bring her?!" Beelzebub scowled.

"Who?" Howard frowned. The whisper was given, and he grimaced hard. Kiehl was now further enraged, but he would only react if the problematic girl did anything. Errende's back was now settled against Sarine's foot, and he was keeping his hands on her belly.

"No stress," Hyegun muttered. Thanatos was now having Sarine sit in his lap to add his touch to her belly. Kiehl was not happy.

"I need to get this over with," Kiehl growled and lunged at Elric. A Back Slide was done, and Elric knew that Cloaking was useless. He had been working on his speed and stamina. Not once did he run from Kiehl. Eremes watched calmly, as his old mentor ducked and dodged various attacks. When elemental attacks started to be used, the cards Elric had gave him the edge he needed to survive them. It was when he quickly chewed on a familiar fruit that his true plan of survival was revealed.

"Elemental resistance," Doppy frowned. "Wait, he just ate something!"

"That he did. A Yggdrasil Berry," Drago said, as he caught sight of the fruit.

"That was his plan all along!" Eremes scowled. "He has Yggdrasil Berries on him!"

"Interesting," Loomin mused. "Very interesting, indeed."

"That's how he'll survive, isn't it?" Terin frowned.

"Looks like it. Every time Kiehl attacks him, he doesn't run from it. He shows he can be resourceful. That he can take the hits. He is trying to prove himself," Eremes sighed.

"Halfway mark," Sammy muttered. "Ten more minutes to go."

"Will he run out of the berries?" Tsurga asked.

"We'll have to watch and find out," Maheo muttered. Every time Kiehl struck Elric, a berry was eaten. Armor that helped protect and enhance his life was being used, too. The strong Assassin Cross was proving that he could be just as much a force to be reckoned with.  _As much as the others without having monster blood._  Kiehl was still dodging everything Elric did, but that didn't matter. _It was expected._  Kiehl was far too powerful and swift to be hit by a normal human. He even outdid Doppy in the Demonic Matings. Sarine was actually intrigued, as she watched her powerful First Mate. Ragged Zombie and Mobster clearly hated this. They thought the use of Yggdrasil Berries was cheating, but they also knew that it was clever. As their attention returned to the fight in the arena, Misty was able to run away from Fenrick to try and help Elric. She got it in her head that she could help attack Kiehl to give Elric an edge.

"No! Don't!" Fenrick shouted.

"What the hell is she doing?!" Tatya gaped.

"She vowed...not to interfere..." Shadow fumed.

"Untrustworthy," Slade sighed. Fenrick just watched with dismay, as Misty ran over to Elric. Then, as one, both Elric and Kiehl turned and gutted her open without thinking before going back to attacking and dodging each other.

"Did you see that?!" Ragged Zombie gaped.

"Now THAT was brilliant!" Donnie crowed.

"Elric should join us just for that," Loomin smirked.

"Are you crazy?!" Eremes hissed.

"They did that without a second glance. The fight was between the two of them. Elric showed that he can be honorable when he needs to. Yes, he disgraced himself at a Demonic Mating, but he did not fully know the rules. If he did, he would have abided by them. In fact, it was the same way his ancestor was," Osiris said thoughtfully.

"Time's up. Elric is still standing," Sammy said.

"Sarine!" Howard winced, and Thanatos moved quickly with her to take her to Kiehl. The moment she reached him, she was snatched over and hugged tightly.

"I'm here now," she purred, and Kiehl trembled hard. The fierce ache to hold her started to melt away. She nuzzled under his chin, and he buried his face in her hair. Elric waited calmly with his arms crossed over his chest. He was panting hard, but he was getting his breathing back under control. Then he looked at Osiris, as the monster made his way over. There was an approving look in his eye, and Kiehl just seemed to sigh with defeat.

"All right. You survived against me. I guess you can join us," Kiehl said with a grumble. "You won fairly."

"He did take out that bitch with you," Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"True. The fight was between us. We both acted as one to kill her. Point made," Kiehl nodded. "Elric, what do you want to do with her?"

"Not my decision. It's Fenrick's decision. He was the one that was supposed to be looking after her. He was trying to show her different views, but I doubt she will ever accept them. Once proven untrustworthy, always untrustworthy. She knew the risks, but ignored them. I don't care what happens to her," Elric said with a shake of his head. "I know what I did before was wrong, but I didn't know the rules. Once I know them, I abide by them."

"Which brings us to another issue," Osiris said lightly. "If you take my blood, Sarine will need you close. You will have to live with us. Here. On the island. If you leave for a long length of time, she will worry. Yes, you have reinstated your honor in full tonight. However, you now have a big decision to make."

"I know," Elric nodded. He looked up at his Guild and gestured for them to come down.

"Elric? What will you do? We won't be the same without you. You know this," Tatya frowned. "If you leave, we'll have nothing."

"I wouldn't trust another as our Guild leader," Slade admitted.

"You shouldn't have to do this," Fenrick winced. Shadow remained silent and thoughtful before shaking his head slightly. He didn't want Elric to leave, either.

"Well," Elric said carefully. "I can still be the Guild leader, but I would be living here. We can make an outpost by the arena. Maybe, this way, we can pick up new recruits?"

"I think that would be acceptable," Sarine nodded. "You can judge them in the arena to see if they are eligible to join the Assassin Guild by how many fight. There are quite a few Thieves that come through here, too."

"That would be a good idea," Fenrick blinked.

"As long as Chicken Shit doesn't start hitting on them," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"Oh, shut up!" he scowled, and Elric started laughing with the others.

"Fenrick, what do you want to do about Misty?" Sarine said with a heavy frown. That made everyone look at him now, and he actually felt the mistrust in their glares.

"She broke a promise to me in less than a day. She vowed that she would not interfere. I don't know why she thought she could try. I know that, if she did this once, it will simply happen again. I release her from my care," Fenrick said. "Do what you will with her."

"She'll just come back to torment us and my wife," Kiehl seethed. "Easy, love. No, she's not going to harm our triplets. Hush..."

The deep, resonating purr he did next caught Elric and the others by surprised. They all heard him purr before, but this was a heavier purr that they didn't hear yet.

"The purr he's doing is an instinctive reaction to keep her calm," Doppy said. "Any demon can do this. He took my blood, as well as the other demons in Sarine's company."

"A purr like that can drain us. Since he's our leader, and far stronger than us, he can hold it for as long as he likes. That and he's a partial robot," Hibram nodded. Howard was now with Kiehl and Sarine to run a hand over her belly with a soft smile.

"From what I understand, this is a delicate pregnancy?" Elric asked.

"It was the one that I gave her before Lighthalzen," Howard sighed. "She...miscarried it. Human seed is too weak for her body to handle. Odin is giving it another chance. It's triplets. All girls. Naght and Ifrit got her with twins, too, so, yeah. Five kids right now. But, it's my triplets that are the most demanding. They want the most attention. Sarine constantly feels threatened. As though they won't survive. Kiehl also helped to form them with Naght, too. They are extremely intelligent. And they will be born in nine days. A month a day, you see."

"Wow," Elric blinked.

"Ah..." Hyegun started and shoved Errende over to put his hands on her belly. "Help him, Thanatos! She's going to be sick! She needs to eat!"

"What?!" Thanatos gaped, as he moved to help Errende. Sarine winced hard, as her belly stretched a bit. Doppy and Tsurga were both swearing out from what they felt.

"Normal growth spurt," Loomin sighed. "So, at night, they will grow. All five of them."

"At once?!" Doppy asked incredulously.

"Yes. She needs a lot of food now," Loomin said.

"Hush..." Kiehl soothed and purred for her. She just sighed hard and leaned into him. Her slaves were quick to pamper her and give her the food she needed. Those that hadn't seen her eat before were amazed at the vast amount of food she needed. Kiehl continued to purr deeply for her and watch over her protectively. At her thought, he hissed and snarled out dangerously. Then he glared at the four humans there. Elric was now tolerable.

"Shit..." Howard sighed. "Elric is in the clear, but you four need to go. Now. She's starting to feel threatened! Kiehl will snap, if anything else happens!"

"Need my help?" Sammy asked. Kiehl nodded and let Sammy help calm her even more. Once that was done, Kiehl was able to relax, and he sighed.

"Do we still have to leave?" Tatya asked.

"It's safe now. But, don't make it a habit," Hyegun warned. "I can hear what her growing children are thinking. Normally, I can't do this until they start kicking around in her. Intelligent children are different. When they are born, I lose the ability. Hmm?"

"Hyegun?" Keltin asked.

"Hold on," Hyegun said, as he moved to Sarine to kneel down and focus. "Elric, come here and put your hand on her belly. They want to, eh...sense you. I think."

"Really?" Kiehl frowned. Elric moved close to her to see what he needed to do. A hand was placed on her belly now, and he seemed to pause. Elric felt nothing different physically, but mentally was something else.

"Take blood from Osiris, and then do it again," Loomin said.

"Osiris?" Slade frowned.

"He's a descendant from one of my noble advisers. Ancient nobility runs deep in his blood," Osiris chuckled. Amon Ra and Pharaoh both nodded at this.

"And you didn't tell us?!" Fenrick growled.

"You didn't need to know," Elric muttered, and he stood up to follow Osiris.

"Wait," Tatya blinked at his change in attitude.

"He never spoke like that to us before..." Shadow said with surprise.

"Hmm..." Slade thought.

"He's feeling protective over her pregnancy," Loomin said, as he evaluated the situation. "He may not have felt anything when his hand pressed against her belly, but, because he did, he knows he will protect these children with everything he has. The other kids will be his own, too, when they are presented to him. He will give them some of his blood to make it that way."

"All of her kids...?!" Fenrick said now.

"Yes. All of them," Howard nodded. "They will see him as a father figure."

" _I'm here,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over. " _I saw everything from afar. I will take care of Misty. Don't worry about that. When I return, Father Odin will come back with Loki. They want to witness the next dream vision after Elric's position is secure._ "

"All right," Sarine nodded. "What do you plan to do with her?"

" _Father Odin will not allow me to tell,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _Just rest assured that you may never be bothered by her anymore._ "

"Good," Errende muttered and sighed at the feel of her hand in his hair. Muninn gathered up Misty's body and vanished away with her shortly after that. When Elric came back over to Sarine, there was a definite change in him now. Eremes looked at him, and they both nodded to each other with understanding.

"There is an awful lot that is finally making sense to me," Elric sighed.

"Good..." Eremes nodded. Elric moved to Sarine's side, and Kiehl looked at him with a complete form of neutrality. It took him by surprise, but he took in a deep breath and nodded to him. Kiehl nodded back, and Elric realized that it was instinctive to do it from Osiris's blood. He knelt down to be at eye-level with Sarine, and he shivered. He placed his hand on her belly again and blinked at the sense of protectiveness he felt for her now.

"I'm sorry for all the distress I caused before," Elric sighed. Then he stopped at the loving caress that Sarine gave his cheek. Now he knew why no male wanted to leave her. Now he knew why he had to stay. _Now I knew everything._

"Will you help protect my babies?" she asked softly. Maya Purple moved swiftly to shield them from view as Elric kissed her hard.

"At least I'm not the new one anymore," Terin grinned, and that got laughter from the others. "Is there some form of hazing ritual?"

"Not really, but that's not a bad idea," Ragged Zombie chuckled.

"I think not," Kiehl muttered. "No stress. No need for that."

"Right," the zombie nodded. Five minutes later, Elric had given Sarine a drop of his blood, and she gave him a drop in turn.

"When you're done, we need to talk," Eremes said. "You four should go."

"He's right," Elric said, as he dressed, and he let Kiehl and Howard help Sarine. "I'll be fine. If you need me, Beelzebub will let me know. Just talk to a Hell Fly."

"Of course..." Shadow nodded.

"Any luck on the three we asked you to find?" Beelzebub asked.

"We have a lead. They may be in the town of Moskovia. Have you heard of it?" Tatya asked. "It's a fairly old town, too."

"We have. That is where Gopinich is. We need to recruit that monster," Keltin said.

"Join us when we go," Elric said. "It should be all right."

"No. It won't," Eremes frowned. At Elric's questioning glance, Eremes moved over to whisper to him of Sarine's lust. His old mentor's eyes widened with horror and shock when Osiris mentally confirmed what Eremes said.

"No...not safe at all..." he agreed.

"Definitely not..." Eremes nodded.

"Why wouldn't it be safe?" Slade asked.

"Sarine has a very dangerous instinct appear," Loomin said slowly, as Kiehl kept her calm. "She gives out a form of lust. You saw all of them attacking each other at her Demonic Mating. She was able to choose an order of her males. With this lust, there is no order. It is simply...fighting. That's it. Fighting for a first come, first serve basis with her. Any male is at risk. We don't know about females, but we won't chance it. Even I become a victim of this. All of us have when it first became known. It can appear at any moment."

"Oh..." Fenrick said with surprise.

"So you all need to leave," Amon Ra said lightly.

"We don't want to end up killing any of you," Thanatos smirked.

"As enjoyable as it would be," Doppy grinned. Naght and Ifrit hissed with laughter. When Kiehl gave a hard glare at them, the four humans left quickly.

"Hey," Sarine said as she nuzzled him, and he purred deeply for her. Now he was given a drop of her blood, and the others were quick to get their drops.

"Muninn is taking care of that girl?" Seyren asked.

"Yes. He won't tell us what plans are in store for her. I hope it's a memory wipe," Keltin frowned. Garrett and Max nodded at this. Donnie and Mitchell had already left for the house. "I had high hopes that another would have the same thing done."

"It may happen, if that one comes back," Loomin sighed.

"Let's hope so," Sammy nodded.

"Moskovia tomorrow?" Seyren asked.

"That's the plan," Howard nodded. "You should stay here, though."

"Considering the fact that I'll still be human tonight with the others," Seyren winced.

"Yeah. Stay here," Eremes said.

"Actually, Seyren," Sarine said with a soft smile. "a dream vision is going to be done. One that will show what could have happened to me if Eremes never rescued me."

"I am going to see that!" he growled. "The others should, too. I think it would be important. We need to be present for this."

"Maybe we can have Muninn send it to all of you, as it happens?" Sammy mused aloud. "In a dream form like he did for the kids and Markus?"

"That's a possibility," Kiehl nodded. "We'll have that done. You know of Sarine's lust."

"Ah, yes. Safer," Seyren nodded vigorously. "Let's go, guys."

"Right," Garrett said, and Max followed him.

"Let's go to the bedroom," Sarine said with a soft smile. At that being said, they were all eager to get her out of the cold. Already, Ifrit was warming the air for her, and Naght was doing what he could to keep the cold back. She actually didn't seem to be bothered by the weather.

"You would think she would be immune to cold and heat," Keltin thought. "From Naght. He's mainly Fire and Ice, right?"

"It's a chance I'm not willing to take," Kiehl muttered, as he carried her. "We'll make do with what we know is safe. At this rate, too much cold can be just as bad as too much heat."

"I'm not risking my pregnancy with her!" Howard growled. Then he shivered inwardly, and Keltin just gave an understanding nod. He completely understood why Howard was like this. He moved to her side when Sarine needed to see him.

"It's all right, love," Sarine smiled, and Howard walked easily with her.

"I'm not going to let anything harm you," he vowed.

"I know," she beamed. Kiehl chuckled and let her hug Howard to her.

"Is there anything I need to know?" Elric asked Osiris.

"You need to read some letters," the monster replied. "As well as talk to everyone. There is only so much that I can show you."

"I'm curious," Doppy said. "Tsurga gained the ability to feel Sarine's pain through me. You have the ability to 'see' things that happened to them when you touch them. Does Elric have the same skill as you now?"

"If that's the case, Neil and Maheo would have my ability to help protect Sammy and Sarine. I'm her Heart, so, it would be something to think about," Hibram mused.

"Terin can hear things from me," Beelzebub nodded.

"Handle the doll," Eremes said to Elric. "If you see things, you will know."

"All right," Elric nodded. "I already saw that slab."

"Yes, you did," Sammy nodded. "Let us know if you see anything with the doll."

"Not until the dream vision is done, though," Keltin grinned.

"Dream vision?" Elric blinked.

"We told you before," Doppy frowned.

"Oh! Yes. To see what Sarine's life would have been like if she wasn't rescued," Elric nodded. "Sorry. My mind is still trying to catch up to everything."

"That's understandable," Errende chuckled.

"He'll need to see the letters, too," Kiehl muttered. Osiris mentally confirmed that with Elric, and now the strong Assassin Cross was cringing at the knowledge. Osiris had also confirmed that just a bit ago, and this just strengthened the importance of it.

"So, how did you feel after being with My Lady?" Aliot grinned.

"A sense of relief, if anything," Elric frowned. "As though...I finally found my path."

"Really?" Loomin thought. "That's one way of putting it."

"You cheated with those berries," Ragged Zombie muttered.

"I'm not a monster," Elric smirked. "I knew I was outmatched. I just had to survive."

"Sure, sure," Mobster grinned. When they got into the house, Serenity was waiting for them. She was soon hugging her mother, and she looked at Elric with surprise.

"You survived against Keel?!" she asked with shock.

"I did," Elric smiled warmly, as he knelt down to her. She sniffed him and sighed, as she detected her mother's scent in his blood. She had no choice. She had to see him as a father figure now, and she seemed to nod to herself in thought.

"Okay. I will accept you as a Dad. But, um, can I see your hand?" she asked with a mischievous grin. Elric looked over at Howard, and the Whitesmith shrugged. Osiris wasn't going to say anything or show him anything.  _The older man was on his own._  Elric revealed his hand to her. Serenity turned his hand palm-side up and sniffed it before biting down sharply near his thumb on the fleshy part.

"Ow!" Elric yelped, but she held his hand close to take in the blood she needed.

"Sorry..." Eremes smirked, and the others laughed.

"I think that would count as hazing," Terin grinned. "She did the same thing to me."

"To most of us," Kiehl nodded. Beelzebub was grinning, since that didn't happen to him.

"Dad!" Serenity beamed and hugged Elric now. This floored the older man, and she said, "My brothers and sisters are still up! Go give them blood, too!"

"You'll need to give blood to my kids when they hatch," Drago said. "Same with Maya Purple. They are developing as eggs outside of Sarine's body."

"Um...oh!" Elric said, as Osiris mentally explained it and showed him.

"Terin and I would have to do the same thing," Tsurga mused. "They were made before I took Doppelganger's blood. Right?"

"They were still in her before she birthed them, but we'll see," Loomin nodded. "If they reach for you, we'll know for sure."

"Daddy Elric! Come on!" Serenity growled.

"Coming, dear one," Elric chuckled, and she now led him by his other hand to the nursery. Sarine just gave a motherly sigh, and Kiehl kissed her passionately.

"Shall we check on our babies?" Sarine smiled.

"Yes," Kiehl muttered and kissed her again with a heavy purr. He carried her into the nursery to sit with her on the rocking bench. His twins ran up to see him.

"Dad!" Deagan grinned and got pulled into Kiehl's lap with his sister.

"We missed you!" Juliana said, as she snuggled into him.

"Did you?" Kiehl smiled and kissed the tops of their heads. "Did you see Elric?"

"How did he survive against you?!" Deagan frowned.

"He used Yggdrasil Berries and powerful gears," Kiehl sighed. "But, it's fine. He helped me get rid of someone that tried to interfere with our fight."

"Really?" Bianca said, as she came over now. Gunther was clearly interested and wanted to know more. Elric was now examined critically by the kids, and he was forced to show them his armor. Edward was clearly impressed with the cards.

"Strong armor," Siegfried said, as he studied the gears Elric wore.

"It wasn't easy to get," Elric chuckled. "I pretty much became broke after all of it was done. It's fine, though. Worth every scrap of funding I had."

"Is it?" Gunther grinned. He got a tussle to his hair as a response, and the boy scowled.

"So, do you think you can teach me with Daddy Eremes? I want to become an Assassin Cross when I get older," Bianca said. "I want to know everything I can."

"Definitely," Elric smiled, and she settled in his lap. "I taught Eremes, too, you know."

"You did?!" Albert blinked. Now the other kids wanted to know what he was like when he was younger, and Eremes sighed. Joseph and Elenor reached for him, and Eremes gathered them up. When Elric saw the twins, his mouth dropped. He gave them blood drops, but he didn't know who's twins they were. Now it all came together, as Eremes held them close.

"Yes. These are my twins," Eremes said with a small smile.

"Dad?" Joseph looked at him curiously and patted Eremes's chest for attention. Then he pointed to Elric and said, "Dad?!"

"Elric was my mentor long ago. Now he is another father to you," Eremes nodded. "It was like that for me, too. He is an excellent teacher."

"Dah?!" Elenor asked with a blushing giggle.

"Your son looks just like you," Elric smiled.

"That he does," Eremes nodded.

"Oh, maybe you can answer a question for me," Serenity said, as she approached Elric. "Do you know why Daddy Eremes likes to sleep standing up?"

"Serenity!" Howard scowled, and Elric rose up his hand.

"I will tell you only if Eremes says it's all right," Elric said.

"It's fine," Eremes chuckled. "I think Sarine should know, too."

"Really?" she smiled. He moved to her side to give her a kiss and a loving wink.

"Well, since that's settled," Elric grinned and found himself swarmed with kids. "Eremes didn't always sleep standing up or in corners. It only got to be that way, because, at the time, he was in charge of handling the new recruits. He worked the best when it came to children and teenagers. So, when new boys and girls would suddenly appear in the dead of night, it was always Eremes that would get up from his bed to see to them. Finally, he decided against sleeping in a bed altogether. He conditioned his body to let him sleep in a standing lean. This way, all he had to do was wake up and walk over."

"Ooh!" Serenity blinked.

"And it's true," Eremes nodded.

"That makes more sense than I could have known," Howard grinned.

"You sleep in a bed with me, though," Sarine winked. Eremes found himself blushing a bit, and Elric started laughing.

"Either that or fall to the floor," Doppy grinned. Now Eremes cleared his throat, and the kids started giggling like crazy.

"Doppelganger..." Sarine said with a small grin, and he looked over at her now. "I thought you liked the floor, too. Especially when I sit on you..."

"Um...yeah..." Doppy said, as he went quiet, and more giggling from the kids happened.

"Sarine," Kiehl laughed softly and got a kiss from her.

"I love you," she whispered, and he nuzzled her.

"I love you, too," he smiled and let her rest against his shoulder. His twins snuggled between them happily, and Serenity moved to tug on Howard's tunic.

"What?" he asked and lifted her up.

"Fire pit night?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "We may be having a rather intense dream vision first. I don't want you kids to see it. It may be a very bad one."

"But..." Angela frowned, but stopped at Errende's shaking head.

"It deals with how your mother may be in a lot of danger as a child," Thanatos said. "If it's fine, we can have Muninn show you later. But, only if it turns out good, okay?"

"They don't turn out good?" Edward frowned.

"Most of the time, they do. But, it's what you see before it. Remember how your mom got sad when she found out that Howard was dead?" Keltin said carefully.

"Yeah," Alexis nodded with a sad frown, and Aliot hugged her.

"It could start out as something like that," Errende said, as he got snuggled by Angela. "We don't know how they will turn out. You know this, as well as us."

"But, if it's okay, we can see it?" Gunther asked.

"Yes," Doppy nodded.

"Do any of the kids need to be nursed?" Nigel asked.

"Sun and Moon need it," Evil Snake Lord said. "Mine do, too."

"May as well get them all done," Sarine smiled and took up the prophesied twins to nurse. Muninn walked in to nod to them all and looked over at Elric.

" _Don't worry about any Demonic Matings. I told you that you would not win any of them. You haven't in the past, and now there is no need for it to happen,_ " he said with a small grin. " _Osiris's blood put you beyond that need. He will fight for you._ "

"So you said before," Elric nodded. "But, now I have to wonder..."

" _Yes, you can possibly have children with her now,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _With Osiris's blood in your veins, you are strong enough for her._ "

"Good," Elric smiled.

"You are going to give me brothers and sisters?!" Serenity gasped happily.

"It's a possibility!" Elric grinned, and she tackle hugged him. The next hour was spent seeing to the needs of the children. When they were all fed and tucked under their blankets, Sarine was able to give each child a goodnight hug and kiss. Then she was moved into the bedroom. Odin and Loki were already there to see what was going to happen.

"Observation, you may lower your guard," Odin said gently. "When I am here, do not worry. Remain vigilant."

"Of course, Lord Odin," Observation nodded, as he hovered by Sarine.

"I'm curious as to what will happen," Loki admitted.

"Just remain neutral, and you'll find out," Loomin warned. Elric looked at Loki curiously and narrowed his eyes to the ground at what Osiris told him mentally. With a nod of understanding given, he found a place to recline. He did blink with a pleasant surprise at the other males that came in to nod to him with neutrality. It was something he didn't expect.

"I'm a bit worried," Sarine frowned.

"I'm not leaving your side," Kiehl smiled and hugged her tight. Howard was right next to her. No one knew what to expect when it came to dream visions.

"After this, we'll sleep," Howard whispered. She nodded, and he kissed her forehead.

"I think we're ready," Sammy said, and he settled on a floor cushion. The others were clearly in agreement with him. Odin nodded to Muninn, and the dream vision started...


	165. Chapter 165

On the morning of Sarine's fourteenth birthday, the Empress was having a very intricate cake slice made for Sarine. The frosting was mainly three grounded up capsules and mixed in secretly with the sugar. The chef didn't have any clue on what else was being mixed in, and made one slice of cake as ordered. He used all of the poisoned sugar, as he was ordered to do so. A guard delivered the poisoned food to Sarine's cell and placed it on the ground for her.

"There," the guard muttered curtly and left her alone. He was always told she was a lost cause, but was only kept out of some form of kindness. Sarine looked at the cake slice curiously. She was never given cake before. She reached for the plate and dragged it over to inspect it. She took one small bite of the frosting and spat it out from how bitter it was. The cake was now untouched. She didn't want to know what the rest of it was like, even though it was only the frosting that was affected, and she weakly shoved it away from herself. A minute later, the Empress walked in with Markus behind her.

"Eat your birthday cake!" Emilia snarled.

"No..." Sarine whimpered. "It...tastes icky..."

"Does it? Shall I force it down your throat?" she crooned dangerously. Markus was cringing with horror at what he was witnessing. It happened every year, but he could do nothing about it. He was suspicious of the cake, though. She had never given his daughter cake before, and, if she said it tasted bad, he was suspecting the worst. Sarine just balled herself up in a corner and shivered. At this, the Empress smirked and said, "No matter. Today you are going to Incantation Samurai. I will finally be rid of you!"

With that said, the cake plate was kicked over, and she stormed out. In reality, Sarine would be sent off the next day. A message would have been sent for Eremes around this time, too, but the message would be received much later in the night. Sarine hugged her thin legs to her bony chest and whimpered to herself. In the end, she fell asleep. A few hours later, near midday, she would find herself being pressed against a wall by guards and bound up. Then a cloth was placed over her, as though to hide her away. Once again, in reality, she wouldn't have been taken away until the early morning of the next day, if she wasn't rescued by Eremes.

"Is Empress Emilia coming with us?" a guard grounded out.

"No. She thinks we can handle this by ourselves," his comrade smirked.

"Giving her over to a monster? It's a waste," the first guard snorted.

"Orders are orders. Let's get this done."

"Let's just dump her somewhere. No one will care."

"Heh. Why not? Save us some time, and we can hang out in the bar!"

With that decided, they took her outside of town, but didn't take her into Incantation Samurai's domain. They dumped her in a muddy stream and trudged back into the town. Now she was scared. She felt the cloth start to soak in water, and she panicked. _Where am I? Where did they take me?_  She was too weak to move, much less to try to fight the ropes around her hands and feet. A blindfold was on her eyes, and a gag was in her mouth. She couldn't call out for help if she tried.

The cloth started to take in water now, and all she could do was sit there. Luckily, the stream was shallow, but she could easily get sick, if she lingered in the damp cloth. It was already starting to happen, and a chill crept into her lungs to make her cough through the gag.

"You got it?!" she heard someone say.

"Yes, I did! Ready?!" someone else said. At the sound of a sharp crack, there was fighting and screams of rage. Then there was silence. At the sound of something getting closer, she felt her heart pounding in her chest, as she whimpered weakly. Then she felt herself lifted out of the water and carried. She was trembling and whimpering in sheer terror now.

"I'm not going to hurt you," a soothing voice filtered in to her. "You're special. Hold on. You'll see me soon."

She just shook harder, and most of it was from the dampness of the cloth she was wrapped in. She felt herself set down, and the cloth was slowly removed from her in small strips. When she felt cold air against her skin, she shivered even more. It was just turning from winter to spring, and it was still a dangerous time to her. When the blindfold was removed from her eyes, she looked at who her savior was.

The monster, Kiel D-01, sat back carefully away from her. His dark blue eyes behind the glasses studied her condition, and he was severely pissed off. She took in his blue and gold suit and winced when he gently leaned over to pluck the gag from her mouth.

"Are you...Incantation...Samurai...?" she cringed, as she asked with her weak voice.

"No," he said softly. "I am another monster. I sensed you after I was pulled here. You're very important to me. Who did this to you? Why are you so thin?!"

"Mother...and Father...did this..." she whimpered, and he stared at her with shock. The light from the outdoors was hurting her eyes now, and she squeezed her eyes shut at first to try and keep focused. "But...it was others...that did this...now...to me..."

"I see," he frowned. "Well, around you, I feel whole again. You can call me Kiehl. Okay? I won't let anything else hurt you. I promise,"

"Kay..." she shivered. She started to feel dizzy. The illness in her lungs was quickly spreading at an abnormal rate, and it hurt her to breathe.

"But, why did you think I was Incantation Samurai?" he asked.

"I was...told...that...I was to...go to him..." she whimpered, and he carefully moved to remove the binding around her limbs. When he saw the burn marks on her back, arms, and legs, he grimaced. Then he saw how thin and ragged she was.  _How was she able to live like this?!_  He thought and picked her up to cradle her. He hated how light she was.

"I think we'll find more answers with him. Do you know where he is?" he asked.

"No..." she shivered. He called out his support group to help protect her, and he looked at her with a look of solid protection.

"What is your name?"

"Sarine. I think..." she frowned.

"You think?"

"It's...been a long time...since I was...called my name..."

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen..."

"What?! You look like you could be ten!" he said with shock. At her soft whimper, he hugged her to him. He looked over at an adventurer that was staring at him. "You! Where is the lair to Incantation Samurai?!"

"Um...straight north..." the shocked boy said. Kiehl nodded lightly and led his group of Aliots and Alicels towards the training ground entrance. He glared at the guard there with a hiss, and the man let him pass without a fight. Right after he went into the building, word was sent out that others were needed to help defeat Kiehl.

"Moron..." Kiehl growled, and he narrowed his eyes to study the walls. When he looked down at Sarine, he saw that she was sleeping. He seemed to grimace. Something didn't feel right to him about her. Much to his surprise, the monsters around him in the dungeon were giving way to him. They seemed to lead him and his escort through the maze of tricky walls to the next area leading down. Now he knew that Sarine was being expected. He moved quickly through the cave area and went straight to the underground shrine. When he got there, Incantation Samurai was waiting at the entrance.

"That's the girl?! And who are you? I was told that two guards would be bringing her!" the small, powerful monster said. The Samurai ghost hissed out in confusion, and Kiehl sighed.

"I am Kiel D-01. A strong monster, like you. I found her bound up and wrapped up in cloth. She was in a stream bed. It was as though she was simply discarded," Kiehl growled. Incantation Samurai blinked at this, and Miyabi Doll was quickly called for to help with Sarine.

"Tell me everything you can!" Incantation Samurai demanded, as Sarine was taken from him. Kiehl nodded, and they sat outside the room she was taken to for an in-depth conversation.

"I don't know anything else about her, other than the fact that she's special," Kiehl sighed after he spoke of how he saw her. "I'm glad I found her when I did."

"Hmm," Incantation Samurai thought and looked over at Miyabi Doll. "Doll, what did you find out? What is her condition?"

"She's unconscious," Doll fretted. "The wounds on her look like small burns with wax bits. Like candle wax. She's skin and bones. I had to change out the bath water several times, and her skin is so pale! Almost translucent! I don't think she had any care at all!"

"She told me she was fourteen," Kiehl fumed.

"Seriously?!" Doll gaped. Incantation Samurai got up and moved into the room to examine Sarine closely. He felt her forehead, under her chin and pressed a hand over her heart.

"Warm fluids. Now!" he snapped.

"I'll see what the Tengu monsters can give us!" Doll nodded and ran off.

"Incantation Samurai, you are able to diagnose her?" Kiehl blinked.

"Yeah. Call me Sammy. Anyways, I can see her health..." Sammy cringed. "She was alert when you found her, right?"

"Yes," Kiehl nodded. Then he added, "Call me Kiehl."

"All right. Well...she's dying now..." Sammy said bleakly. "I...I don't know what I can do for her. If she was rescued sooner, then she may have had a chance. Her body...it's finally giving up. That Empress bitch promised me that she would be in full health when she was delivered to me! Whoever dumped her in the stream...if that didn't happen..."

Kiehl was staring in shock at the girl.  _The stream water would have been harmless, if she was healthier, but she was already so weak that the chill got to her. That was why she was shaking so badly._ He couldn't let her die.

"Give me any supplies you have!" Kiehl snarled out. "I'm a robotic and genetic engineer! I'll make a cure for her! You tell me what you can find out! How long does she have?! What is my time limit?!"

"Two days," Sammy judged. "That's all she has left in her."

"Do what you can for her," Kiehl said, and he set up his support group to protect the room. Any herbs he was given, he started to work with. The mimics were able to supply him with Old Blue Boxes and a few Old Purple Boxes. Those were opened to see what he could find. He needed mixing bowls, and he didn't have any. The Paper monsters quickly surrendered any herbs they carried. The grinding process of herbs was very slow when he had to do it by hand. When a mixing bowl did appear, he knew he would have to save it. He could only use one mixing bowl per herb grinding or potion making. It was rendered useless after that to keep from contaminating other mixtures.

All through the day, Sarine was monitored closely and Healed by Sammy and Kiehl on occasion to keep her health going. Any potions that were made were administered quickly. Later in the night, though, a bit of hope would come to them, as Eremes made his way down. He had learned that Sarine was taken to Incantation Samurai, and he needed to find her. When he got into the underground shrine, he was swarmed by protective monsters.

"When that human is defeated, take off any useful items!" Sammy ordered.

"Wait!" Eremes shouted, as he fought off a Shinobi. "Why items?!"

"That's not your concern!" Sammy hissed.

"I'm here for a girl!" Eremes argued before he got tackled by a Tengu. Now Sammy paused.  _How did he know of Sarine?!_

"Stop!" Sammy said, and the monsters relented. Eremes was gasping from the brutal attacks and gaped, as Sammy Healed him. "What do you know?! How do you know of her?!"

"Her grandmother...told me to rescue her..." Eremes said, as he stood up.

"Her..." Sammy blinked and thought. Normally, he would have killed off the human to keep Sarine safe. Right now, he couldn't risk it. _If this one knew of Sarine, there may be a chance to save her life._ He had to gamble with a show of trust to try and get any form of help he could for her. "Okay. Come with me. Say nothing!"

Eremes nodded and followed the strong monster. When he was taken to the room, he saw the Alicels and Aliots glaring at him. Then he saw Kiehl working on herbs. The stronger monster looked over and glared.

"Who the hell are you?!" Kiehl snarled.

"It's fine. He knows of Sarine. He was told by her grandmother to rescue her," Sammy said. "I think he can help us save her life."

"Save her life?!" Eremes asked.

"She's dying. She has less than two days left in her," Sammy winced. Eremes saw the pale, thin girl, and he stopped in his tracks to tremble with rage.

"What do you need me to get?!" Eremes demanded.

"Food, medicine, clothes..." Sammy sighed with a bit of relief that his gamble paid off. "Everything. Anything that can be brought."

"I really need mixing bowls," Kiehl muttered.

"I don't have any real connections," Eremes shivered. "I may be able to find one that does. Maybe one with Merchant skills. Like an Alchemist. Or a Blacksmith."

"I'm an Alchemist, in a sense," Kiehl nodded. "Find a Blacksmith."

"I'll be back as quickly as I can," Eremes vowed. "Here. Take these."

He handed over some food and potions that he carried on him, and it was taken gratefully. Sammy nodded and granted him the ability to come back unharmed. After he left, the monsters looked at each other with worry and concern.

"He's special, too," Kiehl frowned.

"You sensed it?" Sammy asked.

"Yes. He's...destined for her. I think. It's a feeling. I'm not sure. Anyways, I need to grind down more herbs. I'll think about it later. I can't lose my focus right now," Kiehl muttered and went back to work. Sammy nodded and continued to nurse Sarine with warm fluids. Eremes was in far too much shock at what he saw.  _The girl I needed to protect was dying. Two strong monsters were protecting her and trying to nurse her back to health. I am on a time limit. I don't want to find just any Blacksmith. I need to find someone honorable. Someone that valued life._ He had a feeling that he would know who it would be by instinct alone. It always served him well in the past.

He had to wait until morning, and he did so with small naps. The moment he fully woke up, he hit the main road. He didn't know where to look first, but he caught site of an exquisitely made sword. Walking over to the Knight, he asked where he got it.

"Oh, it was made for me! Ah, the smith's name was Howard, I think. The green hair should make him stand out! Gave me an awesome bargain," the Knight grinned.

"Do you know where he was heading?" Eremes asked casually. "I need a dagger done."

"I think he said he was heading to Alberta. He needed supplies," the Knight said. Eremes nodded and made his way to Alberta. As he searched, he spotted him forging weapons for people in the city center. As he approached, he noticed four others with him. Three women and a male Knight. The Huntress, Wizard, and Priestess girls were chatting with each other and picking on the white-haired Knight.

"Seyren, you should help Howard!" the Priestess said.

"How, Margaretha? Piss on what he can't make?" the Knight grinned.

"Maybe you'll learn what honest work is all about," the Huntress chided.

"What do you mean, Cecil?!" he retorted.

"Maybe learn how to cook," the Wizard smirked.

"Kathryne...you can shut up!" he scowled. Now the three girls argued with him, and Howard was grinning the whole time. When Eremes approached, Howard lifted his ocean-blue gaze up to his storm-grey ones, and they blinked at each other. Eremes knew that this was the man he had to find and had approached casually.

"I need your help," Eremes said calmly.

"What do you need me to make you?" Howard asked.

"Not that way," Eremes said carefully. "I know someone...who is dying..."

"What?" Howard asked now with complete attention.

"She is being protected by powerful monsters. She needs...help. She only has two days left before she is gone," Eremes winced. "Less than that now..."

"A girl? Protected by monsters?" Seyren asked, as he walked over.

"Yes. Incantation Samurai, and the strong monster, Kiel D-01," the Assassin nodded.

"How are they together?!" Kathryne asked.

"Kiehl was summoned with a Bloody Branch. He...found her first. He took her to Incantation Samurai. I'm still...confused, too," Eremes admitted. "But, I need your help."

"Yes. You do," Howard said now, as he closed up his shop. "We're leaving with you right now. For some reason, I believe you. Did they tell you what was needed for her?"

"Clothes. Food. Supplies," Eremes said. "Everything. Mixing bowls are a must."

"How weak is she?" Margaretha asked.

"Pale. Skin and bones. Wounds all over..." Eremes trembled. "She was...barely breathing when I saw her..."

"There is a posting for strong adventurers to go to Amatsu to defeat Kiel D-01," Seyren said, as he saw a bulletin just put up by a Kafra Agent.

"Shit!" Howard hissed. _Eremes was clearly telling the truth now._ "We have to leave now! But, I need supplies for the girl!"

"We'll go ahead of you," Cecil nodded. Seyren watched Howard closely. This was the first time he saw Howard like this over someone he never met.

"I had better lead you," Eremes sighed. "The monsters will not attack me."

"Fine. Let's go," Seyren said.

"I'll meet you all there," Howard said, and he went to the Kafra Agent to get to Prontera. The others got to Amatsu and found the place swarmed with adventurers. They casually walked through the town, and an elderly lady stopped them.

"Eremes Guile?" she asked with a wavering tone.

"Ma'am," Eremes nodded respectfully and moved to whisper to her. She paled and clutched at her chest. "Don't worry. We will save her."

"There is someone you must take with you!" she demanded.

"Who?" he asked. The others looked at him with confusion.

"There is a guard outside. He's waiting there by my request. He was her personal guard when she was younger. Before all of it happened. Take him with you!" she begged.

"I will," Eremes nodded. She clasped his hand, and he smiled. When she left him, Seyren walked over with a frown.

"Who was she?" he asked.

"The dying girl's grandmother. She told me of her granddaughter's plight," Eremes said lightly. "I need to collect someone outside of the town."

"Oh?" Margaretha asked.

"Apparently...the girl was a royalty figure long ago and discarded. There is much...that still needs to be told..." Eremes said with narrowed eyes. Now the others were in shock. As they walked past several buildings, the Assassin stopped and tilted his head to the sound of snickering. He gestured for them to wait, and he Cloaked to get closer. He saw two guards drinking, and he moved in closer to hear them.

"You think that little one is dead yet?" one asked the other.

"Hell if I know. Who cares if she is? The Empress will never know! She doesn't care, anyways!" the other guard giggled in a drunken way. "Could have had fun with her..."

"Oh..." the other one blinked. "Think the package is still where we dropped her off?"

"Maybe," his companion grinned.

"The package has been safely delivered to Incantation Samurai," Eremes hissed out from where he was as he Uncloaked furiously. "If you want the package back, talk to him. I dare you! Maybe he'll let you see her after he guts you open..."

"What?!" the first guard gaped. Eremes wanted to kill them both, but he couldn't draw attention to himself. He knew what they looked like now.  _That was enough._

"Considering that she's a princess..." the Assassin smoldered. Now the guards were in shock. "And now she's dying thanks to what the two of you have done!"

At this, the guards fled the scene. Eremes would be sure to find them later.  _Right now, I have a life to protect._  He went back to the other four that were waiting for him, and he told them what he had just encountered and discovered.

"Those two were the ones that...?!" Margaretha gasped.

"That poor girl!" Seyren cringed.

"And they talked about going back to rape her?!" Kathryne hissed.

"If I see them, I'll arrow rape them!" Cecil scowled.

"No time. We must go," Eremes muttered, and they nodded. They moved out of the town, and Eremes walked over towards a patch of trees. "I know you're there. I was told to meet you. To lead you to her. Come with me."

"Finally!" the honorable guard said, as he walked over to meet them. "I was her guard for two years of her life. Her first two years. I can shed a lot of light on things."

"How did you know to be here?" Seyren asked, as they walked.

"I saw that Amatsu was under attack. When I appeared, Sarine's grandmother recognized me and talked to me about everything. Sarine will know me," the man said.

"Good," Eremes nodded. They walked into the training grounds to find it flooded with adventurers. The monsters were working on holding them back, but they seemed to ignore Eremes and his group. They knew he was there to help.

"How will Howard get here?" Seyren asked.

"If a Blacksmith is seen with green hair, he is an ally," Eremes said out loud to a few monsters. The monsters heard him, and the news would be taken to Sammy. "Now he is fine."

"Really?" Margaretha blinked.

"I was ordered by Incantation Samurai to find an honorable one to help. That was all," Eremes said, as he led them through the walls. When they got down below in the cave systems, more adventurers were here. He was starting to get worried. He led the others straight into the underground shrine and looked around.

"Here! Quick!" Sammy hissed. "Who are all of you?!"

"We are friends of Howard. He's the Blacksmith that Eremes found," Seyren said.

"I'm someone who guarded Sarine in her youth. Her grandmother wanted me to see you," the older guard said. That had Sammy blink with surprise. "And, yes, I can tell you what I know. I'll do so gladly! Where is my Princess? What is her condition?"

"Not good," Sammy frowned. "She's having breathing problems now."

"Is she?" Margaretha asked.

"It's pneumonia. She has a nasty fever. Kiel D-01 is trying to make medicines for her, but he's handicapped without the right equipment," Sammy explained. He led them to the hidden room, and Seyren gaped with shock at the girl on the bed. Doll was constantly bathing Sarine's skin to keep her clean of sweat. Aliots and Alicels were standing guard in every section of the room, and they glared at the new comers.

"Kiehl," Sammy said. "The Blacksmith will be here soon. He just entered the shrine up above. There is a guard here that knows everything."

"Is that so?" Kiehl asked, as he turned to face them now. "I am Kiel D-01, but I can be called Kiehl. This girl is very special, but she's dying."

"I found the ones that dropped her in the stream..." Eremes said with a furious hiss. "They were talking about...finding her again...to use her..."

"If they come here, they die!" Sammy snarled out savagely.

"When this Blacksmith gets here, I'll tell you all what I know," the guard nodded and set up his position by the door to guard his princess. "No one will get past me!"

"Good!" Sammy nodded.

"Eremes, I honestly didn't believe you when you told me about this girl," Seyren admitted. "Why was she treated like this?"

"Because she is special," the guard said. "That is why. The Empress was jealous of her beauty and intellect. Ah. There is the Blacksmith now."

"I'm here! Where is she?!" Howard said, as he ran over with his cart. He looked at the corpse-like girl, and he stopped in his tracks. "Oh...my..."

"Do you know her?" Kiehl asked, as he turned to face him. The two of them stared at each other at first. _It was as if they knew each other!_

"No. But...why do I feel like I know you?" Howard frowned.

"No clue. But, I know I can trust you," Kiehl nodded. They actually clasped hands, and Howard started to take out supplies from his cart.

"How much did you spend?!" Seyren gaped.

"All of it," Howard muttered.

"What?!" Seyren grimaced.

"It's to save a  _dying_  girl! One that is clearly special! Are you going to argue with me about this now?!" Howard spat. Seyren's jaw dropped. _Howard was never like this before._

"I like you," Kiehl grinned. He was finally able to start preparing potions with the mixing bowls he desperately needed.

"Good," Howard grinned back, and he set aside various bolts of cloth and foodstuffs. "Oh, I picked this up. This was the major expense."

"What was?" Sammy asked. At the sight of the rare pill in the golden wrapper, Kiehl's jaw dropped. Sammy grabbed the pill and now carefully gave it to Sarine.

"You found Pilule?!" Kiehl asked with amazement.

"I prayed for it," Howard said lightly.

"You..." Kiehl blinked and nodded. "Okay."

"Prayed?" Margaretha asked.

"I purchased various Old Purple Boxes. When I got to the last one, I prayed for a miracle cure. The box glowed," Howard sighed.

"It glowed?!" Sammy gaped. "Ah, okay. Well, her fever is broken, but she's extremely weak. Anyways, we need to wait this out."

"There are people coming to kill you," Howard said to Kiehl.

"Really? Well, I'm not leaving this room. They can try to find me. If they do, they die," Kiehl smirked. "I'm Kiehl, by the way."

"Howard," he smiled. Doll came back in with a basin of fresh, warm water. Margaretha was already helping her, and Kathryne was going to help deter adventurers with Cecil. Seyren and Eremes set up their spots by the door to help ambush, if they had to.

"When it becomes clear, I'll tell of what I know," the guard promised.

"Fine," Sammy said. "What is your name?"

"Tsurga," he said. "Will my Princess live? Her Majesty?"

"Her life isn't threatened by the illness anymore. She may have a strong chance now," Sammy smiled. Then he blinked, as he thought. Now he spat out harsh curses.

"What is it?!" Kiehl asked.

"That Empress is coming down! Does anyone else know that she is here?! That Sarine is here and lives?!" Sammy asked.

"I said something," Eremes frowned. "The two guards...they threatened to try and find her. To...rape her...and I threatened them with the knowledge that she was safe..."

"What?!" Kiehl asked with shock. He was too busy working on a cure to have paid attention the first time. Now Howard looked over with a murderous look on his face.  _No one was going to let Sarine be touched._

"I'll kill them all...!" Sammy seethed.

"She is a powerful witch," Tsurga frowned. "She enchanted all that was in the palace at night. Including the Emperor."

"Did she?!" Sammy frowned. "And the night Sarine was imprisoned?"

With a heavy sigh, Tsurga told them of how Sarine was tossed into the room. Sammy felt under Sarine's head and found the scar. That made him shiver with a nearly uncontrolled rage at the size of the scarring he felt.

"Thank you for saving her life," Kiehl said.

"And thank you for finding her after you were called," Tsurga nodded.

"I just felt that someone important was in pain," Kiehl sighed. "That someone was suffering. I was drawn to her."

"The moment I was told about her, I wanted her in my care," Sammy frowned. "She should have been given straight to me, if she was going to get such treatment!"

"What do we do about the Empress?" Howard asked now.

"If she comes in here, I'm killing her!" Sammy vowed.

"We both will," Kiehl nodded.

"Actually," Howard said. "Kiehl, you should hide with me. Be her last line of defense. I'm not sure why I feel this is important, but it is."

"Really?" Kiehl thought. "Hmm. Well, if you think I should, then I will."

"Odd," Seyren frowned.

"It's just this gut feeling," Howard said. "Not constipation like you!"

"Hey!" Seyren scowled, and that got sniggers from Kiehl and Sammy. Howard had to show that he was trying to be serious, and that helped. "All right. Kiehl, where can you hide with her? Is it even possible?"

"Hmm," Sammy thought. "Emilia is biding her time in getting here. I'm also slowing her down by having all of my minions attack her when they see her. I could have a false wall constructed and have you hidden behind the bed. You know my shrine is filled with false walls when you first get in. I can have one constructed in the same manner. This way, if she comes close, you can jump out and stop her. Sound good?"

"I like it," Kiehl nodded. "How fast can it be made?"

For his answer, several Tengu monsters and Shinobi monsters moved in and started to fix up the back wall. It was designed to look like an optical illusion, and Kiehl was neatly hidden within the false bricks. There was no magic involved and would be undetected. It was very much like the walls in the training section when one first walked into Sammy's domain.

"Awesome," Howard grinned. Sammy moved to carefully feel Sarine's forehead, and he tenderly placed a heavier cloth over her to keep her body temperature warm. More water was seeped into her mouth to trickle down her throat to keep her hydrated.

"I have to do this every hour," Sammy muttered. "She needs the fluids. I need a warm soup broth for her now. Easy for her stomach to digest, and it gives more fluids for her."

"Here," Howard said, as he gave some soup to Doll.

"We're looking at a solid week of intensive care," Sammy sighed. "Another year for her body to heal and catch up. Howard, where are you from?"

"Amatsu. Why?" he asked.

"You never saw her?!" Sammy asked.

"I know you now!" Tsurga said. "Emperor Markus wanted you to meet her! Before the Empress took over the palace!"

"Wait..." Howard blinked. "This is his daughter?! This girl?!"

"Yes!" Tsurga nodded.

"I..." Howard gasped. "I was only five when I was told about her! I had forgotten that he even told me that she existed! I...shit..."

Eremes looked over with surprise now. This was unexpected. Howard moved over to Sarine and gently caressed her cheek. Her skin was incredibly cool to the touch, and he grimaced. Kiehl walked over now and rested a hand on his shoulder in silent understanding.

"That woman will die today," Kiehl vowed.

"Good," Howard nodded. He loved this girl. It was clearly seen now. "I don't want anything to harm her like this ever again!"

"We won't let it," Seyren nodded. Tsurga nodded, as well.

"Howard, she is a princess. You are not noble or royal, right?" Sammy asked.

"No. I'm just a commoner," Howard sighed.

"I want you to marry her. I know you will protect her," Sammy said. "I know Eremes would, too, come to think of it. I'm not sure what to think."

"I would..." Eremes said with a small nod. Howard looked at him with a mild glare. The jealousy sparks were flying between them, and Seyren cleared his throat.

"We'll solve this later. We have a war about to start. Right?" the Knight asked.

"Yeah," Howard nodded. Eremes gave a small nod, too. They would be neutral for now.

"I feel her approach. How do we handle this?" Sammy asked.

"I'll hide. Eremes can Cloak. Howard, hide with me," Kiehl said. "Seyren, you can act like another adventurer outside with the others. Thwart them, if you can."

"I'll go with him," Margaretha nodded. Sammy and Doll moved to hide in a darkened corner of the room. Sarine was breathing evenly in a deep sleep that could only be done from intense recovering. Tsurga took up a position in a low crouch behind the bed. He could easily attack from underneath it, if he had to, in order to have the moment of surprise. Moments later, Emilia walked in. She had her guards distracting the monsters out in the shrine, and she was able to find the room easily with her magic.

"You little pest..." Emilia glowered, as she took out a sacrificial dagger. "You should have died! I will kill you, and I will be the mother to the one that will stop the coming war! Odin should have come to me! Not my sister! I was the one that should have been chosen! Once I kill you, he'll have to come to me!"

When she approached the bed, time seemed to freeze. Then a crushing weight filtered around the room for Odin to appear. Muninn and Huginn were standing protectively in front of the bed. Sammy, Kiehl, Howard, Eremes, Tsurga, and Doll were witnessing the whole thing in a form of silent and absolute shock.

"You would  _dare_  to harm my daughter, my Vessel?!" Odin seethed. Emilia paled, and the dagger fell from her hand to clatter on the floor. "I vowed to protect her with everything I had! I was the one that was keeping my daughter, my Vessel, alive! To know that  _you_  of all humans wanted her dead? Your own kin?! How dare you!"

" _You have harmed far too many innocents,_ " Muninn glowered.

"Your treachery has not gone unnoticed from Valhalla," Huginn hissed.

"Your sister was pure of heart! And now I see why she could not have children! YOU were the one who placed the damaging curse on her womb! YOU were the one that forced her into fighting for lost causes! Yet, it was also you who let her turn to me for assistance!" Odin fumed. "Emperor Markus Chin is not able to create an heir with you, because I cursed  _your_  womb to never get with child! You are sterile because of  _me_!"

Now Emilia was gaping. She had no idea that Odin had cursed her to be barren. Muninn and Huginn looked at each other, and they turned to those hiding in the room to calmly gesture for them to walk out of hiding. Now Emilia saw there were witnesses to everything.

" _Father Odin, what shall we do with this vile creature?_ " Muninn asked.

"Call Loki," Odin grinned wickedly. Huginn was grinning just as wickedly and made the mental call. The regal being appeared and nodded to Odin.

"Father?" he asked in his silken, venomous voice.

"You all will find it amusing that it was this very woman that caused the Morroc sickness, as well as the Amatsu sickness. However, Loki, did you also know that she was the one that gave the idea to the Rachel Priests for your son to be entombed in ice? Or don't you?" Odin smirked. Now Loki seethed with rage and turned to the vile woman with absolute hatred. "He will be freed, though. When the time is right. Worry not."

"Can I kill her now?!" Loki snarled.

"Surely," Odin seemed to shrug and turned, as Emilia's scream ripped from her throat when she was torn open. "Howard Alt-Eisen. Kiel D-01. Tsurga Din. Eremes Guile. Incantation Samurai. Miyabi Doll. The six of you are witnesses to everything that happened today. Emperor Markus is freed from his curse and will be here when I leave. He has been honorable to my daughter, my Vessel, until his enchantment. He has fought it with everything he had. Let him help tend to her. He needs to. As to who will marry my daughter, my Vessel, it will be difficult to say. She belongs with many, you know."

"Does she?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. You are one of them!" Odin chuckled. Kiehl blinked at this news. "So is Incantation Samurai. In fact, all in this room, save Miyabi Doll and my son, are to be with her in her later years. It is important for it to happen."

"I see..." Eremes said softly. Muninn gave a glance at Huginn with silent surprise. They didn't know that they would have been eventually needed for Sarine. Eremes looked over at Howard now with a soft sigh.  _There was no reason for jealousy over Howard, if this was the case._  "What happens now?"

"My daughter, my Vessel, needs to heal. When she wakes, you will know what will need to be done. I will leave you all now with Huginn, Muninn, and Loki," Odin said. The three, powerful figures nodded. Emilia's body was charred to ashes, and her soul was caught by Loki to get sealed away. When the crushing force came around them and vanished away, Sammy went right back to Sarine's side to feel her forehead. Mumbling to himself, he started to feed her warmed soups. Howard and Kiehl stood side by side while they watched her.

"Sammy, why did you ask Howard of his nobility status?" Eremes asked.

"Oh. That's a good question," Howard said.

"Sarine is a princess. She's also Odin's daughter, apparently. She cannot be with just anyone. I was thinking that, if I gave him or you some of my blood, it may help protect her. I was a Warlord from the past. At least my ancestor that lives within me is. It's ancient royalty, in a sense. New royalty is weak! I don't want Sarine to be harassed by anyone unworthy, you see," Sammy said. "So, if I give you and Howard a drop of my blood, it could help her."

"I'm all for it," Howard nodded.

"When he's done, Howard, take a drop of mine. But, I want a drop of yours too," Kiehl said. "Just call it a hunch, okay?"

"Ah...all right," Howard shrugged. Sammy had Kiehl and Howard do the blood swap first. Then Sammy gave Howard and Eremes a drop of his blood. The change in stance and aura was instant. Eremes and Howard nodded to each other equally, and both vowed right then and there to be brothers. Kiehl and Howard looked at each other now in shock. "I heard you!"

"Seyren will be pissed, you know," Kiehl grinned.

"Tsurga, come here and get a drop of my blood, too," Sammy said. The guard paused at this, but he nodded.  _If I was destined for Sarine, too, then I may as well._  He took the drop and sighed at the feeling of ancient nobility and honor sweep through him. Then Sammy nodded and said, "You three are my sons now. I'll have Doll fashion talismans for you all, so you have safe passage to me at any time."

"Thank you," Howard smiled.

"Sarine will stay here?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. I need to keep an eye on her health. Ah. Markus is approaching us!" Sammy smiled. "Bring him here?"

"I'll do it," Tsurga chuckled. Right after he left, Seyren came in with the other three girls, and they were informed on what they missed.

"She's a daughter of Odin?!" Seyren asked with shock.

"Yes. She is," Howard nodded.

"She's very special. Like we all thought," Eremes sighed.

"Where is she?!" Markus said, as he ran in. The moment his enchantment lifted, he had run straight over from the palace. At the sight of his old guard, he paused at the sense of ancient royalty that came from him, but he brushed it aside. His daughter was far more important, and he would get filled in later. Tsurga was leading him in, and the Emperor saw his daughter fully after so long. Tears of shame fell from face as he saw how bad she was.

"We know it's not your fault. The Empress is dead. She is to remain here until she is well," Sammy said softly. "Sit down and tell us what you can."

"All right," Markus nodded, as he wiped away his tears. Her abuse was told in depth now, and everyone was outraged and shocked. At the mention of the white powder, Kiehl gave a hissing snarl of rage at it, and Howard looked at him with surprise.

"You know what that is?!" he asked.

"Yeah," Kiehl winced. Now he explained in depth as to what it was and Sammy grimaced. "How much did she eat? How long?"

"Since she was two..." Markus cringed. Now Kiehl paused in complete shock.

"We'll focus on that later!" Sammy growled. "Right now, her health is important!"

"Right..." Kiehl sighed. The dream vision ended with Sarine being nursed back to health slowly, but surely...


	166. Chapter 166

"I would have met you first..." Kiehl sighed, as he crushed Sarine to him.

"Kiehl..." Sarine sighed, and he kissed her hard. Hyegun was thinking and moved over to them quickly to whisper. Beelzebub looked over with a bit of surprise. Terin frowned in thought and wasn't sure what to make of it.

"But...Nigel was to be with her," Kiehl frowned.

"Well, the triplets want some form of a solid night with you, Howard, and Naght. Ifrit isn't really required, since the separate twins seem to be fully content with everything. I'm not sure what can be done," Hyegun said.

" _Let me help,_ " Muninn said, as time was frozen. " _Ifrit and you will remain free to assist, if needed. Howard, Naght, Kiehl, and Sarine. I will keep time frozen for what would be as a full night. Everything will be fine. Father Odin?_ "

"Let it be done," Odin nodded. "However, unfreeze time quickly so I may take Loki away from here, too. He is not needed to be so close to any."

"Right," Loki muttered. At Kiehl's slight glare of hatred, Muninn swiftly unfroze time for the two powerful beings to leave and refroze time. He sat back against a wall to chuckle and chat with Ifrit and Hyegun.

"So, why am I here?" Hyegun smiled.

" _The triplets may need something. You would know, right?_ " Muninn winked. Ifrit seemed to laugh softly and watched Kiehl claim Sarine with everything he had.

"Do you have anything left?" Howard grinned.

"Shut up!" Kiehl growled, and his brother laughed. Naght rumbled out his amusement, too, and moved to converse with Ifrit. Hyegun looked over and blinked at what the triplets wanted. He got up and walked over quickly to whisper.

"They want that?!" Howard gaped.

"Yes. Can it be done?" Hyegun asked.

"But..." Sarine blinked.

"We'll try it," Kiehl smiled and ran a hand over her belly. "What the triplets want, they'll get. Right? Howard, help me with her."

"I don't know how long we'll be able to keep it up for," Howard sighed.

"I...will...help..." Naght hissed and left to go back to his tower and come forth through Howard. Once his eyes glowed with dull red pupils, he nodded to Kiehl. He got a nod back, and they both took her at once. She cried out, as they both roared and held her there.

"How long...?" Kiehl panted, as he kept himself pressed against her.

"Not sure," Naght gasped, as he clung to her. When he was about to pull away, Sarine looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes. "Sarine..."

"Stay...please stay..." she whispered, and she tightened her body around them both to make them shudder with another release. They couldn't have moved if they tried. She effectively pinned them both deep within her. They mentally agreed to shift into a position to lay her on her side with them. When she fell asleep, they tried to move from her, but her body instinctively tightened to hold them to her.

"What the hell...?" Kiehl hissed.

"Should I try to come back?" Naght grimaced with pleasure, as it rocked him again.

"As long as Howard stays in her with me...I guess..." Kiehl gasped. Naght nodded and managed to leave Howard. He trembled from the onslaught of pleasure he felt now, and they tried to leave Sarine's form again. Once again, her body tightened to keep them from separating from her. Howard was tense all over, and Kiehl was no better.

"What are we supposed to do?!" Howard growled out. Naght looked at Hyegun and Muninn for help. Ifrit didn't know what he could do. Muninn walked over quickly to kneel down to them. He knew that it was the triplets.  _They clearly wanted their fathers as close as possible._ He knelt down and whispered softly into Sarine's ear. She gave an instinctive whimper, and Kiehl gave a savage snarl of protection in response.

"Just leave us!" Kiehl snapped instinctively. "We'll deal with this!"

" _Will you, Kiehl?_ " Muninn asked carefully. At that, Kiehl blinked and shivered.

"Sorry. She whimpered and..." he winced.

" _It's fine. It was an instinctive response. I need to bring Loomin into the time freeze. May I do this? He can help us,_ " Muninn said gently. Kiehl nodded, and the quick gesture of time was done. Loomin blinked and looked over to the bathroom with shock.

"Help them," Hyegun muttered. Loomin was up from his seat and now kneeling by Sarine and her entangled husbands. He carefully managed to run a hand over her side and slipped his palm onto her belly to focus.

"These guys really miss you both," Loomin sighed. "Kids. What you want cannot be kept up. You will hurt your fathers. Do you want to do that?"

With that said, her body finally eased up to let them part from her with harsh gasps of relief. They wouldn't have survived an hour like that, yet they both felt a slight pain on leaving her. They couldn't think about it now. When Loomin moved away, Sarine blinked her eyes awake, and she looked horribly upset.

"Sarine!" Howard hissed and crushed her to his chest.

"Darling, we know you want us as close as you can," Kiehl winced. "No! Our triplets are fine! There is nothing wrong!"

"Hmm," Loomin thought, as he studied the situation. "I understand now."

"Do you?" Kiehl asked, as Howard kept holding her.

"Think about the dream vision she had with Doppy. The continuation. He was locked within her, in a sense. Keeping the triplets inside her that way," Loomin thought and frowned. Kiehl thought, and now his jaw dropped.

"Are you serious?" Howard asked, as he nuzzled her. "Sarine, you know that our triplets are growing in you. They are secure. You don't have to worry."

"I know...I just..." she shivered. Then Loomin thought, walked over to Muninn and whispered. The powerful being's eyes went wide.

" _You think that's why Eremes has that issue on separating from her?!_ " he asked.

"He always seems to have a form of pain when he leaves her. He may not have voiced it, but you can tell when he leaves her. I think this is why," Loomin nodded. "I have an idea."

"The triplets are actually agreeing with you," Hyegun mused. "What's your idea?"

"Let Nigel in here. Let her be with him as a night in the time freeze. He needs to keep his promise. Then we'll get Eremes in here. He wanted to be with her, anyways, so we'll just reverse the order. We'll test it this way," Loomin said.

"Do...it..." Naght nodded. Ifrit gave a small nod of his own. Time unfroze and froze again as Loomin fetched Nigel. The slave moved in quickly and pulled Sarine into his embrace.

"My Lady?" he asked, and she snuggled into his neck. He held her trembling form tenderly, as Kiehl stroked her back. He had to keep some form of touch on her to keep his craving for her down. Howard lay back against the cushions and sighed.

"How-How?" Sarine asked, as she looked at him.

"Yes, love?" he smiled and gazed at her. At her thought, and the look in her eyes, he moved to let her lean into him. "You should sleep, you know."

"How can I do that?" she shivered. "How can I sleep?"

"With me, My Lady," Nigel muttered with a soft growl in her ear to make her gasp with surprise. "Remember. Time may be frozen, but you dared me to pull an all-nighter with you."

"I...know..." she tensed, and he ran a hand up her spine.

"It would only be fair for me to do just that. Even with time frozen. Right, My Lady?" he grinned, and she turned to hiss and tackle him. Kiehl started to chuckle with Howard now, and Loomin made himself comfortable. Then he blinked and suggested that Sammy be brought in. Hyegun even frowned a bit at this.

"Why?" Kiehl asked.

"When Sarine sleeps, even with time frozen, she dreams, right?" Loomin asked. Sammy was brought in soon after. He was brought up to speed on what was going to happen, and he settled himself on a cushion. When six timeless hours went by with sleepy, pleasuring bliss, Nigel nuzzled Sarine awake in a lovingly gentle manner.

"Hmm?" she smiled.

"Nightfall would be nearly up by now. My Lady, I have a request of you," he sighed.

"What would that be, love?"

"When you are well enough to sleep a normal night, we need to do this again. I would really like to watch the sunrise with you. Maybe on the balcony," he chuckled. That made her blush, and she let him kiss her passionately.

"Done," Kiehl grinned. "If anything, you helped us out here. First night she's able to sleep normally will be yours."

"Thank you," Nigel nodded.

"Test run?" Howard joked.

"I think I passed," he grinned wolfishly, and cried out at Sarine's sharp bite to his neck. He let her drink from him, and Kiehl Healed him right after. She still looked hungry, and Nigel was quick to bring her various dishes. When she finished eating, she hugged him tight.

"I don't mean to be so demanding," she sighed.

"My Lady, don't worry about that," Nigel soothed and hugged her back. "Whatever you need, I will give you. Whenever you need me, I'll be there for you. You are the center of my life, and I will do everything I can to make sure you're happy."

"You're just saying that, since you are my slave," she sighed.

"No, My Lady. I'm not," Nigel said gently. "I love you, My Lady. This is why I do the things that I do for you. The others would say the exact same thing."

"I love you, too, Nigel," she said with a soft tremble, and he cuddled her.

"And I still want kids with you," he grinned. That got him rewarded with a blush, and the others laughed. They kissed passionately, and Kiehl took her from him. He had to hold her as she slept from time to time to keep his craving down. When Nigel left, Muninn waited for him to settle down to rest before swapping him out with Eremes in the time freeze.

"Hmm?" Eremes frowned, as he walked over to them. Muninn whispered to him, as Ifrit filled him in mentally. The Assassin Cross blinked with shock.

" _Please see if this works?_ " Muninn asked.

"If it does...?" he frowned.

" _Then, if she needs this again, you will be contacted._ "

"Very well..." he nodded. Kiehl nodded to him, and Howard sighed.  _It was all for our triplets._  Sarine seemed to shiver, and Eremes moved to her side.

"She's feeling cold," Kiehl said.

"Heated massage," Eremes chuckled. That had Kiehl grinning, and now Sarine was a gasping mess of both relief and sensations, as they both worked their hot hands over her body.

"You both may need to do that more often," Howard chuckled.

"Much more often," Hyegun confirmed at the delightful thoughts of the children. Kiehl backed away, and Eremes moved to claim her with everything he had. She wrapped herself around him after their release, and he sighed. He was about to pull himself off of her, but he remembered. She whimpered at first, but then shivered when he pushed himself into her as deep as he could to keep himself there.

"I'm staying," he whispered softly to her, and she just nodded with a form of relief. "I will not leave your side. Relax, my love. All is well."

She let out a sigh of contentment and actually fell asleep on him. Kiehl kept himself pressed against her, and Loomin seemed to nod.

"We'll see how you are in the morning," Loomin said, as time resumed. Sammy was already meditating, and Howard had fallen asleep. Eremes could only nod with exhaustion, and he kept himself locked within her, as he succumbed to sleep. The others started to meditate close by, and Muninn kept a careful watch over everyone.


	167. Chapter 167

In the morning, Eremes woke first. He was surprised that he was still locked within her, and he gave a soft chuckle.  _I'm not going to leave her._ Something told him it wasn't that time just yet. He felt her shift, and he gasped at the release he had with her. She opened her eyes now with a soft smile and snuggled into him.

"You stayed..." she sighed.

"I did," he smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I think...um...I may need this...every night..." she winced. That had him look at her with shock. "I even remember that...well...I didn't want Kiehl or How-How to leave at times. I just...wanted them close. Like this. You see..."

"Sarine, what you are asking for is nearly impossible," Eremes whispered in his deep, yet quiet tone. "I am in shock at myself for managing this!"

"Then I'll have to see what I can do, won't I?" Kiehl muttered, and he blinked out of meditation. "It's the triplets that want this. I think this is also coming from Ifrit, too."

"No," Hyegun sighed. "This is all Naght's side."

"What?!" Howard said, as he got nudged awake with a mental shove. Now Naght was glancing over with Ifrit. Even Muninn was paying close attention. Sammy blinked his eyes open to find out what was going on.

"Naght was alone for centuries. Think about it. She didn't want to feel alone. She knows we are here, but she wanted us even closer. More intimate. It's mainly his and Ifrit's twins that want this. The triplets are going with it, since it keeps us close to them," Hyegun said.

"I see," Loomin grimaced. Naght was thinking hard on everything. He wasn't sure how to respond. He knew he was lonely for a very long time. The solitude did grow on him, but, at the same time, he wanted to end it. He was done with living that life. Then he thought of something else, and Howard gaped.

"You think that's why she called for Doppy?" Kiehl mused. "Naght was always protected by strong monsters. Still is in his tower. Maybe, just maybe, she wants to have all of us around her to feel the same way. Complete and solid protection. We do that, anyways, but it would make more sense as to why she would want Doppy on occasion, too. He's her Wrath. He's second in power to me. Naght is right under him. Ah, speaking of which..."

"Oh," Howard blinked. They didn't swap blood yet to empower Doppy.  _When was the last time it was done?!_  "Shit..."

"What?" Eremes asked.

" _Time is frozen. Speak freely,_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Sarine swaps blood with me and Kiehl after each Demonic Mating," Howard said. "So that Naght can gain the power boost. Then Doppy gets the power boost from Naght. Odin wants Doppy to be his Wrath. He has to be stronger at all times. We mainly kept it a secret, because we didn't want the others to get jealous of this."

"But...if it was Odin's orders...they have no say so..." Eremes frowned. Ifrit blinked at this, and so did Hyegun. Sammy was in thought about everything, but he could only agree.

"It won't matter. Demons judge each other differently. It's a given," Kiehl sighed. "Get Doppy? And Eremes? How much longer do you have to be like that with Sarine?"

"Hmm..." Eremes thought before he grimaced and panted at a hard release, as Sarine tightened herself around him. "Ah...a bit longer...I think..."

"She's going to want someone with her constantly that way," Howard muttered. At Sarine's glance, he said, "And it's perfectly fine! We'll work with it!"

"Yes. We will," Kiehl nodded and watched Doppy walk in when time shifted around for him. "Doppy, they know. I have to give Howard some blood."

"I thought you were keeping up with it?" the demon frowned.

"Side-tracked. You know how it goes," Kiehl chuckled. They nodded to each other with small grins. Eremes whispered to Sarine now, and she sighed.

"I don't want you to leave," she whimpered.

"He'll be sitting by you," Doppy frowned. Muninn moved to whisper to him of their discovery. And now Doppy was gaping with absolute shock.

"Yeah. It's...difficult at best..." Eremes said lightly.

"Can we even travel?! She has lust waves, and now this?" Doppy asked with complete concern. "I honestly don't know if we can."

"We will work with it," Kiehl said calmly. Sammy gave a warning glare, and Doppy nodded. "We'll tell the others slowly. It's all we can do. Sarine, Eremes needs to separate from you. I will replace him for a bit. We will need to tend the children. Our children. Okay?"

"Okay," Sarine nodded. Eremes managed to move from her, and he realized that there was no pain at all.  _Maybe that was what I needed the whole time? To be locked within her like that?_ They would likely test various things later on. Kiehl moved to her side now and kissed her hard with his intense purr. He let her bite him to give Howard the blood needed for Naght. She managed to take her morning blood bond after that, and Howard was quick to get bitten next with Naght empowering him. Doppy felt his power surge when he got slightly stronger, and he grinned. Eremes had Ifrit come back through him to give her the blood she needed, and Ifrit Healed him when he came back. As Sarine relaxed after the blood bonds, Kiehl looked over at Loomin, as he Healed himself and Howard.

"There was something I noticed," Loomin said.

"What's that?" Kiehl asked.

"Sarine is practically immune to heat and cold. Not only from the child within her, but it's a courtesy of Naght, too," Loomin grinned. "However, it only seems to work with weather. She still needs to be kept reasonably warm indoors."

"Truly?!" Sammy blinked. "At least we know that this will be beneficial."

"Now would be the time for traveling, if we're careful about it," Howard sighed. Doppy could only sigh. It was mixed emotions when it came to traveling, and Sarine shivered.

"Are you all right?" Kiehl asked. "Sarine?"

"I want my demon," Sarine said with a soft blush. Doppy looked over now and smiled tenderly. Kiehl nodded to him with a small smile and let the powerful demon drop his armor to sit with her. She sighed when she snuggled into his broad, lean chest.

"The kids may be waking up soon. We'll need to tend to them," Sammy said.

"Okay," Sarine whispered, as Doppy held her. "My demon?"

"No need to ask that," Doppy said, as he ran a hand over her form. "It's a given. You know I'm your demon."

"I just like the answer you give me," she blushed.

"Oh? Well, in that case," Doppy grinned. Howard started to laugh with Kiehl at Sarine's squeal from being taken. Loomin and Hyegun were snickering. When Doppy roared out his successful mating roar with Sarine's keening cry, he went to move off her. He hissed when she trapped him within her.

"Stay?" she whimpered.

"Sorry Sari...!" Doppy gasped, as he found himself shivering from the sensation.

"Sarine, the kids..." Howard winced.

"When will they wake?" Eremes asked.

" _Another hour. That's when they will wake up,_ " Muninn said, as he looked into the future. " _Doppelganger, you should be all right._ "

"Will my demon stay?" Sarine asked with a soft pleading tone.

"Sorry Sari..." Doppy said with a mild form of shock, and he pulled her against him in a sitting up position. "Yes. I'll stay. It's all right now..."

"We may be taking turns each night with her," Kiehl frowned. "She should be all right with the kids around, but, like this..."

"You're right," Loomin nodded. Doppy's original form came back to him, and he was still locked to her. He began to purr intensely for her, and he held her tight to him. Kiehl studied this now and realized that it was this that she needed. Her arms were around his neck, and he had her in a locked embrace. It was solid protection that he was giving her.

"My demon..." she said with a soft sigh.

"Always your demon," he muttered through the purr and kissed her. "Our babies are safe. I'll slaughter anything. Anyone. That try to touch them. I promise."

She only nodded, and Doppy pressed a kiss to her forehead. When the bathroom door opened, he looked over with a seething hiss, but Loomin was already checking it. Kiehl smirked, at is it was completely instinctive. When he needed her close, Doppy was able to let Kiehl press against her. This seemed to calm her even more.  _I have my two most powerful mates there._  Howard smiled at the thoughts that he felt from the solid protection she needed.

"Doppy, you may need to help her with me from time to time," Kiehl said lightly.

"I will?" he blinked.

"She's in the most content state of mind I've ever known her to be in for this pregnancy. Other than the purring," Kiehl chuckled. Then he took over the purring to let Doppy rest.

"The kids are starting to wake up," Loomin said gently, as he walked over. "They will want to see us. Will you be okay, Sarine?"

"I should be fine," she smiled, and Doppy was able to separate from her. This time, he winced from a slight pain, and he paused at that.

"What happened?" Howard asked.

"It was painful to pull away!" Doppy said.

"You felt what I went through?!" Eremes gaped.

"Hmm," Loomin thought, as he undressed. "Sarine, come to me."

"Okay," she nodded and let Loomin settle on the ground with her. He trembled, as he slipped into her, and gave himself to her quickly. Then he simply held her against his chest. She knew he was a very powerful husband of hers, and the feeling of complete calm settled in her mind. Doppy's stronger form came back, as he dressed, but he didn't go anywhere. Naght and Howard both wanted to know what was going on. Sammy, Hyegun and Ifrit watched curiously.

"Ten minutes. All right, Sarine. Let's get you dressed," Loomin smiled.

"Stay?" she whispered, as she looked at him.

"The kids will need you," he reminded her. "You want to travel, right? One of us can stay with you on Windwalker. Or in the Captain's Quarters on the ship. Don't you want to let the kids go fishing today?"

"Yeah," she said softly, but she continued to hug him tight. "Just...a bit longer?"

"All right," he said with a soft smile. As he hugged her to him, he studied the situation that was going on. After several minutes, she let him move from her, and now he felt the pain of separating from her. He blinked at it for a moment, and it pieced together for him. "I see..."

"Do you?" Eremes asked.

"Yes. Her body wasn't 'done' with us. Apparently. Eremes, did you feel any pain when you moved from her side a while ago?" he asked.

"No. It was the first time, too," Eremes admitted. "Normally, I always felt it."

"Really?! Well, that was the first time I felt something like that. Hmm," Loomin thought. "Anyone else before all of this?"

" _Not I,_ " Muninn said with a small frown. The others had no sensation at all until now.

"We'll monitor it," Kiehl said, as he hugged Sarine to him. She nuzzled under his jaw and stood with him to shower and dress. Hyegun motioned for Howard, Naght, and Ifrit to remain in her line of sight.  _She still needed them close._ When they finally walked out of the bathroom, her craving dishes were there, and Serenity was waiting for them.

"Mama?" she frowned.

"I'm all right, dear," Sarine smiled and was set down to eat.

"Um, I had a strange dream," she admitted. Muninn was quick to move and pick her up.

" _Tell me what it was?_ " he asked, as he lightly tickled her to hear her giggle.

"Okay, Uncle Muninn. Ah, Mama wasn't happy. She, um, wanted all of my Dads close. Like, really close. To a point that it looked like they were making babies. But, well, it wasn't like that. I was hugged, too. By Keel. I was being protected from something. I think."

" _Protected?_ " Muninn thought. Loomin walked over now to try and make sense of it.

"Yeah. Something bad was happening. Really bad," she frowned. "Then I woke up."

"Were any of us naked?" Kiehl asked.

"No. Just really close. Like, um, how we use Dead Branches, and how you all protect Mama. That's all," she said.

"Do you know where we were?" Loomin asked.

"Umm," Serenity thought. "Oh! The arena!"

"The arena?" Howard asked, as Serenity went to him.

" _Let me look ahead?_ " Muninn asked. At Kiehl's nod, he started to focus. " _Serenity had a premonition. Sarine is to never go to the arena with this pregnancy._ "

"Really?!" Sammy asked.

" _Yes. Something bad WILL happen! I don't see anything on what it could be, but we cannot take her to the arena at any time._ "

"I have an idea..." Eremes frowned. "What was the one thing...that we feared she would do...at the arena...?"

"No arena!" Thanatos scowled. Kiehl thought and then blinked. _A lust wave. It was the only other reason._ His curt nod was given at this, and Beelzebub blinked at a Hell Fly report.

"You aren't going to believe this," the Demon Lord growled.

"What?" Kiehl asked as he remained close to Sarine.

"A certain Jawaii incident came up," he said carefully. Terin sputtered at the thought he got, and now Doppy looked livid.

"If they come here, we will slaughter them," Kiehl said calmly. "They don't know who lives here. We will keep it at that."

"Hard to do," Beelzebub frowned. "The lead whore is saying she owns the arena."

"WHAT?!" Sarine suddenly seethed, and Kiehl shouted with Howard, as they struggled to keep her calm. Then Sarine thought. Now she started to giggle.

"What are you...oh..." Howard blinked and started to laugh.

"That would put her in her place, wouldn't it?" Kiehl grinned.

"What?" Doppy asked.

"Beelzebub, have a Hell Fly whisper to Dracula that, if she can identify the difference between Pori-Pori and a Poring, then she will pass the arena test. If Pori-Pori is called a Poring, well, problem solved," Kiehl grinned.

"I need to watch this!" Ragged Zombie said, and he ran out with Mobster.

"Even better," Loomin mused. "Have Angeling, Arch-Angeling, Deviling, and Skeggiold go down there, too. Let her identify each one. Then have Pori-Pori appear with Poring. That will be the real test. What do you think?"

"I want to see it! Then I will nurse the children," Sarine said with a slight nod.

" _I'll make a window for you. Okay?_ " Muninn smiled. She nodded at this and nuzzled into Kiehl, as he made his intense purr for her. Serenity was growling, but got tickled by Howard to keep her happy. In the window, the arena was revealed, and everyone was paying close attention. The three girls from Jawaii were there with their husbands. The three men were very nervous. Two of the girls were very nervous. Only the lead girl was comfortable.

"Honey, we shouldn't be doing this!" her Champion husband said.

"But, Andy, it's fine! It's all for publicity, right?" she grinned.

"This arena has been around longer than we've known each other! We came here once and got our asses handed to us. You shouldn't be doing this," Andy frowned.

"Um, I think he's right, Minnie," the blond Blacksmith woman said. "Marty is nervous! You know that when he gets nervous that something is wrong!"

"I still have no idea what hit me!" Marty simpered.

"Lila and I are leaving," the Gunslinger said. "Minnie, good luck."

"Totally," the Rogue girl said and got squeezed by her husband.

"You all are not going anywhere!" Minnie scowled and tossed her red hair.

"Excuse me, Miss?" the Kafra Agent said, as she came over. "I do not know who you are, but, if you truly claim to be the arena owner, then you must go through a test. By yourself. It was just relayed to me through them."

"Through who?" Minnie scoffed. Then she paled at the sight of Ragged Zombie and Mobster staring at her with hatred from the balcony.

"If you don't know who we are, then you're another lying whore," Ragged Zombie smirked. Her husband glared at the insult, but he did nothing. "But, well, you don't even know what I like for pleasure, anyways. Only my wife knows that. And she's the arena owner. But, eh...she wants to see how smart you are."

"I am very intelligent!" she bragged. She had no idea who Sarine was, thanks to Muninn's mind wipe, but she was ready to show she wasn't stupid.

"Oh?" Mobster grinned. "Then you won't mind telling us what monster is which. Right? It's just a little identifying game. You in?"

"Well..." Minnie faltered. Her husband looked at her with worry. "What happens if I win? Do I get a prize?"

"And you call yourself the owner of the arena?!" Ragged Zombie asked with disgust. That made her gape. "If you win, you don't die! If you lose, you die. And likely never allowed to come back here again. At least without getting teased like crazy. Got it?"

"I want to meet the owner of the arena," Lila mused.

"I think that's dangerous," John frowned. At his look, she nodded. He never proved her wrong before, and she was going with his advice. "Crysta? Marty? What do you think?"

"We'll see what happens with Minnie," Crysta sighed. "She won't leave until she's proven wrong. Let's see what happens."

"Yes. Let's," Marty nodded.

"Okay. Fine. I'll take your stupid test!" Minnie growled. Doombringer, Justice, Vengeance, and Defender hopped to the middle of the arena and glared at the Dancer.

"Tell us which ones these are. If you can, then you go to the second part of the test," Ragged Zombie grinned. "Let's see how much you know."

"Ah," Minnie blinked. "I know the pink one with wings is an Angeling."

"Lucky guess, human," Defender growled. That made her blink. She didn't know the monsters could talk. The true arena owner knew, and now whispers were being spread through the crowd. Many already knew who Sarine was and were just playing along to see what happened. Crysta was already cringing.

"You're a Deviling," Minnie said confidently to Vengeance.

"So far, so good. For now," Vengeance snickered.

"You are...ah...Arch-Angeling!" she said to Justice.

"I should just kill her now and save everyone the trouble," he muttered. That got small cheers from the crowd. When Doombringer hopped forward, she paled.

"We fought them just yesterday, remember?" Andy whispered to her.

"Oh! Right! Skeggiold!" Minnie said quickly. Doombringer seemed to growl, but the four Poring-type monsters hopped back a bit. Now Pori-Pori and Poring hopped over and stood side by side in identical images.

"Now," Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly. "what's the difference between these two monsters? Can you tell?"

"How can I tell what? They are both Porings!" Minnie snapped. Doombringer seemed to shake with laughter. He was the only one that couldn't talk.

"Ah...no..." Defender giggled.

"The one on the  _right_  is Poring," Justice snickered.

"The one on the  _left_  is Pori-Pori! And yoooou just caaalled him a Poring! He HATES that!" Vengeance cackled. Pori-Pori chittered angrily and glared at her.

"Pori-Pori?!" Minnie gasped.

"You failed. You die now," Mobster grinned. Before Minnie could say anything, Pori-Pori clobbered her and finished her off in one hit. Andy was just gaping and remembered that it was this particular monster that killed him before. He would never be able to come back here again with his wife. Pori-Pori was still upset and started to bounce back to the house with angry chitters. When he got to the bedroom, Sarine was there to scoop him up and snuggle him.

"That human called me a Poring!" Pori-Pori whined in his incredibly deep voice.

"And you killed her for me!" she beamed. Now he looked at her, and Beelzebub whispered to him. A new rage infused the powerful Poring-type monster.

"I need to finish something. I'll be right back, Vessel of Odin!" Pori-Pori said.

"Okay," she smiled and kissed the top of his body. He swooned and scooted out the door. Doppy and Thanatos were now laughing hard, as Pori-Pori made short work of Minnie again with her friends and husband. Ragged Zombie and Mobster were dying with laughter at the Hell Fly's report on what they missed.

"They'll never bother you again with Pori-Pori around," Kiehl smiled warmly, and Sarine snuggled into him with contentment.

"We'll tighten the watch, anyways," Keltin said. "They may come back for revenge."

"I'll be on the stairs," Hibram grinned.

"And Pori-Pori will likely be at the base of them," Howard grinned. Kiehl was busy nuzzling Sarine to keep her happy and calm. His hand continued to rub over her belly, and he chuckled with her. At the kiss she planted on his mouth next, Serenity started to giggle at it.

"Keel and Mama make babies?" she grinned.

"Already being made," Kiehl grinned and poked her to tickle her. Ifrit moved over to them now and gestured for Serenity.

"Daddy Ifrit?" she frowned, as she got lifted into his heated arms.

"Guess what?" he chuckled.

"What?" she blinked.

"Naght and I made twins in your mother. She is giving you another sister and a brother. So, your mother has five babies in her now," Ifrit said with light laugh.

"Mama has five babies?!" Serenity gasped.

"That's right," Howard grinned. She squealed with happiness. Then she frowned.

"What is it?" Loomin asked.

"Won't five babies hurt Mama?" she asked.

"It can, if we aren't careful," Hyegun said. Serenity gasped at this, but Ifrit comforted her with a soft squeeze. Naght rumbled a purr to her, and she ended up going to him.

"Mama will be okay?" Serenity whimpered. Naght purred again, and she snuggled into his chest. He clearly adored his daughter and the other children. Howard could only smile and followed Sarine into the nursery.

"Stolas. Behave," Beelzebub warned his son, as he was given over to Sarine. "Same to you, Proserpine. No fighting."

"Fighting?" Ragged Zombie frowned.

"Over toys, but quickly resolved," Amon Ra chuckled. Damas and Astaroth started to cry, and Sarine looked over when Entweihen gathered them up in thornless vines.

"They are all very hungry," the skeletal demon sighed.

"Oh, dear..." Sarine frowned. Time suddenly froze and Muninn winked.

" _Let Stolas and Proserpine finish and take what time they need. Each set of children will need this treatment,_ " he said gently.

"Thanks!" Kiehl nodded and now she was able to nurse Beelzebub's twins in full.

"Be glad we aren't drinking the overflow anymore," Howard winked.

"I wouldn't have enough left for them, if you did," she mused. The moment the twins were done, time resumed, and Beelzebub was informed on what happened.

"Good. Here," the Demon Lord said, and he handed her Entweihen's twins. Time froze again, and she was able to fully nurse them now. She cooed to her daughter and got rewarded with a soft laugh. Doppy was with her in the time freeze and was leaning back against a chair. He was enjoying the calming solitude that was always given with being a father. But, he also felt that he wasn't finished with Sarine.  _It feels like I was interrupted._  The more he thought about it, the more he started wonder.  _Maybe that was why I felt pain when I moved from her side._  Loomin was still active with them, and he got ready to get the next set of twins to get nursed by Sarine. When time shifted for her to nurse Atsuko and Takeshi, Loomin noticed that Doppy was deep in thought, and he glanced over at him.

"What's up?" Loomin asked, as he walked over.

"Tell me," Doppy said casually. "do you think you're finished with Sarine?"

"Finished?" Loomin frowned.

"You felt pain on leaving her, right? Like me? When I look at Sarine, I feel as though I wasn't done. What do you think?" he asked. Loomin thought and now looked at Sarine. He blinked and thought harder.

"You're right! Wow. I never would have thought of it," Loomin admitted. "Let me talk to Kiehl about this."

"Of course," Doppy nodded. As time shifted to let Eremes's twins nurse, Doppy sat back in his chair again with a sigh. He felt oddly relaxed now.  _My mate and wife was tending to offspring. My territory, in a sense, was protected. We aren't under attack._  It was a very satisfactory feeling he was getting. Tsurga was frozen in time, but he was sure that the feelings would be picked up and shared. He seemed to smirk to himself.

"Doppy?" Sarine asked, as she looked at him.

"Hmm?" he looked at her.

"Are you okay?" she frowned.

"Better than okay," he grinned and that made her smile.

"How is that?" she asked.

"I feel...content right now. As though everything is moving smoothly," he said, as he put it into words. "It's not very often that I feel like this. Unless I know you're happy and with me."

"I'm always with you," she said softly.

"But...are you always happy?" he asked gently.

"I normally am..." she sighed, as she nursed her children.

"Normally?" Kiehl frowned, and he moved closer to her.

"This pregnancy...is definitely my hardest one..." she sighed. "Um...can I get some ice cream? I really want it."

"Allow me, My Lady," Errende said. He had made sure to always be active near her. She beamed at him and watched him move quickly from the room.

"When we find Gopinich, we'll take the boat. We'll let the children do some fishing, and you'll be in the Captain's Quarters, okay? One of us will stay with you," Kiehl smiled. She nodded, and he kissed her softly. Time shifted for her to receive Atsuko and Takeshi. She cooed to them now to see their blushing smiles before their hungry appetites took over.

"Let it be Loomin," Doppy said. "I'll ride with her and you on Windwalker."

"Why not both of you?" Sarine asked now. That made Doppy look at her with surprise.

"Love, you know I will need to be with you, too," Kiehl sighed.

"Kiehl, do you feel like you're finished with her?" Loomin asked now.

"Ah..." he blinked and found himself speechless.

"I'm the same," Howard frowned. "Like I'm not done."

"She's right. This is one hell of a pregnancy," Doppy sighed.

"Maybe we shouldn't travel at all," she frowned, as time shifted one last time for Sun and Moon to be nursed. "Muninn? What do you think?"

" _Hmm,_ " he thought, as he looked ahead. " _It will be tricky. I can tell you that. But, it can be done. A word of caution, though. She might have a lust wave. Might! It depends on if she's spotted by someone that wants her. Windwalker HAS to have his wings up at all times. When we travel the path to Gopinich, it should be all right. But, in the town of Moskovia, she cannot be seen. I would suggest to have Elric and Eremes move to the town to confront the three we are looking for. Eremes is still human and can do this._ "

"Isn't she craving to see him with me? Or is it just me?" Ifrit asked.

" _You're right. Just Elric, then,_ " Muninn nodded.

"But, I want to see the town!" she frowned.

" _If you want to see the town, then you will not be able to travel at all,_ " Muninn sighed. " _You will have to wait out the pregnancy here where it is safe._ "

"But..." she pouted and blinked at the ice cream cone presented to her by Errende. Now that she was preoccupied by eating, Kiehl gave a glance to Doppy and Loomin for a discussion.

"The other girls are close to their births," Loomin said carefully. "I would suggest that, when time comes back, we have a massive meeting with everyone. Let's get their thoughts. Let's see what they want to do. Okay?"

"Makes sense," Kiehl nodded. Hyegun was listening to the developing children intently and had a very thoughtful look on his face.

"The growing kids want to know what the others think. And, eh, they want me to be close to Sarine at some point, too," Hyegun said lightly. "They will want everyone close at various points throughout her pregnancy. In a way, it's how they get to 'know us' on a far more distinct level. Eremes is fine now. They 'know him' as fully as they can. It's a rather complex way that they are putting everything, you see."

"And, if we want to be with Sarine again?" Eremes chuckled, as he held his frozen twins.

"They won't complain, but they will know who you are," Hyegun chuckled back. The moment Sun and Moon finished nursing, time came back, and the older children were running around the room talking and playing.

"Dad?" Deagan asked. He managed to walk over to Kiehl, as he fixed Sarine's top.

"Yes?" he grinned and lifted him up into his lap.

"What's going on?" he asked and blushed at the kiss pressed to his cheek by his mother.

"We are trying to decide on what's going to happen today. Your mother wants all of us really, really close to her. Another thing is that she can give out a very dangerous instinct that affects me and your other fathers. We fight over her. It's only from Ifrit that she got this instinct. Traveling may not happen at all while she is pregnant. A big meeting may happen with your aunts and uncles to decide what is going to happen," Kiehl said carefully.

"I see," Deagan thought. "May I make a suggestion?"

"What would that be?" Howard asked, as Serenity moved into his lap.

"Can we help with the decision? I mean, if you all say 'no', can we figure out what we can do for Mom? I think it's needed," Deagan said.

"Your kid is way too smart for his own good," Howard grinned.

"That's my son," Kiehl laughed softly and squeezed him. "We'll see what happens."

"Okay," Deagan nodded. "Um, also, can I have more spare parts? I need to make more toys for everyone here."

"Why do that?" Kiehl frowned.

"Well, it would help keep the fighting down over them," he said.

"Fighting over toys?" Doppy asked with a small growl. "I know it was mentioned before, but now I need to know. Who starts the fight?"

"Ah...well..." Deagan sighed and glanced over at Gunther. Doppy snorted, as he stood up, and Kiehl smirked. "I don't want to be a snitch..."

"You aren't," Kiehl smiled softly, and tickled his son lightly to make him giggle. "You didn't say a name. Let Doppy take care of Gunther."

"Gunther. Come here. Now," Doppy said sternly. Gunther looked over with his jaw dropped in shock. His dad didn't sound happy, and Bianca just swallowed.

"Yes, Dad?" Gunther asked, as he walked over.

"Why are you fighting over toys?" Doppy asked now, as he leaned over his son. His glowing red pupils glared right back into his son's matching eyes.

"Um...it's just...well..." Gunther cringed.

"I want answers. NOW!" his father seethed. Angela and Edward had wide eyes at this. Serenity and Siegfried were wincing.

"You said something, didn't you, Deagan?!" Gunther scowled now and yelped at the smack that came down on his bottom. Stolas and Damas were both watching with a bit of surprise. They didn't realize that they could be punished for being bad.

"He didn't say anything!" Doppy snarled. "Now who do you fight with?!"

"Daddy Doppy?" Loo Shin said softly.

"Yes?" Doppy hissed out without looking over.

"Will I get in trouble, if I say something?" he asked.

"No. And, if Gunther tries anything, he gets another spanking!" Doppy growled.

"Okay," Loo Shin sighed. "Well...he seems to fight with all of us over one particular toy, really. It's like his favorite one."

"What toy?" Sammy asked now.

"Ah, Trina made it a week ago, you see. It's very fun to play with! It just took a lot out of her, because of how rare it is, I guess," Loo Shin frowned.

"A rare toy? Show me," Howard said.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you!" Doppy snarled at his sniffling son. Trina was being comforted by Keltin. He had no idea what his daughter made.

"Making it made her sleepy, Dad," Bernard sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Keltin frowned.

"We didn't want to worry you," Trina trembled, and he kissed her forehead.

"Anyways, where is the toy?" Loomin asked now.

"Here," Ming said, and she handed over a Rice Ball doll.

"This is the toy? You're sure?" Loomin frowned.

"Yeah," Ming nodded.

"That is the same type of doll that Timmy got Karla," Howard mused. "It is very hard to find. Gunther, why do you like that toy so much?"

"It's...hard to find...and...well..." Gunther shivered. Sarine gave Sun and Moon to Muninn, and she moved over to Gunther's side. She rested a hand on Doppy's shoulder to have him ease back, and she gathered up Gunther into her arms. He started crying, and she sighed when she cuddled him. Doppy was still not happy with his son.

"Gunther, can you tell me why you are fighting with your brothers and sisters? In all honesty? I didn't raise you to attack your family. Did I?" she frowned. He just cried harder, and she cradled him with a soft sigh. _Even though he had the mind and body of a ten-year-old boy, he was really less than a year old._ Sarine's instinct to comfort her son in need was there in full. When Ragged Zombie glanced over, she gave a small glare at him that told him to back off. He actually winced at the protective mother instinct and nodded.

"Wow," Mobster grinned. Hyegun was just chuckling, as Amon Ra bit back a laugh. Beelzebub was even grinning slightly, as he held his twins. Maheo and Neil looked at each other and seemed to shrug. Tsurga and Terin were hiding their smiles, as Elric was clearing his throat. He was there the first time that Doppy disciplined his son in the Sphinx.  _Like hell am I going to intervene on this!_

"Mom..." Gunther said. He shivered and calmed down enough to talk. "I just...want a toy of my own. One that I don't have to share, if I don't want to. I mean, yeah, I'll let others play with it, but I just want one that's mine. I really like the Rice Ball doll. It's different."

"And that's the real reason?" Sarine asked softly.

"It's just...easy for me to get mad..." he frowned.

"He's your son, Doppy," she chuckled, and that just made Doppy sigh with a soft grin and a shrug.  _This was expected of his son._ "Honey, if we manage to get a toy that is all for you, will you stop fighting? Will you be good for me?"

"Yes," Gunther nodded.

"You promise me this?" she asked carefully.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Okay. You just made a promise to me. I don't want you to break it. I'll see if anyone else is selling another doll like that. I don't even have a doll like that yet!" she smiled.

"Mama doesn't have a Rice Ball doll?!" Serenity gasped.

"Mommy needs one!" Alexis nodded in Aliot's arms. Albert was nodding at this, too.

"I can do it, Dad," Trina beamed.

"But, won't you get tired?" Keltin frowned.

"I'll be okay!" she grinned. Muninn was simply laughing to himself, as a Poring doll was brought over for her to change. She looked a bit tired after it, but she was happy. "For Mommy! I always want Mommy to have dolls!"

"Oh, thank you!" Sarine giggled, as the new Rice Ball doll was brought over to her. Gunther seemed to smile a bit at this. "You know, if Trina is feeling better, you can ask her to make a doll for you. She can do this for all of you, too. But, only if she is feeling good. Okay?"

"I can make dolls?!" Trina asked with genuine delight.

"Only if you know new dolls are needed. Okay?" Keltin smiled.

"She was making very powerful armors and weapons not long ago. Yet...it tires her out on making a doll?" Eremes frowned.

"Hmm," Loomin thought and gestured to hold Trina. "Are you still able to change stuff around easily now? Or is it getting harder?"

"It's easy. If I change something once, then it's easy again, if it's the same thing. Just, um, stressful at times. Like, when I  _have_  to do this to make things better. It's okay when I  _want_  to do it. But, well...it's another when I am told I  _have_  to do it. I think," she said.

"So, if you want to do it, it's fine. But, when you are put in a situation when there is no choice...I see..." Loomin mused. "You have to want to do it. If you don't want to, it hurts you. I see now. And making another Rice Ball doll was easy, since you did it once before. New items take a bit to get used to. That does make a lot of sense. Well, do you want to make Gunther a toy so he won't fight with you all?"

"When it's put like that, then yeah," she beamed with a nod. "I want to."

"Wait," Doppy muttered. "Was he forcing you to make a doll for him?!"

"Kinda," Trina frowned. "He made it seem like I just had to do it. Like there was no choice in it for me. It...really hurt my feelings."

"Don't make him a doll," Doppy growled. "He will have to earn it."

"What?" Gunther blinked now.

"You helped us figure something out about Trina. But, you made her feel bad," Keltin said. "And you snapped at Deagan in front of us."

Kiehl had a small frown on his face, and Deagan huddled into his father's chest. Juliana was frowning where she was, and Hyegun gathered her up to comfort her.

"Gunther," Sarine frowned. "I'm sorry, dear. You must be punished for this. You know how I don't like all of you yelling at each other. And you accused Deagan of something he did not do. I don't like that, either."

"But...but...Mom..." Gunther whimpered.

"You need to pull out the knife again, Gunther," she sighed and hugged him again before letting him go. Bianca's jaw dropped with disbelief. Joseph and Eleanor looked at each other and back at him. Astaroth, Damas, Stolas, and Proserpine were all in a small state of shock. They had heard of this punishment, but had never seen it. It was the same with Deagan and Juliana. Atsuko and Takeshi whimpered softly in Evil Snake Lord's coils, but they knew punishments like this were rare. They were paying close attention now.

"Will I...have to...eat it...?" Gunther asked weakly.

"No. This was not bad enough for that," Sarine nodded. "Ragged Zombie? If you would please do this punishment?"

"Gunther," the zombie said, as he retrieved the knife from Amon Ra. Any new mate or husband that hadn't seen this yet was now staring with horrific shock, as the knife was pushed far up into the zombie's chest cavity. "Pull out the knife."

Serenity and Siegfried were in complete shock with Gunther again.

"But, Dad already spanked me!" Gunther pleaded.

"Are you saying you want another spanking?!" Doppy hissed. Angela and Edward were wincing at their brother. Thanatos was holding them both, and all eyes were on Gunther. Sun and Moon were sleeping deeply in their cradles. They had no need to see any of this. Kiehl moved to press into Sarine when he needed her and glared at Gunther. Deagan snuggled into his mother, as Kiehl was still holding him close.

"Gunther..." Ragged Zombie warned again. Now the boy looked at the open cavity, and it was already oozing green slime. He cringed and whimpered. The knife handle was already solidly coated with the nasty stuff, and he clearly didn't want to put his hand in there again.

"I'll be good! I promise! Please don't let me do that again!" Gunther squealed and panicked now, as he seemed to curl up on himself. "I'll be good! I'll be good...!"

Sarine seemed to shiver and gasp. He was bringing back a part of her old childhood past on things she would do to try to gain appeasement from her false mother. With all of the dream visions happening about her past, it was easily triggered. Howard and Kiehl stared at her with shock, and Naght was now looking at her with complete disbelief.

"Stop, Ragged Zombie! I believe him!" Sarine whimpered and pulled her son to her to hug tight, as she trembled with fear. "I do! I believe him...!"

"Knife goes back. Now. Quick!" Kiehl said with a cringing glance, as he moved to hug her tight. Nigel was quick to take Deagan from him, and Howard was there to comfort Sarine.

"What was that?!" Beelzebub now demanded to know. Doppy felt her emotional wall shake, and he hissed with surprise.

"The triplets!" Hyegun warned, and Thanatos gave over Edward and Angela to Byorgue to help place his hands on her belly with Errende. Sammy gave Loo Shin over to Injustice, and he made his way to her side to help remove her fears. Amon Ra quickly helped to balance out the room to try and calm her even further. Hibram was clearly at a loss on what was going on. Observation made himself ready to help, and Maya Purple looked over at Drago by the nest. Ragged Zombie removed the knife to hide in Amon Ra's chair again. _Whatever upset Sarine this badly wasn't good at all._

"Can you tell me what is going on? Can you tell us?" Loomin asked gently. Keltin had no clue what Sarine was thinking of. Sarine just whimpered and trembled, as she hugged Gunther to her. Now her son was concerned, and he didn't know what to think when he hugged her back. He pressed his body against her to show that he was okay, and she kept shivering.

"I won't...do that to him...! I can't..." she gasped, as she was rocked by several of her husbands. "He'll be good now...he promised me..."

"Gunther was acting the same way she did when she tried to gain favors with her false mother," Kiehl said bleakly. That made small shocked gasps all around.

"Gunther," Doppy said slowly now to keep Sarine calm. "If you break your promise to your mother on not being good, you WILL answer to me! Got it?!"

"Yes..." Gunther said with a small wince. "I don't want Mom to hurt!"

"Then don't break your promise to her," Howard said softly, and he kept himself pressed against Sarine. "There are still a lot of things that can hurt her. Even though her tormentor is dead, she has a lot of bad memories that come back. They can hurt her all the time, if we aren't careful. We need to take things slowly with her. She may be very strong, but we can't let her do so much all the time. It will hurt her and the babies inside her."

"Just like my dream," Serenity frowned hard, and Naght looked at her questionably. "The way my Dads are with Mama. It was like that. How they are hugging Mama."

"And you said it was at the arena that you saw this?" Loomin asked.

"Yeah. They were protecting her against something bad. But, it was everyone hugging Mama. Trying to make her better. I don't want to see Mama like that," she said.

" _And you won't. We won't let her go to the arena,_ " Muninn promised.

"Okay," Serenity nodded. "Um...oh! I remember what she was being protected from!"

"Do you?" Beelzebub asked.

"Yeah! Um...someone else that uses a bow. I think. A stupid head!" she grinned. That got Sarine giggling, and the mood she had was completely crushed. At this, they all carefully backed away from her, but Kiehl gave out his continuous purring to keep her calm.

"Possibly Greg," Ragged Zombie muttered.

"Seems like an obvious candidate. Or Kavach," Thanatos sighed. Eremes wasn't sure what to think, and Ifrit was still at a loss.

"Sweetheart, I can possibly get the Assassin Guild to scout the town for us. To send the three that we are looking for here to the island. We can bypass the town completely and go back to it when you are safe to be seen. This way we can just focus on Gopinich. Will this work?" Elric asked, as he moved to her side. "It's only obvious that we are looking out for your safety."

"I really wanted to see the town," Sarine sighed.

"Darling, you're hurting," Elric said. "We don't want you to hurt."

She was about to argue, but she gasped in pain. Doppy hissed at what he felt from her. Tsurga coughed from the pain felt, and Kiehl snarled out protectively. There was no growth, but she was clearly in a form of stress and needed to get out of the room. In that moment, Kiehl scooped her up, took her to the balcony to purr in her ear, and he held her to calm her down. Now that her powerful First Mate took over everything, her senses and mood righted itself. At Howard's sigh of relief, everyone nodded and let Kiehl handle her.

"Dad?" Gunther frowned.

"Just keep your promise to your mother, and everything will be fine," Doppy said and finally leaned over to flick his forehead playfully to ease the mood. That made his son scowl before he got grabbed and tickled mercilessly.

"Everything's fine now," Kiehl murmured in her ear, as he held her. "The kids are laughing. Everyone is protected. It's okay."

She just sighed and rested her forehead against his neck. He continued to hold her and purr deeply for her to keep her calm and soothed. He found himself supporting all her weight, and Sammy was notified to meditate now that she was sleeping.

"Here," Alexander said, as he brought a chair over.

"Thank you," Kiehl nodded and settled in it with Sarine's sleeping form.

"Humor me, Kiehl," the male Valkyrie grinned. "How did it feel to smash Loki in the jaw? Much less hurt him?"

"Far better than you know," Kiehl grinned back wickedly, and they laughed softly. "I tagged him in the gut, too. He's also starting to squirm when I glare at him."

"Now  _that_  sounds like fun!" Alexander snickered. "I'll need to watch him when you glare at him again."

"But, now, answer something for me," Kiehl sighed. "Why do you feel that you need to fight Observation? If we're having a conversation, then we need to talk about this."

"Ah," Alexander sighed. Beelzebub glanced at the balcony to pay close attention. "He made First Mate without any challenges. A part of me wants to test his strength. To see if he truly is strong enough for her. I know he was upgraded with very powerful attacks. I just want to see for myself. If I defeat him, I will claim his spot as First Mate. If I fail, then I will see why he was able to become First Mate, and I will abide by it."

"You can't watch him fight others in the arena?" Kiehl frowned.

"With angels, we need to test each other firsthand. It's the same with demons. However, demons will always want to test each other. Angels just want proof. We don't have Bragging Rights. We don't have a Demonic Code of Honor. We just like to know that the right choice was made. That the angel chosen is up to par with the task. Observation is also her slave. A slave should not be a First Mate, but he is. I am a Valkyrie from Valhalla. I am a Valkyrian Warrior. I feel that I would make a far better protector than Observation."

"But, you can't be at her side when she needs you," Kiehl said. "You were told to remain here in the nursery by Odin, himself."

"If I become First Mate to her, I have to protect her at all times," he said with a soft smile. "She would become my first priority. That and...well...Valkyries are normally righteous souls recruited into Odin's army of immortals. I have always wondered if I could father my own children to assist in Odin's army a different way. Such as with Muninn and Huginn. They should not be able to create children. But, they can with her. It would be something, if she could create children with me."

"It would be something, yes. It's possible that she could," Kiehl sighed, and he nuzzled her sleeping form. "But, do tell me this. Why were you drawn to her?"

"When I first saw her in Naght's tower," the massive angel sighed. "I...don't really know how to explain it. I suppose...my heart became hers the moment I set eyes on her. She broke me free from a curse. I still feel it...lingering in the back of my mind. As though it's not fully free of me. But, I am free of it. I owe her everything I have. As it is, I am even keeping neutral peace with Observation to keep her happy. I would never disobey anything she wishes of me. I simply can't, and I will not do that."

"Do you care about her?" Beelzebub asked, as he moved onto the balcony. His twins were happily playing with new dolls that Trina was making. Rice Cake and Draco were also helping out the kids with various cute monsters.

"I do," Alexander said, and he landed on the ground. He folded his massive, black wings behind him neatly. "Valkyrian Warriors are not supposed to feel any form of emotion other than a sense of honor and duty. We aren't supposed to care or regret. But, I do. The curse sort of implemented these feelings into me. I cannot ignore them."

"No one fully trusts you from the harm you nearly did to her long ago," Kiehl frowned.

"I know it. I brought that on myself. I had no clue what I was doing until I was doing it! I just...wanted to talk to her alone. In any way possible. I didn't know she had a fear of heights. I even thought her first twins, those precious children, were parasites in her body. I didn't realize what happened until it was almost too late. When Doppelganger appeared with Incantation Samurai, I knew I had to flee or get into a massive fight. I didn't want her to see me fight. In a way, I never want her to see that side of me, unless it is justified," Alexander sighed.

"And fighting with Observation is?" Kiehl asked now.

"It's instinctive. Hard to overrule that, right?" he chuckled.

"Point made," Kiehl nodded. "When do you plan to challenge him? Do you know?"

"I don't. I will know when the time comes," Alexander frowned.

"I'll be listening for anything out of the ordinary," Beelzebub vowed. "And...speaking of out of the ordinary...interesting..."

"What?" Kiehl muttered, as he supported Sarine's sleeping body.

"Remember the ones we met with Greg in Turtle General's domain? They are all at the arena. And they are all attempting to challenge Sarine with Greg as their leader," the Demon Lord hissed. Now Kiehl seethed with hatred, and he curbed it quickly when Sarine whimpered in sleep. He purred far more intensely now to calm her, and he thought.

"I think this is a sign that traveling is out of the question. The day just started. I want to have this meeting with the others. Now. Before anything else happens. If anyone tries anything, all of us will be together. Let's do this," Kiehl said. Beelzebub nodded respectfully, and Terin was already relaying everything. Word was spread, and Seyren was already helping Karla down the stairs. Garrett was seen helping Cecil, and Max was with Coraline. At the sight of Egnigem in a light gown and not her armor, the look Donnie gave was grim when he helped her sit down. Even Kathryne was struggling to move with Mitchell helping her. Lloyd was clearly helping Margaretha settle in a chair next, and she looked slightly irritable.

"What's going on?" Sarine asked, as she yawned herself awake.

"A meeting. To help us decide what is going on," Kiehl said with a soft smile, as he nuzzled her. She nodded and leaned into him with exhaustion. Howard sat by her at the large table, and Kiehl kept her in his lap. Naght and Ifrit hovered close by with attentive awareness. When Sarine's other mates, slaves, and husbands filtered into the room to settle, the talk started.

"I don't think we should travel," Donnie said with a sigh.

"I'm perfectly able!" Egnigem scowled.

"You can't even wear your armor!" he argued. She grumbled and snatched at the chocolate he gave her to keep her calm.

"Karla, I think Donnie is right," Seyren said gently.

"Well, if we can't travel, then Sarine shouldn't either," Karla said back. "I really wanted to visit Moskovia and see where Gopinich was."

"But, it's my duty to get the monsters!" Sarine retorted.

"Love, think about it," Loomin said, as he murmured gently to her. "You have two very distinct and dangerous cravings right now. Muninn warned that, if you were seen, something bad can happen. The monsters aren't going anywhere. Right?"

"But...I just..." Sarine cringed. Doppy moved to her side and let her lean into him.

"We want to protect you and keep you safe," he whispered in her ear. "We also want to see the town, but your daughter, our daughter, too, had a vision that something bad would happen. Muninn also saw that something bad would happen. How can we keep you safe?"

"Can't I...well...Cloak? With Eremes's card?" she asked.

"And, if you want to get a house? Won't you want to meet the town leader?" Kiehl frowned. That made her sigh with defeat.

"We will all want to see the town, little sis. We love traveling with you!" Cecil smiled. "I have no idea how fast my baby will grow, but I know that we may be bringing our children with us. Unless Storm Caller can keep watch on so many!"

"In order for that to happen, they would all have to be in a single room," Garrett mused. "But, only when we travel. It would be easier on him that way."

"I would prefer to watch my own child," Max grinned.

"Hmm," Hyegun thought, as he looked at Sarine.

"What is it?" Keltin asked.

"The triplets really want Sarine to travel. They do know the risks, but they want to chance it. I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with them. It's just not safe for Sarine to travel with this pregnancy. We can give everyone a vacation. Beach days, dream visions, fire pit nights, and even Dead Branches. That's what I think needs to happen. Only when she is pregnant with Loomin's twins, and the sons of Huginn and Muninn, would be the time to travel," Hyegun advised. "It's just not safe to go anywhere right now."

"But, the three we were to find? What do we do about them?" Evil Snake Lord asked.

"As I said before, I can have my Guild search the town, and I can assist them," Elric nodded. "I'll make sure they are found personally."

"I won't want you to go alone," Sarine sighed.

"I'll go with him," Garrett said.

"I'll need you with me," Cecil frowned.

"I won't be alone," Elric chuckled. "I'll have my Guild."

"But..." Sarine cringed.

"Elric, she wants one of us with you. She doesn't trust you with just anyone now. It's an instinctive drive to her. She will want you close. You were warned about this," Loomin smiled.

"Oh. Well, I'm sure my Guild is up to the task," Elric shrugged. He was still thinking about leading them through the town to find the others. Eremes knew this, and he shook his head lightly at him. Elric gave him a questioning glance.

"You know they are. But...tell me...would they try to keep you away? From Sarine?" Eremes asked now. "You know...how they can get..."

"You're right," Elric sighed. "They would bombard me with other missions."

"Let the Guild get them on their own," Kiehl said with a mild glare of warning. "There is nothing wrong with that. Is there?"

"No. They'll be fine. They have done things without me before," Elric nodded. Sarine seemed to smile with a bit of relief before Hyegun gasped with warning. She gave a retching cough, and Kiehl was quick to speed her to the nearest bathroom to vomit. Doppy and Tsurga both tensed at the pain felt right after. Sammy confirmed their growth by four inches.

"I thought they grew at night?!" Howard grimaced.

"The children are pissed," Hyegun winced. "They wanted to go somewhere today."

"I can offer a solution," Drake said with a smile. "A small trip around the island a few times in the ship. Think that will work?"

"Hmm," Hyegun thought and moved to Sarine's side to whisper to her belly when she came back. At the large grin he got, it was readily accepted. "They'll take the boat ride."

"I'll prepare the ship," Drake chuckled and went to rouse his monster crew. Cameron had taken a liking to the ship, and he had decided to stay as a permanent crew member to keep watch and to help maintain Odin's Pride.

" _There are monsters that need to be collected, so we will wait for traveling on this pregnancy,_ " Muninn nodded. " _By the time the children are birthed and hatched, traveling will be of no issue. We will have everything work out. Just rest easy for this pregnancy. Don't bring yourself to stress. I have informed Father Odin, and he agrees._ "

"So...I go nowhere..." Sarine sighed, and Kiehl nuzzled her with a heavy purr.

"We'll still go on the boat, but just around the island. The kids will get to go fishing. One of us will stay with you," he murmured in her purr. She nuzzled into his neck, and he purred even more intensely for her, as his arms locked around her. "Hush, love. Hush..."

"How-How?" she whimpered, and he was at her side to cradle her with Kiehl.

"I'm here," he soothed gently. At her thought of what she wanted, he looked at Kiehl with a touch of worry. At Kiehl's mental suggestion, he nodded and whispered, "We can, but on the boat, okay? Then we can let Loomin and Doppy stay with you."

"I want it now," she shivered. Kiehl whispered to her, and Naght looked over with curiosity. Hyegun now moved to her side quickly to run a hand over her belly.

"What is it?" Kiehl frowned.

"Errende! Thanatos!" Hyegun said quickly, and they rushed over to put their hands on her belly. She gasped with relief, and now he looked at Beelzebub. "The developing children sense some people are approaching. Ones that we don't need here. They were going to react."

Elric and Eremes looked at each other, Cloaked, and moved swiftly to find the problem to sort it out. Doppy only smirked now and saw Terin Cloak to follow them and assist. Ifrit hissed wickedly.  _We have our own scouting team now._  When Terin reported back to Beelzebub, the Demon Lord gave a hard glare at the table. Seyren looked over at him, and he was whispered to.

"Okay. Baphomet is out there now," the Lord Knight smirked.

"Why?" Doppy frowned.

"The ones from the arena decided to stop at our doorstep. So far, they seem neutral," Beelzebub muttered. Nigel let out a growl and moved to Sarine's side to get caressed. He was incredibly protective of her and wanted nothing to hurt her. Byorgue looked at Observation and Injustice. Drago and Maya Purple were guarding their eggs. It was instinctive for them to do.

"What do they want?" Kiehl asked, and he let Nigel get close to Sarine.

"Are they going to hurt my babies?" Sarine winced.

"No," Kiehl said with a gentle nuzzle, and she sighed. "Beelzebub?"

"Apparently, they want to talk to Sarine," the Demon Lord muttered.

"No, they won't," Amon Ra said with a frown. "She is in no mood to talk."

"Then I will have to talk for her," Kiehl seethed. "Darling, will you let me protect you? Doppy will be here with Loomin and Keltin."

She looked at him with worry, and he kissed her passionately. At that, she gave a small nod. He had to protect her. Doppy thought and gave a small grin.

"Sorry Sari, when this is done, and we are on the ship, do you want to have a dream vision of what happens if I meet that Sniper?" he asked. That made her smile and giggle.

"Do it," Hyegun grinned. Ragged Zombie looked over with his own savage grin.

"You know we will have to see it," Seyren chuckled.

"Oh, you will," Doppy nodded with a smirk. Kiehl was already grinning, and he kissed Sarine again before handing her over to Howard. Neil started to think of what he could do, as Maheo readied his spells. Hibram looked over at Neil and mentally suggested that he help guard the way in. When he walked out of the house to confront the group, they were already gone. The moment they heard that Kiehl was going to talk to them, they remembered what happened before. They would wait until later to gather their courage up to approach again.

"Sarine, there was something that we did need to discuss soon," Osiris said, as he walked over to her. She looked at him with attention. "Elric was able to see the images from your childhood doll. He has my Touch for you."

"So, it can get passed down," Doppy mused. "Tsurga has my Wrath. Hibram likely gave Maheo and Neil his Heart. This is very good to know."

"That it is," Osiris nodded. "What is the plan?"

"Let Kiehl talk to them and get some information. We will decide from there," Howard said, and he let Sarine cling to him.

"I want Elric," she said softly. Osiris blinked at her, but the message was sent. When Elric Uncloaked at her side, she pulled him close to kiss hard.

"She wants to pick on you," Howard grinned.

"What?!" Elric blinked and found himself kissed again. Muninn found himself glancing ahead into the future, and he gaped with shock.

" _Whoever is not to be with Sarine, go now!_ " he warned. " _Do not question this!_ "

"Darling, let's go upstairs and prepare to go on a boat ride," Donnie muttered.

"Yes, dear," Egnigem nodded. Lloyd was strong enough to scoop up his wife to carry her up the stairs quickly. The others were fast to head back to the safety of their bedrooms.

"What is going on?" Elric frowned. He wasn't there for Sarine's first lust wave. At her heated purr in his ear, his jaw dropped with shock.

"Shit! Kiehl!" Howard grimaced, and his brother flew over with a burst of speed to snatch up Sarine. He charged right up to the bedroom and slammed the door shut. Her lust wave wasn't as intense as it was before, but the reaction he gave her was all the same. At the sound of the door opening, he let out a bloodthirsty snarl of hatred and challenge.

When Sarine looked over to see who it was, she paused. _It was Elric._  He was completely affected by the lust, and he had to rise to the challenge with his own instinctive hiss. He didn't even know that he was doing it. Osiris's blood had taken a completely different hold in his system. She seemed to smirk and now watched a completely different fight happen between them. This time, Elric was able to dodge Kiehl. He was able to push himself to the limit to show that he was a worthy mate. Both males roared and snarled at each other, as they fought and dodged attacks. After a while, she found herself thinking, and she rose up with a sultry purr.

They looked over at her and noticed that she looked bored. Kiehl realized that she was feeling ignored. _It was just the two of us fighting. No others were there to be with her._  Elric lunged for her, and Kiehl tagged him in the side to force him down. Only then was he able to grab Sarine and take her for himself. When Elric recovered, he was up and rushing over only to find Kiehl barring his way with instinctive dominance. Once this was established, Elric had no chance. Kiehl was clearly the stronger one and claimed Sarine each time.

"Kiehl?" Sarine gasped when the lust wave finally wore out.

"Huh?!" he winced at his release.

"What happened...to Elric...?" she asked with a frown. Kiehl looked at her with understanding, and he let her move to the powerful man's side. He was battered and bruised up, but he lived through the ordeal.

"What...exactly happened...?!" Elric hissed from the pain his body was in.

"Her lust wave happened, and you got pulled in," Kiehl frowned and Healed him.

"That was what that was?!" he asked with shock. At her look of apology, he shook his head and pulled her into his chest. "It's not your fault. You had no control over it. Don't think it is. I can't read your mind, but I can tell what you're thinking just by the look on your face."

"Elric..." she sighed and kissed him hard. He needed her, and she let him finally have her with everything he had pent up. When he was about to pull away from her, she locked him to her and softly whispered, "Stay. Please stay..."

"Sarine," Kiehl muttered in her ear. "We still have a boat ride. Remember?"

"I need him to stay," she whimpered, and Elric sat up with her to hug her tight.

"Sweetheart, you know the others are waiting for us. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities to stay with you. I know the others will want to stay with you, too. Doppy and Loomin want to be with you on the ship, also. Remember?" he asked in a soothing, gentle tone. Kiehl studied how he was, and he realized that this was how Elric calmed new recruits that were unsure of their abilities. _He was quietly encouraging her and showing her that she was able to do what was right._ That actually impressed him, and he found himself smiling. He wondered if Eremes knew about this. At his mental thought, Howard was able to ask Eremes to confirm everything for him. Kiehl was correct on his assumption.

"Love, the ship is ready, and the kids are already on it. The moment you come aboard, Doppy will be ready to stay with you. We need you to dress now," Kiehl said softly. She sighed and nodded. Elric gave a small wince on separating from her, and he shivered. He had heard why it was happening, and now he believed it. They both helped her dress, and Kiehl carried her down the stairs. Howard, Naght, and Ifrit were there for her to see to keep her calm.

"Come on," Howard smiled and accepted the hug she gave him. She pulled him into a fierce kiss that rocked him to the core and fully aroused him. He heard Kiehl laugh softly. At the mental whisper that it was safe, he was moving clothes aside to take her against the wall.

"Stay?" she whispered after he finished, and he grimaced.

"I want to, but I can't right now. Doppy will stay with you on the ship. Okay?" Howard said softly. She frowned, but he kissed her hard to calm her. He winced at the separation, and he sighed. He knew that both he and Kiehl would likely have that problem throughout the pregnancy. Kiehl could only mentally nod.

"Doppy wanted that dream vision, too, right?" Ifrit chuckled. That had Sarine blush, as clothes were fixed up again. She was taken to the ship now, and she greeted all of her children with motherly smiles. Drake was given a hug and kiss before he shouted orders to the crew to get the ship rides going. Sarine was led into the Captain's Quarters, and Doppy was already waiting for her with a few of the others.

"Sorry Sari," he smiled, and she hugged him tight. "I'll stay with you now."

"Will you?" she asked, and he kissed her hard as his response. Kiehl and Howard settled to play a game of chess, as the others watched to snicker and banter. Only after Doppy's roar of successful mating with Sarine's keening cry was heard, did Errende move about to set her craving dishes on the bed. Doppy helped feed her, as he remained locked within her, and she was carefully sitting up with him. This was what she needed. Kiehl had to break from the game to settle in the bed with her when his craving for her came back, and Loomin was quick to take his place in the chess game. Only after Sarine was cared for did the subject of the dream vision come up. Everyone was eager for it to happen.

"When did you want to do this?" Doppy chuckled in his original state. She ran her hands over his chest, and he shivered with a small grin.

"Who wants to see it?" she asked and nuzzled under his chin.

"I think quite a few want to," Kiehl smiled and got nuzzled next. She was in a rather affectionate mood and was clearly content.

"Find out?" she mumbled, as she kissed him. Her hands moved to massage through his hair now, and he growled in the kiss. Then she tugged on his collar to kiss him far more intensely, and his arousal for her peaked. The look he gave Doppy made the demon grin, and Sarine squealed when she was shifted for them to both have her at once. Howard was hiding his face in his hands, as he tried not to laugh. Then he gaped, as she locked them both in her. Loomin was quick to take the hint and was at the bedside quickly.

"Sarine, now is not the time for that. Only one," Loomin said carefully. She frowned, but Kiehl whispered to her.

"You promise?" she asked. Howard seemed to grimace, but he gave a mental nod to Kiehl. Naght gave a hissing sigh, but he knew it was needed.

"Yes. Tonight it will happen. Okay? I know I said here on the ship, but there are a lot of others that want to stay with you. Naght will even help us," Kiehl smiled. Only after she nodded with agreement was he able to remove himself from her gently with a slight wince from the pain. Doppy stayed with her and purred deeply to keep her calm. When Muninn walked in with a small smile, she smiled back.

" _Those that are not in the room will have the dream vision like a day dream. Okay? The kids are all happy and fishing. Your companions are settled in various rooms throughout the ship. Ready for the vision?_ " he asked.

"Yes," she nodded. Sammy settled into a meditative state with the others for it to start...


	168. Chapter 168

Two months had passed, since Doppy saved Sarine's pregnancy. He was a bit concerned at how fast she was developing. If she had transcended, she would have already had the triplets, but she was still mainly human before it. Her pregnancy was, in fact, cut in half. He wouldn't know it, and neither would she. All that he knew was that, when the growing babies started moving, he sensed multiple kicks. Now he knew it was more than one baby in her. He realized just how many there were when they grew more, and both he and Sarine were delighted.

"Triplets?!" she giggled.

"Yes. Very happy and healthy triplets," Doppy smiled and kissed her lovingly. "I don't want you to go into town anymore. I don't think it's safe, unless I'm with you."

"And you can't leave here," she sighed, as he hugged her.

"I know. All too well," he muttered. He grinned at various kicks, and he rubbed her growing belly. "How much do you have in the storeroom?"

"Ah, I think I have enough for two weeks. I did get a lot of loot from the monsters here. I just need to sell it. I should go to Prontera to see what I can get in bulk. I may get something cheaper, and it would be easier for me. I won't be too long. I'll use the Kafra Warp services."

"Hmm," he frowned. "You know how I worry for you."

"I know. I need to mail the letter to How-How, too," she said. He nodded and hugged her to him. He had been helping her stockpile her money to build up more supplies. He knew there were plenty of plants to harvest, if she needed it. The only way he was able to let her leave him each time to head to town was the fact that she would always return to him. He glanced up at the shadow of her falcon flying over them now, and he gave a small smile. If anything, he appreciated how her falcon always stuck to her side. The bird was like a silent sentry, and it seemed to enjoy harassing anything that it didn't approve of. A silent nod was given to the hovering bird, and it chirped in response.

"Come back quickly," he whispered. She nodded, and they kissed hard before he watched her go up the stairs. Dracula was waiting for her, and he escorted her through his domain. He was clearly excited for her pregnancy and always wanted to know more about it.

"How much did the baby grow?" he asked with a fanged grin. "Any advancement?"

"A lot more kicking!" she beamed. "And Doppy found out that it's triplets!"

"Really?! Well, I'll have to make sure you come to no harm!" he vowed. "Doppelganger wouldn't forgive me, if that happened."

"Nothing has happened yet. I doubt it will," she chuckled. He gave her a fond caress to her back, and he led her to the exit of his realm to head up again. Doppy's awareness had combined with Dracula's to such a level that she was never attacked anymore. She was calmly led out of the tower by the monsters on the first floor, and she went to the Kafra Agent to head to Prontera. Once there, her falcon settled purposely on her shoulder, and she mailed off her letter to Howard. Right after that, she sold everything she needed to sell. She ran her hand over her swelling belly to feel the kicking with a soft giggle. She started to see what she could purchase to take back with her. On checking out the various merchant stalls, she saw one selling a rather nice set of slotted boots. As she went to buy them, they were quickly purchased by another. She paused at this and frowned.

"Hi there," a blond haired, green-eyed hunter said. When she turned, he noticed that she was pregnant. He cleared his throat as though he was making a mental check on something. He was resolving to himself that the kids in her were his.

"Oh. Hello," she said with a light smile and started to turn to see what else was being sold. "Darned. I could have used those boots! Oh, well."

"You mean these?" he smiled, as he showed them to her.

"Yes. If you needed them, then it's fine. I'm sure I'll find another pair," she chuckled.

"Actually, I can give them to you, if you go out with me," he grinned.

"Ah, I'm pregnant. If you haven't noticed. With triplets. Their father isn't here right now. I was only in town to purchase supplies and to mail a letter. I got the second bit done. Now I'm just buying supplies. I am not interested in dating you," she said with a stern look. Her falcon seemed to glare at him before moving to preen a wing.

"I'm sure he won't mind a friendly outing," he pressed.

"Well, you can ask him when I go see him," she smirked. Then she turned and browsed the shops to start buying various foods to take back. She was able to purchase quite a bit to last a few months. All the while she shopped, he continued to follow her.

"Where do you live?" he asked, as she went back to the Kafra Agent.

"In Geffen," she said. At that, she was Warped back. She soothed her lightly irritated companion with a soft caress. She knew it didn't like the guy at all. Then she realized why her falcon was irritated. He had paid for a Warp to follow her, and she grumbled.  _I should have said that I lived somewhere else to throw him off._

"I'm sure everything will be fine!" he said.

"No, it won't," she frowned. "I highly doubt you will be able to follow me. The father of my children is hunting below the tower. I am meeting him there. I seriously think that you will not be able to follow me at all. Please leave now."

"The tower is free for anyone to walk into! Besides, I'm strong enough to be here," he gloated. "By the way, my name is Greg."

"Oh. Okay," she simply shrugged, not offering her name back. He appeared to be expecting it, but she walked into the tower instead. The monsters in the first floor saw her the moment she walked down the flight of steps, and they sensed she was stressed. The Hunter Fly and Poison Spore that were to join her were quick to assist her, as the other monsters barred her off. She was grateful for this and moved quickly down the next flight of stairs.

"Wait up!" Greg shouted and fought his way to her. When she descended the stairs, Dracula saw the distress on her face. At how her falcon jumped off her shoulder with soft, rapid clucking and chirps, he knew something was definitely wrong.

"What happened?!" he asked quickly.

"I'm being followed," she winced. Dracula hissed, gathered her up in his arms, and had a swarm of monsters ready for an ambush. She was carried to Doppy's level quickly and sent down. At the sight of her, Doppy ran to her side and pulled her into his arms.

"Sorry Sari?!" he asked with concern.

"You need to hide me!" she frowned. She whispered to him of the Hunter, and he snarled with hatred. He carried her to the safety of the ruins and kissed her gently. Only when she was calm enough did he help unload what she brought back. At a glance at her falcon settling down, he seemed to nod.  _Sarine was safe now, and there was no need for the falcon to hover over her._ But, even though the bird was calmed down, he knew Sarine was still stressed. He hugged her to him to cradle her to show she was safe.

"If he comes here, I'll kill him!" he growled.

"Will you?" she trembled. He kissed her again and heard the commotion in his domain.

"Hmm. Walk with me," he said with a wicked grin. She looked at him, but beamed at his protective gaze. She knew he was going to plan an ambush with her as bait. He ran a hand lovingly over her belly and sighed at the kicks he felt. They casually walked towards the very center of his domain. Once they got here, he caressed her cheek with a soft sigh.  _My offspring. My mate. They were being threatened by an intruder._ His protective hatred increased, and he pulled her closer to him. She smiled, and he gave a warm, gentle smile back to her. He loved her, and she loved him.

"Doppy," she smiled, and he pulled her close to kiss passionately. When his mouth moved down her neck, he gave a small growl at the disturbance he felt getting closer. Going back to making out with her, he heard the jealous gasp and grinned.

"What are you doing with her?!" Greg asked.

"I'm kissing my wife! What's it to you?!" Doppy snarled out.

"I thought I was your mate?" she whispered with a giggle.

"Oh, you are. It's to piss him off," Doppy chuckled and kissed her again.

"Stop that!" Greg scowled. "There has to be a mistake!"

"She's pregnant with MY children!" Doppy seethed and glared at him with his burning red pupils. "You have no say so! Leave before I change my mind and slaughter you!"

"You're..." Greg started, as his jaw dropped. Sarine simply giggled and rested her head against Doppy's neck. He rested a protective hand on her belly. He glared at the human, as the monsters in his domain swarmed and clobbered the Hunter effectively.

"My mate? Are you tired?" he asked gently. She got lifted into his arms to be carried.

"Yes," she sighed sleepily and yawned.

"Should I take the boots from him?" he grinned.

"No. I want nothing from him, since he bought them," she frowned. That had him nod, and the Hunter was dragged away to keep from following them. Doppy took her into the safe room down below the ruins to spend some quality time with his mate and growing offspring. When they vanished, the dream vision ended...


	169. Chapter 169

Doppy was snickering, and Sarine was giggling while he held her against him. Kiehl was thoughtful the whole time, as he replayed it in his head.

"That was a relatively short dream vision," Sammy mused.

"Ass Hat is just awesome to kick around!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and the others started laughing. Keltin was thinking, and Eremes looked over at him.

"Just so many things that could have happened, you know? A lot of ways things could have gone differently. I mean, thank heavens, she never got accepted into that experiment!" Keltin said with a shiver. "I can only imagine what would have happened!"

" _She would have died,_ " Muninn said softly. " _They would have torn her apart._ "

"I actually doubt that," Kiehl said. "I would have still been around, in a sense. I may have discovered her and freed her. Likely learned about Howard and the others, too."

"You think so?" Sarine asked. Then she smiled softly before paling with shock.

"Yes. Ah, don't think of that!" Kiehl gaped, and Howard was now out of his seat to run over to help comfort her. "Nothing would have happened to them!"

"What?!" Doppy hissed, and he helped hug her. He was still locked within her, and now he tensed with protective rage. "What is she thinking of?!"

"Her pregnancy with me," Howard winced, as he rocked her.

"Oh," Loomin blinked, as he grasped what was going on. "You're right. She would have been pregnant, if the experiment happened! In fact, she was pregnant when you left her, but you didn't know. Lighthalzen would have found out..."

"Shut up!" Doppy snapped, as he cradled her. "Easy, my mate. It's all right now."

She just sighed hard, and he pressed his mouth to her ear to sing softly. As he sang, Kiehl massaged her. She closed her eyes, and she couldn't think of anything else. Howard kept his hand on her belly in a possessively protective way.  _This was my original pregnancy with her. The triplets that failed to come into the world were my children._ He refused to let them fail again. At her drowsy look, Doppy had already moved to let her recline against him. Kiehl moved to let her press her back against his chest. Howard didn't want to leave her side, though, and he kept a protective hand over her belly.

"How long is this boat ride going for?" Eremes asked. Sammy prepared to meditate, if she fell asleep. She wasn't asleep yet, but he kept himself ready.

"The original plan was to go around the island about four times," Beelzebub said. "By then, the kids would have caught enough fish, and the younger ones would need to nurse."

"How many times did we loop?" Loomin asked.

"Once now," Terin said. "Hmm..."

"You heard that, too?" Beelzebub chuckled.

"Apparently, I'm her Ears, too, like you thought," Terin grinned. "We may have turned away that group with Greg by force, but they are waiting for us to get back."

"Doppy, are you done with her? The triplets want me close now," Hyegun sighed.

"They do? Hmm. I actually feel...content now. Okay," the demon nodded. Sarine kissed him passionately, and he was able to separate from her with no pain. That had him smile, and she nuzzled him. "I love you, Sorry Sari."

"I love you, too, Doppy," she blushed, and they kissed again before Hyegun took Doppy's place. She cried out with Hyegun at his release, and he hugged her to him.

"You're not with her enough to begin with," Howard chuckled.

"I know it," he agreed. "From what I can tell, it takes about two hours or so for us to let her body 'know' us. You, Kiehl, and Naght, on the other hand, will be a lot more."

"Mainly our triplets. It's a given," Kiehl smiled.

"Eremes and Ifrit seem to be okay now," Loomin chuckled.

"You should be after me. Then Keltin should do this. We'll set up a schedule. Um, Errende? She needs to eat," Hyegun said. The slave nodded and rallied the others to get her dishes ready. As they helped her eat, her day was discussed as to how it would pan out.

"There is something that isn't adding up, though," Loomin thought.

"What's that?" Kiehl asked.

"Her falcon when she was a Huntress. It was way too smart. Too overprotective. Keltin, you would also know this, right? Do you think I'm wrong?" Loomin asked.

"Ah...hmm. You're on to something," he nodded. "That bird always seemed to know what to do at just the right time. Even in the dream visions!"

"You know, I didn't even think about that," Howard admitted. "Even when she got the falcon from the breeder, it seemed to 'know' her. As though it was just waiting for her to approach it. Sure, it listened to her commands, but it also did things on its own, too. Could it have been Muninn? You'd think that would have been the case."

"Muninn is obviously her falcon now. But...could he have been her falcon then, too?" Loomin mused. "Or would it have been another?"

"I think we should ask him," Doppy nodded. Before they could look at him to ask, Muninn had never left the room and clearly did not look happy.

"Muninn?" Kiehl asked with a frown.

" _I can't believe I never caught this,_ " Muninn grimaced with a cringe. " _Huginn covered his tracks well. Very well._ "

"Wait..." Howard gaped now.

"Huginn was her falcon as a Huntress?!" Thanatos asked with disbelief.

" _He was. But, he could never attain human form. So, he did the next best thing to protect her. At least she was watched over this way. So, in a sense, as he was her falcon in the past, I am her falcon in the present and future. I'm still trying to figure out how Huginn could have managed it. Father Odin was keeping a strict eye on him at all times! The only way we can find out for sure is if we have Huginn come forth, but I won't chance that with Sarine this way,_ " Muninn sighed. " _I don't want her pregnancy harmed._ "

"I wouldn't chance it," Kiehl growled. "He has done enough."

"No matter," Doppy sighed, as he closed his eyes. "You are her falcon now. We trust you. Huginn may have been her falcon before, but that's fine. He protected her and helped her that way. It's now that he has a human form. He's a threat to me. Yes, he'll need to make a child with her. Fine. But, I will never trust him in his human form."

"Point made," Thanatos nodded. "As it is, I think we are on the second loop now. At least halfway through it. It's hard to tell."

"We are," Beelzebub nodded. Sarine was deep in thought about her first falcon.  _I never really thought of it being anything else but that. There were points in time that I did wonder how the bird was able to sense my distress and dislike of others. I thought there was just a natural bond between animal and handler. Even the breeder was a touch baffled by it, too._

"How-How," she said, and he moved to her side. "Remember when I got my first falcon, and how the breeder didn't know he had an extra one? How it was unregistered? Yet, it refused to let any other falcons near me until there was no choice in the matter to let me rent it?"

"You're right," he nodded. "I was there when you got the bird, too. It always seemed to give me small looks at times. Especially when we started to get closer. It really made no sense to me, come to think of it."

" _Huginn was jealous, but could do nothing. Ah! I see! Father Odin found out what Huginn did and forbade him to shift as punishment! He...would have done to me what he did to Huginn...in that sense. To lock me permanently in a falcon form,_ " Muninn winced. Sarine reached for him to hug tight, and Hyegun could only lean back with a sigh. He was still locked to her and didn't feel that he was done yet.

"When can you stay with me?" she asked, as she leaned into his chest.

" _I'm not sure,_ " he said, as he hugged her. " _You have many that need to be with you. Your triplets need it. You need to be with them before you can be with me._ "

"Or you just be with her now," Hyegun chuckled. "I can stay with her again after you."

" _Are you sure? You may have to be with her longer,_ " Muninn frowned.

"I'll be fine," Hyegun said. He gave a slight wince on moving from her. Howard and Kiehl were chuckling, as Muninn took over quickly. He shouted when Sarine bit down on his throat hard enough to leave marks, but she didn't break the skin. When her hands moved to settle in his black locks of hair, he shuddered and hugged her tightly to him.

"Don't you miss me?" she whispered in his ear, and he shivered.

" _I do. I try to be there for you when I can. It does help you. I wish I had the ability to protect you when you needed it most, Sarine. To be there for you. Regardless of what Father Odin thought. You were so weak and vulnerable when you were attacked..._ "

"Well, maybe a dream vision is needed to see what could have happened if you came to my rescue?" she smiled. He looked at her with amazement, and now Loomin was intrigued.

"This is the time to get a good portion of the visions done, right?" Sammy chuckled.

" _True. But, after this vision, I am sure the ship will be done circling the island. You will need to see to the children. We cannot freeze time too much. Your pregnancy still grows within it, you see. It could become hazardous. We need to keep their timeline in sync with the eggs,_ " he said with a soft smile, as he rocked her. " _Oh, Kiehl. I need you to imprint something that I am going to do. Please focus on my vocals, okay? It will help her._ "

"I'm ready," Kiehl nodded, and he readied himself to listen. Sarine rested her head against Muninn's shoulder, and the powerful being dropped his mouth to her ear. Then he started to give out a soft purr. Howard was surprised at this. Doppy wasn't expecting this, either. None of the males were. No one knew that Muninn could purr. It wasn't needed to be done until now. Kiehl was studying how it was being done, and now he realized that it wasn't just a purr. _It was a growl._  It was being done on such a low level that he was retaining the sound within himself and letting it vibrate through his body to soothe her.

Then he took a deep breath, and the growling purr took on a much deeper tone. It was one that Kiehl did before when Sarine needed it, but this one was on a much softer level. Then Kiehl noticed something else. Muninn's hand was on her belly.  _The purr he was doing was strictly for the triplets. Thanatos and Errende could keep them asleep, but this purr would make them feel completely protected, safe, and fully at ease._

"Her pregnancy..." Hyegun said softly with wonder. "All of the children in her are...they're all calmed to such a point..."

"Learn it," Thanatos nodded to Kiehl. "That purr will be something you definitely need. Hyegun can sense the same things I'm getting. But, he can hear them, too, and I can't do that. So, if he says the kids are happy, I believe him!"

Kiehl was ignoring the others and listening in on the purr that Muninn was doing the whole time. After five minutes passed, Muninn let the purr dwindle away. He still had his hand over her belly and kept his other arm locked around her form.

"Muninn..." she sighed, and he kissed her forehead.

" _Do you want to see a dream vision about me coming to your rescue?_ " he whispered in her ear. At her soft, blushing smile, he kissed her gently, and word was spread quickly. " _Father Odin is paying attention to this one, too. I think it may be interesting!_ "

"Any of them dealing with you has to be!" Ragged Zombie grinned, and the others laughed with small nods. The moment they all settled to meditate, the vision started up...


	170. Chapter 170

Sarine was scared. She was in the nursery of her childhood and knew that something was wrong. She was only two years old, and she was wondering why her papa hadn't come to see her to bed.  _He always tucked me in at night, and now he wasn't there._  Tsurga wasn't there, either, and she felt vulnerable.  _Where are my nannies? Where were the guards?_  She just felt that something was very wrong, and that she was in a lot of danger.

She didn't know an enchantment had filtered through the palace. As it moved through the halls and rooms, it took over any that were in its path. It had no effect on her at all. She could only get the sensation that something bad was happening.  _That something clearly wasn't right._  Odin's blood completely protected her against the vile enchantment, and her mother's blood made the spell think that this one was not needed. It was designed to attack and enchant any that were not of godly or Divine blood. It wasn't that she was immune. It was the simple fact that the spell not only enchanted innocents, but it sought out the one the caster was looking for. She was the target, and now she was in a lot of danger.  _And she knew it._

Once the spell found its target, it would spread out through the town to force any and all to forget about her. That was the second nature of the spell. Anyone that heard about her would suddenly forget. Markus's ancient bloodline let him remember her with his mother, but all others succumbed to the wave of amnesia. This included young Howard while he slept in his bed.

She put her thumb in her mouth and moved to huddle into a corner of the room with the doll that Markus made for her. When she heard someone coming down the hallway to approach her, the steps were unrecognizable, and she cringed with fear.  _Who was this person?_  She wasn't sure that she wanted to know.

"I'm here, my darling girl," a woman crooned softly. "I am your mother."

"Huh?" Sarine blinked. "I have no Mommy!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Markus has always known I was your mother. Now come to me and give me a big hug!" she said, as she knelt down with her arms open. The woman before her was pretty with black hair and flawless skin, but her eyes showed something different.  _They looked mean and nasty._ Sarine whimpered and shook her head frantically. She knew instinctively that this woman was not her mother.

"I have no Mommy!" Sarine said again, and she curled up into a ball at the look on the woman's face. She clutched her doll even tighter. She was not happy at all.

"So, my enchantment did not touch you. I see. You are the one I need to dispose of then. I guess it is time," she mused. She rose back up to stand tall and imposing. Then she reached over quickly to grab Sarine. She squealed and spun around, but her hair was caught. Sarine had never known such pain before, and she screamed out shrilly with tears in her eyes. Her head was still very fragile, and the woman knew this all too well.

"NOT MY MOMMY!" Sarine screamed out, as only a small child could, and the mean woman gave out a sneering scowl of hate. The doll was ripped free from Sarine's grasp and tossed aside. As she turned to haul her out, she paused at the sight of a black raven settled in the hallway on a piece of decorative furniture. It was staring at her.

"If you try anything, the girl dies!" the woman snarled out. At this, the raven landed on the ground and became Muninn's human form. He was glaring at the woman now. She would have easily cowered, but she had Sarine as a trump card. He couldn't do anything as long as Sarine was in her grasp and in danger.

" _Let go of my sister. Or I will kill you,_ " Muninn said slowly. Sarine was still crying and trying to get away. She didn't care if her hair was pulled out from how sharp it was getting yanked on. She could feel something warm starting to drip, and now instinctive survival took place. She had to get away from the vile woman any way that she could. As the woman mentally went over her options, she suddenly let out a sharp cry of pain. Sarine had turned and bit her leg. She felt more pain on the back of her head when it was done, but she didn't even think about it. She was working solely on instinct to get the woman to release her.

Now Sarine was kicked away savagely. Her chest was struck squarely in the center, and the back of her head cracked against the wall. The gash that was made had now widened a bit more from the act. As the woman went to check on the bite wound on her leg, she just barely remembered that she was still under attack. Muninn lunged forward to stab her with his spear. The woman darted around and took out a dagger to hold over Sarine's unconscious form. That made Muninn stop his assault, and he snarled with rage.

"This little ingrate will die!" the woman hissed. Then she stared in horror at the sword that pierced through her back and out her front. Tsurga had climbed in through the nursery window and caught her with her back turned to him. When the woman slumped to her knees and lifelessly fell forward, Muninn imprisoned the vile woman's soul. Tsurga pulled his sword free of her, and all concern went to the girl on the ground.

" _Sarine!_ " Muninn cringed and went right to the small girl's side. He gently pulled her up to check her heartbeat before giving out a gasping cry of shock.

"My Princess! What is wrong with her?!" Tsurga demanded to know.

" _She's injured. Very badly. The way she was kicked has cracked her ribs. Her head..._ " Muninn fretted and gasped at the blood that was seeping through her hair. Tsurga cried out with rage and quickly used every potion he had on him to stop the bleeding.

"My daughter!" Markus shouted, as he ran over. "What happened?!"

"Our Princess was attacked! I killed her attacker, but she tried to escape in the end. She got kicked into the wall," Tsurga grimaced. "Stranger, who are you?"

"Yes. Please tell us?" Markus asked.

" _I am Muninn. The very one that gave her to you when you wished for a daughter of your own. I came here too late..._ " Muninn sighed. " _I tried to stop this from happening._ "

"That was you?! I...well...later. We'll talk about it later! Is there anyone that can help her recover?!" Markus asked desperately.

" _There are two options. The first is I take her back to Valhalla. But, she will not become who she needs to be. The second is I take her to the powerful monster, Incantation Samurai. He can help her. He can see what she needs in order to heal her properly. Father Odin is...very upset with this. I begged him to let me save her life. To intervene. At first, he declined my wish, but he knew I had to try. He must have known that this would happen. But...I fear it may have happened, regardless. Just with dire, long term consequences. All I did was shorten the burden that this town would have had to endure,_ " he frowned, as he trembled with sorrow. " _I can't take her to Valhalla. Father Odin would not want her to leave._ "

"Take her to the monster. I will go with you to ensure her protection. I am her personal guardian, and it is my duty to see this through," Tsurga nodded. He looked over to see a small green-haired boy run over to them. Markus blinked at the child and saw how angry the boy was.

"Is she my playmate?!" the boy asked.

"Yes, Howard. She is my daughter. The one I told you about yesterday. She was attacked rather viciously. Why are you here, though?" the Emperor asked.

"I was told to come here. Someone told me to be here. That it was important," he frowned. "So, I came here. What's wrong with her?"

" _Hmm,_ " Muninn thought, as he looked at Howard. " _You are important to her. Okay. You won't be missed by your family at all. I'm not sure who could have told you to come here, but I have an idea. Just stay with me, okay?_ "

"Okay," he nodded. "Where are we going?"

"A very dangerous place," Tsurga said. "Let us protect you and don't try to help attack anything. We need to help our Princess get better."

"But, what is wrong with her? How is she hurt?" Howard asked now.

" _She was kicked into a wall. Her head is wounded, and her ribs are cracked,_ " Muninn said with a heavy frown. " _We are wasting time. Come._ "

"I'll have this place cleaned up. And, Tsurga, for protecting my daughter, you are now promoted to Captain. Please protect her and go with them," Markus said and rallied his guards. Tsurga paused at the promotion, but he nodded. Muninn refused to let any handle his sister.  _Her situation was critical now._ When a group of Tsurga's men appeared, Muninn shook his head.

" _No. There is no need for a large group with me. I am Muninn. One of Father Odin's messengers. We will not be attacked. Tsurga Din and Howard Alt-Eisen, just stay with me. Show no fear, or aggression, and everything will be fine. We have to go,_ " Muninn said sternly. The guards gaped at who they were talking to, but Tsurga nodded. Howard gave a little huff of determination, and he found himself getting carried by Tsurga to speed things along. They left quickly after that and seemed to find themselves at the entrance of the training grounds quickly. On entering it, the monsters within it seemed to nod with respect to Muninn and led them to where they had to go. Muninn glanced down at his sister and hissed at the feel of her head wound slowly starting to bleed again. At his look of fear, Tsurga narrowed his eyes, and they started to run. Howard could feel that something was very wrong now, and he shivered.

"How much further?!" Tsurga grimaced.

" _We are here,_ " Muninn said. Incantation Samurai was waiting at the entrance of the shrine. The massive Samurai ghost was clearly distressed, and Miyabi Doll was ready to see what she could do to help. " _Thank you for waiting. We don't have much time._ "

"How was she attacked?!" the powerful monster asked, as the massive scroll was shifted around. "Tell me everything!"

" _Of course,_ " Muninn nodded. He relayed what happened in full detail, as he carried Sarine. When she was laid face down on the bed in the hidden room with her cheek against a pillow to ensure she could breathe, Incantation Samurai pushed back his locks of white hair and hopped onto the bed. He carefully set her face in a better position so that it wouldn't strain her breathing or burden her chest, and he carefully pulled apart her blood matted hair to study the wound intensively. He needed to see how the bleeding started and what needed to be done. After that, he gently reached under her to feel her chest to determine how bad her rib cage was. Howard was set in a chair, and Tsurga watched by the door to guard it against intruders.

"When her hair was pulled, it started the tear in her skin. When she hit the wall, it tore it open even further, but didn't slice her," Incantation Samurai said, as the doctor within him came through. "Her scalp is very delicate when she's this young, you see. If her head was damaged any further, say from a harder hit, or a direct kick to it, the bleeding would have been far more severe than it is now. The potions given to her may have stopped the bleeding, but the moving of travel jostled it back open, if slightly. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. As for her ribs, they will heal fine. She just can't move too much. Her main injury is her head, and we need to see to it first. Stitching doesn't need to be done. The potions did do most of the work. If I try to Heal her, it won't really help. She needs to heal naturally from here. Hmm...this isn't good..."

"What is wrong?" Tsurga asked.

"The way her head hit the wall. The base of her skull was affected. She may lose some memories," the monster sighed. "How old is she? Do you know?"

" _She's only two,_ " Muninn said with a form of heartache.

"I see..." Incantation Samurai said with a sad frown. "I'll do what I can, but she may have to relearn a few things. Likely those she can trust, but she's still very young. She won't always forget things, thankfully. Her mind will be fine from here on out. It's just the memories she has now. Those will be affected. She may not remember much when she wakes up. Doll? Can you wash her hair, please? I need the blood cleaned off to see the wound better."

"Yes, Incantation Samurai," Miyabi Ningyo nodded. She had a basin of warm water ready with a soft cloth. Howard was thinking hard, as he watched everything, and he finally got off the chair to pull himself onto the bed. Incantation Samurai looked at him with curiosity.

"She's going to be my playmate," Howard said, as he gently stroked her hair after each lock was cleaned. "I want to do something for her. What can I do?"

" _The only thing you can do, Howard. Be her playmate and protector. What happened tonight should never have happened. But, it did. Now I have to know. Who told you to come see her?_ " Muninn asked. " _Do you remember what the person looked like?_ "

"I remember waking up," Howard said with a thoughtful look on his face. "I saw a man standing by my bed. Um, he had a beard and one eye, I think. Armor, too. And he looked sad. He told me that someone important needed my help, and that it was at the palace. He told me to run over as fast as I could. That time was of the essence."

" _Father Odin, himself, told you to be there for her!_ " Muninn gaped. " _As I intervened, so did he! There must be something he knows that I do not._ "

"Will she live?" Howard asked Incantation Samurai.

"She will. There will be a lot of pain for her, but don't worry. I will make everything better. I promise," the powerful monster vowed. "You can call me Sammy. If Odin told you to be here for her, then I am not going to argue with it. You can help me keep her comfortable."

"Okay," Howard nodded and looked down at Sarine with a frown. He bent down and placed a small kiss on her temple. Tsurga saw this and knew the boy wasn't leaving her side. He seemed to smile and would ensure that proper provisions were sent down. Sammy already ensured that none of the palace guards would be attacked. After a week, Sarine slowly came around. Tsurga was mildly dozing in a chair. Sammy was patrolling his shrine, and Doll was preparing meals. When she sat up, she gave a gasping whimper from the horrible headache she felt. Her head was carefully bandaged to keep the wound from opening again, and it felt like a massive vice was on her head with intense pressure.

"Lay back down. It won't hurt so bad," Howard said, as he sat up to help her. He was sleeping next to her the whole time.

"Who...?" she blinked at him.

"I am Howard. Your playmate!" he beamed. She tried to remember him, but he giggled and said, "We haven't met yet. You hit your head bad. Your dad will be here soon, and Sammy is a good friend, too! Um, do you remember Tsurga?"

"Tsurga?" she frowned and now saw the guard slowly move to the bed to smile at her. She seemed to shiver, and he knelt down to her.

"You are a Princess that I have been protecting. You hit your head, and you may have forgotten about me. Do you remember my Emperor? Your papa?" Tsurga asked softly.

"My...Papa...?!" she gasped. She did remember him, and she started to cry. "I...some lady...said she was...my Mommy..."

"You don't have a mommy," Howard said with a small nod. She sniffled and found herself hugging him. When she started to cry in racking sobs, he was hugging her back carefully. He knew her ribs were still healing, and that her head was still hurting.

"She is awake?!" Sammy asked, as he rushed back in from the sounds he heard. "Get Markus down here quickly! Where is Muninn?!"

" _I am here!_ " Muninn said, as he appeared. " _Sarine!_ "

"Huh...?" she sniffled and looked at him with wide eyes.

" _I am your brother,_ " he said with a gentle smile. As she looked at him, something instinctive came over her that he was family.  _He could be trusted._  She squealed and reached for him to get hugged close. " _Don't worry. I'll always watch over you. I can't be there for you all the time, but I will be there when the need is dire. It's okay now..._ "

"My head hurts..." she whimpered, as she tried to stop her sniffling.

" _It will hurt for a while longer. Just relax, okay? Don't worry,_ " he soothed.

"That...lady..." she shivered.

" _She's gone. You will never see her again,_ " he promised. She just gave a small nod and looked over at Markus, as he came into the room.

"Sarine? I'm your papa," Markus said with a touch of grief in his voice. She reached for him now, and he hugged her with relief. Howard smiled softly and watched everything with a sense of pride.  _She is my playmate, and I will always be there for her._ When Sarine fell asleep on Markus's shoulder from the exhaustion of the head wound, they started to discuss what to do to make her more comfortable. It was here that the dream vision faded out...


	171. Chapter 171

Muninn was in shock.  _Sarine still fell to the attack._  He was crushing her to his chest and struggling to keep himself composed for her. Sammy clearly didn't know what to think. Loomin was trying to make sense of everything, but it was a vision. They had their own rules, and there was no way he could make anything of it.

"Amazing..." Howard said with a shiver, as he got hugged to her next.

"She still got hurt, but she didn't go through the abuse," Ragged Zombie frowned.

"My Princess..." Tsurga winced, and Sarine reached for him next to hug tight.

"I've never known one to be so vicious to a child," Elric said with a shake of his head.

"I know..." Eremes nodded.

"Sammy is always the first monster that reaches her when it comes to dream visions of her past. Except for Kiehl and those that want to see her first, but Sammy was still found right after when it deals with her childhood," Loomin thought aloud. When Sarine looked at Sammy, he was up and over at her side to hug her.

"We are all going to need to be with her," Doppy muttered.

"She'll want each of us to stay with her, too," Kiehl thought.

"It's been awhile since we all had a bath," Injustice said with a grin, as he brought her craving dishes over. Errende blinked at this and looked at Thanatos with worry.

"Errende made a good point. It's risky. Think about it. All of us in the tub with her, and a lust wave hits. What would you do?" Thanatos asked.

"Ooh," Neil frowned.

"I second that thought," Maheo sighed. "I barely survived the first one!"

"I don't remember the first one," Terin chuckled.

"Be glad you don't," Tsurga grinned. Sarine was about to start gaining interest, but the door was knocked on to interrupt her thoughts. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other with relief. _The Captain's Quarters were confined. The ship was a small enclosure. They had to have her think about other issues._ Doppy dressed and waited for everyone else to dress, but Sarine kept a blanket around her. Muninn had just reached the point of feeling satisfied with her, and Hyegun was able to take his place back. Once he was safely locked within her, and the blanket was securely around his waist with her, he nodded.

"Put your top on..." Eremes said softly. She smiled, and Hyegun helped her.

"I'm next with her," Keltin chuckled.

"Done," Kiehl nodded. Loomin looked at Muninn now and seemed cringe at a thought.

" _What is it?_ " Muninn asked.

"If Huginn was her falcon, he would have witnessed various things that happened to her when she was alone. Right?" he asked with worry. Howard now looked at Kiehl, and they looked at Sarine. Curiosity had definitely set in. Sarine seemed to sigh, and she leaned into Hyegun hard while he comforted her.

"Later. Not now," Hyegun muttered, as he kissed her. "Let's see who's coming in, okay? As much as we all want to know various things, there are others that need to see you. Like our children. We need to see them, too."

"Yes," she nodded, and he squeezed her. When the door opened, Serenity darted in with excitement of the fish she caught. Howard was quick to pick her up and tickle her to distract her.

"How many fish?" he grinned.

"Five!" she beamed and snuggled him. "Um, is Mama okay?"

"She's fine," Kiehl chuckled. "Hyegun needs to be close to her right now. She'll be up there soon. How is everyone else?"

"Gunther only got one fish, and he got mad, but Deagan showed him how to catch more. He's better now," Serenity nodded. "Gunther wasn't using bait."

"That would be the problem," Doppy grinned. Serenity was now given to Byorgue, as she was taken up to the main deck, and Sarine had fallen asleep on Hyegun.

"Pregnancy sleep," Hyegun smiled gently. "That purr Muninn did has completely calmed the children to a point that it's all they want to do right now."

"Seriously?!" Kiehl gaped. Muninn gave a small nod and a chuckle.  _This was why Kiehl needed to learn the purring. This was why it was so important. He would be able to effectively calm down the triplets when they got irritated and demanding._

"So, when we get home, that group of morons want to see Sarine, right?" Doppy muttered. "I don't think they should see her like this."

"No, they shouldn't," Sammy nodded, as he settled to meditate.

"I say we greet them for her," Thanatos smirked.

"I'm all for it!" Ragged Zombie snickered.

"I wonder if they're fun to punch out," Mobster mused.

"As long as Sarine isn't there to see them, do whatever you want," Maheo grinned.

"I'll run them over with my cart. When it's full of iron ores," Neil growled.

"Now, I have to wonder," Ragged Zombie grinned. "If Maya Purple held them down, would your cart be narrow enough and short enough to run over the bastards on the ground and underneath his body?"

"I doubt it," Neil chuckled, and the others laughed.

"I say," Elric said with a sly grin. "use them as targets and have Pori-Pori be the one to smack them down. What do you think?"

"Takes the fun away from us," Doppy frowned.

"I'll melt their shoes to the ground to pin them in place!" Ifrit hissed out. Naght rumbled out in Demonic, and they all laughed. They could easily see him gutting them open. They kept up the bantering for another hour. When the ship felt like it was starting to slow down, Kiehl and Hyegun gently nuzzled Sarine awake.

"Hmm?" she asked, as she stretched.

"We're back home," Kiehl smiled and purred deeply, as she cuddled into him. Then she blinked and looked over at Doppy. Howard paused, and the demon looked over oddly.

"She really wants you," Howard muttered to him. That made Doppy's jaw drop slightly, but he moved to her side quickly. Hyegun had just started to feel satisfied with Sarine, and he was able to move from her to help her dress. It apparently only took about one to two hours for anyone that stayed with her to feel satisfied with her. It would depend on the need of the babies developing in her. When they were calm, it didn't take long at all. When they were aware, it was much longer. Loomin voiced this, and they all decided to see about keeping the developing babies as calm as they possibly could.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't go..." she winced. Kiehl thought and suddenly bristled with rage.

"Shit...!" Howard hissed out. "She knows that the group is waiting for her. Doppy, Kiehl, Naght, Ifrit, and I will need to stick close to her. Right now, she feels that we are the best ones to protect her. It's obvious about us, but Doppy is under Kiehl in power. Tsurga, you'll need to help us clear a path to the house, if needed."

"Gladly," the Captain smirked. Doppy grinned at that, but he nuzzled Sarine with a tenderness that he only revealed to her. Kiehl let him lift her into his arms, and the demon gave out a guttural snarl of protection. He was holding his mate, and she was bearing offspring. Instinct had already set in to protect her to the fullest. Kiehl let out his own bloodthirsty growl, and Doppy nodded to him respectfully. A nod was given back, and they were ready to leave the ship. The kids were waiting for them, and Thanatos had Edward in his arms.

"Stick to me. Humans are waiting for us, and they are not trustworthy," Thanatos muttered. Edward nodded sternly. Errende had Angela in his arms. Naght soon had Serenity and Siegfried. The other kids were quickly gathered by the slaves and taken straight to the house once the boat had docked. Doppy held Sarine tight to his chest, as he carried her, and Kiehl led him to the house with Howard. On approaching, Greg walked over with his small group.

"Back down. Now!" Eremes hissed, and he flashed his katars.

"My babies..." Sarine winced.

"Safe," Kiehl murmured in her ear, as Doppy purred. "I'll take care of him."

"Will you?" she asked with a soft whimper. Kiehl's protective hatred spiked and exploded at her pained look. He snapped his head around to bare his teeth, and he gave out a seething hiss of hatred at the human. That look alone sent a wave of excitement through the other Demonic males at the thought of prominent bloodshed.

"They're all gonna die," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"Egnigem, dear, shall we watch some bloodshed?" Donnie asked with a grin.

"Sure!" she said happily. Karla looked at Seyren with a small grin of her own, and he could only purse his mouth shut to keep from laughing.

"Hmm..." Elric thought, and Terin whispered to him. The Assassin Cross could only smirk now, and he crossed his arms with a nod. At that, Beelzebub muttered out in Demonic. Sarine blinked and shivered, as Doppy cuddled her.

"Sarine?" Greg asked, as he moved over to her. The Priest and the two Hunters glanced at each other nervously. She glanced over at him and shivered harder. Doppy gave out a bloodthirsty snarl. Her other loves all settled their hateful glares at him, as they barred off his path to her. Now Greg tried to find a way around them. Her companions cringed with an all-knowing look that something nasty was going to happen.

"Greg! Back down and get away from her now!" a strong voice shouted out. "You're clearly distressing her, and she doesn't need that! Can't you take a hint?!"

"That voice..." Sarine frowned.

"My Guild found some, ah, acquaintances," Elric chuckled. "From a dream vision."

"Kalen?!" Greg gaped. "I haven't seen you for weeks! You transcended, too?!"

"What the hell have I told you about bothering people that don't want you around?!" the honorable man scolded. He was a Lord Knight and looked just as regal in his armor as any Paladin. He stayed with the dark green coloring to his armor, and it was lined with gold. He was clearly of an ancient, noble bloodline, and this caught the others by surprise. The transcendence he went through fully revealed it now.

"How did you get here?" Greg frowned.

"Some new friends found us," a High Wizard said, as he walked over with a High Priest. "We were visiting Moscovia when we were approached. The moment we were told to come here, Kalen insisted we listen and dragged us along. Now that I see that you're here, I can fully understand why we had to get here. Fast."

"What?!" Greg gaped.

"I know you told us about her, but, damn, you really know how to pick a winner," Grant sighed. "She's royalty, she's obviously quite married, and you're just pissing them all off."

"I would like to speak with the one called Kalen, please," Sarine said softly.

"You. Lord Knight. Follow us," Kiehl said through his gaze of hatred at Greg.

"The other two with you can wait in our main room. We see you both as guests. The others with Greg need to leave," Sammy said cordially.

"Before I follow you, I need to know why I am so well received," Kalen said.

" _A just thought,_ " Muninn chuckled and walked over to him. " _I am Muninn. Sarine's brother, you see. Allow me to show you a vision._ "

"Muninn?!" Kalen blinked. Then he paused at the vision given to him. He was completely shocked at it. "I...I see..."

" _This is why you are so known to us. You helped my sister. Even though it was in a dream vision, we recognized how honorable you are. You do possess a form of ancient nobility, too. So, we had to find you. Did you hear of a ball that happened?_ " he asked.

"I did. But, I was busy escorting a group of Novices to a place they could train at. Then I had to escort them back to town when they finished. I had agreed to help them when I could, you see. Only after that was done, did I try to make it to the ball, but then my two friends needed help in reaching Moscovia. They had heard that rare and powerful items were found there. I had no chance to get to the ball," Kalen sighed. "It was important, I take it?"

"Very. It called to those who were honorable to become a Warrior of Odin. A possible one," Keltin chuckled. "We found Terin there, too."

"I'm ancient royalty," Terin chuckled. "Beelzebub recognized it. I came from Prontera. Where did your lines come from? Do you know?"

"Ah..." Kalen thought and frowned. "I honestly couldn't tell you. I didn't even know that I was any form of royalty until...well...now."

"Loomin? Do you know?" Sarine asked with a soft smile. He walked over and kissed her deeply before letting Kiehl take her from Doppy to hold. Loomin glanced at Kalen now, and the Lord Knight felt as though his very core was being evaluated quite critically.

"Hmm," Loomin audibly thought out loud. "Interesting..."

"What is it?" Eremes asked. Kalen watched Loomin move over to him now. He seemed to be judging his height. Kalen was clearly a foot and a half shorter than Loomin's seven and a half foot height. He was also not as muscled. Loomin was a perfect copy of Doppy's body build. Kalen was very filled out in the chest, but not as lean. He had the build that Seyren had.

"Muninn, he's Divine," Loomin said.

" _Is he?!_ " he gaped, and now he peered into any distant past he could. " _Incredible! He's from Rachel! A branch from the old ways!_ "

"What?!" Kalen gaped. "But, I'm not religious! Well, that religious..."

"Get Evil Snake Lord?" Loomin asked. Beelzebub had a Hell Fly send the message, and the powerful snake monster made his way over. He looked over at Greg and gave a bone-jarring hiss of disgust. He didn't want to reveal any information in front of him or his group. Now that everything was winding down, Sarine's companions nodded to Kalen before heading into the house. Garrett and Seyren could only chuckle. They would likely talk to him a bit later.

"It's time you three went inside," Howard said to Kalen, Grant and Kennard. "You're guests. The others are not."

"Okay," Grant nodded. Errende looked over at him and gave a small smile, as he moved into Sarine's arms. Grant paused at the sight of the collar. That had him puzzled.

"My Lady?" Errende asked.

"After Keltin stays with me, it may be Loomin next. After him, I want you to stay," she whispered to him, as she kissed him passionately.

"Of course, My Lady," he muttered against her mouth, and kissed her again. "Whatever you wish, I will always do for you."

"I love you, Errende," she sighed, and he squeezed her.

"I love you, too, My Lady," he smiled. "More than words can say."

"Why do you call her that?" Grant asked.

"I am her slave," Errende said with a touch of pride. "I chose to be in this situation. My Lady has given me twins, and Lord Thanatos shares his blood with me. They are his twins, too."

"Seriously?!" Grant blinked. Sarine blushed softly and let Errende kiss her again before Kiehl pulled her back into his arms. She nuzzled into him, as he gave a glare of hatred at Greg.

"I'm curious. Why did you three decide to tag along with Ass Hat?" Ragged Zombie asked. Kalen actually gave a small grin. What was even funnier was that the others with Greg knew who they were talking about. The snickers started, and the Priest spoke up.

"He told us that he really wanted to speak to her, and he thought it would be good to have a show of backup," the man said.

"So, he was using you three as bait. Right," the zombie nodded. The two Hunters glanced at each and seemed to glare at Greg.

"I was not!" Greg said quickly.

"A lie," Beelzebub snorted.

"Greg, let it go. You will harm our wife. You need someone who can put up with your antics. Sarine is not the one you need," Loomin said. "And, if you linger here any longer, Kiehl will rip you apart. So, you need to leave."

As Greg was ready to argue his point, Kalen neatly stepped in front of him with a glare. He was actually blocking off Kiehl's glare to keep Greg out of his sight. That had Kiehl blink with a form of interest. _The Lord Knight was trying to keep things under control._

"Greg, we've known each other for some time. A couple years, if that. You know that what I say is always true. Even though you always tried to argue your point. Constantly. You will not win here. It's obvious that you will never win here. Why are you keeping up with this?" the Lord Knight asked. "Just tell me."

"I want her to be my wife! She's my dream girl!" Greg said.

"That's it?" Kalen asked with disgust. "She's a royal princess! She's more than just a wife! She is far more than that! It's clear that you don't respect her for who she is. You are chasing a childhood dream. Drop the dream and go."

"I like him," Keltin muttered.

"So do I," Hyegun chuckled.

"Kalen," Sammy said lightly, and the man walked over. He was whispered to about Sarine's pregnancy and what the stress Greg caused was starting to do to her. Now Kalen smoldered with rage.  _She didn't deserve that at all._

"Yeah, I like him," Ragged Zombie nodded. Neil and Maheo snickered to each other. Tsurga was already thoughtful, and Terin was musing with Elric. Keltin walked over to Kalen and whispered to him of the incident with the arrow. Now Kalen was simply pissed.

"Were you really so stupid to fire an arrow at a princess?!" the Lord Knight hissed.

"I was aiming for the dead man!" Greg scowled.

"But, she was in the way!" Kalen snapped. Now Grant and Kennard looked at Greg with complete shock. Even Greg's three companions were stunned by this news.

"Luckily, I caught the arrow," Keltin glowered.

"Get. Him. Out. Of. Here," Kiehl seethed, as he hugged Sarine to him. Errende kept his hands on her belly, and Thanatos was quick to join him once his son was in the nursery.

"My babies..." Sarine cringed.

"Safe," Kiehl smiled and nuzzled her. Now Kalen knew he had to get Greg away from them. The Lord Knight walked right over to Greg and punched him dead in the face. The Sniper fell back and scooted away, as Kalen advanced on him again. Kiehl was actually watching with amusement. Then he looked over, as Cedrick and Shoujin appeared from the barracks. Sarine whimpered, and Kiehl gave a poisonous glance that kept them back.

"What's going on?" Cedrick asked. Shoujin looked with dismay at the Sniper on the ground, and he glanced at the bruise forming on his jaw with the towering Lord Knight. He knew exactly what was going on, from what he could tell.

"Do you need assistance getting him off the island?" Shoujin asked. He could tell the Lord Knight was honorable and defending Sarine.

"Why not?" Kalen smirked. He could tell the men were powerful, and, apparently, of a noble or royal status, as well. Yet, he was puzzled on how they were regarded. Ragged Zombie cleared his throat, and Kalen looked over. At the gesture to approach, the Lord Knight walked over and was whispered to about the two princes. Kalen was clearly not amused, but he would not argue with the two men. _At least, not right now._ He moved back to where he was to chase Greg off the island, and Grant and Kennard were quick to assist their friend. Greg found himself outnumbered. And very outclassed in both power and will.

"I'll be back for her!" Greg muttered.

"And I'll be waiting," Kalen vowed silently. That made Greg pale. When Greg left with his other three companions, there was a discussion being done.

"So, who's blood would Kalen take?" Howard asked.

"Mine?" Doppy grinned.

"I don't think he would want to feel her Majesty's pain," Tsurga frowned.

"What?" Kalen blinked.

"There is quite a bit that you need to know. Go find the Strouf, Storm Caller. He will be able to explain much about Sarine, as well as other various roles to you. Muninn can help you even more after that," Sammy advised. "We will have Evil Snake Lord research your lineage."

"Very well," Kalen nodded. As he started to head to the house, Sarine stopped him with a gentle touch to his arm. He looked at her with silent wonder, as she now rested her hand on his cheek. He swallowed a touch nervously.

"When you are done, maybe you can help protect my babies?" she asked with a soft blush. He tensed, but it was clearly with a form of protection for her.

"Talk to Storm Caller," Kiehl growled out in warning. "You are not one of us. Yet."

"Right..." Kalen said with a slight cringe. Howard could only grin, as the Lord Knight went into the house. Sarine blushed at Kiehl's whisper, and she nipped his chin to make him mutter before kissing her. This was why he loved her.

"Whose blood should he have?" she asked him between soft kisses.

"We'll discuss it...as you see the kids..." Kiehl mumbled. She giggled softly, and he purred deeply. He lifted her into his arms to carry her. Howard moved towards them to run a hand over her belly fondly, and she blushed at him.

"Triplets!" he giggled to her, and she giggled back. She was carried into the nursery, and Pori-Pori was quick to guard the stairs. He was told of the three visitors, and he nodded. They would be treated neutrally. Muninn showed him the dream vision, and Pori-Pori looked at him curiously before speeding off to study the guests for himself.

Sarine was settled on the rocking bench between Kiehl and Howard. Deagan was sitting happily in Kiehl's lap and talking to him about robotic parts. Sarine was nursing her children, and Stolas gave a small growl in Beelzebub's arms.

"I hear the human. Don't worry," the Demon Lord muttered, and Stolas nodded.

"Bad man?" Stolas asked.

"This one is trustworthy. He may be another father to you," he grinned.

"Another Dad?! Who?" Serenity asked, as she ran over.

"A Lord Knight by the name of Kalen. The same one in that dream vision with me," Thanatos chuckled. "And, you all will see him when he comes here. Don't disturb him right now. He's learning about your mom's past. If you don't see him before you all go to sleep, you may see him in the morning. All right?"

"Okay," Siegfried nodded. "Is he strong?"

"He's very strong," Eremes smiled. "And very honorable."

"Dad?" Joseph asked, as he rose up his arms from the cradle. Eremes lifted him up with his daughter to let them snuggle into his sides. He held them close and saw Elric chuckling at him. They had already nursed and were soon sleeping on him.

"The rocking chair is free," Injustice said with a light smile. Eremes quickly made use of it. "We should have more made."

"I'll tell Storm Caller," Byorgue nodded and left the room. Sarine gave a soft sigh, and Howard looked at her with a smile.

"When he comes back, he'll hug you," Howard said. She nodded and managed to finish nursing the last of the children that needed it. Atsuko was sleeping deeply on Loomin's shoulder, and Takeshi was having fun by pinching his nose.

"Ow..." Loomin said, as his nose was tugged down, and Takeshi giggled. Evil Snake Lord moved into the room and gave tickling kisses to his son to have him release his hold on Loomin's face. As a wry grin was given in appreciation, the snake monster now started to use his ink on the floor of the nursery. The kids began to gather around out of curiosity.

"What are you doing, Dad?" Gunther asked.

"I am looking up Kalen's past. He does not know what ancient standard of nobility he is from. Loomin found out that he is from Rachel, as he is Divine. So, I am checking into it," Evil Snake Lord explained softly. "If he is Divine, we must see from whom."

"Like royalty?" Serenity asked.

"You could say that. In a sense, Loomin is Divine, but he came from Loki and a revered woman of Divine faith. It is possible that Kalen may be from an off-shoot from Rachel Divinity in other ways. Not from direct birth, but inherited. It is not uncommon for children to be taken and raised elsewhere. He may have been one of those children. Or one of his ancestors, if he is old nobility. Especially when the old wars raged, it was not uncommon. Ah! It appears that I was right. He was...hmm...Hibram, you may want to see this," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. Hibram was quick to walk over, and he studied the images.

"His ancestor was one that I had saved from the Church! Before it became corrupted!" Hibram gaped. "I guess I'll have to give him my blood."

"Another to act as Sarine's Heart. Not bad," Maheo smiled.

"Would the others you gave blood to also be her Heart?" Neil asked. "Like Anna?"

"No. Only if they belong to Sarine, like you two. The more to help protect Sammy and Sarine, the better," Loomin nodded. "I say do it."

"It would make the most sense," Amon Ra chuckled, as he gave Angela a ride. Byorgue came back in to announce that Storm Caller would be here shortly. Nigel moved to whisper to him, and the little slave was quick to head to Sarine's side to get hugged tight.

"I'll stay with you soon, My Lady. Don't worry," Byorgue smiled and got kissed passionately. "Who plans to stay with you so far?"

"Um, Keltin is. Then Loomin. Errende will be after him. But, if I claim Kalen as a mate, then he may go before Keltin," she pondered aloud.

"I'll go after Errende," Byorgue chuckled. "How long until My Lady is well with us?"

"It takes about two hours, if that," Hyegun said. "Could be sooner."

"And during the night?" Byorgue asked.

"Howard and I need to be with her. We promised," Kiehl said.

"I think it may need to be them every night," she frowned. That had Howard and Kiehl look at each other with worry, but they would see what happened tonight. Only then would they know for sure. They had a feeling that she may be right. Then she remembered something and said, "Um, How-How?"

"Yes, love?" he smiled.

"You promised me a ride on your cart when you were human," she blushed.

"That I did," he nodded. "However, considering the circumstances..."

"I know. I can wait," she smiled. Howard kissed her gently, and Errende nodded to Thanatos to ask a very important question.

"Is My Lady hungry?" he asked. "I think it's been some time, since you've last eaten."

"Very," Howard winced. A flurry of movement was done, and she was given her mass amount of craving foods. Grant and Kennard approached to find themselves staring up at Naght's hovering form. He hissed in warning to show they were being watched. Sammy got up to talk to them, and to let them know various things about the nursery. After that, they decided to find Storm Caller and get more insight on what they could do to help. When they left, the mood lightened considerably, and the slaves moved about to keep the children entertained and Sarine happy. Maya Purple and Drago were still guarding the nest. It was instinctive for them.

"Drago?" Sarine asked, as she ate. The half Draconic man looked over at her with a gentle, worshiping smile. He went straight to her side to see what she needed.

"My Lady?" he asked with a smile, and she had him help her eat.

"She misses you," Kiehl sighed.

"Everyone will need to be with her at various points. It can't be helped. We'll arrange it, as we need to," Howard sighed. Drago only nodded and found her cuddling into him. He wrapped his single wing around her protectively. Observation was looked at after Drago, and the angel was quick to go to her side.

"Stay close?" Sarine asked him. Observation nodded, and she actually had him sit on the bench to sit in his lap. That surprised the others.

"She feels that she's not with you enough," Kiehl smiled.

"You have only to ask for me!" Observation said with a touch of surprise. She silenced him right after that with a tug to his collar and a deep kiss to his mouth. "If you want me now, My Lady, I'll do whatever I can..."

"I will need you. All of my loves. But, I need to be with Keltin first. You will be after Byorgue. I'm sure it may be nightfall by then, and I'll need to be with Kiehl and How-How. They promised me," she said with a soft blush.

"And we will keep our promise to you," Kiehl smiled and got nuzzled. Now she tugged on his collar to pull him into a kiss, and Deagan giggled in his lap. For that, he got a tickling poke to his side and a kiss to his forehead.

"Dad," Juliana said, as she walked over. "Why does Mama need everyone so close?"

"It's your sisters and brother in her. It's how they get to know us. They are able to know that we will protect them. It also lets your mom be with those that don't get much time with her, too, so it's fine," Kiehl smiled and let her climb into his lap next to her brother.

"How long do our Dads need to stay with Mom?" Deagan asked.

"About two hours," Howard chuckled. Juliana blinked at that, and Deagan was thinking.

"Dad, are we doing any traveling?" he asked.

"Not this time around. Muninn foresaw that something bad could happen, if we did. And, if your Mom needs us like this, it wouldn't be safe," Kiehl said. Sarine was resting comfortably on Observation's chest, and he was cradling her with his eyes closed. He never did get that much time with her, as it was.

"I'll have your children after my next pregnancy," Sarine murmured in the angel's ear, and he shivered while he squeezed her. "Do you think they'll have wings?"

"I honestly wouldn't know!" Observation said with a soft laugh.

"And to know that Doppy would be having kids with yours," Eremes grinned. "Good and evil within her. I am curious how it will turn out..."

"We all are," Beelzebub smirked, and his daughter cuddled into his shoulder with a purr.

"Hmm," Maya Purple thought. "I think I can feel our guests shuffling around."

"Pori-Pori has them nervous," the Demon Lord grinned.

"Should I be with Keltin first? Or should we see if Kalen is ready for Hibram's blood?" Sarine mused. "What do you think?"

"We'll let him be with you, but not stay with you. He'll have to get in line for that," Keltin grinned, and he walked over to kiss her gently. Muninn had just set the prophesied twins in their cradles to sleep when he swerved his head over to look at Sarine with shock at the sultry purr that came from her throat. Juliana and Deagan were quickly gathered up by him to get them out of the way of what was going to happen next.

" _Her bedroom! Take her there now!_ " Muninn said quickly. Kiehl hissed, grabbed her from Observation, and charged out of the nursery with her. Observation growled and followed. He was affected. Howard and Keltin were also close to her, and they had to follow. Doppy and Eremes cringed at each other. The other males were clearly worried about this.

"Instinctive," Loomin sighed. "I'm just glad it's a controlled one and not one that consumes us all. Let's just remain here and do what we can."

They comforted the kids, but the bedroom was now a battle zone from the scuffles they heard from the nursery. Observation was actually holding himself up against Kiehl, and he was reflecting back all of the attacks given to him. Kiehl was surprised to find himself dodging his own attacks, as well as the lashing whip attacks the angel was doing with his green vines. He knew that, if Observation ever joined a Demonic Mating, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Kiehl was actually finding himself evenly matched, yet Keltin and Howard found themselves squaring off against each other. Sarine just watched with amusement, as her lust wave slapped them with her scent constantly.

In the end, Kiehl had her several times, Observation got to her once, Howard had her twice, and Keltin was able to get her three times. When it was finally over, she was in Kiehl's arms and gasping for air.

"Sorry," Keltin said, as he started Healing everyone.

"Not anyone's fault," Howard grunted, as his ribs were Healed. Keltin's Asura Strike did a number on him. "At least this gives us a reason to beat the mindless shit out of each other."

"What's funny is that Observation and Kiehl were untouched. Kiehl was dodging his own attacks plus some. That's impressive," Keltin grinned.

"Ragged Zombie will be placing bets the moment Observation joins a Demonic Mating," Kiehl mused, and Sarine giggled softly. "We should try to tag team Loki."

"Now that's an idea!" Observation grinned wickedly.

"I make him cringe when I glare at him," Kiehl snickered.

"Do you?!" the angel asked with complete mirth in his tone. "Now I like that idea!"

Then he looked over at Sarine when she reached for him. Keltin waited for the angel to finish and let Howard go next. When it was his turn, he didn't pull from her when her body locked him to her. He smiled softly and kissed her, as he whispered, "I'm staying. Don't worry."

"I love you, Keltin," she smiled, and he kissed her hard.  _He is my first husband, and there was a reason that he was. I owe him everything for helping me find my friends, and for keeping me from being lonely._ Howard and Kiehl listened to her thoughts, and looked at each other. Naght came in the room silently to help be in her line of sight. He was waiting for the lust wave to be over. Now he paused and saw the memories she gave them on how she met Keltin. Kiehl found a lot more respect for Keltin, when he saw how well she was guarded and protected. Howard could only mentally chuckle at how Sarine kept his promise by not being with another man. He still couldn't believe that he could even think that she forgot about him.

"And what are you guys thinking of?" Keltin asked.

"Sarine is showing us how she met you. And how you protected her. Hmm. Maybe you could answer a few questions for us," Kiehl mused. "What all did her falcon do while she trained? Can you recall? Since it was Huginn?"

"I can try. I do recall that her falcon always gave odd glances at Hunters. The men, that is. It was as though it was studying them. As though judging whether they were safe to be around. I was never sure why it was so...defensive around them. I can only guess that it's because of Greg, and how he constantly harasses her," Keltin thought aloud, and Sarine seemed to cringe. Howard looked over at her and frowned. The next thing Keltin knew was him giving a bit of leeway to Kiehl and Howard, as they hugged her tight. Naght rumbled out his intense hatred before letting it turn to concern. Now Keltin had to ask, "What did she remember?!"

"The next time we see Greg, I'm killing him!" Kiehl seethed. Errende and Thanatos ran into the room quickly at Hyegun's look of shock from the nursery. They had reached her just before an intense pain would have knocked her senseless.  _They saved her pregnancy._

"You both gave out intense rage fits! Why?!" Thanatos said with a glower, and he paled at Kiehl's look of murdering vengeance. He curbed his thoughts to nod with respect. Only after Kiehl nodded back, he said in a calmer tone, "Okay. Tell me. Please."

"Greg tried to force himself on Sarine. She never told us," Howard said with a dark look.

"What?" Thanatos asked now, and Keltin's jaw dropped.  _That explained everything on why the falcon was so defensive around Hunters._ Errende was in shock now and kept his hands pressed to her belly. "When did this happen?"

"It was some time after their first meeting," Kiehl said, as he squeezed her. "He found her in Izlude. He tried to force her into being with him. If it wasn't for her falcon, she would have been seriously injured. Or worse."

"What did he do?" Keltin asked. Naght looked over at Ifrit, as he came into the room. Her other loves were quickly filtering in from Beelzebub's report of what he was hearing.

"I...told him that no man would touch me. That I was claimed," Sarine shivered. "He tried to press me against a wall to kiss me. To show that he could..."

"Then Huginn managed to intervene, and he clawed Greg's back," Kiehl muttered, as he nuzzled her to calm her. "It gave her the edge to use a Fly Wing and escape."

"I'll be right back..." Eremes mumbled and moved off to find Kalen. Several minutes later, the Lord Knight was in the bedroom with Eremes. He was still learning about her, but this was too much for him to push aside. He didn't realize that she was nude, and he wasn't thinking about that at the time. He was too pissed off to think straight.

"He won't touch you!" Kalen scowled. "You have my vow! As of this point forward, Greg is a traitor! I refuse to allow him within fifty feet of you!"

"That's if you can reach him!" Ragged Zombie growled. "Ass Hat is gonna die!"

"Curb the negative thoughts! Right now!" Sammy warned.

"Please do," Hyegun sighed. "The triplets are furious enough, as it is."

That had Kiehl and Howard gape with shock. Baphomet Jr. thought silently to himself and moved over to them to whisper. Sarine started laughing, and Beelzebub barked out his own laughter. Terin was biting his knuckles at everything.

"What's so funny?" Doppy grinned.

"Whenever the Sniper wants to come here to see Sarine, he has to fight me and Dad," Baphomet Jr. grinned wickedly. "He has a debt to pay for nearly killing my brother."

"An eternal debt?" Pharaoh grinned.

"Always," the powerful demon nodded.

"Done," Kiehl said, as he chuckled. Howard was giggling with Sarine now.

"Your brother?" Kalen frowned. When Baphomet Jr. told him what Greg tried to do the small Demonic pet, the Lord Knight went silent with disbelief and rage.

"But, Sarine, why didn't you tell us about this?" Keltin frowned.

"It just...hurt too much. And it was humiliating at how he subdued me. I didn't really remember it until now, anyways. I did guard myself better..." she sighed with a shiver. Kiehl grimaced, and Howard hugged her tighter.

"My Princess, can you tell us?" Tsurga asked. She caressed his cheek, and he smiled.

"Want me to do it?" Howard asked. At her nod, he kissed her and said, "She was exhausted and heading to the inn. She could barely stay awake. This was about three months after their third meeting. He was actually able to follow her into her room, and he forced himself into it. She argued with him, and he pressed her against the wall when he tried to kiss her. When she dodged him, Huginn shattered open the window and attacked him when his back was turned. After Huginn marked him up, Sarine was able to Fly Wing away. Only when she was given the all clear to go back by her falcon did she head back to the room, but she asked to swap rooms instead. The management heard the window shatter and saw Greg running out. He looked like he broke in, which, in a sense, he did. An armed guard was told to sit in the room in case Greg came back. Of course, being the moron that he is, he did go back and got arrested."

"I can't believe...wait. What am I saying? This is Greg. I would expect no less of him!" Kalen snorted. "Regardless, he's dead, if he tries anymore of his shit!"

"Considering that he always tries to challenge me to fight when I'm pregnant," she winced. "He gets declined all the time, and he won't quit!"

"What?" Kalen asked quietly with carefully concealed rage.

"You heard her," Loomin said with his own form of silent confirmation.

"He would...dare to..." Kalen started and forced that anger down. "If he comes to this island anymore after tonight, I'll send him off in pieces! You have my promise!"

"I'm sure of it," Sammy nodded. "How much did you learn about Sarine?"

"I saw the slab of rock and the doll. I was in the middle of reading letters," Kalen sighed.

"Finish the letters and come back," Beelzebub said. Kalen nodded and now realized the state that Sarine was in. His jaw dropped, and Kiehl growled in warning for him to leave. His face was beet red with the thought that he intruded on something intimate, and he rushed out quickly. Sarine looked at Kiehl, and he shrugged at her while he nuzzled her.

"I'll talk to him," Hibram grinned. Maheo and Neil walked out to help.

"Kiehl, you scared him," she giggled.

"Until he takes Hibram's blood, it will be instinctive for me to do when you're like this," Kiehl muttered. "Can't be helped."

"And that's what I love about you," she smiled, and he purred intensely for her. Keltin was still locked to her, and he was still feeling unfinished, but that was fine with Kiehl. He was only comforting her. Howard was still pressed against her, but she needed him close.

"Bit of a crowd in here," Howard muttered, and Keltin grinned. Kiehl gave a mild grin, but he was resting his head against Sarine's shoulder.

"You will stay with me tonight?" she asked in a hushed whisper to him. Kiehl nodded and gasped, as her hands moved through his hair. "To think you spent two weeks without me..."

"A mistake!" Kiehl grunted, as he tried to talk through the sensations. "A horrible mistake that will never be repeated!"

"You did worry me," she murmured, and he gave a sharp gasp, as her finger went up his chest. He was still naked, and so was Howard. When her finger hooked around his collar, he gave a pleading whimper of solid need. He remembered that pain, and it came back.

"Sarine..." he pleaded now. Keltin looked at him to nod to show he was ready. Sarine cried out when Kiehl claimed her with Keltin. The Bongun couldn't leave her yet, and Kiehl needed her too much to bear. After the intense release, he mumbled, "I'm staying, too."

"Can you?" Keltin asked with a bit of surprise.

"Do you think you can?" she asked with a small giggle.

"Practice for tonight," Kiehl smirked. A solid hour went by peacefully. Sarine was able to rest in complete comfort. It was interrupted when Kiehl suddenly looked at the door with a growl. They weren't in the bathroom. They were actually on the floor of the bedroom.

"You two can't move, right?" Howard sighed. "The bed might be better for you guys."

"Too awkward. It's fine like this," Keltin nodded.

"It's Kalen. He finished reading the letters, and Hibram gave over his blood. How much more do you have, Keltin?" Beelzebub asked. "He's waiting patiently."

"I still have a bit more to go. He can come in now," Keltin chuckled. "If he took Hibram's blood, we can tolerate him. We won't fully see him as one of us until he gets Sarine's blood, but we'll know he's trustworthy."

"He's right," Kiehl nodded. The Demon Lord nodded, and Hibram came in with Kalen, Neil, and Maheo. Small nods of neutrality were given to the Lord Knight, and he was given a chair to sit in by Nigel.

"Thanks," Kalen sighed. "Those letters...amazing..."

"I know," Howard nodded. "What do you think?"

"Well, now that I can piece most of everything together, it's astounding, really! Muninn showed me a lot of what I missed, too. Hibram's also helping with that."

"Good," Kiehl muttered.

"You should talk to everyone to get all our history when you can. It will give you more insight about us, too," Howard suggested.

"I'll make sure to find the time to do that. I still find it hard to believe that you would have doubted your love for her," Kalen said to Howard. "After all you've been through?"

"I'm still eating my own foot over that," Howard cringed. Sarine ran a hand over his cheek to soothe him, and he sighed.

"There's a lot that I wish I was there for," Kalen admitted. At a knock on the door, he saw Doppy get up to answer it. Finding Cedrick there, Beelzebub moved swiftly in front of the bedroom door. Sammy was quick to join him. Loomin now moved to offer his body mass to help block off any viewing from the doorway.

"Sarine is fine. Go to the barracks," Loomin said bluntly. "Kiehl is in no mood to deal with you. No one is right now. You have no need to be here."

"My babies..." she winced.

"Safe," Kiehl muttered, as he purred for her. "I'm protecting you. It's all right."

"I'm going to beat the living shit out of him!" Howard growled, as he got up to dress quickly. "If he's not out of that doorway in the next ten seconds, I'm handing his ass to him! I don't care if I'm human right now! I'll be a monster again within the next few hours!"

"You'd better go," Loomin advised.

"Oh, please! Howard can't do anything to me!" Cedrick scoffed. All that were blocking the door suddenly veered aside to instinctively dodge what happened next. Howard's massive, red Vecer Axe made its odd sound to catch the prince by surprise, as it swung out at him, and he found himself slammed into a wall. Howard still had the ability to Berserk, and he was pissed. With the red lightning sparking off him, he looked far more intimidating than usual.

"She is pregnant with MY triplets! The same pregnancy she aborted in the past! I will  _not_  let you endanger her or them!" Howard spat out. Doppy curled back his lip. Errende and Thanatos were still in the room and had to place their hands on her belly. Naght seethed with hatred, as he charged, and that was enough to get Cedrick running to the main room. Terin had Cloaked and followed him to ensure he wouldn't be a threat. In the bedroom, everyone was surprised at Howard.  _It was rare for him to get so upset, and even rarer for him to attack. He was protecting his wife and growing children. He would not see her come to any form of harm._ Kalen was only gaping at how severe the attack was. Howard was always a force to be reckoned with from the Demonic blood in his veins. He actually pitied the prince for his stupidity.

"Our babies are safe," Kiehl said again, as he rubbed his hand over her belly. He started to do the growling purr that Muninn taught him, and it completely set her at ease. Howard was livid on a whole new level. Only when Naght got back, did he go back into the bedroom. At her look of complete need for him, he gave a harsh cry and dropped his axe to fall to his knees for her. Sarine was still locked to Kiehl and Keltin. She couldn't run to him like she wanted to. He was forced to move to her side to hug her to him before she hurt herself.

"I've never...been so...so..." Howard swallowed, as the rage left him. He cried out sharply at the feel of her hands moving up his chest and into his hair. He gasped hard with each breath, and Kiehl moved to run the flat of a blade over his neck. Kalen could only stare with shock at the scream of painful pleasure that Howard gave out next from her solid bite to his neck. Keltin knew that Howard needed her, and he managed to just feel satisfied of Sarine to pull away safely. Kiehl was next to free her for Howard. Errende and Nigel moved at Kiehl's whisper to help Howard get into a position to claim Sarine without disturbing her. Right after she fed, she gazed at him again and smiled with the love she held for him. No words needed to be said. He let her cradle him, as he cradled her, and their foreheads pressed against each other. One hand moved to rub over her belly, and the other ran along her form. The kiss they shared next seemed to defy all meaning. Kiehl actually found himself surprised at it.

"Hmm," Loomin thought.

"What time is it?" Kiehl asked.

"Almost sunset," Drago said.

"What's going to happen with me?" Kalen asked. "And what happened with them?"

"This is the first time I saw Howard actually attack someone," Doppy frowned. "Monsters while traveling, sure. That's a given. Even in the arena, it's a given when he's challenged. He is genuinely overprotective of her."

"It's his first pregnancy. It's unavoidable..." Eremes sighed.

"And she lost this pregnancy, apparently?" Kalen asked softly.

"She did," Kiehl nodded and moved to press against her back. "When Howard was human, he had her before she transcended. His seed was considered too weak for her body to work with. So..."

"We got them back," Howard finally muttered when Sarine nuzzled into his neck. All that she could do was nod. He kept a hand over her belly in such a protective way, that it seemed like nothing else mattered to him. "We have our triplets back."

"Should I make Kalen mine now?" she asked.

"Okay," Howard said and kissed her hard. "After him, I think it will be time for Kiehl, Naght, and I to be with you. Unless you want to be with Loomin first."

"Let's make Kalen an official group member," she smiled, and he chuckled. "Oh! Kalen, did you want to be part of my Guild?"

"A Guild? Oh! Ah...sure?" he chuckled. "I never joined Guilds from the demands normally met in them, but I would be honored to join yours."

"Howard," Loomin said. "I'll be with her in the morning. You need her right now."

"You're sure?" Howard asked.

"Very. I'll be close by, regardless," he nodded.

"Good. All right, Kalen. Go in the bathroom," Howard said. The Lord Knight paused at first, but he saw Sarine's soft smile. He found himself smiling back, and he nodded. He walked into the bathroom and seemed to gape at how massive it was.  _I didn't know a bathroom could look like this!_  Regaining himself, he chuckled and started to remove his armor. Still finding himself alone, he undid the binding that held his hair back and sat on the ground.

"Amazing..." he muttered to himself. "to have found myself here in this predicament. And Greg. What a moron! I already know I'll be kicking his ass whenever he shows up!"

"That's what I hoped to hear," Sarine said softly, as she silently moved up behind him. He blinked.  _When did she get here?!_ He was about to turn around, but he found himself stilled when her hand gently moved to untangle a few strands of his brown hair. It was long enough to trail past his shoulders. She actually found herself liking it. "Greg...is not welcome here. He has been far too troublesome to me and my loves."

"What all has he done? I know you told me about him challenging you, as well as the bit with the falcon and that arrow. Is there more?" Kalen managed to ask and tensed at the feel of her hands moving to massage his shoulders. Then her arms slipped around his neck to hug him.

"I'll tell you...later..." she whispered and pressed herself into his back. He gave out a soft groan and seemed to relax. He had never reacted this way to a girl before. He had a few girls of his own, but none of them deeply affected him like this. _Not on this level._

"And...what do we do now?"

"What...do you want to do now?"

"I honestly don't know," he admitted.

"I have an idea of what you can do," she giggled playfully. Now he looked at her and gave in to the kiss she gave him. He was completely caught off guard by the sensation of fitting with her. She smiled to show she felt the same reaction. "But, we need to be quick. Kiehl has a craving to need me close. If he cannot hold me in less than ten minutes, or at least be in contact with me, he will explode into an instinctive rage fit."

"I'd better get to it, then. Shouldn't I?" he growled and pulled her firmly into his lap. She pushed him back to lay on the tile, and he was surprised to find it warm. When she eased herself onto him, he let out a quick exhale from the heat she gave him.

"What...do you want...to do...?" she asked with a wicked little smile. He gave her his own form of a wicked smile and pulled her down to kiss her hard. He claimed her with everything he had now, and, when it was done, he could only lay back with a form of solid contentment. She was fully resting on his chest. He had his eyes closed and simply enjoyed the feeling of her body on his. There was nothing else that mattered to him right now. In this moment, she allowed him into her Guild and softly told him what all Greg did up to this point.

"That bastard...!" he hissed.

"Don't think of it now," she smiled and ran a hand over his chest. He ended up claiming her again by rolling to have her under him. When he finished, he rolled to have her on top of him to rest. He was still in shock from everything.

"Amazing..." he sighed.

"You like that word an awful lot," she blushed.

"But, it's true," he said, as he held her close. At the sound of the door slamming open, he sat up quickly with her, and he suddenly shoved her behind him. It was an instinctive response to protect her from attack, as her Heart. When he saw Kiehl's seething form, Sarine frowned and narrowed her eyes. _Well over ten minutes had passed, and Kiehl was lured into the bathroom by Howard._ Once he was in the bathroom to confront her, Howard had pulled the door closed. He knew that Sarine would calm him back down. She moved from behind Kalen and confronted her powerful First Mate.

"Kiehl. He's an ally. You know this," she said calmly. He just shook and hissed, as his glare was locked on Kalen. Then she realized why Kiehl didn't believe her. The blood drop swap wasn't done, and she remembered what happened with Maheo.  _I need Kalen's drop of blood for Kiehl to fully understand in this mood._  "Ah. I see. Kalen, where is your sword?"

"Here," the Lord Knight said, and he grabbed it and stood up with it. "Do I have to fight him? Is that what I need to do now?"

"No," she said. Then she ran her finger along the edge of the blade to draw blood. He looked at her with shock, but then he remembered with Hibram's help.  _I need a drop of her blood._  He nodded and accepted the drop given to him. He quickly pricked his finger on the blade to give one back to her. On doing this, Kiehl's demeanor towards him changed slightly, but he was still highly agitated. Once his blood settled in her system, she smoothly walked up to Kiehl. Very gently, she placed her uninjured hand on his cheek. The reaction was instant from the way Kiehl whimpered at the cooling relief her very touch gave him.

"Do I need to go?" Kalen asked softly.

"No. Stay where you are," she murmured, and Kiehl could only gasp as hard as Howard did in the bedroom when she caressed his jaw. "Remain calm."

Kalen nodded and watched her easily bring the powerful monster back under control. When Kiehl tried to speak, she pressed a finger to his mouth to keep him quiet. His ghost hadn't come out yet, so she was able to gently help him pull his thoughts together. Her quiet, loving smile melted away anything left of his rage. She pulled him into a tight hug, and he crushed her to him with relief. He was actually dressed in case he needed to confront others in the ten minute window. He had to be dressed for his kids, if they needed him, too.

"No more..." Kiehl whimpered softly. "I...can't go through this pain...anymore..."

"I know, love," she sighed, as she cradled him. "Undress for me?"

"I..." he shivered and let her help him. Only after he was able to finally be with her and shout out his mating roar, was he finally free of the foul mood. He saw her finger was still lightly cut, and he was able to take the drop he needed. He looked over at Kalen after it was done and said, "Sorry. This is what happens when I'm not in contact with her after ten minutes."

"That's very rough," Kalen nodded and sat back down on the tile. He realized that he was still naked, but, for some reason, he didn't mind it in front of the ones close to Sarine. It was a form of acceptance.  _That it was fine to do this._  When Hibram walked in with Maheo and Neil, he waved at them. They needed the blood drops, but they stayed when the others filtered through to receive them.

"It's a novel sensation, isn't it?" Maheo chuckled.

"Tell me about it," Kalen sighed. "What will happen with Grant and Kennard?"

"Well," Hibram thought. "they do have some form of honor to them. Not enough for Sarine, obviously. If they wanted to, they could train with the army of Emperor Markus. They could also train with Turtle General, too."

"For the war. Right," Kalen nodded. "I'll talk to them about that."

"We should ask Darryl if he wants to train, too," Howard thought. "He also has a slight sense of honor around him. Doesn't he?"

"He does," Kiehl nodded, as he rocked Sarine in his arms. Her finger was Healed the moment that last drop was given over, and she cuddled into her powerful First Mate. When she ran her hands over his shoulders, he trembled. At the slightest touch of her finger running over his collar, he gave out a harsh gasp of tense need.

"Protect my babies?" she whispered in his ear, and he kissed her hard. He locked himself within her and held her there. "That's it, Kiehl. Help me with my babies..."

"Yeah. I'll wait until tomorrow morning," Loomin smiled. "A few new beds were added. Let's get some shut eye."

Ifrit and Naght stationed themselves to keep the bathroom temperature warm. Howard didn't join with Kiehl just yet, but he pressed himself against Sarine to rest his hand over her belly. She rested back against him and looked at his shoulder tattoo. She giggled and sighed.

"Now I want one," Kiehl muttered.

"Seriously?" Howard grinned.

"Why not?" he countered.

"You have a collar," she giggled at him.

"And your point?" Kiehl smirked and groaned with a harsh gasp when she looped her finger through the leash loop to pull him closer.

"I can't do this with a tattoo," she growled and kissed him hungrily.

"I should...still have one..." Kiehl mumbled through the kiss.

"What would be the reason to have it?" Howard asked.

"Just to have it. Like Thanatos. He's a husband now, and he has one. You're her husband, and you have one," Kiehl grumbled. He didn't state how Howard was also a slave, too, to keep the talk neutral. "I should have one."

"Your necklace is like a collar," Sarine smiled at Howard.

"And you haven't taken off the one from Beelzebub," Howard chuckled at the diamond necklace around her neck. "Ever since he gave it to you."

"I promised I wouldn't," she said. "I keep my promises."

"Leave it. It's beautiful. Just like you," Kiehl said softly. She blushed, and he nuzzled her. Pulling her close against him, he sighed. "Well, Muninn would need to give me one, wouldn't he? I should ask him."

" _Well, here I am!_ " Muninn chuckled, as he walked in. " _And, yes, I froze time. This is actually important for you, Kiehl. Unlike Howard's tattoo, which enrages him, she can use yours to help calm you down. Are you interested in this?_ "

"Her touch works fine, too," Kiehl smiled. "But, well...with how I've been lately..."

"Do it," Sarine nodded. "I'll still be the only one able to touch you."

"Only you are allowed to touch me," Kiehl growled. Naght hissed with laughter from where he hovered. Ifrit was actually frozen in time. He was not needed to see this.

" _Where would you like me to place the tattoo?_ " Muninn asked with a chuckle.

"Opposite of Howard's shoulder. Right side," he said.

"You sure? Sarine is used to avoiding my left shoulder. Would it confuse her?" Howard frowned. "I just don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"It will be fine. It's supposed to calm me down, anyways. Right?" Kiehl asked. "This may actually help condition her on which shoulder to grab. She'll avoid the left side, but know that the right side is safe. It will help her."

" _Very true,_ " Muninn said. He placed his hand on the back of his right shoulder, and Kiehl yelped from the pain he felt.

"It stings, doesn't it?" Howard grinned.

"Shut up," Kiehl growled, and his brother laughed. The tattoo of a raven in flight was now on the back of Kiehl's right shoulder. He winced again, as Muninn made various adjustments to it. When it was done, he nodded.

" _You are all set now. I'll bring back time when I leave. Oh, and Howard? You might want to join with her the moment time comes back,_ " Muninn warned.

"Okay," Howard nodded. "Naght, I might need your help."

"Fine..." Naght rumbled.

"I don't know if you can pull an all-nighter," Kiehl smirked. Just as time came back, Howard gasped, as he became a monster again, and Sarine giggled. "Okay. Maybe you can."

"Is that a dare, Kiehl?" Howard now asked in a rather quiet tone.

"Perhaps," his brother grinned.

"You're on. First one to complain loses!" Howard growled and moved quickly to claim Sarine with him. She gasped and shivered at first from their intense release, and she cried out again when Naght came back through Howard.

"That could be considered cheating," Kiehl muttered, as he positioned himself to work with Sarine better. Naght moved Howard's body to help in a reclining position on several cushions. Naght smirked at him and blinked his now glowing red pupils. Then he sighed.

"I'll be coming and going when I can. I need to help balance out the room temperature," Naght muttered. "Howard doesn't need to sleep now."

"Eremes pulled it off just fine and didn't need my help," Ifrit snickered.

"Quite true," Kiehl grinned and purred deeply for Sarine, as he held her. "I don't think lying down will work. We need a better position."

"Try leaning..." Eremes said, as he walked in. Ifrit had contacted him for help. "I'll set up some cushions against a wall. Are you all...able to move?"

"Love, let us separate from you just to figure this out, okay?" Naght said. Sarine nodded, and they all gasped at the separation. A chair-like position was made with the cushions in one of the room corners, and it seemed to work for them.

"At least this way there's cushioning on the floor and walls for us to lean against," Kiehl muttered. "Okay. Take two?"

"Right," Naght nodded, and they joined in her again.

"My babies..." she sighed.

"They're safe," Kiehl smiled and let her rest against him with her head pressed against his neck. "Always safe, love. They'll never come to any harm."

"You're getting hungry, aren't you?" Naght frowned. He came back from his tower to let Howard help her. Kiehl saw Errende and Nigel coming in with her craving dishes with a touch of relief. They always made food in bulk for last-minute meals like this.

"Thanks," Kiehl nodded.

"Good luck!" Nigel grinned.

"You'll need it more for what she has planned for you when you stay with her," Howard smirked. That had Nigel's jaw drop, and Errende laughed. Kiehl suddenly hissed and swerved his head to the main room. His Bragging Rights flared out to show he was exceptionally dangerous and ready to charge in there.

"Let...me...look..." Naght snarled. Kiehl nodded. He had to stay with Sarine. Naght swiftly moved to the main room to find out what was going on. What he revealed to Kiehl and Howard made them shudder with controlled rage.

"Errende. Hands on her belly. Now," Kiehl fumed. The slave was quick to help, and Thanatos charged in to add his touch.

"What is it?" Sarine grimaced.

"Greg," Howard muttered, and she shivered. "Our triplets are safe. Kalen is currently slamming him against the walls of the house and kicking him off the island now. He is keeping his promise to you. Everything is fine."

"He should stay with me after Observation," she mused, and Kiehl started to chuckle.

"Done," Howard nodded. "Beelzebub, if you're listening, let it be known."

"Should have found Kalen sooner," Kiehl chuckled.

"No kidding," Howard nodded, and Sarine was able to finally finish eating. Kiehl leaned over slightly to help her drink some tea, and Thanatos spotted something that wasn't there before. It actually surprised him.

"Kiehl? You got a tattoo?!" the demon blinked, as he saw his shoulder.

"Yes. Apparently, Muninn said it was important when I said that I wanted one," Kiehl grinned. "It will calm me down when touched."

"That makes a lot of sense," Thanatos grinned. Howard knew that Thanatos was the only exception to being a husband and knowing about his hidden slave status. Loomin figured it out, but had sworn to the secret. They just play it safe around him, as they do with Beelzebub. Now Howard mused at the idea that the tattoo on Thanatos helped with the knowledge of keeping it safe. That made Kiehl blink with mental agreement. Thanatos looked at them oddly and muttered, "What are you guys thinking of?"

"Get me some paper," Kiehl said. Errende looked at Nigel, and he went to get it. Byorgue always had some on him, but he was helping Kalen. When paper was brought over, Kiehl took out a pencil from his discarded overcoat pocket and wrote down what he thought the tattoo was for. Thanatos read this and actually found himself thinking. Naght destroyed the paper for them with his Fire side.

"I think you're right," the demon said quietly. "Sarine, love? Are you feeling better?"

"I have been thinking about something," she admitted. Kiehl and Howard looked at each with wry grins, as Naght hissed his laughter. Ifrit was puzzled, but he waited to hear her out.

"What's that?" Thanatos asked with a small smile.

"Um...you and Errende. I want you both to stay with me together," she blushed. Now Errende's jaw dropped, and Thanatos barked out laughter while he nodded.

"Done!" Kiehl said with a laugh of his own.

"We should just have two at a time done," Howard sighed.

"Like nursing kids?" Sarine joked, and they all laughed.

"Why not?" Kiehl smirked and chuckled at a poke to his gut.

"I think it's time for you to sleep," Howard smiled tenderly at the yawn she gave.

"I'll remain close by, My Lady," Errende smiled and leaned into her caress.

"I'm sure Muninn may grant you to have some spare time with us," Thanatos said carefully. He knew that Errende was longing to call Sarine by her name for some time.

" _Do it now,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in with time frozen.

"Sarine," Errende said with a soft, heartfelt sigh. He kissed her hard and leaned into her.

"Errende," she smiled. At her next thought, Howard cringed.

"That's a bit on the risky side," Kiehl frowned. "You did it before..."

"What do you wish?" Errende asked gently.

"To treat you like a husband again," she sighed.

"Sarine, you let me experience that once. That was before Lord Thanatos found out he gave you children. Just by having me say your name is being as much of a husband that I can take," he grinned. "I did call you by name before I became a slave, though. Now that I think about it. Do you remember?"

"You did!" Thanatos blinked at his memory. "A bit nervously, though."

"Well, I didn't know what to expect!" Errende snorted, and the demon grinned. "I'm just glad Sarine got to me when she did."

"I know," she nodded. Errende kept his hands on her belly as a precaution. She caressed his cheek again, and he trembled. Then she blinked, as Howard and Kiehl hugged her when she shouted with pain. Muninn unfroze time to let Doppy run in with Sammy. Loomin was soon in the bathroom with Hyegun. They knew it was a growth spurt.

"Yeah, they grew," Hyegun sighed. "Normal spurt. Can't be helped."

"Damn," Doppy cringed.

"Tell me about it," Thanatos muttered. Her meals were brought in again for her to wolf everything down. Only after she was finally cared for did the others leave. Loomin gave her a tight hug to show he would be close. She looked over at Errende now with a smile. He and Thanatos never removed their hands from her. They actually felt her belly swell a good five inches out. Five babies was definitely pushing the limit, but they were keeping her calm. She leaned into Errende, and he kissed her passionately.

"I'll be with you after Loomin," he muttered, and Thanatos grinned wickedly.

"Well, if we're going to do doubles, who would be with him?" Howard asked.

"Sammy," Thanatos said.

"Oh! That could work," Kiehl nodded. Sarine yawned again and snuggled into Kiehl's form. The moment she was sleeping, Beelzebub notified Sammy and told him what was going to happen when it came to staying with Sarine. He heard them talking, and Kiehl had muttered out the decision for him to hear it in full.

" _Loomin and Sammy should be with her after the blood bonds from you,_ " Muninn advised. " _Maybe after she nurses the children._ "

"Right," Kiehl nodded and settled back to meditate. Errende wasn't sure if he was able to leave, and it was decided to have him and Thanatos remain with them as a precaution.  _No one wanted her to wake up with discomfort from her pregnancy._  Howard had his arms locked around her with careful precision. Kiehl found himself unable to meditate from the pleasure he kept getting, and they started to discuss who could be with who to pass the time.


	172. Chapter 172

In the morning, Sarine woke with a small whimper. Howard and Kiehl had stayed locked within her. Naght kept to his word by going back and forth through Howard, as needed. He had to keep the air warm with Ifrit. It was essential for her pregnancy. Errende and Thanatos did leave at some point during the night, but they would run right back in the moment something went wrong. Thanatos needed to help watch the nursery, and Errende needed to sleep while he could. There were meals being prepared for her the moment she needed them in the kitchen. Hyegun was paying close attention to what he could hear, but the triplets were satisfied for now.

"You stayed?" she asked, as Kiehl squeezed her.

"I will always keep my promise to you," he whispered gently to her with a smile of tenderness. "Our children are safe."

"When should we separate?" Howard asked, as he squeezed her.

"Complaining?" Kiehl grinned.

"No!" Howard growled. "I don't know when she'll need to eat or see to the kids!"

"Within the hour," Ifrit said. "Eremes says the kids are all asleep still. Could be a bit more than an hour, too, from what he can tell."

"I'm hungry," she frowned. Beelzebub heard her in the other room and nudged Errende awake. The slave wanted to be the first one to tend to her in case her pregnancy needed to be calmed. He came in with her craving dishes soon after with Byorgue and Nigel. Then, to her surprise, Kalen came in with Loomin. At the look on the Lord Knight's face, Kiehl already judged that the news was going to be good.

"Don't worry about Greg anymore," Kalen grinned. "I doubt he'll be coming back here now. Once he saw that I didn't trust him, I think he got the message. Especially after my foot kicked his ass to the arena and off the island. If he still can't take the hint, I'll remind him of it whenever he comes back. I'll handle him from now on."

"Good," Kiehl nodded.

"Did you introduce yourself to the kids yet?" Howard asked.

"Not yet. I'll wait until Sarine is ready," Kalen nodded.

"My son, Siegfried, and Thanatos's son, Edward, want to go on the Lord Knight path. Be prepared for a bombardment of questions," he grinned.

"Thanks for the heads up," the Lord Knight grinned back.

"Serenity just woke up," Errende said, as Thanatos thought to him.

"Did she?" Sarine frowned. Kiehl looked at Howard and sighed. They didn't feel finished with her, but they knew that feeling wouldn't leave them until her pregnancy was done. They winced at the separation that happened, but it couldn't be helped. They helped her shower and use the toilet before dressing her in her Sniper gears.

"I still want to see you in various clothing from different classes," Kiehl muttered.

"What do you think, Errende?" she chuckled. The slave looked at her with a grin and started to get some mental ideas for mock outfits.

"I'll need to work on some drawings and get ideas from the others," Errende mused. "Anyways, My Lady, shall we get you fed?"

"Please," she nodded, and he hugged her tight. After that, he led her out to the main room.

"My Lady," Drago smiled and hugged her, as she came out of the bathroom. "The eggs are starting to harden. They will do this each day, as they get close to hatching."

"Good," she smiled and kissed him softly. She noticed his leash loop didn't have the diamonds yet to show his father status.  _That would likely happen after the eggs hatched._  She was set down at the table, and Hyegun moved to whisper to Kiehl.

"After she eats," Kiehl nodded.

"I need some water," Howard sighed.  _If I am going to have to give her blood, I need to stay hydrated._ Kiehl opted for some, too, and it was given over quickly.

"Same..." Eremes nodded. Ifrit and Naght continued to keep the room pleasantly warm.

"By tomorrow, the children should start moving," Loomin smiled, as he sat with her to eat. "Maybe by tomorrow night. They grow a month in one day, remember?"

"How can I forget?" she sighed, as she pushed away an empty plate. Beelzebub suddenly moved over to Kalen to mutter in his ear.

"Really? Fine. I'll be right back," Kalen growled. Kiehl looked over at him with a small glare of curiosity. "A pest is trying his luck again."

"Fine. Get rid of it," Kiehl nodded. When Kalen left, she finished drinking her tea before grumbling with irritation. She realized who they were talking about.

"Why won't he quit?!" Sarine scowled.

"Don't stress yourself, Sorry Sari," Doppy smiled, and he moved behind her to gently massage her shoulders. "Let us do that for you."

"Doppy..." she sighed and succumbed to the pleasuring massage. When Kiehl started to give her a heated massage with his hands, she gasped with a form of relief. Eremes was quick to help, and they moved her to the bed to help her further.

"The Kafra Agent was coming up to the house. She left when Kalen approached her," Beelzebub muttered. At this said, Sarine just barely heard him. When she gave a touch of a wicked grin, Kiehl hissed with jealousy and Howard growled with lust.

"And...what is that grin for...?" Eremes asked.

"I think Kalen needs to know how I eat cookies," she said with a wicked smile. Any male present in the room went silent. Keltin ran a hand over his face, and Loomin cringed. She knew exactly how to spark the fires of lust in all of her men.

"My Lady?" Errende asked with a touch of nervousness.

"Get me Kalen when he comes back. Okay?" she said, as she sat up in the bed to stretch. The room was cleared out quickly. Only Howard, Naght, Kiehl, Eremes, and Ifrit remained. They needed to give her their blood for her pregnancy.

"You need our blood first," Kiehl growled and gasped, as she pulled him close by his collar. She gave out a sultry purr, and he roared with instinctive dominance. Then he realized that she wasn't giving out her lust.  _She just loved the fact that she could get us all turned on._

"Evil wife!" Howard muttered. His jaw dropped at the images she sent him next.

"And you're complaining? How-How?" she said with another wicked little smile. "Now come here and let me feed off you."

He couldn't disobey her. He was able to undress quickly and move to her side. Eremes and Kiehl were quick to undress to help her next. When Eremes pulled away, he gaped at the feel of pain when he separated from her.

"I thought...I was sated from you?!" he grimaced.

"I think it's from her pregnancy with you. You may have to stay with her a bit more from time to time. Maybe once a day?" Kiehl thought. "We'll have to ask Loomin."

She was able to dress with the others now, and it was just as a knock was given to the door. Serenity ran in and climbed into her mother's lap to snuggle her.

"Good morning!" Sarine smiled and kissed her cheek.

"The others aren't up yet," Serenity said. She giggled at a poke to the side that Howard gave her, and she continued, "I couldn't go back to sleep."

"Why not?" Kiehl frowned. "Did you eat yet?"

"Not yet, Keel," she said. Errende came in now, and Byorgue helped him.

"So, why couldn't you sleep?" Howard asked. Loomin walked in with Hyegun to settle down in the room. As the others slowly filtered in, Serenity gave a small sigh.

"I had bad dreams," she admitted. Muninn now walked in to sit by her and look at her.

" _Tell me the dreams,_ " he said and let her move into his lap to eat and talk.

"It dealt with a stupid head," she smiled, and Sarine nearly coughed on the tea she sipped. Kiehl was quick to hold her and pat her back until she calmed down. Howard was laughing and running his hand over her belly.

" _Really? Which one?_ " Muninn grinned.

"Um...there was one that hurt Mama. I think," she frowned. "He was like Uncle Seyren. A Lord Knight. He tried to hurt Mama."

"Rory," Kiehl grimaced.

"We never did find out what happened with him. Did we?" Sarine frowned.

" _What did you see?_ " Muninn asked carefully.

"Well..." Serenity thought. "he was, um, fighting something. Like himself."

" _An odd dream to be sure,_ " Muninn agreed. " _I think he's still in the dungeons._ "

"Seriously?" Howard asked with shock.

" _Yes. Hmm,_ " he thought.

"I can go visit him," Loomin said. "I'll be able to find out more about him."

"No," Sarine said with a shiver.

"Our babies are safe," Kiehl smiled and purred deeply for her to calm her.

"You can't leave until you stay with her," Howard said.

"That's right. I'm up next, too. After I'm with her, I'll go," Loomin nodded.

"Not alone," Kiehl warned.

"Never," Loomin smirked. "I'll take Kalen, Seyren, Garrett, and Max with me."

"Me, too," Doppy growled.

"No. Sarine will need you here," Kiehl muttered.

"Okay," Doppy nodded with respect to him. Kiehl was irritated with the talk of Rory.  _It was only all too obvious._

"Pori-Pori will go with you," Beelzebub said, as he walked in.

"Perfect," Loomin grinned, and now Sarine giggled.

"So, this man is a stupid head?" Serenity asked. Sarine pressed her face into Kiehl's neck to laugh. He chuckled and ran his hands over form, as he held her.

"Well, if he still wants to cause your mom pain, then, yes. He is," Loomin nodded.

"What's going on?" Ragged Zombie asked as, he walked in with Mobster.

"I had a dream about a stupid head!" Serenity beamed in Muninn's lap. The zombie cracked a grin at this, and Mobster smirked.

" _Is William Rory still in the dungeons?_ " Muninn asked now.

"I'll check," the zombie nodded.

"Same here," Mobster nodded.

"Oh, before you both leave," Sarine said with a small smile.

"Yeah?" Ragged Zombie asked, as he walked over to her.

"I'll need you both to stay with me at some point later today. At the same time. Okay?" she giggled. Mobster was clueless, but Ragged Zombie was gaping.

"Tell him on the way there," Howard said with a grin.

"Right! Sure!" the zombie nodded. "But...seriously? Both of us at once?"

"Both of us doing what?" Mobster asked. The zombie whispered to him, and the look on Mobster's face was priceless. "Oh. Um..."

"We'll be back later," Ragged Zombie said quickly. He dragged Mobster out of the room shortly after that to see to the dungeons.

"They do see each other as brothers, anyways," Beelzebub chuckled.

"Maybe you and Hibram can be with me?" Sarine blushed. Now the Demon Lord paused and actually gave a small blush back.

"You're blushing?!" Doppy asked with an astounded grin.

"Shut up, Doppy!" the Demon Lord scowled. "I never thought of Hibram and myself doing such a thing. But, considering we are, technically, from the same area..."

"It would be interesting to test," Kiehl nodded.

"Maybe Evil Snake Lord can be with Entweihen?" Sarine thought. Howard was just gaping at her now. Kiehl was laughing softly and resting against her.

"Wow," Hyegun grinned. "And, Beelzebub, how do you know that Pori-Pori would go check on that guy?"

"I overheard what you all were talking about and muttered my distaste. Pori-Pori was watching over Loo Shin. He took an interest in what I was saying and expressed his enthusiasm with a harsh growl. So, I'm sure he wants to help check on the idiot, too," Beelzebub smirked. "And...I can hear the kids waking up. Joseph and Elenor are quite hungry."

"Oh!" Sarine gasped, and Kiehl was quick to clean her up to take her to the nursery. New rocking chairs were set up in the sitting room area. Muninn had carried Serenity in here to set her down. The prophesied twins had started to wake, and he gathered them up to comfort them.

"Your Highness? Is everything all right?" Tsurga asked, as he walked over.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine," Sarine chuckled. She got handed Eremes's twins to nurse. The next hour was fully dedicated to nursing her children. The older kids were roused up now to eat and get dressed. They had all decided to set them up on a decent schedule for school. This made a lot of the kids grumble about.

"Do we have to go to school today?" Gunther frowned, as finished his breakfast.

"I thought you liked school. You don't?" Doppy asked, and he tore into a roast.

"Well...it was fun when it was new. Now it's like...why?" Gunther mumbled.

"If you want to be an idiot for the rest of your life, then fine," his father growled. That made his son scowl, and Doppy grinned.

"School is fun!" Bianca giggled.

"It should be," Keltin nodded. He looked over as Kalen came in, and he grinned.

"So, who needs my blood?" the Lord Knight chuckled. Serenity was quick to run over with a small giggle. He looked down at her and knelt to her level.

"Can I see your hand?" she asked. Maheo, Hibram, and Neil weren't in the room for this.  _He needed to do this on his own._  Kalen nodded and held out his hand, as though to shake hers. She took it and sniffed his palm before chomping down on his thumb.

"Ow! Hey! That's not nice!" Kalen scowled. Then he noticed the others were laughing and snickering. "You all knew she would do this?!"

"Yep," Howard chuckled. "That's how she initiates the blood drops."

"She didn't do it with me. I'm one that she recognizes as a very strong monster," Beelzebub smirked. "She got into a line with the others."

"I see," Kalen sighed. When the other kids got a drop of his blood, Serenity hugged him tight. Then he got smothered by the other kids.

"You need better armor," Edward frowned. "And weapons!"

"After school, okay?" Thanatos said. That gave the kids something to look forward to.

"Better armor?" Kalen chuckled. Now he was told what each child could do that they knew of. That had him surprised. When the kids finished eating, they all got dressed properly and were escorted to the school with various powerful monsters.

"Thanatos," Evil Snake Lord said, as he moved into the nursery and over to him quickly. "I did some history research on the curse that Alexander has been speaking of. We all need to discuss this. You played a major part long ago. I'll go to the school to teach the children after this is spoken of. This is too important."

"I played a major part?" Thanatos blinked. Errende looked over with confusion. Alexander seemed to sigh from where he hovered. He knew all of this. Kalen was concerned now, and the others were quickly notified. Sarine, her loves, and her companions now moved into the main meeting room of the house. When they weren't sure where to discuss this, Storm Caller had them follow him to a new room that was already constructed.

It was a massive chamber near the back of the house. Seating was there for everyone in a circular motion. A podium was centered in the middle of a massive, empty floor for people to gather to talk around it. It was also made for Evil Snake Lord to use to show his illustrations.

"I like this," Beelzebub nodded.

"Easier than being outside in cold weather at the arena," Seyren agreed.

"And it's large enough for me," Baphomet mused. Elric, Terin, Maheo, and Neil sat together. Tsurga took up a dutiful position to stand behind Sarine, as she sat in the front with Kiehl and Howard. Doppy, Eremes, Keltin, and Sammy sat close to her. As her other husbands, mates, and slaves filtered in, they found their spots near her, respectively. Only after everyone else was seated, did Evil Snake Lord move to the center of the room. Ragged Zombie and Mobster made it back when a Hell Fly told them what was happening, and they found seats near Sarine. Everyone was curious as to what this was about.

"Thanatos, it appears that you stopped the curse a long time ago. A very long time ago. Tell me. When did you think you were a demon?" he asked lightly.

"For a long time. Forever, in fact," Thanatos admitted.

"You were originally a magic using Swordsman. A very powerful one. You fought a being known as Demon King Morroc, an ancient demon that had devastated the human world before the millennium war. For ten days and nights, you battled this monstrosity. You placed a seal on the demon under the town of Morroc in the center of the town to bind it and lock it there. The place was originally a desert spot, but the town was built to safeguard the seal. That tradition is slowly being lost. As for sealing the demon away, there was a price. A very heavy price. You died in it, but your body was cursed with Demonic energy from the battle.

"The tower you found yourself in was constructed in your honor, and your body was locked within it. Yet, at the same time, your new Demonic nature let you come and go as you pleased. Yes, you were able to be free, able to do what you willed, and that may be what you remember to this day. It's very possible that you lost all memories of your life as a human this way. But, you eventually became known. You were considered a threat. And, of course, all threats needed to be stopped.

"So, you became sealed away in your own tower with the pieces of your soul. As you all saw, the tower was slowly being reconstructed. As for the angels that inhabited the tower, it is shown to me that they know the curse is going to come to pass again. Not only were they tricked by you into safeguarding the tower against intruders, but, they became active again, as the Rekenber Corporation is trying to extract what secrets it can," Evil Snake Lord said, as his images were painted on the ground. "The tower, being safeguarded to keep you from being resurrected, reacted defensively to let the Angelic and Demonic forces within it to become active. All of it was to keep others away. That is how you were able to be summoned when strong adventurers could reach you. There was a report that a brilliant light struck down to the tower when the reconstruction got more progressive. That was the tower recalling its defenses."

"If that is the case, why couldn't I reach him with all of you?" Mitchell asked.

"There was a sacred seal placed to ensure that 'only those touched by the gods' could pass. Essentially, only those blessed by Valkyrie, hence transcendence, was needed. There were a great many secrets locked away in your tower, Thanatos. But, all of them were to reach you. I simply had to let this information be known," Evil Snake Lord sighed.

"Yes, you did," Thanatos sighed back. "Thank you for telling us."

" _Don't worry, Thanatos. You stopped the curse before. You won't have to again. Let my son and Huginn's son take over. You only need to help direct the armies in the war,_ " Muninn said, as he walked to the center of the room.

"A relief. I would like to try and remember what I was like. As a human, though," the demon admitted. "It would be nice."

"Sarine doesn't make you feel human enough?" Doppy smirked. Thanatos blinked at that and found himself smiling.  _Doppy was right._

" _I could give you some glimpses, as you meditate. Small dream visions for yourself. However, it could have small conflicts with your Demonic thoughts,_ " Muninn warned.

"I think it may be important," Sarine said gently. "Only because, he may be able to remember vital skills for the war. He could train all of the children with them. Including all of us, if need be. The Warriors of Odin would need these skills, right?"

"That's actually a very good thought," Sammy said with a smile.

"If it gets to be too much for me..." Thanatos frowned.

"I will comfort you," she smiled. He moved to hug her, and Kiehl let him. As everyone started to filter out of the room, Kalen approached her. Hibram was actually perplexed at the Lord Knight's thoughts. Neil and Maheo were frowning. Donnie helped Egnigem to their room before coming back down. Max was comforting Coraline from what Hibram was mentally telling him. Kalen knew that it was a touchy subject, but it was what he knew about it that was going to start up a new issue.

"Sarine, I need to ask you a very intricate question," Kalen sighed.

"What is that, love?" she asked.

"I am...was...friends with someone you know. Not Greg. Someone else that has, apparently, caused you a lot of difficulty and pain. I'm talking of the Lord Knight in your dungeon. At least, I think he's still there," he sighed.

"He is," Ragged Zombie nodded.

"You know William Rory?!" Doppy hissed.

"Calm..." Kiehl growled in warning. "Kalen, what do you know?"

"I used to train with him. Before he became corrupted. From what Hibram has told me, Muninn altered his mind. I want to talk to him and see if he's changed. He was actually a very honorable man once. He was betrayed by another long ago. He...never told me who, you see. So, if I can get him to help admit his guilt, I know he will be a very loyal cause to Odin. If he still thinks he needs to give in to his sin...I'll kill him myself," Kalen said softly. "He insulted you in the past, and even tried to kidnap you. I want to deal with him, personally."

" _If you do, I will go with you,_ " Muninn said. " _To ensure what Rory wishes to do._ "

"Same," Ragged Zombie growled. As Sarine's Vengeance, he had to go. Mobster gave a small nod to show he was going, too. Quite a number of them wanted to go.

"Don't think that I'm staying here," Donnie grumbled.

"You should go back to Egnigem," Hibram muttered.

"No! After what that bastard did to my sister..."

"I understand," Kalen said grimly. "I lost touch with him after he joined the Royal Guard. I didn't want to go. He did. He hoped it would help him forget various things. I didn't realize exactly how bad he let his inner corruption hit him. I wish I was there to stop him."

" _Egnigem will need you, Donnie. Go back to her. We will let you know what happens,_ " Muninn said lightly. At that, the Clown gave in with a nod and went to comfort this wife. He also needed the comfort back from her. Hibram nodded at this and looked at Kalen.

"Well, as long as I know you will be safe..." Sarine frowned.

"Our triplets are fine," Kiehl said with a gentle nuzzle. "If he gets out of hand, I'll see to his destruction. Personally."

"Okay," she smiled, and he nuzzled her. Now Kalen could only wince.  _Kiehl would make good on his word to appease the triplets. Rory's ultimate death was now ensured._

" _Let's go now,_ " Muninn advised.

"Go with them," Beelzebub muttered to Terin. The Assassin nodded and found Elric coming with him. Sarine was clearly worried, but she felt better when Kalen wasn't going to go alone. Beelzebub only wanted Terin to go so that he could see what was going on. He could use a Hell Fly, too, but he felt that he could physically be there through Terin. He needed to stay and guard the nursery, as well as guard Sarine. Pori-Pori chittered and bounced along with them. He was planning to go, and he was showing he was still making good on his intentions. Loomin also wanted to go, but he was reminded that he needed to be close to Sarine. He would be told what was going on from Beelzebub. It was why Terin was going with them, too.

As Sarine was led back to the nursery, Kalen nodded to the others, and they went to the dungeons. When Zealotus approached them, she gave way at Muninn's whisper.

"He hasn't left yet," she mumbled. "He keeps saying that he has nowhere else to go."

"Let me talk to him. All of you stay out of sight," Kalen said.

"I'll Cloak by you," Terin said.

"Same," Elric nodded.

"All right," Kalen nodded back. Hibram, Maheo, and Neil waited in the entryway with the others. They would jump right in, if they had to. On approaching the cell, Rory had his back turned from him. He was sitting on the ground and cross-legged. The food tray was untouched. So was the water he was offered. "William. Do you remember me?"

At the sound of Kalen's voice, the man seemed to jolt. Then, with a tired sigh, he said, "How can I not know who you are, Kalen? Heh. What a wonderful turn around. Isn't it? What brings you here?"

"Sarine did," Kalen said lightly. At this, the man in the cell turned to look at him with disbelief. His face looked tired and strained. "I am her newest man. I didn't expect you to be here. I didn't expect you to do a lot of things. But, you have. I am here to find out why."

"You always were the voice of reason. One of the few things I always hated about you," he muttered. "I'm sure you know of the things I've done?"

"Quite a bit. I just want to know why. And there are many wondering why you haven't left, too. So, I decided to find out."

"Why have I done what I did? Because I knew I could! As to why I'm still here...I made enemies everywhere, Kalen. More than you know. If I go out into the world, I'll be hunted down. There is no forgiveness for me."

"There can be, if you ask for it."

"Never. I've done more harm than good. Why should I bother with it?"

"I have also done much harm in my youth," Tsurga said, as he walked out. Doppy had urged him to follow them. "Sarine was my redemption. She is everyone's redemption."

"Who are you?!" William growled.

"I am the Captain of the Royal Guard of Amatsu," Tsurga growled. "Sarine is my Princess, and I protect her with many others here."

"There is one way you can ask her for forgiveness," Kalen said, as Hibram mentally whispered to him. "If I give you the option, would you take it?"

"It's a long shot, but I'll hear it. What would that be?" the Lord Knight asked.

"Train in Amatsu's army. You can believe this or not, but Odin sees potential in you," Kalen chuckled. "He thinks that you are a worthy cause."

"What?! I don't believe that!" he snorted.

" _Believe it,_ " Muninn said, as he walked over now. " _Father Odin had me revamp your memories to help you see the error of your ways. Now that you have, a second chance is offered. He truly does see promise in you._ "

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

"You die," Kalen frowned. "And you will not be able to come back."

"So, it's either I join with Odin, or I die permanently?" he asked incredulously.

" _Considering your track record, I'd take it,_ " Muninn said. " _You also never forgave that old love of yours when she betrayed you. It was that single act that turned you against the world. It also had you decide to stray from the path of loyalty. It has also made you untrusting of women and your friends. Right?_ "

"How do you...?" William started before trembling.

"Now I get it," Kalen sighed. "So, since it was done to you, you would use others to your whim, steal from those that are better than you, and desecrate that which is denied to you. Since you didn't get any mercy, you denied it to others. William, I'm begging you. As one of your last true friends...take up the offer to join with Odin! It can be like old times again!"

"No. It won't. You have someone now. You'll be wanting to protect her. You'll still feel the need to protect her, even after she stabs you in the back!" William growled.

"Sarine does no such thing!" Terin scowled, as he Uncloaked.

"In all the time I have known her, she has never done such a thing!" Elric seethed, as he Uncloaked next. "She is far more honorable than you know!"

"If anything, she was the one that was harmed far more than you realize," Kalen winced. "I have never known of one that...at only two years of age..."

"Being trapped in darkness and left to die by someone who claimed was her mother is not something anyone would want," Hibram said, as he walked in now. Now William stared at them with shock. He never knew this about her. Then the powerful demon glared at him and hissed, "It was also quite unforgivable for you to attack her when she was pregnant!"

"What?" Kalen asked. Hibram kept this knowledge from him specifically for this.

"It happened at a very sacred Demonic gathering," Hibram said a touch quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me of this?! Who was she pregnant with?" he asked now.

" _She was pregnant with prophesied twins, as well as twins from Eremes Guile and Ifrit,_ " Muninn sighed. " _Just the fact that she was attempted to be harmed with the bodies destined for me and Huginn...I honestly don't know what Father Odin can see in William Rory._ "

"Considering that she is Odin's daughter, too. A direct line from him," Hibram growled.

"You knew this. Didn't you?" Kalen asked the man in the cell.

"I knew...that she was the Vessel of Odin...but the pregnancy...no..." he shivered. "Just...save everyone the hassle...and kill me off now..."

"No," Odin said, as he appeared from the crushing wave of force around them. "I have a very special purpose for you."

" _Father Odin?_ " Muninn frowned. William gaped at the sight of Odin.

"I want you to train with the armies of Emperor Markus. It is of vast importance. I want you to eventually become my Battle Messenger. When the war comes, you will be the one to deliver the call. Only you can do this," the powerful being stated.

"But, I have enemies all over! I'll be slaughtered on sight!" William said.

"And, when they chase you, they will follow you to where the war starts to see the truth," Odin said with a touch of humor. "Not all can be convinced with words. Some need to be shown with their own eyes in order to understand. Yes, you have done much wrong. But, this will allow you to redeem yourself. Kalen Ilaris is correct that you were very honorable at one point in your life. You simply let one act of betrayal sway you from the proper path. I offer you the chance to regain that path again. A clean slate from me. If any oppose you, when your task is set, I will answer it, personally. Or, I will have Muninn assist. Any others will assist to show that you have been forgiven. Yes, there are risks when confronting enemies. But, this will make you trustworthy again. Do you understand?"

"I guess I don't have much to lose," the Lord Knight sighed. "I accept."

"Go to Amatsu. The Emperor will see to you," Odin nodded. Kalen could only nod, as the other man finally left the island. "All of you are to treat him neutrally from this point forward. Donnie Gerhest, please hold no ill will towards him any further."

"As you say," Donnie sighed, as he nodded from where he was in his bedroom. "It would be considered childish to carry on a grudge that has passed on."

"Very true," Odin chuckled. When he vanished, Kalen could only stare hard at the stone floor.  _Sarine was threatened during her pregnancy. A very important pregnancy._   _Odin told me to forgive William. It was going to take some time._ The others could only echo his thoughts.

"Go see her," Terin whispered to him. Kalen looked over at him and nodded. They made it back to the house, and he went to the nursery. When he got there, Loomin pointed to the sitting area for him. On seeing Sarine looking at him with a loving smile, he trembled. Kiehl nodded to him slightly and allowed Kalen to come close to her.

"I didn't know...he had tried to attack you..." Kalen winced and gasped at the feel of her hands in his hair. "Hibram didn't tell me..."

"Hibram?" Sarine frowned, as she comforted her newest mate.

"It's true that I didn't say anything. I needed to keep quiet about it," Hibram admitted. "I wanted him to try and help Rory. If I exposed that part of what he did, it may not have worked to Odin's advantage."

"How am I supposed to trust him now that I...?" Kalen frowned. "He was right. Nothing would be the same between he and I. Not anymore."

"About what, love?" Sarine asked and nuzzled him.

"That I would be...protecting you...against him..." he mumbled and kissed her hard. At the sound of giggling, he looked over and chuckled at Serenity.

"Daddy Kalen makes babies with Mama?" she grinned.

"Maybe!" he laughed and let the girl climb into his lap to snuggle him. "I am curious, though. I want to see what it's like."

"I'll tell you when it happens," Hibram smiled.

"When what happens?" Sarine asked.

"A Demonic Mating," he winked. She blushed, and Kiehl cuddled her.

"And why aren't you in school?" Howard frowned at Serenity.

"She was going to help me bring some books," Evil Snake Lord chuckled. Serenity kissed her father's cheek and now moved to help the powerful snake monster. When they left, Loomin looked over at Sarine.

"Should I stay with you now?" he asked.

"I want Kalen to help," Sarine smiled.

"What?" Kalen blinked.

"Ah...um..." Howard coughed, and Kiehl growled. She gave a teasing grin and lured the Lord Knight into the bedroom. When the others saw what she was doing to him, they cringed.

"This is...what you do...to cookies?!" Kalen gasped at the pleasuring torment he was going through. She moved onto him now to let him give her everything he had. When he thought he was ready to pass out when it was done, his entire mind took a twirling spin of disbelief when Loomin claimed Sarine with him.

"Don't focus...too much on it..." Loomin sighed. "We have to be this way for...at least...one...to two hours. It will be...instinctive...if you try to leave her. So..."

"Are you serious?!" Kalen gaped. He lost all train of thought when Sarine nipped his neck and shoulder. Even when Kiehl settled near them, he couldn't believe what was happening.

"You don't want to protect my babies?" Sarine frowned.

"I never said that," Kalen said gently. "It's just the manner of...how to protect them."

"You don't like this?" she asked and squeezed her body around both him and Loomin.

"I never said that, either!" Kalen growled and gasped at his furious release. Loomin gave his own hard shout from the pleasure and forced himself to calm down.

"Good!" she beamed, and he smiled.

"Hmm," Beelzebub frowned, as he came into the bedroom. "Bianca brought up a very...interesting subject in the school."

"What was it?" Doppy asked from the chair he sat in.

"She wants to meet a real chef. Someone who can teach her how to cook properly," the Demon Lord thought. "Not just anyone, either."

"I have an idea," Terin grinned. "There was one Knight in the Royal Guard that took up professional cooking. He considers it his passion and his art. He's also, eh...a bit flamboyant about it. But, he's into women. It's just his seriousness about it."

"Garrett knows who you're talking about," Beelzebub smirked. "Someone by the name of Sir Charles Orleans. His memories show that he's...huh. Interesting. Well, if any of the slaves want proper cooking lessons, he would be the one. I can see if Garrett can contact King Reginald to 'borrow' the castle chef. What do you think, Sarine?"

"I would love to learn how to cook. We could even sign Seyren up for lessons, too!" she giggled. That had everyone laughing. When she gave a soft yawn, Loomin squeezed her.

"Do it!" Howard grinned.

"We'll need to get a few chef hats," Terin sighed. "It's considered proper attire. The one who makes them is in Lutie, I think. I forget what's needed to make it."

"I can find out," Elric said, as he volunteered. At Kiehl's glare, he cleared his throat and said, "I'll have my Guild do it."

"Better," Kiehl nodded. Kalen looked down at Sarine, but she was sleeping rather deeply against his chest. "Pregnancy sleep, I think. We'll wake her when you guys are done."

"It would be for the best," Loomin nodded, and he pressed himself against her back to help keep her warm. An hour went by before Elric had the ingredient list sent to him.

"Okay. Fenrick was able to contact the one we needed. Ah...the ingredients are...crazy at best," Elric frowned. "We need four hundred and fifty dragon scales, three hundred and thirty feathers, a hundred and twenty cake slices, and one white dye."

"All of that for a hat?!" Doppy frowned.

"And we'll need several of them," Elric sighed.

"I'll have Drago speak with Detale," Beelzebub nodded. "Dragon scales should be easy to collect with his help. As for feathers and cake..."

"I know a dye crafter is available in Morroc," Elric said. "It's where I get all of my dyes from when I need them for clothes. People tend to sell cake pieces all the time, too."

"I wonder if we can make various hats and sell them at the arena," Howard mused. "Some hats are really hard to get."

"True," Kiehl grinned. "Make one for ourselves, and any extras for others?"

"That is an idea," Tsurga thought. "Same can be said for specialty weapons."

"Can that happen?" Howard asked.

"Actually, I think it's not possible," Tsurga sighed. "I did see this one weapon, though. A sword. It looked...fantastic!"

"Hmm," Doppy thought. "I've never recalled a sword like that. Interesting."

"What is it?" Beelzebub asked.

"A true elemental sword," Doppy said. "From what Tsurga is showing me, that is."

" _I can help you with that,_ " Muninn smiled, as he sat with them. " _That sword can only be found off of a monster in one of the Guild dungeons._ "

"He's right," Keltin said, as the information came to him now. "From a monster called Cobalt. It's like a blue Mineral, in a way. A lot stronger and harder to kill."

"Orc Hero has an axe we could possibly use," Elric said. "He has something called a Light Epsilon. It grants you the ability to Heal. It's also Holy based."

"I want that axe," Howard grinned. "Emergency Heal would be nice. I can't make a Holy based axe, too."

"I'll notify him," Beelzebub nodded.

"Orc Lord has a Bloody Axe," Keltin chuckled.

"I also put another axe away in the treasury called a Sabbath," Howard frowned. "I should keep a number of specialized elemental axes on me."

"We'll sort through the weapons when we can," Hibram nodded. Sammy was meditating on a floor cushion, but he was slightly listening in.

"Garrett went ahead and contacted the King of Prontera. That chef will be sent over later. We should see about getting one of those hats that we need," Beelzebub muttered.

"Maheo and Neil will see what we have available," Hibram said. Another thirty minutes went by peacefully. A chef hat was successfully obtained with Detale's help. The Assassin Guild was able to track down feathers. There were new recruits that were able to cut down the time for harvesting them. When Kalen and Loomin both felt they could pull away from Sarine, Kiehl nudged her gently for them.

"Hmm?" she asked with a stretch.

"That chef from Prontera will be here soon. We got a hat made that you can wear while learning with him, if it's needed. Let's get you showered and dressed," Kiehl smiled. She nodded and released the two that stayed with her.

"Will I have to do that again?" Kalen frowned.

"No. If you want to, you could, but it's not needed," Loomin sighed.

"You don't like staying with me?" Sarine frowned.

"I'm helping you shower," Kalen muttered before kissing her hard. "If you still need me to stay with you, I'll do it again."

"Get in the back of the line," Hibram smirked, and they laughed.

"Whoever needs to shower now had better do it," Howard said. His advice was taken seriously. Kiehl made sure to keep her incredibly calm throughout the whole thing. He didn't want her to have a lust wave. Beelzebub heard that the chef had just entered the house. It was time to greet him, and they were all anxious to see how the meeting would go.


	173. Chapter 173

When everyone had dressed, she was led into the main room. The chef was already there and examining the kitchen. He had long, slightly curly blond hair that reached the middle of his back, and he wore a brown tunic that went over a white, long-sleeved shirt. A gold belt fit them together around his waist, and a lace scarf set with a red ruby sat under his neck. Dark brown pants fit neatly on his legs, and dark brown boots completed his attire. His glasses sat regally on his nose, as he examined each section of the kitchen. His face was almost as handsome and beautiful as Loomin's. He kept one arm behind his back and used his free hand to keep his hair from his face.

 "This kitchen is absolutely fantastic!" the man praised with a noble voice. "It's even better than the one in the castle! I must see to getting that kitchen upgraded, so that it is up to par with this one! The creations I could make with such a kitchen could be limitless!"

 "It can be done," Storm Caller said, as he came in. At the sight of the powerful Strouf, the man gaped and pointed at him. "King Reginald knows of me, and of all of us here. Be neutral to us, and the same will be returned in kind. You are here as a guest to assist our Vessel of Odin."

"Vessel of Odin?" the man asked.

"Yes. Me," Sarine smiled, as she walked into the kitchen. The man's eyes widened at her flawless beauty. "I was hoping to learn how to do a bit of cooking."

"My dear lady, I should be the one cooking for you! To see to your every whim! Such a chore would not do to damage such delicate hands of yours!" he praised.

"Shut. Up," Kiehl seethed, as Sarine clung to him.

"Love. Be nice," she smiled, and he growled. "I'll bite you later, if you behave."

"Will you now?" he grinned.

"You know I will," she said lovingly and gave him an affectionate nuzzle.

"Do I know you?" the chef frowned, as he studied Kiehl. A slight glare was given in return to show that he was irritated.

"Should you?" Kiehl muttered. "If you've ever been to Lighthalzen, you might have seen me. But I doubt it. I was locked away."

"I think I did," he said, as he thought now. "I was serving dinner, personally, to Rekenber's President with his Royal Majesty just a few weeks ago. You were one of the associates at the meeting. I think."

"A few weeks ago? I was here, so it must have been my duplicate that you saw," Kiehl shrugged. "Anyways, I'm stronger than that one. Piss me off, you'll leave here in pieces!"

"Not until I learn how to cook!" Sarine growled. When Cedrick came into the kitchen, Kiehl let out a blood-curdling snarl. Errende had wisely placed his hands over Sarine's belly to shield her from the negativity.

"Your Highness!" the man said, as he gave a regal bow.

"Sir Charles Orleans? The Royal Chef? What are you doing here?" Cedrick asked.

"I was asked to teach the lovely Vessel of Odin how to cook," he smiled.

"My slaves need to learn, too. What they do is plenty for me, but they would appreciate the training. Um, do they need to wear anything? Like hats?" Sarine asked.

"In my kitchen, they do. But, around here, I think I can let that go for now. Do you have one, by chance?" the Royal Chef asked.

"We do have one. But, it's just one," Howard sighed.

"This is what we'll do. Whoever has a question will put the hat on. If one is fine with what they are doing, they won't need the hat, and I'll just check on them," he suggested.

"That would be wonderful!" Sarine beamed. Chef Charles found himself blushing at her. When Kiehl glared again, he cleared his throat. Then he glared at Cedrick, and the prince made his way back out to the barracks. They all knew he was checking on Sarine. Howard was still highly pissed off at him and wasn't afraid to show it.

"What would you like to learn first?" the Royal Chef asked.

"Let's try something basic, and we will work our way up. I know Kathryne has done quite a bit of cooking. Oh! Where is Seyren? He should be here!" she said. Beelzebub had a Hell Fly get him. When he came down the stairs, he waved and showed he was ready to learn.

"I bet he burns water on the first try," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"I'm in!" Doppy said with a wicked grin back.

"What was that?!" the Royal Chef said with a look of horror. "Who has bad cooking?!"

"Um..." Seyren sighed. The chef hat was quickly put on him. "What? Why?!"

"So I can keep an eye on you!" Chef Charles growled. "Food is an art! It must be made with absolute perfection! If you make a mistake, that's fine. You learn from it. But, if it's the same mistake, then you have a problem! You should never be allowed to cook without guidance! If you have no guidance, then that is when a repeat of the problem happens!"

Sarine could only giggle at Seyren's flustered look. When the lessons started, she made everything perfectly on the first try. Kiehl could only gape at her.

"You have Bianca's talent to never fail at what you make," Doppy chuckled.

"You think so?" she smiled.

"Who are you speaking of?" Chef Charles asked.

"My daughter," she said softly. "Doppelganger is her father. She has a twin brother, Gunther. I have quite a few children."

"Doppelganger?! That's not possible!" he frowned.

"Is it?" Doppy hissed. Now the man made the connection from the glowing red eyes.

"You don't know that much about Sarine, do you?" Sammy asked.

"I was told not to ask and to only do my job. My place was either on the battlefield, or in the kitchen. Lately, it's been in the kitchen," the Royal Chef said. "This is the first time that I've seen her, much less learned about her. It's always best to stay out of affairs unless asked to partake in them. It's what I always tended to tell myself."

"Wise words," Beelzebub muttered, as he came in. "My love, the children are about to come back from school for their lunches. They are all very hungry. They have been given snacks for now, but they will need more. You should eat before them in case they need you."

"We should eat in the dining room," she nodded. "Do the younger ones need to be nursed at all? Or are they fine?"

"They are all sleeping," he nodded. The poor man was clearly in shock. He had no idea what to think, much less how to act.

"Storm Caller, can you please tell him about my life in full? And...um..." she winced.

"She's starved. She needs her craving dishes," Howard said, and he moved with Kiehl to lead her to the dining room.

"Craving?" Chef Charles asked.

"She's pregnant with five kids," Keltin chuckled. That floored him. Then the Royal Chef shook his head and saw what the slaves were cooking up.

"Wait! What does she need?!" he demanded.

"Spicy food, cold food, various foods that are neutral based like chocolate," Aliot started off. "She also wants cookies and tea."

"Show me how you prepare it, and I'll see if I can make something stronger," he said.

"Sure!" Observation said with a cheerful nod.

"Oh, we have this," Byorgue said, as he handed over the highest grade cookbook.

"How did you get this?!" the Royal Chef asked with surprise.

"Maya Purple gave it to us. He's in the nursery," Injustice said. "That's the only copy we have, so we are very careful with it."

"That's fine. I can memorize the recipes. I've been searching for this cookbook for a very long time! Do you have any others?" he asked.

"We do," Aliot nodded and showed him the shelf containing the other cookbooks from the sixth one up. The human was floored. He had the other cookbooks on him, but he would clearly want to study what they had. The lower cookbooks were well known to him, and he did memorize each one in full.  _I could make them their own books._  Now he found himself in a bit of surprise. He was already thinking of ways to help them. _Why was that? I never took an interest in another like this before!_ Then he thought to himself.

"I can't believe that I'm going to say this," the Royal Chef muttered. "I need to learn everything about your Vessel of Odin. Mainly her life in full. How everyone met and such. What I'm seeing here just makes no sense! And with Prince Cedrick here? I wondered where he went off to. He was always bugging me for late night snacks."

"Cedrick isn't very well received here," Injustice sighed.

"I gathered that," Chef Charles nodded, as he remembered the growl that Kiehl greeted the prince with. "Why?"

"He's always trying to find ways to be with My Lady," Byorgue grumbled.

"I see," he frowned. "There is much that I need to know. And...my lady?"

"Those of us with collars are her slaves. We chose to be this way," Observation said. "When we say 'My Lady', it is a formal way to speak to her. It's our show of respect."

"I feel I need to know more," the Royal Chef sighed.

"Why do you feel the need to do that?" Observation asked.

"The way you all are is just...bizarre! Normally, I can't tolerate long conversations. I abhor being interrupted, and I get bored easily. And yet...something here is out of grasp, yet within reach. It puzzles me. Anyways, we need to cook!"

"All right, I have her first dish!" Aliot said, as he started to take the rare, peppered roast out to her. Chef Charles stopped him and inspected the dish critically. Then he shook his head and took it from him. The Demonic slave argued, "I have to feed her!"

"Not with that dish!" he insisted. "Watch me!"

Aliot growled, but he nodded. He learned how to tenderize the meat first for it to absorb even more of the peppery flavor. Then it was lightly cooked in oil and cut into perfect strips. After that, the strips were lightly sautéed with a touch of honey and lemon, but was still kept rare and tender in the center to satisfy the rare craving she had. It would give a buttery soft texture that would guarantee to melt in her mouth. This was now served to her. Sarine took one bite, felt like swooning, and blinked.

"Wow!" Howard chuckled. "Whatever you did to that roast has completely taken her by surprise! Aliot? Did he teach you something?"

"He did," Aliot nodded. "He wouldn't let me serve the normal dish. He stopped me."

"I was wondering what took so long," Kiehl smirked. When he was offered a taste, he found himself pausing in sheer wonder.  _Was this what it was supposed to taste like?!_

"Give me a piece," Doppy grinned. Now he was floored by it. "I want one, too!"

"Hmm," Eremes thought and moved into the kitchen. He approached the Royal Chef and said, "We need more of that roast. In bulk. She gains...unruly appetites now. Everything we make for her...tends to be in bulk."

"Really?" he frowned. "I'll teach them what I can to make quick, efficient meals that will be the best in quality!"

"Thank you," Eremes nodded. "Oh. I will learn, too. When I can."

"Very well! No! Don't let it overheat! If you do that, you'll char the sauce that's simmering! Lower the heat first and stir! Let the sauce reduce normally under a low heat!" Chef Charles scolded at Seyren. Eremes found himself grinning a bit ruefully.

"Eremes, I need you to take over. Karla is asking for me," Seyren sighed.

"Heard and noted..." he nodded and took over the light sauce being made.

"Karla?" the Royal Chef asked.

"My wife. She's, ah, very pregnant. Quite a few of the women here are, you see. They demand for us to be close at times," Seyren explained. Eremes took the chef hat from him, but he set it aside. There was no need for him to wear it.

"How do you know she needs you?" he asked.

"Baphomet told me," Seyren grinned. Now Chef Charles was gaping. "My blood is bonded to his. Courtesy of the Lighthalzen experiment."

"You were part of that disgraceful experiment?!" the man hissed. Seyren gave a grim nod, gestured for Eremes to take over, and he left to help his wife.

"A lot of us were. Sarine was almost a part of it, too. She was declined..." Eremes frowned, as he stirred the sauce. "I was also a part of it. My blood...is merged with Ifrit..."

"Help us finish cooking, and we'll tell you everything we can," Injustice said.

"My Lady needs more food," Nigel winced, as he walked in. "She sent me to tell you all. Errende is barely keeping the triplets happy."

For ten minutes, the cooking was revamped and redone. Eremes left the kitchen once the sauce was finished. Sarine needed him close again. Chef Charles was completely impressed by the slaves.  _Once they learned something, there was no need for reminders._  They were the best pupils he could have asked for. When he saw the mountain of dirty dishes coming back all empty, he was in shock. Sarine had cleaned off every single one. Other dishes were now made for the ones that needed to eat, and meals were now prepared for the children.

"She's done," Injustice chuckled. "She'll be hungry again soon, though."

"She cleared off twelve platters!" the Royal Chef paled.

"Her metabolism is sped up," Nigel said, as he helped with the dishes. "When she was impregnated by Eremes and Ifrit, she was given that ability."

"Huh?" he blinked.

"Talk to Storm Caller," Beelzebub said, as he walked in. "You are helping us with Sarine. You are a guest. You're tolerable. Go. Now. Or you can help with a bunch of kids..."

"Where is Storm Caller?" the man asked. He wasn't in the mood to deal with children.

" _I will need to speak with you, too,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in. " _I am Sarine's older brother, Muninn. Yes, I am a messenger of Father Odin. My brother, Huginn, resides in her mind. When you finish speaking to the Strouf, Storm Caller, I will speak with you at length._ "

"Muninn?! Um...oh..." he paused. Muninn chuckled softly and waved him off in Storm Caller's direction. Byorgue was sniggering now.

"We need another roast!" Hyegun said, as he charged in. Aliot was quick to make the request and serve up the dish. There were now several roasts being prepped, cooked, and stored away. After this roast was eaten, Sarine gave a tired yawn, snuggled into Kiehl's shoulder, and fell into a rather deep sleep. On seeing that, Sammy settled in one of the plush floor cushions in the room to meditate. Now that everything was relatively calm, Kalen was able to push away his empty plate, and he looked at Howard.

"Yes?" Howard asked, as he stabbed at a stray piece of meat.

"I want to know more about the prince that's here. And that other one that Ragged Zombie told me about," Kalen said lightly. Kiehl gave a look of disgust, but Howard mentally poked him to tend to Sarine and ignore what was going to be said. It would be the only way to keep him calm. A mental nod was given back, as he cuddled into Sarine's sleeping form. His deep, resonating purr was given to the triplets now to keep them sated.

"He's focusing on Sarine to keep calm," Howard said. "We'll tell you what we can."

"I'll help," Garrett nodded, as he sat with them. He was served up something to eat, and he sighed. "Send something to Cecil, please? I think the others are hungry, too."

"They are already being served," Beelzebub nodded. "Other monsters are assisting with that. Anyways, tell Kalen what we know."

"All right," the Paladin nodded. As he ate, he told Kalen what he knew. When the kiss given to Sarine was described, the Lord Knight was clearly disgusted.

"So, they fit, but don't fit? And, if they take monster blood, they'll have a chance? Oh! That was why Hibram needed to give me blood!" he blinked.

"Exactly," Hibram nodded. "Normal humans are too weak for her."

"How?" Kalen asked. At the mental description given, he paled. "I won't let them touch her! I'm glad I see Greg as a traitor, and this solidifies that!"

"You never told him what Greg tried to do with one of my brothers, did you?" Baphomet Jr. snorted. "I mentioned how he only hurt my brother. But, not how far he tried to go. He tamed my brother as a pet, nearly starved him to death, and tried to drink his blood just to see if he could have a chance with her."

"WHAT?!" Kalen shouted. Kiehl gave off a rather soft growl in warning. He had Sarine sleeping even deeper now. If it wasn't for that, she would have woken up with a headache. An instinctive nod of apology was quickly given.

"She never kissed Greg, and we won't let her," Thanatos muttered. "The most she did was sniff him. It was enough to show that she would have gotten ill. When she was pregnant with Kiehl's twins and Sammy's twins, it was all she needed to do. She could kiss him now, but why? He's a pest! All pests like him need to be discarded."

"As if I want her to do that! If he tried to kiss her and succeeded, he'd never give her any peace! And, if she willingly kissed him...no. Never let him even think he has a chance at that!" Kalen snorted with disgust. They all agreed with that logic. Kiehl looked at Sarine when she woke slowly, and he nuzzled her. She pressed into him and looked at Kalen.

"Come here," Kiehl said to him. Kalen was given some leeway to sit with her, and he was a touch surprised at how she pressed into him now.

"Is something wrong?" Kalen frowned. When she started to tear up, Sammy was at her side. Howard and Doppy tensed at the feeling of sudden mental stress. Then they froze up when her mental wall shattered unexpectedly.

"Pregnancy hormones!" Keltin hissed out. Kiehl scooped her up and stood with her to cradle her. His deep purr filled her mind, but she was still shedding tears.

"What's wrong, my love?" Kiehl whispered. Sammy was pulled close now, and Amon Ra focused to try and bring her some form of peace.

"It's not working," Amon Ra frowned. "This is hormonal. It's not something that I can readily fix. It's not anything else. Just..."

"I know," Keltin sighed.

"Do you want to go to the grove?" Kiehl asked, and she shook her head.

"Doppelganger..." Tsurga frowned. Doppy and Howard were unable to react to anything. Her emotions were raging through them both.

"She needs to be cheered up!" Keltin winced.

"Kalen, if Ass Hat comes back here, what do you plan to do?" Ragged Zombie asked casually. "You know that Serenity calls him a stupid head, right? It pisses him off!"

"I'll have to call him that!" Kalen grinned with silent knowing. That got Sarine giggling.

"Oh, he gets livid!" Ragged Zombie grinned back. "It really gets under his skin!"

"Eh...I don't want to get that close to him. I can see what's under your skin, and he might be even worse," Kalen smirked. That got Sarine laughing, as Ragged Zombie flustered. _Kalen was able to put the zombie on the spot._

"You got the better of Ragged Zombie?!" Maheo laughed. Mobster was laughing now.

"He got lucky!" the zombie argued, as Sarine's mental wall reformed. Howard and Doppy gasped with relief, but they kept quiet about it.

"Then again, knowing Greg, he probably has nothing to show under his skin," Kalen mused. That got everyone laughing.

"Better?" Kiehl whispered to her. She pressed her face into his neck and shivered. "What is it, my heart? You can tell me. I'll fix it. You know I'll do everything I can for you."

All she could do was whimper softly, and he hugged her tighter. On examining her thoughts, as Howard recovered his, he thought silently. Naght came down from the nursery to help her. On hearing her thoughts, he rumbled out in Demonic.

"We don't know if he heard about the ball," Thanatos frowned.

"He didn't," Beelzebub frowned. "Muninn just asked him. The man is noble, but not of ancient nobility. Why? Is Sarine interested in him?"

"She has mixed feelings about him," Kiehl mumbled.

"Hmm..." Loomin thought, as he pieced it together. "She likes him, because he knows how to cook. She doesn't care for his attitude. There are definitely a lot of mixed emotions."

"Do you want to talk to him?" Howard finally asked.

"No," she finally said. "I do like him...but...I don't think he would fit with me. I mean, if he took blood, it's possible, but..."

"He didn't hear of the ball, and he's not really your type," Kiehl nodded.

"You don't like men with long blond hair?" Nigel grinned.

"Nigel..." she sighed and gestured for him. When he got to her, she cuddled him and ran her hands through his hair. "I like your hair. It's soft and wonderful."

"I do what I can," he smiled and let her kiss him.

"Maybe Muninn would know what to think of him," Doppy sighed, as he was finally able to shake his head clear. Eremes thought and moved off to find the Royal Chef. He noticed him finishing off the letters, and he waited calmly. When he was done, and the letters were safely stored away, Eremes approached him.

"What are your thoughts...?" Eremes asked softly.

"On what? Everything I was shown?" the man frowned. "That such a beautiful, vibrant girl was cast aside by someone who should have been slaughtered on sight? That the man she loved actually had doubts about her? That it's a miracle that she even survived her horrific ordeal from the room I saw from that slab of...concrete, was it? None should have a past like she did! I was told that there was even more..."

"There is always more..." Eremes agreed. "Too much to say...too much to hear...even too much to see. Sarine...has a fondness for you. However, her thoughts are...divided at best."

"She would be willing to give me a place at her side?" he asked with wonder. "She apparently has so many! And...this would be possible?"

"It is a possibility. However...she is shared by many, as you know. Myself, included. I am one of her husbands. And she has children. An army of them. She gives multiple children for each of us. Even eggs."

"Eggs?" he blinked.

"Yes. There is a school that the children are at right now..."

"I should teach them how to cook there. Are they smart?"

"Smarter than you know..." Eremes grinned. "Sometimes...far too smart. Of course, the younger ones are in the nursery. It is best to meet the older ones first."

"I'll need to speak with Kiehl soon," Vesper said, as he came over. "Archdam and I have been able to make more components."

"Tell the Hell Fly..." Eremes nodded. Vesper nodded back and went to do just that. "Anyways...Chef Charles..."

"Oh, just called me Charles," he sighed.

"Very well," Eremes smiled. "How do you feel about Sarine?"

"She is a rare beauty," he admitted. "But, um, well...I'm not sure. Honestly."

"The other children are back from school to eat," Eremes said, as Ifrit gave him the mental nudge. "My children need me. You may as well meet with them. Follow me..."

Charles sighed and followed him, as he adjusted his glasses. At the sound of playing and laughing children, he cringed slightly, but he steeled himself to follow. He was used to children being unruly and completely troublesome. At the sight of Naght Seiger glaring at him with hatred, he paused dead in his tracks. When Naght gave a glance to Howard, he backed down slightly to show he would be tolerable to an extent.

"Naght, he's trustworthy. Don't worry about him," Howard grinned. "Hello, there! Just be neutral, and you'll be fine. Hey! Settle down!"

"Sorry, Dad," Siegfried frowned.

"Sit down. Now. At the table," Beelzebub said with a mild glare. At the sound of Ragged Zombie clearing his throat, all of the kids obediently sat at the table and waited. That made Charles blink with surprise. He thought that all children were unruly. He didn't know that there were children out there that would listen to others. Being a Royal Chef, he was used to serving up dishes for spoiled children that had no boundaries.  _It was completely different here._

"Remember your etiquette!" Doll said sternly, as food dishes were set out for them.

"Bianca, you said that you wanted to learn how to cook. Is that right?" Doppy asked.

"Yes, Dad," she nodded from where she sat and ate in her docile manner.

"This is Sir Charles Orleans. He is a renowned chef. Since he cooks for royalty, he is known as a Royal Chef. It's a very high honor, as he cooks for the King of Prontera and the royal family. He's also a Knight when he has to be, so he can defend himself in the field of battle. He's very smart and powerful. He might be able to teach all of you how to cook, if you behave," Thanatos said. "Edward, chew with your mouth closed!"

"But, I saw you eating...um..." his son stopped at the glare given back. "Yes, Dad."

"I'm a demon. I have excuses. You are not a full demon. You stick to your lessons. Got it?" Thanatos growled. Edward nodded while he ate. Charles was surprised at how smart they were.  _And they knew how to respect discipline._ He thought, as he watched them.  _They were all eating properly with their utensils, and with their napkins in their laps._   _If one tried to slack, one of the adults were quick to remind them to be proper again._  It actually impressed him. He turned to see Drago and Maya Purple guarding a nest. Now he realized they spoke true about eggs. When he saw the sitting area, it was open to show that Sarine wasn't nursing. When he approached her, he stopped with his jaw dropped. In her lap were two of the most beautiful children he had ever seen. Atsuko and Juliana were nestling in Sarine's lap with complete comfort.

"You did well in school?" Sarine smiled and fixed Juliana's glasses.

"Yes, Mama," Juliana beamed. "I learned more about the skills of being a Paladin!"

"Mah!" Atsuko giggled and got a kiss to her cheek. Kiehl had Deagan and Takeshi in his lap to keep them calm. Howard was holding Stolas and Damas. Proserpine and Astaroth were being held by Beelzebub. Eremes moved to gather up Elenor and Joseph. Muninn was holding Sun and Moon. Sarine glanced up now with a rather protective look. Entweihen was standing nearby to help with the children, if he had to.

"What brings you here?" Sammy asked calmly, as he held Ming and Loo Shin.

"Eremes told me to follow him. Ah...who's children? They look absolutely beautiful!" he praised. "I simply must know!"

Sammy calmly told him whose child was whose. On learning that Sarine gave birth to all of them had him, once again, in a state of shock.

"Yes. It's a lot of kids," Kiehl smirked. "But, that's what happens."

"Dad?" Deagan frowned and stifled a giggle at a small side poke. An uneasy silence went through the kids now before the squealing started from the tickling they got. Charles was still floored by the beauty the children held. As he studied them, he realized that the ones at the table were rather beautiful in their own ways, too.  _The boys even had a noble approach to them._

Then he thought.  _Would I gain beautiful children, too?_   _But, just to think of being with Sarine for that was selfish!_ Even then, he wasn't sure what all he could think of doing to impress her. He did remember that she held a liking for him.  _I want to show that she wasn't mistaken about it. But, why is that important to me?_

"Come to me, kids. Mama needs to drink something," Keltin said, as Juliana and Atsuko went to him. "Trina and Bernard are still eating. The other kids are, too."

"I think I would like to teach the children at some point," Charles said with a smile. At a tug to his pants, he looked down at Serenity. He was awed at how much she looked like her mother. He even thought that the touch of green in her hair was cute. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Serenity! Um...are you going to be another Dad?" she asked with a giggle.

"Serenity!" Howard scowled, and she blushed at him. "Sorry about that."

"Ah...it's fine..." Charles blushed and knelt down to talk to her eye to eye. "Serenity, is it? Ah, sorry. I don't think I am. At least, not that I know of. I'm just a respected teacher to show you how wonderful cooking can be!"

"What's so good about cooking?" Gunther frowned. "All we do is eat food."

"That may be true, but do you know how it's prepared in case you need to make your own meals?" Charles asked, as he stood back up. Gunther paused and went quiet. "It takes skill and finesse to make wonderful meals, you know. Sure, you can eat just anything that you find, as you travel, but, if it doesn't taste good, then you may not want to eat it! It's something that you cannot learn overnight. It takes a lot of practice to cook excellent meals. A good meal can even give you more vitality. Even more speed in battle! It took me over twenty years to perfect my skill, so I know how to cook practically anything. New recipes are always made and improved on. I always love to learn new recipes, too! I do everything that I can to learn these dishes, and I try to see how to make them even better."

"I make everything given to me. I just want to know how it's done," Bianca said. "I seem to know, but then I forget. I want to know how I make things, as I make it. I want to be able to remember it, too, so that I will know what I need to make it again."

"Now that is a very sensible idea!" Charles nodded. "Normally, I teach adults how to cook, though. I've never taught children before. Children never seem to listen to me."

"We will listen to you!" Alexis nodded. "We always do good!"

"We could make cooking machines," Albert said.

"No! Machines aren't the same as cooking with your bare hands," Charles said. "A machine can't tell you if a vegetable is rotten or fresh. A machine can't tell you what something tastes like while you cook it. It's always best to know what you are putting in yourself. If you rely on a machine, the recipe might turn out well, but it may not be the right taste, you see?"

"Oh..." Albert blinked. Now Charles found himself smiling.  _The children before me really were listening to me. They wanted to learn._  It was a rather wonderful feeling.

"I think he'll work out just fine here," Kiehl chuckled.

"But, what if your hands are dirty? Then what?" Gunther asked.

"Then you eat with dirt in your food," Doppy grunted. That made Gunther scowl. "That's why you wash your hands. You  _have_  been washing them. Right?"

"Um..." Gunther paused, and Siegfried gave him a dirty look.

"You skipped your bath yesterday," Bianca grinned. Angela sighed, but she said nothing.

"Gunther!" Sarine said sternly from where she was, and her son winced. Edward gave a small groan and rolled his eyes. Now Thanatos glared at his son to behave, but then he realized that Edward was skipping his baths, too.  _Quite a few of them were._  Muninn gave a small smile with a nod to show that Thanatos was correct in his discovery. Loomin sighed, and Kiehl decided to take the matter into his own hands.

"And now everyone will pay the price from Gunther. Baths for them all before they go back to school. If they had a bath last night or not, I don't care," Kiehl said. "And no arguing. It's quite apparent that not everyone here has been sticking to the bathing schedule. That changes as of  _now_. Baths are to be done once a day before bedtime. It will change to twice a day, if this happens again! Once in the morning, and once at night! If you don't want that to happen, then stop this nonsense right now!"

"Okay, Dad," Serenity frowned. She didn't call him what she normally did to show that she understood his seriousness. If they tried to throw jibes at Gunther, they would get punished. It was best to just do as they were told. And, since it was Kiehl that gave the order, it would be fully respected and listened to. None of the kids wanted him to be mad at them.

"If you are going to cook with me, you have to be clean. Being clean also shows you are staying healthy," Charles nodded. "Is there a kitchen in the school?"

"We can get one ready, but it won't be set until tomorrow. Can you wait that long?" Howard asked. "It's easy to get the equipment. It's just setting it all up."

"I can wait. Ah, is there a guest room of sorts?" he asked.

"There is a guest house, but, I think, for you, we can get a room set up here," Sarine smiled warmly. When she was handed her tea to sip, Charles was frozen in place. She was far too elegant and beautiful for a normal human. Loomin noticed this and walked over to him.

"She is Odin's daughter," Loomin chuckled. "and the Princess of Amatsu, too."

"That explains it..." Charles managed to whisper out. "She is Divine Royalty..."

"Divine Royalty?" Kiehl blinked, as he moved back to Sarine to hug her.

"I haven't heard of that one before," Maya Purple said from where he was by the nest.

"That actually does make a lot of sense," Hibram chuckled.

"You're not of an ancient bloodline, are you?" Loomin asked now.

"No. Muninn had asked me the same thing. I don't recall being that. Nothing like that. I was actually quite poor. Lived in the next to nothing section of Prontera, basically. I fought and clawed my way to where I am now. Thanks to me, my whole family is in the cooking business. I thought that becoming a Knight would improve my status. I became a Royal Chef by impressing the royal family with my cooking finesse. However, because of how I started, it was...hard to make friends and allies. I shouldn't even be talking so comfortably with you! I just feel...like I belong, I guess," Charles frowned. "It's still difficult for me to hold conversations, much less make acquaintances and such."

"At least you had a childhood. I was frozen in ice for fifteen years," he sighed.

"You were?!" Charles blinked.

"Hmm," Keltin thought. "If you feel like you belong with us..."

"It's a lot of mixed feelings, really. Like, I do, but I don't. I'm not sure. But...well...I saw the two girls in her lap, and I...sort of wished I had children with their beauty. I never thought of having kids. Too busy cooking and whatnot. I also thought that all children would misbehave. Being around royal children can do that. Just look at Cedrick! But, when I see Sarine, I just...I lose my train of thought. I get chills! I feel...alive. I guess. As alive as I do when I set my mind to cooking," he frowned, as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "But, as for being any royalty or ancient nobility, no. I don't have that."

"Neither did I," Maheo grinned. "Or Neil, in fact. We just felt that we belonged to her."

"Maybe you feel drawn to one of the kids?" Loomin asked. At this, Kiehl looked over with narrowed eyes. Evil Snake Lord was now informed, but he was at the school. He would be paying close attention to what the Hell Fly would tell him.

"No!" Charles said with a heavy shake of his head. At this, Kiehl relaxed instantly. "I am impressed by their beauty. Nothing more than that. You have my word of honor."

Serenity was thinking, as she listened in. She didn't have her bath yet, but she had an idea. She went over to Beelzebub and tugged on his robe. Letting Byorgue take the two children from him, he knelt down slightly to Serenity to hear her whisper. He whispered back with a small scowl, and he pat the top of her head. Terin started to laugh softly. Serenity wasn't done, though. She wanted Charles to be a father figure. Her other brothers and sisters liked him, too. They all wanted him to be with Sarine, and she knew this by how they were listening to him. Giving a small huff, she marched over to Sammy to talk to him now. Beelzebub raised a brow at her grumbles.

"Serenity, I honestly don't think that what you want will work," Beelzebub said.

"But, he should be a Dad!" Serenity frowned. "He likes Mama, and we like him!"

"It doesn't work that way," Sammy chuckled. "He needs to agree to it and be sure of what he wants. Even then, it may not work out."

"Grampa Odin would know!" she said, and she crossed her small arms over her chest.

"And I would!" Odin said, as he appeared with a wave of crushing force. He accepted the hugs from the children that could hug him, but he gathered up Serenity to hold. "My dear, not just anyone can be with my daughter, my Vessel, you know. It takes great courage, honor, and strength to even make the attempt. Muninn! What do you foresee?"

" _Hmm..._ " Muninn thought, as he continued to hold the prophesied twins. " _It could actually work out! But, only if he wants to do this. I'm not sure who would be willing to assist with him when it comes to blood._ "

"I think I'll do it," Sammy said. Now everyone looked at him.

"As her Life, it could be risky. In a battle, your life would be drained first. It may be too much for a human. Even with your blood," Odin frowned. "Charles Orleans, where does your lineage hail from? Do you know?"

"Um...I..." the man mumbled. He was talking to the most powerful being in existence. His mind was shot. Odin was chuckling with pure amusement.

"He actually made his own line of nobility by making his own rank with the Prontera Guard," Kalen sighed. It was common knowledge to him, since Charles was such a renowned chef. Beelzebub nodded from the mental confirmation he got from Garrett.

"So, it is new, but not ancient. But, it is very honorable..." Odin thought. "Bring me Baphomet, please. I would like to speak with him!"

"Sure," Beelzebub grinned and had a Hell Fly talk to Seyren. Once Baphomet was at the nursery balcony, Odin set Serenity down and went to speak with him. Alexander nodded to Odin and continued to hover protectively. Odin spoke of what he wished with the powerful demon. He was actually quite intrigued with the idea.

"With what you want to do..." Baphomet mused. "Wouldn't it be best from my son?"

"I think, with this situation, from the source is best," Odin chuckled. "It could be considered as a far more direct alliance with me. What do you think? Should we go with this? Or go with another?"

"It would be nice knowing that someone could mentally teach Seyren how to cook and not destroy pots or burn water," Baphomet grinned. At the mental swearing he got from Seyren, and the mental laughter from Karla, he grinned even more.

"Seyren destroyed cooking pots?!" Charles gaped, as his mind came to at this news. "Has he gone mad?! Since when does one destroy precious cooking utensils over stupidity?!"

"Take some of my blood!" Baphomet snorted with laughter. The others were dying with laughter at the Royal Chef's outburst.

"Um...what does it taste like?" Charles asked.

"Think of Blood Flavored Soda without the carbonation," Sarine smiled. "Just a stronger flavor without sugar. That's what demon blood is like to me. It might be different for you, though. I wouldn't know. But, that's what I found demon blood to be like."

"A wonderful idea!" he proclaimed.

"Good call," Ragged Zombie chuckled. Odin was still laughing softly, as he nodded. Sarine ran a hand over her belly, and Kiehl nuzzled her affectionately. Serenity was far too joyful for her own good at the possibility of another father figure coming to play, but Naght soon plucked her up to purr. She needed her bath, and he was quick to take her over to Doll.

"Wait...what am I doing?" Charles blinked.

"You are taking a drop of my blood," Baphomet smirked. "Apparently, Odin is ordering it. Or are you?"

"You know I am, Baphomet," Odin nodded. "And he should become a husband, too."

"What?" Kiehl looked over with disbelief.

"I beg pardon?!" Charles gaped. "I hardly know anyone here! Don't I have a say so in any of this? Does this truly have to happen?"

"Daddy, is that really necessary?" Sarine frowned. "Can't he simply stay as a mate?"

"No. He will gain the element of Thunder. He will be able to call forth a sound blast to devastate and confound the enemy! Much like how Baphomet can roar and Stun opponents! He will also have a place as your Ground. He will be the one to stabilize you should you become shaken. Much like her Balance, but this is in case you feel unsteady. He will help you see reason through your confusion," Odin explained gently.

"Oh..." she blinked with a slight tremble. At her small cringe, Kiehl whispered to her that it was a protective thunder. She knew this, but it still troubled her slightly.

"So...he can help her out when she feels confused with her thoughts," Loomin mused.

"He will also be a brother to Baphomet Jr. this way," Odin winked.

"Maybe I should have taken Baphomet's blood," Kalen sighed. That got small chuckles all over. "Considering my hatred for Greg..."

"Who?" Charles frowned.

"Take my blood, and I'll tell you," Baphomet mused. For the second time in his life, Charles knew what he wanted to do. The first thing he always knew he wanted to do was to become a renowned chef. Now he knew that he needed a place with this family.  _My new family._  But, there was one problem. Seyren had Baphomet's blood when it was studied and refined from the experiments. This was a drop directly from the demon, himself. They wouldn't chance a mouthful. If the demon belonged to Sarine, it could have been possible, but Baphomet was a different level. He couldn't belong to Sarine. Charles took a nervous breath and collected the rather large drop of blood from the demon's forefinger directly to his mouth.

At first, it was the taste. It was the foulest thing he ever tasted in his life. It had a heavy sulfuric and bitter aftertaste when he forced it down. He gasped and coughed, as he fell to his knees. He tried to vomit, but he couldn't. His chest was hurting. His gut was in searing pain. That drop of blood raced through his veins to force his human blood to accept it. Fire was coursing through him unlike anything he ever felt before. He let out a harsh scream before he found himself gasping for air, as the pain left him at long last. His clothes were now soaked with sweat from the ordeal he went through.

"Can you walk?" Loomin asked with concern, as he knelt down to him.  _In a sense, Charles had just consumed a drop of pure evil._

"No..." he said hoarsely.

"It's a good thing we only did a drop," Baphomet muttered. "When his body is stable, I'll give him more. Right now, this should be plenty."

"More...?!" Charles gasped with disbelief.

"It will be needed," Odin nodded. "My daughter, my Vessel? Can you see to him?"

"Of course, Daddy," she nodded. Kiehl helped her stand, and he moved with her to the man's side. She knelt down by Loomin for him to give way to her, and she gently caressed Charles's cheek. "I'm sorry. I had no idea of the pain you would go through..."

"I doubt...anyone did..." Charles winced. Then he gave out a gasping sigh at the cooling relief her touch did. "I feel like...I'm overheating..."

"A little broiled in the clothing?" Ragged Zombie joked.

"Poached is more like it..." Charles shivered.

"Do you need one of us to carry you?" Doppy asked. He was actually quite concerned.

"Lean on me," Sarine smiled. It hurt Charles to move, but he forced himself to. Using her for support, she eased him back into the nursery. "Don't let the children go to school yet. Make sure they all get their baths. After he sees to them again, they will go."

"Of course, My Lady," Errende nodded. She moved with Charles into the bedroom. He couldn't focus on his surroundings right now. He did gasp softly at the coolness of the bathroom air. Byorgue had turned on a few of the showers to give out cold water to help. When there was sufficient coolness in the air, the water was shut off, and the slave left. Kiehl was soon in there with them to hug Sarine carefully.

"Stay close, Kiehl," she said. "I don't know how your rage fit will react to just Baphomet's blood. It does worry me."

"Right," Kiehl nodded. "I'll meditate a short distance away."

"What...?" Charles asked, but he moaned at the cooling touch Sarine gave him again. She was able to help him undress without incident. Kiehl got another hug from her to keep his craving down before helping her undress. Now she saw to Charles.

"Easy," she whispered, and he cried out at how her body felt pressed against his. She ran her hands up his chest to the sides of his head. His glasses were still on, but that was fine.

"What are you...?" he whimpered before crying out when she settled on him.

"Will you help protect my babies?" she asked, as she gazed down at him. Something new clicked in his mind, and he locked his hands on her hips. A fierce instinct to claim her came forth, and he snarled out in a voice he never knew he possessed. He screamed out his release with her and panted for air. Kiehl had to come back over to get hugged by her, but he was able to prick her finger for the blood swap.

"Hurry," Kiehl urged. She nodded and ran her finger over Charles's lips. At the taste of it, he blinked in sheer wonder.  _Her blood seemed to right mine._  It fixed his body back to what it was. He breathed easier and found himself letting Kiehl prick his finger next to give to Sarine. Kiehl Healed him and got a blood drop from Sarine. The others would need to come in slowly, but it would happen later.

"I think I'm in love with you," the Royal Chef said gently.

"Do you think? Or do you know?" she smiled. Kiehl chuckled and sat back to let them kiss at long last. When the feel of fitting with her occurred, the new group member was in silent shock. A soft glow appeared near them, and Sarine picked up the wedding ring. She slipped it on his finger now. "I will always love you, too, husband."

"Incredible..." Charles muttered, as he held her to him. A moment longer was spent in silence. Now he realized the room he was in. "This is...a bathroom?"

"Yes," she giggled. He managed to sit up, and he looked at Kiehl. Now he found himself in another speechless state. Kiehl was radiating Demonic strength, power, and nobility. He never saw exactly how powerful he truly was until now, as Baphomet's blood let him see the truth about Demonic rankings.  _Kiehl was a respected leader of demons._ Kiehl gave a small smirk, but he nodded lightly to show he was accepted. Charles ran a hand over his face at the elated feeling he experienced.  _Was this what I was searching for? Acceptance?_   _I did get acceptance from my peers, but it was nothing like I was expecting. I had gained respect, but not a full form of the acceptance I required, due to my lack of noble blood. I was clearly searching for it in the wrong area!_  Baphomet gave him a mental chuckle.

"What will you do about your service to Prontera?" Kiehl asked. "Sarine will want you here, you know. It will be hard for you to be in two places at once."

"I figured that," Charles sighed and adjusted his glasses. "I was told to stay as long as I was needed. I know the slaves will want to do the cooking, but I think I'll take over that. I'll let them serve the food, though. I'll teach anyone here that wants to cook. If his Royal Majesty wishes something cooked for him, I can make it here and have it sent to him. I may have to make small trips to the kitchen there on occasion, but not often. I will always come back here."

"You know, Seyren is pretty much your brother now. You could smack him upside the head, if he makes a mistake," Kiehl said with a wicked grin. That got Charles grinning back in the same way, and Sarine was giggling like crazy. When he tried to pull away from Sarine, she locked him to her. Kiehl frowned and whispered, "He can stay with you later. We have much to do right now. Ragged Zombie and Mobster need to stay with you first."

"Stay?" Charles frowned. There was a lot that he didn't know, but Baphomet Jr. was able to reach him through his father's blood. At a mental suggestion, he thought. "Um, Baphomet Jr. wants me to try a direct blood swap with him. To see if I can hear his thoughts. I think. He's very faint right now. He's practically being directed to me through Baphomet."

"Let's try that really quick. Baphomet Jr. needs a drop of blood from me, too," Sarine nodded. "Um...I suppose you could stay with me when he does..."

"What?" Charles blinked, as Kiehl started laughing.

"There's a lot you need to be filled in on," Kiehl chuckled. "Let's do that swap with Baphomet Jr., and he can fill you in on everything."

"All right," he nodded.

"Have Ragged Zombie and Mobster come in last," she smiled. Kiehl nodded and it would be done. Charles found himself in heavy thought, and Sarine nuzzled him.

"Since Sarine will want to learn how to cook, maybe it would be easier to use the kitchen here instead of the school," the Royal Chef said. "We can expand and alter the kitchen to be a bit like a classroom, right? Maybe add on a separate room for that?"

"That would actually be better," Kiehl nodded. "We can ensure that the kids won't get harmed, and we'll keep them in line, if they start to become unruly. They tend to when they get excited. I think they'll work better knowing that they are at 'home' and not at 'school'. Yes, both places are on the island, but it's just that mental familiarity."

"We will do that," Sarine nodded. When Charles pulled away from Sarine, his jaw dropped at the pain he felt.  _I never felt such a thing before in my life!_

"That's...why we have to stay with her for, oh, roughly two hours," Kiehl grimaced.

"Two hours? That's all it is?" he asked.

"Yes. It's also why Sarine has been taking two guys at a time. She's, ah, capable of doing that," Kiehl chuckled. "However, because it's my triplets with Howard and Naght, we need to be with her every night. We discovered that last night. The triplets...would have been her first pregnancy, you see. But she lost them. Odin gave them back to her."

"Oh..." Charles swallowed. "I didn't know."

"Of course, you wouldn't have known! Naght and Ifrit also have twins in her, too. The triplets are all girls. The twins are a boy and a girl. She's normally only supposed to have quadruplets. Quintuplets is pushing it. As for this pregnancy, it's the triplets that are the most demanding. Hyegun can hear their thoughts. You'll learn about all of us in time. Also, we tend to travel to find stronger monsters. There are only two left that we need to find. However, she gives out something from Ifrit. It's...lust. Solid and unrefined. We all fight over her to be with her. It's too dangerous for her to travel. Anyone can be affected by this, be it human or monster, and we don't know what it will do to other females. We literally try to kill each other to be with her. It can really suck."

"Wow," Charles blinked. "Hmm..."

"What?" Sarine asked. She gasped, as he took her again. At the way he clung to her, she looked at him with surprise. "You're...staying with me...?"

"Get Baphomet Jr., please. Ragged Zombie and Mobster will have to wait a couple hours," Charles grinned softly. Kiehl started to laugh.

"It was actually supposed to be Loomin and Sammy next," Beelzebub chuckled. as he came in. "But, Loomin went just before you. Same with Kalen. They were together with her. So, they are clear. Now we have to figure out who will be with Sammy."

"Make it Injustice," she said. He nodded, as he left, and they would be informed.

"I'm curious. Normally, you'd start to have a First Mate ranking when being her husband...ah..." Kiehl chuckled, as Sarine's scent filled Charles's senses. He gave out a shout that he never knew he possessed and claimed her even more with everything he had left. When she keened out with his successful mating roar, the Royal Chef was visibly shaken by what happened. Now Kiehl calmly told him what just transpired rather calmly.

"I...can make kids with her now?" Charles blinked with another pause of disbelief.

"Easily when it's your turn. It's needed with you being her husband. Don't worry. You'll get a lot more explanations when the time comes," Kiehl smiled. Charles looked at him now and found himself at a bit of an equal ranking in a way. Baphomet was mentally pleased.

"Um...who should stay with me next? After this?" Sarine frowned.

"We should have your slaves be with you to get them done and out of the way. We know that Errende and Thanatos would need to be with you after Sammy. Maya Purple and Drago could go together after Aliot and Observation. Then, most likely, Nigel and Byorgue. Mobster and Ragged Zombie should go after all of them. They'll have to wait a bit longer, but this is important. They will need to be free to serve you. After the slaves are done, we should focus on the rest of your husbands. Then the mates can be last," Kiehl suggested. Baphomet Jr. walked in and nodded to Kiehl with respect.

"Ready?" the demon asked, as he moved to Sarine's side. Charles took a deep breath and nodded. Sarine cried out with them at the double mating, as Kiehl pressed against her to ease her trembling. On seeing this, Baphomet Jr. asked, "What happened?!"

"Charles is a bit...eh...he grew," Kiehl sighed. Baphomet Jr. thought and barked out laughter. At his faint mental thought, the Royal Chef found himself gaping. Beelzebub was laughing in the nursery and had to tell the others. Errende was seen walking in now with a rather smug grin on his face.

"We'll compare later," the slave mused. Kiehl started laughing exceptionally hard when Howard stormed in. He was clearly not happy.

"Why is everyone getting bigger than me?!" he growled. "Hell, for all that, I should be different, because of Naght!"

"I think it's because Naght is more spectral than physical," Errende said with a shrug.

"I think...he's right...!" Kiehl said, as he gasped for air.

"Oh, shut up, Kiehl! You can at least make yours vibrate!" Howard snapped. Kiehl was in tears of laughter now, and Sarine was just blushing incredibly hard.

"Wait, what?!" Charles gaped at Kiehl's laughing form. Kalen walked in with Hibram, Neil, and Maheo. Doppy and Tsurga came in now. Loomin walked in after them, but he was like this from his heritage. They were all grinning a bit wickedly.

"Oh, don't tell me..." Sarine sighed.

"We never noticed until Beelzebub said something. Oh, look. Terin is here," Kalen chuckled. "Elric is out of luck, though."

"Osiris isn't a demon, but that's fine," Elric shrugged, as he walked in and sat down.

"Now that's funny," Baphomet Jr. grinned. "Seyren didn't change. I wonder if it's Sarine's blood that does something to help it along."

"I changed from Lighthalzen," Errende said with a shrug.

"You earned that," Thanatos grinned. Errende matched his grin with the smug grin he always had when it came to this.

"Why is everyone getting bigger than me?" Howard asked again, as he seemed to slump to the floor. "It's just not fair!"

"How-How," Sarine sighed and sent him a thought. He looked at her with surprise now. Even Kiehl went silent at it. Naght gave his own mental chuckle.

"Is that true, Sarine?" Howard asked. At her shivering nod, he was able to get close to her to hug her. "It's all right now. We got them back. I'm with you again."

Naght gave a small warning when Howard tensed. Sarine's mental wall was threatening to shatter. Doppy looked around, but didn't see Ragged Zombie anywhere. Now he looked at Errende and asked, "So, how much bigger than Ragged Zombie were you?"

"Several inches," Errende grinned. That had Sarine sputtering with laughter, and Howard ran a hand over his face in both relief and laughter.

"I still don't understand," Charles muttered. "Kiehl...you make yours vibrate?!"

A round of laughter came out now, and Kiehl had to explain how he was a partial robot.

"The men I marry..." Sarine sighed, and more laughter followed. "Let me do this blood swap. My hand hasn't been Healed yet, and I know I need to give out blood drops, too."

"Even while you rest, there is a lot you still have to do. Isn't there?" Charles frowned. She gave a soft sigh and found herself getting hugged by him. "I should make you an elegant dish. Something unique, yet beautiful..."

"Oh?" she smiled. "I think I would like that."

"We should do that blood swap," Baphomet Jr. sighed. "Let's get that done so the others can get blood from her. It's important."

"Since he's a husband, would a full mouthful of blood need to be given?" Keltin asked.

"No. Blood drops should be all right. If we need more, we'll get more. It's too risky right now with her pregnancy. Blood drops should be fine. As for the two of them, a full mouthful should be okay. That will be needed for them," Loomin said.

"Right," Charles nodded. Sarine let the demon take blood from her first. Then she was assisted to swap a full mouthful of blood. She gave Charles's blood over first. The man was wary of taking demon blood again when it was time to get Baphomet Jr.'s blood, but he knew it was needed. This time, the blood didn't taste horrible. It was actually easier to get down. He wondered why that was. Then he looked at Baphomet Jr. and said, "I think I can hear you. Not fully, but I get what you're thinking now."

"Howard and I can literally talk to each other mentally," Kiehl chuckled, as he Healed them. "We can hear what Sarine says, but she can't hear us. All right, I think the others are ready for the blood drops. Are you ready, love? We'll get some tea for you when it's done."

"Okay," she nodded. As the blood was given over to her men, Howard had remained close to her after getting his drop. He had to be close.  _She wanted me close._  Right after the last male got her blood, her hand was Healed, and she let Howard rock her against him.

"We got them back..." he whispered. "It's okay now..."

She was threatening to cry over it, and it alerted Charles. Her mind was swarmed with emotions. Now he realized what he was.  _Her Ground._  He focused on her and found the one emotion that fully stood out. Leaning close, he whispered, "There is no need for you to be afraid anymore. You have many around you that love you and protect you."

"Should we tell him?" Loomin asked Baphomet Jr.

"Tell him what?" the demon frowned.

"Charles, do you know what all she ate as a child?" Loomin asked carefully. Kiehl gave out a savage hiss and pressed himself against Sarine. When she shivered, a harsher snarl came from him, but Sarine calmed him with a hand in his hair.

"Let them tell him," she whispered to him. He shuddered hard, but she kept him calm.

"Why is Kiehl like that?" Charles frowned.

"Because one of his inventions was used against her. He didn't know," Howard said lightly. "It was used against a few of us, too. None of us knew."

"We'll tell you about her past in full. Then we'll tell you about us," Keltin said, as he sat down. Hyegun winced and muttered that the triplets were starved. A flurry of movement from the slaves was done, as her dishes were brought in. Now Charles was speechless once more at how much she was eating. They had her giggling when they snuck stuff off her plates. Charles was doing it only to see what everything tasted like. He was already thinking of improving various dishes for her in both taste and texture.

"What do we do with the children?" Beelzebub asked.

"Did they all get their baths?" she asked, as she ate.

"They did," he nodded.

"I wanted them to meet with Charles, but it will wait until their schooling is done. They need their education," she frowned.

"I can meet with them in the kitchen, too," Charles smiled. At her worried look, he frowned and asked Kiehl, "Does she always feel afraid for this pregnancy? I mean...I know it was one she lost...but..."

"Yeah, it's something she can't control," Kiehl mumbled. "So, you saw the doll, the slab of rock, and the letters? Was that all you saw?"

"So far," Charles nodded. Muninn walked in now, but he waited. He wanted the Royal Chef to learn of Sarine's life in full before showing him the dream visions. For a solid hour and a half, he learned of her life. What she was like when was younger. How she met the others. How they met up with her. Everything that happened in the practical year that did happen was told in full. He didn't know what to think. When they finally told him what she was fed during her youth, he gaped at them with rage.

"We know," Howard said with a small warning glance. "Just...don't show any negativity right now. Her pregnancy will grow around it. Try and keep calm. When you are at a safe distance away from her, you can let it out then."

Kiehl suddenly bristled and hissed at the commotion in the bedroom. Doppy, Tsurga, and Hibram went to investigate. Thanatos and Errende had to stay close in case they needed to soothe the triplets. When Naght roared out his irritation, the commotion stopped.

"That little princeling is asking for it..." Kiehl growled.

"I'll handle him," Charles smirked. He felt that he could finally move from her, but Muninn stopped him.

" _You have thirty more minutes. He can wait. This cannot. Let them keep Prince Cedrick occupied. I need to show you the dream visions. All of them. Are you ready?_ " Muninn asked.

"Go ahead," he nodded. Baphomet found himself listening to Charles's thoughts. He didn't see a few of the visions. Odin was actually engaged in conversation with him the whole time, but, on seeing the massive demon pause, he knew what was happening. Taking this time to leave, he wanted the demon to see everything his daughter was going through and had been through. Even Baphomet Jr. was able to see what Charles saw now.

If it wasn't for Kiehl's glare of warning, there would have been a lot of negativity around Sarine. Errende and Thanatos had to squeeze in around them to place their hands on her belly. There were a few dream visions that Baphomet Jr. did see, but there were also a few of the earlier ones that he didn't see. When the demon was ready to roar out his rage, Kiehl gave a seething hiss to quiet him. When the visions were finished, Sammy was walking over with an amused look on his face.

"Charles, would you like some of my blood to gain some of my ancient heritage?" he asked with a wry grin. The Royal Chef was puzzled at first. Then he recalled the dream vision of Howard growing up with Sarine.

"I think it would be appropriate," Charles nodded. "Thank you."

"It will be useful around the royal snot," Ragged Zombie muttered.

"Very true," he nodded. "I think I'll challenge Prince Cedrick to a cooking contest."

"Why?" Sarine asked with curiosity.

"He always claimed that he was better than me. He always boasted that he was practicing. I always knew he was a filthy liar," Charles growled.

"He is a liar," Loomin nodded.

"He has never practiced," Beelzebub muttered. "He can barely handle a first level cookbook much less a sword."

"Now that is interesting to know," Charles mused. "My dearest darling. Will you let me humiliate that prince and cook you a wonderful meal?"

"I am getting hungry again," she blushed. He kissed her tenderly before finally being able to separate from her. At a quick glance at his size, Errende started to chuckle.

"Okay, you match him," Thanatos grinned. Howard sighed, but Sarine cuddled into him.

"My How-How is always a perfect fit for me," she whispered to him. Beelzebub and Terin chuckled to themselves. After Baphomet Jr. was able to move from Sarine, Howard was quick to claim her with Kiehl. She tightened herself around them both, and they hugged her as one. Charles watched this with a form of fascination, but Loomin whispered to him of the importance they had to her.

"She loves all of us, but those two are the ones that really know what she needs. Like you know, they can read her mind. You may now be able to find out why she actually gets troubled, which will benefit you, but they can hear her thoughts as though she's speaking to them," Loomin said. "Of course, the images she sends them are rather explicit."

"Images?" Charles asked with a bit of a grin. Sarine gestured for him, and she softly whispered in his ear. Howard and Kiehl started to sweat. Beelzebub and Terin muttered soft swears to each other. Baphomet Jr. was tense with lust. When she gave Charles a soft nip to his neck, it sent his mind spiraling with need. "Does she always hold...this power over us?!"

"Constantly," Howard muttered, as he kissed her hard. "All right, love. We'll let you help Sammy give Charles some blood. Hurry up. She wants to see Doppy."

"Oh?" Beelzebub frowned, and Terin got up to fetch the demon. Charles was finding it easier to take blood now. He never thought it would happen like this. _I actually felt a form of ancient royalty empower me!_ He doubted that anyone would believe him, if he tried to tell them how he got it. In a way, he didn't want them to know.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked, as he moved to her side. She clung to him with a hard shiver, and he shouted with her at a growth spurt. She sensed it was coming. Howard and Kiehl were forced to separate from her quickly to see to her needs. She was trembling from the pain of it. Sammy said that all of the babies grew by five inches.

"Five?!" Howard gaped. "Why that much?!"

"The triplets were upset," Hyegun sighed. "So much is happening now..."

"What do you mean?" Kiehl asked.

"In less than twenty-four hours, three new men were brought to Sarine's side. They feel that there weren't...um...introduced properly. Ah...great..."

"What?" Howard asked. Then he blinked at Sarine's blush. He pressed a hand to her belly and was greeted with a very soft kick. He went into shock.

"Oh..." Kiehl muttered, as silence claimed him now.

"It's slight, but it's there. Movement," Hyegun sighed. "Tomorrow, it will be even more noticeable. A lot more noticeable. Maybe even by tonight when they have their normal growth spurt. You can't really play with them, but you can try. It will help calm them down, if you can. Anyways, we need to keep her calm."

"Amazing..." Doppy sighed and hugged her. Tsurga was still recovering from what he felt, and she gestured for him to come close to get hugged.

"What is that prince doing out there?" she asked.

"He left the bedroom," Terin said.

"Good. Keltin, dear? Can I have some blood, please?" she asked with a touch of a wicked smile. "I need to be with all of my men. And, I figured that it was safer this way than a lust wave. What do you think?"

"Step aside so I can give her some blood," Keltin smirked. Ragged Zombie groaned softly. Howard and Kiehl grinned at each other. Doppy was quick to give her some of his when Keltin was done with her. A full sexual burnout of her men was quickly taking place.

"She's going to be famished when she's done," Thanatos muttered, and he pulled himself into a chair in the bedroom.

"She gets...like that?! When did that happen?" Kalen gasped.

"Keltin's pregnancy gave her the craving for sex," Doppy grinned. "She couldn't get enough of it. She uses his blood to rekindle that craving. Howard will finish it off for us. Same with Kiehl. You alive, Charles?"

"Barely..." the Royal Chef mumbled, as he was helped to a chair.

"She wants all of her slaves," Terin said, as he came out to sit down.

"Again?" Maya Purple blinked. He had separated from his bug body for her. Drago was heading back into the bathroom. Observation and Aliot were still in there. Incubus and Wanderer were able to escape to the nursery, but they were called back to her side shortly after.

"If she doesn't need me, I'll cook her up something," Charles said, as he stood up.

"Don't bother. She wants you and Kalen now," Terin grinned. Then he suddenly paled at the next thing he heard. "Ah...and me."

"She's not stopping?!" Ragged Zombie asked with his eyes wide. Mobster was still in shock of the whole thing.

"Nope. And now she wants you!" Terin laughed. For ten minutes more, Sarine used and abused her men. She knew they needed this, and she needed it, too. After Howard got her craving back under control, she leaned into him with a happy smile.

"Better?" he chuckled.

"Much!" she giggled. "I am curious as to what Charles will make for me."

"I'm sure he'll make something worthy of you," Kiehl smiled lovingly. She could only nod, and she was led downstairs to the kitchen.


	174. Chapter 174

Loomin was already waiting in the dining room with Sammy, Doppy, Keltin, and Eremes. Dracula thought and moved over to Sammy's side. Charles was already in the kitchen with Cedrick. The cooking challenge was accepted and underway.

"What is it?" Sammy asked.

"Since this is a contest," Dracula mused. "you should judge to ensure there will be no cheating. What do you think?"

"A very valid point," he grinned. "I'll watch over Cedrick. You watch over what is used. Beelzebub can have Hell Flies in various areas of the kitchen."

"Done," Beelzebub smirked. Terin grinned and found himself getting pulled to Sarine's side. She had to sit in Kiehl's lap to keep him calm, but she wanted Terin close now. Howard sat next to her and ran a protective hand over her belly. He paused at the small, tiny kicks. He winced and ran a hand over his forehead.

"We got them back," Kiehl muttered.

"I know," Howard swallowed. "I'm...glad that we get to be with her each night now..."

"I know that, too," his brother nodded.

"Howie," Timmy said, as he walked over. He stopped in his tracks at the glare he got from both Kiehl and Howard. They were overly protective of Sarine and the pregnancy.

"What do you need?" Hibram asked, as he walked over. "There is movement right now. It's faint, but it's there. Everyone is still on edge. If it's about your parents, they may have to wait until her next pregnancy. This one is too...risky. We can't do anything."

"Oh! Risky? We always traveled when she was pregnant," he frowned.

"Not this one..." Eremes gave with a soft sigh.

"Did you hear of the cravings she has now?" Elric asked. "One is too dangerous for everyone. The other is time consuming. And she has quite a few kids that need her. She will have a lot of kids for her next pregnancy, too, but we all agreed to rest for this one."

"Well, Dad said he was making plans to visit here," Timmy started. Then he paled at Kiehl's seething hiss of disgust. Errende was quick to place his hand on Sarine's belly.

"No!" Howard snapped. "If he sees this place, he will relapse!"

"He's right," Loomin frowned. "We will visit him after this pregnancy."

"Was How-How's room restored?" Sarine asked now. That had Howard look at her with a small smile. "If it's not restored, I will not visit. That room must be put back to rights  _exactly_  as it was before How-How left. If it is not, then there is no need to visit him."

"Oh," Timmy blinked. "Most of the furniture was sold off, now that I think about it. It's possible to get duplicate furniture, though."

"Not everything can be replaced," Howard said with a shake of his head. "The bed needs to be reclaimed. I worked on that bed, myself. I don't care about the rest of the furniture, but the bed has to be in that room. I did my own carving on that bed. Mainly the headboard, but it's something that I was working on. I want the bed back."

"Dad...sold it..." Timmy cringed.

"To who?" Howard asked with a glare.

"Wait," Tsurga said, as he walked in to sit down. He was listening to Doppy's thoughts. "The bed with the carving of a little boy and girl, right? On the headboard?"

"It was actually a carving of fruit," Howard chuckled. "But...you know of it?! How?"

"I bought the bed," Tsurga grinned. "I knew it was too good for your family. I still had men stationed in Amatsu, and they said that furniture was being sold. I was...hoping to have bought it for our Princess, if she was ever freed. To give her something to sleep on. I kept trying to plot some form of a rescue mission, but it always fell through."

"You...bought the bed...for Sarine...?" Howard blinked now.

"Where is it?" Kiehl asked now.

"It's still in Amatsu in a storage shed. I can tell you where," Tsurga nodded.

"We'll bring it here to inspect it and clean it up," Beelzebub said. "My flies are ready."

"I'll want to see it, too," Howard frowned. "I'd like to give the bed to my triplets."

"We can do that," Tsurga nodded. "Since the bed is yours, I'll give it back to you."

"Thank you. Of course, Howard, you'll give over the bed after you inspect it with Sarine, right?" Kiehl grinned. Howard smirked and laughed. Sarine blushed softly and looked over at the sound of something crashing in the kitchen.

"YOU IDIOT!" Charles shouted. Beelzebub was gasping with laughter now.

"What happened?!" Sarine asked.

"Cedrick decided to try and put a pan in the oven. Then, instead of wearing protective wear to keep from burning his hands when it was finished cooking..." Terin said, as he gleaned Beelzebub's thoughts. "You get the idea?"

"Oh, dear..." Sarine sighed. Everyone was dying with laughter. Byorgue and Nigel were able to clean up the mess without getting burned. The smell was nasty, as though something was completely charred to a crisp. "I don't want my home burned down!"

"We have it covered," Beelzebub managed to mutter. "The flies are now airing out the kitchen with their wings. The smell will be gone in a moment."

"I think Cedrick has failed the contest with that," Dracula said, as he walked out of the kitchen. "I refuse to judge an idiot!"

"I agree," Sammy said, as he came out of the kitchen after him to sit down. "Charles wins by default just for knowing what he's doing!"

"Good," Keltin nodded.

"Why is something burning? It smells like bread, fish, and some form of milk batter that caught fire!" Pharaoh said, as he came down quickly. When he was informed of what was going on, he grimaced. "I know I am Sarine's sense of Smell, but I don't want to smell that!"

"You can smell what Cedrick tried to cook?" Thanatos asked him.

"Yes," Pharaoh nodded.

"He was trying to do a simple recipe for breaded fish. He failed," Dracula sighed.

"That's what it was?!" Pharaoh shuddered. "Hmm. It...smells like he's trying to cook a small slab of meat now. I am...not sure he knows how to cook it. Putting it over a fire and leaving it is safer than letting that prince touch something!"

"We know," Loomin muttered.

"What is Charles cooking?" Sarine smiled. "Can you tell?"

"Hmm..." Pharaoh thought and took a deep inhale from his nose. "Something with honey, cream, fruit, and a touch of blood. I think."

"Anything else?" Errende chuckled.

"Peppers," Pharaoh thought, as he sniffed the air again. "Chocolate, too. It's as though he's trying to make a dish worthy of all of your cravings in one bite..."

"Now...that would be...amazing..." Eremes said with a soft smile.

"If he can pull that off, that would be something worthwhile," Howard chuckled.

"She's hungry," Hyegun winced. "At least the triplets are."

"Here," Aliot said, as he set a roast in front of her. She started to tuck in quickly. The moment the plate was empty, she looked at him for more. Another plate was pushed in front of her, and this one was tackled with a vengeance.

"Charles," Injustice said, as he walked into the kitchen. "My Lady needs her craving dishes now. She's ravenous. We will need the kitchen, as you cook."

"Take this to her," Charles said, and he handed over a plate of cookies filled with soft butter crème. "It should fully satisfy her craving for cookies. I am working on an 'ultra-dish' for each craving. A small little morsel of food that is jam-packed with the craving flavors she needs, you see? It will be easier to carry around instead of whole platters. I need to see how much she needs in order to really decide on how much food she needs in one sitting. If I can make meals for her that don't need to be in full bulk, it will save on supplies and funds. Take these out and see what she thinks. I, ah, also added some blood to them, too, for the filling. It should satisfy that craving, but it may be a bit more complex, if it isn't strong enough."

"Just so you know," Nigel said. "if My Lady doesn't need a certain food craving, and it's all we have for her, it will not fill her up."

"Really?!" Charles gaped at this news.

"Yeah," Byorgue sighed. "She had a Demonic Mating some time back and was hungry. She needed a rare roast, and we didn't have one. A fully cooked roast curbed her hunger, but not completely. She needs to have her actual craving dishes before she can eat anything else."

"I see. And, with some pregnancies, we won't know what she will crave, right?" Charles asked now. "If she is pregnant with the same father, then the same cravings return?"

"Yes," Nigel nodded. "This is what we know."

"Okay. Give her these cookies. If they satisfy her craving, then we will need to see how often the craving comes back. I really want to destroy any cravings the moment they appear. What she doesn't eat we can save for another time," he nodded. "If all goes well, only one cookie will be needed. Maybe two, but we'll see."

"Got it," Byorgue nodded and took the dish of ten cookies out to her. Beelzebub had told them all of the conversation he overheard. Howard and Kiehl were clearly impressed.

"Should have asked for him with Eremes's pregnancy," Doppy grinned.

"True..." Eremes grinned back. The moment Sarine tasted one of the light, airy cookies, she paused in sheer delight and wonder at the flavors. One cookie had definitely killed off her intense craving for cookies. Kiehl was floored. Howard's jaw had dropped.

"One cookie was all she needed?!" Kiehl said with disbelief.

"Give me one," Doppy said now.

"She no longer needs a lot of blood in her food from it, either! She couldn't really taste the blood, but the craving lessened quite a bit for it!" Howard said with amazement. Doppy popped a small cookie into his mouth and found himself pausing at the rich flavors that assaulted him now. Tsurga looked at him with disbelief.

"This is good," Thanatos chuckled. "It will let her be able to eat other foods to benefit her. If we can tackle her cravings like this, then she will be free to eat more normal things to keep her body and mind healthy."

"Charles is threatening to call off the challenge," Beelzebub mused.

"We already declared him the winner. Let him do it," Sammy shrugged.

"Cedrick wants to serve Sarine burnt food," Terin frowned.

"I'll kill him, if he tries," Kiehl muttered.

"You are NOT serving that to her!" Charles hissed, as he walked out behind Cedrick.

"It's just a plate of meat!" the prince scowled.

"It's burned, dried out, and she won't be able to chew it properly!" the Royal Chef growled. "It will give her indigestion! She can't have that with her pregnancy! She needs food that is easy for her to digest and work with!"

"Too much oil," Pharaoh muttered from what he smelled. "Too much fat on the meat, too. I can still smell the charring from here. Sarine, my wife, please don't eat it."

"I'll taste it. If I don't like it, I get to kill you," Doppy said to the prince. Cedrick now pulled the plate away and went back to the kitchen with it.

"He can't cook," Charles sighed. "I was working on a masterpiece dish, but I got side-tracked. I'm sorry, Sarine."

"I think this made up for it," Howard chuckled. "One cookie destroyed her need for them. I'm not sure how many more she'll need, though."

"My thoughts exactly," Charles nodded. "What about the need for blood?"

"Um," Sarine frowned. "I didn't really taste the blood in it. I don't need as much, though. So, the blood was there, I just couldn't taste it."

"I'll fix that," Charles promised. "Ah, here. It's called an iced tea. It's cold tea, as you can tell. It should satisfy your cold and tea cravings. It's quite popular in the summer."

"Oh!" she blinked at the slender drink given to her. As she sipped it, she swooned with complete bliss. At a thought he sensed from her now, Charles mused at something and went back into the kitchen. Within minutes, a small piece of slightly tenderized meat was served to her, but it was covered in powdered chocolate. It was also glazed in honey and small peppers to give it a candied look. When she ate this, she was amazed that such a tiny piece of roast was able to destroy her intense cravings for in-between meals, blood, and spicy meals.

"He has her cravings covered," Kiehl chuckled and nuzzled her when she nuzzled him.

"It worked?" Charles smiled.

"Yes," Howard nodded. "I'd say stick to that for blood."

"Excellent! I was aiming to make small, bite-sized tidbits that would be easier to work with. Less time to make, easier to make in bulk, and readily available. One bite would be enough to kill any craving she has. Ah, what other cravings did she have before?" he asked.

"All heat with me..." Eremes said. "Hot drinks...spicy food...hot meals..."

"Okay," Charles nodded, as he appeared thoughtful.

"It will be dairy products with me," Loomin said. "Cheese and milk. I'm not sure about Muninn or Huginn, though. She'll be pregnant from them, too."

"I see," Charles mused in thought. He was now thinking of a rich ice cream.

"It was sushi for me," Sammy chuckled.

"Sweet and salty from me. Aliot gave her bitter and sour needs," Keltin smiled.

"Blood and raw meat, here," Doppy grinned. "Thanatos gave her more hardcore versions to become Immortal Hearts and demon blood."

"That would be challenging," Charles admitted. "If it happens again, I'll experiment."

"Was there a slight charring on that meat you gave her?" Hyegun asked. "Just now?"

"There was from the honey and peppers. Why? Is that bad?" he asked.

"No. Ifrit, yours and Naght's twins needed that char taste. Keep it up," Hyegun grinned.

"Seriously?!" Ifrit asked with surprise. Naght rumbled a purr, and Sarine beamed at him.

"Would it need to be stronger? If by a touch?" Charles asked.

"A little stronger," she agreed. "Not like Cedrick, but...well..."

"I understand. Just enough for flavor. Don't worry, and I'll do that," Charles nodded. Terin was whispered to, and he nodded. Getting up, he gestured for Charles to sit with her. Her newest husband smiled and sat at her side. She moved to sit halfway in his lap and Kiehl's lap with comfort. Howard still kept a hand on her belly, but now he let Charles feel the slight movement for himself. On doing this, the Royal Chef narrowed his eyes with a form of complete and utter protection for her. A long, drawn-out sigh was given. He made a mental promise to himself to ensure that she was well-fed from this point forward. He wanted to tend to all of her meals, himself, when he was able to do so.

"What's on your mind?" Kiehl asked.

"Just...remembering what I was told on what she ate in the past," Charles frowned. "As much as the slaves should cook her meals, I'm taking over that chore whenever I can. I simply must. Ah...hmm...interesting..."

"What?" Doppy chuckled.

"Seyren just told me what Karla has been craving. Honey. I wonder if that will be a craving for Sarine when it's my turn to have children with her," he mused. "I have heard of ways to infuse honey with different flavors. Light, mild flavors, though. Nothing overpowering. I'll have to test the theory with Karla. I may be able to work with various craving dishes for the other women to test for Sarine. Think it would work?"

Beelzebub thought of this idea and had Garrett come down to help with some of his own insight on the other girls. He was now curious if the Royal Chef could help them out.

"Cecil has been wanting rare roasts," Garrett nodded. "Those with Hibram are all various meat dishes, from what I recall."

"Really? I'll work on something for them and see if it helps. What works for them may work for Sarine later on," Charles nodded back. Garrett went back up to Cecil the moment he gave his insight. Cecil has been demanding him to be at her side.

"Um," Timmy started, and Howard looked up at him. He had never left the room.

"We will visit the family after this pregnancy. If Father can fix my room back up, then fine. Don't worry about the bed. That's it for now," Howard said mildly. Timmy could only shrug and wander off at last.

"So...who was that?" Charles asked.

"My biological younger brother, Timothy," Howard sighed. "It's...hard to trust him."

"Is it?" he frowned. Kiehl now comforted Sarine, as Howard told Charles what his family was like. Naght hissed out in Demonic of what happened at the arena. "The Light of Odin?! What is that? Sarine?"

"It's a Divine attack that Odin gave her. We won't let her use it anymore, as it can hurt her," Loomin explained. "My Light is Divine defense. Hmm. I'd better use it."

"Divert your eyes," Sammy warned. Charles did so and blinked at the brilliant light that filled the room now. When it dimmed out, he was blinking away spots. The rest of Howard's family tales were told, and then he was told why Loomin did what he had to do. He was shocked on learning about Loki, but there was one thing he was told that made him hiss with anger.

"Your father...called Sarine a...?!" Charles gaped with rage.

"We know," Howard growled. "It's been dealt with."

"Talking about Mucus Boy?" Ragged Zombie asked, as he walked into the room. Everyone died with laughter, and Charles looked at him with confusion.

"Who?" the Royal Chef asked. Now the story was given to him in full, and his head was resting on Sarine's shoulder with complete disgust and disbelief. "I regret that I asked..."

"There is, ah, a lot that you need to be filled in on," Kiehl grinned.

"Oh, I know. But, of all the things I had to learn, I still can't get over that you can make yourself vibrate," Charles muttered. Laughter erupted once again and filled the room. Howard made an agreeable sound after to get more laughs. Sarine only sighed softly and looked away. She looked distraught, and Charles looked at her with complete concern at what he was getting from her. "My dear, what can I do to make you feel better? I understand your fear for your triplets, but I am here to guarantee their health. I will feed you the most nourishing meals I can to help them thrive. I...I see..."

"Are you able to read her thoughts?" Doppy frowned.

"I can only see the one that stands out the most," he grimaced.

"So, you can't hear her, but you can see what bothers her," Kiehl thought aloud.

"Yes," Charles nodded. "Whatever Cedrick is making now, stop him. She doesn't want what he plans to make her next."

"Please stop him," Pharaoh cringed. "I can already smell the piece of meat he's burning! It's making my eyes water!"

"I'll help," Kalen said, as he moved to follow Tsurga.

"Actually," Howard thought. "let him serve an empty room. Didn't Vesper say he needed us in the workshop? We should see to him."

"That he did!" Kiehl grinned. "Sarine? Did you want to come with me to the workshop? Ah...oh...that's right, huh?"

"You haven't used that room in a while," Howard snickered. "Anyways, we need to check on Vesper. Charles, if you want to see what Kiehl creates in his own form of a kitchen, you're more than welcome to join us."

"Until the smoke clears from my kitchen, I will," he chuckled.

"I will take care of the mess," Storm Caller said, as he came over to them. "I need to fix the kitchen, anyways, to turn it into a bit of a classroom. Is this correct?"

"It is," Charles nodded.

"You will be pleased with the results. Howard, we have received the bed. It is in the master bedroom when you are ready for it," the powerful Strouf said to him.

"Thank you," Howard chuckled. They all moved from the room and went to the workshop below the house. Charles took note of everything, and he saw how the Pilule was being replicated in a quarantined area of containers. Kiehl was in a full discussion with Vesper over what needed to be done, and Aliot was quick to assist with anything while he was there.

"What is that back room for? With the cushioned table?" Vesper asked.

"Ah..." Kiehl started before giving a small blush.

"That's where he can be with Sarine," Howard said with a slight grin.

"I'll leave the room alone," Vesper said with a chuckle.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked now, as he looked at her with shock. He felt something pinch in her womb. When the feeling came back, she gasped with a form of her own shock. Kiehl quickly grabbed her and took her into the small chamber with Howard. Naght and Ifrit were fully concerned, and they had to join them before the door closed.

"My Lady?!" Errende asked. Eremes didn't know what to think now, since Ifrit couldn't tell him what was wrong. Ifrit was doing what he could for the pregnancy now.

"Doppy, what happened?!" Thanatos asked.

"I felt...a pinch of pain from her," Doppy shivered. "It was the same pain that seemed to start when her body started to reject her pregnancy from the dream vision with me..."

"WHAT?!" Sammy asked with complete horror and disbelief.

"No!" Hyegun grimaced and rose up his hands for attention. "I...I see now. The kids in her are fine. It's their defense mechanism, in a way."

"How?!" Beelzebub demanded.

"No one has stayed with her for a while..." Hyegun said in the calmest manner he could. Now the males gasped and went silent. "This is...how they get this form of attention. Let Howard and Kiehl stay with her for a bit. They'll be fine."

"I'm glad we aren't traveling," Loomin said now. "At least one of us needs to stay with her from now on. She should be all right when it comes to nursing the kids. Maybe for at least an hour on her own. Any more than that could be risky."

"Who was next?" Eremes asked now.

"I think it was Sammy and Injustice that were to be with her," Beelzebub said. "Errende and Thanatos after them. We wanted to try and get her slaves done first after that, since they need to tend to her. If it only takes about an hour or so at a time, then it could be done."

As they discussed arrangements now, Sarine was shivering with complete fear in Howard's arms. Kiehl was pressed against her back, and his brother was rocking her gently. They had both taken her the moment the door was securely locked, and she was settled between them on the padded table. Ifrit was keeping the room warm with Naght.

"Our babies are safe. We got them back," Howard soothed, as he cradled her. Kiehl was doing his intense purr for her to keep her and the developing babies calmed.

"I felt...as though they were...going to be lost..." she gasped, and he squeezed her with his own hard swallow. Naght rumbled his own purr of comfort to her now.

"I'm here now," Howard whispered gently. "Everything is all right. I'm protecting you and our babies. Nothing will happen to them."

"We found out what happened. Hyegun discovered it," Ifrit sighed. "Eremes is able to tell me. We need more to stay with her. No more prolonged lengths of time without it."

"That's what happened?!" Kiehl blinked with surprised.

"Yes. She was given a warning. One of us will need to stay with her more," Ifrit said with a bit of worry. "Nursing the children will be fine. But...no longer than that."

"Done..." Naght nodded.

"How much longer like this?" Howard asked.

"Hmm," Ifrit thought. "Another ten minutes. Then it will be safe again."

"How long can she be without one of us?" Kiehl asked.

"An hour. No more than that," Ifrit replied. Sarine couldn't stop shivering. The fear for her pregnancy was clearly back in full now. At a knock on the door, Naght let Charles in with Sammy and Hyegun.

"Sarine," Charles said with a look of complete concern. "As your Ground, I need you to do something for me. Okay?"

"What would that be?" she asked with a shiver, as Howard rocked her.

"Give me your fear," he said with a rather gentle smile. "Let me purge it from you."

"Hmm," Sammy thought. "I can calm her fears and still them, but you are asking her to simply have you remove them?"

"I can only help remove the one that is currently plaguing her. I'm sure that it will come back. No doubt of it," Charles said. "But...I feel that I can do this for her right now. That I can help her get rid of this negative thought to help her. Nothing is permanent, but I can help calm her like this. To help her regain herself."

"Let him," Hyegun nodded. "The pregnancy is fine. This is all her now."

"It is," Kiehl sighed. Howard nodded and moved aside just enough to let Charles hug her to his chest. She was still shivering uncontrollably.

"Give me your fear," he whispered softly to her. Very slowly, she was able to release it to him. He set his jaw from the emotion he felt and forced himself to calm down. Once he had it under control, it was completely removed and pushed away from her thoughts and his thoughts.

"Amazing," Kiehl said with a form of surprise.

"We'll make sure you get a wedding night of sorts with her the moment she can give you one," Howard said. "We try to do this for each husband she gets. I'm sure that everyone after Loomin needs one, but we'll figure something out."

"That's fine," Charles smiled. Then he brought out a dish he was saving for her, and she giggled with a form of childish delight. The small, sumptuous chocolate cake was devoured in three bites. That killed off any other stress she might have had, and it was safe for her to move again. Howard and Kiehl sighed with relief. Right after they dressed, she had to hug all of her concerned men to show that she was fine.

"Sorry Sari?" Doppy asked with a small frown.

"I'm okay, Doppy," she nodded with a smile he always knew. That made him nod, and he swept her up into a tight hug. He ran a hand over her belly to feel the very slight kicks, and he sighed with relief. He actually felt that this pregnancy was a touch his, too, from the dream visions he had with her. Every male knew that this pregnancy was as important as any other.

"The children in the nursery are fine. Let's have Sammy and Injustice stay with you, okay?" Beelzebub said gently. "Let's go back to the bedroom."

"I have a better idea," she muttered.

"Sarine," Howard said with a touch of nervousness. "Um, if we go back to the bedroom, we can see what my old bed looked like..."

"Oh!" she blinked, as her thoughts shifted.

"I just saw something...scary..." Charles said with a small cringe.

"What did you see?" Beelzebub asked.

"It was the only thought in her head. All of us taking her at once," he whispered.

"Okay. The moment you see that image, change her mind. Fast," Kiehl growled at him. "That's the way we can tell if she is going to give out a lust wave."

"A what?" Charles blinked. "I know you all told me before, but...ah...wow...yeah. That can be very, very bad."

"Yes," Baphomet Jr. said, as he sent over his memories. Even his father was amazed and would make sure to be far off in the distance, if it happened. He would be paying very close attention to Charles's thoughts in the future. The moment Kiehl was done with the workshop, Sarine was escorted straight to the bedroom. Once here, Howard moved over to the small bed to study it. Some of the wood was warping from age, and he clearly didn't like that. _It wouldn't support me, much less a child._

"I need this bed repaired with a new mattress in place," Howard sighed.

"Storm Caller has now been informed," Beelzebub nodded. With that said, several of the construction monsters came in to evaluate the bed. Within minutes it was fixed back to the way it should have been. At a gesture to fix up the carving, Howard shook his head. He would work on it himself. That was his project from long ago. Now that it was repaired and up to safety specifications, Howard found himself a bit eager to use it.

"If the lot of you would kindly wait outside," Kiehl said with a small grin.

"Right, right," Sammy chuckled.

"I'll be right outside the door, My Lady," Errende said. She nodded and pulled him close to kiss passionately. At his trembling, she chuckled and nipped his neck to send him out of the room. He could only shake his head and sigh. He would have his turn to stay with her soon.

"Naght and Ifrit should stay with us as a precaution," Howard said, and he got pulled close next. She actually grabbed him by his necklace to pull him even closer. He panted and growled at the feeling. He clearly liked it.

"So...this is my How-How's bed?" she grinned and licked up his neck.

"Yes..." he whispered, as he started to pant.

"Never been broken in?" she asked and started to nibble his skin.

"Um...no..." he muttered, as he tried to focus.

"Even by yourself?" Kiehl smirked.

"Piss off!" Howard hissed, and Kiehl burst into laughter. Naght and Ifrit snickered at this. When Howard glared at them, they laughed softly.

"Should we fix that?" Sarine asked with a husky purr in Howard's ear. Clothes were nearly torn off in his sudden need to have her. Right after they shouted together, he kept her close with a heavy sigh. The bed was just large enough to support them. After a few minutes, Naght looked over at him with a bit of worry. Kiehl seemed to look away now.

"Should have made our triplets like this," Howard said with a small swallow. "Never should have...left you alone like that..."

"How-How..." she shivered, as he clung to her.

"I still can't believe...that I doubted your love for me..." he said hoarsely, as she squeezed him tight. "This...pregnancy affects me...as much as you..."

"I figured it would," she whispered.

"Our triplets. Our babies. I'm protecting you with everything I have. I have to," he shivered. "Anything that isn't allowed to touch you will die!"

She could only nod, as he kept cradling her in his protective embrace. Kiehl reached over to put a hand on her shoulder to keep a mild form of contact with her, but he nodded to Howard with full understanding. Naght pondered for a bit and rumbled out an idea. Kiehl thought and looked at Howard with a small grin, as he asked, "Think it can work?"

"You mean...use this bed each night for the triplets?" Howard blinked in thought. "It could work. A few more pillows for support, maybe. Might need to lengthen the bed a bit, but it's possible. I'm not sure what other adjustments we'd need."

"We'll test it tonight," Kiehl said. "I'm sure it would be fine, as it is."

"Eremes has said that Sammy and Injustice are waiting patiently," Ifrit said softly. "Is she able to be with them now? Or a bit longer?"

"Just...a bit longer..." Howard said, as he squeezed Sarine to him. He clearly didn't want anyone else to be with her right now. The sudden memory of the pregnancy loss from before had affected him far too much to bear.  _I have to be with Sarine to show that I am protecting her._ It was a powerful, instinctive feeling to protect his growing offspring. A hand slid over her belly, and he trembled at the feel of the light kicks and nudging movements. _This was definitely the hardest pregnancy that any of them would be able to endure._

"Hey," Kiehl said lightly. "I have an idea to help you."

"What's that?" Howard asked.

"After they stay with her, you take over for a bit. It could take roughly an hour or two at a time, if that, but this may be the only way to keep all of us sane," he muttered.

"I like that idea," Sarine smiled. "You won't have to leave, How-How. Just sit with me and Kiehl here. We won't have to use the bed, unless it's just us. It may be best."

"Okay. Think the bed can be moved into the bathroom?" Howard asked.

"Nah. We can hang a curtain over it. Heavy gauze, perhaps," Kiehl thought aloud.

"Like on the ship?" she blushed.

"I can see that. While Sammy and Injustice are with you, it will help keep me preoccupied with the new design," Howard smiled.

"Good. Are you hungry, love?" Kiehl asked.

"Not really. I think that, once my cravings are knocked out, it kills the hunger, too," she said with a small chuckle. That had them blinking at her reasoning. _It actually made perfect sense._ "I'm sure I'll get hungrier, as my babies grow."

"A definite agreement on that," Howard chuckled and kissed her softly. "Don't worry. I have no plans to stray from your side. Ever."

"Good!" she smiled and kissed him back just as softly. "I want my How-How as close as possible. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Closer than this?" he grinned, as he squeezed her.

"Closer," she whispered and kissed him hungrily. Letting him take her again, he was finally able to pull away with a small wince. They nuzzled each other before she let them lead her into the bathroom. When she walked in to settle on a pillow, she gasped in pain. Howard and Kiehl were quick to tend to her, but Sammy and Injustice rushed in to help her.

"Quick!" Sammy growled. Injustice nodded, and they both claimed her the moment they were free of clothing. Sarine whimpered at first, but Sammy calmed her with a soft, reassuring chuckle. They were able to settle on the floor with her and use a couple cushions.

"It's all right, My Lady," Injustice soothed.

"I was with her for not even ten minutes!" Howard grimaced.

"When the triplets are sleeping, she will be safe to leave alone," Hyegun said, as he walked in to explain. "When they are aware, the exchange needs to happen quickly. If she's nursing, then everything will be fine. Even the developing children know that their brothers and sisters need to eat. They can be stable without us until that need has been seen to."

"Just found this out?" Kiehl sighed.

"Yes," Hyegun nodded wearily. "Now that they're growing more, this is going to become something that we have to work with to keep them happy. I would say that, the moment all of her other slaves, husbands, and mates are with her, it should just be you and Howard. Maybe Eremes, if he's needed. It's what may have to happen."

"Or whoever she's craving to be around," Howard said.

"Where is my Blacksmith?" Sarine asked.

"Your...oh...you mean Neil?" Howard asked. He actually felt a touch of jealousy now.

"Yes. You are my Whitesmith. He is my Blacksmith," she smiled.

"Until he becomes your Whitesmith, too," he muttered. At this, she looked hurt. He gave her a look of apology and was able to hug her. "I'm sorry..."

"I know," she whimpered. Sammy calmly rubbed her back to ease her. Injustice frowned at her distress, but continued to support her.

"Everyone is looking out for this pregnancy," Sammy said carefully. "None of us want to see her suffer. We don't want to see you suffer, either, Howard. We all know that this should have been your first pregnancy with her. If you can convince the triplets in her that you are all she would need, then it would be easier on us. But, they need this. Or do they? Either way, this may be for the best. We can all have a small bit of time with her. We all understand that you would be with her far more than us. That is needed. It was expected. What more can we do?"

"I know," Howard admitted. He found himself getting hugged tight by Sarine.

"What is it, How-How?" she asked, as she was able to snuggle into his arms a bit.

"I don't mind you being with Neil," he whispered softly. "Just...don't...call him your Blacksmith. I know he is...but...I just..."

"Okay," she nodded. "I understand."

"I know why you say it, but..." he started and found a loving kiss planted on his mouth. After it deepened a bit she pulled him close to hug him tight.

"My How-How is my Blacksmith and my Whitesmith. I know this. It's always been that way," she whispered in his ear. "That will never change."

"I love you, Sarine," he sighed and crushed her to him.

"I love you, too, How-How," she said as she got cradled.

"Do you still need to see Neil?" he asked.

"I think I can wait until he stays with me. Maheo can join him!" she giggled. That got him laughing, and the others chuckled at the idea. Kiehl could only sigh at Howard's thoughts. His brother clearly wanted no other to be 'her Blacksmith' or 'her Whitesmith'.  _He felt that he would be replaced. He didn't want that._

"And what am I to you?" Kiehl asked now.

"My Creator," she smiled. "You're also my Kiehl. My Soul..."

"Is that so?" he smiled and got pulled over by an arm to get hugged next. She nodded and grinned wickedly when she squeezed her body around Sammy and Injustice.

"My Lady!" Injustice hissed at his sudden release.

"Not fair!" Sammy growled when the pleasure hit him. Howard started laughing now.

"I think when it's time for Ragged Zombie to stay with me, I'll torture him like this," she snickered. "Maybe do something like this..."

Sammy gasped at the nibbling that was done to his neck, and he shouted when she squeezed her body around them again. Injustice was clearly getting the same torment done to him. Then she shocked them both by managing to twist herself around to face Injustice. She hurt a bit on doing it, but she was determined to try something. Howard and Kiehl were in shock at what she wanted to do.

"Sarine, you might hurt him too much!" Kiehl hissed.

"My Lady...?" Injustice frowned.

"Want me to try and feel your heart?" she asked with a whisper and a nibble to his ear. His mind blanked out at the question. He knew he was curious about it, but now he wasn't sure.

"Um...if I hurt too much..." Injustice shivered.

"I'll Heal you," Kiehl nodded.

"I can Heal, too," Sammy said. "Get Loomin and Doppy in here."

"We're here," Loomin said, as he walked in. "Muninn told us to come in here just as you said something. Beelzebub overheard, but we were already coming in."

"He'll be fine," Doppy nodded. Naght could Full Heal, too, and Ifrit was ready to help with his Heal, if needed. Injustice then saw the Yggdrasil Berry that Loomin took out to show that all precaution was going to be done. Looking at Sarine, he nodded.

"Okay, My Lady," he said with a small smile. She nodded, and Doppy took out his sword to show he was ready to help, but in a careful way. As much as he loved gutting things open, this was Sarine's slave. Injustice plays a very important role to Sarine, and he couldn't be harmed too much. He was able to carefully lay back on the ground. Sammy was able to stay locked within Sarine, though a bit off to the side. It was a tricky way to do it.

"If you want to separate from her, you could," Hyegun chuckled.

"No," Sammy said. "If I do, I'll need to be with her longer. I'll be fine with no sudden movements from her."

"Ready?" Doppy asked Injustice.

"Yes," the slave nodded. A careful slice just under the rib cage was done. Injustice didn't get a random effect done to him, but that was because he belonged to Sarine. The undead monster gasped from the pain he felt, but then his eyes popped wide open at the feel of Sarine's hands sliding into the wound. _It was painful. Exquisitely painful._  Black blood seemed to pour from the wound at first. Then he gave a gasp of pleasuring excitement at the feel of her hands caressing his pounding heart. He found himself giving out a shout at the pleasure he felt. Then he screamed at the feel of her teeth in his neck when she took a mouthful of his blood. When she pulled her hands free, he was Healed quickly. The fruit was given to him, and he was barely able to eat it. Howard and Kiehl were able to wash her carefully to clean up the blood, and Injustice was just as carefully tended to. Once they were clean, she saw to her slave.

"Injustice?" Sarine asked with a gentle whisper.

"My Lady..." he whispered back, as he rested. "Ragged Zombie...was right...in the pleasure. I never...in my wildest dreams...could have imagined..."

"Are you serious?!" Howard gaped.

"It's...painful at first," he grunted, as Sarine helped him sit up. "But...after that it's...just very intense. It's all you can feel. I can see why it's addicting, too."

"Is it?" she smiled. At that, her slave gave her kiss on such a level to show that he was craving that feeling again. At her thought, Kiehl and Howard coughed lightly.

"I wouldn't," Loomin said. "Only because it's clearly draining for him. Ragged Zombie is fine with how he is. I even recall you doing it to Drake, but his heart is outside his body. For us, it could be very exhausting. We bleed far too much. Once in a great while should be fine. Maybe as a reward session, but only for that."

"I think he's right," Sarine nodded. "It would hurt me too much to see you in so much pain. I know that Errende is going to want it now. You know how he is. And it...nearly killed me to treat him the same as I did with Seyren's punishment..."

"I know, My Lady," Injustice smiled warmly and hugged her tight. "As long as it will be done to me again. In time. Will that work?"

"Yes," she nodded and hugged him back. "We'll see how it goes when you are strong again. Rest for now. As for Sammy..."

"No," Howard growled. "You do that with me first. Then the others!"

"Why?" she asked with a defiant look.

"Because I'm your Whitesmith," he said with an enticing growl in her ear. Sammy chuckled, but was clearly a touch disturbed at what she wanted to do.

"I'm a bit worried about that," Loomin admitted. Hyegun, Naght, and Ifrit looked over at him curiously. Doppy started to think hard about the whole situation. Kiehl even frowned. "I'm sure that, as a monster, he would be all right. Since he's a monster now, I'll be fine with it. Just don't do it to him when he's human. He may not have the strength for it. If Naght possessed him, it may work, too, but it can be very risky."

"We'll keep that in mind," Sammy said with a stern nod.

"I would go so far as to wait until the triplets are born before doing that to Howard," Hyegun said with a small cringe. "If anything happens to him..."

"Done. Howard. You wait," Kiehl growled.

"Right," Howard agreed in full. _If something happened to me, who knew how the pregnancy would turn?_ "Um...maybe Muninn would know?"

" _Don't try it,_ " Muninn said, as he walked in quickly. " _Have Kiehl do it for you. Lock your mind to his to get the same effect. It would tax your body too much. Kiehl can do this for you easily. Let him bear this. Not you._ "

"Understood," Kiehl nodded.

" _He can control his bleeding, too, being a partial robot. That will help him,_ " Muninn added. " _Your triplets would worry too much, if they felt that you were in any form of discomfort._ "

"After Sammy and Injustice are done, I'll try this," Kiehl said.

"Works for me," Howard smiled. "Not on the bed, though."

"A little blood on the sheets wouldn't hurt. It would be like Sarine was a virgin!" Kiehl snickered. "What's that look for?!"

"Smart ass!" Howard growled.

"Candy store brat!" Kiehl muttered.

"Overpowered idiot!"

"Dunce!"

"Ahem," Sarine said with a mild glare to them both. Then she sent them a rather explicit image of herself to get them completely quiet and glaring at her with solid lust. "I win."

"Yeah," Howard said, as he cleared his throat.

"No contest here," Kiehl muttered under his breath. Naght gave a growling chuckle at the image he saw from them. He was going to want her when they were with her again.

"Good. Now I'm hungry," she said with a small smile. At the wicked grin she gave next from the gasps and hisses of pleasure Sammy and Injustice revealed, they knew exactly what she was hungry for. The next thirty minutes were treated like this. Kiehl and Howard were dying with laughter at the small swears that Sammy was giving.

"Why wasn't she like this with the others?!" he asked after another violent release.

"You're not going to believe this," Loomin said with his own quiet chuckle. "She's instinctively using her lust to keep this going. Instead of letting it spread out as a wave, she's able to keep it contained like this."

"WHAT?!" Howard gaped with shock.

"So...what you're saying is..." Kiehl thought. "as long as someone stays in her, the lust only goes to them? And no one else?"

"I think that, as long as someone is like this with her, the lust knows where it has to go. I also believe that the kids figured this out within her," Doppy smiled. "I mean...how else can we stay with her as long as we can? In this situation? Yes, the kids want us close, but this helps."

" _Definitely on to something,_ " Muninn mused out loud. " _It would make sense._ "

"Considering that her lust happened before she wanted others to stay with her," Hyegun said with a bit of surprise at the reasoning.

"So...traveling could be safe, if someone stays locked in her..." Loomin said with a bit of his own surprise. "But...considering how the other girls are so heavy with child right now..."

"And, we already agreed to stay home with this pregnancy," Sammy added.

"Bit of a rock and a hard place for sure," Kiehl sighed. "We have seven more days for this pregnancy, as it is. I'm not sure what to make of it."

"There is so much more to this pregnancy than we know," Howard frowned. "It's as though we can't leave her, but she doesn't want us to leave her, too. I mean...what more is there for us to do? We are working with it, but there's so many twists to this one. It's confusing!"

"But...it's our babies," Sarine sighed, as she ran a hand over her belly. "It's five kids in me. You would think that, with them, certain cravings and needs would eventually mix. With triplets, it's not just two cravings now. It's three. I can't be alone. I don't want to be alone. I need to be surrounded by loved ones constantly for reassurance. Then with Ifrit and Naght's twins, if I think I'm alone, I force others to be around me with the lust. I keep them with me using that. Then I'm immune to hot and cold weather as a normal bonus effect. Like with my eating habits from Eremes, or my beauty from Loomin, if you think of it like that. Even my royalty aura now. It's...five different things that I need! That I have! Isn't it?"

"I..." Loomin found himself pausing at the thought. "You're right."

"And all of this may return with her next pregnancy, plus anything from her past pregnancies, too. Charles will need to make  _a lot_  of craving dishes! If she needs Muninn's blood on a daily basis again, she'll likely be having more Demonic Matings. And, if she needs it double in one day...well..." Doppy winced lightly. Muninn was clearly in a state of shock. He never realized that it may as well be just like that.

"I may be looking at another month of no traveling. Unless we get the traveling done during the middle of the day," Sarine said. "If there are two Demonic Matings in one day, it will boost Kiehl's power, but it will be draining on all of us. And, with me nursing the five kids I'll be having, plus the four hatching eggs...we'll be taking a lot of breaks."

" _This could be very problematic,_ " Muninn sighed. " _However, we will take it one step at a time. It is too much to travel now, as it is. I did go ahead of everyone and contacted Lady Tanee and Gopinich. I explained the situation to them. They understand everything._ "

"You already spoke with them?!" Loomin asked with surprise.

" _Yes. I had to. Lady Tanee may be able to be called with a Bloody Branch. However, Gopinich seems to be immune to them. It's his location. He's in a bit of a fairy realm. You'll see when you get there. But, because of this, he cannot be summoned. And none of his minions can, either. All of them appear to be immune to being called with Dead Branches and Bloody Branches. I'm sure that Father Odin could force something, but I'm not sure, too,_ " Muninn said. " _I know that Sarine would enjoy the area, as well. It's like the grove in a full forest setting._ "

"Oh! I would enjoy it," she nodded.

"If that's what it looks like, we would all want Sarine to enjoy traveling there," Sammy nodded. "Especially if she needs to physically recruit the monsters."

" _The items they have are very beneficial, too,_ " Muninn nodded. " _I don't believe they have cards, but the items they have are very powerful._ "

"We'll make plans to go," Kiehl smiled. "Next pregnancy."

"Right," Doppy nodded. Howard looked at Sarine and noticed how worried she was. She was starting to feel overwhelmed again. Sammy ran a soothing hand over her back to help her, but the stress was becoming too much. There was only so much he could do in the position he was in, as it was. Injustice was giving what comfort her could, too.

"Get Charles," Kiehl muttered for Beelzebub to hear them. "I'm sure you and Terin have been telling everyone what's going on. Sarine is getting far more stressed than normal."

"Likely from the pregnancy," Doppy frowned.

"I'm here!" Charles said, as he walked in briskly. He sat down calmly in front of Sarine to hug her carefully. He studied her thoughts and whispered, "You made this discovery. A very important one! Everyone is proud of you. There is no need to be stressed over it. We know what we need to expect now. We will do everything we can to make it better for you."

"It's just...a lot to do now..." she sighed.

"I made a present for you," he smiled. "Do you like hot chocolate?"

"What's that?" she blinked. He presented to her a mug of melted chocolate mixed with milk, sugar, heavy cream, and layered with whipped cream on top.

"Try it," he grinned. She sipped it and gasped with complete delight. Ifrit's pregnancy with Naght kept her from getting her tongue burned on the hot beverage, and it was something she clearly needed as a form of craving food.

"Genius!" Kiehl chuckled. A small spoon was handed to her next for the whipped cream topping. When the contents of the mug were drunk down, Aliot was there to take it for them.

"We should have called for you sooner!" Howard laughed softly.

"Better late than never, as they say!" the Royal Chef laughed back. Then he paused at the strong thought she got next. "Hmm...interesting craving. I'll see what I can do."

"What does she want?" Sammy asked.

"I'll need to make more meat delicacies like before, but with stronger blood and pepper flavors. As well as the char over it. The honey doesn't seem to be needed, so I can probably leave that out. I always loved challenges! This will be fun," Charles grinned. He looked over at Thanatos, as he walked in to sit with them.

"I'm not really sensing any new cravings from the kids in her, but she needs to eat. Now," the demon said sternly. Then he blinked when Charles produced two dishes that he had on him consisting of the butter-soft roasts. Another dish with a salad and light dressing was given over next when the meat was devoured.

"How do you hide this stuff on you?" Howard asked with a small grin.

"A true chef never reveals that secret. Like a magician," Charles chuckled. "Or, you could thank the Hell Flies that are delivering the food to me..."

"Clever," Thanatos grinned. The flies were zipping in and out of the bathroom far too swiftly for anyone to notice. Doppy chuckled and watched Sarine finish eating.

"Was the kitchen converted yet?" Sammy asked.

"It's almost done," Charles said. "I have been assisting in overseeing the construction. You'll be quite pleased with the results."

"I need to work on the bed for a bit. I should be all right," Howard said. At the look Sarine gave him, he paused with a smile. "But, I can wait."

"Please..." she trembled. Howard moved to her side now to hug her gently. "You promised that...you wouldn't go anywhere..."

"Are the two of you done with her?" Hyegun asked Sammy and Injustice.

"Not yet," Sammy frowned. "I still feel I need more time."

" _They need another hour, if that,_ " Muninn sighed. When he looked ahead, he cringed.

"What?" Howard now asked with concern. "What did you see?!"

" _No others can be with her after this,_ " he frowned. " _The way the two of you are right now would be too much for you._ "

"He was planning on being with her again after they were done," Kiehl said.

" _Were they? Ah! Okay. He will need to be with her for an hour after each set of her men. That will help them cope. I would make a suggestion to freeze time, but it would be too risky to the pregnancy. I was thinking of making more time for them, but, when you consider the time flow needed for the pregnancy..._ " he said, as he thought aloud.

"No. No time freezes," Hyegun said. "It won't be good."

"He's right," Thanatos nodded. "We'll do what we can like this."

" _Put the children to sleep,_ " Muninn advised. " _It will lessen the time needed and let her move around. It's safe to do this now._ "

"Just me?" Thanatos asked, as he tenderly rubbed Sarine's belly.

" _For now, yes. When two days pass, you will need Errende's help. Right now, one of you will work fine,_ " Muninn nodded. When the faint movement slowed to a stop, Hyegun nodded. Another fifteen minutes went by peacefully before Sarine was able to be separated. It was roughly an hour for the need for them to be with her instead of two. Charles was quick to head to the kitchen to see to the rest of the classroom construction. Sarine was taken to the nursery for the children that were waking up to nurse.

"Mah!" Atsuko whimpered. She cooed to her daughter and let Takeshi start nursing the moment he got into her arms.

"Maybe we should prepare bottles of her milk for them," Keltin said, as he took up Astaroth and Damas. Hyegun shook his head quickly.

"He's right. They need their mother directly. Not only does it encourage the bonding between mother and child, but remember the cravings for her they would get. They need her to hold them. Let's stick with it like this," Loomin said.

"Right," Keltin nodded with a chuckle. After ten minutes, the Demonic twins were given over to nurse. Eremes was holding Elenor and Joseph in a rocking chair. Muninn was holding Sun and Moon in another rocking chair. Entweihen was playing lightly with his twins while they nursed by tickling them with a thornless vine. A somewhat toothless grin was given back to him from Damas. A pat on the vine was given for attention.

"Yes, my son?" Entweihen chuckled.

"Dah!" he grinned with pride. A giggle was given at a small tickle, and he went back to nursing. His daughter was completely absorbed in feeding. It was different with Beelzebub's twins. They were quite rambunctious, as they waited their turn.

"Dah?" Proserpine asked with a tug on Terin's nose.

"What?" he grinned back.

"Dah?!" she pointed at Beelzebub. It was clearly a question.

"Yes. He shares my blood," the Demon Lord nodded.

"Oh!" she blinked and looked at Terin again. "Dah?"

"What?" Terin grinned. She gave a beaming, semi-toothless grin at him with a small giggle. That got him laughing softly at her. When she snuggled into him with a happy purr, Sarine gave a motherly smile of approval. Her brother was clearly irritated.

"What is it?" Beelzebub asked Stolas.

"Hungee!" he frowned.

"You will eat when your brother and sister are done. And they just finished," Beelzebub chuckled. Now that his twins were feeding, Terin relaxed in the rocking chair he was in. He paused at something he heard and made sure Beelzebub heard it, too. "Thanks for the warning, Terin. I'll have a Hell Fly check on it."

"Good," Terin muttered back. The two were completely alike in attitude.

"Hmm?" Kiehl asked, as he looked over with irritation.

"Arena. Someone we don't care for," Beelzebub said lightly. "One with pink hair."

"Kill her," Kiehl said with a cold, uncaring thought.

"Who does it?" Doppy smirked.

"I don't care. Just kill her," he said again. At that, a wave of males flew out of the room, save Ifrit, Naght, Howard, and Hyegun. Eremes was holding his twins, and Keltin was assisting with the kids, too. Errende was close by if he was needed, but Thanatos was eager to shed blood.

"Not even going to see what she wants?" Howard smirked.

"It should be obvious as to what she wants," Terin snorted, as he glanced at Sarine.

"I want her to be fully unavailable from fighting. She will no longer be allowed to be challenged. The moment she was off the roster, it should have been done," Kiehl growled. "We can stay on them as special requests. Not her."

"I second that," Sammy said with a nod, as he came over to sit with them.

"Agreed," Loomin nodded as well.

"A Hell Fly just notified the Kafra Agent. Hmm. Now...that's interesting," Terin grinned with a rather wicked smile.

"What?" Kiehl asked.

"Odin stopped everyone from approaching Nikki. He...wants everyone to come back here. He wants to see if she will try to get into the house. If she does, he will stop her personally and end her mean streak. He's pissed off at her," Terin chuckled.

"Odin is pissed?" Eremes blinked, as he handed over his twins to get nursed. Terin had Proserpine and Stolas snuggling into his chest to sleep off their meals.

"I think pissed is an understatement," Terin said. He watched Doppy and Thanatos come back into the nursery to settle by Sarine.

"I'm sure Terin told you that Odin wants to decorate his wall with that Gypsy's skin as a wall hanging?" Doppy grinned. "He's  _not_  happy."

" _He's livid,_ " Muninn sighed. " _He wants to tear that Gypsy apart._ "

"I don't want her to reach my house!" Sarine fretted.

"If she does, I will take care of her!" Odin said, as he appeared in the nursery. "Your other husbands and mates are returning. I will deal with the invader myself! I shall watch from afar, my daughter, my Vessel. I could be cruel and let Loki play with her, but this one has caused far too much harm for me to sit idly by!"

"Please leave Father out of this!" Loomin said with a wince.

"Like I said," Odin smiled. "I want to deal with this one myself."

"Thank you, Daddy," Sarine smiled. He nodded to her and paused, as he noticed something about her. Walking up to her now with several quick strides, he focused on her belly.

"In seven days, you shall meet me. Worry not, my little ones. I saved you three and gave you three a second chance at life. Please treat my daughter, my Vessel, kindly. She is your mother, and she is doing everything in her power to help you. Remember, if you need something, let Hyegun know. He can sense your thoughts, as he always had. You three had your ways before. Be patient now. Let yourselves grow strong. Do not rush your growth, or there may be dire consequences. Yes! There is always a consequence for something that happens when it shouldn't. Has he? Loki shouldn't be saying such things! Ignore his words. Trust in mine. Like I said, you shall meet me on the day you are born. I meet with all newborns from my daughter, my Vessel. Yes, I promise you! No need for that! No, no! You don't need any form of proof from me! What are you talking about? OH! You were teasing! I'll keep my eye on you!" Odin laughed with a form of mirth and gently rubbed Sarine's belly.

"Are they...really talking to you...?!" Howard gaped. Hyegun was laughing quietly. He heard the whole conversation the triplets had with Odin.

"Of course, they are! A word of advice, Howard. One of your triplets will become a bit of a prankster!" he grinned. Then he glared at Sarine's belly and said, "Of course, I'm telling him about you! He's your father and deserves to know! Is that so? It will be obvious to tell who you are. That mischievous gleam in your eye will always give you away! Mark my words!"

"Daddy," Sarine giggled softly. He winked at her and vanished away.

"Our triplets are just...incredible..." Howard said, as he winced. Sarine leaned into him to rest her forehead against his neck. She was still nursing the hungry twins, and he wasn't going to disturb them. Five minutes later, they were done, and she was nursing Eremes's twins.

"Don't bite!" she said to Joseph when he nibbled her. Ifrit hissed with a small glare to get him back in line. Eremes found himself chuckling softly. When Charles walked into the nursery, Beelzebub whispered to him.

"Baphomet wants in," he said in reply. The Demon Lord grinned wickedly with a nod. He continued to walk over to Sarine and smiled at the gentle scene of her nursing. "The kitchen is ready for the kids. I wanted to let you know myself. When you're ready, I would love for you to see it. Will she be able to?"

"The triplets are rather calm now. It should be all right. If they start to make Sarine upset, we can have Errende help them sleep," Hyegun nodded.

" _Ready for these two?_ " Muninn asked, as Eremes took his twins from Sarine. Sun and Moon were given over now, and she started to rock them. " _Sun, don't bite her._ "

"Was he going to?" Doppy smirked.

" _Yes,_ " Muninn nodded. " _Moon, the same warning is for you, too! You will hurt her, if you bite her. If you need to bite something, we will get you teething rings. Okay?_ "

Agreeable sounds were heard, and Sammy was quick to get a couple teething rings ready for them. _All of the kids needed them now._ The moment the prophesied twins were done nursing, Maya Purple gave a small growl.

"Ugh. Nikki made it to the house," Terin sighed. "She was told that Sarine was no longer eligible for being challenged, so she took the matter into her own hands."

"Make the house appear empty," Sarine said, as she fixed up her top. "After she is seen to, I will go to the kitchen to inspect it."

"Should Baphomet wait outside the house?" Charles asked.

"Do it," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"That would suffice," she nodded.

"The kids were about to leave the school, but Pori-Pori stopped them. A Hell Fly told him what was going on. The kids will wait until this is done," Terin said.

"My children?!" Sarine gasped.

"Ten of our strongest companions are there. Nothing will touch them," Kiehl said with the most soothing purr he could muster. She leaned into him with relief.

"The Valkyrie from Odin's temple is there now. Odin had her appear. The kids are safe," Beelzebub said, as he walked over. "She will return to Odin's temple when everything is calm again. Everyone is now in hiding. Or coming here..."

"We're coming in here," Observation grinned, as he led the party of other husbands, mates, and slaves into the nursery. Sarine just sighed at how crowded the place was going to be, but she refused to go into her bedroom while her children were at risk. They all agreed to let Sarine stay with the children, as the intruder was dealt with in the main room.


	175. Chapter 175

Down in the entrance hallway, Nikki paused at how the doors to the house opened for her. _Was it that easy to just walk in?_ Narrowing her eyes, she strutted into the massive main room and jumped, as the doors closed behind her. It was actually Elric that was doing it in his Cloaked guise. Odin had told him what he wanted to do, and Elric was all for it. Storm Caller now approached the Gypsy with a stern look. The watery wave under him seemed to float over the ground, as he moved.

"And what is your purpose here?" he asked casually.

"I was wondering if, um, that woman lived here..." Nikki said.

"There are many women that live here," the Strouf said.

"The one in charge of the arena," she said.

"The Princess of Amatsu does live here," he nodded.

"I thought she was something else, too. Odin's daughter?" Nikki asked.

"And why do you wish to know that?" he asked now, as he seemed to glare at her.

"She's clearly powerful! And I just...she's always pregnant!" she said.

"She has many husbands, slaves, and mates. Such is the way it is. Lord Odin has it as a requirement. She is no longer allowed to fight. If she does, it hurts her. The Vessel of Odin is no longer someone you need to worry about. All she wishes is to be left alone," he warned.

"But, I can't do that!" Nikki said.

"Why?" Odin asked now, as he appeared in a crushing wave of force. Nikki spun around, and her jaw dropped. "Why do you cause shame to yourself and harass my daughter, my Vessel? Why continue this escapade of lies and deceit on your soul? Several times you have been warned to stay away! They have told you time and time again to come to this island retreat out of neutrality! Instead, you are far more hostile than you care to admit! WHY?!"

"I just...I just..." she tried to talk, but found herself trembling.

"She is jealous," Loomin said, as he walked down that stairs. Odin had mentally called on him for assistance. "Not only that, but she feels that she would do better than Sarine. That she should be the one fawned over and gossiped about. Nikki, my wife wants  _none of it_! Absolutely nothing of it! She hates living in crowds! She dislikes being pointed at and talked about! Yes, she is the Princess of Amatsu, but her upbringing was harsh. She wasn't even recognized until a few months ago. Don't you remember what we told you when you first saw her in Comodo?! She was in a  _cell_  and left to die! She was purposely kept alone and forgotten! And all for what? Because the woman who said that she was her mother was actually a vile witch in disguise! She despised Sarine for who she was! She knew that Sarine was special and tried to replace her! She tried to kill her out of spite! And I will  _never_  let that happen again!"

"Here is a small piece of her cell," Storm Caller said. He came forward with the slab of old floor. Nikki looked at it and turned away with horror.

"The witch is no more. My daughter, my Vessel, has reconciled with her adoptive father. He was also ensorcelled and could do naught," Odin frowned. "I had hand-picked him, myself. If it was not for the witch, Sarine would have had a very happy childhood. But...ill omens seem to follow her. And one such omen is you."

"But...I just..." Nikki whimpered.

"You have one last chance. Right now," Odin said. "To turn away from here. Never return. If you come back, it will be the last time you walk on this land. I will ensure it."

"Now...that's interesting..." Loomin said. "You knew the witch. Didn't you?"

Nikki went dead silent. Now Odin looked at her with a glare of complete mistrust. When she still didn't respond, the powerful deity said, "It appears that you are more than you appear. Aren't you? You hid yourself well. You will speak of this. Now."

"I can't..." she trembled. She suddenly found herself lifted and flung into a wall with brute force. Odin was not taking any chances. She squealed with complete protest when she slumped to the floor. Doppy and Thanatos were now in the room with their weapons drawn. The others wanted to help massacre her, but Odin held them back with a mental thought.

"Speak now or die!" Odin ordered.

"Okay!" she whimpered and cringed. "Yes. I knew who Emilia was. She was an...old Dancer to me. She...trained me how to dance. She was my mentor for five years. When I was fifteen, she said that she had to leave. That she taught me all that she could. But...she warned me that there would come a time that I would find one better than me. That my dancing and singing would point her out. And that I was to...to be hostile to her at all times. That she was dangerous. I was told that...if I could kill her...that I would be doing everyone a favor..."

"The only favor being done was for that witch," Loomin said. "Emilia is dead. Obliterated. She tried to meddle in the affairs of the gods, and that was the price."

"She's..." Nikki paled. This was unexpected. She didn't catch what Odin said a moment ago. She was at a complete loss for words.

"For twelve years, she kept my daughter, my Vessel, in a cell. The very cell you saw in that stone slab. She poisoned her constantly and left her in darkness to die!" Odin snapped. Nikki felt sick now.  _Everything I was taught was a complete lie._ She was used as a pawn, and the feeling was not a pleasant one. When she looked up at the stairs to find Muninn walking down to them, she was shocked again.

" _Nickara Ballsati, I am Muninn. Sarine is my younger sister. My brother, Huginn, resides in her mind. I have an offer for you, if you will take it,_ " he said. Odin looked at him curiously. Doppy and Thanatos glanced at each other, but they kept their weapons drawn.

"What would that be?" she frowned.

" _I will revert your growth to be young again. Another transcendence. You will lose all of your memories in full, but you will have the option to become whatever your heart's desire would be. If you have no place to go, you can stay here. Since you will have no memories, you can do this. I could even have you keep all of your memories up to the point of meeting the witch. Everything else would be blank. You can train under our protection and become something more. What do you think?_ " Muninn asked carefully. Odin actually found himself in agreement with this. Loomin seemed to nod at this decision. _It would be safe, and Nikki could redeem herself._  As the Gypsy pondered this, Beelzebub was telling everyone in the nursery of what was going on. Sarine was clearly all for it.

"Well, if her memories would be wiped out, we would have no grudge. She won't remember anything, and she could be a good fighter in the end," Kiehl thought.

"Maybe another for the kids?" Keltin chuckled.

"As long as she never regains the lost memories," Sammy said.

"If Muninn be the one ta remove them, they be gone for good," Drake nodded. "If she doesn't accept, she be killed?"

"Yes," Howard nodded. As they waited to hear what Beelzebub would tell them, Nikki seemed to give a heavy sigh down below.

"What would happen to me after that?" she asked.

"You would train as a Warrior of Odin," Loomin said. "You will be cared for and fed. You could become a Gypsy again. You could become anything else, since it would be a clean slate for you. If you decline this offer, you may end up killed."

"That you will," Odin said with a bit of warning.

"I..." she winced. "I accept. I didn't know...what I was really being trained for..."

"That's fine. However, how did you end up with Misty? The Assassin girl?" Loomin asked. "Yes, you were humiliated at the arena, but how did you meet her?"

"Well," Nikki frowned. "I sort of...found her. I was in Hugel, and something pushed me into the direction of Prontera. I went there and found her sulking by herself on a bench. I sort of...knew why she was mad. I asked her if she was slighted by someone at the arena. She sort of shrugged and said that her man was stolen from her. That he got attracted to someone else. Then I suggested we get back at the arena owner with a show of force. She agreed."

"Something told you were to go to find another with a mean streak over my wife?!" Thanatos hissed. Doppy was not pleased.

"Was this before or after the witch was destroyed?" Elric asked when he Uncloaked. Nikki gave a small jump at that. She didn't know he was there.

"It was done before. Same day," Loomin said. "We were waiting for the arena to clear out before killing it off. Wasn't the witch's soul sealed away in Nifflheim?"

" _She may have reached out in one last attempt. A desperate attempt. Yes, she succeeded in reaching Nickara, but the tactic was turned against her when Hyegun's talent went into effect. When her plan failed, she knew she was done for,_ " Muninn said softly.

"I shall send you to my Valkyrie in Valhalla. She will send you back here. However, you will not regain any memories past the point of meeting with the witch. When you come back here, you will be allowed to train at the barracks. Agreed?" Odin asked.

"Agreed," Nikki nodded. "I do have...one small request."

" _And that is?_ " Muninn asked warily.

"I want to be called Nickara from now on. When I meet you all again," she said. "My full name isn't very well known. I don't want to be called a name that will remind everyone of grief. If I am to have a fresh, clean slate, I would like this to be done to help."

"Done," Odin nodded and sent her away. A huge sigh of relief seemed to sweep through the house now. Sarine was pleased with the outcome.  _An enemy was removed and became an ally._ She would much rather have that happen than anything else.

"Whatever happened with that other girl?" Doppy asked now. "That Assassin?"

" _You all guessed correctly on the memory wipe,_ " Muninn winked.

"Good," Errende muttered at Beelzebub's report. Sarine ran a hand through his hair to help keep him calm, as he kept her pregnancy calm.

"Help me check out the kitchen? After that, you and Thanatos can stay with me, if How-How doesn't need me. Is that okay?" Sarine smiled.

"Of course, My Lady," Errende smiled back. "Um...I would want to experience what Injustice did, though. I know of the risks involved..."

"It would be incredibly risky for you. You aren't a monster," Hyegun frowned. "I'd have Thanatos go through it for you."

"Lord Thanatos just said 'hell no'," Errende chuckled. That got them all laughing.

"We'll Heal you the moment it's done," Sammy said.

"Yggdrasil Berry, too," Eremes nodded.

"Then let's see the kitchen," she smiled.

"Not yet..." Howard said with a small wince. "I really want to be with you right now."

"Can it wait until after the kitchen is seen? We do want to see where our triplets will be learning how to cook. Won't we?" she asked softly. That made him pause and smile. With a nod, he pulled her close to hug tight. "Walk with me, my Whitesmith. Keep your arm around me. My Creator can do the same."

"I love you," Howard swallowed.

"And I love you!" she chuckled and kissed him gently. He was able to curb his need for her with her suggestion. _As long as he was doing something for his triplets, then he would be fine._ Kiehl noticed this, and Naght was quick to help, if something happened in the future.

"This way," Charles smiled. When they walked into the kitchen, they saw how the room was expanded to include various work tables. Several ovens, refrigerators and sinks were now installed. Half of the work tables were the same height for the children. There were higher work tables for adults. Everything was designed with enough space for movement and ingredient prep areas. There were chairs, but most chefs worked standing up in case they had to move around quickly to prepare their meals. Adequate lighting was set over each table in the form of hanging electric lamps. The classroom was clearly ready for the children.

"The kids are ready to return," Beelzebub smiled. "Shall we let them come here?"

"I need to give them blood, anyways," Charles nodded. "I'll see how they all come in and station themselves after they get a drop of blood."

"Give blood to the ones in the nursery first," Kiehl suggested.

"I'll be right back!" he nodded and left quickly.

"I do like it," Sarine smiled, as she took in the room.

"So do I," Howard chuckled. Kiehl was able to kiss her softly before moving around the room to examine each area. He was clearly impressed. Beelzebub already had his Hell Flies stationed in various areas of the room. A few were even planted above the tables to ensure that none of the kids could cheat, if there were any assignments given to them.

"I'm sure that all of the kids will benefit with this cooking class," Sammy smiled.

"I'm sure of it," Keltin grinned.

"The developing kids are sleeping. Errende, can you keep your hand on her belly? Just in case? We don't want them to wake up just yet," Hyegun said.

"Of course," the slave nodded and moved to Sarine's side. "Um..."

"You'll be with me after How-How. I'll make sure of it," she nodded.

"Good," he said with a small laugh. He was still affected by her kiss from earlier. Now she yanked him close by his collar to plant another kiss on his mouth. At the heightened gasp of need he gave her next, she grinned a touch wickedly.

"The kids are coming in," Terin whispered to them.

"Control yourself," Sarine warned her slave. After several seconds, Errende was fine. Right before the kids entered the house, Charles was back and standing in front of the kitchen area. Serenity dashed in first and skidded to a halt at the sight of him. Now that the Royal Chef had Baphomet's blood, he looked extremely powerful to her. She gave a small gasp, and Charles smiled warmly to her. He gestured for her to come over.

"It's all right," he said gently. "Baphomet gave me his blood. I'm sure you know. I already gave some blood to your younger brothers and sisters."

"Okay," she said softly. When the boys came in a bit rambunctiously, he growled.

"Huh? Oh..." Gunther said with a startled look.

"Um..." Edward faltered. They all sensed the power that came from him now.

"Single file line," Beelzebub said, as he stood next to Charles. "Now."

"Yes, Dad," Albert said. Siegfried and Serenity stood next to each other side by side. It was like this for each set of twins. It was rather natural for them to do.

"After you each get my blood, you will wait until I am ready to show you the new kitchen. I need to show you all where you will be. Okay?" Charles said carefully.

"Yes," Serenity nodded. The others nodded, too. They didn't call him their dad yet, but that was because they needed his blood first. Once the blood was given, they stood to one side in a rather obedient way. Juliana and Deagan were the last to get it, but Kiehl gathered them into his arms. They snuggled into him with tired sighs. Sammy was next to scoop up his kids. They were also quite exhausted. Sarine gave hugs and kisses to all of her kids before letting Charles lead the older ones into the kitchen classroom.

"Wow," Edward said with a amazement.

"I want each of you to choose a table to stand behind. Hurry up now!" Charles smiled.

"Okay, Dad!" Serenity said. Now Charles looked at her with surprise, but he chuckled softly with the new realization. "Um, I have a question."

"What's that?" he asked.

"When we get a new Dad, we like to give hugs," she started. At that, Charles picked her up to hug her. Now he was swarmed with the usual greeting that all the kids loved to give their new fathers. He wasn't expecting this, but he found himself enjoying it immensely.  _Was I missing this part of my life, too?_

"Okay, kids," Howard laughed softly. "Let him teach you all something. More hugs later, okay? We just want to make sure how this is going to work."

"Okay, Dad!" Siegfried said and scowled at the tussling of his hair done. Naght rumbled to them to get in their places. Once they all stood behind the tables, Charles studied them.

"Now, each of you will be at these destined tables until you grow taller for the larger ones. Who you stand with now will be your cooking partner. If you want to change partners, do this now. There may be some assignments that will not require partners," Charles said. At first, it was each set of twins that stood side by side. At this bit of information told to them, Serenity was soon partnered with Angela. Siegfried was standing with Gunther. Edward was soon with Albert. Bianca and Alexis were standing together next. Trina stayed with Bernard.

"I'm tired, Mama," Juliana frowned.

"Me, too," Ming whimpered.

"We'll let you nap with us, okay?" Sammy said in a soothing tone and kissed her forehead. "Are you both tired?"

"Yeah," Deagan sighed. Loo Shin was already falling asleep on his father's shoulder. They were the youngest of the older children and hadn't grown out of their nap phases yet. Aliot's twins and Keltin's twins could be the same, but they were clearly outgrowing the need.

"My poor babies," Sarine chuckled. "Maybe we'll all take a nap, if we need one."

"I can see that happening," Howard nodded.

"Before we begin, everyone needs to wash their hands. Do this now, but one table at a time. Quickly!" Charles urged.

"Yes, Dad!" Angela said with Serenity, as they went to the sink. Only after all of the kids had washed their hands thoroughly was the Royal Chef ready to start teaching them.

"Okay, this dish is very basic," Charles said, and he took out several first level cookbooks to hand out to them. Evil Snake Lord was able to make duplicate copies for him, and he was busy working on the rest of the cookbooks at the school. "I need to see where your cooking levels are. So, for this dish, you will all work on your own. Bianca, I know you make everything on your first try, from what I'm told. I want you to focus on adding everything very slowly. Remember what you're using. If you make it too fast, you'll be given another set of ingredients to start over with."

"Okay, Dad," Bianca nodded. Her glowing red pupils regarded him with complete respect and unusual intelligence.  _She clearly wanted to learn._

"What happens if we can't do it?" Gunther asked.

"You try again," Charles smiled. "Even I didn't do so well when I first started out. I didn't even get my first dish on the first try! If you don't make it, then you try again. Practice makes perfect. The more you do something, the easier it gets. That's the way it always worked. It's been proven time and time again."

"Like using your dick," Doppy muttered lightly to keep the kids from hearing it. Eremes made a fist and bit his knuckles to keep from laughing. Charles glanced over at him with a look that made the other men snicker and fight down their laughter.

"The men I marry..." Sarine sighed with a shake of her head. More laughter was fought down. Charles sighed, but he found himself suppressing his own laughter.

"The dish we are going to make is called Frog Egg Squid Ink Soup," the Royal Chef said, as he quickly refocused on teaching. "This is the same dish that I tried for the first time, so it will be a good dish for all of you! And, yes, the name sounds icky. Doesn't it?"

"Yeah!" Alexis giggled. The others clearly agreed with him.

"Well," Charles smiled. "if the dish is made properly, it can boost your speed a little bit. Think of it like this. The food you make now, you can eat to help you train."

"Oh! I like that!" Angela said.

"It may not work very well for you, Angela, since you need food that will make you smarter. But, we'll work on it. Don't worry. There are dishes that benefit everyone. We'll work on them one at a time. Okay, the pantry is open for you guys. You will all need one Bag of Grain, ten Frog Spawns and one Squid Ink. Hurry up and get them! If you don't remember, I did write down the ingredients on a small chart by the pantry. Let's go!"

"It's not a contest," Doppy said to keep them all in line. "Everyone takes a turn at the pantry. No one makes a mess. Got it?"

"Yes, Dad!" they all rang out at once.

"I hope we have enough," Sarine frowned.

"We do," Storm Caller chuckled, as he came in. He wanted to ensure that the place would remain clean. "Karla made sure to help stock the kitchen before her pregnancy became too much. We even went so far as to ask for assistance from various villages that we reside in. We have plenty of ingredients. Muninn did assist in getting us some of the harder ones, though."

"I can imagine why," Doppy chuckled. Charles watched each child get the ingredients they needed and head back to their work table. Once they were back in their places, he handed out a very basic cooking kit made for outdoor use. The kits clearly looked like they were poorly made, but could do the job, if that. Trina frowned at this and looked at him.

"Dad, um, can I make mine better?" she asked.

"No. You need to work with the very basic of equipment first. You need to learn how to use it. I do know that there are better cooking kits out there. However, you need to start at the lowest form. When they get easier to use, you can use the better ones. It is very important that you familiarize yourself with the starter kits first," Charles explained.

"But, it won't work!" Trina frowned. "I might not make the soup!"

"If you upgrade what was given to you at any time, Trina," Keltin said now, as he regarded his daughter. "it will be seen as cheating. You don't want to be a cheater, do you?"

"No..." she whimpered.

"As much as you want to, you have to fight the urge to do it," Keltin said. "This is school. Even though it's in the main house, it's still school. It's schoolwork that you are doing. Do as Charles says, okay? He's teaching you everything he knows. He has done this longer than any of us combined. He knows what he's doing."

"Okay," Trina nodded. Charles walked over to her to bend down, press a kiss against her cheek in a fatherly way, and he smiled to show he wasn't mad at her. That made her smile and calm down completely. He didn't want any of them to get stressed.

"Cooking is supposed to be fun and relaxing. Yes, it can be hectic if it's a contest with a time limit, but many find cooking as a way to unwind. Cooking may not be for everyone, but it helps to know how to cook so you can make your own meals when you travel," Charles said. "Anyways, you all have your cooking equipment. You all have your ingredients. Now, we need to heat up the cooking kits in front of you. If you don't know how, I will show you how. After that, I want you all to put in the Squid Ink first. Let it simmer and bubble slightly. Once that's done, add the Bag of Grain. Let it soak in the flavors and soften up. After two minutes, add in the Frog Spawn and stir slowly. Frog spawn is a very soft form of food. It won't take long to cook up."

"This is fun!" Serenity beamed. As they tried to make their first meal, Charles was now passing out small bowls for them to put the finished soup in. Gunther scowled when his soup failed and burned up to ashes.

"Try again," Charles said mildly. Another outdoor cooking kit was given to him, and he went to the pantry to get the ingredients for another try. Quite a few failed on their first attempts. Bianca had made hers successfully, of course, but she was now told to do it again. She was a special case, and she knew it. "I want each of you to memorize this recipe! I will quiz you all on what you need to use and how to make it!"

"A quiz?" Edward frowned.

"This is school. There are six recipes that you need to learn. There may even be a test to make sure you can make them without needing to open the cookbook. You will still need the cookbook with you, but I don't want you to open it. It's always required to have the cookbook you need on you. So, yes. A quiz. A test may be done later on everything you learned," Charles said with a mild glare. That made him nod and get back to cooking. At a sudden commotion at the kitchen entryway, he turned to glare at Cedrick when he tried to make his way in. "I have a class. You are not a part of it. Leave."

"You can't talk to me that way!" the prince scoffed. Then he blanched at the aura that the Royal Chef gave off now from Sammy's blood. He was now of an ancient royal heritage. The prince couldn't say anything bad about him anymore.

"If you don't leave, then you will be forced to learn with the kids. Considering that many of them know how to cook a dish better than you!" Charles snapped. Serenity looked over at how her mother was now being held by Kiehl and Howard. Juliana and Deagan were taken by Loomin to keep them calm. She frowned and took her finished Frog Egg Squid Ink Soup over to her newest father. She tugged on his sleeve for attention.

"Dad, if he can't make this, then he can't cook!" she said, as she held up the soup. Charles found himself smiling, as he took up the dish to inspect it. The prince gaped at what she called the Royal Chef.  _He was with Sarine now?!_

"Well, it is a first level recipe. You made this very well! I'm proud of you," Charles said to Serenity to make her blush. "What do you think, Cedrick?"

"That's  _Prince_  Cedrick!" the man colored up.

"No. It's Cedrick," the Royal Chef said. "I outrank you in royalty now. You can thank Incantation Samurai for that. He was a Warlord in his past. He still is one. Regardless, do you think you can make this dish? The same one that Serenity has made? A child less than a year old, if that? If she can make something, surely you could. Other kids have made the same dish. If not, they are still trying. Right, Gunther?"

"I'm on my third try," Gunther pouted.

"So am I," Albert frowned. Bianca was on her third dish, but she was trying to recall what to do without the cookbook. Memorizing the recipe was hard for her, but it was what she wanted to do. She wanted to know how to make everything as she made it.

"That's fine. Make another soup, if you made one. Try to remember the ingredients you need. Recall how I told you to cook them without the cookbook as a guide. And, Cedrick, if you don't want to do this, don't come in here anymore while I'm in the middle of a class," Charles said, as he regarded the prince with irritation. "I'm married to Sarine now. Take it up with Odin and Baphomet, if you have problems with that. Her kids are now my kids. I am teaching them how to better themselves. Figure out what you want to do. If you don't want to stay, then you had better  _get the hell out of my kitchen!_ Now!"

"I can make this!" he boasted.

"Fine. Here is a cookbook and a cooking kit. Look up the recipe for Frog Egg Squid Ink Soup. Go to the pantry and get the ingredients. Don't make a mess! The kids found what they needed just fine! Go to a work table and cook up some soup. If you fail, try again. Keep trying until you make the soup. Not everyone can make it on their first try. If you quit at any time, you are no longer welcome in my kitchen!" Charles growled.

"Your kitchen?" Sarine smiled softly. At that, Charles walked over to pull her close and kiss her softly. Kiehl chuckled with Howard and Naght.  _Cedrick was clearly jealous._

"Our kitchen," he corrected.

"I like that better," she whispered with another soft smile, and she let him kiss her again. At a glance at Cedrick trying to make something, she shivered with a touch of disgust.

"You won't taste anything," Charles muttered. "Leave that to me."

"I doubt that Dad's blood is worse than what he makes," Baphomet Jr. snorted.

"You might be right," Charles grinned. "I'd put the chef hat on him, but I don't want it damaged. I doubt it would help him, anyways."

"Don't tarnish our only hat," Doppy mumbled. Small snickers were heard all around.

"Um..." Sarine winced. Charles heard the thought she had and moved quickly to a work table to get out a small piece of meat. Then he thought and looked at the kids.

"I need to make something for your mother. Take a break and come gather around me. You will see how I cook something up," Charles smiled. The kids were eager to see what he was going to make. "Cedrick, you keep working."

"This kit does nothing!" the prince scowled at a failed attempt.

"Keep trying!" Charles grumbled, as he started to prepare the meat for Sarine. The kids watched him make the small morsel into one of her craving delights. It was lightly fried up first with a touch of oil and covered in crushed peppers and chocolate powder. He remembered how honey didn't really do anything, but he lightly coated it over the meat to have the powder stick. Then it was pan fried again for the charred taste she wanted. Setting it on a small plate with a fork for her to use, he took it over to her so she could eat it.

"Wow!" Edward said. "I wanna cook like that!"

"Me, too!" Siegfried grinned.

"I know I could, but I want to learn more," Bianca said.

"Dad says to learn slowly," Trina beamed.

"Yeah. We need to do what Dad says," Albert nodded.

"I'm gonna make that soup!" Gunther said, and he ran back over to his table.

"No running!" Charles warned them. "You walk fast. If someone accidentally drops something, it's easy to slip. You could hurt yourself, if you're carrying something hot. Do not run, if you can help it. This is also why you have partners for later courses. They can get what you need. You will take turns working this way. Many chefs have assistants to help them. Each of you will play the role of chef and assistant."

"Yes, Dad!" they all chorused out. Any completed dishes were taken away to be stored for their meals at the school. Failed dishes were tossed out. When the kids had all made their dishes, Cedrick was still trying to make his first dish.

"Kids," Charles said to have them gather around the prince's table. "This is going to be your quiz. What is Cedrick doing wrong to make his dish fail?"

"Hmm," Bianca said first. "He doesn't have his cooking kit heated up right."

"He's not letting the Squid Ink boil enough," Angela frowned.

"The Bag of Grain isn't even soaking up the flavor! He's rushing it," Bernard said.

"He overcooked the Frog Spawn," Siegfried said. Charles was incredibly pleased with the kids. Gunther decided to prove something to the prince. He went and got all the ingredients and another cooking kit. Keeping the cookbook close by, but closed, he carefully made the same dish the proper way. He had memorized the recipe, and this had Charles pleasantly surprised. Gunther grinned when he made the soup successfully.

"Good job," Doppy chuckled, and he came over to set a hand on his son's shoulder. That had Gunther grinning even more. "Just don't get in over your head. You have to practice each dish to get it right. It took you a few tries, but you got it. It will be frustrating, but let Charles teach you. He knows the right way to do things."

"Yes, Dad," Gunther nodded.

"Remember, Gunther," Charles said. "you may have memorized the dish now, but you may forget it later. You can keep the cookbooks I give you, but use them sparingly. Only use them to remind you of what you need. In time, you'll just need the cookbook on you to remind you of the recipe you are trying to make, but that should be it."

"Okay, Dad," Gunther nodded.

"Where do you think our triplets would be?" Sarine asked Howard. He blinked and smiled. Kiehl chuckled now. He knew that she was keeping his mind focused on various things to keep him going. Howard moved up to Charles and whispered softly to him. The Royal Chef blinked and studied the tables.

"We can have a special one set up for them. I doubt they'll want to partner up with any others," Charles thought aloud. "These tables are set for two kids, but I can have one set up for three when the time comes. That won't be a problem. We'll figure something out. I know that there will be a few group dishes for all of the kids to do. It'll work out."

"Group dishes?" Edward asked.

"Yes. Very complex dishes that will require everyone's help! There are times that some recipes may require one of your other fathers to help you. We'll have to see. As for right now, these simple dishes are all you need to work with. Okay, I think your schooling is done for the day! I'll have a new dish for you all tomorrow when you get back," Charles smiled. Now the kids swarmed him to get him laughing. Cedrick just stared with disbelief.

"You told me that you hated kids!" the prince said.

"I dislike the ones that don't want to learn," Charles said evenly. "I don't like knowing that there are kids that I have to deal with that don't know discipline. These kids are smarter than you know. They understand how to follow orders and direction. You never did."

"But, I..." he faltered.

"There are step-by-step instructions in that book. You haven't been following them," the Royal Chef said. "If you followed them, you'd make the dish. You are far too impatient. Give up the cooking business now while you still can. I don't want you wasting my ingredients."

"Give me one more chance!" he said.

"One more. That's it," Charles nodded. The kids eyed the prince suspiciously. Then they looked over when Kiehl gave out a seething hiss of warning. Shoujin had walked in to see what was going on. Serenity growled, but Howard gathered her up to calm her.

"Cooking?" Shoujin asked.

"Yes. Cedrick thinks he can cook. He can't," Charles said. "I was teaching the kids. They all made dishes before he could."

"I see. May I try?" Shoujin asked.

"Since you asked politely, you can," the Royal Chef nodded. He was given the same recipe to make and a cookbook. Shoujin followed the instructions and made the dish. Cedrick gaped at him with disbelief. Shoujin shrugged at him.

"I'll get this right!" Cedrick scowled. He followed the instructions and still failed. "Bah! Whatever. Cooking is a woman's chore, anyways!"

"Excuse me?!" Sarine growled from where she was standing. "Leave my kitchen! Now! I will not have you saying such vile things in front of my children!"

Errende had kept his hand on her belly the whole time. Hyegun was grateful for it.

"I mean..." Cedrick winced.

"I know  _exactly_  what you meant!" Sarine seethed. "And, just so you know, Charles is my husband. He's also a lot bigger than you now, and he knows how use it quite well!"

At first Cedrick was confused. Now his jaw dropped as her men fought down their laughter. Errende was giving a rather smug grin, and Charles found himself doing the same.

"And I'm blood-bonded to Baphomet," Charles smirked. "Odin ordered that."

"What?" Shoujin blinked.

"Yes. Directly to Baphomet. You heard me correctly," the Royal Chef said. "He now considers me his son. You piss me off, you deal with him."

"That you will!" Baphomet snorted, as he trudged into the house. He was waiting the whole time from the episode with Nikki.

"Grampa Bapho!" Serenity said with sheer delight. He grinned, as the kids welcomed him and clung to him. They were officially his grandchildren, and he adored each one of them. He purred at this and glared at Cedrick.

"I think you need to leave," Loomin sighed with a mild touch of annoyance. "You have pissed off my wife, and the rest of us are ready to slaughter you for it."

"Yes. Leave," Howard said with his own glare of hatred. Thanatos and Errende both had their hands on Sarine's belly.

"Do I need to leave?" Shoujin asked.

"You showed some respect. You can stay," Sammy nodded. "Cedrick doesn't know what respect is, much less how to apply it."

"What?!" Cedrick gaped.

"You aren't taking Turtle General's teachings seriously, are you?" Loomin frowned. "You need to pay more attention to him. You will definitely learn more, if you do."

"I've learned enough!" the prince snapped.

"Really?" Keltin asked. "If that's the case, I should test you. Considering that I would be teaching you what to do next. If my Rage can hurt you, you haven't learned a thing."

"Right now?" Cedrick asked. He wasn't expecting this, but he couldn't back down. His pride was now at stake here. He had to prove that he was better than a Bongun.

"Outside," Sarine said. "Not in the house."

"Okay," Keltin nodded and kissed her passionately. That had the kids giggling, as Baphomet chuckled softly. The massive demon easily walked out with all of the kids clinging to him. Doppy thought and moved over to him to whisper.

"After the princeling is shown his place," Baphomet grinned.

"Doppy and Baphomet want to duel," Charles said with a small grin.

"I'll pay money to watch that!" Ragged Zombie said quickly to get them all laughing.

"Can we watch?" Gunther asked.

"Just behave," Doppy warned. "Keep quiet. Don't cheer for us. This first fight is important. The next one is for fun, but I will need to keep focused. Okay?"

"Okay, Dad," Gunther nodded from his place on Baphomet's leg.

"Can I hold you, as we watch?" Howard asked his wife.

"Of course, How-How," Sarine smiled and cuddled into him. Kiehl had to hold her, too, but he was curious to see how everything would unfold. When word was spread, all of her men eagerly appeared to watch the challenges that would take place. Sammy's ancestor was quick to hover over him to adequately judge what would happen. Ming and Loo Shin were already in a deep sleep in his arms. He made no move to budge them. Loomin was still holding Juliana and Deagan, but they were still mildly awake. They were now given to Sarine when she sat down with Howard and Kiehl. The kids wanted to be with her, and they were quick to start yawning with drowsiness. It wasn't that much longer that they fell asleep on her.

"I love my kids," Kiehl smiled, as he helped her recline a bit on him.

"So do I," she smiled. Howard kissed her forehead, as she reclined against him, too. Shoujin wanted to see what Keltin would do, and he sat in a chair to watch. He had declined against fighting him long ago. He wanted to make sure that he was correct in his decision. When Keltin and Cedrick were in front of the house, they faced each other.

"Ready?" Keltin asked, as he transformed into his Champion self.

"What?!" Cedrick gaped. He forgot that Keltin could do that.

"If you paid attention to Turtle General, then you would have remembered that I could do this!" Keltin growled. Then he activated his Rage. Shoujin's jaw dropped at the power that radiated from the Champion Bongun's white glow. When Cedrick charged, Keltin slammed into him with his usual punishing blows. Then he topped it off with his deadly Asura Strike. Cedrick was lifeless when his body slammed into the ground, and Errende was able to Resurrect him.

"Train harder with Turtle General," Beelzebub muttered to the recovering prince. Cedrick was still astonished at how fast he was brought down.

"If you were properly training," Keltin growled when he became his Bongun self again. "you would have known how to block and counter me. Maybe not get in a hit, but you would have survived against me properly. After you had proven that you could survive against me, Doppelganger would have been next to test you. If you could dodge him, then you would have completed your training. If you can't survive against me, there would be  _no way_  that you could survive against Doppy! Pay more attention to Turtle General! When you know you are ready for me, it will feel instinctive to come forward to me."

"You know this?" Sarine asked.

"Yeah, I do," Keltin chuckled. "It's something that always happened with my training. I know what to expect all too well."

"Well, I feel that I am not yet at that point to approach you," Shoujin said respectfully. "I am getting close, but not quite there."

"That's fine," Keltin nodded. "You will know when you are ready."

"I have heard of something, though. Something I have been wanting to ask about," the honorable prince said. "It was...dealing with letters? I think?"

"You may have heard of them," Loomin nodded. "If you want to know more, go talk to Storm Caller. Do not damage the letters! They are vital to us, and he will ensure that no harm comes to them. They are a precious part of Sarine's past. A painful part, but very priceless and precious. Cedrick, if you want to know of this, too, follow Shoujin."

"All right," Cedrick nodded. When he left, Sarine gave a hard shiver.

"My heart?" Kiehl frowned. "I see..."

"I would have to agree, but..." Howard winced.

"Sarine, let them read the letters," Charles said softly to her. "Maybe this will force them to show a bit more respect to you. If it doesn't, then maybe Muninn can enforce it."

" _I could do that,_ " Muninn grinned, as he walked out to sit with them. " _As it is, Father Odin wants me here to see how Doppelganger does against Baphomet._ "

"Really?" Doppy grinned wickedly.

"Kids, go sit with them," Baphomet snorted.

"Okay, Grampa Bapho!" Siegfried said and laughed at the tickling snort to his hair.

"Remember. No cheering for me. I need to focus," Doppy warned. The kids nodded, and he moved to confront Baphomet. When Sammy nodded for them to start, Doppy seethed out with a hissing roar of defiance. The massive demon bellowed his own rage, and they clashed. The battle between the two powerful demons raged for a full twenty minutes before they finally stopped. Both were actually panting from how hard they fought and dodged each other. Baphomet gave him a respectful nod with a smirking grin.

"You fight well," the massive demon chuckled.

"So do you," Doppy nodded with the same respect.

"You should fight Kiehl," Maheo grinned. When Baphomet looked over at the powerful monster, he actually paused with uncertainty. Kiehl looked at him with a questioning glance.

"I think I will pass," Baphomet said wisely. "He will clearly cause harm to me. He has won so many Demonic Matings that he would only be toying with me. I have seen quite a few of his fights through Seyren and my son. I would not survive against him."

"You think so?" Howard asked.

"I know so," Baphomet nodded.

"I don't see how that would be possible," Charles frowned.

"That's right. You don't know how special Demonic Matings are," Thanatos chuckled. "Same with Terin and Tsurga. I think it would be beneficial for them to know. If Kiehl doesn't attack you, and only dodges, it should be safe enough."

"You think so?" Kiehl asked.

"That could work," Baphomet nodded. "I do not challenge you, Kiehl. I only want to show how powerful you truly are. Since I don't belong to Sarine, you will not take offense."

"He's right," Thanatos nodded.

"Okay," Kiehl nodded calmly. "Kids. Wake up."

"Huh?" Juliana said with a bit of protest.

"Why?" Deagan frowned and rubbed his eyes under his glasses.

"Grampa Baphomet wants to show how strong I am," Kiehl smiled warmly. That had them fully awake. They wanted to see how strong their father was. "I won't attack him, but I will dodge him. Sammy, wake up your kids. They need to see this, too."

"Understood," Sammy nodded and gently woke up his sleeping children. When they started to protest, they paused at why they were woken up. Now they saw the importance of this. They were ready to watch and observe. Kiehl planted a long kiss on Sarine's mouth to build up a bit of a reserve of her. Since he wouldn't be fighting, he wouldn't need her to cling to him, but he wanted to keep himself from needing her for a time.

"You'll have ten minutes before he needs her again," Loomin said.

"Fine," Baphomet nodded. Kiehl now moved to face the large demon. At the small smirk he gave, the demon found himself giving an instinctive pause of indecision.  _I am fighting a powerful leader._ He reminded himself that an agreement was done that he would not come to harm. Baphomet snorted and lunged quickly to find Kiehl gone. The powerful monster had side-stepped him neatly. When his scythe came around, Kiehl had jumped over it. Then he dodged the next swing with no problem. All of it was instinct to know how to dodge him.

"Wow..." Deagan said with fascination.

"Dad is strong..." Gunther gaped.

"Make sure you never disobey him," Doppy warned. The kids were now in solid agreement. Kiehl was only dodging what Baphomet was doing. It almost looked like he was playing a game. He was purposely giving Baphomet the thought that he was going to score a hit, when it was actually a near-miss. It pissed off the massive demon. When ten minutes was nearly up, Baphomet relented and stood back with a solid nod of respect.

"You are a worthy leader. I am honored to have had the chance to attempt to hit you," Baphomet chuckled. That had Kiehl nod with appreciation. When he moved to Sarine's side to hug her, she cuddled into him with a sigh of her own form of relief.

"Hmm," Charles thought to himself and moved to go inside. "Don't move! I'll be right back! I want to experiment with a sweet craving for Keltin's pregnancy."

"No problem," Howard replied, as he found his lap taken over by his twins. "I doubt I can move anywhere now, as it is."

"I want to cook more!" Serenity giggled.

"You will in time," Kiehl said. "You can cook for fun, but make sure Charles is with you. Or even one of us. Okay?"

"Okay," she said.

"Mom craved sweet stuff with us?" Trina asked.

"She did. Sweet and salty stuff," Keltin smiled. "Aliot had your mom wanting bitter and sour food. What Charles wants to do is make a special dish that will destroy those cravings when they appear. Remember the small meat he made for your mom?"

"Yeah," Bernard nodded. "It looked good!"

"I have an idea," Sarine smiled. "Maybe, to help you all understand flavors, Charles can prepare various dishes for you to have with your dinners. It will help you all realize how important flavors can be with various foods. Think that can work?"

"Charles likes it," Baphomet chuckled. "He likes that idea a lot."

"He's on his way out," Beelzebub said. When Charles came out, it was with a small dish that held a tiny cake on it and dusted with powdered sugar. Kiehl took his twins from Sarine so she could take the plate. When Charles showed her what he made, Sarine gave a fearful form of hesitation. Then she started to try and brush the powder off like she used to do in her childhood. It was hard-wired in her to do this the moment she saw it on any form of presented food. This floored everyone. Howard gaped and cringed at the horrific thought that went through her mind. Kiehl was speechless. Naght was fully alarmed and seething with a form of control. Serenity looked at her mother with confusion. No one had seen her do this before until now.

"It's powdered sugar!" Charles said quickly. "Anything that I serve you is very safe! You have my word! No! It's not that!"

"Give me the plate!" Loomin growled and took it from her. Then he looked at Charles and ordered, "Get rid of her fear!"

"Hey," Charles said in a calmer, yet sterner way. "Look at me. Give me your fear."

"I...I'm sorry..." Sarine whimpered. Howard and Doppy both felt her emotional wall shaking. Sammy was going to give over his twins, but Loomin rose up his hand to show that she would be fine.  _Charles was her Ground and would help her._ Hyegun was a touch worried, but he also nodded. He kept his focus on the pregnancy to reassure them.

"I showed her what flour and powdered sugar was before," Howard whispered.

"I'm sure that she realizes that it's safe now, but this is an instinct that comes back. Right?" Beelzebub asked. "She has to be reminded that she's safe?"

"Yeah," Howard winced.

"I'm trying...to give over...my fear...and...I'm sorry...that I didn't trust you..." she whimpered again. "I know that you...would never give me...something like that..."

"No. It's not your fault. I forgot about that. I'll color the sugar with something else. There is a safe form of food coloring that can be used. I would  _never_ serve you anything that would harm you! I wasn't even realizing what the sugar looked like to you in a ground up form. Hmm. Kiehl. You still have the poison? Somewhere?" Charles asked, as he hugged her.  _She wasn't letting go of the fear. It was too strong for her to give over right now._

"I do," Kiehl growled. "Locked away."

"Can I destroy it in front of her? All of it?" Charles asked now. Everyone seemed to glance at Kiehl. Sarine was still shivering.

"My workshop," Kiehl said, as he stood up with his clinging twins. "Kids, you all will need to go to the nursery for now. Juliana, Deagan, Ming, and Loo Shin will nap with us when this is done. If any other kids want to nap with us, then that would be the time. If any are still awake and want to cook, we'll see if Charles can help them with that."

"Okay, Keel," Serenity nodded. "Um...I may nap with you and Mama."

"That's fine," he smiled and kissed her forehead.

"We should all nap," Edward nodded.

"You guys are starting to outgrow my lap," Doppy smirked at his kids.

"I'll hold one," Tsurga said. Observation and Byorgue were quick to help take the kids to the nursery. Aliot and Injustice were next to help. Errende needed to stay with Sarine in case she needed him. Drago and Maya Purple were still with the nest.

"Hmm," Beelzebub mused.

"What?" Kiehl asked, as he started to lead Sarine to the workshop.

"It appears that Rice Cake is finally gathering up the courage to talk to Naght," the Demon Lord smirked. "Likely after this?"

"Yes..." Naght snorted.

"Um..." Sarine thought. Howard squeezed her and chuckled.

"The little dragon, Draco, has been helping with the nest," Kiehl smiled. "She's fine."

"I know. I just worry for the kids. And..." she started, but Kiehl gave her an affectionate purr to put her mind at ease. She was still very stressed about the poison. Sammy moved up to her, now that his twins were taken to the nursery, and he rubbed a hand over her back.

" _Wait!_ " Muninn said, as he ran over to them. " _Kiehl, I don't want Sarine to see the poison in your workshop. She will see the capsules, too. If you don't want her to see them, have Storm Caller bring the powder to the meeting chamber. Everyone can gather around to see the destruction of it. Once that is gone, Charles will be able to lift the fear from her mind._ "

"Understood!" Kiehl nodded. He was experimenting with the pills in his spare time. He clearly didn't want them to be seen. Howard gave a small, hissing growl of hatred at the memory.  _Muninn was right._   _The mere sight of the pills would cause too much negativity. Sarine couldn't have that. It was risky enough, as it was._

"Errende. Thanatos. Hands on her belly," Hyegun whispered. Once that was done, she gave a sigh of relief. Kiehl had everyone move into the meeting chamber after it was suggested. He made sure that Sarine was surrounded by everyone. As close as they could get to her.

"Is she well?" Eremes asked with a frown.

"She's very worried," Howard sighed. "And very, very scared."

"We should all be with her after this..." he said.

"True," Howard agreed. "She'll need it."

"The rest of us, too," Doppy said. "You should go last."

"I'll have to go last, if she has Keltin's blood!" he grinned. That had everyone laughing softly with agreement. When Storm Caller appeared with the small bag of crushed capsules, Sarine cringed with a heart-wrenching whimper. It was the same sound she made when her room was discovered. The resulting reaction to the sound was instant.

"Destroy it! Now!" Kiehl seethed with hatred and protection. Thanatos and Errende kept their hands on her belly the whole time. All of the ones that have been with her after her room was discovered were in shock at the sound she made. They had to give in to the powerful instinct to protect her. Howard kept her face against his neck, as he shielded her. Sammy made sure to stand next to her, and Eremes was with Keltin to keep her calm. Doppy and Tsurga advanced as one to ensure the powder was destroyed. Doppy had to, as he was her Wrath. Tsurga also needed to assist, since he was her childhood protector.

Thanatos and Errende made no move to leave her side. They had to keep their hands pressed against her belly. Kiehl was able to slip his hand on her belly, too, to give the low purr that kept the pregnancy calmed. Ifrit and Naght ensured that the powder was fully incinerated after the substance was exposed to their insane forces of combined heat. Even Eremes was able to add what heat he was able to give out.

" _It's gone,_ " Muninn said gently to keep them all calm.

"Good," Amon Ra nodded, and he started to help balance out the room. Osiris and Pharaoh were very concerned over the well-being of their wife, but Hibram and Ragged Zombie seemed to relax at Muninn's report. Even Incubus and Wanderer were standing with Drake. The two of them saw the room and made sure that this part of her past was destroyed. Drake wanted to be there, but he was recruited after it was found.

"Bedroom," Keltin muttered. "We'll help her there."

"Good," Beelzebub nodded. "The kids are upset, but Doll and Bacsojin reconciled them. They will wait to nap with all of us."

"Sarine," Charles said, as he walked over to her again. "Focus on me. Okay?"

"How?" she shivered. He gently tilted up her face to gaze into her eyes. Now the fear was able to be given to him in full. He hissed and forced it down.  _It was no longer a threat._  With that in mind, he was able to push it away completely.

"I still have the cake," Loomin smiled. "Sarine, it's safe."

"Okay," she smiled. Now she was able to thoroughly enjoy it, and it killed off her anxious thoughts. Howard gave a small sigh of relief, as he kissed her forehead.

"I'll make sure to use color in the sugar, like I said before," Charles nodded.

"That's fine. Ah...!" Kiehl blinked at the tug she did to his leash loop. His lust for her rose to full peak within seconds. Howard stammered back his laughter, and Kiehl scooped her up to rush her into the bedroom. Keltin was quick to follow with the other eager husbands, mates, and slaves. The next hour was dedicated to using her men in full force.

"Never gets old!" Byorgue grinned.

"She's using us like cookies again..." Kalen sighed.

"And you're complaining?" Terin grinned.

"No!" Kalen retorted back.

"I dunno if I should," Ragged Zombie muttered from where he was on a bed.

"I wouldn't. She might call for you again," Beelzebub chuckled from where he sat. "Oh...she wants Incubus? That's interesting."

"She rarely calls for him," Doppy mused. The monster was brought in and pushed into the bathroom. "Anyone else she wants?"

"Tsurga," Terin said, as he heard it.

"Again?!" the Captain gaped.

"Get in there," Doppy warned. "Don't make her wait."

"Right," he nodded and charged into the bathroom.

"When My Lady is done, I'll go to the nest," Drago said.

"Same," Maya Purple nodded. Aliot and Observation were busy getting small snacks ready for her and the kids. Nigel and Injustice were working on the beds to get them ready for sleeping in. When Incubus was able to leave, he was dazed from how he was used. Doppy chuckled and blinked when Terin whispered to him. The demon nodded and moved into the bathroom swiftly. Once there, he found his original form taking place. Sarine missed him like this. Now he clearly missed her. He gave a soft groan, as he moved to her side. His armor dropped off him practically all at once, as he closed the gap between them, and he hugged her. Tsurga sighed and managed to scoot away to start dressing. Then he left shortly after.

"My demon..." she whispered, and he trembled. "Doppy..."

"Always...your demon..." he muttered between the kisses he gave her next. They clung together after the intense release they shared. "I want you to have my kids again."

"After the next one," Kiehl chuckled.

"I know," Doppy sighed, as he hugged her to him.

"I thought you liked the fact that you have three from me already," she giggled. "Since two of them are beautiful twins, and the other is the embodiment of Huginn."

"You know I do," he grinned at her. "I just want more."

"Do you?" she asked with a rather soft smile. He planted his mouth on hers in a hungry, desperate way. After the next release they shared, she gave a husky chuckle and whispered, "You know, these triplets are yours, too. Your blood is in me..."

"I..." he gasped with a form of disbelief. The dream vision of helping her pregnancy now came back to him. He clung to her, as he looked over at Howard with some form of approval.

"You can feel her emotions with me. You did save her pregnancy in the vision," Howard said with a small chuckle. "So, from that, I could say you're my brother. I still do consider you my brother, anyways. We all share blood through her."

"You're just under me in power, too," Kiehl grinned.

"And you helped Sarine in a critical part of her life," Howard said with a bit of seriousness. "Even though you told her to forget about you."

"I didn't...know of her past..." Doppy cringed. He swallowed and said, "If I knew..."

"We know," Kiehl nodded. "Brother."

"Brother," Doppy sighed and clasped a hand first with Howard. Then with Kiehl. It was said before, but this had a totally new meaning. "Sarine...I want you to do something for me."

"What's that, Doppy?" she asked, as he held her. He whispered softly to her, and she blinked at him with surprise. "Do you want me to say that?"

"I do," he nodded.

"Wait," Howard said, as he moved behind Sarine. She gasped when he took her with Doppy. Kiehl chuckled, but he nodded at this. "Now say it."

"Doppy," she said, as he nuzzled her. "You are also the father of this pregnancy..."

"Good...!" he hissed, and the pleasure hit him when she squeezed him and Howard. The Whitesmith shouted and trembled with a form of disbelief at what she was doing to them.

"She's still in her sexual peak," Kiehl winced.  _We had forgotten all about it from the important moment!_

"Shit..." Howard panted. He couldn't risk trying to curb it with Doppy in the room.  _Even with Ifrit hovering close by, it was too risky._ He shouted again when Doppy roared out his pleasure. He was still in his original body. She still needed him like this. He screamed at the bite she did to his neck, and Kiehl had to help her feed off him. She couldn't fully bite down. After two swallows, the same was done to Howard. Naght was prodded to come forth and give over his blood. Kiehl was claimed next when Naght came back. Ifrit wasn't needed right away, but she would need his blood in time. Right after Kiehl Healed everyone, her emotional wall crashed down to reveal the solid lust and want that she needed from them. Howard stammered with shock. "No...way...ah...!"

"How...?!" Doppy gasped and shouted again at the pleasure she forced on him. At the husky purr she gave next, Kiehl's jaw dropped.  _It was a lust wave, but it couldn't escape out._ Kiehl was now realizing that she was at her sexual peak and emitting a contained lust wave.  _Howard and Doppy were forced to stay locked to her. This was bad._

"I'll get help!" Kiehl said, as he moved to stand. Howard's hand shot out to force him to stay by grabbing his wrist. Kiehl was hauled back down to sit by them.  _Sarine didn't want him to leave._ Howard gave a look that told Kiehl to stay put. "Okay. Naght will get help. No? Howard? You...want us to stay? All of us?! Um...okay..."

"Hmm..." Naght thought. Ifrit couldn't tell what was going on, but Eremes was already in shock at what was being relayed to him.

"What's going on?!" Beelzebub asked him.

"Howard and Doppy...they look like they need help..." Eremes frowned. "But...I'm not sure. Howard doesn't want Kiehl to say anything. Or have him leave."

"Doppelganger is helping to contain a lust wave!" Tsurga said, as he gleaned the demon's thoughts. "She's at her sexual peak and let it out!"

"What?!" Sammy gaped. "She did it with Injustice and I earlier today, too, but it's happening again? If that's the case, I don't know what would happen, if they left her side. It must be why they have to stay in there with her. If they are keeping it under control, who knows what would happen if they left."

"Will they be all right?" Keltin asked.

"I don't know," Tsurga admitted. "I can't really...hear what he's saying now. She has her emotional wall down. It's just...constant lust that he's getting. Howard's with her, too."

"So, they are both being affected," Loomin frowned.

"Should we do anything?" Errende asked.

"Not yet," Thanatos said. "Was there something done that triggered this?"

"Yes," Tsurga nodded. "Both Kiehl and Howard claimed Doppelganger as their brother in full. He was affected by the dream vision where he saved her pregnancy."

"Oh..." Keltin frowned. "That would have done something, huh? I mean, we all see each other as brothers, but I can understand why that was done with Doppy."

"Should Charles help?" Byorgue asked.

"No. He might get sucked in," Loomin said. "Howard is playing it safe."

"How long should we let them stay in there?" Eremes asked.

"Another ten minutes or so," Loomin suggested. "If it doesn't let up, we'll have Muninn help them out. Right now, let them ride out the worst of the storm."

"Very well," Sammy said with a small frown. He would be sure to check on her the moment she got out of the bathroom. When fifteen minutes passed, Muninn walked in calmly to nod to them to show he was there. He moved into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Muninn..." Kiehl started, but the powerful being held up his hand.

" _I know what's going on. Doppelganger, if I give you the chance to leave from her side, would you do this?_ " Muninn asked gently. " _All of the kids clearly want to nap with everyone._ "

"No," Doppy frowned. "I can't leave her yet. She needs me like this."

" _Your twins have been asking for you,_ " he said. " _They want to be with you._ "

"I..." the demon winced. Sarine looked over slightly, as she cuddled into her demon.

" _Howard, your twins want to be with you, too. Also..._ " Muninn said. He was now going to end everything that was happening rather neatly. " _Atsuko and Takeshi are very hungry._ "

"Oh!" Sarine gasped, as her mood went straight to the concern for her children.  _The moment her children needed her, the lust wave cancelled out. That was beneficial to know._

"Sarine, I..." Doppy sighed with a shiver. He actually felt that he wasn't done with her. That he simply knew that he was going to hurt bad when he moved from her side.

"Doppy," Sarine she said gently. "I'll sit in your lap in the nursery. Okay? How-How and Kiehl can sit with me, too. I need How-How to kill off my craving for sex in full. I know you still need to be with me. I can tell. I still want you, too! But, if I can't feed my other babies, they'll hurt. Help me protect all of my babies. Can you do that?"

"You'll sit in my lap?" he asked.

"Yes," she smiled. "You can start warming up the rocking bench for me, too."

"I love you," he said, as he relented.

"I love you, too," she smiled again and kissed him hard. Then he shouted with Howard one last time when she forced him to give in to the pleasure again. He was able to calm down enough to move from her, and he grimaced on separating from her. He clearly did hurt.

" _I'll be in the nursery, too. Ifrit, you should wait out there with the others. The moment she comes out, you can help her again,_ " Muninn advised.

"Of course," Ifrit nodded. He nodded to Kiehl and floated out to the bedroom. The moment Muninn was gone, Sarine flipped herself in Howard's lap and pressed down on his tattoo. The next five minutes were given over to him.

"She's on her way out," Beelzebub said.

"She needs to eat the moment she's settled and nursing the kids," Thanatos said.

"The kids should eat before their naps," Hibram said. "They're getting hungry, too."

"Charles will prepare some dishes for them to try," Baphomet Jr. grinned.

"Good," Eremes chuckled. When Sarine came out with Howard, Kiehl, Naght and Ifrit, she was hurried to the nursery. Doppy was waiting for her, but he was still in his original form. He wasn't able to change back yet. She reclined into him gratefully, and he started purr with affection. Howard and Kiehl sat on either side of her, and Evil Snake Lord's twins were the first to reach her. Once they started nursing, she was fed her strong craving dishes. Once the cravings were destroyed, she was able to eat some normal food. When Charles came in, it was to check on her first. He was worried over what happened in the bathroom.

"Sarine? Are you all right?" he asked, as he walked over.

"I am," she nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"I heard that something bad happened," he frowned.

"It did, but we know how to curb it in the future," Kiehl smiled.

"Do you?" he asked now.

"When her kids need her, she comes back around," Howard chuckled.

"Good to know," Charles nodded. "Are the kids ready to eat? I have some dishes ready for them. I want to see their reactions."

"Yep! They all want to eat," Ragged Zombie nodded. "Oh, Charles..."

"Hmm?" the Royal Chef responded. At the soft whisper he got, Charles looked at him like he was joking. "You are  _not_  serious!"

"He is," Beelzebub smirked. Now the Royal Chef was deep in thought.

"We'll talk later," Charles muttered.

"That we will," the zombie agreed. Kiehl was snickering at what Beelzebub whispered to Naght. Now Howard was curious.

"Do you think his blood could do both blood and chocolate?" the Whitesmith mused.

"That would be nice to find out. Oh! Ice cream based?" Kiehl thought aloud. "So blood, cold, and chocolate could be merged?"

"I won't eat it," Doppy snorted to get them all laughing.

"It would be something to think about," Sarine giggled, as she swapped out the finished nursing twins for Elenor and Joseph. At the table, all of the older kids were seated and ready to eat their dinners. As Bacsojin, Doll, and Wicked Nymph served them, Charles set down four platters to be divided between them all on smaller plates.

"Okay, kids," Charles said, as he regarded them all evenly. "With your usual dinners, you have another small plate in front of you. It contains four different flavors. Salty. Bitter. Sweet. Sour. Each small pile on this plate is something I want you all to play with. Mix in small amounts of what you are eating now with the flavors. Tell me what you think."

As the kids now tried new flavors with their meals to compare and talk about, Sarine continued to finish nursing the children that needed her. At a thought of something that she wanted to try to help soothe her developing babies, Kiehl paused actually found himself wanting to try it, too. He looked over at Doppy, and he whispered lightly.

"That would be interesting to try," Doppy mused. "If I can purr to keep her happy, and you purr at the same time for the pregnancy..."

"Is she done nursing?" Howard asked.

"Yes," Kiehl nodded. "Let's try it here."

Doppy nodded and brought out his heavy purr for her. As she relaxed and pressed her face into his neck, Kiehl brought out his deeper, resonating purr for the triplets. She feel into a rather deep sleep almost instantly.

"She's sleeping," Beelzebub muttered to Sammy. He moved straight to a floor cushion to meditate. Howard was just amazed at how potent the purring was now.

"I think it's time for the kids to take a nap," Thanatos chuckled. "If Sarine doesn't wake up, we can move her carefully."

"Right," Doppy muttered through the purr. He had to stop the purr to revert to his powerful form. The moment the purr stopped, Sarine blinked awake with a tired sigh.

"We're all going to take a nap," Kiehl said with a soft nuzzle.

"Okay," she said. She yawned greatly and leaned into him, as he lifted her to carry her.

"Nap time, kids," Ragged Zombie chuckled.

"Dad, when can we cook again?" Angela asked.

"Maybe we can arrange something after your naps. Okay?" Charles smiled.

"Can we try a new recipe?" Serenity beamed.

"We can. We'll see what happens," he nodded. Now the kids were excited, but they showed sleepy signs, too. The moment Sammy sat on a cushion, Ming and Loo Shin snuggled into his lap to fall into a deep sleep. It was the same with Juliana and Deagan when they were settled in the bed between Kiehl and Sarine. Tsurga was holding Gunther, and Doppy had Bianca in his lap. Errende was laying back in a bed with Angela and Edward. It was nearly the same setup with each respective father with their twins. Terin was actually holding both Proserpine and Stolas. He had to recline in a bed, too.

"Is there a bed free for me?" Eremes asked when he was given Elenor and Joseph.

"Yes, there is," Hyegun chuckled and gestured to an unclaimed bed near the balcony. Loomin was surprised to find Sun and Moon with him. Even Muninn wasn't expecting that.

"They didn't want to be left out?" Howard smiled.

" _That they didn't,_ " Muninn smiled back. The Valkyries maidens now changed positions for their charges. One hovered outside the bedroom door, and the other moved to the bedroom balcony window. They were very attentive at all times.

"How long do you think they can sleep for?" Kiehl asked.

" _A good two hours can go by easily,_ " Muninn nodded.

"I'll prepare the kitchen," Charles nodded. He was going to color all of the powdered sugar and flour that was there as a precaution. When he left, the sounds of sleeping kids and adults soon filtered through the room.


	176. Chapter 176

The kids had started to wake up slowly. Many of them were eager to start cooking up their next dish. Those that wanted to were taken to the nursery to change into fresh clothes before taken down to the kitchen. Aliot was still with his twins. They still needed naps. It was the same with Trina and Bernard. Sarine was still sleeping deeply. Hyegun suddenly glanced over and seemed to nod.

"Okay, kids. I'll have it ready. Don't wake her," he said.

"Hmm?" Doppy frowned.

"The triplets are feeling hungry. Not enough to wake her, but enough to show that something needs to be ready for her," he explained. "I'll be back. Most likely with Charles."

"Good," Doppy nodded, as he held his daughter. She was still quite tired, and he had no plans to wake her. Hyegun chuckled and moved down to the kitchen. He saw Charles teaching the kids how to tell the difference between various smells and tastes. He didn't want to teach them a new recipe until all of the kids were there.

"Charles," Hyegun said.

"Something wrong?" the Royal Chef asked.

"Not yet," he sighed. "The triplets are hungry, but not enough to wake Sarine. Are you up to a craving challenge?"

"Always!" Charles grinned. The kids giggled at this. Serenity looked at Siegfried, and they both wanted to know what their sisters wanted. Gunther, Edward, and Angela were curious, too. They wanted to help, if they could.

"They want a dish that's hot, cold, and chocolate based," Hyegun chuckled.

"Can the hot be a form of spice?" Charles asked, as he gleaned some possible ideas.

"Yes," he nodded. Charles quickly moved to get a bar of chocolate, a bowl of Chili Peppers, and various ingredients to make ice cream. The Royal Chef muttered to himself, as he started to prepare the ice cream first. He had to have the ice cream made first, and that took time. He also wanted to get things done while the ice cream was being prepared. On looking over at the eager faces on the kids, he got an idea.

"I need this to chill now, and it needs to be mixed constantly. Kids! Want to help me make a dish for your mother?" Charles asked with a grin.

"Oh! Can we?!" Serenity beamed.

"I would like to help," Angela nodded.

"Yes! I need this kept cold, but always mixed. When one of you gets tired, trade out. Not too fast on mixing, though! Just keep it steady like this, okay? Here's a larger bowl of Ice Cubic pieces. Keep the ice cream bowl in it to help it stay chilled while you all mix it. If there is enough left over, we'll make small treats for everyone," he smiled. Now they were up for it, and Hyegun could only laugh softly at the ingenious of it. As they worked on the ice cream, Charles started to work on crushing down the peppers. There was enough of the ice cream mix to make two separate batches, and that was what he was aiming for.

Once the peppers were prepared, he started on the chocolate bar to melt it down. Hyegun let him work and went into the bedroom. Five minutes later, he ran back down and said, "Sarine's awake! She needs her dish! Now!"

"It's not ready!" Charles winced. He went over to the kids to inspect the ice cream. "It's not firm enough. I do have a few of these..."

He managed to cook up his signature dish for her rather quickly. The small cooked meat with crushed peppers, honey, and slight char was set on a plate. An iced tea and a flavorful cookie was handed over, too. Hyegun nodded his thanks and left quickly. He approached Sarine and gave her the craving dishes.

"Mmm..." she sighed with a light swoon. "Um..."

"Are you serious?" Howard frowned.

"Yes..." she cringed. "And..."

"Kiehl!" he winced. His brother quickly gave over his twins to Nigel and helped carry Sarine into the bathroom. Hyegun blinked and gaped.

"What happened?!" Loomin asked when he found himself blinking awake.

"They didn't stay with her when she slept, but it's fine. She has to be with them now. She also needs more of her craving foods," Hyegun frowned.

"They let her sleep without anyone staying with her? The triplets?" Sammy frowned. He was still rocking a sleeping Ming and Loo Shin in his arms.

"Yes. They were sleeping from the purr. Once they woke and got the dishes they wanted, everything came back in full," Hyegun explained.

"Doppy, if you want to help keep her need to stay with others down, you will need to do that purr a bit more. Anyways, I'm not sure what's going to happen now. The day isn't even over yet. The developing children haven't had their normal growth spurt, either. What should we do for now?" Sammy asked.

"That's a good question," Beelzebub said, as he walked in. "I would suggest the arena, but we ruled that out. Ah. Thanatos and Errende need to be with her. We may as well get them done. Edward and Angela are with Charles right now with Serenity and Siegfried. They are helping him cook, so they're fine."

"Let's go," Thanatos muttered.

"Yes, Lord Thanatos," Errende nodded. As they walked into the bathroom to be with Sarine, Beelzebub paused at something he heard. Terin now looked over with a touch of surprise. He went over to Eremes and whispered softly.

"They're both dead..." the Assassin Cross muttered back.

"Should I get Elric?" he asked.

"Yes," Eremes nodded. He was holding his twins and couldn't move. Beelzebub had to walk into the bathroom to inform them of what was going on.

"Howard, your parents decided to make an appearance," the Demon Lord growled.

"What?!" Howard asked with a form of livid disbelief. Kiehl pressed a kiss to Sarine's forehead, whispered to the developing triplets that he would return and quickly dressed. Beelzebub nodded to him and led him out of the house swiftly. Thanatos wanted to join them, but Sarine had effectively locked him to her. Errende was in the same boat.

"Protect my babies?" she asked.

"You know I will," Thanatos smiled and started to purr deeply to comfort her. Errende was able to bring forth his own purr, but it was nowhere near as intense as the demon's. It was fine, though. Howard nodded to them and found himself heading out to face his parents with Kiehl. Timmy and Armeyer were there, too. They weren't letting them in the house.

"Dad, you can't be here!" Timmy growled.

"This place is huge! Why didn't Howard tell us about this?!" Anthon argued.

"Because you will relapse," Howard said, as he walked out of the house. "We said we would visit when we were ready. Sarine is having a set of triplets that didn't make it in the past. They would have been my first set of kids with her. She will get stressed out very quickly."

"And I refuse to let that happen!" Kiehl seethed with his own form of protective hatred. Doppy had given Bianca over to Nigel, and he was now out of the house with Tsurga. Kalen had soon appeared with Neil and Maheo. When Loomin appeared, they made way for him to study the older couple. As he gazed at them, Wendy seemed to shiver.

"You both need to leave. The kids will see you soon enough. They are currently in a cooking class of sorts. We may not visit you until the next pregnancy happens. You haven't even fully fixed up Howard's room yet, so there is no need to visit," Loomin said.

"I just wanted to see my grandkids..." Anthon frowned.

"Hmm..." Tsurga thought. Doppy looked at him and went to check on Charles.

"Are you done? We need a few of the kids outside. Howard's parents came by without warning. They claim that all they want to do is see the kids," Doppy said.

"The ice cream is mixed properly. I can put the rest in a freezer. Hmm. Baphomet wants to join us out there," Charles smirked. He fixed his glasses, put the rest of the ingredients away, and had the kids follow him out.

"Remember," Doppy growled. "These humans are untrustworthy. Do not tell them of a treasury. Do not tell them we are wealthy. They are only here to see you. And do not invite them inside. If they see how this place truly looks, they will demand to live here. You all  _don't_  want them to live with us! Trust me on this."

"Yes, Dad," they all chorused.

"Where is Bianca?" Gunther asked.

"She is sleeping in your mother's room. She's fine," Doppy said. His son nodded and followed his father out the door with the others. When Gunther faltered, Doppy looked at him.

"Can you get her? I really don't want to meet them without her," Gunther said.

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

"She's my sister. That's why," Gunther nodded. Doppy chuckled and gave a mental nudge to Tsurga. The honorable Captain smiled and went up into the bedroom.

"Let me have Bianca," he said. Nigel nodded and gave over the small girl.

"Hmm?" she asked and blinked awake. "Dad?"

"Your brother wants you to meet someone with him," Tsurga said gently.

"He's a dummy!" Bianca grumbled. Now he fully woke her up with a several tickling pokes. She snuggled into his shoulder, and he gave her a small squeeze. On carrying her out, she made a face at her brother. He made one back, and they giggled. When the kids reached the doorway, Tsurga suddenly moved in front of them to stop them to shield them from sight. Doppy paused at his thought.  _Kiehl was livid. Extremely livid. Something was wrong._

"It's too cold out here! Let's go inside," Anthon said. "I can meet them in there."

"No," Loomin shook his head. On looking at him again, he stiffened. "Howard was right about you. You would dare to try to use the kids as a means to get inside?!"

"Change of plans, kids. Back inside," Charles said quickly. Doppy was bristling with a form of rage. The kids were quick to scramble back into the warmth of the house. Storm Caller was now at the entrance to bar the way in. When Baphomet appeared to protect his grandchildren, he let out a roar of defiance.

"Father," Howard muttered. "I did want you to see the kids. But, after this..."

"I..." Anthon shivered.

"Howard, we didn't mean anything," his mother started.

"You didn't listen to our rules!" Kiehl snapped.

"Yes, you originally came here to see the kids," Loomin said. "Now that you see where we live, you are trying to muscle your way in. It is not your place to be here."

"You should have stayed home," Timmy growled.

"There's no way to fix this, is there?" Armeyer frowned.

" _There is. However, it will be finalized here and now,_ " Muninn said when he walked out of the house. The prophesied twins were secure with the Valkyrie maidens. He froze time around the parents and looked at the others.

"What is your idea?" Kiehl asked. Now that time we frozen, the dangerous need to be with Sarine was put on hold. Thanatos and Errende would be filled in later.

" _I remove all of their memories about Howard, the kids, Sarine, and everything they learned about her up to this point. Timothy will remain in their thoughts. It would be much like I did in the dream vision to have them forget about Howard. If they want grandchildren, it will be done with Timothy and Armeyer. What do you all think?_ " he asked.

"I say to do it," Baphomet rumbled. Naght was in complete agreement through Howard and Kiehl. Timothy was skeptical.

"Will I remember Howie as my brother?" Timothy asked.

" _Yes. It will only affect your parents. However, you are not to mention Howard at any time. If they wonder why a room was being recreated, you can say that it was a guest room at one point. I can implant false memories that the room was being made for Armeyer and future grandchildren. That they know the two of you are married, and that they are eagerly trying to get grandchildren out of you both. That may be best._ "

"I still wanted to be with Sarine in my old room. With my old bed," Howard winced.

"Can we recreate the room here?" Kiehl asked. That had Howard pause in thought.

" _I can easily see us doing that. Not in the proper location, but this can also serve as a separate room for your triplets. As much as they would share the nursery, I know these three girls will need the most attention. The other kids will understand. When they outgrow the room, they can rejoin the other children,_ " Muninn smiled.

"Yeah. Let's do that. I remember all the furnishing my room had before. The monsters can help remake them," Howard nodded. "We have my old bed, and that was the main piece of furniture I was really worried about. The rest can be recreated."

"Then we're done here. Howard, you and I will go back to see Sarine. When we're stable, we'll pick a proper room for your old bedroom. Let's go. Muninn, do what you have to with them. And I don't care if you cause them pain," Kiehl smirked. Muninn laughed softly and nodded. "A word of advice to you, Tim. I would suggest that you and Armeyer leave for Amatsu. Wait in the house for them. Almost like you were doing a surprise visit to them. You may have to stay with them for a couple days. Just...evaluate them for us."

"I can do that," Timmy nodded. Armeyer was all for it, too. Howard just smiled, since it would get his biological brother out of the way for a while. He didn't say it that way, but Kiehl and Naght both knew that Howard needed the small break.  _If Timothy wanted to rebuild trust, he was going to need to do this._

When time resumed, Kiehl and Howard were quick to head back to Sarine. Thanatos and Errende were filled in on what happened. Sarine could only agree with the memory wipe.

"I do feel a bit upset that they would lose you as a son," she whispered to Howard. "But, they had already harmed and hurt you so much..."

"I know," he muttered and rocked her. She was still with Thanatos and Errende, but they both knew he needed her like this. "At least I have you, my kids, and my brothers here."

"Always," Kiehl nodded from where he reclined by them. He easily kept a hand on Sarine's leg. His eyes were closed in silent reflection of what just happened. Naght and Ifrit were keeping the bathroom air warm. Howard was just happy to have Sarine in his arms.

"Did you want to work on the bedroom now?" she smiled.

"No. I need to wait for you to help me. It was...risky enough for me to be away from you," he muttered and swallowed. "I really can't stand being away from you right now."

"Okay, How-How," she said and snuggled into him. He let out a heavy sigh and looked over at the bathroom entrance. Terin walked in to sit with them.

"Your parents were sent back to Amatsu. Timothy and Armeyer are already there. And, ah, Serenity wants to come in here to see everyone," he chuckled. Byorgue and Nigel were already coming in with a few fur blankets. Aliot was still holding his twins in the bedroom. They needed the rest. Juliana and Deagan were resting with Observation for now. They actually liked the way his wings covered over them. Of course, Drago and Maya Purple were with the nest. Injustice was in the kitchen preparing a late lunch with Charles.

When they were sure that Sarine was adequately covered with Thanatos and Errende, Serenity was carefully allowed in.

"Dad!" she giggled and pounced into his arms. Howard was still sitting down, and he was quick to give her a couple tickles to hear her laugh. "Um, what's gonna happen now?"

"In a bit, I'm going to make a special room for your triplet sisters. I'd let them use the nursery, but you know how they're special. When they get older, they'll join the rest of you," he smiled and kissed her cheek. "You taste like chocolate. Hmm..."

"I was helping Daddy Charles make ice cream!" she beamed. Then she squealed at the sloppy kisses he purposely gave her cheek. "No! Stop it!"

"You want me to stop?" Howard grinned wickedly. "Should we let Nigel get your other cheek? Maybe there's more chocolate there!"

"No!" she paled and squealed even more at the heavy licks Nigel gave her in his Nine Tail form. He let his whiskers tickle the back of her neck for more squealing bouts of laughter. When she was out of breath, Kiehl took over by grabbing at her feet to tickle her. Naght chuckled loudly and pulled her into the safety of his arms. When she made a face at him, he rumbled laughter and let his essence tickle her sides.

"That's why you don't make faces at Naght!" Errende chuckled. Serenity was still giggling in Naght's arms, but now she was tired and out of breath.

"How are you feeling? Able to move from us?" Thanatos asked Sarine.

"Do you feel that you are done?" Kiehl asked. "She can't tell, but you can."

"I think so," Errende nodded.

"Either you think or you know. It's two different sensations. Ten more minutes," Thanatos said. "Howard, you should get the materials ready for the triplet room."

"Beelzebub will," Terin smiled. "Already done."

"Fine," the demon nodded. Doppy walked in to sit with them and rest a hand on Sarine's leg. She looked at him questionably, but it was with a smile.

"I want to help with the room," he said.

"Okay," Howard nodded. "I have no issues with that."

"Good," Doppy grinned. Sarine was able to pull him close to hug and run her hands through his hair to hear him purr. "Damn you..."

"You need this, too," she smiled softly. He gave her a gentle smile and kissed her forehead.  _Her triplets were mine now._ Ten minutes went by swiftly. Serenity was taken out of the bathroom to let Sarine get dressed. Howard and Kiehl were able to help her, and Doppy was able to lead them out. She was fed, and the plans for the triplet bedroom was given.

"We can make an off-shoot of the nursery," Beelzebub said. "There is plenty of room in the back of it. The room is already being constructed. We even have the room accessible from the sitting area. The bathrooms are now between the boys and girls rooms."

"That makes it seem a bit cramped," Kiehl frowned.

"The house was carefully widened," Beelzebub chuckled.

"What?!" Howard blinked. "We didn't feel anything!"

"The builders are that good. And that efficient," the Demon Lord grinned again. "If you want to see what was done, then follow me."

"Okay," Sarine smiled. Several of her men followed her into the nursery. Maya Purple and Drago were readjusting the nest from a few areas that were moved for space. Everything was as Beelzebub said. The bedrooms were on the left when one walked in with the bathroom doors between them. The sitting area was on the right with the privacy wall. Along the side a bit more was a new room. It could be torn down later or used for other children.

"Very impressive," Kiehl smiled. He saw the door that went from the sitting room into the new room. It was a touch spacious for the bed. It would be converted into a cradle for the triplets later. "Howard, let's get my sketchpad. You try to remember what your furniture was like, and I'll draw it out from your thoughts. I'm sure Sarine needs to nurse a few children."

"She does," Eremes nodded. His twins were hungry. She was settled in the rocking bench. Byorgue got Kiehl the paper and pencils he needed. Howard was able to recall the furniture for Kiehl to put on paper. After it was all done, Injustice took the paper to Storm Caller. A team of monsters were soon in the small room to make the furniture. Alice and Aliza were quick to clean up the mess. Sarine couldn't leave for a good thirty minutes until the kids were done nursing. When Evil Snake Lord had his twins, she was able to get up. Muninn was helping to burp Moon and Sun. Beelzebub and Entweihen were comforting their twins.

Howard walked into the room first and set up the furniture the way he remembered it. Kiehl was quick to help. Doppy held Sarine and watched Howard's childhood room reform.  _It was a nice room._  Quaint, tidy, and had everything he could have needed. It lacked the closet, but that was fine. He didn't care about the wall colors, either. It was just the nostalgia of the room, itself. It made him tremble with vivid memories.  _That was what mattered._

"I'll wait outside," Doppy nodded.

"Thanks," Howard swallowed. Kiehl was quick to push Sarine into Howard's arms. When Doppy walked out of the room and shut the door, he smirked.  _The room was pretty sound proof._  He liked that. He knew that Howard desperately needed this.  _They all did._  Naght and Ifrit hovered around the doors to keep the air warm. It was also to keep the kids out. The cute pet monsters were able to filter into the room to distract them. Charles was busy preparing dinner with a few slaves. He figured he'd have an hour.  _It was plenty of time._


	177. Chapter 177

Howard was still clinging to Sarine. Kiehl had to join him. She was nestled securely in their embraces with an intense form of relief. Howard had his face pressed into her neck. After a while, Kiehl nodded, separated from her with a bit of pain, and reclined back in the bed. As long as he was against her somehow, he would be fine.

"Sarine," Howard whimpered with a panting breath. "I can't..."

"Can't what, How-How?" she smiled. He kissed her desperately and pushed her down into the mattress. He claimed her with a violent need that hat her screaming with release at each thrust he did. Kiehl could only grin silently. _Howard may not have the size of a demon, but he knew how to use what he had exceptionally well._

"Are you alive?" Kiehl grinned a bit more after his brother cried out.

"Shut up..." Howard panted and rested against her. Kiehl laughed softly and shrugged.

"It's okay, How-How," she whispered.

"No," he swallowed. "It isn't. I shouldn't have...left you alone..."

"Shut up," Kiehl ordered.

"It's fine, Kiehl," she said. "Let him talk."

"Fine," Kiehl sighed. "Don't stress her."

"I know," Howard muttered and squeezed her to him. "I should have married you, Sarine. I should have never left you alone like that. I should have refused everything when I found out it was a year away from you. I still can't believe that I doubted your love for me. That I thought you dropped me and left. I should have known better."

"I never lost my love for you. I never will," she said softly and nuzzled into his neck. "You were my main reason for living."

"Tell me," he shivered. Kiehl glared at him when he found out what he wanted to ask. "I have to know. How many nightmares did you have?"

"I can't tell you that, because I lost count," she trembled. He swore and clung to her.

"I'm so sorry..." he whispered. "I'll never forgive myself for putting you through that."

"It's done, How-How."

"But, the guilt is there!" he growled. "I just..."

"Howard," Kiehl sighed with a touch of irritation. "Stop kicking yourself."

"Can't help it," he muttered. She winced and pressed herself into him. He kept his arms around her and tried to focus. "What were your nightmares mainly about?"

"What was the last one I had?" she whimpered. He swore and rocked her. "All of my dreams...turned to that. Being trapped away. The suffocating loneliness. Waking up in complete fear with a damp pillow from crying so much..."

"I'm sorry!" Howard gasped when he started to shed tears. "I'm so sorry!"

"Sarine!" Kiehl hissed when she gasped from the pain of a growth spurt. Sammy and Thanatos rushed in when Doppy and Tsurga gave startled shouts of pain. Howard gaped and had to back away a bit to let her get checked.

"They grew. Twenty-five percent," Sammy said with a mild glare. Howard groaned, and Kiehl ran a hand over his face. "What happened?"

"We were...talking about the past..." Howard admitted.

"The stress hit her. Good job!" Thanatos growled. At Kiehl's glare, he nodded with respect. "Anyways, she's hungry now. Ah. Howard, put your hand on her belly, please. You too, Kiehl. You won't be very happy."

"What?" Howard blinked. He placed a hand on her belly now and felt several well-placed kicks into his palm. The triplets grew to show him they were there.  _To comfort me._  The other twins grew, too, but they simply swirled around with contentment. It was the triplets that wanted to make themselves known. Hyegun walked in with a slightly pained smile on his face. He knew why they forced the growth.

"They decided," he sighed. "that every time you start to piss off Sarine, or stress her out, that they are going to kick you to keep it from getting bad. They had to grow to do this."

"As much as I hate knowing that they grew," Kiehl said with his own sigh. "That's a pretty strong reason as to why they did it."

Sarine was looking away, but she was blushing softly. When her belly rumbled, Charles was sent for. Naght and Ifrit had to come into the room to feel their growing offspring. At the strong movement, they both gave their own chuckles. Then Naght looked at Howard.

"You...are...an...idiot...!" Naght growled.

"Don't remind me," Howard growled back.

"I'll remind him," Kiehl grinned wickedly. Naght laughed at Howard now, and Kiehl only shrugged at the glare he was rewarded with.

"My husbands..." Sarine sighed with exhaustion. The growth spurt sapped her of all of her strength.  _Five kids was definitely pushing the limit._  As much as Thanatos was giving a small grin of his own, it was Sammy that was fully concerned for her health.

"Her strength is getting depleted rather quickly," Sammy muttered. He felt her forehead and her belly. Her heart was actually beating a bit harder to support the growing babies. "This is bad. She needs more fluids. Now."

Kiehl now dropped his jaw with surprise. Charles was already delivering some hot chocolate, her craving dishes, and other beverages to help her. On being told that she needed regular water as much as possible, he completely understood. "I'll make sure she has chilled water whenever she needs it. Would mildly flavored be good?"

"After she has regular water, yes. She needs a lot more fluid. She has five children in her that all need this. In fact, Hyegun! Maybe they can help us. See if there is any type of flavored water they would like to have. We can make it fun for them to keep them calm," Sammy said. That had Hyegun grinning, and he moved to Sarine's side to whisper to her belly.

"Hmm," Hyegun though aloud. He rubbed her belly gently at each responding kick. "They all want sweet flavored water. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel...even mint! One wants a spicy aftertaste. That might be from Ifrit. Yeah, the boy wants that. Oh? That could be hard to do. We won't know who we're talking to!"

"What do they want?" Howard asked.

"They want us to name them," Hyegun grinned. "They...are willing to...kick in response to the names that are called out. Let me talk to the other kids. They'll give us some good suggestions. I'll be right back."

"They want names already?!" Kiehl gaped.

"What the triplets want..." Sarine smiled softly, as she drank down her hot chocolate.

"Yes," Howard chuckled. He set her empty mug down and kissed her intensely. All of them knew that this was mainly his first pregnancy with her. They all respected it.

"Our babies are fine, How-How," she nuzzled him. "Right now they are fine."

"Sarine..." he sighed. "Funny. I should be saying that to you."

"Then we will say it to each other," she smiled.

"I love you," he whispered softly. He held her to him with his face against her neck.

"I love you, too," she whispered back. "Have an idea on names?"

"No. I can't really...think of any right now..." he swallowed.

"You are really letting this eat at you," Kiehl snorted and sat up. "You might want to get dressed. I think the kids may be coming in."

"It's okay, How-How," she smiled and ran a hand over his jaw. At the shiver she felt him give next, she rocked him gently. "Hush, How-How. It's okay."

"What does he like to eat?" Charles muttered to Kiehl.

"Hmm. Ah!" Kiehl chuckled and whispered to him.

"I'll be right back," Charles grinned softly and left with the empty dishes. Moving into the kitchen, he started to scour through his thoughts of what Amatsu was famous for other than sushi. _Rice by itself was the next thing, and Kiehl told me that Howard had a sweet tooth. He just didn't really show it._  Musing to himself, he glanced over what he had. An idea easily came to mind, and he cleared off a work table.

Moving to the pantry, he grabbed five Bags of Grain, ten Strawberries, ten Fig Leaves, a Yellow Spice, a Savory Spice, and two Red Spices. Plucking the eighth level cookbook off the shelf, he flipped to the page that showed how to make a Strawberry Flavored Rice Ball. He thought and grabbed another set of ingredients to make two dishes. Grabbing a couple deluxe cooking kits, he was able to make them both skillfully.

Taking both prepared dishes back to the nursery, he dodged playing kids and was forced to stop at Bianca's questioning look.

"What did you make?! It smells good!" she gasped.

"Go to the kitchen and look at the book on the table, okay?" he smiled. "These dishes are for Howard and your mother."

She made a dash for the kitchen, and he walked into the newly made room. At his smile, he presented the dishes to Howard and Sarine. Howard's eyes went wide. Sarine gave a soft gasp of childish delight. Kiehl grinned and accepted a couple bites from Sarine's dish when it was offered to him. At the flavors that he experienced next, he said, "This works!"

"Think so?" Charles laughed. Howard had all, but inhaled his dish. "Want another one?"

"Hmm," Howard thought. "Able to make some sort of meat on a spit?"

"I have an idea," Charles grinned. He took the two empty plates and went back into the kitchen. Watching Bianca make her dish to eat, he chuckled. "I need to make something else."

"Like what?" she asked and licked her plate clean of strawberry juice.

"Put this book back and get me the seventh level book, please," he said. She did just that, and he opened the book to the page he needed.

"Assorted Shish Kabob?" she blinked.

"Yes. Want to help me get the ingredients?" he smiled. She walked quickly to the pantry, as she remembered not to run, and scoured through the drawers and shelves. He called out what she needed to find. Five pieces of meat, ten Edible Mushrooms, ten Scale Shells, five Fish Gills, ten Clam Flesh, and ten Soft Blades of Grass were gathered and brought to him. Thanking her, he took out a deluxe cooking kit and cooked everything together carefully. He blinked his surprise when the dish failed by not cooking right. He sighed and laughed. It was a reason that he liked to work with his own creations. He simply took a chance at a known recipe.

"You failed?!" she gaped.

"Yes. Even the best chef doesn't always succeed, you know," he chuckled.

"Um...want me to make it?" she asked.

"Only if you remember what I need without the cookbook," he grinned.

"Oh," she winced.

"I'm teasing you," he laughed softly and pat her on the head. "Go back to the pantry, and I'll tell you what I need, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled. _In time, she would learn this dish with the others._  Bringing back the ingredients, he got the outdoor cooking kit for her. She could use any kit successfully, and it helped save on the harder to get equipment. "Here you go!"

"Thank you," Charles said. He inspected the dish and smiled his gratitude. He ran a hand over her back to praise her and took the finished meat skewer to Howard. The moment he walked into the small room that Howard was in, the dish was gestured for. He laughed and gave it over to be demolished like the first one.

"You didn't make me one?" Sarine frowned. Charles actually paused with surprise. At this, he turned to see Bianca walking in with a small smile on her face. She had an Assorted Shish Kabob dish in her hands to give him.

"I saw you didn't make one for Mom," she grinned and gave over the dish. He laughed, took the dish from her and hugged her tight.

"You are a life saver!" he grinned and kissed her forehead.

"Thanks, Dad," she beamed. The dish was now given over for Sarine to enjoy. She was thoroughly enjoying it. Sighing with contentment now, she leaned back into Kiehl. Howard and her had to dress, but Howard was able to recline with her between him and his brother. He ran a hand over her belly and sighed heavily at the kicking.

"I should be with others to have them stay with me," Sarine said gently.

"Not yet," Sammy said when he was able to walk back in. "The kids are thinking of baby names. Some really good ones were picked out!"

"Okay," Howard smiled. When the group of kids came in, they sat around the small room carefully. When they started to voice out names, none of the babies responded.

"Um...Isabel?" Angela said softly. A kick finally happened.

"Ifrit and Naght's daughter wants that one," Hyegun said. Angela giggled with delight.

"Rebecca!" Serenity said. A kick happened at that one now.

"That was a triplet," Hyegun grinned.

"Dianna," Edward said. Another approving kick from a triplet was given. A few more names were called out with no success.

"Alexandra," Alexis said. A kick finally happened and Kiehl grinned softly. He had a feeling that it was that particular triplet that was to be the Alchemist.

"Now there's one boy," Kiehl said.

"I got this one," Gunther grinned. "Leonard."

That got a rather sharp, approving kick. Gunther grinned a bit more, and Doppy nodded. He checked the time and mused out loud, "It's not that late yet. We still have some time before the day is out. What should we do now?"

"I'm not sure," Sarine admitted.

"We could do a dream vision," Kiehl chuckled.

"About what?" she frowned.

"Oh, meeting one of us at random. How about that?" he asked.

"Oh?" she blinked. "Um...I suppose..."

"Good. Let's go into the main bedroom. We'll have this bed moved into the bathroom and out of the way of the showers. We can use it later," Kiehl said.

"We can do that," Howard smiled. He kissed Sarine's cheek and finally rose up with her. As much as he still needed her, he was curious about the dream vision. Since nothing was described on what to see, it was going to be completely random.

" _A precaution,_ " Muninn said when he walked over. " _In case it is stressful, Thanatos and Errende should have their hands on her belly._ "

"True," Kiehl nodded. Loomin was informed and got the two needed. Once she was secure, the others gathered around to let the dream vision happen. Unbeknownst to anyone, Loki had his own plans. He sent a suggestion into their meditation. He was curious about something. Now he sat back and watched the dream vision unfold...


	178. Chapter 178

The group was in Lighthalzen. Sarine and Howard were already well-established as a couple. Eremes had to hide his jealousy, but he would never leave Sarine's side. He had vowed to protect her, after all. When they all walked into the main office of the recruitment building, the receptionist pulled up their files.

"Good! You all have arrived. There will be an orientation with a brief discussion as to what is to be done. Oh. The falcon will need to be returned to the breeder. We cannot allow any pets or animal aid from this point forward," the young woman said lightly. The falcon on Sarine's shoulders seemed to blink with surprise at this. They all missed the reaction.

"Okay," Sarine nodded. Howard frowned. She had grown attached to the bird.  _Now I have to let it go?_  The falcon was clearly agitated by this. Ever since they woke this morning, the bird looked worried. Even now when she went to release it, the claws clamped down harder on her shoulders. Then it tried to pull her out of the room!

"Sarine?" Seyren blinked.

"I don't know what's wrong!" she gasped. Several guards appeared to help her, and they scowled when their hands got pecked at. The falcon was refusing to let her go. Eremes was studying everything silently. _Did the bird know something they didn't?_  It seemed to look that way to him. Even Kathryne looked surprised. Her falcon never did something like this that she could remember. Cecil and Margaretha were just as surprised.

"Little sis?" Cecil frowned.

"That bird looks larger than normal, doesn't it?" one guard asked.

"A mutation?" another thought aloud.

"We should catch it," a third one said. Now the falcon screamed in a form of defiant rage. It had no choice. It released Sarine and flew out the door swiftly. But, it didn't go back to the breeder. Instead, it flew up high into the heavens and straight to Odin's palace. When it landed, it was panting and hopping up to the throne to warble its worry.

"Huginn. I know. I saw. I give you back your form, now that you are here," the wizened man in the throne nodded. When Huginn appeared as his white-haired, warrior self, the look of intense worry and fear was clearly seen.

"Father Odin, I tried to help her!" Huginn said frantically in his whispery voice.

"I know you did," Odin said. "This is most perplexing."

"Father Odin...it's worse than that! Howard Alt-Eisen...he got Sarine pregnant!" Huginn said with a wince. Now Odin looked at him with a single-eyed look of shock. "If they find out she's pregnant...if she's hurt..."

"Muninn! Come to me!" Odin commanded. A black raven cawed and flew down before shifting into Huginn's counterpart with black hair.

" _Father Odin! Sarine will die! She should not have been accepted!_ " Muninn said now. " _We MUST intervene! All will be lost, if she is killed!_ "

"And the pregnancy? What of that?" Odin asked.

" _It's...possible that she may lose it. However, you can give it back to her later,_ " Muninn said with a touch of sadness. " _But...if we recruit the right one to help us..._ "

"It can be saved?" Huginn asked.

" _It can. By a slim margin. And, Huginn...you are an idiot for hiding yourself as her falcon! If you got caught..._ "

"But, I did not," Huginn said with a small snort. "I didn't want to leave Sarine, but I couldn't afford to get caught. Anyways, who do we need to recruit to save her?"

" _The Lighthalzen Creator, Kiehl Hyre._   _He is about to activate the next one to replace him. If that happens, we will lose our chance when he gets locked away elsewhere. But, if we go now and stop him, we will have a chance. Father Odin? May we step in?_ " Muninn asked.

"Go. Be swift," Odin nodded. "Do not get caught."

" _I will freeze time,_ " Muninn nodded.

"Can't we just freeze time to save her?" Huginn asked.

"No. It would break too many rules. It may also give way to her true identity in being my daughter, my Vessel. We must be cautious. Only when we know that we can safely bend a rule will be the only time to do so. Speaking to Kiehl Hyre in a timeless warp is bending such a rule. No time will be lost to him. He will be able to postpone his clone's appearance. Go! Waste no more time! Save her!" Odin commanded. Both Huginn and Muninn bowed to him, reverted to their raven forms, and flew down from the palace.

In Lighthalzen, the orientation was finishing up. Kiehl Hyre was busy putting on the finishing touches to his replacement's uniform in a room on the opposite side of the building. At a pecking to one of the upper windows, he paused. He didn't recognize that sound. Choosing to ignore it, he went back to his work. At a harder pecking, he scowled and finally turned to where the sound was coming from. At the sight of two of the largest ravens he had ever seen, he paused in shock. His Homunculus side recognized them. The instinct to serve and heed them quickly took root.

He straightened himself up and made sure that no cameras were locked on him. This was his secret quarters, anyways.  _Such a thing was not needed._ Grabbing a pole, he raised it up to lift the window latch. When the ravens landed and reverted to human form, time was silently frozen. At the intense stares that something important was needed to be discussed, Kiehl moved to sit down and gesture for them to speak.

" _Thank you for making time to speak with us on such a short notice. We know how busy you are,_ " Muninn said softly. " _You know who we are by instinct alone. Correct?_ "

"I do," Kiehl nodded. "The messengers. The very Eyes of our Lord Odin."

"Yes. I am Huginn," Huginn nodded.

" _And I am Muninn,_ " his brother nodded.

"And to what...honor...am I bestowed with your meeting me?" Kiehl asked.

" _A girl was administered here today. One that should not have been admitted at all,_ " Muninn said with a heavy sigh. " _She will die, if you do not intervene._ "

"I see..." Kiehl frowned.

"Lighthalzen officials cannot know of her," Huginn grimaced. "She is not to know who she is, too. She is not ready for the knowledge. They will force things on her the moment her blood is drawn. You  _must_  protect her!"

"What does she look like?" Kiehl asked now.

" _Instinct will tell you. Even your servants will pave the way to her,_ " Muninn said. " _We cannot reveal too much. But...there is another worry we have. She is involved with a Blacksmith that was taken in, too. They were...together before they came here. He got her pregnant. He does not know this. She does not know, either. In time, it will be revealed to them. Or, when you know it is safe to do so._ "

"I..." Kiehl blinked. "And...if she is to undergo experiments..."

"The pregnancy may be in complete danger and die," Huginn muttered. "And, if the officials here force her pregnancy to live..."

"I won't let that happen," Kiehl said with a small growl. As one who was born and made to be an experiment, he knew all too well that he would refuse such a thing to happen to another. He would rather see the pregnancy fail, if he could not safeguard it.

" _You may have to speak with both the girl and the Blacksmith. The girl...if she sleeps alone, she will get intense nightmares. Maybe she can tell them to you. Maybe not. The Blacksmith was the key to her survival for so long. If they are separated..._ " Muninn swallowed.

"It may have been all right, if she wasn't admitted here. But, with everything going on around here..." Huginn shivered. "the nightmares will simply intensify."

"What of my current project?" Kiehl asked now. "They will expect me to finish it!"

" _Delay it. Cause a malfunction that will take time to fix. I have time frozen as of right now. And, before you ask, no, we cannot take the girl from here. Our Lord Odin forbids it. It would break too many rules and upset a Balance,_ " Muninn said grimly.

"I can understand that. Very well. Give me a moment," Kiehl said. He got up from the chair, moved to his cloned body, and started to corrode various pieces of key hardware that he would need to replace. _And such a thing took time._  He made it look like there was an accidental spill on the circuitry, too. _It would set the project back, but this was too important. The messengers of Odin sought me out._   _They needed my guidance._   _I am being recognized by the gods. I would be a fool to send them off._ When he showed that everything was ready, Muninn nodded to him with a look of relief.

" _Go to the orientation room. You will find the girl there. Quickly!_ " Muninn urged. Kiehl watched them revert to ravens and fly out through the window after time came back.

"Aliot! Alicel! Escort now!" Kiehl commanded.

"Yes, Master," they both said at the same time. Alicel hovered in the air with her deadly claws revealed. Aliot innocently walked alongside her, as they followed their master.

"You both saw what happened. Say nothing," Kiehl warned.

"We know, Master," Alicel said.

"The girl is special," Aliot said gently. Now Kiehl turned to look at them with surprise.  _What they said was not in their programming._

"How are you talking like this?" Kiehl asked.

"This girl...she is special. She has awakened human-like qualities in us just by being near," Alicel admitted. "We will protect her to the fullest."

"Just give the word, and I will be available to her at all times," Aliot said sternly. "If she dies, all is lost. You are not a full monster, Master. You do not understand how important this is. This girl...she is the key to our survival. To the world's survival."

"You will know when you see her, Master," Alicel nodded.

"Then let's hurry!" Kiehl insisted. They moved faster down the halls now. On reaching the room they needed, the orientation was over. Each individual was taken into small rooms for private evaluations on health.  _That meant blood needed to be drawn._  "Find the Blacksmith after the girl is found. If you see him, make sure he knows that I will be giving an audience with him. Go! We can't let them take blood from her!"

They needed no further convincing. Sarine was in one of the last rooms they searched. The doctor there was getting ready to draw her blood. She was clearly nervous.

"Come, come, my dear," the doctor said soothingly. "You won't feel a thing."

"I don't know," Sarine shivered. "I've never done this before."

"Really? You've never had blood drawn to see what type you are?" the man blinked.

"No. It was never needed," she frowned.

"Well, it will be fun to find out, yes?" he chuckled. Just as the needle was about to pierce her outstretched arm, the door burst open from Aliot's hard kick.

"Unhand her. Now," Aliot demanded. "Master Kiehl will take over this patient personally. He is on his way here."

"What?! Kiehl Hyre?! Not possible!" the doctor scoffed. Sarine was in complete shock at what was going on. Aliot moved over to her side and flicked the needle out of the doctor's hand. Then he scooped up Sarine to hold her against his form. The urge to protect her was too much. He had no choice in his actions. Sarine looked into Aliot's face with fear, but she felt oddly reassured at the warm smile he gave her. She knew she would be protected. She even found herself pressing her face into his neck. The doctor was shocked.

"Doctor, stand down," Kiehl said, as he walked in. He wasn't able to really see Sarine yet to show his true reaction, and his mind was locked into his logical side for now to save face. Alicel was ready to slice into the man when she hovered behind her master's walking pace. Just by watching the look of intense hatred in the floating monster was enough for the doctor to obey Kiehl's wishes. "This patient is now my sole responsibility. A higher up has informed me of this, and I accepted the charge. And, if you object or report this, I know where you sleep."

"Ah...of course..." the doctor paled. Kiehl was renowned for sending out assassins for various missions.  _Who knew how many he sent out for his own deeds?_

"Destroy the file on this girl," Kiehl said.

"I can't do that! It's already in the system! To do that would be a direct violation of terms. Even you know this. And, if I tried, I'll get tracked and questioned. If we don't get any information on her, then she will be sought out. Even from your quarters!" the doctor growled.

"Then I will collect and add in any information," Kiehl muttered. "And, if you send anyone to my quarters without proper notification, I will terminate you."

"Fine..." the doctor said quickly.

"Aliot. Take her to my chambers. The Blacksmith needs to be there, too," Kiehl said.

"Howard Alt-Eisen was already sent to the lab to be processed," the doctor said. The name sent a rather nostalgic feeling through Kiehl. _Did I know this one?_  But, now he processed the news. He was not expecting what he just heard.

"What?!" Kiehl gaped.

"He was a remarkable find! We are already giving him the first injection..." the doctor started. Sarine gasped and shivered at this news. Aliot rocked her gently, as he continued to hold her. He refused to set her down at any time.

"What...injection...?" Kiehl asked slowly.

"Demonic blood! I thought you knew this," the doctor sighed. "You know nothing of this whole experiment? To make Demonic soldiers to work for our cause?"

"He's being given..." Kiehl blinked. "What demon?"

"Oh, the one called...um...what was it...ah! Naght Seiger," the doctor nodded.

"Shit!" Kiehl hissed. The doctor paused. Kiehl wasn't known to swear. "Aliot! Take her to my chambers! Alicel! Escort him! I need to find Howard!"

"I could lead you to him. I'm sure I have another project, though," the doctor said. At the murderous look that Kiehl gave, he suddenly coughed. "Right! This way!"

Aliot and Alicel were quick to take Sarine to Kiehl's luxurious bedchamber. As much as Kiehl didn't need the extra comforts, it was required of his station. Sarine was tenderly set down in a plush chair, and she was exceptionally worried over Howard.

"Don't worry," Aliot soothed and patted her hand. "You are safe here. We'll bring the Blacksmith here, too. We will do all that we can."

"How-How..." she whimpered. "Is he hurt?"

"We don't know," Alicel admitted. "But, do have some tea. It will help calm you."

"I don't know," Sarine shivered. "I mean, if he's brought here to see me, won't it seem bad? He'll have to continue to go through with this, right?"

"It's possible. We may be able to arrange to have his sleeping quarters here with you," Aliot thought aloud. He had to bring something to light, and he went with something they did before. "We were under the impression that the two of you were not to be parted. We had tracked all of our possible recipients to see how they would be the night before the experiment. We understand that you and the Blacksmith are, as they say, an item?"

"Ah...yes..." Sarine said with a soft blush. "He's my boyfriend."

"And you cannot be without him?" Aliot asked softly. He was already feeling a twinge of jealousy.  _Such an emotion was not for me to know!_

"I've traveled with him for a good four years of my life," she frowned. "He...protected me when I needed it. I love him. I owe him much."

"And he has always slept with you?" Alicel asked out of curiosity.

"Well..." Sarine seemed to fluster, but was encouraged to continue. "It was just sleeping. I always got...really bad nightmares, you see? I can't sleep alone. That's when they come back. I haven't gotten them since How-How...Howard...slept with me to keep them away. He and I have a connection on such a level that he can feel my thoughts. My emotions. I woke up scared, and he almost broke down the inn door to reach me! After four nights, he simply decided to share a room with me after that."

"What are your nightmares about?" Aliot asked gently. On hearing how important this man was to her, he had no more reason to be jealous.  _This Blacksmith protected her against nightmares and clearly cherished her._

"I...would rather not say..." Sarine whispered and looked away from them. Alicel was now clearly concerned. Sarine's face had paled to several shades of white. _Something bad happened to this special child. Something that could be even worse than they all knew. Kiehl would need to be informed of this._

While they were talking to Sarine, Kiehl had tracked down Howard. The Blacksmith had just received the first shot of Demonic essence from Naght Seiger. The man looked haggard, drained, and fighting with himself. Kiehl was already swearing internally. _It should not have happened this quickly!_ Glaring at the doctors in the room, they took the hint and left. They knew they had to do something in case they got interrupted. Clearing his throat, Kiehl calmly walked up to Howard. The man seemed to glare in a way that it wasn't him.

"Are you Howard Alt-Eisen?" Kiehl asked carefully.

"Yes and no," Howard muttered back with a wince. "They...put something in me..."

"I know they did. I tried to stop it."

"My friends..."

"The same thing happened to them. The girl is safe."

"Sarine? You...saved her?!" Howard gasped and fought for control.

"Yes. She's in my quarters. I was forewarned. If she went through what you just did, she would have died. As to who told me...it's classified. I am Kiehl Hyre."

"I'm...Howard Alt-Eisen. What...did they put...in me? Do you know?"

"They are turning you into an instrument of war. They injected blood into you from a demon known as Naght Seiger. This is what I know about you."

"The others?! Oh, no..." Howard gasped.

"I can find out about them, but I need to take you to...Sarine, is it?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes..." he nodded weakly. "I have...no control..."

"I can help you," Kiehl said.

"No. I'll walk," Howard said in a slightly more defined tone. When he stood up, his pupils were already glowing red. "I am Naght Seiger. If not in flesh, then in awareness. My body is in my tower, but my mind is here. This girl that you speak of...she calls to me. I want to see her. I need to find out more about her."

"Can Howard hear us?" Kiehl asked.

"No. The human fools around us will not know of my existence, until I decide they deserve to know of it," he growled.

"Good. Muninn and Huginn contacted me. Our Lord Odin sent them to my quarters to warn me of various events. Also, I was informed that this girl has been impregnated by the body you now possess. It's too soon to tell..."

"WHAT?!" Howard's form seethed. "Her body will not accept it! She's in danger!"

"You...know this...?" Kiehl blinked.

"As a demon, it's instinctive to know! This body I'm in is too weak for her! I need to see to her! Now! If not now, then you will have to help her when the time comes. When her body starts to show the pain...that will be the time to help her. If not me, then it will have to be you. You have enough monster blood in you to help her. Only a strong monster can do this. Others could, but it may not be enough. I will need more of my blood in this body to do anything for her. So, I will request this of you. I will make an alliance with you to protect the girl. I usually don't stoop so low. But...if Lord Odin sent his two Eyes to you..."

"I agree," Kiehl nodded. They shook hands sternly. In reality, none of this would have happened. The demon would have been slow to come about. When Kiehl stepped in, his two minions were seen while looking for Sarine. It tipped off the other doctors and scientists to give over more blood to their precious patients than normal.

"I know the others may become aware soon, too. I shall meet with them in my own way to inform them of this. I can...scent the blood of Baphomet and Beelzebub. Various others, too. I shall make them aware of this girl. I shall ask them to join our alliance. You said you wanted Howard to meet with her?" Naght asked.

"Yes. She needs him to feel reassured. I may even have him share a bedchamber with her each night, if I can do it. If not...she will share my bed," Kiehl sighed.

"Her nightmares...yes. I see," Naght muttered, as he gleaned Howard's memories. "She always gets nightmares when she sleeps alone. Horrific ones of being alone in a cell."

"What?" Kiehl asked now.

"He knows nothing of her past. Her dreams hint them. She was tortured. Badly."

"We will confront her for the truth."

"We must. Take me to the girl. I will give Howard back. He will recall nothing," Naght nodded. When the glow faded from his eyes, the man gasped and gripped his head with both hands from the intense headache that happened.

"Are you all right? You seemed to have blacked out," Kiehl said softly.

"It just..." Howard hissed and coughed. "Sarine...I need her..."

"Come with me, okay? I'll take you to her," Kiehl nodded. Howard was too weakened to move on his own. He was forced to lean on Kiehl's arm. A brotherly feeling was now shared between them. They knew they could trust each other. But, as they walked down the hallway, the dream vision suddenly ended...


	179. Chapter 179

It was Sammy that broke off the dream with his hiss of disbelief.  _That dream was not supposed to have come about. Anything about Lighthalzen was not supposed to have happened!_

"Sarine?!" Howard gasped. If it wasn't for Errende and Thanatos keeping their hands on her belly, she may have gone into shock.

"Father..." Loomin glowered at the ground. "He dared to..."

"Your father brought that dream about?!" Sammy snarled. Then he curbed his anger at the sight of Muninn being rather thoughtful.

" _I do admit. I am curious to see how it will play out. Yes, it's about Lighthalzen, but think about it. Naght Seiger made an alliance the moment he found out about Sarine,_ " Muninn pointed out. " _He was going to involve the others, too._ "

"That may be true," Kiehl muttered, as he comforted Sarine. "But, we had agreed to no dreams of anything dealing with Lighthalzen."

"We did. Not my Father," Loomin grumbled. "In time, we'll see the rest of it. It's too risky like this. Who ended the dream?"

"I did," Sammy said. "I sensed that it was too much."

"It was," Thanatos snorted. Doppy had moved to Sarine's side to help cradle her. She was completely distraught. Both Thanatos and Errende couldn't move from her side.

"We got them back," Howard whispered to her, as he rocked her. Kiehl seemed to growl to himself over everything. Then he noticed that Naght was looking at Howard.

"What is it?" Kiehl asked.

"Howard...is...an...idiot...!" Naght snorted. Now Howard gaped at him with disbelief.

"What do you mean by that?!" Howard had to retort. Sarine started to giggle.

"Can I help figure it out?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"No!" Kiehl and Howard said together. That got them all laughing.

"Doppy," she said softly and leaned into him. He found himself reverting to his original form and purring deeply for her. His armor was soon off at the kiss she gave him next. Muninn could only chuckle. Then his jaw dropped at what he saw coming.

"Muninn?" Howard asked.

" _No time!_ " he hissed and was forced to grab Sarine. Doppy gave a sharp, gasping snarl of disbelief. Howard and Kiehl had to follow. Naght and Ifrit had to go, too. Thanatos and Errende were lucky enough that they didn't need to go. The others were the same. And now they were worried. Sammy and Loomin could only hope that everything would be all right. Keltin and Eremes wanted to follow, but Beelzebub blocked them off from what he heard next. When he informed them that Muninn saved them all from a lust wave, there were gasps of disbelief. Charles winced and went straight to the kitchen to start cooking up something for her and the others for when they got back. He also sent out a mental warning to Baphomet to keep clear of her for now. It was duly noted.

Kiehl snarled out when he realized that Muninn was running with her away from the house. Both he and Howard must have realized what was going to happen. It was Naght that pointed out that they were going to the Demonic Mating chamber. Ifrit seemed to hiss and flew after Sarine even faster now. He had to get to the chamber to warm it, even if he wasn't in the fight. He was purely thinking of his offspring. Doppy had managed to dress in his armor swiftly to bolt after them all. He was able to quickly catch up to them, despite being in his original state.

When they got into the chamber, they noticed something was off. Muninn was standing over her. He was ready to fight.  _He had absorbed her lust wave for them. To save them from killing each other in the bedroom._  He was horribly affected, but in a different way.

"Muninn?" Howard whispered.

" _I...had to stop...the wave...by taking it in..._ " he gasped, and his chest heaved. " _You all...should not have...followed me..._ "

"You absorbed it?!" Doppy gaped.

" _She's not...done..._ " he winced. " _That dream vision...Thanatos and Errende...they kept her pregnancy safe. But...her mood was so unstable!_ "

"It still is," Kiehl muttered at Sarine's look of complete wanting.

" _If any come to her...I will fight..._ " he warned.

"Instinctive...?" Naght asked.

" _Yes. Very,_ " Muninn nodded and swallowed.

"I'll fight you," Kiehl hissed out. Sarine looked over at her powerful First Mate and gave a beaming smile.  _She wanted me._ Howard could only look on helplessly. He needed her at his side. He had to make sure that his triplets were safe with her.

"I have to fight, too," Howard muttered.

"No. Just me," Kiehl said. At a glance at the thoughts going through Howard's head, he winced. "Muninn, can Howard sit with Sarine? He's concerned about the triplets. Badly."

At Sarine's soft whimper of worry, Muninn cringed. Then he nodded and said, " _I can allow just him. He will stay with her._ "

"Why must you fight?" Doppy asked.

" _It's her lust wave. I really...have no choice. It's the only way for me to remove it safely. But, Howard, I do warn you. If you...try to be with her...I'll end up fighting you._ "

"I just want to hold her," Howard said. "I need to."

" _Hurry..._ " Muninn said. He fought against the instinct to attack with everything he had when Howard rushed past him. The moment she was cradled and rocked, the instinct to harm Howard had completely vanished.  _Howard was needed for her pregnancy._

"Muninn...thank you..." Sarine said when she got held. For some odd reason, Howard was not affected by the lust right now. Neither were the others. Muninn was drawing all of it into himself instinctively. Once he made the decision to pull the intense wave in, he couldn't release it until it was done. Kiehl had to help with that with an intense fight.

Doppy couldn't chance going to her. Naght and Ifrit were focusing on keeping the air warm. Kiehl was glaring hard at Muninn. He was tense. Muninn brought forth his spear of Fire and Lightning. Now that they squared off in the center of the floor, Sarine could only watch with worry. Howard kept his hand over her belly, as he watched his brother.

" _Don't hold back_ ," Muninn growled.

"I won't," Kiehl hissed and lunged. Muninn was just barely able to dodge the attack. He was fighting a leader of demons. Kiehl was easily dodging what Muninn tried to do to him. When he tried to use his spear, Kiehl activated his Elements of Earth and Ice to negate the effects. He didn't have Lightning yet. Earth absorbed the impact of Lightning. Ice cut down Fire like nothing. Doppy could only stare in complete amazement.  _Kiehl was holding his own against one of the gods!_

Muninn was grunting with each dodge, miss, and counter. Kiehl was only focused on one thing.  _To bring him down to his knees to end the fight._

" _Enough!_ " Muninn finally shouted and fell to his knees with exhaustion. The lust wave finally burned out. He had never fought so hard before. Kiehl was actually panting slightly, but he accomplished his goal. _Going up against a god was not easy work._  Loki just sat there to gloat. He was an easy target. Muninn was a solid warrior. He was born to fight and survive it.

Howard let Sarine move from his side to go straight to Muninn. Despite the mild protests, she pushed him down onto the ground and had him take her with everything he had. When Muninn was nearly passed out and incoherent, she gestured for Kiehl next. After him, Doppy was reached for. Naght and Ifrit seemed to be fine where they were. Howard was another matter completely.

"Our triplets..." he finally gasped with despair.

"They're fine, How-How. See? Be with me now to help them even more," she smiled and planted her mouth on his. For a solid hour, she went between them all to keep them senseless. Ifrit and Naght did get tackled, but only after the room was warmed after each session with her. Howard was still recovering when Muninn finally sat up to get his bearings again.

" _We...need to go back..._ " he muttered. He gasped when Sarine ran her hands over his shoulders. At the soft lick to his neckline, his jaw dropped with disbelief.

"That we do. Don't we?" she smiled and ran a finger up his spine. He whimpered and shouted at the small bite to his neck. "Do we have to go back?"

" _We can...spare...ten minutes..._ " he gasped out and gave in to her advances again.

"Is he still alive?" Doppy seemed to grin when he sat up.

"Nope!" Kiehl grinned widely when he started to dress. Naght and Ifrit were snickering. When time froze around them, Sarine noticed that it was just her and Muninn.

" _I know...I shouldn't..._ " he swallowed. " _I just...wanted a little...more time..._ "

"And my babies?" she asked. He pulled her close to kiss her roughly and hold her to show that they would be perfectly safe with him. This was what he was dying to do for some time now after the dream vision happened.

" _You should not have had that vision!_ " he hissed.

"Muninn..."

" _Loki is an idiot for pulling what he did!_ "

"I know he is."

" _You could have lost it! And now the others want to see the rest..._ "

"You said you wanted to see it, too."

" _Yes, but..._ "

"Muninn, stop doing this!" she said with a stern tone. "Okay, the dream shouldn't have happened. It did. We didn't specify what dream was going to appear. Loki obviously took it as an open invitation. So, we'll have to finish the dream out. See where it goes. After I tend to the children, it should probably happen then. The sooner it gets done, the better."

" _Your triplets will suffer, though,_ " he said softly. " _We need to wait until they are born. We have no choice in this. If Errende or Thanatos weren't there to keep your pregnancy calm, then you would have given birth, Sarine! Please. For me. Wait until they are born._ "

"Okay. For you, I will," she nodded. He kissed her fervently and hugged her. "How many more days? Can you tell? Everything is just a blur to me now!"

" _Let me think,_ " he sighed and reclined on the ground with her. " _About three days passed. You have another six left. Almost five now._ "

"The days seem to feel so much longer now," she whispered and rested against him. He kept his arms around her and sighed softly. He found himself aching to hold her now. He realized that it was because he was going to be with her next.  _Huginn and I would have to be with her together after Loomin was. Would I be able to see her as a mere sister after that? Likely not. Huginn had already destroyed much of that with what he pulled. Even though we aren't blood related, I'll always protect her as much as I can._  "Muninn?"

" _Yes?_ " he asked softly.

"There is something I want you to tell me."

" _What would that be?_ "

"Well..." she gave a small blush and traced her finger over his chest. "if you ever had the chance to be with me...without Huginn doing what he did..."

" _Of my own free will?_ " he asked with a soft chuckle. At her nod, he sighed and thought. " _It...might have been possible. I'm sure that, if I learned of your nightmares in full when I had the chance, I likely would have decided to help you sleep at night. I didn't...really look into how bad they were. I never realized how deeply you were scarred. I should have known, though. But, at the Novice Center, you were around others. You weren't alone. Then Eddga found you. It was when you truly had to sleep alone that they come back._ "

"Do you think...we could have a vision about that?"

" _Of...just us?_ "

"Yeah."

" _I'm not sure. I don't know if we should. You need to sleep soon. The others may get offended, too. I don't want you to be stressed about it._ "

"But, if we do that dream now..."

" _Without Errende or Thanatos to assist with your pregnancy? No. I can't allow that. That is risky of itself,_ " Muninn said sternly. " _Your triplets are already enduring so much now! And you need sleep. I have to bring back time._ "

"But..."

" _No!_ " he finally growled and sat up with her. " _Think of your triplets!_ "

She knew he was right. With a sigh of defeat, she nodded and said, "Okay. But, I will want to see one of us in time."

" _We can plan for it. Just not like this. If the others agree to it, maybe it can be done tomorrow. I'm sure they are worrying about you right now. Let's bring back time. We'll go back to your room. I'm sure you're hungry, too._ "

"I am," she smiled. He smiled now and kissed her gently. Standing up now, he held her and brought time back. Kiehl instantly noticed the change in positions. Howard was a bit surprised at what her memories showed him.  _A dream vision of just her and Muninn?_

"Okay, I'm curious," Kiehl grinned and finished dressing.

"Hmm?" Doppy asked. He was able to become his stronger form, as he dressed.

"Sarine wants a vision of just her and Muninn. What would happen," Howard said with a small shrug. That had Doppy raise a brow. Naght and Ifrit glanced at each other with amusement. She hugged Muninn once more before letting Kiehl pull her close to hold her.

" _Tomorrow it may happen,_ " Muninn said. " _She really needs to eat and rest now._ "

"We can do that," Howard nodded. "And, eh, thanks for taking the brunt of things. Would this happen again? Do you know?"

" _It could,_ " Muninn admitted. " _At least I know that Kiehl can stand up to me!_ "

"Loki is easier to hit," Kiehl grinned wickedly. That got them all laughing. Sarine was showing signs of exhaustion now. Doppy was the one that gathered her up to carry easily. Kiehl nodded and glanced around silently, as they walked back. Terin was able to wave at them from a distance when he ran over to them.

"Terin? What's up?" Howard asked.

"Wait five minutes before going back" the Assassin said.

"Why?" Kiehl glowered.

"An intruder doesn't know when to quit," he growled.

"Which one?" Doppy frowned.

"Ass Hat," Terin smirked.

"My children?!" Sarine asked with concern.

" _They are safe. You have my vow,_ " Muninn said calmly. She nodded and shivered. " _Terin, inform Beelzebub to have Kalen, Baphomet, and Gloom Under Night to escort the intruder off the island. I say Gloom Under Night, because he and his party encountered his dark duplicate not long ago. They did not survive it and had to wait for another traveling party to bring them back. There are still some fear issues on seeing that monster._ "

"How did they find the darker version?" Sarine had to ask now.

" _He still likes his Bloody Branches. Oh! He has one on him, too,_ " Muninn mused.

"We'll confiscate that," Kiehl grinned.

" _No. Don't do it. It will give him a reason to come and see her. He'll think he can...hmm...well, that would be interesting..._ " he thought aloud now.

"What would be?" Howard asked.

" _He knows how to collect the branches. Easily. Get him to talk. If we can create our own branches, then that would be beneficial,_ " he grinned.

"Beelzebub will find out," Terin nodded.

" _Hmm. Actually...don't bother. Bloody Branches are a chance of luck. He finds the Old Purple Boxes and seems to get them from there. It's really the only way to get them,_ " Muninn sighed. " _Let me ask Father Odin something._ "

"Go for it," Doppy nodded. As Muninn now communed silently, they had to wait patiently. When five minutes passed, the strong man opened his eyes and grinned.

" _We need to put up a flier in each city and contact the Kafra Corporation. Anyone that can bring in a Bloody Branch will have one free arena fight. No matter the cost. However, it will only pertain to those that are not on the balcony. Any challenges to fight Sarine will be declined. Any challenges to fight her husbands, mates, or slaves will be declined. She can't have the lot of you fighting right now. So, only monsters that appear on the rosters will be eligible._ "

"A Bloody Branch for a free fight," Kiehl mused. "That could work."

"We can build up a stock of them this way," Doppy nodded.

"Actually, can't Ming manipulate the boxes to get them? And can't Trina change regular Dead Branches into them?" Sarine asked. That had them all glance at each other with intense thoughts and ideas.

"We will definitely have to test that!" Kiehl grinned. Munnin agreed readily, but then he started to lead the way to the nursery.

Terin was clearly amused. So was Beelzebub. However, Sarine was very worried for her children. It was already nightfall, and she was exhausted. Howard sighed and looked at Kiehl. They both knew that she would not be able to relax until she saw to her kids. At Muninn's look of worry, they knew it had to be done, or she wouldn't get the nourishment she needed.

"Enough with this!" Kiehl growled. "She needs to check on her kids! Now!"

"Beelzebub has the way cleared!" Terin said from the thought he got. Naght and Ifrit were quick to help charge towards the house. Greg was seen getting chased off in the opposite direction. Aliot and Observation were in the nursery to show that everyone was protected. Byorgue, Errende, and Injustice were preparing the bedroom with a few meals that were prepared for her. Drago and Maya Purple had to keep guarding the next.

"See? They're all safe," Howard smiled. Sarine sighed with relief, as she checked each room. Both he and Kiehl were able to rest their hands on her belly to keep the triplets calmed. The developing twins from Naght and Ifrit were already settled into their own form of sleep. Five kids was definitely taxing her limits in full at the exhaustion she was getting. When she was able to leave the nursery, she was set at her bedroom table to eat.

"Here," Charles smiled and set out her potent craving dishes. Various flavored waters were next to be set out for her. Then she was treated to a dish of ice cream that was blended with hot peppers. "The kids helped me make this for you."

"It's wonderful!" she beamed. After she ate, the others were informed on what happened in full. At the idea of a dream vision with just her and Muninn, they were skeptical.

"But...it would stress her. Right?" Eremes frowned.

" _It could. But, I had her promise me to wait until tomorrow. She really needs to rest right now. She's already yawning,_ " Muninn chuckled. She blushed and took in a deep breath when she finally moved from the table. Howard was there at her side to steady her, and he noticed that she was looking at the balcony window. It was covered in frost, but Kiehl warmed it with a little Fire to let her look through it. Clouds were starting to cover the sky, but they were too low for rain. That was when she saw the first little shimmer of a snowflake fall.

"It's snowing!" Howard said to her with delight.

"It is that time of year, huh?" Keltin smiled.

"I could experiment with making dishes from the snow," Charles smiled.

"And I think the kids could have a day off from school to play in their first snow day," Loomin grinned. "Rather odd for it to snow on an island, though."

"This island is special. Remember that," Sammy chuckled.

"It's...been awhile since we saw snow..." Eremes mused softly.

"What? Afraid I'll dump snow on you again?" Sarine giggled.

"Quiet..." he grinned at her and was able to hug her.

"What's this?!" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Nothing..." Eremes glowered dangerously. Mobster grinned widely at the zombie's flustered look. "Sarine. Are you sure about a dream vision with Muninn?"

"Yes," she nodded and relaxed in his arms.

" _It's because I am to be with her next,_ " Muninn sighed.

"That's right," Loomin frowned. "She's building up a reserve of you."

"Is that what it is?" Howard frowned.

" _He's right. I may be called to her quite a bit. It can't be helped,_ " Muninn shrugged.

"Oh, Howard," Kiehl smirked at something he remembered. "it's your birthday tomorrow. Isn't it?"

"What?! Oh...eh...yeah..." Howard grinned. "October third. Time sure does fly!"

"I'll need to think of something good for you!" Sarine beamed.

"No need," he insisted and rested a hand on her belly. "I have everything I need right here. There's nothing else I would ever want."

"Not even a new axe?" Doppy grinned.

"I'm not replacing that! I love my axe!" Howard scowled at him.

"More than me?" she teased.

"Never!" Howard said and pulled her into his arms now.

"You're, what? Twenty-three now?" Kiehl grinned at him.

"Birthdays require spankings," Keltin mused.

"Shut up!" Howard said quickly. At the look that Sarine gave him, he swallowed.

"I think twenty-three minutes of solid pleasure and pain are what you really need," she hissed in his ear. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. Kiehl died laughing. When Howard looked at him, they both looked at each other with shock.

"No way!" they both said to each other.

"What?" Sammy asked.

"Your birthday is tomorrow, too?!" Howard gaped.

"Twins it is," Loomin chuckled.

"And you both need to stay with me, anyways. Right?" Sarine crooned sweetly. They were both speechless. Muninn was struggling with laughter.

"Sarine..." Kiehl said carefully. Then his mind went blank when she leaned over and grabbed his collar. She had Howard's necklace next to pull them to her.

"It looks like twenty-three minutes just doubled. Didn't it?" she smirked at them. The others were struggling to contain their laughter. "Is How-How's bed in the bathroom now?"

"It is," Beelzebub nodded.

"Good luck!" Hibram said with a grin and a wave. The two in Sarine's control couldn't say anything now. Thanatos and Errende gave each other odd glances. They would be on alert, if she needed them. Byorgue opened up the bathroom for them, and Naght and Ifrit were quick to start warming the place up. When the doors closed, the other men looked at each other and were quick to settle down to rest and meditate. Of course, the ones meditating could only snicker and laugh at the swearing sounds going on in the bathroom.  _Sarine was ensuring that they would have a really interesting night._


	180. Chapter 180

Howard and Kiehl had no rest through the whole night. They were settled in the old bed in such a way that they were able to sit up with her comfortably. When she slept between them, her body instinctively kept them locked in. There was no escape from this. Even when she woke every now and then, it sent intense, pleasuring torment through them both. Naght laughing at them didn't help, either.

"You should...help me!" Howard hissed after a pleasuring wave.

"No..." Naght snickered. Kiehl could only swear softly, as he supported her.

"At least we're comfortable," Kiehl finally sighed.

"Says you," Howard snorted. "This really isn't fair."

"It's for the kids," Kiehl growled. He looked over when Doppy walked in to sit in a chair by them. "What's up with you?"

"For some reason, I had problems meditating. I need to be around her to do it now," he grunted. "I started to worry about her."

"Because this pregnancy is yours, too. Right," Howard nodded.

"How are you two holding up?" he asked.

"We're surviving," Kiehl shrugged. At the way they gasped out from the pleasure next, Doppy gave a soft whistle and grinned.

"Surviving. Good one," he grinned.

"Shut up," Howard muttered. "It's going to be like this every night."

"But, it's for the kids," Doppy said seriously. "If I had the chance, I'd take over for one of you. I doubt the two of you could even swap with me."

"We can't," Kiehl said. "We vowed not to. She needs us."

"I know," Doppy nodded. "Still, I would if I had the chance."

"Oh, we know," Howard said with a light chuckle. When she moved to press her face into his neck, he was able to wrap her arms around her to squeeze her.

"Stay...?" she whispered in sleep.

"Yes," he said softly and kissed her forehead. He closed his eyes to rest his head against hers gently. Doppy was deep in thought now. He glanced at the bedroom with a slight form of irritation. Even Kiehl was showing an anxious look of mistrust.

"You sense it?" Kiehl asked.

"Yeah. Since those kids in her are now mine, my First Mate instincts are kicked into high gear," he growled. Ifrit focused on Eremes to wake him up and find out what was going on.

"It's the Kafra Agent. A letter was sent to show that our request for Bloody Branches has been received. It will become a new optional form of payment for us," Ifrit chuckled.

"Good to know. Of course, we should see what the kids can do in time," Kiehl nodded. Sarine started to blink awake, but she pressed into Howard a bit more. Now the Whitesmith was getting concerned.

"Sarine?" he asked. "Is everything all right?"

"I just..." she said whispered and burst into tears. Howard and Doppy stiffened. Kiehl was quick to press his chest into her back to whisper softly into her ear. Her pregnancy hormones were through the roof right now. In the bedroom, Beelzebub woke up Keltin and made sure that Sammy was fully out of meditation to help her. Charles was woken right after to rush into the kitchen to fix her up something.

"Hey," Keltin soothed when he was able to mildly hug her. "There's no need for this."

"I know," she whispered and got rocked. "I can't help it."

"It's fine," Kiehl purred deeply. "Everything is fine."

"I feel so overwhelmed now," she fretted softly. At the sight of the small chocolate cake with a flavorful cookie next to it, she pounced on the plate. Charles laughed lightly and gave the same dishes to Howard and Doppy to help them snap out of the emotional barrage.

"Thanks," Doppy muttered, as he chewed the cookie.

"No problem," Charles said with a wave of his hand. He gave her a rather hearty meat dish next to curb any other hunger pains she had. Right after it was devoured, she looked up to see Muninn. He was able to squeeze in and hug her next. Howard was only too glad that the old bed was reinforced to hold so much weight.

" _Sorry, guys. I tried to hold out,_ " he winced.

"It's fine," Kiehl said.

"I think we should wait on the dream vision with you," Sammy said carefully. "Any more stress will definitely affect her."

"But...I want to know..." she frowned.

"Everyone is worried about our triplets," Howard said gently and nuzzled her. "We are only thinking of your safety, Sarine. I don't want our babies endangered."

"I know," she sighed. Hyegun walked in with Errende and Thanatos.

"They agree to keeping calm, if they see the vision," Hyegun said with a small smile. "However, Charles, they really want more blood right now."

"I'll get something now," Charles said. The moment he left, Sarine became anxious.

"He'll be right back," Kiehl whispered to her.

"She wants him?" Keltin frowned.

"She does. Ah..." Howard blinked at her sudden glare, and he shouted at the savage attack she gave his throat.

"Sarine!" Kiehl winced.

" _Time is frozen! It's another reason why I'm here,_ " Muninn said calmly. " _I foresaw this. So, not only did I need to be with her, but I had to ensure that Howard's secret to being bitten would remain as a secret. And you can put all of the blame on your triplets._ "

"So, the others didn't see her bite him?" Kiehl asked carefully.

" _No. I'll bring back time and reveal a dagger. That should be enough to show how fast I was. And, Naght, you may want to come back to be within Howard. She needs her blood bond,_ " Muninn said. He nodded and that was done. Muninn was quick to act like he had just cut Howard's throat for her in a split-second action. It did the job. On watching Naght vanish, they knew that it was a blood bond right away. Howard only cried out again when Naght took over to intensify the blood she needed. This had Sarine work harder at his throat.

"She needed blood?" Keltin frowned.

"Very," Kiehl sighed. "Sarine! Calm yourself! Don't kill him!"

She seemed to glare at him, but he glared back. She was able to pull herself back from Howard carefully to let him get Healed. When Naght came back from his tower, he showed that he was a bit drained from how much she took. When she went to reach for Kiehl's collar, he snarled and pulled back. He was too dominant for it now.

"You forget where you are," she seethed and squeezed her body around both him and Howard. That made him shout with complete shock. In that moment of weakness, she was quick to hook a finger in his leash loop, pull him over, and bite hard. Howard was close to passing out from how much blood she took from him. A Yggdrasil Berry was quickly given to him to help him recover.

"She really needs blood right now," Thanatos frowned.

"I know," Hyegun muttered and walked into the bedroom. He was quick to shove Eremes in to give over his blood. "Have Ifrit with you."

"Heard and noted," the Assassin Cross nodded.

"Should I tell Charles to be quicker?" Errende asked.

"No. I have Terin doing just that," Beelzebub said when he walked in. "This is her blood bond, though. It's necessary. Let her feed. She may need a hearty meal, though."

"She will," Thanatos agreed. Errende did move to help Charles set the table with a good meal for everyone. Nigel, Aliot, and Byorgue were quick to help. Observation and Injustice were busy neatening beds and changing sheets. Maya Purple and Drago were still guarding the nursery nest. That was something they simply had to do.

Right after she fed from Eremes and Ifrit, she had Doppy come over to get some of his blood. Ifrit was a touch amazed at how much blood she needed. They made sure to only let her pull blood from the wrist. Howard and Kiehl couldn't leave her just yet. Doppy even winced a couple times at how much blood she was taking. When she looked at Muninn next, he shook his head violently at her and said, " _Sarine, you cannot take blood from me. It will invoke a Demonic Mating. You can't risk your triplets. Think about it._ "

"But...I..." she frowned.

" _I know you want a reserve of me,_ " he said gently. " _But, I refuse to give you blood._ "

"Don't endanger our babies," Howard whispered to her. She grimaced.  _I still need blood._ Charles was quick to reappear with several small slices of carefully prepared meat. After two slices of the concentrated blood flavored meat, the craving complete caved in.

"Finally..." Hyegun sighed with relief. Her other craving dishes were quickly given over. She was given some tea to finish off everything.

"Feel better?" Charles asked.

"For now," she said wearily.

"You need to eat a good meal," Kiehl said. "We need to separate from you. We'll do this again tonight. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. She was completely exhausted now. Even after the separation, she was too tired to complain about it. Muninn gestured to Charles to help her shower. The same was done with Eremes and Doppy. Thanatos was soon called for to help soothe the growing babies. She was even forced to sit in his lap at the table.

"Does she need to be addicted to me already?" he frowned.

" _Not yet. It's just to ensure that her cravings won't come back. Charles, you'll need to make a very large stockpile of everything you just made. The sooner the better,_ " Muninn advised. When Charles nodded, he actually blinked when time was frozen around him. At a glance to Muninn, the powerful man said, " _I have to tell you something important._ "

"I'm listening," he nodded.

" _She is craving my blood as a reserve. I can't give to her,_ " Muninn sighed. " _I'm sure you have been told why, correct?_ "

"I have. Does she just want the taste?"

" _I believe so. She says that my blood tastes like a very strong Yggdrasil Berry juice. And, no, I can't give any to you to taste test. My blood could kill you. What you can do is ask her if she would like to try a new juice. You know how fast she gets drained now. The juice can easily help her. She can tell you what it should taste like, if you give her a premade sample batch. Let her be your taste tester. The closer she can get to thinking she's getting my blood, the easier it will be on me and everyone else. However, once she gets the taste down, you will need to make a LOT of that juice. Do you think you can do this?_ "

"I am always up for a challenge," he nodded. Only then did time resume again. He moved to press a kiss to Sarine's cheek and whisper to her. She beamed at him.

"I'll taste anything you want me to try," she nodded. He chuckled, accepted a kiss from her, and sped off to the kitchen. He took several of the largest Yggdrasil Berries he could get and began to cut them up. When Aliot appeared to help, the slave was told of what needed to be done. Aliot now took over the chore to dice up the fruit. Injustice had walked in with dirty dishes and was quickly let in on the important chore.

"Let me help press that," the undead slave said.

"Here," Aliot muttered and handed over the chopped pieces.

"When all of that is pressed, we can salvage the fruit pieces for sauces and such. Even candy for the kids," Charles chuckled. He took what Injustice was able to extract for now and began to blend a little with a pitcher of water.

"That we can," Aliot chuckled back.

"I'm glad you were able to curb My Lady's craving," Injustice said. "That was a very nasty hit of it she got. If you weren't here..."

"I know. She probably would have drained all of you. Ah, Observation! Give this to anyone she fed off of," Charles said, as he handed off a large pitcher of water with a tinge of Yggdrasil Berry juice in it. The angel nodded and started to fly off with it. "Come back when you're done, okay? I could use your help."

"I'll come back," the angel agreed and was gone to deliver the precious water. He ended up coming back with Byorgue. They were now told what had to happen.

"Nigel is letting My Lady pet his hair, so she's calm," Byorgue grinned. "What do you need from me? What can I do?"

"Blend this while it boils," Charles said and gave him a bowl of sugar to go with a pot of extracted juice. "Since you won't get burned, you'll be fine. Just boil it together and blend until the sugar is gone. Aliot, can you add some apple juice to it, too? A little at a time. And, ah, Injustice, do the same with the grape juice. Just alternate in small shifts. Observation, you can keep the steam from getting to be too much by flapping your wings to clear the air. It will also keep it from over-boiling to an extent."

The slaves agreed and quickly tackled the project. Charles kept working on various fruits to have them as backup, if needed. He was actually sweating from how hard he was working. He looked over with irritation when Prince Cedrick walked in.

"Something smells good," the prince grinned.

"We are busy cooking. What do you want?" Charles growled.

"All of the sugar is gone!" Byorgue announced.

"I need that batch chilled down," Charles ordered. A bowl of Ice Cubits were grabbed to set the hot pot in. Observation helped the cooling by fanning his wings over it. While that cooled off, the Royal Chef looked over at the prince again. "I'm making a very complex dish for Sarine. Muninn ordered it."

"Oh. She's all right?" the prince asked.

"My Lady is fine. Go away," Byorgue growled out.

"There you are," Storm Caller said when he appeared. "Prince Cedrick, Turtle General is looking for you. It is time for you to train again."

"In this weather?! It's snowing outside!" Cedrick scoffed.

"Shall I report to him that you are shirking your duty?" Storm Caller asked now. At that, the prince gaped and stormed off to the barracks.

"You got rid of him?" Charles grinned.

"He is banned from here. I informed Turtle General. In truth, the prince had no training today, but this will be a just punishment for being where he shouldn't be," the Strouf winked. They all laughed at that. "What dish is this? Is it safe to know?"

"It is," Charles sighed. "Muninn gave me a mission. To replicate the flavor of his blood for Sarine. If she takes his blood, then she'll have a Demonic Mating. He's hoping that just the taste of this alone will curb it. She's trying to build up a reserve of him. The real challenge is this. If I can get the flavor right, I was warned that I would probably need to make several barrels of it. I may be hard pressed for a while."

"That isn't good," Storm Caller frowned. "I do hope it works."

"So do we. And don't worry, Charles. We will all help you make as much as we can. We don't need to sleep. We'll stay up all night to get it done," Aliot nodded. The Royal Chef was grateful for that bit of knowledge. He knew he would need the help. Observation was soon given a small glass of the juice to deliver to Sarine.

"My Lady," he said when he approached her. "Taste this."

"Hmm?" she smiled. She sipped it and blinked. "Why...does this taste like...?"

" _My blood?_ " Muninn grinned. She gasped and looked at him curiously. Now Kiehl was surprised. " _I gave Charles a challenge. Does it taste like it? Or does it need to be altered?_ "

"Well...it's almost spot on, but it's a touch too sweet. It needs to be more tart," she admitted. "And...why?"

" _You want my blood. I hope this curbs it. Also, it will help you regain your strength. And, if anyone was curious, they can sip that safely to see what my blood tastes like to you,_ " he chuckled. She blushed and got hugged by him. When he felt her nuzzling into his neck, he was quick to pull away. " _No! Observation, make the juice have a bit more tartness to it. Hurry!_ "

"Done!" the angel nodded and sped back to the kitchen. "Charles! Make it more tart, and it's perfect! Hurry! She's trying to get blood from Muninn!"

"Not good!" Charles paled and grabbed a small batch of the prepared juice. He added a bit of lemon juice to blend in carefully and gave that over. "If it doesn't work, bring her here. She can help me out, and it will distract her."

"Right," the angel nodded, took the glass and went back to the bedroom. At the presented glass, Sarine sighed and drank it down.

"No. It's still not right," she frowned.

"Do you want to help Charles out?" Observation winked. She smiled and let her men escort her to the kitchen. Thanatos was given the okay to let her sit alone, but Howard was quick to let her sit in his lap. Kiehl and Doppy sat near her when she was settled. When they were told what happened to Cedrick, they all laughed.

"Awesome," Doppy grinned.

"I'll ask if he froze his balls off," Ragged Zombie smirked.

"I think he's neutered," Mobster muttered.

"It's quite possible," Sarine agreed. That got them chuckling. Charles gave her a glass of juice with some lemon juice on the side. A teaspoon was given over to help her measure.

"Add as much as you need," he said. She nodded and he watched her carefully add and taste. After the third addition of another teaspoon, she drank the whole glass down. "Okay. Five teaspoons of lemon juice per glass. That's about six gallons of juice I made, and each gallon yields about sixteen cups of juice."

"That's eighty teaspoons per gallon. So, four hundred and eighty teaspoons in total," Kiehl mused. "Let Aliot help you. He can keep track of how much to use."

"That I can," Aliot nodded. The lemon juice was carefully measured out, blended, and a large cup was served to her. When she drank it down with no complaints, Charles was quick to jot down the new recipe. Then he tasted the juice. He was in shock at the rich flavors.

"I never would have thought that it tasted like that!" he admitted. When the others were quick to get a taste, their surprise was just as great.

"We'll just call this the Blood of Valhalla," Ragged Zombie grinned.

"You know, that would make an awesome selling point for the arena," Howard grinned a touch wickedly. "Fifty zeny a glass. Five thousand zeny for a pitcher. And, if we make enough, a hundred thousand for a barrel."

"We will need a lot of berries," Charles sighed.

"Lloyd can help us get to the area we need," Sammy chuckled. "We also have some decent suppliers, if we know where to look."

"We'll get a good stockpile going," Elric said. "It would give my Guild something to do. As much as they don't like to be the ones to gather stuff, it's good training for new recruits to be resourceful. They are also part of the reason for us to have so many ingredients."

"Good to know," Kiehl nodded.

"I really do want to see a vision about us," Sarine said to Muninn.

" _Feed your other babies first and check the kids. They will want to see the snow, too, you know. Maybe, after they are settled, we can do it then. Okay?_ " he smiled. She nodded and sighed. " _The snow is really coming down now!_ "

"Is it?" she asked. Another pitcher of juice was taken with them for her to sip on when she was taken to a window. She was amazed that it was snowing on the island.

"I wonder if I can make good snow cones with this," Charles grinned. At that, she pulled him close to plant a kiss on his mouth. An excited growl managed to escape him, and he finally had to simply lift her up to set her on a table to kiss her even more. She still wanted him from earlier and began to show it

"Doesn't she need to see to the kids?" Kiehl smirked.

"Five minutes!" the Royal Chef grounded out. Howard laughed lightly, and Doppy gave a wicked grin at the others. Right after they sated their passion for each other, he was able to start working on more juice. Aliot and Byorgue were able to stay behind to help him.

"Mah!" Atsuko whimpered the moment Sarine appeared.

"Mama's here!" she soothed gently. She lifted up her daughter to tickle lightly and move to the rocking bench to nurse her. Takeshi was quick to wake and whimper his hunger next. Loomin chuckled and grabbed him to bring over. Howard helped to support the twins with Kiehl. Doppy sat in a chair nearby and found Bianca claiming his lap soon after.

"Dad!" she grinned and laughed at the tickling poke to his side.

"It's snowing outside," Doppy chuckled. At her gasp, he gestured for her to look out the balcony. At her excited shrieks, the other kids were quick to wake up.

"Dress warm and we'll go out!" Doll said quickly. "But, first you need warm baths and hot meals. The cold may get to some of you. Come on!"

"I just wanna sleep," Edward yawned. Then he yelped when Thanatos dumped some fresh snow on his son's head. It was easy to gather on the balcony rail now.

"Good. You're up," he grinned made sure to place some extra snow on his son's back under the one-piece pajama set. Now that his son now screaming that his dad was cheating, he got held upside down and tickled mercilessly. "What's that?  _I'm_  cheating?! What about now? Huh? What do you have to say now?!"

"Stop!" Edward finally managed to gasp out. When Thanatos finally relented and set his son down, he was ordered to take a bath.

"Your meals will be placed when you guys are done bathing," Kiehl said sternly. "And, since this is your first snow day, there will be no school."

"Yay!" Serenity said happily. Then she squealed when Siegfried put snow on her. "You mean stupid head! That's not funny!"

"Serenity," Howard warned.

"But...he..." she pouted. Then her jaw dropped when Siegfried found snow getting dumped on him from Doppy.

"Now it's even. Go take a bath," the demon smirked. Angela was giggling at everything, but she was quick to take her bath.

"How-How," Sarine said softly.

"Yes?" he smiled and let her lean into him.

"Happy birthday," she whispered and kissed him fully. Then she looked at Kiehl and said, "Happy birthday to you, too."

"For once, I'm happy about that," he whispered and kissed her fiercely. "I never had a good birthday. Much like you."

"Um...I wanted to get gifts for you both," she sighed. Muninn cleared his throat and handed her two Old Purple Boxes. Kiehl and Howard both found themselves laughing.

"Dad?! It's your birthday?!" Deagan gasped when he ran over.

"It is!" Kiehl smiled and let his son move into his lap.

"And yours, too?" Siegfried asked Howard.

"Yep! Kiehl and I are both twenty-three today," Howard nodded.

"Open the presents!" Serenity shouted from her bath.

"We'll wait," Kiehl said.

"No! Open it now!" Trina said.

"You can, Dad. It's okay," Juliana smiled.

"Want me to help?" Ming asked.

"No," Howard smiled. Sammy picked up his daughter and tickled her.

"Let them open their presents. You know, you could help get them presents, too. We can all take a trip to the treasury later and let Detale help you," Sammy whispered to her. She clapped her hands at that. The other kids would be sure to help. Kiehl was able to set Deagan aside gently to look at Howard. At the mental count of three, they both opened the boxes.

Howard was able to pull out an axe. When he Identified it, he whistled.  _It was a Doom Slayer two-hand axe with a spot for a card._  He grinned and said, "This will help me Stun quite a few baddies. Awesome!"

"My turn," Kiehl chuckled and also pulled out a two-handed axe. He blinked his surprise and let Howard Identify it. "Okay...ah. Wow. Hurricane's Fury! And it can hold a card! This is a crazy axe! I'm impressed."

" _Well, it was only fair to give you both something that you can each use,_ " Muninn winked. " _As a Creator, you can also use them, Kiehl._ "

"Very true," Kiehl chuckled.

"There was an axe that I did put away. A Guillotine axe. I need that back," Howard mused. "All of the axes in that treasure vault I should keep on me."

"True. However, your Vecer axe will always be your favorite, right?" Kiehl grinned.

"I made that axe. It's my primary weapon," he snorted.

"I know," Kiehl sighed. Sarine could only sigh and swap out for Beelzebub's twins when the current ones finished feeding. It was about an hour for all of the nursing to finish. She was given more juice to help restore her strength and fluids. Doppy was thinking on something when he finally cleared his throat to get their attention.

"I think I know why Sarine needs more blood and meat now. Think about it," he said.

"What do you...oh..." Kiehl said.

"These kids are also yours, so..." Howard blinked with the reasoning.

"And it's why she was a bit dominating this morning, too," Doppy said carefully.

"So, she would need to do that again," Kiehl muttered slowly.

"Not by much, but yes. A few outbursts here and there may be unavoidable," Doppy sighed. Sarine trembled a little, but Howard squeezed her.

"It's our babies," Howard smiled and nuzzled her. She could only nod. Then she stood up, grabbed Doppy's hand, and hauled him to his feet to follow her to the bedroom.

"After this, I'm sure she'll want to watch her kids play in the snow for a bit," Kiehl grinned and got up to follow them.

"I'm sure of it," Howard agreed. Loomin whistled and chuckled. Sammy, Keltin, and Eremes all glanced at each other with small smiles. The others knew what was going on, too.  _At least the triplets would be happy and wouldn't complain too much._


	181. Chapter 181

It was twenty minutes later when she was seen walking out of the house. Naght and Ifrit didn't have to worry too much, since she was immune to outdoor weather, but they still stayed close by. Doppy was given some of the flavorful juice to regain his strength, as he was forced to sit down and watch the kids. Muninn was quite curious as to what his dream vision was going to be like. He knew there was still some time left before anything could come of it.

"Are you warm enough?" Howard asked.

"I should be asking you that," she smiled. He was wearing a heavy jacket with the others that couldn't tolerate that much cold. Ifrit was able to create a warm spot under a specialized Kasa feather tent that was carefully constructed on the porch. Even Eremes was able to keep the place warm for those that just wanted to walk outside and enjoy the weather. On seeing this, and feeling how warm it was, Howard was able to remove the coat. It would be kept close by just in case, though. For now, the warmth he received was plenty.

"This is an ingenious invention," Kiehl grinned.

"I'm glad you like it," Storm Caller chuckled, as he set down some pitchers of juice. "It will be easy to roll up to put away when not in use. Vesper was planning to make heating ducts along the top of the porch roof to assist, too."

"That could work. Mild steam?" Howard asked.

"Yes," the Strouf nodded. "It would be the easiest to work with. The snow that lands in the open tanks could easily provide it, too."

"Not a bad idea," Kiehl mused. When the younger kids came out to toddle around in the snow on the steps, the slaves were quick to help guide them around. Doppy noticed how Gunther was teasing the others, and he quickly scooped up some snow to pack it into a nice ball. Then he beamed his son in the back of his head.

"HEY! Who did that!" Gunther snarled out and shook the snow off him.

"I did," Doppy smirked and crossed his arms over his broad chest. His son gaped at him with shock. "What are ya gonna do about it? Huh? Come on. Give me your best shot."

"What did you do?" Bianca asked.

"I made a snowball. Like this," Doppy grinned and made another one to tag her with it. That got the kids riled up to start trying to tag him with snowballs. Instead, they started to aim them at each other with a few well-placed ones from their other fathers. Even Loomin was able to tag Edward with one just to see him get angry.

"You know what would be awesome?" Ragged Zombie grinned. "Cedrick is training outside right now. Who wants to help me smack him around with a few of these?"

"I do!" Serenity grinned.

"You should put some of your goo in it," Thanatos snickered. An evil glint of joy was now in the zombie's eyes. Mobster was laughing and quick to help make some ammunition for him. Everyone wanted in on it now. Naght chuckled and moved to hover by Sarine. She leaned back into him and soon found herself lifted and cradled by him.

"Make sure to aim for Kavach, too," Errende smirked. That would easily be seen to.

"Your mean streak finally hit her," she chuckled. "Even Seigfreid."

"Yes..." he agreed. She traced a finger over his skeletal jaw, and he growled at her. At the way she studied him now, he growled even more. His desire for her quickly set in when she hissed a whisper to him. There was one section of the Kasa feather tent that was made like a curtain and set near the edge of the porch on each side. Kiehl was quick to get up with Howard to help muffle her cries once Naght had her behind one of them.

"The kids...are out here..." Howard hissed at how she nibbled his neck now.

"Just keep quiet," she muttered and bit his neck hard.

"Charles! Blood! Quick!" Kiehl hissed when he darted out to tell him. The Royal Chef was busy collecting fresh snow, but he was quick to leave it where it was. It wouldn't melt in the bucket it was in. Doppy was quick to take the strongly flavored meat dish from him to serve to her. After her craving for blood was back in check, Doppy had her recline in his lap. Howard was Healed and fed a Yggdrasil Berry to help him regain his strength.

"Are you sure about a dream vision with Muninn?" Doppy asked her softly.

"I am curious about it," she whispered.

"Despite the risks?" he whispered back.

"Why do you ask?" she frowned. He placed a protective hand on her belly and squeezed her. He didn't need to say anything else after that. He simply held her and kept his hand on her belly to feel the kicks that happened. Howard and Kiehl sat on either side of him, and Errende moved to crouch in front of her.

"Are you well, My Lady?" Errende asked.

"I am. I just feel...a touch exhausted," she shrugged. At the snow cone presented to her now from Charles, she giggled and took it with a form of childish delight. He had Yggdrasil Berry juice used in it, and she began to enjoy it immensely with the spoon she was given. Others were able to give their flavor requests for him to work with. Once they all had their snow cones, he settled next to her for a hug. Howard was able to move aside for him when Sarine reached for Charles. Kiehl kept a hand on her form to keep contact with her.

"You liked it?" Charles smiled.

"Yes. Um...I have a challenging one for you, though," she grinned.

"What's the challenge?" he grinned back. At her whisper, he found himself in a rather perplexed way. "I can try."

"That would be challenging," Kiehl chuckled.

"A blood-flavored snow cone," Howard sighed and ran a hand over his forehead.

"With pieces of raw meat in it," Doppy smirked. He heard what they were whispering about. Beelzebub had an idea for Charles and muttered it to him.

"That might work," the Royal Chef mused. "But, I think Immortal Hearts are bit hard for her to chew. Aren't they?"

"Cube them," Aliot said. "I can help you."

"Please do," he nodded and they moved to the kitchen.

"I thought the raw meat was needed for Lord Thanatos, though?" Errende frowned.

"I bet it's because of the double pregnancy need for Naght and Doppy. Ask Loomin," Kiehl said. Loomin was quick to come over when called, and he studied the situation.

"You may be right. However, you need to remember this, too. She needs quite a few of us close now. It can't be helped. She needs more blood than ever. She has five kids in her. This should be the most she ever has. She needs a lot of food and fluids. Blood is readily available as both. There isn't much to say after that. She just needs a lot right now," Loomin said with a small shrug. "And remember this. Her taking blood from us could be her other way of showing affection. She needs to be dominant. This is part of it."

"True," Howard nodded. Then he looked over at the round of screaming kids that were running to the house to hide behind them. "What's going on?!"

"Remember how they wanted to hit Cedrick with slime-filled snow balls?" Loomin smirked. Kiehl put a hand to his face to laugh in it. Ragged Zombie was easily letting Cedrick chase him so that he could scoop up some snow, dab it in his gut, and fling it behind him. He was missing so far. Finally one had smacked him in the center of his chest armor.

"Disgusting!" Cedrick scowled and managed to use some clean snow to wipe it off. "I'm not done with you! Get back here!"

"You can't even catch up with me!" the zombie snickered and flung another slime-covered snow ball at him. This one tagged his arm. The ones watching were dying with laughter. Sarine was almost in tears, as she clung to Doppy. It was the looks on Cedrick's face that were causing the whole thing. The slime was not going to wear off for a good hour. He was going to stink around everyone.

"I need to breathe!" Sarine winced, as she gasped for air. Beelzebub was quick to cover her with his robe to shield her from the sight. It helped her recover.

"Did you get Kavach?" Errende asked.

"Nah. He was inside the guest house complaining of how cold it was," the zombie grinned. "But, you will like this! Armeyer and Wickebine helped me set up a nice little trap to have one fling at him the moment he does walk outside. They know where the trip wire is. He doesn't. It will be fun!"

"Very clever," Kiehl chuckled.

"Dad?" Deagan giggled, and Beelzebub let him move into the robe to get cuddled. When Beelzebub's kids wanted him, Terin was quick to scoop them up to let them cling to him. Even Tsurga helped with Gunther and Bianca.

"Getting cold now?" Tsurga grinned.

"Yeah," Gunther shivered. As half demons, they needed a bit more heat. It was the same with Serenity and Seigfreid. The others were okay, but Elenor and Joseph were starting to suffer a little. Eremes gathered them up and moved them into the warmth of the tent.

"You wanted to play," Eremes muttered to them with a small smile. Ifrit soon took them to let them snuggle into his fiery form. They seemed to sigh with relief. "Let me take off some of the heavier clothes with you."

"Good idea," Ifrit nodded. Storm Caller was able to appear to help take back some of the thick clothes to put away. As the kids began to trudge inside, Doll and Bacsojin checked each one and removed the heavy coats. Sammy went over each child after that to ensure their health.

"Give them all hot soups and hot chocolate drinks," he advised.

"I can work on that," Charles nodded. The slaves were eager to help set up the warm food and drinks. Any of the kids that seemed chilled were quickly given to Ifrit and Eremes to get heated back up. If they still looked cold, a hot bath was quickly in order. Once they were settled in the nursery to eat and relax, Sarine was settled in the rocking chair to nurse the younger ones again.  _Playing in the snow had definitely made them hungry._

"Slow down, Sun," she crooned when he coughed a little. Muninn chuckled, as he watched the prophesied twins nurse. When he tried to nibble, Doppy let out a small growl to get him to behave. Moon had already finished and was held by Loomin to get burped. At the rattling burp that was given out, Kiehl just looked at Muninn's laughing form.

"Yeah, that's your physical body, all right," Howard grinned.

" _It just shows that he's a healthy eater,_ " Muninn shrugged. " _I will not complain._ "

"I wouldn't, either," Keltin chuckled. Sarine hummed softly, as she nursed Evil Snake Lord's twins now. Kiehl kept his arms around her, and Howard used his heels to rock the rocking bench gently. When Serenity bounded up to him, he gave a mild glance to settle down.

"Sorry, Dad," she smiled. He had her move into his lap to let her watch her siblings with pride. "They were hungry?"

"Very. Playing in snow always makes hungry babies," Howard chuckled.

"I never saw snow before today," she giggled.

"That's right. You were born in only a couple weeks in the spring. This is your first winter," he nodded. "Is it fun, though?"

"Yeah!" she grinned and got a pat on the head. "Um, can we do a campfire night?"

"A fire pit night? I don't think so. Not with the snow outside," Kiehl frowned.

"But...um...inside?" she asked.

"Well...we don't have an actual fireplace in the main room yet," Loomin mused. "I do remember when I was younger that there was a fireplace built into the wall. I was able to read books by it and even had small pots of tea boiling over it, too."

"That could be something! We can teach them how to cook their own stuff with a hot fire! Think Charles is up for it?" Howard grinned. "We can use the underground arena to work with. Or, we set up another area just for campfires."

"A Hell Fly is informing Storm Caller now," Beelzebub nodded. When Charles came in, he was told of what was possibly going to happen. He was rather amused now and made plans to see what he could come up with.

"I know you said no school today, but it would be a nice recreational activity for them to learn how to build their own fires without spells or other tools," Charles said. "They can also learn how to cook small meals with what is around them, too."

"That is an excellent idea!" Evil Snake Lord said, as he looked over from the bookshelf. "They may not have school, but this would be important knowledge for them."

"School?!" Gunther gaped at what he heard.

"Not really school. Think of it as something you can learn when you travel. It's something fun, and you can cook something fun, too," Sammy said, as he held his twins. Sarine was clearly agreeing with this, as she nursed Eremes's twins.

"Oh! Yeah! I wanna learn!" Bianca beamed. Other kids chimed in quickly, and Charles was still amazed by the eagerness of the kids. When some of the other kids began to look like they were ready to complain, he had an idea. Grabbing a cup, he went to the balcony and scooped some fresh snow into it. Then he grabbed a candle for Ifrit to light, and that was set in a holder. Then he looked at the kids.

"I'm going to show you what snow really is," he said. As he had the kids gather around, he showed them that snow was really drinkable water when it melted. He began to calmly explain where the snow came from and how it was made.

"Um, so, if snow is water...oh! Can we catch it with our tongues?!" Serenity asked.

"That is something that every child does! Go and try it on the balcony. A few at a time, though," Charles advised. Several of the males started laughing at the sight of kids with their mouths wide open and tongues sticking out when they tried to catch snowflakes. Alexander was easily hovering outside the balcony and could only laugh at what was going on. Even Sarine was giggling softly to herself.

"Wow. Never thought I'd see that," Kiehl laughed.

"I'd catch something else on my tongue before leisurely drawing it back into my mouth," Sarine murmured lightly, as she nursed Beelzebub's twins now. Kiehl turned beet red. Howard coughed nervously and shivered. "Like something sweet and crumbly..."

"Sarine..." Kiehl muttered and found himself getting kissed deeply. Muninn found himself laughing softly while he held Sun. When the kids filed back in, they gloated on who caught the most snowflakes. If any of them started to pout, Thanatos was quick to dump some snow right on the pouter.

"Look! You caught some! Now stop it, or I'll give you more," he warned. The threat was easily taken seriously. When one of the kids tried to get out of line, Kiehl cleared his throat calmly. That got them to pause and quickly settle down. Even Doppy gave a mild glare to force the unruly behavior to stop. Sarine chuckled softly to herself and crooned to her nursing children. At the sound of someone approaching that was unknown, she gave a small growl.

"Who's out there?" Kiehl asked.

"It's a messenger. Storm Caller is with him," Keltin said.

"Hmm," Loomin frowned and gave Moon over to Muninn. He walked over to see who the messenger was. "You look like you're from Comodo."

"I am!" the man nodded. He was wearing beach-like attire to prove it. "Ah, the casino owner has sent me. He apologizes for not being here, himself, but he wanted to let you know that his brother is currently detained."

"After all this time, we just hear of this?" Sarine asked with a narrowed gaze.

"Very peculiar," Sammy muttered.

"I can tell that you are truthful," Loomin said to ease the room. "But, why would it take so long for a response? This incident happened at least a few months ago! Back when it was early fall, in fact. And, why didn't he inform the Chief of this?"

"I have a Hell Fly contacting the Chief now," Beelzebub muttered. "Hmm. He had no idea about any of this, either."

"Wait. This incident was never reported?!" Kiehl gaped. "The break-in of the new hut? The defense the Hell Flies did? I thought that man we sent back went to the Chief!"

"No. He went to the casino owner. The owner couldn't have his reputation marred, so he covered it up completely with a bit of money," Loomin muttered. "Summer is usually the busiest season. Same with fall. Winter is when it's slow. So, he was able to find time to come to us now. Sarine? What do you think?"

"Well," she sighed and finally finished nursing the last two. Entweihen was able to take his twins from her to let them recline in his thornless vines, as she fixed her top back up. "the Chief now knows what is going on. If this casino owner wishes audience with me, then I want him present, too."

"And our babies will be very safe," Howard muttered softly to her before kissing her. "I'll make sure of that. They will never come to harm."

"Good," she murmured and kissed him back passionately. When she rose up, Kiehl was able to support her. "I also want Garrett, Max, and Seyren present, too."

Tsurga looked over from where he was to nod and show that he would also be present.

" _They will be there,_ " Muninn nodded. " _Did you want to meet with him?_ "

"I did. But only after the others are here first," she said.

"He won't touch you," Kiehl growled. At the way her hand moved up his chest, he smiled and kissed her. "Maya Purple, you might want to latch onto a wall down there."

"I can do that," he nodded and skittered over to her to get a kiss first before heading down the stairs. Sarine kissed any others that needed it and let them escort her down the stairs to see to this meeting. Elric was given approval to contact his Guild. If anything was tried, it wouldn't last very long at all.


	182. Chapter 182

The last thing the well-dressed man was expecting was a mob of protective monsters, slaves, mates, and husbands. As Sarine began to get escorted down the stairs, Kiehl looked at Hyegun with a worried look.

"Hyegun, Sarine may need one of us to stay with her. We don't want her pregnancy to make her feel that she's in any form of harm," he started. Hyegun blinked at this and moved quickly to softly whisper to her belly. At what he gleaned, a glance was given to Thanatos.

"Keep her in your lap, and keep your hands on her belly. If they stay asleep, then we'll be fine. But, if you move your hands at any point, then she'll have to get taken into another room. There will be no choice in it," Hyegun ordered lightly. Thanatos nodded and gave a glowing white-eyed glare at the man in the room before sitting down. Sarine was placed in his lap to let him monitor the pregnancy. Doppy wasn't too pleased on seeing the human before him, either, and he gave a small growl to show it.

When the Comodo Chief appeared, he was given warm nods of welcome with a good seat, if he needed it. Even he was giving a critical glare to the casino owner. To prove his mistrust of the whole situation, he said, "Now, why didn't you give these fine people any information about your brother's standing? Much less to me?"

"Well..." the man started.

"If I recall, this is the fifth time you covered up for your brother," the Chief sighed. "He made various patrons of your casino very uncomfortable. He would always pester them and not allow them to enjoy themselves. It makes my town look bad. And it brings angry guests to my doorstep. I don't like that. Do you?"

"A fifth time?" Tsurga frowned.

"Too many to me," Kalen growled out and moved to stand by her protectively. "I've only been to that casino once. And I do remember that guy. He wouldn't leave that Wizard alone! All she was trying to do was have fun, and he kept trying to pick up on her! When she was so fed up and tried to leave, his goons were there to block her. I eventually stood up for her to help her leave town. And then I left shortly after when I was threatened. I didn't bother to go back. So, in the Chief's eyes, he lost a guest."

"Um..." the man seemed to grimace.

"Your Majesty," Tsurga said to show exactly who she was. "may I make a suggestion?"

"Of course, Captain," she smiled softly with a nod. When Garret, Max, and Seyren appeared, they were quickly filled in. The three of them crossed their arms over their chests to study the somewhat guilty man.

"And you, like your brother, never offered us your name," Loomin muttered in a bored tone. "You can either provide it freely, or we'll get it another way."

"Don't bother asking him," Beelzebub snorted. "His name is Gerald. I overheard it quite a bit when my Hell Flies were gleaning what they could for me."

"That it is," the Chief nodded. "Now explain yourself."

"I honestly wouldn't know how," the man finally admitted sadly. "He's got me in a bind, too. And all because of a bet."

"A bet?" Sarine frowned. Muninn now came down the stairs to stand by her. He was not happy about this, and he even bent down to whisper to Kiehl.

"Our babies are safe," he soothed and nuzzled into her jaw. Muninn had clearly foreseen something nasty, if he had to reconcile her this soon. Terin and Elric glanced at each other and back at the man. Elric was the one that walked over to talk to him.

"What bet? Sarine is in a delicate state from her pregnancy. Talk to me in a low, calm tone, please," Elric said cautiously. Gerald could only sigh.

"Every month he would bet me to a game of cards. If he lost, he would stay away from the casino. If he won, he would have free reign to do whatever he wanted. He has won every single time. I don't know how. I can't detect any form of cheating. I don't know what he does to always win. This has been going on for a few years now. And, if I decline the game, his goons come in and damage my property. No matter how many times I fix the place back up, they come back in and destroy what was fixed," he muttered. "I know his original men were detained, but he has new men now. And they are just as ruthless as the others."

"I see," Elric mused. "I'm the leader of the Assassin Guild. I'm going to have my Guild mates send your brother a message. We'll put a stop to the bets as of now."

"And, if his men come into my casino?" Gerald asked.

"Leave that to me," Beelzebub grinned wickedly. "I have Hell Flies in place right now."

"Thank you!" Gerald praised. "I'll give everyone here a ten thousand zeny credit, if it works! But, um, just redeem as you come to play. I can't really pay all of that up at once..."

"We understand," Loomin chuckled. "Beelzebub, can you track down his brother?"

"Where does he live?" the Demon Lord asked.

"In one of the best rooms of the casino. And he trashes it daily. I promised our parents that I would take care of him, but this draws a line," Gerald said. "And, I believe that he never gave you his name. It's Dean."

"Thank you," Beelzebub smirked. "The room is currently empty. Where does he tend to hang out when he's not there?"

"The local pub in Jawaii," he said. "He hits on girls there, too."

"I can only imagine..." Eremes grunted his disgust. At the look Sarine gave him, he walked over to lightly bend down and place a kiss on her mouth. "None shall touch you. They have to get through me first."

"And me," Doppy smirked. When Charles came in with a chocolate drink for her to help soothe her mind down, she snatched it up to sip happily. On studying her, he chuckled.

"Don't worry," Charles said. "Even I would happily punch out whoever tried to flirt with you in an unwanted way."

Doppy swore mildly in Demonic, and Charles found himself laughing. Sarine rose a brow at that when Kiehl and Howard sputtered their own laughter. When she responded to him in Demonic, Doppy howled with laughter. Thanatos almost lost his hold on her, if it wasn't for Errende being nearby. The faithful First Slave was hugged tight to her and gently nuzzled.

"I have a mission for you," she whispered to her slave.

"Yes, My Lady?" he asked. At the soft whisper, Thanatos was actually surprised.

"I don't know if he can pull that off," Thanatos said.

"Give me ten minutes," Errende said in a rather dark way. Kiehl and Howard were gaping. Even Naght was impressed from what he learned.

"What is he going to do?" Loomin asked.

"Punch Dean in the face in front of everyone at the pub and call him out for being a liar and a no good thief," Thanatos said. "As well as for slandering royalty and breaking into houses. I want to watch!"

" _Here,_ " Muninn grinned and made a small window. Before he left, Sarine had him go to Evil Snake Lord to have a small parchment to take with him for the owner of the pub. Then they watched Errende arrive from the Kafra Agent and head straight into the pub. Dean was busy trying to get a girl drunk enough to accept his advances. His goons weren't there. Errende calmly had the girl step aside, and a rather agitated Dean now glared at him.

"This is for My Lady, the Princess of Amatsu!" Errende said in a seething tone and punched him so hard that he backpedaled into the wall and crashed into a table. "You are a disgusting man that treats others like the dirt you walk on daily. You're a filthy cheat and a liar. You break into homes when you don't get your way, and you vandalize other places in the same disgusting manner. Your brother is talking to her right now. The Captain of the Amatsu Royal Guard, and the Captain of the Prontera Royal Guard, will see to any other acts of judgment to be done, if such behavior continues.

"By the way, your little bets with your brother are done, too. If you try anything to vandalize his casino business, you will be locked up behind bars. And, if you dare try to come back to her island arena to question this, you will leave in pieces! I'm just the messenger for now, but I'll also be your executioner! You have been warned."

The girl Dean was flirting with was in complete shock. Even the bartender had seen Sarine and how kind she was to all. Errende gave over the parchment paper with instructions to have any sum of money requested to pay for any and all damages with a small nod. That was what Sarine wanted Evil Snake Lord to create just for this. Then he left quickly to get back to Sarine's side. When he got back, he grinned at the tears of laughter that almost everyone was in. Thanatos gave him such an approving mental vibe that he shivered with pride.

"I love you, Errende. You avenged me perfectly," she murmured softly and pulled him close to kiss him deeply. "Maybe...when we are done here...you can stay with me..."

"I can do that, My Lady," he mumbled and kissed her again.

"Can you get me some tea?" she smiled. He nodded, but she pulled him back to her to kiss again. Kiehl cleared his throat and let Errende scoop her up to remove her from the room. He kept a hand on her belly, and Thanatos had to move to ensure that everything was fine.

"Sorry about that," Loomin chuckled. "Anyways, I'm sure that any further issues with your brother will be resolved. Just rest easy. We'll keep an eye on the place."

"And, like I said, I will keep an eye on your brother with my Guild," Elric nodded. As they continued to talk to Gerald, Errende was rocking Sarine close to him.

"Stay?" she asked softly. He was settled on a spare bed with her, and he was able to have Thanatos remove his touch. As long as someone stayed with her, then it was fine.

"You know I will, My Lady," he said and gasped when she squeezed herself around him.

"He was already with her. We should get another set of slaves with her now. Aliot and Observation. Get them," Kiehl said. As the message to find them was sent, Muninn walked in to sit on the bed to talk to Sarine.

" _When did you want to try and do a vision with me?_ " he smiled.

"Later tonight," she nodded and leaned into him. He chuckled and could only agree. At the heavy growl of possession she gave off to Errende, his heart raced with excitement. Just as her lips curled back to ready herself to bite, Charles was there with a slice of meat with intense blood flavoring. Errende could only wince at the denial he felt.

"Bite him first," Thanatos muttered with a small grin. The bite was quickly initiated to appease her slave. After a careful moderation of blood was taken, the meat was given over to kill off the rest of the craving.

"I love you, My Lady," Errende whispered.

"I love you, too, Errende," she smiled and kissed him passionately. When Aliot and Observation showed they were ready, the exchange was quickly done.

"How long?" the angel asked and let her press her face into his neck. Aliot was settled behind her to press into her back.

"If you can get her to sleep, about an hour. Otherwise, we're looking at about two to three," Kiehl said. Observation nodded and let her rest her face against his neck. His wings folded around her in a protective, cradling embrace. She sighed and heard Aliot start up a deep purr to help calm her further. That did the trick in helping her sleep.

Kiehl only nodded and rested a hand on her leg to keep a form of contact. Howard sat in a chair to monitor the room silently. Errende and Thanatos waited close by in case they were needed. Hyegun also remained in the room to keep a close eye on the developing children. Muninn patiently waited for a whole hour to pass before gesturing to let her wake slowly.

"Feel better, My Lady?" Aliot smiled. She kissed him passionately, and Observation was next to get his kiss with a loving snuggle. She was far too comfortable to move, though. They weren't planning on moving her just yet, either. Muninn was actually feeling a touch of anxiety. He wanted his vision to happen. He was far too curious about what was going to happen.

"Muninn?" she asked and looked at him. "What is it?"

" _Oh, just...curious of the vision. Much like that same nervous apprehension that the others feel when their visions are to take place,_ " he sighed. " _It cannot be helped, I suppose._ "

"I can understand that," Howard chuckled. She was still yawning from everything. The large pregnancy was rapidly draining her. Charles had already left and was bringing back a Yggdrasil juice drink for her. She was able to sip it down easily, and another tall glass of it was ready to give over the moment that one was done. She still felt tired, but she let her two slaves leave her side. Muninn was soon with her before any others could stop him.

" _Sarine, we need to do this dream vision now. Before anything else happens. I'll stay with you through the whole thing. We need to do this,_ " he whispered.

"What are you afraid of, Muninn?" she finally asked. Then she noticed that time stopped.

" _That my brother..._ " he seemed to tense. "w _ould still try to steal you away from me._ "

"I think he would still try. Despite everything you do, Muninn, you know he would do what he could. Even you know this."

" _I know,_ " he sighed and squeezed her. " _I just need to know for sure. Can we have this vision now? I really need to know..._ "

"Okay. Bring time back, and we'll do the vision together," she smiled.

" _I love you,_ " he whispered.

"I love you, too," she sighed and let him kiss her intensely. He was shivering with a form of excitement to find out what would happen. When time came back, the decision was told.

"Gerald already left," Beelzebub said and found a place to stand. "I'm ready."

"Baphomet is watching through me," Charles said. Hibram and Ragged Zombie were very curious on this. They were all curious. Loomin smiled and settled in a chair by Doppy. Once all of the males were ready, Muninn focused with Sarine for the dream vision to start...


	183. Chapter 183

It was the three month start of Sarine being with Huginn and Muninn. It was also her very first night in the inn they chose to stay at. They all had separate rooms, and she was happy to be sleeping with a sturdy roof over her head. As much as she missed Edgga's protection, she felt safe and secure with her brothers. She showered and changed into a nightgown they had purchased for her. She was still quite thin, but Muninn was slipping Yggdrasil Berry juice into her drinks to help keep her strength up.

She brushed her teeth and neatened out her straight, brown hair. She yawned and moved to settle into the comfy bed. Closing her soft, brown eyes, she slept rather deeply. Four hours later, she woke up in tears and completely terrified. The nightmare that assaulted her was horrific. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw herself back in that dark room to be cold and alone. Whimpering now, she panicked and found herself bolting from the bed. She was shivering and sobbing softly when she scrambled for the door. Still shedding tears, she found her way to Muninn's door and pounded on it.

"What?! Sarine?!" he gasped and knelt down to hug her. His black hair was lightly mussed up from his own sleep and sudden shock of awaking. Huginn's hair was white, but that was the only main physical difference between them.

"Moon! I...had a...bad...dream...!" she bawled and clung to him. Muninn frowned at this and picked her up to bring her into his room. He sat down in a chair with her in his lap, and he cradled her terrified form until she calmed down enough for the hiccups to stop. He studied her with his golden eyes and hugged her. He knew that she was given his name as Moon to call him by. Huginn referred to himself as Sun. They were same names the current prophesied twins had to avoid confusion, and to keep them hidden.

"Easy now," he soothed. "What was it about?"

At her cringe, he frowned and sighed. "I don't...wanna..."

"I see. It's okay, Sarine. Did you want to try and go back to your room?" he asked softly. At her large, teary-eyed look, he grimaced. "You should sleep in your own bed."

"But...the dream might...come back..." she shivered and rubbed her face into his lightly-clothed chest. "I was...trapped...and cold..."

"What?" Muninn blinked. In reality, she never told him this. She simply agreed to keep Muninn calm before going to Huginn. She told Huginn what her dream was all about. "So you dreamt of...I see..."

"And...and..." she shivered and got gently squeezed by him.

"No. Don't worry about sleeping alone. You can stay with me," he said and kissed her forehead. "I'll keep you safe."

"Kay," she shivered and sniffled. He lifted her up and let her snuggle against him in the bed. "Thank you...Moon..."

"No need to thank me, Sarine," he whispered and kissed her forehead again. The night passed swiftly now, and he woke up to finding her curled up on top of his chest. He judged there was a good thirty minutes before Huginn woke up to find them.  _I have to wake up Sarine._

"Huh?" she asked and yawned.

"You need to go back to your room and clean yourself up for breakfast. I'll come get you soon. Go on," he smiled. She nodded and got hugged again. "And, if you have any more nightmares, come back to me. I mean it."

"Kay," she said and kissed his cheek before leaving the bed. He chuckled and watched her leave. Right after the door closed, he found himself grimacing. On a whim, he peered into the distant future. Then he paled.

"I won't let him!" he growled. "She'll stay with me. She can't go to him. As long as I'm there...fine. I can't let him corrupt her like that."

He knew his brother liked her, but, from what he saw, it was pushing a boundary. He was quite upset over that. Now he showered quickly and dressed in his Hunter clothes. He knew his brother was playing the role as the Assassin.  _I have to act swiftly._ He left his room and made his way straight to Sarine's room. She had just finished dressing and had reached the door. He smiled and pulled her into his arms to carry her down to the main room of the inn.

Ten minutes later, Huginn came down to eat with them. She waved at him, and he waved back with a smile. Muninn showed that nothing was wrong. Right after they ate, they left to help her train. All through the day they had her train hard. Huginn didn't fail to notice how Sarine would give a small, shy smile to Muninn every now and then. His brother would just laugh and show her how to hold the bow properly.

Later that night, they went back to the inn they stayed at before. The same rooms were rented, and Sarine was given a hug by each of them before sent off to bed. Muninn waited patiently and simply listened to the various sounds around him. Three hours easily slipped by. When he heard someone running down the hall, he was up from his bed and opening up his door to scoop her up. Nothing needed to be said. Even her frightened whimpers gave it away.

"I don't...wanna...sleep alone...!" she gasped and shivered hard.

"I know," he soothed gently and moved to let her recline in the bed with him. "And you won't. But, Sun may get mad. So, we will have to be careful on how we plan this. Okay?"

"Kay," she sniffled and snuggled into him. "Um...what can I say to you...to show how much...how happy I am...to be with you?"

"You can say..." he thought. "when it comes to you being my sister, that you love me. As I see you as my sister, and I am seen as your brother, you can say that you love me."

"Okay," she said softly and pressed into him. "I love you, Moon."

"And I love you, too, Sarine," he smiled and kept an arm around her.

"Do you promise...to always be here?"

"Well..." he sighed. "I can't be here all the time. But...I'll do my very best to be there when you need me the most from now on."

"Promise?" she frowned.

"I vow," he said softly and kissed her forehead. He just locked himself into something that should never have happened. He hugged her to him and slept silently at her side.

In the morning, he had her wake and head back to her room. She was stopped by Huginn, and he bent down to regard her. "Sarine? Why were you in Moon's room?"

"Oh. Um...I had a nightmare..." she frowned. "He let me stay with him."

"I see. Are you okay now?" he asked. "You could stay with me, if you have another nightmare, too, you know."

"That's not necessary," Muninn said when he appeared. "She's fine."

"Very well," Huginn said with a small growl. He was jealous. _Insanely jealous._

"Go get dressed," Muninn said and watched her go down the hall to her room. Now both brothers glared at each other.

"She should have come to me!" Huginn snarled out.

"Well, she didn't. She found me first. And I helped her out. You would have only blown it out of proportion. She's just fine," Muninn said and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Maybe we should sleep outside for tonight."

"We can do that."

"Good. We will," Huginn muttered and went back into his room. Breakfast time felt a touch strained with forced conversation. Even all through the day for training, the tension was there. Sarine didn't like it one bit. When the time came to decide on camping outside or the inn, Sarine agreed with them to try camping outside.

"It will be fun," Muninn chuckled. "Okay, I'm going to hunt something. Stay here with Sun. I'll be back as fast as I can."

"Okay," she smiled. When he left, she looked at Huginn. "Why are you mad?"

"Me? Mad?" he blinked.

"Yes. Since this morning," she said.

"Oh. I just didn't like how you slept with him. That's all."

"But...he helped me keep the nightmares away..."

"I know. But, I can help do that, too."

"I know you could."

"Well, if you know, then, maybe, if it happens again, you can come to me?" he asked.

"Oh. Well...I guess so..." she seemed to shrug. She actually liked sleeping with Muninn. He sent a wave of comfort through her. Huginn gave off that same vibe, too, but it wasn't as strong. When Muninn came back with something to put over the fire, he gave a dirty look at his brother. He knew what happened, even as she told him what she wanted to try.

"Sarine," Muninn said, as he fixed up their dinner to cook. "if you want to try and sleep with Sun tomorrow night, then okay. You can try."

"If I have another nightmare," she nodded. Muninn was very skeptical over it, but he tended to their supper and kept a mild truce with his brother when she slept between them. In the morning, they had some leftovers for breakfast and cleaned up their camp. Training was smooth up until the next inn they encountered.

"Try and sleep alone," Muninn said and gave her a hug. "You know what rooms we have. We're not that far away."

"Kay," she said and went into her room. Both brothers seemed to glare silently at each other before retreating to their own rooms. Muninn was clearly worried now. _I don't want her to sleep with Huginn._ He was already cursing himself for missing her closeness. It was all a protective standpoint to him. He ended up pacing the room. He couldn't rest until he knew what happened. In her room, a good three hours passed by from sleep before she bolted out of her bed again. Whimpering softly, she was about to go to Muninn's door, but she paused. Turning to Huginn's door, she knocked on it.

It took a bit, but he was soon letting her in. He was too tired to really give much comfort, but this was also how he was in reality, too. He hugged her to him when he fell back to sleep in his bed. As much as he liked feeling her so close, he wasn't used to being jostled out of sleep like that. It would take time to get used to in order to really give her the attention she wanted. But, because he didn't give her what she needed, she was still scared.

She waited for him to fully fall asleep before escaping his bed. She snuck out of his room and knocked on Muninn's door. She was pulled to him and the door was closed.

"Did you see Sun?" he asked.

"Yeah. But...it's not the same..." she whimpered and let him hug her. "He was too tired to really...hug me...and help me..."

"Well, I'm here now. Just rest with me," he said. She nodded and yawned. She tried to stay awake a bit longer, but Muninn's calm, comforting embrace soon had her sleeping deeply in his arms. He smiled and lifted her up to set her in his bed to rest with him. When the morning came about, he let Sarine sleep a bit longer against him. He knew that Huginn was looking for her. When her room was empty, he knew where she was.

"Hey," Huginn said when he carefully came in. "What happened?"

"She's still sleeping. She said she didn't feel comfortable with you. Yes, you let her in and let her sleep with you, but you were too tired to really give her what she needed. She came back to me. Let her sleep a bit longer," Muninn said. Huginn couldn't say anything. _It was all truth._  His brother couldn't lie.

"Fine. I'll see about getting breakfast brought up," Huginn sighed. Muninn nodded and watched him leave. The rest of the three months passed swiftly. Sarine ended up staying with Muninn most of the time. She was only able to be with Huginn when Muninn was either hunting, or doing other things around the town for them. As much as Huginn hated it, she always went back to Muninn when he came back.

When it was time for them to leave, she was in tears. Muninn only rocked her and said, "I know, Sarine. I don't want to go, either. But, you must go on alone for now. We'll be around in other ways. Trust us in this."

Huginn now blinked at this when he said there were other ways to watch over her. And that was how Huginn got the idea to become her falcon. _I could pull it off._ Huginn brushed a kiss to her lips and backed away to show he was ready to go. Muninn glanced at him in warning, but he had already pushed various memories far back in her mind. Then they left.

Muninn lost track of Huginn when she became a Huntress, but he was also busy preparing other events for her when it was time for her to reach them. One of them was the Bongun, Keltin. He needed to ensure his placement. He was also a bit concerned of how she fit in with the new group, but he relaxed when the Blacksmith, Howard, took over being her full guardian. As much as Eremes was there for her, Muninn actually felt better with the Blacksmith. He was slightly jealous over the relationship that formed, but there was nothing he could do.

It was when Lighthalzen came up that he worried. When she was forced to be separated from her family of friends, he only sighed at how she gave herself to Howard.  _In a way, it was inevitable._ But, when he witnessed what happened a couple weeks after with the failed pregnancy and the depression she went through, he was able to send her gentle vibes to help her cope. Because of that, and Huginn's hidden disguise to show what comfort he could, she was able to press on to continue surviving alone. As much as he hated the nightmares she had, there wasn't much he could do about that, either.

He didn't like the Hunter, Greg, and how he was pushing himself on Sarine. He did like how the falcon helped protect her. It was odd how the bird was like the silent guardian, but he paid it no mind. But, at the sight of the letter sent to her from Howard, he fought himself to go down to help her. He could only watch helplessly, as she resolved to write even more letters. When that final letter of Howard's death reached her, he knew he had to act.

" _Father Odin!_ " Muninn said when he reached the throne room. " _Please! Let me see to her! I have to!_ "

"You cannot intervene," Odin said calmly.

" _She will harm herself! I have to go!_ " Muninn argued. " _And where is Huginn in all of this? I haven't seen him for some time._ "

"Huginn is detained," he said. Muninn blinked at this and went over various events. Now his jaw dropped and Odin rose up a hand. "He is forbidden to change."

" _Father Odin, I VOWED to help her in her time of need! This is one of those times! I have to help her! If Huginn is helping her, then I should help her, too!_ " Muninn finally hissed out. At this, Odin paused and studied his messenger. A heavy sigh escaped him.

"Very well. However, you can only help her until her true path is revealed. Then you must leave her side until a far more permanent way is settled on. Just remember that everything has a repercussion at this time. Don't forget that. Now go," Odin nodded. "And worry not about Huginn. He can do nothing."

" _How will I approach her?_ " he asked.

"As you did before. Hurry!" Odin said, and Muninn found himself standing in Gonryun. He was in his Hunter guise like before. He now ran towards where Sarine was staring out at the world below from the small, floating island she was on. Huginn was trying to get her attention with small chirps, but she was ignoring him. When he saw Muninn, he squawked with surprise.

"Sarine," Muninn said softly. "It's me, Moon. I had vowed to you that I would be at your side when you needed me most. I know you need me now."

"What?" she asked. His voice triggered a memory, as though someone grabbed hold of her and shook her to reason. When she turned slowly to see him, he was on his knees and had his arms out to show he was ready for her. It was just like what Howard did for her before.

She cried out and ran to him sobbing. He simply cradled her and squeezed her to him. When the falcon seemed to glare at him, Muninn gave a knowing glare back. That got Huginn to look away.  _But, she was safe now._ He carefully scooped her up and carried her away from the offending island. Huginn could only fly along behind them, but his relief was easily felt.

"Two for Izlude," Muninn said and gave over the money to the Kafra Agent. When they got transported, since all Huginn needed to do was cling to Muninn's shoulders for a free ride, he went straight to the local inn. He muttered out to Huginn, "Keep watch. If there is an intruder, sound an alarm for me."

Huginn chirped and flew up to monitor the town. Muninn paid for a room after setting Sarine down for a moment to do so. Then he scooped her back up into his arms to carry her to the bed. He set her on it gently and locked the door securely. Now he went back to her side to pull her into his lap to rock her close, and he didn't care how damp his tunic got. He took off the gloves he wore to hug her tighter.

"They're...all gone...!" she gasped and clung to him.

"I know. You'll find out what happened in time. I'm only here long enough to help you push past this grief. I know how bad it is," he whispered and squeezed her.

"You left...and I found them...and then I lost them..." she whimpered. "And, if you leave...I'll lose you, too..."

"No," he said and sighed hard. "I will never be fully gone from your side. I watched over you from a far off distance. I had no choice."

"And you...couldn't be with me...to...?" she shivered.

"Even I answer to higher powers, Sarine. There is only so much that I can do."

"So...you know of...what happened...when How-How and I...that week..."

"Yes. I saw that. But, it wasn't as intense as this was. I wanted to show up! Oh, how I did! But...I wasn't allowed to."

"It's...not...fair!" she bawled out, but she continued to cling to him. He could only nod and rock her. When she was finally able to breathe again, he squeezed her.

"I'll travel with you for a month," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "Then I'll slowly remove my presence from your side."

"No..." she shivered.

"I know. It will hurt. But, it must be done," he said gently.

"Moon," she said softly. "how did you know...of everything...when you weren't there? That makes no sense to me."

"Well..." he sighed. "I'm not exactly a human. But, I've been guarding over you from afar. I was simply not allowed to intervene. Your childhood...if I had a chance to help you..."

"So...you knew? And you could do nothing?!" she gasped and looked at him. Then she noticed his own tears of grief and hugged him. "Who...stopped you...?"

"Lord Odin," he whispered and pressed his face into her neck. "I answer to him."

"So...you're not human?" she asked softly.

"No. I'm not even truly related to you, but I do see you as my little sister," he chuckled.

"Really?" she said with a small touch of amusement. At his nod, he blinked at the small kiss she put on his lips. Now he looked at her with surprise.

"Sarine! What are you doing?" he asked. At how she looked at him now, his eyes widened.  _She needed a form of comfort that Howard would have given her. Now she saw me as the one to give her that form of comfort._  Only then did Odin's warning come into effect.  _This was a repercussion for intervening._  "Sarine, please, I'm not here to help you this way. Think of what Howard would have wanted!"

"He told me not to let any other man touch me. You are not a man," she said and pressed her mouth to his again. He couldn't stop her. He didn't want to stop her. Even when the kiss got deeper with a far more urgent twist to it, he was locked to his vow to help her.  _She needed me like this to help her. Oh, how Huginn was going to be so jealous when he found out!_

For a whole hour, everything was a complete blur. From the hasty undressing, to settling back in the bed with her, and finally joining with her, he could hardly believe what he did. She only pressed into him when he tried to move, and he hugged her tight. "I can't believe...what we just did...I mean..."

"Do you regret it?" she asked.

"No. If this helps you, then I do not," he sighed and kept her close.

"I mean...when you told me that I wasn't your true sister..." she shivered. He placed a finger to her lips. Nodding a bit, she said, "How long can you stay?"

"I said I would be with you for a whole month. After that, I may be able to return to your side on the nights you have intense nightmares. A month is just enough to help you cope. And, I know how bad your nightmares can affect you."

"Can't you simply come to my side each night? When you know you can? This way the nightmares simply won't come? I mean...I know you won't be with me during the day..."

"Hmm. That may work. Very well. I can do that," he nodded.

"Thank you, Moon," she whispered and pressed into him.

"And...you still find my presence more pleasing than Sun's?" he chuckled.

"I always did," she said softly, as the memories came back. "It's...hazy right now. But, I think I could never really be with him. He made me feel strange. It was a feeling that I wanted, but didn't want, too. It seemed forced with him. With you...I feel like I have more control."

"Good to know," he smiled and let her kiss him softly. For the rest of the day, he simply cradled her in the bed. She still had quite a bit of grief that she needed to vent, and that was why he was there. When she finally fell into a deep sleep on him, he could only sigh. When Huginn flew in to land on the back of a chair, he saw the state they were in. His glare was smoldering. "Don't look at me like that! I vowed to help her! Father Odin knows. And she initiated this. I didn't do this. So don't blame me. I did question her, but I could not stop her."

The falcon seemed to shiver at this, but already knew that the argument was lost. _My brother still can't lie to me. Muninn could never lie._  All Huginn could do was pout softly at this new situation. He didn't like it one bit.

For a month, Muninn was at her side. When she started to slip in her focus, he was right there to hug her tight. And, he enjoyed telling off Greg when the Hunter appeared to get close to her. That made him feel much better about everything. When Sarine recognized the annoying man, as they browsed the Prontera merchant streets, Muninn looked at her. "It's him. The one I told you about."

"Just stay with me," he muttered and squeezed her. "We need to play the brother and sister role. We always do so in public. It needs to continue."

"Until we are alone?" she blushed softly. He chuckled and nodded.

"Hey! What are you doing with her?" Greg asked when he walked over.

"Me? I'm her older brother. I was in the area, and I decided to travel with her for a bit. What's it to you?" he asked. Huginn settled on Muninn's shoulders to show an act of trust. Greg blinked at this, but he puffed up his chest.

"She's my girlfriend," Greg said.

"No. She's not," Muninn growled and pulled her behind him. "You're a disgusting ingrate! Stay away from my sister. If you don't, you'll be spitting out your teeth. I don't need to use arrows to get my point across. Now beat it!"

Greg could only gape with shock when Muninn now turned to pull her along behind him. When they got to a secluded area out of sight from others, he hugged her to him. She was laughing, though. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and hugged her close. The rest of the day passed by without any further issues. So did the rest of the month. True to his word, he appeared at her side nightly to keep her nightmares back.

When she finally decided to explore Geffen Tower, he knew he had to back away when Doppy discovered her.  _That had to happen._  He simply pushed the memories of himself back in her mind. When she left his side, Muninn returned to her to make it seem like he never left. Later that night, she was pressed into him in the bed they were in. "I wish I could have freed him, Moon!"

"I know. Don't worry. You'll see him again," he nodded. "You know, maybe you need a pet. I'm sure you can get one."

"A pet? Really?" she smiled. He nodded and gave her a blue book.

"This is for a Bongun. In time, I'm sure you'll find one. Just give it time."

"Would you still be with me?" she asked.

"I don't know. We'll see," he smiled and kissed her forehead. It was a few months later when he knew his time to be with her would be up. When she finally reached the Payon Caves during the day, he gently urged Keltin to go to her side. The only difference was that, instead of Keltin warming up to her as a normal pet would, Muninn granted the Bongun the instinctive ability to already know what he needed to do. It was much like the vision with Baphomet Jr. becoming her pet. Keltin was now fully loyal to her cause.

"Hey," Keltin smiled. "My name is Keltin. Let's get out of here."

"What?! I just hatched you!" she gasped.

"True! But, you're special. I like you. So, let's leave here and talk a bit more somewhere else. Can we?" he asked. When she shivered, he hugged her tight. Just as she was going to worry about Muninn, the memories were neatly pushed back. Now she looked at Keltin and smiled with a nod. And, as they left, the dream vision ended...


	184. Chapter 184

Muninn was in shock. Complete shock. And he was incredibly glad that he was still with her. What he didn't expect was the savage growl that Sarine gave out when she clamped her mouth on his throat. At his cry of surprise, Kiehl and Howard looked over with stunned expressions on their face.  _SHE BIT HIM!_

"Shit!" Howard gaped.

"She...managed to..." Kiehl said with wide eyes.

"What?!" Loomin asked.

"She bit him. And she's...drinking..." Howard said with a paled look.

"Shit..." Thanatos grimaced. "She's going to have a Demonic Mating, isn't she?"

"I think so..." Howard winced.

"She actually bit him?!" Doppy asked. "She drew blood?!"

"Yes," Kiehl sighed.

" _She felt...the need...to claim...me...in full..._ " Muninn managed to whimper out. Then he shouted when she gave out a muffled growl and simply pulled on the wound harder to feed better. The pain and pleasure he felt was simply exquisite. He couldn't stop her.

"Freeze time!" Loomin said. "We can't let her kids see this or get hungry!"

Muninn focused just enough to do that. Keltin was just too stunned to know what to think. Sammy was thinking furiously.  _It all happened much too fast._ Only two frozen hours went by when she came around, but it was enough. The heavy kiss she gave Muninn now only cemented him as being hers. At how the Demonic males in the room began to react to her scent, she whispered, "Muninn, you need to run with me. We can't have my babies hurt."

" _Okay,_ " he managed to pant out. He knew she was able to just barely reach through to him to show her concern for her pregnancy. " _Chase me!_ "

"Go!" Kiehl managed to growl out. Muninn was Healed by Kiehl, as he rose up with her, and he bolted from the room with her in his arms. He knew that he was being chased relentlessly. He also knew that Loomin and Errende were able to be notified on what happened to already head there during the start of the time freeze.  _Time still had to be frozen._  When she appeared on the platform, Muninn had Errende place his hands over her belly. Howard had his hands pressed against the viewing glass. Kiehl was just as tense over this.

"Get me...How-How..." she whispered. "I want him here..."

"I don't think we can open the door," Errende frowned. Kiehl growled and looked over at where the others were hidden. Then he charged over and smashed through the hidden glass window. Sammy was stunned. Eremes was in complete awe. Keltin could only cringe, but he knew that it was all for Sarine's pregnancy to thrive. Kiehl now hauled Howard over to Sarine and had him sit with her. Only then did the podium raise up.

"Ignore any that aren't with us!" Kiehl growled at the other males. They all nodded. Storm Caller would have to fix the glass later. Howard was now pulled close by her to get pressed into. Kiehl now looked at her and noticed that something was off about her attitude.

"I don't want...anyone...to fight..." she whispered.

"It's a Demonic Mating..." Howard said softly.

"I don't care," she whimpered.

" _This is a very different one,_ " Muninn grimaced. " _She is aware through it from her pregnancy with the triplets. Kiehl, she does not want to watch anyone fight over her. Is there another way? Yes, this must be done, but she is not instinctive._ "

"She can think through this now?" Kiehl blinked.

" _The triplets,_ " Muninn said. Kiehl's jaw dropped. " _They don't want anyone to fight. She is reaching out to us for them._ "

"Sarine," Kiehl managed to ground out from the scent in the air. At the look in her eyes, he leapt up to her and hugged her with Howard. "Your scent makes us fight. If we can't fight, then pick our order. Help me get a new element for my collar."

"Which one?" she asked.

"Lightning," he grinned. She smiled and nuzzled into him. At the consent on picking the order this way, the podium went back down on the floor level for easy access to her. Errende kept his hands on her belly to soothe any unborn child that he could reach. They were not frozen in time and could become irritable.

"You brought...How-How to me..." she mumbled and kissed him hard.

"Yes," he panted and was given some clearance to have her first to show he won the Demonic Mating again. After he had her and roared out his Bragging Rights, she whispered to him on who was next. Thanatos was looked at now for him to take over. This was how it was. She would whisper who was next after the next male was done. She couldn't handle any fighting right now. She simply couldn't bear to witness it in her condition.

"Our babies are safe," Doppy muttered after his turn was completed.

"Get Naght," she murmured and kissed him gently. It was much slower to go through this, but time was frozen. When Pharaoh held her last and gave her back over to Kiehl, she nuzzled into her First Mate with a tired sigh. Naght and Ifrit were keeping the air warm for her as they hovered nearby.

" _We need to get you back to your children,_ " Muninn said and let her hug him.

"You're mine?" she asked.

" _I always was,_ " he said softly and hugged her tight.

"Should I collar you?" she asked.

" _No. I am not a slave to you. I believe it may be safe to call me a mate of yours,_ " he chuckled. She smiled and kissed him gently.

"Can you carry me back?" she asked now. He nodded and managed to rise up with her. Loomin was ready with a Warp to the nursery to make traveling faster.

"Bedroom. Then nursery," Kiehl said.

"Ah. Right," Loomin nodded and changed the Warp. Kiehl stopped him, though, and he looked at Beelzebub.  _He needed the Lightning element._ Beelzebub mused to himself and was able to call forth the crackling electrical energy rather easily. The new diamond displayed on Kiehl's leash loop now seemed to flicker with a yellow and white pattern. With that important element given over, she was carried into the bedroom for time to resume. Then she was carried into the nursery to start nursing several hungry babies.

"What elements do you have now?" Keltin asked.

"Let's see," Kiehl thought. "I think I'm up to eight now. I have Light, Shadow, Water, Ice, Stone, Fire, Wind, and Lightning. I could easily make a nice stormy weather, but not around Sarine. I've won eight Demonic Matings now. An element for each one. Do you think that Poison should be my next one? I should try to get all of the base elements first."

"That you should," Howard nodded. "Earth is a bit split. You'll need Soil from Amon Rah, but only if you think it's really needed. You should grab Poison from Osiris next."

"I'll have to do that," Kiehl said. He was reclining on the bench next to her. Muninn had her in his lap, as she nursed Evil Snake Lord's twins. Howard was on the opposite side of them to rock the bench with his legs. Doppy sighed from where he sat in the small sitting room section. Gunther and Bianca were soon darting over to him to scramble into his lap.

"You both are getting too big for this," he grunted.

"But, we wanna be with you!" Bianca frowned.

"You don't want us around?" Gunther asked. Then Doppy looked at them both and grinned wickedly. The screams quickly started from the tormenting tickles they got. That sent a wave of screams from the others around them. Sarine simply clucked her tongue and swapped out the children she just nursed for the next set. Terin walked over, and he appeared a bit disgruntled. She looked at him with a small frown.

"There's something going on at the arena. I don't like it," he said.

"What is it?" Kiehl asked.

"There's an odd group there. I keep hearing the names Minnie and Crysta. And Lila, too," Terin said. At the growl Sarine gave out, he narrowed his eyes. Keltin and Sammy called over any new males that didn't know about the girls to explain them.

"They came back?!" Kiehl growled out.

"They don't have their husbands with them," Beelzebub said, as he listened to what he could. The Hell Flies were now on a constant watch for them. "Hmm. Ah. The husbands are there, but attempting to challenge others for them. The girls were daring them to prove how manly they were for them and to challenge someone ridiculously hard. They are going over their options now. They think a three on one attack will work."

"Okay, you know I have to go out there!" Doppy smirked.

"If they request you," Sarine smiled. "I would prefer you here."

"I would be protecting our babies," he said softly. That got her to look at him with a soft smile. At that thought, Kiehl pondered the situation.

"Okay. You, me, and Thanatos. Against them. Free of charge," Kiehl grinned. Anyone that overheard this started to die with laughter. "And you stay here with Muninn to let you watch what happens safely. I insist on it."

"I...should...go..." Naght said.

"So should I! She is having my children. I should protect her!" Ifrit growled.

"Protect her here. She needs to stay warm," Kiehl said. "I won't be long."

"I don't want you to go," she frowned.

"I want to protect our babies, too. Don't you want to see me use my new Lightning?" he asked and saw her grin softly. "It will be quick. Don't worry."

"If I am stressed..." she shivered. She still worried now, but Muninn squeezed her to show he was there. Kiehl pressed a warm, comforting hand to her cheek.

"I'll be as fast as I can," he promised. "If I'm not fast enough, then Ragged Zombie can finish it. And, yes, I know you heard that!"

"Okay, you  _know_  I'm going to be there!" the zombie grinned. Keltin found himself grinning at this. Ragged Zombie walked over to her to give a loving rub to her belly. "Kids, kick once if you want me to do something after Kiehl does something just to make them mad."

At the five kicks given, she found herself laughing. Kiehl grinned a bit wider at that. He whispered a promise to her belly that he would return swiftly. Muninn whispered to Howard, and Errende was called for to help keep the growing babies calm while she nursed other hungry children. Kiehl, Thanatos, and Doppy now moved to leave the house quickly. Ragged Zombie and Mobster were close behind. The two were like brothers now in almost every way.

When they got to the Kafra Agent, they told her what was planned. She nodded and watched them move to sit and wait in the main stand where Sarine would usually rest. As much as the snow was silently falling outside, a heating pipe was set up under the arena floor to keep it clear of snow. It made the ground slightly damp, but it made the challenges that much harder. The monsters never had problems with it. And, there was no heating offered to the challengers. Only the spectators had the privilege of heated seating.

Andy, Mark, and John were shivering slightly from the cold in the air. They didn't want to be there at all. At the sight of the powerful monsters approaching the arena, the three challenging men were a bit surprised. It was also their turn to fight.

"Since it's three of you all together, it's only fair that we three fight you," Kiehl said. "Three on three. I think that works. Don't you?"

"But...well..." Andy blinked.

"I thought you all learned your lesson from being here before," Ragged Zombie smirked from where he was on the balcony. Mobster rolled his eyes at them for their stupidity.

"You can do it!" Minnie said with excitement. She gaped at the middle finger that Ragged Zombie gave her. Doppy grinned wickedly at that.

"Why did you marry her again?" Thanatos asked. Andy seemed to grimace as a response. "Right. The lust factor."

"I'm done with waiting!" Doppy growled and leapt down into the ring. Kiehl and Thanatos were soon with him. Kiehl gave a bone-chilling glare with a small grin. The sensation that they were all going to die was quickly received. And it was physically shown by the look of horror on the three men before them. Kiehl amped it up by letting out a wave of Demonic Fear. Everyone in the arena felt it. He didn't even need to have his ghost come out. He was so strong that such a thing was only reserved for formal challenges.

"I am Kiehl. I am a leader of demons. You being here has made me feel...upset. So, this is what I will offer all of you. A quick death," he smirked. "And I'm on a time limit. So, it would have to be quick."

"Wait!" Andy said. Mark and John were very hesitant now. "Can we explain ourselves? Do we have that option?"

"You have two minutes," Doppy muttered. Andy sighed and walked up to him.

"Minnie is being a complete and terrifying bitch," the Champion muttered. "She's in this state that I have to keep proving myself constantly! I can't take it anymore!"

"Our wives are fine," John said. "It's really her. If we try to leave her side, she guilt trips us. She controls our wives. I mean...it was fun, at first. But, now it's just..."

"She likes watching us pick fights and win them. She thinks she can control us to no end. It's getting to be too much! Even Crysta and Lila are having problems," Mark added. Kiehl glanced at Thanatos and Doppy. They detected no lies in what they were being told.

"I still want to fight," Doppy muttered.

"Bring the bitch into the ring. We can fight her," Thanatos grinned.

"I have an idea," Kiehl said. "A bit of pain involved, but we can make this work."

"What do you have planned?" Andy asked.

"We fight. You get defeated. We lock you three up. We lure the girls in to try and rescue you. However, you all will be treated as guests. When Minnie tries to come for you, she will get imprisoned. We will then release you three and have a minor court session as to what her problem is. Answers will be given then. Do you agree?" Kiehl asked.

"For once, I'll accept getting beaten up," Andy said. "Anything to make her stop!"

"Do it," Mark nodded.

"I'll still fight back," John said.

"That's fine. Put on a show!" Thanatos grinned and took his massive sword off his back. Doppy had his own sword out to show he was ready. Kiehl didn't do anything. That sent a wave of unease through three men right there.

"You three are not worth my time. I'm leaving," Kiehl said with an air of disappointment. It was a complete show that he did to irk them. And it worked. When Mark and John got struck down by Thanatos and Doppy, Andy tried to attack Kiehl. All Kiehl did was turn and shoot off something that resembled a massive Jupitel Thunder attack. That was from his Lightning element. If there was snow on the arena ground, the damage would have been intense. When that didn't finish the job, Kiehl Silenced him. Then he struck him down with a Brandish Spear. He hardly had to lift a finger now to use his attacks. "Imprison them. Maybe that will make them rethink coming back."

He purposely said this aloud. Beelzebub and Terin had already told Sarine what was happening, and Muninn had let everyone watch through a window. They all agreed that it was a fitting punishment. Minnie was horrified. Crysta and Lila were in shock. Doppy, Thanatos, and Ragged Zombie were quick to gather up the three men and carry them off to the dungeon. Mobster snickered at what happened and jogged behind them. Despite the winter snow and cold, none of them were really affected by it.

"Now see here!" Minnie said shrilly. When Kiehl turned to glare at her from over his shoulder, she paused with complete fear.

"This is your fault. Own up to it," he said and turned to continue walking away. He needed to get back to Sarine before his need for her kicked in. When Howard reached him mentally, he began to run. Within the next minute, he was back at her side and hugging her. His Fire element came out to warm his body up to keep the chill off him, as he hugged her. "Easy, love. Easy. I'm here."

"You were almost...too late..." Sarine grimaced. He rubbed a hand over her belly and purred deeply to calm her down. Muninn was still holding her, but he had the window open to watch the three girls.  _They were plotting a raid on the dungeon later in the night._

"Hell Flies are already secured," Beelzebub muttered.

"I can have the Assassin Guild ready, too," Elric said. When Doppy, Thanatos, Mobster, and Ragged Zombie came back in, they were tackled with waiting kids.

"You kicked their butts!" Edward grinned.

"You fight good, Dad," Angela beamed and got picked up by Thanatos to hug tight.

"Because I know that  _no one_  can beat me!" he grinned.

"Except for me," Kiehl grinned a touch wickedly.

"For now," he grunted.

"Is that a challenge?" Kiehl asked dangerously, as his Bragging Rights threatened to flare out. He found himself diverted with Sarine's hand on his cheek to calm him.

"He was jesting," she whispered and kissed him softly. "Don't fight him."

"He said...he was better..." he mumbled and kissed her again. At how her finger moved into his leash loop to give a mild tug, he grunted.

"Do not fight him," she warned. He gave a slight, submissive nod of understanding. That was why she did it. He sighed and leaned into her.

"Dad?" Deagan asked when he trotted over. Kiehl looked over at him and let his son climb into his lap to press into him. A kiss was pressed to the top of his head, and Deagan smiled at him. He knew his father needed to calm down. "Are you okay now?"

"I think so," Kiehl said. When Juliana came over next to snuggle into him, he found himself laughing softly. Sarine smiled in a motherly way and looked over at Charles when he walked into the sitting area.

"Kiehl, eat this," Charles said and handed over a chocolate bar.

"Really?" Kiehl grinned. Then he started laughing when another chocolate bar was given to Thanatos. At the glare Charles was given, the Royal Chef simply shrugged. Thanatos had to set his kids down, but he took the chocolate and split it up between them. It helped keep the kids happy, and he gave a glance at Charles now for an explanation.

"It was Baphomet's idea," Charles chuckled. "If you want to challenge him, he's waiting outside. Oh, one other thing."

"What's that?" Thanatos asked. At the smack that Charles gave him upside the head, over half of the room started laughing. But, Charles wasn't laughing.

"Don't fight Kiehl. Ever," Charles growled. "Sarine can't handle it. No one can. You are a First Mate to her, and you know it would upset her. Don't stress her out anymore."

"You didn't have to hit me!" Thanatos snarled.

"Baphomet told me to do that, too," Charles smirked and walked out of the nursery. Kiehl was laughing at what he witnessed, but it was Hyegun that knew why it was done. Even Loomin could only confirm it.  _The triplets didn't want to have any fighting happen._

"He's right, you know," Hyegun said to Thanatos. "The triplets are painfully aware now. If there is any form of fighting, they will get upset. And, if they get upset, Sarine suffers. We can't have anyone fight each other right now. Charles is trying to direct your anger on Baphomet. Since he's not a part of Sarine, you can fight him."

"Good to know. I'm going to fight him now," Thanatos growled. When he looked over at Sarine, he winced and moved to her side. She had just finished nursing Beelzebub's twins and had reached out to him to hug him close. He sighed at the feel of her hands in his hair, as a comfort factor. Then he pulled away to look at her.

"Thanatos. Please don't hold any ill towards anyone. It would hurt me," she said.

"Baphomet had Charles hit me. I have to hit Baphomet back. I won't hurt Charles, since he's a First Mate and husband to you. But, Baphomet is a free fight," he said.

"Okay. You have to admit that it was to help me," she said softly. He found himself smiling and nodding. He blinked his glowing white eyes and placed a hand on her belly. She placed her hand over his and squeezed gently. Kiehl only chuckled softly when she got kissed passionately. After that, Thanatos rose up, nodded to Kiehl with respect to show he held no malice, and moved outside the house where Baphomet was waiting. The massive demon mused, as he watched Thanatos approach him.

"You had Charles hit me," Thanatos growled.

"I know," Baphomet seemed to shrug. The cold never bothered him. His body radiated constant heat. He was leaning heavily on his giant scythe, and his breath misted out in the frigid air. "Vent your anger on me."

"Done!" Thanatos growled and charged at him. As they fought, Sarine was able to watch everything with Muninn's help. Even the kids were permitted to watch to see how attacks were done. It was another reason why Baphomet was doing this.

"You see that swing?" Kiehl said when Thanatos swiped down and got blocked by Baphomet's scythe. "You see how it was blocked?"

"Oh!" Juliana said. As they continued to learn, Baphomet and Thanatos had finally come to a draw. Both demons regarded each other and nodded.

"Just so you know, the kids learned from our fight," Baphomet chuckled.

"Did they?" Thanatos grinned.

"Yes. As we fought, they watched how we moved. So, any others that feel the urge to fight can come to me. I don't mind," he said. Then he blocked a swift move easily. "I was expecting that."

"I figured," Thanatos grinned again.

"I have also learned of new guests in the dungeon," he snorted. "I want to see them."

"Sure. This way," Thanatos nodded and led the way. Muninn was actually amused at this. The kids were distracted with snacks now, and Kiehl was musing over what they were watching in the small window.

"Why does he want to see them?" Kiehl asked.

" _We will soon find out,_ " Muninn said. " _As much as I could look ahead, I will refrain from that. There is no need for that._ "

"So," Howard grinned softly. "how does it feel being Sarine's newest official mate? Sure, you can't swap blood with her, but..."

" _Shut up, Howard,_ " Muninn muttered. Kiehl started laughing. At the soft whisper Sarine gave him now, he paused. " _I...honestly would not know..._ "

"What do you want to do?" Sammy asked when he looked over.

"You want to do that?" Howard asked with a touch of amazement.

"Well...what do you all think?" she asked.

"Hmm..." Beelzebub pondered.

"Would it work?" Terin asked.

"Would what work?" Tsurga asked from where he stood along a wall.

"What does she want to do?" Byorgue asked.

" _She wants to make me one of her husbands,_ " Muninn sighed. " _I honestly don't know if it would be feasible. I would have no true element. Light is mainly what I am._ "

"Divine Light," Kiehl said now. "That is what you would have."

" _Hmm..._ " Muninn thought now.

"No, that's what I have," Loomin said. "But, think about it. Muninn, if you become a husband, then Huginn would have the right to do so, too. You and him are both two halves of a whole. Whatever happens to you would likely happen to him. Personally, I don't think you should become a husband just for that."

" _And, if he becomes a husband, he would be safe from being attacked by all of you. By me being claimed as a mate, it's border-lined being a husband this way. I think it is safer to remain as I am. I don't want to give Huginn an advantage._ "

Sarine didn't like that answer. She did the next best thing, and the Valkyrie from Valhalla soon appeared in the room. Muninn was surprised at this. The kids gasped and stood up to regard the regal being with respect.

"Vessel of Odin, you have called for me?" she asked. "And it is good to see all of you, children! I do hope you are all diligent in your studies."

"We have been!" Serenity beamed. At the confirmations from the other children, she smiled warmly and regarded Sarine again.

"I wished to ask you a delicate question. I wish for Muninn to become a husband. However, there are many here that feel that it would not be wise due to Huginn's state," Sarine said. "What do you feel on this?"

"That would truly be up to our Lord Odin," the Valkyrie from Valhalla admitted.

"That it would be up to me!" Odin said when he appeared. "My Valkyrie maiden, please remain to bear witness. Muninn, I will ask you directly. If you had the chance to become her husband, would you wish to bear this new mantle?"

" _You know I would, Father Odin,_ " Muninn swallowed. He moved Sarine off his lap to gently place her in Howard's lap. He walked up to him and was gestured to kneel.

"No longer are you her brother. You can choose to continue to play the act, but, with all of these new circumstances and outcomes appearing, there is no need for such a title. As for Huginn, it is true that the offer to become her husband may be extended to him. But, as we all know of his tendencies, he will not be immune to any reprimanding that is waiting for him," Odin said with a small smile. "This will only become available to him when he is freed of my daughter, my Vessel's, mind. Also, Muninn, you are free to finally take part in that which you could not. I am sure that you know what this is."

" _Ah..._ " Muninn blinked at this.

"Muninn, what are husbands supposed to do when first claimed into the fold?" Loomin chuckled. Muninn thought at first. Then his yellow eyes widened.

" _I can...swap my blood with...?_ " he said with shock.

"That you can," Odin nodded. He walked over to Sarine to hand her a ring for Muninn. "The other will be given when he is free."

"Of course, Daddy," she smiled and got hugged.

"Finish your current duty. Then see to Muninn," Odin advised. There were still a few hungry babies that needed to nurse. She smiled at this, and he vanished away. When Serenity bounded over to Muninn now, she looked at him curiously.

"So...you're not gonna be Uncle Muninn anymore?" she asked with a small smile.

" _Apparently not,_ " Muninn chuckled and let her hug him. " _But, you can still call me that, if you wish. I will not stop you._ "

"I think I want to call you Dad," she giggled. He found himself laughing before stammering at the onslaught of kids that tackled him to the ground in their own show of joy. The Valkyrie from Valhalla was still there, and she couldn't suppress the small smile at this. Even the guardian Valkyries in the room were chuckling. A moment later, the Valkyrie from Valhalla was called away. She nodded to them all and ascended back to Valhalla.

"Kids, back up. Behave," Doppy growled in warning. "He's not your dad just yet."

"So, we can do this again?!" Gunther grinned. At Muninn's shake of his head, Doppy could only nod. Edward was all for it now.

"What's going on with Thanatos and Baphomet?" Eremes asked.

" _Good question,_ " Muninn said and managed to bring up the window again. He had lost it when he was asked to be Sarine's husband.

"How many days is Sarine along now?" Keltin asked. "About five?"

"Just about that," Howard nodded. "Four more days left."

"Four very long days," Kiehl sighed. When he looked over at the window, he saw Thanatos and Baphomet getting talked to by a Hell Fly.

"Muninn as a husband? I approve!" Thanatos grinned.

"And what of his brother?" Baphomet asked. The Hell Fly buzzed out an answer, and both demons seemed to smirk. They'd go with it. On descending into the dungeon, they nodded to Zealotus. She gestured to where the new prisoners were, but they were in the guest prisoner section with the nicer furnishings. On their arrival, the three men were at attention.

"What's going on?" Andy asked.

"I am Baphomet. I just have a few questions," the large demon rumbled. "I have seen these three females from afar. In visions and descriptions. Tell me. If they do not come for you, what would the three of you do?"

"I know Lila would come for me," John said.

"Crysta would also try to come for me," Mark said.

"I'm not sure about Minnie," Andy sighed. "She tends to back out of hard circumstances. She may try once, but I learned that, if she can't find a loophole or another way out, she may not attempt it. If she doesn't come for me, then I'll divorce her. It would show that she never cared about me to begin with."

"I can understand that," Thanatos said. "We'll monitor you three for a week with constant watch. Monsters don't need sleep. If any of them come for you, they will be caught. However, do you want them imprisoned with you? Or in a separate chamber?"

"Put us in separate cells," Andy said. "And, as much as I don't want to say this, have us all split up. As in, not in the same chamber. If they really want to find us, have them work for it to show us their dedication in finding us."

"You don't trust your own wife, do you?" Thanatos asked.

"She's been acting strange around me," Andy admitted. "I'll go away for a while and come back after a small expedition with friends. When I give her what I find, she seems to laugh a bit. I offer to have her come with me, but she declines. At first she did. Now..."

"You feel she is with other males?" Baphomet asked.

"I honestly don't know," Andy grimaced. Now John and Mark looked at him with surprise. They had no idea that this was going on. "I mean, Lila and Crysta are always eager to come along. Minnie keeps them to her and has them stay behind. I know that Lila seems to be getting pissed off at it."

"Oh, she is," John nodded. "She loves being with me. She tried to tell Minnie off, but that woman seems to know how to get at Lila."

"I wonder if she's holding something of theirs," Baphomet said. "Something personal."

"That would have to be it," Thanatos said. Now the three men looked at each other.

"We'll get answers, if they show up," Mark said.

"You know we will," Andy nodded. Zealotus was already setting up various cells for this with Tao Gunka's help. Even she was curious to see what would happen, and now several of her Injustice minions were going to stand guard. The plan was already in motion.

"You. Champion," Baphomet said to Andy. "If this female to you is purely false, and if you decide to separate her from your life, you may benefit in training here from the island. When your mind isn't muddled with lust, you can prove yourself."

"You think he can become a Warrior of Odin?" Thanatos asked.

"He has the right mindset. But, only when he is not distracted," Baphomet nodded. "I am done here for now. We shall watch what happens closely."

"That we will," Thanatos chuckled. Andy was now deep in thought. He closed his eyes and sighed. _If Minnie didn't come for me, I will take up the offer to fight with them._  That would be his thanks for breaking him out of something that was turning into a dead end.

Muninn closed the window and looked at the others. They were amused at Baphomet's discovery, but they all agreed with it, too. He moved to her side to regard her lightly.

" _Have they finished?_ " Muninn asked Sarine when she set aside the prophesied twins.

"Yes. I think I got them all," she chuckled. At the hungry kiss he gave her now, she knew that he needed to become her husband in full. "What element would you give me? We talked about it before, but do you know?"

" _Neutrality,_ " he whispered and kissed her again, as he lifted her in his arms. Kiehl blinked at this and found himself intrigued. " _I can help make you immune to other elements. And I'm your Defense. As your falcon, you know I protect you at all times._ "

"I will not argue with that," Howard smiled.

"So, Muninn would grant her a natural elemental barrier against all incoming attacks," Kiehl said. Sammy and Keltin found themselves grinning at this. Eremes rose a brow. Even Doppy was grinning wickedly. "Yes. He's her Defense."

All talk was ignored when Muninn was able to set Sarine on the bathroom floor. The slaves had already set up the temporary bed for them to use. Howard and Kiehl were soon reclining a bit off a ways in case they were needed. Doppy was soon joining them. Naght and Ifrit had to linger with them to keep the air warm.

" _I never thought...that this would happen to me..._ " Muninn mumbled and gasped at the nip she gave his neck. " _Don't...bite me..._ "

"I know," she said and kissed him heavily. He was quick to claim her the moment he was able to undress her, and he was panting from how hard he released. She took his left hand and slipped the ring on his finger. "Husband..."

" _Yes,_ " he muttered and finally moved to bite her neck in full. Doppy winced at the pain, but he mused over something.

"Howard, you need to swap blood with Kiehl. You just won a Demonic Mating," he said. This was agreed on and would be done shortly. A moment later, Kiehl was able to hug Sarine to him, and he Healed her of the bite. It was after Munnin claimed his First Mate rights with her that he was able to think again.

"How does it feel to be one of us at last?" Doppy grinned.

" _About the same. The lot of you are no different. I just feel a lot more, ah, settled in. If you can think of it that way,_ " Muninn chuckled.

"I will need your element. Before I get Poison," Kiehl said. Muninn thought and communed silently. Kiehl's leash loop glowed and revealed a new diamond.

" _Father Odin has deemed that this is too important to wait for,_ " Muninn said. He reached over and touched the diamond for it to appear like a basic normal one. " _There. Neutral has been granted. You can create an elemental shielding around anyone, but only one at a time. It's a very powerful defensive tactic. It cannot be combined with any others, either._ "

"I can understand that," Kiehl nodded.

"So, he can block any elemental attack? Spell-wise, too?" Doppy asked.

" _Yes,_ " Muninn chuckled. When she looked at him with a soft smile, he sighed and let her move and press into him.

"Don't leave my side anymore," she whispered.

" _The moment I became your falcon, I knew that such a thing was inevitable. I will never leave you alone again. And I refuse to watch you suffer for as long as I did. I was so close to intervening and taking you away to safety!_ "

"In time, we should have a dream to see what would have happened if you did," she smiled. "As in...while it was happening."

" _No,_ " he said sternly. " _I don't want to see you in that state anymore. I can't do that again. But...I know that Tsurga was caring for you for a while..._ "

"That he was," she smiled.

" _Okay. Later on,_ " he sighed with a touch of defeat. She smiled and kissed him gently. Kiehl and Howard chuckled at that. Beelzebub was already informing the others of a possible new dream at a later time. They would all want to see it the moment it happened.


	185. Chapter 185

Nothing else happened until much later that night. Minnie, Lila, and Crysta were planning an attempt to get their husbands back. But, as the other two girls quickly noticed, Minnie didn't seem to be too involved with their plans. They knew she was getting bored with the marriage, but they wanted to stay in their marriages. They were in a hotel room in Lighthalzen and going over their strategic plan. As much as Crysta and Lila would have wanted a smaller room that was less expensive to conserve on their funding, Minnie always won out in convincing them for the expensive rooms. She had to have the luxury of wealth all around her. The three girls were sitting on the large bed, and Minnie was demurely feeding herself some grapes from a bowl. She seemed totally uninterested in everything.

"Minnie, you know he loves you," Lila said. "Why can't you love him back?"

"I care about him. Isn't that enough?" she retorted.

"I don't know, Minnie," Crysta frowned. "You're also acting like you don't care about him at all. Yeah, we liked different men. But, I'm happy with Mark. Lila is fully in love with John. But, you don't like Andy. Even after he proves himself to you! I mean, what gives?"

"Ah, girls," Minnie seemed to smirk. "a true woman never binds herself down."

"Then why did you marry Andy?" Lila asked.

"Don't judge me! Remember, Lila. I always win," Minnie growled.

"I'm not so sure about this," Crysta admitted. "I think you have just set yourself up for failure. But, I'm getting Mark back."

"You don't have to! He'll be released in time," Minnie said with a wave of her hand.

"I'm going after John. Screw this! I don't want him to sit and wait for me in a cell!" Lila muttered and ignored the glare. "I am in love with him! I don't care if you know something about me. I honestly don't anymore. Go ahead and spill what you know. I don't care."

"What?" Minnie blinked.

"Yeah. And you know what? Keep that thing from my past, too. I don't want it anymore, because you touched it," Crysta said. She got off the bed with Lila, and they began to leave. At this, Minnie faltered.  _What good was being a leader, if I had no one to lead?_

"Okay, I'll go with you!" Minnie sighed with defeat. "Besides, someone has to look good rescuing them all!"

"Sure," Lila muttered out and left the room. Crysta was close on her heels. She missed her husband. Minnie saw a few well-dressed men in the hotel lobby, but, as much as she wanted to stay and flirt, she had to keep up with her two underlings. She could only sigh and wonder why she even agreed to get married in the first place.

When they got to the arena grounds on the island, they knew that, the moment they left the arena, they would be in danger. Sure enough, the monsters were on alert. But, it was who appeared next that would startle the three of them. Kiehl's duplicate was finally able to escape the confines of his chambers. He missed Sarine terribly. She was expecting him, too.

At the sight of a Hell Fly buzzing over to him, he nodded respectfully and ignored the girls. Minnie was quick to realize that he was protected, and she confronted him. "Hello, there. Do you think you can help escort us three, helpless girls to somewhere on this island?"

"Hmm?" Kiel paused. The Hell Fly buzzed softly in his ear. He smirked. "I suppose. After I do, I'll need to leave. I am expected for an appointment."

"We need to get to the dungeons. Our husbands are being held there," Lila said. "I know we'll be attacked...but..."

"Do they belong there?" Kiel frowned and adjusted his glasses. The Hell Fly landed on his shoulder to show he was given monster immunity. The other three would have to prove themselves. He was claimed by Sarine, and she wanted him protected. When he glanced over to see Ragged Zombie jogging over with Mobster, he waved. When they slowed up in approach, Kiel was gestured to lean in for a whisper.

"Their husbands willingly let themselves get locked away," the zombie muttered softly in his ear. "It's mainly a test for the Dancer bitch."

"Ah," Kiel nodded.

"We're also here, because Sarine can't be stressed too much," Mobster whispered. "We're here to ensure that you stay safe. Yeah, the fly on your shoulder helps, but she worries too quickly now. Ya know?"

"I get it," Kiel nodded again. He looked at the girls and said, "It appears that I'll escort you three to your destination. After that, I have to go."

"We're following," Ragged Zombie smirked. Minnie seemed to pout. She was hoping to flirt with Kiel. It was also why the two were there to help out. Sarine saw Kiel as hers now. Even as she watched in Muninn's window, she was lightly fuming.

"So, who are you supposed to meet?" Crysta asked, as they began to watch.

"He's to meet the owner of the arena," Ragged Zombie cut in before Kiel could answer.

"Don't say her name," Mobster grunted in Kiel's ear. "They don't deserve to know it."

"Quite right. And, I shouldn't keep her waiting," Kiel said. "Did you two want to take my place? If she's worrying about me, I should go to her now."

"It's fine!" Minnie said and grabbed his hand to try and keep him there. He glared at her now and yanked his hand away. It was as though something dirty had touched him.

"Ooh. Yeah. You go to her," Ragged Zombie nodded. He could literally feel how livid Sarine just got. "We got it from here."

"But..." Minnie seemed to pout. Kiel gave her a rather cold look of distaste when he left. He had been trying to see Sarine when he could, but now he felt that he needed her to help clean off the vile feel of the other woman now. Sarine would insist on bathing with him, too.

"Just come along," the zombie said. As he led Minnie along, Mobster tapped on the shoulders of the other two girls to make them slow up. When Minnie was out of earshot, he cleared his throat lightly to talk to them.

"We know you two are here for your husbands. So, I'll take you directly to them. This is really a test of faith for her," Mobster said carefully. "Tell me. Why do you stay with her?"

"Well," Lila frowned. Ragged Zombie was neatly distracting the Dancer with rude comments about her outfit. "I confessed something to her. She got me drunk. This was a few years back, and she keeps threatening to let it out. That's if I split from her."

"I see. And you?" Mobster regarded Crysta.

"She stole the first thing I ever made," the female Blacksmith sniffled. "As much as I told her I don't care to have it back..."

"We'll get it back, and we'll preserve your secret," Mobster nodded. "Just follow me and stay close. I'm your pass through the dungeon."

"Okay," Lila nodded. As he led them to their husbands, Ragged Zombie was enjoying himself on pissing off Minnie in full.

"Tell me," the zombie mused. "why in the hell did you get married? You don't seem to be the type that likes to stay in one place for long."

"I don't have to tell you anything," she growled.

"Right. Then, I guess you don't need my help in getting you to Andy, then, huh?" he grinned wickedly at her. She paused at this. "You don't talk, I don't guide. I think it's a fair trade. And don't look for your cohorts. They left you alone."

"What?!" she gasped. Sure enough, she found herself alone.

"So, you talk to me," he said in a slow way to make sure she understood her predicament. "Or, you walk alone. And there are a  _lot_  of monsters that want to kick your ass."

She winced at this, but then she sighed. "Fine. I married him, because the others were getting married, too. I also thought that...well..."

"More people and more control?" he snickered. "You suck at leading people."

"What?!"

"You really do. A good leader treats all as equals. Take my wife and her slaves. She lets them have free control. They  _want_  to serve her. She thanks them for what they do for her. She tells them it's not necessary, but they feel that it is. She loves them, and they, in turn, love her. She makes them feel as equal as possible. Of course, she does discipline them, but only if she knows it's needed. She also disciplines them, if they ask for it. She doesn't trick them or backstab them. Nothing like what you do."

"I don't do anything like that to them!" she snapped.

"She doesn't blatantly lie, either," the zombie said with a cold stare. "We know you stole from Crysta. We know you are holding a secret about Lila. You are blackmailing them. Face it. You're a two-timing bitch, and you aren't worthy of being married to someone that took a genuine chance at being with you."

"I..." she faltered.

"You know what? I think I'm done guiding you. We're here, anyways. Find your man on your own. Maybe he'll still think he's your man. Doubtful, though," Ragged Zombie chuckled and walked past the Injustice guards easily. As a monster, he was immune to them. Zealotus also had them on an order to not attack any that were being escorted. Minnie was now on her own, and she only gaped with horrific shock at the undead monsters bearing down on her.

As she was now forced to fend for herself for the first time in her life, John was embracing Lila to him with a sense of intense relief.

"I'm going to tell you a secret," Lila whispered in his arms.

"I'm listening," he whispered back. As he listened to the one thing she held close to her heart, Crysta was being hugged by Mark.

"I missed you," she cringed and got squeezed.

"I missed you, too," he said. "Don't worry. We'll get out of here."

"I know. Um...Minnie took something from me. The first thing I ever made."

"I'll make sure you get it back," he nodded. He continued to hold her to him. He didn't want to be separated from her again. Andy was sitting in his cell and meditating silently. Mobster walked into the cell and sat down. The man opened his eyes and looked over.

"Minnie is now on her own and fighting her way here. She has been blackmailing Crysta and Lila into staying with her. What are your thoughts on her?" Mobster asked.

"If she insists to keep doing that, I'm divorcing her. If she blackmails her own friends out of spite, then I know she doesn't care about me," Andy said bluntly. "I thought I cared about her...but...if she's been doing this..."

"I know. Hmm?" Mobster looked over at a Hell Fly when it reported to him. "Oh. She told Ragged Zombie that she only married you, because the other two were getting married."

"I don't want her to find me," Andy said abruptly. Then he took off his top and tossed it at the powerful monster. "Do something with that. Make her think I'm dead."

"Nah, we don't need to do that," Ragged Zombie said when he walked over. "Sarine is talking to Valkyrie. The one from Valhalla. She's just as outraged over this as you are. As of right now, you're divorced. We can let you tell the Dancer bitch the news."

"To prove this, we need to take you back to the arena. We'll judge her there and break the news to her. We can do this now," Mobster grinned.

"Let's go," Andy said. He reclaimed his top and found himself confronted by his friends.

"We're playing witnesses," Mark said.

"I'm done with her," Crysta said with a shiver.

"I think we all are," John nodded. Lila only nodded to show he was right. They all clasped hands together and walked to the arena. When they got there, Sarine was already seated there with her many husbands, mates, and slaves. Kiel was given a small, temporary seat with her to show his importance as a Lighthalzen official. He could also push things through to finalize the divorce in full.

"Thank you for showering with me," Kiel muttered to Sarine.

"It was a pleasure," she smiled softly.

"Pleasure is right," Kiehl smirked. She blushed, and Kiel grinned. Sammy was seated in his judging chair and waiting patiently to pass the judgment to be given.

"I'm gonna mess with her," Doppy smirked and removed his upper armor to expose his broad chest. "She tried to flirt with me first. If she ogles me, I get to kill her."

"No," Sarine muttered. "Put your armor back on."

"You don't want to feel me like this?" he muttered back in her ear, as he sat with her. She shivered and let him rest a hand on her belly. "I'm protecting my offspring this way. She looks at me, then she gets to die. And I know she's gonna look at me."

"I don't want her to," Sarine said and traced a finger down his chest. "I don't even want to look at her. Can we draw the curtains? At least around me?"

" _I'm sure that Storm Caller can make a separate curtain area,_ " Muninn nodded. Sarine smiled at this and blinked in realization of something that she simply had to do.

"Oh, Muninn. I know we did this, but I think I want to do it again in front of everyone here. Usually it shouldn't matter, but I think this one time would hold merit," she said softly. When he looked at her, she grabbed his left hand, removed his ring, and placed it back on him. She didn't know why she wanted to do this. She simply felt that she had to from him leaving her so many times in her life. She was reinstating that he was staying with her from this point forward in front of everyone. "Husband."

" _Doppy. Move,_ " he growled. He knew why she did this.  _She wanted an audience of her men to witness that I am completely hers and fully official._ Doppy grinned wickedly and did just that. He also put his chest armor back on. He didn't want to stress out Sarine, if she wasn't going to be with him. Howard and Kiehl were laughing at it now. " _I know why you did this, my wife. It's fine. You know I'm not leaving you anymore._ "

"Yes," she smiled and kissed him fully. "You know I love you so."

" _And I love you, too,_ " he sighed and hugged her to him. " _We don't have to see her. As long as we are present to hear what happens is all that really matters._ "

"We can do that. Um...can you stay with me?" she asked. "I know others do, but..."

" _For this situation, yes. Help me situate her, please,_ " Muninn said. Errende and Nigel were quick to help. Byorgue kept a careful watch on everything. Maya Purple and Drago still had to defend the nest in the nursery. With the eggs hardening each day, they had no choice. It was hard to suppress that instinct. But, when Sarine called for them, they made sure to be at her side when they could. The need to serve her did override their instinct to guard the nest, but only for so long. It was understood in full.

The moment a set of privacy curtains were set up around the couch, Muninn locked himself to her. She needed this for her pregnancy. When Charles appeared to stand with the others, he gave a small smirk. "Baphomet is on his way to help with the judging."

"Good. We should have the Valkyries here, too," Thanatos said.

"That we should," Kiehl nodded. Kiel looked over and back at the arena where Andy was calmly walking to the center of it. John, Mark, Lila, and Crysta were soon seated in a set of chairs to act as witnesses. Zealotus was soon seen with several of her Injustice minions, and they were dragging a semi-conscious Minnie with them. They tossed her in front of Andy, and Errende was given permission to Heal her.

"What's going on?" Seyren asked when he walked over to Kiehl's duplicate.

"Judgment," Kiel said. "Ask Kiehl."

"Okay," Seyren nodded. "Karla gave me a pass to be here, so you know."

"That's fine," Doppy grinned.

"Baphomet will fill her in," Charles nodded to them. Dracula was paying close attention to what was going on as a judge. Even Moonlight Flower was there to witness it. When other monsters appeared to see what was going on, it was only too obvious that they all wanted to witness this. Andy simply stood tall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Andy?" Minnie asked when she stood up.

"Hi," Andy muttered. "Did you really want to look for me?"

"Of course, I did!" she said.

"I don't know if you mean it," he frowned. "Everything that's going on right now is a judgment on you. On your true intentions with me."

"He is correct," Sammy said from where he sat. "You must be truthful here. Why did you marry him when you clearly don't have feelings for him?"

"I do have feelings for him!" she snapped.

"Oh? Then why do you harbor secrets against those that are in your company? And, as an act of trust, would you return the item you stole?" Sammy countered.

"I didn't steal..." Minnie started and glanced over at Crysta. The glare that was given to her sent chills down her spine. "She could simply ask for it back."

"I asked for it on more than one occasion," Crysta said softly. "All you did was laugh and walk away. So, I'll ask one more time. Can I have my dagger back?"

"You told me you didn't care if I kept it!" Minnie said now.

"As you lied to me, I lied to you. I learned pretty well," Crysta said in a blunt way. Mark gave her a squeeze to support her. "So, do I get it back?"

"Fine," Minnie muttered and simply dropped the old weapon in the mud. Byorgue sped over to retrieve it before the Dancer could change her mind. He wiped it clean in a respectful way and gave it back to Crysta. Andy now knew he didn't want to stay with her from how she treated her own friends.  _Were they even friends now?_ He doubted it.

"As for me," Lila said. "I told John my secret. He told me that it's not that bad. So what if I used to be attracted to girls? It's not a big thing now. So, I don't really have a secret anymore. John is all I need now."

"That's right," he smiled and kissed her softly.

"Your chains on them are severed," Sammy nodded. "Now, it's up to Andy. What is your decision? Do you give her another chance?"

"I gave her so many that I can't do it anymore," Andy admitted with a sad shake of his head. At Minnie's look of complete shock, he said, "I did have feelings for you. I did care about you. But, after seeing this side of you and trying to work with you...I know how you really are. I can't stay married to you."

"Your marriage is now annulled!" the Valkyrie from Valhalla said when she floated down. "Our Lord Odin has decreed this!"

"I'll ensure everything is set up properly," Kiel nodded from where he sat.

"Andy, you are welcome to stay and train to hone your skills," Sammy said. His ghostly ancestor was now apparent to show it was all approved.

"Thank you," he nodded.

"But...what about me?" Minnie asked.

"We don't know. You're free to do whatever you want now. Enjoy!" Ragged Zombie grinned. At this, she was escorted off the island rather promptly.

"Um...can we stay here for a while? In case she tries anything?" Crysta asked.

"We have a guest residence. You can remain there for now," Sammy nodded. As new plans were being made for the new residents, the rejected Dancer was now scheming. She was already planning to return and reclaim what she lost.


	186. Chapter 186

The rest of the night went well enough. Sarine was catered to, kept happy, and pampered as always. At the thought of a massive dinner event to happen, Howard and Kiehl were grinning.

"It's been awhile since we all sat down, huh?" Howard chuckled.

"How long are you here for, Kiel?" she asked when he sat with them.

"I have a couple days, actually. I was able to stall everyone checking on me by building a decoy of myself to run some old programs. I just have it give auto-responses when disturbed," Kiel grinned.

"Like I did when I got stuck in those work loops," Kiehl muttered with a sigh. She looked at him and stood up to have him sit down. Then she sat in his lap to keep him calm.

"Have you made any break-through discoveries?" Vesper asked when his massive bulk appeared to regard him. "I have been going through everything you've been sending over."

"I'll look over what you've received," Kiel nodded. Muninn was standing nearby and glanced ahead in the future. Then he grinned a touch wickedly and whispered to Kiehl softly.

"Kiel," Kiehl said and motioned for him to move close to him. Then Kiel blinked and paused at a whisper that Kiehl did. A heavy, hissing snarl erupted from his duplicate.

"Activated the Guardian Program?" Howard muttered with a small grin.

"You know it," Kiehl snickered softly.

"Can she sit on both our laps?" Kiel asked mildly. Now he had to be calmed down.

"We can arrange something," Kiehl nodded. Sarine was carefully shifted to sit on them both with their chairs close together. She leaned back into them both and seemed to sigh. Naght and Ifrit were standing right behind her to keep the air warm.

"This may be the last time we can move her around freely," Hyegun said when he walked over. "The moment they grow again, Thanatos and Errende will be needed to slow the growth down a bit. The triplets are getting anxious now. With each passing hour, they know their time is finally coming to be born. The excitement I keep hearing from them is intense! Ah, play with them! Now!"

"Play?" Kiel asked. Then he saw how Kiehl was tapping on her belly to get them to kick back in response. Sarine found herself laughing at all the belly taps and kicks she was getting. Charles was soon setting down various platters in front of her, and even he tapped on her belly a couple times to confuse the growing kids. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her mouth before moving to direct the slaves on how to serve a few other dishes.

"Karla! Good to see you," Howard chuckled. She gave a small smile, but Seyren was carrying her down the stairs. Luna was with them, and blinking at everyone with her large, green eyes. At the large, tall glass of chocolate milk Charles gave Karla, she beamed and took it easily. It had a mild aftertaste of blood that she needed, and she gave a sigh of complete delight. Seyren let her sit in his lap, as he claimed a spot for them both. Luna made a face at him to get Sarine to smile. Howard could only chuckle at it.

"Easy now," Donnie muttered to Egnigem.

"Do you mind?!" she growled. Then she blinked at the same drink offered to her. All of the pregnant women were getting this drink. It both calmed and soothed them down in full.

"Can I get a stock of that?!" Donnie asked.

"Sure," Charles chuckled with a small shrug.

"Give her a heated massage, please," Hyegun muttered to Eremes. Eremes nodded and moved to whisper to Kiehl. This was now quickly given, and they both realized how badly her back needed this. "She'll need that more."

"That she will," Howard nodded.

"The children in her also benefit from this," Hyegun hinted.

"She'll get more of this treatment," Kiehl promised. He found himself getting kissed deeply by her now, but Beelzebub whispered that the older children were coming down.

"Later?" she asked when he kissed once more.

"When I stay with you," he promised.

"It would be interesting..." she mused. Kiehl looked at her with shock. Howard died laughing at what she was thinking of. Kiehl looked over at his duplicate and shook his head.

"No. I don't think I want to get that close to him," Kiehl said.

"What?" Kiel asked. Kiehl sighed and whispered softly. Now his duplicate paled. Then he actually blushed a rather intense crimson.

"Okay. Now you just look very cute," Sarine teased lightly to get him blushing even more. "I don't even think I've seen Kiehl blush so much before!"

"Ah, I've blushed a few times here and there..." Kiehl started before finding his kids giggling at him. "What's so funny?"

"Just thinking of you blushing," Deagan grinned. At the small grin his father gave him, the boy seemed to pale at the tickling pokes given to his sides next. When Juliana ran up to him next, she was able to squeeze onto his lap. Deagan seemed to pout before getting lifted up by Naght to get held. "So, what are we doing?"

"A great big dinner!" Howard grinned and found his lap filled with his twins. "We think it will be good for the whole family. What do you think?"

"Oooh!" Serenity giggled. "Yes! Big dinners are fun!"

"Can we have it outside?" Siegfried asked.

"No," Eremes said softly. "Your mother...can't really move now..."

"He's right. It wouldn't be safe," Keltin said. "We have four more days until your brother and sisters are born. There may not be much happening now, but we all know how much your mom can only do so much."

"I know," Deagan sighed. "I mean, as much as I love my new brothers and sisters, can't she rest for now? I mean...well..."

"Trust me," Kiehl sighed with him and got his son to giggle by pressing his glasses up on his small face. "It's something we all want her to do."

They all glanced over when Cedrick entered the main room. Kiehl gave a small growl, but it was purely done in a protective way. Sarine leaned back into him to help calm him.

"Who's that?" Kiel asked in a low mutter.

"A pest," Kiehl snorted.

"What do you need?" Sammy asked calmly.

"I had received word that my Father has taken ill," the prince started. At this, Beelzebub thought and had a Hell Fly report.

"He's being truthful," the Demon Lord muttered.

"I think this would be an excellent time to see if the Pilule that Kiehl was working on is effective. Can we try?" Sarine asked. At this, Kiehl gave the nod. Beelzebub had a Hell Fly talk to Vesper to have a pill delivered to the ailing king. The reports a moment later showed that the reproduction of the special pills was a success.

"He's healing now," Beelzebub nodded. Terin chuckled and suddenly looked over to see Bacsojin bringing down Proserpine and Stolas.

"They were quite adamant to be here," she sighed. Terin grinned and let the twins snuggle into him, as he held them.

"Give me Stolas," Beelzebub muttered. He had to keep his son in line. It was proven at the little growl that was given at Cedrick.

"Bad man!" Stolas said and pointed.

"Sometimes," Beelzebub nodded. "Right now, he is not."

"Huh..." Stolas thought.

"You need to remember," Doppy said to the small boy. "Sometimes, others can change. If you think that everyone is bad, you need to give the bad ones a chance to fix what they did wrong. Now, if they keep being bad, then, yes, they are always bad."

"You always want to give someone a chance, Stolas," Sarine smiled at her son. He whimpered and reached for her to get held.

"Ma..." he sighed. She kissed his forehead and chuckled.

"Do you want to see other babies born from your aunties?" Sarine chuckled and gave him a light tickle to hear him laugh softly.

"Yah!" he nodded.

"Be a good boy for me, and you will meet them when they are born. Okay?" she smiled. He gave her a semi-toothless grin and cuddled her. Beelzebub chuckled and looked over at Cedrick. The prince looked a touch perplexed.

"What do you want?" Kiehl muttered.

"It really does hurt that there is no way to be near her," Cedrick sighed hard. Howard narrowed his eyes. Sammy moved to gently squeeze Sarine's shoulders to comfort her.

"You're an idiot," Seyren glowered at him. "You are talking about this in front of other pregnant women. All of them are as pregnant as Sarine is, and all of them are exceptionally easy to piss off. Do yourself a favor. Leave. Right now."

"I wonder if Baphomet is in the mood to treat him like a bouncing ball," Karla mused. Luna blinked at her and stuck her tongue out at Cedrick. That got Sarine giggling. Stolas seemed to hiss at the prince, and Beelzebub took up his son to help keep him under control.

"Should have Hibram take him out," Egnigem snorted.

"Oh, darling, you know that can't happen! The other demons would get jealous on how much fun he has!" Donnie grinned at her. That got her to chuckle with agreement.

"Dad!" Gunther said when he bounded by the stairs to Doppy's side. Now he glanced at Cedrick and frowned. "You again? Don't you know that you hurt Mom each time you appear? You made a promise to me that you wouldn't hurt her! Are you breaking it?"

"What? Well...no..." Cedrick said quickly.

"Lies..." Beelzebub snorted. Terin just shook his head now. At the sight of Garrett and Cecil coming down the stairs, a hard glare was now given.

"Prince Cedrick, you need to remove yourself," Garrett said mildly.

"Yes. Leave," Charles growled out from behind the prince to startle him. "You have no business being here. If you stress her out, then everyone else gets stressed out!"

"I'm here!" Amon Ra said when his chair was seen coming down the steps. "Give me Sarine! Now!"

"Come on, love," Howard said and was able to shift the kids out of his lap. Naght was quick to pick them up to keep them under control. Once she was settled in Amon Ra's lap, she sighed and let him hold her.

"Can you purr?" Kiehl asked.

"Not really," Amon Ra sighed. He let his chair slowly rock to help calm her down fully. Muninn now walked over to softly whisper in Amon Ra's ear. "Oh? You think I can from all the demon blood I've been given?"

" _Try it out,_ " Muninn nodded. The undead man focused on finding the demon blood in his system and let the instinct to purr kick in. When he found himself purring, even though it was weak, it was enough for Sarine to be calmed even more.

"Is My Lady all right?" Errende asked when he came over with some blood-flavored tea.

"Can I have some of that?" Cecil asked when she smelled the tea.

"I'll make a teapot of it," Charles smiled.

"Thanks," Garrett chuckled. As more couples came down, small appetizers were set out by the slaves and various monsters. Cedrick was still standing there and unsure of what to do.

"So, you don't listen to orders?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"It's not that..." the prince started.

"Why do you keep pissing people off? You know you're brash. Idiotic. Stupid. I mean, geez! All you have to do is follow three basic rules. Listen to Turtle General. Don't try to be with Sarine. Don't piss off anyone. So far, you're failing all three!" the zombie exclaimed.

"I do listen to Turtle General!" Cedrick growled.

"So, if he asked for you now, you will go to him?" Elric asked from where he stood by the stairwell entrance with his arms crossed over his chest.

"It makes no sense how you got to be with her," the prince muttered.

"Avoiding the question," Elric sighed. "And I'm with her, because I stood up to Kiehl in combat. I survived it. I proved myself. Osiris gave me his blood, and he recognized me as being a descendant from one of his advisers. That's why I'm here."

"If you stood up to him, then I can, too!" he said.

"Shut up," Charles grunted. "You can't even stand up to Keltin. There is no way that you can stand up to Kiehl. Hell, you can't even make a basic dish!"

"Challenging me?" Kiehl seemed to hiss out darkly. At the light touch that Sarine gave him, he sighed. "He is, you know. It's only right that I answer it."

"Dinner and a show?" Donnie grinned. Coraline rolled her eyes at him from where she was seated with Max. "Oh, come on! You know it would be entertaining!"

"No. Entertaining is watching you squirm when I get irritated," Egnigem grinned.

"Not funny!" he retorted to her.

"I think that's hilarious," Max grinned.

"Who asked you?!" Donnie scowled. Kiel was just shaking his head at everything. Then Kiehl had an idea and let out a low rumble in warning to those there. He glared at Cedrick and let a touch of his Demonic Fear loose. The prince cringed and backed away.

"If you can't stand still for even that..." Eremes smirked.

"Then you can't touch Kiehl," Elric nodded.

"Well, I'm hungry! I need to eat," Margaretha said. Lloyd could only agree with her. Charles was now walking back into the kitchen to work on the main course meals. The appetizers were almost gone, and he had to work swiftly. When Muninn walked over, he glanced up from the stove he was working with.

"Muninn?" Charles frowned.

" _Sarine needs more of that Yggdrasil Berry juice,_ " he sighed. At this news, a full pitcher was handed over. " _Thank you!_ "

"Of course! If this helps her keep from needing your blood, I'll have barrels of this ready. The slaves are already assisting with that," Charles chuckled. Muninn could only nod at this. He looked very troubled now. "What's wrong?"

" _Hmm?_ "

"You look upset. What is wrong?" Charles asked again.

" _Ah. I'm worried about Huginn. About how he would react if he became a husband. A part of me feels that he would try to get away with quite a bit. But, there is also a chance that he would become a lot calmer, too. She would be able to accept him in full now. She wouldn't have to fight him off anymore. But, I will be adamant on one thing._ "

"And what would that be?"

" _He is not allowed to become her husband until after her current pregnancy is done. He will want her to take blood from him. I don't know if his blood will cause a Demonic Mating like mine does. She can't do any more of that right now,_ " Muninn said sternly.

"Everyone would definitely agree to that," Charles sighed and nodded with complete understanding. Muninn sighed and took the specialized drink to Sarine. Beelzebub had informed them of the warning. Kiehl could only nod in full at this to Muninn.

"When he comes out to make his champion with you," Loomin said. "That will be the time he can give over his blood to her."

" _I can agree to that,_ " Muninn nodded.

"And we should make him work for it," Doppy smirked. "He has to fight us to reach her before he can become a husband."

" _That could work!_ " Muninn blinked, as he looked ahead. " _Not in the Demonic Mating chamber, though. I'd say the arena._ "

"The underground one," Thanatos advised. "It may be too cold outside for Sarine. It is winter now. Errende! Isn't your birthday coming up soon?"

"Ah..." the First Slave blushed. Sarine smiled and sipped her drink. Elric chuckled at this.

"You know," Howard mused. "we should just have seasonal birthday parties. One for each season so that we don't have to stop and do separate ones."

"That would be an awesome idea!" Keltin grinned.

"So, this big dinner could be a birthday party for winter," Sarine said thoughtfully. Margaretha now looked at Lloyd with a beaming smile. Charles was now planning to bake an elaborate cake when he was informed.

"For a group, yes. Smaller ones can be done on proper days, but we can do this for everyone to ensure that, no matter what, a birthday isn't missed," Doppy chuckled. "Of course, I don't really have a birthday."

"You can have one in the spring with mine," Sarine smiled.

"I...okay. I can do that," he said with a gentle smile.

"We all can do that," Sammy said. "Monsters only."

"Unless they have their birthdays in the spring, too," Howard chuckled and watched Naght squeeze Serenity and Siegfried to him.

"We get our birthdays with Mama?!" Serenity gasped.

"Yes, you do!" Sarine smiled with a chuckle. Naght rumbled a purr to them and let them snuggle into his form. "Of course, these babies will have it in winter."

"It's still before us, so it's okay!" Siegfried nodded. Hyegun only laughed at what the developing triplets seemed to be happy about.  _They were being discussed._

"How are the other two in her?" Ifrit asked.

"Very peaceful," Hyegun smiled. Then he frowned and walked up to Sarine to talk directly to her belly. "No. You will make your mother sick. If you want more blood, you talk to me. Okay? All right. We'll get you all more blood."

"More?" Thanatos blinked. Eremes was already walking into the kitchen.

"Charles. Blood. It's needed right now," the Assassin Cross said. The Royal Chef looked at him with disbelief, but it was only for a split second. Then he thought.

"Let me give it to her. I know, I could give her something for her craving, but she has yet to take from me. I'll make a dish to give her after, but she will drink from me first," he said. Eremes nodded and watched Charles cook up the strongly flavored meat dish. "Hand this to her when I'm done."

"Heard and noted..." Eremes nodded. He watched Charles move to Sarine's side in Amon Ra's lap, and he whispered softly.

"You think so?" Amon Ra frowned.

"I do," Charles nodded. "Baphomet's blood in my system is demon blood. We'll need Observation to balance out any excess demon blood, too. Sarine, can you lean into me?"

"Okay," she nodded and leaned back into his chest. He glanced at Byorgue, and the small slave darted over to lightly scratch his neck open with a dagger. At the scent of blood, Sarine quickly latched onto the wound.

"Easy," Kiehl muttered to her.

"Should I help with this?" Kiel asked.

"I'm honestly not sure," Kiehl admitted. "In a way, I would say not to. Only because you don't truly belong to her."

"I helped her before. In a way," Seyren chuckled.

"As long as you don't take any of her blood, then it may work," Howard thought aloud.

"Tsurga will also help," Doppy said.

"I would, too," Kalen said.

"She didn't do much with me, either," Maheo said. Even Neil was looking over from where he sat. She had plenty of others that wanted to help.

"Not yet," Eremes said. "You're all emergency only."

"But, I want to feel special!" Neil seemed to mock pout. Anna made a face at him when she sat down after a long day of training, and she found Edward and Gunther at her side to talk to her about the snow outside.

"We don't see you anymore," Edward frowned.

"Well, I do have to train, you know. I have to train to get stronger. It's what I've been doing when I can," Anna smiled and gave him a hug. Gunther climbed into her lap to smile, and he stuck out his tongue at Edward's pouting glare.

"Behave. Both of you," Kiehl said with a small glare.

"Don't worry! It's okay," Anna smiled. "Whoever is mean won't get to talk to me."

"What?!" Gunther blinked. She winked at him, and he sighed. "Sorry, Edward."

"Kay," Edward nodded. Space was made for his brother to climb up, and she laughed at this. Doppy and Thanatos were both impressed on how neatly she was keeping the boys in line. They were grinning at each other over this.

"Sarine!" Howard hissed at her when Charles began to show a touch of strain. Eremes was quick to present her with the meat dish, but the Royal Chef held up a hand to stop him.

"Observation..." Charles managed whisper out. He was Healed, given a Yggdrasil Berry, and the Angelic slave was quick to give over some of his blood to help Sarine balance out.

"Here," Eremes said and finally gave over the dish to kill off the craving in full.

"Thanks," Observation sighed and was given his own Yggdrasil Berry to recover.

"We really need more berries," Keltin frowned. "Our stock is starting to dwindle."

"Neil, want to help me make a quick trip?" Lloyd asked. "We can go to that specialized area near Nifflheim and get some harvested."

"I think I need to stay," Neil said when he saw Sarine's frown.

"Hold on," Elric said and went to send a message through the Kafra agent. When Tatya appeared, he said, "Any progress on the Yggdrasil Berries?"

"Funny you should ask," she chuckled. "We filled up a few crates from the new recruits. Do you need them now?"

"Every bit that can be spared. Keep a crate for the Guild, but we need the rest. Lloyd, the High Priest here, has a specialized Warp that can take members to a place filled with them. Have the recruits bring him a blue gemstone to perform it. And advise them not to try to steal from here. The monsters never sleep and may be too much for them," Elric warned.

"Of course. It's...a bit hard to work with them without you," she frowned.

"I know. But, with how Sarine is right now, I simply can't leave," Elric winced.

"I have an idea," Osiris said with a glimmer of wickedness in his glowing gaze. "Send over the most troublesome ones. We will set them straight. As in, we, the monsters."

"Oh..." Tatya blinked and found herself laughing.

"That might work," Elric found himself grinning at the idea.

"Where would they go?" Tatya asked.

"The dungeons. Storm Caller may be able to create a Warp from your Guild to the dungeon. If they get through it to the end, they get to go back. If they are caught, then they train under Turtle General for proper etiquette," Osiris said. "Maybe even with Emperor Markus first, if Turtle General deems it."

"Do it," Beelzebub said when he walked over with Stolas in his arms. "It will give them a sense of honor when they finish the training. Or, you know what? Just send them to Turtle General and let him make the call. No need to put them in the dungeons. That may cause a negative reaction."

"I like that idea better!" Doppy called over when Terin told them what was going on. Tatya was soon gone with the Kafra services to report to the rest of the Guild of the new, possible plans for the recruits. Even Elric knew that the Guild would be relieved.

"I wouldn't want them to get hurt too much," Sarine frowned. "Turtle General will easily push them on the right path."

"He would," Kiehl smiled and pressed a kiss to her mouth. "You know, since Muninn did swap blood with you, we would need to do a blood drop swap. Wouldn't we?"

" _Not really,_ " Muninn chuckled. " _I give her blood all the time. You all have my blood through her. I simply couldn't take any blood from her to show that I wasn't a part of her. Now that I am, it is safe to do so. You all also got blood from Huginn, too. If you think about it. However, only Kiehl got a full drop of blood from me on accident. I cannot give over my blood in full to anyone. I'm surprised that single drop took!_ "

"He did?!" Kiel blinked.

"Yes. Which is why I'm so strong now. I can take out Loki. I punch him in the face all the time," Kiehl smirked. At the chilling glare he gave to the prince that was still standing there all this time, he growled out, "Do you still want to try and challenge me? After knowing this knowledge in full?"

"I..." Cedrick actually paled now.

"Do yourself a favor. Leave the room before I make an example out of you," Kiehl said, as his lip curled back in warning. Sarine rested a hand in his hair to help calm him down a bit.

"Should have him try to go against Keltin and Doppy," Howard smirked.

"You think so?" Keltin grinned. "If he can't dodge us..."

"He can't dodge Kiehl," Doppy grinned and poked Bianca's side when she climbed into his lap. "What?"

"I miss you, Dad," she said. He chuckled and let her snuggle into him. He loved all of Sarine's kids equally. It was proven when Atsuko and Takeshi were brought down by Doll. They were small enough to fit in his lap with Bianca when they wanted to be held by him.

"They want you this time?" Loomin chuckled.

"It's fine," Doppy shrugged. Then he grinned when Moon and Sun were given to Loomin next to be held. Muninn could only chuckle at that. Then he glanced over at Cedrick.

" _You should go. Turtle General is coming here to find you,_ " he said. Beelzebub had a Hell Fly talk to the powerful monster. When Turtle General walked into the main chamber, he calmly dusted off the snow and gestured to Cedrick. With a sigh of defeat, he followed Turtle General out. Doppy muttered out something, and both Terin and Beelzebub snickered.

"Hmm?" Kiehl asked.

"Should chain Cedrick to his room in there," Doppy snorted. Sarine was actually rather thoughtful on that. When Joseph and Elenor were brought down by Bacsojin next, Ifrit was quick to take them up and let them snuggle into him.

"All of the kids are snugglers," Keltin chuckled when he got Trina and Bernard in his arms. Aliot soon had Albert and Alexis resting against him. At a shy look to Kiel, Albert took the chance to move into Kiel's lap.

"Oh?" the duplicate chuckled.

"So...you made Daddy Kiehl?" Albert asked.

"No. Kiehl made me," he said.

"Then...why did you get rid of him?" the boy asked.

"How about this," Kiel said gently. "when you get older, I'll answer that question."

"Okay," Albert nodded. "I'll hold you to that!"

"I know you will," Kiel chuckled. Then he blinked when Albert made his hands become the metallic claws like Aliot had. "Very interesting!"

"I can make lasers, too!" Albert grinned. Kiel's jaw dropped at this.

"All of the kids have special talents," Kiehl chuckled.

"I see..." Kiel thought aloud. Kiehl glanced at Howard, and the Blacksmith got up to retrieve a sword he had botched up in making.

"Gunther, can you break this back down for me? I messed it up," Howard sighed.

"Okay, Dad," Gunther nodded. He jumped out of Anna's lap and moved to pick up the large sword. Now Kiel watched with a form of complete disbelief at how Gunther began to bite into the massive weapon to chew it up. Then he spat out the basic parts that made it.

"Thanks," Howard chuckled and pat him on the head.

"They like to bite when they get mad," Doppy grinned.

"Bite?" Kiel seemed mutter out with disbelief. Gunther grinned at him now.

"Dad," Bianca said.

"Yes?" Howard asked.

"Um...can you give me the stuff you just got from Gunther?" she asked. He paused at this and handed over the items. Looking at the materials, she began to try and merge it together. "Oh. I guess I can't make stuff like you, huh?"

"No. But, you can make more materials for me to work with! That is always needed," he chuckled and got hugged by her. He kissed her forehead and ended up picking her up to hold her. Sarine chuckled at that.

"Dad, can I try to make stuff?" Serenity asked. Howard thought and nodded. Naght rumbled a purr to her and let her down. She arranged the items a certain way and focused. Then she frowned. "It won't work for me, either."

"You can make better things from broken items. You're fine," Howard grinned.

"I hope we get a sister that can make stuff appear for you. Or a brother that can do that!" Alexis beamed. "Oh! Dad! I found out something that I can make appear! It's hard right now, but it's getting better."

"Oh?" Aliot smiled. Now he paused at the Yggdrasil Berry that she conjured up with a beaming smile. "How many can you bring up?"

"About three, at times. When I feel good. Not all at once, though. I'm sure I could, if I keep practicing. I'm getting better at it," she said. Kiel was in complete shock.

"Hey, Dad," Trina said to Keltin.

"What?" he asked.

"Can I turn some of the fruits we have into what she has? I think Mommy needs them. Right?" she asked with a small blush. Now Kiehl's eyes lit up at the idea.

"We have an overstock of apples," Nigel muttered out.

"Trina, you have permission," Keltin said. She whooped with joy and got carried into the kitchen with Bernard. At the sight of the elegant, three-tiered cake being brought out by Charles, everyone started to laugh and word was spread. Then various gifts were given all around.

"I already got a gift," Howard said when a box was given over.

"Well, now you get another!" Sarine chuckled. He laughed and moved to press a kiss to her mouth. He ran a hand over her belly and sighed at the kicks he was greeted with.

"I'd rather have my birthday with you," he whispered.

"Just give yourself to me as my present each year," she growled in his ear. Now he looked at her with a touch of a wicked grin. Kiehl was laughing softly at that. At the small tug to his leash loop, he shivered with a small growl. Muninn was just glancing over and grinning slightly. At the sight of all the candles being used to light the cake, Ifrit was able to help carefully light each one up easily. After the candles were blown out, slices of the rich cake were now handed around. After it was consumed, Sarine gave a yawn.

"Kids are all nursed?" Sammy chuckled at the yawns he saw. Ming and Loo Shin were brought down a bit ago to snuggle into him.

"I think so. Shall we take them all to bed? It is starting to get late," Keltin said, as his twins were already starting to look sleepy.

"Bedtime it is," Loomin chuckled at the other sleepy yawns he saw. When Sarine gave out another yawn, Kiehl squeezed her with Howard.

"Where can I rest for now?" Kiel asked.

"We have a spare bed you can use," Kiehl nodded. "Sarine wouldn't want any less for you. Neither would we."

"Good to know," his duplicate chuckled and helped take the kids to bed.


	187. Chapter 187

The next morning had them all wake up with a surprise. Alexander was reporting that Minnie had gained a small audience at the arena.  _She was trying to start a revolt._

"I got this," Ragged Zombie grinned, as he left with Mobster. Pori-Pori was quickly made aware. So was Baphomet. They found her keeping new challengers from trying to enter the arena. The scene was, actually, quite hilarious.

"Come on! Move it!" a Rogue growled.

"Don't you see?! This place is leeching off of you all!" Minnie said.

"Ah, no. It's not. We give funds back to the Prontera palace all the time. And we assist with various funding for Guilds. We even provide support to the Kafra Agency," Ragged Zombie said when he leaned over the side of the royal balcony. "We have the original contracts. And we don't order anyone to spend their money here. If they want to, that's up to them."

"Yeah, so move it!" the Rogue growled at her again. "I saved up for a long time to challenge a stronger monster!"

"Hmm..." Baphomet mused when he finally made his way into the arena center. Minnie could only gape in shock at him. "You keep challenging royalty. She is now fully related to me through blood. And through Lord Odin's pact with me. What do you keep hoping to achieve?"

"Is she pissing herself yet?" Ragged Zombie mused. Pori-Pori bounced over to Baphomet and chittered out in their universal language. He was there since the beginning of Minnie's attacks. The massive demon snorted his disgust at everything.

"You know what?" Baphomet seemed to grin and looked at the Kafra Agent. "I want to fight her. And I don't want her to be charged for it."

"What?!" Minnie gaped. Ragged Zombie was dying with laughter.

"Of course!" the Kafra Agent beamed and made the proper notations.

"Dad?" Baphomet Jr. asked when he showed up at the main balcony area.

"I'm bored. And, if she backs down, it proves that she's a coward and not worthy to come back to this island," Baphomet grinned wickedly. Charles was unable to focus on Sarine's next dish. He had to come out to the arena, too.

"I won't let Seyren leave Karla," Charles muttered. Baphomet Jr. only nodded at this and noticed a Hell Fly settle on his shoulder. It buzzed out a message from Beelzebub, and they both seemed to cough and clear their throats.

"I thought we did that before," Baphomet Jr. said with complete amusement.

"I know. But, if she wants it again, I will not deny her. It's for her pregnancy, after all. We'll see to it after this," Charles seemed to sigh and chuckle. His blood brother nodded, and they returned their attention to Baphomet. He was calmly leaning on his scythe and watching the Dancer. His breath was misting out evenly to show he was not rushing anything.

"Just fight him, so we can start placing our turns!" a Monk snapped at her.

"But..." Minnie faltered.

"Why should we even listen to someone who can't even stand up for themselves?" a Hunter smirked. "Even if the Princess of Amatsu was insulted, she would always stand up for herself! We know she's respected from the ones here that defend her. She treats us fairly and doesn't force us into this. What's it to you? What did she ever do to you?"

"She had my friends leave me!" Minnie snapped.

"No, they chose to leave you because you backstabbed them," Ragged Zombie corrected her. "And lied to them. And held things against their will. Thus the backstabbing. Did I mention the backstabbing?"

"And your husband divorced you, because of it," Mobster chimed in with a small smile and spat on the balcony ground. "You're all alone now, and you hate it."

"If you continue to remain, I will continue to wait to fight you," Baphomet said. "Every time you appear, I shall be here waiting. So, make your choice. Fight me or leave."

Just when she was about to retort, she found time frozen around her. Muninn had decided to step in to resolve this personally. As a husband of Sarine, he knew he had to protect her. He also knew that he no longer needed to label himself as her brother. He could, but he wanted to fully remove that status, as of now.

" _Mina Dorlah. Please approach me. And, no, you do not have a choice,_ " Muninn said calmly. The Dancer was stunned. Her full name was used. She found herself walking over. " _I am Muninn. Sarine is someone that I love and hold in high regard. I saw what happened in Jawaii long ago. I also had to intervene then to neatly remove you from her life. Yes, you met her before. You tried to fight her when she was pregnant. You are doing the same thing again. You are attacking a pregnant woman. I thought this was beneath you._ "

"What?! I mean..." she faltered.

" _We had told you time and time again that she is off limits. You defied us. You pulled innocents into your schemes. What's in it for you?_ " Muninn asked now. " _You were warned. You were threatened. You were judged. And you still come back. Why?_ "

"Why does she have to be the popular one?!" Minnie finally asked. "Why can't it be me?! I worked hard! I..."

" _You are lying,_ " Muninn said with a sigh. Time unfroze and refroze to have Odin appear before her. Baphomet was also included in the time freeze with the others on the balcony.

"Hmm..." Odin thought, as he stared at her petrified form. "I am Odin. My daughter, my Vessel, will not be seen by you any further. Even though you have not seen her, since your memories were purged from you. I forbid it!"

"Your...daughter...?!" Minnie gaped.

"You have two choices," Odin said carefully and strode up to her to glare with his single eye. "The first one is you leave and go about your life away from my daughter, my Vessel. The second is you stay and face the consequences of your actions. What will you choose?"

"All I ever wanted was to be popular. Fawned on. Adored and worshiped," Minnie sighed sadly. "I just don't understand what I do wrong."

"Muninn. Show her," Odin nodded. Muninn nodded and stepped over lightly to press a finger to her temple. Every single nasty thing she ever did now flooded her mind.  _Her conscience was released._  Her face went slack and dead white. "Now you know what you have done wrong. Fix yourself, and do not repeat your mistakes."

She could only nod softly. She was threatening to cry, but there was no pity shown to her.  _She didn't deserve it._ The moment Odin and Muninn disappeared with time resuming, she looked up at Baphomet. "I think...I'll stand down."

"Good choice," the demon nodded. "I would also suggest to change your looks. And, possibly, your very name."

"I will..." she seemed to shiver. Several of the challengers only sighed with relief when she left, but there was one that seemed to look over at her with concern. The young Knight walked over to her with a small frown.

"Hey. What happened to you?" he asked gently.

"I was shown...what I did wrong..." she whispered and a tear fell.

"Let's get out of here. We'll talk. Okay?" he said.

"I don't know..." she swallowed. Now she realized that she wasn't trying to coerce him or fool him.  _This one was genuinely concerned for me._  It sent a whole new feeling through her that she never felt before.  _Someone wanted to give me a real chance of their own accord._  After another moment, she gave a small nod and let him lead her away from the arena.

"I wish him luck!" Ragged Zombie smirked and started to walk away.

"Same," Mobster grinned.

"Wait! I wanna fight you!" the Monk said and pointed to Ragged Zombie.

"What?" the zombie frowned and looked at him. "You got five million zeny on you?"

"Huh?" the Monk blinked.

"Ah, yeah. I'm one of Sarine's husbands. I'm five million to fight. If you don't have the money, then call for another monster. Okay?" the zombie said in a slow, careful way to ensure he was heard correctly. Mobster was looking away and laughing. Charles and Baphomet Jr. glanced at each and started to walk away swiftly. They needed to tend to Sarine.

"You're not that tough! I've killed lots of your kind on that island!" the Monk bragged.

"Oh, no! You killed my family!" Ragged Zombie feigned sorrow dramatically. Then he perked up and said, "Oh, wait! I don't care. Bye!"

"You should fight him," Baphomet rumbled to the zombie. "It would shut him up and help me out with some entertainment."

"Oh? You think so?" the zombie mused now.

"Remove his fee," Baphomet said to the Kafra Agent. "Let them fight."

"Um..." the Kafra Agent frowned. Then she got a note from a Hell Fly to allow it. "Very well! This fee has been removed. Fight well!"

"Yes!" the Monk grinned. Then he paused when Ragged Zombie jumped down from the balcony, pulled out a rib bone and let it burst into flames.

"There's a reason why we are worth so much to fight. I've been upgraded by Lord Odin, himself. Get in your best shot. I insist," the zombie grinned darkly. Baphomet gave a toothy grin and watched the fight start and end within five seconds. Moonlight Flower was judging, and she actually giggled that she didn't have to ring her bell.

"We gotta get back to her," Mobster said. Ragged Zombie nodded and jogged out of the arena. Baphomet snorted and moved to follow them. Then he paused at the sound of an armored human walking into the arena center.

"Baphomet! Don't go anywhere! I came here to fight you!" the man said. Now Baphomet cracked a grin and turned to face the challenger. It was a Lord Knight, and he looked fully equipped to battle with Baphomet. "I also paid my fee!"

"Oh? Well, then," the demon snorted and walked back to the arena center. "If you have, then I shouldn't keep you waiting. Shall we?"

The Lord Knight grinned and charged at Baphomet the moment Moonlight Flower's bell was heard. The battle was rough, but, eventually, the man slipped in his attacks. That small break in his defense was enough for Baphomet to land in a crushing blow. The demon nodded slightly for the good fight, and turned to leave. "Wait!"

"Yes?" Baphomet asked and turned to look over his shoulder.

"Who is...stronger...than you?" the man asked, as he got Healed by the arena Priests.

"That would be Kiel D-01. Not even I can hit him in a fight," Baphomet said.

"Then I challenge him now," the man growled and tossed over the required fees. Baphomet took a long, hard look at him. Then he howled with laughter.

In the bedroom, Sarine was not pleased by this, but Kiehl had to answer the challenge. He nuzzled her and let Muninn open a window for them to watch. Charles and Baphomet Jr. were with her in the bathroom. They were just shaking their heads at the foolish challenge.

"It will be very fast," Kiehl chuckled.

"But..." she shivered.

"I'm protecting our babies," he whispered to her. She gave a small nod after that.

"I want to watch you fight," Kiel said. He was sitting just off to the side.

"From here. It's safer. Watch through Muninn's window," Kiehl advised his duplicate. The nod was given, and Howard let her lean into his form when he moved close to her.

"Bring back a trophy," Hyegun muttered from what he heard.

"Gladly," Kiehl grinned a touch wickedly. At the caress Sarine gave his cheek, he kissed her palm before kissing her. "I'll make sure it's quick."

"Okay," she smiled. "Fight well."

"That I will," he vowed. He dressed swiftly and sped over to the arena. He found Doppy with him. The demon wanted to witness the fight. When Doppy stood in the balcony section, Kiehl was walking into the arena. "Who challenges me?"

"I do!" the Lord Knight grunted out. Kiehl rose a brow and shook his head.

"Withdraw from this fight. Choose another," he said.

"No. I was told by Baphomet that you were the strongest!" the man said. Kiehl sighed and glanced at him. With that single glance, he let out an intense wave of Demonic Fear. The human dropped his sword from the shock. Several of the challengers actually started to panic.

"Final warning..." Kiehl muttered and adjusted his glasses.

"I have to fight you!" the man insisted and retrieved his sword. The Kafra Agent looked a touch nervous, but Moonlight Flower rang her bell to start the fight. When the Lord Knight charged at him, Kiehl cast his skill of Silence. Then he Bashed him back. The Lord Knight simply had no chance. He didn't even need his ghost to come out. When Kiehl turned to walk away, the man hissed out, "You...cheated...!"

"Me?" Kiehl seemed to glare at him with complete surprise. Doppy seemed to shake his head with disgust at the comment. "You want cheating? Here. I'll give you cheating."

"Fun stuff..." Doppy mused, as Kiehl let several elemental attacks loose from his collar. Now that the man was twitching in complete and utter agony, Kiehl seemed to growl and finally leave the arena. Then the fiery need he needed for Sarine began to affect him. Doppy dropped down quickly to grab Kiehl and haul him away.

"He's weak! Let's get him!" a challenger said.

"Whoever said...I was weak?!" Kiehl seethed with renewed hatred. Doppy winced at the stupidity of the human and let Kiehl go. The need for Sarine melted away with his new, unbridled fury. Whoever challenged him was going to need a Resurrection right after he left.

Doppy was about to gather up Kiehl again, but Loomin had appeared to help them get back to Sarine with a quick Warp. The moment Kiehl saw her, he realized that she was free for him. She opened her arms to him and let him fall into them. He held her until the pain finally melted away. At the feel of her mouth on his, he gave in to the kiss in a greedy way.

"You fought well," she whispered into his ear. "Rest with me."

"I can..." he muttered and found Aliot and Nigel helping him undress. He lost himself in her even as the message was given that the Lord Knight was challenging yet another husband.

"What's his problem?!" Ragged Zombie growled. "He got his ass kicked twice!"

"It's gonna get kicked again," Doppy snorted and looked over at Kiehl. He had finally recovered enough to think, and he was rocking Sarine close to his chest.

"Hmm. Whoever is bored can answer the call," Kiehl said with a small grin. "Ah! I never did get that trophy..."

Several of Sarine's men looked at each other. Then they grinned. Thanatos, Doppy, Beelzebub, Dracula, and Hibram walked out. Ragged Zombie, Mobster, and Entweihen Crothen were seen leaving the house next. Amon Rah was in deep thought over everything.

"I really wonder what is wrong with him," he thought aloud in his chair. He was sitting in the main bedroom for now. Pharaoh and Osiris were also perplexed. Kalen learned that it was another Lord Knight, so he left the soon after to find out more. He found Maheo and Neil with him shortly after.

"What's on your mind?" Maheo asked.

"I want to see if I know him," Kalen admitted.

"And, if you do?" Neil asked.

"Maybe figure out his motives," Kalen shrugged. "Or just watch him stumble over himself at how many monsters want to kick his ass."

"True!" Maheo grinned. He saw Wanderer and Incubus joining them on the balcony when they got there. Quite a few monsters were appearing now.

"What brings you out here to enjoy the show?" Ragged Zombie grinned.

"He's a Lord Knight. I want to know his name," Kalen said. "Then I want to punch him out for pissing us all off and upsetting Sarine."

"I'd just punch him," Mobster shrugged. Kalen cracked a grin at that.

"So, who do you want to challenge?" Doppy smirked at the Lord Knight. The man's helmet had tumbled off to show that he had short, brown hair and brown eyes. He managed to stand up and glare at the monsters before him. "We all answered the call."

"I don't want...any of you..." the man grunted.

"Huh. Stint? Is that you?" Kalen asked now.

"What?!" the man blinked and looked up at him with disbelief.

"You know him?" Thanatos mused.

"Yep. He never knew how to take a hint," Kalen sighed.

"Why are you up there?" Stint asked.

"Maybe because I belong to the Princess of Amatsu," Kalen chuckled. "Sounds about right. And, eh, no, I'm not leaving her side. No need for it."

"Belong to her?" Stint frowned.

"He has sex with her," Doppy snorted. "He earned his spot."

"So...anyone can...?" Stint blinked. Then he found himself impaled from Doppy's sword before he could even finish the sentence. When that happened, the arena crowd roared with approval at the sudden attack and cheered on Doppy's name.

"Oh, shit," Neil winced and shook his head.

"Oh, shit is right," Maheo said when he saw the wave of angry monsters rushing to the arena. At the sight of the Poring group with Pori-Pori in the lead, Stint could only stare with disbelief. He was actually confused.

"Porings?" Stint frowned. Justice, Defender, and Vengeance all looked at Pori-Pori. Then they started laughing. Even Doombringer was sighing.

"Okay. How many more want to insult Pori-Pori?" Thanatos grinned. Stint's face paled, as Pori-Pori launched himself right at the Lord Knight. Once again, he stood no chance.

"You're stupid," Vengeance snickered.

"I should feel pity for you, but I don't," Justice admitted.

"Can we lock him up?" Defender asked.

"A night in the dungeon?" Hibram mused. "Zealotus does look a little bored now."

"It's why I'm here!" the demi-human female monster said when she strutted over. Stint's jaw dropped at how revealing her outfit was. She bent over and used the base of her whip to lift up his chin. "Hmm. He does look rather soft. Doesn't he?"

"He was only beaten up multiple times," Ragged Zombie chuckled.

"So I see..." she murmured with a sly smile. Then she glanced over to see Kalen walking up to them. She chuckled softly and let him by.

"Stint, I'm only going to ask you this once before they continue to beat you up for free," Kalen said. "Why do you continue to do this?"

"Why...shouldn't I?" he coughed out and managed to stand up.

"Because you're better than this. Or so I thought," Kalen muttered. "But, to each their own, I guess. I've wasted too much time here. I need to get back."

"Heh. That princess is probably ugly as hell," Stint smirked. At the wave of silent shock he was given, he realized how sorely he was mistaken.

"Take back that comment. Right now," Kalen said with complete warning.

"No," the Lord Knight grunted. Then he blinked at the Warp that appeared from the balcony. Sarine had to defend herself now. She was dressed in her deep red kimono with white cream lining, and Doll had done up her hair in the traditional Amatsu style. Kiehl and Howard were next to her to support her. Loomin had Warped them directly to the balcony to keep the walking down. When she rested her tigers' eye gemstone eyes on the Lord Knight at the arena, the man actually caught his breath.

"This will be the closest you ever get to me," she said regally. Ifrit and Naght Seiger hovered behind her, as they glared down with complete hatred. "Is there anything more that you need to say to my face? No? Very well. Loves, I have proven my point. Let us retire once more. I need to see to my children."

"My Lady," Errende said softly. He was keeping his hands on her belly to help support her and keep the triplets calmed. "We need to get you back into the nursery. As you have said."

"I know," she said with a soft smile. Nigel and Byorgue were giving dirty looks to the Lord Knight. Aliot and Observation were ready to slam the human into the dirt.

"Wait!" Stint said. She looked over at him with a small frown. "Why do you have so many?! I mean..."

"It's a complicated case," Sammy said. "and you have no reason to know."

"Say nothing else to him," Kalen grumbled out. "He does this all the time."

"A shame," Sarine frowned softly. He nodded, pressed a kiss to her mouth, and led her back into Loomin's Warp. Once she was safely away from the arena, Loomin had remained to fully assess him. Even Muninn was present in his falcon form to study him.

"You need to pick your battles elsewhere," Loomin said to Stint after studying him intensely. "You'll get nowhere here. Good day."

When Stint was about to argue, he caught Muninn's glare. The falcon's eyes bore right into him to reveal his very core. With a sigh of disappointment, Muninn chirped and took off. For some reason, the Lord Knight felt as though he failed a very intense test. He didn't know why that was, or how he could fix it.

"Are you done fighting for lost battles?" Baphomet rumbled out from where he was standing. Pori-Pori was still there, too, with the other Poring-type monsters. Even Zealotus was standing by to see what was going to happen, as she slapped the back of the whip into her palm.

"All I want to do is better myself! To improve myself and get stronger. I mean...what more does it take to do this?" Stint sighed with frustration.

"Go talk to Turtle General," Baphomet said. "He will help you."

"A monster?" the Lord Knight blinked.

"Turtle General is a very honorable monster that teaches in the old ways of honor and traditional fighting. If he can't help you, then none can. So, go and speak with him," Beelzebub said from where he was standing on the balcony. Stint found himself nodding and doing just that. A Hell Fly would ensure he had safe passage to the barracks. Once he was received, the rest of the day passed lazily by with no other hindrances.


	188. Chapter 188

A full three days had passed with no further complications. Sarine could hardly move by the time it was judged ready for her to finally give birth. What was even worse was that the other pregnant women were ready for their births, too.

"I have my work cut out for me!" Bacsojin sighed. "Is there an easier way?"

"Muninn, can you freeze time around us to keep the others locked away safely?" Loomin asked. Muninn was standing in the bedroom, as the others were trying to move Sarine's massive belly carefully. They wanted to get her to the grove.

" _I can. But, you need to go under the grove and make a Warp there. Then come here to help us transport her safely. It will be much faster and far less stressful to her,_ " Muninn said. Loomin was quick to act on that advice.

"How is she?" Charles asked. He had been cooking nonstop most of the time. If it wasn't for the slaves being able to take over so he could rest, he likely wouldn't have survived the ordeal in full. He had been cooking for the other women, too, to help them out. They weren't as strenuous as Sarine was. That was a given.

"She's tired. Hungry. Anxious. All of it," Howard sighed. He looked like he had been through her ordeal, too. From swapping out with others that needed to stay with her to being with her when he had to, it was draining on him. He did laugh his head off when it was time for Ragged Zombie and Mobster to stay with her. She tormented them both for a solid two hours.

"Don't worry. The day is almost complete," Kiehl chuckled. His duplicate had to go back to Lighthalzen to avoid suspicion, but he was back in the room with them. Sarine decided to have him around, too, to help Vesper.

When Loomin appeared to nod to them all from his new Warp, Sarine was moved into it. Her birth had to happen first. If it didn't, the triplets within her wouldn't give over any peace of mind. Muninn had managed to arrange a tricky time warp for Odin to appear within the time freeze. The other women had to remain frozen where they were.

"Easy, love," Kiehl soothed. She was panting and couldn't even move herself. Her belly was stretched to a bizarre limit, but they would all help her heal and fix her body back up.

"I already have a wonderful dish prepared for you," Charles whispered in her ear. She gave him a touch of a small small. She was incredibly drained, and he gave her some of the Yggdrasil Berry juice she loved with the help of a straw. If it wasn't for that, she likely wouldn't have retained the strength she needed to go through with the large pregnancy.

"The eggs will be hatching soon," Drago said. "Are they frozen, too?"

" _They are,_ " Muninn nodded.

"Good. Maya Purple and I will help with the births," he nodded back.

"Hurry!" Hyegun winced. Even the twins from Naght and Ifrit were getting excited. Sarine winced at a few hard kicks. Loomin urged them through the Warp, and she was soon finding herself settled down on the soft moss. The scents of mint and roses filtered around her from the plants to ease her mind. Kiehl moved to let her rest her head against his lap. Howard was too tense.  _My triplets were finally being born._

"We almost have our triplets," Howard whispered to her. She gave an emotional smile and looked over at Doppy when he moved to recline on the moss next to her.

"Tsurga! You might want to sit down," Doppy advised him. Tsurga was confused at first. Then he cringed at a spike of pain she felt.  _Now I understood._ The usual pains she gave were from movement and easy to deal with. At this spike of pain she just gave out, he was taking Doppy's advice in full.

"Ah, can I lay down on the other side?" the guard asked. Sarine gave a soft chuckle and nodded. He gave a nervous chuckle and winced at another pain spike she felt. "Getting closer, aren't they now?"

"Don't think about it," Doppy muttered. He looked at Sarine and planted a kiss on her mouth. "I'll be okay. Just think on this. Loomin, Muninn, and Huginn will be with you next. That pregnancy will be just as important as this one."

"I know it will be," she nodded. She shivered and shouted, as the first true labor pains hit, and Tsurga found himself shouting with Doppy. It was the most horrific pain he had ever felt before in his life.

"If you pass out, it's fine," Kiehl said with a soft sigh. At the next cry she gave, Tsurga was knocked unconscious.

"Lucky bastard," Doppy grunted, as he rode out the pain. At Sarine's soft whimper, he moved to carefully squeeze her. "Not your fault, love. Just keep going. Let's get our babies out of you. Okay? He'll be fine."

"A head is appearing!" Bacsojin announced. Receiving blankets and heated water was ready to be applied. Sarine pushed again with a sharp cry, and Doppy roared out his pain. The sharp sounds of a baby screaming were heard next. Howard looked over and found himself chuckling.  _Naght's son with Ifrit was the first one born._ His hair was ice blue in color, and each eye color was different. His left eye was ice blue, and his right eye was a burning coal red.

"Leonard is born," Kiehl chuckled.

"Four more," Doppy grunted. Tsurga wasn't feeling the pain now, but he would be feeling it when he woke up. Sarine shouted again for the first of the triplets to be born. At the hard wailing given from Sammy's spanking, she was gently cleaned up.

"And which one are you?" Sammy asked as the whimpering infant gazed at him with Howard's eyes. "Are you...Dianna?"

A small smile was given to him, and he chuckled. A purple cloth was given to her with her name embroidered on it. Sarine let out another cry while Doppy groaned, and another triplet girl was born. After she was cleaned up, Sammy was able to examine her.

"Wait!" Keltin grinned over his shoulder. "You're Alexandra!"

The baby gave a hard frown, and Sammy laughed and asked, "Are you Rebecca?"

That got a happy baby laugh, and she got taken away to be given a deep green blanket with her name embroidered into it. Sarine was clinging to both Howard's hands and Kiehl's hands. As much as they wanted to hold the triplets, she desperately needed their support. She let out another cry, and Doppy finally went out cold when Naght's and Ifrit's daughter was delivered. She was a complete opposite of her brother in looks, too. Her hair was a shock of bright red in a flame-like color, and her eyes were reversed in their colors of his.

"One left," Howard nuzzled her. She was sweating hard now, and Kiehl was getting cool cloths to place against her skin. Her belly looked disfigured from all the stretching so far, but that would heal. She gave a hard whimper, as the final child finally birthed out, and she fell back against them with relief. The newborn wailed at the spanking and Sammy gently cleaned her up.

"Hello, Alexandra," he said with a warm smile. She gave a soft whimper, but was completely reconciled at the gentle hug she was given. True to what Muninn foretold, the triplets all held Howard's eyes and hair color in full, but they would all resemble Sarine as they grew up. And, at the small twinkle of mischief in Alexandra's eyes, it was proven who the troublesome one was going to be. Once the triplets were cleaned up properly, they were given over to Howard, Kiehl, and Sarine to let them nurse and properly bond.

Doppy finally managed to wake up to see them with an exhausted chuckle. Tsurga was slow to come about, but he found himself grinning at the sight.

"We have our triplets," Howard said with a sigh of complete relief. At Sarine's smile and look of complete understanding, he kissed her deeply.

"There you are!" Odin said when he trudged over. He was waiting patiently in the background. He regarded the three girls, as they were being cradled by Kiehl, Howard, and Sarine. "I have come as promised. It is so good to see you at long last! And, I will be keeping a close watch on you, Alexandra! I told you the mischievous gleam in your eyes would always give you away!"

Alexandra gave a small blush at that, and Howard laughed, since he was holding her. Odin moved to see Isabel and Leonard, and they were being held by Naght and Ifrit.  _The two of them would prove to become very powerful, as they grew up together._ Odin watched the newborns get swapped out to nurse, and he watched Maya Purple and Drago bring in their eggs.

"They're ready," Maya Purple said. Bacsojin was quick to help carefully break open the shells. His son and daughter had inherited his bug body. The girl held Sarine's hair and eyes. The boy had the same hair and eyes, but a much sterner look to his features. Both bug bodies seemed to be colored gold and streaked with green lines. They had wings, too, but that would take time to fully develop. They appeared to be a bit of a larval state now, but that was normal.

Drago's twins both had his hair, but Sarine's eyes. Even stranger was that his daughter had both sets of dragon wings and a tail, but the rest was normal. His son almost looked like a miniature version of him, but he lacked the draconic arm. Instead, he had a set of dragon claws. They seemed to morph back and forth from normal to dragon claws, as he moved. It was the same way that Albert could shift his hands to blades at will. His single wing was sealed up in a small sack on his back to develop. His sister was the same with her wings.

"Do we have names for them yet?" Doppy grinned and helped shift them to nurse.

"I'm sure we'll have names for them soon," Drago chuckled.

"I'll go and see to the others," Bacsojin said. "I have Doll to assist me."

"Good," Sammy nodded. "If you need my help, come and fetch me."

"I shall!" she beamed and was quick to move off to the main house. Kiehl was holding Dianna, and she looked at Odin before reaching for him. The powerful man chuckled and was quick to pick her up. These would have been his first grandchildren, after all. When she fell asleep in his arms, he found himself laughing softly.

"You're going to be around quite a bit, aren't you?" Kiehl smiled.

"They will insist on it," Odin nodded. Then he turned and pointed at Kavach when the Sniper came down. "Leave. Now."

"Oh..." Kavach blinked and did just that.

"I will not have my daughter, my Vessel, stressed! These triplets will not allow it, either," Odin warned his retreating form. Then he turned to face Sarine and said, "Do not worry, my daughter, my Vessel. It will be much harder for any others to force me to stand aside, as of now. Your body must heal properly for the next pregnancy to come."

"That's right," Loomin sighed. "Mine, Muninn's, and Huginn's pregnancy needs to form. And, when it does form, the timer will truly go into effect."

"Yes. That it will," Odin nodded gravely. "I would strongly advise for Thanatos to try and reclaim his lost memories. He may need them in the coming days ahead."

"I'll do what I can," Thanatos nodded from where he stood. He knew this was important.  _I have to try and force myself to remember my human memories from long ago._

" _We should get her back to the nursery. She can rest there and heal, too, with the juices we give her. She'll be able to eat there, too,_ " Muninn said. He was in a fully protective state over her. It was the same with the others. _Sarine couldn't afford to be stressed right now._

"Move her carefully," Sammy ordered. The newborns mildly protested at the shift, but they were settled with soft whispers in a soothing tone. Sarine was a touch light-headed from the sudden lack of weight and freed up blood-flow. Sammy had already noticed this, and Charles was quick to give her some of the hearty juices she needed to stabilize her body change.

"I don't want to have that many again," Sarine winced. "It's just...too much!"

"We know," Kiehl nodded.

"Don't rock her," Sammy warned when Howard started to do so in the rocking bench. "The movement may make her ill. Just keep her steady. She needs to be stable for a full day for the effects of the birth to wear off."

"Mama!" Serenity beamed and bounced over to her. Howard was quick to pull her into his lap. She was confused at this at first, but at how Sarine was, she saw why Howard had to intervene. "Um...are you okay?"

"Just very weak, sweetie," Sarine smiled and was able to press a kiss to her forehead. "I just had five babies! I need to relax today."

"Mom!" Gunther said when he ran over. "Uncle Seyren and Aunt Karla had a baby girl!"

"They did?" Howard grinned widely. Within a few more moments, other news from other births were happening around the mansion. Sarine could only chuckle with delight. She was sure she'll see the other babies later on. Right now, she was too exhausted to think, and it was proven when she started to fall asleep.

"Do not let her rest yet. Let her eat," Odin advised. Charles was there with some nourishing stews for her that were easy for her to chew and swallow down.

"Let me help with that," Loomin chuckled and took over a bowl to help her. Then he got taken by surprise when she pulled him close to kiss him deeply. He wanted to give in to her. He wanted to pull her away into another room. Then he pulled back when he realized something. "She knows of the next pregnancy. Her body knows, too. Sarine, you have to heal. Before I can be with you. It's too dangerous with your body this way."

"I know I do," she admitted. "It's just this...uncontrollable urge..."

" _Sarine, think of this,_ " Muninn said when he walked over to her. " _The moment you are done with Loomin, both myself and Huginn will need to be with you right after to ensure the pregnancy takes properly. You are in no condition to go through such a thing._ "

"My daughter, my Vessel, you have just given birth," Odin said sternly when he walked over. "Yes, your body is demanding the need to have this important pregnancy occur. You must curb this need for now, until you are healed."

"I cannot have you hurt, My Lady," Errende frowned. "What can we do to help?"

"Distraction," she said with a touch of defeat. "I'll need that."

"We'll do what we can," Nigel said and sat before her to let her pet his hair. That easily helped her for now.

"I did think of names," Maya Purple said when he walked over without his bug body. His kids were now in small cradles and sleeping peacefully. "For the girl, I like Rosa. For the boy, I was thinking Emeril."

"They are good names," Sarine agreed. When Drago walked over, she looked at him with a smile. "Do you know of good names?"

"Well..." Drago sighed. "when it comes to names of dragons, we can go with hard to pronounce names, or named after gems."

"I can see the girl being named Pearl," Howard mused aloud. "The boy could be Onyx."

"I like the name Pearl," Drago admitted. "But, not sure about his name."

"Onyx is the best type of a name for a male that I can think of," Kiehl shrugged.

"Hmm..." Drago rolled the name around in his mind for a bit. "You're right. Onyx it is! It is interesting how the names are of opposite colors."

"It works," Sarine chuckled. "Makes me wonder about their powers now."

"True," Drago nodded and moved to guard over his children. Now the other children were slowly introduced to the new ones. Donnie was soon reporting the birth of his daughter, as Egnigem was resting. Max was the proud father of a strong son and keeping a protective watch over Coraline's resting form. Garrett and Cecil were welcoming their son into the world. Lloyd and Margaretha were tickling their daughter to hear her laugh. Kathryne was resting with Mitchell, as they held their daughter close between them.

As joyous as the day was, it was at night when something seemed to surge in Sarine. She didn't know that Muninn froze time for her. And, as much as Odin told her she had to rest, he knew that something had to happen now.

"Sarine?" Loomin frowned. He found himself suddenly awake in his bed. He heard her soft whimpers, as she pulled herself wearily away from her bed. When she stumbled, he caught her quickly. "Why are you awake? You should be resting."

"I can't..." she mumbled, pulled his head down, and kissed him passionately. He couldn't deny her now. He couldn't even stop himself from lifting her up to carry her into the bathroom. He knew she was weak. He knew her body was in pain. Even at the sharp cries of passion they shared, there was only a brief moment of rest before he pulled her to him again. An hour quickly blurred by before he could finally recall why it happened.

"I see now..." he sighed and felt her nestle her face into his neck. "Because I have to empower the children of Muninn and Huginn, I  _have_  to be with you as much as possible. But...it can only be done in secret. Like this."

" _We had to play it off to have her rest,_ " Muninn said when he walked in. " _Time is frozen right now. The more you are with her, the more powerful the offspring will become. She will still heal, but she is infertile until the true time with you is to arise. When it does, Father Odin will come down to remove Huginn from her mind. Then he will become a husband of hers. Father Odin did have an idea of how to further punish him within our means._ "

"I'm listening," Loomin grinned softly.

" _He shall have to participate in every Demonic Mating she has,_ " Muninn grinned.

"I see! He'll have no choice, but to dodge everyone trying to kill him!" Loomin grinned even wider. Sarine found herself giggling like crazy.

" _Exactly. He wants to give her blood? Sure. But, he will have to help with the consequences. I am already there as her protector during them. I am immune to the rule. He is not,_ " Muninn nodded. Loomin was only laughing at this news. _It was too perfect. Huginn couldn't decline such a challenge, if he tried. He was used to dealing with demons. He'd have to answer the call to any Demonic Mating challenge._ Loomin also knew that Kiehl would be the one keeping Huginn from Sarine each time.

"Good. I like that. Ah, how much longer like this?" Loomin asked.

" _In all honesty, I'm not sure. Father Odin said as long as needed. I'd say the moment you take her to her bed. That will have time come back._ "

"Okay," he nodded. At the feel of her hand moving up his chest, he growled and moved to have her again. He felt no need to take her back to her bed yet. When she started to feel hungry, a dish appeared for her from Muninn. She slept on Loomin's chest and woke to him having her. By the time he finally did feel completely sated of her, a full day could have easily passed. This was what was going to happen each night for the next two weeks, as her body healed. It simply had to happen, and he couldn't fight it.


	189. Chapter 189

When the true time came for him to start being with her, Loomin was all too eager to help her move from her bed. She had healed up rather nicely, and she had been training a bit to rebuild her figure. She was finally back to a healthy state to see if the pregnancy would take. He knew it would likely be an additional week of being with her, though. He didn't mind it in the slightest.  _And no one knew what was going on._

"Loomin?" she asked when she saw him rise up from his bed on the first night they were to be officially together. He pulled her to him and carried her into the bathroom. A temporary bed was always set up now in a specialized room at his mild insistence from how often she kept getting carried in. It was actually agreed on by all of them, since it was discussed before.

"Hush," he whispered. He knew that Muninn froze time for them again, but he had to play out that time was still active for now. He knew that it was a bit different to be with her.  _It was quite likely that she might have to fight me on the final night._

"I want to ask you something," she sighed.

"Hmm?" he smiled.

"I want to...finish out the Lighthalzen dream..." she said with a small wince. She easily felt him tense. "As to why, it's because it also deals with Muninn and Huginn. It's needed."

"But..." he started and found her mouth on his. When the kiss finished, he sighed. "Okay. But, can we wait until the pregnancy forms? It should happen first."

"I know it should," she smiled, and he kissed her again to have her. The rest of the time flew by like this. He would wake up, move her into the bathroom, and settle with her there for as long as he needed it. On the last night, he predicted that she would be at the flower garden. On finding the bed missing an occupant, he knew he was right.

"Sarine?" he asked and paused at how she was sitting rather daintily by the clear pool of water. The large flowers only enhanced her beauty that much more in the soft light of the moon. When she looked at him, she gave the softest of smiles.

"I wanted to...come here. For some reason," she murmured gazed out over the water.

"Do you remember what we discovered about this place?" he asked. His heart ached at how she looked. The soft, pale green gown she wore seemed to accent her skin. He knew he wanted her now more than ever. The desire to be with her sent a fiery sensation to his very core.

"Discovered?" she asked with a hint of another smile. He began to pant now. He was trying to hold back. He didn't know why. "What should I have discovered?"

He licked his lips on trying to find a response. When she moved to shift a lock of her hair away from her face, his resolve crumbled. He was quick to reach for her and kiss her hard. She wanted to fight him. She wanted to escape him. At the instinctive whimper of need she gave, she knew she couldn't fight this one. The pregnancy had to happen  _now_.

"Sarine!" he moaned when he finally claimed her. All she could do was wrap herself around him to help bring them both to an explosive release. Right after they started to recover, a dull headache hit her. She heard someone approaching. Now she saw Huginn and Muninn looking at her. The headache was from Huginn gaining his freedom from her mind. Loomin could only nod and move quickly to let them shift her to take her together.

"Awkward..." Huginn grimaced.

" _Shut up!_ " Muninn growled. " _Don't think about it!_ "

"No!" Sarine whimpered and shouted with them. When it was done, it was Huginn that backed off, but Muninn stayed with her.

" _Easy,_ " he soothed. " _You need to make Huginn a husband now. Then the others will come here to see you._ "

"Okay," she nodded. He gave her a ring, and Loomin only watched her force herself away from Muninn's side. She clearly didn't want to leave his side, and that had him frown on trying to figure out why that was. "Huginn..."

"Yes," he said. He moved to her side to kiss her deeply. At the serious look in her eyes, he cleared his throat and nodded to show he was ready to listen.

"Vow to me," she said. "You will protect me. You will not betray me. You will not harm me. And, most importantly, you will not do anything rash to the others that need to be with me. You know how it has to be. And you  _know_  they will not hesitate to beat the shit out of you. You did quite a bit to me in the past. Many still resent you for it."

"I know. I vow. I do love you so!" he shivered.

"And I do love you, too," she smiled and placed the ring on his finger. "You are now a husband of mine. The others bound to me are now your brothers. Remember this."

"I will!" he said and pulled her close to kiss her. Then he snarled when her scent filled the air around him. He was quick to claim his First Mate Rights with her to get them established. Then he glanced up to find Kiehl's face dangerously close to his.

"If you give her blood," Kiehl said in a slow, precise way. " _I_  will be the one that keeps you from reaching her at each Demonic Mating she has. You have been warned."

"I figured as much," Huginn sighed with a soft chuckle in his whispery tone.

"Now give her to me," Kiehl said with a bit of a glare. He was about to retort, but Sarine rose up her hand to remind him that he had to behave now. Huginn nodded and relinquished Sarine over to the others. Kiehl was her powerful First Mate with intense Bragging Rights. His temper was the shortest one out of all them there. At her wince to show the pregnancy had taken, he purred and squeezed her with a loving smile.

"Yes, it's twins from Loomin with the growing champions from them both," Sammy verified with a chuckle. Muninn sighed and nodded at this. Huginn found himself smiling, too.

"Let me be with the others now. After that, I want to talk to you," she smiled at Kiehl. He nodded and kissed her deeply. It took a solid hour for her to see to her loves before she was able to rest back in Loomin's embrace. She took a deep breath and said, "I told this to Loomin. I know it won't happen right away, but I want this to happen. We need to finish the dream about Lighthalzen. I feel it will be important."

"What?!" Howard blinked from where he sat on a large flower. Eremes frowned at this. Doppy shook his head, but he understood. Naght was clearly disturbed on this.

"It won't happen now," Loomin said. "But, she feels that it's important."

" _In a way, it is important,_ " Muninn sighed. " _It may give us some insight about Lighthalzen. And, I hate to admit this, but I am quite curious how the alliance between Kiehl and Naght will work. And, yes, I know of the pregnancy she would witness again. But, she is right in saying that it should be seen to. Not now, of course. But, it should be soon. Maybe before we travel anywhere. We need to finally recruit Gopinich and Lady Tanee to our cause. They have waited long enough for us to find them. It is time._ "

"When do you think we can go?" Thanatos asked from where he stood by the pool.

" _After her Demonic Mating takes place,_ " Muninn said. " _Later today, that is._ "

"Are you tired, love?" Loomin asked Sarine.

"I'm very hungry," she winced.

"What do you need?" Charles asked and knelt to her side.

"Something sweet," she smiled.

"Huginn gave you the sweet tooth, I think," Loomin thought, as he studied her. "You might need dairy for my twins. Maybe we can combine something for that. Ah...Muninn..."

" _Yes?_ " he asked. At how Howard was staring at her with disbelief, Kiehl was already handing her a Yggdrasil Berry that he had on him. " _She wants to eat those?_ "

"Keltin, make sure Trina can make a lot of these," Loomin sighed.

"I'll have her convert some apples we have. We have a massive supply of those," Keltin smiled softly with a nod. Charles was already planning to make more of the juice she loved. It would definitely help in the cravings she had in the future. Exhaustion was setting in for her, though.  _She needed more rest._

"I'll carry her back," Loomin said. Kiehl nodded at this. Loomin was a touch protective of her now.  _She was carrying his twins in full, after all._

"And what will happen with you?" Sammy asked Huginn.

"From what I understand, I will be able to remain outside of her for this pregnancy for safety reasons. Father Odin thinks it would be best to help protect her. Yes, we know that her mind may be at risk, but this was also his decision. We also don't know how my mental state in her would affect my developing son. We need to ensure he has his own personality," Huginn said. Muninn nodded with agreement at this. "I'll be able to recruit the strong monsters for her to ease the burden. Father Odin doesn't want her to come to any form of stress. She will need to be with us, but I will recruit them to our cause."

"That's fine..." Eremes nodded. Sarine was starting to shiver in Loomin's arms. He blinked at her and squeezed her.

"Give her to me!" Kiehl cringed. "I have to keep her cravings back!"

"Here!" Loomin nodded and let Kiehl squeeze her to him.

"Easy," Kiehl soothed. For the first time he could recall, his talent to keep her strong cravings back was not as effective as it should have been.

" _Give her this!_ " Muninn said and handed over another Yggdrasil Berry.

"I can't stop that?" Kiehl frowned.

" _Not when it's a craving from my son, apparently,_ " Muninn sighed hard. " _The craving for him will always come through. There is no other option. I don't see it happening for Huginn's son. Or for Loomin's twins. But, my son will need to have this craving sated the moment it hits._ "

"Would this involve your blood, if it was a craving...?" Eremes asked. At the cringe that Muninn gave, it sent a wave of unease through them.

"Sarine!" Howard hissed and ran over to her to help hug her. "It's okay! We'll work with it as we always have. Don't worry. Yes, Muninn can be with you tonight."

" _She requires me?_ " he frowned.

"Her thoughts do," Kiehl nodded. "So, you'll sleep with her tonight. Oh? For now?"

"Please..." Sarine smiled softly. "while I rest."

"You know I'll need you, too," Kiehl smiled.

"I can snuggle you both," she beamed. Huginn seemed a touch disgruntled.

"She will make time for you," Sammy said. "She makes time for all of us, and she loves all of us equally. You have to remember that she needs to share herself with us. If she doesn't, it will hurt her. Keep that in mind."

"Of course," Huginn nodded.

"You are a husband now. She will always make time for you," Keltin assured him. "Just remember that she has to be with all of us when she needs us. Don't let us think we can't trust you anymore. You vowed to her that you would shape up. Prove it."

"I know that I brought most of this on myself," Huginn admitted. "In my haste to be with her. I know I stumbled in a lot of areas."

"Too many..." Eremes muttered under his breath.

"Quiet," Doppy grunted. "It'll upset her. He gets a new chance with us. Let him earn his place with us."

Eremes nodded slightly and moved ahead with the others. Sarine was settling into the bed to get snuggled down with Muninn and Kiehl. It was quite apparent that she would likely need blood from Muninn and Huginn when she woke up later in the morning. It was proven true the moment she found herself waking up. The first thing she did was snuggle into Muninn's form to wake him up. He sat up with her with a warm smile. Kiehl was aware the moment he felt her shift around next to him.

"I need the toilet," she whispered. Kiehl and Muninn carried her into the bathroom carefully. Huginn was still sleeping in one of the beds. He was always a bit of a late sleeper when he had the chance. Howard was helping to set up something for her to eat. At the sound of her retching cough, Thanatos and Errende were quick to see to her.

"Huginn, get in there!" Hyegun said to where the new husband was resting in a bed. "The moment she wakes up, you  _HAVE_  to be with her! No excuses!"

"Are the children aware?!" Keltin asked when he bolted awake from the sound.

"Yeah. Painfully aware. This is another important pregnancy. They may not have the same intelligence level as Kiehl's and Howard's children, but they are definitely well aware of what is going on," Hyegun said. Huginn was now rushing into the bathroom to help her. At the sight of how Muninn was rocking her against him, he seemed to stiffen. Then Kiehl was in his face to glare hard at him.

"Cut that shit out!" Kiehl hissed. "If you can't accept the fact the Sarine has to be comforted by us, too, then I'll ask Odin to put you back in her head! She can't see you showing off this behavior! It hurts her! Kill it! Now!"

Huginn could only nod and move to her side. Then he paused. He was being hugged now. She had pulled him to her with Muninn to show that she saw them both as equals. He found himself shivering now.

"You see, Huginn? I can love you both," she smiled softly. "You must work together now. Don't fight each other. Work with each other. Learn from each other. I know you have old habits now. The protective ones can still remain. Just...let go of the jealousy ones. There is no more need for jealousy. If you need to be with me, I'll do what I can."

"I know you will," he muttered and gave in to her kiss.

"I'm giving you a son now. Please..." she frowned.

"If I start to forget, please let me know," he said. She nodded and pressed into him with a sigh. "Did you want some of my blood after the other children are nursed?"

"Yes," she smiled. "That will work."

"It will take time," he admitted. At the caress she did to his cheek, he knew that she knew all too well. Kiehl could only nod at this with understanding.

" _Just remember, Huginn. You have no more reason to be jealous,_ " Muninn warned. " _Jealousy really does hurt her more than you know. And, if you start to slip up, I will not hesitate to remind you before it happens._ "

"Please do," Huginn seemed to wince. "I really don't want to mess up anymore."

All of them would help with that bit. They'd get a chance to attack him in the Demonic Matings, anyways. He was going to have to watch himself. A moment later, she was being escorted to the nursery. The moment Huginn sat down, he was confronted by Serenity.

"Uncle Huginn?" she blinked.

"You can call me dad," he winked at her. She squealed and jumped onto him. Now he found himself clobbered by the other kids. The other males were laughing at him.

"Breakfast time!" Doll announced. "Everyone wash up and sit at the table!"

"Here you go," Bacsojin smiled and handed over one of the whimpering triplets in purple to Sarine. The hungry girl was quick to start feeding next to her brother from Naght and Ifrit.

"Easy, Dianna," Sarine crooned. "There you go..."

"The colored clothing works wonderfully to tell them apart," Howard chuckled.

"Daddy!" a triplet in ivory cloth called out.

"Alexandra!" Howard beamed and gathered her up to cradle her. She snuggled into him right before focusing to let a small rumble happen in her diaper. "So...this is why you wanted me to hold you? Really?!"

"You helped me!" she giggled. He rolled his eyes, but Sarine was trying hard not to laugh at him. "So...um..."

"Yes?" Howard asked while Doll took her to change her.

"Can I call you duh?" Alexandra beamed. At the glance to Serenity's blushing grin, he sighed and shook his head. He also ignored Kiehl snickering at him.

"You know," Howard said with a small smile and took her back when she was cleaned. "I forgot how ticklish you are..."

"Daddy!" Alexandra seemed to whimper before finding herself laughing at the gentle side pokes to her sides and feet. When Nigel loped over in his Nine Tail form to lick her feet, she started to squeal with protest.

"Okay, Nigel," Howard laughed and took his daughter over to Sarine to get nursed next to Rebecca. Her green outfit was straightened out a little, and they both got rocked in the rocking bench. She started to hum softly, and she glanced up when Howard whispered to Serenity. At the happy shout she gave, it was proven that the news was given about Loomin's twins being made. And, at the sudden pounce she gave Loomin, it confirmed it.

"You gave me a brother and a sister!" Serenity said joyfully.

"That I did! And Muninn and Huginn will be giving you brothers!" Loomin chuckled. She squealed even more at this news. "But, you have to remember that this is special. They may not be able to be here all the time."

"Okay," she nodded.

"When we train?" Sun asked from his cradle. Moon was standing up in his cradle, too. Odin had been talking to them when he could to help enhance their growth and intelligence. He was also planning to take them to Valhalla for an hour a day to speed up their growth even more. They couldn't risk any of her children being away from her for too long. It would cause too much stress, and her current pregnancy was just as important as the others.

"I'm sure you'll get to train soon," Sammy said with a smile.

"When?" Moon asked now and bounced himself from where he was standing in a wobbly way. Kiehl moved to pick him up to lightly toss him in the air to hear him squeal with a bit of laughter at the movement.

"That's up for Odin to decide," Sammy said and chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm sure that even Turtle General can help train you, too."

"When?!" Moon demanded. Then he started laughing at the tickle he got.

"Grow a little more," Thanatos said from where he stood by the older kids. "When you do, you will get stronger, too. Yes, you are getting smarter now, but you need to grow more to be able to handle weapons and armor. Okay?"

"Kay," Moon nodded.

"Mah?" Stolas asked from where he was eating his strained food. He was fully weaned now and looking for her.

"I'm here, Stolas," Sarine called out. He was carefully placed to let her watch him eat some tiny, minced meat pieces with a somewhat toothless grin. "Very good! Is it yummy?"

"Yah!" he beamed. Beelzebub smirked slightly and moved to stand next to his son. Terin had Proserpine sleeping against his chest with complete comfort. Right after the triplets were done, Drago brought over Pearl and Onyx to get nursed. Rosa and Emeril were next in line right after them. Isabel and Leonard were the last to be nursed. The moment all of the nursing children were done, Sarine rose up to gesture for Muninn and Huginn to follow her.

"Blood bond," Doppy muttered.

"I'll make myself available, too," Loomin said. "She may need blood from me."

"She does," Hyegun nodded. Once in the elaborate bathroom, she turned to pull Loomin close first to kiss passionately. His neck was opened a moment later for her to get his blood. She drank down at least three mouthfuls before being able to pull away. Huginn was next to give over his blood, and time was frozen for this. They didn't know how much she would need. When Huginn was brought into the pleasuring loop, it only lasted for an hour. When it was Muninn's turn, they braced themselves for a long wait. Huginn forced himself to remain calm. _Sarine always liked Muninn's blood more._

"Remember," Kiehl warned him. "Right after she's done, the Demonic Mating will start. You have to be prepared. All of us will be wanting to test you. Keep that in mind."

"I am aware," Huginn nodded. The other males gathered to talk on how to reach the two places they needed to get to. Huginn was able to help them figure out a map on where to go. They all wanted to get the traveling done as swiftly as possible.

" _We're going to have to head out there,_ " Muninn said gently when he cradled her after the pleasure loop was done. " _I'll need to run ahead. Loomin will be with me. Errende will be with us, too. Are you ready?_ "

"I think so," she nodded. He kissed her in a loving way, but he didn't let her go just yet. "Muninn? Is something wrong?"

" _I don't know,_ " he admitted. " _I noticed that you didn't want to leave my side to have Huginn become a husband. Why was that?_ "

"I knew you needed me," she said and pressed into him. He seemed to cling to her now.

" _How did you know?_ " he shivered. At the kiss she gave him now, he sighed at her warm smile. She simply rocked him before answering.

"How can I not know?" she chuckled.

" _A moment longer, then,_ " he whispered. She nodded and let him cradle her.

"Is it because of your offspring in full with me?" she asked.

" _I believe so._ "

"I figured as much," she laughed softly. He chuckled with her. After ten minutes passed, he was able to rise up with her to help her dress. Then he escorted her outside after time resumed. The line-up was already present. She was already starting to feel warm. Muninn nodded to her and ran ahead with Loomin and Errende. She gave a small, sweeping, glaring glance at the males to get them riled up. Then her eyes rested on Huginn's tense form. She gave an interested glance. But, it was done on purpose to piss off Kiehl in full.

Kiehl seethed and leapt at her, but, as always, she was already gone. He was always the first one of the pack to chase her. Huginn was actually matching him in speed. He snarled his hatred at him, but Huginn knew it was all instinctive. He knew it couldn't be helped. When she jumped down into the chamber for the others to follow, it was Howard that led the watchers down the stairs.

"Why have you come?" Eremes frowned at Elric.

"I want to see how Osiris does against Huginn," he said calmly.

"I'm here for Doppelganger," Tsurga chuckled. Any other bonded males were present, and Howard had noticed that the window was replaced. There was also an emergency door set in just in case Sarine needed him again. Storm Caller was definitely thinking ahead after the last incident that happened.

"Huginn..." Howard muttered and watched the new husband start to effortlessly dodge any that tried to hit him after Sarine started the chamber. "He has to watch himself."

"He's doing just that," Keltin mused. "Wait! Where did he go?!"

"Huh?" Eremes blinked. "He...disappeared?"

"Loomin will have to tell us what happened later," Sammy sighed. They could all agree to that. What Huginn actually did was make himself fully invisible. Nothing could see him. But, he underestimated Kiehl. Kiehl had a drop of Muninn's blood in full. He saw Huginn and was quick to move in front of him gracefully.

"So I see..." Huginn mused aloud at Kiehl and dropped the invisibility. All he got was a seething hiss as a response, and his ghost came out in full to show that Huginn would not be allowed to reach Sarine without a fight. As they squared off, Sarine was actually mesmerized by Kiehl.  _He was more than a match for Huginn._  He wasn't even breaking a sweat like he did with Muninn. Huginn was far more predictable in his lunges and counters. For a full thirty minutes, all Kiehl did was continue to get in Huginn's path. If any others tried to intervene, it was far too easy to get the monsters to lose interest in them and focus on each other again.

"Never...!" Kiehl managed to hiss out, as he blocked Huginn again.

"Maybe," Huginn smirked. Muninn simply shook his head.  _My brother will never be able to get past Kiehl._ When she keened out for everything to stop, she waited for them all to line up. Of course, Kiehl was glanced at first. Then, to everyone's shock, it was Huginn second. Thanatos was pissed at that, and now he vowed to reclaim his spot in the next Demonic Mating. The moment Kiehl was done with Sarine, and it was Huginn's turn, Howard had to turn to the others that were watching patiently.

"Do we know what Huginn will give Kiehl? Muninn gave him the Neutral element. There has to be something that Huginn can give Kiehl. As much as he needs the other elements, anything that Huginn has would be needed first," Howard said. They all agreed to this. The moment Drake was finished with her, they were all let out to approach the others.

"I knew this was going to come up. I am Sarine's Consciousness. I'm always in her mind, and I help with her thoughts. As for the element I would give her...it would be a form of Shadow. More like Divine Shadow. I can have Kiehl become fully invisible like me, but it would only work for him," Huginn grinned.

"Good," Kiehl muttered when he got Sarine back to hold.

"You've won nine Demonic Matings now. After the next one, we need to see if you feel the urge to join any others," Thanatos pointed out. "Only ten has ever been recorded. If you are still able to compete, you could be seen as something else to demons."

"Oh?" Kiehl asked with a raised brow.

"Any demon may be forced to obey any of your wishes. It would be interesting, if it was true," Beelzebub seemed to smirk. At the sight of the diamond appearing on Kiehl's leash loop, Huginn reached over to touch it. It gained a rather interesting shade of silver for the talent to be locked in. At her tired sigh, they knew she had to rest for a bit before traveling. The mansion was the next stop to let her recover before spreading the word.


	190. Chapter 190

"Yay! We get to travel again!" Coraline beamed when the news was told.

"I'm sure we'll be informed when our kids need us?" Seyren asked.

"You shall be informed," Storm Caller nodded.

"What happens after we travel?" Karla asked. "When we get the last two monsters?"

"We may have to look into the Guild castles," Elric said. "I have several recruits doing just that for us, as we speak."

"Good to know. So, who are we collecting first?" Seyren asked.

" _Gopinich is easier to reach for now. That means we have to go to Moscovia,_ " Muninn smiled. Sarine was seen with Howard and Kiehl coming down the stairs, and Loomin was right behind her. Windwalker chirped from where he was standing outside. He nuzzled into her Sarine's arms in greeting and let her climb onto his back.

"Should I ride with you?" Loomin asked.

"Yes. Between Howard and I," Kiehl nodded.

"We have enough provisions?" Howard asked.

"I have my cart full of them," Karla beamed. Luna was happily sitting on the cart and eating a piece of pet food. The Bapho Jr. pet was content with a large jar of honey. Seyren gave a fond scratching to the back of the demon's ears to get a rewarding purr. The pet had recovered nicely from his ordeal and even licked Seyren's hand. "We all may need something."

"True," Kathryne smiled. Mitchell could only agree with her.

"Should the kids come with us?" Terin asked.

" _Not yet. Let's wait until we get into the actual dungeon. Actually, I think they have school right now. Both of the places we need to reach are very hard to go through. If the children do not ask to come, let's not bring it up,_ " Muninn advised. Sarine nodded at that and let him come over to hug her tight. " _Stay hidden on Windwalker's back for now._ "

"I will," she smiled and kissed him softly. When Muninn shifted into his falcon form, Huginn sighed with a touch of envy. Then he blinked when something unlocked for him. He smirked and was able to shift his form into her old falcon one. She was delighted at this, and she watched Muninn and Huginn chase each other around with a form of genuine delight.

"This will keep her happy," Kiehl chuckled. He let her lean into his form, and he heated up his hands to massage her back. "Oh. How are we going to get there?"

_:I help!:_ Muninn warbled. When the rest of the party got together, he was quick to Warp them. And, as always, the sight of the massive group had many travelers stop and stare.

"Hmm..." Beelzebub thought.

"Focus on me," Terin smirked, Cloaked, and moved throughout the city. Beelzebub blinked and started to laugh.  _Terin was able to move through the town, but not all at once._

"Clever! But, it only fixes things temporarily," the Demon Lord sighed. "Until we get permission, I am limited once again."

"Let's ask for a house," Neil said.

"Garrett, let's go track down the head man, shall we?" Kalen grinned.

"I'll go with you," Max said. He kissed Coraline gently and left her with the protection of the group. Hibram nodded to him and kept a close watch on them all. Margaretha and Lloyd were able to give any new travelers a quick buff to get them going.

Sarine was in complete awe at how the buildings all had pointed, bulb-like tops to each one. Gold decorations with various colored roofs was the next thing to see, and she was amazed at how some of the people dressed. Many wore cloth hoods over their heads, but left their faces visible. It was very different for her to see.

Inside the main building, Garrett was speaking to one of the top officials in the town. "Prime Minister Dmitree, thank you for taking the time to speak with us."

"Of course, good sir," the blond man smiled and nodded. His hair was a bit long around his brown-eyed face, and he wore brown and white cloth linens of excellent quality. Moscovia was a bit of a trading town in this sense. He was also exceptionally handsome, but most of his life revolved around his work. "I have heard some talk about your group."

"Excellent! The Vessel of Odin was hoping to have a home here," Kalen chuckled.

"I see. But, I cannot allow it," the Prime Minister said in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. At this, they frowned. Terin was still Cloaked and listening nearby for Beelzebub.

"Why is that?" Max asked.

"The monsters! I mean..." the man sighed. Then he paused at the sight of Emperor Markus walking over. Beelzebub was able to request for him.

"I am Emperor Markus from Amatsu. I understand that you are not allowing my daughter to stay? Yes, the Vessel of Odin is my daughter. A princess of high standing," the Emperor smiled. Now Dmitree's jaw dropped. He clearly didn't know about this at all. "The monsters with her also protect the towns that she is allowed to stay in. I was called on to show proof of this. They even repair buildings! It's what they did for my palace after it was damaged. You should see it now!"

"Oh! Well...ah..." Dmitree seemed to pause at this.

"Maybe he should meet her," Kalen sighed.

"I don't think Doppy would be too thrilled. Or Kiehl," Garrett sighed back with a small smile. "But, I suppose it can't be helped. You think?"

"One way to find out," Kalen chuckled. Markus chuckled with him and nodded to the various guards that lined the chamber. They all bore silver armor with regal cloaks and helms. Each of them also bore an exquisite spear. They let Dmitree pass with no problems. Then Markus paused when one of the guards raised a spear at him! Kalen was quick to step in front of Sarine's adoptive father. "What's the meaning of this?! Are you committing treason?!"

"Empress Emilia will be avenged!" the guard snarled out. He just gave himself away as one of Emilia's loyal guards. He got hired on easily, and now he felt he had a chance to redeem, what he thought was, her good name. Dmitree looked over with shock and complete outrage at this. For his protection, his own guards barred him away. He couldn't help physically, but he knew he could do something else.

"Detain him!" the Prime Minister ordered. More guards appeared to help carry out the order. The rebelling guard dodged them all and only now realized that he was dealing with Prontera's Captain of the Royal Guard when Garrett got in his face.  _The Bull's-Eye Paladin in the flesh._ He just sealed his fate. At the sight of Tsurga rushing up now to help, the man's life was now in complete jeopardy of the court systems. The man began to get desperate. Max was easily evaded. Kalen was protecting Markus. This man was one of Emilia's elite guardsmen. Garrett needed back up.  _Fast._

"Allow the Vessel of Odin to stay in the town! Please!" Garrett said and fended off another attack. "This must be done!"

"Yes! I allow it!" Dmitree nodded. Then he gaped in shock at Thanatos and Doppelganger suddenly barging past him to take out the guard neatly. The other guards were forced to step aside when the powerful monsters appeared. The humans got the sensation that the monsters wanted blood. They didn't want to get in the way.

"Papa?!" Sarine shouted out from where she was held back on Windwalker just outside the building. Terin removed the Cloaking to stand by Beelzebub. A nod was given to him at a job well done. When the meddling guard was bound down and shoved into a chair, it was Ragged Zombie that walked over. As Sarine's Vengeance, he had to be the first one to talk. Tsurga was now ensuring that his Emperor was safe and out of harm's way. He did look over and cluck his tongue at the bound man.  _He was going to be in for it now._

"So, you know that the 'Empress' was just a bitch, right?" the zombie smirked. "Just something that liked to play pretend?"

"She was a true leader!" the guard argued.

"Even if she shoved her two-year-old 'daughter' into a room to forget about her and let her die?" the zombie asked now with a cold glare.

"What? No! We were told she was a common servant! An ingrate!" the man said.

"She was my daughter. My adoptive one given to me by Odin, himself," Emperor Markus said regally. "Emilia tried to usurp me. She had me under a spell that was out of my control. My daughter was immune to her. She took offense to it, and she knew who my daughter was. She tried to kill my daughter to force a child to appear to take her place! That is what she truly was. She tried to defy the gods and paid the price for it. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to see to my daughter."

"I'm going to gut him open!" Doppy snarled.

"Not stopping you," Thanatos grinned wickedly. The man was in pure shock at what he had learned. At the sight of Muninn and Huginn running in next to approach him, his eyes widened even further. The two brothers looked at each other, nodded, and began to warp his mind around to show him the truth. With this happening, Sarine was hugging her adoptive father to her with complete relief.

"I'm well. See?" he chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Do not worry, my daughter. Kalen protected me very well."

"The next time you appear, I shall assist," Tsurga said.

"No. You have to protect Sarine," Markus ordered. "She must remain safe at all times."

"Yes, Sire," Tsurga nodded. He didn't object to the rewarding hug and kiss Sarine gave him, though. "Did I do well?"

"Very well," she beamed and cuddled him lightly.

"Sarine," Kalen said and found himself laughing at the hug she pulled him into. Now she looked over and saw Dmitree walking over to introduce himself. At the sight of her fantastic tigers' eye gemstone eyes watching him, he found himself speechless. "This is Prime Minister Dmitree. He's one of the head officials here in the town."

"Truly?" she smiled with her dulcet tone. The poor man was smitten with her intense beauty. Kiehl gave his usual glare, but he glanced down at her with a gentle smile at her whisper. He chuckled and gave her loving nuzzle. Loomin looked at the man and sighed.

"You are far too involved with your work to think of attempting anything. Admit it," Loomin said lightly. Now Howard looked at Sarine with amusement.

"You'll torture him," Howard grinned.

"Maybe he needs it," she snickered softly and pressed a kiss to his mouth. "I am hungry, though. I'm starting to feel it."

"My Lady," Errende said, as he began to hand over the craving dishes. Charles had been very busy with the most potent dishes he could do.

"Thank you," she sighed and took a bite of the airy cheese he made for her. She swooned with complete delight at the rich flavors. Kiehl could only laugh at her. At her small frown, he rose a brow at her thought. Howard found himself laughing a bit now.

"What is it?" Loomin asked.

"She wants Charles," Howard shrugged with a smile. Beelzebub sent the message with a Hell Fly, and the eccentric Royal Chef was soon joining them with Storm Caller's help.

"And why did you call me?" Charles smiled and let himself get embraced warmly.

"I wanted to thank you for the cheese," she laughed softly and kissed him deeply.

"I was working on other flavors for you," he said. Then he looked over at Dmitree. His eyes narrowed with a protective glare. "And why is he staring at you?"

"He is the Prime Minister of Moscovia. I believe he just fell in love with Sarine," Loomin sighed again and shook his head. "And I do mean,  _fully_  in love with her."

"How do you...?!" Dmitree asked.

"I am the son of the god, Loki. I can see things as they are. As Sarine's Eyes, it's a given," Loomin smiled slightly. Dmitree could only stare with shock. "My name is Loomin. You need to drop your new interest in Sarine. Your town here needs you more."

"I know," he said with a frown and looked away. Then he suddenly turned and gaped at Baphomet appearing to survey the town.

"It's all right," Garrett chuckled at him to calm him down.

"I want to see the one that tried to harm the Vessel of Odin's adoptive father. Now," Baphomet snorted and leaned on his massive scythe.

"Muninn and Huginn are already assessing him," Beelzebub grinned.

"I don't care," Baphomet growled.

"I would not worry so much," Markus chuckled and walked over. "I am unharmed."

"He belonged to the one that tried to kill her. I must see him," the demon snorted. "There is something about him that is already infuriating me! I need to see that one."

"Better not delay him," Charles grinned. "When he feels the need to do something, he won't give up until it's done. Right Seyren?"

"Too true," the Lord Knight grinned back. At this, Terin moved to get back into the building to whisper out what was going on.

" _It's fine. This one is too loyal to the witch. Let Baphomet speak with this one,_ " Muninn seemed to shrug. " _We tried._ "

"That we did," Huginn agreed. Ragged Zombie grabbed the stunned guard by the back of the collar and dragged him out and down the small flight of steps.

"Here," the zombie grunted and tossed him over. When the man looked over at Sarine, intense recognition took place. Loomin looked over now and quickly had Sarine shielded from sight. He now saw what Baphomet was feeling.

"Windwalker! Wings up!" Loomin said quickly. The Gryphon squawked and did just that. Kiehl now looked at him for an explanation. "That was one of the guards that touched her! I saw something in his eyes!"

"What?!" Eremes asked with a narrowed gaze. "I missed one?!"

Muninn now paused at this news and his jaw dropped. He did miss that memory. " _Not here! Take him to the dungeons on the island! We'll deal with him later!_ "

"He's right," Huginn said with a forced form of control. "That one had left on a shift swap-out. He was able to flee the palace when it was attacked."

"What happened?" Dmitree frowned. Eremes found himself walking over to whisper softly in the man's ear. "No. NO! That can't be!"

"It is," Eremes nodded. When Storm Caller appeared with the stone slab of Sarine's floor, Dmitree glanced at it. Then he shouted with rage and turned away. Eremes now whispered to him of what he saw. The Prime Minister's face paled. After a moment of silent thought, he cleared his throat and regarded Sarine.

"There is a place you can call home here," Dmitree said with a calm air now. "I would be honored to show it to you."

"Can you?" Sarine asked with a soft smile and peeked out at him from amidst a large feather. Windwalker was on the complete defensive right now.

"I can..." he said with his own smile. Baphomet had already taken the offending guard away to get him locked up with Storm Caller's help. "It's actually a bit close to my own home for secure reasons. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Sammy chuckled. "I am Incantation Samurai. I was the one that did the killing blow to her false mother. And she was killed again by us all in another way. Her soul is permanently trapped away. Not even trapped. It's destroyed. Anyways, after we see to this house, she needs to find Gopinich."

"She does? Hmm. She could speak with Mr. Ibanoff. He's the one with the boat here. I'm not sure what form of condition it's in, but you could ask him. He would know of the island you have to go to. I would be careful, though. Monsters are known to attack boats on the way there. I do worry about this," Dmitree started. Then he saw how Doppelganger and Thanatos were grinning at each other.

"Safety is not a problem," Kiehl muttered out lightly. "All of us were enhanced by Valkyrie from Valhalla. The monsters may start running from us, if we see them."

"I hope not!" Doppy grinned wickedly. At Sarine's soft giggle, he moved to her side to get hugged. "Nothing will touch you."

"I know," she smiled and kissed him softly. At the sight of that, the Prime Minister seemed to swallow and look away. He knew he had to stay for the town. It was the first time he was ever fully affected by someone like this. He knew he did try to have relationships in the past, but they always fell through from his work. Something kept urging him to try and make this one work.  _And that it would work._ Donnie was simply watching from where he was with a rather amused smile on his face.

"Really?" Egnigem smirked at Donnie.

"You know I have to," the Clown grinned at her and moved over to the troubled man. "So, what's eating you, eh?"

"I don't know," Dmitree sighed.

"Oh, come on. Of course, you know. You like her. Don't you?"

"I've never been like this before at a first glance! But, I'm needed here for my town. I just need to figure this out," he muttered. Then he paused when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and stared into Sarine's soft gaze. Kiehl and Howard were right behind her. Loomin had to be close by, too. At the hand she placed on Dmitree's cheek now, he swallowed.

"There are many that are with me," she said gently. "I'm going to show you something."

"Okay," he nodded. She turned and let her hair get lifted up. At the sight of the Mark of Odin, he pressed a fist to his chest in silent tribute. That got Muninn nodding with approval.

"He can't leave the city, though," Elric frowned.

"You're here with your Guild status," Donnie pointed out.

"True. How would it work?" Elric mused.

"You'd better kiss him before Odin appears," Kiehl muttered to her.

"What?" Dmitree blinked. Then he found her mouth on his. When it was done, he was completely speechless. At his look, it was only proven that it didn't feel right.

"Who will give him blood?" Sammy chuckled.

"What?" the man blinked again with the same question.

"You know what?" Doppy grinned.

"Not you," Tsurga grunted to get the demon grinning.

"I wouldn't say Baphomet," Charles said.

"I can do it again," Hibram smiled.

"No! You've done enough!" Howard scowled at him.

"How would you see her?" Thanatos asked. Errende was gently tending to Sarine and enjoying her hands in his hair.

"I just want to see her safe," Dmitree said. Then he paused at the sight of Amon Ra in his chair. Byorgue was gestured to now.

"I am known as Sarine's Balance. I help keep her calm and remove nasty situations before they happen. I can share my blood with you. If you want this," Amon Ra said calmly. He found himself smiling at how Sarine moved to his side to hug him tight. Then she reached for Byorgue to cuddle into his small frame.

"You are ready to help?" she beamed.

"Of course, My Lady," the small slave grinned. She kissed him lovingly and watched Amon Ra gesture to Dmitree.

"We will swap a mouthful of blood. If you want to be with her, it will be the only way," the old King said. "Is this what you want?"

"I don't know what I want. My town needs me!" Dmitree sighed irritably.

"I can leave a Hell Fly here for you, you know," Beelzebub smirked. "If you are needed, it will alert you to come back here. As Sarine's mate, she would want you close as much as possible. Just be aware of that."

"Mate?" Dmitree blinked.

"If you take Amon Ra's blood, he can fill you in easily," Sammy chuckled.

"That I can. And I'll help you make as much time as you need," Amon Ra nodded. "You may even get my talent to help keep Sarine calm."

"That does make me wonder if you have the same talent as me," Osiris said to Elric.

"Oh! You may be right. I'll have to test it. Ah, wait! I know I do! So we know he definitely will gain Amon Ra's talent, too," Elric smiled. He looked over at the sight of Fenrick appearing. Now he narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"

"Chicken Shit!" Ragged Zombie grinned. Elric coughed and struggled to keep the laugh down. He failed completely. Even Eremes was grinning slightly.

"Shut up!" Fenrick scowled, as the others laughed. "I came here to tell you. Gopinich's island is being invaded by a lot of adventurers. There were signs up to see who could reach him first. I don't know why, but I saw the signs around Morroc. When a few of us spread out to search more, we saw similar signs all over other cities, too."

"Not good," Keltin grimaced.

"Father..." Loomin growled out. Now he was looked at. "He got it into some crazy collector's head to set up a reward for a certain item to be found. And only Gopinich has it."

"What is the item?" Keltin asked.

"A very intricate bow called Ixion Wings," Loomin started.

"Ah! They add a small chance to boost attack speed!" Keltin blinked when he got the information. "Wow. That is a nice bow. And who agreed to put up these fliers?"

"That's a good question," Eremes frowned.

"I'll see what I can find out," Fenrick nodded and left quickly.

" _This is critical now. We need to find Gopinich. We cannot delay in this. If we have enough time, I'd almost say to find Lady Tanee next. However, she may be a bit difficult to reach. She is in another labyrinth that is a touch more complex than the Pyramids,_ " Muninn frowned, as he spoke out. " _This is very troubling._ "

"Then what are we standing around for?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"You must make your choice now," Amon Ra said calmly to Dmitree. The Prime Minister seemed to frown.

"No. He can wait until we have finished this pressing matter," Sarine said.

"No need," Dmitree said. "A mouthful?"

"Yes," Amon Ra nodded. Byorgue was quick to help with the swap of blood. Once it was completed, and after the Prime Minister regained his senses from the dizzying way the blood took over his system, Sarine leaned out from Windwalker's protective wings and gestured to him. Kiehl could only sigh, but he nodded to Howard in thought.

"We need to be quick," Howard said. "Dmitree, come here. Swap a blood drop with Sarine. We'll finish with the others later."

"What's this about?" the man asked curiously.

"Trust us," Kiehl smiled lightly. Dmitree now paused at the look of acceptance Kiehl gave him. Charles noticed this and could only grin.  _This man likely never got the feeling that he was truly appreciated for who he was until now._  Charles walked over and clapped the man on the shoulder with understanding.

"I know the sensation all too well," Charles muttered in his ear. "Swap the blood. We have a bit of traveling to do."

"What? I mean..." Dmitree frowned.

"After what she has planned for you, I doubt you'll want to leave," Loomin smirked and was able to move off Windwalker's back with Howard. "Just be quick."

"I have to stay with her. It's a long story. Amon Ra will fill you in while we travel," Kiehl said. "Beelzebub will listen in, if you are needed here."

"So far, he's fine. Hurry," Beelzebub nodded. The confused man was pushed into Sarine's direction quickly. When the kiss happened, it was only quite apparent as to what took place next. Kiehl also had to be there when Sarine's dominance over a new male in her midst took over. He growled at her to remember where she was.

"I can't...believe..." Dmitree panted after she claimed him.

"Give me a drop of your blood," she whispered and nuzzled into his neck to make him gasp with shock. At the nibble to his neck next, he cried out with disbelief when he lost himself again in her. She chuckled softly, and Kiehl was able to pin-prick his finger with a dagger he had on him. The same thing was done to her, and the blood drop was exchanged. She had to give a blood drop to Kiehl to keep him neutral.

"So, do you know of the place we're going to?" Howard asked when he peeked in.

"Huh? Oh! Um...vaguely. I never actually went there before," the Prime Minister chuckled. "But, it's really odd about the rewards being offered. It's a first for me to hear them."

"Is it?" Kiehl frowned in thought.

"You should come with us," Sarine smiled and cuddled into her newest mate. "It would help you to know what lies in the surrounding areas."

"Well," Dmitree started and found himself smiling a bit. "you are right at that. I could make a note of what sort of adventurers are around, too. There is a whale that moves around here, and there is a bit of an island on it. There's also a man that lives on it with a rather exquisite instrument, now that I think of it..."

"There is?!" Sammy asked from where he was. "What is it?"

"It's called a Gusli. An instrument that really isn't seen in this part of the world. Oh! Um...I do report to someone. The Tsar of the town. If he finds me missing..." Dmitree frowned hard now. "I don't know how often I can stay with you."

"So, who are you to him?" Doppy asked.

"His assistant, you could say. He doesn't really show himself too often," he said.

"I am still very interested in this instrument. I want to find it," Sammy chuckled.

"We'll need to find Mr. Ibanoff, then. But, I'm not sure about his ship," Dmitree admitted. "I'm sure it needs to be fixed up."

"We can bring our own," Keltin grinned.

"I'm not sure," he said with a grim look. "His boat has a way to find the island."

"So do we," Doppy said with a slight grin.

"I think I know who would be perfect to help us with a boat," Sarine smiled.

"Ah! Yes. Let's bring Drake here," Howard grinned.

"Drake?" Dmitree asked. His eyes widened at the sight of Storm Caller bringing the undead pirate to them.

"Me dear!" Drake said and walked over to her to get hugged. "And who ye be, eh? Ah! A new one? Good! Does he know of us yet?"

"Not yet," Kiehl chuckled.

"You're all from the arena!" a voice said in the distance.

"We are," Hibram nodded.

"Good! Um...can I fight one of you?" the voice asked.

"Kid, go home," Doppy growled. Sarine frowned and peered through Windwalker's feathers. She saw a young boy, likely a Swordsman still in training. He was wearing a helmet, so it was hard to see his face. She just sighed and shook her head.

"I'll fix this," Kiehl smirked and let a wash of Demonic Fear radiate from him. At the sound of several people running off in a panic, the monsters laughed.

"Please don't do that anymore," Dmitree winced. "I would like to avoid getting called on, if I can help it."

"Too late," Beelzebub muttered. "He has been called."

"I..." the Prime Minister faltered. He didn't want to leave Sarine. "Come with me to see him. I'll defend you."

"Will you?" Sarine asked. He kissed her and squeezed her to him. "My Papa is also here. He will help."

"Very true," he chuckled.

"You need to get dressed first," Kiehl pointed out.

"Oh! Ah, yeah..." he said, and Sarine giggled at him. He managed to dress, kiss her deeply as a final time for now, and move from the Gryphon's back. Howard and Loomin were quick to move in and help her dress to escort her. At the look Dmitree gave now, the group knew to brace themselves, as they walked into the massive building.

On top of a wall in the main receiving chamber was where the regal, old man stood. Yet stairs were raised up on each side parallel to it in order to reach the upper part to show how he got there. A throne was behind him, and, when he moved forward a bit to peer over the wall, an aging face with a bald head and a very long beard was seen. He was wearing a royal red robe that lightly hit the ground, and gold with red embroidered finery finished his apparel. On his head sat a regal crown to show he was, indeed, the true ruler.

"Dmitree! Where are you!" a strong, yet somewhat frail sounding voice rang out from him. The Prime Minister bowed respectfully.

"I am right here," Dmitree answered. "I have seen to the disturbance."

"Good. Now come back here and help me with the people," he demanded.

"Actually, ah, I was hoping to explore the surrounding area to see where everyone was coming in from. If we can locate this, then we may have a better understanding of..."

"No! You need to stay with me! And why are there monsters with you?!" he asked with complete disbelief. At the sight of Emperor Markus walking over, the regal man paused.

"Csar! It has been some time, hasn't it?" Markus chuckled and walked up the stairs to greet him warmly. "I wanted to introduce you to my daughter."

"You have a daughter?!" he blinked. At the sight of Sarine waving at him, he was shocked. "Why haven't you told me?"

"I can tell you, but it will take time. My daughter needs to find Gopinich. Also, your Prime Minister has taken quite a like a liking to her. Of course, she does have many with her already, but it seems to work that way," Markus smiled.

"How many?" Dmitree asked in a soft whisper to her.

"I lost count after fifteen," she blushed. The Prime Minister looked at her like she was joking. At the sight of the slaves chuckling softly, he cleared his throat.

"I did have an idea on what to name the champions of Muninn and Huginn," Loomin whispered in her ear. At her curious glance he said, "Huginn's son can be Solar. Muninn's son should be Lunar. Still Sun and Moon like the other two, but a touch different."

"That sounds awesome!" Kiehl grinned. "We can do that!"

" _Very good names, indeed!_ " Muninn chuckled.

"Did I just hear you right?" Dmitree asked with shock.

"Focus in on Amon Ra's thoughts," Beelzebub said when he sided over to them. "He will tell you all you need to know. We need to travel."

"So, the monsters will protect us?!" Csar seemed to ask with disbelief.

"Oh, yes!" Markus nodded. "My daughter, go do what you must. I shall stay and explain. Ah! Storm Caller. Yes, you can help."

"I shall be delighted," the strong Strouf agreed. "And I can bring any others here that need further proof for you."

"I am sure that you could," Csar sighed. "Will Dmitree at least be able to come back?"

"We can have him return when needed, but the Vessel of Odin needs him close, too. We shall work on arrangements," Storm Caller nodded.

"Vessel of Odin?!" Csar gaped. When Odin appeared in his wave of crushing force, he first moved to embrace his daughter. Then he nodded respectfully to Dmitree. When his attention turned to Csar, there was amusement in his single eye.

"Yes. I am Odin. Sarine is my daughter, my Vessel. I shall speak to you at length. As for my daughter, my Vessel, she must see to recruiting Gopinich now. Time is of the essence," Odin said regally. Csar blinked and found Odin standing with him and Markus now. He was in complete shock at this, but he was set down in his throne to hear everything.

"We'd better take his advice," Howard muttered and began to lead them all out.

"I got the ship ta work," Drake said and chuckled. "That Ibanoff man was...puzzled."

"I'm sure he was," Dmitree smiled. "All right. Let's get going."

"I don't think we can all fit on this boat," Sarine frowned. Then she blinked at the sight of Odin's Pride siding up behind the smaller one with the skeleton crew manning her.

"Don't worry, me dear. I shall drive the smaller one. You go in the larger. We can tie a rope to the foremast to ensure we don't get lost," Drake nodded.

"I'm not sure it works that way," Loomin sighed.

" _We will be fine. See?_ " Muninn said and gestured to the Valkyrie maidens that appeared. " _Father Odin is playing every card he has for you right now. It's risky, but there is simply no choice in it. You are bearing an extremely important pregnancy. The Valkyries here will ensure the boats do not get attacked or separated._ "

"We need to go now," Huginn winced. "I just felt something. That tells me that more adventurers are on the way there."

"Then let's go," Sarine nodded. Once they were all boarded and the rope was secure, they were able to finally set off to the strange island.


	191. Chapter 191

The sea monsters that tried to attack were quickly denied that ability from the swarming Valkyrie maidens. They were all monsters that were recruited, so there was none there that needed to be claimed. The small boat was on an instinctive route to the island in question. When they got there, they were in shock at how much activity there was.

"This is not good," Dmitree cringed.

"Hmm..." Doppy mused. He looked at Thanatos. They both looked at where Kiehl was with Sarine and Howard. Kiehl sighed with a touch of boredom. That had them grinning.

"Muninn, what does Lord Odin say about this? Do we do what we must to get this done?" Kiehl asked. The falcon landed to reform into Muninn's human form.

" _Let me ask,_ " he agreed and communed with Odin. When he opened his eyes, he seemed to let out a tired sigh. " _If any keep us from reaching our goal, we are to do any means necessary to achieve it. This means that, if any try to stop us, we can defeat them to move on. There is no other choice in this._ "

"So, he's saying that we can kill whoever we want that gets in our way?" Doppy grinned wickedly. At Muninn's nod, Thanatos took off the massive sword on his back to show he was ready to go. Hyegun chuckled and readied his ability to take over any that got too close. He may end up saving their lives.

When they first stepped foot on the small island, they noticed right away that it was a start into a dense forest maze. Much like a rocky clearing. Before they walked into the forest opening, they paused at the sight of a man with a strange instrument. Sammy was the first one to charge over. He needed to know about this instrument.

"Hello! I am interested in learning about your instrument," he started.

"Not just any can learn this instrument," the man said with a quiet chuckle. Now Sammy seemed to pause with surprise. He didn't have to play the instrument to know it.

"Just by looking at it, I already know how," Sammy mused. "And I can see how it's made, too. Interesting."

"You can make your own instruments?" Donnie asked with a touch of surprise.

"I can. So, I will make one of these when we get back home," Sammy said and turned to rejoin Sarine. "Kiehl, you may need to make a sketch for me."

"Oh?" Kiehl asked with a small smile. Beelzebub had Terin Cloak and head over to the man. A pad of paper was given to Kiehl by Byorgue, and Kiehl was quickly sketching out what Beelzebub was able to describe to him. Just as the final image was done, a fresh wave of adventurers managed to reach the island.  _Ibanoff was clearly busy._

"We need to get moving," Dmitree urged. "I think I should be helping them in certain ways, but I honestly don't know anymore."

"Don't worry about it," Huginn chuckled. "Father Odin has you covered."

"Okay," he nodded and moved to the start of the maze entrance. At the sign they saw on walking in, it was a simple warning to turn back. They ignored it. Right away, two different monsters seem to flock to their side for safety and relief. Keltin waved at them to get closer to the internal circle. On looking at them, Dmitree asked, "What are they?"

"Let's see. Ah. A Wood Goblin and a Les," Keltin said and pointed to each of them. The Wood Goblin resembled an older man made out of a full tree. A bird with a nest was flying about its head, and it even provided them with fresh eggs. The mossy beard it had swayed while it walked, and it even gave out a magical vibration while it moved. It walked up to Howard and gave over a piece of armor. Kiehl whistled when he saw it was an Iron Wrist.  _It would definitely help Howard, if he needed to resort to some of his primary attacks._  It would even help Kiehl, too. Even Seyren could benefit from it.

The Les resembled a fairy-like female creature that was all green in color, save for the pale peach parts along the legs, arm-like bands, and wings it had. Hair-like petals in the form of something resembling a flower came up to a point at the top of her head. Seyren was trying hard not to notice that this creature was pretty much naked. Karla was keeping a close eye on him for that, and even Ragged Zombie was making a nice list of blackmail information against him.

"They look like they've been in a few fights. Come on," Howard muttered. Loomin was able to Heal the monsters, and they were quick to remain close to the protective Gryphon. Keltin was able to guide them all the way to the northeastern most point of the forest. Sarine was simply enchanted by the natural beauty of the forest. Plans to help make a part of the island reflect this was now in motion.

"Adventurers. Brace yourselves," Kalen growled. Baphomet had returned to join them, and it was because Odin had insisted. At the sight of him, the humans scattered with complete fear. He roared out his laughter and trudged along with them. The moment they descended into the deeper forest section, they were assailed with a mob of rogue monsters.

"Gopinich! We are here to help!" Kiehl snarled out. The powerful monster heard them and was able to pull back the monsters there. He still had full reign.

"Should I head to Gopinich to help him?" Huginn asked.

" _I would say not to, but this is desperate. Yes, go! But be careful!_ " Muninn warned.

"I'll send some flies with him," Beelzebub muttered and did just that. Huginn became his falcon form and flew off quickly with the fly escort. With him aiding the strong monster, the rest of them were quick to keep moving. This time, two more monsters came over to move with them quickly. They also looked pretty beaten up, and they were able to get Healed back up to peak strength.

"Hello, Baba Yaga and Uzhas," Keltin chuckled. Baba Yaga looked like a short, old lady in a bucket. She held two brooms and would spin them to fly around and attack with them. Her hat looked like it could have been a pilot's helm, and her hair came out in two pony-tails at the top of it. She was quick to hand over a staff that Howard Identified as a Release of Wish. It seemed to be made of crystal, and it was clearly a healing staff.

"Can I have that?" Kathryne had to ask. It was agreed to, and now she was happy that she had an emergency item that could Heal her when she cast her spells. Uzhas seemed to cackle and pet the frog that croaked in her hands. She looked like a short fairy that could live in either land or water. Barnacles covered her purple clothing, kelp seaweed graced her as a hat, but it appeared to be her hair, and she even had a barnacle covered tail. There was a large, blue gem that sat on her forehead in the center of a gold circlet. The circlet seemed to keep her kelp-like hair together while she moved.

"Yes?" Mitchell asked when Uzhas approached him. His jaw dropped at the book called Ancient Magic that was now handed over to him. It was highly prized, and Kiehl even wanted to take a look at it at some point. It was also why so many adventurers came here.  _The place was a gold mine for magically rare artifacts._

"Awesome!" Lloyd grinned. "Where do we go now?"

"It's a good thing I have a good sense of direction! This way," Keltin said and pointed to the right path. "This place would be a massive maze, if we didn't know where to go."

"I can get that," Howard sighed and leaned into Sarine's shoulder. Kiehl pressed into her back to help keep her calm. Loomin was still close by, and he kept himself in her line of sight.

"We need Huginn to come back!" Hyegun grimaced.

"That's right. The kids need him," Doppy grimaced. "We need to speed this up!"

"We have a little time before the kids are aware that he's gone, but we should hurry," Hyegun frowned. "Muninn was right about it being risky for him to leave."

"Let's move," Elric nodded and Cloaked with Terin to help clear a path. Eremes remained with Sarine, though. He had to guard over her.

"Be careful. This place is crowded with adventurers. I'm sure we'll get asked to fight," Terin managed to tell them when he got back to them. "Huginn knows he has to get to Sarine, but Gopinich is at his limit."

"Sarine, call Storm Caller. See if he can bring Detale with him," Doppy grinned. Sarine found herself giggling at the idea, and it was quickly done. The moment the large, red dragon appeared, Doppy was quick to saddle up onto his back. Now Detale charged forward with a furious vengeance to start carving a path through both monsters and various adventurers. With Gopinich focused on fighting, some of the monsters lost their command by him to steer clear of Sarine's party. There was too much going on for Gopinich to work with.

"There are too many adventurers!" Keltin growled. He just barely saw Gopinich over the crowd from where the three-headed dragon was stationed. Sarine was clearly horrified of this. She did the only thing she could think of.

"Where is the flower from Valhalla?!" she hissed out.

"The flower? Oh! You mean to call on...?" Howard blinked. As much as he knew that most of her mates were all strong monsters, there was no order to this chaos. Storm Caller was able to be called on again to deliver it. She was able to pull a petal.

The moment the warrior Valkyrie appeared with her maidens, the fighting suddenly stopped all around them. Kiehl now got off of Windwalker's back to walk over to her.

"And what is this carnage?" the powerful Valkyrie asked.

"An unruly mob to take down Gopinich. One that we need for the war ahead. Someone sent out fliers to claim an artifact from him," Kiehl explained.

"You're from the arena!" a Wizard gasped.

"Yes, I am. Let us speak with Gopinich first," he started. Then he dodged a sudden sword swing from a Lord Knight. "That was rude. I wasn't finished with my discussion."

"Die monster!" the Lord Knight shouted. Just as the warrior Valkyrie was about to launch a spear attack, Kiehl let out his wave of Demonic Fear. The area was cleared out of anything that couldn't take the wave. That was practically all the humans there. The few that remained were easily defeated.

"Should have just done that to begin with," Doppy grinned wickedly. Then Naght Seiger appeared with a snarl of hate. That got Doppy grinning even wider.

"It appears that you have everything under control," the Valkyrie started.

"Not quite. Our Lord Odin has commanded us to also find Lady Tanee. We fear that the same thing may be happening to her. We are all acting under his orders," Kiehl said.

"He is correct," Baphomet nodded. Even Gopinich was able to nod all three heads.

"Of course, you are all working for our Lord Odin," she said with a small nod. "I would expect no less. How is the Vessel of Odin?"

" _She is pregnant with the Champions of Valhalla,_ " Muninn said when he walked over. At this news, she flew swiftly over to where Sarine was to study her. Then she placed an armored hand over Sarine's belly with a small smile.

"So she is! Very well. Call on me when you reach the destination of the final strong monster you need. I shall assist you," she nodded. And, because she saw this as a fit act to protect the growing Champions of Valhalla, she replaced the used petal.

"Thank you," Sarine said with her own nod back.

"I shall ensure you are undisturbed. Continue your mission!" she ordered and had her Valkyrie maidens spread out to form a much needed barrier. Sarine was now able to safely move from Windwalker, and Loomin was right there to support her. Huginn was next to appear at her side to let her see him with relief. When she began to walk up to Gopinich, she stopped at the sound of a soft whimper. She turned, and Keltin was already Healing the injured monster that was to join them.

"This is Mavka," Keltin smiled. Sarine smiled warmly at the fairy-like creature that hovered in the air happily. Mavka resembled a true fairy form with wings, a lily flower wand, and a circlet of flowers on her head. The green gown she wore appeared to be dripping wet, to show she was a water fairy, and her whitish blonde hair was braided and hung over a shoulder. Her wings were a pretty green that faded out to white at the edges, and she now hovered with the others that were with the group. She did dart over to Mitchell to give him a book that she carried, too. He was simply in shock.

"Okay. This is just...wow..." the Professor said, as he held the powerful book.

"The Principles of Magic. Very nice," Kiehl chuckled after Howard Identified it for him. "And, I do believe that it is time for Gopinich to join us. How would this work?"

"I will recruit him," Huginn nodded. "But, because of the nature of this place, I'm not sure if a darker double would be available. I'll have to test. Gopinich! It is time for you to separate from your darker self to assist in a coming war! Do this now!"

The green, three-headed dragon howled with pain, as his form split. The darker side was now able to remain safely. Sarine could only sigh with relief that she was able to witness how all of this was done at last. She was never able to see it before.

"This is what I would do?" she asked softly.

"It is," Howard said and squeezed her. "Ah, that's right. You've never seen this."

"No. I always blacked out," she sighed.

"You'll see this again with Lady Tanee. We can make sure of that," he promised her and kissed her forehead. When Gopinich finally recovered, he nodded to Detale and moved to Sarine's side. Each head was graced with a gold crown, and they were all different in style. He had golden bracers on each of his ankles. A large, golden chest plate seemed to wrap around his body, and his wings rested over them. Heavy, green scales looked like a solid form of armor around him, but he was skilled in the most intense form of magical and offensive tactics.

Sarine laughed when all three dragon heads pressed into her for affection, and she laughed even more when Detale lumbered over to keep from being shown up. Then Gopinich snorted, and one of the heads leaned back to sift through his scales. He now dropped the prized bow into her hands, as his gesture of thanks. She was completely thrilled, but she did give Detale's head a good scratching to show she appreciated him, too. Doppy hopped off Detale's back and chuckled.

"The monsters here don't have cards, but I'm sure we can come back here to harvest out the items they have. They'd be nice to sell at the arena," Keltin said.

"True," Eremes nodded. "Was there anything more here?"

" _I think we can head back now. What do you all think?_ " Muninn asked.

"We should be able to," Sammy nodded. "She needs to rest now. And, I do believe the children need to be nursed."

"Yes. And we need to do a blood swap with Dmitree," Sarine smiled.

"Oh..." Dmitree blinked at that to get them all chuckling. Muninn reverted to his falcon form to warble and send them all back. The warrior Valkyrie watched them leave before vanishing away to tend to her own duties.


	192. Chapter 192

Dmitree was quickly led up to where the youngest children were to give them a drop of blood. That simply had to be done before the oldest children came back to give him the greeting they loved to give to every new father figure.

"A new Dad!" Serenity beamed and got lifted up by Howard.

"That's right!" he grinned and squeezed her. "Did you bite him?"

"Maybe..." she blushed and got tickled lightly. "Is Mama okay?"

"She's okay. She has a lot of babies to feed," he said and carried her. "And you are getting heavy! I don't think I can carry you around anymore."

"Carrying me helps you stay as a strong Dad. So keep carrying me!" she grinned at him.

"You're a little mouthy today, aren't you?" Howard grinned back softly at her. "There's only one way to show who wins at this!"

"No!" she shouted and screamed at the tickling punishment she got.

"Who wins?" Howard asked her.

"Me!" she said and screamed at the tickling she got in retaliation. At the sight of Kiehl walking over to laugh at her. "Keel! Help me!"

"Ah, Serenity. Why are you asking me for help?" he grinned wickedly and grabbed her feet to make her scream even more.

"Sig!" she cried out with laughter.

"I'm coming, Seri!" her brother said and charged at them. Then he blinked when Naght gathered him up. "Darned! Sorry, sis."

"No!" she wailed and screamed at the tickling done.

"Howard. Kiehl. I think she's had enough," Sarine said softly from where she stood by the stairs. Loomin was supporting her, and he had a rather amused look on his face. With a softer smile, she said, "Please let her go."

"Oh, fine," Howard sighed and let her go.

"Thanks, Mama! Dad was being stupid!" Serenity snickered. Now Howard looked at Sarine. She now tilted her head at her daughter.

"Your father is not stupid. So, for you saying that to him, he gets to pick up where he left off. With Kiehl. And, as an added punishment from me, Nigel has to lick your face. How-How? Kiehl? Please take back Serenity," she said gracefully.

"Mama?!" Serenity paled.

"You shouldn't be calling your fathers names, Serenity. I know it's all in play, but you need to be nicer about it now. You are the oldest. Many look at you to follow you by example," her mother explained gently. Serenity swallowed and seemed to nod.

"Hey, it's okay," Howard soothed and gathered her up to hug her. "I know you're playing. Even Kiehl does. But, your mom does have a point, too. You're getting bigger and a lot smarter. The others will want to see how you are to know how to make themselves be better. But, your mother did say that you were to be punished..."

"Dad..." she whimpered. Naght only nodded to show that was acceptable. Then he moved with Siegfried to the nursery to keep his son from trying to help her out.

"Well, she did get tickled already. I think she just needs kisses from Nigel," Kiehl grinned. That got her protesting quickly when she was taken to the nursery.

"Let's get you to the children," Loomin said.

"I know," she sighed. Howard and Kiehl looked at each other.

"Sarine, you really need to rest," Kiehl frowned and moved to let her hug him. "You're doing so much now! I mean..."

"I want to nurse the children and get the last monster. We have to get Lady Tanee. I'll rest for a couple days after that," she said. "It's an urgency I have now, Kiehl. I have to see this through. We're so close, Kiehl! So very close!"

"Okay," he soothed and cradled her. "We'll need to do the blood swap after the children nurse. You know that's important."

"True," she sighed and leaned into him.

"We'll get Lady Tanee," Howard vowed and got hugged next. "Let's see to the kids."

"Sarine," Charles said when he walked over. "I want to go with you when we head there. Certain ingredients are dropped by the monsters there, and I'll need to make sure we have a good stockpile. So, count on me joining up."

"Good," she smiled and let them lead her to the nursery. The moment she was settled, two of the triplet daughters were brought over to nurse. As the kids chatted away to their fathers and each other, Sarine kept feeling restless. She wanted the final monster found. She was tired of waiting about for it. She finally gave off a trembling sensation that shook her mental wall.

"Sarine!" Howard hissed and made his way to her quickly. Doppy looked over with a heavy frown and walked over next. He sat next to her and let her lean into him.

"What's wrong, Sorry Sari?" he muttered softly in her ear.

"We need to get her, Doppy. I can't stop thinking about it. Once it's done, I know I'll be able to rest easier. I know I still have a blood swap to do. I'm trying to focus on getting all of this done! And I know some kind of a Demonic Mating might happen after the blood swap..." she seemed to frown sadly. Huginn nudged Muninn and whispered to him. Muninn walked over to kneel down in front of her.

" _Sarine, listen carefully,_ " he said and rested a hand over hers. " _I know why you want to get this done. So much time has happened already. Much has been accomplished. So, before you do the blood drop swap, we shall go and get Lady Tanee. But, the moment it's done, we MUST get the swap done before something else happens._ "

"I know we do. Thank you," she smiled and let him kiss her gently. "I just...I know, and I just have to..."

" _I know,_ " he reassured her and pressed a finger to her lips. " _Finish nursing the children. We can make a quick run to where we have to go. However, we need to go the village of Ayothaya first. We need to speak with the Chief there to get some information._ "

"We don't have a house there yet. I cannot hear what happens there," Beelzebub frowned. "We'll have to be cautious at first."

"I know we will," Sarine nodded. The next hour was dedicated to the care of the children. Right after they were nursed, Sarine showed she was ready to go.

"Make sure she eats," Kiehl muttered out. Charles was already on top of that. It was why he insisted to come along. She sighed with delight at the flavorful cheeses he gave her. He was able to mince up some of the meats to present to her in the form of small appetizers that were bursting with the flavors she needed. After it was eaten, he still sensed her worry.

"We'll find her," Charles promised and let her lean into him now. "Don't worry. We'll finish this today. I have heard that the Guild Dungeons were next on the list?"

"Yep! And that will be fun to do!" Doppy grinned.

"I wonder. Can Trina make any of the special items that come from those chests?" Kiehl asked. "I know there are some very intricate ingredients needed to make some very special items. I have to wonder if we can make those items now."

"We can test it after we get Lady Tanee," Howard nodded. "Let's finish up here and get people ready to go that want to head out. She's right. Let's finish this."

"I don't want My Lady to suffer anymore. I'm ready to go," Errende nodded. Her other slaves moved quickly to start preparing for more travel. Serenity frowned and wanted to go.

"You have schooling to do. And we don't have time to explore. This is the last strong monster we need. Your mom will need to rest after this," Elric explained gently and picked her up to console her. "We'll all have some fun once this is over."

"Okay," she smiled and gave him a hug. He set her down, and she ran over to Loomin to get a hug from him next. "Mama is having babies with you now?"

"That she is! She'll get very tired soon, so we need to get this done. We'll be back quickly. Just study what you can. Charles may have a new recipe for you all to do, too," he chuckled. That got her excited, and he let her down to watch her clamor out the news to the others. Charles sighed and knew he'd have to think of something for them now. Then he recalled a recipe he read of in one of the cookbooks. He moved to the kitchen to search for it.

Moving to the kitchen, he scoured over the books until he found it in the sixth one. Marking down the recipe for a Spicy Chile Shrimp Gratin, he took the book with him to ensure he got the ingredients he needed. Red Chile was hard to come by, and he knew that the monsters in this dungeon would have it. There were also others that held the lemons he needed for it, too. There were a lot of ingredients the monsters would have to help him make better, tasty meals.

Sarine was seated on Windwalker's back, and the Gryphon warbled softly at her. She smiled and said, "I'm okay. I just really want to finish getting the last strong monster. That's all. I'll be fine after this."

He clucked and pressed his beak into her arms to get a soft cuddle. Then he turned to let Kiehl and Loomin hop onto his back to be with her. She leaned back into Loomin's chest and rested her legs on Kiehl's lap to let him keep his touch on her. She may not need his touch anymore, but he still needed hers.

Muninn shifted into his hawk form and warbled to show he was ready to transport anyone that had to go. Word had spread, but many of the women decided to sit it out for now. They wanted to be there for their children.

"I'll bring her back something nice," Seyren chuckled.

"All these men and no other women?" Donnie seemed to smirk.

"Keep your thoughts on Egnigem," Doppy warned him.

"Nah! Let him run is mouth off! It gives us a reason to torment him," Ragged Zombie grinned wickedly. "Anyways, I wanna get this done. I'm tired of seeing her worry."

"Quite right," Howard agreed. "I think we have enough with us. We don't want to cause a stir. Let's just go in, get Lady Tanee, and head out."

"Let's go," Eremes nodded. Beelzebub had to go with them, of course. Terin was quick to show he was ready to listen for the demon. When they moved through Muninn's portal, they all stopped to stare at their surroundings with awe.

Ayothaya was more like a jungle temple than a city, but it also had most of its homes floating over the very ocean it lived by. Sarine was fascinated by that. Green vines blooming with aromatic flowers had settled over many of the carved stone buildings and steps from how long it was there. Large butterflies seemed to dance about them, and Sammy was rather keen on acquiring a few of them for the grove. They would easily thrive there, and he could have Amon Ra help plant the necessary plant life needed to sustain them.

"We should seek out the leader of the town," Sarine suggested.

"I can do that," Terin nodded. He was quick to Cloak and move around to let Beelzebub listen in to what he heard. The leader of the town was contacted, and Markus was able to appear to ensure that Sarine would be seen as a friend and given a place to stay. Once the leader was convinced that all would be well, Beelzebub chuckled when his awareness grew.  _It was time to find the dungeon._

"We need to talk to a few people in order to access the dungeon," Huginn said to them.

"I can handle a few of them," Donnie said.

"Count me in, too," Garrett nodded. Muninn reverted to human form to talk to them in full. What he had to say was important.

" _I know that time is of the essence. So, I can take us into the dungeon, but we need to let the others do what they must to ensure we will be able to traverse correctly,_ " he advised. Kiehl nodded and had the others that needed to travel with Sarine to get close to her. Beelzebub always had a fly with Markus, so he would be protected.

When they got to the dungeon, it was, of course, located in the same jungle not far from the city. Sarine would have loved to have mingle with the townsfolk, but her need to get the monsters taken into the fold was too strong. That and Karla would have likely pouted, if she did anything more without her. The Creator would have been browsing the floating shops by now.

"Hello, Leaf Cat!" Keltin chuckled. The small, white cat with large, yellow eyes mewed, as it ran over to them. It wore carefully stitched up giant leaves over itself, and it even had on a little leaf cap. It mewed again with comfort, as it glowed in Sarine's arms, and it gave over several various ingredients. Then it gave over its card.

"Thank you!" Sarine smiled and let it vanish away.

"Excellent! We need the shrimp and lemons. The Hinalle Leaflets are good, too. And they have Yggdrasil seeds?!" Charles blinked and laughed softly.

"We'll harvest more cats," Howard grinned. Charles could only agree, and he looked over to see a small, yellow boy-like monster holding cymbals come walking over. On a closer look, he saw the cymbals were actually shields that covered over its arms, and it had a skirt made of vines to cover over its waist. Its head looked like a gold-colored helmet covered its head, but left its ears free. It walked over to them and clashed the odd cymbals together before handing over its card, a shield, a red Chile Pepper, and an old blue box.

"Perfect! I'll definitely need more of the peppers," Charles grinned and examined the ingredient. "This place is a great goldmine for what I need."

"We'll get more," Eremes nodded.

"What do we have to do now?" Sarine asked.

"We have to open up various paths," Beelzebub said. "Terin will tell me where to go in order to lead you."

"Good. I can only direct where I know we have to go. I'm not very good with mazes," Keltin sighed. Sarine chuckled softly and let him move over to get a tight hug.

"I have a small bit of this holy thread. I was told to do a few things by the village shaman. So, eh...let me see what I can do," Garrett chuckled. Sarine could only lean back into Loomin's chest with a touch of exhaustion. The pregnancy was starting to wear on her.

"We'll have to be careful with her during a Demonic Mating," Loomin advised.

"Already a known fact," Kiehl muttered with a small nod.

"I'm getting hungry," she frowned. Charles was notified, and a quick meal packed with the flavors she needed was handed over in the form of small, bite-sized tidbits.

"I scouted out where we need to go here. Garrett needs to go back to the village to get a stronger artifact to help us. I'm just happy that I was able to assist him in getting certain panels pressed to help him along! Just follow me, and we can meet up with him," Elric said.

"Sounds good," Kiehl agreed. Windwalker was quick to move and keep up with the Assassin Guild leader. When they got to a certain section of the wall that was closed off in a main passageway, they had to wait.

"Ghouls!" Keltin growled.

"Brothers!" Ragged Zombie grinned and walked over to see the shambling monsters. "Hey! Don't bite me! Bad monster! Bad!"

"Just kill them, please? I can use the white herbs they drop for ingredients. I also know that Karla needs them for her potions, too," Charles said.

"Really? Okay!" he grinned and made quick work of any Ghoul that got too close. When a Whisper ghost appeared, Eremes was quick to kill it with one of the elemental katars he had on him. A circle had to form around Sarine, as they waited for the others to get back to them.

"So, Garrett had to go around, look at various signs, and head back?" Seyren frowned.

"Pretty much. We need a strong form of protection to get us into the next area. Ah! Garrett now has to find out where another went. Hmm. I bet he's down below..." Terin mused aloud from what Beelzebub's flies told him. "Some woman's fiancée got lost. We can find him and help him. Garrett's on his way here now."

"Good," Doppy nodded. "Let's hurry up."

"I would have loved to have seen the town..." Sarine sighed.

"We'll come back when we have more time," Loomin promised her. She nodded and let him squeeze her gently. "Let's finish this."

"Yes," she smiled. The moment Garrett showed up with the stronger thread, the party moved on. When they finally reached the section that would take them down below, Kiehl had them stop to mildly check themselves over. Once it was done, they descended.

"I had her waiting for us," Huginn chuckled at the sight of the strong monster darting over. She resembled a young girl with long, blond hair wearing a tropical attire of an upper bikini top with a grass skirt bottom. Tropical flowers decorated each side of her head, and she was moving with a large, green tree with bananas growing from it. At her side were Kraben minions, and another odd monster appeared.

"That's a Tamruan," Keltin said. Sarine smiled and looked over to see the Samurai warrior monster walk over. It looked more than capable to fight, and was quick to glow with power. Its head seemed to have a pebbled crest over it, and it blinked its eyes at them oddly. A large, fanged grin was given before it nodded with respect. It handed over a card and vanished away right after that.

"Are we ready to go?" Charles asked.

"Wait. I need to find that guy," Garrett said.

"Lady Tanee still holds power here. She will keep them back for you," Huginn said. "Just be quick. We need to head back."

" _That we do,_ " Muninn frowned.

"I'm sending out scouts," Beelzebub muttered. Several flies were made and quickly dispersed. "Hmm. They are finding odd footprints..."

"Are they? Okay, they may lead me to him. I know I found some on the first level. I'll look around. After I find him, are we done here?" the Paladin asked.

"We should be," Sarine said. Lady Tanee was happily settling next to the large Gryphon, and she was humming softly. She handed over her card, and even a banana for Sarine to snack on. Then she had her tree move over to Charles to tug on his coat.

"Yes?" he smiled. Then his jaw dropped at the cooking kit she gave him.  _It was the most fantastic one I've ever seen!_ "Thank you! I'm sure I can cook anything with this!"

"Trina should be able to make more for you. As long as they aren't used for schooling, I'm sure it could work," Keltin grinned. Now Charles stared at him to get the Bongun laughing.

"I found him. Anon, that is. Odd fellow. But, he was hurt. I gave him a potion, so he'll be fine now. Not sure what's going on with him. Anyways, what's the plan?" Garrett asked.

"Let's get this over with," Huginn said and looked at Lady Tanee. "Lady Tanee! I, Huginn, now command you to separate from your darker self to help us prepare for the coming war ahead! Separate now! I command you!"

The strong monster howled with pain, as her form split, and she shivered when it was done. When she recovered, Muninn was quick to revert to his falcon form and take them all back to the island home.


	193. Chapter 193

The moment they got back, Sarine finally felt a massive burden lift off her. She knew there were other monsters she may need to get, but the main mission was finally done. She collected all of the strong monsters that were currently known. Now it was time to focus on the monsters that could only be found by claiming various Guild houses as their own and any of the lesser monsters that were still missing.

"We should do a Dead Branch party in celebration!" Karla beamed.

"In a bit. We still have a blood swap to do for Dmitree. We also have a Demonic Mating that will result from that. However, Dead Branches do sound like something we can do," Loomin smiled with a small nod. She nodded her head with agreement.

"There will be a Demonic Mating after this. Just remember that we need to know what happens with you," Thanatos said to Kiehl.

"I am well aware," he nodded. Sarine was able to finish nursing her children, and Errende was very attentive to her when she needed to eat. Nigel and Byorgue swapped out the different plates, and Injustice worked with Aliot to keep the plates washed and stocked with food when they got back to the kitchen. They had to keep up with this small chain to ensure she was kept fed. Once she was done, Aliot was able to head to the nursery to help assist with the younger children. Maya Purple and Drago were helping with their children.

"Dmitree," Sarine smiled and looked at him. "Follow me, please."

"Ah...okay..." he seemed to swallow nervously.

"You'll be fine," Doppy grinned. Charles was already setting up a plate with her craving dishes ready to go. Kiehl moved into the bathroom with Howard and Loomin to be nearby.

"Do they have to be with us?" Dmitree asked.

"Recall what Amon Ra has told you," Kiehl reminded lightly.

"Oh! Right. Sorry..." Dmitree sighed and shook his head.

"Come here," Sarine smiled warmly and pulled him close. He lost himself in her warm embrace soon after that, and he finally came to five minutes later on the ground with her. He was completely dazed from what happened.

"I think I blacked out," he admitted. That got the others laughing.

"How?" she frowned.

"Um..." he seemed to wince.

"He was overstimulated," Loomin chuckled.

"Aww," she smiled and ran her hands over his shoulders to comfort him. "Don't worry. They say it gets better the more you do it..."

"Sarine?" Kiehl grinned. Howard coughed down his laughter.

"You know what? Let's test that," Dmitree seemed to grin a touch wickedly to get the others laughing even harder. The next time around was definitely better, and he gave rude glances to the sniggering males in the room.

"Okay, it's time to do the blood exchanges," Sarine sighed.

"Are you feeling all right?" Howard frowned at her.

"Just...anxious. You know? Guild castles and all that. We'll need a list of what to go after first. I think it's needed," she said in a rather serious tone.

"I would suggest for Prontera to be last," Loomin said. "Prince Cedrick would likely attempt something. From what I understand, each major town has four Guild castles. I think there used to be five, but they had to improvise on space, I think. I know there's five Guild castles west of Juno and south of Rachel. We only need to obtain one castle to access the hidden dungeons under each town, but each Guild castle has a very special treasure box that we need. I don't think we can just waltz in and grab it. Or can we? Muninn?"

" _I could recreate the treasure boxes, however, each one has a significant energy pattern. We must reach them first before I can do anything,_ " he sighed.

"So...you can't make one just...appear?" Doppy frowned from where he stood in the doorway. "Kinda odd to me."

" _I'm a powerful, god-like creation, but even I have limits!_ " Muninn smirked at him to get the demon laughing. " _Besides, it gives you a reason to beat up some humans, anyways._ "

"That it does!" he howled with laughter. Sarine chuckled and started to give blood drops to her men, as they carefully approached under Kiehl's watchful gaze. Thanatos was actually a bit anxious over this next one. He was very curious as to how Kiehl would be.

"What element will you claim next?" Howard asked.

"Hmm..." Kiehl mused aloud. "I want Chaos, but I know I'm going to need Poison..."

"Go with Poison," Huginn said when he walked over to sit with them. "You want all the primary elements first. Then go with the partials. I know Amon Ra's Soil element would be crucial, but not really needed. Charles's element to create that stunning blast would also benefit you, as it's Wind and Lightning combined, but it's actually called Thunder. Thanatos's Ghost with Shadow to make others invisible would also be beneficial. You should also try and acquire Evil Snake Lord's pure Shadow element. I gave you my Divine Shadow element to make you invisible in full. Loomin's Shadow is more like a bit of a Teleport skill."

"Is that what it is?" Loomin asked.

"Yes. When you activate your Shadow element, it should lead you to where you want to go. It can actually open a door. It teleports you to your destination..." Huginn grinned.

"And I do have that..." Kiehl seemed to grin. "I can Teleport anywhere?"

"In a sense, but, much like a Priest, you would have to walk in last. Also, if you don't know where you're going, it would act like a Fly Wing, and anyone could go anywhere," Huginn warned. "You would want to know where to go before going. One other thing, though. The element would need to recharge. One use per hour. If it's a large Teleport done, then it may take a day to recharge. Powerful elements like that don't just recharge after each use."

" _How did you know this?_ " Muninn frowned.

"When Loki tried to invade her mind..." Huginn grimaced. "That was when he told me things to try to get me to trust him and let him in."

Kiehl growled at the thought, but Howard reminded him that it was a done deal. They nodded to each other, and Muninn was quick to gather up Sarine in his arms. She kissed him softly and whispered. He rose a brow at her and looked at Huginn. " _Be with her first. Then I'll go after you._ "

Howard bit the inside of his cheek at how she wanted to save Muninn for after Huginn. Kiehl found himself grinning a bit. Even Naght was amused. Huginn would have held a grudge, but he had vowed not to pull any punches. Even when the pleasure loop was able to happen, Muninn just sighed with a small chuckle.

"She does like you more than him," Doppy grinned a touch wickedly.

" _I am already aware,_ " Muninn seemed to shrug. " _Oh. Those of you that are ready to watch, make sure you're all at a safe distance away._ "

"Why?" Howard asked.

" _You will see why after she is done with me,_ " Muninn said seriously. " _And, the moment she goes to me, I would suggest to get the line-up started._ "

"Would I have to join this?" Dmitree asked.

"Nah. You can watch with us for Amon Ra, though," Howard said.

"Hey," Ragged Zombie said when he walked in with Mobster. "Can I punch out the royal shit? I mean...like...now?"

"Why?" Kiehl asked.

"Because he's being a shit?" the zombie shrugged. That got them laughing.

"What's he doing?" Doppy asked.

"He's lounging around out there and waiting for her. He knows that she's gonna have her run soon. Even that other guy is there," Mobster frowned.

"He's right," Beelzebub said when he walked in. "Both princes want to ensure their chances. As futile as they are..."

"No chance..." Eremes growled from where he was leaning against a bathroom pillar.

"You know what?" Kiehl seemed to smirk wickedly. Howard now looked at him and rose a brow. "Would anyone object if...I ran with her?"

"You?" Thanatos frowned.

"I would not lay claim to her. I respect her, as well as the rest of you, far too much for that," Kiehl nodded slightly. "I wonder if it would be allowed."

" _Wait until her next one,_ " Muninn said with a small smile.

"Oh?" Thanatos grinned.

" _You will all know why after this one,_ " he nodded. " _Now it's my turn to be with her. Start the line-up now._ "

"I'll wait here with Kiehl," Howard said.

"As will the rest of us not joining up. Of course, I'll go on ahead with Errende now," Loomin nodded and rose up to stand. Doppy was already gone with many of the others to wait outside. He glanced over at Naght, and they nodded to each other. They were ready to slaughter the humans. Loomin and Errende had already left for the Demonic Mating chamber. Elric and Eremes were quick to do a scouting routine around the area. Terin was already listening in for anything that he could for Beelzebub, even though it wasn't really needed.

"Baphomet wants me there to watch for his son," Charles said, as he started to cook up some of Sarine's craving dishes. He was also experimenting with some intensely flavored Yggdrasil Berry cakes, jams, and candies for Sarine. He was hoping to combine Muninn's craving with Huginn's to ease the burden. He even made a bit of a milkshake for Loomin's dairy craving that was very rich and sweet, and it had Yggdrasil Berry flavoring all through it. This was now given over to Byorgue. "As her slave, you can approach her when the Demonic Mating is done. Kiehl will not see you as a form of competition."

"He wouldn't for you, either," the slave said calmly. "You help keep Sarine calm and fed. So, you should give her the treat to show that you are seeing to her care, too."

"Hmm. All right. You win," Charles chuckled and got out a bowl of Ice Cubits to keep the treat cold in. Byorgue did accept it to hold onto it, though. He wanted Charles to be free to cook whatever was needed. They had plenty of time, anyways. It was three timeless hours later when Muninn finally moved from his position on the bathroom floor. He shared a nearly breathless kiss with her before letting her move from his side to dress.

When she started to feel warm, she paused at how Kiehl offered his arm to her. He didn't really feel the urge to chase after her this time, but he knew he would do so, anyways. She even leaned into his frame with a form of comfort. Howard was very surprised at this. When Kiehl walked out of the small mansion with Sarine clinging to his arm, the demons didn't even act surprised. They didn't growl at him or even snarl. They all knew that Kiehl was going to achieve something that no demon had ever done before.

Even as Charles watched for Baphomet, he saw some form of an aura simply flow from Kiehl now.  _It demanded respect. It was authority._   _It was also a sense of danger to any that weren't seen as allies._ He also noticed that Kiehl was gazing over them all as a form of kin. When his gaze moved to settle on the two princes, his eyes narrowed with a form of distaste. That was enough to show that they would be targeted.

"I'll see you soon," Kiehl smiled and kissed her cheek before leaving her side to join the others. She only nodded softly. He was in complete control of his actions now. The full instinct drove him just enough to have the need to chase her. He didn't fully lose himself in the thrill of it any longer. Howard only whistled softly.

"What's going on with him?" Keltin whispered.

"I think the others are starting to see Kiehl as more than just a leader. He is now...a very intense figurehead..." Howard muttered to them.

"You're right," Charles nodded on gleaning Baphomet Jr.'s thoughts. "They will never see him as a basic leader. He could be seen as their king. Even if he ever went to another female, the decision would be the same. He is above Demonic Mating Rights now."

"He'll never go to another," Byorgue snorted.

"He'd better not!" Ragged Zombie grunted.

"He won't," Sammy smiled softly.

"Hmm..." Eremes thought and focused on Ifrit. He was a bit surprised to see that the fiery being was also respecting Kiehl as a natural leader.  _If non-demons were also seeing Kiehl in a new light, then this was big._ He would have to continue his silent observations from afar.

"I have to see this," Elric mumbled when he appeared. Osiris was giving him the vibe that Kiehl was another king. He had to see it for himself.

"That's fine," Howard smiled slightly. Sarine just gave a critical glare to all of the males before her. Then her eyes landed on Kiehl to give a soft smile. When she saw Huginn appearing, she seemed to smirk. Then she bolted away with Kiehl hot on her heels.

The others chased her as they usually did, but Kiehl, for the first time ever in a true Demonic Mating of hers, he reached her easily. He caught up with her. He was now running equally with her, but he was not catching her out of respect. If he was a true demon, he would have caught her and claimed his Rights mercilessly. He didn't have to do that. As much as he wanted to, he was proving how much he respected her with the others around her. They were running so fast that even Huginn was lagging behind with the others.

When they reached the hole in the ground, he waited patiently with her for the others to arrive. He didn't claim her. He didn't even touch her on his own. Sarine had let herself move to snuggle into his form with a sense of intense relief.

"Soon. Soon we'll be together," he promised her softly. She could only nod. "And I think I'll just run with you from now on. As we just did. What do you think?"

"I would like that," she admitted. "I know that...they will fight for me..."

"As they must."

"It's almost like cheating, though," she murmured, as the others finally started to appear.

"How?"

"You always win..." she sighed and let him pull her close.

"You know I have to win," he muttered softly in her ear. "There is no way around it."

"And...if I ask you to lose?" she asked and looked at him. Now he gave out the hissing growl she needed to hear. Just at the thought of losing his Bragging Rights, it forced him to snap right back into Demonic Mating focus.

"I...will... _never_...lose!" he spat out and glared at the other males that waited for her easily. Off in the distance, he saw how Howard gave him a small smile with a nod. Kiehl only snorted, but he nodded back. Naght seethed with hatred from the others around him, but he only showed complete neutrality to Kiehl. Then the massive demon roared when Sarine jumped down the hole.

"There they go!" Keltin grinned and watched the competing monsters jump down.

"What was going on?" Elric frowned, as he followed them down the stairs.

"Kiehl is going to run equally with Sarine from this point forward," Howard said, as he started to look through the glass window. "She agreed to it."

"They ran ahead of everyone," Sammy frowned. "But, it would show that he doesn't need to chase after her anymore."

"Nope. However, he still has to fight for her. She asked him to stand aside and lose. Kiehl wouldn't have any of it," Howard sighed.

"She...asked him to...?" Eremes blinked at that.

"Yeah. It pissed him off," Howard chuckled and watched the fighting.

"He needs the focus, though," Eremes sighed. "He needs the elements."

"Well, Osiris is ready to give over Poison the moment all of this done," Elric nodded.

"What do you think?" Sammy asked Dmitree.

"I...am just...wow..." the new man blinked at the sight of Kiehl simply dancing with a grace too fluid to follow. Any demon that tried to encounter him was simply diverted into oncoming traps. He ticked them off so badly that they gave up on him. The scarier part was when Shoujin had managed to jump into the dungeon. Cedrick made the mistake of trying to wear heavier armor for protection. He was left in the dust.

The moment Shoujin stood up, and Sarine keened for the Demonic Mating to start, he was already dead. Kiehl had leapt over effortlessly and snapped his neck with a quick jab to the back of it. It was done a split-second before the traps even left their places.

"Didn't one of the humans get here?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Yeah. He's, ah...already dead," Howard shrugged.

"What?" Byorgue grinned.

"How?" Charles asked.

"Kiehl sort of leapt over and killed him with smack to the back of his neck," Howard chuckled. Elric swallowed hard. Even Terin gave a small cough of disbelief.

"I wonder what he'd do if he saw Ass Hat," the zombie grinned wickedly. Mobster started laughing and shaking his head. Sammy and Eremes were still watching with Howard through the window. It was almost as if Kiehl was simply allowing any to try their luck. All that he'd have to do was glance at their approach, and it made them pause instinctively before proceeding. If he walked into unknown territory, anything trying to attack him would stop and pause with complete indecision.

"He will be crucial to help us get the Guild castles," Eremes said.

"Is he?" Sammy smiled lightly.

"Everyone is hesitating before attacking him. I want to try...a risky experiment," the Assassin Cross mused aloud. Keltin looked at him curiously.

"And that is?" Howard asked.

"I want him to go into the arena. I want to see...who would try and challenge him directly. Just by looking at him..." Eremes said with a slight grin.

"We could do that after this," Howard nodded at Kiehl's thoughts. "We do need to see how strong he is now. That would do it."

"We can plan for it after this is done. We need to feed her and pamper her, anyways," Keltin chuckled. Now they saw how Huginn sped over to Kiehl and paused with complete shock. All that Kiehl had to do was glance at him and adjust his glasses neatly. Sarine watched Huginn give an actual cringe of uncertainty. That even amused Muninn.  _Kiehl was able to make a god pause with knowing fear._  He was sure that Odin would be the only true one immune to Kiehl. It did make him curious of how Loki would fair, but he wasn't going to ask that one for help.  _Then a favor would be owed._

When she keened out after the fighting was over, Kiehl waited patiently for the platform to lower. When it did, he simply walked up to it. She gave him a glowing smile, and he moved to sit down with her. She crawled into his lap to let him hold her.

"I need to claim you now," he whispered in her ear. "I told you I would be with you soon. Didn't I?"

"Yeah," she chuckled and let him kiss her passionately. There was no need for him to rush with her. He took his time with her. The rest of the males waited it out patiently with full respect. When she keened out with his successful mating roar, he simply held her close.

"Let the others claim you," he mumbled in her ear.

"Will you...be with me...after them?" she asked softly.

"Do you want me to be with you when they are done?" he asked carefully.

"Yes," she nodded. He made sure to ask her what she wanted to prove that he wasn't going to slight the ones in front of them. He wanted to show them that he wasn't going to take her again out of complete claim. He would be honoring her request. Thanatos was thoroughly impressed. So was Doppy and every other demon there. They would follow his instructions indefinitely now. Kiehl was fully trustworthy and never steered them wrong.

Kiehl let each chosen male she looked at be with her before claiming her again after the last one was done. Right after she was dressed, he cradled her close.

"Damn! I made third again..." Thanatos growled.

"I'm sure you'll get second place back in time," Huginn shrugged. Thanatos only hissed at that, but Huginn could only smile slightly.

"Lord Kiehl," Beelzebub said. Then he paused with surprise at what he said.

"What?!" Kiehl asked with a bit of surprise. "Ah, don't call me that. Just keep it normal."

"It was instinctive," Thanatos grinned a bit wickedly. "We may slip up."

"A usual slip is fine. I guess," Kiehl sighed and laughed with the others. Byorgue gave Charles the craving dish for Sarine, and now the Royal Chef was able to walk over to give it to her after the door opened. She swooned, as she tasted it, and Kiehl gave him a glowing look with a nod of approval. Charles actually blinked at the praising gesture.

"Are you all right?" Sarine asked him.

"Kiehl really could be a king of demons," Charles chuckled and shook his head.

"But, I don't want to be that," Kiehl frowned.

"Tough luck," Doppy snickered at him. "If it's instinctive, not much we can do."

"Ugh..." Kiehl grimaced to get them all laughing again. Howard walked over to get a tight hug from her now when he sat with her. When Osiris approached to give over the Poison element, his full attention was given. Kiehl nodded, and Howard was quick to take Sarine out of the area a bit for safety. They didn't know how Poison would react to her. After the green cloud of acidic gas dissipated and infused the new gem to an emerald green hue in his leash loop, Naght noticed something and nudged Howard about it.

"Kiehl, you didn't roar out your dominance," Howard said.

"It's because he doesn't have to," Thanatos nodded. "No more need for it. We all recognize him as something more."

"So it would appear to be," Kiehl sighed. He even seemed to give off an instinctive air of royalty to them now. He earned his place in their midst.

"Let's go to the arena," Eremes muttered from where he stood.

"You know," Sarine smiled softly when she was helped up. "Kiehl, I do miss your roaring. Not just from mating, though."

"How about this," he grinned. "Should any piss me off at the arena, I'll definitely roar out my displeasure. Will that work?"

"Yes," she giggled and let him lift her in his arms to carry her.

"To think that you were a mere slave nearly a year ago," Howard grinned. That got Kiehl to look at him in such a way that he started laughing.

"I was not just a 'mere slave'," he scowled. Naght was chuckling, as he floated close by with them. Then he turned and cleaved his ice sword down. He gave Cedrick a warning shot from how the frost now misted over the prince's armor. If Naght lunged another inch forward, he would have been skewered from top to bottom.

"Idiot! We just walked out of that chamber!" Ragged Zombie scolded. "These guys are still ready to tear anything a new one!"

"Maybe that should be his new name!" Mobster snickered darkly.

"What?!" Cedrick gaped.

"Shut up, Idiot," the zombie grinned wickedly. Kiehl was laughing mentally, but physically, he was stern and pissed.

"What just happened?" Dmitree whispered.

"We're about to see a fight," Sammy frowned. "Just hang back with me."

"I am not an idiot!" Cedrick growled.

"Yes. You are," Charles said with his arms crossed over his chest. "You knew where we were. You didn't announce yourself when you came over. You expected us to give way to you. Again. So, you're an idiot."

"Hmm..." Kiehl mused aloud. Cedrick now looked at him and faltered.  _Fear._  It permeated through his bones. Through his very breath. He knew that Kiehl had become something more than just a stronger fighter from the latest Demonic Mating. "I'll be watching you for the rest of the day. Don't. Piss. Me. Off. Understood?"

"Yes..." Cedrick swallowed.

"Good. Now do something useful. Go and Resurrect Shoujin. Someone will help you. After that, go to Turtle General and hone yourself. I, personally, want to test you by the end of the day to see how far you have come along. If you can't dodge me, then you will train back at square one. Got it?" Kiehl asked with a small glare.

"You know I can't dodge you!" the prince retorted.

"How long have you been training?" Kiehl now asked. Cedrick faltered at that question. "Uh huh. Granted, you can't dodge Keltin. You don't seem to care about that. So, if I have you prepare to dodge me, then you can dodge him. Maybe even Doppy. Because, well...guess what? Instead of Doppy being your final test, it will be me.  _I'll insist on it._  So, start preparing. We'll see how much you've learned. Hop to it. Now."

"Now see here!" Cedrick growled. Then he stopped dead in his tracks at the small twitch of a lip that Kiehl did. Anyone that was there quickly took a step back. Sarine was looking away with a small frown on her face, but Kiehl kept her close to him. A soft whisper was given, and she nodded lightly. A passionate, loving kiss was placed on her mouth before he moved her over to Loomin to hold her. Then he activated Huginn's element to become invisible.

"Shit..." Howard sighed and shook his head.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Ragged Zombie asked.

"Very," Keltin nodded. Eremes couldn't even sense Kiehl at all.  _He simply wasn't there._  Then there was intense silence when Kiehl reappeared behind Cedrick and snarled out before smacking him with a strong Magnum Break. Right after the prince slumped down in defeat, Kiehl hissed at the corpse and stepped over him to move right back to Sarine's side.

"Do you need her?" Loomin asked curiously.

"Ah...hmm..." Kiehl blinked in realization. "I do...but the need is curbed when I know she's close. It's just...huh..."

"I see!" Loomin grinned slightly. "By you gaining this new position, you removed a good part of needing her right away! It will help you react to things faster than normal."

"So...he's not handicapped anymore?" Thanatos blinked. At the small glare Kiehl gave him, the demon cleared his throat and nodded with respect.

"Watch yourself," Kiehl muttered lightly. When he glared at Huginn, he got a nod in return. "Let's go to the arena. She'll need to eat. We need a list of the castles we are to go to. You think we should start that in an hour or so?"

"I think so," Sarine smiled softly. He smiled back and kissed her gently before leading her off. Just as they reached the arena, he was surprised to find Pori-Pori waiting for them.

"I want to talk to you," the powerful Poring-type monster said to Kiehl in his ultra-deep tone. "I know I promised to only talk to her, but now I need to talk to you. It's important."

"Oh!" Kiehl blinked his surprise. "Ah...sure!"

"Good. Let's chat!" he giggled and jumped into Sarine's lap when she settled down in the royal seating. Muninn was quite intrigued by the powerful monster's sudden need to talk to Kiehl. Even Huginn was amazed. When the rest of them settled down, Pori-Pori looked at Kiehl again to nod. "You and I are on a level of power that not many can reach."

"I figured that," Kiehl smiled lightly.

"You are a god to the demons now," he pointed out. "To practically all monsters that recognize your status. Just like me to my people."

"What?!" Kiehl seemed to gape. "I don't want to be like that."

"It doesn't matter. You are," Pori-Pori said. "Do you know how I came to be?"

"Come to think of it, not exactly," he admitted. Now the others were very curious.

"I was the very first drop of sweat that fell from our Lord Odin's brow when he formed this land," Pori-Pori said with a proud look. "That is what we are. The ones that summoned me here happened just after me. Then you get the lesser ones. That is how we came to be."

" _Amazing!_ " Muninn chuckled. " _I had no real idea about it. You really are the sweat form our Lord Odin? He never said such a thing to us._ "

"Same here," Huginn nodded. "I didn't really know, as well."

"So, Arch-Angeling is like you in power?" Sarine asked.

"He was the second drop. Then there is Skeggiold, but he didn't really need to summon me. Angeling and Deviling are right after, but I think they fell at the same time. It's hard to tell with them," Pori-Pori mused at the thought.

"I want to challenge her!" a Lord Knight said, as he pointed at Sarine. Pori-Pori chittered with a wide grin and sped down to make short work of the human.

"Okay! Pori-Pori has been challenged!" Moonlight Flower beamed and shook her bell.

"What?!" the human gaped and got squashed rather quickly. Pori-Pori stuck out his tongue at the defeated opponent and quickly scooted back up to her lap.

"As I was saying..." he started, but paused at the shout of another challenge to her.

"We should go back," Loomin smiled. Pori-Pori looked at him oddly.

"Maybe we should," Kiehl sighed.

"No," Pori-Pori said to him. "Don't you remember? My favorite thing to do is beat up humans! I'll be right back!"

Doppy was laughing as hard as Thanatos was now. They laughed even harder when Aliot walked up to Kiehl to nod and bow deeply with respect before serving him something to eat. Kiehl only groaned, and Sarine started to giggle with Howard. He leaned back in the royal loveseat and let Sarine snuggle into his side.

"Now," Pori-Pori started before finding another challenger interrupting him again. It was a Champion, and there was an odd sense of challenge with him.

"Pori-Pori. I've come to fight you," he said calmly.

"You came deliberately to fight him?" Sarine blinked at the young man.

"I have," he nodded. Pori-Pori was exceptionally amused and jumped down to scoot over to the Champion. Moonlight Flower rang her bell, and Pori-Pori scooted around the Champion. When he did an Asura Strike, it was to empty ground. He shouted with disbelief when Pori-Pori chittered happily and tackled him. When the powerful Poring-type monster started to leave the arena, he said, "Wait! I still...have a chance...!"

"Uh, no. You don't," Ragged Zombie said. "Your ass got face-planted in the ground. Admit it. You lost."

"NO!" the Champion growled and ate a Yggdrasil Berry he had on him.

"Hmm. Aren't the use of those considered cheating?" Keltin frowned.

"It wasn't discussed in the rules," Sarine shrugged. "Besides, why deprive Pori-Pori of something he loves to do? It does make me wonder why, though."

"Why what?" Kiehl asked.

"Why challenge Pori-Pori? He knows that, in many ways, Pori-Pori really cannot be harmed," she sighed and watched the small, pink jelly drop easily destroy the Champion again. Another Yggdrasil Berry was used to keep the fight going. "Muninn? Can you freeze time for a moment? I need to talk to Daddy."

" _Of course,_ " he nodded and did just that. Odin was soon called for and brought into the time freeze. She got embraced by him, and her belly was gently examined to ensure it was well.

"My daughter, my Vessel? Why have you asked for me?" Odin asked.

"I am concerned for Pori-Pori," she admitted.

"Bring Pori-Pori into the time freeze," Odin commanded lightly. Muninn nodded and did just that. The powerful Poring-type monster looked over, chittered, and bounced over to nod. "Do you recall this uncouth one?"

"No," Pori-Pori said. Of course, Pori-Pori would always speak to the one that created him. "I'm not sure if any of my people have, though."

"Then let us consult them!" Odin nodded and willed the others there.

"Oh! That was weird," Justice blinked.

"Huh? Ooh! Lord Odin?!" Defender bounced and flapped his white wings.

"Hey! What's up?" Vengeance asked.

"Do any of you recognize the man on the ground?" Odin asked and gestured to the frozen Champion. The three of them bounced over and studied him.

"Oh! Yes! I do!" Defender said. Pori-Pori looked at him curiously now. "He always tried to beat me up for my wings. I think they can be carefully removed and worn by others. He couldn't get me, but a lot of my other kind were beaten up by him."

"What do you mean?" Sarine frowned hard. Even Kiehl looked tense about it.

"The wings of Angelings and Devilings are considered a fashion statement at times," Dmitree explained from where he sat with them. "I've seen a few adventurers here and there with them. Their wings are also used in ingredients for hats and other things, if I recall."

"Oh!" she blinked. "Well, I don't want your wings, Defender."

"Good!" he beamed at her from where he bounced.

"You know," Doppy mused aloud. "if this guy really wants Porings..."

"What do you have in mind?" Odin asked.

"Can Pori-Pori gain a skill to, oh...call for a ton of Porings to appear of any kind and type to gain vengeance on a human?" Doppy grinned wickedly. Odin now looked at Pori-Pori with complete amusement. The other strong Poring-type monsters bounced with excitement at the idea. At the large grin that Pori-Pori displayed now, the skill was granted.

"Feel free to test it!" Odin chuckled with a knowing glance to the Champion still frozen on the arena floor. Another hug was given to Sarine before he vanished away, they got back in their positions, and Muninn unfroze time.

"Do you still wish to challenge Pori-Pori?" Sarine asked the Champion.

"Yes! I do!" he nodded.

"One question then. Why?" she asked.

"I've defeated every known Poring-type monster that ever existed! Pori-Pori is the only one I have yet to conquer," he started. Now Pori-Pori appeared thoughtful. He bounced up to Sarine and whispered rather lightly to her. She giggled.

"Well, you have fought Pori-Pori so much that he has deemed you unworthy to challenge him again. However, if you can defeat the ones you defeated in the past, he may reconsider one final attempt at him," she said regally. The Champion gaped when Pori-Pori chittered out a command. Justice, Defender, and Vengeance now appeared in a front line. Doombringer was quick to appear at the call next. Then every other Poring-type on the island showed up. When it wasn't enough, a portal was opened for even more Poring-type monsters to appear.

"No! This wasn't...!" the Champion cringed and shouted when he got mobbed. When defeat was clearly shown, the Poring-type monsters retreated, save the ones summoned from the portal. Unfortunately, as basic monsters, their intelligence level was quite low. Other challengers were able to help clean them off the arena grounds as a free fight.

"I think we're ready for Guild castles," Doppy grinned wickedly.

"That we are. Let's go," Kiehl nodded and led the others away from the arena with Sarine on his arm. The Champion on the arena floor just barely heard this, and now he planned to let his Guild know that the arena monsters were going to be moving in on new territory. He didn't know it would be brief, but it would cause intense complications. The word would be quickly spread the moment he felt his limbs again.


	194. Chapter 194

Muninn was quick to write up a list of castles to show them. Evil Snake Lord then suggested that they all meet in the meeting chamber alongside the main room of the mansion. They readily agreed, and Sarine cuddled into Howard and Kiehl when they sat with her.

"Vessel of Odin, we have a guest," Storm Caller chuckled and showed Kiel in.

"Kiel!" she beamed and got up to hug him tight.

"I have another 'work loop' schedule. For a good week," he grinned and hugged her back. "So, ah, what's going on?"

"Guild castle takeover," Doppy snickered.

"Really?" he mused. Then he looked at Kiehl and paused. His eyes widened, but then he calmed himself when Kiehl rose up his hand.

"You're fine," Kiehl chuckled.

"Told you so," Pori-Pori muttered to him from where he bounced at Kiehl's feet. "We still need to finish our talk."

"I know," Kiehl sighed and grumbled at the small snickers around him. "Anyways, we just need the castles long enough to get the specialized chests. As well as for the dungeons below them. So, likely for a day. Also, for safety, you shouldn't be with us. You may get caught. Same with Loomin, but, well…"

"I have to be there for Sarine. Kiel could, actually, Cloak himself with Sarine's muffler and Eremes's card. That's if he wants to join us," Loomin suggested.

"It may be best for me to remain here. I can help secure a place for the chests," Kiel smiled. He found himself studied by Huginn, and he frowned. "Yes?"

"Hmm. You and Sarine need to do something. Same with Kiehl. Before we leave," Huginn chuckled. Sarine frowned at it. "It deals with a form of staying with her…"

"Ah, no," Kiehl glared. Howard started to cringe with laughter. "This was discussed before. I declined it."

" _He may be correct, though. It would be beneficial, in a sense,_ " Muninn sighed. Now Kiehl gaped at him. " _As to how, well…it will build more trust between you and your duplicate._ "

"Really?" Kiehl frowned. Muninn nodded at this. Kiel wisely kept his mouth shut. Sarine found herself musing at the whole thing. Howard coughed a bit to keep from laughing too hard. He was already failing when Kiehl glared at him.

"Also, we need Trina and Ming to try and create some Bloody Branches, too. We need to see if those without duplicates can be summoned for a loop hole," Huginn said seriously.

"Okay, I can agree to that. After this meeting," Kiehl nodded. "And no!"

"Why not?" Sarine murmured in his ear to get his blood boiling. Kiehl gave her a wary glance before she tugged on his leash loop. Her dominance was mildly there from Huginn's offspring. "It will be done. Understood?"

"Ah…" Kiehl gasped and nodded. Then she gave him a rough kiss to leave him wanting for her. She invoked just a touch of his slave side to show she meant it. Kiel looked at him with a small grin. Then he paled at Sarine's intense look at him with a smirk.

"And you will both wear Blinkers," she said. "So, Errende, make sure you have them ready for use."

"Of course, My Lady. Ah…good luck?" the slave grinned at them both.

"Shut up!" Kiehl scowled at their laughter. He gave a hiss at the small nibble to his neck she did, and he growled at her.

"You know you want it," she grinned a touch wickedly. He sighed and glared at Howard's laughing form.

"On a condition," Kiehl smirked. Now Howard looked at him with shock.

"No!" Howard said.

"Hmm?" she smiled.

"He has to be with Kiel and you after me," Kiehl grinned. Now she rose a brow and looked at Howard's look of disbelief.

"Done!" she giggled. Howard mentally swore at this, and Naght laughed at them both.

"Don't I get a say so?" Kiel frowned.

"Well…if you don't want sex with me…" Sarine said with a sly smile.

"Never mind…" Kiel sighed and laughed softly. A deepened kiss was given to him now, and they diverted their attention to the main floor with Evil Snake Lord.

"We all know there are six major places that hold the castles we need," the strong snake monster said, as his ink spilled out to make a map. "Those places are Prontera, Payon, Geffen, Rachel, Yuno, and Al De Baron. Yuno and Rachel hold the most castles, but Yuno holds six castles. Rachel holds five. There were five in the other cities, but one was destroyed in each area to make more space."

"If they were destroyed, should the chests still be there?" Keltin asked.

"It may be possible. We will need to see after we secure the land the castles are on," Evil Snake Lord mused. "It would not do to have us look for these places and have others tread on where they are not needed."

" _Very true,_ " Muninn agreed. Then he looked ahead and pointed at Loomin. " _Your Light! Shine it now!_ "

Loomin blinked at this, but was quick to comply. After it was done, Kiehl asked, "What did you see?"

" _Huginn is out of Sarine's mind. She's vulnerable. Very vulnerable,_ " he warned. All of them there seemed to wince and gasp with realization. " _I must stress for you to shine your Light once a day. Granted, Kiehl is with her, but his diamond is a pure safeguard only._ "

"I understand," Loomin nodded gravely. "I'll do this once day. Maybe twice."

"Good," Howard nodded. "We don't need any other interferences."

"Who would interfere?" Pori-Pori asked Kiehl.

"Loomin's father," he frowned.

"Oh," Pori-Pori seemed to smirk. "I actually beat him at a challenge once. He said I wasn't faster than him. I won!"

"Really?" Kiehl grinned.

"He's easily distracted," Pori-Pori grinned ruefully. Now Loomin blinked at this news. It gave him some ideas on how to thwart his father even more. "Oh! There are two others of my kind that we need to find! And we may need Lord Odin's help."

"Oh?" Huginn asked.

" _Who would we have to find?_ " Muninn asked. Evil Snake Lord waited patiently, but he was also still drawing out maps for them. Pori-Pori looked at Sarine expectantly, and she asked the question for them.

"I have two other lesser people. King Poring and Hallow Poring. One is a bit well-known here and there. He has anger issues. A sore loser, but he means well. He tries to gain vengeance on any of my people that were killed. The other is exceptionally hard to reach. He's like…oh…a misplaced one of us. Much like me that needed to be called, but my people can't call him like they could with me. We need to get both of them here. They can help us," Pori-Pori said calmly. Sarine found herself in a bit of awe at this.

"We'll do that when we are ready to try and get the Bloody Branches done. Anyways, some of the items in the chests are needed for set parts, too," Huginn said to get the meeting moving again. "Once we have the chests, we can gain these special parts. They also generate specialty items needed to create new things."

"Really? Okay. Do we know what these items are?" Sammy asked.

" _Not until we get them. They are specialized to a point that even I cannot see them,_ " Muninn shrugged. That had Eremes raise a brow.

"Beelzebub," Terin muttered from where he sat. The Demon Lord looked over at him. "Listen. The arena…"

"Hmm…" Beelzebub narrowed his brows.

"Hmm?" Kiehl looked at him.

"I know this meeting must continue, but there is a Guild out there calling us out. Apparently, the Champion that kept getting face-planted by Pori-Pori has spread the word about us going after castles. I think many of the Guilds out there are starting to try their luck. As in, they want to try and prove we have no chance. So, we need to set an example," the Demon Lord growled. Kiehl sighed and looked over at Doppy.

"Yes?" the demon grinned.

"Please answer the call. We'll wait for you to come back," Kiehl nodded. "And, so you all don't get jealous, we need to do this as part of Odin's work. Doppy is Odin's Wrath and Sarine's Wrath. He needs to deliver the message that we are not to be disturbed, nor will their challenges be proven as anything other than futile. But, as I know how you all must partake in these things…eh…whatever. Whoever wants to help can go help."

Over half of the room was empty after that. Pori-Pori seemed to giggle, and Kiehl shook his head. All the strong Poring-type had to say was, "I told you so. And I'll keep telling you so. As many times as it takes!"

"I get it!" Kiehl scowled softly. Sarine giggled and pressed into him.

"No, I don't think you do," Pori-Pori said. "You don't understand the power and the magnitude of what you are now. We really do need to finish our talk."

"Here," Charles said when he walked over with a tray of assorted dishes for Sarine. "And, as much as I hate to say it, Pori-Pori is quite correct. Even Baphomet told me that he feels that he needs to listen to you."

"What?" Kiehl blinked at him. The Royal Chef pulled up a chair to sit by them now. Much of his flamboyant attitude was there when it came to cooking, but this was the Knight side of him reaching out to show he was being completely serious.

"Think about it. Beelzebub, a Demon Lord from Hell, gave you a title of 'My Lord'. Aliot bows to you on serving you. You have elemental powers unlike any other, and you will get even more of them to increase your strength. You are 'Hell on Wheels', as they say, and you need to learn how to fully utilize your new strengths. You're not a demon. You had to learn some things the hard way, right?" he asked.

"I did. The Bragging Rights didn't fully come out until later," Kiehl frowned. "Doppy challenged my Rights when I appeared weak to him. It happened after I was in that loop of questions and answers. He helped snap me out of it."

"I see. You need to learn some Demonic Etiquette. Just in case something like that happens again. Hmm. Okay. Listen to Naght. I'm going to have him talk to various long-standing demons on various things. It's needed," Charles said.

"What about Angelic Etiquette?" Howard asked.

"Angels…aren't as strict as demons are. It's very odd. You'd think the opposite, but, from what I understand from Baphomet, angels just need proof. They instinctively have structure and order," Charles tried to explain, as Baphomet tried to give him what insight he knew. "Angels will challenge each other to see who is best fit for a role. Demons just fight…to fight. It's why they need all these rules."

"To keep from killing each other," Observation chuckled when he flew over to help. He got a tight hug from Sarine and a loving kiss. "Don't worry, My Lady. I'll guard you against everything and then some."

"I can believe that," Kiehl grinned. Howard chuckled. They looked over when Turtle General calmly walked over to them and regarded them with a purpose.

"Vessel of Odin, I would like the royal sons to join you in this quest for Guild castles," he said calmly. "I feel it will be beneficial to them."

"How?" Kiehl asked him directly.

"It will show how well they can lead," the honorable monster said.

"But, I'm the Guild leader," Sarine frowned. "So, they would have to follow me. Besides, I'd rather have only those with monster blood in my Guild."

"I have an idea," Charles said. "We have the lesser group with us. Let them make their own Guild. Then they can ally with us to help us. It really isn't that hard to get another Emperium. The Mineral monsters in the Einbech mines are easy to kill for them."

"Oh! That's a good idea! I know we do have a spare Emperium, but we'll want to keep that. We'll need to get more Emperiums. You'd also know all this from being in the castle, too. This might work," Howard mused. "What do you think, Sarine?"

"That can work. The only problem is, well…which one of them would lead the Guild?" she asked. Now that caused an uneasy silence.

"Let them challenge each other," Kiel said. "Best one will lead. We'll set up various scenarios for them to work with."

"I like that," Eremes nodded.

"It would prove how much they've been listening to you," Keltin chuckled.

"I have been thinking of something," Turtle General admitted.

"Oh?" Kiehl smiled.

"The one that wins, I will share my blood," he chuckled. Now they all looked at him.

"No," Kiehl said flatly. "They'll think they have a chance with Sarine!"

"Not exactly," Turtle General explained. "I am not bound to her. I am like Storm Caller. I am a guide. A teacher. I would almost see my blood as a way to keep them from her."

"You mean…they would lose their attraction to her?" Keltin asked.

"It may be possible. They may be able to see her as family," Turtle General nodded. Now they all looked at each other.

"But…if it doesn't go that way…" Howard seemed to grimace.

"I shall ensure it will not," Turtle General nodded. When the other monsters filtered back in, they were carefully informed of what Turtle General wanted to do.

"I don't like it," Doppy growled. Tsurga easily reflected his thoughts from where he stood in the room. He told him the full conversation mentally. Doppy hated it.

"She…will…be…safe?" Naght hissed.

"You have my vow," Turtle General nodded to him.

"How did the arena go?" Sarine smiled.

"A few Guild leaders showed up. We showed them how to leave," Thanatos grinned wickedly. "If we show up on their turf, they know they're screwed."

"Good!" Sarine beamed. Doppy moved to her side, and she let him kiss her thoroughly.

"I do miss you," he muttered.

"I know," she said softly. "Let's finish this meeting, and then we'll check on the nursery. After that, I'll do what I can."

"Fine," he muttered and kissed her again. He moved to sit down, and she gestured for Charles to come close. Now Kiehl and Howard looked at each other with small grins.

"Hmm?" Charles looked at them and let her sit in his lap.

"Stay with her tonight," Kiehl said.

"Oh! Of course," he chuckled. Once everyone was settled again, Evil Snake Lord revealed his inked map with detailed names of various castles.

"I would suggest we get the ones with Rachel done first," he suggested. "That is where Loomin is from, and we can avoid a few setbacks. Yuno should be done after, as it is the place with the most castles found. We can likely do Payon after Yuno. Al De Baron may be possible after that. Or it could be Geffen. We can discuss that at length. Prontera will be last, as we agreed before."

"Good," Sarine nodded. "Let's leave the map here, and we'll strategize before we go to each location to learn the layouts of where each castle is. I need to tend to the children, and, after that, we will need Ming and Trina to try and bring forth some Bloody Branches. If we know where the Kafra Corporation has been keeping the branches for fight trading, we should get them while we can."

"Good call," Kiehl nodded.

"I know where the branches are. We have ten of them," Beelzebub said. "I shall have them collected. Underground arena?"

"That would be best," Howard nodded. She moved to the nursery and settled in the rocking bench to receive Onyx and Pearl. She cooed to them, as they nursed, and Kiehl sat with her. Howard had to pay attention to the triplets when they demanded for him. Ifrit and Naght were handling their twins to keep them docile. Maya Purple was calmly watching over Rosa and Emeril while they crawled around in the nests in a rather grub-like way.

"Dah!" Emeril said and beamed.

"You know I am," Maya Purple chuckled and climbed off his bug body to play with them a bit better. Then he paused when a sudden glow happened on his leash loop. The same thing happened with Drago to show their new parental status.

"Huh! I thought that would have shown up sooner," Howard frowned.

"Maybe it's when they start talking?" Drago shrugged.

"That was when I got my gems," Aliot nodded. "Even though it was given after talking to Valkyrie for you, Maya Purple."

"True," the bug prince chuckled and moved to take his twins to Sarine to be nursed.

"Alexandra, stop that," Howard warned her when she took a fist-full of mashed food to hit him with it. "That isn't nice."

"But, I don't like it," she pouted. All of the younger children wanted to try eating solids now. Alexandra was the only one complaining.

"You don't like my cooking?" Charles pouted when he walked over.

"It's too mushy!" she frowned.

"Well, you have no real teeth to eat with right now," the Royal Chef smiled. Now she blinked at him. "Anything more can hurt your mouth."

"Huh? You mean…I need teeth?" she asked.

"Yep!" Howard grinned. Now she blushed a bit hard.

"Does it taste good?" Charles asked now.

"Um…" she seemed to falter.

"So, it does taste good, but you don't like how soft it is. Right?" he chuckled.

"Yeah…" she seemed to blush again.

"How about this. I'll see about making a slighter better dish for you to see if it will help you. Okay?" he said. She reached for him now and snuggled into him with a form of delight. Doll carefully wiped her hand clean to keep from dirtying up his clothes. He mouthed his thanks to her to get rewarded with a small chuckle of understanding.

"Are you still hungry?" Howard asked.

"Yeah," Alexandra nodded. He took her from Charles to let her get nursed by Sarine.

"I want you to promise me something, okay?" Sarine said gently to her daughter.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Don't waste your food like that anymore. Don't strike out at your fathers, either. It doesn't become you," Sarine frowned softly.

"I promise…" she nodded and got snuggled gently.

"If you don't like something, just say so. I know that your daddy Naght likely gave you a small temper, but there is no need to show that here. Okay?" she smiled. Alexandra nodded in agreement and settled to nurse peacefully. Naght rumbled with agreement, as he watched over the nursery. Kiehl nodded in full agreement with Sarine and continued to rock them all in the bench. Hyegun walked over and assessed her pregnancy.

"Charles! Yggdrasil Berry!" he grounded out before Sarine could react. Instead of giving her the berry, a full glass of the juice she loved was given over by Aliot.

"Thank you," she sighed and sipped it down gratefully.

"Maybe I should carry some on me," Errende thought aloud.

"We all should," Observation nodded.

"I can start preparing some bottles now," Byorgue said and ran off to the kitchen. Injustice moved to join him. Nigel was helping clear the table of dirty dishes with Doll.

"Um…" a small, shy voice said from the doorway. Sammy looked over to see Rice Cake there. Naght took instant notice and let Eremes hold Isabel. Siegfried gave a small grumble, but Doppy was quick to gather him up.

"Let Naght talk to him," the demon grunted.

"Kay," Siegfried nodded.

"Yes…?" Naght hissed out purposely. Howard cracked a grin and hid his face in his hand. Keltin cringed back his laughter. Thanatos rose a brow and glanced at Ragged Zombie's intense look of interest.

"I…I really like Serenity…" Rice Cake started.

"Hmm…?" Naght seemed to glare at him.

"Dad! He's nice!" Serenity argued. Naght gathered her up now to keep her calm.

"You still don't get it? There is a reason why he's so nice to you. He wants to be with you, Seri. He wants to be your match," Siegfried said. "I thought you knew!"

"What?!" she blinked. "Um…"

"You are too much of a child, though," Sarine said gently. "I don't think you would work out for her. You can help protect her, but as a possible mate or husband? I am unsure."

"I…well…" Rice Cake seemed to frown and fidget with his fingers. Then Sammy reverted to his child form and walked up to him.

"Maybe you can ask Valkyrie to give you a better form when the time comes. It's what she did for me!" Sammy nodded.

"She did?!" Rice Cake gaped with surprise.

"Yeah. How else can I be with Sarine?" he grinned and reverted back to his adult form. "It doesn't hurt to ask when the time is right."

"I'll do that!" Rice Cake said. "I just…I really like her. I do! And…I want to protect her even more."

Naght seemed to hiss with indecision. "She…is…too…young…"

"I know. But…I can wait. I know I can. Um…I want to help her, though," Rice Cake frowned. "How can I help her?"

"You should speak with Eddga. He is her protector," Hibram said calmly.

"I'll do that now!" Rice Cake nodded and ran out of the room. Now Naght looked at Serenity's speechless form and rumbled for her to talk.

"I…didn't know he…liked me like that…" she seemed to blush and cuddle into her father. "I mean…I like him, too…but…like that? I just…I don't know…"

"We have plenty of time. And there are plenty of dads that will kick him down, if it gets to be too much," Howard smirked. That got a round of chuckles from them all.

"Has Jenks approached you lately, Angela?" Errende asked. She moved to his side to get lifted and held to help comfort her.

"No. I haven't seen him ever since I spoke of him," she said.

"Good. Because  _I'll_  be the one he has to talk to next," Thanatos growled. "And, Edward, you leave it to me."

"Okay," his son nodded.

"Don't you like my sister, anyways?" Neil grinned from where he sat. That got a small blush from him, and Thanatos roared with laughter.

"Stop it, Dad!" Edward scowled before screaming when he got lifted upside-down and tickled mercilessly. "No! Stop it! This isn't fair!"

"Damn right, it's not fair!" Thanatos grinned ruefully before setting him down.

"My husbands…" Sarine sighed and shook her head. With the last two of the triplets nursed and done, she was able to take up Leonard and Isabel. More juice was given to her, and she blinked at a small candy that was given to her by Nigel. It was a piece of Yggdrasil Berry and coated over with rich, dark chocolate. She swooned at this, and Charles nodded that more would be made. Now he blinked at a small craving thought from her.

"Add mint to it? Hmm. I could try that," he nodded from where he stood.

"She wants mint?" Howard frowned.

"It could be part of a sweet tooth thing," Huginn suggested. "Mint can be sweet at times, right? I'm sure it can."

"Oh, it can be," Kiehl chuckled and blinked at Howard. "What's this? You also like mint? Never would of thought of that."

"It was a very rare delicacy to me," Howard shrugged. "It wasn't often that I had it."

"Is that so?" Charles mused and quickly made his way to the kitchen. He found Byorgue finishing up on filling extra bottles of the Yggdrasil juice that Sarine needed to disperse to the slaves. Injustice had already left to disperse what was made. "Do we have any mint? Menthol plant of some kind, that is?"

"I think so," Byorgue thought. He helped Charles scour through the pantries, and they found the green plant with a small bulb on the end. A tiny white flower was growing on it, and they identified it as a type of Ment plant.

"I can use a little of this, but too much will cause memory loss. If I recall," Charles sighed. "But, it will give me what I need. It may even remove some of the aches and pains that Sarine gets, too, from her pregnancies. Just a couple leaves here and there are safe enough."

"Okay. If you need my help, or the others, let us know," Byorgue nodded. Charles nodded and began to chop up a few of the small leaves. Aliot came down to help him out when Byorgue told him what was going on.

"I can preserve some of this in small jars to portion it. Think it may help?" the Royal Chef asked the slave. Aliot nodded and began to help do just that.

"We also have mint in the cavern below the grove," Aliot chuckled.

"So we do!" Charles blinked.

"We'll gather some after. This Ment may be a bit too strong for My Lady right now. A little should be fine, but no more than that," Aliot frowned.

"I fully agree," Charles nodded. He got out some prepared ice cream and carefully blended a very small amount into it. Creating two dishes, he took them back up to the nursery to present to Sarine. She blinked with surprise and found herself all but inhaling the wonderful confection. Howard was enjoying it as much as she was.

"That was amazing," Howard chuckled and licked his spoon clean.

"I made it with a touch of Ment to remove some of the aches and pains. Too much could be hazardous, but a touch of it is safe," Charles smiled.

"Okay. I think it's time for Ming and Trina to try and get some Bloody Branches. Trina! Ming! Come here, please," Sarine smiled and let her daughters move to gather in her lap. "I have a very important job for the two of you. I want to see if you can do this."

"Oh?" Ming smiled.

"What is it, Mama?" Trina asked. Eremes now walked over to show Trina a Dead Branch. She looked at it curiously.

"This is a Dead Branch. We use it to summon monsters. There is a better one than this. Can you make it better?" Eremes asked. Trina blinked and took the Dead Branch. On studying it, she gasped and shook her head.

"What's wrong, Trina?" Keltin asked and took his daughter.

"I…I don't know! It scares me," she shivered.

"No one is forcing you to do this," Sarine soothed. "We just wanted to know if it could be done. It would help some of your daddies have more freedom to move in other areas."

"It will?" Trina asked.

"Yes. I don't have a special double that makes me need to stick around her. But, because I have to stick around her, it makes one think I do. If I was summoned with a Bloody Branch, it will let me move around in other ways," Thanatos said with a small nod.

"Huh. Um…what does a Bloody Branch look like?" she asked.

"I have one," Beelzebub said and showed her the special branch. She looked at the Dead Branch in her hand and seemed to focus.

"It's not working. Um…I don't think I'm strong enough. It's like…it's very powerful. And special. I think that's why I was scared. I didn't want to show that I was too weak to do it," she frowned. Keltin kissed her forehead with understanding.

"Don't worry, Trina. I'm sure you can do it in time!" Bernard grinned.

"You think so?" she beamed at her brother. He nodded, and she felt much better.

"Ming, do you think you can pull a Bloody Branch out of this Old Purple Box?" Eremes asked and gave her the box. She tilted her head at it and focused. Then she opened it and pulled out a Bloody Branch. That had Sammy chuckling softly.

"It's different, as she doesn't really summon them," Loomin smiled. "She just invokes it with the power of the boxes. We'll need to get more of these."

"That's not fair!" Trina pouted. "I want to help, too!"

" _Trina, you even said it was too strong for you. Don't worry. You'll be able to help in time,_ " Muninn said. She shook her head and gestured for the Dead Branch from Eremes.

"I have to try again," she said. Muninn shook his head and took the Dead Branch from him to keep her from getting it. "Why?!"

" _You are using anger to create it. You have to clear your mind first,_ " he warned. " _Anger can lead to unprovoked changes. Do not let jealousy or anger cloud your thoughts._ "

"He's right, Trina. Try to meditate a bit," Keltin said.

"How?" she asked. Sammy gestured for her and sat on a cushion.

"Close your eyes and think of nothing," Sammy instructed gently. "Close out the sounds of the room. Listen to your breathing. Don't let anything else get in your mind."

"I'll try," she nodded and closed her eyes.

"Don't force it. Just let it go," he said softly. "Deep breath in. Deep breath out."

She nodded and actually seemed to feel far more relaxed. When she opened her eyes, Muninn was sitting in front of her to hand over the Dead Branch. She took a deep breath and held it. Very slowly, it morphed into the larger branch that dripped blood.

"You did it!" Keltin chuckled.

"That…took a bit…" Trina winced. The powerful transformation took all of her strength.

" _But you did it,_ " Muninn smiled and watched her fall asleep on Sammy. " _She can maybe conjure one a day right now, but it will get better the more she does it._ "

"I'll put her to bed," Sammy said. She whimpered and clung to him instead in her sleep. "Or not! Okay, I'll hold her."

"I don't think she should do that again," Sarine grimaced. Now Kiehl looked at her with shock. Howard seemed to hiss.

"She's not defeated!" Kiehl said quickly. Now Sammy looked at her with alarm and put it all together.  _I acted the same way with her when I had the vision of losing her…_

"He's right!" Sammy said sternly. "She's just very young and doesn't have the required stamina for this. Once a day will be fine. She'll get stronger now that she knows what to do. By the time we are done here, she'll be awake. She'll be fine."

"If you say so," Sarine swallowed. Charles presented a chocolate milkshake with a touch of mint, thanks to Byorgue's quick thinking in the kitchen. Now she gasped with complete delight, and Howard had to taste it.

"You are making a full batch of that!" he demanded to get Charles laughing. Sarine stood up to stretch, and then she pulled Charles close to kiss passionately. That got a wave of giggling children through the room.

"Don't worry. I'll be with you tonight," Charles promised and got kissed again.

"Think you can cook up something special for us?" she murmured softly.

"I'll think of something," he grinned.

"Kiehl, Howard, and I may have to stay in the same area as you for safety," Loomin said. "I'm not sure if Munnin or Huginn will need to, also."

"There may be a chance," Huginn seemed to shrug. "I'm not sure if she'll need to see us. Anything is possible."

" _He's right. We will need to be in the same area as you,_ " Muninn sighed. " _As will Hyegun. He can monitor the pregnancy._ "

"That's fine," Charles agreed. She still didn't let him go, and he wasn't planning to leave her side. Loomin seemed to pause at this. Charles looked at him and asked, "Is something wrong? Loomin?"

"Sarine, is there a specific reason that you want Charles so close right now?" Loomin asked. Kiehl rose a brow, and Howard seemed to shrug.

"Not really. I just…want him close," she smiled and squeezed him. The Royal Chef squeezed her back. Hyegun cleared his throat.

"I know why. The kids in her are rather impressed with how he can control what they need so accurately. Ah…" he paused and ran a hand over his face. "They want to challenge you with new dishes."

"Oh?" Charles grinned. Kiel now moved and whispered softly of an idea he had. Charles blinked at him. "I'll try that!"

"Try what?" Sarine asked.

"A surprise dish for the growing kids. I can't say anything," Charles chuckled softly. "But, I know you will enjoy it. I'll even make it as our dish for tonight."

"Oh! Okay," she beamed. He knew that making various ingredients dipped in chocolate to be a bit like a hidden surprise with each bite would definitely work.

"So, what is the plan now?" Dmitree asked.

"Some of us need to go back to where we were found. Naght can't be summoned, right?" Thanatos asked. Naght shook his head with a heavy sigh.

" _No. He is immune to the power of the branches,_ " Muninn frowned.

"Do you think Daddy can bend a rule or two for us?" Sarine smiled.

" _Hmm. Possibly! We could ask him to just let us summon the ones we need, too. Pori-Pori was not summoned by us, but by the other Porings. He is able to move about quite freely, if he wants to,_ " Muninn mused. Pori-Pori chittered with a bit of thought at this before beaming with a large grin. Kiehl chuckled and rolled his eyes at the glance given to him.

"Yes, I know. We will finish our talk," Kiehl sighed. Howard was snickering at him. Sarine then bent down to pick up Pori-Pori to cuddle him. She whispered softly, and the strong Poring-type monster seemed to be highly amused.

"I could do that…" Pori-Pori mused. "I would enjoy it!"

"Kiehl, before you test that prince, I want Pori-Pori to test him first," she smiled.

"Why?" Kiehl started to grin.

"Because, it's only obvious. If he can't dodge Pori-Pori, then  _like hell_  will he be able to dodge you!" she grinned wickedly. That got Charles laughing in near hysterics. "He also gets to bet up more humans this way."

"I like this," Pori-Pori beamed.

"Pori-Pori, I want to try and fight you before we do any Bloody Branch summoning," Doppy snickered. Pori-Pori chittered and beamed with agreement. "I end up being the one they test after Keltin. Also, I think Kiehl should try and fight you, too."

"Oh?" Kiehl blinked. "What do you think?"

"Yes. That will work," Pori-Pori nodded.

"Pori-Pori and Kiehl? Fighting?" Howard blinked. "Ah…"

"Hmm…" Naght seemed to chuckle with curiosity.

"We'll all want to see that," Elric grinned.

"I'm already informing the others," Beelzebub grinned slightly.

"Okay. I will pay money to see it!" Ragged Zombie chimed in when he jogged over with Mobster. Trina was awake and moving into Doll's arms by the time they were ready to leave, just like Sammy said. That had Sarine relieved immensely. Now Sarine giggled and led them to the underground arena. She was settled in another rocking bench that was made exclusively for her. She had Charles sit with her and Kiehl. Howard stood behind the bench with Naght. Even Baphomet showed up for this.

"I'm going first," Doppy smirked. Kiehl simply nodded and relaxed with Sarine snuggling into his side.

"Give her something to eat," Thanatos muttered out. Several slaves brought forth her potent craving dishes, and Byorgue presented another chocolate mint milkshake with a touch of Yggdrasil Berry juice. Howard was even given the same treat. Kiehl and Kiel could only grin and look at the main floor. Doppy squared off with Pori-Pori, and the strong Poring-type monster chittered with a big grin.

For ten minutes, Doppy and Pori-Pori dodged and attacked each other. Pori-Pori couldn't be stunned, and Doppy was immune to all of the various spells that Pori-Pori had in his arsenal of attacks. Tsurga had to come down to watch with complete amazement. Keltin was clearly amused at everything. Eremes was amazed that such incredibly powerful spells were given to the strong Poring-type monster. Sammy was studying everything silently, and even his spectral ancestor was out. Even Loomin was a touch speechless.

"I am not going to fight that thing," Ragged Zombie said to get them all laughing.

"Indeed…" Eremes nodded. Ifrit could only chuckle.

"Baphomet is optioning out," Charles said to get them all laughing a bit. After another minute, both monsters stopped to recognize each other.

"You gave me a work out!" Doppy grinned. "We'll have to do this again."

Pori-Pori agreed. Then he looked at Kiehl.

"Okay. My turn," Kiehl sighed and kissed Sarine passionately. "Hmm. That does taste good! I'll want one of those, too."

"I can arrange it," Charles chuckled. Byorgue already ran back to the kitchen to get more of the treat created. Kiehl walked to the center of the dirt arena, and Doppy nodded to him on his way out. When Kiehl and Pori-Pori locked gazes, neither of them hesitated. Now Kiehl realized what was meant.  _I am a true equal in power with Pori-Pori!_

"Now you see!" Pori-Pori nodded and charged at him. Kiehl growled and countered all of the elemental attacks with his own. When he activated his Neutral talent to nullify the attacks completely, Pori-Pori chittered angrily and began to scoot over to attack him physically. Kiehl was simply dancing around him in a rather effortless way. Muninn and Huginn were incredibly impressed, as they watched this.

"Trying to dance with me?" Kiehl grinned a bit wickedly.

"Stand still!" Pori-Pori grumbled and kept missing.

"I can't do that," Kiehl chuckled. "Maybe you should watch a Demonic Mating? You can even sit with Sarine in the main chamber."

"I'll have to do that," Pori-Pori agreed and came to a stop. "We still have to talk, though. It's very important."

"Then lets talk while we get the branches going," Kiehl nodded. "Oh. Do you need to eat? I thought you all did."

"At times. It's not necessary for me, but…" Pori-Pori paused at the chocolate mint treat given to him. This was now demolished in a single gulp. "Oh! I like that!"

"We will need to get more supplies for it," Byorgue grinned. "It can be done."

A crushing force suddenly appeared around them to have Odin standing with them now. He looked at Pori-Pori and gestured to him. "Pori-Pori! I have a rather intricate favor to ask of you. Will you hear me?"

"Yes, Lord Odin," Pori-Pori nodded.

"I know you are not to be for my daughter, my Vessel, but I would like to appoint you as the one to fully judge if my Warriors are ready for the true battle ahead," Odin grinned. "This means you would need to do the same thing as you did just now. Test them to see if they are worthy of even completing their training."

"I can do that!" Pori-Pori grinned.

"Good. Please bring me Prince Cedrick and Prince Shoujin. I wish to judge them personally to see if they can hold up to your testing," Odin said. Kiehl started coughing from laughing so hard. Kiel was just gaping before suddenly breaking down into his own fits of laughter. Sammy couldn't compose himself, and his Samurai ghost was hissing out intense laughter. Naght was also laughing quite a bit. Sarine was wiping away tears, and so was Howard. Keltin and Doppy were just snickering at each other. Eremes had to Cloak to hide his laughter. Loomin was holding his head in his hands from laughing so much.

"Oh, good. Pori-Pori, please give Cedrick the lashing he truly deserves. For all the times he hounded me in the middle of the night for snacks," Charles muttered. Pori-Pori beamed and nodded with full agreement. That got another round of laughter.

"Hopefully he hasn't done that lately," Sarine sighed.

"He tried. My glare had him leave," Charles smirked.

"The Tsar would have him strung up for amusement," Dmitree chuckled. "I am a bit surprised that he hasn't asked for me."

"I have made arrangements for another to take your place," Odin nodded. Now Dmitree blinked with surprise at this. "You are too important to my daughter, my Vessel. You must remain at her side. Worry not."

"As you say," Dmitree nodded respectfully. Turtle General now approached Odin with a distinct purpose, and he was given full attention.

"Lord Odin, I wish to give my blood to the one that is to lead the alliance Guild. I do not think that it will harm the Vessel of Odin," Turtle General said.

"Hmm. Munnin? What do you foresee?" Odin asked.

" _It can be a bit of an oddball choice. The one receiving your blood MUST agree to see Sarine as purely family before taking it. If they don't, then they will still want to be at her side,_ " Muninn sighed. Turtle General now looked a bit troubled.

"Lord Odin, let me test them," Pori-Pori said. "We can decide what to do later."

"That we shall," Odin nodded and looked at Beelzebub to send out the flies. When the two royals showed up, Kiehl gave a mild look of complete annoyance. That got them both to freeze up with a form of instinctive alarm.

"They are not here for you," Sarine whispered to her powerful First Mate. He mumbled something, but rose a brow at the bowl of chocolate mint ice cream. "Share this with me?"

"Yes," he chuckled and kissed her passionately before letting her feed him small scoops with a slender silver spoon. With him preoccupied, Odin chuckled and turned his attention to the two royals. They gave instant attention to him.

"It has come to my attention that certain items need to be gained from Guild castles," Odin started. "As much as I could bring the items here, it will upset a Balance. Therefore, one of you shall lead the other party in a new Guild creation to be an alliance to my daughter, my Vessel. It would be the most proper thing to do. However, this new Guild will need a just leader to help assist and lead with my daughter, my Vessel's, Guild. Does this interest either of you?"

"Oh! I'll be glad to lead them!" Cedrick smirked.

"One with true honor should do it," Shoujin said calmly. Now they glared at each other.

"Of course, only the best should lead," Odin agreed. "Therefore, instead of being tested by Kiel D-01, you shall be tested by Pori-Pori. Ah, I shall need you to speak with them while testing. When the testing is completed, you may remain silent to those you must."

"I understand, Lord Odin," Pori-Pori nodded. Now he looked at the humans with small grin. "Okay, humans. Which one of you wants to try their luck first? Hmm?"

"Are you joking?!" Cedrick gaped.

"We cannot defeat you!" Shoujin winced.

"Then neither of you are fit to lead," Pori-Pori chuckled. "And it's not me being defeated. It's how long you can live against me. Last one standing the longest will win."

"Oh…" Cedrick blinked.

"If one of you fails first, you must train harder," Pori-Pori nodded. Kiehl was pressing his face into Sarine's neck to keep from laughing outright.  _Pori-Pori took my option to train back at the beginning level, if there was failure! I love this!_

Howard was biting his tongue to keep himself quiet. Then Turtle General cleared his throat to speak. "The one who is to lead the Guild shall have a choice to gain my blood. But, there will be an intense condition. That will be revealed to the winner only."

Now Cedrick's eyes widened. Even Shoujin showed intense interest. At this new promise to possibly be with Sarine, Cedrick said, "I'll go first."

"If you lose, you will train back at the beginning," Pori-Pori said. "Agreed?"

"Ah…well…okay," Cedrick nodded. Sammy's ancestral ghost was still out to show he was ready to judge. Even Dracula was paying close attention. They all were.

"Begin!" Odin announced. Cedrick ran up to Pori-Pori only to find him gone. Then he found himself slammed down from behind.

"You have been shirking your training!" Pori-Pori scolded. "You have been training for several months now. You should have heard me! You have failed my test."

"Ugh…" Cedrick winced. Turtle General seemed to sigh and shake his head. Now the prince felt slightly ashamed for the first time in his life.

"You may have a chance to redeem yourself. But, for now, we shall work on retraining when we can," the honorable monster said.

"Very well," Cedrick frowned and was Healed by Errende. Now Shoujin stepped forward and nodded to show he was ready. And, just like Cedrick, he was soon flattened to the ground in the same record time. The only difference was that he heard Pori-Pori approach him. He simply wasn't fast enough to dodge.

"Hmm. Neither of you are able to fully hear me, much less dodge me," Pori-Pori sighed. "I know Shoujin has been training a bit harder, but he is not yet ready, either."

"I have a suggestion," Nigel said. Odin nodded for him to continue. "Let Egnigem lead the Guild. She does have Hibram's blood, and she is a Paladin."

"Quite true! What do you think of Maxwell Stine?" Odin asked.

"Let it be Egnigem. She can be an outright bitch and help get things done. I should know," Thanatos grinned. Errende only nodded and moved to get a hug by Sarine to feel better.

"But…your blood…?" Cedrick seemed to frown.

"Since you both failed, this would have been the condition. You are to see the Vessel of Odin as purely family before accepting my blood," Turtle General nodded. That made both princes grimace with this news. They did not expect this.

"But…" Shoujin started. It was now Kiehl that rose up to confront him.

"Tell me," Kiehl said with an air of distrust. All of the demons shifted with a tinge of excitement. "why do you continue this hopeless quest? For what purpose?"

"I…" he paused and looked at the ground. "I know it is fruitless. I know she will bear no heirs, unless I have monster blood in my system. For several years, I have searched for a princess to marry. I am the last of my line."

"Wouldn't any girl do?" Sarine frowned. "If they show the same amount of old standards in royalty, then it shouldn't matter. Right?"

"That's just the thing," Cedrick said sadly. "There are no other girls out there. Many of them hear the words 'royalty' and 'prince' and they just go…crazy! Granted, I did let it get to me. But…after meeting you…I can't see myself with anyone else. I just…I can't."

"This is the first time I've ever seen him being honest," Charles muttered out. Then he cleared his throat and said, "But, the two of you are forgetting one major thing. She cannot become a queen. She cannot sit beside you in a castle. Even if she were to, dare I say, wed you, she simply cannot become the queen you want her to be."

"I have an idea," Sarine sighed. "Errende? Please help me."

"Of course, My Lady," her slave nodded and moved to help pull her hair aside to reveal her Mark. Dmitree gasped and pressed a fist to his chest. Charles also pressed a hand to his chest to show instant honor. Tsurga and Terin had done this before, but they did it again. Shoujin did the same. Cedrick was going to, but he stopped himself. That caused a bit of alarm.

"Now, why did you stop yourself from doing that?" Kiehl asked.

"I…" Cedrick seemed to blink. "I felt that…if I did…I would lose myself of something. I mean…was I?"

"No. It was a tribute to show honor," Turtle General said. Then he sighed sadly. "As you did not honor her Mark, then I can no longer train you. You are not honorable."

"What?! I mean…well…" Cedrick winced.

"All this time you were with us, you fought us. You shirked your training. You tried to do things when you knew you could not. Turtle General is correct," Sammy sighed and shook his head. "Such is the way of things."

"Please! There has to be a way to help me!" Cedrick seemed to plea. Charles was just a touch amazed by this.  _The prince was truly showing remorse!_

"Hmm…" Baphomet mused at the thought of his blood-bond and stepped forward. "Fight me. Now. That is how it starts."

"What?" Cedrick asked. Odin had never left. He was watching everything unfold carefully with Muninn and Huginn at each side of him.

"I will offer you redemption, if you fight me. So…start fighting!" Baphomet snarled and lunged at the prince. Now Cedrick understood what Turtle General was trying to teach him.  _I don't have to defeat anyone. I just have to survive…_

He quickly jumped out of the way and blocked the heavy swing. That had Baphomet back off and nod with full approval at what happened.

"Good. You blocked me. If you still had vile thoughts, I would have killed you," Baphomet chuckled. "Lord Odin, I want to be the first test for them. If they can do what he just did, then they can approach Keltin."

"I agree," Odin nodded. "Cedrick, you have redeemed yourself. In time, you may show honor to my daughter, my Vessel. For now, you must train with Turtle General."

"I will," Cedrick nodded with a small swallow.

"Looks like the young whelp may have grown a small set of balls…" Doppy smirked.

"Until he loses them…?" Eremes grinned slightly.

"We'll have to see," Keltin chuckled.

"Just don't let him swing them around in the kitchen," Charles muttered out. That got Beelzebub and Terin laughing like crazy. Sarine wrinkled her nose and got squeezed by Howard's giggling form. "And, I'd put up a rule. He may not ask me for snacks until he can cook his first dish."

"We can make mild cooking courses a part of the training," Turtle General nodded. "It will be beneficial."

"What?!" Cedrick gaped. Turtle General laughed softly with the others and gestured for both princes to follow him back to the barracks.

"They may still need to join the other Guild, but Egnigem would be the choice to lead them," Odin mused. "Very well. Now, for those of you without clones, please retreat back to your original domains."

"And…me…?" Naght asked.

"Usually, such a thing would not work. But…" Odin mused. "what do you think?"

"It…is…needed…to…protect…her…" Naght nodded.

"Agreed! Very well. Return to your domain," Odin nodded.

"Wait," Pori-Pori said. "Before we do, can my two lost people be called?"

"Oh! Of course!" Odin grinned. "You may need to be the first one seen."

Pori-Pori nodded and had the others clear the area. Odin focused for a giant pink poring that was nearly as tall as Doppy to appear. A large coronet with a green teardrop gemstone was in the front of it, and he wore it on his head regally. A grey mustache was over his mouth. He had a giant sword and a royal scepter sticking out from his body. A very wide, royal red cape with fur trim covered around his back and sides. It was held on with a large belt with a golden buckle. He narrowed his large, darker pink eyes and huffed.

"Who dares to summon me?! King Poring?!" he bellowed.

"Hi," Pori-Pori giggled. Now the large Poring seemed to gape with shock. "Wanna help me beat up some humans?"

"Would I? To gain vengeance on our fallen comrades…yes! I'll do it!" he nodded.

"Good. Vessel of Odin?" Pori-Pori looked over at her. She smiled and waved. That got King Poring to pause with surprise. Then he saw Kiehl and actually gave our a nervous shiver.

"Behave. Do as Pori-Pori says. If you don't, you deal with me. Got it?" Kiehl said calmly. Then he crossed his arms over his chest and twitched a small smile.

"Yes! Understood…ah…Sir!" King Poring said with a small cringe. Now he paused when Sarine walked over to gently place her hand on his side below his scepter.

"You are an ally to us. We have other brothers of yours here, too," she said gently. He sighed and nodded. "Come now. We are all on the same side."

"As you say," he nodded. "Ah…I get to know more about you?"

"I can fill you in," Sammy said. His ancestral ghost hissed out to show he was ready to help, too. King Poring was now highly amused, and he bounced over quickly.

"Okay. Now for my other lost one," Pori-Pori nodded to Odin.

"Very well," he nodded back and focused. This time, a giant Drops appeared. But it was no ordinary Drops. It was twice the size of King Poring. Its face looked like it had a scary jack-o-lantern's crooked, smiling mouth, and slanted eyes were carved into it. It howled with fury and glared around. It easily looked like it was ready to bowl anything over in its way.

"Wow," Doppy chuckled. Pori-Pori chittered at it. Now it looked at him and seemed surprised. After a lengthy talk in their language, Hallow Poring now looked at Sarine with a bit of curiosity. She smiled and walked up to it to show she was harmless. When Hallow Poring tried to push its luck, Kiehl was there within a split-second to show he was protecting her.

"Don't piss me off," Kiehl warned. "This is the first and last warning you get from me."

That had the massive Poring-type monster freeze up with shock. It seemed huddle down slightly with understanding. Pori-Pori chittered again, and Hallow Poring made its way out to start staking out territory.

"It tried to attack you?" Howard frowned.

"I don't think so. But…" she frowned.

"He wanted to test your allies. He knows better now," Pori-Pori nodded. With these two important Poring monsters in their arsenal of allies, they knew it was time to use the Bloody Branches. Sarine got hugged tight by Thanatos, Beelzebub, and Entwehein Crothen. Ifrit was next to give her a fiery embrace before vanishing. Naght gathered her up to hold her and purr deeply.

"I'll see you soon," she smiled. He nodded and pressed his skeletal skull to her forehead before setting her back down. He seemed to sigh before heading back to his tower.

"He hates being away from you," Howard muttered. "But…"

His glowed red when he allowed the mild possession. "I'll be with you like this until I'm called. That may work."

"I do miss you like this," she smiled and let him kiss her roughly. Then he whispered softly in her ear to get her laughing like crazy. Kiehl was pursing his mouth shut and made a small glance at a clueless Kiel.  _If Naght did that while Howard was with Kiel, then my duplicate is done for…_

"Where are the Bloody Branches? We should have more than enough," Odin chuckled. Seyren wasn't there, but it was Eremes that brought them over. Huginn took them to hold, and Muninn was the one that broke them. Pori-Pori was there to ensure that Sarine would stay protected. Muninn broke the first branch right after she was secured.

"Hmm…" Baphomet mused. "I feel…called here. Huh."

"The Bloody Branch has called for you?" Odin said with a touch of amazement.

"Yes. I don't really have a true 'place', if you think about it. I feel as though…my chains are truly broken now," Baphomet chuckled.

"He's right," Charles nodded. "I'm sure the others had to go elsewhere, though?"

"That they have," Odin nodded.

"Ah, Keltin? Can you go to Morroc and bring back Lord Thanatos? Someone broke a branch there, and he, ah, got called," Errende said. Keltin was quick to revert to his Champion form and do just that. On bringing back Thanatos, the demon was grinning widely at the sudden freedom he had to move around.

"Break another Bloody Branch, Muninn," Odin commanded. Muninn nodded, and he did just that. Beelzebub appeared and gave a bit of a wide grin. He felt an urge to attack, but Sarine's loving gaze completely crushed the instinct. Then he paused on seeing Kiehl and nodded with respect.

"Let me break the next one," Kiehl suggested. Huginn grinned and handed a branch over. This was broken now to bring forth Ifrit. He howled with rage at first, but then he went dead still at the sight of Kiehl.

"You called me, eh?" Ifrit chuckled and touch nervously.

"It's fine. You're free now, right?" Kiehl asked.

"Yes. Thank you," Ifrit nodded.

"Let Kiehl break the branches," Huginn muttered.

" _Very true!_ " Muninn grinned a bit. Kiehl broke the next branch to find the darker clone of Eremes before him. At his look of annoyance, the dark clone actually seemed to cringe before it got attacked mercilessly by him and the others there.

"Even my duplicate…stopped…?" Eremes asked with amazement.

"It appears so," Sarine sighed and let him hug her. Kiehl walked over to give her a card, and she kissed him passionately. He chuckled and made a face at Howard before getting another branch. He broke this one and watched Entweihein Crothen appear. The skeletal demon also paused before nodding with recognition.

"Good. This will make things so much easier!" he chuckled. He gave a thornless vine caress to Sarine and moved to wait with the others.

"I am all that's left. I shall return," Naght said through Howard. When Howard's eyes dimmed back down, he sighed and hugged Sarine to him. Then he simply gaped with shock.

"He got called?!" Kiehl gaped. Then he paused and fell to his knees laughing.

"What?" Doppy frowned.

"Some idiot used a Bloody Branch at the arena," Beelzebub mused. Terin was dying with laughter. Elric was holding his face in his hands and could only wonder who was stupid enough to do it. "Naght finished off the challenger quickly."

"Too…quickly…" Naght rumbled with laughter when he moved to pluck up Sarine to cradle her. "What…happens…now?"

"The day is still young. We can go over the map Evil Snake Lord created and see how to approach the Rachel castles. Then, maybe after, I'll make good on something," Sarine smiled. He nodded, as did the others, but Naght rumbled laughter at Kiehl's small wince. He clearly didn't want to be with his duplicate like that, but he didn't have much of a choice. Even Odin decided to stick around to see what happened with the Guild castles, and he did chuckle slightly at Kiehl. They all moved into the meeting chamber to plot out their appearance to take on the Guild castles of Rachel.


End file.
